Review of Silenced by Allison Brennan

Rating - 4

 A number of known prostitutes--with scores of high profile clients--are turning up dead all over D.C. Is this the work of a depraved killer? Or the result of an inside job? Lucy's investigation will take her into an underground network of prostitutes, the chambers of the country's most powerful players, and her own dark past to confront an unknown enemy who's always one step ahead of her. With the help of her P.I. boyfriend Sean Rogan, Lucy must find and protect the only witness who can identify the killer and end the conspiracy, but can the witness be trusted? Lucy will risk everything to expose the truth and ensure justice is served, even if that means putting herself in the line of fire ... (Desc. from Amazon)

The Lucy Kincaid series is my favorite of Brennan's numerous series. The characters of Lucy and Sean are nuanced and finely drawn. Each book in the series explores their characters more deeply. As a writer, Brennan is a master of complex plot twists. Once started, her books are hard to put down.

Review of Stargazey Point by Shelley Noble

Rating = 3

 Documentary filmmaker Abbie Sinclair is deeply damaged after her latest project ended in tragedy. Luckily for her, her best friend stateside has a few elderly relatives who are happy to host Abbie in their crumbling seaside mansion while she figures out what comes next. Cabot Reynolds the Third is a man who gave up a promising career as an architect to return to the down and out South Carolina beach town of Stargazey Point to restore his uncle's carousel and, hopefully, breathe new life into the town before its natives are forced to sell out to developers. The elderly Crispin siblings are Stargazey Point's old money, but their funds are quickly disappearing. The three have fallen to selling off their belongings to pay off their taxes. Despite their troubles Abbie finds a home with Millie, Marnie, and Beau, and before long she finds that she doesn't have to jet around the world to keep up with the deeds of her over-achieving, do-gooder family members, there's plenty of good to be done right in Stargazey Point. (Desc. yourotherleft, 9/13

Stargazey Point was an enjoyable read with likable characters. There were several sub-plots with just enough suspense to hold my attention from start to finish.

Review of The Great Escape by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Rating - 4 

Phillips reintroduces Lucy Jorik, the U.S. president's adopted daughter from her previous novel, Call Me Irresistible. Lucy has always felt the pressure to be perfect, but when she runs out on the perfect man, Ted Beaudine, on the day of her wedding, she knows that she wants something else. Throwing caution to the wind, she accepts a ride on the back of a motorcycle from a menacing-looking stranger nicknamed "Panda." Lucy isn't quite ready to face her family, and the rest of the world, again, and her growing attraction to the grizzled biker just makes it easier to keep her real life on hold. After a secret about Panda comes out, however, Lucy realizes that escaping her too-perfect life will be harder than it seemed.

This is trademark SEP: Familiar, quirky characters, humor, romance and hot sex. The beginning is a little slow, but once it gets going, it's hard to put down. I hate for SEP books to end because I don't want to let go of the characters! I hope she writes fast...I can't wait for her next novel.

Review of The Inn at Rose Harbor by Debbie Macomber

Rating - 3

Jo Marie Rose first arrives in Cedar Cove seeking a sense of peace and a fresh start. Coping with the death of her husband, she purchases the newly christened Rose Harbor Inn and sets out to begin her life anew. Yet the inn holds more surprises than Jo Marie can imagine.

In this first book in the Cedar Cove- Rose Harbor series, Macomber links the stories of Jo Marie and her first two guests...Abby and Josh...through the common themes of love, loss, forgiveness and second chances. Macomber's books are gentle and satisfying with quirky characters, humor and romance. I look forward to reading the next book in the Rose Harbor series.

