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Review: Hold Me If You Can by Stephanie Rowe

Lynn Reynolds — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:00:00 +0000

Reviewed by Lynn Reynolds

Natalie Fleming was briefly murdered by a deedub. She also owns a boutique chocolate shop. But she has a challenge ahead – creating magical desserts overnight after having her shop looted. She goes into her walk-in freezer and meets her murderer. Boy, that’s one hell of a way to start your day.

Nigel Aquarian comes to Natalie’s rescue. He’s a man with his own set of problems. He’s doing a favor for Natalie’s sister. What makes Nigel unique is that he has some interesting powers. Some of those powers are tied to his art.

Nigel is seen interacting with some other warriors in his penthouse. I love how Nigel talked to them about being “men”. I can almost hear the theme from Two and a Half Men playing in the background. Stephanie also has us laughing as they interact and makeup is added to the mix.

A lot of Stephanie’s male characters are obnoxious. But the women are the ones that seem to keep them in line. It’s nice to see that the hero needs a woman in order to feel complete. This is what adds romance to the story. If you’re looking for a lot of sex between our main characters, you will not find it here.

Stephanie certainly gives us some interesting sounding demons. None that you would want to meet in a dark alley somewhere. But if you could have any type of power, like Nigel and his men, what would you like?

As you read this book you may become a little confused. The three books look like they can be standalones but if you want to understand what the warriors, and demons, are about I suggest that you read books one and two.

Natalie is in need of some help and she will get it from an unlikely source, Ella Smithweiser. Ella used to work for Nigel’s archenemy. Nigel’s art is also turning against him so Ella becomes important for both of them.

Then to add confusion to the mix, another character appears – a dream genie named Charles Morgan. Don’t get confused but sometimes he is referred to as “Smutty”. His jailor also has a connection to Nigel. Mari is the second in command to the archenemy.

Mari thinks she has a noble cause but you know what they say about good intentions. The more I read about Mari, the more I feel that she is just plain crazy. What’s good about this story is that you will see that she gets her just desserts (sorry about the spoiler).

Stephanie also puts a life lesson in her story line although it doesn’t show itself until the end. The story ends with us wondering if there will be a book 4. She leaves us hanging in the balance – who will be the characters to have their story told next?

Rating:

Buy: Hold Me If You Can

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Review: The Night is Mine by M. L. Buchman

Susan S. — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 09:08:11 +0000

Reviewed by Susan S.

Impressive! M. L. Buchman delivers an action-packed novel that’ll leave adrenaline junkies smoking a well-satisfied cigar. The Night Is Mine contains military covert operations, chopper crashes, secret agents, murder plots, daring rescues, humor, and still…pulls off a touching love story. Where’s book two?

Summary: The Night Stalkers Series, Book One

Captain Emily Beale is a highly trained soldier, the heroine of this story, the daughter to the Director of the FBI, a killer chef, the Black Hawk pilot for the Black Adders, and the first and only female pilot to fly for SOAR (The Army’s Special Operations Aviation Regiment a.k.a. The Night Stalkers). As is evidenced by the aforementioned-she’s one badass female. Oh, and did I mention she’s beautiful? Some gals have all the luck! Or do they?

This gal’s life is about to turn on a dime. The captain harbors feelings for Major Mark “The Viper” Henderson and vice versa. But since the Army prohibits relationships between different ranked soldiers-they’ll have to lock and triple-bolt their passion. Then there’s the reassignment order plunging Emily neck deep into a black-in-black ops mission. Suddenly, the Army’s fraternization policy becomes a moot point. Because if they die protecting the Commander-in-Chief, sex post-mortem just isn’t as appealing.

Review: I’m hoping one day The Night Is Mine adapts to the big screen. But even if it doesn’t, in my mind- it played like a movie. Guess I can always reread the novel when I feel the hankering to watch it again.

With military romantic suspense novels I always think, oh boy-here comes the heavy unintelligible military jargon. I needn’t have worried though. None of that in this novel. Only descriptions of military choppers and a great story infused with megadoses of action.

Recommendations: For readers who stow Silhouette Romantic Suspense and Harlequin Intrigues inside their minivans. Also recommended for anyone who craves the forbidden love tropes. And if you’re a booklover who’s partial to All-American Heroes, hot Army pilots, secret agents, and political intrigue-then this is your kind of read.

