A Word About Labor Day . . .

Labor Day was one of those holidays that as a kid I was always unhappy to see coming. It always meant that the next day we had to go to school. Those days are long gone and yet I remember that we always seemed to fall into a traditional routine because that was the last major holiday of the summer. Picnics with friends or community groups, badminton, soft ball, and bubble-blowing contests (the wads of bubble gum in a child's mouth really could defy description), and watermelon seed spitting contests--all were a part of that special day.

As kids we didn't even bother to think why Congress had set this day as the first Monday in September. Most of us had little knowledge of its importance or couldn't care less about celebrating the productivity of the American worker. Yet that is what we were observing. After I entered the work force, the significance of that day certainly changed. It was the beginning of Fall--even though the autumn solstice wasn't for two or three weeks--, it was the beginning of school, and it was the day we had to put away our summer church shoes (which were white) and start wearing the black patent leather Mary Janes or leather Buster Browns, whatever our mothers were making us wear, whether we liked them or not.

So I trust that even those childhood celebrations and all the fun are past and those years are but faded memories for many, that this Labor Day will be filled with rest, relaxation, good memories, family, friends, community gatherings, church picnics, and sharing the ice cold whatever in the back yard or on the patio, or in the city park pavilion.

Blessings to you all, and God bless the American worker, whatever each of us may do to add to the productivity of our country, our community, and our family. Until next time . . .

Re-Reading Books: Re-visiting Old Friends--Instant Attraction by Jill Shalvis

I am the Queen of the Re-Read!! I love my books and I find that certain of them tend to become like cherished friends. Now don't get me wrong: I read new books all the time and as a speed-reader, I get lots of books read. But in the middle of the night, when the "post-menopausal female" part of my physique starts shouting at me, then I get out my eReader and visit old friends. I keep some already-read books on there just for that purpose.

Instant Attraction is just such a novel. It one of those breezy, sizzling, scenic and engaging love stories for which Jill Shalvis is so well known. It is the novel in a trilogy about the Wilder brothers, three men who now run Wilder Adventures in the High Sierras of Northern California. The youngest, Cameron, is an injured and now out-of-the-running former snowboarding champion--the Olympics, World Champion, etc--and who has really not known how to order his life around anything except this sport which has been the center of his life for as long as he can remember. No glory, no more big money from sponsors, no more groupies--he is now back home after a year of wandering, being completely out of touch with his brothers.

The other main character is Katie Kramer, a survivor of the collapse of the Santa Monica Bridge--the only survivor, and as a response to that trauma she has left Los Angeles in search of adventure. Guess where she ends up? That's right--at Wilder Adventures and ultimately in Cameron's bed. Both are running away--he from his grief over the loss of his sporting career; she over the survivor's guilt that brings the nightmare to her sleep every night since the tragedy.

The setting is beautiful--as one who has often vacationed in the High Sierras, both in the summer and the winter, it is one of my favorite places. The plot is interesting--lots of conflict to move the story along. Of course, there is the initial conflict between Cameron and Katie--both are "temporary" in some respects. The brothers are not sure Cam will stay and it is for sure that Katie is there only to relieve the regular accountant who is on paternity leave. There is conflict between Cameron and his brothers because of his long, silent absence. There is conflict between their Aunt Annie and her estranged husband. The story line moves along nicely and the dialogue is sparkling and witty. The love that slowly begins to manifest itself between Cam and Katie is challenged by their own reluctance to face themselves, let go of the past, and be willing to risk the future. Don't forget the ex-lover, Serena. Wishful, California is a small town and she is a friend of Annie's. You can bet that she knows well that Cam is no longer available to her and she is not a happy camper. She is all set to be the stick in the spokes of Katies wheels.

This is a fun love story and is a very nice example of Shalvis' writing talent and experience. She tells the story well, doesn't over-complicate the plot, and makes the characters unique and interesting. The interplay between the brothers is raw and caring in its own way. This book was written several years ago so some new fans of romance fiction may have missed it. I recommend that if you have not read it, that you consider doing so. If you like Shalvis' writing, I think you will find this a good read. I give this novel a rating of 4 out of 5.

Review: Promises Prevail by Sarah McCarty

This is Book 3 in McCarty's Promises series about citizens of a Wyoming community in the late 1800's. Each is a stand alone book, yet they are all very interrelated as the characters for this book are present in the first two novels.

