REVIEW: Guilty by Karen Robards

Title: Guilty
Author: Karen Robards
Publisher: Putnam
Publication Date: April, 2008
Genre: Romantic Suspense

Description: One cold November night when Kat Kominski was fifteen years old, she and some friends held up a convenience store. In the heat of the moment, one of the others shot and killed an off-duty cop moonlighting as a security guard. Kat and her pals fled the scene in a panic, and no one was caught.

Sixteen years later, Kat --- now Kate White --- has built a new life for herself. Now a single mom with an eight-year-old son, she works as a prosecutor in the Philadelphia DA's office. But her dark past rears its head when she walks into court one day and has a devastating encounter with a prisoner, Mario Castellanos, one of her companions from that terrible night.

Hardcore criminal Mario is facing a possible sentence of twenty years. He lets Kate know that he is counting on her, his old friend turned prosecutor, to make sure he goes free instead. If Kate doesn't do what he wants, he'll claim she was the one who killed the off-duty cop.

Kate is in a bind: If the truth about her past gets out, she stands to lose everything, including her son. But she can't do what Mario wants, either. As Mario ups his demands, blackmailing and terrorizing her, she is forced to turn for protection to a sexy homicide detective, Tom Braga, who suspects her of ... something. The two clash repeatedly as Tom keeps digging into her past, trying to learn the truth.

Then another, far more menacing, threat rears its head, and Kate realizes that her life --- and her son's --- are in terrible danger. Frantic, she sees that she has nowhere to turn. Except, maybe, to Tom ...

My Thoughts: I had a hard time connecting with the main character of this story. The story begins with Kat as a teenager who gets caught up with a bad crowd and bad choices that result in the death of an off-duty police officer. Kat pulls her life together and in spite of being a single parent, she puts herself through law school and is a new prosecutor. Ordinarily, this would be a success story, but when her past catches up to her, Kat begins telling lie after lie, even when she is blatantly confronted, she continues to lie. I quickly became annoyed with her and had a hard time feeling much sympathy for her. The story improved when Kat’s son, Ben, is in mortal danger from some very bad people and Kat finally comes clean to Tom.

I really liked Ben and Tom. I thought Ben was very precocious and adorable. Tom was a great character who is carrying some very painful baggage, but manages to keep his heart open to the possibility of a new relationship. In spite of the lies and deception Kat throws at his feet, he continues to be there for her.

My Final Verdict: Overall, this story was just OK for me. The ending fell flat with little closure and a lot of gaps. Fans of romantic suspense may be able to overlook the lack of character development and enjoy the story but if you are a reader who needs the characters in their stories to be realistic, then this may not be the book for you.

REVIEW: Totlandia: The Onesies, Book 1 (Fall)

Title: Totlandia: The Onesies, Book 1 (Fall)
Author: Josie Brown
Publisher: Coliloquy, LLC
Publication Date: September, 2012
Genre: Chick-Lit

Description: The Pacific Heights Moms & Tots Club is the most exclusive children’s playgroup in all of San Francisco. For the city’s ultra-competitive elite, the club’s ten annual spots are the ultimate parenting prize.

But not everyone is PHM&TC material. The club's founder, Bettina Connaught Cross, adheres to strict membership rules: Moms only. No single parents or working mothers allowed. Membership is an arduous commitment. And there’s no room in the club for scandal, bad behavior, or imperfection...from tots or their moms.

In a world of power and prestige, no one has more than Bettina. And as every mom in Pacific Heights knows, you simply cannot cross her. But this year’s admissions process is more rigorous than ever, pitting prospective members against each other to prove their mettle.

But four of the six candidates vying for the remaining four slots have a secret that would knock them out of the running. Jade is a former stripper and porn actress, who has been absent for most of her son’s life. Jillian’s husband cleaned out their joint accounts and left her for his pregnant assistant. Ally never even had a husband—just a sperm donor—and she’s hiding a high-ranking corporate job. And Lorna fears that her son may have special needs... just the excuse her sister-in-law, Bettina, needs to deny her entry to the club.

Can these hopeful moms keep up appearances long enough to outlast the competition? Or will their chances—and their private lives—go up in flames?

This is the first of four books that follow our heroines during "the Onesies," their inaugural year in the club. Upcoming books—to be released in four episodes each year—will follow subsequent years: the Twosies, Threesies, Foursies, and Fivesies.

Friendship. Lies. Seduction. Betrayal. Welcome to Totlandia.

My Thoughts: With the first book in this very delightful series, new to me author Josie Brown introduces us to four women who will do anything to ensure their children have the best possible start in life. For these ladies, that means applying to and being accepted for membership in the very exclusive Pacific Heights Moms and Tots Club. A club that is for Moms only who are married and do not work outside the home. The women are part of a group of six who made the final cut and now have to compete for one of the four open slots. What makes this story so interesting is that these women are hiding at least one secret that would disqualify them.

Totlandia: The Onesies was my first book by this very talented author, but will definitely not be my last. I really enjoyed meeting Lorna, Ally, Jade and Jillian. Each character brings an interesting backstory and likable personality to the mix and I thoroughly enjoyed how quickly they all connected and began forming a bond. I have a feeling this club can get pretty cutthroat with backstabbing and betrayal, so strong and loyal friends are definitely needed here. The story moves at a very good pace with many laugh out loud moments. Initially, I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to keep everyone straight, but that fear quickly passed as the main characters are quickly revealed.

