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: 352 pages

Publisher: Zebra (December 1, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1420100955

ISBN-13: 978-1420100952
Genre: Historical Romance
Stand-Alone
Main Characters: Jared St. John & Gwyneth of Windrose

Buy at: The Book Depository

Blurb:

Three years ago Jared St. John was imprisoned, wrongly, for the murder of his own brother. Now, finally free, he wishes only to live in peace, hoping to heal the darkness that plagues his soul. But his self-inflicted isolation is destroyed when he is drugged, spirited away to a church, and forced to marry a brazen enchantress against his will...Lady Gwyneth of Windrose knows something of false imprisonment, but that doesn't stop her from abducting a stranger when it's her only hope of gaining her liberty. Yet the moment she's alone in her unwilling new husband's powerful presence, everything Gwyneth thought she knew of men - and of seduction - falls by the wayside. For the first time in her life, it's not freedom Gwyneth craves...but to give herself over to unyielding passion...

Requested Review 

If you are a fan of classic historical romances like the ones Johanna Lindsey wrote in the 80’s and early 90’s you will most certainly love Jessica Trapp’s Defiant. But even if you are not into historical romances you can enjoy this smooth written story for its plot delves much deeper than just a simple love story between a fierce hero and a feisty heroine.

Lady Gwyneth of Windrose is known for her great beauty and many men have asked for her hand in marriage, yet Gwyneth has always evaded the shackles of marriage. Gwyneth has no intention to be the property of a man who can show her off whenever he feels like it. All she wants is her freedom. Fate brings her together with Irma, a whore. They share a secret and it is Irma who shows Gwyneth how she can use her beauty to her advantage to help other women. Now Gwyneth is a woman on a mission, she wants to save as many women from prison as she can so they won’t be sold into slavery.

But Gwyneth cannot escape marriage forever and her family forces her to marry some fop. This will endanger her mission so she and Irma come up with a plan. They abduct a stranger; Gwyneth marries him and pays him off so he disappears. This is Gwyneth’s only hope to gain her liberty and continue her mission, but they picked the wrong stranger to mess with for Jared St. John will not disappear. He is here to stay and for the first time in her life Gwyneth cannot seduce a man to do things her way, for the first time in her life she wants to surrender to her passion… passion for her husband.

Jared St. John is the illegitimate child of a lady, she never cared for him. He is a falconer and shares a special bond with his bird Aeliana. Three years ago he was falsely accused of murdering his own brother, now he has escaped. He only wishes to live in peace and clear his name by finding his brother’s real killer. Living in peace is no longer an option when Gwyneth enters his life and forces him to marry her, but marriage to Gwyneth has its advantages so he exercises his rights as her husband while he tries to clear his name. But it is hard not to fall under the spell of such a beauty.

Though Defiant is a classic historical romance, fluently written and fast-paced to read, it also has a high level of girl power and it is a character-driven story. The changes both Jared and Gwyneth undergo during this story add even more layers and depth to them. They come from very different backgrounds, have absolutely nothing in common with one another yet they are very much the same in many ways. They both have a strong sense of justice and this is what eventually leads them to one another.

Gwyneth is a great heroine, as a lady she could have resigned herself to her role as a wife and live an easy life, instead she tries to take control of her own life as much as she can and help other women. She is an idealist trying to improve the position of women in a men’s world. She is persistent, a little stubborn, smart and emphatitic; she puts other people’s needs for her own. Life has taught her that men don’t listen to women very well and if she wants something she has to do it herself. She depends very much on herself and Irma and does not trust men. When Jared stays in her life she must adapt quickly and find new ways to continue her mission, not once does she give up. She is a very strong, compassionate lady and I like her attitude and her assertiveness very much.

Looking from Gwyneth’s point of view Jared sounds like a bastard, but he really isn’t. I must admit when he forced Gwyneth to wear a brank for a day he did not score any points with me, but she really pushed him too far and Jared needed to show that he could handle his wife, after all this story plays out in the middle ages. Being hurt by women all his life makes Jared very cautious of Gwyneth, he is emotionally closed off yet vulnerable at the same time. He does not trust people, especially women easily. Jared only relies on himself and his bird Aeliana. Yet he is very patient and gentle with Gwyneth, he teaches her how to read and shows her that she can trust him and that he has honor. All he wants is to clear his name and live in peace.

