Books Read for April 2009 and Mho "Wolverine" Fho

Here are the books I read for April:

1. Blue Diablo by Ann Aguirre- A- (top 10)
2. Eve of Darkness by S.J. Day- A- (top 10)
3. Butterfly Tattoo by Deidre Knight- A- (top 10)
4. Fast and Hard by Erin McCarthy- B+ (top 10)
5. Don’t Let It Be True by Jo Barrett- B+ (Top 10)
6. A 21st Century Courtesan by Eden Bradley- B
7. Stakes & Stilettos by Michelle Rowen- B
8. Relentless by Lauren Dane- B
9. One Hot Mess by Lois Greiman- B
10. Storm Front by Jim Butcher- B
11. To Beguile a Beast by Elizabeth Hoyt- B
12. Devil of the Highlands by Lynsay Sands- B
13. So Still the Night by Kim Lenox- B
14. Under Fire by Jo Davis- B
15. Forbidden Nights With A Vampire by Kerrelyn Sparks- B
16. The White Knight by Josh Lanyon- B-
17. Darkness Revealed by Alexandra Ivy- B-
18. Highland Scoundrel by Monica McCarty- B-
19. Mac Gowan’s Ghost by Cindy Miles- C+
20. Memoirs of a Red Dress by Elizabeth Boyle- C
21. Bad Boy by Maya Reynolds- C
22. The Warrior by Sharon Sala- C
23. Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark by Donna Lea Simpson- D
24. Beyond the Vision of Dreams by Stella and Audra Price- D *dreaded were-python*
25. Daring Time by Beth Kery- DNF
26. Barbie and Beast by Linda Thomas- Sundstrom- DNF
27. Sealed With A Promise by Mary Margret Daughtridge- DNF

Grades:
A = 3
B+ = 2
B thru B- = 13
C+ thru C- = 4
D and lower = 5

This month had some great releases and I keep adding to my top 20 list for 2009. Unfortunately, were-python erotica was not all it was cracked up to be.

Perhaps that can be my next writing project?

To the good old old TBR bookshelf...

It looks like I am making a dent in my books!

As for Mho, he is really enjoying a new historical romance author ready to make her debut. Ballantine author Tessa Dare! I have been hearing great things about Tessa and she was nice enough to send me her soon to be released book, Goddess of the Hunt.

Mho really loved the opening to Goddess of the Hunt. Hero hears a knocking on his bedroom door in the middle of the night. The younger sister of his friend barges in and begins to kiss him. She needs practice so she can seduce the man she loves away from another woman he wants to marry.

When Mho is not busy flinching my books (I will be hiding Lover Avenged from him) he also loves to read my magazines:

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Mho: I am Wolverine!
KB: *Rolls eyes* I really think you need to go see a therapist. One minute you want to wear a petticoat, become a demon in a book and now a very attractive man with bulging arms who shoots out razors from his fingers.
Mho: *Taps hoof* And you think it is strange that I want to be a very attractive man with bulging arms and nice hard muscles that women swoon over? Hello red, you are lusting after a drugged addicted impotent vampire with a bad haircut who talks like Jamie Kennedy from the movie Malibu's Most Wanted and is screwing his half-sister who looks like a gecko.
Kate: *Shakes fist and mumbles* You may have a good point...

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Who is excited for Wolverine? I will be seeing it with Book Smugglers Ana on Saturday in England!

How many books have you read this month?

And one last bit of exciting news....

The US cover for Tempt Me At Midnight (Hathaways, Book 3) by Lisa Kleypas has been announced:

Coming Sept. 22 from St. Martin's

It's About Time!! KB Has the Pimp!

As you can see, Mho and myself are thrilled by finally getting the book we almost resorted to stealing or killing to get out hands on.

Rehv and KB will have some happy times together over the next few days....

Review to be posted when I get back next week from England.

But first a little taste of Lover Avenged:

Rehvenge's gentleness was what surprised Ehlena the most.

In spite of his great size (OH MY!), he was careful with her as he could be, moving gently over her body, giving her every chance to tell him no or divert him to stop things altogether.

She had no intention of doing any of those.

Especially as his big hand drifted up the inside of her bare leg, subtly, inexorably inched her thigh out even further. As his fingers brushed her panties, a shot of electricity sizzled in her sex, the miniorgasm leaving her grasping...

Anyone need a smoke?

A 21st Century Courtesan Book Review *Eden Bradley*

Eden Bradley has taken a chance with her latest book about a high class escort in A 21st Century Courtesan. Definitely an erotica, but still very much a romance, Eden puts a face to the name of many women who get paid for sex. Perhaps A 21st Century Courtesan is a bit too fairy tale like in its telling from the call girl heroine being rescued by her Prince Charming who is so understanding, from her clients who are attractive, well to do men who appreciate Valentine for her body and beauty as well as her mind and her creativeness in accepting their sexual quirks and desires.

Valentine Day is a high-class call girl who lives in the Hollywood Hills of California. She loves her life as a prostitute, getting paid to pleasure men and getting pleasure in return. The only way she can have an orgasm is if she gets money. Valentine loves the power she has over these men and will never go back to a life begging for love or money. She is a woman who makes her own decisions and lives by her own rules. She makes no excuses for the life she lives.

One night, Valentine attends the opera and is seated next to a man who sends jolts of lust through her body. She has never reacted to another man like this unless she is working. His name is Joshua Spencer and he is a real estate developer. Valentine is so turned on by Joshua that it unnerves her. They share some conversation and a drink. He gives her his card hoping she will call him.

Joshua is on Valentine’s mind all the time now. She can’t stop thinking about him even when she’s with a client. As she is alone in her own bed and in the shower, she pleasures herself imaging it is Joshua touching and kissing her. Soon her work is suffering and Valentine is not sure if she can continue being a whore. Even her madam is concerned and has her go talk to a therapist. Valentine becomes depressed and unsure. Finally she breaks down and makes a date with Josh. Josh loves to listen to her talk about herself and he wants to get to know Valentine more. Eventually these two do end up in bed and from her experience with Joshua, she feels whole and clean. Joshua wants a future with Valentine and it is up to Valentine to tell him what she does for a living or to keep living the lie.

