Wild Card

Wild Card by Lora Leigh

What was this book about?

Nathan and Sibella were in love from the start. But Nathan was a Navy SEAL and it was his duty to go out and save the world. One of his missions went terribly wrong and it left Sibella believing he was dead. Meanwhile he was fighting off the pain and damage that had been done to his body.

Nathan has become Noah Blake – his old name and life left firmly in the past. When a new mission has brought him back to his hometown and Bella he can’t stay away from her. Belle can’t know who he really is – but she has been living a life of danger – and been locked away in a haze of depression. She has started to move on, but how will Noah in her life change that? Can they be together after so many years apart? Will he leave her again?

What did you think about the book?

If you are looking for something with very hot and heavy sex scenes and a man that is combustible this is the book for you. Noah has a history that has made him border on crazy – from the drugs that were given to him to the violence. And that all plays out in this book.

I have to admit I appreciated the relationship of Nathan and Belle in that they both hid something at the beginning of their relationship. She was what she thought he wanted and he was what she wanted and in the end by not being the true person that they are – it destroyed their marriage. He didn’t think she was capable of finding out the truth. And also neither of them were getting as much fulfillment as they could have from being together (emotionally and sexually).

Overall I enjoyed this book and would be willing to read more by this author. I found it to be almost a new type of romance novel.

What genre would you consider this?
Erotic Romance

Overall:

Question for you!
Does it bother you when the hero’s are really aggressive to the point of almost violence (though never violent to the heroine)?

Contest Reminder - Last Chance

Several Contests are open!

Reminder - US and Canadian Residents only. 18 years of age or older. And no P.O.Boxes.

Win a copy of Gods Behaving Badly By Marie Phillips - Nov. 30
Win a copy of Jeff Rivera's "Forever My Lady" - Dec. 1
Win a copy of Lost and Found By Carolyn Parkhurst - Dec. 1
You can win a copy of The American Journey Of Barack Obama by The Editors of LIFE Magazine.

Salvation in Death

Salvation in Death by J.D. Robb

What was this book about?

Lieutenant Eve Dallas is out to solve another murder. This time a Catholic priest is poisoned in the middle of giving a funeral service. Once they start trying to figure out who may have done this evil thing they find out that the priest is not who they think he is.

There is a history with this person, this area. And it will mean decoding all the lies that have been told over the years. Eve is the perfect person to make sure that this death is figured out.

But for once it isn’t a strict case of right and wrong. Eve will have to confront her own past to solve this murder. When is killing someone justified?

What did you think about the book?

Sometimes with this series I think I am a bit biased. I have read every single book in the the “In Death” series that has come out and they have become my favorite book series to read. Which means I am so excited when the book comes out that I almost don’t want to read it because then it will be over and I will have to wait months for the next one to come. It also means that I pretty much always LOVE the book.

I can’t say that it is any different with this one. Yes I probably would have liked to see more of the other characters that I have grown to love – Mavis, Nadine, Roarke, Feeny, I could go on and on. I almost feel like friends have come to visit when the book is at my house waiting for me to read. I can’t wait to see where things have gone with them.

Either way once again I think Nora Roberts/ J.D. Robb has hit another one out of the park. I wish there were more series like this that make me feel the same way.

Overall:

Question for you?
What series of books make you so excited when it comes out you can’t wait to read it (but don’t want to because then it will be done)?

Living with the Dead

Living with the Dead by Kelley Armstrong

What was this book about?

Hope Adams is a chaos demon. When she comes back to town to spend time with her childhood friend Robyn Peltier she is expecting a quiet visit. Robyn is trying to get over her recently deceased husband, who died quite unexpectedly. She is also working with starlets who are demanding and not very nice.

Robyn becomes embroiled in a murder mystery. People think she has killed – and she hasn’t. Hope and her boyfriend/werewolf Karl are there to help. What Robyn doesn’t realize is that there is an unnatural force at work.

Can Karl and Hope save Robyn from whoever is after her? Does it have repercussions for the supernatural world?

