Entreat Me by Grace Draven

 

When I saw what the theme was in May for Super Librarians (Wendy) TBR Challenge, I wasn’t sure if I had anything that would fit the bill.  The month’s theme is Fairy Tale/Folk Tales.  I think you get those tropes more in Fantasy and I don’t read Fantasy very much at all so I wasn’t sure I had a book that would fit the bill.  I do!  I hit the jackpot with this one.  I’ve had Entreat Me by Grace Draven in the pile since 2015; just sitting there, unread.  I picked it up after reading Radiance ad Eidolon and loving them.  Then I tried getting into Master of Crows a couple of times, unsuccessfully and forgot I had this book.

 

This is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast.  Louvaen is our Beauty and Ballard is our Beast.  Now in this story, Cinnia, sister to Louvaen is the real beauty and Louvaen is the mother lion, doing everything she can to protect her sister.  Their father is ineffectual at everything and has put them all in debt to the evil villain who is willing to overlook the debt if he can have the hand of Cinnia.  This will be only over Lou’s dead body.  Cinnia is smitten with the handsome and dashing Gavin and the two of them run off to his mysterious castle.  Lou is hot on their heels, bound and determined to save Cinnia’s honour.

 

Ballard is the father of Gavin and he is under an evil spell.  He routinely goes through times where he turns into a beast.  Gavin does too but not to the same extent.  Ballard’s wife and Gavin’s mother put on an evil spell as she lay dying after giving birth to Gavin.  She hated Ballard with a burning seething passion and wants to make his life hell.  None of the castle inhabitants have really aged since she put the spell on them, which includes a few servants and one caster of spells, and they’ve been living in the run down and isolated castle for over 200 years now.

 

There is instant chemistry between Ballard and Lou.  Even when not in monster form, Ballard still bears the aftereffects and is hideously scarred.  He can’t see how Lou would find him the least bit attractive.  However, Lou sees beneath his scars to the truly fine person that he is.  He makes for a wonderful hero.  This felt a lot like a medieval and I love the atmosphere that Ms. Draven creates. I love the relationship between Ballard and Lou.  She is a very prickly type heroine and so overprotective of her sister.  Ballard gets more of a kick out her for it.  Ballard is also an amazing father.  We learn right at the beginning that his wife was not a faithful one and Gavin’s father is Ballard’s enemy but not even for one moment does Ballard not love him and consider Gavin as his.  We learn later what a sacrifice Ballard has made to help his son, to the point of being willing to give up his own life. 

 

I love the secondary romance between Gavin and Cinnia.  Also the bickering between Lou and Ambrose, Ballard’s magician and good friend.  Lou has inherited a bit of magic from her mother and hates it.  She and Ambrose do quite a bit of bickering and I admit I love some of the names they came up with for each other.

Moreover, the villain sure is good and villainy.  Though we don’t see her, there are a few flash back scenes with Isabeau, Ballard’s wife is truly evil.  It is bad enough to put a curse on your hated husband, but to put one on your newborn son is beyond the pale.

 

Except for Lou being a tad overprotective, this book is perfect.  I can really see me reading it again.  I was very impressed with this book.  While I was reading this book, I picked up a couple more of her books.  The third book in the Wraith King series is out and somehow missed that and I picked up another one of her books at the same time.  One other thing I have to mention is the absolutely beautiful covers she has for all her books.  I love all of them.

 

Therefore, this month’s TBR Challenge was a complete success.  I love the book.  I’d forgotten I had it so finding it was a real treasure and I loved enough to get back on the Grace Draven train.  Win, win  This book gets 4.5 stars and comes oh so close to 5.  I very happily recommend this book.

2021 TBR Challenge for March

 Wicked Dangerous by Julie Kriss

This is my choice for this month’s #TBR Challenge, Books by a Favourite Author.  And Julie Kriss certainly qualifies for this.  I have and have read all of her backlist.  This is the fourth and final book of her Filthy Rich series about 4 lifelong friends who banded together and made it rich. 

 

This is Alex story.  It’s been hinted at throughout the series that he was the only married one but it ended in divorce and this is a second chance romance.  Kat is his ex and though the marriage is over, Alex has never really been able to let her go completely and keeps tabs on her and how she’s doing through a private detective.  Sadly, Kat’s life hasn’t been that great.  She travels around like a tumbleweed working as a bar tender.  After observing from a distance, Alex charges back in her life when one night after work Kat is accosted and there is an attempt to kidnap her and she ends up in the hospital.  Blake rushes to her rescue and they conclude that she was in the wrong place at the wrong time and she saw something she shouldn’t have.  And that means she isn’t safe.  Almost against her will because these are both very stubborn people, Alex whisks her out of the hospital and takes her to his home to keep her safe until they figure out who it is trying to kidnap her.

 

They were very young when they met and eloped and this is also a wrong side of the tracks story.  Alex lived almost hand to mouth with his friends and Kat came from wealth.  However the attraction between them was so strong they couldn’t stay away from each other.  Because they were young and stubborn, their marriage was almost doomed to fail.  When a third party interfered, rather than talk things out, they both went off the handle and called things off and though they have both moved on, well except for Alex who kept watch from afar, they have never really gotten over each other and though they fight it, Kat in particular, the feelings and attraction is still there.  Will they get a second chance with each other?  That is the story.

 

I’ll admit, this book wasn’t in the TBR pile for very long.  Julie Kriss is an autobuy author and I probably would have read this book even sooner but I was committed to my Black author reads for the month of February.  This is a rather short book as are most of her books but it’s still very good.  You can feel the draw between them and I love that Alex has pined for Kat for years even though he would never call it pining.  We get just enough of the previous characters.  Julie Kriss is an author who is undervalued in my opinion.  She’s written some very good books and a number of them have been 5 stars for me and I’m glad to highlight her for this months challenge.

Grade B+

Second time - March TBR Challenge

I have failed fellow readers, I have failed. After being what turned out to be a day late and the wrong challenge that gave me almost a week to get this month’s CORRECT challenge done. And I didn’t get ‘er done.

I tried, I honestly tried, but no offense to the books and at another day at another time, they might have worked for me, but I couldn’t get into the ones I did attempt.



