Genre: Contemporary Romance

Setting: Georgebury, Vermont

POV: 1st Person (heroine narrates story)

Sensuality: Subtle

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’ve enjoyed other books by Kristan Higgins

My Grade: B+

Although Kristan Higgins’ last book, The Next Best Thing, didn’t do it for me, All I Ever Wanted sees her back on top form. It’s probably my favourite of her books so far.

Callie Grey is an advertising executive. On her thirtieth birthday, her boss, Mark, and the love of her life, announces he’s seeing another woman. To add insult to injury, the other woman is Muriel deVeers, the daughter of their biggest client. As part of the deal with Bags to Riches, Mark has agreed to hire Muriel to work in their team despite her lack of experience in advertising. Then Callie learns that the venue for her thirtieth birthday party has fallen through and it will now be held in the family funeral home.

Desperate to escape the office, Callie uses the excuse of needing to get her driver’s license renewed. While waiting in line at the DMV, she sobs down the phone to her sister, earning the contempt of the moody man behind her. He accuses her of having emotional diarrhea in public. Callie is offended but reasons that she’s not likely to see the horrible man ever again. Unfortunately for Callie, the moody man from the DMV turns out to be Georgebury’s new vet!

Ian McFarland moved to Georgebury following his divorce. He’s an excellent vet and wonderful with animals. Unfortunately, his people skills are lacking. When he realises he’s losing business because he can’t compete with his gregarious predecessor, Ian hires Callie to come up with an effective PR and advertising campaign. As Callie and Ian get to know one another better, they realise they might be just what each other needs to recover from their respective broken hearts.

All I Ever Wanted is a fun read and made me laugh out loud on several occasions. As usual with Kristan Higgins’ work, Callie’s family play an integral role in the story. I especially liked her grandfather, Noah, with whom she lives. The difference between Callie’s family and Ian’s is poignant.

Callie is warm, funny and deeply insecure. She worries about her weight and about never finding Mr Right. She’s the middle child. In many ways, she’s the glue which keeps her family together. Despite her parent’s divorce, Callie insists on organising monthly get togethers for her family. She’s also the driving force behind Mark’s advertising company, yet she rarely gets the credit unless it suits him. Now that Muriel is working there, Callie has been effectively demoted. I really wanted Callie to stand up for herself. It takes a little while, but she eventually does just that.

Ian is moody and withdrawn, a sharp contrast to Mark’s charisma. Callie brings out the best in him. Despite his lack of social skills, Ian genuinely cares about Callie and grows fond of her family. Callie comes to appreciate Ian’s frankness and knows his compliments are worth a million of those bestowed upon her by the smarmy Mark.

I enjoyed All I Ever Wanted. It’s an amusing story well told.

Genre: Historical Mystery

Setting: Gilded Age Boston

POV: 3rd Person

Sensuality: Subtle

Violence: Yes, but it’s not described in graphic detail

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

Why I Read It: The premise of the series intrigued me.

My Grade: B+

Still Life With Murder is the first book in P.B. Ryan’s Gilded Age mystery series featuring the governess, Nell Sweeney, and the opium-addicted former battle surgeon, Dr. William Hewitt.

At the opening of the story, it is 1864 in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Nell Sweeney and her emplyoyer, Dr. Greaves, are on their way to assist at a difficult birth. A maid in the summer house of the wealthy Hewitt family is in labour and Mrs. Viola Hewitt is concerned for her welfare. When the baby is eventually delivered by caesarean, the mother refuses to have anything to do with her. Nell and Dr. Greaves are stunned when Viola Hewitt announces her intention to adopt the child. Although Viola is known as an eccentric, a Brahmin family adopting the child of a servant is unheard of.

Viola persuades Dr. Greaves to let Nell come and work for her as the baby’s governess. While Nell is sorry to leave Dr. Greaves, she’s keen to avail of the opportunity to better herself. She’s also excited at the prospect of living in Boston, where the Hewitts’ main residence is located. The Hewitt’s have four sons, two of whom are away fighting for the Union. Soon after Nell arrives, the Hewitt’s receive the news of the death of their two eldest sons, Robbie and William, who were prisoners at the notorious Andersonville Prison, one of the largest military prisons established by the Confederacy during the Civil War.

