Saturday, March 30, 2013

All I Want (A Tryst with a Twist)


BookAll I Want (A Tryst with a Twist)

AuthorS.L. Scott

Rating: M (for Mature – general romance novel material)

Bookshelves: 2013, cheating, Christmas, fiction, romance, short story

Begun: January 1, 2013
Finished: January 1, 2013

Media Type: eReader (Kindle read on Nexus 7)

Setting: location never mentioned but it’s someplace where it snows at Christmas time

Characters: Christina, Lawson

Synopsis: Lawson has been working hard at his job in the Christmas tree lot but the bright spot of the day is when the pretty lady who works at the coffee shop walks by. A little flirt and smile can’t hurt can it? What will Lawson do when Christina invites him home with her … what will her husband think, if he finds out?

Review: This was a great, quick read with a very cute twist at the end that I didn’t see coming. I got this book for free when I read it but even if you do have to pay for it, the short story is WELL worth it!

In my opinion, this book gets: 

Friday, March 29, 2013

There Goes the Groom


AuthorRita Herron

Rating: M (for Mature – general romance novel material)

Bookshelves: 2012, Atlanta (GA), con-artist, detective, fiction, jail, police, Rita Herron, romance, twins

Begun: December 25, 2012
Finished: December 26, 2012

Media Type: eReader (Kindle read on Nexus 7)

Setting: Atlanta, Georgia

Characters: Marci Turner, Paul Pendergrass, Cade Muller

Synopsis: Marci Turner wasn't always the “bright” twin but she’s the pretty one. More like … the sexy one. And she knows it. Why not use that attribute to her personal gain? When wealthy businessman, Paul Pendergrass, sets his sights on her and asks her to be his wife, of course, any girl with half a brain is going to jump on board. She's finally getting her life together and celebrating with the biggest, Cinderella-style wedding of the century.

So, why are bullets ringing out at her wedding? When shots are fired and police attempt to arrest Paul before he hightails it out of the church, Marci is bewildered … and then arrested.

The sexy jilted bride is now in rugged and sinfully sexy Cade Muller’s custody. There is NO way that her fiancé could be guilty of running the scams he’s run and taken advantage of all the people he’s stolen from (especially defenseless and trusting elderly like his dear grandma). Sitting in jail, Cade watches as Marci tried to help all the others in the cells around her. Could this blonde bombshell be innocent?  

Review: Another fantastic read by Herron. While I did prefer the first book in this duo about the “good sister,” reading about the bad sister was just as entertaining. Herron did a great job of writing a male character for Marci who was just as hardheaded and just and strong as her. Great read. I can’t wait to get my hands on other books by Herron.

In my opinion, this book gets:


Thursday, March 28, 2013

Lover at Last (Black Dagger Brotherhood series #11)



AuthorJ.R.Ward

Rating: X (for explicit sex scenes (m/f and m/m)

Bookshelves: 2013, Black Dagger Brotherhood, Caldwell (NY), J.R. Ward, New York, paranormal romance, romance, urban fantasy, vampires

Begun: March 26, 2013
Finished: March 26, 2013

Media Type: hardcover book

Setting: Caldwell, New York (suburb of New York City)

Characters: Qhuinn, Blaylock, Saxton, John Matthew, Wrath, Tohr, Rhage, Zsadist, Phurry, Layla, iAm, Trez, Beth,

Synopsis: Qhuinn is a male on the edge. He has been half in almost every world available to him as a male born into the glymera. Born with the “physical defect” of one blue and one green eye, Qhuinn was disowned from his family after his transition when his eyes did not correct themselves. He’s always been made to feel like a freak and unloved from almost everyone in his life. Everyone, that is, except Blaylock (Blay), his best friend in the entire world. He best friend until Blay admitted to Qhuinn that he loved him and Qhuinn did not reciprocate. Time has passed, though, and Blay has moved on … to Qhuinn’s cousin, Saxton.

Qhuinn has finally realized that the emotions he’s feeling towards his former bestie is a little more than friendship. But is it … love? How much more of a freak would that make him if he were … gay? But something deep inside is churning and the fates have something in store for Qhuinn and Blay. They can never go back to being best friends, but can they become something more than that?

And will either of them get past the hurt and unspoken emotions that they both feel to realize that there is something they both need in the other?

Review: I loved this book. I have been waking for my Qhuay for so long. These two boys were meant for each other since day one.


