You Bit Me And I Turned Into What???? "For Toron's Pride" by Tressie Lockwood

When her jerk of an ex-boyfriend turns her into a lion shifter, Sienna just can't accept that she is no longer human. She's determined to live a normal life despite PM'S as a shifter being off the charts. When she meets Toron, the leader of the Pride, she can't deny how sexy he is or her attraction to him, but Toron has a power that threatens to sweep away all the plans she's made for her life. No one man should have that much control over the the people around him. After a night of unbelievable sex, Sienna leaves Toron, and he let's her go. Five years later, she is forced to seek help of the man she's never been able to get out of her head. Will he forgive her for the decision she made so long ago?

Lots of stories embrace the factor of the human who is transformed into a shifter, and that is certainly the premise of this novella.  Yet this is different in that the heroine is an African American and she is sassy and mouthy and not about to embrace her new identity.  Yet she is aware that her life has been changed irrevocably and nothing she can say or do, no amount of resentment against her careless ex-boyfriend can undo what has been done.  Now she is invited--compelled--to attend an instructional weekend held by the Alpha of the closest pride, Toron the lion-shifter and a man who is instantly attracted to Sienna.  But she is wary of him because she knows he is a player, taking multiple women into his bed and one who has made it clear that he has no intention of allowing his heart to become engaged to any one woman.  Sienna is sooooooo not giving in to this hedonist!  That's what her head and heart say;  that's not the message her body is transmitting.

This is an interracial romance between a very dominant alpha, a shifter whose power is undisputed and one who has determined that he will not allow love for any one woman to have power over him.  Yet Sienna with her beautiful chocolate skin, her pouty, sexy lips, and her beautiful eyes whose depths draw him in like quicksand, challenge his life goal and weaken his determination to remain apart from her.  This story seems to have just a bit of a different slant than many paranormal shifter tales.  The two do  manage a night of hot loving, but part without any commitment to one another.  The reader is left to wonder how this is all going to come out.  It is especially upending to find out that Sienna has been raising Toron's son, Simeon, without his knowledge or support.  It seems that is Sienna's preference -- for now.

Tressie Lockwood writes wonderful interracial romance, bringing black and white partners into love relationships that advertise the wonder to be had when two people set aside racial prejudice and simply enjoy the love that grows between them.  That they are often reviled by former friends and family is an aspect that Ms Lockwood does not seek to avoid.  But she also writes of friends and family who seem to be just as blind to skin color as the partners themselves.  It is uplifting and encouraging to read of families who have learned to prize others on the basis of what they are on the inside, embracing their cultural diversity and allowing those differences to enrich rather than divide.  So it is in this novel that not only embraces the racial diversity but also brings in the prejudices that shifters often exhibit between the naturals -- those who were born shifters -- and the "regulars" -- those who have been created at some point in their human lives.

The fun in this story comes from Sienna's mouthy responses to the challenges and people in her life.  She is simply not very impressed with Toron and she doesn't hesitate to express her feelings powerfully.  Such fun!!  It is always a bit satisfying--in a feminist sort of way--to see a powerful man cut down to size by a powerful woman.  And Tressie Lockwood doesn't back away from creating powerful heroines.  Sienna is certainly the quintessential example of such a woman.  

I think readers will really enjoy this story, even though it is a novella.  I would have liked it to go on a bit, but Sienna and Toron's story continues as a part of the back story in the second novella in this series, In Hawke's Eyes, the story of Toron's best friend who is a hawk shifter.  I hope you will consider adding this very readable novella to your library.

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.

The Road To True Love Is Full Of Potholes!! "Getting Lucky" by Kayla Perrin

In just four short months, lucky–in–love Annalise is going to become a mother. But before she hits the delivery room, she's got one last piece of business to take care of: hooking up her single girlfriends with a pair of sexy brothers on a special weeklong getaway.

Lishelle and Claudia are more than ready for some no–strings–attached flings. And soon Lishelle and gorgeous, insatiable Kwame are setting the sheets on fire. Even back in Atlanta, the sex is amazing. So why is she still so bothered that her ex–boyfriend—the one she dumped—is getting married?

Meanwhile, Claudia can't get enough of Rohan's expert toe–curling, scream–inducing moves. But introduce him to her high–maintenance society friends? Puh–lease. Sure, he's funny, smart and devoted—but without movie–star looks or a matching bank balance, he's hardly Claudia's ideal man. If that makes her a bitch, fine. She has an image to maintain.

