Romance Book Review: Brier's Bargain

Author: Carol Lynne
Series Connection: Bodyguards in Love and Men in Love
ISBN: 978-1-907280-28-3
Genre: Contemporary romance/ M/M

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Brier's Bargain tells the story of Bram's (Men in Love books Tortured Souls and Reunion) twin brother Brier. When Carol Lynne first introduces Brier readers learn that when Brier and Bram were babies they were abused by their father. Brier was hurt so bad that he received brain damage and then was made a ward of the state. Bram never knew he had a twin brother until in Tortured Souls, Brier kidnaps Bram's lover. In Reunion Brier meets Jackie and falls in love, but Jackie has to go away for work purposes and leaves Brier behind.

Now time has again passed and in Brier's Bargain, Brier is working with his brother, Bram, for the security company. He is still keeping in touch with Jackie, who is still working overseas. When Jackie is injured in a bombing he comes home and all Brier wants to do is take care of his man and establish his independence. He hopes that he can convince his brother that he is ready to be his own man.

While worried about Jackie's condition, Brier makes a bargain with God to be a good man who does the right thing. When the FBI finally finds one of the men who abused Brier in the mental hospital they hope that he will testify against the dangerous man. In order to keep his vow Brier decides that he will do whatever it takes.

Once again Carol Lynne puts together a great story with difficult characters. Brier is not only emotionally, but mentally scared from his childhood. He will always be slow in his mental development. Carol delves into the difficulties for a men with these disabilities to find love and keep a relationship going.

Description:
Love is always special, but when you're a thirty-six year old man experiencing it for the first time, it's everything.

After spending his entire life in a hospital, Brier Blackstone is finally free to become the person he's always wanted to be. With the men of Three Partners Protection Agency as role models, how can he go wrong? And falling in love with bodyguard Jackson Benoit, is a dream come true, but the dream becomes a nightmare when Jackie is gravely injured in the line of duty. Feeling helpless, Brier makes a promise to God in exchange for his lover's life. One he intends to keep no matter what.

Jackie Benoit cherishes the love he's found with Brier. When his new lover insists on testifying against a violent man from his past in order to fulfill a promise, Jackie has no choice but try to stop him. If that doesn't work, Jackie will protect Brier with everything at his disposal.

Romance Byte: Chaos

Author: Barbara Huffert
Series Connection: Questing
ISBN: 9781419922275
Genre: Erotic Romance
Publisher: Ellora's Cave

[Excerpt]

Description:
When Shane McKade wakes up trapped in a bed, handcuffed to Alyssa Campini, he figures things could be worse. She aggravates him to no end but sex with the sassy photographer is smokin’.

Alyssa met McKade while photographing street gangs, and the hot cop has been a thorn in her side ever since. His only redeeming feature is an ability to deliver twenty-four orgasms in twenty-four
hours—if he can stop arguing with her long enough, that is.

Then Shane is shot protecting one of Alyssa’s gang kids. When both find their lives in danger, perhaps it’s time to stop fighting and start evaluating what they mean to each other…before it’s too late.

About the author from publisher's website:
For Barbara Huffert, reading has always been a favorite pastime. A few years ago, she started her first novel after one of the friends she trades books with challenged her to write something better than the last book they read. Barbaraʼs been writing ever since. With her opinionated cats sprawled wherever is most inconvenient, she now spends her time happily wandering through the worlds of her characters.

Romance Book Review: Crisscross

Author: Ericka Scott
ISBN: 1-59431-774-7 or 978-1-59431-774-3
Genre: Contemporary romantic suspense
Publisher: Write Words Inc.

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Lia Morgan's sister has disappeared and the police believe the woman has run off because she is afraid of a paternity case, but Lia knows her sister Sylvie would never do such a thing. With the help of an old flame, Lia goes in search of her sister without the aide of the police.

An old friend and former boss of Sylvie's also steps in to help, but is he there to aide in finding Lia's sister or to frame Sylvie in a plot of revenge.

Ericka Scott has done an exceptional job at weaving her plot and keeping her readers at the edge of their seat to the end in this suspense-filled novel. I enjoyed hearing the story from the point of view of all the characters, moving the fast paced story from many scenes in a way that helps the reader keep track of all the players. Very nicely done Ericka. Suspense with a little paranormal fans will enjoy reading this novel.

Description:
Crisscross (noun): A web of deceit entangling a bestselling author and her small son, two ex-lovers, and a killer with a knack for cruciverbalism and a thirst for revenge.

A psychic, and skeptic, and serial killer...

Lia Morgan has seen portents and signs since she was a teenager; however, few people believed her, including her own family. Although estranged, Lia travels across country to aid in the search for her missing sister, Sylvie. What seems to be a simple case gets complicated fast when Lia discovers her sister had a plethora of secrets, including a small son. Is her sister running from an impending paternity case like the police assume, or is her disappearance the work of a serial killer as her friends suspect?

An anthropologist and crossword puzzle fanatic, Jared Trimble is a packrat with a PhD. His world is grounded in the here and now, with no room for paranormal mumbo-jumbo. When Jared's asked to work as a consultant on a missing person's case involving a series of crossword puzzle clues, he's conflicted. One part's thrilled. The other part is suspicious; worried he fits the description of suspect more than investigator. All that is forgotten when he realizes his ex-lover, Lia Morgan, is the missing woman's sister.

While Lia follows signs and portents, Jared uses his wits and experience. When the two collide, nearly forgotten passions flare. As the final clue is revealed, the solution brings them both into the bull's-eye of the serial killer's target.

About Ericka Scott from the back of her book:
Ericka Scott is a multi-published, bestselling author of seductive suspense. She’s written stories for as long as she can remember and reads anything under the sun (including the back of cereal boxes in a pinch). She got hooked on romantic suspense in her college days, when reading anything but a textbook was a guilty pleasure.

Now, when she’s not chauffeuring children around, wishing she had a maid, or lurking at the library, she’s spinning her own web of fantasy and penning tales of seduction and suspense. She currently lives in Southern California with her husband and three children.

Romance Book Review: Changed

Author: Rose Marie Wolf
Digital ISBN: 978-1-60435-451-5
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Red Rose Publishing

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Written in the first person, Changed is the story of Cheyenne Buckler and the changes in her life after her family is killed and she is left alone to deal with life by herself on the family horse farm. Cheyenne finds living without her family hard to deal with and turns to drinking. One night after binge drinking she goes out to tend to the horses and is bitten by a wolf. Only this wolf isn't the normal kind of wolf. This is a werewolf and once again Cheyenne's life changes forever.