There are not many secondary characters in this story; the only important one is Irma. Irma is Gwyneth’s best friend and she is a whore. She lives a harsh life yet tries to make the best of things and is always to help other women. I liked Irma, she is so practical and she made me laugh. She and Gwyneth are an odd pair, together with Jared they are the pivot of Defiant. Still, Jessica Trapp has done a great job at making you feel a connection to this three characters as they try to live their lives on their terms and reach their goals.

I really loved the plotline of this story, there are many little details in the lives of Jared, Gwyneth and Irma that look trivial, yet it turns out that they are very important for the development of the story. These details also show how tangled up their lives really are without them knowing it. All these little details and loose ends come together with a bang at the end of the story.

Defiant was a pleasant surprise for me, I loved it. The well-rounded characters, the undeniable attraction between Jared and Gwyneth, the fluent and profound plotline and the high level of girl power. The solutions Irma and Gwyneth come up with for their problems were hilarious. Yet at the same time Defiant keeps that authentic medieval vibe. Therefore Defiant is a mesmerizing read from start to finish.

Mass Market Paperback; 352 pages
Publisher: Zebra Books (September 6, 2010)
ISBN-10: 1420109871
ISBN-13: 9781420109870
Genre: Anthology; Horror; Paranormal; Short Story
Main Characters: Derek & Maggie
For Sale At: The Book Depository

SUMMARY
New Orleans native Dr. Maggie Dillon thought she left her past behind her - until she's enraptured by a handsome patient who has been possessed by a malevolent spirit. To find a cure, Colby revisits her magical roots - and unleashes a primal lust too vital to ignore...

REVIEW
Musician Derek, finds himself on the mental ward of a hospital after being possessed by a ghost on the verge of getting his revenge. In an act of despair he tries to get rid of this ghost who is trying to take over his body in the only way he knows how and that is to take his own life. However, Chief Resident Maggie Dillon is his tending physician and their instant attraction might be the one thing left to safe him.

I had no idea what to expect from this author as this anthology in Nocturnal was the first story I’ve read by her hand, but I was pleasantly surprised by the original and intriguing read. As a firm believer of ghost-possession, this book held an extra suspense factor in the plotline, especially as it was written in the first person. Through Maggie’s eyes you could see the possession take over and I got goose bumps in the process each time it occurred.

It’s quite difficult to get a grip on and feel for the main characters in Anthology stories because they are quite short reads. But for me the way it played out in My Soul To Take, worked well . The connection between the two leading characters was solid and real. Emotions were as well worked-out as can be expected from an Anthology-story. Both characters had a soft side to them, and the dreamy character of a musician mixed well with the practical and down to earth side of a physician, both not Alpha, both not Beta but both a unique addition to each other, just as it often is in real life. It gave it an extra plus for me.

I absolutely adored the fact a Voodoo Priestess from New Orleans, was helping out on the exorcism. The feel of the ritual and how it was set up was amazingly done, in both horrifying and cleansing way.

For me this Anthology is definitely a reason to pick up another book by Clare Willis.

DAUGHTERS OF PERSEPHONE I & II
Publisher: Resplendence Publishing
Available: July 13, 2010
Erotic Fantasy Romance
Purchase at: Resplendence Publishing

Cover Summary:
Aja Bokinan, of noble blood, is the Thousand Year Empress who has grown to adulthood in exile. Throughout the Empire, women are banned from public life, have no legal rights, and have become little better than property.

In an attempt to kill off the royal line and end all resistance, Aja is kidnapped by a General who intends to inject her with a lethal virus, hoping she will infect her family and Women of the Blood everywhere.

Kyr Aram, is a smuggler and secret resistance fighter. He must find a way to protect Aja from both the General and a traitor on his own ship who wishes to see her dead. With the Thousand Year Empress, he gets more than he bargained for.

My Review: EXILE is an introduction to a hierarchy where women inherit the powers. Over the course of time unrest begins to play havoc among the men and some will fight the female leadership till the bitter end, splitting the races up in the Coalition and the Resistance. The Empress and her three daughters have escaped their exile and this is where I meet one of those daughter; Aja and a ship’s captain; Kyr, who is trying to avoid an encounter with the Coalition.

