Sweet Stuff is a Tender Yet Funny Romance

Sweet Stuff

By Donna Kauffman

Copyright February 2012

Publishers Brava (Contemporary Romance)

 

Double Fudge…Toasted Coconut…Key Lime…Strawberry Cream…
Every bite is a mouthful of heaven.
And the women of the Cupcake Club are bringing their appetites …

Riley Brown never imagined she would find her bliss on Georgia’s quiet Sugarberry Island after years of Chicago’s city life. With a new career and fantastic new friends, she’s got it all—except for eligible men. But a gig staging a renovated beach house delivers a delicious treat—six feet of blue-eyed, gorgeous writer as delectable and Southern as pecan pie. Quinn Brannigan has come to Sugarberry to finish his latest novel in peace, and suddenly Riley has a taste for the bad boy author that no amount of mocha latte buttercream or lemon mousse will satisfy …

Riley’s friends are rooting for her to give in to her cravings and spice up her life, but it’s Quinn who needs to learn that life’s menu just might include love, in all its decadent, irresistible flavors…

 

Riley had loved her job in Chicago and it still hurt when she thought about leaving it to start over.  She found her way to Sugarberry Island and settled in there on a borrowed houseboat. She found an interesting new job staging homes and condos for sale on the surrounding islands and began to make friends and a new life.  The only thing missing was male companionship, and she isn’t sure that she’s ready to get back into that race.

While working on staging a lovely beach cottage for showing, Riles lets her eyes wander to the Jog Master 3000 she set up and decides that it can’t be that hard to try.  Looking at the control panel with all the buttons she steps up and presses a few.  As the machine starts rolling she starts walking slowly.  The pace starts to pick up until she is hanging onto the side rails for dear life, wondering how she’s going to get off this thing with her body intact. Although of course she is also dreaming about hunky EMT’s coming to her rescue.

She is now almost thirteen minutes into her torture and wondering where the deliverymen with the Steinway Piano she ordered are. She is also imagining herself being thrown from the job machine and sees the newspaper headlines in her mind “Riley Brown Found Dead! Sugarberry’s Premiere House Stager in High Speed Treadmill Incident!”

The doorbell chimes and she hopes it is the men who are delivering the piano she ordered for the house. It will add just the right touch of class, and hominess to the house.  Again the doorbell chimes and she starts to wonder why they aren’t coming in, Open House means open house. Just walk in and bring the piano. A deep voice with a Southern accent startles her as he says “I thought this was the house that is being leased. Riley looks up and sees handsome six foot plus, with shoulders and jawline and loses it as she is thrown violently off the treadmill and into her artfully arranged cluster of plants.

This is definitely the way to meet the world famous author Quinn Brannigan!.

This is the second book in the wonderfully funny and enjoyable Cupcake Club Romance books. I love the way the author brings what are essentially damaged souls to the island where they are healed and find happiness and love in this small town island setting. I truly hope that this series has a long and successful run.

FTC Full Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher who only asked for a fair and impartial review.

The Gilder Will Bring You Both Laughter and Tears

The Gilder

By Kathryn Kay

Copyright January 2012

Publisher Kensington Fiction

 

In Marina Nesmith’s skilled hands, even the most tarnished picture frame or objet d’art can be made perfect once again. Her life, too, seems flawless, at least on the surface. But more and more, Marina is conscious of what she lacks–someone to share her joys and sorrows with, confidence in the decisions she’s made, and the courage to tell her teenage daughter, Zoe, the truth about her father.

Then Marina is invited to return to Florence, where she lived years before while learning her trade as a gilder. In those heady days, she wandered the city’s picturesque streets, marveling at the masterpieces in the Duomo and the Pitti Palace. In the church of Santa Croce, she met Thomas, an American photographer who, along with his wife Sarah, introduced Marina to a thrilling, bohemian world of art and beauty. Through them, she also learned about love, lies, and the way one mistake can multiply into many. Now, as her past and present collide, Marina will finally have to move beyond the intricate veneer she’s crafted around herself, and find the life that she–and Zoe–have been looking for.

 

It’s been sixteen years since Marina ran home from Florence Italy. Leaving behind an apprenticeship that she loved, and friends who had no idea why she left.  She’s accepted an invitation to speak at a conference in Florence about her career as a gilder.  Now she must deal with those memories as she prepares her speech, and also deal with a fifteen year old daughter who desperately wants to go to Italy with her.

Zoe has grown up without a father. He was just a series of short answers given to her by her mother in response to her asking about him over the years. And as she grew her questions became more and more detailed, and her mother’s replies giving her less and less satisfaction.

