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.

Claimed!

by Vicki Lewis Thompson    http://vickilewisthompson.com/

Harlequin Blaze

ISBN-10: 0373795602

ISBN-13: 978-0373795604

Category Romance, Blaze Series

No one does spicy like Vicki Lewis Thompson.  I’ll confess, I read the first chapter and wondered, “Now how is she going to pull this off?”  At first, it seemed as though a conversation between Josie and Jack would solve all their problems, but Claimed! has far more emotional depth than I have generally found in a Blaze.  The sex—and there’s plenty of it—is an integral part of who these characters are, why they get together, AND what keeps them apart.

Here’s my official version of the party line:  Josie has moved to Shosone, Wyoming and opened a bar there.  She and Jack had been the best of bed partners until the sudden death of his father puts the ladies’ man into a tailspin.  A community wedding brings them together, but Jack’s fear of commitment threatens to keep them apart.

The genius of the story is that Jack has some really good reasons to fear commitment, reasons that make him wounded as well as hunky.  Even better, he has an incredible sense of humor and dangles a spoon from his nose to win over Josie’s overprotective brother just as he had once won her over, just one example of the depth of both characters.  Jack is alternately sexy, wounded, and funny.  Josie is compassionate, independent, and ultimately willing to call it off if Jack can’t get his act together.

I really enjoyed this book and plan on looking up the first two in the series.   For writers, Claimed! is a well-paced read and an excellent example of your friend and mine, GMC.  For readers, just sit back and enjoy the ride.

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.

Texas Baby

By Tanya Michaels

Harlequin

ISBN-10: 037375325X

ISBN-13: 978-0373753253

Category Romance:  Harlequin American

Texas Baby lives up to the promise of its cover:  hunky cowboy and adorable baby.  Of course, the reader will also be treated to a determined heroine, a precocious five-year-old, and a cadre of villains and allies.  This story is far richer than the title suggests.  Addie Caine became a mother of two overnight when her brother and his wife passed away in a boating accident.  Leave it to fate to introduce her to the man of her dreams on the one day she’s allowed herself to fall apart.

Giff Baker is pretending to be a consultant at the company where Addie works, but he’s really a corporate spy, hired to find out who’s been leaking sensitive information to competitors.  Unfortunately for Addie, more than one person thinks she’s the culprit.  Even as love blossoms for Addie and Giff, the reader is still on the edge of her seat knowing that there’s another shoe that still has to drop.

Interspersed with the tale of Giff, Addie, and the informant, the reader is treated to Tanner and Nicole, the children who capture Giff’s heart almost as much as Addie does.  Giff, as a hero, really shines as he changes diapers or helps Tanner overcome a fear of boats and the water.  His comforting words to the boy about teamwork resonate with multiple meanings, a metaphor that Michaels pulls off with aplomb.

As expected, Michaels delivers rich characters, humorous moments, a perfectly poised black moment, and a delicious denouement.  In particular, look for the passage where Addie forsakes Ben and Jerry—it’ll be one of the few times in your life that you laugh out loud while you’re crying.

White Heat

by Brenda Novak

MIRA Books

ISBN-10: 0778327957

White Heat kicks off a new romantic suspense series by Brenda Novak featuring the operatives of Department 6, a private security company that specializes in dangerous, high-risk assignments.  This book features Rachel Jessop and Nate Ferrentino, two people who are less than thrilled to be on their way to Paradise, a ghost town in the Arizona desert.  They’ve been on eggshells around each other since the awkward and unhappy morning after their one and only night together several months earlier and now they’ll be going undercover as husband and wife to infiltrate a religious cult that appears to have taken a turn into dangerous territory.  A woman has escaped from the cult’s compound, claiming that the members of the Church of the Covenant attempted to stone her to death and now a local teenage girl is missing and her mother is certain her disappearance is at the hands of the church. 

Ethan Wycliff is one scary dude.  The charismatic founder of the Church of the Covenant is well-spoken and handsome, drawing and binding people to him with ease.  Unfortunately, his charm hides a much darker side that includes drugs, countless depravities and even murder.  This is the man Nate and Rachel must bring down and he proves more than a worthy adversary.  Novak has created a villain that is the worst kind of cult leader and I admit, he brought more than a few chills to my spine, especially when his plans for Rachel are brought to light.  I think what makes him so scary is his realism.  This is a man that could live next door, be my child’s college roommate, be the murderer about whom people say, “He was such a nice man.”

White Heat is a gripping, edge-of-the-seat story with intriguing characters and truly evil villains.  The desert setting is perfect, giving the reader the same feeling of dread and isolation that Rachel feels when she purposely puts herself at the mercy of Wycliff, cutting herself off from Nate and outside help.  The love story builds slowly and realistically, gaining in intensity and culminating in a classic life and death race against time.

This is a book that I had a hard time putting down. In fact, it kept me awake late into the night until I finally turned the final page. The story grabbed me from the beginning and still has me thinking about it long after the final page was turned.  Brenda Novak really is a master of her craft.

I can’t wait to read more Department 6 books. Luckily, I won’t have to wait long! The next book, Body Heat will be released August 31st, to be followed by Killer Heat on September 28th.

PJ Ausdenmore