FINISHED -

1. "YOUR BED, OR MINE?" by Candy Halliday (Women's Fantasy Club #2) (A+++++) The Housewives Fantasy Club is now in session. Every Saturday night, best friends and neighbors Zada, Jen, Tish and Alicia heat up their quaint little cul-de-sac with the infamous Housewives Fantasy Club. Everyone has a secret fantasy to share. Some have better ones to hide. Make war, not Love. Unbelievable! Zada Clark expected the judge to finalize her divorce, not give her and her estranged husband, Rick, ninety days to end their squabble over the house and the dog. Rick declares he's moving back in until they reach an agreement. Never mind that it's impossible to live with Mr. Gotta-Be-My-Way. He's military neat and tidy; Zada leaves things where they lie. The only place they always agree is in bed, where sparks of a sexier kind fly like gangbusters. Now, locked in their own survival game where winner takes all, this wife will use her considerable wiles to outwit, outlast and outplay her husband until he puts out or moves out. But will her fool proof plan backfire? For while she may be Rick's greatest weakness, he has always been Zada's one and only fantasy.
2. "TALK OF THE TOWN" by Karen Hawkins (New Author For Me) (Glory, North Carolina #1) (A++++) Do blonds have more fun? He'd love to know, but it takes two to tango. Newly divorced Roxie Treymayne is dying to find out. After years of being the perfect Southern lady, all she ended up with was a cheating husband. So she goes bombshell blond, gets a provocatively places tattoo and prepares to live it up as a Bad Girl. But then her mother falls ill...and Roxie is forced to return to Glory, North Carolina.  Once the town bad boy, Nick Sheppard is now Glory's highly respected sheriff. When the hot blonde he stops for speeding turns out to be former prim Homecoming Queen Roxanne Treymayne, Nick doesn't quite know where to look - though he'd like a much closer one at the tattoo peeking from her shorts. Rosie and Nick had a steamy fling in high school, but a love affair between a Southern princess and a boy from the wrong side of the tracks was doomed from the start. Now they have a second chance. Can they get it right? Or will they just end up...the talk of the town?
3. "THE MIDWIFE'S SECRET" by Kate Bridges (New Author For Me) (A++++) If Amanda Ryan's secret past were known, her fresh start in life would come to a dead stop. No one would readily accept a divorced, barren midwife. Not even, she feared, Tom Murdock. For though he'd roused her slumbering womanhood, she could never be the wife he deserved! Just when his battered faith in human nature was almost restored, Tom Murdock discovered that Amanda Ryan had outright lied to him, destroying their chances for happiness. Or had she? For this feisty, independent woman, who could never give him the family he'd dreamed of, had made him desire things he'd never imagined!
4. "CHAINS" by Shiloh Walker (A+++++) They weren't friends. They weren't enemies. The only thing the three girls had in common was the high school they went to in Madison, Ohio - until one tragic night. Now, fifteen years later, they're returning home, where passion - and danger - await. They're coming back to Madison - and it won't be a happy reunion. There are three men, all dangerous in different ways. And when the women surrender their bodies to the heat, when they succumb to desire, they'll find the safety they desperately need. "RENEE - CHAINS OF REBELLION" (Book #1) Renee Lincoln was the prom queen with the perfect boyfriend and the perfect life. After that horrible night, she rebelled the only way she knew how: by submitting to her wildest fantasies. "LACEY - CHAINS OF LONGING" (Book #2) Tall, blonde and athletic, Lacey Talbot was a golden girl with a bright future. She's found success as a photographer, but no man has ever been able to satisfy her. No man but the bad boy she left behind. "SHERRA - CHAINS OF MEMORY" (Book #3) Sherra Sainger has always looked like a princess out of some fairy tale. The books she writes, though, stem from the nightmare of that one night. And she shrinks from any man's attention - especially the one stalking her.
5. "FEVER" by Elizabeth Lowell (McCalls #1) (A++++) Rye McCall has a problem. He's got an obsessive father who's trying to ensure a dynasty, but Rye's rebellious and determined to lead his own life. And to make matters worse, he's just met a woman who may thwart both men's plans. For one brief high-country summer, Rye manages the impossible - to keep his father's world at bay. But he's lost control of his own plans - he's fallen in love with Lisa Johansen Now he's told too many lies for his happiness to last. He knows that. What he doesn't know is how to finally tell her the truth.
