ARC Review: Within Reach

Within Reach
Sarah Mayberry
Contemporary Romance
Harlequin/August 7, 2012

Being a single dad was never on Michael Young's agenda. Yet with the sudden loss of his wife, that's exactly the role he has. On his best days, he thinks he can handle it. On his worst… Luckily, family friend Angie Bartlett has his back, easily stepping in to help out.

Lately, though, something has changed.

Michael is noticing exactly how gorgeous Angie is, and how single she is. She's constantly in his thoughts and he feels an attraction he never expected. Does he dare disrupt the very good thing they have going? If they have a fling that goes nowhere, he stands to lose everything—including her. But if they make it work, he stands to gain everything!

Ms. Mayberry has delivered a deeply emotional romance which shows how someone can come back from a most painful loss and learn to live again.  It's not only Michael and Angie who must deal with the death of Billie, Michael's wife and Angie's best friend, but also Michael and Billie's children and Mayberry does well demonstrating each characters grief.   

The story starts out with a happy setting but soon turns tragic.  It's not a light read but ventures into some profound emotions on the part of the hero and heroine as well as the kids.  Mayberry doesn't rush the romance, it would have felt untrue if she had.  Instead, she takes her time developing Michael and Angie's friendship then takes the next step when their both ready.  They are tentative friends, not sure exactly where their friendship stands without Billie there to connect them.  

Michael goes into a downward spiral, merely going through the motions.  When he finally comes out of it he still has a lot of healing to do but is now on the path to living again.  Mayberry's portrayal of Michael's grief is so intense, it's almost as if you are reading the real life emotions of a widower rather than a fictional character's feelings.  I was a little surprised at how much he distanced himself from his kids instead of pulling closer to them.  

Angie is going through similar emotions as Michael but she doesn't let them rule her the way he does.  She still feels profound grief but learns to work through it, mainly by keeping extremely busy with her work as a jewelry designer.  Angie could have easily falling into deep despair but didn't.  I liked how we see two different reactions to grief, showing how different people deal differently with loss.  

The romance, as I mentioned, took a while to develop.  There is a boatload of guilt carried by both Michael and Angie regarding their attraction.  The disloyalty to Billie's memory is foremost in their minds.  It's something they must work through but it doesn't come easily.  Had it come easily I think it would have lessened their great loss over Billie's death.   

This is not always an easy read but it is well written with insight to loss, pain and the happiness that can come after if you only let it.   

Rating: A-

ARC Review: One Good Reason

One Good Reason
Sarah Mayberry
Contemporary Romance
Sequel to The Last Goodbye
Harlequin/August 1, 2011

From Goodreads ~

It's time to move on...

Any day now Jon Adamson will pack his bags and hit the road. After all, his intention was never to hang around Melbourne once he’d settled his late father’s affairs. Yet he hasn’t moved on. And it might have something to do with Gabby Wade. The not-so-big office manager with the really big attitude is making Jon’s days…interesting…engaging…fun. It’s impossible for him to resist her.

But he knows himself—long-term commitments and cozy family dinners aren’t his style. If that’s what the future holds, why is he still here? And why is he spending all his days—and nights—with Gabby? Because maybe she’s the one reason strong enough to make him stay.

What if you discovered that all you ever wanted were the things you’d left behind?

After reading about Jon's brother Tyler in The Last Goodbye, I was looking forward to finding out more about Jon, and Gabby too. I was also hoping Jon and Gabby's story would have more romance. They still have emotional issues to get through but the story isn't as dark as The Last Goodbye and Jon and Gabby are cute together!

Gabby Wade is a petite, feisty woman who works in an office of all men. She's not much for dressing up, preferring casual wear for her job as office manager of T. A. Furniture Designs. It's not surprising that Gabby gets along well with men, since she's used to working with them, but for some reason Jon just rubs her the wrong way. They're squabbling is amusing, each giving as good as they get. Lots of sexual tension going on here! I liked that Gabby didn't suddenly do a 180° and ditch her jeans and t-shirt for skirts and heels. It's more a gradual realization that she's stopped caring about how she looks. It's the fallout of her breakup with Tyler, Jon's brother, nearly four years ago. Once Gabby is honest with herself and how she feels, you see her start to hope for something lasting with Jon.

Jon Adamson is a strong, silent type. Very silent. He's fighting his demons and while he's not losing the battle, he's not really winning either. It's a daily struggle that Mayberry puts him through. The oddly bright spot in his days is Gabby Wade. Odd because on the surface they don't get along but in spite of that they're developing a relationship based on mutual like and respect. Mayberry puts Jon in limbo. He's working for his brother but he doesn't plan on staying. But he sold his company in Canada so he has nothing to go back to there. He really has no plans but you see him slowly thinking that maybe he could have something with Gabby.

Mayberry lets Gabby and Jon's relationship develop naturally, with some interference from Tyler and Ally but that's to be expected since they love and care about both Gabby and Jon. The way Mayberry woven in the two couples and their relationships really worked. I thought I might have a problem with Gabby having been Tyler's lover then her being with Jon. But Mayberry had me believing that while Gabby still had feeling for Tyler, they were that of close friends, not of a lost love. Gabby's feelings for Jon ran much deeper. There was a small issue of Gabby thinking she was still in love with Tyler, then falling for Jon happening rather quickly. To have such strong emotions change so quickly didn't ring completely true for me.

