What a Weekend!

Wow - I haven't posted since Wednesday! My intentions were good, I've got books to review but RL got in the way but in a good way. Thursday was middle's first band concert. He was nervous but had a great time and looked very comfortable on stage. I didn't get any good pictures, I really need a new camera with interchangeable lenses. After my very old, beloved Pentax died I replaced it about 7-8 years ago with a digital but it has a fixed lens. I told dh there was a Nikon that I researched and it has everything I want. I've had sitting in my cart at Amazon but it's expensive. He, of course, said "Why don't you just get it?" So maybe I will. A combination birthday/Christmas present to myself. :)

Here's middle on stage with his trombone ~



And here's one after the concert ~



He's not crazy about getting his picture taken so I was happy he actually stood still. The concert was packed, probably 150+ people standing. We got a seat because dh took middle early for his call time and then stayed and saved us (me, teen & youngest) seats. We had to park, what seemed like, a mile away. We're walking fast & dh calls wanting to know where we are because the concert is about to start. Of course it started on time so we just made it to our seats. I was just thankful we had seats!

I wasn't expecting it to be so crowded since it was only beginning band - 2 schools. What I didn't know was that the other school had a 4th grade beginning band in addition to 5th grade. Middle's school starts band at 5th grade so this other school made an exception to have a 4th grade band. Instead of being a small concert, middle's band has 29 kids, it turned out to be huge with the 4th grade band having 40 kids & the school's 5th grade band had 53 kids. 122 kids with probably an average of 3, maybe 4 people attending per kid - that's a lot of people to pack into the school cafeteria!

The concert itself was really good. The kids did a great job and middle was just so excited and very handsome, says his very proud mom! LOL After, dh and the teen went home cause it was way past dh's bedtime and the teen had homework. The boys and I went out to dinner to Culver's, middle's choice. Burgers and fries and Concrete Mixer's for the boys which I had to steal a bite from each of them. :)

Friday youngest woke with a headache and fever so we stayed home & he's fine now. Not sure what was wrong with him. Saturday was a trip to the airport to pick up my "big" sis. She's actually smaller than me but she's older so she's the big sis. :) She lives in Atlanta & is here for a week. We headed to my mom's and hung out for a while. Saturday night I cleaned and baked cause Sunday, big sis, my mom and Aunt Fran came over for lunch and hung out at my house being entertained by the kids. My sister doesn't have any kids so I think my kids, especially the boys, are a unique experience for her! It was a fun time, but I forgot to take pictures! There's a big party at my mom's house this Saturday so I'll take pictures then.

I didn't get much reading done this weekend and I've still got to get the Christmas decorations up - I'm surprised the kids haven't asked about the tree. That's tonight and I will get some reviews up too! I did re-read The Unsung Hero but didn't get the review written so I'll try to get that one up tonight maybe? Ha - I've still got shopping to do and cards to send out. And the kids - I'm looking at you youngest - keep changing their Christmas wish lists!

This is such a busy month for everyone. I always feel like I'll never get everything done but somehow I do. I'm trying to do a lot of shopping online - Amazon has been my "mall" but it's still hard for me to buy some things without actually seeing them. The kids have 2 weeks of school left before winter break (2 weeks off). And this is one of the busiest times for dh's company. He's working 10+ hour days and weekends so we don't see much of him. Which is why I do all the shopping, even for me! At least I know I'll like what he gets me. LOL

So, how was your weekend? Have the holiday crazies hit you yet? Or are you super organized and have everything done already?

Review: A Wild Light

A Wild Light
Marjorie M. Liu
Urban Fantasy
Hunter Kiss/Book 6 (3 novellas)
Ace/August 2010

From the back cover ~

Obsidian shadows of the flesh... tattoos with hearts, minds, and dreams. By day, they are my armor. By night, they unwind from y body to take on forms of their own - demons of the flesh, turned into flesh.

For too long Maxine Kiss has felt an inexplicable darkness inside her-a force she channels into hunting the demons bent on destroying the human race. But when she finds herself covered in blood and crouched beside her grandfather's dead body with no memory of what happened, Maxine begins to fear that the darkness has finally consumed her.

