Tempted by Lori Foster

Book Grade: B over all, see each mini review for individual grades
Cover Grade: B
Page Count: 459


Cover Chat:
The cover was one of my favorites of all my April reads. What else can I say. It is cutsie, and fun. YET it does not show any people (faces), we all know that's a huge plus for me!


Some women don't discover their inner vamp...they set her free!

Little Miss Innocent?
For Dr. Daniel Sawyers, sex therapist Lace McGee was a puzzle. While she kept putting all sorts of inappropriate ideas into his sister's head, Lace was even better at putting all kinds of naughty thoughts into Daniel's head. But just how down 'n dirty is Lace really?

Grade: B-

While I did like the story and characters in this one there were things that made me a bit mad. Like how judgmental Daniel was.

Daniel is a doctor and has practically raised his baby sister Annie and younger brother Max. His mother passed away when he was 12 and his father never really recovered from the loss of his true love.

So when Annie starts hanging around Lace, a sex therapist, Daniel disapproves immensely. Lacy is everything he does not want to see his baby sister; sexy, alluring, and promiscuous. At least that's what he assumes. Seeing the way Lace dresses, acts and talks he doesn't see how he can be wrong. But he's got a lot to learn about her.

After Lace gets bit by a dog (on her butt!) and ends up in Daniels ER Daniel can't seem to leave her alone. He stitches her up, to both of their discomfort, and takes her home. Lace has never really helped the situation with Daniel, if he wanted to think the worse of her then let him.

But when Daniel and Lace spend a lot of alone time together they realize maybe there is a lot more than dislike between them.

The thing that annoys me is the basic thing we see in all romance. Daniel disapproves of Lace when he thinks she's been with lots of men and is sexually free with herself. BUT he has a cabin that he uses for all his sexual relationships. And surprise surprise he ends up being ALOT more experienced than her. SHOCKER right?! lol. But it was a good read despite.

Annie, Get Your Guy
No one likes being treated like a kid sister - especially by a guy who could curl a girl's hair faster than hot rollers in an electric socket. So when Annie Sawyers sets out to seduce Guy Donovan once and for all, she tracks down every book about sex she can find... One of them has to work, right?

Grade: B

The entire reason Annie and Lace became friends was because Annie sought her out for advice on seducing the love of her life. Guy is her brother Daniels best friend, he's been around since she was a little girl, being ten years her senior. And although there have been a few stolen kisses through the years Guy has kept his distance and never pursued anything with Annie.

Well Annie is done being the sweet little tom boy. She's spicing things up if it's the last thing she does. But the night she initiates her plan Guy leaves in a haste and ends up in a car accident.

Aside from feeling completely guilty about the accident Annie does benefit a little. Daniel tells Annie to take Guy away, to the 'cabin', to mend up. Away from everything.

And that's where it all gets started.

I really liked this one. Annie was so funny and Guy such a dumb guy. When he was drugged up on meds after the accident? OMG it was sooo funny!

Messing Around With Max
Maddie Montgomery has decided that things have gotten critical. She needs a couple of notches on her bedpost - fast! And rumor has it that Max Sawyers is just the man to show her the goods...and then some. Now, if she can just get past his dog...

Grade: B+

Maddie's been friends with Annie for a bit now, and she's heard all the stories about her bad boy brother Max. So when Maddie walks in on her fiance all tied up and being tickled with a big feather by another woman she decides Max is the perfect man to add a notch or two to her own bed post.

Max on the other hand is done his womanizing days. He found a dog on the side of the road left for dead and ever since he's a changed man. He wants a wife, someone to make a family with him and his dog. But his dog hates about every woman that comes near.

Except for Maddie, sure Chloe puts up a fight but Maddie isn't' even fazed and loves her. The only problem? Maddie wants a fling and Max wants it all.

Although the plot is a bit far fetched it was a good one. I think I liked this one the best. It was full of laughter with Maddie and her ex-hooker friends that she counsels and Max and his dog.

All together? Not a disappointment. Nothing to bolt out to the store over but still good, fun and a little hot. So what else can you ask for right? Just don't pick it up if your looking for a deep meaningful romance.

True Believer by Nicholas Sparks

Grade: C+
Cover Grade: B
Buy It: Here

The Cover:
Well when I decided to do this with each new book I reviewed I thought it'd be fun. And it is, with bad covers. lol. I mean what do I say about this one? The lighthouse is nice? haha. This is the type of cover I like in all seriousness though. The picture has meaning to the story, there aren't any people on the cover. All's good.

From the Publisher:
As a science journalist with a regular column in Scientific American, Jeremy Marsh specializes in debunking the supernatural and has a real nose for the strange and unusual. A born skeptic, he travels to the small town of Boone Creek, North Carolina, determined to find the real cause behind the ghostly apparitions that appear in the town cemetery. What he doesn't plan on, however, is meeting and falling hopelessly in love with Lexie Darnell, granddaughter of the town psychic. Now, if the young lovers are to have any kind of future at all, Jeremy must make a difficult choice: return to the life he knows, or do something he could never do before-take a giant leap of faith.

From Me:
In the beginning Jeremy is in the process of proving a man cannot really speak to ghosts and prove him the fraud he is. Jeremy has been a journalist for many years and has always loved his career. He has one failed marriage under his belt, which his job may have had something to do with it's end but also something that goes so much deeper and hurts so much more. Ever since Jeremy's been the typical bachelor, dates here and there...nothing serious.

When he gets a letter to go visit a small town to investigate lights that are being seen in a cemetery and the legend behind it, he is really just looking for some down time between real projects. Usually these types of things are caused by someone making it up, or some type of natural cause. There is of course not any real ghosts out there.

Lexie was born and raised in Boone Creek and loves everything about it. Her grandmother, that she loves deeply, is here, and she runs the town library she loves just as much. She's gone to college and lived for a bit in the big city, NY. And although it's exciting and fresh, it was not home. So when Jeremy comes to town and there is mutual attraction between them Lexie denies it. After all she's already gone down that road, the man never wants to stay in a small town like this and she sure isn't moving.

We follow both Jeremy and Lexie while they figure out how important what they feel for each other is, what is worth sacrificing for it. We feel Jeremy's hurt and guilt over what really ended his first marriage. And Lexie's worry that she's just going down a well traveled road of hurt and pain again.

Oh and yeah we find out about the lights. lol.

This book was cute, if a bit boring. I think if there wasn't as much talk about Jeremy's job as a scientific journalist I'd have liked it a whole lot more. But that's cause that subject doesn't interest me. So if it does you and you want a sweet romance? This is a book for you.

If I remember right (it was well over a month ago I listened to this) the sex scene was very sweet and touching, like a lot of meaning was behind it. I don't know how to explain it. lol. But just because it was a NS (which aren't usually HOT reads) book it still held appeal in that area, even if you don't get to read the entire act.

I'm such a perv.

Cover of Night by Linda Howard

Grade: D-
Cover Grade: B
Buy It: Here
Disc's: 9

The Cover:
Well not much to say on this one. It's decent, what can I say? I'm not jumping out of my skin over it, but I don't have anything bad to say on it either. Pretty boring cover chat huh? Well then, let's just skip this one and move onto the book.

From the Publisher:
In the charming rural town of Trail Stop, Idaho, accessible to the outside world by only a single road, young widow Cate Nightingale lives peacefully with her four-year-old twin boys, running a bed-and-breakfast. Though the overnight guests are few and far between - occasional hunters and lake fishermen - Cate always manages to make ends meet with the help of the local jack-of-all-trades, Calvin Harris, who can handle everything from carpentry to plumbing. But Calvin is not what he seems, and Cate's luck is about to run out.

One morning, the B&B's only guest inexplicably vanishes, leaving behind his personal effects. A few days later Cate is shocked when armed men storm the house, demanding the mystery man's belongings. Fearing for her children's lives, Cate agrees to cooperate - until Calvin saves the day, forcing the intruders to scatter into the surrounding woods.

The nightmare, however, is just beginning. Cate, Calvin, and their entire community find themselves cut off and alone with no means to call for help as the threat gathers intensity and first blood is drawn.

With their fellow residents trapped and the entire town held hostage, Cate and Calvin have no choice but to take the fight to their enemies under the cover of night. While reticent Cal becomes a fearless protector, Cate makes the most daring move of her life…into the very heart of danger.

From Me:
Hmmm okay, where to start? Maybe the fact that there was a grown man, ex-marine, that blushed rosy red and stuttered every time Cate even looked his way? Or no, let's start with the four year old kids that were described as freaking two year olds.

