Wed Him Before You Bed Him by Sabrina Jeffries

At eighteen, Charlotte Page made a life-altering mistake. She wronged a man in an impulsive act that she came to deeply regret, though it led her to her present life as Mrs. Charlotte Harris, owner of Mrs. Harris's School for Young Ladies. Unbeknownst to her, that man is now her anonymous benefactor, the mysterious "Cousin Michael." His masquerade began as preparation for a devastating revenge, but became a labor of love. Now Charlotte desperately needs his help. Can he save her from disaster as his real self without revealing the ugly secret behind his charade? Or will the mistakes of both their pasts tear them apart forever?

I'm currently half way reading this novel and I keep thinking David, David, David, you ass, TELL HER!

It's not a mystery who the anonymous benefactor is - Mrs. Jeffries reveals it within the first couple of pages and confirms it in the 2nd chapter. I find David really well liked but I can't help it scream at his "making it more complex than what it actually is" situation. He's got his faults and then he's digging even a bigger hole than he started out with. Charlotte Harris is everything she's been described as - strong will, beautiful, and desirable. It is a good match but I can't help to wanting to nudge these two together already. And I can see the many many obstacles that lay ahead of them.

The future of Charlotte Harris's fi nishing school is in jeopardy when a charming Spaniard -- world-famous magician Diego Montalvo -- arrives to turn the bordering estate into a scandalous pleasure garden. Valiantly ignoring his wicked flirtations, outspoken Lucinda Seton vows to derail his plans and save the school, unaware that Diego's true mission is to spirit the long-lost heiress away to Spain for a handsome reward! But before long Diego's heart is playing tricks on him, and Lucy is falling under the illusionist's spell. How can the Master of Mystery go through with his devilish scheme when all he wants is to make the lovely heiress his own?

I devoured Don't Bargain With the Devil - the 5th book in the School of Heiresses series, which sets up the stage for Wed Him Before You Bed Him. Deigo is HOT and delicious and Lucy just as described, a hoyden. It was a very entertaining read. The mystery of Lucy's birth was convoluted but eventually straightened out. It kept the story going. I always enjoy a Sabrina Jeffries book. I haven't really found a bad one yet. The really funny thing about DBWD was how hard Diego wanted his land back but in the end, he found out that the comforts he was sooo used to was nowhere to be found on his land. It's like me wanting a Starbucks coffee but the closest one is like 20 minutes away.

Smooth Talking Stranger

Lisa Kleypas' Smooth Talking Stranger was a surprise for me. Her third contemporary romance novel featuring Jack Travis was a thrill for me to read. I loved reading about Gage Travis in her first contemp novel, Sugar Daddy, a couple of years back. Blue Eyed Devil, the 2nd book with Haven Travis was good but not as memorable. I was very glad to meet Jack Travis and seen that even though he acted as a playboy in the previous book, he was just trying to find the right woman for him.

Ella Varner is the heroine and she just twists Jack in all different knots. It's good to see someone not falling all over Jack because he's handsome and rich.

Delightful fantasy to read about. Considering I live probably 20 minutes from the book's setting.

TBR Pile

Smooth Talking Stranger by Lisa Kleypas
In Stores Date: March 31, 2009


Synopsis
Jack Travis leads the uncomplicated life of a millionaire Texas playboy. He makes no commitments, he loves many women, he lives for pleasure. But no one has ever truly touched his heart or soul. Until one day, a woman appears on his doorstep with fury on her face and a baby in her arms. It seems Jack is the father and this woman is the baby's aunt. The real mother abandoned the child to her more responsible sister. And now, Jack is being called upon to take responsibility for the first time in his life.With delicious romantic tension, characters so real they walk onto the page and into your heart, Lisa Kleypas delivers the kind of novel that makes you laugh, love; cry and cheer.

To Romance a Charming Rogue by Nicole Jordan


In Stores Date: February 24, 2009


Synopsis
The bold games of passion play out with delicious consequences in this fourth novel of Nicole Jordan’s seductive new series, The Courtship Wars.Two years ago, lively beauty Eleanor Pierce spied her dashing betrothed, Damon Stafford, Viscount Wrexham, with his former mistress and furiously ended their engagement. Now the charming rake is back in London, meddling in Eleanor’s affairs, bent on thwarting her new suitor. And when Damon’s intoxicating kisses rekindle her deepest longing, Eleanor loses her heart . . . again. But as she has no intention of allowing history to repeat itself, she embarks on a plan of tantalizing seduction, vowing to tame the rogue before she surrenders to his wicked, willful desires.Determined to stop another man from wooing and winning the woman he loves, Damon knows that claiming Eleanor’s heart is all that matters. But this scandalously bold beauty means to beat him at his own game of romance–a game he is ready and willing to lose.




Branded By Fire by Nalini Singh
In Stores Date: July 7, 2009

Read Excerpt here: http://www.nalinisingh.com/branded.html



Warning: It's HOT!

Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovich

Synopsis:

Turn on all the lights and check under your bed. Things are about to get spooky in Trenton, New Jersey. According to legend, the Jersey Devil prowls the Pine Barrens and soars above the treetops in the dark of night. As eerie as this might seem, there are things in the Barrens that are even more frightening and dangerous. And there are monkeys. Lots of monkeys. Wulf Grimoire is a world wanderer and an opportunist who can kill without remorse and disappear like smoke. He’s chosen Martin Munch, boy genius, as his new business partner, and he’s chosen the Barrens as his new playground. Munch received his doctorate degree in quantum physics when he was twenty-two. He’s now twenty-four, and while his brain is large, his body hasn’t made it out of the boys’ department at Macy’s. Anyone who says good things come in small packages hasn’t met Munch. Wulf Grimoire is looking for world domination. Martin Munch would be happy if he could just get a woman naked and tied to a tree. Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum has Munch on her most-wanted list for failure to appear in court. Plum is the all-American girl stuck in an uncomfortable job, succeeding on luck and tenacity. Usually she gets her man. This time she gets a monkey. She also gets a big guy named Diesel. Diesel pops in and out of Plum’s life like birthday cake – delicious to look at and taste, not especially healthy as a steady diet, gone by the end of the week if not sooner. He’s an über bounty hunter with special skills when it comes to tracking men and pleasing women. He’s after Grimoire, and now he’s also after Munch. And if truth were told, he wouldn’t mind setting Stephanie Plum in his crosshairs. Diesel and Plum hunt down Munch and Grimoire, following them into the Barrens, surviving cranberry bogs, the Jersey Devil, a hair-raising experience, sand in their underwear, and, of course . . . monkeys.

I'm telling you, I love Stephanie Plum. I especially love the love "rectangle" between Joe, Ranger, Diesel and Stephanie. It makes my heart thump thump like mad! Joe is funny as always. And I am a Cupcake forever. But then there's a part of me that wishes Stephanie would stop being practical and jump at a chance with Ranger. Diesel, now he's just a boy toy on the side for Stephanie. =)

I am kinda in awe that Ranger shows a bit more reaction to Stephanie in Plum Spooky. I think in Fearless Fourteen, many readers felt let down because Ranger just popped in to say "Babe" and popped away for way too many pages in between his scenes. This "in-between-numbers" book was great. Just the right amount of Joe and Ranger. And of these "in-between-numbers" book has to feature Diesel way more.

Ranger showed a bit more affection, comforting Stephanie after getting chased by Wulf. I am intrigued by Wulf. I wonder if he'll appear more often.

The whole bit with Carl the monkey is hillarious! I love monkeys. They are super smart and it is so great to see more of Carl.