Moonlit Desire-Carolann Camillo

Moonlit Desire


Carolann Camillo

Camel Press, Mar 16 2012, $14.95

ISBN: 9781603818728



In 1759 Catherine Bradshaw leaves London to marry wealthy Jeremy Flint in the colony of New York in an arranged marriage. As soon as she steps off the ship, he weds her immediately. His behavior frightens her as they travel by coach to his Tarrytown estate. However, French Army Captain Rive St. Clair and his associate stop the coach. Rive abducts Catherine after informing Flint who he is and where he can collect his wife.



Sixteen years ago, Flint made his first killing when he stole pelts after arranging for a massacre at an Indian village. Rive has waited for the right moment to lure back this sleaze to that village as he knows the coward will follow as he cannot accept such an affront to his reputation. Flint behaves just as Rive expected, but Catherine is nothing like he anticipated. As they fall in love, the honorable and loyal Rive escorts her to Quebec City as the British army begins to take the last major North American French stronghold; she will soon know what it means to risk one’s life for someone you cherish.



This is an exciting late Colonial Romance starring an intrepid hero and a woman with plenty of mettle as she adjusts to a life far different than what she had in London or expected with Jeremy. Fast-paced from the moment of the kidnapping and never slowing down, sub-genre fans will appreciate this engaging tale though Flint proves an unworthy opponent with more than half the historical storyline left after his cowardly failed attempt at retrieval.



Harriet Klausner

Summer Rose-Elizabeth Sinclair

Summer Rose


Elizabeth Sinclair

Bell Bridge, Jan 2 2012, $12.95

ISBN: 9781611940893



Registered nurse Rose Hamilton agreed to be a surrogate mother to her foster care friend Beth and Patrick. She carries twins, but is now responsible for them as Beth and Patrick died in an accident. In Carson, West Virginia she applies for a position at Paws & Claws Animal Clinic. Dr. Hunter Mackenzie hires her when she manages to get an orphaned lion cub to eat. This is the first time she touched an animal not counting a cricket that her foster mother stepped on years ago. Her only concern is the health insurance will not cover her prenatal care



Hunter and Rose are attracted to one another from that first interview and their attraction grows though she hides her delicate condition from him. She assumes a man in love with the wild does not need three dependents; besides which she knows her employer has issues with Mayor George Collins over his lion cubs and wolf. The vet wonders why he has a constant urge to kiss his new employee.



The return to Hawks Mountain is a warm regional romance. The support cast is strong as people like Granny Jo brings a local flavor to the mix while the animals add compassion. The lead couple is a tender pairing of two people fearful of relationships falling in love as he recognizes her as a natural and she realizes he is her hero.



Harriet Klausner

Stuck With You-Trish Jensen

Stuck With You


Trish Jensen

Bell Bridge, Jan 2 2012, $13.95

ISBN: 9781611940862



Paige Hart practices law in Macon, Georgia. She is always there for her crazy large family though that leaves her more often than not in some sort of trouble.



Ross Bennett practices law too. He does not have the large family that Paige does, but he devotes plenty of time to charity and avoids slimy clients.



Paige and Ross respectively represent a divorcing couple, Jasmine and Carmon Carbone arguing over ownership of Doodles the poodle. However their snake shrew labels explode when a bomb ignites inside the courthouse. They are rushed to a hospital in an ambulance contaminated by the Tibetan Concupiscence Virus which leads to intense sexual desire. CDC quarantines the pair who turns to one another for relief and perhaps much more.



Mindful of Monkey Business starring Cary Grant and Ginger Rogers, Stuck With You is a zany lighthearted courtroom-hospital romance starring two likable combatants. The support cast from the medical to the court to the You Can’t Take it With You (by Hart and Kauffman) Sycamore family adds humorous lunacy to the mix. Fans will relish a wild gender war between a snake and a shrew in viral lust and maybe love.



Harriet Klausner

Blazing Bedtime Stories, Volume VI-Tori Carrington & Kate Hoffmann:

Blazing Bedtime Stories, Volume VI


Tori Carrington & Kate Hoffmann:

Harlequin Blaze, Mar 20 2012, $5.25

ISBN: 9780373796793



“Maid for Him” by Tori Carrington. Off the coast of Southern California, Kieran Morrison is taken aback when he finds Daphne Moore on his ship. She came out of the Pacific and is a mermaid, but that species only exists in movies. Daphne is attracted to the human, but knows that always ends badly for her race. When they meet on shore, they make love. She must decide between love of this landlubber and her love of the sea.



