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When we first encounter Kip Barrett at the start of Above Temptation, a clandestine meeting is very out of character for this woman who lives and works “by the book.” Her appointment with CEO, Tamara Sterling, head of the fraud investigation firm that employs Kip, starts Kip on an adventure that she never would have dreamed could happen to her. In a few short days, she’s sneaking around the facility to areas she has no business in and is poking into secure electronic files for her own company. Eventually, she finds herself a fugitive from the Feds, traveling under an assumed name, and falling for someone who may well be the culprit in the huge embezzlement scheme at Sterling Fraud Investigations. Where will it all end? The investigation is almost compromised over and over again as Kip tries to find answers, all the while juggling the inopportune meddling of Tamara herself. Meanwhile, Kip is just trying to maintain an even keel by doing the job she has been assigned, and trying desperately not to fall—hard—for the lovely CEO.
The characters try with all their might not to fan the flames of romance burning just beneath the surface, but it’s no contest with Kallmaker standing just off-page with a large bellows. In addition, the Queen of Romance (Kallmaker) has become the master of the subplot in more recent offerings, and as a result, her stories have become even more complex and interesting than earlier works. Above Temptation is not only about the romantic attraction of two women who struggle to maintain a belief their jobs are the only fulfillment they will ever find, it’s also a story filled with mystery, intrigue, and a red-herring or two. Above Temptation will appeal to romance and mystery buffs alike.
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Reviewed by Anna Furtado
This is Cheri Crystal's first published book and it won an award for Lesbian Erotica Anthology at the Golden Crown Literary Society awards ceremony in 2010. People who like this genre should enjoy this book.
Attractions of the Heart is a series of short stories, some of which have appeared before in other places. Each one starts with a front page photograph that could be a book cover and that sets up the topic of that story. Erotica is what it is. The characters have sex while fishing, in an airplane, with friends, in trucks, using sex toys and so forth. There isn't much character development and no plot lines that tie the stories together, but that's not what the book is intended for.
The writing is aimed at an average level, but it gets the idea across and leaves nothing to the imagination. There is humor in many of the stories and some romance. For those who are looking for a quick shot to the libido, this book will serve the purpose well. If you're looking for a book that develops a plot thoroughly along with the characters, then buy a novel.
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Reviewed by Lynne Pierce
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Title: Beacon of Love
Author: Ann Roberts
ISBN: 978-1-59493-180-2
Publisher: Bella Books
Available At: Bella Books; Amazon
e-Book at Bella Books
Price: $14.95
Pages: 226
Genre: Romance
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Beacon of Love asks that timeless question, "Is it possible to recapture what we shared in our youth?" Paula and Stephanie were inseparable growing up. They parted after their senior year, and now, fate has brought them both back to Eugene, Oregon. Stephanie is running from a loveless marriage with an unfaithful husband. Paula's mother has died, leaving her, as an only child, to settle the estate.
Beacon of Love is about much more than Paula and Stephanie's reunion. Roberts skillfully uncovers the secrets left buried by both of their parents. She also looks at the lies each woman has told herself.
Beacon of Love shows the difficult choices each woman must make as she searches for the answers to "what if?" This engrossing story is set in the beautiful North West, and is told under the light from the lovely Heceta Lighthouse. It's a good story that might have you packing your bags for a trip to Oregon.
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Reviewed by RLynne
Collide is about loss and rediscovery. Versions of this theme combine to create the plot of this book.
Renee Cardone and Anna Maria Castrovinci were best friends from the time they were small children until high school. Together they discovered their attraction went beyond mere friendship, but Renee couldn't deal with the implications of that. She was afraid of losing her family and being an outcast in her own town, so she turned her back on Anna, married Tom Del Fino, and prepared to live the rest of her life with him. When she is left a widow, Renee's life seems out of control until she meets author Dana Renato, who lost her partner a few years before. As they ignite feelings that each one thinks she has forgotten, Renee tries to bring all of the aspects of her life into sync, not very successfully. When Annie shows up again, everything around Renee begins to unravel and she has to decide what she wants to save and what to let go.
This book asks the reader to consider the consequences of a number of different losses. Renee has to deal with the loss of Annie's friendship which is spurred by her fear of another potential loss, that of her family and friends. Then there is the interesting juxtaposition of what a legal widow goes through with the loss of her husband and how that is different from what gay couples, who lack that legal status, have to endure. While Renee experiences adjustments, she has the support of her community to help her. Dana however not only lacks that community support, but finds herself attacked through a legal system that is not required to uphold the "normal" standards for everyone.
The losses are counter balanced by what the characters find. It is possible to rediscover love and passion with a new person while remembering the partner who is gone. Friendships that are based on honesty can be reclaimed years later despite the emotional pain that has to be overcome. Finally, although society is changing, there are still limitations that have to be dealt with and can be overcome by being willing to adapt.
The strength of Collide is that it has a good story and personable characters while it gives you issues to consider. The issues don't override the plot, but are woven into it so well that you can't help being aware of them. Ciletti has provided a thoughtful yet enjoyable book that is worth spending a few hours reading.
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Reviewed by Lynne Pierce
Love and life have similar characteristics. They can make you feel like you're soaring in the clouds and plunge you into what feels like the depths of hell. Nothing is harder than the ride that takes you in both directions. Emily Reed has captured that trip in a series of poems that catalog the sublime and sensual feelings of love discovered, the efforts to sustain that love, and then the collapse of love as a relationship fails. Scattered within the verses are others that deal with the wonders of children, the strains of a difficult job and musings about the nature of gods and religion. The poems comprise a very personal journey, but one that speaks quite easily to the experiences that other people have shared.
