Romance Starter Kits - Mystery & Suspense

Tonight, I'm tackling the "Mystery & Suspense" genre :) I think this one is hard because it straddles the line of contemporary as lots of contemporary romance books have a mystery thread in them to get the story moving forward. In my case, I sometimes like the mystery to be central :)

Here is my starter kit for this genre:

Don't Tell by Karen Rose
Out of the Shadows by Kay Hooper
Naked in Death by J.D. Robb
Truly, Madly by Heather Webber

My favorite romantic suspense author is Karen Rose, so no surprise that she's part of my starter kit :) Personally, most of her books can be read as stand-alone and I think a new reader can start wherever. That's why I almost recommended Count to Ten... But truthfully, all her books are good ;) So it's more an author recommendation than a book in this case. I enjoy her books because most of the characters are in law enforcement or the justice system and I feel they're really investigating.

Out of Shadows by Kay Hooper is my recommendation for someone who'd want a bit more mystery than romance. This is the third book in the series where the special FBI unit is introduced. I feel the first two books are meant to introduce this one... so the best is just jump straight in :) 

I think the In Death series is unavoidable for people interested in mystery and romance. This is one of longest running series with a to-die-for couple, Eve and Roarke :) This is series is great in the sense we see the evolution of Eve and Roarke as a couple... and the cases are strong. It does get a bit redundant after the first 20 books though LOL. However, definitively worth to try.

Truly, Madly by Heather Webber is my choice for romantic cosy mystery :) It's very cute and fluffy and is heavier on the romance than most cosy mystery series out there. However, it definitively gives you a taste of the genre with the amateur sleuth :P


Books/Authors that I considered:

Any of Nora Roberts stand-alones - I didn't add any though because it's really a fine, fine line between contemporary romance and romantic suspense. And it really depends on which stand-alone you pick as well.

Linda Howard - My pick would have been Now You See Her... but that would have been another book with a psychic and perhaps I should rename the post LOL. I wasn't sure which other books, because similarly to Nora Roberts, fine line between contemporary romance and her books. Plus, there's an edge in her writing that won't reach as wide an audience I think.


What I'm missing:

A book which features a current or ex-military character and/or security agency.

Review: Troublemaker by Linda Howard

Troublemaker by Linda Howard
published by Harpercollins Publisher (William Morrow) in May 2016

For Morgan Yancy, an operative and team leader in a paramilitary group, nothing comes before his job. But when he’s ambushed and almost killed, his supervisor is determined to find out who’s after the members of his elite squad—and why. Due to worries that this unknown enemy will strike again, Morgan is sent to a remote location and told to lay low and stay vigilant. But between a tempting housemate he’s determined to protect and a deadly threat waiting in the shadows, keeping under the radar is proving to be his most dangerous mission yet.

The part-time police chief of a small West Virginian mountain town, Isabeau “Bo” Maran finally has her life figured out. She’s got friends, a dog, and a little money in the bank. Then Morgan Yancy shows up on her doorstep. Bo doesn’t need a mysterious man in her life—especially a troublemaker as enticing and secretive as Morgan.

The harder they fight the intense heat between them, the closer Morgan and Bo become, even though she knows he’s hiding from something. But discovering the truth could cost Bo more than she’s willing to give. And when Morgan’s cover is blown, it might just cost her life.

Genre: Contemporary romance, Romantic Suspense
Series: Stand-alone

The Story: Technically, the story of Troublemaker happens as described in the blurb... but let just say the blurb is a tad more dramatic than the story ^_^; Let just say that keeping under the radar wasn't that dangerous a mission and that Morgan was very forthcoming with Bo LOL.

Morgan Yancy is an operative and team leader in a paramilitary group. Shortly after his return for a mission, Morgan is ambushed and almost dies from complication. Having no idea why Morgan was targeted, his supervisor sends him to a small town in West Virginia for recovery and to set a trap... and because it has the added bonus to annoy the crap out of his ex-stepsister, Isabeau "Bo" Maran.

After a house flip gone back which left her with tons of debts, Now the chief of police of Hamrickville - doing only the administrative part of the job, Bo is finally pulling her life back together... and the last thing she needs is a man who needs tending.

What neither expected was the attraction building as Morgan recovered.


My Opinion: As I've mentioned many times, I was hesitant to pick up Troublemaker based on Ms Howard's last few releases, but the good reviews convinced me... Plus, I was curious to see in what shape Ms Howard is doing her comeback :)

 Overall, I thought Troublemaker was a pleasant read. Ironically, I felt the pacing was very similar to The Obsession by Nora Roberts as in the majority of the story was focused on Morgan's recovery and his cohabitation with Bo, their day-to-day lives and routines. Readers really got to witness Morgan and Bo's relationship, from being two strangers to becoming roommates, then friends and eventually lovers. As a reader who doesn't like my H/H falling into bed and love instantly, I really appreciate the slow build-up. In addition, Ms Howard fleshed out the little town with nice characters - nothing too stereotypical (except for the rich offspring jerk) and Troublemaker had a great dog character, Tricks :) Actually, in many scenes, Tricks completely stole the show LOL. No worries though, as awesome as Tricks was, she didn't get her own POV :P

However, I don't think this pacing was as successful for Ms Howard as it is for Ms Roberts, mainly because the story and the author's voice were quite flat, almost monotonous. It's not a feeling I got while reading the book, but after I was done. For example, I'm sitting here writing this review and am realizing I don't really have a grasp on Morgan and Bo's characters. I don't know what made them the persons they are. Readers were told a lot of things - for example: Bo and Morgan's supervisor detesting each other, Bo being in debt, Bo having friends, Morgan being a leader - but we were shown little and nothing was expanded, developed... and at the end of the day, I wonder what I read ^_^;

There was also a lack of passion, feelings in Troublemaker. The romance was also a bit flat, because Morgan and Bo were already living together. There was no courting, no dating... There wasn't much differences between Morgan and Bo being friends and being in love, except for them starting to have sex. While I enjoyed witnessing the growth of their relationship, I needed it more in the romance department.

Finally, the suspense was a bit anti-climatic. There was some "action" in the book that happened and had nothing to do with Morgan and his ambush.  All I have to say is the "rich offspring jerk" plot is getting old... and in the case of Troublemaker, I was dumbstruck because it's a bit ridiculous ^_^; As for the book's overall suspense plot, it was disappointing because everything wrapped up in less than 20 pages, when the book is 300+ pages. So really, you can't help but wonder "that's it?" and that's why I found everything so anti-climatic.

My Grade; Initially, right after finishing it, I thought Troublemaker was a B- read. Good book with some flaws and definitively better than the last few books by Ms Howard that I've read (and from what I've heard, the ones I've skipped since Veil of Night too). However, the more I reflect on it, the more flaws and faults I find... and I don't think I should overlook that because this was better than the last releases I've read. Therefore, Troublemaker gets a C+ from me. Despite all my complaints, the book was enjoyable - just not memorable.

Review: The Obsession by Nora Roberts

All right, let's do this!!

I was debating which book to review and decided to go with The Obsession by Nora Roberts... Her books are usually comfort reads, so I figured they'd be comfort reviews too? Or at least, easy to review... right? Guess I'll find out now LOL.


The Obsession by Nora Roberts
published by Putnam in April 2016

Naomi Bowes lost her innocence the night she followed her father into the woods. In freeing the girl trapped in the root cellar, Naomi revealed the horrible extent of her father’s crimes and made him infamous.

Now a successful photographer living under the name Naomi Carson, she has found a place that calls to her, thousands of miles away from everything she’s ever known. Naomi wants to embrace the solitude, but the residents of Sunrise Cove keep forcing her to open up—especially the determined Xander Keaton.

Naomi can feel her defenses failing, and knows that the connection her new life offers is something she’s always secretly craved. But as she’s learned time and again, her past is never more than a nightmare away.

Genre: Contemporary romance, Romatic Suspense
Series: Stand-alone

The Story: For once, the blurb is pretty accurate. On the eve of her 12th birthday, Naomi follows her father into the wood, hoping to find the location of her birthday gift. Instead, what she finds is a young woman - naked, bloody and tied up - in a forgotten root cellar. The discovery and ensuing rescue and revelation that Naomi's father is a serial killer forever changes and marks Naomi and her family - her younger brother Mason, her mother and her two uncles with whom they go to live with.

Eighteen years later, Naomi is a successful photographer who's been roaming the country since she finished college... that is until she ends up in Sunrise Cove, Washington State. In Sunrise Cove, Naomi falls in love with this grand, isolated and neglected house - 5 fireplaces, 10 bedrooms, 6.5 baths - and decides to settle. At least, for now.

