Opening Line:"I was thirty years old when the seaplane T.J Callahan and I were travelling on crash-landed in the Indian ocean."
Gawd this left me shatt...moreOpening Line:"I was thirty years old when the seaplane T.J Callahan and I were travelling on crash-landed in the Indian ocean."
Gawd this left me shattered, easily one of the best books I’ve read this year. It’s taken me ages to get a review organized because I just couldn’t figure out how to write one that would do this amazing story justice.
There were just so many things I loved about this; a survival story, a forbidden romance, a tropical desert isle location, action, suspense, (freakin sharks) uncertainty, heartbreak. ON THE ISLAND was unputdownable from the very first page, took me on a ride that I didn’t want to end and tugged at my heartstrings every step of the way. Anna and T.J’s story of survival and ultimately love is fascinating, well written and not one that I'll be able to forget.
Thirty year old Anna Emerson has just taken a job tutoring a wealthy family’s 16 year old son for the summer. The job takes her to the Maldives, which is perfect because her current relationship is going nowhere and she wants the time away to sort out her feelings. Anna meets up wither student in the airport where they begin the long multi connection journey together. T.J Callahan is old beyond his 16 years, having just stared cancer in the face but spending his summer vacation with his family and a tutor is the last thing he wants to do even if she is kinda hot.
On the last leg of their journey the pilot of their single engine plane suffers a heart attack and crash lands somewhere in the Indian Ocean. With Anna unconscious T.J manages to get them ashore and then their journey begins. For 3 1/2 years Anna and TJ struggle for survival on the deserted tropical island (think Tom Hanks in Castaway) armed only with only with items that wash up on the beach, a determination that they will be rescued and each other. Together they face insurmountable odds and with each year that passes their bond and dependence on each other only grows.
A lot of other reviewers have mentioned the age factor being an issue but I never had a problem with it. I felt that their relationship took a natural progression due to their circumstances. I mean they relied on each other completely and after a time rescue and the outside world would have seemed a dream. Through uncomplicated writing and an alternating 1st person POV the author really gives us a feel for both characters. This is particularly important in T.J’s case because his POV matures from boy to man, assuring the reader that there isn’t anything wrong or dirty with the romance aspect.
The survival side of their ordeal is also realistically portrayed and this is definitely one of those books that will make you stop and think; what would I have done in their situation? Would I have done anything differently? Would I have survived? Could I have bettered the situation?
Throughout I kept having flashes of The Blue Lagoon (especially during the shark scenes) which was an absolute favourite movie of mine as a teenager (Come on, Christopher Atkins romancing Brooke Shields in a loin cloth) This may have played a part into why I loved this book so much, well that and haven’t we all had the marooned on a desert isle with a hot guy fantasy at one time or another? Other influences here were Lost and as I mentioned Castaway.
This is a beautiful love story that until the very end I was never sure how it was going to play out. *Sigh* the epilogue. I want to thank everyone who recommended it to me and I’ll be doing the same Cheers.
Opening Line: "I suppose the important thing is to make some sort of difference."
So I’m going to try to write a somewhat sensible review here that doe...moreOpening Line: "I suppose the important thing is to make some sort of difference."
So I’m going to try to write a somewhat sensible review here that doesn’t come across as all gushy fan-girl. I will say (hopefully only once) that I adored this book but you should know that I'm a bit of a sucker for a tragedy too. ONE DAY was brilliant in every way; making me laugh and cry while filling me with nostalgia and longing. And because I’m the same age as Dexter and Emma the time frame here was also totally relatable (see nostalgia) with little details I had forgotten about from the past two decades.
Equal parts heartbreaking and hilarious yet also suspenseful as each chapter takes place a year to the day after the last one so you have to figure out what’s happened in that time between. And of course you want the H/h to get together so you’re waiting with bated breathe for them to finally “see” each other too. In the end this also made me want to seize the day like it’s my last, phone up all my long lost friends and lovers and look at old photographs. Hmmm and I haven’t even gotten into the genius of the writing yet (how do you put that into words?)
I knew that writing a review here was going to be difficult (when you love a book this much there doesn’t seem to be enough correct words to do it justice) and I promised myself to just keep this short and to the point so here goes... This is one of the most hilarious, perceptive, witty, moving and heartbreaking books I have ever read.
Told in 5 parts in alternating POV’s and over a span of twenty years Dexter Mayhew and Emma Morley meet in 1988. Em has just graduated from university and hooked up with that boy she’s seen around for ages. He is Dexter, beautiful, pretentious and in his mind destined for greatness. As the sun rises they drink wine and talk about their futures. They have their whole lives stretching out ahead of them in an endless number of days and isn’t it going to be wonderful they can achieve anything they want to.
Starting as lovers Dexter and Emma continue as friends and the book joins them on July 15th of each year (St Swithin’s day) through their 20’s and 30’s and into their 40’s. As anyone in their 40’s knows, life happens and it doesn’t always go as planned, missed opportunities and the like.
“When I was younger everything seemed possible. Now nothing does.”
Through phone calls and letters, in different countries and towns, through assorted relationships, jobs and life’s little surprises and ruts we join Em and Dex each year in a unique snapshot of their life. They don’t always get along but they do think about each other everyday in some way and in case you haven’t figured it out this is ultimately a love story.
I can’t say much more about this without giving it all away. But when I read the last word I wanted to start it again and nothing I’ve tried to read since compares. Cheers.
“Live each day as if it’s your last, that was the conventional advice, but really, who had the energy for that?” (less)
How freakin good was this? It was like I’d been on a diet and then with great anticipation sat down and...moreOpening Line: "Joe Green was as good as dead."
