Happy New Years Eve!!!

Hello all it's Friday night, New Years Eve and I am getting ready to go out for the evening. I usually don't go out on this night, I am kind of a home-body, but I promised Kim and Jenn we would go out this year. I was sitting on the couch plucking my eyebrows thinking it was just about time for me to take a shower when my phone rang...it was Jenn telling me that my "back-ordered" Christmas present had finally come in and she wanted to bring it by, well who am I to say no to a gift??? So as I am waiting for Jenn to show up one of my besties, Tina, calls from Arkansas to see how my holiday is going and to tell me yet again that I had better take pictures tonight. As I am chatting with Tina, Jenn shows up with my present.....it's SID!!! Sid is a long time friend that I met in Arkansas when I was working at the University of Arkansas. He use to come out to Virginia every year about this time to hang with us on NY, but he wasn't going to be able to come this year because Arkansas made it to the Sugar Bowl and he was going to go and watch them instead of coming here. Needless to say I was very surprised and there was a lot of girlie squealing going on...and not just from Sid. Apparently everyone was in on the surprise, except my son who can not keep a secret, and that was the real reason for the phone call from Tina, she just wanted to hear my reaction.

I cannot tell you how excited I am to have Sid here. I truly have the best friends in the world and I consider myself to be very blessed. And even though they are still making me go out tonight, I love them all, near and far. I wish we could all be together tonight but those of you that are not here physically you are here in my heart and in my thoughts. I promise I will allow at least one picture to be taken tonight and I will post it on FB for everyone to see.

I don't have a book ready to be reviewed tonight, but I wanted to take a moment to thank all of you who follow our blog and to wish you all a very Happy New Year. Be safe and I can't wait to share my thoughts on all of the books that are coming out in 2011. We have more guest authors lined up and contests so stick around.

Big Star, Small Town Christmas

I absolutely l-o-v-e the holidays and enjoy reading stories with a holiday theme during this time of year… so I had to read Jaci Burton’s novella.  While I usually read Burton for the heat, All She Wants For Christmas is more of the sweet and romantic type which is perfect for my sweeter holiday side. It’s a story of forgiveness, family, love and faith.

Burton gives us a genuine, likable character in the heroine, country singer Riley Jensen. The story opens as Riley returns to her hometown, something she never considered doing until her publicist set up a taping for a documentary there. Years before when Riley was only eighteen, she left town after finding her boyfriend and best friend together in bed. Running away brought her something her hometown could never give her - a music career. Now with ten years of hit songs and Grammy awards to her name, Riley is heading home for Christmas. And the person she most hopes to avoid – her old boyfriend, Ethan – is one of the first people she sees when she steps out of her tour bus.

Ethan can’t believe Riley has come back after so long. He still loves her but knows it would be best to avoid a reunion with his past girlfriend so she can just leave and continue her singing career. Now a widower with a little girl who loves Riley’s music, he takes her to see Riley as she arrives in their town and is drawn into the reunion he both hoped to avoid and secretly desired more than anything at the same time.

In a paced storyline, Riley and Ethan come to terms with their past, find forgiveness and are able to look towards their future. Uncovering the misperceptions that set Riley and Ethan on their chosen paths provided the foundation for a strong plot. Their relationship progresses slowly, overcoming realistic obstacles to find their connection again.

For those who want a romantic holiday story, this is for you. Though Burton did a nice job of telling the story in a short format, I still wish it was a bit longer. I’m also wishing that next Christmas, perhaps Brody or Wyatt, Ethan’s brothers, may find love in their own stories.

All She Wants For Christmas is available as a single novella, or in a combination collection—Naughty and Nice—containing All She Wants For Christmas and three other contemporary romances from Shannon Stacey, Lauren Dane and Megan Hart.

Sagittarius Blues

SAGITTARIUS BLUES by Katrina Strauss is a present you will want to open again and again.

Ryan is an almost twenty-one year old college student who is in love with his straight best friend. He lives in his mom's basement and does a weekly video blog in which he makes fun of his job and especially his boss.

Ryan's dad died when he was a child and Ryan has had to be the man of the house since then. He goes to college and works part time to help his mother with the rent and other bills. The only time Ryan doesn't act like a responsible adult is during his video blog where he can act like a clown and make fun of everything.

Greg works at the local recreation center and helps counsel some of the kids that come in. He is remodeling his house as a do-it-yourself project and shops at the grocery store where Ryan has a part time job and has admired the younger man from afar.

The two meet after a snowstorm when Ryan is out shoveling walks to earn some extra money before the holidays. The chemistry between the two men is instantaneous, but Greg is wary because of his job at the rec center. Ryan offers to film Greg as he does his remodel and posts the videos on Greg's blog site.

Over the next several weeks, the relationship between the two men grows into a strong friendship as well as mutual attraction. Greg is still reluctant to enter into a sexual relationship with Ryan in part because of his video blog where Ryan ends every week with a pretend masturbation session. He is concerned that should certain people see it, it might jeopardize his job.

This is the first book that I have read by Ms. Strauss and I can say that I will be reading more of her works. I felt that the characters' emotions and reactions were well written. The problems that each character had to work through were real and the ramifications of those actions read true. The story dealt with some real, current issues, but did not come across as an "after-school special".

I think some of my favorite parts were the tongue in cheek intros to several chapters that the author included. After all, who doesn't love a good innuendo? This book made me a fan and if you are looking for a little holiday cheer, SAGITTARIUS BLUES is a choice that you won't regret.
I give this book 4.5 chocolate dipped strawberries!!

This review was originally written for The Romance Reviews:http://glbt.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=1091

Sweet Sacrifices

Turning a tangled web of deceit and pain into a sweet love story is not an easy thing to do. But that’s exactly what Marlow does in her latest book, Sweet Sacrifices. Immediately drawn to her characters and driven by the constant mystery surrounding them, I couldn’t put the book down.

