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Part of the Famous Families line, A Weaver Wedding, is littered with names. Most likely they are characters of past and future novels all dealing with the Clay family. By the time you’re introduced to them all your head is spinning. It’s easier to keep the names down and the interaction between the leads up.

If you’re good with names and one time introductions this won’t be a problem, but I can’t follow that many characters. Well, that’s a lie, I could, but I don’t care to in a short novel. If I’m going to get lots of names dropped it better be in a long novel or series.

It was predictable, bubblegummy, and not overly compelling. It needed meat, sustenance, something to truly be endearing.

Besides the name dropping, I did not like how the hero and heroine got together in the beginning. Did she have to be drunk?

I understand it’s contemporary but I just don’t understand why drunkenness is needed to urge a modern woman into bed with a handsome man or why a suitably charming, upright, dependable hero would agree to sleeping with a drunk heroine when he’s so virtuous in character.

I figure if they were smart enough for condoms, she should be smart enough to avoid getting to the point of slurring drunkenness even if her brother stood her up on her birthday. He should have been more upright and not taken advantage. I don’t care that he’s wanted to act on his attraction to her for the past five or so years. I care that he looks out for her.

Which brings us to the ironic part of this review as the hero is the heroine’s bodyguard.

Review: 1.5 Stars

Buy: A Weaver Wedding

By: Sasha Muradali, guest reviewer

Highlander, Book 1: Beyond the Highland Mist

Flung back in time, Adrienne de Simon got thrust into medieval Scotland from modern day Seattle.

A captive twice over in a century foreign to her, Adrienne became faced with the challenge of dealing with the Scottish laird they called ‘Hawk.’

Described as irresistible, seductive and passionate – Adrienne swore to keep him as far from her as possible.

But how possible, is the impossible, when she’s been forced to marry him via a thick plot to destroy him.

Brought to the sixteenth century by the mighty Black Fae himself, of the mythical Tuatha Dé Danaan race, Adam Black, Adrienne is determined not only to go back to her own time, but to swear off men…that’s how she got into the mess to begin with; she swore off men.

Sounds easy enough? Well no.

While, Beyond the Highland Mist is filled with alluring mysticism, betrayal, mystery and action, it bleeds hyper-masculine eroticisms that are anything but enchanting from the very beginning.

From Adam, to the Fae Queen, Aoibheal, and even Adrienne’s keen sense of humor, nothing quite makes up for Hawk’s soft-abuse of Adrienne that is supposed to be sexy.

Like his name, Hawk, decides to train Adrienne to make her love him, in his eyes, he’s bringing out her love of him. Hawk blind folds her, strips her naked and leaves her in a dark bedroom for unaccounted periods of time. He talks to her as if she is one of his falcons that he’s training to be obedient.

While, Adrienne never suffers physical abuse from Hawk, the mental tauntings are not only freakishly haunting, but disturbing:

She stopped screaming only when her voice gave out.

Stupid, she told herself. What did that accomplish? Not a thing. You’re trussed up like a chicken about to be plucked and now you can’t even peep a protest.

“Just take the hood off, Hawk,” she begged in a gravelly whisper. “Please?”

“Rule number nine. My name from this moment forward is Sidneach. Sidneach, not Hawk. When you use it, you will be rewarded. When you don’t, I’ll permit no quarter.”

No woman in her right mind would choose willingly to stay with a man who treats her that way. Especially, if said woman, has been previously abused by men, has sworn them off and is supposed to be a feisty chick from the 21st century.

It makes no sense.

While, I thoroughly enjoyed the premise of this introduction into the world of Karen Marie Moning’s Highlander series, its opening title falls short of hooking.

The novel’s only true saving grace is the literary universe created and expanded upon by Moning; it is what will have you coming back for more…time and time again.

Rating: 3 of 5 stars.

Buy: Beyond the Highland Mist

My Forbidden Desire starts with Harsh (from the first novel) and Alexandrine reconnecting. They are brother and sister. Alexandrine has been certain of Harsh’s death for years, she’s resentful for his sudden presence and insistence she needs protection from an evil mage… who just happens to be her real father.

