ONCE SHE SLIPPED THROUGH HIS FINGERS. . .

Aidan York has spent ten years mourning the woman he once loved and lost. He's filled the void in the only way he knows—by distracting himself with wild behavior and scandalous trysts. It's a hollow existence, but it dulls the pain. Until the day he encounters a ghost: the woman he thought drowned at sea, alive and as enchanting as ever. . .

NOW HE’LL KEEP HER IN HIS ARMS. . .

When Kate Hamilton sees the man she once hoped to spend her life with, she is hit with a storm of memories and longing. But though resisting Aidan's passion proves impossible, Kate must try not to love him all over again. For her seemingly quiet London life shields a dangerous secret, one that will catch up to her the moment she lets herself fall. . .

Title: IT’S ALWAYS BEEN YOU
Author: Victoria Dahl
Series: York Family, book 2
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Kensington Zebra
Year of release: 2011, August 1
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Source: Bought via The BookDepository

First line:
"Thank you, Mr. York. It's been a pleasure, sir. A pleasure."

Memorable Scenes:
- the kiss after the chess game > poignant turning point in the book
- Aidan's talk with Jude > the humorful banter that lacked throughout the rest of the book was definitely present in this scene


Kate Hamilton (Katie Tremont - Katherine Gallow, yes Kate has quite some aliases) is the heroine of this second installment in the York Family series. Kate's ordeal has changed her from happy and vivacious to quiet and on guard and definitely wary of men.

The hero is Aidan York, the middle York sibling. Aidan is still grieving the loss of the love of his life and he’s a bit cynical. Honestly I was expecting a more tortured hero in Aidan and in the beginning he seemed to be headed that way but from the moment Kate re-enters his world it felt like he turned into this lovesick puppy and his character lost a bit of its strength.

This book contains a complicated yet beautiful and poignant romance. Aidan was led to believe Kate had drowned at sea while Kate married another man and left for the Far East thinking Aidan had abandoned her. Something tragic happened to send her back to England but she's trying to fend for herself and has not contacted her family. Though some may frown upon Kate for some of the choices she makes, I understood her motivation. However I did think she should've told Aidan sooner about her problem.

The love scenes were beautifully written and quite steamy. They were emotional and made the romance part stand out in the book. The mystery of what happened to Kate in Ceylon was intriguing to say the least. With little and cryptic hints every few chapters the entire story eluded me for a big part of the book but I didn't mind. There was more emphasis on romance than on the mystery and I liked that.

Contrary to her contemporaries and the first York book, Victoria Dahl toned down the humorous note considerably in this book and considering the characters and their romance it fit. This doesn't mean there wasn't any humor at all but it was kept subtle in favor of the intricacy of the romance. I thought this was well done, even if I did miss the laugh-out-loud humor I’ve grown used to by Ms. Dahl.

IT'S ALWAYS BEEN YOU is a lovely historical romance that I read with a wistful smile on my face and a twinge in my heart. Simple but wonderful writing with characters that make you root for them both was mixed with a little mystery and a heartfelt romance.

Favorite Quotes:
Granted, he was no longer grief-stricken and angry. But he could not seem to rid himself of the space in his chest that left his heart knocking hollowly around.

He glanced her way and caught her looking, and he smiled. He smiled, and it was as if there were a lamp inside her and someone had just struck the flame.

“[…] But Katie Tremont is not just some jaded, bored wife. She is the woman you used to love. And she is the woman who never once contacted you in the past decade.”
“I’m well aware of that. You needn’t fear for my heart, brother. It’s no longer tender. I’ve spent years banging it against other women’s backs, as you kindly point out.” (Edward and Aidan)

Kate heard a soft sound of want, knew that is was her own quiet moan, and opened her mouth to him. His tongue glided inside. She felt the shock of it as if she’d never been kissed, as if all those kisses they’d once shared had been an invention of her lovesick brain.

She’d kissed Aidan York, after all.
My God, she’d kissed him. Opened her mouth to him. Rubbed her tongue against his as if she’d never spent a day apart from his body. She was supposed to be a married woman, yet she’d licked at his mouth as if she were starving for it.

Gone But Not Forgotten

Davy…Connor…Sean… Three brothers who have conquered their demons, but they’ve never forgotten their long lost brother, Kev, whom they believed to be dead. When the McCloud brothers discover Kev is alive, they won’t rest until they find him...

Beaten and tortured almost to death, Kev Larsen was found eighteen years earlier in a warehouse alley. He survived his brutal ordeal, but his memories before that night were completely erased. When he nearly dies from trying to save someone from drowning, the brain surgery he has to save his life triggers fragmented, terrifying memories. With only these memories and the name of his torturer to guide him, Kev is determined to unlock the secrets to his past.

Edie Parrish has always been good at not letting anyone get too close to her. If someone were to learn of her unusual gift, her life would be immediately jeopardized. But when Kev Larsen discovers who she really is, Edie has only one choice: to trust him. And soon, Edie can’t resist her consuming desire for him—even though she knows she’ll have to pay a price for it.

Now Kev and Edie must race against time and place their faith in each other to stop a deadly legacy...

Title: FADE TO MIDNIGHT
Author: Shannon McKenna
Series: McCloud Brothers, book 7
Genre: Romantic Suspense, Erotic Romance
Publisher: Kensington Publishing
Year of release: 2010, June 1
Format: 1st Edition Hardcover
Source: Received a copy of the book from the publisher for review

First line:
I am f#cked. (chose to go with first line of chapter 1 instead of flashback-ish prologue)

Memorable Scene:
- The scene in the motel when Edie and Kev are on the run from the bad guys > impressive in every way and the epitome of what I love about McKenna's writing

I need to state upfront that it took me three starts and Kev and Edie to finally get on one page together and meet for me to finally be hooked by this 7th installment of the McCloud Brothers series but when I got there I was totally and utterly hooked. And I was glad I didn’t give up on it in those first 50-100 pages.

Kev(in)McCloud aka Kev Larsen is a daredevil. He’s fearless, arrogant and masterful. Through his characterization and the writing I could feel his despair to remember who he was and all the stuff from his past. There were moments where I thought Kev was a bit too obsessed and going too fast with Edie but these moments were scarce and were also immediately negated by the fact that Kevin would acknowledge (through internal thoughts) the craziness of his feelings and the speed they came about. However that didn’t take away that sometimes I wanted him to be a bit less crazy with his obsession.

Edie Parrish is a graphic novel artist. She’s quiet, shy, artistic, creative and a little tongue-tied. She has a special psychic gift, brought on by the cognitive enhancement experiments done on her in her youth. Edie was awesome. I found her a much stronger heroine that most other heroines in this series and a perfect match for Kev. She developed as a character throughout the first part of the story as she became more mouthy, which IMO was triggered by Kev. I adored the bits where she'd go off on him and yell at him, argue with him and challenge him.

Both Kev and Edie have their flaws but those are also what make them strong and memorable characters that totally fit the rest of this book.

The secondary characters were a mix of old familiar ones (of course Kev’s family members and their spouses) and new intriguing ones like Kev’s adoptive family, especially Bruno but I’ll get back to him later, and Alex Aaro whom I hope will get his own story too.
So about Bruno…He immediately caught my eye as Kev’s foster brother and at one point in the book I was really afraid that McKenna was going to kill him off in the book. Luckily she didn’t because I learned that he’s the hero in the next McKenna book (BLOOD AND FIRE) that’s coming soon. YAY!

Oh almost forgot about another secondary character that really needs a mention: Tam!! It’s known that she is my favorite female in this series. I unapologetically confess my love for her in all the reviews of the McCLoud Brothers books and in FADE TO MIDNIGHT she rocked it even harder. I loved her in this book. LOVED! I also wish I could quote pages 432 and 433 in their entirety to show exactly what I love about her and Shannon McKenna's writing and characterization. But I cannot do that because it would be too extensive and also it would be too spoiler-y. So all I can say is, if you have the book and plan to read it, pay attention to pages 432 and 433.

