A Scent of Seduction by Colleen Collins

When the San Diego Times book editor Kathryn Walters dabs a touch of the magic elixir behind her ear, she attracts the attention of hunky sports editor, Coyote Sullivan. But does Kathryn really want his attention? After all they’re both competing for the Crest of the Wave prize for best editor on the paper. And the prize money would go a long way to rebuilding her life after what happened three years ago. But she can’t help herself and neither can Coyote. But the real problem is can she hold on to Coyote, even after she runs out of Lust Potion #9

Interesting characters, some tension and a lot of hot sex add up to a very nice story. I think Colleen did a very good job of tying Kathryn’s past problems to Coyote’s current problems, plus using quotes from an erotic murder mystery really made things interesting. If you’re looking for a hot read, you definitely need to check this book out.

Details: Blaze #290, November 2006

Bottom line: A very good book

Blondes Prefer Billionaires by Suzanne Enoch

When Samantha Jellicoe runs into her dead father at a Sotheby’s art auction, she knows her world is about to turn upside down. Even though she no longer steals priceless paintings, her father pressures her into doing it for old times sake. Even her billionaire boyfriend Richard Addison, can’t change her mind. Samantha has a plan to save her father, but it means risking her freedom and possibly her life. Will she be able to convince Rick to help, or will he whisk her away to England where she’ll be safe, but powerless to save her father?

The third installment in this series brings back all of the edginess that I enjoyed in the first story. The plot has enough twists and turns to leave you wondering what’s going to happen next. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and if you like romance with an element of danger, I know you’ll like this one too.

Details: Avon, November 2006

Bottom line: A great book

Infatuation by Alison Kent

Milla Page reviews dating hot spots for MatchMeUpOnline.com. Despite all of the men she’s taken to these places she still hasn’t found a replacement for Rennie Bergen, her college lover. However when his business card shows up in the “booty bowl”, Milla decides to go for and arranges to take him out on her next date. Soon Milla and Rennie are back in bed (and many other places too ;) ) reliving their time in college. But both Milla and Rennie need something else to form a real relationship. But is Milla ready to bare her soul to her lover, or will she have to suffer through a second breakup with Rennie?

Alison based Rennie’s character on from Jessie James who stared in Monster Garage (a cool show broadcast on The Discovery Channel for four seasons :) ). The story is filled with hot sex and sexual tension and you’ll also see glimpses of their past, which explains their actions in the present. Unfortunately, she didn’t share all of the details on Rennie’s project car. I know at least one reader that would have enjoyed reading that part too :D . Still, if you’re an Alison Kent fan, you’d better have this book

Details: Blaze #287, Novvember 2006

Bottom line: A great book

Ghouls Just Want To Have Fun by Kathleen Bacus

Tressa “Calamity” Jayne Turner is back again, but this time she’s after the story of a lifetime. A reclusive writer arrives at the haunted mansion just outside of town. No one has seen or spoken to the author in years. If she could just land the interview, Tressa was certain she’d be able to get a full-time job on the newspaper. The only thing stopping her was a blackmailing homecoming queen candidate who also wants to meet the writer, a grandmother with a collection of fertility gods who moves into Tressa’s home, her grandmother’s boyfriend who supposedly was paid $50 bucks to take the writer to her high school prom, a rival reporter who thinks he has the inside track to the story and that sexy park ranger who always manages to show up just in time to spoil her plans or save her life. But as Tressa digs into the mystery behind the writer, the more likely it is that she’ll end up laying in the graveyard near the haunted house.

My original plan was to post this review on Halloween, but despite its title, haunted house and the occasional ghost this isn’t a Halloween story. While it’s funny in many places too, something is missing in this story that I enjoyed in her previous stories. It could be that the collection of blonde jokes is missing , but more likely there just wasn’t the continuous danger and sexual tension that kept me turning the pages in her previous books. Still it’s an enjoyable read and one that any Calamity Jayne fan would like.

