Shelter Mountain (Virgin River #2) by Robyn Carr

 

John "Preacher" Middleton is about to close the bar when a young woman and her three-year-old son come in out of the wet October night. A marine who has seen his share of pain, Preacher knows a crisis when he sees one—the woman is covered in bruises. He wants to protect them, and he wants to punish whoever did this to her, but he knows immediately that this inclination to protect is something much more. Paige Lassiter has stirred up emotions in this gentle giant of a man—emotions that he has never allowed himself to feel.

But when Paige's ex-husband turns up in Virgin River, Preacher knows his own future hangs in the balance. And if there's one thing the marines' motto of Semper Fidelis—always faithful—has taught him, it's that some things are worth fighting for.

Why I decided to read this book: I signed up to try to win a copy of Promise Canyon on Goodreads and I decided to start at the beginning of the series so that book 11 would makes sense to me.  I was also able to download the first 4 books of the series on to my Nook as a book bundle! :)

Likes?.....: I really liked Preacher.  He's a big ole burly badass former Marine who doesn't think that he's capable of loving or being loved.  I also enjoyed Paige and Chris who bring out the best and at some points in the book, the worst in Preacher.  I also really enjoyed how the town rallied around Paige and Chris to make sure that they were safe from Paige's abusive ex-husband.  Oh and let's not forget about "unlovable" Preacher turned lover extraordinaire Preacher.  Everyone calls Preacher by his nickname rather than his given name in town, then Paige comes along and starts calling him John and to me that was pretty sexy in it's VERY simple way.

Dislikes?.....: Paige's brother and ex husband....They BOTH deserve to be beaten to within an inch of their lives in my honest opinion.  There were a couple of odd breaks in the story that seemed a little off to me but not enough to be distracting.

Overall: I think that this book was even better than the first book in the series.  Another one that once I started reading I had a VERY difficult time putting down.  I think that the series builds really nicely from one book to the next with the inclusion of new characters as well as reoccurring roles of the "regulars."  I can hardly wait to keep reading!  I'm just soooo mad at myself for not reading this series before now!

Virgin River by Robyn Carr

 

 Wanted: Midwife/nurse practitioner in Virgin River, population six hundred. Make a difference against the backdrop of towering California redwoods and crystal-clear rivers. Rent-free cabin included.

When the recently widowed Melinda Monroe sees this ad she quickly decides that the remote mountain town of Virgin River might be the perfect place to escape her heartache, and to reenergize the nursing career she loves. But her high hopes are dashed within an hour of arriving: the cabin is a dump, the roads are treacherous and the local doctor wants nothing to do with her. Realizing she's made a huge mistake, Mel decides to leave town the following morning.

But a tiny baby, abandoned on a front porch, changes her plans…and a former marine cements them into place.

Melinda Monroe may have come to Virgin River looking for escape, but instead she finds her home.

Why I decided to read this book: I signed up to try and win a copy of Promise Canyon on Goodreads and thought that I should probably start at the beginning so book 11 might actually make sense to me...provided I was able to win a copy. :)  Lucky me...I was able to find the first four books bunched together in a bundle available on my Barnes and Noble Nook.

Likes?.....: I really liked the premise of the story....Jack and Melinda (Mel) are both damaged souls looking for a change....and Boy Howdy do they get it in spades!  I also enjoyed the mostly good hearted turmoil between Doc and Mel....everyone thinks he needs some help and he doesn't.  I also enjoyed picturing Jack helping out the town as well as helping with a an abandoned newborn baby....Here's this big burly badass former Marine who is actually a gentle giant underneath all that big burly badassness.  I also enjoyed the reunion with Jack and his fellow Marine buddies and Jack's "fall from Grace" as a result of the reunion.

Dislikes?.....:  I think that the reason for Mel to stick around at times was a little thin.  Sure Mel's a midwife and babies are her thing but once she made sure that the baby was safely placed she could have easily taken off.  I also thought that in some places (not very many, just a few) that the story was a little bit rushed.  Another small thing that kind of rubbed me the wrong way a little bit at the beginning of the story was how Jack became almost instantaneously possessive of Mel.

Overall:  I think that this was a pretty good start to the Virgin River series.  Minus my few quirks with the book I think that it was a VERY good. Once I started reading it I was pretty much sucked in and could NOT put it down.  But my quirks prevented this story from getting a 5/5.  Jack and Mel's story is very sweet and it makes me wish I had a big burly badass Marine who's just a big ole gentle giant underneath all that badassness!