Shannon McKenna's villains are evil and twisted geniuses and the ones in FADE TO MIDNIGHT fit the bill perfectly. The female villain is depraved too and she really gave me the shivers...and not in a good way. As usual when reading McKenna's villains I was shivering in horror yet undeniably fascinated. The neuroscience stuff went a little above my head at times but as I really enjoyed the suspense and romance it didn't really bother me and I didn't go out of my way to try and understand or make sense of it all.

The way McKenna writes the suspense plots in this series is awesome. Not only the ones in the individual books but also the ongoing overall plot of Kev's disappearance that was there in some way or form in all the books, with a (logically) more in depth look in Sean's book (EDGE OF MIDNIGHT). They are all brilliantly set up. Some (many?) may find McKenna's suspense (and romance) over the top and too much but I love it. In FADE TO MIDNIGHT, like in all the other McCloud books I gobbled it up and relished in the intense reading experience.

The suspense in FADE TO MIDNIGHT, even though I was privy to much more stuff than the characters, still was nail-biting and kept me on the edge of my seat as I was anxiously looking forward to the moment where everything would come together and the villains would get what was coming to them.

FADE TO MIDNIGHT was emotional, humorous and hot. With its intense hero, amazing heroine, awesome secondary characters, heinous villains and excellent suspense it fit the rest of the books in the series perfectly and I’m sad to see the end of this story arc in the series which I enjoyed to the fullest ever since reading the first sentence of BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.

Favorite Quotes:
She reached back, struggling with the fastenings of her shabby white bra. Wishing she had a seductive scrap of silk and lace on. At least the boobs themselves were acceptable, as boobs went. “Who said anything about helping?” She flung the bra onto the sweater, chest out, shoulders back. Displaying herself. Ta da. Take that buddy. Tit power.

“Thank you,” she replied. Her face was so hot, she felt feverish. “The compliments are just super-nice, and I appreciate you being so sweet, but the buildup is driving me crazy. If you don’t kiss me now, I will grab a fork and stab you with it. Or else faint from lack of oxygen.
His laugh rang out, loud and happy. Then he seized her.
The kiss sprang into being fully formed. No lead in, no awkward fumbling, no slow, graceful merging. Just all the sudden, they were twined together as if they has always been, locked into a greedy, devouring clinch like they were starving to get inside each other.

She smiled, her eyes flashing timidly down to his tireless tentpole of a dick. “Are you, ah, cold?
He was a blast furnace. His dick was going to be in a state of permanent inflammation, now that it knew that Edie Parrish existed.

He’d never dreamed how deep it could cut. How hot it could burn. He was wide open to her now. She could slide those slender, cool fingers in between his ribs, grab his heart, and squeeze it out of existence. And he didn’t care. He’d found his angel, She was his. Or more precisely, he was hers. And he was cooked.

Kev dragged her up onto his lap and hugged her. Tears ran down her face, and she was completely unembarrassed. It was good, it was fine. It was wonderful. The she kissed his face, and found it wet.
Her heart opened so wide, she thought it would break, become something she never knew a heart could be. Vast and pure and fearless.

“Your brother catered a surprise meal for us?”
He shrugged. “He desperately wants to get me laid. He thinks that getting laid is the solution to any man’s problems. Common cold? Get laid. Ingrown hairs? Get laid. Pursued by an angry billionaire? Get laid.”

He lay there afterward, shaking. Every time they made love, he felt more naked. More out of control. Carrying on like a crazed barbarian warlord, waving his dick around like a club. But it was all bullshit. The power dynamic between them was brutally clear.
He was on his knees to her. She owned his ass.

“You’re aware of what this will cost me, right? Kev will redesign my skeleton. I’ll be short a head, or missing a couple of limbs the next time you see me. And I loved being bilaterally symmetrical (Bruno to Edie)

The Blades of the Rose are sworn to protect the sources of magic in the world. But the work is dangerous—and they can’t always protect their own…

READY FOR ACTION...
London Harcourt’s father is bent on subjugating the world’s magic to British rule. But since London is a mere female, he hasn’t bothered to tell her so. He’s said only that he’s leading a voyage to the Greek isles. No matter, after a smothering marriage and three years of straitlaced widowhood, London jumps at the opportunity—unfortunately, right into the arms of Bennett Day.

RISKING IT ALL...
Bennett is a ladies’ man, when he’s not dodging lethal attacks to protect the powers of the ancients from men like London’s father. Sometimes, he’s a ladies’ man even when he is dodging them. But the minute he sees London he knows she will require his full attention. The woman is lovely, brilliant, and the only known speaker of a dialect of ancient Greek that holds the key to calling down the wrath of the gods. Bennett will be risking his life again—but around London, what really worries him is the danger to his heart…

Title: SCOUNDREL
Author: Zoe Archer
Series: The Blades of the Rose, book 2
Genre: Action/Adventure Romance, Historical Romance, Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Kensington/Zebra
Year of release: 2010, October 1
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Source: Received a digital copy of the book from author for review

First line:
The bloody problem with magic was that he wasn't allowed to use it.

Memorable Scenes:
-Finding the mirror scene and sailing the narrow strait scene > thrilling and adventurous
-Temple scene > Can I say H.O.T? Yes I can!
- Bennett's declaration of love > sweet and touching

Bennett Day aka Ben Drayton is the Blades' cryptographer. He’s able to crack/decode any code presented to him. The term scoundrel is very fitting when it comes to this womanizing, silver-tongued charming rogue. But he’s also honorable and focused.

London Harcourt (full name: Victoria Regina Britannia London Edgeworth Harcourt – I love her full name!) is the widow of Lawrence Harcourt, sister of Jonas Edgeworth and daughter of Joseph Edgeworth. These men are all enemies of the Blades and London is ignorant of her father's, brother's and late husband's work as Heirs but she gets dragged into it because of her knowledge of ancient languages. She’s educated, sharp-witted and courageous. I really liked London.

Zoe Archer writes some awesome and very compatible couples and Bennett and London fit that bill perfectly. The romance in SCOUNDREL revolves around the enemies-to-lovers trope/ falling for enemy's daughter trope. This is one of the tropes I’ve loved ever since I started reading romance at a young age. I adored the Harlequin romances with these tropes as it gives room for so much angst and intense emotions. Needless to say the trope in SCOUNDREL was another thing I loved about it.

I really love how Zoe Archer describes scenery. After Mongolia in WARRIOR, she now takes the reader to Greece in SCOUNDREL and does a marvelous job of making the country come alive through her writing. And her talent for storytelling is very impressive too. I was completely engrossed in the journey she took me on in SCOUNDREL. I found this book a little less Indiana Jones-y than THE WARRIOR despite stuff like kidnapping, deciphering ancient writings, sailing across the Aegean in search of clues and the Source. However, it was no less entertaining in the least!

Myth, magic, action, adventure, romance and scorching love scenes, SCOUNDREL is a compilation of all of the above that kept me reading while cursing the villains and rooting for the main couple and their romance.

Having read two books in the series I can't but say that The Blades of the Rose series is unique, refreshing, witty and excellently written. There's plenty romance in them to satisfy my inner romance junkie and yet I have a feeling that even without the romance I'd recommend this series to readers who enjoy a thrilling, fast-paced and action-packed adventure.

Favorite Quotes:
She met his gaze, and sank into their cool aquatic depths as he stared back. This felt stronger than attraction. Something that resounded through the innermost recesses of herself, in deep, liquid notes, like a melody or song one might sing to bring the world into being.

London Harcourt burned with desire for the world, for visceral experience. As he did. But he had the good fortune to be born male, and so the world opened to him like a feast, while London Harcourt could only look on and starve. What a pleasure it would be to feed her.

Their last kiss was rushed, a bare glimpse of what could be. He would take his time. But he couldn't seem to make himself take a leisurely pace. Only the slightest urging, and her mouth met his in a kiss. Such a mouth she had, sweet and soft and meant for languid, thorough kisses. Slow, slow, he ordered himself.

