Can Love Survive the Hurt of Betrayal? "Reece's Bride" by Kat Martin

Wounded in battle, Major Reese Dewar returns to England—but his injuries are nothing compared to his shattered heart

Years ago, love-struck Reese departed his home at Briarwood with a promise from raven-haired Elizabeth Clemens that she would make a life with him upon his return. But mere months later, she married the Earl of Aldridge, attaining wealth and status Reese could never match. Memories of that betrayal make his homecoming far more bitter than sweet.

Seeing Elizabeth on his doorstep dressed in widow's garb twists the knife even deeper. But fear for her young son's safety has overcome her pride: she begs Reese for protection from those who would see the boy dead to possess his fortune. He agrees to an uneasy alliance, sensing Elizabeth still harbors deep secrets—and Reese knows that he's placing himself in danger…of losing his heart all over again.

I have been reading a number of novels that deal with the fall-out of war, some set in contemporary times as the few I have reviewed just prior to this book, and some set in historical venues as in this story where several of the characters have come home from the Crimean War, some injured or missing limbs, and some without a scratch. But even those who managed to escape physical wounds have still often paid a high price for their service and sacrifice. In the case of our here, Reece DeWar, he has come home with an injured leg that is slow in healing as well as a shattered heart, a wounded spirit, and a whole load of hatred for the woman he loved, who had promised him faithfully that she was his alone, but now she is a widow with a son. While he was gone she had married a titled and wealthy aristocrat. However, this novel is testimony to the fact that there is often far more to the story than meets the eye.

Elizabeth is now a dowager countess with a son whose title and fortune is being threatened by his father's brother--his fathers greedy brother--and who have been slowly poisoning her with opiates in order to take over the guardianship of the young boy. His safety, his future, his very life are in jeopardy, and she runs to her ex-suitor for safety and sanctuary. Reece is angry and unwelcoming, but he is also an honorable man, and when Elizabeth collapses at his feet, obviously terribly unwell, he cannot turn her away. The story of their subsequent encounters with danger force Reece to seek safety and protection for this woman and her son.

This is not a simplistic love story and it is not a historical romance that fits into the Regency romance format. It is certainly another encounter with the English way of living and doing, of the ways of the aristocracy, and the struggles of Reece and Elizabeth to find some kind of peace together that will protect their son. It is only down the road a bit that Reece will learn more of the "why" of Elizabeth's seeming betrayal. Those who were loyal to him and openly hostile to her have their eyes opened gradually and that is an important part of the story. Reece's delight in Elizabeth's son is a heart-warming part of the story that reveals a great deal about what kind of man he really is. His loyalty to his friends, to comrades from the war, to doing the right thing are the defining values for this interesting man and go great lengths to add to the story as well as bring secondary characters in that flesh out the story and make the novel "work" on many levels.

This novel was released in 2009 by Harlequin under their Mira imprint, but it is one that is a delightful read and should still get attention from historical romance readers. Many people will recognize this author from her recent "Raines of Wind Canyon" series about brothers who have had difficulties early in their lives and while going into different occupations are still loyal and true to one another and those they come to love. Ms Martin brings that same kind of attention to the writing task in this novel. It's one that is worth reading and I hope those of you who do so will enjoy it as much as I. I give it a rating of 4 out of 5.

The Hurt Just Seems To Go On and On: "Touch Me" by Callie Croix

Arriving home on leave from his tour of duty, Army Captain Alex Montoya knows there's a beautiful woman waiting for him-his best friend's sister. She's always been off limits...until now. He fully intends to move them out of being "just friends" and encourage her to release the sexual needs he senses she's buried deep.

Tianna McIntyre is starting over after her marriage ended. Her ex-husband weakened her self-esteem and caused her to deny her true sexual desires. But being around Alex brings all her dormant fantasies to the surface, and now Tianna feels the stirrings of her secret, submissive wishes.

Determined to help repair the damage Tianna's ex did to her self-worth, Alex will use whatever means necessary to convince her they're meant for each other, including tying her down to make sure he has her full attention while he takes her to the heights of pleasure she's always dreamed of.

There are indeed an endless stream of stories that come out of the horror of war and the effect that such military conflict brings, not only to those doing the fighting, but to those who must remain at home, who must contend with the long-term effects of injury, and whose lives are forever altered, often not in positive ways. Out of the wounds and disaster of the Middle East conflict comes this story of three people who must live with the damage war continues to do, even after the original injuries occur.

Tianna has been separated from her veteran husband, a man who she loved and who loved her, who went to war with every expectation of returning home and picking up the frazzled strands of his life and their relationship. Now he is struggling with a wound that has changed him, altered his personality and the way he relates to her and the world around him. Known as Traumatic Brain Injury, Tianna's husband has become hurtful, abusive pschologically as he criticizes her looks, her housekeeping, her professional skills as a physical rehab therapist, and on and on. When she shares her sexual needs and desires with him he berates and demeans her as a whore. Slowly but surely he kills her love for him and ultimately, their marriage. She is now house sitting for her brother's best friend who an Army captain and is serving in Afghanistan.

Alex is home for a short post-injury leave, having been involved in an accident that wounded him and resulted in the death of several of his squad. He has desired Tianna for a long time but has been prevented from acting on his love for her by her marriage and the fact that she is his best friend's sister. But no longer. He senses that she is not only saddened by the failure to help her husband and the death of her marriage, but she is unfulfilled as a woman and he wants to be the person to bring life back into her passionate spirit.