The first one Wild Cat by Jennifer Ashley just didn’t grab my attention that much. I’ve really enjoyed the first several in this series, but I just hit a spot where I thought the hero should have been grateful to the heroine and he wasn’t and I moved on. Now I fully expect I will go back to this one, but just not in time for this month’s challenge.





Having failed with Wildcat, I moved onto The Lady and the Libertine by Bonnie Vanak and again I had trouble getting into it. I quickly add that it wasn’t the book, I think it was my mood since I’ve read a few in this series and very much enjoyed them. More and more I’m becoming a mood reader though and I just wasn’t in the mood for historical during the past week. I know I will go back to it though.





And finally, I tried reading Hunter of Shadows by Nancy Gideon thinking for sure this would do the trick. Alas, it didn’t. I’ve loved all the previous books in this series but again I think it was my mood, because this one just didn’t appeal to me. I think I may be in a bit of a mini slump, at least until I stumble on the book that will wake up my sleepy mojo.



So that’s it, I gave it a good try, but just didn’t make it with any I tried.

Now what I can do, so it’s not a complete waste of a visit, is do a review of a couple of books that fit the bill, series wise. I read them in February so I think they are close to counting. The first up



Bad Boy’s Do by Victoria Dahl.

Steam Level: very nicely warm

Blurb: Olivia Bishop is no fun. That's what her ex-husband said. And that's what her smart bob and glasses imply. So with her trademark determination, Olivia sets out to remake her life. She's going to spend time with her girlfriends and not throw it all away for some man. But when an outing with her book club leads her to a brewery taproom, the dark-haired beauty realizes that trouble—in the form of sexy Jamie Donovan—may be too tempting to avoid.


Jamie Donovan doesn't mean to be bad. Sure, the wild streak in his wicked green eyes has lured the ladies before. Now it's time to grow up. He's even ready for a serious romance. But how can hat be when Olivia, the only right woman he has ever met, already has him pegged as wrong?


My Thoughts: Actually, I’m surprised I read this one. I got it at the same time as the first in the series, Good Girl’s Don’t. and I got the third one, Real Men Will, very shortly after that. I think I had coupons or something. But the reason I was somewhat surprised that I read Bad Boys Do is that I really didn’t care for the first book. I disliked the heroine quite intensely and neither of the brothers endeared themselves to me either. So I don’t know what came over me to read this one – must have been a Contemporary Mood I guess.


Whatever it was, I am SO glad I listened. I really enjoyed this second one. It was a complete change from Good Girls Don’t. We find out in this one that Jamie isn’t the screw up he appears to be in the first book. Rather, he just doesn’t bother justifying his reasons for doing things and the situation he found himself in from the first book, was him trying to do the right thing for his family and a nasty piece causing trouble.


Still, Jamie is a people kind of guy, working in the bar of the family owned winery. He has quite a reputation as a ‘good time guy’ but much of it is exaggerated. He is quite taken with Olivia, the heroine, when he first meets her. Olivia had a bad marriage and as a result, keeps pretty much to herself. She was persuaded by her friends to attend the book club (in name only) being held at Donovan’s, where she first meets Jamie. They run into each other again when he takes a community class she is teaching to learn more about the restaurant business. See, Jamie has big plans even though he doesn’t think his older, bossy brother will be interested. But he takes courses
anyway. He proposes that he and Olivia do some bartering; he will teach her how to be fun and she will help him with his restaurant plans.

Of course, this being a romance, against both their plans, they start developing real feelings for each other and what I liked, Jamie is the more willing to admit it.


I loved both Jamie and Olivia in this book. One of the big pluses is it’s one of my favourite storylines, older woman/ younger man. There wasn’t a huge difference in their ages, but enough to make me rub my hands in delight. Even the annoying sister Tessa was easier to swallow. Big brother Eric was still a pill but since I already had his book on stand-by, I knew I would be reading to see what made him tick.


Jamie has been keeping something very painful to himself and it was nice to see his trust with Olivia in being able to share it with her. This was a Most Enjoyable Read.

Grade: 4.75 out of 5




Real Men Will by Victoria Dahl


Steam Level: yep, steamy!


Blurb: It was meant to be a one-night stand. One night of passion. Scorching-hot. Then Beth Cantrell and Eric Donovan were supposed to go their separate ways. That's the only reason he lied about his name, telling her he was really his wild younger brother. Hiding his identity as the conservative Donovan. The "good one."
But passion has its own logic, and Eric finds he can't forget the sable-haired beauty with whom he shared a night of love. When Beth discovers that Eric has lied, however, she knows he can't be trusted. Her mind tells her to forget the blue-eyed charmer. If only every fiber of her being didn't burn to call him back.


My Thoughts: Again, like the second book, I enjoyed this one ever so much better than the first
one. Eric is to put it mildly, a stick in the mud. He doesn’t give much leeway to his family, especially his younger brother Jamie. So it’s somewhat surprising that before the story begins he has had a one night stand with Beth Cantrel, the manager of an “adult” store. But because he’s a it of that stick, he gives out his brother’s name rather than his own thinking they would never meet
again.

So of course they do, and because he told Beth his name was Jamie, once the confusion is cleared up, he has a couple of pretty pissed off people, first off Beth, who deservedly has issues about being deceived and also Jamie who is both angry and hurt that his brother thinks he’s that kind of guy. And then there is the fact that he’s still in a committed relationship with Olivia.


But despite being not at all pleased with him, Beth is still wildly attracted to him and they agree to carry the one night past the one night. But they both have misconceptions about the other that cause me a few chuckles. Eric thinks that Beth is quite the experienced gal seeing as she gives sex demonstrations and writes a sex advice column. But Beth is only one of a number of contributors and I found it adorable that Eric thinks she’s such a wild woman. And Eric himself is going through major life changes. He’s been the big over authoritative brother all his life, but it’s not a role he ever wanted and he’s unsure of where he fits in with the changes going on with his family. He wants to be supportive but his relationship particularly with Jamie has been so antagonistic for years, neither is sure how to deal with each other.


