Review - Risk No Secrets by Cindy Gerard

If you like fast paced suspense and romance, you will like this!

Risk No Secrets (Black Ops, Inc.) by Cindy Gerard

• Mass Market Paperback: 388 pages
• Publisher: Pocket; 1 edition (May 18, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1439153612
• ISBN-13: 978-1439153611

Author website

Rating: 4.25 of 5

Product Description
A deadly international mission reunites a sexy Black Ops, Inc. hero and his sizzling former love in Cindy Gerard’s seductive new romantic thriller. A RED-HOT ATTRACTION . . .Twelve years of chasing bad guys didn’t erase beautiful Sophie Baylor from Wyatt Savage’s memory. If he had another chance, he’d never let her leave. So when she tracks him down from El Salvador and begs for help, he doesn’t ask questions—he just goes.STARTS WITH A TERRIFYING THREAT . . .Sophie is grateful her daughter survived a kidnapping attempt, but she won’t forgive herself until the girl who was mistakenly abducted is safe. Wyatt is the only man brave enough to take on the mysterious terrorists behind the crime—and the one irresistible man she wishes she had never let go. . . . AND UNLEASHES AN UNFORGETTABLE ADVENTURE.Sophie knows Central America’s steamy jungles and sticky politics better than anyone. Yet she refuses to hide in fear. Then she becomes the enemy’s number one target. Wyatt lost her once, and he won’t lose her again—even if he has to fight, kill, or die to save her.

Review:  This fast-paced book has lots of action, tension and love.

Sophie is a dedicated teacher who started a middle school in El Salvador to provide opportunities for poor children who would otherwise never have the chance for this type of education. She is understandably upset when her daughter’s best friend, Lola, is mistakenly kidnaped instead of her own daughter, Hope. When Sophie can’t reach her operative ex-husband, she seeks help from his former best friend, Wyatt.

Wyatt and Hugh had worked together for the government before going their separate ways with private black operations. Twelve years earlier when both men were in Sophie’s Spanish class she was impressed with the quiet, steady and honorable Wyatt. But before Wyatt could make his move, Sophie was swept off her feet and married Hugh.

Wyatt has never stopped comparing other women to beautiful and spirited Sophie.  Now, as he calls in a team to try to locate the missing child and also protect Hope and Sophie, he struggles to decide whether he might have another chance to win  the woman he has always loved.

There is plenty of action as the team takes out gang members and destroys buildings during its search. It's not surprising when the bad guys retaliate and come after Sophie's home. It was only surprising it took so long, although in truth all of this takes place in just a few days.

The leader of the terrorist gang is revealed early and he is a real nasty villain. There is also an unrevealed cohort and the clues lead you to believe he is a respected member of the community. I did have my suspicions who this might be but the ultimate revelation is presented in a shocking circumstance.

The love and sexual relationship between Sophie and Wyatt is very well handled. The love scenes are very sexy without being lewd or offensive. The tension and conflicts kick up a notch when Hugh comes home and walks in on Sophie and Wyatt in the master bedroom.

I thought there was one tiny flaw as another child was rescued who had been held for six months. That was not consistent with the kidnappers wanting the ransom for Lola within three days, but it didn’t have that big of an impact on the story.

The characters are well developed, the action explosive and the writing crisp to suit the fast pace.  I call this an exciting romance read.

xxx

This book was provided through the Pajama Chat Readers Club at Romance in the Backseat.

Review The Brothers ofGwynedd by Edith Pargeter - Book One, Sunrise in the West

The Brothers of Gwynedd: The Legend of the First True Prince of Wales by Edith Pargeter
Part One: Sunrise in the West


Paperback: First Book 186 pages of 772 total pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark; Reprint edition (May 2010)
ISBN-10: # 140223760X
ISBN-13: 978-1402237607

Rating 5.0

Product Description

A Burning Desire for One Country, One Love, and One Legacy That Will Last Forever.
Llewelyn, prince of Gwynedd, dreams of a Wales united against the English, but first he must combat enemies nearer home. Llewelyn and his brothers-Owen Goch, Rhodri, and David-vie for power among themselves and with the English king, Henry III. Despite the support of his beloved wife, Eleanor, Llewelyn finds himself trapped in a situation where the only solution could be his very downfall...
Originally published in England as four individual novels, The Brothers of Gwynedd transports you to a world of chivalry, gallant heroes, and imprisoned damsels; to star-crossed lovers and glorious battle scenes; and is Edith Pargeter's absorbing tale of tragedy, traitors, and triumph of the heart.

