Magic Bites

Author: Ilona Andrews
Published: March 27, 2007 (Ace)
Category: Urban Fantasy
Series: Kate Daniels #1
Rating: 8/10

If you love Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson series, you are most likely going to love Ilona Andrews' Kate Daniels series. I love me some Mercy Thompson, but those books come out once a year, and I believe the next one doesn't come out until 2013! The world Andrews has created, where magic and non-magic alternate in unpredictable waves also reminds me of Steven R. Boyett's Ariel books (post-apocalyptic world where the Change brings magic back and technology down).

Kate Daniels is a mercenary, taking care of magical problems when official channels aren't ideal. You know, like Hank Lawson of Royal Pains, where some prefer concierge doctors over dealing with hospital bureacracy. She carries old and strong magic in her blood, but nobody can know how she inherited that magic, because her real father would be more than happy to kill her. She's skilled enough to be a member of the very official Order of Knights of Merciful Aid, but didn't want to join because she didn't want her personality to be crushed by their rules and methods.

However, she gets dragged back into the Order's business when her guardian, Greg, is killed in the line of duty. Greg had been investigating the murders of several shapeshifters, and Kate has to deal with Curran, the Beast Lord of Atlanta. He's the pack leader of all the Atlanta packs, which consist of werecats, werewolves, werehyenas, wererats, and the list goes on.

It seems like solving the murders wouldn't be so bad, what with all her magical powers, but magic's presence in the world doesn't make things easier. Just getting from one side of town to the other can take forever. If your magic-powered car engine ceases to work when the tech hits, you're stranded, and if you're driving a regular gas engine car when magic hits, you're also stranded.

Here's an interesting tidbit: Ilona Andrews isn't a real person. She's actually a husband-wife writing team, Ilona and Gordon Andrew. You can tell it's a real team effort, because it doesn't feel like there are two different authors writing the same story, which sometimes team-written books tend to show. The male-female dialogue and interaction (not sex, you smut-brains!) is amusing and witty, with hint of future romance between Kate and Curran, and extremely well-written action scenes.

If you're looking for an urban fantasy with a brave, smart, kick-ass heroine, look no further. Kate Daniels is it! There are five books in the series so far, with a couple novellas on the side.

The Heir

Author: Grace Burrowes
Published: December 2010 (Sourcebooks)
Category: Historical Romance
Series: Duke's Obsession #1
Rating: 8/10

I think I discovered this book in another blogger’s review post and it sounded like something I’d enjoy. The Duke of Moreland wants to secure the succession and have his heir, Gayle Windham, Earl of Westhaven, married off. Of course, Moreland has more than one son, not all legitimate, so this will be a series, probably a trilogy. He winds up falling for his housekeeper, Anna Seaton, a woman of good breeding, but many secrets. Their relationship begins with her coshing him with a fireplace poker, as all great relationships start, of course.

The Heir is not a light, frothy romance. It leans more towards Julia London/Stephanie Laurens style, romance touched with drama. I liked the upstairs-downstairs elements in the relationship between Windham and Anna. Windham has the luxury of falling in love with Anna, despite her supposedly being just a housekeeper, because his father’s so desperate to get him married off. In fact, the duke was so desperate that he was willing to have Windham’s mistress get preggers and force the marriage, despite the fact that said mistress was already knocked up by some other guy. Windham preferred to choose on his own if his father was going to resort to those types of tactics. He knows Anna is more than what she says, based on her education and manner.

However, Anna and her sister are in hiding, and can’t tell Windham why because they’d promised their grandmother they’d never reveal their family’s secrets to an outsider. It did get annoying towards the end of the book, where I just wished Anna would trust Windham, who had already proposed marriage to her, and let him help her, as he offered to do so.

I really enjoyed how their relationship grew, and the things Windham did to be a gentleman, even bringing his meddling father into the mix. The book has been called an “erotic regency,” but I don’t find that the sex is gratuitous or all over the book. I’m excited to read the next entry in the series, The Soldier, which is releasing June 1st.

Note: The Heir is available on the Nook and Kindle for less than a dollar right now!

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake

Author: Sarah MacLean
Published: March 2010 (Avon)
Category: Historical Romance
Series: Love by Numbers #1
Rating: 9/10

I came upon this book when reading a Book Binge review for the second book in the series, Ten Ways to be Adored When Landing a Lord. I wanted to read that book, but I have a thing about reading a series from the start. I'm really glad I did that, and quite happy to add Sarah MacLean to my list of "must-read" authors!

Lady Calpurnia Hartwell is a spinster. Granted, she was never really a success when she first came out, but the fact that the only suitors she received were too old or cared too much about her dowry. She's also more curvy than the in-fashion slender figures and is always comparing herself to them. Since coming out, she has been in love with the one man who showed her some kindness, a notorious rake, Gabriel St. John, the Marquess of Ralston. Ten years after she meets him, her skinny gorgeous little sister makes a brilliant love match with a duke, and Callie is reminded of how she'll never have what her sister and friends have. So she figures that if she isn't going to have what she always thought she'd have, why not live a little, and do some daring things that a respectable lady wouldn't dream of doing? After all, she believes she's so firmly on the shelf that she doesn't have to worry about her reputation.

Gabriel figures into the first item on her list: Being kissed passionately. While Gabriel agrees to help her with the kiss, he gets her to agree to help his newly-found half sister, Juliana, enter into society. While a wealthy marquess brother should pave the way, his sister is the product of the scandalous dowager marchioness, who abandoned her husband and sons for the Continent, where she cut a swath through more men, including Juliana's father. Her entrance into society won't be easy, as stuffy people would consider Juliana illegitimate, but her status is fuzzy.

As Callie goes into her list, Gabriel keeps intercepting her, and feels like he has to save her from herself. He doesn't quite know why he wants to do it, but he gives the excuse that if she shreds her reputation, who will help him launch Juliana? They become partners in crime while they start pushing the boundaries of propriety exploring their attraction to each other. This is one of those one-sided love stories, where one member is totally in love with the other, and the other one doesn't believe in love. I thought it would frustrate me, but the story really worked.