As with Bad Boys Do, I really enjoyed this final chapter in the Donovan series. I love seeing a stuffed shirt thrown for a loop. And Beth was not the person we thought she was at the beginning. She has her own baggage and this made her an appealing character to root for.

I suppose anyone wanting to read this series of books might want to start with Tessa’s story just to get to know the family, but keeping in mind, at least for me, it wasn’t the best. But the next two more than make up for the disappointment of the first one. They have convinced me that Victoria Dahl is an author of contemporaries worth following.


Grade: 4.50 out of 5


So there you have it. I read two books that were part of a series that were in the TBR pile, but I didn't quite read them in the month we were supposed to.

TBR Challenge - March

Um, ah, um - just ignore this as the March TBR challenge and it will now revert to a regular Recent Read. It seems I got the wrong date AND the wrong challenge. It seems that this months's TBR day is March 21 and the challenge is catching up on a series book.

Back to our regularly scheduled program


RECENT READ





Marrying the Captain by Carla Kelly



I know, I’m a day late on this one. But as LMFAO sings, I work out. Bad excuse, I know. Another delay is I only finished my Challenge book last evening.

Why this one: I’ve long heard wonderful things about this author but though I’ve got a number of her books, they still languish in the TBR pile – the very purpose of this challenge, reading them – so who better to choose for this month’s New to Me Author than Ms. Kelly. I picked this particular book as I love the cover, yes shallow I know.

Steam Level: Warm

Blurb: Ever since her father tried to sell her as a mistress to the highest bidder, Eleanor Massie has chosen to live in poverty. Her world changes overnight when Captain Oliver Worthy shows up at her struggling inn.

Despite herself, Nana is drawn to her handsome guest....

Oliver planned to stay in Plymouth only long enough to report back to Lord Ratliffe--about Nana.
But he soon senses that Lord Ratliffe is up to something, and Oliver will do anything to keep this courageous, beautiful woman safe--even marry her!


My thoughts: Ah the curse of the damned with faint praise. I liked this one. It reminded me somewhat of the Marion Chesney books I read many years ago, though it’s been so many years since I read one of hers that I don’t know if they are similar or not. But still it reminded me of the book I read when I first came back to reading romance.


Both Eleanor, or Nana as she is called, and Oliver are very nice people. Oliver is a Navy captain on a short shore leave who was asked by a superior to check in on his illegitimate daughter who helps run a small struggling in with her grandmother. Oliver reluctantly agrees, though he is
instantly smitten when he sees her picture. He thought he was smitten with her picture, but when he gets to the inn, he is even more taken Nana and over times begins to reconsider his resolution to never marry and subject his wife to a life time of worry and sorrow. Oliver is a good guy. He’s not really a standout kind of character like a reformed bad boy or anything. I
did appreciate that he was the son of a parson rather than a member of the
nobility. But he’s honest and noble and honourable.

Nana is equally nice. She falls quickly for Oliver as he does her, but thinks he is above her
because of her illegitimacy. She is quite pragmatic about this. I liked her because, like Oliver, she is honest and forthright. She behaves as regular people do. Though quite straightened in circumstances, she isn’t bitter. She does what she has to do in order to help
and survive even if it includes selling her hair.


This wasn’t a thrill a minute kind of book, but rather a nice comfort read about two good people who work better as a whole than without each other. I’m glad I finally got around to reading a book by Carla Kelly. I can see why she is so popular even though my socks weren’t knocked off.

Grade: 3.5 out of 5

TBR Challenge - February

This month's challenge is a "recommended read" book. You are going to see some quick tap dancing and some interesting justifying and should there be a prize at the end of this year long
challenge, I should technically withdraw my name from consideration. This isn’t so much a book that’s been in my TBR pile as much as a book by an author that should have been in my TBR pile.

I’ve loved Cheryl St. John books for years and whenever she has a new one come out I scoop it right up – which reminds me – I do believe there should be a new one soon. And I just assumed I had all her back list. So when I read Leslie’s TBR January Challenge and it was The Mistaken Widow, I read it, prepared to nod in agreement or shake my head in disagreement. But much to my astonishment, nothing sounded the least bit familiar and when I checked my Most Excellent Spreadsheet, it wasn’t there. So that very same day I got an electronic copy.

So this was recommended by Leslie but hasn’t been in the TBR pile very long – but should have been.


The Mistaken Widow by Cheryl St. John

Why this one: explained above

Heat Level: there was only one love scene at the end
but it fit with the story so I found it fine

Published: 1998

Blurb: Sarah Thorton wanted to shout, but revealing her true
identity could only bring disaster on herself and her infant son. Still, sorrowful circumstance had turned a mistake into a miracle. She suddenly had a home, a family—and Nicholas Halliday, a man as dangerous to her as he was desirable…!

His newly widowed sister-in-law wore mystery as elegantly as an evening wrap, rousing more than suspicions in Nicholas Halliday—for this beautiful stranger had a claim not only to the family fortune, but also to his heart and soul…!


My Thoughts: Just a couple of weeks ago I reread Joe’s Wife for probably about the 4th
or 5th time and I have to be honest and say I enjoyed that one ever so much better. Though I liked The Mistaken Widow and I’m glad I read it, I don’t think it will be one I’ll read over and over like Joe’s Wife.

I was only meh about both the hero and heroine. Whether I might have had warmer feelings for
them if I hadn’t read Joe’s Wife so recently I don’t know, but Sarah kind of got on my nerves after a while. She was feeling guilty over stepping into the shoes of the heroe’s sister-in-law to the point of almost annoyance. Then when she finally decides to come clean, she does it in a letter and then leaves; a cowardly act in my opinion. On top of that, the letter is stolen by a villain so Nicholas and his mother are still in the dark about what really happened. The decent thing for her to do was tell them to their faces. I’m sure she should have realized they would have been understanding.


And Nicholas failed somewhat in the role of a hero too. He was rather nasty and judgmental to Sarah in almost a passive aggressive way which I didn’t find as a heroic way to act. He should have come out in the open with his suspicions of who Sarah really was. I also didn’t think he suffered enough angst over lusting for his just Very Recently deceased brother’s wife.

