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So What Do You Really Think of Reviews?

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010

I realize that the judging of a book is terribly subjective. Readers have different tastes etc. What is vastly appealing to one can cause another’s eyes to roll in disgust. So one person’s take on a book is generally that, their take, their opinion.

I’m writing this post as I begin posting regular reviews on this blog. I would like nothing better than for visitors to feel more informed about a book than when they were before they visited. But what visitors will get is one person’s opinion. You might share that opinion when all is said and done and begin to trust that reviewer; feel that you and said reviewer share the same tastes. Bravo! Or, you may end up having the opposite reaction to the book than the reviewer did, and decide their tastes don’t coincide with yours. At the end of the day, book reviews are a tool that you, the readers, can do with what you will.

What I do want from the reviews I post on this blog is honesty. Whether the reviewer loved the book or couldn’t stand it, I will make sure it’s done in a fair and honest manner. Their reasons for loving the book will be spelled out as well as their reasons for disliking it. And you will never see a review from a reviewer who doesn’t particularly like the ‘hidden baby’ trope, reviewing precisely that sort of book. I don’t think it’s fair to an author that someone already prejudiced against their storyline should be the one to review it.

Okay, that said, I’d like to find out from you how you view book reviews. How much weight do you put on them?

**You can select up to 3 answers.

What's your take on Book Reviews?

View Results

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Posted in Reviews | 15 Comments »

Review: Secrets of Sin

Monday, March 8th, 2010

Secrets of Sin
Author: Chloe Harris
Publisher: Aphrodisia
Pub. Date: January 26, 2010
ISBN-13: 978-0758238535
Retail Price: $14.00
Pages: 320

THREE DAYS… ENDLESS PLEASURE

On a Caribbean island of alluring delights, Emiline du Ronde-Barhydt commands a large estate, vast wealth, and unwavering devotion. Her inheritance and dazzling beauty ensure that she’s granted her every wish… or almost. The one thing she can’t get is freedom from her proud wayward husband.

When her husband, sea captain Reinier Barhydt finally agrees to give his determined wife the divorce she craves – it’s for a price: three days of total submission to his every erotic demand. Both fall under the spell of the most forbidden sensations that reignite every delicious inch of their bodies… and Reinier soon realizes that he is no longer master of his carnal game. At the mercy of his own raw shattering needs, the three red hot days may just turn into a lifetime of smoldering passion…

~*~*~

If you couldn’t tell Secrets of Sin is an erotic romance. And wow. My first thought when I read the first couple pages of Secrets of Sin is ‘You had me at hello.’ This book is erotic without being porny. It was really hot and descriptive. I mean if you want a complete idiot’s guide to spicing up your sex life, get this book. Really. I think my eyes popped out of their sockets a couple times, but in a good way. :) There was a time or two when reading that I thought, ‘Oh, so that’s how that’s really done.’ :) And I don’t recall ever thinking that when reading an erotic romance before.

Secrets of Sin is a compelling read. What really piqued my interest is the location and history of the country where the story takes place. After reading Secrets of Sin, I spent over an hour on the internet goggling Grenada, its culture and its history. Very few books engaged me so completely in that way.

That leads to the plot. The plot engaged me because it’s amazing that I would spend so much time on the internet. Secrets of Sin is more than a marriage reunion story. It’s about finding yourself and accepting yourself and the person you love for who they are. That’s the strength of Secret of Sin.

There were a couple things that bothered me about Secrets in Sin. There’s a subplot involving Reinier’s best friend that distracted from Emiline and Reinier’s story, especially in the beginning. This could’ve just been me, because when I first start reading a novel, I want to get to the hero/heroine’s story and conflict. There is a scene in the beginning of the book that I felt could’ve been left out, but once I got to the end of the book, it was explained and I had a ‘Oh, I see why you did that’ moment. I know I’m being annoyingly vague but to go any deeper would reveal too much. Although I understood why something was done, I still believed Secrets of Sin would have been stronger if the majority of the best friend’s story was left to his own book. It was certainly a strong enough subplot to do so.

Another thing that annoyed me about Secrets of Sin is the conflict that pulled Reiner and Emiline apart. I understand why it might have ruined the marriage in the beginning, but all these years later they never talk about what drew them apart. After awhile I got a little annoyed that they didn’t just sit down and talk to each other, because Secrets of Sin had so much more going for it that even if they talked about what drew them apart, they had so many other issues they needed to work through. Overall, I loved this book and would definitely read it again.

Rating: 7 (Good)

Heat Level : 6 (Erotic)

Buy Links: Book Depository – $9.58 ~  B&N (eBook) – $8.00

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Posted in Feb 2010, Reviews | 4 Comments »

Guest Review ~ For Your Arms Only

Monday, February 8th, 2010

Lynette Curtis, a frequent visitor of the blog, has been kind enough to review Caroline Linden’s, For Your Arms Only and offer up her two cents.

~*~*~

For Your Arms Only
Author: Caroline Linden
Publisher: Avon/HarperCollins
Pub. Date: November 24, 2009
ISBN-13: 978-0061706479
384 pages

He’d never been shot by a woman . . .

He was once a distinguished army officer, a man of honor and heroism. But that was before Alexander Hayes was wrongly accused of treason. Forced to abandon everything he held dear, Alec became a spy for England in an attempt to clear his name. His latest commission sounds simple: locate a retired soldier gone missing. But it also sends him back home, to a family who’d thought him dead for five years—and a woman who’d like to shoot him.

