Thursday, October 28, 2010

CHOSEN BY THE SHEIKH - The Sheikh and the Virgin\Kept for the Sheikh's Pleasure- Kim Lawrence and Lynn Raye Harris

Author: Kim Lawrence and Lynn Raye Harris
Line: Harlequin Presents
Release month: UK/ USA: OCT 2010
The S-Factor: Sizzling and Steamy

Back Blurb:

The Sheikh and the Virgin by Kim Lawrence Prince

Tariq Al Kamal furiously forbids his brother to marry an unsuitable woman. Then Tariq whisks Beatrice away to his desert home where he becomes intent on seducing her. What he doesn't realize is she isn't his brother's intended—she's an innocent who's about to become his bride!

Kept for the Sheikh's Pleasure by Lynn Raye Harris

King Zafir bin Rashid al-Khalifa does not care for surprises. Especially ones that involve the reappearance of his ex, Dr. Genie Gray! Now Zafir has the power to make all the rules—and what he wants is a willing Genie in his bed….

Review: ♥♥♥♥♥

The Sheikh and the Virgin by Kim Lawrence was quite an interesting royal to read because Prince Tariq Al Kamal had an agenda which was to make sure his brother didn’t end of with a woman he disapprove of, a very unsuitable woman. However, what he didn’t know was that Beatrice Devlin had an agenda which was to make sure her friend and Tariq’s brother got their happy ending and in the end would get married.

Beatrice was a fabulous heroine, she was fierce and loyal to her friends Emma and Khalid and she appealed to Prince Tariq even though he fought it. And then he summoned his brother home and sent him off on an assignment which resulted in Khalid getting hurt and he fought for his life. Still Tariq was determined that Beatrice and Khalid not be together. He wanted to pay her off, but she wouldn’t have a thing to do with his offer.

Beatrice was an incredible heroine, she had spirit and beauty. She had also been alone most of her life and when Khalid was hurt she was torn if she should send for Emma. And then Tariq misunderstood her loyalty to Khalid and agreed that she loved his brother and they should marry. Talk about a mess because it was obvious that Tariq wanted Beatrice for himself. And then quite by mistake Tariq found out his brother loved Emma and they were married.

The chemistry between Tariq and Beatrice was sizzling and he wanted to make Beatrice forget his brother. However, he went about it in the wrong way, he made love to her and realized he loved her, this poor young woman who was so alone, had been alone with no family. Could he make a life with her, marry her? You’ll just have to read The Sheikh and the Virgin to find out the lesson Tariq and Beatrice learned and that was home was where they both were, together.


Kept for the Sheikh's Pleasure by Lynn Raye Harris was a most unusual and amazing sheikh romance. Immediately, I could imagine King Zafir on his Arabian horse or in his desert tent with the woman he once knew so intimately, Doctor Genie Gray. They very same woman who had been kidnapped, the same woman whose heart he had destroyed because of a secret.

Genie Gray couldn’t believe she was seeing Zafir again after all of the years of separation when she loved him in college until she found out he was promised to marry another woman. And then he asked the most unthinkable thing of her, to return home with him and to become his mistress. Even though she knew his culture was different, it didn’t help one bit and it destroyed her, she felt betrayed. Now she was forced to be in his company again and it was evident he wanted her back again, in his bed. What really hurt was that she after all of years between them desired him, possibly still loved him.

Zafir had lost so much, his brother, his father, his first wife and a divorce from his second wife. He was alone and now he was king. So much responsibility and first and foremost was his need to unite his country. He was shocked to see Genie Gray again after ten years, the one woman he believed understood him, the woman who refused him. She was in Bah’ shar on a dig and had been captured and presented to him as a gift. And still after all of these years, he wanted Genie in the most intimate way. And so he kept her in his tent and then took her to his palace.

