Susan Elizabeth Phillips: Match Me If You Can

MY REVIEW

Match Me If You Can
Series: Chicago Stars, Book 6
Author: Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Release: August 29, 2006
List Price: $7.99

Read: August 27-29, 2009
My Rating:


Author Homepage | Chicago Stars Series | Browse Inside | Amazon.com

SUMMARY (from inside and back flap)

In This Heart of Mine you met Kevin Tucker. Now meet Kevin's shark of an agent ... and Annabelle Granger, the girl least likely to succeed.

Annabelle is tired of being the lone failure in a family of overachievers. She's endured dead-end jobs and a broken engagement. Even her hair's a mess! But that's going to change now that she's taken over her late grandmother's matchmaking business. All Annabelle has to do is land the Windy City's hottest bachelor as her client, and she'll be the most sought-after matchmaker in town. Nothing is going to stand in her way - not the drunk lying comatose under her car, not her family's disapproval, and certainly not the lingering effects of a broken heart.

With his money green eyes and calculated charm, Heath Champion is the best sports agent in the country. He's wealthy, driven, and gorgeous, so why does he need a matchmaker, especially a red-haired screw-up like Annabelle Granger? True, she's entertaining and she does have a certain quirky appeal. But Heath is searching for the ultimate symbol of his success - the perfect wife. And to make an extraordinary match, he needs an extraordinary matchmaker, right?

Thin, rich, utterly fabulous Portia Powers has spent her career making matches for everyone but herself. Her take-no-prisoners attitude has built Power Matches into the top matchmaking agency in Chicago. So what if she has more enemies than friends and she's one breath away from a nervous breakdown? Neither an upstart like Annabelle Granger nor Heath Champion's menacing, but oddly intriguing, bodyguard will keep her from getting what she wants - a Power Match for Heath ... the city's very own Jerry Maguire.

Soon everyone in Chicago has a stake in the outcome, right down to Annabelle's overprotective book club. When the matchmaker promises she'll do anything to keep her star client happy ... does she mean anything? If Annabelle isn't careful, she just might find herself going heart-to-heart with the toughest negotiator in town - a man who's beginning to ask himself: Exactly how perfect does perfect have to be?

SERIES: Chicago Stars Series

1. It Had to Be You (1994)
2. Heaven, Texas (1995)
3. Nobody's Baby But Mine (1997)
4. Dream a Little Dream (1998)
5. This Heart of Mine (2001)
6. Match Me If You Can (2005)
7. Natural Born Charmer (2007)

The Chicago Stars Series features characters that are somehow tied to the Chicago football team, the Stars. Book 1, It Had to Be You, features Phoebe Somerville, a sexy bombshell-type who inherits the football team, and Dan Celebow, the head coach of the team with whom she immediately clashes. Book 2 is Heaven, Texas and quickly became a favorite of mine; the heroine is an unusual ugly-duckling type, Gracie Snow, who becomes a (still unusual) swan, and the sexy and surprisingly complex Bobby Tom Denton, ex-quarterback for the Stars, is the hero.

Nobody's Baby But Mine is Book 3, starring physics professor Dr. Jane Darlington and the legendary quarterback Cal Bonner, followed by Dream a Little Dream, featuring single-mother Rachel Stone and widower Gabe Bonner, who tragically recently lost his wife and child. Book 5 is This Heart of Mine, featuring children's book author - and Phoebe's sister - Molly Somerville and handsome Stars quarterback, Kevin Tucker.

Book 6 is covered in this review and Book 7 is Natural Born Charmer, a book I just checked out from the library; the hero is new hotshot quarterback Dean Robillard whom we were introduced to in Match Me If You Can and the heroine is down-on-her-luck Blue Bailey.

OPINION
This is another great book by Phillips! It's my second by her, following Heaven, Texas, which was absolutely fantastic (5 stars). Match Me If You Can wasn't as good, but it was still excellent and after reading it from the library, I put it on my "to-buy" list, since I know that it will be a definite reread in the future.

The book had several laugh-out-loud scenes (I loved how Molly's daughter kept stealing Heath's cellphones!!), an interesting secondary romance between Portia Powers and Heath's friend Bodie (they were great - and a very interesting - pair), wonderful supporting characters (can't wait for Dean's story next, Natural Born Charmer), and the ending (or almost-ending, since there is an epilogue) where Annabelle asks Heath the two questions on the cliff is so sweet and very cute and funny.

