Category Archives: Western Romance

Review: Shadow’s Stand – HQN – Sarah McCarty

April 26, 2012

Expected Release Date: January 31, 2012
Publisher: Harlequin
Imprint: HQN Books
Author’s Website: http://sarahmccarty.net/
My Source for This Book: Netgalley
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 5, Hell’s Eight
Series Best Read In Order: Worked well as a standalone
Steam Level: Hot

Official Blurb:

Shadow Ochoa is lying low in the western Kansas Territory, waiting for his fellow Texas Rangers—the Hell’s Eight brotherhood—to clear his name. That is, until he’s unjustly strung up for horse thieving…and pretty Fei Yen intervenes. Invoking a seldom-used law, the exotic lady prospector claims Shadow as her husband and rides off with the bridegroom shackled to her buckboard.

Savvy, fearless Fei is single-mindedly devoted to her hidden claim and all it promises: wealth, security and freedom. A husband is just a necessary inconvenience and a name on paper to hold the claim she cannot.

Shadow isn’t a man to take orders from anyone, especially from lovely Fei—except that the daily friction between them ignites into nightly blazes of all-consuming passion. Soon Shadow is dreaming a little himself: of the life they could have if only Fei could see past the lure of independence. If only bounty hunters weren’t closing in on him. If only he’s left standing when the impending showdown has ended….

What Worked For Me:

  • I loved Fei.  Smart, beautiful, and cunning enough to know that no matter how unjust societies strictures may be, it’s better for a woman to manipulate them to her satisfaction than to outwardly buck against them. I truly adored how sly she was, and I laughed out loud several times at some of her bolder actions.
  • Oh Shadow. *fans self*  So deliciously alpha, and yet a good man underneath all of his crankiness, the fact that he was about to be hanged as a horse thief when Fei rescued him in a far more dramatic fashion than I’d anticipated simply added to his appeal.
  • Having never read other books in the series, I greatly appreciated the amount of history supplied so that when more characters from previous books made an appearance, I was never lost.
  • The climax of the book was very exciting, with plenty of action and harrowing moments.
  • I was also both please and amused with the resolution between Shadow and the rest of Hell’s Eight.

What Didn’t Work For Me:

  • What really threw me off was the spanking. Now, just because something isn’t really my kink, that doesn’t mean that it’ll pull my rating down. However, when something like erotic spanking is going to be brought into a story, I tend to prefer a bit of, well, warning.  In my mind, there was nothing that hinted towards this type of thing until it was happening, and it really threw me for a major loop. In fact, I actually put this book down for quite a while because of this. Now, before all the die-hard Hell’s Eight fans grab the torches and pitchforks, remember I’d never actually heard of this series until I saw it on Netgalley, and in turn, didn’t realize that this series was considered to be more on the romantica side than regular romance.
  • The “elixir” in regards to the cousin and her captors seemed a little too convenient, though I admit this was a fairly minor point in the long run.

While I don’t think I’m a prude (because really, how can one read as much steamy romance as I do and still be a prude?), I was a bit taken aback by the spanking. Not that it was objectionable, mind you, just that it was unexpected in the context of the story and really threw my off my stride in reading this, and I don’t think I ever really recovered from it.

It was deliciously steamy, and I really loved the chemistry and dynamics between  Shadow and Fei Yen, but because unexpected spanking is unexpected, I couldn’t say that I loved it. *shrugs* From what I understand, though, this series tends to be more romantica than just steamy romance, which of course tends to have light kink and/or taboo acts in them just for the thrills. It was completely a case of mea culpa there since I didn’t pay attention to the fact that previous books in the series were from a steamier imprint.

Even knowing that, however, I can only go by what I actually felt while I was reading it, and in the end I simply never recovered my stride in reading after that one minor incident, no matter how much I enjoyed the characters and the storyline.

4/5 Stars

Also posted in Historical – 0 Comments

Review: Hunter’s Prey – Samhain – Moira Rogers

April 10, 2012

Expected Release Date: March 6, 2012
Publisher: Samhain
Imprint: N/A
Author’s Website: http://moirarogers.com
My Source for This Book: Amazon.com
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 2, Bloodhounds
Series Best Read In Order: Yes, but works well as a standalone
Steam Level: Hot

Official Blurb:

He can’t fight his inner beast, but she can tame it.

Ophelia retired from life as a prostitute, but her new position is even more complicated. Managing the bloodhound manor in Iron Creek is difficult and time-consuming, a job she enjoys less with each passing day. Then there’s her inconvenient attraction to Hunter. The newly turned hound seems eager to enjoy her company, but wary of anything more intimate.

Having survived the violence of his first full moon out of a cage, Hunter isn’t looking forward to his first new moon. Ophelia offers to be the woman who sates his needs during the three long days of sexual fury, but he can’t abide the thought of hurting her in a state of mindless lust. Especially since she longs to settle into a respectable life, and his needs are anything but respectable.

Their mutual goal is simple: avoid entanglements. It’s a solid plan, at least until a vampire drug lord and a couple of nosy Guild representatives force them to work together to defend their friends and everything they hold dear—including each other.

