Cover Love ~ Blaze of Memory

You've probably seen this one already, Nalini posted on her blog a few days ago. But in case someone missed it, thought I posted it here.

This is the second Psy/Changeling book scheduled to be released this year. First we get Mercy and Riley's book, Branded by Fire on July 7 then we get Dev's book Blaze of Memory on November 3. We still don't know who Dev's heroine is, I'm guessing that's why he's the only one on the cover maybe? Devraj Santos first showed up in Mine to Posses. He was Tally's boss and is the director of the Shine Foundation. If you haven't read Mine to Possess yet and don't want any spoilers then STOP READING NOW.

If you do want to find out more about Dev, here he is explaining to some of the Pack members what happened when Silence was initially implemented:

..."In short, a hundred or so years ago, when Silence was voted into being, people who disagreed began to search for a way out. It had to be done in secret because dissidents had already begun to disappear."

When no one interrupted, he continued, "In the end, the only solution the rebels could come up with was to drop out en masse and attempt to link to each other in the seconds before psychic death. They hoped their gamble would lead to the spontaneous creation of a new psychic network. If it didn't , the defectors were prepared to die." The ruthless lines of Dev's face lit from within. "But they didn't. And the ShadowNet was born." Mine to Possess, pages 311-312

Dev, it turns out, is one of the Forgotten. He's a descendant of one of the rebels that created the ShadowNet. I'm looking forward to reading more about the Forgotten and their world. I'm curious to see who is part of that world and if there are any familiar faces from past books.

So what do you think of the cover? It didn't really grab me the way the other covers did. It's not that I don't like it but it looks like it should be on a romantic suspense novel rather than a PNR. Maybe I'm just shallow and want him shirtless. :)

Review: Passion Unleashed

Title: Passion Unleashed
Author: Larissa Ione
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: Demonica/Book 3
Published: April 2009
ARC Review

What would you do if you were immortal? If there was nothing that could physically cause you harm? There is a catch ~ because there's always a catch. To keep leading the charmed life you must remain a virgin. Not too bad, all things considered. What if a gorgeous, funny, incredibly sexy guy comes along. What if he's THE GUY? Serena Kelley lives that charmed life and Wraith is about to try to take it all away.

First I'll start by saying that I am in love with this series and it just continues to get better and better. There was a lot going on in this book but I never felt that the plots and subplots got away from Ione. The writing is tight and the story moves at a pace that had just the right amount of action, suspense, romance and humor. That along with hot sex scenes and smart ass demons made this book an absolute treat to read.

Passion Unleashed picks up ten months after Desire Unchained. Wraith has gone through his s'genesis, which means he can now impregnate demon females. One night when out hunting he gets into a fight with some vampires. During the fighting he is poisoned and left to die. He ends up back at Underworld General Hospital (UGH) where his brothers Eidolon and Shade are able to take care of him. Unfortunately they can't cure him of the poison that is in his system, slowly killing him. His only hope is Serena and her charm that keeps her healthy and immortal. He needs to find her, seduce her and get her charm.

Serena Kelley is a female Indiana Jones with a twist, she's immortal. She works as an archaeologist/treasure hunter and reports to Valeriu Macek, an Aegis Guardian. The Aegis are the group of highly trained human warriors that hunt and fight demons. Serena is also trained in fighting which is a good thing because she has a tendency to be fearless, diving headlong into dangerous situations. She is careful when dealing with men, not allowing things to go too far. She may still be a virgin but she isn't exactly chaste. And she's certainly not immune to Wraith and his incredible body.

Once Wraith finds out that the holder of the charm is a human female he refuses to seduce her. He doesn't have sex with humans, ever. But after discovering that he really has no choice he goes after her only to find that seducing her won't be as simple as he thought. He's not the only one after her and the evil that is after Serena wants more than her virginity, he wants her blood. When Wraith does catch up to Serena he takes on a new role of guide, helping Serena locate her next acquisition. This allows Wraith to get to know Serena which makes what he has to do much more difficult. Knowing that taking the charm will mean Serena's death.

