The Big Bad Wolf Tells All

DONNA KAUFFMAN

Synopsis: In this fast-paced, sexy romp from Donna Kauffman, a woman who’s a self-avowed lone wolf – with a trail of broken hearts behind her – finds herself face-to-face with love…

Tanzy Harrington is the Bay Area’s most-read romance columnist and self-proclaimed love-‘em-and-leave-‘em artist – and she’s not quite ready to tie herself down to one man. That is, until Riley Parrish lands on the scene.

When Tanzy agrees to house-sit for her eccentric great-aunt, she finds herself sharing close quarters with Riley. At first he seems a bit too much like the “sheep” Tanzy derides in her column – too polite, the classic boring good provider. But when she catches a glimpse of the “wolf” lurking in his eyes, the ultimate alpha female is about to take a fall…

Stats for my copy: Mass market paperback, published by Bantam Dell, a Division of Random House, Inc., 2004; 409 pages; I don’t remember when, where or how I got this book!

My thoughts: It took me a little bit to get into this book. Right off the bat we meet not only our heroine, Tanzy, but her whole group of zany friends, which for me was confusing and too much at one time.

Tanzy writes a very popular romance column wherein she amusingly spouts her opinions and compares men to wolves or sheep. It’s her latest theory, that men all fall into one or the other category. Women date wolves, but marry sheep, and she does not understand the attraction to the sheep and is trying to figure it out. I personally thought it was kind of a dumb theory, and I think that’s part of what made it hard for me to get vested in the story too quickly.

When her great-aunt Millicent needs to go out of town just before the Christmas holidays, she asks Tanzy to house sit for her. All the staff will be on vacation, except her new personal assistant, Riley. Tanzy can write her column from anywhere she has computer access, so she grudgingly packs a bag and moves into her aunt’s huge home.

Tanzy is a serial dater, proclaiming to the world that women think about sex just as much as men, and as long as a woman uses safety precautions, there’s nothing wrong with her having a healthy sex life. And she practices what she preaches. Love? No, thank you. She’s not interested in that, or marriage or kids. And she is very unimpressed with Riley, noting that when he shakes her hand at their first meeting his grip is limp. That’s how she describes it. He’s a dull, boring sheep and she avoids dinner with him in her aunt’s kitchen every night by eating in her room while she works.

Tanzy has been getting emails from an obsessed fan who goes by the name SoulM8. She’s had crazy fans before, but this one is starting to worry her a little. Not enough to do anything about it though or let it interfere with her life and her fun. Besides, she now has something new on her mind. For some odd reason, she finds herself intrigued by the resident Riley sheep, and even wondering what it would be like to kiss him. What the heck is wrong with her?

Riley of course is not who or what she thinks he is. He’s got a job to do, and is determined to be professional and detached while maintaining a low profile.

There’s a lot going on in this book, but the best parts of the book are when the huge cast of supporting characters fade into the background and we’re with just Tanzy and Riley, watching them get to know each other. I loved the banter between them, with many exchanges that made me not just smile, but grin or even laugh out loud.

Finding out who SoulM8 is becomes a large plot point, and while I certainly didn’t figure out the stalker’s identity, I did figure out more than either Riley or Tanzy did long before they did, which was disappointing and made the big reveal a bit of a let down for me. When SoulM8 finally made a personal appearance, our hero and heroine were both shocked to their cores, while I was asking them how they could be so stupid.

But the journey to that point was fun and well worth my time.

Checkmate (Noughts and Crosses, Book 4)

MALORIE BLACKMAN

Synopsis: Callie Rose has a Cross mother and a nought father in a society where the pale-skinned noughts are treated as inferiors and those with dual heritage face a life-long battle against deep-rooted prejudices.

Sephy, her mother, has told Rose virtually nothing about her father, but when Rose unexpectedly discovers the truth about her parentage, she finds herself drawn into a dangerous, deadly game – a game of very high stakes than can have only one winner.

Stats for my copy: Trade paperback, Corgi Books, Random House Children's Books, 2007; 511 pages; purchased from Amazon.

My thoughts: This is the fourth book in a series of six, and before you read this book, you must start with the first book and read them in order. I read the first book, NOUGHTS AND CROSSES, in October 2006, long before I began this blog. It was a gripping and mesmerizing book, which should be required reading for all students. Then I read AN EYE FOR AN EYE, a much shorter novella, and KNIFE EDGE, both in May 2011. As I started the second book, I had to look up a synopsis of the first book to familiarize myself with the story. As with the first book, I loved the second and third books.