Kendall James is a modern woman living in early century America. She is independent, intelligent and inquisitive. After being left behind by Adam, her husband, poor and with barely any means to survive, she sets out on a journey to find him and introduce him to his newborn son.

When she arrives at his family’s estate, she is shocked to find that nothing is as it had seemed. The man she thought to be her husband is wealthy and married to another woman. Though she wants to run away, Adam’s overbearing mother forces Kendall to stay with the threat of taking her son away if she leaves.

Adam’s brother, Luke, rescues Kendall by agreeing to marry her and claiming his brother’s son as his own. It is a marriage arranged for appearances, with few people aware of the truth, and neither Luke nor Kendall plan to fall in love. But the author takes the reader on their slow progression of falling in love throughout the book. It was a love they never expected and it was written beautifully.

Seamlessly blended into the romance is a mystery. After a series of accidents, Kendall unravels a lifetime of secrets that smudge the memories of her childhood and place her in danger. And as Kendall bravely faces down the danger, Luke aids her and protects her regardless of the sacrifices he must make.

Marlow has written a well-developed story with multi-dimensional characters, each with enough depth to stand on their own. The characters seem real, the issues authentic and the conclusion an unexpected happily ever after. This is a sweet romance worth four chocolate dipped strawberries.

This review was originally written for The Romance Reviews: http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=1090.

Baby It's Cold Outside....Heating Up the Holidays!

Park this girl under the mistletoe and sign her up for elf duty. Marcia James' HEATING UP THE HOLIDAYS serves up a dish of romance and second chances with panache!

Nicky Paxton manages the family business, a chain of Southern department stores, which keeps her hopping and grounded to her Virginia roots. Too busy working to notice her life is passing her by, Nicky gets completely caught off guard when she re-encounters her old high school flame, Chris Spencer. Unbeknownst to her, he has returned to Paxtonville for good, to set up his law practice and raise his charming daughter following his divorce.

Nicky's ties to Paxtonville run deeper than the family-owned business. Striving to make something of herself, she really doesn't have time to worry over "the one who got away", primarily because she couldn't understand why he left in the first place. Chris returns and is immediately reminded of all the positives of why they were together in the first place, the only negative seems to be that he left long ago to create a life for himself outside their small town. Chris follows his desire to renew his acquaintance with the department store "elf", determined to date and see if the spark that flamed in their youths will burn again. Nicky, for her part, fears falling for the man this boy has become, trying to keep things light but knowing that with very little effort he could capture her heart.

The elements of romance and first love do-overs captivate and melt hearts, like a gooey holiday treat. Big love in a small town is never easy but with two hearts destined to be reunited and a dash of mistletoe, all bets are off! Full of sass and fun, this holiday heart-warmer guarantees heat like flannel sheets on a cold winter night!

I give this Christmas bon-bon 4 Chocolate Covered Strawberries!

This review originally posted for The Romance Reviews. http://glbt.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=1081

The Mane Event

Hello everyone and Happy Boxing Day to all of our neighbors across the pond. I had a great Christmas, woke up to a dusting of snow on the ground, just enough to make it a white Christmas, and make it really pretty. Spent the day playing board games with the kids, and trying to figure out their electronics. It was much easier when all their toys were Leggos and Barbies. I have a present to share with all of you, if you have never read Shelly Laurenston then you just don't know what you are missing. She is one of my all time favorite authors and no matter which nom de plume she is writing under, Shelly or G.A. Aiken, she is always on my auto-buy list. This blog is supposed to be about a favorite Christmas story so I decided to kick it a little old school and tell you about, The Mane Event. You get two stories in one book and they are both a present you will open again and again.

The Mane Event, Shelly Laurenston, Brava Kensington, 2007

Christmas Pride is the first story and it introduces you to a lot of the characters that you will get to know better in subsequent books. The main story is about Mason "Mace" Llewellyn and Desiree"Dez" McDermott. Mace is a lion shifter who has just gotten out of the Navy and has come home to re-connect with the girl that he fell in love with in high school. There are just a few problems with this plan, she is full human and he hasn't seen or spoken to her since 9th grade. But Mace is a lion, King of the Jungle, and he isn't going to let a few things like that stand in his way.

Dez, is a New York City police detective and happens to be assigned to a murder of one of the males in the Llewellyn pride. While at the Llewellyn homestead the two childhood friends are reunited....much to the dismay of Mace's sister. Hilarity and mayhem commence.

I love the ass-kicking female characters that Shelly writes. The humor mixed with the amazingly hot love scenes are always just the right mix.

Shaw's Tail, the second story in the book basically picks up where Christmas Pride ends. Here we get to know, Brandon Shaw, also a lion shifter and Ronnie Lee Reed, of the Tennessee Reeds, a wolf shifter. Brandon is hurt and the end of the first book and Ronnie Lee gets volunteered to babysit him in the hospital. Who would have thought that cats and dogs could mix? Well they may not mix easily but they do all come together in the end.

I have laughed out loud every time I have read these books and they are definitely on my keeper list....I have them in both print and e-format. So for a great present to give yourself go out and get this first in the Pride series and be prepared to laugh your ass off!!! I give The Mane Event 5 chocolate dipped strawberries!!!!

Christmas Past

Merry Christmas! I L-O-V-E this time of the year and what a treat to wake up to my children screaming about the falling snow... its a white Christmas here in Virginia and I feel like a little kid as I jump out of bed and run for the window. Then my husband made a roaring fire and we opened presents, enjoyed yummy hot cocoa and fresh-made cinnamon rolls. And as I listened to my sons' excited shouts, it all felt like magic.  I wish for you all some wonderful magic this Christmas as well...

Who doesn’t want to believe in a little Christmas magic? Who doesn’t want to hope that mistakes we make years ago can be reconciled?  Christmas Past by Roni Adams is a story about those very things.  It is warm, cozy and feels good to read.

As the story begins, Mark is living a lonely life primarily taken up with his work life.  He is longing to reconnect with his ex-wife, still unsure why she left him ten years earlier. When Bailee walked out on Mark before their first wedding anniversary, he let her go and has regretted it ever since.  After another lonely Christmas party, he makes a wish that he never expects to come true.

