Dream Eyes by Jayne Ann Krentz

The death of her friend and mentor, Evelyn Ballinger, brings psychic counselor Gwen Frazier back to the small town of Wilby, Oregon, and brings back memories she would rather forget. Two years earlier, a killer stalked the members of one of Ballinger's research studies including Gwen. And though she survived while two others didn't, Gwen knows that Ballinger's death is related.

Sent by a friend to help Gwen, psychic investigator Judson Coppersmith arrives in Wilby barely in control of his own talent and his own life, haunted by urgent dreams. His attraction to Gwen is primal, but there are secrets he must keep to protect himself from surrendering to her completely, even as their investigation draws them into dreamscapes, into decades of deception, and into the paranormal fires of a desire too strong to resist. . . .
~~

I can't say that Jayne Ann Krentz is getting different with time but hey - she never disappoints me either. Dream Eyes is another great novel featuring interesting characters, a familiar paranormal element, and a surprise villain (surprise for me anyway). Initially Gwen's just looking for help investigating a friend's death but when Judson ends up being the man sent out for the job sparks quickly find their way into the conversation. Both of them have pasts that haunt them, though Gwen being a psychic counselor she's a little more prepared to deal with her own feelings. This particular story placed more importance on Judson refusing to be seen as a client/patient by Gwen, which I think makes sense for a man who is personally centered by his own protective instincts.

The suspense/murder subplot was well done and I definitely didn't realize in the beginning how everything was going to end up. I guess you could say there are only so many characters introduced so it had to be someone but I still had to back track and think a bit to make sure I understood all the twists and turns thrown in. I didn't read Copper Beach but since I liked everyone introduce here (and can't wait to see who ends up being the focus in the next book) I think I'll backtrack with the help of my local library :).

Overall Feeling - B+

Series - 1) Copper Beach 2) Dream Eyes

Surviving

So....yeah. About how I'm not in the US right now. At 6:10am this morning I boarded a flight to Hong Kong!! Hong Kong people! I can't even believe it and I'm typing it out for you. I'm not going to be back until some ungodly hour on Nov 11th (it's gonna be that special trip where I leave and land on the same day) and I have to admit to being a bad blogger. 

Instead of actually reaching out for guest posts or maybe reading books I hadn't already reviewed, I've spent the last few months, weeks, days, dreaming about my trip. Which is my long worded way of saying I don't have any reviews for you guys while I'm gone. I know - I KNOW! I suck, I'm sorry, I really should learn to do better. 

What I can do for you right now though is highlight some of the books I picked to entertain me during the long, long, flight. None are all that expensive (some are even on sale!) and a bunch are the next books in series I enjoyed before:

$.99 books
Thanks to Fiction Vixen I learned a bunch of eroticas were on sale and these are the two I picked:

 Petals and Thorns by Jeffe Kennedy & Burned by Eliza Gayle

Series

 Born to be Wild & Midnight Heat by Donna Kauffman

(review of the first book here)

 The Boldest Man in Ballymuir & The Brightest Flame in Ballymuir by Dorien Kelly

(review of the first book here)

Authors I love
Is this a surprise? I didn't think so. 

The Billionaire Bad Boys Club by Emma Holly

Hope this inspires you to do your own down time book list - even if they're only to be enjoyed in your home :). Happy Friday!

Run the Risk by Lori Foster

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?
~~

I have to remind myself sometimes that not all heroines are the same. Even when I'm yelling mentally at some stupid move, I can't make assumptions about what the character is going to do next. I can try but the author usually has their eye on the HEA better than I do so I should probably leave them to it, eh?

What I'm trying to say there is that I didn't always like Pepper Yates. In fact she down right annoyed me in the beginning because I hate people who seem to be trusting where no trust is deserved. When she's still feeling her way with Logan but listening to her brother I was not pleased; maybe I'm impatient? Their relationship was rocky enough and to watch her shove it even more in the wrong direction was a pain - looking back now that I've finished though I can say that Foster made it work. Logan isn't the innocent angel in this; he's working on a case to avenge his friend and come hell or high water he's going to make it happen, no matter who he has to go through. I ignored the 'but she's so plain, why do I like her?' moments because they were (thankfully) few and far between. I don't want to read about the heroes confusion over why he likes the nice/cool but 'plain' heroine. 

