This Week's New Releases

It's Monday... is there anything positive to follow up to that? I did have a great weekend. Didn't do much but reading and shopping. Which is good right? This week is a mix of contemporary, mystery, women's fiction and young adult. It's a short list which is good for my wallet and my TBR pile. How's your TBR pile?

I was happy to hear the show Longmire would be continuing on Netflix with season five starting September 23. I've enjoyed the show but, as books to movies and TV shows, the book(s) is usually better. So while I'll still watch the show, I also get to look forward to the books!

An Obvious Fact
Craig Johnson
Mystery/Western
Walt Longmire Series/Book 12

In the midst of the largest motorcycle rally in the world, a young biker is run off the road and ends up in critical condition. When Sheriff Walt Longmire and his good friend Henry Standing Bear are called to Hulett, Wyoming—the nearest town to America's first national monument, Devils Tower—to investigate, things start getting complicated.

As competing biker gangs; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms; a military-grade vehicle donated to the tiny local police force by a wealthy entrepreneur; and Lola, the real-life femme fatale and namesake for Henry's '59 Thunderbird (and, by extension, Walt's granddaughter) come into play, it rapidly becomes clear that there is more to get to the bottom of at this year's Sturgis Motorcycle Rally than a bike accident. After all, in the words of Arthur Conan Doyle, whose Adventures of Sherlock Holmes the Bear won't stop quoting, "There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact."

Alice Clayton's Cocktail series is such a fun adventure in sexy romances. Now Clayton is teaming up with Nina Bocci to bring the new series, Broad Abroad, to life. I loved the movie Under the Tuscan Sun so the idea of starting over, in a foreign country tempts me to no end.

Roman Crazy
Alice Clayton & Nina Bocci
Contemporary Romance
Broads Abroad Series/Book 1

Avery Bardot steps off the plane in Rome, looking for a fresh start. She’s left behind a soon-to-be ex-husband in Boston and plans to spend the summer with her best friend Daisy, licking her wounds—and perhaps a gelato or two. But when her American-expat friend throws her a welcome party on her first night, Avery’s thrown for a loop when she sees a man she never thought she’d see again: Italian architect Marcello Bianchi.

Marcello was the man—the one who got away. And now her past is colliding with her present, a present where she should be mourning the loss of her marriage and—hey, that fettuccine is delicious! And so is Marcello…

Slipping easily into the good life of summertime in Rome, Avery spends her days exploring a city that makes art historians swoon, and her nights swooning over her unexpected what was old is new again romance. It’s heady, it’s fevered, it’s wanton, and it’s crazy. But could this really be her new life? Or is it just a temporary reprieve before returning to the land of twin-set cardigans and crustless sandwiches?

A celebration of great friendship, passionate romance, and wonderful food, Roman Crazy is a lighthearted story of second chances and living life to the fullest.

Carolyn Brown is known for her western romances featuring hot cowboys. This is not a romance but a about a second chance that is long over-due. Love the sound of this blurb!

The Lullabye Sky
Carolyn Brown
Women's Fiction

After seven years of misery and abuse, it’s all over—Hannah O’Malley is officially divorced. Hallelujah. It’s like every Christmas in her life all rolled up into one glorious day. Not only does Hannah get to keep her grandmother’s spacious old house, but she has full custody of her sparky five-year-old daughter. All Hannah has to do now is put the past behind her.

And now that she’s free, she wants to make a difference. With the help of her warm, close-knit circle of friends—including her high school crush, Travis Wilson—Hannah begins turning her home into a safe house for other women who’ve endured the pain she’s known. But even as life and laughter return to Hannah’s home, she’s haunted by the memory of her dangerously unstable ex. With a second chance at love on the horizon, Hannah must face down her past in order to let the sunshine back into her life.

A young adult to round out the short list this week. This sounds like a story that could easily pull me in fast and not let go until the end. Love the premise!

The Forgetting
Sharon Cameron
Young Adult/Fantasy

What isn't written, isn't remembered. Even your crimes.

Nadia lives in the city of Canaan, where life is safe and structured, hemmed in by white stone walls and no memory of what came before. But every twelve years the city descends into the bloody chaos of the Forgetting, a day of no remorse, when each person's memories – of parents, children, love, life, and self – are lost. Unless they have been written.

In Canaan, your book is your truth and your identity, and Nadia knows exactly who hasn't written the truth. Because Nadia is the only person in Canaan who has never forgotten.

But when Nadia begins to use her memories to solve the mysteries of Canaan, she discovers truths about herself and Gray, the handsome glassblower, that will change her world forever. As the anarchy of the Forgetting approaches, Nadia and Gray must stop an unseen enemy that threatens both their city and their own existence – before the people can forget the truth. And before Gray can forget her.