This is a novella that talks plainly about the inner wounds of war, not only to the soldiers but to those who must find a way to live with men and women who will probably never be the same. It is also a story that is blunt about the hurt and sense of emotional numbness that comes when one's own needs are stymied and when those who express their needs are belittled verbally abused. Yet in the midst of all the negatives comes a love relationship that is new and good, that is poised to bring Tianna back to life and which potentially will get both Tianna and Alex past the bad stuff war brings into human experience. It is not an extended read and will not take an inordinate amount of time to enjoy, but it is good writing, a good story, a slice of life in the real world with real people, and certainly set in our contemporary times. This is a relatively new author for me but I have recently read two or three of her works. I find her writing style to be very readable and the editing of her work is well-done. This is a story that will entertain as well as instruct, but it is no light-weight love tale. There is a lot here and it is one of those kinds of stories that makes me feel that I have been enlightened through the experiences of fictional characters. I hope you will get this novella and will find it as compelling as I have. I give it a rating of 4 out of 5.

This novella was released in January, 2012, by Carina Press.

Review: Running in Fear--Cupid's Venom by Trinity Blacio

Six years of living in a cell sure can be hell on a girl. Not to mention the fact that Cecil Windstream was only sixteen years old when her family was taken away to be experimented on. After escaping, all Cecil wanted to do was die, but unfortunately the snake DNA that had been injected into her wouldn’t let her die, and either will her mates.

Tug Brimstone was an alpha wolf by nature, but even he wasn’t as powerful as his Remi LeBlathe, their true alpha. Happy to be the new head master in their jointly owned BDSM nightclub, Tug wasn’t looking for anyone, but fate had another plan for him. In less than two days, he finds he has three mates, two who are part snake and wolf, and now he’s tempting fate by injecting snake DNA into his own body so he can mate with them.

Rory Sherwood is mate to Tug Brimstone, Clayton Glands, and Cecil Windstream. How can one tiny female who has been beaten, experimented on, and is a virgin overwhelm him to the point where he forgets his own name, let alone seriously changing his DNA, just so he can mate with her?

Clayton Glands, the muscle behind the National Council of Wolf shifters, has hidden a family secret all his life, but in less than twenty-four hours he has found his mates, exposed his secret, and gained a son.

In a one-week time span, three alpha males Tug, Rory, and Clayton must protect their female from the scientists Cecil had escaped. Not only is her life in danger, but also her son’s, and the future of every shifter around. The war against good and evil is coming to a head and their journey is just part of the story to come.

Those of us who read a wide assortment of romance fiction know about and read novels that feature vampires and all sorts of paranormals--the fae, shifters of all sorts, and so on. This series has been around now for several years and this is the fourth story in the Running in Fear series. In the third book, shifters of a different sort were introduced--snake shifters. I have to admit that this was waaaaaay far out for me and one that was difficult for me to even envision. Now the heroine of this novel has finally escaped one of the labs that the Shifter Council has secretly been sponsoring--started in order to produce a stronger, invincible shifter being. Monthly, Cecil's body was injected with snake DNA in order to combine her wolf with snake qualities.

I felt that this story was quite a bit less tense than the three initial stories in this series. While the problems and crises were as weird and certainly produced their own set of problems for Cecil and her mates, the greatest of these were the fact that any kind of excitement caused Cecil's poisonous venom to be a danger to anyone who was causing that excitement, including her mates and including any sort of sexual arousal. Mating with her significant others then became a substantive problem for their collective future. There were several issues involved and two of Cecil's mates, Rory and Tug, both took action to neutralize the danger. Clayton's "secret" turned out to smooth out the problem with Cecil and allow them to mate. Clayton never really foresaw that his "secret" would turn out to be a blessing in disguise.

This was a fun read in lots of ways. Jaycee, heroine of the first three books, continues to be a voice in this novel along with her three men. Her friends Pam and Sheila along with her adopted mother Marsha, are also background characters here as well. The repartee among all the friends gets funny at times and is really enjoyable as evidence of their deep connection and friendship as a pack. There is certainly continued danger from those in the National Council who want to "take over" and take away the democratic governing among all the packs. There is danger to Cecil from those who want to capture her once again, and there is danger from the father of her baby--a powerful snake shifter who has threatened her safety many times. There is indeed a sense of "running in fear" in this story, but it is really more of a love story than one of threat. Even though Tug is the "headmaster" of the BDSM club of which he is co-owner, there is almost no BDSM in this story. It is inferred and there are references to him as a master, but that is about it.

All the books in this series are "far out" as are any good paranormal stories. The snake thing was still difficult for me as I absolutely abhor snakes. But as I got into the story it became less of an issue and the solutions to the crises it posed helped to make it less of a problem. I think anyone who reads paranormals is willing to put up with quite a bit of weirdness. But this is really a shorter novel than the previous books and yet it reads well and there is a lot of fun and loving here. There is also a sense that it is because of Tug, Rory and Clayton that Cecil begins the long process of restoration after her six years of torture and terror. I give it a rating of 3.75 out of 5.

Getting Older Just Means Getting Better: "Dating A Cougar" by Donna McDonald

After several decades of looking for true love and never finding it, aging model and lingerie designer, Alexa Ranger, had finally given the search. A couple years ago, she got tired of the game and just stopped dating. Friends and family keep her mostly content, so it’s shocking at 50 yrs old to find herself suddenly wanting a sex life again. It’s even more shocking to be attracted to a much younger man this time. She definitely thinks Casey Carter is incredibly sexy, but not handling her own age well, Alexa just can’t get passed their twelve year age difference to even consider a fling. Though she figures it doesn't matter anyway. Anything resembling a normal dating relationship is totally out of the question because Casey is related to and living with her daughter’s boyfriend. The last thing Alexa needs is another talk-show worthy drama in her already complicated life, no matter how amazing Casey’s kisses make her feel.

It was true 38 yr old, medically retired Marine, Casey Carter, believed for a couple of years that his military injury had made him impotent. Having lost his wife to cancer, he hadn’t exactly been worried about the problem. Most days walking with cane was enough challenge for him. But now that he was ready to move on with his life, he had become slightly more worried when none of the females his cousin brought around held any interest for him. The last woman in the world he expected to start his engine revving again was the mother of his cousin's girlfriend. Even at fifty, Alexa is drop-dead gorgeous, and his libido keeps reminding him she is the first woman he has wanted in a long, long time. Ironically, the more Casey gets to know and like Alexa, he finds out desiring the older woman is the easiest part. Jaded and cynical about love, Alexa is a difficult woman to convince of anything, but her kisses are enough for him. The former Marine decides his next mission is figuring out how to fit himself into her life.