My Final Verdict: Overall, this was a very good start to a series that promises a lot of laughter and snarky sarcasm. I feel so much anticipation about what will happen next, you’d think I had submitted an application to the club, too. I highly recommend this book and think your anticipation will be just as high as mine. Kudos to Josie Brown for a very good book and giving me several hours of reading enjoyment.

New Additions To The TBR Pile In August

So many new arrivals this month at The Bookworm News And Reviews. I am considering cloning as an option to help me read more. My clone can go to work, run the errands, clean the house and I can read. Anyone know who I need to contact for that? :)

Title: All's Fair In Love And Cupcakes by Betsy St. Amant
Description: She's written a recipe for her future, but does it include love?

Katherine 'Kat' Varland is a small town girl, born and raised---and every day, her dreams of owning her own bakery get further away. She has no money, and the cupcake shop she bakes for, Sweetie Pies, seems to get smaller and smaller. Kat might be the sweetheart of Bayou Bend, Louisiana, but she longs to make a name for herself where she can flourish as Kat---not as the girl baking someone else's recipes.

As head coach for the Bayou Bend championship high school football team, Lucas Brannen is used to winning---everything except his best friend's heart. He finally gathers the courage to make a gesture and show Kat his feelings by signing her up for the popular reality TV show Cupcake Combat. But his plan backfires after he realizes the cash prize for the winner also includes a one-year baking contract at one of New York City's most famous pastry houses.

The situation grows sticky when Kat enlists Lucas's help as her baking assistant for the show. Lucas is torn between helping Kat live her dream and selfishly wanting to keep her in town. His plan has always been a dozen acres of land and a farmhouse in Bayou Bend---but Kat is blinded by the stars in her eyes.

Will Lucas and Kat risk their chance at love in order to achieve their individual dreams? Or will they find that sometimes the most delicious happily-ever-afters begin and end in the same place?

Title: Bad Bridesmaid by Portia Macintosh
Description: ‘My wedding is ruined and my marriage is going to fail. And it’s all your fault!'

LA romcom writer Mia Valentina has it all; money, success, a tanned and toned body, golden blonde hair and a string of sexy lovers. She’s almost forgotten her previous self: plain old Mia Harrison. Until a wedding invitation arrives requesting (demanding!) her presence as chief bridesmaid at her younger sister Belle’s upcoming nuptials.

Mia’s barely been back in England before she’s accidentally injured the groom, unintentionally ‘cursed’ the wedding and been caught in a compromising position with her sister’s soon to be brother-in-law!

With the wedding of the year going dangerously off the rails, Mia has no time to waste – especially with sexy fireman and best man Leo on hand to help… Will she use all of her expert romance knowledge to save the day or will she just walk away? No one ever said a bad girl had to turn good…

Girls' Night Out by Kate Flora
Description: When the man who date-raped a friend is found not guilty, the women in her book group decide to take matters into their own hands.

Title: Guilty by Karen Robards
Description: One cold November night when Kat Kominski was fifteen years old, she and some friends held up a convenience store. In the heat of the moment, one of the others shot and killed an off-duty cop moonlighting as a security guard. Kat and her pals fled the scene in a panic, and no one was caught.

Sixteen years later, Kat --- now Kate White --- has built a new life for herself. Now a single mom with an eight-year-old son, she works as a prosecutor in the Philadelphia DA's office. But her dark past rears its head when she walks into court one day and has a devastating encounter with a prisoner, Mario Castellanos, one of her companions from that terrible night.

Hardcore criminal Mario is facing a possible sentence of twenty years. He lets Kate know that he is counting on her, his old friend turned prosecutor, to make sure he goes free instead. If Kate doesn't do what he wants, he'll claim she was the one who killed the off-duty cop.

Kate is in a bind: If the truth about her past gets out, she stands to lose everything, including her son. But she can't do what Mario wants, either. As Mario ups his demands, blackmailing and terrorizing her, she is forced to turn for protection to a sexy homicide detective, Tom Braga, who suspects her of ... something. The two clash repeatedly as Tom keeps digging into her past, trying to learn the truth.

Then another, far more menacing, threat rears its head, and Kate realizes that her life --- and her son's --- are in terrible danger. Frantic, she sees that she has nowhere to turn. Except, maybe, to Tom ...

Title: Life Is Sweet by Elizabeth Bass
Description: Three years ago, Becca Hudson threw a dart at a map, hit Leesburg, Virginia, and decided it was the perfect place to start over. Now she has her own bakery, The Strawberry Cake Shop, loyal customers, and close friends. She also has something that success as a Hollywood child star couldn't give her: a mostly normal existence. Not that it's without complications. One best friend, Pam, is in the wary early days of a new relationship; another is fighting to save her marriage in the midst of infidelity. And then there's Becca's growing attraction to Matthew, surrogate stepdad to Olivia, a smart, sensitive ten-year-old who's become a fixture in the bakery and in Becca's affections.

Still, Becca is content to live in the present and ignore the "Whatever happened to?" speculation and occasional curious fan--until her past barges in again. Amid revelations and unexpeced dilemmas, Becca must confront the life she stepped away from and the love she struggles to accept. It's the only way she'll truly find what she needs: a recipe for living that's honest, messy, sweet, and true.

