REVIEW: GUARDING JEANNIE by BEVERLY BARTON

Guarding Jeannie is the second book of the Protectors Series written by Beverly Barton.

I enjoyed it more than Defending His Own, which I struggled  to finish.

Sam Dundee is gorgeous, strong alpha male who does not do emotion and love. His life had been saved six years ago by Jeannie Alverson, an empath (who takes the pain away from others into her body!!!) and who has never forgotten him.

When her life is being threatened by a crazy leader of a cult, she contacts Sam asking for his help. Of course he comes to her rescue!!!! How can he not when she had saved his life!!!!

There are a lot of twists and turns in the story and loads of characters….at times some of the things seem really not plausible…but hey this is a romance novel after all!!!!

What I liked as well is how the author wrote about the heroine being handicapped….it’s really well written. You never feel sorry for her….Jeannie is a warm, loving, caring and strong and she’s prepared to face the obstacles in her life with such an amazing attitude.

This is such a sweet, warm story….even though this is a reissue of the book which was originally written in 1995, it hasn’t dated that much.

Book Blurb:

For six years, Jeannie Alverson had thought about Sam Dundee's haunting blue eyes, his warm touch. His was the face she saw in her dreams. He was the man she never expected to see again. But now he had returned…to protect her.

Sam couldn't turn his back on Jeannie. Once she had saved his life, and now she needed him. He vowed to guard her against all danger, but who would protect him from the innocence and love shining in her eyes?

REVIEW: IN A STORM OF SCANDAL by KIM LAWRENCE

I have read and enjoyed all of Kim Lawrence’s books but I have to say that this was one not one of my favorites.

What idiotic woman will remain a virgin for 7 years because she has never met any other man like the twit who dropped her to marry some rich woman to save his family’s fortunes!!!! Please…..I can’t see this happening in this day and age…and if it does, what kind of people are these!!!!!!

Okay, so the guy is rich and gorgeous….but I just could not get why the heroine found him unforgettable….a man who mopes around blaming himself for his wife’s death (who he never loved …) and his unborn child.

The plot was just over the top…..the hero braves a huge storm in a little boat and survives and finds himself at the castle…the exact place he wanted to be!!!!! Just too much stuff that did not ring credible to me.

I wanted to give up reading this book half away through but I thought…maybe it will get better…but no it did not!!!!

I hope this author’s next book will excite me as her previous one have.

REVIEW: DEFENDING HIS OWN by BEVERLY BARTON

I can’t make up my mind if I like this author’s books. The first book of hers I read was Killing Her Softly which I enjoyed. I then started reading Dead by Morning which I am struggling to finish….more about that when I get to the last page and then I will do a full review. Decided to switch to The Protectors which I thought was a full length novel. Imagine my surprise to discover it’s a Mills & Boon special (I wasn’t ever aware she had been a Silhouette writer!!!! – not that I have some favorite authors who have written for them!!!!), that includes 2 stories – this time I did not give up, thought it did take a bit of time for me to get to the end. 

What I like and didn’t like about the 1st story – Defending His Own. 

1 This book was first released in 1995 by Silhouette and at times it found some things a bit outdated….like the hero using his “cellular” fone 
2 Sweet story of a plain teenager, Deborah Vaughn who has a crush on the local bad boy, Ashe McLaughlin. She loses her virginity to him, he is chased out of town by her rich father, she is left pregnant, she doesn’t tell him……the usual secret baby story 
3 After 10 years Ashe is asked by her mother to protect Deborah who is a witness to a murder and is being threatened with her life 
4 Misunderstandings, secrets abound…..he believes that Deborah betrayed him when he was forced to leave his hometown and family. She hates him because he told her he didn’t love her and did not want to tell him that he had a son (which by the way is passed off as her brother…..talk about complications!!!) because of her father’s decision of either her giving up the baby for adoption or passing it off has her mother’s son…… boy that scenario would never work these days!!!!!!! 
5 I liked the son, Allen…..what a sassy and charming character….my favorite….also Deborah’s mom…in fact there are quite a few interesting characters in the story….Ashe’s grandmother, his cousin….too many characters to include here 
6 Some of the dialogue was a bit “old” and how many times did Ashe have to use the word ‘honey”!!!! 
7 A few twists in the story but they never really grabbed me 
8 I liked Deborah….she’s an interesting heroine….strong, loyal, loving and an amazing sense of responsibility to her entire family….really, she owns a company that keeps not only her mother and son but her awful, lazy, wastrel cousin Whitney 
9 Apart from the constant “honey, honey” I grew to like Ashe 
10 Of course there is a HEA and enjoyed the epilogue….knowing that the whole family finds love and happiness together 

