Review: That Thing Called Love by Susan Andersen

That Thing Called Love by Susan Andersen

published by Harlequin (HQN Books) in July 2012

He’s the last man on earth she should want…

For a guy she’s fantasized about throttling, Jake Bradshaw sure is easy on the eyes. In fact, he seriously tempts inn manager Jenny Salazar to put her hands to better use. Except this is the guy who left Razor Bay—and his young son, Austin, who Jenny adores like her own—to become a globetrotting photojournalist. He can’t just waltz back and claim Austin now.

Jake was little more than a kid himself when he became a dad. Sure, he'd dreamed of escaping the resort town, but he’d also truly believed that Austin was better off with his grandparents. Now he wants—no, needs—to make up for his mistake. He intends to stay in Razor Bay only until he can convince Austin to return with him to New York. Trouble is, with sexy, protective, utterly irresistible Jenny in his life, and his bed, he may never want to leave...

Genre: Contemporary romance
Series: Razor Bay series, Book #1

The Story: The blurb for That Thing Called Love is quite accurate. As far as Jake Bradshaw could remember, he always wanted to get away from Razor Bay and had the chance when he got a baseball scholarship for college. When his high school sweetheart got pregnant, Jake manned up and did the right thing: he put aside his dreams, married her and went to work for her parents at the inn. However, nothing had prepared Jake to become a widower or a father and when his in-laws gave him an out, Jake took it. He truly believed that his son was in better hands with his in-laws and when he was told not to come back, he listened, shoving the guilt aside. Now that his in-laws have passed away, Jake realizes that staying away was a mistake and he really wants to connect with his son and take care of him. But once he shows up in Razor Bay, he is met with a hostile teen and a not very welcoming inn manager.

Jenny Salazar came to Razor Bay at the lowest point of her life: a sixteen years old girl who had to take care of her mother who's gone catatonic after Jenny's father has been arrested for a Ponzi scheme. She has worked her way up in the inn and will always be grateful to the Pierces for giving her a chance. Through the years, she got very close to Austin and now, they share a sister-brother relationship. With the Pierces' deaths, she has stepped in as Austin's guardians, but her plans are disrupted when Jake shows up out of the blues to claim his son. At first, Jenny has every intentions to fight for Austin; however, not being blood-related to him, she'd never win custody - especially if Jake wants it. As it is for Austin's best, she agrees to help Jake establishes a relationship with Austin and prepares him to the eventuality of moving away. Still, she doesn't have to like the guy... and it'd be good if her body could remember that detail.

My Opinion: I really enjoy Ms Andersen's books and that's why she is on my list of auto-buy authors :) Every  year, I look forward to the summer, because I know there'll be a new release of hers to read. While I love Ms Andersen's writing, I do not love all of her books equally; I do think some are better than others like Just for Kicks and Playing Dirty. Unfortunately, That Thing Called Love was not part of that group :(

Let starts with the positives of That Thing Called Love :) I feel this book was all about the characters and in that respect, Ms Andersen did a good job. I think like I got to know the H/H because both were well developed and fleshed out. Jenny was likable and self-assured when it came to business and Austin, but I liked seeing the vulnerabilities. And I really applaud her for standing up to her father, that was brave. She was a very good heroine, but I feel I didn't totally connect with her and that might have to do with the romance. As for Jake, he wasn't that likable, but at least, I got a good idea of what shaped him and that made up for it. I liked that Jake was conscious of his mistakes and felt guilty about them, but he still didn't like to be called out for it by Jenny - that was very realistic to me. I also liked that Jake didn't have it easy reconnecting with Austin and had to work for it and that Jake was willing to spend the time to do it right. Of course, he could have done more... but after all, no matter what Austin said, he did crave for a father. Something interesting as well about that Thing Called Love is that we got to see Austin's POV and what was going through his mind and that made me appreciated the story even more. His little romance was also very cute :) Another element that I enjoyed was Jake and his half-brother's relationship. I liked seeing these two men getting to know each other as grown-ups and put aside the past. So overall, I definitively think Ms Andersen did a great job with the characters, the relationships and the interactions.

She also did a good job with the setting as I find myself enjoying it quite a bit. It had a bit of the small-town vibe, but without all the quirky characters and drama, combined with the vacation town vibe, but without the "it's dead during the summer" syndrome. The setting was not ground-breaking, but it was done right as Ms Andersen didn't oversell Razor Bay and as a result, it gave That Thing Called Love a good atmosphere :)

I think where this book falters is the romance ^_^; I get the attraction between Jenny and Jake - I mean, that's always good for the start of a romance between two strangers right? I also appreciate that Jenny and Jake didn't give in their attraction too fast and jump into bed together despite the situation. I mean after all, Jenny had years of bad opinion of Jake to overcome. I don't even mind the conflict which is basically Jake's fear of commitment because it's true, he doesn't know how to be a father, he doesn't know how to be in a relationship and so on. What didn't work for me is that I felt Jenny and Jake had no chemistry together. Perhaps if there'd been more scenes of them acting as a couple, it could have help. However, it was not the case in That Thing Called Love. Most of the time, they were at odds with each other... and suddenly, I'm supposed to believe that after a few nights in bed together, Jenny has fallen in love with Jake. Yep, not happened. I just didn't understand why Jenny would be in love with Jake. They had not spent enough time together and didn't know each other enough for me to believe in it. And as a result, I felt the romance was quite superficial. Also, Jake's 180 degrees turn at the end of the book was hard to believe ^_^;

I think another problem that I had with That Thing Called Love is that based on the cover, I was expecting something a bit more fun, a bit more summer-y and it was not the case. The only thing that could qualify as summer is Austin's baseball league LOL. The rest of the issues the characters dealt with were rather serious. It would have been better for this book to have a cover that fit.

My Grade: C. All in all, That Thing Called Love was not one of Ms Andersen's best books, but it had the potential to be if the romance had been stronger.

Review: Playing Dirty by Susan Andersen

Disclaimer: I've received Playing Dirty as an eARC from Netgalley

Ouf, took me some time and efforts to write this review, but here it is :) Hope you enjoy!


Playing Dirty by Susan Andersen

published by HQN Books in July 2011

When old enemies are thrown together, all bets are off...

