Desire by Blood by Melissa Schroeder

Paranormal romance with a twist.  Cordelia is the disowned bastard daughter of a member the ton and a heretofore unknown “carrier”.  A carrier is a human woman genetically able to bear a “born” vampire and thus highly sought after. She is making her way by writing for a scandal sheet.  Her latest mission is to find out how Nicodemus Blackburn is making his money.  When they meet “born” vampire Nico is immediately taken with Cordelia and when caught in a compromising position Nico claims Cordelia in marriage to keep her from being ruined.  Meanwhile there is a born vampire out there that is making “made” vampires and not keeping control of them.  They are creating havoc and Nico and friends need to stop them.

This is a sexy vampire story that reads like a Victorian romance novel.  It works.  Melissa Schroeder is known for her erotic A Little Harmless series so the sex was a given to be hot.  Not as hot as her other stories but smoking just the same.  I just adore Cordelia and Nico’s mom.  Good strong women in an age where women were often ignored.  The story ended a little abruptly with questions still left unanswered but hopefully they will be answered in the next book Seduction by Blood. 

Love Unscripted by Tina Reber

Ryan Christianson is an overnight Mega Star (I kept thinking Robert Pattinson).  He can’t go anywhere without frenzied fans chasing him down.  He is Seaport, RI working on the third movie in a blockbuster trilogy when he ducks into Mitchells Pub to escape some particularly rabid fans.  There he meets pub owner Taryn Mitchell who may be the only woman on the planet who hasn’t seen his movies.  She is aware of who he is because every woman she knows is talking about him.  While waiting for the fans to recede so he can get a ride back to his hotel Taryn takes pity on him and treats him like a regular Joe.  They share a couple of beers and play a few games of pool.  Ryan is smitten from the start.  Taryn has been burnt before but eventually gives into the Christianson charm.  Can a superstar and a small town girl make a go of it?

One of my favorite chick flicks is Nottinghill.  I keep seeing the Ryan Christianson character as portrayed by Robert Pattinson in the Julia Roberts role.  I really liked this story.  It was however really long.  I am not an editor so I don’t know what could have been cut to give the same feel or if indeed anything could’ve been cut.  Do I feel that the time was less than well spent?  No.  I enjoyed every chapter and indeed had several laugh out loud moments.  

My thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster, Inc. for the opportunity to read this in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Just One Night by Eve Gaddy

Dallas Bomb Unit Detective Alex Sheridan meets former Navy SEAL now architect Luke Morgan in San Diego, CA where she gave a speech on bomb awareness.  I was supposed to be a one night stand.  What Alex didn’t know was that Luke lives and works in Dallas too.  That is until the building he is working on gets bombed and he is the prime suspect and Alex gets the case.  The chemistry they felt in San Diego is bigger and hotter in Texas.  Alex needs to find out who is framing Luke before she has to arrest him.

This was a quick read.  I couldn’t put it down because I needed to know Luke wasn’t guilty.  I love the fact that this big strong guy has to depend on a smart, sexy woman to save him.  It was a pleasant change from the alpha hero saving the “damsel in distress”.   

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Bell Bridge books for allowing me to read this in exchange for a fair and honest review.  

Delusion in Death (In Death #35) by J.D. Robb

I love this series!  I read this book in one sitting!  I could not, would not put it down.  Not only was it a great mystery but I enjoyed the fact that after all the new love stories I’ve read recently I could read a story with the deep true married love that Roarke & Eve share.

You know it is bad when the opening murder scene, an upscale bar, has over 80 bodies.  Lt. Eve Dallas speaks for the dead.   She is going to need help on this one.  The thing is it wasn’t like some guy came in with a gun or bomb this was way scarier.  Someone let loose a chemical cocktail in a happy hour crowd that turned the patrons on one another fatally and fast.  Eve and her team need to find out who and what before it happens again.

The Arrangement by Lillith Payne

Sweet, sexy romance this story took me by surprise.  I expected the typical arranged marriage story and while the plot was semi predictable the characters were not.  Corey’s fathers gambling debts have put his fathers company into position for a hostile take-over and while Corey can’t stand her father she adores her grandfather.  Enter lifelong friend of the granddad.  He is willing to help out with the condition that Corey marry his only family his grandson Reese (who just happens to be the man who took her virginity).  The grandfathers have tried match making them before.  They apparently want great grandkids. 

Surprise 1 this story takes place post war 40’s.  Surprise 2 I could totally see Katherine Hepburn playing Corey.  I have a fan girl crush on Ms. Hepburn of epic proportions.  Surprise 3 Reese was not made out to be Mr. Perfect.  Totally recommend for when you don’t want to read something too heavy.

Acts of Honor by Vicki Hinze

Fantastic mystery!  Secret military hospital. Secret military lab with secret military experiments.  Dr. Sara West wants answers and she will do just about anything to get them include put her life in danger.  Who can she trust? 

A wonderful mystery.  It got a little preachy at times but not too bad.  Acts of Honor kept me guessing right to the very end.  I will be recommending this one to my friends.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Bell Bridge books for allowing me to read this in exchange for a fair and honest review.  

Chocolate Kisses by Judith Arnold

A short and very sweet freebee from Judith Arnold.  Claudia is a blue collar girl trying to make a go of it as a caterer.  Ned is from a local blueblood family.  For goodness sakes he has roman numerals attached to his name.   Claudia meets Ned when she almost hits him while rushing to set up for a Valentines day cotillion that Neds sister is throwing.  This could boost her business into the black.  The attraction is instantaneous but can a romance work between a local prince and a girl from the kitchens?