Safe Haven

Title:Safe Haven
Author:Nicholas Sparks
Genre:Novel
Pages:340 (Hardback)
Copyright:2010
Main Characters:Katie, Alex, Kevin
Supporting Characters:Josh, Kristen, Jo







Katie is on the run from her past.  When she's lead to the town of Southport, North Carolina, she's afraid to settle down. She's constantly weary of her past(in the form of her husband) catching up with her.  Although she tries her hardest to blend in and keep to herself she can't help but be drawn to shop owner Alex and his children Josh and Kristen.

Alex knows Katie is hiding something, years as an Army detective has taught him the signs, and although he knows Katie is unwilling to share he secrets, Alex informs her he's not going anywhere. When the truth finally comes out and Alex knows Katie isn't her name and she's hiding from a controlling husband, Alex stands by her side.

With a little push from Katie's neighbor, Jo, their relationship blossoms regardless of both of their pasts. Now they have to prove they can make it work forever, and weather any disaster that comes their way.

Although Nicholas Sparks is generally one of my favorite authors, I've found myself having to actually make myself read his past several novels.  After reading "At First Sight" a couple years ago I decided I needed a break. Nick Sparks has said himself that his books aren't actually romances, but tragedies, and I can't remember a single title of his I haven't cried at one point or another. "Safe Haven" is different, considering as soon as I read what the book was about I knew it was going to be different and a definite must read...quickly.  Though many of his books have encompassed the subject of loss, whether it be death, war or distance, "Safe Haven" breeches the subject of abuse as well. Mr. Sparks is an excellent story teller, and he writes characters that you can't help but love...or in this instance hate. He truly makes you feel a part of he story where you don't want to put the book down.

I can honestly say this is probably my favorite Nicholas Sparks book since "A Walk To Remember", and although my copy is tear stained I shut the cover smiling.

Buy This Book--Safe Haven on Amazon

Simply Irresistible

Title:Simply Irresistible

Author:Jill Shalvis

Genre:Contemporary Romance

Pages:311

Copyright:2010

Main Characters:Maddie Moore & Jax Cullen

Supporting Characters:Tara, Chloe, Ford, Sawyer



First book in Jill Shalvis' new Lucky Harbor series.




Maddie Moore is leaving the 'mousy' lifestyle behind. After losing a boyfriend and job in one fell swoop, Maddie packs up her Honda and heads to Lucky Harbor, Washington looking for a new start. Maddie along with her sisters Chloe and Tara have inherited their mothers seaside inn...unfortunately with it comes a whole heck of a lot of debt and even more problems. Maddie is willing to make a go of the place, now she has to convince her sisters it's worth the effort.

After having nearly been ran off the road by Maddie, Jax Cullen is immediately taken with her unruly hair and soft smile.  Kissing her on the pier was not his plan, but now that everyone in town knows, why shouldn't he do it again.  Although Jax is a retired lawyer and current mayor, he finds being a contractor the more enjoyable profession. When Maddie calls looking for a 'Master' he can't resist taking the job. Together they decide to make a go of the dilapidated business.

Much to Maddie's discomfort, there is much more then meets the eye with Jax...and we're not talking about the tattoos. Maddie has to decide whether she can leave the past behind and move to a future with her sisters and Jax, or if she's stuck being the timid mouse forever.

I always forget how much I love reading Ms. Shalvis' books until another one comes out. Her style is total contemporary and she hasn't written a character yet that I dislike.  If you read like I do you'll finish "Simply Irresistible" in a few hours, I couldn't put it down. Normally a new series first book takes a bit to get into, as the author has to introduce the plot and characters. This series, and most others by Jill Shalvis, don't have that problem. I don't think I stopped smiling the entire story. I can't wait until Tara's story "The Sweetest Thing" hits the shelves.

Buy This Book--Simply Irrisistable on Amazon

Undead and Unfinished

Title:Undead and Unfinished
Author:MaryJanice Davidson

Genre:Paranormal Romance

Pages:296(hard cover)

Main Characters:Elizabeth 'Betsy' Taylor; Eric Sinclair; Laura

Supporting Characters:Jessica, Marc, Tina, the Ant, and Satan (yes you heard me)

Before I start rambling about 'Undead and Unfinished' I should let you know this post will have MAJOR SPOILERS! I can't help it! Also I'll start out with a quick recap of the last 8 books...stick with me!