But as I said, there's not a lot of that before Pepper and Logan are butting heads with the truth laid out on the table. Pepper doesn't want her brother threatened but is also chafing under the rules of her virtual imprisonment (voluntary though it is). We're treated to a lot of action, sparks, and interesting sexy times. I call them interesting because even though they were hot the emotions weren't there for a while. There was two much hurt and misunderstanding for the love that began growing between them to show itself. But of course this is a contemporary romance so they get their HEA and the strings that Foster leaves for Rowdy (Pepper's brother) and Reese (Logan's fellow detective) have me excited for the next books. I'd recommend it because I think in the end this is going to be a really satisfying trilogy.

Overall Feeling - B

Series - 1) Run the Risk 2) Bare it All (April 2013) 3) Getting Rowdy (September 2013)

**Title requested from NetGalley**

Guarding Jess by Shannon Curtis *ARC Review*

Jessica Pennington's work as an etiquette coach requires her to be polite and proper at all times, especially now that she has a book coming out. The only thing that rattles her reserve is the increasingly violent emails and texts from her persistent stalker. With the book launch in jeopardy, she reluctantly hires a bodyguard.

Noah Samuels hates stuck-up, prim people like Jessica. He's more the blunt, straightforward type. But to advance up the ranks at McCormack Security, he has to take the high-profile assignment. After a near miss on his first day on the job, Noah realizes that the stalker isn't just hype cooked up to sell books—the threat is real.

As the stalker escalates from letters to letter bombs, Noah sees a vulnerable side of Jessica that rouses more than just his protective instincts. But can she let down her guard long enough to trust Noah before it's too late?

~~

I didn't love the description of this, sounded too much like the alphole Harlequin novels of my past, but it ended up being a very nice read! From the beginning readers get to be in the heads of both Jessica and Noah and for me it makes the story that much better. Without a character's motivation their actions can be a bit of a mystery - figuring out why the HEA works can turn into too much work for me or even less meaningful.

Luckily it's not a concern here. We're quickly introduced to Jessica and Noah, who's been hired to solve the mystery of Jessica's escalating-in-intensity stalker. There are sparks right from the start, though both are of course determined to keep things on a professional level. It's hard to do that though when you've got a well mannered man moving into your house for god knows how long to make sure no one hurts you. 

As any good suspense novel should, Curtis keeps the reader guessing about who the stalker actually is. There are plenty of options floating around and when it literally could be anyone, what can you do? I've only got a few quibbles with the story and it's ending - first of all I knew how the stalker was getting in by what felt like the second chapter. I don't want to spoil anything, but come on guys, you're the professionals so let's use our brains here. Second when things with the stalker really started escalating it all seemed to be rushed near the end of the novel. Suddenly things got very violent with 'final consequences' and I wasn't prepared for it at all. I think the romance elements that had been taking up the bulk of the story lulled me into a false sense of comfort and then I out of the blue I couldn't count on anything. Still even with all that the HEA was satisfying, and the only thing I left wishing for was more time with Jessica and Noah so I could read further about  their recovery from the stalker's path of destruction.

Overall Feeling - B+

Series - 1) Viper's Kiss 2) Guarding Jess (5/14/2012)

**Title requested from NetGalley**

The Witness by Nora Roberts

Daughter of a cold, controlling mother and an anonymous donor, studious, obedient Elizabeth finally let loose one night, drinking too much at a nightclub and allowing a strange man’s seductive Russian accent to lure her to a house on Lake Shore Drive. The events that followed changed her life forever. 

Twelve years later, the woman now known as Abigail Lowery lives alone on the outskirts of a small town in the Ozarks. A freelance programmer, she works at home designing sophisticated security systems. Her own security is supplemented by a fierce dog and an assortment of firearms. She keeps to herself, saying little, revealing nothing. 

Unfortunately, that seems to be the quickest way to get attention in a tiny southern town. The mystery of Abigail Lowery intrigues local police chief Brooks Gleason, on both a personal and a professional level. Her sharp, logical mind, her secretive nature, her unromantic viewpoints leave him fascinated but frustrated. He suspects that Abigail needs protection from something, even if he doesn’t know what — and that her elaborate defenses hide a story that must be revealed. 

Accustomed to two-bit troublemakers, Gleason is about to walk into the sights of very powerful and dangerous men. And Abigail Lowery, who has built a life based on security and self-control, is at risk of losing both.

