Review of Silver-Tongued Devil

 

Silver-Tongued Devil

Jennifer Blake

Sourcebooks Casablanca

ISBN 9781402238505

 

   Renaldo Harden is out to exact revenge on Angelica Crew because he is convinced her father stole Bonheur from his stepfather in a card game. He is determined to return the plantation to his mother and stepsister whom he feels it rightfully belongs. There is one small problem with his plan that he did not bargain for, he finds himself drawn to Angelica.

   During his attempt to place Angelica in a compromising position, he realizes the ship is getting ready to blow up. He ends up saving her from drowning and takes her to his home to supervise her recovery. During the process, he manages to marry her without her knowledge. Whenever she finally awakens, she goes along with what he says, even though she is not convinced of the truth of what he says. Despite everything that happens, she finds herself drawn to him.

   This was a very enjoyable story despite the fact that I found Angelica to be a wishy washy woman. She fluctuates between romantic feelings and love for Renold to being upset with him and planning to return to her father. Granted, Renold is not the most trustworthy and loving individual; but there is something about him that drew me to him. Maybe it is that dark and brooding, bad-boy image that is a draw factor. Despite the fact I didn't like Angelica, I found this to be a good read. There was adventure, intrigue, romance, and deception. Again, lets not forget, bad-boy Renold. The storyline was quite good; but did drag a bit in the beginning. Once you get past the initial introduction, the story took off and had me pulled in. All in all, I found this a very good read to get the imagination going. If you are a fan of historical fiction, I think you would enjoy the book.

   I wish to thank Sourcebooks for providing me with an ebook for reading and reviewing purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. I was not compensated in anyway except for being provided with the book for review purposes.

 

I give Silver-Tongued Devil 4.5 out of 5 stars

Review of Hot Zone

 

Hot Zone

Catherine Mann

Sourcebooks Casablanca

ISBN 9781402244988

 

   Master Sergeant Hugh Franco is part of a team of Air Force PJ's. They are trained to go into missions that put their life on the line on a regular basis. This mission is no exception. They are called to the Bahamas where an earthquake has left the island in complete devastation. Hugh is checking through a mass of rubble and finds the beautiful Amelia Bailey, an attorney from the US. She went to the Bahamas to help her brother and sister-in-law adopt their new son.

   Amelia had been caring for the child while her brother and his wife went out to get something to eat. The earthquake separated the family and none of the them know whether either pair are alive. While Amelia and Joshua are hospitalized, the baby is kidnapped and Amelia is pulled along. In comes Hugh to the rescue. Will he be able to keep them safe until he is able to get them back to civilization?

   This is the second book in the Elite Force Series. There is alot going on in this book and several relationships that could be a story in and of themselves. To keep this simple, I will only deal with Hugh and Amelia. Hugh is a risk taker because of the death of his wife and daughter years before in an airplane accident. He has blamed himself for years and has been a bit of a lose cannon ever since. He is determined not to give his heart again and steers away from relationships because of it. Lets not forget to mention he avoids any attachment to children. Will he be able to keep his promise to himself when he is in such close proximity to Amelia and the child.

   Amelia had a bad marriage that ended and has no desire to involve herself in another relationship. It becomes increasingly more difficult when the tension between her and Hugh is quite obvious. She is unable to keep up her strong court room air when she is on unfamiliar ground. Will she be able to let down her guard and allow Hugh to guide the way for them?

   If you like action and adventure with some romance mixed in, you will definitely want to read this book. The sexual tension is hard to ignore and the sparks will ignite. This is one of those reads that goes quickly and is over much too soon. Catherine Mann knows how to hold your interest and turn up the heat. I highly recommend it for those in search of hot guy material and an afternoon of action and romance.

   I wish to thank Sourcebooks for providing me with an eBook copy for reading and reviewing purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. I was not compensated in anyway except for receiving the book to read.

 

I give Hot Zone 4 out of 5 stars

Review of The Mercy

                                                                         The Mercy

Beverly Lewis

Bethany House

ISBN 9780764206016

   Two Amish sisters, Hen and Rose, are both looking for a new beginning. Hen is caring for her injured husband who has lost his sight in an accident. Hen left the Amish community in order to marry her English husband. She decided she wanted to return to her plain life so her husband is planning on a divorce. Despite this, Hen willingly takes care of him during his recovery. Will they be able to face this together or will a divorce be inevitable?

   Rose is looking for a second chance at love. The young man she gave her heart to has left the community probably never to return. She is introduced to a young man who is interested in her; but he has not been baptised yet and is not staying true to his Amish faith. What will Rose decide for her future?  Can she marry someone else when her heart belongs to a forbidden love?

   This is the third book in the Rose Trilogy. The first is The Thorn and the second is The Judgment. As always, Beverly Lewis writes a wonderful story of love, faith and community. She brings to life the fact that the Amish community, not unlike any other, has its share of problems that have to be faced on a daily basis. They struggle with difficult decisions just as we do. They realize that just because they believe in the Lord, this does not exempt them from the day to day struggles that we all face. The biggest difference is the fact that they try and follow the teachings of their faith.

   The storyline is quite good and flows smoothly. Hen and Rose both face their problems head on and ask the almighty to guide them on the right path. This does not keep their life from being full of difficult decisions. The one to grow the most in this story is Brandon, Hen's husband. He finds out what it means to develop a relationship with the almighty and he discovers what is most important in his life and what he needs to do to achieve it.

