HQN, contemporary romance, July 2009
Connections: Second in the Girlfriends trilogy, follows Cutting Loose

With this delightful and sizzling story, Susan Andersen returns us to the world of the three best friends -- Jane, Poppy, and Ava -- who have inherited a historic mansion and all its contents from their childhood mentor and inspiration. This time, it's artist, teacher, and "bleeding heart" Poppy at center stage, and she's going toe-to-toe with Detective Jason de Sanges over some teens caught vandalizing local businesses with graffiti. She wants the kids to help paint a mural on the wall they defaced, but Jase sees this as reward rather than a safe outlet for their creativity. The two figuratively strike sparks off each other, both in their arguments over the kids and in some truly spectacular sexual chemistry.

Jase is a fascinating hero -- it's like he doesn't believe redemption is possible, even for himself. Though he's so clearly not like the other men in his family, he still thinks he could slip up at any time. Poppy, with all her openness, acceptance, and intolerance for bullshit, really is his perfect match. I adore this couple -- they're the poster children for opposites attracting.

I really enjoyed both books in the Girlfriends series and am bitterly disappointed in HQN for their decision to not publish Ava's story. I live in hope that someday we readers will get that story, but in the meantime, enjoy Poppy and Jase's story, because it's worth it.

Review © 2009 by Riley's Reviews

Pocket, historical romance, July 2009
Connections: final installment in School for Heiresses series

Forget the heiress students, in this installment, readers finally get the story of headmistress Charlotte Harris and her mysterious benefactor, "Cousin Michael," whose missives have graced the openings of every chapter in each preceding book. Fortunately, Ms. Jeffries doesn't hide Michael's real identity from readers for very long in this book, and I'm smugly pleased that I guessed correctly as to who he really is. Reasoning and blather behind the cut...( Read more... )...so the fun is watching David, Lord Kirkwood, try to keep it from Charlotte -- well, at least until he can present his case in the most advantageous light!

It's quite an intricate plot wherein David invented "Cousin Michael" as a form of revenge, but his plan backfired, because he ended up falling back in love with Charlotte, his first love, all over again, and now his house of cards is about to come down on his head. Charlotte herself is an intriguing contradiction -- so prim and proper with her "girls," and yet with such a streak of unrestrained wildness to her as well.

Their story is the Big Misunderstanding done right, set up in such a way that they can't really talk to each other about it -- at least not back in the day, and now, they're too proud or scared to do so, almost until it's too late. The interesting thing is it's a situation where I felt sympathy for both parties. Usually with this sort of plot I want to smack one or both of the people involved, but not this time. David was left humiliated with no idea why, while Charlotte was heartbroken and chose a very dismal fate for herself rather than endure what she thought would be a "ton marriage." It's bittersweet to the extreme.

Maybe it's because I'm getting older and so identify with characters more my age than those right out of the schoolroom, or maybe it was the huge buildup to Charlotte and David's story and the fact that Ms. Jeffries definitely didn't let readers down, but this was my favorite of all the books in the series, with mature love that stands a much better chance for happily-ever-after because it's stronger and better the second time around.

Review © 2009 by Riley's Reviews

ROC, contemporary fantasy, March 2009 (paperback release)
Connections: book #10 in the Dresden Files series

Although I've devoured every single book in this series, I seem to have this tendency not to review them. Why? Because I think there's only so many times I can say "Wow!" That's usually how I leave a Dresden book, simply by saying "Wow!" But I thought I'd give it a go.

Poor Harry. Every time he gets his life back to something resembling normal (for him), something happens to screw that all up. In this case, it's a horrible series of death magic crime scenes interrupted by Mab, the Queen of the Sidhe Winter Court, showing up in Chicago to call in the second of three favors Harry owes her. Of all things, Mab wants Harry to find and protect Gentleman Johnny Marcone, a gangster who dabbles in the supernatural.

As with all things in Harry's world, events build up higher and higher until they spiral pretty much out of control. Soon Harry is crawling with Summer Court beasties that are out to get him, dealing with a peace summit that pulls a good bulk of the Wardens, demons of the order of Denarius, and Council muckity-mucks -- including the Archive, the most powerful Council member embodied in a small child called Ivy -- to town for a huge showdown. And, as always, it's up to Harry to save the world.

I cannot stress enough how much I love this series. Each time, Harry is tempted by the darkness only to emerge into the light -- but each time, readers have to wonder if he really will come back to the light, and how much darker he might become. It seems like every supernatural camp wants him -- the Winter Court, the Denarians, the Order of the Cross -- and each one has its pros and cons -- generally incredible power coming at incredible cost, no matter what side they're on. You have to admire Harry for standing up to all of them and insisting on being simply himself.

One thing that happens in this book that hasn't happened to Harry in some time is a bit of a love interest. Of course, given his track record, I don't expect this will be a long-term relationship. But it still kind of nice to read -- Harry's life is so tough all the time that he deserves some softness and happiness. My favorite characters are also at play here: Mouse the dog, Bob the skull, Thomas, Murphy, and the mysterious Kincaid. Opening a Dresden book is like rediscovering old friends...and taking a suicidal roller-coaster ride.

