Saturday, December 27, 2008

1036. More Than a Mistress (Sandra Marton)

Synopsis:
Travis Baron is handsome and immensely successful. The corporate lawyer is also the possible heir to the Barons' sprawling ranch -- and he's up for grabs at the charity auction. But when Alexandra Thorpe wins Travis for the weekend, she doesn't claim her prize.

My rating: 2 stars

1035. Blackmailed Into a Fake Engagement (Leanne Banks)

Synopsis:
Years after she'd fled Hollywood, former actress Gwen McCord now faced her toughest role. Film industry big shot Luc Hudson—a man she had never met before—had announced to the world that they were engaged! What was worse, he was moving in. Forced into the charade to protect her troubled sister, Gwen was quickly swept back into Luc's world of movie premieres and celebrity power plays. But the real danger lay in being swept away by her passionate, persistent PR man.…

My rating: 2 stars

Saturday, August 30, 2008

1034. Long Hard Ride (Lorelei James)

Synopsis:
Channing Kinkaid itches for a wild western adventure with an untamed man. Enter Colby McKaybull rider, saddle bronc buster and calf roper. He knows hes found a woman whos up to the challenge of cutting loose. Intrigued by Channings bold proposition to "horse around" on the road, Colby proposes sexual escapades not only in his bed, but in those of his two rodeo traveling partners. Can Channing give up total control? Especially when not all is as it seems with the sexy trio?

My rating: 4 stars

1033. Not Another Bad Date (Rachel Gibson)

Synopsis:
At 35, successful Idaho SFF novelist Adele Harris has had it with losers who make fun of her big fat ass. She feels cursed—and she was, by old rival Devon Hamilton-Zemaitis, who stole Adele's first love, football star Zach Zemaitis. When Devon dies following an accident, she must remove the curse that's prevented Adele's happiness so she can go to heaven. Meanwhile, Adele gets a frantic call from older sister Sherilyn, who's divorcing her husband and has moved back to their old hometown of Cedar Creek, Tex.—where Zach now coaches high school football, and where Sherilyn needs help with her 13-year-old.

My rating: 4 stars

1032. The Dangers of Deceiving a Viscount (Julia London)

Synopsis:
Lady Phoebe Fairchild is a talented seamstress who sews dresses for an exclusive London Bond Street shop, but knows that if her job is revealed, it will expose her family's financial woes to the ton and ruin their reputation—not to mention Phoebe's marriage prospects. Knowing this, her employer threatens to expose Phoebe if she refuses to travel to rural Bedfordshire to sew gowns at the home of William Darby, Viscount Summerfield. Phoebe reluctantly agrees, and posing as widowed dressmaker Madame Dupree, she travels to Summerfield's estate to create gowns for his wild, untamed sisters. Soon, Phoebe and Will are involved in an intense affair that's very likely doomed, as Will must wed a noblewoman—which Phoebe is, but Madame Dupree is not. Should she reveal her deceit, making her a worthy bride for Summerfield? Or should she keep up the charade, lest he despise her for her duplicity?

My rating: 2 stars

1031. To Taste Temptation (Elizabeth Hoyt)

Synopsis:
Samuel Hartley, raised in North America's colonial wilderness but now a wealthy Boston businessman, arrives in London seeking the traitor who betrayed the 28th Regiment into massacre by the Indians at Spinner's Falls. One of the men killed was Captain Reynaud, beloved brother of widowed Lady Emeline Gordon. Since this respected society matron also chaperones society's young maidens, Samuel contrives to meet her by asking her help in preparing his sister Rebecca to enter London society. The very model of propriety, and engaged to the titled Lord Vale whom she has known since childhood (and who also fought in the ill-fated battle) Lady Emeline is drawn to Samuel's rough vigor, not realizing the demons possessing him.

My rating: 2 stars

Sunday, August 17, 2008

1030. Sweet Surrender (Maya Banks)

Synopsis:
Dallas cop Gray Montgomery is on a mission to find the guy who killed his partner. So far, he's found a link between the killer and Faith, a beautiful stranger-and if Gray has to get close to her to catch the killer, so be it. And closer still when the killer makes his own moves on the vulnerable young woman.

My rating: 3 stars

1029. Wife for Hire (Janet Evanovich)

Synopsis:
Hoping to improve his rogue's reputation in order to get a bank loan for his business, Hank Mallone hires Maggie Toone to pose as his wife, but the deal soon changes from "strictly business" to "no holds barred."