I also thought there was a noticeable lack of grief displayed. I know if I were to lose one of my sons, I’d be broken, yet his mother didn’t display the amount of grief I would think she would. But then that’s a personal thing I guess.

I almost hate to say it, but of all the Cheryl St. John books I’ve read, this is one I didn’t ‘feel’ at all. But since it was written in 1998 and I’ve read many an excellent book since then, the fact that this one didn’t work for me is alright and I’m glad I read it anyway since it could have been a Joe’s
Wife kind of book.

Grade: 3 out of 5


And oh, oh, oh - I forgot to mention. If you travel around and see other participants, you will notice a number have chosen the same book! Our fearless Challenge Leader Wendy, SonomaLass, Phyl, and Nath and Leslie did a joint review at Breezing Through. And guess what? They ALL really enjoyed it!

TBR Challenge for January - The Series Book

I haven’t done one of these for a couple of years. I find as soon as I sign up, I have no desire to read a book from that particular pool of books. But I thought I’d give Wendy, our SuperLibrarian’s challenge a try. See, when it comes to a theme I know she has a book in that I might have read and loved, I might make a suggestion. Plus she’s been my ‘roomie’ at RWA a number of times so I’m doing it for my ‘roomie’.

Much to my great surprise and astonishment, most of the books I read these days are eBooks. I don’t have as great a TBR electronic pile, but I do have some. This month’s challenge, a series book, has been sitting on my IPad for over a month and may have sat there longer if not for this challenge

All They Need by Sarah Mayberry

Blurb: After all Melanie Porter has been through recently, it's time to put her dreams first. And she starts by opening a vacation retreat outside of Melbourne. As she considers her next step, the unexpected happens. One of her guests -- a friend -- the very attractive Flynn Randall makes it clear he's in pursuit.

Mel is definitely tempted. Who wouldn't be?

But Flynn comes with strings that could derail her plans. First, he's part of the world she eagerly left behind. Second, he's ready for a commitment, while she's still embracing life on her own.

A resolution seems impossible until Flynn proves that she's still in the driver's seat!

My Thoughts: Ever since I discovered the Harlequin SuperRomance line not all that long ago really, Sarah Mayberry is an author I snatch up as soon as I see her newest release. Some are good and some are incredibly wonderfully good. This book for me, falls somewhere in between.

I found Melanie to be a very unusual heroine. She’s taller than normal, and bigger than life though her ex-husband has tried his very best to drum that out of her. It was a very emotionally abusive relationship and understandably Melanie is very wary of getting into another one with Flynn so shortly after getting out of it. She has taken her money and opened a B&B. While she’s met Flynn a few times in the past and he has certainly noticed and been attracted to her, Melanie doesn’t know him that well. At the beginning of the book, Flynn stays at her B&B with his girlfriend at the time. But he realizes he admires and is developing deep feelings for Melanie so breaks with his girlfriend in a real emotional scene.

As I said, Melanie is very gun shy about getting involved with Flynn, and then when they do begin a relationship, she is most reluctant to let it progress further. But Flynn is the definition of patience and understanding and doesn’t pressure her at all.

And Flynn – what a hero. He’s almost too good to be true. He is dealing with his fathers advancing Alzheimer’s, a wonderfully written, realistic side line story, and gives up his own business to take on his fathers company. His feelings and admiration for Melanie keep growing and although he finds it difficult not to push her, he manages not to. Instead he allows her to make her own choices in her own time, not even sure she will take the relationship the distance he wants it to go. I really appreciated that about him.

This is not my very favourite Sarah Mayberry book, but it is up there in top percentile of them. I’m glad this challenge pushed me to read this book sooner than I might otherwise have gotten around to reading.

Grade: 4.5 out of 5

*******

As Wendy said on Twitter last night, this TBR challenge was planned before the black out of the WWW by many sites in protest of the proposed SOPA/PIPA bill that's in Congress now. I don't claim to understand a lot about it and as it's a bill proposed in the US, there's not a lot I can do anyway. But I stand in support of those who are.

I'm as much against piracy as anyone. I ache for authors whose works have been pirated and put up on sites for people to steal. It's an outrage to me that all the talent and effort and love they have put into their writing is being reduced to nothing so someone somewhere can get something for free.
I cringe whenever anyone tells me about movies they've watched on line before they are officially 'out' on video (or DVD or BlueRay any more). I have gotten into serious arguments with my oldest son over the fact it's not the George Clooney's and Meryl Streeps who are being ripped off - it's the small guys you never hear about that contribute to the making of a movie.

But from what I can understand, SOPA/PIPA is NOT the way to try and combat this. Instead it takes even more away from our freedom. So though I am posting this today, my heart is also with those who have gone black.

*******

And while I'm at it - an update on the cats. Zina - the attack cat - has gone back to being her normal timid self. The Little Shit aka Cally the Tortoise Shell Cat is doing her business outside so that's not an issue - and if she doesn't well, I really do need to get them each their own litter boxes.

The Reread Challenge - April

Knock Me Off My Feet by Susan Donovan

It didn't. Knock Me Off My Feet. Not this time around I'm afraid. I don't know whether to disqualify myself or not for April's challenge but this ended up being a DNF the second time around.

This was the second Susan Donovan book I read and while it didn't quite measure up to my favourite - Take A Chance on Me (and now I have that ABBA song running around my head again), I did quite like this one at the time. And I don't think it's quite so much that I didn't like KMOMF as I've had a severe case of the crankies lately and when one has a case of those - it's best to move onto a comfort book.

Blurb: In Donovan's spicy debut, Autumn Adams honors her mother's deathbed wish when she takes over her role as famed Homey Helen, domestic diva of Chicago's WBBS-TV station. Coaching her mother's fans on the finer points of homemaking is the last thing Autumn wants; she'd much rather be kicking a soccer ball around a field or running a marathon. Fortunately, she has Marjorie Stoddard, her mom's faithful secretary, to pick up the slack. But Marjorie isn't much help when a twisted fan starts sending death threats in the form of grisly household hints, one of which advises her on the proper way to freeze human remains. Autumn receives protection in the form of handsome Detective Stacey Quinn, who thinks Autumn just might be the perfect woman for him. Winning Autumn's affection isn't as easy as he anticipates, however. Marjorie's bad track record with men-"It's like after seven or eight weeks some green slimy and hairy thing with eleven eyeballs suddenly jumps out of the top of my head and the men start running for the nearest exit"-may keep her from pursuing the one man who won't run away.