I definitely should not have waited so long to read CHECKMATE. I often had to pause and remember what had happened in previous books in order to not be confused. And while I liked the book, I did not love it as much as the previous books, but I think if I'd read it while the others were still fresh in my mind I would have gotten a lot more out of it.

This books takes us through Callie Rose's life from age seven to age sixteen. As in the previous books, the short chapters are all told in first person, alternating between characters – Callie Rose, her mother, Sephy, her grandmothers, Jasmine and Meggie, and her father's brother, Jude. In the early years, all Callie Rose knows about her father is that he was a gardener and died in a car accident while her mum was pregnant with her. But as she grows older, and particularly after Jude first makes contact with her, she begins to learn more about who her father really was, and finds herself drawn into the Liberation Militia and training to be a soldier under her uncle's command.

I think my biggest issue was that I found Sephy to now be a very unsympathetic character. She loves her daughter, but she cannot bring herself to show her daughter real affection. For example:

I was about to give Callie a hug, but I caught myself in time. I gave her a pat on the head and a kiss on the forehead instead.

'Mum, I'm not a dog who just retrieved a bone, thank you very much,” Callie complained. (pg 237)

And she constantly thinks to herself that now is the time to tell her daughter the truth about her father, and then she lets the moment pass and doesn't do so. Of course, she has her reasons for both of these issues, misguided though they may be, but for most of the book I was angry and disappointed at her.

The last third of the book took me back into that mesmerized didn’t want to put it down state, but for a 500 page book it took a while to get that drawn in.

Comanche Heart (Comanche, Book 2)

Catherine Anderson

Synopsis: Years ago, Amy Masters escaped the fury of the Texas plains for a new life as a teacher in the golden hills of Oregon, where she has found contentment – if not happiness. Then, out of the shadows, comes Swift Antelope, the Comanche warrior to whom she once pledged her heart when she was no more than a girl.

Claiming that he has given up his violent ways as a gunslinger, Swift has arrived to take the woman he feels is rightfully his – the woman who once swore to honor a sacred and unbreakable pact. But Amy's brutal past has made it impossible for her to trust any man – even if it's the bold warrior who has haunted her dreams, the only man she ever loved, the Comanche heart she can't live without.

First line: Like a forlorn soul, the wind whistled and moaned as it funneled around Swift Antelope, whipping his hair across his face so that he saw the lonely grave through a shifting veil of black.

Stats for my copy: Mass market paperback, published by Signet, an imprint of New American Library, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 2009; 419 pages; borrowed from the library.

My thoughts: As much as I loved COMANCHE MOON practically from the first page, this sequel took a little longer to draw me in and captivate me. Nearly a month later, I still vividly remember the first book, and Hunter and Loretta still resonate with me, so this second book had a lot to live up to.

Swift Antelope spent many years fighting in the war between the white men and his People, while Amy waited at home with her mother and stepfather for him to come for her. At 19, she left Texas and traveled to Oregon, to settle in Wolf's Landing with Loretta, Hunter, and their two children. Here, she has her own home, and a job she loves as a schoolteacher. When she's not at school or with her family, she is safely inside her little house, with the bolts drawn. She rarely socializes, and politely spurns the attention of any man who shows an interest in her. And she still has nightmares about the two weeks with the comancheros who kidnapped her when she was twelve.

After the fighting ended, Swift went to the farm for Amy, only to be told by her stepfather that she had died. Swift spent the next three years riding with Mexican bandits, going by the surname of Lopez, and earning a reputation as a notorious gunslinger. Weary of this life, he travels to Oregon to reconnect with Hunter and try to find a peaceful life, to the shocking realization that Amy is still alive, and is terrified of him and wants nothing to do with him. But they were betrothed under Comanche custom, and he is determined to hold her to that promise.

There is not nearly as much violence and heartbreak in this book as in the first one. Swift has to find a way past Amy's mental barriers, and that is in essence what the story. There were times when I did not agree with his methods and mentally smacked him on the arm and told him to leave her be, and then his reasoning would be revealed and I would have to apologize for doubting him and say carry on.

The angst is sky high as the emotional battle lines are drawn and crossed and erased and drawn again. There is a hilarious scene with Amy and Swift trying to catch a chicken, Loretta finally intervening and showing them how it's done, and then none of them having the heart to wring it’s neck. After which Amy asks Swift:

“I – do you – if you were a fellow, what would you like? Chicken or ham?”