Although there are somber poems in this book, many of them focus on the electricity that sexual love can generate and what follows when that spark begins to die. "Awakening" captures the insight that many lesbians develop when the pieces of their lives suddenly fit together and everything begins to make sense. It's followed by many selections that sing the praises of love and the spiraling emotions that occur when lovers cannot be together. Eventually they are replaced by poems like "Betrayal," "Accusation," "8,000 Miles," "Learning Curve," then into "Never the Twain," "Insecurities and Doubts," and finally "Aftermath," "Perspective" and ultimately "Phoenix." It's a trip the reader would probably rather not take because many of the landmarks are too familiar, but it's that familiarity that keeps you reading. The verses strike chords that resonate deep in the soul with painful, yet bitterly sweet tones.
There are also the poems that draw the reader to consider other aspects of life. "Inevitable" deals with the realization of pride accompanied by a sense of loss as a son grows into adulthood. "Compassion" and "Where?" reflect on the frustration felt with gods and questions about their relevance to the world. "TNA" and "The Face of Death" remind the reader that, even when things seem darkest, other people are experiencing worse problems in their lives. Then there are the humorous musings of "Anniversary Ditty" and especially "Epelation." Any woman who has worried about what to do with the hair on her legs will find that one irresistible.
Diminuendo in Italian means diminishing. That applies to many things in this collection, but not to the feeling that Reed has taken the chance of baring parts of her life to share a message with the reader. Love of all kinds can be painful, but the pain is worth the experience. So is reading this book.
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Reviewed by Lynne Pierce
Romance is wonderful, but trust is more important for a relationship to work.
Kris is looking forward to a standing date with her friend to see the first game of the season between the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers. Watching the game is almost impossible though because she can't stop staring at the woman sitting near them. They finally have a chance to meet when both of them end up covered in spilled beer. It may be a strange beginning for romance, but it works for Kris and Erin. As they come to know each other better, they find they both have trust issues due to failed relationships and Erin has a further complication. As a divorced mother of two children, she has to be careful who she lets into their lives. Kris is great with the children though and even Erin's ex-in-laws are encouraging her to take a chance on forming a new family.
There is a snake in the Garden of Eden however. Erin's ex-husband is determined to break them up and lying is an acceptable and normal behavior for him. He wouldn't have a chance except that both women have been hurt so badly before. If Erin and Kris can't learn to separate the past from what they know about each other, the snake may get what he wants.
Double Trouble is a pleasant story, moves at a quick pace and doesn't take long to read. The characters are appealing and respond to the situations in very realistic manners. Those responses provide the tension in the story. The book is a traditional romance, which will make it satisfying for fans of that genre. It's a good way to spend a couple of hours reading.
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Reviewed by Lynne Pierce
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Title: Falling Into Fate
Author: JM Dragon
ISBN: 978-1-935216-17-9
Publisher: Intaglio Publications
Available At: Bella Books
Price: $16.95
Pages: 232
Genre: Romance
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JM Dragon's followers will enjoy this walk in the paranormal combined with a romantic dance between two strong women. Jenny Price's client, Lorna Hirste has been released after spending fifteen years in a mental institution. Unfortunately, ghostly voices are calling her back to cemeteries to defend the headstones. More unfortunate is the interest the police have in her activities.
Susan Stark is a reporter who has been given the assignment of obtaining an exclusive interview with Lorna. Susan must earn Jenny's trust if she is to get an interview with Lorna.
Falling into Fate covers a year in the lives of these three women, examining how journalists are perceived by the public, while at the same time looking at how newspapers treat some people who are different. Jenny and Susan are each driven by their professions and their need to get to the truth. Their search, and their growing passion, keep the pages of this engaging novel turning.
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Reviewed by RLynne
Gun Brooke has given her readers a delicate dance between powerful CEO Helena Forsythe and music superstar, Noelle Laurent. Tall, curvaceous, and successful, Noelle wants to branch out from her traditional genre to sing songs that she has written. At the top of the charts, Noelle feels this is the time to see if her fans will accept something different from her.
Helena was raised by her powerful mother to one day take over as CEO of Venus Media & Publishing. Part of her training was learning to fill a room with her presence and to appear larger than life. Having learned her lessons well, Helena has become an infamous power in the industry.
Noelle’s meeting with Helena, to request the right to sing her own songs, raises surprising feelings, and catches both women unawares. What follows is a gripping plot of hormones, music, ego, and wonderful settings. Brooke has brought in memorable characters from her previous novels, and fills her story with fictional talented and famous musicians. Her wonderful descriptions of the music, along with some of Noelle’s words, almost make it possible for the reader to hear and see the concerts and jam sessions.
Gun Brooke creates memorable characters, and Noelle and Helena are no exception. Each woman is “more than meets the eye” as each exhibits depth, fears, and longings. And the sexual tension between them is real, hot, and raw. It is an enjoyable read which left me longing to buy one of Noelle’s CD’s.
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Reviewed by RLynne
Good first novels usually feature a well-told story with a few weaknesses, but they also show the author's potential for the future. Seldom are they strong in every category. Amy Dawson Robertson apparently didn't read the rule book about first novels because she has produced a powerhouse with Miles To Go, the first volume in the Rennie Vogel Intrigue series.
Rennie Vogel achieves the impossible through torturous training and determination. She is the first woman even chosen to be on an FBI international counterterrorism team. Most people think she's a product of affirmative action and will destroy her team, but Rennie is determined to prove that she's as good as any man on the squad. She prepares until she is a lean, instinctive operative totally focused on their mission and stripped down to the bare essence of her soul, with no personal life and no need for one. When the team is given an impossible mission to assassinate a terrorist leader, Rennie is ready to play her part.
