TBR Challenge Review: Can't Get Enough

Can't Get Enough
Sarah Mayberry
Contemporary Romance
Harlequin Blaze/October 2005

From the back cover ~

He's everything she despises--a babe magnet with more notches on his belt than a millipede has legs.

And he thinks his coworker is wound so tightly she irons her underwear at night.

Two people couldn't be further apart.

But when Jack Brook and Claire Marsden get stuck in a sweltering elevator one afternoon, it's a different story. By the time they're rescued, Jack and Claire have swapped confidences and oh, they've had the most spectacular sex of their lives!

Back in the office they're still butting heads over projects, but now there's a heightened awareness added to the mix. With this kind of tension in the air, how can they resist another round of sexy indulgence?

This one is going back a few years to Sarah Mayberry's first Blaze and it is hot! The hero, Jack Brook, thinks the heroine, Claire Marsden, is prissy and uptight. Claire thinks Jack is a total player. To say they don't like each other is an understatement. Loved the dynamics of this couple. On a personal level, they didn't like each other. On a professional level, they came to respect each others' work. It's when the personal and professional combine that the sparks fly!

Claire Marsden doesn't know the meaning of the word quit. At least when it comes to her career. She has spent long hours getting where she is and isn't about to let someone like Jack Brook take that away. When Claire and Jack are forced to work together on a new project that Claire developed, neither one of them is happy. Claire makes her feelings known but she isn't a bitch about it. In fact, I thought she was very professional which is why it was so funny when she wasn't always professional when dealing with Jack. She not only shocked Jack, she shocked herself with her less than professional behavior.

Jack Brook enjoys his job that takes him all over to exciting and exotic locations. He also enjoys women and has a reputation at the office as a lady's man. It's that reputation, along with his sexy looks and charm that get him on Claire's bad side. He doesn't understand why she obviously doesn't like him, he's never done anything to her. I do think part of the reason Jack didn't see Claire in a very flattering light was because of her attitude towards him and his subsequent perceived failure to charm her. Women like him, except for her and that bugged him. Then they get stuck in the elevator and it turns out they like each other just fine, at least while stuck in an elevator. LOL

Both Claire and Jack are career driven but in different ways. Claire is uptight and dresses accordingly with her buttoned up blouses and jackets that cover her gorgeous figure. Jack is far more laid back, wearing long shorts and sandals to work. But that's his image - a man of fun and adventure. There are a lot of similarities between Claire and Jack when you get down to the basics. They also have flaws that Mayberry uses to show how sometimes it's the least likely people that are there to help you when you need it the most. Claire is afraid of commitment and Jack shows her how to overcome that fear. The romance wasn't as strong as I would have hoped for with Claire pulling back just when you think she's finally realized she's in love with Jack and it's okay. I wish she would have had a little less martyrdom and a bit more backbone when it came to falling in love and admitting it.

The story is charming and funny and has that quick and witty Mayberry dialogue that I've come to love. It turned out to be an entertaining way to spend a few hours and confirmed why Mayberry is one of my favorite contemporary authors.

Rating: B

TBR Challenge Review: The Surgeon

The Surgeon
Kate Bridges
Historical Romance/Calgary 1889
Canadian Mounties/Book 1
Harlequin/December 2003

From the back page ~

A wife shouldn't be a surprise package.

But Mountie surgeon John Calloway suddenly found himself saddled with a special delivery he hadn't signed for - mail-order bride Sarah O'Neill. He had no room in his life for marriage! But why then did he feel compelled to protect Sarah from all things dark and dangerous - including her own unspoken past?

If John Calloway didn't want her, fine! Sarah would survive - an thrive! - without him! The rugged, committed doctor dismissed his proposal as an elaborate prank. So how come the two of them kept finding themselves in each other's arms? And what would Sarah be forced to deny in order to stay there?

One of my favorite romance tropes is the mail-order bride. I don't know why, maybe it's the sense of adventure. The mystery of two people getting to know each other after promising to "love, honor & obey". I think part of the appeal is that the mail-order bride almost always heads west and I love westerns. This month's pick for the TBR Challenge is a Kate Bridges Harlequin. I had a number of Ms. Bridges titles to choose from but chose this simply because it is her first novel.