My rating: 3 stars

1028. Smiley's People (John Le Carre)

Cover of first edition

Synopsis:
Into a shadowy, violent and intricate world steeped in moral ambivalences steps George Smiley, sometime acting Chief of the Circus, as the Secret Service is known. His brief is to bury crime, not solve it, as he fights his own private battle from London to Paris and to Hamburg for his last duel with his Russian opposite number, codenamed Karla.

My rating: 4 stars

1027. Mac's Law (Sarah McCarty)

Synopsis:
Jessica Sterns has always been a good girl, doing right, dating right, following all the right rules. Now, at twenty nine, thanks to a life change, she's got a whole lot of catching up to do, and a whole lot of bad girl to let loose. It's just a question of finding the right man. At first glance, Mac Hollister would appear to be just that man. The tall rugged rancher practically oozes testosterone, while his indolent posture, easy confidence and raw masculinity just scream "bad boy". He's the kind of man women spin dark fantasies around. The kind of man she's looking for. The minute the honey-blonde sets her dainty foot on the sidewalk in Round The Bend, Mac knows he's in trouble. From the top of her head with its long French braid, to the tips of her toes with their delicate pink polish, this woman defines elegance. Not the kind of woman he prefers, but no amount of logic can dissuade his interest once he sees Jessie's smile. He's always been a sucker for a sense of humor. Especially when it comes packaged with a killer body and an equally killer wit. Mac expects their affair to be short, sweet and safe, but he soon discovers that beneath that delicate image lurks a woman who can handle all the "bad boy" he can throw at her. She's everything he never expected to find, and what started out short-term soon becomes a relationship that will demand a compromise he's not sure he can make in order to keep the one woman he can't imagine living without.

My rating: 4 stars

1026. The Raven Prince (Elizabeth Hoyt)

Synopsis:
After reviewing her somewhat precarious financial situation, Anna Wren comes to the conclusion that she needs a job. When she discovers that Edward de Raaf, the Earl of Swartingham, requires a new secretary, it seems like the perfect solution to her employment problem. Having already lost two secretaries because of his temper, Edward reluctantly agrees to give Anna a chance. Much to Anna's surprise, she finds she likes working for the often stubborn but unexpectedly kind Edward, and Edward soon realizes that Anna is not only an excellent secretary but also an extraordinarily intriguing woman.

My rating: 2 stars

1025. Duchess by Night (Eloisa James)

Synopsis:
Harriet, Duchess of Berrow, is tired of her title and the responsibilities that come along with it. Enough with proper tea parties and elegant balls; what Harriet really wants is to attend an outrageous soiree where she can unleash her wildest whims and desires. But to attend such an event—especially if the event in question is Lord Justinian Strange's rollicking fete, filled with noble rogues and rotters, risqué ladies and illicit lovers—would be certain scandal. That's why she must disguise herself ....

Looking forward to a night of uninhibited pleasure, Lord Strange is shocked to discover that beneath the clothes of a no-good rake is the most beautiful woman in the room. Why is a woman like her risking her reputation at his notorious affair? And can he possibly entice her to stay ... forever?

My rating: 2 stars

1024. The Marriage Bed (Laura Lee Guhrke)

Synopsis:
Lady Viola Courtland was a romantic and impulsive young girl when she fell instantly in love with the handsome and dashing Viscount Hammond. Unbeknownst to Viola, John Hammond had already given his heart to the only woman he would ever love—his cousin's wife—but he was in dire financial straits and desperately needed to marry a wealthy heiress. In Viola, he thought he had found the perfect woman—beautiful and rich with a sweet nature. But Viola was neither practical nor sensible when it came to marriage, for she fully expected her husband to love her and was determined to settle for nothing less. Soon, however, John's secret was unwittingly revealed, but by then they were married and it was too late. Until one day, John finally came to his senses and prayed it wasn't too late to win back the love of his very own wife.

My rating: 4 stars

1023. Her Only Desire (Gaelen Foley)

Synopsis:
Ian Prescott, the Marquess of Griffith, had come to India to stop the Maratha Empire from going to war with Britain. Ian was counting on the help of Gabriel and Derek Knight, British cavalry officers serving in India, but Ian never expected that their sister, Georgiana, would also want to play a part in the diplomatic negotiations. Just like her aunt and namesake, the infamous "Hawkscliffe Harlot," Georgiana refuses to let any man tell her what to do. But when the diplomatic mission turns dangerous, Georgiana finds herself leaving India for England, where her life becomes even more entangled with the one man who just might be her match.

