Happily Ever After

Happily Ever After by Lori Wilde

Publisher: Forever (Grand Central Publishing)

December 2013

ISBN: 978-1-455-54992-4

Pages: 749

Contemporary, Romance

Addicted to Love

Valentine, Texas

Rachel Henderson grew up in Valentine, Texas where everyone is brought up to believe in happily ever after. Rachel believed it wholeheartedly too until she was left at the alter by two different grooms. After that she gets in trouble with an act of rebellion that is completely out of character for her. It also get her arrested by her childhood crush and the current sheriff, Brody Carlton. Now she has sworn off love though before her bad ending her chance meeting and arrest would have had her planning a wedding. She just wishes she could stop fantasying about  Brody. Maybe this time she might be able to have her happily ever after. Is it possible that she has finally found the right man after all?

All of Me

Salvation, Colorado

Jillian Samuels is dealing with a betrayal that has left her with the wish of being able to have a fresh start. With a newly inherited home in Salvation, Colorado that just might be possible. It has a great mountain view a fireplace for those cold nights and one unexpected amenity that she never expected, a gorgeous man that is extremely infuriating and already living there.

Tucker “Tuck” Manning isn’t about to give up his home without fighting for it first. Now Jillian and Tuck have to untangle the mess of who actually owns the home and until they are able to do that they become unlikely roommates. As they go through the days and nights they find they have a lot more in common than just the house. They also find that sometimes you find what you need most in the most unlikely of places.

While this is a sizeable book it is actually two novels in one. The stories are warm hearted and are sure to please the romantics at heart. They are actually part of a four book series but can be read as stand alones.  The characters are very well written and readers will enjoy being taken on the journeys as each couple finds their way to their happily ever after. They are both sweet stories that will have readers falling in love with the towns and characters and hating to leave the areas. It will also have readers wishing to find places in real life like these small towns. These two are ones to definitely take the time to read and savor.

I give this one 5 red roses

LRH

Tor WereWolf Fight League

Tor WereWolf Fight League by Lynn Lorenz

Publisher: Loose ID

April 2012

ISBN: 978-1-61118-811-0

Pages: 297

Paranormal, Futuristic

Tor is a champion fighter in the Werewolf Fight League.  Though to his master he is just a slave. When Tor’s mate is killed in a cage fight that proves exceptionally brutal Tor loses his will to fight ever again. His master, Marrack has other ideas on the subject.

Sky is a young sex slave that has been trained to please whoever buys him. Sky is very special in that he is still a virgin and the one that ultimately owns him is going to be very lucky.

Marrack buys Sky for Tor in the first step of his plan to get Tor back into the cage. As Marrack plan is set into motion Marrack has just one month to get Tor back in shape and ready for fighting again. Can Tor resist mating with Sky? Everything is depending on Tor – his reputation, Marrack’s money and Sky’s chance at freedom.

Tor just might find love again with Sky but then he might end up with a betrayal that he won’t be able to recover from.

This story mixes the ancient concept of gladiators and throws in ultimate fighters, werewolves and puts it into a futuristic world. It is a mix that makes for an amazing plot line that is sure to please readers of this genre.  It is m/m and while that might not be for some readers those that do enjoy this genre will find themselves pulled into a story that will keep them turning the pages to find out what happens next. It will also have them wanting to read the next book in this series.

I give this one 4-1/2 red roses

LRH

The Winslow Incident

The Winslow Incident by Elizabeth Voss

Publisher: Worldwide Library Suspense

July 2013

ISBN: 978-0-373-0283-6

Pages: 492

Contemporary, Suspense, Winslow, Washington

Hazel Winslow is seventeen years old and already has more secrets to keep than she would like. Hopefully soon she will be putting the tourist trap of a town she lives in behind her along with the unhappy past. 

Though something seems to be happening in her small town. She knows if she wants to protect her loved ones she needs to keep quiet about her uncle’s sick cattle. Until everyone in town starts acting strangely.  As the town is cut off from help long festering lies and hatred end up exploding into terrifying violence. An unexplainable madness is gripping the remote mountain town. The only way Hazel is going to be able to save any lives is by confronting her own past and the dark history of her town. Whatever the cost may be.

This is a suspenseful story with some romance. The plot of this one takes some fantastic twists and turns and will have readers guessing just what is going to happen next and who will be the next to be affected. The story line builds the suspense and doesn’t stop until the end when everything is revealed. The character are fascinating and seeing how each one reacts to what is happing in the small town makes for very interesting reading. With the heroine being a teenager this is for young adults but anyone would find the plot line entertaining and will be pulled into the story and readers will keep turning the pages just to see where it will all end. This is one suspense not to miss. Readers will not be disappointed with this one at all.

I give this one 4-1/2 red roses

LRH

Somebody to Love

Somebody to Love by Lori Wilde

Publisher: Avon

December 2013

ISBN: 978-0-06-221898-8

Pages: 364

Contemporary, Cupid, Texas

Jericho Chance is a cowboy scholar that knows exactly what he wants and just how to get it.  What he didn’t expect is to come home to Cupid and find out how badly he wants Zoey McClearly. Zoey has always been his bubbly best friend. With her smarts and luscious body Jericho never expected for Zoey to be his somebody to love.  Now he is determined not to leave town again without Zoey by his side.