Everything Cressida Turner’s ever heard about Alec tells her that he’s a traitor of the worst kind, and yet this enigmatic, infuriating, and utterly captivating man may be the only person she can trust—and the only one who can find her missing father. With nowhere else to turn, she reluctantly joins forces with Alec, unprepared for both the dangerous secrets that threaten them and the relentless passion that drives them into each other’s arms.

~*~*~

Lynette’s Two Cents:
The beginning of For Your Arms Only was slow and dragged. It took me two and a half days to read the first one hundred or more pages of this book. Despite the awesome writing (I mean Ms. Linden’s talent just oozes from the page) I wouldn’t have picked For Your Arms Only back up again if I hadn’t promised to review it. However, the middle and end were fabulous. I’d defiantly read this author again, though it’ll be a library read at first. I live in Michigan, the worst economic state in the U.S., so I only purchase books I know I will re-read (I’m a big re-reader). If I read one or two more of her books that I really liked, she’d go on my must-buy list. I can see Caroline Linden as an author who will blow me away eventually, her writing was that good. It was just the story and heroine that bothered me.

Plot: There is a lot of plot inside For Your Arms Only, which normally is a good thing. However, in my humble opinion it felt as if it took way too long to set-up the story. There was too much to focus on, that I ended up losing interest. Near the end, all the plot threads pulled together but I thought they should’ve been woven in more effectively in the beginning so that the reader would care more and not stop reading.
a. Example 1. I had a serious WTF moment in the book. Since it’s back-story I can tell you without spoiling anything. Alexander is accused of being a traitor. Everyone (including Wellington) believes he betrayed the English to the French, yet he is given a job as an English spy. AFTER EVERYONE BELIEVES HE’S A TRAITOR. HUH! That lost all credibility to me. Maybe it’s because of what I do day-to-day on my job, but I lost faith in the author from the moment I read that in the prologue. Everything was explained quite well later on, but that wasn’t until Chapter Eight (Chapter Eight starts on page 91) that the explanation was given. So I spent ninety-one pages thinking this defies credibility. I wish the explanation would’ve been weaved in a little earlier, maybe infuse the information into the prologue or made Chapter Eight the prologue.
b. Example 2. Ms. Linden did a great job with Alexander the hero. I adored him, which is why I kept reading despite some of the problems I had with this book. One thing that bothered me is that when he returned home after five years. NOTHING was said about his return from the dead. No family dramas, nothing. Not a hint of anger from the man who thought he’d inherit. NOTHING. No one broke the rule that we just don’t talk about it, even when it’s just within family. Come on now. I know the English are supposed to have a stiff upper lip, but this was a little too much. I kept waiting for the fight to erupt. It did erupt eventually with his sister Julia but it was to the middle/end of the book. Waiting for something so obvious to happen distracted my reading experience.
c. Example 3. Minor issue that comes not from knowledge of the era but from reading romance novels from the time I was eleven years old. A single woman (even a spinster) going on an overnight trip with a single man during that time-period? It just didn’t seem right to me, felt it was just a device to throw them together. However, I could be wrong and often am.

Characters: I didn’t like the heroine. She got on my last nerve until (you guessed it) the middle/end of the book. Alexander was sent to help her, and she acted like he had the plague. Come on girly. Her justification wasn’t even that she didn’t trust him because he was branded a traitor. She had no reasoning for her dislike and it annoyed me. I also felt that the author spent a little too much time in the beginning channeling Elizabeth and Jane Bennett for Cressida and her sister Cassie. But that’s just my opinion. Again, this changed as the book went along.

Sex Scene: I am so not one of those people who say they skip the sex scenes. Frankly, I think they’re lying. But that’s just me. Me, I read the sex scenes with a highlighter and pencil in my hand so I can scribble notes in the margins. :) Different strokes for different folks. Having said that, this sex scene seemed out of place, it read like I was suddenly transported into an erotic romance novel. I read erotic romance novels, so that didn’t bother me, but the tone seemed wrong and didn’t fit the Cressida I had pictured in my mind. The tough, no nonsense, feisty (Elizabeth Bennett type) heroine. It’s like she turned into a totally different character. That scene didn’t fit tone of the rest of the book.

I know it seems like I didn’t like the book. I did. Once again, the middle and end were great. Ms. Linden can describe a scene that is so vivid that I feel like I’m there. Once the plot issues were ironed out, I was able to sit down and enjoy the story, so that just make me wonder what she’d do with a different book. I can’t wait to see.

Rating Scale:
A – Top 20 in subgenre. I will keep it and re-read it and it will be my precious
B – I’ll re-read my favorite parts
C – Good but I won’t re-read
D – Not my thing
E- I finished it.
F – I did not finish it.

Final Grade: C-

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Posted in Reviews | 13 Comments »

Second Time Around Review ~ Seducing The Heiress

Monday, January 18th, 2010

This review is brought to you by Barbara at Happily Forever After. As you can see, she will review a book from time to time. :)

~*~*~

Seducing the Heiress
Author: Olivia Drake
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Pub. Date: December 1, 2010
ISBN-13: 978-0312943455
320 pages

Her wealth and beauty have made Miss Portia Crompton the catch of the season. Secretly determined to wed the maharajah’s son she left behind in India, Portia ignores the money-hungry bucks who ply her with bouquets and bonbons. But one suitor will not be deterred: Colin Byrd, Viscount Ratcliffe. He is persistent and presumptuous—and wickedly tempting.