Until a miscommunication with their friends has them both at the same ski cabin the week between Christmas and New Year’s... Mark’s wish comes true. With neither of them willing to move into a room at the resort, they decide to share the cabin. The interaction between the characters is genuine and readers will find themselves cheering them on as Mark and Bailee begin to open up to one another.

Mark still loves Bailee and wants to reconcile, but Bailee isn’t as sure that can happen.  She still keeps her plans to meet Daniel, the man she met online, on New Year’s Eve. But then stuck together through an ice storm, indulging in a hot tub, and tapping into their past sexual attraction brings them even closer. The story becomes a bit confusing as they each struggle to resolve their feelings – first one wanting to reconcile, then the other and never agreeing – but I could accept that this may be a reality given their situation.

While Mark hopes to convince her to try again, Bailee must decide how she wants to bring in the New Year. A fairly short book with a fast developing plot, Christmas Past is a nice afternoon read that you won’t want to put down. After all, I just had to know if a little Christmas magic was at work for Mark and Bailee.

RATING: 3 Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

This review was originally written for The Romance Reviews and can be found by clicking on the following link:  http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=1070

HAPPY HUNKY DAYS: Day 12...Mistress Christmas!

ON THE TWELFTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS....MY BOOK CLUB GAVE TO ME.....THE ULTIMATE IN YUMMY EYE CANDY! (Courier and Ives eat your heart out!)

My turn again...no, I am still not in the holiday spirit - I am hoping Santa puts something good in my stocking anyway. Yes, I am still struggling with the psycho killer chipmunk in my house - half afraid I'm going to have to call one of those scary exterminators like that guy on A&E....yikes! Silver lining in all this, if I survive the night with killer rodent on the loose, I have basically all weekend to watch THE ENTIRE TUDORS COLLECTION (woohoo, happy dance). Many thanks to Tyra for feeding my (our) obsession with pretty men in tights....gotta love those frisky Tudor men of Showtime!

In the mood for a little holiday happiness? Try Loralei James' Mistress Christmas! The first in her Wild West Boys series (which so needs to continue beyond the current 2), brings major heat to the holidays! Holly North, mild mannered accountant, agrees to take on the persona of exotic club Sugar Plum's headliner, Mistress Christmas, for her friend Ivy Lane when illness lays her up at the peak time of the season. Dressed in skin tight red leather, Holly never felt so out of her element. A few shots of peppermint schnapps ought to provide her with liquid courage, especially to talk with the hunky patron eyeing her in the bar.

Detective Nick West arrives at Sugar Plums looking for the stripper who allegedly robbed a friend of his the previous week during a lap dance with the infamous Mistress Christmas. Once he lays eyes on the gorgeous masked goddess, his goal shifts from jail Mistress Christmas to nail Mistress Christmas! Nick has a hard time reconciling the sexy but naive stripper with the scam artist who drugged and robbed his friend, especially after she takes him off for a private lap dance that goes farther than it should.

Returning a second night to investigate further, Nick decides to make his move on Holly. They agree to meet for coffee which leads to a one night only fulfillment Holly's personal Christmas wish list. Arriving with a bag of surprises, Nick and Holly's sexual explorations are the kind that steam up the windows and fog up the glass. For a while, the manage to distract the two from their every day lives even! What will Nick do when he discovers Holly isn't who he thinks? Will Holly forgive Nick if she discovers his ploy? Can two lonely people find more than amazing chemistry and perform the ultimate Christmas miracle by falling in love?

Loralei James knows how to pen an erotic romance. Her heroes are alpha enough to make any girl swoon and her heroines are intelligent and quirky. The combination always makes for smokin hot romances that have substance and depth to both characters and story lines.

I give Mistress Christmas 5 Chocolate covered Strawberries - bring on the mistletoe and holly!

HAPPY HUNKY DAYS: Day 11....I Thought It Was You!

ON THE ELEVENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS...MY BOOK CLUB GAVE TO ME...SOCKS AND UNDERWEAR AND SOME MIGHTY FINE EYE CANDEEEEE! (practical gifts never looked so good - I am pretty sure he has a shaved head too, Kim....)



O Holy Night

Ahhhh….. nighttime, my favorite time of the day. It means time to spend with my kids, or if it’s the weekend time, with my family. Also one of my busiest times too. Clean up the house and kids, pack book bags/lunches, homework, volunteer duties, errands and last but not least soccer practice. I have a stupid busy life and I love it and wouldn’t have it any other way. Night is also my time to read. It’s just a matter of time before I drop one of Tyra or Jenn’s books in the tub! Reason number one I’ll never borrow their e-readers. Although I think my time may be coming! This week I got moved to Thursday instead of my usual Friday. But hey, I’ll make the sacrifice in the name of the 12 Hunks of Christmas. ‘Cause that’s the way I roll! Besides did you all see the picture that was with my blog last Friday? I love Christmas lights even more now! This week I read a very very short story. Another “quickie” if you will, called I Thought It Was You by Shiloh Walker. It’s a short story, in between books, that brings some closure to a few loose ends.

I thought It Was You by Shiloh Walker

Ren and Elle spent centuries together but it just wasn’t meant to be. Elle has moved on and is about to marry her happily ever after Michael. Ren has moved on as well…. sort of. You see all three are part of a group called the Grimm. They now are hunters trying to protect the humans. Ren has been sent to Elle but for what reason he or she doesn’t know. Their caretaker so to speak Will does some strange things and questioning him will get you nowhere fast. As it turns out Ren and Elle have been bought back together one last time for closure to their past, in other words - one last roll between the sheets. This time there’s a third: Elle’s husband-to-be, who is more than willing to give Elle this one last time with Ren to give her closure. He makes it very clear to Ren this is a one time deal only. When all is said and done Ren has found the strength to move on and Elle can now start her life with Michael. Don’t worry the next full length book is Ren’s happily ever after.