How freakin good was this? It was like I’d been on a diet and then with great anticipation sat down and ate the most satisfying, delicious, fulfilling meal I’d had in ages. Of course this meal also came with remorse because now it’s over and back to my diet of mediocre romantic suspense again. Not much in this genre comes close Cindy Gerard’s BOI’s for me, I have loved each and every book in the series and to then finish with Joe’s story… well he definitely is desert.
And anyone with a soft spot for the tortured hero had better sit down because Special Operative Joe Green will grab your heart and squeeze until the very last pages. Ah yes the vigilante hero, is there anything more heartbreaking then a man willing to risk everything?
Sadly this is the 7th and last book from Gerard’s fantastic Black Op’s Inc series. I’d have a tough time picking a favourite among them; Fast paced, super sexy and filled with action, adventure, exotic locations and top notch writing, you really can’t go wrong, I would recommend however you start at the beginning. (Show No Mercy) Speaking of which, I loved the fact that this book took us back to events started there, in affect creating a story arc and tying up all the loose ends.
I guess my only real disappointment would have to be that we didn’t get to see more (any/some) of our BOI’S within this story. LAST MAN STANDING is all about Joe and Stephanie, not that the plot suffers for it or anything but I missed the banter. With the introduction of Navy pilot Mike ”Primetime” Brown I did get some of what I was missing though and I’m sure looking forward to his book from Gerard’s as yet unnamed new series.
“Mean” Joe Green has gone vigilante, completely off the grid he’s cut himself off from everyone including long time love Stephanie Tompkins, breaking both of their heats (and mine) in the process. Joe is on a mission of vengeance, back in Sierra Leone he’s seeking out information on the man responsible for his team mates death in a supposed ambush years ago. He’d meant to protect Stephanie from this hell but when he’s falsely imprisoned for the death of a priest, and with his team on blackout status, she’s the only one left who has his back.
For a month Joe is beaten starved and tortured, he’s half way to dead by the time the last person on earth he wants to see shows up in in Freetown to rescue him. But with no military training how is sweet and gentle Stephanie ever going to break him out of of this hellhole?
I want to read this all over again just writing the summery. The opening chapters are so good. Stephanie turned out to be a real surprise, I mean she doesn’t suddenly turn into Rambo or anything but she did have me believing she was capable of just about anything and for quite a while wore the pants in this relationship. Men can be so dumb. The romance, sigh. I loved this couple. I loved that Joe and Stephanie were already together so this was a different sort of romance, not all butterflies and new love but a couple working through things and really seeing who the other is.
“She looked not like a woman who needed a man like Joe Green to complete her life, but like a woman who could damn well complete his.”
I can’t say enough good things about this series, it captured me from book 1 and has never let go. Each instalment is excellent; with hot alpha men falling hard for their lady loves. These BOI’s are funny, endearing, good in bed and manage to give us quite a few sigh worthy moments while still packing a big gun and kicking major ass. The storylines are always exciting, expertly written and with a nice balance between the action and romance. I never find myself going “yeah right” with this series it’s just always amazing. Cheers (less)
*SPOILER FREE* Opening Line "The bastard's taking the bridge! He's mine!"
Wow, I honestly don’t know where to begin with this review. To say that this w...more*SPOILER FREE* Opening Line "The bastard's taking the bridge! He's mine!"
Wow, I honestly don’t know where to begin with this review. To say that this was good is an understatement. To say that it knocked me on my ass and left me a drained, emotional wreck, is far closer to the truth. Yup, LOVER REBORN did me in, talk about your gauntlet of emotions, I mean I expected some angst but jeez! I cried (I mean really cried) I laughed, I sighed, I swore, I groaned and I gasped but in the end I also smiled.
As much as I was anticipating this book it was also with a heavy dose of apprehension; was I ready to see Tohrment find love again? Was he ready? Were any of us really ready to let Wellsie go? And most importantly could Ward make me believe in this new love? The answer is a resounding yes, I think in part because it doesn’t happen quickly (or easily) Reborn has been broken into 4 sections (1 per season) so that this book takes place over the period of a year. And it was over that year and all the shit that goes down (and oh does the shit ever go down) that Ward made me believe.
Starting where Lover Unleashed left off and with her usual flair Ward throws us into “Spring” and right into the action and pain that is Tohr. Chasing down a group of Lessers, Tohr is now relentless in his pursuit of the enemy, basically only drawing breathe to “ahvenge” his murdered wife and son. Tonight’s hunt sees Tohr launching himself off a bridge as John and Qhuinn watch helplessly from below, John issuing a silent scream as Tohr falls. And so it begins. Through 572 pages Ward proceeds to give us everything we want and then some…
Without going into spoiler territory (which is going to be hard) I can tell you of course that this is Tohr and No’one’s story. These two have a long history together and are both equally broken so it makes sense for them to get together. Lassiter is helping to move them along on the love train (in his own way) and as it turns out with a sense of urgency. John and Xhex also play key roles in their story, giving us some absolutely filthy-hot love scenes as well as showing us a marriage in transition.
Xcor and his Band Of Bastards are back and gaining strength in Caldwell. They do things here that… can never be forgiven. Sending one Brother on a mission under a decree of death. New and mysterious characters are introduced (Assail) while others are fleshed out (Throe and Zyphor.) We’re still all mixed up in the whole hot-mess that is Layla/Qhinn/Blay/Saxton; however that’s all about to change:) The Blind King still kicks ass, Ward throws a “needing” (or two) our way and gives us details of a ceremony that absolutely broke my heart. We also bare witness to a battle that gave me heart palpitations for all of its 60 pages and left some Brothers with life threatening injuries.
