The Joys of the Re-Read

It's not that I don't have lots of TBR books in my shelves and on my PC. I do, but every once in a while I hit a slump. Nothing "NEW" catches my eye and I long for the comfort of an old read. This month so many things have happened in my life that I need that comfort, the knowledge that what I'm reading is stellar and is filled with Characters I know and love.

So with that in mind I have decided to dedicate time and effort into revisiting on of my all time favorite series. J D Robb's In Death series has always been a go to re-read for me. Each book is a story of it's on, almost like a CSI or Law & Order series in novel form. Aside from the obvious kickassness that is Lt. Eve Dallas and her sexy as sin hubby Roarke, the secondary characters in the series rock as well.

The trustworthy and dependable Delia Peabody, the Quirky and uber smart Ian McNab, the totally mag Mavis Freestone and her teddybear of a hubby Leonardo, to Caustic and relaible Summerset. Who can forget Eve's first partner Ryan Feeney and the always put together Dr. Charlotte Mira, the two people who are the closest Eve Dallas has to parents. I could easily go on and on.

So for me February is cold and dreary and the BEST TIME to visit with old friends. What's your favorite comfort read? The one book or books you just can't live without?

In Her Defense by Denise A. Agnew

Erotic Romantic Suspense

Heart of Justice, Book 2

February 2009

Celeste Rice's life has been shattered by terrible violence more than once. Violence threatens to creep back into Celeste's world when her ex-boyfriend stalks her. When Celeste inherits her aunt's home, she decides to move back into her childhood neighborhood after long years away. Upon her prodigal return, she encounters old friend and long-time object of her desire, Mick MacGilvary at a charity event and knows that she is finally ready to pursue that heart-stopping attraction. She believes she'll stop craving him if she has sex with him once and gets it out of her system. She decides to test the wildfire attraction, even though Mick's violent past and his SWAT position frighten her.

Mick will do anything in her defense…

SWAT cop Mick MacGilvary's instincts tell him Celeste's ex-boyfriend has something evil up his sleeve. Mick's uneasy past with Celeste makes him gun-shy around her. His protective feelings for Celeste have never abandoned him. Ten years ago, Celeste rejected his advances, and he hasn't forgotten. The heavy-duty attraction he's always had for her ramps up now that she's near. Better yet, she's obviously interested in bedding him.

Danger lurks around the corner…

Caught up in a passion neither of them can deny, Mick and Celeste's strengths and weaknesses are tested when her ex-boyfriend decides if he can't have her, no one will.

There are lots of ways to tell you’ve read a good Romantic Suspense novel, good characters, good plot and a strong mystery. IN HER DEFENSE has all that, but it has the one thing that makes it an Excellent Romantic Suspense!

It’s excellent because from all most the very beginning we know who the bad guy is yet I was still twisted in knots as I read it. The reader know right away that Darrell is the bad guy. Celeste tells us when she asks Mick for help, we see it when he accosts her in the parking lot, yet I was still on the edge of my seat just waiting to see what Darrell was going to do. Added to that is I read this book before, I mean hello I know what’s going to happen, yet as I sat downstairs with my DH reading this novel while he watched the UFC fights I stopped to tell him just that.

There are so many good things about this book starting with Celeste, she is a survivor plain and simple, as her past is exposed to the reader you can’t help but feel for her. I can’t blame her for wanting to be in control of her life, for wanting to stand on her own and I applaud her for becoming the well adjusted woman she is. She should be disillusioned, she should be bitter and she just isn’t. My only beef with her was her refusal to move in with Mick as they tried to make Darrell go away, but that has more to do with me being a chicken then with Celeste’s choice.

Mick is in a word HOT! Course that’s just one word to describe him, he’s also loyal, protective, caring, handsome, sexy, dangerous and Alpha to the nth degree. Simply put he is just want I want in a Romantic Suspense hero, Brave and Sexy, oh boy I could go on and on about Mick. He can be so frustrating to Celeste and it does my little old heart good to see him struggle with his feelings for Celeste, his desire to do things his way and his desire to keep her safe.

The two of them clash in so many ways throughout IN HER DEFENSE and that is what adds to the tension of waiting for Darrell to strike. A fast paced novel with tummy churning suspense and steamy sex makes this novel a must read for anyone who loves a really excellent Romantic Suspense Novel.

IN HER DEFENSE is a 9.5 out of 10

Promise Canyon by Robyn Carr *Spoilers*

THERE’S AN OLD SAYING:
WHENEVER ONE DOOR CLOSES, ANOTHER ONE OPENS.

THAT’S TRUER OF VIRGIN RIVER THAN ALMOST ANYWHERE ELSE ON EARTH.