Skye is on the run from werewolf hunters. When he accidently bites Cheyenne, he knows he can't leave her alone while she faces changing into a werewolf, but he also knows that he will put her in danger if her stays with her.

I found Changed an interesting and compelling romance novel. I was impressed with the depth of emotion the author shows while telling a first person view of dealing with alcoholism and what it is like to feel out of control and angry. This is book is no light read, but emotionally charged with a great deal of sadness. While I enjoyed the paranormal angle to this story, I also found that it could have just as easily been a contemporary romance novel.

Description:
For twenty years of her life, Cheyenne Buckler lived a fairly normal existence with her parents and brother...until an accident claimed their lives. On her own, Cheyenne struggles to cope with the grief and keep the family horse farm going strong. When something begins spooking her horses, Cheyenne heads out to take charge, only to find the predator is something more than animal, something more than human...but just what Cheyenne needs.

Having been born a werewolf, Skye has never had to deal with the change, but his guilt-ridden conscience forces him to intervene in Cheyenne's life and save her from herself and from the burden he has unwillingly placed upon her. As he helps Cheyenne to deal with her newfound werewolf life, an enemy from his past returns to enact a deadly revenge, threatening to tear apart all that they have become.

Romance Book Review: Mery Christmas, Cowboy!

Author: Cindy Kirk
Series Connection: Meet Me In Montana
ISBN: 9780373654918
Genre: Holiday Romance

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Heartwarming holiday romance about a woman who grew up with highly educated parents who didn't express love, but practicality and a widower and his daughter who show her the true meaning of Christmas.

Seth needs someone to help him with his young daughter who has a broken arm and foot. His sister's friend, Lauren, is staying in their town temporarily while she finishes her degree. Hoping she can take some time out of her busy schedule to help him out he asks Lauren.

Lauren never celebrated the Christmas holidays as a child because he parents didn't believe in the celebration. She gets a real eye opener after spending Christmas eve and Christmas with Seth and his daughter. Along the way she falls in love with the widower and his daughter, but Seth made a promise to his dead wife and Lauren has places to go in her future when she gets her degree.

Description:
Lauren Van Meveren's life was all mapped out. It didn't include being a temporary nanny to Seth Anderssen's seven-year-old daughter. Even if the widowed rancher was the most heart-meltingly sexy man she'd ever met, filling her head with fantasies of forever at his Sweet River ranch. But when he asked, how could she say no?

All Seth needed was someone to care for his injured little girl. Someone warm and giving. Like Lauren. But how could he ignore the attraction sizzling between them? The beautiful academic was starting to make him believe in second chances. Could he give Lauren the most wonderful Christmas gift of all—love?

Romance Byte: Dear Mr. President

Author: Jaelyn Storm
ISBN # 978-1-61581-001-7
Categories: Gay Contemporary
Published By: Dreamspinner Press

Description:
Mike and Lucas are doing a great job raising Veronica and Bobby, but when the President reads Bobby's letter, they face a new challenge that could also affect the whole world around them.

"Dear Mr. President, I am writing to you today because my teacher said we had to for homework. Mrs. Pavel said that you are history. Since you are making history and telling the U.S. that everybody is equal can you make a law that says my uncles can get married and we can be a real family?"

Romance Byte: Cosmic Intervention

Author: Melanie Atkins
ISBN: 978-1-60088-404-7
Genre: Erotic Romance

Description:
A straight-lace business woman attending a sales conference knows she needs to come out of her shell if she's going to keep her job, but she doesn't count on meeting a hot, sexy stranger with magic hands and a mouth that drives her over the edge. Conference sessions have never been more fun.

Romance Byte: Her Dark Master

Author: Jennifer August
ISBN: N/A
Genre: Erotic Romance

[Excerpt]

Description:
It is an erotic Regency with a Cinderella twist. Sort of.
In Regency England, good girls like Victoria Ashford don’t pen wicked stories for underground sex papers and they certainly don’t don a mask and exchange places with a high-class whore in a desperate bid to share one night of passion with a man. Even the one she’s always desired.
When Matthew Corwin, Earl of Sussex, discovers the identity of his remarkably responsive, submissive “whore”, he plots erotic payback for her treacherous deception, never intending to let his heart get involved. But protecting her from a blackmailer makes him realize maybe there’s more than just being her dark master...
Available September 1, 2009

Romance Byte: When Seducing A Duke

Author: Kathryn Smith
Series Connection: Victorian Series book 1
ISBN: 978-0061340291
Genre: Historical Romance

[Excerpt]

Description:
The first in a new Victorian series

Enchant. Tempt. Entice. Beguile. Just a few things a woman must do when seducing a duke...

The Duke of Ryeton went to Saint's Row for a night of anonymous pleasure.

Rose Danvers went to Saint's Row for a night of forbidden seduction

It was a night that would begin the scandal of the Season.

Romance Byte: Tempt Not The Cat

Author: J.C. Wilder
Series Connection: Shadow Dwellers
ISBN: 978-1605047966
Genre: Shapeshifter/ Vampire/ Revenant/ Erotic Paranormal Romance

I'm so excited this is out. I can't wait to read it. I have read the Shadow Dwellers series a while back and thought it was great, but now I hear that J.C. has made some additions and changes to the series and it is even better.

Description:
What will happen when the hunter becomes the hunted…

A woman whose chances for love were destroyed…

After surviving a brutal kidnapping, Erihn Spencer has spent the past eighteen years living in the shadows. Scarred both physically and mentally, she spends her days writing romance novels dealing with the type of relationship she’s avoided. The night before heading into the mountains to start her new novel, a stranger approaches and shakes her world with one perfect kiss.

A man who could be her savior…

From the moment Fayne kisses her, the desire to possess this shy beauty is irresistible. Thrown together in a secluded house in the mountains, he’s torn between his need for her and the secrets that are destined to force them apart. As Erihn struggles to break free from years of self- imposed isolation, he finds he is the one who is now trapped by his desires, his dark self.

Their worlds collide and old secrets lead a bitter enemy to their door.

Author leaves romance book legacy

By Roni Gehlke
WHEN CAROL DOUGLAS Tillotson graduated from Antioch High School in 1957, she dreamed of someday publishing a book. As the years passed, she thought about accomplishing that goal, said her husband, Don, but many things seemed to relegate it to the back burner.

She finally completed a manuscript for a romantic thriller but never got to see the book published. Just a few months before it reached bookstore shelves, Tillotson succumbed to a short battle with breast cancer. She died in June at age 70.

