Friday Book Trailer

Here's another Friday book trailer that is actually a trailer for a movie based on a book.  This time it's Janet Evanovich's One for the Money.



I haven't read any of the books since #6 because I was getting tired of the triangle between Stephanie, Joe and Ranger (I was a Joe girl, but also found Ranger hot - he just needed his own girl).  I also found that the books were becoming too formulaic with the jokes and characters.  I tried reading numbers 7 and 8 but couldn't finish either one.  I think the series is up to 17 now.  I absolutely loved the first 6 books and read each one a couple of times.  So I think I might actually check this movie out when it comes out in January.  Meanwhile, I think it might be time for a re-read of One for the Money.

Review - Prey by Linda Howard

Thirty-two year old Angie Powell and wilderness guide has finally decided to put up her family business for sale.  Business has slowed down in the past two years due to the economy and the arrival of fellow wilderness guide, Dare Callahan.  Dare, a veteran of the war in Iraq, returned to Montana three years ago, is seen as a stronger more capable guide.

Angie has one more client to take on a hunt before she leaves town.  Things go horribly wrong for her though when Angie witnesses a murder and must deal with a rampaging black bear.  Luckily for her, Dare has set up camp near by.  Together, they must overcome their hard feelings and work together to get off the mountain.

I was a little leery about reading this book.  Something about spending time in the wilderness just does not appeal to me.  It's a lot of work, it can be cold, rainy, and too many bugs (and now apparently I have to worry about psycho bears).  When my friends talk about wanting to go camping my eyes glaze over and I start to dream of resorts with spas.    The book started off a little slow but things really started rolling once Angie started the hunt.  I made the mistake a deciding to read a little bit more at 11pm last night before I went to sleep.  I stayed up until 3am to finish it.  This book is a perfect (or almost perfect) example of  why I enjoy reading romance.  Not everything may be believable and the suspense may be lacking because the reader knows who the villain is, but I could not put it down.  I also enjoyed the little snippets of humour between Dare and Angie when they were on the mountain and the sex and sexual tension was not steaming hot, but warm enough!  Warning, if you do not enjoy reading anything remotely gory you might want to skim the parts that involve the bear.  I also admit that I found the suspense really lacking near the end of the book.  I wish there had been more time devoted to the villain tracking Angie and Dare.  Even with the minor nitpicks I loved this book, maybe not as much as Open Season or Mr. Perfect, but Prey cam pretty close.

Review - In Bed with a Highlander by Maya Banks

Ewan McCabe, the eldest of three brothers, is determined to rebuild his clan and castle while setting about the downfall of his enemy.  Everything looks to fall into place when he comes across Mairin Stuart.  Mairin, the illegitimate daughter of the king, has been kidnapped from her sanctuary and will be forced to marry.  Escaping, she finds herself in Ewan's control and facing marriage once again.

I wanted to like this book, I really did.  I don't dislike, but I didn't love it.  The book just left me feeling meh.  Ewan was too perfect, he was tall, dark, and handsome.  A warrior who was gruff but had a heart of gold.  Mairin was too much of a Mary-Sue.  Everyone loved her the instant they met her.  Even Ewan's son Crispen adored her and called her Mama the second Mairin and Ewan were married.  She is very reminiscent of Julie Garwood's heroines, except here she annoyed me.  The book is set in the time that King David was on the throne.  His nephew, Malcolm was also trying to lay claim to the thrown.  Mairin was very important politically because her first born would be given some land (Neamh Alainn), which would help either one keep the throne somehow (I forgot how).  But if she was so important, why was she left alone at an Abbey to basically fend for herself?  You would think that her uncle (King David) or half-brother (Malcolm) would keep her close to marry her off to an ally. 

Anyways, the majority of the book is spent on Mairin getting to know the clan, getting into mischief, and almost getting killed twice.  The book did pick up near the end when Mairin and Ewan are called to court, but I felt that everything was too rushed by this point.  Overall, the hero and heroine were too perfect and the villain was too "villainy".  I also felt that Banks' voice was too modern.  Looking at her backlist on Amazon, I only found contemporary romances.  So I think this may be her first medieval, and it shows.  It wasn't in your face obvious, but every once in a while it would pull me from the book.  Like every time Mairin rolled her eyes.  I would stop and think, would someone during that time roll their eyes?  I have no idea, but for some reason it strikes me as a modern gesture.  In the end, I don't think this is a horrible book, but it isn't an outstanding one.  It was like all Scottish medievals rolled into one.  I definitely will not be keeping this book.  More than likely I will take it to the used book store for credit.  Having said that, I am still contemplating reading the next two.  But I think that is my little OCD coming out and feeling the need to finish the trilogy because I know there are two more books.

