Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Wolf at the Door by Christine Warren

Sullivan Quinn and a European delegation have come to New York to talk to the Other's council there. They want to impress on them the need for the Unveiling of their kind. Before the meeting however, Quinn has an encounter with Cassidy Poe. He recognizes her as his mate, but their first meeting is not spectacular. A little while later they are in the council meeting together and the Felix asks them to work together to find out of the cult Light of Truth is really setting up a cell in his city. They came to light after the kidnapping and killing of a vampire's mistress in Russia and the governor of New York's daughter was in an accident. Cassie and Quinn are thrown together because of their investigation and not only do they uncover information but the sparks fly.

This is the first book that I have read by this author. I liked it so much that I ordered four more of her books. There is suspense along with romance and it's a page turner, or at least it was for me. Loved both the characters of Cassie and Quinn. Quinn being Irish you could hear the brogue in his dialogue. If you like paranormals this is a very good read.

Sun Kissed by Catherine Anderson

Samantha Harrigan can not stand to see a horse abused. She sees a drunk and jumps in to make him stop. Tucker Coulter hears a ruckus and goes to see what's happening. He too, goes after the drunk and both Samantha and Tucker are arrested. Then one of Sam's horses gets sick and she calls Tucker, who is a vet to come and check him out. They learn that not only the one horse but another has been poisoned. All of Sam's family feels it's her ex husband Steve that is doing it. Then a third horse and her colt are poisoned and die. Then Sam comes under attack for poisoning her horses for money. Tucker stands by her side through it all. The family hires a P.I. He finds out that it was an inside job.

Tucker is the last of the Coulter family to marry. No matter what he is going to stand by Sam. It's nice to see old fashioned values portrayed in a contemporary book. That doesn't happen all the time. Another romantic easy read by a very good author.

Tempting by Susan Mallery

Dani Buchanan has learned that she is not a Buchanan at all. Her mother had an affair and she is the result. She decides to search out her father and learn if he knew about her. Alex Canfield will do anything to protect his mother and father. Alex along with his seven siblings were adopted by Katherine and Mark Canfield. With his father looking to run for president, Alex is very suspicious when Dani shows up claiming to be Mark's biological child. Dani's track record with men has not been the greatest and she vows to stay away from Alex. Then the press get a hold of the information about Dani and it's all about making Mark look good. This throws Dani and Alex together for strategy meetings and the sparks fly. Alex sees that Dani really cares about his parents and his siblings, not like his ex wife Fiona. Fiona does not want to give up Alex and tries to get between the pair along with Alex's mother.

The last Buchanan book and one of the better ones. A look into politics and what people will do to spin a scandal. Dani is a very strong woman and Alex is a very strong man. The familial loyalty both of them have is lovely to see. No lagging in this book either, the story just unfolds from beginning to end. Another good contemporary romance.

Sizzling by Susan Mallery

Lori Johnson is a nurse and trying to earn extra money. She wants to spend the last few months of her sister's life with her. She takes the job of caring for Gloria Buchanan, after being hired by her grandson Reid. Lori is not impressed with Reid and tells him quite often that she thinks he is useless. Reid finds out that his manager has not been doing his job and kids have been let down by their hero. Reid was a professional baseball player who left the game when he blew out his shoulder. Deciding that he needs to do something to make a difference Reid decides to start a foundation and wants Lori on the board to keep him grounded. He also makes a plea for organ donors in the case of her sister Madeline. Reid blames himself when Madeline dies on the operating table and when he asks Lori if she wants to be alone leaves. Lori always knew that he would not stick it out with her, but maybe she is wrong.

The third in the Buchanan series and this one like the others is totally different. Loved the whole donor aspect of the book, bringing awareness to that great cause. There are changes in three characters throughout this book Lori, Reid and Reid's grandmother Gloria. The changes are interesting to watch and how others relate to the new personages. Very good contemporary romance by one of the best.

Scrooge and the Single Girl by Christine Rimmer

Will Bravo is not a fan of the Christmas season. Throughout his life bad things have happened around the holidays. So, he closes himself up in his grandmother's cabin to wait out the end of the year. Jillian Diamond needs to get away and write some of her columns. Caitlin Bravo, Will's mother, offers her the use of her mother's cabin in the woods. Both Will and Jilly are surprised that they are not the lone occupant of the cabin. They are snowed in and Jilly helps Will deal with his holiday issues while falling in love with him.