Wraith and Serena take the reader on a wild ride of treasure hunting, demon fighting and erotic sex scenes without the actual sex (don't worry, there's hot, crazy sex too). I'm thinking only Wraith could steam things up so completely without fully consummating the act. The pairing of Serena and Wraith is done with such a skillful touch that despite the fact they faced overwhelming obstacles in their relationship by the end of the book you can't imagine them with anyone else. I loved Wraith and how his emotions are so much more than what he lets on. He doesn't want anyone to know how strongly he feels and how much he cares.

I think of Wraith as the survivor, the one that in spite of himself and his self-destruct mode he survives. He doesn't exactly thrive but exists, living to hunt, kill and fuck but not to truly enjoy, only pretend to. He still maintains that bad ass, fuck off attitude of the 'I don't give a damn club'. The only things he really cares about are his brothers, their mates and the hospital. The people and the place that give him a purpose in life.

About Wraith's relationship with his brothers Eilodon and Shade. The three are half brothers, having the same father. Their mothers were all different types of demons. While the brothers were all raised in different environments Wraith's by far was the harshest, most cruel. He's so emotionally damaged by the torture he endured that he can't seem to get to a point where he can find any joy in life. He thinks of himself as the screw up, always needing to be saved by his brothers. I loved reading the scenes with these three. The way they interact is so normal, so brotherly. For me as a reader seeing the hero interacting with other males, especially ones that he's close to, gives me a better, more rounded view of his character. Guys act different around guys than they do around females. That seems to be universal whether they're human, vampire, werewolf or demon.

What Serena does for Wraith is open those eyes of his. She helps to waken that slumbering conscience of his. To show him that he is a good man and that he does care about more than just his brothers and their mates. I loved the way she took him in and showed him that a woman can and does care about him. That it's not just the physical attraction but that she really liked him as a person and came to care for him as the man who he is. The one who he had been hiding behind his nasty attitude. She doesn't give up her identity when she falls for him. She continues to be a strong heroine. I liked the fact that she didn't suddenly submit to him and leave the decision making to him. She still maintained her voice and her adventurous determined nature. Which is why she was such a good match for Wraith.

The plot had many twist and turns. I didn't always know where Ione was going with the story but that was part of the thrill, not knowing what was around the next turn. The bad guy is wickedly evil, sinister in his love of death and blood. And since this is spoiler free I won't go into the details of some of the secondary characters but will say they are some of the best and well developed, considering the amount of time they had on page. Some of the little bits and pieces the reader is shown of these secondary characters only helps to heighten the anticipation for the next book and the next installment of these demons and their lives.

Passion Unleashed is another outstanding addition to this fascinating world of demons, vampires, werewolves and humans. Visit Larissa Ione's website for more about the Demonica series and her contemporary books coauthored with Stephanie Tyler under the name Sydney Croft. You can also add to your Demonica knowledge by accessing the free online read of the Demonica Compendium here.

Rating: A

Cover Love ~ Darkness Calls

I stumbled across the cover for Marjorie M. Liu's next book in her Hunter Kiss series. I like the shades of golds and the way the light shines down on Maxine. Love the tats! As a lover of all things sharp and shiny I covet the sword she's holding. Yep, nothing like a kick-ass heroine on the cover to set the tone. Looking forward to this one. Release for Darkness Calls, the second full length novel in the Hunter Kiss series is June 30.

Here's the brief blurb from the author's website:

They are the obsidian shadows of my flesh - tattoos with minds, hearts, and dreams. By day, they protect me. But when night calls to them, they leave my body, dissolving into their true form - as demons…

Nomad born and bred, demon hunter Maxine Kiss has always relied upon herself to fight the darkness that surrounds her, the predators-human, zombie, and otherwise - who threaten the earth. But one man has penetrated her lonely life: Grant, the last of his kind. With music he is able to control any living creature…including demons. And now his life is in danger.

Haunted by the past, determined to change the future, Maxine soon understands that to save Grant, she has only one choice-to lose control, and release her own powers of darkness…

The Next Kresley Cole Releases...

No covers but there is finally a light at the end of the tunnel for Murdoch and Daniela's story. It was suppose to be in the Not So Innocent anthology that was suppose to be released last year. Now it looks like it will be in a duology with Gene Showalter releasing this fall. Amazon shows it as being $14.95 USD. That's marked down from the 21.99 price so it looks like hardcover folks. There is also mention on Cole's website of the next full length book in the IAD series, Pleasure of a Dark Prince, due for release January 2010. This is Lucia and Garreth's story. No other info yet.

