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I got this one for a review over @ one of my favorite places, RNTV, and I'm posting my review here as well, though this one is going to be a bit different, as I'm writing this review totally from scratch.

Shiloh Walker has long been one of my favorite authors, especially for her paranormal Hunters series. She has one of the most distinctive voices out there, imho, and it sets her apart from so many others because it's immediately recognizable as her work. In today's world where we are saturated by so much of the same old, same old, I love reading stories that can easily be associated with a specific writer. For me, it adds an extra element of enjoyment to my reading.

"Fragile" is no different, except this time around Shiloh has concentrated more on the relationship and less on the paranormal elements. When we first meet Luke, he is a young boy who learns he has a brother. Quinn was taken from the family by his mother when they were just infants, and unlike Luke, he did not have a happy, safe childhood. Despite a rocky time of it, both Luke and Quinn go into Special Ops together as Rangers, and both see how extreme greed and power can bring out the ugliness in a person. When Luke is seriously injured during one of their missions, he decides he's had enough and chooses to leave the Rangers, and his brother, behind, and maybe have a shot at a normal life.

Six years later, Luke is on his way to finding it as an emergency room doctor in Kentucky. He loves the challenge, the adrenaline rush that he remembers from being a Ranger, and he loves that he can help people, though some days the job breaks his heart. But still, there's something missing, though he thinks he knows what it is. Everytime he sees social worker Devon Manning, his heart skips a beat, and maybe there's something to that. Something about her that might ease the ache in his soul.

Devon Manning knows from firsthand experience just how cruel and evil people can be to each other, and the worst offenders tend to target innocent children. When a guardian angel saves her from life of hell when she is just a teen, Devon turns her life around and decides the best way to thank that angel is to give back. So that's exactly what she does. By becoming a social worker and looking out for those innocent, helpless victims that can't save themselves, Devon becomes an advocate for the young children who need their own angel. Babies of prostitutes and junkies, teens beaten by their fathers, young girls raped by their stepfathers, Devon is their unsung hero.

Devon has crossed paths with Dr. Luke Rafferty many times when she's had to bring in her young charges to the emergency room, and each time she's aware of how gentle the doctor is with those kids, and how sexy he is to her. Frustrated by missed opportunities, Luke wants to ask the pretty social worker out, but the ER is not exactly conducive to romance. But luck, or a guardian angel of his own, seems to be on their side when they run into each other at a restaurant and Luke talks her into spending some time with him.

Devon is reluctant to pursue a relationship with Luke, especially after he makes an ass of himself, but she gives him another chance because no other man makes her feel the way he does: safe, protected, strong. Before too long Luke is falling in love and Devon is happier than she's ever been, finally finding someone she can come home to after an horrific day at the office that makes life a bit more bearable. But someone bent on revenge doesn't like to see the doctor and his pretty lady so happy, and now Devon has to worry about a stalker and Luke is afraid of losing the woman he loves...

My thoughts:

While I've always loved Shiloh's paranormals, I think she has just as much talent for writing romantic suspense. She doesn't shy away from pushing her characters to the edge, and I could feel my own adrenaline kicking in as I'm flipping through the pages.

But the main focus on this story is the developing romance between Luke and Devon. Both have painful secrets of their own, so it takes time for them to open up to each other and really trust where their relationship is going. Luke knows almost from the first that Devon is special, and is soon the most important thing in his life, and he's willing to take his time with her if it means she's willing to take a chance on him. When threatening things start happening to Devon, Luke is very protective, especially with his background, and this drives Devon a little nuts. He backs off a bit, because he knows he can't prevent her from living her life, and she respects that he cares for her very much and only wants to see her safe.

Luke loves Devon and would die to save her, but it scares him that he might not be able to be there when she needs him the most. He knows she's a fighter, a survivor, and this eases his fear somewhat, otherwise he'd drive himself crazy with what-ifs. I loved seeing this totally alpha guy having to pull back and let his woman do her thing, seeing how even if she's afraid he admires the guts she brings to the job everyday and the way she takes care of those kids.

