Tuesday, July 31, 2012

"The Duchess" By: Jude Deveraux Review

The Duchess (Montgomery, #10)
"The Duchess"
By: Jude Deveraux

Synopsis from Goodreads:
     Claire Willoughby risked losing her millions in her inheritance if, as decreed by her grandfather, she did not wed an "acceptable" man. Harry Montgomery, the eleventh Duke of MacArran, seemed perfect. He owned a historical castle, he looked manly in a kilt, and he was as much a titled Scotsman as Bonnie Prince Charlie himself. 
      Their engagement announced, Claire's future as a duchess was assured --- and she set off with her family to meet the Montgomery clan in Scotland. Bramley Castle was a damp, chill place, overflowing with eccentric relatives. But there was also Trevelyan, a secretive, brooding man who lived in Bramley's ancient halls. Whoever he was, he wasn't at all like Harry: Trevelyan was the most exasperating, arrogant, know-it-all of a man Claire had ever met. And the most fascinating ..
My Thoughts:
      Guess who just re-read one of her favorite romances of all time? This wild librarian did! “The Duchess” is one of the first real romances that I can remember reading and loving when I was going through High School. I am a huge re-reader, but surprisingly I hadn’t read this one since I was in college, so this past week I picked up my nook and ordered this fabulous book!
      Claire is a rich American heriess that has went to England to marry well. Her family relies on her inheritance to live in the manner they are used to, so Claire must marry, must marry well, and must marry someone her family agrees with. So lucky for her, a Duke appears (Harry) and wants to marry her and her money. Unfortunately, when Claire meets Harry’s brother, Trevelayn (the real Duke) she understands what true love really is.
      Trevelayn is one of the worst heroes ever. He’s egotistical, knows everything about everyone, and has little patience for people in general. He is intrigued by this young American girl who goes against almost every principle he was raised with. She likes to drink, dance, and be happy...all concepts that are fairly removed from his family.
      This book is one of my favorites for a multitude of reasons. The romance is overwhelming, you hate, you love, you hate and then are smiling by the end. Trevelayn is hard to understand, hard to truly know, yet at the end of the book you know his heart. Claire is so open, so giving and the journey they take together is simply wonderful.
      My favorite point in the book...perhaps any romance really, is the moment Trevelayn realizes he is in love with Claire. It’s gorgeous and simply beautifully written.
   “You love her,” Nyssa whispered, and there was wonder in her voice. She had tried to make Captain Baker love her, but she’d had no success. “You are in love with her." 
    “Yes” was all Trevelyan would say. “Yes, I love her. I love her mind, her body. I love her sense of humor. I love her thoughts. I love the way she thinks and what she says.”
    He gave a sound that was a cross between hopelessness and despair. “I love her to the smell of her breath.” He turned to Nyssa and for the first time she saw what few other people had: she saw that little boy who used to climb into bed with Leatrice and cry. “I love her as I’ve never loved anyone or anything. Were she to love me in return, I’d give her whatever she wanted.”

      See what I mean? Well written with excellent characterization, I’d recommend this book to fans of Eloisa James and Julia Quinn. “The Duchess” is filled with romance, adventure, and just a plain old great story destined to make you in love with it, just as I did.

Book Details
Publisher: Pocket Books
Date of Publication: January 1, 1992
# of Pages: 362
ISBN: 978-0671689728

Sunday, July 29, 2012

It's Monday! What Are You Reading??

It's Monday! -
What Are You Reading?
is hosted weekly on Mondays
by Sheila from
"One Person's Journey"

Post the books you read last week, books currently reading, and books you plan on finishing this week.







What I Read This Week...
Seven Sexy Sins
"Seven Sexy Sins"
By: Serenity Woods
The road to passion is paved with guilty pleasures.

Faith Hillman is in a bit of a pickle. She’s been commissioned to write a series of magazine articles on spicing up your love life. She’s got the theme—the “Seven Sexy Sins”—but there’s one major problem. She hasn’t experienced any of them.