MAIN CHARACTERS, Annabelle (31) and Heath (34)
The two main characters are absolutely wonderful and the interactions between them were from the start extremely entertaining. Annabelle is a feisty, red-haired woman, accurately described as "quirky" in the book's summary. She has a great sense of humor, is wonderfully generous and thoughtful, but is also a real spitfire who knows when to be sarcastic and poke someone who needs it (i.e. Heath). Heath is an equally great hero; he's determined, driven, dedicated, charming, loyal, and deeply in need of some relaxation, fun, and someone who is not as high-strung as he is (i.e. Annabelle).

They were really just perfect for each other and the reader sees from the beginning how well they balance one another. There were so many sweet and friendly interactions between them, with also plenty of chemistry between Annabelle and Heath to make the book into a romance. The teasing exchanges kept putting a smile on my face and when Heath would go visit Annabelle, find himself at her house, wonder why she was the first person he wanted to call with good news ... ::sigh:: yeah ...

CRITICISM
One of my critiques is that Match Me If You Can didn't have the same chemistry as Heaven, Texas - or rather, it did, but there weren't as many ... shall we say, "chemistry induced" scenes that featured and showcased the sexual tension between the hero and heroine, lol ;-).

I also thought that the Epilogue could have used some retouching - it was told from Pippi's point of view (what a nickname ... does anyone else wonder at the pronunciation of that - isn't Philippa, which I think is her name, normally shortened to Pippa?) and though I loved having that detail, it could have been told in a straight-narrator form instead, IMHO.

Finally - and this isn't really criticism, but more of an observation - I saw some striking similarities between Heaven, Texas and Match Me If You Can in the way that Phillips fashions her endings. Basically: the woman knows she's in love with him, the man won't admit his love, he proposes and gives various reasons (other than love) for why he wants to marry her, she publicly spurns his offer, he becomes destroyed and everyone tells him he's stupid, there's some chase involved and then the realization of love, declarations, etc. We'll see if this pattern holds in more of her books.

BOTTOM LINE
Read it and be prepared to laugh while you do! Not as sexually-charged as Heaven, Texas was - the hottest scene was actually one with the secondary romance characters, Portia and Bodie - but still wonderful and a definite reread for me in the future.

Nora Roberts: Born in Ice

MY REVIEW

Born in Ice
Series: Born In Trilogy, Book 2
Author: Nora Roberts
Release: November 1, 1996
List Price: $7.99

Read: August 26-27, 2009
My Rating:


Author Homepage | Trilogy Page | Amazon.com

SUMMARY (from Amazon.com)
Brianna Concannon is a woman with a rare gift for creating a home, and she makes use of this talent by running a bed-and-breakfast in a picturesque corner of Ireland. Mystery writer Grayson Thane is an American who grew up in an orphanage and has spent his life alone.

A restless wanderer with a painful past, Grayson arrives at Blackthorn Cottage intent only on soaking up the Irish atmosphere and writing his next novel, but he finds far more than he bargained for. The beautiful, calm Brianna soothes his disquiet soul, and in her Grayson finds the home he hadn't realized he needed.

Brianna knows that by falling for him, she risks her heart, already bruised and scarred by a young love who left her at the altar. But the yearning to let the American melt the ice around her cold exterior is irresistible. Unless Grayson can let go of his past to forge a future with her, Brianna may have gambled her heart in vain.

SERIES: Born In Trilogy

1. Born in Fire (October 1, 1994)
2. Born in Ice (November 1, 1995)
3. Born in Shame (January 1, 1996)
   

The trilogy follows the Concannon sisters. The first book features Maggie, a glass-blowing artist of fiery temper, and Rogan Sweeney, a very successful and driven international gallery owner; opposites attract in this book. Then comes Brianna, Maggie's quietly reserved sister who finds contentment in running her inn and making strangers feel comfortable when they are far from home; her hero is Grayson Thane, a well-known mystery writer who has been a lone wanderer for most of his life and treasures the fact that he isn't tied down.

The trilogy ends with Shannon, their American half-sister, whose existence they have only learned of during the second book. She is the result of a brief affair between her mother and their father and has grown up in America, never having met the other side of her family. Shannon's hero is the wonderful and sexy Murphy Muldoon, who was featured in both of the trilogy's other books.

