Genre: Mystery

Setting: Bear Butte, South Dakota

Series: Book Two of the Julie Collins Mysteries

POV: 1st Person (Julie narrates)

Sensuality: Warm

Violence: Yes

Format: Digital

My Grade: A-

Hallowed Ground is the second book in the Julie Collins mystery series by Lori Armstrong. I read it over two nights and spent the second day cursing because I wanted it to be evening already so I could finish the book. It’s that good. I can’t believe this author isn’t better known.

At the start of Hallowed Ground, Julie Collins is running her best friend Kevin Wells’ P.I. business alone while Kevin deals with some personal issues. The past few months have been pretty uneventful. Most of the cases Julie’s been dealing with are fairly mundane. This all changes when Tony Martinez, the charismatic president of the local Hombres motorcycle “club”, pays her a call. Tony wants to hire Julie to find the niece of Harvey, Tony’s right hand man. Chloe was snatched by her father, who belongs to a Native American tribe, and they’ve been unable to track them down. Initially, Julie is reluctant to take on the case. She and Tony have been dancing around each other for months. Despite Julie’s unfortunate taste in men, even she is hesitant to start a relationship with a known gangster. But Julie is a sucker for kids in need and Tony soon persuades her to look for Chloe.

What starts out as a straight forward custody dispute case soon evolves into something much more sinister. Julie discovers that Chloe’s mother, Rondelle, lied to the Hombres gang because she was employed by their rivals, the Coluccis, and she didn’t want her half-brother to know. To add to the fun, Chloe’s father is the foreman on the controversial new Indian casino under construction at the base of the sacred Mato Paha. Various local businessmen, tribesmen, politicians, ranchers and criminals have a vested interest in the casino project, either for or against. One of those ranchers is Julie’s father.

When people start turning up dead, Julie finds herself in the ridiculous situation of being employed by Tony Martinez and also reliant on his protection. This brings her into more frequent contact with him than she would like, especially since she’s struggling not to succumb to his charms. Julie’s racist rancher father and his thug friends threaten Julie, as do mobsters, Native Americans and others involved in the casino project. Julie is frustrated because all she wants to do is locate Chloe, not get dragged into the conflict surrounding the casino, or be obliged to spend time with her father whom she loathes.

Hallowed Ground is an excellent mystery both in terms of the plot and the characters. I like how Julie’s story arc is developing. There are a few interesting twists and turns in store for her. We finally meet her creep of a father in this book. He reminds me of one of my own relatives, and not in a good way. I also appreciated the way in which the author is developing Julie’s relationships with Kevin and Tony. I don’t want to give any spoilers, but let’s just say she doesn’t take the predictable route. This is definitely not a Stephanie Plum situation.

The mystery is compelling and I enjoyed learning more about the uneasy relations between the Lakota tribes and the other local residents. Lori Armstrong isn’t afraid to paint a warts-and-all picture of Native American issues. There are no “good guys” on either side of the racial divide, nor anywhere in between. She also excels at creating a sense of place. Reading these books makes me want to visit South Dakota and see some of the sites she describes.

I can highly recommend Hallowed Ground to mystery fans, particularly those who like character-driven stories featuring complicated, not-always-likeable people. I’m so glad there are still two books left in the series to look forward to.

♦ My poor blog has been sorely neglected of late. I’m still working on my edits for the Golden Heart. Frankly, I don’t think it’ll be as polished as I would like it to be by the end of the month, but then I am a perfectionist. I’ll give it my best shot. I’m extremely fortunate to have an excellent critique partner and beta readers. They’ve helped me enormously.

♦ My reading is very slow at the moment, but I did read a couple of good books. Here are a two mini reviews.

The Black Echo (1992) by Michael Connelly

Blurb: For LAPD homicide cop Harry Bosch — hero, maverick, nighthawk — the body in the drainpipe at Mulholland dam is more than another anonymous statistic.  This one is personal.

The dead man, Billy Meadows, was a fellow Vietnam “tunnel rat” who fought side by side with him in a nightmare underground war that brought them to the depths of hell.  Now, Bosch is about to relive the horrors of Nam.  From a dangerous maze of blind alleys to a daring criminal heist beneath the city to the tortuous link that must be uncovered, his survival instincts will once again be tested to their limit.

Joining with an enigmatic female FBI agent, pitted against enemies within his own department, Bosch must make the agonizing choice between justice and vengeance, as he tracks down a killer whose true face will shock him.