Warning: Contains a mostly feral, vampire-hunting hero and a tough survivor of a heroine whose retired-hooker heart is more steel than gold. Also included: dangerous frontier intrigue, fancy brothels, mad-scientist weapons and a good dose of wicked loving in an alternate Wild West.

What Worked For Me:

  • Good LAWDY Moira Rogers can write some hot scenes, without ever going into the really crude or kinky end of the romantica genre.  *fans self* I love the incredible intensity and almost desperation of Hunter’s attraction to Ophelia, and how open Ophelia was to his lovemaking.
  • I don’t typically like promiscuous heroines in my romances, but by golly I loved Ophelia. And yes, I just said “by golly”. *nods*  Her pragmatic, no-nonsense approach to sex was very realistic for a border town in the Wild West, even if it is a Wild West filled with vampires rather than natives as a threat.
  • Nate! I’d actually forgotten about the development with Nate, as it’s been quite a while (and literally hundreds of books) since I’d read WILDER’S MATE, but I absolutely loved him in this book.
  • Hunter was absolutely delicious.  Literally a tortured hero, I think I fell in love with him the first time he called Ophelia “Miss”. Good manners make me swoon, and it was lovely seeing him treat her like a “real lady” even knowing she used to be a prostitute. Knowing that he really wanted to be with Ophelia and yet was too afraid that he would end up hurting her made for some lovely angst as well, and added a delicious amount of heat and tension between them.
  • There was quite a bit of action as well, with the scene at the train depot absolutely blowing my mind. I could actually picture it in my head like a big budget Hollywood movie, and let me tell you, it’d be awesome.
  • I also enjoyed the politics with the Guild, especially in regards to Hunter and Nate, and I am greatly looking forward to seeing two certain bloodhounds in the future.

What Didn’t Work For Me:

  • I hate to say it, but I’m not really a fan of the cover.
  • There were a few tiny moments of confusion for me, involving the train depot and the whole “Wilder and Satira and Archer are all gone” bit, but this was a minor issue and didn’t really count too terribly against the final rating.

I’m a huge fan of the Moira Rogers writing team in general, and an even bigger fan of this series specifically.  A bewitching blend of magic, Wild West, steampunk, and some hot, hot lovin’, the world that they’ve created is absolutely captivating.

Ophelia is an intriguing character, unapologetic about her history and practical when it comes to every day matters, and yet, still rather tender-hearted, which I really enjoyed.   Hunter’s hesitance to involve himself with anyone, especially given his history, made him endearing without negating his very strong sex appeal, and when the new moon hits? *fans self* Some major heat is guaranteed.

Recommended for fans of wild west action, fascinating steampunk adventure, betrayals, politics, and romance, all liberally doused with some delicious heat.

4.5/5 Stars

 

The Bloodhounds Series Reading Order:

 

Also posted in Historical, Paranormal Romance, Steampunk – 3 Comments

Review: Dark Vow – Carina Press – Shona Husk

November 14, 2011

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Expected Release Date: November 14, 2011
Publisher: Harlequin
Imprint: Carina Press
Author’s Website: www.shonahusk.com
My Source for This Book: Netgalley
Part of a Series: No
Series Best Read In Order: N/A
Steam Level: Warm

Official Blurb:

Jaines Cord plans to kill the man who murdered her husband, even though killing a Bounty Hunter is said to be impossible. One bullet took away her livelihood, her home and her love. One bullet made by her. Fired from the gun she completed for the Arcane Bounty Hunter.

Obsidian wears the scars of disobeying the powerful Arcane Union. He barely escaped with his life and now lives quietly, in a town the lawmen forgot. When Jaines arrives asking too many questions, he’s faced with a decision. Help her or run…again. Obsidian knows that if he flees he’ll always be looking over his shoulder. His name is one of the first on the Bounty Hunter’s death list.

Yet when Obsidian is offered an opportunity to stop the stone taking over his body in exchange for retrieving the gun, he asks Jaines for her help. Now Jaines must choose: a dead man’s vengeance or a living man’s hope?

What Worked For Me:

  • Isn’t that cover gorgeous?!
  • I loved the worldbuilding. The idea of the Ten Lords and all of the intricacies of their religions were beautifully woven in with the imbalance and injustices of society due to women not being allowed to be masters of any field.  Loose skirts and lightning boxes and mechanical engines (that almost borderlined on steampunk there for a moment) and all of the intricacies of society all added up to an incredible world that I for one am dying to learn more about.
  • Obsidian was awesome.  An outcast, with all sorts of secrets, and the need to stay blindingly drunk or perform magic to bleed off some of the buildup inside his body, he was surly and angry and secretive and just an all around delicious antihero.
  • I also really loved Jaines.  A bit of a tomboy, she was tough, independent, loyal, and brave.  The mere fact she’d survived a brutal attack as a child, even if they had left her with horrible scars, made her someone to admire, and her excelling at the art of gunsmithing really endeared her to the Southerner in me.
  • I also enjoyed the twist with the lightning boxes that Jaines had been so enamored with. No spoilers, but my jaw dropped.  It was awesome, and I’m dying to find out what happens with the whole situation in future books if there are any.
  • I also really