OPINION
Born in Ice has good reviews on Amazon.com (average customer rating of 4 stars), but it is the least preferred one of the trilogy. I myself liked it better than Born in Fire and give it a solid four stars. I love the quiet heroines and Brianna is definitely that; she's so reserved and cool at times that I would have liked to see her lose her temper in one big fiery blowout at least once in the book. Regardless of this, Brianna was an interesting heroine and despite my apprehensions from the first book, she was much more accessible than I thought she would be.

Gray was a wonderful hero and he and Brianna are perfect for each other. Their trip to New York was one of the highlights of the book;he's so sweet to her and her bafflement when he gives her gifts is very amusing. The love scene while they're in NYC was the hottest one in the book and one of the best. Gray is always so tender and loving when they make love (Brianna is a virgin, so at first she's somewhat frightened/confused by her feelings for and attraction to him) and this one rougher and hotter moment had me fanning myself a little, lol. Though of course nothing beats the scene in Rising Tides between Ethan and Grace against the tree - whew!! ;-)

The relationship between Brianna and Gray was always honest, forthright, and open, which was something I really appreciated. They are reserved with one another about their pasts, but when it comes to their relationship with each other, there were no misunderstandings, no lies, no secrets, etc. As always, Roberts has one of the characters realizing and admitting their love, while the other one refuses to admit the truth until the end - still, the end is wonderful, sweet, and just perfect for those two characters.

BOTTOM LINE
A great read that I would definitely recommend. The first book in the trilogy, Born in Fire, can be passed over, but it's worth checking out from the library if you want to read all three books of the trilogy. Now it's on to Born in Shame for me! I'll let you know what the verdict is :-)

Susan Mallery: Sizzling

MY REVIEW

Sizzling
Series: The Buchanans, Book 3
Author: Susan Mallery
Release: January 1, 2007
List Price: $6.99

Read: August 25-26, 2009
My Rating:


Author Homepage | Excerpt | Book Trailer | Amazon.com

SUMMARY (from back cover)
Reid Buchanan was always a fan favorite on the baseball diamond. But between the sheets?

A spiteful article about the former pitcher and current playboy questions his talent in the bedroom. And the newspaper's just the first bad news. Reid's grandmother Gloria's broken hip means she needs constant care - but Reid hired Nurses 1 and 2 for their bedside manner with him. So for Number 3 he chooses Lori Johnson, the first candidate who seems immune to his brand of charm.

Lori's never wasted her time with amoebas like Reid Buchanan. So why are her well-fortified defenses starting to crumble under the force of his sexy smile - and the kindness he shows her at every turn? There's only one explanation for the feelings flaring between them - chemistry. Chemistry so hot, it's sizzling!

SERIES: The Buchanans

1. Delicious (February 1, 2006)
2. Irresistible (July 1, 2006)
3. Sizzling (January 1, 2007)
4. Tempting (July 1, 2007)
   

BASICS
This is my first Susan Mallery book and I'm not sure I'm going to be giving her another try. I'm almost tempted to give Sizzling 2.5 stars, but it wasn't absolutely horrible and Mallery is a good writer, technique-wise; I mean, there are no run-on sentences, her punctuation is correct, she writes good romance scenes, the characters are pretty interesting ... I don't know, the story just wasn't as compelling as other romances I've read. I was actually anxious to finish the book, but only because I wanted it to be done already (once I pick up and start a book, I have to finish it - it's sometimes a curse).

I did like Reid a lot and I kind of went back and forth on Lori. Reid was an interesting hero and very engaging; I think that the way he changes his behavior was very believable and I liked his honesty and straight-forward manner. The scene where Reid walks in to find two surprisingly naked girls in his bedroom and then runs off to get Lori to kick them out was very funny.

