Chain Reaction ~ Book Trailer

Chain Reaction by Simone Elkeles

Luis Fuentes has always been sheltered from the gang violence that nearly destroyed his brothers’ lives. But that didn’t stop him from taking risks—whether he’s scaling a mountain in the Rockies or dreaming of a future as an astronaut, Luis can’t stop looking for the next thrill.

Nikki Cruz lives her life by three rules—boys lie to get their way, don’t trust a boy who says “I love you,” and never date a boy from the south side of Fairfield. Her parents may be from Mexico, but as a doctor’s daughter, she has more in common with her north-side neighbors than the Latino Blood at her school. Then she meets Luis at Alex’s wedding, and suddenly, she’s tempted to break all her rules.

Getting Nikki to take a chance on a southsider is Luis’s biggest challenge, until he finds himself targeted by Chuy Soto, the new head of the Latino Blood. When Chuy reveals a disturbing secret about Luis’s family, the youngest Fuentes finds himself questioning everything he’s ever believed to be true. Will his feelings for Nikki be enough to stop Luis from entering a dark and violent world and permanently living on the edge?

I just finished devouring the first two books in this trilogy, and can't wait to get my hands on Chain Reaction. I couldn't tell you which is my favorite between Perfect Chemistry and Rules of Attraction because I love them both equally.

The copies I read of these were both checked out from my local library, so now I have to get all three for my keeper shelf.

If you haven't read this trilogy and your a YA fan, then you're missing out!

Author Interview & Giveaway: C.H. Admirand, author of Tyler

Please join me in welcoming C.H. Admirand, author of Tyler

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C.H. Admirand was born in Aiken, South Carolina. She has published 9 bestselling novels for the library market. Tyler is her tenth book and her first mass market release. She lives with her husband, who is the inspiration for all of her heroes’ very best traits, in northern New Jersey. For more information, please visit http://www.chadmirand.com/.

With writing several novels, how do you keep the plots fresh?

Usually a character will start whispering in my ear while I’m trying to sleep, or I’ll see something in the news, read something, or in the case of this series—will experience something that will spark an idea. So for me the plots are always new and exciting. Most people think I’m just this side of crazy, but I’m in big trouble if my characters aren’t waking me up in the middle of the night!

How many books can we expect to see in this series?

The series – so far—is a trilogy. There are three gorgeous, dark-haired, dark-eyed Garahan brothers. Tyler, the oldest brother, releases March 2011 and Dylan, the middle brother, releases January 2012. Jesse, the youngest, is my current work-in-progress and the release date is TBD!

How did you go about doing research for Tyler?

Tyler is a big move for me, not only from the library market into mass market paperback, but from my Historical Romance Irish Western Series to Contemporary Romance. I always research the time period and locations that I’m writing about thoroughly, so the time period for Tyler really was a challenge for me. Technology has changed drastically since my first book was published a decade ago, and I haven’t embraced all that it has to offer. Fortunately, I can ask our daughter and younger son questions about social networks, and our oldest about technology, etc., so I have a research resource close at hand. I’ve been to Texas a couple of times, the first time was the most memorable—a cross country trip in the middle of the gas shortage in 1974—and for those of you who don’t know what it’s like wait for the odd or even days (depending on your license plate number) and then to wait on line for gas, it was a nightmare in New Jersey, but the funny thing was as soon as we drove out of the Tri-State Area, the lines weren’t as long and started to disappear the further west we drove. When the RT Booklover’s Convention was in Houston, TX, two of my writer friends talked me into going to LeBare, a ladies’ club in Houston…an experience that has definitely stayed with me…but I turned my embarrassment at the time into a trilogy that I sold to Sourcebooks.

What inspired you to write your first novel?

