365 books in 365 days Challenge ... book #49

Three Weddings and a Baby - Fiona Harper
Mills and Boon RIVA
Harlequin Mills and Boon, 2011
ISBN: 9780263883671



My rating




From the back cover:

"When three is most definitely a crowd…
Do you believe in love at first sight? Jennie Hunter and Alex Dangerfield did, and they married just a few weeks after they met! But when Alex disappeared on their wedding night Jennie was left alone – and angry – in her honeymoon suite. A month later, and Jennie has given up hope of ever seeing her runaway husband again.
Then Alex returns – with his toddler in tow! Shocked to learn Alex has been married before, her first instinct is to run. Her second instinct – well, even a hard-headed businesswoman can’t turn away a tiny girl who needs a nappy-change and a husband with sheer panic in his eyes… Compared to umpteen clients, one small kid will be a doddle…right?"

I'm really into the RIVA line at the moment, so expect more of these to come! This was another book I read whilst on holiday, usually in the mornings while waiting for my husband to return bearing much needed coffee! Once again another really enjoyable book from this line.

The story beings with the heroine Jennie and the hero Alex meeting at the wedding of Jennie's step brother. We discover that Jennie and Alex have been married for a little over a month, after a whirlwind romance, however they have not seen each other since early in their honeymoon after Alex was called back on a family emergency. Jennie was angry with Alex for leaving her on her own, especially as the emergency was due to his ex-wife being injured in an accident. Angry and annoyed Jennie had left and gone back to her previous life. Alex has been through a lot since marrying Jennie, including having to deal with the death of his ex-wife and finding out that she had not told him about their daughter. Alex has tracked down Jennie, angry with her for leaving, determined to try and sort through their issues together so they can both decide if their relationship can survive.

I really enjoyed this book, it was entertaining, romantic and emotional all at the same time. I really liked the mix of past and present settings to emphasise the story, and I felt that this helped it flow really well. The female character of Jennie was fantastic, she was the perfect mix of feisty and deep as well as being a true 21st century girl. Alex, as a character, was a little harder to grasp. If I only had one word to describe him it would be dark. Both characters had the chance to grow as the story progressed, perhaps Jennie more than Alex. I found it really interesting that when I started reading the book I preferred Alex to Jennie but towards the end it was the other way round.
If your looking for a book with an explosive conflict then this is not it, instead this book has an almost constant conflict running through it, that being how destructive the lack of communication can be in relationships, and this works perfectly with the pace of the story.

This is the first book I have read by Fiona Harper and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.

Xx

P.s. In my continuing series of photos of the books I read on holiday, here is my copy of the book lounging back on my hotel bed!

365 books in 365 days Challenge ... book #48

Walk on the Wild Side - Natalie Anderson
Mills and Boon RIVA
Harlequin Mills and Boon, 2011
ISBN: 9780263883657




My rating



From the back cover:

"One crazy afternoon on the beach…
A fling with sinfully hot champion snowboarder Jack Greene isn’t Kelsi Reid’s normal behaviour…but one glimpse of his wicked eyes has Kelsi throwing caution to the deep blue sea (along with her clothes!). After all, who better to go crazy with than a man who deserves a gold medal for his prowess on the slopes and in the bedroom…? Then Kelsi crashes down with a terrifying bump – of the baby kind.
They couldn’t be worse matched – Jack is Mr Right-Now, while Kelsi craves stability. But it’s hard to keep your feet on the ground once you’ve met the man who turns your world upside down…"

So, a little while ago I went a bit crazy and bought a big bunch of the new Mills and Boon RIVA line. Here's the pictorial evidence on my book shelf!

I read this book in one sitting, literally, since this was also read while I was on the flight to New York! It helped of course that I loved this book!

The story begins with the heroine Kelsi hitting the hero Pro-Snowboarder Jack with her car, by accident of course! Kelsi is distraught and the extremely charismatic Jack talks her into spending the afternoon with him. The sparks that fly between these two are instant and, wow, the resulting events are passionate! The afternoon they spend together is just that, an afternoon, after which Jack goes into training and Kelsi goes back to her hardworking life. However a month later Jack is still thinking about Kelsi and their explosive chemistry. He goes to visit her, where they are both shocked to discover she is pregnant. Jack immediately feels obligated to provide for Kelsi, not to mention terrified. He takes over Kelsi's life almost completely in an attempt to keep in control of his fears. Kelsi feels trapped and helpless against Jack's take over, however they both still want each other like crazy.