Review © 2009 by Riley's Reviews

Grand Central, fantasy, May 2008 (mass-market paperback)
Connections: second in Imriel cycle, fifth in D'Angeline series

Now that Imriel is back from his studies abroad (see Kushiel's Scion), his mind turns to both matters of state and matters of love. The matter of state is that he has agreed to marry Dorelai mab Breidaia, the Cruarch of Alba's niece -- their male child will be Cruarch himself someday, as the line is matrilineal. But in matters of love, it is his own cousin Sidonie, heir to the throne of Terre d'Ange, who holds his heart. As the son of the realm's two greatest traitors, a match between Sidonie and Imriel is simply not possible. But the laws of love in their religion trump the laws of state: love as thou wilt. What will the gods do to people who deny themselves in this precept?

With this entry in the D'Angeline series, Ms. Carey gives readers yet another marvelous epic tale. Similar to how Kushiel's Chosen was Phaedre's learning experience of what it means to answer to Kushiel, so too is Kushiel's Justice Imriel's quest to find the light of Kushiel once again. From the glittering but dangerous court of the City of Elua to the rough castle-forts of Alba to the frozen lands of Skaldia and Vralia, Imriel must survive physical trials, mystical and psychological warfare, and terrible grief to deliver Kushiel's justice and to embrace the one true precept that governs all D'Angelines: love as thou wilt.

I waited to read this book until the paperback release of the final book in this cycle, Kushiel's Mercy, was close to release. That way everything is fresh in my mind for this last book. All I can say is "Brava!" to Ms. Carey for another winner. I can tell that with the third book, we will find out that even loving as they wilt, Imriel and Sidonie still have a long road ahead of them. I can't wait to find out.

Review © 2009 by Riley's Reviews

Berkley Heat, erotic romance, May 2009 (ARC)
Connections: set in same world as Undercover but stands alone

If I had to think of one phrase to describe this book, it's "a sweeping romance." Lead characters Abbie and Roman call to mind other seemingly impossible lovers like Lara and Zhivago. It's amazing how a simple thing such as love can become epic in the hands of the right author -- and this is most definitely the case with Ms. Dane's creations in Relentless.

Set in the same multi-'Verse world as Undercover, this story focuses more on the meaning of Family rule, for both the Families and the Unranked citizens. Abigail Haws is an Unranked barrister who spends her days fighting for the rights of those in her class, not only in her legal work but also as the head of the Movement for Representative Democracy, a committee that is striving to give the Unranked a voice in their own government. To that end, she schedules a meeting with Roman Lyons, the head of House Lyons and highest ranked of all the Families, to talk with him about the MRD's wish list.

Roman is a good leader, and at first he doesn't see the need for the Unranked to get a say. But he listens to Abbie, not only because he is a good leader, but also because something about her really appeals to him on a personal level. Soon they are engaged in an illicit and incendiary affair that they both know can go nowhere due to Roman's status and Abbie's lack thereof.

A secondary plot involving the Unranked son of Roman's assistant Marcus serves as an excellent foil and tutorial for the class differences between the Ranked and the Unranked, for readers and characters alike. Because Jaron was in the wrong place at the wrong time and was the only Unranked person in that wrong place, he is the scapegoat for a murder charge. Abbie's quest to clear his name mirrors her quest to bring a truly fair and equal style of government to the Federated Universes. As with politics in the real world, she wins some people over, and alienates others.

What I love so much about this story is that though it's set in an imaginary world so far removed from our own, there's still a real-life feel to everything: determined, caring people fighting for a cause they believe in, and two wonderfully complex people falling in love and following their hearts. I absolutely love that Roman separates the professional Abigail from Abbie, the woman he's attracted to. His care in making sure that her cause isn't hurt by their feelings for each other is telling of his noble character -- he shows his world and the readers that he truly deserves to be the head of House Lyons. Equally wonderful is how Abbie refuses to use her personal relationship for professional gain, and how she defends that decision to others who want her to do so.

Achingly poignant romance, principled ideals, and some truly spectacular love scenes all add up to one thing: a sweeping romance that's simply perfect. I'll let Lauren Dane sweep me away any day of the week.

SMP, contemporary romance, March 2009 (mass-market paperback edition)
Connections: follows Sugar Daddy, followed by Smooth-Talking Stranger

Blue-Eyed Devil is the story of Hardy Cates, the man who loved and disappointed Liberty, the heroine of Sugar Daddy, and Haven Travis, an oil heiress who is both strong and vulnerable. Haven first meets Hardy in a wine cellar, where she mistakes him for her boyfriend and gets a little risque with him in the dark. She's horrified when she discovered she's been making time with her family's "enemy" and runs off. Two years later, though, she's back and she's changed. But Hardy hasn't changed -- he still wants her. And she doesn't want to want him -- or any man -- but she does.

There was a lot of buzz surrounding this book about "redeeming" hero Hardy Cates for his actions in Sugar Daddy. I don't see it so much as redeeming as I do a softening, or understanding, of Hardy and where he comes from. After all, in Sugar Daddy, he told Liberty that he would do whatever it took to get out of Welcome and leave his roots behind. Using information Liberty unknowingly provided to him to ruin a deal for Gage Travis, while underhanded and hurtful to Liberty, was right in character. I think we were meant to see him as some sort of first-class shit, so that we'd feel better about Liberty choosing Gage. It wasn't that black and white for me...when Hardy came back into Liberty's life, my thought was all about how she was about to screw up what she had with Gage. As a character, Hardy intrigued me, but I never saw him as bad or needing redemption, per se.