Lady Sings The Blues by Mallery Malone

Title: Lady Sings The Blues

Author: Mallery Malone

Series: 

Genre: Erotica, Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Samhain Publishing

Release Date: 2008, June 24

Format: E-Book

Source: Purchased for my Barnes and Noble Nook 

 

Rating: 5/5

 

Smuttiness: 5/5

 

Synopsis:

 

  Summertime-and the living is steamy in Hotlanta.

A Red-Hot Summer story.

Alina Gabriel has hit on the perfect formula to make her club, The Scarlet Lady, the hot spot in Atlanta-s night life. Men flock to see her alter ego, retired exotic dancer Miss Scarlet; and women line up to see Joshua Hanover and his blues band steam up the stage.

Alina herself isn-t immune to the blind guitarist-s sensual songs and musical dexterity, but she refuses to be just another notch in his groupie belt.

That is, until Joshua debuts a new song, -Red-Letter Woman-, to entice Miss Scarlet to dance. The song and dance leave them both hot and bothered, and when Alina retreats to her office for personal relief, Joshua joins her and offers to strum her desire.

But Joshua wants more than a one-night stand. He-s pushing for an encore, and Alina wonders if it-s her he-s after-or her exotic persona.

Warning: This title contains sensuous solos, decadent duets, dirty dancing, and a man who-s really good with his hands.

Review:

I found this one while I was checking out the "shop" on my Nook on Thursday.  Of course I broke my book buying ban naturally.  I mean...How could I pass up a book where there's a man who's REALLY good with his hands?!

I was pleasantly surprised by this one.  I found it to be a really sweet yet VERY sexy interracial romance about a former exotic dancer who turned club owner Alina "Miss Scarlet" and Joshua Hanover a blind blues musician.

The sex is seriously HOT but soon the seriously HOT sex turns into a relationship involving much deeper emotions.  Both characters are forced to deal with their issues (for Alina - what is Josh really after?  The REAL her or the exotic her? for Josh - his blindness and feeling like Alina was "untouchable") to keep their budding romance together.

Overall, I really enjoyed this e-book.  I devoured it in what seemed like no time at all.

Reckless by Maya Banks

Title: Reckless

Author: Maya Banks

Series: Brazen #2

Genre: Erotica, Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Samhain Publishing

Release Date: 2008, June 3

Format: E-Book

Source: Purchased for my Barnes and Noble Nook 

 

Rating: 5/5

 

Smuttiness: 5/5

 

Synopsis:

 

  He can run, but he can’t hide

A Red Hot Summer story and a stand-alone sequel to Brazen.

Sheriff J.T. Summers promised to keep an eye on his best friend’s little sister. What could possibly go wrong? A lot. “Little” Nikki Durant isn’t so little anymore. She’s sex on a stick, and she’s pointed right at him.

Nikki has always loved J.T., and she’s through waiting for him to come around. The soaring summer temperature is nothing compared to the heat generated when she sets fire to his senses. With a take-no-prisoners attitude, she’s out to get her man. But no matter how many ways she offers it, J.T.’s not buying.

What’s it going to take to get him to realize her love for him isn’t a passing fling? Get herself arrested? Hmm…

Review:

HA HA sucks to be J.T.!  I found this e-book yesterday morning while I was checking out the "shop" on my Nook.  The synopsis alone was enough to make me break my book buying ban.

Reckless is about a small town sheriff (the towns name is Barley...yes like Oats and Barley.) named J.T. who is trying really hard to fight his lust and feelings for his best friends little sister Nikki.  Now Nikki on the other hand is absolutely determined to make him hers, even though he's 12 years older than her...Failure is NOT an option.

She's been in love with him for many years and now that she's back in town and both of them are responsible adults she's not letting him get away without out a fight...Even if it means that she has to get herself arrested to achieve her goal.

Then when they finally get together there are shocking realities (in J.T.'s case), sizzling sex and a huge case of misunderstandings on both of their parts.  But there is a happy ending for all parties.

This is the stand-alone sequel to Brazen (yes I broke my ban again to buy Brazen).  The main characters from Brazen make an appearance in Reckless as well.

Happy Ever After by Nora Roberts

Title: Happy Ever After

Author: Nora Roberts

Series: Brides Quartet #4

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Penguin Group

Release Date: 2010, November 2

Format: E-book, 368 pages

Source: Purchased for my Nook

Rating: 5/5

Smuttiness: 2.75/5

Synopsis:

As the public face of Vows wedding planning company, Parker Brown has an uncanny knack for fulfilling every bride's vision. She just can't see where her own life is headed. Mechanic Malcolm Kavanaugh loves figuring out how things work, and Parker is no exception. Both know that moving from minor flirtation to major hook-up is a serious step. Parker's business risks have always paid off, but now she'll have to take the chance of a lifetime with her heart.

