Christmas Awards 2011

Thursday 17 February 2011

Shadow Touch

Shadow Touch by Marjorie M. Liu



Publisher: Harper Collins



February 2006 reissue January 2011



ISBN: 978-0-06201-989-9



Pages: 354







A Dirk & Steele novel





Artur Loginov found the family he never really had when he joined the Dirk & Steele Detective Agency. Now he has friends that he can call family something he lost when he was very young. He has also found acceptance for his unique abilities. Now because of his unique abilities he is about to be taken by a shadow organization that is going to put his ability to survive to the ultimate test. Artur knows that his friends will do everything possible to find him and rescue him but the question becomes will they be in time. To complicate matters he meets a fellow hostage with her own unique ability that has brought her to the attention of the shadow organization and that has caused her own kidnapping. Now Artur is finding that he will do anything he has to keep himself and Elena safe and to get them both out of their prison before it is too late.



Elena Baxter has the very special ability to heal people no matter what is the problem with them. For that reason alone she has been kidnapped. Now she has to figure out who she can trust and how to escape her prison. The only person she has found that she knows she can trust is Artur. Now if they can just escape and get away they just might have a chance to have a future and just maybe that future will be together. First they are going to have to get away from their enemies and find a safe haven to hide from those that are after them.



Artur and Elena are running against the clock and if they don’t succeed in stopping the shadow organization than a lot more people than just the two of them will end up paying a very high price for their failure. Now that Artur and Elena have found each other they just have to find a way to survive so that they can see what the future holds for them.





This is a great paranormal story that is very fast paced. This takes the usual shape shifter and other paranormal abilities and gives them a great twist which makes it a completely unique take on the normal paranormal stories. This is one series not to miss.





I give this one 4 red roses

Untamed

Untamed by Crystal Jordan



Publisher: Aphrodisia



November 2009



ISBN: 978-0-7582-3829-0



Pages: 312







Futuristic, Chicago





Stolen Temptation



Delilah Chase is half-human and half-lynx. She is also a professional thief. She is one of the best in the business. With her latest job she never expects to get caught. Unfortunately that is exactly what happens. Now she has a choice to make and she is going to have to make it fast.



Hunter Avery comes home unexpectedly only to find a thief trying to steal his priceless ruby. Now he offers Delilah a choice: spend the next week in his bed or go to prison. What he doesn’t count on is his overwhelming attraction to Delilah or how she unleashes an overpowering passion that seven days just might not be long enough to work out of his system.



Hunter and Delilah are finding that the passion they share is a lot more than a simple attraction and now they are going to have to figure out just what they want when their week is up.





Deadly Temptation



Lorelei Chase is a mink-shifter that runs the hottest and most notorious techno brothel in New Chicago. Lorelei only has one rule that she lives by never sample what the customers or workers are offering. She has never had a problem sticking to that rule until Nolan, who is definitely tempting her to break her own rule.



Nolan Angelo is a jaguar-shifter that is constantly trying to get Lorelei to break her rule. He knows what he wants he just has to convince Lorelei to take what he is offering. Once he has her they will have to figure out just want it is they are ultimately after and if that is going to be a future together with an attraction that burns out of control.







This is a fun and different kind of shape shifter story. The two stories are nice, short and fast paced that will keep the reader turning the pages. The world building comes to life for the reader as they read the stories and is completely believable. This is one not miss for those that love shape shifter stories.





I give this one 4-1/2 red roses

Holiday Bound

Holiday Bound by Beth Kery



Publisher: Samhain Publishing



December 2009



ISBN: 978-1-60504-838-3











Angeline Kastakis thinks that Mitch is ready to take their relationship to the next level this holiday season. She also believes that their plans to stay at his son’s ski lodge is going to be a lot fun and give them time to get even closer. What she doesn’t expect is to end up at the ski lodge alone with his son or to end up in the middle of a family battle.



Alex Carradine has never gotten along well with his father but figures this holiday season his father, Mitch is making an effort to change how things are between the two of them. What Alex figures out, too late, is the fact that his father’s latest conquest is the one woman that Alex has fantasized about for years and has never forgotten.



Now Alex and Angeline are snowbound with a blizzard outside that has managed to keep his father away from the lodge. Alex has to decide if this is the one and only chance he might have to finally get the woman of his dreams or if he will lose her completely to his father. Angeline never expects this attraction to Mitch’s son but the thing she is finding out very quickly is that when Alex is determined to have his way in something there is very little that will sway him from his course of action. Alex has decided that he is going to take this chance to see if there just might be a chance for him and Angeline to have a future together. Angeline is finding that the attraction she feels for Alex isn’t going to be stopped and she just might be with the right Carradine this holiday season after all.