Genie had learned at a very early age from her mother what loving a man could do, especially when that man wasn’t able to return that love. How was she going to resist Zahir because she knew if she gave in she would be hurt all over again and she suspected after being around him that she was still in love with him. However, leaving wasn’t an option because the sheikh who presented her as a gift would be offended and Zafir needed his sheikhs to all unite. So he offered Genie an incentive, a dig in the ruins of the old temples at Al-Shahar and she accepted.

Talk about a roller coaster of a reunion, one steeped in sensual tension, old memories, old hurts and they could keep their eyes or hands off of each other. And while reading this beautiful romance, I felt that I was in the desert and at the palace with Zafir and Genie. This romance was brilliantly written, very descriptive and very emotional.

Zafir knew it was wrong to keep her with him but she brought some normalcy into his life with all of upheaval going on around him. She made him remember how he used to be when he was a student studying architecture and made him feel not so alone in the world. As for Genie, it was shear torture because she still wanted and needed him even though he had hurt her so badly those years ago. However, she was keeping a secret as well, a secret which was revealed about her childhood and the reason why she had refused him all of those years ago.

Kept for the Sheikh's Pleasure was a beautiful second chance love story, yes hurtful at times to read because they both wanted each other more than life itself and for all of the pain and sorrow they both had to experience to get that chance. In the end, this desert lord moved heaven and earth to get his queen in the most unusual way, thanks to the extremely talented romantic story teller, Lynn Raye Harris.

Hero Hotness Factor♥♥♥♥♥
Heroine Lovability Factor♥♥♥♥♥
Awww Factor♥♥♥♥♥
Stickability Factor ♥♥♥♥
Weepy Factor♥♥♥
Reviewed by: Marilyn

Behind the book with author Lynn Raye Harris:

Author Lynn Raye blogging at the Jaunty Quills about Kept for the Sheikh’s Pleasure

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

BOARD ROOM RIVALS, BEDROOM FIREWORKS! - Kimberly Lang



Author: Kimberly Lang
Line: Mills and Boon Modern Heat/Harlequin Presents Extra
Release month: UK: Jan 2010 / USA: Oct 2010
The S-Factor: Steamy and Sizzling

Back Blurb:

The billionaire’s business arrangement:

Jack Garrett enjoys biddable women — sharing the vineyard he’s inherited with his fiery ex-wife does not appeal. His agenda is clear: visit Brenna, make her a deal… and leave, immediately. 

His terms…

But one glimpse of Brenna’s sun-kissed skin has Jack’s rugged body recalling their fevered nights together…

Her fiery surrender!

As their red-hot passion erupts, ten years of ice-cold separation melt away. Now they’re back where it started all those years ago — in bed! Suddenly negotiations are looking much more pleasurable…

 Review: ♥♥♥♥♥

Kimberly Lang has written such a powerful and beautiful romance in Boardroom Rivals, Bedroom Fireworks!

Talk about conflict and a shared past which involved a short term marriage. Now ten years later Brenna Walsh is faced with not only loosing her beloved stepfather Max. She was also forced to see his son, her billionaire ex-husband Jack Garrett. However, they have a huge problem as Brenna and Jack now share the joint ownership of Amante Verano Cellars they recently inherited It’s been Brenna’s whole focus and life while Jack just wants to sell his share that his father Max left to them both. On top of that, the chemistry is still there for both of them, the fire, the passion and the sad memories of their failed marriage.

Talk about fireworks with an exclamation mark! Fireworks doesn’t even describe their arguments nor their desire for each other. It completely complications the situation every step of the way because Brenna wants the winery to be a huge success and she’s sure they can put Amante Verano on the map if she’s just given the chance. However, the winery means nothing to Jack, he doesn’t share her passion. His passion is for building luxury hotels and he didn’t want to waste his time in wine country, remembering how it was like with Brenna all of those years ago.

