The Reread Challenge - March

Nath's ReRead Challenge – March

Last Summer by Theresa Weir

Considering my recent Author Spotlight, it should be no surprise that my March ReRead is a Theresa Weir book. I first read this one back in August 2005 and loved it. I gave it a 5 out of 5. So – how did it stand up almost four years after the first read?

Wonderfully well. Once again I was struck by what a wonderful, timeless writer Theresa Weir is. First written in 1993, sixteen years ago now, this one doesn’t as if that much time has passed at all. Once again, just like the first time I read this one, I ached for Johnny. The phrase ‘the tears of a clown’ really apply to him. He had a tragic childhood but covered it up with bravado and acting the clown. Now a successful actor, he travels back to his home town of Hope, Texas to be the ‘hometown boy makes good’ in their local parade even though he doesn’t really know why. He has some plan of revenge in mind.

Maggie Mayfield is the designated welcoming committee and she is not thrilled with that role. She is one of the few not bowled over by this charismatic yet self-destructive young man. She is the director of a group of children in a local acting group and much to her surprise Johnny Irish agrees to help her. She is alternately attracted and infuriated by him. For his part Johnny is very attracted to her, but truly believes he is not good enough for her and rather then let her see his vulnerabilities, he covers them up in joking around and bad behaviour. He leaves town, returns later, leaves and returns.

I love the poignancy of this story and when I found this one in the ‘library’ debated on whether I should read it again or not. I’d been on quite the Therese Weir reading binge and figured it was time to move on. But I’m glad to say I decided ‘what the heck’ and read it anyway. I loved it once again the second time around. I downgraded it just a tad this time, not because I didn’t love Johnny even more then the first time, but because I was a bit frustrated with Maggie and her dithering hot and cold on Johnny. I do really like her – don’t think I don’t – but I think since I loved Johnny so much, I hated the way she unintentionally hurt him.

Grade 4.5 our of 5

And I mentioned to Nath that I would have another ‘bonus’ book this time ‘round again. And yes – it’s another Theresa Weir book. This one was a new-to-me book though it was published back in 1995, this was the first time I’d read it

Long Night Moon by Theresa Weir

Why this one: I’ve obviously been on a glom of this author’s work

Level of Steam: Warm and Touching

Cover Blurb: To the world, Sara Ivy had it all: a handsome husband, a manicured estate, the kind of ethereal beauty that drew all eyes to her. So when hard-bitten reporter Nash Audubon crashed a party to get an interview, all he expected was another run-in with a bored socialite. Instead, he got the surprise of his life. For Sara Ivy possessed an innocence that had no place in the sophisticated world of Chicago high society. Tempted to learn her deepest secrets, he followed her into the night...and in one dangerous moment discovered the real Sara—sexy, brave, and heartbreakingly defiant. She was ready to end the charade of her marriage to a brutal man, and Nash would move heaven and earth to cherish and protect her—even if it cost him his life....

My Thoughts: I mentioned on the recent Author Spotlight that I was currently reading a book by her that I hadn’t read before – I was on a real Theresa Weir reading fest it seems. I mentioned on that post that this book was breaking my heart and it was. These are both seriously wounded people. Nash Audbon is without question a total and complete mess. After being released from jail for a crime he did commit – but the why will break your heart, he is next level up from a homeless person – in fact he was a homeless person before he was rescued by the owner of a trashy type news tabloid type paper. Nash still lives in his car but at least he cleans up in his office. He decided to get ‘the scoop’ on Sara Ivy, trophy type wife of a businessman and up and coming politician. He is not impressed with her haughty behaviour and he is even less impressed when he writes the article and is beaten up for it. He is determined that rather then let the bully boys get away with it, he will dig up even more dirt on her.

Now this makes him sound like not so loveable a hero – and maybe in some ways he isn’t. But he is a very absorbing hero and I can fully believe why he is so bitter and cynical.

