Silhouette Special Edition Oct 09

The Sheik and the Bought Bride by Susan Mallery

This was the first Mallery book I read in her Sheik series and it did not disappoint! I checked my library for some of the others in the series to read as well....like I need more to read but oh well...Susan Mallery is a favorite of mine! This was a great story about love and understanding and breaking and starting new traditions. Plus a nice dose of steaminess! :) You will not be disappointed reading this on a rainy afternoon.... Four stars

A Weaver Baby by Allsion Leigh

This was an interesting story but it has the secret baby storyline which I don't really mind but I know many people dislike. J.D. and her boss Jake share a night together after the horse she trains for him does well and it results in a baby, something she thought would be difficult for her due to an injury she suffered when stepped on by a horse when younger. She tries to tell Jake but an emergency happens and she returns home to Wyoming and her family. J.D. had trained a horse, Latitude, who suffered a horrible injury in a race and Jake brings the horse to her to have him heal as Latitude really only responds to her. The truth about the baby finally reveals itself after Jake sticks around...just because of the horse. I'm not really a horse person but the bond J.D. has with them was great and her caring for Latitude and his difficulties that arise is great. Three and a half stars.

The Nanny and Me by Teresa Southwick

I thought I would enjoy this one more and I didn't really like it much. It felt like a very familiar storyline, one I guess I don't enjoy. Blake gets custody of his orphaned niece Mia and nanny Casey comes to the rescue to help deal with this troubled pre teen. Casey has a back story that helps her deal with Mia but I don't know, this was just an ok read for me. Three stars.



The Texas CEO's Secret by Nicole Foster

Another story in the continuing storyline of the Foleys and the McCords. Here we catch up with Blake and Katie...who is Blakes brother Tates ex-fiance. Blake has been in love with Katie the whole time she was with Tate (who is happily engaged to Tanya) and now finally makes some moves to be with Katie. She falls for him but convincing themselves and their families that they are not just settling for each other is nice to read. Three and a half stars.

Instant Attraction by Jill Shalvis

Here is yet another new to me author and while it was good, it wasn't spectacular. I decided to try out this author because many of my book friends online really seem to like her and this book seemed to do well and is the first in a series. I enjoyed the premise of the story--well, heres the back cover: Accountant Katie Kramer is a quintessential good girl—working hard, recycling diligently, all the while trying to ignore the feeling that she doesn’t fit in anywhere. That’s all she wants. Well, that—and amazing sex, and the kind of daredevil escapade she can look back on when she’s crunching numbers in a dusty cubicle. Which explains why she just took a job in Wishful, California, working for Wilder Adventures and Expeditions. Waking up to find a magnificently built stranger towering over her bed—that part defies explanation…

After wandering the planet for months following a life-changing accident, Cameron Wilder has come back to the only home he knows. Under other circumstances, he might be thrilled to find a gorgeous woman sleeping in his cabin, but now, while he’ll risk his body taking clients on adrenaline-drenched excursions, his heart is off limits. Still, Katie’s killer smile triggers something deep in his gut…among other places. Showing her how exhilarating it can be to stop balancing her life as if it was a checkbook is the biggest rush he’s ever felt—and an adventure Katie’s wishing would never end...

I guess from reading that I sort of expected more, especially in the steaminess area. I mean, it took over half the book for them to finally get together, and while that is fine, I guess I thought it would happen sooner. Overall I give this three and a half stars. I enjoyed reading it but I found myself easily distracted and not in a hurry to get back. I have the next book, Instant Gratification, on my wish list at PBS to read so hopefully that one will be better for me. I also have a few other Jill Shalvis novels on my list to try out as well....maybe they will fill that void I felt this one left better because she gets many positive reviews and I usually just fall in line!

