THE MARCOLINI BLACKMAIL MARRIAGE - Melanie Milburne

Author: Melanie Milburne

Line: Mills and Boon / Harlequin Presents

Release month UK: April 2009 as Mistresses by Blackmail/North America August 2009

The S-Factor: Sizzling

Back-Blurb:

No one asks a Marcolini for a divorce. Especially a gold digger who could walk away with the family's fortune! Antonio Marcolini will make Claire pay. And he has got the perfect plan for vengeance—he'll demand she spend the next three months living with him as his reconciled wife, and nothing will stop him from getting what he wants!

But Claire is innocent. Can she prove it before her husband blackmails her back into marriage…and the marriage bed?

Review: ♥♥♥♥♥

The magnificent Melanie Milburne has created one of the most emotional and beautiful love stories with The Marcolini Blackmail Marriage, the first book in her duo series The Marcolini. Reading this incredible love story I could actually visualize Antonio Marcolini, the proud and angry man determined to keep his wife, not giving in to her requested divorce. So he has a plan, he’ll stay in Australia for three months and see if there is any hope to save his marriage.

Claire can’t believe the news she receives from her lawyer. So when she receives the phone call from her husband who she hasn’t seen in five years and she meets him for dinner, she shocked when he insists she stay and live with him, giving them and chance to save their marriage. However, instead of asking, this proud Italian demands and blackmails her using her brother’s situation of being in trouble with the law as an excuse to keep her in line. He holds all the cards and is determined to have total control.

Emotionally, they were both at separate ends. She's still grieving for the loss of their daughter openly and he concealing his. This emotion plus the remembering for them both of the passion they once shared is absolutely combustible. Then the secrets and there are some. Antonio believed his mother that Claire was a gold digger as she gave her a check when she left Italy. Antonio is so very sure his mother was correct and determined that Claire with NOT get half of his inheritance. As for the most important emotion love, he’s sure he only felt lust for his wife when Claire clearly and deeply loved him. However, to be forced to marry because of a pregnancy, leave Australia and live in Italy with a busy surgeon husband and a new family who were not welcoming and the loss of a daughter, way too much!

What touched my soul was how the author dealt with grief and loss. Maybe to the reader who has not experienced it, they would have a different experience. However, personally I’ve had to deal with losing a husband and it was horrible but to loose a child I think would be devastating. And devastating it was for Claire whose baby died at birth. It wasn’t only loosing her it was how her husband Antonio dealt with it as well as his Italian family. All Claire wanted from Antonio was to be loved for her. On top of the loss it was way too much for her so she fled back to Australia.

Their months together were a tug of war but it’s obvious the passion is still there as they become reacquainted. It’s how they came to terms with their baby’s death, all of the secrets and the misunderstandings that tugged at my heart. It’s just a beautifully written love story and one I will long remember. I’m looking forward to Melanie’s September release, Bound by the Marcolini Diamonds and reading about another Marcolini brother an Italian alpha!


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Reviewed by: Marilyn

Behind the Book from the author:

"With the Marcolini Men my editor wanted me to do a two book series and she suggested using a celebrity surgeon as the hero in the first book. I already had the idea having met a young lady a couple of years ago who poured her heart out to me one day as she was doing my nails about the death of her baby. It was one of those incredibly moving moments that touched me very deeply. Firstly that she chose me, a perfect stranger, to off load her grief. And secondly because it made me realize how everyone grieves in their own way, that there is not blue print for how you deal with loss. So many of this young lady’s friends and family skirted it around it not wanting to upset her but she really needed to talk.

I decided that my hero and heroine Claire and Antonio would have each dealt with their grief in different ways and in the heartache of their loss had somehow lost each other. Antonio sees his trip to Australia as a chance to see if they have a chance to rebuild their marriage or end it forever."

FIRST COME TWINS

Title: FIRST COME TWINS
Author: HELEN BRENNA
Line: HARLEQUIN SUPER ROMANCE
Release month ( North America/ UK / Australia): North America - August
The S-Factor: ( Sizzling! / Simmering / Sweet) SIMMERING
Back-Blurb:
Photojournalist Noah Bennett has been running from himself forever. Covering war zones around the world has kept him away from his mistakes and, more important, from Sophie Rousseau, his high school sweetheart. But he's never forgotten her.