They constantly argued, remembered how much they had once loved each other, fought over the winery and what a money pit it was, fought over Jack selling or being a silent partner. It was weeks of up and down emotions and finally facing them in a most intimate way. They were both so different, Brenna was granola to Jack’s posh life style. Jack was extremely popular with the socialites where as Brenna was content to dig in the dirt and prune her vines. They were as different as night and day yet they still wanted each other. Their marriage had been based on “fight-truce-sex-fight” and neither of them wanted that again, and yet, they couldn’t seem to get past the past.

For them to come to terms with the past, so much happened during the ensuing weeks while trying not only to come to terms with their loss of Max, the winery and how Jack in the end, decided how to deal with Brenna. It became more when they fought about their break-up and why their marriage failed.

And then when I thought Brenna’s heart couldn’t break anymore, the worst thing happened, a fire. Now she couldn’t hide behind the winery, she was forced to think about why she and Jack failed and could she move forward? And then a wonderful thing happened when Brenna realized she didn’t want to be alone, she wanted to be with Jack. As for Jack where Brenna was concerned I just knew he would do something extraordinary, and he did because he knew how much she loved the winery. Did they get their second chance? Of course thanks to their love for each other and compromise!

Misunderstandings, passion and bedroom fireworks made Boardroom Rivals, Bedroom Fireworks an amazing romance giving this beautiful couple their happy ending thanks to USA Today Bestselling author Kimberly Lang.

Hero Hotness Factor♥♥♥♥♥
Heroine Lovability Factor♥♥♥♥♥
Awww Factor♥♥♥♥♥
Stickability Factor ♥♥♥♥♥
Weepy Factor♥♥♥
Reviewed by: Marilyn

Behind the book:

From a post at Novel Thoughts

A post at I(heart)Presents

Saturday, October 23, 2010

CINDERELLA & THE CEO (Kings of California) – Maureen Child


Author: Maureen Child
Line: Silhouette Desire
Release month: UK/USA: October 2010
The S-Factor: Sizzling

Back Blurb:

Scrooge had moved in next door and Ivy Holloway was at his mercy. Billionaire Tanner King wanted her year-round Christmas-tree farm shut down so he could have his peace and quiet. He had enough money and power to do it, too. Leaving Ivy with only one option—tame the savage beast.


Tanner had found little tranquility thanks to his annoying neighbor. And then he found himself saddled with a gorgeous housekeeper he couldn't keep his mind—or hands—off. Trouble was, these two women were the same person…leaving the CEO wondering if he could really love his enemy.


Review: ♥♥♥♥♥

The Kings of California miniseries has been a delight to read and Cinderella and The CEO by the very clever Maureen Child is no exception. The author’s hero, Tanner King is Scrooge and the Grinch all rolled into one! However, beware because the girl next door and her family run the Angel Christmas Tree Farm and Tanner is about to meet his match!

Tanner King was a loner. So much so he built his million dollar home in the small town of Cabot Valley for peace and quiet and a place where he could work in private. He was very close to his cousins and attorney but as far as he was concerned he needed no one, he learned that lesson at an early age from his parents. However, he had two problems, he needed to get his next game ready for production and he needed to concentrate. However, that wasn’t possible because the tree farm next door was open year round, played Christmas songs loudly all day long. If that wasn’t enough, they had a gift shop, an adopt the tree program and catered to children’s birthday parties and weddings and it was a noisy mess. So much so, Tanner had called the sheriff many times and wanted them stopped!

Angel Tree Christmas farm had been the family business for decades and now they were nervous that their new billionaire next door neighbor could shut them down. The tree farm employed the town’s residents plus the fact that some of the items sold in the gift shop were created by the residents of Cabot’s Valley. People came from all over for their weddings and Ivy Holloway was hoping to put her wedding and events business on the map and therefore expanding her business. Now Ivy was concerned the very powerful Tanner King could shut her family business down not only hurting her but the entire town!