Start Me Up by Victoria Dahl

Add Victoria Dahl to my list of favorite authors! Well, her contemporaries at least...I don't read historical and I don't need anymore books to read anyways :) This is yet another sexy and funny book! This book follows Talk Me Down and while it isn't totally necessary to read it first, I would because the same people are in it and you get to catch up with them a bit.
In Start Me Up, Lori Love has always wanted more and to get out of her small town of Tumble Creek, CO. Then her father has an accident and dies and she is left to take over the family car repair business. Then there is Quinn Jennings, a serious architect who has not time for distractions. Lori and Quinn went to school together along with Loris best friend, Molly, who is Quinn sister (and the heroine from Talk Me Down). Molly thinks Lori just needs a good time in the form of no-strings attached sex and Lori agrees.....and asks Quinn if he would be willing. He is and boy is it hot!

This was a four and a half star read for me! There is a little suspense thrown in and it fits in with the story well. Quinn and Loris love scenes are, well.....hot and steamy! I can not wait to read the next installment Lead Me On and many more from Dahl!!

So Into You by Sandra Hill

This was yet another new author for me (darn you PBS!) and yet again, another enjoyable author. Even though this is number eight in Hills Cajun series, I did not feel as if I missed out on much by just reading this one. Of course, I look forward to reading all the previous books, but if you want to try a new author, this is a good one. The story evolves around Angel and Grace and how Angel confesses his love to Grace one day and she rejects him and tells him they are only best friends. He takes off and gets married on the rebound and a year passes with nothing. Angel returns at the direction of Tante Lulu (quite the character!) to help a displaced family of four children from Hurricane Katrina. Little does Grace know he had the marriage annulled....and she wonders what these feelings are all of a sudden for Angel...her best friend!
This was a good four stars for me and I really enjoyed reading it. It has everything you look for in a good romance.....love, steaminess, family and a good message. I am looking forward to more novels by Hill :)

Dirty Sexy Knitting by Christie Ridgway

This is the third and final novel in Ridgways knitting series and we finally get the story of Cassandra and Gabe who have traded barbs in the first two books. Gabe is still mourning the tragic death of his wife and daughter to a drunk driver and goes into deep black holes where he goes and drinks himself into a stupor and Cassandra is there to pick up the pieces. After one such night of this, Cassandra decides no more but when Gabe wakes up in her bed he thinks they have been together when they actually have not, he sets about to try to remember what happened. Cassandras sisters, Nikki and Juliet, are in this book as well but not so much as I expected. Marlys, from Unravel Me, also returns and her story concludes as well, which I liked.
Overall, this was three and a half stars. It had a nice mix of steaminess, love, anguish and it also has a bit of suspense thrown in with a little twist I didn't really expect (but probably should have). And thankfully it has a nice epilogue a few years in the future and ties everything up with a big bow...cheesy, but I like to have that! I look forward to the next series of novels from Ridgway but will probably still just get them at the library or PBS vs paying $8 for them.

Romeo Romeo by Robin Kaye

This was yet another new author for me and once again, someone to add to my list of authors to read all new books! This is a heart-warming, sexy story of a undomestic woman and the ultimate fantasy man who loves to cook and clean and is rich! Rosalie and Nick have the perfect relationship of no strings equals no heartbreak....or so they think. When Rosalie catches pneumonia and Nick rushes her to the hospital and then stays home with her to care for her, suddenly their "perfect" relationship changes. Throw in a bit of mistaken identity and their mutual business interest and a past in juvenile detention...oh, and of course the big nosy Italian family, and this is a wonderful book to pick up and curl up with on a nice rainy day. Four stars! I eagerly look forward to Too Hot to Handle and Breakfast in Bed to follow what happens with this family!

Swimsuit by James Patterson

Another excellent page turner from Patterson. You are probably wondering where is the romance books I normally read? Well, I picked up one of Pattersons earlier novels, Along Came a Spider years ago and I became hooked. If you have never read him, I suggest you start with the above book. The chapters are short, like three pages normally and you find yourself just racing through the book saying "just one more chapter" over and over again. Swimsuit fits right in with all his previous novels as an enjoyable, suspenseful thriller. Has a few twists and turns, as expected and it had an ending I did not expect and almost leaves an opening for another novel featuring the lead male of Ben, who is a cop turned reporter and novelist.
This book was an easy four stars for me and I would recommend it to anyone looking for something exciting to read in an afternoon or night, because thats how long it will take. You get hooked very quickly. (I'm not going to really say much about plots and whatnot on Pattersons novels because there are usually so many characters that it is hard to do so. I'll just let you know if I liked it or not....and well, I've liked almost every novel he has written so....)