Ever since Faith’s older brother gave Rusty Thorne a black eye for kissing her on her eighteenth birthday, he’s kept his distance, waiting for the right time to make his move. This is it. She needs a research partner? He’s the man for the job.

When sex-on-legs Rusty offers his services, Faith is all over it—with one caveat. The notorious heartbreaker must sign a confidentiality contract. Just to keep him safe from her brother’s wrath, of course…and her heart off Rusty’s long list of conquests.

As they work their wicked way through the list, the implications of the contract hit Rusty as hard as the handcuffs binding his wrists to the bed. It isn’t just Faith’s touch that rocks his world. It’s the way his heart likes it that blows his defenses out of the water. And makes him wonder, when the contract ends, if he can bear to let her go.

Lord of Temptation (The Lost Lords of Pembrook, #2)
"Lord of Temptation"
By: Lorraine Heath

Three young heirs, imprisoned by an unscrupulous uncle, escaped—to the sea, to the streets, to faraway battle—awaiting the day when they would return to reclaim their birthright.

Take it Like a Vamp
"Take It Like a Vamp"
By: Candace Havens

Vampire Nick Christos might have been born in the Middle Ages, but those days seem tame compared to the last eight years spent ruling the Supernatural Council. The only respite in his long days of governing is with his sweet neighbor Casey Meyers. Sure, he’s forced to take a cold shower after every encounter, but no way will he risk anything more with a human. Not with his blood thirsty ex on the prowl and out to ruin Nick’s life.


But when said crazy ex shows up at the ball and flies her freak flag high, Nick has more to worry about than keeping his hands off his neighbor. He’ll have to stay closer than ever if he hopes to keep her alive, but will she want to leave him forever when she learns the truth?


What I'm Reading Now...
Dream Lake (Friday Harbor, #3)
"Dream Lake"
By: Lisa Kleypas
Dream Lake takes readers once again to the exquisite setting of Friday Harbor, and tells the story of Zoӫ Hoffman, an innkeeper who has all but given up on love. She’s a gentle, romantic soul, but has been so hurt in the past that she dare not trust her heart with anyone. Especially not Alex Nolan. Alex is the most haunted of all the Nolan brothers.

He drinks to keep his demons at bay and not only has he given up on love, he has never, ever believed in it. Zoӫ and Alex are oil and water, fire and ice, sunshine and shadow.

But sometimes, it takes only a glimmer of light to chase away the dark. Dream Lake is classic Lisa Kleypas: romantic, powerful, emotional, and magical.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Follow Friday



FEATURE AND FOLLOW FRIDAY IS A BLOG HOP PUT TOGETHER BY TWO HOSTS: PARAJUNKEE AND ALISON CAN READ AS A WAY TO HELP BLOGGERS BECOME AWARE OF OTHER BLOGS AND BLOGGERS. 

IT'S A GREAT WAY TO MAKE NEW BLOGGER FRIENDS.


Q: Summer Reading. What was your favorite book that you were REQUIRED to read when you were in school?

Hmm...this one is a hard one!
 I think I have two favorites.
When I was a sophomore in high school, 
I fell in love with 
Julius Caesar By Shakespeare.

Then my Junior year, 
I remember reading and absolutely loving 
The Glass Menagerie 
By: Tennessee Williams

After looking at both of these, I realize they are plays, which I normally do not gravitate towards. I think most of the novels we read were just so weird, that I enjoyed the plays more. 
Kudos to wonderful teachers and amazing literature!

"When You Wish Upon a Duke" By: Isabella Bradford Review

When You Wish Upon a Duke
"When You Wish Upon a Duke"
By: Isabella Bradford

Synopsis from Goodreads:
     Raised in the Dorset countryside, Lady Charlotte Wylder doesn’t care one bit about well-bred decorum. The dark-haired, blue-eyed beauty would rather ride a horse than attend a stuffy ball. So when Charlotte learns that she is to leave immediately for London to wed the Duke of Marchbourne, a perfect model of aristocratic propriety, she is less than enchanted with her arranged marriage.  
     But to her delight, their first encounters are brazenly flirtatious, and their wedding night burns with passion. March’s broad shoulders and dark countenance make Charlotte want to rip every button off his waist coast. She may even be falling in love with her new husband. Yet whenever their desire boils over, March reluctantly pushes Charlotte away. Will past secrets and present misunderstandings mire their marriage in scandal, or serve to strengthen a bond that is destined to last a lifetime?


