Title: Angel Food and Devil Dogs: A Maggie Gale Mystery Author: Liz Bradbury ISBN: 0-9800549-1-5 Publisher: Boudica Publishing, Inc. Available From: SCP Books, www.scpbooks.com;and Boudica Publishing, www.boudicapublishing.com Pages: 302 - Price: $14.95 Genre: Mystery/romance

Is it possible to write a real mystery story and include a romance without detracting from the mystery elements? Liz Bradbury’s Angel Food and Devil Dogs seems to prove that it can be done.

Maggie Gale has just started her detective business after spending several years as a police officer and she’s picking up some work helping out her sister who is a lawyer. She’s involved in a case trying to prove that a mentally challenged man did not commit a brutal murder he’s accused of when she receives a call from President Max Bouchet of Irwin College. He wants Maggie to investigate what appears to be a suspicious suicide by popular music Professor Carl Rasmus.

Early in the investigation it becomes clear someone is killing professors as dead and injured bodies begin to accumulate and Maggie has a number of suspects to process, most of them other professors. As she collects information on each of them, one professor becomes more important than the others. Dr. Kathryn Anthony is beautiful and brilliant and, although her students call her the Ice Queen, Maggie senses that there is someone very different under the veneer. She’s very happy when she can eliminate Kathryn as a suspect and begin a wholly different type of relationship with her. As they become lovers, they also become partners in trying to figure out what the professors have in common and why someone would be trying to eliminate them. Eventually Maggie begins to fit the confusing pieces together, only to discover that she’s been looking in the wrong direction. That simple mistake could cost another life, maybe Maggie’s.

Bradbury has written a classic mystery – who did it, why did he do it. There are enough red herrings to keep the reader guessing about what is going on right until the end of the book. This is one of those books where the reader can subconsciously figure out what is happening, but probably won’t realize it until the end of the book. The characters are well developed and convincing and the secondary characters add depth to both the mystery and the romance.

Maggie is particularly appealing as she works her way through both cases. She works the information without making unbelievable leaps to conclusions. Bradbury manages to write two stand alone stories within one. The mystery and the romance could have been separate books, but she weaves them together in a way that neither one suffers. There is a clever connection between the title and what happens in the book and several humorous scenes to break up the tension of the story. This is one of those books that the reader will find hard to put down.

There are two slight drawbacks to the book. Maggie and Katherine make very harsh statements about people who don’t follow an out lifestyle, at one point expressing almost hatred for them. The comments reflect little compassion for the situations with which other people have to live. These statements only take up a few sentences out of 302 pages, but it is jarring to be reading and enjoying a story and then have these ideas pop up, especially since they add nothing to the plot. The other problem is a number of sentences are missing words or have misspelled words.

On the whole Angel Food and Devil Dogs is a very entertaining book, well worth spending the time reading. If you’re looking for a book to take on vacation, this one would be an excellent choice.
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Reviewed by Lynne Pierce

Title: Between Two Women: Conversations About Love & Relationship Author: Patricia Harrelson ISBN: 978-1-4327-1999-9 Publisher: Outskirts Press Available From: SCP Books, www.scpbooks.com Pages: 276 - Price: $13.95 Genre: Non-fiction, Women

Patricia Harrelson has written a thought-provoking book about the nature of lesbian relationships, not just between partners, but also family and friends. Harrelson did not realize she was a lesbian until after many years in a marriage she felt was happy and the book covers the period when she is changing her life by moving in with her partner Cindy and being introduced to the lesbian community. One of her friends is an older lesbian named Carol who always is the center of any gatherings because of her stories about her early life. At the prodding of their friends, Harrelson decides to make a record of the stories based on conversations she has with Carol on a host of topics, including what it was like being a lesbian in the 1950s and 1960s before the gay rights movement began. Carol’s stories cause Harrelson to reconsider her own life and how it developed. To go along with that, Harrelson is fond of quoting from women’s literature and discussing the philosophy behind it.

Harrelson takes what could be a rather dull exploration of lesbian history and relationships and turns it into an interesting book to read. Carol’s stories give the book continuity, but they also provide nice breaks between the pages when Harrelson wants to deal with the philosophy of lesbianism. At times the book reads like fiction rather than nonfiction. One of the most interesting aspects is when Harrelson delves into why some women do not realize their sexual orientation until later in life. She explores the roles played by societal expectations, religion and family needs and also discusses how a woman’s perceptions of everything can change when she realizes she doesn’t conform in those areas. There is a lot of discussion about how family relationships can shift, the different types of relationships that exist between lesbians and how they relate to other women. Harrelson even has a section that talks about why lesbians have a tendency to remain friends with lovers even after they’ve broken up.

Readers who prefer fiction might ignore this book, but that would be a mistake. This isn’t a heavy academic tome. Relating much of it through the conversations makes this book very easy and enjoyable to read. Since Harrelson came into her sexual awareness later in life, she looks into that issue quite a bit and that might make the book very appealing to other women in similar situations. Give Between Two Women a chance. You probably will be glad you did.
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Reviewed by Lynne Pierce

Title: Blue Skies Author: Ali Vali ISBN 10: 1-60282-077-5 Publisher: Bold Strokes Books; www.boldstrokesbooks.com Available from: Bold Strokes Books, www.boldstrokesbooks.com; and SCP Books, www.scpbooks.com Pages: 300 - Price: $16.95 Genre: Romance/Suspense

Author Ali Vali has written a story which is extremely relevant in today's world. Commander Berkley Levine is to lead a group of pilots whose mission is to destroy two nuclear sites in North Korea. Berkley and her team will be on board a carrier captained by Aidan Sullivan, the first woman to take the helm of a U.S. carrier. In Vali's novel, the U.S. has a new president who is determined to bring the military into the twenty-first century in its treatment of women. Levine and Sullivan are poster women for the new policies; unfortunately, "Don't ask, don't tell" is still in place.

Blue Skies has plots within plots as the “old guard” tries to undermine the mission and show that women can't lead. Levine and Sullivan are strong characters who take on the misogynists in government. Vali is skilled at building sexual tension and the sex in this novel flies as high as Berkley's jets. Look for this fast-paced read.
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Reviewed by RLynne

Title: Borderline Author: Terri Breneman ISBN: 13) 978-1-931513-99-7; 10) 1-931513-99-6 Publisher: Bella Books, www.bellabooks.com Available From: Bella Books, www.bellabooks.com; and SCP Books, www.scpbooks.com Pages: 295 - Price: $13.95 Genre: Mystery

Borderline is the second installment in the Toni Barston mystery series and once again Assistant Prosecutor Toni is the target of a psychopath. This one believes that Toni loves her and that they are meant to be life partners, so she stalks Toni, waiting for the moment for them to be together. Unfortunately, anyone who causes Toni to be hurt or upset is perceived as an enemy and dead bodies start turning up.