Xia, a secondary character in My Wicked Enemy, is a newly freed fiend and the one charged with protecting Alexandrine. When Carolyn said she had refashioned bad boy Xia into a hero I knew I had to read his story! His intense hate, eagerness to kill, and desire to give out pain would be hard to overcome for any writer. Even more so when you planned to pair him up with someone who Xia considers his enemy, no matter how harmless. In my opinion, Carolyn has done a phenomenal job revealing the witch hater’s inner good qualities. Xia is very easily worth the price of the book.

Alexandrine Marit as a heroine is very likeable… despite being a witch. She possesses a great amount of unselfishness, though she has to work for it. The talisman she has found is putting a number on her similar to Golem’s reaction around the one ring in The Lord of the Rings. Her self-sacrifices pile up throughout the novel – if I were to list them it would seem ridiculous, but I assure it is not. Simply put it is quite the only way to prove her character to Xia.

It took me a while to get into this book. The first chapter or two was pretty rough. I started and stopped twice before finally overcoming the strangeness of the novel’s set up. As with Carolyn’s other novels, once you are involved in the story you simply can’t put it down!

Rating: 3 Stars

Buy: My Forbidden Desire

So far as a romance novel goes, Lucy Burns has the very broad requirements and none of the nuances. It ends happy. There is a guy. She ends up with him. The romance was nonexistent as no emotions or depth came across when I read it. The story primarily focuses on Lucy Burns finding salvation.

As a heroine, I wasn’t particularly enchanted with her. I was unable to sympathize with Lucy past her little girl stage. She came across exactly as she thought of herself: shallow, empty, and not particularly kind or nice beyond the relationship with her neighbor, her neighbor’s child, and Luke Marshall.

I suppose Lucy redeemed herself in the end, but I didn’t really connect to those inner changes. She was obviously disenchanted with herself, her job working for the devil, and with people and life in general. There was no growth to her character.

Luke Marshall was vague as a hero. We learn he teaches creative writing at a university, is writing a manuscript based on his perception of Lucy Burns, and sings off key when drunk… oh and he’s blind, which means he can’t see the gorgeousness that is Lucy at all.

Things in the book that I didn’t like at all:

• Lucy getting so wasted she urinated on herself in her hall closet during a Tupperware party. What romance novel could happen without that?
• Her pretty blasé attitude over an innocent man accidentally going to hell by walking down into her basement. If there was regret, it was a twinge and nothing more.
• Her blasé attitude over the coffee shop goth-girl (admittedly not the friendliest of people) finding herself going to hell by trying to escape the some unrobed KKK members by running down into the basement…
• Reading the lyrics/song titles of Teddy Nightingale and random excerpts from Luke’s novel. One or the other happened in every chapter. It was overkill.
• The backdrop of two movies duking it out in theaters that also appeared every other chapter or so. The movies were Adoring JC (Jesus Christ) and Absolutely Adolf: What were you thinking?

Rating: 1 Stars

Buy: The Sinful Life of Lucy Burns

This was a very sweet storyline, but there are some flaws. Amery writes a light humorous story. She’s dead funny on BOBs and teenage girl crushes.

Jake is a former Broadway star. He’s one of New York’s up-and-coming directors. Legions of fan girls inspired that career sidestep, allowing Jake to enjoy the theater but without the scary mob. This weekend, he’s back home participating in a egad… bachelor auction all for his best friend’s little sister.

When Jake spies his high school ex waving her paddle, he knows he’s doomed. A beautiful blond in the back is his only chance. By only chance, I mean, the only option he finds acceptable. Mouthing the words, “Help me,” at her, Jake is relieved when she enters the bid war.

Sophie feels her blood shimmer at those words. She can hardly believe it, Jake was her high school crush, getting him to help out at the event was a feat but this… this could be the coup of a lifetime. Now if she could get him to break that no relationship rule…

Overall, I felt it could use more polish as there were several parts where I felt I was observing far above the scene instead of being a part of the scene. Does that make sense? Kind of like watching yourself dream, a bit out of body, not quite grounded in the tale. I wanted more sticky in the writing, something that would grab me and hold me in the moment.