6. "DEEPER THAN NEED" by Shiloh Walker (Secrets & Shadows #1) (A+++++) Time heals all wounds...so does one man's touch. Eager to put a dark, troubled past behind her, Trinity Ewing buys an old house that will make the perfect refuge for her and her young son once renovations are complete. The last thing on her mind is finding someone new...but the contractor she's hired is an irresistible distraction - and Trinity can't help but fantasize about all the business they could be doing behind closed doors. Noah Benningfield thought he'd put his demons behind him. But the moment he lays eyes on Trinity, the temptation he feels is too powerful to deny. Soon the attraction between them explodes into something neither of them could have imagined. But their desire will be put to the test when a shocking local murder has them dodging danger at every turn. Can the beautiful and damaged Trinity trust someone like Noah, whose own past is as haunted as her own? The only thing she knows for sure is that she can't live without a man who makes her feel this good - over and over again. 
7. "SOMETHING WONDERFUL" by Joan Hohl (New Author For Me) (A+++++) "BREEZE OFF THE OCEAN" (Renningers #1) They were fated to meet, destined to love. Like the predator he's named for, Wolf Renninger is a loner, used to taking what he wants for both business and pleasure. With his silver-gray eyes and lethal charm, the hotel mogul usually gets his way - except where Micki Durrant is concerned. Six years ago, Wolf took her innocence and she took his heart, leaving him with a bitter longing that never faded. Now, Micki is coming home to the Delaware shore and Wolf doesn't intend to let her go a second time - no matter what or who stands in the way. "WHILE THE FIRE RAGES" (Renningers #2) Brett Renninger won't be dragged into the mating hunt with his older brother. He's got his hands full investigating Wolf's latest hire - a woman who just may be out to undermine the family's multi-million-dollar hotel business. If the lady thinks she's going to mess with the Renningers and get away with it, she's got another thing coming. But once the high-powered executive lays eyes on the dark-haired, savvy Jo Lawrence, business is the last thing on his mind.
8. "BLOOD BORN" by Linda Howard and Linda Jones (Vampire #1) (A+++++) When the human and vampire worlds collide - Luca Ambrus is a rare breed: He is a vampire from birth, begotten by two vampire parents: blood born. He is also an agent of the Council - the centuries-old cabal that governs vampire-kind, preserving their secrecy and destroying those who betray them. When a cryptic summons leads him to the scene of the brutal killing of a powerful Council member, Luca begins the hunt for an assassin among his own people. But instead of a lone killer he discovers a sinister conspiracy of rogue vampires bent on subjugating the moral world. All that stands in their way are the conduits, humans able to channel spirit warriors into the physical world to protect mankind. Chloe Fallon is a conduit - and a target of the vampire assassin who's killing them. When Luca saves her life, an irresistible bond of trust - along with more passionate feelings - is forged between them. As more victims fall, Chloe and Luca have only each other to depend on to save the world from the reign of monsters - and salvage their own future together.
9. "TROUBLE IN TEXAS" by Katie Lane (Deep in the Heart of Texas #4) (A++++++) There's a fox in the henhouse. Inheriting the most notorious house of ill repute in Texas can spell trouble for a girl's reputation...especially when she's Elizabeth Murphy, Bramble's prim and proper librarian. Yet when she discovers a buck-naked cowboy handcuffed to a four-poster bed, she forgets all about the town gossips. Elizabeth has sworn off men, but the stranger's kisses melt her resolve faster than ice cream on a hot summer day. Walking up in Miss Hattie's Henhouse isn't how Brant Cates reckoned on getting to the bottom of his great-granddaddy's murder. The plan was to solve the centuries-old crime, then get the heck out of Dodge. But after meeting Elizabeth and discovering that the buttoned-up beauty is a sexy siren in disguise, he just can't pull himself away. Now Brant needs Elizabeth to finally put his past to rest, but is she willing to risk her future on Bramble's newest bad boy?
10. "CALEB'S CROSSING" by Geraldine Brooks (New Author For Me) (A++++++) (unabridged audio CD) Bethia slips the bounds of her rigid society to explore the island's glistening beaches and observe its native inhabitants. At twelve, she meets Caleb, the young son of a chieftain and the two forge a secret bond that draws each into the alien world of the other. Bethia's minister father, who feels called to convert the Wampanoag, awakens the wrath of the medicine men, against whose magic he must test is own faith. Caleb becomes a prize in this contest, eventually taking his place at Harvard, studying Latin and Greek alongside the sons of the colonial elite. Bethia also finds herself in Cambridge at the behest of her imperious elder brother. As she fights for a voice in a society that requires her silence, she also becomes entangled in Caleb's struggle to navigate the shoals that divide their two cultures.