MAIN PROBLEMS

1. I felt like we're plopped into the story too quickly, since we don't get to see the hero and heroine's first interaction - it's only referenced by them both.
2. Lori is pretty harsh with Reid at times. At first, she only sees him as a pretty-boy all-around-charmer ex-baseball player who gets everything he wants very easily and her opinion changes as Reid himself changes, but ... well people's essentials don't change that much, and in this case, I think Reid's change was believable because he always had that potential there, but just wasn't fully expressing it. Lori was unduly mean in certain scenes, in ways that Reid definitely didn't deserve.
3. I love stories where the heroine is a shy-wallflower-type, but here, that point was stressed a little too much by Lori herself - it got kind of tedious.
4. Something like 30 pages before the end, the book takes a very unhappy twist and it kind of puts a damper on the whole happy-ending thing. Really caught me off guard, too.
5. This is party of Mallery's Buchanan family series and unlike most romance books I've read that are part of a series, the fact that I hadn't read the previous ones left me somewhat at a loss at times. Reid's family is pretty front and center and there often wasn't enough of an introduction to who these people were or what the back story was.
6. As much as I wanted some more context for Reid's family, I thought the book focused way too much on Dani, the Buchanan sister. She's the heroine of the next book, Tempting, but there were huge chunks of pages in this one that were only about her and I was very tempted to skip them.
7. Totally minor, but the scene where Penny (Reid's sister-in-law) says she loves cooking (she's a chef) more than her daughter or her husband really bothered me. I'm not a mother or a wife, but when I become either of those things I hope that I don't love my job more than my children/husband!! And I'm not saying this in a 1950s-sexist-wife thing - my husband better feel the same way, lol.
   

BOTTOM LINE
So yeah ... wasn't a total waste of time, but I still don't know whether or not I'll be giving this author another try. Glad I got the book from the library!

Lisa Kleypas: Smooth Talking Stranger

MY REVIEW

Smooth Talking Stranger
Series: Travis Family, Book 3
Author: Lisa Kleypas
Release: March 31, 2009
List Price: $16.47 (hardback)

Read: August 24-25, 2009
My Rating:


Author Homepage | Book Page | Amazon.com

SUMMARY (from inside flap)

He answers to no one ...

No one has ever truly touched Jack Travis's heart or soul ... until Ella Varner comes along. She appears one day on his doorstep with fury in her eyes and a baby in her arms. Her troubled sister is the mother and, according to Ella, Jack Travis is the father. But when Ella demands that Jack take responsibility for the first time in his life, he ends up taking much more than that ...

She trusts no one ...

Ella Varner is responsible and controlled. Her childhood taught her that love is fleeting and best avoided. That is, until baby Luke appears on her doorstep after her reckless sister, Tara, abandons him. What Luke needs now is stability, and Ella's determined to do what is best for him. As her bond with the helpless child grows stronger every day, Ella goes to Houston in search of the father. What she finds there will change her life forever ...

And when things heat up between these two, the time for talking is long gone ...

Lisa Kleypas lets the sparks fly once again in a novel featuring the larger-than-life Travis family. Full of sizzling sensuality and undeniable heart, her storytelling will grab hold of you from the very first page to the last.

SERIES: The Travis Family

1. Sugar Daddy (March 4, 2008 - mass market paperback)
2. Blue-Eyed Devil (March 3, 2009 - mass market paperback)
3. Smooth Talking Stranger (March 31, 2009 - hardcover)
   

BEST REVIEW ON AMAZON.COM
The review by Sarah W is very good and I suggest reading that; she also has a great summary about the book, so I won't bother trying to write my own.

MY OPINION
I have not read Kleypas's first Travis Family book, Sugar Daddy, but I have read Blue-Eyed Devil (my review) and really enjoyed it. The plot of Sugar Daddy just never appealed to me - and still doesn't - but I decided to take a chance on Blue-Eyed Devil since Kleypas has long been my favorite historical romance author.

Smooth Talking Stranger is a very sweet and charming book. Ella is a wonderful heroine, very authentic and accessible. Jack is just delicious and absolutely fantastic - no one writes a hero like Lisa Kleypas!! The chemistry between the two sizzles off the pages, but there is definitely more to their relationship than just lust.

The presence of Luke, Ella's nephew, adds a whole other dimension to the romance story and in my opinion only enhances it. You want to just melt every time Jack picks Luke up or plays with him, lol. This book almost features two love stories: one between Ella and Jack, and the other between Ella and Luke - they're both fantastic.

My only problem was that I felt the ending was a little abrupt and rushed and for a little while (just a few pages - maybe even just paragraphs - but timewise in the story it's two months) I felt like Luke kind of disappeared; I would have thought there would be more emphasis on Ella missing him. Ella's reaction to what happens in the Epilogue makes it almost easy to forget that little blip, since we once again clearly see how much she loves him, but it still nags a little.