As it becomes clear that the murders are connected to Toni, there is some suspicion that Toni might be the killer. Toni’s girlfriend, Victoria “Boggs” Boggsworth, and their friends, a mixture of police detectives, FBI agents and investigators for the prosecutor’s office, rally around her to try and find out what is going on and who is responsible. The suspect list shifts around as information is uncovered and Toni is forced to use her skills as a psychotherapist to outthink the killer. That might be easier if her personal life wasn’t also a mess.

Toni knows she loves Boggs, but Boggs seems conflicted and appears to be withdrawing from the relationship. Toni struggles with her emotions as she tries to understand Boggs and deal with the idea that people are dying because of her. Based on clues given to them by a psychic, the group begins to narrow down the list of suspects, but sometimes understanding a psychic’s visions is difficult. A mistake could cost another life and the final target is Toni.

Breneman, like her main character, has a background as a psychotherapist who changed careers to become a lawyer. She uses her knowledge of both to shape her stories and blend the legal aspects with the medical. The mystery is standard fare with lots of clues and misdirection and can provide a few hours of light reading. Unfortunately, the characters aren’t one of the strong points. Toni is constantly on the verge of a breakdown and Boggs’ behavior in the relationship is simply exasperating. Their attraction to each other appears to be based primarily on lust. Except for having sex, there isn’t much more interaction between then.

The supporting characters are better drawn, but everyone seems to spend a lot of time drinking one alcoholic beverage after another. It’s a wonder any of them are capable of doing any work. It’s a cautionary aspect when the best character in the entire book is Toni’s cat Mr. Rupert. His interaction with Toni as her “friend” and “confessor” is the most realistic and enlightening relationship in the story and provides some humor. The reader will have to trust in Breneman’s experience to know if someone as psychotic as the killer can actually function in a normal situation without tipping someone off that something is seriously wrong with her before it happens in the book.

Borderline is passable reading for an afternoon or evening of escapism. It moves along quickly, is written in easy sentences and doesn’t require the reader to focus much to pick up the threads of the story. Serious mystery fans probably won’t be challenged, but most readers will find it enjoyable enough.
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Reviewed by Lynne Pierce

Title: Clinical Distance Author: Maria Ciletti ISBN 978-1-935216-03-2 Publisher: Intaglio Publications, www.intagliopub.com Available from: SCP Books, www.scpbooks.com; and Bella Books, www.bellabooks.com Pages: 230 - Price: $16.95 Genre: Romance

Clinical Distance catches us up on Mina Thomas’ life several years after The Choice. Thomas has divorced her husband, become a doctor, and tried to expunge the memory of her former lover, Regan Martin, from her life. To her credit, she’s managed to keep up her friendship with police officer, Rosemary Rosetti, and her ex-husband, Sean. However, her relationship with women has left a lot to be desired. The women she dates don’t even know her real name, she never repeats a date, and she experiences a general feeling of dissatisfaction that comes with flitting from one sexual encounter to another. All this forces Mina to begin looking at her life and to re-evaluate how she relates to her friend, Rosetti, and her family.

In a lighthearted moment, Ciletti gives us respite from a difficult, emotional plot line in the story, with a roll-reversed scene between Mina and her mother, who has gotten herself into a bit of a tight spot with a man in a motel room. The scene is well-placed to give the reader a breather—and a good chuckle.

As the story continues, Mina is challenged to take a look at all of her relationships, especially when Regan unexpectedly turns up in Mina’s life again, throwing her into deep turmoil. Meanwhile, Rosetti, who is forced to deal with her own difficulties in this tale, stands by her, trying to get her to see what is most important in her life, trying to get her to see that clinical distance is not always required, nor is it preferred, especially in matters of the heart.
Ciletti has given us another installment in Mina’s life that is compelling and filled with contradiction. In the previous installment, we felt Mina’s raw emotion as she came to grips with her lesbianism and fell passionately in love with Regan. This time, Mina must face more much more complex issues. It’s time to grow up and make mature decisions that will sustain Dr. Mina Thomas for a lifetime. The reader will, once again, root for her to do the right thing and go boldly into the rest of her life. Clinical Distance gets deeply into your bones. Touching scenes linger.
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Reviewed by Anna Furtado

Title: Clinical Distance Author: Maria Ciletti ISBN 978-1-935216-03-2 Publisher: Intaglio Publications, Intagliopub.com Available from: SCP Books, www.scpbooks.com; and Bella Books, www.bellabooks.com Pages: 230 - Price: $16.95 Genre: Romance

Clinical Distance is the sequel to The Choice. It picks up its characters six years later, focusing on Mina Thomas. Mina is now chief resident at City Hospital. She has flitted from one "one night stand" to another and saved her warmth and caring for her friends.

Police Sergeant Rosemary Rosetti is one of Mina's closest friends. Rosetti's unit has been working to bring down a dangerous gang of drug dealers. As the battle with the dealers grows more and more intense, Mina is forced to examine her true feelings for Rosetti.

Clinical Distance is the term medical students are taught to save their feelings as they deal with the trauma they face on a daily basis. It's also what Mina must use as she helps her friends deal with cancer, gun shots, and to find what truly matters.
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Reviewed by RLynne

Title: Comfortable Distance Author: Kenna White ISBN 978-1-59493-152-9 Publisher: Bella Books, www.bellabooks.com Available From: Bella Books, www.bellabooks.com; and SCP Books, www.scpbooks.com Pages: 271 - Price: $14.95 Genre: Romance

Set on Puget Sound, Comfortable Distance gives readers a wonderful look at life in a house boat, as well as the thrill of small sailing boats and the glorious scenery of the Washington State coast. White has also given her readers two extremely likeable protagonists. Dana Robbins is a successful syndicated cartoonist who needs a vacation from her demanding partner. She has leased a houseboat for three months, hoping that taking a break from Shannon will help in figuring out what is wrong with their relationship.

Dr. Jamie Hughes is a marine biologist and professor. She spends her spare time in researching the waters of the Sound. Her scientific detachment makes her the perfect sounding board for Dana. Bouncing off Dana and Jamie is Juliana, Dana's twelve year old energetic niece.

Kenna White has once again woven a delightful romance in a beautiful setting. Dana and Jamie are extremely well drawn, as is the precocious Juliana. The verbal dueling match between Jamie and Shannon is well worth the price of the book. Light, funny, with wonderful dialogue, and some great sex, Comfortable Distance is another winning read.
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Reviewed by RLynne

Title: Dark Garden Author: Jennifer Fulton ISBN 10: 1-60282-036-8 - ISBN 13: 978-1-60282-036-4 Publisher: Bold Strokes Books; www.boldstrokesbooks.com Available from: Bold Strokes Books, www.boldstrokesbooks.com; and SCP Books, www.scpbooks.com Pages: 203 - Price:$15.95 Genre: Paranormal Romance

Jennifer Fulton has taken her skills with lesbian romance and wrapped them into a gothic novel. She has a creepy mansion, complete with an overgrown walled garden, horses, family feuds, a mystery that no one will speak of, and two wonderful heroines. Vienna Blake is head of the Blake family and all of their business interests. Mason Cavender is head of the Cavender family and all of their business interests. Unfortunately, the Cavenders have many bills and little money. The families have been feuding since 1870, and Vienna is being pressured by her family to deliver the final blow and take over the Cavender business and estate.

