You Don't Know Jack

Title:You Don't Know Jack
Author:Erin McCarthy
Genre:Contemporary Romance
Pages:272
Copyright:2006
Main Characters:Jamie Peters; Jonathan "Jack" Davidson
Supporting Characters: Jamie's Friends, Caroline, Mandy, Allison; Jack's Grandfather, 'Pops'


I bought this book from, what I consider the best store in the history of stores, Half-Price books quite a while ago. I've always enjoyed Ms. McCarthy's books and was excited to read "You Don't Know Jack", especially since I had previously read "The Pregnancy Test" which introduced us to Jamie and her group of friends/roomies.  When I finally pulled it off my bookshelf to read I couldn't help but love what the previous owner had written on the first page...thankfully in pencil. She wrote, and I quote "Well written story all though I could have done with a much shorter sex scene!! It was 36 pages long!!! A good story though, I liked the cute twist at the end." I laughed then dove right in.

Jamie Peters loves a good psychic and the story starts several months before when her cross dressing, ex drug addict friend tells her how she'll meet the man who touches her soul. The first several chapters revolve around meeting that guy. Jack is a retired millionaire just barely over 30 (can we say, I wish!!), but when he meets Jamie he pretends otherwise. Knowing she's not a born New Yorker but a Kentucky girl living her dream in the city, Jack decides she doesn't need to know quite yet. When new age hippie Jamie, finds out Jack's a big fat lying scumbag (not really!! You just can't seem to be mad at this guy) she decides they're better off just friends. Too bad Jack won't let that happen, and while Jamie is off trying to save the world...one ex-criminal at a time...Jack is trying to prove to Jamie that maybe she's the one who needs saving.

My book fairy was right. It is a super cute story, and while the numerous..*cough*..you know..scenes are super steamy, I didn't find them over bearing. The different players we meet throughout made me smile and wish Ms. McCarthy would decide to write a story for Allison and maybe a followup for Caroline as well. It's just about the right length for a quick read and although it doesn't have too much depth, I think it had just enough. Enjoy!

Dark Flame

Title:Dark Flame (The Immortals Series)

Author:Alyson Noel

Genre:Young Adult (Paranormal/Sci-Fi)

Pages:336

Copyright:2010

Main Characters:Ever; Damen;Jude

Supporting Characters: Roman; Haven; Myles; Ava

"Dark Flame" is the 4th book in Noel's Immortal series. Picking up where "Shadowland" left off, with Ever being a stupid, STUPID girl. As a recap, at the end of book 3 we know Ever is now an Immortal, thanks to Damen, her soul mate for the last 400 years. She has been reincarnated many times over, but just as Damen finds her again she's killed. So now Damen has shared his special 'Immortal juice' with her so he wont lose her again. Unfortunately the elixir hasn't made her smarter. I will give her the fact that she's still a teenager and has to learn, but come on girl!! In book 2 ,"Blue Moon", Ever has Damen drink something that makes it so the two of them can't touch...whooops! Then in book 3 she goes against the so called love of her life and turns her moody bff into an immortal after sneaky sleazy Roman threatens to kill Haven. Aaaaand that's where "Dark Flame" starts.

Ever, the braniac that she is, has tied herself to Roman. Well not literally, but close enough. A magick spell she used to tie him to her backfires and she's now drooling over him. Her (ominous tones here) dark side is all about it, but her heart and soul know Damen is what she truly wants. Now the kicker is, that's pretty much the entire book in a nutshell. The whole time you just want to yell at her to ask for help!! Instead she tries to fix her mistakes then just digs her hole deeper. She finally, FINALLY, requests a little help from Jude, mind you this if after she sends him to the Hospital! Again! And of course he offers to assist in what ever way he can. OK let me just mention that Jude has been in all her 'lives' as well, he's the...well I guess you could say other man. Now how do you think that makes Damen feel! Actually how does that make the reader feel! Here's this 16 going on 17 year old girl with dreamy Damen, adorable Jude, and sexy Roman all chasing her! Lucky brat! Anyways...this is not one of those all's well that ends well kinda books. Ms. Noel leaves us pretty much hanging again. And after Jude kills Roman (uh oh) Ever loses the only antidote to the little problem her and Damen have...you remember the whole no touching thing, right? Well in the end I'm depressed, still mad at Ever, still rooting for Damen and still wanting to run my fingers through Jude's dreadlocks. All in all it's a good read, no real loose ends are tied up but we do get to delve a little deeper into the world of immortals. I'm looking forward to the 5th installment which is scheduled to be released in winter of this year but until then, I'm just waiting.

