HOT-SHOT TYCOON, INDECENT PROPOSAL - HEIDI RICE

Title: Hot-Shot Tycoon, Indecent Proposal

Author: Heidi Rice

Line: Mills and Boon Modern Heat

Release Date: June 2009

The S-Factor: Sizzling

Back Blurb:

Caught, claimed… Contracted for marriage?

Tycoon Connor Brodie has just apprehended an intruder! One clad in lacy satin underwear…and not a trespasser at all, but his feisty neighbour Daisy Dean.

The red-hot encounter leaves him aching for more – could the luscious Ms Dean be the answer to his prayers in more ways than one? Connor needs to safeguard a business deal, and he fully intends to finish what they’ve started. Unable to resist his lethal charm, Daisy finds herself agreeing to two hedonistic weeks in New York – as Connor’s fake fiancée!

Review:

Hot-Shot Tycoon, Indecent Proposal is the wickedly romantic and utterly brilliant new Modern Heat by the fabulous Heidi Rice!

Daisy Dean is determined to find her landlady's missing cat. Yet, in her quest to find the missing pet, little did Daisy know that she would find herself in the arms of gorgeous Irish billionaire Connor Brody! Sexy, charismatic and drop dead gorgeous, Connor looks like every woman's fantasy, and although Daisy had sworn never to have another relationship ever again, she finds herself drawn to the handsome Irishman.

When Connor asks her to travel with him to New York and to pose as his fake fiancee, Daisy's initial reaction is to refuse, but one sexy kiss - which leads t0 a night of passionate love-making - soon changes her mind!

Daisy is determined to enjoy her two-week luxurious trip to New York - but she never counted on losing her heart and on falling in love with a man she can never have - Connor!

Connor knows that he is not marriage material. His inner demons prevent him from getting attached to anyone, but Daisy seems to have shattered down all of his defences and captured his heart. But is he prepared to take the rest and let someone in? Or will his fears and pride push Daisy away for good?

Heidi Rice's books are always fantastic reads which sparkle with humour, pathos, drama and intensity and Hot Shot Tycoon, Indecent Proposal is no exception! I adored the heroine, Daisy, and fell in love with flawed but gorgeous Connor. Wonderfully moving, wickedly funny and captivating from the very first page, Hot Shot Tycoon, Indecent Proposal is another Heidi Rice book that has keeper stamped all over it!

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BEDDED BY BLACKMAIL - Robyn Grady

Author: Robyn Grady

Line: Silhouette Desire

Release month North America/UK: June 2009
AUS/NZ: July 2009

The S-Factor: Sexy

Back-Blurb:

Burned by a greedy heiress, Tristan Barkley had sworn off romance. Until a sizzling night with Ella Jacobs, his secretive housekeeper turned blonde bombshell, made the millionaire rethink his decision. He'd find a way to guarantee she remained by his side…and in his bed.

Yet when he learned she was carrying his child, he proposed the only solution: marriage. As their no-strings-attached connection turned all too real, Tristan couldn't shake the feeling that Ella was hiding something. And soon he began to doubt her true motives for the match—for love, for money…or forever?

Review: ♥♥♥♥♥

Robyn Grady has written a fantastic and wonderful love story in Bedded by Blackmail.

Tristan is quite a catch and is constantly pursued by women who for the most part want him for his wealth. He has left the family business and has become quite successful himself so he's learned to be cautious of women's motives.

When he returns home one day he finds a woman swimming in a pink bikini and long and tanned legs only to discover it's his "mousy" housekeeper Ella Jacobs. He's alarmed because there have been break-ins in his neighbourhood and sees her over turned purse. Now Ella has inherited some money from her mother's estate and is giving her notice to Tristan but he talks her into staying on as he has a business deal to close and needs her to cook and help entertain.

Ella is a lovely woman but she has secrets and she's keeping them that way. Just before her mother passed away, she found out her father had an illegitimate son and the only way to describe him is he's evil and he's blackmailing Ella. He's also gone to the police accusing her of killing her mother. The entire situation is a mess. Her brother Drago calls and hangs up, shows up without warning asking for money and has violent tendencies. In the end, an additional secret is revealed to Tristan and everything turns upside down.

Ella's not the only one with secrets, Tristan has one of his own; a fiancé who was killed when driving drunk. He also believes she was having an affair with his oldest brother. Reading this story one will definitely feel the family tension. At times you will see his jealous and mistrusting tendencies.

Bedded by Blackmail is a lovely romance with some lessons to be learned, like trust, forgiveness and belief in finding happiness. Just another example of an incredible romantic story as only author Robyn Grady can pen.