In the end, Gabby and Jon get their Happily Ever After that they both worked so hard for. This couple really clicked for me. They came across as a real couple with real issues. They had a rocky start that led to both of them facing some hard facts about what they really want in life. A very sweet, romantic story.

Rating: B+

Review: The Last Goodbye

The Last Goodbye
Sarah Mayberry
Contemporary Romance
Harlequin Super/February 8, 2011

From Goodreads ~

Ally Bishop knows the settling kind when she sees one. And Tyler Adamson is definitely one. Ordinarily this never-in-one-place-long girl would stay far, far away. Maybe it's the way he looks in jeans, or the way he looks at her, but suddenly Ally is breaking her own rules with dizzying speed. All that Australian temptation right next door…well, there's only so much resistance one girl can have.

As she dives into a fling with Tyler, Ally assures herself she can maintain perspective. After all, he's only here long enough to care for his ailing father. That gives them a time limit, right? With each passing day, however, she falls for Tyler more. And soon she has the strongest urge to unpack her suitcase and stay a while.

This has been in the TBR pile for a few months and while I love Sarah Mayberry, I didn't pick it up until I requested One Good Reason from NetGalley and realized the hero was the brother of the hero in The Last Goodbye. So of course I had to read this before I read that. Makes sense, no?

This story had a lot of emotional baggage. It was a boatload full for both the hero and heroine. Different, but similar. He's from an abusive home, she's never really had a permanent home. Both are still working through it in their own way. For Ally, it means not putting down roots but staying mobile by house sitting. A few months here, a few months there. Her job as a advice columnist allows her to work from anywhere, so she does. She meets Tyler when she searchers him out to let him know that his father, her neighbor, is ill. Ally is a very positive person - upbeat and kind. She's one of those people that's easy to like. The only thing that really bugged me about her was her insistence in her "gypsy" heritage. Not that her family were gypsies but that her mom traveled/roamed a lot. Never staying in one place. Ally uses that as an excuse to continuing moving. It's an excuse to not form ties with anyone, keeping her chances of pain and disappointment at a minimum. She's a smart woman, so why doesn't she realize she's not her mother?

Tyler is a successful designer of custom furniture. He has a thriving business. The one thing he doesn't have is a family. He was never really close to his older brother who lives in Canada and hasn't talked to his father in ten years. All that changes when Ally shows up and brings Tyler's past to the present. He doesn't make a very good first impression on Ally, telling her that he doesn't want anything to do with his father. Wow. But she leaves an impression on him. Tyler is a hero that doesn't like the spotlight and has is conflicted when it comes to helping his father. Mayberry does a good job showing how Tyler wants to just walk away from his father, who would try the patience of a saint, but Tyler is a decent person and can't walk away. Tyler puts up with a lot while taking care of his father and it helps that Ally's there to ease the way.

Ally and Tyler's relationship gets off to a rocky start. There is something there but Mayberry doesn't make it easy for them. Both have issues to work through before they can have a healthy relationship. Tyler's issues made more sense than Ally's. Her's didn't seem so hard to overcome and I felt like she used them more as an excuse than any great fear of commitment. I did like how she helped Tyler break down that wall of silence. He really didn't like talking about his feelings and his past.

The Last Goodbye isn't one of my favorites from Mayberry. It's a little too dark with not enough lighter moments to balance it out. The romance wasn't the main focus, instead, Tyler's messed up relationship and unresolved issues with his father took center stage.

Rating: B-

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

Review: The Best Laid Plans

The Best Laid Plans
Sarah Mayberry
Contemporary Romance
Harlequin Super/November 2010

From the back cover ~

On the edge of something big!

Boundaries. The key to how corporate lawyer Alexandra Knight manages her busy life. However, lately all her precisely drawn lines are getting blurred. Blame it on her out-of-control biological clock that is ignoring her single status... and on Ethan Stone.

Because her sexy, no-strings colleague has posed an outrageous solution to her dilemma - he'll be her baby daddy. This from the guy who avoids all commitment? Okay, so they're attracted to each other. Really, really attracted. But crossing the line from coworker to co-parent with Ethan could ruin Alex for all other men. After all, when you've had the best...

I have a confession to make -hero/heroines as lawyers - not my favorite. In fact, I'm less likely to pick up a book if the hero or heroine is a lawyer. The one exception is a Julie James book. I like her lawyers. :) Anyone else, unless it's a romantic suspense, I can do without them. In Sarah Mayberry's latest, an author I adore, both the hero and heroine are lawyers. I wasn't crazy about that but it's a Mayberry so an auto-read for me.

Alexandra Knight is a smart career woman who, up until 18 months ago, was in a long term, committed relationship. She's now single and feeling that baby clock ticking away. Her ex made it clear that he didn't want kids but Alex thought he would eventually change his mind. He didn't, they split and now she's running out of options. After doing some research, she decides to use a sperm bank. She finds out that you can basically order the sperm on line. Isn't the internet grand? Alex is intelligent and practical. She wants to fall in love, get married and have a kid or two but she doesn't feel that time is on her side. I liked that Alex was realistic in her plans to have a child. She didn't completely give up on her dream of a traditional family, she simply modified her plans to fit her reality.