I thought the book would be a lot funnier, but it was more serious than expected, not in a bad way though. You really feel Callie's sadness as people rudely comment about how she's a fleshy spinster, and how her sister made such a wonderful match. She's so lonely, and no one wants her for just being her. And Gabriel is a man who never learned to love, thanks to his mother abandoning their family when he was a little boy. Callie's faith in love is what he needs to break out of his shell and pull his ragtag family together.

I loved the hodge-podge family the Ralstons made, with Gabriel's twin brother, Nicholas, who is the star of the next book, and Juliana. They're just getting used to the idea of being a family and I think it'll make for even better reading for the rest of the series, especially Juliana's book, which will be released in April this year.

Halfway to the Grave

Author: Jeaniene Frost
Published: October 2007 (Avon)
Category: Paranormal Romance
Series: Night Huntress #1
Rating: 7/10

I don't recall how I stumbled upon the Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost, but I'm so happy I did. I'm betting it was one of those "You might like this" titles that Barnes and Noble shows me when I'm online shopping, the easily-impressionable impulse buyer that I am.

Cat, our heroine, is a half-human/half-vampire product of an attack her mother suffered at the hands of a newly-made vampire two decades before our story begins. For the first sixteen years of her life, she believed she was different, but couldn't figure out why she was stronger than other kids, or could see in the dark as well as she could during the day. When her mother told her her true heritage when she turned sixteen, she began a quest to kill as many vampires as possible. Her mother schooled her that all vampires are EVIL and will date rape you at the first opportunity. So what does Cat do? She sets herself out as bait at night clubs waiting for a vampire to pick her up, and then stake him when they leave the club.

Eventually, she meets Bones, a vampire who happens to be a vampire bounty hunter. He's a little pissed because she staked the guy he was hunting. He decides to make her his pupil/partner. She's the bait, and then he'll do the dirty work, questioning the vamps before dispatching them.

The romance part is not as large a part as the paranormal element of the book, but excellent when it's there. Bones has been attracted to her from the beginning, when she challenges him to a fight rather than accept his deal, despite the fact that she's far less powerful than him, and chained to a wall in her underwear. Bones knows he has an uphill battle because she's been brainwashed into thinking that all vampires are evil murderers. In fact, their first date only happens because he makes her think they're hunting a vampire at a club, so she has to put on her hoochie clothes, but turns out the vampire they're looking for is actually him. Cute, without being nauseating. I'm glad that the love admissions don't take forever to come about, but Cat's mom poses quite the problem with her rabid belief that all vampires are evil and that her half-evil daughter will succumb to one of them and turn into a full vamp.

The reason I gave the book 7/10 was the ending. Very sad, because there is no happy ending. If you look at the description for the next book, you'll see that Cat and Bones aren't together, but they will be by the end of it, for sure (they better!!). When I got to the end of Halfway to the Grave, I was supremely pissed because I don't have the sequel, One Foot in the Grave on hand. If you want to torture yourself, you can visit the HarperCollins website to read the first 60 pages of the book, but here's a warning: The excerpt doesn't end on a chapter. I found myself in the middle of a sentence only to be cut off and even more tortured than before. So congratulations HarperCollins! I bought the book and now have to wait for it to arrive this week when I get back to the office!

The Search

Author: Nora Roberts
Published: July 2010 (Putnam)
Category: Romance/Suspense
Rating: 10/10

Dogs? Check. Hot guy who happens to be really handy? Check. Gorgeous setting for all the action? Check. As soon as I picked up the newest standalone Nora Roberts book, I was SUCKED IN. This is undoubtedly my most favorite book of hers, knocking High Noon off its pedestal (The Bride Quartet is my favorite series).

Fiona, our heroine, lives on a small island off the coast of Washington, and runs a successful dog-training school and the local K-9 Search and Rescue squad. Right from the get-go, the reader is thrown into Fiona's world, going on a search with her and one of her three loyal labrador retrievers (she has one of each color!). You learn how organized, methodical, and capable she is, while knowing exactly what to say to people in any situation.

Simon, our hero, is new to the island, and his mother thinks he's too lonely, so she buys him a puppy, who he promptly names "Jaws." You can figure out why he gets that name. He's so hilarious with how he deals with the dog, because as much as he gripes, he loves his dog and is proud as soon as Jaws does something right. And typically, he has a hard time with the idea of neutering his dog.

The suspense portion of the novel is excellent. Fiona, years before coming to the island, was supposed to be a victim of the "Red Scarf Killer," only she escaped and identified him to the police. Putting the serial killer behind bars cost Fiona more than her anonymity, and she retreated to her island to rebuild her life. In present day, she finds out that a copycat killer has begun committing the same exact crimes, and she will most likely be on his list of victims as a tribute to the first Red Scarf Killer.

The story was great, balancing between the romance, suspense, and filler material. I loved reading about Fiona's work with dogs, and all the searches that leads. I'm constantly amazed by Nora Roberts' research for her books. I'm aware of all the jokes people tell about how all her new books are just patchworked together with pieces of previous books, but while some things seem familiar, it always seems fresh when I read them. Nora is a guaranteed-good-read for me, sort of like a chicken pot pie for a bad day is perfect comfort food.

I was surprised at the 3.5 star rating on bn.com! From the first couple reviews I read, it appears that people think that the ending is weak. The ending wasn't much different than a typical Nora ending. Yes, Nora doesn't seem to provide much detail in her endings and doesn't do epilogues either. Maybe she's leaving it to her readers' imaginations to figure out what happens in her her characters' lives afterward.

Anyways, The Search is fantastic and I can't wait to read it again.