I’ve always loved watching Westerns on TV and have long been a fan of John Wayne, Gary Cooper, Roy Rogers and Gene Autry. I loved the movie, Stagecoach, and was trying to come up with a way for the hero to meet the heroine. In all of the Westerns I’d watched the heroes were larger than life and usually lawmen. I wanted to put a unique twist to the genre and decided to use my Irish heritage in all of my books, starting with The Marsha’s Destiny. If you’ve seen John Wayne in Stagecoach, you’ll know that although he wasn’t a lawman, he wasn’t a true outlaw, he’d been avenging a wrong. But I wanted my hero to be a US Marshal and knew I’d name my heroine after my great grandmother, Margaret Mary Flaherty. I added a dash of reality when trying to decide what would possess her to travel from NYC where her family had recently immigrated and realized it would have to be her brother’s fault. I always got in trouble as a kid following my older brother around.

Are you currently working on anything? If so, can you share a little teaser?

I just turned in book two, Dylan. I do love how they meet. In book two, Dylan agrees to stand in for Tyler at the Lucky Star after Widowmaker tries to skewer Tyler to a barbed wire fence. Here’s a teaser:

Dylan Garahan narrowed his gaze trying to focus in the glare of the spotlight, searching the crowd for her face. It was time for the big move in his act—the show-stopper.

Where was she?

Jolene would kill him if he messed this up, but he’d made it through the last two nights and would make it through tonight. The redheaded owner of the club should have no complaints about the middle Garahan brother not keeping his word or holding up his end of the bargain. Damn the woman and her tests!

Controlling the urge to turn on his heel and walk off the stage, he dug deep and found the grit to stick it out. Hell if Tyler could handle this job, so could he. Garahans went down fighting!

Oblivious to the adoring gazes of the women around him, he moved toward center stage, bent and picked up the coiled rope. He looked up as a blonde, a brunette, and a redhead walked into the bar…right on schedule…but there was something different about the brunette. Maybe it was the blindfold. He struggled not to laugh, but he couldn’t keep from smiling wondering why the cloak and dagger bit.

Looping the lasso in his hands, he started the slow circular motion. Getting the rhythm going until it was smooth and sweet; he raised it above his head and locked gazes with the blonde. When she nodded, he let the lasso fly, as the blonde whipped the blindfold off the brunette.

The woman’s stunned expression as the rope slipped around her upper body didn’t stop him from tugging on the rope and reeling her in. The patrons of the Lucky Star hooted and hollered, encouraging him to pull faster, but he didn’t want the little lady to trip and fall on her pretty face.

Glad that the focus of the crowd wasn’t totally on him, he gently pulled her toward him. The brunette’s Gypsy-dark skin, full red lips, and almond-shaped eyes captivated him. The promise of pain-filled death in her dark green eyes, as she struggled against the bonds that held her had his lips twitching, fighting not to smile.

She dug in her heels, but he used his strength to subdue her. Undeterred, he yanked on the rope. When her eyes widened in shock, he used her surprise to his advantage and reeled her in the last few feet. When they were a few inches apart, he tipped his hat, smiled and rumbled, “Happy birthday, arling’.”

Her eyes narrowed, and her nostrils flared, and Dylan recognized the signs of a fractious filly about to raise a ruckus. When her ears twitched, he was ready. Wrapping his free hand around her, he hauled her in close, pinning her to him before she could let loose and kick him.

The crowd roared its approval.

“Let me go,” she demanded, her sweet breath tickling the hollow of his throat.

Enjoying himself for the first time since he’d hit the stage, he chuckled and bent his head closer to her full red lips. “Why?” His gaze locked with hers. “So you can have more room to do more damage?”

“I don’t like being manhandled.”

Her vehement protest didn’t deter him; he had a job to do and act to finish. “Well now, arling’,” he drawled. “That’s not what your friends said.”

Her eyes sparkled with temper, and her willowy body trembled with anger. Dylan’s body stood up and said hell yeah! It’d been a long time since he’d had a woman tempt him. The sultry brunette in his arms looked like she wanted to tear a few strips off of his hide…right before she killed him.

Damn, but that turned him on.
© C.H. Admirand, Sourcebooks Casablanca, 2011

Which authors have influenced your writing style?