When Blue-Eyed Devil opens, he's showing his damn-your-eyes insolence by sneaking into Liberty and Gage's wedding. But it's Haven Travis who catches his eye, and it's very clear me, if not everyone else, that he's over Liberty. Truthfully, I thought Liberty too bland for him. Haven Travis, on the other hand, is his perfect match. She's blue-blooded enough to make him work extra-hard to keep her happy, vulnerable enough to bring out his protective instincts, and strong enough to take his crap and smack his ego down when he needs it.

That's Haven at the start -- she's got spark and attitude, and she doesn't take the crap her family shovels at her. In fact, she elopes with Nick, the man her family doesn't approve of. That turns out to be a huge mistake, but I admire her for standing up to her family, and, once she's back, coping with her choices rather than buckling under the incredible will and might of Churchill Travis. Though from different backgrounds, she and Hardy are both fighters. I really liked that about both of them.

Unlike Sugar Daddy, this book was more romance and less memoir. There was definitely more depth of emotion going on on all sides. When Liberty related her mother's death and having to take over raising Carrington, she could have been reciting the phone book. But when Haven recounts the horrors of her marriage with Nick, well, I cried for her. Liberty was a cipher, but Haven is more real. And so is Hardy. He has layers and complexity that weren't present in Gage. Hopefully this means that Ms. Kleypas is really finding her footing in contemporary settings. When Smooth-Talking Stranger comes out in paperback, I'll be there!

Review © 2009 by Riley's Reviews

Ace, contemporary fantasy, April 2009 (mass-market edition)
Connections: book #8 in the Southern Vampire/Sookie Stackhouse series

Sookie Stackhouse just can't catch a break. She's back home in Bon Temps, just hoping the supernatural world will leave her alone and let her recover emotionally from the events at the vampire summit (see All Together Dead). But at a local double wedding, a strange vampire approaches her, and another mysterious being observes her from a distance.

A few days later, Eric, owner of Shreveport vampire bar Fangtasia and Sheriff of Area Five, takes her to dinner with the latter mysterious being, and Sookie gets quite the education in her own family history. On their way home, Sookie and Eric survive an assassination attempt.

Soon, Sookie is hip-deep in the newly erupted shifter war, and right after that settles down, a hostile vampire takeover. To add to her stress, her boyfriend Quinn disappoints her by first disappearing and then turning out to be not the man she thought he was. And her brother Jason drags her into his marital woes and the weird traditions of the inbred were-panther community of Hotshot.

I have to say that for the most part, I loved this book. The past few books have centered around one event, and though it's not that they were less than complex or anything, but I really enjoyed the faster pace of the action in this story. It wasn't just a shifter-centric plot with incidental vampire elements or vice-versa, but full-on, huge changes for both.

There was one thing I really did NOT like about this book, and that was what I see as the shabby treatment of Quinn. His actions, to me, felt very much like Harris wanted to clear the path for a Sookie-Sam or Sookie-Eric pairing and needed to get Quinn out of the way. Not that what Quinn did (or, as I see it, was forced by his family honor to do) wasn't bad, but I didn't see it as nearly as beyond the pale as Sookie clearly did. Although, that said, I do sympathize with Sookie's desire to be some man's #1 concern, and I did wonder even before this point how Sookie and Quinn could keep something going. But I still feel Quinn was given a raw deal.

I pushed this book up in my reviews queue because a friend of mine is as hooked on it as I am, and I need to get her the book!

Despite the Quinn stuff, this gets:

Review © 2009 by Riley's Reviews

HQN, paranormal romance, February 2009 (reissue from 2006)
Connections: second in the Atlantis series

The Jewel of Dunamis is the most sought-after treasure/weapon in Atlantis; the ruling faction who possesses the jewel has the advantage over their enemies. Grayson James is an operative of the surface world's Otherworld Bureau of Investigation, and he has infiltrated Atlantis to steal the jewel and deliver it to his commanders...or destroy it. What he doesn't know is that the jewel isn't a what, but a who.

She first appears as a voice in his head, and when she confesses she doesn't have a name, he calls her Jewel. She makes a bargain with him: free her from imprisonment in the demon stronghold, and she'll take him to Dunamis. She figures that somewhere along the way, she'll have the courage to tell him that she is, in fact, the jewel. What follows is a fantastic road-trip romance, Atlantis-style, as Gray and Jewel dodge the demons who are desperate to get Jewel back, the vampires who have allied with the demons, and every other creature in Atlantis eager to get their hands on Jewel's power.

I really enjoyed this book. It was incredible fun, and Jewel and Gray were very sympathetic characters. Gray is honorable and steadfast, and yet nicely vulnerable. Jewel, despite her powers, is weak, but nonetheless, incredibly brave. Their road to love was believable, more so than other adrenaline-fueled romances, because Ms. Showalter admirably filled in their back stories. Atlantis itself is a fascinating world, and I was thrilled to spend more time there.