Clint McKinnely is on a mission to find a wife. He has given up trying to find a "soul mate" kind of wife. Rather, he has now come up with a set of specifications and is seeking the best "candidate" to fulfill those requirements--much as he would in selecting a brood mare for his horse breeding program. He has a curious sense of honor about many things and he deeply respects and admires women. He just hasn't found a love interest and since he has come to the point of wanting to settle down as has his best friend Asa McIntyre and his cousin Cougar McKinnely, he is on a search.

The truth of the matter is that he has wanted Jenna Hennesey for years. He knew she had married a brute in her first husband, and even during the years she was with that first spouse, Clint's reaction to her, every time he saw her, was to quietly and inwardly claim her for himself. Now she is a widow, injured because of the fire that her husband started and from which Clint rescued her. But her leg has never been right since, and even though she is now the owner/operator of the Sweet Tyme Bakery, he worries about her and checks on her regularly--even to the point that he brings his latest "wife candidate" there for breakfast. Clint finds out that a baby has been left on Jenna's doorstep and that she is hiding the little girl. She had so wanted a child of her own for a very long time. She knows down deep that she can't keep the baby, but then, Jenna was always a woman who learned to hold on to hope, even when hope seemed to fail her time and time again. So she and Clint marry, ostensibly to provide the child with a family. In truth, Clint couldn't have been happier.

And so the marriage of Jenna and Clint begins and it will be a journey that is fraught with emotional speed bumps and pot holes. Jenna is a damaged woman because of the abuse her first husband heaped on her as well as giving her to his poker friends to rape in payment for his gambling debts. Clint must find a way to break through and bring joy back into their physical relationship.

Clint is a patient man. He is known and respected as few men are in those parts. Together with his cousin Cougar, he was a U. S. Marshall who had a unique way of literally scaring the truth out of the bad guys. He was not a man anyone chose to tangle with if they were in the wrong. Yet this man cuddled abandoned kittens, talked softly to children, wooed Jenna with bubble baths and soft words, and protected his own with a fierce passion and loyalty.

This is a story of reclaiming a soul, not just a marriage. It is also the story of bringing hope to those who have been abandoned, joy to children who have lost their way, family loyalty that survives the worst challenges, and love that endures the worst that human beings can do to one another. This is perhaps the most emotionally charged novel in the series so far. I loved the first two books and plan to go back and re-read them soon. (I often re-read stories I love several times.) But I have to say that I not only loved this story but I responded emotionally to this book at a far deeper level. Somehow it really got to me.

So I hope that if you have not read this series you will consider doing so. It is American history learned in the best possible way. It is filled with erotic encounters between Clint & Jenna, warm fuzzies and tough love. The novel glows with a growing realization of self-worth that not only Jenna discovers but others who populate this wonderful book as well.

McCarty's writing style seems to be especially evident in the smooth segue from story to story, the historical research that is present without being "academic," the the seamless inclusion of some very hot and erotic scenes that just feel right, and the surprises in the story line that keep the reader interested from page one. It also preserves the integrity of the former stories in that those characters continue to make appearances throughout this book. You have to love Doc and Dorothy as well as the Rev. Swanson, just to name a few. They are all marvelous, inventive characters that expand the story in a very quiet but effective way. A great read and one that will always remain on my favorites list. I give this book a rating of 4.75 out of 5.

Review: The Men of August by Lora Leigh -- NOT for the Faint-hearted!

I haven't been keeping up with this blog for a week or so -- been writing lots of reviews for The Book Binge and reading, reading, reading. Hubby gets a bit grouchy over this -- says that's all I do nowadays. I have to admit that what started out as just a fun hobby as turned into something that I enjoy immensely and have committed a significant time to. As a part of my own reading project, I have encountered a number of great books--favorite authors whose older works are not mentioned much and which I find in the used book store. By reading these I get a feel for an author's earlier work and when I do reviews of their latest releases it is helpful to note how they have grown and expanded as writers or, perhaps, they haven't at all.


Anyway, in the course of my own reading, I found Lora Leigh's Men of August series published by Ellora's Cave. I am doing the entire series here in this blog post because they are so interconnected and while they can stand alone--Leigh is certainly a past master at such work--they are best read in a series.