Despite all of what Devon suffered when she was a child, she never uses it as an excuse to feel sorry for herself or to blame anyone else. Devon is a fighter, a woman with a huge heart, and though she has her issues with her past, she also has hope about her present and her future. I admired her very much; her integrity, her focus on the kids who needed her, her love for Luke. I loved that she took her time with him and didn't keep pushing him away. After awhile I get frustrated when a character becomes too self-sacrificing, but Devon decides to grab onto a happy life with both hands and give it all she's worth, and I give her a lot of credit for that.

The suspense angle, well you might see it coming and you might not see it coming. Well, maybe those a little more perceptive than me might see it all coming. It's tragic how utterly selfish people can be, and how they use the most irrational reasons to justify their cruel behavior, whether it's greed or entitlement or things just aren't going their way, there are always those people out there who blame the world for their problems instead of trying to find a way to solve them without hurting someone else. Life can be totally ufair, and more often than not, it sucks over and over. It's how we deal with it that makes a difference. The bad guys in this story are examples of what happens when you blame someone else, and let innocent people get hurt because of it.

I hope that Shiloh decides to write Quinn's story, because it's obvious that he has some heavy-duty secrets of his own, and I think it would be only fair if he finds a way out of the hell he's survived in for so long. What do you say Shiloh, can Quinn come out and play?

Anyway, go forth and read "Fragile". It's not a fluffy, flothy, funny romance, but there are moments that will definitely put a smile on your face. I know, because that's what happened to me.

Rating: ***** out of *****

Labels: reviews, Shiloh Walker

Many of you have probably seen this post out in blogland, but what the heck, I'm posting it here as well. You can click here to find out what's being auctioned off at Sharon Cullars eBay auction, including a classic Lisa Kleypas book - I think I might put my bid in for that one! So go forth and bid. Good luck :)

Labels: auctions, Sharon Cullars

Labels: 2009, Dianne Castell, Lori Foster, reader/author get-together

Labels: reviews, SEP

Labels: ramblings

Labels: ramblings

Labels: reviews, SEP

Labels: reviews, SEP

This is one of the books I chose to read after RNTV's "Virgin Hero" week. Buffie wrote this wonderful post about Kinley MacGregor's "Born In Sin", and it was so eloquent and moving that I just knew I had to read this book.

At first, it reminded me a little bit of some of the medievals I'd read in the '90s; interesting and fiesty but not overly emotional. It wasn't really until Sin is bringing his new bride Callie home to Scotland, and he's facing the memories he has of growing up in the Highlands that we begin to understand just exactly what kind of cold, harsh, loveless life Sin lived from the moment of his birth.

First off, when Sin is little more than a few hours old, his own mother rejects him, despite the fact that she was the one who was seduced by a charming Scot and now her chances for a happy marriage are destroyed when her father marries her to a much older man. Sin is immediately sent to live with his Scottish father, who denies his son because the child is a living reminder that he had cheated on his wife while away from home. Because of the actions of his parents, Sin grows up surrounded by brothers who are given love, comfort and gifts while he is an outcast in his own home. He's constantly made to feel unwanted. Then one day when he's twelve, the King of England has requested that one boy from each Scottish home be sent to England in order to keep the peace between the two countries, and Sin's father chooses him to go and be an English knight's squire, where he is continually abused. Later the knight sells him to a Saracen master, and Sin spends many years being beaten and starved. He must also kill in order to survive. His life is a painful, hopeless existence.

Then one day when Sin is eighteen, is is ordered to kill Henry, the current King of England. At this point, he figures he has nothing to lose, but perhaps something to gain. If Henry will set him free and take him away from the Saracens, Sin will not kill him. The King agrees, and Sin becomes his most loyal advisor, yet again sacrifices happiness as everyone around hates and fears him. Now he's a grown man, and Henry is once asking him to do something for him: Sin must wed a Scotswoman and go to live with her to once again maintain peace between these two proud, warring countries. This is one time he's not sure he can do as the King asks, but reluctantly he does, believing it will only cause more pain and hatred.