My rating: 2 stars

1022. Lady Rogue (Suzanne Enoch)

Synopsis:
When a ragamuffin boy arrives at his doorstep and is later discovered to be a young woman in disguise, Alexander Cale suspects that Kit Brantley is one of Napoleon's spies, but he is soon swept away by her outrageous charms.

My rating: 4 stars

1021. To Seduce a Bride (Nicole Jordan)

Synopsis:
Spirited beauty Lilian Loring believes that love is too risky a venture and that marriage is best avoided entirely–even if her unwanted suitor comes as deliciously packaged as Heath Griffin, the Marquess of Claybourne. The charismatic rogue has never met a woman who can discourage his advances, and after a show of resolve Lily too melts under Heath’s sensuous kisses. Perhaps that is why she decides to hide out in the last place a gentleman would look for a lady: a house of scandalous repute.

In bold pursuit, Heath discovers his enchanting spitfire cheerfully instructing the demimonde in the art of deportment. Now the thrill of the chase is exceeded only by his powerful need to possess Lily as his bride. For Heath, victory in their game of passion means nothing less than winning Lily’s elusive heart ....

My rating: 2 stars

Sunday, July 27, 2008

1020. Wedding Bell Blues (Heather Graham)

Synopsis:
If Kaitlin O'Herlihy got one more wedding invitation, she was going to scream. Suddenly everyone—including her grandmother—was getting married. It was making a shambles of her well-ordered existence. It had also brought a certain Brendan O'Herlihy back into her life, as the best man. That troublesome ex-husband of hers seemed to be everywhere, making a perfect nuisance of himself. He was as maddening and exciting as ever, and she could certainly do without any pesky reminders that he might be the best man for her.

My rating: 2 stars

1019. Sentimental Journey (Jill Barnett)

Synopsis:
Bestselling romance novelist Barnett (Wicked) has seen her books translated into 14 languages, and she finally makes her hardcover debut with this title-says-it-all saga about five individuals caught up in the hyperbolic WWII era, when men were fearlessly daring flyboys and women had to be both smart cookies and virgins at the same time. Despite good intentions and considerable research, however, the result is as ungainly as Bay and Bruckheimer's Pearl Harbor. Rugged, handsome J.R. Cassidy is sent to North Africa to save beautiful damsel in distress Kitty Kincaid (who is not only plucky but blind) from the Nazis. Red Walker, longing to depart his small Texas town, begins flying after he takes a shine to Charlotte "Charley" Morrison, a flygirl who in turn finds herself falling for RAF ace George "Skip" Inskip. Skip is mourning the death of his wife and child during the bombing of London by flying his missions like a man possessed. More like a costume party with a '40s theme or a heroic cartoon, the novel overflows with clich‚s, although Barnett does a creditable job of maintaining a consistent tone throughout, especially when it comes to the macho vernacular of the military types. Of the principals, the pairing of J.R. and Kitty has the most appeal, but it takes nearly the whole book before the stories of all five main characters finally intersect. As the story jets around from North Africa to America to Europe, diehard Barnett fans will follow with pleasure; others would do well to seek out their nostalgic fulfillment elsewhere.

My rating: 2 stars

My review: I agree with the above review on Amazon.

1018. Promise Me Heaven (Connie Brockway)

Synopsis:
To help her impoverished family, Lady Catherine "Cat" Sinclair must wed a wealthy man. So naturally, she seeks out a rake of mythic notoriety, Thomas Montrose, to instruct her in the fine art of seduction. Cat is stunned to discover that the man once known as the king of London rakes is now "retired" to the English countryside. Offended yet amused by Cat's arrogant assumption that he's "over the hill," the master seducer agrees to teach her all he knows. Little does he imagine how quickly she'll learn...or how soon she'll be teaching him!

My rating: 3 stars

1017. Too Great a Temptation (Alexandra Benedict)

Synopsis:
Damian Westmore, known as "The Duke of Rogues," is a debauched sensualist who delights only in the pleasures of the flesh; Mirabelle Hawkins, a fiery young sailor, is determined to become a pirate like her brothers. Damian is the newest crew member aboard the Hawkins brothers' ship, the Bonny Meg, where he's to serve as the navigator, much to Mirabelle's consternation. What Mirabelle and the rest of the crew don't know is that Damian's brother, Adam, was killed at sea by pirates, and Damian has concealed his identity and learned sailcraft in order to find the murderous villains. While aboard, however, Damian finds himself falling in love with Mirabelle, distracting him from his plan for revenge. Soon he discovers that the Hawkinses may in fact be the very pirates responsible for his brother's death.

