Recent Reads

Treachery in Death by J.D. Robb

Why this one: I’m addicted to this series and since the price was right…..

Steam Level: Warm. There have been much hotter books in this series but Eve and Roarke have settled into marriage and though the passion between them burns just as bright, it’s not written as explicitly in this one as in some of the early books.

Blurb: Detective Eve Dallas and her partner, Peabody, are following up on a senseless crime-an elderly grocery owner killed by three stoned punks for nothing more than kicks and snacks. This is Peabody's first case as primary detective-good thing she learned from the master.
But Peabody soon stumbles upon a trickier situation. After a hard workout, she's all alone in the locker room when the gym door clatters open; and-while hiding inside a shower stall trying not to make a sound-she overhears two fellow officers, Garnet and Oberman, arguing. It doesn't take long to realize they're both crooked-guilty not just of corruption but of murder. Now Peabody, Eve, and Eve's husband, Roarke, are trying to get the hard evidence they need to bring the dirty cops down-knowing all the while that the two are willing to kill to keep their secret.

My thoughts: I liked this one. There have been a few where I can’t really say that off the bat, but I can with Treachery. It was a bit different in that the murders that Eve and her team investigate happen before the story begins for the most part. And the one person murdered during the course of the story isn’t one of the innocents that so often are victims. No beloved teachers at private schools, no good cops under cover, no teenage girls who run afoul of evil witch wannabe’s and no little girls entire family are murdered during the writing of this book.

There is one, off scene so to speak, to start the story off. Dallas makes Peabody the primary in this one and there was one particular scene that was quite cute with Peabody wanting to be bad cop and Eve being good cop. We don’t often see her in this role *g*

But the story really begins when Peabody overhears some very obviously crooked cops discussing an informant they had iced. She is in a very scary situation and afterwards she and McNabb head to see Eve on how they should handle this situation when someone in their very own house has gone bad. This one pitted Eve against another lieutenant womano o’ womano so to speak, Team Good against Team Bad.

There was a lot that was familiar with the other book in this series, but then that’s what makes these such comfort books for me. There was also the start of a secondary love story in this one between a character I think we’ve all been hoping to see meet someone – heh, heh, heh on me not naming who – you will have to read it to find out who for yourselves.

Overall, this one is in the higher level of the In Death books I’ve enjoyed, although it didn’t quite touch my very favourites.

Grade: 4 out of 5

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Why this one: I think she can write a great story and her heroes are always wonderful. I read another one in this 3 book series and quite enjoyed it so I got the other two as ebooks

Steam Level: while there weren’t many, what love scenes there were in there were very hot.

Blurb: Suzanne Carter has sworn off men…really! Her inability to take life seriously drives them crazy, so it’s best she leaves them alone. Then one night, strong, handsome Ryan Alondo rescues her and she simply melts. Who could resist all that rough-and-tumble sexiness? But as tempting as he is, she’s not going to fall for his charms. Because there’s no way she wants to ruin a man this gorgeous. From the moment Ryan sets eyes on Suanne, he knows she’s the one for him. She’s fun and sexy and exactly what he needs in his overcrowded, responsible life. And the passion between them can’t be ignored. He just has to convince her he’s serious enough for both of them. Good thing he can be very, very persuasive.

My Thoughts: This is an older book; back from the now defunct Temptation line and I didn’t pay very much for it, so I’m not bummed that it bombed for me. But it was a bit disappointing since once again, Ms. Shalvis wrote a great hero. But when I have issues with her books, it’s usually because of the heroine and that’s the case in Roughing it with Ryan. While Ryan was my kind of hero, a blue collar type who worked with his hands; an older brother who raised his younger siblings when their parents died, sexy and hunky and going for a higher education, I had real issues with Suzanne. First off, at the beginning of the book, she has just moved out, or rather been forced out, of living with her fiancé. She’s in no place to get involved with a guy so soon. But does she tell this to Ryan? Noooo, of course not. She just jumps from that relationship straight to another. And while she doesn’t fall right into his arms, when she does, just for lusts sake, she then backs off, confusing this great guy. And then she doesn’t want the relation ship to go any further, not for a normal reason like she just got out of a bad one, but because she figures she’s bound to hurt him as she’s hurt three previous fiancés. She doesn’t have the self awareness to realize that she’s a twit and the fault was with the men and not her. They would suggest something she should do for a living and she did it. One of them suggested she should be a stipper so she became one for awhile. Come off it. If some guy told me I should take my clothes off for a living, if he were serious and not just flattering me, he would so be out the door and at that curb!!!! But our heroine Suzanne – she’s engaged to the idiot and then when the relationship doesn’t work out, blames herself. For the life of me I didn’t understand what a guy like the hero would see in such a nitwit – except for a curvy body. She has zero sense of self worth and she’s stupid; two things that are unforgivable for me in a heroine.