My Thoughts: The Black Echo is the first book in Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch series and (I think) his first novel. It was first released in 1992. I was a little nervous starting it as I feared it might be dated. Apart from the obvious (e.g.: old-fashioned cell phones), the story still has a freshness and immediacy that engaged my interest and kept me turning the pages. The writing style isn’t as smooth as in Connelly’s later books, but it’s still a good story well told. I bought The Black Echo as part of an ebook bundle of the first three Harry Bosch books. I’m pleased to have more of his stories to look forward to. B

The Iron Duke (2010) by Meljean Brook

Blurb: After the Iron Duke freed England from Horde control, he instantly became a national hero. Now Rhys Trahaearn has built a merchant empire on the power — and fear — of his name. And when a dead body is dropped from an airship onto his doorstep, bringing Detective Inspector Mina Wentworth into his dangerous world, he intends to make her his next possession.

Mina can’t afford his interest, however. Horde blood runs through her veins, and despite the nanotech enhancing her body, she barely scratches out a living in London society. Becoming Rhys’s lover would destroy both her career and her family, yet the investigation prevents her from avoiding him…and the Iron Duke’s ruthless pursuit makes him difficult to resist.

But when Mina uncovers the victim’s identity, she stumbles upon a conspiracy that threatens the lives of everyone in England. To save them, Mina and Rhys must race across zombie-infested wastelands and treacherous oceans — and Mina discovers the danger is not only to her countrymen as she finds herself tempted to give up everything to the Iron Duke.

My Thoughts: The Iron Duke is the first full-length book in Meljean Brook’s new Steampunk series. The world-building is complex yet accessible, and the story and characters are refreshingly original. I think this series will appeal to a broader range of readers than her Guardians. The story is set in a post-colonial society with highly developed steam-based technology. For people who are burned out on urban fantasy and paranormal romance, this is sort of like historical romance with a twist. I’ve always thought Meljean’s writing voice lends itself particularly well to stories with a historical setting. While I’ve enjoyed her contemporary-set novels, my favourite of her books and novellas are those set at least partly in the past. I hope lots of readers buy The Iron Duke and enjoy it because I’d love to see many more stories in this new series. A-

Have you read either of these books? If so, what did you think of them?

Genre: Nordic Thriller

Setting: Reykjavik, Iceland (Present Day); Leipzig, Germany (1950s)

Icelandic Title: Kleifarvatn

English Translation: Bernard Scudder (2007)

POV: 3rd Person

Sensuality: Subtle

Violence: A few gruesome scenes

Format: Digital

My Grade: A-

I’ve been a Nordic Crime Fiction kick lately. My latest find is the Icelandic author, Arnaldur Indridason. He writes an excellent mystery series set in Reykjavik which features the moody Detective Inspector Erlendur and his team of investigators. Erlendur’s area of expertise is homicide. Due to its large size and small population, Iceland provides a unique setting for a mystery series. While suicides and cases involving missing persons occur relatively frequently, murders are rare.

So far, I’ve read the first four books in the series. In contrast to most crime fiction, the stories focus on what drives an ordinary person to kill. There are no sophisticated serial killers here. The books are sparsely written, character-driven, and emotional.

Erlendur’s homicide investigation team consists of himself and two colleagues. Erlendur is a divorced father of two who has virtually no contact with his children. He spends his free time reading true stories about disasters. Erlendur has no idea why he joined the police force, or why he’s still there. However, he has a unique knack for solving mysteries, and is a talented investigator. Elinborg is the only female member of the team. She’s a mother of four and an accomplished amateur chef who recently published a cookery book. Elinborg joined the police because she was bored at home. Sigurdur Oli is the youngest in the team and the most ambitious. He has a degree in criminology, and is therefore the most educated of the three. He’s excellent at theory but lacks instinct.

I started reading the series out of order. The Draining Lake is the fourth book. I’ve since gone back and started reading the series from the first book onwards. Although I had no problem following the story in The Draining Lake, I’d missed some of the main characters’ backstory from previous books. In other words, the mysteries in each book are self-contained, but it is still better to read the series in the correct order.

Following an earthquake, the water level in Lake Kleifarvatn has dropped dramatically. One day, a scientist who is responsible for monitoring the water level in the lake makes a gruesome discovery: a skeleton is buried in the sandy lake bed, and it doesn’t appear that its owner met a natural demise.The plot thickens when it is revealed that the skeleton was weighted down with an old Russian transmitter dating from the Cold War.

