Destiny's Embrace by Bevery Jenkins

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'll be reviewing Beverly Jenkins' Destiny's Embrace!

Award-winning romance author Beverly Jenkins offers up another high-stakes historical romance that is sure to make you swoon.

With Destiny's Embrace, Jenkins brings readers back to the American West, where Logan Yates, a self-important ranch owner, must confront his feelings for his beautiful, free spirited housekeeper, Mariah Cooper. While they bicker incessantly, their sexual tension is palpable, and only rises when Mariah's former lover arrives on the scene. Will she accept Logan's heart?

Set in 19th-century California, Destiny's Embrace features unforgettable characters and a satisfying mix of adventure and passion from nation's premier writer of African-American historical romance.

*****

Destiny’s Embrace, the first book in Beverly Jenkins’ Destiny series, is a romantic story about learning to compromise, learning to trust, and learning to love.

This is my first taste of Ms. Jenkins’ writing and I enjoyed it! It’s one of those easy to read stories – a comfortable tale without a lot of angst, but loaded with feeling and characters you can care about. I loved the way the story unfolded, told with enough attention to detail, making me see and feel the landscape, the atmosphere, the trials and triumphs of ranch living, and I felt as if I were there. The characters are compassionate people who, despite giving new meaning to the word stubborn, are understanding and able to – eventually – admit their mistakes.

The bottom line: I thoroughly enjoyed Destiny’s Embrace and Ms. Jenkins’ easy going way of telling a story. It's sweet, witty, and sexy, and I now understand why she’s considered one of the leading ladies of writing in the African American Romance genre!

My thanks to Avon Books for providing me with a copy of Destiny’s Embrace in exchange for an honest review.

Check back tomorrow for my review of With This Kiss: Part Two!

And be sure to visit the other blogs 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
The Romance Reviews
Tempting Reads

Saved by the Rancher by Jennifer Ryan

 

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: 

Saved by the Rancher by Jennifer Ryan

Saved by the Rancher is the first book in Jennifer Ryan’s The Hunted series, and my first read of this author. The story starts out with a horrific scene of physical abuse, and Jenna Caldwell Merrick running for her life. This scene is definitely not pretty to read due to the viciousness of the attack, but this is Jenna's life and it's on the line.

The story:

David Merrick is one of the wealthiest men alive and is used to getting what he wants, so when Jenna gets tired of the abuse and leaves him, he takes great pleasure in hunting her, and doing whatever he has to do to get her back. Intimidation, fear, abuse... he'll stop at nothing, but when those things don’t work, he’s more than willing to kill her. David is a sick SOB and loves seeing Jenna's fear, knowing he has the physical strength and the money to make her suffer.

We’re introduced to Jenna at the lowest point in her life. She’s come close to death too many times at David’s hands, but she won’t let him scare her into going back. She’ll run until she’s free or dead, but she won’t give up. Jenna has several safety nets in place to help her avoid being found, but time after time, he somehow tracks her down. With the help of her attorney, Jenna finally finds a place to hide, a place to rest, with people who are willing to protect her.

Jack Turner gets a call from an old college friend, as it turns out, to help hide a client. Jack doesn’t know this upfront, but it quickly becomes clear that this pretty lady who’s obviously been abused needs his help. Jack hasn’t been interested in a relationship in years because the women he's dated are always more into his wallet than they are into him. But there’s something about Jenna that draws him to her, and he can’t fight the attraction, and neither can she. But can Jack really keep Jenna safe and convince her to settle down with him when all she wants to do is run? He’s not sure of the answer to that, but he’s not willing to give up without a fight.

My thoughts:

Saved by the Rancher is an entertaining story and, with a little more attention to editing, flow and pacing, could have been a 4 or 5 star read. What really kept the story from reaching that level is, considering all the abuse Jenna has endured, how long she’s run, how often she’s nearly died, I felt that her relationship development with Jack was rushed. We were told how afraid she was, how untrusting of men and not willing to settle down, and yet, we didn't see that in the story because it was no time at all before she was having sexual feelings for Jack. It’s a full length novel so there was plenty of time to flesh it out, to allow that attraction to grow, and that would have made the story and the romance much more enjoyable.

I would probably label this a romantic suspense/thriller, given the brutality and abuse Jenna suffers at David’s hands, as well as the psychological game of cat and mouse he enjoys playing. This is an intense read, nothing light and fluffy about it because of that constant fear of Jenna being discovered in the back of your mind. The plot is exciting, fast paced, and steamy, and there times I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to find out what might happen next.