11. "RUNNING WILD" by Linda Howard and Linda Jones (Men from Battle Ridge #1) (A+++++) Carlin Reed lives in fear, off the grid, moving from place to place. So Battle Ridge, Wyoming, a small town in the middle of nowhere, seems like a good place to lie low for a while. But after becoming cook and housekeeper to cattle rancher Zeke Decker, Carlin suspects that she's made her first mistake. Rugged, sexy and too distracting for his own good, Zeke is pure temptation mixed with something deep and primal that makes Carlin feel almost safe. Soon things are getting way too hot in the kitchen. Zeke doesn't challenge Carlin's terms: cash, dead bolts and no questions. It is easy to see that she's a woman in trouble. Problem is, he's so blindsided by his attraction to her he can't think straight. Zeke tries to stay all business, no complications - but that game plan is sabotaged the second Carlin gets under his skin. And when her terrifying past follows her to the ranch, Carlin faces a heartbreaking choice: run away from the man she loves, or put him in the crosshairs of a madman.
12. "DOUBLE TROUBLE" by Claire Cross (Coxwells #2) (A+++++) Two sisters...one disaster. What did James Coxwell ever see in my twin sister, Marcia (I mean, besides her sparkling good looks)? I know what she saw in him - money, prestige and more money. Well, she's stolen the by's rose-colored glasses this time. Since hubby stopped raking in the big bucks, Marcia's left him and the kids for parts unknown. But, for a guy who's lost his job, his marriage and his status toys, James is pulling it together pretty well. It's not just how good he looks in jeans. It's that he's not giving up what's important to him and oh baby, I'm a sucker for a guy who hangs tough. That doesn't mean I'll play happy homemaker now that Mommie Dearest has gone AWOL. And it doesn't mean that I'm going to fall for James's easy charm, not again anyhow. Besides, I've had a lifelong policy of not being mistaken for my twin and I'm not backing down on that one now - no matter how convenient it might be for a certain sexy (and dangerously persuasive) man.
13. "GRAYSON'S SURRENDER" by Catherine Mann (Wingman Warriors #1) (A+++++) No surrender - Nothing frightened Grayson "Cutter" Clark. Yet the sight of Lori Rutledge had the Air Force flight surgeon almost dropping to his knees. After a year without her, Grayson was now her partner. Suddenly, rescuing a group of orphans from a war-torn country seemed easy compared to keeping his feelings for Lori locked safely away. He was the only man she'd ever wanted, but Lori dared not forget Grayson's need for emotional distance. She'd accepted they would never share a family...until fate delivered a heart-tugging orphan into their care. Now Lori had reason to keep him beside her. But could she settle for anything less than Grayson's ultimate surrender?
14. "UNFORGIVEN" by Anne Calhoun (New Author For Me) (Walkers Ford #1) (A++++++) For as long as he could remember, he wanted her. Raised by a single mother, Adam Collins resolved to take no chances with a girl's future - or his own. That's why, as hard as it was, he resisted everything he felt for Marissa Brooks. Then one night a reckless challenge left a fellow student dead and changed both their lives forever. As penance, Adam enlisted in the Marines, where he could disappear into discipline and duty and left Marissa behind to struggle with her dreams. Twelve years later, Adam is back in Walkers Ford to serve as best man in his friend's wedding. The years haven't diminished the electric connection he has with Marissa, but Adam's mistake continues to haunt him and Marissa is stumbling under the weight of her family's legacy. Together they wrestle with demons and dreams, but if there's any hope for a future together Adam has to not only find a way to forgive himself, but also ask others for forgiveness - especially from the woman whose heart he broke.
15. "INN AT LAST CHANCE" by Hope Ramsay (Last Chance, South Carolina #7) (A+++++) Jenny Carpenter is the unrivaled pie-baking champion of Last Chance, South Carolina's annual Watermelon Festival and the town's unofficial spinster . With her dream of marriage and children on hold she focuses on another dream, turning the local haunted house into a charming bed-and-breakfast. But her plans go off course when the home's former owner shows up on her doorstep on a dark and stormy night. Mega-bestselling horror writer Gabriel Raintree is as mysterious and tortured as his heroes. His family's long-deserted mansion is just the inspiration he needs to finish his latest twisted tale, or so he thinks until he learns it's been sold. The new innkeeper proves to be as determined as she is kind and soon Gabriel finds himself a pay9ing guest in his own home. As Jenny and Gabe bring new passion to the old house, can she convince him to leave the ghosts of his past behind - and make Last Chance their first choice for a future together?
16. "ALL I WANT IS YOU" by Toni Blake (Destiny, Ohio #7) (Coral Cove #1) (A+++++) Sometimes you have to create your own destiny...Christy Knight grew up in Destiny, Ohio, but lately she feels that her future lies elsewhere. Her parent are gone and the beautiful jewelry she create doesn't pay the bills. Maybe it's time for Christy to grow up and find a guy who's smart, sexy and solvent. Her rugged handyman neighbor fits the first two categories, but he's all wrong for her. If only he didn't have such captivating blue eyes. Wary of trusting others, Jack DuVall hasn't been entirely honest with Christy. He's not really a handyman. He's not really broke. And sharing the long drive to visit her beloved grandpa isn't just about gallantry - he finds gorgeous, feisty Christy completely irresistible. When secrets are exposed, Jack and Christy struggle to find their way back to one another, but the quirky seaside town of Coral Cove could prove the perfect place to find a red-hot destiny of their own.
