All I Ever Wanted

By Kristan Higgins

HQN

ISBN: 978-1-4268-6408-7

Contemporary Romance

August 2010

Format: e-Book

Callie Grey is in love with the wrong man. Mark Rousseau is handsome and charming, but completely self-centered and shallow. He’s also her boss. And her former lover. And now he’s engaged to Muriel deVeers, the daughter of their newest client. To make matters worse, he’s brought his fiancé in as an account exec at his company, Green Mountain Media. Muriel’s purpose, it seems, is to minimize Callie.  

Enter the new vet, Dr. Ian McFarland. Not exactly warm and fuzzy, Ian is roughly appealing in a Russian gangster sort of way. He has a great doggy-bedside manner, but an uncanny ability to alienate humans, especially the female variety, who create a series of imaginary ailments for their dogs as an excuse to get close to the new man in Georgebury, Vermont.

At first glance, Callie and Ian are an unlikely match. An eternal optimist with a spunky spirit, Callie aims to please. Ian, who’s completely turned off by people and scarred emotionally from a break-up with his ex-wife, thinks she’s trying too hard. They keep meeting under the most bizarre circumstances, when Callie is at her worst: In line at the Department of Motor Vehicles on her 30^th birthday, right after Mark breaks up with her; during an Internet dating disaster; while she’s purchasing Dr. Duncan’s Cleanse’ n Purge Weight Loss Jump-Start Tea and in the aftermath, when what Ian calls Callie’s “emotional diarrhea” manifests itself physically on a company outing.

Ian isn’t exactly a white knight, although he does seem to have an ample supply of white handkerchiefs on-hand for all occasions.

Kristan Higgins has created a motley, but lovable cast of characters. There’s Callie’s mother, who runs a funeral home; her father who was kicked out of the family years ago for cheating on Callie’s mother when she was pregnant, and is now trying to win back his wife; and a semi-normal sister – a fertility doctor who’s looking for a father for her two adopted girls, although she hates men. Then there’s the grumpy grandfather who shares his house and boat-building studio with Callie; her brother, who hasn’t lived up to his potential; not to mention two adorably  outrageous nieces, the requisite great girlfriend, two lovable dogs and a rocking chair with magical powers.

Readers will sympathize with Callie as she pursues the wrong man, and tries her best to get over him, arguing with her two alter-egos Michelle Obama and Betty Boop  (don’t ask). By the very satisfying end, we see a side of Ian we never expected, but circumstances keep getting in the way as Callie and Ian try to connect. 

I didn’t know anything about Kristan Higgins before, but now that I’ve read her latest book, I will be buying everything she’s written. There’s something for everyone to love, laugh and even cry about in All I Ever Wanted. A great summer read, All I Ever Wanted is all I ever wanted in a book and a story for all seasons.

The McKettricks of Texas: Garrett

by Linda Lael Miller

http://www.lindalaelmiller.com/

Harlequin Enterprises

ISBN: 978-1-4268-5608-2

Romance

In the McKettricks of Texas: Garrett, Linda Lael Miller delivers the second rockin’ story of three strong Texas brothers—hot cowboys that will have readers ready to saddle up and ride the range to find love with them.  Garrett McKettrick, a fast-paced lawyer who is more at home behind the wheel of a Porsche than in the saddle he once rode.  He left his ranch roots behind to climb the political ladder, fully expecting Texas politics to someday propel him to Washington’s highest levels.  He wasn’t prepared for the scandal that set his political foundations reeling and left him questioning all he valued.  With stakes also rising on the hometown front, Garrett’s in for the fight of his life to save the family ranch, find his place in the political arena, and hold on to the unexpected love that puts a new spin on everything.   

This thoroughly enjoyable story of Texas cowboys and true love had me reading through the night.  Having read the first two books in the series, I am now anxious to read the third and final story of these three very different brothers and the family of sisters that they love.  Miller transported me into this world to such an extent that I feel like I could hop in the car, find the town, and feel just as at home there as I am in the books.  Need any further encouragement?  Try the book trailer to get a real feel for these sexy cowboys.  

http://www.lindalaelmiller.com/books/mckettricks_tate.asp#trailer

Star of His Heart

by Brenda Jackson

Harlequin/Kimani Press

ISBN: 978-1-4268-6461-2

Rachel Wellesley has worked hard to be considered an exceptional makeup artist and wardrobe consutant in Hollywood.  Despite being a member of a famous family, she has fought for her independence and furiously guards her privacy, making a point of staying out of the media limelight.  When the hunky, upcoming actor Ethan Chambers lands a part in Paging the Doctor, a soap that Rachel is working on, she knows she’s in trouble. She is no more immune to Ethan’s charms than the other women on the set. 