My rating: 2 stars

1016. The Price of Pleasure (Kresley Cole)

Synopsis:
A man noted for his courage and integrity, Captain Grant Sutherland journeys to Oceania to find Victoria Dearbourne, an English girl lost at sea a decade before. He's given her ailing grandfather his word -- as a gentleman -- to find and protect her. But one look at a grown Victoria and Grant has never felt less like one.

Tori relishes freedom, untamed passion, and spontaneity above stifling order. Even more so when a proud, cold British captain arrives to rescue her, though she has no wish to be. As Grant tries to convince her to leave her island home, she begins to see in him a man hungering for more. A man who once laughed. A man who desires her but won't take what she offers.

Grant struggles to control his own savage passions -- and fails, Tori must decide what she wants more -- her unfettered independence or the only man who could tame her wild heart ....

My rating: 2 stars

My review: I ended up being more interested in Cammy's story as well as Ian's by the end.

1015. Love is a Many Trousered Thing (Louise Rennison)

Synopsis:
Georgia thought her heartbreak-osity troubles were over when Masimo announced that he wanted to be her one and only. But just as she hits Swoon City, Robbie, the original Sex God, shows up. How in the world has Georgia accidentally acquired two Sex Gods?

Before Georgia can decide what to do next, she must figure out what Robbie's intentions are—and if his sudden re-appearance changes her mind about Masimo. And as much as she wants to turn to Dave the Laugh for help, he's another romantic thorn (and prospective snoggee) in her side. Will Georgia ever get off the rack of love once and for all?

My rating: 4 stars

1014. The Bridal Quest (Candace Camp)

Synopsis:
Lady Irene Wyngate has sworn she'll never marry, keeping suitors at bay with her caustic tongue. But there is one man she can't scare: Gideon, long-lost heir to the Earl of Radbourne. He was kidnapped as a child and grew up tough on the London streets. And though he's been restored to his family, he is still more at home in gambling dens than stately ballrooms.

Irene isn't attracted to Gideon, or so she says when matchmaker Francesca Haughston asks for her help to civilize him for marriage. After all, he is a true rogue with a dubious past—a handsome rogue, she has to admit. But as she reluctantly begins to yield to love, wicked family secrets come to light…with devastating consequences for the reluctant lovers.

My rating: 2 stars

1013. In Bed With the Devil (Lorraine Heath)

Synopsis:
They call him the Devil Earl—a scoundrel and accused murderer who grew up on the violent London streets. A proper young lady risks more than her reputation when consorting with the roguishly handsome Lucian Langdon, but Lady Catherine Mabry believes she has no choice. To protect those she loves, she would do anything—even strike a bargain with the devil himself.

Lucian desires respectability and a wife above all else, but the woman of his choosing lacks the social graces to be accepted by the aristocracy. Catherine can help Lucian gain everything he wants. But what she asks for in exchange will put their very lives in jeopardy. When danger closes in, Catherine discovers a man of immense passion and he discovers a woman of immeasurable courage. As secrets from his dark past are revealed, Lucian begins to question everything he knows to be true, including the yearnings of his own heart.

My rating: 3 stars

1012. Private Party (Jami Alden)

Synopsis:
Finding her brand-new husband in flagrante delicto with another woman wasn't part of Julie Driscoll's plan for her lavish wedding reception. Now she's a bride without a groom--but she's determined to have a wedding night with someone. Her cheating husband's gorgeous brother will do just fine. Chris Dennison is everything his brother isn't, and his hard body is the stuff the steamiest sexual fantasies are made of ....

My rating: 3 stars

1011. Seven Nights of Sin (Lacey Alexander)

Synopsis:
Brenna Cayton doesn't need a man. At least that's what she keeps telling herself. Then her boss sends her on a business trip to Vegas to make sure Damon Andros-the sexiest man in the entire music industry-doesn't live up to his bad boy image. But before she knows it, business turns to extreme pleasure as Damon brings out her naughty side, fulfilling every one of her wildest fantasies. Now, she has just seven sultry nights to commit every sin in the book. Because once Damon discovers her dirty little secret, he'll surely never indulge their lust again ....