Title: No Weddings by Kat Bastion
Description: I think I have my act together as a successful bar owner, my master’s degree within reach, and a list of no-strings-attached women warming my bed. Turns out, I don’t.

Hannah believes she has safeguarded her wounded heart by shunning men and focusing on her new baking business. The thing is, she hasn't.

When my three sisters and I start a new event-planning business with Hannah as our baker, I have no idea how my life is about to change. As Hannah and I work closely together, the attraction between us becomes irresistible. And complicated. I've promised my sisters I wouldn't mix business with pleasure. But I've never been one to follow the rules.

Title: Pretty Reckless by Jodi Linton
Description: Welcome to Pistol Rock, Texas where everyone knows secrets last about as long as the sporadic west Texas rain showers.

Laney Briggs has long been considered reckless by the denizens of her hometown, but she’s finally turned it all around—she’s happily engaged to the local veterinarian and she’s become a Pistol Rock deputy sheriff. Everything’s fine and dandy—until a dead body turns up and her ex, Texas Ranger Gunner Wilson, decides to stick his boots into the town’s first murder case. Of course, the troublesome cowboy’s rugged good looks and T-shirt-straining muscles are already leaving Laney knee-deep in hot water, but she’ll be damned if she lets Gunner trample all over her turf. She’s decided that, instead of conflict, she wants a contented, steady life with her vet—a life in which Gunner Wilson and his seemingly endless ability to undermine her resolve and her libido plays no part. Still, it’s hard to keep her head as forbidden sparks ignite and suspicions arise between old rivals and old flames. And when the bodies start to pile up, Laney has to ask the lethal bad boy for a hand—and a truce in exchange for his help. But after uncovering the pack of lies surrounding not only her job but her heart… Having an ex-boyfriend as an ally might not be the best idea, but it’s certainly the most reckless, and Laney has always been pretty reckless…

Title: Takedown Twenty by Janet Evanovich
Description: New Jersey bounty hunter Stephanie Plum knows better than to mess with family. But when powerful mobster Salvatore “Uncle Sunny” Sunucchi goes on the lam in Trenton, it’s up to Stephanie to find him. Uncle Sunny is charged with murder for running over a guy (twice), and nobody wants to turn him in—not his poker buddies, not his bimbo girlfriend, not his two right-hand men, Shorty and Moe. Even Trenton’s hottest cop, Joe Morelli, has skin in the game, because—just Stephanie’s luck—the godfather is his actual godfather. And while Morelli understands that the law is the law, his old-world grandmother, Bella, is doing everything she can to throw Stephanie off the trail.

It’s not just Uncle Sunny giving Stephanie the run-around. Security specialist Ranger needs her help to solve the bizarre death of a top client’s mother, a woman who happened to play bingo with Stephanie’s Grandma Mazur. Before Stephanie knows it, she’s working side by side with Ranger and Grandma at the senior center, trying to catch a killer on the loose—and the bingo balls are not rolling in their favor.

With bullet holes in her car, henchmen on her tail, and a giraffe named Kevin running wild in the streets of Trenton, Stephanie will have to up her game for the ultimate takedown.

Title: The Beginner's Guide To The Birds And The Bees by Sophie Hart
Description: Let’s talk about sex… would you share your bedroom secrets if it meant saving your marriage?

A refreshingly open and uplifting romantic comedy about friendship, love and sex. Sometimes you need to step out of your comfort zone in order to give a relationship a good dose of TLC…

Sex therapist Annie Hall helps couples put the fizz back into their relationships. It’s a shame her own love life is non-existent. When Jamie who works next door catches her eye, she can’t ignore the spark of chemistry.

Most men would jump at the chance to skive off work for an afternoon quickie with their gorgeous wife but Nick knows Julia is after only one thing – a baby. Sex shouldn’t be a chore. Can Annie help Julia see that?

Newly engaged Zoe and Simon can’t keep their hands off each other. They’ve decided to take a vow of celibacy until their wedding night. Will Annie help them stick to it?

Roy and Linda have been married for over thirty years but she’s more interested in the family business than getting intimate with him. Can Annie convince Linda to rediscover her passion for Roy after all this time?

While Annie begins to work her magic with the three couples, she soon finds herself falling for Jamie. But she’s been hurt before – will he be different? It’s time for Annie to take some of her own advice and learn a few life lessons of her own…

Title: The Divorce Party by Laura Dave
Description: Two women at the opposite ends of marriage are trying to answer the same question: When should you fight to save a relationship and when should you begin to let go?

On their thirty-fifth wedding anniversary, Gwyn Huntington and her husband, Thomas, invite friends and family over for a most unusual celebration. Their home, Huntington Hall, has been in the family for generations after surviving the Great Hurricane of 1938, which tore Montauk apart. Instead of celebrating their life there, Gwyn and Thomas are toasting their divorce.

The weekend also marks the first time that their son, Nate, brings his fiance, Maggie, home to Montauk. But Maggie finds herself wondering if it will be the last, because she discovers a secret Nate has kept for years.

