Monday 30 May 2011

The Pastor's Wife

Kindle Romances

Author - Jennifer Allee 
$9.49

Maura vowed never to go to Granger, Ohio, again. However, when events cause her to go back, she must confront the frustrations she wanted to leave behind - a husband who disregarded her, worshipers she couldn’t please, and a God that she believes took away everything she ever loved.

Expecting to just act as a support for Maura through her watershed with faith, Nick finds that his emotions for her actually never stopped. Now, somehow, he must confess to the blunders he made with her, and must discover a way to redeem himself.

Nick and Maura seem as if they might finally patch-up their fragmented relationship and come together again, as man and wife. Yet, Maura has one more confidence to share with Nick before they can move forward. It’s what eventually pushed her to leave him six years earlier, and the one thing that threatens to destroy the flimsy trust they’ve started to build.



Throughout the story the stress and conflict keeps mounting. The tale is perhaps a depiction of how love for a partner is meant to last a lifetime. I was enchanted with this novel and appreciated the transformations that took place, not merely between Maura and Nick, but also between the residents and the worshippers.


Saturday 28 May 2011

One Forbidden Evening

Kindle Romances

Title     - One Forbidden Evening
Author - Jo Goodman
Stars    - 4

As the masked ball draws to a close, Cybelline Caldwell yields to the embrace of a mysterious aficionado. By morning the shameless temptress turns back into a rational woman preparing to leave all memories behind. Yet temptation follows.

For Christopher Hollins, Earl of Ferrin, the infamous libertine she so brashly confronted, vows to demonstrate to her that one night is never enough. It takes ingenuity, but Ferrin unearths the identity of his clandestine lover.

He discovers she is not only a lady of mystery but a lady in jeopardy, pursued by a pitiless enemy. Unable to blot out the memory of her in his arms, Ferrin realizes that in order to win her, he has to unearth and remove the terrible enigmas that are shadowing her.
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The spiral in the story, such as it was, was easy to spot before it was reached, yet it was still a fulfilling read. Goodman's historical precision seems fairly accurate and the situation works well. An enjoyable read.

Her Secret BodyGuard

Kindle Romance

Author - Misha Crews
Title - Her Secret Bodyguard
Stars - 5

Her Secret Bodyguard:
When Special Forces veteran Caleb McKenna is covertly appointed to guard her, he believes that Blake is simply one more beautiful person whose only pursuits involve sun, pleasure, or retail-therapy.
However, he comes to see there is actually more to her than big blue eyes and a killer smile. When he falls for her, there is a chance that it will endanger his job and quite possibly her life.
Product Details

Her Secret Bodyguard absorbs you right from the start. The grip on you tightens as ambiguity tangles with the fire of romance. Misha Crews skillfully builds on the characters and subversions, until finally, she brings the novel to its dramatic conclusion.

A book well worth reading.

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Friday 27 May 2011

Surviving Passion

Kindle Romances

Author - Maia Underwood
Title     - Surviving Passion
Stars   - 5

Surviving Passion:
From her own terrifying encounters, Selena discovers just how threatening men are. Now, she steers clear of them, and gets to grips with an evasive way of life - until she comes across her match.
Dan, a passionate but regimented leader, clashes with her approach to survival, at every level. After meeting him, Selena's life becomes a flood of hectic associations. Through her involvement with this frightening but appealing man, Selena learns that human animals love as passionately as they kill.

Surviving Passion is not your average romance. Are you equipped to cope with what terrors life might throw at you? Do you have the willpower and grit to endure a social collapse of this nature?
With Surviving Passion, Underwood has created a story full of powerful emotions, with a gripping finale that will probably leave you reflecting on it for days to come.

Thursday 26 May 2011

Endless Night

Kindle Romances

Author - Maureen A. Miller
Price   -  $3.99

After witnessing a murder, Megan Summers ran until she reached the remote coastal village of Victory Cove. She has a new name, but she knows it’s only a matter of time before the murderer catches up with her.