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Reviewed by: Marilyn

THE REBEL SURGEON'S PROPOSAL - MARGARET MCDONAGH

Title: The Rebel Surgeon’s Proposal

Author: Margaret McDonagh

Line: Mills and Boon Medical Romance

Release month: June 2009

The S-Factor: Sweet

Back-Blurb:

From rebel…to surgeon… to perfect husband!

Nicknamed ‘the ice maiden’, Francesca Scott has kept men at arm’s length – ever since bad-boy Luke Devlin walked out of her life.

Tarnished by the reputation of his family, Luke left Strathlocan. Now a surgeon, he’s back – and determined to put his rebellious reputation behind him.

Realising that beautiful Francesca is the best thing that ever happened to him, Luke has returned to Strathlochan to face his past and claim Francesca as his bride once and for all!

Margaret McDonagh welcomes you back to Strathlochan Hospital

Review:

Margaret McDonagh continues to dazzle and astound her readers with her wonderfully poignant Scottish Medical Romances!

In her latest novel for Mills and Boon Medical Romance, we meet Francesca Scott, a woman whose life has been blighted by a domineering mother and merciless bullies who’d made her childhood a misery. The only bright spot in her childhood was a passionate kiss which she had shared with bad boy Luke Devlin as a shy sixteen year old.

The Devlin family had been notorious in Strathlochan for their criminal exploits and Luke had been tarred with the same brush even though he’d always distanced himself from his brothers and father and had always vowed to make something out of his life. Now a successful surgeon, Luke finds himself returning to his home town in order to reclaim Francesca, the woman he’s never managed to forget…

Francesca is stunned when she claps eyes on Luke after all this time and her old feelings for the former bad boy soon come flooding back. But Luke had broken her heart once before when he had walked out of Strathlochan without a backward glance and she is not sure whether she will want to run the risk of getting her heart broken all over again.

However what Francesca does not realize is that Luke is determined never to let her go ever again…

Nobody writes realistic and emotional romances better than Margaret McDonagh! The Rebel Surgeon’s Proposal is a poignant, heartwarming and enthralling Medical Romance from this wonderful writer whose books just keep on getting better and better!

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HIS FOREVER LOVE - Missy Tippens

Title: HIS FOREVER LOVE

Author: MISSY TIPPENS

Line: Love Inspired

Release month: June

The S-Factor: Sweet and Satisfying

Back-Blurb:

In Magnolia, Georgia, local legend says that a couple who holds hands around the “forever” tree will have an unending love. Even so, Bill Wellington held Lindsay Jones’s hands around that tree years ago…and then left her behind. He chose the big city, and now he wants to bring his grandmother there. But to his amazement, he finds that Granny has a boyfriend—and a vibrant life. A life that includes Lindsay, Granny’s caregiver. Bill never thought he’d want to come home, yet Magnolia clearly has its charms. As does Lindsay, who makes him long for a second chance at forever love.

Review: ♥♥♥♥♥

Lindsay and Bill had been best friends in school, doing science projects together, studying for exams, all the things “best friends” do together. So when he left town right after high school and didn’t answer her letter, she was heartbroken. That didn’t stop her from caring for his aging Granny, though.

Bill loved Lindsay, but she was beautiful, graceful, and all the other things he was not. How could someone so wonderful as her love a klutz like him? So when she came to him just before high school graduation to show him the engagement ring someone else had given her, he couldn’t get out of town fast enough. Who could blame him?

She did, evidently, for ten long years. Then his Granny fell and broke her wrist, making it necessary for Lindsay to call Bill. Of course he came running—er, flying, as fast as he could, from across the country.

Immediately upon his arrival in Magnolia, he took charge, informing one and all that he was moving Granny to Boston to live with him whether they, or she, liked it or not. His alpha-male character really irked me. His “I’m going to make you do what I think is best for you” attitude really made me grind my back teeth. As the story progressed, I began to see that Bill’s tough attitude was actually hiding insecurity and feelings of incompetence. He was a very lonely person looking for love.

Missy Tippens is a comparatively new author, however, I can see her going far in this, her chosen field. Her command of the written word is excellent. She had me feeling happy, sad, angry, and all the other emotions of the story’s characters right along with them. She had me anxiously turning the pages to see if Bill changed his mind about moving his Granny, or if Lindsay stepped out in faith and went to Boston to see him. I will definitely be looking forward to more work from this author.

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Reviewed by: Donna B

CAPELLI'S CAPTIVE VIRGIN - Sarah Morgan

Author: Sarah Morgan

Line: Mills and Boon Modern/Harlequin Presents

Release month UK: May 2009 US: June 09

The S-Factor: Sizzling




Back-Blurb:


Lindsay has turned down ruthless Sicilian Alessio Capelli once before, but he's determined she won't do it again—he will use her and discard her! Circumstance has provided him with the ideal opportunity: Lindsay has been forced to step into her missing sister's shoes and work for him.
This time Alessio will be the one in control. He relishes the thought of having a virgin in his bed, and he'll do everything to keep her captive—until he's ready to dismiss her….