Here's the blurb for the story from The Deep Kiss of Winter, like that title a bunch!

A duology with Gena Showalter! Coming November 2009.

A brutal vampire soldier about to know love for the first time...
Murdoch Wroth will stop at nothing to claim Daniela the Ice Maiden--the delicate Valkyrie who makes his heart beat for the first time in three hundred years. Yet the exquisite Danii is part ice fey, and her freezing skin can't be touched by anyone but her own kind without inflicting pain beyond measure.

A Valkyrie aching to be touched...
Soon desperate for closeness, in an agony of frustration, Murdoch and Danii will do anything to have each other. Together can they find the key that will finally allow them to slake the overwhelming desire burning between them?

Library Haul and a Date with a Rat...

It's spring break here and you know what that means... the kids are home driving me crazy! I've been feeling a little guilty since we didn't travel anywhere this year but stayed home instead. So I offered to take the kids to Chuck E. Cheese. Yes, I actually said, "Who wants to go to Chuck E. Cheese? " It was like I was possessed! The boys were all for going and wanted to know when we were leaving. Teenage daughter had a look of horror on her face. I could have made her go but being the cool mom that I sometimes am, I let her stay home. : )

Before lunching with the famous rat we made a stop at the city library. (Did you really think this post wouldn't be book related?) I had two holds to pick up, Lora Leigh's Only Pleasure and Sydney Croft's Unleashing the Storm. I also wanted to see what new releases they had. While the boys were over in the children's section checking out the latest Captain Underpants and Star Wars books I found a few more books to take home.

*Zack by Cheyenne McCray

*The Courtesan's Wager by Claudia Dane

*Shattered by JoAnn Ross

*Darkness Revealed by Alexandra Ivy

*Crash Into Me by Jill Sorenson

All are new authors to me except for Alexandra Ivy. I've read the first three books in this series. The McCray and Dane books I liked the cover and the blurb. JoAnn Ross I've heard goods things about her writing and liked the blurb. And Jill Sorenson's is about surfing, the FBI and takes place in San Diego, La Jolla specifically. I miss San Diego bunches! Lived there for 15 years and even though we still go back in the summer it's just not the same.

I've got the first Sydney Croft book and the Lora Leigh I think have the first 3 or 4 books in this series but haven't read them yet. Don't know when I'll get to these since I still have quite a few already in my TBR pile.

The Chuck E. Cheese experience wasn't too bad. Not very crowded, like on the weekends *shudders*. And I got some reading done. The county library is holding Bone Crossed for me but I've got to get Iron Kissed read first. It was interesting to read while listening to the various kids songs playing (loudly) in the background. Not exactly my music of choice but I was still able to get into Mercy's book. All in all a pretty good day. The boys were good and had a ton of fun. They did get cotton candy and forgot to share with me. :( My favorite "fair foods" are cotton candy and funnel cakes. Love those to pieces. I'm always tempted to get one of those funnel cake mix packs at Christmas. Maybe this year.

Hope everyone has a fantastic reading weekend. I plan to get lots of reading done and some reviews written this weekend along with the usual cleaning, errands and hanging with the kids.

Wicked Lovely ~ Free Online Read...

HarperTeen is offering Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely as a free online read. It's for a limited time so if you've thought of trying this series this is a good way to see if you like this author's writing.

Here's a blurb from the author's website:

Rule #3: Don’t stare at invisible faeries. Aislinn has always seen faeries. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in the mortal world. Aislinn fears their cruelty—especially if they learn of her Sight—and wishes she were as blind to their presence as other teens.

Rule #2: Don’t speak to invisible faeries. Now faeries are stalking her. One of them, Keenan, who is equal parts terrifying and alluring, is trying to talk to her, asking questions Aislinn is afraid to answer.

Rule #1: Don’t ever attract their attention. But it’s too late. Keenan is the Summer King who has sought his queen for nine centuries. Without her, summer itself will perish. He is determined that Aislinn will become the Summer Queen at any cost—regardless of her plans or desires.

