Saturday, August 20, 2011

Stock Up Saturday

How to Seduce a Billionaire
By Kate Carlisle
Publisher:  Harlequin (Desire)
Release Date: August 2, 2011


Ex-NFL quarterback Brandon Duke is stunned - and definitely attracted - when his no-nonsense assistant Kelly Meredith returns from vacation with a sexy makeover.  Brandon doesn't have time for this.  He has a resort about to open and needs to keep his mind on business, not his assistant.

Smart as a whip and efficient as all get out, Kelly is a top notch assistant who loves working for Brandon but has zero self-confidence when it comes to attracting a man.  When her jerk of an ex-boyfriend dumped her several years back he destroyed any confidence Kelly had in herself as a desirable woman but that's about to change.  Roger, the ex, is bringing his executive staff to the resort Brandon is about to open and Kelly is determined to show him what he's missed by dumping her.  Only problem is, she needs to find someone to tutor her in the art of seduction.  Brandon is all too willing to volunteer for duty if it will return his business life to normal and Kelly is happy to receive lessons from a man she trusts.  Brandon is her friend after all and determined to stay a bachelor so there's no need to worry about either of them letting romance muddy the waters...until a kiss leads to more and, suddenly, Brandon begins to view Kelly in a whole new light.

I've really enjoyed this series about the Duke brothers - three men from less than ideal beginnings who were adopted at the age of eight by Sally Duke.  Their stories are sensual, emotional, humorous at times and heartwarming.  How to Seduce a Billionaire is the third book in the series but stands well on it's own.  However, if you enjoy it as much as I did, you'll probably want to pick up the first two books to read Adam and Cameron's stories too.  Those books are The Millionaire Meets His Match and Sweet Surrender, Baby Surprise. 

~PJ

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Feels Like Home
By Beth Andrews
Publisher: Harlequin (SuperRomance)
Release Date: August 2, 2011



Savannah socialite and successful wedding planner, Yvonne Delisle still isn't sure how she got talked into accepting the job of planning her former mother-in-law's wedding and getting the Sheppard family winery's event planning business off the ground, especially since the winery is run by her ex-husband and his brothers.  Yvonne felt she had no choice but to divorce her husband all those years ago but that doesn't mean she stopped loving him.  Now she'll have to work with the man she planned to spend the rest of her life with - the man who blames her for walking out on him and their marriage.

Aidan Sheppard learned early to keep his emotions in check and his thoughts to himself.  When his wife walked out on him seven years ago, he never went after her, never asked why she wanted out of the marriage.  He simply assumed the "princess" was too spoiled to stand on her own and had run back to daddy and his money.  He hardened his heart, turned his back on what they had had and poured himself into his family's business.   Now she's back, at his mother's invitation, with a contract she has no intention of breaking and a determination to show the people who never gave her a chance that she's more than a society princess.  Aidan is still attracted to her and Yvonne hopes for a second chance to put the past behind them but the resentment and animosity that has strengthened in Aidan over the years may be too high an obstacle to overcome.

Beth Andrews excels in creating complex, layered stories about realistic families where real problems exist, where people don't always get along, where pride and stubbornness can create rifts and where snap judgments can erode marriages before they ever have a chance to succeed.  Yvonne and Aidan's story is not an easy one but it is a realistic one with all the ups and downs of a couple's journey to learning to accept one another for who they are and not who we would like them to be.  I had a hard time warming up to Aidan but, in the end, it doesn't matter if I love him but if Yvonne loves him and if I find that love believable.  I did. 

Andrews is one of my favorite SuperRomance authors and I'm looking forward to what she has in store for readers next.  

~PJ

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Night Falls on the Wicked
Moon Chasers—Book 5
By Sharie Kohler
Publisher: Pocket
Release Date: August 30, 2011


The freezing Artic Circle in northern Canada might not sound like the ideal place to live, but it’s perfect for Darby. Perfect because the extreme cold temperatures help keep demons from finding her. Darby is a white witch and it is important that she keep the demons at bay so they can’t possess her and her powers. Her mother was also a witch who couldn’t handle what came with it and ended up taking her own life. That left a huge emotional scar on Darby. As a result, she moves around a lot and doesn’t get close to anyone. When savage killings start happening in her current town, Darby doesn’t think that ordinary wolves are responsible. She begins to wonder if it’s a coincidence that a handsome stranger believes the same thing.

Niklas comes to the small town after tracking the alpha lycan responsible for infecting him ten years before. Because Niklas is now part lycan himself, he can easily hunt down other lycans. In order to possibly have any kind of “normal” life, he must kill Cyprian, the alpha. After arriving, he meets Darby and immediately senses that there is more to her than just a waitress in a diner. One night while hunting lycans, Niklas runs into Darby and a seven year old girl who had just been infected by one of them. Niklas and Darby work together to save the little girl before she turns during the next full moon. But can Niklas find Cyprian and save himself in the process?

Night Falls on the Wicked is a great addition to Sharie Kohler’s exciting Moon Chasers series. This paranormal romance features two lonely souls who are afraid to get close to anyone because of who and what they are.

As different as they were, she realized they were alike. Two people—or whatever they were—isolated by their very nature. Darby could relate to him.

When forced to work together, Darby and Niklas realize just how much they’ve missed the deep companionship of another person. They find that and so much more with the other. Even though this book is part of a series, it stands completely on its own. I recommend it as well as the others in the series, Marked by Moonlight, Kiss of a Dark Moon, To Crave a Blood Moon, and My Soul to Crave, along with the novella, “Darkest Temptation” in the Haunted by Your Touch anthology.

~Andrea

14 comments:

  1. Great reviews Ladies

    I have Kate and Beth's books on my e reader ready to read and am looking forward to them, I also have Sharie's frst book in this series but as yet have not read it I think I might need to move it up and get caught up with the series.

    Have Fun
    Helen

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  2. I have Kate's and Beth's books too. Sharie's sounds good so it will be in the next, I love a series gives you more time to get into the characters.

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  3. I have been wanting to read one of Sharie's books. I read the historical romances that she writes under Sophia Jordan but have not read the paranormals yet (which is weird cause I LOVE paranormals). They are def on my TBR now.

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  4. Thanks, Helen! I hope you're able to read Marked By Moonlight soon!

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  5. I love series for that reason, too, Dianna! Enjoy!

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  6. That's great to hear, June! Marked by Moonlight is my favorite, but they are all good books. I hope you enjoy!

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  7. Sound like three good books.
    Marked By Moonlight sounds like a paranormal I will like. It deals with the issue of needing others and using such a stark setting is an excellent way to highlight it.

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  8. A great selection to stock up on. Thank you for the reviews.

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  9. I love Stock Up Saturday's. Thanks to all you terrific Dishes!

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  10. Helen, I read Kate's book in a couple hours. It was so good. I really enjoyed seeing Brandon blindsided by love!:)

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  11. Dianna said, I love a series gives you more time to get into the characters.

    Me too! I haven't read Sharie's books yet. Need to add them to my list!

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  12. June, I didn't realize until I read your comment that Kohler and Sophie Jordan were the same person. Even more reason to read the books!

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  13. librarypat, marybelle and flora, thanks so much for stopping by! Glad you enjoyed our Stock Up reviews. Hope you enjoy the books too! :)

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  14. PJ, these books all sound great and I've added them to my Wish List. Thanks for the terrific reviews!

    Connie Fischer
    conniecape@aol.com

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