Kate Daniels 4 Excerpt...

Go, read, enjoy...

Excerpt from the 4th Kate Daniels book by Ilona Andrews.

Review: Too Good to Be True

Title: Too Good To Be True
Author: Kristan Higgins
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: February 2009

*Some Mild Spoilers*

From the author's website:

Making up a boyfriend is nothing new for me. I’ll come right out and admit that. Some people go window shopping for things they could never afford. Some look at online photos of resorts they’ll never visit. Some people imagine that they meet a really nice guy when, in fact, they don’t.

The first time it happened was in sixth grade. Recess. Heather B., Heather F. and Jessica A. were standing in their little circle of popularity. They wore lip gloss and eye shadow, had cute little pocketbooks and boyfriends. Back then, going out with a boy only meant that he might acknowledge you while passing in the hall, but still, it was a status symbol, and one which I lacked, right along with the eye shadow. Heather F. was watching her man, Joey Ames, as he put a frog down his pants for reasons clear only to sixth grade boys, and talking about how she was maybe going to break up with Joey and go out with Jason...

My very first Kristan Higgins books but not my last. I've heard a bunch of good stuff about her work, she won the RITA last year for Catch of the Day. But I'm not real familiar with the RITAs or how they are chosen which is good since that's not why I read this one. Kristie from Ramblings on Romance posted a review of Too Good to Be True here and after reading her review I decide TGTBT would be my first Higgins book.

Grace is the kind of heroine you can imagine being friends with, hanging out, talking about books, movies and well... the Civil War. She's a history teacher at a private high school and is also involved in a group called Brother Against Brother. They reenact Civil War battles at various locations. Grace and her father both share this passion of reenacting and I enjoyed reading about Grace's enthusiasm while she was "in the heat of the battle". LOL I found myself laughing a lot while reading TGTBT. The dialogue, the slap-stick comedy and the situations that Grace gets herself in are all very humorous.

I don't want to give the impression that Grace was this perfect heroine and that there was nothing about her that I didn't love. In fact one of the things that bothered me the most about this book was Grace. I had a bit of a love/hate relationship with her character. Like I mentioned, she was someone that I could see hanging out with but I know had she been a friend of mine she would drive me absolutely crazy and I'm sure piss me off at times. The way she let her family walk all over her drove me up the wall! The final straw was when her younger sister asked Grace to be her maid-of-honor. Which would be fine except her sister was marrying Grace's ex-fiancé who dumped her 3 weeks before the wedding. As I was reading the scene I kept thinking, "you better say no Grace, don't you dare say yes!". Of course she said yes. Damn it!

Too Good to Be True is written in 1st POV. Most contemporary romances I read are written in 3rd POV so this took a little getting use to . It also, IMO, hampered the reader from getting to know Callahan O'Shea better. He's the obvious hero of the story but maybe calling him Grace's love interest is more accurate. The story is really Grace's with Callahan almost more of a secondary character through at least the first half of the book.

Callahan was an interesting choice for a hero/love interest. Cal had been an accountant but pleaded guilty to embezzlement so his license was revoked. But it turns out that he is also very good with his hands. As is handy around the house. In fact he buys the house next door to Grace with the intent of flipping it. That is he fixes it up and then sells it for a profit. When Cal first moves in he had been released from prison two months before and was trying to get on with his life. When Grace finds out about Cal's prison record she decides to stay away from him even though she's attracted to him. Then she begins to overcome her prejudice and spend time with Cal. After getting to know Cal and hear his side of why he went to prison she stops denying her feelings for him. I did like Cal but I would have liked to get to know his character better.

Grace's family played a very fundamental role in the story. They are such a part of who Grace is. She seemed to define herself by what her role in her family was. She was the middle child so it's no surprise that she was a real people pleaser, especially when it came to her parents and two sisters. I think it was just a matter of the whole family conditioned to treat Grace they way they did and for Grace to react the way she did. I really did not like her younger sister Natalie. She was such a princess. She was kind and sweet but I still got them impression she expected to get her way. Grace's older sister Margs wasn't as bad as Natalie but she still took advantage of Grace. It was frustrating to see Grace stand up when questioned for giving a student a low grade but she wouldn't stand up to her family when they took advantage of her.