Ten Things I Love About You

Author: Julia Quinn
Published: May 25, 2010 (Avon)
Category: Historical Romance
Series: Bevelstokes #3
Rating: 5/10
Quote of Choice: He never argued with females unless it was absolutely necessary

In Ten Things I Love About You, the story of Sebastian Grey, friend and cousin to Sir Harry (hero from the previous Bevelstoke book, What Happens in London), is revealed. Basically, his uncle, the Earl of Newbury, hates him because he's the heir presumptive. Apparently, the earl thinks Sebastian is an ass (seriously, that's what he said), and will do anything to prevent Sebastian from ever inheriting the title. So he lays eyes on Annabel Winslow and her lush body that is so made for baby-boy-birthing and is so fertile birds sing when she's near. Never mind that she's not even half his age, but he must have her, no matter how disgusted Annabel finds him.

I was really looking forward to reading Sebastian's story, because he's so fun and witty. In What Happens in London, he gave a spirited reading of some idiotic book, perhaps it was called something like Miss Buttercup and the Mad Baron? Turns out he's the author of these ridiculous books, which are so made fun of by the couple from What Happens. So the idea of reading Sebastian's story when he has this huge secret of being a popular female author of absurd mystery novels seemed so promising.

My first problem was with Annabel keeping her true identity secret from Sebastian. She really liked him, but knew that her suitor hated him. She didn't bother to inform him of her connection to his uncle, and of course, that led to confusion. There is also a lot less conversation between Sebastian and Annabel than I would have liked because they were constantly being kept apart because Annabel couldn't anger the earl.

The book wound up being dragged out, and I feel like the story could have been handled better in a novella. Too much of the text was filler and I was bored a lot of the time. There were only so many times I could read about how much the earl hates Sebastian and how Sebastian has this awesome secret that would shut up everyone saying that he's poor (he's well off from his best-selling novels). I was expecting the truth to come out about the author's true identity, but that was also shoved aside. I think the only book worth reading out of the Bevelstoke series is What Happens in London. Books 1 and 3 are kinda blah.

Silver Borne

Author: Patricia Briggs
Published: March 30, 2010 (Ace)
Category: Urban Fantasy
Series: Mercy Thompson #5
Rating: 9/10

In the year that I was spending planning for my wedding, I didn't get around to reviewing my discovery of Patricia Briggs's "Mercy Thompson" series. This review will sort of cover my liking of the series rather than just Silver Borne.

Mercedes "Mercy" Thompson is a Volkswagen mechanic (Yes, she's heard all the "Volkswagen mechanic named Mercedes" jokes) who also happens to be a walker, a creature of Native American myth that can turn into a coyote at will. This is not to be confused with a skinwalker, which is an evil, nasty creature. I think I've seen skinwalkers featured in Supernatural and Dresden Files episodes. She lives in the Tri-Cities area in Washington, and she's not the only supernatural creature in the neighborhood. There are vampires, werewolves, Fae, and ghosts. In this universe, Fae have come out to the public, although the Gray Lords who rule the Fae are sure to control how much humans learn of them.

Mercy is closely linked with the werewolves, who eventually come out to the public eye as well after Moon Called, the first book in the series. She was raised by the head werewolf in North America and fell in love with his son, Samuel, another powerful and old-timey werewolf. While Mercy believed herself in love with Samuel, he wanted her more for the possibility of living offspring with her. Female werewolves cannot bear children because of the involuntary monthly change to werewolf (in this universe they can become werewolves at will), and Samuel has lost loved ones already in his centuries of living. His father realized what was going on and packed Mercy off, leading up to her life in Tri-Cities, where she happens to live in the territory of another (very hot) alpha werewolf, Adam Hauptman.

The love triangle of Mercy-Samuel-Adam stretches over a few books, finally sort of resolving at the end of Iron Kissed, the third book and really picks up in the last two books, Bone Crossed and Silver Borne. SB is my favorite because Mercy and Adam's relationship is firmly cemented, and Samuel's loneliness is finally addressed.

I can't say enough good things about this series. You have a smart heroine with a sharp tongue, a backbone of steel, and a propensity to attract trouble. Over the course of the series, she fights vampires, Fae, werewolves, and humans while slowly building a love life with Adam, who she has described as "the hottest man [she] knew." While I'm no prude when it comes to reading books, it's nice to have a heroine who isn't jumping into bed every other chapter like some other urban fantasy series. I can't get enough of the world Patricia Briggs has created, and the only reason this book got a 9/10 is because I want the next book already! The sixth book in the series, River Marked, is scheduled to release Spring 2011.

Angels' Blood

Author: Nalini Singh
Published: March 3, 2009 (Berkley)
Category: Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Series: Guild Hunter #1
Rating: 9/10

In a departure from her hugely successful Psy-Changeling series, Nalini Singh has created a new world in the one we know, where angels watch over humans from skyscrapers and create vampires regularly. I know, it sounds very very strange, but once I started reading, I was sucked into this odd version of New York City.

In the Guild Hunter series' world, angels are overseen by a Cadre of Ten archangels. Angels also have the ability to grant immortality to humans by turning them into vampires as long as the human is acceptable. After being turned, the new vampire must fulfill a 100-year service. Some vampires decide they don't need to honor the contract and jump ship; this is where Guild Hunters come into play. They don't hunt vampires in the traditional sense (i.e. staking them), rather they act as bounty hunters, returning the wayward vamps to their sires for a certain fee.

Elena, a natural born hunter (not one that learns how to hunt and develops the skills), is one of the best, and has been selected by Raphael, Archangel of New York City (he also oversees North America) for a super secret and super dangerous mission tracking an archangel gone rogue. Elena is attracted to Raphael, but they have a rocky start, where he keeps using his powers to suggest things inside her head. He, as an immortal, has lost a good bit of his humanity and it takes a stubborn hunter to bring it back. As I was reading, I agreed with Elena. Sure, Raphael is hot, but he might kill me, or drop me from the sky. But then he realized his fascination and attraction to her made him more human and gave him the ability to see the downturn of the Cadre's members.

