Bare It All by Lori Foster (Love Undercover #3)

Available: Now Amazon/B&N

Type: Romantic Suspense

Publisher: Harlequin 

My Copy: NetGalley

Reviewer: Nikki

A cop’s craving to know more about the woman next door could prove fatal in the steamy new novel from New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster 

As the person responsible for taking down a brutal human trafficker, Alice Appleton fears retaliation at every turn. No one knows about her past, which is exactly how she prefers it…until the sexy cop next door comes knocking. 

Detective Reese Bareden thinks he knows what makes women tick, but his ever-elusive neighbor keeps him guessing like no other. Is his goal to unmask Alice’s secrets? Or protect her from a dangerous new threat? One thing is certain: their chemistry is a time bomb waiting to explode. And with no one to trust but each other, Reese and Alice are soon drawn into a deadly maze of corruption, intrigue and desire-and into the line of fire…

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Picking up Bare It All gave me mixed emotions. I have long since been a champion of Foster’s work but I’ve felt something was really lacking in the last book and so I wasn’t sure I would even continue with this series.

You may remember the heroine, Alice, in a Trace Of Fever from the “Men Who Walk The Edge Of Honor” series. Or you may not because she wasn’t a huge part and that book feels like forever ago. When we first met her she was much meeker but that backbone of steel was still evident even then. Since then she’s definitely grown into her own. She’s more confident and she’s managed to get her life mostly back in order.

Though she keeps mostly to herself her hunky neighbor and his dog have wormed themselves right into her heart. When he needs somewhere to stay after his apartment becomes a crime scene she jumps at the chance to offer him her place to crash. Reese has tried for weeks to get Alice to open up to him and she’s finally starting to let him in. No way is he turning down her offer. He’s going to need all his detective skills in order to crack Alice because she tightly guards her secrets. She’s also a magnet for trouble and it seems like no sooner does he have one case wrapped up does it find her.

I really liked Alice as a heroine. She was capable but realistic and I liked that distinction. She wasn’t fearless but she held herself together incredibly well in moments of high stress. With Reese in her corner she finally was able to feel safe. I mean who wouldn’t feel safe with that man in their corner? *fans self* Reese was tall, protective and loves animals…it doesn’t get any better then that. Reese was really patient with Alice’s need to keep secrets and only pushed when he felt he needed to know.  I found myself chuckling over the banter between characters. Rowdy mostly but also the two other women living in their building who were trying desperately to get in Reeses’ pants. They were just so deliciously stupid and every woman knows someone like them. Alice’s reaction to them and her need to mark Reese as her own was priceless.

On the downside I thought that for a romantic suspense it lacked…suspense. What there was felt very easy and when it came time to wrap things up everything happened very fast. I kind of wished that there would have been danger to Alice so that I could bask in Reeses’ protectiveness over her. There were hot men all over the woman wanting to keep her safe and there wasn’t a whole lot to keep her safe from. The villain wasn’t very fleshed out and we got basically nothing from his point of view.

Rowdy gets a nice set up in Bare It All that will continue into the next book where he comes front and center. I liked Rowdy in this book much better then the last because he skirts the line between right and wrong really well. He dominates every scene he’s in and I completely look forward to him falling hard for his woman.

Overall I liked this one much more then the last book and I will definitely be back for Rowdy’s book!

I give Bare It All by Lori Foster 3.75 stars!

Shades Of Passion by Virna DePaul (Special Investigations Group #3)

Available: March 19,2013 Amazon/B&N

Type: Romantic Suspense

Publisher: Harlequin

My Copy: NetGalley

Reviewer: Nikki

Shades of the past

Detective Simon Granger has devoted his life to solving high-risk cases, and he’s vowed never again to get involved with a woman whose work is equally as dangerous. But when the Special Investigations Group teams him with a beautiful psychiatrist , his resolve is shattered by the tense and emotionally charged partnership…. 

Shades of intrigue

Determined to outrun the grief over her sister’s death, Dr. Nina Whitaker reluctantly agrees to use her training to help the police. Despite Detective Granger’s disdain for her profession, she believes she can change his mind. But then a grieving father begins a deadly game of revenge, threatening Nina’s life, challenging her beliefs, and drawing Nina and Simon together in an explosive endgame of intrigue…and unstoppable passion. 

Shades of passion…

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Nina is on the run from her past. After the death of one of her patients and the subsequent fall out she flees to the other side of the country to start over again. She meets SIG Agent, Simon, who is running from his past as well. His ex girlfriend, a psychiatrist, was murdered 6 months ago by a man she was trying to help and he’s been trying to tell himself he’s fine ever since. He’s never dealt with the emotional aspect and now his work is starting to suffer.