I can't put my finger on why this didn't work this time round - baring the case of the crankies, but at the risk of sounding like Randy Jackson, I just didn't 'feel' either the hero or the heroine. I wasn't laughing or smiling at what was supposed to be funny and both h/h seemed to blow hot and cold. One minute they were lip locked, the next they weren't speaking, all without a reasonable explanation as to what happened. Audie was described as a total klutz - doing pratfalls all over the place, but then graceful on the soccer field. One minute she was laughing, and then the next close to tears, again without a really understandable explanation as to why. I finally gave up when after ignoring her for a week - without really explaining why, Quinn sends her a box of handkerchiefs (because - you know - she cries a lot). It was at this point that I realized that I just wasn't into the book. Because of the crank's and the fact that it was a DNF, I'm not going to grade it this time - but the first time round, I gave it a 4.5.

Hopefully next month I will meet with better success.

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.

TBR Challenge - February

Finders Keepers by Linnea Sinclair

I missed Keishon's TBR challenge last month and was determined not to miss February’s so I started early this time.

The challenge theme: If you bought a book based on a DIK* review at AAR, find it and read it.

I didn’t buy Finder’s Keepers because of the recent DIK review it received at AAR – I already had the book; after reading Games of Command I went on a Linnea Sinclair glom and Finder’s Keepers was one of the books I got and there is sat in the TBR pile. So when I saw the grade I moved it up and figured it would be a good one for the challenge.

From the author’s website:

Now that they found each other, the universe won't know what hit it...

Blending hard SF with sizzling romantic suspense, Linnea Sinclair brings readers this red-hot adventure of two space outcasts on a collision course with destiny. Now that this star-crossed couple have found each other, the universe won't know what hit it...

Trilby Elliot is a barely legal independent trader. Rhis Vanur is the arrogant Zafharin military officer she rescued from a crash landing. It would have been a miracle if they survived each other's company on Trilby's slapdash starfreighter even under the best of circumstances. And these are far from the best of circumstances. For Trilby's best friend is missing and the warlike 'Sko are hunting both Trilby and Rhis. Suddenly they're in it together, for better, for worse--or until death blasts them to oblivion...

I loved this book – really, really loved it!

This is a SciFi romance and Trilby is an ordinary space trader who travels back and forth between planets with only her droid Dezi for companionship. She is holed up on a deserted planet making repairs to her space ship when another spaceship crashes on the planet. She heads out to see what’s going on and ends up rescuing and saving the life of Rhis Vanur. Although she finds him terribly arrogant, she is also quite attracted to him. But he is on a reconnaissance mission and although equally attracted to Trilby, he needs her ship.

Trilby was an incredible heroine. I find that Linnea Sinclair excels at writing heroines – ok and heroes too – and this book is no exception. She’s strong and competent yet she has hidden insecurities. These come into play when she finds out that Rhis is more then he has led her to believe. She’s one of those heroines who won’t take shit from anyone and that’s the kind of heroine I love.

And Rhis is an equally wonderful hero. He’s a lot more then he seems and not really the lieutenant in the Zafharin military that Trilby believes he is. He also has one thing going for him that I just love in a hero – he’s wrecked for the heroine. Totally and completely wrecked and determined to win her back again.

For steam level, I would give this one a warm. There aren’t many love scenes, but the ones in the book are quite well written.

I love SciFi/Futuristic romances. More then any other type of romance, they take me furthest out of real life *grin*. They are one of my favourite genres when written well and this one is very well written indeed! Linnea Sinclair is a fairly recent discovery and I urge anyone the least bit interested in this unique genre to give her a try.

I’m very happy with this months TBR book and I give Finder’s Keepers a 5 out of 5 and a hearty

Her next book, Hope’s Folly is coming out Feb. 24^th and I’m counting down the days.

Arrggghh - I failed

So - I failed my first reading challenge. Yesterday was the first day of Keishon's TBR Challenge and even though it was an easier one - a category book - and I have tons of them - I failed :-(

But before the week is out, I'm going to pick my book for February's.

TBR Challenge for December

Well this is the last TBR challenge of 2008. I'm looking forward to continuing it in 2009 since I've read some great books.
I'd hoped to go out with a bang - a big name author that others have raved about but I haven't read yet but alas, I got caught off guard and only remembered yesterday that today was the day. I knew that wouldn't give me enough time to read a mass market book but thankfully I have hundreds of series books I've bought over the years. So I have to confess I went looking for a smaller one that I could speed read. Luckily I'm good at that. Standing outside on my breaks at work I got a few pages in. Then some more at lunch. And I gave up blog hopping and TV tonight to read it. Thank Goodness SYTYCD wasn't on - otherwise I would have missed December for sure.


Wicked Hot by Leslie Kelly.
So, while not a book I planned, still I did enjoy this one. I've read and enjoyed a few other books by her so she wasn't an entirely new-to-me author. I was surprised though when I pulled this one out of the pile. Published in 2004, I apparently bought this one new and never even cracked it open as it looked brand new!
First of all, it's a Harlequin Temptation and reading it, I was once again saddened that Harlequin dropped this line.

Back Cover Blurb:

Wicked Games, Wicked Lies

New Yorker Ryan Stoddard can describe Savannah, Georgia in two words: wickedly hot. But the dark, mysterious woman he's gone there to find is even hotter. Though Jade Maguire turns him on to no end, he can't be distracted from his mission - to prove the sultry siren is a conniving thier! But as he charms her into letting down her guard, he never dreams the wicked game he's playing is about to backfire.....

Wicked Lust

Jade is surprised - and secretly thrilled - when Ryan Stoddard finds her. His blatant come-on provides a perfect opening for her revenge. As Ryan's payback for breaking her sister's heart, Jade plans to tempt him, tease him...and seduce him out of his clothes, leaving him high and dry. Only, as she gets to know oh-so-sexy Ryan better, she soon fears she'll be the one left desperate for more...