My Thoughts:
     Charlotte Wylder is surprised to learn from a midnight visitor that she has been betrothed to the future Duke of Marchbourne since she was an infant. So starts one of the most delightful regency romances of the year. Charlotte is quickly swept up into the world of Regency London and falls in love, lucky for us, with the very Duke she has been engaged to.
     There sat his bride, perched like some silk-clad nymph on a wide branch, with one arm loosely around the trunk for balance. At least she’d looped and tied her skirts to one side of her legs for decency’s sake, but as he gazed up from the back of his horse, March still had a provocative view of frothy lace around bright green stockings on delicate, perfectly shaped ankles. The gauzy linen kerchief around her shoulders had slipped t one side, and the plump curves of her breasts rose above the neckline of her gown, all the more obvious above the boned bodice. Her skin was creamy and fair, her cheeks prettily flushed, her dark hair tousled beneath a small lace cap.

His first coherant thought was that Carter had been absolutely right: Lady Charlotte was a beauty, the kind of beauty destined to turn heads in every ballroom in London.

His second was pure amazement that such a lady was intended for him.

But his third and most urgent thought was why in blazes the soon-to-be third Duchess of Marchbourne - his duchess - was stranded in the lofty branches of a tree.
      Without a doubt, the characters in this novel make it the entertaining romance it is. Charlotte is fairly uncomfortable being a duchess and doesn’t know necessarily how to behave as one. March is just as uncomfortable being a husband and there is an uncomfortable adjusting period. As they get to know one another in almost impossible circumstances, the reader cheers for the couple.
    The romance is utterly romantic. One of my favorite scenes occurs as March and Charlotte are still unsure of one another. You can feel the emotion in the words and actions, which just gives me chills.

She darted over to Marchbourne. “Trust me in this, too, I beg of you,” she said softly. “Don’t fear that I’ll forget you, Marchbourne. I never could, and I never will.” She touched her fingers to his lips and then to his as a pledge. He seized her wrist and kissed her open palm, his gaze not leaving hers.
     “When You Wish Upon a Duke” is a tale of two people, thrust together by convention and family heritage, that truly come to love one another. The road isn’t easy or simple, but it's a worthwhile trip. Charlotte’s family will provide the basis for the next two books in this series and I’m looking forward to reading their tales as well.


Product Details
Publisher: Ballantine Books
# of Pages: 320
Date of Publication: July 31, 2012
ISBN: 978-0345527291


I received this book from Edelweiss free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Winners! Winners! Winners!

Congratulations to...Marisa B who won her choice of a Susan Elizabeth Phillips book
She chose "Natural Born Charmer"

Wow! We had 279 entries (yay!) and the winner of a $10 gift card to Amazon or B&N (their choice!) is....Joannie!

E-mails have been sent :)

Congratulations and stay tuned - lots of new giveaways will be coming soon!

Waiting on Wednesday


Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly book meme where we let everyone know what books we are eagerly anticipating the release of. 

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine.


"Stygian's Honor"
By: Lora Leigh
Honor Christine Roberts is a living miracle. As a child dying of leukemia, she was cured by a medical giant and now holds the key to survival. If the breeds can convince Liz Caine, daughter of a Navajo Nation council member, to help find her. 
Stygian Black's mission is to use Liza to fulfill the prophecy left him by his biological mother, a Cajun voodoo princess - that of the life of a breed. A creature created to kill. Trained to obey. And unbound by chains. 
Liza and Stygian - brought together by an inhuman evil will soon come together amid secrets and passion, and a battle of wills that could create a union of the flesh, or feed a betrayal that threatens not just the mating heat but the future of every living breed.