PS…I could not find the cover of the edition I have…..I wonder why????? 

Would I read another book by this author???? Yes, they remind me a bit of the older Mills & Boon novels I read in the past. 
I am now determined to read more of her books in the different series that she has written. 

REVIEW: CRAVING THE FORBIDDEN by INDIA GREY

I adore anything written by India Grey, who is one of my favorite Mills & Boon writers.
Craving the Forbidden is book one in the Fitzroy Legacy – the story of a girl masquerading as her gay best friend’s girlfriend who falls in love with his brother.
Kit Fitzroy is a tortured, lonely wealthy aristocrat, on his way to attend his father’s birthday party meets Sophie Greenham, an outgoing, outrageous, loving and loyal actress – loved that she had just worked on a vampire B-grade movie ----who is travelling to the same place Kit is going to masquerading as her gay best friend’s girlfriend….who she discovers his Kit’s brother. The scenes are the train where they first meet is hilarious….Kit listening to Sophie talking on her mobile to some French guy…..unforgettable!!!!!


Both trying to deny the attraction they feel for each other, they are unable to stop the deepening of the feelings they have. Kit feels guilty as he thinks Sophie is his brother’s girlfriend and he fights hard not to betray him. Ultimately he is unable to stay away from her. She brightens up his life and his desire for her is something like he has never felt before.


So many secrets……Sophie’s life as a daughter of a “flower child mother”, who lived in communes in a caravan, her unhappy school years. Kit’s heartbreaking childhood, being cruelly treated by his father after his mother ran away with her lover leaving Kit behind as a small child waiting years and years for her to come for him as she had promised. 
Sophie discovers a shocking secret when a note falls out of a book she is reading in the castle’s library……and finally Jasper comes “out of the closet” when his father suddenly dies of a heart attack at the birthday party!!!


Some fabulous characters…Jasper’s boyfriend…..hilarious scene when he arrives to rescue Jasper, village locals and Jasper’s mother….talk about a gold digger!!!!!! 
The setting descriptions are really good…I could feel the cold in the darkened passages in the castle!!!!! The neglect and decay all around.


Sophie is such an amazing heroine….I absolutely adored her….she is warm, strong, stylish and so so likable. Kit kind of grew on me….I thought at first he would just be another boring rich man with nothing much to do and say…..but he turned out to be a fabulous alpha hero.


This story ends with Kit & Sophie discovering their love for each other and having their HEA. I can’t wait for Book 2 – want to know what happens after all the shocking events at the end of this story


Book’s Blurb
The wrong Fitzroy brother?
Ticket-dodging in a first-class train carriage is not how bubbly Sophie Greenham envisaged meeting Kit Fitzroy, wealthy aristocrat, fearless army hero and brother of her friend Jasper. The smouldering heat between her and Kit is an unwelcome shock—especially as Sophie is masquerading as Jasper's girlfriend all holiday!


Although Kit's bravery is legendary, he's dreading the return to his magnificent ancestral manor. But Sophie's vibrancy dispels the shadows in his tortured soul, consuming Kit with a potent desire for the one woman he's forbidden to touch.…

REVIEW: A HUNGER LIKE NO OTHER by KRESLEY COLE

Talk about a rollercoaster ride!!!!