Eden Bradley’s blunt and risqué tale of a high class call girl taps into the reader’s emotion. You can’t help but care for Valentine even as she sells her body to the highest bidder. She is a not a bitter woman because she enjoys her work and the men she is with. Some reader will think A 21st Century Courtesan is a bit too perfect because all of Valentine’s clients seem too handsome, rich and respectful.
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Valentine’s clients vary between Enzo Alighieri, the Italian film producer who introduced Valentine to her line of work. He is her mentor, friend and lover to whom she has always turned. Louis is a blind rich man who is one of Valentine’s favorite clients with such wonderful hands. Colin Harper is a gorgeous movie producer who likes anal sex in motel rooms. Then there is Zayed Bin Saleh Al-Rahman, a member of the Middle Eastern nobility who loves the harem fantasy and expects Valentine to play into it along with two other girls who must act out the ultimate in girl on girl action.

As you can see, Valentine is an expert of everything sex. I wonder if she studied the Kama Sutra?

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Joshua seems too good to be true, but he is the catalyst for Valentine to reevaluate her life as a daughter of an alcoholic mother who was in a cycle of destructive behavior at the hands of Valentine’s father. Joshua becomes Valentine’s savior and his reasons for accepting Valentine make sense. Joshua is all about forgiveness and spreading the love.
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A 21st Century Courtesan does open your mind to a lifestyle that breaks many of the stereotypes, especially about the women involved. Valentine’s story is an eye-opener and I give Eden Bradley major kudos for taking a chance in writing about such a topic in this mature erotic romance. (Delta)

Final Grade: B

One Of The Reasons I Love My Blogging Peeps

It is all because of this joint venture between Tracy at Tracy's Place and Kris at Kris 'n" Good Books:

BOOK SLUTS ‘R’ US BLOGGER AWARD! *woo hoo*

The mission:

We don’t care who nominates who (in fact preference may be given to those who self-nominate because of the sheer and utter sluttery of the action), but all entries must demonstrate one or more of the following:

- huge tbr pile (extra points go to those who continue to buy books regardless of the size of this tbr)

- overextended 2009 book buying budget

- more than five review blogs on daily reading list

- blatant book and/or author pimpage

- unrepentant crowing when said pimpage has an effect on someone else’s tbr

The person selected by our esteemed judging panel (Kris and Tracy) will not only receive the Book Sluts ‘r’ Us inaugural Blogger Award, but will be the first inducted to what is sure to become the very prestigious Book Sluts Honour Board. Oh, and we’re going to throw in an ebook of your choice up to $8. (It’s true. We so rock.)

Nominations should be sent by email (redneyrae AT ca DOT rr DOT com) and received no later than next Tuesday(5/2) (11:59pm pacific).

Aren't Kris and Tracy too adorable for words?

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Go ahead and nominate me. I won't stop you. Better yet, nominate yourself!

Rip My Bonnet? The Amish Romance

Time.com has an article posted about how Amish romances have become quite successful. These books are being called "Bonnet Rippers."

Key points from the article:

-Author Beverly Lewis has come up with a new magic formula for producing best-selling romance novels: humility, plainness and no sex. Lewis' G-rated books, set among the Old Order Amish in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, have sold more than 12 million copies, as bodice rippers make room for "bonnet books," chaste romances that chronicle the lives and loves of America's Amish.

-Amish-themed novels command a growing share, generates nearly $1.4 billion in sales each year, and that number is rising.

The only Amish themed romance I have read is the 1986 book, Sunshine and Shadow by Sharons and Tom Curtis, which is a lovely very recommended read.

To those who read and enjoy Amish romances, what do you like about them? Are there any books in this genre you can recommend?

Memoirs of a Scandalous Red Dress Book Review *Elizabeth Boyle*

When Elizabeth Boyle first introduced Lady Philippa and the American pirate captain, Thomas Dashwell in This Rake of Mine four years ago, I was instantly smitten by this couple. In the next three consecutive novels featuring Philippa (who went by the nickname Pippin) and her two cousins, the sisters Langleys, Elizabeth teased her readers with small scenes of Pippin and Thomas Dashwell interacting with one another. Pippin fell instantly in love with his older and dashing bad boy and it looked like Dashwell felt the same. Pippin became his Circe, which was the name of his beloved ship and Pippin called Dashwell her Dash. This secondary story was the main reason I would read these books and when I heard Elizabeth would soon write Pippin and Dash’s own romance, I was over the moon.

Memoirs of a Scandalous Red Dress has a beautiful cover and is very fitting because the red dress part is due to the time Pippin broke Dash out of prison while she was wearing that color dress. Things between these two were left as a cliffhanger in Confessions of a Little Black Gown when Dash was to be executed and Pippin, who found herself pregnant by Dash, ended up marrying another man to save her reputation. Because Pippin sacrifices herself for the man she loved, her new husband was able to free Dash with the promise that Dash would never step on English soil or contact Pippin again. Dash kept his promise and left without ever knowing about Pippin’s pregnancy.

I think my expectations were a bit too high because Memoirs of a Scandalous Red Dress was so lacking in so many ways. This is a story of reunited lovers, but not five, ten or even fifteen years later. It takes place twenty-three years later where Pippin is now a widow in her late forties with two grown children. Dash is a broken down drunk with a son from a woman he married in America as he was romancing the fair and innocent Pippin. I wish I could say it is so romantic for a man to turn to a bottle of booze because he lost his heart’s desire, but the Dash I have grown to like is certainly not this man in this book.

Even though Pippin married another man, even as her heart belonged to another, her life has been a pretty good one. She became a Viscountess who had a lovely marriage. She did come to love her husband who was smitten with Pippin the moment he saw her. Her son John is a captain and will be the youngest commander in the Royal Navy in almost twenty years. Her daughter Ginger is settled and married. Pippin is a bit depressed because she is finished with her mourning and longs to be the young woman she once was when she was being romanced by that pirate captain she has never forgotten. Dash was larger than life when she first met him as a girl of barely sixteen and for the next few years until she was twenty-one, he was her whole life. She has no idea what happened to him and feels adrift in her life. She longs to be that woman she once was and wear that red dress she has packed away when she saved Dash from so many dangerous situations.