He's returned to idyllic Mirabelle Island to heal, to finish his latest book…and to face Sophie again.

Months after Noah escaped the island for college, Sophie married his older brother. Now a widow with teenage twins, Sophie will do whatever it takes to speed Noah's recovery and get him off her island.

Before the only man she ever loved breaks her heart again.

Review: (average of hearts overall out of 35 – so total hearts divided by five?) ♥♥♥♥♥

Ms. Brenna kicks off this enjoyable new series with FIRST COME TWINS. Noah Bennett is returning to the small island he grew up on, the only place on Earth where he might be able to recover—or so his doctors think. However Noah isn’t buying it. How could he heal and manage to get some rest with the looks of pity from everyone he grew up with, including the woman he once loved, the one who married his brother—the one he hasn’t seen since he left town fifteen years ago? Except things have changed more then Noah expected when he returns home to find himself facing another loss he hadn’t imagined. That of his brother and Sophie’s husband.
Sophie has her own reasons for not wanting Noah to stick around. He’s a part of her painful past, and a reminder of the husband she lost. But he’s not as quick to leave as she would like and she finds herself amidst a swirl of emotions as she does her best to help him heal in order to leave, before he has a chance to break her heart all over again.

I loved Noah almost immediately, his determinedness to get through everything in his own way and Sophie for wanting things to remain just the way they are, which is exactly how she was brought up. Since she’s taken over the family business, it’s her job to make sure everything remains just so. Something she’s taken to heart, unfortunately about her own life. The one scene I absolutely loved between the two characters is when Sophie stumbles across Noah at their old spot at the lighthouse. He’s curled up at the base, thinking it’s the one spot where he might be able to find some peace and rest.

The one thing Ms. Brenna does exceptionally well besides creating an emotional read, is creating secondary characters who come to life. I grew especially fond of Noah’s father as the story went on and Sophie’s twins are two of my favorite characters so far this year.

Readers looking for a sweet emotional read should pick up FIRST COME TWINS.

Reviewed by: Lis



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Helen Brenna grew up the seventh of eight children in central Minnesota. Although she never dreamed of writing books as a child, she was a voracious reader, cutting her teeth on all the Harlequin books she could get her hands on.

THE SAVAKIS MISTRESS - Annie West

Author: Annie West

Line: Mills and Boon Modern

Release month UK: August 2009/AZ/NZ: September 2009

The S-Factor: Sensual and Sizzling

Back-Blurb:

From society queen...

Only hours ago she was a tempting stranger. Now Damon Savakis knows who she really is - Callie Manolis, society ice-queen and duplicitous niece of his arch enemy…

...to his unwilling mistress!

Yet when Callie's avaricious uncle loses the Manolis money, she is at Damon's mercy and is forced to become the Savakis mistress

Review: ♥♥♥♥♥

Author Annie West continues to amaze me with her spectacular contemporary romances. The Savakis Mistress is no exception as the passion between Damon Savakis and Callie Manolis sizzles and literally leaps off of the pages from the very beginning of the book and continues throughout the entire story. Once you begin, you’re hooked and won’t want to stop reading this very intense and splendid romantic tale.

My heart went out to the heroine Callie as the only love and joy she’s ever known was taken away from her at a young age when her parents died. She was forced to live with her horrible and manipulative uncle who for his own means, arranged for her to marry a much older man, every bit as cruel and devious as her uncle. Now she’s free of her marriage as her husband died. Her only hope for happiness is her inheritance. However now that’s gone as well thanks to her uncle. All of her dreams of starting her own business are down the drain. On top of everything else she’s trying to save her cousin from another yet arranged marriage her uncle is planning for his meek daughter to get him out of debt.

Callie had felt alone for so long. She had been spending time on the beach watching a very handsome man on his yacht for days so when he came ashore and spoke with her it became madness between them. For in a cove these two strangers made love not knowing each others names. Never in her life had she ever done something so impulsive nor felt the power and passion this stranger gave her. Then everything comes crashing down as she returns to her uncles villa only to meet the man her uncle wants her cousin to marry, the very man Damon Savakis with who only an hour ago she was in his arms.