17. "COME TO ME QUIETLY" by A.L. Jackson (New Author For Me) (Closer to You #1) (A+++++++) Aleena Moore is haunted by Jared Holt. It's been six years since she's seen her brother's best friend, the self-destructive bad boy she secretly loved in high school. As the years pass, she knows it's time to move on. Maybe even time to give another guy a chance. Then Aly returns home to find Jared sleeping on her couch. The teenage boy she loved has grown into a man she can't resist. Covered in tattoos and lost in rage, he's begging to be saved from his demons - the devastating memories of losing his family he can't escape. As the two reconnect, their passion is hot enough to torch Aly's judgment. But can she risk her future for a man who lives on the edge of destruction? 
18. "FLIRTING WITH TEXAS" by Katie Lane (Deep in the Heart of Texas #5) (A+++++) You're a long way from home cowgirl. On her own in the Big Apple, Jenna Jay Scroggs can handle herself when trouble arises. But when she tries to rescue a horse, the passionate do-gooder ends up on a runaway Central Park carriage ride with a hunky stranger. With his sexy drawl and well-worn Levis, Beauregard Cates is doing his darnedest to make Jenna homesick for the small western town she's spent years trying to forget. And it's working: She's dangerously close to falling head over boot heels for the rugged rodeo star with hair the color of moonshine. Beau came to the big city to escape his past and live life to the fullest. Yet the leggy blonde with eyes as blue as a western sky causes a real hitch in his giddy-up. So when the well-meaning folks of Bramble plot to bring Jenna home, Beau will need to convince her that she won't ever get Texas out of her blood - or one good-time, ever-lovin' cowboy out of her heart.
19. "A MATCH MADE IN TEXAS" by Katie Lane (Deep in the Heart of Texas #6) (A+++++) Has this Texas renegade met her match? Living with four over-protective brothers is enough to make a good girl go bad. But the day Brianne Cates hits the road for a taste of freedom, she gets more trouble than she bargained for when she's arrested by a sexy sheriff in mirrored shades. Now doing a stint of community service, she's not going to let a cowboy cop like Dusty Hicks mess with her newfound independence - even if he awakens every wicked fantasy she's ever had. In Bramble, Texas, Dusty is the law. That means no leniency for the gorgeous rebel whose highway antics almost got them both killed. The divorced lawman doesn't need another rich, pampered princess, even if Brianne has the lushest body and sweetest smile in the whole darn state. But even as Brianne proves that she lives to walk on the wild side, Dusty begins to wonder if maybe he has what it takes to tame her.
20. "THIS HEART OF MINE" by Brenda Novak (Whiskey Creek #8)  (A++++++) (I received a PDF copy from the author in exchange for my honest review) As the daughter of a hoarder, Phoenix Fuller had a tough childhood. So when the handsome, popular Riley Stinson became her boyfriend in high school, she finally felt as though she had something to be proud of. Phoenix was desperate not to lose him—especially once she found out she was pregnant. Yes, she might have acted a bit obsessive when he broke up with her. But she did not run down the girl he started dating next. Unfortunately, there was no way to prove her innocence. Now, after serving her time in prison, Phoenix has been released. All she wants to do is return to Whiskey Creek and get to know her son. But Jacob’s father isn’t exactly welcoming. Riley doesn’t trust Phoenix, doesn’t want her in Jacob’s life. He is, however, ready to find someone to love. And he wants a good mother for his son. He has no idea that he’s about to find both!
21. "SEDUCING LAUREN" by Kristen Proby (Love Under the Big Sky #2) (A+++++) Attraction this hot is barely legal. When Lauren Cunningham's no-good ex gets vindictive she turns to the one man she can count on. Attorney Tyler Sullivan looks so good in a custom suit it should be outlawed. But when he rocks his faded blue jeans and edgy tattoos, he's as rugged as the Montana landscape. He's been in Lauren's life - and her fantasies - forever. And out of nowhere he's offering a lot more than professional advice. From courtroom to bedroom, Ty's as confident as a cowboy. He's always wanted Lauren and now he has a chance to prove that she needs him on her side - as well as in lots of other, more interesting places. Because when things heat up, Ty will do anything for the woman who brings out both the bad boy and the white knight in him.
22. "THE HUSBAND SHOW" by Kristine Rolofson (Willing to Wed #3) (A+++++) But is he here for the right reasons? She never thought she'd own a bar in the middle of nowhere, Montana. But to Aurora Jones, Willing seemed like a perfect place to disappear. That is until the producers came to film their marry-off-all-the-bachelors reality TV show. And then Jake Hove, long-lost brother of her friend's fiance, arrived. Jake's well known for his country-and-western band and ignites yet another round of excitement in a town already filled with single female tourists looking for love. Charismatic musicians are a dime a dozen and Aurora left that world behind long ago. Can she keep her secrets and resist the vulnerable new father...who wants more than she can give?