And just as Nash and his tragic past break your heart, so does Sara and her present. She is not at all the haughty woman Nash thinks at first. Instead she is living a nightmare with no hope of escape. It takes Nash a while to figure things out, but once he does, nothing will stop him from rescuing her from her terrifying circumstances.

This is yet another real winner from Theresa Weir. Again I was in awe of how well she drew me into the story and really made me care about her characters. This is a wonderful story of two broken characters who find and heal each other and it was so Very Well Done!

Grade: 4.75 out of 5

Ack! They're stacking up!!

My second post at DIK will be posted later today and my March Reread book too!! I was on the late shift last night and then there was 2 hours of Dancing With the Stars. I wasn't going to watch it this season but I watched the first episode and *sigh* got hooked. Plus it's the newest water cooler show. And then of course to satisfy the shallow me - there is Gilles and Cheryl - can one say YOWZERS!!!



Why oh why do they put them on near the end??? I guess it's to keep audience attention. It certainly keeps mind *huge wink* They got a Well Deserved 30 last
night!!

~~~UPDATE~~~

One down - one to go. Part II of what makes a book a keeper for me is now up

Stranded on the island

For the next three days, I can be found visiting the DIK Island and giving my thoughts on what makes a book a keeper.

The dreaded DNF

Or - for those who aren't sure what that stands for - the Did Not Finish

There seem to be two kinds of readers - those who finish every book they start no matter how much they aren't enjoying it and those who give up on a book when they just aren't into it.
Me - I'm in the second camp. I have so many books to read and ten times that amount to reread that when I run into a book that isn't working, I'll leave it. And believe me, I don't like doing that. I pay money for books and I don't return any unless I've somehow managed to loose sight of the fact that I already have a copy and rather then return a book even then I will 'exchange' it for another one. But since chances are I was going to get the 'exchange' book anyway......

Sadly Fools Rush In is my latest DNF. I Feel a lot better at the fact that I've read and really enjoyed two other books by this author - if I had tried this one first I never would have read anything else and would have missed some enjoyable books.

But this one, once again suffers because of the heroine. The outline sounds interesting:

Rewarding job as a local doctor on Cape Cod? Check. Cute cottage of her very own? Check. Adorable puppy suitable for walks past attractive locals? Check! All she needs is for golden boy and former crush Joe Carpenter to notice her, and Millie will be set.

But perfection isn''t as easy as it looks--especially when Sam Nickerson, a local policeman, is so distracting. Sure, he needs a friend after being dumped by Millie''s fortune-hunting sister, but does she really need to enjoy his company that much? He is definitely not part of her master plan. But maybe it''s time for Millie to start a new list…

And I really enjoyed Just One of the Guys and To Good to be True in part because of the heroines. But Millie is just a horse of a different colour for this reader.

First off she is obsessed with some guy from her school days. Never mind the fact that she doesn't really know him - just that he's gorgeous and does nice things for people. But she's never had a real conversation with him.

But Millie is now in her 30's and she is a doctor!! And she is stalking this guy. Honestly! At one point - before I gave up on this book, she is hiding in the woods near his house so she can see what time he leaves in the morning so she can set up an ambush at a later time. I can understand doing this kind of thing when one is in their teens - and no I'm not going to tell the story about how one time when a girlfriend of mine and I staked out a place where we knew two guys were going to be and then she disabled her car so they would come and help us 'fix' it. And I'm not going to add that it was in the middle of winter and we waited and waited and waited and they didn't come out and my girlfriend had a curfew and had to get her parents car back home and we were freezing anyway so we had to leave and the 'plan' totally bombed. I'm not going to tell that story because I was a silly young teenage girl and long grew out of that kind of thing.

But apparently Millie never did grow up in many respects. Then again I lost it with her when she went through a 'makeover' - new hairdo, new clothes, the make-up thing for the sole purpose of getting this guy she still had never had a real conversation with to notice her. What worked so charmingly well in Linda Howard's Open Season which charmed the socks off me, bombed completely in this book because of the motivation of the heroine.

