From the back of the book:
HER TOUCH IS DEADLY
As the only female Seminus demon ever born, master assassin Sinead Donnelly is used to being treated like an outcast. She spent decades enslaved, and now vows she’ll die before she’ll relinquish her freedom again. The Sin’s innate ability to kill her enemies goes awry: She creates a lethal new werewolf virus that sparks a firestorm of panic and viloence.
HIS HUNGER CAN’T BE DENIED
Half-werewolf, half-vampire Conall Dearghul is charged with bringing in Sin to face punishment for the plague. And she’s no stranger: He’s bound to her by blood, and the one sexual encounter they shared has left him hungering for her raw sensuality. Worse, Sin is the underworld’s most wanted and Con soon learns he’s the only one who can help her… and that saving her life might mean sacrificing his own.
SIN UNDONE is the 5th and final book in the Demonica series. I loved the way this book just tied everything together and introduced a character from Larissa Ione’s next series - Lords of Deliverance. Sin is a very interesting character. She is very tough on the outside, but so lonely and vulnerable on the inside. I was impressed by the way the author was able to make her a bitch, but one that the reader would be rooting for to get that happily ever after. She isn’t as hard as she seems and Con is able to bring out so much in her. Con is interesting in that he seems to be friendly and easy-going, but he really has walls up as high as Sin’s. These two are probably to only people that would ever be able to understand the other and make them truly happy. All of Sin’s brothers and their wifes are present in this book. We get to see that everyone is happy. This was one of the best “end of a series” books that I have read. I can’t wait for the new series to begin!
the book girl gives SIN UNDONE a 5/5
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From the back of the book:
HIS HEART IS AS WILD AS THE HORSES HE TRAINED…
Nate Shawcross is perfectly content to spend his days training wild horses. So when a beautiful greenhorn unexpectedly shos up for a seminar from the famous “Horse Whisperer” of Wyoming, all Nate wants to do is send her packing…
THE LAST THING SHE EXPECTS IS A LESSON IN ROMANCE…
Graduate student Charlie Banks came to the ranch to learn about horse communications, but when she meets the ruggedly handsome cowboy, she starts to fantastize about another connection entirely…
Nate needs to stay focused if he’s going to save his ranch from foreclosure, but he can’t help being distracted by the brainy and breathtakingly sexy Charlie. Could it be that after all this time Nate has finally found the one woman who can tame his wild heart?
I’m developing quite a soft-spot for the cowboy books. This was a very emotional book to me. A lot of the characters have issues that surround bad/neglectful parents. I loved how each character was handling their stuff differently, but able to help others at the same time. Nate was an interesting character. A true cowboy he didn’t say much and I liked that the story wasn’t so dialogue based. A lot of the story is moved along by internal dialogue and descriptions. The romance was great, although I liked Charlie’s characters growth more than the actual love affair between her and Nate. I can’t wait for more by this author!!
the book girl gives ONE FINE COWBOY a 4/5
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From the back of the book:
Lord Jarret Sharpe has spent a lifetime trying to make fate pay, wielding cards like a weapon at anyone who dares to mention the scandal surrounding his parents’ deaths. But he can only seem to win when he doesn’t care about the outcome, so he’s learned to be indifferent to everything. The only thing he’s passionate about is running the Sharpe family brewery.
Annabel Lake is determined to remain a spinster - running her family’s brewery is enough of a challenge. And when the brewery is in danger of going out of business, she needs help from her stubborn competitor, Lord Jarret. Knowing Jarret’s reputation as a gambler, she proposes a bet: a game of cards wagering her mother’s ring - and a night in her bed - against his help with the business.
When Annabel wins the bet, Jarret reluctantly travels to Burton to help her. There, he finds more than just a struggling female brewer - he finds his heart. And Annabel, who has nothing but contempt for inveterate gamblers, discovers that some men are worth the risk.
This is the second book in the Hellions of Halstead Hall series and I liked it as much as I did the first book (THE TRUTH ABOUT LORD STONEVILLE). Annabel is a fantastic character. She is feisty and at the same time very vulnerable. Her past has shaped who she is and has stunted her growth as an individual. Jarret brings out something in her that has been missing and she does the same for him. The story moves at a fast pace and the dialogue between Jarret and Annabel is fantastic. A must-read for historical romance fans.
the book girl gives A HELLION IN HER BED a 5/5
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From the back of the book:
Dear Holly, isn’t it shocking…?
Things are finally going Holly Denham’s way: she’s in love, she’s getting the recognition she deserves at work, and her friends and family have graciously opted to avoid disaster for the moment.
Just when Holly is starting to settle into her new life, scandal erupts and Holly finds herself - and her inbox - at the center of a gossip whirlwind that threatens everything she’s worked so hard for.