Swift arched an eyebrow. “If I were a fellow?”

She blushed. “Well, of course, you're a fellow, Swift. I meant a fellow eating dinner at a social. Would you want chicken or ham?”

“Either one, I guess. Unless, of course, I had to kill the chicken. Then I'd lean real heavy toward ham.” (pg 191)

And while I'm quoting passages, another I liked:

“If you get the boot, I'll bring you more bread and butter than you can eat. You'll get fat eating it all. And I won't tell you what to do and when to do it, I promise. Now, sit down. I didn't buy your basket to fight. Do you like my shirt?”

She studied him for a moment, unhappily aware that he vowed not to order her around, then commanded her to sit, all in the same breath. (pg 200)

While COMANCHE HEART isn't as exciting as COMANCHE MOON, once I got pulled in there were some edge of my seat turning the pages can't put it down nights where I stayed up past my bedtime to read. And that's always the mark of a good book.

Love Drunk Cowboy (Spikes & Spurs, Book 1)

CAROLYN BROWN

Synopsis: High-powered career woman Austin Lanier suddenly finds herself saddled with an inherited watermelon farm deep in the countryside. She’s determined to sell the farm, until her new, drop-dead sexy neighbor Rye O’Donnell shows up…

Rancher Rye O’Donnell thinks he’s going to get a good deal on his dream property – until he meets the fiery new owner. Rye is knocked sideways when he realizes that not only is Granny Lanier’s city-slicker granddaughter a savvy businesswoman, she’s also sexy as hell…

Suddenly Rye is a whole lot less interested in real estate and a whole lot more focused on getting Austin to set aside her stiletto heels…

Stats for my copy: Mass market paperback, published by Sourcebooks Casablanca, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc., 2011; 391 pages; borrowed from the library.

My thoughts: My daughter and I went to the library last weekend as I needed to find a book my boss assigned as mandatory reading. After I located that book, my daughter was still browsing, so I began wandering around gazing at the shelves, and the title LOVE DRUNK COWBOY just jumped out at me. After reading the back cover, I decided to check it out. And am I glad I did. If I had to describe this book in one word, it would be “fun”.

Austin Lanier’s grandmother passed away six months ago, and left everything she owned to Austin, with very specific instructions on how to dispose of her body. No funeral – she wanted to be cremated and her ashes dropped in the Red River on Good Friday. So while Granny Lanier’s friend Pearlita held on to the ashes, Austin had a phone call every Thursday with Granny’s neighbor, Rye O’Donnell, who was taking care of Granny’s property. Granny and Rye had been good friends, and since Granny only described Rye has being younger than her, Austin pictured a man in his 70s with gray hair and a cane.

Rye expected this city slicker granddaughter to come town, do Granny’s bidding regarding her last wishes, sell the property and go back to Tulsa. While he had seen many pictures of Austin – every time Granny got a new one she had to show it off – he was still shocked to see her in person for the first time. Instant attraction and we knew he was already a goner. And Austin was pretty shocked herself to discover that Rye was not the old man she pictured, but a young hot cowboy.

Austin and Rye dance around each other for quite awhile. Austin originally did plan to sell off the farm, but the business of raising watermelons and running the farm quickly got under her skin, not to mention she didn’t want to put the hired hands out of a job. She had taken two weeks vacation from her own job with an oil company in Tulsa, but as the end of her vacation neared and she learned more about the everyday running of the farm, she was more and more loathe to leave.

There’s a lot of humor, a lot of aw-shucks-honky-tonk-country-boy lingo, a mother who is determined her daughter get back to her fancy Tulsa apartment and continue to advance in her career, a sister who thinks the city girl is gonna break her brother’s heart, and then there’s Granny who seems to be guiding Austin’s life from the great beyond.

I’m excited to have discovered a new to me author, and doubly excited to realize that I have two of her other books in my TBR pile – RED’S HOT COWBOY, which is the second book in this series, and MY GIVE A DAMN’S BUSTED, the third book in her “Honky Tonk” series.

Safe Haven

NICHOLAS SPARKS

Back cover copy: When a mysterious young woman named Katie appears in the small North Carolina town of Southport, her sudden arrival raises questions about her past. Beautiful yet self-effacing, Katie seems determined to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events draws her into two reluctant relationships: one with her plainspoken neighbor, Jo; and another with Alex, a widowed store owner with two young children. Katie slowly begins to relax her guard, putting down roots in the community and becoming increasingly attached to Alex and his family.