A young man comes to Pippin asking for help. He is Dash’s son Nathaniel who says that she is his father’s last hope. Nathaniel tells Pippin a little fib about his father dying and Pippin can’t help it but rush to her former lover’s aid. What Pippin doesn’t know is that Nathaniel leaves a ransom note to make it look like Pippin has been kidnapped by Dash. What Dash doesn’t know is that Pippin has come aboard his ship. When Dash and Pippin reunite after all this time, it is not a loving reunion. Dash is a bitter drunken old man and Pippin can’t believe she has been lied to. Dash is not dying and he can’t stand to see Pippin. He feels betrayed because she married another man even though he was married to another woman at the time he seduced Pippin and left her with child. But keep in mind he never loved Nathaniel’s mother. It was to save him and because his now dead wife’s father had money. What he didn’t count on was Pippin coming into his life.

Pippin has no choice to stay on the ship because Nathaniel wants her to talk some sense into his father. And he has already set sail to America. Until they reach Baltimore, Maryland, Pippin and Dash are stuck with one another. Dash is insulting and Pippin realizes she never knew that man she fell in love with. She is heartbroken and Dash only cares about drinking himself to death. But Dash does care and becomes lost in those memories he has kept with him of Pippin and the short time they had together. If only these two can get passed the hurt and lies, then Pippin and Dash can finally be together as they have always longed to be.

I am a big fan of reunion stories but I felt Memoirs of a Scandalous Red Dress failed to live up to the hype. Again, it could have been because I was anxiously awaiting Pippin and Dash’s own story, but these two characters seem to have lost the desire and drive that made them such great characters. The chemistry and witty interactions between these two are missing. The flashbacks were the best part of the book, but the present day Pippin and Dash were just too dull for me to care. If I had read this without reading the past books leading up to this one, I would have not finished because I found myself bored. I also think part of the problem was the tone of the book. The past books in their series were lighthearted and cute reads. Having Memoirs of a Scandalous Red Dress fast forward to almost a quarter century later seems so out of place.

I also had some questions about Pippin and her marriage to her Viscount. I find it odd that after being married to her husband for some twenty odd years, she didn’t have any children with him and only had the ones because of her union with Dash. She says she loved her husband, so wouldn’t you think there would be more offspring other than John and Ginger?

This latest by Elizabeth had too many questions about certain situations and a lackluster love story. At least I will always have memories of Pippin and Dash before Memoirs of a Scandalous Red Dress. This is one read I will put to the side and will soon forget. (Avon)

Final Grade: C

Maru The Great Box Cat!

I saw this on Kate Rothwell's blog.

If only a carboard box would amuse me like it does with this cat.

Get ready to be wowed...

The Return of Box Cat - watch more funny videos

KB's Weekly Pimpin Future Reads

You know the deal... The latest in the ME WANT files

I truly adore reading YA novels, so thought I would highlight this one:
Betraying Season by Marissa Doyle. Coming from Henry Holt Books May 26th.

Synopsis:

Penelope Leland has come to Ireland to study magic and prove to herself that she is as good a witch as her twin sister Persy. But when Niall Keating begins to pay her court, she can’t help being distracted from her studies. Especially when she learns that the handsome young nobleman is reputedly an illegitimate cousin of the new young Queen Victoria, her friend and idol, whom her sister saved from an ambitious wizard’s control spell the year before.

Niall Keating has strict orders from his sorceress mother Lady Keating: to make young Miss Leland fall in love with him so that she can be convinced to use her magical powers to help reconcile him to his true father, the Duke of Cumberland, Queen Victoria’s uncle. Niall is delighted to comply until he discovers his mother’s true aim: to assassinate Queen Victoria by magic and put Niall’s father on the throne of England.

Penelope is thrilled when Lady Keating reveals her powers and offers to tutor her in magic. But Niall has fallen deeply in love with the lovely young woman. Even if he halts his mother’s evil plans, will Penelope be able to forgive him for trying to seduce her into a plot against her beloved queen?

Norse Code by Greg van Eekhout. Coming from Bantam May 19.

Synopsis:

The NorseCODE genome project was designed to identify descendants of Odin. What it found was Kathy Castillo, a murdered MBA student brought back from the dead to serve as a valkyrie in the Norse god’s army. Given a sword and a new name, Mist’s job is to recruit soldiers for the war between the gods at the end of the world—and to kill those who refuse to fight.But as the twilight of the gods descends, Mist makes other plans. Journeying across a chaotic American landscape already degenerating into violence and madness, Mist hopes to find her way to Helheim, the land of the dead, to rescue her murdered sister from death’s clutches. To do so, she’ll need the help of Hermod, a Norse god bumming around Los Angeles with troubles of his own. Together they find themselves drafted into a higher cause, trying to do what fate long ago deemed could not be done: save the world of man. For even if myths aren’t made to be broken, it can’t hurt to go down fighting…can it?
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Tessa Dare has grown quite the following with the yet to be released Goddess of the Hunt. Coming from Ballantine on July 28.

Synopsis:

Ever the bold adventuress, Lucy Waltham has decided to go hunting for a husband. But first she needs some target practice. So she turns to her brother’s best friend, Jeremy Trescott, the Earl of Kendall, to hone her seductive wiles on him before setting her sights on another man. But her practice kisses spark a smoldering passion—one that could send all her plans up in smoke.

Jeremy has an influential title, a vast fortune, and a painful past, full of long-buried secrets. He keeps a safe distance from his own emotions, but to distract Lucy from her reckless scheming, he must give his passions free rein. Their sensual battle of wills is as maddening as it is delicious, but the longer he succeeds in managing the headstrong temptress, the closer Jeremy comes to losing control. When scandal breaks, can he bring himself to abandon Lucy to her ruin? Or will he risk his heart, and claim her for his own?

Looks like shaman heroines are the new craze.
Thorn Queen by Richelle Mead. Coming from Zebra on July 28.
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Synopsis:

Eugenie Markham is a shaman for hire, paid to bind and banish creatures from the Otherworld. But after her last battle, she’s also become queen of the Thorn Land. It’s hardly an envious life, not with her kingdom in tatters, her love life in chaos, and Eugenie eager to avoid the prophecy about her firstborn destroying mankind. And now young girls are disappearing from the Otherworld, and no one—except Eugenie—seems willing to find out why.