I’ve been to a number of conferences and writing workshops over the years, but two stick out in my mind as the most influential: A Q&A with Nora Roberts where someone from the audience asked her how to handle a husband who wasn’t supportive of the woman’s writing career. Without missing a beat, Nora’s response was to divorce him! After the laughter died down, she sighed and said that she could see from the woman’s reaction that she really loved the guy, so she would have to work around him, finding her support system in a writers group. The other was Susan Elizabeth Phillips. It was actually the same NJRW Conference in 1995, and she was speaking about motivation and selling one’s first book. I can’t remember word for word what she said, but the feeling that I had when she spoke has stayed with me. She truly wanted all of us to go after our dream of being published and to remember to stay true to what inspires you and write what you know…she did…and against the odds wrote about a hero who played football.

What are your top three favorite books? Authors?

Ransom by Julie Garwood, Born in Ice by Nora Roberts, Night Play by Sherrilyn Kenyon

TYLER BY C.H. ADMIRAND – IN STORES MARCH 2011

Desperate times call for desperate measures…
When Tyler Garahan said he’d do anything to save his family’s ranch, he never thought that would include taking a job as a stripper at a local ladies’ club. But the club’s fiery redheaded bookkeeper captures Tyler’s attention, and for her, he’ll swallow his pride…

And one good turn deserves another…
Emily Langley feels for the gorgeous cowboy. It’s obvious that he’s the real deal and wouldn’t be caught dead in a ladies’ revue if he wasn’t in big trouble. And when he looks at her like that, she’ll do anything to help…

Working days on the ranch and nights at the ladies’ club, Tyler is plumb exhausted. But could it be that his beautiful boss needs him just as much as he needs her...

WANT TO WIN A COPY OF THIS BOOK?

{March 2-16, 2011}

• Only residents of the U.S. or Canada are eligible to win
• No P.O. Boxes please
• Giveaway copies will be sent directly to winners from the publisher
• Up to 2 copies will be available depending on entries.
• Winners will be randomly selected using random.org and contacted via email.
• Please leave a comment on this post stating you filled out the form! 
• One entry per person

  To enter, please do the following:

1. Follow C.H. Admirand on twitter (Leave your @twittername in the comments section)
2. Fill out the form below

*Thanks to Sourcebooks, Inc. for providing the prize!

Review: Dark Peril by Christine Feehan

Dark Peril

Christine Feehan {Facebook}
Series: Dark #21
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Publication Date: August 31, 2010
Audio Book {14hrs}
Source: Public Library
Genre: Paranormal
Characters: Solange Sangria, Dominic
Challenge: 100+, Paranomal Romance, Whisper Stories
My Rating:

Dominic, of the Dragonseeker lineage—one of the most powerful of the Carpathian lines — is desperate to go to the very heart of the enemy camp and learn their plans. There’s only one way to do so: ingest the parasitic blood of a vampire. He knows that it is a mission from which there is no return. With little time before the blood takes effect, he’ll get the information he needs, relay it to the leader of the Carpathians, and go out fighting. There is no more honorable way to end his life.

Solange Sangria is one of the last of the jaguar people, a royal pureblood, a dying species that cannot recover from bad decisions made over hundreds of years. She has long been alone, fighting to save the remaining shapeshifters from the hands of Brodrick the Terrible: her own father, who slaughtered her family and everyone she loved. Wounded and weary, she plans one last battle, hoping to stop the man who has made an alliance with the vampires, accepting that she will not come out alive.

They are two warriors who have lived their lives alone. Now, at the end of their time, they find each other — an obstacle neither saw coming, and which neither can hope to ignore.

Solange and Dominic’s relationship began before they actually met each other. They were dream lovers of sorts, that neither believed to be real people.

Solange is a jaguar shifter and Dominic is a Carpathian of the Dragonseeker lineage. She has major trust issues when it comes to men, due to all the violence she has seen inflicted upon women by her male jaguar counterparts.

When they finally do meet, of course he’s already in love with her. He has to prove to her that is love for her is true and hot just because she’s his soulmate and has to love her because he has no choice in the matter.

Solange seemed to have a lot of issues with self esteem as well, especially when it came to be a woman, or feminine, not just a warrior. She always needed constant assurances and it became rather whiny.

As a reader I didn’t have any kind of investment in this lifemate pair other than the fact that their story is a part of the series. I would have loved to have seen appearances from past Carpathians. I always enjoy catching up with previous members of the series.