~~

Nora Roberts was not playing around with The Witness - she really hit it out of the park with her 200th novel. It's true that I usually like her books, there are more of her releases on my shelves than probably anyone else, but I think this story is definitely going into the 'favorites' category. It's just got so many of the characteristics that stick with you:

-A strong, intriguing heroine

-An honest and protective hero, one who's determined to get the girl

-Small town setting with the required quirky characters

-Fast paced action and a devilishly handsome bad guy

When I look at that least it just screams 'WHAT ELSE COULD YOU POSSIBLY ASK FOR?!' From start to finish I loved Abigail and her determination to not only protect herself and her lifestyle, but also do what's right - Brooks confused the hell out of her and their romance was sweet and hilarious. It's hard to combat that 'good ol' boy' charm when you can't even figure out how to say no to a date you didn't realize was a date in the first place. 

The other thing I loved about this book was just how well the suspense plotline was intertwined with the romance. Instead of incorporating unnecessary confrontations or shoot outs Roberts focuses on the small steps, the ones that sometimes feel insignificant, to get the bad guy and it allows Abigail to shine as an incredible heroine - and Brooks as an amazing hero. 

Highly recommended.

Overall Feeling - A+

Series - None

Angel on Fire by Jacquie Johnson *Blog Tour*

All Angela wants is to understand why her father, security specialist Mac McKenzie, dropped dead on a sidewalk in Boston. Instead, she is thrust into the midst of an international conspiracy when she discovers that her father was working on a classified project at the time of his death. Now, the FBI, a terrorist and a killer have her in their sights.

Former Navy SEAL turned undercover operative, Chase Romero thinks his boss is overreacting when he orders Chase to small town America to protect Angela. But he changes his mind when her home is burglarized and "accidents" begin to happen. The real question becomes, how can he keep her safe if he keeps tripping over his own heart?

After shooting an intruder, Angela flees the scene, and the FBI issues a warrant for her arrest. On the run for her life and her freedom, she places her trust in Chase. As they travel from New England, to the nation's capital, to the shores of Lake Michigan, the trail - and their attraction - grow hotter. Together, they team up to prevent a global financial market meltdown and face a killer who will stop at nothing to get his hands on the project Mac protected with his life.

~~

For me this book was saved by the last 1/3 or so. When I started reading about Angela and Chase I wasn't sure their spark was enough for me. All the right words were there, and I wasn't bothered by how they immediately starting lusting after each other even though there were in the middle of a crisis. It's a suspense romance - I've learned to roll with the punches. Still while everything seemed liked it should work on the surface I didn't believe in it. The action was a little lackluster in the beginning and I didn't completely understand why the heroine, who seemed very intelligent and kickbutt in her own right, was following Chase just a little too easily.

Happily I can say that after about halfway through the book things pick up. Chase is still pushing Angela away because he doesn't want to start something he can't finish (a quality of a decent guy, I approve) but they have to go on the run from pretty much everyone after a grisly murder. Again I could wish that Angela trusted her instincts more, but Chase is very much an alpha male and if she was too rejecting of his help I'm not sure their relationship would work as well. Plus the familiarity they have with each other at this point of the story makes their relationship more fun for me as a reader - I believe in it and want them to have their HEA. Add in great supporting characters (who I really hope get their own book later) and you've got a satisfying action romp that's both familiar and fun.

Overall Feeling - B-

Series - None

**Title provided by Lightning Book Promotions**

November in Review

I don't know how anybody moves ever. My entire life is still in boxes for the most part - though those boxes are in my new apartment - and I dread the idea of unpacking.  Does anybody else experience this? My books are especially the most intimidating, mostly due to how I'm the most anal about how those get put out on shelves. As in, I'm one of those strange people who likes to have things alphabetically by author's last name - and then in order by series. I don't know how other people do this, but whenever I try to complete this project it turns into a huge line of dominoes, with books piled spine up so I can keep making room without having to shift shelves of titles.