With the help of Tanner’s attorney and friend, Ivy was hired as Tanner’s housekeeper with both of them hoping to soften Tanner with the main goal being for him to learn about Angel Christmas Tree farm and meet some of the residents of residents. Tanner doesn’t need a pretty housekeeper but the very persuasive Ivy cooks, cleans and makes him feel things he doesn’t want to feel and while reading this wonderful romance I kept holding my breath because secrets always have a way of surfacing and when they did, it was explosive.

Ivy and Tanner had magnificent chemistry. Ivy had started this whole charade to save her tree farm and her hometown. However, then it grew into something more. She wanted to help Tanner King, she wanted him to get to know the town’s residents, to have him see what warm and wonderful people they were, wanted to “save” him. Ivy knew he had trust issues because of his family and how would he react when he found out she had lied to him?

When the secret was revealed that Ivy was actually the owner of Angel Christmas Farm I knew it was going to be explosive but what I didn’t expect was how painful it was to read how Tanner felt the betrayal nor how Ivy would feel the loss of the man she loved. All I could think about was if the wall he had erected around his heart would come tumbling down and if he, because of Ivy and the town, would get his happy ending.

Even though Cinderella and The CEO are not “billed” as a Christmas romance, it should be because it was truly a “Christmas miracle” and beautifully written by Desire author, Maureen Child.

Hero Hotness Factor♥♥♥♥♥
Heroine Lovability Factor♥♥♥♥♥
Awww Factor♥♥♥♥♥
Stickability Factor ♥♥♥♥♥
Weepy Factor
Reviewed by: Marilyn

Saturday, October 16, 2010

CHAMPAGNE WITH A CELEBRITY – (Chateau Lefevre) - Kate Hardy







Author: Kate Hardy
Line: Mills and Boon Modern Heat/Harlequin Presents Extra
Release month: UK: Sept 2010 USA: JAN 2011
The S-Factor: Steamy

Back Blurb:

Pride, passion – and the paparazzi!

Beautiful socialite Amber Wynne is constantly in the press – usually for her spectacularly bad love-life! But when Amber meets gorgeous Frenchman Guy at a wedding she begins to wonder if her very public life could be stopping her finding love…

Darkly brooding perfumer Guy Lefèvre shuns the press, and he’d like to shun Amber too. She may be stunningly sexy, but a heated affair with Amber would risk the media discovering the secret that could shatter his world. But now he’s getting to know the real woman behind the celebrity facade, can he really let her walk out of his life?

Review: ♥♥♥♥♥

The Chateau Lefevre series is described as “Rich and spicy – these men are as irresistible as their wine”. Trust me, Xavier and Guy Lefevre are two fabulous Frenchmen. Kate Hardy didn’t disappoint me with her second book, Champagne with a Celebrity, it was brilliant.

To understand the dynamics between Guy Lefevre and his brother Xavier, I highly suggest you read Red Wine and Her Sexy Ex. However, Champagne with a Celebrity is a stand lone book and begins with the wedding of Xavier and his childhood sweetheart, Allie at their family chateau. Guy was loner, loved his rose garden and creating and making perfume. However he had a secret, one that could affect his business and the rest of his life. He had lost his sense of smell. Can you imagine what that would mean for a perfumer? Guy and his brother were close and so this wedding was important to him. However, he’d been there, done that to a famous super model who adored parties and being photographed by the paparazzi. He valued his privacy, was a workaholic and at a very young age had won awards for his creations and started his own successful perfume house. However, his business partner wanted to sell, he had a new creation to finish and launch and on top of that his medical secret!

The Chateau Lefevre was a lovely spot for a wedding and then Guy saw her and his heart stopped. At first he thought Amber Wynne was his ex-wife but then he learned she was a friend of his future sister-law. And then he caught her picking his beloved roses and they got off to a bad start. She was so much like his ex and that bother him. And then he learned she planned parties, appeared in celebrity magazines and was determined “never again” to be attracted to another woman like his ex. The pull between them was so strong and their chemistry sizzled. The irresistible pull between them became so strong when they danced that it led to them leaving the reception and going to Guy’s bedroom. Guy fought it, he really did but she charmed him and he invited Amber to use the chateau as a base while she was touring France.