This is the third book from the RIVA line i have read, and if they are all as fantastic as this book then I can see RIVA becoming my new favourite!
I adored both of the characters; Jack was so unashamedly cool yet still very complex, and bravo to Natalie Anderson for creating such a bold female character, Kelsi was so gloriously normal yet also not afraid to be different and with a deep side that still has issues from childhood. I found all the technical snowboarding info a little confusing, but lucky for me I have a husband who is into snowboarding and skateboarding and helped explain things to me! Confusion aside, it's great to read a book that includes different jobs and alternative lifestyles, after all how many corporate banker types can you read before it gets tired!
Natalie's dialogue between the characters sparkles and the rest of the writing is flawless. Be prepared for some steamy scenes, let me tell you, the sex on the beach scene, whew!!

This is a fantastic book and just perfect for this new live of contemporary romances, I definitely recommend reading this book!

Xx

P.s. Here is a photo of my book on my flight, note the Virgin Atlantic coffee cup!

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 #46

Their Newborn Gift - Nikki Logan
Mills and Boon Romance/Cherish
Harlequin Mills and Boon
ISBN: 9780263876758



My rating



From the back cover:

"One big secret…
When Lea became accidentally pregnant she decided that she would go it alone. Rodeo star Reilly wasn’t the sort of man who’d want to be tied down. But five years later she needs to tell him her secret…
One tiny blessing…
Learning he’s a daddy is bittersweet for Reilly, because his little girl is fighting to survive. Her only hope is a new brother or sister. Can he and Lea create a newborn miracle – and a future together?"

This book was originally published under the Mills and Boon Romance line but was re-branded and re-released under the Cherish Line in ebook form when Mills and Boon re-branded many of their lines and covers in late 2010. This was offered as a free ebook download (along with 12 more titles) from www.everyonesreading.com or you can also get these titles free from the Amazon Kindle store, which is where I got my copy from.

The story begins with the heroine Lea travelling with her little daughter Molly to visit the hero Reilly. Five years ago Lea and Reilly shared a night together, Lea had left in the early hours never seeing him again and did not tell him that he is Molly's father. Reilly is surprised to see Lea again, he was angry that she left as he felt they had connected and he is even more angry when he learns of Molly's existence. Lea informs Reilly that Molly is very sick and needs a bone marrow transplant, preferably from the cord blood stem cells of a full sibling. She asks Reilly to get her pregnant again so this would be possible. Reilly tells her that due to injuries sustained while he was a Rodeo competitor he can't get her pregnant in the biblical way! But offers her the use of his banked sperm.
Both Reilly and Lea are wary of relationships from issues in their childhoods. Reilly sees this new baby as his last chance to have his own family, and sets the condition that Lea must give him full custody once the baby is born. Lea knows that giving up the child will be one of the hardest things she will ever do but knows she must in order to save Molly. As Lea and Reilly spend time together during her pregnancy they begin to get to know one another properly and start to work through some of their own issues.

This was a very emotional and intense book, and very beautifully written. The characters are both very well developed, and I really enjoyed the fact that both were flawed and had the chance to grow and move on within the story. Nikki Logan has certainly written about a hard hitting subject with the impending loss of a child and a parents attempt to do anything in their power to save that child. I will admit that I felt a little uncomfortable initially about the subject matter of creating one child in order to save another, however this was handled with care and sensitivity by the author and there was no doubt that the characters would love the new baby equally.

I loved the Australian countryside setting and all the references and descriptions of the local nature, although I did have to keep looking up the occasional thing after not having a clue what it meant! I have actually learnt quite a few things about Australian nature and wild life from reading this book!

I have Nikki Logan's recent UK RIVA release on my TBR pile and if it's as good as this one then I can't wait to read it!

Xx

365 books in 365 days Challenge ... book #45

The Italian's Defiant Mistress - India Grey
Mills and Boon Modern
Harlequin Mills and Boon, 2007
ISBN: 9780263853391



My rating



From the back cover:

"The Italian billionaire's inexperienced mistress
Eve Middlemiss has come to Florence desperate for information. And only darkly good-looking multimillionaire Raphael di Lazaro, heir to the Lazaro Fashion House, holds the answers she's searching for. Surrounded by glamour and decadence, Eve is totally out of her depth - until she realises she is the one Raphael wants!If becoming the Italian's mistress is what it takes to find out the truth about her family, Eve realises she must feign the sophistication and experience she's sure Raphael is accustomed to - but that means making herself available to his every desire..."

