Desire & Deception - Sharon Buchbinder

Review

I didn’t feel the description for this book on Amazon did it justice

You have a story about two women who are friends both teach at a University and are from completely different backgrounds and you really get two stories for the price of one

Isabel (Izzy) Ramirez is the daughter of a Mexican Crime Boss living, An Assistant Professor who isn’t afraid to go after what she wants be it a promotion or her latest toy boy. Izzy’s world starts to shatter when the department chair confronts her about a major transgression.

Sarah Wright-Rosen happily married to her Doctor husband has her world turned upside down when holidaying after a conference.

I could not put this book down it was fast paced and with two stories going on at the same time it’s not one of those books where you can predict what is going on once you think you know boom! Something else is thrown into the mix. I loved the way Sharon wrote both the female leads as I think they get equal rights here for me.

I thought this book was fantastic go buy it now!

Ruby Rating: ****

REVIEW OF POPPY DAY BY THE AMAZING AMANDA PROWSE

REVIEW OF POPPY DAY BY THE AMAZING AMANDA PROWSE

This story rocked my world I had a lump in my throat as I read it and sometimes a tear in my eye. To say I loved it does not do this story justice it rocked my world because the story relates to a current events and coming from the East End of London as you were reading it like any good story you, you go into it as it unfolds as though you are there watching it take place like a fly on the wall.

Amanda Prowse is an amazing woman I have got to know her a little through twitter I didn’t read the product description before I read the book which is why for this review I have put it at the end. 

I read the book mainly because Amanda wrote it and secondly because proceeds were going to a Charity close to my heart. Amanda is a fantastic writer her husband, family and the military should be proud of her and women like her who are the backbone of our military without them and their families our boys cannot go off and do their jobs.

This story made me wonder what my fiery little Grandmother did to the person unlucky enough to tell her my uncle had been taken a POW in Korea during his National Service.

Now you can read the product description if you wish or just go buy the book from Amazon it is available in paperback and kindle format and you can buy it in Sainsbury’s.

RUBY RATING: *****+

Product Description

How far would you go to bring home the one you love?

This is the question posed in this contemporary love story that takes you from the streets of East London to the plains of Afghanistan.

Poppy Day is a twenty one year old hairdresser, devoted to her husband Martin and blessed with a sunny disposition. Martin is the one constant in her life, her protector and best friend since they were six, making an often difficult childhood easier to bear.

Martin and Poppy are an ‘ordinary’ couple who find themselves in an extraordinary situation. Having joined the British Army in search of a better life for them both, their world is ripped apart when Martin is taken hostage while on his first tour tour in Afghanistan.

Battling against army culture and procedure, Poppy decides to bring her ‘Mart’ home herself. Fuelled by naivety, she feels that nothing is impossible when doing it for the man she loves. Her journey sees her paying a very high price and incurs some heartbreaking consequences…

‘Poppy Day’ gives an insight into life beneath the uniform, a peek at what it’s like to be the one left at home, ticking off the days until your loved one returns and what happens when there is the knock on the door that every forces wife, husband, mother, father or lover dreads…

All proceeds from the sale of Poppy Day go directly to The Royal British Legion to help fund the charity’s Battle Back Centre for injured Service personnel.

REVIEW OF LOVING OUR HEROES

For your money you get 3 books in 1.

This book was offered to me by Net Galley but as soon as I realised  Harlequin were making a donation to one of my favourite Charities I bought the book instead, as £1 from the price of each Book  goes to Help for Heroes (Registered Charity Number 1120920).

LAST-MINUTE PROPOSAL BY JESSICA HART

Tilly’s gets entered into a competition to raise money for Charity by her younger brothers who think she is in a rut. Tilly is happy to stay in her Kitchen creating wonderful cakes.

As part of the competition she is teamed up with Campbell who is ex-military. He can’t understand why she volunteered but as the competition progresses so do their feelings.

MISSION: MOUNTAIN RESCUE BY AMY ANDREWS

Holly and Richard dated but Holly got dumped because she was to you and Richard had seen too much and become jaded and thinks he’s doing her a favour.

Holly sees Richard again while volunteering on the Tanrami Island. They try to avoid each other but end up getting kidnapped.

MISTRESS: HIRED FOR THE BILLIONAIRE’S PLEASURE BY INDIA GREY

Rachel doesn’t know how to stand up for herself and agrees to marry a man she despises and ends up running away from her Wedding. Orlando finds her in the Cemetery sitting on his brother’s grave and takes her home.

Review 

It’s been a long while since I’ve read a Mills & Boon / Harlequin contemporary but I have to say I really enjoyed these stories.  They were page turners even though you know you are going to get a Romance with a happy ending I still found myself sitting there cheering the couples on and calling the men all sorts of names.