Read by Natalie Ross and Phil Gigante

Duration: 14 hours

Loved the narration by these two, but I always enjoy Phil's narration so it's no surprise that I enjoyed this one. The narrators did not hinder or decrease my enjoyment of the story.

Review: How to Marry a Duke by Vicky Dreiling

How to Marry a Duke
Vicky Dreiling {Blog | Blogspot | Facebook | Twitter}
Publisher: Forever
Publication Date: January 1, 2011
Mass Market Paperback {p.396}
Source: Publisher
Genre: Historical
Characters: Tessa Mansfield, Tristan Gatewick
Challenge: 100+, Historical Romance
My Rating:

Tristan, the Duke of Shelbourne is a man with a mission: find a wife he can tolerate as long as they both shall live. Love is not necessary--nor desired. But how to choose among a dizzying array of wealthy-yet-witless candidates? Hire London's infamously prim and proper matchmaker. Then pretend she's not the most captivating woman he's ever met...

Helping a devilish Duke create a contest to pick his perfect mate is the kind of challenge Tessa Mansfield relishes. Her methods may be scandalous, but she's determined to find the notorious bachelor more than a wife--she'll bring him true love. Yet when Tessa watches the women vie for the Duke's affections, she longs to win his heart herself. And after a stolen kiss confirms Tristan's desire, Tessa knows she has broken a matchmaker's number one rule: never fall in love with the groom.

Tristan is in the market of finding a wife. At a ball where is doing just that, he meets Tessa. He is instantly attracted to her, but he doesn't know her true identity.

Tessa is a unwed spinster matchmaker. She herself refuses to ever marry. Although she too is attracted to Tristan, she knows nothing will ever come of the attraction due to her refusal to ever marry and his rakish reputation.

So Tristan sets out to snag Tessa's matchmaking services to aid him in finding a suitable bride. The book unfolds like season 11 of The Bachelor. Tristan has twenty-four lovely, and not so lovely, ladies competing for the title of Duchess.

From earlier on in the story we learn of a secret that Tessa has been keeping, and only has shared it with her late uncle. You can tell she suffers from extreme guilt from this secret, but we as the read have no idea what it is. I was constantly wanting to peek ahead just to find out what it was due to her constant discomfort of the secret.

Overall I really enjoyed the story and all of the characters. I especially liked Tristan's best friend, Hawk, and look forward to his very own book. Not only was this a romantic read, but also a comedic read as well. There were many times I found myself laughing , one in particular included a candlestick and some sheep.

Review: My Fair Succubi by Jill Myles

My Fair Succubi
Jill Myles {Blog | Facebook | Twitter}
Series: Succubus Diaries #3
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Release Date: December 28, 2010
Format: Mass Market Paperback {p.340}
Source: Publisher
Genre: Paranormal
Characters: Jackie Brighton, Noah Gideon, Zane
My Rating:

IT SUCKS TO BE HER.

Living as a succubus has a bit of a learning curve, but with sexy fallen angel Noah to scratch her sensual Itch, Jackie Brighton is finally starting to feel ahead of the game. She almost doesn’t miss her gorgeous vampire master Zane—or his sinful, teasing mouth. She’s trying to convince herself of that, anyway.

But Jackie’s past mistakes catch up with her, spinning her life out of control once more. Just as her friend Remy’s inner demon comes out to play, Noah and Jackie are arrested by the angelic Serim Council. When Jackie seizes the chance to escape, she falls right into Zane’s waiting arms. As she’s pulled into a game of cat and mouse between vampires and angels, she finds she must also choose between the two men in her life. Can she decide between Noah and Zane, or will she lose everything she’s ever wanted? Because there’s more at stake than just her heart...

Jill Myles’ Succubus Diaries is a new author and series to me. Although My Fair Succubi is the third installment in the series, I was quickly immersed in the plot and taken with the characters.

Jackie was witty and provided much of the comedic relief, along with Ethan. Ethan, a Guardian, led a sheltered pure existence until getting mixed up with Jackie and MTV.