With all the renovation and her own work, Naomi doesn't expect to form bonds with the town and its residents. She doesn't expect to suddenly own a dog or to start a romance with Xander Keaton - mechanic, lead singer in a band and avid reader. She starts to embrace this new life until a series of murders, eerily similar to her father's crimes, starts happening... Her past seems determine to catch up to Naomi... but can she outrun it and find happiness?

My Opinion: Over the years, I've noticed a pattern with Ms Roberts' stand-alone books... It seems she'll have a winner book, followed by a lull of 2-3 years before her next wowzer. That was supposed to be last year... and therefore, I was sorely disappointed with Ms Roberts' last book, The Liar, because it really didn't meet my expectations. Still, I pre-ordered The Obsession, really hoping it would be the end of the drought... and guess what? It was!!

Ms Roberts' last hit for me was The Witness and not surprisingly, there was a lot of similarities between The Witness and The Obsession, mainly in the structure of both stories. Both books start with the heroine's back stories at a younger age, setting up for the intrigue. Fast-forward many years and our heroines are all grown up and we see them settle in their new lives. A major part of the books is dedicated to the day-to-day details, their routines, and how the heroes worm in their lives :) Finally, there's the intrigue/mystery part of the books... And while I could discern the pattern Ms Roberts used, I still immensely enjoyed The Obsession :)

I was kind of in a reading lull when I picked up The Obsession and right away, Ms Roberts hooked me in. Perhaps it was the familiarity of her voice, but it's hard to deny there is something special about Ms Roberts' writing. Especially when you consider the fact that a huge part of the book is about Naomi's renovations, her work and day-to-day life and Ms Roberts is still able to make it interesting. It's her way of making us connect with the characters better, but it takes talent to pull it off because with any other authors, I'm sure many of us would find it too detailed and boring... but Ms Roberts just makes it work. So I think with The Obsession, Ms Roberts played to her strength. She aslo kept the cast of characters under control which was an issue for me in The Liar.

Speaking of characters, I really enjoyed the ones in The Obsession, particularly Naomi. What I liked most with Naomi is that we understood from the beginning where her issues were coming from, why she was the way she was. I mean, you don't find out your father is a serial killer and play a critical part in his arrest without carrying a lot of baggage for the rest of your life. As such, I didn't have any issue with Naomi's fight or flight reaction and her fear of commitment. As for Xander, he was a great hero :) As Ames told me, who doesn't love a hero who loves to read? :P But seriously, I liked him. He wasn't as charming as Brooks from The Witness or grumpy as Simon from The Search, but a mixed of both. There was also a sexy, manly vibe coming off from Xander... perhaps the whole lead singer thing. I liked how confident he was, but without being pushy and appreciate that he didn't go completely alpha on Naomi. He listened to her and that was very important. Their romance was very organic and it worked :) Aside from Naomi and Xander, I enjoyed Naomi's brother's character the most. There's just something about a character having a goal and achieving int :) All the other characters were entertaining as well.

As for the mystery, well it was expected. I read a review somewhere that said the mystery/intrigue was a bit jarring, like it didn't seem to fit the rest of the story because most of the book was quite mellow. I can see where that reviewer is coming from, but for The Obsession, something had to happen. It'd be hard to believe that someone could comes across two murders in their life and them not being connected. Or perhaps, it'd make this person really unlucky ^_^;  So in that sense, I think the mystery failed a little... as in, it was a bit too predictable. Finally, the only part that I didn't really like was the whole thing with the first victim in Sunshine Cove. How she had a crush on Xander and felt that Naomi was stealing him and the confrontation. Something bothered me and I think it's the whole behavior. First, did we really need to know/connect with the victim? Did it really have to impact Naomi and Xander's that much? And second, it's how the woman was painted... As a dissatisfied woman with a bad attitude. Meh.

My Grade: B+.  I really enjoyed everything about The Obsession, It hooked me in from the beginning to the end and was perfect for my mood. Definitively Ms Roberts' better books in a few years... Hopefully, the wait won't be too long till the next winner.

Review: The Liar by Nora Roberts

Hi everyone!

Long time no see! I feel like I need to start this post with an apology. I'm sorry for the radio silence. Let just say that this year, curling has kicked my butt LOL. This year was the first time I curled the full season - 3 times a week, and participated to all the tournaments possible. Frankly, since New Year, I think had 2 free week-ends. If I wasn't curling, I was volunteering at the club. I loved it, but I'm also glad the season finished last week-end.

Since curling kept me so busy, I pretty much had to choose between reading and blogging... and I chose reading. I haven't read as much as I wished, but at least, I did. It was an easy choice considering that many of us have slowed down our blogging. It's unfortunate, but the truth is blogging isn't the same as when I started. As much as it pains me to say, the community sense that blogging brought me in the beginning isn't there anymore... and so I let go.

I seriously considered stop blogging, just like that. Leave my blog up, but not adding to it anymore. However, this morning, on my way to work, I felt like writing this review. So I'm giving it another go. No promise if there'll be more and at what rate ^_^; I guess we'll have to see where this leads me.

So for the meantime, enjoy this review! :)

The Liar by Nora Roberts
published by Putnam in April 2015

Shelby Foxworth lost her husband. Then she lost her illusions …

The man who took her from Tennessee to an exclusive Philadelphia suburb left her in crippling debt. He was an adulterer and a liar, and when Shelby tracks down his safe-deposit box, she finds multiple IDs. The man she loved wasn’t just dead. He never really existed.

Shelby takes her three-year-old daughter and heads south to seek comfort in her hometown, where she meets someone new: Griff Lott, a successful contractor. But her husband had secrets she has yet to discover. Even in this small town, surrounded by loved ones, danger is closer than she knows—and threatens Griff, as well. And an attempted murder is only the beginning …

Genre: Contemporary romance, Romantic Suspense
Series: None

My Opinion: Sigh. I guess that tells it all ^_^;  It's true that the last couple of books by Ms Roberts haven't been stellar... but knowing what she can write, I always have high expectations when she has a new stand-alone release. I'm always hoping the next book is going to be the wowzer. Unfortunately, it wasn't the case with The Liar. In fact, I thought The Liar was quite the disappointment, even more subpar than Whiskey Beach and The Collector :(

My main issue with The Liar wasn't so much the writing - although it's starting to feel very trite, but the set-up/premise of the story and the fact that it's been done many times. Wife discovering that her husband wasn't who she thought he was, that he was a cheat, a liar and left her with tons of debts - sounds familiar? Yes, Ms Roberts took the premise one step further, but it was still very predictable. Furthermore, what was supposed to be the biggest twist wasn't because it was soooo obvious. As soon as I read the first chapter, combined with the blurb, I knew where this was heading... It was like one big red flag that was impossible to disregard, mainly because once again, it's been done previously. So that was the biggest disappointment because while it's never the focus, the suspense remains an important element in Ms Roberts stand-alone book.

There was also something else I was kind of uncomfortable with. When Shelby comes back to her hometown with her daughter, she has to face her brother and best friend. She has to admit her marriage wasn't perfect and that in a way, her husband abused her. He belittled her, cut her off from her friends and family and didn't give her any money of her own. What bothers me is that Shelby's brother and best friend were like: "Why did you let him?" I know it's because both of them know and believe in Shelby's strength, but it came off wrong. Psychological abuse can happen to anyone, no matter how strong they are. The way the brother and best friend acted was like Shelby let herself be abused. Perhaps I'm the one reading the situation wrong, but it just left a bad impression for me.

Speaking of strength, Shelby had it in spade. Of course, that was a good thing because everyone likes a strong heroine. And you had to be strong to go through what Shelby went through. On that front, I really admired her. However, I felt this strength made it hard for me to connect with Shelby. Or perhaps, it's the pride. Sometimes, there's only a fine line between strength and pride. Shelby insisted on dealing with her financial problems on her own and as I said, that's admirable. She wanted to be independent and that's also admirable. However, by refusing everyone's help and insisting to deal with stuff on her own, I felt Shelby built barriers between herself and her entourage... and those barriers were also felt between her and the readers. Every time she accepted help, it was reluctantly and that started to grate with me. Overall, I felt there was a distance between me and Shelby and didn't connect with her. The huge cast of characters also didn't help in that matter. Ms Roberts have written books with huge families, but this is the first time I was confused. I had difficulty keeping people apart - Granny, Gamma, Clayton, Clay, Jack and Jackson, etc. And I don't seem to be the only one confused because at least in two instances, there was a mistake where Shelby was referred as Callie - her daughter's name ^_^; Which by the way, I didn't like Shelby as a heroine name. I almost felt like that name didn't fit the heroine. Callie would have been better... Anyway, there were just so many characters in this book and unfortunately, very few of them has individuality to make them stand out :(

What saved the book from being a total dud for me was the hero, Griff. I thought he was a solid hero - friendly, patient, reasonable and nice. A guy I would like to have as a boyfriend and whom guys would definitively want as a friend. He wouldn't be my top 3 Nora Roberts' heroes as I liked them a bit grumpy, but he was definitively a great guy. And I loved the way he interacted with Callie, Shelby's daughter. I loved how he took Callie on dates even when Shelby wasn't present. He never hesitated around Callie, just jumped straight in and forged a relationship with her. Callie was also a good character - not too cute and precocious.