Only Caledonia surprises Sin. She is nothing like he expected: fierce, proud, fearless, Callie does not hate Sin, nor is she afraid of him, which is astonishing. In fact once she resolves herself to the fact that they are to be married, Callie sets out to get to know the man who will be her husband. She takes her vows seriously and hopes one day to have a happy home with many children. Her behavior confuses Sin, and he cannot trust in the softer feelings he has for Callie. He has no intention of bringing a child into the world to suffer as he has, so he must resist his beautiful wife. He only plans to return her to Scotland, not live there with her in wedded bliss.

But Sin underestimates his wife, and soon he begins to open up to this lively, fetching woman who touches him with tenderness and passion. She has healed his wounds and opens up a world of possibilities to this lonely tortured soul who's only known pain and rejection of every kind, and he begins to believe that maybe he does have a chance at happiness. Just as things are going exceptionally well with his marriage, fate takes a turn once again and he's faced with the order of killing one of Callie's own kin. How can he destroy the one person that has come to mean everything to him?

My thoughts:

First of all, I want to thank Buffie for writing such a touching, thoughtful commentary on Sin and his story. Her telling of his story moved me very much, and convinced me I just had to read the book. It didn't take long before my heart went out completely to this sad, unloved man. He was gruff and abrupt and cold, but never malicious or cruel. I think what got to me most was how confused he was whenever Callie offered him any affection. He truly didn't understand what she saw in him that was good and decent when so many others had not. It broke my heart that he was so convinced of his unworthiness, and didn't trust in the finer feelings his wife felt for him. He just couldn't believe they could be real.

Yet soon, it isn't just his wife who begins to value the man that Sin is; others begin to see him as loyal, and trustworthy, and someone worthy of friendship and admiration. So for the first time in his life, he knows what it is to be loved, and he has no choice but to let Callie into his heart, because really, she's fought a courageous and brave fight for it, so what else could he do?

And Callie, well she was truly a heroine worth winning. I loved her gentleness with Sin, her brave spirit, and the fact that no matter what, she was going to stay loyal to her husband, even when she's faced with losing a loved one on account of his loyalty to King Henry. She still stands by Sin, and proves to him that he is a good man, a hero in her eyes. I don't think that it was until that moment, when Callie stood tall and proud with her clan behind her in agreement, that Sin saw what they saw. Gosh, it brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it.

Out of all the books I've read, Sin is probably in the top 10, maybe even in the top 5 of the most tortured heroes. There's just something about these kind of men that gets to me more than anything else. Maybe because underneath their harsh exterior they truly are sensitive, vulnerable heroes who have to hide away their feelings in order to merely survive. Letting emotion in only makes others hurt them even more, so they cut themselves off from any kind of feeling at all that isn't brutal and violent. So when they fall, they fall hard and completely, and maybe because of all they've suffered, their love stories are more memorable to me. God knows, they deserve to be happy.

Basically what I'm trying to say is that I would highly recommend "Born In Sin", my first ever by Kinley MacGregor which means yes, gasp!, I read it out of order in the MacAllister series, but I cannot find it in myself to regret that, because the joy of reading such a wonderful, unforgettable story trumps my code big-time. (Sorry Julie!) Sometimes you have to make exceptions if you want to have a pleasurable reading experience, and that's exactly what I got. If I did have any regrets, it's that I didn't read this one sooner.
Rating: ***** out of *****

Labels: Kinley MacGregor, reviews

"Glitter Baby" reads like a sudsy soap opera novel like those remniscent of Danielle Steel, Judith Krantz, and Jackie Collins, though not quite as steamy. Twenty years ago I would have probably loved this book, but reading it now was the equivalent of a bunch of empty potato chip calories for me: I couldn't stop after one page but it didn't offer much substance.