I am truly delighted that more and more romance authors are writing stories about the women who have come to be overlooked by society: women of color, women who weigh more than 110 pounds, and women who are over 30 years of age. Our society is so in love with the rail-thin, super model image that is perpetuated in advertising and in many romances. There are wonderful women running around this planet that may be beautiful in their own right but who don't fit the very restrictive and exclusionary segment of females. And what is even worse, men perpetuate it in their own way, discarding older women whose experience and wisdom make them even nicer and more knowledgeable about life. Yes, gravity has worked its destruction with boobs and butts, but there are men out there who look beyond that to the knowledge, humor, and still sizzling passion that doesn't fizzle when one celebrates the 30th birthday or steps on the scales and the dial registers more than 110.

So it is with our heroine who is an ancient 50 years old, who is still drop-dead gorgeous, but who as been already scarred by a society for which she is already becoming invisible. And it seems to me, that once a woman determines that she is "past her prime" and has noting to offer, convincing her otherwise is an uphill task. So it is in this story that deals very realistically with the issues that confront a woman who is definitely older (eligible for an AARP membership at 50), a retired and hurting Marine whose sense of himself has already been damaged by his injuries and the looks he receives when he uses his cane, and the 12 year difference in their ages. Oh brother!! Are these emotional and psychological potholes, or what!

This is a compelling look at a friendship and romance that deals realistically with people caught in real life, whose capacity to love and respond passionately has not been dimmed by age or life's difficulties. It is an encouragement to many to realize that for older people, life has just then begun to make a little more sense: they don't get easily upended by things they don't understand; they are willing to take a little time to work things out because they have learned that such patience serves them best in the long run; and they have learned that the stuff that makes us crazy when we are 25 really doesn't make us crazy anymore. The hot button issues really is: do I still have time, energy, personal charisma in sufficient quantity to make life something worth living?

I think this is one of the nicest stories I have read in recent months. There is conflict between the two main characters over the age difference, but our Marine hero is not easily turned aside and knows he wants this women in his life long-term. He is one of the "few good men" and he is not going to waffle with this chance to know happiness and deep love with a woman of quality and character and life experience.

I hope you'll look for this book and that you'll enjoy it as much as I did. I give it a rating of 4.25 out of 5.

Review: These Arms of Mine by Judy Lynn Hubbard

When Alesha Robinson ended her torrid affair with Derrick Chandler, she gave up the love of her life. Now fate's giving them a second chance. But when Alesha asks Derrick to save her brother, she never dreams what the scorned multimillionaire will demand in exchange: becoming his wife—in name only.

Even after Alesha shattered his trust, Derrick never stopped loving her. His strings-attached proposition was supposed to be strictly business: revenge for her cruel betrayal as he rebuilds his public image. Until desire reignites—hotter than ever.

As the ex-lovers give in to their passion, a marriage of convenience is about to become inconvenient. And Derrick realizes just how far he'll go to keep Alesha in his bed, in his arms, in his heart—forever.

He's running for the United States Senate and he needs a wife--or so his campaign manager informs him. Cam is not only his manager but his best friend as well and wants him to succeed. Derrick is a wealthy corporate lawyer who was raised in Washington, D.C., and like many residents of that city, has now been bitten by the "running for elected office" bug. Not minutes after Cam drops this necessity in Derrick's lap, his secretary informs him that a woman awaits to speak with him--the one who destroyed his heart and convinced him that long-term commitment just isn't for him. She is pleading for her brother who has "borrowed" (actually embezzeled) $100k from Derrick's campaign funds and Alesha's brother is going t o arrested and charged with the crime. Derrick is angry because of the theft, but he is also angry still over Alesha's betrayal two years earlier.

This whole scenario comes under the heading of "blackmailed into a business arrangement which will look like a marriage to everyone else." For Derrick it is the quintessential opportunity to put Alesha at his mercy, get his "pound of flesh" from both Alesha and her brother, and also get Alesha out of his system since he insists that the business arrangement comes with "benefits." The one person in Alesha's family for whom Derrick has genuine friendship and affection is her mother, Barbara. What Derrick doesn't learn until quite some time after the marriage occurs, is that Robert stole the money to secure medical treatment for their mother who needed expensive cardiac care.

This is a very tense novel and one that reads like some of the classic adversarial romances for which Harlequin is famous. The twist here is that this is a black family and Derrick is an highly successful attorney who has definitely made his way in the world. Alesha is a strong woman who is extremely loyal to her mother and brother and because of that loyalty agrees to Derrick's conditions. She is a very successful nursing professional--in charge of the operating room at a large Washington hospital, but she must now put aside her career as well as marry a man who she now believes hates her.

Underlying the adversarial nature of this relationship is old baggage, most of which has been caused by emotional panic and untruths which led Derrick to believe that Alesha was fooling around behind his back. When he finds out otherwise, the foundations of his old anger begin to crumble. It is a story that illustrates the hurt that can wound good people when honesty is laid aside. There is no doubt that Derrick is a very intense person, and it was that intensity that frightened Alesha two years earlier. My question is always: why can't people just be honest about their feelings? Perhaps that failure is rooted in insecurity or a fear of being rejected. But in the end, the relationship was smashed anyway and two people who could have found happiness together are turned in different directions with the added burden of anger and disappointment.

This was not a difficult read and as a short novel didn't take an inordinate period of time to read. But it was well written and actually not too sappy overall. The story moved along and there was balance between the actual dialogue between the characters and the inner musings that sometimes take over a story. I have not read any other stories by this author but I have to say that I think the story was well crafter, the characters were realistic, and the context of the tale believable. It also includes a novella by Brenda Jackson in celebration of a publishing anniversary. So there's more for your money and I think both the novel and novella are very nice love stories. I give it a rating of 4 out of 5.

This short novel will be released by Harlequin under their Kimini imprint on 31 January 2012.

Addressing Prejudice in Romance Fiction: It's All There, Folks!!

Yesterday was Martin Luther King Day here in the United States and throughout this weekend the classic movie stations were playing some of the finest of the films that were made with all black casts or which were pioneer efforts to bring the harmful realities of segregation and racial prejudice to the attention of the public. Probably the most upsetting movie forth years ago was the last movie Spencer Tracy made: "Guess Whose Coming To Dinner" where an upper class white girl brought her black fiance home to meet mom and dad. I can remember how that set America on its ear!! It got me to thinking of the many novels I have read over my life, more in recent months as I have been reviewing books, but certainly a hefty number of novels of all kinds.

Even in the most benign of romance literature there always crops up mention of some kind of prejudice whether it be racial or rooted in social class distinctions. In recent years there have been a number of authors who have deliberately made racial and class prejudice the subjects of

their stories. Writers who specializ

e in Western topics, whether contemporary or historical, are really good about not backing away from prejudice against Native Americans. This is true especially of novels set in the post Civil War period. We have all heard President Grant's opini

on: "The only good Indian is a dead Indian." It was the feeling most late 19th century Americans ascribed to then.

Now we also have a number of authors who are bring interracial romance into the genre. Marilyn Lee, Brenda Jackson, Lena Matthews, Dahlia Rose an

d others have written clearly and specifically about interracial romantic

relationships, marriage, children, and community involvement. Some like Ms Lee have also written novels about Big Beautiful Women and have even brought that added theme into interracial novels as well. And what about the prejudice that is deeply ingrained in our culture against older wo

men getting involved with younger men? That's one that pushes lots more emotional "buttons" than most people would admit. Yet it is becoming more and more a part of romance fiction and as an older woman, that suits me just fine!

Sean Michael, Stephanie Hecht, J.P. Bowie, Cameron Ride and Josh Lanyon are just a few of the authors who are writing about same sex unions and romance, both M/M and F/F. Readers are now finding more and more same-sex romance available and it is good stuff. It is a reminder that human love is wonderful and it comes in all forms. People are people and their needs are their own. Finding that special person who makes one's heart whole is just as special if it is in GLBT context as it is in a "straight" relationship.

This particular holiday is not one that was a part of my growing-up experience as it is a relatively recent addition to the calendar of federal holidays. Yet I am glad when it comes each year as it gives all of us opportunities--whether we take them or not is up to each person--to think on the many ways we screen people out of our lives because they are different. There was a time when even good people, religious leaders and others believed slavery was good because it was "the way of the world" and was supported by religious teaching. Thankfully, we now know how blind they were. It is my sincere hope that each year that goes by will see all of us becoming more accepting of others, no matter how different they may be.

He's Her Knight With A Hammer & Saw: "Tool Belt Defender" by Carla Cassidy

It's Party Time...

That’s the “invitation” shoved under her door. It’s got Brittany Grayson fearing for her life…and her sanity. She’s sure the monster who once held her captive for months is dead, so why his chilling words in the note? His menacing face in the window? And why won’t anyone —even her lawmen brothers—believe that somehow he’s after her again?

Brittany just wants a normal, independent life in Black Rock. Romance is out of the question… although she’s okay as friends-with-benefits with Alex Crawford, her hunky, marriage-phobic contractor. Alex, a single dad, has his own good reasons not to fall for Brittany. But none of them matter when the race is on to find the killer who’s kidnapped her.

This is the fifth book in the "Lawmen of Black Rock" series but it is the first of the novels that I have read. I have also not read any works by this author before but I have to start out by saying that I really enjoyed this book. It was not a difficult or complicated novel, but there was certainly enough going on that it wasn't simplistic. The five Grayson siblings are featured in each of the five novels, and this final book in the series highlights the experiences of Brittany Grayson, a sheriff's deputy in the community of Black Rock, Kansas, and a woman who was kidnapped, imprisoned and terrorized for four months by a psycho serial killer who styled himself as "The Professional." Now the killer is dead and Brittany is seeking to live again: moving back to her own home, planning for the future, thinking through her professional options, and even moving forward with her plan to build a large deck in back of her home so that she can participate in the family traditions of backyard barbecues and gatherings.

This is where Alex comes in--tall, good-looking, strong, and wearing that tool belt low on his hips. Yummmmm! And it is Alex at her front door who begins to awaken that sense of being human again, for the first time in eight months. According to the description of our hero in this book, one would have to be really dead not to have a reaction to hunky Tool Belt Man. Brittany also has an opportunity to meet and become friends with Alex's six-year-old daughter Emily, a little girl who is brilliant and mature beyond her years, but who still possesses the winsome aura of innocence and whose presence forms the heart of Alex. Throughout the book the scenes with Emily as she interacts with Alex and Brittany are some of the nicest parts of the story. And there is no doubt that as Alex and Brittany begin their friendship and as it quickly deepens into a physical affair, there is deep respect and genuine kindness in both these people.

Ms Cassidy has written a book that is fun to read yet has threads of tension running throughout--the tension over the re-appearance of "The Professional," the sexual tension that escalates between Alex and Brittany, and the tension within Brittany herself as she deals with her PTSD, her sense of not being safe, and her worries over her future. A very positive aspect of the book is the continuing presence of Brittany's brothers, their continuing care of her, the support of friends and community that Brittany re-discovers during her recovery, and the feeling that there is a far greater extended family surrounding her than she first believes.

This is the kind of novel that makes for good reading without a large time commitment but one that is appealing in its subject matter as well as one that keeps the reader's interest throughout. It is a very good story and one that is well-worth the time and effort to enjoy. I give it a rating of 4 0ut of 5.

This novel was released by Harlequin under their Romantic Suspense imprint in December, 2011.