Good storyline with the added bonus of Will's grandmother's and his dead fiance's ghosts. At first Will and Jilly can't stand each other. But she is a sympathetic ear and he is right there taking care of her when she gets hurt. Loved the character of Will, Cade and Aaron's mother Caitlin. Nice romance with the final member of the Triple Threat getting her man.

No Alibi by Valerie Hansen

Julie Ann and Smith both receive a jury summons. They are both picked to serve on a jury for a murder trail. When Julie Ann was in high school her brother Ben asked Smith to take her to her prom. Julie Ann thought that he asked because he liked her and was embarrassed to learn that he was only doing her brother a favor. They have become tentative friends in the years since. Then they are thrown together on a jury. Things start happening to jurors, one is hit by a truck, there are gun shots fired into Julia Ann's place of business and Smith is shot in the shoulder. Deciding not to sit around and wait for something else to happen Julie Ann and Smith start investigating themselves. They find not only the killer and the reason for the crime but a future with each other.

Good storyline with a bit of suspense to it. Julie Ann and Smith are both likeable characters. Smith being a typical alpha male. Julie Ann shows a lot of backbone and surprises Smith at every turn. Their faith is strong and they call on it throughout the book. Nice balance of description and dialogue. Very fast and very easy read.

Mystical Warrior by Janet Chapman

Fiona Gregor has come from the 11th century to the 21st. She died and was changed into a red tailed hawk. As such she kept an eye on her brothers. But Mac Oceanus changed her back to a woman. Trace Huntsman is trying to adjust to civilian life after being in the military. His friend Kenzie Gregor rents the second story apartment in his house for his sister Fiona. He asks Trace to keep an eye on her. Mac Oceanus shows up one day injured with demons hot on his tail and asks Trace for refuge. As Fiona and her friend Gabriella nurse to two men back to health, Fiona organizes Trace's house. He tells her and anyone else who will listen that he does not want a wife. That is until Mac's father kidnaps her so she can marry his son.

This is the third book in the Midnight Bay series. Fiona changes from a frightened woman into one of courage and strength. Trace who is fighting demons of his own in the memories of his father and a woman he cared for who died wants only to be left alone. Two very strong characters with sparks flying from beginning to end. Love this time travel series. The books are each quite unique in their own ways. There are no slow points in the story and the whole thing just flows from beginning to end. Good romance and an easy read.

Mercury Rising by Christine Rimmer

Jane Elliott can not stop watching her new neighbor Cade Bravo. Cade is also watching her and one day decides to confront Jane and ask her out. Jane gives him a definite no. She had been married to one bad boy and does not need another in her well ordered life. She lets down her guard and she and Cade become lovers. When he asks her to go out to eat with him she can not say yes. Cade leaves and is gone for quite awhile. In that time, Jane thinks over their relationship and comes to the conclusion that she loves Cade and doesn't care what others think. Her mother tries to derail the relationship, but Jane will not let Cade go.

Nice good girl and bad boy storyline. Each of the main characters are dealing with their own issues. Realizing that they need each other to get through them. Jane is very strong willed when she makes up her mind. She will go after what she wants. Nice balance of dialogue and description throughout. Another feel good romance.

Irresistible by Susan Mallery

Elissa Towers is a single mom who just wants a quiet life and to take care of her daughter Zoe. Walker Buchanan has spent 15 years in the Marines and is now home. Not sure what he wants to do with his life. The one thing he does know is that he needs to find his buddy Ben's girl Ashley to give her a letter he wrote after Ben lost his life. Neither Elissa or Walker want a relationship and do their best to avoid one. But somehow they become involved in each other's life. Walker takes over the family business when his grandmother has a heart attack and breaks her hip. He is not happy about it, but makes changes for the better. He also vows to keep Elissa and Zoe safe from Zoe's drug addict father.