When Damon shows up as a guest at the Manoli villa, it’s like reading a diaster. Damon wants revenge on the family for what they caused years ago when his family lost their father. Things only go from bad to worse when he sees that the woman he made love to only an hour ago is Callie. Then her evil uncle suggests Damon take his meek daughter for his wife. Callie jumps in to save her cousin and things get out of control when Damon suggests they share a night of passion in return for a generous settlement to her uncle. However, things don’t go well and she flees while her uncle witnesses her fleeing Damon’s room. He uses it to his advantage to blackmail Damon into marriage with Callie. However, Damon has other ideas; yes he takes her but only as his mistress.

What a mess for Callie, again a man is going to use her, one with a sharp tongue yet he makes her heart melt, makes her feel things. And for Damon, he can’t get enough of her or get her out of his system but he’ll get his revenge for them blackmailing him and hurting his family. He stripped away the walls she put up and her long buried emotions. He had the power to devastate her and she realized she had to lock her feelings away. Callie realized one other thing, that he would never love her and for her to survive she must leave, tries to find herself and start up the business she’s always dreamed of.

Damon wants her like no other woman he’s ever known. She acts like an inexperienced virgin and he doesn’t trust her. Will she go to no length at deception? But he can’t stop from wanting her. Then as they spend time together, he realizes he doesn’t want to let her go. He sees her talent and like his family he takes responsibility for her and tries to fix everything.

However, Callie feels betrayed and leaves because she needs to make her own way. Is there any hope for them? There is so much depth to this story I can’t even begin to explain it. It’s overwhelming and at times the conflict is painful to read. You can actually feel their passion, and their caring for each other especially when all of the secrets of their pasts are revealed to each other. Annie West with The Savakis Mistress gives her readers such insight into her characters they actually become a part of you. It’s an emotional roller coaster and a real tug-of-war from the anger, to revenge, to passion so intense. It’s a beautifully crafted romance with an emotional and teary ending.

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Reviewed by: Marilyn

Behind the story from Annie’s website:

“This story had a long gestation period. I had my hero and heroine in mind for ages before I got a chance to write their story. When I did, the words just rolled onto the page.” Annie West

PLAYBOY BOSS, PREGNANCY OF PASSION (To Tame a Playboy)- Kate Hardy

Author: Kate Hardy

Line: Mills and Boon Modern/Harlequin Presents

Release month UK: May 2009 North America: August 2009

The S-Factor: Sexy and Sweet

Back-Blurb:

To-do list:

1. Hire new personal assistant.

2. Do not sleep with new personal assistant.

3. Reevaluate point two…

Tycoon Luke Holloway lives on the wild side, but at work he is a professional. That is until irresistible employee Sara Fleet joins the company. Before long he has unbuttoned his prim-and-proper assistant and they're breaking all the rules…over and over again! Super efficient Sara has never felt so out of control—and now she has to tell her sexy boss she is pregnant with his child!

Review: ♥♥♥♥♥

Playboy Boss, Pregnancy of Passion is an honorable and sweet journey in finding peace, contentment, taking risks and the end result love as only Kate Hardy can pen.

One learns that millionaire Luke Holloway comes from a very sad past and has walked away from his criminal family in his early teen years. He had a teacher who encouraged him and he set up a small business, got his MBA and the rest was history. He doesn't do family, commitments and definitely not marriage. Luke finds himself in a bind when his PA becomes pregnant and a friend suggest Sara Fleet who operates a business getting clients organized.

Luke and Sara hit it off immediately. She is not only organized and takes charge she's beautiful. As weeks progress, Luke invites Sara to travel with him to check out a hotel, one thing leads to another as they cannot fight their attraction and even though Luke doesn't "do relationships", theirs begins. As one reads about the ensuing months of the working and dating you just know they bring out the best in each other. However, Sara knows one think about Luke, he never talks about family and when she asks, he clams up. So when she invites him to a family birthday as much as he doesn't want to go, he does for her. It's uncomfortable but he gets through it and actually likes her family.

Luke loves doing things for Sara as he not only enjoys her spirit, company and just being with her, she actually makes him happy and that scares him to death. So when he finds out she's pregnant, he doesn't know what to do and really messes things up. How can he be a father when he really had one who was a horrible example? Just prepare yourself for a teary ending however lovely to read!


