Book description: Independent single mother Tamara Briggs wanted to find a new, sexy, no-strings-attached man—just not one as young as NASCAR driver Elec Monroe. But he sure does get her heart racing. And after she’s tricked into a blind date with him, Tamara gives in to her passion. Things screech to a halt, though, when he asks to meet her children. Whatever happened to wham-bam-thank-youma’am? Suddenly Tamara has to decide how much risk she’s willing to take to experience the power of true love.

Review: I’ve really enjoyed some of Erin McCarthy’s previous books but I hesitated to read this one because it has two things I really don’t want in a romance novel: kids and race car drivers. Fortunately, neither of things bothered me all that much here. The romance was enjoyable enough to hold my interest. I recommend this one if you like older woman/younger man romances even though the age difference wasn’t all that huge. I’ll be reading the next one in the series.

Book description: Captivated readers have followed Jessica through every step and misstep: from her life as a tormented, tart-tongued teenager to her years as a college grad stumbling toward adulthood. Now a young professional in her mid-twenties, Jess is off to a Caribbean wedding. As she rushes to her gate at the airport, she literally runs into her former boyfriend, Marcus Flutie. It’s the first time she's seen him since she reluctantly turned down his marriage proposal three years earlier–and emotions run high.

Marcus and Jessica have both changed dramatically, yet their connection feels as familiar as ever. Is their reunion just a fluke or has fate orchestrated this collision of their lives once again?

Told partly from Marcus’s point of view, Perfect Fifths finally lets readers inside the mind of the one person who’s both troubled and titillated Jessica Darling for years. Expect nothing less than the satisfying conclusion fans have been waiting for, one perfect in its imperfection. . . .

Review: Perfect Fifths is the fifth and final book in the Jessica Darling series. I wanted to like this book a lot more than I did. I actually liked the events that happened but the way the book was written was too distracting for me to really get into it. It was a very odd choice to write the book in third-person when the rest of the series was written in first-person. The change in style made it feel like it wasn’t a Jessica Darling book and I really missed Jessica’s voice. The third-person perspective wasn’t the only stylistic choice I found odd. A large chunk was entirely dialogue and this was actually the least distracting part of the book. There was an entire section written in haikus for no reason and there some weird, rambling stream of consciousness thing towards the end. These things made the book seem more like a series of assignments in a creative writing class than an actual book.

Despite my problems with the way the book was written, I’m happy it wasn’t depressing or vomit inducing like the third and fourth books were. I am mostly satisfied with how Jessica’s story ended. I’m not sorry I completed the series but I still kind of wish the author had stopped after the second book.

Book description: Is the real world ready for Jessica Darling?

At first it seems she’s living the New York City dream. She’s subletting an apartment with her best friend, working for a magazine that actually cares about her psychology degree, and still deeply in love with the charismatic Marcus Flutie.

But reality is more complicated than dreamy clichés.

When Marcus proposes—giving her only one week to answer—Jessica must decide if she’s ready to give up a world of late-night literary soirees, art openings, and downtown drunken karaoke to move back to New Jersey and be with the one man who’s gripped her heart for years. Jessica ponders this and other life choices with her signature snark and hyper-intense insight, making it the most tumultuous and memorable week of her twenty-something life.

Review: Fourth Comings is the fourth book in the Jessica Darling series. The first two books in this series are two of my all time favorite YA books. Unfortunately, this book and the third book, Charmed Thirds, have done nothing more than prove to me that I do not want to read about beloved YA characters once they become adults. Charmed Thirds turned Jessica into someone completely unlikable. She regains some of her likeability in this installment but the choice she has to make is depressing as hell. I did enjoy catching up with side characters from past books and Jessica’s wit made me laugh on more than one occasion. However, these things did not make up for the major bummer of a plot this book had. I’ll be reading the fifth book, Perfect Fifths, because I’ve come so far with these characters and I want to see how their story ends. Hopefully it is on a happier note.

Book description: Rehvenge has always kept his distance from the Brotherhood—even though his sister is married to a member, for he harbors a deadly secret that could make him a huge liability in their war against the lessers. As plots within and outside of the Brotherhood threaten to reveal the truth about Rehvenge, he turns to the only source of light in his darkening world, Ehlena, a vampire untouched by the corruption that has its hold on him—and the only thing standing between him and eternal destruction.