Review © 2009 by Riley's Reviews

SMP, paranormal romance, March 2009

In this collaborative novel, Jennifer Crusie, Anne Stuart, and Lani Diane Rich bring us the story of three women who find out they are demi-goddesses from an ancient Mesopotamian pantheon. It all starts when they attend the "Kammani Gula" Dog Obedience class at the local college, for various reasons. Abby and her Newfoundland Bowser go because Abby's new in town and the idea of being goddesslike intrigues her. Daisy and Bailey, the Jack Russell Terrier she's dogsitting for her mother, go because Daisy can't take any more of Bailey chewing on her stuff. Shar and her dachshund Wolfie go because Shar is trying to finish the research on her late grandmother's book, and the class is the first reference to Kammani Gula she's heard outside of said book.

The class is odd, to say the least, led by a woman calling herself the goddess Kammani and actually taught by a hunky man named Noah. Kammani doesn't seem much interested in dog training, though, but more interested in getting the women hooked on some kind of tonic. When the women leave, they discover they can understand their dogs. And that's only the beginning. Abby tangles with an antisocial math professor who hears an ancient mathematician in his head. Daisy gets involved with Noah, even though she's unsure if he can be trusted. Shar wakes up to find an ancient god-king, Sam, has materialized in her house. Together, the women need to figure out their powers and what they mean, and more importantly, what Kammani is up to, with the help of the menfolk and the canines.

I don't much care for Ms. Crusie's collaborations with Bob Mayer, but she can team up with Ms. Stuart any day. The writing in this book is even more seamless than their other effort with Eileen Dreyer, The Unfortunate Miss Fortunes -- I honestly cannot tell who wrote which scene. I absolutely loved the talking-dog concept -- so many paranormals and fantasies feature talking cats, and as a dog person, I'm happy to see dogs get their due. The dialogue is witty and fun, and the complex plot is exceedingly clever. This one is going on my keeper shelf.

Review © 2009 by Riley's Reviews

Forever/Hachette, historical romance, November 2008
Connections: book #2 of The Legend of the Four Soldiers series

In this story, Ms. Hoyt marries the fairy tale of "Laughing Jack" with the story of Jasper Renshaw, Lord Vale, and Melisande Fleming. Vale is rather like Laughing Jack, burying his stress and pain under a veneer of laughter and cheer. Like Sam in To Taste Temptation, he is a survivor of the Spinner's Falls massacre, and now that Sam and Emeline have gone to Boston, Vale takes it upon himself to get the truth of the betrayal out of the presumed villain, who swears right up to his execution that the betrayal came from the ranks of the officers -- the men who survived capture and torture by the Wyandot.

But Vale has other problems too -- he's been left at the altar for the second time. First Emeline threw him over for Sam, and now, Mary Templeton literally abandons him at the altar for a vicar. He's rather shocked when Mary's plain distant cousin, Melisande, offers then and there to marry him. Bemused, he takes her up on the offer, not realizing how she would change his life...and not realizing that Melisande has loved him from afar for years.

Melisande can hardly believe her luck in snaring the object of her regard, but once she has him, she's not entirely sure what to do with him. Vale is a social creature; she is not. She's very retiring, and to win Vale's affection, she's going to have to get over that, at least with him. Her attempts definitely get Vale's attention, leading him to want to learn more about his mysterious wife. Can he do it without revealing his deepest secrets to her in turn?

Vale and Melisande are complex, fascinating leads, and combined with a cute secondary romance, and a well-crafted plot in terms of the Spinner's Falls mystery, this book becomes a keeper. Their relationship is so deeply emotional; it's a wonderful experience watching them grow from virtual, awkward strangers to best friends who are deeply in love. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Elizabeth Hoyt is one of my favorite new authors of historical romance. I'm very much looking forward to the third book in this series.

Review © 2009 by Riley's Reviews

Forever/Hachette, historical romance, May 2008
Connections: Book #1 of the Legend of the Four Soldiers series

In this story, Elizabeth Hoyt introduces us to respectable widow Lady Emeline Gordon and wealthy Colonial Samuel Hartley. Emeline is all about propriety. She coaches young ladies to enter Polite Society. The last thing that should interest her (she tells herself) is the strange man who wears leather leggings and moccasins to balls, even if he lives next door to her and engages her to help his younger sister Rebecca.

Despite appearances, Samuel is not in London to give his sister some Society polish. During his time as a soldier in the French and Indian War, his company was ambushed by Wyandot Indians at a place called Spinner's Falls. It was a massacre, with most men killed, and several officers taken by the Wyandot for torture and random. Samuel escaped the massacre and the capture, and managed to run all the way to the British encampments to get help for his compatriots. But he suffers terrible survivor's guilt, especially when faced with Emeline -- her brother was among the captured who died before rescue could come. Samuel is more than convinced that there was a traitor in their ranks who betrayed the route of the company, and he's in London to track down every lead.

Samuel's mission involves Emeline as well, and as they prowl the ballrooms and house parties in search of the possible traitor, they also circle each other in a dance of desire that defies convention (wow, I should write back cover blurbs, LOL).

Elizabeth Hoyt is now one of my favorite historical romance authors. Her Prince trilogy won me over, and I'm starting to realize that every book from her has the potential to be a winner -- a new release from her is like a great present on your birthday. She draws her characters with incredible emotion, sympathy, and humor, and her plots are strong and well crafted. Samuel and Emeline's story is going on my keeper shelf, and goddess help the person who tries to move it from there!