A multigenerational novel about love, family, and what it means to build a life with someone, The Divorce Party brings us two immensely appealing women: Gwyn, at the end of her marriage, and her future daughter-in-law, Maggie, at the beginning. Though they make very different choices, both women ultimately discover how to create the lives that they most want to lead.

Title: The Dress Shop Of Dreams by Menna van Praag
Description: For fans of Alice Hoffman, Sarah Addison Allen, and Adriana Trigiani, The Dress Shop of Dreams is a captivating novel of enduring hopes, second chances, and the life-changing magic of true love.

Since her parents’ mysterious deaths many years ago, scientist Cora Sparks has spent her days in the safety of her university lab or at her grandmother Etta’s dress shop. Tucked away on a winding Cambridge street, Etta’s charming tiny store appears quite ordinary to passersby, but the colorfully vibrant racks of beaded silks, delicate laces, and jewel-toned velvets hold bewitching secrets:
With just a few stitches from Etta’s needle, these gorgeous gowns have the power to free a woman’s deepest desires.

Etta’s dearest wish is to work her magic on her granddaughter. Cora’s studious, unromantic eye has overlooked Walt, the shy bookseller who has been in love with her forever. Determined not to allow Cora to miss her chance at happiness, Etta sews a tiny stitch into Walt’s collar, hoping to give him the courage to confess his feelings to Cora. But magic spells—like true love—can go awry. After Walt is spurred into action, Etta realizes she’s set in motion a series of astonishing events that will transform Cora’s life in extraordinary and unexpected ways.

Title: Unbreakable by Kami Garcia
Description: Supernatural meets The Da Vinci Code in this action-packed paranormal thriller, the first book in a new series from New York Times bestselling author Kami Garcia.

I never believed in ghosts. Until one tried to kill me.

When Kennedy Waters finds her mother dead, her world begins to unravel. She doesn’t know that paranormal forces in a much darker world are the ones pulling the strings. Not until identical twins Jared and Lukas Lockhart break into Kennedy’s room and destroy a dangerous spirit sent to kill her. The brothers reveal that her mother was part of an ancient secret society responsible for protecting the world from a vengeful demon — a society whose five members were all murdered on the same night.

Now Kennedy has to take her mother’s place in the Legion if she wants to uncover the truth and stay alive. Along with new Legion members Priest and Alara, the teens race to find the only weapon that might be able to destroy the demon — battling the deadly spirits he controls every step of the way.

Suspense, romance, and the paranormal meet in this chilling urban fantasy, the first book in a new series from Kami Garcia, bestselling coauthor of the Beautiful Creatures novels.

Title: Waking Up Joy by Tina Ann Forkner
Description: Behind every lost dream lies a second chance…

When adored town spinster Joy Talley ends up in a coma after a peculiar accident, she is surprised and incensed to hear what is being said in her hospital room, including plans for her funeral. When she finally wakes, her well-­‐meaning, but bossy, brothers and sisters dismiss her claims, thinking her accident has knocked her off her rocker, but Joy has never felt better, and is determined to set the past right.

Now Joy must face her darkest secret and risk reopening wounds caused by an old flame who rejected her more than twenty years ago. But taking risks brings change, as well as a new, younger man into Joy’s life, making her feel like a teenager again. Suddenly Joy’s once humdrum life is anything but boring and routine and the future beckons, exhilarating and bright.

Title: What Might Have Been by Matt Dunn
Description: A year ago, Evan and Sarah shared one incredible night. Then Evan’s music—the thing that brought them together—suddenly tore them apart.

Since then, Evan’s not been able to forget about her. And try as she might, Sarah can’t seem to get over him either.

With time running out, Evan’s got one last chance to convince her that the two of them were meant to be. But is one night enough for Sarah to make a decision about the rest of her life—even if it was the best night of her life? And if she doesn’t believe in love at first sight, how can Evan persuade her that what they had will last?

From the bestselling author of A Day at the Office, What Might Have Been is Matt Dunn’s new romantic comedy about two people in love. Though one of them needs a little convincing…

Title: A Hopeaholic's Hallelujah by Vanessa Stevenson
Description: A suspenseful Rom-Com based on a sensational True Story.

'URGINT!
SINERS needed NOW for a Wroking Holliday in Cyprus!
Work six nites/week. Injoy sites in the day. And sun and beech.
3 munth kontrakt. Start ASAP.'

Only desperate people answer dodgy ads . . .

Enter reckless optimist Jessica Hollingberry.

The gamble is audacious. The stakes are high. But all Jess sees is the chance to win back her fiancé and turn her life around.

Anyway, it’s not like it’s a life-or-death situation; it’s just a short stint on an exotic island. What’s the worst that could happen?

Then she meets delectable, irresistible Aidan Reynolds, and she suddenly realises the odds were stacked against her from the start.

She doesn't have a prayer.

REVIEW: Broken Hearts, Fences And Other Things To Mend by Katie Finn

Title: Broken Hearts, Fences, And Other Things To Mend (Broken Hearts & Revenge #1)
Author: Katie Finn
Publisher: Macmillan Children's Publishing Group
Publication Date: May, 2014
Genre: Teen

Description: Hot sun. Blue waves. New romances. Old secrets.

Gemma had her summer all planned out, but it takes a sharp turn when she gets dumped and finds herself back in the Hamptons after a five-year absence.