23. "ALPHA ONE" by Cynthia Eden (Shadow Agents #1) (New Author For Me) (A++++) "Julie's missing. You have to get her back." The minute he got the message, undercover agent Logan Quinn sprang into action. Getting Juliana James out of Mexico alive was the Elite Ops covert agent's only priority. But once the senator's daughter was safely back in their Mississippi hometown, Logan had a new mission: to get another chance with the woman he couldn't lose again. Juliana had never forgotten the day, ten years ago, when Logan left her heart in pieces Now he was back in her life, sworn to protect her from the ruthless weapons dealer who wanted her dead. As passion blindsided her - and she was once again thrust into danger - Julie realized how much she'd risk for one more day in Logan's arms.
24. "CIRCLE OF DESIRE" by Carla Swafford (The Circle #1) (New Author For Me) (A++++++) She knew how to fight but not to love. As the top assassin at The Circle, a shadowy group of mercenaries, Olivia St. Vincent can hunt down anyone. She's been trained since she was a teenager to kill without feeling, to interact with men without love. But when she's kidnapped by the enigmatic leader of a rival organization, she learns she's been lied to for years. She never worked for the good guys. Collin Ryker believes the sultry woman he's abducted knows more than she's telling about The Circle and its plans for complete domination. Over time, as they work together, Olivia's tenacity and vulnerability captivate him. But if he isn't careful, Collin will fall into the biggest trap of all: caring for a woman who can betray him to his greatest enemy.
25. "LOVE A LITTLE SIDEWAYS" by Stacey Shannon (The Kowalskis #7) (A+++++) Liz Kowalski is heading home to Whitford, Maine - this time for good. Eager for her family, a fresh start and some fun, she doesn't count on being rescued by the chief of police her very first night back in town. Drew is everything she's not looking for...so why is she still so attracted to him? After a brief, forbidden rendezvous at her brother's wedding, Drew miller expects Liz to return to New Mexico and stay there. He's searching for someone to settle down with, not a casual fling with his best friend's sister. But when they're stuck together on the annual Kowalski camping trip, things start going a little sideways. Keeping their hands off each other proves just as impossible as keeping their secret from becoming public knowledge. Amid family, mud and melted marshmallow, Liz and Drew try to fight what's growing between them. But a little time alone, a lot of chemistry and too many opinions might just be what it takes to bring together two people so determined not to fall in love.
26. "FROM THIS MOMENT ON" by Bella Andre (Sullivans #2) (A+++++) Just one night...Marcus Sullivan has always been the responsible older brother, stepping in to take care of his seven siblings when their father died But when the perfectly ordered future he's planned turns out to be a lie, Marcus needs one reckless night to shake free from it all. Known throughout the world by only one name - Nico - pop songstress Nicola Harding is seen as the ultimate sex kitten. But it's all a lie. After a terrible betrayal she refuses to let anyone else close enough to find out who she really is...or to hurt her again. Especially the gorgeous stranger at the bar. One night is all Nicola and Marcus agree to share with each other. But instead, a deeper connection than either of them could have anticipated begins.
27. ​"HOW TO ROPE A REAL MAN" by Melissa Cutler (Catcher Creek #3) (A+++++) Against all odds, the Sorentino sisters saved their family's rundown New Mexico ranch, but the youngest has a dream that just may ruin their hard-earned peace - unless a certain sexy cowboy lawyer changes her mind. Jenna Sorentino is as independent as they come. Despite her wild past, she's grown up enough to keep quiet about the identity of her baby's daddy, go to night college - and hide her plan to escape tiny Catcher Creek. She's also stopped dreaming of happily ever after - except in the case of gorgeous, rugged, Santa Fe native Matt Roenick. Too bad the oil rights attorney acts like he barely knows she's alive. Matt knows only too well that Jenna's alive - in fact, she's driving him crazy with desire. But Matt's got his reasons for resisting her. And when her son's father shows up, those reasons multiply. Trouble is, Jenna's secrets are more complicated than he imagined and forgetting her isn't as easy as he'd hoped. Matt knows life can be messy as hell. For Jenna, maybe it's time he got dirty.