What did you think about the book?

With the Otherworld series I tend to feel mediocre about the books. They aren’t bad necessarily, but they also aren’t my favorites. With some books I get so excited to see that the next book is coming that I can barely hold myself back. This is not one of those series. At the same time it keeps me entertained enough that I don’t want to give it up. And every once in a while I love the book that has been written so much it makes up for the other lukewarm feelings I have.

Maybe my problem is Hope. Because she is a chaos demon and her love interest Karl is just a strange werewolf – it is hard for me to get into their lives and connect with them.

So is it bad? No. Is it my favorite book series ever – no..

What genre would you consider this?
Paranormal

Overall:

Question for you?
Have you ever had a series that you didn’t really always enjoy but you felt invested in it so much that you had to follow through to the end?

Noah

Noah by Jacquelyn Frank

What was this book about?

Noah is the demon king. He has been having crazy dreams and knows it is now time to find his soul mate. When he finds her he realizes it may be too late. Thankfully he can use both the child Leah and the Druid Corrine to find her and save her.

He does find and save Kestra, bringing her back to his castle. But Kestra isn’t going to roll over and let him take care of everything. She is threatened by him and his emotions (as she has had many bad experiences that have left her this way).

Can Noah convince Kestra that his love is real? Can she love him back after her own problems? Add into this an unrestful kingdom and everyone is in danger if they do not figure out how to deal with everything new that has been thrown at them.

What did you think about the book?

I have enjoyed the “Nightwalkers” series for the most part. Some books I thought were better then others but the idea of Druids and Demons and finding your soul mate is always something that I will enjoy reading about.

I don’t know if this book is the conclusion of the series (I definitely hope not) but for me this in many ways closed out parts of the books. I guess there are a few characters I would like to see find love – but Noah was big on the list of “people” that needed to do so.

I enjoyed the book – a strong woman character – who has trust issues being loved by a man who can’t help but love her heart and soul. She doesn’t know how to take it.

The only question for me was what about the prophesy at the beginning of the book. She isn’t supposed to be able to have children – does that mean she is going to? Will we find out in the next book?

What genre would you consider this?
Paranormal Romance

Overall:

Question for you?
What books that you have read have left you unsatisfied with the ending? That you wished would go on just a little bit more? (And not just cause you love them).

Happy Thanksgiving

I hope you all have a happy, healthy, and wonderful Happy Thanksgiving.

And maybe you will even have time to read a little during this busy holiday!

Author Post: Confessions of a Former Mistress

Confessions of a Former Mistress
By Inga C. Ellzey,
Author of The Exchange

For 16 years I was the mistress of a married man. I was single, he was rich. I wanted to be someone. He was a doctor. I was a single mom. He had three kids and a Nanny. I wanted romance and passion. He was horny. His wife was the turkey. I was the gravy. I was, "The Other Woman."

Being a mistress is exciting . . . at first. Romantic trysts in clandestine restaurants. Lunch quickies. Having sex on the operating table (not that comfortable) or on the exam room floor (oh my aching back).

I was young when I met Adam (not his real name). I was 27, wore a size 8, had gorgeous long blond hair, beautiful teeth and a great personality. He was 43, with a sexy foreign accent . . . and he was a doctor . . . my doctor. That's how it all started. There was an instant attraction. He scheduled office visits more frequently. I became the last patient of the day. Then I got healed by the good doctor, but fell in love (and he with me). We started an affair that lasted sixteen years.

So here I was the mistress to a married man. Sixteen years you ask me? How is that possible? Didn’t the wife suspect?

Well, in most cases when the affair goes beyond a couple of wooly bully romps in the hay, and extends over many months (or years, as in my case), the wife knows. The wife either knows flat out but doesn't care, knows but is in denial, or really doesn't suspect a thing (which is highly unlikely in a long-term situation.) She might be so busy with the soccer Mom thing she really has no idea that her hubby is scoring somewhere else.