Being there puts her at risk of bumping into Hallie, her former best friends (that is, before Gemma ruined her life). But people don't hold grudges forever. Do they?

Gemma intends on making amends, but a small case of mistaken identity causes the people she knew years ago—including Hallie and her dreamy brother, Josh—to believe she's someone else. As though the summer wasn't complicated enough already.

My Thoughts: New to me author Katie Finn offers up a story that reminds us that honesty is always the best practice. Gemma Tucker is your average high school student who has just been dumped by her boyfriend, Teddy, and suddenly finds herself without the summer she had planned out. At her mother’s insistence, she goes to the Hamptons to spend the summer with her father. Being back in the Hamptons stirs up less than pleasant memories for Gemma as the reader learns that Gemma did some not so very nice things to a girl that she was friends with five years prior. She decides that she wants to make things right, but a huge case of mistaken identity puts her in the position of trying to start over. First of all, the terrible things that Gemma did to Hallie that ruined her life was done when they were eleven years old so I really didn’t understand the extent of animosity that Hallie had for Gemma and the reader is never enlightened as to how Hallie’s life was ruined by what Gemma did. Granted, what Gemma did was cruel and mean, but she feels really bad about it and is trying to make it right. It’s not until the end of the book that the reader is given a glimpse of just how much Hallie hates Gemma and though I understand why Hallie feels the way she does, I am hoping that Gemma will prevail. I don’t expect Hallie and Gemma to become best friends again, but I think Josh and Gemma would be a great couple.

My Final Verdict: I usually get annoyed with stories that drop a cliffhanger at the end instead of tying up loose ends, but this book was an exception. I found the plot interesting and the characters likable and easy to relate to. My interest in what happens next has been sparked enough to want to read the next book and find out what Gemma will do next. This book was a good start to the series and I am hoping that there will be more closure in the next book.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Broken Hearts, Fences, And Other Things To Mend from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Takedown Twenty by Janet Evanovich

Title: Takedown Twenty
Author: Janet Evanovich
Publisher: Bantam
Publication Date: November, 2013
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Description: New Jersey bounty hunter Stephanie Plum knows better than to mess with family. But when powerful mobster Salvatore “Uncle Sunny” Sunucchi goes on the lam in Trenton, it’s up to Stephanie to find him. Uncle Sunny is charged with murder for running over a guy (twice), and nobody wants to turn him in—not his poker buddies, not his bimbo girlfriend, not his two right-hand men, Shorty and Moe. Even Trenton’s hottest cop, Joe Morelli, has skin in the game, because—just Stephanie’s luck—the godfather is his actual godfather. And while Morelli understands that the law is the law, his old-world grandmother, Bella, is doing everything she can to throw Stephanie off the trail.

It’s not just Uncle Sunny giving Stephanie the run-around. Security specialist Ranger needs her help to solve the bizarre death of a top client’s mother, a woman who happened to play bingo with Stephanie’s Grandma Mazur. Before Stephanie knows it, she’s working side by side with Ranger and Grandma at the senior center, trying to catch a killer on the loose—and the bingo balls are not rolling in their favor.

With bullet holes in her car, henchmen on her tail, and a giraffe named Kevin running wild in the streets of Trenton, Stephanie will have to up her game for the ultimate takedown.

My Thoughts: There are not many authors who have the talent to keep a series fresh and entertaining after twenty books, but Janet Evanovich is one of them. Takedown Twenty is, by far, my favorite of the entire series. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the one-liners delivered by Lula and Grandma Mazur kept me in stitches. I really hope this book is a sign that we will see more of Lula and Grandma in future books. I love Stephanie and the hot mess that is her life and I adore Ranger and Morelli, but Lula and Grandma are what keep me coming back for more. Imagining what these two wonderful characters will get Stephanie into next doesn’t come close to what Ms. Evanovich pulls out of her hat.

The plot was entertaining and kept me interested all the way through the story. There were several interesting twists and turns that kept guessing the identity of the killer difficult and surprised me when it was revealed who it was. Numerous Ranger moments kept the heat turned up and although I don’t see Stephanie ending up with Ranger, I thoroughly enjoy their interactions.

My Final Verdict: Fans of the Stephanie Plum series should enjoy this offering and mark this book as a series favorite. If you are new to the series, you have a lot of catching up to do. This series is best read in order and I promise you will enjoy every bit of it.

REVIEW: The Bro-Magnet by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Title: The Bro-Magnet (Nice Guy #1)
Author: Lauren Baratz-Logsted
Publisher: TKA Distribution
Publication Date: December, 2011
Genre: Chick-Lit

Description: Women have been known to lament, "Always a bridesmaid, never a bride." For Johnny Smith, the problem is, "Always a Best Man, never a groom." At age 33, housepainter Johnny has been Best Man eight times. The ultimate man's man, Johnny loves the Mets, the Jets, his weekly poker game, and the hula girl lamp that hangs over his basement pool table. Johnny has the instant affection of nearly every man he meets, but one thing he doesn't have is a woman to share his life with, and he wants that desperately. When Johnny meets District Attorney Helen Troy, he decides to renounce his bro-magnet ways in order to impress her. With the aid and advice of his friends and family, soon he's transforming his wardrobe, buying throw pillows, ditching the hula girl lamp, getting a cat and even changing his name to the more mature-sounding John. And through it all, he's pretending to have no interest in sports, which Helen claims to abhor. As things heat up with Helen, the questions arise: Will Johnny finally get the girl? And, if he's successful in that pursuit, who will he be now that he's no longer really himself? THE BRO-MAGNET is a rollicking comedic novel about what one man is willing to give up for the sake of love.