Amber Wynne knew immediately that Guy Lefevre was special. From her friend and researching him on Google she was amazed at his success. However, there was something that drew her to him. She had been hurt by the press, by an ex-boyfriend plus that fact that in her world, everyone considered her a party girl. However, Guy made her feel special as if she mattered. She liked Guy’s wit, his quick mind and his smile. They spent comfortable days together at the Chateau, she cooking and reading him working. He even took her into his lab, something he rarely did which pleased her. And then without thinking, Guy invited her to accompany him to Grasse where he was to meet with his partner and perfume house. Their time spent together in his flat at Grasse was special as they really shared with each other. Then Amber realized she was in trouble and that she loved him, not due to their shared intimacy because it was something deeper.

Guy knew ending things would be best but he blurted out about his meeting and invited her to come along. He was sick he was keeping his loss of smell from her but could bring himself to tell her. However, he did share his past marriage with Amber and why he didn’t like the press. And he knew while discussing the media with her he had to hold them off because of they found out about his loss of smell, it would ruin the perfume house. Grasse changed a lot of things for Guy because he medical secret was exposed when there was a fire in the kitchen and Amber realized he couldn’t smell the fire. That’s not all that changed, she tried to help and everything backfired. All she wanted to do was fix his world and it blew up in her face!

The only way to describe Champagne with a Celebrity….. it was extremely romantic. Two people who had been hurt by past relationships and the press, who in only a few weeks fell in love. To share so much with each other and had to come to terms with a lot of issues and unfolding events, I wondered if they had a chance. Sometimes secrets have to be exposed, dealt with to get that happy ending. Because in the end, both Guy and Amber wanted to live their dream together. Thanks to clever and gifted Kate Hardy for this wonderful series for providing readers with the Lefevre brothers.

Hero Hotness Factor♥♥♥♥♥
Heroine Lovability Factor♥♥♥♥♥
Awww Factor♥♥♥♥♥
Stickability Factor ♥♥♥♥♥
Weepy Factor♥♥
Reviewed by: Marilyn

Behind the book on Kate's website.  Be sure to check out her recipes which appeared in her series.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

THE TWELVE NIGHTS OF CHRISTMAS – Sarah Morgan


Author: Sarah Morgan
Line: Mills and Boon Modern/Harlequin Presents
Release month: UK: Oct 2010/ North America : NOV 2010
The S-Factor: Sensual and Sizzling

Back Blurb:

Unexpectedly homeless for the festive season and exhausted from transforming the penthouse of the hotel where she works into a dazzling winter wonderland, chambermaid Evie Anderson secretly sleeps over. Woken by an outrageously sensual kiss, Evie feels her body come alive…until she realizes her seducer is Rio Zacarelli, her dangerously attractive new boss!

This Christmas, it's imperative that Rio's reputation appear spotless—but innocently enticing Evie is a temptation he can't resist! Their scorching chemistry leads to twelve nights of endless pleasure. But will it last once the decorations come down?


Review: ♥♥♥♥♥

A sweet holiday romance? No, not until the last chapter. A very sensual holiday romance with shocking secrets. In fact there were two of them in The Twelve Nights of Christmas by the extremely talented author Sarah Morgan. A heroine who was homeless and weeks earlier had dumped her soon to be groom. And a dark and sexy alpha who hated Christmas! It was a very explosive combination.