At the time of the Cold War, Iceland was strategically interesting for both the Americans and the Soviets. Although it was never proven that spying took place on Iceland, it was widely assumed to have done so. During the 1950s, the Icelandic Socialist Party sent a group of promising young students to study in Leipzig. Erlendur’s investigation soon revolves around them and their respective fates.

The Draining Lake is an excellent tale of shattered dreams and ideals. It focuses on people whose lives were forever altered by a single incident. The mystery is tightly woven into the fabric of the story. This is very much a character-driven book and relies more on human emotions and reactions than action.

I read The Draining Lake in one sitting and immediately bought the rest of the series. It really is that good.

Correct Reading Order of the Reykjavik Mystery Series:

1. Tainted Blood (2000) – previously published as Jar City
2. Silence of the Grave (2001)
3. Voices (2003)
4. The Draining Lake (2004)
5. Arctic Chill (2005)
6. Hypothermia (2007)

Genre: Historical Romance

Setting: 758 AD China – Tang Dynasty

POV: 3rd Person

Sensuality: Hot

Violence: Mild

Format: Digital

Source: A digital ARC courtesy of Harlequin via NetGalley

My Grade: A-

Butterfly Swords is Jeannie Lin’s debut historical romance and it has already garnered some impressive buzz. I admit that I started this book with a certain amount of trepidation as my expectations were so high. I’m delighted to report that the book is amazing!

On the way to her arranged marriage to a neighbouring warlord, Ai Li discovers a plot against her family. Desperate to return home and warn her father, she arranges her escape disguised as a boy. Unfortunately, her plans go awry when her party is attacked by bandits. Ai Li is a trained warrior and puts up an excellent fight with the aid of her butterfly swords. However, she cannot defeat the bandits on her own, and is assisted at the last minute by a mysterious blue-eyed barbarian named Ryam.

Ryam belongs to a group of barbarian soldiers who are loyal to the dispossessed ruler of China and her Western husband. Ryam was injured in a battle and lost his way. His aim is to return to Gansu where his party is located. When he meets Ai Li, however, his plans change. He’s determined to escort her back to Changan and the safety of her family, even though this will bring him deeper into enemy territory.

Ai Li and Ryam’s journey is fraught with danger. Ai Li’s betrothed, Li Tao, sends his soldiers after them and they endure several narrow escapes before they finally reach Changan. As Ai Li soon discovers, the danger does not end there. She is shocked when her parents refuse to listen to her and insist she return to Li Tao and marry him. She realises that the values she was taught to uphold as a child no longer exist in this new Empire. With her grandmother’s help, she escapes Changan and follows Ryam in the direction of her childhood home and her youngest brother, the one member of her family she still trusts.

Butterfly Swords is a fast-paced romantic adventure set against the opulent background of Tang Dynasty China. The descriptions of the landscape are breathtaking, and the fight scenes are extremely well done.

Ai Li is a worthy heroine. She is a trained fighter, but she never forgets her inferior strength as a woman. She doesn’t rush into battle heedlessly. Ai Li struggles to reconcile her upbringing with what her family has become. She has been taught to obey her parents, but feels unable to do so in the circumstances in which she finds herself. This is not a decision she takes lightly.

Ryam is an unusual hero. As a white man in China, he is regarded as a barbarian. As a professional soldier, he feels unworthy of a woman like Ai Li, despite his strong attraction towards her. Nevertheless, they are destined to be together and Ryam is determined to do everything within his power to protect her.

When I finished Butterfly Swords, I immediately checked Jeannie Lin’s website to find out when her next book will be released. I was very pleased when I read the blurb of The Dragon and the Pearl and discovered who will be the hero and the heroine in the next book. However, I would recommend that readers who prefer to avoid spoilers don’t do so before they finish Butterfly Swords.

If you are a reader who longs for more variety in the settings of historical romances published today, Butterfly Swords is an excellent read.

Note: Butterfly Swords will be published by Harlequin Historical in October 2010. It is already available for purchase at the eHarlequin website. To tie in with the release of this book, Jeannie Lin wrote a novella for Harlequin Historical Undone called The Taming of Mei Lin. This novella can be purchased as an ebook.