But even as Katie begins to fall in love, she struggles with the dark secret that still haunts her. With Jo's support, Katie eventually realizes that she must choose between a life of transient safety and one of riskier rewards...and that in the darkest hour, love is the only true safe haven.

First line: As Katie wound her way among the tables, a breeze from the Atlantic rippled through her hair.

Stats for my copy: Mass market paperback, published by Grand Central Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc., 2012; 382 pages (not counting reading guide and excerpt); purchased new.

My thoughts: So I've never been a particularly huge Sparks fan. I've always thought of him as a competent but not great writer, but a wonderful storyteller. And I went a little off him when he denied that he writes romance novels. On his own website, under the FAQ section, one question is “Why do you write love stories?” His answer:

I chose that genre because there was little to no competition.

Another question is “As a man, how do you feel about writing love stories?” He has a pretty long answer, but the interesting part says:

I enjoy the challenge this genre presents. It’s also interesting to note that in recent history, men tend to have written more successfully in this genre than women. (Women, on the other hand, dominate the romance novel genre.)

So apparently there is a difference between "love stories" and "romances". There's also a difference between "novels" and "literature", and Mr. Sparks' books are novels, but they are not literature. They are, however, in my opinion, romances.

Once you get past the author's arrogance and obvious disdain for romances, SAFE HAVEN is actually a good book. I enjoyed it much more than I anticipated I would. I loved the movie version, which is why I bought the book on impulse when I came across it while out shopping one day. I've read five of Mr. Sparks' books in the past, and thought I knew what to expect, but I do believe his writing has improved over the years.

SAFE HAVEN is a good character study. We are taken deep inside the minds of Katie and Alex, and later Kevin, Katie's abusive husband. We are privy to their thoughts, their emotions, their fears. For pages at a time nothing really happens, which doesn't bother me at all as I prefer books that are character driven over plot driven. If you don't know what the book is about, in a nutshell:

Katie takes up residence in a small town, where she keeps to herself as much as possible. Her neighbor, Jo, however, draws her out, and the two women become friends. Alex, the owner of the local store, is drawn to Katie, and over time they form a solid friendship. Katie avoids talking about herself or her past, but as she and Alex grow closer she begins to let him in on her secret.

There was just one passage that nagged at me and irritated me:

Then she got in the shower and wet her hair. She tilted the bottle and began massaging the dye into her hair. She stood at the mirror and sobbed uncontrollably while it set. When it was done, she climbed into the shower again and rinsed it out. She shampooed and conditioned and stood before the mirror. (p 201)

I've been coloring my own hair for over twenty years, and I have yet to buy a dye that you put on wet hair. Every box of dye I've bought says to put it on dry hair, and you wear plastic gloves to apply the dye to your hair. And you don't shampoo afterwards - you rinse thoroughly and then use the conditioner that came with the hair dye. Considering all the detailed descriptions of the character's day to day lives, a little research into how to dye hair would not have been amiss.

Regardless, SAFE HAVEN is a descriptive meandering read that will suck you in. If you haven't seen the movie, there's a nice plot twist that may surprise you. And if you have seen the movie and think you know how the story ends, be prepared to be thrown a little off course and on the edge of your seat as you turn those last few pages.

I'm pretty sure I've read A WALK TO REMEMBER, but apparently did not make any notes about it. But here's what I thought of the other Sparks books I've read:

                                                 

MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE

I enjoyed it, and I want to see the movie again now! I was a little surprised by the ending, I hadn't seen the movie in such a long time I didn't remember it ending the way it did! While Nicholas Sparks isn't a writer of the finest caliber, he does know how to create a good storyline. At one point though, I did think, imagine if Anita Shreve or Alice Hoffman had taken this plot and weaved a story around it! But all in all, it was a good, quick, read that definitely stirs the emotions. (March 2005)

A BEND IN THE ROAD

I read this about a month ago and really enjoyed it. I've only read three of Sparks' books so far and they are all kind of sappy, but in a good way! Yes, it was a little predictable, and it wasn't too hard to figure out who the mystery narrator was, but overall a good read. (August 2006)

                                                 