When Nina starts getting threatened Simon must work to overcome his own issues in order to protect the woman he is coming to care deeply for. Her aspirations of working with the police to enact a supplemental department trained to handle people with mental illness, takes a back burner to the threats on her life.

Nina and Simon are forced to work together even though Simon’s deep rooted disdain for psychiatry keeps pushing them apart. They circle around the argument and return to it again and again. It’s what made seeing them as a couple hard to swallow. There was no getting past this issue and even at the end of the book I was left shaking my head because even though Simon does make strides to seeing Nina’s POV, they will never see eye to eye on the topic of mental illness. All Nina’s “doctor speak” at times could get a bit overbearing and I think that coupled with their constant arguments, brought the book down a bit for me. Simon himself could be overkill in his reactions to Nina’s profession. By the end it felt like they were beating a dead horse.

All the past characters make appearances in this one and I enjoyed seeing them all again. DeMarco (Simon’s partner) is set up nicely for the next book. His PTSD from difficult case will play an integral role I assume as he learns to get past it and move on. I actually thought that given how much page time he got that we’d learn a bit more about him. He seemed on the very edge of a mental breakdown but then really nothing happened. It was a bit odd for it all to be laid out there if nothing was going to come of it yet.

The best part of Shades Of Passion was that I never saw the ending coming. I never put two and two together and so this one kept me guessing until the end with who was involved. I love a suspense that surprises me in the end and Shades Of Passion definitely got me there.

I give Shades of Passion by Virna DePaul 3 stars! 

Dark Wolf Rising by Rhyannon Byrd (Bloodrunners #4)

Available: Now Amazon/B&N

Type: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Harlequin

My Copy: NetGalley

Reviewer: Nikki

Eric Drake, a powerful Dark Wolf, has never trusted himself around human females—preferring to mate only within his pack. That is, until he encounters Chelsea Smart snooping around Silvercrest pack land in search of her missing sister.

Secretly, Chelsea thinks Eric is the sexiest man she’s ever seen, though she is wary of his potent Alpha energy. Then it’s discovered that Chelsea’s sister is being held by a pack of vicious Lycans, and Eric heroically leaps into action. Now, Chelsea will risk everything—her body and soul—to surrender to the passion that will mark her as Eric’s woman for all eternity…if they survive.

 

Rhyannon Byrd usually proves to be a winner in my book and I’m happy to say Dark Wolf Riding was an enjoyable read. I didn’t know this was the 4th book in a series when I picked it up and I didn’t really have any problems reading it so I will say it’s okay to read as a stand alone.

Eric has been trying to keep his people together after the brutal dissension in the ranks that had his own father turning against their people in an attempt to take over. With his death Eric inherited his problems and with everyone now leery of him he spends most of his time patrolling their land and watching out for trouble.

Looking for her sister and running low on funds Chelsea decides to spend the night in her car in the woods. When the dangerously sexy Eric approaches her demanding she get off their land for “her protection” she figures he must know something about her sisters whereabouts. Though he doesn’t she’s incredibly persistent and he agrees to help her look.

It took me quite awhile to warm up to Chelsea because she starts the book out being an incredible pain in the ass. I figured her as a bitch and thought Eric was being incredibly nice helping this woman out because she was just so bull headed and unwilling to listen to reason. It’s difficult to get on board with a character like that. She doesn’t start to let down her walls until she gets dosed with sexually arousing drugs that make her need to rely on Eric for….ummmmm….help. Heh. And help he did. That semi sex scene goes on FOREVER. Never let it be said that Byrd doesn’t know how to front the sexy. Chelsea has such a hard time trusting Eric and goes as far as leaving him at the worst possible time. I wanted to throttle her because he lays everyone out for her and she just walks away. Her fears rule her and learning to let them go is incredibly hard for her.

Byrd’s Lycan books focus a lot on the animalistic side without having characters shifting all the time. Sight and smell as well as protectiveness are what the characters rely on making shifting unnecessary until a fight scene which generally don’t happen until towards the end. She relies on her characters connections and interactions which works sometimes and other time I’m left wanting Eric to just shift and eat some bad guys.

Overall I enjoyed this one even with my issues with the heroine. When I crack open a Byrd book I know she’ll transport me to her world with her colorful writing and hot heros who know no boundaries when it comes to their women.

I give Dark Wolf Rising by Rhyannon Byrd 3.25 stars! 

