A- Reviews

REVIEW: Burning Up by Singh, Knight, Kantra and Brook

REVIEW: Burning Up by Singh, Knight, Kantra and Brook

Dear Readers, Burning Up is a new anthology of steamy paranormal novellas from Berkely. I almost never read or review entire anthologies, mainly because it takes me a long, long time to craft four mini-reviews, but in this case I was motivated to do so by my desire to try these stories, all of which(…)

REVIEW: Still Life with Murder by P.B. Ryan

REVIEW: Still Life with Murder by P.B. Ryan

Disclosure: Back in the days when pterodactyls soared across the skies (about a dozen years ago or so) I took a couple of eight week novel writing classes with Patricia Ryan. She was a wonderful teacher, and I learned a lot from those classes. Aside from those two courses, and a one day writing workshop(…)

REVIEW:  Things I Know About Love by Kate le Vann

REVIEW: Things I Know About Love by Kate le Vann

Dear Ms. le Vann, If not for the cover, I do not think I would have tried this book.   The premise sounded cute at best, but nothing that I would fight to read, and the short length was a turn-off for me as a reader.   But, because the cover instantly reminded me of the best(…)

REVIEW: Marrying the Royal Marine by Carla Kelly

REVIEW: Marrying the Royal Marine by Carla Kelly

Dear Ms. Kelly, At last, at last the final book in the Brandon Sisters series. Eldest sister Nan found love with a naval Captain, middle sister Laura married a naval doctor and now it’s youngest – by quite a few years – sister Polly’s turn. But instead of the Navy, the Royal Marines provide our(…)

REVIEW: I Kissed an Earl by Julie Anne Long

REVIEW: I Kissed an Earl by Julie Anne Long

Dear Ms. Long, Violet Redmond is young, beautiful, and bored. It seems that no matter what she does, her popularity with the ton will not fade. Suitors flock to her side, even though she once threatened to cast herself into a well when arguing with one of them. In the next to last book in(…)

REVIEW: A Bride After All by Kasey Michaels

REVIEW: A Bride After All by Kasey Michaels

Dear Ms. Michaels, June and June brides are upon us so the second book in your “Second Chance Bridal” series is right on time. After loving “Suddenly A Bride” last month I wanted to see who would get another chance at finding that perfect dress to go with the perfect guy. Claire Ayers and Nick(…)

REVIEW: Can’t Stand the Heat? by Margaret Watson

REVIEW: Can’t Stand the Heat? by Margaret Watson

Dear Ms. Watson, Picking “Can’t Stand the Heat?” to try was sort of like a cold call for me. I had nothing to go on, I’d never tried any of your other books – though that will change now, and the blurb: “Just the sight of Walker Barnes in her kitchen is enough to panic(…)

REVIEW: Necking anthology, edited by Julianne Bentley

REVIEW: Necking anthology, edited by Julianne Bentley

Dear Authors. The theme of this anthology is gay male threesomes, so I’m not sure where the title comes from. I opened the volume because it has stories by some of my favorite Dreamspinner authors (Merrow, Cullinan, Black) and because I love m/m romances AND threesome stories. Some of the stories have a HEA for(…)

REVIEW: Inland Empire by James Buchanan

REVIEW: Inland Empire by James Buchanan

Dear James, You’ve just published the third (and last?) book, All or Nothing, in your Taking the Odds series and I thought this was a good chance for me to reread (and review) the first two as a refresher before I start Book 3. Cheating Chance is the first book in the series. My review(…)

REVIEW: Suddenly a Bride by Kasey Michaels

REVIEW: Suddenly a Bride by Kasey Michaels

Dear. Ms. Michaels, I will admit to loving to wander through bridal shops and checking out gowns, headdresses and accessories. There’s just something about all that hope and promise of a future plus getting to look like your version of a Princess for a Day that gets me every time. And though I would probably(…)

REVIEW: Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris

REVIEW: Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris

Dear Ms. Harris: The first time I read Dead in the Family I felt almost hypnotized by the emotional aftermath of the horror Sookie faced in the last book, Dead and Gone. Enthralled by the effects of her trauma and the painfully slow steps she was making toward recovery, I could barely summon my critical(…)

REVIEW: Wicked Becomes You by Meredith Duran

REVIEW: Wicked Becomes You by Meredith Duran

Dear Ms. Duran, Since publishing your first romance in 2008, you have quickly become one of my favorite and most dependable authors; I have not given any of your first three books a grade lower than an A-. So I looked forward to Wicked Becomes You with a fair amount of anticipation. The book opens(…)

REVIEW: Outlaw by Susan Johnson

REVIEW: Outlaw by Susan Johnson

Dear Ms. Johnson: I wish I could recall the first book I’ve read of yours. It was one of the Braddock Black series, either Blaze or Forbidden. Outlaw was published in 1993 and it remains one of my favorite historical romances. I view you and Robin Schone as having birthed the erotic romance genre. Your(…)

REVIEW: A Most Lamentable Comedy by Janet Mullany

REVIEW: A Most Lamentable Comedy by Janet Mullany

Dear Ms. Mullany, Having recently read and very much liked your book Improper Relations , I was eager to pick up this other book of yours that I had in my tbr pile. A Most Lamentable Comedy is apparently related to one of your earlier books that I have not yet read, The Rules of(…)

REVIEW: A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner

REVIEW: A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner

Dear Ms. Turner, Somehow, I've become a huge fan of your YA series. My love for the books has taken me by surprise because the first book, The Thief, was slow to engage me and aimed at a younger audience than the later books. It wasn't until the second half of that book that I(…)