Ethan finds the petite and lovely Rachel appealing but he isn’t on the set to make new conquests. This is his big break and he is going to use the opportunity to prove himself.  He could have stayed in his family’s business in Napa Valley but his dream is to become an accomplished actor.

            Rachel and Ethan are attached to each other but both resist their feelings because they don’t want to damage their careers.  There is a no fraternizing rule on the set so Ethan and Rachel agree to just be friends. Rachael knows that Ethan is also off limits because he attracts media attention and she wants nothing to do with that.

            When Ethan can’t return to his home because of the paparazzi, he calls Rachel and asks if he can stay the night in her condo. Against her better judgment she agrees. Ethan admits to wanting more than friendship, and Rachel says she does also. After a night of passionate lovemaking, Ethan knows there is no going back, he is crazy about Rachel. She agrees to a relationship but no one, especially the media, must know about their affair. Ethan goes along with her demands, but doesn’t like it. He wants everyone to know Rachel is his woman. They spend weeks sneaking around and acting as if there is nothing between them while they are on the set. When their relationship is found out, Ethan wants to tell the world that he loves her. Rachel refuses to have anything to do with the media, breaking it off with Ethan.

Will Ethan convince Rachel he is worth stepping into the limelight for?  

This book is a great reminder that actors and actresses are real people that desire love, life and privacy like anyone else. I’ve not read a book recently that takes place in Hollywood and this one was refreshing. Nice story.

Almost Perfect

by  Susan Mallery

http://www.susanmallery.com/

http://www.foolsgoldca.com/

Publisher: HQN Books (June 29, 2010)

ISBN-10: 0373774907

ISBN-13: 978-0373774906

Genre: Women’s Fiction

“LIZ SUTTON HAD ALWAYS KNOWN the past would come back and bite her in the butt—she just hadn’t known it was going to happen today.” (Almost Perfect, Susan Mallery)

Liz left Fool’s Gold, California long ago and never planned to return.  That all changes with one e-mail.  As a New York Times Bestselling suspense author, Liz gets crazy fan letters all the time.  But this one is different.  When a niece she didn’t know she had writes and asks for her help, Liz drops everything and heads out even though it means returning to the one place that never accepted her. 