Sarah M. Anderson Guest Post & GIVEAWAY

Grooming Tips for the Stay-At-Home-Author (SAHA) by Sarah M. Anderson

Recently, I became a Stay-At-Home-Author (SAHA). My day job experienced a seasonal slow down and I have deadlines, so rather than make up things to ‘do’ at work, I stayed home and wrote the bulk of a book in six weeks.

During those six weeks, I came to formulate a series of grooming and hygiene tips that every SAHA should keep in mind:

1. Brush your teeth as soon as you are done with breakfast, even if you’re only halfway done with that cup of coffee or tea. If you don’t do it right then, you’ll forget.
2. Brush your teeth before you leave the house, just in case you forgot to do so after breakfast. If you leave the house, that is. Even the postal employees appreciate fresh breath that does not smell like three days of coffee/tea.
3. Applying 24-hour deodorant is almost as good as showering, but it does tend to make one’s bangs act wonky, so try to avoid the forehead area.
4. Shower every other day. Shower more frequently if you did something more strenuous than sitting at a desk, such as grocery shopping, or if your loved ones/pets begin to sniff you at odd times.

Similarly, make-up is vitally important for presenting yourself as a polished, professional author. Here are some tips to keep in mind about wearing make-up when you’re a SAHA:

1. Under-eye concealer is your friend. Layering different brands on top of each other will give you a perky, didn’t-stay-up-until-one-writing-a-sex-scene look.
2. Slept-in make-up is better than no make-up. Therefore, it is not necessary to remove your make-up every night, especially if you fall asleep on your computer. You may choose to use one of those make-up-removing wet wipes on your forehead and chin, but leaving the under-eye concealer in place is acceptable, as long as you wash your face every other day in the shower.
3. Invest in some semi-permanent eyeliner, preferably in a brighter color, such as blue, green or my personal favorite, purple. The new liquid liners stay put! A thick layer of colored eyeliner eliminates the need for eyeshadow and gives you that trendy smokey-eye look at eleven in the morning.
4. Invest in a really big pair of movie-star-quality sunglasses and a bunch of fun hats. Become known for your hats—that way, if your bangs are wonky from the 24-hr. deodorant and your slept-in makeup has slid off to one side, you can still maintain an aura of ‘put-together’ in the unfortunate event that you must leave the house, such as to retrieve your child from school.

Which leads me to my final list for the SAHA: Clothing. Clothes make the man. Shockingly, this also holds true of authors!

1. Do not wear your jammies all day long. In the unfortunate event that your child’s school calls because he was projectile vomiting all over the lunchroom, you want to be able to walk into school with your large hat and larger sunglasses but without your skiing polar bear pants. Image is everything here!
2. Instead of fleece drawstring pants, settle on a ‘uniform’ that mentally gets you into ‘professional author’ mode. Choose something comfortable that you’ll be able to sit in. Or at least choose blue jeans that are easy to unbutton after you accidentally polish off that bag of Doritos during a ‘plotting session.’
3. Laundry is the bane of productivity, so you can buy a little time by re-wearing your clothing. Jeans can be work for three days—four if you alternate them with another set of jeans. However, be reasonable—if you spill coffee/tea on your jeans, go ahead and put them into the hamper after one more wear.
4. Tops are trickier. Many moms after school might notice that you’re wearing the exact same top several days in a row. Plus, in the warmer months, you might accidentally break a sweat (see above rules about deodorant and showering). The general rule is wear a fresh top every day the temperature is above 80. However, in the winter, if you’re wearing a coat to pick up your child, you can reasonably wear the same sweater for two days. Three if you rotate a tank top underneath it (but then you have to wash the tank top—your call).

There you have it! By following these handy tips for SAHA, you too can always make sure you’re putting your best authorial foot forward!

 **GIVEAWAY**

What tips do you have for SAHAs? One lucky reader will win a e-copy of A Real Cowboy and everyone who comments will be entered to win a Simple Touch Nook! Simply comment here and then click the link to enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Real Cowboy Blurb:

Now that she’s found him, how can she let go?

Producer Thalia Thorne’s career is on the line. She’s promised to lure James Robert Bradley back to the limelight, no matter what it takes. But once in Montana, she sees that J.R. has built a new life for himself–as a real-life cowboy–and Thalia finds it hard to resist the man he’s become….

Then a blizzard strikes. Suddenly they’re alone, with only body heat to keep them warm.When the snow melts, she’ll have to choose: go back to the big city–or sacrifice everything for the man she can’t let go.