Yeah, we're gonna start there. What the hell? Maybe it's the fact that I have a four year old daughter but I just wasn't buying it. I don't always like reading a lot about kids in my books but sometimes it does work, I get that. But if you do write them in, know how a kid that age acts. Like I said Abby is four, and she was so off the mark, with how they act to what they say to HOW they say things. I swear I kept pausing the book CD and saying "Abby say drill! Abby say..." and so on. Yeah either my daughter is the freaking bomb or LH was way off. Or wait, it could be both cause my daughter is the bomb, takes after her mom, lol.

I just couldn't buy that in the three or four years that Cate lived in Trail Stop she never once noticed in this little itty bitty town that Cal never once blushed or stuttered when talking to anyone but her. Come on, please. And he was just waiting for her to stop mourning? Be a man, step up and make her take notice, maybe then she'd have stopped mourning a little earlier.

And the bad guys? They were supposed to be professional? Yeah right, like I bought that one. I mean honestly I can't even give this book a true review since I skipped over so much of it. The bad guys talk was so boring and what the hell was up with the one guy in bed with that crazy girl then in the end hearing about the eye ball thing? Is that supposed to be the sequel? The crazies find love? Ewwww.

I was way more interested in Joshua and Nina. I was disappointed that there wasn't more about them. They were so much more interesting! I wish we got to read their love scene, I'm sure it was hotter than Cal and Cate. OMG was that a lame scene or what? LH is slacking!

The readers:Joyce Bean~ Reading Cate's part. She did decent except for the kids parts, those I hated. Hated the voices. But over all good.
Dick Hill~ Reading Cal and the bad guys. OMG QUIT RIGHT NOW!!!! He might have been part of the bad grade here. Cal sounded so unattractive and the bad guys? First of all I couldn't understand a lot of it, then the one guy had such a low squeaky voice I had to skip all his parts. It was just bad. Brutally bad!

Natural Born Charmer by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Grade: B

Chicago Stars quarterback Dean Robillard is the luckiest man in the world. But life in the glory lane has started to pale, and Dean has set off on a trip to figure out what's gone wrong. When he hits a lonely stretch of Colorado highway, he spies something that will shake up his gilded life in ways he can't imagine. A young woman . . . dressed in a beaver suit.

Blue Bailey is on a mission. As for the beaver suit she's wearing . . . Is it her fault that life keeps throwing her curve balls? Witness the expensive black sports car pulling up next to her on the highway and the Greek god stepping out of it.

They're soon heading for his summer home, where their already complicated lives and inconvenient attraction to each other will become entangled with a charismatic but aging rock star; a beautiful, fifty-two-year-old woman trying to make peace with her rock and roll past; an eleven-year-old who desperately needs a family; and a bitter old woman who hates them all.

Natural Born Charmer . . . for anyone who's ever thought about leaving their old life in the dust.

I read this a while ago, well maybe a week or more, but just haven't gotten to review it yet. Sorry. But I'm here now. And it sure wasn't because the book was lacking. Cause I really liked the book.

Blue, yes that is really her name, is stomping down the highway on her way to kick some ass when a gorgeous man stops and offers her help. Even if he is laughing at her as he does so. And so starts another amusing, heart pulling, warm, laugh out loud novel from Susan Elizabeth Phillips.

Dean is feeling out of sorts and if picking up a pissed off woman dressed as a beaver will put off him having to do a self evaluation on his feelings then that's fine with him. But as one thing leads to another Dean finds himself dealing with things he's spent his whole life purposely not dealing with. Like who his father is. What his mother did to him. The fact that he has a little sister that he's never met.

But as that very sister seeks him out looking for help his world starts to unravel. And oddly enough the only constant that he has is Blue, the crazy, speak your mind, poke your nose in others business, badly dressed woman he picked up on the highway. The woman that although she won't admit it needs him and his help just as badly. The woman that never stays anywhere long enough to grow roots, and fears any type of a real relationship.

So read on and find a cocky woman and man that just may be very wrong for each other at first glance but can't seem to stay away at the same time. A bitchy old woman that seems horrible at first buy just might be a little lonely. And a father and mother that haven't' seen each other in 30 odd years, may have done a horrible job parenting but really really want another chance. And a little girl that helps pull everything together.

I really did like this book. I know this review may not be giving it justice. You know with me being all rusty since I haven't posted a review in FOREVER! lol. But it was a great read. It had me laughing, and it had my heart aching. The one thing that I will tell you I didn't like was the way the ending was brought on. You know what I mean? The ending was fine, but the events leading up to I didn't like. I didn't' like what Dean did, how he went about what he did. And .... Oh hell just go read the book. lol. It's a great read. You won't be disappointed. Although I am glad I got it from the library, I'll buy the pb when it comes out.

Oh and you don't see much of any of the other characters so I'll let you know now. Don't be disappointed on that front.

Read the Series in Order:
It Had To Be You
Heaven, Texas
Nobodies Baby But Mine
Dream A Little Dream
This Heart Of Mine
Match Me If You Can

Sisters by Danielle Steel

Four sisters, a Manhattan brownstone, and a tumultuous year of loss and courage are at the heart of Danielle Steel’s new novel about a remarkable family, a stunning tragedy -- and what happens when four very different young women come together under one very lively roof.
Candy (it’s the only name she needs ) is blazing her way through Paris, New York, and Tokyo as fashion’s latest international supermodel. . . .

Her sister Tammy has a job producing the most successful hit show on TV, and a home she loves in L.A.’s Hollywood Hills. . . . In New York, oldest sister Sabrina is an ambitious young lawyer, while Annie is an American artist in Florence, living for her art. . . . On one Fourth of July weekend, as they do every year, the four sisters come home to Connecticut for their family’s annual gathering. But before the holiday is over, tragedy strikes and their world is utterly changed.

Suddenly, four sisters who have been fervently pursuing success and their own lives -- on opposite sides of the world -- reunite to share one New York brownstone, to support each other and their father, and to pick up the pieces while one sister struggles to heal her shattered body and soul. Thus begins an unscripted chapter of their lives, as a bustling house is soon filled with eccentric dogs, laughter, tears, friends, men . . . and the kind of honesty and unconditional love only sisters can provide. But as the four women settle in, they are forced to confront the direction of their respective lives. As the year passes and another July Fourth approaches, a season of grief and change gives way to new beginnings -- as a family comes together to share its blessings and a future filled with surprises and, ultimately, hope.

With unerring insight and compassion, Danielle Steel tells a compelling story of four sisters who love and laugh, struggle and triumph . . . and are irrevocably woven into the fabric of each other’s lives. Brilliantly blending humor and heartbreak, she delivers a powerful message about the fragility -- and the wonder -- of life.

Grade: B for over-all story, F for the shit the dad did.

I haven't read a Danielle Steel book in years! Actually the last DS book I read was not really me reading, it was an audio book and it was The Dating Game. It's funny cause DS has a way of making me hate and love a book at the same time. But I won't get into TDG with this post, this is for SISTERS!

Every 4th of July all for Adams girls come home for their parents big party. Along with Thanksgiving and Christmas. Since they are all spread so wide they really cherish this time together and never miss it. But this year disaster strikes it the most horrible way imaginable.

As the worst possible fate hits one of the sisters they all pull together (I'm gonna spoil a little here so beware, but you'd find it out in like the fifth chapter anyway). In a freak car accident the mother of all four girls is killed and the artist sister, Annie, loses her eye sight and is just lucky to have survived at all.

To help Annie, and themselves, cope with this staggering change of life they decide to move in with each other for one year. And face more in this year than they ever imagined.

Candy the supermodel struggles with losing her mother by digressing back to a eating disorder she's had since her first major modeling break. And in the world she lives in it is no wonder she can't find the right man, hell at her age she should be with boys anyway at only 21. And this time her sisters aren't standing back to watch another family member throw their life away.

Annie wasn't sure life was even worth living when she woke up to find out her mother was dead and she was blind. She lived and breathed her art all her life, trained to be an artist. What does she do now? Sure that her life will be nothing but her depending on her family and growing into a spinster she was shocked to find that life can go on. Just in a different way. We follow Annie as she learns the basics all over again, how to cook without burning herself, shower herself, and fall in love all over again.

Tammy loves her job, she's created and produced a show of her dreams and even if she can't find anything but crazies to date she's happy with her life. But after the 4th of July things change. She still loves her job, but really feels she belongs with her sisters in NY not in LA. But what could such a drastic decision do to her career that she's faught so hard for? Could she possibly find a happy life in NY? And possibly love?

Sabrina is a major divorce lawyer in NY City and loves her job. But it's really shaded her view of marriage. The way she looks at is, why mess with what works? She and her boyfriend have been together for 3 years and she's in no rush to change anything. She loves having her space and he his, and when they want being together. But at 34 and Chris 36 he wants more. He wants it all, marriage, kids, and he wants it with the woman he loves, Sabrina. But when the tragedy hits Sabrina takes the biggest load on as the oldest daughter. When Chris says he wants more how will she react? Are her fears of a failed marriage going to keep her from the man she loves?

One of the hardest things for the girls to deal with after their mothers death and Annie's blindness was their father. He was married to the woman he loved for 35 years and they never realized how much she did till he started to fall apart. Hating to leave him but knowing he'd have to learn to live again the girls go to NY leaving him in Connecticut. But when a younger woman, younger than Sabrina, starts to sniff around they tell their dad to watch out. Women will be pounding down his door, he is after all rich and still a handsome catch. He blows them off and his naive worries them. As well it should. When 5 months after their mothers death he drops a bomb on them they are shocked, and don't know if their family can handle it.

I'll tell you now. I really loved this book. I balled my eyes out for about 3 chapters when the accident happened. And it was also full of laughs with the sister living together. It was real life and it touched your heart.

At times it did read a little narrative. Like I was being told the story instead of seeing it unfold. Does that make sense? Well that was only a few times, for the most part it was really great.

The only fault I have with this book was the father. He was so sooooo soooooooo unbelievably stupid in the end. I think it should have been written as he almost making a huge mistake but the girls talking him out of it. But the way it ended? With the dad? I HATED IT! It pissed me off to no end. I know my rant on him is not really making sense but I don't want to spoil to much.

Oh what the hell, I'm gonna spoil it so if you don't want to know stop reading now. You've been warned.

He marries a girl 26 years younger than him! FIVE MONTHS AFTER HIS WIFE DIED! He said age doesn't matter when your in love. And when the girls told him it was disrespectful to their mother so soon and with a practical child he didn't listen. When they pointed out that if Leslie really loved him and cared about him she wouldn't rush it, he didn't listen. He had the freaking nerve to say his wife would want this for him, to not be alone. I am not lying when I tell you I got sick to my stomach reading that part. And when the book ended he was still married to her! None of the girls would go to see them at their house, when they wanted to see their dad they had him (alone) come to their place or meet him somewhere else. Which I'm at least happy about that. At least they didn't give in to the bitch bimbo and welcome her to the family. Especially since she was someone they all thought of as a slut when they were in high school together. Someone that their own mother said was fast and wouldn't allow them to hang out with. Yeah sure your wife would approve of her as her replacement FREAKING MORON!!!!! Okay end of rant.

Honestly, besides the dad part I really enjoyed this book.

Haley's Cabin by Anne Rainey

Hero: Jeremy Pickett
Heroine: Haley Thorne
Pages: 102
Catagory: Erotica, Contemp
Grade: B
Buy: Here

Every good girl longs for a chance to be a little naughty.

Raw from an ugly divorce and wrung out from her demanding job, Haley Thorne needs a break. When Haley’s doctor urges her to take a vacation, she heads to her secret cabin in the woods.

The very first night, Haley dreams of an erotic threesome that leaves her panting and aroused. When sexy police detective Jeremy Pickett shows up at her door, she’s shocked: He looks like the man in her midnight fantasy! Levelheaded Haley unleashes her inner seductress and has a little fun—handcuffs and all!

First of all I need to get a damn e-book reader, the kind you can take with you places! I've had this book for over a week now and just got to finish it cause I had to be home to read it. Uggg!

Anyway, I finished it and really really loved it. Anne did a great job of bringing her characters alive. One of the things I loved most about this story is that although we knew Haley was in an abusive marriage and Jeremy was a Detective that part of the characters wasn't the core of the story. It was a part of Jeremy and Haley but not THEM.

I also am a hard sell for falling in love at first sight, just like Dylan. But I think with the way we were lead into the meeting of Haley and Jeremy made it more believable to me. Hell if I'd had a dream like Haley did and then saw the real thing in front of me I'd fall head over heals real quick.

And with Jeremy I believed it because he knew it was not the norm. He didn't think 'Oh I'm in love, this is so the way it always happens', um no, lol. He knew and that is why he held back some. At one point he even said that she stole his heart in under 24 hours that's got to be a record or something. But at least he didn't deny it, which totally annoys the crap out of me with heroes.

And lets touch on the beginning of the story real quick. You want to see how to grab readers from the very first few pages? READ THIS BOOK! OMG when I did Anne's interview and asked her about her f/f/m sex scene she said she wanted a straight woman to read this and still think it was something sexy and say WOW! And hot damn did I! No freaking lie, it was hot. I wish it were longer. lol.

Something I loved in this book...NO BIG MISUNDERSTANDINGS! Hallelujah, haha. Of course with Haley having been in an abusive marriage and then not dating anyone between him and Jeremy she did misunderstand a little bit when Jeremy would say something or do something but it was never blown up to a big thing. He would read her and correct her right away. The way it would happen in REAL LIFE. lol.

The sex? HOT! I love that they used a video camera and handcuffs! Makes me want to go get some, oh wait I already have the cuffs, naughty me. haha. But really the steam between Haley and Jeremy was enough to have me begging for more. I said it before and I'll say it again Anne Rainey has a definite talent for bringing on the heat, and we weren't let down.

Just like everyone else I am going to say it.....I WANT MORE BRAD AND LISA!!!! Which brings me to one of my favorite parts, the ending. Now I am a big one on good endings. You write a great book but suck and bringing it together and I am going to get all bitchy on your ass.

But Anne did a great job here. She gave us a glimpse of Brads feelings for Lisa then BAM turned it over to a little fun and flirty teasing with Haley and Jeremy to tie up the end.

Just the way it should be, cause while I was reading the part of Jeremy and Brad talking over at Lisa's house and really getting into it I was thinking 'this is great cause now I am all about a Brad and Lisa story but damn I hate when a book doesn't end with something about the hero and heroine' then it did. And I absolutely love the last sentence, but I'll leave that for you to read.

I know your thinking isn't there anything bad. And honestly I'll tell you, while I was reading there were somethings that I did want to address when I did my review. But now that I'm thinking back I really can't place what it was that I wanted to say. Guess that just means that the good outweighted the bad by a lot. lol.

I definitely wish it was longer. But I've never been one for books that are only around 100 or so pages. But for the length of the book I definitely got all I wanted out of it. Great job Anne, and I can't wait for more!

Compromising Positions by Dara Edmondson

Meet Crystal, Patsy and Maureen - three friends in their forties trying to run the obstacle course of mid-life. Crystal thinks she has the perfect marriage until she starts fantasizing about a handsome coworker. But when she suspects her husband is having more than fantasies about another woman, she digs in her heels and fights for what's hers. Patsy discovers her Neanderthal husband Bud having sex with his bowling buddy and wearing women's underwear. When Bud tries to take more than his fair share in the divorce, Patsy sets out to humiliate him into submission. Maureen has enough trouble trying to survive life with her rebellious teenaged daughter Rhianna. When she starts dating the teacher Rhianna has a secret crush on, the fur flies.

When I first started the book I had a huge "OH PLEASE NO!" moment, lol, but as it turned out it was really okay and I loved the way Dara opened up her story. You were hooked right away.

I enjoyed the dynamics between the girlfriends a lot. I always love close friendships in stories because we get to see and hear what is going on with them and their love life from a different angle. There are the thoughts in their heads, and what they share with their significant other, but what they share with girlfriends? That's always a hoot.

So let me tell you what I thought of each of the girls and their stories.

I never really clicked with Patsy. It's not that I didn't like her, but that she annoyed me. I mean yeah, I felt bad for her situation, even though it was kinda funny, but the way she dealt with it made me mad. She kinda just rolled over at first, doing nothing. I'm sorry but if that was me I would have done SOMETHING to get revenge right off the bat. But hey maybe I'm just spiteful like that. lol.

She moved in Crystal and her family, so you know there is going to be some boundary issues. I know these women are really close and all, but if they were that close wouldn't Patsy have known certain things? Like the fact that Chrystal had just lost a ton of weight and still struggles to keep it off? So why would she then go and purposely make all these fatty foods when Crystal even points out that she has been trying to go the healthy road with her family? It's like she was oblivious to the most obvious things.

And I don't want to sound snobby or anything but unless I was off on what I read, Patsy was in her early 50's. I swear it said she was married to Bud for 10 years and she got married when she was 42, correct me if I'm wrong. And she seemed so loud and obnoxious, and big. I by no means am a small woman. I actually struggle quite a bit with my weight but I just don't like reading about big women that don't care that they are big. I don't know, guess it's just one of my weird quirks. I mean age is always an issue with me and my books and it's not an authors fault by any means. Roz in Black Rose by Nora Roberts was the first older heroine I ever liked. And size goes the same way. I mean look at Night Play, one of Holly's favorite SK books, I could not get over Bride's size! But hey we all have our quirks.

So it was just little things like that bothered me. I also didn't like how uneducated Patsy sounded all the time. I know, I know she wasn't dumb, she had a degree. But she sounded that way! She was always talking with this "I'm so dumb accent". Actually that's a bad way to say it, cause I don't care that she had an accent (although I prefer if an author just says what kind of accent they have instead of writing with the accent. But again a personal preference), it was more just her way of talking or the words she used. Like always using ain't, stuff like that. I don't know. Guess I just wasn't really keen on Patsy and her part of the story.

I loved Maureen (I just hated the nickname Mo, YUCK!)! But I'll tell you now if I were her I would have smacked my daughter upside the head! And Holly I soooo know what your ewww moments were! Don't worry everyone, they ended up fine, but I can't tell you or it will ruin the book. lol. But Maureen was great, her personality and her issues with who she was attracted to had me laughing.

Rhianna, Maureen's daughter, annoyed me a lot. But I think she was supposed to. However I don't think the way her character just changed overnight was believable. And I think she acted a lot younger than her age. I don't really see a 17 year old doing the things she did. Well not all of it.

The only thing with Maureen's story was, I kinda felt it was left undone with one part. There is a major thing that is going on with Maureen in the book and when it comes full circle you're so happy for her. But then it's just done. Nothing else. I would have thought we would have seen more on that part, especially with her new friend, Hema, involved. But whatever I still liked Maureen the most.

Crystal was my favorite. That was until I found something out about her toward the end of the book that made me really cringe. I won't say what it is. But it is something that I am very, very against so it made her really unlikable for me. But I know everyone doesn't have the same beliefs as me so it may not be an issue for everyone.

Crystal and Wes were so great together and the issues she started to have were very believable. I loved watching her struggle with her weight and attraction to a different man, and her fight for a job she wanted and her husband. She was very real, and her feelings toward Patsy staying with her were very realistic. I liked that a lot.

All together? The book was good. I think what I was missing was an emotional attachment. I wasn't very emotionally involved, and I like to cry when characters cry.

I will definitely look forward to more of DE's work in the future. I'll just be looking for more emotion, or a better way of sharing the feelings, because I KNEW how the characters were feeling I just didn't feel it myself.

Grade C+

Don't Look Down by Suzanne Enoch

Hero: Richard Addison
Heroine: Samantha Jellicoe
Category: Contemporary
Page Count: 367 pages
Grade: C+(ish)

Samantha Jellicoe is no ordinary thief. At least, not anymore. She promised her significant other, British billionaire Rick Addison, that she'd retire from her life of crime. So no more midnight break-ins...no more scaling estate walls...no more dangling from the ceiling. From here on in, it's intimate dinners with Rick in posh Palm Beach followed by rock-your-world sex.

Who'd have thought that doing the right thing would turn out to be more deadly than her former life of crime? When the first client of her new security business is murdered, Sam is determined to find the killer. Now if only she can manage to stay out of jail, resist her former "associates" lucrative job offers, and keep Rick from sticking his nose into her business, she might just manage to stay alive. Because trouble isn't just walking -- it's running -- to catch up with her.


My issues with this book were not minimal. To give you an idea I will post two of my emails I sent to the other SF girls while I was reading this....

Email #1:
Okay Holly (and if anyone else read this book you too) I am reading Don't Look Down by Suzanne Enoch and I am not liking it! Well that's not totally true, I like the story/plot I guess but Sam is annoying me (she thinks his Ex's betrayal was bad but she lies to him every page and she did a B and E and isn't telling) and Rick bends over backward and is to pathetic about Sam (comon man get some balls) and Patrica? Ummm annoying Bitch! And Stoney? I just don't like him at all! Sam is trying to go straight and be with the man she supposedly loves but he keeps trying to get her to go back to being a cat! Annoying!

~Turns out Holly hasn't read it yet. lol.~

Email #2:
Can I just tell you all that I am getting ANNOYED as SHIT at Samantha in this book I'm reading? Okay so she's doing her own kind of investigation on a murder her way. Well she keeps letting this guy, her main suspect, kiss her so he will talk more around her and be comfortable, and the book just says stuff like "he lowered his mouth and kissed her, she allowed it but she didn't kiss him back." Same effin thing! Bitch! So you think your man won't care cause you didn't kiss back and it was for the investigation? Bull shit!

~end of emails~

So we get the drift that Sam/Rick annoyed me, in all honesty it was more Sam. This is the second book in a so far three book series. The first book was Flirting with Danger, and if I remember correctly I liked that book but just didn't like the fact that they didn't marry at the end. It was like, oh yay I get to move in with my rich boyfriend. But then I found out that there was another book and was okay with it. You know thinking I'd get some closure on the relationship? NOT! I'm even more frustrated.

Samantha was the best Cat burglar around. She rocked at what she did and got a huge rush out of it. But ever since she literally stumbled into Rick's arms she's decided to go legit. For him she feels it's worth a try.

Rick can tell Samantha is getting antsy with trying to start her new (legit) business in security. And when her first potential client ends up dead it's not a good omen.

Samantha is determined to find out what happened to Kuntz. Who murdered him and why. And when Rick tries to stop her they make a deal. Who can solve the mystery first? Samantha, with any means she chooses to use, or the police, the legit way? Rick is hoping this will show her that the right way to do things is better and just as fast.

As Samantha lies to Rick, if not right to his face then by omitting the whole story, and Rick does any and everything for Samantha, I found myself highly annoyed. Rick has already been married and divorced once. He found his wife and best friend in bed together. So to me when Sam uses her female assets (see email #2) to get what she wants from other men I think of it as betrayal to Rick. And what annoys me even more? Rick sees things doesn't like them but seems to have the mind set that if he presses Sam she'll run and he'd rather keep her.

See I don't like this. Rick is a very strong manly man until he gets all (excuse the vulgar phrase...but) pussy whipped.

And Stoney, he used to be Sam's fence getting her jobs and such, irked me just as much. Even though is is also supposed to be retiered he keeps pushing Sam to go back to do this work. He is supposed to be like a father to her and he is discouraging her relationship with Rick? Why??? Shouldn't he be trying to get her to better her life? Uggg!

Rick loves Sam, and Sam thinks love is a trap. So it goes round and round. I think the relationship is controlled by Sam having sex with Rick to make him forget which he doesn't he just is to whipped to say anything. About Rick making excuses to himself about Sam. And all that other shit.

So okay this review probably doesn't show it but I didn't HATE this book. And call me crazy but I'm probably gonna read the next one, Billionaires prefer Blonds. Actually I've already started it. And surprisingly (not) am already a bit annoyed with it. But I guess I'm asking for it.

So plot wise? Good book. Romance wise? Blah! Sex wise? Pretty good. Overall? Who the heck knows. lol. This review is to odd for words. lol.

Read the Series in order (or not at all, lol):
Don't Look Down
Billionaires Prefer Blonds

Dream Man by Kelley Vitollo

Hero: David
Heroine: Sadie
Category: Contemporary
Page Count: 10 pages
Grade: C

Sadie has the same dream every night. She dreams of a man with black hair, gorgeous blue eyes, and magical hands. When dream becomes reality and she comes face to face with her dream man, will he be everything she imagined, and more?

Okay I know it's been FOREVER since I've done Kelley's interview and honestly ... I have no idea how this review got pushed to the back. But never the less here it is.

As we know this is Kelley's first published piece of work. So I'm going to break this down into two parts. Writing style and the story itself.

Writing style? I really liked! There weren't many, if any errors in the writing. It wasn't choppy at all, I would not have thought it was a first time author by the writing style at all. Even the flow was good. Now when I say that it doesn't mean I liked the pace of the story in which things happened. BUT I did like the way her words flowed. How her story flowed without seeming jumpy at all. I also liked the descriptions she used. Well for the most part, lol, of course we always have an issue or two here at SF right? So I'll tell you at one point David said that he loved her flavor, or he'd never tire of her flavor? Something but the fact is he said flavor, yuck! lol. Not a choice word of mine.

Okay now the story? A little unbelievable...BUT I think that the story could have been great. I don't really understand why it was so short. It seemed like we got the middle of the story and the rushed version of it. I would have loved to see more of who Sadie was and shared some of her dreams before we were even introduced to David. Then the part that was the story we got should have been stretched a little longer, then I think we could have had quite a bit afterwards. It wasn't the writing style that was fast it was just what actually happened in the few short pages we got was extremely rushed. This story could have been stretched to at least 50 pages. Minimum. But 11? Why would you even do that?

I think Dream Man has great potential and I personally hope Kelley picks it up again at a later date and expands on it cause I'd be very interested in reading a whole lot more of it.

Very good writing though. And I do look forward to more by Kelley in the future. Hopefully something a lot longer. She's got talent.

Heiress for Hire by Erin McCarthy

Hero: Danny Tucker
Heroine: Amanda Delmar
Category: Contemporary, Paranormal
Page Count: 300 pages
Grade: B+

Chicago socialite Amanda Delmar thought spending the summer in Cuttersville-Ohio's most haunted town-would be a hoot, until dearold-Dad cut her off. Now Amanda has to do the unthinkable and get... A JOB. Her attempts at joining the job market would crack up farmer Danny Tucker, if he weren't so turned on by the skinny, bronzed blonde. Hiring Amanda to babysit his baby girl may not be the smartest thing Danny has ever done. But seeing how she and her couture-clad poodle bring a smile to his shy daughter's face makes it all worthwhile. Now all Danny has to figure out is how to keep Amanda at arm's length, when she has already wriggled her way into his heart.

I don't really know if this is paranormal, but I listed it as such cause there was a tinnie bit of ghost stuff in it. Oh and one more thing before the review, THIS BOOK WAS THE SECOND IN A SERIES AND I DIDN'T KNOW TILL AFTER I WAS FINISHED!!! Kay, 'nuff said, you know how I feel about that.

Sooo.....I really liked this book. Amanda is a very rich, very spoiled, very self absorbed girl that is about to learn a quick lesson of the value of a budget.

Bored out of her mind with her normal life of clubs, shopping and partying in Chicago Amanda decides to follow Boston (who I had no idea who he was, and that's cause his book was BEFORE this book!) to this tiny town called Cuttersville. She rented out a supposedly haunted house for the summer and settled in to be entertained by the small town people. All is going according to plan until she calls her daddy for $200, a girls gotta have a mani, and not everyone takes a credit card in this town, and gets cut off! Tough love is what he's calling it. He says that the $2,000 he gave her last week should hold her over till she can get a job. Little does he know she's already spent it on a must have purse and other necessities.

Danny has always wanted nothing but a family of his own. He's been married and divorced so it's not looking to bright for him. And the attraction he feels towards Amanda is definitely not what he wants, she'll be leaving at the end of the summer and he's looking for long term. What could he possibly offer to a girl that has everything? When his 8 year old daughter that he's never even known about gets dumped on him it just adds one more reason why Amanda is not for him.

Danny is heart broken about having a daughter all this time and never knowing about her, especially since it seems she's been very neglected. As fast as he can he tries to recruit help from his ex wife to shop for his new found daughter and ends up with Amanda. Don't ask how, read the book. lol.

Piper takes to Amanda right away. She's obviously having issues believing Danny won't be abandoning her so if Amanda is the one she wants to stay with when he's working that's who he'll get for his daughter.

It works out for Amanda too. She needs a job badly, and even though she knows she could beg for money to get home and talk to her dad she has some pride and she's making some changes in her life. So if watching Piper, a little girl she's fond of, and getting to watch her hunky dad too is what she has to do for money she's in.

Watching the chemistry grow between Danny and Amanda is great, and seeing Amanda realize there is so much more to herself than the superficial. She definitely grows as a person right in front of us as we read. They are so cute and both bring their share of issues to the table. Danny and Piper and Amanda and Piper is another story all together...OMG I was actually crying at parts. This book isn't very deep, but I wouldn't call it fluff either.

It's a keeper and I definitely suggest all read it. But first go get A Date With The Other Side, the FIRST book!

Oh and it didn't get an A cause Danny was only 26. While I don't mind a heroine that young I like my hero's a little older.

Series Order:
A Date with the Other Side
Heiress for Hire

Hot Item by Carly Phillips

Seen on the sidelines . . .

What star quarterback has been spotted with a new flavor of arm candy? It's notorious bad boy Riley Nash, but his newest flame is the last person this reporter could imagine—none other than Sophie Jordan, beautiful, buttoned-down co-owner of The Hot Zone, the industry's top sports management agency.

What's behind this unlikely team? Some say it has to do with the sudden disappearance of super agent Spencer Atkins. Could there be a connection between the red-hot quarterback and the missing dealmaker? Or has the famous groupie magnet simply met his perfect match in cool, collected Sophie? Watch this space, because the resulting news is bound to be one Hot Item.

Sophie Jordon along with her two sisters, one older one younger, was raised by her Uncle Yank from a very young age. Both parents being killed in a plane accident the girls learned early what unexpected heartache life brings. Each relying on their own different ways to cope.

Sophie's comfort comes from being able to control things. Her life, those in it. And if she cannot control it she needs to fully understand it. So when her Uncles best friend, and co-owner of the Athlete's Only and The Hot Zone Spencer Atkins goes MIA Sophia gets a little nervous. Ever since she became a partner at The Hot Zone Spence has always been in his office ready for business at 9am sharp, never late, no exceptions. But the day after all the papers picked up on the gossip about him being gay (the true gossip) Spencer changes his way and becomes a no show.

Sophie soon finds herself with an unexpected companion in her quest to find Spence. None other than the only athlete to ever make her hot, Riley Nash, professional football star. And the bigger shock? Spense is Riley's biological father. All his life Riley has known who his father was but never had contact with him, although he did everything in his power to be noticed. Blessed with a natural talent and love for football he was sure his father the Sports Agent would recognize him and accept him, but that doesn't happen. So Riley decided long ago he needed nobody especially not his father, but Sophie makes his heart flip and stomach flop. How can he a firm believer in doing what he wants when he wants, no rules at all fit with a control obsessed woman?

So with his own issues on being rejected and Sophie's issues with needing to control everything it should be painfully obvious that they don't work. Except for that the burning heat between them, and how they seem to understand each other so well without any words makes a mockery of all their intentions to tell themselves and each other it won't work.

So go pick up the book and see how these two overcome their childhood issues, interfering Uncles, gay fathers, and bratty teenage daughter.

Funny, interesting, and sexy, a must read in my book.

Grade: B

Read the Series in order:
Hot Stuff
Hot Number
Hot Item

Girl's Night by Stef Ann Holm

Hero: Vince Tremonti
Heroine: Jillene McDermott
Category: Contemp
Page Count: 376
Grade: B
Buy It: Here or here.

SEEKING A BOYFRIEND, MUST HAVE BIG FEET
All Jillene McDermott needs is a little breathing room, and the only place she can find it is the bathtub. Her coffee bar, Java the Hut, is on life support, and raising two daughters alone is a full-time job, so quiet moments in the tub are a rare treat.

Knowing their mom deserves some happiness, Jillene's daughters Claire and Faye, write her a personal ad. But their good intentions go wrong and Vince Tremonti, the town's most famous son, has to step in as Jillene's "boyfriend."

Vince is a crime writer who is back in Blue Heron Beach to rethink the grim reality of his career, and he can't afford to get involved with anyone, much less a young widow with a ready-made family.

But thrown together, the two can't deny the mutual attraction and they realize there is more between them than a summer fling. Suddenly, lattes are not the only thing steaming in Blue Heron Beach.


Have you ever read a book and thought to yourself (or out loud, lol) 'they would NEVER say that!'? Well I know I have and that was one of the most refreshing things about this book. Jillene said exactly what she thought. And not in an annoying think before you speak kind of way. Just in the honest truth, lets not have lies complicate things way.

Here's an example:
"I can't." She put her fingertips over her mouth, a mouth bruised from kisses. Shoving herself off the counter she shook her head - a burning embarrassment on her face. Her speech stumbled and was just as unsteady as her legs. "Not with my girls just outside the door. I can't believe I let this happen. They'd never approve of what we were doing."
Vince didn't try to touch her further, but his voice was low and quiet. "They're the ones who threw us together, Jillene."
"Not for this." She buried her face in her hands but with no inclination to cry. "Don't you understand? They don't want a lover for their mother. They want a new dad."
The tick of his wristwatch on the windowsill was the only noise in the room for long, drawn-out seconds.
"I can't be that."
Her chin shot up. "Of course not."
"There will be somebody for you. You're a wonderful-"
"I hate your bullshit, Vince." She surprised even herself with the outburst of indignation.

See it's not that she's some big strong smart mouthed woman. She is just a regular woman that doesn't want any run arounds. She's a mom, she's a business woman, she's plain old a woman. And I loved her.

Vince is great too. He is a true crimes writer and is in a whirlwind of hurt and confusion when he stumbles upon Jillene. He has succeeded immensely in his profession until he picks a new case to write and his world crumbles. He soon finds out that he didn't really pick this case but the killer choose him. Through different events we see how this killer layed everything out from day one and his first kill so that Vince could write his book. He doesn't care that he's in prison, or that he is awaiting the death penalty, he just wants to be famous with a book on him written by Vince. Now Vince is stuck, he is contracted to write this story, and yet how can he? The only time his decisions aren't hunting him is when he is with Jillene and even her girls.But at 42 can he really change his ways? Can he dig his way out of the hole he is in?

This book was sooo great. It had funny stuff with Jillene's 10 and 12 year old girls, hot stuff with Jillene and Vince, a great sub plot with Vince's dad and his lady love, and everything else that went along with a widowed woman trying to save a struggling company and Vince trying to find his way in his predicament.

This is my second book by Stef Ann Holm and I can't wait to read more. Go get something by her, anything and enjoy. Although not related in a series here is the link to Leaving Normal, my first book by her that I also loved.

After The Night by Linda Howard

Hero: Gray Rouillard
Heroine: Faith Devlin
Category: Contemp
Page Count: 327, pb
Grade: B-
Buy It: Here or here.

Faith Devlin: A poor, outcast child in Prescott, Louisiana, she'd always adored the town's golden boy from afar. But he called her white trash that sultry Southern night when his rich, respected father disappeared, along with her pretty Mom. Now Faith wanted to hate Gray Rouillard...not to feel a powerful surge of desire. But she couldn't quench her passion, any more than she could hide the truth about the past she had waited so long to unravel.
Gray Rouillard: Even when he raised hell, he did it with style. Reckless, charming, and backed by Rouillard money, Gray controlled the town of Prescott -- and Devlin was a name he never wanted to hear again. But when he gazed at Faith Devlin, all he saw was a swirl of tangled sheets and her silken flesh beneath him. To care for her was impossible, unthinkable...because Gray Rouillard planned to use all his power to ruin her.

Okay for some reason I've been having trouble putting together reviews lately. And this one was no better, so I'm warning you now this is the only way it was happening, and there might be spoilers. Well there will be, I couldn't explain myself without them.

What I loved: How funny Grey was with Faith after they got together. When they were in bed and she told him about the 'talking in French' when he was with another woman and not with her. So the next time they made love he purposely talked to her in french. I just loved how he was with her. For the most part. He cracked me the hell up in the bathroom "God damn woman! Can't you tell I'm busy in here!" (or something like that)ha ha ah.
I love Faith's red headed temper! She didn't back down, even when she was scared.
She rocked!

My Issues: (there are way more issues than loves) Monica has major issues, and they were never dealt with. She just gets to forget that she was pretending to be her mama for seven years and screwing around with a old family friend? And she said to Faith that she sent the notes and cat but would never do what Alex did. Yet didn't she go to her house with a gun that night??? Hello!!!! She should have been put into a crazy house.
Alex said he killed Guy by accident....ummm how do you shoot someone in the head by accident? And yeah he could have been lying but why did it seem that people still bought it in the end?
Grey never said sorry to Faith for calling her trash that one night. Never explained why he took his anger on her mother out on her.
And I didn't like how Grey cared so much about his crazy mother all through the book, at the expense of Faith, then in the end just told her to shove it basically. She was crazy from the get go.

In ending: Even though I had more issues than loves for this book it ended up being pretty good. It still had me intrigued the entire time. Even if I didn't like the way it was tied up. I really wish it had an epilogue, I wanted to see what happened with Micheal/Monica, Grey/Faith, and the mother, you know after the weddings. But Grey was hot, Faith was awesome so overall it was good.

Sunny Chandler's Return by Sandra Brown

Hero: Ty Beaumont
Heroine: Sunny Chandler
Category: Contemp
Page Count: 209, HB
Grade: B-
Buy It: Here, here or here.

Sandra Brown has won over fans and critics throughout
the world with more than fifty New York Times
bestselling novels. Her early works were hailed by
Rendezvous magazine as stories with “larger than life
heroes and heroines [who] make you believe all the
warm, wonderful, wild things in life.” Here is
the unforgettable story of a woman who returns to
her small hometown in the South—and finds
that the sins of her past are right where she left them.

Never. Sunny Chandler always said she’d never go
back to the tiny town where she grew up. It was just
three years ago that she was at the center of a notorious
scandal—and the good folks of Latham Green,
Louisiana, made it clear they’d never let her forget it.
So Sunny packed up and headed for New Orleans, and
now she wouldn’t give up city life for the world. But
when she’s invited to her best friend’s wedding, Sunny
has no choice but to go home. And with her return
come the whispers…the looks…the rumors she tried
to escape. It doesn’t take Sunny long to see that
Latham Green has nothing new to offer. Except
maybe Ty Beaumont.
The moment Ty and Sunny first meet at a party, he can
see she’s no ordinary woman. With her dazzling hair,
and eyes the color of gold, she’s a flesh-and-blood
fantasy—and Ty vows he’ll have her in his bed before
the week is out. Yet even when he turns on his southern
charm, Sunny makes it clear she’s not interested.
Sure, a night with Ty would be wilder than Bourbon
Street at Mardi Gras. But Sunny’s not in town to
become some good ol’ boy’s latest conquest, no matter
how sexy he is. Little does she know that Ty
isn’t used to taking no for an answer—and he isn’t
about to start now.

Soon what began as an innocent flirtation becomes
a tantalizingly slow, skillfully deliberate, and
overwhelmingly seductive pursuit that even Sunny
finds hard to resist. But resist him she will. For
Sunny is harboring an agonizing secret—the painful
truth of why she left Latham Green the way she did.
What she really needs now is a friend—and that’s when
she discovers there may be more to Ty Beaumont
than meets the eye. Despite his roguish facade, Sunny
comes to see he has a heart of gold. Still, she doesn’t
know if she can trust another person with her secret
heartbreak—not even the one man who may
be able to heal it.

I love Sandra Brown, especially the way she can write anything from a spine chilling thriller to a plain and simple romance. Well not really, cause there isn't much plain and simple about Sunny Chandler in this book.

Sunny's finally returned home after the scandal she caused all those years ago. And for nothing less than a wedding, her best friends. Quite ironic since a wedding is what caused the scandal to start with. Most likely it didn't help that she refuses to tell anyone why she did what she did, not her parents, not her best friend no one. So why one night, when the man that has been pursuing her since she came back to town, does she pour out her soul bearing all her secrets? Well no other reason except Ty makes her defy all reason. He's openly told her he wants to sleep with her, and in much more detail, that he's even bet on it with a buddy. So why can she not stay away from him? The more things turn against her in her home town the more she shares with him, and he really seems to understand. He's not judging her, and he believes in her. The more she gets to know him the harder it is to resist. And the more Ty pursues Sunny and the more she resists he realizes that there just might be more to it than getting her to bed, he just might be falling for her. And wouldn't that be bad with the secret she's holding on to.

This was a cute book, it was funny and a little sad. I was a little surprised with the scandal. Not the why of it, that's fairly easy to figure out. But the way she did it and her reasons for not telling. I liked Ty too, he was pretty arrogant but it worked as Sandra Brown has a way of doing with her hero's. It was a light fast read, nothing spectacular but still a good read.

Seduction by Design by Sandra Brown

Hero: Tyler Scott
Heroine: Hailey Ashton
Category: Contemp
Page Count: 183
Grade: C+
Buy It: Here

Hailey Ashton projects an image that she's on top of everything, but no one realizes that she lives a life of quiet emptiness -- not ready to have a relationship, not willing to give herself body and soul to a man. Never able to compete with her younger sister, the thoughtless beauty of the family, Hailey opted to be the "good girl." But when she meets Tyler Scott -- her rich, attractive new boss -- she longs to be anything but good.

Let me start off by telling you all I LOVE Sandra Brown. I've never hated a book by her. I mean of course I like some more than others, but a trait I love of hers is that she can make me like the most unlikable. Also this particular book was published back in the early 80's so some of the ways the characters act and dress are off. But in saying that.....

Haily has been managing at a theme park for four years now and loves her job. She is efficient and dependable. She never has viewed herself as beautiful, passably pretty maybe but beautiful? No that's for her younger sister Ellen. Ellen has never had to stick with a job, or be very smart her looks and personality have always gotten her by. But Haily has always been the one to go to, the dependable one. Even as her parents were sick and passing away she took care of them and they asked for Ellen.

So imagine her shock when there is a young girl at the theme park that needs her help and the girls father ends up being her boss that she's never met. And further more he tells her straight out that he intends to seduce her.

Now this is not normally a set up for a book that I would like. The hero actually says "I am going to seduce you" during the second conversation they have and then goes on to tell her how great he is and that he is attracted to her so what's the problem.

Throw a young girl in the mix, 11 years old. She has never lived with her father but her mother just passed away so she is adjusting to loosing her mother getting to know her father and needing a woman to go to for motherly things.

This is our story in a nut shell. And although SB wrote the book well enough for me to get over the blunt way Tyler starts off with Haily I could not get over the way the daughter talked. I mean she was 11 years old and I personally don't know any 11 year olds that say "Gee" before or after everything they say. Uggg, drove me up the wall.

But over all? I liked. I mean come on it is Sandra Brown did you expect anything less from me? lol.

Anyone But You by Jennifer Crusie

Hero: Alex
Heroine: Nina
Category: Contemp
Page Count: 224, hb
Grade: A
Buy It: Here or here.
Part basset, part beagle, all Cupid . . . can a matchmaking hound fetch a new love for his owner?