""She glanced over at Athena, busy rubbing sleep from her eyes.
"If I was more conventional," Athena said, "I would say you must marry me now."
When London blinked in confusion, the witch explained, "While you slept, you attempted liberties with my person. You called me 'Bennett,' and commanded that I make love to you."
"Oh, dear God!" London gasped, mortified. "I'm so sorry!"
Then Athena laughed. "A joke."

Miss Miranda Granger had one wish for the upcoming holiday season—to forget the past and rediscover the woman she was before betrayal and a desperate situation rent apart her happiness. A month at the lavish new seaside resort, the Grandview Hotel, should serve as just the tonic she needs, even if she is forced to spend her time reining in her two mischievous stepsisters while her widowed father sees to his business affairs. After all, she’s all but raised the two hellions since their mother’s death so many years ago. If only she could save them both from the cursed Granger temperament. All she can do is hope that her sisters manage to survive it to womanhood unscathed, something she has not managed to accomplish herself.

Troy Davenport comes to the Grandview Hotel for one reason alone—to find Miranda Granger, and to paint her. He’s been able to think of nothing else since meeting the then-anonymous woman on the deck of the ocean liner R.M.S. Mauretania so many months ago. Now he has her name—thanks to a well-timed photo on the Society page—and he hopes his paintbrush can unlock the mysterious woman’s secrets. Of course, Troy—an accomplished American painter who was trained by the masters in France—harbors his own secret, as well. He isn’t who he seems to be, and he has a vested interested in keeping his true identity safe.

Neither Miranda nor Troy are prepared for the passion that flares between them when they meet at the Grandview, blossoming into a grand affair over the course of their stay. Miranda allows herself to believe that, at last, she’s found the happiness she’s hoped for. But back in the village of Weckham, everything falls apart, and Miranda finds herself once again betrayed by the man she loves.

Only nothing is as it seems, and on Christmas Eve, back at the Grandview Hotel, a miracle occurs on the chalky cliffs by the sea…

Title: A MIDNIGHT CLEAR
Author: Kristi Astor
Series: Connected Edwardian-set historicals
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Zebra Books
Year of release: 2010, November 2
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Source: Received digital ARC from author for review

First line:
"What's this, the society page?"

Memorable Scenes:
- Troy and Miranda's reunion scene at the glass house > heartbreaking and sweet

Miranda Granger is proper, serious and responsible. She also comes across as sad. After a near scandal she has curbed her impulsivity and true passionate nature and past mistakes haunt her. Troy awakens her true nature but she fights the attraction as to not make the same mistakes she made in the past. A past where she fell victim to a fortune hunter who ruined her reputation, chose money over her and left her no choice but the life of a spinster.

Troy Davenport/DeWitt is an American and a painter. He’s handsome, masculine and boyishly charming. Troy is immediately fascinated by Miranda and not only as his muse or model. Miranda is afraid of the feelings Troy evoke in her, afraid she'll succumb once more to a fortune hunter's seduction. What she doesn't know is that Troy isn't the uncultured poor artist he appears to be.

As the story is very character-driven and I took no review notes about a plot, I’m assuming there was no significant or discernible plot to speak of. I didn’t mind that as the romance between Troy and Miranda and their intricate and moving back-stories were sufficient in holding my attention from start to finish

A MIDNIGHT CLEAR is set in the England of 1908. This early 20th century time period is a new period for me in reading historical romances as I've read only Medieval, Victorian and Regency. I must say I liked it a lot as it's historical yet with a bit more modern feel in terms of technology (motorcars instead of carriages...watches...). This combination worked very well for me.

This was a delightful read about money, scandal, social standing and outward appearances that pulled me in straight away. I was captivated by the artist in Troy and intrigued by Miranda's past indiscretion that's hinted at from the start. I was a little thrown back at the flashbacks to several years earlier in a few inconsecutive chapters but this was only a minor thing. The flashbacks were needed to understand the characters and I was glad Kristi Astor inserted them, I just don’t know if the points of insertion were conductive to the flow of the story.

A MIDNIGHT CLEAR is a very well written character-driven historical with intriguing tidbits being unraveled slowly to reveal the backgrounds of two wonderful characters who find their soul mates in each other.

Favorite Quote:
She swallowed a lump in her throat. "Most people would say you're too young to settle down and take a wife. Especially one of...of an advanced age."
"Then most people don't know their arse from their elbow. And good God, Miranda--an 'advanced age'? You're not yet thirty."

Rating:

Katie Long was supposed to be undercover. She was just supposed to watch Deputy Prosecutor Eric Kimura at his ex’s wedding and gather intel on his campaign for prosecutor. But he’s a lot hotter in person, and the kind of intel they accidentally shared in the hotel bathroom might lose both of them their jobs. Especially since it seems to be a recurring incident. Is it possible for a one-night stand to last ten days?

Kimura isn’t usually the impulsive type. He’s driven, he’s ambitious, and he knows what he wants—a respectable future in Hawaii politics. Which means wild half-public sex with a beautiful stranger in a short little caterer’s skirt is just tabloid fodder waiting to happen. Conveniently, just as his campaign is coming under attack. Sabotage, media gossip, and an insatiable desire for a woman he just met? If he’s not careful, Counselor Kimura might lose all control…

Title: Impulsive
Author: HelenKay Dimon
Series: Men of Hawaii, book 4
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Brava
Year of release: 2010, October 26
Format: Tradesize Paperback, 320 pages
Source: Received a digital copy from author for review

First line: Katie Long wasn't sure how they'd gone from "would you like another drink" to crawling all over each other half-naked in the oceanfront estate's hall bathroom, but that's what happened.
Memorable Scene:
Katie surprises Eric in his office scene > HOT! no desk smexing but office chair also definitely works for me!

Eric Kimura is still hung up on his ex and at her wedding to another man, he has sex with a stranger, a waitress, in a bathroom stall. At least it’s better than getting drunk and making a scene. But what he doesn’t know is that the waitress is not an ordinary waitress. Someone hired Katie through an old acquaintance to spy on Eric at the wedding. I was utterly surprised to find out who it was and outraged on Eric's behalf.

Katie Long is an impulsive young woman with a penchant for getting in trouble. She really tries to stay out of trouble and behave but it seems like it just follows her wherever she goes. She’s sassy, vibrant and a wild child with a heart of gold. And while she didn’t plan to fall in love with Eric, she does and once she finds that out she jumps in with both feet.

Eric is the Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, about to campaign to be elected Prosecuting Attorney. He’s strait-laced, ambitious and a workaholic. He’s also fair and conscientious. Katie’s zest for life and her spontaneity make him open up and live a little and she’s also that last push he needs to get his ex out of his mind.

As for secondary characters, I loved seeing Deana and Josh from HOLDING OUT FOR A HERO again and must also praise HelenKay Dimon for not cluttering the book with too many secondary characters but instead using the amount needed to support and complement Katie and Eric and the plot. The political intrigue plot that accompanies the romance was subtly written into the rest and, like the secondary characters, never took over. Yet it was a plot that kept me on my toes. First with the who, then with the why.

The first page of IMPULSIVE is the perfect example of a beginning that immediately hooked me. It was hot, with just enough information to make me very anxious for the rest of this story. And the title is absolutely fitting. Eric's behavior though, was also very unexpected and out of character for the Eric I got to meet in HOLDING OUT FOR A HERO so I was curious to see how it all was going to be played out. And I can say now that it played out great. I loved this Eric, who truly and pleasantly surprised me by being more playful and less of a the cool politician than he appeared to be.

HelenKay Dimon writes awesome banter and dialogues. I noticed this in HOLDING OUT FOR A HERO and in IMPULSIVE it continued right from the start with Eric and Seth and later with Eric and Katie. Seriously! HelenKay Dimon takes dialogues to a higher level and this puts her on the top of my favorite contemporary romance authors. Her dialogues are a mix of witty banter and humorous fun and a way of showing her characters' personalities and at the same time creating depth in them. I almost salivated reading them and must admit that while reading IMPULSIVE I would regularly go back to certain dialogues and read them a second time, just to experience the joy of awe-inspiring dialogue again.