But still I plodded on in this one until........ a handsome man asked Millie out for dinner and she deliberately chose a restaurant where she thought the handsome young man of her dreams would be. I'm not sure - but I might have screamed in frustration at the heroine at this point, but that was it! Enough of Millie.

I found the character of Millie to be excruciatingly shallow and self-absorbed. She seemed to care nothing for 'knowing' someone but only cared about the looks. She based her whole life on some guy because he was hawt. Now maybe if I continued to read the book, I would find out she found out what a shallow person she really was. But since this book is written in the first person, I just couldn't stay in her mind one more moment.

How about you? Do you finish books you aren't enjoying? And why? Do you give up on a book that just isn't working for you? If you do, will you try another book by the same author if this is your first by them?

This isn't about the writing. Obviously Kristan Higgins is a good writer since I and others have loved some of her books. But this is one I won't be finishing.

Book Alert! Book Alert!

Start spreading the news, I'm happy today
I want to be a part of it - new book, new book
These western made boots, are longing to stray
Right through the very heart of it - new book, new book

I've made no secret of the fact, since the very beginning of this blog, how much I love Westerns. I've done more then one post on it and have offered up my favourite ones along the way.

So it was with a squeal of delight and an O.M.G. that I was thrilled to the nth degree that one of my favourite authors is coming out with a book in one of my favourite genres!

I saw at Wendy's and then followed to The Good, The Bad, The Unread that Jo Goodman's next book is going to be a Western. All three of us are huge fans of this genre so there will be celebrating tonight I think.

And although I mentioned it briefly in the comments - I just had to expand a bit here. I have been a Very Huge Fan of Jo Goodman for years. Whenever there was a chance to put a plug in for one of her books I was so there. So it was with incredible delight I've seen her readership grow in the past few years. More and more readers are finding her.

She's not the writer for everyone. If you are looking for something light and quick she is NOT the author for you. Instead her writing is rich and she relies very heavily on the dialogue between the characters. Her book are very character-oriented with many layers to them. In just about every book we think we know at the beginning isn't that person at all. I'm a quick reader by nature, but when I settle down with a Jo Goodman book I know it's not going to be a quick read. Normally I do a lot of skimming but if I were to do this with a Goodman book, it would really be a loss because it seems at times as if each and every word is carefully placed, painting a picture as you go along.

And now that she is finally gaining recognition, she comes out with a Western, a much less traveled genre then the historical set in England. And I am thrilled by this!! Here is an author who is being true to herself; being true to what she wants to write. I wish more authors would do this - stay true to what I think, it their real 'voice'.

This isn't her first Western. She wrote the Dennehy series many years ago about seven sisters. I've read some of them but not all of them yet. But I think her writing has come a long way since then and I know I CAN'T WAIT until September to dive into this one!

Another one!

I like to think I have a built in radar when it comes to people talking North and South. But it seems my Richard Radar was on the fritz and I missed a Crusader!!

How could that happen??

Well - when I saw the date she posted it on, I realized that yes indeed it happened when I was in a scrambled up funk.

So to correct that oversight - I announce boldly that Bev of Cubie's Confections is a Crusader. She has posted her thoughts here!!

I hope you like the video - I was forced to watch many of them - an onerous task I must say, to get just the right one. In the end I couldn't choose. It came down to what I thought was better versus the 80's music lover

Alas

I. DID. NOT. WIN. THIS. BOOK.

But!! The moment it's available to order online I shall add it to my 'shopping cart'. In the meantime I have many a good book to read - including many a contemporary which was the point of the contest.

This always gives me a thrill!!

And what is that you ask??