Suddenly none of the rules that have kept Aislinn safe are working anymore, and everything is on the line: her freedom; her best friend, Seth; her life; everything. Faery intrigue, mortal love, and the clash of ancient rules and modern expectations swirl together in this 21st century faery tale.

You can find more info about Marr and her writing at her website.

Review: Angels' Blood

Title: Angels' Blood
Author: Nalini Singh
Genre: Urban Fantasy Romance
Series: Guild Hunter/Book 1
Published: March 2009

There are angels among us. Though these are not the heavenly beings that usually come to mind. These are archangels who rule their territories with awe, fear and respect. They entice humans to sign away 100 years of their lives to become immortal... and vampires. But sometimes those vampires choose not to honor their contract. Sometimes they think they can get away. That's when the Guild Hunters go to work. They hunt the vampires and return them to their masters, the archangels. Elena Deveraux is one of the elite hunters. She was born a hunter and she is one of the very best. And only the best will do for archangel Raphael.

There's been a lot of buzz about Nalini Singh's new series. Many fans of her Psy/Changeling series have been eagerly anticipating the release of Angels' Blood (myself included). The Psy/Changeling series is Paranormal Romance, with a different hero and heroine in each book. Notice the genre above ~ that's what is on the spine of the book. I found it interesting that this is not simply marketed as Urban Fantasy but the "romance" is added. Could this be a marketing tool to get the fans who read PNR but don't want to read UF because of the lack of the HEA? Since there seems to be so much online talk of what is PNR as opposed to UF this might be the happy medium many have been craving. I think Singh's fan base is such that it doesn't matter what is on the spine as long as Singh's name is on the cover. And Angels' Blood does have a designated hero and heroine but do they get a HEA? Maybe...

Elena Deveraux is a total and completely kick-ass heroine. She's hard working and takes her job very seriously. She has a close, select group of friends that she knows she can always count on. Her home is her haven. The way she feels about her apartment tells a lot about her. It's more than just a place to crash, it's a place where she can take comfort from her surroundings after long days and nights on the job. When Elena finds out that Raphael wants her to hunt down another archangel she's not at all thrilled. Hunting down an archangel who's bent on destruction isn't exactly in her scope of experience. But she has no choice. She could refuse and try to hideout from Raphael but that's just not her style. Nor does she wish to put her friends in jeopardy. So she sucks it up and uses her talents to find the sick bastard. I love the fact that she does get disgusted and upset over the horrors that she sees and isn't afraid to show it. She even throws up a few times but shakes it off and gets right back to work tracking the rogue archangel.

Raphael is the archangel over all of New York. He's acquired a reputation for ruling with strength, respect and fear. He's not the easiest hero to get into. He's very reserved and projects a very cold, almost sterile, personality. It's as if he's seen and done everything and is now simply bored by it all. As he and Elena work together he begins to thaw. Singh shows the reader through Raphael's actions and thought how he is thawing. How his humanity is showing. Elena practically forces reactions from him. I loved it when he would get pissed off and Elena would basically tell him to deal with it or remind him that he needs her.

The story was a bit slow for me to get into-not in a bad way but more of an ease into the world instead of a jump. The jump happened for me when Elena shot Raphael(page136). Then it became difficult to put down. It's possible it happened at that point because Raphael became more real, more mortal with all the emotions that go along with possible mortality. Elena showed concern for Raphael, not only because if he dies she does too at the hands Dmitri but also because of what was a developing attraction on more than a physical level - no matter how much Elena denied it.

The world building was done in and around New York City as we know it today. The difference is that archangels, angels and vampires exist in the world Singh has created. Otherwise it felt like present day earth with cell phones, cars, elevators and references to the Titanic and the Soviet Union. The world is certainly darker with the powerful archangels and vampires inhabiting it. Angels' Blood undoubtedly makes use of it's UF stamp and has far more blood and gore than the Psy/Changeling series.

Elena's work takes her to a much darker world than what most of the human population in Angels' Blood is exposed to. She has such a strong heart to bear seeing so much pain and ugliness. Her good friends and Guild Hunter co-workers are there for her as much as they can be. There is no doubt they would stand beside her even if it means dying. In this we also see how Raphael learns to care for Elena and offer comfort. Something I'm not sure he thought he was capable of.