THE NOTEBOOK

Yep, a little sappy! But then, all of Sparks' books are! He's not the most literary writer out there, but he has a way with a story and his books are generally really enjoyable. Even so, I think this is my least favorite (so far)of his books. I liked the story itself and that part of the book went quickly, but that last chapter just seemed to be endless! (February 2007)

TRUE BELIEVER

I enjoy Sparks' books, though I don't think of him as a great writer, just a great storyteller (not that I could do any better, mind you!). I never connected with the main characters in this one, and didn't really believe in their great love either, though I did believe it a little more on Jeremy's side than on Lexie's, if that makes any sense! I didn't really feel that any of the characters were very fleshed out. The ending was very pat and predictable. Frankly, I would have preferred that the mystery of the lights not be solved! Regardless, as I reached the end of the book, I was caught up in it, and it was still an enjoyable read. (August 2007)

A Love Worth Waiting For (Love Inspired #203)

JILLIAN HART

Back cover copy: Jaded jet-setter Noah Ashton arrived in Montana with the sole purpose of making sure his beloved grandmother was not marrying a man out to steal her fortune. However, when he experienced a life-threatening crisis, the last person he expected to lean on was Julie Renton, the granddaughter of his grandmother's suitor. The small-town schoolteacher not only staunchly defended her grandfather's honor, but also opened this world-weary tycoon's eyes to the Lord's most precious blessings.

A handsome and chivalrous Noah was everything Julie had ever dreamed of in a man. But even while she lavished him with sweet solace to see him through the hardships ahead, she sensed he had the power to shatter her fragile heart. It took a miracle from above to convince Julie she'd finally found a love worth fighting for.

Stats for my copy: Mass market paperback, published by Steeple Hill Books, 2003; 250 pages. I don't remember where I got it.

My thoughts: Enjoyable albeit standard Love Inspired fare. The characters are all likable, the banter between the hero and heroine is often amusing, and the ending is satisfactory.

A Swiftly Tilting Planet (The Time Quintet, Book 3)

MADELEINE L'ENGLE

Back cover copy: In this companion volume to A WRINKLE IN TIME (Newberry Award Winner) and A WIND IN THE DOOR, fifteen-year-old Charles Wallace and the unicorn Gaudior undertake a perilous journey through time in a desperate attempt to stop the destruction of the world by the mad dictator Madog Branzillo. They are not alone in their quest. Charles Wallace's sister, Meg – grown and expecting her first child, but still able to enter her brother’s thoughts and emotions by “kything” – goes with him in spirit.

But in overcoming the challenges, Charles Wallace must face the ultimate test of his faith and will, as he is sent within four people from another time, there to search for a way to avert the tragedy threatening them all.

First line: The big kitchen of the Murrys' house was bright and warm, curtains drawn against the dark outside, against the rain driving past the house from the northeast.

Stats for my copy: Mass market paperback, published by Dell Publishing Co., Inc., 1980; 256 pages. I don't remember where I got it.

My thoughts: Basically the whole plot was a big convoluted mess that interested me at times and bored me at times and just confused me at times.

Comanche Moon

CATHERINE ANDERSON

Synopsis: Orphaned seven years ago after witnessing the brutal murder of her parents at the hands of the Comanche people, golden-haired Loretta Simpson still lives in terror that the warriors will return. Her fear is so powerful, she can no longer speak a word.

Called the U.S. Army's most cunning adversary, Hunter of the Wolf believes that Loretta is the "honey-haired woman with no voice" of ancient prophesy - the woman he must honor for all eternity. But Loretta can see Hunter only as the enemy who has stolen her, and she refuses to succumb to his control...or his touch.

Despite the hatred intensifying between their peoples, Loretta and Hunter gradually find their prejudices giving way to respect, then flaring into feelings too dangerous to express. In the midst of such conflict, it will take all the force of their extraordinary love to find a safe place...

Stats for my copy: Mass market paperback, published by New American Library, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 1991; 468 pages; purchased at a library sale.

My thoughts: So good. This book is so good. Where do I even begin?

In a nutshell (if that's possible): There is a prophecy that tells of a fierce warrior and a honey-haired woman who are destined to be together. Everyone in Hunter's village have always known and believed that he is that warrior. But Hunter loved his wife, who was torture and killed, along with her unborn baby, by white men, and he has a hatred for the white race.

Loretta saw her parents killed by Indians seven years ago, her mother raped and brutally tortured. Since then she's not spoken a word, and has lived with her aunt, uncle and young cousin. When she is captured and carried away by the infamous Hunter, she is terrified and desperate to escape.