What Didn’t Work For Me:

  • Despite the fact that they didn’t occur until the last portion of the story, the I Love You’s felt like they came far quickly.  Perhaps I would have felt that Obsidian and Jaines were emotionally closer had the lovemaking not been as skimmed over, but as it was, I wasn’t really feeling the “love” between them by that point.  I certainly understood that Jaines wanted the physicality of lovemaking, because of her grief and guilt (can anyone say “rebound”?!), and that it was nice to feel attractive when most men looked at her as though something were wrong with her, but I never really felt love on her side.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying there needed to be all sorts of explicit detail (though, y’all know me — I’d never object to some heat!), but.. I simply didn’t really sense the intense chemistry that is needed to really trust in a whirlwind romance.
  • I didn’t care for the doubts places on Jaines’ relationship with Lance.  I can’t say too much more without giving a spoiler, but suffice it to say that while I understand the need to diminish a deceased spouse in the eyes of the heroine in order to sort of justify her rapid falling for a new hero, it’s disappointing when the love and devotion of a husband of eight years is called into question so shortly after his tragic death.

Believe it or not, I think the main thing that kept this story from getting a 4.5 or 5-star rating from me was the romance.  I never thought I’d say that, but in this case, it’s kind of true.

Well, okay, that isn’t completely fair. I loved both Obsidian and Jaines, and I think they were absolutely perfect for each other.  However, the distinct lack of sensuality combined with the whirlwind nature of their romance made it hard for me to really feel connected to the budding relationship between them.  With her so recently widowed and mired in guilt, it was understandable that she might be looking for a distraction, and of course Obsidian’s obvious interest in her as a woman would flatter someone who’d long believed they were rather undesirable, but in the end, while I could certainly believe that there was affection growing between the two of them, I wasn’t quite buying the ILY’s so quickly.

Regardless of how I felt about the speed of the relationship between Obsidian and Jaines, I absolutely adored the world that Ms. Husk has created, and if and when there is a sequel available, you can be absolutely certain that I will snap it up with a quickness.  According to the author, this is currently labeled as a standalone title, but she has plans to write more books set in this world, which has me incredibly excited.

In the end, despite my discomfort with the whirlwind romance, this book is easily going on my keeper’s shelf, and I sincerely hope that Ms. Husk continues to explore this fascinating world with future novels (and that she doesn’t keep us waiting too terribly long).

An incredibly solid 4/5 Stars.

Also posted in Fantasy – 3 Comments

Review: The Heiress and the Gunslinger – Harlequin Historical – Carol Finch

August 14, 2011

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Expected Release Date: August 1, 2011 (Available Now!)
Publisher: Harlequin
Imprint: Harlequin Historical
Author’s Website: http://www.eharlequin.com/author.html?authorid=435
My Source for This Book: Gift
Part of a Series: No
Series Best Read In Order: N/A
Steam Level: Steamy

Official Blurb:

Money can’t buy love…but it can buy marriage for on-the-run shipping heiress Natalie Blair. Her vicious stepfather’s scheming ways have the Louisiana beauty fleeing to Texas to seek out legendary contract gunfighter Donovan Crow. He is dark, dangerous, and marrying him would be the perfect protection…

For Van, the price is right and the spirited woman is impossible to resist. Soon the hardened bachelor can’t tell what’s more challenging—keeping their legions of enemies at bay or keeping his hands off his fake wife!

Natalie Blair, heiress to a major shipping company needs a husband, and she needs one NOW! Her cruel stepfather is scheming with a wastrel to marry her and gain control of the fortune left to her after her mother’s tragic death. Knowing that he will do anything to get his hands on her fortune, she fears for her very life, and flees to Texas to track down the infamous Donovan Crow — a mercenary gunfighter whose fearsome reputation means that he will be able to protect her.

Determined to propose a marriage of convenience, in which she gains the protection of Crow’s name while he gains a small part of her fortune, she disguises herself as Anna Jones.  Under this assumed name, she boldly informs everyone that she is Crow’s fiance, banking on his curiosity and pride to keep him from outing her until he’s listened to her proposal.

Van is a half-breed. Forced to turn his back on his Kiowa heritage when his people were forced onto an Indian Reservation, he blends in with white society thanks to the physical appearance he gained from his white father. His blue eyes and paler skin, however, are not enough to fully disguise his heritage, and combined with his reputation as a bounty hunter keeps him from being fully accepted into the upper echelon of white society, no matter how much money he has in the bank.

He’s astonished when his business partner informs him that he’s received a telegram announcing the imminent arrival of his fiance — a fiance he knows very well that he doesn’t have.

Both intrigued by and mistrustful of “Anna Jones”, he agrees to her marriage scheme, but vows to keep from getting close to her. With a vengeful outlaw family on his trail, he can’t risk having a true wife, knowing that anyone he was close to would immediately be a target of his many enemies.

However, his new wife’s sharp wit, incredible beauty, and staunch defense of Van in public, soon make her impossible to resist.