I also decided somewhere along the lines that it would be a good idea to go to NY for Thanksgiving right before my move, so you know, I'd take this list of read books with a grain of salt. The beginning's pretty accurate but as the month went on it just got worse and worse. So yeah - my bad. I'll try to do better this month so that 2011 can go out with a bang ;)

Making Chase by Lauren Dane

Bad Moon Rising by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Bloodhound by Tamora Pierce

Mastiff by Tamora Pierce

Pack Challenge by Shelly Laurenston

Go Fetch by Shelly Laurenston

Here Kitty, Kitty by Shelly Laurenston

Run For Your Life by Andrea Kane

The Next Always by Nora Roberts

Tied With a Bow by Lora Leigh, Virginia Kantra, Eileen Wilks and Kimberly Frost

Lure of Song and Magic by Patricia Rice

Kiss of Snow by Nalini Singh

Pulled Long by Christine d'Abo

Once and Again by Lauren Dane

No Mercy by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Hot as Hades by Alisha Rai

A Pride Christmas in Brooklyn by Shelly Laurenston

Books Read/Reviewed:

17/11

Winner & Another Giveaway!

Let's start off with the fun stuff ok? Time to send out a big congratulations to

Lady Soul 

for winning Murder Game and Lord of Legends! Thanks so much for entering my giveaway and I hope you enjoy the books :).

But don't worry guys - there are still more books to give out! This week there are three books up for grabs: 

Show No Mercy by Cindy Gerard

In Love With The Bronc Rider by Judy Duarte

The Second-Chance Groom by Crystal Green

Same rules as last time, comment below with anything and you'll be entered for a chance to win. Giveaway runs until 11:59pm on Tuesday, November 22nd with winners announced the following day. 

Mini Me: Run For Your Life by Andrea Kane

Manhattan attorney Victoria Kensington is deeply alarmed when she runs into her sister, Audrey, in Central Park -- clad in a hospital gown and fleeing from unknown pursuers. As Audrey collapses at her feet, warning about danger, Victoria rushes for help. When she returns, Audrey has vanished from sight.

Despite threats against her life, Victoria vows to discover her sister's whereabouts. She works alone until the only man she ever loved, Zachary Hamilton, suddenly appears in New York. Assigned to investigate a worldwide drug syndicate, he suspects it may tie in to Audrey's disappearance. Together, Victoria and Zach race against the clock to crack the deadly drug ring and and Audrey. While they work, they and the white-hot electricity between them recharging to a fever pitch. Pursuing the shocking truth that might tear Victoria's family irrevocably apart, she and Zach begin to unravel a complex web of deceit -- which echoes terrifyingly back to Victoria's own life.

~~

Overall I'd have to give this book a 'good but not great' review. The suspense plot was not bad, Kane definitely did a great job of keeping me in the dark about who was actually doing all the bad stuff, which I think is very important when you're marketing something as a 'romantic thriller'. I think where Run For Your Life mostly fell short for me was in the romance department. Something about Victoria and Zach just didn't ring true. I can't even put my finger on exactly what it was, because their interaction reminded me a lot of some early Linda Howard's that I own, but ultimately while I'm a sucker for a HEA I just wasn't as enthused about this one. I picked up this title from a used bookstore because of my still strong love for Scent of Danger, but I'm remaining undecided on how ultimately I feel about Kane and her books in general.

P.S - Don't forget to leave a comment on my post here and enter for a chance to win two great books!

July in Review

Sometimes I worry that I'm slowing down with the number of books I read. Then I have to remind myself that I'm reading for PLEASURE and it's not a contest. I read and review and hope to do it a manner that's fun to read for other people, but it's ok for me to read less books one month than I have the previous.

Obviously I never got over the sense of competition instilled in me as a small child. Also, I wish I was back here:

But since I can't be, let's get onto the books shall we?

Fired Up by Jayne Ann Krentz

Secrets of the Highlander by Janet Chapman

Making Chase by Lauren Dane

Split Second by Catherine Coulter

Mystical Warrior by Janet Chapman

Chased by Lauren Dane

Savor the Danger by Lori Foster

Out of Control by Shannon McKenna

The Royal Mess by MaryJanice Davidson

The Search by Nora Roberts

Hot Night by Shannon McKenna

Savor the Moment by Nora Roberts

Bed of Roses by Nora Roberts

Happy Ever After by Nora Roberts

To Challenge a Dragon by G.A. Aiken

Read/Reviewed:

15/11

Challenge wise I'm pretty happy because I've finally been able to add a couple titles to my  Support Your Local Library Challenge. Same goes for the Romantic Suspense Challenge though I think I must have been out of my mind to think I was going to read 40 throughout the year. Oy. We'll see about that one.