I give this story 2 chocolate dipped strawberries. I did enjoy the story and it was very short and by that I mean like 30 pages short. I also have not read the full length stories that go with this short story so that probably has made a difference. But I am reading the other full length stories in this Grimm series and am starting to get into them. All the stories are twisted versions of the Brother’s Grimm fairytales. So should be fun to read.

So have yourself a merry little Christmas now and to all a good night!

HAPPY HUNKY DAYS: Day 10...The Tarnished Knight

ON THE TENTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS... MY BOOK CLUB GAVE TO ME... A YUMMY CANDY CANE!!!! (a new flavor eye candy)

Every once and a while, my life takes one of those wide leaps into the ridiculous sublime....tonight, for instance, while sitting in bed with laptop poised to write my review I heard a strange scratching sound from the other end of the house. What to my wondering eyes should appear???...but a small but no doubt deadly warrior chipmunk clinging to my dining room window. Now, I did as any red-blooded American woman would do in this instance...I hollered for hubby to "make it go away." He, of course, put on ski gloves and a hoodie and waved his hands around promising to "catch it" when it jumped. NOT. Have no clue where it is now either but I definitely will not be sleeping tonight, for fear that the killer chipmunk will attack me as visions of sugar plums dance in my head.....

Wide awake on this night post full moon/winter solstice/lunar eclipse, I believe a more prudent investment of my time would be to relay for you the next installment of Shiloh Walker's The Grimm series, The Tarnished Knight.

The mind forgets, but the body remembers. Everything.

Grimm's Circle, Book 4:

One look at Jack Wallace and Perci know's he's going to be trouble. Even surrounded by soul stealers, he's a one-man wrecking crew. What does the need Grimm training for? He's already hell on earth, a warrior bent on destruction. And something...more.

He's too strong and fast to be a mere mortal. Even covered in blood, he makes her forget she's only here to do a job and get out. It's twisted. Sick. She hasn't felt this alive in three centuries.

Born with a natural talent for killing unnatural things, Jack has always known things he shouldn't. The fact that Perci is one of them glows all over her. Giving him an unholy urge to see just how far he can push her before don't touch me melts into touch me there.

When they come together, it isn't careful or cautious. It's heaven and hell, exposing all their raw and wounded places to healing heat, resurrecting memories of a destined love from the distant past. But the evil that destroyed them once before has tracked them here, threatening their second and last chance at forever. Demanding a sacrifice no one, Grimm or human, should ever be asked to make....

Definitely not the cheerful version of Rapunzel being touted in the theatres this season as Tangled, The Tarnished Knight portrays the beleaguered and destructive tale of Persinette and her husband Luc. Gifted with the ability to heal almost anyone, Perci suffers the worst at the hands of those who should protect her the most. Held captive, poisoned and drained of her abilities for not healing her mother-in-law's second husband while pregnant, Perci's torment continues long after the deaths of her spouse, champion and children. Resurrected as a Grimm, Perci joins her husband in a life-after-life fighting the powers of evil in the world, guided as always by the cryptic and mysterious Will. Her greatest regrets prevent her from forgiving and re-loving her husband and they decline into self-torturing partners for the next 300 years.

Jack Wallace knows things, about people, events, the Grimm. Will appears to him and soon after partner's him with the strange Perci. Their connection is immediate, their chemistry smoking hot. Perci fights the attraction with everything she has but their connection crumbles her walls. Separated from Luc, she has the ability to finally start to heal from the guilt, the pain of loss, the devastation. Jack too has known loss and his healing comes about once he realizes his place in this mess. The question remains, how deep does his connection to the Grimm go? Will Perci through fears and caution to the wind and seek the deeper connection that seems imminently brewing? Will the battle for souls save them or damn them both?

Shiloh Walker creates a world where the darkest fairy tales and legends come to life. The pain of Persinette has so deeply saturated her soul there is great fear that she will not overcome it. The yearning and love felt by Luc, Sina, and even Jack and Perci stirs the emotions. Not a sappy tale, there are moments of true pain and true happiness. The erotic components add another element to the story, and aide in defining the coupling of Jack and Perci.

Not your kid's or your mom's fairy tale standard, I give Tarnished Knight, a tasty little 4 chocolate covered strawberries (mostly cause I adored Candy Houses and Crazed Hearts so much). And I cannot wait until Will finally gets his story....

HAPPY HUNKY-DAYS: DAY 9....No Prince Charming

ON THE NINTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS....MY BOOK CLUB GAVE TO ME....NINE BELLS A'RINGING !!! (I am sure he was checking his naughty list!!!)

Howdy all, only 4 more days until Christmas and I am done with the shopping but still have a few things to wrap and I am waiting on that last box to arrive. We are supposed to have a white Christmas here in the Valley and I am looking forward to it. I don't have to leave the house so let the snow come down. I plan on sitting by the fire and doing a little reading....I know you all are shocked by that revelation, but I have several things on my TBR pile that I need to get caught up on. With that being said, let me tell you about a book that is no longer on my TBR pile:

No Prince Charming, Shiloh Walker, Samhian Publishing January 2010

Her Happy-Ever-After has been a long time coming…
Elle spent years trying to get over her so-called Prince Charming, and she’s finally getting the hang of it. A Grimm—a guardian angel with unique gifts—she spends her nights trolling for demons and kicking ass, and lately, her days have been spent with her on-and-off-again lover, Ren, a fellow Grimm. But fate has other plans in store for Elle, plans that include Michael, the prince from her youth who broke her heart.
“What do you choose…live for her? Or would you rather die?” That was the choice Michael was given all those years ago. Although he knew she’d never forgive him, when Michael was given the chance to become a Grimm, he took it. Still, he isn’t so sure Elle needs him in her life. With a lover at her side and a mission before her, Elle looks like she’s doing just fine without him.

Elle is hunting down a Succubus that is feeding off of souls in a nightclub. She has her friend and sometimes lover Ren there to help her out, what she didn't need was the blast from her way way past, Michael, showing up to help. But show up he does and as soon as she sees him again all of the old feelings resurface.