Way back in high school, golden boy Cade Gallari publicly revealed he'd slept with "fat girl" Ava Spencer to win a bet. Now a decade older and a head turner with her own concierge business, Ava isn't the gullible dreamer she once was— and she plans to prove it when Cade, hotter than ever, breezes back into town with an offer she can't refuse.

A documentary film producer, Cade is shooting a movie about the mysterious mansion Ava inherited. And he wants her as his personal concierge. She's certainly professional enough to be at his beck and call without giving him everything he wants. Like another shot at having her in his bed. But Ava doesn't count on Cade's determination. Because he's never gotten over her— and he's not above playing dirty to score a second chance at a red–hot future...

Genre: Contemporary romance
Series: Sisterhood Diaries Book #3

The Story: There's nothing more hurtful or humiliating than losing her virginity as the fat girl in a bet... and that's why Ava Spencer has never forgiven Cade Gallari. For the past ten years, Ava has successfully maintained her weight and now a size 12, Ava is proud of her curves. However, some wounds take time to heal and at times, insecurity still flares up.

Cade Gallari knows what he did to Ava thirteen years ago was shitty... and he's been apologizing and trying to make amends ever since, but Ava keeps giving him the cold shoulder. Well this time, she doesn't have a choice to hear him out. A documentary film producer, Cade wants to make a movie about the Wolcott's mystery. To do so, he needs access to the Wolcott mansion which Ava and her two best friends have inherited. In addition, he'd like to hire Ava as the production company's concierge as she is the best in the business.

Ava would like nothing better than to send Cade on his way. Unfortunately in this economy, her business has suffered and the mansion is a big strain on all three women's finances that Cade's offer could alleviate. However, Ava is determined to be strictly and only professional with Cade... He's hurt her once and she's not about to let him do it again, no matter the sparks flying between them.

My Opinion: I am soooo happy that Ms Andersen got to write this book and we, readers, got to read it!! Playing Dirty was definitively an enjoyable read with great characters and totally worth the wait :)

The best part of Playing Dirty was definitively the H/H. Ms Andersen was able to come up with characters that were smart, likable and real :) I can't tell how much I enjoyed Ava. She's strong and determined, she knows how to deal with people, is good at her job and enjoys it and has great friends for support. She's also not afraid to confront her feelings, admits when she's made a mistake and take steps to rectify it. I mean, seriously, isn't she awesome? LOL. Oh sure, life is not perfect. At times, she still fears insecure about her weight and I think it's perfectly normal, especially since her mother keeps harping her about it. Also, she might come from money, but it does make up for absent parents. Still, she's happy and she's comfortable with who she is and her life... and that's really what stood out for me from Ava :)

As for Cade, well from the little appearance he had in Bending the Rules, I was expecting him to be a bit more cold, a bit more aloof, a bit more "I come from money." Surprisingly though, he turned out to be outgoing, quite a likable fellow and a very good hero. I liked his personality and his dedication to his work. And also his patience and determination. To keep apologizing and having his apology shoved into his face... well it's not easy. Sure, he deserved it, but not everyone would keep on apologizing. Another point in his favor is that Cade realized immediately the mistake he did, betraying Ava - how much he hurt her, but also hurt himself because he genuinely liked her... and strangely enough, I think it made him a better person. I also appreciated that he was not simply a stupid jock when he was in high school, but that there was circumstances to the bet. It doesn't excuse it, but at least, it explains it.

I think the romance in Playing Dirty was great. Given the circumstances, Ava and Cade had a lot to overcome in order to have a successful relationship and Ms Andersen handled it well. I think the secret to this story was balance. In order to make this romance work, there was three points in my opinion: 1) Cade had to grovel, 2) Ava had to forgive him and 3) Ava's insecurities about her weight. What I liked is that Cade did a good amount of groveling - perhaps it helped that the bad thing he did was prior to the book. Too often, heroines let the heroes go too easily in my opinion... but it was not the case with Cade. Another thing that works is that Ava wasn't too stubborn about Cade. She still harbored a lot of bad feelings towards Cade at the beginning of the book, but gradually, she changed her mind. She saw him, interacted with him and her opinion changed. She did cling to the bet from time to time, but that was mainly at the beginning of the story which was understandable. Later on, she was able to let go and move on and that was great. As for Ava's insecurities about her weight, I was glad that it wasn't mentioned at nausea. Yes, it was an important part of the book, but Ms Andersen didn't repeat it over and over again. See, like I said, balance :) There was just enough of everything for it to work for me :) Of course, it helped that Ava and Cade were such great characters with very good chemistry :) All in all, I really enjoyed the dynamic between the H/H... They gave as much as they got which made for a great romance :)

Other things that Ms Andersen did well in Playing Dirty was to show the friendship between Ava, Poppy and Jane. I really enjoyed the dynamics between the three women and Ms Andersen gave us just enough of it :) As in, Poppy and Jane did not steal the spotlight from Ava. Also, I really enjoyed seeing Ava works as a concierge, jack-of-all-trade indeed, as well as seeing some of the steps for the documentary. It gave the readers the opportunity to really understand the characters and see another side of them :)

Unfortunately, I also had a few issues with Playing Dirty. As with everyone, I find that the diamonds mystery was a bit superfluous. It would have been more interesting to have Ava and Cade try to solve it, instead of adding a villain. His presence broke the pacing of the book in my opinion, because having his point of view just felt out of place. Another issue is that I felt the last quarter of the book was a bit too rushed. I would have liked to have seen Cade and Ava develop their relationship a bit more before declaring their love. When Cade said "I love you" to Ava, I knew she was going to freak out. It definitively was too soon. It's true that from Cade's POV, he's always loved Ava... but she has just forgiven, you've just started "seeing" each other and already, you're saying the words... Nope. At least, Ava realized that she needed to grab onto Cade :) Also, there was the relationship between Ava and her mother. It was nice to see Ava's mother finally realizing what she's been doing all those years... but I thought it was a bit too perfect. Like Ms Andersen was trying to wrap up everything a bit too nicely. Perhaps if it was a bit more developed... LOL, I guess I just wanted the book to be longer LOL.