Somehow through all this Ward also manages to give us time with each and every member of the Brotherhood mansion. We get to see everyone doing their thing, giving us some special moment with each of them and that in itself says something because there are so many characters now. There also aren’t any “lesser” POV’s to suffer through; we don’t travel back to the old country or to the other side to hang with the chosen (verily.) And I have to compliment Ward on toning down the product placement and Wardisms. This book just flowed beautifully.
In fact I would have to say that Ward has hit her pinnacle with Lover Reborn. The balance here is just right; the romance, the action, the surprises and the healing. I honestly never knew where this was going to go and when that happens you’re guaranteed a great ride.
And now for the good news Blay and Qhuinn have been officially announced as book #11! That’s right the wait is over. It looks like Ward has worked a miracle with her publisher because their story was originally to be a novella and now they’re getting their very own Hardcover instalment. Way to go boys. See you Spring 2013
Opening Line: “His was not a face that women carried with them into their dreams”
Oh how I loved this one. I actually sought out a used copy of Texas D...moreOpening Line: “His was not a face that women carried with them into their dreams”
Oh how I loved this one. I actually sought out a used copy of Texas Destiny because it had received such rave reviews and WOW am I ever glad I did. I knew going in I was going to like this because I’ve got such a soft spot when it comes to the tortured heroes but I never expected to be as moved as I was by this beautiful story. Just know any review I attempt here really won’t do this justice.
I fell in love with both the hero and heroine and literally couldn’t stop reading mostly because Lorraine Heath never took the easy route with their story. Just when I thought I had it all figured out she went the opposite way or moved things past where I thought she was going to. She also gives us multifaceted characters who only over the course of the book manage to reveal their whole selves.
Our couples back stories are both heartbreaking, talk about wounded souls finding each other. Unfortunately for them our heroine has already promised herself to another and the hero doesn’t feel anywhere near worthy of fighting for her love, especially up against his successful, good looking, older brother.
But the heart wants what the heart wants, and sometimes it isn’t a fancy house and lots of frills but a quiet life in a one room cabin with small dreams, a few horses and a man that makes your toes curl regardless of what he looks like.
Amelia Carson has just arrived on the Fort Worth train, she’s a mail order bride trying to leave the horrors of war-ravaged Georgia behind and start a new life for herself in Texas. She’s been corresponding with Dallas Leigh for a year now, agreeing to marry him and in exchange for travel expenses signing a promissory note. (Its 1876 so the deed is as good as done.) Now all she can hope is that Dallas is everything she imagined he’d be from his letters.
However it’s not Dallas who meets Amelia’s train (due to a broken leg he’s been unable to travel.) The tall cowboy keeping to the shadows is his younger brother Houston and she’s going to be stuck with the scarred and bad tempered man for the entire three week wagon journey back to Dallas’s ranch. Houston doesn’t talk much and almost always keeps his face turned away, but Amelia’s an optimistic character and it doesn’t take long before she’s able to break down Houston’s defences.
Missing an eye and badly disfigured this weary, ex-Civil War soldier has survived the war but its left him scarred inside and out and he now prefers the company of horses to people. Amelia has brought something back to life in him though and he can’t help wishing things were somehow different. As it stands his memories are going to have to last a lifetime because she belongs to his brother and he’s going to deliver her to him and watch them get married because Amelia deserves so much more then he could ever hope to give her.
Of course the return trip doesn’t go quite as smoothly as planned and Houston and Amelia are forced to rely on each other to survive, growing ever closer and falling in love. And this is where things got interesting because I expected the brother to be a mean horrible man (makes for an easy story right) but no, he’s a nice guy, who would make an excellent husband, remaining true and providing Amelia with a good life. This makes her decision very difficult especially when the one she really wants keeps pushing her away.
Opening Line: "January 1st 0358 hrs. Happy New Year to me"
Wow, this was a surprise! Before I begin I should tell you that I’ve never read a Zombie boo...moreOpening Line: "January 1st 0358 hrs. Happy New Year to me"
Wow, this was a surprise! Before I begin I should tell you that I’ve never read a Zombie book in my life and I’m not a fan of the genre (although I did think Shawn Of The Dead was hilarious.) I generally read romance novels with the occasional biography thrown in. So you can imagine my surprise when I became absolutely engrossed in a book about surviving a plague of walking dead.
Day By Day Armageddon was unputdownable and had me alternating between being really freaked out,(checking doors and windows) despairing for the future of mankind (also afraid of the dark) and getting my personal survival kit (weapons, food, Band-Aids, Gin) ready for “that day” -Could I really kill my undead friends and neighbours?
Simply put this is more then just a zombie novel and this romance reader loved every minute of it.
DBDA has been written from the first person and in the form of a journal which for me increased the suspense factor. Because our unnamed hero sometimes starts out an entry with things like “0430 hrs- I’m still weak from blood loss” before going back and explaining. As the reader you’re like, holy shit what happened last night?
The narrator is a US Navel officer who begins his journal as a New Years resolution. It all starts out rather mundanely with day to day life stuff and a few ominous mentions like this one "It seems that something is going on in China; the local news reported some type of influenza virus sweeping them over there.”
The flu is of course the Zombie virus and it spreads to apocalyptic proportions within months. I found these parts really interesting; how the author saw the realistic(?) breakdown of society, media blackouts and the extents the US government ultimately took to eradicate the disease. In the early entries our hero spends a great deal of time describing (in a very calm manner) how he safe guards his home; locating and stockpiling weapons and ammunition, collecting food and water and having an alternate power/communication plan in action. He’s a super smart guy and although the military jargon and descriptions of guns got to be a bit much I’d definitely want him on my side.