The Surgeon refers to Dr. John Calloway, a Canadian Mountie stationed at Fort Calgary, Alberta. Dr. Calloway is not just a doctor but also a policeman. He has a very black and white outlook on criminals and never forgets that he is a member of the North-West Mounted Police. John holds the admiration and respect of the men at the fort. He is also a bachelor and at 40 years old, an old bachelor. His men decide to change that with the arrival of Sara O'Neill.

Sarah O'Neill has a unique past for a women of her time. Her father was a gunsmith and a watchmaker who taught Sarah both trades. She comes to Calgary in the hopes of not only becoming a bride but finding her brother. It's with happiness that Sarah greets her intended, only to learn that he knows nothing about her. She is horrified at the turn of events and has little recourse but to find a job so she can stay in Calgary and search for her brother. After a misunderstanding and small town gossip, Sarah and John marry. Their marriage doesn't have the best beginning but they do try to make a go of it.

The reality of the marriage is that Sarah and John are strangers. They have a physical attraction and act on that attraction but they still don't know each other. Sarah wants this to be a real marriage and works towards that end. John wants that too but he doesn't change his routine or his attitude when it comes to making decisions. John was a very static character through most of the book. His harsh view of right and wrong keeps Sarah from telling him why she is searching through records and keeping secrets from him. It takes a dangerous situation to make John realize that life isn't always black and white.

The life at a fort in the Canadian wilderness is harsh and beautiful and not the life for the weak. Sarah is able to fit in through sheer tenacity. She makes a few friends and assists John with his patients. I got why John didn't trust Sarah after he discovered she was hiding something from him but he was so unbending in his views. He was attracted to her but didn't trust her which made him really grouchy! He wasn't any easy hero to like and I never really warmed up to him.

Sarah I liked and thankfully she didn't fall into that trap of relying on her man after marrying. She was still an independent woman with her own beliefs, even when they differed from John's. In some ways the story followed a predictable pattern. With John and Sarah falling in lust before love. Misunderstandings and distrust driving a wedge between them. Then a crisis that brings them together. I liked how Sarah and John worked together, even when they were at odds with each other. And the descriptions of the fort and life at outpost town were interesting and kept this from being merely an okay story.

The setting is different and the Mounties are an added bonus. I only wish I liked the hero more. He came across as too stiff and set in his ways. He was lucky to have a woman like Sarah but he took too long to appreciate her, letting his inflexible convictions stand in the way of his happiness. Still, a quick, entertaining read.

Rating: B

TBR Challenge Review: Dreamfever

Dreamfever
Karen Marie Moning
Urban Fantasy
Fever/Book 4
Delacorte Press/August 2009
Purchased

*Spoilers for Books 1-3*
*Highly Recommend Reading In Order*

From the author's website ~

MacKayla Lane lies naked on the cold stone floor of a church, at the mercy of the erotic Fae master she once swore to kill. Far from home, unable to control her sexual hungers, MacKayla is now fully under the Lord Master's spell. In the New York Times bestselling author Karen Marie Moning's stunning new novel, the walls between human and Fae worlds have come crashing down. And as Mac fights for survival on Dublin's battle-scarred streets, she will embark on the darkest-and most erotically charged-adventure of her life.

He has stolen her past, but MacKayla will never allow her sister's murderer to take her future. Yet even the uniquely gifted sidhe-seer is no match for the Lord Master, who has unleashed an insatiable sexual craving that consumes Mac's every thought-and thrusts her into the seductive realm of two very dangerous men, both of whom she desires but dares not trust.

As the enigmatic Jericho Barrons and the sensual Fae prince V'lane vie for her body and soul, as she rallies the sidhe-seers to fight an impossible battle, and the power of the Dark Book weaves its annihilating path through the city, Mac's greatest enemy delivers a final challenge...

It's an invitation Mac cannot refuse, one that sends her racing home to Georgia, where an even darker threat awaits. With her parents missing and the lives of her loved ones under siege, Mac is about to come face-to-face with a soul-shattering truth-about herself, and about the world she thought she knew.

I was going to try and hold off reading Dreamfever until just before Shadowfever's release in January but after reading the latest excerpt of Shadowfever I caved. I bought it shortly after it's release so it certainly hasn't been on my tbr pile that long but it was calling to me and you must go with the book that calls. I'm glad I picked this one because I had forgotten how much I enjoy the world of Mac's Ireland.

