Archive for New Romance Books
Locked and Loaded: Needs More Romance, Less Suspense
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Title: Locked and Loaded (The Men of Delta Force Series)
Author: Alexis Grant
Pages: 288
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Locked and Loaded is the second book in Grant’s The Men of Delta Force series. (Alexis Grant is the nom de plume of late author L.A. Banks.) I’m usually a sucker for military romances. I was captivated by the blurb, and and had this book on my Wishlist for a few months. When I finally read it though, I was a tad disappointed.
Sage Warner is a plucky DEA agent who’s gone deep undercover as the mistress of Roberto Salazar, a major Miami drug lord. She’s got a personal vendetta against Salazar, and she’s willing to do just about anything to bring him down. But there’s an inter-agency mix-up, and a team of soldiers from Delta led by Captain Anthony Davis raid Salazar’s home, jeopardizing Sage’s mission. Sage is incensed at Davis, and at having to work with other agencies, but finds herself attracted to the military officer. Davis, who initially has no idea that Sage is an undercover officer, also finds himself drawn to his erstwhile partner. The two work together to come up with a plan that allows Sage to retain her cover, while also allowing Davis to get into the Salazar organization.
Perhaps one of the difficulties with the book is that I found it very difficult to relate to either Sage or Davis, and I really didn’t feel convinced that they made a good couple. Both seem to be very closed off – possibly because of the nature of their jobs – and both seem always to be running around trying to do their jobs. That’s probably more realistic than having them run around with each other, but hey, this is a romance right? As it was, there were are really very few scenes in which the two of them interact, and those are mostly steamy physical encounters.
Without much in terms of relationship development, most of the book had to be carried by the suspense plot, which I found overly convoluted involving two drug dealers, some terrorists, a Russian arms dealer, possible nuclear weapons. I got lost along the way, and didn’t care enough to go back and re-read sections to see if I got it right.I wanted to like this book. I really did. But for some strange reason, this book just didn’t work for me, and I found my interest flagging a few chapters into the book. I made it to the end because I was stuck on a plane and I’d read all the other books on my Kindle, but it was a long hard slog.
My Wicked Little Lies by Victoria Alexander
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Title: My Wicked Little Lies (Sinful Family Secrets)
Author: Victoria Alexander
Pages:352
Genre: Historical Romance
My Wicked Little Lies is Victoria Alexander’s latest addition to her Sinful Family Secrets series, featuring the Hadley-Attwater family. Evelyn Hadley-Attwater is a pillar of Victorian society and married to the respectable Earl of Waterston. Adrian Hadley-Attwater. Evelyn and Adrian have been married for just two years, and are still in their honeymoon period, deeply in love and extremely happy. But what Adrian doesn’t know is that Evelyn was once a spy, codenamed Eve, for an unnamed British agency. When she’s asked by Max, her mysterious handler at the agency, to take one last assignment to retrieve a missing file which could compromise all the agencies’ operatives, Evelyn reluctantly agrees. Adrian can tell that Evelyn is distracted, and he worries that she’s become bored with him, and is cheating on him. When Evelyn finds out about Adrian’s suspicions, she’s deeply hurt. The two argue, and Evelyn moves out. Adrian then embarks on some madcap antics to prove to Evelyn how much he loves her, and to find out if she too really loves him.
Shane’s Last Stand: Sneak Peek at Suzanne Brockmann’s Latest
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Title: Shane’s Last Stand (Short Story)
Author: Suzanne Brockmann
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Popular romantic suspense author Suzanne Brockmann’s highly-anticipated new book, Born to Darkness, is slated for release on March 20. It’s the first book in a brand new series called Fighting Destiny. Best known for her Troubleshooters books, Brockmann’s new series is just a little bit different. It’s set sometime in the near future, where things seem bleak for the world economy and the United States. Born to Darkness has been touted as a paranormal romance, and it certainly has science fiction and paranormal elements weaved in. In Brockmann’s new world, a new designer drug is sweeping through the population, promising special abilities and eternal youth. The catch? The drug’s extremely expensive, instantly addictive, and can drive you mad.
Despite the new and unusual setting, what hasn’t changed is that the hero, Shane Laughlin, is a Navy SEAL…. or at least used to be one, before he was stripped of his rank, dishonorably discharged, and barred from most jobs. In preparation for Born to Darkness, Brockmann has released a short story exclusively in e-book format to introduce us to Shane, and to tell us about his last mission as a SEAL. (There’s also an exciting bonus preview of the first chapter of Born to Darkness to sweeten the pot.)
Entitled Shane’s Last Stand, the short story will whet your appetite for Born to Darkness. We join Shane, a Lieutenant in SEAL Team Thirteen, at the start of what was supposed to be a straight-forward mission in Afghanistan to eliminate a terrorist mastermind. The mission is off to a bad start when Shane injures his ankle in the paradrop… then things get worse, when Shane realizes that the mission’s not so straightforward after all, and that his terrorist target isn’t who she seems. Knowing that he’s committing career suicide by bucking the chain of command, Shane gives the order to abort the mission to save an innocent woman, and to protect the rest of his team’s careers. This was an extremely short story, but a great teaser for Born to Darkness (which I have of course already pre-ordered!) The writing is just as absorbing as any Troubleshooter book. Shane’s strong moral compass, and determination to do what’s right despite the cost to him, make him an attractive hero, and I’m looking forward to learning more about him.