Singh's secondary characters are, as always, well developed and give this reader hope for many more books in this series. One character in particularly grab and held my attention. He's not a member of the Guild Hunters but a vampire. I absolutely without a doubt loved Dmitri. Why? I shouldn't like him. He threats Elena numerous times, not only with the biting and drinking from her but killing her. And I have no doubt that he would have killed her if he thought it necessary. Yet I liked him. Whenever he was in a scene I couldn't wait to see what he would say or do. When he wasn't in a scene I would be wondering where he is and when he'd be back. I think I got a little obsessed over him. *grin* He's the leader of Raphael's elite guard. He's nearly a thousand years old so he's more than served his 100 years yet he stays with Raphael. I liked that loyalty in him. He also mentioned a few little tidbits about his past that left me curious to know more and to believe there's more to him that the bad-ass imagine he projects.

Singh uses her magic to weave a fascinating world in the first installment of the Guild Hunter series. There's a whole bunch of cool characters and happenings that I didn't include in the review simply because you really should read the book for yourself and find out. I will definitely read the next book in the series, Angels' Judgement in the anthology Must Love Hellhounds. Next year the second full length book, Angels' Kiss is due out. No set date yet. For more info on both the Guild Hunter and Psy/Changeling series check out Nalini's website.

Rating: A-

Review: Moon Called

Title: Moon Called

Author: Patricia Briggs

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Series: Mercy Thompson/Book 1

Published: February 2006

Mercy's Garage. It seems like a ordinary place owned and run by an ordinary woman. But nothing and no one is what they seem in Mercy's life. She's not what she seems. Sure, she a great mechanic. She's also a skin walker but she won't tell you that. Just like she won't tell you her sexy neighbor is the local werewolf pack's alpha or the VW van at her garage is owned by a vampire. And her former boss is a Fae. No, Mercy likes to keep her secrets and is a just woman who sometimes changes into a coyote. Fluffy tail and all.

This is one of those series that has been sitting on my TBR pile for what seems like forever. After reading all the great reviews for Ms. Briggs latest book in the series, Bone Crossed, I thought it was about time to start reading Mercy's books before I got too far behind. Can I just say to anyone who's been putting off reading this series ~ start now!

Mercy is a woman that likes to "fly under the radar". She doesn't want to call attention to herself. She'd rather be left to work in her shop and mind her own business. In spite of this it was surprisingly easy to get to know and like her. Which is kind of strange since she likes to keep people at a distance. She seems to be wary of getting too close to anyone. It's not that she doesn't care about people, she just prefers to care from a distance. This all begins to change when a newly made werewolf comes by the shop looking for work. Mercy knows that she should send him on his way but she's a softy at heart. So she feeds him and gives him some work. She's able to send the new werewolf, Mac, to the local Alpha, Adam Hauptman, who can help Mac through his early years of learning to control his wolf.

Adam is such a multi-layered character. He's a Vietnam veteran who still holds many ideas from that era. Times have changed but Adam hasn't completely changed with the times. But he's learning. He is also a divorced father with a teenage daughter. Now how often do you hear about a divorced werewolf? But Adam comes complete with an ex-wife and a wonderful daughter named Jesse. She knows who and what her dad is and she's really cool about it. The other thing about Adam is that he reminds me of Roarke from the In Death series (this is a good thing). Both very alpha, smart, successful businessmen attracted to strong, independent women.

If things weren't getting complicated enough in Mercy's life there's Samuel. Samuel is the Marrock's son. The Marrock, Bran, is the Alpha over all of the North American Alphas. Bran is also the head of the pack that Mercy grew up in. So you could say that Samuel is Mercy's high school sweetheart, except that Samuel was long out of high school when Mercy came along. I'm not totally sure what I think of Samuel. He's a very old werewolf who is also a doctor. The thing about the werewolves in Briggs' series is that they all have regular jobs. Doctors, teachers, businessmen, computer techs... it just seems so normal.

The vampires in the series do not seem normal at all. Oh, they seem normal for vampires just not the types to take up jobs and blend with the human populace. The vamp with the van at Mercy's is Stefan. He's... not sure how to describe him. He's a kinder, gentler vampire. We don't see too much of him in Moon Called but what we do see is that he does have certain feelings for Mercy. He's still very much a loyal subject to his Mistress who is also his maker but he does look out for Mercy. Poor Mercy, two werewolves and a vampire after her.