Hot Night by Shannon McKenna

THE PREDATOR

Gold. The most precious of metals. And someone would kill to get at the dazzling exhibit of priceless Spanish treasure Abby Maitland just landed for the museum. Too bad Zan Duncan had to show up to protect her, but someone’s waiting—and watching. She’s in the crosshairs and she doesn’t have a clue.

THE PREY

Abby is mesmerized by Zan’s untamed strength and his very sexual vibe. From the long dark hair, the thick, hard muscles, and the black leather jacket right on down to the honed fighting skills and the tattoos, Zan is everything a bad boy oughta be . . . and everything Abby has sworn to avoid. Yet he’s a master of subtle seduction, pushing her buttons with tantalizing promises of night after hot night of secret, endless pleasure. Promises that he keeps, to the letter . . .

But danger stalks them both, for a lethal game of deception, greed and murder is underway—a game more sinister than Abby and Zan ever imagined. And when no one can be trusted and no place is safe, passion may be the only thing that can save them . . .
~~

I'm not sure if my feelings are caused by reading both this and Out of Control back to back, but I can't see McKenna being much of a consistent read for me. They're kind of giving me that Diana Palmer feel, where the same thing happens over and over again with only the names of the characters changing. But see Palmer imbedded herself in my reader psyche pretty early so while I'm still able to reread her stuff, or buy new books when I'm really intrigued, I have too many things going on now to give precious reading time to McKenna.

The good about this book is that the action isn't bad and Abby and Zan, when looked at just for themselves, aren't the worst characters. Abby's desperately trying to overcome bad boy choices in the past and Zan can't seem to help being drawn to her and wanting to be in her life - even when it's not exactly the most convenient  thing for him. BUT - and we're about to get really bad here - this isn't enough of a saving grace when put up against the not so great of this book. 

First of all Zan annoyed the heck out me at many points in this book. Not only did he seem completely inconsiderate of Abby's choices and why she was trying to stick to them, he could be such a bonehead! He followed along right behind the person you knew the entire time was trying to set him up. Why? I couldn't tell you because it made absolutely no sense! 90% of the book could have been avoided (which I know doesn't really serve the author's purpose) if he would have realized that people who've already proven themselves to be horribly horribly untrustworthy probably shouldn't, you know, be TRUSTED again!

Dumb people. He might as well be the blonde in the horror movie that runs away from the killer into the empty woods. SMH.

It's an ok book with characters that could have been great. But the exact same He-Man falls irrevocably for woman and proceeds to make a bit of an ass of himself isn't my favorite punchline. Still, I have one more McKenna book from my library haul to go through so we'll see if she can pull it out.

Overall Feeling - Eh/Thumbs down

Series - None? I think?

Mr. Perfect by Linda Howard

What would make the perfect man?

That's the delicious topic heating up the proceedings at a certain table of professional women at their favorite restaurant, Ernie's, tonight: Mr. Perfect. What qualities would he have? Would he be tall, dark, and handsome? Caring and warmhearted -- or will just muscular do? Jaine Bright and her three girlfriends start off with the basics -- he'd be faithful and reliable, the responsible type, with a great sense of humor.

But as the conversation picks up momentum, so do the quartet's requirements for Mr. Perfect -- and they write down a tongue-in-cheek checklist that's both funny and racy. The next thing they know, the List, as it has come to be called, spreads like wildfire throughout their company and sizzles along e-mail lines. And it doesn't stop there: the List becomes an overnight sensation, grabbing the interest of local newspapers and television coverage. No one expected this avalanche of attention for something that began as a joke among friends. And the joke turns deadly serious when one of the four women is murdered...

The prime suspect in the case is the victim's boyfriend, who was one of a number of men who found the List sexist and offensive. But an impenetrable alibi gets him off the hook. Now, with the help of Jaine's neighbor, an unpredictable police detective, the puzzle must be solved -- and time is running out as a deadly stalker targets the three remaining friends. Now, knowing whom to trust and whom to love is a matter of survival -- as the dream of Mr. Perfect becomes a chilling nightmare. 

~~

I picked this up at a used bookstore in Eastern Market a few weeks and truthfully when I bought it I had a 50/50 shot that I already owned. Thank goodness 1) I didn't own it, 2) I had never read it, 3) It's a really fantastic freaking book. The kind of book that reminds me why well written romantic suspense is such a great genre. 