Eugenie has spilled plenty of fey blood in her time, but this enemy is shrewd, subtle, and nursing a very personal grudge. And the men in her life aren’t making things any easier. Her boyfriend Kiyo is preoccupied with his pregnant ex, and sexy fey king Dorian always poses a dangerous distraction. With or without their help, Eugenie must venture deep into the Otherworld and trust in an unpredictable power she can barely control. Reluctant queen or not, Eugenie has sworn to do her duty—even if it means facing the darkest—and deadliest—side of her nature…
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*Thanks to Stacy for this future rec.*
Paradise Rules by Beth Kery. Coming from Berkley Heat on Oct. 6

Synopsis:

She didn’t believe in paradise…To most people Hawaii’s crystal blue shores are an inviting opportunity to escape reality. But for Lana Rodriguez who grew up there, the picture-perfect vacation getaway disguises the bitter truths she escaped years ago, and not without some emotional scars. Now a successful blues singer, Lana’s returning to Waikiki with a different outlook on the past, and a bold defiance when it comes to men, romance, and sex. This time, it’s on her terms.

Local celebrity, businessman and island god, Jason Koa, may be every woman’s dream. ForLana, it’s not exactly love at first sight. Though their start is rocky, they can’t deny the passions they arouse in each other. Jason refuses to become Lana’s pawn. It’s time to show her who makes the rules on this island—and in the bedroom. But will Jason’s attempt at breaking Lana’s shell reveal secrets that neither are prepared to face, or will they allow themselves to get swept away by a tidal wave of desire?
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Perhaps I should read the first book in this series?

Candle in the Storm: The Shadowed Path Book by Morgan Howell. Coming from Del Ray on Oct. 27

Synopsis:
If evil thrives on violence, how can force overcome it?

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Keeping you in the know...

Uncommon Jen Reviews Vision in White *Nora Roberts*

From the desk of Uncommon Jen...

Vision in White is the first book of the Bride Quartet series by Nora Roberts. I have not read much Nora Roberts, so I could not say if this is vintage Nora. I hope not. Don't skip the prologue. It's sweet. It's also the best part of the book. We meet four little girls, Mackensie, Parker, Emmaline and Laurel, playing their favorite game, Wedding Day. On this particular day, Mac is armed with her new Nikon camera, a gift from her "charming and mostly absent father". She gets to be the wedding photographer for the day and discovers she has a love and talent for it.

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Mackensie Elliot is a talented wedding photographer. Her parents, a gold-digging mother and an absentee father, divorced when she was young. As a result, she is convinced that nothing lasts forever, least of all love. She is a commitment-phobe with abandonment issues. Her mood alternates between cool and collected or bitchy psycho-hosebeast, depending on what the plot calls for at any given moment.

Carter Maguire had been a professor at Yale, but left to teach English at his hometown high school. No, seriously. He loves his momma. He has a three-legged cat he saved after it was hit by a car. He never raises his voice. He is the ultimate safe, sweet and completely non-threatening beta hero. One of Mac's friends even calls him "the Mary Poppins of men. Practically perfect in every way." To top it all off, he's had a secret crush on Mac since high school.

Chapter one opens with Mac literally rolling out of bed, well actually off the couch where she fell asleep after a hard night's work taking and editing wedding photos. As we watch her wander through her morning routine, we are treated to info dumps about Vows, the wedding and event planning business she and her three childhood friends have built. Mac is the photographer. Emma is the florist. Laurel is the caterer. Parker is the organizational genius that keeps everything running smooth. Then we get to sit through four pages detailing the schedule of that day's wedding. Not the wedding itself. We never get to see the wedding. Four pages of the business partners sitting around a conference table discussing the color scheme, the flower arrangements, the music, the toast, the bouquet toss . . . and on and on and on.

Nothing remotely interesting happens until chapter two, when Carter shows up and accidentally sees a nearly topless Mac, save a barely there bra. It was just as contrived as it sounds. The befuddled Carter immediately walks into a doorframe and hits his head so hard it nearly knocks him out. Later we find out that he does this kind of thing so often that his sister is completely unphased by the knot on his noggin. And really, what's sexier than a concussion? At a time when even the NFL is taking head injuries more seriously, it is difficult for me to find the humor or lovability in a hero who is constantly taking shots to the head.

Mac and Carter start dating and everything is great, including the sex. Their bodies explode into purple stardust almost instantly. (Apparently Nora Land is blissfully free of STDs or unwanted pregnancies, since the lovebirds never discuss protection of any kind. I know some people find the topic unsexy, but it bothers me when it is ignored in a contemporary romance featuring characters who grow up in the AIDS era.)

There are little bumps along the way. Almost every time things seem to be going well either Mac freaks out and breaks up with Carter "for his own good" or her self-absorbed mother shows up to ask for money, which also results in Mac breaking up with Carter "for his own good". But not to worry. Nearly every conflict is resolved by the following chapter. The story never really builds to a climax. Instead, it pokes along like a kiddie ride at a church festival.

At one point his super hot, super bitchy ex-girlfriend, Corrine, shows up and tries to seduce him back into her web. They broke up because she dumped him for another man. Once she meets Mac, though, she decides she wants him back. She explains to her friend that men are like shoes. When you're done wearing them, you put them in your closet. But you never let someone else root through your closet. Carter is too polite to just throw her candy ass out. Mac shows up at his door unannounced just ten minutes later and, of course, assumes he is making time with the ex. She races home to commiserate with her best friends, who all point out that Corrine totally set her up. Crisis solved.

One of the biggest problems with this romance is that the hero and the heroine spend most of the book apart. There are more and longer scenes listing tedious details for weddings we never see involving people we don't know or care about than there are love scenes between the main characters. Mac spends the entire book resisting the idea of Happily Ever After until one day she decides to go with it. Not because of anything Carter says or does. He spends the entire book patiently waiting for her to come around.

There are a few positives. She and her friends talk, laugh, and fight the way friends do. His best friend, Bob, is funny and acts like a regular guy. And the author does explore the idea of what happens after the HEA by discussing the successful marriages of Parker's parents and Carter's parents. All in all, I expected better from the queen of the genre. Maybe she was racing a deadline, but this story felt like it was phoned in. (April 28th, Berkley)

Final grade: D

- Uncommon Jen

Get The Eye Bleach Ready *OMGWTFBBQ Cover*

Last night Jen B at The Ginger Kid's Den of Iniquity sent me a link for a book.

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Her email went like this:

What the fuckity fuck is this??? You should review it!

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KB response: ACKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!! WTF WTF!?!??!

The book she flipped her head over as well as others I showed to on Twitter because I am one sadistic perv is called...

The Pussy Eater

Synopsis:"THE PUSSY EATER" is the kind of guy you all know. He makes you glad to be a woman. His tongue drives you insane. But for SAL ROSEN, who isn't the most attractive guy and stakes his everything on his candy-licking skills, there's one shocking secret from his past that threatens to unravel and destroy everything he's worked all his life for. Nobody writes SEX like Jackie Christian.

