365 books in 365 days Challenge ... Book #358

The Soldier's Secret Daughter - Cindy Dees
Mills & Boon Intrigue
Harlequin UK, 2012
ISBN: 9780263895124











My rating

From the back cover:

"'I hated you, but I still wanted you.'
Dashing spy Jagger lived in a world of danger. Not even a sweet brown-eyed siren could be trusted, especially when he had to bring down her employer. Somehow Emily broke through his defences – and set him up for two years of captivity. Or so he thought. 
Emily hadn’t expected a cryptic message to lead her to rescue the man who’d disappeared after their night of passion. Nor had she known that he’d been held prisoner and believed she was responsible. Despite the suspicion, they must work together to stop the threat against them…and protect their precious daughter."


I bought this recently from the M&B website, I hate the cover and title!

The hero Jagger is sent to try and infiltrate a shipping company suspected of being a front for an international terrorist organisation. He spots the heroine Emily about to enter the building, knowing that she is an employee Jagger charms her into thinking he also works there and that he is interested in her. Emily falls hook, line, and sinker and with no idea that he is simply using her she gives in to temptation and spends the night with him. But she wakes up alone, feeling every bit a used as she was, only Jagger didn't walk out on her, he was abducted. Two years later Emily receives a strange email leading her to discovering Jagger in captivity in a shipping container. She helps him escape but Jagger refuses to trust her, thinking that she is in cahoots with those responsible for kidnapping him. He realises her innocence when they are forced to go into hiding and she nurses him through a serious injury. Emily reveals to him that their one night together resulted in a baby girl and Jagger is desperate to meet her, feeling like with Emily and their daughter around he finally has something to live for. But he is also determined to bring down the terrorists and Emily can't stand the thought of losing Jagger when she has only just found him again.

OK, what to say about this book... Well, it's exciting that's for sure. But it is way too over complicated, especially crammed into a 50-60k word book. I really liked all the action and tension in the book, and love that the author has tried something very different, but there is something that doesn't quite work and I'm not even sure what that is. The secret baby plot is unnecessary, it's almost forced in and isn't even mentioned until over half-way in. There is enough story without it.
The terrorist's are German - you're thinking Die Hard, right?! I know I am. The Iron Curtain fell a long time ago, I don't want to be reading lines such as "you Stasi SOB". Move on...

Anyway, good suspense, action, and passion. Not so good details.

Xx

365 books in 365 days Challenge ... Book #316

Daddy Devastating - Delores Fossen
Mills & Boon Intrigue 2-in-1
Harlequin Mills & Boon, 2011
ISBN: 9780263885064








My rating

From the back cover:

"For FBI special agent Russ Gentry, Julia Howell is nothing but trouble. First the Texas heiress blunders into his undercover operation to bring down a black-market kidnapping ring. Then she turns his life upside down with a single photograph. 
Russ's connection with the beautiful baby girl in the photo is instant and absolute...and Julia finds herself falling for this man who stepped up when most would have turned and run. As bullets fly and their passion grows, Julia is convinced this devastatingly handsome protector will play an important role in an innocent baby's future. And in hers."


This is the second book in the Intrigue 2-in-1, as above.

The hero Russ is deep undercover trying to bring down an illegal baby-selling ring when the heroine Julia approaches him, jeopardising his cover. Julia has tracked down Russ as the father of her late cousin's baby, whom Julia is guardian of. Thinking on his feet to avoid his cover being blown when members of the ring meet him, Russ pretends that he and Julia are involved. He is forced into letting Julia know just what she has stepped into and Julia is more than a little shocked and scared. When she confronts Russ about the baby he denies ever meeting her cousin, and Russ realises that the father is actually his twin brother whom recently died. Although Russ is shocked by the news of his nephew, he also realises that he wants to be a part of the little boy's life. But first he needs to finish his assignment, and now Julia is involved. They are forced to spend time together, and this eventually leads to them falling for one another. However, Russ's dangerous life brings back painful memories for Julia but she is also able to confront her fears and realise that she wants to change her life as well as have a future with Russ and the baby.