Review:  This story presents a remarkably life-like portrait of the battle for leadership and freedom in Medieval Wales.  It is the tale of the rise of the first true Prince of Wales, Lleweyln of Gwynedd. 

The tale, and fictionalized history is told as though through the journal or memoirs of Samson.  Samson, the son of a lady’s maid and nurse, grows up with the Gwynedd family in the household of Lady Senena, the mother of the four brothers who will vie for power.  Llewelyn and Samson were born the same night and raised together for six years before Samson is sent of for schooling. When Samson returns he helps take care of the younger boys, Rhodri and David, learning their natures and personalities.

Lady Senena decides to take her young sons to England to gain protection from the King and petition for release of her husband and their eldest son. Llewelyn chooses to run off to live with his Uncle David in Wales, rather than go with his family to England. Thus Llewelyn is the son who is ingrained in the Welsh culture while the other brothers have a close exposure to England.

Samson describes the determination of the boys’ strong willed mother and the developing characters and motives of each of the brothers.  Samson’s memories are fleshed out and enhanced by his mature reflections of the past and by the end of the first book you feel as if you are living the times with the characters.

The story is rich with the political intrigues of the era.  Through the insightful and intriguing memories and observations of Samson the author reveals the struggle between the English and the Welsh and also the wrangling for land and power among the Welsh clans. The brothers themselves are at odds, fighting for shares of inheritance and more importantly the power to lead Wales during this tumultuous time.

Although there are a number of characters, once you distinguish who they are, it is not difficult to follow and it is interesting to watch how the relationships and interactions among the brothers play out.  I really like Samson and his fair observations and his deep loyalty; traits which all of the brothers respect in him. There is some unrequited romance and lots of manipulation to keep your attention in the story.

I will be interested to learn what happens in the next three parts of this book.

XXX

On May 24, from 7-9 pm EST, Passages to the Past will be hosting the first Sourcebook Summer Reading Club discussion about this novel.Meet us there if you would like to join in.

Here are the postings for the other reviews of Part One.

May 17 Reviews
The Burton Review	http://www.theburtonreview.com/
The Bibliophilic Book Blog	http://www.bibliophilicbookblog.com/
Rundpinne	http://www.rundpinne.com/
A Reader's Respite	http://readersrespite.blogspot.com/
History Undressed	http://www.historyundressed.blogspot.com/
Linda Banche Blog	http://lindabanche.blogspot.com/
A Hoyden's Look at Literature	http://caramellunacy.blogspot.com/
Royal Reviews	http://theroyalreviews.blogspot.com/
May 18 Reviews
Between the Pages	http://www.betweenthelinesandmore.blogspot.com/
The Broken Teepee	http://www.brokenteepee.blogspot.com/
Books and Coffee	http://bookswithcoffee.wordpress.com/
Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell	http://books-forlife.blogspot.com/
Tanzanite's Shelf and Stuff	http://shelfandstuff.blogspot.com/
Passages to the Past	http://www.passagestothepast.com/
The Book Faery	http://tbfreviews.net/
A Girl Walks Into a Bookstore	http://agirlwalksintoabookstore.blogspot.com/
Martha's Bookshelf	http://marthasbookshelf.blogspot.com/
May 19 Reviews
Beth Fish	http://bfishreads.blogspot.com/
Deb's Book Bag	http://debsbookbag.blogspot.com/
Book Tumbling	http://booktumbling.com/
A Work in Progress	http://danitorres.typepad.com/workinprogress/
Stiletto Storytime	http://www.stilettostorytime.wordpress.com/
Queen of Happy Endings	http://alainereading.blogspot.com/
May 20 Reviews
The Literate Housewife	http://literatehousewife.com/
Reading Adventures	http://readingadventures.blogspot.com/
Books Like Breathing	http://bibliophile23.wordpress.com/
Kailana's Written World	http://myreadingbooks.blogspot.com/
Confessions of a Muse in the Fog	http://muse-in-the-fog.blogspot.com/
Wendy's Minding Spot	http://mindingspot.blogspot.com/
Mrs. Q Book Addict	http://web.me.com/quirion
The Life and Lies of a Flying Inanimate Object	http://www.haleymathiot.blogspot.com/
Starting Fresh	http://startingfresh-gaby317.blogspot.com/
May 21 Reviews
Loving Heart Mommy	http://www.lovingheartmommy.com/
Peeking Between the Pages	http://peekingbetweenthepages.blogspot.com/
Celtic Lady's Ramblings	http://celticladysreviews.blogspot.com/
Bookfoolery	http://bookfoolery.blogspot.com/
One Literature Nut	http://mjmbecky.blogspot.com/
The Book Tree	http://thebooktree.blogspot.com/
My Reading Room	http://myreadingroom-crystal.blogspot.com/
May 23 Reviews
Carla Nayland's Blog	http://www.carlanayland.org/index.shtml