All the August brothers: Cade, Brock & Sam, had been sent to the ranch of a so-called friend of their father's--to learn new ranching techniques supposedly. In truth, the man was a sexual predator and from the very first day they were there, they were raped, drugged, imprisoned, and made to not only submit to abuse but to abuse one another for the entertainment of this madman. This went on for months and when the brothers returned to their father, they were changed irrevocably--physically, emotionally and psychologically. The love and connection they had as brothers had been damaged and in some way destroyed. Now the only time they felt connected was when they shared a woman.




Book 1, Marly's Choice, is the story of Marly McCall, a young girl that had been brought to the August Ranch when she was 12 years old. She had her adolescent crushes on all the guys but as she reached college age and began her college career, she realized that Cade, the oldest August brother was the man she truly desired. However, she was aware of their unusual sexual preferences--they shared every woman any of the brothers with whom the brothers became involved. She went on a campaign to win Cade's love and yet she knew that this would also mean accepting Brock and Sam into her bed. This is Marly's story, but it is, to a great extent, Cade's story as well. As the oldest brother he had tried to protect them during the horror, but in doing so, he had become full of shame and rage, and that dark part of him is edgy and seemingly insensitive to love and caring. The reader is introduced to the abuse and its results, but not as fully as in subsequent novels in this series.





Book 2 is Sarah's Seduction, the introduction of Sarah Tate into Brock's story. The Prologue details their initial sexual encounter six years earlier, even before their relationship with Marly. But Sarah runs away, knowing about the menage that was expected, and being only 18 years old, she just couldn't handle it. She is totally spooked when she sees Brock's twin, Sam, watching them as they make love. She marries another a week later, and this novel picks up the story of Brock and Sarah just after Sarah's divorce from a man who she never loved and one who spent six years being unfaithful and spending her inheritance.

Brock was the oldest of identical twins. In his conversations with Sarah the reader gets a fuller recitation of the kinds and forms of abuse the brothers survived. She recognizes that she has never stopped loving Brock and that his love for her is a "forever" kind of love, but not only does she realize the menage arrangement was to come if she stays with Brock, but she also must accept that the three brothers will continue their involvement with Marly. Lots to consider for this young woman. Of the three, Brock seems to have made some peace and acceptance of what happened, but in some weird way, they see their sharing as the ultimate act of love expressed toward their brothers as well as insuring that their women will always be surrounded by men who love and treasure them.




Book 3, Heather's Gift, picks up the story that began toward the end of book 2, namely the introduction of Heather James into Sam's life. He of all the brothers was most damaged physically and the description of what was done to him is horrific. Now he has become entranced with Heather, the younger sister of one of the security that has been hired to guard the August Ranch. Because, from Book 1 onward, there is someone who is seeking not only to destroy the August men but to kill their women as well. It is someone who has intimate knowledge of the kinds of physical injury that Sam sustained, because toward the end of Book 2, Heather is drugged, stripped, and physically injured in the identical manner as Sam. It is absolutely heartbreaking. Now Heather has to face her feelings for Sam, but he is so fearful, so angry, so full of shame. Yet he wants Heather in his life. She, too, must accept the strange family relationships of the August brothers. She, too, must decide if she can not only allow herself to enter into a menage relationship, but can she accept that Sam will also, from time to time, be with Sarah and Marly.

The mystery of the stalker is solved ultimately and the ending is a real jaw-dropper. I never saw it coming, and I think I follow crime clues pretty well. Not this time. And with the final chapters comes the full disclosure of what was done to these men and one wonders how they ever came out of that experience alive, able to function and be relatively productive, and be able to find their place in the world.

The final chapter to their story is told in a Christmas story entitled August Heat. Here there is resolution and here the brothers and their spouses begin again. If there is any "happily ever after" it is here. And after slogging through the horror of this series, it is a joy to read this book, complete with some very fun interaction between the sisters-in-law and the brothers.

There are mixed reviews to this series. Some loved that the stories were very, very erotic--HOT, to be truthful. Others were turned off by the repetitive nature of the problems these men faced among themselves as well in their encounters with the women. There are readers that are not open to any form of sexual domination and that is certainly present in these stories as these brothers have not yet worked through the rage and shame. Yet I found that there was never injury or hurt, that there was, in their own very strange way a deep respect for their lovers and a desire to see them treasured.

For readers who do not like menage, this is not for you. And if reading about severe sexual abuse is disturbing, that these books are best left alone. I, for one, do not ever try to back away from facing the fact that such abuse exists in our world and to a far greater degree than most of us want to accept. Lora Leigh has not backed away from it. And these are definitely "in your face" novels. If you read erotic literature, if you can deal with the menage aspect of sexuality, if you can be open and accepting of those who must deal with the fall-out, then you can read these books and perhaps find them instructive and worth the time.