28. "SWEET SUCCESS" by Susan Mallery (A+++++) The free-spirited owner of a booming chocolate emporium in Santa Magdelana, California, Allison Thomas is out to save the world - one truffle at a time. Everyone adores Ali  who wouldnt love a lady who sneaks midnight chocolate deliveries to the local health spa? And even if a string of crumbled relationships have put romance on hold, Ali's perfectly content with her life and her high-flying career. That is, until the mysterious Matt Baker stirs up her world. New to town, Matt quickly gets under her skin and leads her into temptation. But neither love nor chocolate seems to melt Matt's icy heart. Now, in a unique setting where luscious desserts, sweet wine and fresh ocean breezes intoxicate the soul, it may prove impossible for either of them to resist this seductive recipe for a wonderously indulgent passion!
29. "SOME LIKE IT HOT" by Susan Andersen (Razor Bay: Bradshaw Brothers #2) (A+++++) "Wrong for each other" never felt more righrt. Even a lifelong traveler like Harper Summerville has to admire the scenery in Razor Bay, Washington. There's the mountains. The evergreens. The water. And Max Bradshaw, the incredibly sexy deputy sheriff. Still, Harper's here only for the summer, working covertly for her family's foundation. And getting involved with this rugged, intense former marine would be a definite conflict of interest - professionally and personally. Max's scarred childhood left him determined to put down roots in Razor Bay, yet one look at Harper - a woman who happily lives out of a suitcase - leaves him speechless with desire for things he's never had. He might not be big on talking, but Max's te-curling kisses are getting the message across loud and clear. Harper belongs here, with him, because things are only beginning to heat up.
30. "THE SUMMER HIDEAWAY" by Susan Wiggs (Lakeshore Chronicles #7) (A+++++) Never get attached - Private nurse and protected witness Claire Turner lives by this motto. Fleeing a treacherous past, she knows no other way. Never give up - In the twilight of his life, George Bellamy makes it is final wish to reconcile with an estranged brother. He and Claire journey to Willow Lake - where it all went wrong for him fifty years ago. Never let go - George's grandson Ross is ruled by a fierce devotion to family and a deep mistrust of the mysterious Claire...yet sparks fly whenever she's near. In the face of wrenching loss, amid the enchantment of Willow Lake, Ross and Claire dare to risk everything for love.
31. "BABY, COME HOME" by Stephanie Bond (Southern Roads #2) (A+++++) The hardheaded Armstrong brothers are determined to rebuild their tornado-ravaged hometown in the Georgia mountains. They've got the means, they've got the manpower...what they need are women! So they place an ad in a Northern newspaper and wait for the ladies to arrive. Sensible yet sexy middle brother Kendall Armstrong penned that ad himself - but there's just one woman he really wants to answer the call. Civil engineer Amy Bradshaw - Kendall's ex-fiancee - fled Sweetness years ago, taking a precious souvenir with her. She's back...but only on a professional level. Really. Little does she know that old flames always burn the hottest.
32. "TRUST ME" by Jayne Ann Krentz (A+++++) Desdemona Wainwright thinks Sam Stark looks much too calm for a man who has just been left at the altar. But she was hired to cater his wedding, not to save it. She marches into Stark's den to demand the much-needed payment for the canceled reception - and discovers opposites do attract! Head of a multimilliondollar company, Sam decides Desdemona would make the perfect no-strings-attached, stand-in wife, little dreaming she will drive him crazy with desire. But when someone breaks into Sam's secret computer files, sinister intrigue swirls around the unlikely pair. Now they must discover the real appeal of unstoppable passion and unbreakable faith.
33. "AT THE KING'S COMMAND" by Susan Wiggs (Tudor Rose Trilogy #1) (A+++++) Frustrated by his own failures at matrimony, King Henry VIII punishes an insolent nobleman by commanding him to marry the vagabond woman caught stealing his horse. Stephen de Lacey is a cold and bitter widower, long accustomed to the sovereign's capricious and malicious whims. He regarads his new bride as utterly inconvenient...though undeniably fetching But juliana Romanov is no ordinary thief - she is a Russian princess forced into hiding by the traitorous cabal who slaughtered her family. One day she hopes to return to Muscovy to seek vengeance What begins as a mockery of a marriage ultimately blossoms into deepest love.
34. "SWORN TO PROTECT" by Jo Davis (Sugarland Blue #1) (A++++) The folks of Sugarland love their men in blue, especially Detective Shane Ford. But Shane's mission is to protect and to serve has just gotten personal. Detective Shane Ford, Sugarland's favorite cop, has been blindsided by the sudden death of his best friend, NFL star Brad Cooper and by becoming the legal guardian of Brad's son, Dylan - a bitter, angry sixteen-year-old with a dangerous secret. Shane is determined to pry the truth from Dylan, but he manages only to alienate him - and finds himself going head-to-head with juvenile Officer Daisy Callahan, whose job is to protect the teen's best interests. Shane ha always been drawn to Daisy's beauty and strength, but he's determined not to allow their intense attraction to interfere with his duty ever again. It's a vow that will prove difficult to keep, as the realities of Shane and Daisy's blossoming love and their growing bond with the grieving teen propel Shane headlong into danger for the new family he has sworn to protect.