Fulton's wit always shines through her writing, and Dark Garden is no exception. Both Vienna and Mason are quick-witted and outspoken. They are also drawn to each other and have been since they were children. As family secrets are sorted out, passion flares, bodices are ripped and bosoms heave. This novel is a fun read, which may have you heading out for a walk in the country with your faithful dog after you sigh and turn the final page.
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Reviewed by RLynne

Title: Dark Garden Author: Jennifer Fulton ISBN 10: 1-60282-036-8 - ISBN 13: 978-1-60282-036-4 Publisher: Bold Strokes Books; www.boldstrokesbooks.com Available from: Bold Strokes Books, www.boldstrokesbooks.com; and SCP Books, www.scpbooks.com Pages: 203 - Price:$15.95 Genre: Paranormal Romance

Mason Cavender and Vienna Blake find themselves locked in a Hatfield and McCoy feud that has ravaged their families for generations. Though the two families originally started out as partners and intermarried, Mason now finds herself struggling as the last of the Cavenders to save what little they have left and Vienna is poised to deliver the death blow that the Blakes have desired for so long. Vienna has held back, however, because of the impossible attraction she and Mason have felt for each other since they were young. Though they have tried to establish a relationship several times in the past, family animosity always got in the way.

This feud definitely has overtones of Romeo and Juliet mixed in with it. The two women desire each other, but don’t trust each other. The problem is they can’t seem to be happy without each other. Both families are haunted by secrets from the past. Secrets that might stand between any happiness Mason and Vienna can share if they aren’t dealt with.

Jennifer Fulton writes a very convincing romance. Her characters are attractive, dynamic and dominate the pages. Although the reader knows they will work out their problems and find a way to be together, the battle between them and the inner working of the family dynamics keep the story interesting. The puzzling part is why this is tagged as paranormal. There are hints of an ancestor’s ghost and one of her dogs that prowl one of the estates, but they play a minor part in the story. Paranormal fans who are expecting an otherworldly presence that affects the progression of the plot will be disappointed. The secrets the families hide play a huge part in what happens, but they’re hardly paranormal. There are also some plot lines that seem to be unresolved, especially one involving shocking behavior by one of Vienna’s cousins, and the ending seems abrupt. The romance carries the book though.

Dark Garden is a typical Fulton romance, a good story. It has a somewhat dark tone to it that gives it a Gothic feeling which should appeal to those fans, but it provides a few hours of entertaining reading for anyone. Fulton is normally a solid writer and this book reflects that.
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Reviewed by Lynne Pierce

Title: Death of a Dying Man Author: J.M. Redmann ISBN: 978-1-60282-075-3 Publisher: Bold Strokes Books, www.boldstrokesbooks.com Available From: SCP Books, www.scpbooks.com; and Bold Strokes Books, www.boldstrokesbooks.com Price: $16.95 - Pages: 288 Genre: Mystery

Redmann's fifth mystery featuring New Orleans private investigator Micky Knight has enough twists and turns to keep an arm-chair sleuth guessing. Micky has been hired to find the daughter of a dying gay man. Faced with six months left to live, Damon is filled with regret over his past actions and would like to meet the child he fathered. Louisiana law states that a child may not be disinherited, so there are many “hangers on” who would like to see Micky fail.

Micky's private life is also having a disturbing turn. Her lover, Dr. Cordelia James, is working on a project with an extremely attractive and seductive doctor from New York. All of this is happening just a few days before Katrina hits New Orleans and wreaks havoc on all of its inhabitants.

Redman is shrewd, engaging and witty in all of her books. In Death of a Dying Man she is also wrenching in her descriptions of how lives were torn asunder by the hurricane. She brings with crystal clarity the horror of not being able to reach loved ones, of friends and family taking refuge whereever and with whomever they can. The reader is as gripped by her words as if she were talking directly to us. This is a multi-level book that will hold the reader’s attention long past the final page.
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Reviewed by RLynne

Title: Delusional Author: Terri Breneman ISBN: 978-1-59493-151-2 Publisher: Bella Books, www.bellabooks.com Available From: Bella Books, www.bellabooks.com; and SCP Books, www.scpbooks.com Pages: 206 - Price: $14.95 Genre: Mystery

Delusional is the fourth book in the Toni Barston series. As she did in her previous books, Breneman tells the story from both the point of view of Barston and of the killer. She uses her knowledge of personality disorders to show in chilling detail the dark thoughts and feelings of the killer in juxtaposition with the lightness and normalcy of Toni and her lover, Boggs. Toni, Boggs, and their friends are deeply involved in solving a series of gruesome murders. Gays and PFLAG members are being stoned to death with no apparent pattern emerging from the crimes.

As Breneman takes her readers through this plot driven book, she also builds and develops the characters of Toni, Boggs and their friends. These are women her readers are getting to know and enjoy. The twists and turns of the story though, keep the reader glued to the pages and sighing when the book ends.
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Reviewed by RLynne

Title: Echo’s Crusade Author: JM Dragon ISBN: 978-1-935216-02-5 Publisher: Intaglio Publication, Intagliopub.com Available From: SCP Books, www.scpbooks.com; and Bella Books, www.bellabooks.com Pages: 202 - Price: $16.95 Genre: Mystery

Echo Radar and her best friend Karen Thompson comprise a winning team at their advertising company and have begun to develop feelings for each other that could lead to more. Echo invites Karen to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with her family, but Karen has already made plans. She volunteers at the Greystoke Project, a prominent shelter program for the destitute and street people, and plans on spending her holiday with one of the women she is trying to help. She promises Echo that they will explore their relationship after the holiday. Unfortunately, when Echo returns to work she discovers that Karen is dead and the police have declared it a suicide. Even worse they are claiming that Karen brutally murdered another woman before she killed herself.

Echo refuses to believe that Karen was capable of either act and insists that the police reopen the case. Detective Roan Keating ignores Echo at first, or tries to, but she can be very persistent and eventually Roan has to admit that the evidence doesn’t add up. As Roan begins to investigate the case it becomes clear that there has been a cover up that involves the police department that is not just a job for Roan, but her family business. She would like to drop the case, but Echo is on a crusade to clear her friend’s name and Roan is very interested in helping Echo. The facts they uncover could end up costing both of their lives.