Rating: 2-2.5 Stars

Buy Paperback: Saving Sophie

Buy Kindle: Saving Sophie

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The first time she met Dex Wilder she was in a bed sheet and body glitter. The second time she was in handcuffs. Could a girl never catch a break?

Sydney Stratton is a tall honey-blond light blue-eyed struggling singer. She wants to make it big and doesn’t want to use her looks to get there. Sleazy talent agents, grabby hands and propositions are a hazard and ones she’s learn to avoid. When she isn’t with her band playing a gig in a seedy bar, she’s sleepy, writing music, or most likely working her tailbone off at a caterer job to make ends meet.

She meets Dex Wilder on the eve of his fame. They hit it off, attraction sizzling between the two enough to set her toga on fire (not literally). They have wild heart-pounding, breath-stealing sex, and when he wants her number she runs off. Sydney tried to relegate their fling into a one-night stand and forget him, but soon his picture is everywhere, his music everyone.

When they meet again, she’s still as she was, struggling to get her big break. The lust is at an all time high and it’s only ratcheted up a notch or two or twenty with the handcuffs.  He’s still interested in her, wants to take her to dinner but the perils of his fame are already zapping. Scared and unsure of his sincerity, Sydney runs… it’s a good thing Dex has longer-legs or he’d never catch her.

My two favorite lines:

I instantly knew what sex with him would be like: hot, hard, and devastating.

Dex Wilder was definitely better than anything you could order from a catalog.

The story is good, solid, and sexy. The editing, not so much, which by now is a dead horse.

Rating: 3.5-4 Stars

Buy: Nashville Heat

In Over Her Head is the ultimate beach read. No, seriously, it is. You have talking fish, Mers (only humans would classify them by gender), sea monsters, underwater cities hidden by the Greek gods, heirs, thrones, adventure, a cache of diamonds… there’s so much going on in this book.

In so many ways this book is a retelling of Little Mermaid, though I prefer to think of it as the reverse of The Little Mermaid. The hero is a prince, but he’s also a Mer. It’s the heroine who is human and is afraid of the water. She is petrified to be in the ocean: sharks, sharks, mysterious voices, sharks, and well sharks. It’s a wonder she ever got certified to dive.

Both characters are driven by the urge to prove themselves. Erica has been labeled incompetent, useless, and a nutcase ever since the Incident. She’s been struggling to prove to her brothers, who’ve teased her mercilessly ever since, that she is capable and smart and well normal.

Reel, being the second son, is the Spare… as in the heir and the… all his life he’s been a part of the Mer world without any of its perks. As the second son he doesn’t have fins, he has legs. Sure he can breath underwater, speak to fish, but he’s never had respect. The most important race in his life and he was four minutes behind. He doesn’t have the power or the immortality the rest of them do and has been struggling for acceptance into a society that looks down on him. If only his father would get to know him instead of considering him the ultimate embarrassment.

It’s a fish of a tale, pun so intended–bad as it undoubtedly is. If you’re looking to kick up your fins and read a good kelp-turner… yeah, okay I’m done with the water jokes. Judi is much better at these than I am. Well, no I do have one more. Have you ever heard that joke about the Merman, the Kraken, and the Female Human?

Rating: 3 Stars

Classified interracial because of Mer/Human relationship.

Buy: In Over Her Head

I am a big fan of Lisa Kleypas. I love her historicals. I heard about her contemporaries. I wanted to give them a try, but I was afraid I wouldn’t love them as much as I do her historicals. Contemporary novels and I have had our fair share of issues in the past. So I waited, and waited, and waited, until I finally found it in the library. Then I snatched it so fast, it made the other patrons’ heads spin.

I laughed, and chuckled, and giggled, out loud and in my head all the way through the book. Kleypas wrote a gem when she wrote Smooth Talking Stranger. I can’t possibly say enough good things about this book. The dialogue was witty, the leads had phenomenal chemistry, the path from singledom to motherhood and coupledom was breathtaking and sweet.

