Tag Archives: Liz

Review: Table for One by Ros Clarke

Liz’s Review:

Table for One by Ros Clarke
Contemporary Romance released by Entangled Publishing on February 13, 2012

When food critic Claudia Thomas gets dumped on Valentine’s Day, she finds herself occupying a table for one at London’s hottest new restaurant. If her job wasn’t on the line, she’d skip the whole affair, but her editor’s waiting for a review—and with luck, an interview with sexy chef Ward Nicholls. Ward, intrigued by the single woman in a restaurant full of couples, sets out to tease her palate. Claudia has never tasted anything so luscious as the special meal Ward prepares for her, but when the seduction moves from the restaurant to his bedroom, Claudia discovers the only thing more tempting than his food is the chef himself. Their connection is instantaneous, sizzling, and spicy—until Claudia comes clean about her job, reopening a wound Ward had thought long-healed. Could one accidental lie of omission end a delicious relationship before it even has a chance to start?

This short story revolves around the idea of one lie of omission being the thing that potentially destroys a relationship before it gets off the ground.  There is nothing new to the premise, and unfortunately, the author fails to bring anything to the table but the occasional witty bit of dialogue.

Claudia is spineless and weak.  She makes the wrong choices time and again and then is surprised when she loses the person she most wanted to have.  While her bossiness is funny at times, it grew stale quickly, and she appeared to be a very one-dimensional character.

Ward is the stereotyped overworked chef who takes an opportunity to seduce a woman with his food and then changes his mind when he finds out her occupation.  Ward has past demons to battle so it’s no surprise when he flies off the handle about Claudia’s selective truth.  He’s a shallow character at best, taking something that happened to his parents as a child and using it as a shield.  While that does happen in real life, it feels tacked on and trite so his reaction to the truth seems over the top and childish.

There is little more that annoys me in books then when characters do something so patently stupid just so that it creates tension in the story.  Claudia has several inner monologues about revealing her occupation as a reviewer to Ward, knowing that it is important to share it, but each time she decides to leave things as they are.  The very little bit of drama in the story was created by the heroine herself and left a lot to be desired.

The story could have been helped a great deal by adding to the length.  It’s quite a short book, and by choosing a shorter length, the author didn’t give the characters depth and time to shine, and to go further into their relationship.  The book is a quick read with a happy ending, but no surprises.  While I didn’t hate the book, I certainly won’t be reading it again.

Grade: D

You can read an excerpt of the book here, or buy it here.

Review: Beneath the Skin by Lauren Dane

Liz’s Review:

Beneath the Skin by Lauren Dane
Paranormal romance released by Samhain Publishing on April 3, 2012

A whole world exists…beneath the skin.
De La Vega Cats, Book 3
Gibson de La Vega is the Bringer, one of the Alpha’s right-hand cats. It is his job to mete out justice and defend the law that holds their jamboree together.
After a contentious meeting with another jamboree, he’s shot—Mia stumbles onto the scene and saves his life. He’s immediately drawn to the female who dug three silver bullets from his body. Even after he discovers she’s a Porter, a family his own harmed grievously half a century before.
Mia has enough in her life. She’s recovering from a vicious hate crime—an attack using silver has affected her ability to do what she loves most. The last thing she needs is a bossy alpha cat like Gibson. A de La Vega no less.
Despite the myriad reasons to stay away, even as they continue to hunt down the would-be killers, their attraction deepens into something else entirely.
The answers they find bring that threat far closer to home than anyone could have imagined and it’ll be up to Gibson to end the mess once and for all. And up to Mia to stand at his side, even as he risks his life…
Warning: A super hot alpha male with a gruff façade, and an uppity female who’s not buying it. Some violence. Some red-hot sex. Bad words. Lots of fun.

Lauran Dane’s De La Vega Cats series revolves around a world that is both fantastic and plausible. Even in human form, the were-cats act like real cats in the wild, following hierarchy, protecting territory, and finding their mates. The clear hierarchy and laws of their kind were very well drawn and fascinating.