"Carol was an extremely gifted and talented woman," Don Tillotson said.

After graduating from high school, she attended UC Berkeley, where she scored 100 percent on her entrance exam. After graduating college, she interviewed and was hired at Dow Chemical in Pittsburg.

"When Carol went to personnel to take the test, she scored 100 percent there, too," Tillotson said. "She was the only one to do so at the time. She scored better than the chemists who worked there."

After working at Dow for a few years, the Tillotsons moved to Placer County, where her joy in life was working with quarter horses in the Yolla Bolly wilderness of Northern California.
"She did other work there," Tillotson said. "But the only thing Carol wanted to do was write. She was never happier than when she was writing."

She also was a perfectionist, and although she wrote a few books over the years, nothing ever became of them. Finally,when she was ready to publish something, she sat down and wrote what turned out to be her only published work.

The book is titled "The Legend of Round Valley: A Romantic Adventure." The story idea was a suggestion of her husband's when Tillotson was looking for a subject.

Don Tillotson remembered when the couple had gone on a 10-day backpacking vacation in 1974. At the time, the Mendocino County area was filled with wilderness and Indian camps. Today, headlines abound about the area's illegal drug activity.

A grand jury report in 2008 found that the illegal drug industry dominates the Round Valley economy and that many of the area children experience an unstable home environment because of abuse of alcohol and illegal drugs.

"Carol really enjoyed that trip, and she still remembered it fresh in her mind," Tillotson said.
"The Legend of Round Valley" is a thriller about three couples on a romantic vacation that takes a dark twist, leaving the couples in a struggle for their survival.

When Carol Tillotson started writing the book, she did not know that she would soon be facing life and death struggles of her own. The cancer in her breast had gone undetected for four years, her husband said. By the time the doctors found it, all of the treatments tried were too late.

After Tillotson's passing, her husband continued to work to keep alive her memory, dreams and talent for writing by fulfilling her final wish. "She wanted to share her romantic thriller, 'The Legend of Round Valley,' with the world," he said.

The book opens with three couples leaving behind their worlds of hectic work and family life for a romantic getaway, setting out to explore unfamiliar terrain. Far from civilization, their guided horse tour leads them into contact with drug traffickers and Indian tribes.

Soon, their idyllic vacation turns into a nightmare. Lost and on the run, they realize they must work together to fight their attackers in order to make it through their vacation alive.
Tillotson said that through themes of love, hate, trust and betrayal, the close friends experience the darker side of human nature. "'The Legend of Round Valley' examines the deepest components of friendship and forces readers to reflect on their own relationships and experiences. The novel keeps readers anxious and on edge, anticipating the final fate of the couples," he said.

Tillotson said that his wife wanted to make sure that this book would do well before she would release it. Before sending the book to a publisher, she sent it to a literary professor at UC Davis and the head of a prestigious writing club in Arizona, who both praised it.
She finally sent the book to the publishers and received the approval letter around the same time she was diagnosed.

"I want to honor my wife and her memory," Don Tillotson says. "She was so proud of her book, and I want the world to share in the exciting story she spent her final days crafting."

"The Legend of Round Valley: A Romantic Adventure" can be found on several Internet sites, including eBay and Booktopia at booktopia.com.au/.

This is an article I wrote for my local newspaper, where I work as a journalist.

Romance Book Review: Celebration for the Dead

Author: Lauren Dane
Series Connection: Witches Knot 5
ISBN: 9781419915819
Genre: Paranormal/ Vampires

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It is almost time for El Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead and what a better way to celebrate then by reading a book that celebrates the popular Mexican holiday. I know this book is from last year, but author Lauren Dane does a great job of explaining the Mexican holiday, as well as tells a fantastic story with action paced adventures, sexy vampires, great food and fabulously erotic love scenes, it is well worth the read.

Celebration for the Dead is the final book of the Witches Knot series available through Ellora's Cave. It tells the story of a vampire hunter and a vampire who find love while they hunt for rouge vampires.

Both Melanie (Minx) Rodriguez and Connor Bell are familiar characters in the previous books in the series and while it wouldn't hurt to read the rest of the books to get to know the supporting cast, it isn't necessary if you are just looking for a good read with the holiday theme.

Melanie is very familiar with vampires. As a young child her grandparents and brother were killed by vampires. After killing her family, Melanie was then kidnapped by the vampires and taken back to their nest to feed from, until she escaped. Hating vampires and what they did to her family set the course of Melanie's life. She joined a team of vampire hunters and now spends her days killing them.

Every Nov. 2, Melanie returns to her grandparents home in Mexico and celebrates El Dia de los Muertos with the local community. This year is no different, except along the way she hopes to kill a vampire or two.

Connor Bell is an Oathkeeper leader. His job is to find the Oathbreakers and destroy them. In one of the previous Witches Knot books he meets Melanie and her team of hunters and an attraction forms, but before they can act on their feelings Conner leaves Melanie. Now looking to get her back he follows her to Mexico intent on winning her once and for all. All he has to do is convince her and keep her from getting herself killed while she tracks down the Oathbreakers.

Description:
Vampire Hunter Minx Rodriguez decides to mix a little business with pleasure when she heads to Mexico to celebrate El Dia de los Muertos. She's hot on the trail of the vampire who not only took her hostage and tortured her but also killed her friends and family.

Connor Bell finds himself in love with a Vampire Hunter who's skipped town without notice — much like he did to her just two weeks before. He heads to Mexico to find her and make things right.

Even as they work through their problems and plan a feast to celebrate the lives of those they've lost to the Oathbreakers, the threat remains. A Hunter's job is never done and there's a job to do in Mexico. The question remains as to whether Minx and Connor can survive what'll be asked of them both.

Romance Book Review: Anna in the Middle

Author: Barbara Elsborg
ISBN: 9781419920837
Genre: Erotic Romance/ M-F-M

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While trying desperately to get away from her sister and her sister's boyfriend, Anna climbs over a fence and meets Jax. After a one night stand and a misunderstanding, Anna goes back to her life, which is rife with problems. She's being stalked by a man who has claimed to be an ex-boyfriend. When he shows up as her sister's new boyfriend, no one will believe Anna when she says he was never her boyfriend.

Jax and Will have been together for a year and although Jax is happy with Will, something is missing. He realizes what that is when he meets Anna. Will is upset and scared about his and Jax's relationship when Jax tells him about Anna. At the same time he is determined for Jax and Anna to meet again. When he goes looking for her he realizes some things don't add up and his cop instinct is telling him something is wrong.

