Impressions...

Review: Tangle of Need (Psy/Changeling #11) by Nalini Singh

noreply@blogger.com (Hilcia) — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 12:18:00 +0000

Adria, wolf changeling and resilient soldier, has made a break with the past--one as unpredictable in love as it was in war. Now comes a new territory, and a devastating new complication: Riaz, a SnowDancer lieutenant already sworn to a desperate woman who belongs to another.

For Riaz, the primal attraction he feels for Adria is a staggering betrayal. For Adria, his dangerous lone-wolf appeal is beyond sexual. It consumes her. It terrifies her. It threatens to undermine everything she has built of her new life. But fighting their wild compulsion toward one another proves a losing battle.

Their coming together is an inferno...and a melding of two wounded souls who promise each other no commitment, no ties, no bonds. Only pleasure. Too late, they realize that they have more to lose than they ever imagined. Drawn into a cataclysmic Psy war that may alter the fate of the world itself, they must make a decision that might just break them both.

Tangle of Need by Nalini Singh is the eleventh book of the Psy/Changling series. In this installment Ms. Singh includes the expected romance, tightens up her world building, and begins the slow process of closing open threads in preparation for the end of the series.

Riaz found his mate in a married human woman who can never belong to him because she is deeply in love with her husband. For a wolf who is supposed to mate for life, this is a soul-breaking experience and he returns to the pack hoping the warmth of the den will help him heal, even if no one knows his truth or agony. Although Riaz is a lone wolf and needs touch to survive, he cannot abide to be touched by females other than his intended mate, until he touches Adria and passion consumes him.

Adria can't even smell Riaz's scent without wanting him. After a long-term relationship with a non-dominant wolf for whom she subsumed her dominant side, an experience that almost broke her, she is not ready to give of herself again. Particularly to a dominant male who seems to dislike her even as he wants her. But Riaz and Adria desire each other too much and give in to a burning passion that quickly turns into deep friendship, seductive play and finally a soul searing love. As Riaz relentlessly fights for his soul and a future by trying to make Adria his own, for Adria it is torture knowing that Riaz can never be truly hers.

Initially, I was not invested in Riaz and Adria's romance. I think this has something to do with the fact that the focus was not entirely on them throughout the beginning of the story. However as the story moved along, I became involved with both characters and hoped that they would find a good resolution to their angsty, passionate relationship.

This romance goes against everything that has been established as to the changelings' mating culture: deep abiding love vs. the changeling's mating bond. Changelings mating for life has been the mantra so far, and once that mate is found, they can't have another. Nalini challenges her own world building by introducing the possibility that the love felt by the human side of a changeling can somehow be accepted by the changeling's animal side. She makes it work.

There are many secondary characters from the SnowDancer pack alone vying for attention and taking the focus away from the main romance in this installment. Hawke and Sienna take a lot of page time (not that I don't love them), with some of their appearances key to the story while others seem extraneous or unnecessary. They even have their own mating ceremony! Riley and Mercy also have a very special moment in this story, and there were appearances by other secondary characters. For a while there it seemed to me as if everyone who had a romance would make an appearance and take the focus away from Adria and Riaz.

Besides the romance, many events are happening at once and we see the beginning of what will ultimately be the Psy civil war. SnowDancer is in the center of the it all as they make new alliances with other changelings, and strengthen their bonds with the Human Alliance, the Psy, and old friends.

The Pure Psy organization is still limping along and causing problems, and the cracks and corruption in the PsyNet are growing. Political jockeying within the Psy is as deadly as ever, and although there are no huge battles, there are some great discoveries here. The Arrows' agenda is highlighted through Vasic and Aden's characters. Kaleb is very much in the forefront in this installment and by the end of the book turns out to be more fascinating and intriguing than ever. It seems as if he's ready to finally come out and play. Bowen of the Human Alliance plays a small key role, and both Nikita and Anthony make interesting and history-making choices.

Tangle of Need has the overall feel of a transitional book in this series -- the calm after the battle and before the war. For a change, there are some beautiful, playful, and tranquil moments to enjoy in this romance. I'm fascinated how, even when the romance is not a favorite for me personally, Singh continually manages to keep me on tether hooks waiting for the next book in this long series. Her world building has not faltered throughout, and I love the way Singh challenges her own world building with authority and makes it work. As she begins to close threads, for readers, it will become a matter of paying close attention to detail. I have a feeling we are all in for some great surprises!

Category: Paranormal Romance
Series: Psy/Changeling
Publisher/Release Date: Berkley/May 29, 2012 - Kindle Ed.
Grade: B

Visit Nalini Singh here:

My reviews of Psy/Changeling series:
Mine to Possess, Book 4
Branded by Fire, Book 6
Bonds of Justice, Book 8
Kiss of Snow, Book 10

"Quotes" of the Month

noreply@blogger.com (Hilcia) — Tue, 29 May 2012 22:45:00 +0000

Did everyone have a great weekend? I just got back to work today after the holiday. It was a hot, hot day! It actually felt like summer. Nice.

I didn't read half of the books that I planned to read during my three day weekend, but had a very nice time. Today instead of a review, I gathered a few quotes that stood out from some of the books read this month -- a few of them will be added to my collection.

She had never believed in fate. She still did not. It would make nonsense of freedom of will and choice, and it was through such freedom that we worked our way through life and learned what we needed to learn. -- Gwen, The Proposal by Mary Balogh

Better to be a neutered wizard than a woman. -- Samarkar-la, Range of Ghosts by Elizabeth Bear

To really get to know someone, get them out of their comfort zones -- out of their usual context. Then watch and learn. -- Lauren, A Promise of Safekeeping by Lisa Dale

She needn't have worried. Becca Thornton at fifty might as well have been invisible. Carts went around her, younger women picked up the romance novels, men old and young picked up the sports and car magazines, and not one of them noticed anything different about her. -- Becca, Silver Moon by Catherine Lundoff

Sweetheart. . . You think I'm going to let you go now that I have you in my clutches? You think I want to go back to living in black and white now that I know what Technicolor looks like? - Martin, Her Best Worst Mistake by Sarah Mayberry

"It's inappropriate to shoot the bad art," I said. Odin squinted. "We're criminals, baby. Everything we do is inappropriate." Melinda/Isis and Odin, The Hostage Bargain by Annika Martin

"Or if you're nervous about pain, you could consider getting your intimate hair dyed. It'd cover up the grey beautifully. It was nice seeing you, Tim." She swept up again, leaving me standing there, mortified. I had grey pubes? She'd seen my grey pubes? I mentally added tweezers to the shopping list. Tim and Olivia, Hard Tail by J.L. Merrow

Review: A Little More Scandal (The Christies #1.5) by Carrie Lofty

noreply@blogger.com (Hilcia) — Sun, 27 May 2012 15:48:00 +0000

Self-made industrialist Sir William Christie tempts the scorn of London society by attempting to seduce Catrin Jones, a modest but opinionated battlefield nurse who earned notoriety after surviving a naval shipwreck. His ambition to secure her exclusive story is part of his latest business plan, while her intention is to marry well before her moment of fame expires. With respectability, wealth, and security at stake, they must decide whether love is worth embracing just a little more scandal...

In a very short period of time Carrie Lofty has become a favorite historical romance writer and her books 'must reads' for me. Ms. Lofty has the touch when it comes to penning passionate romances that combine wonderful characters with those little historical details that I love.

A Little More Scandal is a 90 page novella that can be read as a stand alone or as a prequel to Carrie Lofty's The Christies historical romance series. As a prequel, this passionate romance gives the reader insight into Sir William Christie's character, the patriarch of the family, and adds depth to The Christies' series as a whole.

Sir William Christie is a self-made man who clawed his way from the bottom rungs of Glasgow's society's ladder and gained entrance, if not necessarily acceptance, to the very top of London's ton by using his gift for business and obsession for making money. At 31 years of age, he's a widower, an absentee father, and the head of a successful industrial empire. He is a ruthless businessman who is about to find his match in the most unlikely of women.

Catrin Jones is the Welsh daughter of a country pastor who served as a battlefield nurse for five years in the Crimean War. Her only claim to fame is that she was the only survivor when the HMS Honoria was wrecked while sailing home from the war and Catrin refuses to tell the real story. London is agog with speculation and William needs her story in order to further his latest business plans. William decides to seduce the story out of Catrin, but he doesn't expect that Catrin might have her own plans and might seduce more out of him.

This novella is character driven and as a result the focus is entirely on William and Catrin. There is a sense of urgency to William and Catrin's developing relationship, dictated by events taking place around them, that serves to push them into quick action. Catrin, more so than William, is an absolute gem of a character in this novella. She is forthright and just as ruthless in her own way as William when it comes to achieving her goal. I admired her for her determination. Together, they sizzle and burn. . . sizzle and burn. . .

As previously stated, A Little More Scandal can be read as a stand alone novella since this is a prequel and already known characters from this series do not make an appearance. However, if you've read Flawless, this short is a 'must' read. Lofty delivers all around in this passionate little novella and gives readers a detailed peek into what drove both William and Catrin to build not only an industrial empire, but a beautiful and rather unique family. Of course this novella is a delicious appetizer, but now I am eagerly waiting for the main course, the second book in the series, Starlight (The Christies, #2).

Category: Historical Romance
Series: The Christies
Publisher/Release Date: Pocket/May 29, 2012
Source: eARC from Novel Sidekick
Grade: B+

Visit Carrie Lofty here.

The Christies Series:
Flawless, Book #1
A Little More Scandal, Prequel Book #1.5
Starlight, Book #2 - Releasing June 26, 2012

Minis: J.L. Merrow, Annika Martin

noreply@blogger.com (Hilcia) — Fri, 25 May 2012 20:05:00 +0000

Happy Friday! In the States we have a three day weekend coming up for Memorial Day. I'm ready!

I'm leaving you all with mini-impressions for two novellas I read this past week: one gay romance and one erotic romance. They both turned out to be solid enjoyable reads for me. Enjoy the minis and your weekend!

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Hard Tail by J.L. Merrow (Click on title to read book summary)

I really enjoyed this gay romance between a 28 year old man who has been so deep in the closet his whole life (married and now separating from his wife) that friends and family think he's homophobic, until daily contact with a klutzy, lovely young man changes his mind and he decides to that maybe being "out" might be worth the risk.

So far I've enjoyed J.L. Merrow's characters, and Tim and Matt are no exception. The secondary characters, Jay, Tim's brother, and Adam, Matt's best friend stand out in this story. The main plot points are well rendered as Merrow tackles the subjects of closeted gay men, the different ways in which closeted gay men deal with their choice and situations, and on a related thread also features an abusive relationship.

However, don't be fooled, although those are serious subjects Merrow mixes them up with plenty of light and amusing moments: Tim's family takes the cake, the cat is hoot, the "grey pubes" moment is priceless, and I love Tim's internal dialog throughout the whole story, plus there's plenty of sexual tension and heat to go around. This is a solid and enjoyable read. Grade: B

✺✺✺✺

The Hostage Bargain by Annika Martin (Click on title to read book summary)

I also enjoyed this erotic roller coaster about thrill seeker Melinda Prescott and the three bank robbers who kidnap her and at her request make her part of their gang. This story works well as an erotic contemporary with plenty of hot D/s threesome and one-on-one scenes, thrilling adventure moments, plenty of snappy, humorous dialog, and some voyeurism to top it all off.