When the assignment is disrupted by one disaster after another, Rennie is determined to carry it out to its conclusion. What she didn't count on was rescuing Hannah Marcus, an American journalist who had been held by the terrorists for two years and was presumed dead by most of the world. Surviving the completion of her assignment had always been questionable, but surviving it with Hannah in tow seems impossible. As they flee through the hostile territory of Tajikistan pursued by members of the terrorist band, Rennie has to deal with two issues she hasn't trained for. She has to depend on someone else and she develops an attraction for Hannah. Even if they survive, secret dealings of the American government will probably keep them from having a future, but they have to try.
The first question the reader is going to have after reading this book is whether Robertson herself has ever been an agent for the government. She includes tremendous detail about the training that agents go through, the way they think, and the way that covert missions are organized. She also shows an intricate knowledge of how intrigue within the government works, how agencies interact and how they cover up what they don't want known. Robertson demonstrates more insight into international politics than the average citizen and creates a story that contains so much realism at times the reader will have to remember that it's fiction and not a telling of factual events.
The other strong part about this novel is the way it's written. There are no extraneous scenes. Each one has a purpose and adds to the flow of the story. The characters are well developed, but at the end of the book you still won't know everything about Rennie or Hannah. There is enough revealed to move this story, but there are aspects of both women that can be developed in later books. The real beauty of the book, however, is the language it's written in. The prose used in the book almost comes out as poetry. At times the reader can get lost in the way the words are used and their descriptive quality. You can taste the sweat, feel the heat and smell the blood.
The only fear is that Robertson may have shot all of her ability in her first book, but that doesn't seem likely. Time will tell. For now, Miles To Go is a must read for anyone who likes a story full of adventure, thrills, and intrigue that comes straight from current events. It's also for the reader who likes an exceptionally well-told story.
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Reviewed by Lynne Pierce
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Title: Of Course It's Murder
Author: Kate Sweeney
ISBN: 10) 1-935216-11-2
Publisher: Intaglio Publications
Available At: Bella Books
Price: $16.95
Pages: 217
Genre: Mystery
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Kate Sweeney has given her fans numerous enjoyable mysteries. Of Course It’s Murder is an enjoyable romp with enough suspects to keep readers guessing right until the final pages.
Kate Ryan has been hired to take publicity photos of an idyllic country inn set on the New England coast. With winter snows surrounding the inn, a warm host and great meals, Kate would seem to have plenty of time to take pictures and to brood about her romance with the delightful Dr. Maggie Winfield. What follows is a houseful of guests, strangers in the woods, and a dead body. Kate has to dust off her P.I. license to make heads or tails of this one.
Sweeney writes a good page turning mystery complete with romance, solid characters, humor and great, surprising villains. Of Course It’s Murder ends with a sly twist that lets readers know there will be no dull moments in Kate Ryan’s future.
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Reviewed by RLynne
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Title: Renegade
Author: Cheyne Curry
ISBN-10: 1933720476
ISBN-13: 978-1933720470
Publisher: P.D. Publishing
Available At: Barnes and Noble; Amazon
Price: $21.99
Pages: 328
Genre: Western Romance/Lesbian |
When Trace Sheridan wakes up on her back in the dirt with a rifle pointed at her, she questions several things. First, has she actually made the amazing journey from the future into the past? Second, why does her body hurt like hell? And third, who is this lovely woman and why is she threatening to shoot her? Thus Trace’s journey begins.
Rachael Young has questions of her own. Questions like: what is this woman doing on her back on her property and why is she dressed like a man? She wonders if the stranger can be trusted. She wonders why she feels things she’s never felt before when she looks at Trace. Finally, she wonders if Trace can really protect her from the cattle barons who live next door, and from the sheriff, who’s in their back pockets.
Renegade is a redemptive tale. Trace has not lived so clean and moral a life in the future and Rachael has not lived one so blessed. They find they are evolving into very different people together than they used to be separately. In the battle for good against evil, can Trace and her new friends win the war?
Curry keeps us engaged throughout this tale. Each character is multi-dimensional and interesting. Character flaws abound, as do the surprises in this offering, a finalist in the Golden Crown Literary Society Award category for Debut Author. Curry is a promising new writer on the scene and Renegade is an appealing tale.
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Reviewed by Anna Furtado
Kate Sweeney takes her fans to the foothills of the Bitterroot Mountains in Montana. Her heroine, Professor Tess Rawlins, has been called home to Montana by the death of her father. She must now take charge of the huge Double R cattle ranch.
Sweeney gives her readers a wild ride as Tess fights to save her ranch, battles white supremacists, and deals with old memories. Her setting is as broad as the skies over Montana, as she describes the open range, craggy mountains, and small towns, which hold their own secrets.
Sea of Grass is a good read, with strong characters that will win the hearts of readers.
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Reviewed by RLynne
Anyone who has ever been to the "Big Sky" country of Montana will understand why the title Sea of Grass is so appropriate to this book. Spread between the majestic peaks of the Rocky Mountains, the rolling fields sometimes resemble waves of green. The setting of the book is as important to the story as any of the characters.
Professor Tess Rawlins' family has owned the Double R cattle ranch for five generations and has kept not only the ranch but the local town going through everything from depression to the changes of modern times. When she receives word that her father needs her help, Tess doesn't hesitate to leave her career and her lover behind. She returns to a world and problems that she no longer thought were hers. The days of the old fashioned cattle ranch and the long drive of the herds to market seem to be coming to an end and the greedy land developer in town, who has always hated her family, can't wait to get his hands on the Rawlins property.