This was pretty much like the previous book I just read (The Baby's Guardian) in that the suspense part of the story is very good, but the romance is really lacking. Speaking of the suspense part, while it was good and quite interesting there are a few holes in the plot that are a little difficult to ignore. Also, I found it hard to believe that the heroine would fall for, and sleep with, a man she only met a few days previously, when she has spent the last 10 years as a virtual recluse after an attack. It doesn't really work, in my opinion.

But, the book held my interest - it's OK. Awful title though!

Xx

365 books in 365 days Challenge ... Book #315

The Baby's Guardian - Delores Fossen
Mills & Boon Intrigue 2-in-1
Harlequin Mills & Boon, 2011
ISBN: 9780263885064












My rating

From the back cover:

"In the past twenty-four hours Sabrina Carr had been shot at, kidnapped and held hostage. As if being eight months pregnant wasn't stressful enough! 
Now, after narrowly escaping the clutches of masked gunmen, Sabrina and her baby needed a protector. That's when hot Texas cop Shaw Tolbert came to her rescue. As the surrogate mother to his child, Sabrina couldn't help the sizzling attraction to Shaw that the danger stirred up...or the kiss that told her she meant more to him than she ever realized. With her attackers still on the loose, Sabrina's priority was keeping the baby safe. But how could she keep her cool when things were so hot?"


I bought this Intrigue 2-in-1 ages ago but forgot I even had it.

The hero Shaw is a cop and he is called to a hostage situation in a maternity unit. There are many heavily pregnant women begin held hostage, and Shaw's attempts to think of a way to get them out safely is hampered when he discovers one of the hostages is Sabrina, the heroin, whom is pregnant with his child. Sabrina is terrified by the threat against her and her unborn child, especially when the kidnapper's take her with them when they escape. She desperately hopes that Shaw manages to move past his guilt over his wife's death and Sabrina's pregnancy and comes to save her. Shaw does save her, and tries to keep her safe from the continued threat against her, and during the time they spend together Shaw begins to realise that his feelings for Sabrina run much deeper than just passion.

I liked this book, kind of! The suspense part of the plot is pretty much perfect; it is full of nail-biting tension and edge-of-seat excitement, which makes the story very fast paced. But the romance part is left severely lacking - it feels almost forced in. The hero and heroine didn't really have that much time together without something to do the suspense plot happening, so it was difficult to truly grasp, and believe, the developing relationship.

Overall, this is an OK book.

Xx

365 books in 365 days Challenge ... Book #272

Footprints in the Snow - Cassie Miles
Mills & Boon Intrigue
Harlequin Mills & Boon, 2007
ISBN: 9780263859256












My rating

From the back cover:

"It was a powerful Rocky Mountain blizzard that caught scientist Shana Parisi unawares and threw her into the arms of a mysterious man in uniform. Luke Rawlins rescued her from danger, but it was the mesmerizing look in his eyes that captured her heart...and forged their destiny. 
Luke knew bringing the beautiful Shana home posed a threat to his secrets, but a foreign enemy was hot on their trail and Shana's snowy footprints were all they needed to track her down. Once entrenched in his world, Luke urged her to remain silent about what she saw. Because the alternative could be deadly..."


It has been a long timer since my last Intrigue.

The heroine Shana is caught in a blizzard while out skiing, after falling and hitting her head she wakes up in a small mountain cabin. The hero Luke found and rescued her, however they are both confused over each others mannerisms. Shana is shocked, and a little bemused when Luke informs her that the year is 1945. So despite finding Luke devastatingly attractive she decides he must be crazy, and she leaves the the safety of the cabin to go back to her hotel. However, when she comes to the gates of a military base that should no longer be there she begin to believe that she has, somehow, time travelled. Before she has a chance to even think about it she is caught and accused of being a spy, but is once again rescued by Luke and taken into the base. There Shana meets the physicist Enrico Fermi and realises he is there doing research for the Manhattan Project. Fearing her time travel may result in the past being altered, Shana helps to make sure the project carries on by offering her skills as a geologist. During this time she and Luke begin to grow closer, and when a threat against the project becomes serious, they work together to try and eliminate it.