Review © 2009 by Riley's Reviews

EOS/HarperCollins, contemporary fantasy, December 2008 (mass-market edition)
Connections: 6th book in The Hollows series

The prior book in this series, For a Few Demons More, completely devastated me. Yes, I was devastated reading about fictional characters -- that's how suck-you-in this series is. I was almost afraid to read this book. How could like go on without such a key character as Kisten? Did I even want it to go on? Then I snapped out of it by reminding myself I'm not a character in the book, just a spectator, and besides, I have to find out how Rachel's coping. Heh.

Rachel's coping was very realistically done. She's part numb, part paralyzed by grief, part guilty for wanting to go on with her life, and very frustrated by her inability to remember more about what happened the night Kisten died for good. Of course, her life has more than its usual share of problems, the biggest one being that someone is summoning Algaliarept out of demon prison and then leaving him free to attack Rachel until the ever-after reclaims him at dawn. Rachel's options are to strike a deal with Minias by trading calling names with Al, or tracking down whoever is doing the summoning and make them stop. Neither are terribly attractive options, as you might imagine.

In the meantime, besides dodging Al, Trent keeps trying to get Rachel to cross the ley lines into the ever-after and steal a genetic sample for him...and he tries to appeal to her loyalty by pointing out it would help the now-pregnant elf Ceri. Demon deals in one form or another are almost a given in this book!

Rachel learns so much in this book -- about herself, about her loved ones, and about her heritage. I'm so glad I got over my own paralyzing grief and was able to soldier on by her side. All of the usual cast of characters make welcome appearances, Jenks in particular is my favorite for his irreverent exclamations. And though it doesn't end on a cliffhanger, Ms. Harrison has skilfully led readers to the brink of Rachel's next great disaster/adventure. And a bonus story relating how Al snared Ceri as his familiar just sweetens the deal.

On a final note, I have to comment how much I love how these book titles reflect the titles of (mostly) Clint Eastwood flicks. It was especially driven home in this book when Al asked Rachel, "So, do you feel lucky, witch?" Hee!

This series is in my top 5 all-time favorites, and if you give it a go, you're sure to see why. Start with Dead Witch Walking, though.

Review © 2009 by Riley's Reviews

Berkley Prime Crime, mystery, February 2005 (mass-market edition)
Connections: fifth and final book in the Lily Bard series

I'd been reading so many holiday anthologies that I needed a break with some good old-fashioned murder, and boy, did Ms. Harris deliver.

Lily has decided to go to group counseling to finally deal with her attack from years ago. It's supposed to be anonymous, but nothing in Shakespeare, Arkansas, stays secret for long. Especially since the counselor herself seems to have her own issues in the form of an apparent stalker. Lily first witnesses a harassing phone call at the health center, then later, when she and Jack are out on a walk, they pass the woman's house in time for her and her husband to discover a maimed squirrel strung up in their yard. But then the stalker escalates to human murder when a new member is killed and left pinned to the counselor's bulletin board. Lily, Jack, and the police decide they need to solve this case before anyone else ends up dead.

In this book, Lily is branching out professionally: although she still cleans for some clients, she's training to be a private investigator with Jack, so she's a sleuth by profession rather than happenstance now.

All of the books in this series packed a healthy punch, but this one was more like a wallop, both with the crime itself and the emotions Lily, Jack, and even secondary characters go through. I heard that this was the last Lily book, and I can see why: there is a great deal of closure that goes on here. I very much enjoyed the time I spent with Lily and pals, and though I wouldn't be averse to more, I'm also fine with what's been given.

Review © 2008 by Riley's Reviews

Roc, contemporary fantasy, March 2006
Connections: first book in the Cal Leandros series

Believe it or not, what caused me to pick up this book was the cover. I was wandering through the bookstore and the cover caught my eye -- it's by the fantastic artist Chris McGrath, who also does the Dresden Files covers. Anyway, I read the back blurb and it sounded really good, so I thought, what the hell?

I'm definitely not sorry. The book was excellent. In it, we are introduced to Caliban and Niko Leandros, half-brothers who live on the run from Cal's father's people. Cal isn't completely human; his father, a creature known as an Auphe, somehow managed to get his human mother pregnant. But it wasn't an interspecies love story; Cal is the result of an Auphe cross-breeding project. When Cal reached adolescence, he was taken by the Auphe. He managed to escape, and when he got back home, he found that two years had passed, and that Niko had waited for him the entire time. Whatever happened to him, he doesn't want to remember, and he and Niko move around for years to avoid Cal's being reclaimed by the Auphe.

Currently, the brothers live in New York City, where Cal tends bar and Niko works as a sort of self-styled bodyguard. When Niko encounters and kills an Auphe, they have to run again. Only they don't run fast enough, and the Auphe catch up.

This is a gripping roller-coaster ride in a fantastic world with fascinating characters. It's worth the read for the brothers alone -- Cal, so traumatized and yet such a smartass, Niko, so haunted, honorable, and human -- but there are a host of other characters that are fun to meet as well, especially puck Robin Goodfellow (yes, that Robin).

I was surprised when I found out this is Rob Thurman's first book, because it sure doesn't read like one. It's well-crafted, deeply emotional, and highly descriptive, with nary a dropped plotline to be found. I'm very impressed, and I'm very hooked -- I immediately ordered the next two books in the series.