The Hunted series has the potential to be amazing, and I’m looking forward to reading more by Ms. Ryan.

My thanks to Avon Books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the series so far:

The Trouble With Sin by Victoria Vane

 The Trouble With Sin is the second installment in Victoria Vane's Devilish Vignettes series. It's funny, sexy, romantic, and told as only Ms. Vane can tell a story.

I enjoyed getting to know Simon "Sin" Singleton better! I felt bad for him with all he has to do to please and appease his parents. But I also enjoyed his escapades as he comes up with devious ways pull the wool over their eyes and live life on his own terms.

And of course, it's always a pleasure to visit with DeVere and Ned and finding out what kind of trouble they're up to!

I'm looking forward to seeing what the future holds for Sin!

My thanks to the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! So much fun!

One Night With a Cowboy by Cat Johnson

 One Sweet Ride…

Oh yeah. A single look at the leggy blonde in the stands and Tucker Jenkins is ready to buck all night long. It’s time to forget all about his cheating ex and his usual hands off policy.

One Hot Night…

Becca Hart is an East Coast professor. Not a buckle bunny. But no degree can prepare her for the moves of the sexy bull rider she hooks up with at her first rodeo … Or the shock of finding him at her first Oklahoma State University staff meeting.

One Happy Ending…Tuck knows it’s all about holding on, no matter how wild the ride. Now he just has to convince Becca that a rough start out of the chute doesn’t mean they aren’t a smokin’ combination.

 *******

What do you get when a university English Professor meets an Oklahoma Cowboy, who's also a military man? Well, in Cat Johnson’s One Night With a Cowboy, you get romance, passion, excitement, humor, and burn up the pages lovin’! 

Going in, I knew this would be a sexy story, which is great because to enjoy the books I read I need a solid romance with a healthy dose of steam. But to really enjoy them, I need characters I can care about and stories I can get into. I also need a happily ever after I can believe in, and Ms. Johnson delivered it all. What started out as a light, 'lust at first sight' tale turned out to be a dramatic story and I am so looking forward to reading the next books in the series, a novella titled Fish Out of Water, and the next full length novel, Two Times as Hot.

The bottom line: Cat Johnson is a name I’ve seen around quite a bit, most often connected to stories with heroes who are not just sexy, but incredibly sweet. Tucker Jenkins is definitely that, and if he and Becca Hart are any indication of the couples to come, the Oklahoma Nights series is one you won't want to miss.

My thanks to Kensington/Brava and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this story for review. It's been a pleasure!

With This Kiss: Part One by Eloisa James

 

Lady Grace Ryburn, the daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Ashbrook, has fallen wildly in love with Colin Barry, a dashing young lieutenant serving his country in the Royal Navy. When he returns home to exuberant celebrations, will he even notice the quiet wallflower he grew up with … or will he fall for Grace's sparkling, gorgeous sister?

Author's Note: Lady Grace is the eldest daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Ashbrook, from The Ugly Duchess, and Colin is the eldest adopted son of Sir Griffin Barry, from Seduced by a Pirate.

*****

With This Kiss: Part One is...well... part one of Eloisa James' three part story, and it's. So. GOOD! I was up until wayyyyy too early this morning reading this installment, but I couldn't put it down!

So you probably get that I loved this, but you have to know, there were times it tore me up! I leaked more than a few sad tears, but I also spent a lot of time smiling. I LOVED revisiting the Duke and Duchess of Ashbrook and their children, and Sir Griffin and Lady Barry and their brood. It was great to learn that the families stayed close, and the glimpses we get as the years pass and the kids grow up was a delight. Such a delight... when I wasn't crying, that is. ;)

Those who know me know I'm not a huge fan of this new trend in installment series, but these three parts are being released just a week a part, so you won't have a torturously long wait between books.

Next week I'll post my review of With This Kiss: Part Two!


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

My thanks to Avon Books for providing me with a copy of With This Kiss: Part One, Two, and Three, in return for an honest review. 

Beyond Shame by Kit Rocha

All Noelle Cunningham has ever wanted is a life beyond–beyond the walls of Eden, where only the righteous are allowed to remain, and beyond her stiflingly restrictive existence as a councilman’s daughter. But only ruins lie outside the City, remnants of a society destroyed by solar storms decades earlier.