With swarms of undead now parading through the streets our barricaded hero eventually teams up with his neighbour John and with no options left the pair flees the city, picking up other survivors along the way and dealing with a multitude of post apocalyptic problems. The futility of it all really got to me here as they struggle to stay alive under ridiculous odds. I had a hard time seeing a point to it all. (Good bet I wouldn’t survive)
This book is full of action and also a ton of well written suspense although it wasn’t as gory as I was I expecting. Don’t get me wrong though, it has its moments but its not gore for gores sake, all the kills are warranted. (Can’t believe I just said that) As silly as this sounds this book really made me think; what would I do? How could I prepare myself? Could I survive? I should also warn you that this is addictive reading and that the ending is well… more than a cliff-hanger. Just make sure you have book 2 Beyond Exile: Day by Day Armageddon on hand because the war on Zombies isn’t over yet.
Highly Recommended for lovers of apocalyptic fiction, Zombie fiction, horror, adventure, disaster stories, military buffs, survivalist fiction and the occasional romance reader. Cheers! (less)
In the beginning of Water For Elephants Jacob Jankowski tells us that he is ninety or ninety-three. One or the other. He's not really sure anymore. Hi...moreIn the beginning of Water For Elephants Jacob Jankowski tells us that he is ninety or ninety-three. One or the other. He's not really sure anymore. His body betrayed him years ago and Jacob now fears that his mind isn’t far behind. Shuffling along miserably behind his walker, he’s living out his final days in the nursing home and hating every minute of it. Just another invisible senior citizen who’s family and the world as a whole has forgotten about.
When the circus comes to town and sets up its Big Top tents across the street Jacob comes alive and through a series of flashbacks begins to tell us his life’s story. Taking us back to when he joined the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show On Earth, a traveling circus he toured with during the great depression. So step right up folks because this old man has quite the story to tell.
At the age of 23 Jacob had a predictable future set out ahead of him, one that certainly didn’t involve joining the circus. However with his parents untimely death and the bank foreclosing on his family home Jacob soon finds himself homeless, heartbroken and mentally quite unable to sit his final veterinary exams. When an exotic, animal filled train steams toward him Jacob doesn’t even think. Flinging himself aboard the boxcar and inadvertently changing his destiny forever.
I absolutely adored this book, alternately falling in love with both Jacob, the crotchety old man and Jacob, the young, moral and penniless circus veterinarian. Water For Elephants transported me to another time and quickly became one of those books I never wanted to end.
Author Sara Gruen has researched the depression era circus life down to the smallest of details and I feel that this captivating and vivid story will appeal to almost anyone. Filled with action, adventure and a sweet forbidden romance there is also a fascinating sideshow of secondary characters including a clever Polish Elephant, a grouchy little person as Jacob’s roommate and a cruel and schizophrenic animal trainer whose wife Jacob just happens to fall in love with. All of this has been wrapped together with a compelling and innovative behind the scenes look aboard a travelling circus train. Showing us more often then not the darker side of circus life after the big top closes down. This is a love story, a life story, an animal lover’s story but above all it’s a circus story and who of us hasn’t dreamed about running away and joining the circus at some point in our lives? And the ending… *sigh*
I can't say enough good about this book, its easily one of my favourite reads this year and with Robert Pattison now taking on the upcoming movie role version of Jacob, I was able to picture him while reading, making it all the more sweeter. Cheers!
Opening Line: "Xcor saw his father killed when he was but five years past his transition." **Spoiler Free** Ah yes, how sweet it is to be back with the...moreOpening Line: "Xcor saw his father killed when he was but five years past his transition." **Spoiler Free** Ah yes, how sweet it is to be back with the Black Dagger Brotherhood. It was with some anticipation (understatement) that I cracked open the 489 pages I’d waited almost a year on, and it was with baited breathe that I began. Wondering exactly what direction JR Ward was going to take this 9th instalment in? Well I can tell you that with this one she does not disappoint, giving us fans exactly what we've been waiting for and then some.
Starting where (Lover Mine) left off and with her usual flair (the first 4 words will have you smiling) we get; multiple POV’s, evolving story lines, ass-kicking action and major injuries to most of the Brotherhood. We revisit past characters(Jose del la Cruz) while being introduced to new ones, including (among others) the intriguing ‘Band of Bastards’. This group of 6 is around to stay and with them comes an endless supply of future story possibilities.
With blasts of tension, humour, romance and way erotic love scenes we witness a couple of characters fall apart, see unrequited love, get major hints of things to come, and while laughing with Rhage and Fritz in the billiards room we also worry about the future of the King. Even though our main love story here is not as dominant as in past books, I have no complaints as Ward manages to include and give us moments with each and every member of the Brotherhood mansion in one way or another. And while I ached for Qhuinn and Blay, then there was V. And oh the V. True?
As much as this is pegged as Payne and Manny’s book LOVER UNLEASHED really belongs to Vishous and isn't it great (understatement) to be back in his, intricate, messed up, dirty lil mind. Along with Butch and Jane this trio goes to some very dark places, taking us right along for the excruciating ride and finally putting to bed (so to speak) Butch and V’s relationship once and for all. I loved revisiting V and through him, hearing from the Cop again as well as getting to know Jane better-who has at last stopped feeling like a ghost (I may forgive Ward yet for killing her) And in the afterward, those quiet moments spent between Butch and V well … in his words, “I have no words. Sixteen languages, but no words.”