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Setting: Bordertown, Arizona

POV: 3rd Person

Sensuality: Warm

Violence: Some, but most of it occurs off page

Format: Digital

Source: A digital ARC courtesy of Harlequin via NetGalley

Why I Read It: I enjoyed White Heat, the first book in the Hired Guns trilogy

My Grade: A-

Body Heat is the second book in Brenda Novak’s trilogy of loosely connected books featuring operatives from a private security company named Department 6. The series is being released back-to-back between August and October 2010. It is not necessary to read them in order as the books stand alone very well.

Twenty-nine-year-old Sophia St. Claire is Chief of Police in Bordertown, Arizona. Her position is tenuous. She was promoted at the expense of the more popular candidate, Leonard Taylor. Sophia uncovered evidence that Leonard had coerced an illegal immigrant into having sex with him in return for his silence. While the majority of the town council had sided with Leonard, the scandal cost him his job and earned Sophia her promotion.

As its name implies, Bordertown is located on the US-Mexican frontier. Many of the towns residents are of Mexican descent, but there is still a great deal of tension between them and the whites. The tension has reached epic proportions in recent months. A local (white) farmer was murdered, ostensibly while confronting a UDA (undocumented alien) who was on his land. Since then, someone has been murdering Mexicans who sneak across the border in hope of a better life. The case is particularly difficult for Sophia to investigate as most of the townspeople – including local law enforcement officials – have little sympathy for the victims.

Roderick Guerrero is a former SEAL and currently working for Department 6. When he receives a phone call from his estranged father, he finds himself reluctantly agreeing to return to Bordertown and help investigate the murders. Rod is the illegitimate son of a wealthy white  farmer who had an affair with Rod’s Mexican mother while she was working as a farm labourer on his land. Bruce ignored Rod for most of his childhood, and did nothing to stop his two legitimate sons from bullying Rod. Now that Rod is a war hero, Bruce suddenly wants to make up for lost time.

Rod is not thrilled by the prospect of working with Sophia St. Claire. His remembers her as a spoiled rich girl who broke his heart by standing him up for the Homecoming dance. He’s surprised she’s become a police officer as it doesn’t fit his image of her at all. He figured she’d marry well and have a few kids by now. To his amazement, he finds his former classmate has transformed from a cheerleader into a tough-talking, tattooed biker chick.

Sophia is equally surprised by Rod’s transformation. She remembers him as being a lanky kid with a bad attitude. Now he’s all muscle and drop-dead gorgeous. Sophia’s life took a dramatic change for the worse after Rod left town, but she survived and made a decent life for herself. She’s deeply ashamed of the way she treated Rod all those years ago.

Despite a rocky start, Rod and Sophia agree to join forces on the investigation into the murders of the Mexican UDAs. They are both uncomfortably aware that the murderer is likely to be a local. Their mutual attraction soon leads to an affair, but neither of them expect it to develop into love.

Body Heat combines interesting characters and a compelling plot. Rod and Sophia are an unusual couple for a romance novel, especially Sophia. She’s not a kick-ass heroine, but she is tough and capable of looking after herself. Rod is a great hero. He’s strong, dependable and sexy. Despite the massive chip on his shoulder regarding his past, he’s a sympathetic character.

I know very little about the tensions on the US-Mexican border and I had no idea at how much damage local farms suffer as a result of UDAs passing through. While it’s a sensitive political issue, Brenda Novak did a good job at showing both sides of the story.

I thought the romance in Body Heat was more fleshed out than in White Heat. I definitely felt more connected to the characters, and this enhanced my reading experience. I enjoyed Body Heat and I definitely plan to read Killer Heat, the third book in the Department 6 Hired Guns series.

Genre: Historical Romance

POV: 3rd Person (both heroine and hero)

Sensuality: Warm

Violence: N/A

Format: Print

My Grade: A-

First Comes Marriage was the first book by Mary Balogh that I’d read in several years. It was a delightful reintroduction to the joys of her rich prose and attention to historical detail. This is very much a character-driven story with little action. It’s the sort of book I might have tossed aside in the wrong mood, yet I savoured it in the right one. Both the hero and the heroine were wonderful characters and I enjoyed spending 300-plus pages in their company.

Vanessa Dew, neé Huxtable, is a widow residing with her late husband’s family in the small country village of Throckbridge. It is the sort of village in which nothing much ever happens, yet the villagers have a way of ensuring their own entertainment through dances and other festivities.

Although Vanessa mourns her late husband, she is content living with her in-laws and is in close proximity to her own family. The Huxtables live in a small but cosy cottage. Upon their father’s death, the eldest sister, Margaret, took over the responsibility for the household and her younger siblings. Katherine is twenty and unmarried; Stephen is seventeen and studying hard with a view to attending university. In order to make this happen, Margaret is obliged to scrimp and save at every turn. She has put her own dreams of a husband and children on hold until her younger siblings are all established.