This story has an interesting plot. Anna stalker is certainly crazy and his character well written. Anna has a great character too, she's strong willed and sexy. What I can't figure out why no one will believe her about the man not being her stalker. I didn't see anything in the character development that would make her parents, sister or friends not believe her. I kept wondering if I missed something. Other than that, I thought the books was filled with passion, romance, great bedroom scenes and strong characters.

Description:
Anna is in the middle of a mess. She’s being stalked by a manipulative guy who’s about to marry her sister and has everyone convinced Anna is jealous. Her luck changes when she meets tall, blond and gorgeous Jax. But after a scorching night of sex, Anna discovers something that makes her think he’s married.

Jax is in the middle of a dilemma. He’s torn between the man he loves and a woman he’s just met. Tracking her down means risking what he already has—but he wants them both. Jax is desperate to find her, but will she understand what he has to tell her?

Will is in the middle of heartache. He knows Jax loves him, though he’s never said it. He also knows Jax has found a woman. Torn between being a good friend and Jax’s lover, Will’s not sure their relationship will survive. The only way to find out is to locate Anna for Jax. But when Will finds her, he discovers the reason Jax has fallen so hard.

One of the delicious heroes in this story—Jax—was originally introduced in Something About Polly, however this story is a perfect stand-alone.

Romance Byte: Hot As Sin

Author: Bella Andre
ISBN: 978-0440245018
Genre: Contemporary suspense romance
Release Day: Today

http://www.bellaandre.com/books_hotassin.html

Description:
Sam MacKenzie is a wildland firefighter with few peers. He's utterly fearless - there's no one waiting for him at home, no reason not to risk it all. Out of the blue, the only woman he's ever loved - the same one who ground his heart to dust ten years ago - shows up begging him for help. Dianna's sister is in big trouble somewhere in the rugged Colorado Rockies, and he's the only person Dianna knows with the skills to track her sister down.

Working together on their quest to find Dianna's sister, they soon realize there's a killer on the loose and his true target isn't Dianna's sister...it's Dianna herself. Using his extreme outdoor skills, Sam needs to track down the killer, before he loses the woman he loves forever.

Romance Book Review: Bought and Paid For

Author: AKM Miles
ISBN: 978-1-907010-63-7
Genre: Contemporary M/M

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Deacon has finally got a chance to get back together again with the man he loved, but will Parker give him a chance. Since this story is so short I won't give the details away, but for those who enjoy M/M romance, you'll like this erotic, romantic piece about two men in love torn apart by bigotry finally getting a chance to be together once again.

Description:
Wait until Dr. Parker Easton finds out it's his former lover, Deacon, who has "bought" him for a date at the bachelor auction in which he was forced to take part.

Dr. Parker Easton has used his work as an oncologist to try and forget the pain of losing his lover, Deacon Wagoner. Parker had thought they'd be together forever, and he would never understand how Deacon could have cheated on him. It had been two years and Parker was still too hurt to even think of seeing anyone else.

Now he was forced to participate in a fundraiser for the new hospital wing, a ridiculous bachelor auction. He'd planned on donating only, but now found he had to strut out there and try to raise money for the cause.

Stunned, barely covered the way he felt when he found out it was Deacon who had arranged to pay an exorbitant amount for the date. What the hell?

About the author from the book:
AKM Miles loves reading the M/M genre and decided to write what she loves. Early authors, read years ago in this area, were not as much interested in love, storyline, and character development, as those that she has found recently. Thrilled with the new works, AKM set out to make a career in this field. You can expect there to be a happy ending every time. You can expect for the two to find each other and choose to be together fairly early on, and then face conflicts, trials, and experiences as a couple. AKM prefers that over going back and forth over whether the love is returned or not. She loves to throw children in the mix, along with pets and wacky and wonderful friends. Hopefully, readers will love the emotional love stories that fill her head and spill onto her computer.

Romance Book Review: Heat of the Storm

Author: Elle Kennedy
Series Connection: Out of Uniform
ISBN: 978-1-60504-633-4
Genre: Erotic Romance

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Will has loved Mac since the day he met her 15 years ago, but he has stood by while she dated other men and waited for her. Finally she kisses him and he isn't her let get away now no matter what.

Mackenzie has one man who has stayed by her side through everything, including the face that she's psychic. She can't let their friendship be ruined by letting him get too close. The only problem is that Will won't let her get away with that.

Heat of the Storm is a fast paced novella featuring some very sexy love scenes and, surprisingly, even a nice plot for a short story. Looking for something to warm the cool nights of Fall, this book ought to do the job.

Description:
Lieutenant Will Charleston has waited fifteen long years to show up as anything other than a one-pixel blip on Mackenzie Wade’s romantic radar. If a powerful storm is what he needs to send her into his arms, he’ll take it. Once the hot sex is over, though, she seems determined to kick him right back into the friend zone.

Not this time. This time, he’s going to teach her the meaning of tenacious.

Mackenzie has always had feelings for Will, feelings she fights with all her strength. He’s her best friend, her safety net. The one man who’s not scared of her accursed psychic gift. No doubt he drives her wild in bed, but their night of passion was more than a mistake. It generated a tragic vision of the future, one that leaves her more confused—and afraid—than ever.

Problem is, Will knows her too well. Plus he’s a SEAL to the bone. And they don’t like to lose...

Warning: This title contains a Navy SEAL who knows exactly what he wants—ridiculously hot and dirty sex with the woman he’s been fantasizing about for years. Stormy sex and graphic language await you.

Author Cameron Dane offers a series that has something for everyone

Author: Cameron Dane
Series Connection: Hawkins/Quinten, Montana Series
Publisher: Loose Id
Genre: Paranormal/ Contemporary Romance/ M-F Roamnce/ M-M Romance/ Mystery/ Suspense/ Thriller

Last week I picked up a book by author Cameron Dane called Dreaming in Color. Reading it had reminded me that I had wanted to go back and read some more of the Hawkins series that the author had written last year. I read Knowing Caleb, which was the final book in the series, and like it so much.

So I spent the week reading the rest of the series and I was so impressed that I decided to write them up all in one. One of the best features about this series is that there are many different romance genres going on throughout the series. The series features three men who, although not related by blood, all share familial bond. They are all demons who shift into human. Meeting nearly two hundred years ago in their teens, the three shifter are not interested in living the way other demons do and decided to go off on their own.