The way Faefever left off was horrible and a hell of a cliffhanger. Well, Moning must love cliffhangers because I'll warn you right now, Dreamfever has one too. And I'm surprisingly okay with that. It gave me a whole bunch of stuff for speculating. I even found myself at Moning's message board looking for any clues as to what happened and what might happen in Shadowfever. Yeah, nobody knows, it's all just speculating. It's kind of fun but then it starts getting really hard to follow, the speculating that is, because there are so many possibilities and so much to remember. All those little things that may seem insignificant at the time might have a hidden meaning, or they just might mean exactly what they say. It can really twist your mind up in knots trying to figure it all out.

Dreamfever picks up where Faefever left off - in the church where Mac has been horribly used, abused and raped. Many fans of the series had a hard time with this and it's understandable when a character that we have come to know and care about goes through such a devastating experience. The intensity is fierce and Mac is so not herself. She's become something different altogether. It was hard seeing her become this thing not of her own mind. Do I think it was necessary for the story arc? That's a hard call. When we consider what has happened, in public, with V'lane it's mild compared to what happens to her at the hands of the Fae Princes. V'lane could have turned Mac Pri-ya but for his own reasons he chose not to. Do I think Mac had to hit bottom, this very bottom of loosing herself to make the story that much stronger? Because, really, that's the only reason I can come up with for turning Mac Pri-ya - to make the story, and Mac, stronger. I don't think rape was the answer but that's the way Moning went so I'll just deal with it.

Since Mac is not herself, Dani, who I abso-freaking-lootly adore, takes over narration duties until Mac is, well, Mac again. I like Mac's voice but it was a treat to hear Dani in her very unique Irish teenager 'Fecking A' lingo. She gives her own twist on events and we get to know her better. Dani has a boatload of responsibilities but she's still a teenager with the exuberance of a teen. The idea of her own invincibility is strong in Dani. It's also how she feels about Mac. She's come to rely on Mac and seeing what has happen to Mac shakes Dani, scares her even which is saying something.

Mac's road to recovery is a long, hard one. *rolls eyes* no comments from the peanut gallery 'kay? After Mac is Mac again, more or less, she begins the hunt for the Sinsar Dubh and trying to take back some of Dublin. It's hell out there and the Unseelie are taking advantage of their release into the human realm. There is a lot going on but Moning keeps it on track and once again gives the reader more information on the various players in the search for the Sinsar Dubh. We also get more what I call "potential information if we only knew what it meant" information. Anyone who's read this series knows how for everything you think you know, there's at least two or more things you don't know. Honestly, Shadowfever has a huge responsibility when it comes to tying up all the lose ends and answering the fans number one questions - What the hell is Barrons?

*Just had a very weird experience - while writing this review I'm listen to the radio, oldies station and the Stones "She's a Rainbow" just came on. (cue spooky music)

Dreamfever is another well written, edge of your seat, what the hell just happened addition to the series. I'm not sure how Moning keeps everything straight, serious, serious notes would be my guess. I'm not so patiently waiting for Shadowfever, release date January 18, 2011. It's suppose to be 624 pages, per Amazon. I just hope it's enough!

Rating: B+

TBR Challenge Review: Shadowlight

Shadowlight
Lynn Viehl
Paranormal Romance
Kyndred/Book 1
Onyx/October 2009
Purchased

From the back cover ~

With just one touch, Jessa Bellamy can see anyone's darkest secrets, thanks to whoever tampered with her genes. What she doesn't know is that a biotech company called GenHance has discovered her talent and intends to kill her and harvest her priceless DNA.Gaven Matthias is forced to abduct Jessa himself so he can protect her, but Jessa has a hard time believing the one man whose secrets she can-t read. As a monstrous assassin closes in and forces them to run, Jessa will have to find another way to discover if Matthias is her greatest ally-or her deadliest enemy.

This month I picked a book that I bought when it first came out last fall. It hasn't been on the pile for that long but it's one that I wanted to get to soon since the second book just came out. I enjoyed Viehl's Darkyn vampire series so I was intrigued by her spin-off series about human's with special powers. This month's suggested challenge theme was "unusual professions or not your usual setting". I think this could fit that. The hero's profession is not something he could put on a resumé - I'd say it falls in the unusual category. :)

The story has a few flashbacks, which I'm not a fan of, but they do add to the plot and explain character motivation. I didn't find it too distracting, so I was okay with them. Little bits and pieces are unveiled to the reader as the story progresses. Sometimes this worked but sometimes it left me wishing I had some confirmation on what I thought was going on.