With a Twist by Deirdre Martin

This was my first book by Deirdre Martin and I don't think it was the best one to pick. It says this is #2 in the Wild Hart Saga following an anthology story from Double the Pleasure (which I have not read yet) but I thought, oh its just a short story, probably ok to read With a Twist first. On that thought I was right, the couple from their only make a brief appearance. However, Natalie, the heroine, has a sister Vivi who has her own story in Just A Taste, which is part of the Blades series. I really felt like I should have read that first as Vivi and her fiance are in this book quite a bit.

Overall this was just an ok book for me. Kind of slow moving. I felt it could have been a little shorter and I may have enjoyed it more. Wonderful family connections. I do look forward to reading the Blade series and more books from Martin. Just two and a half stars....not much to say about this one!

Unravel Me by Christie Ridgway

This is the second novel in a trilogy of books, following How to Knit a Wild Bikini. It centers around one of the sisters, Juliet and her "handyman" Noah. Juliet is a recent widower of her Army General, older husband and suffering backlash as being the "Deal Breaker" because he forgo his aspirations to be president to marry her and then she is stuck with the nickname "Merry Widower" because she was at the spa when he passed away. Thankfully, Juliet has her new sisters to help her through this difficult time and to help her with her new feelings for Noah. Of course we also have the evil stepdaughter who is close to her age and resents Juliet for taking away time with her dad. But Marlys didn't exactly get her happy ending which was a bit of a surprise.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read. I personally liked the first novel better because I just don't seem to enjoy the young widow from a much older husband storyline. I give it three stars. Ridgway paved the path for the final installment, Dirty Sexy Knitting that has the story of the final sister Cassandra and her landlord that she always fights with, Gabe.

Redneck Cinderella by LuAnn McLane

Apparently I am on a new author kick as this yet another new author for me and she is being added to my growing list of favorites!! This book follows along the Cinderella theme with a rags to riches storyline. Jolie and her Daddy sell their farm to Jolies high school sweetheart, Cody, for a cool $3.5 million and are set up in the new Copper Creek Estates. Needless to say...these country folk do not really fit it. Cody takes it upon himself to talk to Jolie about the "situation" and gradually sparks start to fly.
There are wonderful supporting characters from Jolies Daddy to the etiquette coach Miss Abigail and her PA Carletta plus Codys brother Brett and the wanna be girlfriend, Marissa. I breezed through this book in an afternoon and was snickering to myself quite a bit. It hooked me right away and I absolutely loved the Cinderella reference at the end (Jolie must hurry to the ball right before midnight and leaves her boots at the ball and, well, I think you can guess the rest!). The only thing I didn't really like was the heroines name. Jolie. Made me thing of Angelina Jolie the whole book, and there is no way I could see her being a southern redneck! Also, it is written in first person which took a bit to get used to but it worked for me.

This rates a solid four stars for me and I am looking forward to the new release, He's No Prince Charming and reading some of McLanes earlier works. I highly recommend this book!!

How to Score by Robin Wells

This was also a new author for me. However, I found myself having a hard time getting into the book. I actually skimmed the middle chunk of the book. We meet Chase, who is stepping in for his brother, Luke who has to go into the Witness Protection Program due to being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Now Luke is a life coach who talks to people over the phone so Chase thinks he can handle this. Then he talks to Sammi. Sammi is a klutz and having a rough time with men....she always injures all the men she is interested in after her ex dumped her. So begins the roller coaster of talking on the phone as "Luke" and being himself (Chase) since he decides to "accidentally" bump into her while jogging.
Overall, this isn't a bad story....I just could not get hooked. Their is a great subplot with Sammis boss (she works as a museum curator) and landlord that is fun to read. Also, there is a bit of suspense drama near the end that I did not expect but liked. I give this three stars. I also have another of Robin Wells' novels, Between the Sheets on my TBR pile but I think I will hold off on it a bit and hope I enjoy it more than I did this one.