Colin has no delusions about romance. He’s a rogue, a womanizer, and a murderer, and seduction comes as easily to him as breathing. Portia’s fortune is an irresistible lure until Colin’s mercenary scheme hits a snag. Winning her dowry is no longer enough—he wants her heart and her passion. The more adamant she is in her refusal, the more determined he is to seduce her…

~*~*~

Drowning in debt, Colin, Lord Ratcliffe must find a way to get money or risk losing everything. He concocts a scheme to seduce the wealthiest and most desired heiress of the Season. Portia Crompton. It should be a simple enough task, seeing as Colin happens to be quite a ladies man and knows exactly what it will take to seduce his would be bride. Only problem is, he never expected the beautiful debutante to be so quick to catch on to his scheme.

Portia may be young, but she’s no fool. She knows full well that Ratcliffe merely desires her dowry to settle all of his gambling debts. She won’t deny her immediate attraction to the handsome rogue, but that doesn’t mean she’s about to fall for his schemes. With rumors of murder, a trail of women in his wake and of course his mountian high stack of debts, Ratcliffe is the last man Portia would ever consider entrusting her dowry to, let alone her heart.

Besides, Portia has plans of her own. She’s in love, and no one–especially not Ratcliffe–will stand in the way of her being with the man she truly wants to marry.

Ratcliffe, however, isn’t so easily dissuaded. Besides, he knows Portia desires him and it’s merely a matter of time before her will to refuse him breaks. But what begins as a test of wills soon turns in to an all consuming love that neither of them expected.

I absolutely adored this story! The on going banter between these two was witty, hilarious and gave me the same goofy smile I get whenever I read a Julia Quinn novel, lol. I’m definitely looking forward to the next book in this series!                 5/5

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Posted in Reviews | 7 Comments »

Reader Review ~ SINJIN – Julia Templeton

Tuesday, January 12th, 2010

Back in December, I gave away 2 copies of Julia Templeton’s SINJIN for reader 2 readers to review. Well today I’m posting those reviews and giving away another 2 copies of SINJIN to 2 lucky commenters. :)

~*~*~

SINJIN
Author: Julia Templeton
Publisher: Kensington/Aphrodisia
Re-release date: October 1, 2009
ISBN-13: 978-0758238153
352 pages

His Needs Consumed Him…

The oldest of the Rayborne brothers, Sinjin’s insatiable appetite for sex has earned him the nickname “Sin.” But his frequent visits to London’s most infamous pleasure houses must now come to an end. For a rogue who’s accustomed to indulging his every desire, one woman can never be enough…until Sinjin locks eyes with Katelyn Davenport, and knows she is the one woman he can’t get enough of…

Until He Met the One Woman Who Could Satisfy Them all…

Betrothed to a much older man in payment for her late father’s gambling debts, Katelyn dreads her wedding day—and her wedding night even more. When she meets Sinjin at a soirée intended to introduce him to the eligible young ladies of the ton, she envies the lucky woman who will ultimately become his bride. But when Sinjin seduces Katelyn, giving her just a taste of his legendary skills, she can only imagine herself in his bed every night.

Lynette’s Review

This back cover blurb sucks. There is so much more going on inside this book and this blurb doesn’t convey what a really good book this is inside. If I went to a book store and read this back cover blurb I wouldn’t have bought the book and I would’ve missed out. There is a good plot inside. I also hate that the blurb attempts to thinly suggest that there’s a ménage in the book. There is but it isn’t with the hero or heroine as one would assume.

PROs
*  I have a needy husband; a five-year-old girl who I swear is the Queen of All Drama, and a fourteen-month-old boy. My time consists of my name being called the minute I try to sit down to do something for myself. Yet, no matter how many times stopped to play “which body part is this, mama I’m hungry, mama I don’t want to go to bed, honey where is, honey what about me . . .,” well, you get the point. I never once lost interest in the story. I never once thought about putting it off for another day. And by the way, I have several books by authors who are better known that I put aside and haven’t gotten around to picking back up again. I didn’t do that with this book.
* That being said I liked this author’s style. With my busy life I loved the fact that she was able to pack a punch with her narrative and dialogue with so few words. Even though her style is very straightforward and to the point without being overly prosy (is that a word), I never felt that it was too simplistic. I didn’t feel like I was made to feel like a two-year-old.
* The hero’s mama is full of awesomeness. You have to buy this book just to read about Sinjin’s mother. I laughed out loud when Mama came into the whorehouse to drag her son’s out.
a. Example of her awesomeness: “I dragged you and your brothers out of a filthy, dirty whorehouse this evening. Please do not speak to me as if you would to one of your many witless mistresses.” She shoots, she scores. Love, love, love her.
*  I really liked the heroine. To give a quick overview, Katelyn’s mother sold her to a man old enough to be her daddy. She feels trapped in a relationship with a man who is going to turn into a controlling, abusive, prick the second she says ‘I do.’ I sympathized and understood her reasoning for wanting to have a little bit of fun (well in her case, a lot of fun :) ) before she’s forced to marry a man to secure her family’s fortune. I also understood her conflict. After realizing that she’s in love with Sinjin she’s wonders how can she go back to such a confining environment with her fiancé. She wants to escape her situation and find happiness for herself but is unsure if Sinjin feels the same way she does. I loved the fact that once she realized that Sinjin cared about her as well she was willing to do whatever it took to stay with him despite the furor it would cost her and her family if she broke off her engagement. It helps that her mother is a B-T-C H who sold her so she could pay off her father’s gambling debts and run around buying expensive presents for her young, delivery boy lover.
* I really liked Marilyn the heroine’s sister. Once she realized what was going on she was selfless and wanted her sister to be happy, even if it meant a reduction in her own circumstances. There are a couple scenes with the sister where Marilyn comes to the realization that maybe she isn’t attracted to men. Fair warning for the faint at heart, (but then again why are you reading erotica anyway) she’s kissed by another woman. I am interested in seeing how the author plays out the relationship/lesbian issue in the rest of this series. Is she really a lesbian or not. I can see the author going many different directions with this character.
* Speaking of secondary characters. They never did what I thought they would do and that’s a good thing. No matter how interesting the secondary characters were and yes, I could tell the author was setting things up for the sequels, I never felt as if they overshadowed the hero and heroine.
* I suppose this goes into the plot. It wasn’t just about sex, the hero and especially the heroine had real issues that they had to overcome and I found it believable how they handled these issues and attempted to overcome them.