Jessa Bellamy runs a company specializing in background checks. She has a unique ability she utilizes in her work. It's that ability that GenHance wants and will do anything to get. Jessa finds herself running from an enemy, saved by a man who wants her to trust him. She only knows what he tells her but her instincts are telling her to trust him. Jessa is smart and a survivor. I liked how she didn't hide in the corner but used her brain, trying to outwit Matthias. She's thrown into stressful situations, her life in danger but she didn't completely panic, although she had her moments but she's allowed. She didn't resort to tears but used logic and reason when dealing with Matthias.

Gaven Matthias is hard man to describe. He's not a typical 21st century alpha hero. He doesn't play games but is very serious. Sometimes I wasn't sure if he knew how to be playful. English is not his native language so it was fun to see him try to understand the some of the slang that came his way. He's a very focused man - focused on his mission even when Jessa proves to be a distraction. He wasn't an easy man to know. He doesn't open to Jessa easily, telling her very little about himself.

The romance between Jessa and Matthias was just okay. I never felt I completely connected with either one of them. I liked certain things about each of them but it was from a distance for the most part. I do wish their backgrounds had been revealed sooner and that Jessa and Matthias could have moved on from there. I found I liked the internal dialogue of the villain and the action scenes more than the romance.

An added bonus is the appearance of my favorite couple from Viehl's Darkyn series - Lucan and Samantha. They show up to extradite a convict and start investigation the horrible murders because of the brutality and the possibility that the murderer might be Darkyn.

So, while I wasn't blown away, Shadowlight proved to be a decent start to the series. The second book, Dreamveil, is about the secondary character Rowan. She's intriguing - I'm not sure what to make of her so I'll be reading her book to find out more. Curious to see her story unfold.

Rating: B

TBR Challenge Review: Runabout

Runabout
Pamela Morsi
Historical Romance/1916 America
Jove/February 1994
Purchased

From the back cover ~

Tulsa May Bruder has given up on love. Her first and only suitor has broken her heart, and as the town wallflower, Tulsa figures she just wasn't cut out for romance. But when her friend Luther Briggs helps her to stand tall in front of the town gossips, Tulsa suddenly sees a face she's known forever in a whole new light - and finds that falling in love can happen when you least expect it...

When checking the suggested themes for this month's challenge I found one of my favorite romance tropes - the friends to lovers. And imagine my surprise when I found that I had a Pamela Morsi that fit the bill. Yeah! As much as I love Morsi, there are still a few of her older books that I haven't read. There's even a few that I still need to hunt down. :)

What has come to be a Morsi trademark is her unconventional heroines and heroes. Another thing that sets her apart is her time periods. She tends to stay away from the traditional Victorian or Regency periods, instead going for the turn of the century or in the case of Runabout, the period prior to the United States entering World War I. I like that we get a time period that's often overlooked.

The long time friends of the story are Tulsa May Bruder and Luther Briggs. Tulsa is the preacher's daughter of the small Oklahoma town and an only child. Luther is a half-breed Indian and an orphan. He and his younger brother Arthel, came to town ten years ago after their parents died. Their only family was their father's mother, Maimie Briggs but she had no intention in taking in half-breeds. After the Briggs boys were rejected by their grandmother they were taken in by the Reverend and his family. This last about a year until Luther was able to get a job and support himself and his younger brother.

Luther has grown into a very responsible young man. He pretty much had to since he had been responsible for his younger brother Arthel since he was sixteen and Arthel was eight. Luther isn't what I would call a knight in shinning armor to Tulsa's damsel in distress. Luther's armor is a bit tarnished when it comes to his love life. He's enjoyed sowing some wild oats and has no intention of settling down any time soon. But when his best friend Tulsa is practically left at the alter and left for the town gossips, Luther comes up with a plan to stop the towns folk from pitying Tulsa. And what a plan it is!

Tulsa is a sweetheart. Seriously, she's known for her sunny disposition. She sees the good in everyone and looks for the positive in all things. Did that get annoying? Surprisingly, no. I thought it might but Tulsa is also aware of her overly sunny outlook and has no problem using some self deprecating humor to show her awareness. She's also mirror shy. She doesn't like her carrot top hair or what she considers her plain features. Her dislike of her hair is demonstrated through her love of hats. Lots and lots of hats! I really liked that we got to see this side of her. Tulsa isn't one to be deceptive but in this case she hides many of her hats under the bed so her mother doesn't see them. There is a very tender and sensual scene where Luther uses a mirror to show Tulsa how very beautiful she is. Love that scene!