Why finding new Crusaders - that's what. I just recently found a new blog (which is always nice) and Keira of Love Romance Passion is our newest Crusader!

And of course that give me another excuse to post a video!!

Contest Alert! I want to win this book!

We had a field trip at work today - all the branches in our area. It was really good and I enjoyed the day quite a bit. They had an motivational speaker - a most excellent one and one of the things he said to do was to take ownership. So - this is me taking ownership.

I don't often post contest alerts - no particular reason, I just don't think of it I guess 0r I blog about something else. But in this case I am blogging about it because.

I. WANT. TO. WIN. THIS. BOOK.

No if ands or buts about it. This is me. Taking ownership.

Dear Author and Smart Bitches have combined forces and are having a Save the Contemporary Campaign going and as you may have noticed, I'm all about the campaigns. And as I've always loved contemporaries and

I. WANT. TO. WIN. THIS. BOOK.

I'm fully on board.

Now there are a number of ways to enter. You can Twitter about it - using some kind of hash mark thing a ma jig - but I don't twitter. You can email about it - but I don't really send a lot of emails or you can blog about it. Since

I. WANT. TO. WIN. THIS. BOOK.

I'm going the blogging route. They have set up a special page here and also a nifty little place you can add your own rec's for contemporaries you have enjoyed. Now I'm going to make a list of a lot of them I've enjoyed.

Hopefully I've done the blogging thing right because

I. WANT. TO. WIN. THIS. BOOK.

If I didn't get it right - which to be honest wouldn't surprise me, hopefully someone will tell me how to do it right because

I. WANT. TO. WIN. THIS. BOOK.

Now I know there are others saying the same thing about Smooth Talking Stranger and (yippee for us) St. Martins Press is donating 20 copies! AND there is a second prize St. Martins is offering - a 20 book package of their backlist.

In addition, Borders is offering 30% off all pre-orders. But since I don't live in the US, this particular incentive doesn't work. Thus

I. WANT. TO. WIN. THIS. BOOK.

Now, in case I'm missing something - this is what you have to do

Lisa Kleypas Smooth Talking Stranger

Email This Page ShareThis

Ella Varner has it all–a successful career as an advice columnist, a handsome boyfriend, and a circle of friends in Austin. When anyone has a problem, Ella knows the answers.

But one night she receives a call that changes everything. And as Ella’s world is turned upside-down, she meets a man who is the opposite of everything she ever wanted . . . a man who will offer her the most irresistible challenge she has ever known . . . Excerpt

To reward those who help spread the contemporary goodness, St. Martin’s Press has provided us with 20 copies of Smooth Talking Stranger to giveaway and a grand prize package of 20 titles from SMP’s backlist (Lora Leigh, Jennifer Crusie, Cheyenne McCray, and the like) to a random entrant.

To participate, simply forward the details to a friend using the “Email This Page” link above. The more times you forward the details of this giveaway for Smooth Talking Stranger, the greater chance you have of winning. Alternatively, use the “Share This” and twitter the contest and link or blog about it. You’ll need to send us a link, though, or twitter us too at @smartbitches or @jane_l.

The Top 100 Movies

The Top 100 Movies to see before you Die

I saw this and thought it was an odd title for an article but thought it was interesting. It seems I have some movie watching to do in the next little while!

I bolded and blued the ones I've seen and left plain those I haven't seen.

Yikes! I haven't seen a lot of the classics!!

8 ½

12 Angry Men (1957)

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

The 400 Blows (1959)

8 ½ (1963)

The African Queen (1952)

Alien (1979)

All About Eve (1950)

Annie Hall (1977)

Apocalypse Now (1979)

The Battle of Algiers (1967)

The Bicycle Thief (1948)

Blade Runner (1982)

Blazing Saddles (1974)

Blow Up (1966)

Blue Velvet (1986)

Bonnie and Clyde (1967)

Breathless (1960)

The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

Bringing Up Baby (1938)

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

Casablanca (1942)

Chinatown (1974)

Citizen Kane (1941)

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)

Die Hard (1988)

Do the Right Thing (1989)

Double Indemnity (1944)

Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

Duck Soup (1933)

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

Enter the Dragon (1973)

The Exorcist (1973)

Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982)