Four years later, Leo Thorpe, the Hewitt family’s lawyer and long-time friend, brings them some startling news. A man has been arrested for slitting another man’s throat during a fight. Although the man says his name is William Touchette, several people have identified him as the late William Hewitt. To Nell’s surprise, Mr. Hewitt has no desire to help his son. In fact, he seems keen for William to be convicted for murder and sentenced to hang.

In desperation, Viola asks Nell to go in her place and visit William in prison. As her husband and his wealthy friends will bribe the police, she knows William has no chance of a fair trial. Nell agrees. Over the past four years, she’s grown fond of Viola and admires her determination to live as normal a life as possible in spite of losing the use of her legs to polio.

Nell is alarmed by William Hewitt. He’s a far cry from his elegant family. A chain-smoking opium addict, Will seems indifferent to his fate. Nell knows he trained to be a surgeon before the war and she can’t understand how he can have fallen so low. Despite his dishevelled appearance, Nell is captivated by Will Hewitt. He unnerves her and she prides herself on keeping calm in all situations.

Thanks to Mrs. Hewitt’s intervention, Will is released on bail. As the police have been paid off by Mr. Hewitt, it’s up to Nell and Will to investigate the murder and prove his innocence. This is no easy feat, especially given Will’s apparent determination to hang.

I thoroughly enjoyed Still Life With Murder. It’s a character-driven mystery with an interesting plot. The chemistry between Nell and Will is sizzling, although they don’t embark upon a romance in this book. I suspect this will develop over the course of the series. Nell has a chequered past and we only learn a few details of it in this book. Suffice it to say, it will be interesting to see what happens when it finally catches up with her. Will also has an unconventional history, but to say more would spoil the story.

I’ve already read the second book in the series, Murder in a Mill Town, and I enjoyed it even more than this one (my review will be up on Saturday). I’m looking forward to spending more time with Nell and Will in the other books in the series.

I can highly recommend Still Life With Murder, especially to those readers who enjoy unusual historical mysteries with a dash of romance.

Genre: Historical Romance

Setting: Regency England

POV: 3rd Person

Sensuality: Warm

Violence: Mild

Format: Print (this book is sadly out-of-print but you can get affordable used copies)

Why I Read It: I adore Jo Goodman’s writing & I’ve been hoarding my used copies of her Compass Club series

My Grade: B+

This review was written for Keishon’s monthly TBR Challenge.

Let Me Be the One is the first book in Jo Goodman’s Compass Club series. The premise of the series is as follows: four friends attending an elite English boarding school form their own club to defend themselves from the bullies. They call themselves The Compass Club and are known by their nicknames North, South, East and West. Their bond lasts into adulthood. This is North’s story.

Brendan David Hampton, Earl of Northam, promises his mentor, Colonel Blackwood, that he’ll check up the welfare of his niece, Elizabeth Penrose. Blackwood is concerned at his niece’s unusual living arrangements, and suspects that she’s hiding something from him.

When North is invited to a house party hosted by the Battenburn’s, the married couple with whom Libby lives, it provides him with the ideal opportunity to fulfil his promise to the Colonel, plus continue his covert investigation into a serious of thefts carried out by the so-called Gentleman Thief.

Libby Penrose is reserved to the point of rudeness. She’s unnerved by North’s apparent interest in her, yet cannot deny her attraction to him. Libby harbours too many secrets to risk intimacy with anyone, least of all the handsome, charismatic Earl of Northam. However, he contrives to spend as much time with her as possible, and she’s sorely tempted to succumb to temptation.

When North is wrongly accused of being the Gentleman Thief, Libby saves him by claiming he spent the previous night with her. This scandal obliges them to marry as soon as possible. Although they are physically attracted to one another, and soon grow to love one another, Libby’s secrets are an impediment to their future happiness.