Talk Me Down by Victoria Dahl

This was my first book by Victoria Dahl and it will not be my last! I loved it! The basic storyline is that Molly returns home to her small town...and to her high school crush, Ben, to get away from her creep ex-boyfriend. Except Molly has a secret...she is a best selling writer of erotic fiction and Ben is the star in her first novel! Not something she wants anyone to know so she keeps her job a secret from everyone.
Molly and Ben connect early on and have quite the steamy nights together. Dahl writes some funny one liners that are sure to make you snicker. There is also a bit of suspense thrown in as a creepy stalker is after Molly...looking in her windows and snooping in her home. And as Mollys secret is revealed, Ben takes a step back from their relationship and of course, discovers his true feelings (and rescues Molly just in time).

This was a wonderful blend of humor, steaminess and a touch of suspense to rate this book a solid four and a half stars! I am looking forward to reading the next two books in this series, Start Me Up and Lead Me On. Dahl has become an auto buy author for me!

Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella

This is another delightful, lighthearted novel with a hilarious spin on it from Sophie Kinsella. We meet Lara, who is a bit idealistic and ditzy (as most of Kinsellas heroines tend to be), at the funeral for her Great Aunt Sadie (age 105). During the ceremony, Lara hears a voice and finally actually sees Sadie and stops the funeral as Sadie needs her beautiful dragonfly necklace to have peace in the afterlife (I guess you could say). I know this sounds far fetched and odd, but somehow it really works. Lara and Sadie balance each other very well and have funny chats and it all just makes Lara look a bit more odd (you know, she looks as if she is talking to herself all the time) and therefore, enduring. As they start forth on their journey to find the missing necklace, they have plenty of bumps along the way (business partner takes off, getting over ex-boyfriends) and sparring matches (Sadie can yell into peoples ear, like an "inner voice" and basically make them say whatever she wants them too) which lead to quite a few embarrassing, funny and disastrous moments all on the path to discovery and true love.

I would rate this story a solid four stars and it is something I would definitely reread someday in the future. It is a wonderful story about family, friends, loyalty, and values. If this is your first novel by Kinsella, I would please give her a try. I do not think you will be disappointed...of course, I love all her books....but this one is a great stand alone.

Straight From the Hip by Susan Mallery

First, let me start off by saying that Susan Mallery has become one of my favorite authors and I look forward to each new book! Straight from the Hip is the third in a quartet of books in the series, Lone Star Sisters. I highly recommend that you read Under Her Skin and Lip Service beforehand. Here is the synopsis from Amazon.com: Izzy has always been the fearless Titan sister. But when an oil rig blows up, leaving her barely able to see, her sisters find themselves as concerned by her emotional withdrawal as by the possibility that the explosion was no accident. Are the mind games their long-lost brother Garth has been playing turning physical? Or is someone else out to get them?
When her sisters enroll her in a survivor training camp, Izzy is not happy. Nick, her instructor, is determined that she won't be left in the dark. In more ways than one. But if he tells her the terrible truth behind why he's helping her, he'll never see her again. Unless they're both willing to take the biggest risk of all.

After reading the first two books in the series, I wasn't really to pleased with Izzy...she is a bit self-centered and I was not sure how that would play out in her own story. Nothing to be worried about, though, as Mallery tells a wonderful, poignant story of love. There are some great supporting characters as well...Nicks gay assistant, Aaron, becomes a close friend and a great help to Izzy during her stay at the camp and adds some great dry humor. You also get updates on her sisters, Lexi and Skye, as well as their best friend, Dana, who gets her own story in Hot on Her Heels. I really enjoyed watching the relationship develop between Izzy and Nick...they have lots of snappy dialogue and sexual tension that finally translates into some steamy bedroom moments. Nick has his fair share of demons, as does Izzy, and the way they finally come together and grow as characters is wonderful.

Overall, this book rates four stars for me. Its a quick, sexy, emotional read and I am very anxious to read the last story that Mallery has set up with two unlikely people!