My Ruthless Prince: Regency Romance Filled with Intrigue
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Title: My Ruthless Prince (Inferno Club)
Author: Gaelen Foley
Pages: 384
Genre: Historical Romance
Regency romances are not my usual cup of tea, but I found myself being completely charmed by Gaelen Foley’s My Ruthless Prince. The book boasts a tortured hero, resourceful heroine, multi-faceted villains, and a plot filled with intrigue. While this book is the fourth book (out of five) in Foley’s Inferno Club series, it can easily be read as a standalone book.
Drake, the Earl of Westwood, had been training to be an operative for the Inferno Club since he was a boy. Ostensibly a gentlemen’s club, The Inferno Club is in fact a secret international organization of noblemen fighting on the side of God, King, and country. Their arch enemies are the members of the Prometheus group, whose thirst for wealth and power threaten the stability of England and Europe.
As the book begins, we find out that Drake, one of the more promising Inferno operatives, had been captured and tortured by the Prometheans. Their treatment of him was so brutal that he’s lost his memory. Drake is rescued, but soon runs away from London and the Inferno Club, to return to the Prometheans’ headquarters in Bavaria, where he becomes the bodyguard to a very senior official in the hierarchy.
Drake’s no traitor. He’s out to infiltrate the Prometheans to take revenge for his ill-treatment, but his colleagues in the Inferno Club all believe he’s beyond salvation and set out to eliminate him. Only Emily refuses to believe the worst of him. Emily, Drake’s childhood playmate, and daughter of his family’s woodsman and gamekeeper, had nursed Drake back to health after his rescue. The two have always loved each other, although Drake’s misplaced sense of nobility has never allowed him to even think of her in that way, as he believes he’d be taking advantage of her. Emily too, has never professed her feelings for him, thinking him above her station. However, when Emily travels from England to Bavaria to rescue him from the Prometheans, she puts herself in deep danger, and Drake is forced to confront his own feelings for her.
There were lots of plot twists to keep the reader entertained, and Foley has created in Drake an extraordinarily compelling tortured hero. He’s withstood months of physical torture by the Prometheans, and is naturally confused. But while appearing ruthless and evil, we know that he will eventually come out on the side of good. His concern for Emily while he tries to also play both sides against each other is incredibly touching. Emily too, is an amazing heroine, selfless, completely devoted to Drake, and yet so not a doormat. She’s incredibly resourceful and capable, which is always a wonderful thing to see with a Regency romance heroine. Foley has a gift with creating believable characters, and I especially liked her villains, who were all too human. A wonderful read!
Copper Beach: A Dark Legacy Novel by Jayne Ann Krentz
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Title: Copper Beach: A Dark Legacy Novel
Author: Jayne Ann Krentz
Pages: 352
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz is back with Copper Beach, a brand new paranormal romance novel that kicks off her A Dark Legacy series. The prolific author can always be depended on for quality romance, and she doesn’t disappoint with Copper Beach. Bookseller Abby Radwell has a gift. She’s a psychic book-reader, who can find highly coveted books that her wealthy clients want, and she’s under pressure from a blackmailer and her family to find a mysterious book called The Key. Abby believes her life is at risk from her blackmailer, and decides that she needs some help. She hires Sam Coppersmith. Sam too has special gifts, with a particular affinity for crystals. He’s also done some work for a mysterious government agency. He has all the skills to make him the perfect bodyguard for Abby and ideal investigator for the mystery of The Key. Sparks fly between Sam and Abby as they try to locate The Key, and figure out the identity of Abby’s blackmailer. This is another exciting and enjoyable page-turner from the ever-reliable Krentz, and great start to an interesting new series that has shades of Krentz’s earlier Arcane series.
In the Spotlight: The Fifty Shades of Grey Series by E.L. James
Posted by: | CommentsIn our earlier article, Seeing Twilight in Fifty Shades of Grey, I wrote about allegations that the Fifty Shades of Grey series may be facing copying infringement issues because it began life as Twilight fan fiction. It remains to be seen if Little, Brown (which publishes Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series) will follow up on these claims. (As I mentioned in my earlier post, I am hard pressed to see the similarities between the two!)
In the meantime, the final book of the Fifty Shades of Grey series was released on January 19, and has stormed up Amazon’s romance and erotica charts. Fifty Shades Freed peaked at the top spot in the erotica category, and is currently number 11 in romance. Not at all a bad showing for a series that has gained popularity mostly by word-of-mouth, on the back of rave reviews on romance blogs and sites such as Goodreads!