Run, Run, as Far and As Fast As You Can: "Going Down" by Shelli Stevens

One man wants her heart. The other wants her dead…

Eleanor Owen needs to get out of Chicago and quick. It’s not that she doesn’t want to obey the subpoena to testify against her drug-trafficking ex-boyfriend. It’s making it to the witness stand alive, should a dirty cop make good on his threats.

Tiny, remote Wyattville, Oregon, looks like the perfect place to disappear, but it’s hard to blend into the woodwork when one of the town’s infamous namesakes sends her heart racing. Worse, Mr. Tall, Hot and Packing is the town sheriff, which means she should stay as far away from him as possible.

Tyson Wyatt is positive the sexy new girl in town is hiding something. Question is, what? He vows to feel out her secrets—including what she feels like beneath him. Preferably naked. Until then, he’s not buying the story she’s selling. Their chemistry is sheet-melting hot, and Ellie realizes much too late that the man with the badge is as dangerous to her heart as her ex is to her life…

Before I even get to the book review, I have to start out by commenting that even if I wasn't fascinated already with this series of stories about the Wyatt Boys, I would read this book simply because of the cover. What a hunk! (I may be old but I'm not dead!!)

I also started this series by reading Book 2 in this series and it made me realize that I really wanted to read all three of the stories about these brothers. This is the first in the series and features brother Tyson Wyatt, the hunky, sexy, unmarried sheriff of Wyatt, Oregon, a small community on the Oregon coast and the choice of Ellie Owens in her search for an out-of-the-way place to hide. And wouldn't you know it? Almost the minute she gets to town and settles in to her new digs she is spotted by the sheriff--after all everyone knows when someone moves or moves out--and he likes what he sees. And wouldn't you know it? Almost before she has ten words out of her mouth his policeman instincts kick in and he just knows that she either lying about almost everything she says or she is hiding something pretty major.

This is a story that highlights the horrors of spousal abuse as well as the fear and terror that can become a reality in someone's life who runs afoul of organized crime and those who have corrupted law enforcement officers. When a woman like Ellie realizes that not only is she in danger from her ex, she is also in danger if she seeks justice or cooperates in the efforts to put him in prison. And those dangers are coming from someone who should have been there to "serve and protect." Now I know that Chicago police have a long and theatrical-level history of corruption among its ranks, but recent decades have seen effective efforts to root out those cops who gave all the good ones a bad name. Yet we all also know that there are still dirty cops in many metropolitan police forces. Ellie ran and she ran as far as she could go--all the way to the Pacific Ocean and she ran right into a wall of rock--the check of Sheriff Tyson Wyatt--who, under almost any other set of circumstances, would have been her wall of choice.

This is a compelling story of fear and terror, danger and hiding, friendship and caring, and most of all, family. More than anything else, Ellie needs to find a haven emotionally as much as she needs a physical one. And that's what she finds through her friendships with the Wyatt family. Yet the more they seek to befriend and surround her, the more she hunkers in to keeping her secrets. This story is beautifully written and the detail of the Pacific Northwest, the characters that populate that delightful community, and the strong bonds that connect friends and family are just as compelling as the primary story of Ty and Ellie. It is also a delight to see two people come together who are genuinely good people, who ordinarily would have very ordinary goals in their lives and who could find true happiness under almost any set of circumstances. But the backstory of this novel is full of tension and terror. Add in the sexual tension between Ty and Ellie as well as the constant knowledge on the part of the reader that Ty is in the dark and the potential that has for upending their relationship and you have a romance story that keeps the reader glued to the page. It's my kind of novel!

This novel was released in mid-2010 but it is one that is fully contemporary and based on a situation that could easily happen to anyone. The author has a style that is incredibly readable and is a writer who demonstrates that she knows how to use language effectively. She draws word pictures that are sharp and edgy, caring and emotional, effective in communicating the finer points of the story and the lives of the characters. So I hope that you will get this novel and enjoy. It is well worth the effort. I give it a rating of 4.25 out of 5.

The Past Has The Ability to Haunt Us All: "Secrets" by Erosa Knowles

Wealthy Industrialist David Baxter died and left Chastity, his Administrative Assistant the bulk of his estate. Great right? That was until she faced his greedy relative in a court battle over the estate, which opens a can of Secrets. Court exposure sets off a string of events that reach as high as the United States Senate Chambers and as low as State prison walls. Through everything, Chastity once again must face her past Secrets. Desperate measures won't allow her to push her childhood friend, Lt. Cmdr. Kenton Stone to the side, she needs his help, even though she hides the biggest Secret of all from him.

Everyone has a past and for some, that past is best left in the past. All of us harbor memories of things said or done we wish hadn't been said or done. Most of us just let the past lie dormant and move on. Yet there are times when the past keeps rearing its ugly head and no matter how forcefully one tries to put it back where it belongs, the ugly truth keeps intruding on the present.

So it was with Chastity. She was a beautiful black woman who had worked for and resided at the estate of a wealthy industrialist. She has been his right-hand girl, had lived quietly and worked efficiently. Together with her children her life was protected as were their lives, and that's just the way she wanted it to stay. All the carefully constructed protective walls came tumbling down when Mr. Baxter died and left everything to Chastity, writing his greedy sister out of the will. And from then on, Chastity's life as she kinew it was never the same.

This is really a terrific read, one that brings to life characters that run the gammit of human goodness and evil. Secret after secret revealed plots and plans that even Chastity hadn't known about, no matter that she had worked more closely with Mr Baxter than anyone. Yet even from the grave he was protecting her and seeking justice for the wrongs that had been done to her when she was a child. The evils of child sex slaves is alive and well in the world, and this story brings it into the harsh light and tells of the hurt, both past and present, that it does to its victims. It exposes the false values, the callous misuse of children to satisfy perversion in people in high office and who are continually protected by their association with other high ranking elected officials. Yet even their evil is exposed in ways that are surprising and will gladden the heart of readers as they recognize that whatever Mr. Baxter may have been, he was a champion for Chastity and all like her.