It took me a bit of time to warm up to this one. Both the hero and heroine were playing games and the premise was built on misunderstandings on both sides. The back cover blurb describes it pretty well. In an effort to play matchmaker, Ryan's grandmother had met Jade and decided she would be the perfect wife for her playboy, not-ready-to-settle down grandson so she lies to him, telling him Jade stole a portrait. Ryan heads to Savannah loaded for bear, ready to confront this swindling thief. But he is torn when he meets her and instead is very attracted to her.
For her part, Jade thinks that Ryan broke her younger sister's heart back in New York where she works as a waitress, so she is ready to make Ryan pay by getting him hot and bothered and then 'exposing' him. But just as he is attracted to her, so is she attracted to him.
After each has played their tie-em-up tricks on each other, the book settles down as we get to know the 'real' Ryan and Jade behind their masks of revenge and they are both pretty nice people especially Jade. She's the older sister and caretaker of a rather eccentric family and Ryan slowly begins to see this side of her and the fall in love. I'd say slowly, but this is a series book and nothing ever happens slowly in them *g*.
I don't read as many Harlequins as I used to - they got rid of my favourite line. But I must confess it feels good to read a book in a day. I used to do that a lot and when I closed the cover, I gave myself a smug grin; knowing I made the challenge and can add another read book to my spreadsheet - see I have personal goal of 80 this year and now I'm only 3 away from that.
And Wickedly Hot was a nice little book.

Grade: 3.5 out of 5.

If you are curious about the previous books
March - Saint or Sinner - Cheryl St. John - 4 out of 5
April - Rayvn's Flight by Patti O'Shea - 4 out of 5
May - (good one - I had 3) The Sword and The Wolf by Jean Johnson - both 4.5. Gabriel Hawk's Lady by Beverly Barton - 3.5
June - Rock Star by Roslyn Holcomb - 4 out of 5
July - Time's Captive by Kate Lyon - 4.5 out of 5
August - The Sins of His Past by Roxanne St. Clair - 3.5 out of 5
September - The Private Eye by Jayne Ann Krentz - 4.5 out of 5
October - Highlander Unchained by Monica McCarty - 3.5 out of 5
November - The Sea Wife by Holly Cook - 3 out of 5

So you can see by the grades that this challenge has been quite a success. I've enjoyed them all to one extent or another. For example, I enjoyed the Jean Johnson books so much I've continued with the series. I read a Cheryl St. John book I didn't even realize I had until I went looking for a book.
I got to read books I might never have gotten around to - books that I enjoyed.
But best of all, because I signed up for Keishon's challenge -- I challenged myself -- and I did it!
Thank you for this Keishon!!! It's a good feeling.
Next year I have two of them. Keishon is continuing the TBR challenge and Nath has a Reread Challenge started. I look forward to new older books and older well loved books!

November's TBR Challenge

The Sea Wife by Holly Cook
Published: 2003

Amazon Blurb: When Myles Dampier saved her from drowning, Sabina Grey imagined him to be a selkie; a legendary seducer from the deep who meant doom to foolish maidens. He was no myth, however, but a flesh and blood Englishman - one who resembled a hardened pirate but acted as tender nursemaid, one she fell in love with and married on the high seas.

Yet once in London, Myles became a virtual stranger. He'd returned from exile in Australia to avenge himself on those who had stolen his youth. And he would use any means - even his new wife - to do so. But the man who had saved Sabina's life would not destroy her spirit and her heart with his obsession for vengeance. This time, she vowed, she would rescue him. She would show him that punishing the sins of the past, wasn't worth sacrificing the love in his future.

I'm a bit conflicted on this month's TBR challenge.
I started earlier this time - didn't leave it to the last minute like I have in the past. I started reading the book and I have to say, I really enjoyed it for a while and was going on like gang busters. But then something happened. The hero was an ass! Although we didn't know it for a while, he was pretty cold and calculating. He was unforgivably cruel to the heroine. I quite liked Sabrina. She lost everything in life. Earlier her father had passed away and she was on her way back to England when the ship she sailing on sunk during a storm. She lost all her possessions, the couple she was traveling with didn't make along with most of the people on the ship. Just as she was a death's door, she was rescued by Myles Dampier the hero(?)
I admit he was an intriguing character at first, mysterious and rather aloof. The time on the ship that rescued them was pretty good. But then we got to see the motivation behind what Myles was and why he was the way he was. Years earlier he'd been unfairly sent to Australia as a prisoner when his 'crime' was eloping with the woman he loved. Now he's become a self-made man and has returned to wreck vengeance on the people he thinks wronged him. And marrying Sabrina was just part of his plot. He withheld things from her and was needlessly cruel. I ended up skimming this one until the end when Myles confesses the error of his ways and professes his undying love. He makes the sacrifice of being willing to let her go, if that's what she really wanted. Of course she chose not to, but I think she would have been better off served leaving.
Now for why I found this book conflicting. The storyline was interesting. The writing was pretty good. But it was told entirely from Sabrina's POV - as far as I could tell. I got halfway through before the skimming started and still by that time we hadn't been in Myles' head at all. If the author had switched, and we got to see some of Myles' inner turmoil and why he felt he needed to continually hurt Sabrina, the book would have been so much better I think.
As far as I can tell, this is her only book and it was written in 2003. I would like to see more of this author and see if she could write a more sympathetic hero. She has a lot of potential, but it just wasn't realized for me in this book.

Final grade: 3 out of 5

TBR book for October

It's that time again - time for Keishons monthy TBR challenge. This is my book for October

Highlander Untamed by Monica McCarty
Publisher: Ballantine
Date Published: July 2007

Chapters Blurb:

Rory MacLeod is a bold and powerful Highland Chief with only one allegiance–to his clan. He vows revenge against the rival MacDonald clan, though duty demands a handfast marriage to Isabel MacDonald–a bride he does not want and has no intention of keeping. But Rory couldn’t have anticipated the captivating woman who challenges his steely control, and unleashes the untamed passion simmering beneath his fierce exterior.