All this awesomeness has of course been wrapped up with Ward's unique style of writing although this time there's a different vibe to it and it took me a while to put my finger on what it was. The multiple f-bombs, rap references and Wardisms are still here but she's managed to stop jumping around as we did in LOVER MINE with Ghostbuster storylines and Old Country flashbacks.
She's also toned down the product placement and riddle filled sentences ((i.e.“A gust of wind went Nike across the flat landscape" And with less 'Lessers' to contend with here (much like in(Lover Unbound)and them operating without a visible leader's POV the entire story flows better and you don't find yourself grumbling, wanting to skip ahead. Overall this feels more like one of the original books from the series then the urban fantasy-ish instalments of late.
Regarding Payne and Manny; I enjoyed this couple, verily I did. I’ve loved Manny from the first time we met him and enjoyed getting to know him here. His interactions/revelations with Butch are hilarious as is his discovery of Jane and the whole BDB world. Payne wasn’t as tough as I was expecting although she does manage to rescue herself while spending a considerable amount of time paralyzed. Manny’s method of healing her is very... Marvin Gaye and although their actual HEA is kinda corny I liked how Ward found a way to keep them together.
In the end Ward leaves us smiling with contentment (although I had been hoping for a mating ceremony and not the one you’d expect) and with events wide open for future stories that I can't wait to discover. I just wish it wasn't so far away because after spending just a few days with the BDB I'm not ready to let them go yet. See ya next year boys, stay safe. True.
Oh I've also just learned that book #10 will be Tohrment’s story. Wow that's bound to be a tearjerker. Cheers (less)
Opening Line:“Lisa is pregnant. Dad called around 11 o’clock to let us know.”
I loved this, easily one of my top reads this year; although maybe love i...moreOpening Line:“Lisa is pregnant. Dad called around 11 o’clock to let us know.”
I loved this, easily one of my top reads this year; although maybe love isn’t the right word because this book scared the crap out of me. It also depressed me, made me very cold and gave me OCD about stockpiling food. I mean just how long could I survive on what’s in my cupboards? Not very. Three boxes of Kraft Dinner and a jar of spaghetti sauce are hardly going to see me through a wintery apocalypse now are they? (Although that bottle of gin will come in handy)
As much as this book messed with my head, I also couldn’t stop reading it, fascinated in a morbid sort of way. I’ve heard it compared to a car accident and that’s true, once you start this you won’t be able to look away.
Life As We Knew It is written in diary form, from the POV of 16year old Miranda. The entries start just prior to a meteor hitting the moon and initially her accounts are self-absorbed, and annoying in fact she comes off kind of spoiled, which let’s face it, is realistic for a high school girl. I think the author probably did this on purpose to show us what her life and thoughts were like ‘before’ and how much she grows as a person by the end of this harrowing story.
Miranda lives with her mother and younger brother (with another brother away at college). Her father has remarried and is expecting a baby with his new wife. Nobody is paying much attention to the astronomers or the moon. I mean at 16 it’s all about you, everything else is just an annoyance. In May the meteor knocks the moon out of its orbit and everything changes.
Miranda’s mother is the real hero of this story, having the foresight to begin amassing food and winter clothes, (candles, batteries, water) while the rest of the world watches and waits. The power is the first to go, then Tsunamis take out anyone on the coasts, earthquakes rock the continents and volcanic ash quickly blocks out the sun. We the readers remain mostly naïve about world events because we only know what Miranda writes in her diary and she’s stopped listening to the news only occasionally giving us tidbit from rare radio broadcast that now mostly consist of death lists but soon even the radio stops.
As summer turns to arctic winter and disease threatens those left alive Miranda’s world grows smaller and smaller. School is cancelled, her friends have either moved or died and gathering firewood and water takes up most of her day. She has little strength left because she is starving and her family has moved into one room to conserve the small amount of heat the wood stove is putting out. It is cold, blinding snow storms and ash fill the sky, the food is almost gone, the food is almost gone! When she thinks about last week she wonders why she ever complained because she had it so much better, last week she was eating one meal a day, now she’s eating every second day and wondering just how much longer her family can survive. She hopes she goes first.
Opening Line:"Matt Haight sat in his car, watching the entrance of the Stag Bar with butterflies in his stomach."
I don’t even know how to put into wor...moreOpening Line:"Matt Haight sat in his car, watching the entrance of the Stag Bar with butterflies in his stomach."
I don’t even know how to put into words how much I loved this story and I’m having trouble writing a review that will do it any form of justice. I can tell you that author Tere Michaels has so hooked me with her unforgettable characters, heart wrenching love story and poignant writing that I’m now looking into spending several hundred dollars on an e-reader just so I can find out what happens next because for some reason the following two books aren't available in print form yet.
I think what struck me most about FAITH AND FIDELITY was the fact that this is about two men is completely incidental to the story. This is so much more than just a gay romance and truthfully all the same sex issue does here is add another degree of difficulty to Matt and Evan’s already complicated struggle to find happiness. This could be the story of any couple that’s taken a few hard knocks from life then along with their skeletons managed to find their soul mate. I should warn you that if you’re looking for graphic and gratuitous sex scenes every second page with a cheesy plotline to carry them along you’ll be disappointed. What you will find however is an emotional journey between two men that never expected to find love with anyone much less another man. This story is heart wrenching, beautiful, funny, compassionate, intimate, sad, realistic, tender and ultimately unputdownable. Honestly one of the best romances I’ve ever read.