I give this series a rating of 4.75 out of 5.

Review: Hot Finish by Erin McCarthy

Not all marriages last forever . . . Suzanne Jefferson is broke, which is why she has given up charity work for wedding planning. Fortunately, she has a high-profile client--and best of all, he's paid in advance. There are just two teensy problems: The bride is a bon fide bridezilla, and Suzanne's ex-husband is the best man. At least she thought he was her ex-husband.

Two years after their marriage fell apart, stock car race driver Ryder Jefferson still can't stop thinking about Suzanne. Which is why he isn't too upset that, due to a glitch, the two are still technically married. Now he is imagining easing Suzanne's woes by satisfying her needs in the bedroom. After all, that's the one room they never argued in. Besides, with wedding bells ringing all around them, Ryder is wondering if--even though they'd quite the race a few laps too early--they can still come on strong with a big, romantic finish.

Erin McCarthy's "Fast Track" novels are fun and full of energy, sex, hot guys, and the women who either love them or want to. Book 3 is no exception. It is somewhat different in character than the first two in that the main characters have had their hot and heavy relationship and it has blown all to smithereens. Now as a wedding planner, Suzanne is hired to plan the wedding of one of her ex's racing buddies--and she needs this job because it is now her only means of support. It is during one of the more trying encounters with the brainless twit who happens to be the bride, that Ryder Jefferson presents an envelope from their lawyer which contains the almost unbelievable news that in truth, Suzanne and Ryder are still married. Even as they try to work through the back-tracking and trying to get the divorce degree re-instated, they each must face the factors that brought them together and those which tore them apart.

The racing world in no different than any other professional sport: too much money and too much publicity. The romances and the break-ups are way too public and that factor alone can make a tentative situation really bad. These two individuals have gotten caught in the media meat grinder and on top of their personal issues there are all the other factors that being in the spotlight can engender. But most of all, it seems these two people just need to GROW UP. Their squabbles seem just a little on the adolescent side, and as one who has been in the helping professions for a number of years, I marvel how otherwise grown up adults can descend into the world of adolescent bickering when deep emotions become involved and heart really begin to hurt over real or perceived injuries.

McCarthy's style adds to the excitement of this series and this novel is no different. Some reviewers seem to feel that this third in the series is a disappointment. I don't think so. I just think that it takes a far different situation that the sexual rat race as its main plot. Public marriages don't seem to survive well, and often it is because of just the kinds of misunderstandings, hurt feelings, childish bickering, disappointments, and insecurities that drove these two so far from each other. Add in the loss of their unborn child and there was lots to overwhelm the good sense they were both born with.

I like novels that deal with substantive issues, and while McCarthy's writing embraces a sizzling eroticism and a fast-paced story development and dialogue, the journey these two make through their personal issues is fascinating and engaging. I think it is a fitting finish to this series. And, might I add, the guys on the covers are real "eye candy" too. (I may be old but I'm not dead). I give this novel a rating of 4 out of 5.

Review: Leave Me Breathless by HelenKay Dimon

According to Judge Bennett Walker, trying to kill him is a dumb idea. They might make him wear a big black nightgown to work, but it covers a lot of muscles, and he's definitely packing beneath it. He's also an ex-prosecutor and an ex-GI Joe. So when his brother brings in Callie Robbins to protect him, Ben has a few issues. First, he doesn't need a bodyguard. Second, she's a 130 pound girl--more smoking hot than smoking gun. And third, what if his body wants her guarding the night

Callie has no problem brushing aside Ben's disbelief. She left the FBI to escape the boys' club, but she can be deeper undercover and twice as lethal as any beefy John Doe. As for whether someone's after Bennet or not, the death threats and car bombs look pretty convincing to Callie. Of course, she might get distracted, sitting inches from the sexiest judge in DC for ten hours a day. Keeping him safe is no picnic. Keeping it professional--that might be impossible.