CONs
*  My biggest problem with this novel is a problem I often see in erotic romance. I probably wouldn’t have mentioned this, but since I really liked this book, I expected more from the author. I felt that if she would’ve fixed the issue I had with this book, it would’ve been what I’d consider an A read. In my honest opinion, Sinjin and Katelyn fell in lust instead of in love, and I can’t see them having a happily ever after. I wish the author spent just a couple pages exploring why these two were meant to be together. Since this is an erotic romance it’s kinda a given that they will have great sex. I needed this author to bring a little something beyond that for these two characters
a. As an example. I’ve been on a Colin Firth kick lately and just finished watching Bridget Jones’s Diary. Since I’ll use any excuse to talk about my BF and I figure everyone has probably seen this movie (if you haven’t, WTF) I’ll use a couple scenes from this movie as an example.
i. 1st example: My BF and I are at a dinner party and as I am leaving he tells me why he likes me just the way I am. Even with my verbal diarrhea and vulgar mother.
ii. 2nd example: My BF has just helped me achieve a career making interview. As I am cooking dinner for my friends he arrives and helps me salvage the disaster. We’re in my apartment making an omelet joking around mimicking my mom and our parents’ friends. This discussion highlights the areas we have in common and how despite the misunderstandings between us we have a lasting connection and an attraction towards each other. The doorbell rings and I walk away. As I walk away my BF exhales, looks down, swallows, and loosens his tie. My BF is soooo hot and LOOOVES me and we haven’t even stuck our tongues down each other’s throats yet.
b. Unfortunately nothing similar to this happens in this book. Nothing that signifies deep feelings for one another, beyond the great sex. I felt that if there were one or two scenes that highlighted what made these two people made for each other, it would have pushed the story over the edge. (Side note: Yes, I am aware that I’m cuckoo for Coca Puffs and have issues, but hey it’s Colin Firth, sue me.)
c. My final con. The ending was too rushed and was just too pat and convenient. I’m talking about how Katelyn was able to get rid of her fiancé and be with Sinjin. But by that point I was so engrossed in the story it didn’t bother me as much as it should’ve. I was disappointed and thought she could’ve come up with a different way of bringing the couple together without the reader (or at least me) feeling a little let down that it was so easy. They didn’t really have to struggle to achieve their happily ever after.

Overall:
This was a good read. I found myself satisfied with the book and when I see this author’s works in the bookstore yes I will probably buy her next work despite the awful blurb.
My final grade for this book is based on the following scale:
A: Top 20 in their subgenre. I will keep it and re-read it and it will be my precious.
B: Great read. Will probably re-read my favorite parts.
C: Good story but have no interest in re-reading it.
D: Uggh, or maybe it just wasn’t my thing (usually happens with a UF series that everyone raves about).
E: I finished it.
F: I did not finish it.

My Grade is: B-

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Posted in Contests, Giveaways, Reviews | 37 Comments »

Katiebabs Advance Review ~ Scoundrel’s Kiss – Carrie Lofty

Sunday, December 27th, 2009

Hi! I hope everyone had a fabulous Christmas. My son was happy, therefore I did.  I also gave the blog a facelift to match The Season Jan/Feb issue. What do you think, do you like the new look? ;)

Today, I’m posting a Second Time Around Review by Katiebabs. Now since the book hasn’t released yet, it’s darn timely don’t you think? I would  like to mention, I’ve already seen Scoundrel’s Kiss on the Walmart book shelves, so after you read the review, you can run out and purchase it. Enjoy!

~*~*~

Scoundrel’s Kiss
Author: Carrie Lofty
Publisher: Kensington/Zebra
Pub. Date: January 5, 2010
ISBN-13: 978-1420104769
320 pages

When it comes to temptation…

Turning his back on his old life as a rogue, Gavriel de Marqueda has joined a monastic order in Spain and taken a vow of chastity. Before he becomes a monk, he must pass one final test: help a woman who has lost her way. But when he lays eyes on Ada of Keyworth, he is tempted beyond measure by her sultry beauty and dangerous curves…

Rules are meant to be broken…

Far from her home in England, Ada has been battling inner demons for more than a year. When she discovers that her only friend has abandoned her, she has no choice but to grudgingly accept Gavriel’s help. But Ada is not fooled. Though Gavriel wears the robes of a monk, Ada sees that he is a virile man who looks at her with a hunger that matches her own–one that begs to be satisfied again and again….

After I finished reading Scoundrel’s Kiss, one word came to mind- beauty. The beauty is in the words as well as the way Carrie Lofty makes her characters come alive. That’s what I think of in regards to Scoundrel’s Kiss. Carrie has written a courageous powerful tale that will leave you breathless. Some historical romances are pure fluff and very much like wallpaper, where it is pretty to look at but nothing else. This is definitely not the case when it comes to Carrie’s writing.