In the beginning Hunter and Loretta hate each other. He may believe she is the woman he is prophesied to meet and “honor for all eternity”, but his first instinct is to kill her, to avoid the prophecy, which also says he will end up leaving the People. But his sense of duty is stronger than his hatred, so instead he takes her to his village.

In one of my recent reviews, I wrote that I'm not a fan of destined mate stories, preferring characters to meet, get to know each other, and then fall in love, not just be in love because they're supposed to be. This book turned that trope on it's head. Hunter may believe they are destined, but Loretta only sees a filthy savage Indian, and every minute she is in his company she expects that night to be the night he rapes and tortures her. And while Hunter may believe they are destined, he has no desire to rape her, much less touch her. He finds her pale skin off putting and her golden hair puts him in mind of dried out grass.

Over the course of this compelling 400+ page book (which could have been longer and I'd have been happy with that), they spend time together, they part company, they come back together, they part company. They come to grudgingly respect each other and realize that the other person is not just all the cliches they know about white people and Indians. Until suddenly they are those cliches. And then, are they really?

There is a lot of brutality in this book. It may be a romance novel, but it's definitely not a romanticized view of the time period, of the wars between the Indians and the white interlopers. It is a tale of love, hate, revenge, betrayal, loyalty, duty, hardship, good and bad on every level. It kept me up past my bedtime two nights in a row because I was loathe to put it down. This book is going in my small list of all time favorite books.

I don't just want to read the follow up books. I NEED to read them. Soon.

And I love the covers on these reissues.

Just One Night (9 Months Later; Harlequin Superromance #760)

KATHRYN SHAY

Synopsis: Zachary Sloan was no ordinary architect. His innovative designs had earned him the reputation of a rebel. The media always had a field day wondering whether Sloan's projects pushed boundaries too far.

Annie Montgomery had married Zach straight out of college. At first his drive to succeed had thrilled her. But although he'd been an exciting and passionate lover, he'd been a less-than-perfect husband, and he'd wanted no part of fatherhood.

Then – six years after the divorce – came a disaster that threatened to destroy Zach's world. Suddenly, only Annie could help him through the night. Now Zach wants Annie back...for a very compelling reason.

She's going to have his baby.

Stats for my copy: Mass market paperback, published by Harlequin Books, 1997; 297 pages; purchased at a library book sale in 2011.

My thoughts: The characters have very different, distinct personalities. Zach grew up poor, with a distant father and a brood of younger siblings that he helped raise. Once a wealthy uncle took him away from the family home and introduced him to a more glamorous lifestyle, he was driven to be a success in his chosen field, live a comfortable life, and never have children. Fine dining, sumptuous home, designer clothing/shoes, etc. Annie, on the other hand, was a social worker, driven to help others, wearing vintage/thrift store clothing, etc. and very much wanting a baby. After a pregnancy scare and a fight, she walks in on Zach in his office with a co-worker, and that was the end of the marriage.

Now the collapse of a staircase in a museum that Zach designed has brought them back together. Annie arrives at the scene with the Red Cross, to help out, and because Zach is so devastated over the destruction and the injuries caused, she decides he shouldn't be alone and takes him home with her. After they spend the night together, she tells him it's a one off, and that they are not getting back together.

Then she discovers she's pregnant.

A lot of the book was taken up with the collapse and the subsequent investigation into what caused it and who might be at fault. Zach is crucified by the media, but staunchly continues to insist that his design was everything it needed to be and the collapse was not caused by any mistake on his part. I'm guessing the author did a lot of research into structural engineering, because she went into detail and some of it bored me and some of it was over my head.

Zach still loves Annie, Annie still loves Zach, Zach wants Annie to marry him and the three of them be a family when the baby arrives, Annie doesn't trust Zach not to hurt her again. They argue, they hurt each other's feelings, they apologize, they make up, then they do it all over again. At times I very much sided with Zach as Annie and her sanctimonious self-righteous do-what's-right-and-quit-being-so-shallow attitude began to grate on me. I can understand her hurt that Zach cheated on her, but whenever that subject came up she declared “I don't want to talk about her”, and as a couple they never really addressed it. But I guess it was far enough in the past to stay in the past.