When I finished the book, I closed with a blissful sigh and one thought running through my head… must own my very own copy. I wanted to sing praises about this book to the nearest person I could find — and I did. It happened to be my mother. She’s now borrowing it from the library.

I’m so thrilled to be converted to the dark side (contemporaries). I’ve put my name on the hold list for Blue-Eyed Devil. I just can’t wait to read it. If it’s half as good as Smooth Talking Stranger, it’s going to be a toe-curling and very yummy read indeed.

The book pits a high society Texan playboy against a woman who has no use for his charm, wealth, or position other than forcing him to admit he’s the father of her sister’s new baby.

Rating: 5 Stars

Buy: Smooth Talking Stranger

I’m going to start off and say that this was a Did Not Finish for me. If it was a print book I would have thrown it at the wall. My biggest problem is the heroine. I just don’t get her. I can’t wrap my mind around a person willing to be that submissive to somebody else especially when humiliation and degradation is involved. The heroine infuriated me to the point where I was ready to grab all the reading material I could find on feminism and start up a local chapter.

As for the sexual content, I was warned by the author, but still I wasn’t prepared. I like to think I’m fairly open-minded when it comes to BDSM and the whole kinky sex scene but I draw the line at urination (which is mentioned as something the couple did in the past). Additionally as a heterosexual woman I was not at all interested in reading about the heroine’s submission under a woman (not once but at least twice with hints of future contact with Dom Blade) because her husband wanted to see it done. All in all the content wasn’t even close to be erotic for me.

Warning: STRONG BDSM, spanking, rope bondage, group sex w/ a single female, F/F & M/F scenes, public sex, voyeurism, domination, submission, side characters telling tales of sex parties, feasts, a girl who is and just wants to be Cunt the dog, etc.

The blurb on the site makes you think you’re getting into a fun sexy story about a married couple looking to explore their sexual horizons. I thought I was in for “Leslie has no clue about the BDSM, Phillip her husband wants to try it out,” but oh no-no…. not even close. Leslie and Phillip have been doing lots of BDSM and Leslie isn’t shocked she’s trained for it.

Meanwhile, readers get to enjoy a creepy pervert called Vincent. He’s strongly attracted to Leslie’s innocence as it were and wants to truly break her in all the way. He’s basically a stalker, identifiable to blinded (by a blindfold) Leslie by rank smell. I’m sure this comes to a head later but I couldn’t make myself read any further.

Rating: 0.5 Stars

Buy: Blind Seduction

Do you like paranormal romance? Did you at one point enjoy Anita Blake? Well, My Wicked Enemy just pwned Anita Blake, but don’t take my word for it see for yourself! I read this in a day, I couldn’t put it down!

Our heroine is a terrified (rightly so) woman who experiences intense migraines. She’s seen something she shouldn’t (a ritual sacrifice) and it on the run from her guardian (the bad guy). Carson took nothing with her, and that includes her medicine, in hopes to escape. Being in a hurry might seem like a disadvantage now, with a pulsing multi-colored migraine rearing its ugly head and a man who’s stalking her through the streets, but it will in fact be a blessing in disguise.

Nikodemus is a warlord, a fiend with natural leadership, and he is the one stalking the pretty and petite Carson Philips through the streets. Killing her is on his to-do list, just below mage Magellan. He can’t believe how easy it is to track the witch. Her magic is fluctuating all over the place. One minute it’s there and the next it’s almost as if she were a human. When he corners her, Nikodemus asks just one question, “Why shouldn’t I kill you?”

The answer leads them through a dangerous adventure that spins out of control as they face mageheld fiends, evil mages, skitterish warlords, blood twins and more! The book starts out like it ends, by taking your breath away.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Marked interracial because the heroine is a witch and the hero is a fiend.

Buy: My Wicked Enemy

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Fans of Debbie Macomber will enjoy this sweet, small-town romance set in fictitious Angel Ridge, Tennessee. Author Deborah Grace Staley has mixed the well-known elements of a quiet librarian with the town’s former bad boy to produce a charming read filled with southern flavor. The first book in a series about the town. Bestselling author Jo Ann Ross calls Staley “a great storyteller.”  Trade paperback, 14.95, at Amazon.com and other online stores.