She makes the poor guy work so hard for her, not because she’s worth it and we should all make the men ‘earn’ us, but because she’s an idiot. And she ends up hurting him in the process. ‘Cause she is an idiot. She’s out of a job because her last fiancé said she should work at his sisters restaurant and when he breaks it off, she lost her job. To keep things going until she finds another job, she does catering which she loves, but keeps saying it’s just a hobby and continues to look for a job as a chef which her previous boyfriend told her to do and thus she doesn’t think she should do catering because no guy said she should – because she’s an idiot. Mind you, she did strip for a while ‘cause a guy told her too.

I bet you get the feeling that I didn’t care for Suzanne one ity bity bit. And you would be right. I kept thinking about quitting this book ‘cause of her, but Ryan was so scrumptious. Author Jill Shalvis does this to me. She’s a very good author and I can totally get why she’s loved by many readers. I consider myself one. But when I don’t like the heroine, the book becomes a fail and sadly that made this one a fail.

But I did like the third one and I also have the second one – the rubber book of the series so to speak so I’ll have to see what I think of it.

Grade: Hero = 5/Heroine = 1.5. Factoring in good writing despite not liking the heroine, this book gets a 3

Recent Read

And I am back!

Actually, it's been a while now since Rye fixed my internet - it's amazing how much better things work when plugged in....and how stupid one can feel when things aren't.



Animal Magnetism by Jill Shalvis

Why this one: I was in a Shalvis ebook buying mood and discovered this was out in eform and was less expensive than a paperback.

Steam Level: Whew!!If you want to look out the bathroom stall, you’re going to have to wipe off the steam first!

Blurb: Co-owner of the town's only kennel, Lilah Young has lived in Sunshine, Idaho, all her life. Pilot-for-hire Brady Miller is just passing through. But he soon has Lilah abandoning her instincts and giving in to a primal desire.
It's Brady's nature to resist being tied down, but there's something about Lilah and her menagerie that keeps him coming back for more. -

My Thoughts: If I like the heroine of a Jill Shalvis novel, for the most part I quite like the story, her baseball series excluded as she doesn’t know baseball enough for this fan of the game. But other than those two exceptions, I really enjoy her books. She writes GREAT heroes no matter what and she has her guys thanking and acting the way guys would I think. And Brady Miller is no exception. For me, this is where the author shines; in creating believable, delicious heroes. Brady is former military, now working in the hot spots in the world for private contractors. He’s taken a month long leave to help out his two good buddies. His first day back he is run into, literally by Lilah, our heroine, when she runs into the back of his truck. Brady is yummy, yummy, yummy, he’s like love in the tummy. He and Lilah fall fast for each other, but as neither wants any kind of commitment; Brady because he’s leaving at the end of the month and Lilah because she’s been burned before and her life is too hectic for any real commitment. But those frisky little hormones can’t be denied and it doesn’t take too long before the two of them indulge in their lust and indulge and indulge and indulge. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think at times there was almost too much. I love a good love scene as next as the next person reading romance and reading hot romance at that, but at times I couldn’t help but think maybe a little less sex and a little more talking would be in order.

When it comes to Lilah it’s more of a good news/bad news. I liked her – up to a point. She works hard as the owner of a kennel which houses all types of critters and also as a rescuer and placer of abandoned cats and dogs. In addition to this, she’s taking an online course in animal husbandry. There is much to admire about her. She is strong and independent, but at times I almost found her independence almost too annoying. She refuses help – from anyone. She has bad plumbing for example – in her house – and can’t afford to get it fixed. But she won’t let any of her male friends look at it. In a few places she passes the point of independent and falls into stupid territory. Speaking as someone who has not one but two non-working dryers (it's a long story), I would more than welcome some studly dude offering to help fix them - either one.

But overall, I enjoyed this book and was glad for the purchase and electronically closed the book with a happy smile. There were a number of times when I either smiled or snorted with laughter and that always makes me pleased.

Grade: 3.75 out of 5

Recent Reads

Thank goodness that while the blogging seems to have been scarce, the reading has picked up. I bring you not one, not two, not three but FOUR of my "Recent Reads".