Tess thinks that at the age of forty-nine, her life is settled, but that's all about to change. She has to find a way to care for her father, save the ranch and maybe solve a mystery that has tormented her family for years. The only thing that she allows to distract her is Claire Redmond. Claire and her son Jack have arrived to take up temporary residence at the ranch while she fills in for the cook/housekeeper. As Tess struggles to save her family's heritage, she also has to deal with her growing attraction to Claire and her interest in helping Jack develop into the man he wants to become. The saying is that "love conquers all." That is surely tested as Tess and Claire have to deal with numerous obstacles.
Kate Sweeney has created a story that seems to exist in two different time periods. There is a definite feel for the old west when cowboys on horseback still herded cattle, branded them and rounded them up for the drive to market. Then there is the modern world where life and techniques are changing and intruding on the old ways. These two worlds are blended together to create a unique setting where the reader can easily lose track of what time period it is. The beauty and isolation of the scenery contributes to this feeling and the reader can get absorbed into the vastness that is still Montana.
Sea of Grass is meant to be a romance, but it's also a mystery with some adventure included. It shows a classic confrontation between old and new values and it's a nature study. When it's all put together, the reader is left with an excellent story with which to spend some time.
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Reviewed by Lynne Pierce
Jorie Price is a fairly successful, although reclusive, writer who is trying to write a different type of novel and that is giving her trouble. She's writing about two things she doesn't believe in, shape-shifters and romance. Her other books were about paranormal fiction and were easy to write, but this one is a struggle. She has no idea how much trouble it is about to cause her. The Wrasa are real, from an ancient society, and they live among the humans trying to keep their existence a secret. They've heard about Jorie's book and they consider it a threat to them. Griffin Westmore, a member of the Saru, an elite group of soldiers, is sent on a mission to find out what Jorie knows, how she knows it, and, if necessary, to destroy the book and her.
As Griffin investigates Jorie and forms a friendly relationship with her, she suspects that something more is going on than Jorie trying to reveal the existence of the Wrasa. Griffin finds herself dealing with family relationships, politics among the shape-shifters, and a commanding officer who is intent on seeing Jorie killed. She's always been a good soldier, but she's not going to follow an order until it makes sense to her. Jorie and Griffin find themselves being forced to work together as they are pursued by others who don't share Griffin's opinion. Two women who haven't been able to trust anyone now find that trust is the only thing that may save them and save the future of the Wrasa themselves.
Don't let the size of this book scare you away. Jae likes to write big books, but the characters are so compelling and the action moves so swiftly that you don't want to put them down. She takes this story through different levels. First, there is the intricate dance between Jorie and Griffin as they establish their acquaintance. Then there is the action and excitement of the chase as everyone seems out to find the women and hurt Jorie. At the end there is the tension of Griffin trying to prove to the Wrasa that, rather than their destroyer, Jorie might be their salvation.
Second Nature also includes symbolism and raises ethical questions. The reader can't help but draw parallels between the Wrasa and the history of gays and lesbians, two groups that have been persecuted and forced to hide among the larger society. As well, Griffin's battle between following orders and what feels appropriate is similar to issues that have been raised in numerous real incidents. As harsh as the Wrasa's methods may seem, humans aren't let off the hook either with difficult questions being raised about the treatment of other species and the abuse of nature.
Don't be deterred by the fact that this is a paranormal story either. Second Nature is a complex, yet thoroughly enjoyable tale and the creatures in it are presented in a totally believable manner. The biggest drawback to the book is that, once you start reading, it's hard to stop and the number of pages guarantees that you can't finish it in one night. It's worth it though. Give this book a chance.
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Reviewed by Lynne Pierce
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Title: Side Door
Author: Jan Donley
ISBN: 978-1-935226-12-3
Publisher: Spinsters Ink
Available At: Bella Books
Price: $14.95
Pages: 234
Genre: Coming Out Story
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In Side Door, Jan Donley has beautifully captured the angst felt by many gay and lesbian teenagers. Her characters, young Melrose (Mel to all who know her) and Frank, must face their parents and their classmates as they struggle with defining who they are. Mel and Frank are freshman at Drift High. Five years ago, coincidentally on Frank’s birthday, a student named Alex hung himself on the school’s grounds. His death is never discussed in either the town or at school. Mel and Frank take on the personal crusade of finding out why Alex killed himself.
Side Door is told in the first person by Mel. As she uncovers layers and layers of secrets she muses, “How many of those walking secrets did we pass every day, thinking they were just mild-mannered people going about their business?” And, as the school year progresses, Mel and Frank discover many secrets.
Side Door is an engrossing story, with well-developed characters, and some surprising twists.
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Reviewed by RLynne
Grace Wellwood is a famous chef who owns her own restaurant and has a popular TV show. To everyone else she seems on top of the world, but appearances can be deceiving. When she ends a three year relationship with a married woman that was going nowhere, her friends encourage her to take some time off; so Grace retreats to a cottage by the sea.
Her vacation is interrupted when her company is hired by golf champion Torrie Cannon to cater a tournament she's sponsoring. Torrie is younger than Grace and a "player" on and off of the golf course. She's used to jumping from bed to bed and doesn't feel a need for anything else until she meets Grace. Grace brings out something different in Torrie, something that Torrie doesn't know how to express properly, so she keeps coming off as a fast talker who hasn't finished growing up. If there's one thing Grace knows for certain, it's that she's not interested in any more relationships that have no chance of developing into something permanent and mature, two things Torrie appears to lack. Torrie's challenge is to prove to Grace that she can meet her expectations for a new chance.
