4.5 star rating
Ready, Willing and Abel was my first foray into the Silhouette Desire line. Nancy Martin penned a ridiculous, sexy romp that made me fall in love with the series. Featuring an Indiana Jones-like hero and a button-downed heroine working in fast-paced Washinton DC, this story was not based at all in reality. It was so over-the-top and silly; I adored it. 4 1/2 stars
Ruth Langan’s Highland Heather is the sequel to her previous Scottish romance, Highland Barbarian. I liked this Harlequin Historical much more than its predecessor. Why? I enjoyed the conflict between the hero and the heroine and the English setting, plus introducing Queen Elizabeth I to a story always makes things interesting. 4 1/2 stars
Drusilla Campbell’s The Frost and the Flame is one of those naughty bodice rippers where the heroine is separated for a long period of time from her true love, the dull, hero, and instead spends more time with the lusty, evil villain. This is the kind of bodice ripper I like: one that does not take itself seriously and knows how to throw crazy tropes at you, so you’ll keep the pages turning, even if the story is not really romantic. 4 1/2 stars
In this new segment, we have two reviewers offering their opinions on a single romance. Blue Falcon gives Karen A. Bale’s Desperado Dream a positive review and found the book emotionally captivating. Introvert Reader, on the other hand, explains her negative perspective of the historical romance in her review. 4 1/2 stars
Moonstruck Madness was Laurie McBain’s second and, in my opinion, her best book. It is a thrilling read. 4.5 Stars
Debbie Macomber’s Country Bride was my introduction to this hugely popular author. I’m ashamed to admit that although I’ve read a handful of her Harlequins, I had no idea that Debbie Macomber was such a commercial hit with her small-town romances. Up until recently, I had no clue that she’s got a whopping 200 million books in print and has written several movies for the Hallmark channel. 4 1/2 stars
Sweet Fire by Jo Goodman is an action-packed romance filled with the requisite passion you’d look for in a Zebra Heartfire, but also adventure, murder mystery, and drama. 4 1/2 stars
Harlequin Temptation #288 Forever Mine, Valentine by Vicki Lewis Thompson, sequel to Be Mine, Valentine, and St Valentine weilds Cupid’s bow and arrow to great success. 4 1/2 stars
Tender Feud by Nicole Jordan is one of the better Scottish clan feuding & kidnapping love stories I’ve read. 4 1/2 stars
Lovespell is yet another great romance by the eclectic Deana James. Gillian is an English fletcher who poses as twins, the male Gil & female Gillian. 4 1/2 stars
In the Gothic historical romance, The Curse of Kenton by Janet Louise Roberts, a young woman falls into a whirlwind marriage to a Lord with a secret family curse.
Stranger in My Arms is a wonderful historical romance by Lisa Kleypas about a widow whose husband reappears from the dead. Does he have a secret identity? 4.5 stars
In Gina Wilkins’ Harlequin Temptation #299, Changing the Rules, two lovers experience an unplanned pregnancy & have to decide whether to stay together or go their own ways. 4.5 Stars
Raven, Evelyn Roger’s 2nd installment in her Chadwick sisters trilogy is steamy Zebra romance about an actress haunted by her past who meets an English Lord who heals he soul. 4 1/2 stars
Harlequin Presents #636 Carole Mortimer’s Love Unspoken is one of those infamously controversial Harlequin Presents where readers can’t stop talking about it. 4 1/2 stars