Water Bound By Christine Feehan

Why this one: Well, (yep - long story ahead) I have an odd relationship with Ms. Feehan. Either I adore her stories or I can't stand them. I don't like the Carpathian books at all, at all. And I read Lair of the Lion and HUGE yuckers. But still I didn't totally abandon her and tried Wild Rain and loved it and then read the first couple of the Ghostwalker series and really enjoyed them. But for some reason she kind of dropped off my radar and I hadn't read any other of her books for a while. Then I saw a review of Water Bound at AAR and it piqued my curiosity.

Steam Level: *blowing on fingers* Hot Blurb: The last thing Lev Prakenskii remembered was being lost in the swirling currents of the ocean and getting sucked deeper into the nothingness of a freezing black eddy off the coastal town of Sea Haven. Just as quickly, just a miraculously, he was saved—pulled ashore by a beautiful stranger. But Lev has no memory of who he is—or why he seems to possess the violent instincts of a trained killer. All he knows is that he fears for his life, and for the life of his unexpected savior. Her name is Rikki, a sea~urchin diver in Sea Haven. She has always felt an affinity for the ocean, and for the seductive pull of the tides. And now she feels drawn in the same way to the enigmatic man she rescued. But soon they will be bound by something even stronger, and their tantalizing secrets will engulf them both in a whirlpool of dizzying passion and inescapable danger.

My Thoughts: I'll be honest and say what intrigued me about this book was reading that the heroine had a form of high functioning autism. I thought this worked very well in the hero in Jennifer Ashley's The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie so I was curious as to how it would work in the heroine in a contemporary. And I'm quite pleased to say for me it worked very well. There is no question that Rikki Sitmore has her share of 'quirks'. She had a terribly sad childhood, losing her parents at an early age due to fire and having the nightmare of fires follow and destroy after that. She has finally found a home in Sea Haven, the same town setting as the Drake Sister series. She has found a family of sisters now; not sisters by blood, but sisters of the heart. She also has a successful job as a sea urchin hunter. She is drawn to water in many mysterious ways. For example, when having nightmares about the fires that have destroyed her life, all faucets in her home mysteriously turn on. She can manipulate rain and she is never completely at home unless she is diving in the ocean. Her life is going along as well as it can considering her quirks until she rescues a strange man in the middle of a ocean disruption. I know some of this sounds odd - it's odd to write it, but trust me, when reading this book, it made perfect sense. The man she rescues, Lev Prakenskii, is peculiar in his own right. He has no memory for quite some time, but he does know he is a dangerous man and one who should stay far, far away from Rikki. But he quickly becomes one of my favourite kinds of heroes, the kind that is wrecked for the heroine. He realizes that he is no good for Rikki, yet he can't leave her. Because of the fires that have dogged her all her life, Rikki is afraid she's been the one setting them, but Lev knows she couldn't possibly be the one and he is determined to keep her safe and take care of her. For example, she is very sensitive to different textures of food and exists almost exclusively on peanut butter. She refuses to allow others into her 'space' whether it's her boat, her house or even to the use of her dishes. But Lev 'gets' her and is determined to both protect her and expand her narrow live. He is constantly challenging her to move outside her narrow comfort zone but always there for her in case she stumbles. This is an odd book due to the nature of the heroine, but I adored it. Rikki is a heroine I really enjoyed; one who has had to adjust to the world because of her differences, but has done so very well. She's a tad to prickly at times for me to keep this book from being a five, but she is a very strong heroine and I really liked her. And Lev makes for a mighty fine hero. He has done some very violent things in his past. He's been pretty ruthless, but then again because of his history he has had to be. But he is totally redeemed by his acceptance and respect and protectiveness of Rikki. The reader knows he will die to protect her and as already mentioned, he is totally wrecked for her. This book was a real treat!

Grade: 4.75 out of 5




Into the Crossfire by Lisa Marie Rice

Why this one: Hey, it's Lisa Marie Rice!! I always read her books

Steam Level: Hey, it's Lisa Marie Rice!! Her books are always hawt stuff

Blurb: Former Navy SEAL Sam Reston keeps to himself. His world is dangerous, uncertain, violent...and there is no room in it for the helpless and weak. Then the most beautiful woman in the world moves in next door to him . . . . Nicole Pearce's life is complicated enough--with an ailing father and a new business to worry about--and the last thing she needs is to get involved with a secretive, hard-bodied, hardheaded neighbor. Yet Sam leaves her breathless--her body tingling with erotic desire--and it takes every ounce of her fabled control to resist offering herself to him, no strings attached. What she doesn't know is that Sam Reston is on an undercover assignment . . . and she's about to step into the crossfire. Never has Sam ached for a woman so badly, and he's never fallen in love before. Now that Nicole is in grave danger, he will become her shield, and guard the tempting body he longs to touch and taste. Because a terrorist plot hatched half a world away is heading to their doorstep--and it can only be derailed by one man and one woman.