A Real Cowboy is available for order! Visit your favorite bookseller, Amazon, Powell’s, Indiebound, or  B & N.

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About the Author:

Award-winning author Sarah M. Anderson may live east of the Mississippi River, but her heart lies out west on the Great Plains. With a lifelong love of horses and two history teachers for parents, it wasn’t long before her characters found themselves out in South Dakota among the Lakota Sioux. She loves to put people from two different worlds into new situations and to see how their backgrounds and cultures take them someplace they never thought they’d go.

When not helping out at school or walking her rescue dogs, Sarah spends her days having conversations with imaginary cowboys and American Indians, all of which is surprisingly well-tolerated by her wonderful husband and son. You can learn more about Sarah at www.sarahmanderson.com.

Bungalow Nights by Christie Ridgway (Beach House #2)

Available: Feb 26 2013 Amazon/B&N

Type: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Harlequin

My Copy: NetGalley

Reviewer: Nikki 

Return to USA TODAY bestselling author Christie Ridgway’s Crescent Cove, California, where the magic of summer can last forever…  Combat medic Vance Smith made a promise to a fallen officer: to treat the man’s young daughter to an idyllic vacation at Beach House No. 9. One month, some sun and surf, a “helmet list” of activities to check off and Vance will move on. But the “little girl” he’s expecting turns out to be a full-grown woman. With silky hair, big brown eyes and smelling sweetly of the cupcakes she makes for her mobile bakery, Layla Parker is irresistible. And Vance shouldn’t lay a finger on her. Honor-and one heck of a scarred heart-says so. 

To Layla, Vance is a hero who was injured trying to save her father’s life. She intends to spend their month of lazy days and warm nights taking very good care of the gorgeous soldier-inside and out….

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Bungalow Nights has everything I enjoy in a contemporary romance. A career driven woman who has a hard time expressing what she needs. A flawed hero (bonus points for him being military) who doesn’t want a woman in his life. Add in a whole host of friends and family misgivings, you’ve usually got a winner. That being said, I found this book long winded and I was bored. I think it would have been much better suited for a novella, or just shorter book in general.

Layla has just laid her father to rest after he was killed in action overseas. Her father’s last wish was that she spend a month at a beach house with the soldier who attempted to save him, doing things on a bucket list he never got to do with her. Upon arriving and meeting the gruff and emotionally unavailable Vance she’s not so sure she can follow through but eventually her heart wins out and she decides to stay and give it her best. She and Vance embark on a poignant journey to fulfill her father’s list wish all the while tying to deny themselves the attraction they feel.

The plot meanders a lot through out the book and it left me wanting to skip ahead. Vance is attempting to get over a blatant betrayal of his brother and now ex-fiance and finds that his emotions stop him from carrying on something with Layla, though he wants to. His family issues run deeper then his problems with his brother and everything stems from his rocky teenage years and subsequent toll on his parents.

Having Layla around eventually wakes Vance up to the realization that his past doesn’t have to define his future. Their growing feelings do result in some rather hot smexy scenes that I found to be the highlight of the book.

There is a side story with Vance’s cousin Baxter and their co-habitant at the beach house, Addy. Even they weren’t enough to save this story. One night together six years prior left Addy satisfied and Baxter guilty. Addy has ZERO self confidence and while I would normally be all over the chunky girl getting the quarterback type story, they both just fell flat with me.

Ridgway never managed to get me on board with this book. The outcome was okay but I wasn’t really affected. Bottom line, I was bored. Immensely.

I give Bungalow Nights by Christie Ridgway 2.75 stars

Alpha One by Cynthia Eden (Shadow Agents #1)

Available: Now Amazon/B&N

Type: Romantic Suspense

Publisher: Harlequin

My Copy: NetGalley

Reviewer: Nikki

“Julie’s missing. You have to get her back.”The minute he got the message, undercover agent Logan Quinn sprang into action. Getting Juliana James out of Mexico alive was the Elite Ops covert agent’s only priority. But once the senator’s daughter was safely back in their Mississippi hometown, Logan had a new mission: to get another chance with the woman he couldn’t lose again.

Juliana had never forgotten the day, ten years ago, when Logan left her heart in pieces. Now he was back in her life, sworn to protect her from the ruthless weapons dealer who wanted her dead. As passion blindsided her—and she was once again thrust into danger—Julie realized how much she’d risk for one more day in Logan’s arms.

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Cynthia Eden continues her winning streak in my book with Alpha One, a new series built within the popular Harlequin Intrigue line.  These are a bit shorter then her other books but no less as filling.