Disclaimer: I received this novel free of charge in exchange for my honest review.

Review-O-Meter Rating:

Buy: The Night Is Mine

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Why is it so Darn Hot When Commitment-Phobes Make the Commitment?

Guest Blogger — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:15:57 +0000

Guest post by Amanda Usen, author of Scrumptious

Oh, boy. Back in the day, before I met my perfect husband, I never met a bad boy I didn’t want to…date. Emotionally unavailable men were my favorite flavor. The more distant the man, the more I wanted to stand beside him. It started in high school when the uber-cool artistic senior drama dude took an interest, and then gave me my first taste of “it’s not you, it’s me,” a few months later.

I was hooked, so hooked I dated (off and on for THREE YEARS) a psychology major in college who responded to my every legitimate relationship complaint with “I’m sorry you feel that way.” Even my perfect husband appeared to be a bad boy when I met him. I call him my sheep in wolf’s clothing because he tricked me. (Thank goodness.) Oh, yeah, I had it bad. The question is: why?

What is it about the men who don’t want us, the guy we can have for a night but not a relationship, or the one that got away, that enchants us? And why is it so intoxicating when they finally succumb to true love? These questions fascinate me. Although I broke my bad boy addiction and am now unconditionally adored, I still live with the ghosts of boyfriends past. I can’t chase them anymore (marriage will do that to a girl) but I can bring them to life in my characters.

In Scrumptious, I deliberately set out to create the baddest boy of them all, Joe Rafferty. During his two years at Culinary Arts College, he slept with “every available female, a few unavailable ones, three mail clerks, and at least one chef-instructor.” Joe is a traveling chef-for-hire so commitment-phobic that the only thing that could get him to consider settling down is a deathbed command from his mother.

Enter Marlene Bennet, a love ‘em and leave ‘em pastry chef who imagines “a night with Joe would be an experience to remember. Fondly.” When he turns down her proposition, he becomes the ultimate challenge…a man whom everyone has had – but her.

What are the perfect ingredients of a bad boy?

In Joe’s case, he’s tall, dark and delicious. He’s such hot chef hardly anyone can keep up with him on the line. He’s left a trail of broken hearts behind him, so he’s jaded. Most alluring of all, he’s got issues, little holes in his heart just waiting for the right healing touch. In my opinion, that’s what makes a bad boy.

He’s attractive, talented, experienced and hurting, even if he doesn’t know it or won’t admit it – especially if he won’t admit it. If you can get that guy’s attention, then you are special. And if he decides you are the one, then you have triumphed where all else have failed. *Sigh* Triumph is incendiary.

But that’s just my opinion. I’m a sucker for a hot guy with a bored expression and the first one to admit I’ve got a competitive steak. What about you? What do you think makes a bad boy? And why is it so sweet when the “unattainable man” finally commits?

Buy: Scrumptious

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Review: Off the Record (Love on the Line, Book One) by Camryn Rhys

Lynn Reynolds — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:45:46 +0000

Reviewed by Lynn Reynolds

Katrina Parker is a chef at a new restaurant. Because of a mix-up, she’s seen buying some food at the local supermarket. There she gets a nice surprise by meeting Emily Reed. Emily’s son Ben seems fascinated by Kit’s coat. Kit is fascinated by Emily but she’s not sure if Emily feels the same.

They meet later when Emily shows up at Kit’s restaurant. Both women give off mixed messages which just confuses the other. Camryn gives us some indication in how Emily feels by giving us glimpses of her fantasies. You’ll just have to read to see if any of Emily’s fantasies come true.

Kit wants redemption for a less than stellar food critic review so she cooks a meal for Emily and a co-worker. We get to see the connection between the two women blossom. I like how Camryn keeps the story real by showing how prejudice still exists. But those prejudices don’t stop the women from forming a relationship.

Camryn also leaves the reader wondering what life has in store for Emily and Kit. But what happens to Ben? Does Kit’s restaurant become a success? What better way to end a story, where one of the characters is a chef, but with a delicious sounding recipe.

Rating:

Buy: Off the Record (Love on the Line)

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Review: Sex, Lies, and Mistletoe by Tawny Weber

Keira — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 12:53:39 +0000

Hero: Caleb Black is an undercover DEA agent ready to get out of the game for good. As a favor for a friend he returns to his home town to sniff out a new drug cartel that has set up shop in the area. The number one suspect is his father, and as much as he hates the guy, Caleb knows this line of work his beneath his dad. He doesn’t count on falling in love and that really messes with his head.