January Reads...

January was an okay month reading wise. The numbers are low but the quality was pretty darn good. Looking back at the grades, I'm wondering if I grade too easily.

Lessons in French/Laura Kinsale ~ A
Three Days to Dead/Kelly Meding ~ B
Graceling/Kristin Cashore ~ A
Heartsick/Chelsea Cain ~ B+
Getting Lucky/Carolyn Brown ~ B-
Forever Blue/Suzanne Brockmann ~ B
Darkness Calls/Marjorie M. Liu ~ A
Her Secret Fling/Sarah Mayberry ~ A
Missing in Death/J. D. Robb ~ B+

Take Me/Shelli Stevens ~ upcoming review

Welcome to Temptation/Jennifer Crusie ~ B+ (audio book)funny, classic Crusie

Bed of Roses/Nora Roberts ~ B+ (audio book) Liked Jack & Emma, can't wait for Laurel and Del.

9 full length novels and 1 novella. I started Slow Heat (Jill Shalvis) on 1/31 and finished 2/1 so I didn't count that. Since finishing it I can't seem to get into anything else. I've started and stopped a PNR, 2 YAs, a historical and a "steampunk". I know what I want to read; Silver Borne, Roadkill, Something About You, Magic Bleeds, The Dead Travel Fast... well, you get the idea. :)

Maybe I'll dig out a category - something quick might get me out of this mini slump. And the baby polar bear has nothing to do with books, I just thought he was cute!

ETA ~ looks at right sidebar - I'm craving Roadkill. LOL The hillbilly in me is showing. Mama would be so proud. *snort*

Review: Getting Lucky

Getting Lucky
Carolyn Brown
Contemporary Romance
Lucky Trilogy/Book 3
Sourcebooks/January 2010
Publisher

From the publisher's website ~

Teacher Julie Donovan has just relocated to a new town in Texas with her young daughter. Of all the kindergarten classes in all the state, Julie is surprised to see her one-night stand, her daughter's father, enroll his own 5-year-old daughter, all the while pretending they are strangers.

But to Griffin Luckadeau they really are strangers, and Julie's little family is a mess he wants nothing to do with. Julie attempts to make her own way in the town, but local politics, a fire and her daughter's inconvenient friendships all seem to be pushing these two strong-willed Texans together.

Carolyn Brown's final book in her Lucky trilogy takes the reader back to Texas and to the town of Saint Jo. It's here where Julie Donovan has taken a job as a kindergarten teacher. She and her five year old daughter are starting over after living with Julie's parents after her divorce. This is to be a fresh start, getting away from the gossip and rumors that ran rampant after Julie's ex-husband filed for divorce. Annie, Julie's daughter, is not her ex-husband's child.

Griffin Luckadeau is one of the numerous Luckadeaus that populate Texas. He comes from a long line of ranchers and has ranching in his blood. He is also the single father of Lizzy, his five year old daughter who just happens to look like Annie, Julie's daughter. When the two girls meet for the first time in Julie's class they become instant friends. Their bond is a strong one and their parents are not happy about it. When Griffin first meets Julie at the school he doesn't know who Julie is but he thinks she trouble. When he does unravel the truth of who Julie is and how they are connected, it's too late for him to back away from her and Annie. They have become part of his and Lizzy's life.

Julie is just having the worst luck. I felt bad for her when she came face to face with Griffin. Here she is trying to get a new beginning for her and Annie and she can't seem to get away from her past. Add to that the quick friendship that develops between Annie and Lizzy and it just complicates things. Julie doesn't like Griffin, she wants nothing to do with him but understand that she also has to consider Annie. Griffin doesn't trust Julie at all but he also has to consider Lizzy. They're stuck. Then the rumors start up with people talking about the amazing resemblance between Annie and Lizzy.

When Julie is confronted with the rumors of who Annie's father is she tries to deny it which I really didn't understand since it's obvious Annie is a Luckadeau. Then she has a major run in with Griffin's ex. The claws come out and Julie goes from sweet kindergarten teacher to momma bear guarding her cub. I got why Julie was so upset with Griffin's ex. The woman was horrible. What I didn't get was how close to violence Julie was. The women in general throughout the book were very vocal when they became angry. The men seemed tame in comparison. And the women didn't use only words but threats of physical violence as well. This surprised me and had a tendency to take me out of the story.

The kids in the story were really cute and well written. There was Annie, Lizzy and a little boy named Chuck that the girls basically adopt. It was sweet the way they took him under their wing and decided, on their own, that they should take care of him. They would share their lunches and invite him to their homes in spite of the fact that Chuck was a bit of an outcast at school.