The town and its people certainly play a role in Luther and Tulsa's relationship. Tulsa, being the Reverend's daughter, is always under scrutiny from the locals. I liked the way Luther had no problem standing up to the questions and innuendos that come from friends, neighbors and the nosy biddy bodies. His protectiveness of Tulsa was sweet in a brotherly fashion but that, along with the boundaries of their relationship, changes as the story progresses.

He didn't let her finish. With a tenderness that surprised even himself, Luther brought his mouth to hers. It was the gentlest of kisses. A mere touching of one pair of lips to another. A kiss that might have been considered brotherly. But no brother's heart ever pounded like his. page 152

The way Morsi had Luther and Tulsa getting to know each other in the way a couple gets to know was well done over a period of time. Things like going to church together, going out driving in the Runabout as a couple instead of just friends. They didn't realize it at the time but they were getting to know each other on another level, seeing each other through different eyes. I liked the way the story showed the protective side of both Luther and Tulsa.

The romance is subtle at times, with neither Luther or Tulsa realizing what they are doing. That they are acting like a couple falling in love instead of merely pretending it. There are also times when it's so darn obvious they physically want each other that it scares them senseless. Seeing Luther, an experienced man, embarrassed and perplexed by his need for Tulsa was cute and sweet. Poor Tulsa was just confused, having no real experience with men.

The setting of the small town with all it's flavors of the time period was evident in the language and attitude of the towns folk. There were some scenes of the darker side of small town life and the small minded. I thought Morsi handled the prejudices of race and immorality well. She showed that people can change for the good if given a chance. She also showed that tolerance for others can be subjective and how it's dealt with is just as important.

If you're looking for a historical romance that's different than your typical Regency or Victorian, then give Pamela Morsi a try.

Rating: A

TBR Challenge Review: Hope's Folly

Hope's Folly
Linnea Sinclair
SciFi Romance
Dock 5 series/Book 3
Bantam/March 2009
Purchased

From the back cover ~

Admiral Philip Guthrie is in an unprecedented position: on the wrong end of the law, leading a ragtag band of rebels against the oppressive Imperial forces. Or would be if he can get his command ship - the derelict cruiser called Hope's Folly - functioning. Not much can rattle Philip's legendary cool - but the woman who helps him foil an assassination attempt on Kirro Station will. She's the daughter of his best friend and first commander - a man who died while under Philip's command and whose death is on Philip's conscience.

Rya Bennton has been in love with Philip Guthrie since she was a girl. But can her childhood fantasies survive an encounter with the hardened man, and newly minted rebel leader, once she learns the truth about her father's death? Or will her passion for revenge put not only their hearts but their lives at risk? It's an impossible mission: A man who feels he can't love. A woman who believes she's unlovable. And an enemy who will stop at nothing to crush them both.

Can I just say how much I love Linnea Sinclair's writing? Yes, I can, since it's my blog. :) Wow. She pulls me in and I'm right there on board Hope's Folly. The suggested theme for this month was SFR or SF/F or fantasy, which fit right in with my need to read Hope's Folly. I love it when it works out that way!

Hope's Folly picks up about 4 months after Shades of Dark (book 2). I really think you need to read this series in order. Sinclair does give you back story on Philip and Rya but I think it makes for a far more richer experience if you read the first two book before reading Hope's Folly. Philip is the good friend and ex-husband of the heroine of the first two books. He also plays an important role in Shade of Dark. IMO, his character development starts long before Hope's Folly. Chaz and Sully are the two main characters in books 1 & 2 and theirs is a beautiful and well developed love story.

Admiral Philip Guthrie has left behind everything he worked for and everything he knew to help lead the Alliance fleet against Imperial rule. He's still recovering from injuries received when helping his ex-wife and her lover Sully. He's now trying to gather a crew for his first Alliance Fleet ship, Hope's Folly. The ship was part of the Imperial Fleet long ago with it's more recent history as a cargo hauler. It's not in the best shape, certainly not battle ready, but Philip isn't one to let anything get in the way of his mission and striking against Darius Tage, the leader of the movement to take control from the current ruler.