My Thoughts: With The Bro-Magnet, readers are introduced to Johnny Smith, a typical nice guy who enjoys guy things and has a lot of friends, but can’t seem to land that one special girl. When he finally meets a woman who he thinks could be the one, he is faced with hoards of advice from family and friends on the image he needs to present in order to win the girl. Based on the advice, he recreates himself into someone practically unrecognizable and he wonders if it’s just a matter of time before the charade blows up in his face or if he will get the girl.

I really liked this story and felt an instant connection to Johnny. The entire story is told from his perspective and through his eyes, the reader is introduced to his family and friends and are given a birds-eye view into his entire life, beginning with his birth and the death of his mother, his awkwardness with the opposite sex, his childhood and adolescent crushes, his numerous stints as Best Man and his near instant friendship with almost every man he meets. In spite of his dismal failure at finding his soul mate, Johnny is a very likable and down to earth guy.

The plot was very easy to get into and though I guessed early on how it would play out, I still enjoyed the ride. I especially enjoyed what Johnny had to go through to acquire a cat and his General Hospital marathons. My only issue with this story was with Johnny’s Aunt and her constant reminders to Johnny how he killed her sister. That really got old and tiresome and I could only imagine how annoying it would be to hear that and have it thrown in your face your whole life. It impressed me that Johnny took it in stride and didn’t let the fact that he grew up without his mother make him feel inadequate or bitter.

My Final Verdict: The Bro-Magnet was a very good story with likable characters, a plot that progresses smoothly, and dialogue that is entertaining and often laugh out loud funny. I highly recommend this story if you are looking for a fresh perspective from the opposite sex with an entertaining twist.

New Additions To The TBR Pile In July

Another active month of new arrivals being welcomed on the TBR pile in July. Is your TBR pile teetering on the verge of falling over too?

Title: A Highlander's Obsession by Vonnie Davis
Description: Two wandering souls discover that true love needs no words in this explosive, fantastical novel from Vonnie Davis.

Somehow able to telepathically communicate with animals, Paisley Munro has found meaning in her so-called gifts by working as a veterinary assistant. But while traveling to Scotland for a relative’s funeral, Paisley fears that she really has lost her mind. Out in the highlands, she hears distinctly human thoughts coming from a wild bear. Terrified and desperate, she returns to the lodge and collapses in the powerful arms of its owner, a mysterious man with whom she shares a simmering attraction.

Creighton Matheson and his fellow shape-shifters have been roaming this land freely for centuries. Now Paisley may inherit his home, putting his kind in grave danger. His mistrust only deepens when he realizes she can read his mind. Yet he cannot deny that this tantalizing woman makes him burn with desire—and hunger for the prospect of a tender love. Now Creighton must decide which would hurt more: revealing the truth or losing Paisley forever.

Title: Chose The Wrong Guy, Gave Him The Wrong Finger by Beth Harbison
Description: Ten years ago, Quinn Barton was on her way to the altar to marry Burke Morrison, her high school sweetheart, when something derailed her. Rather, someone derailed her—the Best Man who at the last minute begged her to reconsider the marriage. He told her that Burke had been cheating on her. For a long time. Quinn, stunned, hurt, and confused, struggled with the obligation of fulfilling her guests’ expectations—providing a wedding—and running for her life.

She chose running. With the Best Man. Who happened to be Burke’s brother, Frank.

That relationship didn’t work either. How could it, when Quinn had been engaged to, in love with, Frank’s brother? Quinn opted for neither, and, instead, spends the next seventeen years working in her family’s Middleburg, Virginia, bridal shop, Talk of the Gown, where she subconsciously does penance for the disservice she did to marriage.

But when the two men return to town for another wedding, old anger, hurt, and passion resurface. Just because you’ve traded the good guy for the bad guy for no guy doesn’t mean you have to stay away from love for the rest of your life, does it?

Title: Four Of A Kind by Shannon Clayton
Description: Have you ever had one of those days where everything that could go wrong does?

Deborah Hayes is dealt that exact hand when disaster strikes at an event she’s managing, giving her publicity for all the wrong reasons, not to mention breaking up with her English boyfriend. And the trouble doesn’t just end there, but when Deborah starts to investigate she can’t help but feel like the universe was trying to warn her.

Determined not to miss any future ‘signs’ and desperate to attract some good luck, she embarks on a journey of divination, dipping her toes into all sorts of spiritual disciplines, Feng Shui, Palm Reading, Tarot Cards...

After scoring an amazing account at work, things look to be on the up, particularly after meeting her gorgeous Irish neighbour. But sometimes the signs are harder to read than we think, and when the latest up and coming sexy Scottish movie star, and a cute Kiwi guy, both take a shine to her, she’s even more desperate for guidance to help her choose.

Bordering on obsession, Deborah gets caught up in asking questions, looking for signs, and searching for hidden meanings and clues.

Can she make the right choice or is she looking for something that has been right in front of her all along?