Review and Giveaway - The Higest Stakes by Emery Lee

The Highest Stakes by Emery Lee
Paperback: 560 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark (April 1, 2010)
ISBN-10: 1402236425
ISBN-13: 978-1402236426
Author Website

Rating: 4.25 of 5

A tale of drama, danger, thwarted love, and retribution set in the high stakes gentleman’s world of 18th century horse racing, where fortunes could be won… and lost…

Product Description
The breathtaking origins of thoroughbred horse racing. A tale of drama, danger, thwarted love, and retribution set in the high stakes gentleman-s world of 18th century horse racing, where fortunes could be won... and lost...
She’s lonely and neglected, but she knows horses...
Charlotte Wallace is orphaned and alone until a sympathetic stable boy takes her under his wing and teaches her everything about thoroughbred racing. In the process, the two discover in each other a love destined to be thwarted at every turn...
If only he could, he’d take her away with him forever...
Robert Devington has tried everything to persuade Charlotte’s uncle to allow them to marry. Then an ill-fated friendship, a scandal in the making, and one desperate act of folly rob them of their love and his livelihood... Dead set on retribution, all Robert’s hopes are hanging on one small horse-his only chance to reclaim his land, his dignity, and his love, against all odds...

Review: This is wonderfully engaging and rich debut novel. The history of thoroughbred horse racing is woven into a star-crossed romance with a truly authentic feel.

The Product Description does a good job of summarizing the story although it doesn’t really say that Robert’s pride stands in his way quite often. Robert is bright, determined and a bit too proud sometimes. His extreme risk taking in the racing realm was a bit frustrating for me and his hot headed stubbornness definitely got him into trouble.

Charlotte is a girl after my own childhood heart when I loved being outside with the horses (farm horses, not thoroughbreds). She falls in love with a groomsman but her Uncle wants to use her as a pawn. She is strong minded and faithful but stuck in the society she was born to. Although she is willing to take a risk on Robert he isn’t willing to take one on her without proving himself first.

There are several good secondary characters that give added depth to the story.  Charlotte's Uncle is a country squire seeking to build up a renowned and prosperous stable. Robert's good friend from their war service is particularly complex and plays a surprising role in Robert's misfortune.

I enjoyed the history of how all thoroughbred horses started from three specific Arabian stallions imported to England. The details of the owners and horse racing were wonderfully presented by factual information placed smoothly in conversation and description. Those details were extremely well researched and the writing fit the setting and time period so it seemed quite authentic. You could feel the excitement of the horse races and the intense emotions of the participants - both men and noble beasts.

I would not describe this as light, but it moved at a good pace with all the action in racing and war settings. It is a very enjoyable read. Wonderful for those who like historical romance with real history and those who like horses and those who love romance that has to overcome multiple obstacles.

***************************************************

Thank you to Danielle at Sourcebook for this fine book.

TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY FOR THIS VERY GENTLY READ ARC:

1. Comment on the review telling me a little something you know about horses or horseracing or have you ever been to a real horse race?  Please leave your e-mail!

2. For an extra entry, become a follower or tell me if you are already a follower.

3. For another entry, blog, facebook, tweet (any of those networks!) about this giveaway and tell me where you did.

(Three total entries possible.)
It isn't necessary to use separate entries unless you want them in different chronological order.

* This contest is only open to residents of US and Canada.
* No P.O. Boxes Please - for shipping reasons.
* This contest will close Midnight (Central) on May 21, 2010. The winner will be randomly selected from all entries.

Martha's March Movie Madness - Contest!