First off the chemistry between Sam and Jaine is scorching. SCORCHING. They're not even a couple until the second half of the book but the way they argue and communicate beforehand is textbook example of why a little delayed gratification can be so rewarding. Jaine is not just going to jump into Sam's arms. Not only did she initially think that he was a drug dealer, but due to some particular bad days at work Sam was kind of acting like an ass. Jaine, being the strong character that she is, wasn't going to exactly let that slide. I think that's one of the first things that makes a romance really interesting, vivacious and independent characters who play off each other but also have their own lives.

Secondly, at least in regards to this particular book, the murder mystery was epically fantastic. I have to admit that I usually know who I'm supposed to be watching for within the first few chapters of the book, but while Howard lets me think at the beginning that I know what's going on - I actually have no idea. I'm not going to spoil it, but seriously the who-done-it in this one is very well done and something I won't be forgetting for a long time. Maybe I was just really susceptible to Howard's writing in this point and other readers might figure it out sooner, but I prefer to give Howard the benefit of the doubt and say she's crafted a grand game of clue.

Please read this book. It's a great, fast read that anyone, even some 'non-romance' readers, would enjoy.

Overall Feeling - Thumbs up.

Series - None

The Search by Nora Roberts

To most people, Fiona Bristow seems to have an idyllic life-a quaint house on an island off Seattle's coast, a thriving dog-training school, and a challenging volunteer job performing canine search and rescues. Not to mention her three intensely loyal Labs. But Fiona got to this point by surviving a nightmare...

Several years ago, Fiona was the only survivor of the Red Scarf serial killer, who shot and killed Fiona's cop fiancé and his K-9 partner.

On Orcas Island, Fiona found the peace and solitude she needed to rebuild her life. But all that changes on the day Simon Doyle barrels up her drive, desperate for her help. He's the reluctant owner of an out-of-control puppy, foisted upon him by his mother. Jaws has eaten through Simon's house, and he's at his wit's end.

To Fiona, Jaws is nothing she can't handle. Simon, however, is another matter. A newcomer to Orcas, he's a rugged and in-tensely private artist, known for the exquisite furniture he creates from wood. Simon never wanted a puppy-and he most definitely doesn't want a woman. Besides, the lanky redhead is not his type. But tell that to his hormones.

As Fiona embarks on training Jaws, and Simon begins to appreciate both dog and trainer, the past tears back into Fiona's life. A copycat killer has emerged out of the shadows, a man whose bloodlust has been channeled by a master with one motive: to reclaim the woman who slipped out of his hands...

Can I just start out by saying that I love Simon? He's such a curmudgeon (albeit a young and cute one). He doesn't want a dog, he doesn't want to need a trainer, and he definitely doesn't want to want Fiona. He's blunt 24/7, doesn't ever hide what he's thinking, and that combination - especially with the gruff sweetness he shows his dog Jaws - it's just a lot of fun to read about this love story. Fiona is integral to that though, because she's an independent woman who veers between being attracted to Simon for his hot body and artistic mind, and being turned off by his ability to say exactly the wrong thing at exactly the worst time (or at least it seems that way in the beginning).

Together their relationship is played against the backdrop of a murder mystery. A new killer has taken up the cause of one already imprisoned, and he's learning as he goes; starting as a puppet he has his own brand new kind of crazy to help him along. It works well with the romance I think because Nora Roberts always does a great job of using these type of personal challenges to her characters as building blocks that push the hero and heroine closer together faster than what would be allowed normally.

With the added in cuteness of the dogs and the help of perfectly placed supporting characters, Roberts knocks it out of the park again with a romantic suspense that is quite quintessentially her.

Overall Feeling - Thumbs up. A great old school Nora Roberts, there's the perfect mix of creepy killer and sweet love story.

Series - None

Flirt by Laurell K Hamilton

When Anita Blake meets with prospective client Tony Bennington, who is desperate to have her reanimate his recently deceased wife, she is full of sympathy for his loss. Anita knows something about love, and she knows everything there is to know about loss. But what she also knows, though Tony Bennington seems unwilling to be convinced, is that the thing she can do as a necromancer isn't the miracle he thinks he needs. The creature that Anita could coerce to step out of the late Mrs. Bennington's grave would not be the lovely Mrs. Bennington. Not really. And not for long.