Purchase: Only You

This post was submitted by Deborah Smith.

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• Edward Cullen

Boy Type: Aloof Artist

Edward Cullen is the gorgeous aloof boy who sits with a select group of people at lunch. He keeps to himself and has a fantastic brooding expression that simply makes the girls drool. He’s into music: listening to it, playing it, and creating it. On top of all that he’s a vampire and that gives him the bad boy edge. Can we say swoon?

• Jacob Black

Boy Type: Mr. Fix-It

Jacob Black is the ultimate handyman. The place you’re likely to find him is the family garage as he loves cars and spends all his time, efforts, and money fixing them up. In fact, Bella’s truck is just one of his pet projects. Jacob is good at fixing more than just cars– he can fix problems and people too. Must be his warm and fuzzy nature. His friendship with Bella is what brings her out of the dark in New Moon.

• Mike Newton

Boy Type: Guy Next Door

Mike Newton is the boy next door. His life is pretty easy. He has good friends, a good family, a good entry level job, and good looks. He can be pretty bright too and make smart observations. He wishes Bella would give him the time of day. He’s persistent to a point and yields defeat when it’s apparent things won’t be changing.

• Eric Yorkie

Boy Type: Sweet Nerd

Eric Yorkie is on the school newspaper, part of the yearbook staff, and on prom committee. He’s active and smartly dressed, a little dorky, but that’s all part of his charm. He’s not used to asking girls out and misses his chance more than once. Perhaps all he needs is a little nerd girl loving!

• Tyler Crowley

Boy Type: Popular Jock

Tyler Crowley is the popular jock. He’s definitely into something athletic like basketball or football. Like Mike Newton, it’s not hard for him to find a date, unless it’s expecting that date to be Bella. Tyler is a flirt and very outgoing. If it isn’t his muscles flashing, it’s his shiny car as it comes toward you.

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This is a fabulous contemporary update of the Christmas Carol. Matthew McConaughey is Connor Mead. Connor is the new Mr. Scrooge, except he’s gorgeous, charming, and wealthy. So what’s wrong with the guy? Connor is a miser, just like Scrooge. How? Unlike Scrooge, Connor withholds love/feelings instead of money/possessions. Just like Scrooge, Connor gets visited by 3 ghosts and is forced to learn just what kind of man he really is.

The first ghost is the Ghost of Girlfriend Past. She is a 16 year old girl to whom Connor lost his virginity. Played by Emma Stone, she’s hardly recognizable in braces, frizzy red hair in pigtails and a crazy outfit. If it wasn’t for Stone’s distinctive voice I wouldn’t have been able to place her at all from her role in House Bunny.

Noureen DeWulf plays Melanie, the Ghost of Girlfriend Present. As Connor Mead’s overworked secretary she is the most consistent woman in his life. Melanie’s job includes scheduling everything from photo shoots to play dates. She draws the line at breaking up with his women (a firm believer in karma). DeWulf is fantastic and a sheer joy to watch on screen.

Nadja, Ghost of Girlfriend Future, is played by Emily Foxler. Beautiful and ethereal she leads Connor through the life he can expect if he doesn’t change his ways. Silent like the angel of death from Christmas Carol, she is nevertheless affective in communicating to the audience.

Daniel Sunjata is the wedding beefcake brought in to sex up Jenny Perotti’s love life. It bugged me the whole movie how gorgeous he was and how familiar his face and unable to place him. Ladies before you go to IMDB.com he’s James Holt from the Devil Wears Prada. He plays a sincere, sweet, and intelligent man, luckily for him when Jenny and Connor reunite he is not left out in the cold.

Jenny Perotti, played by Jennifer Garner, is the love of Connor Mead’s life. We watch them as youngsters, as teenagers, as just starting out in life adults and as established adults. Jenny is the girl next door, the one right under your nose. She’s been hurt by Connor in the past. If only being around him didn’t make her feel for him all over again she could move on with her life… will Connor learn his mistakes and if he does can he get her to believe in him again?

I predict Ghosts of Girlfriends past becoming a favorite among many. It certainly is one of mine!