BOTTOM LINE
Wonderful book; definitely recommend. You don't have to have read the other Travis family books, since everyone is introduced thoroughly. I would recommend reading Blue-Eyed Devil since it's a real treat and I'm very much looking forward to Joe's story ... don't know when it's coming out, but will let you know when I find out!

Expanding the timeline ...

Well ... never did I think to say - or rather write - this, but it's true: I have ventured into contemporary romance and, after bashing and steering clear for many years, I've completely fallen for it. I'm still a 100% historical romance fan, but I'm finding a new appreciation for the contemporary authors out there.

Whenever people hear "romance" - and are not readers of the genre themselves - they immediately think Nora Roberts and Danielle Steel, which used to drive me nuts! I would carefully explain that no, I hadn't read either of those authors and I in fact only read historicals ... but to them it's all the same and they don't really care to differentiate.

I grew to kind of resent Roberts and Steel and although I have not picked up any of the latter's books yet, I've quickly rethought my opinion on Roberts. I just finished my fifth book of hers today and aside from this last one, they were all 4+ stars. I've also read some great Rachel Gibson and one absolutely fantastic book by Susan Elizabeth Phillips (I'll be posting about them in the next few days).

The "time period expansion" has caused the name of the blog to change, along with the web address ... hope you enjoy the new books that will be covered!

Rexanne Becnel: Dangerous to Love

MY REVIEW

Dangerous to Love
Author: Rexanne Becnel
Release: November 15, 1997
List Price: Retail unavailable - buy used

Read: August 5, 2009
My Rating:


Author Homepage | Amazon.com

Setting: 1829, England

SUMMARY (from back cover)

~ A SPINSTER ~

Spirited scholar Lucy Drysdale has long dreamed of London - the stimulating lectures, the intellectual banter. But first she must chaperone Lady Valerie, a tender young girl embarking on her first social season.

~ A RAKEHELL ~

Before Lucy can guide Valerie through her first society crush, they are swept into the world of the Earl of Westcott, London's most notorious rakehell.

~ A DANGEROUS GAME OF HEARTS ~

Ivan Thornton, the gypsy Earl, gained his title only because his father had no legitimate heir. Bitter over the cruelties society heaped on him when he was just a boy, Ivan takes sweet revenge - he breaks the hearts of young society women.

~ WINNER TAKE ALL ~

For Ivan, the two women are easy prey for his game of deceit - until Lucy's passionate touch ignites a desire that sears his soul. And Lucy finds, in protecting Valerie from the charismatic Earl, that she has left her own heart dangerously vulnerable ...

REVIEW
Could have been four stars because all the right components were there - wonderful leading characters, interesting supporting ones, great dialogue, and hot hot HOT intense chemistry between the hero and heroine - however after Ivan and Lucy marry, his behavior was a real turn-off.

I love the tortured and grew-up-unloved-and-alone hero as much as the next girl, but where's the fun in reading about a hero who is mean to the heroine, abandons her for more than two months the morning after they get married, and then vacillates between ignoring her and going out of his way to hurt her?

Yeah, yeah, we get the whole explanation that he's afraid of love, afraid of his own feelings for Lucy and hers for him, but still ... could have been shown to the reader in another way, because although reading snappy dialogue and about antagonizing encounters is enjoyable (and sometimes preferable) at the beginning of a hero and heroine's relationship, if it devolves into meanness or goes on for too long, it kind of takes the fun out of things.

SHOULD BE PART OF A SERIES ... BUT ISN'T
Ivan's three friends - Alexander, Giles, and Elliot - were wonderful and I was really hoping that this book was the first in a series and I would go online to find that the three friends were hero of their own books ... unfortunately, that was not the case. The four friends met as children when they were all sent to the same school, Burford Hall - or Bastard Hall, as it is more fondly known by those bastard sons unlucky enough to have been sent there.

If Ms. Becnel happens to read this post, I have to urge her: write these three books! Especially Elliot's - he seemed like he would be extremely interesting as the hero of his own romance novel.

August New Release Rundown

We've begun another month and summer is coming to a close! Summer seems to be the preferred release season for the historical romance industry and though June was by far the most packed, August won't be half-bad with its own decent amount of releases. Here they are, enjoy!