I don't want to say much more because I don't want to give away the ending, but the next book in the series, Angels' Kiss is coming out in 2010 and it can't be soon enough for me! In fact, it is the continuation of Elena and Raphael's story, which is another new thing for Singh, as her books are usually standalone.

Surrender

Author: Amanda Quick
Published: October 1990 (Bantam)
Category: Historical Romance
Rating: 5/10

I know, it's been a long time since I posted. I have a huge backlog of books to review and am not even sure if I can get back to them after all this time. I went through this weird period where no book I read was good enough to finish, and I was also dealing with being newly engaged and wedding planning. However, all the major planning stuff is done, so I have no excuse now!

Victoria Huntington is twenty-four, an heiress, and very independent. She's rather looking forward to being a spinster so people will stop thinking she's a complete hoyden. She meets her match in Lucas Colebrook, the Earl of Stonevale. He happens to be hunting for an heiress to restore his family's estate, and the only heiress that catches his interest is the one who has no desire to marry, especially to a fortune hunter.

Lucas uses Victoria's wild tendencies to his advantage, promising her midnight adventures that would normally be unavailable to a young lady. He figures she just wants to dine out dressed in men's clothes or go to Vauxhall Gardens, but she has bigger plans, going to brothels and gaming hells. At each of their adventures, she makes Lucas get into more trouble, insisting that he save some poor victim at these locations.

I got tired of Victoria trying so hard not to admit her love for Lucas after their hasty marriage. She argued with him all the time, and she was a supposedly smart character, so most of her arguments sounded like they were coming from a stupid person. Lucas, having long realized that he loved Victoria, couldn't tell her he loved her because upon discovering he was poor, she'd think he was going to say anything to make up for hiding that fact. So for a good part of the book, you deal with a married couple that is constantly fighting despite the fact that they love each other and Victoria's pride is all that stands in the way.

I was too annoyed to fully enjoy this book, but it had a nice ending.

Romeo, Romeo

Author: Robin Kaye
Published: November 2008 (Sourcebooks)
Category: Romance
Rating: 8/10

Do you like that commercial with the hot shirtless guy ironing a dress for his toddler and making dinner reservations for his six-month anniversary, and then cleans the toilet? If so, Romeo, Romeo is the book for you!

Our heroine, Rosalie, is a successful Brooklyn businesswoman, too occupied with her career to find true love. Unfortunately, she's got a long-term boyfriend who wants to marry her so she can help him run a deli and have babies, and a mother who thinks getting married is the true goal of a woman. Nick Romeo is a hugely successful car dealership owner, with locations all over the east coast. He has gorgeous cars and a gorgeous Park Slope brownstone. Oh, and he's gorgeous as well. Aside from the money and good looks, Nick is a really great cook and he vacuums when something's bothering him. Rosalie meets Nick on the side of the Prospect Expressway when she's trying to change her tire, only to find that her idiot brother took her money for a spare tire without actually purchasing one. She assumes Nick, wearing coveralls from the shop at his dealership, is a mechanic, and he doesn't correct her assumption. In fact, he's pretty comfortable with the idea of seeing a woman who doesn't see him as a prime catch for a husband.

I normally have problems with stories where a hero or heroine keeps their identity secret and pretty much lies to the other the whole time, and you know it's going to end badly, but Romeo, Romeo was different, because Rosalie learned Nick's true identity soon after she meets him and understands why he'd keep it from her (too many golddiggers). And maybe my opinion of Nick is painted by his caring for Rosalie when she comes down with pneumonia very soon after they start seeing each other.

The romance is very sweet and very different from most romances I read. While Nick is an alpha male, he's a milder version than those found in the usual alpha male romance; I don't think this book would offend readers who think alpha males are too bossy and arrogant. He also gets along with Rosalie's huge dog, funnily named Dave, which is new to her because Dave hated her ex-boyfriend. I'm a sucker for big, goofy dogs with humorous names, especially when I was considering naming my cat Dave. It was all for the possibility of yelling, "Dave, stop licking your butt," when our (human) friend Dave was over. Sorry, I digress.

As a Brooklyn resident, I was amused by mentions of the Prospect Expressway, where Rosalie's tire blew out (I lived above it!) and the Park Slope neighborhood. The one inaccuracy that bugged me? When Rosalie and Nick were on the subway, Nick holds on to the strap, when there aren't any straps to hang upon anymore.

The suspense/action part of the book seemed a little unnecessary and outlandish, when it would've made more sense to humiliate the white collar thief in a board room. Otherwise, the book moves along smoothly for an excellent weekend read, the kind where you curl up under a big blanket with a purring cat (possibly named Dave) warming your feet.

I'm adding Robin Kaye to my "must read" list!

At the Bride Hunt Ball

Author: Olivia Parker
Published: May 2008 (Avon)
Category: Historical Romance
Rating: 5/10

I picked up At the Bride Hunt Ball after Julia Quinn recommended it on her website. The premise sounded interesting, a sort of regency twist on The Bachelor. I'm always amused by the ridiculousness of reality shows that promise romance and happy endings, and I like Julia Quinn, so this book should be good, right? Not really.

Gabriel Devine, Duke of Wolverest (odd name for a duchy, more of an excuse for the females to liken the Devine men to wolves), doesn't want to marry because his parents didn't have a love match, so he dumps the responsibility on his rakehell younger brother Tristan. He's pretty much forcing Tristan to marry, setting up a private ball/house party with invitations to seven perfect specimens for Tristan to choose from. However, one of the candidates has caught the eye of Gabriel.

Madelyn doesn't want anything to do with any of the Devine men because they are awful, awful rakes! She's only going to the ball because her scheming stepmother is making her go and she wants to protect her best friend Charlotte, who's been in love with Tristan for so long, ever since he helped her family out of a carriage accident. Madelyn's stepmother thinks she should aim for the duke, and has promised Madelyn the little cottage where she grew up if she makes a decent effort in chasing Gabriel.