The three bank robbers are only known by their "god" names: Thor, Odin and Zeus, and although Melinda takes the name Isis as her "god" name, there's a sense of mystery that comes with the men's anonymity that enhances the sexy edge in this story . This gang is all about trust, sex, and well... taking and enjoying the moment. This is the first of an erotic series by Annika Martin, also known as Carolyn Crane. A great start to a hot series! Grade: B

Review: Her Best Worst Mistake by Sarah Mayberry

noreply@blogger.com (Hilcia) — Tue, 22 May 2012 16:31:00 +0000

She thinks he's stuffy. He thinks she's spoilt.
Then the gloves come off and so do their clothes!

For six years Violet Sutcliffe has known that Martin St Clair is the wrong man for her best friend. He's stuffy, old before his time, conservative. He drives Violet nuts - and the feeling is entirely mutual. Then, out of nowhere, her friend walks out just weeks before her wedding to Martin, flying to Australia on a mission of self-discovery. Back in London, Violet finds herself feeling sorry for suddenly-single Martin. At least, she tells herself it's pity she feels. Then he comes calling one dark, stormy night and they discover that beneath their mutual dislike there lies a fiery sexual chemistry.

It's crazy and all-consuming - and utterly wrong. Because not only are they chalk and cheese, oil and water, but Martin once belonged to her best friend. A friend Violet is terrified of losing. What future can there be for a relationship with so many strikes against it?

I loved this story of opposites attract by Sarah Mayberry. The initial give and take dialog alone was worth picking up Her Best Worst Mistake, but what kept me reading were the characters, emotions, and hotness that followed.

Martin is engaged to Elizabeth and Violet is Elizabeth's best friend. Violet thinks Martin is a boring, stuffed shirt and he thinks she's an attention getter and disapproves of her revealing wardrobe and loud ways. She thinks he's the wrong man for her best friend, and they both grate on each other's nerves, badly.

How do I dislike thee, let me count the ways.

When Elizabeth walks out on Martin a few weeks before the wedding and leaves for Australia to find her father and self-fulfillment, Violet finds herself constantly thinking about Martin, and believing that what she feels for him is pity seeks him out with a gift to make him feel better -- a bottle of schnapps. Of course Martin doesn't take what he sees as Violet's gloating well at all, particularly since she has been his nemesis for six years, and what begins as a rare good will move from Violet ends up in a great scene where the gloves come off!

Later, Martin gets a bit tipsy from drinking schnapps and begins to wonder why Violet chose this particular drink as a gift. He realizes that a year ago at a bar he tried schnapps and loved the taste of it, then remembers that Violet was there wearing a sparkly purple dress, too short and showy as always and . . . purple stilettos. Then it hits him, a year ago . . . and he remembers?

As though he'd opened a floodgate within himself, a storehouse of Violet-tinged memories fell out. The fact that she hated escargot but adored truffles. The fact that she'd once queued for days to buy tickets for a George Michael concert. The fact that she absolutely refused to learn the names of any players for any of the country's football teams, even though it required a concerted effort to forget the headlines and news reports focusing on the country's national obsession.

The fact that she rarely wore a bra, leaving her small breasts free to bounce with the sway of her walk.

"Shit."

A slightly tipsy Martin goes to Violet's place to find out why she gave him that bottle of schnapps, and then phew . . . all that hostility and aggression turn to burning passion as the two wind up on Violet's couch and stick-in-the-mud, Droopy Drawers Martin melts the heck out of Violet with all that heat! Violet immediately feels guilty about having slept with her best friend's ex and goes on a loop of the "I can'ts, I shouldn'ts, but I can't help myself " blues. At this point, Violet's guilt and inability to come clean with Elizabeth become the main conflicts of the story. There's a good resolution in the end, however, although there are valid reasons behind Violet's guilt, this conflict becomes the story's weakness, as the thread becomes repetitive after a while and drags out for too long.

Martin and Violet's relationship as it turns from hostility to passion and finally love is a great ride. They become obsessed with each other. There's great chemistry between Martin and Violet as a couple. However, although there are lots of those sex scenes in this story, Mayberry fully develops the romance and the characters, and by the end, we know that Martin is not just a "sex god" (as Violet refers to him), but also a good man, a sweetheart, her knight, and the one just for her, and that strong, gutsy, beautiful Violet is the woman that was meant for Martin all along.

Her Best Worst Mistake is only 155 pages long, yet when done it feels as if this contemporary romance is a much longer read. As it is often the case, this is due to Mayberry's excellent characterization, a plot that is focused on the main characters and offers emotional and amusing moments, excellent dialog, and some extremely hot scenes! A highly enjoyable contemporary romance by Ms. Mayberry.

Category: Contemporary Romance
Series: None (related)*
Publisher/Release Date: Small Cow Prod Pty Ltd/May 5, 2012 - Kindle Ed.
Grade: B+

Visit Sarah Mayberry here.

*Related book:
Hot Island Nights (Harlequin Blaze)

Review: Boys of Summer edited by Steve Berman

noreply@blogger.com (Hilcia) — Sat, 19 May 2012 18:53:00 +0000

Walt Whitman referred to a "Mad, naked, Summer Night!" In the pages of Boys of Summer, acclaimed editor Steve Berman's latest anthology, talented authors and fresh voices reveal the allure and excitement of the season for gay teens. June always promises romance. July entices with its raw heat, and August offers a languid fire that will burn out before autumn's approach. These are stories of young love and adventure, when the sky's ceiling is a bright blue marvel, when another boy's laughter at the beach can distract from dull summer jobs.

Last year I read and loved Steve Berman's young adult anthology Speaking Out: LGBTQ Youth Stand Up. This year I knew that as soon as the Boys of Summer anthology released it would be purchased and read by me, particularly since it includes stories by already favorite authors. Boys of Summer is all about the butterflies in the stomach and uncertainties that come along with that first crush or first kiss. Hot summer days, sand, surf, camping grounds, fairs, and summer evenings make the perfect settings for our boys to explore and experience.

Portrait of the Artist as a Young Swamp Thing by Ann Zeddies
With Shane's character, Ann Zeddies captures a teenager's longing to belong. It takes someone like Chase, an unlikely and unwanted friend, to show Shane that there are better choices. In this solid read about a geek and a gay boy who longs to belong, Chase certainly shows Shane that belonging doesn't always mean being part of the popular crowd. I love the summer atmosphere and the swamp setting, the excellent teenage characterization, and the ending in this story.

Get Brenda Foxworthy by Shawn Syms
In Syms' dark(ish) tale, his characters Dean, Preet and Rickie are on their way to fight back against mean girl Brenda Foxworthy who bullies through psychological abuse and underhanded manipulation. There's a violent edge to this solid story by Syms that I found provocative and one that fits with the YA LGBT theme. I like that it lends a different perspective to this anthology, and that it also gives Dean hope for change at the end.

Cave Canem by Dia Pannes
This is a good story that features Wyatt, a summer volunteer at a local pet rescue. It has dogs, dog fighting, a hot bad boy, and rescuing as a theme. The rescuing applies to both the dogs and the bad boy. There's a definite summer atmosphere, as well as that "I'm crushing on you" trope that I enjoy. The ending is ambiguous and left to the reader's imagination.

Breakwater in the Summer Dark by L Lark
L Lark features two great characters and friends in Cody and Harry. There's a history of friendship and an awkward kiss from the previous summer between them, and this year that awkwardness is compounded by the weird monster in the lake. Lark weaves a rather clever story where he combines the fear of coming out with first love, shy moments, and youthful lust. Both of his characters are plagued by different fears that are alleviated only when Cody admits to himself that he cares for Harry. I ended up loving these two boys together, monster and all.

Brass by Marguerite Croft & Christopher Reynaga
I really enjoyed this cute story about an unknown (could be any) boy who has a crush on fellow high school band member Ben. Ben plays the tuba and he plays the trumpet. This short story takes place on a hot 4th of July day as our young man makes up his mind to make a move on Ben. There's heat, a balmy evening, a car, a first kiss, and... ohhhh the possibilities that opened up on that hot summer day!

Summer's Last Stand by Aimee Payne
Aimee Payne concentrates her summer tale on bullies, family, and the all important support that young adults in the LGBT community need. She features Corey as a young man leaving for college and dreaming of leaving the suffocating and homophobic small town behind. Except that he'll also be leaving behind his grandmother, sister Emily, and best friend Lisa. During a summer party he also meets Ritchie, the romantic interest in this story, but homophobic bullies interfere. Corey has to make a decision to run or make a last stand. In this short story, Payne captures the importance of family and friends with the promise of romance.

Most Likely by Steve Berman
Most Likely bears Berman's signature writing style. I love that he sets the story in New Jersey and adds a bit of diversity to this anthology by featuring Roque, a hot Latino boy who has the hots for Gregg, a Jewish boy who turns out to be Roque's friend and big "high school crush." Berman's hints of 'the unexplained,' conjures great summer atmosphere and combines it all with Roque's uncertainty about Gregg's feelings and some jealousy that drives Roque to a passionate pursuit. This is a great read.

Leap by 'Nathan Burgoine
Ohhh, I loved this story! I did! Burgoine's boys of summer experience all the right moments: the uncertainty and butterflies that come from that first crush, the vulnerability and desire experienced during the first kiss, plus real friendship and fear for the future. Leap's setting is a Canadian camping ground where Ryan, Angie and Barb spend their summer holidays catching up, having fun, and conducting the usual lazy summer rituals until Will comes along to make this the one summer Ryan will never forget. Burgoine's Leap is a complete, detailed short story that captures all those "first" moments and hot summer days beautifully, leaving the reader feeling great at the end.

Bark if You Like Bad Boys by Sam Cameron
Sean is a secondary character in Cameron's Mystery of the Tempest: A Fisher Key Adventure, a story I really enjoyed, and I can't tell you how glad I am that he is highlighted in this anthology. There's a gorgeous summer atmosphere to Bark if You Like Bad Boys, the setting is perfect and the reader feels as if he/she is there eating ice cream at the beach. Cameron really captures the growing friendship between Sean, Rob and Andrew, and later on Sean's growing concern as events begin to take a serious turn, and the beauty of that "crush" and first kiss. I love this story.

Wheat, Barley, Lettuce, Fennel, Salt for Sorrow, Blood for Joy by Alex Jeffers
Alex Jeffers is a favorite writer and it is no surprise to me that this turned out to be one of my favorite stories. Jeffers combines a contemporary tale with a legend and in the process adds that cultural diversity that I enjoy so much. Luke sales the Aegean seas with his father and stepmother Perla as he lusts for the gorgeous Turkish deckhand, Levent. At night his erotic dreams of Levent progressively intertwine with the tragic legend of Dimuz or Adonis. This is a gorgeous story that transports the reader to the sea and another culture. There's longing, discovery, desire, and passion in this excellent boys of summer story that ends with a surprisingly sweet touch.

Boys of Summer edited by Steve Berman captures and combines those lazy days of summer with the excitement of summer crushes, love and adventures, perfectly. It's a great read for young adults experiencing or hoping to experience these feelings for the first time, or adults who have been there. Remember when? You will if you read it. Enjoy!