Paranormal-type books are not really my thing so I wouldn't have normally chosen this book. Annoyingly the blurb does not give any indication of the time travel bit, so I felt a little mislead. But I am glad I read it, as I found it quite interesting. The plot is a little, well a lot, implausible (and I'm not talking about time travel here) and quite predictable and I think it doesn't quite live up to what this could be. I think, perhaps, the plot/subject is a little too ambitious for category fiction. I really enjoyed reading all the history and information given by the author, she has certainly done her research. Which is great, but I was reading a romance book, not a non-fiction book. There isn't enough of the hero and heroine as characters or the actual romance included to really believe the relationship, which is a shame. I liked the HEA, but was totally confused by the time travel thing and how the HEA was possible.

I had a few ethical issues around the heroine constantly saying how important the Manhattan Project is/was... but I guess to have it otherwise would be even more ambitious, plus all those space/time continuum issues! Always the hippy!

This is an intriguing book; interesting to read but disappointing on a few levels.

Xx

365 books in 365 days Challenge ... book #226

The Lawman's Nanny Op - Carla Cassidy
Mills & Boon Intrigue 2-in-1
Harlequin UK, 2011
ISBN: 9780263885613





My rating




From the back cover:

"The kids at Portia Perez's day-care center are everything to her. She tried love once, but was badly bitten. Then in walks Deputy Caleb Grayson. Though Caleb hurt her once, she can't deny that seeing him still makes her ache for his touch.Caleb's heart skips a beat when Portia enters the sheriff's office. Suddenly, memories come rushing back. Portia didn't trust him then. Why should she now?
But someone's out to harm her and Caleb can't walk away. Nor can he deny the claim she still has on his heart. Will Portia's stalker extinguish any chance of a happy reunion between these old flames?"


Urghh, what an awful title!

The heroine Portia is very distressed when she finds slanderous posters about herself put up all over town, she has never done anything to hurt anyone. Her upset is made worse when she goes to the police, where she is informed by Deputy Caleb, the hero, that there is nothing that can be done. Caleb and Portia were once teenage sweethearts but their relationship had crumbled when Portia believed malicious gossip that Caleb had cheated. Although they live in the same town, they have avoided each other for the whole ten years since their break up. So it is naturally very difficult for both of them when the threat against Portia becomes very real and her life is in danger.
Caleb is having a tough time at the moment not only is he still struggling with his feelings after another bad break-up but also trying to deal with the suspected disappearance of his younger sister, plus being with Portia again reminds him of what he lost all those years ago. But it's clear that there is still passion between them and as the threats increase they get closer and closer.

This is an enjoyable book, with an interesting suspense plot and two well matched characters. There is a lot of simmering tension between them, and I really liked the whole unfinished business aspect of their relationship. Caleb is a brilliant hero; caring, brooding, and strong, however I feel that his issues from his recent heartbreak, while very sad, were brought up too late to have a big impact on the story. Portia is a little too insecure for my liking, I got a little frustrated with her character. The suspense element is interesting and really well executed, it certainly keeps you guessing.

There is the subplot of Caleb's sister and her disappearance/kidnapping, this is left unresolved as this book is part of the mini-series 'The Lawmen of Black Rock'. Caleb and Portia's story stands alone though.

Xx

365 books in 365 days Challenge ... book #225

Body Armour - Alana Matthews
Mills & Boon Intrigue 2-in-1
Harlequin UK, 2011
ISBN: 9780263885613





My rating





From the back cover:

"If last-minute shopping isn't killer enough, Santa is! When Anna Sanford is attacked by a vengeful Saint Nick, a mystery man saves her life. But the real mystery isn't why this man, Brody Carpenter, pledges to protect Anna through the holidays — it's why he left her in the first place... and why she never told him she was pregnant with his child.
In four turbulent years, he'd transformed from local sheriff into an international bodyguard for hire — and Anna is in serious need of protection. Brody wants to help her put her life back together, but dodging bullets is easier done than dodging the past... especially when she is about to give him the ultimate Christmas surprise..."