Heroine: Pandora Easton has to find a way to save the family’s New Age Shop. A failure out in the big world, she can’t stand the idea of failing at home too. With a little help from a girlfriend they strike upon a unique idea – why not serve up aphrodisiacs? The idea is a hit locally, but her idea combined with her recent past makes her a suspect for running a drug ring. Isn’t that just her luck?

Review: Adorable and sexy! A spicy tale with a dash of mystery and a hint of intrigue! This small town / return to your roots romance is perfect for an afternoon retreat. The town has always been full of gossip but now it’s on aphrodisiacs – can you imagine the laughs? An insecure heroine who’s afraid of failure and an honorable hero not willing to accept anything on face value find love when they weren’t looking. It’s not particularly a holiday themed story, but that’s okay.

Rating:

Buy: Sex, Lies and Mistletoe

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Review: Demons Like It Hot by Sidney Ayers

Lynn Reynolds — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 09:46:52 +0000

This is book 2 of the “Demons Unleashed” series.

Reviewed by Lynn Reynolds

Matthias Ambrose is a demon. He’s also a paid mercenary. His latest mission is to protect Serah, Seraphina, SanGermano from the Infernati. In his circle Serah is known as a Pure-Blood.

Serah is having problems at her catering business. It’s an ongoing issue that you will have to read to find out if the problems get taken care of. Does Matthias save her in the end? She’s a strong woman so maybe she is able to take care of herself.

Serah’s best friend, Lucia Anne Gregory, is half succubus and daughter to a Sexub King. Lucy’s fiancée, Rafael Deleon, has a connection to Matthias. We also see that Rafael doesn’t trust Matt. Now why would that be?

Serah wants to try out for a cooking show and Matt gets all “commando” on her. They go shopping and as they get to the mall, we see her two cats attach Matt. How many of you out there are able to talk to your cats telepathically? The shopping trip is interesting to say the least. I have to tell you, the way Sidney wrote the shopping scene made me wish that I was in Serah’s shoes. You definitely cannot miss this scene.

Matthias finds out that his old friend and mentor is also after Serah. She does ok for herself in knowing when demons are in the area. Wouldn’t it be nice if we had a little of that when our supervisors were entering the work area. But why would Serah need to know when they’re in the area - keep reading!

Matt tries something to get her to believe that she is more than just a mere human. Bad news is, it gets a little out of hand. But wouldn’t that be a normal reaction. It just doesn’t happen – it only happens in the stories that we read.

Sidney does a great job of keeping our attention. We want to know what’s going to happen next. If we don’t turn the page we’ll never know what happens next. She does a great job of describing the heat that pulses between her two main characters- can we say hot!

Then, Daniel Blackburn enters the picture. He’s got everything – a real hunk and his own TV series. You want to continue reading to find out what happens to the main characters. You don’t want to be half asleep when you’re reading this book.

Sidney certainly has a way with words. She puts the reader on a rollercoaster and as soon as we get to the top, she puts the breaks on. But you’ll have to keep reading in order to finish this great ride. As we finally come to the end of this ride you’ll say “ah”. Then you say, “when can we go again”.

Rating:

Buy: Demons Like It Hot

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Review: Pulled Long by Christine d’Abo

Lynn Reynolds — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 09:07:28 +0000

Reviewed by Lynn Reynolds

Book 3 of the “Long Shots” series.

Ian Long owns a coffee shop with his two sisters. Jeff Carson is a straight guy that’s getting a divorce and has a crush on Ian. Christine has given her reader’s another interesting read.

Right in the first chapter, Ian goes for it. You have to cheer Ian on – he really deserves some happiness. Jeff is very blunt about what he’s looking for from Ian. Ian got burned once so now he has self-esteem issues. On their first date, they go to Maverick’s (a sex club for adults).

Christine has them doing “truth or dare” on their first date in one of the rooms at Maverick’s. It was a very interesting scene. What a way to get to know each other. Her sex scenes never disappoint her readers – can we say hot!