There was also Grace's best friend Julian. Now him I really liked and would have loved to see more of his character. He and Grace both decide to look for someone special and the way they went about it was so Laverne and Shirley. Loved the scenes with Julian. And I can't forget to mention Angus, Grace's oh so adorable pooch. He was so sweet and at times the only one that Grace could pour her heart out to. Everyone should have an Angus.

I did mention that this is more of Grace's book than Grace and Callahan but there is a HEA. It's just that I think of the book as Grace's journey to Cal rather than their journey together. If that makes sense. So what grade to give? It was a light and very funny read. But there were a few things that bugged me. I'm going with B+ but very close to an A-.

A list of Ms. Higgins books and excerpts can be found on her website.

Rating: B+

Awards ~ I haz one...

The fabulously amazing Carol Jean from THE THRILLIONTH PAGE has bestowed upon me the prestigious Zombie Chicken Award. What is the Zombie Chicken Award you ask ~

The blogger who receives this award believes in the Tao of the zombie chicken - excellence, grace and persistence in all situations, even in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. These amazing bloggers regularly produce content so remarkable that their readers would brave a raving pack of zombie chickens just to be able to read their inspiring words. As a recipient of this world-renowned award, you now have the task of passing it on to at least 5 other worthy bloggers. Do not risk the wrath of the zombie chickens by choosing unwisely or not choosing at all...

Since I've always wanted to be Alice (from Resident Evil not Wonderland) I will show no fear of the zombie chickens and instead will give this award to any blogger who feels worthy of the distinction.

Review: Fire At Midnight

Title: Fire At Midnight
Author: Lisa Marie Wilkinson
Genre: Historical Romance/1703 England
Published: March 2009

Synopsis from back cover~

It is 1703 and Rachael Penrose is confined to Bedlam insane asylum in London after discovering her uncle Victor plans to kill her brother in order to inherit the family fortune. Victor leads a gang of criminals and uses French privateer/smuggler Sebastien Falconer as the scapegoat for his crimes. When Victor spread the lie that Rachael informed on Falconer's smuggling activities, Falconer vows revenge on the girl.

A dangerously ill Rachael finally escapes from Bedlam only to find shelter in Sebastien's carriage and ends up in his care. It is a twist of fate that will alter both their lives.

Believing she is in danger from Sebastien, Rachael meets up with his estranged twin brother, Jacques, a customs officer intent on bringing his brother, the famous privateer to justice. Btu the real criminal is still at large, and she and her brother are still in danger. Will she discover the truth and save both their lives... and her heart?

Since this is the author’s first novel I wasn’t sure what to expect. I had read the first two chapters online at the author's website so I knew that I was interested. But whether the story could continue to hold my interest was the real question. Fortunately it could and did hold my interest. The time period is not one that I read often but I found myself drawn into the era of the smugglers and privateers. The descriptions of life along the coast of England were vivid and made the scenes come alive. The depiction of the water thrashing the rocks, of the wind and rain blowing against those foolish enough to be caught in it. The author not only brought the characters alive but she also brought the landscape alive.

The heroine, Rachael Penrose, is a strong spirited heroine with a determination to find her baby brother and get them both to safety. But first she must escape Bedlam and her uncle. When the story opens Rachael is locked up in Bedlam and desperately trying to stay sane. The conditions are horrendous. Rachael talks of feeding the rats in her cell in the hopes that they will leave her alone. She has no way of getting in touch with anyone for help. When she realizes that her uncle has every intention of having her killed she knows she must somehow escape. Thankfully, she has help escaping since she has been drugged and is in no condition to get out on her own.

Once out of Bedlam she is on the run from the men her uncle has sent after her. She ends up not with the family that aided in her escape but in the care of her other nemesis, Sebastien Falconer. Before Rachael realizes who is caring for her she comes to feel not only gratitude for Sebastien but also a growing attraction to him. Rachael does try to get away from Sebastien once she finds out who he is. She is not only angry at him but at herself for being inexplicably drawn to him. They both try to fight their feelings for each other, thinking they are enemies. Rachael and Sebastien have not only each other to fight but also her uncle’s men and the customs officials who are lead by Sebastien twin brother. He is out to get Sebastien and will use any means, even Rachael, to bring his brother to trial.