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Reviewed by: Marilyn

Behind the Book from Kate Hardy’s Blog:

Playboy Boss, Pregnancy of Passion is the second in my To Tame a Playboy duo. If you like Greek settings, you'll love where Luke takes Sara as a surprise. Oh, yes - and you might need tissues towards the end. And there's this sweet-natured spaniel who is a complete and utter shoe thief. (Yeah. The same one who steals one shoe from everyone in this house and piles them up in his bed. I think he would be a bit cross if he found out I'd nicknamed him Imelda. Byron, I mean, not my hero.) I'm VERY pleased with my cover: this is one cute man. Kate Hardy

THE RUTHLESS GREEK’S VIRGIN PRINCESS - Trish Morey

Author: TRISH MOREY

Line: MILLS & BOON MODERN/HARLEQUIN PRESENTS

Release month UK: July 2009/North America: August 2009

The S-Factor: Sizzling and Sassy

Back-Blurb:

Thirteen years ago Yannis Markides threw a young princess out of his bed. Even now Marietta's cheeks burn in shame as she remembers her youthful attempt at seduction.

Evicting the scantily clad Marietta was the brooding Greek's last act of chivalry. The ensuing scandal destroyed his life and broke his family. Now he's rebuilt his empire, recovered the Markides name…and he's ready to make the princess pay!

Marietta owes him a debt. Her virginity is her price…

Review: ♥♥♥♥♥

In April Trish Morey fans were introduced to Forced Wife, Royal Love- Child where readers met Rafe and Sienna, Rafe being the soon to be crowned king of the Island of Monvelatte. One was also introduced to Rafe’s sister Marietta, a vibrant beauty and at the time, I thought she’s got to have a story. Thanks to Trish Morey and her incredible talent The Ruthless Greek’s Virgin Princess is Marietta’s and her brother’s best friend Yannis love story.

Thirteen years later, Yannis returns to Monvelatte to be part of the wedding party of his best friend. However, he also has revenge on his mind even though years ago from afar he admired his friend’s younger sister who was off limits. After arguments with his father over an arranged marriage to financially help to restore his business, Yannis returns to his bedroom only to find Marietta the sweet virgin in his bed. In anger and frustration he sends her away not realizing someone saw her leaving his room and reported the fact to his parents, disgracing his family. Now years later, he returns with one thing on his mind, revenge for his father’s illness and years of hard work to restore the family fortune.

Marietta is hopeful she can get through the days of wedding preparations and seeing Yannis. She adores her brother and future sister-in-law but realizes when she sees him, the attraction and feelings are still there and how will she deal with all of these emotions. She tries to focus on her jewellery design launch in Hawaii and the marriage celebrations but just seeing him sets her on edge. After the wedding there are threats on the crown family and so Rafe asks Yannis to accompany Marietta to Hawaii to protect her

Rafe realizes at the wedding that he wants Marietta, all of her, her sass, her smile and physically he aches for her. When Rafe asks him to protect his sister now is his chance to make her pay for what happened thirteen years ago. Their romance is a beautiful dance and when their secrets are shared, when Yannis realizes the mistakes that were made and is astonished by Marietta’s talent, well hold your breath, it was incredible read as only Trish Morey can entertain her readers and fans.

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Reviewed by: Marilyn

THE GREEK TYCOON’S BLACKMAILED MISTRESS - Lynne Graham

Author: Lynne Graham

Line: Mills & Boon Modern/Harlequin Presents

Release month UK/North America: July 2009

The S-Factor: Simmering

Back-Blurb:

Aristandros Xenakis is like a panther poised to pounce. Sleek, dark and utterly powerful, he'll soon taste the sweet victory of vengeance….

Ella desperately wants access to her baby niece, but the child's guardian is Aristandros—her ex-fiancé! She has no choice but to submit to his demand—she must become his mistress!

Naive and unworldly, Ella is not like the groomed, gold-digging females who have previously warmed Aristandros's bed. Surely it's only a matter of time before he tires of her…?

