Hardcover; 209 pages
Publisher: Vanguard Press - April 5, 2011
ISBN-10: 1593156565
ISBN-13: 978-1593156565
Genre: Women's Fiction, Contemporary Romance
Book: Standalone, loosely connected to The Christmas Clock as it's set in the same town (Dreyerville)
Main Characters: Marly Hanson & Reed Bennett
On sale at: The Bookdepository Store

Summary:
Kat Martin brings readers back to the charming town of Dreyersville for another compelling story of love, loss, and hope in second chance.
Years after leaving Dreyersville "for good" with her boyfriend right after high school, Marilys Hanson returns to her hometown at the behest of her daughter, Katie, a brain-cancer survivor, who's never met her grandmother, Marilys's mother, Winnie. Now divorced from her husband, Marilys has a past she wishes she didn't have to face there.

Living next door to Winnie is the handsome young sheriff (and widower), Reed Bennett, and his son, Ham. Ham and Katie become fast friends, and when their parents finally meet, they hit it off quickly as well. But Marilys is insistent that her time in Dreyersville be limited. She's accepted a teaching position back home, and while she's willing to spend some of her summer putting up with her mother, she's intent on heading back and making good on her commitment. But will Marilys finally come to realize that her true destiny and, ultimately, her happiness, lie in coming to terms with her past?

Pearl's Review:
Marilys “Marly” Hanson escaped Dreyerville, her hometown, 12 years ago determined never to look back or come back. Then her daughter escapes death and her only wish is to see the grandmother she's never met. Marly is a teacher and a single mom with a complicated and painful past, now dealing with a daughter recovering from brain cancer. Her return home sets in motion a bunch of events: a reunion with her mother seems less impossible and the possibility of love and romance emerges.

Reed Bennett is Winnie's (Marly’s mother) neighbor and town's sheriff. He’s a widower and single dad and an all-around good and decent guy. Though the focus of the book is more centered on Marly, her mother and her daughter. Reed and his son do make memorable characters that formed a very good match and balance with the female ones.

This novella is not just about Marly and Reed, it's also about the people who surround them and play important roles in their lives. Kat Martin makes sure you get to know and understand them all, which pushes the romance a little bit to the background. Also, there are no love scenes, just kisses. However, I didn't mind that at all, because it's not that kind of book and having read THE CHRISTMAS CLOCK, I went into this book knowing what to expect.

A SONG FOR MY MOTHER is set in Dreyerville, like Kat Martin’s THE CHRISTMAS CLOCK. Although it's in the same setting it can perfectly be read as standalone because there’s no ongoing plot and some characters from THE CHRISTMAS CLOCK only briefly appear or are mentioned. Other than the main theme being love in its different forms the storyline is totally different too.

Kat Martin's writing is unique in its simplicity and the way it just pulls you in the story, no matter what genre it is. The POV transitions contribute to the pace and they're executed very smoothly. It doesn’t even matter what length the story is because even though this was a novella, in the small span of 155 pages Kat Martin gives the reader an emotional story about love in all forms, loss, regret and forgiveness and she even touches the heavy subject of abuse. But she also manages to depict vivid, realistic characters with such depth and back-story I was astounded and pleasantly surprised at the end that I didn’t even miss the sexy times in this book. The story and emotions carried this story so much better than any love scene could have ever done.

Despite the thoroughness with which the characters are portrayed Kat Martin's writing is swiftly paced from the very beginning, keeping the story moving and the reader eager to keep on going till you've read the last page and closed this lovely book with a satisfied sigh.

There were a few scenes that were memorable and made such an impact that I want to mention them in this review. One of them was the scene with Emily, when Marly realizes she needs to forgive her mother. That scene was so powerful and emotional it made me cry. The other one is the scene where Marly and her mom finally talk about the past and make peace. This scene had the same powerful impact on me as the earlier mentioned scene had.

A SONG FOR MY MOTHER is an emotionally heavy read and you have to be in the mood to read it as it will tug at your heartstrings in a most intense way.

Quotes:
Reed hadn’t really been attracted to a woman since Carol had died. Hadn’t felt that little kick in the gut a man feels when he meets a woman who appeals to all his male instincts.

She was attracted to Reed Bennett. For the first time in her life, she understood what it was like to feel desire for a man. When he kissed her goodnight, she didn’t want the kiss to end. When he held her hand, little tingles ran up her arm. When he laughed, she wanted to laugh with him. When he shared his thoughts and dreams, she found herself wanting to share her own, discovering in the process a few she hadn’t realized she had.