Category: LGBT - Young Adult
Series: None
Publisher/Release Date: Bold Strokes Books/May 8, 2012 - Kindle Ed.
Grade: B

Visit Steve Berman here.

TBR Review: The Charm School (Calhoun Chronicles #1) by Susan Wiggs

noreply@blogger.com (Hilcia) — Wed, 16 May 2012 17:57:00 +0000

TBR Challenge 2012 Theme: Old School Romance

I had a tough time choosing a book and actually began reading three of them before settling on one. In the end I chose The Charm School by Susan Wiggs, a book first published in 1999. This historical romance has been in my TBR since November of 2011. How did it get there? JenM mailed this book to me after she recommended it while commenting on a post. I mentioned that I had never read a historical romance by Susan Wiggs, only contemporaries! Thanks again Jen!

Isadora Peabody is an awkward misfit in her beautiful and accomplished family. She turns from the polite Boston society of 1841, taking a job as a bookkeeper on Captain Ryan Calhoun's ship, "Silver Swan." Sailing to Rio de Janeiro, Isadora discovers not only adventure on the journey, but passion and friendship.

The Charm School by Susan Wiggs is a great example as to why a book should never be judged by its cover, or its title. I've seen this book around countless times, and I've passed it by without ever reading the blurb. Mostly because of that title, but frankly the cover didn't help either. No kidding.

In The Charm School, Susan Wiggs brilliantly reworks the 'Ugly Duckling' fable into a romance. Izzy is the plain, dark and socially awkward ugly duckling in a family of beautiful and socially adept parents and siblings. Her journey from that ungainly, plain, and insecure person is helped along by the reluctant, handsome and roguish Captain Ryan Calhoun of the Silver Swan. Ryan resents the way Isadora gains a position as translator in his ship, and that she will be a part of his crew during the voyage to Rio de Janeiro, but he figures he'll make her pay while teaching her a lesson or two along the way. Neither Ryan nor Isadora knows that on their way to Rio they will find friendship, passion, love and more.

This romance surprised me with its charm and unexpected turn of events. There are two reasons to love this novel: Isadora's character growth from beginning to end is measurable, and Wiggs develops the romance between Isadora and Ryan in increments until it is believable to the reader. Additionally as interesting plotting points, Wiggs incorporates some serious pre-Civil War subjects and dark moments into the characters' present situation and background histories, while using humor and excellent dialogue to give the story an unexpected light and fun atmosphere.

Isadora and Ryan are both memorable characters. Isadora because of the slow transformation she undergoes from the unattractive and prissy self-proclaimed spinster into a beautiful, confident and smart young woman, and Ryan because of the way he appreciates Isadora's qualities and pushes her to acknowledge her strengths. I love the way their relationship goes from enmity to a bickering, almost reluctant friendship, and from a surprising attraction to passionate love.

I was further surprised by where this book got its title, The Charm School. I don't want to give it away, but those scenes on the ship were some of the sweetest in the book. I mean, really! There are some great secondary characters in this story. Additionally, this book has the distinction of being the one and only historical romance I've read where the heroine loses her virginity while both protagonists are high on hemp! That was an unforgettable scene. "Isadora, I adore-a." Somehow Wiggs made it work. Of course there's some expected drama before the happy ever after, and although the ending is a bit over-the-top (no question about that) I think it is appropriate for this story.

This pre-Civil War historical romance offers a sailing adventure that takes the reader from Boston to Rio de Janeiro, and through Virginia. I enjoyed the journey, but most of all I love that in the end I finished the story with a smile on my face. I'll be reading the second book of this series, The Horsemaster's Daughter.

Theme: Old School Romance
May Review

Category: Historical Romance
Series: Calhoun Chronicles
Publisher/Released: Mira/March 1, 2001
Grade: B+

Visit Susan Wiggs here.

Series:
The Charm School, Book 1
The Horsemaster's Daughter, Book 2
Halfway to Heaven, Book 3
Enchanted Afternoon, Book 4
A Summer Affair, Book 5

Mini: Under Her Uniform by Victoria Janssen

noreply@blogger.com (Hilcia) — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:55:00 +0000

Isobel Hailey has disguised herself as a man so she can fight in the British Army in World War I. Only a few people know the truth, including her two officer lovers--so why can’t she stop thinking about handsome Corporal Andrew Southey instead? Hailey has to keep her wits about her and her erotic fantasies hidden so she doesn’t blow her cover. But when she and Southey find themselves working closely on a mission, their attraction--and the truth--is impossible to deny.

Under Her Uniform by Victoria Janssen is a Spice Brief, so this is a short erotic read. The characters in this story were originally introduced in The Moonlight Mistress and the setting is the same, the French battlefields during World War I, however this is a different read. I would say that is due to length.

I really enjoyed The Moonlight Mistress, so I read this novella as soon as it released. As a secondary character, I loved Isobel/Bob in that story. I found the scenes between her and her two male lovers very erotic, however I also found Isobel and her successful masquerade as a man, intriguing. I wanted to know more about her.

Under Her Uniform works as an erotic short, and it does give depth to Isobel's character. I enjoyed her brief war adventure, as well as her sexual escapades. Janssen features a dangerous mission, plus a great threesome and later hot scenes between the main characters Southey and Hailey. I love that beside the passion, there's always a sense of connection and tenderness between the characters during these scenes.

I think this novella can be read on its own and can serve as a small sample of Janssen's historical/erotic world. However, in my opinion this Spice Brief works best as a companion to The Moonlight Mistress. If you read this novella, you will want to read that book to know more about the characters, and vice versa. Read both and you'll be satisfied. Grade B-

Visit Victoria Janssen here.

Series:
The Moonlight Mistress, Book #1
Under Her Uniform, Book #1.5

Minis: Jodi Thomas, Catherine Lundoff + Links

noreply@blogger.com (Hilcia) — Sun, 13 May 2012 16:36:00 +0000

Happy Mother's Day!

This has been a busy week. For my third blogiversary I chose to highlight favorite authors that I have recommended throughout the last three years under different categories -- Historical Romance: Mary Balogh, Fantasy: Elizabeth Bear, Contemporary Romance: Nora Roberts, Women's Fiction/Romance: Lisa Dale.

However, I didn't want to end the week without posting a couple of those mini impressions I love to feature once in a while. One book is by Jodi Thomas, another favorite author, and the other is by a "new-to-me" LGBTQ author. You all know how much I love discovering new authors and the LGBTQ sub-genre. Here they are:

Just Down the Road (Harmony# 4) by Jodi Thomas

Just Down the Road is the fourth installment in this small town romance series by Jodi Thomas. I'm loving it because Ms. Thomas has a knack for drawing characters with qualities that the reader can connect with easily. That applies to characters that take center stage, as well as to those that play secondary roles within any given book.

In this particular installment Jodi Thomas focuses on loses and finding love and hope. There is one very satisfying romance featuring a man who lost his love of life when he lost his wife to cancer, but unexpectedly finds new hope and a second chance at love through the love of an orphaned child and renewed passion when he falls for a woman who has lost her sense of self by trying to please others. Then there are other story lines, one highlighting a much loved young couple going through changes, loss and strife, now finally settling into some sort of understanding, and the other an older couple dealing with doubts and unexpected surprises.

In the meantime, secondary characters gain depth as Thomas highlights strengths, flaws and vulnerabilities. As a result when or if a time comes for these characters to take central stage they will be just as dear to the readers as they seem to be to their families and friends in Harmony. That's a kind of magic. The kind of magic that makes this quiet small town romance series a winner for me. (Contemporary Romance): Grade B+

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Silver Moon by Catherine Lundoff

In Silver Moon, Catherine Lundoff weaves a fantasy set in a small town where only a few women are called by magic to change into werewolves when menopausal symptoms flare up. This book's premise is what sold it to me.

The story's central character is a woman of a "certain age" going through multiple changes in her life, including menopause. At first glance it might seem as if equating those biological changes with the werewolf theme is dramatic, but in fact I found it to be both creative and on target. Change. Through the theme of change, Lundoff also focuses on other issues that affect women during this time in their lives. She adds insightful touches such as the "invisibility factor"* that women experience after they reach a "certain age," which ties in quite well with the issue of those same women being abandoned or dismissed by husbands or partners (like yesterday's news) for younger women.

I mentioned above that the story is about change, but in the end it's really about either fighting those changes or embracing them gracefully when the inevitable time comes. Lundoff serves this fantasy dish with a scoop of hope. While the main character in her story goes through that roller coaster, the other women show the final result: accepting change doesn't mean you have to give up love or sexuality, instead there is much to gain, lots to offer and still great things to come in the future.

I read Silver Moon from a female's perspective, but this book is categorized as a lesbian fantasy. As such, and if you read this book from a concrete or literal point of view, I would say that it is high on the fantasy/paranormal with lots of action, with amusing and insightful moments (at least they were amusing and insightful to me), and quite low on the romance. A quick, enjoyable read. (LGBT - Lesbian Fantasy): Grade B

*(If you don't know what the "invisibility factor" means, you haven't turned 50 yet. It's when people, this applies to men and women, stop seeing you as a "woman," and in fact you become almost, if not totally, invisible.)

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Finally, I would like to provide you today with links to free downloads for short stories by two favorite authors:

Cheryl St. John - Harlequin Historical: In case you haven't read it yet, here's a link to Cheryl's website where you can download the prequel to the Irish Bride's Trilogy. The first book, The Wedding Journey by Cheryl St. John is available now. I have it in my TBR and hope to read and review it soon. :)

Alex Jeffers - LGBT Gay Fantasy: Additionally, there is also a free download available here for "Firooz and His Brother," a short story that will be included in Alex Jeffers' upcoming release You Will Meet A Stranger Far From Home: Wonder Stories. I read it and loved it... wonder story indeed.

Thank you all for coming by to celebrate this week with me!

Review: A Promise of Safekeeping by Lisa Dale

noreply@blogger.com (Hilcia) — Fri, 11 May 2012 19:36:00 +0000

Continuing with favorite writers that I have recommended throughout the past three years, today I am reviewing the last book released by a favorite writer in the women's fiction with contemporary romance elements category: Lisa Dale.

I tend to love Lisa Dale's books, not only because of her beautiful prose and excellent writing skills, but also because from that first book I read in 2009 to this last one, I've found that she has developed a great knack for balancing out both contemporary women's fiction and romance. Her stories have HEA's (happy-ever-afters), but they also have some of the best characteristics found in women's fiction. Her books are usually character driven, and throughout them I've found that whatever the main subject may be, finding a path to personal growth and forgiveness are always part of her exploration. So here it is:

A Promise of Safekeeping by Lisa Dale

An unforgettable novel about love, forgiveness, and letting go.

Nine years ago, Lauren Matthews prosecuted the case of a lifetime. But her error in judgment sent an innocent man to prison. Now Arlen Fieldstone has finally been released, and Lauren has only one thing on her mind: asking forgiveness. How can she make up for nine years of his life? To get to Arlen, Lauren must first get through Arlen's best friend, Will Farris, who hasn't forgiven her for destroying Arlen's life.
In the steaming summer streets of Richmond, Virginia, three people's lives collide. Lauren needs forgiveness. Arlen needs hope. And Will? He needs something too, something that no one can know—especially not Lauren...