This is a very good emotional story to read. The reader is never really sure what will happen next but when these two characters get together they scorch the pages of the book. This is a very hot read and one that you will want to have a glass of ice water next to you when you read this one. This is one book that is guaranteed to heat up the holiday season for the reader.





I give this one 4-1/2 red roses

Tuesday 15 February 2011

Darkness Dawns


Darkness Dawns Immortal Guardians by Dianne Duvall



Publisher: Zebra



February 2011



ISBN: 978-1-4201-1861-2



Pages: 320





Modern Day





Sarah Bingham is a music professor that managed to stumble on something that she was never meant to know anything about. The only thing she was concerned about was her students. Now after trying to help a man that was wounded badly she has a lot more things to be concerned about namely that this is battle raging between vampires and immortals. Sarah’s whole perspective on life just took a major turn and she isn’t sure if it going to be for the better or for the very worst. Sarah is now in the fight of her life and the only place that seems to be her best chance for survival is with Roland Warbrook, but will she be able to come of this with her life and heart intact or is she going to lose her heart to an immortal?



Roland Warbrook was trying to survive in his latest fight with vampires when it looked like this time he wasn’t going to be able to make it, until a woman comes to his rescue. Now Roland is going to have to find out why it seemed that the vampires were after him specifically and keep Sarah safe from all harm. Roland has always been known as being anti-social but it looks like all that is about to change with Sarah coming into his life. Roland will also do something he isn’t known for and that is to enlist the aid of the other Immortal Guardians so that he can keep Sarah safe and get to the bottom of what is going on.



Roland isn’t sure he will be able to have a future with Sarah but he is finding out very quickly that he just might not have a choice on whether he wants to let her go or not. He is finding that Sarah is quickly becoming everything to him and he will do whatever it takes to have a future with her and make sure that she never regrets being with him. Sarah has found the one man that makes her feel alive for the very first time in her life now if they can just find a way to have a future together everything would be perfect.





This is a great twist on the usual vampire story. This is one story that readers will not want to miss. The story grabs you and hauls you into the story and doesn’t let go until the very last page and will have you begging for more from this author. This one is packed with action that keeps the story moving along very quickly and will keep readers engrossed in the story just to find out what is going to happen next and whether Roland and Sarah will be able to have a future together. This one is a keeper.





I give this one 5 red roses

The Night Before Christmas Anthology


The Night Before Christmas Anthology

by Lori Foster, Erin McCarthy, Jill Shalvis, Kathy Love, Katherine Garbera and Kylie Adams



Publisher: Kensington



October 2006 reissued October 2010



ISBN: 0-7582-1215-1



Pages: 342





White Knight Christmas by Lori Foster



Lily Donaldson wants more than friendship with her neighbor Parker but first she has to convince him that she might not keep regular hours and have strange men around all the time but she really isn’t doing anything illegal. Now if she can just get him to see her as someone that isn’t too young and there is a lot of fun to be had in celebrating the holidays.



Parker Ross thinks something is going on with Lily, of course being a detective doesn’t help a lot times with his outlook on life. Parker thinks Lily just has a bad case of hero worship and he hasn’t done anything to be a hero to anyone. He is starting to learn that when Lily puts her mind to something she doesn’t give up and she is also making Parker change his views about the holidays and that just maybe he might get his one personal miracle if he is just willing to let Lily in.





Snowed Under by Erin McCarthy



Claire Robbins has had a crush on Justin, her brother’s best friend, since she was 18 years old. Now that she is older and gets the pleasant surprise of Justin stay at her brother’s apartment, Claire is going to take advantage of the holidays and the special circumstances she finds herself in. Now if she could just get Justin to go along with her plans to make this Christmas very special.



Justin Fairbanks has been attracted to Claire since she was too young for him and is desperately trying to remind himself of all the reason he really shouldn’t be touching his best friend’s sister but Claire is making the reasons very difficult to hold on to. Justin just might get the Christmas wish he never knew he had this year. Christmas is looking a lot more enjoyable this year after all.





Ms. Humbug by Jill Shalvis



Cami Bennett is a City Planner that has ended up butting heads with former City Councilman now Mayor Matt Tarino to see him as anything but her nemesis. So why all of a sudden is she noticing that he is a very handsome man and that he seems to enjoy their encounters no matter the circumstances. And why is she paying more attention to herself and how others might see her?