With blood on her hands and her sanity in question, Maxine must face the truth about who she really is and embrace the love of the only man who can help her - before she loses what she cares about most: her family.

Happy Birthday Maxine! To celebrate Maxine and her odd assortment of family members get together for cake. But in Maxine's world a simple birthday party can turn to something dark and dangerous. This time it's a family member who is the victim. Maxine must figure out what happened and why she has no memories of the man she loves.

Why do I not hear more about this series? Liu is an amazing author with the gift of bringing her world alive for the reader. And why haven't I started her Dirk & Steele series? I have the first 6 or 7 books, seriously need to start that series. If it's anything like the Hunter Kiss series, I will be one happy reader.

Maxine Kiss is the kick ass heroine who sports tattoos all over her body, at least during the day. At night those same tattoos come alive in the form of Zee, Raw, Aaz, Dek and Mal. I adore these guys! The boys are well developed characters with their own unique characteristics, even though Zee, the leader, is the only one that talks and he is stingy with words. I love how Maxine interacts with "her boys", treating them as family, trusting them completely and loving them as only a parent can.

The boys are demons who help Maxine hunt zombies. These zombie are not your risen from the dead type but humans who are possessed by demons. Maxine exorcises the zombie out of the humans and the boys eat it. In fact, the boys pretty much eat anything. In A Wild Light we find out more background on the boys and Maxine's. The plot is fast paced with a complex world that Liu keeps in check with her ability to make the complex flow in a logical path, while still maintaining that uniqueness that sets it apart from other urban fantasy worlds.

The heart of the story is Maxine, Grant and family. After the murder, Maxine's memories of Grant are buried deep, leaving Maxine to question her ability to trust him. Grant shows his patience and intelligence when confronted with Maxine's memory loss. He continues to reassure her of his love, even while we see it hurts him that she doesn't remember him. Maxine gets to experience some of her "firsts" with Grant all over again. Still, she is unsure of herself and her reactions to Grant. It was sweet and touching, showing a side to Maxine we don't see often. If there was ever any doubt that these two belong together, it was laid to rest. They are, despite their differences, a solid couple that work well together.

The family of misfits all have their strengths and Maxine needs their help. In learning why Jack, her grandfather, was killed, Maxine discovers more about her ancestors and the boys. The pieces of the puzzle start coming together and Maxine is put in a tenuous position of making a decision with far reaching consequences. One of the things I like about this series is that everything isn't always black and white. There are many shades of gray and Maxine is aware that she could slip into that gray area, that she might have to if only to keep the darkness within her from taking control.

The series is different from many UF series in that it has a very lyrical feel to it. Liu has an ability of describing the characters and world in such vivid imagery, giving them life in a way only a gifted author could. I would say this is heavier on the fantasy, with characters moving through time and space, facing creatures that are not of our world no matter how much they want to be. Definitely a series I recommend.

Rating: A

Review: Indulgence in Death

Indulgence in Death
J. D. Robb
Futuristic Romantic Suspense
In Death/Book 31 (plus 7 novellas)
Putnam/November 2010

*Potential Spoilers for Previous Books*

From the inside cover ~

First it was a limo driver shot through the neck with a crossbow. Then it was a high-priced escort found stabbed through the heart with a bayonet.

Random hits, thrill kills, murderers with a taste for the finer things in life-and death-are making NYPSD Lieutenant Eve Dallas angry. And an angry Eve can be just as an efficient and dangerous predator as the killer.

As time runs out on another innocent victim's life, Eve's investigation will take her into the rarefied circle that her husband, Roarke, travels in-and into the perverted heart of madness...

After thirty-eight stories about Eve and Roarke, Peabody and McNab, Feeney and all the rest of the gang you would think this series would slow down, become boring or just feel like the same story rehashed over and over. There have been some books I liked better than others but the overall feel of the series has stayed constant. The characters continue to develop and progress in their relationships with Eve making the greatest internal changes.