My Thoughts: This author has a formula. And while she doesn't deviate from it much, as long as I don't read too many of her books in a row, it's a formula that works very well indeed for me. Ms. Rice's formula; total alpha hero, often ex seal or other type of military, heroine in distress, alpha hero lusts after heroine, falls very quickly for heroine and takes over and saves heroine in distress. Heroine falls for hero despite his overbearing ways and allows him to help her after a token resistance. Now one might think that might get a bit tiresome and were I to read too many of her books in a row, it does. I know this because I did it with the Midnight series, reading them back to back to back and by the time I got to Midnight Angel, the sameness really took away for me. In fact I don't think I even finished this one. But if I leave space and read all kinds of other genres between them, I just adore her books and once again I'm happy to say I adored this one too *insert happy face* As per usual, when hero Sam Reston, former Navy Seal and now part owner of his own detective agency first spies Nicole Pearce, his new business neighbour, he is instantly smitten. But he's undercover on his latest case, trying to put a criminal in prison and is in no shape to make any kind of approach. But once he's back to himself, he wastes no time in bargaining her into a dinner date. Sparks fly between them but Nicole is in no state for any kind of relationship. She's had to rearrange her whole life to take care of her dying father. She is trying to get a new business, translating, off the ground and when not working at this, she is looking after her much loved father. But Sam isn't about to let her go. He's never felt like this about a woman before and is willing to do whatever it takes to be a part of her life. He really gets his chance when something strange happens and her office is broken into. He goes into full Protector Mode as he works with his two foster brothers to find out who is after Nicole and what they want with her. As with all of Ms. Rice's heroes, I loved Sam. He's determined to help 'his' woman. He knows his way around the bedroom and he's willing to be flexible with Nicole. Although yes, a bit formulatic, nevertheless he makes for great hero material. And I equally enjoyed Nicole. Despite having her life turned upside down by the illness of her father, she holds no bitterness at her circumstances. Although give many opportunities to become one of those TSTL heroines we all despise, she doesn't. While she wants to hold Sam at arms length, she knows he can help her and she is open and honest with him when she needs to be. Along with every other book by this author with the possible exception of Midnight Angel and I need to read it again with distance this time, I loved Into the Crossfire and most heartily recommend it. There are two other foster brothers and I really hope they each get their own story. I'll be a happy camper if they do

Grade: 4.75 out of 5



Simply Irresistible by Jill Shalvis

Why this one: The only trouble I had with the last book by this author was she didn't know baseball. Other than that, I would have enjoyed the story very much. So when I read the buzz on this book and the fact that it isn't one of her baseball books, I was onboard.

Steam Level: Very warm. Not hot like some of the others maybe, but warm is very nice too!

Blurb: Maddie Moore's whole life needs a makeover. In one fell swoop, Maddie loses her boyfriend (her decision) and her job (so not her decision). But rather than drowning her sorrows in bags of potato chips, Maddie leaves L.A. to claim the inheritance left by her free-spirited mother -- a ramshackle inn nestled in the little coastal town of Lucky Harbor, Washington. Starting over won't be easy. Yet Maddie sees the potential for a new home and a new career -- if only she can convince her two half-sisters to join her in the adventure. But convincing Tara and Chloe will be difficult because the inn needs a big makeover too. The contractor Maddie hires is a tall, dark-haired hottie whose eyes -- and mouth -- are making it hard for her to remember that she's sworn off men. Even harder will be Maddie's struggles to overcome the past, though she's about to discover that there's no better place to call home than Lucky Harbor.

My Thoughts: As long as Ms. Shalvis hasn't written a heroine I despise, or about a sport she doesn't really know, I've really enjoy her books and this one is no exception. Maddie is kind of a sad heroine. Pretty much abandoned by her mother, she has been raised in Hollywood by her set designer father. But when her mother dies and leaves an old dilapidated inn in a small coastal West coast town to her and her two half sisters, Maddie is determined to take this opportunity to get close to the sisters she barely knows. Her sisters aren't keen on the idea to put it mildly, but she wants this very badly. She's never been the strongest of the sisters, she has kind of let people, most especially an abusive ex, bully her and take advantage of her. But she wants to start over; a stronger Maddie and one who is willing to go after her dreams.