OMGWTFBBQ indeed

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Are you brave enough to read the free excerpt? I did and now I need some eye bleach.

Butterfly Tattoo Book Review *Deidre Knight*

When Sarah at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books told me about Butterfly Tattoo, I had some reservations. I have read books before where the hero started out straight but then meets the man of his dreams and welcomes the new gay lifestyle with open arms, but not the other way around. From the synopsis I thought this was a simple love story of a man falling love with a woman after years of being gay. Butterfly Tattoo is so much more than a person’s sexual preference and whom they decide to fall in love with.

Deidre Knight has broken boundaries and has shown perfectly why falling in love is something so powerful and it doesn’t matter who that person may be. Michael, the hero of this tale explains perfectly his love for his dead lover who was so cruelly taken away from him. Michael doesn’t think of himself as gay or straight. If he has to put a label on his sexual preference, it would be bisexual. His love for Alex, his husband and partner was a perfect love and something only most of us could dream of. The newfound love he has for former actress, Rebecca O’Neill is something very different from what he had with Alex. Rebecca is confused with Michael because she just can’t believe that Michael, after years of being with a man would turn his back on the lifestyle he had with Alex to be with her. If I were in Rebecca’s shoes I would have the same reservations. These questions and doubts are the two important things that both Michael and Rebecca must come to terms with.

Michael Warner is an electrician who works at a Hollywood studio. He is a widower with a eight-year-old daughter. Michael’s husband and partner Alex, was a doctor who died in a car accident a year ago. Their daughter Andrea was in the car with Alex and survived. Andrea is a bright but sullen little girl who misses her daddy. Andrea no longer calls Michael “daddy”, but by his first name and that tears him apart inside. He can’t seem to reach Andrea even though he tries everything he can. Michael and Andrea’s healing progress is a very slow one. Michael feels he has lost his daughter’s love the day she was in that accident. He is alone and scared.

Rebecca O’Neil was a former popular television sitcom actress whose life was taken away from her the moment a stalker fan stabbed her multiple times and left her for dead. Her scars are both visible and hidden. One side of her face has scars from the knife that also includes the ones over her torso, body and the ones on the palm of one of her hands. This is not counting the health problems and emotional and mental ones Rebecca must deal with on a daily basis. She is still involved in the industry and works in the development office reading scripts and finding the next big movie blockbuster. Rebecca is enclosed in her small protective bubble surrounded by supportive friends and work associates. I can’t help but compare Rebecca to that of a caterpillar in a cocoon who is ready to break out and become the butterfly she longs to be. Those around her such as her good friend Trevor wants her to start living life again. She is so young and even with the trauma of her past and the loss of her innocence at the hands of deranged fan, she still has so much to look forward to. And it looks like a higher being may be watching Rebecca because she is sent Michael.

Rebecca finds Michael to be very attractive. She doesn’t find him threatening because as he is fixing a fuse in her office, his daughter Andrea is there. Andre and Rebecca hit it off pretty well. Andrea finds a bosom buddy in Rebecca because of her own scars. Andrea has some scarring from the accident and because Rebecca has them also, she thinks Rebecca will understand because Michael can’t. Because Rebecca starts a tender relationship with Andrea, Michael and Rebecca form one. Both may find one another attractive but neither is in the right frame of mind to be anything more than friends. Rebecca sees the ring on Michael’s finger and comes to the conclusion he is married and even when she finds out he is a widower, she again assumes he lost his wife. Rebecca is in for a shock when Michael invites her over for dinner and sees the pictures of his family. Michael admits he is still getting over Alex’s death and Rebecca decides she will become his friend and help him deal with Andrea’s moods.

These two unlikely people embark on a new journey together. Michael finds something special in Rebecca, much like he had with Alex. Rebecca and he click so well and Michael really wants to move on and be with Rebecca in a way a man wants to be when they are attracted to a woman. But this is not easy. First of all Alex is all around Michael and the thought of forgetting Alex and moving on to someone else to love is selfish in Michael’s eyes. How can he move on when what he and Alex had was so special? How will his friends and family react when he tells them that the one he now wants to be with is a woman? Rebecca loves being with Michael and she is happy to be dating even if it is with a man who is also attracted to men. Rebecca has some major issues to work through herself. She wonders if Michael is only with her because he is lonely and needs someone to warm his bed at night. And how can a man who was once intimate with another man want to be that way with a woman? These questions raised makes things even more confusing and upsetting. Michael is at a loss because he doesn’t know how to handle them.

Life is full of complications and Deidre Knight shows this so well in Butterfly Tattoo. The title is about those tattoos a person has whether it is a literal one much like the butterfly tattoo Michael has on his back that longs to be kissed by a set of lips or the scars that both Rebecca and Andrea have. The scars on Andre and Rebecca’s bodies can’t be erased. They are forever lasting. The memory of a loved one is a tattoo on someone’s heart and in Michael’s case, Alex is deep within his soul. He is willing to make room for Rebecca alongside his love for Alex. Rebecca has to make the decision and take a chance that Michael’s love for her is very real.

Love is such a powerful emotion. Deidre shows this with a love and parent will have for a child as well as their mate. It is the glue that holds a relationship together. It is forgiveness and want and the hope that there will be someone in this big world who will understand your longings and be there to help you navigate those ups and downs. I loved how Deidre shows the balance of what Michael had with Alex and what he now has with Rebecca. Michael needs a connection with someone. Even as he is on that surfboard alone in the ocean, which seems to be a very solitary exercise, he longs for those he cares about to be beside him catching that perfect wave.

There is one line that is so perfect in it’s telling that really stuck with me. This is where Michael admits to Rebecca that he wants to make love to her so desperately and it all comes down to this:

“…instead of fighting everything so much, you could just open your heart and see where it leads you.”

Poignant and heartbreaking, Butterfly Tattoo is all about opening your heart and loving that person who just clicks with you. (Samhain Publishing)

Final Grade: A-

Reviewer Beware! No Books For You!

I have a hypothetical question to those who review for both review sites and or blogs. What if you were told you would no longer be given any books because a certain publisher doesn’t like the way you review? You tend to be too honest with your reviews and the books you read are not recommended by you? Would you only then write positive happy- happy, joy-joy reviews or stick to your guns knowing you may be blackballed as a reviewer?