Zach has drifted away from his family and has a strained relationship with his father and the older of his siblings. The little girls adore him, but the oldest sister, who is still friends with Annie, is very vocal in her feelings of abandonment by Zach, and his father's silence and habit of walking out of the room when Zach comes in seem to indicate he feels the same way. I was much more interested in this plot point, as Zach begins to realize the meaning of family and wants to mend fences.

All in all, this was fairly standard Harlequin fare. It was a quick read, it was enjoyable, but not so much that I feel the need to go out and hunt down more from the author.

I Thirst For You (Primes, Book 2)

SUSAN SIZEMORE

Back cover copy: He appears out of the dark desert night – a huge, dangerous stranger who sparks desire and fear in her like she’s never known. Josephine Elliot knows only that her captor’s name is Marcus Cage, and that he’s on the run. But who is chasing him, and why? Is Marcus protecting her by taking her hostage…or is he planning to use her to buy his own freedom? And why, above all, is she so inexorably drawn to him, body and soul?

Marcus is overwhelmed by his thirst for Josephine and instantly recognizes her as his soul mate. Desperate to evade enemies intent on destroying him and his kind, Marcus has no choice but to take Jo on the run. But when she unwittingly betrays him to his enemies, both are thrust into mortal danger. Can their newfound love survive her deceit and spare them a dark fate? Or will their insatiable desire burn for eternity?

First line: Two things pain can do for you: sharpen you up or dull you down.

Stats for my copy: Mass market paperback, published by Pocket Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc., 2004; 325 pages; received through Book Mooch.

My thoughts: I read the first book in the series, I BURN FOR YOU, in August 2010. At that time I had really gotten into the whole vampire/paranormal genre, but other than the Anita Blake books, almost all of what I'd read had been lighter fare, chick lit type or bordering on chick lit. I BURN FOR YOU was a darker than I was used to and took a little bit for me to get into. The mythology behind the vamps in this world was also more convoluted and confusing than I was used to. I don’t really remember much about that first book now, but I did like it enough to search out the second book, though it then went into my huge TBR pile until now.

Fortunately, this second book can be read as a stand alone, and not remembering much about the first book didn’t affect my enjoyment of this one. I don’t know if that will apply to later books in the series, as the mythology behind the vamps was only briefly touched upon in this one and was not really integral to the storyline, and I didn’t experience the same slight confusion I felt with the first book.

Marcus Cage has escaped from a lab, where he had been held captive as a test subject. Jo Elliot is an empath, and after a plane crash that left her scarred and feeling guilty for not being able to rescue all her passengers, she is camping out in the desert in order to get away from everyone’s emotions and be alone. Running through the desert Marcus picks up on the connection between them and knows she is his destined mate. I’m not a fan of the destined mate genre. I’d rather see two characters meet, get to know each other and fall in love, not just meet and love each other instantly because they are fated to do so. I liked the fact that Jo, as a human, while certainly drawn to Marcus, does not recognize him as her soul mate, and in fact spends a lot of time scared and trying to figure out how to escape from him. For her the love did build up slowly over time, though granted it was over a short period of time.

For a good half of the book, Jo is definitely a prisoner, with Marcus occasionally tying her up to keep her in one place (not in a sexual way), and often using his own psychic powers to make her sleep away long periods of time. The mind manipulation I was a little uncomfortable with. I understand why he did it, but it just seemed a little underhanded to do to your soul mate, even if she doesn’t realize she is your soul mate. Of course, she paid him back ten fold when she later led his enemies right to him. But I’m not going into the plot any further than that as that might be spoilery.

I enjoyed it, it was a quick read, and now I’m off to hunt down book 3.

The Life & Loves of a She Devil

FAY WELDON

Back cover synopsis: What can a woman do when her husband accuses her of being a “she-devil” and leaves her for another woman? Especially if that woman is six foot two, has a jutting jaw, a hooked nose and moles on her chin. And her rival is petite, ultra-feminine and a successful novelist....

First line: Mary Fisher lives in a High Tower, on the edge of the sea: she writes a great deal about the nature of love.

Stats for my copy: Mass market paperback, published by Hodder & Stoughton, 1983; 240 pages; given to me by a BookCrossing member.