A Promise of Safekeeping by Lisa Dale is a character driven novel with complex characters, but not an overly complicated plot. With this novel, Dale excels at digging into her characters' motivations and in keeping the reader glued to the pages to find who these people really are deep down inside.

There are three main characters: Lauren Mathews, Will Farris, and Arlen Fieldstone. Plus there's Eula, Arlen's ex-wife, who serves as a strong secondary character. Lauren Matthews was hailed a prodigy when she prosecuted and won the case that sent Arlen Fieldstone to prison for a crime he didn't commit. Her successful career is based on that one case. When Arlen's case is retried, found not guilty and released after nine years in prison, Lauren begins to question everything about her life. There are reasons behind reasons for these questions, but the one thing she clearly knows is that she needs to ask for Arlen's forgiveness to get on with her life. Will he grant her what she needs?

Arlen Fieldstone's life went on hold when he was nineteen years old and accused of a crime he didn't commit. He lost his wife Eula and his future. Arlen wants freedom but no longer knows what the word freedom really means. After nine years he continues to live in a prison made up of fear, anger and resentment. What does he have to do to find real freedom?

Will Farris is Arlen's childhood friend. He never doubted Arlen and he's the only person there for him now. When Lauren walks through the door of his antique store, Will remembers her from the trial. His initial feelings for her are portrayed as a mixture of attraction and repulsion, dislike and personal obsession. Will's initial response is to protect Arlen and places himself between the two. However through daily contact Will's view of Lauren changes as do his feelings, and as she reveals herself to him, a key turns and he feels the need to open the door that will reveal to Lauren the real man behind the facade. But can he?

In A Promise of Safekeeping, on the surface, Dale's characters don't seem to have anything in common but beneath it all they do. They are all holding on to feelings or things that imprison them just as surely as Arlen was imprisoned for those nine years. None of them really know what freedom means and it takes truth, forgiveness and love to free them.

There is a rather dramatic scene at the end that I did not expect of such a well paced (I read this novel in one sitting) character driven novel, plus the end felt rushed and abrupt after the depth found in the rest of the story. However in this case, the ending did not detract from my overall enjoyment of A Promise of Safekeeping.

As with her previous novels, I love Dale's prose in this novel. I can't say it enough, but she definitely has the touch when it comes to fusing contemporary romance and women's fiction, because yes there is a satisfactory romance between Will and Lauren. Plus what can I say about the fact that Dale brings a couple of interesting subjects including that of wrongful incarceration to women's fiction? This is a character driven novel and Dale's deft execution when it comes to creating complex characters comes through. Recommended.

Category: Women's Fiction/Romance
Series: None
Publisher/Release Date: Penguin/January 3, 2012
Grade: B+

Visit Lisa Dale here. Read excerpts here.

Other books by Lisa Dale:
Simple Wishes
It Happened One Night
Slow Dancing on Price's Pier

Review: The Last Boyfriend (Inn BoonsBoro #2) by Nora Roberts

noreply@blogger.com (Hilcia) — Thu, 10 May 2012 16:06:00 +0000

Continuing with my blogiversary week, today I'm highlighting another author whose works I have reviewed repeatedly at Impressions throughout the last three years. Nora Roberts has been my "go to" contemporary romance author for years. Throughout the years some of her romance books have become my comfort reads, my chicken soup for the soul. Roberts has had two releases within the last month, The Witness, a book I highly recommend, and of course the latest release in her straight contemporary romance series:

The Last Boyfriend (Inn BoonsBoro, #2)

The Last Boyfriend is the second book in Nora Roberts' Inn BoonsBoro contemporary romance series. Avery McTavish, the owner of the popular pizzeria Vestra, caught my attention in the first book of the series and I've been looking forward to reading her romance with the manager and organizational genius in the Montgomery family, Owen.

What did I find in this novel by a favorite romance writer? In this book, Roberts most definitely uses a true form of the "friends to lovers" trope. Owen and Avery grew up together and have known each other since they were children. Avery even chose Owen as her first boyfriend when she was five years old, but since then they have been the best of friends. However, the relationship between them changes after they exchange a passionate kiss at the inn.

In The Last Boyfriend, and unlike what I found in the first book, there is more of a focus on the romance between Owen and Avery. They spend more time together on the page getting to know each other as a couple figuring out their new feelings and if or how they should go forward with a new relationship. As characters they are both extremely likable. Owen is a dependable, sexy sweetheart with a heart of gold, and Avery is a strong and vulnerable firecracker. She's one of Nora Roberts' redhead characters.

Owen and Avery enter into an affair early in the story, and there are passionate moments between these two people during that time, however, after those initial moments sexual tension is lacking. Additionally, their friendship and knowledge of each other's foibles and strengths allows them to work out their differences easily, so that even when few conflicts arise between Owen and Avery they seem minimal.

Although Roberts makes more time for this couple, there is a definite family atmosphere to this story. Everyone is not only involved in what's going on between Owen and Avery, but Roberts also layers additional individual story lines to the mix. It's almost as if The Last Boyfriend is one romance with Avery and Owen at its center, but with a bigger romance being told: the one between the town of Boonsboro and the whole Montgomery clan.

Roberts knows how to convey that family atmosphere on the page, and there are some wonderful moments here between the Montgomery brothers, between Avery, Hope and Clare, and between Justine (mother Montgomery) and her boys. There's one particular scene between Justine and Owen that had me in stitches... poor Owen!

It is also true that Roberts is great when it comes to research and in these books it is particularly obvious that she knows her stuff. There's the design, construction, and decoration of the inn, and now there are also other structures being restored through Boonsboro, so there are details, details, details. Beautiful details, but again, at times way too many of them and everything just works out... perfectly. And then there's the friendly ghost at the inn who by now has made her wishes known and whose backstory will predictably tie in with Hope and Ryder's romance.

I found The Last Boyfriend to be an entertaining, sweet, contemporary romance with minimal conflicts and predictable situations. It has likable characters and that wonderful family atmosphere I've come to expect from Ms. Roberts. So yes, although this story falls on the average side of the spectrum for me, there's some real tension between hot stuff Ryder and Hope in this book and I will definitely be reading the last book of the trilogy, The Perfect Hope.

Category: Contemporary Romance
Series: Inn BoonsBoro
Publisher/Release Date: Berkeley/May 1, 2012
Grade: C+

Visit Nora Roberts here.

Series:
The Next Always, #1
The Last Boyfriend, #2
The Perfect Hope, #3 (Releasing November 6, 2012)

Impressions: Range of Ghosts (Eternal Sky#1) by Elizabeth Bear

noreply@blogger.com (Hilcia) — Wed, 09 May 2012 18:23:00 +0000

This is my blogiversary week. Yesterday, I featured a review for the latest release by one of my favorite historical romance writers, Mary Balogh. Today I'm featuring one of my favorite female fantasy writers and one whose works I have recommended repeatedly at Impressions throughout the last three years, Elizabeth Bear. Here are my impressions of her latest release:

Range of Ghosts (Eternal Sky #1)

Temur, grandson of the Great Khan, is walking away from a battlefield where he was left for dead. All around lie the fallen armies of his cousin and his brother, who made war to rule the Khaganate. Temur is now the legitimate heir by blood to his grandfather’s throne, but he is not the strongest. Going into exile is the only way to survive his ruthless cousin.

Once-Princess Samarkar is climbing the thousand steps of the Citadel of the Wizards of Tsarepheth. She was heir to the Rasan Empire until her father got a son on a new wife. Then she was sent to be the wife of a Prince in Song, but that marriage ended in battle and blood. Now she has renounced her worldly power to seek the magical power of the wizards. These two will come together to stand against the hidden cult that has so carefully brought all the empires of the Celadon Highway to strife and civil war through guile and deceit and sorcerous power.

Elizabeth Bear. How does this author manage to do this to me every time? What a magnificent fantasy read Range of Ghosts turned out to be for me! I read it slowly because I wanted to savor every single detail on the pages, and I didn't want to miss a single word, nor did I want to lose track of her world building.

What made it so absorbing? The way she weaves the story, of course, plus the world building which is based on both Middle Eastern and Asian cultures, and the characters that inhabit that world, from heroes to villains.

Bear takes the reader from the steppe plains on the land of the Eternal Sky where the Great Khan once ruled and where Qori Buqa waged a terrible war killing the rightful heir to the Khagnate and leaving young Temur to flee for his life, through the Range of Ghosts where blood ghosts raised by an evil wizard threaten his life. To the Rasan Empire and the Citadel of the Wizards of Tsarepheth where Temur meets the strong and beautiful Once-Princess and now wizard Samarkar. And to the great Ala-Din stone in the Uthman Caliphate, a land of veiled women where assassins, a djinn and an evil wizard's magic drive our heroes on to the White Sea.

There is war and love, life and death, evil and magic. There is a sense that fables come to life as our hero and heroine(s) race through danger. Magic takes a toll, debts must be paid, and while villains do damage, they don't win all the battles. The hero is young, uncertain and just beginning to find his strength and will, yet females are strong and powerful in this tale of wizards and warriors. Oh, and horses are magnificent!

I love the sense of wonder in our characters as they move from their own lands and witness the changing skies that Bear uses to define the different empires, and fully experience the differing cultures of this world. There's a contradictory sense to this story in that it can lull the reader with its beauty, yet the pace is quick with action. I chose to let it lull me this time instead of quickly gobbling up the action. Bear ends this first installment at just the right moment satisfying the reader, but leaving the road open with a big 'danger ahead' sign that promises further adventures.

Of all the books I've read by Bear to date, this is the one that gets closest to what I think of as a traditional fantasy story -- that's not a bad thing... just rather surprising. I also find it interesting that this is the second series I've read where Bear begins with her hero/heroine at the end of an epic battle and where a horse comes to his/her rescue. The other story is All The Windwracked Stars. On the minus side, the first few sentences in this book worried me as they are a bit overdone! Don't let that put you off because thankfully that only lasts for a few sentences and Bear's story telling abilities quickly take over.

Range of Ghosts by Elizabeth Bear is a beautiful fantasy read and a great beginning to the Eternal Sky series. If you love fantasy, I thoroughly recommend it.

Category: Fantasy
Series: Eternal Sky #1
Publisher/Released: Tor/March 27, 2012
Grade: A-

Visit Elizabeth Bear here.

Impressions is 3! Thank You!

noreply@blogger.com (Hilcia) — Tue, 08 May 2012 17:16:00 +0000

Today Impressions of a Reader is 3! I've been doing this for three years already? Time flies when you're having fun. Thank you all for making my blogging experience throughout these past three years one that I'll always remember.

Hilcia

Review: The Proposal by Mary Balogh

noreply@blogger.com (Hilcia) — Tue, 08 May 2012 17:15:00 +0000

Gwendoline, Lady Muir, has seen her share of tragedy, especially since a freak accident took her husband much too soon. Content in a quiet life with friends and family, the young widow has no desire to marry again. But when Hugo, Lord Trentham, scoops her up in his arms after a fall, she feels a sensation that both shocks and emboldens her.