Evie Anderson adored her grandfather and wanted to make him proud. When her parents died, her grandparents took her in and raised her and her grandfather was so proud of her job in London. After being dumped by her fiance just days before she was to be married, she also found out her landlord had changed the locks. Top it off with the billionaire Rico Laccarelli who owned the hotel where she worked was due to arrive at his penthouse suite in 24 hours. The hotel itself was one of the most expensive properties in the world. She put her belongings in a plastic sack and off she trudged through the snow to the hotel, her clothing soaking wet. Evie had been hired to work in reception but was demoted due to her boss who had tried to kiss her and was now working in housekeeping. With it only being twelve days until Christmas, she was to decorate the huge tree in the penthouse, plus clean it. So she stowed her personal belongings in the basement and went to get her instructions. Her nasty boss Carlos noted her state and told her to ready everything, take a hot shower and gave her permission to stay overnight and finish the details in the morning.

Rico Laccarelli before leaving for London met with his lawyer. They had a super-sensitive deal on the table which meant Rico had to be pure as the snow falling in London. His lawyer advised him “no women” and to keep a low profile for a few weeks. He could not afford to have the press publishing any stories about him being with any women. This deal was the most important thing in his life!  He was a workaholic, hated Christmas but would never tell anyone why and he was going to arrive early at his London hotel, to shake things up a bit. He had plans to fire the man in charge, Carlos.

What he first found was the security was bad and there was a beautiful, curvy very naked redhead lying on top of his bed. He couldn’t help himself, he kissed her and then a flash of a camera went off. Oh my God, what had he done? He was furious with Evie, he fired Carlos, and the very jealous head of housekeeping. He thought Evie was part of a plan to bring him down until a hotel employee confirmed she worked in housekeeping. Rico threatened Evie within an inch of her life if she left the hotel room until he got everything sorted.

What a mess and how would Rico take care of damage control? Evie was so frightened her “bottom” would appear in the tabloids and what that would do to her grandfather who was now in a nursing home. Rico wasn’t going to let his “secret” deal go under so he came up with the idea that he and Evie had been seeing each other for the past six weeks and they were engaged to be married. He let the press think they had the upper hand when he took her shopping for a ring, to red carpet events, charity balls and made sure they were photographed kissing, touching and dancing. It was all a very clever plan until it somewhat backfired on them both because all of the pretending and touching led to them becoming intimate and unleashing their passion.

Evie had a low self esteem because she was curvy, full busted and very tall. It was hard for her to feel beautiful yet Rico thought she was and in his own way tried to let her know he found her more than attractive. She was constantly on edge, just waiting for the “naked” picture to be published in the tabloids. Rico also smoothed things over with her grandfather and his lawyer was very pleased with his plan of action. Evie was so sure no one would believe they were engaged because how could a rich and ruthless, handsome billionaire be interested in her? However, she charmed his bodyguards, two Russian business men and shocked Rico when he found out she spoke five different languages. Evie Anderson was a charming heroine.

Rico hated Christmas and demanded all of the holiday decorations be taken from his penthouse. He would flinch when they attended functions and there was Christmas music playing and holiday decorations. “He made Scrooge look like a cheerleader.” He was constantly berating her about her wanting to ice skate, build a snowman, and sing Christmas songs. He demanded no decorations in their room and would not share with her why he hated the holidays.

While reading The Twelve Nights of Christmas I knew there had to be more to Rico’s hatred of the holidays and possibly his “secret deal”. Let me just say in the last chapters two secrets are revealed and they are shocking!  From then on, I personally cried my heart out because Evie was so caring giving and loving. Once Rico revealed everything to Evie their relationship changed. She absolutely fell in love with him yet she knew he was the wrong man for her because he had told her he didn’t believe in commitment.

One thing was for sure in this beautiful and brilliantly written romance…… Christmas miracles did happen.  How Evie spent Christmas was a wonderful surprise! I personally and highly recommend Sarah Morgan’s, The Twelve Nights of Christmas. It’s perfect Holiday reading and for gift giving for that special romance reader..

Hero Hotness Factor♥♥♥♥♥
Heroine Lovability Factor♥♥♥♥♥
Awww Factor♥♥♥♥♥
Stickability Factor ♥♥♥♥♥
Weepy Factor♥♥♥♥
Reviewed by: Marilyn

Behind the Book - The Twelve Nights of Christmas....