For Nina Askew, turning forty means freedom -- from the ex-husband whose career always came first, from their stuffy suburban home. Freedom to have her own apartment in the city, freedom to focus on what she wants for a change. And what she wants is something her ex always vetoed -- a puppy. A bouncy puppy to cheer her up. Instead she gets . . . Fred.

Overweight, smelly and obviously suffering from some kind of doggy depression, Fred is light-years from perky. But for all his faults, he does manage to put Nina face-to-face with Alex Moore, her gorgeous, younger downstairs neighbor.

Alex looks great on paper -- a sexy, seemingly sane, surprisingly single E.R. doctor who shares Fred's abiding love for Oreos -- but a ten-year difference in age, despite his devastating smile, is too wide a gap for Nina to handle. Ignoring her insistent best friend, some interfering do-gooders and the ubiquitous Fred -- not to mention her suddenly raging hormones -- Nina thinks anyone but Alex would be a better bet for a relationship. But with every silver-haired stiff she dates, the more she suspects it's the young dog-loving doctor she wants to sit and stay!

Nina has wanted a dog practically from the day her and Guy got married, he didn't. It should have been a sign. 15 years later she's divorced and ready to get her dog. It's her 40th birthday and she wants a perky happy puppy, what she leaves with is Fred. An older overweight depressed dog, but what does it matter when he makes her happy? That's what she wanted all along. But living on the third floor makes it a bit difficult for him to do his thing, especially without an elevator, so she teaches him to go down the fire escape out the window. All is fine until one time he doesn't come back.....

Fred seems to have found a new friend, he's climbed into the second story window instead of his third floor one, and meets Alex. Alex has been an ER doctor for awhile, his family has been harping on him to choose a profession. It would seem he has but coming from a long line of specialist doctors an ER doctor is NOT a profession. It's also been hard in the dating field, every woman he dates is ready to settle down and sprout children, Alex isn't ready for marriage let alone the fact that he doesn't want children. But when he meets Fred and returns him to his owner he thinks he just might have meet the right woman.

Because of a ten year age gap Nina is very weary of anything romantic with Alex. She's come up with every excuse, his age, his maturity, his .... well everything. But nothing can change the feelings she has every time he is near, or every time she thinks of him for that matter.

Alex doesn't care about Nina's age, and is determined to make sure she doesn't care either. He wants her to see him as a grown man worthy of her. But he still is weary to make THE move, scared she'll turn away and his chance will be lost.

With Nina's best friend that has the black thumb in relationships writing a book on her love life and pushing Nina into SOMETHING with Alex. And their 75 year old upstairs neighbor and her 63 year old boyfriend also dropping hints to how age never matters. And everything else Nina and Alex are fighting an uphill battle. Throw in Alex's older brother Max that's struggling with his life decisions and an alcoholic, cardiac surgeon father this book adds up to lots of fun and a great romance. Hell throw in a red lace incredi bra while we're at it too. This is the closest to a Bet Me book. I loved it! The entire feel of the story, the banter, the dog it just makes a perfect Crusie book. Were there faults? Sure I think Charity and Max should have had some type of ending weather together or with someone else. In the end Alex went a little over board with what he was doing to prove to Nina he was mature and stable enough for her, but he smartened up. So like I said, this one rates #2 right next to Bet Me. A definite great read. Go Get It!

I'm In No Mood for Love by Rachel Gibson

Hero: Sebastian Vaughan
Heroine: Clare Wingate
Category: Contemp
Page Count: 359/paperback
Grade:A
Buy It: Here, or here.

What is Clare Wingate doing? One minute she's suffering in a pretty-in-pink gown she'll never wear again, and the next thing she knows it's morning . . . and she has the nastiest hangover of her life.
To make matters worse, she's wearing nothing but a spritz of Escada and lying next to Sebastian Vaughan . . . her girlhood crush turned sexy, globe-hopping journalist. Somewhere between the toast and the toss of the bouquet she'd gotten herself into a whole lot of trouble.

Clare had the right to go wild-after all, she'd been knocked off her dyed-to-match shoes after finding her own fiancé in a compromising position with the washing machine repairman. Clearly her society wedding is off.

But Sebastian pushed all the wrong buttons-and some of the right ones, too. Clare is in no mood for love-not even for lust-and wants to forget about Sebastian and his six-pack abs ASAP. But he isn't in the mood to go away, and his kiss is impossible to forget.

Ever since buying and reading Sex, Lies, and Online Dating, just about a year ago, I've been dying for Rachel Gibson's next book, I'm In No Mood For Love. It's the second in a series she's writing about 4 girl friends who are all fiction authors. And I wasn't disappointed.

Clare is a historical romance author and she loves her job, even if her mother tells all her friends that she writes woman's fiction and refuses to call it what it really is. Clare's completely happy with her life until the day of one of her best friends wedding when she runs back home and finds the Sears repair man riding her fiance on the floor of her walk in closet.

The next morning she wakes up with a huge hang over and not really remembering to much. But when she looks at the bed she's in and finds her self naked except for her pink thong in a hotel room it's obvious she didn't spend it alone. But before she can escape he's there, the worst person she could even think up. The boy who teased her, hit her and tricked her every chance he got grew up to be a very handsome man. Sebastian is a girls wet dream, with his green eyes, wicked smile, and body to drool over.

After a very embarrassing conversation with Sebastian, mostly cause she didn't remember anything and Sebastian is still teasing her, Clare escaped with what dignity she could. Then went home to face her reality. She cleaned house-so to speak, and decided to stay clear of men for awhile. But before Sebastian is off they share a hot kiss. And a few months later it's a make-out session in her mother pantry, and about a month or so later they stop lying to themselves and give in to the passion burning between them.

After mistakenly thinking they could rid themselves of each other after a night full of hot kinky sex they decide to just be friends that have sex, no strings attached. Great for Sebastian that cannot handle the R word or C word (that's relationship or commitment if you weren't sure), and great for Clare who doesn't mind a few multiple orgasms with Mr. Right Now while she waits for Mr. Right.

But when Clare finds herself in love with another man that doesn't love her back, she takes a stand. And that's when it gets really good. But I'm not gonna tell you the rest. You'll have to go read this to find out how Sebastian reacts, what he does, what she does.....and a lot more.

This book is full of men reading romance, men getting drug around shopping by a shopaholic, a father and son finding a relationship that had gotten forgotten, kick ass girl friends, some sexy banter with our H&H, a lot of laughter (even some tears for me) and that's not even mentioning a flipping fine hero and an awesome heroine.
So go get the book and read it!

Quote from Sebastian (after Clare asks if he heard what she said to him):

"Yeah. You assume I don't see myself married because I want to 'conquer' lots of different women and eat their Lucky Charms and Tasty O's."

....then after he corners her in her mothers pantry

"I want to talk about eating you like a Tasty O. I want to talk about all the things I want to do to you. Then we can talk about all the things I want you to do to me."

Oh wait.....the parts I didn't like? Hmmmm, even a favorite like RG had something that bothered me. There was something on page 182 that really irked me, read the book and see if you can figure it out. lol. And the ending? A little perfect but hey it's a romance novel right? What do you expect? All around though, it was a great book. I can always count on RG for a great read. Now I cannot wait till next year for Maddie's book!!!

The Series order so far:
Sex, Lies and Online Dating
I'm in no Mood for Love

And Then Came You by Maureen Child

Hero: Jeff
Heroine: Sam (Samantha)
Category: Contemp
Page Count: 335
Grade: B
Buy It:Here, or here.

Nine years ago, Samantha Marconi was swept away in a whirlwind wedding...even though she'd only known her new husband for a month. When Jeff left her just weeks after the wedding-she found out she was pregnant and had nowhere to turn. So Sam did the only thing she thought she could do. She placed her daughter up for adoption and tried to forget the past-until her past came knocking on her door...

Jeff never received Sam's letters, nor did he know she had their child-until after the little girl was put up for adoption. Jeff managed to find their daughter, Emma, and lovingly raised her on his own. He's about to remarry-but his divorce from Sam never went through. Jeff needs Sam's help to get "unmarried," and quick. Yet when Jeff shows up on Sam's doorstep, he's shocked to find the sparks that once flew between them are still burning strong. Can he let Sam go again? Especially when the truth about what really happened nine years ago is finally revealed...

Yes I'm stealing Dylan's little set up here, I like it! lol. So what? On with the review.

I must admit that when I first started reading this I had no intention of liking it. I didn't not want to, it's just I knew it was a storyline I didn't like. Ask me my most despised storyline and it's the "We were together, we got split up with others lies, I had your baby, we never spoke, a million years past and OMG I bump into you and still love you! What to do???" lol. Okay so you get my point.