The second book in Ms. Mallery's Buchanan series. This one deals with survival and what each of the main characters did to survive. Elissa is reunited with her family after having run away when she was 17. There are issues that each side has to deal with. Walker is trying to fit into civilian life again and feeling his way. They come together with passion first that grows through the book. This one pulls at your heartstrings. Can't help feeling sorrow for both Elissa and Walker in what they have gone through. The book just flows from beginning to end and there are no slow spots. A good contemporary romance.

His Executive Sweetheart by Christine Rimmer

Celia is in love with her boss Aaron Bravo. Aaron however does not know she is alive, well he does he just doesn't see her as a woman. Celia's friends give her suggestions to tell him how she feels and to make herself over. She does decide that honesty is the best policy and tells Aaron of her feelings. He, however, tells her there is no chance for them. So, she decides the makeover is the next step. When Aaron sees her he can't believe the change. Their affair starts and Celia winds up pregnant. She tells Aaron who right away accepts her marriage proposal. But then Celia has second thoughts.

The first of the sons of Caitlin Bravo books by Ms. Rimmer. Cute story with everything you could want. Boy has girl, boy loses girl, and boy gets girl back. Both of the main characters are strong in their own way. The story flowed well from beginning to end. Nice feel good read.

Fifty ways to say I'm Pregnant by Christine Rimmer

Starr Bravo has been in a love/hate relationship with Beau Tisdale since she was 16 years old. Home for the summer Starr learns a few things about Beau and decides to put the hate part aside. She proposes that they just have a summer fling to which Beau agrees. All Beau wants is to work for his boss Daniel Hart and one day have a place of his own. Starr has a new job in New York to use her journalism degree. Before the end of the summer though Starr learns she is pregnant and some how the perfect opportunity to tell Beau never arises. He wants to keep their deal that when summer is over so are they.

Cute category romance by Ms. Rimmer. Pretty predictable all the way through but enjoyable none the less. They are recurring characters from the book Practically Married the story of Starr's father and her stepmother. This is a very fast and easy read.

Delicious by Susan Mallery

Penny Jackson is a chef and a very good one. Her ex-husband Cal Buchanan wants to hire her to work in one of his families restaurants. Penny and Cal divorced because he told her that he didn't want children and she did. Cal's grandmother always thought Penny was beneath Cal socially and was not happy when Cal hired her. There were many secrets in Cal's family and also in their marriage. Penny did not want Cal to know she was pregnant when he hired her. She later learns that Cal has a daughter she knew nothing about. Just as they were finding their way back to each other, secrets are revealed that can tear them apart.

I'm a big fan of Susan Mallery and she did not disappoint me with this book. A look into the inner workings of restaurant kitchen and the business itself. Both Penny and Cal have baggage both from before their marriage and in the interim. All Cal's siblings are introduced in the book and each has their own story. There is romance and betrayal and then happily ever after. Excellent book for romance lovers.

Blue Moon by Lori Handeland

Jessie McQuade is a cop and likes her life the way it is. However, she is called to the scene of a crime and her life will never be the same. In the course of the investigation she meets Will Cadotte a professor. She takes an icon found at the scene to him for information. Will is an Indian and from the wolf clan. He tells her what he knows and gives the totem back. Edward Mandenauer comes to help kill the rabid wolves that are invading Jessie's town. He takes her into his confidence and tells her that they are not mere wolves but werewolves. Jessie then begins to think that Will is one too and that he is only with her to get information. Little does Jessie know that the people she is closest to are not what they seem.

This is the first book I have read by Ms. Handeland. I will definitely be reading more. She tells a very good story with lots of information thrown in. Jessie is a very strong character but with some self esteem issues. Will wants someone to care for him because of more than his good looks. It's a romance but so much more. Very good read, fast and easy for me.

Beg for Mercy by Jami Alden

Megan Flynn was in love with Detective Cole Williams. That was until he arrested her brother for a murder he did not commit. Now Sean is on death row with execution imminent. Megan is still trying to find out what happened at Sean's house the night Evangeline Gordon was murdered. She keeps getting in the way of other investigations that Cole is involved with thinking there might be a link to her brother's case. Finally Sean is put on suspension for giving Megan confidential information on previous cases. Both Megan and Cole are attacked and Cole decides that he is not leaving her side because she is in danger from someone. Even though Sean has told her there will be no more appeals with time running out Megan is determined with Cole's help to find out what really happened and who set her brother up.