This book has more than one conflict that holds the reader's interest. There is the tension between Grace and her lover, Grace and Torrie, and between two secondary characters who play significant roles. The age difference between Grace and Torrie, while not extreme, also factors into what happens between them. Richardson is able to blend these issues into a cohesive plot with likeable characters.
Side Order of Love, like Richardson's other books, delivers a story that is entertaining and engaging. Anyone looking for some simple reading worth passing a few hours with will find it here.
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Reviewed by Lynne Pierce
Georgia Beers shows once again why she has a legion of fans as she presents a romance that reflects the difficulties of two women who are falling in love, but who believe they are pursuing contradictory objectives.
Avery King leads a very limited life, but she likes it that way. A failed relationship convinces her that being alone might not be so bad as long as she has her dog Steve to come home to. Besides that she goes to work, visits her beloved grandmother, and spends time with a few close friends. When life challenges her, she works through the situation by baking. She's about to do a lot of that.
If there's one thing Avery is sure of it's that she doesn't do well with children, so she can't believe it when a friend calls in a debt and has her coaching a T-ball team. One of the children, Max, is special though and he has a beautiful mother who becomes very special, too. Elena Walker seems to be everything Avery wants in a woman, but she comes with a child and Avery isn't sure she wants the responsibility of that type of relationship. Baking isn't going to provide the answer to this problem.
Beers shows her writing experience in creating this book. She knows how to pace a story so that the events unfold gradually and at a believable pace. Avery doesn't suddenly discover overnight that she loves children and events don't tie themselves up with the speed of a runaway train. Everything unfolds gradually, including any conflict or resolution that arises. She creates characters that the reader can not only relate to, but feel that she knows. The dialogue is realistic and the events seem true to life.
Starting From Scratch is what Beers' fans expect from her, a solid romance with appealing characters and a great deal of humor. A reader looking for mystery, suspense or adventure won't find them here, but will find a satisfying book worth spending a few hours with. Remember there's a cute dog and a cute child and the book becomes pretty irresistible.
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Reviewed by Lynne Pierce
Eadie Pratt is running from a broken relationship in San Francisco and is headed for the Womyn's Music Festival in Michigan to forget her problems. Unfortunately, she's driving a junk car that is hauling a junk trailer and she breaks down in Rauston, Texas. Rauston is one of those small towns that the major highways have bypassed, peopled mostly by folks who know everything about each other and are willing to forgive most of their eccentricities.
While she tries to work off the money to pay for her car repairs, Eadie is taken in by two sisters, nicknamed Piggin and Heifer, who treat her like a member of the family. She befriends an odd assortment of friends, including a mentally deficient boy, a teenage boy with an abusive father, and Cadence, a computer whiz who is in town searching for her birth mother. As Eadie and Cadence become more involved with each other, they also uncover a scandal that could rock the whole town. Eadie never planned to become attached to these people and their lives, but she feels an obligation to try and save them.
Clifford Henderson has created a story full of quirky, interesting characters from the sisters to the Baptist minister to darker characters in the book. She captures the atmosphere of a small Southern town and the life that tends to occur in one extremely well. They make the book fun to read and the different plot points blend together to create a believable story. The major flaw unfortunately is Eadie. Her negative attitude when she first encounters the town is understandable based on what has just happened in her life. The fact that she starts off making snide, dismissive comments about the town and its people leads the reader to the impression that her behavior will change as she comes to understand what they are truly like. That isn't what happens however. Perhaps Henderson intended to create a character that didn't grow. The people, especially the sisters, go to tremendous effort to help Eadie any way that they can, but no matter how nice they are to her she continues to denigrate them all. Though she eventually comes to think better of the sisters, she maintains her immature attitude and her behavior is so irritating that it distracts from the story.
This book is available in audio format and that actually enhanced the story for this reader. After reading the book it left a rather negative impression of the entire work. Listening to the author reading her own words gave an emphasis to characters and story points that didn't come off of the printed page. This improved the reviewer's opinion of the book if not the reaction to Eadie.
The Middle of Somewhere is actually a fairly strong story. If the reader isn't bothered by Eadie's behavior, then the book should provide several hours of entertaining reading.
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Reviewed by Lynne Pierce
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Title: The Midnight Hunt
Author: L. L. Raand
ISBN: 10: 1-60282-140-2
Publisher: Book Strokes Books
Available At: Bold Strokes Books
Price: $16.95
Pages: 272
Genre: Paranormal Romance
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Radclyffe, writing as L.L. Raand, has given her fans a truly haunting novel. Her world is populated by Weres, Vampires, Fairies, and more. Her heroine, Sylvan, is alpha of her werewolf pack. She also is head of the Praetern Coalition, representing the interests of the five main praetern species. The coalition is trying to get a preternatural protection bill through Washington. As Raand describes the fight of the praetern species, it is hard for the reader not to make comparisons with current and past fights for equal rights, particularly for LGBT people.
Raand is uncanny in her description of how weres interact with each other, their mating habits, communication, and ability to transform from wolf to human and back. As always, her characters are richly drawn and very real. The interaction between humans, weres and vampires is wonderful, showing the gamut of acceptance to confusion and misunderstanding.
The Midnight Hunt has a gripping story to tell, and while there are also some truly erotic sex scenes, the story always takes precedent. This is a great read which is not easily put down nor easily forgotten.
The Midnight Hunt is in the Midnight Hunters series.