The world that Briggs has created is diverse and complex with not only the weres but also vampires and beings of the Fae in the mix. The Fae came out to the world a few decades before. They downplayed their abilities and pass themselves off as harmless beings who only want to help mankind. The weres and vampires still maintain anonymity but the time for humans to find out who their neighbors really are is closing in fast.

Count me a fan of this series. I've already read Blood Bound, the second book and have Iron Kissed in my TBR pile and Bone Crossed on order from the library. I'm really looking forward to seeing what happened next to Mercy, Adam, Samuel and Stefan.

Patricia Briggs is not new to the publishing world. She is the author of a number of science fiction/fantasy novels. She also has another series set in the same world as the Mercy Thompson series. It's the Alpha/Omega series and features Charles and Anna. More information about Ms. Briggs can be found at her website.


Rating: A-

Review: A Summer to Remember

Title: A Summer to Remember
Author: Mary Balogh
Genre: Historical Romance/Regency Period
Published: July 2002 (HC)/March 2003 (MM)
Nath's Re-Read Challenge

It's been a year since Miss Lauren Edgeworth was left at the altar, her world shattered and torn in two. She has come to London not to find another husband but to be with her aunt, the Duchess of Portfrey, during her confinement. Lauren has always been dutiful and this gave her the opportunity to leave Newbury Abbey and the close proximity to her former fiancé and his new bride. While in London she makes the acquaintance of Christopher "Kit" Butler, Viscount Ravensberg. When Kit proposes marriage Lauren offers a different proposal. She will pose as his intended if he agrees to give her a summer to remember.

The first time I read A Summer to Remember was when it was released in paperback. Mary Balogh has been one of my favorite authors for many years. Way back when I only read historicals *gasp*, Balogh, along with the likes of Roberta Gellis, Johanna Lindsey, Jude Deveraux and Jo Goodman were authors that I read everything they published. After reading One Night For Love, where Lauren is left at the altar, I was hoping she would get her own book and HEA. So when A Summer to Remember came out I knew I had to read it. After reading it the first time it became one of my favorite Baloghs and this re-read proved it's still one of my favorites.

When Lauren was still a baby her father died. Her mother remarried soon after and went on her wedding trip, never to return. Lauren was left to be raised by her step-father's family. A family of strangers who became her real family in every way. Growing up Lauren made sure to be the perfect child, to never give her family reason to regret taking her in and raising her. But she is not a simpering little mouse of a lady to hide in the corner. She can take control of a situation if she must. She is subtle, taking control of situations through her intellect, her words. She likes to be in control in everything she does and says. She is the perfect, proper lady. To loose control would mean to loose that facade of propriety that has helped her survive nearly unbearable situations. She would never dream of doing anything that would embarrass herself or her family.

The first time Lauren sees Kit she is shocked. He is shirtless, fighting three other men in public. The second time she sees him is in a ballroom and he is asking her to dance. While she knows he has a reputation as a rakehell she can't seem to help but be drawn to him. He is good looking but it's not only his looks that attract her. It's his determination. Kit is determined to court Lauren and make her his bride.

Kit has been order, by his father, to return to his ancestral home of Alvesley Park. The trip is for his grandmother's birthday celebration and also for Kit's betrothal. The betrothal that his father has arranged. Kit has other plans since he has no desire to wed his father's choice of a bride. So he decides he must find his own bride and bring her home with him. And so the idea to woo and wed Lauren comes about.

Kit is the second son of three boys born to the Earl and Countess of Redfield. Being the second son Kit was bound for the military which suited him just fine. But when his older brother dies Kit is forced to sell out his commission and return to London. Since his returned from the fighting in the Peninsula, Kit has spent his time making a notorious reputation for himself. He doesn't want the earldom and feels guilty for the fight he had with his eldest brother the last time he saw him. His relationship with his parents and his youngest brother is strained and in Kit's mind broken beyond repair. With that in mind Kit sees no reason to stop his less than honorable ways and marry someone other than his father's choice.