Sebastien Falconer is a Frenchman and a privateer. He was raised by his paternal grandfather to hate all things English. His mother was English but left France when Sebastien’s father died and she took his brother Jacques with her to England. So to say there is rivalry between the brothers is an understatement. Sebastien wants only to clear his name so he can get back his ship and crew. He doesn’t want to have anything to do with Rachael other than revenge. But when she is practically dropped into his lap he decides to keep her with him until he can decide exactly what to do with her. His growing attraction to Rachael only complicates things and he must try to keep her safe from her uncle and his brother.

The story was fast paced with Sebastien and Rachael on the move a lot. At times it seemed like nearly everyone was after them and they barely had time to be alone before they needed to evade the current threat pursing them. The storm known as The Great Storm of 1703, also plays a role in Sebastien and Rachael's attempts to elude their pursuers. The plot is complicated with many players woven in and out of Rachael and Sebastien’s journey to safety and rescuing her brother. The secondary characters were interesting and true to their time period with the men holding the power and the women having a more subtle type of influence over the outcome of events. I enjoyed the way Wilkinson brought the conflict of Sebastien and his brother into the plot but didn’t let it overshadow the romance building between Rachael and Sebastien.

Wilkinson is a new voice in historical romance that I look forward to reading more of. Her next novel, Stolen Promise, is due out March of 2010. Until then you can read excerpts from Fire at Midnight at the author’s website.

Rating: A-

Review: Over the Edge

Title: Over the Edge
Author: Suzanne Brockmann
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: Troubleshooters/Book 3
Published: September 2001
Nath's Re-read Challenge (sorry it's late!)

Voted # 1 on the Romance Writers of America's Top Ten List of Favorite Books of the Year 2001

Her passion is flying. As one of the best helicopter pilots in the naval reserves, Lieutenant Teri Howe is tough, dedicated, and highly-skilled--until a past mistake surfaces, jeopardizing everything she's worked for.

Rock steady Senior Chief Stan Wolchonok has made a career of solving problems. He willingly comes to Teri's aid, knowing that his personal code of honor--and perhaps his heart--will be at risk. But when a jet carrying an American senator's daughter is hijacked, Stan's unflinching determination and Teri's steadfast courage are put to the ultimate test. The rescue mission will be daring and dangerous. But somewhere between peril and resolution, the line between friends and lovers begins to blur, pushing both their lives over the edge...

I've read all of the books in Suzanne Brockmann's Troubleshooters series and Stan is one of my favorite heroes. He's right up there with Jimmy Nash. Which, if you're familiar with the two characters they are very different, at least in looks. But in loyalty, integrity and attitude they are quite similar. While I find something in each of Brockmann's books that I enjoy there are some minor problems that I have with the plot, characters or flow of the story. One of my least favorite are the World War II subplots. Over the Edge had one and while I found it somewhat interesting I'd rather have two separate stories instead of the way Brockmann does it with the WW II subplots.

Stan Wolchonok went into the Navy straight out of high school. He's a career Navy man and has no intention of getting married and settling down. This mind-set comes from watching his parents and how hard being married to a Navy man was on his mother. So Stan focuses on his career and the men in the teams. He's the go to guy when problems need to be solved. His teammates can always count on the Senior Chief to do the impossible. His love life is not a string of one night stands nor is he in a long term relationship. And he certainly doesn't see himself as a ladies man.

He was a scary looking man, not terribly tall but muscular-completely ripped, in fact~with a face that looked as if he'd spent a few years in a boxing ring. His broad cheekbones, big forehead, and heavy brow seemed made for the permanent glower he'd perfected. His jawline and chin were pugnacious and his nose listed very slightly to the left -broken one too many time, no doubt. His eyes were dark and capable of being cuttingly intense or soullessly flat and dead. His hair had lately outgrown his usual no frills crew cut and was thick and wavy and surprisingly blond. His skin was fair ~too-fair ~and he was nearly always sun or wind-burned, with ruddy cheeks and a peeling nose. page 20

So he's not exactly GQ material but that doesn't matter to Lieutenant Teri Howe. She's worked with Stan and seen how his men treat him with respect and admiration. She also finds herself attracted to him. Teri has had some problems in the past with sexual harassment in the work place and she is currently on the receiving end of unwanted advances from another officer. So she decides to keep things strictly platonic with Stan. She also doesn't want to act on her attraction because she thinks Stan doesn't see her as potential date material. He sees her as someone who needs his help fixing a problem.