Tradesize Paperback; 352 pages
Publisher: Berkley Trade - December 7, 2010
ISBN-10: 1439152950
ISBN-13: 978-1439152950
Genre: Erotic Contemporary Romance
Book: Single Author Anthology
Main Characters:
FIRE AND ICE - Andi Radcliff & Jared Stone
SLIPPERY SLOPE - Brianna George & Zack Michaels
IN HOT PURSUIT OF A BAD BOY - Maddie Daniels & Logan Carver
On sale at: The Bookdepository Store

Summary:
At a destination wedding in Whistler, the bride and groom aren’t the only ones steaming up those cold winter nights!

“Fire and Ice”
Wedding planner Andi Radcliffe wants to be a man’s “first and only,” yet she can’t take her eyes—or hands—off sexy firefighter Jared, a widower who’s already loved and lost. Though she doesn’t want to be any man’s second choice, their secret rendezvous are setting off all the right alarms.

“Slippery Slope”
Brianna George, the groom’s boss and friend, is the celebrity host of a TV talk show. She’s all about business—until Zack, a hot young Aussie ski instructor, seduces her over to the sexy side of life. But will their secret romance jeopardize her career?

“In Hot Pursuit of a Bad Boy”
Maddie Donovan, the groom’s little sister, always had a thing for his bad boy friend Logan. Seeing him again after so many years, she won’t miss her chance to prove she’s all grown up…and find out just how a good a bad boy Logan really is.

Pearl's Review:
Fire and Ice
Andi Radcliffe is a wedding planner. She’s responsible, sensible and organized but in the face of a fire and then possibly freezing to death she decides to be impulsive and take a chance with the sexy firefighter who came to the rescue. She’s the type of girl of takes care of others first and puts herself last.

Jared Stone is a firefighter. He’s a widower, guilt-ridden and still very much in love with his late wife. But when he meets Andi he starts to realize that sometimes opening up to new people in his life and even a new love, doesn’t demean his first love

Jared and Andi have different expectations of their encounter. For Jared it's casual hot sex while Andi's hoping it could grow into something more meaningful.

I enjoyed this first story of the anthology. It set the stage for the other two stories, introducing some of the main characters from those stories. In the beginning I did have a feeling of missing the emotional connection, both between the main characters and between them and me. This feeling disappeared when I read about a third of the story. Something clicked and the second sex scene was more to my liking than the first.

Despite the small page-count, FIRE AND ICE is a well-rounded story that's a balanced mix between erotic romance and character-development but because of the shortness of the story it also felt a little bit rushed. However, the ending was lovely and emotional and made up for the rushed feel.

Quote:
She must look ridiculous, yet he was still staring at her as if he wanted to eat her from head to toe, paying special attention to the goodies in the middle.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Slippery Slope
Brianna George is creator and host of the TV show ‘The Scoop. She’s a native Canadian who overcame her difficult past and became a successful TV personality and a local celebrity. She’s focused, grounded and pragmatic. A perfectionist with a terrible track record with men and dating and an all work no play kind of woman. Beneath the capable exterior there's an air of insecurity and vulnerability and a fear of failure. She longs to blend in and be respected, to overcome her past riddled with gossip and preconceived opinions.

Zack Michaels is an Australian ski instructor. He’s outgoing, impulsive, vibrant and charming. He enjoys life to the fullest and his zest for life rubs off on people. But he’s also sensitive, perceptive and stubborn.

SLIPPERY SLOPE appealed to me much more than the first and this probably had to do with the trope as I love older woman-younger man stories. I really like this trope and think Susan Lyons did a great job of making it work in this story. I also like that the age difference between Zack and Brianna didn’t form the main conflict between them.

I really enjoyed the banter between Brianna and Zack, which also brought along some humor to the story. Zack encourages Brianna to loosen up and be more playful. This story felt a bit less rushed than the first but as with the first story the resolution of the conflict was whirlwind quick. And again Susan Lyons wrote a wonderful and emotional end to the story.

Quotes:
"If that's your not-so-subtle way of finding out if I'm single, the answer is yes. But don't take that to mean--"
"Mean what?" He gazed into her eyes and sank into pools of bittersweet chocolate.
Dark skin, dark eyes. Did she taste like chocolate, too?
She gave a start and blinked. "Uh, that I'm interested in . . . whatever."
"Ah, but you've never tried my brand of whatever," he teased.
Her eyes narrowed. "I've tested enough brands to be skeptical about the overall product."

Other men had given her tentative kisses and forceful ones. Never had a guy kissed her with this blend of gentleness and confidence. His lips were soft, teasing, seductive, and she had to respond, to open her mouth on a sigh of pleasure.

Rating: 4 stars

In Hot Pursuit of a Bad Boy
Madeleine 'Maddie' Daniels is a massage therapist. She’s sweet, warmhearted, inventive, tenacious and passionate.

Logan Carver is a (undercover) cop. He’s the troublemaker kid that went from foster home to foster home. He puts up a rough, tough bad boy front but deep down he's a good guy, an outsider longing to belong somewhere and have someone who cares about him.

The chemistry between Maddie and Logan is the most sizzling of the three couples. This made their story stand out the most for me. Also the fact that their story didn't start out as "just sex" between virtual strangers, like the other two did, but had a foundation in a friendship started long before, made IN HOT PURSUIT OF A BAD BOY the best of the three stories for me.

The sex scenes are hot and explosive and I loved the shower scene. I also loved how Maddie went about to get the guy she'd loved since she was a teen. She knows he's a tough nut to crack emotionally so she decides to take the physical route and hopes it will be enough for him to realize he wants her for more than a temporary sexual fling and return her love.

I’m starting to sound like a broken record but like in the other two stories the ending was lovely and emotional and a perfect closure to the entire anthology.

Quotes:
Her smile touched a chord in his heart that hadn't been strummed since that last night he'd been with her.

No need for him to know she was all nerves, wondering if he still made her heart lurch and her hormones zing the way no other man ever had.

If he'd played his cards right, he could've been in her bed right now, using his rigid boner for something much more satisfying than holding up his jeans.

Rating: 4 stars


IN GENERAL ABOUT THE ANTHOLOGY:
The setting for this anthology is a destination wedding at a chalet at Whistler, Canada: Alpine Hideaway. The couple that is getting married has an important secondary role in all three stories but they are never truly in the foreground. Every story has one or both main characters who has a link with the bride and/or groom.

This single author anthology is my first encounter with Susan Lyons writing despite having her Awesome Foursome Series on my shelves (I still have to read them) and it was a pleasant first encounter. I really liked her clean, crisp writing style, tinged with subtle humor and rife with hot chemistry and explosive encounters.

The three stories balance each other out in a great way. They all have a different trope and vibe and yet form a cohesive whole aided by the setting and the complex, fascinating characters. Together they form a lovely anthology about finding love that was wrapped up in a fitting epilogue.

Paperback: 187 pages

Stand-alone (it is the second story in the book)

Contemporary Romance

Publisher:  Mills & Boons

ISBN: 978 0 263 88834 8

Release date: October 2010

Main characters : Wyatt Black & Elli Marchuk

Paperback copy received for review

Purchase at: The Book Depository Store

Summary:

The cowboy…

After a hard day’s ranching, Wyatt Black wants to kick back with a cold beer. But when he steps onto his porch he has unexpected company – his tiny abandoned baby niece!

His doorstep baby…

Against her better judgment, his neighbour Elli Marchuk agrees to help Wyatt for a few days.

And the girl next door!

Elli soon falls in love with baby Darcy, but it’s her grouchy, gorgeous protector who’s got her head over heels….

My review:

Wyatt Black has no clue what to do when he finds his baby niece Darcy abandoned on his porch. He is a rancher and knows nothing about babies. Fortunately his neighbor Elli Marchuk is willing to help him with baby Darcy till he has figured out what is going on here. Wyatt and Elli fall in love with baby Darcy and she is their number one priority till Darcy’s mum returns. They feel attracted to one another but both carry a lot of emotional luggage and this stands between them.

To be honest, I had low expectations when I started this story. Why? Because it is only 187 pages long or perhaps better said short. Me and short stories are usually not a good combination, I almost always miss a certain depth in the characters or plotline and it usually feels rushed. But Donna Alward pleasantly surprised me with Proud Rancher, Precious Bundle. It is a beautiful, even-paced, emotional and solid read about two people who try to heal themselves and leave their past behind.

The story works for me because it is not rushed. The whole story takes place in approximately 2 – 3 weeks; it is even-paced and only deals with the relationship of Wyatt and Elli. So no complex plotlines or lots of characters, just a classic love story between two people. Because the storyline is pretty straightforward the strength of this story lies in the character development of Elli and Wyatt. Both are strong, likeable and totally caught in the maelstrom of emotions that baby Darcy brings along.

Wyatt is a rancher, handsome, strong, and a bit blunt sometimes but also gentle, caring and responsible. He had a lousy childhood; his father drank and beat him and he took care of his mom instead of the other way around. To compensate his father’s absence and lack of responsibility he always felt the need to fix things or people and still does. He tries very hard not to be like his father, but his parents’ marriage has scarred him. Having Darcy in the house makes him realize he is nothing like his father and that he is worthy of a family.

Elli is a strong and caring woman who lost her baby; on top of that she has lost her job and got divorced. Now she tries to pick up the pieces of her life and tries to figure out what to do with it. The last thing she needs is to fall head over heels again for a rancher and take care of a baby. But taking care of Darcy is forcing her to face her grief and start living again instead of hiding from the world. And while spending time with Darcy and Wyatt she discovers what she really wants out of a relationship.

I was really rooting for Elli and Wyatt, I so wanted them to be happy and have their HEA. Thanks to Darcy they both had to scrutinize their lives, they helped each other to fathom things about themselves so that they can move on with their life. At the end of the story both have a better understanding of themselves, making them well-rounded characters. Elli and Wyatt’s conversations are vivid and some were very recognizable, making the story only more real. Do not expect steamy love scenes, there aren’t any and I did not miss them. This story does not need it for it is packed with real-life emotions.

With this story I now have Donna Alward on my radar. Proud Rancher, Precious Bundle is a powerful, emotional and classic love story. It kept me captive and rooting for Elli and Wyatt to the last page. It is feel-good romance at its best and I loved it!




 
 

I always enjoy the venture in to new book/series venues and when I first heard about The Sinner Tour series all my warning signs started to buzz and ring. Here is what it's ALL about...

Olivia Cunning’s first series:

Sinners on Tour
Sex, Love and Rock ‘n’ Roll
Follow the sexual and romantic exploits of the rock band Sinners as they find love on the road.


Go to the official Sinner band site -here-




Sinners on Tour:
Backstage Pass (Book 1)

Available now!
Excerpt
Purchase

Human Sexuality Professor, Myrna Evans, wants nothing but a weekend of hot, no-strings-attached sex with Sinners' sensual lead guitarist, but Brian Sinclair is looking for something more permanent than a one-night stand. Unable to compose music for months, when Brian makes love to uninhibited Myrna, he hears exquisite guitar riffs and finger-burning solos. In Myrna, he's found his muse.



Sinners on Tour:
Rock Hard (Book 2)

Release Date: April 1, 2011

Sinner’s lead singer, Sed, had his heart shredded when Jessica left him to pursue her dreams,so when she dances her way back into his life, he's not sure he's ready for her brand of pain, or pleasure, again. When she convinces Sed to engage in a benefits with benefits relationship, things seem to be going his way, until one of his fans catches their explicit public display of affection on film and posts it all over the internet. Will Jessica ever trust Sed again? And has Sed become the man of Jessica’s dreams or is he just posing to get what he wants?

 
Sinners on Tour:
Hot Ticket (Book 3)

The seemingly sweet, shy bassist, Jace Seymour, has a BDSM fetish and his current dominatrix, Aggie, isn't shy about branding him as hers. But can she truly force him to submit, or will Jace turn the tables on her by bringing all their darkest sexual fantasies to life?

 
 
 
 
Sinners on Tour:
Snared (Book 4)

Sinners’ fun-loving drummer has always been voyeuristic. Has Eric finally met his match in an exhibitionist and will he truly be satisfied with just watching?

 
 
 
 
 
 
Sinners on Tour:
Double Time (Book 5)

After falling head over heels in love with the perfect woman for him, Sinners’ rhythm guitarist, Trey Mills, vows to give up his bisexual ways forever. When an obsessed fan kidnaps her, Trey must work with her best friend and roommate, a private investigator, to have her safely returned. Falling for his girlfriend’s roommate, a guy, was never on Trey's agenda. Will he have to choose between them, or can he have the best of both worlds?

 
Olivia Cunning
website - twitter - facebook
 
After reading this I want to find my ultra tight 80's jeans, my leather, knee-high boots and rock the night away! I've got a friday night date with BACKSTAGE PASS coming up *woohoo*. This tour is going to last until 2012..I've already got books on my radar for 2012...it baffling o_0 
 

eBook; 289 pages
Publisher: Carina Press, June 14, 2010
eISBN-13: 978-14268-9017-8
Genre: Contemporary Cowboy Romance
Book: Stand Alone
Main Characters: Rafe Cabrerras & Liberty Starr
On sale at: Carina Press

Summary:
Rafe had never met a truly irresistible woman, until he met Liberty.

Libby has the kind of beauty that comes on slow—strikes a guy the longer he looks. And Rafe sure is having a fine time looking, and touching, and loving Liberty Starr. The only problem is that Rafe is pretending to be just another cowboy down on his luck. Working for the FBI, he’s come to Stone Hill, Colorado, to investigate the man Libby loves like a father.

He was just another cowboy.

Free-spirited Libby offers him a job and a place to stay. Together they spark like wildfire, their intense passion filling their days and nights. But Rafe is only in town for the summer, and while Liberty is willing to risk her heart secrets threaten any possibility of a future together...

Pearl’s review:

Liberty “Libby” Starr owns an inn and boards horses in a small town in the Colorado Rockies, Stone Hill. Libby is very open and free-minded. She grew up in a nudist colony and is a self-proclaimed nudist who is very comfortable in her own skin and has no problems with nudity. I loved Libby; she’s softhearted but not gullible. She’s a smart and independent woman, spontaneous and outgoing. She is very capable and has good business sense

Rafe Cabrerras is pretending to be a cowboy down on his luck. But he has come to Stone Hill with an agenda. He is investigating Caleb Hamilton, Libby’s business partner and the man she considers a father. His investigation leads to events that turn both his and Libby’s world upside down, and that’s not even taking into account the immediate chemistry between them. Rafe was a delicious hero. Pulling off the cowboy role perfectly and the subtle humor and banter between him and Libby was a joy to read next to their explosively hot chemistry.

I totally and unexpectedly warmed up to Caleb. He may seem harsh, cold and calculated but deep down he’s not. He’s a sensitive, intuitive man who’s known loss and hurt and has hardened himself to avoid being vulnerable. His caring feelings for Rafe and Libby are genuine and I loved his role in the book.

The very first paragraph of this book reeled me in and grabbed hold of me as much as the blurb already had. I normally don’t pay much attention to blurbs but the one for LIBERTY STARR draws you in and makes you want to read the book immediately without delay.

Normally I am not a fan of romantic suspense where one of the main characters is keeping stuff from the other but in this case Rebecca E. Grant made it work for me because I was left in the dark too and thus anticipating the moment of revelation along with Libby. The power of omission worked very well for this book. As some things weren’t immediately explained I kept wanting to read on, waiting to discover what the deal was with Rafe, Libby and Caleb.

Even though while reading I felt the build up was slow and the plot progressed slowly too, in hindsight, it was beautifully done and fitting the story and characters. Without getting very explicit Rebecca E. Grant managed to write a sensual and hot romance novel that wasn’t the thrilling suspense story I was expecting but LIBERTY STARR turned out to be a western contemporary that’s earned its place in my small list of favorite cowboy romances because of its beauty in simplicity and emotions.

Quotes:
He was the match, she the striking surface. Together they were a wildfire.

Rafe: “I love you, Elle. I’ve never said that to a woman before. I thought it was because I never had the time to fall in love. Now I realize it has nothing to do with time at all. It’s because I hadn’t met you.”

Erin McCarthy - Hot Finish - Fast Track Series part 3

Release: Augustus 2010

Website

Preorder

Not all marriages last forever!

Suzanne Jefferson is broke, which is why she’s given up charity work for wedding planning. Fortunately, she has a high-profile client,and best of all, he’s paid in advance. There are just two teensy problems: The bride is a bona fide bridezilla, and Suzanne’s ex-husband is the best man. At least she thought he was her ex-husband!

But this one might…

Two years after their marriage fell apart, stock car race driver Ryder Jefferson still can’t stop thinking about Suzanne. Which is why he isn’t too upset that, due to a glitch, the two are still technically married. Now he’s imagining easing Suzanne’s woes by satisfying her needs in the bedroom. After all, that’s the one room they never argued in. Besides, with wedding bells ringing all around them, Ryder is wondering if,even though they’d quit the race a few laps too early,they can still come on strong with a big, romantic finish!

Paula Quin - Seduced By A Highlander - COTM part 2

Release: October 2010
website
Preorder

SINS THAT CAN’T BE FORGIVEN

Tristan MacGregor is famed throughout the Highlands as a silver-tongued seducer and an unrepentant rogue. Bold and charming, he’s dallied with many women, yet none as beguiling and mysterious as the lass he steals a kiss from at the king’s court. Little does he know this beauty is one of his clan’s greatest enemies.

PASSION THAT CAN’T BE DENIED

Isobel Fergusson has despised the bloodthirsty MacGregors ever since they murdered her father. When she learns the handsome stranger who melted her resistance is a MacGregor, she vows to forget him. But Tristan means to possess her at any cost and Isobel’s body turns traitor at his touch. Can a man she’s sworn to hate be the only one she can ever love?

I love Paula Quinn's Highlanders, classic and elegantly written, yet you cannot help fall in love with each of the members of the MacGregor clan, sigh...

Her other books in these series are:

Lisa Kleypas - Love in the Afternoon - Hathaways part 5

Release: 29 June 2009
Website
Preorder

As a lover of animals and nature, Beatrix Hathaway has always been more comfortable outdoors than in the ballroom. Even though she participated in the London season in the past, the classic beauty and free-spirited Beatrix has never been swept away or seriously courted.and she has resigned herself to the fate of never finding love. Has the time come for the most unconventional of the Hathaway sisters to settle for an ordinary man - just to avoid spinsterhood?

Captain Christopher Phelan is a handsome, daring soldier who plans to marry Beatrix's friend, the vivacious flirt Prudence Mercer, when he returns from fighting abroad. But, as he explains in his letters to Pru, life on the battlefield has darkened his soul - and it's becoming clear that Christopher won't come back as the same man. When Beatrix learns of Pru's disappointment, she decides to help by concocting Pru's letters to Christopher for her. Soon the correspondence between Beatrix and Christopher develops into something fulfilling and deep.and when Christopher comes home, he's determined to claim the woman he loves. What began as Beatrix's innocent deception has resulted in the agony of unfulfilled love - and a passion that can't be denied.

Bella Andre - Never Too Hot - Hot Shots part 3

Release: 25 May 2010
Website
Order

A TOUCH IGNITES. A FIRE BURNS.
AND THE HEAT HAS JUST BEGUN.

Deep in the cool green mountains of the Adirondacks, wounded firefighter Connor MacKenzie has come to rebuild the 100-year-old MacKenzie family cabin--and to be alone. A horrific blaze has left him scarred inside and out and certain of two things: He'll get back on his Hot Shot crew no matter what it takes, and any woman who ventures too close will not stay long.

Ginger Sinclair has been burned by a different kind of fire. Having just escaped from a bad marriage, she's retreated to the safety of the lakeside vacation town in upstate New York to start a new life. She's done with men, with relationships, with the danger of desires that can rage out of control--until she unexpectedly encounters Connor MacKenzie. As a hot summer on the lake grows ever hotter, they find themselves sharing a cabin and a romance that will swiftly engulf them both.

I love Bella Andre's story, uncomplicated yet always funny, warm and passionate. Feel-good-stories!

The other two parts in this series are:


Happy reading everyone!

NORA ROBERTS - THE SEARCH
Release date : July 6, 2010
Website Nora Roberts
ISBN-10: 0399156577
ISBN-13: 978-0399156571
Publisher: Putnam Adult


Synopsis
The serviceable latest from Roberts centers on Fiona Bristow, a professional canine search-and-rescue trainer, who moved to Orcas Island in Puget Sound eight years earlier, just after barely escaping from a serial killer. The story opens with Simon Doyle, an artisan cabinetmaker who arrives on the island with a puppy in tow. It's the puppy that brings Fiona and Simon together, and the romance gets off to a rocky start; he's grumpy and plainspoken; she doesn't scare easily. Then a serial killer begins operating within striking distance, and all Fiona's hard-won peace and equanimity begins to wobble: the man who almost killed her is in prison, but he's got a disciple on the outside.

KAREN ROBARDS – SHATTERED
Releasedate: March 2010
Website Karen Robards
ISBN-10: 0-399-15627-5
ISBN-13: 978-0-399-15627-4
Publisher: Putnam Adult

Synopsis
The past is never over. It just gets dusty.
Lisa Shewmaker was a rising star in a prestigious law firm in Lexington, Kentucky; that is, until the firm went bankrupt and she lost her job. With an ailing mother to care for, Lisa takes the first position she can find: research assistant to District Attorney Scott Buchanan. Scott is as disagreeable as he is sexy, and Lisa suspects the only reason she got the job is because of her privileged upbringing as the daughter of a wealthy federal judge.

While reviewing cold cases in the Fayette County courthouse, a particularly thick manila envelope draws Lisa's attention. The details of the case are engrossing: An entire family-father, mother, and two children-disappeared more than twenty-eight years ago. Except that's not all: The mother in the photo could have been Lisa's twin, and the toddler in the picture bears an uncanny resemblance to Lisa herself. Before Lisa can learn more about her past, a series of catastrophes strike close to home. Lisa confides in Scott, and their relationship develops into something completely different. Together Lisa and Scott unravel a terrifying web of criminal connections that could destroy the very fabric of Lisa's life-if she lives long enough, that is.

RACHAEL HERRON – HOW TO KNIT A LOVE SONG
Releasedate: March 2010
Website Rachael Herron
ISBN-10: 0-06-184129-3
ISBN-13: 978-0-06-184129-3
Publisher: Avon


Synopsis
Abigail is more than ready for a change when she inherits a cottage from her beloved mentor, knitting guru Eliza Carpenter. Leaving the oppressive city for the greener pastures of a small California beach town, she intends to turn her cozy little windfall into a knitting shop and spend her days spinning, designing, and purling. But she's not going to be welcomed with open arms by her new neighbor. Eliza's disgruntled nephew, the gorgeous Cade, now owns everything surrounding Abigail's ramshackle new home, and he views this sexy city girl as an unwanted interloper.

But chemistry working overtime is drawing two very different people closer than they ever thought possible. And when the past that Abigail thought she'd left behind comes calling, she'll have to somehow learn to trust her handsome adversary with much more than just her heart.

This is a search I’m fairly proud of and I’m really looking forward to reading these novels!

SARAH MCCARTY – Shadow Wrangler series – erotica
Website Sarah McCarty

CALEB
Releasedate: October 2009
ISBN-10: 0-425-23057-0
ISBN-13: 978-0-425-23057-2
Publisher: Berkley Trade


Synopsis
Allie always desired mysterious, sexy rancher Caleb Johnson, but he never seemed to notice her. Until the night she's attacked by a vicious animal, and rescued by a shapeshifting vampire that she almost seems to recognize: the baritone growl, the mesmerizing eyes, the inexplicable animal attraction. That's because her savior is Caleb, and now he has no choice but to bring Allie into the shadows with him - to protect her from a rival werewolf pack, and to finally reveal his true feelings for the woman he's been afraid to love.

JARED
Releasedate: April 2010
ISBN-10: 0-425-23240-9
ISBN-13: 978-0-425-23240-8
Publisher: Berkley Trade


Synopsis
Jared Johnson has always been a force to be reckoned with, first as an outlaw and now as a vampire. Caught in a war between immortals, he doesn't have time to waste, but when a female vampire is attacked, he can't just walk away. He expects a quick goodbye, but what he gets is a vulnerable woman who intrigues and seduces while giving away nothing of the secrets holding her hostage.

Raisa may not have extreme physical strength, but she's been able to survive as a vampire longer than most by keeping to herself. But that's about to change. Forced to accept Jared's protection, Raisa finds it increasingly hard to resist his forbidden allure while keeping the secret that could destroy them both.

This following book is one that caught my attention because, eventhough it’s not romance, but because it’s something totally different on my shelves to read!

ANTONIA S BYATT – THE CHILDREN’s BOOK
Release date: August 2010
Website AS Byatt
ISBN-10: 0-307-47306-6
ISBN-13: 978-0-307-47306-6
Publisher: Vintage

Synopsis
Olive Wellwood is a famous writer, interviewed with her children gathered at her knee. For each, she writes a private book, bound in its own colour and placed on a shelf. In their rambling house near Romney Marsh the children play in a storybook world - but their lives, and those of their rich cousins and friends, are already inscribed with mystery. Each family carries its own secrets.

Born at the end of the Victorian era and growing up in the golden summers of Edwardian times, a whole generation grew up unaware of the darkness ahead; in their innocence, they were betrayed unintentionally by the adults who loved them.

Trade Size Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Brava, 1 edition (April 1, 2010)
ISBN-10: 0758238266
ISBN-13: 978-0758238269

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Book: Part 2 in the Wild Ride To Love Series
Main characters: Kat Fallon & Nav Bharani
On Sale at: The Book Depository.com


 Summary:

At thirty-one, Kat Fallon's luck with men shows no sign of improving. But when she asks her best friend Nav Bharani to be her date at her younger sister's wedding in Vancouver, she has no idea that she's about to get on board the most surprising ride of her life. . .

Nav has been secretly in love with Kat ever since he moved in next door. When she reveals that she loves taking train rides, especially the meeting-strangers part, Nav devises a plan to win Kat's heart. On every leg of her trip to Vancouver, he shows up disguised as a different sexy stranger. Stunned by Nav's daring, Kat finds herself succumbing to his inventive transformations. But what starts out as an innocent adventure soon becomes much more for Kat as she is forced to choose between her long-held fantasies of the perfect mate--and the prospect of something far more real.

Marissa's review:

The Wild Ride To Love series is about three sisters traveling home for their kid-sister’s wedding. In part one Sex Drive (published under the pen name Susan Lyons), Theresa Fallon flies home for the wedding and finds true love in the arms of Damien Black. I fell hard and fast for Damien and the way he seduced Theresa. Therefore I could not wait to continue my ride with Theresa’s sister Kat in Love Unexpectedly, who prefers trains over planes to get home. Could her journey by train equally mesmerize me the way Theresa’s journey did? The answer is yes for train trips are sexy too! From page one Kat pulled me along on her journey and nothing could deter me from reaching my final destination: the last page of Love Unexpectedly.

This story begins in the basement laundry room of Kat’s apartment building, where she pours her heart out to her neighbor and best buddy Nav Bharani. Kat is happy for her baby sister but she is also green with envy that sis is getting married while she also longs for marriage and kids, yet she somehow jinxes every single one of her relationships. She picks her men poorly and Nav wonders if she ever is going to open her eyes and realize that her Mr. Right is standing right in front of her. He has been in love with Kat from the moment they met, but Kat has stuck him in the buddy trap. He is her best friend; she has never had a best friend before and won’t risk her relationship with him. Then out of the blue Kat asks Nav to be her date at her sister’s wedding and to pretend he is her boyfriend. Now he sees his chance, since Kat hates to fly she is going to take the train home and what better way to show her who her perfect mate is and make her his girlfriend for real while spending time together as strangers on the train…

Love Unexpectedly is an even-paced and character-driven story. Both Kat and Nav have to take a long look in the mirror and make some changes if they ever going to be truly happy with themselves and in a relationship. Kat is the PR director of a luxurious hotel; she is beautiful, creative and has great organizational skills. She is social and outgoing and yet she has no high self-esteem, she thinks herself boring and average. Therefore she dates men who are the complete opposite of her and they are of course completely wrong for her.

Nav Bharani is a photographer, he is basically a nice guy who could look a lot better but he does not care about his appearance. He is laidback, a good listener and likes to date, but the only reason he dates a lot is to get over his love for Kat. His parents do not approve of his career, they wanted him to take over the family business and agree to an arranged marriage. Their culture and way of living collides in every way with the way Nav wants to live his life, Nav loves his parents but their relationship is uneasy. He is determined to make it on his own as a successful photographer.

I liked Nav from the start but he stole my heart when he fully revamps his looks and surprises Kat on the train playing the “stranger”. Together they play their little game and they come to see each other in a different light. Kat discovers that though she and Nav have been neighbors for many years she really doesn’t know that much about him. The more she gets to know him the more she wants him but she desperately clings to Nav as her best friend, she does not want to lose her best friend. But the “sexy stranger” is lean, muscular, and has an awesome butt, he is drop dead gorgeous and soon Kat longs for more. They have many in-depth conversations and their journey really is one intense ride of self-reflection. Nav discovers that he likes to look well groomed and that his aversion to keep up appearances has to do with his parents constant strive for perfection. Kat also learns that she dated exciting guys with good looks but no substance to boost her self-esteem.

Just as in Sex Drive every chapter is told either from Kat’s point of view, or Nav’s. This gives you a good insight in Kat’s confusion for having feelings for her best friend and Nav’s determination to conquer Kat’s heart for good. I love that their in-depth conversations together with the casual chats they have with other travelers on the train are meaningful and provide them with many insights about themselves and each other. Both Damien and Nav have given Teresa and Kat a fresh perspective on their family. It is obvious that though all sisters have a warm affection for each other they also experienced their childhood differently, they have issues and insecurities and therefore drifted apart. Now little by little they find their way back to one another.

The dialogues in this story are so down-to-earth and easy to relate to, they keep the story dynamic and interesting. The sexual tension between Kat and Nav is very erotic and comes to a full eruption on the train, at the same time I could feel Kat’s confusion and Nav’s frustration and I liked the way their friendship develops into something more, with each page I turned their characters grew more profound.

With Love Unexpectedly Susan Fox took me on an emotional rollercoaster ride, with amazingly well rounded characters, intriguing dialogues and seductive passion she kept me on the edge of my seat!

4 stars