It's been a while since I read my last Intrigue.

The heroine is trying to come to terms with the death of her brother, but no matter what police reports tell her she is adamant that he did not commit suicide. Her suspicions seem correct when she is attacked one night. She is saved, quite unexpectedly, by Brody, the hero, her ex-fiance. Brody never thought he would see Anna again, when he left town after his police career was destroyed due to false allegations against him he was in a bad place and needed space, but as the years went on he couldn't face returning, especially knowing that he had broken Anna's heart. Brody received a message from Anna's brother shortly before he died asking him to protect Anna. Brody agrees with Anna that her brothers death is suspicious and offers to help her find out more. Anna is reluctant to accept Brody's help, she still hurts over Brody's abandonment but soon realises that her life is in danger and he is the only one who can protect her. Brody knows he has never stopped loving Anna and vows to protect her and her young son with his life, hoping that Anna can find it in her heart to forgive him.

I very much enjoyed this story. This had just the right amount of elements to make it exciting and interesting without it being overly confusing, or silly! I really liked the shared history between the hero and heroine, I thought this was developed and written really well. The suspense plot is on-going and constant throughout the book and keeps you reading and excited, the 'action' scenes felt a little rushed but still quite gripping. The interaction between the hero and heroine is particularly great.
This would have been a four star review had it not been for the fact that it is so flipping obvious who the culprit is, I guessed it on the first page! I like my suspense to be a little more, well, suspenseful!

Nevertheless, this is a very enjoyable read.

Xx

365 books in 365 days Challenge ... book #152

Protecting Plain Jane - Julie Miller
Harlequin Intrigue
Harlequin, 2011
ISBN: 9780373695331





My rating




From the back cover:

"Ten years ago quiet heiress Charlotte Maywether was abducted and held for ransom...but when she was targeted a second time, SWAT officer Trip Jones vowed to protect her.
The damaged beauty was slow to trust, but even she couldn't deny the tender bond forming between her and her handsome bodyguard. Trip was determined to keep Charlotte alive and help her face her life-altering fears. But with a serial killer on the loose and Charlotte willing to play bait, it would take every skill he had to keep his beautiful ward from facing dire consequences...."


There's been quite a few Modern/Presents recently so to change it up a bit I thought I would go for another Intrigue. A good read.

The heroine Charlotte is a very intelligent and wealthy heiress, yet she hides away due to the horrors she went through when she was kidnapped and tortured when she was 17. She still suffers from flashbacks, nightmares and anxiety, as a result she has to be in complete control of every aspect of her life. Recently there has been attempted and actual murder of other heiresses in the area, and the perpetrator has been dubbed 'The Rich Girl Killer', and when Charlotte's bodyguard is killed and Charlotte is tormented it looks like she is the next target. SWAT cop Trip, the hero, is brought in to protect Charlotte, and after learning about her past ordeals and witnessing her fear he vows to protect her with his life and take away her fear. Charlotte and Trip grow very close to one another and he helps her realise she is not as weak as she thinks she is. But the threat to Charlotte gets worse and worse and when it looks like there is a second threat to her Trip knows he needs to do everything he can to keep her safe.

The start of this book really blew me away. It is action and suspense packed right from the start and I could hardly put it down. However it did slow down about halfway through and, for me, seemed to lose it's edge. I liked both the characters; Charlotte's issues and problems are very real and handled really well by the author. Trip is also a good characters, and particularly interesting due to his own self doubt. I don't think enough attention was given to the development of the actual relationship, and when they did get together it didn't really feel believable.
There is enough suspense to keep you on the edge of the seat, the identity of the killer is left unresolved and will be in a future book in this mini series (The Precinct: SWAT). The book stands alone fine though.