A good page turner with lots of suspense going on. Nice balance of dialogue and description throughout the book. There were no slow parts the story just flowed from beginning to end. Megan is a very strong woman who will not let anything stand in her way of helping her brother. Cole is also very strong minded and strong willed who is a go by the book cop. There is a lot of sexual tension and good chemistry between the characters. Loved the cover of this one. Ms. Alden tells a compelling story and one that is very enjoyable. For lovers of romantic suspense this is worth your time.

Friday, July 15, 2011

Tough Customer by Sandra Brown

Berry Malone has a stalker. He came in her mother's lake house and shot a friend and co-worker of Berry's. Her mother decided they needed to call in a P.I., namely the father that Berry never knew. Dodge Hanley arrives and along with deputy Ski Nyland set out to find Oren Starks and bring him to justice. Berry figures out that Dodge is her father and confronts her mother who says he was the love of her life. Ski, although drawn to Berry, is not convinced at first that she is innocent. But as more things happen he changes his mind and he and Dodge form an alliance to keep Berry safe.

This book kind of goes along with Smash Cut. A few of the same characters are in each book namely Dodge, his boss and his boss' wife. Lots of chemistry flying in this one between Berry and Ski and her mother Caroline and Dodge. This was a real page turner with a surprising twist at the end. Highly recommend this book.

The Wolven by Deborah LeBlanc

Shauna Mac Donald is the Keeper of the were's in New Orleans. Danyon Stone is the alpha of the East Bank Wolven's. They become aquainted again after two of Danyon's pack are brutally murdered. Shauna wants to be involved in all aspects of the investigation and Danyon is against that. She is human and he does not think she can handle what they will see or find out. Shauna is adament about helping Danyon. Their attraction for each other blazes as they set out to find who is behind these murders and why.

This is the third book in the Keeper series and the only one written my Ms. LeBlanc. Set in New Orleans during Mardi Gras the underworld comes together in search of a killer. It's an easy read but not what I would call a page turner. Still I did enjoy it in the end and am looking forward to reading the first two books about Shauna's sisters.

Taken by Lilith Saintcrow

Sophie is hiding out and trying to start a new life after her divorce. Mark her millionaire ex abused her and made sure that she got nothing in the divorce. One night Sophie's friend Lucy says they are going out to a club, Sophie needs to get back in the dating swing. After awhile a group of people come in and one of the men talks to Sophie, she feel uncomfortable. Looking around for Lucy she doesn't see her anywhere and goes outside to find her. She hears a scream and sees Lucy being killed by a vampire, they the man at the bar and the rest of his group come out. They are Carcajou, what Sophie has heard are werewolves. One of theirs is also killed and the new leader Zach spirits Sophie away because he says she is their shaman. From then on they try to find out who is out to kill Sophie, because they learn that she was one of the intended targets along with Lucy.

Different kind of werewolf story but interesting. Besides the wolves there are also werebears and vampires mentioned in the book. It kept my interest through the whole thing and for me another fast and easy read. If you like paranormals this is a good one.

The Perfect Wife by Shari MacDonald

Felicia Salinger Kelly's husband left her for another woman when she was pregnant with their third child. Brody Collins is the editor of a tabloid magazine. Fee and Brody knew each other in high school when they both worked on the school's paper. They meet again at Fee's sister Lucy's wedding, when Brody is there to cover it for his magazine. As they are talking Fee says she is going to have to hire help. Brody tells her that he knows a lot about kids, which she mistakenly takes to mean that he is a childcare worker. She hires Brody to watch her children while she looks for a job and until she can find someone permanent. Brody calls his partner Adam at Child's Play magazine and asks him to hire Fee. Before long Fee finds out that Brody has been deceiving her all along and gives him the boot. Fee finally decides to give Brody a chance to explain.

This is the last Salinger sisters book. They are all very clean, sweet romances. This one like the others was very entertaining and a fast and easy read. I was sorry to see this one end and may have to find more by this author.