My family and I have this habit of picking up lines from movies.  So today is Martha's March Movie Madness!  Your goal, *should you chose to accept it *, is to identify the ten (10) movies the quotes came from.  So we do not give away the answers PLEASE DO NOT ANSWER HERE but e-mail me your answers at mesreads@gmail.com. 

I will do a drawing from all entries that get ALL of them correct and I will do a second drawing from all OTHER entries.  So even if you miss a few you will still have a chance.
The winner with ALL correct answers will get to choose a book or $5.00 gift card from the Friday Pick books AND a credit of $5.00 for a book from eTreasures Publishing.  
The winner from the other entries will get to choose a book or $5.00 gift card from the Friday Pick books.

1.  "They never call, they never write."

2.  "We'll do that!"

3.  "100% pure old fashioned homegrown."

4.  "Don't worry. I've done this before...once."

5.  "We're sending someone in to negotiate."

6.  "I'd die for you."

7.  "She's in good hands."

8.  "The secret's in the sauce."

9.  " What am I supposed to do? Walk around with their little corpses stuck to my finger nails?"

10.  "And Winter slumbering in the open air,
Wears on his smiling face a dream of Spring!"  ***  I liked this so much I looked up the full poem:
 

"All Nature seems at work. Slugs leave their lair- The bees are stirring - birds are on the wing - And Winter slumbering in the open air, Wears on his smiling face a dream of Spring!"And I the while, the sole unbusy thing, Nor honey make, nor pair, nor build, nor sing."
Samuel Taylor Coleridge,
Work Without Hope


*Bonus - what movie is *that phrase* (in the third line of this post) from?

Please comment here to let me know you sent an entry and for extra fun when you comment tell me one of YOUR favorite movie quotes and I'll try to guess the movie!
I will pick winners Thursday night at 10 pm central and announce them on Friday.

There is no way to keep people from searching quotes online. AND I know that if it were me I would be trying to search the answers!! I am thinking - hoping - one of these might really get you stumped! *BG*
I'll check answers and if everyone gets stumped by the same question I may add hints if it looks like its needed and I may extend the deadline.  That means I will allow updated answers so check back Wednesday and Thursday to see if I have added hints.

I have used a similar but shorter list for fun at the (SaSR) Sweet and Sensual Romance Tuesday R&R. They have to name the character and movie or show for five quotes.

Is that Cover REAL? Does it REALLY Matter?? [With Giveaway!]

I was planning on something else today but it just wasn't quite ready --- soon though!
As second choice I thought I might continue my "realism" theme one more week!! Here is today's question!

How "real" should the cover be?????
Does it every bother you if the cover doesn't match the book?
Do you feel deceived sometimes if you got pulled in by a cover and discover the book is nothing like that?

I can think of a few times when I was annoyed that the cover showed a blonde and the heroine was a brunette (or visa versa!).  And many times the clothes on the cover are not as described in the book. I like my covers to match the story!  I can think of a particular book where I think the cover looked VERY interesting but the story didn't match!  As a courtesy, I won't single it out.  But it was annoying because I would not have gotten the book for review except for the pretty cool looking, but ultimately misleading, cover.

One more point that is interesting - as I was looking for graphics for this post [does anyone know how time consuming that can get??] I found these two book covers on the topic of art and graphics.  What do you think??                                                                                                                                                 

Which catches your eye?? Which book would you be inclined to pick for information on graphic art??

DOES THE COVER REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

Again this week there will be a drawing from all comments made on this post - leave your e-mail please so I can reach you! I will draw a winner Friday morning to chose a book from the Friday Pick books!

@#%^&*- Is That REAL Language?

 "REAL LANGUAGE"?????

This is my SaSR R&R Tuesday post -- not fully a rant but more an extension on the REALISM topic from last week!

So this is my question --- do books need to have all the bad language and cuss words to be considered "real"?  A while back I had e-mailed an author and pointed out that although I really liked the action and plot in her book I didn't like the language.  She responded that it was "real language" with a bit of an indication that I was NOT real!!

I was raised in a pretty conservative home and when I was in high school I was referred to as a "goodie two shoes" on occasion. [Hmmm - wonder where that phrase comes from?]
There was not much swearing at our house that I can recall.  Somewhere along the way I made a conscious decision not to use swear words.  Heck, darn and drat are about as harsh as I get!  I don't even like to say 'crap' even though my kids rooms might have looked like that sometimes when they were teens!  I just don't find the need to use rough language to express myself.  

