REVENGE GIFTS
Cindy Cruciger
ISBN: 0-765-35225-7
Romance
Book #08-009
Tara Cole has a successful mail-order business selling an unusual product: gifts for people who want revenge against those who have wronged them. Among her most successful items are lacy pillows stuffed with cat hair (for people who are allergic to cats), boxer shorts guaranteed to set off metal detectors at the airport (for cheating husbands), and Candy-A-Day (a daily chocolate certain to help expand your worst enemy's hips). Tara's friend Kathy warns her that revenge is bad for her karma, but Tara has a pretty good life, even if her house is filled with ghosts who create chaos in her kitchen.
When a very cute guy named Howard shows up, wanting to buy into Tara's business, she's quick to assure him that she works alone, but she can't help being attracted to him. Unfortunately, just about the time Howard enters Tara's life, so does a series of increasingly larger black animals, harbingers of imminent disaster and evidence that someone has laid a curse on Tara. Howard may be attracted to her, but could he also be the one responsible for Tara's change of luck?
Cindy Cruciger has written a charmingly funny romantic suspense caper, redolent with the sizzling heat of the Florida keys in mid-summer. Tara is possibly the most curmudgeonly heroine in the history of romance novels, but her dry wit and acid tongue are hilarious. Tara and Howard (AKA Muffin) are steamy lovers, and Cruciger peoples her novel with other unique characters, such as the improbably debonair but deeply disturbing Darius, demented harpy Miss Good Voodoo, terrifyingly efficient Kimberly Case (Tara's nemesis from her previous job), and taciturn, scary Rique, the cook at Crusty's Bar, which Tara runs for her friend in exchange for free rent and use of a boat. Not to be overlooked are the ghost of Uncle Les, who turns the lights on and off at the most inopportune times, the kitchen poltergeist, who smashes eggs at night, and Zeke the kitten, cuddly and adorable.
REVENGE GIFTS is a perfect beach read, a quick-moving page-turner with something for everyone. This book is highly recommended, and readers will certainly be on the lookout for the next dishy confection from newcomer Cindy Cruciger.
Showing posts with label mystery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mystery. Show all posts
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Saturday, January 12, 2008
If His Kiss Is Wicked, by Jo Goodman
IF HIS KISS IS WICKED
Jo Goodman
ISBN: 0-8217-7777-7
Historical Romance
Book #08-006
Emma Hathaway has made a comfortable home for herself with her uncle, Sir Arthur Vega, and his daughter, the lovely Marisol, by making herself useful in her uncle's painting studio and being something of a companion/servant to her cousin. When Emma is asked to meet with Marisol's lover, the result is nearly fatal: Emma is kidnapped and beaten severely. Battered from her ordeal and in despair at her family's disbelief that she is still a target, Emma seeks help from the mysterious Restell Gardner.
Restell has made a name for himself by helping people solve problems of scandalous proportion. With a combination of cunning and finesse, and an ability to barter favors for information and other intangibles, Restell's unique skills are oddly suited to resolving Emma's issues. As he gets to know Emma, Restell finds himself captivating by her dry sense of humor, her beauty, and her strength. Amidst attempted murder and romantic intrigue, Restell and Emma are drawn into a passion that threatens to consume them.
Jo Goodman always writes with sureness and sensuality, and her talent does not fail to keep things simmering in this romantic mystery. The relationship between Emma and Restell is beautifully depicted, and
S
P
O
I
L
E
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the fact that they are married halfway into the book gives the romance an extra shimmer of tenderness. Much of the charm of this book is in the development of the trust and affection between the hero and heroine, and for these particular characters, nothing less than matrimony would have been acceptable. Being husband and wife allows Restell and Emma the freedom to explore their growing attraction without guilt or furtive measures tainting their pleasure in each other.