Review:

This in my opinion was an AWESOME SAUCE series!  I'm really sad to see it come to an end.  I thought that all of the stories in this quartet were incredible but I think that I really enjoyed Parker's story a bit more than the rest.  Park is very organized and likes things to run just so and when you throw hottie mechanic Malcolm Kavanaugh into the picture things just get more than a little bit off kilter for Parker.

Malcolm is the exact opposite of what Parker usually goes for in a man.  He's a mechanic, he's got a tricked out classic car AND a motorcycle...Which Parker gets on more than once.  He's also unpredictable, which sort of bothers Parker in the beginning. As different as he is from Parker I think that is what made him perfect for her.  He threw her off her game and made her come out of her comfort zone.

Overall, I really thought that Roberts hit this one out to the park. The main characters are perfect for each other, even if it took them FOREVER to realize it.  I liked that along with the romance there were parts with some humor to keep things from getting too over the top.  I think my two favorite scenes in the book were: when Parker is describing her hypothetical tattoo to Mrs. G and when the other guys are telling Mal how they feel now that they've found their "The One."

Lassoing Lara by N.J. Walters

Title: Lassoing Lara

Author: N.J. Walters

Series:

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotica, BDSM (light)

Publisher: Ellora's Cave Publishing

Release Date: July 10, 2010

Format: eBook - Short Story

Source: Bought via My Barnes and Noble Nook

 

Rating: 5/5

Smuttiness: 4.75/5

 

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

 

Brody Courage wakes up after a night out with his brothers and finds himself naked and tied to his bed with no idea how he’s gotten there. Just when he thinks he’s going to have to rip apart the headboard to get himself loose, he hears someone entering the house. He thinks it’s one of his brothers and calls out for help, but it’s Lara Jacobs, his childhood friend and neighbor.

He’s humiliated to have to get her to untie him and swears her to secrecy. She’s quiet and pale and leaves after releasing only one arm. When Brody finally gets himself out of bed, he finds a pair of red lace panties stuck near the footboard. The lacy underwear are a perfect match for the red bra he’d glimpsed Lara wearing when she was bent over untying him. It’s then his memories of the night before start to flood back. He’s spent one hell of a night in bed with her.

Now he wants a night, or day, with her. One he can remember. Problem is, she’s avoiding him.

 

Review:

 

I found this e-book completely by accident and I was really beyond happy with this "quickie".  This is a new to me author and I will definitely be checking out more works by this author that's for sure.

 

Ok, so Brody wakes up one morning, after going out the night before with his brothers and tying one on, to find himself tied to his bed with really no recollection of how he got to be in such a position.  But then in walks his best gal pal Lara who unties him...kinda.  See what Brody doesn't realize is that Lara tied him to his bed and had her wicked way with him...after he had his wicked way with her of course.

 

Once Brody has gotten himself undone from his bed and put back together he finds this pair of lacy red panties that strangely enough match the lacy red bra that he happened to catch a glimpse of when Lara was untying his one arm.  Then the pieces start to fall into place which equals out to a "fuck me" moment (not in a good way) for Brody.  Now he wants to rectify the situation with night of mind blowing sex, with Lara of course, that they both will remember.

 

But there's a problem....Lara is doing one heck of a job avoiding him.

 

Now Lara is pissed at herself because she's always been in love with Brody and had known that he had been drinking going into their supposed one night stand.  She just didn't realize that he had actually had enough to not remember the night at all.

 

So now that Lara is avoiding him...Brody hatches a plan to get Lara right where he wants her...on her back...in his bed....naked. Ok, so he has to lie to her to actually get her where he wants her but once things start rolling...The sex is pretty dang great.

 

I can describe my feeling for pretty much everything pertaining to this story...from the story all the way down to the characters in two words: AWESOME SAUCE!  Even as short as this story was I was completely engrossed in the story...Actually I was sad that it actually had to end.  Now after checking out more reads by this author on goodreads....I find that one of Brody's two brothers has a story written for him as well...Yup I've downloaded that one too.