"One of my favourite seasonal reads is A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens I’ve always enjoyed following Ebenezer Scrooge's progress from 'Bah! Humbug' to hope and love, so when I started writing a Christmas story for Harlequin Presents I knew I wanted my hero to have a difficult past to overcome. I wanted him to be someone who, like Scrooge, doesn't enjoy Christmas; someone whose emotional journey is challenging. Instead of giving him a trio of ghosts to deal with, I gave him my heroine, Evie, a Christmas loving girl who forces him to face everything he finds difficult. Does my hero, like Scrooge, come out of the encounter with a different view of Christmas? That's for you to find out.......(first chapter on my website www.sarahmorgan.com)" SM

Saturday, October 09, 2010

A MISTAKE, A PRINCE AND A PREGNANCY(UK)- AN ACCIDENTAL BIRTHRIGHT (USA) – Maisey Yates



Line: Mills and Boon Modern /Harlequin Presents
Release month: UK: Oct 2010 USA: Apr 2011
The S-Factor: Sensual

Back Blurb:

She's given him a baby....

An IVF clinic mix-up means eternally single Alison Whitman is now carrying the child - no, the royal heir - of Maximo Rossi, Prince of Turan!

Now he'll take her for his wife!

Maximo gave up on the hope of fatherhood a long time ago, but now the ruthless ruler will seize this surprise second chance. However, tradition is high on the Prince's agenda, and he'll never stand for an illegitimate heir...

Alison is about to find out that royal marriage is a command, not a choice!

Review: ♥♥♥♥♥

A Mistake? Oh you bet a huge one! Alison Whitman was pregnant, happy and single. However, her fertility clinic switched the donor by accident and now she had to tell the father of her baby. A Mistake, A Prince and A Pregnancy was a well crafted romance, with lots of conflict and emotions written by the talented Maisey Yates.

Alison had never wanted a relationship, never wanted to depend on some one, never wanted to love, open herself up to someone so they could walk away an abandon her, just like her father did to her mother. After her sister died, her father left and her mother wasn’t strong enough to care for her. She worked hard to get a scholarship, became a lawyer and had put aside money so she could stay at home with her baby. She vowed to love, protect and care for her child but first she had to find the man who father her baby.

In a secluded part of Washington State, Prince Maximo Rossi was residing in one of his homes. It had been a couple of years since his wife had died in a car accident. He was an extremely handsome hard working billionaire and when his father one day passed, he would inherit the throne. He was wealthy in his own right, owned luxury hotels and casinos adding to the economy of his country Turan. He was due to return home when the lovely and curvy Alison arrived on his doorstep with the news he was soon to be a father due to a mix-up at the clinic. Years earlier Max and his wife and tried several times to have a family but in the end she couldn’t become pregnant and it affected their marriage. At first he was stunned and then he was thrilled and insisted she return to Turan with him.

Maximo saw a stubborn streak in Alison, a determination to be independent. He was also very attracted to her even when she was giving him a hard time. He wanted to understand this mother of his baby and he was determined to talk her into marriage. Alison was wary but she agreed for the sake of her baby. It just finally made sense as she lived in Washington State and he on a Mediterranean island that they marry and both be parents to their baby. However, she wanted his respect and honesty and every step of the way she fought their mutual attraction. She had never been with a man and due to her childhood was determined not to give any man power over her. They got on well, actually liked each other, laid down some ground rules and daily fought their mutual need and attraction.

Max was determined to take Alison away to a secluded island for an early honeymoon to his secluded island home, a home his wife had never visited. The heat in their relationship went up a notch until it overwhelmed them both. Alison fought her attraction for him because she had never been with a man.  Max had never been with such a responsive woman and for Alison let’s just say, being with Max was amazing. They both were determined not to loose their hearts and to keep it light. However, as their passion escalated, and the more they shared and talked about what they wanted out of their marriage it became obvious to me they were both falling in love and didn’t realize it.