Review: Lover Avenged is the seventh book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. I was less than thrilled with the previous three books in this series but I am happy to say that this book, unlike those, works as a romance as well as an urban fantasy. Rehvenge and Ehlena’s romance doesn’t take up a huge portion of this book but it still managed to be well developed. On the surface their romance seems like a typical good girl/bad boy pairing but it’s really just about two very lonely people finding each other. This book is also an improvement because both Rehvenge and Ehlena are likeable. Rehvenge has his share of angst but it wasn’t completely over the top like it was with Phury and Vishous. Ehlena was strong in her own way and the subservient female vampire crap was refreshingly absent from her character.

It wouldn’t be a Black Dagger Brotherhood book without numerous sub-plots and Lover Avenged was no different. The developing romance between John and Xhex gets a major dose of angst. Those two are my favorite characters in the series and I can’t wait for their book. Wrath and Beth get a new storyline but I didn’t particularly care about them. The lessers are still boring but at least Lash is a more effective villain than the previous lessers. Thorment’s storyline advances a bit here too and will probably be advancing even more in future books. Based on the events at the end of this book, it looks like John and Xhex are next and I can’t wait.

Book description: So far, I've managed to survive. You would think after being kidnapped as a child, imprisoned in my teens and released to become a poison taster, I would have endured enough. But no. The discovery of my magical abilities—powers forbidden in Ixia—has resulted in an execution order. My only chance is to flee to Sitia, my long-lost birthplace.

But Sitia is unfamiliar. I'm treated like an enemy—even by my own brother. Plus I can't control my powers. I want to learn about my magic, but there isn't time. A rogue magician has emerged and I'm targeted as his next victim.

Will my magical abilities save me…or be my downfall?

Review: Magic Study is the follow up to Poison Study. It’s been a few years since I read Poison Study but I had no problem picking Magic Study up. I loved the premise of the first book but Magic Study returns to a more traditional fantasy novel plot. Yelena has gone from being a poison taster to being an apprentice magician learning to control her powers. From the world-building to the plot twists, there isn’t anything particularly original about Magic Study but I still enjoyed every second of it. It was pleasant catching up with these characters and learning more about Yelena’s past. I’ll be reading the third book, Fire Study, soon.

Book description: CAN A WOUNDED BEAST . . .
Reclusive Sir Alistair Munroe has hidden in his castle ever since returning from the Colonies, scarred inside and out. But when a mysterious beauty arrives at his door, the passions he's kept suppressed for years begin to awaken.

TRUST A BEAUTY WITH A PAST . . .
Running from past mistakes has taken legendary beauty Helen Fitzwilliam from the luxury of the ton to a crumbling Scottish castle . . . and a job as a housekeeper. Yet Helen is determined to start a new life and she won't let dust-or a beast of a man-scare her away.

TO TAME HIS MOST SECRET DESIRES?
Beneath Helen's beautiful façade, Alistair finds a courageous and sensual woman. A woman who doesn't back away from his surliness-or his scars. But just as he begins to believe in true love, Helen's secret past threatens to tear them apart. Now both Beast and Beauty must fight for the one thing neither believed they could ever find-a happy ever after.

Review: To Beguile a Beast is the third book in the Legend of the Four Soldiers series. I’ve been looking forward to this one because I’m a sucker for romance novels with the scarred hero theme and this one did not disappoint. Normally books with this theme feature young and innocent heroines but this one has a bit of a twist. Helen is in her 30’s and has an unhappy past. It was refreshing to read a romance where the hero and heroine were equals in emotional maturity. This made their romance even more special because both of these characters earned their happy ending.

If you haven’t read any of the other books in this series, this book easily stands on its own. The ongoing plot about the traitor is barely present in this installment. I can’t say that I missed it because I was enjoying the romance so much. This book ranks right up there with The Leopard Prince as my favorite Hoyt book and I look forward to reading more from her.

Book description: A seductive beauty he can never have, yet can't resist...
Cadeon Woede will stop at nothing to atone for the one wrong that will haunt him forever. But once he secures the key to his redemption, the halfling Holly Ashwin, Cade finds that the woman he thought he could use for his own ends and then forget haunts him as much as his past.

A tormented warrior she should fear, but can't deny...
Raised as a human, Holly never knew that some frightening legends are real until she encounters a brutal demon who inexplicably guards her like a treasure. Thrust into a sensual new world of myth and power, with him as her protector, she begins to crave the demon's wicked touch.

Surrender to dark desires...
Yet just when he earns Holly's trust, will Cade be forced to betray the only woman who can sate his wildest needs -- and claim his heart?

Review: Dark Desires After Dusk is the fifth book in the Immortals After Dark series. I didn’t like this one as much as the third and fourth books. The romance didn’t work that well for me and Cade came off as a sexist lying bastard most of the time. Holly’s OCD and computer programming made her quirky enough for me to like her. She could have done better than Cade though. Despite my problems, this was still a fun read. I’ll be moving on to the next book in the series.