Juliana has been kidnapped as collateral to get her shifty senator father to cooperate with one of the most feared weapons dealers on the planet and hand over evidence he had planned to use in his favor. Julie’s father calls the only person he knows will stop at nothing to bring her safely back, Logan, the man who broke her heart. Logan now runs an elite group of covert ops agents who are trained in extraction and specialize in killing. Logan always knew he wasn’t good enough for Julie and his dark secrets about his past make him unable to be completely truthful with her. His guilty conscience eats at him and he was constantly beating himself up for things he never had control of to begin with. Why do alpha males always have to take responsibility for everything? I liked Julie simply because she seemed…real. Her reactions felt honest and her emotions heartfelt.

Alpha One’s villain, weapons dealer, Diego was a complex man. I enjoyed how Eden gave him two personalities and made him seem human, while still being horrible. I could almost believe how his upbringing had shaped his personality against his will and made him into the killer he was. At times he seemed like he wanted to be a better man and yet couldn’t bring himself to change. As if the idea of change scared him. He fell into a grey area where I felt bad for him and I wished he was capable of becoming better and not falling back on his upbringing and using it as an excuse.

The chemistry between Logan and Julie is remarkably hot and coupled with the constant action it really sets itself apart from some of the other romantic suspense I’ve read lately. As they fought their attraction to each other, for different reasons, I wanted to root for them to find happiness. Julie makes a nice transition from being defenseless to finding courage when it’s most needed and not ending up the damsel in distress. I also love when a hero’s control finally snaps, usually in relation to distress on the heroine. When the rigidly controlled male sees red and goes charging…Cynthia Eden excels at these scenes that are wrought with high stakes tension and Alpha One is no exception! Logan at times can appear icily calm, but the depth of his emotion was shockingly deep. I adored him.

Those readers who have read her other books will find this one a bit toned down per Harlequin’s guidelines but honestly it didn’t phase me at all. Not only did I become invested in these main characters but Eden also weaves the threads for future books in as well making a reader want to know more from the secondary characters. I can’t decide which story I want more Gunner/Sydney or Jasper…sigh….I want them ALL lol. Alpha One is sure to please Harlequin and all romantic suspense lovers!

I give Alpha One by Cynthia Eden 4.25 stars! 

 

The Prince by Tiffany Reisz (The Original Sinners #3)

Available: November 20, 2012 Amazon/B&N

Type: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Harlequin

My Copy: Sent

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer…preferably in bed. That’s always been Kingsley Edge’s strategy with his associate, the notorious New York dominatrix Nora Sutherlin. But with Nora away in Kentucky, now it’s Kingsley’s chance to take her place at the feet of the only man he’s ever wanted — Søren, Nora’s on-again, off-again lover — until a new threat from an old enemy forces him to confront his past.

Wes Railey is still the object of Nora’s tamest yet most maddening fantasies, and the one man she can’t forget. He’s young. He’s wonderful. He’s also thoroughbred royalty and she’s in “his” world now. But Nora is no simpering Southern belle, and her dream of fitting into Wesley’s world is perpetually at odds with her dear Søren’s relentlessly seductive pull.

Two worlds of wealth and passion call to her and whichever one Nora chooses, it will be the hardest decision she will ever have to make… unless someone makes it for her….

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I don’t know where to start this review. I’ve put it off and tried to figure out how I felt about it for over a week. I’m still conflicted. My emotions about this book are all over the place and attempting to break it down for this review is seriously stumping me. While I did like it I have to admit to it being my least favorite out of the three books so far.

The Prince is a lot of looking back, which is essential to understanding the relationships and how they evolved  between Soren and Kingsley but I felt it dragged the book along bit. Their relationship started at school many years ago and is both complex, heartfelt and maybe just a bit stalkerish on Kings part. Because King? Damn he is downright OBSESSED with Soren. To the point where he will take any scrap of attention Soren may throw his way. The heat was certainly there and while some readers may find the sex graphic and disturbing, especially the first time, I thought it fit both their personalities well.  You see a completely different side to King, one that wars with who he has presented himself to be up until this point. Reisz can definitely write a strong M/M relationship but my personal reactions are what stumps me. I love Soren. I love King. As individuals. I’m just not sure them together works for me. I can’t seem to reconcile Kings drastic personality change with his role in the book. I also felt annoyed at Soren for the majority of the book because he completely strings King along seemingly without regard to the other mans emotions and motives. Plus I really enjoy Kings girl toy/assistant and she’s not in this one at all. Having sent her back to her homeland for her own safety since it’s apparent someone is out to hurt King, Soren and Nora. What confused me was why he sent her there since it’s made clear the island isn’t that big and what might await her there is a ghost from her own past that left her bruised and broken. He’s filthy stinking rich, why not send her somewhere safe from her own demons?