The peace and tranquillity of life in Throckbridge is thrown into turmoil by the arrival of Viscount Moreland and his friend. No one knows why such illustrious persons have deigned to visit Throckbridge, but Sir Hedley Dew, Vanessa’s father-in-law, wastes no time in procuring their agreement to attend the Valentine’s Dance.

Elliot shudders at the thought of attending the dance but realises it provides him with the ideal opportunity of observing the Huxtable family. Elliot is the reluctant guardian of the new Earl of Merton. His search for the legal heir to the title led him to Throckbridge and young Stephen Huxtable.

Blissfully unaware of the impending change in their circumstances, the Huxtables and Vanessa are delighted to attend the dance. Everyone is excited by the viscount’s presence, but Vanessa takes an immediate dislike to him. She observes his haughty demeanour and condescension to her beloved father-in-law. When Sir Hedley manoeuvres the viscount into asking Vanessa to dance, neither she nor he are in the least bit pleased.

When the Huxtables learn of the dramatic change in their circumstances, they are both shocked and excited. After an emotional farewell, they leave Throckbridge for Merton Hall. Vanessa decides to accompany them, at least for the time being. Elliot know he needs to introduce them to London society but there is very little time to bring them up to scratch. Added to his woes, is the knowledge that he has to find a suitable matron to ease their way into society.

Elliot needs an heir. He decides one of the Huxtable women will do as well as any other for a wife, and would solve the problem of finding a suitable lady to introduce them to the ton. Initially, he settles on Margaret as she is the eldest of the sisters. When Vanessa realises Elliot means to offer for Margaret, she’s alarmed. She’s aware that Margaret is still holding out hope of a marriage with her childhood love, Crispin Dew. So as to prevent Margaret from accepting Elliot’s proposal out of a sense of obligation, Vanessa proposes to him herself. To both her surprise and his, Elliot agrees to the match.

First Comes Marriage is a marvellous marriage-of-convenience story in which the hero and heroine slowly but surely fall in love. There are no superfluous suspense subplots. Although some of the secondary characters will feature in their own books later in the series, the focus is very much on Elliot and Vanessa’s story.

Elliot is a diligent landlord and is very aware of his obligations. He’s learned to restrain his more adventurous impulses. Vanessa’s sense of fun acts as a perfect foil to his more serious demeanour. She makes him laugh and see the lighter side of life. In turn, Elliot provides Vanessa with the friendship and passion she’s been lacking since her first husband’s death.

Of the three books in the Huxtable series that I’ve read so far, First Comes Marriage is by far the strongest. I loved the slowly developing romance between Elliot and Vanessa. They are characters I grew to care about and that, for me, is the highest compliment a reader can bestow on a book.

Genre: Historical Mystery

Setting: Gilded Age (Boston, 1868)

POV: 3rd Person (heroine’s point of view)

Sensuality: Subtle

Violence: Yes, but mostly off page

Format: Digital (currently out-of-print but available as an ebook at Smashwords)

Why I Read It: I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in the series, Still Life With Murder

My Grade: A-

Murder in a Mill Town is the second book in P.B. Ryan’s Gilded Age mystery series featuring the governess, Nell Sweeney, and her employer’s son, Will Hewitt, an opium-addicted former surgeon. I enjoyed it even more than the first book in the series, Still Life With Murder, probably because I was already familiar with the characters and knew I liked them. Note: As this is the second book in a series, a couple of minor spoilers for the first book are inevitable.

The story takes place a few months after the end of Still Life With Murder. To her disappointment, Nell hasn’t seen Will Hewitt since. In the meantime, her never cordial relationship with his brother, Harry, has deteriorated further. Harry’s debauched lifestyle has taken a turn for the worse and he is now addicted to absinthe.

The parents of a girl who works in the Hewitt family’s mill pay a visit to Viola. Mrs. Fallon is distraught because her daughter, Bridie, has been missing for a few days. She has already appealed to Harry and August Hewitt for assistance, but to no avail. She hopes Viola will prove more sympathetic as she is also a mother. Viola offers to help in any way she can and asks Nell to investigate the circumstances of Bridie’s disappearance.