Although, I HATE the title of this book! Not that it has any effect on the story of course!

Action packed and fun.

Xx

365 books in 365 days Challenge ... book #103

Hook, Line and Shotgun Bride - Cassie Miles
Mills and Boon Intrigue 2-in-1
Harlequin Mills and Boon, 2011
ISBN: 9780263885187


My rating




From the back cover:

"As a trained lawman, Shane Gibson was known for remaining calm, cool and professional, regardless of the situation. But when it came to the danger his best friend's widow and her little boy found themselves in, things became incredibly personal...
Angela Hawthorne's life hadn't exactly gone as planned, but Shane had been there for her even in her darkest days. This time, desperate to stay one step ahead of those threatening to harm her, Angela wasn't sure that relying on Shane was a risk she should take. Though he claimed protecting her was all part of the job, the way his heart raced when he held her said otherwise."


A little while back I reviewed the book 'Lock, Stock and Secret Baby' also by Cassie Miles (yes, the superbabies one!). Well, this is the second book in that 2-in-1 and it's another superbabies book.

Angela, the heroine, is a widow and about to re-marry but is having doubts about it. She's also been suffering from anxiety and insomnia recently. When her long term friend Shane, the hero, arrives she feels more relaxed. However Shane finds signs that Angela is being stalked and vows to protect her and her son. When events start taking a strange turn and it looks like Angela's fiancé may be involved, Shane realises that Angela is in more danger than they thought and he takes them to safety. During this time Angela and Shane discover that she was a baby from a genetic engineering IVF program 25 years ago and that her son may also have been created like this, without her knowledge. Angela and Shane also grow close and discover that they have always had feelings for one another.

This is a more serious book compared the the previous book in this mini-series (Lock, Stock and Secret Baby), and was quite enjoyable. The plot was able to focus more on the relationship part since the 'superbabies' plotline was explained in such detail in the last book. But this book also suffers from moments that are rather baffling, that really let down the story. It didn't help that it was so bloody obvious what was going to happen and who was involved.

An OK read, with an original plot.

Xx

365 books in 365 days Challenge ... book #93

Lock, Stock and Secret Baby - Cassie Miles
Mills and Boon Intrigue 2-in-1
Harlequin Mills and Boon, 2011
ISBN: 9780263885187



My rating



From the back cover:

"Special Forces operative Blake Jantzen's mission is clear: protect Eve from the psychopath targeting her. His soldier instincts are put to the ultimate test when guarding her leads them both into a dangerous web of secrecy and deceit. Everyone has something to hide—including the beautiful pregnant woman whose life rests in his hands…and whose presence stirs a passion that even he cannot control.
Eve Weathers is a brilliant scientist…and a virgin. After learning she's been impregnated as part of an experiment, she knows trusting Blake is the only way to keep her unborn child safe. It seems the baby she carries is the key to exposing a killer…and unlocking a mystery that will forever link her and Blake."


I read this book during breaks from laying flooring in my living room! I felt that it really deserved my full attention though, as parts of this book really left me baffled.

At the start of this book an influential psychologist is murdered, just before this he emails details of a study he was involved in to his son. The study included ground breaking IVF treatments given to infertile couples 25 years ago, where the embryos created were from men and women of superior intellect, physic, ability, etc,(basically it was genetic engineering) thus creating a group of "superbabies". Blake, the hero, is one of those babies and also the son of the psychologist. His father had discovered that the gynaecologist involved in the study and another of the superbabies planned to create second generation and have implanted an embryo in the heroin Eve. Eve is unaware of this and shocked when Blake informs her, she is also in danger as the person involved will not need Eve after the baby is born. Blake promises to protect Eve and they grow close to one another.

Well, if anything, this is certainly and original plotline! Superbabies... come on! I don't really know what to write in this review as although this book is entertaining in its originality it's, lets face it, kinda silly! You know when you watch a horror movie and the blonde woman goes upstairs to check on that strange noise instead of out the door/calling the police, all you want to do is shout "stop, you silly woman!", that's kind of what I wanted to do reading this book. There were moments when the events just seemed stupid e.g. Eve's life was threatened and she was emotional after discovering the pregnancy so what does she do? Goes home alone of course... er!