Hugo never intends to kiss Lady Muir, and frankly, he judges her to be a spoiled, frivolous—if beautiful—aristocrat. He is a gentleman in name only: a soldier whose bravery earned him a title; a merchant’s son who inherited his wealth. He is happiest when working the land, but duty and title now demand that he finds a wife. He doesn’t wish to court Lady Muir, nor have any role in the society games her kind thrives upon. Yet Hugo has never craved a woman more; Gwen’s guileless manner, infectious laugh, and lovely face have ruined him for any other woman. He wants her, but will she have him?

The hard, dour ex-military officer who so gently carried Gwen to safety is a man who needs a lesson in winning a woman’s heart. Despite her cautious nature, Gwen cannot ignore the attraction. As their two vastly different worlds come together, both will be challenged in unforeseen ways. But through courtship and seduction, Gwen soon finds that with each kiss, and with every caress, she cannot resist Hugo’s devotion, his desire, his love, and the promise of forever.

I am, unquestionably, a Mary Balogh fan. It should then be no surprise that as soon as The Proposal, the first book in her new historical romance series The Survivors' Club, was announced my excitement was great, and this book read as soon as it released.

The heroine in The Proposal is an old friend. If you've read A Summer to Remember, one of my very favorite novels by Mary Balogh, you will probably remember Gwen, Lady Muir. In that novel she was described as a beautiful widow with a limp who nevertheless seemed happy with her circumstances. I always wondered if she would find a happy ever after of her own.

In The Proposal, Balogh pairs our Lady Muir with a hero of the Napoleonic Wars. They both bear psychological scars, Hugo as a result of his actions during the war and Gwen as a result of long held guilt due to dark events that occurred during her marriage to the late Lord Muir. Neither really likes the other when they first meet as they are very different people. He is morose, stern, and holds a deep dislike of the aristocracy. She is personable and sociable. He comes from a family of businessmen and she comes from a well-known aristocratic family. On the surface they have nothing in common.

That doesn't stop Hugo and Gwen from being passionately attracted to each other or from acting on that passion. As two rational adults who think with their heads first, both agree that a relationship is not a possibility or even a consideration. The conflict, as superficially presented and argued extensively by Balogh's characters in this romance, becomes one that is seemingly about "a matter of class." However, there's always more to a Balogh novel, and as these characters are revealed in their true light through interactions and conversations, it is then understood that it is ultimately a matter of the heart.

Hugo gained his title through his heroic efforts in the war. However in his heart, he is a farmer and businessman and resents the aristocracy that made it tough for him to work his way up through the ranks in the military. Hugo is a strong man, a blunt, heroic, humble and capable man, yet he's also insecure when among the aristocracy except when in the company of fellow members of the Survivors' Club. He's convinced that he needs a wife of his own class to be happy, but finds himself passionately and physically attracted to Gwendoline. This is not necessarily a problem for him until he slowly becomes impossibly emotionally attached.

At first Gwendoline's attraction for Hugo is also physical, even as she doesn't necessarily understand her passion for such a man. However there's an affinity of spirit between Gwen and this blunt man that slowly and surely gains ground. She falls in love. But will love be enough for Gwen this time around? Can they put aside their differences and doubts?

In The Proposal there are no outside villains that become part of the conflict. The conflict that takes place is entirely between the two protagonists. As such this novel is character driven and entirely focused on the main characters, relying on dialogue and internal musings, doubts and personal realizations to move the romance along. There is physical passion, but there's also a subtle kind of passion that can be found in the characters' personal actions. This is a subtle romance.

It is because this is such a character driven novel that I found it to be uneven in sections. The emotions from one character or another are not always well-conveyed to the reader, and that surprised me. There's also a lack of flow and fine detail in some sections of this novel that were unexpected. This is Ms. Balogh and my expectations are always high. Regardless, I was able to lose myself in the story until the end.

The Proposal did not turn out to be my favorite story by this favorite writer. It is still a historical romance that I recommend if you like character driven novels with a subtle touch. I am most certainly looking forward to reading the upcoming stories about the members of the Survivors' Club. In this first novel, Balogh piqued my interest with her description of those characters and I can't wait for their happy ever afters.

Category: Historical Romance
Series: The Survivors Club, #1
Publisher/Release Date: Random House/May 1, 2012 - Kindle Ed.
Grade: B-

Visit Mary Balogh here.

Review: Bear Like Me by Jonathan Cohen

noreply@blogger.com (Hilcia) — Sun, 06 May 2012 13:24:00 +0000

Fired from his job at Phag magazine, Peter Mallory has to find a way to make a living...and get revenge When his best friend suggests writing a book about the bear community--and using his new ursine look to go undercover at Phag--Peter is soon letting his body hair grow and practising the fine art of flannel couture. When Peter's sabotage campaign works only too well, he starts to run the risk of discovery. With an envious fellow bear set to unmask Peter as a fraud, and a relationship with an intriguing bear on the line, things are about to get very hairy.

I'm a fan of bear erotica and bearish romances when I find them, so Bear Like Me by Jonathan Cohen, an amusing, light tale about a man who becomes part of the bear community, through let's say the back door, is right up my alley.

Cohen weaves this bearish story around Peter Mallory, a journalist and self-proclaimed twink who becomes obsessed with getting revenge after he's fired from his job at Phag magazine. In the meantime he needs to make a living and at his friend Mac's suggestion Peter decides to write a novel about the bear community. Unfortunately, he is clueless. Problem? He's part of the mainstream gay community and lives in what he refers to as the "gay ghetto," but Peter doesn't even know what a bear is!

Mac suggests Peter go undercover to research his novel. To blend in he grows a beard, stops waxing his body hair, and gains heft by eating like food is going out of style. And in some of the most amusing moments in the story, his wardrobe undergoes a dramatic change as Peter sheds his trendy suits and ties for flannel. Of course there's more to the experience than growing fur, changing wardrobe or gaining weight.

"Becoming a bear, just like coming out of the closet, requires a certain shift in perception. What you find attractive, what you find acceptable, what you deem important, all changes. In a way you become an outsider, but in a way you become part of a small, select private group. Usually this is a long process that accompanies repeated exposure to the bear community. I didn't, however, have the luxury of time."

Peter's partner Danny is not necessarily over the moon about the lack of income, but all the physical and psychological changes that slowly turn Peter into his other self, Dan the bear, take a real toll on the relationship.

Peter/Dan is driven by his obsession to get that revenge against Phag, meanwhile that "shift in perception" slowly takes place within Peter. This takes time, however even as he clings to the belief that inside he is still a twink and that his foray into to bear community is temporary Peter falls for Ben, a big teddy bear of man who sees the bear and other qualities in him that Peter doesn't see in himself. Unfortunately Peter doesn't know when to stop lying and scheming, so that by the time he comes to his senses it might be too late to keep the friends who welcomed him with opened arms, or his man.

There are over-the-top moments (Peter loves and attracts drama like a magnet), and since this book was first published in 2003, a rather dated back story. But I like that through all the mayhem Cohen sneaks in slight critical views of both the mainstream gay and bear communities from an insider and an outsider's point of view. Additionally, the pace of the novel is quick as lightning and it makes this story not only entertaining, but a super fast read.

In Bear Like Me, Cohen presents an overview of the bear community with all its rules and bearish family atmosphere. Peter's second coming out story as a bear is entertaining with an intentionally campy style, outrageous moments, and a surprisingly sweet romance.

Category: Gay Fiction/Romance
Series: None
Publisher/Release Date: Bear Bones Books/June 9, 2011
Source: Lethe Press
Grade: B

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About the Author (Summarized): Jonathan Cohen was born to non-bear parents 40-some years ago in Toronto, Canada. The rise of the Internet in 1995 connected Jonathan to a community he'd never heard of before. "Bears" were hairy, bearded, large men, Jonathan found to his surprise --- and they liked men just like him! After coming out to himself and others as a bear, he decided to study their community, their rituals, and of course their sexual practices. The novel Bear Like Me was the result and was published in 2003. Jonathan now lives in Toronto. Brown hair is turning to gray, but Jonathan still remembers those halcyon bear days and gropes of yore.

Review: Naked Angel (Club Burlesque) by Logan Belle

noreply@blogger.com (Hilcia) — Fri, 04 May 2012 01:22:00 +0000

Naked Angel is the third book in Logan Belle's Club Burlesque trilogy. I did not read the first book of the series Blue Angel, but got hooked on this sexy erotic romance trilogy after reading the second book, Fallen Angel. However, I do not recommend that this book be read as a stand alone.

Earlier, Wendy very aptly described this series as a soap opera and she hit the nail on the head. That's exactly what this series is, an erotic soap opera where the characters are either jumping in and out of bed with each other, lusting after each other, planning revenge, or going behind each other's backs to outdo the next guy/gal, all in an uber erotic burlesque setting. I love it.

There's the main couple Mallory and Alec, whose erotic romps and romantic ups and downs began on that first book and end with the trilogy. After going through their romantic woes in Fallen Angel, in this installment Mallory is trying to get their new burlesque club The Painted Lady off to a good start, while Alec decides it is time to ask her to tie the knot. Mallory is fine with the idea until Alec suggests that maybe Mallory should hang up her feather boa and pasties and stop dancing. Wha...???!! Is that boy out of his mind? Mallory loves to shake her booty, and didn't she give up law school for burlesque in the first place? What is he thinking?!

THEN Logan introduces Nadia, a failed ballerina who decides to use her dancing background to make a new life for herself by dancing burlesque. Unfortunately she meets Max, the owner of a small ballet company who thinks Nadia can do better than make a living as a burlesque dancer. They lust after each other and fall for each other, and although he can't keep his hands off of her still resents her job and makes an idiot out of himself. Ohhh the drama!

THEN, there's Violet Offender! Violet is the villainous dominatrix who previously had the hots for Mallory and then turned into her bitter enemy. She is sneaky, manipulative, underhanded, and a personal favorite. Of course there's also Gemma, a character brought to the forefront to play additional havoc with our cast of characters. I could go on, but to make a long story short, there's an affair, a divorce, a burlesque competition, some pretty twisted back stabbing, all while the steam rises and the erotic romps abound.

Mallory, Alec and Violet Offender are likable and memorable, although I would say that they are defined as characters only to a certain degree. Unfortunately there's just not enough depth there to make a real emotional connection with the some of the characters that play a central role in this installment. I'm referring to Nadia and Max. I found Max to be self-centered, domineering, and demanding with less than valid concerns, and Nadia too easily and suddenly agreeable to his demands, as well as unbelievably understanding.

My favorite aspect of Naked Angel, as with Blue Angel, is the setting. Logan Belle's wonderful world of burlesque is one of beautiful costumes, sequins, feather boas, pasties, and music where even the dances are described in fine detail. I also obviously enjoy the ins and outs of the characters' drama-driven lives and their erotic adventures. Fortunately Logan Belle ends the trilogy quite nicely indeed with plenty of that drama, a happily ever after, and some extra surprises. (I'm going back to read that first book I missed. :D )

Category: Erotic Romance
Series: Club Burlesque
Publisher/Release Date: Aphrodesia/March 27, 2012
Source: Kensington Publishing
Grade: B

Visit Logan Belle here.