Julia Rachel Barrett plunges the reader in an escape and from there on out it is a constant evading of traitors and enemies. If there is one thing that grabbed my attention it is the compelling set-up of a pre-dominant female hierarchy and the scheming for the freedom of the Empress and her daughters. Throughout the story much information of the race’s history and current situation is conveyed via Aja herself. This provided a natural and accessible way for me to understand what happened in the past, how it affected the here and now, and what dangers their inherent powers present.

This is but the first story in an overarching storyline but in EXILE the thrill of the chase; will they, or won’t they make it to safety created some dire circumstances. The fact that Kyr and Aja needed to get to safety also spiced up the romance, which alternated between endearing and fiery but also had a few bumps in the road. The back story and world building took away pages from the romance which made the chemistry between Aja and Kyr work but the depth of emotion poured out of them by the end wasn’t something I could surrender completely to. If the romance would’ve been given a bit more room or pages it would’ve become all the more credible regarding the trust issues and the sharing of powers.

Aja was the stronger character in EXILE, just as her race intended her to be. She is a Seer, born and bred of the Blood. She knows her duties but it is fueled by an inner compassionate force and she took me in to her culture, which I enjoyed to the fullest. Now Kyr is a born and bred hero, a leader, strong, capable and fierce if need be and his charisma alluring. Aja was flanked by Kyr, who became her consort in every way and together they were a likable couple.

Julia Rachel Barrett’s imagination concocted an intriguing world, a new culture and customs that isn’t intricate but holds everything to make it come alive on the pages. I’m always up for a good battle where I can cheer for my team, live the tension, feel the passion ignite between two people and receive a romantic high at the end, and while I gotten some elements in a better dosage then others this author has just started in this novella series.

With EXILE I received a story that contains an intriguing start to the Daughters Of Persephone series!

Hardback 312 pages - Stand Alone - Paranormal Suspense

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
ISBN-10: 0-312-38471-8
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-38471-5
Release date: June 8, 2010
Main Characters: Adam Garrett & Tanish Cabarrus
HC copy received for reviewing
Purchase at: The Book Depository Store

SUMMARY
The discovery in a landfill of the mutilated corpse of Erin Carmody, the 18-year-old daughter of a prominent Boston businessman, presents homicide detective Adam Garrett with a particularly sensitive case. Marks on the body suggest the killer was conducting Satanic rituals. When Adam and his partner, Carl Landauer, question the prime suspect, Jason Moncrief, a college friend of Erin's, Jason chants the name of the demon Choronzon, then assaults Carl. Despite what appears to be an open-and-shut case, Adam can't discount the claim that Jason is innocent made by Tanith Cabarrus, an attractive witch who comes to police headquarters to report that she dreamed of other murders—and who believes that supernatural forces are behind the slaughter.

REVIEW
Fact meets fiction in this enticingly thrilling story. This turned out such a well written story with an exquisite eye for detail, where Alexandra Sokoloff takes the reader into the crime scene and murder investigation after a body has turned up headless and handless at a city landfill. It captivated me from the first written word and didn’t let go, not even after I had read the final page and closed the book.

It showed a great background research in the paranormal plot and murder scene investigation, keeping it so close to the real deal. As I am quite familiar with the paranormal workings, the suspense factor of the major plotline on who the perpetrator was all the more thrilling that it might have been to others. However even for none-believers the built up of the storylines are fantastic and it is definitely a page turner till the end.

Adam Garrett- with his black irish eyes and hair and temper, hard-muscled, impatient, edgy;
is not a strictly go by the rule cop but likes to keep his feet firmly down-to-earth and grounded. However when a girl turns up at his desk, claiming a few weeks ago she dreamed about the murder he is currently investigating, and that they had the wrong boy in custody, he quickly finds himself needing to deal with the paranormal, and though he is just not a believer he seems to be attracted towards believing her and seeking her advice. He has to set his mind open to the – up to them for him impossible – and finds that this case would change his outlook on life as a whole new world seems to open up with a range of possible suspects.

Tanith Cabarrus - a witch who dreamed gruesome things and trying her best to get her voice heard within the police department, finally might be able to get a foot in. Mysterious and otherworldly tuned, she attracts the attention of Adam Garrett, hoping she could get through to him while doing her utmost to solve the murder case and freeing the person she knows was not involved in this murder.