JM Dragon has written an engaging mystery. It’s not long and complicated, but it does hold the reader’s attention. Echo is an appealing character in her devotion to her friend and her personality, which is a little bit spacey. Roan’s battle between doing what is right and protecting the police department is a reflection of her own complex character. The two pull the reader through the story in what is a fairly quick, but enjoyable story. Perhaps the most important aspect though is the sense that Karen should get justice. She was a person trying to do something good for another individual and was not only brutally murdered, but had her reputation smeared. The reader will root for Echo to be successful in achieving this one last gift for her friend, to prove who she really was. The romance that develops between Echo and Roan is a bonus.
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Reviewed by Lynne Pierce

Title: In The Works Author: Val Brown ISBN 13: 978-0-9822858-4-8 Publisher: Blue Feather Books, www.bluefeatherbooks.com Available from: Blue Feather Books, www.bluefeatherbooks.com; and SCP Books, www.scpbooks.com Pages: 183 - Price: $14.99 Genre: Romance

In the Works is a story about making choices. Adehm Trent is an executive with a company that owns Big Tree Paper Plant, the biggest employer in the small town of Wood Mill, California. The plant has been cited by government inspectors for its wastewater violating pollution requirements and Adehm is sent on a mission she doesn’t want. Either she can fix the plant or close it down, which will save the company some money, but devastate the town. Unemployment is rampant there and Adehm would like to save the jobs, but also impress the corporate leaders with her ability. Her career has been her sole focus since losing her partner to cancer several years before and that success is what keeps her going.

A small, but growing, company called Clearly Perfect Water Systems is hired to retool the plant so that it can treat the tainted wastewater. Civil Engineer Anne Schneider and her business partner are struggling to make this company work and the Big Tree Paper Plant could be the job that catapults them into success, but Anne faces a personal crisis. She will have to live in the town for six months to oversee the work, but she is leaving in Albuquerque her mother who is in poor health and her father who barely seems able to cope with what is going on.

As Adehm and Anne work together, they form a professional relationship based on respect for how each does her job and then a personal relationship. When Anne is forced to return to Albuquerque before the job is completed, everything begins to spin out of control. Just as Adehm is learning to trust again, Anne seems to be endangering everything – the factory, the town, their professional lives and their relationship.

This story has a very real feel to it. Many people find themselves caught in a tug of war between the requirements of their jobs and the needs of their families. How each person deals with that struggle defines who they are and how they relate to other people. Likewise, people who are grieving the loss of a partner or family member sometimes bury themselves in their work as an escape from the pain that waits in an empty personal life.

In the Works deals with choices on numerous levels. Adehm has choosen to let her professional life consume her personal one. Anne is constantly forced to make choices between her company and her family, each with compelling reasons to need her, therefore making her yo-yo between them. And the town of Wood Mill has chosen to vest its future in the survival of a single business, not an uncommon occurrence in many small towns. Readers will identify with the decisions that all of these characters face and the pain that comes with the realization that not all of their choices may be reconciled. Ultimately, the book is about learning what is truly important to you, which decisions can’t be avoided and how to live with the ones that you can’t change.

In the Works isn’t a long book, but it’s an intense one. A lot of “meat” is crammed into the pages and there isn’t space for wasted scenes. It’s an interesting story to read and one that will make the reader think. That makes a good combination.
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Reviewed by Lynne Pierce

Title: Looking Through Windows Author: Caren J. Werlinger ISBN: 978-1-59092-595-9 Publisher: Windstorm Creative Available From: SCP Books, www.scpbooks.com Pages: 265 Price: $14.99 Genre: Romance

Emily Warner moves to Vermont to try and recover from the traumatic events surrounding the death of her partner. Her partner always insisted that they keep their relationship quiet and unofficial, so there were no legal documents connecting them. When the partner is injured, her family refuses to acknowledge the relationship and Emily is not allowed to spend any time with her before she dies.

Emily feels that by moving to Vermont to become a college professor, she has a chance to start her life over. When she meets graduate student Ann Hight, there is an instant attraction, but Emily is scared to trust their feelings because Ann is straight. Emily is also unsettled because Ann is hesitant to tell her family about their relationship and Emily fears a repeat of what happened with her former partner. When Ann’s brother conspires against them, Emily flees to Europe to give them some space and time for her to recover from what she believes is another dose of misery. Just as they are about to reconcile an accident and then a health crisis interfere.

Emily’s future depends on her learning to trust Ann enough to lean on her, but that is a hard thing to do for someone who has had her trust betrayed so badly in the past. Ann is frustrated because she loves Emily and doesn’t feel she should have to pay for or be judged by Emily’s previous experience. Whether or not they can break down each other’s walls will determine if they have a future.

Werlinger has produced a better than usual first novel. The writing is tight, the editing is good and the characters are written to be three dimensional. The plot flows well, is engaging and holds the reader’s interest. A couple of scenes are a little contrived, but not enough to detract from the story. Romance fans will like this book, but it has more development than the typical novel in this genre. The story goes into depth about the issue of trust and the emotional baggage that can come with it, especially in a situation such as Emily faces. One way to know that a character is written in a convincing manner is when the reader would like to take that character and slap her for some of the things she does. When a character elicits that type of response it’s usually a sign of “reality.”

Looking Through Windows is an excellent way to spend a few hours. It’s one of those books that gives a reader a very satisfied feeling when it’s finished.
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Reviewed by Lynne Pierce

Title: Mine Author: Georgia Beers ISBN 10: 1-033110-95-3 - ISBN 13: 078-1-933110-95-0; Publisher: Bold Strokes Books, www.boldstrokesbooks.com Available From: Bold Strokes Books, www.boldstrokesbooks.com; and SCP Books, www.scpbooks.com Pages: 224 - Price: $15.95 Genre : Romance

Courtney McAllister has been unsuccessfully trying to pull her life back together for the three years since the death of her partner Theresa in an accident. Moving on is a hard thing to do though. Therapy and her group for surviving spouses help, but not enough. She’s still living in the house she and Theresa bought together and the memories come too easily.

Her friend Amelia finally convinces Courtney that selling the house and finding something smaller is a step in the right direction and that’s when she meets Rachel Hart, Million Dollar Producer of real estate sales. Rachel is consumed with her career and not interested in long term commitments beyond her regular volunteer work at the animal shelter. She has no family or friends to distract her from selling property until she meets Courtney. Each of these women is searching for something that she can call hers. Courtney is looking for a new life, possibly a new love. Rachel is hoping for someone who will put her first and that might be Courtney if she can finally lay Theresa to rest.

Beers has mastered the genre of romance writing. With Mine, another in her series of novels that explore the emotions that go into building relationships, once again she has created appealing characters tied together in a plausible plot. This time she shows two women who have shut themselves off for different reasons and then explores how they help each other to change their lives. Beers is a believer in the concept of the traditional romance formula, so the reader looking for that should find this book entertaining and satisfying.
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Reviewed by Lynne Pierce

Title: Playing for First Author: Chris Paynter ISBN: 978-0-9822858-3-1 Publisher: Blue Feather Books, Ltd., www.bluefeatherbooks.com Available at: Blue Feather Books, Ltd., www.bluefeatherbooks.com; and SCP Books, www.scpbooks.com Pages: 193 - Price: $14.99 Genre: Fiction

One day it’s going to happen. The first woman is going to be signed to play on a professional major league baseball team and that’s the topic of Playing for First.