Trilogy:

April 2012: Reads + Updates

noreply@blogger.com (Hilcia) — Tue, 01 May 2012 12:37:00 +0000

April is over. The good thing about April? There were new releases that I was looking forward to reading and I read them all. That means that even with all those crazy "real life" issues that are continuously affecting my daily life lately my reading slump is officially over. Good thing!

Anyway, here are my reads for the month. Those new releases were wonderful because they got me to read and I enjoyed them for different reasons, but only a few of them made it to the top of my list:

Total Books Read: 18
Contemporary: 4 (Romance: 2 Romance Suspense: 1 Romance Erotica: 1)
Historical Romance: 3
Urban Fantasy/PNR: 1
LGBT: 10 (Romance: 5 Fiction: 2 Spec Fic: 2 Memoir: 1)

1.   About That Night by Julie James: C
2.   Just Down the Road by Jodi Thomas (Upcoming Review)
3.   The Duke's Perfect Wife by Jennifer Ashley: B-
4.   The Rake by Mary Jo Putney: A-
5.   Split by Mel Bossa: A-
6.   Private Eye by S.E. Culpepper: C-
7.   Almost a Gentleman by Pam Rosenthal: C
8.   Carbon and Ash by Chris Owen (Re-read): B
9.   Added Money by Chris Owen: C+
10. Lover Reborn (BDB#10) by J.R. Ward: C-
11. Lily by Xavier Axelson: B
12. Dutch's Boy by Xavier Axelson: B
13. Earthly Concerns by Xavier Axelson: B
14. The Heart's History by Lewis DeSimone: B+
15. The Witness by Nora Roberts: A
16. Bear Like Me by Jonathan Cohen (Upcoming Review)
17. Naked Angel (Club Burlesque) by Logan Belle (Upcoming Review)
18. Dirty Poole: A Sensual Memoir by Wakefield Poole (Upcoming Review)

Upcoming Reviews:

Currently Reading:

These are two very different books! Range of Ghosts is Elizabeth Bear's latest release and the first book in her latest fantasy series Eternal Sky. I'm loving her world building so far, but I'm not far into the book so I can't tell you much about the characters yet.

The same goes for The Seduction of Phaeton Black by Jillian Stone. This is more of a Victorian noir, paranormal romance. The beginning of the book is quite erotic, so I'm expecting the steam level to be on the high end of the scale. That first chapter kept me reading and Phaeton Black is certainly a character! Let's see how it turns out.

That's it for my April reads. May looks like it's going to be a great reading month too... I'm looking forward to reading quite a few new releases. How about you? How did your April turn out?

A Look at Xavier Axelson

noreply@blogger.com (Hilcia) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 16:46:00 +0000

I read my first book by Xavier Axelson, The Incident, back in November of 2011. This book is a gay romance, but the way Axelson dug deep into his characters had a lot to do with the reasons behind my including it with my list of 2011 LGBT Favorite Books and Authors under the romance category. I liked his style.

Since that time I've read a few of his books, from his back list and new releases as they come along, but I've not reviewed them. This month alone I read titles by Axelson, so I figure it's time to go ahead and give you some quick impressions of his books and why I read them.

First let me begin by saying that The Incident remains my favorite book by Xavier Axelson. After having read most of his works, it is the one gay romance written by him that I found to have both depth in characterization as well as that emotional connection that makes for an effective and memorable romance.

Having said that, Axelson also conveys that emotional connection between the main characters in The Birches. In this story, I love the way that he connects eroticism and the pleasures of sex with those of food and cooking. The depth of character that I found in The Incident is not there, but then this is a lighter, less character or angst driven story, instead the romance and the erotic make The Birches a surprisingly pleasurable read. Certainly after reading it, I kept looking for more books by the author. :D

Of Axelson's older romance-related releases, Dutch's Boy is my favorite. Of course this may be because I love westerns and to me there's nothing sexier than a cowboy. What I found in Dutch's Boy is an idealized romance between a young man who finds the courage to show his father his independence by competing at the rodeo, while finally finding love in the arms of the young man he has dreamed of throughout his young life. It's a lovely, sweet romance with some very erotic moments between Harry and Reb. Axelson can certainly write those bedroom scenes... although I particularly enjoyed that tense scene on the train between Harry and Blake. Pheww!

There is also the very short story Christmas Eve At The Powers That Be Cafe. I believe this was the author's first book... and although it has its flaws, I definitely recommend it as a sexy holiday M/M romance read set during World War II. Again, I was particularly taken with the intensity and emotional connection between the characters during the sexual scenes, and of course I love the setting and atmosphere even as the ending struck me as being less than plausible but high on the sweet scale.

Axelson also writes stories that fall under the erotic horror category, or speculative fiction with a strong dash of the erotic. In Lily we have a father who lost his daughter to the woods and a wolf. He suffers deeply but believes that she'll return to him for one day on the anniversary of her disappearance. During that year he finds a man who believes in him and loves him. This story is about new beginnings and accepting loss. I don't know why I was so surprised at how sexy this story turned out to be, even with all the angst and suffering, and the loving... there's lots of love here too. For me, although there's that paranormal/horror aspect to the story and Lily is a key character, the romance is just as important so I love that it has a good happy ending for the main couple.

However in Earthly Concerns although there are some erotic scenes and romantic angst, the horror supersedes the romance and the erotic. This story is definitely more on the spec fic side. There's a chilling fear and horror that permeate this story. As one character is warm and caring, the other is cold and remains distant throughout, making the reader doubt his true motives and intentions until the very end. Speaking of the end, because I read this story from the spec fic point of view and not necessarily as a romance, I was a bit disappointed. Although in this case, I have a suspicion that I might be in the minority. [grin] Except for that ending, this is one chilling, scary story and although short, I thought it was very well done!

As an interesting aside, three of Axelson's books, Dutch's Boy, Lily and Earthly Concerns, feature sons and/or daughters and subjects related to parental errors in judgment or parents who need to accept loss and/or their children's choices.

If you're an M/M romance reader, you might enjoy these books and I do recommend them for you. If you would like to know a bit more about Mr. Axelson, you might want to read "A Conversation with Xavier Axelson by Gavin Atlas." This interview inspired me to read that first book.

New Releases: May 2012 + A Peek Ahead

noreply@blogger.com (Hilcia) — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 15:14:00 +0000

April has been a good month for new releases, at least there were books that interested me, but May is looking excellent on that front too. There are new releases from quite a few of the different genres that I enjoy reading regularly.

Here are a few of them:

A couple of notes before I proceed: On a different post, I highlighted The Promise by Mary Balogh. This book releases on May 1, 2012 and I'm obviously looking forward to reading it! Check out the summary here.

Also releasing on May 15, 2012 is The Heart's History by Lewis DeSimone. I already read and reviewed this book, and as it turned out this was a great read! Check out the review here.

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The Last Boyfriend (Inn BoonsBoro #2) by Nora Roberts
Release Date: May 1, 2012

Owen is the organizer of the Montgomery clan, running the family’s construction business with an iron fist—and an even less flexible spreadsheet. And though his brothers bust on his compulsive list-making, the Inn BoonsBoro is about to open right on schedule. The only thing Owen didn’t plan for was Avery McTavish...

Avery’s popular pizza place is right across the street from the inn, giving her a first-hand look at its amazing renovation—and a newfound appreciation for Owen. Since he was her first boyfriend when they were kids, Owen has never been far from Avery’s thoughts. But the attraction she’s feeling for him now is far from innocent.

As Avery and Owen cautiously take their relationship to another level, the opening of the inn gives the whole town of Boonsboro a reason to celebrate. But Owen’s hard work has only begun. Getting Avery to let down her guard is going to take longer than he expected—and so will getting her to realize that her first boyfriend is going to be her last…

The first book of this series wasn't an absolute winner for me, but this is a romance by Nora Roberts and there's no way I'm not reading the second book in this contemporary romance series. I always have high hopes. Besides, I just read and loved The Witness, so why not?

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The Weird: A Compendium of Strange and Dark Stories edited by Ann and Jeff VanderMeer
Release Date: May 8, 2012

From Lovecraft to Borges to Gaiman, a century of intrepid literary experimentation has created a corpus of dark and strange stories that transcend all known genre boundaries. Together these stories form The Weird, and its practitioners include some of the greatest names in twentieth and twenty-first century literature.

Exotic and esoteric, The Weird plunges you into dark domains and brings you face to face with surreal monstrosities. You won’t find any elves or wizards here...but you will find the biggest, boldest, and downright most peculiar stories from the last hundred years bound together in the biggest Weird collection ever assembled.

The Weird features 110 stories by an all-star cast, from literary legends to international bestsellers to Booker Prize winners: including William Gibson, George R. R. Martin, Stephen King, Angela Carter, Kelly Link, Franz Kafka, China Miéville, Clive Barker, Haruki Murakami, M. R. James, Neil Gaiman, Mervyn Peake, and Michael Chabon.

Do I have to say anything about wanting to read this book? I love anything that has to do with the weird, and just look at that list of authors! So, what else is there to say? This is a must read for me. :D

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Railsea by China Miéville
Release Date: May 15, 2012

On board the moletrain Medes, Sham Yes ap Soorap watches in awe as he witnesses his first moldywarpe hunt: the giant mole bursting from the earth, the harpoonists targeting their prey, the battle resulting in one’s death and the other’s glory. But no matter how spectacular it is, Sham can't shake the sense that there is more to life than traveling the endless rails of the railsea–even if his captain can think only of the hunt for the ivory-coloured mole she’s been chasing since it took her arm all those years ago. When they come across a wrecked train, at first it's a welcome distraction. But what Sham finds in the derelict—a series of pictures hinting at something, somewhere, that should be impossible—leads to considerably more than he'd bargained for. Soon he's hunted on all sides, by pirates, trainsfolk, monsters and salvage-scrabblers. And it might not be just Sham's life that's about to change. It could be the whole of the rail sea.

Talking about the "weird," China Miéville excels at it. He has become a favorite writer after reading only a couple of his books (I still have a few of his earlier works in my TBR). The thing about this author is that both of the books I've read managed to make it to my "best of" lists, so why would I not pick up his latest release? This story sounds like an earthbound Moby Dick, Miéville style. Let's see what weird, fantastic characters this author creates in this story. I can't wait to find out. :D

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Silver Moon by Catherine Lundoff
Release Date: May 20, 2012

Becca Thornton, divorced, middle-aged, and barely out of the closet, discovers that life can still hold some strange surprises, when she discovers that her body is changing; menopause turns her into a werewolf. Apparently she is not the only one, as a number of women in her town of Wolf's Point seem to have had the same experience. As the newest member of the pack, Becca learns her nights are not spent only protecting the town and running through the woods howling at the moon. There are werewolf hunters in town and they've got Becca in their sights.

This is Lundoff's first novel, however she has won various awards for her short stories, including the 2010 Gaylactic Spectrum Award Best Other Work. She's also the editor of various lesbian anthologies. I've never read Ms. Lundoff's work, but the blurb for this book had me at "menopause turns her into a werewolf." LOL! After reading that line, I KNEW this book was going on my list. Ohhh, I just need to know how the author handles this premise. [grin]

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A Night Like This (Smythe-Smith #2) by Julia Quinn
Release Date: May 29, 2012

Anne Wynter might not be who she says she is . . .