Review © 2008 by Riley's Reviews

In Mine Till Midnight, we met the ragtag, irrepressible Hathaway clan. Mainstage in that novel were Amelia Hathaway and Cam Rohan, but off in the corners were Amelia’s next-youngest sister, Winnifred, and Kev Merripen, the Gypsy they saved as a lad after he was abandoned by his tribe. Win was practically an invalid, having survived scarlet fever, and though taciturn, Kev showed his adoration in countless small ways, but never daring to presume he could ever be worthy of her.

As Seduce Me at Sunrise opens, Win is packing to go to a clinic in the south of France. She’s determined to regain her strength and live a normal life -- a life in which she can have everything she wants, including Kev, even though just before she leaves, Kev rejects her. Two years pass, and Win returns a strong and healthy woman...with a suitor in tow, Julian Harrow, the doctor who brought about her good health. Suitor or no, she’s determined to see if there’s anything to be had with Kev first, but she also wants a full life, and if Julian is willing to give it to her and Kev is not, so be it (or so she tells herself).

I absolutely loved this book. I loved visiting with all the Hathaways again. I'm glad to see Leo taking an interest in architecture and life again (although I think his interest in Miss Marks was a screamingly obvious hint that their story is forthcoming). I was interested in Poppy's and Beatrix's Season troubles. I was thrilled to visit with Cam and Amelia again, loving the chance to see their happy-ever-after.

And most of all, I loved Kev and Win. I got frustrated with both of their single-mindedness -- Kev's conviction that he's not good enough for her and Win's "now that I'm better, no one's going to stop me from doing anything, ever ever ever again!" attitude -- but at the same time I could see and understand where each of them came by these feelings. I was, for a while there, slightly concerned that Kev's feelings were obsession rather than love. I think it would have been creepy had she not fully returned his feelings for equally as long and strongly, but since she did, he was more romantic than scarily intense.

I really enjoyed Kev and Cam feeling their way around their new relationship as well, particularly Cam's almost immediate acceptance of it, and Kev's initial rejection of it. Their reactions reflected how they were raised in their early years. Spoilers below the cut ( Read more... )

The final thing I absolutely loved was Leo's speech to Kev when he was in the pinfold, about how Kev apparently had the courage to end his life if Win died of the fever, yet expected Leo to have the strength to live without Laura...and if he had the courage to die with her, why couldn't he have the courage to live with her? That was fantastic, and I mentally applauded, especially since I’m sure this speech is what changed Kev’s stubborn mind. Five extremely happy readers for this wonderful, passionate, and heartwarming love story.

One final thing, related to the book's cover: is it me (and one of my coworkers), or is that woman's dress on the cover exposing just a wee bit more bosom than intended? What's up with that?

Review © 2008 by Riley's Reviews

The long wait for the story of Kieran Neville, Baron Rothewell, is finally over. At last, readers can discover what lies beneath his surly demeanor, and what haunts him so much that he crawls inside bottles of brandy and loses himself in dissolute behavior. And I have to say, he was worth the wait.

In the prior two books, we watched people who care about Rothewell -- his sister Xanthia, his friend Gareth, and even the irrepressible Kemble -- try to confront him about his lifestyle. At the opening of this book, we see that these pleas haven’t entirely fallen on deaf ears, as he goes to consult a doctor. Whatever he hears there drives him right back to debauchery, though.

But even he is shocked when his host, the Comte de Valigny, wagers his daughter Camille’s hand in marriage in a game of cards. Camille herself is gorgeous, but a complete harridan, so Rothewell isn’t interested. But still, he finds himself cheating to win. As it turns out, Camille is not averse to marriage, even a sham one. If she marries before the age of twenty-eight, her maternal grandfather’s estate will pay her a generous settlement, and if she has a child within a year of her marriage, an even more generous payment will be hers. She wants to take the child and live on her own, away from the world of men who want to manipulate and use her.

Not a marriage made in heaven. But as Rothewell and Camille get closer by virtue of living together as man and wife, things gradually change. And when it becomes apparent to Camille that her husband is quite ill, she finds her concern is more for him than for the child he must get her with. For his part, Rothewell feels that his black past means he doesn’t deserve Camille, and its revelation is heart-wrenching in the extreme. The man whom I previously speculated was so prickly I didn’t even want to get to know him, well, let’s just say I’m sorry I ever thought that way. Rothewell is an amazingly complex man, and I was so glad he and Camille found each other.

One of my favorite quirks of Ms. Carlyle’s is still present: the whimsical titling of chapters. I wish more authors did so. And one of my favorite characters is back again: Kemble. In a smaller capacity, but still, he is always welcome. I only have one tiny criticism: I wish Christine Ambrose, Rothewell’s spiteful former lover, had gotten her comeuppance in a more open fashion. What can I say, I’m vindictive when I get so thoroughly sucked into a story!

Ms. Carlyle’s storytelling was absolutely masterful. And the best sign of a good book in my eyes is the fact that I didn’t want to leave the world when the book was over -- that was very true for Never Romance a Rake. This one’s going on my keeper shelf and will, I’m sure, delight me for many years to come.

Review © 2008 by Riley's Reviews

Sourcebooks, historical novel, September 2008
Connections: a sequel to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice

This is the first book that I was actually asked to review. I was tickled pink, but also absolutely terrified: what if I hated it? I like to think I'm always truthful with my reviews, and I wouldn't want anyone thinking I'd sold out. Fortunately, that was not the case: I can freely and honestly rave about this book!