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Reviewed by RLynne
Some of Gerri Hill's recent novels haven't been as strong as her earlier ones, but that changes with The Scorpion. Hill has produced one of the strongest books of her career.
Marty Edwards is an investigative reporter who has found her forte in cold case crimes. She enjoys reopening cases, discovering new information and bringing closure to the families. When she is asked to look at a ten-year-old murder in Brownsville, Texas, it seems to be a routine situation.
Kristen Bailey has been a police detective in Brownsville for two years, but she hasn't been accepted by the force. When she is assigned to babysit the evidence Marty wants to look at, she thinks it's just another example of the department not letting her do the work she's capable of. She can't understand why her lieutenant is so paranoid about Marty looking into the case, but her curiosity is roused when someone tries to kill Marty twice.
Marty has uncovered the existence of The Scorpion, someone who not only controls the crime in the city, but the police force. When a third murder attempt is aimed at both of them, the women flee along the Gulf Coast. The only way they can save themselves is to go back where they started and solve the crime, but they have no idea who they can trust. It certainly isn't the police. The best part of The Scorpion is that Hill works the plot so expertly the reader won't know who the kingpin is until the end. Up to that point there is tension and excitement. The book is fast paced, so the reading moves quickly. The awakening that comes between Marty and Bailey is a strong part of the book, but it doesn't overshadow the mystery, as happens in so many novels. While the reader will care about them, the more intriguing question is who the Scorpion is and how he became so powerful.
Gerri Hill has crafted an intriguing crime drama with a touch of romance. It can be a good way to spend a couple of hours of entertaining reading.
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Reviewed by Lynne Pierce
The Sea Hawk is the story of a woman who can't find happiness until she's catapulted by an accident into the past. That sets up the friction in the story. How does she translate her lover in the past into her present?
Dr. Julia Blanchard is a marine archaeologist working on a shipwreck off the Georgia coast that her team has nicknamed "The Georgia Peach." Her absorption with working on the ship destroys her relationship with her lover Amy and when they break up, Julia breaks the rules of scuba diving and visits the ship alone. While she is below the sea, her ship is stolen and she's left alone to float in the Atlantic Ocean. When Julia is rescued by a sailing ship, she discovers it is the ship she's been studying, only its name is Le Faucon and it has a female captain, Simone Moreau. As Julia tries to understand what has happened to her and take advantage of this unusual opportunity to learn about the ship, she participates in adventures around the Caribbean islands and in events of the War of 1812. She also finds herself falling in love with Simone. Eventually, Julia has to face the fact that, if she finds her way back to her own time, friends and family, it will mean sacrificing the true love of her life.
Paranormal fiction requires the reader to suspend her sense of disbelief, especially when one character is sent back through time. The Sea Hawk isn't the first book to do this, but at least Adcock follows it up by trying to keep the historic details in place. The book is adventurous, contains the requisite romance and teaches information about the period. It moves quickly and holds the reader's attention.
Anyone looking for a way to pass a few hours of entertainment should find The Sea Hawk more than suitable.
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Reviewed by Lynne Pierce
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Title: Toasted
Author: Josie Gordon
ISBN-10: 1594931577; ISBN-13: 978-1594931574
Publisher: Bella Books
Available At: Bella Books
Price: $14.95
Pages: 304
Genre: Mystery |
A crime-solving priest has been done before, but not like this. Lonnie Squires, Episcopal priest in a rag-tag parish, smack in the middle of a conservative, evangelical town, filled with political—and sometimes criminal—intrigue, gets into more trouble than anyone else within 100 miles of her. Toasted is the second installment in the mystery series, as well as in Lonnie’s life as we know it. It began with Whacked, where people were hit over the head, and Lonnie was backed into a corner to try to figure out who the culprit was. Now, in Toasted, people are dying from cooking served up as part of Cousin Donna Hancock’s Loaves and Fishes Culinary Ministries evangelical cooking school road show. Fingers are pointing, red-herrings abound, and Lonnie just wants the parish to get along so she can go play soccer on her days off in peace. It doesn’t seem too much to ask, does it?
Gordon has given us an imperfect character in the Reverend Lonnie Squires. She’s easy to relate to, and we want to root for her as she struggles with her own faith and with leading her flock. Sometimes she swears—and she lives for the next game of soccer—but her compassion is strong and true. Lonnie Squires is “real.” Add to that, her experience with a failed relationship and her struggle with being a closeted lesbian, and chances are you’ve got personality aspects to which almost everyone can relate. The bumbling priest-cum-amateur-sleuth who seems to always end up at the right place at the right time, gives us mystery and mayhem with just enough comic relief to make us want more.
Toasted was a Lamba Literary Award finalist for 2010. That this is a series with a likeable, entertaining sleuth is refreshing. Fix yourself a favorite drink or grab a decadent dessert, and enjoy Toasted. But whatever you do, don’t eat the Tasty Toast Points with Sunny Spirit Salmon Spread!
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Reviewed by Anna Furtado
Medical drama happens to be my top pick of most enjoyable reading material. Authors who come to mind as the best in the genre include: Radclyffe, Robin Cook, Michael Crichton, Tess Gerritsen and Michael Palmer. Radclyffe in her latest release, Trauma Alert, combines medicine, rescue, and romance in a most engaging and satisfying saga of two women who will capture your heart.