The premise of Let Me Be the One contains several elements I try to avoid when choosing an historical romance: friends who form a club; spies; jewellery thieves. In the hands of a lesser writer, this could have been just another run-of-the-mill Regency-set historical. Through deft characterization and excellent pacing, Jo Goodman makes this a compelling read.

Jo Goodman’s style is not for everyone, but I love her slow reveals. This story unfolds gradually, but by the end, the reader has all the information they need about the characters’ backstory and motivations.

I almost gave Let Me the One an ‘A’ grade but a couple of things Libby did towards the end of the book irritated me. However, it is still a very enjoyable book and one which kept me up well past my bedtime.

Other Reviews of Let Me Be the One:

Romance Rookie – A

The Romance Reader – 4 out of 5 hearts

Mrs Giggles – 50 out of 100

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Setting: Paradise, 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

My Grade: B

White Heat is the first book in Brenda Novak’s new Deptartment 6 Hired Guns trilogy. The books will be released back-to-back between August and October 2010.

Rachel Jessop and Nate Ferrentino both work as operatives for a private security company named Department 6. In their latest assignment, they’re required to go undercover to investigate some mysterious goings on in a religious cult.

The Church of the Covenant is a relatively new religious group which is led by the charismatic Ethan Wycliff. They’ve established themselves in a small ghost town in the Arizona desert, the appropriately named Paradise. Law enforcement officials have become increasingly concerned about the group’s alleged debauched practices, particularly since they were accused of attempting to stone a woman to death. They’ve also been implicated in the disappearance of a local girl.

Due to Wycliff’s wealth and influence, the police have made no headway with the investigation. Rachel and Nate hope they will be more successful. Their aim is to pose as potential new members and try to infiltrate the group. Pretending to be a married couple is particularly difficult for Rachel and Nate as they had a disastrous one-night stand several months previously, and have avoided one another ever since.

Their investigation develops an added complication when Ethan Wycliff takes a special interest in Rachel and decides that she is to be the Chosen One who will bear his son and heir.

White Heat is a fast-paced romantic suspense. The plot is interesting and I found the description of life within a cult frighteningly credible. Ethan was clearly an egomaniac, and I found the depiction of his quiet sidekick, Bart, far scarier.

Rachel and Nate worked well as a couple, but I would have preferred just a little more time devoted to the development of their characters. Their romance blossomed rather quickly against the background of murder and mayhem.

This quibble aside, White Heat was a compelling read. It’s bound to appeal to readers who like action-packed romantic suspense which isn’t depressingly dark.

I like the premise of the Department 6 Hired Guns series. I’ve already requested the next title in the trilogy, Body Heat, and I’m looking forward to reading it.

Note: White Heat will be released by Mira on 27 July 2010

I read three Harlequin/Mills & Boon titles over the past week, all from different lines.

My favourite was The Heat is On by Jill Shalvis, which is an August release from Harlequin Blaze. It’s already on sale from the eHarlequin website, both in print and as an ebook.

Blurb: Oh, dear. Bella Manchelli is so not having a good day. First, she’s deliciously exhausted from last night’s sizzling one-night stand. Second, there’s a (gulp) dead body at her back door. Third…um, that scrumptious one-nighter is at her front door… and he’s wearing a badge!

Police Officer Jacob Madden is all about duty. Until he shows up looking for a homicide…and runs right into last night’s slice of sexy heaven! Damn, he just can’t think straight when he’s around Bella. All he wants to do is lick her up one side and down the other….

Can duty and smoking-hot sex blend for a while? Definitely! Until Jacob discovers that several of the guys Bella’s dated have turned up dead. Jacob loves being around Bella. But is he ready to be used as target practice?

My Thoughts: This is a fun story! As usual with Jill Shalvis’ writing, the sexual chemistry is sizzling. The hero is a cop. Although I’m not a huge fan of cops in real life (there’s no particular reason, I swear!), cop heroes tend to work for me in romance novels. The heroine is flighty, but she doesn’t stray into TSTL territory.