I have read quite a few of India Grey's books in the past but I have never got round to reading this one, her debut novel. So when I saw it just sitting there on the shelf of my local library I thought it must be divine intervention and immediately grabbed it!

The heroine Even has travelled to Florence under the guise of writing an article on a famous model for the di Lazaro fashion house, however she is really there to find the person responsible for supplying her twin sister with drugs that lead to her death. From details found on a scrap of paper in her sisters belongings Eve believes this person to be Raphael di Lazaro, when it is actually his half brother Luca. Raphael has been away from the family for a while, and is now back with the intention of bringing Luca to justice. When Raphael and Eve meet there is an immediate attraction between them. Eve tries to fight this but knows she has to stay close to him in order to expose him and Raphael feels the need to protect her, especially when Luca takes an interest.
As they spend time together they both valiantly try to fight against their growing feelings for one another but eventually a passionate affair begins. But when secrets are revealed and two perfectly timed misunderstandings happen they are both left broken hearted.

If I hadn't already known this was India Grey's debut book then I wouldn't have believed you if you told me! The book is written just as well as any seasoned pro, and I loved it from start to finish.
First things first, I'm obsessed with the fashion industry so to read a book based on this was always going to be popular with me, and even though the industry is not shown in the best of light it was really interesting and very well researched. The look into the lives of celebrities and the unfortunate drug culture within this is a controversial yet very hot button issue and it was executed really well.
The hero and heroine were both fantastic characters; Raphael was the perfect Alpha-male and managed to be both confident and caring without being cruel, and Eve was a fabulous feisty female character.
When the big conflict happened it was so intense and heart breaking that I actually had no idea how these two could ever make it work. I'm desperate to tell you what happens but I'm not going to, you will have to read it for yourself!

India Grey fits perfectly into a class of some of the more recent Mills and Boon writers (e.g. Heidi Rice, Abby Green, Maisey Yates, Lynn Raye Harris and many more!) that have brought these books up to date and really made them their own and far more appealing for the 21st century women!

I look forward to reading many more India Grey books to come!

Xx

365 books in 365 days Challenge ... book #44

Vacancy: Wife of Convenience - Jessica Steele
Mills and Boon Tender Romance

Single title-
Harlequin Mills and Boon, 2005
ISBN: 9780263842258

Reprint-
The Right Bride? By Request
Harlequin Mills and Boon, 2010
ISBN: 9780263881059

My rating




From the back cover:

"Colly Gillingham is in a bind. Not only has she been evicted from her home, but she also needs a job - and fast! So seeing an advert for a senior secretary at Livingstone Developments, Colly jumps at the chance....
The moment Silas Livingstone sees Colly he knows she's exactly the woman he's been looking for. There's only one vacancy that Silas is advertising now - and that's for a wife of convenience. Will Colly take him up on the offer...?"

This is the third book in the By Request omnibus as above, and it was nice to read a more gentle romance than my current run of Moderns and Intrigues!

This is the story of Colly and Silas. Colly has been left homeless and penniless after her fathers death and him leaving everything to his avaricious wife. Colly has no job or work experience after dedicating her life to taking care of her father before he married again. She meets Silas when she applies for a job at his company, for which she is grossly unsuitable for. Silas is sympathetic when she breaks down and explains her situation.
Silas has recently learned that his grandfather has changed his will to specify that unless he is married Silas will not inherit the family business he has worked so hard for. Silas offers Colly a marriage of convenience, they will live separate lives and Colly will be provided with a flat to live in and an allowance. As they begin spending time together as friends both their feelings for one another begin to grow.

This is a really sweet romance, and beautifully written with some fantastic witty dialogue between the characters. Unfortunately certain elements of the story just didn't work for me. The story was set over a long period of time, and the two characters sometimes went months without seeing each other and for their love to develop in this time it seemed a little unbelievable. Silas's seasons for a marriage of convenience is pretty standard stuff (ie will conditions) but to keep it a secret was a bit strange, what was he going to do, turn up at his grandfathers death bed and say "oh by the way, I have been married for X number of years", it didn't really seem plausible.
I did like Colly as a character though, I really empathised with her feelings of being lost after living a sheltered life, and she was a warm and very like-able character.

Like I said, this is a very sweet romance, however I did find it just a little bit boring.