All in all, I think Harlequin was wise to come back on their decision and allow Ms Andersen to write this story. Also, big big kudos to Ms Andersen to deliver, because this was a book readers were looking forward to and it was really good :)

My Grade: B+ 

Review: Burning Up by Susan Andersen

Don't you hate it when real life interfere with your blogging? First there was the long week-end, then a dinner with friends yesterday. Of course, there's always work and today, a bit of nausea. Bleh. I have no idea why I feel nauseous, all I know is the feeling has come and gone today. The weirdest thing is I'm super hungry though.

Anyway, I don't want to let a day pass without a post and since I have nothing interesting to say, let's review :) Hopefully, this will turn out to be a decent review.



Disclaimer: I've received Burning Up as an eARC from NetGalley

Burning Up by Susan Andersen
published by HQN Books in August 2010

She's so good at being bad

Though it's been years since the infamous Macy O'James stepped foot in Sugarville, Washington, everyone remembers what she supposedly did. The tiny town is still buzzing about her crime and lack of punishment.

Now back to lend her family a hand, Macy vows to hold her head high-especially at her high school reunion. But forget about the hottest man in Sugarville escorting her. Though she and fire chief Gabriel Donovan generate enough sparks to burn down the town, he's a law-abiding, line-toeing straight arrow. So not her type.

But maybe-just maybe-he can change her mind about that.

Genre: Contemporary romance
Series: None

The Story: Macy's mother has the traveling bug and so when she was growing up, she moved around a lot. Lucky for her, her aunt Lenore stepped in when Macy started high school. Macy moved in with them for more stability and was thick as thieves with her cousin Janna. Unfortunately for Macy, life was far from perfect as she refused to do it with the most popular guy in school who went around and spread nasty rumors. Since Macy couldn't beat the rumors, she decided to play them up.

Now Macy is coming back to her hometown in order to take care of Janna who was victim of a hit and run and Janna's son, Tyler. Nobody has forgotten the rumors nor the car accident that took away the promising future of three football players, but it does not matter to Macy because her family needs her. Also, why not give them what they expect?

Then she meets Gabriel Donovan, the fire chief and also boarder at her aunt Lenore and uncle Bud's house. Attraction flares between the two, but Gabriel is determined to ignore it. He left his bad boy years behind him for good a long time ago and all he wants now is a peaceful life. However, with Macy in town and a series of arson fires, what he wants and what he gets are two different things...

My Opinion: In the note to the readers at the beginning of the book, Ms Andersen mentioned that the past year has been taxing and all she wanted with Burning Up was to have fun. Well mission accomplished Ms Andersen :) While Burning Up was far from being the perfect book, I had tons of fun reading it and most of it is attributed to her heroine, Macy O'James :)

Macy was a great heroine and stole the show for me. She's built a life for herself and is proud of what she's accomplished. So what if she sold her sex appeal in music videos? She did nothing to be ashamed of and is now starting a career at making said music videos. I liked that she was strong and confident, but at the same time, was not invincible. Playing up the rumors back then might not have been the wisest and she knows that nobody has forgotten her transgression back then. However, what's done is done and what matters is that her family needs her. So Macy braves her discomfort and comes back home with all her costumes that she uses as armors to protect herself. Macy is vulnerable, but she puts on a strong and solid front and doesn't want anyone to pick up on it. Her way of protecting herself was to provoke people because while they were busy discussing the superficial, they didn't have time to look at her inner core. Macy was definitively a complex character and she's not wrong at protecting herself. I liked the fact though that didn't use her past as a crutch and got stubborn about it. It's just the way it was and she accepted it.

In comparison, I thought Gabriel was a bit two-dimensional and not as interesting. His wishy-washy attitude towards Macy was annoying. Be a man, be more decisive - if you want Macy, then go after her! And he eventually did which makes him no so bad LOL. You cannot dismiss chemistry in a relationship. It's either present or not and if it's not, you should question its absence. I understand Gabriel didn't want to go back to those destructive years... however, different circumstances lead to different outcomes. In that sense, I felt that Gabriel was too rigid at time. Of course, he does redeem himself and Macy and Gabriel together are a hot item :) I did think that he was a bit harsh with her at the end though, when he asked her to stop with her costumes. He knew why, but didn't completely understand Macy's feelings and motivations behind it and so, I thought he could have tried harder.

The story was fun and focused mainly on Gabriel and Macy's relationship which is always a good thing :) The mystery aspect with the arson cases was okay. It was interesting to see Gabriel in his element, do his job... but I think it could have been integrated in the storyline better. Lots of people brought up the secondary characters romance and how they enjoyed it. For me, it didn't work out so well. I thought it was a bit too rushed and wasn't really interested ^_^; I do hope though that Janna is going to get her own book. That I would definitively read.

All in all, this book is the story of a woman coming back to her hometown because of family and reluctant to stay due to nasty rumors and the people's attitude. In that sense, it reminded me a lot of Almost Perfect by Susan Mallery, and so did the resolution - the heroine finding out that a lot of people are actually nice and don't care about the past. However, that's where the similarities end. Burning Up is its own book with its own set of interesting H/H. The pacing and writing plus its characters turn this book into a quick read and because it's so fun, you're able to overlook its flaws. Burning Up turned out to be a very enjoyable read to me with some nice twists and surprises along the way :)

My Grade: B.

TBR Day: When He Was Wicked and Present Danger

Sigh, I thought I won my battle against my addiction of Bejeweled Blitz... turns out, not ^_^; Spent the whole day playing instead of writing this review :( Ah well, going to have to work harder to fight it :P It always helps though once I'm at the top of the leaderboard LOL.

Now, switching topics... How's the weather for everyone? I mentioned in an earlier post that we've been having great weather... I mean, WOW weather for March/spring... Very sunny and so far, only one day of rain! The temperature is also quite warm... However, it's totally wrong for guys to wear shorts this early in the year! Yes, shorts!!! I've seen a couple of guys in downtown and even the neighbor teenager... there's still some snow on your lawn!  So very wrong and as I said, scary!!

Changing subject again, now onto the reviews :D So I missed last month's TBR challenge and as a result, I aimed for a two-fer this month :) Well I succeeded LOL and one of them even fit this month's TBR challenge's theme! I wouldn't have known if Ames haven't told me :P Of course, the most difficult is to review the books in time...


When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn
published by Avon in July 2004

In every life there is a turning point.