I just adored Philip. He wears his age(45) and experiences well, for the most part. He is using a cane while he continues to recover from his injuries. He also has silver hair which makes him appear older than he is. The first time Rya sees him at Kirro Station her impression of him is a just a little off. ~

Officer? Yeah, she tagged that too. It was in the way that he held himself, in spite of the pain and his limp. The set of his shoulders. The lift of his chin. Retired officer, silver-haired, probably in his seventies. Coming here at Commander Adney's call?

God, were they down to that now? Relying on rheumy old men to try to stop Tage's insanity? page 31

Oh, boy. Good thing Philip couldn't hear what Rya was thinking. She then proceeds to offer him her seat. LOL Philip has a major hang up about their age difference. Rya is 29 and was a member of the Fleet Security Forces Special Protection Services for nearly 5 years. They're known as being "polite, professional, and prepared to kill". So Rya is no innocent when it comes to the fleet and the world beyond. She's a real woman with real issues. She thinks she needs to loose some weight, believes she too tall and isn't innocent when it comes to men. That doesn't mean she sleeps around but she does enjoy sex and eventually lets Philip in on that fact. :) She also knew how to stand her ground when it came to disagreements with Philip and I really liked that about her.

Is there romance? Yes, but it's a more subtle, budding romance. Both Philip and Rya have a lot going on from the very beginning and while they are attracted to each other there's the whole running-for-your-life scenario that takes all their attention. But when they do get some alone time and it's very precious and beautifully written. Rya has the hero-worship syndrome going for Philip and Philip tries to think of Rya as the young daughter of his former commander and good friend. That lasts as long as it takes for them to get to know each other and realize their perceptions don't necessarily mesh with the reality. And it's tricky to deal with their attraction since Philip is Rya's commanding officer plus it's her responsibility to keep him safe from any assassination attempts. So they are not only on a ship together but working closely together.

The vast majority of the story takes place on the ship, Hope's Folly. The new crew does need to get to the ship first and Philip commandeers a shuttle to get them off Kirro Station. All doesn't go as planned. They manage to leave after escaping an attack. Once they get to the ship they're short on crew members and there's at least one spy on board. Philip, Rya and crew have a lot of work ahead of them with a variety of things breaking down on the ship and enemy ships coming after them. It's a mystery to find out who the spy is and try to anticipate their next move. I liked the mystery to the story. Nothing was too obvious and no one was exempt from scrutiny. I loved the way Rya and Philip worked together and how Philip treated Rya with respect for her knowledge and security experience.

Another well written, exciting adventure in the Dock 5 series. Next up is Rebels and Lovers, released last month. It's the story of Devin Guthrie and Captian Makaiden Griggs. Devin is the brother of Philip. I can't wait to read it!

Rating: A-

My review of Shades of Dark

TBR Challenge Review: Have You Seen Her?

Have You Seen Her?
Karen Rose

Romantic Suspense

Warner Books/February 2004

Purchased

From the back cover ~

DO YOU LOVE HER?

One by one, the girls disappear from their beds at night. Each one is pretty, with long, dark hair. And each one is found brutally murdered.

DO YOU MISS HER?

Special Agent Steven Thatcher has sworn to find the serial killer preying on this small town. As the investigation pulls him one way, his family pulls him in another. A widower haunted by loss, he now worries about his son Brad slipping away. But there's a bright light in his life; his son's teacher, Jenna Marshall, has reached out to help. She's beautiful, kind, and considerate— and slowly, tentatively, she and Steven are starting to fall in love. But both have been hurt before— badly. And as the two try to find the courage to bare their souls, a murderer who has slain many looks for the real treasure he craves. He sets his traps. And waits. For Jenna . . .

HAVE YOU SEEN HER?

This month the suggested themes were historical romance, mystery or fiction. I decide to deviate a little and chose a romantic suspense. So there is that mystery element to the plot plus some romance. The murderer in this case isn't obvious and it's up to Agent Thatcher and his team to figure out who is committing the brutal murders.

The second book in Karen Rose's loosely connected series shows this author hasn't fallen into the sophomore slump. She continues in Have You Seen Her? with Special Agent Steven Thatcher who we met in the first book, Don't Tell. Agent Thatcher is given the lead investigator spot on what's looking to be a serial murderer. A very brutal murderer. The girls are young, pretty and cheerleaders. They leave their homes willingly in the middle of the night since no signs of a struggle are found. What is found are their mutilated bodies.

