Review -- A Werewolf In Manhattan

A Werewolf In Manhattan
Wild About You Series, Book 1
By Vicki Lewis Thompson
Publisher: Signet Eclipse
Release Date: January 4, 2011





Bestselling paranormal romance author Emma Gavin loves writing about werewolves, but she definitely understands it's all fiction. There's no such thing as werewolves. Little does Emma know that werewolves are alive and well and living in Manhattan, and she has caught their attention with the disturbing accuracy of her books. The Manhattan Were pack think that Emma must be in contact with a werewolf informant, and they are determined to find out who it is. So they send the Chief Security Officer for the Wallace pack, Aidan Wallace, to get the job done.

Aidan is the pack leader's son, which makes him the crown prince, and the best man (or wolf) for the job of finding out the truth behind Emma Gavin's werewolf novels. For three months Aidan has had Emma under twenty-four hour surveillance and knows practically everything about her and her habits. But the more he discovers, the more Aidan is convinced that Emma has had no contact with any werewolves; she's just a gifted writer with vivid imagination.

Emma has been receiving disturbing e-mails from man who says he's a werewolf, and he wants to meet her and get up close and personal. Aidan volunteers to investigate and discover who is behind the e-mails---he suspects it may be an actual werewolf---and to accompany Emma on her book tour and oversee her security. What seemed like a good idea may end up backfiring as Aidan and Emma are overwhelmed by an attraction that cannot deny. What will Emma do when she discovers that one of her stories has come to life?

Vicki Lewis Thompson has long been an auto buy author for me. Her books are filled with humor, passion, and colorful characters, and A Werewolf In Manhattan is another keeper. This is not just another werewolf romance---I love Ms. Thompson's unique spin on the werewolf myth. Aidan is most definitely an alpha (not just when's he's a wolf), and he is all kinds of sexy. Gorgeous, loyal, loving, and richer than Croesus...what's not to love, right? Watching Emma see her fantasy come to life right before her eyes is incredibly entertaining. Haven't we all imagined just such a thing? I know I certainly have. If you're looking for a fun, lighthearted romance with plenty of sizzle to turn up the heat on these cold winter nights, this one's for you.

~ Gannon

Review - Chick With A Charm

Chick With A Charm
By Vicki Lewis Thompson
Publisher: Signet Eclipse
Release Date: March 2, 2010











Free-spirited and vivacious, Lily Revere is a witch on a mission--which is bound to get her into trouble. Apparently she didn't learn from her sister Anica's magical screw-up (see book 1, Blonde With A Wand). But Lily is bound and determined to score a date for Anica's engagement party, and she's had her eye on sexy lawyer Griffin Taylor for awhile. Although, he seems to find Lily attractive, he's not making a move fast enough suit her. So Lily decides to brew a little adoration elixir to slip in Griffin's drink while she's tending bar at The Bubbling Cauldron. Using her loyal Golden Retriever Daisy's essence as part of the potion, Lily is convinced this will give Griffin the nudge that he needs. After all, what harm can a little magic do?

Griffin noticed Lily the first time he walked into the Bubbling Cauldron for happy hour with his law firm buddies. How he could he not notice the tall, brown-eyed, dark-haired temptress? But Griffin refuses to be controlled by his libido. No, not happening. After watching his parents go through a bitter divorce, he's not going to make the same mistake. He's only going to date a responsible and focused woman, no matter how much he wants Lily. But he can't help looking and fantasizing a little. Lily makes him an amazing Harvey Wallbanger for him--laced with a little adoration elixir--and he can't believe how great it tastes. After he leaves the bar, he can't get rid of the restlessness that comes over him and the overwhelming urge he has to see Lily.

Lily is beyond thrilled with the results of her elixir! Griffin can't get enough of her--in bed and out--and she's basking in his undivided attention. It's not long before reality rears its ugly head and bites Lily in the butt. Sooner or later, she'll have to tell Griffin about the elixir and then what? Will he still feel the same about her without the spell? Or will he run screaming when he discovers she's a witch?


Her plan had also worked well for her sex life. But her heart--her heart ached with the knowledge that she'd enslaved this man. Love from a bottle, so to speak, wasn't love at all. Sometimes she could almost convince herself that Griffin really cared for her, but as long as the spell was still in effect she couldn't trust any of his behavior as being genuine.



Vicki Lewis Thompson's second Babes On Brooms book is filled with her trademark humor. Like the first book, Blonde With A Wand (see my review here), Chick With A Charm made me laugh out loud a few times, especially when Griffin's friends decide to do some amateur sleuthing when they suspect that Griffin is not his normal self. If you like your paranormals with a dash of humor, this book is just what the "witch" doctor ordered.


~ Gannon

Vicki Lewis Thompson winner!

The winner of a signed copy of Blonde with a Wand is:

Spav!

Congratulations, Spav! Please send your full name and address to theromancedishATgmailDOTcom with "VLT winner" in the subject line and we'll pass your info on to Vicki. Thanks!

Guest Author -- Vicki Lewis Thompson

An eight-time RITA nominee, the 2008 recipient of RWA's Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award , and author of more than ninety books, New York Times bestseller Vicki Lewis Thompson is one busy lady. She is the author of the very popular Nerd series--who knew geeky could be sexy?--, the witty paranormal Hex series, and she also writes for Harlequin. Whew! How does she do it? In addition to all that, she's one of the loveliest, friendliest people I've ever met! Now, Vicki has a fun new series, Babes on Brooms, involving two witch sisters. The first book, Blonde With A Wand was released yesterday and centers on Anica and her magical mishap. Check out my review here. Next month, we'll find out what Anica's sister, Lily, is up to in Chick With A Charm. Please join me in welcoming, Vicki to The Romance Dish.