Title: Rock My World by Sharisse Coulter
Description: Jenna Jax-Anders hit rock bottom in high school. Or so she thought. From rock star heiress to knocked-up has been, she turned it all around, marrying the punk rock baby daddy love of her life. The perfect Hollywood fairytale. Until the day she walked in on him kissing her best friend.

As she struggles to find herself and redefine the world around her, she faces the challenges of raising her over-achieving teenage daughter, the heartbreak of losing her best friend (backstabbing aside), and emerging from the shadows of two famous last names to find her own identity. Oh, there’s also the tiny issue of her husband’s record label, backed by an anonymous mogul whose morally ambiguous creative direction may ruin them all.

But she doesn’t know about that yet.

Title: Sadie Walker Is Stranded by Madeleine Roux
Description: MONTHS AGO THE WORLD ENDED...

...when an unknown virus spread throughout North America and then the world, killing millions of people. However, that is where the horror only started. The dead began to rise and when they rose they had an insatiable appetite for the living. A new hell had been unleashed on earth and the fight for survival had just begun.

Sadie Walker is one of the survivors in this new world. Living in north Seattle behind barrier that keep the living in and the dead out, she trying to get back to a normal life, while raising her eight-year-old nephew, if anyone even knows what "normal" is anymore. Then everything goes sideways when Shane is kidnapped by a group of black market thieves and they bring down a crucial barrier in the city while trying to escape, and flood the city with the walking dead. After rescuing her nephew, Sadie and Shane escape Seattle on the last remaining boat, along with other survivors. However, now they must face the complete chaos of a world filled with flesh eating zombies and humans who are playing with a whole new rule book when it comes to survival in their journey to find a new place that they can call home.

Title: Sail by James Patterson
Description: A perfect family vacation turns into a life-or-death nightmare.

SET SAIL

Only an hour out of port, the Dunne family's summer getaway to paradise is already turning into the trip from hell. Carrie, the eldest, has thrown herself off the side of the boat in a bid for attention. Sixteen-year-old Mark is getting high belowdecks. And Ernie, their ten-year-old brother, is nearly catatonic. It's shaping up to be the worst vacation ever.

SOAK UP THE SUN

Katherine Dunne had hoped this trip would bring back the togetherness they'd lost when her husband died four years earlier. Maybe if her new husband, a high-powered Manhattan attorney, had been able to postpone his trial and join them it would all have been okay....

PREPARE TO DIE

Suddenly, a disaster hits–and it's perfect. Faced with real danger, the Dunnes rediscover the meaning of family and pull together in a way they haven't in a long time. But this catastrophe is just a tiny taste of the danger that lurks ahead: someone wants to make sure that the Dunne family never makes it out of paradise alive.

With whiplash plot twists, speedboat pacing, and an eye for the evil that can lie behind even the most gorgeous setting, James Patterson delivers Sail–the wettest, most explosive ocean adventure since Jaws.

Title: Taken In Death by J.D. Robb
Description: Two young children disappear from their East Side home in New York City, their nanny killed in cold blood. As Lieutenant Eve Dallas begins to unravel the crime scene and search for the children, she's drawn into the twisted mind of a kidnapper who will stop at nothing to take revenge.

Title: The Black Door by Charlotte Howard
Description: Imogen Pearce is a single mum of four children and fast approaching 40, she works at Ryedale Incorporated where she has to battle a younger and smarter generation to get to where she wants to go. If that means taking on the account of Cherry and Sean Rubin’s adult shop, then she will. But what happens when Imogen discovers the private club that they run at the back? And what happens when she realizes she knows quite a few members?

Title: The Girl He Knows by Kristi Rose
Description: Waking up naked next to a good looking man is not a bad way to start the day. Especially since Paisley missed all those opportunities in college, when she was too busy supporting her no good, thankfully now, ex-husband. The problem? This hottie is Hank, her best friend’s older brother, a guy she’s known her entire life.

Stopping after one night is the right thing to do. Being with him clearly breaks the best friend code, and from his career as a Naval officer to his Boy Scout reputation, everything about him screams monogamy and commitment. Two things Paisley has had enough of.

When Hank presents a “no strings attached” offer, it’s too good to be true. She can enjoy him while still embracing being single. But, poor choices force her to confront old fears of love and loss, and Paisley has to decide if Hank is worth the risk. The alternative is never experiencing the real deal. Or far worse, settling for less.

Title: The Patron Saint Of Lost Dogs by Nick Trout
Description: After fifteen years, Dr. Cyrus Mills returns to rural Vermont to inherit the Bedside Manor for Sick Animals, the failing veterinary practice of his recently deceased and long-estranged father. Cyrus, a veterinary pathologist far more comfortable with cold clinical facts than living, breathing animals (not to mention their quirky, demanding owners), intends to sell the practice and get out of town as fast as he can.

Then his first patient—a down-on-her-luck golden retriever named Frieda Fuzzypaws—wags her way through the door, and suddenly life gets complicated. With the help of a black Labrador gifted in the art of swallowing underwear, a Persian cat determined to expose her owner’s lover as a gold digger, and the allure of a feisty, pretty waitress from the local diner, Cyrus gets caught up in a new community and its endearing residents, both human and animal. Sensing he may have misjudged the past, he begins to realize it’s not just his patients that need healing.