But when tragedy strikes, it soon becomes apparent to the friends that they need to rethink what's truly important in life. Because while a hard man is good to find, it takes more than luck to keep him!

I noticed that the reviews on Goodreads were all over the charts, and while I work really hard to not be influenced by other reviewers, I was surprised at the wide response to this book. I checked them out after writing this review and found the comments really interesting. That being said, I have to say that I found this book very interesting. I like stories that are introspective and deal with the negatives in human relationships as well as the positives. These three women who have formed this almost sister-like bond are really the kind of friends we would all like to have--those who love us no matter what we do or what our particular idosyncrasies may be. Each woman was facing a few issues that were clouding her judgment and that clouded judgment directly affected the way each related to the love interest in their lives. That the issues were, in the final analysis, curiously similar is a fact that few of us can perceive, especially when we are so invested in a given set of attitudes. So it was with each of these women.

I also have to admit to a prejudice against books written in the first person. Just has never been a writing format that I read very much. Don't know why. Just have never liked it very well. Yet in this particular book it seemed intrinsic to the story as each chapter was a part of the story told from the perspective of one of the friends. I do want to state that I think some kind of short introductory statement would have clued in the reader as to who the speaker was. I have to read several paragraphs on a couple of occasions to figure out whose voice I was reading. Nevertheless, this was a story that needed the varied perspectives and it gave dimension to the tale by being able to view situations and attitudes and behaviors from the viewpoint of the three women. The dynamic between the best friends was not always easy, and they knew each other so well that they were often seemingly reading one another's minds. Not true, but it is a symptom of that kind of close, long-term relationship. I also enjoyed the level of honesty between the three--yes, they manipulated a bit, and yet the care they exercised in sharing news or opinions testified to their foundational respect and love for one another.

This was a very erotic book yet the sex did not overwhelm the story. The love relationships of each woman, their love for and patience with one another transcended any issue or happening. The female perspective of the men in their lives was sometimes quite humorous. And the writer did a wonderful job catching the unique character and personality of each character. While this is fiction through and through, it had the sense of reality that made it relevant to contemporary life and experience.

So I recommend this as a really delightful interracial love story as well as an insightful study of the friendship and relationship between three very different women. I give this story a 4 out of 5.

This book was released in August, 2011.

The Clash of the Cultures: "The First" by Saadia Ahmed

Reena Jamil doesn’t do taboo. She’s a simple girl from a conservative Pakistani family who wants nothing more than for her to settle down and marry a nice Pakistani guy. But, unknown to her family, she falls for a white guy - something that would shock her parents. Deeply in love, yet torn over her familial duty, Reena must decide whether to pick love over obligation.

Meanwhile, her best friend, Sofia Azeem, is facing her own romantic struggles. She’s in love with her best friend from high school - but the feeling’s not mutual. Or is it?

Reena and Sofia each have soul searching to do. Should Reena choose the man she loves or accept a guy her parents would approve? Should Sofia wait for her feelings to be reciprocated or should she move on? Will each woman get a happy ending?

Its premise is a clash of cultures but The First is also a story about relationships, friendship, love, marriage, new beginnings, and most importantly, a story of hope. Saadia Ahmed’s unique cultural perspective makes this romance novella a fun and insightful read.

The transition from student to productive adult is never easy and each year there are college seniors who must face the real world where they will be absorbed into the work force, using their talents and expensive education, or find that the time and energy they expended on one college major is of little use when needing to earn a living. Add in the pressures on women especially, throughout the world, regardless of culture or tradition, to marry and become mothers. Here in the United States that pressure is more subtle but it is still very much present. In the case of the main character in this novella, Reena's conservative, traditional Pakistani parents believed that was her main calling in life.

This story is really about two Pakistani girls--Reena and Sophia--both wanting a productive life, both wanting to know genuine love in their futures, and both facing the demands of their families. Reena's first love was a young man who was not Pakistani and not Muslim, a college senior like her, and a person with whom she fell in love as he did with her. He had introduced her to his family but Reena did not reciprocate, knowing that her family would not accept him as suitable for her to marry. She also refused to be sexually intimate with him, believing that if he really loved her he would be willing to wait until they were wed. Brian's decision to break up with Reena was based on his awareness of their cultural differences and his disappointment that their relationship was not moving forward on more intimate terms. As Reena grieved deeply, Brian's roommate--a Pakistani man who acknowledged being attracted to her for a long time--comforted her and was instrumental in setting up a meeting with their families. It was during this gathering that Raheel proposed and Reena believed that her future was secured and destined to be spent with a man who loved her.