A moment so tremendous, so sharp and breathtaking, that one knows one's life will never be the same. For Michael Stirling, London's most infamous rake, that moment came the first time he laid eyes on Francesca Bridgerton.

After a lifetime of chasing women, of smiling slyly as they chased him, of allowing himself to be caught but never permitting his heart to become engaged, he took one look at Francesca Bridgerton and fell so fast and hard into love it was a wonder he managed to remain standing. Unfortunately for Michael, however, Francesca's surname was to remain Bridgerton for only a mere thirty-six hours longer - the occasion of their meeting was, lamentably, a supper celebrating her imminent wedding to his cousin.

But that was then... Now Michael is the earl and Francesca is free, but still she thinks of him as nothing other than her dear friend and confidant. Michael dares not speak to her of his love…until one dangerous night, when she steps innocently into his arms, and passion proves stronger than even the most wicked of secrets...

Genre: Historical Romance
Series: The Bridgertons, Book #6

The Story: Michael Sterling fell in love with Francesca Bridgerton at first sight. Unfortunately for him, she was about to marry Michael's beloved cousin, John Sterling - Earl of Kilmartin. For the two following years, Michael was able to suppress his feelings for Francesca and they have become good friends, confidants even. Then, the unimaginable happens: John, the cousin Michael considered as his brother, Francesca's beloved husband, dies unexpectedly. Everything becomes worst when Francesca miscarries and Michael officially becomes the 9th Earl of Kilmartin. Grieving for John, unable to face his feelings for Francesca and his responsibilities as an earl, Michael escapes to India for a life of adventure.

Michael finally comes back after four years, believing that he can once again suppress his feelings for Francesca. At the same time, Francesca is now ready to remarry as she wants to have a family and children of her own... and Michael quickly realizes that he was mistaken - he is not over Francesca... and she is in for a shock.

My Opinion: So this is kind of funny... I was a late-comer to The Bridgertons series. In fact, the reason why I ever got into it was because When He was Wicked sounded interesting and it was many bloggers' favorite. So I got all the series, started from the beginning... and simply never made it to When He Was Wicked LOL. Then, not too long ago, Ames read it (see her review here) and it was enough for me to finally pick it up :)

I don't know if it's because I read The Next Best Thing by Kristan Higgins recently, which basically had the same premises in a contemporary setting, but I wasn't wowed by When He was Wicked as so many others have been. Oh, it was a good book for sure, just not a wowzer.

I really liked the hero, Michael Sterling. Such a tortured man! Granted, the torture was of a different type, but that doesn't make the feelings less real. I don't think there can be many things worst than being in love with your brother/best friend/cousin's wife. Not being able to confess, always having to hide the feelings and if everything goes wrong, you could lose everything. In addition, it was so ironic that a rake like Michael has finally found a woman with whom he'd like to settle down, but she's the only woman with whom he can't. Then, there was the death of John, the loss of John's child and taking John's place... I don't blame Michael for freaking out and running away. Despite all that was going on, Ms Quinn also managed to make Michael sound yummy :) LOL, such great writing... However, I wasn't too happy with his character when he decided to marry Francesca. There just wasn't transition between the tortured man and the one determined to marry his love... The turn-around took place too fast and it made his character seemed kind of inconsistent. He's taken such length to keep his distance, hide his feelings and understand that once he lets go, it's like the dam has broken... But why has the dam broken? I thought that there should have been more to the process than Colin saying "Why don't you marry her yourself?" Other than that, I really thought Michael was very yummy :)

As for Francesca, I didn't dislike her, but I didn't liked her either... She was just kind of bland. Holly mentioned in the comment section of Ames review that the readers don't really know Francesca at all. It's not exactly that readers don't know her, but it's more Ms Quinn telling readers that Francesca has been reserved and quiet and just left it at that. There's no real development to her character, no real growth. There's no real change to her character throughout the book. A lot of the book was focused on Michael agonizing about his feelings for Francesca, his inner thoughts... However, when it comes to Francesca, the inner monologues are glossed over...

When He was Wicked is really about Francesca and Michael and their relationship. There is no secondary plot and not many secondary characters either. I thought that the first part about John's death was very good and up to the part where Michael returns and is debating his feelings was very satisfying... However, it all goes down for me when Francesca runs back to Kilmartin - the country home. I don't blame her for running away... it's just the whole, "Should I marry Michael or not" and not being sure about her feelings that became a bit tedious.

My Grade: B. I'm glad I finally read When He was Wicked. As a whole, I was happy with the book, I liked it and it was different than the rest of the series. It just wasn't a wowzer for me.


Present Danger by Susan Andersen
published by Zebra Kensington in February 1993

On the run from her ex-husband, Aunie Franklin doesn't want another man telling her what to do. She's learning to take charge of her life.

James Ryder is finally getting his brothers' troubles straightened out-- the last thing he needs is another responsibility thrust upon him. But somebody's got to teach this little southern belle some street smarts.

Two people from different worlds, learning that in some areas they aren't so very different after all. But just when they start to believe there's a chance of their worlds meshing, the phone calls begin...

Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: none

The Story: Aunie Franklin is a Southern belle who married an older man for the money and prestige he could bring to her. While the marriage was not as ideal as she hoped, the last draw came when he refused to give her a baby because it would ruin her figure. That's when she decided to divorce him despite the protests of her family and that's when he showed his true face.

Battered, Aunie escapes to Seattle where she hopes she can start a new life away from her ex-husband and family. This time around, Aunie plans to use her brain instead of her beauty to make her way. She finds the perfect little apartment near the college she intends to attend, except her new landlord has a stick up his behind.

James Ryder is a popular cartoonist who doesn't want any more complications in his life. Coming from a rough neighborhood, he's trying to straighten out his brothers with little success. Seeing Aunie's battered face, he knows she's going to be trouble and so, they both start off on the wrong foot. However, it's clear that James can't keep his distance from Aunie...

My Opinion: I'm a fan of Ms Andersen, so I've been collecting her backlist. Present Danger is one of her oldest books and so I was happy to finally find a copy :) I didn't have high expectations for it, as I haven't heard much of this book... and it's good thing since it turned out to be so-so.