 

 

Talk Dirty To Me by Inez Kelley and Ginny Glass

Title: Talk Dirty To Me 

Author: Inez Kelley and Ginny Glass

Series:

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotica

Publisher: Carina Press

Release Date: July 19, 2010

Format: eBook

Source: Bought via My Barnes and Noble Nook

Rating: 4/5

Smuttiness: 5/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

"Tell me what you want. Talk dirty to me."

For Nora MacGregor, the sinful voice of a stranger gives her permission to explore her deepest fantasies – fantasies that only exist outside her daily drudgery in the science lab. ‘James’, challenges Nora’s icy, clinical ideas about the power of sex. The arrangement – she talks to him and he returns her lost dissertation notes, page by page. What he can’t give her is human touch, tangible sweetness, attributes she finds in the company and gentle romance of Dr. Jarod Reed.

Jarod, who seized an opportune moment and became the mysterious James, is now trapped in a mess of his own making, unable to let Nora know that he wants more than an naughty bedtime story. The anonymity of being Nora’s cell phone lover frees Jarod to reach into the not- not-so-scholarly pursuits of the flesh but may have cost him the chance to make those fantasies a reality.

Review:

I recently joined netgalley and I found this e-book on there and thought that it sounded really interesting.  So naturally I put in a request to read and review it.  I'm really happy that my request was approved!

Now the premise of this story I thought was really interesting. Nora, who works at the university in her hometown, drops her notes and a tape full of interviews that she's using to write her dissertation on female sexuality. Jarod who is another professor at the university, who happens to have a major crush on Nora, picks them up.  This is where things get interesting....Jarod finds Nora's phone number in the faculty directory and takes on his alter ego "James".  Now Jarod/James find flaws in Nora's research and so he calls her up.  Thus beginning a beautiful phone sex relationship.  Oh, but things get even more troublesome when Jarod and Nora start dating. Jarod wants to come clean but if afraid to.  And when Nora finds out that Jarod is actually "James" oh boy!

I really thought that characters were very like able and real as well.  The confusion on the part of both characters was a great addition to the story.  Ok, so this is a pretty hot story but I think that besides the phone sex and the sex sex the love story itself was  very well executed as well. I guess the only reason I wasn't able to give it 5/5 was I thought that there were a few moments of cheesiness.  Just enough to know this book from a 5/5 to a 4/5.

Overall, I really liked this story and I will be checking out more books by these authors.  I recommend this story to anyone who is looking for a hot little read full of humor and romance.

Finding Home by Cameron Dane (M/M)

Title: Finding Home

Author: Cameron Dane

Series: Quinn Security #1

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotica, M/M, Multicultural

Publisher: Loose Id

Release Date: May 13, 2008

Format: eBook - Novella

Source: Bought via My Barnes and Noble Nook

 

Rating: 3/5

Smuttiness: 5/5

 

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

 

Picking pockets and stealing cars, Adam Reyes does what he must to survive. Working Chicago's O'Hare airport, he feels pretty confident when he spots his next mark.

Security expert Rhone Quinn can't believe the wiry kid who grabs his cell phone almost gets away with it. Logic says turn the teen over to the cops, but Rhone is a man who trusts his instincts, and his gut tells him to offer the young man a job and a chance to begin a new life. Little does Rhone know that when he makes that choice it will forever change his life, too.

Over the years that follow a mentor relationship turns into a unique, abiding friendship. It eventually leads to true equality between Rhone and Adam when Adam becomes a full partner in Quinn Security. Unbeknownst to Rhone, as time passes by, Adam is also falling deeply in love. With Rhone. Who isn't gay. And who doesn't know that Adam is.

Then, one day, Rhone discovers the truth. Will Rhone's new awareness of Adam's feelings bind the men together even more intimately, or tear them apart for good?

 

Review:

 

This was my first ever M/M story that I've ever read.  I follow several blogs that read a lot of M/M books so I thought that I'd give it a shot too. I really didn't now what to expect going into it but I was pleasantly surprised.

 

As much as I really wanted to LOVE this story I had a little bit of a hard time with it.  It wasn't the story, plot or the characters, all of which I thought were pretty strong, that I had a hard time with...It was the way it was written.  That is actually what prevented this novella from being given a higher rating. After one REALLY LONG prologue we get to a story that I was luke warm on due to the writing.

 

The sex scenes in this novella were in my opinion off the charts.  Seriously, I thought they were knock your socks off.  Even with "off the charts" sex scenes I thought that the build up to those scenes just didn't fit the scenes themselves.

 

Overall, quirks and all I liked this story and I will be checking out more by this author.  Apparently, this is the first book in a series so I'm off to check out the other books in the series.