[HERE BE SPOILERS]

You knew this was coming. You knew the romance and the love would be there. But, damn Ward, you made me hurt so much before they came together. Almost right away (well ok in the first 50 pages), I was already in tears. There is a part when Qhuinn gets his Hummer stolen and flipped and Blay ends up in the tow truck with him while they are bring it back to the Brother’s compound. Qhuinn has no idea what to say to Blay who knows that he has slept with Layla (the Chosen whom he serviced during her needing in Lover Reborn (Tohr’s book)) and gotten her pregnant. Qhuinn just stares at Blay because he has no idea how to tell his best friend and the only person who has ever given two shits about him that he feels like he betrayed him and cheated on him with Layla (whom Qhuinn knows he serviced because both he and Layla have never really had family and they want to create family). When Blay all but says “so what,” Qhuinn takes off out of the truck and Blay stops him, telling him that they can’t go back to the way they were before (before Blay told Qhuinn he was in love with him and Qhuinn didn't reciprocate) but that they should be civil to each other since they have to work together. And Qhuinn believes that Blay no longer loves him and (like I said) Ward just breaks your heart.

I wouldn’t want it any other way though. Blay and Qhuinn need the heart break and hurt so that they can work their way to a place of peace for both of them. Ward out did herself this time. The book is beautiful and transcends the stupid “oh, it’s a book about gays” bullshit. It’s a beautifully written masterpiece of the romance genre where one heart finds both its pieces and becomes one again. I found myself crying and laughing at the same time. Ward is an excellent writer who weaves in pop culture and humor into all of her novels.

As always, this book will be reread numerous times and enjoyed more and more each time I get my hands on it. And, as always, I can’t wait to read more of the adventures of the BDB.

In my opinion, this book gets:


Saturday, March 23, 2013

Here Comes the Bride



AuthorRita Herron

Rating: M (for Mature – general romance novel material)

Bookshelves: 2012, Atlanta (Georgia), fake fiancée/girlfriend, family, fiction, lies, Rita Herron, romance, twins, twin switch, Virginia,

Begun: December 28, 2012
Finished: December 29, 2012

Media Type: eReader (Kindle read on Nexus 7)

Setting: Atlanta (Georgia) and Virginia

Characters: Austin McDane, Kimberly Turner

Synopsis: Kimberly Turner is straight laced and practical. Always one to help out her flighty twin when she’s in a pinch, Kimberly steps in when her sister needs her help escorting a client. Austin needs a girlfriend or, better yet, a fiancée to quiet down his pushy family who thinks he should be married already. Kimberly poses as both her twin sister AND Austin’s fiancée when they travel from Atlanta to Virginia and back. How hard can it be? I mean her sister isn’t a sleazy escort. She’s just company. But Austin is kind, gentle …. AND so, so sexy. Can she keep it just business?

Review: This was a breath of fresh air. I loved this story and I fell in love with the characters who seemed more like friends you would want to have than characters in a book. Well written and a fantastic read. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series about the “bad” twin!

In my opinion, this book gets:


Friday, March 22, 2013

Blood Rights (House of Comarré series #1)


BookBlood Rights (House of Comarré series #1)

AuthorKristen Painter

Rating: V (for violence)

Bookshelves: 2013, blood donor, fiction, Florida, France, future, House of Comarré series, Kristen Painter, paranormal romance, vampires, urban fantasy

Begun: January 1, 2013
Finished: January 3, 2013

Media Type: paperback

Setting: New Florida (assumed to be in the same location as our Florida), Corvina, France

Characters: Chrysabelle, Maris, Maddoc “Doc,” Malkolm “Mal,” Katsumi, Ronan, Fiona

Synopsis: Chrysabelle is royalty in the hidden world of vampires. She is Comarré, part courtesan, part blood donor. She was a blood virgin when she was bought by her master for the highest purchase price ever. Beautiful, blonde, and tattooed from head-to-toe in intricate gold threated that were imbedded under her skin, Chrysabelle finds herself on the run from the vampire society when she finds her Master beheaded. Not knowing who did murder her Master, Chrysabelle runs to her aunt in New Florida to look for help. What she finds there is Mal. Mal is a vampire but a low class vampire who killed another of his kind. How can this outcast help a murder suspect?

Review: House of Comarré … what can I say. I really wanted to fall in love with this series but there is just something there that makes this series very … one-dimensional. Yes, the characters were well written. Yes, the plot was good. But there were big holes in the plot, questions that were not answered, and an ending I saw coming from a mile away AND called about 1/3rd of the way into the book. It was ok but it wasn’t fantastic!

In my opinion, this book gets:

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Alone At Last



AuthorMegan Waso

Rating: M (for Mature)

Bookshelves: 2013, Christmas, erotica, fiction, Megan Waso, short story

Begun: Jan. 2, 2013
Finished: Jan. 2, 2013

Media Type: eReader (Kindle on Nexus 7)

Setting: no location specified (presumably a wintery resort location)

Characters: Sam, wife (never named)

Synopsis: Sam and his wife are on a vacation and just want a little down time away from their family. They just need them to … go away … for a little bit so they can let off some steam.

Review: This was a good, quick read. But I never got invested in these characters and was just a piece of fluff.
I, actually, had a hard time remembering that I even read this book when it was time to write this review!

In my opinion, this book gets: