Heaven Can't Wait (I-Team #1.5) by Pamela Clare

Blurb...


Lissy Charteris and Will Fraser are two weeks away from getting married when Lissy suggests they put a bit of traditional romance into their lives by giving up sex until their wedding night. Though Will thinks it’s a crazy idea, he’s not about to admit he can’t do it. The two end up making a bet, vowing not to be the first to ask for sex. But what starts as a bet turns into a game of no-holds-barred seduction—winner take all.

Heaven Can’t Wait is only about 90 pages, but leave it to Pamela Clare to give us wonderful characters and a fun, sexy story that easily rivals some full length novels I’ve read. This story takes place between Extreme Exposure and Unlawful Contact, but I read it out of order and had no problem whatsoever. I'm giving this 5 stars because, in my opinion, unlike many short stories, this one didn't feel lacking in any way... other than I wish it were longer because it was so good.

Will Fraser and Lissie Charteris are two weeks away from their wedding day and everything is wonderful. They’re madly in love and their sex life is sizzling hot. They’ve begun moving their things into the home they’ll share when they return from their honeymoon and everything, everything seems perfect. Until Lissie gets a phone call from her relationship jaded mother who begins filling her head with doubts about whether she and Will are really in love, or if they’re merely in lust. Suddenly worried that they are doomed to end up unhappy like her parents did, Lissie suggests to Will—under the guise of experiencing an old fashioned romance—that the abstain from sex until after they are married, which leads to some funny, frustrating and incredibly hot scenes and kept the story interesting and moving at a fast pace.

Keep in mind, Heaven Can't Wait is not a romantic suspense as is the rest of the I-Team series. This is just a glimpse into Will Fraser's happily ever after and a feel good read. I truly love Pamela Clare’s full length novels and the way she gives us characters who are real, whose actions, reactions and emotions are convincing. She gives us stories and people that we can relate to, and this short story is no different. If you’re a fan of her I-Team series, I’d really encourage you to pick up Heaven Can’t Wait, available in ebook format or in an out of print anthology called Catch of the Day, and enjoy Will and Lissie’s sweet, touching and sexy story.

Click here to purchase Heaven Can't Wait from Amazon


The I-Team reading order, so far:

1. Extreme Exposure
1.5 Heaven Can't Wait - a novella found in the out of print anthology Catch of the Day and on ebook
2. Hard Evidence
3. Unlawful Contact
4. Naked Edge
5. Breaking Point
5.5. Skin Deep
5.9. First Strike
6. Striking Distance
6.5. Soul Deep
7. Seduction Game
7.5 Dead by Midnight

Once Upon a Winter's Eve (Spindle Cove 1.5) by Tessa Dare

Violet Winterbottom is a quiet girl. She speaks six languages, but seldom raises her voice. She endured bitter heartbreak in perfect silence. The gentlemen aren't beating down her door.

Until the night of the Spindle Cove Christmas ball, when a mysterious stranger crashes into the ballroom and collapses at Violet's feet. His coarse attire and near-criminal good looks would put any sensible young lady on her guard. He's wet, chilled, bleeding, and speaking in an unfamiliar tongue.

Only Violet understands him. And she knows he's not what he seems.

She has one night to draw forth the secrets of this dangerously handsome rogue. Is he a smuggler? A fugitive? An enemy spy? She needs answers by sunrise, but her captive would rather seduce than confess. To learn his secrets, Violet must reveal hers and open herself to adventure, passion, and the unthinkable... Love.

Warning: The heroine packs a pistol, the hero curses in multiple languages, and together they steam up a cold winter s night.

I'm keeping my review short and sweet, just like this novella - Spindle Cove is a wonderful series, and Once Upon a Winter's Eve is an absolute delight! Romantic, steamy, exciting and witty, a truly entertaining story!

Click here to purchase Once Upon a Winter's Eve at Amazon

Lord Dashwood Missed Out (Spindle Cove 4.5) by Tessa Dare

Blurb…

A snowstorm hath no fury like a spinster scorned!

Miss Elinora Browning grew up yearning for the handsome, intelligent lord-next-door…but he left England without a word of farewell. One night, inspired by a bit too much sherry, Nora poured out her heartbreak on paper. Lord Dashwood Missed Out was a love letter to every young lady who’d been overlooked by gentlemen—and an instant bestseller. Now she’s on her way to speak in Spindle Cove when snowy weather delays her coach. She’s forced to wait out the storm with the worst possible companion: Lord Dashwood himself.

And he finally seems to have noticed her.

George Travers, Lord Dashwood, has traveled the globe as a cartographer. He returned to England with the goal of marrying and creating an heir--only to find his reputation shredded by an audacious, vexingly attractive bluestocking and her poison pen. Lord Dashwood Missed Out, his arse. Since Nora Browning seems to believe he overlooked the passion of a lifetime, Dash challenges her to prove it.

She has one night.

Keeping this short and sweet…

This! This right here is why I read historical romance when I’m looking to escape. Lord Dashwood Missed Out is laugh out loud funny, steamy and - at moments - tender. And even better still? This novella doesn’t read or feel like a novella which makes it escapism reading at its best because it can be read anytime, even when you don't have much time!

Spindle Cove is a great series and Tessa Dare is one of my favorite historical romance authors because she tells the stories I want to read; stories of amazing characters written with humor, passion, and poignancy! Whatever you do, don’t you miss out!

An eARC was provided by Avon Books. In appreciation, I’m giving them an honest review!

Soul Deep (I-Team 6.5) by Pamela Clare

Soul Deep is a deeply romantic and incredibly sexy story. It was refreshing to read about Jack and Janet, a mature man and woman who don't play games, who know what they want, and do what they have to, to get it.

Blurb:

Rancher Jack West knows what it means to love a woman with all his heart and to lose her far too soon. A widower for seven long years, he thinks love and romance are a thing of the past, nothing more than cherished memories. He devotes himself to his grown son and his family, the horses they raise, and the land that has been theirs for three generations. He doesn’t know that life has a surprise in store for him in the form of Janet Killeen, the lovely FBI agent he threw off his land last winter.

The bullet that left Janet Killeen seriously wounded also tore a hole through her life. All she wants is a little peace and quiet in the mountains, a chance to feel like herself again. That chance comes to an abrupt end when she goes off the road in a snowstorm and winds up stranded alone in a ditch. The last person on earth she wants to see is that arrogant jerk Jack West, no matter how handsome he is. But from the moment Jack finds her and offers her his hand, she realizes there’s far more to this gruff cowboy than she had imagined.

But trouble is brewing at Cimarron Ranch. A deranged man with an inscrutable motive is moving in for the kill, threatening to end Jack and Janet’s romance before they can claim a love that is … Soul Deep. 

*****

Just a note: This novella is part of the I-Team series (I-Team After Hours) but works perfectly as a standalone.  

The I-Team reading order, so far:

1. Extreme Exposure
1.5 Heaven Can't Wait - a novella found in the out of print anthology Catch of the Day and on ebook
2. Hard Evidence
3. Unlawful Contact
4. Naked Edge
5. Breaking Point
5.5. Skin Deep
5.9. First Strike
6. Striking Distance
6.5. Soul Deep
7. Seduction Game
7.5 Dead by Midnight

Desperately Seeking Fireman (Bachelor Firemen of San Gabriel #4.5) by Jennifer Bernard

The Bachelor Firemen of San Gabriel is one of the few “must read” series on my shelves. The stories make me laugh, make me think, and have me falling in love again and again. Desperately Seeking Fireman is a shorter story, but it’s filled with all the things I love most about Jennifer Bernard’s writing!

Blurb…

Fire Captain Jeb Stone and incredibly successful press secretary Nita Moreno have both been burned by love before. That's why neither of them is looking for more than a few steamy nights of passion.

When circumstances find them stranded on an island together, babysitting a cross-dressing senator and the very pregnant wife of San Gabriel's most famous captain, they allow the sparks they feel to take center stage. But as their feelings grow, can they each allow the other past the barriers both have built to protect their hearts?

My thoughts…

I have to be honest, I loved this story and even though it’s a novella, I’m giving it 5 stars because of Jed and Nita. They are great people, the kind I’d love to count amongst my friends. Apart they’re amazing, together they’re perfect! My only complaint about this story is that I would have loved to spend more time getting to know them.

The bottom line…

Jennifer Bernard is a fantastic storyteller, and this series is wonderful. The stories are about real people and the ups and downs of finding that one person who makes you complete, and no matter how many times I read these books, I never get enough!