Rating: 4 Stars

By: Marcia, guest reviewer

Dean Robillard, quarterback of the Chicago Stars, is trying to get his head straight after recovering from a serious game injury. Driving into a small Colorado town in his Aston Martin Vanquish wearing his Dolce Gabbana boots and his gorgeous killer smile, he spots a woman inhabited beaver suit with a large flapping tail, walking down the road. The beaver has no head; the woman has a very cute and dainty one. So begins book number seven in the Chicago Stars series and although it mentions characters from earlier in the series, it serves well as a stand-alone book.

As it turns out, the beaver is Blue Bailey who has been supporting herself with odd jobs and sketching portraits since dropping out of art school. She has large ‘grape lollipop’ eyes and fragile features along with a bad haircut and clothes from Wal-Mart. She is stranded in Colorado after coming to join her lover, Monty. Monty did not tell her he had acquired a younger, bustier girlfriend. He has also taken all but eighteen dollars of her cash. Blue’s bank account has also been cleaned out and her car is broken. There is a confrontation between Monty and Blue and Blue is thrown out of her rooming house for lack of funds. For the entertainment value alone, Dean offers her a ride out of town.

The journey they eventually embark on is different than they expect. On the way to love, they both have to confront the mutual abandonment issues that have been long ignored. Parental neglect, drug and substance abuse, abandonment, insecurity, anger and resentment are treated with sensitivity and humor. This book is very funny with a smooth, fast moving engaging plot and snappy dialog. Unfortunately, Phillips’ deft writing breaks down at the conclusion, which seems cliché and sloppy. Otherwise Natural Born Charmer would give any work by Nora Roberts or LaVyrle Spencer a run for their money.

3 Stars

Have you read any of the others in this series? If so, tell us about them! Before you leave take a few moments to read some of our other guest reviews.

Originally posted 2008-09-12 05:47:51. Republished by Old Post Promoter

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This love triangle features a priest, a rabbi, and a–oh you heard that joke have you? Well, drat there goes my punch line!

Anyway this movie is a bit old, but I saw it for the first time the other day and I’m so glad I sat down to watch it, VHS tape, preview ads, broken remote and all. Can you imagine? Wow! If you’re a person who has a hard time watching Ben Stiller because he stars in movies along the same vein as Will Farrell you’ll be pleasantly surprised by his comedy routine in this movie. There’s nothing over the top, gross, or poorly done on his part to disrupt the romantic overtones of the story.

Jake, Brian, and Anna were friends in eighth grade until tragedy struck and Anna had to move away. Jake and Brian continued on being the best of friends. They were both interested in religion and teaching each other about their faith. Eventually their interest lead them to seek becoming leaders of their respective faiths. Years of study, devotion, and passion for their cause lead us to present day where Rabbi Jake Schram (Ben Stiller) and Father Brian Finn (Edward Norton) are making a splash in the community. New York will never be the same. As luck would have it Anna Riley turns up after all their years apart, as a high power executive woman ready to kick butt and take names and with a little… erm… faith reconnect with old friends. She laughs herself silly upon hearing their occupations.

Jake and Anna are immediately attracted to one another, but Jake must marry in order to receive his due (a promotion when the old Rabbi leaves for retirement). Unfortunately the woman must be Jewish and all the mothers in his congregation are trying to hook him up with their daughters and he can’t say no for fear of offending them. When Jake gives up trying for the perfect Jewish girl, he pursues Anna with a vengeance and passion that leave them both stunned and Jake a little fearful. Nobody will understand - not his parish, not the board members, and most certainly not his mother.

Meanwhile, Brian is struggling his his vows of celibacy as he faces the undeniable truth: he’s in love with his best friend, Anna. Every conversation, every touch, every look feeds into his confusion. He’s reading more into her every action. When things come to a head after a teary phone call from Anna, Brian is stunned, hurt, and furious with his other best friend Jake.

Will the friends be able to patch up their broken hearts, misunderstandings, and keep the faith? Watch and find out!

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Originally posted 2009-01-11 05:28:34. Republished by Old Post Promoter