My Grade: C-. I wonder if I'm being biased or not because this is a NR. It wasn't that The Liar was all that bad... it just didn't measure up to what I'm used to by Ms Roberts. I really hope her next release will be better. It's really time she shakes things up - for her stand-alones and trilogies. I'm going to give her next book a chance, but perhaps I won't rush to get it.

Review: Concealed in Death by J.D. Robb

Hi everyone! How are you doing? Sorry for the lack of posts! :( I didn't mean to neglect the blog, but you know how it is... Curling has kept me extremely busy in February and I'm still trying to recover from it. Doesn't help that I have a cold at the moment, sigh. But I'm trying!

To start up things again, I decided to go with a review of Concealed in Death. Enjoy!


Concealed in Death by J.D. Robb

published by Putnam in February 2014

In a decrepit, long-empty New York building, Lieutenant Eve Dallas’s husband begins the demolition process by swinging a sledgehammer into a wall. When the dust clears, there are two skeletons wrapped in plastic behind it. He summons his wife immediately—and by the time she’s done with the crime scene, there are twelve murders to be solved.

The place once housed a makeshift shelter for troubled teenagers, back in the mid-2040s, and Eve tracks down the people who ran it. Between their recollections and the work of the force’s new forensic anthropologist, Eve begins to put names and faces to the remains. They are all young girls. A tattooed tough girl who dealt in illegal drugs. The runaway daughter of a pair of well-to-do doctors. They all had their stories. And they all lost their chance for a better life.

Then Eve discovers a connection between the victims and someone she knows. And she grows even more determined to reveal the secrets of the place that was called The Sanctuary—and the evil concealed in one human heart.

Genre: Romantic suspense, Mystery/Thriller
Series: In Death, Book #38

The Story: It's pretty much as the blurb described. Roarke has acquired a new building that he plans to turn into a refuge for the troubled and lost. As the owner, he gets to swing the sledgehammer first... only to discover a fake wall and two skeletal remains. Of course, he immediately calls his cop to the scene.  Once the crime scene is processed, Eve and Peabody find themselves in charge of an investigation involving a total of 12 remains - all of girls between 10 and 15 according to their new forensic anthropologist's initial report.

During the investigation, Eve and Peabody learn that Roarke's building used to be a shelter for kids called The Sanctuary. The organization, ran by two siblings, was helped by a generous benefactor and moved to a new location 15 years ago... Which would be the time around which the murders took place. Furthermore, many of the victims had connections with The Sanctuary whether as short-term or long-term residents.

Eve and Roarke both feel a connection with these girls as both had bad childhood. However, it hits even closer to home when it turns out that Mavis knew some of the victims...

My Opinion: It's hard to believe the In Death series is already 38 books long and still going strong. That being said, every series has ups and downs and the In Death series is no exception. I feel that lately, we've been in one of the downs... and while Concealed in Death didn't pull us out, it's a step in the right direction :)

For me, Concealed in Death started out strong. What made it stand out was the case, very different from what Eve and Peabody usually deal with because the time at which the murders were committed. In truth, even though the bodies have only been just discovered, this investigation was more a cold case than an active one and that meant different dynamics. I liked that this investigation only involved a handful of people with Eve and Peabody at the front. In some ways, it also set the tone to the book limiting the appearances of the secondary characters. Oh don't get me wrong, I love Eve and Roarke's entourage... but having all the cast show up in every book makes it feel forced and very predictable at times. So it was nice to get a break in Concealed in Death, almost like going back to the basis.

However, having a cold case as the focus of the book wasn't all good. As much as I liked the different dynamics it engendered, I have to admit that there was a definite lack of action and that towards the end, the investigation felt draggy and boring ^_^; There wasn't that "edge of your seat" feeling or the need to resolve the case as soon as possible because of the nature of the case and that's not a good thing in a romantic suspense :( I think Ms Robb should have added another smaller investigation or use the opportunity to explore something such as a conflict between Eve and Roarke or something... For the case, it didn't help that once again, Eve was able to zoom in almost immediately on the culprit or that little tiny detail that would point her in the right direction. This is a complaint I've had for several books now. It has come to a point that I almost wish Eve would be wrong ^_^; I know she has good instinct, but it kind of ruins the mystery a bit. Luckily, Ms Robb is a good author and is able to plant the clues and build the case around Eve's gut feeling... but it'd be nice if someone else like Peabody had the feeling or if it wasn't too obvious.

Aside from the case, there wasn't much going on on the personal front. Ms Robb tried to connect Eve and Roarke to the case because of their rotten childhoods. I understood where Ms Robb was going, but I didn't really feel it. It's not really anything we haven't read before ^_^; I know that the past is what shaped Eve and Roarke into who they are today, but I feel it'd be nice if they could focus on something different... Also, Eve's dreams used to make sense to me, but not anymore. Always dreaming about her cases can't be a good thing and quite frankly, I find those passage to be boring. In addition, it'd be nice if she could stop finding clues in her dreams ^_^; The one thing that worked for me was connecting the case to Mavis. That's something I actually didn't expect, although looking back, it was quite obvious. It was also nice to learn more about Mavis, made us understand her more... and after 38 books, I think it was time :) I'm also curious to see if Quilla will become a recurring character or not. I liked that spunky teen :P

My Grade: C+. Concealed in Death wasn't my favorite In Death book and looking back, I had a lot of issues with it. However, it some important ways, it different than the previous books and that's giving me hope for the future of the series.

Review: Dirty Secrets by Karen Rose

Dirty Secrets by Karen Rose
originally published by New American Library in 2005, re-released by Penguin (InterMix) in January 2014

Emma Townsend is astonished when she comes across a love letter tucked away in an old high school year book, written by her once dear friend Chris Walker. Having never seen it until now, the letter has taken seventeen years to touch Emma’s heart. Now she’s determined to find Chris and maybe even get a second chance at romance.

For Chris, now a college professor, seeing Emma again has brought back a flood of memories, rekindling a passion he thought was long gone. But in the shadows, someone is watching Emma and Chris, someone nursing revenge, and plunging Emma into a nightmare where no one can be trusted and every dirty little secret is sealed with a kiss.

Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: Connected with Watch Your Back

The Story:  Emma Townsend is a psychologist, specializing in grief. However, for the past year, Emma has felt like a fraud because she has not been able to follow her own advice, has not been able to deal with the loss of her husband who was killed in a convenience store robbery. One day, while cleaning out his book, she stumbles across one of her old high school year books and discovers a love letter written by her dear friend Christopher Walker, one that she has never read. Afraid that all these years he thought she has rejected him, Emma hires a PI in the hope to find Christopher and makes things right.

Divorced and a single father, Chris is delighted when Emma walks back in his life as he's never stopped loving her. However, now might not has been the best of times. One of Chris' grad student was recently found dead in the lab and it turns out it was murder and not suicide. Then another of Chris' student disappears and the only connecting link between the two is the project they were working on...

My Opinion: I've been wanting to read Dirty Secrets for years! And I'm serious, years!! This novella was originally published as part of an anthology, Hot Pursuit, and I simply couldn't get my hands on it :(  And believe me, I searched since Dirty Secrets was the only story by Ms Rose that I hadn't read... Imagine how happy I was when Ms Rose announced that it was being re-released... It's time like this that I looove ebooks LOL.

So, did Dirty Secrets measure up to my expectations? Well see, that's the issue... I've had years to build up those expectations ^_^; I thought that Dirty Secrets was very promising and there were definitively elements that I liked about it... but in the end, the problem boiled down to the length of the book, Dirty Secrets being a novella. For me, what makes Ms Rose' romantic suspense books stand out is the fact that they are so complex - both the romance and the intrigue... and that was something that she could not do with Dirty Secrets. I felt that everything was a bit too rushed and not developed enough.