Yay! I’m blogging on the Romance Dish! Ever since Gannon invited me to be here I’ve been looking forward to this. Let the party begin!

I want to talk about drinks. See, both BLONDE WITH A WAND and CHICK WITH A CHARM are really about drinks, which happens to be because I’m fascinated by both kinds – coffee and cocktails. That’s why Anica, the blonde sister, owns a coffee shop, and Lily, the brunette sister, is a bartender.

I spend a fair amount of time at Starbucks, which is where I got my inspiration for Anica’s shop. I can’t claim to hang out at bars, but I do have this great book with fabulous pictures of unusual cocktails. I also have a digital toy called a Barmaster, which will give me the recipe for a gazillion alcoholic drinks, plus it tells bar jokes.

Between Starbucks and my Barmaster, I’m covered in the research department. But why the fascination? It’s the creativity that goes into the making of these drinks that has me hooked. The barista or bartender has to make sure the froth is just so and the syrup drips in exactly the right way, so that when the customer is presented with the final result, it’s a work of art. Well, and it tastes good. Then there are the names, things like Caramel Macchiato and Java Chip Frappuccino (coffee) or Sex on the Beach and Freddy Fudpucker (cocktails). How can a person resist?

Both of my heroines are witches who can work magic, but to me, the mixing of coffee and bar drinks is its own kind of magic. It made sense that they would be drawn to these professions where they deal with exotic potions. In both cases, they can have drinks with steam coming from the cup or glass. Very spooky and paranormal.

I should probably tell you a quick bit about each book. In BLONDE WITH A WAND, out now, Anica gets angry with her boyfriend and turns him into a cat. In CHICK WITH A CHARM, out in March, Anica’s sister Lily puts a love potion in a drink she serves to a handsome customer. For those of you who followed the Hex books, matchmaking witch and wizard Dorcas and Ambrose Lowell make key appearances in both of these books. I had such fun writing them. Oh, and I’ll be happy to give away an autographed copy of BLONDE WITH A WAND today!

But back to the drinks. Am I the only one fascinated by them? If confronted with a chance to sample a fabulous coffee drink or an unusual cocktail, I’d be hard-pressed to choose. How about you? Are you into coffee drinks? Or maybe there’s a cocktail recipe that you’d like to share with me. What’s your favorite thing in the world to sip on?

Review - Blonde With A Wand

Blonde With A Wand
By Vicki Lewis Thompson
Publisher: Signet Eclipse
Release Date: February 2, 2010

Anica Reaves is crazy about Jasper Danes, but she's not so sure he'll feel the same way about her once she tells him she's a witch. After all, the last guy she revealed that secret to ran like a bat out of hell. But Anica insists on honesty with any man she's involved with. But during her dinner date with Jasper, Anica discovers he's been less than honest with her. Unfortunately, her temper gets the best of her and she zaps Jasper with her wand turning him into a cat. Because she uses her magic in a negative way against another, Anica is stripped of her powers. How in the world will she remove the hex now?

Jasper thinks his date with Anica is going perfectly and plans for tonight to be "the night", but when Anica returns from the ladies' room, her demeanor has changed from affection to disdain. Things don't improve as they are walking toward Anica's apartment, and Jasper foolishly thinks he can thaw Anica's iciness with a little seduction and a kiss. The next thing he knows, he's sitting under his pile of clothes, transformed into one very ticked off cat. It gives a whole new meaning to "date from hell!"

Anica wrangles a hissing and spitting Jasper and takes him back to her apartment, anxious to hide her magic faux pas from everyone. She knows if the Wizard Council finds out what she's done, she'll be in deep woo woo. Desperate for help, Anica calls her sister, Lily, hoping that she might be able to help find a way to reverse the spell. Anica has always been the "responsible" sister and Lily's the "wild one", so it irks Anica to have screwed up in such a huge way. Unfortunately, nothing Lily does with a wave of her wand helps Jasper, and Anica can't find any counter-spell in any of her magic tomes. Help comes from Big Knob, Indiana in the form of Dorcas and Ambrose, the magical matchmakers from Thompson's popular Hex Series.

Jasper is counting the minutes until he turns back into a man, and he can get even with Anica. But the longer he spends with her, the more he wants her. Every night he becomes human, but returns to his feline form again in the morning. But those hours as a man only serve to stir up the chemistry between him and Anica, and Jasper thinks that maybe being with this sexy witch isn't such a bad deal after all. He even learns to enjoy the simplicity of his life as a cat:

He was now a champion nap-taker, too, and he had to acknowledge that naps lowered his stress levels. He also had meditation skills to rival the Dalai Lama and the patience of...well, of a saint. As a man he used to sit and drum his fingers on the desk while his computer booted up. Now he simply sat and waited.

....He realized with some surprise that there were things he'd miss about being a cat.

Anica and Jasper are about to be tested in ways they never dreamed, and they will have to decide if they are willing to sacrifice the most precious magic of all.....love.

Vicki Lewis Thompson has given her readers another fun and whimsical series. If you are a fan of Bewitched and witch Samantha Stevens and the mayhem her magic sometimes caused with her human husband, then you'll love Blonde With A Wand, the first book in Thompson's Babes on Brooms Series. Jasper's close encounter with Anica's nosy neighbor who wants to take him to the vet to be neutered had me laughing out loud.

The second book in the series, Chick With A Charm, will be released in March. It's all about Lily, Anica's sister. No doubt she's going to make Anica's magical slip up look minor in comparison. Treat yourself to a little magic and a lot of laughter and read Blonde With A Wand.


~ Gannon