What more can I say about IMPULSIVE? It's contemporary romance and then some! It has fun, passion, arguments, chemistry, trust issues, commitment, love and a little bit of suspense. It's delivered through excellent and smooth writing, witty dialogues, serious dialogues, strong main characters and interesting secondary characters. The ending was so sweet it's good I have a major sweet tooth and therefore loved it.

With HOLDING OUT FOR A HERO and IMPULSIVE HelenKay Dimon has written herself straight on to my favorite contemporary romances list and made a new fan for life. If you love contemporary romance and you haven't read HelenKay Dimon's Men of Hawaii books, please remedy this because they're an addition to any lover of contemporary romance’s bookshelves.

Favorite Quotes:
He mumbled the denial right before his head lowered and his lips brushed against hers. For the second time, an engulfing heat swept through him. He'd had sex before. Hell, he'd had great sex before, but there was something about Katie that rubbed him raw and sent a blast of want shooting through him.

Seth and Eric
"You poor bastard."
"What?"
"You're about to get your ass kicked in the female department and you don't even know it."

Just when she wanted to bonk him in the head for being clueless, he said something sweet enough to melt her bones.

Katie's stomach dropped to the floor. Went right through her pantyhose and smacked the space between her feet.

TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT…
Deana Armstrong needs a hero—not for herself, but for the nephew all her moneyand time can’t seem to get out of jail. Unfortunately, the best hero in all the
Hawaiian Islands is set on turning in his badge and getting his excellent butt into
another line of work. If that wasn’t enough, Josh Windsor also has a big-time
grudge against Deana herself. But if there’s anything being rich, smart, and
stubborn has taught Deana, it’s never to settle for second best…

Josh has had it with saving people. He’s had it with getting
hauled into court. And boy, has he ever had it with Deana. Or well, he hasn’t had it.
Yet. But the more she pops up sounding infuriating and looking good enough to eat,
the more her hot bod and her cold case wriggle into his mind. And there’s only so
much even a hero can resist…

Title: Holding Out for a Hero
Author: HelenKay Dimon
Series: Men of Hawaii, book 3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Brava
Year of release: 2009, October 1
Format: Tradesize Paperback, 320 pages
Source: Received this book from Fatin (@mad4rombks) as a gift in 2009.

First line: He sensed her before he saw her.
Memorable Scenes:
- any scene with Josh, Kane and Annie > awesome banter

Josh Windsor is a federal officer with the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration). Who decides to quit after his boss sacrificed him to save his own position. He’s blunt, uncompromising, strong and confident. Money is a big deal for him, people who use money and power to their advantage earn his disdain. After a crappy childhood he doesn’t want to be used or taken for granted ever again. Oh and HelenKay, I think Josh has a pen-tapping problem ;) And I wrote this down way before I read page 266...

Deana Armstrong is serious, tenacious, smart and strong-willed. She keeps a tight reign on her emotions, which is why she comes across as cold and in control. She does this with a reason however. A tragic incident in her past triggered it. She’s also wealthy, a fact that on its own earns her the disapproval of Josh Windsor.

Josh and Deana have a past, a past where Deana did some not so nice things, but now she needs help and he's the only one she's willing to ask. Understandably saying Josh isn't forthcoming with his help is an understatement. I loved seeing the tension build between Josh and Deana as they both fight not to like each other. I was immediately getting ready for the inevitable climactic erruption of the chemistry that was building.

Their backgrounds couldn't be any more different. They aren't perfect, have their flaws and hang-ups but HelenKay Dimon wrote a wonderful couple that had depth and were extremely likeable even if they were stubborn (Deana) and acted like an ass occasionally (Josh).

While reading my mind was working overtime. I was wondering about the things going on and a few questions popped in my head. These questions were all answered and satisfyingly so as little by little things from the past were explained and unraveled an intricate backstory. The murder-case plot was important for the romance and the external conflict between Josh and Deana and I really liked the resolutions for both the plot and the conflict. No magical, perfect solutions in order to get a HEA.

The dialogues are just awesome! Quick-witted, sharp, functional and never redundant. Oh how I enjoyed the dynamics of fun conversations filled with jabs and quips between Josh, Kane, Annie and Derek.

After reading an Harlequin Intrigue and an ebook novella by HelenKay Dimon I suspected I was going to love her full-lengths, as the only thing I found lacking in the aforementioned shorts was the length, and I was right. I loved HOLDING OUT FOR A HERO and can't wait to read IMPULSIVE [note from reviewer: In the meantime I’ve read IMPULSIVE and I loved it!] and the other full-lengths and up next is the first book in this series, because I just have to read YOUR MOUTH DRIVES ME CRAZY soon as reading HOLDING OUT FOR A HERO made me want to read Kane and Annie's story asap.

Favorite Quotes:
She [Annie] rapped her fist against the table. "Don't make me get up and smack the crap out of you."
"For the record, I'd like to see that," Kane said.

Annie shook the receiver in his face. "Then I will climb over this table and beat you to death with this phone."
Kane laughed. "That's one of her favorite threats."

Then he was kissing her, deep and long. The kind of kiss that turned a woman's knees to liquid and her common sense to mush.

"How about a round of mind-blowing sex?" Before the words left his mouth he treated her to a long , hot kiss.
The man excelled at kissing. Curl-your-toes, hide-your-daughters kissing. The kind where short breaths lingered long after his lips left hers.

To most people, the realm of magic is the stuff of nursery rhymes and dusty libraries. But for Capt. Gabriel Huntley, it’s become quite real and quite dangerous…

IN HOT PURSUIT…
The vicious attack Capt. Gabriel Huntley witnesses in a dark alley sparks a chain of events that will take him to the ends of the Earth and beyond—where what is real and what is imagined become terribly confused. And frankly, Huntley couldn’t be more pleased. Intrigue, danger, and a beautiful woman in distress—just what he needs.

IN HOTTER WATER…
Raised thousands of miles from England, Thalia Burgess is no typical Victorian lady. A good thing, because a proper lady would have no hope of recovering the priceless magical artifact Thalia is after. Huntley’s assistance might come in handy, though she has to keep him in the dark. But this distractingly handsome soldier isn’t easy to deceive…

Title: Warrior
Author: Zoe Archer
Series: The Blades of the Rose, book 1
Genre: Action/Adventure Romance, Historical Romance, Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Zebra Books
Year of release: 2010, September 7
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Source: received a digital copy from author for review
First line: Gabriel Huntley hated an unfair fight.
Memorable Scenes:
All the scenes where Gabriel and Thalia got it on:
- Their first time...on a rock! > original and hot!
- The scene at the pond in the oasis in the Gobi Desert > If I still smoked I would've lighted a post-coital cigarette

Gabriel Huntley is a former captain in the British army. He has been all over the world serving Queen and country and is on his way back to England to leave the dangerous and adventurous life behind and find himself a nice, ordinary wife to settle down with. However, fate has something else in mind for him and soon he finds himself in Outer Mongolia, captivated by a woman who is anything but quiet or ordinary. Gabriel abhors unfairness or injustice. He is gruff commanding, intelligent, confident and persistent.

Thalia Burgess is an anthropologist who was raised by her father in Outer Mongolia after her mother died. When her father is unable to perform his duties as a Blade of the Rose after Gabriel’s news demands urgent action from the Blades, she offers to take his place. Her mission puts her together with this captain she is very attracted to but hesitant to pursue those feelings as she has been burned by her attraction for a man before. However, she soon learns that love is not to be dictated by fear or reasonable thinking. Thalia is independent, sharp, smart, courageous, tenacious and protective (of her father).