The three must follow the rules of the demons, but they pretty much stay among themselves and hope for the day that they can break the demon curse and become fully human.

In the first story, Demon Moon, Cameron introduces Connor. In order to become human Connor has to find a woman who is completely and truly in love with him. If they can complete a special ritual, on the full moon that takes place on a Halloween night, Connor's demon will go away.

Connor is in love with Cassie. She is the woman of his dreams, but she is too young for him and he keeps away. He refuses to reveal himself as the demon and ask for her help.

In book 2, Fallen, Cameron introduces readers to Cain. Cain has known all his life that he is gay, but for his type of demon it is against all the rules to be with another man. If he is found out he could be killed. No one has tempted Cain in 175 years. That is until Luke. Connor asks Cain if he can help by giving Luke a job. Now it is just a matter of time before Cain takes what he wants and the demon council finds out and orders Cain execution.

In book three, ReneCade, the demon angle of the story is basically forgotten and Cameron introduces readers to other members of the supporting cast of the series. Ren and Cade. Ren is the sheriff's son and a young man who works for the Hawkins. He knows he is gay, but is afraid to let anyone know for fear that it will ruin his father's reputation and ultimately ruin the relationship between Ren and his father.

Cade is a quiet deputy that works for Ren's father. He has experienced the worst that life of a gay man has to offer and has to live with the consequences every day. When he moved to Quinten, Montana he told no one he was gay, but he can't hide his feelings for Ren. The battle between the two men and their secret about their sexual orientation keeps the story moving.

Book 4, Ride, is the story of the Sheriff and Risa. Risa is not only Luke, from book 2, sister. She is also Ren's best friend. She has been in love with Sheriff, Duke, ever since she was a teenager. Duke is 20 years older than Risa and is worried what the people of his small town will say when he starts up a relationship with a younger woman. Then there is the problem about the fact that Risa is a bull rider and Duke hates the fact that she is involved in such a dangerous sport.

And in Book 5 and what appears to be the end of the series, but who knows, is Knowing Caleb. Caleb Hawkins has always been a fun loving sort. He hinds his relationship issues behind of mask of having affairs with one woman after another. Then one day he sees an acquaintance in trouble and helps the other man out.

Jake is depressed and despondent over the passing of his wife. Even after four years he can't seem to get over her death. When Caleb makes him an offer as foreman of his ranch, Jake jumps at the chance and moves in with Caleb. An attraction like nothing either of them have ever felt before grabs hold of both men for each other. The only problem is that neither of the men are gay and neither want to be. As the two men come to terms with the way they are feeling for each other and what to do about it, an unknown is trying to kill Caleb. This story is where the author re-introduces the demon theme to the story.

Many times I've heard that authors shouldn't mix genres in a series, but I think that this series is a prime example of how well it can work. The five books hold together as a unit well, and it isn't necessary for everyone involved in the series to know that the Hawkins brothers are demons to make the series mesh together. These books are good for an easy week long read for fast readers or someone who enjoys series books. While much of the sex scenes are pretty vanilla in content, they are on the erotic side, especially in the M/M books.

Book descriptions from the back of the book:

Demon Moon

Rancher Connor Hawkins despises every drop of demon blood that courses through his veins. He would give just about anything to become human. The only way he can make that happen is to participate in a darkly sensual ritual under a rare full Halloween moon with a woman who loves him unconditionally. He's got the full moon, if only he can risk his heart and tell Cassandra Claire what he really is.

Cassie Claire thinks she already knows the real Connor, and she's been in love with him since she was eighteen years old. They've shared a unique friendship from the day her father died and Connor brought her home to live with his family. But she's twenty-three now, and on this
Halloween night she's determined to make the stoic, stubborn Connor open his eyes and finally see her for the strong, capable young woman she's become.

But it's hard to trust when you never have, and Connor has precious little time before the full Halloween moon wanes, not to be seen again for many, many years. He has to tell her, but if he does, will she love him enough to do what must be done?
They'll both find out, one passionate night under a Demon Moon.

Falling: An Erotic Love Story

Cain Hawkins is a master at suppressing his desires. After all, he's been doing it for over one hundred years. What Cain wants more than anything is a man to love, but he knows that no matter how much he craves it, it can never be. Because Cain is a Naverto demon, and to desire another man is more than forbidden, it is an act that will bring about his execution. So he keeps to himself, working with abused horses on a small patch of land, all on his own. But then his brother makes a request that Cain cannot refuse.

Luke Forrester just wants a job and a place where he can recover from the brutal beating he took at the hands of his former boss. He dreams of a place where he can work with the horses that he loves so much. The fact that he's had a crush on Cain Hawkins, his best friend's brother-in-law, for more than two years threatens everything. But Luke's determined not to screw things up. He will do the work and prove to Cain that it wasn't a mistake to hire him, and he won't allow the fact that he desires something more with Cain to interfere with his work one bit.

But working and living in such close proximity can test the best of intentions, and when one kiss leads to something much, much more, Cain must open himself in a way that he never has before. He must trust Luke completely and tell him everything about who and what he is. And together, they must find a way to fight for Cain's humanity and save him from his demon clan before he is found out and they are ripped apart forever.

ReneCade

Lawman Cade McKenna moved to Quinten, Montana in order to forget his past, one that left his face half covered in scars. He does his job with quiet authority, but otherwise wants to be left alone.

Ren Boone loves his job as a jack-of-all-trades for Hawkins' Ranch. If only his personal life were as uncomplicated as his work. Ren needs to get over a crush on his best friend, and he has to find a way to tell his father, the sheriff, that he's gay.

When sabotage hits the ecological project Ren is working on, Cade is assigned the case. Suddenly, Cade is fighting an attraction for the boss's son, and Ren starts to see the serious Deputy McKenna, a man who can no longer smile, as breathtaking and beautiful.

As danger mounts, tempers and desires flare out of control. Ren and Cade explode in an act of passion that sends them both reeling. A secret affair begins, one fraught with peril and misunderstandings right from the start. Then Ren makes a catastrophic mistake that almost costs Cade his life. Can Cade forgive him and let Ren back into his vulnerable heart?

Ride

Bull rider Risa Forrester and Sheriff Duke Boone have been dancing around their attraction for the better part of a year now. Almost everyone in Quinten, Montana can see it, even though Risa and Duke have never so much as kissed, let alone anything more. Risa has been in love with the sheriff for a long time and senses Duke feels something for her, too. He's so damned rigid though -- and used to being in complete control -- that he won't let go with her and act on the fire that burns between them.