“Off the Beaten Path” by Kate Hoffmann. They met seven years ago at work at Johnson-Jacobs Advertising; Alex Hansen and Greta Adler became best friends. He invites her to join him at a cabin owned by his top client Thea Michaels. However, Thea is also there with plans to take Alex. Instead Alex persuades Greta to pretend to be his lover; only in his case he has wanted that since they made love four years ago while drunk. Greta fears relationships having watched her parents’ marriage collapse as a child. However, Alex’s kisses make her forget her commitment phobia.



The latest “Blazing Bedtime Stories” contains two well written romances with engaging characters; although the fun storylines are somewhat linear and the sub-genres different.



Harriet Klausner

One Man Rush-Joanne Rock

One Man Rush


Joanne Rock

Harlequin Blaze, Mar 20 2012, $5.25

ISBN: 9780373796823



The client Phil Goodwell placed Philadelphia Phantom hockey star Kyle Murphy on the top of his list for those he considered as a match for his twenty-four year old daughter Stacy. Matchmaker Marissa Collins attends a Phantom event at the suburban Normandy Farms Hotel to arrange an introduction between the client’s daughter and the hunk on ice. However, when Marissa sees Kyle and him her, the sparks between them destroy their respective professional goal; as she loses sight of the needed lucrative fee and he loses sight of the Stanley Cup.



However, as Kyle and Marissa fall deeper into lust and god forbid love, the team makes a strong run towards making the playoffs, but the couple has problems as she panics over her need to earn money to take care of her ailing mom. Phil is upset with the matchmaker and with his daughter who is attracted to non-athlete graphic chips maker Isaac Reynolds.



This delightful “Double Overtime” sports romance is an entertaining contemporary as two couples fall in love though the hockey player and the matchmaker are the prime lead. The protagonists are a wonderful pairing with their fears keeping their relationship in peril; while the support cast is solid especially the other couple, his “Wrong Bed” family (see Riding The Storm), his teammates (especially his foster brother Axel –his tale to come) and her mom. Readers will enjoy Joanne Rock’s engaging tale.



Harriet Klausner

Master Of Sin-Maggie Robinson

Master Of Sin


Maggie Robinson

Kensington Brava, Mar 27 2012, $14.00

ISBN: 9780758251053



In 1820 on Duca Alessandro’s yacht is the owner, his wife Giuletta, their baby Marc and Andrew Rossiter. Duca paid Andrew an exorbitant stud fee to sire a baby with his spouse. Alessandro’s former heir Gianni and a thug invade the yacht killing Alessandro and Giuletta. Andrew is injured but kills the hired hand before escaping with his baby.



Andrew changes his name to Ross. Through the husband of a friend, Andrew buys a house in the Western Isles where everyone speaks Gaelic except him. He meets his son’s governess Miss Peartree. Andrew fires her but instead she takes care of feverish Marc, which leaves Andrew jealous as she has hooked the toddler while he failed. A few days later, Andrew sees the skinny Peartree leaving a bath. Having been a prostitute to men and women, he is stunned by his reaction as he is hard with desire. He realizes his son’s governess must leave. She wonders why her employer hides on this isolated small island. In love, she reveals her real name and sordid past while Andrew denies he feels the same way. Meanwhile Gianni continues his search for the child.



The entertaining Regency romance is wonderfully developed as the lead protagonists are refreshing characters with what each conceals though Andrew remains in denial too long. The suspense enhances the plot, but the villain’s search seems inane even if he fears the baby showing up in two decades with a claim. Still readers will enjoy Maggie Robinson’s delightful historical with ties to the “Mistress” Courtesan Court saga; as love brings hope to a pair who gave up on life.



Harriet Klausner

Bound By Desire-Jaymie Holland

Bound By Desire


Jaymie Holland

St. Martin's Griffin, Mar 13 2012, $14.99

ISBN: 9780312386658



University professor Annie Travis wonders what has happened to her vanished twin cousins (Alice in Taken by Passion and Alexei in Claimed by Pleasure) as the anniversary date one year apart comes. Aunt Awai arrives with food and tells her about being a Domme at a BDSM club. Auntie takes her niece there. The shapeshifting King of Diamonds Karn escorts Annie into his realm; just like his brothers did before him with her cousins.



However, as she falls in love with her mentor, he conceals his feelings due to his past deeds that make him feel unworthy of this intellectual passionate woman who owns his heart. The Diamond King tells his captive to go home; expecting the reaction of a mouse fleeing for her hole. Instead Annie proves a lioness when it comes to her man as she refuses to let him run from what she believes they share unless he looks her in the eyes and says he does not love her.



The third Wonderland erotic romance is an enjoyable tale starring a shy big babe academia with a southern upbringing and the outgoing King of Diamonds with a beastly demeanor. The storyline is fast-paced as Annie learns why Awai says the sub has the true power over the dom as the mentor gets mentored in love.



Harriet Klausner