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Review: Fool for Love anthology

anthology, EmmaRae, review, romance, Rose that Rules All

Mar 232012

$Fool for Love: Fooling Around\Nobody's Fool\Fools Rush In$
Fool for Love by Various Authors
Release Date: March 1, 2004
Publisher: Harlequin Special Release
Page Count: 277
Source: Purchased for pleasure

This April 1, anything is possible…

Dare to desire…

When Lena Walsh is handed a challenge to find the hottest guy she knows and take him out for an unusual date, she sets her sights on the office Adonis, Andre Dumont. But when silly turns to steamy, she doesn’t know whether to laugh–or cry out his name….

FOOLING AROUND by Vicki Lewis Thompson

Dare to deceive…

Eric McDaniels hatches up a prank he’s sure will thaw boss Kate Randall’s icy-cool exterior–inventing a secret admirer. That is, until Kate’s frosty facade melts just enough to reveal way more heat than Eric can handle….

NOBODY’S FOOL by Stephanie Bond

Dare to discover…

Thanks to a radio gag, Mark Lavin and Claire O’Connor find themselves “engaged”–even though they don’t know each other! But when Mark and Claire try to prove otherwise, they find that the chemistry between them is far from funny….

FOOLS RUSH IN by Judith Arnold

Review: I laughed through the whole first story! Lena has to do a dare, and she and Andre have been circling each other for months, both interested but neither brave enough to approach. When Lena launches her fabulous date, they’re both dazzled and up for anything. I think Andre is my favorite male character in ages, I know you’ll get a kick out of him. They both want to impress each other so badly, and try to do it honestly, and it’s just hilarious to watch the night unfold. I won’t give anything away. Just read it. I’ve never read any other Vicki Lewis Thompson book, but this book moved her to the top of my list. The first story is why the anthology earned 5 stars for me, too.

I love everything Stephanie Bond writes. Imagine my surprise when I couldn’t really get into her story, after such a great start with Fooling Around. I didn’t like the prank Eric was planning, and I think it just made me not want to read it. After a quick break, though, I picked it up again. It’s still funny, witty, and hot as Stephanie Bond usually is. The second half of the story I enjoyed a lot more.

Mark and Claire’s story was pretty terrific, too, by another author I’ve never read. This one had a lot more potential than was written, but it still rounds out the anthology nicely. I just wish she’d done more with it. Mark was pretty serious for Boston Bachelor, and if he’d let loose a little the book could have had a lot more laughs. But I absolutely adored the ending, which made the story for me.

Favorite Quote: “Unless Kate wore something incredibly sexy, like a burlap sack.” ~Stephanie Bond

Purchase Links

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Review: The Mercenary Way by Tory Richards

EmmaRae, erotica, Lovely Rose, review

Mar 162012

The Mercenary Way by Tory Richards
Release Date: February 1, 2012
Publisher: Wild Rose Press
Page Count: 50000 words/281 KB
Source: provided by publisher for review

Kidnapped and imprisoned, Sarah Reynolds needs all the help she can get–but soldier-of-fortune Clint Becker is just a different kind of danger.

When a ruthless gem smuggler mistakes Sarah for her best friend Susan, she’s kidnapped and stashed on an island. Her only hope of rescue is Susan’s cousin Clint–a man whose my-way-or-else attitude is as infuriating as his muscular body is distracting.

Clint, ex-Navy SEAL turned mercenary, desperately needs a vacation. Rescuing a kidnapped woman from an island paradise isn’t what he had in mind. And when he encounters Sarah’s sassy mouth and tempting ways, he soon realizes he’s the one in trouble.

Clint and Sarah elude her captors, but there’s no escaping the attraction sizzling between them. With danger pursuing them, they have to learn to work together. But can an opinionated florist and a rugged mercenary ever find common ground?

Cover notes / Warnings: graphic sex

Review: This was an excellent romp through the jungle! Sarah enters the scene fighting mad. Clint is the cold mercenary sent to fetch her. I loved how they both stayed that way. Formula would have Clint turning all mother hen and protective, admiring her strength and resolve in this dangerous situation. Nope. Both stay true to their characters and fight the whole way through. Clint may be amused by her sass, but he’s also truly pissed she’s going to get him killed. It’s refreshing!