Love on the Run by Shari MacDonald

Catherine Salinger is now the acting head of Salinger and Associates advertising agency. They are in contention for a big account. Her sister Daphne is the creative influence on the account. The day they arrived to give their presentation they run into Jonas Riley, the son of their father's former partner. Jonas' father ran out on their father and almost ruined his business in the process. Jonas had chosen his father over his feelings for Cat and she had never forgiven either Jonas or his father. A few days after the presentation Cat learns that Daphne is in love with Jonas' brother Elliott and they have eloped. Cat decides to put a stop to it and Jonas is right there watching her.

Cute romance wrapped up in love and betrayal. Catherine learns a lot about herself in her quest to stop Daphne and Elliott's wedding. She also learns that the chemistry between her and Jonas never died. A very fast and easy read for the romantic at heart.

Hidden in Shadows by Hope White

Krista Yates returns from a mission trip to find her house ransacked. DEA agent Luke McIntyre is gunning for a drug dealer named Garcia. He has been tipped off that Garcia's men are after Krista. Garcia killed Luke's partner and he is not going to let anything happen to Krista. He begins looking into all her friends lives to see if anything had changed for them recently. Krista finds a dead mouse and a threatening note at work. Her car driven by her friend Natalie is involved in a hit and run. Finally Luke and Krista decide to bring everything to a head, but are they ready for what they will find out.

This is a series romantic suspense. The story flowed well and it's a really fast read. Good storyline and strong characters especially Krista. She is not going to be a victim and wants everyone to know she can take care of herself. Luke is a typical alpha male, they do have good chemistry throughout the book. Very easy and fast read.

Realm of Shadows by Shannon Drake

Tara Adair is in France to help her cousin what their Grandfather. When she gets there he asks her to check out a dig at a church. Tara goes and asks questions of the professor in charge. After the professor walks her out she sneaks back in and one of the workers hears her. When he leaves to escort her out the man he was working with opens the crypt and evil kills him. Brent tells Tara to go home and not say a word about what she has seen. He says he will go and report it to the police. The next night Tara and her cousin Ann decide to go out to a club. Brent is there with his friends Lucian and Jade, who had arrived from America. Brent tries to convince Tara that her Grandfather is right and there are powers and forces that she does not know about. Tara is not ready to believe until they find that her cousin has been bitten by a vampire. Tara is afraid that Brent is a vampire too. He is not but his friend Lucian is and also another American that Ann met and is watching over her, Rick is. Brent it turns out is a werewolf and he and his friends vow to end the evil.

Each book in this series just keeps getting better. It was a pretty fast read for me because I kept turning the pages to see what was happening. Nice to see a werewolf as the hero, in the other books it was the vampires. There was a bit of French history in this one too. I thought it was a very good book.

Eyewall by H. W. "Buzz" Bernard

This book is three intertwined stories in one. Nicholas Obermeyer sees that a hurricane deemed a cat one is really intensifying rapidly and warns the residents of southeast Georgia. A colleague Sherrie Willis stands with him in the face of outrage by his boss.
The Grant family is vacationing on St. Simon's island. Trish thinks they should leave in view of the hurricane approaching, but Alan says they have plenty of time to make it to safety. However, they did not know that their daughter Sandy snuck out to see a boy and now they have to search for her. This puts them in jeopardy because they are unable to leave the island before the hurricane hits.
A team of hurricane hunters led by Arlen Walker do not know just how bad the storm is until they fly into it. It's so intense that they loose part of one wing and damage two of their four engines. They think there is no way they are going to come out alive, but Nick Obermeyer has an idea and it's conveyed to the pilot.

Not really a mystery per se, but a page turner none the less. This was very interesting to me because St. Simon's island is not that far from where I live. Written by a retired meteorologist who worked for The Weather Channel, his expertise shows through the whole book. I really enjoyed this book.

Deep Midnight by Shannon Drake

Jordan Riley lost her fiance Steven. He was a cop and was killed in the line of duty. It's been a year and Jordan's cousin Jared and his wife Cindy invite her to go to Carnivale in Venice. The first party they go to is at a client of Jared's house. Jordan get separated and winds up where she should not be and sees horrible murders. The police come and can not find anything out of order. Ragnor, a man Jordan meets at the party gets her out of there. From then on he shadows Jordan to keep her safe. Everyone thinks Jordan is in mourning for Steven, but if she is she wonders how she can have feelings for Ragnor. They find out that Steven faked his death and with Ragnor's old girlfriend are the evil forces in Venice. With the help of Ragnor's friends they put an end to it.