Xx

365 books in 365 days Challenge ... book #43

The English Aristocrat's Bride - Sandra Field
Mills and Boon Modern

Single title-
Harlequin Mills and Boon, 2005
ISBN: 9780263841565

Reprint-
The Right Bride? By Request
Harlequin Mills and Boon, 2010
ISBN: 9780263881059


My rating




From the back cover:

"The English aristocrat...
Blue-blooded millionaire Rafe Holden needed a wife, one who would agree to a loveless marriage. And he had a most suitable candidate in mind...
The wrong twin...
But she had an identical twin sister. Karyn Marshall aroused the kind of desire in Rafe that he'd been hoping to avoid....
Or the right bride?
Rafe was no stranger to making ruthless choices. So would he decide to risk more than a marriage in name only, and take Karyn as his arranged bride?"

This is the second book in the above By Request omnibus. I know, I know, it's ANOTHER book from the Modern line, I just can't seem to help myself!

The story begins with the heroine Karyn arriving in England with the intention of meeting her twin sister for the first time. She only recently found out that she was both adopted and had an identical twin sister after her mother died. Karyn is trying to work up the nerve to approach when she meets the hero Rafe. Rafe initially mistakes Karyn for her twin Fiona, whom he has been close friends with since childhood. They share an explosive kiss, which causes Karyn to flee and Rafe confused as has never felt anything like that towards Fiona before. When the truth is revealed no one believes Karyn and she decides to leave and not disturb her twins life, however Rafe tells Fiona the truth and the sisters build a relationship. Rafe and Karyn's feelings for one another grow but both are wary of relationships after past bad experiences.

I enjoyed the story and thought the plot line and dialogue between all the characters was really good. There were elements, however, that I found a little frustrating, which lessened my enjoyment of the book. First, when Karyn reveals she is Fiona's twin no one believes her, not even Fiona, Fiona's father and Rafe! Come on, they are identical twins it would be pretty obvious, and even Rafe mistook her for Fiona in the beginning. Then Rafe had the cheek to accuse her of trying to scam Fiona, er what? So she searched the whole world for someone who looked like herself just to pull a fast one, a little ridiculous. Secondly I thought that Karyn's trust issues with men were just dragged on and on and on, which got a tad annoying.

Despite this I did enjoy the book, and will look to read other Sandra Field books in the future. Oh, the title and back cover blurb are misleading so don't let this sway you either way!

Xx

365 books in 365 days Challenge ... book #42

Bride of Desire - Sara Craven
Mills and Boon Modern

Single title-
Harlequin Mills and Boon, 2006
ISBN: 9780263848434

Reprint-
The Right Bride? By Request
Harlequin Mills and Boon, 2010
ISBN: 9780263881059

My rating





From the back cover:

"Two years ago, Allie fled an unhappy marriage for France, where she met irresistible Remy de Brizat. But they were driven apart when he discovered her secret. Allie was distraught, and her only comfort was her discovery that she was pregnant with his baby.
Now Allie has returned to France, realizing she has to tell Remy about his child. Remy offers her what she always wanted: marriage. But though he might worship her with his body, she knows this wedding is only for the baby's sake.."

The last time I reviewed one of Sara Craven's books I mentioned that I sometimes find her books a little hit and miss. Well this one was a hit with a capital H!! I read this in the By Request omnibus, as above, which I borrowed from my local library.

The story begins with the heroine Allie receiving a letter from her beloved great Aunt asking her to visit her in France. Allie, who is widowed with a small child, desperately wants to go as she thinks her Aunt's health is failing however she feels bound by her duties as the dowager lady Marchington and worries about the events that happened the last time she visited. As the story progresses we discover that Allie, very unhappy and emotionally abused in her marriage, had visited her great Aunt in France nearly two years ago where she met the hero Remy. They began an affair and fell deeply in love, but when Remy discovered Allie was married he immediately ended it and Allie went back to her marriage heart broken and more unhappy than ever, and pregnant. Her husband and his family turned a blind eye to her indiscretion and focused only on the family's new 'heir'.
When Remy and Allie meet again it is clear that he still hates her for what she did but there is still the undeniable attraction between them as well as more explosive secrets.

Sara Craven has written a really intense and emotional story here. She really managed to portray just how in love Allie and Remy were, anything less and this could have been a very different book since she was dealing with the controversial subject of infidelity. I really love how the story is a mixture of present day and flashbacks, this really helped in the development of the characters and added several layers of emotion to the story.
I really felt for Allie and her situation, for once what seemed like a doormat type female character ended up being strong inside and really grew as the story progressed. The only thing I can find fault with is that the story is told entirely from Allie's point of view and I really would have liked to have been able to witness Remy's thoughts and feelings as well.

Nevertheless, this was a really enjoyable read.

Xx

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