~ AUGUST 1 ~

The Undoing of a Lady
Series: The Brides of Fortune, 4 of 4
Author: Nicola Cornick
Release Date: August 1, 2009
List Price: $7.99
ISBN: 0373773951, 978-0373773954

Author Homepage | Series Page | Book Page | Excerpt | Amazon.com

SUMMARY (product description)
Courting scandal since girlhood, free-spirited Lady Elizabeth Scarlet vows there is just one way to save her childhood friend from a loveless marriage: to kidnap him! But Nathaniel is furious. So angry that he challenges her to take their assignation to its natural conclusion and seduce him.

When her inexperienced attempt flares into intense passion, Lizzie is ruined ... and hopelessly, unexpectedly, in love with Nathaniel, the Earl of Waterhouse. Now the wild and willful Lizzie must convince Nat that they are a perfect match - in every way.

TRILOGY (with prequel): The Brides of Fortune

1. The Secrets of a Courtesan (May 2009) - E-Book Prequel
   
2. The Confessions of a Duchess (June 2009)
3. The Scandals of An Innocent (July 2009)
4. The Undoing of a Lady (August 2009)

~ AUGUST 18 ~

Black Silk (reissue?)
Author: Judith Ivory
Release Date: August 18, 2009
List Price: $9.55
ISBN: 0061782122, 978-0061782121

Author Homepage | Book Page | Amazon.com

SUMMARY (product description)

Her name was Submit ... but she vowed she never would.

She was young and proper, and happily married to an elderly marquess. But sudden widowhood changed everything for Submit Channing-Downes. Only then, for the first time, did she experience true, burning, irresistible desire - in the dangerous embrace of a rogue aristocrat Graham Wessit. His touch spoke of experience, and his kiss tempted Submit to give in - igniting a tumultuous battle of wills that would ensure an innocent heart, tempting her with the promise of fiery passion and unexpected pleasure.

NOTE: This much be a reissue, but I don't know if the book has been changed at all. I've read it and although there were some great parts, the main characters rocked, and the chemistry between them was unbelievable ... I had to give the book two stars. You can read my Amazon.com review if you want the full rundown, but basically the romantic relationship between them seemed almost like a side story - and a very small one. There aren't even that many pages (out of the 446) in which they're together!

~ AUGUST 25 ~

Never Marry a Stranger
Author: Gayle Callen
Release Date: August 25, 2009
List Price: $6.99
ISBN: 0061235075, 978-0061235078

Author Homepage | Amazon.com

SUMMARY (product description)

The Prodigal Return ...

It's an absolute scandal when Captain Matthew Leland arrives at Madingley Court. Presumed dead in battle, his sudden appearance gives the ton quite the shock. But no one is more surprised than Matthew, because waiting for him at home is a bewitching, blue-eyed beauty - and she claims to be his wife!

Miss Emily Grey was alone in the world when a knight in shining armor came to her rescue, claimed her heart, and then disappeared. But now her little white lie, a desperate act of self-preservation, has come back to haunt her. Her husband, once a far-off fantasy, is now a flesh-and-blood man who insists she share his bed ...

Matthew has no memory of any marriage to this scheming seductress, and he's determined to expose her in every way. But a life with the exquisite Emily will prove irresistible ... and a marriage of deception will become a marriage of sweet, sweet surrender.


The Laird Who Loved Me
Series: MacLean Curse Series, Book 5 of 5
Author: Karen Hawkins
Release Date: August 25, 2009
List Price: $7.99
ISBN: 1416560262, 978-1416560265

Author Homepage | Book Series | Amazon.com

SUMMARY (product description)
Handsome Alexander MacLean enjoyed his intoxicating flirtation with lovely Caitlyn Hurst ... until she embarrassed him in front of the entire ton. Orchestrating Caitlyn's attendance at a fashionable house party, Alexander plots her downfall. But to his fury, her charm and wit thwart his plan to ruin her.

Her disastrous London season left Caitlyn filled with regret and determined to make things right with Alexander. She's delighted to find him at the house party to which she's unexpectedly invited - but it's clear that the sexy, arrogant Highlander hasn't forgiven her. So Caitlyn comes up with a bold scheme, proposing an unusual contest drawn from legend: each must complete a set of "mythic" tasks. If Caitlyn succeeds, Alexander promises to relent and forgive her previous rash behavior; if he succeeds, she will join him in his bed! But can Caitlyn force Alexander to give up his quest for vengeance without giving up her heart in return?