Carl Landauer - chain-smoking, whisky-drinking, donut-eating, a living, breathing amalgam of every cop cliché known to man: middle-aged spread, broad sweating face, and bawdy, cynical humor - a lifer who used the caricature as a disguise. You just got to love him, he is Adam’s partner and has a smaller part to this story as the plotlines are following more Adam’s life but Land is the solid cop with humorous remarks taking the edge off the edgy in this story.

Quote upon finding certain satanic marks on the body of the murder victim:
“What the fuck is that? The Devil Lite? Satan can't count?"

For those who expect romantic suspense, there is no undying romantic love, but a fast-paced passionate and sensual fling between two human beings. Very raw and basic but complementing the overall story-arc. I admire Ms. Sokoloff for keeping it on that level, because the built up of plotlines and characters didn’t require anything more than what was given away.

Because the story-built and everything going on in between the written lines was so intense, this was not a light read. When reading a novel like this, that took hold of me and grabbed me so that it kept my mind busy outside reading hours as well, it classifies as a prime-read on my shelves, and one that most definitely will be re-read in the future.

There is a rawness in the satanic side of the paranormal way of living, making the evil in this novel very evil. Up unto the very last scene question marks on who was the villain invoking these energies was unrevealed, and the climactic ending tied all the loose ends together making it a tight fit.

This is my first book by Alexandra Sokoloff but definitely not the last!!!

Mass Market Paperback; 384 pages
Publisher: Pocket Books - June 29, 2010
ISBN-10: 1439152950
ISBN-13: 978-1439152950
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Book: Book Two in Tracers Series
Main Characters: Elaina McCord & Troy Stockton
On sale at: The Bookdepository Store

Summary:

ELAINA MCCORD WANTS TO FIND A KILLER.
BUT HE’S ALREADY FOUND HER.

Elaina McCord’s dream of being an FBI profiler is in danger with her first case—investigating a string of murders near a Texas beach resort. The victims, all young women, were drugged and brutally murdered, their bodies abandoned in desolate marshland. Elaina’s hunch—met with disbelief by local police—is that these are only the latest offerings from a serial killer who has been perfecting his art for years, growing bolder and more cunning with each strike.

True-crime writer Troy Stockton has a reputation as an irresistible playboy who gets his story at any cost. He’s the last person Elaina should trust, let alone be attracted to. But right now Troy, along with the elite team of forensics experts known as the Tracers, are her only allies in a case that’s turning dangerously personal. A killer is reaching out to Elaina, taunting her, letting her know how ruthless he is and how close he’s getting. Now it’s not just her career that’s in danger—it’s her life. . . .

Pearl's Review: Elaina McCord wants to follow in her legendary profiler father’s footsteps and be a profiler too. Elaina is ambitious and responsible. She’s a no-nonsense type of woman with a hidden softer side. Fresh out of the Academy, she’s sent to a small Texas FBI office instead of one of the hotshot big town offices. A homicide investigation on Lito Island is her first shot at proving herself. Elaina has ideas about the homicide and suspects a serial killer but her male colleagues and the local police don’t care much for her opinion.

One of the few who believes her and is willing to help her prove her suspicions is former newspaper reporter turned crime writer, Troy Stockton. Troy is a smooth charmer and despite his surfer-dude look and his seemingly laidback attitude he’s as sharp as the come. When they start working together the sparks fly between them but both know that they have to focus on the case rather than the sizzling chemistry between them, especially when the killer starts focusing on Elaina.

Just as with all the previous Laura Griffin Books I was entranced from the moment I cracked the spine and started reading the prologue. UNSPEAKABLE is a romantic suspense novel that turned out to be right up my alley as it focuses on FBI and suspect profiling, which is one of my preferred suspense/law enforcement tropes. Reading it felt like watching a mix of my favorite TV crime shows (Criminal Minds and CSI) all rolled into one, topped off with a subtle yet sensual romance. Laura Griffin had me speculating and guessing who the killer was and it wasn’t until about 2/3 into the book that I pegged the killer after two false guesses. With subtle hints and clues she leads you in a certain direction and then steers you in the right one at the end. I love how she does this.

As with the first book in this Tracer series, the Delphi Center (elite forensic lab) and some of the Tracers played a significant role in the solving of the plot and finding the killer. There’s a cold case subplot with Mia Voss, the DNA expert, and police officer Ric Santos that not only gets nicely tied in with the main plot but is also a prelude to the next book, at least I think the romance part of that sub plot is. However, Laura Griffin has been known to lead me in a certain direction when pairing characters and then surprise the heck out of me with the end product, so I am not putting all my money on the Mia and Ric match.