To me, it all came down to the characters. For some reasons, they just weren't very likable to me. I admire Aunie for admitting she was a trophy wife and wanting to make herself better with this second chance, but admiring and liking is not the same. As for James, I thought sometimes, he was really rude. It's one thing not to want to be involved in other's problems, but you don't have to be rude :( And the worst is that, straightening out other people's problem seems to be Jame's favorite hobby. He just can't help himself... so he shouldn't blame others for it, but himself. I just didn't care much for Aunie and James and so I wasn't really invested in their relationship. James was a very contradictory character and so it was a bit annoying... He kept saying he didn't want to be involved or commit in a relationship or like Aunie, but at every occasion, it jumped in feet first.

The story wasn't bad though... but again, it's hard to get into it if you don't really care about the main characters and it focused a lot around James and Aunie. There was also a lot of secondary characters that played filler, but that was okay.

What annoyed me most though was the accents. Lori made a comment about it in a review of hers (here) and I totally agree with her. It's distracting to read accents... and there wasn't one accent in Present Danger, but three!! Reading "woo-mon" simply drove me insane, ugh. If characters have accents, just mentioned it in the story... and let the readers imagine it. We already imagine the rest, so one more thing won't kill us LOL.

My Grade: C. Not the best Susan Andersen book out there, but considering this was her second book only and it's been written more than 15 years ago, it was okay :) Lots of things change in the romance and real world. It does sustain the test of time, but I don't know, I don't think it's a story we would see nowadays. To be labeled as romantic suspense nowadays, I think it should be a lot more gritty and perhaps, gory. In any case, it would have worked better if I'd have liked the characters, I'm sure of that :)

Review: Danger in a Red Dress by Christina Dodd (and a rant)

I told you I was on a roll LOL :) Guess what? Yes, I have another review up at Breezing Through! Joining me this time is Jill from Romance Rookie. This is a book we've both read a few months ago ^_^; but thought it'd be fun to review, since we did the book before it... So click here for it.

Danger in a Red Dress by Christina Dodd
published by New American Library (Signet) in March 2000

Home care nurse Hannah Grey is dedicated to her patient, an aging widow still tainted by the financial scandal her late husband perpetrated. She makes Hannah promise that upon her death, she'll right the family's wrongs, and gives Hannah her offshore account's access codes.

But Carrick Manly will do anything to discover where his family's fortunes lie- including kill his own mother. Fearing for her life, and desperate not to betray the widow, Hannah flees. And when Carrick's half-brother, Gabriel, tracks her down in Houston, Hannah must trust her own instincts-and her heart-to survive.

I probably won't have time to blog again today, so I'll use this post... First, the biggest news: everyone who gets Susan Andersen's newsletter is aware of it now, but let me share it... So apparently, there won't be a third book in the Sisterhood Diaries trilogy - no Ava story!! What a bummer. Seriously :( If you want the book, you can explain why in an e-mail to this address: avastory@susanandersen.com.

Then, a little bit of a rant... I went to the bookstore yesterday. Ugh. See, I'm looking for Bad Moon Rising by Sherrilyn Kenyon. Apparently, all the bookstores have gotten their copies already. I was debating between getting it online or in-store... Even though it's 40% off online, the book doesn't officially come out till next week. So I would have to wait till next week to order it to avoid the pre-order shipping fee (6-7$). I do plan to make an online order, but my deadline is tomorrow to make it (I have some Aeroplan points promotion I want to use)... and I cannot do two orders, because I have no idea what to buy else (no pre-orders) so I can reach 39$ and have the books shipped free. In-store, I would only get 10% discount, but I have a coupon: Get 5$ off of any purchase of 35$ and more. So I called bookstore A - they have copies. The only problem is the first time, I was transferred to the wrong department and the second time, the girl told me it only came out on August4. I know that, but sometimes you put the books out early! I guess it was too much trouble to check. Then, I called bookstore B and she said they had it in stock and they'd put a copy aside for me. The only problem? She didn't look for the actual book, she just told me... I was debating between going to bookstore A or B. Personally, bookstore A are better at putting their books out so I might be more lucky there. However, there was another book I want: Homicide by Hardcover by Kate Calisle and that one was only available at bookstore B. Remember, I need to make a purchase of 35$... So the idea was if I found parking space, I'd go to bookstore A and if not, I'd go to bookstore B. Well I ended up in bookstore B and guess what? Yes, I came out empty-handed... Put aside for me was a little piece of paper telling me the book was only coming out on August 4!! OMG, it really pisses me off! The worst is that I knew that would happen. I knew it and I still went! and you'd think that since it has its own parking lot, it'd be easier to find parking... But no!!! They built that Indigo too small. Proof? When I went to the romance section, I couldn't find a single trade paperback or hardcover... so I asked for them and you know what they told me?!? That they had in in-store, but because they were not selling as well, they kept it in the back. That means everytime I'll be looking for a trade-size or hardcover, I'll have to ask one of the clerk. Seriously?!? But hey, now they have place for all the mass paperback. Hmmm. Yeah, brilliant. Did you consider building the bookstore bigger? UGH. Like Ames told me in an e-mail:

Fack - the stupid bookstore. I HATE IT

Only applies sometimes, but seriously. Ugh. And please, please, please - whoever it was, this is a rant. Do not forward to the bookstore chain. It was really nice of you last time, but I'm just ranting.

And before, the bookstores used to open at 9am, so I could go just before I started work. Now, 10am! So I can't... and I'm going out for dinner tonight... so I'll have to try sneaking out during lunch break :( Ugh. Wish me good luck, especially since it seems like some copies of Karen Rose's new book have arrived!!!

Review: Bending the Rules by Susan Andersen

Where is everyone?!? I know some are busy preparing for the RWA, but still... very, very quiet on blogland for the past few days... perhaps everyone is getting ready for their vacation?

Lately, I found myself being addicted to Bejeweled again on Facebook. I really don't know why, but I like it. I like that it's so short, one minute. It brings back memories too, since I used to play so much when I was in college. My only complaint is that the scores keep being erased after a week. So annoying!! I think it should be kept somewhere: all-time best score. Ah well. Only problem is that I'm really addicted to it ^_^; Spends way too much time playing... just ask Ames ^_^; It's cutting in my reading and blogging time, so I must stop... or at least reduced... on the hand, it's free LOL :P

*Okay, I just wasted 20 minutes again, playing... See what I mean?!?