Releases August 7, 2012

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

"The Darkest Day" By: Britt Bury Review


The Darkest Day (Immortal Heat, #1)
"The Darkest Day"
By: Britt Bury

Synopsis from Goodreads:
     Izel Campbell was raised to believe she is an immortal Fionn with the magical skills of persuasion. But when she travels to Scotland to visit her ancestral home, Izel discovers that she is actually the world's last living human. Forced to run for her life, Izel crosses paths with Kelvin Kerr, the Campbells' greatest foe-and the most magnificent warrior she has ever seen.

     A thousand-year-old battle chief of the Kerr clan, Kelvin lives only to avenge his father, who died at the hands of the bloody Campbells. Honor demands he kill the Campbell heir, but when he learns that the lovely Izel is both Campbell "and" human, Kelvin is torn between duty and desire . . .
My Thoughts:      I picked up “The Darkest Day” after reading reviews comparing Britt Bury to Kresley Cole. Without a doubt, Kresley Cole’s Immortals After Dark series is one of my absolute favorites of all time, so I simply had to pick it up. I was surprised this was a first novel and really enjoyed entering a new paranormal world filled with wildly entertaining characters.
     We initially encounter Izel, our heroine, as she’s making her way to her Grandfather’s home in Scotland. She believes she is an immortal Fionn (kind of a wizard type fantastical person) and knows she has descended from a long line of Fionn warriors. As she is entering her grandfather’s home, she is captured by Kelvin, also immortal but with a grudge against her entire family. Kelvin has swore to kill Izel and her entire family, but he stops when he realizes that instead of immortal, Izel is really a human. (Plot point- She doesn't realize she's really human, there has been a cloaking spell. Sorry, just had to point that out)
     During the time period of the novel, all humans have long since died out. As Kelvin pauses in considering why this small human woman is entering the home of a powerful Fionn, he realizes he has a connection and declares her to be his mate. Instead of killing the last Campbell as he originally set out to do, Kelvin decides to take her to his brother. The two set off on a trek through the wilds of Scotland, and of course, fall in love with one another.
     I enjoyed the characters in this book much more than the actual plot. Izel was such a spit fire, I simply loved her. Sure she was much weaker than those around her, but she never lost her spirit and she definitely didn’t back down, under any circumstance. Kelvin was used to being the biggest, baddest, meanest guy on the block and when he faced Izel, he realized maybe that wasn’t all there was to life. Being physically weak isn’t necessarily bad when you have a strong spirit and a smart mind.
     While I enjoyed this novel, there wasn’t anything too original about it. As many reviewers have said, the book followed a fairly standard paranormal plot - supernatural creatures get together, have adventure, find love with one another, crazy misunderstanding, action sequence, with a strong I love you finale. I did enjoy it though and am interested to see what becomes of the rest of the series. There were some great secondary characters that you just know are going to be perfect for their own books. Check this one out if you’re ready for a new paranormal series similar to Kresley Cole or Larissa Ione.

Book Details
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Date of Publication: July 3, 2012
# of Pages: 300
ISBN: 978-1455523290

Sunday, July 22, 2012

It's Monday! What Are You Reading??


It's Monday! -
What Are You Reading?
is hosted weekly on Mondays
by Sheila from
"One Person's Journey"

Post the books you read last week, books currently reading, and books you plan on finishing this week.







What I Read This Week...
The Officer Says "I Do"
"The Officer Says I Do"
By: Jeanette Murray

He's a Marine...she grew up on a commune.

He always puts duty first...she's a free spirit with an unshakable belief in Fate.

He loves routine and order...she brings chaos and creativity wherever she goes.

