Friday, October 30, 2009

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.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

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.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

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.

Monday, October 26, 2009

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.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

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.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

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…

Monday, October 19, 2009

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.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

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.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009


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.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

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.

Romance Byte: Heat Seeker

Author: Lora Leigh
Series Connection: Elite Ops
ISBN: 978-0312945817
Genre: Action Adventure

Description:
John Vincent has always led a life of danger, and now he has every reason to want to remain as dead as the obituary in the Australian papers had proclaimed him to be. He’d left nothing behind in the life he had once led—except for one woman, and one night of unforgettable passion. Now, both will return to haunt him…
Bailey Serborne is still tormented by a past she can’t change and a man she hasn’t been able to forget. A man who was supposed to dead.. But now, a stroke of fate has revealed that sometimes, a woman is given a second chance to heal her heart—and exact the sweetest revenge…

Romance Byte: Out of the Darkness

Author: Jaime Rush
Series Connection: Book 2 of the Offspring Series
ISBN: 978-0061690365
Genre: Paranormal

Description from author's website:
In one minute, Zoe Stoker goes from tattoo artist to a woman with assassins hot on her trail. All her life she's felt like a freak, and now the Offspring, people who also have extraordinary psychic abilities, are her only hope. As their group grows stronger, and the enemy gets more dangerous, one sexy loner pushes her to the brink of love.

Description from Amazon.com:
They live ordinary lives, but they are extraordinary. They are the Offspring, children of a mysterious experiment gone awry—and they are in terrible danger.
Rand Brandenburg can see the future, yet thus far all he has done with his unique ability is become a skillful gambler. But according to the Offspring, his power has made him a target and could get him killed. So the loner used to living on the edge is now hiding out with others just like him, including Zoe Stoker, a mysterious redhead who has his heart soaring.
But that's not the only thing Zoe's got flying. All her life, whenever she felt anything too intensely, objects would start moving. She's never been able to control her power, so instead she's shut down her emotions. Now, as a powerful enemy approaches, she's losing control of her heart. But letting love lead her out of the darkness might save her life . . .

Romance Byte: On The Edge

Author: Ilona Andrews
ISBN-13: 9780441017805
Genre: Paranormal

Description:
Rose Drayton lives on the Edge, between the world of the Broken (where people drive cars, shop at Wal-Mart, and magic is a fairy tale) and the Weird (where blueblood aristocrats rule, changelings roam, and the strength of your magic can change your destiny). Only Edgers like Rose can easily travel from one world to the next, but they never truly belong in either.

Rose thought if she practiced her magic, she could build a better life for herself. But things didn’t turn out how she planned, and now she works a minimum wage, off the books job in the Broken just to survive. Then Declan Camarine, a blueblood noble straight out of the deepest part of the Weird, comes into her life, determined to have her (and her power).

But when a terrible danger invades the Edge from the Weird, a flood of creatures hungry for magic, Declan and Rose must work together to destroy them—or they’ll devour the Edge and everyone in it . . .

Romance Byte: The Renegade Hunter

Author: Lynsay Sands
ISBN: 978-0061474316
Genre: Paranormal/ Vampire 


Description:
The Argeneau family has a secret…one of their own is a rogue vampire! Nicholas Argeneau was once a successful hunter who went after rogue vampires who break the immortal law. Except no one has mentioned his name in the last fifty years, not since he turned into a rogue himself. But once a hunter, always a hunter. When Nicholas sees a bloodthirsty sucker terrifying a woman, it’s second nature for him to come to her rescue. He had no idea he would also want to kiss her senseless… 

One minute Josephine Willan is taking in a breath of fresh air, and the next sharp fangs are heading straight for her neck! Luckily a gorgeous stranger saves her life . . . and gets locked up for his troubles. Can a man who kisses so lovingly and passionately really have committed the crime he’s accused of? Jo isn’t so sure…and she’s determined to prove that this renegade hunter is worth fighting for.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Romance Byte: Jackson's Rise

Author: Tielle St.Clare
Series Connection: Maxwell’s Fall
ISBN: 9781419922985
Genre: Shifter/ Paranormal

[Excerpt]

Description:
Jackson has always been the brother in the background, but when his mate is threatened, he rises to the occasion.

When a phone call sends Jackson to Las Vegas to check on his brother, he’s not overly surprised to find Max gone. Jackson’s big surprise is waking up with a gorgeous naked Vegas showgirl on top of him.