The chemistry for most of the book was excellent. I thought it was a little much and too intense for so early in the book while they’re getting shot at, but that’s just the beginning. That and a few minor inconsistent scenes and typos, along with bad research (see below) knocked off a star. Other than that, I had no complaints. The action of the book keeps it moving and I love the sparks between them. The conversation is lively and entertaining.

And I must say… I absolutely adored the ending! I hope you will, too. But one thing I must say before I go…

Health Bonus just for you, and why this book was almost rated two stars: Go ahead and drink a shot of snake venom. You’ll be fine, though it’s not recommended. But consider: Millions of bacteria live in your mouth and on your skin. All five liters of your blood pump through your ENTIRE body every minute. You cannot possibly lance a bite and suck out the venom, which has already spread through your entire system by the time you think to do so. You will, however, slice open your protective skin, allowing bacteria from said skin and your mouth and your knife to make the wound a hundred times worse. Don’t touch it. Go to a hospital.

Forgive Clint, who obviously should have known this, and enjoy the story.

Purchase Links

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Review: Back to Life by Emma Hillman

EmmaRae, erotica, review, Rose that Rules All

Mar 122012

Back to Life by Emma Hillman
Release Date: November 2, 2011
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Page Count: 21000 words/178 KB
Source: provided by publisher for review

Sara knows she should regret having sex with Jared, her former brother-in-law. But their erotic encounter is the best thing that’s happened to her all year. Thanks to his heady kisses and clever fingers, he’s made her feel alive again, and she can’t help but yearn for more.Jared has been waiting for this moment for months. Finally Sara sees him as more than a former in-law. He’s a man in love and not afraid to show it, determined to give her everything she needs, in and out of the bedroom.Their blossoming relationship isn’t to everybody’s liking. With insecurities rising and tempers igniting, Sara and Jared will have to decide what’s more important, making everyone else happy…or making each other happy.

Warnings: graphic sex, anal play
Review: This novella was incredible. I tend to only skim blurbs to avoid spoiling the book, and here I was surprised to find an emotionally charged novella with a widow falling into a relationship with her dead husband’s brother. The story picks up the morning after their encounter, and they both dive right back into each other. I expected it to be purely physical since they both agree they want a no-strings affair…then at the end they’d profess their undying love and live happily ever after. But right away, powerful emotions help set this book on fire. This was so much more than an erotic quickie.

It was amazing is how the author put so much feeling into it. Everything was woven together so effortlessly, Emma Hillman is at the top of my list right now. Most novellas don’t go into character development and building a relationship, but she skips nothing here. Nothing was overdramatic, and friends and family’s reactions to them moving on together was simply and exquisitely done and will bring tears to your eyes. Short books like this tend to focus on one or two “issues” over and over again, but Emma touches on many things, sorts them out beautifully and doesn’t leave you feeling like you want to smack the characters and tell them to get over it.

This book has everything: family, chemistry, romance, sex, and lots of love. Buy with confidence, you will love it!

Purchase Links

Amazon

Review: Xavier’s Loving Arms by KT Grant

EmmaRae, erotica, review, Rose that Rules All

Mar 092012

Xavier’s Loving Arms by KT Grant
Release Date: December 29, 2011
Publisher: Decadent Publishing Company
Page Count: 71000 words / 343 KB
Source: provided by publisher for review

Xavier Marks has the looks, great job, and more than enough money to throw around. The only thing missing is a woman by his side. He hasn’t had much luck in love since he caught his fiancée’ cheating on him, and isn’t too happy about his current bachelor status. But that may all change when a cute barista from a coffee shop catches his eye. Perhaps she can help him lick his wounds?

Life hasn’t always been too kind to Rebecca Price. She hides a shameful secret that still threatens to destroy her. With a grandmother suffering from dementia, and the threat of foreclosure on her childhood home, she may have no choice but to turn to a possessive ex-boyfriend who won’t settle for anything less than marriage. She’s ready to give up all hope when a suave, yet seemingly kind-hearted man enters her life and comes to her rescue.