I thought the book was sloppy. There are all these clues of a side romance between Charlotte and Tristan, but that was yanked away at the very end, without even a hint for Charlotte's happy ending. If Parker was intending to leave Charlotte's story open ended for a future book, it was a terrible way to do so. Madelyn's horrid stepmother never got her comeuppance, just a buttload of money from Gabriel when he anonymously purchased the cottage that Madelyn wanted so much. I was waiting for Madelyn or Gabriel to put the wicked stepmother in her place, but no, nothing of the sort. The "bride hunt" wasn't featured very well, just mentioned briefly in the background, when it could've been so much more amusing. The book turned out poorly balanced as a result.

The Lady Chosen

Author: Stephanie Laurens
Published: September 2003 (Avon)
Category: Historical Romance
Series: Bastion Club #1
Rating: 8/10

I think I saw Stephanie Laurens recommended to me on B&N and figured I'd give her a try. She's got favorable reader reviews, appears to have sufficient bodice ripping, and has a big back list. I had no idea the back list was so huge with just her Cynster Family series. I'm hoping it's sort of like Nora Roberts' MacGregor clan. I decided to start with her Bastion Club series, which is about seven titled gentlemen, all former spies, who have retired from service only to find that they're very eligible bachelors. They decide to form the Bastion Club, a place where they can get away from the matchmaking mamas and power-hungry papas. While the men know they must marry, they want to do it on their own terms. As I was such a fan of Rebecca Hagan Lee's Free Fellows League, I liked it before I opened the book.

Tristan, Earl of Trentham, is overseeing the renovations of the house purchased by the Bastion Club, and in the course of doing so, he observes a lovely lady walking in the gardens of the house next door. She is Leonora Carling, a spinster who runs the house for her uncle and brother, and also the only one dealing with the threat to her family. Someone wants to get into their house for an unknown reason and has taken to scaring her and attempting to burgle the place. She introduces herself to Tristan, inquiring if he was the man who wanted to buy their house, and he decides to help her and satisfy this attraction he feels for her. Soon he is drawn into the plot as the Bastion Club is also invaded by the burglar, and Tristan's protectiveness of Leonora only grows stronger.

Thankfully, he realizes she's the only wife he'll ever want, but there's a problem, as he has to marry within the year or lose his income but not his responsibility to his fourteen aged female cousins and great aunts. I was afraid that Leonora would go ballistic when she found out about this condition and think that he's only after her because he'll lose his money, but she came to her senses very quickly, avoiding the drawn out drama that I was expecting. You know, like whenever a heroine finds out she was originally the subject of the bet, she flips out, despite the fact the hero is trying to explain that he fell in love with her and it's not about the bet anymore?

My biggest problem was the flitting about of Leonora sans chaperone. Was it because she was 26 and therefore a spinster and could do whatever she wanted? I'd think you'd need to be more firmly on the shelf before you can go running off without even a maid all over London and its surrounds. In most historicals, the couple will sneak off to neck in the garden, but Tristan managed to sneak off with Leonora to some secluded room and do the nasty with her every night at different events. I understand he was a very good spy and great at collecting intelligence, but finding out which room will be the best place for dalliance at a party is a stretch even for me, a very romantic reader.

This book is long for a historical romance written recently. I remember historicals being much longer several years ago and feel that recent novels are much shorter. The Lady Chosen was very well paced, with a gradual building of love. The descriptions of Tristan's first improprieties are filled with tension, like when he opens her glove to kiss the inside of Leonora's wrist. *swoon* This is going to be a great series! I have the first two Cynster novels on their way to me, if the B&N same day shipping guys can figure out that my office isn't open at 7 p.m., and I may pick up the second Bastion Club novel tomorrow if I'm feeling crazy.

Marie Force - Guest Blog!

Marie Force, author of The Line of Scrimmage is doing a guest blog here today! I'm so happy that she's graced my little blog with her writing as I loved LOS and can't wait to read her next book! I'm also a wee bit romance-happy because the football season has started and my boyfriend will be decidedly unromantic until it's over.

Let's get to Marie's post, shall we? She's even being generous and giving away a signed copy of LOS to a commenter who responds to her question at the end!

How does she do that? by Marie Force

One of the questions I’m often asked is, “How do you write a book?” Stephen King says, “One page at a time.” The writers out there will attest that it’s as simple as Stephan suggests—and much more complicated. Most of the time, I’m convinced I could never teach my process because it’s so bizarre. However, as I’ve connected with more and more writers, I’ve decided we’re all a little bizarre, but that makes us better writers.

So how do I do it? I’ll try to explain my process using my debut novel “Line of Scrimmage” and my spring release “Same Time Sunday” as examples. The seeds of “Line of Scrimmage” began with a vision: boots dropping in a fancy foyer. From that came a series of questions and answers: Are those boots welcome? No. Work boots or cowboy? Cowboy. Definitely cowboy. What if the house is his but he doesn’t live there anymore? And what if the mistress of the house is entertaining her fiancé and his parents when her soon-to-be ex-husband shows up? And what if that ex-husband happens to be an NFL superstar who just won his third Super Bowl championship? And what if he blackmails his wife into spending their last ten days as Mr. and Mrs. together or he’ll stop the divorce? Since she’s due to married in a month, that’s going to be a problem.

That’s exactly how it unfolds in my mind. Then come the decisions about where they’re from, what brought them together, and what broke them up in the first place. Often I don’t have those answers before I start a book. I tend to discover these things as my story unfolds, which I’m told makes me a “linear pantser” in writing vernacular. I write the story in chronological order, I edit as I go, and nothing gets in unless it propels Character X or Character Y’s story forward. Because I go back, re-read, and edit often during the writing process, I end up with a pretty clean first draft. In fact, I recently stumbled upon the hand-written opening scene of “Line of Scrimmage” and discovered that other than a renamed character, not much had changed.