Nell’s enquiries lead her to cross paths with the enigmatic Will Hewitt once more. When they make a grisly discovery, all clues lead to Harry Hewitt being the culprit and he is arrested. Once more, August Hewitt’s wealth and influence buys the cooperation of the police. Harry is released and the deaths are ruled a murder-suicide. With Viola’s support, Nell and Will press on with their investigation, determined to find out what really happened.

In the midst of murder and mayhem, Nell is confronted by a figure from her past. Her position in the Hewitt household is tenuous due to the strife between her and August and Harry Hewitt. She can’t afford to have her less-than-salubrious history come to light, especially as she regards her charge, little Gracie, as her own child. Meanwhile, Will is still struggling with his opium addiction and his feelings for Nell. Both issues come to a head over the course of the book.

Murder in a Mill Town is an absorbing and well-written mystery with a wonderful cast of characters. I found the suspense plot stronger in this book than in its predecessor. I also approve of the way in which Nell and Will’s relationship is developing.

Nell and Will are both characters who are obliged to adjust to life in a society for which they are not a natural fit. Nell desperately wants to be respectable, yet that’s not really who she is. She’s in the awkward position in the Hewitt household of neither being a servant nor a member of the family, which further isolates her.

Will is less concerned by what people think of him. He’s an outsider because he chooses to be one. In many ways, his opium addiction provides him with the perfect excuse not to live the life his family want for him. I hope he stops his self-destructive behaviour, but I fear he has a ways to go before finding inner peace.

The twist involving Nell’s past is very well done. I’ve been deliberately vague in my review as I don’t want to give too much away, but I’ll be interested to see how it develops in future books.

Two books in, I’m thoroughly enjoying Nell and Will’s adventures and I can’t wait to read more.

Genre: Women’s Fiction

POV: 3rd Person

Sensuality: Subtle

Violence: N/A

Format: Digital

Source: A digital ARC courtesy of Harlequin via NetGalley

My Grade: A

Pamela Morsi is a recent discovery and I now have several of her books on my TBR pile (or its digital equivalent). When I saw that her July 2010 release was available for request at NetGalley, I literally squealed with delight. My enthusiasm was not misplaced. The Bikini Car Wash is a perfect romantic summer read.

Following her mother’s death, Andrea Wolkowicz quits her corporate job to move back to her small hometown. Andi’s twin sister Angelica – or Jelly – was deprived of oxygen at birth. As a result, she has special needs, and will never be able to live independently. Now that their mother is gone, Andi wants to help her dad look after Jelly.

The decision to move home was easy. Finding a new job is not. After months of searching, Andi decides the only way for her to earn money is to be self-employed. As luck would have it, her father’s still owns the premises of his old car wash business. But there’s a problem: thanks to the machinations of Hank Guthrie, a city alderman and one of the Big Business Owners in Plainville, the lot is under a preservation order. This seriously limits the possibilities to run any business other than the one originally on the lot: a hand car wash which can hardly compete against today’s cheaper, automatic varieties.

After her plans to open a coffee shop are rejected, Andi decides her only option is to re-open the car wash, albeit with a twist: she and her staff will hand wash cars wearing nothing but bikinis. The The Bikini Car Wash inevitably provokes both outrage and amusement in Plainview. With half the town campaigning to have her closed down, and the other half cheering her on, Andi is surprised to find support from an unlikely source: Hank Guthrie’s son, Pete, the current CEO of Guthrie Foods and Andi’s secret high school crush.

The Bikini Car Wash is a wonderful, feel-good book. It’s billed as Women’s Fiction, but it could also be described as Contemporary Romance. The focus on the romance element is stronger than it was in Red’s Hot Honky-Tonk Bar, the other book I’ve read by Pamela Morsi. The characters are complex, and the plot has a few unexpected twists.

I adored Pete Guthrie. He’s one of the best examples of a beta hero that I’ve come across. His relationship with his controlling father was brilliantly done. Hank Guthrie is an inveterate womaniser, ruthless in business, and disappointed in his son. Pete is determined not to emulate Hank, and has done his best to become a very different man to the one his father wanted him to be. As a result, they frequently clash.

Andi is a strong heroine. She’s funny, intelligent, and cares about people. When Hank and his cronies try to intimidate her into closing her business, she refuses to back down. What Andi lacks, though, is the ability to view her parents’ marriage through anything but rose-tinted glasses. She’s convinced herself that theirs was the perfect marriage and that she will settle for nothing less. Needless to say, Andi’s perception is skewed, and she is shocked when she discovers the secret her father has been keeping for over forty years.