I liked Fleur, mostly. She was incredibly beautiful but had absolutely no idea what all the fuss was about. This wasn't just an act; she truly didn't see what others saw in her. Jake is a sexy and charismatic actor and writer, tormented by his past. Of course he thinks Fleur is too good for him. Belinda, Fleur's mother, is self-absorbed and ditzy, and lives vicariously through her daughter's modeling and acting career. Fleur's stepfather is a creepy, powerful man who is obsessed with beauty. Toss in some golden movie stars of a generation gone by, a betrayal between a mother, daughter and the man she loves, a short-lived career of epic porportions, and you have the frothy dish called "Glitter Baby".

I basically read this because it was a SEP book, and it was enjoyable, but rather forgettable. I know it was re-written (see this post at BookBinge) and I've never read the previous version, so I don't know if it's better or worse. I guess I would recommend it for fans, but don't feel like I would have missed a substantial body of work if I hadn't read it. It's a good read, and it did remind me of those epic sudsers from the early 80's. Now I can say I read it.

Rating: **** out of *****

Labels: quickie reviews, SEP

Meet the “Seven Deadly Sins”

Labels: Kathryn Caskie, reviews

Genius physics professor Dr. Jane Darlington desperately wants a baby. But finding a father won't be easy. Jne's super-intelligence made her feel like a freak when she was growing up, and she's determined to spare her own child that suffering. Which means she must find someone very special to father her child. Someone very...well...stupid.

Cal Bonner, the Chicago Stars legendary quarterback, seems like the perfect choice. But his champion good looks and down-home ways are deceiving. Dr. Jane learns too late that this good ol' boy is a lot smarter than he lets on - and he's not about to be used and abandoned by a brainy, baby-mad schemer.

A brillian, lonely woman who dreams only of motherhood... A take-no-prisoners tough guy who'll settle for nothing less than surrender... Can passion and physical attraction propel two strong-willed yet vulnerable people to a totally unexpected love?

I had my reservations about this book for a few reasons: first, I hate the idea of a woman tricking a man into getting her pregnant. HATE it. It's one of the lowest things a woman can do, in my not-so-humble opinion. The other is that a friend of mine, Shannon, hated this book because it seemed the hero hated the heroine until the end, and that worried me greatly.

However, it might surprise some to hear this, I think it's my favorite of the 3 Chicago Stars books I've read so far. I know, that shocked me too. I was all prepared to not like it, but somehow, I liked it quite a bit.

Intelligent and lonely Dr. Jane wants a baby so badly that she can't think of anything else. Growing up without a mother and with a cold, unemotional father, she knows she doesn't want her child to suffer as she did, so she figures the only man good enough for the job is one without brains, but since most of the men she knows are smart, she has no idea how to go about finding just the right guy. But Fate decides to give her a helping hand and lands her in the path of football player Cal Bonner, who from the minute he opens his mouth doesn't come across to her as having any intelligence whatsoever. Pretending to be a football groupie, Jane gets her man. And gets pregnant.

Cal is not the young guy he once was, but as long as he plays the game and surrounds himself with young bimbos, he can convince himself otherwise. When an aggressive and bossy groupie pounces on him and runs, he can't figure out why he can't stop thinking about her. After all, she's not the twenty-two year old babe that he prefers. When he finds out she's pregnant, he goes ballistic. Before he knows it, his life is turned upside-down by a Professor who has to be at least, what, twenty-eight? He is so not happy about the way things are going...

My thoughts:

Despite Jane's scheme to get pregnant without the father knowing, I found myself liking her a lot. She just had so much love to give, and with no husband prospects in sight, she had the means to support herself and her child without a man. She never means for Cal to find out, and when he does, she feels awful. But not as badly as she's going to feel when he's done with her.

