series

     Reading the first two stories in this series about Abby's older sisters Renee and Meg, Abby came across as feckless.  While she took her job seriously, the rest of her life was nothing but a game, or so it appeared.  But appearances are deceiving; growing up with an abusive father had definitely caused big problems for each of them.  Renee and Meg have both, for the most part, made peace with their past and their husbands have had more than a little to do with that.  But Abby never reacted the same way as her sisters and it really seemed as though she wasn't as adversely affected.  
     Finding herself attracted to another police officer was scary enough... but she really didn't know how to deal with it.  A touching story, but also a fairly suspenseful one as well; someone has it in for the Patton daughters and their lives and families are being threatened.  JKJ did a wonderful job dealing with all the diverse elements and the end was wonderful! 

RATING:
Excellence: Excellent ~ 4.0 stars
Steaminess: Romantic

     Like any of Janice Kay Johnson's books this one delves deep into the human psyche ~ good and bad.  There's always a strong emotional component in JKJ's stories, but it's never too much ~ but it sure does open the reader to the characters. 
   I read the first book in this series awhile back (aka earlier this year) and finally came across the next two books in the series.  And as this is my month to read series that I'm into, it seemed perfect ~ and I can bring up my harlequin numbers at the same time. 
    Any way you look at it, this book is a winner ~ but then I knew that it would be!  VERY, VERY HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!

RATING:
Excellence: Excellent ~ 4.0 stars
Steaminess: Romantic

     Excellent, excellent story and a wonderful continuation of Lara Adrian's Midnight Breed series.  I really love the story behind the Breed vampires and their place in this world.  It's such a scientific ~ okay fantasy / scientific ~ explanation... and it works very well.  Getting more background on the Breed and going deeper into a growing evil made for a fascinating story ~ one that will join the other books in the series on my keeper shelves ~ and have me very impatient to get the next book in the series.  I can hardly wait!
VERY, VERY HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!

RATING:
Excellence: Excellent to Outstanding ~ 4.5 stars
Steaminess: Sensual

     Finally, finally we arrive at the end of the road for the Beckets of Romney Marsh... and at long last we find out the entire backstory... the story that has, as the series progresses, become a little clearer with each book.  I've actually liked the way that Kasey Michaels did this... a little information doled out with every story.  In each book we learn just how the main character became a part of Ainsley Becket's unique and intriguing family.  And there are a few more hints about how they came to leave the island paradise so many years before ~ until TA DA! ~ we learn it all.  And, while it's kept me hooked, it's also GREAT that we finally learn it all; the good and the bad; the joyous and tragic... all of it finally revealed.  
    And I've got to say that the epilogue was great!  Understated, but wonderful for all that.  VERY, VERY HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!

   Now saying all that I do have a small complaint, which is why the story rated a 4.0 instead of 4.5 as the others did... it was just a bit towards the end of Court's and Cassandra's story that I felt there was a real fumble in the way that Ms. Michaels finished with our H and h... not entirely sure what it was, but it jarred a bit... otherwise, I did enjoy it a lot.

RATING:
Excellence: Excellent+ ~ 4.0 stars
Steaminess: Sensual

     Rian and LIsette's story was very much the well, not calm before the storm, but certainly a percursor to the final battle of the Beckets versus an old enemy.  With all the danger surrounding the family, we're getting to see more of all of the members whose stories we've already read... and the continuation is really nice.  Of all the Beckets throughout the series, though, Rian, to me, was the one least known.  That changed a LOT in Fanny's story, but in his own story, Rian finally completed his journey to being real as his siblings.  Very nice!  Great tension ~ I'm tellin' you it's getting harder and harder to read as usual with the denoument of the series heading our way.  VERY, VERY HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!

RATING:
Excellence: Excellent+ ~ 4.5 stars
Steaminess: Sensual

     I gobbled up the four earlier published Beckets of Romney Marsh stories; Kasey Michaels has long been a favourite (and autobuy) author.  But it took me quite awhile to get into the last three.  Partly because I knew that, as difficult as circumstances had been for this amazing family, they were definitely about to get worse.  I also wanted to wait until I had them all together ~ but that was accomplished, or at least could have been ~ in November of 2007.  But I set up a challenge for myself for the month of July to read the books that are part of series' that I've been following for some time.  I'm very glad that I did, because reading Fanny's story wasn't *quite* as hard as I thought it would be.  It was emotional enough, but Valentine Clement was the perfect hero for our reckless beauty!  VERY, VERY HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!

     Harlequin July Mini Challenge:  I got the email from Lorie talking about a "Harlequin moment" while I was reading this book and the timing was Excellent!  On page 281 of Kasey Michaels' A Reckless Beauty Odette, voodoo priestess and the Becket's longtime housekeeper (and more) was saying to Fanny ~ our reckless heroine ~ words that I thought were very REAL... words that people should consider:

"Didn't I teach you better than that, child? No matter
how fast or far you run, you've still got all of yourself
stuck to you when you stand still again."

  Just something to think about.  Anyway, that was one of my moments!

RATING:
Excellence: Excellent+ ~ 4.5 stars
Steaminess: Sensual

This story of passion and love covers space and Earth. Lust and desire go hand in hand. A tale of cat shifters who meet their mates and match with human women.

I do so enjoy Suzanne Enoch's books ~ regardless of whether it's one of her historicals or her contemporaries.  She has such a way of creating connections between the reader and her characters.  Her historicals are wildly romantic while her contemporary novels featuring, to date, the now-reformed, world class cat burglar Samantha Jellicoe and her once-almost-victim, now-lover billionaire Richard Adddison ~ Marquis of Rawley no less! ~ have a wonderful touch of humour that is deftly underlaid by a darkness that takes the stories to the level of romantic suspense.  And in this the fourth book of the loosely connected series, the relationship between Sam and Rick continues to progress to a deeper level ~ but there is still a modicum of uncertainty. 
   Another excellent story that I'm now wondering just why it took me so long to read!?    VERY, VERY, VERY HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!

RATING:
Excellence: Excellent to Outstanding ~ 4.5 stars
Steaminess: Sensual to Yummy

Kristin Hardy, Always a Bridesmaid:  part of a series, and it took me a while to struggle through the information about subsidiary characters so I could understand the main couple.  A social worker who'd had a horrible childhood is the heroine, and the hero an editor who was indirectly

     The laughter continues; but wait... there's a more serious note among the pages!  MJD does a wonderful job expanding on Betsy's new world, and on Betsy's seemingly endless shallowness and greed.  But she's far more than she appears ~ and she doesn't always realize that fact ~ but the more time spent with her, the more I enjoy her company.  Doesn't hurt ~ AT ALL ~ that gorgeous, sexy, bad-boy vampire consort Eric Sinclair hangs around.  And they, and the various other characters, are getting more and more fleshed out.  Definitely another great step in the series.  VERY, VERY HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!

RATING:
Excellence: Excellent ~ 4.0 stars
Steaminess: Sensual to Yummy