With the notable exception of a melodramatic rescue scene towards the end, the suspense plot worked for me. Despite the rising body count, it’s amusing, and made me laugh out loud on several occasions. My Grade: B

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When I blogged about the Mills & Boon Modern Heat line, a couple of people recommended the Australian author, Kelly Hunter. Red-Hot Renegade is her latest release. It’s not due out in the US until next year, but it already available from Mills & Boon in print or as an ebook. (Note: I don’t do affiliate links on my blog. If I link to an etailer, it’s because a book is hard-to-find.)

Blurb: In desperate need of protection, Jianne Xang-Bennett reluctantly turns to her estranged husband, martial arts expert Jacob Bennett, for help.  But there are problems: they’ve been separated for twelve years and cannot be in the same room together without arguing or ripping each other’s clothes off – sometimes at the same time!

My Thoughts: When I realised this book is set in Singapore and features an Australian hero and a Chinese heroine, I knew I had to read it. It’s actually the fifth book in the Bennett Family series, but it stands alone very well.

There’s a lot to like in this book. Jake is a martial arts expert, which is an unusual profession for a romance hero. Jianne is independently wealthy, and has far more money than Jake can ever hope to make. I loved the role reversal here. It made a nice change from the usual billionaire hero and his far less well-off heroine.

Jake and Jianne spend a little too much time fighting and making up for my taste, but I very much approved of the conclusion to the stalker storyline. I’d read more books by Kelly Hunter. My Grade: B-

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I’ve become a fan of Harlequin’s SuperRomance line. Unfortunately, The Groom Came Back by Abby Gaines is not one of my favourites.

Blurb: Typical. It takes Dr. Jack Mitchell eight years to pull himself away from his terribly important career abroad and come home for a divorce. And then he doesn’t even know who she is! Sure, Callie Summers—excuse me, Mitchell—was a gawky schoolgirl when Jack rescued her from a nasty family situation. But that’s no excuse for the man not to recognize his own wife.

And now the gorgeous neurosurgeon thinks he’s going to hightail it out of Tennessee with his final decree in hand. Uh-uh. Callie isn’t letting him off quite so easily. Not when she, to her utter dismay, is finding him so irresistible.

Irresistible enough to get him to tie the knot again?

My Thoughts: The problem for me was the hero. I found him unbearably arrogant, and I felt he wasn’t sufficiently redeemed by the end of the story for me to want him to have a HEA. The heroine worked better for me, even though I found her too passive at times. I just wanted her to end up with a nicer guy than the one she got. As I liked the author’s voice, I really wanted to like this book more than I did. Despite my reservations about this book, I probably will give her another try. My Grade: C

Genre: Historical Romance

Setting: Restoration England

POV: 3rd Person

Sensuality: Warm

Violence: N/A

Format: Digital

Source: A digital ARC courtesy of Harlequin via NetGalley

My Grade: B

Libertine’s Kiss is the first book I’ve read by Judith James. Based on the excellent first half of the book, I thought this might make it onto my Best of 2010 list, but I had a few quibbles with the second half of the story. Nevertheless, this is a solid romance which is reminiscent of the sweeping historical romances of the 1980′s and 1990′s, and I intend to read more by this author.

The story opens during the bitter civil war between Cromwell and the dispossessed King Charles II. Set against this background of danger and intrigue, Elizabeth Walters is a Puritan widow living on her late husband’s small estate with a few loyal retainers.

When an injured Cavalier shows up on her doorstep, she recognises him as her neighbour and childhood friend, William de Veres. Will shows no sign of recognising her. She tends to his injuries, and the two share a forbidden night of passion. When Cromwell’s troops discover Lizzy aided a Cavalier, her lands are confiscated and she and her servants are left destitute.

A few years later, the Civil War is at an end and King Charles II has successfully claimed his throne. In the hope of regaining her lands, Lizzy travels to London to seek an audience with the king. Her shabby appearance lead the king’s men to dismiss her without hearing her plea. As luck would have it, William de Veres comes to her rescue.