As always, Goodman's supporting cast are three-dimensional, fully believable characters in their own right. Goodman is skilled at layering information in her plots and then peeling it away in just the right increments to move the story forward without revealing too much, too soon. Readers will realize early on that nothing is as it seems in the Vega household, but red herrings and a complex plot will keep readers guessing right up until the final chapter. Marisol, the motherless beauty pampered by her adoring father, is jealous of Emma's closeness to Sir Arthur, yet she depends on Emma to make their lives more comfortable. Sir Arthur, crippled and unable to paint as he used to, relies on Emma to manage his social life as well as his artistic commitments. Marisol's fiance, Neven, was once attracted to Emma before he settled on her cousin, but his management of Sir Arthur's finances is suspect. Restell's family, whom we've met in previous books, are as warm and engaging as ever.
IF HIS KISS IS WICKED is yet another treasure from autobuy author Jo Goodman. Although the title is a bit random, the story delivers everything Goodman's readers have come to expect from her. This book is definitely a keeper.
Jo Goodman
ISBN: 0-8217-7777-7
Historical Romance
Book #08-006
Emma Hathaway has made a comfortable home for herself with her uncle, Sir Arthur Vega, and his daughter, the lovely Marisol, by making herself useful in her uncle's painting studio and being something of a companion/servant to her cousin. When Emma is asked to meet with Marisol's lover, the result is nearly fatal: Emma is kidnapped and beaten severely. Battered from her ordeal and in despair at her family's disbelief that she is still a target, Emma seeks help from the mysterious Restell Gardner.
Restell has made a name for himself by helping people solve problems of scandalous proportion. With a combination of cunning and finesse, and an ability to barter favors for information and other intangibles, Restell's unique skills are oddly suited to resolving Emma's issues. As he gets to know Emma, Restell finds himself captivating by her dry sense of humor, her beauty, and her strength. Amidst attempted murder and romantic intrigue, Restell and Emma are drawn into a passion that threatens to consume them.
Jo Goodman always writes with sureness and sensuality, and her talent does not fail to keep things simmering in this romantic mystery. The relationship between Emma and Restell is beautifully depicted, and
S
P
O
I
L
E
R
the fact that they are married halfway into the book gives the romance an extra shimmer of tenderness. Much of the charm of this book is in the development of the trust and affection between the hero and heroine, and for these particular characters, nothing less than matrimony would have been acceptable. Being husband and wife allows Restell and Emma the freedom to explore their growing attraction without guilt or furtive measures tainting their pleasure in each other.
As always, Goodman's supporting cast are three-dimensional, fully believable characters in their own right. Goodman is skilled at layering information in her plots and then peeling it away in just the right increments to move the story forward without revealing too much, too soon. Readers will realize early on that nothing is as it seems in the Vega household, but red herrings and a complex plot will keep readers guessing right up until the final chapter. Marisol, the motherless beauty pampered by her adoring father, is jealous of Emma's closeness to Sir Arthur, yet she depends on Emma to make their lives more comfortable. Sir Arthur, crippled and unable to paint as he used to, relies on Emma to manage his social life as well as his artistic commitments. Marisol's fiance, Neven, was once attracted to Emma before he settled on her cousin, but his management of Sir Arthur's finances is suspect. Restell's family, whom we've met in previous books, are as warm and engaging as ever.
IF HIS KISS IS WICKED is yet another treasure from autobuy author Jo Goodman. Although the title is a bit random, the story delivers everything Goodman's readers have come to expect from her. This book is definitely a keeper.
Friday, August 03, 2007
Living Dead in Dallas, by Charlaine Harris
LIVING DEAD IN DALLAS
Charlaine Harris
ISBN: 0-441-00923-9
Fantasy/Mystery
Book #07-061
Sookie Stackhouse is an ordinary young woman with an extraordinary "dis"ability: she can read minds. This ability has caused her grief throughout her life, particularly when it comes to romance, because as she says, how can you make love with someone when you know what they really think about you and your body? When Sookie meets Bill the Vampire and realizes that she can't hear his thoughts, the mental silence is very attractive to her, and before long, she's got a real, live (not) boyfriend.