The French Connection (1971)

The Godfather (1972)

The Godfather, Part II (1974)

Goldfinger (1964)

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1968)

Goodfellas (1990)

The Graduate (1967)

Grand Illusion (1938)

Groundhog Day (1993)

A Hard Day's Night (1964)

In the Mood For Love (2001)

It Happened One Night (1934)

It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

Jaws (1975)

King Kong (1933)

The Lady Eve (1941)

Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

The Lord of the Rings (2001,2002,2003)

M (1931)

M*A*S*H (1970)

The Maltese Falcon (1941)

The Matrix (1999)

Modern Times (1936)

Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

National Lampoon's Animal House (1978)

Network (1976)

Nosferatu (1922)

On the Waterfront (1954)

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

Paths of Glory (1958)

Princess Mononoke (1999)

Psycho (1960)

Pulp Fiction (1994)

Raging Bull (1980)

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Raise the Red Lantern (1992)

Rashomon (1951)

Rear Window (1954)

Rebel Without a Cause (1955)

Rocky (1976)

Roman Holiday (1953)

Saving Private Ryan (1998)

Schindler's List (1993)

The Searchers (1956)

Seven Samurai (1954)

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Singin' in the Rain (1952)

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

Some Like It Hot (1959)

The Sound of Music (1965)

Star Wars (1977)

Sunset Blvd. (1950)

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

The Third Man (1949)

This is Spinal Tap (1984)

Titanic (1997)

To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)

Toy Story (1995)

The Usual Suspects (1995)

Vertigo (1958)

When Harry Met Sally... (1989)

Wild Strawberries (1957)

Wings of Desire (1988)

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988)

The World of Apu (1959)

And the Winner is........

And using the Randomizer thingie for the first time - the winner of Cool Shade and American Dreamer by Theresa Weir is.......

*Drum Roll**

Orrania!!!

If you want to email me (email address on the left link to my name) with your address I'll get these two books out to you

Congratulations - you have a couple of great books coming your way

The Sweet.......Then The Sour

I worked overtime – someone had to be there and I volunteered. But again it wasn’t that busy so instead of Ponderings, I thought I’d do Pet Peeves. I can only be kittenishly sweet for so long ;-)

Pet Peeve: When I’m running late – say for work because I was on the internet too long, but I still need that morning coffee so I go through the drive-through lane at the coffee place and the person ahead of me is ordering an unusual breakfast for the wife, the kids, the grandparents – and any other kind of relatives.

Hello – if you have a big order – go inside and get it!! There are people like me in a hurry.

Pet Peeve: Birds who like to play chicken or dare – specially on the highway. What vicarious thrill can be going through their bird brains that they want to swoop in front of you when you are doing 100 kilometers an hour. Believe me – I don’t want to hit them. I did once and it was awful. But they insist on swooping in front of me. It’s almost like a dare to them,

“OK, Frank, it’s your turn up again. Let's see how close you can get to that car.”

Squirrels can also fall into this category, but they aren’t as bad as birds and thankfully I’ve never hit one. I’ve heard that deer are also big on this game and again thank heavens I've never hit one.

Pet Peeve: When I order a coffee going through a drive through a certain way - decaf, 3 sweetners, 2 cream and I get a caffeinated, 1 milk and no sweetners (or sugar). I can tell the difference! In conjunction with this one – ordering Swiss Chalet – DARK meat and I get white meat instead. I prefer the dark meat!

Pet Peeve: When a show I’ve been waiting all week for suddenly gets pulled. I just discovered that Blood Ties was running again on the Space Channel. I got all set to sit down and watch it yesterday for a nice Henry Fitzroy fix and it’s not anymore. It was on last week when I was working – but not yesterday when I wasn’t. Instead some movie took it’s place. I went forwards and backwards looking for it – but nothing *sad sigh* Now I’m really wanting that fix. Before this one they did the same thing to me with the last So You Think You Can Dance. Before there was Nico, there was the US version and they started showing it on the Music Channel. I was watching each week revisiting some of my favourite routines – then BANG! It’s gone – half way through.