Blessed with incomparable beauty, Isabel MacDonald is prepared to use every means possible–including seduction–to uncover her husband’s most guarded secrets. Instead Rory awakens Isabel’s deepest desires and her sweetest fantasies. Now Isabel has found the happiness she’s always dreamed of with the very man she must betray, and discovers that passion can be far more dangerous than revenge.

I'm still having problems getting 'over' - well you know to what book I'm referring to, so I'm not sure whether I've suddenly gotten tougher or anything else is still paling in comparison. I had a tough time choosing a book this month. At first I was going to read either The Lover or Gabriel's Lady by Robin Schone because for this challenge I like to dig deep. But I started The Lover and knew it wouldn't be fair to the book. So instead I picked a more recent book - Highlander Untamed because part of what makes the whole book buying thing insane is I have the whole series and haven't read any of them yet. I thought I'd kill two birds with one stone with this choice.

This one is pretty standard romance fair. It has some good points. Although it's a Scottish Highlander book, we don't have the faux brogue to try and wade through. I give it a plus for that.
On the other hand - Rory is unbelievably handsome, strong, honorable, loyal - in other words - perfect. Isabel is unbelievably beautiful, strong, honorable - except for the fact that she plans to betray Rory for her wicked uncle in order to save her own clan with her father and brothers who never showed her love growing up. But once she falls in love with Rory, she give up this plan and is loyal to his clan, loyal - in other words - perfect.
So with two perfect people, the conflict is more external. Rory doesn't trust Isabel. Her clan - the MacDonalds are enemies of his clan the MacLeods (and I kept wanting to say 'of the Clan MacLeod) because her evil uncle broke a handfast to Rory's sister and humiliated her.
Isabel is torn because she has a severe case of the hots for unbelievably handsome Rory and Rory has a severe case of the hots for unbelievably beautiful, but he doesn't want to act on them because he is only handfasted to her because King James ordered it and he plans on renouncing her at the end of the year.
But as these two perfect people gradually fall in love with each other - I mean how can they not - they are perfect - they each seek to find a way out of their dilemma. And after Rory finds out about Isabel's early plan to betray his clan, he kicks her to the curb and both these two perfect people suffer until they are finally united in love and they live happily ever after.

I know this seems a bit facetious and I suppose it is - and I'm not really being fair. That's going to take awhile I fear. But overall it's a pretty good book. I'm glad I have the next 2 waiting to be read. And while I thought they each took longer than they should have to come up with a plan to be with each other - I did enjoy it. And the love scenes were very hot. It gets credit for that!
I'd say if you enjoy this kind of book, you will enjoy this one.

Grade: 3.5 out of 5

Another and......

Rather than do another ETA - just check out Jessica's blog - she has a great review of Broken Wing.
What a wonderful night!! Two who have succumbed to The Quest and two new Crusaders!!
Add to that Simon Baker in The Mentalist and a good, though long book I'm reading and it doesn't get much better.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Update

So Barbara was the blogger in question who was about to watch North and South for the first time. She watched it last night and loved it. But I'm not sure whether she had time to watch the whole movie or just one episode.
Ssshhhh - I'm just about to ask her.

TBR Challenge - September

So TBR day snuck on me this month. I was chatting with Kate last night and she asked if I was going to do a TBR review and I said I didn’t think so – I hadn’t read a book for it yet. But even as I was answering her, I was becoming disappointed in myself. Keishon challenged us and I hated like hell to miss out on a challenge. I’ve made it every month so far and I fail often enough when I challenge myself to do housework. I simply couldn’t fail a reading challenge

So I got thinking. If I chose a smaller book to read – a Harlequin – and read it at work during breaks and lunch – that would give me an hour and a half. If I came straight home and read while I ate dinner, if I skipped So You Think You Can Dance – Canada; it’s only the tryouts anyway, I just might get one read.

I mean I’ve been know to read a book and a half in one day. I don’t seem to do it as often as I used to. The internet and blogging are a big distraction. But – if I stayed off the ‘puter, I just might get a book read and a review written.

I’m at work now – I read during morning break and all during my lunch and I’m almost halfway done. Only time will tell if I am successful in completing this challenge.

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

OK - Time Told! I did indeed get a book read for this month's TBR challenge. I was a bit late for work trying to choose the book, but I made it only 2 minutes late.

I have tons of Harlequins that I haven't managed to get around to reading yet. I don't know why - I quite enjoy them and they are nice and quick to read. I read this one in a day.

Private Eye by Jayne Ann Krentz

Published: 1992

Published by: Harlequin Temptation

Amazon Blurb:

P.I. Josh January is no hero, but he'll fake it for Maggie Gladstone. His last case almost killed him, and she's offering a much-needed vacation in return for investigating strange goings-on at her inn. The job should be a cinch. Seducing Maggie -- a bonus. But when the accidents turn deadly serious, playing the hero could cost Josh a very high price . . .

My Thoughts: I really, really enjoyed this one. I've read A LOT of her books although not so many lately - not quite sure why - but she has a shelf of her own in my library.

I love the way she writes a hero. She somehow manages to make him alpha but not too alpha. Josh January was like this. After being injured in his latest case, his partner talked him into taking what they both thought would be a fluff case. While the money wasn't that good, it included a month long stay at Peregrine Manor, an older, yet charming hotel run by Maggie Gladstone. Sparks fly between the two of them right away. Ms. Krentz can write good sparks! Josh thinks the case he's taken, a series of disasters that happen in the hotel and cause Maggie to shut it down for a while, won't interfere with his real agenda - writing that books he's always wanted to and getting some R&R after getting pretty burned out. He soon discovers though that there is more going on than he first thought. He's a good hero, kinda rough, and gruff, but inside a real nice guy.

Maggie, the heroine, is also charming. She's a bit of an innocent, yet nevertheless manages to stand up to tough guy Josh. The banter between them is humerous and kept me smiling.

One of the things I've always appreciated about this authors books is her sense of family - even if they aren't related - and this one is no exception. Also living in the hotel are three ecentric older charmers, the Colonel, who is working on making water a viable way to run cars, Odessa, an attractive older widow and Shirley, a gangster's moll. All thee add to the charm of this litte book.