This book surprised me. While there were parts that I didn't' really like, as a whole it was a really good book. Full of funny Italian woman, sister to boot! And they are all construction workers.

We'll skip the stuff that is already said about the book above and go with the rest.....

Jeff has chosen a new woman to be his wife. Her name is Cynthia and he choose her cause he didn't have the same crazy passion with her as he did with Sam. After all, passion obviously isn't enough, look at him and Sam. But when he sees Sam again and the sparks fly he has to wonder.....can he really live without her? He has raised their daughter since she was a newborn, believing that Sam wanted neither him or their daughter. That stung but he never let Emma know the truth. Instead deciding to tell her that her mother loved her but just couldn't keep her.

Sam was hurt once, and that was enough. When her mother got sick and finances were tight right after her husband walked out on her and returned her letter telling him she was pregnant, she decided to give her baby that she loved so much up for adoption. Little did she know someone was working behind the scenes to destroy her marriage, and everything dear to her.

But nine years later Jeff and Sam meet again, granted not under the best circumstances but it's still another chance. When Sam finds out that Jeff has had her daughter all along she is at first livid. But then she comes up with the perfect plan. Jeff may not want to share his daughter, believing all this time he'd never have too. But he wants a divorce and she's holding the cards. So it's shared custody or no divorce. But when Jeff finds out the truth about nine years ago, and the passion that has not worn off at all with Sam, does he want a divorce still?

With a beautiful little girl, a conniving fiancee, a confused wife and husband that have believed themselves divorced for nine years, and not to mention two kick ass sisters that won't stand for anyone hurting Sam again. This makes for a very entertaining book. Full of laughter, tears, anger, and smiles.

But wait....I said there was some stuff that irked me. Nothing to much but I must state that it has always bothered me when hero's are hurt in the past then have this mind set: I've loved once and gotten burned, so now I'm going to choose a cold woman that I don't love cause that's sure to keep me safe and happy.
Okay how dumb can men be? At least he didn't' keep that mind set for long.

Go get the book, and then read the rest of the stories that go along:
And then Came You ~ Sam's Story
A Crazy Kind of Love ~ Mike's Story
Turn My World Upside Down ~ Jo's Story

Or visit Maureen Child's webpage and see all the other books she has by clicking here.

This is Chick Lit edited by Lauren Baratz- Logsted

The genre of fiction known as "chick-lit" has been a lightning rod for debate in the world of literature, raising questions such as Is chick-lit really literature or just harmless fluff? Is this really an accurate portrayal of the lives of modern women? Eighteen renowned authors--including Jennifer Coburn, Raelynn Hillhouse, Harley Jane Kozak, Cara Lockwood, and Rachel Pine--weigh in with the best of chick-lit--proving that this genre deserves as much, or more, respect as any other. In addition to their story, each author elaborates on her feelings about the 'chick-lit' label, and recommends literary fiction writers that have inspired them.

Some time ago a book titled "This is not Chick-Lit" was published. Well not much of a surprise to me, but quite a few authors of Chick-Lit were upset. Well the finished product of some up in arms Chick-Lit authors? A great book titled "This is Chick-Lit", and I've had the honor of reading this book (or most of it) and posting this review.
This book is a combined effort of 18 different authors. Each of them writing very different stories, each their own. At the beginning of each of their stories they give a brief description of what Chick-Lit means to them. Not only that but there is also a portion of this book, in the back, called 'Reaching Across the Aisle' which is each author recommending a book by a literary author they think their readers would enjoy. I love this!
I've only read 7 of the 18 stories so far, but I though maybe since there are so many stories I would break up the review to a two or three part thing. Sound good? Great! Okay, here we go.
Some I liked, some I didn't, lets be honest no matter what genre you read your never going to like it all.

Two Literary Chicks by Jennifer Coburn

(I won't be posting what each author wrote about Chick-Lit, but as I think this author summed it up perfectly I'll just post her thoughts.)

"As a feminist, I find the attack on chick-lit more than a bit disheartening. Is this where we are-one group of women writers mocking another, deeming it's work irrelevant? Are women really criticizing each other about what they read?! And author recently commented that the term chick-lit sounds as if the writing is about, for and by women, nothing more. Nothing more?! Why isn't that enough?! I love chick-lit and am proud to be associated with this genre. People who don't appreciate it should stop moaning about the relevance of chick-lit and simply spend their time reading what they like."

Very good story. About two women who were in a writing group together in college, neither really liking the others work. Years later they cross each other on the street and make some small talk. One is a published author of a very successful book the other has a great book written but is struggling to get it published. Through different events they end up getting to know each other better and liking each others work. As well as helping.
Although I think it was well written and a good story I also felt it was inconclusive. Your left wondering about Marley at the end to much. I just wish it was tied up a little better in the end.
But I will definitely read this author again.

The Infidelity Diet by Harley Jane Kozak

Gripping. I really enjoyed this one and it was ended very well for a short story.
About a woman that starts to wonder about her husbands faithfulness to her. She's been married for quite awhile, and they've just both grown so comfortable. Long nights at work and some thoughts start to crowd in. Looking for advice from all different friends make for an entertaining view on woman's thoughts on cheating men. I'm not totally sure what we were meant to think of Christopher (husband) in the end, but I would love to read more of this author.

Confessions of a Three-Eyed Freak by Arielle Papa

Okay not one of the ones I liked. A story about a woman uncomfortable with a birthmark on her neck and goes to get it removed. She ends up waking up with an eye where the mark was on her neck. Okkkkaaay..... I kept thinking she was going to wake up and it was a weird dream. But no, it was real. She grew to like the third eye and was obsessed with it. Only when the eye started looking at different men did she go to have it removed. The eye was getting out of control. Ummmm......need I say more???? And the woman in the story had the same name as the author. That's just weird to me. This entire one was strange.

The Commitment Phobe by Cara Lockwood

Loved this one. Soooo cute! About a woman and man that are dating and of course she's ready for the next step, marriage, and he is content the way they are. He isn't against marriage it just seems like something they'll do eventually. Well she shakes some things up and gives her man a wake-up call. He is so cute, how much he loves her. Adorable read. I am all kinds of excited to find more work by Cara Lockwood!

Mama Knows Best by Kayla Perrin

Short, sweet and kinda funny. Yeah this one had me laughing a bit. Sometimes when you read a book about a black couple all you hear about is the color factor. You only hear it once or twice in this story, and not in a way to draw attention to the fact. Just in regular description like any other person or story. It really was a good read. A woman dumps her fiance the day before (or is it the day of) their wedding when she found out he cheated with a stripper. Then on a girls night out her ex is there with a Tyra look a like. Taking a deep breath she pretends to be there with a hot guy that happens to be sitting next to her. After a perfect performance she apologizes to the hot man and kisses any chance of actually talking him up now that he probably thinks she's a crazy. But surprise surprise who is her mama setting her up with the next night???

Nice Jewish Boy by Karen Siplin

Absolutely no point to this story. It's about two women, best friends since high school. They go to a friends baby's party, Jewish friend. One of the girls is Jewish on is black. The story is mostly about how the black girl stands out in the crowd of Jewish people. And then how all the Jewish mama's wonder if she is a mother herself even after she told them she is single and living with her parents. It's made out to be like every black woman is supposed to be a single mom. Sorry but I don't make that assumption or a normal basis! The the other girl gets propositioned for an affair with an ex that is married. Well I have no clue why she is only wearing the skimpiest outfit ever. So basically it's two mid-30's women that both live with their parents and wonder why nobody takes them seriously.....hmmmm, I don't know I just can't figure it out. Oh and did I mention neither of them drive so the parents still drive them around....oh and the 'nice Jewish boy'? Yeah that's a 15 yr. old that hit on the black girl. No more to say.

Dead Men Don't Eat Quiche by Deanna Carlyle

Started this story thinking it was kinda cute. A girl living in France her parents coming to visit. Blah blah blah. They tour the city have fun, of course she is dragging her feet. Then we find out her ex was murdered and she was a suspect. Oh but wait she figured out the true killer and cleared herself. So they go out to the restaurant that her mother made reservations at and there is a mix up. No availability, they lost the reservation. The mother is yelling (and don't ask my why the daughter was embarrassed, I would have been yelling too!)Basically a man comes and says they can join their private party. They flirt all night, have a private bathroom get together. Next thing we know the guy ends up dead in the bathroom with a fork in his neck. Again the heroine is a suspect and again clears herself. Not a great read, not bad either. Kinda Meh...

So ladies. Like I said, some bad some good. Do I think you should run out and grab this book? Yeah, it's a nice book to have when you have a few minutes for a short story. It's nice cause they are very short and mostly interesting. Also introduces us to many new authors that we may not have otherwise read. I love the purpose behind the book!

Grade~ B-