Ethan Stone is a partner in the same law firm as Alex. He's an older hero, 42, which I thought was a nice change. I suppose Mayberry could have gone with a younger guy but I'm glad she went a few years older than Alex's 38. Ethan has a reputation as a player, one that he doesn't rightfully earn but doesn't do anything to correct either. He does date but nothing serious. He not looking for serious. He's been there, done that and has no desire to try again. He did have hopes of having children but those hopes were put aside when his wife left him. When he finds out about Alex's situation, he sees the possibility of having a child of his own.

Alex and Ethan are not only partners in the same law firm, they are friendly outside of work. They have the occasional lunch together and play racquetball every week. They're not close friends, Ethan has a reputation and Alex doesn't want any involvement with a player. I'd say they're comfortable in each others company, talking of work and life in general. No sharing of secrets or any intimate details. They're both aware of the attractiveness of the other but neither chooses to act on that attraction, preferring to remain just friends.

Mayberry could have gone either way with this. She could have had Ethan try to wine and dine Alex into having a child with him. Ethan could have made Alex think he wants her when all he really wants is a child. But she didn't go that route and I'm so glad she didn't. Ethan, it turns out is an honest man and approached Alex with his plan that they become co-parents. It would be set up like a divorce without the marriage. They would arrange custody and financial obligations in the same way divorcing parents would, except without the drama. It made sense but it also came across as very cold, certainly not romantic. And that was the main problem I had with the story, not enough romance. I think I would have been happy had they gone ahead and became co-parents. It would have been interesting to see them remain as friends throughout the pregnancy and after the baby was born. Instead I kept waiting for the romance to happen.

The first approximate two-thirds of the book is about the process Alex, then both Alex and Ethan, go through of having a child through non-traditional means. We see Alex and Ethan get to the point where they are ready to go to the lab, undergo the process necessary to have a baby through in vitro. It was all very clinical with them trying to keep it more like a business transaction without all the emotional baggage that goes with creating a child with someone you love. Since this is a category romance, it's short, just under 250 pages. If it had been longer I'd have been okay with the amount of page time devoted to the process but it took time away from the romance.

But this is a romance so Alex and Ethan become romantically involved. This turns their relationship upside down and pulls some great emotional moments from both characters. I absolutely loved the last third of the book. Alex is still hoping for a man to love and who loves her. Ethan doesn't think he can give her that. He's afraid of taking the chance at anything permanent. It's a real roller coaster of a romance with neither Alex or Ethan sure of the others feelings.

So, not my favorite Mayberry but it still had well developed characters and an emotional ending. If only there had been more romance. . .

Rating: B-

Review: Hot Island Nights

Hot Island Nights
Sarah Mayberry
Contemporary Romance
Harlequin/September 2010

From the back cover ~

Elizabeth Morgan didn't intend to abandon her very proper life. But that's the best way to find her true - and less proper - self. So here she is in Australia, standing in front of a man who's clad only in a towel. Nathan Jones is so tempting he could be the ideal candidate to help this good girl be very bad!

Sure enough, thanks to Nathan's talented hands, Elizabeth is living all her sensual fantasies. And while the sex is great, something more is developing. She trusts him, and wants to share her secrets with him, and . . . Suddenly this feels more like a real relationship than some fun in the sun. Luckily, there's a cure for too much commitment - more wickedness!

Awe, I just love Sarah Mayberry. Once again she's written a romance in the short Blaze format that feels much longer. The characters are well developed. The setting is vivid and has a decided island feel to it. Both Elizabeth and Nathan have some baggage and Mayberry explores their pasts and how it got them to where they are now - on Phillip Island outside of Melbourne, Australia.

Elizabeth is a well-bred, proper English woman who suddenly finds out a family secret that sets her off on a journey to confront the truth. She travels from England to Australia but before she finds what she's looking for she finds sexy Nathan Jones. The sparks were flying from their first encounter. Elizabeth is funny in how she deals with Nathan's rudeness and lack of clothing. She doesn't have much experience with flirting and with men who come on strong the way Nathan does. She's smart and picks up quickly on how to deal with Nathan and his shocking behavior.

Nathan Jones wants to be left alone. He's got his routine down pat - sleep late, hit the beach for some surfing, evenings at the bar getting drunk. Then he walks/stumbles home to pass out and hope the nightmares don't wake him. Nate's cute and sexy in a gruff type of smart-ass way. And you guys know, I love those smart-ass heroes! He's sad too. And the loneliness pores off him in waves. He acts like he's having a good time, surfing and drinking, but it's all an act. Nate's hiding out from his past and the last thing he wants is a proper Englishwoman messing that up. But he is curious - he wants to see what's under those proper clothes.

Nate gets his wish when Elizabeth has a little too much to drink and decides to pursue her fantasy of a one night stand. Holy Guacamole Batman! These two are hot! When Elizabeth lets her hair down she doesn't hold back. She shocks Nate with her willingness and enthusiasm. Mayberry's ability to write hot love scenes while continuing to show character development is evident in Hot Island Nights. Nate and Elizabeth both have hang-ups when it comes to sex, although it's usually after the sex when those ghosts appear.