Midnight Sons Volume 2 by Debbie Macomer

This book contains the two stories, Daddy's Little Helper and Because of the Baby. It is also the second set of books in a three book series of six stories. I highly recommend you read Midnight Sons Volume I: Brides For Brothers\The Marriage Risk first!
The first story involves Mitch and the new teacher Bethany Ross. Mitch's daughter, Chrissie falls for Bethany very quickly and decides that she will make the perfect mother for her and sets about helping her dad marry Ms. Ross. Mitch has a few issues with this as his first marriage ended in disaster and he fells inadequate to love and marry again. Bethany is also in the small town of Hard Luck, Alaska to meet Ben, the owner of the cafe in town and find out what she can about him.
The second story centers on a divorced couple of Karen and Matt. Karen returns to Hard Luck to attend Matts sisters wedding and after Matt and Karen share a dance that leads to a one nighter and a baby. Thankfully Karen tells Matt about the baby and decides to return to the lodge Matt has fixed up in Hard Luck because she is feeling so ill in her home of California. They never stopped loving each other---Karen just could not take Matt going from career to career to career, just as her father did. This is a nice reconciliation story that will leave a smile on your face when you are finished.

Overall, this novel rates four stars for me. It is a wonderful novel about small town Alaska (and make me realize I could never ever live there! No daylight?! Yikes!). I am looking forward to the third novel plus the bonus story, Born in a Small Town, which contains a couple of the children all grown up. Debbie Macomber books are a bit predictable but very enjoyable and well worth reading!!

How To Knit A Wild Bikini by Christie Ridgway

From Amazon.com: The beachside knitting shop Malibu & Ewe is the perfect place for L.A.’s hip young crowd to enjoy colorful yarn and intimate conversation. For personal chef Nikki Carmichael, it could be the softest place to land if her new job falls through. Working for magazine writer Jay Buchanan has come with some strange conditions—like pretending to be his girlfriend. As for Jay, he finds himself drawn to the kitchen, where he’s intrigued by his sexy cook’s ability to withstand the heat between them. And now he thinks it’s time to turn up the flames.
This is the first book I have read by Christie Ridgway and I enjoyed it. This is the first book in series of books centering around the yarn shop Malibu & Ewe. I give this book three stars because I felt like there were to many subplots that were not processed through enough....they seemed a bit rushed and squeezed in. The reason Jay needs Nikki to pretend to be his girlfriend is to throw off his neighbor, Shanna and then she all of a sudden falls in love with the gardener. Which is fine, I just felt there was more to tell. . . The author also sets up the connecting storyline for all three stories, they are "sisters" from the same sperm donor. Not sure how I feel about that, seems a bit odd for a storyline but we will see.
Overall, this was a good first read for me and I am looking forward to reading the next two novels, Unravel Me and Dirty Sexy Knitting. Be warned though, if you are reading this for the knitting aspect, that really is not a main focus at all! It is not like Debbie Macombers knitting series, this is more they just hang out at the shop for a bit and cast a few rows. This book has some quick humor and a darker undertone that you do not expect in a funny romance. Hopefully the next two will be a touch better.

What to read, what to read??

So, my poor little nightstand is just loaded down with books. I have so many good ones that I want to read, I just don't know where to go next! I have a mix from the library and an assortment from paperbackswap.com that I want to get read and sent out so I get my credit back. So many books....so little time :)

Here's what I have from the library: Bending the Rules, How to Score, Twenties Girl: A Novel, Midnight Sons Volume II: Daddy's Little Helper\Because of the Baby, Unravel Me, and Talk Me Down. And if that isn't enough from the library, I decided to check out Naked in Death because I love Nora Roberts but have held off for almost ten years on reading this series. Why, I don't know? I enjoy James Patterson and for some reason decided to see if I will like the In Death series. I'm kind of hoping I don't because that is going to add almost 30 books to my TBR pile....sigh. :)

But that's not all I have!! Oh no! I have my pile from paperbackswap.com (PBS) that I need to read as well. They include: Straight from the Hip, Dirty Sexy Knitting, Divorced, Desperate and Delicious, Body Check, Redneck Cinderella, With a Twist, Trick My Truck But Don't Mess With My Heart, and Dark Roots and Cowboy Boots. And of course I have more coming in the mail...only two I think but still.