Mia comes across as a no-nonsense, stubborn, feisty woman and were-cat. But it’s clear that her nature – that fighter under the skin – isn’t just because she’s a were-cat, but because she’s a strong woman and she won’t back down no matter what. She proves herself again and again to be a worthy woman that any man would be lucky to have by his side.

Gibson is a great character. Typical alpha male, he’s used to people following his orders until he meets Mia. She takes all of his pre-conceived notions about women and throws them out the window. Mia tells him at one point that underneath the gruff exterior that he’s a marshmallow, and it’s very true. Hard when he needs to be, but soft when it’s called for. A worthy hero to the story.

What I really enjoyed about this book, aside from the suspense and action packed fighting, was the interaction between Mia and Gibson. There is no abrupt “I’m in love” action between either character, but a slow burn to the point that neither of them can ignore it and neither choose to. Their conversations, in and out of bed, punctuate the story with funny quips, bossiness, and exasperation on his part when he realizes just how little he knows about women.

Packed full of steamy love scenes, old grudges, betrayal, and witty banter between the characters, Beneath the Skin is a great story about were-cats standing up for their people and finding love in the middle of war.

Grade: B

You can read an excerpt of the book here, or buy it here.

Review: The Only Gold by Tamara Allen

Liz’s Review:

The Only Gold by Tamara Allen
Historical romance released by Dreamspinner Press on March 21, 2011

Jonah Woolner’s life is as prudently regulated as the bank where he works. It’s a satisfying life until he’s passed over for promotion in favor of newcomer Reid Hylliard. Brash and enterprising, Reid beguiles everyone except Jonah, who’s convinced Reid’s progressive ideas will be the bank’s ruin. When Jonah begins to discover there’s more to Reid than meets the eye, he risks succumbing to Reid’s charms—but unlocking the vault to all of Reid’s secrets could lead him down a dangerous path.

Losing his promotion—and perhaps his heart—is the least of Jonah’s difficulties. When the vengeful son of a Union army vet descends upon the bank to steal a government deposit of half a million dollars during the deadliest blizzard to ever sweep New York, Jonah and Reid are trapped, at odds and fighting for their lives.

The Only Gold begins as Jonah prepares for what he expects to be a promotion within the bank and the bank’s upgrade to National status as they accept a large deposit from the government.  When Reid takes the promotion instead, Jonah is swamped with anger, jealousy, and insecurity.  No matter how hard he tries to appear unaffected, he cannot help butting heads with Reid as he implements change after change to Jonah’s beloved bank.

Jonah’s family turned their backs on him because of his proclivities, and the bank became his haven.  He looks at it as if it were a living thing that he needs to protect from harm and degradation.  Reid is the wrench in the works of Jonah’s love of the bank, making changes hand over fist and forcing him to come along for the ride or leave forever.  Jonah is heart breaking to read as he struggles with his growing feelings for Reid and begins to blossom as a man once love begins to take hold.

Reid is a complex character.  At first he appears to be a man that is wholly fixated on bringing the bank into the present and doing away with the old ways of doing things.  And he seems most insistent on deviling Jonah in the process.  Then the author teases us with little glimpses of Reid’s nature:  the charmer, the playful young man, the reverent son, and finally….the lover.  There is more to Reid than meets the eye, and he is one of the best written characters I’ve come across in a long time.  His character kept me guessing, as surprise after surprise were thrown up in the storyline.

There are a number of incredible secondary and tertiary characters, from the employees of the bank, to the renters in the boarding house where Jonah lives, and finally to the bank robbers who had their own skewed view of right and wrong.

The Only Gold is the story of a romance between two men and the love scenes between them are not explicit.  Rather, they weave the emotion of the growing bond between the two, sharing the intimacy of the nights together in a way that leaves it to the readers’ imagination.