But she's managing quite well as a governess to three highborn young ladies. Her job can be a challenge—in a single week she finds herself hiding in a closet full of tubas, playing an evil queen in a play that might be a tragedy (or might be a comedy—no one is sure), and tending to the wounds of the oh-so-dashing Earl of Winstead. After years of dodging unwanted advances, he's the first man who has truly tempted her, and it's getting harder and harder to remind herself that a governess has no business flirting with a nobleman.

Daniel Smythe-Smith Might be in mortal danger . . .

But that's not going to stop the young earl from falling in love. And when he spies a mysterious woman at his family's annual musicale, he vows to pursue her, even if that means spending his days with a ten-year-old who thinks she's a unicorn. But Daniel has an enemy, one who has vowed to see him dead. And when Anne is thrown into peril, he will stop at nothing to ensure their happy ending . . .

I read but never reviewed the first book in this series although I enjoyed it. Actually I just noticed that I've never reviewed any of the books that I've read by Julia Quinn. I need to remedy that! I'm not missing this book. I love the infamous Smythe-Smith ladies. They're a hoot!

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A PEEK AHEAD:

Here is a look ahead to some future releases I can't wait to read from favorite authors:

Redshirts: A Novel with Three Codas by John Scalzi - Release Date: June 5, 2012
Scandal Wears Satin (Dressmakers #2) by Loretta Chase - Release Date: June 26, 2012
You Will Meet A Stranger Far From Home by Alex Jeffers - Release Date: July 14, 2012

Gunmetal Magic by Ilona Andrews - Release Date: July 31, 2012
Captain Harding and His Men by Elliott Mackle - Release Date: August 1, 2012
Green Thumb by Tom Cardamone - Release Date: August 2, 2012

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There you are, some of the books I can't wait to read! As always I tried to include a little bit of this and a little bit of that since so many different genres and sub-genres interest me. In this case I only highlighted one contemporary romance, so now I'm asking you... what contemporary books are you looking forward to reading in May? What about the other genres, anything that caught your eye?

Review: Doubletake (Cal Leandros #7) by Rob Thurman

noreply@blogger.com (Hilcia) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 15:16:00 +0000

Half-human/half-monster Cal Leandros knows that family is a pain. But now that pain belongs to his half-brother, Niko. Niko's shady father is in town, and he needs a big favor. Even worse is the reunion being held by the devious Puck race-including the Leandros' friend, Robin- featuring a lottery that no Puck wants to win.

As Cal tries to keep both Niko and Robin from paying the ultimate price for their kin, a horrific reminder from Cal's own past arrives to remind him that blood is thicker than water-and that's why it's so much more fun to spill.

Today I'll be over at Breezing Through with two lovely ladies, Nath from Books, Books and More Books and Leslie from Leslie's Psyche. We are discussing Doubletake, the 7th installment in the Cal Leandros urban fantasy series by Rob Thurman.

Nath, Leslie and I have been reading this series from the beginning. Leslie and I have had the pleasure of taking turns buddy reviewing the books with Nath as the series has progressed. This time all three of us had a great time discussing Doubletake, which turned out to have a bit of a twist that drove the three of us a bit nutty. A warning, please be prepared for a detailed discussion with spoilers galore.

Interestingly enough although all three of us enjoyed this installment, this time my grade was vastly different from the ones awarded by my fellow readers. Why? Check out the review.

Category: Urban Fantasy
Series: Cal Leandros
Publisher/Release Date: ROC/March 2012 - Kindle Ed.
Grade: B-

Series:
Nightlife, Book 1
Moonshine, Book 2
Madhouse, Book 3
Deathwish, Book 4
Roadkill, Book 5
Blackout, Book 6
Doubletake, Book 7

Review: The Witness by Nora Roberts

noreply@blogger.com (Hilcia) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 13:56:00 +0000

Daughter of a controlling mother, Elizabeth finally let loose one night, drinking at a nightclub and allowing a strange man's seductive Russian accent lure her to a house on Lake Shore Drive. The events that followed changed her life forever.

Twelve years later, the woman known as Abigail Lowery lives on the outskirts of a small town in the Ozarks. A freelance programmer, she designs sophisticated security systems--and supplements her own security with a fierce dog and an assortment of firearms. She keeps to herself, saying little, revealing nothing. But Abigail's reserve only intrigues police chief Brooks Gleason. Her logical mind, her secretive nature, and her unromantic viewpoints leave him fascinated but frustrated. He suspects that Abigail needs protection from something--and that her elaborate defenses hide a story that must be revealed.

The Witness by Nora Roberts is her 200th novel. That's a great achievement, however, the best aspect of this celebration is that Ms. Roberts has done it with style by coming up with a winner!

The Witness is a stand alone romance suspense novel with all the ingredients that make this genre work. Ms. Roberts front loads the story with the tense and suspenseful story of a teenage Elizabeth Fitch whose one moment of rebellion against her cold and controlling mother ends in blood and tragedy. At age sixteen, witnessing two murders committed by the Russian Mafia and the events that follow change her life forever. This first section of the story entitled Elizabeth is gripping, fast paced, and action packed. I was sitting at the edge of my sit, holding my breath, wondering what and how, events were going to unfold.

Twelve years later in a small tourist town in the Osarks, the newest resident loner and local curiosity Abigail Lowery meets the town's police chief Brooks Gleason. At this point the story shifts into more of a contemporary romance, but in the background it maintains that thrum of suspense from the first section of the book. The reader doesn't know what is going to happen or if that part of Abigail/Elizabeth's life is going to come roaring back into her life at any minute. So while the romance builds, the tension oozing from Abigail's character, her paranoia and fear, all serve to keep the reader on edge.

The romance between Brooks and Abigail is wonderful. Abigail is socially inadequate, with the awkward personality of someone who is brilliant and logical but concrete in her way of thinking. By choice and necessity, she has maintained herself isolated and is easily confused by everyday interactions and emotions. Brooks on the other hand is a charmer who comes from a close-knit family and thankfully has magnificent social skills. He's a good cop with excellent insight and judgment, and an even better man who is not only understanding and protective, but loves unconditionally and is able to think outside of the box. These two balance each other out perfectly.

Brooks falls for Abigail like a ton of bricks and doesn't give up on her for one minute. I love the way he romances Abigail -- the way Brooks confuses and annoys her with the kind of logic she just doesn't understand, and is relentless until she opens up slowly to the possibility that she too can have love, specifically this man's, in her life.

The Witness is a long novel divided into four sections, yet it doesn't "feel" like a long read. One of the aspects of the novel that helps along is the fact that the suspense and the romance are well woven together. There's edge at the beginning, romance with that underlying thrum of suspense plus a few side plots with action throughout the middle to keep the reader on edge, and a satisfying and rather surprising ending to all of it.

Abigail designs sophisticated security systems and, as always, Ms. Roberts has done excellent research for this novel on that front, but there are no long sections where that research is overtly exposed, instead it is woven tightly with the plot. The other pleasing aspect of the novel is that although Ms. Roberts makes Brooks' family come alive to the reader, they do not take the focus away from the main characters or the suspense plot. In this case, just as the rest of the characters in the town, they serve as a perfect foil to the main characters.

The Witness is what I've come to expect from a Nora Roberts novel. There's a reason Nora Roberts has become my "go to" contemporary author throughout the years. If you want to know why she's such a success read The Witness, it is an excellent example of her best efforts.

Category: Contemporary Romance Suspense
Series: None
Publisher/Release Date: Putnam/April 17, 2012 - Kindle Ed.
Grade: A

Visit Nora Roberts here.

Nora Roberts - Romance Suspense Reviews:
The Search
Black Hills
High Noon

Review: The Heart's History by Lewis DeSimone

noreply@blogger.com (Hilcia) — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 17:52:00 +0000

This is Edward architect, friend, lover, mystery. Everyone has their own Edward a kaleidoscope of images struggling to define a man who has never let anyone get too close. But now, Edward is dying, and all of his loved ones are desperate to understand him, to connect fully with him, before it's too late.

This is Edward...

I was drained by the time I finished reading The Heart's History by Lewis DeSimone. Talk about characters that come alive and jump off the page! And I'm not just referring to Edward, I'm referring to all the other characters that revolve around him like planets around a sun: Harlan, Bill, Kyle, and Edward's lover Robert.

Yes, through these characters' inner struggles, some excellent dialogue that made me laugh out loud, cry and ponder, even as I wanted to know more about the motivation behind some personal decisions, by the time I finished reading this book they had ceased to be characters and had become Harlan, Bill, Kyle, and Robert.

And Edward. The Sun. Edward is dying of AIDS in an era when most of those around him that are afflicted, manage the disease and survive. Portrayed in fragmented pieces as his friends and lover bring him to life for the reader, Edward with his strengths and weaknesses seems to know something that they don't know. A whole village is needed to figure out the fragmented pieces that make up the puzzle that is this man, and still he leaves his loved ones wanting more. The questions: Can you ever fully know, understand, or connect with the person you love? Is it necessary to connect all the pieces of the puzzle to make that love more meaningful or real? What a character!

DeSimone builds a realistic portrait of these men's lives, gay life, as it was during the first part of the 21st Century -- 2002 through 2007. These are friends that through the years become a close-knit family, closer and more meaningful to each other than blood relatives because together they share the beauty, obstacles and realities presented by the gay lifestyle. A lifestyle that begins to change and shift with the advent of gay marriage and relationship commitments, all of it possibly leading to assimilation into the larger mainstream community. The uncertainty and differing points of view on this subject are examined in detail through DeSimone's excellent portrayals of Harlan and Greg's characters.

However, where DeSimone really succeeds is in how he delves into the heart and the individual's need for connection. Through the shifting and very different perspectives of Bill, Kyle, Harlan and Robert, the author takes the reader on a journey where the depth of love, the need for connection and the struggle to maintain individuality in the face of both are deeply explored.

The Heart's History is an intimate portrait of the individuals and families that made up the gay community during a time of significant change, but more accurately it is a portrait of the human heart, the struggle, the hopes and joys that come from that search for connection through love.

Category: LGBT/Gay Fiction
Series: None
Publisher/Release Date: Lethe Press/May 15, 2012
Source: Lethe Press
Grade: B+

Visit Lewis DeSimone here.

Other novels by this author:
Chemistry

Impressions: Lover Reborn (BDB #10) by J.R. Ward

noreply@blogger.com (Hilcia) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 15:39:00 +0000

Yes I read this book, even though after reading Lover Enshrined I swore I would never read another BDB book again. But, yeah... I wanted to finish reading the stories about the "original" brothers and so I caved. Yeah.

Tohr and No'One's story/romance turns out to be about sex, sex,and more sex as a remedy to the brother's angst and refusal to get over the loss of his first shellan/wife Wells. Yeap. Tohr turns into a user and abuser (he abuses No'One verbally), until almost the end of the book, just so the poor schmuck can get over his 'owie.' Oh, and no romance for him either. Nope. No bonding, no bonding scent, nothing. Just an "I love you" at the end and an "she'll do" attitude. Meh...

Then there's No'One/Autumn who's a glutton for self-punishment with her "I'll take your abuse now, and some more later, yeah give me more" attitude. Just another female of "worth" who doesn't think she's worth anything in this series. And yeah... she settles for being 'less-than' at the end too. All that angst for Tohrment and Autumn and no real romance to speak of... just a wimpy little second best type of second chance at love for our beautiful Tohr.