Pet Peeve: When I put a book I’m really enjoying down and then can’t remember where I put it. I know I’ve mentioned this before – but darned if I didn’t do it again this morning. I spent precious minutes looking for it – I was already on the computer too long. I couldn’t find it and had to take another one. Mind you – I’m quite enjoying the other one too – a luscious medieval but I was on a roll with the other one – and it’s my reread book.

Pet Peeve: Why do we have to pay 25¢ in some grocery stores for a cart ‘rental’? Yes – I sort of understand the reasoning behind it. I worked in a grocery store and once or twice a month the stock boys (eeewww that’s an outdated term but I couldn’t think of one to replace it) would go around the neighbourhood to round up the carts that shoppers took their groceries home in and neglected to return. But do you know how many times I’ve forgotten to check to see if I have a quarter before I leave only to end up routing through the dark depths of my purse

That's all I came up with because then thank goodness it got busy

Funny of the day: I did have some fun with my oldest son yesterday though, in what I silently called “Revenge on the Male Channel Surfer". He came over for a visit and to do his laundry – I think laundry was the main purpose. I had control of the channel changer for a change and I decided to see what bizarre shows he would sit through before balking. We watched a bit of Hell’s Kitchen, then the Great Recipe Cookoff. We both thought the Lucky Ducky Duck Burger was odd. Then he sat through a repeat episode of Celebrity Apprentice – he went for Tom Green and I went for Scott Hamilton, though I knew in advance that poor Scott was the one going to be fired – we debated that for a while and I was surprised that he seemed to get somewhat into it. But he reached his breaking point during Toddlers and Tiaras. It was only on for 15 minutes before he crumbled and asked me to switch it something else. I quite had fun with that I did.

Some Sunday Morning Awwwwwwww

It's another day of overtime for me - I need to pay off my car.
But I would much rather be doing what these little sweethearts are doing
on an early Sunday morning

(From my cute picture supplying friend)

Ponderings

It’s a slow day at work today and that allows my mind to wander to very strange places!

Why is it the day seems so much longer when you aren’t busy? It’s still the same number of hours. And to go along with that, why am I so much more tired? I’m not working as hard – I should be less tired!

Have you ever noticed how really ugly an organ the tongue is; the underside in particular? I was looking at mine this morning and I just found it pretty ugly. So why does the thought of some handsome dude (no – there’s no one in particular) who I get sparks from, putting his tongue in my mouth or around my ear or……sound so very delicious?

Why don't I win? Why doesn't anyone seem to win? Tim Horton’s Roll Up The Rim to Win contest is a crock!! I’m almost unCanadian in my preference for other kinds of coffees, but there is a Timmies on my way to work and if I’m in a mood for a good cookie, I will stop and get a coffee too. I do this about 3 or 4 times a week – I’m in a cookie mood these days. But so far the only thing I’ve won is a free coffee! I want the laptop computer. Most people I know have won next to nothing either.

Why do things start getting wacky the closer we get to a full moon? And working where I do, I really see that it’s true – the work load increases, they get stranger? I know it’s supposed to be something about the moon’s directional pull – but – really…..so? What does that really mean?

Why does Zina – the Princess Knota Warrior cat make it so darned hard for me to clip her nails – to the point that I don’t? She doesn’t claw furniture so it’s not like she destroys things – but the other night when she was sitting on my lap, I dropped something and startled her and she jumped up, dug her claws in and jumped off me. You should see the nasty scratches I have on my legs!

Why am I so darned attached to the rubber finger tip I use at work? It’s the first thing I do when I start – put on the rubber finger – and yes I know that sounds very odd. It can’t be a security thing – who in insecure about their left middle finger. But on it goes and on it stays until I either use the washroom, go on a break or go to lunch. And it’s not even as if I file that much paper!?!?!? Could it be the little orange bumps all over it give me some kind of weird erotic thrill? I don’t think so.

Why can’t I get to work before I’m supposed to start anymore? I used to get there about 15 minutes early and take my time booting up the computer – slowly working my way into work mode. But these days – whether I start at 8:00, 9:00 or 10:00 I’m pulling in at the last minute. That’s just not like me.