As you can guess this isn’t a light-hearted read however I was immediately drawn in, starting with the tragic death of Evan’s high school sweetheart wife. Sherri’s the only person Evan’s ever loved or slept with and with her gone he’s now somehow got to find the strength to get up each day, continue with his job as a New York City Vice Detective and raise four children. Within the first chapter we’re also introduced to Matt; a 40 something former homicide detective and ladies man who’s having a minor mid life crisis of his own. Lonely and depressed Matt quickly becomes the perfect non-judgemental drinking buddy for Evan, each finding a form of solace in the others despair.
Matt and Evan’s relationship starts out as honest friendship. Somewhere along the way though the lines begin to blur and a mutual physically attraction takes hold, shocking confusing and exciting both men. There are some very sweet scenes here as each tries to deal with these new feelings of desire and learns how to be with another man, because as much as they want each other neither of them knows how to scratch the itch. The sex scenes here are explosive and sexy without being explicit and I enjoyed their path to discovery. On some level I could even relate because we’ve all faced the exciting and unknown at one time or another.
Before long Matt and Evan have fallen in love and must face the reality of what effect their relationship is going to have on children, friends and coworkers, however its Evan’s still palpable grief that causes the most damage during this time and brings in a third party. Damn if this part of the book didn’t read like a suspense and brought me to tears as events moved forward, backed off and went forward again. All with this white knuckled reader saying no, no, no, don’t do it. I just didn’t foresee this happening.
I also just have to mention how awesome all the secondary characters are here, adding realistic levels of depth to an already incredible story that I can‘t recommend enough. Cheers I’m off to buy my e-reader.(less)
Opening Line: “Ethan had long grown used to the sinking expressions people cast him when they realized it was he who darkened their doorsteps—but in t...moreOpening Line: “Ethan had long grown used to the sinking expressions people cast him when they realized it was he who darkened their doorsteps—but in the East End rookeries this tendency seemed even more pronounced.”
Does anyone else find it near impossible to write a review about a book you absolutely loved? You can't ever say quite the right thing or express adequately how much it affected you. How much you loved the characters, the heartache, the passion and the drama. It always ends up sounding like a big pile of cheese, and really how many different ways are there to say amazing?
I guess I should start by letting everyone know that they were right. This was fantastic (there’s one) placing as one of my top historical reads ever. I only wish now I hadn’t waited so long, because Ethan stole my heart. What a great hero. To watch someone as cold, damaged and emotionally shut off as Ethan fall and allow someone into his heart was just… sigh. His confusion, his denial and in the end his willingness to do anything to have her, to keep her, borders on obsession. And then there’s this big lie hanging over him and his guilt over how he’s inadvertently destroyed her life which he then tries to make up for which only succeeds in pushing her away just when he’s realized he can’t live without her. Gah, this is how romances are meant to be –not necessarily reviews though.
What a great love story, what a great couple because as much as I fell for Ethan I equally adored Maddie. These two are equals, Their banter, flirtation and verbal sparring is some of the best I’ve ever read and sexy, jeez that carriage ride after the masquerade ball and oh let’s not forget the shopping extravaganza homage to Pretty Woman in Paris. Yeah.
Not many books have the ability to give me actual emotions but Kresley Cole managed it here in spades; smiling, sighing, cheering, crying and at one point yelling at Ethan (you fool) to get away from those two floozies and go the hell home.
I should also mention that I read this as a standalone and other than Cole’s odd way of backtracking the story and then doing a whole lot of showing not telling (of events that happened in the previous 2 books yet took place during this one) I had no real issues.
Ethan MacCarrick has been out for revenge for the past 10 years, seeking to destroy the Von Rowen family who tortured and viciously scarred his face for a crime he didn’t commit. Once a handsome and successful philanderer, woman now shun him, turning away from his brutal scar with disgust. As a consequence he’s hardened his heart and sworn off women altogether. After bankrupting and exiling the Von Rowen’s Ethan still finds that his anger has not been appeased, so when their daughter comes of age he makes it his mission to seduce and ruin her then cast her aside as his final act.
However when he meets Madeline he’s also met his match, she’s unlike anyone he’s ever known and he’s confused by his feelings. This is where the story takes on a Beauty and the Beast quality because Maddie doesn’t care about his scar or his hostile demeanour. She’s only out out for herself, trying to ensnare a husband of means before she faces a life of squalor and ultimately prostitution. So who’s playing who here? And what are they to do when the heart has a mind of its own? Taking us from London through the slums of Paris and inside Scottish country manors. We witness gun fights, cholera epidemics and some of the sweetest, heart wrenching dialogue written. This is a story I won’t be forgetting. Cheers
“You canna do this—take my goddammed heart and then leave me! You think I will no follow”
“Somewhere along the way, he’s fallen in love with her—or as much as possible for a man like him, with the lies between them.”
Opening line: "All of the major network news cameras were rolling as Tedric Cortere, crown prince of Ustanzia, entered the airport."
Prince Joe is the...moreOpening line: "All of the major network news cameras were rolling as Tedric Cortere, crown prince of Ustanzia, entered the airport."
Prince Joe is the 1st from Brockmann’s 11 book Tall Dark and Dangerous series, its Troubleshooters ‘light’ and except for a couple of issues its very, very good. And damn but that Brockman can write a delicious hero because Prince Joe, well I fell a little (lot)in love with him. This SEAL was just arrogant, combat hardened and rough enough around the edges to catch my interest and then wrecked me when I realized he was a nice guy too (some might say even a prince) He’s sensitive, has insecurities and is even able to shed a tear. Of course he‘s also a pilot, diver, munitions expert, explosives guru, sharpshooter, mechanic, team leader, able to speak 8 languages and looks damn fine in (and out) of his dress whites *sigh* Now just where can I find a guy like that?