The rest of the book is all about Xhex putting her foot down about being treated as a female of worth! Yeah... it's all about being "allowed" by her hellren/husband John Matthew and the Brotherhood to fight. She's given a crumb at the end when they assign an investigation to her (no fighting involved), but going by the past histories of the females in this series we have to wonder if that will last.

There are no real "villains" in this story. The villains are obviously being slated to be future "heroes" at some point. The Band of Bastards are introduced as a whole bunch of rogue vampires looking to take down Wrath as king, with the idiots from the glymera as their backup, but already some of those characters are being developed for the future. The lessers don't really play a role in this story.

Layla, Quinn, Blay, and Saxton are all featured with Quinn and Layla going into the realm of the ridiculous, and Layla playing that usual servile female role that just grates. We all know she has been trained to be blood donnor to the whole of the BDB world, but in this book her lack of brains -- her portrayal as a brainless bimbo -- just floored me.

But this read wasn't all negative for me. No. Good funny/fun moments? Rhage doing his booty dance -- lord he brought back some great memories and made me laugh! Lassiter and his addiction to television and Real Housewives . Lassiter and Tohr at the movies. And yes, there's that certain 'something' (the crack factor) that is still there and that pulls at the reader -- particularly to an old addict like me.

Other good things I found after not having read this series for a while? Although the POVs change and the storylines abound, this book as a whole flows much better than the last few books I read from this series. It all meshed quite well and that's a huge improvement.

And as a side comment, for a series that is no longer paranormal romance, there was an awful lot of romancing and xhexing (yes, the x and the h are there on purpose) going on from the beginning to the end of this book.

I'm glad I read Lover Reborn, though. It has been a long time and it was good to revisit a series that provided me with many hours of enjoyment and that at one time enthralled me. Grade: C-

TBR Review: Almost A Gentleman by Pam Rosenthal

noreply@blogger.com (Hilcia) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:04:00 +0000

This month instead of going with the TBR Challenge 2012 theme, New-to-Me Author, I decided to just go with the flow and read what I was in the mood to read. Although I do have quite a few new-to-me authors in the historical romance category in my TBR pile, this is the book that "called" to me.

A DARING MASQUERADE.
For three years, London's haute ton has been captivated by the cool elegance of Philip "Phizz" Marston. Tall, refined, an expert gambler with a cold, unerring eye for style, what keeps the ruthless social climbers attuned to this dandy's every move is something more unsettling.a grace and beauty that leaves women and men alike in a state of unthinkable yearning.

WILL BE DELICIOUSLY UNDRESSED...

Lord David Hervey must be losing his mind. How else explain the disturbing desires he feels whenever his eyes meet the penetrating gaze of Mr. Marston? When he overhears a threat on the gentleman's life, he intervenes and alone discovers the glorious truth.beneath the bindings of Mr. Marston's masquerade hides an exquisite body that is every bit a woman's.

AND EVERY HIDDEN DESIRE, REVEALED.

Armed with desire and entrusted with her bold game, Lord David won't give up till the lady gives in, revealing herself to him completely, surrendering her deepest secrets with every persuasive pleasure he can offer.

I first became acquainted with Pam Rosenthal when I read her Rita Award winner The Edge of Impropriety in 2009. I enjoyed that book and promptly purchased Almost A Gentleman. Unfortunately, it has been lingering in my TBR ever since.

Although Almost a Gentleman has a bit of that same style that I enjoyed in The Edge of Impropriety, I found it to be a vastly different read. First, the trope(s) used in this story are all familiar and then some. We begin with the familiar female to male masquerade and that oh... not so subtle attraction of a man's man who becomes attracted to another man, but doesn't quite know why. This trope has been done well, and it is loved by many.

The success of this past three years' masquerade lay precisely in the fact that she didn't feel like a woman. She didn't stand or sit or act like a woman because she didn't want to feel like a woman. Not ever again.

Rosenthal's gender bending Phizz/Phoebe is interesting in that she doesn't masquerade for a moment or for a short period of time, but instead assumes the life and follows the lifestyle of a gentleman for a period of three years. Successfully. Phizz gambles, drinks, socializes and through an agency that caters to males with 'certain tastes,' engages the services of a boy to service him/her sexually. Phizz is known as a dandy with much influence, particularly at White's where with a comment he can have gentlemen accepted or denied membership.

[...]Three years of Marston had accustomed her to doing things for herself. Three years of educating herself about her own tastes and passionate desires had made her aggressive -- a taker of pleasure rather than its humble recipient.

As you can well imagine, he makes many friends and foes. The one thing you can say about Phizz is that even though he's ruthless, he seems to be both admired and desired (passionately in some cases) by both males and females. Particularly by males. Phizz doesn't want to be a woman, he prefers the life of a man, the sophisticated lifestyle, the freedom, and the power. Phizz resents being a powerless female and for most of the story he fights to stay afloat as the dominant personality. But of course David comes along and changes everything.

David is a country gentleman, a widower nearing 40 and looking for a new wife. He meets Phizz Marston and is both confused and appalled when he's passionately attracted to the young man. He unmasks Phizz as Phoebe pretty quickly into the story, but I found it interesting that before that David went as far as trying to play the hero for Phizz and even throughout the whole story, although he denied it, he was really turned on by Phoebe when she was Mr. Marston.

Stop it, David, he commanded himself. Stop this idiocy at once. For he would certainly lose his oldest friend if John Wolfe caught the merest whiff of suspicion that David hadn't been in any way drawn to the young lady. He winced, imagining how shocked Wolfe would be to learn that what had roused decent, solid Lord Linseley's attention so profoundly had been the elegant posture and extraordinary eyes of a young man in black.

And his ass. Let's not forget the young man's ass!

Although understandable, his denials didn't carry much weight with me particularly when their sexual exploits take place. He loves the woman and insists that the woman is what he wants and needs, but Rosenthal introduces certain ambiguous sexual play as well as reactions in this story that leaves the reader thinking that David enjoys that double/gender bending personality that Phoebe/Phizz projects. David protests a bit too much, no?

The above are the interesting aspects of this story. Unfortunately, Rosenthal doesn't follow through and leaves much of it unexplored. We rarely see Phizz in action within society, so there's little depth to his character from that perspective. And although Rosenthal's portrayal of how the homosexual male was viewed during those times is more in the historical context than PC, that portrayal is not necessarily well balanced.

Once Phoebe makes a full time appearance and her real reasons behind becoming Phizz come to light, the story goes into the realm of the ordinary. Her final choices contradict her preferences, the blackmail plot becomes a non-issue, and the 'miracle of conception'? Well... what can I say about that one? I found it a shame that although I enjoyed Ms. Rosenthal's writing style (yes, it is different), and there's great potential and some intriguing moments throughout Almost A Gentleman, as a whole the story ends with a whimper.

April Review

Category: Historical Romance
Series: None
Publisher/Release Date: Kensington/December 1, 2007
Grade: C

Visit Pam Rosenthal here.

Review: About That Night by Julie James

noreply@blogger.com (Hilcia) — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 16:58:00 +0000

HE’S PLAYING GAMES

Though Rylann Pierce tried to fight the sparks she felt for billionaire heir Kyle Rhodes the night they met, their sizzling chemistry was undeniable. But after being stood up on their first date, Rylann never expected to see him again. So when she finds herself face to face with Kyle in a courthouse nine years later, she’s stunned. More troubling to the beautiful Assistant U.S. Attorney is that she’s still wildly attracted to him.

BUT SHE’S MAKING THE RULES

Just released from prison, Kyle Rhodes isn’t thrilled to be the star witness in a high-profile criminal case — but when Rylann comes knocking at his door, he finds she may be the one lawyer he can’t say no to. Still as gorgeous and sharp-tongued as ever, she lays down the law: she doesn’t mix business with pleasure. But Kyle won’t give up on something he wants — and what he wants is the one woman he’s never forgotten...

The Twitter Terrorist! Yes, the fact that this is Kyle Rhodes' romance is what really made me rush to read Julie James' About That Night as soon as it released. I loved his witty character in A Lot Like Love and couldn't wait to have him all to myself during this read.

Well, the romance begins well with Kyle and Rylann Pierce meeting when they were in college years ago. It's obvious that they had chemistry and could have easily fallen in love, but key events got in the way of their planned date and their lives took different paths. By the time they meet again, Rylann is an Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) and Kyle is the infamous Twitter Terrorist and an ex-con who also becomes her witness in a related case. The chemistry is still there and so is the possibility for more, but Kyle's poor choices and Rylann's position make it impossible for them to act on their feelings. Or does it?

Kyle needs to use the reset button and start over again after making a total mess out of his life because a woman pricked his pride. The last thing he expects is to become obsessed and fall in love with Rylann. It's interesting because for most of the book Kyle comes off as a boy/man who needs to grow up and is trying hard to do so -- I mean he's way past the frat boy age and in many ways he and his friend still act like frat boys. Thankfully by the end of this book he shows growth on the maturity scale, and the level of maturity is higher than when we first meet him in A Lot Like Love.

On the other hand, on the surface Rylann seems a mature, responsible woman who plans every single step of her life and doesn't make allowances for impulsive acts or self-indulgence. She's getting over the break-up of a long-term relationship that she thought would end up in marriage. She has worked hard to be an AUSA, so her career is most important to her. And who can blame her, really? But Rylann has the hots for Kyle and eventually acts on that desire, pulling Kyle into a secret, steamy, affair. She ends up lying to everyone, including herself and Kyle, about her personal activities and real feelings.

When Rylann decides to have an affair with a man who had been her witness, she has real reasons to worry about the career that is so important to her. That I understand. I also understand that the idea is that Rylann is finally acting on impulse and this is supposed to be romantic. Yet, I never really bought the premise because first she constantly makes negative assumptions about her man of choice and ends up showing little concern for his feelings. And second, her credibility as an AUSA is immediately shot when she lies to her boss by omission at the beginning of the book about knowing Kyle in the past. In the end Rylann really ends up coming off as the one who devolves into an immature character. I never got over that.

The chemistry and sexual tension between Rylann and Kyle keeps the romance going, and as feelings grow emotions take over, particularly Kyle's. Although I still wonder what it was about Rylann, besides the physical chemistry, that pulled him in with such force. There's some banter, but the amusing, witty lines that I loved in A Lot Like Love are sorely missing from About That Night and that surprised me! I expected more on that front from Kyle's character. However, taking into consideration Rylann's mostly sober and sarcastic personality it is understandable.

Overall About That Night turned out to be an average contemporary romance read for me with a couple that has some good sizzle and burn moments. James keeps the focus firmly on the main couple with secondary characters, both those from past installments and newly introduced characters, making good contributions to the overall story, and Rylann's case investigation ending with a whimper. Although this is not a memorable read, I seem to be enjoying this series by Julie James and I look forward to her next contemporary romance.

Category Romance: Contemporary Romance
Series: FBI/US Attorney
Publisher/Release Date: Berkley/April 3, 2012, Kindle Ed.
Grade: C

Visit Julie James here.

Series:
Something About You, #1
A Lot Like Love, #2
About That Night, #3