Several years later it became apparent that Raheel's attitude toward Reena had changed in that he seemed to be reverting more and more to the traditional view that a wife should stay at home and raise their children. When Reena failed to conceive, they sought medical advice and found out that she was infertile and it wasn't long before their marriage came to an end, partly because of Raheel's growing disregard for her, but also because Raheel's mother campaigned for a divorce so he could marry someone who would give him children.

All during Reena's life experiences, her best friend Sophia had been having her struggles. During her college years she had been separated from the young man she believed she loved but who appeared not to reciprocate her feelings. Should she just give up and look elsewhere? In a last ditch attempt to find out, Sophia posted a video in the internet, directed at her young man, declaring that he was the only one for her. Imagine her surprise when he shows up at her home, declaring his love for her and desire to marry her, and they begin their life together. However, marriage is not a smooth road for Sophia either. Wanting a baby so badly, Sophia allows herself to become pregnant without really talking this decision over with her husband. There are some rocky days during her pregnancy because he is understandably negative about this development in their life together, but when their daughter was born, Sophia and her husband realized how special this new life was and rejoiced in her birth.

It is not my intent to re-tell the whole story, but suffice it to say that this is a story about love, friendship, heartache, disappointment, old loves, new beginnings, and life's surprises. It is also about the ongoing struggle many immigrant individuals experience as they must assimilate their old way of life with the new culture in which they live in America--the degree of that assimilization varies from culture to culture and person to person. In Reena's case she decided to remain in the United States rather than return to a more conservative way of living, knowing that if she even returned for a visit she would not have been allowed to return to the States. This is a first writing effort and the author's writing style and ability are certainly very readable and will only improve with time and experience. This novella is an insider's view of life for two Pakistani women and the challenges they face as they move into the adult world within a foreign culture. I think the novella format just a little too brief for the story this author wished to tell--I had the feeling that she was having to skim over the top of Reena and Sophia's stories. There was sort of a "bare bones" quality to the narrative that I would have liked to see expanded and enriched with fuller character development and dialogue.

I was delighted to read and review this initial literary offering by this author and am looking forward to reading what she writes in the future as she matures in her writing style and story telling skills. And here's to remembering our "first love" and all that relationship meant to each of us. It will always be a very special time in my life and one that is the kind of memory we like to re-visit from time to time. I give this novella a rating of 3.5 out of 5.

Oh, Happy Day, You're . . . Still The One by Lena Matthews

Creigh and Dean De Luca have perfected the art of living Happily Even After. With a new baby and two rambunctious preteens, life in the De Luca household is never dull...or quiet, which doesn't leave the two lovebirds much time to be alone.

Their love for one another is stronger than ever. Their love life on the other hand has seen better days. Sex has become routine and predictable, and more often than not is nothing more than a quickie between late night feedings.

Unwilling to let the spark go out of their relationship a second time, Dean goes all out for Valentine's Day. He's booked the best room the city has to offer, he's ordered Creigh's favorite wine and he's made one rule. For the next twenty-two hours her body belongs solely to him.

Oh, the joy of parenthood. Oh, the drudge of night feedings! Oh, the feelings that you are living in a house of madness with all these kids, diapers, and the bone-deep weariness that just never seems to go away! I can recall similar experiences when hubby and I were birthing our brood--he would roll over in bed, look at me for a moment and say, "You look familiar . . . I guess I have the right wife." We both knew that we just hadn't had much time or energy to be anything other than mommy & daddy for a long time.

Such was the situation in the De Luca household. Dean and Creigh had reconciled and remarried, much to the delight of their perspective families and their children. Shortly afterward Creigh's daughter Halla (meaning "unexpected gift") had arrived and their the days of hot romance and hotter bedroom games was over. Dean has a new job--a partnership with his two brothers in their bar which has been expanded and which takes lots of Dean's time and energy, far more than his previous 9 to 5 job ever did. Add in the craziness of a newborn, breast-feeding, a pre-teen who is beginning to light up over boys, etc., and you can almost feel the frustration Creigh and Dean are experiencing in their relationship. In fact, Dean tells Creigh that he is almost "quickied" out.