Anyway, an enjoyable, humorous and rather entertaining read. Watch out for those superbabies!

Xx

365 books in 365 days Challenge ... book #82

Hitched and Hunted - Paula Graves
Harlequin Intrigue
Harlequin, 2011
ISBN: 9780373695393

N.B. The above details relate to the North American release of this book.


My rating




From the back cover:

"On the day Jake Cooper said "I do" to his beautiful bride, Mariah, their future happiness seemed certain. But Jake always wondered what she wasn't telling him. And what it would take for the truth to come out…
Hoping to build a new life with Jake, Mariah thought she was free of the demons from her past. But when they were kidnapped and held at gunpoint, Mariah knew it was time she came clean—whatever the consequences. Her vow to confess was cut short, though, when bullets started flying and they were forced to run for their lives. Desperate to survive and not fall victim to the man hunting them, Mariah realized just how much she'd gained having Jake in her life. And how much they both had to lose."


It's been a while since I last read an Intrigue and this is one I picked up in NYC. I was hoping for and exciting and interesting read, and that's what I got!

After a tornado causes damaged to the town they are staying in, the hero Jake and the heroine Mariah help to restore. Mariah is nervous about being in the town as she previously lived there but left after testifying against the man who killed her fiancé, whom she once considered to be a father figure. She doesn't realise that he is now out of prison and after seeing her on TV is coming after her. Mariah never told Jake about her past, but is forced to come clean when both of them are kidnapped this man. Held hostage, they are have to rely on each other in order to try and escape not knowing whether they will live another day or be able to repair the damage don to their marriage.

I found this to be a well written, exciting and suspense packed book. I really liked the story, it wasn't overly complicated and this made it flow really well. I liked the character of Mariah, she is well developed and it was great that she was written with a bad start in live but has managed to make a decent(ish) life for herself. I actually empathised with her reasons for keeping her past a secret. Although she did seem to forget about her son an awful lot...! I wasn't so keep on Jake as a character. Sure, he was protective and everything but he seemed a little hypocritical, and his own 'secrets' didn't really hit the mark for me.

This is fast paced and exciting, the 'action' scenes are well written and detailed, which really helped to involve me in the story.

This book is actually the first in a mini-series by Paula Graves 'Cooper Justice: Cold Case Investigation', and the lead-in to the follow on books was interesting. If/when they are released in the UK then I will look to read them.

Xx

365 books in 365 days Challenge ... book #47

Pregnesia - Carla Cassidy
Harlequin Intrigue
Harlequin, 2009
ISBN: 9780373694136




My rating




From the back cover:

"Former navy SEAL Lucas Washington was an expert at tackling impossible missions. But when a striking - and very pregnant - woman turned up in a car he was repossessing, suddenly he was in over his head. Shaken and bruised, she couldn't remember what had happened to her or why she was terrified of going to the police. Lucas made it clear he could be trusted, and vowed to protect her until she was safe. Hours turned to days as they searched for clues to her hidden past. Then a family came to claim her, and a happy ending seemed imminent. But had he just delivered his Jane Doe to safety...or into the hands of a killer?"


Okay, I'll admit it, I was desperate to read this book for one reason. Why, you may ask, the blurb? No. The cover? Nope. The author? No again. It's the title! Any pun style and/or word combo titles are winners for me!
I read this in ebook form purchased from the Amazon Kindle store, the version I read is the US release so the above book/publishing details are for this version. It has been released in the UK so if you want the details then just comment or email me and I'll be happy to help.