When reviewing Laura Griffin’s books I am afraid I sound like a broken record. Again I loved the clean and crisp writing and the subtle way the romance was set-up, imbedded in the story and woven through the suspense plot. Again I was mesmerized by the suspense that made me go through the book like a warm knife goes through butter. UNSPEAKABLE is a quick-paced read as I couldn’t stop reading and had to know the outcome of the plot and I was kept entranced by the search for a (serial) killer who crept me out. And again I have nothing but praise for Griffin’s knowledge of law enforcement, her excellent writing skills and the amazing way she combines the two to deliver a story that wasn’t as heart-pounding as some of her other books I’ve read but this absolutely didn’t diminish the wonderful reading experience I had with UNSPEAKABLE.

For me Laura Griffin never fails to deliver and I hope this Tracer series won’t end with book 3: UNFORGIVABLE as there were enough secondary characters in UNSPEAKABLE to warrant at least a few more books in the future. Among them are Troy’s friend Cinco Chavez, Tracer Ben Lawson (cyber crime expert) and Tracer Kelsey Quinn (forensic anthropologist). With these three I think there’s enough material there to continue the Tracer series for a while, if not with their own books, maybe with secondary storylines. I’d especially like to reacquaint myself with Cinco in the future.

UNSPEAKABLE is another awesome Laura Griffin book. It was fast-paced with excellent suspense and just enough romance to take it out of crime fiction/thriller and into romantic suspense territory. When the Dutch networks fail in offering me new episodes of my favorite TV crime shows I know whose books I can turn to instead.

Mass Market Paperback; 385 pages
Publisher: Medallion Press (June 1, 2010)
ISBN-10: 0758241283
ISBN-13: 9780758241283
Genre: Erotica Romance / Fantasy
Book: Book five in the Lords of Satyr series
Main Characters: Dane Satyr & Evangeline Delacorte
On sale at: The Book Depository

SUMMARY
When Dane Satyr approaches Eva for her services as a matchmaker, she offers him more than just introductions. Dane has discovered that Eva is a Satyr like himself, full of insatiable passion and dark desires. Their attraction combusts instantaneously, unlocking pleasures that neither can resist repeating...even as Eva seeks out a mortal bride for Dane.

REVIEW
Eva finds herself roaming on grounds where she’s not supposed to be and walks straight into the life of Satyr- Dane. Instantly there is an attraction giving Dane a certain strength and freedom that he keeps fighting to overcome on the night of the change, but Eva’s own personal differences makes her running away from him and into the safeness of her own home.

Events lead them in different directions, to find hhuman partners to marry but their attraction seems too strong to be denied!

With this new novel in the LORDS OF SATYR series Elizabeth Amber has brought her characters in new twists and turns making the world even more intriguing and compelling than before. If you already are a lover of her writing and men, this book will not disappoint and if you are new to her series the first trilogy is amazing but this book enhances the reading experience even more.

Dane is the sort of hero, that eats, sleeps and breathes the core element of Alpha Male in this novel, and with each step he made you experience just that. He’s instantly likeable and despite his traumatic past, he remains a strong person, determined to reach a certain goal and go for it.

Eva is just a genuinely loving female, with her own set of insecurities and mystery around her. With a heart of gold I felt she truly belonged to Dane and separate as well as together they made a tight fit. Their romance could be felt by the heart and as a couple they absolutely have the X-factor for me.

This was such a great story filled with emotions, drama, suspense and erotic scenes, making my heart flutter each time I had to put it down, as it anxiously awaited the next moment I was able to read another page. Even though sometimes I realized the complexity of the story, it reads with such ease that, the full extent of it, hit me when I turned the last page and started putting my mind around writing the review.

The way Elizabeth Amber uses tools and instruments from within the eroticism scene and weaves it into the story making it, not only functional but pleasure heightening, while reading the story of Dane and Eva in DANE, is superb. And despite the fact that the ways of the Lords of Satyr are still the same in the core elements, but so completely different within each romantic encounter that my reading experience within this series is such an enhancing one, making this world grow as the series continues on.