Stan tries to fix Teri's problem by getting her away from the jerk who is coming on to her. Stan arranges for Teri to go on a training mission with the team. The training mission becomes a real mission when an airplane is taken over by terrorists and the SEALs are needed to take out the terrorists. The terrorists land the plane in Kazbekistan, known as the Pit. Not a place anyone wants to be and Stan is so very sorry he's the reason Teri is there.

Teri isn't sorry, she's excited to be involved in a real mission. All she's ever wanted was to fly. And flying with the SEALs, doing something so important is like a dream come true for her. She is aware of the security risks, Stan is always reminding her to wear her flack jacket, but she still finds the whole experience exciting.

Stan spends his down time in Kazbekistan trying to fix Teri up with Mike Muldoon. An adorable, young attractive SEAL who is also an officer. Teri finds Stan's matchmaking annoying at best. She finally has enough of it and decides to let Stan know exactly how she feels. She does this by getting naked. Sometimes when dealing with men you just have to hit them over the head with a brick.

There are two secondary stories, not including the World War II subplot. The first is with Sam and Alyssa, one of Brockmann fans all time favorite couples. While I like Sam and Alyssa their story seems like such a mess of misunderstandings, miscommunication and negative attitude. They do eventually get their own book, Gone Too Far, and finally get their HEA. In Over the Edge, they are put through the ringer and you can't help but feel sorry for them and the way things have turned out by the end of the book.

The second subplot is about Gina Vitagliano, a hostage on the plane, and Max Bhagat, the head of the FBI's counter terrorism unit and Gina's connection lifeline during the standoff with the terrorists. I really enjoy Max and Gina and how their relationship began and what the potential future of it is. There is a 20 year age difference but I think Gina's experiences on the plane certainly aged her and Max, while trying to deny any amorous feelings towards Gina still has very strong feelings about her that he can't ignore.

Stan and Teri go through many ups and downs during their time in Kazbekistan. With Stan trying to play matchmaker and Teri getting mixed signals from Stan. Then you add the stress of where they are and the mission and you get two people who seem to have very little chance of at any kind of relationship. Brockmann does a wonderful job portraying Stan's feelings of being too ugly and old for someone as beautiful as Teri, there is an eleven year age difference. And Teri was trying to get over her fear of aggressive men with Stan teaching her how to stand up for herself. In the end you can't help but feel like they belong together. That everything they went through brought them to that point.

So this time through Over the Edge proved once again a truly enjoyable read and one of my favorites of the Troubleshooters series. If you haven't read Suzanne Brockmann and you like romantic suspense you should give her a try. I wouldn't consider all of her books keepers or re-reads but I have found something in all of them that I enjoyed.

Rating: A-

Review: Magic Strikes

Title: Magic Strikes
Author: Ilona Andrews
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Kate Daniels/Book 3
Published: April 2009

*Spoilers if you haven't read the first two books*

Kate Daniels, former mercenary, is now working for the Order of Knights of Merciful Aid. It's been two months since she lost a good friend and gained a daughter. Since then she's been working for the Order and trying to keep her distance from the pack, specifically Curran, the Beast Lord of Atlanta. But all roads eventually lead home or in Kate's case they lead to Curran.

The Kate Daniels series is one that I almost missed. I had heard good things about the first book, Magic Bites, but was hesitant to start a new series. Thankfully, I spotted Magic Bites at the library and gave it a go. I was hooked! While Magic Bites was good, Magic Burns was even better and Magic Strikes blew me away! This is not a series you want to start anywhere but at the beginning. Andrews does a good job of filling in back story but the characters have gone through so much growth and change, especially Kate, that you really don't want to miss out on that.