Ada of Keyworth escaped her life in England for the country of Toledo after a she was held captive by a most evil man who tortured her, as well as breaking all ties with her sister, who she felt betrayed her. Ada still can’t get passed the demons that plague her and even though she is a learned woman and a scholar of many languages who has found patronage an important lady, the Condesa de Valdedrona. Ada suffers daily because she has become addicted to opium. Her addiction has consumed her and helps her cope. She is about to lose everything for a drug that gives her sweet release, even if it means selling herself.

Gavriel de Marqueda is a novice monk who has joined the Order of Santiago. Through this Order, he will find absolution for his soul. Gavriel also has internal demons because of his past and the blood he feels he still has on his hands. He has taken a vow of chastity and must abstain from violence. His final test is to save an unfortunate soul and provide spiritual guidance where they will turn to the Church and redeem themselves of their wicked ways. Gavriel spots Ada, who in her opium induced haze, has been placed on an auction block as a slave to be bought and used in any way her new master seems fit. Gavriel saves her and now must break her of her addiction before all hope is lost.

Gavriel and Ada will be pushed to their limits as they travel to safety where danger surrounds them. Ada drives Gavriel to the brink, a fine line where he wants to strangle her as well as hold her close and claim her as his woman. All Ada wants is to be free, away from Gavriel, but he forces her to confront her selfishness and greed, and now she has found a new addiction, which Gavriel never sees coming because Ada longs for his touch and kindness over the drug that almost brought her to near ruin.

Scoundrel’s Kiss is filled with despair, angst and such drama told in such an exquisite way that a reader cannot help but feel every emotion Gavriel and Ada go through. These two suffer incredibly and you long for them to find a small piece of happiness with one other.

Ada is an interesting type of heroine who is strong as well as stubborn but also very intelligent. She sees things with a very critical mind and even though she may seem weak and suffers, that is really not the case. She brings forth many surprises, as well as Gavriel whose life is changed the moment Ada comes into it. And even though these two insult and push each other away, those moments when they feel relief or enjoy a bit of tenderness with one another, leads to respect and an all consuming passion that in turns becomes love.

Scoundrel’s Kiss has a near epic type feel to it in an exotic land with so many twist and turns. Carrie Lofty is a masterful storyteller who kept me hooked until the very last page. This is one much recommended romance. (January, Zebra)

Final Grade: A-

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Posted in Kensington, Reviews | 13 Comments »

Rate Me Review ~ SINJIN

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009

I’m heating up December with Julia Templeton’s SINJIN. Who is Sinjin, you ask? Well he’s one of the Rakehells of Rochester. And he’s nicknamed “Sin” for a very good reason. If you like your historical scorching hot, this is definitely the book for you.

So today, I’m going to do something different with the Rate Me Reviews. Today I’m going to give away 2 copies and for that I want the winners to read the book and give their reviews. Now it doesn’t have to be anything grand. All I want is your honest thoughts about the book. I’m going to assume you like the premise and that you like heat. There is a warning on this book that states “This book is a REALLY HOT book.”  I’ll post the reviews once I get them but in the meanwhile anyone who has read it can rate it and add their thoughts in the comment section (would really love comments if you give it a rating).

RT Book Reviews: 3 Stars
“Much like Susan Johnson and Thea Devine, Templeton develops the lust-to-love theme with loads of asbestos-gloves love scenes involving everything from menage à trois to voyeurism. Though some might desire a deeper plotline and others greater depth of emotion, Templeton senses what erotica readers crave and gives them hot, hot, hot.”

The Romance Reader: 4 Hearts
“Sinjin is perfect for those who want a bit more spiciness with their romance. I had fun reading this latest by Ms. Templeton and look forward to reading future stories with the Rakehells of Rochester.“

Good Reads: Average rating 3.8 (5 reviews)

SINJIN-lgSINJIN
Author: Julia Templeton
Publisher: Kensington/Aphrodisia
Re-release date: October 1, 2009
ISBN-13: 978-0758238153
352 pages

His Needs Consumed Him…

The oldest of the Rayborne brothers, Sinjin’s insatiable appetite for sex has earned him the nickname “Sin.” But his frequent visits to London’s most infamous pleasure houses must now come to an end. For a rogue who’s accustomed to indulging his every desire, one woman can never be enough…until Sinjin locks eyes with Katelyn Davenport, and knows she is the one woman he can’t get enough of…

Until He Met the One Woman Who Could Satisfy Them all…

Betrothed to a much older man in payment for her late father’s gambling debts, Katelyn dreads her wedding day—and her wedding night even more. When she meets Sinjin at a soirée intended to introduce him to the eligible young ladies of the ton, she envies the lucky woman who will ultimately become his bride. But when Sinjin seduces Katelyn, giving her just a taste of his legendary skills, she can only imagine herself in his bed every night.

Comment I’ll rate it to enter to win.

VN:F [1.7.7_1013]
RATE THIS BOOK!
Rating: 7.8/10 (9 votes cast)

TheSeason-4

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Posted in Giveaways, Rate Me Reviews, Reviews | 23 Comments »

Rate Me Reviews ~ For Your Arms Only – Caroline Linden

Friday, November 27th, 2009

Rate this book, please. :) Yes, what I’d like is for you, the readers, to review this book for other interested readers. Every once in a while, when a force beyond my control compels me, I’ll jot down my thoughts on a particular author or book and do a post. However, due to writing, running The Season sites and busy mommy life, that will happen infrequently. But the visitors to my blog want to see more current reviews and I want to give them what they want. So this is my solution to that.