...Where to begin? So Betsy Taylor is your average 30 year old ex-model/currently unemployed secretary who just happens to have a super rich best friend...and did I mention she wakes up a vampire. The last 8 books of this 'Undead' series were incredible, lets see if I can get everything across. Betsy is fired and then plowed down by a car on her 30th birthday (as if that's not bad enough already). Several days later she wakes up caked in makeup wearing a hideous suit and even worse shoes..thus begins the story. Since then she's found out the (a) she's the Vampire Queen fated to rule for 5000 years next to the hunka, hunka burning vampire, Eric Sinclair, who she initially hates to love. And (b) her hair will always look awesome. After her super rich bff Jessica buys a mansion on Summit Ave, Dread Queen Betsy, her King, his minion Tina, Jessica, and Mr. I almost jumped off a building Marc move in. Throughout the book we're visited by numerous ghosts, fiends, cops, werewolves and even a Zombie or 2. A couple books back...before her and Sink Lair get married but after the fiends kill Nostril...we meet Laura, she happens to be the daughter of the Devil and also Betsy's half sister (you'll have to read them all to really understand) and also see Betsy inherit a son/brother in BabyJon. Unfortunately over the course of 8 (did I mention awesome) books we see Betsy lose friends too, and here we are starting book 9. Betsy, Sinclair, Jessica and BabyJon are back from Cape Cod and we're (as in the devoted readers) ready to see what's in store for our favorite Vampire Queen....

Book 9, 'Undead and Unfinished', sees Betsy and Laura in The Mall of America...again. But we don't get to stay there long. After Betsy gets in a huge fight with Sinclair, she decides traveling to Hell with Laura beats staying in the house. After arriving and finding the Ant as Satan's right hand lady, the Devil herself (yes she's a chick) tells Laura she wants to retire and hand over the reins to Laura, but first Laura has to master time travel. With Betsy's help, Laura first pulls the duo back in time to the Salem Witch Trials and at that point I knew this wasn't going to be your average Betsy book. After Salem they visit 5 more spaces in time, where Betsy learns quite a bit more about her husband, Tina and most of all herself.

I don't want to give too much away, but lets just say that when Betsy gets home quite a few things have changed...one thing I LOVE is detective Nick being back and being nice!! Yippee! Another is the fact that Tina and Eric can finally be open about everything they know with Betsy. 

Although I had a hard time really getting into the book initially once the time travel started I could scarcely put it down. I feel, as a devoted reader, that's it's about time we fully understand Tina and Eric's past, as well as how they knew so much about Betsy before she really did. I loved how MJD did that. One thing I did not love...the epilogue. As soon as I shut the book I took off running for the computer. I'm not ashamed to say I pulled up other people reactions and several of them matched mine...freaked the heck out! My first thought was dear goodness don't tell me this is it, but after finding a post from MaryJanice herself I'm quite relieved. She says no this isn't the last book, not even close. She hopes to write several more that help clear up the hazy future we see in 'Undead and Unfinished' (I cry in relief). So now it's not a question of "what the heck was that ending?" but "How on earth can I wait for the next one?".



Tempted All Night/Wicked All Day

I'm quite a bit behind on my blogs, lets see if I can catch up.

Title:Tempted All Night
Author:Liz Carlyle
Genre:Regency Romance
Pages:438
Copyright:2009
Main Characters:Lady Phaedra Northhampton; Tristan Talbot




Well I have changed my mind, I'm a woman, it is allowed. I am growing quite fond of time period pieces, and I have a feeling Liz Carlyle is going to be one of my favorites.

'Tempted All Night' tells the story of Phae Northhampton, whom we met in 2007's 'Never Lie to a Lady'.  She's quite the proper lady on the outside, but lucky for Tristan (you can't help loving a bad boy), she's quite the opposite of proper on the inside.  Rogue Tristan "Don't call me Lord Avoncliffe" Talbot, is immediately taken with Phae, and although he hates the thought of "taking" a Lady he can't seem to help himself. To Tristan's surprise, and I'd say pleasure, Phaedra isn't quite the Lady she likes to have everyone believe.

When Lady Phae lets him in on why she can't seem to stay away from a particular brothel, the one his father asks him to investigate, Tristan can't seem to resist helping. With a little help from friends and Phae's brothers clothes the duo discovers exactly what's going on behind closed doors. Now the only question is, can the 2 of them keep what's between them hidden. Phaedra thinks so, but lucky for her Tristan has another idea. Warning: this story contains shackles.

Title:Wicked All Day
Author:Liz Carlyle
Genre:Regency Romance
Pages:421
Copyright:2009
Main Characters:Zoe Armstrong; Stuart "Mercer" Rowland; Robert Rowland




'Wicked All Day' follows shortly after the epilogue of 'Tempted All Day'. Miss Zoe Armstrong, the motherless daughter of a Marquess, refuses to marry. I understand her point, although she's gorgeous most men only want her for her wealth. Robert "Robin" and Stuart (Marquess of Mercer) Rowland have known and watched out for Zoe since they were children, but when Robin is caught with Zoe literally on his lap Mercer forces them into an engagement he hopes saves Zoe's reputation.

Robin and Mercer's Mother and Step Father invite Zoe and family to Mercer's country estate, and although Robin and Zoe are now betrothed Mercer finds himself realizing that he's been in love with her...probably forever.  With Robin annoying everyone and treating his supposed bff Zoe like garbage, she turns to Mercer. When she realizes it's always been him she turns to, Zoe knows she has to make a decision. Follow her fathers wishes, or follow her heart.

All in all the 2 books together were fabulously fun and not too difficult to get through. Plus, we learn that a mistress can be a wife, who woulda thunk it.

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!