Duke knows he can never give in to the simmering lust he feels for the much younger Risa Forrester. Their age difference alone makes anything between them wildly inappropriate, and he will not invite small town gossip to his front door by engaging in a relationship with the vibrant young woman, who also happens to be his son's best friend.

But when Risa begins to seriously compete against men in her bull riding career, emotions long unused start to stir in Duke, ones he cannot ignore. Duke's fear of Risa getting hurt drives the passion between them, and before Duke knows it he is knee-deep in an affair with the hottest, most wildly engaging woman he has ever known. Duke finds himself almost obsessed with Risa -- something he hates feeling -- and is constantly fighting desire he swore he would never let in his life again.

The need to keep Risa safe pushes Duke into a reckless ultimatum, and in doing so forces the independent Risa right out of his arms. Can Duke find a way to let go of the strict control he holds over his life and allow a woman back into his heart? And if he can, how much of his soul will he have to give to this fiery woman in order to convince her that she's the only one he wants, forever?

Knowing Caleb

Caleb Hawkins has watched his brothers fall in love, all the while knowing that for him, it can never be. Caleb has terrible secrets locked in his soul, events in his past for which he can never atone or be forgiven. Someone discovering that he is a demon is the least of what leaves Caleb trembling with nightmares.

Jake Chase lost his wife six years ago and has never recovered. He doesn't want to fall in love again and has shunned even a simple date, let alone something more with a woman.

Caleb needs a foreman, and Jake needs a job that will get him off the rodeo circuit. Caleb hires Jake. Problem solved. Only, Caleb starts noticing little things about Jake he never has in a man before...things like hard lips and a honed, muscular body. For Jake, six years of celibacy have pushed him to a place of sexual need and he finds his gaze straying Caleb's way…and watching, hungrily.

Can Jake let go of his wife enough to find love with a man? If he can, will Caleb let down his walls and trust Jake with his past, risking his very soul for a chance at forever?

About the author from the back of the book:
I am an Air Force brat and spent most of my growing up years living overseas in Italy and England, as well as Florida, Georgia, Ohio, and Virginia while we were stateside. I now live in Florida once again with my big, wonderfully pushy family and my three-legged cat, Harry. I have been reading romance novels since I was twelve years old, and twenty years later I still adore them. Currently, I have an unexplainable obsession with hockey goaltenders, and an unabashed affection for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

Romance Byte: Pink Buttercream Frosting

Author: Lissa Matthews
ISBN: 978-1-60504-678-5
Genre: Erotic Romance

Description:
Desire: Blend sinful with sweet. Whip to perfection. Don’t forget to lick the spoon…

Aidn Greer is a much-sought-after Dominant in the BDSM lifestyle with an unusual problem. He hasn’t owned a submissive in more years than he cares to think about. He’s bored with unchallenging women, yet mentoring other Doms and training subs has left him cold as well. He’s craving something other than plain old vanilla—a taste of something sinfully sweet that, for once, he can really sink his teeth into.

Professional cake baker Bailey Harris wasted ten years bored to tears with her marriage, enduring a job she hated, and harboring a secret desire for something passionate, fulfilling and dark. Then she found it…in the world of BDSM. Exploring on her own brought the kind of mind-opening experiences that led her to declare her independence—and exposed a yearning to find the one Dom for whom she’s willing to kneel. Permanently.

When Aidn and Bailey meet, it’s fire and ice. Sugar and spice. And an experience that satisfies every detail of both their fantasies. Almost. While the big, beautiful sub is everything Aidn wanted, her fierce independent streak could be more of a challenge than he bargained for…

Product Warnings:
This book brings together scorching-hot counter sex, decadent pink frosting, and no-holds-barred BDSM play for a spanking good time. Be sure to bring an ice-cold drink along…

Romance Book Review: McShannon's Chance

Author: Jennie Marsland
ISBN: 978-1-877546-15-0
Genre: Western Romance/ Historical

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After fighting in the Civil War, Trey McShannon moves to the west a purchases a plot of land to settle. Nearly five years later he is ready to bring a wife to his home. Looking for the right partner he contacts an agency to help him find a mail order bride.

Beth Underhill is looking for a new life. Her family came west years ago and moved to Denver. Coming from a family with money it was expected that she would marry a man with money and live the life of a pampered woman. When the war is over, she finds that her family didn't have the money they once had. When her heart is broken by the man she though she loved, she realizes the life that was expected of her, wasn't the life she wanted at all and set to find her own destiny.

When Trey first meets Beth as she gets off the stage coach in the small western town in the middle of no where he thinks he made the biggest mistake possible. She wasn't anyone's idea of a rancher's wife, but how could he deny that they had made a deal? This lady won't last in the wilds of the west, but Beth is just stubborn enough to give it her best shot.

McShannon’s Chance, while maybe is slow moving at times, is a sweet sensual romantic story of two people looking for a new start in life and willing to go to the ends of the world to build something together. The authors extensive detail of life in the old west brings the story to life. The strong characters keep the readers entertained until the end. The story reminds me a lot of the old western love stories.

Description:
Trey McShannon survived the carnage of the Civil War, only to discover that the deepest wounds are those to the heart. A traitor to his home state of Georgia, Trey has built a new life for himself in the untamed Colorado Territory. Now it’s time to find a wife to share the future he’s worked so hard for – but can he free himself from his past?

Beth Underhill is looking for choices. Needing to marry to escape being sent back East, she prefers Trey’s honest business proposal to false promises of love. Can a union between a man who isn’t sure he can still feel love, and a woman who doesn’t believe it exists, blossom into more than a marriage of convenience?

Romance Book Review: Dreaming In Color

Author: Cameron Dane
ISBN: 978-1-59632-978-2
Genre: Contemporary Romance/ Paranormal/ M/M

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For two years Colin has been dreaming about a house and a man. He knows it is all in his head, but when he comes across a rundown version of the house in his dreams on a remote Fuji island, he knows he has to investigate.

Marek doesn't know what what to make of the man from his past who lands on his doorstep. He has came to this island to forget about partner who was murdered two years ago. When Colin tells Marek he is there because of a dream, Marek worries that Colin is out to exact revenge from their shared past.

When it become apparent that Colin is just what he seems to be, a man looking for answers about his dreams, Marek realizes that Colin doesn't know the secret that has haunted Marek for years and now it is too late to tell Colin without losing him. But will Marek lose him anyway when Colin finds out?