My rating: 4 stars

Sunday, July 20, 2008

1010. Mesmerized (Candace Camp)

Synopsis:
All her life, Olivia Moreland has denied her clairvoyant abilities, working instead to disprove the mediums that flock to London. But when Stephen, Lord St Leger, requests her help in investigating an alleged psychic, she can't ignore the ominous presence she feels within the walls of his ancient estate. Nor can she ignore the intimate connection she feels to Stephen, as if she has somehow known him before...The last time he'd lived in Blackhope Hall, Stephen had watched as his elder brother claimed both the family title and the woman he loved. Now, following his brother's death, Stephen reluctantly returns home and finds his family ensconced is scandal. Who is behind his brother's murder? And what is it about psychic investigator Olivia Moreland that awakens his long-dormant passion?

My rating: 2 stars

1009. All Shook Up (Susan Andersen)

Synopsis:
J.D. Carver learned life's tough lessons on the streets, so when an unexpected inheritance sends him to the Star Lake Lodge to claim his half, he's expecting trouble. Being greeted with open arms by the whole Lawrence gang—feisty Aunt Sophy and calm Uncle Ben, clearly off-limits Dru and her young son, Tate—just convinces him they're working an angle, and he's determined to uncover it. Even though a tiny part of him longs for the home-and-hearth life they have ....

My rating: 2 stars

1008. Queens' Warriors (Mari Byrne)

Synopsis:
Shan Lin and Vincent Rayan (whom we met briefly in STEPHANIE'S MENAGE) embark on a dangerous journey filled with intrigue and duplicity. Fed up with a Queen determined to destroy their Realm, the twin warriors are prepared to sacrifice all for the love of their Queendom. Queen Sara has become more explosive in her sexual escapades. She refuses to surrender the Realm to the Queendom's new and rightful ruler. She will do anything, including sacrificing the remaining members of her family, to ensure her right to the throne of Aranak. Add to the mix a feisty young Earth woman struggling to find her own independence. Shari White never expected to be dragged into the middle of a fight for an entire Realm. Unsure in what direction her life was supposed to turn, it shocks her to no end to find herself in a different universe altogether. She also never expected that same path to lead her to love. What starts out as an undercover sham of a marriage soon becomes more real than either man can begin to imagine as one tiny woman brings both of these strong-willed Warriors to their knees.

My rating: 2 stars

1007. The Valley of Fear (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Dust jacket illustration -- not sure if this is for the first edition

Synopsis:
The Valley of Fear
is the final Sherlock Holmes novel by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The story was first published in the Strand Magazine between September 1914 and May 1915. The first book edition was published in New York on February 27, 1915.

The plot of the novel is based very loosely on the real-life activities of the Molly Maguires and, particularly, of Pinkerton agent James McParland. The novel is divided into two parts: in the first, Holmes investigates an apparent murder and discovers that the body belongs to another man; and in the second, the story of the man originally thought to have been the victim is told.

My rating: 4 stars

Publication information:
  • Publisher: George H. Doran Company (UK)
  • Publication date: 1915

1006. Wicked Pleasure (Lora Leigh)

Synopsis:
Jaci Wright has been running from the Falladay twins, Chase and Cam, for seven years now. Fears of the desires they arouse in her, and the knowledge of the relationship they wanted with her, spurred her to run, to find a life that kept her traveling the globe and out of their reach.

But now life has come full circle. A new job has placed Jaci in the Sinclair mansion with Chase and Cam. And they're tired of waiting. It's hard enough to face accepting a relationship with two men rather than just one, but gossip and the tattered tales of juicy secrets fill the society she now moves within. Can Jaci face the world knowing she's a lover to both men, or will her hesitancy and her fears destroy her chance of happiness forver?

My rating: 4 stars

Saturday, July 19, 2008

1005. Seducing the Spy (Celeste Bradley)

Synopsis:
Lady Alicia Lawrence was cast out of polite society and branded a liar for a youthful mistake. When she overhears details of a conspiracy that could affect her country's fate, she turns to the one person who might believe her -- Stanton Horne, Lord Wyndham. Posing as Wyndham's mistress in order to root out the enemy, Alicia is drawn into an uneasy partnership...and a wildly seductive liaison. Lord Wyndham's uncanny ability to detect lies has made him a valuable member of the Royal Four, but in matters of romance it has proven a distinct liability. Alicia is the only woman whose thoughts he cannot read...and the only one whose sensual touch quenches every secret desire. As the mission grows more dangerous and more personal, and each encounter with Alicia more fiery than the last, this daring spy must face his greatest challenge yet-learn to trust the passion in his heart...