What Worked For Me:

  • I adore “marriages of convenience”, and this was a wonderful example.  Wed only a short time after meeting each other, both with the understanding that their marriage is merely a business transaction, both Van and Natalie are astonished by their growing feelings for each other.  Of course, their physical attraction doesn’t help them keep things on a purely business level, and the passion growing between them, both from frustration and from physical attraction, soon becomes more than either can resist.
  • I also liked Van’s business partner. A perfect foil to Van’s own “barbaric” tendencies, he also provided some needed lightness to the story.
  • Is it bad of me that I really liked that Van was perfectly comfortable with torturing criminals for information? I can’t help it! There’s just something deliciously dark about that, and while everything happened “off-camera” so to speak, it was still pretty danged sexy.
  • The love scene was very tasty without getting too explicit, and I liked that there was more than just physical attraction between them (though of course neither one would admit to it at the time).
  • I loved that Natalie was not some wilting flower, but instead could danged well take care of herself. While I admit I was just as annoyed as Van was that she foolishly brazened her way into all sorts of dangerous scenarios, I still couldn’t help but respect a woman who wasn’t afraid to get her hands dirty.
  • I also liked Van’s history with his tribe, and his survivor’s guilt for having made a life for himself in the same white world that caused the deaths of everyone he loved.

What Didn’t Work For Me:

  • I felt that the villains were so stereotypically bad.  Both Natalie’s scheming step-father and his co-conspirator were very flat characters and felt a little bit over-the-top.
  • While I was thankful for it, I admit it didn’t feel real that there was no sexual assault on Natalie when she fell into the hands of some of the villains, especially when it was mentioned that they planned on “enjoying” her after they’d killed Van.  To me, if they were the type to force themselves on a woman, it would make more sense for them to do so before Van came to the rescue, simply so they could torture him with the knowledge that they’d raped his woman.
Overall, this was quite enjoyable.  Despite the seriousness of the action, it was very fast-paced and light reading, which made it a perfect summer read.  Van was absolutely delicious, and Natalie’s natural gumption made her a quick favorite of mine.  The villains were a bit flat, and Natalie’s tendency to rush into situations that could’ve easily gotten her killed did lower my enjoyment a slight bit, but the fun of watching both Van and Natalie overcome their mistrust and preconceived notions made it a worthwhile read.
Recommended for fans of marriages of convenience, sexy gunfighters caught between two worlds, and a spunky heroine who discovers that sometimes love comes from the most unexpected place.
3.5/5 Stars
Also posted in Historical – 0 Comments

Review: Wrangler in Petticoats – Barbour Publishing – Mary Connealy

April 30, 2011

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Expected Release Date: Available Now!
Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Imprint: Barbour Books
Author’s Website: http://www.maryconnealy.com/
My Source for This Book: Netgalley
Part of a Series: Yes,  Book 2, Sophie’s Daughter’s series, Spinoff of Lassoed In Texas Series
Series Best Read In Order: Probably, but worked well as a standalone.
Steam Level: Warm

Official Blurb:

Ride into the Rockies where love peaks between a tough Texas tomboy and a passionate artist. On her way to Montana, Sally McClellan’s party is attacked and robbed. But then artist Logan McKenzie saves the badly wounded cowgirl who has been left for dead. Can this landscape painter tame the tomboy without breaking her spirit? Sally doesn’t know much about ribbons and lace, but Logan’s presence makes her want to connect with her feminine side. Will this fractured female discover a way to capture the artist’s love—or find herself captured and killed by outlaws?

I will be the first to admit that I don’t typically read “Inspirational” romances. They tend to be… a bit preachy for my tastes.  However, I have to say that Wrangler in Petticoats was surprisingly good for me.

Sally is a tough girl who knows how to work the land — a rancher born and raised who finds value in practicality.  Logan is a talented artist who sees beauty in all things, and who often ignores important everyday chores in favor of capturing the majesty that surrounds him in the mountains.

Sally is on the way to visit her sister who is due to have a baby soon when her group is set upon by robbers, who kill everyone in the party. Sally only escapes with her life by falling off a cliff (yes, you read that right) and is very badly injured.  As she fell, she was spotted by Logan, who was in the process of sketching for a new painting.  He carries her back to his cabin where his Shoshone housekeeper, Wise Sister, helps to nurse her back to health. In the meantime, Sally’s sister Mandy comes closer and closer to the birth of her third child in as many years, and her wealthy yet obnoxious and inattentive husband does nothing to provide for her or her children, or to protect her from some of the scoundrels that he’s hired to protect him.  As the story progresses, we not only follow Sally and Logan, but also Mandy and her family, as well as several side characters that you can’t help but care for even if you’ve never read any of the other stories in the series.

What worked for me:

  • I really enjoyed how Sally was the “practical” one and Logan was the more “romantic” one in the relationship.  She actually thought he was pretty worthless when she first met him, because he left all the every day chores to Wise Sister — things like cooking, cleaning, hunting, and so forth — while he sat around and painted all day.  To be honest, in the beginning, despite his income from his paintings, he was rather worthless when it came to those things.
  • I loved watching Logan grow as a person. Sally made a great point about how G-d gives people gifts, but they choose how to use them, and that just because he had a real talent and passion for art didn’t give him leave to be rude and completely ignore the needs of others.
  • I don’t usually enjoy stories where so much of the narrative focuses on other couples, but I admit that reading about Mandy and her husband, and even Wise Sister and her story really added a lot to the story, and helped distract me from the fact that I think Sally needed a good shaking for being so stubborn all the time.