Book description: A RAVEN-HAIRED TEMPTRESS OF THE DARK...
Néomi Laress, a famous ballerina from a past century, became a phantom the night she was murdered. Imbued with otherworldly powers but invisible to the living, she haunts her beloved home, scaring away trespassers -- until she encounters a ruthless immortal even more terrifying than Néomi herself.

A VAMPIRE WARRIOR CONSUMED BY MADNESS...
To prevent him from harming others, Conrad Wroth's brothers imprison him in an abandoned manor. But there, a female only he can see seems determined to drive him further into madness. The exquisite creature torments him with desire, leaving his body racked with lust and his soul torn as he finds himself coveting her for his own.

HOW FAR WILL HE GO TO CLAIM HER?
Yet even if Conrad can win Néomi, evil still surrounds her. Once he returns to the brutality of his past to protect her, will he succumb to the dark needs seething inside him?

Review: Dark Needs at Night’s Edge is the fourth book in the Immortals After Dark series. One thing I really like about this series is how different all the paranormal creatures are. This one features a virgin vampire hero who has been crazy for a couple of centuries. The heroine is a ghost who was a ballerina and a burlesque dancer when she was alive. This character combination worked really well for me. I think I’m turning into a Kresley Cole fan.

Book description: Her breathless kiss haunts him...
Bowen MacRieve of the Lykae clan was nearly destroyed when he lost the one woman meant for him. The ruthless warrior grew even colder, never taking another to his bed -- until a smoldering encounter with his enemy, Mariketa the Awaited, reawakens his darkest desires. When sinister forces unite against her, the Highlander finds himself using all his strength and skill to keep her alive.

His slow, hot touch is irresistible...
Temporarily stripped of her powers, Mari is forced to take refuge with her sworn adversary. It's rumored that no one can tempt Bowen's hardened heart, but soon passion burns between them. Though a future together is impossible, she fears he has no intention of letting her go.

No deed is too wicked for her seduction...
If they defeat the evil that surrounds them, can Mari deny Bowen when he demands her body and soul -- or will she risk everything for her fierce protector?

Review: Wicked Deeds on a Winter’s Night is the third book in the Immortals After Dark series. I didn’t exactly love the first two books in this series. Maybe I’m growing to like Cole’s writing because I thoroughly enjoyed this one. The soul mate stuff I find so irritating is still here but the romance was reasonably well developed. Mari and Bowen’s transition from enemies to lovers was entertaining and believable. I would recommend skipping the first two books and starting with this one but the world building would be very confusing. There’s a helpful glossary in the beginning of the book if you want to try starting with this one.

Book description: A rescued rogue . . .

Scandal has rocked the city of London. Colin Eversea, a handsome, reckless unapologetic rogue is sentenced to hang for murder and, inconveniently for him, the only witness to the crime disappears. Then again, throughout history, the Everseas have always managed to cheat fate in style: Colin is snatched from the gallows by a beautiful, clever mercenary.

A captivating captor. . .

Cool-headed, daring Madeleine Greenway is immune to Colin's vaunted charm. Her mission is not to rescue Colin but to kidnap him, and to be paid handsomely for it. But when it becomes clear that whoever wants Colin alive wants Madeline dead, the two become uneasy allies in a deadly race for truth. Together, they'll face great danger—and a passion neither can resist.

Review: The Perils of Pleasure is much more plot driven than the average romance novel. Unfortunately, I didn’t find the plot all that interesting. Everything else about the book worked. The characters were ok and I really liked their banter. I just wasn’t all that into this one. I’ll continue to read future books by this author, mostly because of how much I enjoyed Like No Other Lover.

Book description: Megan Barrows has retired from a brief career as a ghostbusting psychic and now uses her sixth sense to fill her Seattle antiques store with objects with happy pasts. After once nearly having the soul sucked out of her by a malevolent spirit, she prefers a quiet life.
Case Lambert is a real estate prospector who restores old houses, then sells them for profit. He has just bought a dilapidated mansion so amazing that he wants to keep it for himself, but the house appears to be haunted. Seriously haunted. A few inquiries lead him to Megan Barrows.

Megan at first refuses to help, but Case is a master of persuasion. Moving into the mansion, they discover that one of the ghosts has a thing for Case -- and there may be even more amorous spirits inside this veritable paranormal vortex. But it soon becomes clear that no one -- dead or alive -- can stop Megan and Case from ending up in each other's arms. . . .