Jackie is torn between two men, Noah and Zane, whom she claims to love both of. Noah is a Serim and Zane is a vampire. Not only is Jackie trying to decide which of these men she wants to be with, but she is also trying to save her best friend Remy who has been possessed.

The plot was highly entertaining. The whole adventure in which she and Ethan took in trying to rescue Remy was a laugh a minute. And when Jackie wasn’t getting into all kinds of hijinks, she was flip-flopping between two men.

I did have my personal preference as to which of the men I preferred, and that would be Noah. Since I have not read the first two books in the series, I don’t really know either man’s backstory all that well. But from just reading this one, I like Noah.

The entire story, I felt that Noah cared for Jackie more than she cared for him. It seemed as if she just used him for her Itch. Jackie did tend to annoy me at times because she was causing so many problems and trouble, but the people around her tended to be the ones to pay the price for her actions.

This is definitely a series that I will be reading more of, as well as any other title by this author.

Review: Six by Opal Carew

Six

Opal Carew {Facebook | Twitter}
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: January 6, 2009
Format: Trade Paperback {p.263}
Source: Personal Library
Genre: Erotica, Menage
Characters: Harmony, Mia, Nikki, Angela, Aiden, Cole, Jake, Trey
My Rating:

Harmony leads a secret life. On the surface, she's a respectable, straight-laced professional. But once a year, she reunites with her old college friends--the infamous Group of Six--for a decadent sexual free-for-all. Here, there are no limits. Nothing is forbidden as they push every boundary to reach dizzying new heights of pleasure. But this year, Harmony has a serious boyfriend in her life…and he has no idea about her naughty annual retreats. Now Aiden is about to enter an intoxicating new world of explosive sensuality and mind-blowing group sex. But can their relationship withstand Harmony's wild side? And when an old friend reveals his true feelings for Harmony, how far is Aiden willing to go to win her heart?

Harmony stared at the glossy pamphlet again, with the photos of vivid blue, tropical water, white sandy beaches, and lovely villas along the water.

Six is filled with hot, mindless, meaningless sex. It's full of sex but not much in the way of storyline.

Harmony, the main female character, came across as very fickle. She was constantly testing Aiden to prove his love to her, yet she never proved her love for him. She was demanding that if he truly loved her, he would for one week out of the year, be okay with her having sex with any and every man or woman off the street. It wasn't just sex within the group of "six," but sex with whomever she felt like inviting to join her.

Six was already a far out there concept, with six friends have a free-for-all sex fest every year, but the added sex with any and every random strange made it a hard pill to swallow in the aspect of believability.

Harmony and Aiden didn't share any kind of emotional connection even though they claimed to love each other. Aiden and Harmony were in lukewarm "like" instead of love. And even with that, it felt like Aiden cared more for Harmony than she cared for him.

There was more of a connection between Harmony and Cole, another "six" member, who just so happen to tell Harmony that he loves her as well. But Harmony felt it was okay to have sex with Cole, knowing that her loved her, but became extremely jealous of Aiden having sex with Mia, his ex who was newly inducted into the group.

The other members of the group were okay, but pretty much everyone was okay compared to Harmony. Although one group member, Angela, was a little over the top as well with her sexcapades.

Review: Sail by James Patterson

Sail
James Patterson
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Published: June 9, 2008
Format: Audio Book
Source: Public Library
Genre: Suspense
Characters: Katherine Dunne, Carrie Dunne, Mark Dunne, Ernie Dunne
My Rating:

Heat Level: N/A
Synopsis:

Barely out of sight of land, the Dunne family finds its summer getaway to paradise already turning into the trip from hell. Carrie, the eldest, has thrown herself off the side of the boat in a bid for attention. Sixteen-year-old Mark is getting high below decks. And Ernie, their ten-year-old brother. is nearly catatonic. It's shaping up to be the worst vacation ever." "Katherine Dunne had hoped this trip would bring back the togetherness they'd lost when her husband died four years earlier. Maybe if her new husband, a high-powered Manhattan attorney. had been able to postpone his trial and join them it would all have been okay." Suddenly, a disaster hits - and it's perfect. Faced with real danger, the Dunne's rediscover the meaning of family and pull together in a way they haven't in a long time. But this catastrophe is just a tiny taste of the danger that lurks ahead: someone wants to make sure that the Dunne family never makes it out of paradise alive.