Jax Cullen is the hero. He too has changed his life around. Once a shark of a lawyer who would do anything to win cases, after one particular case went very, very wrong, he left his old life behind and moved back to his small home town to get back to his roots as a carpenter. This much simpler life allows him to help out many of his small town friends as a way to make amends for his former life. When almost run over by Maddie - literally - he sees her as something of a lost soul who can really use a friend and as he gets to know her better, as more than a friend. But Maddie has been burned in the past and doesn't really trust herself much anymore and does her best to keep Jax at a distance. Jax for his part, is somewhat afraid and also bound by his oath not to tell Maddie everything keeps important information from her.

Meanwhile, Maddie tries to build bridges with her sisters, keep Jax at arms distance and generally make her life over. Both she and Jax are great characters. Having two sisters of my own, I liked the squabbles she, Chloe and Tara constantly had. This isn't a big 'action' book; rather it's rather simple, relaxed and enjoyable 'taste of life' kind of contemporary book. It's the first of three and I'll be reading Chloe and Tara's books when they come out.

One small thing took me somewhat out of the story though. The time is around during the Christmas season, which also adds charm. But then it's Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and nothing is really made of that. No gift exchanges, no mention of Christmas family dinner. I just found it a bit jarring for some reason. But other than that small fact, I found this book quite enjoyable.

Grade: 4.25 out of 5


One Touch of Scandal by Liz Carlyle

Why this one: Ms. Carlyle used to be an autobuy author for me, then she wrote a couple of books I didn't really care for and she kind of fell off the map. But I read a pretty good review of this book and thought I'd give her another go.

Steam Level: It takes a while for the kettle that is this book to boil, but once it does, it's fine rolling boil

Blurb: Against the glamorous backdrop of Victorian high society, Liz Carlyle paints a dramatic tale of dangerous desire, the first in her sizzling new trilogy. All Grace Gauthier ever wanted was the security of a good marriage, family, and home. Instead, despised by her aristocratic mother's family because of her father's foreign birth, she's taken a "safe" position as a governess. Now, unprotected and alone in London, accused of the shocking murder of her employer, she has no one to turn to except the mysterious -- and possibly dangerous -- Lord Ruthveyn. A dark-eyed Lucifer, Ruthveyn guards his secrets carefully. His shadowed past is a source of pain and rumors -- only whispered. Grace's plight -- which echoes his own -- moves him, as does her quiet beauty. Ruthveyn is determined to save Grace by unmasking a killer. But his growing passion places his own heart at risk and threatens to expose his dark gifts to the world.

My Thoughts: First off - I just have to get this off my chest and then I can get serious. The Cover! Avon Cover People - you can suck like nobodies business when it comes to covers. This author used to write for Pocket where they gave her great covers. Then she moved to Avon and this cover is just plain NASTY and I don't mean that in a good way. I mean it in it's original meaning - horrible, awful, terrible, hideous, dreadful! If I were the author and upon first glance of the cover, I'd have been in tears. I mean - could that dress look any cheaper??? It looks like a dress that a first year sewing student might whip up. And what's with that silly stretch of her neck. I tried duplicating that and it hurt! (I need more neck exercising) And those colours orangy-yellow - again, just nasty. I mean seriously - take a look at either of the covers on the right, gorgeous colours, tasteful covers and then at One Touch of Scandal. Wouldn't you want to cry too? Good thing the version I read was on my Kobo in ereader form so I didn't have to really look at it. I was so disappointed when I heard that she switched publishers. And the difference between covers is just one reason.

Now, getting away from the monstrosity that is the cover and onto the book itself. I hadn't gotten very far into this book before I realized why I had loved Ms. Carlyle's earlier books. In fact in one of my trips to Chapters, I picked up a book I didn't already have.

The book starts with murder; the murder of Grace Gauthier's employer and secret fiance. It doesn't take her long to realize that she needs help as she seems to be top on the suspect list. She looks for an old friend and army officer that served under her Army father. But it seems her friend is out of town and instead she tells her worries to Adrian, Lord Ruthveyan. He's a rather mysterious guy, he and the other members of his club. Still, Grace who has always been a very good judge of men, does trust him and puts her faith and trust in his hands.