Ethan Hendrix was born into one of the town’s founding families and because of this; he was raised to believe that he had to act accordingly.  Dating the daughter of the woman with the worst reputation in town wasn’t allowed, even though he couldn’t stay away from her.  When his friends confront him about his secret relationship, he denies it and ends up losing more than the girl he professed in private to love.  Twelve years later, she’s back and so is the eleven year old son he never knew he had.  After having lost a wife and child during childbirth, Ethan is bound and determined he isn’t going to lose his son again.  Thus ensues a series of misguided attempts to do the right thing.  Will his lack of tact and understanding leave him more alone than ever?

~~~

Fool’s Gold, California is definitely a place I want to visit. I first experienced this fictitious town way before hearing about the books. I don’t know how I got the link but as soon as I looked at this really cool web site featuring Fool’s Gold, I immediately added all four books to my Amazon wish list.  Check out the town for yourself at the following link.  http://www.foolsgoldca.com/

Almost Perfect is the second book in the series and features one of the characters Susan Mallery introduced in Chasing Perfect.  Although I didn’t always like Ethan, I could understand some of the reasons behind why he did what he did.  I loved Liz and the strength she projected to the world.  Not many women would blindly dive into the responsibilities of adding her 14 and 11 year old nieces to her family without freaking out.  The way she handles Ethan and his overbearing tactics to see their son made me admire her, but the way she handles the biddy bodies around town made me want to nominate her for sainthood. 

There are some mixed reviews on this book because of some of the things the hero does.  I personally felt the author did an amazing job of giving her readers a true-to-life character that was not perfect; and honestly, he reacted to some of Liz’s decisions in the same type of manner that most real-life guys would have done given this same situation. 

In the end, Ethan and the town redeem themselves and Ms. Mallery left me wanting to know more about the citizens of Fool’s Gold.

Scandal: His Majesty’s Love-Child

By Annie West

Harlequin Presents

ISBN: 9780373129287

Bad boy, Prince Tahir Al’Ramiz was banned from his family and the country of Qusay years earlier. Now, his older brother says Tahir needs to come home, his father has died. Despite a brutal childhood, Tahir still loves his mother and brothers. Flying his helicopter across the desert, he is hit by an unexpected sand storm and crashes. Tahir stumbles into an oasis and Annalisa Hanson’s campsite.

                Born and raised in Qusay, Annalisa feels safe in the oasis until the dark, handsome Tahir arrives.  Daughter of a Dutch doctor, she nurses the wounded Tahir, saving his life. During days of being together, Tahir and Annalisa find themselves more and more attracted to each other. After a night of passionate love, Tahir realizes he isn’t the type of man Annalisa needs. He pushes her away but promises to take care of her if she is pregnant.

                A camel train returns for Annalisa, but she remains behind while Tahir leaves. At the capital, he finds that he is the new king. A few weeks later Annalisa arrives at the palace to tell Tahir she is going to have a baby.  Tahir feels obligated to take her as his wife but what Annalisa really wants is his love.

Does Annalisa convince Tahir, who has known little tenderness in his life, that she cares for him and that he is capable of loving her in return?

                You will have to read and find out.  A dark, royal sheik is hard to beat in a hero. I liked this book. It doesn’t disappoint.

The Search

by Nora Roberts

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, New York, Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

ISBN: 978-0-399-15657

If you’re searching for a great summer read with all the romance, suspense and humor of a Nora Roberts novel, you won’t have to look far. The Search, Nora Roberts’s newest novel, is the story of Fiona Bristow, living, or some would say, hiding out, on isolated Orcas Island, off the coast of Seattle. Fiona is the sole survivor of a serial killer’s murderous spree. Her cop fiancé and his K-9 partner were killed to punish her for being the only one who got away. She busies herself with her friends, her three loyal Labs, running a dog-training school and volunteering as a canine search and rescuer on the island.
When newcomer Simon Doyle, a gruff furniture artist, as remote as the island he lives on, brings his incorrigible puppy Jaws to be trained by Fiona, he immediately sizes her up as “not his type.” Fiona thinks Jaws is not the only one who needs training.

Appropriately named, Jaws, a Lab-retriever mix, a gift from Simon’s mother, eats everything in sight – from flash drives and wood chips to the front seat of his owner’s brand new truck. Simon refers to him as “a monster,” an “escape artist,” and “a demon from hell.” A loner, Simon resorts to talking to Jaws, “Can’t you see I’m busy? I don’t have time to play every five damn minutes. One of us has to make a living!” Simon is obviously in need of rescuing.

Meanwhile, the Red Scarf Killer, who is locked away for life, has spawned a copycat killer, whose strings he’s pulling from his prison cell. Red Scarf Killer II has promised to finish the job his “teacher” started: To find and kill Fiona. But RSKII has veered off the reservation and the FBI is on his trail. Will they catch him before he gets to Fiona and another man she loves? Or will Fiona find the strength to get away and turn the tables on still another killer, while an innocent life hangs in the balance.

If you love dogs you will love this book. And of course the human characters are pretty terrific too.

I highly recommend “The Search.”

First Comes Twins

by Helen Brenna

Harlequin Superromance

ISBN: 13-9780373715824

Photojournalist, Noah Bennett, left Mirabelle Island fifteen years earlier. Now, he is forced to return in order to recover from an injury he received while being in-bedded with the Army in the Middle East.  Years before he had left his father, brother and the girl he thought was the love of his life.  Not long after he’d gone, Noah learned that Sophie Rousseau had married his older brother. She hadn’t waited on him.  Hurt, Noah stayed away and learned a few years later that Sophie and his brother had twins.  Noah had no plans to ever return to Mirabelle Island.

                A widow for two years, Sophie isn’t happy to see Noah.  She once loved him, he was everything to her and he’d left her. She wants him gone again, but still feels the old pull he had on her. Sophie has always loved Noah but she refuses to let him hurt her again. He hates the island and would never stay. She will never leave; the island is a part of her.

                As Noah’s health improves with Sophie’s care, they grow closer. Noah meets and learns to love her two children.  Noah wonders if Sophie and her two children are the readymade family that could bring him home for good. Sophie wants Noah to stay on the island, but he knows he can’t stay forever. Will the two old lovers find a way to make their complicated relationship work?

                I enjoyed this book. It was full of conflict, a sign of an excellent writer. Still, it didn’t answer a question I had. You’ll have to read it to find out what that question was.