Julie and Griffin's relationship goes from wary to angry to cordial to tentative friendship. Then the fire that ravages the area places Julie and Griffin in a position to help each other out. That's when the tentative friendship really becomes more. I liked when Julie and Griffin were getting along and had a common goal that they worked towards. They made a good couple except when they were fighting because the fights seemed to become so childish. If they had simply talked more I think they could have avoided some of the arguments.

The people of the town played a role in Julie and Griffin's relationship. As did Griffin's family. The women were, once again, very protective of Griffin. Almost too protective. Millie and Jane (Luckadeau heroines from first two books) make it very clear to Julie that they don't trust her. It takes a while before the misunderstandings are discovered and the women can finally stop with the threats.

The down home Texas feel comes through in spades in Brown's writing. The reader experiences what life is like in a Texas ranching community. Both the small mindedness and the acts of kindness that Julie experiences. If you like your contemporary romances with a southern, small town flair they you might just like Getting Lucky.

Rating: B-

Review: One Lucky Cowboy

Title: One Lucky Cowboy
Author: Carolyn Brown
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Lucky Trilogy/Book 2
Published: November 2009

ARC Review

From the publisher's website ~

Jane Day is on the run from the paid assassin who had been her fiancé. In Wichita Falls, Texas, she meets Nellie Luckadeau, a spitfire of an old lady who desperately needs someone to work on her ranch. But Nellie's drop-dead gorgeous grandson "Lucky Slade" is sure he can spot a con artist a mile away. He's determined not to let some upstart like Jane fleece his granny.

When his signature intimidation methods don't convince Jane to leave, he pours on the charm to make her spill what she's up to. She's happy to play along, but she's not going to let this hot, hostile cowboy run her off his land when all she needs is a lucky break…

Funny and sweet with a hero and heroine that had me laughing at their banter and their mutual distrust of each other, One Lucky Cowboy proved to be a pleasant read.

Slade Luckadeau is a hard working, honorable man who looks out for his family. His grandmother, Nellie, tries his patience at times but he loves her and would do anything to make her happy, except let Jane Day stay on as Nellie's hired help. Slade does his best to send Jane on her way but Jane is stubborn. She proves to be more difficult to get rid of than ticks on a hound dog!

All through One Lucky Cowboy I kept feeling there was a bit of say, a Reba McEntire influence, with all the comical sayings. I love the show Reba with it's quirky, down-home humor. That's what you get with Slade and Jane. Even though Jane is in danger, her life threatened, I didn't feel like this was a romantic suspense. It wasn't dark enough and far too funny. It was more a romance with elements of danger and suspense. Jane is temporarily safe on the ranch but you know eventually her ex-fiance', the assassin, will catch up with her.

Jane Day has to stay hidden for the next six weeks then she can return home and claim her inheritance and seek justice. Until her birthday, Jane has to earn her keep as cook and driver on the Double L ranch. She figures it's as good as any place to hide out but what she didn't figure on is coming to care for Nellie, her friends and especially the annoying, irritatingly good looking Slade Luckadeau. Jane tries to keep her distance, she doesn't want to get close to anyone. But that's hard to do with Slade keeping an eagle eye on her and Nellie telling tales of Slade.

Slade, oh lordy, but he was in for a rough time, trying to get Jane to leave while trying not to notice how cute she is or her kindness towards his grandma. Slade was absolutely certain that Jane was there to con Nellie out of whatever she could get. He refused to believe that Jane's motives were anything but false. It was fun to watch him get so frustrated that he couldn't get this little slip of a woman to leave. LOL

I have to mention Nellie and the gang. LOL They are what I aspire to be when I grow up! These ladies know how to have fun and they don't let their advanced age or their disabilities stop them. Nellie's sister Ellen joins in the fun and holds nothing back. She isn't afraid to tell it like it is. They are a hoot!

While I liked Jane and I liked Slade, they really worked much better when they were together. Watching them together and reacting to each other, each with their own preconceived idea of the other. Neither one of them wanted to like the other let alone trust, but they found themselves in situations where they had to rely on each other. That's when we see their relationship go beyond what they wanted and become what they needed. I really appreciated their rocky romance; the arguments and the way they were surprised when they found themselves actually being nice to each other and enjoying their company. It made the ending that much better.

The first book of the trilogy, Lucky in Love, was released in September. Book 3, Getting Lucky, features another handsome Luckadeau man and is scheduled for release on January 1, 2010. Carolyn Brown and her books can be found on her website.

Rating: B+