And Adrian is mysterious. He's one of those tortured soul kind of heroes that are so very delicious. He has an odd talent that leads him to keep his distance from just about everyone. If he touches them or looks into their eyes, he can 'sense' things about them, such as how they will die. This keeps him apart from everyone but those in his club who all have similar kinds of 'gifts'. But for some reason he is unable to 'read' Grace and this is very calming to him. In addition, he is very attracted to her though he fights it, thinking in time, he will get glimpses into what her future holds in store for her and he will once again suffer. He tries his best to resist falling for her. He spent much of his life in India and his mother in fact was an Indian Princess and his father English which makes him a half caste hero. This doesn't really play into the story though except as another way he is separate.

Grace also has had an unusual upbringing. Her mother died early and she has spent most of her life following her French Legionnaire officer father. She had come back to England after his death and was just finding a new life when it was torn apart by the death of her employer/fiance. She is also strongly attracted to Adrian, but like him, is determined to resist as she sees no future with him. But as they work together to try and clear her name, they finally are unable to resist each other.

I do believe with this book, that Liz Carlyle is back on my list. I enjoyed it. Adrian was a very good tortured and mysterious hero. Grace was a heroine I really appreciated. She was quite practical and pragmatic. Despite being terrified at being a suspect, she is realizes that Adrian is her best hope for clearing her name and she trusts him to do exactly that.

Grade: 4.25 out of 5

So there you have it - four for the price of one. And I quite enjoyed every one of them. I love it when I'm on a roll.

Recent Read

Oops!! Sorry wrong Picture - that was
another one from my Not a Mullet stash




Slow Heat by Jill Shalvis

Why this one: Some of her books I've really enjoyed and this one has been getting good reviews

Steam Level: Yep, steamy's the word

Blurb: Baseball player Wade O'Riley's bad boy image is about to be cleaned up by his publicist Samantha McNead. But the sexual tension between them is about to drive Wade to his knees

My Thoughts: I will forever think of this book as the book that coulda been a contender. It had a lot going for it. Wade was adorable. He had such a sunny fun outlook on life. He was so nice and laid back. And while certainly uptight, Samantha was a pretty good heroine. I quite liked her. In the books by this author that haven't worked for me, it's been mostly because of the heroine. And that was not the case at all in this book. I really did like Samantha. She had good reason for being the stick-in-the-mud that she was and she wasn't a stick-in-the-mud in a bad way at all.

BUT

Alas, I was taken out of this book again and again and again by the author's lack of knowledge in her subject matter. There were errors - GLARING errors, needlessly glaring errors in my not so humble opinion, that really downgraded this book for me. And that was such a shame because this really was a good book - apart from the GLARING errors.

Let me count them - and I'm sure I've missed some. I would have highlighted them to remember but as anyone who knows me - that would be against everything I stand for and I couldn't find sticky notes while reading.

I pointed out the first one in an earlier post. The hero of the previous game pitches a COMPLETE game the first game of the season. NOT GOING TO HAPPEN! And as if that weren't bad enough, later on it was mentioned that he'd had surgery the previous year!!! Oh dear lord, that made that error even worse!!

ERROR: during one part of the story, they have TWO days off in a row!! Not gonna happen during baseball season!! It's rare they get one day off, but the only time they would have two days off is during the All Star game - and that would only be for the players not going. According to the book, both the pitcher and Wade, the number one catcher, would both be going.

ERROR: she has them playing a FIVE game series against the same team!! Not going to happen. Most are either three or four game series, maybe a rare two game series during the middle of the week - but a five game series????? Nope!!

ERROR: During one game, the author mentions that Wade pinch hit in the ninth inning and then later the heroine made a comment that he had such a tough game he must be tired. Uh - no!! If he pinch hit, that means he didn't even PLAY in the game. I don't know for sure - he might have helped out in the bull pen with pitchers warming up - except I don't think the author grasps the idea of relief pitching - so whatever - he wouldn't have been that tired!

ERROR: It seemed that Pace, the pitcher and the hero of the previous book, pitched an awful lot of games. He always seemed to be pitching.