CURRENTLY READING - 

1. "Night Moves" by Stephanie Tyler (Shadow Force #4)

CURRENTLY LISTENING TO -

1. "Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade" by Diana Gabaldon (Lord John Grey #2) (unabridged audio CD)

A Bell for Adano by John Hersey. just started.

Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult

Finished

• Indigo Slam by Robert Crais
• The Boys in the Boat by Daniel Brown
• Take Me With You by Catherine Ryan Hyde

Currently Reading

• Desertion in the Time of Vietnam by Jack Todd
• Y by Marjorie Celona

Listening to

• Gutenberg's Apprentice by Alix Christie

Surface Tension by Christine Kling

Finished:

Bodies of Water - T Greenwood - 3.5 Stars

Sharp Objects - Gillian Flynn - 3.5 Stars

Bloodroot - Amy Greene - 3.5 Stars

Reconstructing Amelia - Kimberly McCreight - 4.0 Stars

The Bay at Midnight - Diane Chamberlain - 4.0 Stars

A Dog's Journey - W. Bruce Cameron  3.5 Stars

Cypress Point - Diane Chamberlain  4.5 Stars (Loved this one)

Currently Reading:

The Hungry Season - T. Greenwood

Handling Edna by Barry Humphries - audio - A fictional memoir of Barry Humphries "handling Dame Edna's career". He's always maintained in public that he was not Edna, this sticks to that, although he tells of a few circumstances where he's had to pose as Edna to cover for her.

Hells Angels... by Hunter S Thompson - audio - 60's documentary style book about the group of motorcycle enthusiasts. While he portrays them as fairly horrific and utterly useless he also makes them seem somehow harmless, although they were anything but. They even jumped him once for no reason but he still tries to make it sound like they only wreak mayhem when called for. Talking about the gang rapes he actually says that "somewhere in the back of the womb of every rape is a little bit of excitement", while affirming rape is a terrible and uncalled for atrocity he also accuses women of being just a little excited by it. Imagine if someone tried to get away with saying that today.

The Lost Empress by Steve Robinson - audio - 4th in the Jefferson Tayte series. I really like this writer. The stories have been exciting but different and not always because the MC is in personal peril like a lot of cozies (I think this is a borderline cozy). Great dual-time period story without being confusing or boring. It has WW2 as a base but without a lot of boring war stuff. Just a well written book.

Bad Intentions by Karin Fossum - Fast read from a great writer. It was pretty obvious from the start what was going to happen and what happened but the journey is still enjoyable.

Practical Demonkeeping by Christopher Moore - Book 1 in Pine Cove. Fun romp about a demon from hell with a huge appetite and the people who want to get rid of him.

Mercy by Jussi Adler-Olsen - Book 1 of the Dept Q series. It was a good first effort but the circumstances of the imperiled victim went quite a bit overboard. The discovery was good, I just didn't buy that she survived what she was put through. It was a bit unbelievable.

The Miracle Life Of Edgar Mint by Brady Udall - audio - Pretty good story. One of those that I'm not sure how I feel about it yet having just finished it.

You Have To Fucking Eat by Adam Mansbach - audio - Companion to Go The Fuck To Sleep. Living with a young picky eater I can understand the frustration. They just don't frickin' eat!

Lock Up Diaries by Glenn Langohr - audio - Some stories from a former inmate about drugs in prison. Nothing new, not that interesting.

To A God Unknown by John Steinbeck - I love Steinbeck but this one was a little weird. It was full of paganism and some voodoo sounding rituals. Compelling and beautifully written as usual but weird in places.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - I was surprised, I really, really liked it.

Spoon Fed: How Eight Cooks Saved My Life by Kim Severson. 

A good foodie book.

This is Where I Leave You by Jonathon Tropper.

Funny.  Laughed out loud a few times, which I rarely do.

The Apron Book by EllynAnne Geisel

This will probably be my print book of the month.  It is the history of aprons with a bunch of sweet essays about aprons and mothers and especially grandmothers.  Sewing instructions for some, and an envelope in the back of the book with a pattern for a basic apron.  I love this colorful book.

Son by Lois Lowry.

Audio, the fourth in the series, and surprisingly, the story I enjoyed the most.

The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert.

Audio.  Has the potential of being my audio pick of the month if the story keeps going like it has.  (Still haven't finished, so carrying over to Feb.)

I'm currently reading C is for Corpse in the Sue Grafton Alphabet Series.  I'm actually listening to it in the car on my commute.  Some days I wish my drive was longer!

charoo

Finished: The Wizard's Daughter by Barbara Michaels.  Wanted some light reading, and this fit the bill. Marianne Ransom's father has died, leaving her an orphan at 17 years of age.  She must find a way to support herself so she decides to go to London [the year is 1880] and become a famous singer. She's young and naive and finds herself in trouble, only to be rescued and then befriended by the Dowager Duchess of Devenbrook. Not what I usually read, but it was a change.