With The Darcys and the Bingleys, author Marsha Altman gives readers a delightful and sweet window into what happens after the events recorded by Jane Austen in Pride and Prejudice, following Darcy, Elizabeth, Bingley, and Jane into splendidly happy marriages.

Events start with the lead-up to the joint wedding, during which Bingley corners Darcy and asks for advice on how to please Jane (wink, wink, nudge, nudge). So Darcy rides to London to obtain a copy of the Kama Sutra for Bingley, whose reaction can be described as sputtering, but curious all the same. In this fashion, Ms. Altman cracks open the bedroom doors, but in a discreet manner – nothing here would give Jane Austen the vapors! Together, these two happy couples weather the first years of marriage, getting accustomed to their new relationships and welcoming new members into the family. The plot is realistic for the most part, and reads as something Jane Austen herself might dream up.

The characters and the way they interact are simply perfect. Ms. Altman's version of Elizabeth is spot-on; she's as intelligent and witty and graceful as ever, as is Jane. Bingley is sweet, sincere, and a little awkward, very much as I recall him from the original work. Mr. Bennet finally explains to us why he endures Mrs. Bennet, and, miracle of miracles, Caroline Bingley proves that there is a real woman behind the shrewish demeanor.

It's with Fitzwilliam Darcy that Ms. Altman really triumphs. In Pride and Prejudice, he may be a romantic ideal, but readers never really get to see behind the aloof façade. How can one live everyday life with a romantic ideal? Ms. Altman shows us that behind that stern pride Darcy shows to the world is a warm and caring man, very much a match for the lovely Elizabeth. He's more approachable, more realistic, and definitely even sexier.

Because Darcy is so much more approachable, readers get treated to great little running jokes about childhood nicknames, masculine bouts of one-upmanship between Darcy and Bingley, and of course, gentle jesting about scandalous books from India.

I don't know if Ms. Altman is planning to continue this book as a series, but I for one would love to see a courtship and marriage for Georgiana Darcy.

A final note about the publication itself: the quality of the book and its binding is fantastic. If all trade paperbacks were of this high of a quality, I'd almost gladly shell out the extra money for them.

The Darcys and the Bingleys is a sweet, fun, and sparkling homage to Pride and Prejudice that would please even Jane Austen herself. It's going on my keeper shelf, and I anticipate re-reading it many times to come. If you're a fan of anything Austen, I highly recommend this book.

Review © 2008 by Riley's Reviews

Jove, futuristic romantic suspense, August 2008 (mass-market edition)
Connections: book # gods-know-what in the In Death series

I always love returning to Eve Dallas's world. Even if the mystery doesn't grab my attention, the cast dynamics do. In this case, it was a bit of both, although more heavily on the latter than the former.

The case Eve has caught is that of sporting goods mogul Thomas A. Anders, found strangled and in a very compromising position in his bed, while his wife was away in St. Lucia. Sex games gone wrong is the conclusion the scene begs, but Eve's not buying it. There's no sign of an attempt to revive, the vic was tranqued to the gills, and no one other than his widow claimed any knowledge of unusual sexual proclivities.

Eve doesn't spin her wheels for long on this one. She knows who she likes for the murder, but the suspect has an ironclad alibi. So the problem comes down to chiseling away at the case until she can find a crack to split wide open and prove her gut instincts right.

Roarke nails it spot on when he observes to Eve that although Eve treats every death like an affront, she's treating this case like a competition -- it's a race between her and the suspect. I thought it interesting that Eve herself drew a parallel between the suspect and femme fatale Magdelana, the woman who caused all sorts of problems between Eve and Roarke when she blew into town a few books back. I actually really liked that they talked about this a bit; I felt like they finally cleared the air and really are going to be OK, rather than just shoving the problem under the rug.

The relationship developments in this book are fantastic: Eve and Roarke settle more than just the Magdelana issue, Eve gets one step closer to developing intimate confidences with her friends (through a very funny hypothetical question), partnerships are made stronger through teamwork, and one couple comes to a very interesting crossroads (I won't say who, for the benefit of the 10 or so other people who haven't already read the book).

The mystery was pretty much obvious from the get-go, even if the title wasn't a dead giveaway, but as I said, the fun here was watching Eve and Co. pit their wits and resources against the suspect. Although someday I would like to see the following: 1, Eve's gut being wrong, and/or 2, someone Eve likes and possibly trusts being the bad guy -- imagine the character development that could ensue. But anything that includes Eve pouting to Roarke about how she wanted to be the one to shake down the albino bartender in the sex club is well worth my time and cash.

Review © 2008 by Riley Merrick

Ace, contemporary fantasy, August 2008
Connections to: "Alpha and Omega" in the On the Prowl anthology, start of a new series

As I indicated, Cry Wolf actually begins with the "Alpha and Omega" novella. You can read the former without the latter, but you might find yourself a little lost on some background material, such as how Anna came to be Changed and what life was like for her in her previous pack. There's an interesting commentary about starting a series with a novella on Patricia Briggs's website you might like to check out as well.