I liked Emma and Christopher as characters and found it refreshing that neither were cops or had jobs that interacted with cops. This provided a nice change of dynamics from Ms Rose's most recent books. They had a past together and some nice chemistry. My problem though was that they became a couple a bit too fast... They have not seen each other in almost 15 years, Emma is a recent widow and Chris has not dated in years... Even if they still carried a torch for each other, to become a couple so fast, it was a bit far-fetched to me. Even with the events precipitated things a bit, it still felt a bit too rushed and forced. I did enjoy the beginning though, how they reconnected. Also, Ms Rose had a great conflict going on with Christopher's fourteen years old daughter, Megan, not accepting this sudden relationship and her reasons for it.

As for the case, I thought it was interesting... but a bit too obvious with everyone jumping to the right conclusions a bit too easily, a bit too fast. Also, the villain was easy to guess because in a novella, you don't have time to introduce decoys - every character has a role ^_^;

My Grade: I wished Dirty Secrets had been a full-length novel. If Ms Rose had had the chance to develop everything the way she usually does, it would have been an awesome book. However, as it is, it's a B- for me. In the end, I'm still very happy I got to read it :)

Review: River Road by Jayne Ann Krentz

River Road by Jayne Ann Krentz
published by Putnam in January 2014

It’s been thirteen years since Lucy Sheridan was in Summer River. The last time she visited her aunt Sara there, as a teenager, she’d been sent home suddenly after being dragged out of a wild party—by the guy she had a crush on, just to make it more embarrassing. Obviously Mason Fletcher—only a few years older but somehow a lot more of a grown-up—was the overprotective type who thought he had to come to her rescue.

Now, returning after her aunt’s fatal car accident, Lucy is learning there was more to the story than she realized at the time. Mason had saved her from a very nasty crime that night—and soon afterward, Tristan, the cold-blooded rich kid who’d targeted her, disappeared mysteriously, his body never found.

A lot has changed in thirteen years. Lucy now works for a private investigation firm as a forensic genealogist, while Mason has quit the police force to run a successful security firm with his brother—though he still knows his way around a wrench when he fills in at his uncle’s local hardware store. Even Summer River has changed, from a sleepy farm town into a trendy upscale spot in California’s wine country. But Mason is still a protector at heart, a serious (and seriously attractive) man. And when he and Lucy make a shocking discovery inside Sara’s house, and some of Tristan’s old friends start acting suspicious, Mason’s quietly fierce instincts kick into gear. He saved Lucy once, and he’ll save her again. But this time, she insists on playing a role in her own rescue . . .

Genre: Contemporary romance, Romantic suspense
Series: N/A

The Story: The blurb for River Road is pretty accurate, so I'm just going  to add a few details. Lucy Sheridan was 16 years old the last time she visited her aunt, Sarah, and was bailed out by then 19 years old Mason Fletcher. It seems the golden boy, Tristan Brinker, was into drugging and raping young girls and Lucy was his intended next victim. However, a week after the party, Tristan mysteriously disappeared.

Now, Lucy is back in Summer River to clean and ready her aunt's house before putting it on the market... but in truth, she's suspicious about the car accident, because Sarah knew River Road very well and was not the only one to die. Mary Colfax, Sarah's business partner and probably more, also died in that accident and Lucy is suspicious because of the timing. Mary detained a controlling block of shares in Colfax Inc. Colfax Inc. is a hedge fund business that was started by Mary's brother, Warner Colfax, and Tristan Brinker's father. After Tristan's disappearance, Warner bought out Brinker's father and Colfax Inc. is now solely owned by family... A family divided into two camps because of the possibility of a major merger/acquisition that would bring in millions to its shareholders: Warner who wants to keep a legacy even though he's more interested in his new wine business and all the rest of the Colfax family. Mary would have had the deciding vote due to her shares... and now Lucy is as she's inherited them through Sarah. As soon as she arrives to Summer River, Lucy starts being courted by all sides, but she won't do anything before she finds out the truth... Especially since her suspicions are only reinforced with the gruesome discovery in Sarah's house .

My Opinion: A few years ago, I posted an inquiry about a romance novel I read as a teen and wished to re-read, but for which I couldn't remember the author or the title ^_^; Thanks to blogland, the online book community and Kris, I was able to identify the book as Deep Waters by Ms Krentz... and its re-read spurred me on a Jayne Ann Krentz' binge :) Anyway, all this to say that I'm a pretty big fan of what I term as Ms Krentz' "classic/old school books", i.e. the contemporary romance stand-alones she used to write before she started taking a paranormal turn and linked her contemporary books with the other ones she wrote under her other pseudonyms into a really big series. That's why River Road caught my attention, because its blurb was reminiscent of old school JAK... and that's pretty much what I got :)

While I was looking forward to River Road because of the old school JAK factor, I was also a bit wary, afraid that the story would be too predictable. Every author has a writing/story pattern and Ms Krentz is no exception. However, I was pleasantly surprised by some interesting twists in the story. These twists weren't major, but they were enough to mix things up and change the direction of the plot. Reading the prologue, I really thought River Road would be about Tristan's murder and Mason, the main suspect, but it wasn't. That was nice and somewhat refreshing :) The rest of the suspense was quite good. A bit familiar if you have read The Golden Chance, because it does revolve around the Colfax controlling share; however, Ms Krentz added a lot of other elements to it and she was able to tie it all up together.

In my opinion, the romance wasn't as good as the suspense. Oh, it works because you can feel that Lucy and Mason do share a bond. It's simply that the romance wasn't, well, romantic ^_^; I don't know the extent of Lucy and Mason's acquaintance when they were younger, but it seemed they knew each other well enough. Their attraction never went beyond an unspoken crush, but even then, they were aware of each other. Thirteen years later, their relationship just picks up from where it left off. They are still aware of each other, but this time around, they have to deal with some subtle sexual tension. They haven't seen each other ever since that night Mason bailed Lucy out of the party, but they've had updates of each other through their aunt and uncle. For me, the romance between Lucy and Mason was believable, especially since both expressed their feelings quite well. However, their romance was pretty factual and a bit dry ^_^; Unfortunate because I actually liked Mason and Lucy's characters. I liked that they had reached a time in their life when they were content and were competent. They were two mature characters, even with their baggage... Then again, now that I think about it, perhaps their romance was a reflection of themselves LOL. They took the mature and logical way dealing with it.

As usual, I did have some quibbles with the book. There were some details that I feel Ms Krentz didn't expand enough. I guess it's the way the story was written, there were things she didn't have to explain... but it would have been nice if she did, instead of having the readers take it at face value. For example, it was mentioned a couple of times that Tristan seemed to fear or be threatened by Lucy's aunt, Sarah. It would have been nice to have a concrete example. It also wouldn't have hurt if Ms Krentz had expanded on Mason and Lucy's bond. It went quite deep if at 19 years old, Mason was ready to kill Brinker to protect Lucy. What kind of feelings, relationship could spur such dedication?


My Grade: B. Overall, I quite enjoyed River Road for what it was, a straight contemporary romance book with a healthy dose of suspense. The fact that it felt like a classic JAK book was a bonus :) I do wonder if Ms Krentz plans to write about Lucy's two best friends and perhaps Mason's brother... Having the books connected without it being a series, series - I would like that :)

Monthly Reads - April 2013

Hey everyone! How have you been? Sigh, sorry for the lack of posts and reviews! I just don't know where time goes ^_^; It feels like I've been running the whole week: doctor appointment, garage appointment, haircut appointment... Even at work, doing this and that, catching up on things. Bleh... and of course, I cut myself again :( Same thumb, but not the nail this time... so I guess that's something ^_^;

Anyway, I'm so far behind in reviews and so on, but I'm still trying to catch up :) And that's why you get my April recap... in September! Enjoy! :P


1) The Wanderer by Robyn Carr: B


2) The Rising by Kelley Armstrong: B+


3) What She Wants by Sheila Roberts: B-

The blurb of this book caught my attention because it mentions a bunch of guys reading romance novels and their poker night transforming into a bookclub night... LOL, you have to agree it's a little bit intriguing right? :) And the blurb is pretty close to the real story. Our hero, Johnathan Templar, is the resident geek squad of Icicle Falls. He's been in love with Lissa Castle forever, but she never noticed him. Their high school reunion is coming up soon and Johnathan believes it to be his last chance to make an impression... but how? He then stumbles over his sister's romance novels... Why do women read them? The next thing Johnathan knows, he's devouring them one after another and getting ideas. When his poker buddies find the books, they laugh at him at first... but soon, they too need advice as Adam just got kicked out by his wife who thought he took her for granted and Kyle cannot make an impression on the lady of his choice.

