Because of the List

Because of the List by Amy Knupp

Publisher: Harlequin

December 2011

ISBN: 978-0-373-71748-4

Pages: 282



Contemporary, Madison, Wisconsin


Taylor McCabe is a computer whiz that is more comfortable dealing with computer code than she is with people. She knows it is now time to get over her childhood crush and start looking to the future. That is harder than she thought since Alex has been in her life for so long and the fact that he was her brother’s best friend makes things more complicated. Taylor thinks she has come up with a solution that will help her find a man that will help her get over her crush and be the type of husband that she is sure will be perfect for her. The plan is easy enough for Taylor who loves to make lists and that is to list the top ten traits she wants in a man. Perfect solution for a computer whiz.

Alex Worth is an injured Army pilot that is trying to get over his injury so that he can go back to the job he loved, flying. While he is home though he is determined to honor his friend by keeping an eye on Taylor, even if that means checking out the men she thinks will be perfect for her. Spending this much time with Taylor is giving Alex a whole different view of her though and he isn’t sure that is such a good thing.

Taylor isn’t sure she will be able to find anyone with the way Alex is acting more like a boyfriend than a protective older brother. The more time they spend together the more she is attracted to him and not getting over her crush at all. The only problem is that he doesn’t even come close to meeting any of the criteria on her list.


This is a wonderful story about just how perfect opposites can be for each other. The storyline is emotional at times and helps the story move along very well. The character are well written and well developed and the reader is completely able to relate to them. The reader is also able to feel what the characters are going through and will be completely engrossed in the story until the very end. And being published by Harlequin the reader is guaranteed a happy-ever-after. This is one book that will be sure to lift the spirits of any that read it. This is worth getting.


I give this one 5 red roses.

Christmas Awards 2011

THIS YEAR WE ARE GIVING THE AWARDS TO THE REVIEWER'S CHOICE RATHER THAN VOTING. NEXT YEAR WE HOPE TO RETURN TO THE VOTING FOR YOUR FAVOURITE.

REVIEWER'S CHOICE OF SHORT NOVEL
HOT VAMPIRE KISS BY LISA RENEE JONES

REVIEWER'S CHOICE OF LONG NOVEL
COFFESSIONS OF AN IMPROPER BRIDE BY JENNIFER HAYMORE
AUTHOR CYNTHIA EDEN


CONGRATULATIONS TO BOTH THESE AUTHORS.

To receive your award
PLEASE SEND YOUR EMAIL ADDRESSES TO
linda@lindasole.co.uk


Linda's Special Award this year is for producing books that are emotional, sympathetic and always readable.

THE WINNER OF MY SPECIAL AWARD IS RAVEN STAR


CONGRATULATIONS RAVEN

You will receive notification of your award.

Keep sending in your books for review to Larena

Happy Christmas to all our readers and authors from Larena, Linda and other reviewers.

Teacher Plus Two

Teacher Plus Two by Valentina Heart

Publisher: Dreamspinner

October 2011

ISBN: 978-1-61372-178-0

Pages: 200


Futuristic


Orrin, is a human that because of his sexual expertise he is close to reaching the revered status of Teacher. The one thing Orrin never expected was to be kidnapped and forced to teach other slaves how to pleasure those that will be their new masters. While he is a prisoner Orrin meets Fai and has to find a way to save his as Fai is in very bad shape. Just as he gets Fai purring again they have a new occupant to their cell, Hara. Hara has been a slave for a very long time so he knows how things are done but he never expected to find the other two or the bond that soon develops between the three of them.

Fai is a Mattain, which are like small lion that purr. Fai is thrown into a situation that is completely beyond anything he has known in his life. Fai is going to have to learn quickly if he has a chance to survive even with both Orrin and Hara there to take care of him.

Hara has been a slave for so long that he has begun to forget what his life was like before he became a slave. Things change though when he meets both Orrin and Fai but that might not be enough when he is sent clear across the universe to his new master. Now he is separated from the two people that mean the most to him and he wonders if they will ever have a chance to be together again.


Now the three men are going to have to find a way to survive so that they can be together again and have a future that isn’t dictated by others. Their bond is being tested and none are sure just how strong it is or if it can survive what they are all going through.


This is a good story and different from most. The world building is very interesting and comes to life for the reader as they read. The characters are well written and engaging and interesting. While this story may not be for some it is worth taking a chance to read.


I give this one 4 red roses

A Still, Small Voice

A Still, Small Voice by D. W. Marchwell

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

September 2011

ISBN: 978-1-61372-150-6

Pages: 200


Contemporary, Canada



Noah Lowe loved his job as a teacher until the day he was falsely accused of a sexual assault by a student. That was when he had to find another career. Now six years later he has found a career he loves more but he still needs to rebuild the confidence he lost due to the accusations. Noah is now a computer programmer during the day and a drag queen with his best friend, Aiden in the evenings he is finally finding a measure of happiness that they accusation stole from him.