Both Gabriel and Thalia stole my heart in this first installment of the Blades of the Rose series. There is subtle humor in both of them and their banter that made me smile throughout the book and even in the sometimes-hazardous situations they never lost the humor.

WARRIOR starts the way I love action-adventure to start: with a fistfight! When I read the first page, I just knew I was going to love it and boy, did I love this book! I hope to give you all a fairly coherent review of WARRIOR but can’t guarantee anything because all that’s in my head is: Loved, loved, loved, loved it and I want more and ooooh hot sex scenes. But let’s give it a try shall we.

First off WARRIOR is every bit as Indiana Jones-y as I expected it to be and an extra point goes to Zoe Archer for not including snakes…my biggest fear in the universe! Instead of icky snakes there were mysterious clues and puzzles, mythical objects and magical artifacts, secret societies and the battle between good and evil and she gave me a bit of paranormal, a chunk of historical, a tad of adventure and a pinch of lovely romance all rolled into one in an unusual setting that was as enchanting and captivating as the plot was.

Zoe Archer has a way of describing scenery, whether in England or Mongolia, that --all by itself-- just pulls you in and keeps you immersed into the story. And next to that she also pens down a great adventure and a beautiful romance. I loved how gradually the world she created, unfolded. In the beginning you know very little about the how and why of the Blades, their adversaries: the Heirs of Albion and the battle that rages between them. And instead of overwhelming the reader with extensive world building she weaves the information little by little into the rest of the story, next to the romance and the actual action.

As you may have noticed I haven’t told anything about the actual plot and adventure. That’s more on purpose than I normally do in my reviews because I don’t want to tell anything that would spoil the fun for other readers of going on this adventure together with the characters. It was so much fun to discover stuff and see the plot unfold that I wouldn’t want to do anything to spoil that.

Zoe Archer’s writing fascinates, captivates and holds the attention just as much as the intriguing story does. Her wonderful writing style worked for me on all levels and the fact that this was a slow read for me had nothing to do with the writing or the story but more with external factors, because it was fast-paced, action-packed and moving full-speed ahead thanks to some excellent writing skills. I was holding my breath through the action scenes with the villains and the adventure, had a big smile on my face at the humor and banter and funny tidbits that showed the characters' playful sides and was fanning myself at the love scenes.

WARRIOR is a delicious and adventurous read that combined myth with history, magic, adventure, suspense and romance and I am so ready to start SCOUNDREL and find out if Bennett (definitely a candidate for my favorite heroes list!) and London are as awesome as Gabriel and Thalia were.

Favorite Quotes:
Thalia heard a mewl as it arabesqued from her throat. She'd never made that sound before. A deep rumbling from low in his chest responded, like a feral creature calling from another nighttime mountain

The words that came out of the captain's mouth were words Batu had never heard before in all the years he had served Franklin Burgess and his daughter. They involved something that had to do with the offspring of unchaste female dogs, and some actions that Batu was quite sure were physically impossible, even for a circus contortionist.

There was no point denying it. The wild creature of her soul had finally yielded to the calloused hand of one man. .

Note from reviewer: Stay tuned for a Quotes-Post of WARRIOR soon! I have so many quotes marked that I had a heck of a time choosing the three you see above and wouldn’t want to withhold some lovely examples of Zoe Archer’s style and humor.

HE IS NOT WHAT SHE HAD IN MIND.
Jude Bertrand is not an excellent dancer. Nor does he wear the most fashionable coats. But when Marissa York's brother approaches him, desperate to preserve Marissa's tenuous reputation, Jude does prove heroic enough to offer to marry the girl. In fact, the union should more than make up for his lack of social graces - and his own scandalous past...

BUT MINDS CHANGE...

Marissa knows that betrothal to the son of a duke - even one as raw and masculine as Jude - will save her from ruin, but that doesn't mean she's happy about it. Soon, though, she finds that Jude has a surprisingly gentle touch - and plans to use it to persuade Marissa that their wedding day cannot come soon enough...

Title: A Little Bit Wild
Author: Victoria Dahl
Series: Victoria Dahl said for now to call this "the York series", book 1
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Kensington Publishing (Zebra)
Year of release: 2010, August 3
Format: Mass Market Paperback, 329 pages
Source: Received for ARC-review from the author
First line: The man above Marissa York groaned loudly, his breath shuddering over her cheek.
Memorable Scenes:
- Marissa and Jude in the garden talking about a book Marissa has read and has lent to Jude and J goading her into touching his legs > hot and disarming scene and the start of Marissa’s change of heart where Jude is concerned.
- Marissa confessing to her brothers who she’s been intimate with > humiliating for Marissa but endearing and funny at the same time

Marissa York is a bit thoughtless and bored with her life. She’s a wild child, fearless and a bit lonely. I wasn’t liking Marissa much at first. She is the first heroine I’ve read by Victoria Dahl who has managed to even annoy me a bit, she wasn’t very likeable and I was really hoping this would change during the book and be redeemed. Sometimes she comes across as a bit spoiled, shallow and her family (brothers) seems to indulge her whims a bit too much but they do try to make her see the error of her ways.

She tries to come across as calm, composed and put together but underneath there’s something simmering. She wants to break free from her shell, deep within she’s wild, passionate and impulsive but she tries to keep it contained and when she can’t anymore she does impulsive things or says things without thinking first, it’s like she reaches a boiling point and it all has to come out. This was an aspect of her character that I did like and I am happy to say that in my eyes she was sufficiently redeemed at the end of the book.

Jude Bertrand is the bastard but acknowledged son of a duke and a French courtesan. He is not the typical gentleman as he is rough and ungracious in appearance but he’s also sly seducer who is wicked and silver-tongued. I did like Jude as the hero. He’s very frank and outspoken and he handles Marissa very well. He doesn’t seem fazed by her awkward feelings toward him or her open dislike and disapproval of him and I liked that a lot in his character. Normally I favor Victoria Dahl’s female characters but in this book, it was Jude who stole the show for me

The secondary characters, though not many, were a nice addition to the romance and the plot. I loved their parts in the book and especially Aidan York, one of Marissa’s brothers captured my attention and the little background info on him was very intriguing. But I also liked the little bit of drama queen behavior that Marissa’s mother displayed every time she appeared on the pages and I was amused by Edward’s attempts to stay calm and cool amidst all the mayhem. I understand from Victoria Dahl’s website that A LITTLE BIT WILD is the first in a new series and I hope there will be future stories on Aidan, Edward and cousin Harry.

As it took Marissa a while to warm up to Jude, it also took me a few chapters, well more than a few chapters, about 7 or 8 chapters, to warm up to this historical romance by Victoria Dahl. I adore her contemporary work and A LITTLE BIT WILD is the first historical romance I’ve read by her and I am definitely going to read her other historicals too as I have them all on the shelves but if I have to choose based on A LITTLE BIT WILD between her contemporary work and her historical work, I absolutely choose her contemporaries.

I did get a bit tired of the constant repeating of Jude’s inelegance, unattractiveness and largeness. Yes, I understand that he’s not a pretty elegant man but the constant repeating of it got bothersome at one point as by page 60 it was mentioned on almost every 2 to 3 pages. I understand that attention has to be drawn to it, because it’s part of the romance plot and his interaction with Marissa but it just gets annoying when it’s repeated so many times.

About half way through the book, just before it seemed to fizzle out, as the pace was slowing down a bit, nothing seemed to be happing, the blackmail plot was introduced.
The blackmail plot did surprise me with its outcome. I was speculating as to whom the blackmailer could be and I was completely off in all my guesses and though I really liked the idea of this plot I felt the motive for the blackmail was bit farfetched.

I did love the way Victoria Dahl let Jude court Marissa, It was mainly a verbal courtship, very slowly, very seductive, one baby step at a time and it was very nice to see Marissa melting and falling for Jude little by little, to see how she became fascinating and intrigued by him. Really well done and it was one of the things that I consider a big plus of the book.