In my case the wife knew. She knew I knew she knew and I knew she knew I knew. She knew! But she didn't care . . . as long as Adam came home to her (most nights) and allowed her kids to attend the best private schools. As long as she could live in her million dollar house, have her Mexican house keeper and Nicaraguan Nanny, drive her gas guzzling Mercedes, wear her Haute Couture clothes, and keep her fancy horses in those snazzy stables . . . she just focused on those versus her husband's wandering ways.

I was even invited to their house on numerous occasions. I recall one time when they invited me to their beach house for the week end. (Figure that one out?!?!) I was on the beach with Adam making love while she was in the condo making Flan. Boy that Flan was delicious. I still think of her when I order Flan in restaurants.

Then there was this heart attack thingy. Well what happened really was that every Sunday night he would come to my apartment. We would have wild sex, a couple glasses of wine, and then he would leave. Well this one particular Sunday night he went home and had this major heart attack. You know the 9-1-1 call, no breathing, he's gonna- die-kind of heart attack. Well, wouldn't you know it but right after he made her call 9-1-1 he made her call me. She knew I knew she knew and I knew she knew I knew! Enough said.

So what are the benefits of being, "The Other Woman?"

Well it depends on how smart you are. Here's what I got along the way. I got my Bachelor's and Master's Degrees paid by him. I had to do the studying. He paid the tuition and expenses of a college education. So I got my B.S. (Bachelor in Sex) and my MPA (Masters in Pleasing Adam). No seriously, I did get legitimate college degrees.

I got spending money to buy clothes and shoes. He helped me get a nice car every few years and he paid off my credit cards when I overspent (when I did frequently). After all wifey over there was living in some fancy-dancy mansion while I was living with the Dumb and Dumbers on the left and right side of me in an apartment complex.

And then did I mention the life insurance policy? Now it's not like I want him to die or anything, after all the affair was over 21 years ago. But if he dies, I still get $100,000.00 . . . tax free.

Well you see when I was his mistress, I agonized about him leaving me (especially after that heart attack stresser), so I made him take out life insurance on himself with me being not only the beneficiary of the policy but (me being college "edicated" and all), I insisted I became of owner of the policy as well. (Thanks to that finance class he paid for.) Being owner of the policy means I have to make the payments on the life insurance annually, but I don't care. As long as I pay, he can't cancel it. I still get $100,000.00 tax free when he dies . . . even 21 years after the affair ended. Let's see how old is he now . . . ?

So what are the disadvantages of being a mistress?

Oh, there are those lonely holidays. But it's really not that bad when you have those credit cards which you know he will pay off if you overspend. Then there's reading about him and her in the local newspaper attending some charity ball. He has his arm around her, she's smiling. The happy couple. Pillars of the community. Until Sunday night!

Marriage? You know in sixteen years, marriage was never addressed. I guess I thought he would leave her eventually. If I was honest with myself I knew he never would. Come on, sixteen years? Duh?
So here I am . . . 21 years later reminiscing about that affair. Don't tell my present husband. My third (he's only 35 and I'm, 59 . . . I never was good in math). At any rate, my current hubby wouldn't like it much if I mentioned dear Adam.

So in conclusion, here's my advice. If you are going to be a mistress:

1. Enjoy it for what it is . . . an affair.

2. Don't be afraid to take gifts and monetary remuneration. It's not immoral. It's only fair.

3. Don't expect a marriage proposal. (Most men that are unfaithful will always be unfaithful . . . so who wants to be married to an unfaithful man? Better to just screw him and have fund . . . I mean fun.)

4. Be prepared for lonely nights and fun shopping sprees.

5. Never make life all about him. When it's over . . . it's over. Move on. There's always another Adam just around the corner.


©2008 Inga Ellzey

Author Bio
Inga Ellzey is a self-made multi-millionaire, the owner and president of the Inga Ellzey Practice Group, Inc. She is a leading authority on medical billing, and has written, taught and lectured extensively over the past two decades. The Exchange was written in Yorkshire, England, where she was inspired by the solitude of the remote countryside and the 16th century farmhouse she vacationed in. For Inga Ellzey, The Exchange is yet another dream come true. She lives in Winter Park, Florida.

