A Fare To Remember by Vicki Lewis Thompson, Julie Elizabeth Leto, Kate Hoffmann

Can a New York cab driver also find your perfect mate? Mario Capelli believes he can. He takes pride in his ability to find the right person for some of his favorite fares, while he himself grows closer to his own special person, Iris.

In Just Whistle by Vicki Lewis Thompson, Hannah Robertson arrives in New York from the mid-west with a plan to break into the publishing business. Mario believes she needs a little help and Zachary Evans should have the right the contacts though his investment company. His plan also had the advantage that Hannah might help Zachary solve his own set of problems.

In Driven to Distraction, Julie Elizabeth Leto tells the tale of how Rachael Marlowe works with Mario to find out the truth about her lover, Roman Brach. But little did Rachael know that Roman was involved with some sort of secret organization – but was the organization working for good or evil?

Kate Hoffmann Taken For A Ride follows Sabina Amanar as she tries to save her grandmother’s apartment building from the clutches of the, Alec Harnett who plans to tear down her building in order to create yet another highrise. But Sabina finds it hard to stand firm, when she finds herself falling for the handsome real estate developer.

All three stories were interesting. Vicki’s and Julie’s stories had more of a Blaze feel than Kate’s, but all three were definitely worth reading. Julie’s is a special treat because her story includes a deadly assassin named Domino Black, who stars in her August Extreme Blaze. This is definitely a good summer read, especially if you like happy endings.

Details: Signature Select, July 2006

Bottom line: A very good book

3 Guys You’ll Never Date by Stephanie Bond, Jennifer LaBrecque, Rhonda Nelson

When three girls make a pact find new boyfriends while avoiding guys like ditch diggers, geeks and used-car salesman, they find that the worst guys may be the best ones of all.

You Can Leave Your Hard Hat On by Stephanie Bond tells the tale of how a successful architect, Samantha Stone, literally falls into the arms of Teague Brownlee who put down his shovel to catch her when she falls on a visit to her job site. Unfortunately for Samantha, his touch ignites memories from the last time they made love – 13 years ago.

The Total Package by Jennifer LaBrecque follows Deke Foster who manages to convince Abby Carmichael to remake his geeky image in order to make himself attractive for a very special person. What Abby doesn’t know is that she’s Deke's special person.

Her Hero? by Rhonda Nelson reunites Carley Deluna with her high school lover, Jackson Harper. When Jackson tells her that he no longer works as a mechanic in his father’s garage, Carley has high hopes for their relationship. But then Carley’s hopes for the future are dashed when he confesses that he now sells used cars for a living.

These three stories are short but cute and remind me of the traditional Blazes the authors used to write. So if you’re looking for a quick smile, I think you should check out this book.

Details: Signature Select, August 2006

Bottom line: A very good book

Confessions of a Party Crasher by Holly Jacobs

When her Morgan Miller’s west coast job bites the dust and she’s forced to return to Philadelphia, Morgan’s mother takes pity on her and invites her to a party. The party turns out to be a wedding reception and then Morgan learns that her mother wasn’t invited. When the sexy photographer, Conner Danning realizes that they didn’t belong, Morgan makes up a story that not only gets them out of trouble, but gives her a reason for meeting Conner again. Conner finds himself looking forward to spending time with Morgan, but he’s disappointed when she insists that she’s planning on returning to California as soon as she can find a job. But the more time Morgan spends with Conner, the less she wants to return to the west coast. Now will Morgan return to her former life in California or will she stay and crash Conner’s next party?

I remember reading Holly Jacobs from the days when Harlequin still published Flipsides and Duets. It was refreshing to read her again. I really enjoyed this book and the sense of humor that filled the pages. If you like lighthearted books, I’m sure you’ll love this one.

Details: Signature Select, June 2006

Bottom line: A great book

Bootcamp by Leslie Kelly, Heather MacAllister, Cindi Myers

What do you do if love is missing from your life? You go to Maxine’s Warfield’s Bootcamp to learn how to get control over your love life. You’ll learn everything from flirting how to feel comfortable around your date.

In Kiss and Make Up by Leslie Kelly, you’ll learn how Cassandra Devane stopped going from one boy toy to another by confronting her one true love, her ex-husband.

In Sugar and Spikes by Heather MacAllister, you’ll watch the “Iron Lady”, Rebecca Ironwood improve her business by directing her hard work away from her business and to the new love of her life.

In Flirting with an Old Flame by Cindi Myers, you’ll see how the successful businesswoman Barbara Powers goes home to Texas to shed her sophisticated exterior and find that love was waiting for her just across the road.

I was slightly disappointed when I started reading it. I had bought the book on the strength of its title and was hoping to read about characters in the military, not overly successful businesswomen with problems in their love life. However once I got into this book, I found that all three stories were light and humorous. This book is definitely a worthwhile read. Just don't make my mistake – read the back cover first – I think you’ll enjoy it.

Details: Signature Select, March 2006

Bottom line: A pretty good book

Surf Girl School by Cathy Yardley

When you’re under doctor’s orders to find a way to relax, what do you do? If you’re ad executive, Allison Robbins, you learn how to surf. You’ll need to buy a surfboard, a wet suit, plus you’ll need a hunk to teach you. Fortunately, Sean Gilroy qualifies big time. Of course you really should drop all those bad habits that landed you under doctor’s care in the first place, but Allison never does things by halves and gives herself just six weeks to learn how to surf, so she’ll be relaxed in time for her big presentation.

This is my first Signature Select novel. I had always classified Signature Selects as a traditional romance novel, but I was very happy when I read this story. The tone was quite modern as were the characters and the humor in the storyline managed to tie everything together in a believable package. If you’re into light reading, this book is definitely for you.

Details: Signature Select, January 2006

Bottom line: A very good book