Lisa Collins writes for an online sports magazine as well as the Indianapolis Gazette and anchors her hectic life around the bar owned by her best friend Frankie Dunkin. Lisa has a chance to make her career when she draws the assignment to follow the career of Amy Perry. Amy, who is an all-star first baseman with a professional women’s team, has all of the skills required to play with the men and she’s going to be given a chance to work her way up to The Show (slang for the major leagues). Lisa will chronicle Amy’s progress through the system, which means spending many months on the road as Amy moves from team to team, but she doesn’t expect that to be the problem it becomes. Lisa and Amy quickly develop a relationship, but Amy is deeply closeted and that causes conflict for Lisa who isn’t. Lisa also begins to realize that her feelings for Frankie are much deeper than friendship. She finds herself in the position of building different relationships with both women, one as a lover and one as a supportive friend, which means someone has to be hurt because only one can be the most important one in her life.

Playing for First is a sports fan’s book. It contains a lot about how baseball is played and the minor league system works. The book has some competing plots also. One is about the conflict between living an out life and a closeted one, especially if that could impact on all of your plans for the future. If Amy announces that she is a lesbian, she could destroy not only her own chance, but those for women following her. The second concerns the prejudice that women face when they try to play sports on the same teams with men. Paynter does a good job of capturing the feelings that a person like Amy experiences when she tries to break down those barriers and the attitudes of those who stand in her way. The most interesting plot point is the one least developed. Frankie is a cancer survivor who underwent a mastectomy. She has already lost one lover who could not deal with the effects on her body and is scared to open herself to a relationship with anyone else. This is a very poignant story and one that would be interesting to read in more depth.

With so many different threads running through the story, none of them gets the attention that it deserves. The major plot of the first woman professional baseball player is developed, however, and the book might have been stronger if it had only focused on this. The book will be interesting to baseball fans and appealing to those who look forward to the day when women move fully into professional sports. For everyone else it’s a quick read and a way to spend a few hours of entertainment.
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Reviewed by Lynne Pierce

Title: Point of Ignition Author: Erin Dutton ISBN-13: 978-1-60282-084-5 Publisher: Bold Strokes Books, www.boldstrokesbooks.com Available From: Bold Strokes Books, www.boldstrokesbooks.com; and SCP Books, www.scpbooks.com Pages: 228 - Price: $16.95 Genre: Romantic Suspense

Erin Dutton has given her fans another fast paced story of fire, with both buildings and emotions burning hotly. Firefighter Kate Chambers has been assigned to arson investigation after suffering major injuries as a firefighter. Kate is a second generation firefighter and she sorely misses being part of the team at the engine house. Her first arson investigation involves a fire at a downtown sports bar. While it seems like a case of insurance fraud, Kate is drawn to Alexi Clark, one of the owners of the bar, and she would like to prove her innocent.

Alexi, a recovering alcoholic, is devastated by the loss of her beloved bar. Furious that she is a suspect, Alexi can't deny the attraction she feels toward Kate Chambers. While sparks are flying between Alexi and Kate, there is yet another fire.

Dutton has done an excellent job of portraying two women who are each fighting for their own dignity and learning to trust again. The delicate tug of war between the characters is well done as is the dichotomy of boredom and drama faced daily by the firefighters.

Point of Ignition is a story told well that will touch its readers.
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Reviewed by RLynne

Title: Point of Ignition Author: Erin Dutton ISBN-13: 978-1-60282-084-5 Publisher: Bold Strokes Books, www.boldstrokesbooks.com Available From: Bold Strokes Books, www.boldstrokesbooks.com; and SCP Books, www.scpbooks.com Pages: 228 - Price: $16.95 Genre: Romantic Suspense

Katie Chambers had planned on spending her entire career as a firefighter. It’s the family business and she enjoyed the adrenaline rush from going into the fires. An injury changed her career plans, however, and she will spend the rest of her life as an arson investigator. Her first case involves a sports bar downtown that appears to be an obvious case of arson, until she meets the owner Alexi Clark. Alexi has battled alcoholism most of her life, but with the help of her friends Ron and Danielle Volk, she finally had her life under control and the focus of that life was the bar the three of them started together.

Alexi is furious when she realizes she is the prime suspect in burning the bar and that becomes more complicated when she feels an attraction for Katie. Katie knows she is breaking every rule by becoming involved with Alexi, but she can’t resist her and that makes her more than determined to prove that someone else was responsible for the crime. Alexi is going to experience a betrayal that threatens to wreck her life and Katie is probably the only person who can save her from that.

Point of Ignition is Dutton’s fifth novel and returns to the world of firefighting that she explored in Fully Involved. This is a pretty predictable romance with no surprises or suspense, but it delivers on the components that most romance fans seem to want. Dutton’s writing can be uneven, depending on her books, ranging from average to very well done. This book is better than average, but not as good as some of her others. If the reader is looking for something to entertain for a couple of hours of reading, this book certainly fills the bill.
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Reviewed by Lynne Pierce

Title: Secrets in the Stone Author: Radclyffe ISBN 10: 1-60282-083-X Publisher: Bold Strokes Books, www.boldstrokesbooks.com Available From: Bold Strokes Books, www.boldstrokesbooks.com; and SCP Books, www.scpbooks.com Pages: 265 - Price: $16.95 Genre: Romance

Radclyffe is known for the wonderful characters she creates. In Secrets in the Stone she has given her readers three women who personify the best and the worst in all of us. Rooke Tyler is a loner who has learned to ignore what others think. Rooke pours all of her dreams and desires into her art.

Adrian Oakes is a writer who has traveled the world sending back articles on war, famine, and the misadventures of others. Fiercely independent, she has kept herself from getting emotionally involved.

Melinda Singer is a collector of art and of women. She uses her brains, beauty and her sexuality to gather in everything she wants.

In this character-driven novel, Radclyffe has skillfully woven together the lives of these three very different women. They interact with passion and compassion. They are drawn to each other so powerfully that their worlds shimmer between reality and dreams. And the decisions they make will change their lives forever.

Secrets in the Stone is a strong, must read novel that will linger in the minds of readers long after the last page is turned.
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Reviewed by RLynne

Title: September Canvas Author: Gun Brooke ISBN-13: 978-1-60282-080-7 Publisher: Bold Strokes Books, www.boldstrokesbooks.com Available From: Bold Strokes Books, www.boldstrokesbooks.com; and SCP Books, www.scpbooks.com Pages: 260 - Price: $16.95 Genre: Romance

In September Canvas Gun Brooke has given her readers two women who are at a crossroad in their life. Faythe Hamilton has retreated to a lakeside cabin in Vermont to look at the choices in her life. As a morning news anchor, Faythe is a popular TV personality, and has a career that many would envy.

Deanna Moore lives in the cabin next to Faythe's. Battered and bitter, Deanna lives a solitary life as an illustrator. When these two women meet, their instant attraction to each other puts them into territory filled with emotional land mines.