As the date of her departure gets closer Marina’s thoughts drift more and more into the memories of her early life and the key point that ended up with her going to study in Florence.  She has seen an article about the devastating flooding of Florence and the possible loss of so many priceless and irreplaceable paintings and objects d’art.  Her mother showed her how this could be the basis for the report she was writing for her world events class.  As she delved deeper into the story, finding photos in magazines the seed was planted, that and a promise (never fulfilled) by her mother to take her to Italy and visit these sights first hand.

Year after year the promised trip never appeared, till she finally decided that after college she would just pack and go.  She worked during college and saved up the money for her trip, and the course she signed up for in gilding and art preservation.

As her memories unfold, and she fends off her daughter’s questions and tears we are drawn deeply into a young woman’s dreams, life and future career.

I found this book deeply moving and engaging as I was drawn into Marina’s world. I laughed, cried, and found myself sympathizing with problems and the course they took her on.  I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good romance.

FTC Full Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher, who only requested a fair and impartial review.

Sugar Rush is a Sweet Read

Sugar Rush

By Donna Kauffman

Copyright January 2012

Publisher: Brava Contemporary Romance

When baker extraordinaire Leilani Trusdale leaves New York City for Georgia’s sleepy Sugarberry Island, She didn’t expect her past to follow. Yet suddenly her former boss, Baxter Dunne, AKA Chef Hot Cakes, the man who taught her everything pastry, wants to film his hit cooking show in her tiny cupcakery. The Same Chef Hot Cakes whose molten chocolate brown eyes and sexy British accent made Lani’s mouth water and her cheeks blush the colour of raspberry filling… stirring all kinds of kitchen gossip, much of which Lani wished was true.

Lani’s friends are convinced that this time around, Baxter is the missing ingredient in her recipe for happiness. But convincing Lani will be a job for Baxter himself. And he’ll need more than black velvet frosting to sweeten the deal..

Leilani’s life in New York had been great, career wise anyway.  She was chosen by Baxter Dunne as his assistant and she learned a hell of a lot from him, eventually moving her up to Executive Chef and manager of “Gateau” his restaurant.   But while her professional career was going well, her personal life was the pits.  She was secretly lusting after her boss, and the fact that the people who she worked with, who actually thought she’d slept her way to that job just made her feel worse.

After three years as Gateau’s manager and many kudos for her award winning cakes she called it quits and went home to open a place of her own on Sugarberry Island off the coast of Georgia.  There she contentedly sold cakes by the cup.  Yes, she owned a cupcake bakery, and she was extremely proud of it.

Lani is putting the final touches on a batch of cupcakes for the Kiwanis Fund Raiser when her friend Charlotte calls from NY.  Her world is about to be turned upside down again as Charlotte tells her that her old boss, Chef Hot Cakes plans to take his show on the road and have Sugarberry Island and her shop as his opening show.  She is even less happy when the Chef shows up at her back door unannounced and sticks his foot in his mouth, angering Lani in the process.

This is a story about love denied, and finding happiness in your life’s work.  I found it funny, delightful, filled with cupcakes, crazy octogenarians, Hot Chefs,and romance.  I recommend it highly and am looking forward to the author’s next book in this series.

FTC Full Disclosure: I received this book from the publishers who only requested a fair and impartial review.

A Place Called Home is Calling Out to You

A Place Called Home

By: Jo Goodman

Copyright December 2011

Publisher Zebra Contemporary Romance

 

When Thea Wyndham and Mitchell Baker learn they’ve been named joint guardians for their late friends’ three children, they’re little more than acquaintances. Barely polite acquaintances, at that. Something about Mitch’s forthright intensity has always left ad exec Thea feeling off-balance, while Mitch makes no secret of his disdain when Thea offers him financial assistance if he’ll take sole guardianship. Thea is far from heartless. She’s just plain terrified of her new parenting responsibilities. Both she and Mitch are romantically involved with other people. Yet the more time they spend together, the less certain she is of her loyalties. There are complications and mis-steps, tears and laughter – lots of it. And somehow, through it all, the dawning realization that the last place she thought she’d find herself could be just where she belongs.

 

What kind of co-parents and guardians do you get when you ask two friends who apparently don’t get along, are of the opposite gender, and happen to already in steady relationships? This is the situation that Thea Wyndham and Mitchell Baker find themselves in.  At the time they agreed to be guardians for their friends Gabe and Kathy, they never imagined that this vital married couple would die, together in a common accident, leaving behind two young children.

Mitch and Thea both have busy, separate lives.  Now they are forced to make concessions and work together to care for and raise two exceptionally smart kids and not kill each other while doing it.

