The Wealthy Greek’s Contract Wife

Penny Jordan

Harlequin Presents

ISBN 13: 9780373129270

Lizzie Wareham’s sisters and her two nephews are the most important people in her life. After her parents died it became her job to see about them. The problem is that she was left with debts and is just keeping her head above water. Still, she knows that the love of a family is the most important thing.

Ilios Manos understands nothing about family except the responsibly of protecting and handing down his ancestral home to an heir. Ilios is a hard man, necessitated by his up bringing by a grandfather that didn’t nurture him, a father killed and a mother that left him. Family love, he has no concept of. 

Lizzie flies to Greece to clear up a misunderstanding about a business issue she had with Ilios’s cousin. When she meets Ilios, he tells her she owes him money and when she can’t pay he demands that she marry him. He has been advised by his lawyers that in order to show that he will continue his family’s line he should marry. Lizzie reluctantly agrees when he also offers her a large bonus that will make her family financially secure. She is attracted to the dark, brooding Ilios. Living together the two of them find it hard to resist each other. Lizzie’s love for her family and concern for others make Ilios see that his life could be different. Lizzie’s understanding and caring pushes Ilios to open up and embrace love, if he will only let himself do so.

I wasn’t sure I always liked the hero, but I did always understand why he acted and thought the way he did. Penny Jordan used the concept of being hard on your characters well in this book. Hunky, rich Greek man on an inland, what’s not to like?  Quick read.

Bite Me

Parker Blue

  ISBN-13: 978-0980245387

 Publisher: Belle Bridge Books

Genre: Paranormal YA/Adult

Amazon Review

In the spirit of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Parker Blue has created an edgy paranormal story that spans the bridge between YA and adult fiction.

For Val Shapiro, controlling her inner demon’s desires has never been easy, especially since she has not mastered the art of control. Her first experience kissing a boy was the first time she experienced the powerful sexual energy Lola craves. The inability to control the enthrallment almost killed the boy. The only substitute her demon, Lola, will accept is the energy generated from slaying vampires. This is her vocation, which she pursues after sneaking out of her parents’ house in the dead of night.

Her mother is horrified by her part demon child and fears for her normal daughter’s safety. All her love appears to be targeted at Val’s sister, which tears her apart inside. Despite her mother’s rejection, the last thing she expected was to be kicked out of the house on her eighteenth birthday to make it on her own with no income, no job, no home, etc.  An encounter with a mangy, talking dog in the park is the first step in her new life journey. Her incredible skills as a slayer have earned her a fearsome reputation in the vampire community and ultimately land her a job with a special unit in the police force whose task is to protect the citizens from the growing vampire problem.

We follow Val through the beginning of her journey as she struggles to come to terms with her unique gifts, her first real attraction that just might be love and coping with her family’s rejection. It is an edgy story built around the concept of a demon that must feed off sexual energy or violence related to vampire slayings. This is a fun read, but it’s not for someone looking for a more innocent, sweet story.

Fun read

The Multi-Millionaire’s Virgin Mistress

By Cathy Williams

Harlequin Presents

ISBN 13:978-0-373-52754

Alessandro Carett and Megan Everett are a couple while at university, but Alessandro wants what he thinks are bigger and better things than Megan. Her plans are to be a teacher, live in the country and have a family. He tells Megan he is done.

                Seven years later they meet at the school where Megan teaches in London. He is now rich and owns his own business, but he is looking for something more.  He is there with his fiancé and her little boy. Because of the boy, Alessandro and Megan come in contact more and more.

                Megan knows that Alessandro is the love of her life but she refuses to allow him to break her heart again. She works hard to keep him at a distance, but he pushes just as hard to get to know her again. Alessandro realizes that all the differences he and Megan had are still there, but he finds them appealing about her now.

                Alessandro breaks if off with his fiancé and tells Megan he wants a relationship with her. Megan agrees to nothing more than an affair because she knows she doesn’t fit into his world. When they are separated because of a business trip, they both discover just what their feelings are.

This is a nice short read. It’s an example of a person thinking they want one thing and discovering they really have want they want right in front of them. A lesson we can all appreciate.

The Harlot’s Daughter

By Blythe Gifford

Harlequin Historical Series

ISBN – 10:  0373294700

ASIN:  B000W94EEM

Genre:  Medieval Historical

“Her vulnerability made her dangerous… Lady Solay’s eyes met those of a hard-edged man. His implacable gaze sliced through her and, for an instant, she forgot everything else. A mistake. She had no time for emotion when so much depended on her finding favor at court.

Lord Justin Lamont couldn’t look away from the late king’s scandalous illegitimate daughter. Head held high, she walked as if the court adored her. No matter the pain in her eyes, Justin resolutely snuffed out a spark of sympathy. He must guard against her bewitching charms…”

REVIEWER’S COMMENTS:

What is the law? 

In THE HARLOT’S DAUGHTER, Blythe Gifford does an amazing job weaving history with a medieval story of a relationship doomed before it ever starts thanks to the politics of the time. Lady Solay is born out of a love affair between her mother and a king. When her mother’s lover was no longer on the thrown, her family was cast out into the world. Although they receive an annual stipend, it isn’t enough. With no way to make a living other than to appeal to the current king and wealthy, power-hungry men, Lady Solay, publicly known as THE HARLOT’S DAUGHTER, must present herself at court to petition for more funds and rely on the king’s good will. If she fails, her family loses everything. Surrounded by plots, intrigues and power-hungry men and women, Lady Solay holds her head high.