This is one of those novels that keeps on resonating in the reader's memory long after the final word has been read. It is a book that has a warm and heart-felt love story at its core, but the evil that surrounds the main characters seems to be never-ending. There are surprises, plot twists, and unexpected graces as well as times when the bad guys seem to be winning. This novel never lets up. It's just that good. I hope you take the time to buy it and read it. It's worth the time and money to do so. I give this book a rating of 4.25 out of 5.

This novel was released by Sitting Bull Publishing in August, 2011.

Money Doesn't Always Make the Man: "Maid for the Billionaire" by Ruth Cardello

Dominic Corisi knew instantly that Abigail Dartley was just the distraction he was looking for, especially since having her took a bit more persuading than he was used to. So when business forces him to fly to China, he decides to take her with him, but on his terms. No promises. No complications. Just sex.

Abby has always been the responsible one. She doesn't believe in taking risks; especially when it comes to men - until she meets Dominic. He's both infuriating and intoxicating, a heady combination. Their trip to China revives a long forgotten side of Abby, but also reveals a threat to bring down Dominic's company. With no time to explain her actions, Abby must either influence the outcome of his latest venture and save his company or accept her role as his mistress and leave his fate to chance. Does she love him enough to risk losing him for good?


This author is new to me so I really wasn't going into reading this book with any kind of preconceived notions about either the quality of the writing or the story. It certainly started out like lots of other stories involving men of commerce who had more gold than Midas and who took on the "services" of a female "assistant" during international travel. What changed in this story--and what made it come much more alive for me--was the fact that this woman learned some important facts about herself and made some critical discoveries about her inner strengths. We all simply plan on her falling in love with her billionaire. That's almost a given. What is unexpected is the way she handles herself in some very sticky international business circumstances that could ultimately make or break her guy's business empire. It's hard to believe that one business transaction could decimate an entire empire but when considering the size and amount of money involved, it become very believable.


I found this to be a very interesting story, with some serious political, business and sexual tensions throughout. It was not the "creampuff" kind of romance I initially thought it to be and felt it ultimately had some genuine substance that gave this book its tensile strength. Dominic was the usual suave, gorgeous, and self-centered magnate with his "it's my or the highway" manner of conducting both business and personal relationships. Abby is a woman who has subjugated her own personal issues and needs to care for others in her family and professionally. She even took on the job of housemaid so her sister wouldn't lose her job. But she is a woman with far greater depth and with a spirit that genuinely cares about people, even if, in the end, she must sacrifice her most treasured relationships. Her honor and integrity are her hallmark, and while I know there are characters in stories that come across as being way too saintly, Abby isn't one of those, IMHO.

This was a free read that turned out to be a very good acquisition. I give it a rating of 4 out of 5.

This book is a Kindle e-publication and was released in April, 2011.

Is Marriage About Love or About Money? "Winning the Wallflower" by Eloisa James

It could only happen in a fairy tale.

Lady Lucy Towerton:
Plain and tall. (According to the lady herself.)
Titled and irreproachably proper. (According to her fiancÉ.)

Until, overnight, she becomes

Lady Lucy Towerton:
Heiress. (Thanks to an aged aunt’s bequest.)
Belle of the ball. (So say the fortune hunters of the ton.)

In charge of her own destiny (finally!), Lucy breaks her engagement and makes up her mind never to be proper again…

There is little doubt that Eloisa James is one of the giants of romance fiction and particularly historical romance. It was the genre that first captured my reading interest many years ago and I keep coming back, especially when a freebie becomes available and it is by an author that can be trusted to have created a tale that will be fun and engaging. So it is with Winning the Wallflower. It is a novella that is intended to come as a literary interlude between two full-length novels, one of which was released just before the end of 2011.

This is not a complicated story at all. Rather, it captures the essence of a young lady who is now betrothed to a man who has exhibited little if any personal interest in her as a woman and perspective bride. Cyrus is a man who is the "poor relation" to the Duke of Pole and who has secretly always resented his mother's seeming impulse to marry the love of her heart, a commoner, a solicitor who has now continued to call attention to their family by being one of the best criminal attorneys in England. Cyrus has made his own fortune, has determined to marry into the aristocracy, and has determined to get a bride for himself who will be no trouble. Lucy seems to fit the plan. That is, until her erstwhile aunt goes and bequests her fortune to her only niece and voila! Lucy is an heiress and the talk of the ton.

This novella is indeed about the politics of marriage, especially the influence that money brings to bear on choices of spouses. It is also about the politics of marriage that can crush a creative spirit or which can be shoved aside when determined, wealthy and very intelligent women decide to call the shots about their own future. One aspect of Lucy's personality that is highlighted and which is totally delightful is her inherent honesty. She demands that anyone who is interested in marrying her has to be able to see HER for who she is and not for her rank or her fortune. Destined to drive her mother to drink, Lucy sees herself as a plain Jane, but when she takes the reins of her life into her own hands, others begin to see her differently. Not the least of those persons is Cyrus himself.

It is a delightful story and while it is specifically about Lucy and Cyrus, it is also a bridge into Olivia's story which is featured in The Duke is Mine. Readers will most assuredly fall in love with Olivia who is a plain-spoken, strong-minded young woman who loves ribald humor. Some of the anecdotes are a hoot! Together, Olivia and Lucy--best friends since childhood--give the spice to the story and I have to admit, made me determined to read the next episode in this fascinating saga of these young women.

Historical romance fans will find this an easy read but don't let that fool you. It is quintessential Eloisa James and thus, will be a delight to her fans as well. I contrary to my usual practice of scoring short stories or novellas a bit low because their length irritates me a lot, I give this story a rating of 4 out of 5.

This novella was released by Avon Impulse publications in December, 2011.

Who Ever Waxed Eloquent About The Glory of War?? "Command & Control" by Shelli Stevens

Book 2 in the "Holding Out For A Hero" series.