Oscar Reynolds is the owner of the club that Noah and Aiden perform at. Oscar has watched Noah from afar for a while but has never gotten the courage up to ask Noah out. That all might be changing. Now as Oscar and Noah are starting to see each other and see if they might have a chance at a future together the past comes back to haunt them.

Noah’s past and a part of the past is suddenly moving in next door and he as to see if he can finally put the past behind him where it belongs. Noah also has a chance to find some answers to what happened six years ago that might give him the closure he so desperately needs so that he can build something lasting with Oscar. Noah is going to find out just how strong his and Oscar’s relationship is and if it can survive the revelations from the past.


This is an excellent book that will take the reader on an emotional roller coaster ride with the characters. The story is very well written and have the reader eagerly turning the pages to find out exactly what happened to Noah in the past and what exactly the truth was. The characters are sympathetic and will get the reader emotionally involved in the story. The story plot is different and well written. This story while is very good it may not be for all readers. This is one that once the reader starts will be very glad they picked it up.


I give this one 4-1/2 red roses

Avenger's Angel

Avenger’s Angel A Novel of the Lost Angels by Heather Killough-Walden

Publisher: Signet Eclipse

November 2011

ISBN: 978-0-451-23522-0

Pages: 416


Earth 2000 BCE, Texas modern day


Eleanore “Ellie” Granger has always been different and never understood why only she had to hide what she was. Ellie never had much of a chance to really make friends as her family always moved around throughout her childhood. Ellie knows that she can never truly trust anyone because someone has been hunting her for a very long time and if she trust the wrong person she could end up as a test subject or something worse for someone that will never see her as a person.

Uriel is the Archangel of Vengeance. He and his brothers, the archangels Michael, Gabriel & Azrael have been on earth for thousands of years trying to find the female angels that were made just for them. The females had to be protected from those that would deny the archangels their destiny so they have been searching for a very long time. Now it seems that everything is about to change. Uriel has found Ellie and he knows that she is the one meant just for him, but if he wants a chance with her he is going to have to first get Ellie to trust him. He will also have to protect her because his enemy is after her too so their bonding is stopped.

Uriel and Ellie are going to have to race against those that would hurt them to get what their enemies ultimately want, but first they are going to have to find a way to trust each other and depend on each other because if they don’t then their enemies will win. Ellie’s world is suddenly turned upside down and she isn’t sure if she can trust what Uriel is telling her but if she doesn’t she just might not live long enough to have a future with or without Uriel.



This is a story that takes the story of the archangels and gives is a very unique spin that will have the reader hating to put the book down for any reason. This is an excellent start to a new series that starts out with a bang and the action doesn’t stop throughout the book. The characters in this story are sure to remind readers of people they know in their lives. The characters are very believable despite their special abilities. The reader will be eagerly awaiting the next book in this series just to see what will happen next and who will find their mate next and how they will win her over. This is one that is worth checking out.


I give this one 4-1/2 red roses

The Storm that is Sterling & Lisa Renee Jones Post

How about what Thanksgiving means to you?





It’s almost Turkey Day! This year I plan to celebrate the release of THE STORM THAT IS STERLING and say thanks for the ability to do something I love for a living. For years, I was in the corporate world, and I worked 80 hour weeks. I still work like crazy because it’s just inbred in my DNA. My mom worked 2 and 3 jobs as a single mom raising me. I didn’t realize what a blessing it was to do something you love for a living until I started doing something I love for a living.
Each Thanksgiving we put up our tree and start making our holiday CD that we mail out to the first 25 fans who email me wanting them. We also pick two holiday mugs each year that we start using on Thanksgiving. So today – just tell me your favorite holiday song, so I can consider putting it on the CD to win one of my backlist ebooks and a copy of the CD!
And for an extra entry go to Amazon and LIKE the ebook version and the print version of THE STORM THAT IS STERLING! (http://www.amazon.com/Storm-That-Is-Sterling-ebook/dp/B005UEF4DO/ref=ntt_at_ep_edition_2_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2)

“A wild ride of love and lust,
betrayal and trust.”
—For The Love of Books

He may be invincible to everyone else…
Sterling Jeter has remarkable powers and has shown himself
to be just about indestructible. But beautiful, brilliant Rebecca
Burns knows that even a Super Soldier needs comfort, and so
much more…

But she can see that deep down,
he’s just a man…
Sterling and Rebecca’s teenage romance was interrupted,
but years later the heat between them flares back to life.
Even though it endangers everything they’re fighting for, it’s
impossible to resist picking up right where they left off…