They're going to balance each other perfectly--or drive each other completely, utterly insane...
On a wild pre-deployment celebration in Las Vegas, Captain Timothy O'Shay encounters free-spirited beauty Skye McDermott, and for once lets down his guard. Now his life is about to take off in directions he never could have imagined...
The Theory of Attraction
"The Theory of Attraction"
By: Delphine Dryden
Camilla can set her watch by her hunky rocket-scientist neighbor who jogs past her window each day. She relishes each glimpse of his shirtless abs, and is dying to see more. But it’s hard to connect with a man who doesn’t seem to know she exists…

Ivan feels at home in the lab, not in social situations. When he finally approaches his attractive neighbor, it’s not for a date—he wants tutoring in how to behave at an important fundraiser. Ivan doesn’t expect the chemistry between them to be quite so explosive, and is surprised when Cami actually accepts his proposal to embark on a series of “lessons”

Cowboy Lust: Erotic Romance for Women
"Cowboy Lust"
By: Delilah Devlin (For a Blog Tour)
There's a reason Western romance novels never go out of fashion. The cowboy is an iconic figure embodying the dichotomy of the fiercely independent, earthy alpha male juxtaposed with the male as a nurturer and protector. Cowboys take care of their women in every possible way. Wild and wayward women are gentled by the scent of horse and cow and the sight of sun-kissed skin, the feel of work-hardened thighs and arms, and the sound of a deep-voiced Texas drawl. Contributors at the top of the Western romance genre, including Charlene Teglia, Randi Alexander, and Cat Johnson, have corralled here strong and memorable characters ranging from a rodeo star and a cop on horseback to a feisty female gunslinger. Traversing romantic settings from Montana, Texas, California, Mexico, and the Outback of Australia, the stories in Cowboy Lust are risky and risqué, full of studs in spurs hot enough to send you to a vacation on a dude ranch!

What I'm Reading Now...
Seven Sexy Sins
"Seven Sexy Sins"
By: Serenity Woods (For a Blog Tour)

Faith Hillman is in a bit of a pickle. She’s been commissioned to write a series of magazine articles on spicing up your love life. She’s got the theme—the “Seven Sexy Sins”—but there’s one major problem. She hasn’t experienced any of them.

Ever since Faith’s older brother gave Rusty Thorne a black eye for kissing her on her eighteenth birthday, he’s kept his distance, waiting for the right time to make his move. This is it. She needs a research partner? He’s the man for the job.

When sex-on-legs Rusty offers his services, Faith is all over it—with one caveat. The notorious heartbreaker must sign a confidentiality contract. Just to keep him safe from her brother’s wrath, of course…and her heart off Rusty’s long list of conquests.

As they work their wicked way through the list, the implications of the contract hit Rusty as hard as the handcuffs binding his wrists to the bed. It isn't just Faith’s touch that rocks his world. It’s the way his heart likes it that blows his defenses out of the water. And makes him wonder, when the contract ends, if he can bear to let her go

Batman Weekend
Have you been to see the new Batman movie?? 
I spent 3 hours of my Sunday in the movie theater and oh my gosh...so worth the time and the money. 
Magnificent movie and a very appropriate finale to the Batman trilogy. 
What did you think??

Thursday, July 19, 2012

"Try Me" By: Olivia Cunning Review


"Try Me"

By: Olivia Cunning


Synopsis from Goodreads:
     Melanie has no desire to meet the members of the rock band, Sole Regret, but her groupie of a best friend gets them both backstage and then rushes off with the band’s lead singer. Left alone at an after party with a bunch of scary tattooed and pierced metal-heads, sheltered Melanie is relieved when the only normal-looking guy in the room insists on keeping her company.
      By the time Melanie discovers that Gabe is the band’s drummer and not as normal as she assumed, she has already made a complete fool of herself. She can’t help but be interested in him, not as a rock star, but as the sexiest man she’s ever encountered. Strangely attracted to his hidden tattoos and body piercing, she wonders what it would be like to spend a night with a bad boy.
      Gabe is more than willing to show sweet Melanie there’s more to him than meets the eye. All she has to do is try him.
My Thoughts:
      “Try Me” is Olivia Cunning's newest novella and the start of a new series! I was pretty impressed with Olivia's other rock band “The Sinners” and their respective books “Backstage Pass” and “Rock Hard” so it was a pretty safe bet I had to try her new rockers. “Try Me” was an intense, fun story that I enjoyed immensely but felt it was way, way too short.
      Melanie isn't the rock fan, her best friend is. She doesn't even know the band members of Sole Regret when she's standing in front of the stage and they are singing their hearts out in front of her. Yet when she is forced backstage by her slightly wild friend, she is drawn to the quiet, semi-boring guy in the corner with the ball cap. Little does she know he is actually the drummer of the band and definitely not quiet or boring.
      Melanie reminded me of myself, which I think is the magic in her character. She's quiet and non-showy, willing to go out with her friends but not wanting to be the center of attention. Gabe, our unassuming drummer, was an enchanting mix of serious and mysterious. On one hand he liked being one of the least known members of the band, wears demure clothes, and isn't showing off constantly. However, he still has a little bad boy in him; wearing a Mohawk and loving tattoos. The two characters complemented themselves wonderfully and I found myself lost in the words.
      Truly the only negative thing that I have to say is the length bothered me. The ending seemed abrupt and when I did come ot the ending, I had trouble identifying it as the ending. I flipped forward on my Nook thinking something was wrong with the file. I guess that's the mark of a great story, wanting more, but it was a little pet peeve. If you love rock stars, strong independent heroines, or just want a fast romance that will leave you still wanting for more, definitely check this one out!