Walt, Andi’s father, is another excellent character. His relationship with Andi’s mother was complex, and the author doesn’t take the predictable route in the depiction of their story. He’s fiercely supportive of both his daughters.

The absolute winner in this book, though, is Jelly. She provides some much needed comic relief to what is, at times, a sad story. Her obsession with Law and Order and constant use of phrases from the show made me laugh out loud. On occasion, Jelly’s simplistic world view is more accurate than that of her more intelligent family members. Pamela Morsi paints a vivid and convincing picture of what it’s like to live with a learning disability, and what it’s like for their caregivers.

I loved The Bikini Car Wash and I can highly recommend it to all readers looking for an absorbing, and ultimately uplifting book to read this summer.

The very first romance novels I ever read were the equivalent of today’s Mills & Boon Modern Romance/Harlequin Presents. They generally featured moody millionaires and their simpering secretaries. I even attempted to co-write one with a friend when I was 15. Trust me, that is one manuscript which should never see the light of day!

It had been ages since I last read a M&B Modern/Harlequin Presents, but I was sufficiently intrigued by Super Wendy’s recent review of Kimberly Lang’s The Secret Mistress Arrangement to buy a digital copy from the M&B website. It’s part of the M&B Modern Heat line which is supposed to be spicier than the regular Modern Romances. Despite the silly title, the book is very good.

The success of The Secret Mistress Arrangement encouraged me to look for reviews of more Modern Heat titles. I struck gold in the archives of The Good, The Bad, and The Unread. Lynne Connolly’s review of Bought: Damsel in Distress by debut author, Lucy King, caught my eye and I bought a digital copy. The premise of the book is genuinely original and it made for an entertaining read.

Here are my mini reviews of both books:

THE SECRET MISTRESS ARRANGEMENT BY KIMBERLY LANG

Blurb: Time is money to dropdeadgorgeous tycoon Matt Jacobs. But when he meets beautiful Ella Mackenzie at his best friend’s wedding, he decides to break his rule and make the most of his week off work by spending it in bed with her!

Strong willed Ella doesn’t do sleepovers but Matt’s incredible lovemaking has got her hooked! So when their secret week between the sheets comes to an end, Ella finds herself accepting the sort of indecent proposal she never thought she’d consider….

My Thoughts: The blurb is rather silly, and the title is misleading. For a start, Matt is a lawyer. Does that qualify as a tycoon? Ella is his girlfriend, not his mistress. Anyway, if I had written the blurb, it would read something like this:

“Matt Jacobs is a successful lawyer in Atlanta. When he returns home to Chicago to attend his best friend’s wedding, he’s surprised by his instant attraction to the uptight maid of honour.

Ella Mackenzie was not intending to have a fling – least of all with sexy Matt Jacobs. Nonetheless, she finds herself agreeing to spend her last week in Chicago with him – in bed. Will their affair blossom into something more?”

Not as eye-catching as the original but certainly more accurate!

Ella and Matt are both real people and I found it far easier to relate to them than I did the tycoons and secretaries of old-style Harlequin Presents books. There are no TSTL moments, and Matt doesn’t attempt to control Ella with his wealth. In fact, had the book been slightly longer, it would have qualified as a Blaze.

I definitely plan to read more books by Kimberly Lang. B+

BOUGHT: DAMSEL IN DISTRESS BY LUCY KING

Blurb: As the official blurb contains a plot spoiler, here’s my summary of the story’s premise.

A baggage handlers’ strike has provided Emily Marchmont with the perfect excuse for not attending her ex-fiancé’s wedding in France. Her older sister, Anna, insists she needs closure and should attend. Emily is horrified when Anna presents her with a fait accompli: she’s auctioned her off online as a Damsel in Distress. The winning bidder has agreed to fly Emily from London to France on his private jet. Initially, Emily refuses to go along with the crazy scheme, but Anna manipulates her by revealing that the money is to go to a charity for research into maternal mortality, a cause dear to their hearts as their own mother died having Emily.

When Luke Harrison arrives to escort Emily to the airport, she’s literally struck dumb. He’s incredibly handsome and does his best to put her at ease in what is a rather awkward situation. Luke has no idea what possessed him to act on impulse and place a bid to escort Emily to France. He needs to go to Monte Carlo for work in any case, but he’s loath to admit that the picture of Emily in her skimpy green bikini stirred feelings in him which had been dormant since his wife died three years previously. When Emily impulsively asks him to be her plus one to the wedding, Luke finds himself agreeing. Needless to say, sparks fly, and it doesn’t take long before they embark upon a passionate affair.