Cameron Dane has done a wonderful job with this emotionally charred novel of two men and how they deal with their individual homosexuality and their past. Marek has always been in the closet, keeping himself sheltered from harm and those, including his family members, who don't approve of his lifestyle. His relationships, even his relationship with his murdered lover, had always been in secret. He is a tortured soul that many times authors have a problem relaying with just words alone, but Cameron caught the essence of so well it made the book interesting and inspiring.

Colin is just the opposite of Marek in that he has lived through the worst that life could offer and pushed back to live a full life. After being nearly killed at the age of 17 he isn't afraid to put his neck out there and risk the hurt again. His strength of character is one of the best things about this book.

To top off an already interesting story is the mystery of Colin's dreams and what brought the two men together after all those years. The answers are worth the read.

Description:
Can a house possess a soul and want two men to fall in love?

The sight of the red door saves Colin Baxter in his dream, but very quickly a man appears and the dream becomes something of raw sexual need with a person Colin can’t identify. He just knows the man needs him, and Colin aches to heal his lover…even if the man doesn’t really exist.

Marek Donovan just wants to be left alone to lick his wounds and recover from a terrible loss. The rundown house in Fiji suits his minimal needs just fine. He doesn’t want to face the world again, and on a small, secluded island figures he’s safe from everyone and everything. Particularly guilt from his past.

Dreams of this nameless man and his house plague Colin for two years, but he’s come to care about his phantom lover so deeply he doesn’t want them to end. Then Colin visits Fiji and comes face-to-face with the house from his visions, prompting him to believe these dreams just might be his destiny.

Colin knocks on the door, determined to find answers.

He doesn’t expect the man who answers to be someone he already knows.

Romance Book Review: Jasmine's Urban Cowboys

Author: Laura Ashton
Series Connection: Sensual Awakenings 1
ISBN: 1-60601-444-7
Genre: Erotic Romance/ Menage a Trois/ Western/Cowboys

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On the evening when her divorce is final Jasmine meets two very attractive men. After spending a wild night with them she becomes worried that she is stepping right into a relationship that she promised herself she didn't want. She steps back but Ted and Gabe are persistent after falling madly in love with Jasmine.

Soon opportunities are opening up for Jasmine and her dreams are coming true and still her men are there in wings. It is time to come to a decision, but how can she choose between Gabe and Ted?

Jasmine's Urban Cowboys is filled with strong characters and lots of erotic scenes. I liked the heroine, Jasmine. She's strong willed and talented. I also liked both Gabe and Ted, who knew what they wanted and were willing to do what they had to, to be with the woman they loved.

There is a great deal of heat between the three lead characters, but there is more going on through the story than just great erotic love scenes. The author develops an interesting story to keep readers interested in reading the next story in the series, already available called Sharing Brenda.

Description:
After a nightmare marriage and a bitter divorce, Jasmine is ready to celebrate big time. Jaz meets Ted and Gabe, two deliciously attractive, available men.

Having spent a celibate year waiting for her divorce, waking up in the arms of a gorgeous hunk after a night of hot sex was at the top of Jaz's list. Either of these dreamboats would be wonderful, but which one? When she has trouble deciding, Jaz makes the decision that if either of them would be good, then both of them would be twice as good!

With that thought burning into her psyche, Jaz returns determined to seduce not one, but both of the ready and willing studs. What follows is a sexy, sometimes humorous story where the things that happen that night entwine all their lives, changing them forever.

Not really a blog, but I liked this site and it was interesting. Being an author is tough work and it is easy to get discouraged. The ladies at Darn It Romance have what looks like a great support group going.

Check them out at http://www.darnitromance.com.

Romance Book Review: What A Dragon Should Know

Author: G.A. Aiken
Series Connection: Dragon Kin 3
ISBN: 978-1420103755
Genre: Paranormal/ Shifter/ Dragon

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What A Dragon Should Know is the third installment in G.A. Aiken (a.k.a. Shelly Laurenston) Dragon Kin series. The story picks up where the story lines with Briec and Fearghus leave off. Gwenvael the Handsome is a vein golden dragon, who shifts into a beautifully handsome man. All of the women love him and pay him vast amounts of attention.

Asked to be a emissary for Queen Annwyl the Bloody, Gwenvael travels to the Northlands to meet with "the Beast". When he arrives he immediately insults the leaders of the Northlands by laughing hysterical when he realizes that "the Beast" is not a big burly man but a small woman.

Knowing he can't let his Queen down, Gwenvael has to devise a plan to get back into the good graces of the Northlanders. He knows he cannot seduce "the Beast" for she is the one woman who doesn't seem the least bit enamored by Gwenvael's good looks or his charm.

When Dagmar (a.k.a. "the Beast") hears that there is a dragon on her father's land she can't help but worry that her father and brothers think she would make a good human sacrifice. Instead she finds out that the dragon has been sent to speak for the Queen and to find out the information Dagmar has that will save the twins that the Queen is carrying. Too soon Dagmar is insulted and showing the dragon why she is called "the Beast".

Once Gwenvael is back in Dagmar's good graces, the two travel across the country land in order to save the life of the Queen of the Southland and her unborn children as well as barter a deal with the Southland to help save Dagmar's father's fortress. The story has a lot of humor and a lot of heartache through the pages. The supporting characters are fun and spirited. I loved the way the author interjected humor with Gwenvael reminding everyone who will listen of his handsomeness and perfect body attributes.

While there could be no two different characters than Gwenvael and Dagmar the two make a fabulous pair. Both are misunderstood by their families for very different reasons and yet they easily understand each other and their positions in life.

While I didn't find this book to be as hillarious as some of the novels that the author has written under the Shelly Laurenston name, I did see many similarities in style and context. Fans of the Shelly Laurenston books will find this series compatible and entertaining.

Description:
Only for those I love would I traipse into the merciless Northlands to risk life, limb, and my exquisite beauty. But do they appreciate it? Do they say, "Gwenvael the Handsome, you are the best among us-the most loved of all dragons?" No! For centuries my family has refused to acknowledge my magnificence as well as my innate humility. Yet for them, and because I am so chivalrous, I will brave the worst this land has to offer.

So here I stand, waiting to broker an alliance with the one the Northlanders call The Beast. A being so fearful, the greatest warriors will only whisper its name. Yet I, Gwenvael, will courageously face down this terrifying…woman? It turns out the Beast, a.k.a. Dagmar Reinholdt, is a woman-one with steel-gray eyes and a shocking disregard for my good looks. Beneath her plain robes and prim spectacles lies a sensual creature waiting to be unleashed. Who better than a dragon to thaw out that icy demeanor?