Book Details
Publisher: Olivia Cunning, Self Published
ISBN: 2940014631808
# of Pages: 85
Date of Publication: June 26, 2012

Monday, July 16, 2012

No String Attached Giveaway Hop


Welcome to the Brunette Librarian's Blog! 

I am so happy to find you here and hope you will follow me 
It's not required to win, I just hope you like me enough to do so!
Daisy Jane, the librarian's weenie dog!
This is hop for all the people who hate jumping through hoops to enter giveaways. This is a no strings attached, no requirements to enter hop.

So what can you win today?
I will be awarding a $10 gift certificate from Barnes and Noble or Amazon. 
You choose! That way you can read anything you want, whenever you want! 

Just leave a comment telling me what your favorite read has been this summer along with your e-mail.


Sunday, July 15, 2012

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

It's Monday! -
What Are You Reading?
is hosted weekly on Mondays
by Sheila from
"One Person's Journey"

Post the books you read last week, books currently reading, and books you plan on finishing this week.


Check out this week's giveaway! Win a Susan Elizabeth Phillips book!




What I Read This Week...
When You Wish Upon a Duke
"When You Wish Upon a Duke"
By: Isabella Bradford
Raised in the Dorset countryside, Lady Charlotte Wylder doesn’t care one bit about well-bred decorum. The dark-haired, blue-eyed beauty would rather ride a horse than attend a stuffy ball. So when Charlotte learns that she is to leave immediately for London to wed the Duke of Marchbourne, a perfect model of aristocratic propriety, she is less than enchanted with her arranged marriage.

But to her delight, their first encounters are brazenly flirtatious, and their wedding night burns with passion. March’s broad shoulders and dark countenance make Charlotte want to rip every button off his waistcoast. She may even be falling in love with her new husband. Yet whenever their desire boils over, March reluctantly pushes Charlotte away. Will past secrets and present misunderstandings mire their marriage in scandal, or serve to strengthen a bond that is destined to last a lifetime?


The Great Escape (Wynette, Texas, #7)
"The Great Escape"
By: Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Where do you run to when your life has fallen apart?


Lucy Jorik is a champ at never embarrassing the family she adores—not surprising since her mother is one of the most famous women in the world. But now Lucy has done just that. And on her wedding day, no less, to the most perfect man she's ever known.


Instead of saying "I do" to Mr. Irresistible, Lucy flees the church in an ill-fitting blue choir robe and hitches a ride on the back of a beat-up motorcycle plastered with offensive bumper stickers. She's flying into the unknown with a rough-looking, bad-tempered stranger who couldn't be more foreign to her privileged existence.


While the world searches for her, Lucy must search for herself, and she quickly realizes that her customary good manners are no defense against a man who's raised rudeness to an art form. Lucy needs to toughen up—and fast.