Michael is there to help Elle kill the Succubus and if he can get her to fall in love with him again even better. He will do anything to be with Elle again....and that might just include dying for her.

I have to say that Sister Walker's version of Cinderella, blows away the Brother's Grimm. I liked the first book in this series, Candy Houses, but I LOVED this book. I enjoyed the twist and turns on the old fairy tale and can't wait to get to the next book in the series. Shiloh writes strong female character's and male character's that aren't afraid to show that they care. The story line moves quickly and has your heart pounding, both from the sexual chemistry and the dramtic ending.

I give, No Prince Charming, 5 chocolate dipped strawberries!

HAPPY HUNKY DAYS: Day 8....and CRAZED HEARTS

ON THE EIGHTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS....MY BOOK CLUB GAVE TO ME....SOME MORE YUMMY EYE CANDY!!!! (now give me that present!)






It was my task to read Crazed Hearts by Shiloh Walker for this week. I was a bit resistive because I am 1.5 books away from completing a series of books where I have a significant love-hate relationship with the main character. So with a scowl, I began my task on Sunday morning. I even warned the group that I couldn't possibly be expected to finish by my designated date, and could I please switch out to blog on a later date perhaps? (Some might think I'm a bit of princess right now.) But I started reading so that at least I could sleep without a guilty conscience.

Shiloh has the ability to drop the reader right in the middle of action and you don't ever feel lost or wanting for more information to truly understand the moment. Since I didn't read the back cover... I never saw some of the twists and turns that this particular storyline took me through. What a refreshing and action-packed story.

I liked the main character, Aileas, and found her to be full of backbone and common sense. I couldn't help but like the hunky male lead character, Ren, although he was a bit morose for even me. The over-seer of all Grimms, Will, seems to have a story that I would love to read one day. There are implied adventures and memories that leave his character heavy-hearted and yet full of grace. It does make one curious.

Overall, Shiloh has a style that I can really appreciate with just the right amount of information and background to capture the imagination and the spirit of the reader so that you are left thinking….when does the next book come out? I'll be hunting that down next for sure; but first I need to read 1.5 books before Christmas!

I give Shiloh Walker's Crazed Hearts 5 choc strawberries for sure !

HAPPY HUNKY-DAYS, DAY 7... Candy Houses

On the seventh day of Christmas,
my book club gave to me...
another hunky eye candeeeee!







I've been doing a lot of reading with my youngest son lately - two snow days and the start of Christmas vacation will do that to you! Since he let me choose the books the last few days, I decided to read some of the more traditional fairytales that I wasn't sure he really knew. It was fun - he thought some were scary - he thought some were sad - but in the end, he asked for a Suess book the next night. I agreed. I think we both had enough of those fairytales.

Now I assure you the fairytales I read to my son are far from the one I will review today. Do you think you know all there is to know about fairy tales? Guess again because the way Shiloh Walker tells them is nothing like I’d ever heard on Grandma’s lap.

Shiloh Walker’s Grimm’s Circle Series gives traditional fairytales an adult flair. Walker creates an alternate world in which the guardian angels are picked right out of the fairy tales from our childhood. We will be spending the week reviewing The Grimm’s Circle Series but since today is day one, we will start with book one…

The first book in the series, Candy Houses, tells the story of Greta and Rip. Sound familiar? Yep, they’re Gretel of Hansel and Gretel and Rip as in Rip Van Winkle. But you’ve never seen them like this. In this story, they have become Grimms, paranormal guardian angels whose job it is to protect ordinary people from the monsters and demons unknown to them in the world. Walker strings together an edgy plot with descriptive world building to establish the basis for the series while not losing site of her characters. She develops both primary characters with an unexpected level of complexity given how short the book is.

Greta didn’t get her happy ending her first time around. In Walker’s truth, she was actually the abused step-sister of Hansel, saved when she met a kindly woman living in a little cottage in the woods. Greta was given a second chance at a happy life as a Grimm. The problem is that romance is hard to find in her new world and when she does find the man who kick starts her heart, Rip, she’s scared right out of his arms. That was before and now Rip is back just in time to help Greta with a big mission.

Rip lives knowing he has been misunderstood for centuries because of his fairytale and hates the reputation that has preceded him. He has only found solace in the arms of one woman, Greta; but he’s avoided contact with her since she ran from him years earlier. So it is a shock when he crosses paths with Greta again while on a serious mission. As they come to terms that they need to work together to complete their missions, their relationship also becomes more solid.

A bit rushed at the end, the final battle of their mission did not seem as dangerous as the lead-up inferred and some character motivations were left unexplained. But I was happy Walker took the time to tell us how Greta and Rip’s love story played out.  And while the romance was lovely and the action was exciting, what I liked most was the twist on the fairy tale which I have to say is nothing short of brilliant. I mean, really, who sits around thinking this stuff up? Clearly Walker does!

That's 4 chocolate-dipped strawberries for this Candy House.

HAPPY HUNKY-DAYS, DAY 6... Guilty of My FIrst Review

On the sixth day of Christmas,

my book club gave to me...

a sweet piece of eye candy.

This is my first book review for Guilty Indulgence.  It was fun!  Hopefully you like it well enough that they invite me back again so it's all up to you, the readers.  COMMENT below with a vote of confidence! - Shari

His Convenient Husband by J.L. Langley

Innamorati, Book 1

At the tender age of seven, newly orphaned Micah Jiminez lost everything – and got lucky. The Delaney family opened their hearts and their home, treated him like one of their own. One Delaney in particular, though, became more than a brother to Micah. The handsome and protective Tucker is the man to whom he wants to give his love.

But after a single passionate night together, Tucker rebuffs him and hightails it to Dallas to purse his dreams. Leaving Micah to pick up the pieces of his broken heart – and feeling like a fool.