If you’re looking for something new to dive in to, something romantic, exciting and steamy, then look no further than The Bachelor Firemen of San Gabriel!

An ARC of this story was generously provided by Avon Books.   

How to Marry a Highlander by Katharine Ashe

Sexy, charming, and swoon-worthy!!!

The Story -

Teresa doesn't want to marry the vicar, so she takes husband hunting into her own hands. Her sight is set on Duncan, Earl of Eads, a man she only saw once from across a ballroom eighteen months earlier. Even though he's practically penniless, there's something about him compels her to seek him out and make him an offer of marriage he can't refuse. Except, much to Teresa's dismay,  refuse is exactly what he does! Not easily dissuaded, Teresa proposes a wager; she'll find husbands for five of the Earl's step-sisters within a month's time, with a token to be paid upon each successful betrothal - a kiss for one, an inappropriate grope for another, and so on until marriage, or at the very least, bedding, will be her reward!

My Review -

This is such a fun story, and fans of historical romances starring swoon-worthy Scots will love How to Marry a Highlander! Witty, romantic, sexy, and clever, it's one of the few novellas that is so good, has such great characters and plot, that the only way to make it better would have been to make it longer.

For those wondering, yes, this works very well as a standalone, though Duncan and Teresa were first introduced in How a Lady Weds a Rogue, book three in this series. Katharine Ashe is a talented writer and I'm excited to read more of the Falcon Club.

My thanks to Avon books and Edelweiss for providing a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review. It was a pleasure!

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Once Upon a Winter's Eve by Tessa Dare

Some wallflowers bloom at night...

Violet Winterbottom is a quiet girl. She speaks six languages, but seldom raises her voice. She endured bitter heartbreak in perfect silence. The gentlemen aren't beating down her door.

Until the night of the Spindle Cove Christmas ball, when a mysterious stranger crashes into the ballroom and collapses at Violet's feet. His coarse attire and near-criminal good looks would put any sensible young lady on her guard. He's wet, chilled, bleeding, and speaking in an unfamiliar tongue.

Only Violet understands him. And she knows he's not what he seems.

She has one night to draw forth the secrets of this dangerously handsome rogue. Is he a smuggler? A fugitive? An enemy spy? She needs answers by sunrise, but her captive would rather seduce than confess. To learn his secrets, Violet must reveal hers and open herself to adventure, passion, and the unthinkable... Love.

Warning: The heroine packs a pistol, the hero curses in multiple languages, and together they steam up a cold winter s night.

***********

I'm keeping this review short and sweet, just like the book - Spindle Cove is a wonderful series, and this book is an absolute delight! Romantic, steamy, exciting and witty, a truly entertaining story!

First Strike (I-Team 5.9, I-Team After Hours) by Pamela Clare

5 Super Sexy Stars!

Dubai City, Dubai
United Arab Emirates
July 14, 2009

First Strike is the novella prequel to Pamela Clare’s soon to be released Striking Distance, the sixth book in her incredibly popular I-Team series. Originally this was part of the Striking Distance prologue, but Javier and Laura’s first encounter was so passionate and so intense, in the interest of page count and mainstream publishing, it either had to be watered down, or it had to be cut.

Thankfully Ms. Clare is an author who, one way or another, tells her stories the way she wants them told. Because watering it down wasn't an option for her, she cut it from Striking Distance and has given us First Strike, the self published, no holds barred story of Javi and Laura’s lust-at-first-sight meeting in Dubai, and their wild, no strings attached, sex-filled weekend that follows. But rest assured – this is Pamela Clare we’re talking about, so the whole 'no strings' thing? Yeah… that doesn’t work out quite the way Javi and Laura had planned.

If you’ve read Pamela’s books, you know she can write some very hot scenes, but trust me on this – until you’ve read First Strike, you ain’t read nothin’ yet! Just sayin'... for those of us who enjoy our stories on the steamier side, this is another benefit of her self publishing it! But I can’t stress this enough – yes, this is an erotic short story, but it’s not smut. It’s romantic, poignant, sweet, and definitely sexy, and I’m so happy to get this up close and very, very personal look at Javi and Laura's first meeting.