For my second book, “Same Time Sunday,” I began with a conversation I overheard in an airport. Two twenty-somethings, on their way to visit their significant others for the weekend, discover they are on the same flight home and agree to meet up again to compare notes on how their weekends went. That part actually happened in the overheard (note I don’t say eavesdropped”) conversation. From there I wondered, what if both their weekends were a disaster? What if they strike up a friendship that leads to love? What if their exes don’t go quietly? What if he’s a prosecutor on the eve of the biggest murder trial of his career and she gets sucked into it in ways that endanger them both? From there, it was off to the races!

Since I don’t plot, I spend a lot of time staring off into space when a book has me by the throat. During these phases, my kids often ask, “ARE YOU LISTENING TO US?” at the top of their considerable lungs. I have to confess that Mom just took a brief trip to Pluto, but I’m back now and you have my full attention. I do my best zoning/plotting when I’m driving (watch out for a green Honda Odyssey), doing dishes, showering, drying my hair, and vacuuming. I’ve solved a lot of plot issues while sucking up a few days’ worth of dog hair. I’ve run dripping from the shower to the computer to get something down before I forget it. Bizarre? You bet. My friend Chris likes to say that my mind is a strange, scary place. Of course I take that as a compliment!

To the writers out there, are you a plotter, a seat-of-the-pantser, a linear plotter, a linear pantser, an organic or what? To the readers, are you more convinced than ever after reading this that all writers are a little bit nuts? I’ll give away a signed copy of “Line of Scrimmage” to one lucky commenter, so let’s hear from you!

The Book of Scandal

Author: Julia London
Published: August 2008 (Simon & Schuster)
Category: Historical Romance
Rating: 9/10

The Book of Scandal reminds me very much of another book I read recently, The Line of Scrimmage. Like LOS, the hero and heroine of BOS became estranged after the death of their baby (although LOS was a miscarriage). Rather than being set in the modern day, BOS is set in England during the Delicate Investigation, which was looking into the Princess of Wales' behavior and possible birthing of a royal bastard. In retaliation, Princess Caroline is threatening to publish correspondence with the King, which contains many details of scandals at court.

The Earl and Countess of Lindsey have been estranged for three years, with Evelyn residing in London and Nathan in the country. Evelyn serves Princess Mary and Nathan has earned the reputation as the Libertine of Lindsey, holding house parties filled with gambling, drinking, hunting, and loose women. When Nathan learns that Evelyn may be named in Princess Caroline's Book of Scandal, she may disgrace his family and possibly result in their family lands being taken away by the Crown. The most obvious solution? Drag her home to the country and put on a show that they've reconciled so Evelyn's supposed actions will be less likely to be punished.

Once home, Evelyn and Nathan are at odds, bickering with each other at first, but drawing closer and closer, talking about how badly they had handled the mourning of their son. At such an early stage of their marriage, they weren't friends enough to understand each other. With three years of life past, they've grown up some and fall in love for real. Just when they're almost reconciled, an attempt is made on Evelyn's life and they realize someone believes she knows something about the royal scandal. The only way to ensure Evelyn's safety is to go back to London and get to the bottom of the mess, and London's the last place she wants to go, as it brings up the uncomfortable subject of the man she almost had an affair with before Nathan showed up.

This is Julia London at her best, with a fantastic dramatic love story full of easy-t0-understand historical detail. I never knew very much about the Delicate Investigation or Princess Caroline, so it was nice to learn something new.

Line of Scrimmage

Author: Marie Force
Published: September 2008 (Sourcebooks)
Category: Romance
Rating: 9/10

Line of Scrimmage doesn't waste any time, as the book starts with Susannah, our heroine, dining with her fiancé and future in-laws when her soon-to-be ex-husband drops his cowboy boots in the foyer. Ryan Sanderson, the boot dropper, is a famous quarterback and has just won his third Superbowl, but he wants his wife back, and is going to spend the last ten days of their marriage to show her he's a worthy husband.

I couldn't put this book down and I did tear up a couple times because it shows a couple working through their difficulties with such heartbreaking detail. Susannah and Ryan started having serious problems when she miscarried and they couldn't share their grief with one another, so they started drifting apart. When they're together again, they talk through their feelings from that terrible time and get closer than they were before. Of course this wasn't just a tearjerker, as there were plenty of times where I chuckled.

You'd think the book would be pretty thin if they get together by the end of ten days, but there are more conflicts layered on. Susannah has to deal with her fiancé, who was her friend since she was a teen, and he's always been hoping for her marriage to fail so he could have her back again, feeding her with ugly thoughts about Ryan. Then Ryan is set up a couple times and the evil fiancé makes him think that Susannah is too good for a guy with a low class childhood. You'd think it would be too much conflict, but it really worked and I think Force found a great rhythm.

Ryan is the perfect guy. He knows he's made mistakes and wants to work it out and thinks his wife is the perfect woman for him. I'd usually say that I wish he were mine, but I liked Ryan and Susannah so much that I'm glad their story ended so well. I will definitely be reading more Marie Force; she has another book coming out next year.

Line of Scrimmage - Author Q & A

I've been a huge fan of romances involving football, like Susan Elizabeth Phillips' Chicago Stars series, so when I heard about Marie Force's new book, Line of Scrimmage, I had to find out more. In short, it's about an NFL quarterback whose wife is about to divorce him because she's sick of being number two to his career. He realizes he misses her and demands they spend the last ten days of their marriage together or he'll call off the divorce. My actual review will follow in the next couple weeks as I've just gotten it. In the meantime, check out this Q & A with Marie Force:

1. Where did you get your inspiration for Line of Scrimmage?
   I had a vision of cowboy boots landing in a foyer, and I knew they weren’t welcome there. The rest of the story sprang from that vision. Ryan’s boots land in Susannah’s foyer while she’s entertaining her fiancé and his parents. To say her soon-to-be ex-husband is unwelcome at this event would be putting it mildly. With just ten days until their divorce is final, Susannah thinks she’s home free until Ryan shows up and “blackmails” her into spending their last days as Mr. and Mrs. together. It all goes back to the boots!