Will is shocked when he realises that the Puritan widow about whom he has spent the past few years fantasising and his childhood friend, Lizzy, are one and the same. Determined to honour his debt to her for saving his life, he persuades the king to consider Lizzy’s petition. King Charles is lazy and manipulative, and far more concerned with his own pleasure than with that of his subjects. He agrees to hear Lizzy’s petition at some unnamed date in the future and commands her to remain at court until he deigns to do so.

Lizzy is shocked by the licentious behaviour practised by the king and his courtiers, especially as it appears that Will is among the worst of them. Against her better judgement, she enters into an affair with Will, which soon blossoms into love. However, Lizzy is not prepared to accept anything less than absolute fidelity, and Will isn’t sure if he can fulfil such a promise.

The first half of Libertine’s Kiss was excellent, but the pace sagged somewhat during Lizzy’s sojourn at court. Thankfully, it picked up again towards the end. I thought Will’s characterization was particularly well done. I’m always amused when self-described rakes in historical romances undergo an instant transformation when they meet the heroine. That is not the case in this book. As the title indicates, Will is a libertine, and an alcoholic. He is filled with self-loathing and he needs to start his journey to overcome this before he can commit to a life with Lizzy.

Lizzy is another strong character. I felt she was truer to her times than many heroines in historical romances. She is irritated that her fortunes rest on the whim of a fickle monarch, but she accepts that men dictate politics. What she is not prepared to tolerate is another marriage in which her needs are not met.

Libertine’s Kiss paints a convincing picture of life in England during the Restoration. I can imagine that not every reader will find Will’s ultimate redemption credible as he is very much at the beginning of his journey at the end of this story. However, it worked for me. I’m looking forward to reading future books by Judith James.

Note: Libertine’s Kiss will be released on 01 August 2010 by HQN books.

I need to do some housekeeping here at Monkey Bear Reviews. Here are a few mini reviews of books I read in June, but haven’t yet featured on the blog.

They’re a mixed bunch. I enjoyed Meljean Brook’s Demon Night, and Helen Brenna’s Next Comes Love. The Blaze anthology, Born on the 4th of July, had a fun novella by Jill Shalvis, but I didn’t find the other two stories as interesting. Jaci Burton’s Riding Wild didn’t do it for me. It’s an erotic contemporary romance set around a group of bikers, but there was too much sex and too little plot for my personal preference. Readers who read a lot of erotic romance may not have this issue.

Here are my mini reviews in order of preference.

DEMON NIGHT (2008)

BY

MELJEAN BROOK

Blurb: Charlie Newcomb worked hard to get her life back together. But all that is shaken when she’s set upon by three vampires desperate to transform her beauty into something evil. Because Charlie is the vital link to something they want—and need. It’s Charlie’s flesh and blood sister, a medical scientist whose knowledge could be invaluable to the predators.

But to get to her, they must first get to Charlie, now under the intimate protection of Ethan McCabe. As her Guardian, Ethan is attracted to her vulnerabilities—as well as her strengths. The closer he gets, the more protecting her becomes not just his duty, but his desire. But will it be enough to save Charlie when the demon night falls?

My Thoughts: Charlie is a refreshingly original heroine. She’s a recovering alcoholic with a few other kinks to her psyche. She’s needy and weak, but fights against this side of her personality. Ethan is a hero in the hot-as-hell category. I really liked him, especially his interesting back story. What didn’t work so well for me was the Charlie-turns-into-a-vampire storyline. Yes, I know: this is an Urban Fantasy. I just preferred her before she grew fangs. My Grade: B

NEXT COMES LOVE (2009)

BY

HELEN BRENNA

Blurb: Streetsmart city girl Erica Corelli spent the three best days of her childhood on Mirabelle Island. Now her sister has disappeared and Erica’s on the run with her sixyearold nephew. The boy’s father, an abusive Chicago cop, will stop at nothing to get his son back. Erica can only hope this unforgettable island paradise is a safe place to hide.