And then what about the new releases coming out in the next two weeks or so?? Theres 92 Pacific Boulevard, Wyoming Brides: Denim and Diamonds\The Wyoming Kid and Loves Me, Loves Me Knot. And of course, I still have books I've purchased but not yet read...my number one being Vision in White! I bought this book the day it came out (three months ago!) and still have not read yet! Sheesh. I think I know its going to go on my keeper shelf and that's why I keep putting it off. I will get it read before the next one (Bed of Roses) comes out in October!! I will! lol

It's not like I don't want to read these books...I do...I just don't know where to start! I mean, I love Susan Mallery and Nora Roberts but I still hold off a bit. I guess I will do one library book and then one PBS book. Thankfully, most of my library books are 28 day books and not 14 day. Thankfully I am also a SAHM and get to read a tad bit more than I would if I was working. Thankfully the boys take a nap most days so I get almost two hours to read (if I don't nap). Thankfully.

Whining

Could anyone please let me know when the whining stops? Is there a magic trick I am unaware of? Sheesh. Nothing gets to me like the constant, constant, constant whining!!! Don't get me wrong, I love my boys more than anything but....I could put them out on the curb everyday, lol! I don't remember E being as bad as his younger brother, Monkey is right now. Of course, thats probably because Monkey is learning from E....sigh. "Monkey see, monkey do" has taken on a whole new meaning to me. And it goes both ways which is extremely annoying. Monkey imitates E and then E imitates Monkey...like talking babyish as Monkey isn't talking super well yet. UGH. Naptime and bedtime are my salvation......is it bedtime yet?

Silhouette Special Edition -- Sep09

Texas Cinderella by Victoria Pade

This was another enjoyable read in the miniseries The Foleys and The McCords. (Diamonds, power and passion...Texas style!) Tanya is the housekeepers daughter and has no plans to be swept off her feet by Prince Charming. Then Tate McCord comes home and she can't help but want to get to know the man behind the money and name. Sparks fly and this is an easy and sometimes funny read. 3 and a half stars.

A Marriage-Minded Man by Karen Templeton

For some reason I did not really want to read this book. The description just did not really appeal to me. But, since it was part of my monthly shipment, I kind of felt obligated to read it since I pay for it :P Anyways--I was pleasantly surprised that it hooked me right away and before I knew it, I was halfway through it! The story centers around Eli Garrett and Tess Montoya, high school sweethearts. They have a bad breakup and Tess marries someone else and then endures a painful divorce. They reconnect later but Eli holds off and Tess wonders why he has an aversion to dating women with children. I didn't enjoy the second half of this book as much as the first. Sort of just skimmed the last couple chapters. Two and a half stars.

A Cold Creek Homecoming by RaeAnne Thayne

For me personally, this was another I was not really looking forward to ready (I wish I could pick which books I wanted each month as they print six and send you four!). This book centers around Quinn and Tess (note to Silhouette....try not to have to stories the same month with the same name). She treated him like dirt in high school while he was in a foster home. Quinn returns home to Cold Creek to help his foster mom, who he loves dearly, pass away and Tess is one of the nurses. Story evolves naturally from that....they discover what they have been missing. It did bring tear to my eye when Quinns foster mother finally passes. Sweet book. Three stars.

The Pregnant Bride Wore White by Susan Crosby

Oh, the classic one night stand leads to a baby and the dad doesn't know story, right? Well, I was pleasantly surprised that this had a bit of a twist to that storyline. Keri and Jake share one night together and then are separated and when she finds out she is pregnant, she goes to his hometown to tell him. However, he is nowhere to be found but his family takes her in. Jake returns home just before the birth and follows the family tradition of no babies born out of wedlock. Obviously they develop feelings for each other and have a happy ending. How they get to that though, is a good story. Crosby also has Jake's two brothers featured who will each have their own story soon and I am looking forward to reading them. Enjoyable read, three and a half stars.