Just Breathe

Just Breathe by Susan Wiggs

What was this book about?

Sarah Moon thinks that maybe her life is going to be starting to get on track. Her husband has recovered from his bout with cancer. They have been trying for the last year to get pregnant and while it hasn’t happened yet – that are continuing IUI. She has been working hard on her comic “Just Breathe” and while she has to let it become less of a priority while she focused on her husband’s illness – she is ready to start back at working on syndication for that.

And in one quick swoop she loses everything. She finds out her husband Jack isn’t what he seemed to be and he has been having an affair. That is the one thing Sarah just won’t take and she packs everything up to return to her hometown in California.

Once there she is able to reconnect with her family in a way that she had never been able to before. She finds Will – the boy she had a crush on in high school – and develops a friendship with him and his daughter Aurora. And she finds out she is pregnant from her last IUI treatment.

It is a lot for a woman to take while in the process of divorcing.

What did you think about the book?

I started this book and didn’t want to put it down. I loved the plot of a woman who was in a relationship that didn’t work out – and wants to blame the other person – since he obviously did do a horrible thing. Yet, she starts to realize that there were two people in the relationship and while he was definitely more at fault for the breakdown of everything – she was not totally innocent either. She is forced to take a step back from everything and realize what really happened.

Throw in an unexpected pregnancy and twins and you have an added complication that the character embraces with a realistic amount of fear, apprehension, and excitement.

The thing that made the book even better was the comic cartons that both mimicked the characters life as well as probably would have been what she submitted to her newspapers (if she was real). They were cute and quirky with enough of a similar story line to be a great addition.

What genre would you consider this?
Family Dynamics/Romance

Overall:

Question for you?
In regards to your significant other – what would be the one thing that could happen that would mean the end of your relationship? What would mean you would stay together no matter what?

House Husband

House Husband by Ad Hudler

What was this book about?

Linc was once a successful landscape architect to the stars. But his wife Jo gets a job opportunity in Rochester, NY and the family picks up and moves. He stays at home with daughter Violet and Jo goes on to being a high powered hospital executive.

But Linc finds the home to be overwhelming – he has so much to do. He really wants to do his best for Violet and for Jo. But he is also fighting the stereotypes of the people around them – from Jo’s work colleagues, to the women in the neighborhood.

He is struggling to find his place in this new family. Part of him wants to return to work – but what does that do to Jo and Violet? Can he trust anyone else with his family?

What did you think about the book?

I really think that Ad Hudler is a genius. I love his books, his perspective, it just keeps me riveted.

I think one of my favorite “revelations” of things that I just never thought about since I have no children and neither my husband nor I stay home with them (since they don’t exist) at this time has to do with men. When he is on the playground playing with his daughter a woman comes up (to help) and thinks that he is some sort of deviant. Because what sort of dad would be there playing with his child during a work day? She figures his intentions are bad and that he really isn’t any relation to the child. He is of course offended by that.

But when it comes to the whole taking his daughter to the bathroom there is another mindset there. He doesn’t want her in the men’s room (with the urinals etc) but he also sometimes has to go – or she has to go and he can’t take her into the women’s room either. He has taught his child that if something happens and they are separated she should go find a woman – not a man. He realizes that he too has this bias against his own sex.

This book is more of Linc struggling with wanting to stay home with his child and wanting a career outside of his home. And I found all parts of it to be thoughtful and revealing of what life would be like for him and other stay at home fathers.

What genre would you consider this?
Family Dynamics

Overall:



Question for you?
Do you think the author is right – that we teach our children that men are more of the “bad” people then women? How does that affect a stay at home dad?

Contest Reminder

Several Contests are open!

Reminder - US and Canadian Residents only. 18 years of age or older. And no P.O.Boxes.