After years spent on ranches around Los Angeles, Clay Tahoma is delighted to be Virgin River’s new veterinary assistant. The secluded community’s wild beauty tugs at his Navajo roots, and he’s been welcomed with open arms by everyone in town—everyone excerpt Lilly Yazhi.

Lilly has encountered her share of strong, silent, traditional men within her own aboriginal community, and she’s not interested in coming back for more. In her eyes, Clay’s earthy, sexy appeal is just an act used to charm wealthy women like his ex-wife. She can’t deny his gift for gentling horses, but she’s not about to let him control her. There’s just one small problem—she can’t control her attraction to Clay.

But in Virgin River, faith in new beginnings and the power of love has doors opening everywhere...

I’ve been anxiously awaiting this new release from Robyn for what feels like forever. I knew once I had it in my hot little hands or in this case on my nook reader for PC that I would devour it. Since I know myself best I was correct in my assumption. I read it in one day and I loved it. All my favorites were back Jack & Mel, Paige & Preacher, Shelby & Luke,we saw Mike, Art, Muriel and plenty of the town folks.

As usual the town has it’s ups and downs, once again someone has slipped off the curve that had Jack and Crew rescuing the school bus full of children, this time we find Noah and his truck have gone over the edge and thankfully the only thing damaged was his truck.

The main focus of this novel are Lilly and Clay, from the beginning at their first meeting I felt they were perfect for each other. Neither one of them is perfect and while their heritages are similar as well their teenage indiscretions, there experiences took very different paths. Path that forged them into the people they are today.

Clay embraced his Navajo upbringing and had him making mature decisions at the ripe old age of Seventeen. His first foray into young love brought Gabe into his life, being a young man with a young son quickly forces Clay into adulthood. It has him taking responsibility early on and makes the failure of his marriage some what difficult for him to deal with IMO. He left a bad situation with a clear conscience but he never really cut complete ties with Isabel and he soon finds out how his past can hurt his future.

Lilly on the other hand experienced the all to normal response from a young father who didn’t expect to be one, he ran as fast and as far as her could, breaking a young girls heart and leaving her to pick up the pieces. Lilly teen pregnancy did not have a happy outcome and that coupled with the abandonment of her parents and the death of her grandmother I was not surprised by her unwillingness to date or fall in love with Clay.

I was completely engrossed in this novel for so many reasons, Clay’s work with the horses is amazing as well as Lilly natural affinity for them as well. Annie and Nate are their since Clay works for them and it was great to see more of her vivacious and bubbly personality. Lilly’s grandfather is sprinkled throughout the book as well as the Toopek family from Robyn’s Grace Valley Series and they add to the family dynamic while showing the reader the diversities yet similarities to Native American Cultures.

While Clay and Lilly should be the focus of this review I find myself compelled to discuss the subplots because they affected me as much as the main story did.

This is where the *Spoilers* come in so do not read further unless you want some plot points exposed to you.

When Mel entered the bar to tell Jack that Hope had been found dead I was shocked and yet not, part of me knew she was getting older and that as much as I wanted her to she couldn’t live forever. When Jack found out she left him executor of her massive estate I wasn’t surprised she picked him. I knew that he would do the right thing, he always does in his own Jack way, even if it’s not the easiest course for him to take.

I was equally surprised that the town reacted the way they did, thinking of their own needs above that of the town, but then they are human and Boy Howdy did Hope have some money in the bank. She took care of the town and we find out why along with Jack and Crew, her late husband basically created the town. She lived in Virgin River her whole life and she did her very best by it. I was deeply sad she died and each time we return to Virgin River I know I will miss her.

The second shock for me was the news of Colin Riordan’s crash in his Black Hawk. I knew from reading the blurbs for the upcoming novels that he was injured, but recently one of the ladies on Robyn’s Yahoo group told us about her friend’s loss. She lost her grandson after he was injured over in Afghanistan and while I did not know him personally I was affected by his death. He, like Colin, fought for our freedom and his sacrifice can never be repaid. When Colin was injured and was hanging on for life, it reminded me again that our armed forces risk everything for us here at home. We forget that there coming home is more than just being here, that they have to relive their traumas over and over again and find away to live their lives. Colin’s addition to pain killers and his need to get back to his helicopter is not uncommon and I can’t wait to read his story later this year.

I’m not surprised though that Robyn touched me emotionally with PROMISE CANYON. Her writing may be of a fictional place but her stories and her characters are real, you can’t help but like them, worry about them and I for one am glad she keeps letting us visiting them. I wish she would have checked in on all my favorite VR people(Liz and Rick), but if she did her book would be 1000 pages long.

I already want to reread this novel and that’s saying a lot since I have waaayyyy too may TBR books in my pile.

PROMISE CANYON is a 9 out of 10

Welcome to 2011!!!!