Garrett Taylor, the island’s chief of police, takes one look at Erica and thinks, Trouble. The mysterious, sexy kind that disturbs a man’s peace and instantly complicates the simple life Garrett came to Mirabelle to find. But no matter how hard he tries, he can’t keep his mindor his handsoff Ms. Couldn’t Be More Wrong for Him.

My Thoughts: This is the second book in Helen Brenna’s Mirabelle Island series, but I’m reading them out of order. This is a bitter-sweet story which has some very sad moments, but ultimately provides the characters with a credible HEA. I definitely want to read the other books in this series. My Grade: B

BORN ON THE 4th OF JULY (2010)

Blurb: Friendly Fire by Jill Shalvis
Permanently injured on a black-ops mission, Cord Madden is furious at the world. Then Lexi McGowen reappears in his life to nurse him back to health. Little does he guess that she’s about to reveal a whole new world to him, one touch at a time….

The Prodigal by Rhonda Nelson
When Rorie Beddingfield meets up with her first love, Chase Harrison, she realizes there’s no better time to find out what she’s been missing. And wow—she’s been missing a lot! Still, she’s thoroughly enjoying making up for lost time. But can she tame the battered heart of this wounded warrior…without losing hers?

Packing Heat by Karen Foley
Megan O’Connell’s letters were the only thing that kept U.S. Marine sniper Matt Talbot sane while he was overseas. And now that he’s home, he intends to get to know Meganmuch better. Too bad a lot of other people have the same idea. Only it’s him they can’t seem to get enough of….

My Thoughts: Three weeks later, the only story which sticks in my mind is the one by Jill Shalvis. The other two were readable, but Friendly Fire made the anthology worth purchasing. It introduces the Madden brothers, who will each feature in future Blaze titles. Ethan gets his story in August 2010 in The Heat Is On. My Grade: C+

RIDING WILD (2008)

BY

JACI BURTON

Blurb: He’s a Harley-riding ex-thief working undercover for the government. She’s a gun-toting ex-socialite hired to protect a valuable museum exhibit. But in her attempt to stop a heist, she never anticipated having her breath and her heart stolen…

Mac Canfield was the last man Lily West expected to see again, never mind aim her gun at. But here he was, the bad boy who’d broken her heart years ago-still a thief, this time high-jacking a priceless artifact–and it was all she could do to push aside the memories of how it felt to have his perfectly chiseled body next to hers.

Mac was no less shocked to see the beautiful girl-next-door all grown up, threatening to shoot him on the spot. Little did she know she was blowing his cover-and now he had to figure out how to get her out of harm’s way without succumbing to his crazy desire to take her on a hot trip down memory lane.

Unfortunately, Lily has no intention of going anywhere with Mac. Which means he has to resort to kidnapping. Unless, of course, she agrees to let him take her for the kind of ride destined to drive them both unbelievably wild…

My Thoughts: I really liked the premise, but the book didn’t live up to my expectations. I don’t read much erotic romance and my preference when it comes to sex scenes in romance novels is that less is more. I’m referring to frequency, by the way, not the level of explicitness. I felt the plot in Running Wild got short shrift in favour of pages and pages of sex. This book might appeal more to people who read a lot of erotic romance, but it didn’t do it for me. My Grade: C

Genre: Historical Romance

Setting: Oregon, 1918

POV: 3rd Person

Sensuality: Subtle

Violence: A few scenes from WWI

Format: Digital (available from Smashwords)

Why I Read It: The unusual setting and premise intrigued me

My Grade: B+

Home by Morning is the first book I’ve read by Alexis Harrington, although I have a few others on my digital TBR pile. When I read the blurb, I knew I had to buy this book!

For the past few years, Jessica Layton has been working as a doctor in New York City. The horrors and hopelessness she witnessed there, coupled with the heartbreak of being jilted by her childhood sweetheart, led to a minor breakdown. Feeling she can put her talents to better use in the area of medical research, Jessica accepts a position at a research hospital in Seattle.

Jessica hasn’t been back to her home town of Powell Springs, Oregon, in two years. In the meantime, her erstwhile boyfriend, Cole Braddock, has begun courting her younger sister, Amy. They are expected to announce their engagement any day, and Jessica just hopes it won’t be while she’s in town.