Cal is in denial about the longevity of his football career. Thirty-six and feeling the pain, he's not ready to give up the life he's known for so long, and as long as he keeps playing and dates only young women, how can anyone think he's old? He's not going to throw in the towel just yet, especially with a hot-shot newbie named Kevin Tucker breathing down his neck.

When he finds out that his groupie is pregnant, Cal is livid. He's not about to turn away from his child, planned or not, and forces Ms. Smarty Pants to marry him. I couldn't blame him for being so angry, though he did hold onto his anger longer than was absolutely necessary. Once he got to know Jane, he could see what type of woman she was, and it wasn't a gold-digging opportunist or a cold-hearted bitch. But Cal refuses to listen to what his heart is telling him, and tries to do things his own way. Only he doesn't realize that not only is he hurting the best woman he's ever known, he's hurting himself by denying the happiness he could have with Jane.

I loved that Jane was so smart and that she actually stood up to Cal, and that he challenged her and kept her on her toes while also making her weak in the knees. I loved that Cal wasn't the stereotypical dumb jock but one with a legitimate college degree. He's just afraid to face a life without football because he has no clue what he'll do when his career ends, so he holds on tightly to a dying dream.

I also loved that Jane didn't need to go through a makeover for Cal to notice her. It may not have been her looks that first attracted his attention, it was her brain, and the fact that she didn't back down from him like his previous girlfriends did. Once he found a woman who could match him, he saw past her Professor clothes to the lovely woman she was on the inside, and fell completely in love with her. Only as smart as he was, he's still a guy and it took him awhile to figure it out.

I liked the secondary storyline with Cal's parents, and how after several decades together, they both had a lot to learn about each other. It was a lesson that was a long time in coming, and it took a tragedy to bring it out into the open. I loved Cal's grandmother Annie, who may have been a mountain woman but who was as wise as she was cantankerous, and who had a very big heart.

Despite Jane's lies, and even Cal's ferocious temper, I enjoyed this book very much, and felt they both suffered and made amends for the pain they both caused. I don't think Jane really realized that her plan to have a baby without telling the father was wrong. She truly didn't think of Cal as "her baby's father", but more of a solution to her problem. Once she was aware of Cal's feelings about taking responsibility and not abandoning his child, she did know how wrong she was, and so she agreed to the terms Cal demanded.

I'll repeat that I did feel like Cal's anger was too extreme in the beginning. He seriously intended to destroy the career she held dear, maybe because he felt she was destroying his. However after a time, Cal let go of his anger. It took him awhile longer to let go of his stubborn pride and to admit that she was the best thing that had ever happened to him. He realizes he's going to have to prove to her, his Professor, that he loves her. He's going to have to show her that she is worthy of love, and that he's just the man to make her happy for the rest of her days. He's going to face forever with a woman close to his age who's having his baby, and nothing pleased him more. And eventually, he figures out what he is going to do with the rest of his life, and things were just about as perfect as they could get...

Rating: ****1/2 out of *****

Labels: reviews, SEP

I've been a fan of Anna Campbell's since I read "Courting the Courtesan". So when her third novel was being released, I was there, at the bookstore, the day it came out. Anna's book was my first read for 2009, and wow did it set off the new year just right. Brimming with passion, longing and even at times hopelessness, "Tempt the Devil" ran me through a plethora of emotion that kept me hanging on from page to page. I was dying to find out how Julian and Olivia were going to find their HEA.

Julian Southwood, Lord of Erith, has returned to London after being away quite some time in Vienna. He's come home for the wedding of his daughter Roma, and to make amends to his children for being away for so long. After the death of his beloved wife when he was in his early twenties, Julian cannot bear to be around his children, who remind him of what he's lost. But after many years away, it's time to bring the family back together.

He also desires a mistress, and no other woman will do but the notoriously beautiful and mysterious Miss Olivia Raines. Determined to have her at all costs, Julian approaches the aloof beauty just as she's in the market for a new protector. Despite a few reservations, Olivia agrees to become Lord Erith's mistress.