The humor that I love so much in Victoria Dahl’s contemporary work is also present in this book too, it’s definitely there but I do think it’s a little bit subtler and I suspect it has to do with the time-period and fitting into the historical vibe. There’s humor in the dialogues, in the interactions between the family members, in the drama queen antics of Marissa’s mother, in the way Marissa handles herself sometimes, the way she thinks about Jude, the way Jude talks to Marissa and in all the little humoristic subtle banter between them. And it all put a smile on my face while reading. Another thing I liked were the love scenes. Though there aren’t many and they were not explicit, they weren’t sedated either as they were definitely sensual, and very well written.

I loved the ending of this book. Around chapter 20-21 Marissa realizes she’s actually fallen in love with Jude and wants to keep him in her life. Those last few chapters of the book were very emotional. I would have loved this intensity in the whole book because it packed a pretty good emotional punch at the end and made me tear up a bit earning this book an extra half point.

A LITTLE BIT WILD is an unconventional historical romance with against-the-grain characters and though I liked the pace, the plot, the love scenes and the humor it remains just a good read for me. It didn’t blow me away, it wasn’t very intense but it was an enjoyable, light and fun historical read with a sometimes annoying heroine, a wonderful hero and a perfect ending.

Favorite Quote:
Jude and Marissa discussing her indiscretion with Mr. White:
“He wasn’t rough?”
“Oh no! He was only…unimpressive.” (…) “I mean–“
“Unimpressive eh? Well, that is a tragedy, but perhaps a welcome one for a lady’s loss of innocence.”
How so?”
(…)
“It can be painful, and I would hate to think of you in pain.”
“Well, there was a bit of discomfort, but I rather think that was due to him squishing me.” She snuck a glance at Jude. “Now that I think of it, you look unfortunately heavy.”
(…) I can assure you I’ve not yet squished a lady. Not even once.”

There are no plain Janes on Jane Street. It’s the exclusive enclave of twelve erotically exotic women. Just a dozen jewel-box houses, each one holds a rich man’s mistress. Deeds to these properties are difficult to come by, passing only through death, deals, and perhaps a dirty trick or two. Known by those in the ton as “Courtesan Court,” three very unlikely women find themselves installed there most unwillingly.

Charlotte Fallon let her guarded virtue fall once—and she’s paid dearly for it ever since. She swore she’d never succumb to men’s desires again. But even a village spinster’s life miles from temptation can’t save her from a sister with no shame whatsoever. Or a heart that longs for more, whatever the cost…

Sir Michael Bayard found more than he expected in his bed when he finally joined his new mistress. He’d fantasized about her dewy skin and luscious curves, assured her understanding that what passed between them was mere dalliance. But he didn’t expect the innocence and heat of her response in his arms. Nor her surprisingly sharp tongue once she was out of them…

A few days of abandon cannot undo the hard-learned lessons of a lifetime. Nor can an honest passion burn away the restraints of society’s judgments. Unless, of course, one believes in nonsense like true love…

Title: Mistress by Mistake
Author: Maggie Robinson
Series: Courtesan Court Trilogy, book 1
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Brava Kensington
Year of release: 2010
Format: Trade Size Paperback
Source: Won in Twitter contest held by author
First line: Honestly, Charlie! You're ruined anyway! What difference does it make?"

QnD-review:
Summary: Charlie takes her foolish and selfish sister's place in the bed of Sir Michael Bayard when Deborah carries out one of her impulsive stunts and breaks the courtesan contract she had with him to elope with another man. Bay arrives home to find his new mistress waiting for him in bed and doesn't hesitate to finally seal the deal only to find out it's not his mistress but her sister. When it appears Deborah took a priceless heirloom with her, Bay forces Charlie to stay his mistress as leverage until Deborah returns the necklace.
Hero: Michael Xavier "Bay" Bayard. Wonderfully blunt and direct. A bit gruff but oh so charming when he wants to be
Heroine: Charlotte "Charlie" Fallon. Sharp-tongued and passionate. Self-declared spinster
Writing: Maggie Robinson has a lovely writing style. I loved the pacing that was fast without too much descriptions. The pace kept it moving forward, however it never felt rushed. The book was well-written, entertaining, humorous and moving.
Likes:

• Slow but sure development of the feelings between Bay and Charlie. They go from animosity to unadulterated lust to genuine love and affection
• The chemistry and verbal sparring between Charlie and Bay
• The charming way Bay went in pursuit of Charlie when she went home to Little Hyssop

Dislikes:

• The story line with Bay's ex-wife

Verdict: This book put a smile on my face from start to finish. I thoroughly enjoyed this fresh new voice in the historical romance scene and with  MISTRESS BY MISTAKE Maggie Robinson brings humor and fiery passion to the courtesan themed romances. She is a gifted writer who has made a great first impression on me with her debut historical romance. I am looking forward to the other installments in this installments. Especially now that I've found out who the next 2 mistresses will be.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10

Back Cover:
T.J. Wilder is the perfect package of breathtaking adventure and raw sex appeal. Even better, he’s about to reconnect with the one woman he’s never been able to forget…

Get Your Pulse Racing

To Harley, the landscape around Wishful, California, is exhilarating, untamed, and more than a little dangerous. The same could be said for T.J. Wilder, who’s invited himself along on her trek to study a rare coyote. Harley’s career is riding on this trip, and she doesn’t need a stubborn, incredibly sexy
distraction. But T.J. is a professional guide who knows when to stay back and when to provide invaluable expertise–just like he’s done since they were in high school. And Harley, as usual, is torn between throttling him and giving in to the raw attraction that’s been smoldering all these years.

T.J. knows how proud and capable Harley is, but he’s damned sure not letting her put herself at risk when there are illegal hunters in the area. She needs him, with the same soul-stirring urgency that he’s always craved her. And here, in this beautiful place days from civilization, he’ll finally have a chance to prove it–over and over again. . .

TJ Wilder is the eldest Wilder brother. The calm, cool and collected one with all the answers. A tragic loss in his past made him close himself off for emotions to avoid getting hurt by a woman ever again. He is levelheaded, direct, honest, solid and steady.

Harley Stephens is a complex woman, tough on the outside and soft on the inside. She's a part-time car mechanic and research biologist after she put herself through 6 years of night school to get her degree in wildlife biology. A lone responsible one in a family of moochers. She's also at crossroads in her life. Choosing the right path proves to be linked to the sexy TJ Wilder she's had a crush on since her high school years.

Harley has a hard time making ends meet. TJ finds out and offers her a job at Wilder Adventures. A day and night together in the mountain brings some serious smooching, a trip down memory lane, sharing of body heat which only leads to creating some fondling and a lot more body heat, soul searching and serious talks creating a bond between them. They are clearly in love but since both of them aren't very forthcoming with expressing their feelings it takes a while before they can enjoy their HEA.

The scenes in INSTANT ATTRACTION and INSTANT GRATIFICATION where TJ and Harley were both featured already hinted to both the off-the-charts chemistry and the animosity between them. I found out the reason for Harley's animosity pretty soon (chapter 1) and got why she was determined not to fall for TJ again. I couldn't blame her for it but I could also see TJ's side of it.

I loved the brotherly banter and bond between the Wilders. It came back in each one of the books and the scenes with the three brothers together are both hilarious and endearing. The bond they share and the deep love and concern they have for each other shines clearly through their teasing and bickering. Same goes for Harley and her younger sister, Skye. I also liked that all three books in this series are straight up contemporaries, no distracting suspense plot to take away the attention from these fabulous, witty characters, their emotional and sexy stories and Jill Shalvis' wonderful writing

Jill Shalvis writes some of the most beautiful romances, the most wonderful characters and the hottest loves scenes I've had the pleasure of reading. And she made me laugh out loud so many times, I lost count. One thing, Jill: I loved the building of sexual tension with the teasing lovemaking interruptus scenes but it did take a long time TJ and Harley to finally put the raw passion between them into action. This being said, when they finally did I was just as revved up as Harley and TJ were and I thought the pages were going to spontaneously burst into flames. But it needs to be said that I was very sympathetic to TJ's pain and his blue balls...And what's with these Wilder men and making out in closets? Not that I'm complaining because it made for some memorable and hot, very hot, love scenes...