What didn’t work for me:

  • As I mentioned, “Inspirational” novels aren’t really my cuppa. While there were many instances of praying, and quite a few references to G-d’s plan and sinning and things like that, they really didn’t bother me. When the main characters are devout in their faith, it fits well for them to be focused on G-d and to pray and to want to live a certain way.  However, there were a few times where I felt like I was being beaten over the head by the religious aspect in ways that distracted from the story.  For example, at one point rather early on, Logan thinks to himself that he hopes that in the mountains they were closer to G-d, and how that was foolish because G-d was in his heart no matter where he was.  There’s just something about that turn of phrase that felt more preachy than the other references, and pulled me out of the story rather than enhanced it.
  • There were times when the POV change got a bit distracting.

I was rather surprised by how much I liked this book.  The plot was fantastic, the characters were both interesting and well-developed, and the setup for the next book was lovely without banging you over the head with it’s obviousness.  The romance was sweet and believable, and the action was exciting with some very close calls.

So in the end, I surprise myself by saying, 4/5 Stars, and I’m actually going to pick up the next book in the series, Sharpshooter in Petticoats.

 

Also posted in Christian, Historical – 2 Comments

Review: The Outlaw Bride – Carina Press – Kelly Boyce

April 18, 2011

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Expected Release Date: April 18, 2011
Publisher: Harlequin
Imprint: Carina Press
Author’s Website: http://www.kellyboyce.com/
My Source for This Book: Netgalley
Part of a Series: No.
Steam Level: Steamy

Official Blurb:

Katherine Slade has two goals: to escape her outlaw husband and to find the family of the man who died saving her life. Taking the place of a mail-order bride isn’t part of her plan—until she’s forced to continue the charade and become Sheriff Connor Langston’s housekeeper to stay out of jail. Pretending to be another woman is hard, but Katherine’s real challenge is resisting her growing attraction to the handsome lawman…

Falling in love is the last thing Connor needs, even if the rest of Fatal Bluff wants him to. His hands are full with a band of outlaws threatening the safety of his town, and a child to raise. But Kate has a way of getting under his skin and into little Jenny’s heart. Soon Connor can’t get the fiery beauty out of his head—along with his suspicion that Kate isn’t who she claims to be.

When Connor learns the truth about Kate, is there any way for this outlaw bride to become the sheriff’s wife?

The story begins with Kate — penniless, on the run from her bank robber husband, and determined to fulfill a vow she made to the man who died saving her life — searching for a way to sneak onto the train that will take her to Fatal Bluff, where she can hopefully find the man’s family and satisfy her debt. When an older woman, obviously mistaking her for someone else, insists that Kate board with her, she jumps at the chance, not truly considering the consequences of her actions.  Once on board the train, she discovers that the woman she has been mistaken for is actually a mail-order bride!

Once she arrives in Fatal Bluff, she meets the man “she” is supposed to marry, but is immediately repulsed by his manner and appearance, and is rescued by the handsome sheriff, Connor.  Unfortunately, being noticed by the sheriff is the absolute worst thing that can happen to the wife of a notorious outlaw, and so her deception about her identity must continue.  Events (and the townspeople) conspire to have Con take Kate on as a housekeeper, where she begins to fall in love with Connor, but also his little girl, Jenny…

What worked for me:

  • I really like the premise of the secret identity. This adds a whole new level of tension to the novel, as Kate, who happens to be a horrible liar, must continue to pretend that she’s someone else entirely, without even knowing the facts and history of the woman whose identity she has stolen.
  • I liked the “feuding brothers” angle that was drawn out over the course of most of the story. While there were hints as to what had occurred, in the end I still ended up being a little surprised that things weren’t exactly what I’d been expecting.
  • The tension between Kate and Connor was beautiful, and even though this wasn’t as explicit as a lot of romances that I’ve read lately, it was still plenty hot.
  • I don’t normally like children in romance novels, but I have to admit that I liked Jenny.  Completely mute and mostly withdrawn, she and Kate quickly form a bond that I absolutely adored.
  • I loved that even though the last thing Connor wanted was a wife, he still ended up being the one to pursue Kate in the end.
  • The climax of the novel was brilliant, with plenty of action and emotional intensity, and I loved it.

What didn’t work for me:

  • Sometimes I felt that Kate was too good to be true. She’d made some mistakes (namely in marrying a bank robber), but still she was almost “too perfect” for my tastes. She wasn’t quite a Mary Sue, however, so that definitely helped.