Good Girl Gone Bad by Karin Tabke

Good Girl Gone Bad
Karin Tabke
354 Pages
Rating: 4.75/5
Smuttines: 5/5

Source: purchased with my own money

Synopsis: IN HER SIZZLING DEBUT, KARIN TABKE SETS THE SCENE WITH HARD-HITTING COPS, A SCANDALOUS CRIME, AND UNINHIBITED PASSION THAT CAN'T BE DENIED....
Straight-laced, by-the-book police officer Philamina Zorn has always lived by the letter of the law — that is, until she is assigned to work with Lieutenant Ty Jamerson, a tough-as-nails, arrogantly handsome cop who knows exactly how to press her buttons. Staking out Klub Kashmir, the Bay Area's hottest gentleman's club, Phil and Ty go undercover to bait the kidnapper of three young women — including two strippers from the club — while trying to keep their clashing personalities at bay. Baring more than just her inhibitions, Phil dons a barely there ensemble, straps on stilettos, and reveals her feisty side as Kat, a seductively sexy cocktail waitress who lets her luscious curves do the talking. Not only is she determined to expose a criminal but she has vowed to show her hot-headed lieutenant, a.k.a. floor manager of Klub Kashmir, that she's no shrinking violet.
As Phil and Ty become more deeply entrenched in the sordid underground world of exotic dancing, where money means everything and passions run wild, flaring tension becomes uncontrollable lust. It's all they can do not to surrender to desire — a hunger that intensifies with each playful encounter. Meanwhile, a cold-blooded criminal is hiding in the shadows — and a devastating secret that, if revealed, could shake Phil to her core.

Review:

 In Tabke's first novel length book we go undercover with police officers Ty Jamerson and Philamina Zorn. Someone is kidnapping dancers from the Bay area's ELITE gentleman's club....Now Ty and Phil must join forces to find the kidnapper, two strippers and an undercover cop. There is just one "small" problem....Ty and Phil don't get along. Ty doesn't trust anyone - especially women and Phil is determined "best" Ty by proving that her undercover character - Kat - is hardcore.

As things start to heat up in their case, tension turns into uncontrollable lust. It's not a matter of "if" Ty and Phil will give into that lust but "when." Meanwhile, there is still a criminal to catch and a painful secret that is being kept from Phil that if it were to be revealed it would shock her in a very big way.

Reno's Chance by Lora Leigh

Title: Reno's Chance

Author: Lora Leigh

Series:

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotica

Publisher: St. Martins Griffin

Release Date: August 24, 2010

Format: eBook

Source: Bought via My Barnes and Noble Nook

 

Rating: 4/5

Smuttiness: 5/5

Synopsis (from goodreads):

Reno’s Chance- never before released as a standalone novella! Previously published in the anthology Honk If You Love Real Men. Ever since she was a little girl, Raven McIntire has secretly pined and longed for her best friend's sexy older brother, Reno, a Navy SEAL who has just returned home from duty. What she doesn't realize is that his only true mission is to get into her heart and get her into his bed.

Review:

I was perusing goodreads one morning and I found this e-book and had to read it.  I was lucky enough to be able to download it onto my Nook and I read it all in a few short hours.  It was pretty good, it had it's cheesy moments (just a couple) but the rest of the story made up for the cheese.

Raven has always had it bad for her best friends older brother, Reno, who just happens to be a Navy Seal and from the way he is described in the story almost the definition of human perfection according to Raven.  But being that Reno is a military man that makes him off limits to Raven or at least that's what she thinks anyway. She's also always wondered what it would be like to "be with" Reno.

Now Reno on the other hand has also had it bad for Raven and has decided that now he's going to go after what he wants, Raven.  He's holding NOTHING back.  All's fair in this battle of wills.

I guess what kind of turned me off a tiny bit towards this story was some of the cheesy dialogue.  I can handle some cheese but I think there was just a little bit too much for my liking in this story.

I will say this those, for the cheesy dialogue the sex scenes in this story are SIZZLING!  If you have an e-reader I highly recommend this e-book.

McKettricks of Texas: Tate by Linda Lael Miller

Title: McKettricks of Texas: Tate

Author: Linda Lael Miller

Series: McKettricks

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Harlequin

Release Date: January 21, 2010

Format: eBook

Source: Bought via My Barnes and Noble Nook

Rating: 5/5

Smuttiness: 4.75/5

Synopsis:

There are barely enough hours for divorced dad Tate McKettrick to run the Silver Spur ranch, do the suit-and-tie thing for his business and run herd on his beloved six-year-old twin daughters. But time stands still at the sight of Libby Remington. When they were high school sweethearts, the wealthy McKettrick couldn't convince Libby he loved her. But now they're both back in Blue River, Texas. And cattle rustlers, a manipulative ex-wife and a killer stallion can't keep him from trying again.