Dani can’t believe the hot, hung stud in bed with her isn’t her soon-to-be-ex fiancé, Max. But soon the truth appears. They might look alike but Jackson’s quiet strength is polar opposite to his playboy brother. It appears she’s been sleeping with the wrong brother all this time…

When Reign, a Cat Shapeshifter, shows up needing Dani’s help to trap a killer, Jackson’s protective instincts kick in. The Cat community is dangerous to outsiders. To guard Dani, Jackson must become Reign’s lover. Though he’s never been with another man, Jackson will do whatever it takes to protect his mate.

Publisher Note: Sequel to Maxwell’s Fall. Though it is not necessary to read that book first, a richer reading experience will be found by reading both volumes together. And do you really want to miss out on Max’s story?

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Romance Book Review: Animal Instinct

Author: Paige Tyler
Series Connection: Men of Alaska
EBook formats ISBN: 978-1-60313-616-7
Trade paperback ISBN: 978-1-60313-617-4Genre: Torrid Romance Contemporary/ Paranormal

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Heidi Gibson is spending the summer in Alaska working on coming up with some new ideas for her paintings. Just before she is about to leave for home, she is attacked in the woods by a wolf. She counts herself lucky to be alive when Luke McCall comes to her rescue, until he tells her the most unbelievable story.

Luke is working in the forest of Alaska when he hears a woman scream and the scent of a werewolf in the woods. Running to the woman's rescue he can't believe that a were is attacking her. Chasing the other werewolf off, he is left to tell the woman, who is no doubt in shock, that she is going to turn into a werewolf herself.

Getting away from the sexy, but crazy, man who just tried to explain to her that she is going to turn into a werewolf is easy compared to how Heidi's life turns upside down in the next few days. The only one she can turn to is Luke, but can she believe that what he says is true?

Animal Instinct is a fast paced, sexy page turner. Heidi is a strong wonderful character. I loved the way Paige weaves Heidi dealing with turning into a werewolf into her character. Luke is the strong sensitive type who helps Heidi through her ordeal calmly while giving her the best sex of her life. All and all the story line is put together well and is a fun read for paranormal, erotic fans.

Description:
Artist Heidi Gibson is spending the summer up in Anchorage doing some painting when she gets attacked by a crazed wolf. She is rescued by golden-eyed wildlife biologist Luke McCall, who calmly informs she has been bitten by a werewolf and will turn into one during the next full moon. Thinking he’s obviously out of his mind, she can’t get away from him fast enough.

When strange things start happening to her, however, she begins to think the ruggedly handsome biologist could be right. Not knowing what else to do, she goes to Luke and is stunned to discover that he knows so much about werewolves because he’s one himself.

As Luke teaches her what she needs to know about being a werewolf, Heidi finds herself falling hard for the Alaskan hunk. But while they’re intent on each other, the werewolf that attacked her comes back into the picture, and he’s not exactly happy that another of his kind is trying to take the woman he believes is his rightful mate.

Can Luke and Heidi's attraction overpower the jealousy of the rogue werewolf?

About the author from the back of the book:
Paige Tyler is a full-time writer of erotic romance. She and her research assistant (otherwise known as her husband) live on the beautiful Florida coast with their easygoing dog and their lazy, I-refuse-to-get-off-the-couch-for-anything-butfood cat. When not working on her latest book, Paige enjoys reading, doing Pilates, going to the beach, and vacationing with her husband at Disney. She loves writing about strong, sexy, alpha males and feisty, independent heroines, and her books all have romance, adventure, humor, and of course, lots of hot sex!

Friday, October 2, 2009

Romance Byte: Hunting Season

Author: Shelly Laurenston
Series Connection: The Gathering, Book 1
ISBN: 978-1-60504-672-3
Genre: Paranormal

Description:
Stubborn, lethal, and from Jersey…what more could a Viking warrior want from his woman?

Neecy Lawrence, winged warrior for a Viking goddess and second-in-command of the fierce Crows, doesn't know what to do with a nice guy. As it is, making up for a past she'd sooner forget leaves her barely polite most days. But Raven leader and loyal Odin warrior, Will Yager, isn't just nice. He's gorgeous, hot, and a distraction she simply can't afford.

Yager has wanted Neecy in his life-and in his bed-for a long time. Not just for a night, but forever. And, like any self-respecting Viking, he'll stop at nothing to get what he wants. So what if she's the most difficult, complex, never-gives-him-a-break woman he's ever known? She's more than worth the effort. In fact, she's worth everything.

And if it turns out that twenty-four hours of non-stop, any-way-she-wants-it sex doesn't work with Neecy? Then it looks like he'll just have to get a little more creative...