Review - Wicked Intentions by Elizabeth Hoyt

This is a wonderfully tense mystery and romance.
Wicked Intentions (Maiden Lane)

• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (August 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 044655894X
• ISBN-13: 978-0446558945

Rating 4.5 of 5.0

A MAN CONTROLLED BY HIS DESIRES Infamous for his wild, sensual needs, Lazarus Huntington, Lord Caire, is searching for a savage killer in St. Giles, London's most notorious slum. Widowed Temperance Dews knows the area like the back of her hand—she cares for its children at the foundling home her family established. Now that home is at risk…

A WOMAN HAUNTED BY HER PAST
Caire makes a simple offer—in return for Temperance's help navigating the perilous alleys of St. Giles, he will introduce her to high society so that she can find a benefactor for the home. But Temperance may not be the innocent she seems, and what begins as a cold bargain soon falls prey to a passion neither can control—and may well destroy them both.

Review: This book contains wonderful elements of murder, mystery and rather tortured characters.

I loved these characters.  Lord Caire is partially the typical stereotype of a cold, arrogant British aristocrat.  He is rumored to have wild, sexual behaviors.  It is a secret that he has a unique skin disorder that causes him to be even more “hands” offish. Caire doesn’t believe he is lovable nor deserving of love. Although his outward appearance is harsh and cold, inside his feelings run deep; so much so that he is willing to seek the murderer of his mistress even though he claims no great attachment or affection for her.

Temperance is a widow who devotes her life to helping her pious brother manage the foundling home located in the London slums of St. Giles.  She appears to be pure and saintly because she keeps a tight rein on her emotions.  But it quickly becomes clear that she has deep passions.  She believes that she is not permitted to experience her passions, whether it is love for the children or sexual interest in Caire.  She is not a physical beauty but she has wonderful strength of character that makes her a beautiful person and Lord Caire is able to see that in her.

I really liked the chemistry and the unusual courtship conducted while they are roaming the dark streets looking for a murderer.  The sexual scenes are rather graphic. I didn’t find them perverse or wicked as is intimated by the rumors of Caire’s activities.  It is just that they are described in detail.  I believe this presentation helps give the full impact of the emotional obstacles that Caire and Temperance had to overcome in order to come together for a healthy, loving relationship. I haven’t read any other books by Ms. Hoyt yet so I cannot say for certain if they are all this steamy.

The author is able to invoke a sense of darkness and mystery throughout the book.  You just feel that you are in a misty, dark place of danger and it is nice to have a strong man around for protection.  I enjoyed the mystery and the romance and look forward to reading more in this series.

xxx

Thanks once more to Anna and Hachette for providing this book for review and Giveaway.

Please enjoy the Author interview too!

Review - When I Stop Talking, You'll Know I'm Dead Audio Book by Jerry Weintraub

If you are a movie buff or like memoirs you would truly enjoy this engaging audio book!
When I Stop Talking, You'll Know I'm Dead: Useful Stories from a Persuasive Man

• Audio CD
• Publisher: Hachette Audio; Unabridged edition (June 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1607889684
• ISBN-13: 978-1607889687

Rating 4.75 of 5.0

  I am writing this review without the synopsis or Product description which you can find here if you wish to read it either before or after reading my review.   I wasn’t quite sure how I would like this but it sounded interesting so I chose it. I don’t follow movies, stars or producers so I didn’t know who Jerry Weintraub was. I must say I was impressed.

Review:

The audio book starts and ends with the big band “swing” sound which seems very appropriate. The story is read by the author with his very distinct Brooklyn, New York accent.  This wasn’t always comfortable listening, but I think it was perfect because in the presentation you catch his persuasive personality, his quick-to-anger temperament, his caring nature and especially his emotional loss upon the death of his parents. By the end you feel as though you have had numerous sit down chats enjoying the company of a man who has lived a very full life.

Mr. Weintraub is a consummate “salesman”: a promoter; a Hollywood mover and shaker. Born in the 1930s, Jerry Weintraub established his own careers through sheer imagination and bravado. The book presents the progression of his success as a concert promoter, star manager and promoter and ultimately successful movie producer.  The journey is set out in ten year career blocks, but not all of the stories are chronological as the the wonderful antidotes jump around a bit in time.