This novel is a very good eye full of the comings and goings, the behind-the-scenes activities in one particular courthouse written by an author who has been there, done that. The fact that judges are often in harm's way is not news to anyone. The difficulties in protecting them can often be overwhelming. Ms Dimon has written a very erotic and suspenseful tale about the death threats again two judges--life-long friends who have been chewed up and spit out by the rumor mills as lovers, and who might have been killed in a car bombing if they had been a few feet closer when it exploded. Both judges refuse to be intimidated, especially Judge Walker whose experience in the Marines and as a former prosecutor convince him that he will survive beyond the threats and the fear. His brother, owner of a security company, is not so sure. And it is on his insistence that the former FBI agent, Callie Robbins, is assigned as Judge Walker's "personal assistant." Both Judge Walker and his brother Mark bring a lot of personal baggage to this situation. Working through that as they try to work together is often difficult.

This story obviously highlights the stresses and conflict that judges deal with outside the courtroom, but it also highlights the issues that they must deal with in their own personal lives and some which come from former situations that can "bite them in the backside." Both Ben and Mark have commitment issues but neither is willing to own up to them, admit them, or deal with them. Callie has to deal with her own history--anger over the men at the FBI who outwardly accept women as co-workers but who still look upon women as good for either bedroom or kitchen duty. She has a need to prove her own worth as a professional. The dialogue is bright and informed, the characters are intelligent, well-trained for their professional responsibilities, but flawed and hurting just like everyone else. The love stories between Callie & Ben, and Mark & Judge Emma Blanton are delightful and erotic; the suspense of finding the person who is trying to do away with both judges is a parallel story that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat.

I think romance readers will find a story that is fun to read and worthy of the time and effort. I think it is a very good read, and I think the mystery story is good enough to keep mystery romance fans engaged and interested right to the last page. Some surprises here, but that is the nature of good writing. I give this novel a rating of 4 out of 5.

Review: Promises Keep by Sarah McCarty

Cougar McKinnely is a retired U. S. Marshall and now living in the Wyoming Territory. He is feared not only in his home territory but throughout the Western territories, often referred to as Gut'm McKinnely. He is of Native American extraction, adopted by Doc and Dorothy McKinnely after being thrown out of his home and living on the streets at the age of 13. He is a man wracked with guilt after the death of his fiance a year previously, and finds that he can no longer "perform" with the ladies. Thus he now visits Madame Cecile's Pleasure Emporium, hoping that 1) he won't be seen by anyone he knows, and 2) that one of the "ladies of the night" will be able to assist him in this personal "break through."

It is here that he encounters Mara Kincaid, a young innocent woman who has been sold to the brothel by her father to pay his gambling debts and who was to have been "auctioned" off by Madame Cecile. She is given to Cougar instead for a fairly hefty payment, and he has his way with her, only finding out, after the fact, that she is still a virgin and that she has been drugged. She comes out of her stupor sufficiently to plunge a daggar into Madame Cecile's throat, and Cougar takes down the madam's bodyguard, then absconding with Mara out of the window. However, her reputation is forever ruined, and even though she is unwilling to enter into any long-term relationship, being fiercly independent, she ends up married to Cougar. Unbeknownst to Mara, Cougar has fallen hopelessly in love with her.

This story is hard to read in some ways as it is very open about the social abuses and prejudices that seeminly good people heap on the underdog, especially women who have few if any options when abused or misused by men. In the Wyoming Territory of 1869, women had literally no legal standing and were the property of either their fathers, brothers, or husbands. They could be bought or sold as hookers or as wives or daughters. Thus this is a story of such a society and the pain it brought to a good woman like Mara. It is also the second in a series that brings some very delightful characters into being, full of wit and wisdom, of loyalty and generosity, and willingness to accept people who live on the fringes. There are some genuinely funny people here, and it is a novel that embraces all that made the Old West what it was--both good and bad--and I think helps readers understand that the territories of that time were not the romantic localities often extolled in musicals and movies. Life was hard and often short. Cougar, along with his adoped parents, his cousin Clint, his loyal friend Asa, his friend and sometimes adversary Rev. Swanson, together with a cadre of gutsy women and a few stalwart men, form the backdrop of this story that is full of tentative emotion, goodness, hope, hurt, loss, and betrayal. No reader of this story could possibly be bored.

I like Sarah McCarty's writing and the storylines of her books. She doesn't back away from the realities of that historical period while spinning a tale of romance and budding marital encounters that have the stamp of authenticity on them. These are characters and situations that smack of the real thing. And because of that, readers like me have real reactions to their successes and failures, their gains and losses. Hopefully, for those who have not read this book, you will do so at some time in the future. It is a very good book and one that is not only entertaining but educational, feeding the mind, the heart, and the libido. I give this book a rating of 4.50 out of 5.