Great new Booklist review of THE STORM THAT IS STERLING!! YAY!
The Storm That Is Sterling.
Nov 2011. 384 p. Sourcebooks/Casablanca, hardcover, $6.99. (9781402251597).
The exciting Zodius futuristic suspense series features soldiers enhanced by a GTECH secret military experiment. Sterling Jeter, who is assigned to guard Rebecca Burns, the scientist working on an antidote for the highly addictive and fatal drug ICE. But Rebecca is also the high-school dream Sterling was never able to realize. She has cancer and tangling with bad guys who want her science skills for their ends has left her an ICE addict, too. She wants to take advantage of her time left with Sterling, while Sterling wants to protect her. As danger mounts, they try to sort out who is trustworthy. The GTECH and science details can best be followed with the help of the index, but they do not overwhelm the appealing characters or action. Jones’ suspense truly sizzles with an energy similar to FBI tales with a paranormal twist by Julie Garwood or Suzanne Brockmann. Alpha, military, and paranormal romance readers will want Jones’ entire series.

Read an excerpt HERE:
http://www.lisareneejones.com/books/the-storm-that-is-sterling/sterling-excerpt/

Christmas Awards 2011

This year we are going to have a slightly different type of award. Rather than have people voting for their favourite Our reviewers will nominate their favourite books and the winners of the awards are invited to send in their email addresses to me at

linda@lindasole.co.uk

they will then receive their award.


Reviewer's choice of short lenth book.

Reviewer's choice of full length book.

Linda's special Christmas award for a favourite book.

Apologies

I am sorry to tell regular visitors that I closed the group because of nasty emails coming through. A lot of people had unsubscribed so I though the best thing to do was to take it down. The review site will not be affected in any way. We may start a new group called redrosesfor authors2 - and if you would like this please comment on this post so Larena and I can set it up for you. Larena was dealing with it but I felt the culprit would simply return under another name so thought it best to remove the group. Please let us know if you would like the group to be reopened as redrosesforauthors2

Thank you
Linda

Shadow Magic

Shadow Magic by Donna Grant

Publisher: Donna Grant

November 2011

Pages 224



Historical, England



Serena of Hawthorne is a witch that has been cursed. Serena knows that her future entails her being alone. She has accepted her future even if she wishes there was a way to change that. That was before she saw Drogan and started wanting more than she has let herself want before. Now that he has stirred a passion in her that will not be denied she has to decide what she can live with and accept.

Drogan of Wolfglynn has a lot of secrets and sins in his past that has left him with a darkness inside him. Drogan now fears that he is losing himself to the darkness and that he will never escape it. The only time he feels the darkness leaving him is when he is with Serena. Drogan has to decide if he is willing to take a chance on the future with Serena or if he is going to allow the darkness to claim him once and for all.

Now Drogan and Serena are going to have to see if they can find a way to conquer the past so that they can have the future they both so desperately want now that they have found each other. If they are going to have a future they are both going to have to trust in the love they have found with each other. Otherwise they will not have the promising future that suddenly seems within their grasp.



This is an excellent story that is the first in a trilogy that is sure to please readers of historical stories. The imagery comes to vivid life as the story unfolds and draws the reader in. This is a story that has several twists that will keep the reader guessing as to what will be revealed next. The plot is well written and definitely worth reading. This one will have readers eagerly awaiting the next book in the series.


I give this one 4-1/2 red roses

Ecstasy Untamed

Ecstasy Untamed by Pamela Palmer

Publisher: Avon

November 2011

ISBN: 978-0-061-79473-5

Pages: 384





Hawke is one of the last nine feral warriors. He and his brothers protect the world from the evil that would take over if allowed. He is a shape shifter that is slowly losing his animal and if that happens it will kill him. Hawke needs to find a way to heal the rift between his animal and himself if he has a chance to continue to live and fight at his brothers’ sides. With his life completely out of control the last thing he expects is to find a measure of peace but that comes whenever Faith is around him.

Faith is drawn to Hawke in a way she has never experienced before. Though it is Maxim who holds her in thrall and is determined to bend her to his will. Faith is not sure what is going on only that something is wrong and she needs to figure out quickly because whatever is happening it is getting stronger and soon she won’t be able to escape it.

Hawke knows there is more going on between Faith and Maxim than he can see. And though Hawke is damaged he is figuring out that he is the only one that can free Faith from Maxim. Now he is going to have to find a way to heal himself so that he can help Faith escape what is coming. Because only together will they be able to fix what is wrong. To do that they will have to embrace the wildness within themselves and surrender to each other.


This is another great story in this series. The stories are much better when read together because while each one has a happily-ever-after the stories are linked together by the story line and the reader might find themselves a little lost with the story line. The premise of the books is very unique and intriguing and will definitely hook the reader on this series. This is one series that shouldn’t be missed.


I give this one 4-1/2 red roses

A New Winner

And the new winner is: Eva's Flowers (Eva Perez)

Congrats Eva. You will be getting an email but if you don't receive one please email me at: lrhubble@q.com and so we can see about getting your prize to you. Thanks to all who visited and participated.