Mr. Weintraub paints a memorable picture of the New York neighborhood and Hollywood from a by gone era but the majority of the focus is about people and relationships.  There are stories of how he “negotiated” with Colonel Tom Parker and became the promoter for Elvis Presley. There are stories of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. He describes how he discovered John Denver and helped to “brand” him and make him popular across many lines of audiences. He also depicts their angry split.

This is a man who was not only active with stars but he became the friend of Presidents and politically influential men.  He shares stories of his friendship with George Bush, Sr. and his association with Jimmy Carter. He talks about his long time friendship with business tycoon Armand Hammer, and he touches on his religious experiences with prominent hasidic rabbi and leader, Lubavitcher Rebbe.

He tells interesting tales about how actors were found for some of the movies he promoted or produced, including Oh God, The Karate Kid, Nashville, The Diner and Ocean Eleven. He also gives humorous details of working with many of the stars and his more recent associations with the Oceans 11, 12 and 13 team.

Throughout the engaging glimpses of his relationships with clients and family, Mr. Weintraub drops some pearls of wisdom for success in life.  He stresses that it is the relationship that matters both in business and life. He also encourages people to accept who they are and the niche or brand that works for them.  You can be successful being yourself when you will probably fail at being someone else. He tells of one of his own business failures that I think resulted from this error.

This is an engaging autobiography.  If you like memoirs, or Hollywood tidbits, or if you are interested in some American history, or even if you just like human interest stories, you would enjoy this audio book.

xxx

Thank you to Hachette and Anna who provided this book for listening and review.

Three lucky people can win this book thanks to Hachette allowing me to host a Giveaway.

Giveaway - Three Copies of the Audio Book When I Stop Talking, You'll Know I'm Dead by Jerry Weintraub

This audio book is truly worth taking a second look at -- lots of interesting antidotes with a "who's who" in Hollywood.

WHEN I STOP TALKING, YOU’LL KNOW I’M DEAD (Unabridged) by Jerry Weintraub with Rich Cohen read by the author Maverick movie producer Jerry Weintraub's hilarious, autobiographical account of what it takes to make it to the top, in life and business: a de facto primer in the Art of Persuasion. Listen to an Excerpt Start Reading Online Grab an OpenBook™ Widget "Like" Jerry Weintraub on Facebook Available in CD and Digital Download Formats

TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY for the AUDIO CD:

1. I'll give you a choice for the entry Comment: you can do any ONE or all if you wish - it will only count as ONE entry.

a) Read the full description of the book and comment on it;  OR
b) Listen to an excerpt and leave a comment about that; OR
c) Tell me if you have a favorite movie produced by Jerry Weintraub.
d) This is longer but I found this interesting interview that you might like to view and comment on something you learned there.

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. For two extra entries comment on my review.

It isn't necessary to use separate entries unless you want them in different chronological order.
(Five total entries possible.) MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE YOUR E-MAIL!

THERE WILL BE THREE WINNERS!

* This contest is only open to residents of US and Canada.
* No P.O. Boxes Please - for shipping reasons
* This contest will close 12 Midnight (Central) on August 29, 2010. The winners will be randomly selected from all entries.

Winners of Tempted by a Warrior

CONGRATULATIONS

to the winners of Tempted by a Warrior by Amanda Scott

And

Wanda, Anita, Edna, Vidisha and Heatherzilla
I will send the winners the form to complete. Please confirm within 72 hours.
Thank you to everyone who entered and Thank you again to Hachette and Anna for providing the giveaway.

It's Monday! What are you Reading August 9, 2010?

This meme starts at One Person's Journey Through A World of Books!

What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week.  It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

I'm still having great reading material! I finished reading four books and almost completed the audio book. I posted two reviews and giveaways.
I still need to send out some reviews and complete the ones for this week.

Again, I only visited a few blogs - but did get to visit some new blogs through the blog conference.

These were last week's posts plus a couple of Winner posts not listed.

• It's Monday What are You Reading?

• Mailbox Monday

• Review of Deadly Fear
  by Cynthia Eden

• Giveaway of Deadly Fear

• Author Cynthia Eden Guest Blog: The Agent Hunt
  

• Author Interview with Terry Spear

• Review and Giveaway of Seduced by the Wolf
  by Terry Spear

• Blogoversary Suggestions Wrap Up #1

• Martha's Bookshelf *** Friday Pick Giveaway August 6, 2010. 