You probably already get this, but just to make sure there are no surprises, I'll spell it out - since this is the prequel to their story, there's no HEA, yet. Also, if you've read the cover blurb for Striking Distance, you've probably figured out that things didn't go well for Laura after she and Javi parted ways in Dubai. What I'm telling you is that this novella ends in a cliffhanger, but not an unexpected one, and you won't have to wait long to find out what happens because Striking Distance is due out November 5th, 2013.

I can't tell you how happy I am that Pamela gave us this novella because we couldn't have gotten this part of the story any other way, and that would have been a huge loss for us readers. Not only is First Strike off the charts sexy, it’s still every bit Ms. Clare's brilliant style of storytelling, introducing us to characters who capture our hearts and stories that keep us coming back for more.

Many thanks to Pamela Clare for providing me with a copy of this novella in exchange for an honest review.

=====
The I-Team reading order, so far:

1. Extreme Exposure
1.5 Heaven Can't Wait - a novella found in the out of print anthology Catch of the Day and on ebook
2. Hard Evidence
3. Unlawful Contact
4. Naked Edge
5. Breaking Point
5.5. Skin Deep
5.9. First Strike
6. Striking Distance
6.5. Soul Deep
7. Seduction Game
7.5 Dead by Midnight

With This Kiss: Part Two by Eloisa James

 

THE AVON AFFAIR IS A 14-DAY AVON BOOKS REVIEW EVENT
ORGANIZED AND HOSTED BY CURRENT AND ALUMNI MEMBERS OF
THE AVON ADDICTS.

Today I'm reviewing:

With This Kiss: Part Two by Eloisa James 

 


With This Kiss: Part Two, the second of three parts, is easily as wonderful as the first part, but even better because Grace and Colin's more-than-friends relationship actually starts to develop!

From the cover:

Lady Grace Ryburn has accepted another man's proposal after the love of her life, Lieutenant Colin Barry, asked for her own sister's hand in marriage.

But when Colin returns home from the wars, injured in body and spirit, will she be able to turn her back and marry another? Or will she throw away every rule her mother taught her and try to seduce a man who has shown no interest in her kisses?

As I did with part one, I enjoyed the closeness of the families and their witty banter, but this time we start to see Grace and Colin come together. Fate isn't making things easy for them, but often the best things in life have to be fought for.

Oh, how I love this installment! It’s romantic, poignant, sexy… it’s Eloisa James at her finest!

4.5/5 stars

My thanks to Avon Books for providing me a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review!


Ms. James created some lovely greeting cards to go along with each installment of the series. Here they are:

Check back tomorrow for my review of Toni Blake's Willow Springs! 

Be sure to check in with these sites as some of my fellow
Avon Addicts are also participating in The Avon Affair:

A Tasty Read
Rusticating In The Tropics
Toot's Book Reviews
S.O.S. Aloha
The Book Queen's Personal Book Palace
Romancing The Readers
The Book Cellar
Blithely Bookish
The Romance Reviews
Tempting Reads

 

The Earl in My Bed by Sophie Jordan

The Earl in My Bed is a sweet and passionate short story, just in time for Valentine’s Day. It’s part of the Forgotten Princesses series and takes place between books two and three, though I can honestly say, it works as a standalone.

It was unspoken, but well understood, that Paget and her childhood friend, Owen, would one day marry, but with Owen off fighting a war a world away, and his older brother Jamie, the new Earl of Willingham close by, Paget starts wondering why Jamie can evoke such strong feelings in her heart, and her body, feelings she never had for Owen. After all, growing up, Jamie made it clear that she, a mere vicar's daughter, had no business associating with he and his brothers, so what is it about him, now... why is he tempting her with things she shouldn't want, things that have her questioning which brother she truly loves?

Poignant stories can be difficult to tell in novellas, but Ms. Jordan did a fine job here. Jamie and Paget are well matched, and their story is tender and heartwarming. There were times I laughed, times I sighed, times I fanned myself, and even times my heart broke for the child that Jamie was never able to be. I adored Paget for her insight and compassion, and for recognizing what made Jamie the boy he had been, the man he became, and for loving them both.

I hope to read more of this series, very soon, most especially Owen's story, which promises to be an emotional journey.

3.5/5 stars

My thanks to Avon Books for giving me the opportunity to read this sweet story, in return for an honest review.