Details: Love Spell, October 2006

Bottom line: A very good book

Decadent by Suzanne Forster

Ally Danner’s sister has run away and she fears that she’s inside Club Casablanca, a private men’s club catering to only the extremely powerful. She knows from personal experience that inside the club the women are treated as property and men can use, trade or even include a girl in a poker bet as they see fit. While staking out the club, Ally finds someone else trying to get inside. Sam Sinclair has been working his way into the club for days, but now he finally has his gold key, which gives him complete access to the club. But when Ally turns up in his bed, his plans go to hell as she convinces him to sneak her inside. Now that she’s inside, just how far is Ally willing to go to rescue her sister?

Suzanne also wrote the first Spice novel, and this story has a lot of the same flavor, but is far less explicit that you might expect. Instead she pushes the tension between the characters right to the limit. I really enjoyed the book, though I would have enjoyed seeing more inside the club, along with watching Sam play a game of poker with Ally as the stake. But then again, this is Blaze – not Spice. Guess I’ve got to track down some of her other books. If you’re interested in a story that pushes the limits of what you can do in a Blaze, you definitely have to read this book.

Details: Blaze #288, November 2006

Bottom line: A great book

The Maverick by Rhonda Nelson

Julia Beckham agrees to repay her father’s debt to Colonel Garrett by using her skills as a relationship therapist to help forge a new team to replace Project Chameleon. Garrett also calls in a favor owed to him by Guy McCann, the former leader of Project Chameleon. Together Julia and Guy are given just one week to forge the bonds between the members of the team so they work together as a single unit. But how can the team function as a unit if their instructors can't work together. When the couple finally resolve their differences, they find that they can’t get enough of each other. But at the end of the week, will their new bonds break as the couple goes their own ways or will they remain together.

In the final book of the Men Out Of Uniform series, sparks fly the instant Julia and Guy meet. But each has their reasons for remaining uninvolved. Also, Guy is convinced that Project Chameleon can never be replaced as the new team is filled with conflict also as leader of the new team, Richard Rutland, was the main responsible for Guy, Brian and Payne owing favors to the Colonel. Unfortunately Rutland didn’t play a significant part in this story and I really would have loved to see how the conflict between the two would have been eventually resolved. Still, I really enjoyed this book. If you’re looking for a very hot read, Rhonda’s book won’t disappoint you.

Details: Blaze #283, October 2006

Bottom line: A great book

The Specialist by Rhonda Nelson

Emma Langsford is not exactly your average individual – not after eight years in the Army. When family responsibilities forced her to leave the military, Emma put her future on hold to take care of them. Unfortunately taking care of her family meant that money was always tight and meant she couldn’t afford to turn down any opportunity to earn extra money. So when a former commander offers her a lot of money to retrieve a civil war era antique, Emma agreed even before he could change his mind. Little did she know that another Army officer wanted the same object and had called in a favor to get ex-Major Brian Payne aka The Specialist to retrieve the same object. From the moment they meet, Emma and Brian understood that only one of them would end up with the object. Now can Emma win the competition despite the sexy hunk, or will she succumb to her passions and give up the money that could save her family and her future.

This is the second book in the Men Out Of Uniform series and it’s just as hot as the first. I loved the little traps they set for each other and how they each tried to distract the other while searching for the antique. The ending is well done, even though you could see it coming for most of the book. If you like Rhonda’s other books, you’ll definitely like this one.

Details: Blaze #277, September 2006

Bottom line: A great book

Murphy’s Law by Lori Foster

Ashley Miles is a girl who knows what she wants and romance just doesn’t make the list. Between working two jobs and attending school, Ashley is flat out of time. Not if she wants to pay her bills and get good grades. The last thing she needs is a rich, handsome man chasing after her. When Quinton Murphy sees the spunky girl, he’s fascinated beyond all reason, but not sure why. It isn’t her scrawny body nor her brash personality, that’s for sure. But things go downhill for Ashley, when someone starts stalking her and making death threats. Now after years of avoiding men, Ashley has two men in her life – one who wants to kill her and the other that wants to make love to her. Isn’t that just like Murphy’s Law?