Jake Grogan has come to town to unravel the mystery of his heritage. Instead of finding his grandmother at Wakefield House, he discovers an attractive stranger who will do anything to get him off her doorstep. Trapped by a storm, he’s forced to stay the night with Megan—a woman who keeps a handgun under her bed and closes herself off from the outside world.

Jake tries to dig deeper into his past, but he’s distracted by his fear for Megan’s safety and his growing feelings for her. Danger is drawing near and he’ll do anything to keep her safe. Will it be enough to help them survive the endless night?


Maureen A. Miller provides just the right level of romance. When she tackles ‘steam’, it is done with elegance. Suspense is perhaps more prevalent than romance in 'Endless Night', but who is to say what the balance should be – each of us will have different demands.

The plot is well planned, and plausible, with sufficient attention to minutiae to make us believe that what we are reading is happening.

Sunday 15 May 2011

The Seducer

Kindle Romances

Author - Madeline Hunter
Price   - : $7.99

Diane Albret saw more in the handsome gentleman than just a protector. 

As Diane changed from a confused schoolgirl, into a strong-minded young woman of appeal and beauty, Daniel St. John became the most desirable man possible.  

Leaving the sheltered life of school, she is brought to Daniel’s home with dreams of her own. However, he seems to have other ideas for Diane—and he holds a secret about her past that he will do everything to keep: a secret that will put both their lives in jeopardy.
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Make ready to be seduced by Daniel St. John, every single woman's aspiration in a man. Be prepared to be enchanted by Diane Albret, left without parents and with no idea of her own history. A tale of pain, distress, and intrigue... and of course, love.

Friday 13 May 2011

Second Chances


Kindle Romances

Kristie Leigh Maguire
Price – 99 cents


Jane Porter's dreams of marrying Mike Farley, the striking cowboy from the next ranch, are crushed when, out of the blue, Mike marries beautiful Samantha Smith after a whirlwind courtship.

 Mike begins to regret his rash marriage to Samantha. Can he win Jane back again?

The story becomes convoluted as friends Jim Porter and Liz Farley start to rely on each other for comfort after the death of their partners. Will their friendship turn into something deeper?


Is it ever too late for love? Is it ever too late for second chances?
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This is a story of angish, love and second chances.  Some people love this book, some don't seem to be as generous. Read it and make up your own mind.

Monday 9 May 2011

What Is Romantic Suspense

Kindle Romances

Romantic suspense is a relatively new concept. It is a fusion of genres. It extracts elements of romance, suspense, and perhaps mystery, in such a manner that a new genre is born.

Because of the way elements are combined, the genre often appeals to both men and women. It is perhaps a reflection of the way that real life unfolds - most people crave a romantic relationship in their lives, even if their life is enveloped in mystery. In general romantic suspense stories are not 'sweetie-pie', in fact some are quite 'dark'.

Characters’ romantic interactions are still central to the stories, but stories frequently have more depth than conventional romance. For a start, storylines spiral around some unfathomable mystery or suspense. Relationships between characters often provokes concern and anxiety in readers.

Additionally, subplots and sub-characters are regularly weaved into stories. Conventional romances  rarely support subplots - in fact, for conventional romances, publishing houses such as Harlequin Mill & Boon actively dissuade writers from using subplots or extra characters.

The genre can perhaps be thought of as suspense, with an intense love interest.

There is no fool-proof method of discerning whether a book can be considered a romantic suspense, although a racy and gripping opening that makes for a good page-turner, is a sign that it's a romantic suspense novel.

Saturday 7 May 2011

Sunny Days, Moonlit Nights

Kindle Romances

Author - Jean C. Joachim
Price   - $3.99

Carolina Davis White is an artist in a unhappy marriage. For two years, she has put up with cheating husband Brad, but no longer. She bolts to the he Catskill Mountains, a place where she found tranquillity in earlier times. There, she initiates divorce proceedings.

Mike Foster is a prosperous man, whose success destroyed his marriage. Caroline starts to associate with old friends. She knew Mike as a youngster, but is he still the person she once fell in love with?