Julian believes he can command Olivia as he has every other woman, but he learns she's not one to easily capitulate. He just work to impress her, and even then, he's left feeling dissatisfied. Determined to make her wield, Julian follows her one day, and learns a shocking secret about his mistress. It is from this point on, he begins to see beyond the cool facade she shows to the world, and into the heart of a brave woman who has managed to capture his heart....

My thoughts:

At first, TTD appears as if it was a story about two strong-willed, beautiful people fighting for supremacy against each other. Julian wishes to control his mistress and have her at his beck and call, while Olivia refuses to be kissed and is determined when the affair begins and ends. But things don't go according to plan for either of them. Neither one has ever been challenged by a lover before, and this not only adds to their attraction, it also begins to chip away at the secrets each one has kept buried for so long.

I found my heart aching for Olivia, who has suffered due to a tragedy in her past, and must now live with the consequences in an unforgiving society. But she has made a good life for herself with the hand she's been dealt, using the skills of a courtesan to secure her future and to protect her secret. She doesn't count on Julian crashing through her defenses and making her feel more like a woman than she ever has. But she knows that their union can never last, and prepares for the eventual end.

Julian is a force to be reckoned with, and once he's discovered what lies beneath Olivia's mask, he's reluctant to let her go. She's made him face himself, and the grief he's kept hidden away for years. He sees the unjustness of her situation, yet even he cannot deny what she is, and at one point, though he acted only to protect his family, I actually hated Julian so deeply that I didn't know how I was going to be able to enjoy the rest of the book. But of course Ms. Campbell made him suffer greatly for it, and all was right with the world again. Julian was able to redeem himself sufficiently enough that I could forgive him for hurting Olivia so cruelly, and by the end of their story, he gave her the HEA she totally deserved. Needless to say, I was wrung out by the time I got to the last page, but in a very good way. As Marisa mentioned in her RNTV review, this book may have a simple premise, but underneath it all is a complex and intensely emotional love story that will stay with you long after you close the book.

Sidenote: Another lovely bonus to this story is that we see Saroya (Verity) and Justin again, and how their marriage has progressed since "Courting the Courtesan". I wasn't expecting it, and it was a delight. Once again Anna Campbell has written a superb love story, and I'm almost sorry I finished the book as quickly as I did because now I want more. So Anna if you're listening, write faster!

Rating: ***** out of *****

Labels: Anna Campbell, reviews

From Karen Scott's blog:

Sharon Cullars, the author of "Again" and "The Object of Love" needs our help. Since losing her job, she has been unable to find another. As a result, Sharon is about to lose her home to foreclosure.

Any donation you can make to help out will be greatly appreciated. You can make a contribution via PayPal by stopping at CHIP IN: SHARON CULLARS.

If you’re not familiar with Sharon and would like to learn more about her and her work, you can visit her web site (Sharon Cullars) and blog (Sharon’s Muse).

It would be great if you guys could help spread the word, so please feel free to copy and paste this info onto your blog.

Labels: helping, Sharon Cullars

If you visit my blog regularly, then you know I have a huge girl crush on Jill Shalvis and her writing. If you don't, well, now you know. And with her latest book, "Instant Attraction", Jill once again reigns supreme.

And just so you know, this book is more than the back cover blurb suggests. Much more, imo. Katie may have had a neat and orderly life at one time, but something happens to make her re-evaluate the safe choices she's made, and she realizes that life is an adventure to experience and savor, not to merely tip-toe through without experiencing all the world has to offer.

This realization brings her miles away from her life as an accountant in L.A.; it leads to a temporary job in Wishful, a beautiful town in the Sierras. Totally out of her element but loving it, Katie is working for Wilder Adventures, setting up hikes and winter events. There's snow, and cold, and darkness, but also clean air, and falling stars. And then there's Cam Wilder.

Cam has just returned home after a year away. Traveling the world in an effort to find something, anything to make him feel again after his accident, his journey finally brings him back to Wishful, where he finds a sleepy Katie in his bed. Under normal circumstances he'd welcome her with open arms, but he's dead tired, and doesn't need the complication right now. If he only knew...