The story starts with Eve and Roarke on holiday, visiting Roarke's family in Ireland. Eve can't seem to get away from dead bodies, she finds one in Ireland. It seems Ireland is full of surprises. The relationship with Roarke's family continues to surprise Eve, both with their easy acceptance of her and her comfort around them. I enjoy seeing this side of Eve, her ability to adjust to situations where Dallas the cop may feel out of place but Eve the wife is learning to fit in.

The holiday ends and it's back to the city Eve loves. It doesn't take long before she's caught a case, an unusual one. Man dead by crossbow. Not something you expect to see in the city. It turns out Dallas and Peabody will get even more unusual murders before they put a stop to it. I've come to realize that I like the books when we don't know who the killer or killers are. I like the investigative aspects and when we find out early on who did it, that seems to lessen the importance of the investigation and by degrees, my enjoyment of the story. I'd much rather be surprised by the identity of the murder. Or at the least, figure it out but still have the tiniest smidgen of doubt until the last minute when Eve does her big reveal. Indulgence in Death didn't work that way and I think that's what made this a slower read for me. Since we find out early on who Eve will be "locking up in a cage" as she puts it, I had a hard time drumming up that urgency to get to the end and find out who did it. I already knew!

So the investigation didn't wow me but I did like the relationships in this one. Eve is once again learning all about friendships and how they need that give and take to make them work. She is learning to give more of herself to her friends. You certainly get that Eve was not used to giving much of herself outside of her work until Roarke and then Peabody came into her life. She had Mavis and that was pretty much it. Feeney to a lesser extent but he was part of the job. This time we see some of Morris and Eve's camaraderie of not only the job but also the mutual respect and friendship. They remind me of a close brother and sister relationship. They kid around, tease each other a bit but underneath it all there's that deep concern and love.

Speaking of love, I do love Roarke. He's got everything a hero should have but... you'd almost think he didn't have a job. LOL Once again Roarke is able to set aside his bid for world domination to help Eve work her case. This can get to me at times. Roarke gets too involved in the cases, spending far too much time working on them when he is this inter-planetary billionaire with so much work of his own. I find I have to bend reality a little to make his involvement plausible.

While not a favorite, still a worthwhile read. Wish it had had the big reveal but Indulgence did give me moments of truly laugh out loud, shake my head, enjoyment. These characters have cemented themselves into my reading life and I never want to give them up.

Rating: B

Review: Reaper

Reaper
Rachel Vincent
Young Adult/Urban Fantasy
Soul Screamers/Novella
Harlequin Teen/December 2010

From Books on Board ~

The story of how Tod died and was recruited as a reaper . . .

Tod Hudson was a typical teenager. He liked girls, sports, food and tolerated his younger brother, Nash. In fact, he had his whole life in front of him--and due to his bean sidhe heritage, it was going to be a very long life indeed. And then the car accident occurred.

Suddenly Tod's future wasn't so sure, and he had to make a choice. Life . . . Death . . . or something Between . . . .

A couple of things first. This is a novella of approximately 17,000 words. Most full length novels run closer to 90,000 to 100,000. Reaper comes in at 64 pages in Adobe Digital Editions. The great news is that it's free right now! Yes, you can go right now and download it for free from Books on Board in Adobe PDF format. It's showing up at places like Amazon and B&N for pre-order, set to release on December 1 for $2.99 (minus discounts). If you don't want to pay for it, Ms. Vincent has said it will be available for free on her website. Personally, I think this is a great way to introduce new readers to Ms. Vincent's writing and get current readers excited about the next release in the series, My Soul to Steal (January 1).

As you can see from the blurb, the story is from Tod's perspective, telling about the events that led up to him becoming a reaper. But that really simplifies this little gem of a story. Those of you that have read the previous books in the series know who Tod is and, if you're like me, want to know more. This is the more. Tod is complex in a way that only a teenage guy could be. He likes hanging out with friends, his girlfriend and partying. He finds his little brother irritating as only little brothers can be. He loves his mom but doesn't always listen to her. See, a typical teenager. Tod's also smart, he gets the consequences to his decisions. He's loyal and loves his family so fiercely, he'll do anything to keep them safe.

