The Way You Look Tonight-Bella Andre

The Way You Look Tonight

Bella Andre

Mira, Aug 26 2014, $7.99

ISBN 9780778317302

Seven years ago Rafe Sullivan left the police to open up a private investigator firm.  His office proved very successful and many in Washington believe he runs the best in the state.  However, jaded Rafe also knows the downside as 100% of those he or his staff investigated were up to no good.

His sister Mia the realtor tells him the lake house near Seattle that they used to visit as children is on the market.  Knowing he desperately needs a getaway R&R place, Rafe buys the rundown cabin.  To his pleasant surprise, staying next door at her late grandparents’ house is no longer cute but instead beautiful Brooke Jansen, who aged perfectly.  Having left Boston, Brooke is thrilled that her childhood crush is within reach.  However, though as attracted to her as she is to him, Rafe hesitates as he has seen so many more relationships die though he admits his extended family have proven the exception.

Having left the San Francisco Sullivans in forever loving relationships, Bella Andre heads north for the first sexy Seattle Sullivans saga.  Although the location changes, the quality of the leads remains strong even if their romance starts too quickly.  Series fans will find the pleasant opening act very enjoyable and look forward to Mia who’s next on deck.

Harriet Klausner

Irresistible Force-D.D. Ayres

Irresistible Force

D.D. Ayres

St. Martin’s, Aug 26 2014, $7.99

ISBN: 9781250042170

One month ago, someone kidnapped Charlotte-Mecklenburg PD Officer James Cannon’s K9 partner Bogart.  James followed leads in search of his missing police dog until he sees Bogart with a woman in an isolated cabin just outside of Raleigh. 

Shayla Appleton fears her former boyfriend, outwardly charming to the world but abusive to her. Eric Coates refuses to accept it is over between them.  Thus she “adopted” dumped for death Prince from the local animal shelter where she volunteers.  James confronts her for abducting his canine Bogart, but Shay says she saved him from execution as the woman who dropped him off demanded they do.  After Shay dials 911, Chief Deputy Sheriff Ward arrives to take control of the scene.  Shay describes the woman wanting her Prince to die; James recognizes his crazy former girlfriend Jaylynn Turner.  Both already in love with Prince Bogart and with help from their dog, James and Shay deal with their respective monstrous previous significant others, her childhood and worse love.

The first K-9 Rescue police procedural romantic suspense is an exciting action-packed tale that deftly combines falling in love (due to the efforts of a matchmaking dog) with the nefarious activities of the two over the top of Mount Mitchell exes (neither have a redeeming quality).  Prince Bogart steals the show from his human partners as D.D. Ayres provides a terse opener.

Harriet Klausner

The Devil In Denim-Melanie Scott

The Devil In Denim

Melanie Scott

St. Martin’s, Aug 26 2014, $7.99

ISBN: 9781250040428

Maggie Jameson believes her father mentored her for years to replace him as the owner of the New York Saints baseball team.  Thus when her dad sells her beloved Saints to three former college jocks (Alex, Lucas and Mal), Maggie feels betrayed; made even angrier when she learns of the Judas sale at the purchasing contract signing.

Alex Winters and his two friends saw their college baseball careers go up in smoke when they were injured rescuing people from a fire.  Being from Queens, Alex wants to turn around the fortunes of the Saints; but understands that for the players to accept him and his partners, they need the support Maggie who has the team’s sympathy.  Irate Maggie loathes the upstart and considers a better offer (at least for her) that would make her the team’s CEO by using the league’s Executive Committee.  As Alex tries to convince Maggie to join the new management team, the former college catcher and the previous owner’s daughter fall in love.

The series opener is an exciting baseball romance that cleverly combines on field action, boardroom action and bedroom (also locker room) action into a terrific sports tale.  Fans will enjoy the gender war between opponents in love as Melanie Scott provides a winning game one.

Harriet Klausner

The Best Kind of Trouble-Lauren Dane

The Best Kind of Trouble

Lauren Dane

Harlequin HQN, Aug 26 2014, $7.99

ISBN 9780373779345

In Hood River, Oregon librarian Natalie Clayton stops at Common Grounds for coffee on her way to work when Sweet Hollow Ranch rocker Paddy Hurley arrives in need of caffeine.  Before even turning around, Natalie identifies by the voice a man she shared two weeks of love-making a lifetime ago.  When Paddy sees her he recognizes her mouth from the greatest two weeks of his life.  She denies being the tattooed pixie who worked at a dive in Portland; as she muses to herself that was a different Natalie.

Every morning when Natalie stops for her coffee, Paddy greets her by asking her to go out with him.  Though she declines he refuses to quit asking.  After consistent rejections, Paddy erodes some of her resistance and Natalie agrees to go on a date.  As they fall in love, Paddy knows he must somehow break down the remaining protective barriers Natalie constructed as a means to escape her ugly childhood, but errs in his efforts.