Review of SEALed with a Kiss by Mary Margaret Daughtridge

Rating - 3 1/2



Jax Graham is a member of an elite military team, but when it comes to taking care of his four-year-old son after his ex-wife dies. Family therapist Pickett Sessoms knows just how to help a rough, tough Navy SEAL deal with a scared and lonely little boy. When Jax and his young son Tyler get trapped by a hurricane, Pickett takes them in against her better judgment. Jax figures Pickett's high maintenance, just like all the women he knows, and she figures he's not commitment material. But when an outing turns deadly, Pickett discovers what it means to be a SEAL, and Jax discovers that even a hero needs help sometimes... (Desc. from LT).
This was an entertaining and romantic story, with humor and plenty of sexual tension.

Review of Midnight Secrets by Ella Grace

Rating - 3
ARC - On sale 4/30/2013

On a hot southern night, a family is shattered. Three daughters—Savannah, Samantha, and Sabrina Wilde—go on with their lives as they bear the memory of the murder-suicide that killed their parents. For years, they have stayed away from Midnight, Alabama. Now, a prosecutor, Savannah is the first one back when a case in Nashville leads her to seek shelter in the once grand Wilde mansion.  While she's home, Savannah decides to start going through the mansion, preparing it for sale. When she finds some old letters left by her father, she begins to realize that her parents' death wasn't what it seemed. As she starts asking questions, she realizes that her life is in danger. Zach Tanner, once the town’s bad boy and her first lover, is now the new police chief. Working together to solve the mystery, Zach and Savannah realize that the chemistry they had as teenagers is still there.

 

This was an entertaining, romantic, suspenseful book. I thorougly enjoyed reading it and I look forward to reading the next books in this series.

Review of Breathing Room by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Rating - 4

 Isabel Favor is a life-style coach whose life is falling apart. Her accountant has run off with her money, her reputation is in tatters and her fiance has just dumped her for an older woman. Isabel needs to escape so she heads for Tuscany determined to find a little perspective - breathing room - and start over. Instead she ends up in a hotel room with Hollywood bad boy Lorenzo Gage. He makes his living killing people...on the screen at least. Ren's reputation is blacker than black. But when you're everyone's favourite villain, it goes with the territory. Isabel's always prided herself on her neatly ordered life. But look where being good has got her. Maybe it's time to live a little...? (Amazon desc.)

This is trademark Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Lots of romance, humor and colorful secondary characters. Highly entertaining.

Review of Home for the Summer by Mariah Stewart

Rating - 3

Lucy Sinclair grew up in St. Dennis, a small town on the Chesapeake Bay. Her best friend was Clay Madison from the time she was in 3rd grade. But in high school, Lucy began to withdraw from Clay and the rest of her friends. After school she moved across the country to California to start a highly successful event planning business. Now, several high profile events are taking Lucy back to St. Dennis. While she is reluctant to return, she begins to be drawn in by her family, friends, her memories and especially by Clay. 

This is the 5th book in the Chesapeake Diaries series. The series is sweet and "feel good". It's fun to see previous characters in the book. A nice beach read.

Review of In the Bag by Kate Klise

Rating - 4
Release Date - 5/2012

Daisy and her daughter Zoe are traveling to Paris from St. Louis for Zoe's spring break. Daisy is a top-notch chef and recently left a restaurant job to clear her mind and decide what she wants to do next. Andrew and his ason are heading to Madrid for Andrew's job as an exhibit designer. On the plane, Andrew actually jostled a woman holding a glass of wine which spills on her silk blouse. Andrew feels terrible. The woman is very attractive and Andrew is drawn to her. Uncharacteristically, Andrew composes a note apologizing and asking her out for a drink when they are back in St. Louis. He stuffs the note in her open purse. When the parties arrive at their respective destinations, Zoe and Webb realize that somewhere during their journey, their bags have been switched. From this unpromising beginning, the four characters...Daisy, Zoe, Andrew and Webb...go about their business not realizing that everything they do is connected in some way.

This book is a light, entertaining and funny read. It is told through the POV of each character. The reader sees the interconnections among the characters which adds to the fun and fast pace. It's really two stories...Daisy's and Andrew's, both looking for something more in their lives...and Webb and Zoe's...both on the brink of adulthood and trying to stand on their own. Teens  will enjoy this book as much as adults will. It's a perfect beach book!