He’s afraid of losing his grip. She’s about to untie his last knot… 

Megan Asher has a thriving career, looks, self-confidence to spare. It all means little without the love of her life. Trevor has returned from deployment in Afghanistan a haunted man, emotionally distant and unwilling to connect—except in bed. Then even that fragile thread snaps. Brokenhearted, she is forced to call off their wedding and, after a few months’ separation, try to move on. 

With every aspect of his life spinning out of his once-legendary control, Trevor Wyatt convinces himself that Megan is better off—and safer—as far away from his demons as possible. Until he comes back to town for his brother’s wedding, and discovers Megan is dating. 

Suddenly realizing what he’s thrown away, he vows to breach the fortress she’s built around her heart. They come together in a cataclysm of rekindled passion that unleashes the very demons he never wanted her to witness. Back to square one, Megan realizes she must take the ultimate risk to slip past Trevor’s defenses. Give him control in the one place she can. The bedroom. The seductive move is one she prays will be the first step in helping heal him and their love. 

Stories about the returning vets from the Middle East conflicts are becoming more plentiful as the United States remains embroiled in the Afghanistan fight.  Yet is seems that we as a society continue to have this insane perception that war is glory and that our vets must have the strength to "suck it all up" and return to their normal lives if they are these heroes we have made of them, covered in the glory of war.  But that's not the way it plays out in numerous situations and the divorce rate, the sense of loss over relationships that have bit the dust is phenomenal.

This story captures those truths as it brings two people together who truly and dearly loved each other and still do, but the distance caused by the turmoil and wounds of the spirit ultimately drove them apart. The wedding coming up the following week should have been theirs.  Megan is a delightful woman--an accomplished business woman and attorney, who knows how to take care of herself.  Trevor is an Army officer and one who has taken his leadership responsibilities seriously.  In their two year courtship they had easily and lovingly shared power between them, appreciating one another's abilities and empowering one another to live fully in their shared love.  That is, until Afghanistan.  Trevor had returned a year ago and the quiet, the secrets, the refusal to share anything except sex drove them apart, and cancelling the wedding, breaking the engagement was merely the official ending of a relationship that had ended months earlier.

How do you convince someone whose life feels like it is completely out of control?  This is the dilemma Megan faces when she finally faces the fact that she can't go forward with her life without making one last attempt to re-claim what she and Trevor shared.  This story is gritty and edgy, with family and friends in abundance, but with a hero who is an isolated island of misery and inner wounds, overwhelmed with his inability to move past the pain, the nightmares, the sense of survivor's guilt, the knowledge that Megan is the one person he needs in his life and he can't face what he might do to her if he claims her.  It is not a long novel but is one that will get to the heart of the problem so many people have faced in the face of war and injury, physically, emotionally, and psychologically.  Now that our troops are coming home from Iraq, our society needs to face up to our wounded warriors and their deeper needs.  This story is one that reminds us of their humanity, their need for understanding and not pity, their strengths that have been compromised by grief over the loss of comrades, often in circumstances that cause them to feel that they have failed.

This story was published December 2010, but it is one that bears reading and carries an important message to families and friends left here at home.   It cost Megan a great deal to find her possible solution, but for her the payoff was the important issue.  This story does indeed embrace some light BDSM but it is not really about these practices.  Rather, it is about finding a way to heal someone whose healing is more important than anything else.  It is about giving and serving and being available however the one who is loved really needs.  It is about the empowering quality of authentic love and about the fact that we all may, at some time in the future, have to help ourselves or someone we love accept the inevitable evils of war and its damage, and then find a way to walk forward together.  I give this story a rating of 4.25 out of 5.

Are You Who I Think You Are? "Intimate Exposure" by Portia De Costa

From the moment Red Webster arrived at executive Vicki Renard's firm, sparks flew between them. The photographer is supposed to create a company profile for its new owner, but he spends most of his time flirting with her. His sexy teasing infuriates Vicki...and piques a desire to submit to him. His hypnotic eyes promise what she's been secretly craving: a sexually dominant master, like the ones in her favorite erotic novels.

Investigating his new business incognito, billionaire F. W. Shanley--aka Red--is turned on by Vicki's fiery personality and undeniable beauty. When he discovers her reading a BDSM novel on her eReader, he knows he's found a woman who shares his desires and promises to be a challenging submissive.

When Red arranges a weekend at a secluded hotel, Vicki agrees to indulge in no-strings-attached erotic fun. But can she commit to this kind of life with Red when he realizes they can have so much more?

I don't think it is a secret that the "face" we present to the world is often very different than what we know about ourselves or what we would want others to know about us. In fact, we often seek to present an external demeanor that is what we think others want to see in us. Now think on this: Dr Robert Schuler made this statement: "I am not what I think I am. I am not what you think I am. I am what I think you think I am." I have to admit that when I first heard that I was scratching my head for a bit until I got the point. That quote has been very helpful for me for many years and I think such is the case at the heart of this story.

No getting around, however, that the hero of this novella deliberately is portraying himself quite differently to Vicki and her co-workers than what he is in his normal life. He is not a "simple" anything as he functions as a business magnate of international reknown. Yet here he is working as a "simple" photographer with an eye to looking over one of his businesses in order to get on the inside where he can judge the routines, relationships, and attitudes of his employees. The last thing he ever expected is to run into a woman like Vicki with her beauty, her intelligence, and her interest in the "darker" and kinkier aspects of sexuality. His kind of woman, as it turns out.

This is a short read with some interesting BDSM ingredients and encounters but which are well told and which are safe, sane, and consensual. Yet at the heart of this story is the desire by a man who has everything for a relationship that can fill his heart, his emotional well with authentic love, something he has wanted and needed for a long time. It won't take a long time to read this story but it will be a fun read and one that is right down the alley of those who really like erotic romance. Ms de Costa is a very good writer and has done well with a smaller literary format in telling a well-balanced story. If you like a good love story spiced up with a little bit of BDSM, you'll like this one. I give it a rating of 3.75 out of 5.