This is the third book in the series. Each book while basically the same theme are each very individual. Granted the characters from each book show up in each succeeding book but they are not the main focus of the story. Jordan and Ragnor start out antagonistically but the chemistry between them will not be denied. Very good book and a fast and easy read for me. Vampire lovers will enjoy this series.

Bright Eyes by Catherine Anderson

Natalie Patterson is a single mom. After her divorce she moved in with her father, grandfather and sister. Her ex hid all his assets and made it look like he had nothing so the court awarded him half of Natalie's supper club. Her daughter Rosie never really knew her daddy, but her son Chad is having a hard time dealing with his father's neglect. As a cry for help, Chad vandalizes their neighbor's house, shed and garden. Zeke Coulter is a confirmed bachelor. He gets home one day to put up tomatoes from his garden and sees a kid running away. When he gets outside he sees all the damage around his place and follows Chad home. Since Natalie does not have the money to make restitution Zeke tells her that Chad will have to work off his debt. In the meantime, Natalie's ex is murdered and she becomes the chief suspect. Then accidents start happening to her and Zeke vows to find out what is going and on and keep Natalie and the children safe.

I think this is the third Coulter book that I have read and each one just gets better. While yes it's technically a romance there are very good core values throughout the book. You can't help but love Zeke and his family. Natalie's family is a little quirky but fun. The chemistry is there throughout the book. Natalie is trying to be a very strong woman and Zeke is a typical alpha male, so there are lots of sparks. Easy read and very enjoyable.

A Match Made in Heaven by Shari MacDonald

Lucy Salinger runs a dating service. Campbell Howard's sister decides that her brother needs to be married. So, she goes to Lucy's service and tries to sign her brother up. In the course of the conversation Alex let's slip that Cam needs to be married by his birthday in order to inherit a lot of money from their father. Lucy tells Alex that she can not help her brother. That is until she meets Cam and falls for him herself. However, she tries to pair Cam up with some candidates that she has waiting to find their match. Lucy is afraid that Cam is in it for the wrong reasons and it's all about the money.

Very cute story and a fast and easy read. This is the second book in the series and I liked it better than the first. Lucy is a funny quirky character and Cam is the model alpha male. They work well off each other which makes the story that much better.

My Sunshine by Catherine Anderson

Life changed for Laura Townsend five years ago when she was in a diving accident. She is now brain damaged and is making ends meet by walking dogs, cleaning houses and doing ironing. Isaiah Coulter along with his twin brother Tucker have an animal clinic. Isaiah's mother asks him to interview Laura for a job. He is taken with her beauty and also her compassion for the animals and her fellow employees. There is one person at the clinic who is not enamored of Laura though and starts undermining her with pranks when she is on duty. She swears she is innocent and finally Isaiah believes her when the security alarm people show him that someone else has been clocking me when Laura has night duty. Laura moves in with Isaiah when there are 13 puppies that need taking care of because their mother died. It's while she is living with him that drugs are found in the trunk of her car and the police are called in. Laura decides that she is not the one for him and leaves his house and his employ.

This whole series is very good. Each book is better than the last. In this one Laura deals with aphasia, a form of brain damage that leaves her unable to do some simple tasks like writing and see words and numbers clearly. She just wants to have a normal life and be treated as anyone else. Isaiah gives her the chance to have a real job. Neither one is looking for romance but it finds them anyway. This is another easy read with a very good storyline.

Saturday, July 2, 2011

When Darkness Falls by Shannon Drake

Jade took a trip to Scotland and one night took a tour of a cemetary. Lucian knew that the guide was up to no good and kept an eye on Jade. Sure enough Darian and Sophia killed just about everyone in the tour group. Lucian got Jade out and saved her life. After she got home again, Jade heard of brutal killing and recognized one of the names as another survivor of the tour group. One by one the survivors were being killed off. Lucian shows up in Jade's hometown of New Orleans and says he will keep her safe. He will not tell her about himself but his friend Maggie tells Jade that they are dealing with vampires and Lucian is one.

Second book in the series by Ms. Drake. Another page turner for me, had to keep reading to see what was going to happen. I liked Lucian in the first book and was glad that he got his own story. I can't wait to get the next one and read it.