Matt Tarino has always loved the way Cami is completely unafraid to go toe to toe with him when she believes in what she is going after. Matt has always found Cami sexy but now he knows he is the right place in his life to make a move on her. Even know they are complete opposites with her love of order and rules and his complete disregard of them he knows they are the perfect match for each other. Now he just has to convince Cami of that so that this year they will both have the perfect Christmas possible.





I’ll Be Home for Christmas by Kathy Love



Rob Marsten doesn’t enjoy the holidays, especially since years before he lost the only woman he has ever truly loved. Rob also has no one to blame for that but himself. Rob was convinced when he was in college that the only thing that really mattered was getting his degree and making something of himself but in his quest to get to where he wanted to be he lost what was most important to his life, Erica Fetzer.



Erica Fetzer is heading home for the holidays and the very last person she expects to run into is Rob Marsten. Years earlier he broke her heart and she thought she was finally over him only to see him again and find out that she never stopped loving him but will it make any difference or is she about to get hurt all over again? Maybe this Christmas she will get the one thing she never truly stopped wanting.



Seducing Scrooge by Katherine Garbera



Jackson Peterson is a CFO that tends to be more workaholic than anything else. He would much rather work than enjoy the holidays but that is about to change. Krista is about to shake up his world and there is more to life than being the office Scrooge. Not sure just where Krista is heading with her idea for them he is about to surprise her with his acceptance of her plan. Now he is going to have to decide if he wants to go back to being a workaholic or take a chance on the future with Krista. Maybe he will end up no longer being Scrooge this holiday season.



Krista Miller is determined to shake up Jackson’s world and see where the attraction between them will go. To do that she is going to have to find a way to get him away from the office and have a little fun with her. Krista just might have come up with the perfect plan to accomplish that too. Now to put the plan into action and see just where Jackson and she end up at. Let the fun begin.





The Good Girl’s Guide to a Very Bad Christmas by Kylie Adams



Peri Knight just ended her engagement to her fiancé that she found out was cheating on her. Instead of upset she finds herself more relieved than anything. Now if she could just break into acting everything would be just about perfect. Peri loves when Chase comes in for his morning coffee since she has such a crush on him and figures it is completely harmless. He encourages her to try to get a part on the show he is on figuring it would help out her career.



Chase McCloud comes to the coffeehouse that Peri works for everyday for his daily cup of coffee. Chase is an actor that has made it in the business. Now that his life is on track and his work is more stable he is looking for someone that wants more than just his career. Chase thinks that Peri would be perfect for him especially as he gets to know her more and more. Looks like he will be getting a very nice Christmas this year.







This is the perfect book to pick up and read especially right before Christmas to get you into the mood for the seasons. All the stories are short and sweet. This is one book that is bound to make you believe in miracles of the season. The authors in this book all wrote some great little stories that are bound to appeal to anyone and everyone.







I give this one 4 red roses

Romeo, Romeo

Romeo, Romeo by Robin Kaye



Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca



November 2008



ISBN: 978-1-402-21339-7



Pages: 400







Rosalie Ronaldi is only interested in her career. She has no interest in domestic abilities which is probably a very good thing since she is completely unable to perform any. She puts her clothes where there is room and her shoes where they land. Rosalie also has no cooking abilities so her favorite meals tend to run to the take out variety. Rosalie also has on interesting in a relationship that is really serious.



Nick Romeo has always gone for independent women but he is finding out that his interest in Rosalie makes him want to take care of her. Lucky for her he loves cooking and cleaning which goes well with the fact that he is also rich. Now he has started straitening up Rosalie’s life and has also adopted her dog and getting her life to run a lot more smoothly. Now all Nick has to do is convince Rosalie that what truly she needs in her life is the right guy and relationship.



First Nick and Rosalie are going to have to overcome a few obstacles that are in their way. Getting rid of the problems shouldn’t be too difficult but with mistaken identity and a very nosy Italian family and some past transgressions that just might cause some future problems overcoming the problems may not be as easy as everyone wishes it would be. The past problems just might be easier to deal with than the family will be. It doesn’t help that there seems to be some corporate sabotage going on that needs to be taken care of and very quickly.







This story is light and funny and is a must read. With all the antics going on it is a very hard book to put down once the reader starts reading it. The characters are a lot of fun to read about and will have the reader laughing out loud and getting some very strange looks when they read this one. This is one book that will quickly become a comfort read for many.