Being involved with a vampire has its own special problems. When Bill's vampire colleagues save Sookie's life, she feels obligated to accomodate when asked for a favor, she agrees to read the minds of people involved in the case of a missing vampire. Sookie's only condition is that if her abilities reveal the culprits, they must be handed over to the authorities and dealt with through legal channels.
Once in Dallas, Sookie encounters the Fellowship of the Sun, a fanatical anti-vampire group. The resulting chaos and carnage make for fast, frantic reading as Charlaine Harris masterfully pits the vampires and their foes against each other, with the intrepid Sookie smack in the middle. In this second installment of Harris's Stackhouse series, readers get more of Sookie's scrupulously honest self-analysis and her amusingly pragmatic approach to life. Harris has created a detailed depiction of vampire politics, and Eric, Bill's supervisor, proves to be a formidable enemy and a seriously good kisser.
Charlaine Harris keeps the action and the angst coming in this completely delectable page-turner. Sookie is a heroine readers can identify with, and her wise-cracking sense of humor leavens many a tense moment. Harris gives her imagination free rein, and the resultant account of modern vampire life is a marvel of wit and wonder. LIVING DEAD IN DALLAS is a breath of fresh air in a genre that is in high demand with readers, and that popularity shows no sign of declining any time soon. With Sookie Stackhouse, Charlaine Harris has earned her spot on the paranormal keepers shelf.
Charlaine Harris
ISBN: 0-441-00923-9
Fantasy/Mystery
Book #07-061
Sookie Stackhouse is an ordinary young woman with an extraordinary "dis"ability: she can read minds. This ability has caused her grief throughout her life, particularly when it comes to romance, because as she says, how can you make love with someone when you know what they really think about you and your body? When Sookie meets Bill the Vampire and realizes that she can't hear his thoughts, the mental silence is very attractive to her, and before long, she's got a real, live (not) boyfriend.
Being involved with a vampire has its own special problems. When Bill's vampire colleagues save Sookie's life, she feels obligated to accomodate when asked for a favor, she agrees to read the minds of people involved in the case of a missing vampire. Sookie's only condition is that if her abilities reveal the culprits, they must be handed over to the authorities and dealt with through legal channels.
Once in Dallas, Sookie encounters the Fellowship of the Sun, a fanatical anti-vampire group. The resulting chaos and carnage make for fast, frantic reading as Charlaine Harris masterfully pits the vampires and their foes against each other, with the intrepid Sookie smack in the middle. In this second installment of Harris's Stackhouse series, readers get more of Sookie's scrupulously honest self-analysis and her amusingly pragmatic approach to life. Harris has created a detailed depiction of vampire politics, and Eric, Bill's supervisor, proves to be a formidable enemy and a seriously good kisser.
Charlaine Harris keeps the action and the angst coming in this completely delectable page-turner. Sookie is a heroine readers can identify with, and her wise-cracking sense of humor leavens many a tense moment. Harris gives her imagination free rein, and the resultant account of modern vampire life is a marvel of wit and wonder. LIVING DEAD IN DALLAS is a breath of fresh air in a genre that is in high demand with readers, and that popularity shows no sign of declining any time soon. With Sookie Stackhouse, Charlaine Harris has earned her spot on the paranormal keepers shelf.
Monday, May 21, 2007
The Chick and the Dead, by Casey Daniels
THE CHICK AND THE DEAD
Casey Daniels
ISBN: 978-0-06-082147-0
Mystery
Book #07-030
When Pepper Martin hit her head on the gravestone of mob boss Gus Scarpetti, she didn't just see stars, she began to see dead people. Gus needed Pepper to help him solve the mystery of his murder before he could succumb to his eternal rest. Once Pepper got the answer, she figured life would go back to normal, but Didi Bowman, a gum-chewing ghost in a poodle skirt and saddle shoes, has other ideas.