My rating: 4 stars

My review: The best yet of the books I've read of this series. It would have been even better if the previous Royal Four characters were not involved -- they seem to get in the way and don't really move the plot along in any meaningful way.

1004. The Lost Duke of Wyndham (Julia Quinn)

Synopsis:
Jack Audley has been a highwayman.

A soldier. And he has always been a rogue. What he is not, and never wanted to be, is a peer of the realm, responsible for an ancient heritage and the livelihood of hundreds. But when he is recognized as the long-lost son of the House of Wyndham, his carefree life is over. And if his birth proves to be legitimate, then he will find himself with the one title he never wanted: Duke of Wyndham.

Grace Eversleigh has spent the last five years toiling as the companion to the dowager Duchess of Wyndham. It is a thankless job, with very little break from the routine ... until Jack Audley lands in her life, all rakish smiles and debonair charm. H
e is not a man who takes no for an answer, and when she is in his arms, she's not a woman who wants to say no. But if he is the true duke, then he is the one man she can never have ....

My rating: 2 stars

My review: Very disappointing. Boring and unoriginal.

1003. Let Sleeping Rogues Lie (Sabrina Jeffries)

Synopsis:
When Madeline Prescott took a teaching position at Mrs. Harris's School for Young Ladies, it was to help restore her father's reputation. Instead, she's in danger of ruining her own. The devilishly handsome Anthony Dalton, Viscount Norcourt, has agreed to provide "rake lessons" to Mrs. Harris's pupils so they can learn how to avoid unscrupulous gentlemen, and Madeline is to oversee his classes. She has always believed that attraction is a scientific matter, easily classified and controlled -- until she's swept into the passionate desire that fiercely burns between her and Anthony. Nothing could be more illogical than risking everything for a dalliance with a rake -- even one who's trying to behave himself. Yet nothing could be more tempting....

My rating: 3 stars

1002. Duke Most Wanted (Celeste Bradley)

Synopsis:
Sophie Blake’s grandfather willed his fortune to the first of his granddaughters to marry a duke. Since her cousin, Deirdre, will seal the deal any day now, the quiet, bookish Sophie can sit back and enjoy her time with the only man she truly adores: Graham. No matter that the part charmer, part scoundrel has absolutely no designs on her! Sophie is content to engage Graham in lively conversation, beat him at cards ... and probe at the darkness hiding behind his rakish smile.
Then Graham unexpectedly gains a title, an estate in near ruins and a mountain of debt. If there is any chance of survival he must find a rich wife—quickly. As his hunt for a bride begins, Sophie realizes that she isn’t even in the running. Suddenly no longer content to be a wallflower, Sophie gets a stunning make-over and becomes the belle of the ball. Lots of heads are turning…including Graham’s. But this beauty has secrets of her own. Will she be his salvation or seal his fate?

My rating: 4 stars

1001. Sizzling (Susan Mallery)

Synopsis:
A spiteful article about the former pitcher and current playboy questions his talent in the bedroom. And the newspaper's just the first bad news. Reid's grandmother Gloria's broken hip means she needs constant care--but Reid hired Nurses 1 and 2 for their bedside manner with him. So for Number 3 he chooses Lori Johnson, the first candidate who seems immune to his brand of charm.

Lori's never wasted her time with amoebas like Reid Buchanan. So why are her well-fortified defenses starting to crumble under the force of his sexy smile--and the kindness he shows her at every turn? There's only one explanation for the feelings flaring between them--chemistry. Chemistry so hot, it's sizzling!

My rating: 3 stars

Thursday, July 10, 2008

1000(!). The Duke Next Door (Celeste Bradley)

Synopsis:
The dangerously beautiful Deirdre Cantor is determined to inherit her grandfather’s vast fortune. All she needs is to marry a duke ... and be the first granddaughter to walk down the aisle. After all, she has always dreamed of becoming a member of the haute ton. So when the proper Calder Marbrook, the Marquis of Brookhaven and future Duke of Brookmoor, is abandoned at the altar, Deirdre makes it her business to become his wife—in spite of the whispers about his past. Soon Deirdre’s visions of a lavish existence with the handsome Calder are shattered when she learns his shocking secret. Feeling betrayed, Deirdre seeks revenge by playing a perilous and seductive game of cat and mouse with her husband that threatens to drive them both to the heights of passion. She will not surrender to him, no matter how great her desire. But at what cost? Calder is determined to keep his secret under lock and key—and to make his stunning wife his in every way that matters. Even if it means winning her heart all over again ....