Then she meets Lord Justin Lamont, a representative from the Council, whose sole purpose for being there is to prevent the king from continuing to misuse the Treasury funds. They are immediately at odds over the money she requested. As their relationship continues, they are kept apart by their opposing views on what or who is the law. After they are forced by the king to marry, they work towards finding harmony for as long as they must be together. They are both jaded by their experiences that they lack trust and love in the relationship. By the end of the story, they find themselves facing the fallacies that are a part of their political views. This forces them to realize not everything is straightforward in the law and can now appreciate each other’s point of view. During their journey, they slowly open up to each other and begin to trust. In the end, she gives Lord Lamont the one thing he wants most—her love, which he responds to in kind.

Definitely worth reading

A Knight Well Spent

by Jackie Ivie

Zebra Historical Romance

ISBN: 13: 978-1-4201-0165-2

In Scotland in 1141, Aislynn, one of the local girls meets Rhoenne the new Norman laird. Rhoenne has been hurt and Aislynn understands the way of healing. They don’t think they will ever see each other again, but Aislynn is taken by Rhoenne’s brother and bought to Rhoenne’s castle. He claims her for himself. They fall in love, but the king declares that Rhoenne will marry his daughter. Rhoenne refuses the king because he loves Aislynn and prepares for a siege. His number one knight sees what is happening and knows that many will die if Rhoenne continues to defy the king.

The knight convinces Aislynn to leave with him in order to prevent the siege. Aislynn is heartbroken but knows what she must do, even though she knows she is carrying Rhoenne’s child. Months later, Rhoenne finds her and the knight, forcing Aislynn to return to his castle long enough to have his heir. Then he wants her no more. The knight goes with them to protect her from Rhoenne’s anger. When Rhoenne finally listens to his knight about why he took Aislynn away, Rhoenne understands they did it for love of him.  Rhoenne takes Aislynn into his arms again. The king calls Rhoenne and Aislynn to court. They are afraid the king will not allow them to marry and live happily ever after.

                This book was a little different twist on a historical. Some interesting elements. I enjoyed it. It was nice to get something I hadn’t expected. Refreshing in fact.

Wed Him Before You Bed Him

by Sabrina Jeffries

Pocket Books

ISBN: 978-1-4165-6082-1

Charlotte Page and David Masters are being forced into an arranged marriage. Both fight the idea until they meet. Each finds they like the other. When Charlotte sees who she believes is David kissing a maid she is crushed. His reputation as a womanizer must be true. Charlotte writes a horrible letter to David that accidently ends up published in a London newspaper. David is shunned by society.  Charlotte runs away and marries a military officer to save face.

After Charlotte’s husband dies, David, knowing of her interest in starting a girl’s school,  uses a factious name to see that she has the financial support to open the school. He plans to take revenge on Charlotte by letting her get her school going and then raise the rent when her lease is up, therefore forcing her to close the school that she loves.  Throughout the next ten years, David regularly correspondences with Charlotte as Cousin Michael so that she won’t know that it is him. 

 David finds that through letters, and also discovering why Charlotte wrote the awful letter, that he still cares for her. When David’s wife dies, he makes up a story that she left some money to the school. David approaches Charlotte trying to get her to move the school when a race course is moving in next door and before what he has done is found out.

Charlotte finds that the spark between her and David is still there. David offers Charlotte a life with him. Even though she loves him, she doesn’t want to give up her school. As a titled man, David’s wife would have responsibilities that wouldn’t leave her time to run a school.

Charlotte learns of David’s underhandedness, which devastates her. David can’t explain what he has done or why because he is accused of murdering his wife. He cooks up a plot with the help of the authorities and Charlotte gets caught in the net by the true murder.

Sabrina Jeffries, one of the queens of romance puts together an interesting historical with Wed Him Before You Bed Him. David is likable all the way through despite starting out with revenge in mind. Jeffries pegs the young girl who believes one thing and acts on it, to find she’s not got the complete story.  Looking for a nice comfortable historical this is the book.

Dangerous

By Diana Palmer

HQN Books

ISBN-10: 0373774591

Romantic Suspense

Tall, lean and headstrong, FBI agent Kilraven lives by his own rules.  And one of those rules includes keeping his hands off Jacobsville’s resident sweetheart, Winnie Sinclair, no matter the temptation.  Shy and innocent, Winnie couldn’t handle a man like him – a merciless man with a haunted past.  An this small town may hold not only the woman he fights to resist, but the answers to a cold case that is very personal to Kilraven…

Winnie has had her own share of sorrow and senses Kilraven’s pain.  Even though she tries to deny it, the gentle 911 operator feels a connection with the darkly handsome agent.  When he makes the disturbing discovery that her family’s unsavory past might have a bearing on his case, Winnie is determined to help him crack it…and the ice around his heart.

As they combine forces in a dangerous investigation, the stakes rise ever higher.  Winnie’s life is on the line, and she’ll need Kilraven more than ever.  But if they are to have a future together, her ruthless Texan will need to confront his past and risk it all for their love.

Dianna Palmer fans won’t be disappointed with her newest release in the Long, Tall Texans series.