This is the first book I have read by Kresley Cole and I liked, well loved A Hunger Like No Other.!!!! I like her writing style a lot – fresh, easy to read, words just flowing from page to page. Love scenes are hot, hot!!!! This is the story of Lachlain, the Lykean King, who finally finds his true life mate - Emmaline, a half-vampire/valkyrie.

The Prologue is absolutely amazing…..heart-stopping suspense. Lachlain escaping from the Paris catacombs where he has been held prisoner for hundreds of years by an evil Vampire makes you want to continue reading until you get to the last page….where you sigh wishing there were more pages..

Emmaline is the coolest vampire/valkyrie ever….love her style and look…..a sexy, sassy, hip and beyond gorgeous…..she’s my favorite female vampire right now!!!!! Sorry Bella!!!!!!!. How can Lachlain ever think he will be able to overcome his desire for her!!!!! No chance. He’s hooked!!!

Great plot filled with many twists and turns, loads of  incredible characters (believe me there are a lot of them in this book )whose interaction between each other is really quite amazing  ….the sexual built-up between the H/H is scorching hot…..you think…finally they are going to do it!!...and POW!!!!…no not this time!!!!!

A world filled with vampires, demons, valkyries, witches, demons, ghouls, and many others. There’s romance, action, suspense and wit that you can’t wait to turn the next page to find out what happens next.

Some of the dialogue had me shrieking with laughter…..check it out…...

Emma – “How old?”

Lachlain – Roughly twelve hundred years.”

She gasped. “Do you know what “robbing the cradle” means? I am almost seventy one. This skeeves me out!”

"Hey, Lucia," Regin called out, not even bothering to mute the phone. "Pay up, suckah, Emma got dental with some dude—"

"You can have him, kitties," she hissed for their ears only.

Christ, he couldn't do this. "How do you drink?"

She mumbled, "Liquid goes into my mouth, whereby I swallow it."

Is your blouse Azzedine Alaia?" the girl showing them to their table asked Emma.

She answered, "No, you could say it's very authentic vintage."

"Lachlain, have you ever heard of a Wal-Mart? No? Something like that is probably on top of your castle right now."

Was she becoming this Lykae's Patty Hearst?

"I am Lachlain. Who are you?"

"I'm the foster mother who's going to annihilate you if you don't send her home right now.

Bowe raised his eyebrows, demonstrating the most emotion Lachlain had seen from him since his mate had left him. "A vampire queen? Fate must hate you." More examination while Lachlain scowled. "Her ears are pointed?"

If you want a funny, sexy, steamy, hot paranormal romance, then go and get the book right now!!!! I promise you will enjoy the ride!!!!!

I finished reading this book in two days….and immediately tried to get the next in the series……unlucky me ….haven’t managed to find a copy…but will keep on trying…..cause I am now a KC fan and want to read the whole series.

REVIEW: A SHAMEFUL CONSEQUENCE by CAROL MARINELLI

This is an amazing book. So much more than the gorgeous, rich Greek tycoon who meets and dazzles the beautiful virgin and live happily ever after – which is most of the plots of Mills and Boon’s books. Not to deny that is one of the reasons I LOVE their books and authors.

I was totally hooked from the first page and by the end of the prologue I was overwhelmed by such an incredible feeling of wanting to continue reading the entire book –non stop...which I did.
I am not going to give the plot away – don’t want to spoil the story, which is filled with sadness, loss, violence, bitterness, betrayal and finding that love can heal your heart and lift the darkness in you.

This is the story of Nico Eliades and Constantine (Connie) who meet on the day she is getting married to a man chosen by her family. Her wedding night turns into a nightmare for her and Nico comforts her....they spend an unforgettable night together – OMG....the love scene is beyond AMAZING....just read the book and you will see what I mean......This has to be the BEST AND MOST UNFORGETABLE LOVE SCENE EVER in a Mills and Boon novel.......
They both go through incredible difficulties in their lives before they finally find happiness together....
And there is a cliff-hanger............Nico discovers he has a twin brother.....
Can’t wait for Zander’s story.

This is such an incredible book. A refreshing and original plot and such depth in the story.
Carol Marinelli is definitely one of my favourite Mills and Boons author.