So needless to say I wonder why bad words have to be so prevalent in books. I understand that there is likely to be bad language in a cop story. [Unless it is inspirational - they manage just fine without bad language!!]  I have read some good PI stories where there is some language but the book isn't peppered with it - just a word or five out of the whole book.  However there are other books where it seems like it is every tenth (or even fiftieth) word and I don't like it!! [And if cops really talk that way all the time I sure am glad I don't have to work around them!!]

Then lets look at contemporaries.... again - I don't like it but I find it more and more.  A couple of months ago I tried to read a fantasy story by a popular author and couldn't get past the first chapter because of course language. I had read several books by another author then I listened to one last year which was a cop story with a lot of bad language.  I haven't been inclined to pick her books up again and may end up giving away a half dozen or so that I had collected. 

I really find it hard to swallow foul words in historical romance!  Okay so maybe the people in the streets would have used gutter language and maybe the gents would have too.  But I would just a soon not read it!

If I have accepted a review book then I will get through it but I am likely to make a note near the end of the review that it contains rough, raw, crude or swear language depending on the severity! I will also not steamy, graphic or explicit sex.  Why do I note those aspects??? Because I think there may be some other readers out there who may want to be forewarned about the language or the explicitness.

I guess I want my reading to be escapism that softens the harsh realities of the world! I like the rose colored glasses!
So how do YOU feel about bad language in books???

Again this week there will be a drawing from all comments made on this post - leave your e-mail please so I can reach you!  I will draw a winner Friday morning to chose a book from the Friday Pick books!

How Important is "REALISM?" - Comment Giveaway!

How important is realism?
If you read fantasy or scifi there is a lot of room for the author to stretch realism.  But if you read historical or contemporary romance how important is it for the plot/facts to be completely realistic?  Is it okay if the events are possible even if they may not be probable?  Would that effect how you like or rate the book?

This is a real snowman but how likely is it?

Picture from Bing Images -

Go to page:http://www.kentuckykatz.com/page/1419913

Actually - I have had lack of realism effect my rating.  I read one story where the circumstances were so improbable to me that it ruined the rest of the story.  Now in that instance, I recall I had some trouble with liking the characters and felt there was lack of consistency. Every thing felt flat as well as unbelievable. So the lack of realism only compounded an unhappy read for me.

On another occasion the circumstances of the story were on the edge of believable - it could happen but not likely! But I liked the characters and the intent of the story so much that the "stretch of the circumstances" didn't bother me. I still found the story engaging, upbeat, sweet and fun and therefore overlooked the improbabilities!  I would however mark the story down by at least .25 because of the realism issue.

Now on to a more technical area of accuracy: what about a historical romance that has a feature definitely out of time? For example buttons before they were in use?  Would you notice? Would you care?  I for one wouldn't know when buttons began to be used without looking it up (probably at a good historical author blog!) So I probably wouldn't notice that type of detail. But I know there are some historical readers who would definitely notice!

So tell me what you think?? How important is realism to YOU in the books you read?

Leave a comment to win a book from the Friday Picks!  Winner will be randomly selected from all comments made through Thursday midnight and announced Friday with the Friday 1/15 pick winners!

This is my SaSR Tuesday topic today.

Review of THREE MINUTES BEFORE CHRISTMAS by Paige Ryter

Title: THREE MINUTES BEFORE CHRISTMAS
Author: Paige Ryter
Genre: Contemporary, Holiday
Publisher: Red Rose Publishing
Buy Link
ISBN: 978-1-60435-494-2
Release Date: December 10, 2009
eBook $5.99
Pages 168
Heat Rating: Sweet

Rating: 4.25 of 5.0
Author Blog
Reviewed by: MarthaE

Blurb:
When Sydney White is hit by a huge roll of Christmas wrapping paper at her mall wrapping job, sexy pediatrician Colin Taylor rushes to her rescue. Unable to find her purse or keys, Sydney can't even recall the phone number for her brother's new home, so Colin offers his home as a place of refuge. While there is a physical attraction, Sydney knows their worlds are far apart and it'll only be a matter of time before he finds someone else in his own social class. Can a Christmas miracle save their love? Check the clock because they've only got Three Minutes Before Christmas until the magic is lost.

Review:  This is a wonderfully fun story with some great, sweet bantering between the characters!