Review: A Babe in Ghostland is a fun little haunted house romance. There’s nothing I particularly loved or hated about this book. The characters and the romance were adequate. The plot moved along fast enough to hold my interest. If you are looking for a lighter paranormal romance you may like this.

Book description: When Grace Emerson's ex-fiancé starts dating her younger sister, extreme measures are called for. To keep everyone from obsessing about her love life, Grace announces that she's seeing someone. Someone wonderful. Someone handsome. Someone completely made up. Who is this Mr. Right? Someone…exactly unlike her renegade neighbor Callahan O'Shea. Well, someone with his looks, maybe. His hot body. His knife-sharp sense of humor. His smarts and big heart.

Whoa. No. Callahan O'Shea is not her perfect man! Not with his unsavory past. So why does Mr. Wrong feel so…right?

Review: Too Good to Be True is another good book from Kristan Higgins. Like her other books, this one is very much focused to the heroine. I really liked Grace’s sense of humor but I spent a lot of the book wishing she would stand up to her family more. I also thought her romance with Cal was cute and a bit more developed than the romance in some of her other books. I’m turning into a fan of this writer and will be reading more from her.

Book description: I pay strangers to sleep with me. I have my reasons….
But they're not the ones you'd expect.

For starters, I'm a funeral director taking over my dad's business. Not exactly the kind of person you'd expect to fork over cash for the lust and urgency only live skin-to-skin contact can create. Looking at me, you wouldn't have a clue I carry this little secret so close it creases up like the folds of a fan. Tight. Personal. Ready to unravel in the heat of the moment.

Unsurprisingly, my line of work brings me face-to-face with loss. So I decided long ago that paying for sex would be one of the best (and arousing) ways to save myself from the one thing that would eventually cut far too deep.

But Sam was a mistake. Literally. I signed on to "pick up" a stranger at a bar, but took Sam home instead. And now that I've felt his heat, his sweat and everything else, can I really go back to impersonal?

Let's just hope he never finds out about my other life.…

Review: Stranger is my favorite Megan Hart book so far. Like all of Hart’s other heroines, Grace is a complex character and I was never bored spending time in her head. I also enjoyed her romance with Sam and her relationship with Jack and I felt that both were equally well developed. This book does have some sad moments but it isn’t nearly as depressing as some of Hart’s other books. The only thing I didn’t like about this book was the end. It fit well with the tone of the book but I wish it had been happier.

Book description: A fascinating and exasperating young lady…
The Marquess of Darkefell has enough to worry about with a bloodthirsty wild beast rampaging the countryside and sinister family secrets to protect. Then Lady Anne Addison arrives, with unquenchable curiosity and intelligence that drive him to distraction…

An infuriatingly unyielding man…
Lady Anne finds the marquess darkly handsome, seductive, and forceful, with a ruthless magnetism that challenges and stimulates her. But he seems determined to keep secrets that may threaten both herself and her helpless friend…

Thrown together in a time of crisis, with a murderer on the loose, the marquess picks an absolutely dreadful moment and the worst possible way to declare his intentions…

Review: It’s a little hard trying to figure out what genre Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark belongs to. From the cover it looks like paranormal romance but it’s not really either of those things. It’s more of a gothic mystery with a romantic sub plot. It wasn’t what I expected but I did enjoy the mystery plot quite a bit. Lady Anne is an interesting enough character to hold down a series. I’m undecided on the romance so far and it is left unresolved at the end of the book. I liked Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark enough to read the next book in the series.

Book description: Nothing fazes Taylor Donovan-not in the courtroom and not in her personal life. So when she's assigned to coach People's "Sexiest Man Alive" for his role in the next big legal drama, she refuses to fall for the Hollywood heartthrob's charms. Even if he is the Jason Andrews.

Review: I loved the banter between the characters in Just the Sexiest Man Alive. That part of the romance worked very well. Unfortunately, the romance had little sexual tension and it seemed to drag on forever. I also wasn’t fond of the sub-plot with the other movie star. The book was very well written but I don’t think this writer is for me.

Book description: Some secrets shouldn't be kept...
Up until three months ago, everything in sixteen-year-old Camelia's life had been fairly ordinary: decent grades; an okay relationship with her parents; and a pretty cool part-time job at the art studio downtown. But when Ben, the mysterious new guy, starts junior year at her high school, Camelia's life becomes anything but ordinary.