Katherine Dunne feels like her family has fallen apart since the death of her late husband. She has remarried, to Peter Carlyle, a hot-shot attorney, and moved on, but her kids have not. So Katherine decides that what she and the kids need is a family vacation together out at sea. With the help of her former brother-in-law, Jake Dunne, the family sets sail.

Any and everything that could possibly go wrong on this trip, does indeed go wrong. From the start of the trip, there is an attempted suicide and a perfect storm. And that's not the half of it.

What the Dunne's don't know is, that someone wants them dead. And they won't stop until they are.

Sail, moves at a fast, no nonsense pace, typical of Patterson. From the start it's action-packed and doesn't let up. It contains twists and turns that you don't see coming, and some that you do.



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Review: Mad, Bad, and Blonde by Cathie Linz

Mad, Bad, and Blonde
Cathie Linz
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Published: March 2, 2010
Format: Mass Market Paperback {275 pages}
Source: Public Library
Genre: Contemporary
Characters: Faith West,Caine Hunter
My Rating:

Heat Level: 4/5
Synopsis:

After being jilted at the altar, librarian Faith West goes on her Italian honeymoon solo, but doesn't stay that way too long. And though her sexy rebound man has ulterior motives, feelings surface that neither of them are prepared for.

It was the perfect day for a wedding.

Faith is left at the altar by her fiance, who thinks she's boring and leaves for Bali to "find himself." Determined not to let this ruin her, Faith goes on her honeymoon alone. While on her honeymoon, she meets hunky former Marine, Caine Hunter. What she doesn't know is that he has his own agenda when it comes to her.

Faith is smart and witty, and she was able to push forward after a situation that would have broken most people. I truly liked how she kept thinking and regarding life in terms of "what would Jane Austen do." The chemistry between Faith and Caine was smoking hot and more than just sexually charged. The two of them had this dry, witty back and forth interactions with each that was hilarious at times. Especially while working together.

I loved these two together from the start. Caine was the perfect fit for Faith. Someone who could go toe-to-toe with her and still let her be herself.

Another interesting thing about Faith, not only did she think in terms of Jane Austen, but in music as well. She had a soundtrack for every aspect of her life. Every mood had a song. There were references for every song you could imagine. I Hate Everything About You, Don't Speak, A Life Less Ordinary, Jump, Irreplaceable, You Give Love a Bad Name, Don't Stop Believin', just to name a few. Maybe I need to get a playlist for my life.

I'm definitely looking forward to reading the follow up to this one, Luck Be a Lady.

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Review: Common Ground by Lex Valentine

Title: Common Ground
Author: Lex Valentine
Series: Tales of the Darkworld #5
Published: July 8, 2010
Publisher: Pink Petal Books
Source: Publisher
Format: Kindle
Genre: Paranormal
Characters: Sair McCallan, Marius Granville, Keir Randall, Weyln Randall
My Rating:

Heat Level: 5/5
Synopsis:

Werewolf Sair McCallan escapes the confines of her brother’s pack with the help of a mated werewolf couple who believe in open sexuality and relationships. With Weylyn and Keir Randall, Sair experiences freedom in all things for the first time in her life. When she meets her mate, she’s shocked to find he’s a boring, broody vampire. Uptight Marius Granville has his staid and orderly life completely shattered by the arrival of his bloodmate, a beautiful werewolf who steals his heart and expects him to join in her kinky play with the Randalls. Marius is forced out of his hum drum existence and opens himself to new sexual experiences to please Sair. As her new mate strives to give her everything she needs, Sair battles internal demons that threaten their fragile new relationship.

Sair McCallan flees her homeland with the aid of Weylyn and Keir Randall and moves to sunny California. In the California, she meets her sexy, although uptight mate, Marius Granville. While Sair is somewhat a free-spirit, she doesn't think a relationship with uptight Marius will work out.