I probably should get on with the review if I wished to have it done before tomorrow ^_^;


Bending the Rules by Susan Andersen
published by HQN Books in July 2009

He Could Be Her Fantasy Man
Tall, dark and intense, Detective Jason de Sanges excites all kinds of fantasies in Poppy Calloway. But when she discovers the hot cop has a cold heart for kids at-risk, all bets are off. Free-spirited Poppy suggests the three teens caught spray-painting a Seattle neighborhood be given art-related community service. By-the-book Jason thinks they should pay, not be rewarded!

If He’d Just Bend A Little

With the men in his family always in the slammer, Jase was raised in foster care. He knows what it takes to walk the line: following the rules. And his number one self-imposed rule? Avoiding his hunger for sexy, irresistible Poppy, who challenges him on everything. Especially that number one rule...

Genre: contemporary romance
Series: The Sisterhood Diaries trilogy, Book #2

The Story: Ava, Jane and Poppy are three childhood best friends who inherited an old mansion from their older lady friend. The previous year, they had to deal with a robbery and in the process, met Detective Jason de Sanges... Let just say their meeting didn't go too well, since de Sanges was given the case when Ava pulled some strings with the mayor and captain to get the best detective on the case. Still, it didn't stop the sparks flying between de Sanges and Poppy - especially since Jase looks exactly like Poppy's teenage fantasy, the Sheik :P
Poppy and Jason meet again in Bending the Rules when they are both present at the Merchant' Association meeting which has been called to decide the fate of 3 teenagers who were caught tagging the buildings and businesses in the neighborhood. Poppy suggests that the teenagers clean off their tags and paint a murale over it under her supervision as a way to teach them responsibilities and consequences as well as giving back to the community. Jason is dead set against it because he considers it reward to the teens, not punishment... and he knows that you need a strong grip to handle teens in order for them not to walk the wrong path.

In the end, Poppy gets what she wants, working with the three teens... with Jase. Heat and attraction flare, Poppy and Jase get to know each other. However, everything gets more complicated when one of the teens witnesses a robbery related to Jase's case... and the thief wants to eliminate the witness...

My Opinion: I like Susan Andersen books. Not all of them, but most of them and I'm glad to report that Bending the Rules was fun and enjoyable :) It wasn't a wowzer, but it was fun and I think better than the first installment in this series, Cutting Loose.

I have to admit that I didn't remember Poppy and Jason very well ^_^; When I started reading, I was actually wondering which one Poppy was - the rich girl (Ava) or the other (Poppy)... and I had a vague memory of Jason. However, once I could place them back, I had no problem enjoying the rest of the story :)

I like Poppy and Jason's characters. Basically, we're back to one of my favorite theme where Poppy is the happy-go-lucky heroine and Jason, the stuffy shirt. Poppy is an artist, designs greeting cards, draws boards (the ones that announce menus and specials) and teaches to unpriviledged kids. She's used to struggling and has only recently stopped struggling for money when she sold her greeting card design to Shoebox. I liked her character because she's a happy woman. She sees the good side of everything, willing to give people second chances. She has a heart of gold, but she's not someone one can use, take advantage of - she has a strong backbone. I liked the discipline she exhibited with the teenagers :) As for Jason, he's a little bit stuffy. Not rich/aloof stuffy, but more like he has a lot of self-control and discipline. This is mainly due to the fact that all the men of his family has been small-time criminals and law offenders and he's determined not to walk in their footsteps... As a result, I think it made Jason a little rigid in his convictions, but still, he's a good and yummy man :P

Poppy and Jason's relationship was an interesting one. It wasn't one where Poppy thawed out Jason... it was more like tug of war :) Both start out not really liking each other, but sparks and heat win out. I liked that they cleared out most of their misunderstandings and got to know each other before they fell into bed together. I liked their arguments and how one drove the other crazy :) In any case, I quite enjoyed the tug of war :)

The whole book was quite interesting. I enjoyed the Poppy's interactions with the teenagers. I also liked that the three teens that Poppy had to supervise were so different from each other - coming from different backgrounds. Ms Andersen did a good job not emphasizing too much on them. The added storyline of one of Poppy's protege was interesting... a bit superfluous perhaps, but it showed how much Poppy cared and how involved she is. One of my favorite elements in this book though was Jane, Ava and Poppy's interactions together. It's always fun to see best friends interact with each other - the memories, the past they share and how loyal they are. I really felt the connection between these 3 grown women.

Overall, I think that the book was well balanced and enjoyable. I especially liked Poppy and Jason and I think they stole the show as it should be. Readers are given a little bit of insight on Ava and probably her hero... very light sequel-baiting that works :) Can't wait to read her story :) If you're looking for something fun and quick, this might be it :)

My Grade: B

Review: Coming Undone by Susan Andersen

hmmm, I've been waiting impatiently for my online orders, but so far, the books are MIA... sucks :( in the meantime, I got Coming Undone by Susan Andersen and here's my review :D (Cool thing about MIRA/HQN books is that they can usually be spot in the bookstore 2 weeks b4 their release date :D)


Coming Undone by Susan Andersen
published by Mira in September 2007

A man in command.
A woman unwilling to be in love all alone.
A fan determined to teach his once-favorite star a lesson she won’t soon forget...

P.J. Morgan is an up-and-coming Country singer whose life is just about perfect-- until her manager-mom embezzles from her, her biggest fan becomes her worst nightmare, and the watchdog her record label hires to keep her in line turns out to be Jared Hamilton, the man she idolized once upon a time.

Genre: contemporary romance
Series: Ms Andersen considers this book as Book 4 in the Marine series. You don't need to read the whole series though, just Book 3 - Hot and Bothered in which both P.J. and Jared appear.

Why did I get this book? Because I liked Susan Andersen's latest book, Just for Kicks. I also enjoyed P.J. and Jared in Hot and Bothered.

My impressions? Hmmm, this book was quite enjoyable, but it didn't come close to Just for Kicks. There was something missing between P.J. and Jared... I think that both were trying to hard to "forget" their past because they were scared of getting hurt. Also, Ms Andersen should try to think of an alternative to the stalker plot...