What I will do is post the cover, the blurb and and the average rating or single rating from all the review sites that I can find. Then I want you the readers to rate the book and tell me what you thought of it. I think sometimes (perhaps a lot) readers would rather see what other readers thought of the book than a reviewer who does this as a job (or part-time job). Readers don’t HAVE to read a book they wouldn’t otherwise buy in a book store. Readers will buy or borrow from the library, books they want to read, books that pique their fancy. Who else then can give you a completely unbiased opinion of a book they took the time to seek out or put down cold hard cash to read?  So that’s how I (okay, my sister if I’m going to be completely honest) came up with RATE ME REVIEWS. I’ll leave the review posts until Sunday night and then the posts will get a page of their own, that way, as readers read the book, they can easily access the review to add their rating and comments or check to see what others thought of the book.

How do I pick the books? It’s usually going to go this way. If I buy the book myself, it will probably get a post to rate it (beyond my must buy authors, I usually will pick up mass market debuts). If I receive books from a publisher, you’ll more than likely see them here. With that said, the first book that will go up is Caroline Linden’s FOR YOUR ARMS ONLY from Avon Books. If you’ve never tried any of Caroline Linden’s books, you can read her free novella, Deeper Than Desire, here which is a companion piece to FOR YOUR ARMS ONLY. I think a free read is an excellent way to try out an author before plunking down money to buy their bigger books.

RT Book Reviews: 4 1/2 Stars, TOP PICK
“Linden weaves history into the backdrop of her current romance. Her characters, from very different backgrounds, are intriguing, honorable and deeply emotional. These characters, coupled with an unconventional plotline, combine to create a surprisingly rich and passionate tale.”

Good Reads: Average rating 3 1/2 Stars (4 ratings)

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ForYourArmsOnly-LFor Your Arms Only
Author: Caroline Linden
Publisher: Avon Books
Pub. Date: November 24, 2009
ISBN-13: 978-0061706459
384 pages

He’d never been shot by a woman . . .

He was once a distinguished army officer, a man of honor and heroism. But that was before Alexander Hayes was wrongly accused of treason. Forced to abandon everything he held dear, Alec became a spy for England in an attempt to clear his name. His latest commission sounds simple: locate a retired soldier gone missing. But it also sends him back home, to a family who’d thought him dead for five years—and a woman who’d like to shoot him.

Everything Cressida Turner’s ever heard about Alec tells her that he’s a traitor of the worst kind, and yet this enigmatic, infuriating, and utterly captivating man may be the only person she can trust—and the only one who can find her missing father. With nowhere else to turn, she reluctantly joins forces with Alec, unprepared for both the dangerous secrets that threaten them and the relentless passion that drives them into each other’s arms.

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Rating: 8.4/10 (7 votes cast)

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Sarah Mayberry takes us Home for the Holidays

Sunday, November 22nd, 2009

I’m going to start the post by saying that The Season doesn’t feature contemporary category romances simply because I do not have the manpower to feature them ALL. Plus, eHarlequin.com already does a fabulous job showcasing the massive catalogue of their books on their website. But I got my start reading romances with Harlequin Presents, so I’m a category advocate. And when I spot an author I think stands out, I like to yell it from the rooftops–or my blog now, as it were.

That said, let’s talk Sarah Mayberry.  I discovered Sarah back in 2006 with the release of her second Harlequin Blaze, Cruise Control. This book was sooooo good I had to email her and tell her (this was back when I never felt compelled to write an author if I loved their book). She was gracious as always and, of course, happy I loved her book. I then began to turn as many romance readers as I knew on to her. In short, I sang her MAJOR praises. Readers, she’s THAT GOOD! And with Cruise Control she became an ‘instant buy’ for me. Unfortunately, Cruise Control is out of print but I’ve linked the book cover to the e-book format available on eharlequin.com. If you love SERIOUS sexual tension, fabulous emotional conflict, and a fantastic romance, READ THIS BOOK! If you don’t read category romances and you’re willing to give them a try, I urge you to start here. (Honestly, the first scene in the limo when they first make eye contact…one word, HOT!)

cruise_control

Cruise Control
Author: Sarah Mayberry
Publisher: Harlequin Blaze
Pub. Date: May 2006
ISBN-13: 978-0263855968
256 pages

What good is a second chance if you don’t take a risk? That’s what limo driver Anna Jackson asks when the seriously hot Marc Lewis climbs in her car. She’s changed her looks, her career and now it’s time to shed the conservative habits of a lifetime. And seducing Marc is the best way to do that. Sure, he’s her client—sort of off-limits—but she’s not wrong about the invitation in his eyes.

All she has to do is remember three simple rules—never stay overnight, make no plans for the future and never, ever talk about emotions. Once they hit the sheets, however, the rules aren’t so easy to follow. And once they spend the night, can feelings be far behind?

What is it about Sarah’s books that have me completely hooked? She writes sexual tension, conflict, and a compelling romance like a pro. And your heart? Expect to have that organ wrung. You know that constricted ache in your heart you get when you’re completely immersed in the feelings and experiences of the characters. Yep, that’s what she does so well. She makes you care. She makes you feel. And the sexual tension, the sexual heat…well, let’s just say you won’t be disappointed. :)

amorousliaisons alloveryou takeonme

Some other memorables from Sarah are Amorous Liaisons, All Over You, Take On Me. Again, I’ve linked the covers to the e-book on eharlequin.com. I guarantee in all you will get Sarah’s trademark, heat, tension and compelling romance.