I loved this look at the series from Tod's POV. He's a character that we've gotten to know through the series but still leaves us so many questions. In Reaper, we get to see what makes him tick, what drives him to make difficult decisions and still maintain that smart ass humor that is oh, so Tod. It was also heartbreaking, making me tear up a bit and feel Tod's sorrow and regrets coming through in Vincent's writing.

This novella only adds to the layers of this series. Since the bean sidhe are all about the dying, it's not surprising that reapers are part of their world. In Tod's world, there are rules that he doesn't mind bending and even breaking a little. Tod showed how mature he could be and gave this reader a greater appreciation for his part in Nash's life. I hope we get more of Tod and possibly his POV in future books. Since he's an integral part of Nash and now Kaylee's life, I can't imagine we've see the last of him.

Rating: A

My reviews for books in this series ~

My Soul to Take
My Soul to Save
My Soul to Keep

What Are You Thankful For?

Hey All ~

I'm over at Access Romance's Readers Gab today talking about - yep, what I'm thankful for. Come on over and chime in on the discussion. I'll bet you can guess my answer. :)

And Happy Thanksgiving to those of you that celebrate turkey day. If you're traveling over this holiday weekend, may your trip be safe.

ARC Review: Kiss Across Swords

Kiss Across Swords
Teal Ceagh
Erotic UF/Time Travel/MMF
Time-Crossed Love/Book 2
Ellora's Cave/November 2010

From the author's website ~

Taylor Yates never dreamed growing up she would end up happily living with two drop-dead sexy vampires and time-hopping through their thousand years of personal history. Her life is complete…or is it?

When she finds herself at the siege of Jerusalem during the first crusade, Veris doesn’t know her at all and doesn’t want to. Worst of all, he and Brody are total strangers, and Taylor drives a wedge in deep between them by trying to seduce Veris at their first meeting—not something a lady of the day does if she wants to keep her head.

Taylor and Brody must woo Veris using the customs of medieval England, win his heart and his full commitment before Jerusalem falls in four days time—or when they return to their own time, their lives as they know them will be gone…

After reading Kiss Across Time, the novella where Taylor meets and falls for vampires Brody and Veris, it was easy to get into their continuing story in Kiss Across Swords. It's been four years since the three became lovers and now Taylor wants to be turned. The only problem is Brody and Veris are not completely on board with the idea. The past is very much in the present with both men having strong feelings about the significance of turning a human to a vampire.

The time travel they had previously done bore no ill effects but now things are changing and Taylor might lose her lovers. This time Brody and Taylor time travel back to when Brody and Veris first met. Taylor being there causes a disruption in Veris and Brody's past. When they should have become lovers, Veris now thinks Taylor is Brody's wife and tries to keep his distance from them.

The scenes when Brody is telling Taylor how he and Veris first became lovers all those centuries ago I found to be very erotic. These two men are warriors but they are also very sensual men. Ceagh shows the reader how beautiful and seductive two men can be when they unleash their desires for each other. I don't read a lot of books with m/m but I found the love story between Brody and Veris moving and powerful. This time, with Veris not knowing Brody or Taylor, both of them took part in seducing Veris. I loved reading about when Brody and Veris first met. How they came to know each other and built their bond over the centuries. It wasn't easy for Taylor and Brody to get Veris to trust them and begin to form that bond.

This is a time travel and through that travel we get to explore the land of the Crusades. The history in the story is fascinating. When Veris and Brody first meet it's 1099 and they are fighting in the first Crusade. The feel of that time and place comes through in the descriptions of the land, the people and the politics. It was interesting to see how 21st century Brody and Taylor especially, acted in a time from so long ago.

All three characters are well developed with distinct personalities. Brody is the peacemaker and tends to defer to Veris, believing him to be the more intelligent of them. Veris is more stoic, exhibiting a calm demeanor. He is a man that keeps much to himself and likes to think things through before acting. I saw Taylor as a bit of a wild card. She's intelligent and thoughtful but can let her temper loose when angered. She also loves very fiercely and shows it through her actions and selflessness with Brody and Veris. The author did a wonderful job showing the give and take between these three.