I thought What She Wants was a cute book. I mean, it has men reading romance novels for advice and ideas LOL. Personally, I do not know to what extent romance novels could help a guy in real life, but it's still nice to imagine :) What made this book for me was Johnathan. He was such a nice guy and the efforts he put in to catch Lissa's attention was adorable. Also I like that Ms Roberts didn't turn Johnathan into a comedic cliché. What I mean is that he didn't read one novel, get a good idea and immediately tried it out and have it failed on him. Instead, it was more like a study and a long progress. In any case, it was just cute and Lissa is a really lucky gal... Not sure she totally deserves him though. I also liked Adam's storyline because it showed him not to take his wife for granted. I think it's a lesson that everyone has to learn in a marriage. I liked that she had the guts to kick him out, to make him understand where their marriage was heading. Out of the three story, Kyle was the least interesting... I think it's because to a certain extent, he was so superficial, only caring about looks. He overlooked Mindy who was interested in him because she wasn't as hot as his crush, although she was smarter and nicer.

In any case, a cute book... although I think it's more fiction (women's fiction even though it's guys ^_^;) than contemporary romance as there aren't that many interaction between Johnathan and Lissa. It's more focused on Johnathan and his evolution than the romance itself.

4) Lush by Lauren Dane: B

Mary Whaley is a successful and busy caterer who also run a supper club. Through her celebrity friends, she meets Damien Hurley who is part of a really popular band that he started with his brothers out of high school. The two meet, are attracted to each other and try to figure out how to make this relationship work.

Lush was a pretty good book. I really enjoyed Mary and Damien's relationship and liked how their romance evolved, how they took it "slow" and how Damien gave Mary her space and proved himself to be a good bet. I liked that the romance wasn't about the age difference or Damien's celebrity status... They had to figure things out because they were two adults living in different cities with extremely busy schedule, but they made compromises like two mature persons.

What held this book back in my opinion were the secondary characters and the lack of conflict. I found Mary's best friends to be annoying, because I thought they had too much input and were too quick to distrust Damien. One of them said she just wanted Mary to be as happy as she was and to find the man she deserved and that just put me on the edge... It just sounded so condescending in my opinion. It's good to be protective of your friends, to care, but at the same time, you need to be supportive. Sometimes, your friend needs to make her own mistakes and the last thing she wants is you standing by, ready to say "I told you so." What annoyed me as well is that all she had to based herself on was the gossips from the rag sheets. Ugh. The other issue was the lack of conflict. I actually didn't mind the lack of conflict... but because of it, one little issue turned into a huge thing, just so Ms Dane could wrap up the story and give the H/H their happy ending. Based on the rest of the story, I felt this conflict was very forced because Damien had proven himself to Mary and she should have trust him instead of the gossips. For her to react the way she did, it just went against character it seems... and that's too bad because it lessened the enjoyment of the book a bit.


5) Assassin's Gambit by Amy Raby: C-


6) Wrecked by Shiloh Walker: C

Ugh... I don't know how to summarize the story of this book. Okay, basically, you have Abigale Applegate and Zach Barnes who were child stars on a very popular sitcom when they were teens, but that was years ago. Both of them willingly walked away from Hollywood lifestyle and are happier for it. They have remained best friends throughout the years, although the truth is Zach has been in love with Abby forever. When she gets dumped by her boyfriend because he thinks she's wasting her time not acting, Abby decides she needs an affair. Not a relationship, just sex... and when Zach finds out through the "Wreck" journal he gave her, he volunteers himself - he's not about to let another man get the chance and he hopes that finally, Abby realizes that he's in love with her.

The truth is that Wrecked started out really promisingly. Who doesn't like the best friends to lovers theme? Especially when the set up is great, the premise has potential and best of all, the best friends have tons of chemistry! I really believed in Zach and Abby's friendship, really felt his unrequited feelings for her and had no problem imagining them together... And perhaps that was the issue. Because once Abby and Zach started having sex together, it became boring for me... It was just too obvious that the two should be together and everything that stood in the way was just frustrating ^_^; I was annoyed at Abby for being so oblivious to Zach feelings all this years - I mean, everyone knew! It got even worst when she realized she was in love with him and wondered how it would affect their relationship!! I was also annoyed at Zach for not stepping up, not pushing to the next level. It took forever for him to get Abby to notice him in a different way and now he's going to wait again till she comes around? Right... and instead of sharing his feelings with Abby, he resorted to growling at everyone :( It's just too bad because as I mentioned, the premise was really promising, but it failed to keep me engaged.


7) Love Irresistibly by Julie James: B+


8) The Chocolate Rose by Laura Florand: C+


9) Whiskey Beach by Nora Roberts: B-


10) The Good, the Bad and the Witchy by Heather Blake: B-
Upcoming Review.

11) Love Me to Death by Allison Brennan: B

I'm always in the mood for a good romantic suspense; however, nowadays, it's hard to come across RS books that fit the type I want to read... Anyway, I read Ms Brennan before but never really got into her, but I thought I'd give her another chance with this series because it involved the FBI. Our heroine, Lucy Kincaid, went through something horrific 6 years ago, but she survived it... and now, she wants to become a FBI agent. While she's waiting to see if she is accepted, she's volunteering with a victim's rights group and works undercover online to lure sex offenders so they can be caught. Everything is going well... till they don't. One of her attackers was recently released from prison and not long after, found dead. She wasn't aware of the plea bargain and so, her trust is shaken... It doesn't help she's a suspect and the last sex offender she tried to lure didn't show up to her meeting, but did end up dead as well. Not knowing where to go, she turns to Sean Rogan, one of her brother's partners for a security firm.

I've been in the mood for romantic suspense that features investigative work, preferably with cops or FBI agents... and while Love Me to Death didn't totally fit my criteria, it was definitively a good book. The mystery was solid and interesting although at times, it felt like there were too many storylines going on. Personally, I think the one about Lucy's stalker was superfluous. It served to misdirect, but at the end of the day, didn't bring that much to the table. Still, Ms Brennan did a great job at tying everything up together in the end. I liked that Lucy didn't fall in love with the person in charge of the investigation - it's refreshing LOL. And I thought that Sean was an interesting love interest for Lucy. In a way, he's a bit of her opposite, not being afraid to break the rules to get what he wants and ironically, that seems to complement Lucy :P He at least knows how to be normal around her which is what she needs. As for Lucy, she was definitively a solid character. After what she went through, she put back her life together, went to college and is pursuing her vocation - a true survivor. Unfortunately, while I admire her for being a survivor, I also had a lot of difficulty relating to her because of what and how much she went through. It just seems so out there, so unbelievable that I kind of feel disconnected to her tragedy :(

Something else that lessened my enjoyment of Love Me to Death is that I'm not sure I could qualify this book as the "first" book in a series. It was clear to me while reading Love Me to Death that there was a book somewhere that I haven't read and indeed, after some research, I found out that Love Me to Death was a spin-off continuation of Fear No Evil. Ms Brennan tried to sum it up; however, there were too many undercurrents in the book and I knew I was missing some of Lucy and other secondary characters' backstories. Quite frankly, it sucked :(

***

Balance
Books bought: +12
Books read: -11
TBR pile: +1


Genres
Contemporary Romance - 6
Romantic Suspense/Mystery - 1
Cozy Mystery - 1
Young Adult - 1
Fantasy romance - 1
Women's Fiction - 1

***

Wow, first month of the year that I've "added" books to my TBR pile... but then again, April was such a good release month! I'm actually surprised that I haven't read more books LOL. However, as long as my number of reads hits double digits, I'm happy :)

I think April really showed this year's trend of what I've been reading. For some reasons, I'm really into contemporary romance this year... and when I don't have any contemporary romance books to read, I kind of look for something to read ^_^; I hope I get out of this mood soon.

Overall, April was a good month, although nothing really stood out...

How was yours? Do you even remember? LOL.

Review: Whiskey Beach by Nora Roberts

Finally!! Each year, one of the books I look forward most is Ms Roberts' stand-alone and that's why I really wanted to review it. My blogging muse is still on vacation and that's why I've been working on this review on and off for a couple of weeks ^_^; So bear with me LOL. This is not going to be my best review, but I think I still manage to convey my feelings about the book :)

Enjoy!


Whiskey Beach by Nora Roberts
published by Putnam in April 2013

For more than three hundred years, Bluff House has sat above Whiskey Beach, guarding its shore - and its secrets.