Ashley is one of the most unique characters I’ve ever seen in a romance novel and Lori managed to paint an incredible picture of this girl in my mind. I can see her kicking and screaming each time she’s forced to do something she doesn’t want to do and I actually felt sorry for Quinton when it happened. This book is full of humor, mixed in with a touch of suspense. This is a sequel to Jude’s Law, which you may want to read first as many of the characters from that book make a guest appearance in this one. If you like unlikely matchups, then you’ll love this book.

Zebra, September 2006

Bottom line: A great book

The Mighty Quinns: Marcus by Kate Hoffmann

Born to billionaire parents, Eden Ross’s childhood left only one thing to be desired – love. As far back as she could remember, Eden found herself a pawn in a battle between her parents. And given their money and materialistic attitude, it’s no wonder that Eden turned out to be the tabloid’s favorite party girl. The one that everyone wanted to sleep with. Except for Marcus Quinn. While restoring a boat for Eden's father, Marcus found her on board, trying to hide from the world. While he was tempted to throw her overboard, he decides doing so would ultimately cost him his job, along with any prospect of future referrals. But when Eden finally shows him a glimpse of the real person inside, Marcus must decide whether it’s worth risking her father’s wrath or give Eden the love that she so desperately needs.

I was a little apprehensive about this book when I picked it up as I hate jumping into a middle of a series. And starting out the story with a bunch of Irish kids only compounded things. However, it turned out that I really loved Eden. I enjoyed reading about the arrogant woman, who’s totally filled with self doubts and who’s self destructive behavior is practically explosive. Add to that, Marcus - a text book example of a gamma male, you have the makings of a very powerful couple. Which translated into a great book for me to read. I’m curious to see how the next book in this series turns out.

Details: Blaze #279, October 2006

Bottom line: A great book

Real Women Don’t Wear Size 2 by Kelley St. John

Clarise Robinson's expert advice on clothing had earned her the top sales spot at Eubanks Elegant Apparal. But she would have traded it in a heartbeat to have sex with Ethan Eubanks, her boss. Unfortunately Ethan saw her as a friend and not a potential girlfriend. Clarise knew her body was a few (okay maybe more than a few) sizes larger than most of the skinny model types he usually dated. Her mother called her figure curvaceous, but Clarise knew otherwise. Still, she planned to seduce Ethan at this year’s company retreat, but she wasn’t sure that Ethan would even be interested. Now, will Calrise have the courage to follow through or will she settle for just being friends?

I loved Clarise. She’s a great character and one of the more realistic heroines I’ve read about in a romance novel. While she slowly grows comfortable with her body, she is constantly having size 2 model types and all kinds of hunky men envy her curves. This feels a bit forced to me, but it really doesn’t detract from the humor in this book. The ending of the book was very good and I’d tell you more, but it would really spoil the story. If you’re somewhat larger than a size 2 and always wanted to see a heroine with a similar size, you definitely need to read this book.

Details: Warner Forever, October 2006

Bottom line: A very good book

The Pleasure Chest by Jule McBride

Tanya Taylor loves artwork as only an artist could. When she sees a painting of a pirate dating back to the 1790’s, she just has to have it, even though her credit card says she shouldn’t. Then one evening she finds a mysterious stranger in her bedroom that bears a striking resemblance to the pirate in the painting. Stede O’Flannery enjoyed taking human form for the first time in years, though he knew he had exactly one week to fall in love or the curse will return him to the painting. And without love, he’ll have to wait patiently until his next opportunity to take human form arises. But love requires two people. Now can Stede convince Tanya that he’s in love with her, or more importantly can he convince himself?

This is a cute story about an interesting couple. I really enjoyed Stede’s personality and how he had adapted to modern life. Tanya was also an interesting person too. But I really wish that Moon Beam played a larger role in the story. She's too interesting of a character to have just a walk on role in the story. The basis for the story shows that Jule has a very creative mind and I’m looking forward to reading her next book.

