Review: Catchin' Up With The Folks . . . "Short Rides" by Lorelei James

I don't think there is any doubt that those of us who are unapologetic fans of Lorelei James' "Rough Rider" series are delighted when our author keeps us posted on the goings-on in the McKay clan and with their various relational branches of the family.  I also am convinced that all who really love this series have their favorites and I think it likely that Ms James has been listening to her fans when she decided to write this anthology of stories that will bring her readers up-to-date with Cam McKay, the Glanzer family (Chassie West and her two hunky husbands), and Keely McKay Donohue.  Each of these families grabbed the interest and the imaginations of readers and while many of the subsequent novels have advanced readers' knowledge of the increasing size of the McKay clan, it's also more than welcome to have some specific time and space given to characters who have been especially dear to our hearts.

Cam McKay is a man who has been severely injured as a result of his service in the Iraqi Conflict and yet has worked through lots of his issues with the help and support of his intrepid spouse, the delightful Domini and her wonderful sense of humor, her knowledge of the world, and her incredible patience with Cam as he continues to struggle with his PTSD issues.  Here he has encountered one of the worst crime scenes ever to be seen in Sundance, Wyoming, with its small town life and its deep sense of family and friendship.  Dealing with the crime itself, dealing with the fact that it was two people he had known nearly forever, dealing with the recriminations and grief of the victims' families throws Cam into a tailspin, all on Valentine's Day.  And as if that isn't enough, it's all happening while Domini and his six kids are planning a romping good evening to surprise their dad who they are prepared to crown "King of Hearts."  It's a warm and wonderful story that is built around the core of a terrible tragedy--warm and wonderful because of Domini's care and unconditional love and the patience and love of his kids in the face of his terrible sadness.  Terrible because it brings back all the nightmares, the sense of hopelessness, the survivor guilt that had been far less of a problem in recent years.  Yet this short story is a lesson in the power of patience and love to bring light into darkness and to how there is no statute of limitations on the power of love to heal wounds.

Chassie West Glanzer and her hunky husbands Edgard and Trevor have a whole different set of troubles landing on their doorstep.  Trevor and Chassie are set to celebrate their tenth wedding anniversary as well as their eighth anniversary as a triad since Edgard became a permanent part of  their relationship.  Now they have three children and the bigotry of an extremely conservative community rears its head in the form of bullying at their son's grade school.  A first grader handling epithets against his family for their "perverted" lifestyle is way beyond acceptable and on the eve of a special get-away weekend, these three loving and very dedicated parents must face the task of explaining the actions of those who would seek to make this little six year old boy feel bad about the love shared by his folks.  This story is very much focused on how these three deal with this challenge, but it is also about how they celebrate their love, how it has grown and matured in their years together, and how they are looking to the future together.  Ms James never backs away from the tough stuff here. While I don't include spoilers, I will give you a clue that this novella has included one of the finest incidents in all of this series--what it really means to care about and support those we love.   It's a tremendous part of this anthology and not to be missed.

Lastly, there is Keely McKay Donahue, caught in the throes of pregnancy hormones, dealing with her high-powered handsome and type A personality husband.  After four years of marriage it is a well-known fact that these two have figured out that make-up sex is absolutely the best.  And it's a good thing, because they know how to mix it up as well.  They most definitely have their own particular dynamic, and even as they work through the issues of pregnancy successfully, there is the new challenge of what it means to be parents to lots of kids in a very short span of time.  Yet again there is the factor of family loyalty, of knowing that in spite of everything that has happened in the past, in spite of the fact that Jack still thinks Keely's dad hasn't really accepted him, there is that sense of "circling the wagons" when potential tragedy is making an appearance in Keely and Jack's life and both of them have to face the possibilities that their lives may never be the same.

All in all, this is a wonderful book and one that I was not initially aware was even "out there."  But I found it on Amazon and am delighted to have experienced it.  Also made me want to go back and re-read some of the original stories about these special people.  This book has been out since April, 2013, but it is worth the time and effort to enjoy.  Don't miss it.

Don't Miss These Great Buys at Amazon.com!!