Kate must help out her friend Derek, a werewolf and a member of Curran's pack. While trying to help Derek she must also make a deal to assist Saiman, a shape shifter with the ability to shift into just about anything he wants. He also has a thing for Kate, one that she has absolutely no intention of reciprocating. Saiman convinces Kate to accompany him to the Midnight Games where she finds out just how brutal the world of underground fighting is. She also finds out that her old partner Jim is somehow involved in the same mess Derek was in. After Derek is severely beaten and left for dead Kate and Jim devise a plan to find the ones who beat Derek. They get way more than they planned and end up fighting in the Midnight Games tournament.

The creatures that Kate and her teammates have to fight in the tournament are a variety of scary and bizarre. The Reapers are their main opponents and they are after the Wolf Diamond, the prize in the tournament. The Reapers have no intention of losing and are determined to defeat Kate and Curran's team at any cost.

The Masters of the Dead and the vampires they control were not featured prominently in Magic Strikes but they are some of the scariest vampires I have ever read. They totally creep me out.

A lean shadow skittered from the alley, followed by another. Emaciated, hairless, loping on all fours in a jerky, uncoordinated gait, they crossed the street before me and paused. They had been human at some point but both had been dead for more than a decade. No fat or softness remained on their bodies. No flesh-only steel-wire muscle beneath thick hide. Two vampires on the prowl. And they were out of their territory. page 7

The fight scenes leave you breathless and make you feel like you are there, in the Pit with Kate and crew. While reading those scene I was on the edge, worried about these characters that I have come to know and love. I was worried for their safety and wondered if they would all make it out of the Pit alive or if one of them would fall. I really wasn't sure that one of them wouldn't end up dead. That's what Andrews does, makes the reader feel for these characters until they become more than just characters in a book. They become as close to real as they can possibly be. When Kate is in the Pit you can literally feeling the magic swirling around as she describes what she is experiencing ~ the ebb and flow of the powers. Feel the sand, smell the blood, the fear. The need to kick ass and kill something. The reader experiences it all through Kate.

Of course I have to mention my favorite shape shifter Curran. He can be a man of few words but when he does speak everyone listens. He's had his eye on Kate for some time but she's trying her best to stay out of his path. The romance continues to develop between them but is muted at first. The sexual tension and Curran's pursuit of Kate is on going with Kate determined to deny of her feelings for Curran, to a point. Curran is persistent and slowly works at breaking down Kate's resistance.

Kate, royally pissed off at Curran~

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" I looked for something heavy to hit him with, but the room was mostly empty. There were surgical instruments but no heavy, blunt objects capable of causing the kind of pain I wanted.

He straightened.

"He was silver!" I snarled in his face. "I had it under control. What was going through your head? Here's a toxic silver golem; I think I'll jump on his back! That's a damn good idea!"

He scooped me up and suddenly I was pressed against his chest. "Were you worried about me?"

"No, I'm ranting for fun, because I'm a disagreeable bitch!"

He smiled.

"You're a moron!" I told him.

He just looked at me. Happy golden lights danced in his eyes. I'd learned exactly what those sparks meant. Fury fled, replaced by alarm.

"Kiss me and I'll kill you," I warned.

"It might be worth it," he said softly. page 276

There is a secondary romance in the works with Andrea and Raphael. Andrea is also a member of the Order and Raphael is a werehyena that is mad for Andrea. She, on the other hand, wants nothing to do with him. Raphael is stubborn and is intent on winning Andrea. Their encounters were humorous and it didn't hurt that Raphael is completely adorable in his quest to win Andrea.

Magic Strikes is funny, emotional, mesmerizing to the point that I didn't want to put it down. The brilliance of the writing kept me on edge and at times left me there, teetering on the brink. Just when I thought I knew where the authors were going I ended up like Kate, wanting someone to pinch me.

I blinked a couple of times and held my arm out to Jim. "Pinch me."

Claws sliced my flesh. Ow.

I stared at a couple of red dots on my forearm, licked them, tasting the sharp bite of magic on my tongue. Yep. Real. I did just see a golden palace fly off. page 162

The world building is once again an indulgence for the readers' senses with the descriptions of Atlanta, it's citizens and structures all playing a part in the story. I could go on about the amazing world that Kate and her friends inhabit but I'll stop here. Just know that when you read Ilona Andrews be prepared for an incredible journey filled with a kick ass heroine, action scenes that leave you breathless and sexual tension that torments and teases, leaving you wanting more.