This award winning novel is well worth the read to anyone who enjoys historical romances with a unique twist.  While the average romance novel that takes place in the late 1800s tends to overflow with descriptions of ball gowns and dance cards, those are exchanged here for waistcoats and bank ledgers but are no less enchanting in their detail.  Well written, engaging, and thoroughly enjoyable.

Grade: B+

Who Is This “Liz”?

You’ll notice everyone is more on top of… well frankly everything than I am. So, whatever. That’s not new. I asked Liz to write up a bio because I don’t think we’ve ever done a “spotlight” thing on her. So here’s her “about me” all done up nicely.

My Bio:

I always wanted to be a homebody and live in one place for my entire life, but fate had other plans. In the past 12 years of my married life, we’ve moved 7 times, including from one coast to the other. Southern New Jersey is home now and I love it. I have two young children, a husband who begrudgingly pays for my ebook addiction, and two dogs that think they’re people. After college, I spent eight years as an executive assistant before “retiring” at 27 to become a stay-at-home mom. I have a soft spot for Kindle freebies, self-published authors, Ghirardelli chocolate, muscle cars, and men with tattoos. Most people who know me don’t know I have a tattoo of a tiger on my hip or that I have an unhealthy obsession with The Simpsons.

I’m a published author, a blogger, an avid reader, and a home-style cook. I love sunsets, a cup of hot tea in the morning, and I absolutely cannot live without my kindle. When I’m not cleaning up after the kids and dogs, you’ll find me sitting at my messy desk working on any number of projects, including beta reading for other authors, reviewing, and writing.

You’ll notice she’s already written some reviews (and an awesome write up on her project with her daughter for Pine Ridge) for ALBTALBS – so everyone say “hi” to Liz [you know, officially!] and give her a warm welcome, please!

Review: Love is a Battlefield by Tamara Morgan

Liz’s Review of: 

Love is a Battlefield by Tamara Morgan
Contemporary romance released by Samhain Publishing February 14, 2012

It takes a real man to wear a kilt. And a real woman to charm him out of it.
Games of Love, Book 1
It might be modern times, but Kate Simmons isn’t willing to live a life without at least the illusion of the perfect English romance. A proud member of the Jane Austen Regency Re-Enactment Society, Kate fulfills her passion for courtliness and high-waisted gowns in the company of a few women who share her love of all things heaving.
Then she encounters Julian Wallace, a professional Highland Games athlete who could have stepped right off the covers of her favorite novels. He’s everything brooding, masculine, and, well, heaving. The perfect example of a man who knows just how to wear his high sense of honor—and his kilt.
Confronted with a beautiful woman with a tongue as sharp as his sgian dubh, Julian and his band of merry men aren’t about to simply step aside and let Kate and her gaggle of tea-sippers use his land for their annual convention. Never mind that “his land” is a state park—Julian was here first, and he never backs down from a challenge.
Unless that challenge is a woman unafraid to fight for what she wants…and whose wants are suddenly the only thing he can think about.
Warning: The historical re-enactments in this story contain very little actual history. Battle chess and ninja stars may apply.

Love is a Battlefield is a clever book, combining the allure of Scotland and regency decadence in modern times.  Julian, as the president of the Scottish Highland Society, is in charge of the games and has once more chosen the same venue they use every year.  Kate is a member of the Jane Austen Regency Reenactment Society and, after a debacle at a ball in which her best friend invited strippers, Kate is now in charge of finding a place to hold their annual gathering.  It should come as no surprise that she wants the same public park as Julian.  Let the battle begin!

Kate is a woman who is looking for that one great love – the perfect man, as she sees him from her romance novels.  She wants to be swept off her feet and worshipped for all eternity.  When she comes face to face with a man quite the opposite of what she pictures as her ideal, she winds up in a battle of wills with him that is about so much more than a tract of land in a public park.  For the first time, Kate decides to take a stand.  Not only for her friends in the reenactment society, but more importantly, for herself.  I cheered every time Kate put her foot down because Julian expected her to go along with whatever he wanted, even as I knew that every time she did, she drew closer to pushing him away for good.