Details: Blaze #281, October 2006

Bottom line: A very good book

Asking for Trouble by Leslie Kelly

Lottie Santori left the safety of family in Chicago for a small town in Pennsylvania where a serial killer once lived. She arrives at the old Seaton House hotel only to find that it’s no longer rents rooms, but is now the private residence of Simon Lebeaux. Simon is a troubled person, who wants to be left alone with the ghosts of his past, but Lottie refuses to go away. Lottie on the other hand, needs the information that’s buried inside the hotel and sees its sexy owner as a bonus. When some accidents force the couple together, the sparks fly. But the sparks don’t change the man inside and Lottie must choose to wait for the man to make peace with his pat or walk away from potentially the most important person in her life.

This Dark and Sexy Night story is written in a mix of first and third person, with point of view changes each chapter. I love the way that Leslie announces the character’s point of view at the start of each chapter. This book is a little on the dark side, which is 180 degrees out of phase when compared to Leslie’s previous Trouble book (HQN). In fact it was very hard for me to believe that both books were written by the same author, which merely shows how talented she is. If you like dark books, then this one should be at the top of your reading pile.

Details: Blaze #280, October 2006

Bottom line: A great book

Playing with Fire by Gena Showalter

Belle Jamison never wanted to be a super hero, she just wanted to find a job that she could hold onto for more than a couple of weeks. After a crazed man disrupts the coffee shop where Belle works, she tries to relax and sip her cup of Grande Mocha Latte. The next thing she knows, she’s so sick she wishes she could die and a man – Rome Masters – is standing over her waiting for her to get better. Soon Belle learns that she has power over the four elements: fire, water, air and earth and that Rome’s assignment is to kill her if she learns how to use those powers. But she sees something special inside Rome and when she accidently torches his apartment, Rome saves her life. Now Belle must decide if Rome saved her because she’s special to him or is he just playing with her before he carries out his orders.

This is a hot story (okay, I just couldn’t resist that one :) ) told in first person from Belle’s point of view. I loved the characters – and not just Belle and Rome but the entire cast and some of the unique roles they played in the story. The story ends in such a way that I expect to see more of the characters in a future book and my only hope is that I don’t have to wait another year to see the sequel.

Details: HQN, September 2006

Bottom line: A great book

A Whisper of Wanting by Jamie Sobrato

When Ethan Ramsey stumbled onto a bottle of something that supposedly guaranteed crazy-passion-hot-sex-multiple-orgasms, he didn’t plan on testing it on himself. He just wanted to drop it at the police lab and move on. Little did he know he’d run into the Nicole Arroyo, a girl he desperately wanted, but couldn’t have. Nicole never wanted to see Ethan again after his failure to perform, but for some reason she was overcome with an urge to drag him into bed. But when a killer from her past returns and threatens to kill her and Ethan, it makes sense to stick together. Now will Nicole have the strength to resist her urges or will she and Ethan fall victim to Lust Potion #9?

This is a cute story with hot characters and plenty of action. Adding in a bit of danger makes things even more interesting. The sex between the two is definitely hot, and I liked how Jamie worked in the bit about the forgotten condom. This is a great read and a must buy for any Blaze reader.

Details: Blaze #284, October 2006

Bottom line: A great book

just dare me… by Stephanie Bond

Gabrielle Flannery worked as the junior marketing exec for a major sporting goods company, when her boss moved on to a bigger and better job. She knew she could do the job, but so did another account exec, Dell Kingston. Their boss resolved the problem by pitting them against each other in a survival competition – the winner gets the account, and the loser gets nothing. But can Gabrielle resist Dell’s hot body long enough to win or will she give in and give up her dreams for a night of pleasure.

The next story in the Adrenaline Rush series is a more traditional Blaze with a strong sexual tension between the hero and heroine. I enjoyed watching how Gabrielle’s preparations always seemed to pay off when compared to Dell’s total lack of preparation. Though it did seem to me that Dell should have had a bit more sense of what not to do while out in the woods given his experience. Still, I loved the characters and the restraint shown by Gabrielle by not jumping into bed with Dell at the first opportunity. If you love Stephanie Bond’s Blazes, this is a must buy.

Details: Blaze #282, October 2006

Bottom line: A great book