Though the beginning was slow at pace it all came together why it was a bit slow to start. Dane has this whole other side that had to be explored and Eva, well she is truly a unique person and has her own way in exploring her sexual desires when a man is not at hand! AS soon as the story unfolds, your pulled straight into the Satyr-world where evil is vile and eroticism is at an all time high.

In this book Bastian and Sevin (the next installments in this series) have come to pass and the right buttons were pushed to have tickled my fancy, so all one can do is, look forward to the next release as they are, once more, lick able men! This book had a perfect ending to me for Dane and Eva, but as well as for some secondary characters making me sighing to satisfactory.

QUOTE that left me in total ecstacy:
“I’m not going to tell anyone.”
“What are you going to do?” she demanded in a ravaged voice.
“Do?” His mouth touched hers, butterfly soft. “I’m going to undress you. Here on my big bed, and kiss you, and hold you, and come inside you. All.” A kiss. “Night.” Another kiss. “Long.”

Mass Market Paperback; 363 pages
Publisher: Mira Books - April 27, 2010
ISBN-10: 0778327744
ISBN-13: 978-0778327744
Genre: Historical Romance
Book: Book Three in Bride Trilogy
Main Characters: Rule Dewar & Violet Griffin
On sale at: The Bookdepository Store

Summary:
Unrepentant rake Rule Dewar is living the good life when a most surprising event occurs - he falls in love with his wife.

After their strategic "marriage of commerce" three years ago, Rule quite forgot about Violet Griffin, the teenage heiress to a Boston manufacturing fortune. He simply spoke his vows, took over her father's business and returned to England to resume his usual pursuits: high-priced wine, high-stakes gambling and highborn women.

Yet when Violet, now a sophisticated woman, unexpectedly appears at Rule's London town house, husbandly duties no longer seem so odious - he can't wait to take his stunning bride to their marriage bed. Violet, however, is not so easily led: she has her own ideas and is seeking an annulment to marry another. But as Rule attempts to win her over, someone else is determined to frame him for murder and keep him out of the way for good..

Pearl’s review: The book starts with a prologue that sets up the story. In this prologue Rule Dewar is in America, making good on the promise, to his father on his deathbed, to build up business relationships with the colony. He has made a good life for himself in Boston and is on the verge of going back to England to run the English Branch of Griffin Manufacturing, the weapons factory he works for. When his employer, Howard Griffin asks him for a favor he can’t fathom it is to marry his young daughter to secure her future. Rule reluctantly agrees and sets of to England right after the marriage thinking that would be it.

The rest of the book takes place 3 years later when Violet Griffin wants an annulment from the man she married as decreed by her dying father. She heads over to England to find the man who married and abandoned her to free herself for marriage to another man. Rule wants to stay married because of the promise to both his and her father but also because of the benefits business wise. When Rule convinces Violet to give him a month to prove being married to him isn't that bad, a string of events leads them to something more meaningful than a marriage of convenience.

Rule is a womanizer, with an eye for business, loyal to his friends and family and a bit of a male chauvinist. I had a bit of trouble with Rule in the beginning. It was clear the marriage was not of importance to him and Violet was just a means to get his foot into her father's company. He didn't even keep his promise of making their marriage real after two years and now that Violet shows up a year overdue to end the marriage with an annulment herself, he acts all indignant and as if he thinks the marriage is important.

Violet is sweet but fiery and full of determination, she speaks her mind and can be a bit headstrong at times. I’m not fond of very young heroines and 19 years is on the fringes of what I can handle but Kat Martin made it work for me for most of this book. There were points were she acted her age and wasn’t as determined as she’d been made out to be. She sleeps with Rule, ruining her opportunity for an annulment but doesn't own up to it and puts all the blame on Rule. Her insistence that Rule only wants to stay married for his part in the business, portion in the company started to annoy me at one point.

For me this third and last installment in the Bride Trilogy was the least of the three. There were a few things that didn’t quite work for me and with all the anticipation build across the other two books I felt it fell a bit flat in comparison.

Both Violet and Rule acted unreasonable and a bit irrational at times and this kept me from completely sympathizing and empathizing with them and their issues. And the changes of heart they go through in order to get to the HEA felt a bit sudden and forced... The trademark suspense plot was there yet again and even if it was a predictable one it did liven the story up a bit and kept me reading despite that I didn’t completely click with the main characters.