In this character-driven story, trust is earned and secrets are uncovered. Deanna and Faythe are fully fleshed out and prove to the reader each has much depth, talent, wit and problem-solving abilities. September Canvas is a good read with a thoroughly satisfying conclusion.
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Reviewed by RLynne

Title: Storms of Change Author: Radclyffe ISBN 1-933110-57-0 Publisher: Bold Strokes Books, www.boldstrokesbooks.com Available From: Bold Strokes Books, www.boldstrokesbooks.com; and SCP Books, www.scpbooks.com Pages: 275 - Price: $15.95 Genre: Romance

Storms of Change is the latest book in the Provincetown Tales series. It brings back all of the characters from the past books as well as introducing two new women, Ricarda Grechi and Carter Wayne. Ricardo has come to Provincetown to open an art gallery. The daughter of the "Don" of a large crime family, Rica longs for the peace, quiet, and distance offered by Provincetown. State Police Detective Carter Wayne has the undercover assignment of getting close to Rica and learning her families' secrets.

In a scene played out in homes across our nation, Reese Conlon's unit has been recalled to Iraq. Her partner, Tory King, as well as her friends and family, must live with the uncertainty of not knowing exactly where Reese is or how she is.

Radclyffe is known for intricately woven tales of women who become very real to her readers. Storms of Change doesn't let her readers down; the characters we know and love go through emotional highs and lows, as the real world suddenly intrudes into this small, seaside town. Her new characters, Rica and Carter, are full of passion and distrust. Their delicate dance toward the possibility of happiness is a joy to read.

Storms of Change is a great read, and will get the reader in the mood for Women's Week in Provincetown.
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Reviewed by RLynne

Title: The Arcanum of Beth Author: Mary Jane Russell ISBN 10: 1-935216-01-5 – ISBN 13: 978-1-935216-01-8; 10) Publisher: Intaglio Publication, Intagliopub.com Available From: SCP Books, www.scpbooks.com; and Bella Books, www.bellabooks.com Pages: 230 - Price: $16.95 Genre: Romance

Beth Chandler has been living a very quiet life as she helped take care of her parents, but now she’s ready to spread her wings and find something to do with her life besides work as an accountant. Her best friend lawyer Janet Evans and her partner Ellen Harris decide to throw a sort of “coming out” party for Beth, but it has unintended consequences. One of the guests is Louise Stephens, local playgirl, who sweeps Beth off of her feet.

Janet is unhappy when Beth suddenly moves in with Louise and moves her mother in, too. Beth seems to become progressively more unhappy, but she won’t discuss what’s wrong, so Janet doesn’t feel she can get involved in the situation. She’ll come to regret that when things become more complicated by Beth’s brother Will and his wife Patti showing up. Patti and Louise spend too much time together and rumors are flying. Janet’s concern for her friend turns into anger when Beth is suddenly killed in an “accident” that seems more than suspicious.

No one knows until then that Beth gave Janet complete control over her estate and Janet has no intention of turning over anything to Beth’s family until she has checked out the circumstances of her death more thoroughly. Janet and Ellen are pretty sure they know what happened. The tough part is going to be finding the evidence to prove it. Before she died, Beth whispered a clue to Janet, who is a master puzzle solver. Finding the answer will be the solution to the arcanum of Beth.

The Arcanum of Beth is a different type of mystery. There’s never much doubt about what happened to Beth. The trick to the story is having Janet collect the evidence against two opponents who are very wily without having an “accident” herself. Russell has to be given credit for having the courage to kill a very sympathetic character. She spends a lot of time getting the reader to invest in Beth finally finding some happiness for herself and then goes through with the murder. Though the reader knows from the blurb on the back of the book that this is going to happen, there’s still the hope that somehow the inevitable will be avoided. Many writers won’t kill a strong character and perhaps end up weakening the story. This is a bitter sweet story that is sometimes difficult to read for that reason, but it also makes it stand out from the crowd. There are some parts of the story that seem a little contrived, but not enough to interfere with reading it.

The Arcanum of Beth is a promising first novel from Mary Jane Russell. It’s worth reading for several hours of entertainment and it will be interesting to see how Russell develops her talent in future novels.
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Reviewed by Lynne Pierce

Title: The House on Sandstone Author: KG MacGregor ISBN: 1-59493-076-7 Publisher: Bella Books, www.bellabooks.com Available From: Bella Books, www.bellabooks.com; and SCP Books, www.scpbooks.com Pages: 288 - Price: $13.95 Genre: Romance

The House on Sandstone brings together two high school friends, Carly Griffin and Justine Hall. Twenty-five years have passed since Carly and Justine have seen each other. The years have brought Carly success as she has worked overseas as a consultant, traveling throughout Europe, the Near East and South America. Tired of living out of a suitcase, Carly is delighted to have two months in her hometown of Leland, Kentucky. Justine has lived a far different life, one that involved marriage, children, divorce and scandal.

The plot of The House on Sandstone follows Carly and Justine as they renew their friendship, and tentatively pursue allowing the friendship to develop into something much deeper. MacGregor has done an excellent job in pushing back the stereotypes of small southern towns and allowing them to grow with the times. Carly and Justine show the reader just how much can change in twenty-five years.
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Reveiwed by RLynne

Title: The Venus Vendetta Author: Rose Pry ISBN 10: 1-883523-98-2 - ISBN 13: 978-1-883523-98-5; 10) Publisher: Spinsters Ink Available From: Bella Books, www.bellabooks.com; and SCP Books, www.scpbooks.com Pages: 242 - Price: $14.95 Genre: Drama

The Venus Vendetta spans a period of three decades twisting together events of different periods to create a story of revenge, retribution and adventure.

Reggie and her “brother” Jazz find themselves thrust into a nightmare world when they are kidnapped from their hippie family by a religious cult called the Enclave. As they grow up among other “lost children” they are subjected to mental and physical abuse, especially at the hands of the lead minister’s son Clovis Hawk. Reggie proves to be too clever for the Enclave though and, after mutilating Clovis for his mistreatment of Jazz, arranges for them to escape and expose the cult to the authorities. As the other kidnapped children are reconnected with their families, Reggie and Jazz are placed with a foster family and it seems they are meant to lead happy lives from then on.

Flash forward twenty-seven years and members of the Enclave have reappeared. Clovis has changed his name and resurrected as an evangelical minister with tremendous power and a massive church. Another member has been released from prison after spending years there for an assault committed at the cult. Meanwhile, the Internet has brought together Reggie, other female Enclave members, and women who are tired of society not truly punishing men who are sexual predators. They form a group called Poetic Justice with the purpose of changing that.

Reggie’s profession is hairdresser and one of her clients is Gillian Waters, a very successful suspense fiction writer. Due to their friendship, Gillian is drawn into the situation and works with Jazz and Rachel Bracken, a very attractive private investigator, to track Reggie and the other women to discover what they are planning to do. Along the way, they will find themselves reassessing their own beliefs about justifiable actions and what exactly is “poetic justice.”

The Venus Vendetta is Rose Pry’s first book and it is intense. The story is very compact, but touches on a number of issues, including the role in society of conservative Christian leaders, the sexual abuse of women, and the frustrations those women feel with society. There are times when the story seems about to drift off into non sequiturs; then Pry brings the threads back together to make sense.

The reader suspects what the members of Poetic Justice intend to do and is forced to confront the conflicting reality of legality versus morality. The book doesn’t preach about the issues, but it does force you to think. The most interesting character is Gillian Waters. She shows remarkable growth as she changes from a woman who turned into an agoraphobic after the death of her partner into a person who rediscovers her adventurous side and possibly a new chance at love. She makes a nice counterbalance to Reggie and the other women who are still locked into the emotions that were formed years before.