Katie is intrigued by Cam, and the way he's handled his accident; so different than herself. Katie is determined to really live life, to face head-on all those things that scared her in the past, while Cam tends to avoid the truth and runs when things get tough. But despite that, she's drawn to him, and the two become closer as they work together. Cam finds himself helping Katie when she sets out to do all the things that she's never tried, things that Cam used to do himself without a fear in the world. He sees things for the first time through her eyes, and slowly, he begins to feel again. He's amazed by her strength, and he finds her optimism to be incredibly sexy. But he's convinced he should stay away from her. Partly because after a month, she'll be gone, but also because he knows she's not the one-night stand he thinks he wants. And when she finally leaves, he's not sure if he'll ever be the same...

My thoughts:

Jill's books are always sexy and fun, but this one was a bit more poignant that some of her previous stories. I found myself running through a gamut of emotion while reading "Instant Attraction", and that's a very good thing. I wanted to reach out and hug both Katie and Cam for being so brave and real. Facing their demons helped heal the wounds they've been carrying around, and while they could have survived just fine on their own, together they were stronger, happier, and that's what it's all about.

What's very evident here is Jill's obvious love of the Sierra Mountains, and despite the cold and snow, it almost made me want to experience it for myself. I could smell the crisp, stinging chill in the air, imagine the foggy breath, hear the abundant silence, and felt at peace picturing myself in Katie's footsteps. Here was a woman who knew how to play it safe, and now was learning now to have real adventures. Instead of giving up and curling into a ball, Katie wanted more than that for herself. She'd been given a second chance, and she wasn't going to screw it up.

Cam himself was trying to put his life back together after losing the exciting career that mattered the world to him. What he didn't expect was having that life turned upside-down by a cute and spirited whirlwind willing to take a chance on him, flaws and all. For the first time ever, Cam didn't think he could walk away this time, and that scared him more than anything. Losing was not an option this time.

What I loved about these characters is that they were real, human, flawed works-in-progress. Even coming to the realization that it was time to start living, Katie didn't have it all together. There were still issues she was dealing with, and not always very well. But she tried,and she didn't give up. I loved that she wasn't a quitter, even when it hurt. Unlike Cam, who panicked when things got a little tough. But eventually he can run anymore, and after a time, he figures out that he doesn't want to. He wants to face the hard stuff, because what he can have with Katie is more real than anything he's ever known, and in order to hold onto it, he has to let himself feel.

If you're already a fan of Jill's books, this is a must-read. If you've never tried her stories, well then this is a great place to start. It's sexy, charming, touching, and one that will surprisingly stay with you after you read that last page. I'm so glad to know that we'll be visiting this world again when the next installment, "Instant Gratification" is released in July. I can't wait!

Rating: ***** out of *****

And coming in July....

THE DOCTOR IS IN DEEP

Wishful, California, is 3000 miles from Dr. Emma Sinclair’s last job in a New York City ER. It may as well be another galaxy. Here, running her father’s clinic for a summer, Emma treats bee stings, stomach flu, and the occasional pet cat. Plus, she has to contend with patients like Stone Wilder: gorgeous, laid-back, and irritating beyond belief. The man laughs at her. A lot. And Emma loathes him. All except that tiny part of her that wants to throw him on her examining table and break every doctor-patient rule in the book…

When Stone tries to help Emma learn to loosen up a bit, he pictures white-water rafting or scenic mountain hikes. Not a mind-blowing affair that shakes them both to the core. Emma’s sure she has no place in a town like Wishful, but Stone knows different. Emma belongs here—in this town, in his life. And convincing this strong-minded, stubborn, sexy woman of that fact will be a challenge no Wilder man could resist…

Yum.

Labels: Jill Shalvis, reviews

As seen on RNTV:

Labels: 2008, favorites