2. Not only do you go into detail to describe plays, there’s a lot of player-to-player interaction that seems pretty authentic! What kind of research did you do for this book?
   Thank you for that compliment! As someone who never really. . . um . . . liked football all that much, it was a huge surprise when the Muse presented me with Ryan. Since I’m big into baseball, I tried to remake him into a star shortstop, but Ryan wasn’t willing to be reinvented. He was every inch the NFL quarterback, so I immersed myself in football during the 2006 season. My husband was thrilled (not) with my newfound interest and the litany of questions I peppered him with during the games. I also relied on my brother and a girlfriend who are football fanatics to make sure I got the facts right. As for the dialogue between Ryan and his teammates, I wish I could say I visited a locker room or two and hung out with big, sweaty men wearing skimpy towels, but in reality my goal was to have their interaction reflect the way guys talk to each other in general, not just in football.


3. Susannah seems so certain that she will be happy with her new fiancé, Henry, but Ryan is goes above and beyond to prove that they are meant to be, which brings about a lot of conflict. What was your favorite part about creating this tension?
   Writing Ryan in all his over-the-top glory was so much fun! I love the way he talks down to Henry even though he’s scared to death that Susannah is really going to pick Henry over him. One of my favorite parts of the book is when Susannah is telling Ryan that he could have any woman he wants, and he says the only one he wants is the one right in front of him. “You can’t have me,” she says. “What part of that don’t you understand?” To which he replies, “Um, the ‘can’t’ part?” He pulls this intentionally obtuse routine with Henry, too, which makes for some major fireworks between the two men vying for Susannah’s heart.


4. Even though Ryan could have any woman in the world, he chose Susannah back when they were in college. While he was able to go forth in his career, Susannah takes a back seat, doesn’t finish school and supports Ryan (for as long as she can). What do you think this aspect of the back story added to their divorce?
   When she left school to marry Ryan, Susannah was young and in love and under the impression that love would get them through any challenge. The series of events that led to their separation taught her that sometimes love isn’t enough. This is especially true when you’re competing with your husband’s larger-than-life career, public image, and sex-symbol status. I made sure Susannah spent the year she and Ryan were separated reestablishing her own life and figuring out who she is without him at the center of everything.
   


5. Henry, Susannah’s new fiancé, while wimpy and conniving, has always been second fiddle to Ryan. Do you think some of his initial actions are justified because he wants to be with Susannah, a woman he’s been in love with since high school and had always “been there” for (as he feels)?
   Absolutely! Henry has loved Susannah since they were in high school and is on the cusp of having everything he ever dreamed of with her when Ryan shows up. Henry, who was Susannah’s high school boyfriend, is definitely nerdy, but his conniving side comes out in full force when he realizes Susannah might be capitulating to Ryan’s campaign to win her back. Susannah broke up with Henry after she met Ryan in college. Since then, she’s thought of Henry as a friend and never paid much attention to his passive aggressive behavior when she and Ryan were together. Ryan, however, was well aware of Henry’s obsession with Susannah and refers to him the “third person” in their marriage.


6. What advice would you offer to aspiring writers?
   Perseverance is the key to this business. Before I sold, my motto was: “The only thing I know for sure is if I give up, it’ll never happen.” No one else is going to do it for you, so you have to stick with it no matter how many lumps you take, no matter how many rejections you receive or roadblocks you encounter. If you want to be a writer, WRITE every day. Nora Roberts has a great quote about how you can’t edit a blank page. It’s so true! Don’t get caught up in activities that take time away from your writing. I’ve learned to say no to a lot of things. I only volunteer in my kids’ schools, for instance, if the activity directly involves them. Finally, keep writing while you’re waiting to sell. “Line of Scrimmage” was the seventh book I wrote and the first one I sold. The third book I wrote will go next. “Same Time Sunday” (and it’s not about football, despite the name) will be out next spring. How glad am I that I wrote a lot before I sold? Very glad! Sometimes it takes a while to find an agent and an editor who “get” you. I’m thrilled to have both now.


7. What else do you do other than write?
   I have two children, a daughter who’s 13, and a son, who’ll be 10 in October, and they keep me busy! My family would say I don’t do much besides work the day job and write at night, but I also read something every day, even if it’s just a magazine or the newspaper. I love to spend time at the beach, but my favorite way to pass a summer day is on my dad’s boat with my husband and kids as well as my brother’s family. We have a good time out there! I wrote about my love of the water on my website at www.mariesullivanforce.com/about.php if you want to read more. After ten years of living away from the Northeast when my husband was in the Navy, I’ve also developed a whole new appreciation for snow days. I used to hate snow! Now, it’s a lovely excuse to light a fire and write, write, write all day while the kids play outside.
   


8. What’s next for your writing?
   I’ve been writing about “Line of Scrimmage” all summer! :-) I’m working on the second book in a suspense series, and I have a fun idea for another single-title contemporary. I knew this was going to be a crazy summer, so I gave myself a few months “off” from new projects. Now I’m ready to get back to the WIP!


9. What are you currently reading?
   I brought back a box full of fun books from RWA National. I’m looking forward to “Sugar Daddy” by Lisa Kleypas (who was sooooo nice); “Say Goodbye” by Lisa Gardner, a member of my RWA Chapter and a lovely person; and “Nightkeepers” by Jessica Andersen, another chapter friend. I just finished Brenda Novak’s Last Stand series, and I loved it. Of course, I recommend all my Sourcebooks Casablanca sisters’ books! You can view the fabulous covers and read more about the books on our Casablanca Authors Blog at http://casablancaauthors.blogspot.com/.
   


10. What’s your writing process? When do you write best?
    I learned at a recent chapter meeting that I’m a “linear pantser.” I don’t do outlines, plotting, or storyboards. I start with the germ of an idea (such as “the boots”) and go from there. I write, go back, re-read, edit, think, write some more, and then repeat the process. I keep all the various threads in my head, which will no doubt explode some day soon, and somehow end up with a decent first draft that doesn’t require much revising. I’d have trouble teaching someone to write a book the way I do it. It’s one of those “don’t try this at home” things. I write at night and on weekends—and only after the day job is done, the laundry folded, the kids played with, the lunches made, etc.