The impending death of the Delaney patriarch brings an unsavory relative out of the woodwork, threatening Micah’s beloved adopted family. They’re going to need all hands in the fight to keep The Bar D from being pulled out from under them all – including Tucker. Micah steels himself to convince the man he can’t forget to come home.

To his everlasting surprise, it’s Tucker who comes up with the perfect solution: a marriage of convenience – to Micah. His gut tells him Tucker’s motivation involves nothing more than saving the ranch. Now he just has to convince his fragile heart.

Review

Micah doesn’t know how to save the ranch when his adopted grandfather becomes seriously ill. The family owned ranch, The Bar D, is the Delaney home and livelihood. Micah’s grandfather has put him in charge of the finances and asked him to do whatever it takes to save the ranch for his family. To make the situation worse, the eldest son and outcast of the family, has decided to try and take the ranch from his adopted family.

Micah had done everything that he can and is now sick himself from all of the stress. While going over all of the accounts, Micah finds his grandfathers will. The only way he can see to save the ranch is to ask for help from the one person that he has vowed never to see again, Tucker.

Tucker has been out of town on a business trip and hasn’t heard about his grandfather’s condition until Micah shows up on his door step. Tucker immediately notices the difference in Micah and his protective instincts kick in. Tucker may have left home after being with Micah on his eighteenth birthday but he has never forgotten the man. Tucker finds a clause in the will that states that the ranch will go to the first Delaney that gets married and Tucker knows exactly how to save the ranch.

With a quick civil service, Micah finds himself the convenient husband of the man of his dreams and the one person he has no intention of giving his heart to again. Neither man wants to admit that they still desire the other but Tucker will do anything to protect Micah and his family.

I love all of Langley’s books but this was one of my favorites. So many M/M books lack a true story line and have the main characters just falling all over themselves. Langley has a way with words that make the characters come to life. When reading her books you find yourself seeing the story unfold and cheering for your favorite characters. The struggle between Micah and Tucker is realistic and kept me turning the pages. Micah wants to protect his heart and tries to keep Tucker at a distance while trying to convince everyone in the house that they are a happy newlywed couple. I loved their “first fake love scene” and found myself laughing out loud and reading it again just to laugh some more. The story has a strange twist at the end that I don’t want to give away. I am looking forward to the next book in this series. This book deserves 4 1/2 chocolate dipped strawberries.

HAPPY HUNKY-DAYS, DAY 5... Tempted on Festive Friday

ON THE FIFTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, MY BOOK CLUB GAVE TO ME...

SOME LIGHT-UP EYE CANDY!!!!

Merry Friday everyone! Hope everyone is feeling the Christmas spirit. It’s a crazy busy time of the year but there’s nothing like decorating, baking, shopping, wrapping and spending time with your family. I could totally do without this current snow we have going on right now but I’ll get over it. That will teach me to not wait till the last minute to start shopping! No worries, I always squeak by! Since I work for a fine University I am blessed with a long Christmas break that I will use to spend time with my kids and read!

This week I will be reviewing Anya Bast’s Tempted by Two. You may want to get a cold glass of water before sitting down to start this story. I’m just saying and with that being said...

This story is in a book called Good Things Come in Threes and features Jan Springer and Shiloh Walker as well as Anya Bast. Super book and I think they’re onto something with this good things come in threes (HE HE HE!). I give this book 4 chocolate strawberries and a tall glass of ice water. Because let me just say this book has a whole lotta HOT sex and I mean the kind that even made my face red!

Miranda just wanted to be normal and forget her past. She carries the memory of an abusive father who ended up killing her mother and himself in front of her eyes. She now helps other women find shelter and a fresh start from their abusive significant others. It takes a special person to do this kind of work but it turns out that that’s not the only “special” thing about Miranda.

Miranda can see goblins! This new skill is somewhat discerning to say the least. But she has her best friend Olivia to help her thru because Olivia has the same power also. Along with this new power comes a new life style. Not only are you just someone’s mate but you belong to two men! Olivia has met her two mates Mason and Will and has come to terms with this life style. Miranda’s mates face a huge challenge. Miranda fears commitment. Her pair Theo and Marco must find a way to ease her into her powers and new life style without scaring her away. One by one Theo and Marco make their way into her heart.

Just as Miranda is settling into this new life she has a bad run in with one of the women’s husband from the shelter who feels she’s keeping his wife from him. He kidnaps her and plans on teaching her a “lesson” on obeying. He knows her little secret and makes her think twice on trusting Theo and Marco. Miranda has to take action and save herself. As she fights for her life Theo and Marco stand by and watch. Will she come back to them?

HAPPY HUNKY-DAYS: Day 4....Jeweled needed a little polish

THE TWELVE HUNKS OF CHRISTMAS....on the fourth day of Christmas, my book club gave to me...a dreamy surfer santa...(my new favorite flavor eye candeeeeeee)

Hello everyone, yes we are still playing musical days here on the Guilty Indulgence blog, and I need to do a quick "Thanks" to Rebecca for stepping into my Tuesday slot because I was not prepared. We are having a snowy day here in the Shenandoah Valley and I really want to be home with my fireplace and some hot chocolate and my e-reader. I am thinking today is a great day for some chili and cornbread.

Jeweled, Anya Bast, Berkley Trade, November 2010

I had a hard time with this months book club choice, Jeweled, I almost didn't finish the book because I REALLY didn't like the heroine in the beginning of the book. I stuck it out and I am glad I did because it was nice to see the growth of Evangeline. When the book starts out she is a cold, calculating woman, whose only value is her body. Her only desire is to catch the eye of the royal who is second in line for the throne and have him "brand her" as his. I found it hard to have any empathy for this character, even after hearing that she was ripped from her family at the age of 4 and brought to live at the palace because of her magical ability, because of her attitude towards everyone else around her. She comes across as very self centered and having no respect for herself. However by the end of the book with the help of her lovers, Anatol and Gregorio, she becomes a confidant, independant woman, who finds a new way to make a life for herself.