I didn’t really know what to expect going into this series, I’d heard good things but because it was written in 96 I thought it might be kind of dated (it isn’t) I’m also not one for the category romances but I found myself swept away here by the touching, suspenseful and often humorous story. I also appreciated Brockmann using proper military lingo, explaining it as we went along so that I felt a real connection to the characters.
of course our couple fall in love within days of meeting and through some great dialogue Brockman somehow had me believing it too. The love scenes are ‘soft’ yet also very satisfying and accept for the standard miscommunication/break-up towards the end I almost forgot I was reading category romance. There’s also a ton of exciting action and suspense with an ending that is just brilliant. Leaving me excited to continue on with the rest of these tall, dark and dangerous boys from SEAL team ten’s alpha squad.
As much as I enjoyed this I should also mention that I had a couple of issues. For some weird reason Brockman likes to invent countries (Why does she do this?) here I had to train myself so that every time I read her fake country of Ustanzia it became Estonia in my mind just so that I didn’t go nuts trying to imagine a country and people that don’t exist. Her characters also don’t swear, which is fine except that Joe substitutes “Jesus, Mary and Joseph” and always says it twice within the same page or paragraph which just seemed weird.
We meet Joe Catalanotto on leave, he’s relaxed, miles from anywhere and enjoying a days fishing with members of his team. All that changes in an instant as a chopper approaches their boat, drops a ladder and a voice announces to the Lieutenant “that his shore leave is over” Within 24hours Joe finds himself in Washington DC surrounded by dignitaries, military brass and one beautiful red headed media consultant.
Following an assassination attempt on the crown Prince of Ustanzia (Estonia) Veronica St John has just been given the seemingly impossible task of turning this rugged and stubborn New Jersey accented sailor into a Prince for the remainder of his US tour. Now while Joe may be the prince’s doppelganger it’s still going to be up to ‘Ronnie’ to teach him royal protocol, correct accent, background and the unique mannerisms needed to pull this off. (Think Miss Congeniality)
The attraction between our couple is immediate however Joe frustrates Veronica because he doesn’t seem to be taking the ‘job’ seriously. As the two grow closer Veronica begins to see that Joe is much more than he appears, willing to take a bullet for a man he not only doesn’t know but doesn’t like. Before long the “L” word is floating around with Joe feeling that he wouldn’t be good enough for her because of his blue collar background while Veronica tries not to fall in love with a man who will be away from home risking his life on a daily basis and enjoying it. Of course then theres also the small issue of the terrorists and the bulls eye on Joes chest. (less)
..."Torn between the love he has...and the love he’s always wanted"
Wow, with each instalment in the Roughriders series I keep saying this one is my ab...more..."Torn between the love he has...and the love he’s always wanted"
Wow, with each instalment in the Roughriders series I keep saying this one is my absolute favourite; it just can’t get any better. Well I was sorely mistakin because James has outdone herself with #5 and this one really is the best yet (no really) Now I’m left lamely trying to put into words how friggin fantastic this story is.
Ever since book #1 Long Hard Ride I’ve been wondering what happened to Trevor and Edgard and hoping for their story. I was curious as to how these delicious cowboys could get their HEA especially in a homophobic and generally not alternative lifestyle appreciating town like Sundance Wyoming. I never counted on a wife being involved but lucky, lucky Chassie Glanzer. She gets the lovin of two damn fine men here. And talking about fine men; if you’re a fan of M/M lovin then hang onto your cowboy hats because this is all kinds-of-ways hot and sexy man lovin. Of course Chassie does participate on occasion and even though I’m not a fan of the ménage, this works for me because all the partners are involved equally. There’s also an amazing 3-way love story unfolding here, full of undeniable passion, emotion and heaps of consequences which are all explored beautifully. And Yes theres a whole lotta spicy sex going on too, in just about every conceivable position/combination and location possible. Yeehaw!
Trevor and Chassie have been happily married for one year. Trevor loves his wife and life on the ranch is good but he’s never quite been able to forget about his old roping partner and he knows that sometimes Chassie can sense his longing. Trevor never expected to see Edgard again though especially after it became clear that he couldn’t be the kind of man that Edgard needed but now his secret Brazilian lover is walking right up the dusty driveway, looking as fine and sexy as ever and hoping to sort out their tangled past.
With the kind of sparks that are flying between this pair of cowboys it doesn’t take long for Chassie to catch them together (and damn those first mergers are aggressive and scorching hot) Chassie thought she knew everything about her husbands chequered past but this is really pushing things. However before she can come to terms with the fact that Trevor and Edgard were lovers she has to face the fact that she might just be losing her man because its not just lust she see’s in their eyes its unbridled love too.
Trevor promises he won’t leave but she doesn’t want him to stay out of any sense of duty, she knows he’d be forever missing his Latin cowboy and she’d be living half a marriage. So Chassie does the only thing a girl could do in this kind of situation she asks if she can watch them together and then she joins them. Of course for this arrangement to succeed theres all kinds of issues to work out and they are slightly worried about what the townsfolk are gunna think down at the local feed store but the more time they all spend together the more passion and raw emotion comes to the surface. Trevor and Edgard finally feel complete and damn if Chassie doesn’t too. (less)
**Spoiler Free** In trying to review LOVER MINE two words keep popping into my head; Amazing and Damn… just...moreOpening Line: "He wished he had more time."
**Spoiler Free** In trying to review LOVER MINE two words keep popping into my head; Amazing and Damn… just damn. How can I honestly put into words how much I loved this story and how sad I am that it’s over? Following a year long wait JR Wards 8th instalment of the Black Dagger Brotherhood finally made its way into my eager little hands. At 512 pages LOVER MINE is huge (with a fantastic cover) and I’m happy to report that it does not disappoint, in fact with John Mathews long awaited story the WARDen positively shines.