I love how Christine doesn’t make relationships easy for her characters – just like in real life. Nothing is straightforward between Jeff and Ian. And of course one of them has an ex. Jeff has the type of personality where he expects answers – he’s exactly what Ian needs. Christine shows the reader that everyone can feel vulnerable but that most families are there no matter what. At the very end, she gives the reader a chuckle.

You will be glad that you have read this series. You don’t have to read any of the books, in this series, in order but at some point you have to read each one. You won’t regret reading the works of Christine d’Abo. You’re also one step closer to reading Josh’s story.

Rating:

Buy: Pulled Long

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Yummy Holiday Drink Recipe!

Guest Blogger — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 12:07:01 +0000

Guest blog by Gabriella Hewitt, author of Charmed Ever After

I love the holidays!

The smells, the sights, the sounds, and all the pretty ribbons and bows being thrown around make me jolly and merry. I especially love getting my eggnog on! You know that delicious thick milky drink that only appears on supermarket shelves around this time of year and then disappears until next December.

I have fond memories of my mother getting a bottle of Coquito (literally translated means little coconut) but is better known as eggnog. Coquito is a popular Christmas drink in Puerto Rico and Trinidad. Every year my Trinidadian aunt would whip up her special rum-laden brew. My mother coveted her supply and once in a while would share the rummy yummy goodness. She only gave me just a touch, enough to savor the flavor but never enough to get drunk. Now that I am old enough and can indulge all I want, I like to whip up my own batch. Here is the recipe:

COQUITO DRINK

Ingredients:

1 cup white rum
1 can coconut milk
2 egg yolks
1/8 tsp salt
6 fl oz sweetened condensed milk
Cinnamon or nutmeg spice

Directions:

Pour half of rum into blender.
Add coconut milk. Blend together.
Add egg yolks, salt, and condensed milk and blend until smooth.
Pour into large pitcher.
Add remaining rum and stir.
Refrigerate.
Remove from fridge 30 minutes before serving.
Stir well and serve in small glasses, sprinkle liberally with cinnamon or nutmeg.

Drink up and Be Merry!

Want more holiday recipes? Get a free gift from Gabriella today. A free eBook download of HOT IN THE KITCHEN featuring today’s hottest romance authors and sizzling recipes. http://www.gabriellahewitt.com/free-reads/

CHARMED EVER AFTER

Available December 22, 2011

Doesn’t every princess deserve a prince charming and their happily ever after?

Obviously not for Cuban-American Princess, Rosario Garcia, the eldest daughter of the Jersey City werewolves. The last minute thrown together gaudy nightmare was not how she pictured her wedding day and Rosario is not taking kindly to the forced marriage to the arrogant alpha wolf of Hoboken, NJ. Unfortunately, her choices are limited and the marriage necessary to unite the warring clans, but that can all change if she finds her missing uncle and fourteen million dollars. What’s a girl to do?

She has three choices:

Run-away and join the circus
Sell her kidney and other unnecessary body parts to raise millions of dollars
Call upon her fairy-godmother

When Rosario accepts the antique ceremonial dagger from her crazy, drunken fairy-godmother, Madrina Hady, as a wedding gift, she never in her wildest dreams figured it would be the key to escaping her impending wedding. Only now she is trapped in fairyland with Prince Charming! Normally she wouldn’t complain but he has declared war on werewolves and if she is not careful, she’ll end up in the dungeons too. Will she be able to solve the mystery behind her missing uncle and find a way out of fairyland to get back in time to stop her own clans from warring? Or will she be Charmed Ever After by Prince Charming?

Buy: Charmed Ever After

Read an excerpt and view the trailer.

About the Author: Gabriella Hewitt is the pen name of creative writing talents Sasha Tomaszycki and Patrizia M.J. Hayashi. Together they weave tales of romantic suspense and dangerously sensual paranormals. Check out the website www.GabriellaHewitt.com to see upcoming events and new book releases.

GIVEAWAY: I have 2 ebook copies of Charmed Ever After for giveaway. Enter by leaving a comment on your favorite holiday recipe. Open internationally. Last day to enter December 23, 2011.

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What’s Your Passion?

Guest Blogger — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 09:33:37 +0000

Guest Blog by Nicola Marsh, author of Busted in Bollywood

I’m passionate about many things. My beautiful boys, my hubby, my books, my writing, my family. Other passions? Travelling, boots, chocolate, Bollywood and food. I’m extremely passionate about food! So what better way to combine a few of my passions than writing a Bollywood book filled with food?