INSTANT TEMPTATION was a great mix of wonderful true to life characters with pasts, strong points, insecurities and troubles, witty dialogues and a sexy romance with a healthy amount of raw and passionate lusting.

Choosing the quotes to include in this review was so hard! I could've quoted almost the entire book. I picked so many moments and phrases that were either touching or funny that cutting them down to the quotes below was pure torture.

Quotes:
He still had one rubbing up and down her back, the other low on her belly, holding her upright, which was ridiculous so she smacked it away, doing her best to ignore the fluttering he’d caused, and the odd need she had to grab him by the shirt, haul him close and have her merry way with him. This was what happened to a woman whose last orgasm had come from a battery-operated device instead of a man, a fact she’d admit, oh never.

At the first touch of his mouth on hers, her bones completely dissolved, and that was it, she was his for the taking. Please take me . . .

Yes, just looking at him turned her from an educated biologist into a drooling imbecile. It wasn’t her fault, he’d been blessed by the gene Gods.

Today’s apron [Annie's] said it all: K*SS MY *SS --would you like to buy a vowel?

9.0 out of 10

In Instant Attraction, Jill Shalvis introduced Cameron, Stone, and T.J.—the sexy, daredevil brothers who run Wilder Adventures. And for Stone Wilder, the thrill of a lifetime is about to arrive in a surprising package. . .

The Doctor Is In Deep
Wishful, California, is 3000 miles from Dr. Emma Sinclair's last job in a New York City ER. It may as well be another galaxy. Here, running her father's clinic for a summer, Emma treats bee stings, stomach flu, and the occasional pet cat. Plus, she has to contend with patients like Stone Wilder: gorgeous, laid-back, and irritating beyond belief. The man laughs at her. A lot. And Emma loathes him. All except that tiny part of her that wants to throw him on her examining table and break every doctor-patient rule in the book. . .

When Stone tries to help Emma learn to loosen up a bit, he pictures white-water rafting or scenic mountain hikes. Not a mind-blowing affair that shakes them both to the core. Emma's sure she has no place in a town like Wishful, but Stone knows different. Emma belongs here—in this town, in his life. And convincing this strong-minded, stubborn, sexy woman of that fact will be a challenge no Wilder man could resist. . .

Title: Instant Gratification
Author: Jill Shalvis
Series: Wilder Adventures, book 2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Brava
Year of release: 2009
Format: eBook
Source: Bought
First line: Hot and bothered, and not in the good way, Dr. Emma Sinclair switched the sign on her father’s medical clinic from CLOSED to OPEN.


QnD-review:
Ingredients/Summary: Emma moves to Wishful to temporarily run her father's small town clinic after he has a mild heart attack and needs to recover. Coming from a swamped New York ER, she has a hard time adjusting to life and work in a small town. She longs to go back to her life in the big city. But little by little Wishful and its people, and especially one big, bad Wilder brother, start to creep into her heart and she wonders how much she really wants to return to her old life.
Hero: Stone Wilder (32), seems laid-back and easygoing. He is the charismatic caretaker and peacemaker of the family, the one who keeps them all together and makes sure they can all realize their dreams at the expense of his own. He likes Emma from day one but gets turned down flat on every attempt to get to know her better. Though he loves running Wilder Adventures and working with his brothers, his heart and passion lie in renovating and restoring old, rundown buildings.
Heroine: Dr. Emma Sinclair (30), professional, tough as nails and blunt. She's stubborn and an all work-no play kinda woman. She sees Stone mainly as a mountain bum and slacker at first but slowly she starts to discover there's much more to him than that.
Writing: Every time I read a Jill Shalvis book I'm amazed and pleased how easily I get through them. They are written in a wonderful, clean, crisp writing style that oozes humor and her characters aren't picture perfect but people with their faults and day to day problems. The way Jill Shalvis builds up the sexual tension between the characters is done with ease and sprinkled with a lot of humor. She makes it a joy to read her books and connect with her characters.
Likes:

• Again the humor was there right there from the start. Big badass Stone being afraid of needles cracked me up and was just one of the many examples of the humor this book oozed with.
• TJ, who in INSTANT GRATIFICATION really made up for his absence in INSTANT ATTRACTION and is just as yummy as his younger brothers.
• The banter between the characters (the Wilders, Stone and Emma).
• The secondary romance between Serena (Cam’s ex-girlfriend) and Spencer (Emma’s co-worker and best friend)
• Aunt Annie's antics. She is one of the characters I like the most in this series.

Dislikes:

• Couldn't find anything that didn't like or that bothered me in this book.

Verdict: After the wonderful read that was INSTANT ATTRACTION with it's tiny preview of the chemistry between Stone and Emma I couldn't but dive straight into their story: INSTANT GRATIFICATION and I was not disappointed, from the first paragraph I was thrown back into the delicious world of the Wilder brothers and the people who surround them. And again Jill Shalvis treated me to a great read with hot men, witty, independent women, genuine emotions and spine-tingling love scenes.

Rating: 9.0 out of 10:

The first in a sensational new series, Jill Shalvis introduces Cameron, Stone, and T.J. Wilder—three bad-boy heroes who effortlessly mix breathtaking adventure and scorching sex appeal...

Get Wild...And Then Get Wilder...

Accountant Katie Kramer is a quintessential good girl—working hard, recycling diligently, all the while trying to ignore the feeling that she doesn't fit in anywhere. That's all she wants. Well, that—and amazing sex, and the kind of daredevil escapade she can look back on when she's crunching numbers in a dusty cubicle. Which explains why she just took a job in Wishful, California, working for Wilder Adventures and Expeditions. Waking up to find a magnificently built stranger towering over her bed—that part defies explanation...

After wandering the planet for months following a life-changing accident, Cameron Wilder has come back to the only home he knows. Under other circumstances, he might be thrilled to find a gorgeous woman sleeping in his cabin, but now, while he'll risk his body taking clients on adrenaline-drenched excursions, his heart is off limits. Still, Katie's killer smile triggers something deep in his gut...among other places. Showing her how exhilarating it can be to stop balancing her life as if it was a checkbook is the biggest rush he's ever felt—and an adventure Katie's wishing would never end. . .

Title: Instant Attraction
Author: Jill Shalvis
Series: Wilder Adventures, book 1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Brava
Year of release: 2009
Format: eBook
Source: Bought
First line:“Live life balls out,” Katie Kramer told herself every night, and even though she didn’t own a pair, she hoped the mantra would keep the nightmares away.

QnD-review:
Hero: Cam(eron) Wilder is the youngest Wilder and former snowboarding champion, put out of commission due to a severe accident and beating himself up over it. He is deliciously sarcastic, brooding and tight-lipped.
Heroine: Katie Kramer, accountant. Decided to change her life after surviving an accident she easily could've died in. She's impulsive, feisty, talkative and open.
Writing: Humorous, easy and fast-paced. Jill Shalvis is a master at creating a contemporary vibe I've grown to love a lot.
Likes:

• The humor! I loved the vibe from the very start.
• Cameron and Katie's witty dialogues. Getting to know Katie and Cam and what makes them tick. The believable, realistic way they explore the sexual tension and chemistry between them.
• The other Wilder brothers: Stone and TJ.
• The texts on Annie's aprons and the stuff going on between Annie and Nick!
• No distractions from the characters and romance by some suspense plot!
• Small introductory plotline for the next book: the chemistry and explosive interactions/sarcastic banter between Stone and Emma make that I can't wait to see more of those sparks.

Dislikes:

• Katie's fogging glasses. Do glasses really do that just looking at a hot guy? I think it is supposed to be a funny touch to the story but every time it was mentioned it took me out of the story a bit. Luckily it wasn't mentioned often.