Win a copy of Gods Behaving Badly By Marie Phillips - Nov. 30
Win a copy of Jeff Rivera's "Forever My Lady" - Dec. 1
Win a copy of Lost and Found By Carolyn Parkhurst - Dec. 1
You can win a copy of The American Journey Of Barack Obama by The Editors of LIFE Magazine.

Sweet Trouble

Sweet Trouble by Susan Mallery

What was this book about?

Jesse maybe had a tough past, where she did things that she isn’t proud of. But one of her big sins is in not fighting for the truth. Telling those around her what really did happen.

She is now a mother of a 5 year old and is ready to return to the life that she once lived. And that includes confronting not only her sister (who she destroyed by finding Jesse with her husband in a compromising situation) and the father of her child.

Matt knew that Jesse was pregnant when she left but there was no way he believed the child was his. Especially after everything happened. When she returns and he is faced with the reality that it is his son – he doesn’t know if he should destroy her life or love her.

Can they work things out in time? Can they learn to trust?

What did you think about the book?

This book was definitely a nice addition to the series. In the earlier books you just wonder how you can forgive the sister who seems to have torn her sister’s life apart by fooling with her husband. Mind you she is young and stupid, and now that the husband has moved on the other sister is in a much better place. But to do something to family like that would just be devastating.

So you start off wondering if you will ever be able to like Jesse. And the truth of it is you will grow to like the person she has become.

What genre would you consider this?
Romance

Overall:

Question for you!
If you have a child could you imagine not being there for the first few years of their life? How would you feel if you missed those years? What about for the person that made you miss them?

The Exchange

The Exchange by Inga C. Ellzey

What was this book about?
Jewelle Dawson (formerly known as Elinore) took down the Gambrelini crime family years before. Now she has spent the last eight years in the Witness Protection Program. She has been living the quiet life and she is ready for something to change. So she decides to go on a four week Mediterranean cruise.

She gets there and starts to make friends immediately. There is Randy the quiet girl who is taking care of her dieing mother. Paul – her dinner mate – that has told her all his secrets but she isn’t quite ready to tell him hers. And exciting and rich Max who wants to show her the good life. Throw in Jewelle’s favorite author Frances Wakefield who is on her own adventure and you have a great group of people.

But everyone has their secrets. And Jewelle can’t help but fall for both Paul and Max. Which one is the right man for her? And what happens when her past rears it’s ugly head?

What did you think about the book?

I have to admit that there were some things that I wasn’t expected thrown at me in this book. Which for me to be taken off guard by some sort of realization – it means that it is a good thing because it is so unusual.

I think the cover part that says “The right murder. The wrong person. The perfect love story.” threw me off a little when I was trying to figure out where the story was going. I don’t know what I would consider this book in terms of genres. It definitely has a sub plot of love. But the competing love interests that both love the main character and seem to good people – make it hard for me to consider this a love story (usually with a love story there is one man you are rooting for and the other one is some sort antagonist. I didn’t think that was the case in this book.)

There really isn’t a whodunit part of the book – either which doesn’t classify it as a mystery. But it is a good book – well written and kept my attention while I was reading it (and half watching election coverage – which again is no small feat!) There is an action component in the fact that the main character is trying to get away from the mob – but again it isn’t the whole theme of the book.

So if you want a book with a little bit of everything – consider this one!

Overall:

Question for you!
Would you be able to give up your family, friends, and life in the witness protection program? What would be the hardest thing to leave behind?

Sweet Spot

Sweet Spot by Susan Mallery

What was this book about?

Nicole has always been the responsible one in her family. She raised her younger sister, her twin was out traveling the world being a famous concert pianist and she was at home running the family bakery.

One of her sister’s is back in her life after returning from her tour, and another has left her life after what seems to be an affair with Nicole’s husband.

Nicole is ready to move on and when she meets former football player turned high school football coach – Hawk – she decides she is ready to move on with him. She isn’t ready for anything serious – after all she is just finishing up a bad marriage. And he is still morning for his dead wife.