Review: ♥♥♥♥♥

Lynne Graham has written an extremely and entertaining read with revenge being the main goal with Ari Xenakis hot on the heels of Ella Smithson. He’s a proud man who vows never to marry. However, seven years earlier this very same woman said no at their engagement party, embarrassing Ari in front of their entire families. Now he holds the cards, as their niece has been orphaned and he has custody.

Ella can’t believe what her sister has done, completely leaving her out of the will and not letting her raise Callie especially since she gave her eggs to her sister so she could have a child. Her sister upon giving birth ignored her plus her own family were furious that she didn’t marry the billionaire. They have all disowned her because she chose medicine over marriage. Now Ari has made demands that she become his mistress and takes on the day to day caring for Callie on his terms.

Ari is a very inflexible proud Greek and believes for the most part a woman should be at home taking care of her man. When Ella chose a career over marriage to him, he was furious. He’s the ultimate alpha male, set on getting what pleases him. However as they spend time together in and out of the bedroom, he she’s a different Ella and one with secrets of past abuse in her family. He doesn’t understand why he never knew this was going on in her home that that some of her reasons for not committing to him were based her stepfather’s treatment of she and her mother.

Their past and spending a large amount of time together especially in Greece, makes Ella realize she’s in trouble and knows he has the power to break her heart again. Their passion leaps off the pages plus her time with Callie and their bonding was very sweet to read. Will her heart survive and will there be a second chance for them? You’ll just have to read this amazing love story but have some tissues ready while they come to grips with the past and accept their love actually never died as penned by the very talented Lynne Graham.

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Reviewed by: Marilyn

BLACKMAILED INTO THE GREEK TYCOON’S BED - Carol Martinelli

Author: Carol Marinelli

Line: Harlequin Presents/ Mills & Boon Modern

Release month UK: August 2009/North America: August 2009

The S-Factor: Sizzling

Back-Blurb:

Bookish heiress Karin has failed in her first act of defiance! She's tried to take back the symbol of everything good in her life, but ruthless billionaire Xante Rossi has caught her red-handed!
Why is this shy beauty stealing from him? Xante is intrigued. Karin's purity belies the corruption her family name represents. To save her from scandal and uncover the truth, he'll make a proposal. If Karin wants her precious heirloom, she'll have to earn it back in his bedroom!

Review: ♥♥♥♥♥

Carol Marinelli’s contribution to the International Billionaire’s series with Blackmailed Into the Greek Tycoon’s Bed was stunning. Immediately one becomes aware that the handsome, successful and wealthy millionaire Xante Rossi is immediately attracted to the beautiful English heiress Karin Wallis. Also, as one reads this brilliantly penned love story a very valuable lesson is learned that “you can’t judge a book by it’sits cover. And that’s putting it mildly.

This series involves rugby and Xante is a huge fan, in fact his hotel is housing the English rugby team and one of his most prized possessions which he’s recently acquired; a ruby encrusted rose which Karin’s grandfather, a famous English player, received and it’s part of her inheritance. Without her permission, her brother sold it to the highest bidder and it’s sentimental value to Karin is all she has left and she’s determined to get it which is the reason for her visit to Xante’s hotel. They meet and the attraction between this couple is so hot it sizzles off the pages. One thing leads to another and Karin is accused of stealing and Xante gets his perfect chance to get to know this woman who has been dubbed by the press as the “Ice Queen”.

Karin challenges Xante in so many ways. He has a past at getting what he wants when it comes to women and she offers him a challenge, plus he’s sure she’s hiding things and he’s also not ready to let her go. What better opportunity to get to know her is to take her home to Greece for a family gathering. Both of them are hiding secrets from each other….Xante about his past as a teenager and how he used lady tourists and Karin, her family secrets, her reputation, an horrific accident and on and on.

For me, this entire story was amazing as throughout it there were twists, turns, more of their secrets revealed and just when you think nothing else can be revealed it happens. There were lessons learned for both of them, for Karin learned that if you opened up and let others in, the “world was actually quite forgiving and kind”. And for Xante, he couldn’t always fix everything and by letting her go and learning about herself, she would become so much stronger. As the author stated in the ending of this wonderful story, “love was a gift that was just a given – but trust was a treasured reward.”

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Reviewed by: Marilyn