This book is an interesting love story, which once started is difficult to put down. It has all the ingredients of a good romance; a crush that is re-kindled after many years, convolutions that are real page turners, and characters that come across as authentic and flawed.

Wednesday 4 May 2011

In The Mood

Kindle Romances

Author - Ellen Fisher
Price   - $0.99

Jude Patterson is a reserved romance novelist who realizes the fancy language he's always used in historical love scenes doesn't transform well in contemporary romances. Alyssa Stone is an attractive admirer who agrees to help him write passionate scenes.

Jude is captivated by Alyssa, whose assured and sexual attitude hides a susceptible core. Before long, he's the one disclosing how to write scenes with steam... and maybe how to produce happy endings.





In essence, these are two adequately portrayed characters, each with a problem to unravel. The crux of the story focuses on how they might benefit each other. The ending is perhaps foreseeable, but this is romance, not suspense or mystery. Displaying how they reach a blissful end is how this writer entertains. The story might have been better, had it been longer. However, it is only 99 cents so can we expect more? I think it good value for money.

Monday 2 May 2011

The Heir's Convenient Wife

Kindle Romance

Author - Myrna MacKenzie
Price   - $2.74

The Wedding Belles' photographer, Regina, captures picture-perfect memories for brides and grooms to treasure. But looking at her own wedding photo makes her realize she barely knows the man she conveniently wed.... Dell O'Ryan was always brought up to do the right thing, to be responsible. So when his no-good cousin landed the beautiful Regina in a whole heap of trouble, Dell stepped in to save the day.
One convenient marriage later, they are practically strangers, and now Dell has decided it's time to date his wife....


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Myrna MacKenzie does a first-rate job of both intrigue and portrayal of characters. You really feel the inner emotions of both hero and heroine. Kindness gives way to desire, in a way that extracts from you, an assortment of sparkle and pleasure.

Love Of A Lifetime

Kindle Romance

Author - Maren Suber
Price   - $2.99

A car accident landed Briana in the hospital, but not as a patient. No, when she finally opened her eyes, it was to find herself in the morgue, lying on the ceiling with a prime view of her covered body. And yet, when an angel appeared to lead her on to her new celestial home, Briana was anything but ready to go. So when another woman burst through the clouds, leaving behind a dying body, Mallory leapt back to Earth, back in time, for a second chance at life.

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 Love of a Lifetime is an entertaining time travel romance, with resilient characters, vibrant text, and a thought-provoking hypothesis. There were a few editing problems, which was a bit jarring - and some readers might not like the pursuit passages. However, on the whole, it is an entertaining read.
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The Model Mistress

Kindle Romance

Author - Sorcha MacMurrough
Price   - $7.99

Martin Jerome has been a shadow of his former self ever since he and his new bride were attacked by highwaymen on their wedding night four years before. The dark secrets of that fateful evening have haunted Martin ever since. 

Martin finds himself seeking out an alluring widow's company more and more. Both secretly ache for the other. Both know the potential consequences of becoming lovers in their rigid society.
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Martin Jerome is a intriguing character. From his intense arrival in the first novel of the series, The  Mistress, he has been evolving, and is now on the verge of love. - The book is longer than many, and worth every minute. It is a delightful and touching story, with characters that you immediately empathise with.

Sunday 1 May 2011

Kindle Romance: 'Just For Tonight' by Lynn Carmer

Kindle Romance book review

Author - Lynn Carmer
Title     - Just For Tonight
Stars   - 5

Just For Tonight:
Ava Sinclair finds her no-good cheating fiancé in bed with a bleach blond bimbo. What is a girl to do? She heads to Cabo with her best girl friend to catch the eye of someone tall, dark and handsome. Can Derek make Ava forget? Can Ava help Derek overcome his own painful past?

 Product Details

Lynn Carmer has written a rousing and brisk moving romance. She brings you straight into the tale from the first sentence. Just For Tonight is a slick, enjoyable read. Just the sort of thing for the beach.