Ruby Rating: ***

Male Call (Hot Zone 1) by Denise A. Agnew

Product Description

Her sexy letters are his only lifeline in his dangerous world…

Successful computer software engineer Eve Carmichael melts under yet another hotter than hot letter written by Reserve army soldier Sean O’Callahan. Yet Eve can’t take the thought of his life in danger overseas, and she resolves to get a sex life—and a life period. That means forgetting Sean before anything bad can happen to him. To celebrate her thirty-fifth birthday, Eve plans a trip to Male Call, a male review club. Still, she worries about Sean. She hasn’t received a letter from him in too many weeks. And oh, how she longs for those flirtatious, hot letters.

Sean finds Eve’s letters to be the only lifeline in his increasingly chaotic world. As their feelings grow hot and heavy, he can’t wait to return home and kindle that pure firepower.

When Eve receives a letter from Sean saying he’s been wounded, her fears are realized. But fate and a little mischievous planning by her friends will serve up the greatest surprise of all.

REVIEW

This is the first book in the Hot Zone series. Eve & Sean were work friends before Sean an Army Reservist is called up. They write to each other whilst he is overseas, their feelings and the story grow through letters.You could feel the relationship go from friendly, to flirty, to I’m going to take the risk.

I have been reading a lot of Novella’s lately which I won’t be reviewing because although they were OK or in some cases good for me there was something missing and it was the building of the relationship. I loved this book it captured everything and the way and Denise set the scene is for me what put this as a top novella.

In Male Call – Denise nailed it! I loved it.

Warning: Contains explicit sex, some graphic language, and mild violence.

Ruby Rating:

****

Refired by Jeepers Wade

Sylas Hanson -top Chef, bit of a ladies man but bored and needs a change.

Veronica - used to being in charge and runs her father’s restaurant La Joie.

Sylas wants Veronica on his terms and the restaurant running his way. Sylas is just what Veronica needs in and out of the kitchen a man she cannot intimidate. Veronica is used to being in control and wearing the trousers in a relationship as we Brits would call it.

I bought this book because I follow this author on twitter and have been looking for new authors. I have to say I wasn't disappointed.

This was the first book in this genre that I've read which was written by a man that I really enjoyed and I couldn't put it down. I just wished it could have been longer as I really loved this book and the characters. The only thing I dislike about novellas is so much needs to be fitted in and sometimes the story loses something. I'm glad to say that didn't happen in this book.

Story contains: Hot Sex and Spanking.

Ruby Rating: ****

Mr Wade has written 2 books and I’m pleased to say the second Mise en Place follows on from the first.

Sacred Surrender – Ava Riley

 

Rowan’s has “baggage” his ex-fiancé decided to seduce his best friend the night before their wedding. He’s wary having been burnt before and becomes known as a bit of ladies man.

Madison, is a small town girl, who needs the help of her next door neighbour, not realising he’s Dr Hottie but has her own insecurities going on.

I’ve been waiting for Rowan’s story for what feels like forever. It’s a follow up to A Lifetime to Find Love, (see review below) but can be read on its own.

Ava knows romance and writes it well she knows how to tell a story so you almost feel like a voyeur watching the story happen the way she sets a scene you can picture yourself there.

I love how Rowan and Madison’s romance develops. Ava writes real life romance and the sex scenes go from sweet to scorching. The book was brilliant you can help but find yourself saying go on go for it you know want to!

Ruby Rating : ****

Author Spotlight - MONICA KAYE

This week I’m reviewing 2 books by the same author Monica Kaye. They were labelled multi-cultural contemporary romance (like you couldn’t tell that from the cover) but don’t let this put you off if you’ve never read one before.

The Business of Pleasure

Carmen De La Cruz is a woman of many talents and is out to get her man. Lawyer Drew Trotter is the one she wants in her bed. Drew is avoiding her but Carmen finally gets him at her best friend’s wedding.

 
A few months later, Carmen needs Drew’s legal help and he gets a second chance.

This was the first book I read of Monica’s but is a follow on to Dirty Business and can also be read as a stand-alone.

I loved straight-laced Drew and you just know Carmen will do more than ruffle his hair J

When the first line says “I am going to fuck his brains out tonight” I thought the story could go one of two ways and I have to say “wow, wow and wow”, I wasn’t disappointed Monica knows how to keep you interested, the story kept moving and I loved it. Which is why I bought Monica’s other book and cannot wait for the next.

Warning: Contains anal play, hot sex and stripping.

Ruby Rating:  

*****

Dirty Business

Chloe decides to spend the night at a hotel and meets Sean in the hotel bar. After spending the night with her, he wakes up and finds she’s gone only to find out later she will be his assistant at the firm he’s buying.

Chloe is the prime suspect and is trying to work out who is framing her. I wasn’t disappointed with this book either the story contained Romance, espionage, hot sex, spanking and again the first line grabbed me and wouldn’t let go.

Ruby Rating:  

*****