Review: ♥♥♥♥♥

Captivating is how I would describe Sarah Morgan’s Capelli’s Captive Virgin as it’s one of those love stories you’ll want to read from beginning to end in one sitting. Their chemistry leaps off of the pages.

Lindsay is a relationship counselor who’s had first hand experience because she witnessed her parents fail and blame everything on her young sister who also made some bad decisions when it came to men. And she has a problem; she hasn’t heard from her sister Ruby and has flown to Rome where Ruby is working for the billionaire Alessio Capelli. She dreads seeing him because they somewhat have a past. While the sisters were in Rome they were approached by a gang and it was Alessio and his brother Dino who saved them. Now Ruby is with Dino, is missing and Lindsay is frantic. She also dreads seeing Alessio again because of the sensual tension which vibrates between them and she is the only woman who ever walked away from him.

Alessio is a divorce attorney and very good and rich one with a reputation going from one woman to another and making it clear he doesn’t do marriage. He also only represents men. Now he is faced at seeing the only woman who has ever walked away from him and on top of everything she’s a pain because of her being so opininated on relationships, love, commitment etc. He tricks her into taking her sisters place as his personal assistant and going with him to the Caribbean to work a high profile divorce case. Then tension simmers between them and they act on the passion between them. Their bantering was amusing and their passion amazing.

There were many ups and down to this wonderful love story like Lindsay coming to terms with how’s she’s dealt with her sister, acting on the passion with Alessio knowing nothing will come of it and leaving him when she realized she loved him and that love would not be returned. For Alessio the realization he actually liked this woman, shared more with her than any other woman he’s been involved with and actually shared past family secrets with her. It’s sensual, fun at times especially their arguments, romantic and just an incredible love story.


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Reviewed by: Marilyn

THE TUSCAN TYCOON'S PREGNANT HOUSEKEEPER- Christina Hollis

Author: CHRISTINA HOLLIS

Line: Mills and Boon Modern

Release month: UK: June 2009

The S-Factor: Sexy

Back-Blurb:

Virgin housekeeper, convenient wife

Plain, shy housekeeper Michelle Spicer keeps her head down and gets on with the job. She knows her place.

Bored and restless in the South of France, Alessandro Castiglione has found himself a plaything. Stripped of her uniform and naked in his bed, mousy Michelle blossoms before him.

But she knows she’s only the housekeeper – not a rich man’s wife. Discarded, disgraced, and left with nothing but the child inside her, Michelle is back in rainy England. Until the Tuscan tycoon decides to taste her charms again…


Review: ♥♥♥♥♥

Intense doesn’t begin to describe The Tuscan Tycoon’s Pregnant Housekeeper written by Christina Hollis with both of her characters Michelle and the handsome Alessandro having past issues to be dealt with regarding their past.

The very shy and somewhat plain Michelle was ruled by her very stern mother and has sincere self esteem issues. However, when the rich and proud Italian arrives at the mansion she’s taking care of as housekeeper she doesn’t stand a chance. Her gentleness and innocence immediately charm him; she’s like no other woman he’s met and he decides to have a vacation affair. However he abandons her and returns to Italy. He also makes arrangements with one of his foundations to set Michelle up in business and buys her a cottage.

Returning back to England, Michelle finds herself pregnant and meanwhile Alessandro can’t seem to get her out of his mind so he returns to England to rekindle the affair and finds out her secret. Being always in control of his life, business and affairs, he demands she return to Italy with him and marry for the sake of his heir.

Alassandro literally has overturned the family business and whatever he touches he’s a success. There is no way he’ll ever allow House of Castiglione to be tainted. He’ll marry her, get his heir but she won’t affect him in any way. Both of his own parents strayed so love for him isn’t ever going to be an option.

As for Michelle does she love him? What would she know of love, no one had ever shown her, including her parents. Reading about her upbringing and how she was willing to settle for anything he gave her was very hard to read. I wanted to strangle him for his incensitivity. Michelle’s stay at the villa was sad to read as well, not speaking the language and being shut out but when Alassandro’s secrets are uncovered and everything is revealed about his past, the reader begins to understand his actions.

Alassandro and Michelle’s love story even though at times was sad to read, their coming to understand each other was lovely to read.

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Reviewed by: Marilyn

ONE NIGHT WITH THE REBEL BILLIONAIRE - Trish Wylie

Author: Trish Wylie

Line: Mills and Boon Modern Heat
Harlequin Presents

Release month North America: Jun 09/UK: Jan 09

The S-Factor: Sizzling and Sensual



Back-Blurb:
When Roane Elliott meets a naked stranger on the beach, her second thought is to challenge his trespassing. Her first thought makes her innocent heart beat quite erratically!