The MacKade Brothers: Devin and Shane by Nora Roberts

This book is number two following The MacKade Brothers: Rafe and Jared which I highly recommend you read first as this continues on with the brothers.
I really enjoyed the first story containing Devin's story. His relationship with his secret love, Cassie, is very moving. Cassie married right out of high school before Devin got a chance to tell her his feelings and she ended up in a abusive relationship. She finally gets the courage to go to Devin for help and he does, of course! He bids his time and makes his move and Cassie realizes that it has always been Devin that was there for her. Very heartwarming story with just a touch of suspense thrown in.

Then we move on to Shanes story. For me, it was just all right. Shane is the farmer of the bunch, and a ladies man. He meets his sister-in-laws friend who is there to check out the ghosts (ongoing story through all four stories). Rebecca is a brainiac, quiet and unnoticed most of her life. She meets Shane and sparks fly. I don't know what it was with this story, but I found myself just sort of skimming the end, wanting it to be over. I just didn't enjoy it as much as the others, which was a disappointment.

Overall, I give this book 3 and a half stars and for the whole MacKade storyline, 4 stars. I love how Roberts keeps bringing back the characters from the previous books so you see how their life is developing! :)

Pratice Makes Perfect by Julie James

From Amazon.com: After eight years of grueling yet friendly competition, both Payton and J. D. anticipate partnership at their prestigious Chicago law firm. But after putting aside their personal animosities and working together to sign an important account, they realize each is vulnerable to, and attracted by, the other. Unfortunately, their boss then announces that only one partner will be named this year from the litigation department, and suddenly the competition is very real—and not at all friendly.

This is a fast-paced romantic comedy with sharp dialogue and hilarious situations that had me laughing out loud quite a bit! I believe I read the entire book with a smile on my face :) It was enjoyable right from the get go. I loved how Julie James experience in the law world is evident and makes you feel like you are there. I also liked the lack of sexual detail but there is plenty of sexual tension.....sometimes its nice to leave a bit to the imagination. I give this book a solid four and a half stars. I finished reading it still with that smile on my face.

This is Julie James second book following Just the Sexiest Man Alive (a winner!). She is now an auto buy for me and I can not wait until she has a new book out hopefully next year! I wish she had more out now. But--I can wait if the next one is enjoyable as her first two :)

Side note on my A to Z challenge..... taken care of P -- 19 left.

Holly's Inbox by Holly Denham

Product Description – From Amazon.com “System alert: Inbox full of scandal, romance, and office hilarity! Meet Holly Denham. It’s her first day as a receptionist at a London investment bank and inexperienced Holly is struggling. How’s a working girl supposed to have a love life with a demanding job, crazy friends, a dysfunctional family, and gossipy colleagues? Not to mention that Holly’s been keeping a secret from everyone – and the past is about to catch up with her. An affair with a sexy VP heats things up at the office, but when Holly’s first flame (who, she thinks, left her in the lurch) gets a job at the same company, complications abound and Holly’s inbox becomes a daily source of drama, laughter and scandal.”

Holly's Inbox was an interesting read for me as it is written entirely in email format. This gets a bit distracting though, as you need to constantly check who is writing to whom. The storyline is great and gets you hooked in, even though the middle seemed a bit sluggish. The last third of the book really got to me and the story was more interesting -- I finished the last two hundred pages or so (of 667!) in less than an hour. I give it 3 1/2 stars. Will I reread it in the future--probably not. Was it worth the time to read it -- yes! It was a nice change of pace from my normal romance books. Be sure to check of http://www.hollysinbox.com/ to follow Holly's 'real' emails.

Update on challenge and randomness

A small update on my A to Z challenge.

H: Holly's Inbox

W: Wife for Hire (Part of a Harlequin Duet but wanted to include it in case I don't get another W)

2 more down.....20 to go!!

Do you ever feel like you have so much to read and you just don't know what to read next because you want to read them all Right Now? Thats how I seem to feel lately. I have sooo many good books I want to read that while I am reading my current book, I am thinking, Hurry up so I can get to the next! Silly it seems. I am very glad it is summertime though b/c I have read much more now than I will when fall tv starts back up.....sigh..... I love tv too. I need more hours in the day! I know I am lucky that I stay home with my boys though, because I get more snippets of reading in when they are playing together.