Well it’s been a long year for me and my family, but all in all it was full of laughter and tears, up and downs just like life if supposed to be. I hope to blog more and keep track of my reading.

Thanks to all my favorite authors and all my yahoo group friends I’ve read tons of awesome books this year and have a list a mile long to read this year.

I have a few resolutions this year, but most of all I just want all my friends and family to be safe, happy and healthy this year.

1. My first resolution is to get back on track with my reading and blogging. I met so many awesome people through blogs and I want to get back to reading and reviewing as well as participating in all the TBR and other challenges on the net.

2. Save some money and be better about being prepared for the Holidays. This year I scrambled and was utterly unprepared for Thanksgiving and Christmas. This year I hope to be better.

3. I packed on some pounds this holiday season, so I need to get back on plan with Weight Watchers. Since I began WW I have lost 50 pounds. Since then I’ve gained back 12 lbs., my clothes are getting tight again and since I pitched the old clothes I grew out of I need to refocus.

4. Spend more time with the Hubby, our kids are getting older and it’s time we got to spend adult time together. I haven’t been on a date, a real date with Jim in probably 12 years. So I think we deserve it.

This list is short, but in the past I’ve had way to many goals and then I never seem to achieve any of them.

So what’s your New Years resolution? I‘d love to hear them.

Within His Sight by Denise A. Agnew

I wanted to feed my need for sexy cops and WITHIN HIS SIGHT fit the bill nicely as I waited for the ball to drop. It's a fast, sexy read that started my year off right. It has been languishing in my HUGE TBR pile and since it's book one in her Heart of Justice series I have three more yummy SWAT guys to read about. Denise A. Agnew never fails to deliver and I can't wait to read the rest of this series.

WITHIN HIS SIGHT gets a solid 8 out 10!

All She Wants for Christmas by Jaci Burton

Big Star, Small-Town Christmas

Country singer Riley Jensen would never have returned to her small Missouri hometown if her publicist hadn't come up with the scheme to tape a Christmas special there. So she never would have known that the man who broke her heart at eighteen—causing her to flee to Nashville—was now a widower with a seven-year-old daughter. Riley has ten years of angst-filled hit songs and Grammy awards to prove she doesn't need Ethan Kent. But suddenly, she can't help thinking of all she gave up by running away...

Ethan Kent knew Riley had the talent and the drive to make it as a singer. He also knew she wasn't going anywhere if she stayed in their nowhere town for him. Then one night and one huge mistake sent her running on the road to fame. Which doesn't mean he ever stopped loving her...

But with so much separating them, can Riley and Ethan find their way back together one magical country Christmas?

Christmas reads for me aren’t complete without an offering from Jaci Burton and this year she not only delivered but her book was centered around a famous country music store. Second to read music is my favorite thing and country seriously tops my list. So when I saw this book was coming out I was anxiously counting down the days till it’s release. December 6rth couldn’t get here fast enough and well real cut in and ALL SHE WANTS FOR CHRISTMAS sat languishing on my hard drive waiting for me to read it. The wait was brutal I tell you but so worth it.

Riley is a strong woman even though it seems as though she doesn’t see it. At eighteen she ran away when her heart was broken and took a chance on her dream. That to me is brave and well scary, but she did it and it paid off. She has fame, fortune, everything a girl could want right? Wrong, but this trip home may end up being the one thing she really needs. Jaci could have gone so many different ways with this, she could have made Riley bitter and mean, but she chose to make her genuine and friendly. I liked her from the word go, she wasn’t some over inflated ego, she was a woman, one who'd been hurt and who used her pain to build a career she could be proud of.

Ethan, well from the blurb I was unsure if I was supposed to like him or not, but I figured that was the point. Without ruining the story I will say that Ethan was in the wrong when he and Riley were teens, but I believe him when he says he never meant to hurt Riley and he paid for his mistake a million times over IMO, but darn it I like him, he’s a good dad, a good brother and a good friend. There is nothing sexier than man who’s a good father, a nice body and good looks are pluses and hello I have eyes don’t I, but a man who loves his kids now that is Sexy!

Jaci is the queen of back story when it comes to short novellas. I always learn so much about her characters is a short amount of time, I have no idea how she does it but she’s good at it and I end up devouring her books in one sitting only to be disappointed when I’m done. Not because the story is bad, but because IT’S OVER!

I really enjoyed going to Riley’s hometown, I felt a real connection to her, she came across real and true to me and I was thrilled she got her HEA, but I have so many questions about characters that appeared in this book.

Like will Wyatt ever be happy again and what happened with his wife Cassandra? Will Brody and Tori hook up? What will Zoey be when she grows up and what will happen to her? So much depth and character development in so short of a book.