Overall, I greatly enjoyed this. It had a lot of my favorite plot devices, such as the secret identity, the heroine on the run from an abusive husband, family estrangement, and an incredibly sweet resolution. A very cheerful 4/5 Stars

Also posted in Historical – 1 Comment

Review: To Wed in Texas – Berkley – Jodi Thomas

April 14, 2011

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Expected Release Date: Available Now!
Publisher: Penguin
Imprint: Berkley
Author’s Website: http://www.jodithomas.com/
My Source for This Book: Amazon.com
Part of a Series:  Yes, Book 3, Texas Brothers/McLain series
Series Best Read in Order: Works well as a standalone.
Steam Level: Steamy

Official Blurb:

If any town needed guidance on the path to peace, it was Jefferson, Texas. Delivering it was the widowed Reverend Daniel McLain’s calling. Unfortunately, Daniel’s own serenity is disrupted when his young daughters’ nanny abandons her job, leaving the widower to appeal to his late wife’s family for help . . . .

But instead of the elderly aunt he’s expecting, he’s greeted by Karlee Whitworth, the family’s forlorn cousin who’s desperate for a place to stay, and eager to prove her worth – - by caring for the twins and mending Daniel’s grieving heart. Now two lost souls are about to discover a kindred spirit, and the courage they need to find the happiness they were destined to share . . . .

Yes, I know, I just reviewed the second book in the series a few minutes ago. I couldn’t help myself. The little teaser at the end of To Kiss a Texan for this book made me have to go snag this one immediately.

Karlee is a typical Plain Jane heroine. She’s tall, overly endowed in the bosom department, has masses of fiery red hair, and for some reason, thinks she’s absolutely fugly.  *shrugs* While the whole heroine-is-really-a-hottie-but-thinks-she’s-gross thing doesn’t usually appeal to me, I do enjoy when the heroine is an unwanted, poor relation. Karlee has been bounced around from family member to family member since she was orphaned at a young age, and it has been made clear time and time again that they only tolerate her because they absolutely have to.

Daniel, on the other hand, is the main reason I wanted to read this book. I remember in the first novel when his wife died, how sad I was to think he’d never get his second chance at love.

Daniel was devastated when his wife died giving birth to their twin daughters several years ago. So much so that he’s never even named his girls.  Yes, you read that right. He never. Named. His children.  *facepalm*  In fact, they don’t actually get called anything other than “Twin” for almost half the book (he calls them Twin because in his words, when he wants one he usually wants the other as well)

So yes, I wanted desperately to smack Daniel at the beginning of the novel. However, the reason that I tolerated him is because I could tell that he dearly loved his children, and that they were really his only reason for continuing to live.

What worked for me:

  • Despite Karlee’s cliché romance-novel physical appearance, I did enjoy her quirks. She was brave and stubborn and often violent (which amused me to no end), and really did have a big heart.
  • I really liked that Karlee couldn’t cook. What appealed to me the most, however, was that the poor girl never really learned to cook by the end, either :P  She wasn’t transformed into a perfect little housewife by the time the story was finished, and I admit this greatly appealed to my take-out loving self.
  • As I’m a fan of the entire McLain family, I enjoyed seeing Daniel’s brothers and Allie from the previous novel, and enjoyed the subplot involving Allie’s family.

What didn’t work for me:

  • While I enjoyed the romance itself, I just felt this one leaned a bit heavy on the Romance Novel Clichés.  There was the unconventionally-hot-but-doesn’t-know-it heroine, who was also an orphan, a bookworm, brave, and intelligent. Then there was the widowed hero who had promised never to love again after the death of his wife, the serious accident that leaves him greatly injured and with temporary blindness (resulting in a marriage of convenience), and of course two adorable children (twins, at that) thrown into the mix.  And don’t get me started on the kidnapping or the evil cousin, or the fact that the Daniel saw Karlee naked because she didn’t realize he could see her while she undressed lol

The subplot of the rebel activities, as well as the bit about the guns and the army, definitely added a lot of flavor to the story. While I enjoyed Karlee and Daniel’s unconventional courtship, I admit that I was beginning to think that they’d never actually get past their stubbornness and actually get together.  The clichés were a little out of hand as well, though they didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the story as much as one might think.

Overall, a nicely angsty, entertaining read. 3.5/5 Stars

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Review: To Kiss a Texan – Jove – Jodi Thomas

April 14, 2011

Click on Bookcover to Visit Purchase Page

Expected Release Date: Available Now!
Publisher: Penguin
Imprint: Jove
Author’s Website: http://www.jodithomas.com/
My Source for This Book: Amazon.com
Part of a Series:  Yes, Book 2, Texas Brothers/McLain Series
Series Best Read in Order: Works well as a standalone.
Steam Level: Steamy

Official Blurb:

Wes McLain returned home from the Civil War with little money – - and less hope. He had even given up on love. Until he saw her . . . Allie, the blue-eyed girl who had been called a savage, a wild soul – - and was a prisoner of what seemed to be a horrible fate. But when Wes looked into her eyes, he wanted only to free her, and to take her with him on a journey through the frontiers of Texas . . .

But Allie had been brutally mistreated for years, and was now too afraid even to speak. Wes will have to heal her and it will take more than good intentions or a few moonlight kisses to win her trust.  And when Allie’s finally ready to speak again, she will tell Wes more than he ever imagined . . . .

There’s one classic romance standby that I admit is a guilty pleasure of mine: the abused heroine.  While I know it’s not everyone’s cuppa tea, I’ve always been drawn towards these types of stories because I love to see someone who’s been horribly abused overcome the past and find love and happiness without living in fear.