So is the case of Emmy who reviews. She states on her Live Journal that she cannot guarantee that her reviews will always be positive, but she will be honest. And because of her honesty, she was sent this email by who I assume is the one that sends her books to review on a certain review site:

I am going to highlight certain parts that raised my eyebrows:

"As I mentioned to you sometime ago, a number of authors have written me requesting that I do not send you their books to review since they didn't appreciate your style of reviewing. Recently the publishers have gotten in on the action and several of them have written within the past couple of weeks requesting that I give their books to other reviewers. Basically what they have said is that they will not give their books to a reviewer who trashes them. Their main objection is the tone of your reviews and I'm paraphrasing here - your reviews come across as extremely snarky, not just in the reviews themselves but in the comments following the reviews .... they don't have any issue with reviewers posting negative reviews of their books but they feel that your reviews are unprofessional. The bottom line is they are not prepared to offer their books to a reviewer who calls stories she doesn't like "craptastic" "suckage" and makes reference to gouging her eyes out, is disrespectful and cruel, especially following up on reviews she has posted of stories she doesn't like. Some of us have problems writing reviews on books that we don't like for whatever reason. As you know, I hate writing negative reviews but I do them more frequently now and I always have to find the right words to use and try to be helpful. So we have a problem with few options. Since I'm rapidly running out of books for you to review I could do what I did originally when you agreed to post your reviews here - I could cherry pick your reviews from your Live Journal and suggest the ones to be posted here. Obviously I can't select those from some publishers, which makes it difficult. Honestly, I'm at a loss here. I like you on a personal level, I enjoy our discussions, I think you're funny and we have fun together and I don't want this to affect our relationship. I don't know if you have any other suggestions of how we can work around this.You'll probably be angry when you receive this email but I have no option since basically I have been given ultimatums by several publishers who supply the books to be reviewed."

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This sounds a bit too much like blackmail to me. I can understand when an author or publisher is not too happy with a less than positive review, but blackmailing a reviewer into writing a positive review is wrong in so many ways. Everyone is entitled to their opinion about a book and not everyone is going to love every book they receive to review. Then there is a fine line between not liking a book and being snarky and mean. Sometimes I tend to be snarky especially with a book that makes me want to throw it against the wall. An author or publisher sending a book to be reviewed must realize that they take a chance.

As you all know, I review for multiple review sites and received books from publishers both mainstream print and electronic. I am grateful for the opportunity to read a person’s work. And perhaps I shouldn't complain because I get books for free. But the moment an author or publisher tells me that unless I review to their standards, that is when I say, “see ya.” I have integrity and that will not change just so I can get more freebies or become buddy-buddy with certain authors.

Some review sites are all about the positive and will never post a negative review. I review for some of these sites and when there comes a book I just cannot put a positive spin on, I say so and tell those powers that be to give it to someone who may enjoy the book I couldn’t.

I strive for a nice balance with the books I read. I tend to post more positive reviews than negative because I am all for promoting an author and their work. But sometimes a book doesn’t work for me and I must express why. It is hard and I tend to cringe, thinking that I will be on someone’s shit list. But just like life, things are not always happy flowers and rainbows.
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Is there a certain guideline a reviewer must stick to? What is consider too snarky? How professional should we be, especially if we are not getting paid?

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All I can say to those like Emmy who have their back against the wall is stick to your guns. There will always be a need for those who won’t go along with the crowd and have a difference of opinion.

Eve of Darkness Advanced Review *S.J. Day*

If you are like me, you probably have noticed the up and coming trend in the romance and urban fantasy genres dealing with religion, especially Christianity. We have already seen this in Meljean Brook’s Guardian series over the past few years. I would say that 2009 is the year of the angel starting with Nalini Singh who touches upon the angel myths in her book, Angels Blood. Jory Strong writes about the Church as a powerful organization in her post- apocalyptic urban fantasy romance, Ghostland. J.R. Ward will have a new paranormal romance series published in the fall about angels. And I cannot fail to mention Dan Brown who has created quite a stir with Angels and Demons and The Da Vinci Code. These books use the idea of religion as a back drop in their stories.

As one who went to Catholic school from Kindergarten to a Senior in high school and was raised in a very traditional Catholic home, (if I didn’t go to church every Sunday I was told I would burn in hell) I find these books intriguing and have to really give these authors a pat on their back for writing about such an institution that is both controversial and passionate to those who are so very strong with their faith. But I also feel that some of these stories I have read are a bit glossed over so they don’t stir the pot too much. We read about these angels and demons and their on-going quest to be number one. Yes, it is great to read about sexy angels who have a great wing span, but I want an author to venture into deeper waters. I want one who will go straight to the source, which is the bible.

Whether you believe in religion or not, the bible is a great source for reading enjoyment. One author who takes these bible stories and inserts it front and center into her book is S.J. Day. S.J. has written a series about Cain and Abel that also includes parts of the Old and New Testament. She mentions Adam and Eve, Jesus Christ and God in such a way I have never read before in popular fiction other than Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code. As I was reading Eve of Darkness, the first book in her Marked series, I felt the urge to want to go back and read the bible. S.J. has done incredible research and has written Eve of Darkness in such a way that is so very commendable. Who would have thought bible studies could be so sexy and engaging?

Eve of Darkness begins six weeks after Evangeline Hollis was marked. Eve was given the Mark of Cain. This mark was given by God to Cain as protection from harm while he wandered the Earth as punishment for killing his brother Abel. And guess who gave Eve the mark? Why Cain’s brother Abel who now goes by Reed Abel. Reed accosts Eve while she is going on a job interview, and before she knows it, she and Reed are going at each other in a parking garage. As Reed gives Eve an incredible orgasm, he gives her this mark that will change her life forever. The main reason Eve has been marked is because Eve is Alec Cain’s one weakness. Ten years ago when Eve was a teenage, she and Alec met and had one small moment in time together. Eve had a passionate one night stand with Alec who took her virginity. He left her the next morning and from that moment on Eve was ruined for all other men. She just didn’t realize by being with Alec she was chosen. Some may think that is was just coincidence, but in God’s eyes, everything is planned. Was it God’s plan that Alec would meet Eve? It is a good probability. The reason? That is still unknown.