And who better than a beast to finally tame a mighty dragon's heart?

Romance Byte: The Most Wicken of Sins

Author: Kathryn Caskie
ISBN: 978-0061491016
Genre: Historical

Description:
Lady Ivy Sinclair can't live without funds much longer, so she vows to land a sensible, serious husband her father will accept. But just when the gentleman is about to pop the question, another woman snatches away his attentions. Furious, Ivy hatches a plan—make him jealous by hiring a handsome man to impersonate a marquess—a marquess who happens to be madly in love with her.

The moment Ivy boldly kisses Dominic Sheridan—to test his fitness for the task at hand—she's sure he's perfect. What Ivy doesn't know is that the blue-eyed rake isn't acting at all, but intent on seducing her into committing the most wicked of sins.

Romance Byte: Temptation and Surrender

Author: Stephanie Lauren
ISBN: 978-0-06-124341-7
Genre: Historical

Description:
Her stories about the glittering world of Regency England have made New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Laurens one of the worlds more beloved and popular authors. In this novel she poses the question, how much temptation is required to lure a lady to surrender her heart?

Handsome, wealthy, and well-born, Jonas Tallent has everything a gentleman needs to enjoy London society to the fullest - and he has. He's played cards until dawn, flirted with eligible young ladies, and made love to some ineligible ones. 

But now he's restless, bored with the mindless frivolity and careless pleasure, so its with a sense of relief that he takes up the reins of his family's estate in rural Devon. His most pressing need is to hire a new manager for the inn--the center of village life. Such a small task, yet he discovers few decent applicants are willing to live in a quiet country backwater.

Then genteel but impoverished Miss Emily Beauregard applies for the position. Jonas's initial response is an emphatic "no!" Ladies, especially one as attractive as Emily, belong in the ballroom or the bedroom, not running an inn. But with no alternatives, he grudgingly allows Emily to try, and she rapidly proves herself worthy, resurrecting the inn with tact and skill.



But Em has a secret. Its not only the need to provide for herself and her orphaned siblings that has brought her to Devon. She's surreptitiously searching for a family treasure hidden in the village, the only clues to its location a cryptic rhyme handed down through the generations. Emily is determined to solve the puzzle, find the treasure and reinstate her family to its rightful place in society.



Yet Em hasn't bargained on Jonas. His experience is temptation, his attentions irresistible, and he's determined to aid her in her quest. He eventually persuades her to trust him, and together they unravel the clues . But someone else is watching, waiting, and once the family legacy is unearthed, the villain strikes, threatening Em, her family, and the love she and Jonas have discovered in each others' arms.

Romance Byte: Audrey's Door

Author: Sarah Langan
ISBN: 978-0061624216
Genre: Paranormal/ Suspense

Description:
Built on the Upper West Side, the elegant Breviary claims a regal history. But despite 14B's astonishingly low rental price, the recent tragedy within its walls has frightened away all potential tenants . . . except for Audrey Lucas.
No stranger to tragedy at thirty-two—a survivor of a fatherless childhood and a mother's hopeless dementia— Audrey is obsessively determined to make her own way in a city that often strangles the weak. But is it something otherworldly or Audrey's own increasing instability that's to blame for the dark visions that haunt her . . . and for the voice that demands that she build a door? A door it would be true madness to open . . .

Romance Byte: Witch Craft

Author: Caitlin Kittredge
Series Connection: Nocturne City, Book 4
ISBN: 978-0312943622
Genre: Paranormal/ Suspense

Description:
Someone, or something, is setting fire to the homes of the city’s most infamous non-humans, racking up a body count that’s growing by the day. And strange, otherworldly creatures no one has seen before—selkies trolls and harpies—are causing chaos throughout the city. Racing to stop the carnage, Luna turns to sexy federal agent Will Fagin for help. As they work to uncover the source of the bloodshed, Luna’s attraction for Will deepens. But just as she learns Will’s darkest secret, Nocturne City is thrust into total chaos—leaving Luna and Will in a path of destruction they may not be able to stop…or survive.

Romance Byte: Can't Stand the Heat

Author: Louisa Edwards
ISBN: 978-0312356491
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Description:
For sharp-tongued Miranda Wake, the chance to spend a month in Adam Temple’s kitchen to write an exposé is a journalistic dream come true. Surely Miranda can find a way to cut the hotshot chef down to size once she learns what really goes on at his trendy Manhattan restaurant. The trouble is, she never expected Adam to find out her most embarrassing secreT: this critic has no idea how to cook.

As for Adam, well, he’s not about to have his reputation burned by a critic who doesn’t even know the difference between poaching and paring. He’ll just have to give the tempting redhead a few private lessons of his own—teaching Miranda what it means to cook with passion.

Romance Byte: Show No Fear

Author: Marliss Melton
ISBN: 978-0446509275
Genre: Contemporary Suspense

Description:
Fear has a way...

Lucy Donovan always gets her man. As a fiercely independent CIA agent, she's survived hundreds of death-defying missions. But her latest may just get her killed. Weighed down with a secret she's desperate to keep, the last thing Lucy needs is to be sent undercover with a man who brings out the best--and the worst--in her.

Of getting you killed...

Navy SEAL Gus Atwater never turns down an assignment, even if it means working with the only woman he's ever loved and lost. So with a volatile mix of desire and distrust, Lucy and Gus confront their tangled past. Pretending to be man and wife is risky enough, but now the clock is running out. As their mission escalates from desperate to deadly, will Lucy's secret expose them both?

Romance Byte: Riptide

Author: Margaret Carroll
ISBN: 978-0061652776
Genre: Contemporary Suspense

Description:
She couldn't shake the feeling that snakes were slithering around her bare feet. She ran, leaving the relative shelter of the dunes behind, emerging onto the open expanse that was the strand.

Normally, the strand stretched forty feet, from the leading edge of the dune to the tide's edge.

Not tonight. Her feet landed in water just steps below the dune.

The waves shouldn't be breaking this close to shore

The wind and the rain made it too dark to see.

Breathing heavy, Christina retreated a few steps into the soft heavy sand at the base of the dune behind her.
The beach moved and groaned with shifting shadows and wind and bits of white flashing at the line of breakers, close by in the dark.

Too close.

Cold spray flew through the air, coating her face, stinging her eyes.

The beach was alive with sound and wind and blowing, twisting sand.

A shape emerged, looming large and dark.

Fear gripped the base of her neck and fired through her nerve endings like an electric current.