Allie wasn’t just abused, she was brutalized.  Kidnapped at a young age by “savages”, she was literally raised to believe that she was worthless.  She manages to escape the tribe and live on her own for several years, but when she’s “rescued” by Rangers who turn her over to a corrupt preacher, her life literally becomes a living hell. Beaten, raped, and kept in a cage to be trotted out before the masses and humiliated by the preacher who was supposed to be her salvation, Allie has absolutely no memory of human kindness.

Wes returned home from the Civil War to discover that his fortune is gone, and his fiancée wants absolutely nothing to do with him now that he’s not the rich war hero she’d been expecting — a point driven home when she has her bodyguards beat him senseless and dump him in the street.

A spur of the moment decision causes Wes and Allie’s worlds to collide when he rescues her from the cage she’s been kept in and brings her to her brother’s home several towns over.  In order to protect her from the preacher who is demanding her return, he quickly marries her, though vowing that he’ll let her go as soon as they find her family.

Of course, things are never that simple, but what follows is an incredibly sweet tale of finding hope where you’d only seen darkness, and finding home in the most unexpected places.

What worked for me:

  • I admit, I enjoyed Allie’s tendency to threaten people with knives. I especially enjoyed the first knife scene.
  • I loved that Allie wasn’t “magically cured” by Wes’ attentions. She’d been repeatedly raped and beaten over the course of many years, and she didn’t just “get over it” because she found Wes’ kisses and caresses to be pleasing.  The pacing of their physical relationship was absolutely perfect, as was the development of deeper emotional ties.
  • I also liked that though Wes was certainly no untried lad, he wasn’t known for his sexual prowess, either. It was rather refreshing to have a hero who was occasionally clumsy when it came to physical enjoyment, especially with a heroine from a damaged past. Had he been too skilled, chances are he would’ve been much more boring.
  • I really like the McLain’s as a whole. Unwavering loyalty, honor, and impulsiveness rule the day, and I really liked their reactions to meeting Allie.
  • While at first I was concerned that the introduction of Miss Victoria and her motley crew was an unneeded addition, I very quickly came to love the ornery old bat, and enjoyed the fulfillment of that storyline.

What didn’t work for me:

  • I admit, I didn’t care for the final result of the treasure map that Wes was following at the beginning of the story.

While I wasn’t a huge fan of the first novel in the series, I did enjoy seeing Adam and Nicole again and getting a bit of an update as far as they were concerned.  Allie’s horrific past made her such a strong character whom I admired very much. She was terrified of her own shadow in the beginning, but that didn’t mean she was weak or cowardly; rather, she’d learned long ago to trust no one and never let anyone at your back.  Wes was beautifully flawed in his own ways — he was cranky, had a talent for saying the wrong thing, and was far too obsessed with a treasure map he’d come into possession of following a cattle stampede.

Overall though, I thoroughly enjoyed it. The simple fact that Ms. Thomas didn’t gloss over Allie’s previous abuse or make light of the repercussions of having been so badly misused for so long made this one of the more satisfying HEA’s that I’ve read in a long time. 4.5/5 Stars

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Review: Silver Lining – Ivy Books – Maggie Osborne

March 29, 2011

Click on Bookcover to Visit Purchase Page

 

Expected Release Date: Available Now!
Publisher: Random House
Imprint – Ivy Books
Author’s Website: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/54662.Maggie_Osborne
My Source for This Book: B&N
Part of a Series: No
Steam Level: Steamy

Official Blurb:

Hailed as “one of the best writers in the business” by Susan Elizabeth Phillips, multi-award-winning author Maggie Osborne delivers hilarious and heartrending tales of resilient women full of grit, pride, and dignity who shine through hard times. Now meet the most irresistible and independent heroine of them all, a woman called Low Down, who never had anything good happen to her until the day she asked for the one thing that only a man could give her. . . .

As scruffy and rootless as the other prospectors searching for gold in the Rockies, Low Down wanted nothing in return for nursing a raggedy bunch through the pox. But when pressed to reveal her heart’s wish, she admits, “I want a baby.” Not a husband, not a forced marriage to the proud man who drew the scratched marble and became honor bound to marry her. To be sure, Max McCord was easy on the eyes, but he loved another woman and dreamed of a different life. Yet they agreed to a temporary marriage that could end only in disaster. But can this strange twist of fate lead to the silver lining that both have been searching for?

This book is like hot macaroni and cheese. It’s like meatloaf and mashed potatoes. It’s like an ice cream sundae with extra fudge and whipped cream. In other words, this book is literary comfort food. *contented sigh*

This book has so many of the things I love in a romance novel. There’s a tom-boy, downtrodden heroine, a forced marriage, a love triangle, hard decisions, and a love that builds so slowly that by the end you can’t help but want to give the book a hug.