The Heroine, The Hero and the Romance: A little background on both of them... P.J. comes from the poor side while Jared, the rich side. Both of them met 15 years ago, living on the streets of Denver: P.J. was kicked out by her mom at the age of 13 while Jared was suspected of having killed his father, so he was on the run. After everything was resolved, P.J. and Jared both went back home and P.J. stopped contacting Jared because of the whole "he's rich and what would he want from me." Personally, I think it's understandable for P.J. to have felt that way.

Anyhow, I really enjoyed P.J... she has a little something that makes her fun to read. I liked how she lost Jared a couple of times and how she's not afraid to express herself... even if it's to say: I need a break :D Very enjoyable heroine and she sounds real too. As for Jared, I don't know, I think we didn't get to read know him. It isn't shown how yummy he is. In addition, Jared has this whole control thing... you know, the one where he thinks, if he stays in control, he won't get hurt... which stems from P.J. loosing contact with him 15 years ago. Also, I don't think we got to know Jared very much... how has he been living the past 15 years?

As for the romance, it was okay, but quite predictable. I think what I miss the most in this book is some fun banter.

Secondary characters: The other couple were Nell and Hank. Nell is a song-writer and the tour manager while Hank is P.J. fiddle player. Nell has had a crush on Eddie, the guitarist, who's never noticed her... Then, she has a make-over and realizes that Eddie is just, hmmm, a man with no substance. This secondary love story was so-so too and didn't get much development. I don't think I'd have been too interested in it anyway. We also get to see some characters from previous books, but in this case, it makes sense for them to appear and they definitively don't steal the show.

The Story: This book was mostly focused on P.J. and Jared's relationship with the stalker side-plot. Like I said, I think that Ms Andersen could find something else than the stalker plot... it seems almost like an easy way out :( Aside from the romance, there was also the whole, "I want to be loved my mother, but that's never going to happen..." I think that Ms Andersen carried that part out very well... It's understandable for P.J. not to want the whole world to know how little her mother cares for her... so that was well-done.

What I liked: P.J., definitively, and Jared.

What I didn't like: the stalker plot.

Grade: B. An enjoyable read, but unfortunately, not a wowzer.

Reviews: Shadow Dance by Susan Andersen and Stray by Rachel Vincent

I know, I promised some reviews... and it never really happened ^^; At least, on the other hand, I've been reading a lot, so I guess it kinds of make up for it... no? I'll have lots of books to review when I'm in a reading slump :P Anyway, I'm still going to take the easy way out tonight and review these:


Shadow Dance by Susan Andersen: DNF
published by Harpercollins Canada in 2002

What Lurks in the Dark Shadows of the Heart?

Most men who see Amanda Charles dance worship her from afar. But one "admirer" is getting too close to the glamorous showgirl...perilously close.The looks, style, and grace that make Amanda sparkle on stage have now made her something else: the target of a serial killer.

Detective Tristan MacLaughlin has drawn the case that is pulling him deep into a world of pageantry and dazzle -- and closer to the stunning, violet-eyed beauty who keeps her secrets and emotions locked tightly inside. Tristan never thought he’d be bewitched by Amanda’s charms, never though he’d care. And he never imagined that by wanting her, by trying to protect her, he’d place her in the gravest danger of all.

Why did I get this book? Because I usually enjoy Susan Andersen's book... Truth be told though, I've often picked up this book, but put it back... I guess this is like exam with multiple choices: first instinct is always the best... should have left it on the shelf ^^;

My impressions: I've only got through the first couple of chapters... It just didn't do it for me... I liked Tristan enough, but my biggest problem was the heroine, Amanda... She just annoyed me so much, always jumping to wrong conclusions. Actually, both characters have the habit of thinking the worst of each other and that creates unnecessary trouble. So yeah, got annoyed by Amanda... then, I read the ending and I just figured it wasn't worth reading, because Amanda wasn't getting any better... ^^;


Stray by Rachel Vincent: DNF

published by Mira in June 2007

I look like an all-American grad student. But I am a werecat, a shape-shifter, and I live in two worlds.

Despite reservations from my family and my Pride, I escaped the pressure to continue my species and carved out a normal life for myself. Until the night a Stray attacked.

I'd been warned about Strays—werecats without a Pride, constantly on the lookout for someone like me: attractive, female and fertile. I fought him off, but then learned two of my fellow tabbies had disappeared.

This brush with danger was all my Pride needed to summon me back…for my own protection. Yeah, right. But I''m no meek kitty. I'll take on whatever—and whoever—I have to in order to find my friends. Watch out, Strays—''cause I got claws, and I''m not afraid to use them...

Why did I get this book? Because it sounded good, the cover is nice and I usually enjoy Mira books. I picked it up as soon as I got home from the trip from Toronto, but then put it down before reading the first page... not a good sign. Then, I picked it up again because Kris enjoyed it.

My impressions: Again, I got annoyed by the heroine... Faythe is tough and has an attitude and I guess she's strong too... the problem is that she's 23 y.o. and her "rebellion" comes off as immature and selfish to me. Seriously, she's annoyed at her father and brother's over-protectiveness and I understand that... but there's danger out there... aiming at her... and she just doesn't care as long as she can have her own life... Sorry, but man... these ppl are your family and they care about you... and for her just to get stubborn... She just clung too much to her independence, not caring about anyone else than herself... It really bothered me :( Also, all the sexual innuendos ^^; You guys know me... I like the one woman/one man relationship... and so all the attraction btw her and the other guys was just one more thing I disliked ^^;

Kris seemed to have enjoyed this book well enough... so I guess that all this is just me and if what I said above doesn't bother you usually, you'll probably enjoy the book :D I know that from the author's website, it seems that this is going to be a series...

Skintight by Susan Andersen: some thoughts...

hello everyone,

yes, still at the lab... but at least, now I have a full stomach :D another 30min and I should be on my way home... yay: home. nay: 45min of driving. argh. I'm exhausted.

anyway, as I'm waiting again (yes, in science, you do 10 minutes of work and you have 30-45min of waiting), I thought I would post my first thoughts about Skintight:

- I actually like Treena and Jax. I mean, it's almost all the same characters as Just for Kicks and they are all quite likeable.