Most romance book fans will have heard about Fifty Shades, but don’t fret if you’re not familiar with the books – you can find out more from our article spotlighting the series. Written entirely from the heroine Anastasia Steele’s perspective, this series is wonderfully romantic… and yes, extremely erotic and sensual. (Deep down inside, I’m sure every girl wants to be Ana, and longs to have her own Christian!) This is one series that I’ll be re-reading for years to come and I heartily recommend all three books!
Book 1: Fifty Shades of Grey
The first book in the series introduces the reader to Christian Grey, a self-made millionaire in his late twenties, and young English major Anastasia Steele. Christian (also affectionately referred to as “Fifty Shades” by Ana throughout the trilogy) is a successful entrepreneur whose calm facade hides a painful past, and his secret Dominant tendencies. He first meets the innocent Ana when she’s bamboozled into interviewing Christian for her university’s newspaper. Ana is completely unprepared for the charismatic and gorgeous Christian, while Christian is attracted by Ana’s intelligence, submissive demeanor, and complete lack of artifice. Sparks fly between the two, and Christian decides to woo Ana, and the two struggle to establish a relationship even though Ana can’t quite wrap her head around Christian’s dark past, and interest in BDSM.
Book 2: Fifty Shades Darker
Fifty Shades Darker picks up immediately where Fifty Shades of Grey left off. Ana simply can’t deal with Christian’s need to control her or his sexual preferences, and decides to break the relationship off. Ana starts afresh with a new job at a boutique publishing house, and tries to forget Christian. But the separation is too painful for both Christian and Ana, and the two rekindle their romance and try to come to a middle ground that will work for them both. We get to learn more about Christian’s tortured past. A number of secondary characters, most notably a past lover/stalker, are introduced, further complicating the dynamics between Christian and Ana.
Book 3: Fifty Shades Freed
The final book in the trilogy ties up all the loose ends beautifully, although I was sorry to see the series end. Christian and Ana have are now in a committed relationship. Ana both enjoys and feels uncomfortable with the luxuries that Christian’s wealth can afford her, and she continues to struggle with Christian’s need to protect her by controlling her actions. There are some wonderfully touching moments involving Christian and Ana’s families. There’s also an exciting sub-plot involving an attempt to kidnap Ana, and a dicey scene where she places her life at risk to face down Christian’s dark past. Needless to say, Christian and Ana get their happy ever after, as do most of the other popular characters in the book. Includes a great bonus chapter showing Christian’s perspective of his first meeting with Ana.
Seeing Twilight in Fifty Shades of Grey?
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E.L. James’ book, Fifty Shades of Grey, has garnered plenty of positive reviews on various book review sites, and has had fans of both romantic fiction, and erotica, swooning. Fifty Shades of Grey is the first in a trilogy of the same name. It is followed by Fifty Shades Darker. The final book in the trilogy, Fifty Shades Freed, is due for release on Jan 19. The trilogy follows the very young and naive English major Anastacia Steel as she navigates an intense romance with billionaire entrepreneur Christian Grey. Written from Ana’s perspective, we get a glimpse into her thought processes as Christian introduces the innocent to his interest in BDSM.
As a fan of Cherise Sinclair and Joey W. Hill, I have read and enjoyed the first and second books in James’ series, and am waiting impatiently for the final book in the series. The books were more romance than erotica (although the sex scenes were indeed hot). For the squeamish among us, the BDSM element was fairly light, and in fact, J.R. Ward’s portrayal of V’s predilections in the Black Dagger Brotherhood (BDB) series is far more graphic and dark.
Given the incredibly romantic nature of the books, and the gentle BDSM elements, it came as no surprise that Hollywood scouts have been sniffing around the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy for a possible movie or series. (I for one, would love to see how the book translates into film or television – particularly since James is herself a TV executive!) But I was stunned by the follow-up article detailing the responses from readers who claimed that because Fifty Shades of Grey began life as Twilight fan fiction, there could be copyright infringement issues.
Now, I’ve read the Fifty Shades books very carefully, and read some parts (heh) more than twice. I’d be hard pressed to find a single sparkly vampire in the book. Nor have I come across any fangs, werewolves, or even high school students. There’s nary a single drop of blood in the books. (Well, if I must be indelicate, Ana does talk a bit about tampons, but that’s hardly the stuff that Edward’s after.) I’ve also read the Twilight books. No matter how hard I try, I simply can’t see the similarities between the two! While one might argue that like the Twilight books, Fifty Shades is also written from the point of view of a young female narrator, surely Stephenie Meyer can’t have a monopoly on that, or Little, Brown (Meyer’s publisher) would be suing authors left, right, and center.
Although Little, Brown has said that its policy is to “proactively monitor and investigate all reports of potential copyright infringements” I doubt they’ll be able to pin anything on James. The similarities, if any, are far too nebulous. No doubt, I’m not the only one who thinks so. Amanda Hayward, CEO of The Writer’s Coffee Shop, which published Fifty Shades of Grey, said James’s book “bore very little resemblance to Twilight…Twilight and Fifty Shades Trilogy are worlds apart, new readers are totally surprised it was ever a Twilight fan fiction story.” To quote Christian Grey, “fair point, well made”.