To summer tourists, it's the crown jewel of the town's stunning scenery. To the residents of Whiskey Beach, it's landmark and legend. To Eli Landon, it's home...

A Boston lawyer, Eli has weathered an intense year of public scrutiny and police investigation after being accused of murdering his soon-to-be ex-wife. And though there was never enough evidence to have him arrested, his reputation is in tatters as well as his soul. He need sanctuary. He needs Bluff House.

While Eli's beloved grandmother is in Boston, recuperating from a nasty fall, Abra Walsh has card for Bluff House, among her other jobs as yoga instructor, jewelry maker, and massage therapist. She is a woman with an open heart and a wide embrace, and no one is safe from her special, some would say over-bearing, brand of nurturing - including Eli.

He begins to count on Abra for far more than her cooking, cleaning, and massage skills, and starts to feel less like a victim - and more like the kind of man who can finally solve the murder of his wife and clear his name. But Bluff House's many mysteries are a siren song to someone intent on destroying Eli and reaping the rewards. He and Abra will become entangled in a centuries-old net of rumors and half-truths that could pull them under the thunderous waters of Whiskey Beach...

Passion and obsession, humor and heart flow together in a novel about two people opening themselves up to the truth - and to each other.

Genre: Contemporary romance, Romantic Suspense
Series: Stand-alone

The Story: The blurb of Whiskey Beach is pretty accurate, but let see if I can add my two cents :)

Eli Landon has just had a very rough year. His wife was murdered while they were in the middle of getting a divorce. Because of a vicious, public fight that very afternoon about her adultery and the fact that he discovered the body at their house while he was retrieving some of his family heirlooms, Eli was the prime suspect. He was acquitted on lack of evidence, but not everyone believes him innocent. Obviously, this has turned his life upside down. Knowing that his career as a criminal attorney is over and no longer having to fight to stay out of jail, Eli is at loose ends. When his grandmother moves to his parents' house in Boston to recover from a very bad fall, Eli promises that he will look over Bluff House for her... and therefore heads to Whiskey Beach where he hopes to find his new self through his writing.

There, he never expected to meet a woman like Abra Walsh. Abra has her own tragic story and understands what Eli is going through. She too left behind a successful career, came to Whiskey Beach to heal and re-invented herself. She has a multitude of odd jobs such as being a yoga instructor, jewelry maker, and massage therapist as well as Bluff House's housekeeper. She can't help herself wanting to help Eli, nurture him back to health - mentally, emotionally and physically. And while it is happening, Abra and Eli are both succumbing to attraction.

However, there is still a killer lurking... And when Abra is attacked in Bluff House and a trench is found in the basement, it seems that all the events, including Eli's grandmother's fall which may not be an accident anymore, are linked up and related to Bluff House's legend of a pirate treasure...

My Opinion: I love Ms Roberts' writing. It's just that simple LOL. There's something about her voice, her style that just works for me :) It's true that her stories can be very formulaic, especially her trilogies and quartets, but in the end, there is always something that I like and enjoy. Last year's stand-alone, The Witness, was really good and therefore, a tough act to follow. While I don't think Whiskey Beach measured up to it, it wasn't the let-down so many readers felt for me because there were quite a few things about it that I really liked :)

In a sense, Whiskey Beach was a very typical NR stand-alone where one of the main character has some personal issues and needs to heal, then meets the other main character and gradually fall in love with of course, an underlying mystery that ties everything up together. The reason why I enjoyed Whiskey Beach so much though was the role/gender reversal. Not gender reversal in the sense that Eli was more sensitive and Abra, gruffier LOL. What I mean is that in most stand-alones, it's usually the heroine who has stuff to overcome and the hero who stands by and offers tough love... In Whiskey Beach, well it was the opposite. It was Eli who had his life upside down, who was going through depression and who needed to find himself. And Abra was there, trying to help him out as she could. I thought it was refreshing :) And it was also interesting to see how gender did play a role. For example, Abra was noisier and more nurturing instead of trying to stay out of things and offer tough love :P As a man, Eli coped differently as well. So in a way, Whiskey Beach managed to be both typical and different :)

I also enjoyed Eli and Abra's characters very much. I liked seeing Eli adapt and adjust to his new life, to a slower rhythm. After everything Eli had gone through, he was battered... but I liked that he still had a lot going on for him and he knew it. He still had the support of his family and while he no longer had a career as a criminal attorney, he could pursue his other passion: writing. As for Abra, I know many found her annoying and it's true that she was a tad too perfect, but I liked her :) I liked her energy and her joie de vivre. I liked that after what happened to her, she was able to build a new life for herself and was happy with it and the choices she made :) I enjoyed seeing Eli and Abra interact with others as well, especially Eli's family. It was good for him to still have their support, but at the same time, understandable that he needed some distance from them... and it was also good to see that after a bad year, things do go back to normal and people can move on. As for the romance, it was nice. Eli and Abra definitively made a good couple together and they were good for each other :) And I enjoyed the way they came together - not too fast, but not too slow :P

My issue with Whiskey Beach was the mystery/intrigue. I thought the mystery was on the weak side and also, long-drawn, draggy. Perhaps if it had only focused on Eli's wife's murder, it would have been better instead of tying the whole thing up to the Bluff House's legend. Mainly because I thought the legend wasn't very interesting and also, it took time to set up. It was also obvious there was going to be a twist about the murderer's identity and so when it was uncovered, it didn't really feel like a twist anymore. Just a bit too obvious. Finally, I felt there were a bit too many coincidences, that things fell into place a bit too easily to make the intrigue in Whiskey Beach satisfying. It's fine to have lucky breaks, but when it all centers around one person... it's just too much :(

My Grade: B-. Whiskey Beach was not Ms Roberts' best book, but it's still one that I enjoyed quite a lot :)

Review: High Risk by Vivian Arend

Oups, I was in such a hurry last Friday that I put up a review at Breezing Through and forgot to make the announcement over here ^_^; Ames and I chose to read High Risk by Vivian Arend because it took place in Canada and had an unusual premise. Head over to Breezing Through or click here to find out how we liked it :)


High Risk by Vivian Arend
published by Berkley in March 2013

LIFELINE: an elite search-and-rescue squad based out of Banff, Alberta. Specializing in high-risk rescue missions, this team goes wherever the job takes them…

Rebecca James was once revered for her devil-may-care attitude and backcountry survival skills. But ever since she lost her partner in a fatal accident, patches of her memory have been missing. And until she can recall those final, tragic moments before the accident, she can’t move on.

Since Marcus Landers was permanently injured during a mission, all his energies have been focused on his Lifeline team. When Becki—whom he had an intense affair with seven years ago—arrives in Banff, he’s inspired to reignite the spark they once had. Their mutual ardor slowly awakens Becki’s dormant, haunting memories.

New truths surface until Becki must at last confront her greatest fear. Remembering the past might mean a future without the man she loves…

Genre: Contemporary romance/Romantic Suspense
Series: Adrenaline Search & Rescue, Book #1

Review: Calculated in Death by J.D. Robb

Calculated in Death by J.D. Robb
published by Putnam in February 2013

On Manhattan's Upper East Side a woman lies dead at the bottom of the stairs, stripped of all her valuables. Most cops might call it a mugging gone wrong, but Lieutenant Eve Dallas knows better.

A well-off accountant and a beloved wife and mother, Marta Dickenson doesn't seem the type to be on anyone's hit list. But when Eve and her partner, Peabody, find blood inside the building, the lieutenant knows Marta's murder was the work of a killer who's trained, but not professional or smart enough to remove all the evidence.

But when someone steals the files out of Marta's office, Eve must immerse herself in her billionaire husband Roarke's world of big business to figure out who's cruel and callous enough to hire a hit on an innocent woman. And as the killer's violent streak begins to escalate, Eve knows she has to draw him out, even if it means using herself as bait...

Genre: Romantic suspense, Mystery/Thriller
Series: In Death, Book #36

The Story: Well for once, the blurb is not only accurate, but says it all. Rare, but it happens :) All I'll add is that in addition to the case, our beloved characters are also preparing themselves for the premiere of The Icove Agenda, so it gives you an idea of the timeline.