While Nate and Elizabeth continue with their island fling, the rest of the world tries to intrude in one form or another. It's not all paradise when reality knocks in the form of Elizabeth's former fiance'. I thought Elizabeth dealt well with the situation. Nate, not so much. His jealous side was showing which really irritated him since he's not serious about Elizabeth. Nope, not him. Men! Mayberry shows how at the beginning it seemed Nate was the experienced one but as their affair continues it's Elizabeth who has the knowledge and experience to help Nate confront his past.

The story isn't all fun in the sun. Both Nate and Elizabeth have serious decisions to make, including the willingness to risk rejection. The issue of alcoholism is addressed but not in any lengthy, in depth process. If Hot Island Nights had been a full length novel, then I would have expected the alcoholism addressed in greater depth but for this length I thought Mayberry gave it just enough page time.

Mayberry continues to be one of my go-to authors for contemporary romances. Hot Island Nights proves it once again. A steamy, romantic love story with complex characters in a beautiful setting.

Rating: A

Review: Anything for You

Anything for You
Sarah Mayberry
Contemporary Romance
Harlequin/September 2006
Library book

From the author's website ~

Since when was his best friend this hot? The world according to Sam Kirk has just turned upside down. His best friend and business partner, Delaney Michaels, has returned from vacation a new woman... a gorgeous, hot new woman.

Suddenly Sam is thinking entirely inappropriate thoughts about his buddy. Worse, with Delaney's changed look, she's abandoning their friendship in pursuit of the picket-fence dream. It's a nightmare come true.

Then one night finds them tangling in the sheets. It should feel wrong, wrong, wrong... instead, it feels very right. And now Sam knows exactly what he'd do to keep his best friend: absolutely anything.

I love a friends to lovers trope and when Sarah Mayberry does it, I can't resist! Anything for You was a sweet story about what happens when one friends decides they want more out of the friendship then what the other is willing to give. Sam and Delaney are the best of friends but Delaney needs more. Mayberry really did a great job on bringing both of these characters alive and getting their feelings across. Lots of different emotions within this story. Many ups and downs for both characters.

Change is scary and it's even scarier when the change you're undertaking is venturing into the unknown. That's what Delaney does when she decides to make some huge changes in her life. She's leaving her job, her home and even gets a complete makeover. Sam, on the other hand, isn't a fan of change. He's thrown for a loop when Delaney announces that she's leaving the company they built together. He tries to change her mind with logic, persuasion and even begging.

I felt for both of these characters. Sam was so clueless at times and I wanted to just whisper in his ear "she loves you, you idiot". But that's not possible so I had to rough it out with him. Seriously, he loved her so much but he couldn't see that love beyond the friendship type of love he had for Delaney. Sam's life gets turned upside down when Delaney, his best friend and business partner comes back from vacation and tells him she's leaving the business. I felt so bad for Sam. He didn't see this coming and has no idea how to respond. He feels like Delaney is rejecting him and Sam isn't used to rejection. And coming out of the blue the way it did, you couldn't help but feel sorry for Sam.

Delaney doesn't make the decisions lightly. She's known for years how she feels about Sam but never thought he could or would reciprocate those feelings. You could call Sam a ladies man. He's good looking and enjoys the company of women, just not for any great length of time. That's another reason Delaney couldn't see her and Sam in any kind of permanent, intimate relationship. Sam doesn't do permanent. It's killing Delaney to leave Sam but she doesn't feel like she has a choice. She's watched Sam and his various women and it hurts her seeing him with those women, wishing he felt an attraction to her.

While Delaney is busy making changes and silently wishing things could be different, Sam is still trying to figure out why things have to change. He thinks she can stay with the company and still find a guy to marry, have kids with etc. Along with Delaney's changes comes Sam's change in perspective. He starts seeing Delaney as more than just his best bud. He starts seeing her as the attractive, sexy woman she is. Bamm! He's shocked! He's not suppose to think of Delaney like that. LOL

So, you gotta know Delaney and Sam are going to give in to their old/new attraction to each other. But after the sex it's back to moving on. Ugh! Why can't they see that they belong together? Then it would make for a short story. So instead they are both in denial. Denial of the potential future they could have together. There were times when it was just heartbreaking, seeing them hurting and neither of them knowing what to do. There's this one scene where Delaney has to interview her replacement. Of course the women is perfect. Delaney is sitting there, trying to be polite and professional while inside it's killing her to imagine this woman taking her place.

Sam and Delaney made a great couple. They had that strong friendship to build on. It just took some major changes to make them realize what they had and what they could have. The one problem I did have was with Delaney. It bothered me that she didn't tell Sam how she felt about him. Instead she proceeded to cut him out of her life. I thought that was cruel and after all those years of friendship, he didn't deserve that. She did have opportunities to tell him but choose to keep quiet about her feelings even when it was hurting Sam. Otherwise, I found it to be a thoroughly enjoyable read.