Zoey never expected to settle down as she always saw it as a waste of time. Managing to be a man magnet she has also managed to leave a trail of broken hearts in her wake. She never felt she was meant to marry until Jericho came back into her life. Now how is she supposed to resist sexy, persuasive Jericho? They have no chance of ignoring the explosive chemistry between them even if they must risk their friendship to explore it.

This is another story that is set in the wonderful town setting of Cupid. Each one is proving to be a stand-alone but readers get much more enjoyment out of reading each one and getting lost in the characters and town of Cupid. This one proves no different. With each word that readers read the story and setting comes alive and with a mystery thrown into this story the reader is sure to get engrossed in this one. Take one local legend thrown in a Indian Jones like character and what you end up with is this story that pulls readers in and doesn’t let go until the very end. Even then readers will mourn leaving the town and people of Cupid. This is one is worth taking the time to read and enjoy.

I give this one 5 red roses

LRH

Collared

Collared by Kari Gregg

Publisher: Riptide Publishing

November 2011

ISBN: 978-1-937551-09-4

Pages: 254

Sci-fi Romance

Connor Witt is the IT direct for Trans-Global and is proving to be an anomaly in a world that has been turned upside down. Mutated crops have stimulated the aggression center in the brain in most people except for a select few such as Conner where instead it has been suppressed. Unsure how to deal with his physical changes and terrified of a world that is changing and growing more predatory, Connor is at a disadvantage and risks harassment and worse until Trans-Global CEO David Martin steps in and takes steps to keep Connor safe by collaring Connor.  David’s plan is to keep Connor safe from men that see Connor as sexy prey. Men that see Connor’s submission and are drawn to him because of it and determined to possess him completely.  

Emmet Drake is a security consultant that is determined to have Connor as his own. It is just a question of how safe Emmet is.

David can’t be Connor’s master as David is straight but David is determined to find a man that is worthy of Connor and that is willing to court him properly. A man that can see Connor is more that a rich man’s toy. As  everyone tries to adapt to a biological disaster that slowly strips Connor’s rights away from him day by day David is finding his feelings for Connor revolving into something more. It is just a question of if his desires for Connor can out pace Emmet’s determination to have Connor as his own.

One man offers safety and the other is a safer choice but just which one is which. The only thing Connor knows for sure is that he wants both men equally.

This story takes a what if situation and turns it on its head and provides a story that readers will get drawn into until the very last page. While some readers will find the story line not to their tastes this is one book that is sure to engross readers of this genre. The plot is different and yet is believable in the setting of this story.  While the ending could have gone farther it is still a good ending that will satisfy most readers.  This is a well written story and will have readers looking to see what else the author has written.

I give this one 4-1/2 red roses

LRH

The Hidden

The Hidden by Jessica Verday

Publisher: Simon Pulse

August 2012

ISBN: 978-1-4169-7898-5

Pages: 387

Contemporary, Sleepy Hollow

Abbey knows that her destiny is with Caspian. Their bond goes beyond even death.  Abbey is finally learning the full truth of what ties them together and to the town of Sleepy Hollow. She now has some very difficult decisions to make. Caspian is the love of her life but is that love worth dying for?  Abbey is going to have to decide just what is most important to her as she learns about the dark fate that links her with Caspian.

This is a wonderful ending to this trilogy.  It ties up all the threads that tied this trilogy together with a very satisfying ending. Readers will not be disappointed with the way this series wraps up. This story is just as much a page turner as the first two book proved to be. This whole series puts a great spin on the Legend of Sleepy Hollow and brings it to life in a way that will have readers mourning the ending of this trilogy. This is a young adult series that is sure to please any reader that picks it up and is definitely worth reading especially given the popularity of the show Sleepy Hollow.

I give this one 5 red roses

LRH

Cold Case, Hot Accomplice

Cold Case, Hot Accomplice by Carla Cassidy

Publisher: Harlequin

December 2013

ISBN: 978-0-373-27849-7

Pages: 288

Contemporary, Wolf Creek, Pennsylvania

Roxy Marcoli has three things that matter to her in life, her restaurant, her aunt, Liz and her sisters.  When Liz disappears Roxy ends up turning to Steve Kincaid, a cop with a playboy reputation.  A man that tries to charm Roxy but gets her hackles up every time instead.

Steve Kincaid isn’t anything like the ladies man reputation that he has.  His flirting covers up a loss that is unbearable. As Roxy and Steve search for clues to what has happened to Liz, Steve gets to see what really lies beneath Roxy’s sharp tongue and prickly attitude. The more Steve gets to know the more he wants Roxy.  As his desire grows so does the fear Steve now has because it seems Aunt Liz isn’t the only one a killer wants, they are now after Roxy.

This story proves to be a great romantic suspense with twists and turns that are sure to keep the reader guessing as to who is behind what is happening. Just as the reader thinks they have it figured out another twist comes along that will have the reader second guessing themselves.  The ending is great and this book proves to be very hard to put down.  This story has a couple of plots going that make it that much more intriguing and sure to grab the reader’s attention.  This one is definitely worth taking the time to check out and read.

I give this one 5 red roses

LRH