The story was filled with history, passion and emotional love scenes between three unique individuals. It's a romance that has a number of elements, all combined to make a very captivating story. I'm looking forward to reading more in this imaginative series.

Rating: A-

Review: Shade

Shade
Jeri Smith-Ready
Young Adult/Urban Fatansy
Shade series/Book 1
Simon Pulse/May 2010

From the inside cover ~

Best. Birthday. Ever. At least, it was supposed to be. With Logan's band playing a critical gig and Aura's plans for an intimate after-party, Aura knows it will be the most memorable night of her boyfriend's life. She never thought it would be his last.

Logan's sudden death leaves Aura devastated. He's gone.

Well, sort of.

Like everyone born after the Shift, Aura can see and hear ghosts. This mysterious ability has always been annoying, and Aura had wanted nothing more than to figure out why the Shift happened so she can undo it. But not with Logan’s violet-hued spirit still hanging around. Because dead Logan is almost as real as ever. Almost.

It doesn't help that Aura’s new friend Zachary is so understanding—and so very alive. His support means more to Aura than she cares to admit.

As Aura's relationships with the dead and the living grow ever complicated, so do her feelings for Logan and Zachary. Each holds a piece of Aura's heart…and clues to the secret of the Shift.

There are a few of Ms. Smith-Ready's adult novels on my tbr pile but when I saw this one at the library I had to get it. I had planned to get it when it came out but, it got lost in the shuffle. It's not that I need to start yet another series, believe me I don't. It's not that I'm heavy into young adult novels or getting them for the teen. In fact, she hasn't read this one yet, she's re-reading her Mercedes Lackey books, again. I simply love Smith-Ready's writing and the premise of the story intrigued me.

In a world where kids can see and hear the dead, it maybe be cool at first but can become annoying fairly quickly. For Aura, it's been annoying for a while. She works for her Aunt Gina who provides legal counsel for the dead. Since Aura can see and speak with the dead, she acts as a translator. Aura isn't all work, she's a high school student with a boyfriend who's in a band. She's busy with her friends and school. Just a regular teenager. It's when things go horribly wrong that Aura begins to realize that she may not be just a regular teenager. She was the first one born after the Shift and the significance of that will play into Aura's future.

Wouldn't it be weird if teens has this power to see what adults couldn't? It puts them in a unique position. But there's more to it than just seeing ghosts. Aura is determined to find out why the Shift happened. She teams up with the new guy at school, Zachary, to work on her research of what caused the Shift. She doesn't tell anyone, afraid they'll think she's crazy, but Zach figures it out. But Aura isn't the only one keeping secrets. Zach is keeping some pretty big ones too.

Since Aura grew up after the Shift seeing ghosts has always been part of her life. But when that ghost is your dead boyfriend, that makes it odd in a way she wouldn't have imagined. After Logan dies, he visits Aura and she's happy he's there but she knows he needs to move on. The problem is that the circumstances of Logan's death are not cut and dry and Aura finds herself in the middle of the conflict. Aside from typical teen issues, Aura certainly has some unique ones. Her boyfriend is dead and is now a ghost and there's the new boy at school that she finds herself attracted too. Nothing like a little love triangle, no matter how odd, to add drama to a teens' life.

The world building is first rate with ghosts part of society. The government, of course, is involved and not always on the side of the innocent. I liked how Smith-Ready incorporated the various government entities into this world that now includes ghosts and the more darker Shades. The Shades are the ghosts that basically turn mean. They are not bound by the elemental laws that govern the standard ghost. The Shades are powerful and dangerous, something to fear. Loved that twist that made this so much more than just a simple ghost story.

So, it's another YA series I'll be adding to my reading list. I enjoyed this different take on ghosts and Aura's world. I'm curious to see where Aura is heading and hope the next book, Shift, (May 3, 2011) will answer some of the questions that Shade left us with.