Anyway, as Cry Wolf opens, the Marrok himself has come to oversee the fallout from Charles's confrontation with Anna's old Alpha, and to bring Anna and Charles home to his lands. For Anna, it's an extremely stressful time: she has known nothing but abuse in pack life, and now she's striking out for a new pack with a mate in tow -- a mate she's known for less than a week -- and she has no idea what it means to be an Omega. Charles isn't having an easy time of it either: Brother Wolf is very possessive of Anna, but thanks to her past, Charles is afraid to scare her.

In the middle of all this interpersonal stuff, Bran has a job for Charles, one that he's not sure his son and enforcer is ready to take on, but he's the only werewolf who can handle it. There are reports of a rogue werewolf up in the mountains, and Bran needs the wolf either destroyed or brought into the pack. The former would be Charles's job, the latter Anna's (as Omega). Plus, Bran figures it can't hurt his son and Anna to have some alone time in the wilderness to get used to each other as mates. The Marrok is a matchmaker, who knew?!

Unfortunately, the rogue wolf case is not so simple and Charles and Anna are in over their heads. They're facing a witch with an apparent werewolf familiar, who can actually seize control of the pack if she gains control of the proper wolf -- i.e., Bran. Though this is her ultimate goal, the witch also has a debt to settle with another pack wolf, the mysterious Asil. What follows is a good, old-fashioned showdown, paranormal style.

Unlike the Mercy Thompson series, Cry Wolf is told in the third person. I think third worked much better for this series. Honestly, if we were stuck inside Anna's head, I think it would be mostly angst and fear, and that would get old quickly. I really like seeing an author writing from both first and third like this, simply because it showcases strengths and resiliency. Whereas I think Mercy does a good job getting inside other characters' heads with her own perspective, she was raised with the wolves. Anna, as a Changed wolf, and a tormented one at that, doesn't have enough perspective or knowledge for us to be solely in her head.

Despite knowing each other for so little time, Charles and Anna make a convincing couple. As a friend pointed out in the Café's discussion of this book, fated mate stuff can be tricky. I liked that both Anna and Charles were on the same page -- their wolves chose, and they're working with that. I thought Ms. Briggs laid out an interesting theory about how mating generally proceeds with human attraction first, then the wolves learning to accept. The fact that Anna and Charles are "backwards" makes them unique and believable.

The other thing I really enjoyed about this book is getting the pack perspective. Mercy, for as in-the-know as she is, isn't really pack, not in the way a werewolf would be, anyway. So this is more of an inside-pack view. I definitely liked the closer look at the pack wolves, particularly Bran. I feel bad for him, and I want to know more about his history. His choice of Leah as his mate makes sense, and it's good that he understands her perspective as well, because I can honestly see Leah being behind a power play or a betrayal in a future book. I enjoyed getting to know Asil, Sage, and Tag as well, and hope they will feature in future books.

Even if pressed to find flaws, I'd have to say there was nothing about this book that didn't work for me. It was pretty much perfect. I can't wait to return to Charles and Anna's world.

Review © 2008 by Riley Merrick

Roc, contemporary fantasy, August 2008
Connections: book #7 in the Wardens series

Wow. Just wow. I love all the Warden books, but honestly, this one had it all: love, loss, betrayal, non-stop action, and a plot twist that left me needing to have my jaw surgically re-attached.

As of the opening of Gale Force, the Djinn are split into Old and New factions, with humanity-hating Ashan as the Conduit to Mother Earth for the former, and David for the latter. The Wardens, much depleted in ranks, are trying to do their best with only occasional input from the New Djinn. After her ordeal with the Demon wearing her face (Thin Air), Joanne Baldwin is on a much-needed vacation, though she's restless and chafing to get back to work. Then David asks her to marry him, and everyone's world changes.

When Joanne goes shopping for a wedding dress, a freak earthquake hits Florida. She and another Warden trace the quake's source, and discover a glittering black spike like nothing they have ever seen before protruding from a dead Djinn. A radiation expert deems it "antimatter," which is bad enough, but even worse, the Djinn claim the body isn't a Djinn and what's more, they can't see the spike -- it's an unheard of blind spot in the all-powerful beings.

Then it gets worse (this is a Warden novel, of course it gets worse!): a group calling themselves the Sentinels claims responsibility for the quake and the spike. Their manifesto proclaims their intention to destroy all the Djinn, and their biggest target is the abomination of Joanne and David's human-Djinn relationship. Suddenly, Joanne's relationship is ground zero: the Sentinels want to destroy David and don't mind taking her out in the process, the Wardens in general aren't crazy about a human-Djinn wedding, and the Old Djinn are adamantly opposed to the match, since a Djinn's binding vow is what made slaves of them in the past. Poor Joanne can't even manage to fall in love and get married like a normal person.

And then between planning the wedding and plotting with the Wardens and the New Djinn about how to defeat the Sentinels, the power behind the terrorist group is unmasked -- and the identity of this person is so shocking, it almost leaves the terror of the antimatter in the dust.

Gale Force was so action-packed and suspenseful that I started biting my nails again. rachelcaine, I blame you for my unsightly hands this week! But oh, it was worth it. Ms. Caine has perfectly blended the conflict of Joanne and David's love for each other with their sense of duty to their respective tribes, and shows that while love can make you stronger, it can also weaken you in very unexpected ways. She also did an excellent job with the development of the Sentinels, and the twists just boggled my mind. I can't even imagine how she's going to top this one, but I can't wait to find out.

Review © 2008 by Riley Merrick