Alec left Eve because he knew he couldn’t stay with her. The one thing he was afraid would happen has. Now he has come back ten years later to help her adjust. He will become her mentor and her guide. Eve has become God’s bounty hunter where she must find and take care of the evil creatures called Infernals and keep them in line or send their asses back to Hell where they belong. Eve is very much a newbie but she has incredible powers to help her fight evil. She is better, stronger and faster. Eve even thinks of herself as the Bionic Woman. I guess that would make Alec her Six Million Dollar Man.

At least Eve doesn’t have to face this all alone. She is very much like a worker bee in this new and bigger than life organization she now works for. God is the CEO and President who has archangels working under him much like Vice Presidents and Directors. There are seven archangels who watch the proceedings on Earth and report back to the big guy. The one archangel Eve works under is Raguel Gadara who she originally was supposed to interview with for an interior design position at his real estate corporation. Raguel is responsible for the North American Marks. Reed also works for Raguel and is a bail bondsman who hands out the assignments to the Marks.

You would think Eve would be given some time to adjust, but from the moment she is Marked, she is a target because if the Infernals can kill Eve, they will make Alec suffer. Alec wears his heart on his sleeve when it comes to Eve. She is his downfall. He will not allow her to die because of him and will remain attached to Eve’s hip regardless of what she wants. Eve’s world has been torn apart and she has no choice but to learn things and fast. Even though Alec is there to help her, Reed is there also. She can only trust Reed as far she can throw him. Alec and Reed have a true brother hate relationship. Reed covets what Alec has and that is Eve. If Reed can steal Eve away from Alec, his revenge will be complete. He is the type of guy that will also spit in Alec’s face while he is doing it. Not only does Eve have to watch her back from being killed, but she is much like a bone that two dogs want. We are talking thousand of years of family drama here and Eve is now caught between the two. The final outcome will be who Eve chooses to be with and if the brothers will try to slay each other so they can be number one in God’s eyes.

S.J. Day’s Eve of Darkness is a rousing tale of good and evil where things are not black and white but very gray. Even the good guys who are the archangels and angels are just as sneaky as the demons and those evil creatures that work for Satan. Everyone is out to be number one. Eve seems to be the only one who doesn’t really care what God wants and if she is worthy of his love. The funny thing is that Eve is Agnostic. How’s that for irony especially since her name is of the first woman God created? Also, Eve has a habit of taking the Lord’s name in vain. Every time she says Jesus or God in such a way, the mark on her arm burns.

I also have to give S.J. kudos by not making Eve a lily white heroine who is all alone in the world to make ends meet. Eve is Japanese and comes from a family that is Southern Baptist. She has a great loving relationship with both her parents who want her settled and happy. And until she was marked she had a life she loved.

There are two more books planned in this series with Eve of Destruction and Eve of Chaos that will be released back-to-back over the summer. I have a feeling these two books will be a great reading experience also.

If there is a must read book for the month of May, I would say it is Eve of Darkness. (Tor)

**Or perhaps I should just come out and say that the summer belongs to S.J. Day with her Marked series.**

Final Grade: A-

Interested in a Taste of Robin Hood Season Three?

There are two shows aired on the BBC that I am absolutely ga-ga for. One is the sci-fi Dr. Who spinoff Torchwood and the other is Robin Hood. I can't deny the amin reason why I watch Robin Hood is because of Richard Armitage who plays the very misunderstood and semi evil Guy of Gisbourne.

I have been going through major Robin Hood withdrawl because in America we don't get to watch the latest seasons of BBC shows untill they finish airing in England and then a few months later will air on BBC America.

But then there is a wonderful thing called You Tube where some kind people will post episodes of BBC shows like Robin Hood.

I give you part 1 of the first episode of season 3 of Robin Hood. Guy is even more tortured than ever because of his actions regarding Marian during the final episode of season 2. Guy's hair is long, unkept and is still so very sexy.

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At least he still has time to wear black eyeliner.

Writing Outside My Comfort Zone

A few weeks ago while I was on Twitter some editors and agents were discussing the need for more gay romances. From that moment I decided to try my hand at writing a gay romance. This is true uncharted territory for me especially because I am writing a lesbian romance. The idea for this story came to me suddenly and I thought, why not? I like to challenge myself. I quickly came up with my two main characters and their story and took it from there. I really didn’t have a word count set, which is such a good thing because when I have a word count, it is a big obstacle for myself. I decided on 40k but as of yesterday I have reach 36k and it looks like I will reach the 50k mark instead.

Why the need to write a lesbian romance? I feel that the M/M romance market has become so big and close to mainstream that I wanted to prove that lesbian romances can be just as popular as the M/M romances I have read. I have wondered why there aren’t more F/F romances on the market, and I was told they simply don’t sell well. I am here to prove that I can write a F/F romance that people will want to read. Reading a romance whether it be gay or straight is about the connection a reader will have with the characters. If your two main characters connect emotionally with the reader, you have accomplished something. And perhaps I can write some nice hot and steamy girl on girl action.

I wasn’t sure if I even wanted to mention I was writing such a story. Yes, I have my word count progress documented on my side bar here on my blog, but in all honesty I was afraid of the reactions of some of the people I know.

The first person I told was my mother. The conversation went like this:

“Hey mom, I am writing a new story. It is a lesbian romance.”

KB mom looks at KB in shock and rolls her eyes. “But if you write a story like that, you do know what people will say about you?”

“No mom, what will they say?”

“You’re a lesbian.”

“Mom, just because I write about two women in love and having sex doesn’t mean I am a lesbian. Other authors write about all different types of people and in different situations. Did you know that the majority of gay romance is written by straight women whose biggest audience is straight women?”

KB mom walks away shaking her head.

Okay, so my mother’s reaction is one that I expected. I thought her reaction would be the norm. When my co-workers asked what I was working on I almost didn’t tell them. But I thought, what the hell? When I told them I was writing a lesbian romance they actually were amazed and congratulated me on stepping out of my comfort zone. They want to read it when I am finished. I also mentioned my new project on Twitter and I was also surprised by those who were also interested and wanted to read it when I was done.

Can I now say that the pressure is on?

Surprisingly I am having a ball writing my latest story. I am loving my characters and their journey to find their HEA with one another. My biggest issue is writing these love scenes between two women. Of course lesbian sex will be very different from straight sex, and I have to make sure to write it in a realistic way. Another concern is dealing with the personalities of my two main characters. One must be a bit more alpha then the other. But an alpha female must not be too masculine. I think the worst thing I can do is have my alpha female come across a bit too much like a straight hero.