Rating: B+

Reveiw: Her Best Friend

Her Best Friend
Sarah Mayberry
Contemporary Romance
Harlequin Super/April 2010
Purchased

From the back cover ~

Will it be friendship or romance?

What's a girl to do when she's secretly in love with a friend and he's married to someone else? She gets over it. That's what Amy Parker has done. Rather than lose her best bud Quinn Whitfield with an ill-timed, crazy confession of affection, she's taken the smart route. She's eased away from him. Just enough to get past the unrequited bits. And you know, it's working.

Until the day Quinn announces he's now single. That's right. He's single. And he wants to hang out. With her. Get reconnected the way they used to be.

Oh, this is so not good for Amy's equilibrium. Daily doses of Quinn remind her of everything she loves about him. But if he's free.and she's free.well, maybe the time has come for one of those crazy confessions.

One of my favorite romance tropes is friends to lovers, especially when they've know each other all their lives. Often one will stay on in the home town and the other will leave for greener pastures. This time around it's the heroine who stayed in the small town and the hero who left. He not only left, he left with the friend of the heroine. Quinn married Lisa who was a good friend of both Amy and Quinn. It was the three of them in their teens, the Three Musketeers. Amy had a crush on Quinn for years but he always treated her as his best friend. Then Lisa came along when they were all fourteen and changed the dynamics.

Quinn and Lisa have married and move to the city to pursue their legal careers. Amy has stayed in the hometown, working in her parents hardware store, saving up for her dream. Years have gone by and at the age of 30, Amy is finally realizing her dream of owning the town theater her great grandfather built. She runs into some legal difficulties and calls Lisa but instead gets Quinn. He not only offers to help but comes home for a visit.

The feelings Amy had for Quinn are still there. She's fighting the attraction, then Quinn drops the bomb - he's separated and getting a divorce. Amy has so many conflicting feelings. She sorry for Quinn, but now he's single! What the heck is she suppose to do? On top of that, she doesn't think she's Quinn's type. She thinks that Quinn only sees her as a friend, not as an attractive and potential girlfriend. She's just his Ames, his buddy, his pal. Drives her crazy! LOL I did like the tension this brought to the story. She's attracted to him, he's attracted to her, but neither thinks the other thinks of them as anything more than friends. So they both hide their feelings until... the kiss.

Quinn is really messed up. This is not where he thought he would end up when he said "I do" six years ago. You really can't help but feel sorry for him. He's a genuinely nice guy who's now trying to put his life back together. He decides to take some time off work and return to his home town. Seeing Amy again gives him a kick in the pants and makes him realize she's far more than just his best friend from childhood. The problem is that he doesn't know what to do. He wants her but his life is really screwed up. I think going home was the best thing Quinn could have done at this point. Going back to that small town where he grew up really gave him the perspective he need to see where he wanted his life to go. Mayberry does a good job showing how Quinn comes to terms with the choices he's made and the choices he now has to make. The way she had Quinn seeing Amy in a different light - she's still his best friend but he begins to see her as something/someone more. Quinn's biggest fear is losing Amy's friendship. Which is understandable since he's recently lost his wife and marriage.

It was fun seeing Quinn getting hot and bothered over his best friend. One minute he's thinking of her as Ames, his childhood friend, the next minute he sees her as this hot, sexy woman that he's dying to get naked. It's like Quinn had an angel and a devil on his shoulders, trying to be good but desperately wanting to be so bad!

Amy for her part had a crush on Quinn for years. It nearly broke her heart when he and Lisa married. You could feel Amy's sadness when she thought back to when she, Quinn and Lisa were teens and she realized that Quinn was attracted to Lisa. Then when Quinn was about to marry Lisa, Amy felt she had to be there for her friends even though it was tearing her apart. Now it's years later, Quinn is free and they've come full-circle. It's that fear of failure that holds Quinn back and fear of rejection that holds Amy back. As they wind there way back to each other we get to see snippets of their growing up years and how close they once were. I'm not a fan of big, long flashbacks but these worked to show Amy and Quinn's strong history.

Once again Ms. Mayberry has written another fulfilling love story. There were outside forces causing more friction and tension between Amy and Quinn but the focus never ventured far from their story. There were a few parts that moved a bit slow for me. I got a little tired of Amy's self doubt when it came to Quinn's attraction to her but it still proved to be an enjoyable story.

Rating: B+

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: Her Secret Fling

Her Secret Fling
Sarah Mayberry
Contemporary Romance
Harlequin/January 2010
Purchased

From the back cover ~

Jake Stevens - star reporter and celebrated literary genius - is a snake. How else to explain the way he turns Poppy Birmingham's hero worship into loathing with a single conversation? So what if she's got a lot to learn about journalism? Aren't they coworkers now? On the same team? Jake can take his attitude and...

Then during a job-related road trip, their relationship goes from antagonistic to hedonistic in no time flat. And suddenly Poppy can't think of anything more delicious than having a secret fling with Jake. But with all this intensity, can she really keep it no-strings-attached?

Another Sarah Mayberry and another win! The setting is a newspaper, the Melbourne Herald. Our heroine is a former professional swimmer who is the the paper's newest writer. Our sexy hero makes it clear that he isn't happy with the newest staff member. Our heroine is determined to succeed at her new career and refuses to let the hero's rude attitude stop her.