Lucky Streak by Carly Phillips

This is the second in a trilogy of books. I have to say I enjoyed this one much more than the first book, Lucky Charm. Synopsis: Long ago, a witch proclaimed an eternal curse that every Corwin male who married for love would be destined to lose his woman and his fortune...

This story centers around one of the Corwin cousins, Mike and his new wife Amber who he met in Vegas and married on a whim. He then wakes up the next morning to find her and the $150k they one at the slots gone. Needless to say, he is not happy even though Amber has a very good reason for bolting. I really enjoyed the plot of this story more than the back cover eluded too. The back cover made it sound as if Amber and Mike would not reunite for most of the book when it fact, it was the opposite. Amber finds Mike back in Boston, apologizes, and does everything she can to make him forgive her. It was a nice change of pace that I liked and interesting to see their love blossom.

If you read Lucky Charm first (and I like to read all books in series in order), you will see the same characters appearing again and how their life has progressed. There are good supporting characters this time around also! They add weight and help keep the story interesting. Phillips also leads you into the final cousins story, Lucky Break and it sounds like another good one.

Overall, I give Lucky Streak a solid 4 stars. It was fast paced and I finished reading it in a day and ended with a smile on my face :)

Black Hills by Nora Roberts

Ahh, Nora Roberts. One of my all time favorite authors -- although, her stand alone novels are always a hit or a miss for me. This one was definitely a hit. I have come to notice that as long as I have some sort of interest in the plot (for example, this was all about wildlife rescue which I find fascinating) that the book is so much better. On to the story...

The book centers around Lil and Cooper, two people that meet as kids and drift apart for years and reconnect. I liked how the beginning of the story started out with them both as children and continued on into the teenage love. It made me appreciate their background more. They both have wonderful families, Lil with her mom, dad, and friends Farley and Tansy and Cooper with his grandparents. Cooper had a falling out with his parents and even though it is addressed I felt it could have been resolved a bit more in the present. That was a slight issue for me. Also, if you do not have any interest in wildlife refuge/rescue you may have a hard time enjoying this book as that is so much of the story. Lil has a very special relationship with a cougar and it carries through the entire book. She opens up her own wildlife refuge abode for old, injured and mistreated animals and has gone on many adventures around the world and loves her work. Cooper was a police officer and then PI so his work comes in handy to protect Lil as the killer is waiting to get Lil.
Another issue for me was that I felt the ending was a bit rushed. This book is long...472 pages as a hardcover and I just felt like I needed just one more chapter and surely they could have lost a few other pages to make that happen. SPOILER: I was extremely disappointed that the storyline around Tansy and Farley's love, engagement, and wedding planning did not include the actual wedding. So much time was dedicated to them that I wanted to have a wedding!

That being said, this book rates a solid four and a half stars. If the ending had just been a touch different I would have given it five stars.

A to Z Challenge

I saw this on a different site and thought it was a good idea to try. I will not count the words such as: the, an, a, etc at the beginning of the title. Also, for the harder letters like Q or X or V it may just be a letter in the title because those are difficult letters! It will be for July forward as I don't remember when I read most of my books already this year :)

So far:

B: Black Hills by Nora Roberts

J: Just the Sexiest Man Alive by Julie James (excellent book, first for me by this author and I really enjoyed and am looking forward to reading more from her! four stars)

L: Lucky Charm by Carly Phillips (not to bad, not somthing I will re-read anytime soon, fluff read, three stars)

O: One Reckless Summer by Toni Blake (emotional, sexy, steamy read!! Loved it! five stars)

Thats all I can think of that I have read this month so far. 4 down, 22 to go!

First Post!

Hi there! I am just getting started on this blogging thing but I read so many blogs I thought I might try my hand at it too. It will mostly be my opinions on books I am reading. I love, love to read :) Mostly romance, with a bit of chick lit and suspense thrown in once in awhile. I will list some of my favs at a different time. Please check back soon b/c I hope to have more of this figured out!