So you are probably wondering what my story is about? Here it is:

Thirty-five year old Barbara Jennings is the CEO of a hotel conglomerate. She has a tough decision to make in regards to a one-hundred year old hotel that is losing money. She has three months to decide to close the hotel or cut costs by firing a few hotel employees. She meets twenty-five year old Jenny Caffey who has worked at the hotel for five years and is barely making ends meet as a poor college student. The moment Barbara meets Jenny she wants to seduce her. Jenny is also attracted to the powerful yet beautiful Barbara but has never really had a steamy love affair with another woman. Will Jenny fall for Barbara’s charms and allow herself to be swept away by her passions for this older woman who may ruin her life?

I will even go one step further. I will give you a small excerpt.

Please keep in mind, this is still very, very rough and I haven’t gone back and revised yet:

... Jenny swallowed as she watched Barbara walk back over to her. She couldn’t help it as she backed up until she was against the wall near the bathroom. Barbara placed both hands on the wall beside Jenny’s face, essentially caging her in place. Jenny swallowed again and she felt a trickle of dampness slide down her leg. Because she didn’t know what to do with her hands, she kept them down by her sides.

“Does that mean were not going to have our meeting? Cause then I can get ready to-”
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“Shh.” Barbara placed a finger against Jenny’s lips. “We are going to, but this will be more of a meeting of the bodies rather then of the minds.”

Jenny pushed Barbara’s hand away and Barbara reached out and grabbed it tightly. Jenny tried to take her hand back but Barbara wasn’t having any of that. “Please move away from me. This is sexual harassment.”

Barbara laughed and stepped in closer. Both their chests were rubbing against one another. “Oh really? Then why do I feel your nipples through your jacket?” The hand that was still propped against the wall reached down to unbutton Jenny’s jacket. Jenny could only watch as Barbara finished unbuttoning and cupped one of Jenny's breasts. Jenny moaned.
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“Is this sexual harassment Jennifer?” Barbara whispered against Jenny’s ear. She released Jenny’s other hand and began to caress the other breast. Barbara began to move her thumbs against Jenny’s cotton covered nipples. Jenny’s head banged against the wall and she moaned again...

Still very much a work in progress. Have you ever done something outside your comfort zone that makes you proud?

The Latest In Annoying Songs "I Am Your Gummy Bear"

I was looking for some new Itunes songs to download and found this annoying ditty.

It is called I Am Your Gummy Bear. (Ravenous Reader sent me the link to the video)



For some reason I can't stop watching the video. I blame the Nyquil I am taking to combat my cold. Funny, the gummy bear in this video is the same color as Nyquil. Isn't that deep?

KB's Pimping Some Future Reads

Books that make me go... "ME WANT NOW!"

Some hot and heavy romance from Jackie Barbosa?

Behind the Red Door coming in June from Aphrodisia.

Forbidden fantasies and hidden pleasures are waiting at the Red Door, an exclusive brothel were men enjoy all the sins of the flesh and women surrender to their own secret desires…

What about some smoldering Livia Dare?

In the Flesh coming from Zebra June 1.

Synopsis
For five years, Sapphire has been the king of Sari's most treasured concubine. Independent at last, she refuses to put herself in anyone's control again. But now another's meddling has led her into the path of proud, arrogant Wulfric, Crown Prince of the rival kingdom of D'Ashier...a man who is dangerous to her in every way.

The daughter of Wulfric's fiercest opponent, Sapphire is a prized warrior in her own right and highly skilled in the sensual arts—in short, Wulfric's perfect match. A lasting union is unthinkable, but the bargain they strike—to spend one night together, and then part—proves impossible in the face of a desire powerful enough to bring two countries to the brink of war, and two hearts to the point of surrender...

Need your Carolyn Jewel fix?
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My Forbidden Desire coming June 1 from Grand Central Publishing.

Synopsis:

Alexandrine Marit is a witch in mortal danger. An evil mage craves the powerful, mysterious talisman that supplies her magic, and the only person who can keep her safe is a dark and dangerous fiend called Xia. With his fierce animosity toward witches, he's hardly the ideal bodyguard. Yet as days turn into nights, she can't deny the white-hot passion between them.

Xia hates witches. They enslave and mercilessly kill his kind. But he's been ordered to protect Alexandrine, who, to his surprise, has a spirit he admires and a body he longs to possess. With the mage and his henchmen closing in, Alexandrine and her protector must trust the passion that can unite them...or risk losing everything to the enemies who can destroy them both.

**HOT OFF THE PRESSES FROM CAROLYN!**

Indiscreet coming from Berkley in October. This cover is hot!

Urban Fantasy from Patti O'Shea?

Edge of the Dawn (Light Warrior series, books 3) coming from Tor Publishing on June 3.



Synopsis

Glass artist Shona Blackwood has lost her ability to create, but instead of panic, all she feels is apathy. Her detachment is shaken when she narrowly avoids being mugged, thanks to a timely rescue by a man who makes all her senses come roaring to life.Logan Andrews is a magical troubleshooter assigned to protect Shona from an unseen enemy. Shona is unaware that magic actually exists and Logan is under orders not to tell her, but it isn't long before he finds his loyalty torn between his people and the passionate woman he is guarding. He thought this would be a straightforward job, but Logan quickly realizes that in an edgy contest between magic and passion, love is destined to win.

Some luscious historical romance from Loretta Chase?

Don't Tempt Me coming from Avon in July.

Synopsis:

Spunky English girl overcomes impossible odds and outsmarts heathen villains.
That’s the headline when Zoe Lexham returns to England. After twelve years in the exotic east, she’s shockingly adept in the sensual arts. She knows everything a young lady shouldn’t and nothing she ought to know. She’s a walking scandal, with no hope of a future...unless someone can civilize her.
Lucien de Grey, the Duke of Marchmont, is no knight in shining armor. He’s sarcastic, cynical, easily bored, and dangerous to women. He charms, seduces, and leaves them--with parting gifts of expensive jewelry to dry their tears. But good looks and charm, combined with money and rank, make him welcome everywhere. The most popular bachelor in the Beau Monde can easily save Zoe’s risqué reputation . . . if the wayward beauty doesn’t lead him into temptation, and a passion that could ruin them both.

Suspenseful Linda Howard?

Burn coming from Random House on July 7.

No Synopsis *KB sad*