That's right!  Now a series of collections -- full length novels in bundles -- are available at Amazon.com for just 99 cents per collection!  Don't know how long these will last, but I just found them myself and didn't hesitate to buy them.. All were including works by authors I have come to appreciate in the romance fiction genre and even though some were released months ago, they were books I hadn't read and which piqued my interest.

Novels by Patricia Ryan,
                Julie Kinner
                Shelley Thacker
                Kathryn Shay
               Julianne McLean

All are full-length works and the collection was released July 17, 2013.

This collection contains full-length works by
               Lexi Blake
               Marie Harte
               Cari Quinn
               Carrie Ann Ryan
               Jayne Rylon

It, too, is a 99 cent bargain.  Some of the stories are familiar to me, but I couldn't resist getting the collection as I hadn't read four of the five books.  A bargain at any price!

Included are the novels by

            Cynthia Wright
            Patricia McLinn
            Patricia Ryan
            Judith Arnold

This collection was just released last week on July 17th.

This collection is FREE bundle of novels by author Melissa F. Hart in gratitude for the support of her faithful readers.  It was released in March, 2013 and has had enthusiastic reception.  It remains the best bargain on the page and has received good reviews.

Included in this collection are novels from
 
            Emilie Richards
            Judith Arnold
            Patricia McLinn
            Patricia Ryan
            Kathryn Ryan

All are novels around favorite romance themes and while the collection contains books by some of the same authors as other collections, it is a great bargain and all are well respected romance writers.



Just go to Amazon.com, write romance collections in the search window, and you will not only find these but many others that are also available for 99 cents, some free collections by authors who are releasing bundles, and others that are significantly reduced over the individual book price.    It's a great "steal" for summer reading and even though I don't know when the "sale" will end, I had to make all of you aware of this literary windfall.     Happy reading!!

"The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow" (Yeah, Right!!) OR "Rainy Days And Mondays Always Get Me Down"

We're talking about RAIN and MORE RAIN this past week!  And here's this gal -- Me -- sitting in Southern Middle Tennessee which, by the way, is classified by weather people as "sub-tropical" and we have been enduring rain everyday for a week.  The big problem is that I haven't had to sit through a soggy July 4th in 35 years, coming from the High Desert of Southern California.  And now I am sitting in this soggy, sauna-like environment and it is just totally strange.

It was also very strange that there were no parades, not many fireworks, although there were tons of fireworks stands along major roads and boulevards in our town and those nearby.  But while we were waiting for them to go off, it was just quiet.  I think we heard more on Friday and Saturday than actually on July 4th.  Now we aren't talking about a polite little sprinkle that comes and goes.  I am talking about heavy rain that is coming straight down for several hours with a break of about 90 minutes, and then several hours more of heavy rain.  No wind most of the time.  I was surprised when I went to the upstairs bedrooms to find out that there was not rain coming in through open windows.  Just straight down non-stop.  Of course the grass and the plants and trees love it.  But I am sitting by my front window looking at the grass growing--it is almost something you can see happening with this much rain--and knowing that I won't be able to get out there and mow for another day.  And what's the forecast::  FOUR MORE DAYS OF RAIN.

The old-timers in our neighborhood tell me that we should be having 90 degree, 90 % humidity days by now.  That's really the only good thing about heavy clouds.  It does keep the temperature down.  But today it rained for about an hour and THEN the sun came out.  Instant sauna!

Oh . . . by the way . . . I can definitely report that I have learned a dozen new treatments for mosquito bites--and I am using them all.    It's Monday and it's raining, so it's a true "downer."  But, thank heavens, the air conditioner works.  We pull about 10-12 gallons of water out of the inside atmosphere everyday.  I'm hoping that at some time in the next few months, something magical will occur and I'll get used to this.  I'm not holding my breath.

Arrgghh!! I HATE Serial Novels!! Why Do I Keep Reading Them?

Yes!  You Heard It Here!!  I HATE Serialized novels, and yet it seems that I keep ending up with them.  I'm not talking about those series of stories that are made up of stand alone novels.  Those are good and we have all enjoyed those to a fault.  But full length novels that aren't anything more than a part of a much larger story??  Much too much like real life for me.  I want my HEA and I want it NOW!  Yet I keep on getting sucked into these books that leave me hanging.