The Anodyne Necklace by Martha Grimes --- I really like the Richard Jury series. Superintendent Jury with Scotland Yard is investigating the murder of a young woman in the little town of Littlebourne and comes to believe it's connected to the brutal attack of a young woman in the London underground rail system. Grimes sense of humor and the way she has of portraying her characters make for delightful reading.

Unhinged by Sarah Graves --- #6 in the Home Repair Is Homicide series. "Jake" Triptree and her friend Ellie White are once again snooping out clues for a series of murders in Eastport, MA.  Along with making repairs to her 1800's home, "Jake" has a way of getting involved in all kinds of mysteries.  A fun read.

The Alpine Advocate by Mary Daheim --- First in this series by an author I hadn't read before.  I really enjoyed this book and will look for more of this series.  Emma Lord has bought  a small-town weekly newspaper and is trying to make a go of it.  Then a series of murders happen and in writing about them for the paper, she becomes involved in finding the killer.  Lots of quirky characters and an interesting plot.

The Venetian Betrayal by Steve Berry --- Just finished this book, and like all the others in the Cotton Malone series, this one is a real page-turner.  Cotton, along with Cassiopeia Vitt, Henrik Thorvaldsen, and several others agents and double-agents, are trying to stop Irina Zovastina, head of the Central Asian Federation from using biological weapons to kill millions of people in her desire to be a modern day Alexander the Great. Fascinating story with lots of history thrown in.

One and Only by Barbara Bretton--- Picked this book at random the other night when I couldn't decide what to read. I enjoyed it very much and even though it's an older one of Bretton's works it still was a fun read with engaging characters and an interesting story line.  Isabelle is a princess in a tiny country, but still acts like a royal pain when she meets Daniel Bronson. When she leaves her home country and moves to New York they once again meet and sparks fly as their personalities clash. Always enjoy Bretton's stories and this one is very good.

The Serpent's Tale by Ariana Franklin--- A sequel to Mistress of the Art of Death, Adelia Aguilar becomes involved in the poisoning death of England's King Henry's mistress.  Adelia, now a mother to Rowley Picot's daughter, doesn't want to go, but has no choice in the matter. This story is just as engrossing as "Mistress ...", lots of intrigue and history with some author's license thrown in, but it makes for a great read.

Endangered Species by Nevada Barr --- Anna Pigeon series.... Anna, a US park ranger, is on Cumberland Island off the Georgia coast working on a presuppression fire team when a plane crashes on the island setting a small fire and killing the 2 men on board. Anna becomes involved in finding out who sabotaged the plane and it leads to putting her in danger from the killer.  Always an excellent read...love this series.

Savannah Secrets by Fiona Hood-Stewart  --- New author and I enjoyed her writing.  Rowena Carstairs has died and left her estate of one hundred million dollars to a grandson no one knew anything about, corporate raider Grant Gallagher.  It's up to her attorney, Meredith Hunter, to settle the estate and keep everyone happy, a seemingly impossible task.  A fun read.

Currently reading:

I started reading Reap the Wild Wind by Julie E. Czerneda on the first and since it's so long, I haven't finished it yet; I'm hoping to finish today or tomorrow. I'm also reading a story or two per day from Free Amazons of Darkover edited by Marion Zimmer Bradley.

I just started "Choosing Him All Over Again" by J Mikels, which is written by someone I have met and admire, and will hopefully help me with one of my new years resolutions......

I am still listening to Edge of Eternity [The Century Trilogy] which is great for the history review but not keeping me on the edge of my seat ( I know how it ends)

I didn't read much in November or December and have kind of gotten out of the habit, need to work on that.

I'm currently into Here If You Need Me by Kate Braestrup, her true account of what led her into the ministry.  Her husband, a state trooper in Maine, always dreamed of entering the ministry "one day".  After his unexpected death, as a way to cope with her grief, she decided to take his place in seminary school and eventually became chaplain for search and rescue teams in the Maine woods.  Her story alters between her home life (she and her 4 young children struggling to come to terms with their loss, anecdotes funny and sad) and her work life (which also ranges from happy to sad: wandering-off children found alive and well, or retrieving the corpses of suicides and accidents--and counseling the loved ones through all).  Her writing is tender and wry and very engrossing. I am glad I picked this one up.

Just finished-Vertigo42 by Martha Grimes,

North River, Peter Hamill

FINISHED

Cell: Robin Cook                     Made me say...hmmmm....

Going Dark: James W. Hall           Good one.

Haunted (A Hannah Smith Novel): Randy Wayne White        Another good one.