My thoughts: I was swept up and enchanted by this book almost from the first page, although towards the end the enchantment wore off. Ruth is described as a large, lumbering, plain, not pretty or attractive at all woman married to Bobbo, whom she loves. Bobbo is having a not secret affair with Mary Fisher, who is Ruth's opposite in every way imaginable, and whom he loves. After a family dinner with his parents goes horribly wrong, Bobbo decides he's had enough, tells Ruth she's a she devil, packs his bags, and moves in with Mary Fisher. Thus begins Ruth's road to revenge.*

Some chapters are told in first person point of view with Ruth as the narrator, other chapters are in third person. The writing is what drew me in. The author has a distinctive voice, regardless of which point of view is being used at the time. It's almost lyrical, sort of in the vein of an old fashioned fairytale set in modern times.

Ruth's plan to take down Mary Fisher and Bobbo is very long reaching, with plenty of planning and manipulation. At first I felt sympathetic towards Ruth. She is a woman scorned, a woman who's husband ignored her and took her for granted and then tossed her aside. Her heart has been broken, her life destroyed. But as she carried out her Machiavellian plan, she became so ruthless, so cruel, so hard hearted, that it became difficult to feel sympathy for her, and instead I moved more towards being Team Mary Fisher. At that point the book lost it's enchantment for me, and I was ready for the story to be over and done with.

Still, I very much want to read more from Ms. Weldon, and maybe more about her as she seems a very interesting person.

 

*I looked up Ms. Weldon on Wikipedia, which says that she says this book is about envy, not about revenge. That quote led me to Google Ms. Weldon, where I found a very interesting interview with her, Fay Weldon: 'All that anti-man stuff is no longer appropriate'.

Code Name: Bikini (Code Name, Book 5)

CHRISTINA SKYE

Synopsis: Ex-cop Gina Ryan traded in her Smith & Wesson to follow a dream. Now she's creating decadent desserts aboard a luxury cruise ship in the Caribbean. But a gorgeous passenger is about to send her perfect world up in smoke...

Trace O'Halloran is a hard-edged navy SEAL, under strict orders to take some high seas R & R. There's a shipload of women in bikinis eager to help him unwind, so why can't he take his mind off the stubborn pastry chef with an attitude the size of Montana?

When a dangerous assassin from Trace's past appears, Gina and Trace must join forces to save the ship’s guests. The clock's ticking, and they'll need every weapon at hand – from body armor to chocolate ganache!

Stats for my copy: Mass market paperback, published by Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 2007; 375 pages; received from a BookCrossing member.

My thoughts: For the most part, I've enjoyed this series of books. As the books progress, there is more of a paranormal element to them, with the Navy SEAL heroes all being part of an elite group who are genetically enhanced. I didn't anticipate that, and it didn't really show up as a major plot point until the third book, which was a bit of a let down for me. But the fourth book was very appealing with it's desert island setting. So I wasn't sure what to expect.

Fortunately, it was quite enjoyable. Gina is a likeable heroine, and Trace, who we met in the previous books (he's the sister of book three's heroine and best friend of that book's hero), is a satisfying hero. That being said, neither really stood out from the pack, with neither character being much different than the heroes and heroines in the previous books.

Trace is basically on the cruise ship for an enforced vacation, but also as possible back up for the ship's security officer, who has his own ties to the organization Trace is with. Gina is the ship's pastry chef, and she loves her life of traveling with the cruise ship, and the family she's created around her among her staff and other members of the crew. But she has her own issues of course, knowing that she has a condition which is slowly causing her to lose her sight, which will eventually end her career.

Like all of the Foxfire men, Trace has invested himself completely in his work and has never regretted the decision to join the elite group, even though it means virtually no life outside the group and their missions, and no personal relationships beyond the occasional visit home to see his sister. But Gina of course gets under his skin from their first accidental meeting. Gina has also invested herself in her career, and she has a nemesis on board the ship who appears to be trying to sabotage her, and she has no interest in a relationship. But of course Trace gets under her skin, yada yada yada, you know where this sentence is going.

Since Trace is still recovering and building up his strength after nearly being killed in his last mission, his chips (the genetic enhancement all the Foxfire men have in common) have been inactivated for the time being. The chips were my least favorite plot points of previous books, and I liked this little twist, which left Trace a more vulnerable than the previous heroes. There's also a side plot line about a girl who Trace rescued in a previous mission having died, listed as a suicide but suspicious to Trace, and her ghost occasionally manifesting and trying to tell him something. I would have liked her to actually be more involved and make more appearances than she did, but she was almost like an afterthought thrown into the storyline.

There is also a cat, young triplets, and Izzy even gets a storyline with some family drama. According to the author's bio on her website, she is working on the sixth book in the series, and I'm sure I'll want to read it as soon as I can get my hands on it.