Then she discovers the stranger is Adam Bryant, the wickedly smoldering son of the Bryant dynasty. After a decade away, he's back to claim what's rightfully his...however willful the prize.

Roane is determined to resist him, but the temptation is overwhelming. His bedroom door is open and she's walking toward surrender....

Review: ♥♥♥♥♥

From the moment Roane spotted him naked and swimming on the beach she was transfixed or should I say mesmerized and then she realized eventually that he had returned back to Martha’s Vineyard, had returned home but what were his motives and what has he been doing for those years?

One Night with the Rebel Billionaire was sexy, hot and a fast sensual read as only Trish Wylie can pen and her billionaire alpha Adam Bryant is one sexy, handsome and beautiful man, one with secrets and twelve years to answer for to his father and brother. What he doesn’t count on is his attraction to Roane a young woman who’s working for his brother and also taking care of his father. The sexual tension between Roane and Adam leap and sizzle off the pages. And then after sexual taunting Roane is swept away and is given passion that’s she’s never known and tries to guard to heart in the process.

As they get to know each other she realizes that he is guarded about his past and why he’s returned home. Other things are also revealed to her like his high IQ, his past feelings about his father and how he grew up and then everything blows up in their face when his brother Jake reveals what he’s found out about Adam. Will Adam leave her and return to his billionaire life?

Roane and Adams love story was strong and fabulous to read and the ending a little surprising but so worth it thanks to this wonderful author Trish Wylie.


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Reviewed by: Marilyn

LIP SERVICE (Lone Star Sisters) - Susan Mallery

Author: Susan Mallery

Line: HQN (Harlequin)

Release month North America/UK: June 2009

The S-Factor: Sizzling

Back-Blurb:

Skye Titan's wealthy father thinks he can still dictate his daughter's choice in men. Now widowed and a single mother, Skye isn't the yes-girl she once was. Especially since the love of her life is back in Texas after eight long years. He won't like the answers to the questions he's asking. About why she left him at the altar. And about her eight-year-old daughter.

Former navy SEAL Mitch Cassidy comes home to find nearly everything different. His wounds from battle have changed the way people treat him. His cattle ranch is suddenly organic. But time hasn't touched his desire for Skye—or the sting of her betrayal. Forget lip service. He's asking that luscious mouth of hers to reveal the truth. But will Mitch be able to put the past aside to help Skye get out from under her father's thumb…and help himself recover from a broken heart?

Review: ♥♥♥♥♥

New York Times best selling author Susan Mallery continues to amaze with her second in the Long Star Sisters series, Lip Service which is Skye’s story, the middle Titan sister. The reader was introduced in May to all three sisters who share a father in Under Her Skin. One also learned they had an illegitimate brother Garth who has only revenge on his mind and has vowed to take the entire family down. To use adjectives like amazing or brilliant don’t even describe how wonderful the second book is and waiting until July for Straight from the Hip is going to be torture.

Skye is the dutiful daughter of Jed Titan and she hopes one day to inherit the family home and have her father finally tell her he loves her. Nine years earlier instead of marrying the boy next door, who she loved deeply, she married a much older man her father arranged for his own selfish reasons and a sweet daughter Erin came from that marriage. Now she’s a widow, hosting her father’s business parties and again, Jed wants to marry and threatens her because he’s aware that her exlover is back in town and he’ll destroy Mitch and his ranch if need be; trust me you’ll want to strangle Jed Titan and take him down yourself.

Skye’s and Mitch’s story was lovely to read because in the end as only Susan Mallery can pen it’s about what’s important in life and that’s family, love and a real home, not one like Jed Titan is dangling and manipulating his daughters to believe they want. The reader literally watches Skye become stronger and realize that she and Erin can have a happy life with Mitch and their love story was incredibly beautiful.

Susan Mallery has written wonderful family stories which I’ve read throughout the years and some of them have sincere patriotisms as she relates tales of honour and valour for the men and women who serve in our Armed Forces and who give up their lives or come home injured fighting for our Country. That was the case with Mitch Cassidy who has returned nine years later missing part of his leg and with a real chip on his shoulder. It’s the people who assisted raising him and maintaining the ranch and Skye’s daughter Erin who help him to heal. It was sad to read about his ordeal and his final acceptance through therapy, group sessions and finally forgiving Skye and realizing he still loved her and her daughter. In the end, I was cheering for both Mitch and Skye because they stood up to Jed Titan.

The Titan sisters Lexi, Skye and Izzy have one common thread they love and are devoted to each other and the fact they all want their father’s affection. Love is the common theme in both books, how it can heal and how much stronger the three sisters are because of it!


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Reviewed by: Marilyn