Hmmm... let's start with Jake the jerk. LOL Okay, I totally get why our handsome, award winning writer is not happy when someone with no writing experience is given the job of columnist. He's worked hard to get to where he is and to have someone come in without paying their dues really ticks him off. Mayberry had her work cut out for her when she wrote Jake. He really was a jerk to Poppy when they first meet. Beyond his good looks, I didn't like Jake at first. I liked Poppy and Jake was mean to her. Bastard. So for me to come around to not only liking Jake but liking him with Poppy, Mayberry had to work her magic, and she did.

Poppy Birmingham gives up her swimming career when an injury forces her into early retirement. When offered a job as a columnist she takes it, looking for a career away from the pool. Her first day on the job doesn't go as well as she'd hoped. She does get to meet her hero, columnist and author Jake Stevens. She also gets a rude awakening when he's less than friendly, making it clear that he thinks she's just a dumb jock. This attitude doesn't help Poppy's insecurities. She knows the only reason she got the job is because of her experience in the sports world. She barely finished high school and with that in mind she has enrolled in an evening writing class.

I totally enjoyed Poppy's persistence. The way she refused to let Jake get to her while still finding him attractive. You go girl! Show him what you're made of! She was great when it came to standing up to Jake. There were times when she was barely able to hold it together but she did and I couldn't help but cheer her on. It turns out she's a natural when it comes to getting the story. Her insight into the athletes world gives her writing a unique perspective.

Jake was funny with his irritation and dislike for Poppy while grudgingly admitting, if only to himself, that he finds her attractive.

He couldn't help noting the firm bounce of her ass as she walked. Probably she could crack walnuts with that, too. He wondered idly what she looked like naked. Most swimmers didn't have a lot happening up top, but she clearly had a great ass and great legs. page 20

He's caught and he doesn't even know it. LOL This is early on and Jake is still acting like an ass towards Poppy. Still wallowing in his own problems and willing to take out his frustrations on her. Jake is suffering major writers block. His one and only novel was a huge success but that was years ago. His personal life took a downward spiral and the only writing he has done are his columns for the paper. His second novel is still rattling around in his head and he can't seem to get it out. Maybe he's in need of a muse... or a kick in the ass. :)

After the sexual tension hits it's peak, Poppy and Jake give in to their attraction with a one night stand that continues beyond the one night. Neither wants anyone to know that they have become more than coworkers so they meet in secret. Soon it becomes more than just sex, and something or someone had to change. Mayberry does a wonderful job in developing not only Poppy and Jake's relationship but developing Poppy as a reporter and writer. As she writes, her confidence increases and she blooms. She develops friendships with her coworkers and begins to enjoy her new career. Jake, on the other hand, is closed off with a big "Do Not Enter" sign when it comes to relationships. And he is determined to not let anyone get close. He really needed to be hit with a 2 X 4 before he would acknowledge his feelings. Out of the two, Poppy was the stronger character, causing change in both her own life and Jake's. The way they played off each other and the way they ultimately encouraged each other made for an appealing couple.

Mayberry, for me, has developed into an author that I can count on to give me unique characters, uncommon situations and an interesting story. Fortunately I still have some of her back list to read through while waiting for her next release.

Rating: A

sidenote ~ Every time I typed "Poppy" it started as "Poop". The mind of an eight year old boy lurks inside my head. :D

Free Sarah Mayberry eBook...

All Romance is offering a free download of Sarah Mayberry's Home for the Holidays.

Go here to read my review. It's a wonderful story and it's Sarah Mayberry - you can't go wrong!

Go here to All Romance website and download the free ebook. It's available in Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Reader, Mobipocket and Epub.

It's easy to create an account and the discount will show up when you check out. Enjoy!

YotC Review: Home for the Holidays

Title: Home for the Holidays
Author: Sarah Mayberry

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Published: November 2009

Harlequin Super Romance

Year of the Category Challenge

From the back cover ~

Joe Lawson has a thing for his new neighbor Hannah Napier. As a single dad, he shouldn't be thinking what he is about her. Still, that doesn't stop them from getting close. And the way she connects with his kids, it's as if they're a family.

Turns out it's too good to be true. Seems Hannah has plans that don't include staying in Melbourne. Joe won't stand between her and her dreams, even though letting her go is nearly impossible. The holidays are looking grim, with him and his kids missing Hannah like crazy. But it is the season of surprises, and Hannah may have one for them!

The cover ~ I like it. It's not too sugary sweet. The people look "real" and although most of the book doesn't take place during the holidays it still gives the feeling of the book.

So what is going on? Someone who used to shun Harlequins is now buying them when they are released? The world has tilted on it's axis and life as we know it has cease to exist. Okay, not quite that dramatic but still... a category author is now an auto buy for me is not something to sneeze at. Sarah Mayberry has become one of my favorite authors for 2009. I've yet to be disappointed by her books. I relish the chance to read her and will no doubt be sad once I've read her entire backlist. Then I'll have the long wait for her next release.