• Blog Tour Announcement for Dee Davis - Desperate Deeds

• Blogoversary Suggestions Wrap Up #2

• Dog Days of Summer Giveaway 

• Blog Tour Announcement for Captured by Desire by Kira Morgan

• Online Conference for Bloggers and Authors
I attended this conference Friday and Saturday. It was lots of fun chatting with bloggers and authors, new friends and old. I participated on two of the blog talk panels: What I Wish I'd Known Before I Started... and Book Trailers Debate. If any one is interested in the podcasts that were presented you can still sign up and listen to them over the next several months.  There was good information for newer authors and bloggers too.

• Sunday Words of Encouragement August 8, 2010.

Finished Reading:

PB:  Deadly Fear by Cynthia Eden.  Review and Giveaway links are posted above. Plus Ms. Eden provided a Guest blog of particular interest to new authors.


 
PB & Kindle:  Seduced by the Wolf by Terry Spear. Review and Giveaway link is posted above. Please visit the author interview too!

PB: Wicked Intentions (Maiden Lane) by Elizabeth Hoyt.  I loved the characters in this! Blog tour with Q&A, Review and Giveaway posting on Wednesday August 11, 2010.

A MAN CONTROLLED BY HIS DESIRES Infamous for his wild, sensual needs, Lazarus Huntington, Lord Caire, is searching for a savage killer in St. Giles, London's most notorious slum. Widowed Temperance Dews knows the area like the back of her hand—she cares for its children at the foundling home her family established. Now that home is at risk…

A WOMAN HAUNTED BY HER PAST
Caire makes a simple offer—in return for Temperance's help navigating the perilous alleys of St. Giles, he will introduce her to high society so that she can find a benefactor for the home. But Temperance may not be the innocent she seems, and what begins as a cold bargain soon falls prey to a passion neither can control—and may well destroy them both.

Kindle: Dominic by Hazel Statham.  This was Delightful! I'll post a review soon.

Product Description
When Dominic returns from a night of revels to find a badly beaten youth on his doorstep, little does he know that she is to become in turn his pupil and his love.

Rusticated to his father’s estates, he again meets Sophie in her boyish guise and agrees to become her tutor – treating her as a boy. However, their idyll is short-lived when the duke arrives at Stovely and Sophie, transformed once more into a beautiful young woman, is forced to return to London.

Audio:  --------


Line Edits:  -------

Currently reading:

Audio Book:  When I Stop Talking, You'll Know I'm Dead: Useful Stories from a Persuasive Man by Jerry Weintraub.  
I will probably finish this on Monday.  I didn't realize all the projects this entrepreneur, producer was involved with. Really quite interesting. I will post the review and Hachette Giveaway this week.
Partial Description:
Here is the story of Jerry Weintraub: the self-made, Brooklyn-born,  Bronx-raised impresario, Hollywood producer, legendary deal maker, and  friend of politicians and stars. No matter where nature has placed  him--the club rooms of Brooklyn, the Mafia dives of New York's Lower  East Side, the wilds of Alaska, or the hills of Hollywood--he has found a  way to put on a show and sell tickets at the door. "All life was a  theater and I wanted to put it up on a stage," he writes. "I wanted to  set the world under a marquee that read: 'Jerry Weintraub Presents.'" 

Click here for full description.

PB: Desperate Deeds by Dee Davis for Blog Tour on August 17.  I did not yet get to Dangerous Desires, the second in the series, but I still think I will read it first.

Captured by Desire by Kira Morgan for Blog Tour on August 19.

Kindle ------

Audio - Hoping a new one comes in this week or I may pick up one I have or an Audible.

Line Edits: I am working on final set ups for three books with two waiting next in line!

Upcoming books:
Two small Tell HQ review books.
Next up: Whisper of a Witch by Suza Kates for August 25 Author Tour.
Seduced by a Highlander by Paula Quinn for August 26 Blog Tour.
Never a Bride by Amelia Grey - have to read this eArc on my computer.


The Brothers of Gwynedd: The Legend of the First True Prince of Wales by Edith Pargeter. Part Three - The Hounds of Sunset. Reviewing for Sourcebooks.  Not quite sure when I will be getting back to this but it is still on the schedule.