HUGE GIGANTIC ERROR THAT PRETTY MUCH RUINED THE BOOK FOR ME : was almost a throw away line that Pace - who seemed to pitch an awful lot, threw a no hitter. One line was all that was granted to that bit of news. I have a feeling the author might have meant a shut out, but obviously she don't know baseball because many, many pitchers have never pitched a no hitter!! It would be cause for MUCH rejoicing!! Wade, our hero, would have caught a no hitter and would have been flying in space. I know this!! Years ago, I was AT the only game where a Blue Jay pitcher (Dave Steib) pitched a no hitter. It was in Cleveland, September 2, 1990!!. Pat Borders caught for him. I still remember that game as if it were just last season - the thrill, the electricity. Wendy's Justin Verlander had a no hitter in 2007 and I'm sure she will agree with me on how rare that is!

So now we come to the grade. If the reader doesn't really know baseball that much and likes sports romance than this is one they might like.
But if the reader is a baseball fan and decides to read this, best have a pillow on the desk for when they bang their head against it, while muttering 'no, no, no, no, no.

Me - it's probably unfair that I know so much because it annoyed me that the author got so many things so wrong. Because the grade would have and should have been so much higher. But because I've watched baseball for years, my sons played baseball for years and Ron coached baseball for years, I couldn't give this book a higher mark.

I saw that the author has a third one coming out. I surely do hope that she does a hell of a lot more research and goes to some games before she sends it in to the publisher.

Grade: 3 out of 5

So!

What does one do when one has had a rough week? If one is a out of control romance reader, and I know many who visit here are - just like me - then one goes to a book store and buys.... books.

I kind of broke my own rule by buying more than I've read - but - hey - we are also great at justifying. So I now have a few more books in the TBR pile than I planned. They include:


Loving a Lost Lord by Mary Jo Putney
It's been quite some time since I've read one of her books and I figure I'm due to read another one. She's written some wicked good books in her time.










Countess of Scandal by Laurel McKee

This one wasn't even on my radar but it got quite a good review at AAR so I thought I'd give it a try.









The Next Best Thing by Kristan Higgins

Much to my surprise since they are first person, I've really enjoyed some of her books. There was one I thought dreadful, Fools Rush In, but other than that one, I loved the other books that I read by this author








Slow Heat by Jill Shalvis

I wasn't that enamoured by the last book in this series, Double Play. In fact I haven't finished it yet. But Slow Heat is getting some good buzz so I thought I would give it a try as for the most part, I love Sports Romance.








The Golden Season by Connie Brockway

I've loved many a Connie Brockway book too and while I still haven't read her previous one yet, So Enchanting, I had to get this one anyway.

What I read on my summer vacation - Part 1

I'm late getting around to this but better late than never.

These are just three of the books I read while up at the cottage.

Trial by Fire by Jo Davis

Why this one: I read a couple of good reviews and it sounded interesting.

Steam Level: This one is going to burn you but good!!

Amazon Blurb: Lieutenant Howard “Six- Pack” Paxton loves three things: being a firefighter, riding his Harley, and his bachelorhood. That is, until the curvaceous Kat McKenna falls into his arms at the scene of a fire—and melts the six-foot-six tower of bronze muscle… But just as passion ignites between them—and they explore new heights of ecstasy—a ruthless arsonist with a deadly secret and a thirst for vengeance becomes their worst nightmare.

My Thoughts: This one has gotten good reviews from other bloggers. I'm glad of this because alas it's not going to get a glowing one from me.
First off, the shallow me can just not accept a hero with the name Howard - now way, no how. I know, I know, I can be shallow. But for me the name Howard is not a good name for a romance hero.
Second, the introduction between Howard and Kat seemed a bit off to me. They met while his fire team responded to a fire at her parents neighbours home, but is seemed that they spent more time flirting with each other then being concerned about the fire and what else was there. There was a body discovered but that fact almost seemed brushed off.
Then later in the story, it turns out that Howard was being targeted by some villain and through him, Kat was also in danger. So his solution was to have her stay with him. That just struck me as crazy - let's bring our heroine right into the circle of harm.
And I couldn't quite figure Howard out. At times he seemed pretty Alpha, then switched to Beta. I'm not sure if there is a combo of both or not but if there is, he would fall into it.
Howard had a tragic childhood and it really affected him in adulthood. I couldn't help but think that he probably need counseling - and a lot of it.
Now for the good news. The love scenes. Smokin' hawt. Although there was one back door scene that made me somewhat uncomfortable but then that's me.
Howard was a fairly well written hero except for the above mentioned quirks. And Kat - she was a great heroine. She wasn't pencil thin and she was just fine with that. Excersicing and dieting were hot on the top of her priority list and that was quite refeshing.
On a final note, these are a bunch of messed up firefighters - head wise - but I'm more than willing to read the next one in the series. I think she is a new author so I'm willing to gamble on her again. She has a lot of potential and besides, Stacy, Kate and Kaitlin all love this book.