The sectors surrounding Eden house the corrupt, the criminal–men like Jasper McCray, bootlegger and cage fighter. Jas clawed his way up from nothing to stand at the right hand of Sector Four’s ruthless leader, and he’ll defend the O’Kane gang with his life. But no fight ever prepared him for the exiled City girl who falls at his feet.

Her innocence is undeniable, but so is their intense sexual attraction, and soon they’re crossing every boundary Noelle barely knew she had. But if she wants to belong to Jas, first she’ll have to open herself to the gang, to a dangerous world of sex, lust and violence. A world where passion is power, and freedom is found in submission.

*****

Beyond Shame is the first book in Kit Rocha’s Beyond series, and if you like erotic stories that push your boundaries, you might want to check this one out. If you enjoy tales of dystopian societies where there’s a very gray area between right and wrong, where the good guys are also the bad guys, then this may be the story for you. That said, if you like your erotic reads to be sizzling hot, but about more than just sex, and if you want a compelling story you can believe in with characters you can’t forget, then there’s no ‘might’ or ‘may be’ about it - you absolutely must read Beyond Shame.

Okay, so I don't even know where to start! From an erotic standpoint, this is one hell of a hot read that pushed the limits of my comfort zone, but did it... comfortably. By that I mean the people in the story are real, they have understandable issues, reasonable problems, believable concerns – they have feelings that make sense, and that made me care about them. All of them. Things that would normally bother me didn’t, because they weren't just people having sex, they cared about each other, were invested in one another. Things that have, in the past, seemed shallow and baffling made perfect sense, and this because of the amazing world Ms. Rocha has created.

And about this 'post-Flare' world – Think Sons of Anarchy without bikers. Think Thunderdome without Tina Turner and Hunger Games on ‘roids. Think an incredibly complex existence where only the smart and the deadly survive, and you’ve got The Sectors. From the start I was drawn in and held captive to this story by the incredible people of Sector Four, and even while wanting to know everything about them, I was afraid of what I’d learn, but had to know it all! I absolutely loved Jasper and Noelle, and I am intrigued by Dallas and Lex, Bren, Ace, Maddox, and the newcomer, Cruz... all of whom have the makings for amazing stories!

The bottom line: To say Beyond Shame is an engaging story is putting it mildly, as is saying I’m looking forward to reading more. I’m not just ‘looking forward’ to it, I’m desperate for it!

Sexual Content: This story contains elements of BDSM, ménage, m/f, f/f, m/f/m, m/f/f/m, voyeurism, exhibitionism, orgies and anal play. I think that’s it, but in case I’m forgetting something, just assume there was more but rest assured that the kink not represented in this story is sex with children, with animals, or incest.

My thanks to Kit Rocha and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this incredible story for review. Start to finish, it’s been a pleasure!

The Wanderer by Robyn Carr

 

 From the cover:

Nestled on the Oregon coast is a small town of rocky beaches and rugged charm. Locals love the land's unspoiled beauty. Developers see it as a potential gold mine. When newcomer Hank Cooper learns he's been left an old friend's entire beachfront property, he finds himself with a community's destiny in his hands.

Cooper has never been a man to settle in one place, and Thunder Point was supposed to be just another quick stop. But Cooper finds himself getting involved with the town. And with Sarah Dupre, a woman as complicated as she is beautiful.

With the whole town watching for his next move, Cooper has to choose between his old life and a place full of new possibilities. A place that just might be home.

*****

Robyn Carr is one of the truly great voices in contemporary romance, and fans of her Virgin River series are going to fall, and fall hard, for the people of Thunder Point.

Ms. Carr holds a special place in my heart because she's the author who introduced me to the contemporary romance genre, and while a lot of people write it, few write it as well as she does. Story after story she delivers tales of love, passion, and hope, whether growing up or growing old. The people are not just words on a page, they come alive and make me wish I were a part of their world. Neighbors or friends, families or lovers, they're everyday people with such heart and soul that I can't get enough of them.

The Wanderer is the first book in the Thunder Point series, and yet, it doesn't feel like a 'first' at all. I was immediately swept up in this community, the lives and the loves of its residents... Truly, I can't say enough good things about this wonderful story.

My thanks to Harlequin MIRA and Netgalley.com for providing me with a copy of this story for review. I enjoyed every minute of it!