Some Like It Scot

Title:Some Like It Scot

Author:Donna Kauffman

Genre:Contemporary Romance

Pages:310

Copyright:2010

Main Characters:Katie McAuley;Graham McLeod

Supporting Characters:Roan; Shay; Blaine

Who doesn't love a man with an accent, especially a Scottish accent. In 'Some Like It Scot', Donna Kauffman does an excellent job bringing her kilt wearing hero to life. I shouldn't have been surprised, she's done it before and I'm sure she'll do it again.

We start the story in Kinloch, with Graham arguing with his 2 best friends Shay and Roan about the McLeod/McAuley marriage pact, which pretty much says one has to marry the other in order to stay in the position on Clan leader....confusing eh? Graham has 5 weeks to take a bride to stay in the position he's been holding since his grandfather passed. He takes his only available option and jumps on a plane to Maryland to track down a McAuley.

Katie is said McAuley and happens to be standing in her wedding dress in the prayer garden behind the chapel when she meets Graham. He doesn't initially know it's her he's looking for and spills the story of the pact. The stars a line and fireworks burst and angels sing when Graham stands up to stop the wedding, a wedding Katie doesn't want anyways...a wedding to her best friend...he best friend who doesn't have feeling for her that way...in fact he doesn't have feelings for any woman, just his best man! Graham sweeps Katie off her feet, literally, and carries her to the waiting limo and they start their journey back to Scotland.

In the 2 plus day trip Katie and Graham get to know each other, in more ways then one. Whether it's drooling on one another's shoulders or sharing an erotic daydream?....well I guess that's what you'd call it. By the time they reach the island they both know they cannot join just because some 300 year old law says so. Luckily by now the feelings they have for each other quite a bit deeper.

Ms. Kauffman is an excellent story teller, and an even better writer. I sometimes find her books a bit wordy and hard to get through but didn't have a problem with this one. I even found myself speaking in a Scottish Brogue when I'd finished...whoops. 'Some Like it Scot' is an enjoyable adventure and I hope Ms. Kauffman continues with the stories of the other men of Kinloch!

Sex Love and Online Dating Series

Title:Sex, Lies & Online Dating

Author:Rachel Gibson

Genre:Contemporary Romance

Pages:384

Copyright:2006

Main Characters:Lucy Rothschild; Quinn McIntyre

Supporting Characters:Clare;Maddie;Adele

The first book in this "series", Sex, Lies & Online Dating introduces us to a group of 4 ladies who became friends because of their occupation, writing.

Lucy Rothschild is a mystery writer who is researching her newest novel, by posing as an Internet dater. After several coffee dates with the type of men she kills of in her book, she meets up with Quinn, 'hardluvinman', knowing she needs one more character to..ahem...write off.

Unfortunately for Lucy, Quinn is actually an undercover detective, looking for an actual serial killer and Lucy is one of his prime suspects. They're immediately attracted...this is a romance after all...even though Lucy believes Quinn is a plumber and Quinn knows Lucy's true identity. The first half of the book is their internal battle on whether or not you can fall in love via the Internet and the last half is the external battle to find the true killer before they find Lucy!

Title:I'm in No Mood For Love

Author:Rachel Gibson

Genre:Contemporary Romance

Pages:384

Copyright:2006

Main Characters:Clare Wingate; Sebastian Vaughan

Supporting Characters:Lucy, Quinn, Maddie, Adele

Clare Wingate is a romantic who thinks she found the perfect man who will give her the perfect marriage, just like in the romance books she writes. Her dream goes up in smoke when she finds said boyfriend on the kitchen floor with the repairman. Clare the proceeds to try and drown her sorrows in the bottle at Lucy and Quinns wedding reception. Clare wakes up the next morning, minus her pink bridesmaid dress, in a hotel room. Whats worse is she's not alone.