Jessica has barely disembarked from the train when a local boy falls seriously ill. Jessica’s training as a medical doctor is called upon. Initially, she assumes the boy simply has a bad case of the seasonal influenza. Within 48 hours, he’s dead. The Spanish Flu has arrived in Powell Springs.

Soon, more and more people are falling ill. With the town’s new doctor not due to arrive for another month, the town council ask Jessica to prolong her visit and look after the sick.

Meanwhile, Cole and his sister-in-law are struggling to keep the family ranch going while his brother, Riley, is abroad fighting in Word War One. Cole wanted to enlist, but Riley beat him to it. Realising that one of them had to stay home to run the ranch and look after the family, Cole gave up his dream of going to war and stayed in Powell Springs.

In the midst of the crisis, Jessica has to contend with the persistent and unwanted attentions of the local minister, plus face up to her feelings for Cole – and his feelings for her.

Home by Morning is a strong historical romance. The premise is original, and offered a wonderful alternative to the usual external conflicts which abound in historical romances. Although there are a couple of mean characters who cause trouble for Cole and Jessica, the real villain of the piece is the Spanish Flu.

Jessica is a sympathetic heroine. She’s spent years studying medicine and considers herself a more than competent doctor. Yet she feels utterly helpless in the battle against the flu. Nothing she was taught so far about influenza seems to apply to this strain of the disease, with young adults dropping like flies, and children and the elderly usually surviving. Her feelings of helplessness are only increased when her own sister falls ill.

Cole is an alpha hero, but in the very best sense of the term. He’s strong, capable, and calm in a crisis. He loves Jessica, but he feels betrayed by her rejection of him. His heart is not in his courtship of Amy, yet he allows the situation to continue, and likely would have married her had Jessica not returned when she did. This aspect of Cole’s personality was not pleasant, but I suppose it was realistic. He’s a rancher and he’s in need of a wife. The seemingly good-natured Amy will do as well as any other.

The characters in Home by Morning are both appealing and memorable, and there are a few interesting twists in the plot. If, like me, you regularly bemoan the lack of variety in the settings of historical romances published today, Home by Morning is well worth a read.

Genre: Historical Romance

Setting: 18th Century France

POV: 3rd Person

Sensuality: Hot

Violence: Oh, yes! After all, this is an Anne Stuart book.

Format: Digital

Source: A digital ARC courtesy of Harlequin via NetGalley

My Grade: B

Ruthless is the first book in Anne Stuart’s upcoming House of Rohan trilogy. It’s been a while since she wrote an historical romance and I’ve missed them. This is typical Anne Stuart fare: very dark and violent with a definite Gothic flavour.

Elinor Harriman lives in exile in France with her disgraced aristocratic mother and her beautiful younger sister, Lydia. When Lady Caroline left her husband for a dashing Frenchman, she and her daughters began a life of upheaval and insecurity. The intervening years have seen Lady Caroline embark on a series of disastrous affairs and reckless gambling, leaving her daughters to fend for themselves and the household. At the beginning of the story, she’s in the final stages of syphilis and has descended into madness.

As the elder sister, Elinor feels responsible for her mother and sister’s welfare. When Lady Caroline takes the last of their money and absconds, Elinor is obliged to follow her. Her destination: a debauched house party hosted by the notorious Viscount Rohan. Rohan and his cronies are known for their depravities. His is not an address visited by innocent young ladies. But as Elinor is neither young nor innocent, she is only mildly intimidated by Rohan’s reputation. She’s desperate to stop her mother from gambling away what remains of their meagre funds, and this desperation outweighs any trepidation she might feel.

Viscount Rohan is intrigued by Elinor. She’s neither beautiful nor charming, yet she stirs his interest. He helps her find her mother and transport her back to Paris. Afterwards, he finds himself strangely reluctant to end their acquaintance. A series of unfortunate circumstances lead Rohan to offer Elinor an indecent proposal, and they soon find themselves caught up in a mystery involving murder, false identities and greed.