My Thoughts: The online auction set-up sounds ridiculous but the author makes it work. I loved Lucy King’s writing style. She’s amusing and makes her characters come to life. Both Emily and Luke have baggage and I appreciated the fact that it doesn’t all disappear by the end of the book.

Luke is a more typical M&B Modern hero than Matt in The Secret Mistress Arrangement. He’s a wealthy fund manager with all the trappings that this entails. In a previous life, he might have been arrogant and domineering, but his wife’s death knocked it out of him. He’s spent the past three years immersing himself in his work so that he doesn’t have to deal with his grief.

Emily’s issues are less serious than Luke’s, but she also has some things to deal with before she can commit to him. Her fun-loving personality is the perfect foil for Luke’s serious demeanour.

Despite a few too many stops and starts to their relationship, I thoroughly enjoyed Bought:Damsel in Distress, and I plan to read more books by Lucy King. A-

A shopping tip for anyone interested in these titles: they are available in EPUB format on the Mills & Boon site, but only in PDF format on the eHarlequin site. It’s well worth checking both sites for special offers. I found a couple of interesting books in M&B’s £0.99 Clearance Sale, for example, and eHarlequin have different special offers each month. Even if the M&B site doesn’t specifically say that their ebooks are EPUBs, all the ones I’ve bought so far are. I get the impression that M&B started using EPUB as their standard ebook format earlier than eHarlequin.

Have you read any Mills & Boon Modern Heat romances? Which authors/books would you recommend?

I discovered the joys of Mary Stewart’s Gothic romances in January, and I’ve been steadily reading my way through her backlist ever since. This post is comprised of three mini-reviews, as was my previous post on Mary Stewart’s books.

THE IVY TREE (1961) BY MARY STEWART

The Premise: Mary Grey leaves Canada to travel to England, the land of her ancestors. While visiting Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland, she is confronted by an angry young man who insists she’s the image of his dead cousin, Annabel.

Once Mary finally persuades Connor Winslow that she’s not his late cousin, she finds herself drawn into a nefarious scheme of deception and impersonation to help Connor inherit the estate which he feels is rightfully his.

My Thoughts: The Ivy Tree is a wonderful book and one of my favourite of the six Mary Stewart books I’ve read so far. I’m relieved to be able to write a mini-review and not a longer one as this is a story full of delicious twists and turns which could only be spoiled by a more detailed synopsis. Highly recommended. A-

AIRS ABOVE THE GROUND (1965) BY MARY STEWART

The Premise: When Vanessa March is asked by a family friend to escort her teenage son to Vienna, she initially refuses. Vanessa is married to a man who travels a lot for work. They recently had an argument when he had to cancel a long-anticipated holiday in favour of a business trip to Sweden. Vanessa is still hoping that Lewis will return in time for them to have some sort of holiday to make up for the one they missed.

When a friend spots Lewis in a cinema newsreel of a recent fire in Austria, Vanessa can scarcely believe it. She goes to the cinema to watch the footage herself, and sees her husband in the company of a beautiful young woman in a country in which he’s not supposed to be. Furious, Vanessa makes the impulsive decision to accompany her friend’s son to Vienna after all, determined to track down her errant husband and confront him.

My Thoughts: This is another fun story by Mary Stewart. I loved the Austrian setting and the details about the Lipizzan stallions. The interaction between Vanessa and Timothy, her seventeen-year-old charge, was amusing, and I thought the romance element was particularly well done in this book. B

MY BROTHER MICHAEL (1960) BY MARY STEWART

The Premise: Camilla Haven has broken her engagement to the overbearing Philip and gone to Greece in search of adventure. A case of mistaken identity gives her possession of a hire car intended for someone named Simon at Delphi. As Camilla wants to visit Delphi in any case, she seizes the opportunity to drive the car there in search of the mysterious Simon. When she locates Simon, Camilla finds herself drawn into his quest to locate his brother’s killer.

My Thoughts: While I found the suspense plot rather weak in this book, I loved the Greek setting and the details about the history of Delphi. I also enjoyed the subtle but romantic interaction between Simon and Camilla. It is an old-fashioned story in the sense that Simon almost always takes the lead, but I was pleased to see Camilla start to assert herself as the book progressed. B

Have you read any of these books? If so, what did you think of them?