Rating: A-

Review: Kiss Across Time

Kiss Across Time
Teal Ceagh
Erotic UF/Time Travel/MMF
Time-Crossed Lovers/Book 1
Ellora's Cave/May 2010

From the author's website ~

Taylor Yates just got fired from her university for insisting that the 5th Century British poet and playwright, Inigo Domhnall, existed. When she hears the poet’s lyrics in a death metal song, she engineers a meeting with the dark-eyed, dark-haired lead singer, Brody Gallagher. An unintended kiss sends them spinning back to the poet’s time, when Saxons were pillaging King Arthur’s Britain, and a warrior expects a proper farewell from his woman before he sets off for war.

Brody’s all for kissing her again. More, he’d like her to try kissing his friend and lover, Veris, just to see what will happen. His blond, tall, blue-eyed Saxon friend Veris.

Kiss Across Time is the first book in a unique time travel series. The heroes are centuries old vampires who find their mate in Taylor Yates, a 21st century woman. What makes the relationship even more exceptional is the fact that they can time travel with a kiss. Yes, they kiss and are transported back in time. I love that part!

When Taylor shows up at the concert for the death metal band Noctural Rain, it isn't just to hear the music. She also wants to meet the man who wrote their songs. She needs to get backstage and find this songwriter. Her backstage pass comes in the form of a kiss. Kisses and kissing are obviously important in this series. I liked how a simple kiss becomes so much more within the story line.

Taylor meets not only lead singer Brody Gallagher but his lover Veris and both men know there is something very special about Taylor. She is open minded which is good since she's about to take two vampires as her lovers. The plot moves quickly with both Brody and Veris trying to show Taylor why she's so important to them as they seduce her into going home with them.

The three can hardly keep their hands off each other. There are some wickedly hot sex scenes as all three lovers enjoy exploring the new dimension of having three people in the bed or limo or wherever they may be. *grins* Taylor isn't a prude and she's very attracted to both men and wants to act on that attraction. She also needs Brody and Veris if she wants to find the answers about the poet, Inigo Domhnall, that she's spent so many years researching.

There is a lot of history packed into this novella. We learn some things about Brody and Veris' pasts and how their relationship has evolved over the centuries. We see some parts of the workings of the vampire world, learning how these vamps function among humans. Both of these men are powerful, older vampires but their not evil vamps, merely comfortable with who they are. The links between Veris, Brody and Taylor are far more than what they first seem and as the story continues, we see how connected their lives really are.

Kiss Across Time was a quick read and gave this series a solid start with three interesting main characters. I really enjoyed the time travel aspect of the story and looked forward to seeing more of that in the second book. Kiss Across Swords (book 2) continues the story of Taylor, Brody and Veris, and what happens when two vampires become a threesome with a human while doing some major time travel.

Rating: B+

Cowboys & Aliens Movie Trailer...

Cowboys must be the new vampires. Can you imagine a western Twilight? Cowboys & Aliens comes out next summer and it's a western - love westerns! With Daniel Craig & Harrison Ford. And cowboys with some cool alien toys. It sounds silly and has a cheesy title but still. . .



Blurb ~

1873. Arizona Territory. A stranger (Craig) with no memory of his past stumbles into the hard desert town of Absolution. The only hint to his history is a mysterious shackle that encircles one wrist. What he discovers is that the people of Absolution don't welcome strangers, and nobody makes a move on its streets unless ordered to do so by the iron-fisted Colonel Dolarhyde (Ford). It's a town that lives in fear.

But Absolution is about to experience fear it can scarcely comprehend as the desolate city is attacked by marauders from the sky. Screaming down with breathtaking velocity and blinding lights to abduct the helpless one by one, these monsters challenge everything the residents have ever known.

Now, the stranger they rejected is their only hope for salvation. As this gunslinger slowly starts to remember who he is and where he's been, he realizes he holds a secret that could give the town a fighting chance against the alien force. With the help of the elusive traveler Ella (Olivia Wilde), he pulls together a posse comprised of former opponents-townsfolk, Dolarhyde and his boys, outlaws and Apache warriors-all in danger of annihilation. United against a common enemy, they will prepare for an epic showdown for survival.

TBR Challenge Review: The Surgeon

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

From the back page ~

A wife shouldn't be a surprise package.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rating: B