The first Hurley Brothers romance is an engaging second chance at love romance starring two to nice protagonists.  The leads come from polar opposite types of families in which his nicely supports him and hers, especially daddy dearest, mostly trashes her; the townsfolk particularly her roommate Tuesday Eastwood have become her surrogate loving “family”.  Although the storyline follows the most obvious path, The Best Kind of Trouble is falling in love.

Harriet Klausner

No Limits-Lori Foster

No Limits

Lori Foster

Harlequin HQN, Aug 26 2014, $7.99

ISBN 9780373779048

Supreme Battle Championship fighter Cannon Colter returns to the States following a victory in Japan for some needed R&R after the tough brawl.  However, hometown attorney Cannon asks him to come to Warfield, Ohio to discuss the property and funds that he inherited from the recently deceased Tipton Sweeney.  Stunned Cannon cannot understand why any inheritance is going to him; as all should have went to the late pawn shop owner’s granddaughter Yvette; the one female he desired but avoided as she was too young for him when he left to join the SBC.  From the grave Tipton needs Cannon to take care of his beloved Yvette; giving him joint ownership of half the estate to do so.

Unsure what type of greeting he will receive from Yvette who ran away to California after his “rejection” and the trouble they and her grandfather faced three years, Cannon attempts to comfort Yvette, but she rejects his condolences.  Distrusting him for two reasons now, Yvette tries to hide her feelings of love by keeping her distance from Cannon; while he hopes to earn her trust as he believes he has her love and to honor Tipton’s belief in him by keeping the woman they both cherish safe.

After the wonderful Love Undercover quartet, Lori Foster returns to her SBC world (see My Man Michael, Hard to Handle Causing Havoc and Simon Says) with round one of the Ultimate contemporary romance.  The leisurely-paced second chance at love subplot takes a somewhat typical track though the fully developed leads and the townsfolk like Cannon, and the suspense make for a fine Buckeye drama.

Harriet Klausner

Mercy-B.J. Daniels

Mercy

B.J. Daniels

Harlequin HQN, Aug 26 2014, $7.99

ISBN 9780373778959

Six months ago, Rourke Kincaid failed to follow procedure and a civilian almost died.  He was pulled from active duty; eventually assigned to cold cases.  After reviewing several files, U.S. Marshal Rourke Kincaid notices a serial killer pattern in the files; Beartooth, Montana waitress Callie Westfield was photographed at various Sweetgrass County crime scenes.  He wonders why she keeps showing up but instead of supporting his premise, his supervisor suspends him again.

Unauthorized Rourke goes rogue and in Seattle meets with his medically retired former SPD partner Laura Fuller to illicit her help.  Laura hopes he came to see her to tell her he loves her like she does him; but instead he asks her to assist him on a serial killer case in Beartooth.  In the Montana town, undercover Rourke meets Callie at the Branding Iron Café where she works.  However, as the evidence mounts that Callie is a cold-blooded murderess, mortified Rourke knows he fell in love with a serial killer. 

The fifth Beartooth Mountains thriller (see Atonement, Unforgiven, Forsaken and Redemption) is a pleasing Big Sky romantic suspense.  Although readers will solve the case much earlier than Rourke does, Mercy is a fast-paced, action-packed murder mystery.

Harriet Klausner 

A Match Made By Baby-Karen Rose Smith

A Match Made By Baby

Karen Rose Smith

Harlequin Special Edition, Aug 19 2014, $5.50

ISBN: 9780373658374

In Fawn Grove, California, his frazzled former stepsister Tina dumped her two-month old daughter Erica on the infant’s Uncle Adam Preston who had been home for a week.  The international environmental geologist did his best to quiet his niece, but finally admitted failure.  Desperate he calls the Mommy Club for help with the screaming baby. 

Volunteer pediatrician Dr. Kaitlyn Foster comes to his home shocking Adam with her arrival.  As she calms down Erica, Adam explains that he came home from Africa stunned to find he had a niece as he never knew his much younger stepsibling was pregnant.   Both adults think back to their encounter when they first met last year in Cape Town and each currently denies to their own counsel that their attraction remains robust.  As they nurture the child, the couple begins to fall in love.  Nevertheless, Kaitlyn and Adam agree nothing can come of their desire since she is a stay at home doctor and he is a nomadic globetrotting geologist.

The latest Mommy Club romance (see Wanted: A Real Family) is a wonderful contemporary with an underlying supporting focus on the overwhelming responsibility of single motherhood.  Character driven by a vigorous cast, A Match Made By Baby is the usual great family drama by always dependable Karen Rose Smith.

Harriet Klausner