The Wes and Nora flirting finally comes to a head in this one and I must say, I wasn’t feeling it like I thought I would. Nora has been given permission from Soren to spend some time away with Wes at his family compound in the heart of horse racing country. Though she thinks it’s his way of giving her a present, in reality it’s because whoever is threatening them has been slowly closing in. Greeted by animosity from the patriarch of the family Wes and Nora try to stay undercover as they explore the heat that flares between them. Nora craves the normalcy that Wes provides, but I just don’t see them together. Nora isn’t truly happy in either mans arms and I think as the series progresses she is going to have to hit rock bottom before what she truly needs/wants is revealed to her. I want Wes to be happy at the end of this, and I don’t think that will be with Nora. I do think that his relationship with Nora will help open his eyes to what he really want out of life and set him in the right direction to achieve that.

What Reisz excels at is making everything come together seamlessly. Just when you think you know what’s going on something happens that makes you go “Oh yeah, well that makes sense!” The writing is richly detailed and all-encompassing. It will pull you in and before you know it your kids are starving, the house is dirty and you’re wondering how long it’s been since you moved off the ass-dent you’ve create in your chair. The emotionally charged scenes mixed with the taboo sexual couplings consistently leave me wanting to crawl inside the book like a naughty voyeur and watch shamelessly from the sidelines.

Ending with a MASSIVE cliffhanger and no release in sight for book four The Prince will leave you craving more and wanting answers…NOOOOOW! I literally re-read the last page 10 times hoping that at some point another chapter would magically appear and make me not what to scream in frustration while shaking my fists to the heavens. Decadently dark, erotic and wonderfully suspenseful!

I give The Prince by Tiffany Reisz 4 stars! 

Run The Risk by Lori Foster (Love Undercover #1)

 

Available: Sept 25, 2012 Amazon/B&N

Type: Romantic Suspense

Publisher: Harlequin

My Copy: NetGalley

When Detective Logan Riske goes undercover to find Pepper Yates, a potential link to his best friend’s unsolved murder, he vows to gain her cooperation by any means necessary. But the elusive beauty is more suspicious—and in far more danger—than he expected. And the last thing Logan needs is to start caring for her….Pepper has spent years dodging the corrupt club owner who will stop at nothing to keep her silenced. She can trust no one, not even the handsome new “construction worker” who’s moved in next door. The heat between them is undeniable. But will surrendering to passion bring her the safety she so desires—or will her feelings for Logan draw them both into a killer’s crosshairs?

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I have long been a supporter of Lori Foster’s writing and have loved everything by her that I have gotten the chance to read. Her last series (Men Who Walk The Edge Of Honor) blew me away and so I eagerly snatched this one up to read it. Unfortunately this one failed to grab me and often left me wanting to put it down.

The first half of the book felt incredibly slow to me. Logan is undercover trying to get revenge for a murdered friend and his only link is Pepper Yates. He takes up residence as her neighbor and slowly tries to integrate into her life under the name of Logan Stark. First off, I busted out laughing (in a good way) at the idea of STARK and PEPPER because of, hello, Iron Man. Maybe Iron Man doesn’t exist in this world, but I thought it was funny.

My main gripe is the utter unbelievably in this one. Pepper and her brother are in hiding because of a crime one of them saw. Logan wants her brother because of this same thing and the information he can give that would bring down a major crime boss. So Pepper is in hiding, posing as a mousey, plain woman living in a crappy apt building in the next county over from where the crime was committed. The next county over people. Now if you had witnessed a heinous crime and needed to go into hiding from a crime boss who supposedly has eyes everywhere, would you go one county over? Hell  no. You’d get out of the state at least. It never jived with me that they would stay that close and never be found, no matter how Pepper disguised her body and personality.

The entire first half of the book is Pepper in hiding and it seemed that nothing happened. The story dragged along and even when we were getting things from Pepper’s view, I felt left in the dark. I had no idea what was going on and the arc of the story stalled completely. I wanted more information sooner and more action. The second half of the book kicks it into high gear as things start coming together but by that point I wasn’t invested enough to care about where the story went. Once Pepper goes back to her real self her demeanor changes completely. Gone is the mousey, insecure woman and in her place is a smokin hot confident woman bent on revenge of her own. Had I seen that woman at all, even in the parts coming from her view, I would have been okay with the change. The only time her real personality shines through at all was while her and Logan were having sex…which was funny because I didn’t understand WHY they were having sex. I guess Foster was trying to get across the idea that what is underneath and personality count for more than looks and yay for Logan for seeing that (and for using her in his personal agenda?). Then to have her actually be hot was a slap in the face to the reader. Sure, it’s whats underneath that counts…and lookie there, underneath she’s hot. Sigh.