Sydney comes from a wealthy family but is insistent on making it on her own with NO help!  She has determined that she hates all rich people and wants nothing to do with them. Now she is terribly attracted to the handsome doctor who has rescued her but she is convinced that she is not his class and he will abandon her after she is well again.

Colin had noticed the beautiful red head before he witnessed the hit that gave her a concussion.  Now he wants to take care of her until he can convince her that they belong together!  He is a character that you can really, really like!

I really enjoyed the fun repartee between the characters.  I liked the experiences with the concussion and the hospital. The jealousy of another Doctor adds some additional tension.  Sydney’s negative attitude towards wealth and accepting help does seem a bit extreme… at one point she really lets it affect her and puts herself in danger.  I was glad when she finally softened a bit. 

The writing and story moves along at a smart, almost sassy pace.  I thought there may have been too much focus or repetition on Sydney’s negative attitude about rich people. Even with that the story was fun, the chemistry nice and the love and ending heartwarming!  I would recommend this book for a quick warm romance and I will look forward to more writing from this author.

This is my Tuesday R&R review at SaSR.

A Giveaway - Be Thankful - and What Part of Thanksgiving Are You?

This is the Sweet and Sensual Romances Group game today courtesy of Blogthings! The link is below my result.  Here is what I am:

You Are The Stuffing

You're complicated and complex, yet all your pieces fit together.

People miss you if you're gone - but they're not sure why.

Here is the link to find out What Part of Thanksgiving are You?

Now you can do the quiz and let me know about you or not.  But please DO tell me at least ONE THING you are THANKFUL for this week! 

I'll start - I am THANKFUL for my DH who cooks for me and lets me read alot! *BG*
I am in a giving mood and am posting a daily Giveaway for at least the next week and maybe more.  (I left my list in my briefcase at work!)  There will be new Hachette Giveaways, the 150 Followers Celebration Giveaway, several book Giveaways and a couple of special item Giveaways.  So check back!!

Today's Giveaway will be...... This wonderful apron I had specially made by a lady friend at my church!!  It has two nice big pockets and ties around the waist.  I guess I should have hung it on someone to model but I didn't think of that at the time! 

TO ENTER:

1. Do what is highlighted in blue above - tell me something you are Thankful for! Please include your email address, so I can contact you if you win.

2. For an extra entry, become a follower or tell me if you are already a follower.

3. For another entry, blog, facebook, tweet (any of those networks!) about this giveaway and tell me where you did.

4. Leave a separate comment for each entry or you'll only be entered once. (This method is used to make it easier to put the entries into the random generator!)

(Three total entries possible.)

* This Giveaway is open Worldwide! I'll foot the postage for international as an extra Holdiay gift should someone overseas win!! =o)

This Giveaway will close midnight Central time December 4, 2009  - so I can get it in the mail in time for the holidays!

Review - FIRE EYES by Cheryl Pierson

Title:    Fire Eyes
Author:  Cheryl Pierson
Genre:  Historical Western
Publisher:  The Wild Rose Press
Buy Link
ISBN:  1-60154-470-7
Heat Rating: Hot (per TWRP)
Author Website:  Cheryl Pierson



Rating:  4.25 of 5.0


Blurb:  Beaten and wounded by a band of sadistic renegades that rules the borderlands of Indian Territory, U.S. Marshal Kaed Turner understands what the inevitable outcome will be for him: death. But Fate and a war party of Choctaw Indians intervene, delivering him instead to a beautiful angel with the skill to heal him. Jessica Monroe has already lost a husband and a brother to the outlaws who tortured Marshal Turner. As the rugged lawman lies bleeding on her bed, she faces a difficult decision. Can she afford to gamble with her heart one last time? For when Kaed recovers, he is sworn to join the other Territorial Peace Officers in their battle to wipe out the renegade gang once and for all. When vengeance is done, will Kaed keep riding? Or will he return to claim his future with the beautiful woman the Choctaw call "Fire Eyes?"

Review:  This story jumps into the heat of action and moves into a very strong romance!

Jessica is a really lovely character.  She has suffered but is brave, compassionate, patient and willing to help others.  The Choctaws call her “Fire Eyes” for the strength of determination and courage they see in her eyes!  She may be inwardly frightened of the Indians, but she is not going to show her fear but instead stands with her chin up and her eyes blazing.  Now they have brought this very handsome, independent and nearly dead Marshall Kaed to her, expecting her to keep him alive. She wants to heal him but doesn't want to lose her heart to a man she knows will leave.