Lauren was perceived by many of the ton as cool and reserved which she was. But it was how she trained herself to be. Her overriding fear of making a mistake and embarrassing her family kept her in such rigid control. I wasn't sure how Kit could get her to loosen up some of that control and enjoy herself. Fortunately, Kit was very stubborn and determined that in order for him to fulfill his part of their bargain he needed to get Lauren to loose some control and get out of her comfort zone. One scene where Kit gets Lauren to climb a tree demonstrates just how far she has come from the lady who wouldn't dare let her spine rest against the back of a chair:

...He went up behind her, one arm linked about her waist, but she would not allow him literally to carry her up.

"I will do it myself, thank you," she told him curtly the only time he tightened his hold and would have hoisted her upward when she seemed to be paralyzed with indecision. "This is not what I meant at Vauxhall, Kit. There is nothing remotely enjoyable about this."

"But it is memorable, you must admit," he said into her ear with a chuckle. "Swimming in your shift and climbing trees all on the same day. You are in sore danger of becoming a notorious hoyden."

And later, when they are sitting on a branch, Lauren's back to Kit's front, Kit's arms holding her. Kit tells her to open her eyes and enjoy the view:

"Nothing could make the climb worthwhile," she said severely, "though the prospect is a good one, I will concede."

Well. Cool praise indeed. But a moment later she ruined the effect of her words. He felt a slight tremor beneath his hands, and then she was laughing softly. Lauren Edgeworth was laughing!

"I am up in a tree," she said. "Gwen and Aunt Clara will not believe it even if I should tell them. No one who knows me would believe it. Lauren Edgeworth up a tree, with out a bonnet."

She seemed to find the idea enormously tickling. For a few moments her laughter was almost silent. But she could not contain it. She burst into peals of glee, gales of merriment. And Kit, holding her safe, joined her.

"And loving every moment of it?" he asked when he could.

"Now that I will never admit to," she said and laughed again. But finally they were both quiet, and when she spoke again her voice held more wistfulness than humor. "I will remember today. All of it. For the whole of the rest of my life. Thank you, Kit." from pages 172-174

I really love this scene. Lauren is so surprised at her self. And at the end she makes it sound as if she doesn't expect much laughter in her life after she leaves Kit. But Kit is there, holding her, keeping her safe. This is what he does for her. He makes her laugh. Such an important yet often overlooked quality in a hero. Can you imagine not laughing? Being so confined in your shell that you never laugh. To never let go and laugh long and loud? Lauren didn't know how until Kit. That's what he gave her ~ the freedom to laugh. To be surprised when that unexpected giggle surfaces out of nowhere. Catching her off guard. Then being able to revel in it.

And how does Lauren help Kit? She uses her quiet dignity to help him overcome his sense of guilt for so many things. She helps him mend the relationships that he thought were beyond repair. This is really a story about relationships and the intricacies in not only forming them but maintaining them. Lauren sees her helping Kit mend the bond with his parents and brother as her part of their bargain. She had no idea she would come to care for Kit's family which makes it that much more difficult when she must leave.

Lauren and Kit's relationship changes during the course of the story. Surprisingly Kit is the one to fall in love with Lauren and decide he wants the marriage to be real. I loved the way Kit began to see Lauren in a different light. To see beyond that rigid control of a proper lady. To see what she could be, was meant to be if she just allowed herself to be happy. I really don't think Lauren knew how, she was too busy trying to be perfect, or at least what she perceived was perfection. Lauren too begins to see the Kit she met in London wasn't the real Kit. He is more than the notorious rake that the ton gossips about. He deeply loves his family and his honor is very important to him. But in the end Lauren insists on keeping her word and breaking off the engagement at summer's end.

The secondary characters of Lauren and Kit's families were drawn with Balogh's deft touch. You could feel their love and concern for Kit and Lauren even though some of them were at odds with the couple. The love of family is a very strong current running throughout the story.

I can safely say this is still a keeper and makes me want to re-read all my Balogh books. I would highly recommend Mary Balogh and A Summer to Remember. The prequel, One Night for Love, I remember as being very good also but it isn't necessary to read it before A Summer to Remember. Mary Balogh's extensive backlist can be found on her website.

Rating: A