One in particular has gotten me really exercised over this issue.  I found this initial story on All Romance eBooks and bought it -- it seemed like a good story and it was only 99 cents.  Good deal, right? From a literary stand point, no way.  It got me hooked on Sebastian and Sophia's story, and by the time I was done I knew the story wouldn't turn me loose.  Sebastian Lock is a man that Sophia discovered when a mysterious door in the back of a seedy bar yielded to her curiosity.  She found a whole different world beyond that door--plush surroundings, a very upscale cocktail party going one with expensively dressed women and wildly gorgeous men, all of whom were obviously wealthy, prosperous, and having a very good time.  Nothing kinky at first glance, but there were other mysterious doors that Sophia didn't venture to open that night.  As she was nervously nursing her drink at the bar, a suave and beautifully dressed man began a conversation with her.  Yet Sophia managed to extricate herself from that scene, little realizing that she had become the focus of this powerful man's interest and he was not going to let her slip through his fingers.  This was a novella that starts the reader on the journey with Sophia as she is courted, in a manner of speaking, but a man who is willing to pay $400 to her law firm for one hour of her time in order to convince her to begin seeing him.  Yet when she tried to get to know him he retreats behind a wall of secrets, generalized responses to her questions, enigmatic statements about his business ventures, etc.

The second novel in this serial novel is even more frustrating because it lures the reader even deeper into Sebastian and Sophia's relationship, one that seems to be on a sure footing and moving forward for a time and then seems to stall.  At a social event to which she was invited, Sophia meets one of Sebastian's business associates--another bachelor who is handsome and obviously well-heeled--and yet his words to Sophia are a warning not to get attached because Sebastian will never stay with her long-term.  He will leave her behind like he has every woman in his life since his failed relationship with his fiance.  Now the reader must keep in mind that Sophia is an attorney with the kind of curiosity that lawyers need and use to solve riddles and resolve legal issues and find answers when no one else has the patience to keep looking.  It is this curiosity that got Sophia involved with Sebastian in the first place, and it is that same curious streak that keeps forcing her into areas of Sebastian's life where he clearly doesn't want her.  It is when this kind of fact-finding mission that seems to precipitate the major stall in their relationship and one that brings the reader to the cliff-hanging final paragraph in this portion of their story.  Argh!!  So frustrating!  I almost threw the eReader across the room.  Would have, too, if it hadn't been for the fact that I like the device a lot and have lots of books on it.

Yet my final word on this for now is that author Maya Cross has written a wonderful story, one that is so fascinating that it was literally impossible to put it down.  There was that underlying tension that was inescapable:  that Sebastian was hiding some pretty heavy-duty stuff, yet he wanted in the worst way to have Sophia in his life.  The "come here, get away" style Sebastian had for dealing with Sophia was a part of the frustration of reading this novel.  Sometimes he was endearing, tender, and so very caring for Sophia and her concerns.  Other times he was distant, cold, unfeeling, and seemingly out for the physical satisfaction he found in her bed.  Yet the reader has this hunch that there is much, much more to this story and that is what really hooks the reader.  And for someone like me who loves a good mystery anyway, I was a goner.

I will indeed continue on with this story.  I'm stuck in every sense of the word.  Just don't assume that I like it.  I have also come to the conclusion that I am my own worst enemy.  Always a sucker for a good story!

They May Be Really Bad Boys, but Baby, They're Really Good Men . . . New Series by Melissa Schroeder

He's visiting a military buddy in a medical rehab facility, a man who is in the throes of a lot of pain, right at that point in the rehab process where it would be so easy to just forget about ever getting well.  It's just too painful!  Enter a hardnosed, bratty, brash, and bossy physical therapist whose indomitable spirit is packed into the most attractive "package" that Leonardo Santini has ever seen.  And so begins the saga of these two unlikely lovers, both of whom have seen the worst and the best of the military life and neither of whom are really in the market for anything permanent in their lives that has to do with love and romance.