The love that Anatol has for Evangeline through-out the book is beautiful. He has loved her from afar for years and knew there was so much more to her than what she showed at the palace. I loved the way that he cared for her and refused to let her put her emotional walls back up once they came down. I enjoyed the way that Anya built on the relationship and showed that is wasn't always sunshine and roses. I believed the way that Evangeline came to care for Gregorio and didn't feel that the relationship was rushed just to get to the sex scenes. The sex scenes were scorching hot, and added to the story and the emotional engagement of the characters.

I liked this book, but I didn't love it. I took me a while to care about these characters, but I did enjoy the way the book ended. I give Jeweled, 3 chocolate dipped strawberries.

HAPPY HUNKY-DAYS: DAY 3...JEWELED, THE DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH

THE TWELVE HUNKS OF CHRISTMAS....on the third day of Christmas, my book club gave to me...another hottie heartthrob...(my favorite flavor eye candeeeeeee)

Having read much of Anya Bast's creative and spicy catalogue - both her paranormal romances (love, love, love her Elemental Witches series and am digging the Dark Magick series so far) and her erotic romances - I was very excited about this newest release, Jeweled. Anya does erotic romance very well, and her menage scenes are "hoo-boy" hot! After meeting her and getting the opportunity to chat with her at RAW for several years, I can honestly say she is a lovely, sweet person as well (with an insanely fab shoe collection!)

Anya Bast's Jeweled combines elements of fantasy, historicals and erotic romance. The combination works on many levels but getting there takes some perseverance on the reader's part. The world building and history setting supersedes character development at times. In a world that feels much like the French Revolution periods, just on the cusp of the Industrial Revolution, the disparity between the have and have-nots is readily apparent. The story really takes off about mid-way through and that makes the wait worthwhile.

Anatol rescues the self-absorbed, superficial Evangeline on the eve of a dark and bloody revolution. Together they learn to make their way, supporting one another until they fall under the safe wing of the revolution's leader, Gregorio. Evangeline's magical gift allows her to sense the emotions of all around her and direct it elsewhere. She shut her emotions down after being removed from her family at an early age and appears incapable of feeling love and other intimate emotions. Anatol has known Evangeline forever while growing up preparing for the Royal Court and has loved her for nearly the entire time. It becomes his greatest undertaking to help Evangeline learn to feel, to love. Before long, her strong emotions of anger and dislike for Gregorio evolve into lust, passion and love. Once her walls come down and she feels emotions wildly, her two men recognize that Evangeline needs both of them and they work together to be what she needs. As their bonds grow, Evangeline finally allows herself to acknowledge the passion and love between them as real.



Evangeline, Anatol and Gregorio embark upon a true menage (M/F/M) relationship wherein all the focus of the two men is on the woman. The scenes are spicy hot and entirely re-readable! Bast peppers the dialogue with sassy verbal foreplay once Gregorio enters the scene. Prior to that, Evangeline and Anatol developed a nice little romance but it seemed to lack something and once that final ingredient was found - voila!



Evangeline was decidedly not my favorite heroine of late - she felt very much like a petulant child who had to be told what to do constantly. This opinion, no doubt, stems from my obvious preference for strong, take-charge heroines and dark, understated wit. Nevertheless, I must say, I was pleasantly surprised when mid-way through the story things flipped from frustrating historical to spicy erotic romance! The plot pace was action packed through the first half but seemed to go nowhere, lots of riot scenes and moving about in order to avoid detection. Once the action slowed down, the characters became more multi-dimensional and the romance developed some power, heat...some je ne sais quoi! All I know is, this menage is definitely oh-la-la!!!



Always a fan of the lovely Anya Bast, I give Jeweled 4 Chocolate Covered Strawberries....a definite diamond in the rough (and diamonds are a girl's best friend after all - next to shoes, chocolate and wine!)

HAPPY HUNKY-DAYS, DAY 2... Jeweled: A Dazzling Gem

TWELVE HUNKS OF CHRISTMAS....on the second day of Christmas, my book club gave to me...another tasty piece of eye candy...

It's been a crazy few weeks getting ready for Christmas.  Since I hate shopping, I reward myself by reading a book everytime I have to go to a store!  So... I've been getting a lot of reading done.  If you click on the "Bookshelf" tab above, you can see my most recent reads. Today I am focused on Anya Bast's latest fantasy romance, Jeweled.  I thought it was a gem (wink! wink!). Enjoy the review and tell me what you think; i.e. COMMENT BELOW!!!

A world-building queen, Anya Bast has remarkable talent in creating distinctive worlds that incorporate unforgettable characters. Her newest fantasy romance, Jeweled, is a top example of Bast’s talent and is a must read. Her world building is fantastic with magic richly woven throughout the story, slyly creating the basis of the story’s conflict. And as the characters evolve, so does their world.

Evangeline is taken from her family as a small child and trained to excel in magic, categorized by her ability to manipulate emotions. Since the nature of a person’s magic causes the opposite reaction within themselves, Evangeline becomes closed off from her emotions. She has existed to advance in her position as a jeweled using her magic, is ruthless and highly calculating and has achieved great success. But Evangeline is not a likeable character as she uses others as means to attaining her goals, lacking compassion and devaluing her worth as a woman. It is only when the reader understands that using her magic has made her like this that we can accept her as a creature of her upbringing. While I believe it was Bast’s intention to create Evangeline in this light, my dislike for her made the first few chapters difficult to get through.

The action picks up when a revolution occurs and the common people overthrow the monarchy, leaving Evangeline’s world in disarray. Everything she knows is taken away, royalty are beheaded and she becomes just another of the hunted because of her magic ability. Thankfully, Anatol, always having longed for Evangeline, comes to her rescue. Anatol saves her not just that first day as they fled the palace but also as they settle into their new life together, particularly as Evangeline begins to feel emotions and is so uncertain.