Her great escape takes her to his rambling beach house on a Great Lakes island. Here, she hopes to find a new direction . . . and unlock the secrets of this man who knows so much about her but reveals nothing about himself. As the hot summer days unfold amid scented breezes and sudden storms, she'll also encounter a beautiful, troubled beekeeper; a frightened young boy; a modern-day evil queen; and a passion that could change her life forever.


Gateway to Heaven
"Gateway to Heaven"
By: Beth Kery
Life is rough when you're gorgeous, rich, talented and so sexy the media won't leave you alone. It was certainly the truth in Christian Lasher's case. He returns to the neighborhood of his childhood to escape the spotlight, hungering for a change in his creative endeavors. In the midst of his soul searching he meets Megan and is captured by the tantalizing hint of her hidden fires. Megan knows nothing about his wild, rebellious youth or his career as a rock star--and Christian would prefer to keep it that way. There was much, much more to her than the role of a fragile victim. Megan Shreve is a sculptor with creative depths and passions that tragedy had forced into the shadows. When she looks into Christian's eyes she sees herself for the first time as an exciting, sexy woman. She longs to discover more of herself in Christian's arms and in his bed. Two passionate souls destined for one another--unless the stifling roles imposed by tragedy and fame rip them apart.


Star Crossed (Battered Hearts, #2)
"Star Crossed"
By: Kele Moon


Heavyweight MMA fighter, Romeo Wellings comes from the hard streets of New York where his family ties to the mafia cause him nothing but pain. His life takes a surprising detour when he crosses paths with the twin sister of his long time enemy. After a steamy one-night stand, he faces the fight of his life, but it’s not in the cage. The secret relationship that blooms between Romeo and his real life Juliet has him battling his family and a dark past rather than let her go. 




The only lawyer in her hometown of Garnet, Jules Conner is also a volunteer Sheriff’s deputy and co-owner of a successful MMA training center. Strong and dependable, Jules is always there for those who need her. Until one forbidden night in Las Vegas with Romeo leaves her feeling so alive she can’t stop reaching out to the sexy, bad boy of MMA, even knowing the forbidden love affair could jeopardize everything.




As the tide rises against them and the people they love work at keeping them apart, Romeo and Jules hold onto a dream for a better life together and vow to go down fighting rather than accept a tragic ending.


Defying the Odds (Battered Hearts, #1)
"Defying the Odds"
By: Kele Moon
When struggling waitress Melody Dylan gives a handsome, lonely stranger a simple gift she has no clue her life is about to take a drastic turn.

The stranger ends up being Clay Powers, a famous UFC heavyweight fighter. Clay’s large build and dangerous fists have always intimidated. People in his hometown keep their distance and Clay is fine with that. Everything changes when a new waitress at the local diner buys him a piece of pie on thanksgiving. Touched by the gesture when it’s obvious she can barely afford to survive, her warm smile and lush body churn up powerful feelings that leave Clay wanting more from her than pie.

Melody is running from her past and the small, country town of Garnet is the perfect hiding place. With an ex-husband after her and scars from her abusive marriage etched deep, the last thing she expects is to fall for a man who makes a living with his fists, but she can’t resist Clay or the tender connection they share.



What I'm Reading Now...
The Officer Says "I Do"
"The Officer Says I Do"
By: Jeanette Murray
He's a Marine...she grew up on a commune.
He always puts duty first...she's a free spirit with an unshakable belief in Fate.
He loves routine and order...she brings chaos and creativity wherever she goes.
They're going to balance each other perfectly--or drive each other completely, utterly insane...
On a wild pre-deployment celebration in Las Vegas, Captain Timothy O'Shay encounters free-spirited beauty Skye McDermott, and for once lets down his guard. Now his life is about to take off in directions he never could have imagined..

Friday, July 13, 2012

Follow Friday - Why Start Blogging?



FEATURE AND FOLLOW FRIDAY IS A BLOG HOP PUT TOGETHER BY TWO HOSTS:PARAJUNKEE AND ALISON CAN READ AS A WAY TO HELP BLOGGERS BECOME AWARE OF OTHER BLOGS AND BLOGGERS. 