Throw in a few high schoolers (he a teen daughter who happens to be dating Nicole’s now employee Raoul) and they can’t help but get together.

What did you think about the book?

I liked this book. Nicole was a little too uptight for me at first (and in a future book I really don’t think I would have liked her all that much – if I hadn’t read her book first). But overall she was a fun character always willing to give of herself even when she didn’t have to.

And her history kinda forced her to be a little bitter. Being betrayed like that by the sister that you raised is going to cause some issues.

I think my favorite thing about this book though was Hawk. He was just a nice guy. The fact that he gave up his career to be there for his wife when she was going through cancer is just an upstanding thing to do. He is highly invested in his child. He was just a really good romantic interest.

What genre would you consider this?
Romance

Overall:

Question for you:
Would you be able to get over your husband doing something with your sister? Who would you feel most betrayed by?

The Year of Disappearances

The Year of Disappearances by Susan Hubbard

What was this book about?

Ari is special. She isn’t human - she is half human/half vampire. She has special skills that allow her to hypnotize people, read their thoughts. She is very close to her mother and her father and must learn to fit into the rest of the world.

Ari finds some local friends who are not all that she wishes they were. But before you know it one of them disappears. The community begins to wonder who has done it. So Ari (at 14) goes off to college and things don’t change there. Can she stop whatever is happening before everything she loves is gone?

What did you think about the book?

I tried – I really tried. I love vampire books. They are fun and allow you to get inside a world that doesn’t really exist. I even enjoy when they are both combined with a touch of real life and a bit of the paranormal. But with this book I was never really into it.

For a little while it started to get my attention. Just enough that I refused to put it down and just ignore the book until there was nothing else to read. I wanted to finish it. I wanted to enjoy it. The inside cover description left me clamoring to find out what it was about that would test Ari.

But it all left me cold. By the time I got to the end it seemed like everything was rushed, forced. It was like ok I am done telling this story so I am ready to move on to something else.

What genre would you consider this?
Paranormal

Overall:

Question for you!:
What did you think of the ending? Was it too rushed for you? What do you do if you can’t get into a book? Put it down? Keep reading?

Sepulchre

Sepulchre by Kate Mosse

What was this book about?

Two different time periods connect characters and a story throughout time.

Léonie Vernier lives in 1891 France and loves her brother Anatole and will do anything for him. They retreat to the country for reasons unbeknownst to her. During her stay she finds out about the family country home and its connection to the occult. She finds tarot cards that seem to be much more then the average cards. Evil is starting to descend on herself and those she loves and Léonie will do anything to figure out how to save them.

Meredith Martin lives in present day United States. She has had a tough growing up period and is off to Europe to investigate a book about a composer that she has always loved. While in France she also plans to see what she can find out about her birth family. The only thing she has is a picture and some sheet music. From the beginning there has always been a supernatural twist to her arrival. When she is drawn to a tarot card reader she can’t help but get a reading. What she doesn’t realize is that reading will show her the way to fulfilling her destiny.

What did you think about the book?

I listened to this book on CD and it took me forever. But that isn’t a reflection on it being not very good or interesting but instead of the exact opposite. I was enjoying it so much that I only wanted to listen to it when I actually had time to fully dedicate all of my thinking to the book. (Which isn’t all that often – when I have that time a lot of time I sit down instead with a book).

I also listened to Kate Mosse’s other book Labyrinth and enjoyed that one as well. But if I had to pick a favorite of the two it would be this one. The two books are nothing alike except that they also cover several time periods where there is a story going on in each and the repercussions of what happened in the past haunt those currently in the story.

Whether you chose to listen to it or read it – please do! I definitely enjoyed this book and think you will to. In fact I am going to suggest it to my husband as well. He likes to listen to books and we have somewhat different tastes. I can usually tell though when I have read something that he will like – and I definitely don’t think this is a girly book even if the main character is a girl!

What genre would you consider this?
Historical

Overall:

Question for you:
Do you enjoy listening to books? When do you listen to them?