Verdict: INSTANT ATTRACTION is hilariously laugh-out-loud funny combined with genuine emotions and insecurities. I just can't express how much I liked this book. All of it. It's a perfect example of my kind of contemporary romance! Hot and sweet!
Another winner for Jill Shalvis and I'm ready for the next Wilder brother...

Rating: 8.7 out of 10:

Jacket Copy:

WELCOME TO A WORLD WHERE NOTHING IS WHAT IT SEEMS AND EVERY TOUCH IS ECSTASY
When Alexandria’s car goes off the road in a terrible blizzard, she has no idea night will bring a powerful rescuer and the start of an ecstatic sexual awakening. The moment Xandi wakes in Stefan’s muscular arms, feels the heat of his body pressing against hers, she feels no fear. Instead, she allows herself to be taken by one who is more than a man, whose primal nature is never far from him. As their connection grows, and as Xandi gradually loses her sensual inhibitions, experiencing pleasures she never dreamed possible, she is drawn deeper into Stefan’s mysterious world, meeting the alluring beauty, Keisha, as well as the dominant and sometimes ruthlessly commanding Anton, who can have any man or woman he wants…in any way he wishes…

WOLF TALES comprises 5 parts. The first 4 parts focus on the introduction of the main characters: Xandi Olanet, Stefan Aragat, Anton Cheval and Keisha Rialto. Part 5 is called THE GIFT and, as I suspect, is the closing part of this introduction of a group of characters that will play important roles in future books of the series.

This book was released on June 2nd and I reviewed it for REALMS ON OUR BOOKSHELVES

Jacket Copy:
An Infamous Beauty. A Daring Warrior. . .
For five years, Sapphire has been the King of Sari’s most treasured concubine. Independent at last, she refuses to put herself in anyone’s control again. But now another’s meddling has led her into the path of proud, arrogant Wulfric, Crown Prince of the rival kingdom of D’Ashier…a man who is dangerous to her in every way.

And A Seduction That Could Destroy Them Both
The daughter of Wulfric’s fiercest opponent, Sapphire is a prized warrior in her own right and highly skilled in the sensual arts—in short, Wulfric’s perfect match. A lasting union is unthinkable, but the bargain they strike—to spend one night together, and then part—proves impossible in the face of a desire powerful enough to bring two countries to the brink of war, and two hearts to the point of surrender…




An ambush-attack on Wulfric when he accompanies a patrol to the borderlands between D'Ashier and Sari and a devious plan of a jealous Queen bring Wulfric and Sapphire together. Wulfric is offered to Sapphire as a servant when the Queen forces her husband to relieve Sapphire from her duties as his concubine. When they find out their respective identities, things get complicated. Wulf returns to his homeland but finds out he can't live without Sapphire and takes her with him against her will. The time they spend together in D'Ashier brings them closer together and their initial passion grows into love. But there are many obstacles in the form of mercenaries out for blood, the war between their kingdoms and a jealous monarch and jilted lover.

Katie "Sapphire" Erikson has been the preferred concubine of the King of Sari for five years and he fell in love with her from the first moment he saw her. Sapphire doesn't reciprocate these feelings and feels awkward towards the Queen who truly loves her husband but must endure his feelings for Sapphire. Sapphire yearns for her freedom and recognition as an individual. Her time as the King's concubine feels like confinement because she is not able to speak her mind or follow her desires and wishes. She is confident, outspoken and smart. She is not only skilled in the amorous ways. When it comes to combat and battle strategies she also has knowledge and skill. She is tough and strong but deep inside she is vulnerable. Her feelings for Wulf take her by surprise and make her feel uncomfortable at first.

Wulfric "Wulf" Andersson is the Crown Prince of D'Ashier. He is ruthless, intelligent, cautious and meticulous. There is truly nothing anti-hero about him. He is the epitome of an honorable warrior hero who is alpha to the core. The moment he sees Sapphire he is under her spell and his feelings confuse him. Before Sapphire women were meant to enjoy temporarily and he didn't commit to one woman alone. Sapphire evokes deep feelings in him. Feelings he has trouble dealing with because of the situation between their kingdoms. One thing I definitely liked about him was how he refused to address Katie as Sapphire after he found out her true name and kept calling her by it. He refused to acknowledge the name another man had given her and this scored big points with me. Wulf's declaration of his love for Katie to his father literally made me cry, it was so beautiful.

The physical chemistry between Wulf and Sapphire is fierce. Their mutual desire sets this book on fire. Their passion leaps of the pages and in the midst of all the extremely hot love scenes, Dare delivers a plot that is unpredictable and fitting the characters and the romance.

Though Sapphire and Wulf and their courtship take center stage in this book, there is enough room for some intriguing and complementing secondary characters such as Gunther and Brenna, King and Queen of Sari. The despair in Brenna of loving someone who loves someone else is palpable in the scenes where Brenna, Sapphire and Gunther appear, especially in the beginning of the book. Other important secondary characters are Sapphire's parents: Grave and Sasha Erikson. The warm relationship between Sapphire and her parents is a delight to read. Contrary to many novels portraying difficult, strained parent-child relationships this one oozes love and warmth. Wulf's relatives, his father Anders and his brother Duncan, are a bit less warm and loving, both of them possessing this cruel, mean streak but in the end the bond between them turns out to be just as strong as Katie's with her parents.

Sometimes it's really great to go into a book unknown, unprepared and totally without expectations. This was one of those times and what I received was a book able to put erotic fantasy romance on my reading map. Combined with the Sci-Fi touch and feel I got a taste of a genre that I don't read regularly. Although I'm not really a Sci-Fi kind of girl (at least not with my reading) I really liked it. It's a nice mix of fantasy, futuristic and historical elements and the book totally caught me off guard. To be honest I am not an avid reader of fantasy, not even fantasy romance but I must admit I have to readjust that statement after reading IN THE FLESH. Maybe that is because it had all the elements I appreciate in other subgenres of romance. The writing was masterful, it was fast-paced, it had suspense, it had humor and it had a love story that was excellently told. And on top of all that it had elements I really wasn't expecting.

Livia Dare’s approach of concubines is one that is rare in the romance world. They are prized, revered and respected. The way she combined this outlook with some scenes that made me think of the romances I read when I just discovered this genre made it a refreshing and original book. There were scenes where Wulf would portray a true conquering warrior with Sapphire as his captive. These scenes brought back memories of the romance novels from back when I was a young girl and read those books with a pounding heart and all flustered. Since then I've become an experienced enough romance reader to recognize and appreciate a great romance novel when I read one and this was definitely that. Furthermore IN THE FLESH was very erotic. Because I went into the book knowing only that it was a fantasy romance I wasn't prepared for the rather explicit love scenes. They were a nice and unexpected treat and an addition to the intriguing and fast-paced plot. A lot happens in the book, keeping me entertained from the first to the last page. I was surprised in a good way with every chapter. I loved the characters, I loved the plot and I melted at the "kidnapping scene" where Wulf takes Sapphire to D'Ashier.

Livia Dare had a surprise for me at every turn. There were moments I thought I knew where she was going with the story but then she'd throw in something totally unpredictable. IN THE FLESH is a perfect mix of great characterization, action and old school romance. It is lush, emotionally gripping and definitely red hot. She has created an elaborate world that has a lot of potential for future books of this trilogy. I am glad I had the pleasure to review this book as an ARC for ROOB because with IN THE FLESH she has given me a very promising and intriguing first installment of a trilogy that is in a genre I would never have discovered on my own: erotic fantasy romance. I'm extremely curious as to where she is taking this trilogy. The end left me with a touching HEA but also with many unanswered questions about how things will proceed.



Quotes:
He sensed she was a kindred spirit, a primitive creature like himself in a world that had long ago evolved and been tamed.

Only when her hands fell to her sides and her legs hung limp over his shoulders did he desist and rest his cheek against her thigh with a breathless chuckle of masculine triumph. As her senses drifted back into awareness, Sapphire resigned herself to the truth. She was in deep trouble.