Busted in Bollywood is a contemporary romance/romantic comedy/chicklit/women’s fiction novel.

Shari Jones needs to get a life. Preferably someone else’s.

Single, homeless and jobless, Indo-American Shari agrees to her best friend’s whacky scheme: travel to Mumbai, pose as Amrita, and ditch the fiancé her traditional Indian parents have chosen. Simple. Until she’s mistaken for a famous Bollywood actress, stalked by a Lone Ranger wannabe, courted by an English lord, and busted by the blackmailing fiancé.

Life is less complicated in New York.

Or so she thinks, until the entourage of crazies follows her to the Big Apple and that’s when the fun really begins. Shari deals with a blossoming romance, an addiction to Indian food and her first movie role, while secretly craving another trip to the mystical land responsible for sparking her new lease on life. Returning to her Indian birthplace, she has an epiphany. Maybe the happily-ever-after of her dreams isn’t so far away?

Think ‘Sex and the City’ meets ‘Eat, Pray, Love.’

With food. Loads of food!

And that’s what I’m sharing during my 3 week blog tour, my love of Indian food.

I’m posting Indian recipes for dishes taken from the book.

Today’s BOLLY-BITE is a recipe I remember my dad making often when I was a kid, because it’s packed with carrots. (Never mind about the sugar & ghee!)

(Like most recipes, there are many different versions. This one is my dad’s.)

CARROT HALWA

Ingredients:

1 kg carrots (a little over 2 pounds), grated
4 cups milk
100g ghee (clarified butter, 3.5 ounces)
1 cup caster (fine) sugar
1 cup sultanas
½ tspn cardamom seeds, finely ground
¾ cup slivered almonds (or cashews)

(Serves 8-12)

Method:

Place carrots and milk in a saucepan over low heat & bring to simmer.
Stir until carrot is tender and the milk evaporates. (Do this slowly so mixture doesn’t burn.)
Add ghee & cook until carrots start to brown slightly.
Add sugar, cook until mixture thick & drier.
Add sultanas, cardamom & nuts.
Serve hot with ice-cream, or serve cold after several hours in the fridge.

(Ground cardamom powder can be used as a substitute for the seeds, but you’ll need to use more, 1-2 tspns according to taste. I prefer the taste of cashews in this dish rather than the almonds, personal preference. Normal butter can also be substituted if you don’t have ghee, though ghee gives it a rich flavor.)

To discover what other tasty treats are coming up in BOLLY-BITES, follow the tour. Oh, and read the book!

Carrot halwa is a decadently rich sweet.

GIVEAWAY: To win an E-book of Busted in Bollywood, leave a comment about your favorite dessert. Open internationally. Last day to enter: December 18, 2011.

AUTHOR BIO: USA TODAY bestseller Nicola Marsh has published 30 books with Harlequin Romance and Presents series, and Busted in Bollywood is her first mainstream contemporary romance with Entangled Publishing. She loves chatting with readers and you can find her:

Website: http://www.nicolamarsh.com
Blog: http://nicolamarsh.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/NicolaMarshAuthor
Twitter: http://twitter.com/NicolaMarsh

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Review: The Soldier by Grace Burrowes

Aggie S. — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 09:59:58 +0000

Reviewed by Aggie S.

Devlin has finished with war and serving his King. He just wants to go home and take care of the family holdings. Upon arrival he finds a waif of a child in his fountain, dirty and straggling looking. He is informed that this waif conveyed with the estate, which he finds hard to believe. He is to be responsible for this child’s upbringing.

First thing he determines is that the child needs a bath, but nobody in the castle will help, so he assumes that this waif is a male child and then finds out differently rather quickly. Second he finds a governess, Emmaline, o take care of this unruly waif and a tutor to teach.

Emmaline is running from something or to something; Devlin can not decide which. But alas the soldier in him comes out again and he is determined to find out and do something about it. Emmaline in the meantime has decided that things are heating up too much and decides to take off again. She gives him notice and takes off. Winnie, in the meantime, becomes more of a handful because she wants Emmaline back. What happens, does the hero get the girl or do circumstances make things impossible?

Review: A must read! For an English romance this has a great story to it and was hard to put down once started. I hope to find more like it by this author.

Rating:

Buy: The Soldier