My Opinion: Seriously, what can I say about Calculated in Death that has not been said already for the other installments of the series? When you pick up the 36th book in a series, you know what to expect... and so in that regard, I think that Ms Robb did a good job at delivering it. I know some fans are going to be disappointed because Calculated in Death is another installment that focuses on the case/mystery and therefore there's not much development in Eve and Roarke's relationship, but nonetheless, it was another solid book :)

Overall, I thought the case was interesting. One of the definite strengths of the In Death series is the investigative aspect of the mystery/case. I like that Ms Robb shows how much leg work Eve and her gang need to do in order to find clues, to arrest the culprits, to dot the "i" and cross the "t" in order for the charges to stick. There are hints, clues and foreshadowing... and those are elements that are missing in a lot of romantic suspense nowadays. Also, I really liked the fact that in Calculated in Death, Eve didn't zoom in right away on the culprit like in the last couple of books. She had a few suspects and it could really have been any of them. Something else about this case is that Ms Robb could have taken it in a few different directions, so it kept the readers guessing which is always good.

As usual, it was fun to revisit the gang again :) As I mentioned above, they were getting ready for the premiere of The Icove Agenda and the excitement was fun. To see Peabody enthusiastic about her dress and Feeney grumbled about the monkey suit LOL. I also think Ms Robb did a good job at not inundating the storyline with past characters, to have only those who are relevant.

The one thing that didn't work for me in Calculated in Death was Eve using herself as bait to attract the killer. This is not something new, but the timing was: during the premiere. I just thought that was a bit unbelievable. No matter how organized, prepared you are, there are so many risks involved, so many unexpected things that can happen. Furthermore, there's the number of civilians - most of them rich and famous - and the cameras present! It seemed so improbable to me that Eve's superiors would have approved of Eve's scheme. It just didn't work for me.

While I think Calculated in Death was a good installment, I do feel the books are getting repetitive ^_^; The cases are different - true, but the way the investigations are handled are not... As much as I enjoy the books, if it continues this way, it'll take a toll on the series. That's why I think it's time for Ms Robb to shake things up and add some conflicts. It could be between Roarke and Eve, Eve and Peabody or whatever... but it's time to get our beloved characters out of their rut. Or else, it's perhaps time to start wrapping up the series...

The Grade: B.

Review: Did You Miss Me? by Karen Rose

Yay, I managed to complete this review!! Woohoo! Because obviously, I didn't manage to write a few posts ahead of time this week-end ^_^; I tried and tried on Saturday, but it just wouldn't come. Then, on Sunday, it was curling the whole day. We lost both our games by a very big margin (14-2 and 10-4, yikes!), but I don't care because I played really well and totally out-curl my opponent :) And there was more curling yesterday evening... We have an in-club event going on the whole week and I'm going to try to share it with you in a post soon. In a few short words: it was fun, I curl okay, we won and therefore are moving on! Yay!

Okay, now back to books :) I'm really glad to have the review for Did You Miss Me? by Karen Rose up today since it's the North American release day! I got the UK edition of Did You Miss Me? which came out back in November and was planning to have my review up during the holidays. However, with the impromptu trip to Europe, I got behind on my reviews.... but isn't perfect that my review ends up being posted on the North American release date? Funny how things have a tendency to work out well :) In any case, hope you enjoy the review!


Did You Miss Me? by Karen Rose

published by Headline in November 2012/New American Library in February 2013

Baltimore prosecutor Daphne Montgomery pulled herself out of a damaged past to build a solid life for herself and her son. But after she helps to convict a killer, her confidence is shattered once again by the news that her son has been kidnapped.

Daphne believes it’s connected to the recent high-profile trial, and at first FBI special agent Joseph Carter agrees. But together they find the reality to be even more troubling, and it runs deeper than Daphne fears. With her son’s life in jeopardy, she must unlock a dreadful secret about her past—and confront a truth that will change everything for those closest to her. And, if she survives, threaten the lives of everyone she loves.

Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: Baltimore, Book #3

The Story: Life has not been easy on Daphne Montgomery. She went through a traumatic event as a child which resulted in her father walking away. Then, she got pregnant at the age of 15 and for the next dozen years, became a trophy wife, trying to please her husband and mother-in-law. She finally got a divorce, but at the same time, learned that she had breast cancer... However, she survived and persisted and finally achieved her dream of becoming a prosecutor. She is currently in the midst of her first big, mediatic trial... and life is about to throw her another curve.

When Daphne's son Ford disappears, she believes the White supremacists that she is prosecuting are behind it... and so does FBI special agent Joseph Carter. However, when he learns that Daphne was also a victim of kidnapping as a child, Joseph wonders what are the odds that mother and child are both victims and starts believing this is a lot more personal. Either way, Joseph has a personal stake in this investigation as Ford is Joseph's father's employee and his crush on Daphne is the reason he is back in Baltimore.

My Opinion: There are a few authors whom I love unconditionally and who are on my forever auto-buy authors list and Karen Rose is one of them :) I love, love, love her books and can't get enough of them. So it'll come as no surprise that I was thrilled when I found out the release date for Did You Miss Me? - two in a year, awesome! - and that I highly enjoyed it :)

At first, when I read the blurb of Did You Miss Me?, I was surprised that Daphne and Joseph were the H/H as I was expecting Clay and Stevie's book, but I quickly recovered and was quite excited because I liked the glimpses we got from them in  No One Left to Tell :) As it turned out, there was a lot more to Daphne and Joseph than meet the eye. Both had quite a tragic past, one that still haunt them and definitively shaped who've they become. Honestly, I felt that both pasts were a bit over the top... especially in the case of Daphne - just so much happened! You start wondering if life can dish out even more at her? ^_^; I think Ms Rose could have cut back a bit, but there's no doubt she had achieved creating an interesting and different heroine. Reading Did You Miss Me?, I admired Daphne for her strength, her determination, her courage and accomplishing her dreams. And I liked the realistic side of her, the one that was a bit egoistical and worried how the truth would have repercussions on her career. As for Joseph, I think I'd have liked more development in his character. In the case of Daphne, all the past had a hand in creating the woman she is today, but she is comfortable with whom she's become and for the most part, has dealt with her issues. In contrast, Joseph hasn't and that's why he's been staying away from his family. What happened to him plunged him in a dark place and it's upon meeting Daphne that he's gradually getting back in the light. The unrequited feelings and crush between Joseph and Daphne worked and made the romance believable. However, I feel it was a bit too simple an excuse for Joseph to emerge from his dark place. To want to, yes, but to completely do it... That's another story and that's why I wished for a bit more development, fleshing it out more... Then again, given the timeline of the story, it was impossible. And as I said about the romance, it was believable. Joseph and Daphne have been dancing around one another for month and really just needed something to bring them together for them to confess their feelings.

As usual, the suspense in Did You Miss Me? was well-done :) The book is action-packed, edge-of-the-seat exciting and the villain was so very smart. He planned it well and seriously, it'd be scary to have such a vendetta against you ^_^; Overall, I thought the plotline was pretty tight and Ms Rose built the anticipation and revelations well. My only complaint and it's quite minor is the timeline. As usual, it's very short and it feels to me like it should be longer. I know there's 24 hours in a day and under such circumstances, people don't sleep... but nonetheless, I find it hard to believe that everything happened in such a short time-frame. I'd like her to either extend it or make it less jam-packed ^_^; Although I have to say, what Ms Rose does well is show us that even during important investigations, normal life continues... time doesn't stop and there are things that go on...

For fans of Clay and Stevie who were disappointed that this wasn't their book, you'll still want to read Did You Miss Me? because things happen in their relationship. I can't figure out if it's progress given the circumstances, but there is an acknowledgement of their feelings and what could be and it's clear Ms Rose is setting up for their book :) In addition to Clay and Stevie, there's a full cast of secondary characters that are making their appearances in Did You Miss Me? Some are new such as Ford and Novak, a colleague of Joseph; others we get to meet again such as Alec. One thing I can say is that all of them are interesting and have potential... and I love, love Ford!! Seriously, Ms Rose has a knack at writing likable young adult characters and I hope that along with Tom, Ford gets his own book :)

My Grade: B+. Honestly, I don't now how objective I am when it comes to Karen Rose books ^_^; To me though, Did You Miss Me? was another solid romantic suspense novel. Good suspense, nice romance, interesting characters... but a bit too much going on which is why I'm not giving it a higher grade.

Review: Breaking Point by Pamela Clare

Bummer, I didn't have time to write a mini-review yesterday... However, I can tell you that my room is clean! Cleanest it's been in months! LOL. I was going to take the week-end easy, but it turned out to be busy :( So busy I did not have time to read at all! And this means I won't make it for this month's TBR challenge. However, for October, I actually read two books from my TBR pile that could have fit the theme... One was Exit Strategy which I reviewed and the other was Breaking Point. Therefore I decided to review Breaking Point today. I'm cheating a bit, but I'm sure nobody minds... and now, I'm wondering why I'm not posting this review on Wednesday instead ^_^; Oh well, that's what happens when you're swinging it :) Anyway, enough rambling! Enjoy the review!!