Agent Thatcher and his family are still feeling the after affects from when his youngest son was kidnapped six months ago. His youngest son Nick can't sleep in his own bed but instead chooses to sleep on the floor. The two older boys seem to be back to normal but are more cautious around Nick. Aunt Helen, who came to live with Steven and the boys after their mother died, is pretty much worried about everyone. Steven feels the pressure at work, having his boss looking over his shoulder and wondering if he's going to crack, makes for a stressful work environment. But Steven feels that he is more than up to the job of finding the murderer of the young girls.

Steven's oldest son, Brad, has been having some problems in school. His grades have been taking a nose dive. Finally his chemistry teacher, Dr. Jenna Marshall calls Steven to discuss his eldest son. Jenna's had a recent encounter with a parent that left her shaken so she's leery when it comes to meeting Steven. No worries, it turns out Jenna has no problem telling Steven what she thinks. I liked their first meeting. Jenna may have ended up on the floor but with an advantage over Steven. She has beautiful legs and wears garters. What is it about men and their love of garter belts? Steven can't get over Jenna's legs. Jenna can't get over the idiot who ran into her. This is one of the things I like about Rose's writing. She deals with a very dark topic and adds the lighter man/woman fumbling of instant attraction to keep that dark/light symmetry. Throughout the book there is a good balance of suspense and romance/family plot.

Steven continues with searching for the killer and Jenna starts getting to know Steven and his sons. Neither one wants anything serious. Steven is worried about bringing someone into the boys' lives only to have that person leave. Jenna is living with the ghost of her deceased fiance. What's interesting is that they both know the way they're living isn't healthy but they can't seem to change. Human nature at work folks! Rose does an admiral job giving Steven a little push here, Jenna a little push there until they realize they don't want to be without the other. Unfortunately lives must "hang in the balance" before that realization comes. :)

The mystery/suspense aspect worked well with a few little quibbles, mainly at the end. Some circumstances that seemed just too unrealistic. There are other circumstances that made me roll my eyes a bit but the overall mystery keep me entertained. I also liked the team members of Steven's group. Their work relationships sometimes carried over into friendships. The role each team member played felt authentic, no extra bodies, everyone had a job to do.

Three secondary characters I liked a whole bunch were Steven's sons. Brad, the eldest is the smart steady one, until he's not. I liked his storyline and the way his emotions were dealt with. Very realistic IMO. Matt, the middle son was easy going, quick with a laugh but wisdom lurked behind the jokes. Nicky is the youngest and most vulnerable. He's got that shyness that can pull you in so easy and make you want to bring a smile to his face. Jenna totally fell for him. I thought the relationships she made with these boys was well written and would have been missed had they been merely skimmed over.

Jenna has a family too, sort of. She has Adam, her deceased fiance's family. This was an odd little group Jenna had. She's very close to her fiance's father and calls him Dad. She has dinner regularly with the fiance's sister and her family. They are a close group and it's good for Jenna because she's not close to her mom and doesn't know her bio dad. But there were times when they suffocated Jenna with the reminders of Adam. This to me, was one of the main reason she had such a hard time moving on.

There is this theme that I seem to be running into lately, just happened with another recent read. It's the projecting a past love's hurtful actions onto the current love interest. I can understand when you get burned and you're cautious but when the past love and the present love are completely different people it can get to the point where it's just overkill. Steven did that to Jenna and it caused him to do some serious damage to their relationship. Really just wanted to smack him over the head a few times.

Ah, even with the few problems, they were minor and I managed to read this in about 24 hours. I was sick and camped out on the couch but still a very engaging story. I can certainly see why Karen Rose has so many fans.

Rating: A-

TBR Challenge Review: Forever Blue

Forever Blue
Suzanne Brockmann
Romantic Suspense
Silhouette Intimate Moments #742/October 1996
Reissued by MIRA/February 2003
Tall, Dark & Dangerous/Book 2
Purchased

Blue McCoy was once the hero of Lucy Tait's teenaged dreams -- quiet, dart and dangerous. After high school he left Hatboro Creek, South Carolina, to join the military. Years later, now a Navy Seal, Blue was a man who embodied all of Lucy's fantasies.

Now Blue is back in town, and Lucy is not the person he remembered. She's a no-nonsense police officer -- and a woman Blue can't take his eyes off. But then Blue is accused of murder. And Lucy is assigned his case. Now their brief affair has became part of an extensive investigation, where what's at stake is critical -- Blue's future . . . and maybe Lucy's heart.