Marius is immediately attracted to the young woman who frequents his family’s cemetery, who unbeknownst to him is his mate. He’s never had such a strong pull to a woman like this before and doesn’t quite understand it. He leads a mundane unhappy life and feels that a mate just isn’t in the cards for him.

Weylyn and Keir are an integral part of Marius and Sair’s relationship. They are not just responsible for the two of them meeting, but also helping them open up sexually. When Sair and Marius get together sexually, they are extremely hot. And when all four of them get together, they set the pages on fire.

Marius and his concerns about his relationship with Sair, without the Randall’s, were very valid and well executed. I found myself having those same concerns he was having about Sair. She wasn’t always forthcoming with him and tended to shut him out at times.

Overall it was a good read. Although, I did feel that it ended somewhat abruptly. The epilogue sets you up for the next book in the series. This book is a part of a series, but can be read as a stand-alone.

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Book Trailer Thursday {2}

Author: Sharon Sala
Title: Torn Apart
Pub. Date: July 2010
Publisher: Mira
Format: Mass Market Paperback
ISBN-13: 9780778327929

The twister that touches down in Bordelaise, Louisiana, not only destroys the calm of a summer Sunday, it pierces the soul of Katie Earle, whose young son Bobby goes missing…and it wasn't the storm that took him.

Katie's first thought is that her estranged husband, J.R., saw his chance and grabbed Bobby to spite her. But the reality goes beyond that to truly horrifying, and now her nightmare is only just beginning. The real terror will begin when the tornado's wreckage is cleared away and the kidnapper can escape with his prize.

The agony of uncertainty grows with every passing hour as Katie and J.R. reunite with a single, desperate purpose: to find their son before he slips from their grasp…forever.





Author: Samantha Kane
Title: Love's Fortress
Pub. Date: July 2010
Publisher: Ellora's Cave
Format: Ebook
ISBN-13: 9781419928352

Brothers in Arms, Book Seven

Gideon North wants a wife. She must be practical and hardworking. But above all, she must have a hearty constitution. Horribly injured and scarred from his Peninsular War service, Gideon does not want to deal with a wife who flinches every time she looks at him.

Gideon's estate manager Charles Borden was his sergeant in the war. Inseparable but almost always at odds, the two men agree that Sarah Whitley is the perfect wife for Gideon. Strong, beautiful and intelligent with a dry sense of humor, Sarah bears her own marks from a life spent in the shadows.

When Sarah learns to let go of her past fears, she frees both men to acknowledge the love and attraction that has always existed between them. The three become intimate but the eroticism of their encounters in the bedroom does not guarantee happiness. Gideon's defenses mire them in the past. Only together can Sarah and Charles break through to build a future with Gideon.





Author: Diane Chamberlain
Title: The Lies We Told
Pub. Date: June 2010
Publisher: Mira
Format: Trade Paperback
ISBN-13: 9780778328537

Maya and Rebecca Ward are both accomplished physicians, but that's where the sisters' similarities end. As teenagers, they witnessed their parents' murder, but it was Rebecca who saved Maya from becoming another of the gunman's victims. The tragedy left Maya cautious and timid, settling for a sedate medical practice with her husband, Adam, while Rebecca became the risk taker.

After a devastating hurricane hits the coast of North Carolina, Rebecca and Adam urge Maya to join them in the relief effort. To please her husband, Maya finally agrees. She loses herself in the care and transport of victims, but when her helicopter crashes into raging floodwaters, there appear to be no survivors.

Forced to accept Maya is gone, Rebecca and Adam turn to one another—first for comfort, then in passion—unaware that, miles from civilization, Maya is injured and trapped with strangers she's not certain she can trust. Away from the sister who has always been there to save her, now Maya must find the courage to save herself—unaware that the life she knew has changed forever.

Book Trailer Thursday {1}

Author: Meagan Hatfield
Title: Shadow of the Vampire
Pub. Date: July 2010
Publisher: Harlequin
Format: Mass Market Paperback
ISBN-13: 9780373775002

Vampire princess Alexia Feodorovna has been undead for 125 years, so it's been a while since any man has made her pulse race. Until Declan Black. One look at his bronzed body and a fire like no other consumes her. Then she discovers that he's a dragon lord come to take revenge on the vamps who killed his parents. And claim a crystal said to imbue its owner with incredible powers.