This novella is a delightful sequel to Happily Even After and part of its charm is that the reader can continue to experience this wonderful, realistic, and contemporary family. Creigh is a business owner in her own right, but she is a new mother who now takes her baby with her to work because she is breast-feeding. She and Dean are working hard to make this new experience work, both being determined that this second time around will be truly " . . . 'til death do us part." Yet she also is beginning to wonder if she and Dean will ever have a chance to "reconnect" romantically any time soon.

One of the qualities about Lena Matthews' writing is the relentless presence of reality in her stories. And this novella is a case in point. It never backs away from the truth within which so many couples must exist--that parenthood is great on so many levels, but it can make cause a lot of stresses that are often difficult to overcome. In this novella Dean's deep love and never-failing sense of wonder over being Creigh's husband triumphs. He knows that they must have their own "together" time and he chooses Valentine's Day to make that happen. It is a very romantic, erotic interlude in the reality of their lives, but out of it comes the mutual determination that they don't dare cheat themselves out of regular time to nurture their relationship.

Dean is a man who has figured out that living in his present circumstances isn't easy, but living apart from Creigh just isn't an option. Putting up with the limited time they have for each other may be difficult, but he has no doubt that their circumstances will change as the "new baby" stresses slowly become a thing of the past. In the midst of his patient resolve to somehow get through the next couple of years, he discovers the depth of support from his family that he had failed to utilize in the past. He is just a really neat guy in so many ways. Creigh, too, is a woman of depth and resilience, a person whose heart is full to overflowing with love for her man and her kids, even in the midst of her distress over the present situation. These are two really special people, yet on the other hand, they are like so many people who live this kind of life every day. That's probably why I like this novella so well. And I appreciate Matthews' effort in bringing us this kind of "epilogue" to Creigh and Dean's story.

I think you'll appreciate this little work. Be sure to read the preceding novel and you'll enjoy it even more. I give it a rating of 4.25 out of 5.

So We're Divorced: Did We Make A Big Mistake??? Happily Even After by Lena Matthews

Two kids and a divorce later, Creigh De Luca figures she's pretty much done with diapers and late night feedings. That is until a little blue stripe turns her world upside down. Never in a billion years would Creigh have thought she'd become pregnant from a one-night stand, nor could she have ever guessed the unforeseen pregnancy would warrant unexpected help...from her ex-husband, Dean.

Divorce papers haven't changed a thing for Dean. He's still as in love with his ex-wife as he'd always been. Despite the fact he's not the father of her unborn child, Dean is determined to help Creigh during her pregnancy--whether she wants him to or not.

Creigh has never stopped loving Dean, but she's not going to let him back in to her life just because she's expecting a child, especially since she is determined to keep the father's identity from Dean. But Dean refuses to be dismissed so easily. He knows that with a little patience, forgiveness, and love they can still live happily even after.

Divorce is a fact of life in America. In fact, current statistics point out that a higher percentage of marriages end in divorce now than ever before--well over 50%. Most of us know people who have endured the hurtful ending of a marriage, some being "amicable" with others looking just like "The War of the Roses." The marriage in this novel was a hurtful one, coming as a result of two people marrying when they were very young, bringing two children into the world, not really being ready for the pressures and challenges of nurturing a relationship while raising children, and not really knowing what to do to bridge the emotional gaps that have opened up between them.

Now both have come to the conclusion that the divorce was a mistake, and after living apart for a year, they are still struggling to move on and not knowing how to do that either. Add in the small but urgent matter of an unplanned pregnancy from an ill-thought-out one night stand and a broken condom, a baby that isn't her ex-husband's, and these two very nice, really loving people find themselves in a real "pickle" emotionally. Their kids are barely managing to adjust to being shuttled back and forth between their parents, and their daughter is now beginning to also have her own growing-up problems as a pre-teen. Messy, messy, messy!!

But at the heart of this story the reader will find two people who are solid in their love for their children, who have continued to love one another in spite of the hurt, misunderstandings, raw edges to their emotions, hurtful words spouted in stressful times, or that ever-present growing mound in Creigh's abdomen. These two people have been pals since they were in elementary school, lovers and spouses shortly after high school, and still believing they will always love each other. Somehow they have to find their way back to each other.