I can not recommend this series enough. All kinds of good stuff can be found at the author's website. Ilona Andrews (who is actually a husband and wife writing team) also has a new series coming out this fall starting with On the Edge. I blogged about the cover here and you can read an excerpt here.

Go out and get Magic Bites, Magic Burns and Magic Strikes. You won't be sorry.

Rating: A+

Tomorrow Is Release Day...

Tomorrow is a big day for three of my favorite authors. Three special releases tomorrow and all three are the third book in the series.

Passion Unleashed by Larissa Ione

Forbidden Temptations…
Serena Kelley is an archaeologist and treasure hunter—and a woman with a secret. Since she was seven, she’s been the keeper of a powerful charm that grants her health and immortality . . . as long as she stays a virgin. But Serena isn’t all that innocent. And when a dangerously handsome stranger brings her to the brink of ecstasy, she wonders if she’s finally met the one man she cannot resist.

Fatal Desires…
Wraith is a Seminus demon with a death wish. But when an old enemy poisons him, he must find Serena and persuade her to give him the only known antidote in the universe—her charm. Yet, as she begins to surrender to his seductions, and Wraith senses the cure is within his grasp, he realizes a horrible truth: he’s falling for the woman whose life he must take in order to save his own.

You can read my review of Passion Unleashed here.

Magic Strikes by Ilona Andrews

Drafted into working for the Order of Merciful Aid, mercenary Kate Daniels has more paranormal problems than she knows what to do with these days. And in Atlanta, where magic comes and goes like the tide, that’s saying a lot.

But when Kate’s werewolf friend Derek is discovered nearly dead, she must confront her greatest challenge yet. As her investigation leads her to the Midnight Games - an invitation only, no holds barred, ultimate preternatural fighting tournament - she and Curran, the Lord of the Beasts, uncover a dark plot that may forever alter the face of Atlanta’s shapeshifting community...

I'll have my review of Magic Strikes posted tomorrow. Loved it!

Smooth Talking Stranger by Lisa Kleypas

Ella Varner has it all--a successful career as an advice columnist, a handsome boyfriend, and a circle of friends in Austin. When anyone has a problem, Ella knows the answers.

But one night she receives a call that changes everything. And as Ella's world is turned upside-down, she meets a man who is the opposite of everything she ever wanted . . . a man who will offer her the most irresistible challenge she has ever known . . .

I haven't read Smooth Talking Stranger yet but it's Kleypas so I will definitely be reading it. There's an excerpt here to give you a taste of Jack Travis and Ella Varner. Jack is the brother of Gage Travis from Sugar Daddy and Haven Travis from Blue Eyed Devil. Both wonderful books.

All of the above books have a release date of March 31st but I did see all three in the bookstores Friday. I was suprised to see the Kleypas in Borders, I thought they would have a strick lay down date on it.

Review: Lucky's Woman

Title: Lucky's Woman
Author: Linda Winstead Jones
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: Last Chance Heroes/Book 4
Published September 2006
Silhouette Intimate Moments
Year of the Category Challenge

From the back cover:

She saw a killer in her dreams...

Annie Lockhart's colorful exterior concealed a serious psychic ability. And if her latest visions were true, a serial killer was preying on couples deeply in love. She had been burned by her talents before, so instead of going to the police, she hired private investigator Lucky Santana to find the killer.

Even though Lucky wasn't sure about this assignment, Annie drove him crazy, in more ways than one…which made their task all the more torturous: Annie and Lucky set out to look like a happy couple. As their faux relationship turned all too real and passionate, the killer came in for one last deadly showdown.

This is the second book I've read by this author and it makes me want to try more of her work. Maybe some of her full-length novels. The writing has an intrinsic flow, not stalling out at any one plot point. The story kept my interest enough to make this a very quick read.

Annie has dreams, vivid dreams of murder and death. She's tried to do the right thing in the past but going to the police turned out to be a disaster. When the dreams start up again she decides to hire a private investigator to help find out who the murderer is.