So this book is a keeper for sure and I hope just the beginning for some of the secondary characters, It’s well written, sad is some place, happy in others and sexy enough to be enjoyable for any romance reader.

ALL SHE WANTS FOR CHRISTMAS is a firm 9.5 out of 10.

You can grab a copy here.

Holiday Sparks by Shannon Stacey

House-sitting for her parents seemed like a good idea, until the microwave blew up and the lights went out.

Now Chloe Burke thinks upgrading the electrical system of her childhood home while they are away would make the perfect Christmas gift. Fortunately, there's an electrician in town who can get the job done by the holidays.

Scott Quinn has wanted to get his hands on the Burkes' wiring for almost as long as he's wanted to get his hands on their daughter. Chloe didn't notice Scott back in high school, but she's noticing him now, and soon they're indulging in a little festive fun: no strings, no expectations. After all, Chloe plans to get out of this goldfish bowl of a town and back to her real life in Boston by New Year's.

But Chloe and Scott discover they enjoy each other's company just as much out of bed. Could their holiday fling turn out to be the real thing

I’m finally getting a chance to get back to blog land and to read some of the Christmas themed books I accumulated this season. Shannon Stacey is a Auto-buy for me and HOLIDAY SPARKS reminds me again why she is on my must have list.

First we have Chloe, she’s my kind of heroine, she smart, independent and most importantly not TSTL. The power goes out or at least partially and while she is willing to investigate she knows not to mess with it herself. She calls for help and lucky her the help is handy as well as easy on the eyes.

Of course we have Scott local electrician, former geek and current local hunk. He knows Chloe but she doesn’t remember him from school and why would she. Her lost weight, his glasses and his bowl haircut. He lusted for Chloe all through high school and even though he’s looking for more that a casual relationship, he knows Chloe is not home for the long haul. So he agrees to a three week fling while he fixes the electric in Chloe's parents house.

Sparks fly and it has nothing to do with electricity. Chloe and Scott are well formed and extremely likable characters. They connect in way that is believable and that’s saying a lot. Building a realistic relationship in a shorter novel is hard and Shannon Stacey delivers. They have enough history to be quickly comfortable with each other, but enough differences in the past for me to believe they didn’t know each other that well in High School.

All in all HOLIDAY SPARKS was a fun, sexy read that was well worth the time invested. It was in fact juts what I needed and it fed that quick read fix I needed after spending the day with family. I will have no problem reading this again and placing it on my virtual keeper shelf.

HOLIDAY SPARKS is a 9 out of 10

Check out HOLIDAY SPARKS here.

Long time, No posts.

I have been reading but the blog well it kind of just stopped. I want to pick it back up. So it's the same rating system. 1-10 a 1 being not worth the time and a 10 being top dog. LOL!! So when I finish the very next book I read I'll be back to post my quick review. Till then Happy Reading!!!

Chased ~ Lauren Dane ~ Chase Brothers 3

I love Liv Davis, she's sassy, smart, and sexy. She knows what she wants and she goes for it. Of course she does end up thinking she needs to date a more marriage minded man than ladies man Marc Chase, but other than that I think she's brilliant.

Of course fans of this series may be a little jealous of Liv, she did have the distinction of dating sexy firefighter Matt Chase and then getting sexy as sin Matt Chase to be her very own personal trainer.

This series gets better with each book, her witty dialogue, sexy heroes and intelligent heroines will have me buying more from Lauren Dane in the years to come.

9 out of 10

Taking Chase ~ Lauren Dane ~ Chase Brothers 2

I love the Chase Brothers series. Each book has a Phenominal woman in it that brings another sexy Chase brother to his knees.

In Taking Chase we meet Cassie Gambol, she is the epitome of femine strength. She lived through a nightmare of marriage and came out the other side, somewhat damaged yet stronger and IMO ready to know the joy of what real love has to offer.

Enter Shane Chase, town sheriff, oldest Chase brother and probably the most stubborn when it comes to falling in love. Watching him fall for Cassie is a pleasure, seeing his iron control falter and give way to his need for Cassie is utterly satisfying.

Together they heal, they grow and come out the other side better people ready to love and be loved.

9 out of 10

Wolf Signs ~ Vivian Arend

I bought this book after reading great things about it over on Samhain's Reader Loop. I'm glad to say I wasn't disappointed. This story was heartwarming, sexy and has me waiting for more from Vivian in the future.

It is also the book I reviewed for this month's TBR Challenge. You can check out the full review here.

8.5 out of 10

Past Promises ~ Jamesville ~ N.J. Walters

Today my very good friend N.J. Walters has a new release with Samhain Publishing.

PAST PROMISES is wonderful, I loved it. I reviewed it here.

It gets a big ole 10 out of 10