Home for the Holidays isn't a typical romance. There's a deceased wife, two kids - one's a teenager, an ex-fiance and a strained sibling relationship. Add to that the rocky start Joe and Hannah get off to and it certainly doesn't seem like they have any chance at becoming friends much less a couple. But Mayberry works her magic and Joe and Hannah get beyond those bad first impressions and get to know each other.

Joe Lawson is still feeling his way through the rough waters of single parenthood. He moves himself and his two kids, Ben and Ruby, to Melbourne to start over and be near his mum. In doing so he puts himself next to a woman who is so not his type. His first encounter with Hannah does not go well and he doesn't look forward to seeing his new neighbor again. Hannah isn't too happy about the "jerk" that has moved in next door. They almost subconsciously notice the attractiveness of the other but squash that down because how could they possibly be attracted to someone so exasperating?

Hannah Napier could not be described as a "delicate flower of womanhood". I can practically hear her snorting at the thought. LOL She is a mechanic and enjoys working on restoring a classic motorcycle in her spare time. Most comfortable in jeans and t-shirt, she is out of her comfort zone when dealing with dresses and make-up. But even in jeans and t-shirt Joe can't help but notice Hannah's curves. Even while being irritated by her, he still notices that she is all woman under her grease monkey exterior.

The conflicts, and they are many, are well developed for such a short format. Joe and Hannah must not only deal with their growing feeling for each other but also with the feelings of Joe's two kids. Ben is a teenager (13) who's unhappy with the world and is under pressure from school to try and fit in. Ruby is a precocious 10 year old that quickly takes to Hannah. At first, Joe isn't happy about Ruby hanging around with their "biker chick" neighbor. As Joe gets to know Hannah, he realizes what an important part of his family she is becoming.

I really enjoyed the dynamics of the characters. The way everyone kind of shifted and moved into place to create a new family. The moves weren't always smooth, there were definitely bumps along the way. Sometimes more shifting needed to be done but eventually two people became a couple and four people became a family.

So chalk up another win from Mayberry. Once again she's given the reader a romance couple different from the usual fare. With a heroine who can rebuild an engine and a hero who does laundry and washes dishes. The love scenes were sweet, sexy and funny. Two people who resort to getting hot and heavy in a car because they have no privacy at home makes for some hot and frustrating scenes. And the way they overcame their past pains to get to the point where they could trust and hope again was well written and left me, once again, happy to have found Sarah Mayberry's books. (Thanks KMont!)

Sarah Mayberry's website can be found here.

Rating: A

YotC Review: She's Got It Bad

Title: She's Got It Bad
Author: Sarah Mayberry
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: April 2009
Harlequin Blaze

Year of the Category Challenge

From the back cover ~

This has been a long time coming

Twelve years ago Zoe Ford let Liam Masters break her heart. But now? There's not a chance. Zoe is as tough and wild as they come. So when Liam shows up at her tattoo parlor, she's more than ready to take him on again. That's not going to be a hardship, since he's hotter than he ever was.

This time she's staying in charge. And she's not going to consider their score settled until he's hot, bothered and begging for more! Then she'll move on as callously as he left her. Unless all that deliciously bad sex is just too good to give up….

Another Sarah Mayberry and another splendid story. I was lucky enough to win this from the wonderful ladies at The Book Binge and I just ate this one up!

The cover: You know I have to say something about the cover, it's become a habit. :) Initially my gaze is drawn to their faces, that's good. But then it moves to her butt. IMO, not so good. Personally I would prefer ogling a man's rear. Sexiest, I know. The thing I do like about the cover is that it goes with the story. Doesn't it just bug you when the cover is so far off from what's inside? This one shows the heroine Zoe, giving the hero Liam a tattoo. That actually happens but I don't remember her being in quite that position. *grins*

The story actually begins when Zoe and Liam are teenagers. Something happens that causes Liam to hit the road and disappear from Zoe's life. When he eventually returns he's all grown up and has become a successful businessman. Zoe is grown up too but she's been through some difficult times and real success hasn't come to Zoe.

Zoe is a woman that I don't seem to have much in common with. She is single, 28 years old and works as a tattoo artist. By the time I was 28, I was married and working in an office, not a tattoo in sight. Zoe doesn't have much direction in her life, it's become a bit stagnate. Thanks to Mayberry's writing I still felt a connection to Zoe, an understanding of why she feels and does what she does. It doesn't have to do with what she wants but what she feels she deserves. Yeah, I liked Zoe and felt such sympathy for her and that says something about the writing because Zoe wasn't always the most likable character.

Liam thinks he knows what's best for Zoe, hence the leaving. So when he comes back he wants to make things up to her, show her that he can treat her right. The only thing Zoe wants from Liam is sex. No strings, no commitments. That's how she likes things and if Liam can't deal with that too bad. Liam, being the stubborn cuss is determined to change Zoe's mind. At first he tells himself that he just wants to help out an old friend but he gets to the point where he can't deny his feels for Zoe are more than just friendly. The sex is definitely a strong pull but they also have history. That history is something they can't ignore. It's something they have to discuss and deal with before they can create a future. Liam hopes to have a future with Zoe, she still wants only the sex.