My rating: 4 stars

999. Binding Krista (Jory Strong)

Synopsis:
For Adan d'Amato and Lyan d'Vesti, only a shared bond-mate will ensure the continuance of their race. The Council scientists have found a match in Krista Thomas a genetically compatible human. By Council rules Krista must be willing and the binding must be done immediately before she is brought back to their world, because once she accepts the bond, she will know that Adan and Lyan are not natives of Earth. For the warriors, it's a simple quest go to Earth, bind their mate to them, then return home. There's only one catch Krista is on the run and she's afraid to involve anyone else in her life.

My rating: 3 stars

998. Awaken, My Love (Robin Schone)

Synopsis:
Stuck in a marriage that lacks passion, thirty-nine year old Elaine Metcliffe wakes up one morning in a different country, a different time and a different body. At first, she assumes she must be dreaming, but when she awakens the next morning in the same place, she realizes something terrible has happened. She is in the body of Morrigan, wife of Charles Mortimer, Lord Arlcotte. Elaine is afraid to speak and give away her true identity, but after being bullied by both an abusive maid and her own husband, Elaine fights back. Where is she? And what has happened to her own body in the twentieth century? Elaine can only wonder why the pious young Morrigan remained a virgin through her first year of marriage to Charles. She desperately needs time alone to find a way back to her own body, but Charles is determined to awaken the passion in his young bride. For Charles, the change in Morrigan is nothing less than a miracle. Convinced he is married to a cold and frigid woman, he is delighted when Morrigan responds to his amorous advances. He dreams of exploring the limits of sensuality with her-- and is not going to let her revert back to her old ways! As he slowly seduces his own wife, Charles begins to forget the torment she has put him through. Perhaps they will finally be man and wife in every sense. Here in the nineteenth century, Elaine finds her own passion being awakened in a way she has only fantasized about in her old life. It may be the Victorian age, but Charles has studied the ways of the Tantric traditions and shows her that true happiness is in the complete fulfillment of all her earthly desires. She is falling in love with him-- in both heart and body. But when the real Morrigan pops up again in a different body and threatens to expose her as a mad woman, Elaine fears for the happiness-- and sensual pleasure-- she is only just beginning to discover with Charles.

My rating: 4 stars

Saturday, June 28, 2008

997. Pippi Longstocking (Astrid Lindgren)

Synopsis:
Pippi is an irrepressible, irreverent, and irrefutably delightful girl who lives alone (with a monkey) in her wacky house, Villa Villekulla. When she's not dancing with the burglars who were just trying to rob her house, she's attempting to learn the "pluttification" tables at school; fighting Adolf, the strongest man in the world at the circus; or playing tag with police officers. Pippi's high-spirited, good-natured hijinks cause as much trouble as fun, but a more generous child you won't find anywhere.

My rating: 4 stars

996. The Secret of the Old Clock (Carolyn Keene)

Synopsis:
After aiding an injured child, Nancy accidentally stumbles upon the mystery of Josiah Crowley's missing will. While several of Crowley's impoverished relatives claim that he had included them in his will, his arrogant relatives, seem to possess the only copy, which leaves them in total possession of the deceased man's fortune. Nancy is intrigued by the situation and begins searching for Crowley's missing antique clock, an object that reportedly contains a clue to the will's location. During her investigation, she encounters a series of obstacles, one of which is the theft of the clock by thieves. Nancy's rescue of the clock ultimately leads to her discovery of the real will.

My rating: 4 stars

995. Riley in the Morning (Sandra Brown)

Synopsis:
This romance tells the story of the passion, marriage, and breakup of Jon Riley, a popular morning TV show host in San Francisco, and Brin Cassidy, his producer and wife. Throughout the back and forth of present and past, there is the usual romance device of the secret that will only be revealed at the end.