   I highly recommend this book to lovers of Amish fiction or to anyone who just enjoys a good clean Christian story.

   I wish to thank Bethany House for providing me with a copy to read and review. I was not required to write a positive review. I was not compensated in anyway except for receiving the book to review.

I give The Mercy 4 out of 5 stars

  

Review of Cold River

Cold River

Liz Adair

Walnut Springs Press 2011

ISBN 9781599928036

   Mandy Steenburg accepts a job as the school superintendent in the Pacific Northwest timber country to escape a disastrous romance. She is convinced she is prepared for the job until she discovers that the community is not happy with her being there. Someone is definitely not thrilled she is there when several attempts on her life occur.

   The former superintendent, Grange Timberlain, does not appear too thrilled she is there and they have more then one confrontation. A feud exists between Grange and Vince Lafitte, a member of the school board, that goes way back. When Vince shows an interest in Mandy, is Grange annoyed with Mandy or Vince? Does he have other motives for his annoyance?

   All in all this was a very good story except that the storyline moves a bit slow at the beginning. Mandy goes in expecting to take over and finds herself at a disadvantage because most of the town is against her. She is determined to succeed; but she seems to be fighting a losing battle. She attempts to hide her frustration; but the tears seem to get the best of her at times. She seems to have a hangup on the staff calender and expects it to be accurate at all times. It seems to show just a bit too much emphasis on something not so important.   In the beginning Grange appears to take an instant dislike to Mandy. Out of the blue, that seems to change and there is nothing to indicate the change of heart. It just is. This kind of threw me off for a bit. There are some other characters who are not what they appear to be; but I will leave it at that so as not to add spoilers. If you like a good story that will keep you guessing with a bit of romance and mystery thrown in, you are sure to enjoy this book.

   I wish to thank the publisher for providing me with an pdf copy for reading and reviewing purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. I was not compensated in anyway except for receiving the file to read.

I give Cold River 4 out of 5 stars

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Review of Miss Darcy Falls in Love

Miss Darcy Falls in Love

Sharon Latham

Sourcebooks Landmark

ISBN 9781402259043

   Miss Darcy is on a tour of Europe and happens upon a distant relative, Sebastian Butler. Georgiana not only enjoys his company; but they share a love of music that cannot be surpassed. Along comes Lord Craxton, a much older man, who has his sights set on the lovely Georgiana. She enjoys his company also; but when he wants to make a formal commitment, Miss Darcy drags her feet.

   Georgiana and Sebastian collaborate on some musical pieces. Both feel some attraction to the other but neither one wants to put a name to their relationship. How naive young people can be. Lord Craxton, on the other hand, has no problems with voicing his opinion, even if it means deceiving the other party. Will she and Mr. Butler ever decide to verbalize the way they truly feel about each other?

   This is the seventh book in the Darcy Saga. I have not read any of the others; but this book can easily stand alone. I am not a big fan of Jane Austen; but this was probably one of the better ones that I have read. I know this is a different era from today; but I have such difficulty with the formality of the times. The storyline in general was quite good. It was a bit slow at times; but it was able to maintain my interest. It was such a pleasure to see how Sebastian and Georgiana interest in music brought them together on so many levels. Lord Craxton was another story. There was just something so off putting about this man. I don't think he ever really listened to what Georgiana ever said. He heard what he wanted to hear. I am sure you Austen fans out there will truly love the story.

   I wish to thank Sourcebooks for providing me with an ARC to read and review. I was not required to write a positive review. I was not compensated in anyway except for receiving the book to review.

I give Miss Darcy Falls in Love 4 out of 5 stars 

Review of Fires of Winter

Fires of Winter

Roberta Gellis

Sourcebooks Casablanca

ISBN 9781402255014

   The family of Melusine of Ulle is destroyed by the ravages of war. She is taken in by King Stephen and his Queen; but the Queen considers her a threat to the crown because of her connection to Scotland. Since she does not trust her, she is forced to marry the King's right hand man, Bruno. Bruno shows complete loyalty to the King so Queen Maude feels this is the best way to keep watch over Melusine.

   Melusine is completely lost in her grief due to the loss of her entire family and is to all appearances completely mad. The Queen is not convinced and thinks it is all an act, albeit a very good one. Melusine and Bruno have absolutely nothing in common; but eventually sparks smolder and affection and love develop.

   This is the second in the Tales of Jernaeve series. The first book is A Tapestry of Dreams. I did not read the first book; but this book can be easily read as a stand alone. The description of the book, as well as, the book cover is very deceiving. I chose this book because I thought it was going to be an historical romance. There is a romance in the book; but I found the book to be consumed with more historical fact then anything else. The author did a fantastic job of research for the book; but this is not why I wanted to read it. Since I am not a real history fan, I cannot say I enjoyed the book. Readers who enjoy factual descriptions would do well with this book. If you are looking for a real romance, you will not find it here.

   The book is written in the first person and alternates between Bruno and Melusine chapter for chapter. There is a considerable amount of information that is repeated between the two and tends to drag the story on forever. I am not fond of first person writing so this was another strike against this book for me. Why did I read the book? From the information that was provided concerning the book, I had a totally different impression of what I was getting into. Even though I would not recommend this book, historical fiction fans may enjoy the book.

   I wish to thank Sourcebooks for providing me with an ARC for reading and reviewing purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. I was not compensated in anyway except for receiving the review copy.

I give Fires of Winter 2.5 out of 5 stars.