IT'S A GREAT WAY TO MAKE NEW BLOGGER FRIENDS.


Q: What drove you to start book blogging in the first place?

I started blogging in October 2011 - Which may not seem very long ago but it seems like ages to me!
 
I am a librarian in a little town in Missouri. October is usually the annual meeting for the Missouri Library Association (big shout out to all the cool Missourians out there!). So October of 2011, I found myself in Kansas City at the annual MLA meeting. 

My Director and I attended a program on blogging, presented by Joy Weese Moll. I didn't know much about the blogging world beyond reading a few of my favorites. When Joy described blogging, it was just magical! She talked about the friends she had made, the books she had read, and mostly how much it had helped her job as a librarian. I was entranced and when I got home from conference, I decided I had better start a blog.

So from there I came home and made a game plan. Why did I want to blog? To share the books I read! Who was my audience? Anyone and everyone who likes romance, mysteries, YA, and adult fiction. From then on, the rest is history. I'm still a small blog, but its been incredibly fun and I've met some wonderful cyber friends!

I realized when I was doing this post I should include some pictures from MLA - but somehow I have lost all of my pictures from last year. So enjoy some photos from the Missouri Library Association's 2010 meeting that was held in the Missouri Ozarks!


Hotel where the conference was held - Gorgeous right?

Shane Evans was the featured Children's Author
Amazing author, speaker, and just an all around fun guy.
Check out "Olu's Dream" and other titles by Shane Evans!

Thursday, July 12, 2012

"Ride With Me" By: Ruthie Knox Review

Ride with Me
"Ride with Me"
By: Ruthie Knox

Synopsis from Goodreads:
When Lexie Marshall places an ad for a cycling companion, she hopes to find someone friendly and fun to cross the TransAmerica Trail with. Instead, she gets Tom Geiger—a lean, sexy loner whose bad attitude threatens to spoil the adventure she’s spent years planning. Roped into the cycling equivalent of a blind date by his sister, Tom doesn’t want to ride with a chatty, go-by-the-map kind of woman, and he certainly doesn’t want to want her. Too bad the sight of Lexie with a bike between her thighs really turns his crank. Even Tom’s stubborn determination to keep Lexie at a distance can’t stop a kiss from leading to endless nights of hotter-than-hot sex. But when the wild ride ends, where will they go next?
My Thoughts
I read “About Last Night” a few weeks ago, and was blown away by how amazing of an author Ruthie Knox was. When you find an author this wonderful, you go and find everything that they have written. Luckily I found and loved “Ride with Me” just as much as I did her newest novel.
Lexie is looking for adventure when she starts out on the TransAmerica Biking Trail. Tom, set up with Lexie as a guide by his well-meaning sister, is only interested in riding the TransAmerica Trail, not guiding around this random girl. Immediately Tom is irritated and needless to say, the first few days of biking together aren't the most friendly.
Yet, as they spend more time together on the road, simply riding bikes over trails across the nation, Tom and Lexie begin to know one another and like each other. Tom is such a crusty, grouchy guy who doesn't like people and Lexie is almost the complete opposite. She loves to talk, is friendly almost to a fault, and is a schoolteacher. Can you get any sunnier?
I had never read a book where biking was a main focus of the novel. It was an interesting concept, and moved the novel in an interesting way. It allowed the characters to spend a lot of time together without any time constraints, which of course, let us have a lot of character development, which I'm a HUGE fan of. I love grumpy heroes and Tom fit the bill beautifully.
I think the elegance of this novel is the simplicity. Its a sweet romance about two people riding bikes across the county and falling in love. No evil stepsisters, no murders to solve, no crazy ex-boyfriends that come out of the woodwork. It's quirky, funny, and I loved it, in a gushing, oh my gosh everyone has to read this, way. She took a chance creating a romance about two bicyclists, but it really paid off. Ruthie Knox is on my auto-buy list, a wonderful lively new author everyone must try!!


Book Details
Publisher: Loveswept
Date of Publication: February 13, 2012
# of Pages: 216
ISBN: B0061C1OQ0