Sebastian Vaughan hasn't seen Clare in many, many years but that didn't stop him from spending the night with her. Although Clare believes they did more then just catch up, he knows it was a completely platonic night...well except for when drunken Clare strips down to her panties and cuddles up next to him. Sebastian didn't plan on trying to rekindle a relationship with the girl he grew up trying to get dirty, but he can't help but want to get...well dirty. Clare needs someone to show her romance can exists out of her books, and he just might be the perfect guy.

Title:Tangled Up In You

Author:Rachel Gibson

Genre:Contemp Romance

Pages:384 (at least she's consistent)

Copyright:2007

Main Characters: Maddie Dupree; Mick Hennessy

Supporting Characters:Lucy, Quinn, Clare, Sebastian, Adele

*This book takes place in Truly, ID and we get to check up on characters we met in "Truly Madly Yours"

Maddie Dupree, has bought a house in Truly, Idaho and is searching out a story for her next book. No one but her and her 3 friends back in Boise know this story is her story, the story of her mothers murder 20 plus years ago. She immediately seeks out the current Hennessy, who owns the bar her mother was killed in, while hiding the fact that she is a True Crime writer who pens under the name Madeline Smith.

If Mick Hennessy only knew that Maddie Smith was searching out the story that entwines both her mother and his parents and one fatal affair, he never would have fallen for her. He'd rather the gruesome tale that haunted his and his sisters childhood would just stay hidden, but he can't help but make sure the lady, he can't get out of his mind, has the right information and also makes it into his bed! Yippee for pillow talk! Rachel Gibson 'truly' delivers once again.

Title:Not Another Bad Date

Author:Rachel Gibson

Genre:Contemp Romance

Pages:(Guess) 384

Copyright:2008

Main Characters:Adele Harris;Zach Zemaitis

Supporting Characters:Lucy, Clare, Maddie;Sherilyn

'Not Another Bad Date' is my favorite of this foursome. Not only is Adele a Sci-Fi writer (nerd alert) but it's set in the great state of Texas!! Adele met Zach in college, he was big man on campus, being quarterback for the football team, and she was the quiet girl with the big curly hair he had to have, ultimately leaving his cheerleader girlfriend for. Said girlfriend wouldn't let Zach go though, and with her being pregnant Zach is forced to marry her and heartbroken Adele runs up north to get away from the boy she thought she could love

Now 14 years later their paths cross again...when Adele leaves Idaho for Texas, coming to help her pregnant sister out. Zach is now a widower ex pro footballer with a 14 year old daughter he doesn't always understand. When they get a little alone time the sparks that were between them so many years ago have ignited to a full fledge fire of passion...how's that for a setup.

I love this book!! it's quirky and heartfelt just like the other 3, but it's also funny as all get out with the side story that shows you why Adele had had so many bad dates and just what happened to Zach's cheerleader wife after she gets hit by a garbage truck...yep garbage truck.

If you read one, you must read them all!! So you better get to reading!

The Naked Viscount

Title: The Naked Viscount
Author: Sally MacKenzie
Genre: Historical Romance
Pages: 325
Copyright: 2010
Main Characters: Lady Jane Parker-Roth; Viscount-Edmund Smyth
Supporting Characters: Mrs. Cecilia Parker-Roth; Stephen Parker-Roth; Aunts Gertrude, Cordelia, Winifred, Dorothea and Louisa Smyth.

*Though this is the 7th book the author has written for the ‘Naked’ series, it should be read BEFORE the ‘The Naked Gentleman’.

You will rarely see me write about a historical romance, as a rarely read them myself, but the ‘Naked’ series is an exception. Thanks to a suggestion from my Momma (you’re the best!!) I read the first 4 full length books, The Naked Duke; The Naked Marquis; The Naked Earl; The Naked Gentleman, in early 2010. I did not read her 5th full length book as it was written later but based several years prior to ‘The Naked Gentleman’.

“The Naked Viscount” depicts the story of Lady Jane Parker-Roth, sister of John Parker-Roth from ‘The Naked Gentleman’, and Lord Edmund Smyth, Viscount of Motton. Jane is spending her 8th season in London, being chaperoned to the many Ton balls and society parties by her mother while staying in the town home next door to Lord Motton’s estate. Jane finds Edmund in the homes library and sparks fly. Sexy, Sneaky Edmund is searching for pieces of a puzzle and Jane just happens to be the perfect person to help him solve it, all the while hiding their blooming feelings (duh) for each other from Edmunds over bearing Aunts, who can’t wait to see him married and producing an heir.