Thea is engaged to an older man, with grown, married children, and no wish to be raising a new generation.  He wants to be able to say “Thea let’s take the plane and fly off for a weekend getaway”. Mitch is single with a girlfriend who is in no way interested in raising children at her age, she wants to work in her family’s real estate business, travel, party and have a good time.

With a room full of lawyers, and differing viewpoints, somehow they must work together and provide a safe and cherishing environment for eleven year old Emily and her twin brother Case. This will definitely be a battle of wits and patience.

I enjoyed this book on so many levels.  I grew up in a single parent house, my mother worked in the family business and I spent a lot of time on my own (a 1950’s latchkey kid).  Seeing how the twins react to the loss of both parents and being dropped into the home of their “Uncle” Mitch, is in a way similar to my mother’s remarrying and my being saddled with two very much younger step siblings.  It’s the getting used to new people, new family and a new home. The author did a fantastic job in painting this situation in words that will grab you and keep you reading till you reach the end of the story.

FTC Full Disclosure: I received this book from the publishers who only requested a fair and impartial review.

Leah and the Bounty Hunter- a total bulleye

Leah and the Bounty Hunter

By Elaine Levine

Copyright August 2011

Publisher Zebra Historical Romance

To Leah Morgan’s mind, the last thing her hometown of Defiance needs is another gunman stalking its dusty streets-especially one as sweet-talking and fine-looking as Jace Gage. Despite her warnings, the infuriating man seems determined to meddle in her life and risk his own, all for a town that can’t be saved and a heart she locked away long ago.

Professional bounty hunter Jace Gage has cleaned up plenty of corrupt towns in his lifetime, and he knows he can handle whatever Defiance’s thugs have to offer. But the town’s most lawful citizen is another story. Beautiful, willful and exasperating at every turn, Leah is the one person capable of bringing the ruthless gunslinger to his knees-and capturing his desire with a single kiss…

Jace and Leah are thrown together during one of his jobs.  He is being paid by the U.S. Marshal’s office to capture or take out the Sheriff of Defiance. After of course he finds out where the sheriff is hiding the gold he’s stolen from the various shipments passing through his area.

Jace is riding leisurely into town when he sees what appears to be a young man being attacked by two ruffians.  Not one to normally get involved he continues watching the scene play out.  When the young person’s shirt is ripped open Jace realizes that this is in fact a girl or young woman and decides to step in.  As he approaches he sees the young woman knee one attacker while ordering her wolf (yes, I said wolf) to attack the other guy.

This was Jace’s introduction to Leah Morgan, who is another reason he’s in town. He’s been tasked by some friends to protect her while he’s there.

I’ve never been a fan or a reader of Historical Romance, not even Western ones. This book took me totally by surprise. It’s local, the time frame, and the cast of characters brought me back to the TV westerns and Western movies I watched back in the 1950′s.

Very nicely done.

FTC Full Disclosure: I received this book from the publishers, who only asked for a fair review.

Cassie Palmer is taking on the world, and winning.

Hunt the Moon

By Karen Chance

Copyright June 2011

Publisher Signet Select

 

Cassandra Palmer recently defeated a god, which you’d think would buy a girl a little time off. But it doesn’t work that way when your job description is Pythia-the world’s chief clairvoyant. Cassie is busier than ever, trying to learn about her power, preparing for her upcoming coronation, and figuring out her relationship with the enigmatic sexy master vampire, Mircea.

But someone doesn’t want Cassie to become Pythia, and is willing to go to any lengths to make sure the coronation ceremony never happens- including attacking her mother before Cassie is even born…

 

Cassie just can’t catch a break. No sooner has she killed, maimed, destroyed, or ticked off her last nemesis, she’s back in the middle of more action and fighting for her life; all this while preparing for her Coronation.  Of course Cassie is trying to take all of this in stride, even with no dress, and Mircea conveniently out of town.

Cassie (powers aside) is every woman I’ve ever known. Just trying to get through life in one piece while doing her job, having a love life, and just trying to stay one step ahead of the bill collector.  For Cassie it means being the Pythia, a job she has not received proper training it.  Her kick ass, and take names style makes reading the series a fast paced, don’t turn your head or you’ll miss something kind of book.

I have been a Cassie fan right from the beginning in “Curse the Dark”. I hope this book has a long and healthy run. I think Ms. Chance’s writing style and characters have a depth and life to them that parallel our own world and lives.

FTC Full Disclosure: I borrowed this book from the Public Library fully intending to enjoy it and write a review and sharing it with the world.

Karen Chance can be found hanging out at http://www.karenchance.com/ .