Maximo blamed himself for the failure of his marriage. His wife had been so needy and he traveled a lot for business. In the end he wasn’t with her when she died. He admired Alison for her strength and passion but he was also confused about his emotions and feelings. This roller coaster royal romance was just that, so full of up and down emotions.

The ending chapters of A Mistake, A Prince and a Pregnancy had me holding my breath because Alison and Max deserved their happy ending due to their past hurts and disappointments. They both so deserved love and a complete family and in the end, they got it all!

Hero Hotness Factor♥♥♥♥♥
Heroine Lovability Factor♥♥♥♥♥
Awww Factor♥♥♥♥♥
Stickability Factor ♥♥♥♥♥
Weepy Factor♥♥
Reviewed by: Marilyn

Thursday, October 07, 2010

PASSION, PURITY AND THE PRINCE (UK) PROTECTED BY THE PRINCE (USA) - Annie West

Line: Mills and Boon Modern/HarlequinPresents
Release month:
UK: Sept 2010 AZ: NOV 2010 USA: FEB 2011
The S-Factor: Sexy

Back Blurb:

Untamed prince..

Prince Alaric of Ruvingia is as wild and untamed as the remote kingdom he rules. Women fight to warm his royal bed, but he ensures that none outstays her welcome. Then prim, bespectacled archivist Tamsin Connors uncovers a shocking state secret...

Or rightful king?

Now Tamsin has Alaric's undivided attention - he is drawn to her burgeoning purity and she is quickly promoted to His Majesty's mistress! Duty demands only a temporary arrangement, but their powerful passion is enough to fuel a lifetime's love...

Review: ♥♥♥♥♥

Shocking royal secrets and passion like no other, that’s what Annie West brings to her readers in Passion, Purity and the Prince.

Tamsin had been hurt by one man who used her to get a promotion and then he dumped her cruelly. When she was offered a job a to work with the royal archives in Ruvingia she accepted because there no one would know how badly she’d been hurt. She loved her job, was good at it, so good that she discovered it the man who soon was to be crowned king was actually second in line. The man to be King was his cousin, Prince Alaric.

Prince Alaric was not only handsome, he was also very tortured by his past, especially the death of his brother. He blamed himself for his death. He also believed love made one weak, that should he marry, it would be because of duty. However, with the possibility his cousin Raul would not be crowned king and if the word got out before the palace archives could be verified, he would need to keep Tamsin near, so he asks her to become his companion, takes her her to the royal hunting lodge in a horse drawn sleigh and then takes her to his bed.

Tamsin hid her beauty by wearing glasses and drab clothing. However, after getting to know her, Alaric saw her inter beauty and inner strength. He had kissed many women, women who were interested in his wealth and royal status. However, when he kissed Tamsin, he actually felt something and that unsettled him. Even though he knew Tamsin had been in love before with a former colleague, he hadn’t counted on her being a virgin. At times while reading their love story I felt sad for Tamsin because her childhood had been filled with loneliness, very few friends because she was a “brain”. Alaric was using her as a decoy and he made her feel things, things she had never felt before.

This handsome Prince had two serious problems. A past which gave him nightmares and a woman who cracked the wall he put up around himself. Who was he kidding, using her as a decoy to keep her from spilling the possibility that he should be the one to be crowned king? You’ll not want to miss their time spent at the hunting lodge because everything changed in their relationship. Tamsin actually lovely, needed, passionate and desired by this man who said he could never love. I held my breath because I could so see her being hurt. Because being with this prince gave her peace she had never felt before.

Passion, Purity and the Prince had an explosive and brilliant ending and the sweet Tamsin did, in the end, get her Prince Charming. The epilogue was also most enjoyable.

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Reviewed by: Marilyn