Unabashedly, I admit I get excited when engrossed in a well-told story that holds my interest hostage. I challenge anyone not to fall head-over-heels in love with firefighter Beau Cross and find equally commendable virtues in trauma surgeon Dr. Ali Torveau (from Radclyffe’s notable, award-wining Justice Series). In over thirty-five novels, Radclyffe consistently weaves convincing tales with characters that literally leap off the page and into the hearts and minds of readers. At the risk of sounding hopelessly enamored with fictional women, I found myself worrying over the safety of both Beau and Ali, thus making it hard to turn the pages quickly enough to find out what would happen next. Am I certifiable when I fall for one or more of these characters? If so, then just commit me to the nearest insane asylum because believability is a testament to Radclyffe’s skill and that she’s done her job well.
Radclyffe has a distinct flair for creating super-powered women, human frailty included, who demonstrate expertise in their chosen fields to get any job done and kick some serious butt in the process. Ali meets Beau when she fills in as the instructor of a TER-OPS program to certify emergency personnel for special disaster rescues should such an emergency occur. Ali deals with the kinds of individuals who personify the field of men and women as “showy types” and describes them as, "Surgery bred--or perhaps simply attracted--super-confident, sexually charismatic, egotistical pains in the butt” (p. 13). She has worked with plenty of "...strong, commanding women...resilient to handle the work and disprove the lingering belief...that women couldn't cut it in the fire department” (p. 13). How is it that one Beau Cross shows up in her classroom and succeeds in throwing the resolutely aloof doctor so off course? Finding out as the story unfolds exemplifies the reason why many readers come back for more each time Radclyffe releases another novel. Maybe we’re all superhero enthusiasts, but we simply can’t get enough.
Ali fears and works hard to resist Beau’s endearing qualities, but it’s something that may take more strength than even Ali possesses. Beau is an interesting and more complicated woman than she outwardly appears. Ali may think she has her pegged at first sight, but we’re all in for a pleasant surprise when Beau consistently goes against type to cement our admiration. Despite Beau's faux exterior, it’s fun getting into her core. Besides, as evidenced by her answers to Ali's pointed questions at the first TER-OPS class, she demonstrates a totally sexy intellect. While Ali views Beau as "a heartbreak waiting to happen..." (p. 26) and Beau only feels "...alive when she's moving as fast as she can--from one crisis to the next, one woman to the next” (p. 28) theirs is a relationship doomed at the start. Why Beau feels if she stops she'll lose it all is the question and one of many reasons I could not put this book down.
I love when Ali comments about Beau to her colleague Dr. Wynter Thompson, a memorable character from Turn Back Time, another favorite from Radclyffe’s collection. Ali states, "It takes a little more than a walking orgasm with gorgeous eyes to interest me" (p. 49). It seems both Ali and Beau have personal issues to work through if they’re going to commit to one another, thus making this a totally consuming romance with all the elements the genre requires.
Beau Cross is just too much and Ali has serious trouble forgetting her for even a second. "[Ali] just had to remember the cocky, irritating part and she'd be fine." As I read, I sincerely doubted that was going to help Ali. I still have visions of how the "Elegant hollows shadowed the insides of [Beau’s] hipbones" (p. 41) when Ali examines her the first time in one memorable scene.
At first, Ali hears warning bells so loud her ears hurt. Later, as she becomes increasingly enthralled by Beau’s charms, the danger signals in her head morph into klaxons. As she gets still more caught up, will she be standing under the Bells at St. Mary's next? Ali’s fear, irrational or otherwise, is necessary for romance plot development, and Beau’s worry that Ali is more dangerous than a five-alarm fire can be totally frustrating, too, as the sexual tension between them ignites out of control. Thankfully, all the torture until they finally hook up is well worth the wait. The sex is hot, sweet, and electrifying. Radclyffe does a good job of showing the big, strong fearless Beau vulnerable in a totally captivating way with Ali an equal partner.
I appreciated the usage of the word paean here: "[Beau] wanted to hear those sounds of pleasure, the startled cries of surprise, the ultimate paean of release" (p. 215). Getting them in bed was a triumph indeed. Beau is just so adorable, I could eat her up.
Radclyffe writes against type to create interesting characters. If you’re a romance junkie who can’t get enough of medical drama with exciting rescues, life hanging in the balance, and strong, intelligent, capable characters with deep-seated inner turmoil to work through; if you also have a particular soft spot for women who are tough on the outside but have delicious creamy centers; and you just love when they finally work things out, then you will love Trauma Alert.
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Reviewed by Cheri Crystal
Trauma Alert is a fast paced introduction to Radclyffe’s new First Responder Series. Her principal characters, trauma surgeon Ali Torveau and fire fighter/paramedic Beau Cross are extremely engaging as they fight to save others, while putting their own lives on the line. Radclyffe knows the dangers of medicine, from drug-crazed patients to getting stuck with a hypodermic needle. She uses the drama of both the streets and the hospital to show readers how critical timing is, and how situations can change in the pass of a clock's second hand. While this is a stand-alone novel, her fans will recognize several important characters from previous novels.
In contrast to the tension of the job, Radclyffe also shows the light humor at the firehouse and among the hospital staff. It’s clear how the teasing and gossip allow staff to unwind and relax.
Both Beau and Ali are complex multifaceted characters who are inexplicably drawn to each other. Both women have histories which have allowed them to stay disengaged romantically. Radclyffe is an expert at building sexual tension, and she doesn’t hold back in Trauma Alert. The passion between these two women is hotter than the fires facing the fire department. This book has it all: a great story, great characters and hot sex scenes.