In March of 2009, I got news that Sarah had written a Super Romance. A Super Romance?? Wow. Now since I don’t usually read Super Romances I wondered what that book would be like. It would have less heat, I thought, for sure. Supers definitely aren’t as hot as Blazes. And aren’t they about home hearth and family. Not that there’s anything wrong with that (reliving an episode of Seinfeld right now). Would I be disappointed? I bought A Natural Father, sat down and read it straight through. Can this woman do no wrong? Does she not take one shaky step? Nope, Sarah pulled off her first Super Romance as if she’d mastered the darn thing years ago. So now I’m hooked on Sarah’s Supers too.

Which brings us to the focus of today’s review (which as you know, I don’t do): Home for the Holidays, which is Sarah’s second Super Romance. Dear readers, it is soooooo GOOD! If you don’t win a copy today, check your stores and see if any remain on the shelves (there are none at my local Walmart or Target anymore) because you need to buy it.

homefortheholidaysHome for the Holiday
Author: Sarah Mayberry
Publisher: Harlequin Super Romance
Pub. Date: November 2009
ISBN-13: 978-0373715992
256 pages

Joe Lawson has a thing for his new neighbor Hannah Napier. As a single dad, he shouldn’t be thinking what he is about her. Still, that doesn’t stop them from getting close. And the way she connects with his kids, it’s as if they’re a family.

Turns out it’s too good to be true. Seems Hannah has plans that don’t include staying in Melbourne. Joe won’t stand between her and her dreams, even though letting her go is nearly impossible. The holidays are looking grim, with him and his kids missing Hannah like crazy. But it is the season of surprises, and Hannah may have one for them!

What I love about Home for the Holidays is that Sarah takes these unconventional heroines and totally makes you connect with them. Hannah is a mechanic who rides a motorcycle and was recently dumped by her ex-fiance. Joe is a widower with two kids who just moved in next door. They meet over the loud roar of her motorcycle that she is fixing one night in her garage while his kids are trying to sleep. As you can imagine he’s none too pleased with her, her bike, and that is evident in their exchange. Needless, to say they don’t get off to a wonderful start. I’ll be the first one to admit, I’m a sucker for a book that starts with immediate animosity between the heroine and hero but an immediate physical attraction.

As expected, their attraction supersedes their animosity and eventually, after a sizzling kiss, they are ‘dating’.  But all is not home free. Joe has two children and his thirteen-year-old son does not readily accept Hannah as the new woman in his father’s life. He has reasons and they wrench at your heart. Contrarily, Joe’s daughter thinks Hannah is the bees knees, that is why she’s utterly devastated when Hannah is intent on leaving to follow her dreams.

On both sides, there is family patching up that needs to go on (Hannah and her sister, Joe, his son and Hannah) before they can reach their HEA. What I love about Sarah’s books, is that she doesn’t get you there in the expected way. Right when you think you know what is going to happen, she drops something else on you that leaves you surprised, shocked, sometimes heartbroken. It takes the story to a whole different level, further engages you to take you on another emotional ride. That’s what she did here, and while my eyes smarted with tears, I threatened a boycott if she didn’t give us an epilogue. Of course, Sarah didn’t disappoint. :) She knows what must be done to give her readers a completely satisfying, emotional, and sexy read. With Home for the Holidays she masterfully succeeds.

My Rating: 9 / 10 Stars, Top Pick

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Rating: 7.4/10 (5 votes cast)

Fire away, Sarah will be stopping by to answer questions. Any delay on Sarah’s part is because she’s on deadline and she’s in New Zealand.

Two commenters will win a copy of her Super Romance, Home for the Holidays. Winners will be posted November 24 (early morning).

Yay!!! Sarah is also going to giveaway 2 (two) advance copies of her January Blaze release, Her Secret Fling. I WANT ONE!!! Here’s the blurb.

hersecretfling

Jake Stevens – star reporter and celebrated literary genius – is a snake. How else to explain the way he turns Poppy Birmingham’s hero worship into loathing with a single conversation? So what if she’s got a lot to learn about journalism? Aren’t they coworkers now? On the same team? Jake can take his attitude and…

Then during a job-related road trip, their relationship goes from antagonistic to hedonistic in no time flat. And suddenly Poppy can’t think of anything more delicious than having a secret fling with Jake. But with all this intensity, can she really keep it no-strings-attached?

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Second Time Around Reviews ~ Highland Obsession

Monday, November 16th, 2009

InsatiableBefore I post Barbara’s review for Highland Obsession, which she originally posted on her blog, Happily Forever After on August 7, 2009, I thought that today we readers and authors needed a treat.

I first stumbled upon this cover on Katibabs’ Blog and was immediately struck dumb, or perhaps it would be honest to say I sat for several moments in awe. I’ve been talking covers for the last several weeks and this particular cover definitely caught my attention and would definitely make me pick up the book to read the back cover blurb if I could tear my eyes from front long enough to do so. Don’t ask me what the book is about yet, I haven’t gotten that far but I have to say this is VERY NICE eye candy for a Monday morning. :)

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I must say that we’re treated to a similar treat on the cover of Dawn Halliday’s Highland Obsession. For readers who love a gripping love triangle, this is the book for you.

highlandobsession_blogHighland Obsession
Author: Dawn Halliday
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Pub. Date: August 2009
ISBN-13: 9780451227010
320 pages

In the Scottish Highlands, two warriors are about to clash over a woman of passion…

They were the unlikeliest of friends debauching their way through London: The Earl of Camdonn, a nobleman of vast wealth and power, and Scottish laird Alan MacDonald, a respected Jacobite with ambitions of his own.