A couple of other things did get me chuckling though. As this book was originally published in 1992, it's a bit dated. At one point Maggie, acting as bell boy, struggles to lift the big computer housed in a metal case up to Josh's room. And in another scene, she is described as wearing 'a black silk jumpsuit'. I don't think we see many of those in this year of 2008.

But this was another success - this month's book - I really enjoyed it! And shallow me - I even liked the cover. I don't know if it will be bigger if you click on the cover - I scanned it so I think it might. I think that Zina Nota Warrior Princess Cat snacked on it a bit.

Grade: 4.5 out of 5

I just wish they still published the Temptation line *sigh*

TBR Challenge - August

The Sins of His Past by Roxanne St. Claire

Published: January, 2006

For one reason or another I was a bit late getting started on this months TBR book. I was real late as a matter of fact. It was Monday night and I still hadn’t pulled one from the TBR pile. I’ve read some older ones lately but they were rereads and not new to me reads. But I saw this one and the motivating factor was it was small. Then I saw the author was Roxanne St. Claire and I’ve read some of her books that I’ve liked. Then I saw the hero was a former baseball player and I knew I had my book for August.

For one incredible night, Kendra Locke gave Deuce Monroe everything she had. The he walked away without a backward glance to chase his big-league dreams as far as they would take him.

Years later, after one daredevil stunt too many, Deuce was back in his hometown, ready to pick up where he left off.

Kendra had no intention of letting him. The consequences of that one night had shattered her dreams. Now what Deuce wanted threatened her future…especially when he tempted her with the sensual promise of more time in his bed. Could she be the one to walk away?

This one is a Harlequin Desire book and the problem with many of them is they are too short to have much character development. Such was the case with this one I think.

Kendra had been in love with Deuce, her brother’s best friend for years, so they had a relationship already in place when the book opened. Deuce had come back to town for the first time in ten years, expecting everything to be the same as when he left. I didn’t really think we got a chance to know Deuce that much. He’d had little contact with his widowed father in all that time and it wasn’t really explained why. He didn’t have a bad relationship with his father and the excuse he gave was kind of lame.

The last time he’d been in town, he’d had one night of loving with Kendra and then left, never calling him. Considering the consequences of that night, I thought she let him off the hook rather too easily and I didn’t really understand her falling in love with him all over again. He did come back and planned to screw up her plans. His explanation for never contacting her after that one night wouldn't have been enough for me.

In addition, there was only one real love scene and it happened near the end of the book. I would have liked to have seen more. I think if this book had been longer and we could have got more insight into the characters I would have enjoyed it more. I did like it well enough – but I was left wanting more.

I don’t often read the Harlequin Desire line and while this book was OK, I'm not sure I’ll read any more of this line. It’s nothing against the author and I am interested in trying her Bullet Catcher books, but this book was like finishing a meal and still being hungry.

Grade: 3.5 out of 5

Also, I know this has absolutely nothing to do with the author so it won’t count as a strike against her, but this has to be one of the blandest covers I’ve ever seen. The title is OK – but the brown cover – bleck!

TBR Challenge - July

Time’s Captive – Kate Lyon
Published: 2004
Publisher: Dorchester

OK – Here goes. Cassie Edwards (and yes, I heard she had a stroke and I truly do hope she makes a full recovery) and a few authors like her who write Indian Romance have almost made this genre a joke. I know that. But I’ve been reading them for a long time and there are some good ones out there. Kathleen Eagle has written some truly wonderful ones. Keishon, who I admire for her taste in books loves this author. Rosanne Bittner is another author who has written in this genre that I think demands respect. But I almost feel defensive reading them now. So it was with a bit of apprehension I thought about how I should do this review. But – the book deserves it so here goes.

I read my first Kate Lyons book after I read Wendy’s most excellent review for Hope’s Captive. I loved it too – it was the kind of book that is published far too rarely these days. So after I read it in 2006, I wanted to read another book by Kate Lyon’s and promptly ordered Time’s Captive – and there it languished in the TBR pile.
While I would like to return the favour to Wendy for Hopes’ Captive with Time’s Captive – I don’t think it will work for her. You see this is a story of soul mates and I know that’s not Wendy’s cup of tea. But this kind of story really works for me.
Kris Baldwin is a young woman of two cultures. Her mother side is Cheyenne and her father’s side is white. Her mother died years ago and she only recently discovered her grandmother. While out swimming one day something very strange happens to her. She has a vision of a young Cheyenne warrior and then she is pulled into a pulled into a deep pool. When she surfaces, she is confronted by her vision.
Black Eagle is a Cheyenne War Chief who has gone on a vision quest looking for help for his people. The buffalo are being slaughtered and The People are slowly being herded onto reservations and he wants to stop this – he wants thing back the way they were.
When he sees Kris he takes this as the answer to his quest – that she can help his people. They are strongly attracted to each other but neither is prepared to act on it; Kris because she wants to get back to her own time and Black Eagle because he sees her as his people’s salvation and doesn’t want to ruin that by acting on his attraction. During this time, with the help of magical stones – Kris’s handed down from generation to generation and Black Eagles formed when he first sees Kris, they each catch brief glimpses in their dreams of each other in another time and another place, dreams that haunt them and end sadly.
I don’t how good a summary this is of someone who might be interested in this book – I hope it’s clear enough without giving too much away.
So what did I think of it?
I loved it!! This is the kind of book that makes this an interesting genre. It doesn’t have any of the silly and even offensive kind of stuff that some writes publish – no names needed.
Both Kris and Black Eagle came across as real people with real strengths and weaknesses. This was a brutal time and Kris is appalled at some of the things Black Eagle does and has done. But as he tries to tell Kris – this was a time of war and while his people committed atrocities, so did the white man. While living in the present, being of two heritages doesn’t cause a lot of conflict for Kris, but in the past it was very different and she had difficult choices and a different way of seeing things.
This was an emotional read and I took a bit of a break while reading. It’s the kind of book that makes you sad for the history of Native Americans. It’s NOTHING like a Cassie Edwards book with the silliness and inaccuracy.
I don’t know what happened to Kate Lyon after Hope’s Captive, but I hope we see her again sometime. I’ve really enjoyed both books I’ve read.
In the end I give this one a 4.5 out of 5