Libby has her hands full taking care of her mother—and running the Perk Up Coffee Shop. Caffeine, she needs. Tate McKettrick, with his blazing blue eyes and black hair? No. Oh, heck—yes. But can they really hope for a second chance?

Review:

I LOVE Linda Lael Miller's books! I saw the trailer for this series out on the book blogosphere and I knew I needed to add this series to my list of MUST READS! I love how the author makes all the character's likeable...even Tate's manipulative ex-wife! The tension between Libby and Tate is PHEMONINAL! In my opinion that tension and history that they share really made the story for me. Let's talk about Tate for a minute....THERE IS SOMETHING INCREDIBLY HOT ABOUT A GUY WHO PUTS PRETTY MUCH EVERYBODY ELSE FIRST and then thinks about himself after everyone else's needs are taken care of. Oh, and the fact that he see's himself as just a "normal guy" who happens to have a BOATLOAD of MONEY! There is plenty of humor, drama, love scenes and interactions with Tate's little girls to really keep the story going at a fast clip. I guess my only "gripe" with the book was that the ending was a little predictable (in a good way of course) but that's about it. I had a very hard time putting this one down to basic everyday things. By the end I was ready to read the next book in the series and was very sad to see that I have to way until JUNE!

Broken by Shiloh Walker

Title: Broken

Author: Shiloh Walker

Series: Rafferty #2

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance

Publisher: Berkley Sensation

Release Date: March 2, 2010

Format: Trade Paperback, 327 pages

Source: Blog tour with The Book Vixen

Rating: 5/5

 

Smuttiness: 4.75/5

 

Synopsis:

Shattered

Quinn Rafferty is working as a bounty hunter and bail bondsman in St. Louis when a new neighbor catches his eye. He’s tempted by her beauty—but he knows from experience that anyone desperate enough to live in his building is damaged goods. Besides, he has his own soul to mend before he can worry about anyone else.

Desperate

Sarah McElya is on the run, but not for the usual reasons a woman goes on the lam. She’s not an abused wife, and she’s not a criminal. But she does have a plan for her future. And as much as she finds herself attracted to her gruff, tough neighbor, she can’t risk telling him the secrets she’s hiding. There’s just too much at stake.

Driven to desire…

But Quinn must get closer to Sarah when she turns out to be the target of his new missing persons case, and he discovers that there is something more complex and dangerous to her than he thought. Now, both Quinn and Sara will have to expose their true feelings—as well as their fragile hearts—if they hope their love will survive…

Review:

 

Quinn is a bounty hunter for a private agency. He's very good at his job because he doesn't get to close to anyone much less trust anyone either. See Quinn comes from a troubled past....broken home, abusive parent (with certain addictions), the whole nine yards. So when his mother dies of a drug overdose Quinn is put into the care of the father he never knew he had. Oh, and he has a twin brother named Luke that he never knew about either!

 

Sara has been on the run for a long time. She's got her reasons, but they aren't the ones that you'd typically expect. Because of those reasons she doesn't stay in one place all that long. Once she moves into this quaint little apartment and meets her new neighbor, the Mighty Quinn, she's instantly attracted to him but decides that she should stay away to protect herself from the unknown.

 

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN MY WHOLE LIFE SHILOH WALKER?! This is the first book by Walker that I have read and I will DEFINATELY be reading more! I read the book description on Goodreads not long after The Book Vixen "gave away" the opportunity to become involved in the ARC tour for this book and decided that it was defiantely a book that I was interested in learning more about.

 

I was a little confused about Elena, who is a character from Quinn's past. But I'm hoping that reading books prior to Broken will answer the questions that I have about her and Quinn's "relationship."

 

In the beginning I was slightly confused about the little tidbits from Sara's text messages and the little glimpses into her past but the further I got into the book the more this information made sense to me.

 

Oh and lets talk about the SIZZLING sex scenes! The last couple books haven't had ANY love scenes in them at all...Completely Asexual! I got to my first "scene" I was beyond pleasantly surprised....Defiantely a change in pace from the last couple of books that's for sure! ;)

 

Overall, I found yet another author to add to my favorite author list! I really enjoyed the way that the story was written, the characters the whole works. This was a very fast paced read....I'm SUPER short on sleep because I had to know what happened next. I defiantely recommend getting a copy of this book once it becomes available on MARCH 2!