And as she learns to accept her emotions, I begin to accept her. Through Anatol’s eyes, the reader develops an appreciation for her as a newborn baby, exploring her new emotional world that she doesn’t understand. It is equal parts frustrating, touching and fascinating to watch her gain understanding of her emotions. Anatol acts as her guide and main support system through her emotional re-birth and this endeared me to him. Their romance flows parallel to Evangeline’s emotional re-birth. Evangeline slowly came to care for Anatol, felt loss and pain when he was taken away and was swept up in love when he was safe again. Their intimacy was sweet as even the emotions associated with passion were new to her.

Anatol was a perfect friend and lover, always considering Evangeline’s needs before his own. He was honorable, steadfast and loyal – he was my favorite character in the whole book. Anatol’s magic ability is to see the truth within a person. This is what allows him to see into Evangeline’s true character and connect him to her so thoroughly. Though there were no redeeming qualities in Evangeline when they lived in the palace, it is this truth that only he can see which causes him to fall in love with her. Soon enough after living on their own in this changed world, Anatol realizes that Evangeline's emotional needs are too much for him to satisfy alone. He accepts that he may need another man to help ground her.

Enter Gregorio. Towards the final third of the book, we learn more about Gregorio, the leader of the revolution. He believes in democracy but is an idealist, not considering that his writing and call for actions could result in the bloody reality of the revolution. He is disheartened by the rebellion, regretting that his dreams ended in bloodshed rather than spurring democracy into action. As he develops a relationship with Anatol and Evangeline, taking them in after they are discovered, he is prompted by their enthusiasm to begin working at controlling the people and beginning the democratic ruling party he’d imagined. All three characters take part in the evolution of the government and slowly their friendship grows into a sexual relationship wherein they each find love, though on their own timetables. While sometimes jealous and territorial by nature, the men learn to share Evangeline. It is only as a three-some that they will each find happiness. Bast weaves this complex story so tightly, it is impossible for the reader to believe any other outcome would suffice.

It took me a few chapters to buy into the premise of the book, mostly because of my dislike for the heroine. But once the storyline took off, I was swept up in the story. I give Jeweled 4 chocolate dipped strawberries (and plan to read the next in this series if there is to be one).

HAPPY HUNKY-DAYS, DAY 1... Not Dazzled By Jeweled

Twelve Hunks Of Christmas... on the first day of Christmas my book club gave to me, one tasty piece of eye candeeeeee...

This week, we are featuring writing by Anya Bast. A few of us met her at the 2010 RAW Conference in Huntington, West Virginia this past September and were eager to read the first book in her newest series!

Jeweled

Defined by magic. Ruled by desire

In the Court of Edaeii, magic-imbued Evangeline is rewarded for her gift in manipulating emotion with a sapphire stone set into the perfect curve of her lower back. Her greatest rival in the royal court is the enigmatic Anatol, instilled with the power of illusion. He may best her in magic, but he is her absolute equal in passion.

They share something else-they're both targets of low-born revolutionaries. Rescued by Gregorio, the brilliant revolutionary mastermind, they're given sanctuary. But in this warm refuge, Evangeline soon finds herself torn between the magic of one man she has always desired, and the excitingly new and radical moves of another. For her, there is only one choice: indulge in pleasure without limits.

Jeweled was written to tantalize the reader with an awakening heroine, two strappingly handsome yet vastly different good guys and a seriously warped bad guy. While these characters have the traits that could either draw the reader in or repel the reader, I found it most difficult to identify with the heroine. I am usually looking for a way identify with characters through either humor, sarcasm or an overall kick-tail kind of mentality. I could find none of these traits in Evangeline - our awakening heroine.

Anya does a lovely job of setting the stage and tone of the story, while taking a wee bit more time than necessary in the beginning to set the scene. Moving along, it felt as if the story rushed through areas where I would have liked more detail and plot, and idled too long in areas that really didn't enhance the plot and felt more like a commercial that I wanted to fast forward through.

Keeping in mind that, by nature, I enjoy a longer read than this book, I will always be disappointed in the stories that are less than 300+ pages. There just isn't enough time to build the characters and interweave a thoroughly tantalizing plot in less pages is shown in this book. My understanding is that Anya has written other books that fill the parameters as such, so I will be sure to check those out. I haven’t given up on her writing – just wasn’t a fan of this particular book.

I give Jeweled just 2 chocolate-dipped strawberries. -Liz

Beg Me.

When I first saw the self-advertisement for Shiloh Walker's BEG ME, I was intimidated by the subject matter. But after reading the reviews, I couldn't help it - I had to read it for myself. The book deals with a heroine who lost her husband Kyle, was raped and now believes she can take back her sexuality, which includes extreme fantasy, by sharing it with a man she can fully trust. She turns to Drake, Kyle's best friend and now her primary support system.

In its most basic form, BEG ME is a story of a woman finding the strength to take the power back in her life. Because Tania and Kyle's intimate relationship involved rough sexual role-play, the rape leaves her feeling as if even her sexual relationship with Kyle was wrong and that her inner desires are dirty. The story quickly shifts as the heroine begins to take back her life, not only the power of her sex life, but the power to love again.

Aware Drake has the same type of sexual preferences, Tania asks for his help. Though Drake questions if he can give Tania what she needs to heal while not losing his own soul, he cares for her and is willing to give her what she wants. Tania doesn't realize how much she's asking from Drake but as they cross that moral line, they come to some realizations about each other and their relationship changes forever.

This was an emotionally charged book. Walker does an exquisite job of exposing the heroine's psyche, allowing the reader to view the story through her eyes. Even though the sexual encounters did not appeal to me, I enjoyed the emotional thread woven throughout the book. Tania finds the strength to fight back with the help of a man willing to sacrifice himself for the woman he loves. Is there anything more real, more beautiful than that? It's because of these messages - strength, sacrifice and love - that I recommend BEG ME. It is in a category all by itself.

Warning: This book involves light bondage play, rape fantasy & role-playing. The acts between the hero & heroine are consensual, but they may not be ideal for all readers.

I give BEG ME 4 chocolate-dipped strawberries.

This review originally posted at The Romance Reviews:
http://erotic.theromancereviews.com/viewbooksreview.php?bookid=1025