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Reviewed by RLynne
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Title: Truths
Author: Rebecca S. Buck
ISBN: 10: 1-60282-146-1
Publisher: Bold Stroke Books
Available At: Bold Stroke Books
Price: $16.95
Pages: 256
Genre: General Fiction
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Truths takes the reader back and forth between 2008 and 1808. Jen, the heroine of 2010, works at a prison museum, where costumed, she tells visitors about life in the infamous cells. Elizabeth, who lived in 1808, was condemned to die in the same prison. As the story weaves between the two women, truths about their lives are revealed.
Buck has done a wonderful job in portraying the prison, the women entombed there, and their lives. Jen is also well drawn as a confused young woman who is content with her job in the museum, rather than taking a chance at life in the bustling city.
Truths has a strong plot told with humor and compassion.
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Reviewed by RLynne
Beth Ellis has charted a very controlled life in academia as far away as possible from the legal bordello her mother runs in Nevada. She thought that being made the dean of Grafton College would elevate her career; instead she has to deal with an unpopular and pompous new college president, budget cutbacks and tenure battles with the professors. When the president pushes her to insure that an incompetent professor receives tenure, Beth is ready to return to the classroom. The murder of the professor forces Beth to mount a defense of the school's reputation and brings her into contact with the new police chief, Sally Sullivan.
Sally left the Chicago police to return to her hometown and be near her parents. Things were very routine and unexciting until dead bodies start showing up. As Sally and Beth work together to try to solve the mystery of what is going on at the college, they find they are drawn together, but they're on very different pages. Beth is really satisfied with casual relationships and one-night stands, but Sally is looking for something more meaningful in her life. Whether or not they can find a way to bring their goals in sync is as big a mystery as who is killing college employees.
Veritas is Anne Laughlin's second novel and it shows what most readers hope for, this writer is improving as she writes. It's clear that Laughlin is developing her ability to draw her characters more completely and to develop a story in a way that it unfolds instead of rushing to a conclusion. She is especially adept in this story at developing the mystery, giving hints, but managing to keep the identity of the killer hidden until almost the end of the book.
Beth's character is better developed than Sally's, but there is enough revealed about Sally to sustain the story. A sign of Laughlin's improvement is the fact that Veritas was a winner of the 2010 Golden Crown Literary Society Award for Mystery. Although there is a romance in the book, it actually plays a minor role and this is more of a true mystery.
Veritas is a very solid read. It's a good story with interesting characters and sustains the aspects of the mystery throughout the novel. The cover picture is excellent and will draw readers to the book by itself. They'll be pleased to find that the book is well worth reading.
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Reviewed by Lynne Pierce
Kassandra Lyall is a witch by birth, a werewolf by circumstance and a licensed Preternatural Private Investigator and Paranormal Huntress by choice. She lives in a world where vampires are an accepted part of society and werewolves aren't. That is why Kass prefers to work alone, but she's often called in by the police to help with cases. When mutilated bodies show up, Kass finds herself working on two cases that could endanger her own existence. It's obvious that there is a rogue werewolf involved in the murders and another werewolf asks her to help find her missing brother. The cases bring Kass into contact with a world she has tried to avoid and a woman she finds frightening and irresistible, Lenorre Countess Vampire of Oklahoma. Kass feels the cocoon of safety she's built around herself being ripped apart. She has to find a way to make her changing paranormal situation, the murder investigation and her complicated relationship with Lenorre come into sync and maintain her identity.
Winter Pennington fell into a twist on the proverbial stew of biting off more than she should have chewed in Witch Wolf. It's a first book in a series she intends to write about these characters and she spends more time introducing them and how they fit into the picture than she does in telling a story. She either should have written more or tried to cover less territory; then what is a passable story would have become a better book.
The publisher brands this as a romance which only works if that's interpreted in the classic definition of the word. There's very little development of a love story, which is what most readers will expect from the label. The mystery that is supposed to tie the characters together never really has much suspense about it and the answer to what is happening is apparent fairly quickly. Pennington is trying to create a complex world with complicated characters, but it would have worked better if she had let the different aspects she wants to cover show up gradually in each book instead of trying to pour it all into one. She makes a reference to something significant that happens to Kass then never mentions it again in the book. Since the title of her next book has already been announced, it's clear that this situation will be important then, but it has no relevance to this book.
What is interesting about the book is the characters and the potential they show for the future. Kassandra Lyall is a complicated personality and has a lot more to reveal about the different aspects of her life. The world of vampires as represented by Lenorre isn't typical and could be an interesting story line by itself. There is a scene about what happens to a vampire at the end of a night that describes a process not usually discussed. The strength of the series will depend on how Pennington develops the story lines from now on. Although the story in Witch Wolf is thin, it's still fine for a few hours of escapist reading and will provide a strong platform to launch the rest of the series. All the characters need are story lines that develop as they do.
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Reviewed by Lynne Pierce
Witch Wolf is the first book in the Kassandra Lyall Preternatural Investigator Series. It is set in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Oklahoma does not have any wolves, but it does have its share of werewolves and vampires. The latter have been given the same rights as other citizens. Werewolves are still pushing to be recognized as human beings. Kassandra was a police officer until she left the force after contacting the lycanthropy virus when she tangled with a werewolf. She killed the wolf but now turns furry when there is a full moon. After leaving the force she started her career as a preternatural investigator. The police force hires her when they have a crime involving the preternatural.
Pennington’s novel is a fascinating look at the werewolf and vampire cultures. Kassandra is not a member of any pack, being a natural loner. Hired by the police to track down a werewolf serial killer, she must insinuate herself into a werewolf pack and avoid bedding a vampire.
Witch Wolf is a rollicking story told with a wry sense of humor. It’s an engaging read which leaves the reader asking for more.
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Reviewed by RLynne |