Author Melissa Schroeder has become known in the literary romance fiction genre as one who brings the various aspects of military experience into her sizzling romances.  As a military "brat" she is well equipped to flavor her stories with the realities of being a member of a branch of the armed services, the challenges to personal relationship, the hurt and destruction that seems to characterize many stillborn relationships that go "south" because of distance and long absences.  This four-piece series of novellas has brought the Santini family to readers, four brothers who are all serving in one of the military branches, and all four still single.  They all love their folks, they are deeply committed as brothers to one another and share that deep allegiance to country, but none have taken the time or perhaps have not been willing to open themselves up to the challenges of being in a love relationship that will be tested strenuously by absence and distance.

These are not the first of Schroeder's work that I have read and reviewed.  She is one of those authors whose work almost automatically ends up on my reader--when I see her name I just buy it.  Without fail the reader will heat up noticably, and all her stuff is full of zing and sizzle and romance that keeps the reader riveted to each page.  No matter how long her pieces, they are never long enough.  Her characters are people who are strong and independent individuals, experiencing life with all its warts and bunions, dealing with hurts that are common to us all, but trying to find a way to keep balance in their lives.  She writes about unapologetic alpha males, many of whom are living within a version of the BDSM lifestyle, who are not reluctant to make a case for being in charge in the bedroom, but who treat women with respect that is often "over the top."  I find these men to be interesting in that they are not afraid of being who they are, willing to allow a woman to be who she is, but who have a very definite sense of how it's going to be between them and their lovers/partners.  That's just who they are.  Perhaps it's Schroeder's own upbringing among authoritarian types where she witnessed the best and the worst that comes when men are given that kind of authority over others.  I know that the six years that hubby was in the Army certainly taught me the difference.

Each of these novellas stands alone yet the reader can get a bit of continuation in the lives of the brothers featured in previous stories as the series moves along.  I found book one to be very intense and book two to be somewhat less so.  But looking back on them, I think the intensity level has as much to do with the characters' own personality, their style of relating to others.  Leonardo and Gianni are more outgoing than Marco who even within the family framework was the "quiet" brother.  Gianni is the youngest and his sense of self, though just as developed, is still more of a work-in-progress kind of thing.  It shows up as such in the way he woos his lady.  The final novella,  Vincente, in now available and I have only just downloaded it.  Vince is the oldest brother and sort of the "last man standing" among the four.  Yet his love interest has been long in coming to him so his story has been the last to be told.

Lastly, the covers on these books are definitely drool-worthy.  I know we all recognize the usual poses on many of the romance novels we read, but these are very attention getting and what female reader wouldn't just like to sit and gaze, eh?  There may be snow on the mountain top but there is still fire deep down inside, or so I have been told.

Don't hesitate to invest in these novellas.  I don't think I would have bought them if it hadn't been for the fact that I just happen to really like this author.  But in the end, I'm glad to have read them and I wanted to share them with you.

We Lost A Good Friend . . . Go With God, Sophie

 S he came to us five years ago, sick, nearly starved to death, full of infection from having lost her last litter of kittens--we're sure she had nothing physically to sustain those offspring, and having lived for an unknown period of time on the street. She had recently been in some kind of altercation and had a wound over her right eye that had affected her ability to focus. She was a complete mess. And why we even thought about keeping her is a complete mystery to me now. But one of my daughters was visiting, the one that had become a "cat person" over the years, and she challenged us to either (1) take her to animal control and have her euthanized, or (2) take her to the vet, have her tested and checked out, and decide then what to do. (Her offer to pay for the vet visit helped us decide to go that route.)

Sophie was indeed a mess.  She had mastitis, was full of parasites, tested positive for feline HIV, and needed lots of good meals.  Yet the vet was sure that she hadn't manifested any signs of AIDS, wasn't a threat to any other animals, and could expect to live a good life as long as she was not put in situations where her immune system was challenged.  As she was an inside cat, we took her home.

And so began the saga of Sophie as a part of our family.  We named her that because she was all black, and had the most amazing sea-green eyes--almond shaped and so very mysterious.  Just like that illusive thing called "Sophia" by the Greeks--wisdom and mystery.  She was very shy and reticent.  She hissed and rumbled at the picture of a gray wolf we had hanging on the office wall.  She hid under the beds whenever anyone came to the house, but she began to accept the fact that she was a part of a family, even getting along famously with our English Shepherd, Mickey.  She fattened up, got rid of her parasites, and we spayed her as soon as her infections were eliminated.