This novel is full of deep caring, authentic loving, family loyalty, and the push-pull that all relationships embody because that is what it means to be human. It is a story that showcases the ability of good people to overcome the worst that can happen and to allow that illusive "second chance" to become a reality.

I really like Lena Matthews' writing anyway. She is such a gifted writer who brings the African-American perspective into most of her stories and who never backs away from the stresses often found in interracial relationships. I have reviewed one of her other books for The Book Binge --Something Worth Fighting For -- and I find the same kind of sensitivity mixed with gutsy reality in this novel. It is one of those stories that was deeply satisfying and is one I will be re-visiting often in the years to come. I was sorry to see it end and was delighted to know there was a sequel. Please read it . . . I don't think you will be disappointed. I give it a rating of 5 out of 5.

He Didn't Plan On That: "Something Unexpected" by Tressie Lockwood

A one-night stand in a limo with her boss's son had consequences Zacari didn't count on. But when she had been trying to get over finding her cheating ex-boyfriend in bed with her best friend, keary seemed to be just what she needed to exorcise her demons and satisfy a sexual void she never knew she had.

Keary O'Connor didn't care what Zacari's motives were the night she wouldn't take no for an answer. What red-blooded man could turn down a seductress with smooth tawny-colored skin and a body he couldn't get out of his head? He had to have her and he wanted her again. His only problem now was in convincing her that he would not be like her ex, and what he wanted went beyond the physical and would last a lifetime.

A one-night stand, the boss's son, a silent phone in the days that came afterward, and a pregnancy test that read "positive." All of a sudden, Zacari's life took an unexpected turn and she had a whole new set of problems. But one thing that marked Zacari's personality and her approach to living was her determination to make her own way and not to allow the other people in her life to make her decisions for her. She still bore the scars of betrayal by a boyfriend to whom she was engaged, and who betrayed her with her best friend. So she was more determined than ever to do what was right--she would notify Keary of her pregnancy--but she would raise her child and be a responsible mother.

Keary was a man that all of us dream about meeting. He was open-minded--he didn't care that Zacari was African-American--and he was a man who took his relationships and his responsibilities seriously. He worked hard in his father's company and he had a maturity that made it possible for him to work well with lots of different kinds of people. His attraction to Zacari certainly flamed out that first night when he was giving her a ride home from the bar. But his one time with her backfired--he couldn't walk away as if it hadn't happened. Even before he found out about the pregnancy he was determined to get her into his life on a more permanent basis. Just that quickly she snagged his heart.

Zacari's independent streak, however, didn't make things easy. He had to leave the country for nearly a month almost immediately after that first night together, so he never found out about the baby nor was he able to contact Zacari while overseas. As is often the case, she interpreted his silence with disregard or disinterest. She didn't realize that he never received her message telling him about the baby. Thus, their long-term involvement as parents even didn't begin well. But here is where Keary's true nature begins to emerge: he didn't allow Zacari's pique over these circumstances to reduce his determination to be a part of her pregnancy and to ultimately win her heart. She was sassy and irreverent, with a temper that flashed easily sometimes, and a history of being hurt and disappointed in love. Nevertheless, he kept on and never faltered in his pursuit of her. What a guy!!

I liked this story a lot. I loved the way that Keary manned up and not only that, was open about his feelings for Zacari that didn't have anything to do with the baby. I liked that he knew how to set boundaries for himself and even for some of the other women who had been a part of his life in the past and hoped to be his significant other in the future. And I liked that no matter how difficult Zacari became because of pregnancy woes, he was patient and kind, loving and long-suffering. Would that all fathers-to-be would have that kind of patience.

This is a story with lots of emotional ups and downs, that is written from both Zacari and Keary's point of view. It is full of family and friends, hurt and disappointment, and the wonderful anticipation of a new life that is coming into the world. It was a very emotional read and one that I found to be very satisfying. I think we all read romance fiction because we want to believe in the "happily ever after" and hope that it happens a majority of the time. I also like stories like this one that tell of the triumph of genuine caring over the hurts of betrayal and disappointment. And I like stories where the characters are people of principle and integrity, who care about themselves and the ones they love. There's hot loving here as well as a cast of characters that keeps this story interesting from start to finish. I give this novel a rating of 4 out of 5.