Annie went through hell five years ago when she dreamed of murder. She thought going to the police was the answer. Instead she was ostracized to the point that she moved from Nashville to the smaller town of Mercerville, TN. She owns and runs two shops called Annie's Closet that sells one of a kind hats and handbags. She loves designing hats and bags and has found her niche in the beautiful town. The last thing she wants to do is have to move again.

Lucky Santana is prepared to take a statement from Annie and be done with the case. He figures she's nuts and doesn't want to waste time listening to some crazy lady. But it turns out that Annie isn't crazy and Lucky soon finds himself deeply involved in Annie's effort to find the murderer.

Lucky is a hero who has a soft spot for women in trouble. He starts out very skeptical of Annie and her abilities. Even after he experiences proof of her psychic talent he still continues to try to solve the murders and find the killer through conventional methods. While he poses as Annie's love interest he also has a chance to get to know her far better than he planned.

I liked the way Annie and Lucky interacted. Even when the spark of attraction was there Lucky still held back and Annie still treated her growing attraction for Lucky as secondary to finding the murderer. That's not to say that they didn't do something about the attraction but it didn't completely overshadow the original reason for the two being together in the first place.

Lucky and Annie both have issue from their pasts to overcome and Winstead Jones deals with them in a way that doesn't come off as phony. The suspense was also well written and genuine. I hate it when I figure out who the killer is long before the hero/heroine do, when it's suppose to be concealed until the dramatic end.

Lucky's Woman was a quick, enjoyable read. It's part of the Last Chance Heroes series from Silhouette but IMO can be read as a stand alone. Since it and others in the series were published a few years ago the best chance of finding it is in UBS or Paperbackswap.

Linda Winstead Jones has also written under the name Linda Jones. Her website is a bit sparse but there is info on her previous and current releases.

Rating: B+

Cover Love ~ On The Edge

Next Tuesday Ilona Andrews' book Magic Strikes (loved it!) hits the shelves, then no Kate and Curran *sigh* until next year. But readers do have a new series from Andrews to look forward to. The Edge series begins with On The Edge, releasing September 29. The new series features Rose who is an Edger and can travel between the two different worlds. The burb explains it better than I can...

Rose Drayton lives on the Edge, between the world of the Broken (where people drive cars, shop at Wal-Mart, and magic is a fairy tale) and the Weird (where blueblood aristocrats rule, changelings roam, and the strength of your magic can change your destiny). Only Edgers like Rose can easily travel from one world to the next, but they never truly belong in either.

Rose thought if she practiced her magic, she could build a better life for herself. But things didn’t turn out how she planned, and now she works a minimum wage, off the books job in the Broken just to survive. Then Declan Camarine, a blueblood noble straight out of the deepest part of the Weird, comes into her life, determined to have her (and her power).

But when a terrible danger invades the Edge from the Weird, a flood of creatures hungry for magic, Declan and Rose must work together to destroy them—or they’ll devour the Edge and everyone in it . . .

Part of the first chapter of On The Edge is available to read online here. I like it and since I love the writing in the Kate Daniels series I have very high hopes for the new series.

And the cover ~ overall I like it, my only minor problem is the guy. A little on the big side. But love the colors and a gun toting heroine works for me. For some reason, makes me think of Supernatural. *shrugs* Don't know why.

Review: Flat-Out Sexy

Title: Flat-Out Sexy
Author: Erin McCarthy
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Fast Track/Book 1

Published: November 2008

Contemporary Romance Challenge

The life as the wife of a race car driver is exciting, terrifying and lonely. Tamara Briggs has experienced all of these emotions. She also experienced a devastating loss when her husband, race car driver Pete Briggs, was killed in a crash two years ago. Since then she has kept busy being both mother and father to her two children. Her job as a professor at a local university also requires much of her time. When she tries to venture back into the dating world her first try is an absolute fail. Then on the heels of that failure comes the man of her dreams, the newest rookie driver. If only Tamara hadn't sworn off relationships with drivers.

I'd heard a lot of talk about this book and the hotness of it. The talk was dead on and the hotness went from simmer, steam, slow burn to all out 5 alarm fire. This was a funny, sexy, emotional read that I really enjoyed. I've never been interested in any type of race car driving so it was intriguing to read about the lifestyle and how it affects not only the drivers but their families. I'm not sure how much research Ms. McCarthy did on the racing world but I do feel like I have a better understanding of what all the excitement is for the world of racing.