Sophie loved to sit on people's laps, especially when we were working at the computer.  I don't know if it was because we were sitting in a cramped space and that made her feel more secure, or if she just took a liking to the fact that we were sitting in the same place for long periods.  She would also decide which lap was preferable each evening as we were sitting down to watch the evening news and such.  The rest of the time she was silent skulking around the house, and after our second rescue English Shepherd Beau came to live with us (he was a tri-color--black, white, and tan), she and Beau began to take their naps together.  When Beau had a stroke about two years ago, Sophie seemed to be the one who took this absence the hardest.

Three months ago, right after moving to Tennessee, Sophie's tail quit working--she no longer swished it around like most cats do, but simply dragged it around behind her.  We didn't think much about it as we had moved recently and thought perhaps she had injured it in some way during the move.  Then 10 days ago the rear half of her body began dragging on the floor.  We took her to the vet--I was concerned that she may have had a small stroke--and found out that all the disks in her rear spine were gone and she had significant arthritis in her pelvic region.  We began the usual treatments of anti arthritic meds and steroids in low doses to curb the discomfort, but she just got less and less mobile over those few days.  My "cat" daughter said that cats suffer in silence, that they are the world's most pronounced stoics.  So it was with Sophie and by Memorial Day weekend, she wasn't even moving to come out for her feedings.  We were taking the food to her.  She was making it to the cat box less and less, and we knew she had to be in pain.  Walking was a very obvious chore.


So hubby and I made the hard decision, and on Tuesday we said good-bye to our good and faithful friend.  She was meowing to us plaintively as they took her back into the inner regions of the vet's offices, and we sat their grieving as we waited for them to bring back our cat carrier.

I guess we know that when we take these marvelous creatures into our lives and homes we will have to endure this kind of experience.  That doesn't make it any easier.  And having Sophie for only five years doesn't seem fair.  She was such a good companion to Vashti and our dogs.  Mickey and Beau are both gone now as well, but our present English Shepherd, Murphy, has been pacing around the house at all hours trying to find her.  Vashti has been all over us the last two days, just as she was when Mickey died.  We know that we are not the only ones who miss her.  Hubby and I know that we miss her terribly already, but we are blessed to have had her in our lives.  Go With God, Sophie.

Follow-up on Mommy's Day -- The Special Women in my Life

Yet, that's right!  They're my three daughters and there has never been a mom that is more proud of these very special women.  I can't believe, as I look back over my life, that I was so blessed to have them in my heart and to fill my days.  Even in the years since they have begun following their own paths, our relationship has broadened and deepened and is a factor that keeps my heart filled with a sense of joy and pleasure just thinking about them.

I guess Mother's Day brings so many of these thoughts to the fore, and it humbles me to know that the Powers Beyond deigned to bless me with these three wonderful women.  Only daughter One was planned -- the other two were surprises--or maybe I should be really honest and use the word "shocked."     We weren't really "ready" for more kids but by the time each of them has been born we were delighted and more than happy that our little family wasn't quite so little anymore.

Our oldest is a warm, vibrant, and highly motivated woman who has two grown daughters and is doing some remarkable stuff in the aero-space industry.  We're living closer to her now and both hubby and I are so happy to be able to spend time with her and be a part of her life in a more direct way.  This was the first Mother's Day we have spent together in quite a few years.  Our middle daughter is a talented professional musician in the field of church music, co-owns her own interior decorating business and is a loving presence in the lives of her nieces and nephew.  While she has not had children of her own she has "adopted" all the kids of her siblings and they love her like another parent.  Our youngest daughter has two beautiful daughters and is in possession of a mind that often leaves me in awe.  I'm a smart woman but there are times when I think about all the kinds of things she can do -- all at the same time -- and I am humbled, to say the least.  And her memory:  I don't know what to make of it sometimes.  We are both book reviewers and read piles and mountains of books, but she can remember stuff that puts me right under the table.

Suffice it to say that I am so thankful that these very wonderful women are a part of my life.  Love all three of you, bunches and bunches!!