Mayberry does a satisfying job of taking two distinctly different characters and showing the reader how they became a very believable couple while still maintain their distinct personalities. They each learn some things about the other that not only surprises them but gives them insight that they didn't have before. Both h/h do some more growing up and realise just how deep their feelings still are for each other. There is also some fun and games when Zoe tries to distance her self from Liam and dang if it doesn't seem like he keeps showing up everywhere she goes!

She's Got It Bad is an exciting, enjoyable read with anything but your run of the mill characters. A heroine who is a tattoo artist and a hero who builds custom bikes for a living are not the usual fair in romances. Mayberry gives us characters that are a bit off the beaten path and then makes them relatable. And that's what makes her stories so very good.

Check out Sarah Mayberry's site for her book list. The site doesn't look to be up-to-date so I would also suggest checking Harlequin's site for new releases.

Rating: A

YotC Review: Burning Up

Title: Burning Up
Author: Sarah Mayberry
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: February 2008/Harlequin Blaze
Year of the Category Challenge

From the back cover ~

Somebody get some ice... it's steamy in here!

Spending a month as personal chef for an overindulged-and mouthwatering -man? Sophie Gallagher is so up for the challenge. She's immune to charm... or so she thinks. Because when being screen start Lucas Grant turns up the temptation, she discovers -up close and personal-he's earned the name hottest man alive.

Sophie is fun, vivacious and couldn't be further from Lucas's bimbo bombshell type. Much to his surprise, she's captivated him. But as sizzling as they are between the sheets, once his hiatus is over, the credits will roll on this fling. Saying goodbye, however, isn't as easy as he'd thought. Will this production be The End of the Affair... or Love Actually?

The Cover: This one's not bad at all. His chest looks like it could use a good wiping down but I do like the way his arm is positioned, showing off the muscle. The heroine on our fine cover has normal looking legs, i.e. they're not sticks. Which is appropriate since Sophie isn't a super skinny model type. I do have a bit of a problem with the shirt. It's his shirt she's wearing but damn, he's not a giant! Judging by the shirt you would think he's Paul fricking Bunyan!

One thing I like about these challenges is getting to read new authors. Before the category challenge I would have only considered reading category romances by authors that I already enjoyed ~ Nalini Singh, Linda Howard and Suzanne Brockmann to name a few. So far I've found three authors that I plan to read more of their categories: Maya Banks, Linda Winstead Jones and Sarah Mayberry.

I haven't read many book that have the heroine as a chef and there were times that I got hungry while reading this one. :) Sophie Gallagher is a gifted chef who has been working at the same restaurant ever since she graduated culinary school. The restaurant is owned by her boyfriend Brandon's family and Brandon also works there. Sophie has also been with Brandon for 14 years, since she was 17 years old. She leads a safe, steady life of predictability. Then all that changes overnight. Sophie is set adrift and isn't sure how to get back on course. She takes the job as personal chef to Lucas Grant out of desperation. What Lucas expects and what he actually gets with Sophie are two very different things.

On the surface Lucas was a stereo-typical movie star. Expecting first class treatment and he definitely expects to get his way. He's used to having women practically fall at his feet. In fact the book opens with a woman in his hot tub waiting for him in nothing, her swimsuit removed for his viewing pleasure. Lucas wasn't exactly surprised to find her there. He might have been more surprised if there hadn't been a woman, or two, waiting for him. This is his world so when that world changes overnight and he's forced to take refuge at a mountain cabin he doesn't expect his star treatment to change. But he's in for a rude awakening when Sophie rebuffs his offer of spending some time between the sheets.

Sophie isn't immune to Lucas' gorgeous looks and smooth ways. I like the fact that she's honest enough to admit that she finds him attractive but she still has unresolved issues with Brandon to work through. Lucas also has issues from his past that are about to come to light when he would prefer they stay buried.

Sophie and Lucas had an intriguing relationship because neither thought the other was their type. Lucas was so used to movie starlets and cover models that he was surprised that he was so attracted to Sophie. Physically she was the opposite of what he thought he wanted in a woman. Emotionally Lucas doesn't do long term relationships. Sophie was used to steady, safe Brandon. Not someone who lived in the limelight and did things on the spur of the moment. Once they did give in to their attraction Lucas just assumes that the end will come when their time at the cabin ends. Sophie knows this but it doesn't make it any easier when she starts to care for Lucas.

I really like the way Mayberry writes. I'm not sure how to explain it other than to say that she writes the way people talk. There is some Aussie lingo/words in there but the dialogue and emotions are incredibly genuine. Sophie and Lucas are very real, flaws and all. And with the short format there was still lots of story packed into this book. No short-changing of the character development or the environments where these two remarkably different people came from. I think that's something that I expected when I started this challenge (the short-changing) and have been pleasantly surprised at the depth of the characters in these shorter novels.

There was one part towards the end when I thought Lucas was a first class jerk. I know why he did what he did but it still royally pissed me off and I felt such overwhelming sympathy for Sophie. I can't tell you how mad I was at him. I swear if I had been there I would have told him off! (Yeah, I know it's a book but you guys know what I mean.)

And the end, it was perfect how they came together after their time at the cabin. Don't want to spoil it but it worked for me. :)

Sarah Mayberry and her books can be found here.

Rating: A