I give this one 4-1/2 red roses

Alphas' Mate

Alphas’ Mate by Leah Brooke



Publisher: Siren Publishing



May 2009



ISBN: 1-60601-490-0



Pages: 180









Lacey Roberts is only planning to visit her beloved godmother for a short while. The last things she needs or is looking for is complications but it looks like that is exactly what she is about to get. She cannot afford to stay very long as she is helping a woman and a child hide for an abusive relationship and Lacey knows that the man they are running from will come after her to try and find them. Now Lacey meets her godmothers four grandsons for the first time and they tell her that she is all of their mates and they are not about to lose her or let anyone hurt her. If that wasn’t enough of a complication then the fact that they are werewolves makes everything more complicated. Now Lacey has to deal with the man coming after her and try and make sense of what just happened in her life and where she managed to take this turn. And is it a turn for the better or the worse?





Lars, Damien, Wes and Seth Tougarret are half brothers that have never managed to get along as well as their grandmother would like. Now they have found their mate only to discover that all four of them have the same one. Now they are going to have to combine their packs and find a way to work together otherwise they might end up losing their mate for good. To make things even worse is the fact that someone wants Lacey dead and if the brothers do not learn to work together quickly than the person who wants her dead just might succeed.



The brothers are going to have their work cut out for them if they are going to convince Lacey to stay and give them a chance and to protect her from the enemies that are headed their way. Only time will tell if they will be able to have a future together.





This story is a quick fun read that the reader will want to read until the very last page. There is plenty of action that moves the story along quickly and the reader will not know who is the threat to Lacey until the very end. This is fascinating take on the normal werewolf stories that makes it a completely new story to read.





I give this one 4-1/2 red roses

Inside Out

Inside Out by Lauren Dane



Publisher: Heat



November 2010



ISBN: 978-0-425-23688-8



Pages: 306







Seattle, Washington





Ella Tipton is finding out how much of a survivor she truly is. After a brutal attack that left her nearly dead, she is taking control of her life so that she will not be a victim again. Ella may not be ready for a romantic relationship yet but that doesn’t stop her from checking out the gorgeous tattooed Andrew Copeland.



Andrew “Cope” Copeland is a security professional that has known Ella for years but knows that his feelings for her changed somewhere along the way. Andrew watch as Ella overcame the pain she was forced to deal with, but now he wants a chance to have a future with her. He knows that he will have to tread very carefully if he wants to have any chance with Ella and one way he can do that is to teach her self-defense. That is the best way he can think of to get close to her and have a chance to finally get his hands on her.



Ella is convinced Andrew is just being nice to her but it gives her the chance to touch him and still gain the knowledge she needs to finally overcome the past that still haunts her. Cope shows that he is a lot more interested in just the friendship they have always shared but it will be up to Ella if she is finally ready to completely overcome the past and let it go once and for all.





This is a story that shows how one woman is able to gain the strength she needs to overcome a brutal attack and the read gets to see how she manages it. This is a wonderfully written story that will have the reader emotionally involved as Ella works through the last things she needs to do to overcome her pain and insecurities that have kept her prisoner inside herself since the attack. This is one book that is very hard to put down once you start reading it.





I give this one 4 red roses

Friday 4 February 2011

Glass Angels


Glass Angels: Family Heirlooms series Book 4 by Karen Wiesner



Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press



February 2011



ISBN:

978-1-61160-009-4 (Trade paper)

978-1-61160-008-7 (ebook)



Pages: 147





Peaceful, Wisconsin



Samantha Samuels has completed her psychiatry training and is planning to counsel victims of violent crimes, especially rape. She is in a unique position to understand what her patients are going through because she survived a violent crime three years previously, when her pastor father was counseling a juvenile delinquent by the name of Ryder Feldmann. Ryder managed to convince Samantha’s father to trust him and made sure he was in a position to attack Samantha. In helping others to heal she is hoping to finish recovering from her own attack. Ever since her attack her faith has been put to the test and she is afraid that she is losing the battle.



Kyle Feldmann was in love with Samantha three years ago when his younger brother brutally attacked Samantha and destroyed all that Kyle loved. Kyle had hopes of marrying Samantha but when the attack happened he didn’t see that ever happening. Now it seems that Kyle and Samantha have a second chance at happiness since their paths have crossed again. Kyle knows that he has to tread carefully so that this time he might be able to have the happiness he has always wanted.



Kyle and Samantha’s faith is being tested and they will have to find out if they are strong enough to grab this latest chance at happiness or if they will allow the past to continue to stand in their way. It will take all of their faith and strength to overcome the past so that this time they can have the future they have always dreamed of and planned for.







This is story will take the reader on an emotional roller coaster as they follow the story of Samantha and Kyle and what they have had to go through in their lives. The reader will get to see how even though someone has gone through terrible times it is possible to come out the other side much stronger than when they first were. If you are looking for a good inspirational story this is one to try.





I give this one 4-1/2 red roses