Written entirely in emails, this follow-up to the UK smash hit HOLLY’S INBOX will keep you glued to its pages as the scandal running rampant in the city threatens to ruin Holly’s hard-earned and long-awaited happiness.
I loved this book. There were a few times I wanted to email Holly myself and tell her to grow up, but that’s what makes the book so great. She DOES grow up through the course of the book. A lot of things happen to Holly and she learns to stand on her own (and with others) for what she believes in. The book moves incredibly fast. It only took me a couple of hours to read the 535 page book. The only thing that bothered me was that there are emails to Holly detailing her financial crisis, but she never addresses them. There are only a few, but I wonder why even have them if they aren’t really a part of the story. These emails stuck out like a sore thumb, but luckily there weren’t many. HOLLY’S INBOX: SCANDAL IN THE CITY is a fun chick-lit book that readers who like BRIDGET JONES will love.
the book girl gives HOLLY’S INBOX a 4/5!
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About the book:
SHE’S SO GOOD AT BEING BAD
Macy O’James stepped foot in Sugarland, Washington, everyone remembers what she supposedly did. The tiny town is still buzzing about her crime and lack of punishment.
Now back to lend her family a hand, Macy vows to hold her head high-especially at her high school reunion. But forget about the hottest man in Sugarland escorting her. Though she and fire chief Gabriel Donovan generate enough sparks to burn down the town, he’s a law-abiding, line-towing straight arrow. So not her type.
But maybe-just maybe-he can change her mind about that.
I am a huge Susan Andersen fan and have been waiting for a new book for what feels like forever. BURNING UP is a fun contemporary. Macy is sassy and I love her costume changes, but underneath she is extremely vulnerable. The two halves of her personality were very interesting. Gabe is completely blindsided by sexy Macy and she throws his orderly world for a loop. These two are fun together. The dialog between them is fantastic and I like how Macy changes as she becomes more comfortable in their relationship. I did have a couple of issues with the story. There is a secondary romance between Gabe’s ex and Macy’s friend that seemed inserted into the book only to make Gabe’s reaction to Macy okay (even though he has a girlfriend in the beginning of the book). There are also a lot of characters introduced that have no bearing on the story and just seemed to be filler. BURNING UP isn’t my favorite Susan Andersen book, but was a fun read for a hot summer day.
the book girl gives BURNING UP a 3/5
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From the back of the book:
HE IS THE SEXIEST, MOST IRKSOME MAN SHE’S EVER ENCOUNTERED…
Micayla is the last Zetithian female left in the universe. She doesn’t know what’s normal for her species, but she knows when she sees Trag that all she wants to do is bite him…
HE HAS SEARCHED ALL OVER THE GALAXY FOR A WOMAN LIKE HER…
Trag has sworn he’ll never marry unless he can find a Zetithian female. But now that he’s finally found Micayla, she may be more of a challenge that even he’s able to take on…
The Cat Star Chronicles is one of those series that I just can’t get enough. I was anxiously awaiting Trag’s story and it didn’t disappoint. Most of the book was fantastic - my favorite part being Trag’s reaction when Micayla hisses at him. The only thing that I didn’t like was Trag’s feelings for his sister-in-law. For more than half the book Trag believes himself in love with his brother’s wife and it bothered me. I don’t think it is an admirable trait and couldn’t help but dislike Trag a little because of it. Other than that one thing, I really did enjoy the story line. This book wraps up the story line of what happened to the Zetithian planet and gives closer to the characters.
the book girl gives HERO a 4/5
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From the back of the book:
A MAN CONTROLLED BY HIS DESIRES
Infamous for his wild, sensual needs, Lazarus Huntington, Lord Caire, is searching for a savage killer in St. Giles, London’s most notorious slum. Widowed Temperance Dews knows the area like the back of her hand - she cares for its children at the foundling home her family established. Now that home is at risk…
A WOMAN HAUNTED BY HER PAST
Caire makes a simple offer - in return for Temperance’s help navigating the perilous alleys of St. Giles, he will introduce her to high society so that she can find a benefactor for the home. But Temperance may not be the innocent she seems, and what begins as a cold bargain soon falls prey to a passion neither can control - a passion that may well destroy them both.
Elizabeth Hoyt is a hit-and-miss author for me. I loved her first trilogy, but didn’t care for the last couple of books. WICKED INTENTIONS is fantastic. I loved the unconventional heroine and the kinky hero. The mystery they are trying to solve is fantastically done and feels completely realistic as part of the story. It also sheds a different light onto Caire who comes across as a bit of a jerk at times. I loved everything about this novel that made it different. It doesn’t take place in glittering ballrooms (although they do visit occasionally) and there is much more at stake than reputation and romance. Temperance has put the children of the orphanage above her own needs until Caire comes around. They are still at the top of her list, but I loved the way Caire makes her think about herself also. Both Temperance and Caire go through changes in this book as they find their way towards love. I can’t wait to read more in this series - I hope that the rest of the books are as fantastic as WICKED INTENTIONS.
the book girl gives WICKED INTENTIONS a 5/5!