- the fact that they dance topless (they = Treena and Carly) doesn't bother me. it's work right? (and i've always been bad as picturing what i'm reading)

- Mack and Ellen's love story: hmmm... this one was meh. Actually, Mack seems a bit different from this book than in Just for Kicks. I guess it's because in this one, he lusts for Ellen as in the other, he has her. (again, I'm glad I can't picture what I'm reading... 60 y.o. woman's cleavage? no offense, but not something I find totally attractive)

- Jax + Treena: okay, I have to say yay, Treena never had sex with her husband who was Jax' father. and yes, Jax and Treena do have sex. So yes, I understand that probably, the author thinks that Treena having sex with the father and later, the son would be icky (EWWWW), and so Susan Anderson writes the story in such a way that Treena and Big Jim (why Big?) never consumated their marriage, but please. Why is it that they always do that? yes, I know... the ewww factor, but let's be realistic? what's the probability that a woman marries an older man and never have sex with him before and father the wedding? not at least once? so that, I found a bit unbelievable.

- Other than that, I need to re-read the book again to really enjoy it.


ps - thanx mailyn for the words of encouragement. Yes, it will and it must work.

Review: Hot and Bothered by Susan Andersen

Hot and Bothered by Susan Andersen: 3/5

Quick, quick review before I go to work. So I finished Just for Kicks and since it was so good, I decided to try Hot and Bothered right away.

Hot and Bothered is the story of Victoria Hamilton and John Rocket M. (too long, difficult italian name for me to remember right now). Victoria and John were lovers for a week 6 years ago. The deal: one week of pure pleasure, no string attached, no last name... However, Victoria fell in love with John and so before the week was up, she slipped away. Result of that week: Esme, cute little girl. Once she was pregnant, her rich, neglecting, magnate father was scandalized and gave her two choices: either get an abortion or marry a banker of his choice. In the end, fed up, Victoria moved to London to put some distance between her father and her. Unfortunately, she had to leave her little half-brother - Jared-, whom she promised to protect, behind.

So 6 years later, Victoria's father is murdered... Jared has ran away and has become the prime suspect. Moving all her things from London back to the States, Victoria hires a P.I. to find her runaway brother... P.I. turns out to be John Rocket M. John's life was changed by Victoria - his whole attitude twds sex and all. After their week, he gave up the marines and became a P.I. and so he was very happy to see Victoria once again... until he saw Esme. So basically, the story is about John and Victoria still being attracted to each other, finding Jared, John learning to be a father and finding the murder.

The book was okay, but nothing wow. No really funneh situation, except maybe when John and Esme played Barbies and John transformed them into a platoon. Esme was cute, but that's it. In short, the book didn't really catch my attention and then, you skipped jumping back and forth in their relationship. I find it really annoying when two people are obviously attracted and are not sure whether or not they should get together... and then, they are from different social class, so that's another obstacle...

Review: Just for Kicks by Susan Andersen

Ah, finally a good book :D I haven't read a book that I truly enjoyed for the past couple weeks, so this book comes as a relief :D

Just for Kicks by Susan Andersen: 4.25/5 (B+)

So I was looking for good books and came across the title while visiting Zeek's blog when she asked for suggestions. Zeek said she had to go buy this one and so when I saw it at Waltmart yesterday, I picked it up (25% off :P) The funny thing is that there's not really a plot. I mean, yes, there's a storyline, but no intrigue, no murder, no investigation... so I guess this was the change from the other books I've been reading recently. And from what I gathered, this is the sequel to Skintight, which I'll try to find this week.

Carly Jacobson is a Vegas showgirl living in some condo unit. She's been having a tough time lately, because her latest baby (animals that she finds and bring back home), Rufus, has been toying with her nerves. Rufus is a pup that simply doesn't listen to orders and that could mean troubles if her new neighbor, Wolfgang Jones, decide to complain to the condo manager as each tenant can only have on pet... and Carly has 4. Carly and Wolfgang work at the same establishment (I think it's some sort of casino) and to say they don't get along well is putting it mildly. In short, both don't think highly of each other: in Carly's opinion, Wolfgang is too stuck up and unsociable while Wolfgang believes that Carly is an irresponsible chit.

Actually, Carly's opinion of Wolfgang is not far from the truth... as Wolfgang is very serious, a bit inflexible and doesn't like to socialize much. Because of his father's work, Wolfgang had had to move a lot, both within USA and abroad, and he has lived in many embassies; however, not as the rich socialite, but as the son of middle class. So after having been snobbed by the higher social class in his teens, Wolfgang has come up with THE plan: basically, he's working in security at a casino in Vegas to gain experience in order to become head director of a security branch in some big company. Once he'll get his dream job, he'll find a nice woman to marry... someone nice, gentle and responsible... the complete opposite of Carly.

However, Wolfgang and Carly get to know each other better when Niklaus, Wolfgang's nephew, move in with him. Niklaus is 17 y.o. and is the son of Wolfgang's daughter. Pretty much like Wolfgang, the teenager has had to move a lot in his life due to his flimsy mother. Worried about his association with some not so nice kids, the grandparents decide that it's perhaps better to have Niklaus move with Wolfgang for some stability... however, the question is how long will this stability last as Wolfgang will soon move to another state for his job.

My synopsis of the book is not that good ^^; but it's kind of hard to write one up, because as I say, there's no major event or showdown in the book. Basically, what I liked about this book is that Wolfgang and Carly didn't tiptoe around sex... as in, there wasn't a zillion scenes of foreplay. So Carly and Wolfgang had a bad start as they don't think much of each other, but they can't deny that they are attracted to each other. Once they get together, they get to learn from each other... Actually, it is Wolfgang who gets to know Carly better and his opinion of her changes for the better. At the same time, Wolfgang starts to change as well; he's becoming more friendly for his job, for Carly and for Niklaus. Something else I liked was the neighborhood: Carly's best friend, Treena, and fiance, Jax, as well as the older couple, Mack and Elyse. Their relationships are fun and relax, when reading the book I'm thinking: how I'd like to have neighbors like them. Niklaus storyline was nice as well and it was fun for once not to read about a bullied or outcast teenager. Finally, Wolfgang giving up his nice plan for his love for Carly and Niklaus.

so this book is definitively a keeper :D