Why did I dream about taking out the garbage last night? Yes, today was garbage day and I’ve kind of missed it the past couple of weeks – I don’t really produce a lot of it so it’s not a big deal – but to actually dream about it????? There is so much other more interesting stuff I could have dreamed about – like some really hot guy sticking his ugly undersided tongue in my mouth.

TBR Day and

Dang - but I missed it again. I had to work this past weekend and what with Dancing With The Stars, The Mentalist, Lost and also reading Long Night Moon I didn't get one read this time 'round.

So - what do you do.......

What do you do when you have a TBR pile that scares you??

What do you do when there is a book you want to get but it isn't available??

What do you do when you get a raise??

What do you do when it's a beautiful Saturday but you have to work??

Why - you buy more books of course!!

I'm more and more frightened by the TBR pile every day.
I want to get Practice Makes Perfect - though UPDATE - UPDATE - UPDATE - it's available online again.
The yearly raise I got kicked in the past paycheck.
It was such a beautiful day to get stuck inside at work all day.

So

My latest babies


Dark Temptation by Allison Chase

Now one might think I got this one because of the chest - and one would be wrong. When I was much younger, I used to collect decks of playing cards with ships on them. I love ships. I have a ship collection in the 'Library'. So it was the ship in the background that made this one stand out and call my name. Really. It was. It was the ship I say - not the chest. And not the chain that's resting on the chest. Nope - not the smooth chest with puckered nipples. Nope - it is the ship!










Tears of the Renegade by Linda Howard.

Now chances are when I start reading this one, I will smack my head, remember it, go down to the 'Library' and there it will be - in an older release. But I stopped on the way home and the back blurb really didn't ring a bell - and it IS a Linda Howard - though an older one to be sure.











The Club by Sharon Page

I saw this one a while ago on Ames' blog and it called to me across the miles. I checked and sure enough they had it here. Kind of makes up for the Julie James one they didn't have on the shelves but is available to order online.
And it sounds very decadent!

Enter a world of sin, scandal, and the most forbidden pleasures. Enter the seductive world of award-winning author Sharon Page, whose new novel will take your breath away with a tantalizing blend of Regency romance and erotic thrills.

It is London’s most secretive gentlemen’s club—a place where no well-bred lady would dare to be seen. But Lady Jane Beaumont has no choice. Her friend Del has vanished, and Jane must enter into a dangerous charade to find her. Now, within the gilded walls of this erotic lair, Jane awaits the lover she has procured for the evening. But the man who enters her bedchamber is no stranger. He is Del’s brother and London’s most notorious rake—a man on a rescue mission of his own. Christian is intrigued by the innocent beauty who clearly does not belong in the notorious brothel. And as the two seek out the damning secrets of the club . . . as Christian initiates Jane into the ways of true sensual pleasure, she knows she has entered the most dangerous place of all—where the price of temptation could be her heart. . . .

Doesn't that just sound delish? And a very nice cover to boot!



One Night Stand by Cindy Kirk

I got this one because it sounded interesting and this is how I only can wish I would look like in a man's shirt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Krisite looks like this though.











Tempted All Night by Liz Carlyle

I was one of the original Liz Carlyle fans. And I'm proud of that fact. I first discovered her upon the release of her very first book, My False Heart. And I kept up with her, but I really wasn't fond of One Little Sin, Two Little Lies or Three Little Secrets - though the covers were gorgeous. And then because I'm shallow - but it's not the chest - I didn't like the titles of Never Deceive a Duke, blah, blah, blah.
But I think it's time I try her again!! She used to be one of my favourite authors and hopefully she will regain her place with this one.







Heart's Delight by Ruth Ryan Langan

Now I have a feeling I may have this one though it's not listed on my spreadsheet. But it's a Western, it was on for a real good price, the storyline sounded kind of fun and I sort of like the trees in the background. No, not the naked chest with the guy wearing a cowboy hat pulled low over his face - nope - it's the trees.
Oh, and the yellow sky and yellow and green lake. That's kind of cool too.