Fans are given exactly what we’ve been waiting for with ever evolving storylines, multiple POV’s, surprises, tragedies, plot twists, ass-kicking action,(Xhex much) humour and oh the romance. Completed here with erotic, blush-worthy love scenes and of course the inevitable struggle and heartache. I can tell you that this story brought me to tears more than once and not for the reasons you might expect. All of this awesomeness has been wrapped up with Wards unique style of writing, complete with product placements, rap music, unique street language, multiple f-bombs and a whole new batch of cool Wardisms I can’t wait to start using, you feel me.
The series is brought full circle within this book with loose ends cleverly tied together and resolutions brought to story threads we’ve had growing and brewing since the beginning. Sadly I realized that even with Ward continuing indefinitely JM/Darius will be the last of the original brothers to have his story told and that with this book being red, just like book 1 (Dark Lover) she’s given us book ends of a sort.
With us since the beginning, in this instalment we finally get John Mathew (and Darius‘s) story. Of all the characters John is the one we have the greatest sense of and have invested the most time in, having watched him change from a scrawny, neglected and abused pre-trans into an enormous, and angry male with a ton of fricken baggage. His pairing with the half Sympath Xhex has been in the works for some time now and with her abduction in the end of (Lover Avenged) we have the perfect place to begin their story. (Which I’m not going to give away) I will say however that I was pleased to see reflections of the sweet, sensitive John we remember (only now oozing sex appeal) and witness a softer side of Xhex. As always their path to HEA is not an easy one but its fun and sexy as hell watching them open up to each other and get there.
As a whole the storyline blew my mind. With three very separate and distinct running plotlines, (which at first had me wondering, where the hell is this going?) Ward manages to merge all the puzzle pieces together into WOW, bringing us deliciously full circle. Darker and more serious than past books my only real complaint would be the lack of banter between the Brothers and the Brothers as a whole. The moments that we’re given are excellent and while they’re all represented to a degree (some more than others) I insatiably craved more and truly missed them. Qhuinn and Blay, each now with their own POV manage to somewhat fill the gap who along with Saxton bring a different degree of heartache, sexiness and hot mess to the mix. Lash is also back as the Lessening societies leader and surprisingly awesome here as he takes things to a whole new gooey level of evil.
In the end Ward leaves us smiling with contentment, with new characters emerging and events opening up for future stories that I can’t wait to discover. I just wish it wasn’t so far away because I find that after getting just 3 days with the BDB its already time to leave them again and I’m not quite ready to let them go yet. See ya next year boys, stay safe Cheers!
Oh, and in case you were wondering Ward dedicates this book to John Mathew himself(which was what started my first crying jag) (less)
Wow this was fantastic, probably up there as one of my top 5 romantic suspense’s ever. I was completely w...moreOpening line: "Ethan. Um. Hi. It's...Darcy."
Wow this was fantastic, probably up there as one of my top 5 romantic suspense’s ever. I was completely wrapped up in this story and had trouble putting it down for anything. It actually reads more like an action movie then romantic suspense, the thrills are just non-stop, with a retired Special Forces soldier trying to extract his ex-wife from terrorist kidnappers.
The jungle rescue (which takes up most of the book) goes from bad, to worse, to FUBAR and really had me wondering how the hell are they going to get out of this mess? Yet somehow between all the bullets, bad guys and blood loss Cindy Gerard also managed to completely suck me into the romance aspect. (Sigh) Yes, with a few well placed cherry lifesavers she created a balance between the two and by the end gave me a couple that I was genuinely cheering for.
I’ll admit though I’m a bit of a sucker when it comes to the reunited lovers theme and Gerard does a brilliant job here with Ethan and Darcy. I loved their love story. And unlike some of the other reviewers really enjoyed seeing their failed marriage played out in flashbacks throughout the book. For me this gave an added element of suspense because while we get to see the beauty of their initial meeting and falling in love we also know from the onset that it ends in divorce. I was morbidly curious about its unravelling; I mean they were so in love what happened?
“Eight days. She’d know him eight days. And she said yes without hesitation."
When he reached her, he touched a hand to her face. Smiled. “Important. That’s one word. Everything. That’s another. Loved,” he said, adding the most important word of all. "God Darcy you are so loved”
Darcy Prescott is working for Diplomatic affairs in Manila when she realizes she’s in big trouble. It may have been 5 years since her divorce but the first and only person she can think of to save her is Ethan Garrett. Moments before she’s taken Darcy places the call to her ex-husband and then disappears.
Ethan may have left the military behind but he’s never been able to fully let go of his wife. A plea on his answering machine see’s Ethan assembling a rogue rescue team from within his family’s bodyguard business (EDEN) and hitting the fast track for the Philippians. Armed with a pocket full of cherry life savers and a big gun Ethan easily slips back into combat mode. He’s extracting his wife and taking her home if it’s the last thing he ever does.
“Wake me up in a few hours and keep your eyes on the rearview” “What am I looking for?” She asked glancing into the glare of headlights shining in the mirror “The bad guys, babe. The bad guys.” “They’ll be carrying signs right?”
To The Brink is the 3rd instalment form Cindy Gerard’s Bodyguard series however to me it read more like one of her Black Op BOI's books, especially when you compare it to the first two from this series which were just kind of average and didn’t have any exotic locations or crazy combat scenarios. Anyways I cannot recommend this one enough. Cheers.(less)
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