Julian grew up idolizing his step-father who was a participant in the Highland Games.  When he passed away, Julian’s desire to reclaim his step-dad’s record from the current holder and his archenemy – Duke Kilroy III – and secure a coveted promotional deal with a whiskey company became everything to him.  He lived and breathed the Highland Games, believing that the secret to securing his mom and half-sisters’ financial welfare lay in those two things alone.  Julian is the perfect picture of an alpha male and the embodiment of everything a romance reader comes to think of when the term Scotland appears on the page: he is large, muscled, sexy, loyal to his friends, and wears a kilt with a roguish grin.  What he also is, however, is a very complex man, broken when he doesn’t know it, holding onto the ghost of the only man who ever thought he could be someone.  When he’s faced with the chance to grab onto real love, his internal struggles are heartbreaking, even more so when some harsh truths about his family are laid out for him.

The supporting characters in the book are as well drawn as the hero and heroine.  Both Kate and Julian have best friends, Julian’s Michael is a go-for-anything sort and Kate’s Jada is the devil on her shoulder.  Although we don’t meet Kate’s family, we do get a peek into Julian’s mom and half-sisters’ lives, and the value he places on them.

Love is a Battlefield is a very well written book that brings together two differing groups with equally stubborn leaders and tosses in a sexy adversary bent on taking everything from Julian and duping Kate in the process.  Kate is laugh-out-loud witty as she digs her heels in and sets her sights on the park, and Julian is frustratingly wrapped up in his precious games, proving to be that all too temping mix of rogue and knight.  When they go to war on a human-sized chessboard to decide who gets the park, the heat generated is enough to warm even the coldest heart.  But don’t think it’s that easy; no good romance ever gives the HEA up so fast.  You’ll have to read the book to find out what happens between the kilt-wearing warrior who spends the off-season as a construction worker, and the book-store manager who likes to dress up like Jane Austen in her free time.

It’s not too often that I come across a book that I can’t put down.  A book that, when I’m reading it, you’ll find me at the stove with a spatula in one hand and my kindle in the other.  But this is just such a book.  Once I picked up Love is a Battlefield, I positively couldn’t put it down.  Sleep beckoned.  Dogs whined to go outside.  My husband rolled his eyes.  And still, I read on until I finished it.  It’s everything I want in a true romance – the development of the characters and the intersecting of their lives is more important than the number of tumbles into bed, and the romance that blooms is one wrought from a marathon, not a sprint.

This book was so good I basically wanted to have sex with it, marry it, and raise a little family of Game of Love books.  I would highly recommend it to anyone with a thing for hot men with stubborn streaks, beautiful women with feisty temperaments and meddling friends, and loves their happily-ever-after to keep them on the edge of their seat, right to the very end.

Grade:  A+

You can read an excerpt here, or buy a copy here.

Guest Review: How to Dance With a Duke by Manda Collins

Liz’s Review of:

How to Dance With a Duke by Manda Collins
Historical romance released by St. Martin’s Press January 31, 2012

What’s a wallflower to do when she’s suddenly in need of a husband? Use all the pluck and moxie she can muster to get what she wants…

She’s in need of a partner

Miss Cecily Hurston would much rather explore the antiquities of Egypt than the uncharted territory of marriage. But the rules of her father’s exclusive academic society forbid her entrance unless she weds one of its members. To clear her ailing father’s name of a scandalous rumor, Cecily needs to gain admission into the Egyptian Club—and is willing to marry any old dullard to do it.

And he has all the right moves

Lucas Dalton, Duke of Winterson, is anything but dull. He’s a dashing and decorated war hero determined to help Cecily—even if that means looking the other way when she claims the dance card of Amelia Snow, this season’s most sought-after beauty. But Lucas has a reason for wanting Cecily to join the Egyptian Club: His brother went missing during one of Lord Hurston’s expeditions to Egypt. An alliance with the explorer’s bluestocking daughter could bring Lucas closer to the truth about what happened…or it could lead him to a more dangerous love than either he or Cecily could have imagined….