But their friendship is destroyed when Alan marries the beautiful Sorcha Stewart—only to witness Cam kidnap her from their bedroom. Then Alan learns the truth: his bride was not an innocent. She took a lover before him—his friend—who taught her the ways of pleasure.

Now, Alan will do anything to get his wife back. Cam fights to redeem his honor, even as he refuses to give up his desire. Torn between love and duty, Sorcha must watch as the two men she desires go to war over her. And when the battle lines are drawn, all three lovers are lured into a triangle of forbidden passions…

Gorgeous Cover–check. I mean seriously, look at that dude. Rawr.

Love Triangle–check. I don’t know about you, but two totally gorgeous alpha heroes tossed together, fighting to win the love of a woman? Totally hot. Plus it makes for great angst. I love me some angst.

Yup, Highland Obsession was a book that sounded like it was for me alright.

After having lived the majority of his life in England, Alan MacDonald has returned to Scotland in order to begin his life anew. Claiming his lands, Alan takes his place as Laird. His wish to find a suitable bride and start a family brings him to the lovely, Sorcha.

Sorcha Stewart is everything Alan could have wished for in a bride. Beautiful, sweet and innocent, she is nothing like the women he knew in England, and it isn’t long before Alan becomes completely enamored with his bride-to-be.

Soon the couple is married. The honeymoon is short lived, however, because her love isn’t the only thing Alan’s blushing bride has brought into their marriage. The woman he has chosen to wed is carrying with her a secret, and one that could very well tear them apart forever.

A woman of honor, when Sorcha stood before the minister and promised herself body and soul to Alan, she meant every word. With Alan, life seems filled with so much promise. He’s caring and honorable, gentle and yet strong. Sorcha wants nothing more than to build a happy life with her new husband.

With a tender touch and loving words, on their wedding night, Alan speaks to her of honesty and trust. Barely married a few hours and already Sorcha finds herself wracked with the guilt, the guilt of knowing she has already betrayed that very trust Alan speaks of. Her only hope is that he never ever finds out her secret.

The truth will set you free? Hmm…I don’t know about that…

The Earl of Camdonn is a man obsessed. Seriously. Obsessed. Once upon a time Sorcha had been his mistress. They shared a brief, yet, very passionate affair. At the time, Cam had believed it to be nothing more than a physical attraction. Sorcha was beautiful and, well, extremely willing. Yes, he knew her feelings for him ran deeper than his did, but that really meant nothing seeing as he was an Earl and she was a common maiden. Besides, he didn’t love her. Or did he?

Ah, but you don’t know whatcha got until it’s gone my friend….

But now Sorcha is married, and suddenly Cam finds himself unable to accept it. He’s gone completely mad with the idea of her belonging to another. She’s his dammit. She loves him. He absolutely has to have her back. Period.

So, what does Cam do? He busts into her house and whisks her away into the night. Sounds romantic, huh? Yeah, well, only problem is, Sorcha’s new husband also happens to be Cam’s very best friend.

Uh-oh…

As if that isn’t bad enough, it turns out Sorcha isn’t the only one with secrets to hide. Alan and Cam apparently share quite a past of their own.

Lies, deceit, lust, love, anger, jealousy, rage and obsession….

And so begins the battle between two men, willing to sacrifice a life long friendship and their very lives for the love of just one woman. And of course, one woman who must ultimately decide which man is truly the only one for her.

Alrighty, let me see…First I’d like to say that I think Dawn Halliday (aka Jennifer Haymore) is a spectacular writer. She really draws the reader into the tale and makes it easy for you to connect with her characters.

The heroine, Sorcha, I completely got her. I understood how she felt, her fears, her desires and her willingness to go along with some of the…er…situations in this tale.

The heroes:

Alan. I got him. Sort of. Well, at least I did get him up to a certain point and then I was like, “Dude, what are you doing?” I think if I was able to smack some sense in to him a few times throughout the tale, I would have enjoyed his character a lot more.

Cam. I got. It was a simple case of you don’t know what you have until it’s gone. Yeah, I got Cam and really liked his character.

*Spoiler Alert in the following paragraph*

There is one scene near the end of this tale that I could have done without. It’s a ménage scene between these three characters and honestly, eh. Here you have a hero who was so completely obsessed and jealous of the fact that his wife had made love to this other man, and yet, he’d be willing to share her after everything? I don’t know. Listen, I have absolutely no issues with “double stuff” scenes. Two hot guys…*clears throat and wipes brow* however, this particular scene just didn’t seem to fit the hero’s personality. Other than that, I liked this tale.

I will say that I did have an idea who would inevitably win the heroine’s heart, and I was very happy to see it come to light in the end. Highland Obsession, for me, was an extremely well written tale and I’m looking forward to diving in to another love triangle in “A Hint of Wicked” by Dawn’s alter ego, Jennifer Haymore.

My rating: 4 1/2 stars

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On a sad note, I’d like to bid a fond farewell to Barbara’s Happily Forever After as she has decided to step back from her blog (*sob* I just discovered her this year!!!). But hopefully she won’t be gone forever, and I’m sure she’ll be popping up with a review when there’s a book she MUST tell us about. I’m hoping I can convince her to guest blog here on The Season every now and again. ;)

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