This novella was released by Carina Press in February, 2012.

Better Late Than Never: Of Noble Birth by Brenda Novak

This was the FIRST historical romance written by author Brenda Novak over twelve years ago but through a strange set of circumstances and coincidences, its publication was delayed.  Yet its story is such a feat of good writing and story development.  So I am reviewing it here in the hopes that those who really love historical romance will find it and add it to their library.  I got it through All Romance eBooks and I am so glad I did.  I immediately went back and got the next historical romance by this author and I am about half way through that one.

He Was a Man Who Took What He Wanted.
And He Wanted Her.

To escape her cruel stepfather, seamstress Alexandra Cogsworth envisioned sailing far from England . . . though not as a captive aboard a pirate's ship.  Pirate Captain Nathaniel Kent's strategy for exacting revenge on his cold-hearted father involved taking a valuable hostage . . . not a seamstress he mistakenly thinks is his half sister.

Yet fate has designs of its own, landing them both on board the Royal Vengeance. At sea, Nathaniel intercepts and plunders his father's ships, all the while tormented by his illicit hunger for the tempting prisoner he thinks is his blood relation. And although Alexandra wants no part in this terrifying voyage, to reveal her true identity to the handsome, blue-eyed Nathaniel would invite danger. Not only would she become worthless cargo, but the revelation would surely unleash what she and Nathaniel have been fiercely battling—a rising undercurrent of impossible desire that could sweep them away for good.

Some reviewers have stated that they thought there was so much in this novel because it was a first work and thus contained every thought in the author's head.  I see it differently.  I think it is one of those novels that brings the strands of several people's lives together and weaves them into a literary tapestry.  First there is the heroine--a young woman who has been abused systematically by a stepfather who is still grieving and continues to be so very angry that the woman he loved has died.  Alexandra is too great a reminder of that long departed spouse and in his alcoholic haze, his anger comes out as ever escalating abuse.  The only option is to leave and in that process she collides with the hero, a man whose agenda is very different than his.

Nathaniel Kent is the oldest son of a duke but was born with only half an arm.  Rejected as deformed, he was raised by the housekeeper until she tried to again bring into his father's household but to no avail.  Now as a grown man, Nathaniel is determined to bring his father down by pirating his father's ships.    His agenda causes him to mistake Alexandra for his half-sister, a woman who he seeks to kidnap in order to force his father to release one of his crew being held hostage.  And the story goes from there.

Add in an unexpected clash with his half-brother, a conspiracy to kill Nathaniel by his father and brother, treason, hanging, and so forth.  It is a story that is about the tangled web of hurt, anger, disappointment, and political and legal manipulation.  It's a novel that is the feast for the mind--it's for really thinking readers and those who get turned on by complicated and involved storylines and plots.

Ms Novak has written over 40 novels in the years since this novel was first written and there are a large number of those novels that have been translated into a goodly number of languages.  Suffice it to say that this is a novel well worth the time and effort to read and one that will probably become a favorite for many.   I give it a rating of 4 out of 5.

Are You Who I Think You Are? "Intimate Exposure" by Portia De Costa

From the moment Red Webster arrived at executive Vicki Renard's firm, sparks flew between them. The photographer is supposed to create a company profile for its new owner, but he spends most of his time flirting with her. His sexy teasing infuriates Vicki...and piques a desire to submit to him. His hypnotic eyes promise what she's been secretly craving: a sexually dominant master, like the ones in her favorite erotic novels.

Investigating his new business incognito, billionaire F. W. Shanley--aka Red--is turned on by Vicki's fiery personality and undeniable beauty. When he discovers her reading a BDSM novel on her eReader, he knows he's found a woman who shares his desires and promises to be a challenging submissive.

When Red arranges a weekend at a secluded hotel, Vicki agrees to indulge in no-strings-attached erotic fun. But can she commit to this kind of life with Red when he realizes they can have so much more?

I don't think it is a secret that the "face" we present to the world is often very different than what we know about ourselves or what we would want others to know about us. In fact, we often seek to present an external demeanor that is what we think others want to see in us. Now think on this: Dr Robert Schuler made this statement: "I am not what I think I am. I am not what you think I am. I am what I think you think I am." I have to admit that when I first heard that I was scratching my head for a bit until I got the point. That quote has been very helpful for me for many years and I think such is the case at the heart of this story.

No getting around, however, that the hero of this novella deliberately is portraying himself quite differently to Vicki and her co-workers than what he is in his normal life. He is not a "simple" anything as he functions as a business magnate of international reknown. Yet here he is working as a "simple" photographer with an eye to looking over one of his businesses in order to get on the inside where he can judge the routines, relationships, and attitudes of his employees. The last thing he ever expected is to run into a woman like Vicki with her beauty, her intelligence, and her interest in the "darker" and kinkier aspects of sexuality. His kind of woman, as it turns out.

This is a short read with some interesting BDSM ingredients and encounters but which are well told and which are safe, sane, and consensual. Yet at the heart of this story is the desire by a man who has everything for a relationship that can fill his heart, his emotional well with authentic love, something he has wanted and needed for a long time. It won't take a long time to read this story but it will be a fun read and one that is right down the alley of those who really like erotic romance. Ms de Costa is a very good writer and has done well with a smaller literary format in telling a well-balanced story. If you like a good love story spiced up with a little bit of BDSM, you'll like this one. I give it a rating of 3.75 out of 5.

This novella was released by Carina Press in February, 2012.

Welcome, 2012!!

A Happy, Happy New Year to all my followers,

friends, family, and all who stop by to visit.

May this year be filled with sufficient challenges

to keep your mind and heart engaged,

with sufficient joys to salve the hurts and bruises of living,

and sufficient good memories that will remain as

treasures of your heart to be tucked away

and brought to mind in the future.

Many, many blessings to you all!!