Cecily Hurston is an innocent, bookish young woman who acts without thinking things through in many aspects of her life. When she decides to marry a man simply based on his acceptance into the society, she doesn’t really understand what being married would mean for her. Enter Lucas Dalton, who offers to help her sort through the would-be prospects of eligible men to select an appropriate one, all the while determining to help her see the error of such a future. What neither of them expect is that their working together for both separate and dual purposes would ensconce them in scandal, life threatening danger, and…finally…love.
Lucas wants to know what happened to his brother; Cecily wants to know why her father is ill. For both of them, the answer lies in the fated expedition in which her father returned near death and Lucas’ brother did not return. As they search for answers together, deciding two heads are better than one, the book takes suspenseful turns amid an attempt on Cecily’s life as they draw closer to the truth. Things heat up between the two during an unsuccessful attempt to find her father’s journals, and Lucas’ charming and chivalrous behavior won my heart.
I enjoy a romance with a rogue that turns into a hero and Lucas was just such a man in spades. And I also like a romance where the hero is the one with his heart on his sleeve and the heroine is the one running away. Cecily doesn’t have a confident bone in her body when it comes to love or her worth as a woman, and has a broken heart to boot. Lucas keeps telling himself that finding out what happened to his brother is paramount to everything else, but Cecily has wormed her way steadily into his heart and mind and it’s exciting to read his transformation from bachelor to a man willing to step out on a limb for love. As they uncover the truth of her father and his brother, their relationship both blooms and wilts at varying times as misunderstandings abound on both sides. It was both sweet and upsetting to watch them struggle with their feelings, and the ending was surprising in more ways than one.
Duke contains a generous cast of characters, from the uppity Amelia to Cecily’s conspiring cousins. One of my favorite scenes in the book came early on during the ball, when she swiped Amelia’s dance card. On the back she found Amelia’s flirting cheat sheet. Cecily’s internal monologue as she tried to flirt her way into a marriage proposal and thus into the coveted club was hilarious and made me like her character right away. After all, who doesn’t appreciate when the ugly duckling realizes there really may be a swan underneath after all? Normally, I don’t go for historical novels, but in the interest of expanding my reading horizons, I was curious to read Duke. I am very glad I took a chance on reading this book and stepping outside of my comfort zone and I look forward to reading Manda’s future writings.
I enjoyed the book, and it is one I would recommend to people who enjoy period romantic suspense novels.
Grade: B-
You can read an excerpt of the book here.

Guest ARC Review: Devil’s Kiss by Zoe Archer

Liz’s Review of:
Devil’s Kiss by Zoë Archer
Historical paranormal romance released by Zebra December 6, 2011

A Handsome Devil

1762. James Sherbourne, Earl of Whitney, is a gambling man. Not for the money. But for the thrill, the danger–and the company: Whit has become one of the infamous Hellraisers, losing himself in the chase for adventure and pleasure with his four closest friends.

Which was how Whit found himself in a gypsy encampment, betting against a lovely Romani girl. Zora Grey’s smoky voice and sharp tongue entrance Whit nearly as much as her clever hands–watching them handle cards inspires thoughts of another kind…

Zora can’t explain her attraction to the careless blue-eyed Whit. She also can’t stop him and his Hellraisers from a fiendish curse: the power to grant their own hearts’ desires, to chase their pleasures from the merely debauched to the truly diabolical. And if Zora can’t save Whit, she still has to escape him. . .

The Devil’s Kiss is a book that draws the reader in from the beginning with fine details about the time period, the people, and the supernatural world that the Hellraisers tangle themselves up in.  The characters are well written, from the arrogant and bored Whit to the darkly alluring Zora, and the devil himself and his demons.  Full of supernatural and magical elements, the story weaves between the human world and the place where souls are taken in exchange for promises.