Alexia is ordered to torture and kill the dragon lord. Yet with each reckless encounter, she finds herself consumed by his fiery passion. A passion Declan battles, as well. Will he be able to resist the fire of lust she kindles within him and keep revenge in his heart? Or will he risk everything to quench the burning desire and claim the vampire as his own?

Author: Christine Feehan
Title: Water Bound
Pub. Date: July 2010
Publisher: Penguin Group
Format: Mass Market Paperback
ISBN-13: 9780515148244

For Sid, the last thing he remembered was being enlisted to protect a vulnerable young woman in the coastal town of Sea Haven. Then, as if in some nightmare, the mysteriously sexy bodyguard was lost in the swirling currents of the ocean, and sucked deeper into the nothingness of a freezing black eddy. Just as quickly, just as miraculously, he was saved—pulled ashore by a beautiful stranger.

Her name is Rikki, a sea-urchin diver in Sea Haven. She always felt an affinity for the ocean, and the seductive pull of the tides. And now, for the enigmatic man she rescued. But soon they will be bound by something even stronger—each other’s tantalizing secrets which will engulf them both in a whirlpool of dizzying passion and inescapable danger.

Author: Brenda Novak
Title: White Heat
Pub. Date: July 2010
Publisher: Mira
Format: Mass Market Paperback
ISBN-13: 9780778327950

A dangerous cult has recently taken over the desert ghost town of Paradise, Arizona. Members worship at the feet—and in the bed—of its charismatic leader, Ethan Wycliff, and obey his orders blindly. They've already tried to murder one woman and they're implicated in the disappearance of another.

Nate Ferrentino, who works for private security contractor Department 6, has been assigned to infiltrate this group. It's a challenge he welcomes—until he learns that colleague Rachel Jessop will be going undercover with him. Thanks to their shared history, he'd much rather go alone….

The problem is, only married couples can participate in cult rituals. So, like it or not—and they don't—Rachel and Nate must pretend to be husband and wife.

There's no choice. Because if Wycliff isn't exposed, if he isn't stopped, more people will die. And Rachel might be one of them.

Spotlight: The Bride Collector by Ted Dekker

Each Monday, I thought I would try and spotlight a different book that I find interesting from reading the blurb. This week I'm spotlighting The Bride Collector by Ted Dekker. I know my blog is mainly romance, but from time to time I do read a little mystery and thrillers. Although I've never read Ted Dekker before, I am a fan of James Patterson and this book came up as one I may like since I like Patterson. The title is what caught me, so I had to read the blurb. This is another book I'll be adding to my local library wait list.

Title: The Bride Collector

Author: Ted Dekker
Published: April 13, 2010

The Blurb

FBI Special agent Brad Raines is facing his toughest case yet. A Denver serial killer has killed four beautiful young women, leaving a bridal veil at each crime scene, and he's picking up his pace. Unable to crack the case, Raines appeals for help from a most unusual source: residents of the Center for Wellness and Intelligence, a private psychiatric institution for mentally ill individuals whose are extraordinarily gifted.

It's there that he meets Paradise, a young woman who witnessed her father murder her family and barely escaped his hand. Diagnosed with schizophrenia, Paradise may also have an extrasensory gift: the ability

In a desperate attempt to find the killer, Raines enlists Paradise's help. In an effort to win her trust, he befriends this strange young woman and begins to see in her qualities that most 'sane people' sorely lack. Gradually, he starts to question whether sanity resides outside the hospital walls...or inside.

 to experience the final moments of a person's life when she touches the dead body.

As the Bride Collector picks up the pace-and volume-of his gruesome crucifixions, the case becomes even more personal to Raines when his friend and colleague, a beautiful young forensic psychologist, becomes the Bride Collector's next target.
The FBI believes that the killer plans to murder seven women. Can Paradise help before it's too late?

To read an excerpt of The Bride Collector, click HERE.