Right so, the story... Well it begins with out hero Lucas, who finds out heroine hiding in the back of a car he is repossessing. The heroine is suffering from amnesia after receiving a head injury. She is also heavily pregnant. Lucas, a former navy SEAL promises to help 'Jane' recover her memory and hopefully find her family. Jane tells Lucas she is scared and believes herself to be in danger, and initially Lucas does not believe her. After she is almost kidnapped and his apartment is broken into he finally believes her. He tracks down information linking Jane to a local organisation 'The Church of Enlightenment'. Lucas takes Jane to a safe house while he tries to find her family, whilst there they begin to get close to each other.

So, did the story live up to it's puntastic title?! Perhaps not, but I did enjoy reading it. I wasn't too keen on the characters; Jane, well, we didn't really know much about her but the impression she made was that she was a bit of a whiner, and Lucas seemed uptight and a bit of a dick (Jane gave him a, er, 'treat' one night and he didn't talk to her the next morning, what a prince!). The plot was so implausible, and when reading about the cult like 'Church of Enlightenment' all I could think about was The Simpson's episode (The Joy of Sect) with the 'Movementairians' (I'm sorry!!!).
But, all these things combined actually made this an enjoyable read! It's certainly entertaining and you know what, I read this on a 7 hour flight to New York so I needed entertaining!

Xx

P.s. You must read the review of this book on Smart Bitches, Trashy Books (link) it's hilarious!

P.p.s. Here's a picture of the book on my iPad on the plane!

365 books in 365 days Challenge ... book #41

Shotgun Bride - BJ Daniels
Mills and Boon Intrigue
Harlequin Mills and Boon, 2010
ISBN: 9780263882414





My rating




From the back cover:

"Sexy as sin and wild as the western plains…
That’s the Corbett brothers for you and Shane’s no exception. No way is he settling down just because of some ridiculous marriage pact. Especially not with a naïve cowgirl from small-town Whitehorse. At least that’s what this hardened lawman keeps insisting.
But when Maddie Cavanaugh’s kidnapped, Shane jumps into action. While he has no trouble subduing her captors, resisting the force of Maddie’s charm is harder than he could have imagined. Soon it seems stubborn Shane may be the first of the Corbett boys to surrender his bachelorhood…"

After a long run of books from the Modern line, I thought I would break it with another of my go-to lines, Intrigue. As you may remember, the last intrigue I read I did not enjoy, so I'll admit that I was a little apprehensive, however I'm pleased to say that I really enjoyed this one! This is the first book from BJ Daniels that I have read, however I have heard good things, which is not surprising since she is somewhat of a legend having been writing Intrigues since 1995!

The story begins with the 5 Corbett brothers discussing their fathers wish for them to get married, and sooner rather than later. They draw straws to decide who should be the first to take the plunge. Shane, the hero, draws the longest straw meaning he will be the last. Soon he finds himself helping his youngest brother with looking out for his latest love interest Maddie, the heroine. Maddie has recently returned home after spending time away following family problems and a disastrous love affair. When she is kidnapped by her violent ex, Shane does everything he can in order to find her and then keep her safe from harm.

There are many interlocking stories going on in the book and while this takes some of the focus away from the central relationship, it really adds suspense to the story and kept me turning the pages! I really liked the changing point of views, so often in the romance genre the point of view is only given from the heroine and/or hero, having the point of view of many of the other characters really added an interesting layer to the book. I thought the central relationship was really well developed and certainly didn't suffer from the other stories going on around it.

I really enjoyed reading this book, and will be on the lookout for more of BJ Daniels books. As it happens this book is the first in a mini-series based on the Corbett brothers and as soon as they arrive in my local library I will be reading them!

Xx

365 books in 365 days Challenge ... book #32

Dream Weaver - Jenna Ryan
Mills and Boon Intrigue
Harlequin Mills and Boon, 2007
ISBN: 9780263857320


My rating




From the back cover:

"Someone was watching Dr Meliana Maynard's every move...
First there were the single white roses. In her home, her office, her car. Then the notes came...and the nightmare began. Meliana was in trouble - and now the only man who could protect her was her estranged husband, ex-FBI agent Johnny Grand.But uncovering the identity of a shadowy stalker seemed less frightening than facing the feelings provoked by the one man she'd never stopped loving.
Meliana would stand strong against her pursuer, but with Johnny...she'd surely buckle the minute he held her in his arms."