This book exemplifies why I'm sure there are some bookstore employees that just hate me. I went into B&N yesterday and I made a very nice guy (named Guy I think) work for his paycheck! But it's not my fault that none of the new releases were on the shelves. I just requested books that I knew were in the store - and unfortunately this guy had to suffer for the inadequacies of whoever closed the store last night. Oh well - at least he has the satisfaction of knowing I bought everything he found for me!

To get back to the book, let me just warn you that this is a novella. It's not a full length novel and only about ~160 some pages - but it's a good 160 pages. I've never been that person who cries and laments every time Hamilton releases an Anita Blake book with some sex. Even when the story focused primarily on her interpersonal relationships, I still feel like the series as a whole was going somewhere. But even after saying that, I am happy to report that this book focuses on the other side of Anita's powers, her necromancy. It's another look into what Anita could be, what she chooses not to be, and the type of people who are brought to her attention by the incredible power she wields. There's a lot of violence, blood, and death - which shouldn't be surprising to any readers of the series. Yet at the same time the new characters are fleshed out enough that you don't feel like they're being gipped by the smaller page count.

Aspiring writers and other fans should be enthused about the essay at the end of the book, where Hamilton talks a lot about how she gets her ideas and how she writes. And after that you can get a kick out of the comics done by The Devil's Panties creator, Jennie Breeden.

Overall Feeling - Definitely Thumbs up. A really quick read, the only thing I could have asked for is that it was released in paperback to save my wallet.

Series - I've said this before and I'll say it again. There are just way too many books in the Anita Blake series to list them all, so please check out Laurell K Hamilton's website here.

A Coral Kiss by Jayne Ann Krentz

Successful author Amy Slater had a life in need of mending. And Jed Glaze proved to be the right man for the job after the pair hit it off as fabulously good friends. Then one day Jed shows up with a mysterious injury of his own — and suddenly dark, confounding, yet utterly irresistible Jed becomes a lot more than "just a friend". Now it's a time for not only mutual healing and delightfully sensuous nights but for sharing secrets that could prove a little dangerous for them both. On a jaunt to a Pacific island paradise, Amy and Jed will unearth the key to the unsolved murder that has haunted Amy's nights — and discover how surprisingly and exquisitely fated two seemingly mismatched hearts can be.

This is an old school Krentz romance. Amy might be an independent woman, she lives alone and writes books, but her turmoil over what happened at Pacific Island is still something she can't solve with Jed's help. Doesn't really matter though, because their chemistry jumps off the page and the elements of suspense in the book make it a page turner. I've often described reading a book as being similar to watching a movie, one where I get to pick what everyone looks like, and this was one fun movie. Jed's good and mysterious, with just enough danger to make him enticing without being frightening. Amy and Jed need each in different in ways and support each other in making hard decisions - things necessary to a long lasting happily ever after.

Overall Feeling - Thumbs up, A great throwback romance.

Series - None

Heat Seeker by Lora Leigh

John Vincent has always led a life of danger, and now he has every reason to want to remain as dead as the obituary in the Australian papers had proclaimed him to be. He’d left nothing behind in the life he had once led—except for one woman, and one night of unforgettable passion. Now, both will return to haunt him…

Bailey Serborne is still tormented by a past she can’t change and a man she hasn’t been able to forget. A man who was supposed to dead.. But now, a stroke of fate has revealed that sometimes, a woman is given a second chance to heal her heart—and exact the sweetest revenge

I really like Lora Leigh, she probably rights the best erotic suspense novels, and this particular story was good - but it was not her best. It might be that I'm kind of done with the whole back from the dead thing. But, I try to say that, yet I like the other ones and they had similar plot lines, because this whole particular series is made up of an Elite Ops team that is run by 'dead' men. I did think the characters were interesting though, with John pretending to be this international negotiator of all things deadly and Bailey leaving behind her life as a CIA agent to put the worst of the worst behind bars. Almost sounds like a movie trailer, doesn't it?

All the really seems to matter in the end is that this probably won't be one of those books I reread a million times. The sex was hot and the violence even hotter (and the twist at the end wasn't too damn bad either)- it just wasn't my favorite of hers. But she has so many that I don't think it makes too much of a difference to the still very high quality that the rest of her books continue to maintain.

Overall Feeling - Thumbs up. While not the best, it was still fun and definitely worth it to round out the series.

Series - 1) Wild Card 2) Night Hawk 3) Maverick 4) Heat Seeker