Friday Book Trailer

Since I am in the mood for Scottish historicals, here is a video of the Scottish highlands.  I think it will help set the mood for the reading of any highlander romance.

Highland Guard Series Releases

On October 18, we get to read the fourth installment of the Highland Guard series from Monica McCarty. 

Prized for his snakelike stealth and deadly strikes, Lachlan “Viper” MacRuairi is a warrior to enlist but not to trust. His only loyalty is to his purse, his indifference sealed by bitter betrayal. All that changes when Lachlan is tasked to protect and deliver Bella MacDuff to the king’s coronation—and the proud, lushly sensual countess unwittingly challenges him to his greatest battle yet: to love again.

Passionate and devoted, Bella has defied Britain’s king and her own husband to place the crown on Bruce’s head, and for this she pays a terrible price: Losing her daughter and her freedom to her husband’s vengeance. Imprisoned with barbaric cruelty, she vows to reclaim her child, even if it means selling her soul—and her body—to a dark, lethal warrior whose eyes glint like steel, but who makes her skin tingle and her breath race. Together they embark on a rogue mission with sinister twists and turns that threatens not only Bella’s gamble to save her daughter—but also her heart.

Also, while looking, I found the synopsis for the fifth book, The Saint, which will be out March 27, 2012.  There is no cover yet, but here is the synopsis:

Magnus MacKay is the ultimate Highlander: tough, proud, able to master any terrain and to best his enemies. Called “the Saint” for his refusal to discuss women, as well as for his cool and steady leadership, Magnus hides a painful truth. It isn’t virtue or piety that keeps him silent, but a wound of love and loss that cuts so deep he cannot bear to speak of it. But when the woman who refused him is betrothed to his friend and fellow Guardsman, Magnus is tested by love’s battle cry.

A wild and innocent beauty, Helen chose family duty over her desire for Magnus. Now the anger in his eyes mirrors the tormented regret in her heart. But as deadly subterfuge stalks the King and his Guard, Helen vows to right her youthful mistakes with a woman’s determined spirit. Still, Magnus harbors secrets and an iron will not to weaken to temptation—or heartache—again. But as danger looms, it’s the kiss not of a saint, but of a sinner, that can save them.


I am looking forward to this book as McCarty's stories always deliver!

Which One First - Johanna Lindsay?

Last week SBTB asked readers which Johanna Lindsey book a new romance reader should read first.  I pretty much agreed with the resulting list except maybe The Heir.  That is one of three Lindsey books that I have never been able to finish.  The other two being Heart of a Warrior  and Home for the Holidays. 

If I were to recommend which books of Lindsey's to read, I think it would go like this:

1. Hearts Aflame - the first ever JL book I ever read and the beginning of my historical romance love.
2. Tender Rebel - Tony Malory's story in the Malory family.  There is something about Tony that appeals to me, the description of his looks, his attitude, and his personality.
3. The Magic of You - another Malory story, this time it's Tony's niece, Amy and Warren Anderson.  A hot story with lots of humour.
4. Defy not the Heart - a medieval romance with a twist - the hero has trouble pleasuring the heroine at first because he is worried about his size.
5. When Love Awaits - another medieval, this time a man marries to gain land.
6. Once a Princess - an ordinary person suddenly finds out she is a princess from a far away land, and her prince is hot!
7. Prisoner of Desire - some people have been turned off of the story line of forced seduction, but for some reason it works in this book.
8. Love Only Once - the first book to start the Malory series - is there any other reason needed?
9. Secret Fire - a Regency era book with a kidnapping and Russian setting.
10. Fires of Winter - the story of Kristen's (Hearts Aflame)  parents
11. Surrender my Love - another Viking era story, this time it's Selig's story
12. Paradise Wild - a little old school, but I enjoyed the story with a different setting (Hawaii)
13. Man of My Dreams - Megan is determined to land herself a Duke, Ambrose St.James.  Ambrose, hiding out as a horse breeder is determined to change her mind.
14. Gentle Rogue - this book would be higher on my list, but James is so revered in subsequent books that he begins to annoy me.
15. A Gentle Feuding - warring clans and Scotland, what else is needed?

     

I tried to keep the list to my top ten, but just couldn't do it.  Sadly, my favourite Johanna Lindsey books were all published before 1995.  I continue to read each book that is released, but none seem to have that magical something of the old books.