The action stays true to Foster’s writing and was engaging and it moved the stalled plot along nicely when I almost gave up and put this one down. There is lead in to book two throughout the story and I will admit to being intrigued by Logan’s partner and his reclusive and shy neighbor.

I am disappointed I didn’t enjoy this one but maybe book two will lead me back to a series I have high hopes for. I did read the entire book so….

I give Run The Risk by Lori Foster 2.75 stars

The Siren by Tiffany Reisz (The Original Sinners #1)

Available: Now Amazon/B&N

Type: Erotic Novel

Publisher: Harlequin

My Copy: NetGalley

Notorious Nora Sutherlin is famous for her delicious works of erotica, each one more popular with readers than the last. But her latest manuscript is different—more serious, more personal—and she’s sure it’ll be her breakout book…if it ever sees the light of day.

Zachary Easton holds Nora’s fate in his well-manicured hands. The demanding British editor agrees to handle the book on one condition: he wants complete control. Nora must rewrite the entire novel to his exacting standards—in six weeks—or it’s no deal.

Nora’s grueling writing sessions with Zach are draining…and shockingly arousing. And a dangerous former lover has her wondering which is more torturous—staying away from him…or returning to his bed?

Nora thought she knew everything about being pushed to your limits. But in a world where passion is pain, nothing is ever that simple.

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I don’t even know where to start on this review. By the end of this book I had run the gauntlet of emotions several times over. I ended this book near tears at the sheer profound awesomeness of it. I will say this book isn’t for everyone. I won’t go as far as saying I was uncomfortable but more like “OMG no she didn’t go there!”

Nora is not only a famous erotica author but an underground Dominatrix goddess. She lives what she writes and she caters to the whims of New Yorks most elite. If by cater I meant…beats, ravages, ties up and assaults. Wanting to get her newest book published by a world renowned publisher, she hides her Dominatrix job from her stuffy English editor, Zach. Since he didn’t want to work with her to begin with, Nora figured telling him she ties people up for money wasn’t the way to win him over. Zach gives her six weeks to overhaul her book and if at the end of the six weeks he’s satisfied, then and only then will he sign her pricey contract with the publishing house as his last piece of business before packing up and transferring to California.

The emotional depth in this book was so well wrote, so perfectly fractured and real it really lifted this book above pretty much anything I have ever read…..EVER. Nora was such a complex character. She’s a switch which means she can sub or Dom depending on who she is with but in her heart she will always be the sub for the only man she has ever loved, Soren. While being a Dom gives her the outlet she needs to try to exercise Soren from her heart and mind, she still craves him with every fiber of her being.

Zach spends a great deal of the book completely confounded by his attraction to this strange woman. He tries to deny his attraction because he misses his estranged wife so much. He craves the touch of his wife though he feels like after so long he should give up any notion that he can make amends with her. Instead he throws himself into working on Nora’s novel and unwittingly enters her world that is much darker than he ever anticipated. His secrets threaten to drown him until witnessing Nora’s world opens him up to possibilities he never considered.

Nora is almost like separate people contained in the same body. Part of her wants to dominate while part of her want to submit. Yet another part of her wants a normal relationship with her intern Wesley who is clearly in love with her but unable to conform to her Dom/sub cravings. Wesley is her prince on a white horse kind of guy. The one she thinks she should be with if only she didn’t love Soren and want the sub relationship so badly. I felt bad for the guy really. It’s obvious he wants to be what she needs and it’s even more obvious that he can’t be. It’s a doomed relationship before it even starts. But in its ending it’s also the beginning to Nora’s discovery of not only what she wants but what she needs as well. The problem is that I’m not convinced that what she thinks she wants is what she really needs.

The complexity of the relationships within these pages blew me away. Don’t go into this book thinking it’s a romance because it isn’t. At least not in the traditional sense.  The Siren takes every romance book rule and shits all over it. Monogamous characters? Nope. Nora gets down with multiple men…and women throughout the novel. She flogs, sucks and mounts without reserve. She’s free. Happily ever after? Not really, though I can say I was content with the ending. Skirting the  age limits acceptable for having sex. Most definitely. Extreme Dom/sub relationships spoke of in GRAPHIC detail? Yes…..many time over, yes. Doms who are in vocations you would think Doms would NOT be in? Yep.