So far this book is my favorite in the series, I was skeptical as I already knew, from ‘The Naked Gentleman’, how this story will pan out. Jane and Edmund are both very strong characters and they balance each other out perfectly, and hearing about them search for well endowed statues of Pan all over London is a riot. Especially when Jane happens upon a very strong aphrodisiac, while her and Edmund are crashing an orgy. As you can probably guess we get a happy ending, which honestly never gets old, and a set-up for the next one. Now if only I can wait until 2011 for “The Naked King” to come out. I love me some Stephen!! You’ll see, if you get to reading.

The Night She Got Lucky

Title:The Night She Got Lucky

Author:Susan Donovan

Genre:Contemporary Romance

Pages:326

Copyright:2010

Main Characters: Ginger Garrison; Lucio 'Lucky' Montevez

Supporting Characters:Joshua & Jason Garrison; Rick & Josie Rousseau; Bea Latimer; Roxanne Bloom...and a bunch of dogs...yes dogs!

*This is book 2 in the 'Dog Walker Series'

WoooooWeeeeee! Well I've been waiting for this one. I'm a big Susan Donovan fan, having read several of her previous books. "The Night She Got Lucky" is the followup to Donovans "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" where Ms. Donovan introduces us to a group of 4 very different women, who share one thing in common, they love their dogs. The book starts with Genevieve "Ginger" Garrison speaking with a slightly creepy woman named Gloria Needleman at her friend Josie's wedding to Rick Rousseau, in which she's a bridesmaid. Mrs. Needleman (who I always think of as using a sort of Darth Vader voice...hmm) tells Ginger that 'He's' out there, just in time for Ginger to pass out in the arms of sexy Spaniard Lucky Montevez(There's your title!).

OK that's the PG version....now I read alot of romances but I'm not really into the super smutty. I like it fun, with a good story that keeps me drawn in. Now while this book had that, it was also rather...well dirty. Seriously it used 4 and 5 letter words I don't even like saying in my head...and it used them alot. Ginger actually uses the term 'Sexual Panther' to describe Lucio several times, and I couldn't help but laugh. Other then that it's a great read. Full of laughs, questions, great sex, and a ton of Gilligan's Island references. Twin 15 year old boys, who enjoy calling each other awesomely ridiculous names like 'tardvark'. Plus who doesn't love a character that's a photographer who likes telling stories about eating a live octopus in some random country! I'm pretty sure it'll leave you happy...so get to reading!

Aurora Teagarden Series: Charlaine Harris

After a long debate with myself I’ve decided to start with a book series by my absolute favorite author, Charlaine Harris. Before her Sookie Stackhouse series (which I’m sure I’ll talk about later) became popular with the spawn of the HBO series True Blood, Ms. Harris wrote a mystery series about Aurora Teagarden and several “Real Murders”, we’ll start there.

The first installment in the series was written in 1990, I was nervous about how that would affect the way it read almost 20 years later. Honestly after getting into “Real Murders” I didn’t think much about it. Although Ms. Harris mentions clothing and hair styles it’s not so much that I couldn’t picture the story happening in present time.

We meet Aurora (Roe) Teagarden in Lawrenceton, Georgia. She’s a feisty little thing, little being the key word. Roe, one of several librarians in her small town, is 4’11” and loves a good serial killer. It just so happens that there is one on the loose and strikes during the monthly meeting of the Real Murders Club she is a member of. In the eyes of the police she is a suspect, in her own eyes she’s a possible victim. It’s quite the adventure as we help Roe solve the crime all while her love life starts to really develop and she finds herself torn between 2 very different (and hunky) men. This book obviously reads slightly slower than the following 7, I mean we have to have a little bit of character development. All and all it’s a bloody mess but in the end Roe lives to see another day (I mean this isn’t really a spoiler, there’s 7 more books people!!!)