Breaking Dawn

Author: Stephenie Meyer
Published: August 2, 2008 (Little, Brown)
Category: YA/Paranomal Romance
Series: Twilight Saga #4
Rating: 7/10

I just happened to be next door to Barnes and Noble at 11 p.m. on Friday, August 1st, so Josh caved and went to the midnight release with me. I felt like I'd been cheated out of the whole midnight release experience with Harry Potter, so I figured I'd go to this one. Wow, what a mistake. Getting the book wasn't a problem. It was getting home that sucked, as my train stopped running at 12:01 a.m. and Josh was angry with me for wanting the book ("What difference does it make if you get the book the next day?!"). He says he's never going to another one of these things with me.

I know a lot of bad things have been said about Breaking Dawn, and how some readers hated it so much that they want their money back and are pledging never to buy another book by Stephenie Meyer (my money's on those people going to the library instead). Um, if you see a movie you don't like, do you ask for your money back? I was satisfied with the book, maybe a little surprised at times, but I was happy with the ending, which happened to leave it open for future books. The 7/10 is mostly for the middle of the book, which is narrated by Jacob, my least favorite character, and the ultra-dramatic emotions going on at the time.

The MacGregor Grooms

Author: Nora Roberts
Published: 1998; Reissued July 2008 (Silhouette)
Category: Romance
Series: The MacGregor Family
Rating: 8/10

This is the last of Nora Roberts' MacGregor stories, as her contract ended before she finished writing about the rest of Daniel MacGregor's grandchildren. The three stories in The MacGregor Grooms have heroines that choose to push away the handsome, charming MacGregor men, all to save their hearts from breaking.

My favorite of the three was D.C. and Layna's story. D.C., the bachelor artist, is of course, determined not to get married like three of his female cousins just did (in The MacGregor Brides). Daniel (Grandpa) asks D.C. to do him a favor and escort Layna to a charity event, but no worries, it's not one of his matchmaking schemes, because Layna is absolutely not for D.C. Daniel says he doesn't think they're a good match. Of course, that makes it easier for D.C. to fall for Layna, and Daniel knew it'd work out that way.

The MacGregor books are great for a cozy, heartwarming read. Unlike a lot of Roberts' other books, the MacGregor stories are all about the relationship without her usual suspense elements.

Bright Lights, Big Ass

Author: Jen Lancaster
Published: May 1, 2007 (NAL)
Category: Memoir
Rating: 8/10

Jen Lancaster isn't perfect, but she's really funny. Yes, she's very confident, but also isn't afraid of criticizing herself too. In her first book, Bitter is the New Black, she documents her fall from a high-paying dotcom job and the drastic change in her lifestyle as a result. In this installment, Jen describes various incidents that counter Carrie Bradshaw's declarations about how life in a big city is oh-so-glamorous, all while she's anxiously awaiting the publication of Bitter.

This is a great read, not just for the beach, but beware: laughing aloud on the subway may occur when reading especially funny parts like the one where she was at her dreaded yearly gyno exam (I know that feeling - my heart races just thinking about it) and her paper gown exploded and she tried to staple it back together. I had to stop reading until I got home because I was starting to snort and didn't want the other subway riders to think I was crazy.

Bright Lights was just as funny as Bitter; Jen's sharp, smart humor is back with her hilarious asides stuck in footnotes and tons of stories about her dogs and husband (who likes Rachael Ray, but Jen has a whole chapter about why Rachael is NOT awesome - hurray!). Her third book, Such a Pretty Fat came out in May and I'm adding it to my TBR.

Chasing Harry Winston

Author: Lauren Weisberger
Published: May 2008 (Simon & Schuster)
Category: Chick Lit
Rating: 7/10

I've never read any Lauren Weisberger before this, although I did see the movie of The Devil Wears Prada.

Chasing Harry Winston is about three unlikely friends. Well, one is more unlikely than the other two, because she is Adriana, a Brazilian trust fund child of a former supermodel. Leigh and Emmy are the more "norma" of the trio, with Leigh working in publishing as a rising star in editorial and Emmy as the romantic (think Charlotte of SATC) of the bunch. She wants the white picket fence, smart and funny husband, and 2.5 kids.

Actually, Leigh reminds me of Carrie in her engaged-to-Aidan days, because Leigh has the perfect guy. He's the most sought-after bachelor in Manhattan (a sportscaster for ESPN) and happens to be sweet and considerate. When he proposes, Leigh says yes because it's what's expected of her, not because she's happy. Leigh's got a lot of personal space quirks, like all her friends and family know that Monday is off limits. She likes to sit in her apartment by herself. She inevitably has an affair with the married author she's editing and breaks up with her fiance, but winds up happy. I just didn't like her because she was a coward and kept being all quirky (not in a funny way), having anxiety attacks, and shutting people out. She could've avoided a lot of her so-called anxiety if she broke up with the sportscaster when she was feeling smothered before the engagement.

And Emmy? She lets her friends convince her to have sex with a bunch of random guys all over the world because she's always been in long-term relationships, and any new relationship opportunities that come up are immediately analyzed for future-husband potential. She even gets embarrassingly attached to a hot Israeli dude, thinking that he'll change all his plans for her after their one-night stand. You cringe a little reading that particular part; it's so awkward. And all this sleeping around? It didn't get her a Harry Winston ring.

I was surprised to find that the character I liked the most was the one I thought I'd dislike most: Adriana. She's spoiled and beautiful, but her character makes the most improvement, even adopting Emmy's parrot (leftover from another long-term boyfriend) and doing research to give him appropriate care. She reforms herself from a jobless trust fund baby to a successful magazine columnist, and becomes more responsible, finally moving out of her parents' penthouse.

The book isn't bad; it's pretty good for a summer beach read. Just don't expect to learn much from the characters.