Rebecca is wary of placing her trust in Xavier, who wants to be more than a shoulder for her to lean on. But as the two grow close, Rebecca’s guilt over her past continues to haunt her. Xavier wants to show Rebecca that the one place she can feel whole and at peace is in his loving arms.

Cover notes / Warnings: graphic sex
Review: Wow. Just…wow. I read this cover to cover in just a few hours. Well…maybe more than a few–I just don’t want to dwell on all the stuff I didn’t get done tonight because I couldn’t put it down.

I’ve read several books dealing with weight issues, and they always seemed a bit off and inconsistent with reality. KT Grant dug to the heart of the struggles people face when they have body image or eating problems, which I do know about, if not this specific problem. You will laugh, cry, and feel hope and devastation along with the characters as they stumble their way to the happy ending.

The book is related to others, because we meet Mollie and Suzy from previous KT Grant books. This is my first book from her, though, and I think this book stands on its own even though I dislike reading books out of order. Xavier is a big part of Suzy’s book, so I do wish I’d read that one first. It’s next on my list of books to read.

Characters are often at opposite ends of the wealth spectrum, but Becky was just so much more realistic than most I’ve read. Her ex-boyfriend starts out as the perfect gentleman, and I liked him a lot more than Xavier at first sight. I even hope he finds love and gets his own book somewhere down the line. Xavier is a down to earth rich guy who works hard, and you can’t help but love a guy so close with his family.

This book is deep and rich with feeling. I recommend it to everyone who appreciates a little angst (not dramatics) before getting to the happy ending. Oh… and I saw one bookstore had it rated three flames. Umm… no. Five flames, people. If you don’t like erotica, leave it alone. If you like sex made hotter by chemistry and feeling, enjoy!

Purchase Links

Amazon

Review: Something Different by Maureen O. Betita

EmmaRae, Lovely Rose, review, romance

Mar 022012

Something Different by Maureen O. Betita
Series: 1 Night Stand series
Release Date: September 5, 2011
Publisher: Decadent Publishing
Page Count: 11000 words
Source: provided by publisher for review

“…We women, we know the truth of love and the human heart. He will mourn me, dearest Evangeline. But as this illness steals my time with him, I want to leave him with hope. This dating service you run…when you feel he is ready, find him a woman, Eve. Find him someone different so that he doesn’t look for me in her eyes.

Show him my letter, so that he knows I want this for him with all my heart. Our children will follow your lead. He will resist, but you must be firm. Use all you know to bring love back into his life.

My days are numbered, the drugs ease my pain. Help my Aaron to heal from his.

Yours in spirit, Maria Consuelo Castillo”

He read the letter and slid into the chair at the family meeting. With a shudder, he met his son’s eyes and sighed. They all watched him, waiting. She wanted this? His beloved wife, gone three years? It was a useless gesture, but he wouldn’t deny the attempt. One date, to satisfy Maria. But that was all. He swore it.

Review: All of a sudden, I’m getting all these little 50 pagers which are awesome! This one’s a bit too expensive for me, though.

I started seeing these “One Night Stand” books around, but didn’t really have a lot of interest. The series name made it sound like an impersonal erotic quickie. It was anything but! This is the first one I’ve read, and though it did imply the books are related, at least this one stood on its own. I wouldn’t rate it any more graphic than a typical Harlequin Romance. The story doesn’t waste time with preamble. Read the blurb, because it’s not repeated in the story.

I loved BOTH of these characters. I got the book because I loved Hannah’s List (Debbie Macomber) and wanted to see if someone else could write a similar story. I was nervous when I found the girl’s name was Hannah… but the story quickly swept me away from any defense of Debbie’s story. You can feel the sadness with the characters, but it won’t make you cry like Hannah’s List. It fills you with hope for the future after a rough patch of life.

Unsure heroes are wonderful to read. Aaron is still mourning his dead wife, yet he sees things in Hannah that stir him against his will and throw him for a loop. Hannah is confident in herself and her life, yet lonely. I loved the glimpses of a supporting cast which is never seen, and you can feel how much Aaron’s family loves him. I can’t go into why I loved the book much more than that. It’s short, and anything I say would spoil it.

Purchase Links

Amazon

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