Didi claims to have written So Far the Dawn, a Gone with the Wind-type historical blockbuster that was made into a movie beloved by millions. The problem is, Didi died 50 years ago, before the book was published, and her sister Merilee, librarian and noted historian, has been lauded for decades as the author of the bestseller. When Merilee comes to town to donate the Bowman family home for a SFTD museum, Didi demands Pepper's help to reveal the truth. Caught between a rock and a hard place (reveal the truth and break the hearts of the nation, or refuse to help Didi and be haunted forever), Pepper reluctantly gives in.
Laid off from her job at the cemetery where the Bowmans are buried, Pepper finagles a job as Merilee's secretary. This gives her an insider's view of life with the diva, but it also keeps her in close contact with a weirdly unsettling cast of characters, including Elizabeth and Kurt, the spectral stars of the So Far the Dawn film, and Bob, the taciturn caretaker of the Bowman homestead. As Pepper unearths the details of Didi's short life, she discovers that there were several people who might have wanted the blonde bombshell dead: any of her numerous lovers, her granddaughter by her illegitimate (and now deceased) daughter, and, of course, her script-stealing sister. Is Pepper finally in over her head?
Casey Daniels has written a charmer of a mystery, with laugh-out-loud moments and plot twists aplenty. With two mysterious men popping in and out of her life and her penchant for poking her nose in where it doesn't belong, Pepper Martin may remind readers of Janet Evanovich's wildly popular Stephanie Plum. Pepper has all of Stephanie's wry spunkiness, and Daniels keeps the action and the comedy coming without ever hurtling over the top and straight into slapstick. Given the current popularity of paranormal plots, readers may pick up THE CHICK AND THE DEAD out of simple curiosity, but Daniels' skillful writing and delightful heroine will leave them quoting author Emilie Richards: "Write faster, Casey Daniels."
Casey Daniels
ISBN: 978-0-06-082147-0
Mystery
Book #07-030
When Pepper Martin hit her head on the gravestone of mob boss Gus Scarpetti, she didn't just see stars, she began to see dead people. Gus needed Pepper to help him solve the mystery of his murder before he could succumb to his eternal rest. Once Pepper got the answer, she figured life would go back to normal, but Didi Bowman, a gum-chewing ghost in a poodle skirt and saddle shoes, has other ideas.
Didi claims to have written So Far the Dawn, a Gone with the Wind-type historical blockbuster that was made into a movie beloved by millions. The problem is, Didi died 50 years ago, before the book was published, and her sister Merilee, librarian and noted historian, has been lauded for decades as the author of the bestseller. When Merilee comes to town to donate the Bowman family home for a SFTD museum, Didi demands Pepper's help to reveal the truth. Caught between a rock and a hard place (reveal the truth and break the hearts of the nation, or refuse to help Didi and be haunted forever), Pepper reluctantly gives in.
Laid off from her job at the cemetery where the Bowmans are buried, Pepper finagles a job as Merilee's secretary. This gives her an insider's view of life with the diva, but it also keeps her in close contact with a weirdly unsettling cast of characters, including Elizabeth and Kurt, the spectral stars of the So Far the Dawn film, and Bob, the taciturn caretaker of the Bowman homestead. As Pepper unearths the details of Didi's short life, she discovers that there were several people who might have wanted the blonde bombshell dead: any of her numerous lovers, her granddaughter by her illegitimate (and now deceased) daughter, and, of course, her script-stealing sister. Is Pepper finally in over her head?
Casey Daniels has written a charmer of a mystery, with laugh-out-loud moments and plot twists aplenty. With two mysterious men popping in and out of her life and her penchant for poking her nose in where it doesn't belong, Pepper Martin may remind readers of Janet Evanovich's wildly popular Stephanie Plum. Pepper has all of Stephanie's wry spunkiness, and Daniels keeps the action and the comedy coming without ever hurtling over the top and straight into slapstick. Given the current popularity of paranormal plots, readers may pick up THE CHICK AND THE DEAD out of simple curiosity, but Daniels' skillful writing and delightful heroine will leave them quoting author Emilie Richards: "Write faster, Casey Daniels."
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