Savor The Moment by Nora Roberts

Title: Savor The Moment

Author: Nora Roberts

Series: Bride Quartet #3

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Berkley Trade

Release Date: April 27, 2010

Format: eBook

Source: Bought via My Barnes and Noble Nook

 

Rating: 5/5

 

Smuttiness: 3.75/5

 

Synopsis (from Barnes and Noble):

New Love takes the cake in the third novel in Nora Roberts's new Bride Quartet-in a stunning French flap edition Wedding baker Laurel McBane is surrounded by romance working at Vows wedding planning company with her best friends Parker, Emma, and Mac. But she's too low-key to appreciate all the luxuries that their clients seem to long for. What she does appreciate is a strong, intelligent man, a man just like Parker's older brother Delaney, on whom she's had a mega-crush since childhood. But some infatuations last longer than others, and Laurel is convinced that the Ivy League lawyer is still out of her reach. Plus, Del is too protective of Laurel to ever cross the line with her-or so she thinks. When Laurel's quicksilver moods get the better of her-leading to an angry, hot, all-together mind-blowing kiss with Del-she'll have to quiet the doubts in her mind to turn a moment of passion into forever...

Review:

 

It's official! I LOVE this series! Ok, now where do I begin?! Delaney Brown is Parker's older brother and feels that he has to take care of not only her but her three business partners as well. Because as he put's it they are a "tribe." But Laurel has had a SUPER HUGE crush on Del (as he is refered to as a lot in the book) and in one of her "moods" Laurel lays a big old steamy kiss on Del. Which leads to the "shoe napping" of a pair of Prada heels...Which leads to Del and Laurel becoming a couple.

 

There is a LOT of sexual tension in the beginning of their relationship because of the steamy kisses and decide to wait 30 days before even considering having sex together. But of course things happen and they don't make the 30 days and this is when the HJS (read the book to find out what this means) comes into play.

 

When it comes down to it Laurel has been in love with Del for a VERY long time and when she tells him (in one of her moods AKA a fight) he is kind of taken a back by this declaration. But then he tells her that he loves her but she doesn't believe him, because she thinks that he only loves her because she's part of his "tribe" and not the REAL forever kind of love.

 

Overall, I really am enjoying this series a LOT. All the books are full of humor and of course romance. So far I think this particular story is my favorite of the three that are out all ready. I can hardly WAIT until Parker's story comes out in NOVEMBER, which by the way seems like FOREVER!

Extreme Exposure by Pamela Clare

Title: Extreme Exposure

Author: Pamela Clare

Series: I-Team

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance

Publisher: Penguin

Release Date: August 2005

Format: eBook

Source: Bought via My Barnes and Noble Nook

 

Rating: 5/5

 

Smuttiness: 5/5

 

Description:

 

Sparks fly when a hardboiled reporter meets a handsome senator. But a political scandal-and attempts on her life-could drive them apart. Or maybe adversity could draw them into a bond even more intense than their steamy sexual embraces.

Review:

 

OMG! This is a "new to me" author and in the description it says that sparks fly.....soooooo inaccurate......More along the lines of BIG flames from flame throwers! Kara is a single mom as well as an investigative reporter who is tipped about a story that involves MANY environmental crimes as well as crime crimes. Along the way she meets UBER SEXY Senator Reece Sheridan, who in his past career was a teacher.

 

The BIG flames from the flame throwers start flying which leads to MANY moments of UBER HOT sex. Then Kara finds out that Reece may possibly be involved in this scandal, which leads to a few tense moments, which includes attempts on BOTH Kara and Reece's lives. But in the end cool heads prevail and all the bad guys lose and all the good guys win.

 

I definitely will be reading more of the books by this author. The characters are well written and very real. The author herself is a former investigative reporter! The story line AWESOME! Once I started this book I really had a VERY hard time putting it down and the worst part of the book was when it actually came to an end!