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From the back of the book:
TWO BRILLIANT AGENTS
FBI Special Agent Monica Davenport has made a career out of profiling serial killers. But getting inside the twisted minds of the cruel and the sadistic has taken its toll: She’s walled herself off from the world. Yet Monica can’t ignore fellow agent Luke Dante, the only man who ever broke through her defenses.
ONE DREAM TEAM.
Luke has the unique ability to put victims at ease…professionally, he and Monica made a perfect team. Now they’re reunited to catch a murderer who uses his victims’ deepest, darkest fears for sport - but their investigative skills aren’t enough. Luke and Monica will have to face the secrets from their past, the ones that terrify them the most, if they are to have a future together.
BUT CAN THEY CATCH A KILLER WHOSE WEAPON IS…
DEADLY FEAR
Having read Cynthia Eden’s paranormals and loving them I had high expectations for DEADLY FEAR. I wasn’t disappointed. So often when I read a romantic suspense the balance tips heavily in one direction or the other. DEADLY FEAR is almost even, in my opinion, on the romance to suspense ratio. I believe that this was helped by Monica and Luke’s previous relationship. They knew each other and knew that they were attracted to each other before the story in the book began. The suspense in DEADLY FEAR was heart pumping. I loved the little snippets we were given from the killer’s point-of-view. I was completely surprised when the killer was revealed. I can’t wait to read the other books in this series, DEADLY LIES and DEADLY HEAT, when they are released in 2011.
the book girl gives DEADLY FEAR a 5/5
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From the back of the book:
HE LIVES THE GOOD LIFE…
Gorgeous and rick, Travis Henry travels the country unearthing oil wells and then moving on. Then the beautiful blue-eyed new owner of the Honky Tonk beer joint becomes his best friend and so much more. When his job is done in Texas, how is he ever going to hit the road without her?
SHE’S FINALLY FOUND A PLACE THAT FEELS LIKE HOME…
When Cathy O’Dell buys the Honky Tonk, the nights of cowboys and country tunes come together to create the home she’s always wanted. Then in walks a ruggedly handsome oil man who temps her to trade in the happiness she’s found at the Honky Tonk for a like on the road with him…
Will a sexy showdown persuade two stubborn lovers to reveal their true hearts’ desires, or will they both be left singing the blues?
I have enjoyed all of Carolyn Brown’s previous books, but this is my favorite. I loved both Travis and Cathy and couldn’t wait for them to realize they were meant for each other. Cathy isn’t looking for a man until Travis kisses her on New Year’s Eve. She couldn’t get the good looking cowboy off her mind, and Travis can’t forget that the prickly bar owner kisses like nothing he’s ever felt before. These two circle around each other until they finally give in to the temptation.
Like the previous book in this series (I LOVE THIS BAR) there are a lot of secondary characters that are fun and interesting. Some of the characters made appearances in the first book, but many are new. HELL, YEAH is a fast, fun read that will make you want to listen to country music, drink beer from a mason jar, and find a good-lookin’ cowboy to dance with on a hot summer night.
the book girl gives HELL, YEAH a 5/5
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From the back of the book:
HE IS NOT WHAT SHE HAD IN MIND.
Jude Bertrand is not an excellent dancer. Nor does he wear the most fashionable coats. But when Marissa York’s brother approaches him, desperate to preserve Marissa’s tenuous reputation, Jude does prove heroic enough to offer to marry the girl. In fact the union should more than make up for his lack of social graces - and his own scandalous past…
BUT MINDS CHANGE…
Marissa knows that betrothal to the son of a duke - even one as raw and masculine as Jude - will save her from ruin, but that doesn’t mean she’s happy about it. Soon, though, she finds that Jude has a surprisingly gentle touch - and plans to use it to persuade Marissa that their wedding day cannot come soon enough…
If you are a regular reader here at the book girl then you know all about my love of anything and everything Victoria Dahl writes. I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy of A LITTLE BIT WILD and read it during Romcon. I know that some people will have a problem with Marissa, because she is more like a contemporary heroine than a historical one. However, I loved her and probably for that same reason. She is curious about intimacies between men and women and doesn’t seem to feel any remorse for her exploration. Jude is also a fantastic character. The way her relates to Marissa and doesn’t try to pressure her into anything is fantastic. I could tell from the very beginning that he really loved her. The only thing I didn’t really care for in the book is what happens with a note that is received asking for money or Marissa’s action would be revealed. At that point, I just wanted to get to the happy ending and didn’t need the added intrigue. A LITTLE BIT WILD is a fantastic romance with an unconventional heroine and a sexy hero!
the book girl gives A LITTLE BIT WILD a 4/5
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