Review of Call Me Irresistible by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Rating = 5

Meg Koranda is in the the small town of Wynette, Texas to be in the wedding of her best friend, Lucy Jorik to Ted Beaudine. As soon as Meg sees them together, she knows that Ted isn't the right person for Lucy. She helps Lucy realize it too and on the day of her wedding, Lucy tells Ted the wedding is off and leaves town. Despite the fact that Meg's parents are famous and rich, Meg herself has no money. Her parents have cut her off, expecting her to quit drifting and make something of herself. Now she's stuck in the small town of Wynette without a penny to her name and where everyone hates her for ruiniing the wedding of their favorite son, Ted Beaudine. And the one who hates her more than anyone is Ted himself!

SEP is probably my favorite comtemporary romance novelist. "Call Me Irresistible" features characters from several of her previous novels. Ted, Meg and Lucy werre young children when we met them previously. "Irresistible" features Phillips' hallmark strong, complex characters, humor and lots of romance. I can't wait for her next novel.

Review of Scarlet Nights by Jude Deveraux

Rating = 3

Sarah Shaw is happily planning her wedding to Greg Anders.  The wedding is in a few weeks, but Greg had to leave town suddenly and she hasn't been able to contact him since.  Then one night while she is temporarily sleeping in her friends' apartment while her plumbing is being fixed, a trapdoor opens in the floor of her bedroom and a (very handsome) man emerges. Mike Newland is an undercover FBI agent who is investigating a family of criminals and has traced them to the small town of Edilean. After a rocky start, Sarah and Mike become "friends" but are also very attracted to each other.  Sarah doesn't realize that Mike is about to burst her very happy bubble.

This is the third book in the Edilean series and features many of the previous characters.  It is a pleasantly entertaining novel until the last few chapters when the plot becomes totally implausible. I was enjoying the book until that point, but the ending ruined it for me.

Review of Lakeshore Christmas by Susan Wiggs

Rating - 3 1/2

Maureen Davenport is Avalon's town librarian. She is totally devoted to the library and her patrons, but she's just received word that the library will be closing unless funds can be raised to operate it. Although she is devastated by this news, she is also excited about the fact that she will be the director of the town's annual Chritmas pageant, a dream she's always held. The only rub is that her co-director is Eddie Haven, a former child movie star, who is perfiorming court ordered community service. Maureen and Eddie clash from the very beginning. she is too prim and proper for him and he is too untraditional for her. Soon, as they get to know each other better, they see the strengths that each one brings to the project. But both Maureen and Eddie have secrets that could nip their growing relationship in the bud. As they work together on the pageant and on raising money for the library, the spirit of the season surrounds them and after all, miracles do happen and angels walk among us.

This is the 6th offering in the Lakeshore Chronicles. Many characters from previous novels in the series appear in this one, so it feels just like coming home for readers who have been following the series. Since it's a holiday-themed entry, it doesn't "feel" like a full novel; it feels more like coming together to celebrate with the characters we know while waiting for the next installment in the series.

Review of Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor by Lisa Kleypas

Rating - 3 1/2

Mark Nolan is grief-stricken learns that his sister was killed in an automobile accident, but he is astonished when he learns that he has been named guardian of his young niece, Holly. Mark is single and has no idea how to raise a child. To make matters worse, Holly has been unable or unwilling to speak since the death of her mother. Mark talks his brother, Sam, into allowing him and Holly to move into the ramshackle farmhouse the brothers have been renovating. Mark and Sam both are at wits end about how to help Holly until a young widow, Maggie, comes into their lives and effects a Christmas miracle.

Kleypas is one of my favorite contemporary romance novelists (she also is an award-winning historical romance writer), This is the first in a series about the Nolan brothers. It's almost a novella with the holiday theme and touch of magic to it. It's highly entertaining and a quick read. I'm looking forward to the rest of the books in the series.