SERIES: The MacLean Curse Series

1. How to Abduct a Highland Lord (January 2007)
   
2. To Scotland, With Love (August 2007)
   
3. To Catch a Highlander (January 2008)
   
4. Sleepless in Scotland (July 2009)
   
5. The Laird Who Loved Me (August 2009)
   

Royal's Bride
Series: As Yet Untitled Trilogy, Book 1 of 3
Author: Kat Martin
Release Date: August 25, 2009
List Price: $7.99
ISBN: 077832642X, 978-0778326427

Author Homepage | Book Page | Excerpt (scroll down) | Amazon.com

SUMMARY (product description)

Though he is a titled nobleman, Royal Dewar is singularly unlucky ... forced to choose between his soul mate ... and his salvation.

After years abroad, Royal has returned to Bransford Castle to find his father dying and the family treasury nearly empty. Then the old duke wrests a final promise from his guilt-ridden son: that Royal will marry heiress Jocelyn Caulfield and restore the estate to its former glory. However, it is not his fiancee who quickens Royal's pulse, but rather her beautiful cousin Lily Moran.

Penniless Lily knows that nothing can come of their undeniable attraction - but there is a way she can help Royal. Enlisting some questionable characters from her past, Lily concocts an elaborate ruse to recover some of the Bransford fortune from a notorious confidence artist. As the dangerous scheme unfolds, Lily and Royal are thrown together in pursuit of the very thing - money - that keeps them apart ...

SERIES

1. Royal's Bride (August 2009)
2. Reese's Bride (January 2010)
3. Rule's Bride (May 2010)
   

Touch of Enchantment (reissue?)
Series: The Lennox Family Magic Series, Book 2 of 2
Author: Teresa Medeiros
Release Date: August 25, 2009
List Price: $5.99
ISBN: 0553590138, 978-0553590135

Author Homepage | Book Page | Excerpt | Amazon.com

SUMMARY (product description)
When cool-headed scientist and inept witch Tabitha Lennox inherits his mother's mysterious amulet, she doesn't expect to be hurled seven centuries into the past - directly into the path of a surly but gorgeous knight on a quest for vengeance.

Sir Colin of Ravenshaw finds himself beguiled by this strange woman who smells like baby shampoo and introduces him to the culinary delights of the Big Mac. Although he is honor-bound to burn her at the stake, Colin soon discovers it is his own heart that is aflame for this enchanting woman he must not love, but cannot live without.

SERIES: The Lennox Family Magic Series

1. Breath of Magic (March 1996)
2. Touch of Enchantment (June 1997, August 2009)

NOTE: I still haven't read Breath of Magic and was hesitant about reading either, even though I enjoy Medeiros books - I don't normally read paranormal/time travel books so this was a bit of a shift for me, but one I am glad I made. This book is pure enjoyment and I highly recommend it! Had several laugh-out-loud moments that had my family ask me what on earth it was that I was reading :-). You can read my whole review in an earlier post I made on this blog.


With Seduction in Mind
Series: Girl-Bachelor Series, Book 4 of ?
Author: Laura Lee Guhrke
Release Date: August 25, 2009
List Price: $6.99
ISBN: 0061456837, 978-0061456831

Author Homepage | Book Page | Behind the Scenes | Excerpt | Amazon.com

SUMMARY (product description)

~ A thoroughly modern woman ... ~

Daisy Merrick has to earn her living, but she keeps getting the sack. When her rash tongue costs her yet another job, the feisty, outspoken girl-bachelor is undaunted, and she comes up with a plan that could give her a future beyond her wildest dreams. There's only one problem. Her succeeds depends on a man, the most infuriating, impossible, immovable man she's ever met.

~ A most notorious man ... ~

Sebastian Grant, Earl of Avermore, is England's most famous author, but when writer's block steals his creativity, Sebastian becomes more well-known for his notorious reputation than his work. When Daisy arrives on his doorstep, hired by his publisher to help him write his next book, Sebastian has no intention of cooperating. The provoking, fire-haired beauty stirs his senses beyond belief, and when collaboration forces them together at his country home, Sebastian knows he has only one way out. Seduction.

SERIES: Girl-Bachelor Series

1. And Then He Kissed Her (February 2007) - fantastic!!
   
2. The Wicked Ways of a Duke (December 2007)
   
3. Secret Desires of a Gentleman (September 2008)
   
4. With Seduction in Mind (August 2009)
   
5. ?