“A Bone to Pick” picks (haha) back up where “Real Murders” left off…several months down the road of course. Little Miss Teagarden has been busy. Not only has she been seeing before mentioned (hunky) Arthur, we find out he’s a lying cheating dirtbag of a man…well of course he is…we have 6 more books to fill. On the plus side a very special lady from book 1 has passed away, leaving Aurora some money, her 2 bedroom home and quite surprisingly a hidden skull and a new mystery to solve. Now we get to witness Roe juggling some dead persons head and dating the local Episcopal priest. This one is a must read, Ms. Harris dives a little deeper into Roe’s brain and we get to know her better.

I love when a books name works ridiculously well with the story. The third installment “Three Bedrooms, One Corpse” means exactly what is says. Aurora is struggling to find herself and where she truly belongs. She decides to take a shot at the family business, working for her (complete opposite of Roe) Mother’s real estate company. I have to take a side note here and just say this poor girl is ALWAYS in the wrong place at the wrong time, I’d lock myself in my room. Anyways, there’s a body in the first house she shows…big surprise right? At this point the detectives in the town think she’s bad news…poor thing. Especially when she happens to be driving by her friend’s house and stops to find another murder victim…geez Louise. The best part about this one? We get to meet Martin Bartell, a yummy piece of older man (think Richard Gere), that Roe is immediately smitten with. Sorry Aubrey, there’s a new guy in town!!

I always tell people you have to get past the first 3 books in a series and then it really starts to get good. The same is true with “The Julius House”. Wedding bells ring for Roe in this 4th, and so far best, in the series. Martin (I want him) buys his new bride a wedding gift she can’t refuse, a house on the outskirts of town that just happens to have a mystery tied to it. The so called Julius House was once home to the Julius family who had disappeared from it several years prior. Of course Roe isn’t interested in finding out what happened to them…hehe just kidding. With the help of her new friend(bodyguard) Angel, Mrs. Teagarden-Bartell starts to literally ‘uncover’ some of her new homes secrets. Unfortunately her new hubby has some secrets he’s been hiding as well. *queue the dramatic music here*

Ok Book 5 “Dead Over Heels” I’ll try to make this one short. The Book starts with Roe chillin’ in a lounge chair while Angel mows the lawn, and then oh it’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s Superman? Nope, just another dead guy falling from the sky. This time it’s Detective Jack Burns. Oh great the guy who blames Roe for everything, should I be happy or sad about this??? Well people start dropping like flies around Roe, including before mentioned lying cheating dirtbag ex. Remind me to steer clear of small towns in Georgia.

“A Fool and His Honey” is my favorite in the series, hopefully I don’t give too much away. After a man strips naked in the couples front yard, Martin’s niece, with newborn son in tow, show up on their doorstep claiming they need to stay…the weird day gets weirder when Roe and Martin come home to a dead guy on the stairs *Gasp*, the baby under the bed and Regina, Martin’s niece, m.i.a. not to mention some random dude asleep on the couch. Martin and Roe head to Martin’s home town in Ohio to get some answers and find more than they bargained for. I would recommend having tissues nearby because the ending is heartbreaking. If you want to be surprised STOP READING NOW!

I didn’t think I could continue after the ending of the previous book, I did and I’m quite glad. “Last Scene Alive” (another clever title) finds Roe alone…again…I mean the woman is in her 30’s can she ever catch a break?!! But guess what, her luck is about to turn…kinda. After being gone since the first book, Robin makes his long awaited return to film his adaptation of the ‘Real Murders Mystery”. *Jump up and down with excitement*. Unfortunately, the shooting turns deadly, pun intended. Once again someone’s trying to kill half the town and Roe’s in the middle of it all. Oh and she gets some new, trendier eye wear…that’s a plus!

Here we go, “Poppy Done to Death”. The final installment is upon us. We find Aurora and Robin still moving along quite nicely and everything seems to be falling into place. That is until Roe’s sister in Law turns up dead. Now I was confused at when Roe even aquired a sister in law, but it’s actually her new step brother’s wife. Not to be confused with her half brother, who we do meet again many years older than he was in book 1, but not old enough to be married. Although the book has a great mystery to solve it’s really all about tying up loose ends. I’m very happy with the ending of this book and altogether this series. It’s generally a happy ending for a character that deserves nothing but the best. So get to reading!!