Beneath a Blood Red Moon by Shannon Drake

Maggie Montgomery is implicated in a murder in New Orleans. Sean Canady is the detective in charge of the case. Maggie is a vampire, but does not tell Sean at first. Through flashbacks Maggie's life as Magdalena, Megan, Meg and M. Montgomery is revealed. Her nemesis is Aaron Carter, he has been after Maggie for as long as she can remember. He wants her for his own and she spurned him. Now prostitutes and a pimp have been viciously murdered and blood drop led to the door of Maggie's business. She has to make Sean believe what she is so together they can stop the monster that Aaron has become.

This is the first book I have read by Shannon Drake. Once I started it, I could not put it down for long. I had to keep reading to find out what was going to happen. Very good chemistry between Maggie and Sean. Also liked the minor characters of her employees, Sean's father, and his partner Jack. A pretty fast and easy read all the way around. If you are a fan of vampire novels this is a good one.

The 9th Judgement by James Patterson

Lindsay Boxer and crew are back. This time they are after the Lipstick Killer, Hello Kitty cat burglar and an actor's wife's murderer. All three cases are linked in some way. The cat burglar robbed actor Marcus Dowling the night his wife was killed. The Lipstick Killer is the husband of the cat burglar's girlfriend. Lindsay her partner Rich and all her friends sift through all the information and are surprised by what they find out in the end.

As with all Patterson's books this is a very fast read. Not as good as some of the other Women's Murder Club books but still keeps your interest till the end. It's always nice to see what characters you have been following are up to since the last book. Patterson is a go to read for me.

Keepsake Crimes by Laura Child

Carmela is separated from her husband Shamus. One day he walked in and told her he needed some space. Carmela owns a scrapbooking store in the French Quarter of New Orleans. It's Mardi Gras time and there are lots of parades going on. Carmela and her friend Ava decide to go and watch one. They come upon a float and there are lights flashing ahead of them. A body is lifted down from the float and Carmela recognizes the man. Next thing she knows Shamus is brought in for questioning in the death of Jimmy Lee. The police come and question Carmela about Shamus' whereabouts the night of the murder. Finally she has had enough, she investigates the murder herself because she knows that Shamus is innocent.

Cute cozy mystery with all the color and flash of New Orleans. Lots of good minor characters with Ava and Gabby and the rest of the ladies who scrapbook. Easy and fast read for cozy mystery lovers.

Give Him the Slip by Geralyn Dawson

Maddie Kincaid is in trouble, big time. Branch Callahan sent her to a friend for help. Maddie is in possession of illegal mushrooms and wants to turn them in. When she reaches the bayou, she finds Branch's son Luke and not his friend Terry. Luke wants nothing to do with her and believes that his father sent her to lure him back home. After helping her unload the mushrooms, Luke winds up following Maddie home. Her house has been broken into and her life is in danger. Luke vows to find out who is after her and why before he walks out of her life for good.

Wanted to read this book and the next two because I read one of her books written as Emily March. That story is about John the Callahan brother that everyone thinks is dead. If the rest of the books are as good as the two I have read I have found another must author for me. Very good storyline and great hero and heroine. Both of his other brothers were brought into the story as was Maddie's rockstar dad. A pretty fast and easy read.

The Marcelli Princess by Susan Mallery

Mia Marcelli grew up as a brain child with a facility to learn languages with very little effort. After her boyfriend Ian kidnapped Darcy Jensen she decided that she wanted to be a spy. She was not a very good one, since she fell in love with the bad guy. The man she knew as Diego died during her mission and later she learned that she was pregnant with his child. Rafael, Crown Prince of Calandria saw a picture of Mia with her child and knew at once the child was his. His father told him to go and claim the child and bring him back to their county since he was his heir. Mia has a hard time reconciling Rafael with the bad boy Diego that she fell in love with. All Rafael wants is to claim his child and take him home with him. The Marcelli's rally around Mia in an effort to stop Mia's son Danny's father.

Another very quick and easy read. This was the final book in the Marcelli series and I was sorry to see it end. Each story was different but the main theme of family sticking together was in each one. Nice to see Mia change from a flighty girl into a mature woman and wonderful mother.