The description on the back of the book calls it a mystery thriller. That category really only applies to the last few chapters of the book. It might be more appropriate to label it as an adventure book involving highly topical issues. It certainly lacks the romantic theme that drives most lesbian fiction, but that’s not a weakness in this particular novel. This is a thoughtful, well-crafted story that doesn’t make light reading. The reader will have to concentrate on the story and contemplate about what it is saying but should feel that it was worth it in the end. For those readers who say they are looking for a “meatier” story, The Venus Vendetta is the book.
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Reviewed by Lynne Pierce

Title: This One’s Going to Last Forever Author: Nairn Holtz ISBN-13: 978-1-897178-80-5 Publisher: Insomniac Press Available From: SCP Books, www.scpbooks.com Pages: 225 Price: $15.95 Genre: Novella-Anthology/Lesbian

This One’s Going to Last Forever is a collection of stories, including one longer offering in novella form. In the first of these offerings from Nairn Holtz, an Elvis impersonator, whose life seems filled with disillusionment, finds possibilities in relationship where least expected, when interest is piqued in a jilted woman.

In a story called “No Parking,” a parking lot attendant gets involved with an artist-photographer, but it turns out that the photographer can’t seem to let go of her materialistic hold on a guy named Andre. This lack fosters a cycle of denial about her relationship with the attendant, who tells the tale in the first person. The on-again, off-again relationship finally goes totally awry, and the teller of the tale takes the parking metaphor to a great punch line.

Another tale recounts the story of Natalie, a not-so-attractive lesbian, who finds herself mildly attracted to a male co-worker. The two begin an affair, which gives Natalie a newfound sense of inner beauty. However, when Ian begins to turn his attention to a new female interest, Natalie starts looking around for another love-interest—and another twist to the tale is realized.

The novella offering, entitled “Committed,” at first blush appears to be about anything but commitment. Relationships ebb and flow as a young college student’s horizons are expanded on a political and personal level. In the end, she must decide where the important relationships are in her life and determine who is most important to her.

Holtz uses metaphors skillfully throughout these stories. They roll off her pen like giant thunderclouds, the boom of them resounding in the readers psyche. Edgy and just a little dark, read This One’s Going to Last Forever for some different fare.
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Reviewed by Anna Furtado

Title: Toothpick House Author: Lee Lynch ISBN: 0-930044-45-2 Publisher: The Naiad Press, Released: 1983, Second printing, 1986; A Classic Title - Original Naiad Press Edition. Good condition. Available From: Bold Strokes Books, www.boldstrokesbooks.com Pages: 256 - Price: $7.95 Genre: Romance

In the late 70s, I studied Women in Literature in a college-level course. I feel cheated that Lee Lynch’s short stories, which appeared in The Ladder, Sinister Wisdom, and Common Lives/Lesbian Lives, during that time, weren’t required reading. And how much richer the other students and I would have been if her first novel, Toothpick House, had been part of the curriculum as well.

I love this book because it's not only a love story, but it depicts a slice of history when mainstream feminists had issues with lesbians joining the cause. I’m tempted to quote many passages from the book, but I’ve limited myself to just a few because Lynch’s words have so much greater impact when consumed in context.

Here’s the storyline. Annie Heaphy is a college dropout who drives a cab to pay the rent. She dares to be different as a woman in a man’s profession, but she wonders when she’s going to feel good. Lynch sums up Annie’s existence in this paragraph: “Sighing, she looked back toward her tiny home, the battered beach-house that was her root as well as her fragile shelter from the world. Peeled and stripped by salt and wind, it looked from a distance to be no more than a bundle of delicate sticks propped tentatively against one another. It was as bare, as barren as the three lonely willows leaning into the curve of the beach road beside it” [p. 1]. ”

It was sometimes difficult to believe that this was Lynch’s first book because it was so compellingly constructed. It was almost as if she began her career at the top of her game. She effectively employs vivid imagery even when Annie is engaged in such mindless activities as skimming stones. But Lynch uses these seemingly mindless activities as a means of character reflection. One skip symbolizes Annie’s isolated life. Somehow hanging out with friends who Annie considers low-life dykes, and getting drunk doesn’t qualify as Nirvana. Nor does it keep her from feeling alone in an intolerant straight world. When Annie’s spirits lift and her thinking clears, imagine her delight when the stone skips three times.

Annie has her quirks, such as leaving a woman’s bed before the morning officially breaks to sidestep the awkward post-sexual encounter conversation. She avoids relationships because it’s just easier. Another quirk, Annie takes off her cap for no one. But what happens when she meets Victoria Locke, her polar opposite? How can a proper lady, an out-of-her-league Yalie, and the epitome of all she despises, manage to capture her heart and offer renewed hope? Annie has no idea, but she knows she’s been bitten by the love bug. She’s both interested and scared.

Victoria’s family lives in a Manhattan building with a doorman. She’s been taught to keep up appearances and has been sent to the college of her parents’ choosing. She’s a shy senior at Yale, who finds little purpose or joy in her life. We see into her soul when Victoria has a brief conversation with the endearing doorman and muses, “I would be as loyal as he is if I had anything to which I could be loyal” (p. 5). She couldn’t foresee how prophetic her thoughts that day would be until she discovers a whole new world of women, women’s libbers, and one Annie Heaphy, who changes everything. Annie is a breath of fresh air in Victoria’s life. She exudes the qualities Victoria has always longed to emulate. Victoria finally lets her long hair down, lets it all hang out, and consequently, she discovers truths about her sexuality and her aspirations. In the bargain, she develops attributes she never thought possible—self-respect, self-reliance, and hope for a future with the love of her life.

Lynch eloquently mirrors what’s going on in Annie's life where the emotion was as plain as the words on a page: "For Annie, it was a grey week punctuated by the shy swelling of the buds on the willow trees by her house. Their new light greens brought tears to her eyes as she marched past them on her morning walks. They stirred the part of herself that was like them and she wondered if they were altogether happy that now they were committed to leave their warm winter casings and hang all upside down, exposed to the winds and whatever they might bring" (p. 126).

But falling in love isn’t easy for our heroines in a hostile climate that shuns gays. Lynch’s eclectic cast of characters sets a fast pace and keeps readers’ interest strong while setting thoughts flowing. I was engaged in the characters’ journeys and rooted for them every step of the way. I celebrated as they fought to define their futures, not measured by a patriarchal society but by their own merits. These brave women risked it all to fight for a woman’s right to be treated equally in all realms. I wondered if Annie was capable of letting love in to stay. I worried that her toothpick house might not be strong enough to shelter her from the storms of life. I hoped Victoria, who embraced her true self, would come out to her oppressive parents.

Toothpick House is a perfect reminder of our past, especially because it gives hope that nothing is beyond our reach. Poetry quoted from the famous poet Judy Grahn is fabulous, but Annie’s reaction to being moved by it is beyond priceless. I heartily recommend that you read the book so that you can be as enriched by the experience as I was.