Another low rating book I'm afraid. So once again, this is my opinion and if you liked this book then fantastic, unfortunately I didn't.

This is the story of Meliana and her husband Johnny, from whom she is currently separated. Johnny was undercover with the FBI for two years that messed up his mind, and afraid of his rage issues separated from Meliana. Meliana has recently started to find white roses in private places, she was also given a white dog, and some of her lingerie was stolen. She calls in her police friend to help her, and when Johnny finds out he comes back to help protect Meliana. The threats then turn nasty as Johnny and Meliana begin to reconnect, with the stalker threatening to kill both of them.

First of all, I guessed who the culprit was in the first 5 pages, and that's not an exaggeration! To me the Intrigue line should have lots of action, snatched moments of passion, and actual suspense, and when you can easily guess the culprit then it takes the suspense away. As for the other two things, well there wasn't really much in the way of action and the passion wasn't that great.
I thought that the whole stalker problem wasn't taken seriously, I mean if your being stalked would you really go to at least 2 parties and hold a party in your home? I don't think so! Yes, the characters in this book did these things. Meliana didn't think anything of random roses appearing or a dog with a note left outside of her house one evening, it was only when her lingerie was stolen that she thought about it, come one! Wouldn't you be freaked out by these things, I know I would. The characters were not developed enough and I just could not warm to them. I also found the story really dull.

I'll admit that I almost gave up reading this book, however I was eloquently informed by my husband that my challenge is to read 365books not like 365books, so I persevered and finished it!

Xx

365 books in 365 days Challenge ... book #28

His Runaway Juror - Mallory Kane
Mills and Boon Intrigue
Harlequin Mills and Boon, 2008
ISBN: 9780263859911


My rating




From the back cover:

"On the run from the mob and the law Brand Gallagher was on an undercover mission to bring down the Castellano crime syndicate and avenge his brother’s death.
Ordered to kill juror Lily Raines, the tough lawman couldn't break his oath to serve and protect. Though they were little more than strangers, something about Lily demanded he offer his protection.
Brand was about to break the cardinal rule of law enforcement by involving his heart. And revealing his true identity to Lily suddenly seemed an even greater risk!"

So another Intrigue book, I know! The reason these have been so frequent is simply that I have a huge pile of books from the library, which are mainly Modern and Intrigue which they always have the biggest stock of, and I'm trying to work my way through the pile before I go on holiday in 2 weeks! I don't want late fees! Also I actually really like the Intrigue series.

So, this is the story of Lily, who is on the jury of a high profile murder trial of a hit man associated with an organised crime syndicate run by a man called Gio Castellano. She is picked out by them to intimidate into voting not guilty in order to force a mistrial. Her home is broken into by two of the mob members, one of whom is undercover detective Brand. Lily and her father, who is in care home after suffering brain damage during his time as a cop, are threatened. Lily plans to escape with her father so goes on to plead guilty.
Brand is sent to kill Lily for disobeying the mobs orders but he instead he goes on the run with her. Brand has begun to suspect that there is a leak to the mob boss, and he and Lily have to escape many dangerous situations in order to stay alive, while Brand tries to work out who the leak could be and who he can trust.

This was a really good Intrigue book, and I nearly cheered when I finished it as, for once, it wasn't easy to guess who the culprit was! Lily is a great character, she is really strong at times and is desperate to do the right thing. Brand was also a great character, a true hero wanting to save Lily as well as being the typical 'closed-off emotions' guy. I really liked how the relationship develops, especially Lily's attempts to fight against the attraction as she can't decide if she can trust Brand. Unfortunately the situations they find themselves in just seem a little far-fetched that I have a hard time believing it! However it is an enjoyable and action-filled read.

Completely unrelated, don't you think the guy on the front cover looks a little like Jason Priestly of Beverly Hills 90210 fame (that's the original early 90's series)?! No? God, I'm starting to get old!

Xx