January's suggested reading was for a Category. I've decided to follow along with the suggestions since that will help with the selection process and believe me it's a process. :)


Suzanne Brockmann's Troubleshooter series is well known but she actually started writing about Navy SEALs with her Tall, Dark and Dangerous series for Silhouette. I read the Troubleshooter series first, they are full length novels and I enjoyed them so decided to start gathering the Silhouette series. I'd only previously read Prince Joe, the first book in this series. I did like it but it didn't blow me away. It turns out the same can be said for Forever Blue. I liked okay but wasn't wowed by it.

Blue McCoy is a hero right out of every girls dreams. One of those girls is Lucy Tait. They knew each other in high school, barely. Blue was a senior and a popular guy. Lucy was a freshman and an outsider. Their interactions in high school were brief, Blue helped Lucy out a few times. She fell hard, he scarcely noticed her, at least not in the way she hoped he would. Fast forward twelve years - Blue McCoy is back and Lucy Tait is all grown up.

Blue is in town for his stepbrother's wedding. It's awkward since Blue's stepbrother Gerry is marrying Jenny Lee, Blue's high school sweetheart. Lucy still has a torch for Blue and Blue is surprised when he sees Lucy. She's not the tomboy he remembered. Some things never change and pretty soon Blue is helping Lucy out and then Lucy gets a chance to help Blue when he's accused of murder.

Part of the time I was reading Forever Blue I was hoping some of the other SEALs would show up. Maybe blow up a building or car, something. Sadly, it was left up to Blue and Lucy to fight the bad guys. I liked Blue and Lucy together, it was the small town, hicksville setting that I didn't find all that appealing. Too many of those small town stereo-types lived there. The good ole boys network that neither Blue nor Lucy were remotely part of. This put them at a distinct disadvantage when it seemed like nearly everyone in town had tried and convicted Blue.

The murder plot was a bit far fetched but Brockmann pulled most of threads together and finished it off with a rousing car chase. The plot did have some holes. Lucy, a rookie cop, is made the investigator in the murder that Blue is accused of. Blue, shunned by the townsfolk, is banned from the only motel and has nowhere to stay. Lucy has a big house so... that's where her suspect stays, in her house. Oh, boy. Eventually they're sharing a house and a bed. By this point it's obvious there's something shady going on and Lucy doesn't know who she can trust.

I did like how Lucy and Blue became friends then lovers. The memories of their time in high school were sweet as they discovered things about each other they hadn't suspected. Lucy's enthusiasm for everything SEAL was cute. She was a walking encyclopedia and impressed Blue with her knowledge and her interest in his work. Blue didn't intend to come back to Hatboro Creek and fall in love but when he did he fell hard. Of course he waits until the last minute to tell Lucy. Men! LOL

The next book in the series is Frisco's Kid, which I have on the TBR pile. I'll read it, just not sure how soon. I did find Brockmann's writing good but so far I think she does better in the longer format. It could be that I'm just more attached/invested in her Troubleshooter series but I find I simply connected better with them than the SEALs from Alpha Team. Still, a decent story.

Rating: B

TBR Challenge 2010...

Keishon at Avidbookreader is hosting the TBR Challenge and again this year I'm joining. YEAH! I need this sooo bad. The tbr mountain has gotten way out of hand. The shelves on my bookcases are starting to bow and I'm running out of room and places to stash the new/used books I get. So drastic measures must be taken! This challenge will make me dig out some of those books that I've had for years but have yet to read. I do want to read more than just one book a month from the tbr pile so my plan is not only to do this challenge but to try to read one book from my tbr pile for every two three books that I read from another source.

Do I think this will drastically reduce the tbr pile? No. LOL The only way I could do that is to stop buying books which will never happen. EVER. So my hope is to keep the tbr pile from getting any bigger. It's a mountain now, if I can keep it from becoming a mountain range, I'll be happy. :)

The TBR 2010 INFO PAGE Go and check out the rules, which are really more like guidelines. Keishon is keeping this fun and has posted suggests for monthly themes which I'm going to try to follow. Looking over the monthly suggestions I've already got some books in mind for each month. And there's a good chance other participants in the challenge will review books that I have on my tbr pile. That could either get me to read those books sooner or clear them off the shelves. Either way, it's going to be fun!

Here are just some of my tbr books...