Whit is a typical wealthy elite playboy, but his vice is gambling, not women.  Along with his four friends, the Hellraisers, he sets in motion events to bring about hell on earth and loses his soul in the process.  But there is light in his new darkness, and her name is Zora.  His struggle to rid himself of his demons and to save her, at any cost, is compelling.  There is no quick resolution to Whit’s salvation, and the book keeps you guessing right to the very end.

Zora is independent and feisty.  Her gypsy romani world is turned upside down by Whit’s gilded one, but no matter what evil he brings with him, she is the sort of woman to find that kernel of goodness inside and put all her hopes on it.  Her assurance that he is not completely gone to the darkness is what makes her not only a heroine, but a champion.  Because the book shifts between Whit and Zora’s point of view, the reader is treated to knowing what they both are thinking and feeling, which brings depth to the book.

This is not a classic good vs. evil story about two people trying to save the world and fall into bed in the process.  It’s a romantic suspense-filled book about faith in a person you care for, sacrificing even yourself to see them safe, and galloping head first into danger without thought for your own safety.

Overall, this book about redemption and love was well written, steamy, and full of remarkable characters.

Grade:  C+

You can read an excerpt of the book here.

Me again: One day I’ll get a proper grading scale up. If you’re interested in reviewing, or being reviewed, please feel free to contact me! (No promises on either end, but hey – nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?)

A Thankful Thanksgiving (Touching Guest Post from Liz)

I have this special fondness for Thanksgiving being on the 24th of November. There’s no particular rhyme or reason, but it just seems right to me. Like Thanksgiving is meant to be on the 24th. Sure, sometimes it’s on different days – that’s how the calendar works. I’m sure each and every one of us also has something to be thankful for. Sure, some of us have it better than others. (And most of us reading this blog have it better than many parts of the world… but that’s a dangerous game to play.)

I think today’s post, though, is absolutely perfect, and fitting. Sarah M. Anderson prompted me to do the mini SMSG drive for the Pine Ridge Reservation. (I can’t seem to escape it – actually watched Imprint last night (the indie film not the… other horror?), not knowing about the location/specifics.) But really, I can’t say anything better than Liz. For such a small effort, I think we did fabulously, everyone. Anyway, Liz commented on my original post, and I asked if she’d be willing to blog about the experience, giving to the Reservation, and here it is.

I don’t know what it’s like to go to bed hungry. I never lived with anyone growing up except my two parents. My mom stayed home with us kids while my dad worked. My brother and I had closets full of clothes, shoes, and toys. We were warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

Now, I can say that my children don’t know what it’s like to be hungry or cold or wonder where their parents are. I know that we’re blessed and I’m grateful every day for the life we enjoy. And I’m never more aware of just how blessed we really are until I see programs like 20/20s report on the Lakota Pine Ridge Reservation’s children. My nine year old daughter Rachel and I sat together and watched the show. Throughout, she kept saying “it’s so sad”.

The first thing she said to me when it was over was, “Mom, I want to send them my hats.” We looked up the websites mentioned on the 20/20 website, settling on one that would accept hats and gloves and also books for children of all ages. That weekend, we went shopping and purchased hats, gloves, and books (baby, toddler, and elementary age) to add to the freshly washed, gently used items we had at home.

I told her that there were several hundred kids on the reservation that had little or no winter clothes. She looked down at the hats and then up at me with her big blue eyes and said, “We only have six.”

I gave her a hug and said, “Six isn’t a big number, but those six kids will be thankful to get those hats this winter. So it might not seem like a big deal, but it will be a big deal to a handful of kids.”

I know that there are many people who did more than we did – who gave money or boxes of clothes and supplies; but I couldn’t look at my daughter and say – well we can only do “x” and it won’t matter in the whole scheme of things. Because in truth, every little bit counts, but only if the “bits” make it where they’re needed. We did what we could and tried to fill a need as we were able.

Grown men can learn from very little children—for the hearts of little children are pure. Therefore, the Great Spirit may show them many things that older people miss.” Black Elk

Today, I’m thankful and humbled to be part of the romance community, where I get to meet and mingle with wonderful people like you. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. I hope you have a wonderful day. <3