The heroine in Flat-Out Sexy is a widowed mom of two in her early thirties. One thing a really liked about Tamara is that she acted her age. She had her teaching career and kids to take care of and those were her priorities. McCarthy did a good job working the kids into the story without having them being annoying or simply window decorations. Tamara was fortunate that she had a close relationship with her in-laws even after her husband's death. They helped her with her kids so she was able to have a separate social life. She still felt some guilt about leaving her kids with the in-laws and didn't take advantage of them which was another positive aspect of her character. Tamara did have a few hang ups. The first about the age difference between her and rookie driver Elec. He was 25, almost 26, and she was 32. I personally don't see a problem and neither did Elec but Tamara did. I think the age issue was at least partially an excuse she used to not get close with Elec and develop any kind of deep relationship with him. Her other hang up was her body and that she didn't think it measured up to the bodies of younger women, women that hung out at the track and would love to date Elec. Were her hang ups about her body genuine? To her they were and that's what counts. Elec saw Tamara's body in a different light, not focusing on what Tamara perceived as flaws but on the whys of them. He set out to show her that he loved how she looked and she didn't need to feel insecure with him.

Smart, sexy, good looking and funny describe Elec Monroe. He comes from a racing family, it's in his blood. So when he meets Tamara at a racing function he knows of her but had only met her once before, back when he was a teenager and she was a newly married woman. I think that's what stuck in Tamara's head when she realized she had met him before. It was up to Elec to help Tamara realize that he wasn't that goofy teen but a grown man. Elec's an interesting character, he has all this prestige of not only coming from a racing dynasty but he's a young, hot race car driver with women dying to meet him and hook up with him. He's not by any means innocent and has had his share of women but he doesn't connect with any of them until Tamara. He wants to get to know her and spend time with her, not just in bed but out. Talking and hanging out with her and her kids. She, unfortunately doesn't want anything more from him than a one night stand. Life's ironic like that. Good thing for Tamara is that Elec is stubborn and continues to woo her and show her that he is more than just a gorgeous young stud. He was also adorable during his inner dialogues when trying to decide what his next move would be with Tamara. The poor man had a habit of over-thinking. Very funny.

The relationship and it's development between Elec and Tamara came across as very genuine. They certainly had their problems. First is the simple logistics of getting together without anyone else knowing. Elec's racing schedule kept him on the road for most of the week and Tamara was determined that they not be seen in public. Then Tamara began to realize that she was falling for Elec which scared the crap out of her. She was understandably terrified of getting involved with another driver. There were also some family issue that had to be addressed and overcome. I really liked how McCarthy handled the problems, there were obstacles that I could see real people in the same situation having to deal with. There wasn't this feeling of "we're having amazingly great sex so everything else will work out". The problems were still there to be worked out after the having of the amazing sex. And those scenes were smoking!

The other thing about this book that I totally and completely enjoyed was the humor. It was, at times, truly laugh out loud funny. The dialogue between not only Elec and his buddies but Tamara and her BFF Suzanne cracked me up. On page two Suzanne makes a comment about a "metrosexual man" and "waxed balls" and I couldn't help but wonder if this was setting the tone for the rest of the book and was that necessarily a bad thing? Then I got to thinking about waxing and how it seems like the firmer the area being waxed the easier the waxing and how... well, how many men would really do that? The book was not only funny but got me thinking about some really odd things.

I mentioned Suzanne, Tamara's BFF. Suzanne is also the ex-wife of one of the drivers, Ryder who is friends with Elec. The race world is a close knit family, where everyone knows everyone. Suzanne and Ryder still have some heat between them and I do hope they get their own book.

Overall a very enjoyable and entertaining read. Definitely recommend it. The next book in the series is Hard and Fast and features racer car driver Ty McCordle and Imogen Wilson who is a graduate student and teaching assistant of Tamara's. Ty and Imogen meet briefly in Flat-Out Sexy and there is definitely a spark between the two. Ms. McCarthy has a fun website with details on all her books. Be sure to use the Mix It Up!! feature when checking out her site.

Rating: A-