When I reviewed Lynch’s The Swashbuckler a while back, I was forever enamored with Frenchy, but now I have a new heroine to admire. Everything penned by Lee Lynch comes with my highest endorsement and complete confidence.
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Reviewed by Cheri Crystal

Title: Trails Merge Author: Rachel Spangler ISBN 10: 1-60282-039-2 – ISBN 13: 978-1-60282-039-5; 10) Publisher: Bold Strokes Books, www.boldstrokesbooks.com Available From: Bold Strokes Books, www.boldstrokesbooks.com; and SCP Books, www.scpbooks.com Pages: 233 - Price: $15.95 Genre: Romance

Family is very important to Campbell Carson and she wants one of her own, but her partner doesn’t, so, when an ultimatum is issued, Campbell feels she has no choice. She moves back to the family-run ski resort at Bear Run and decides to devote her life to the family she has and become everyone’s favorite aunt. The resort is in financial trouble though and the family decides to hire an expert on public relations to recruit customers.

Parker Riley was a high-powered operator in Chicago’s political circles, famous for being able to get politicians elected to office and to maintain their images. When she found that she was working for a man who didn’t live up to her image of him, she quit, fled Chicago and now finds herself at Bear Run. Parker is totally out of her element. She’s supposed to rejuvenate a ski resort when she’s never skied, she knows nothing about life in a small town, and dealing with the dynamics of this family is foreign to her.

As Campbell tries to help her fit in, the women develop an impending feeling of doom that they are falling in love. One loves the city, the other loves the mountain. When Parker’s past catches up with her, it forces them to confront whether or not they can make the relationship work.

Trails Merge is a mature love story. It’s nice to read about two characters who know what they want and approach it in a mature way instead of stumbling around trying to figure out who they are. The tension in the story comes from the fact that they want very different things, so different that they don’t seem reconcilable. The characters are complex in their feelings and these women deal honestly with each other without any game-playing. The seriousness of the book is punctured with humor in just the correct amount.

Trails Merge is a pleasurable book to read. The story is strong and provides several hours of entertainment. The reader will feel like she got her money’s worth from this book.
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Reviewed by Lynne Pierce

Title: Warming Trend Author: Karin Kallmaker ISBN 978-1-59493-146-8 Publisher: Bella Books, www.bellabooks.com Available From: Bella Books, www.bellabooks.com; and SCP Books, www.scpbooks.com Pages: 261 - Price: $14.95 Genre: Romantic intrigue

Kallmaker has given her fans a beautifully written novel, complete with breathtaking descriptions of Alaska. Hers is not the Alaska of the cruise lines, but the heart of Alaska, with particular attention to its glaciers, ice, and northern lights. Anidyr Bacall is the daughter of a Russian immigrant. Her father was a glacial geologist, but one without American credentials. Anidyr's lifelong dream was to be a glacial geologist, complete with a doctorate.

Eve Cambria lives and works as a caterer in North Pole, Alaska. Her lifelong dream is to own a restaurant. When Eve and Ani meet, they both instantly realize they have met the love of their life. Their happiness is almost palpable. After one short year together, their world is turned upside down when Ani is publicly and academically disgraced.

Warming Trend is the story of a diabolical plot. and how two friends, Lisa and Tan, work with Ani and Eve to clear Ani's name and to literally uncover the truth. It's also the story of academic politics, and the mind games that are played by some professors.

Kallmaker has given her readers wonderful characters. She has built her story around them and around the beauty and wonder of Alaska. She has told her story with great language, wit, and warmth. She's even included a very large, very lovable dog. If you're a Kallmaker fan, or if you're new to her work, Warming Trend is not to be missed.
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Reviewed by RLynne

Title: Web Author: JP Mercer ISBN-10: 1-933720-49-2 ISBN-13: 978-1-933720-49-4 Publisher: P.D. Publishing Available from: SCP Books, www.scpbooks.com Pages: 201 - Price: $17.99 Genre: Action/Romance/Lesbian

Sidney DeRoche has it all, a successful partnership in a prestigious law firm, a loving partner in Dr. Leah Stanhope, and a long-time friendship with the President of the United States, Ingrid Sheppard, and her partner, Marty. But Sidney, in spite of her love for Leah, has demons from the past in the form of a deep wound from experiences with a lover named Sasha—who also happens to be President Sheppard’s younger sister.

As a young woman, Sasha lived fast and wild and her use of drugs and women left Sidney feeling betrayed. They haven’t seen one another in years. However, their paths cross again because, when Sasha is found near death and in the company of three other murder victims, she is implicated in the murders to the detriment of her sister’s upcoming re-election. Ingrid, in an effort to protect her sister and clear her sister’s name, calls on two people. One is Sidney DeRoche to represent Sasha. The other is former Talon government operative Liberty Starr.

Liberty is peacefully retired in the Montana mountains. Her partner, met at the end of the previous Starr story, Talon, stays at home when the President calls Liberty out of retirement. Her task is to protect the President and her family, as well as the President’s sister, and to help prove her sister’s innocence. Using all her cunning and training, Liberty negotiates the tangled web that is the story behind the murders—and attempts on Ingrid’s life.

In Web, Mercer has given us a thriller of a ride. Page after page is filled with questions and heart palpitating events. Liberty is a legend, who finds herself, and the people she has committed to protect, threatened by a most disturbing rival from her past. Whether or not she can find her adversary in time to save everyone’s lives is a question, right up until the final pages of the story—and the lives threatened by this enemy hit a little too close to home for Liberty’s liking. A great weekend read. The reader will find this one hard to put down. Oh, what a tangled web Mercer has woven.
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Reviewed by Anna Furtado

Title: Wrong Turns Author: Jackie Calhoun ISBN 10: 1-59493-148-8 Publisher: Bella Books, www.bellabooks.com Available From: Bella Books, www.bellabooks.com; and SCP Books, www.scpbooks.com Pages: 206 - Price: $14.95 Genre: Romance

The protagonist in Wrong Turns, Callie Callahan, is a divorcée with two teenage children. She owns a run-down farmhouse and half an interest in a business that seems to be going downhill. Hoping to escape from some of her worries, she has rented a cabin on a lake. The fact that the cabin used to belong to her family, and that the lake is where she spent her childhood, is an irony she can't forget. Nor can she ignore the fact that on her first day at the lake she is nearly run down by a speedboat.

The beginning to Calhoun's Wrong Turns grabs the reader, and the resiliency of her protagonist holds the reader until the last page. Callie is making midlife changes which include coming out, first to herself, and then to others. She's coping with Meg, who is a "lightning rod," and with Vicki, who seems to be always around. And she has rebellious Tony who hates his stepmother, and Lucy, who just wants to ride her horse.

Calhoun has again given her readers a character with whom we can identify. Callie is as real as our best friend or the woman next door. As she struggles through her financial and emotional crisis, we care.

Wrong Turns is an extremely enjoyable read, and lives up to the high standards Calhoun has always set for herself.
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Reviewed by RLynne