What worked for me:

  • I really liked that Low Down (also known as Louise) has had an incredibly hard life, and that while she’s definitely roughened and slightly cynical from her experiences, she isn’t bitter or prone to self-pity. She admits when she’s wrong (though perhaps she did get whipped into a good old fashioned cussin’ fit first), she always tries to do the right thing, and she’s loyal to a fault.
  • Despite Max’s bad attitude and tendency to not want to take responsibility for his own actions, I loved that he was an honorable man at his core, and strove to live honorably even when in an untenable situation.
  • I absolutely adored the resolution to this story, of which I will say no more because I refuse to spoil the delicious angst in this novel by describing it ;)
  • I love that their physical relationship progresses more realistically than in some novels involving a forced or arranged marriage between strangers.  Max and Louise are rushed into a physical relationship because of their hasty marriage, but things aren’t all butterflies and champagne; their first experience is awkward and rather embarrassing for them both.  As time progresses, they move past awkwardness into anger and resentment, and finally into a more normal sense of desire and eventually love.

What didn’t work for me:

  • The only real dislike that I have for this book is that there is something Louise wanted to tell Max at the end that we never see. Instead he asks her if she can wait to tell him, and she agrees. I would’ve loved to have seen that conversation.

Overall, this is one of my favorite historical Westerns of all time.  Both Max and Louise rank at the top of my “favorite hero/heroine list”, and even further, I’ve read this book at least four times, and each time I love it just as much as the first.   A very solid 5 Stars.

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Review: Wilder’s Mate – Samhain Publishing – Moira Rogers

March 11, 2011


Think a vampire-hunting bloodhound is dangerous? Try threatening his woman.

 

Bloodhounds, Book 1

Wilder Harding is a bloodhound, created by the Guild to hunt down and kill vampires on America’s frontier. His enhanced abilities come with a high price: on the full moon, he becomes capable of savagery beyond telling, while the new moon brings a sexual hunger that borders on madness.

Rescuing a weapons inventor from undead kidnappers is just another assignment, though one with an added complication—keeping his hands off the man’s pretty young apprentice, who insists on tagging along.

At odds with polite society, Satira’s only constant has been the aging weapons inventor who treats her like a daughter. She isn’t going to trust Wilder with Nathaniel’s life, not when the Guild might decide the old man isn’t worth saving. Besides, if there’s one thing she’s learned, it’s that brains are more important than brawn.

As the search stretches far longer than Wilder planned, he finds himself fighting against time. If Satira is still at his side when the new moon comes, nothing will stop him from claiming her. Worse, she seems all too willing. If their passion unlocks the beast inside, no one will be safe. Not even the man they’re fighting to save.

 

Warning: This book contains a crude, gun-slinging, vampire-hunting hero who howls at the full moon and a smart, stubborn heroine who invents mad-scientist weapons. Also included: wild frontier adventures, brothels, danger, betrayal and a good dose of wicked loving in an alternate Wild West.

I admit, it isn’t often that I buy a story on release day. With very few exceptions, I typically wait a week or two until I have a chance to read some reviews from people who share my tastes in stories before I plunk down any of my hard earned money. However, I am a Moira Rogers fangirl, and when I found out she had a new story that combined vampires, werewolves (of a sort), western romance, and steampunk, I couldn’t get over to Amazon quickly enough. Add to that the fact that it’s less than a Starbuck’s Latte, and I was immediately sold.

What worked for me:

  • Vampires? Werewolves? Westerns? A touch of steampunk? Oh yeah, that’s right, this story was practically written just for me!
  • I liked the mythology of the Bloodhounds, though I was disappointed that their history and secrets weren’t expounded on a bit more (though I suppose that’s the point of writing a series, huh?).  I love that while they adhere to traditional werewolf mythology in that they have a forced “change” during the full moon, they also have a sexual frenzy come upon them (no pun intended) during the new moon as well.
  • I really liked Satira, which surprised me. I typically prefer for my historical heroines to be virgins, or at a bare minimum, virginal. Satira was unapologetically neither. The daughter of one prostitute and the best friend of another, she was raised around bloodhounds and has gladly accepted several into her bed across the years.  Despite this, she didn’t have the cynical or promiscuous view that many experienced heroines in historical novels do, and that really added to her appeal.
  • I actually liked Satira’s insecurities, some that she hadn’t even been aware of. It seemed to soften her and make her more vulnerable, when she normally came across as so confident and fearless.

What didn’t work for me:

  • I didn’t really care for the many references to Wilder’s previous visits to the brothels.  I know, I know, but when I travel into Romancelandia, I prefer that when my heroes have a slutty past, they not rub everyone’s noses it.

It should be noted that there was prolific use of the “c” word, for those readers who can’t stand its usage, as well as an occasional foray into some back-door loving.  Despite the language, I don’t feel that this qualified as erotica, however, and would instead call it an “incredibly steamy romance”.   Steampunk fans should also be aware that those elements were few and far between. Elevators, various weaponry, and steam carriages seemed to pretty much be the extent of the Steampunk elements, with nary an airship or pair of welding goggles to be seen.  The inventions that were present, however, were quite important, and I couldn’t help but get flashes in my head of the movie  Wild Wild West on occasion.

Overall, I adored it. I quite literally couldn’t put it down, and cannot wait for the continuation of the series.

A very solid 4.5/5 Stars

Also posted in Paranormal Romance – 2 Comments