The premise of Ruthless is not particularly original but Anne Stuart gives it a fresh twist. Naturally, Viscount Rohan is not nearly as wicked as he would like people to believe, and he has a mysterious past. Elinor is a strong heroine who takes no nonsense. She’s familiar with hardship and betrayal and isn’t particularly shocked by Rohan. Elinor has no illusions about his character, yet she’s prepared to trade her favours for her sister’s protection.

There’s a lot to like in this book: the unusual setting; a nice secondary romance involving Elinor’s sister, Lydia, and one of Rohan’s friends; the foreboding atmosphere at which Anne Stuart so excels; and a fast-paced story which never lags. The weak point for me is a subplot involving an over-the-top villain. The conclusion to this subplot was predictable and I felt it added little to the overall story.

I enjoyed Ruthless and I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the trilogy. Ruthless, Reckless and Breathless will be released back-to-back from August to October 2010.

Genre: Paranormal Romantic Suspense

POV: 3rd Person

Sensuality: Warm

Violence: This is a very dark book, but most violence occurs off page

Format: Print

Source: I received an ARC from the author

Why I Read It: I enjoyed Leslie Parrish’s Black CATs trilogy

My Grade: B+

Cold Sight is the first book in Leslie Parrish’s new Extra Sensory Agents series. It’s a dark paranormal romantic suspense with a compelling plot. I literally read it in one sitting. Cold Sight is a stand alone novel, but some of the characters who will appear in future books in the series are introduced.

Aidan McConnell is a trained cop turned psychic investigator. After his involvement in an investigation which went horribly wrong, Aidan left Savannah for the tiny town of Granville, Georgia. Although he occasionally assists as an advisor on cases, Aidan has become a recluse with a particular hatred of the media.

Reporter Lexie Nolan has been demoted. She’s convinced a serial killer has been targeting teen girls from disadvantaged backgrounds. Unfortunately, the Granville police department and the powers that be in the town refuse to listen to her. They are adamant that the missing girls are runaways, and don’t want any rumours to the contrary to circulate.  The only person who believes her is her boss, Walter. However, he has a sick wife and four daughters to support, and can’t risk losing his job by publicly backing Lexie.

When bright and promising Vonnie Jackson is reported missing, Lexie is determined to continue her search for the truth. In desperation, she turns to Aidan McConnell for assistance. Aidan hates reporters and is reluctant to ally himself with Lexie. However, he realises that the nightmares he’s been having recently probably relate to her disappearance. Despite his distrust of the media, Aidan’s instincts tell him that Lexie is onto something. Plus there’s no denying the sizzling chemistry between them. As the case hots up, so does Aidan and Lexie’s relationship.

Cold Sight is a compelling read. As with Leslie Parrish’s Black CATs series, the primary focus is on the suspense element. In romantic suspense novels, my preference is for more emphasis on the suspense than on the romance, but even I felt that Lexie and Aidan’s relationship got very short shrift. Despite this criticism, so many aspects of the story worked for me that I have no hesitation recommending it to readers who like their romantic suspense dark and gritty.

The paranormal element is minimal, at least in comparison to many paranormal romances and urban fantasies that I’ve read. Aidan has a psychic gift (or curse, depending on how you wish to view it). His colleagues at eXtreme Investigations all possess some unusual powers. Apart from Aidan’s ability to sense the thoughts and feelings of others, the book is a traditional suspense/mystery with no fangs, fur, or other unusual creatures.

The storyline of Cold Sight is, at times, very bleak indeed. This is not a story in which everyone gets a happy ending. I felt the chilling atmosphere fit the book, and some of the more upsetting incidents made it stronger. The conclusion to the mystery was convincing, and I was pleased to see Lexie and Aidan get their HEA.

The next book in the series is Cold Touch and it will be released in April 2011. I can’t wait to read it!

Other Reviews of Cold Sight:

Stacy’s Place on Earth – 4 out of 5 stars

Errant Dreams Reviews – 5 out of 5