Grade: 3 out of 5


Flashback by Jill Shalvis

Why this one: I've really enjoyed 99% of her books and since I was looking to read a few books while I was off, this one suited just fine.

Steam Level: Not enough to start a fire, but good enough for me

Amazon Blurb: Firefighter Aidan Donnelly has always battled the flames with trademark icy calm. That is, until a blazing old flame returns—in the shape of sizzling soap star Mackenzie Stafford! Aidan wants to pour water over the unquenchable heat between them. But that just creates more steam….Kenzie is not the delicate, fragile female she looks like. She has one clear objective, and nothing will stand in the way of her goal—well, nothing but the red-hot touch of a certain dangerously sexy fireman, that is!

My thoughts: It seems I went on a mini firefighter kick doesn't it? Two in one week. This is the second in a series and I meant to bring the first one since I have both but picked up the wrong one by mistake. It's a good thing I don't mind reading out of order.
I liked this one much better than Trial by Fire. Aidan (a much better name than Howard) and Kenzie had a past. She was the younger sister of a good friend of his and they had one night of passion and then she never heard from him again.
Again, as in TBF, they run into each other when he is responding to a call. He saves her from being destroyed by a bomb on a boat owned by her presumed dead brother who was accused of being an arsonist. She has come back to town to find the real truth about her brother. Aidan was quite convincing when he apologized and said how bad he felt for hurting Kenzie – which made him quite acceptable. Now I have to go through my tons of books and look up the first one in this series.

I really enjoy her books and look forward to the 3 or 4 I have by her in the TBR pile

Grade: 4 out of 5



Sweet Talk by Susan Mallery

Why this one: She is an up and down author for me. When she is up she is really good -but when she isn't - sigh - it's not pretty

Steam Level: To be honest, I don't really remember

Amazon Blurb: Is there anything sweeter than a first love?
Don't ask Claire Keyes. The twenty-eight-year-old piano prodigy has never had a regular boyfriend, much less a real romance. Her music career has left little room for friends or family—which is just part of the reason she hasn't seen the family bakery or her two sisters in years.
But now Nicole is sick, and Jesse is AWOL. Despite the fact that Claire can't boil water, she's determined to play caretaker. Connecting with her sisters tops her to-do list…along with falling in love, or at least in lust, for the first time.Ruggedly sexy Wyatt just might fit the bill. Although he keeps saying that he and Claire come from entirely different worlds, he lights up hotter than a bakery oven whenever Claire is near. If this keeps up, she just might sweet—talk him into her bed…and her life.

My Thoughts: Gads I hate saying this about a book, but for me, this one was just plain bad. And what was bad about it you ask? Um…. Everything.
Claire was one of those doormat type heroines who just scream ‘beat me!’ She’d been taken from her family when she was very young as she was a young piano protégé. When her youngest sister calls to ask her to come back to help her other sister she can’t seem to get there fast enough – only to be treated like dirt by her sister and her good buddy Wyatt. Yet sweet, ‘beat me’ Claire keeps coming back for more abuse by the two of them. And if that weren’t enough, she suffers abuse at the hands of Nicole’s employees. I just couldn’t understand her reasoning at all.
And Wyatt – what a prize her was. Not. He was a grade A asshole. At first he’s just as nasty to ‘beat me’ Claire as Nicole. Then he decides he wants to snog her. And once he does, he’s ready to let her go onto someone else. What a prince. Then of course he decides almost out of the blue that he loves her. I don’t know why Claire cared about either her mean spirited sister or Mr. Jerk Wyatt.
Claire is the definite stereotyp 'virgin' herione we all love to hate. I rolled my eyes a number of places at her unbelievable naiveté.
I have the next book in this series and hopefully it will be a better one. I'm not sure when I'll get around to reading it since this one was such a disappointment. It's a shame because some of my favourite books are written by this author

Grade: 2.5 out of 5

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And in other news........... Kate emailed me yesterday with some awesome news!! It seems Ramblings on Romance, etc. has been nominated for one of the "Most Chatty" blogs for the Book Blogger Appreciation Week run by My Friend Amy!!! What a thrill I got when she told me that!!
A BIG THANKS to whoever it was who nominated us - and thanks to whoever votes for us *big grin*
Since I tend to ramble - it broke me up that we were nominated in that category.