Kaed is rugged, smart and determined to get the bad guys.  He was partially raised by the Choctaws so he knows them as family and friends.  But he doesn’t fit in their world any more than he fits in the world of the settled and refined Whiteman.  Kaed is an independent roamer, not the type to settle down.  Having to stay for some time to heal with a beautiful angel and a sweet baby girl puts some dangerous thoughts in his head.  He doesn’t want to commit to staying but he sure finds Jessica hard to resist and what will happen to her if he leaves?

I really like the background that the author blends into the story to show us the history and nature of the characters.  I had a good understanding of the actions of the characters because I learned a bit of what makes them tick.  This applies to the very nasty villain, Fallon, the other Marshals and even Standing Bear, the Choctaw chief who is Kaed’s Indian “father.”

The story jumps right into some strong action.  Then there is the touching development of the relationship between Jessi and Kaed that gives us a lot of the character background.  The story returns to the marshals trying to save two more young girls kidnapped by Fallon and his Brigade.  The plot is action filled with good guys chasing the bad guys and loved ones in danger!

There is some rough language which fits with the rough cowboys and some time period appropriate violence.  The love making is steamy but very loving.  The true story here for me is how the hero and heroine need each other and how Kaed, particularly, reaches his decision to commit!  A very enjoyable read.  (And a beautiful cover too!)

This is my Tuesday R&R review at SaSR.

Don't forget to enter the Giveaway for Ms. Pierson's books and comment here for an extra entry!

REVIEW - The Pumpkinnapper by Linda Banche

Title: The Pumpkinnapper
Author: Linda Banche
Genre: Historical
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Buy Link

ISBN:

Rating: 4.0 of 5.0
Heat Rating: Sweet/Sensual
Author Website: http://lindabanche.blogspot.com/

Reviewed by: MarthaE

Blurb: Pumpkin thieves, a youthful love rekindled, and a jealous goose. Oh my!
Last night someone tried to steal the widowed Mrs. Emily Metcalfe's pumpkins. She's certain the culprit is her old childhood nemesis and the secret love of her youth, whom she hasn't seen in ten years.
Henry, Baron Grey has never forgotten the girl he loved, but couldn’t pursue, and so decides to catch Emily's would-be thief. Even after she reveals his childhood nickname--the one he would rather forget. And even after her jealous pet goose bites him in an embarrassing place.
Oh, the things a man will do for love.


Review: This was a wonderfully sweet quick read! I really enjoyed it! Sorry – no horror to this – except maybe for the goose biting!

Emily and Henry didn’t realize they loved each other when they were young. He went off to school and she was courted by and married another man. Now fate, with maybe a little help from friends, gives them a second chance. Will they take the chance or will they forever shield their hearts not knowing how the other feels?

I have to say that I loved Henry, the goose, in this story! We had two African geese many years ago and they do make good watch guards! He was a great addition to the story.

The actual Pumpkinnappers are really the only Halloween part of the story and there is not a lot of explanation for them. They do serve to help bring Emily and Henry together.

Both the heroine and hero are very pleasant characters, independent and strong, but full of kindness and humor. I liked the interesting bits of background given regarding the pumpkin cultivation. The writing flowed nicely with a good blend of descriptions, sweet romance and smooth action. I will look forward to longer stories from Ms. Banche based on this fine short piece!

This is my Tuesday R&R review at SaSR.

What's Your Halloween Personality??

This is the Sweet and Sensual Romances Group game today courtesy of Blogthings.com! The link is at the bottom of the post.

What's Your Halloween Personality?

http://www.blogthings.com/whatsyourhalloweenperson...

The scariest thing on Halloween is you! You definitely don't want any kids in costumes crossing your path - and you're willing to scare away any who do.

You're weird. You're downright deviant. And you use dressing up in a costume as an excuse to act out.

Your inner child is stubborn and a bit bossy.

You truly fear the dark side of humanity. You are a true misanthrope.

You're logical, rational, and not easily effected. Not a lot scares you... especially when it comes to the paranormal.

You are picky and high maintenance. If you wear a Halloween costume, it's only when you really feel like it. And it has to be perfect.

What's Your Halloween Personality?