My rating: 1 star

994. Seduced by Darkness (Jaide Fox)

Synopsis:
Bewitched by a sorcerer's vicious spell, her lands stolen, Swan is forced to flee to Shadowmere for help--and her only salvation. What she encounters instead is a danger she'd never imagined possible. Raphael, Lord of the Hunters, took her at the borderlands--mysterious, tempting ... and perilous to her very soul. For to give in to his dark seduction would be to consummate her curse ... and leave her forever the swan maiden ... and his prey.

My rating: 3 stars

993. The Wood Nymph (Mary Balogh)

Synopsis:
Heartbroken at the loss of Elizabeth in A Chance Encounter, William Mainwaring retreats to his country estate and meets the unworldly Helen Wade in the woods one day. She soothes his soul until he flees in panic after seducing her. He then faces the almost impossible task of redeeming himself in her eyes.

My rating: 2 stars

992. Bedford Square (Anne Perry)

Bedford Square

Synopsis:
A famous historical scandal called the Tranby Croft affair (a gambling case involving the Prince of Wales) is very much in the news when the body of a working-class man is found early one morning on the posh doorstep of General Brandon Balantyne. No one in the house claims to know the murdered man, but he has a valuable piece of jewelry belonging to the Balantynes in his pocket. Thomas Pitt and his outspoken aide, Sergeant Tellman, must tread lightly, but Charlotte--and especially her sharp relative Lady Vespasia Cumming-Gould--aren't restrained by such social niceties. Gracie, the Pitts' smart and rough-tongued maid, is also a valued asset to the investigation, which proceeds in a satisfying, if not particularly surprising, manner to a highly dramatic conclusion.

My rating: 3 stars

991. Surrender (Kimberly Zant)

Synopsis:
If anyone had asked Anna before what she would be willing to do for money, what she'd just signed up for would NOT have been on the list. She's discovered, though, that the needy can't afford to be too picky. And, after all, what's six weeks in the scheme of things? Despite her internal pep talk, though, she discovers she isn't at all prepared for what she has to face in the mansion of ill repute-where 'no' is no longer a part of her vocabulary unless she wants to forfeit the money she needs so badly.

My rating: 4 stars

Sunday, June 22, 2008

990. The Last Camel Died at Noon (Elizabeth Peters)

Synopsis:
This time Amelia, her handsome, fearless husband, Radcliffe, and their precocious 11-year-old son, Ramses, are in the Sudan, searching for archeologist Willoughby Forth, who disappeared 14 years earlier with his new wife. Rescued in the desert after every camel in their caravan dies, the Emersons are taken to a lost city where ancient Egyptian customs have been carried into modern times. There, entangled in two half-brothers' battle for the throne, Amelia and family fight for the freedom of the slave class while ferreting out the fate of Forth and his bride, and arranging to escape with their lives.

My rating: 2 stars

989. Duplicity (Nikki Soarde)

Synopsis:
Lee Saunders and Carter McCrea are friends. They work together. They discuss books and movies, their lives and their dreams. There's no detail too personal, no subject too taboo-except one. How they feel about each other. Lee loves him, has loved him almost since the first moment she laid eyes on him, but Carter is taken. He's been with the same woman for years and, with wedding bells tinkling in the distance, Lee has resigned herself to a fate of platonic friendship and lively fantasies. And then everything changes. Carter's girlfriend unexpectedly breaks it off and, devastated, Carter looks to Lee for comfort. Finally Lee's fantasies are fulfilled-in myriad ways she never dreamed-but her world is still far from perfect. Despite the break-up, Carter's ex isn't through with him. She has another agenda where Carter is concerned and works diligently to see it through to completion. Lee fights to hang on to what is hers, but encounters some surprising obstacles along the way and realizes that no one in her life is exactly what they appear to be. Not even the man she loves.

My rating: 3 stars

988. The Bridges of Madison County (Robert James Waller)

Synopsis:
When Robert Kincaid drives through the heat and dust of an Iowa summer and turns into Francesca Johnson's farm lane looking for directions, the world-class photographer and the Iowa farm wife are joined in an experience of uncommon truth and stunning beauty that will haunt them forever.

My rating: 1 star

987. Stranger In My Bed (Julia Keaton)

Synopsis:
Facing spinsterhood and with no prospects of a husband in sight, Melantha yields to her needs and dreams about a secret lover who comes to her at night and gives her passion. It was innocent enough until her desires to 'live' the fantasy lured her into recording her secret fantasies in her diary . And until the thief stole into her room and took her diary ... and then her innocence. And then her heart....

My rating: 3 stars