In this trilogy Kat Martin has written the most interesting secondary characters that are able to intrigue as much as her main couples. It was no different in RULE’S BRIDE and I must honestly admit that in this case the secondary romance worked better for me than the main couple’s romance, for the reasons I stated earlier in this review. I was wondering from the start what was going to happen with the chemistry between Rule’s friend and Violet’s cousin and I was served promptly with a captivating secondary romance I truly enjoyed.

In the Bride Trilogy Kat Martin follows a certain vein in all three books that include the fulfillment of the individual promises the Dewar brothers made to their dying father, a suspense plot where the Oarsmen come to the rescue and offer their assistance, a seemingly impossible romance between the main characters and a lovely secondary romance. Yet despite the similarity and the repeated use of these elements, each book has a different and unique vibe and set-up. Though they can be read as stand-alone, together they form a coherent whole in which a full cast of both recurring and new characters plays the role they are given.

If you don’t mind a very young heroine and a hero that has a bit of male chauvinism going on, RULE’S BRIDE is a good and solid historical romance that wraps up the Bride Trilogy in a satisfying way.

Mass Market Paperback; 385 pages

Publisher: Medallion Press (June 4, 2010)
ISBN-10: 1605420964
ISBN-13: 9781605420967
Genre: Historical Romance
Book: Book four in the Knight’s series
Main Characters: Edouard de Lanceau & Juliana de Greyne
On sale at: The Book Depository Store

SUMMARY
A Knight’s Persuasion tells the story of Edouard, firstborn and heir of the great lord Geoffrey de Lanceau. Due to certain circumstances he finds himself betrothed to the sister of Lady Juliana de Greyne, whom, upon first meeting, he falls in love with. Events leave Juliana unconscious on a riverside bank, while Edouard passes by on mere coincidence. When seeking shelter and a healer at his father’s friends keep they find themselves locked in a tower by his father’s enemies. From there on things unfold rapidly, as his father’s enemy is on a quest for revenge.

REVIEW
Edouard, as a hero, is not the typical Alpha Male nor Beta man, but is somewhere in between. He feels a strong attraction towards Juliana but honor-bound as he is, a series of events betroth him to her sister. He, however, never forgets Juliana, and in this his strong sense of honor gnaws at him, making him a star-crossed lover. At the same time he holds everything I need my knight in shining armor to be!

I sense that Juliana is a soft sweet person, going out of her way to help others without putting her own needs ahead. Creative and sensitive, but strong minded as well (and not only towards the positive side of things).

The characters on their own do not stand out to me, but when forced together they make a strong team and have a connection that came across as real and loving. And because this occurs, it makes their story compelling and satisfying to read.

When I first started reading this novel, I felt a bit confused as to where the story took place and in which time-frame. A time-span of a year is spread over the pages of a few chapters. It gave me a feeling of being rushed through various built ups in plotlines and it gave me a lose-threaded base on which this story had to be built upon. In some ways certain things had to be explained, but I’m not sure if it really added to the story for me. I think it might have come across better when in due time these storylines were explained as the story progressed – starting from Edouard and Juliana meeting again at the riverbank - in the setting of flashbacks.

The suspense factor acted as an ambrosia for me, hooked me onto the story and I was not able to put it down till the last page was turned, leaving me satisfied and hungering for more at the same time. Veronique, the villain in this story is really villainess. When I first stumbled upon her in this story I felt an instant dislike towards her, and the way she turned events around, brainwashed her son, twisting events for her own personal gain and vendetta made me hate her. All my praises for this, I love villains who are bad to the core, it gives the story a great suspense and definitely spices things up!

Up until the very end plotlines evolve and reveal themselves in total surprise and up until the very end I kept wondering will they, or won’t they get their happily ever after. I was glad it ended up in a way that Edouard kept his honor bound character as to me that was one of his best qualities.

However, having said that, when the story took more root in a slower pace, I really enjoyed it and Catherine Kean’s writing style appeals to me very much. Her characters all have their own uniqueness and add to the story. And the way the historical back-drop was described and blended in made me linger in the thirteenth century.

A few side-characters got my attention and I hope these will get their own story in this series as well. I for one would love to see what will happen to Tye, and Kaine totally got my attention with his wickedly rogueish ways! All in all, Catherine Kean made her way to my keepers-shelves!