The Siren is profound, witty, hauntingly different and extremely well wrote. Its dirty and comes close to being outright illegal. I absolutely loved this book from page one to the very last word. I look forward to book two like I haven’t looked forward to a book before. I laughed, I cried and I cringed. You may find yourself uncomfortable with certain aspects but hopefully, like myself, be unable to put it down.

I give The Siren by Tiffany Reisz 5 stars!

Shades Of Desire by Virna DePaul (Shades #1)

Available: May 22, 2012 Amazon/B&N

Type: Romantic Suspense

Publisher: Harlequin

My Copy: Netgalley

WHAT SHE CAN’T SEE COULD KILL HER. Natalie Jones is the lucky survivor of an elusive killer who preys on young women and then disappears from view. And since her harrowing ordeal, the once gutsy photojournalist has remained isolated in her home, paralyzed by fear and her failing vision. Special Agent Liam “Mac” McKenzie has scars of his own. But despite his efforts to ignore the attraction that simmers between him and Natalie, he needs her help to catch a predator. Soon, they will forge a tentative alliance-charged with desire. Through a soft-focus lens, Natalie dares to envision a future with Mac beyond the investigation…never guessing that the clues hidden within her photographs are drawing them into an explosive confrontation with a madman.

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Newly blind as a result of a degenerative eye disease Natalie is trying to cope on her own…poorly. Not willing to let others help her because she constantly strives to prove her self worth. After a brutal attack that leaves her fearful of the outside world she reluctantly turns to the detective in charge to keep her safe, Mac.

Detective in charge, Mac, knows that if he does anything in this life, it will be keeping this woman safe. Unraveling the mystery behind the case will bring them closer, but it may also be what ultimately drives them apart.

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Shades of Desire is Virna Depaul’s newest book and if you’ve read her Chosen series this will be a step away from that. Shades of Desire is a contemporary romantic suspense heavy on the cop factor. I have not read the Choosen series so while I do have that on my “potential reading” plate, it wasn’t something that I focused on while reading this one.

Natalie is our heroine and she is in complete denial. Her hereditary vision disease has been steadily getting worse and to a famous photographer, it seems like a death sentence. She keeps people at a distance because everyone important to her always leaves, including a fiance that simply couldn’t deal with her impending blindness. Even those friends that have proven themselves trustworthy aren’t given her trust. An attack in her own home leaves her feeling especially vulnerable but her stubborn pride won’t allow her to ask for the help she so desperately needs. Driven by proving she can do everything she could before her blindness. I felt her frustration in her now limited life and could completely understand her wanting to separate herself from the rest of the world. Especially after her attack I totally got her slight agoraphobic behavior though she seemed to get over it quickly when she HAD to go somewhere and that made it a bit unbelievable to me. I mean either she’s a agoraphobic or she isn’t. I really don’t see that as a gray area disease. I did enjoy her character though and thought that even if she was a bit hasty, her desire to achieve was admirable. I thought her past and her upbringing added to the depth of her character nicely. Having an abusive mother that lashed out because of her own eye disease and ultimately landed her in a psych ward made Natalie’s sometimes erratic behavior more believable.

Mac is the detective that has pieced together a murder that has led right to Natalie’s door. Leader of an elite task force, he is like a dog with a bone when it comes to police work. His marriage recently ended because of his job and he has been living single happily. Nothing to tie him down. The surge of emotion he feels upon seeing Natalie the first time is intense and earth shattering. It doesn’t take him long to realize that he feels something for the enigmatic woman despite her constant death-defying antics to preserve her pride. I liked Mac even if at times I wanted to bop him upside his thick skull. He could be incredibly dense and really cruel when he wanted to be. I know guys just don’t understand female emotions but there were a few times I thought…seriously?

I enjoyed the villain plot and thought it was decent though it dragged a bit. I really didn’t care about the inner workings. I wanted a plot sure but I didn’t really care about every little detail that made the villain crazy. I could have done with a bit less on that end. Give me a psycho killer and I’m pretty much good to go. The lead up to the climax ending was peppered with just enough action to keep me reading. I felt this was paced quite well and I wasn’t left feeling like I needed more action.

I think readers that enjoy a cop immersed romantic suspense will really like Shades of Desire! It combines the cop feel with a heat level that readers should be able to get behind. I will continue with this series and look forward to the next one.

I give Shades of Desire by Virna DePaul 3.75 stars!