Rumored to be somehow responsible for his ex-girlfriend's accidental death, Ben is immediately ostracized by everyone on campus. Except for Camelia. She's reluctant to believe the rumors, even when her friends try to convince her otherwise. She's inexplicably drawn to Ben...and to his touch. But soon, Camelia is receiving eerie phone calls and strange packages with threatening notes. Ben insists she is in danger, and that he can help--but can he be trusted? She knows he's hiding something... but he's not the only one with a secret.

Review: My main problem with this book is that it borrows way too much from Twilight. Actually, if you take away the vampire stuff, this book is almost identical to Twilight. The book starts out with the mysterious hot guy saving the girl from getting hit by a car. They also end up being lab partners. Ben acts like he hates Camelia at first but then he lets her in on his secret power. No, he can’t read minds but it’s pretty close to that. Also, all the boys in school are into Camelia and Ben has to save her from a stalker. Twilight much? This isn’t an entirely terrible book and the writing style is very different from Stephenie Meyer’s. I probably would have like it had the plot been more original.

Book description: Nadia Stafford isn’t your typical nature lodge owner. An ex-cop with a legal code all her own, she’s known only as “Dee” to her current employer: a New York crime family that pays her handsomely to bump off traitors. But when Nadia discovers that a troubled teenage employee and her baby have vanished in the Canadian woods, the memory of a past loss comes back with a vengeance and her old instincts go into overdrive.

With her enigmatic mentor, Jack, covering her back, Nadia unearths sinister clues that point to an increasingly darker and deadlier mystery. Now, with her obsession over the case deepening, the only way Nadia can right the wrongs of the present is to face her own painful ghosts—and either bury them for good, or die trying. Because in her book everyone deserves a chance. And everyone deserves justice.

Review: My first five star book of the year is the follow up to Exit Strategy. I am so in love with this series! The characters are flawed and complex I could read about them forever. The mystery here was pretty much perfect and kept me guessing the entire book. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Kelly Armstrong will write another book in this series.

Book description: Megan is used to moving from place to place -- it's typical for an army brat. But she drew the line at South Korea. She insists on staying in the States to finish her last two years of high school. So her parents made arrangements for Megan to live with their friends, the McGowans...and the McGowans' 7 sons.

Turns out, living with 7 boys might as well be a foreign country! The boys are messy. They are cliquey (who knew?). And worst of all, two of the oldest boys are H-O-T. (A problem considering they are supposed to be Megan's "brothers.") Megan is definitely in enemy territory. She needs to win over the boys' hearts without totally crushing her own.

And when Megan starts falling for one of them, sibling rivalry takes on a whole new meaning....

What is a girl to do?

Review: Megan Meade’s Guide to the McGowen Boys is a fun teen romance without a lot of drama. My only problem was that not a lot was wrapped up by the end and it doesn’t look like there is going to be a sequel. Still, it’s a nice way to spend an afternoon if you like teen romances.

Book description: Molly Jenkins has one naughty little secret: her job as a bestselling erotic fiction author. Until her inspiration runs dry—thanks to a creepy ex—and it's time to skip town and move back to tiny Tumble Creek, Colorado.

One look at former high school hunk chief of police Ben Lawson and Molly is back in business. The town gossip is buzzing at her door and, worse still, a stalker seems to be watching her every move. Thankfully, her very own lawman has taken to coming over, often. The only problem now is that Molly may have to let the cat out of the bag about her chosen profession, and straitlaced Ben will definitely not approve.…

Review: Talk Me Down is and fun and sexy but not overly complicated romance. The main characters were both likeable and had a lot of chemistry together. Normally I hate reading romance novels where the heroine writes romance novels but it worked well here. I didn’t even mind the random suspense sub-plot. I recommend Talk Me Down if you are looking for a stress free read.

Book description: After Maddy’s parents divorce, she’s stuck starting over at a new high school. Friendless and nicknamed Freak Girl, Manga-loving artist Maddy finds refuge in the interactive online game Fields of Fantasy. In that virtual world, she reinvents herself as Allora, a gorgeous elfin alter ego, and meets a true friend in Sir Leo. Maddy can’t hide behind Allora forever, especially as a real-life crush begins edging in on her budding virtual romance. But would anyone pick the real Maddy, gamer girl and Manga freak, over the fantasy?
This fresh, geeky/cool novel includes online chats and exciting gaming, and features Maddy’s Mangastyle artwork.

Review: Gamer Girl is a cute and geeky read. It’s a little on the juvenile side but that didn’t keep me from enjoying the book. The main character was likeable and a lot of teens would probably identify with her. The romance was a little like something out of an 80’s teen movie but in a good way. I loved all the manga and video game references too. If you’re a little bit of a manga or video game geek who doesn’t mind reading book for a younger audience you’ll probably enjoy this.