Devon Monk, author extrordinair

Magic on the Hunt

By Devon Monk

Copyright April 2011

Publisher ROC

 

Book six in the Adventures of Allie Beckstrom, her hounds and her “friends” in the Authority. Lot’s of suspense, drama, magical fights, and an ending that leaves me a bit pensive about the next book. You’ll just have to read it and find out for yourselves.

Alien Tango is a great read

Alien Tango

By Gini Kosh

Copyright December 2010

Publisher Daw Science Fiction

 

Synopses

It’s been five months since marketing manager Katherine “Kitty” Katt started working with the aliens from Alpha Centauri, and she and Jeff Martini are getting closer. But when an experimental spacecraft is mysteriously returned to the Kennedy Space Center, Kitty and the rest of her team are called in to investigate. Now the team must survive murderous attacks, remove a space entity from a group of astronauts, and avoid an unhinged woman with a serious crush on Kitty’s high school boyfriend. And that’s all before evil masterminds decide Kitty’s extermination is vital.

Review

Kitty and Jeff are now, for all intents and purposes living together.  Jeff is avoiding his mother, and Kitty is using the quiet period to learn how to fly jets.  As head of the Aviation Division she has the best teachers available to her (all Top Gun Grads).  But things can’t stay quiet forever.  They get a call to send their teams down to Florida to the Space Center and investigate what appears to be an infestation of an experimental craft while in space.  With all the usual jokes, teasing and snarky comments from her team she has her work cut out for her.

If she only had to deal with the mission things would have been easy. But with murder attempts at every turn , and more groups of enemies all coming at her at once, she will need all her skills and sense of humor to survive.  And I don’t just mean the mission.

You’ll just have to grab a copy of this wonderful book to see what happens next. I was grabbed by the cover artwork and stayed for the fantastic writing of the author.

Gini Koch can be found hanging out at: http://www.ginikoch.com/ and https://www.facebook.com/#!/Gini.Koch

FTC Full Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my local library with the intention of reviewing it.

Hunt Me the new Shiloh Walker Winner!!!

Hunt Me

By Shiloh Walker

She’s been keeping secrets…

Drew Quentin has been crazy about sexy Dakota Coulter from the moment he met her, but after two years of dating, he still doesn’t have her phone number. Sooner or later, a man has to move on.

That was the plan. But the night he broke things off, things went from bad to worse…and he figured out some of her secrets…bloodthirsty secrets.

Dakota Coulter is having a lousy night. The man she loves just broke up with her. And she can’t even take an hour to sulk, because duty calls—and as a Hunter, she must answer.

Being a vampire is hell on the love life, that’s for sure. But it will get better, right? Just do the job, get out of town and oh…avoid the ex-lover who is suddenly out to track her down. Too bad a happy reunion is soooo not on his mind.

This ebook will be available via Smashwords, All Romance Ebooks, Kindle, & the Nook store.  It should eventually make it onto the Sony, Apple and a few other places.  Those just take a little longer.

Blackness Tower is a fantastic story.

Blackness Tower

By Lillian Stewart Carl

Copyright May 2008

Publisher Juno Books

Blackness Tower is a mystery at the edge of this world, looking over the sea to the next. Lonely, haunted people are drawn to it to seek out its ancient riddles, each looking for their own special answer in its stones.

Ewan Calder is an archaeologist looking for a galleon from the Spanish Armada which was rumored to have been wrecked on the Scottish coast.  Magnus Anderson is a Television presenter who while looking for proof of the paranormal. David Sutherland is the current owner doing restoration of the Tower and possibly his own life.  And finally we have Lauren Reay, a young woman who has come from America looking for answers about her family’s mysterious past, and her own compelling dreams.

All of these people have their own special reasons for gathering at this historic site, and not all of them will be happy or satisfied with the outcomes of their visit. Lauren’s family originated in the area around the Tower, in fact her great, great grandmother Susanna lived and worked in it.  She is hoping to find out the identity of the father of Susanna’s child and how she died.

The journey will be puzzle involving all the characters I’ve listed, with twists, turns and many lies overturned.  I was most interested in the budding romance between David and Lauren as they talk and interact on a daily basis. Also the unraveling of secrets long held in the town and in her own local family.

Lillian Stewart Carl has a special gift when it comes to blending historic type events, modern times and romance, along with a small touch of the supernatural.  It leaves the reader feeling blessed for having been allowed to enter into the journey and lives of the books characters.

FTC Full Disclosure: I received this book as a personal gift from the author, and found it compelling enough to share my thoughts about it in this review.

While this book is out of print in paperback, you can order it for Kindle.

Lillian Stewart Carl can be found at https://www.facebook.com/lillian.stewart.carl and www.lillianstewartcarl.com