Breaking Point by Pamela Clare
published by Berkley in May 2011

Denver journalist Natalie Benoit and Deputy U.S. Marshal Zach McBride find themselves captives of a bloodthirsty Mexican drug cartel. Working together, they escape through the desert toward the border, the attraction between them flaring hotter than the Sonoran sun. They fight to stay ahead of the danger that hunts them as forces more powerful than they can imagine conspire to destroy them both...

Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: I-Team, Book #5

The Story: Natalie Benoit is a journalist, part of the I-Team, an award-winning investigative team, for the Denver Independent. Lately, she found herself in a rut and therefore signed up for a three-day convention in Juarez, Mexico to learn more about the inter-mingled issues of immigration, the drug trade and human trafficking between the United States and Mexico. She's in the bus with her colleagues when it gets raided - all the Mexican journalists are killed and for some unknown reasons, Natalie is kidnapped... and the next thing she knows, she is held captive, at the same place as Zach McBride, an American of dubious background who has been tortured.

It turns out that Zach is a Deputy U.S. Marshal and is working undercover. He's been sold out and set up by an Interpol agent who stole a shipment of cocaine. Thanks to his Navy SEAL training, Zach has withstood the torture... but he feels the end is near. That is until the drug cartel brings in the new captive, Natalie. Zach knows what awaits her and wanting to help her gives Zach  a new purpose.

As Zach and Natalie escape and make their way back to the States, Zach knows deep down that Natalie was not kidnapped at random... And if he's right, what made her a target?

My Opinion: Usually, I try to stay away from books whose main characters are journalists or reporters, because I just hate them ^_^;; They make me want to scream, what with the whole "people has a right to know" which usually leads to TSTL or just plain annoying behaviors. However, Breaking Point has received a lot of good reviews, everyone raves about Ms Clare's writing... and did I ever tell you about the shortage of romantic suspense books? Anyway, I ended up picking Breaking Point during a "Buy 3, get the 4th free" promotion at the bookstore IIRC... and finally read it after a co-worker of mine binged on the I-Team series and raved about the books. And guess what? Yep, I ended up enjoying this book a lot LOL.

There are several reasons why I enjoyed Breaking Point so much. First, the heroine, Natalie, was awesome... and not just because she has the same name as me LOL. The first thing that strikes you with Natalie is how brave and courageous she is. She demonstrated it when she tried to save her colleague in the bus, then time and time again during the kidnapping and the escape... and when you learn about her past, you realize this bravery of hers comes from deep down. To have survived what she's been through and keep going on, brave is the perfect word to describe Natalie. I also loved that she was not passive during the escape, that she didn't sit around waiting for Zach to do all the work. I especially like that she's the one who actually saved them and then, listened to Zach to get back to the States because he knew more. She was just very composed and I felt that as a civil, it was refreshing. Zach was also a very interesting character that I enjoyed a lot. The fact that he turned his back on his life of privilege to make his own path says a lot about him. I liked that he was considerate of Natalie and what she was going through. Yes, he was an alpha, but didn't go overboard with his behavior. What I liked most though is the fact that his feelings towards Natalie progressed gradually and that he recognized them. It's nice to see a hero recognizes that he is in love without it being a punch in the face ^_^; The romance also worked for me. I enjoyed the chemistry between the two and how their relationship evolved. What I liked the most was their HEA ending with Natalie's decision. I liked that she could walk away...

What made the book for me was definitively the characters and their romance, although the story and suspense wasn't bad at all. The whole kidnapping being linked with one of Natalie's investigation made sense, although the connection was a bit tenuous. Still, it worked. Also, the past characters of the series play a big role, but they fit instead of being superfluous, especially the spouses and they were entertaining. Another reason why I think Breaking Point worked so well for me was the fact that Natalie being a reporter was not the focus of the story. For the first half of the book, Natalie isn't doing her job, she's trying to stay alive and therefore, there was nothing to be annoyed about.

My only complaint about Breaking Point is the big villain at the end. He was supposed to be a big shot and it seems they figure him out easily. Plus the ending was a bit anti-climatic ^_^; I guess I was expecting a bigger showdown and something more convoluted.

My Grade: B. A very enjoyable book :)

Review: Delusion in Death by J.D. Robb

Delusion in Death by J.D. Robb

published by Putnam in September 2012

After years on the force, Eve Dallas didn't think she could be shocked anymore... until now.

It was just another after-work happy-hour bar downtown, where business professionals unwound with a few drinks, complained about the boss, maybe hooked up with someone for the night. Until something went terribly wrong. At first it was just a friction in the air. The noise intensified. The crow seemed oppressive. some sharp words were exchanged, some pushing and shoving.

Then the madness descended. And after twelve minutes of chaos and violence, eighty people lay dead.

Eve Dallas is trying to sort out the inexplicable events. Surviving witnesses talk about seeing things—monsters and swarms of bees. They describe sudden, overwhelming feelings of fear and rage and paranoia. When forensics makes its report, the mass delusions make more sense: it appears the bar patrons were exposed to a cocktail of chemicals and illegal drugs that could drive people to temporary insanity—if not kill them outright.

But that doesn't explain who would unleash such horror—or why. Eve's husband, Roarke, happens to own the bar, yet he's convinced the attack wasn't directed at him. It's bigger than that. And if Eve can't figure it out fast, it could happen again, anytime, anywhere. Because it's airborne...

Genre: Mystery/Thriller, romantic suspense
Series: In Death, Book #35

The Story: Eve Dallas has been on the force for a long time and she's seen what humans can do to one another; however, she can't help but be shaken when she walks in the crime scene of her newest case. Eve and her team quickly figure out that an air-bone cocktail of substances is what caused the people in the bar to turn against one another, creating the massacre... which means they have to work fast to find out who is behind it. The threat to the people of New York City is such that Eve is forced to work with Homeland, not her favorite people. And as if it was not enough, Eve is also dealing with a new set of nightmares, an aftermath of  the events of New York to Dallas.

My Opinion: You know what is great about an In Death book? It's the fact that you can just read and relax because it's a no-brainer :) You don't have to wonder how many books the author has planned for the rest of the series, who is it going to be the main H/H or even whether there is going to be any progress on the overall story... And that's why I believe this series is so successful. That and the fact that we love Eve, Roarke and all the secondary characters :) Reading an In Death book is like catching up with friends and Ms Robb has the knack of settling her readers in the story as if it hasn't been six months since the last installment... and Delusion in Death is no exception. In fact, I'd say that Delusion in Death is one of the better installments I've read in recent years :)

The strength of Delusion in Death in my opinion was the case. I really liked it. It was interesting and the way Ms Robb carried it out, compact and efficient. Recently, I've been in the mood for romantic suspense books, but not the ones featuring ex-military characters. Instead, what I want is cops or FBI agents, doing investigative work... and that's exactly what you get in Delusion in Death - though of course, Eve gets some help from her genius husband and that's always handy :) It'd be nice though that from time to time, everything doesn't work out so well for Eve and that she doesn't zoom in immediately on the key victim or key suspect or key witness ^_^; Although nobody could fault Eve from not looking at every option and crossing her Ts and dotting her Is. And I know that Eve is very experienced and has a lot of resources and so on, but sometimes, it just seems too easy... In any case though, the legwork in Delusion in Death was solid work and so was the mystery and the motivation.

For those who like the more emotional aspect of the series, you'll be pleased with Delusion in Death since Eve is coming to terms with the events in New York to Dallas. Personally, I didn't care much, although everything Eve is going through does make sense. My issue here is I was never happy with what happened on the personal level to Eve in Dallas and also the fact that for us, readers, it's been a year since those events, so we've come to terms with it, but for Eve, it's only been a couple of months... So obviously, she hasn't... but I can't help but wish Eve has moved forward. Still I recognized that given the events and Eve's background, the nightmares and the need for her to work it out fit and are actually necessary for her personal growth. It also brought some slight conflict between Eve and Roarke and it was nice to see them dealing with it. It showed us how far Eve and Roarke have come in term of compromise and marriage :)

In short, Delusion in Death is nothing out of norm for an In Death installment. However, it had an interesting intrigue which was well executed and combined with our familiar and lovable cast, made for a solid and very enjoyable read :) Although it'd be nice if Eve stopped taking Roarke everywhere. Actually, it'd be interesting to see a day from Roarke's POV and see him in his element. Just saying.

My Grade: B. As I said, an enjoyable read and more importantly, it had me engrossed and wanting to know what happened :)