McKettricks of Texas: Austin by Linda Lael Miller

Title: McKettricks of Texas: Austin

Author: Linda Lael Miller

Series: McKettricks

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Harlequin

Release Date: July 2010

Format: eBook

Source: Bought via My Barnes and Noble Nook

 

Rating: 5/5

 

Smuttiness: 4.75/5

 

Synopsis (from Barnes and Noble):
World champion rodeo star Austin McKettrick finally got bested by an angry bull. His career over, his love life a mess, the lone maverick has nowhere to go when the hospital releases him. Except back home to Blue River and the Silver Spur ranch. But his overachieving brothers won't allow this cowboy to brood in peace. They've even hired a nurse to speed his recovery. Paige Remington's bossy brand of TLC is driving him crazy. As is her beautiful face, sexy figure and silky black hair.

Paige has lost count of how many times Austin has tried to fire her. She's not going anywhere till he's healed—body and heart.

And by then her place in his life just might become permanent….
Review:

I've just got done reading this final book in the McKettricks of Texas series and I LOVED it! Austin is your typical rodeo cowboy....thinks he's 10 feet tall and bulletproof....well it's not very far into the book before that attitude gets cut down to size. He's almost been killed once by a bull but since coming home after this last mishap it seems that the McKettrick "boys" have big ole bulls eyes painted on them.

In comes Paige Remington, a currently unemployed RN, who is living at the Silver Spur while renovations are being done at the home that she grow up in. Then Austin comes home and that right there brings their past relationship to the surface. And let's just say that their last relationship did NOT end on good terms.

Then Austin get's hurt a second time and Paige is sort of feels obligated to be Austin's nurse, while trying to make peace with him as well. Considering Paige's sisters are marrying Austin's brothers. Peace is NOT an easy thing for these two to achieve that much I will say. Though in the end it is definately acheived.

The only "gripe" I have about the book and it really is a small "gripe" is that I think the "bad guys" were a little too obvious. That's it. That's the only "gripe" I have with the book.

McKettricks of Texas: Garrett by Linda Lael Miller

Title: McKettricks of Texas: Garrett

Author: Linda Lael Miller

Series: McKettricks

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Harlequin

Release Date: June 2010

Format: eBook

Source: Bought via My Barnes and Noble Nook

 

Rating: 5/5

 

Smuttiness: 4/5

 

Synopsis (from Barnes and Noble):
Fast track up the political ladder, fast cars, fast women—that's Garrett McKettrick. Make that was. A scandal has brought him home to Blue River, Texas, a place where a man can slow down, take stock and plan his next move. Which doesn't include staying at the family ranch with his brothers. A city boy, Garrett doesn't think he has the land in his blood.
But Blue River has other attractions, like his former high school nemesis, Julie Remington. Now a striking woman, Julie comes complete with a four-year-old cowboy, a three-legged beagle and deep ties to the community. Good thing they have nothing in common…except their undeniable attraction and a future brighter than the Texas sun.
Review:

This is the second book in the McKettricks of Texas series and I really enjoyed this one too. See Garret is a very interesting hero...He thinks he's on the road to be a career politician but then there are some circumstances that make him think maybe he's NOT cut out to be in that line of work. He likes to think the best of people and over look their faults also.

Then we have Julie who is Garrett's high school nemisis. Even though she is oh so attracted to Garrett she has a career, a child AND a three-legged beagle to consider. She's not even convinced that he's NOT going to take off on her like her son's father did AND she doesn't want to have anything to do with politicians in any way, shape, or form.

But Garrett is pretty persistent especially after he falls hard for a single mom, he 4 year old son and their three-legged beagle. This story has just the right amount of family interactions, love, romance, and a little bit of danger just to shake up all those "happy feelings."

Hot Finish by Erin McCarthy

Title: Hot Finish

Author: Erin McCarthy

Series: Fast Track

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Berkley Sensation

Release Date: August 3, 2010

Format: eBook

Source: Bought via My Barnes and Noble Nook

Rating: 5/5

 

Smuttiness: 4.75/5

 

Synopsis (from Barnes and Noble):

Desire is about to reach its peak.

Suzanne Jefferson is broke, which is why she's 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 two teensy problems: the bride is a bona fide bridezilla, and Suzanne's stock racer ex-husband is the best man. At least she thought he was her ex-husband....

Review:

 

I LOVE this series! This is the third book in the Fast Track series and I can honestly say that it was well worth the wait! Suzanne and Ryder have always been two of my favorite characters in this series, though the other characters are pretty great and HOT too...they're exes who are constantly sparring with one another.....It makes for some pretty interesting scenes. And in their own book throw in a pinch of bridezilla who is incapable of making up her mind, a small dose of the fact that they (Suzanne and Ryder) are still indeed married, a LOT of miscommunications and even MORE REALLY HOT SEX and stir that all together and you have a recipe for a pretty dang good story in my book.