The Patron Saint of Lost Dogs is a winsome tale of new beginnings, forgiveness, and the joy of finding your way home.

Title: What A Lady Craves by Ashlyn Macnamara
Description: Ashlyn Macnamara weaves a delicious tale of two souls torn apart by circumstance and reunited by fate—perfect for fans of Julia Quinn, Eloisa James, and Sabrina Jeffries.

Henrietta Upperton is about to marry Alexander Sanford, when he rushes off to India to salvage his family’s fortune. Then comes the devastating news that he has wed another. Eight agonizing years later, a storm washes Alexander ashore—injured, widowed, and hunted—and one glimpse of his ruggedly handsome face reawakens the desire Henrietta thought she had buried deep inside. Her body still yearns for his touch, but she’s determined not let him wound her again . . . not this time.

For Alexander, honor always comes first. But only now does he realize that when given the choice between two virtuous deeds, he picked the wrong one. On the run with his life in tatters and a pair of daughters in tow, Alexander burns for Henrietta. He knows he does not deserve forgiveness. And yet he longs to wrap his arms around her warm body once again. What’s more, he is sure the lady craves the same.

REVIEW: Taken In Death by J.D. Robb

Title: Taken In Death (In Death #37.5)
Author: J.D. Robb
Publisher: Jove
Publication Date: September, 2013
Genre: Romantic Suspense / Mystery / Thriller

Description: Two young children disappear from their East Side home in New York City, their nanny killed in cold blood. As Lieutenant Eve Dallas begins to unravel the crime scene and search for the children, she's drawn into the twisted mind of a kidnapper who will stop at nothing to take revenge.

My Thoughts: Taken In Death originally appeared in the Mirror, Mirror anthology but I only read Taken In Death. I enjoy this series so much that I’m trying to grab every title I can and it doesn’t matter to me if the story is full length or a short story. Eve and her posse are bad ass, no matter the word count. This story may be a short and fast read, but it sure packed a huge punch. Eve is called in to investigate the brutal murder of a nanny and the disappearance of the two children she takes care of. Video surveillance gives Eve her suspect right away, but she quickly learns that the truth isn’t always obvious. This book has a Hansel and Gretel tone as the two children refer to their kidnapper as an evil witch and she lives up to the label by force feeding them sweets. As the killer’s background is revealed, I found her more disturbing and frightening and feeling a great volume of anxiety as to when Eve would locate the children and if it would be in time.

My Final Verdict: Overall, I found this one to carry a big bang, though it’s small in size. I was on the edge of my seat waiting for Eve to put it all together and bring the psychopath to justice, though I was secretly hoping that she would give Eve a reason to kill her. As usual, Eve and her gang are in top form for this case, which isn’t a surprise, but always a thrill to witness. I highly recommend this book as a wonderful addition to the series. If you are a fan of the series, don’t limit yourself to just the full length stories. You will miss out on a true gem if you pass this one by.

REVIEW: The Adventures Of Jillian Spectre by Nic Tatano

Title: The Adventures Of Jillian Spectre (Jillian Spectre, #1)
Author: Nic Tatano
Publisher: Harper Impulse
Publication Date: March, 2014
Genre: Teen / Young Adult

Description: Welcome to the Mystic Quarter...

Jillian Spectre knows what happens after you die because the seventeen-year-old mystic seer can see the future of her clients even after they've passed on. And that's not even her coolest power... she can be in two places at once. Problem is, her heart can only be in one.

Supernatural abilities aside, she's a typical high school senior torn between two guys. But that gets put on the back burner when she discovers the father she had long assumed was dead is actually alive, with unique powers of his own. He's a technopath, with the ability to interface his mind with technology. And he's got a plan to take down society.

Unless Jillian can stop him.

The Adventures of Jillian Spectre is the story of a very special girl who learns that the power of love is more important than supernatural powers.

My Thoughts: At first glance, Jillian Spectre is just like any other teenage girl. She attends high school, has a best friend, is crushing on several guys but can’t seem to get a boyfriend. Did I forget to mention that she has supernatural powers? In addition to being a mystic seer providing readings for people on their love lives, Jillian also learns she can literally be in two places at once. She also learns that the father she thought to be dead is not only alive, but evil with his own supernatural powers that he plans to use to destroy everything and her crystal ball isn’t going to be much help. Jillian will have to rely on her friends and their supernatural gifts if she hopes to stop her father and survive.

I really liked Jillian and her friends, Roxanne, Ryan and Jake. Learning about all of the various abilities they each have was very interesting to me. Roxanne is a muse, Ryan is a mind reader and Jake is telekinetic and their talents play a vital role in this story. Another character I really liked is Spencer Ball, an NYPD Detective who can astral project and who Jillian has given the nickname of Fuzzball. I hope to see him in future books. As a villain, I also thought Jillian’s father was interesting and has me intrigued to know more about him and see what he does next.

I thought the plot was well developed and held my interest throughout the entire book. I had empathy for the characters and was invested in getting to know them and caring about what happened to them. I loved the dialogue interchange between the characters and thought the use of the slang was character appropriate and entertaining.

My Final Verdict: Overall, this was a very good start to a series that looks to be very entertaining and interesting. I am already a fan of this author’s work and look forward to reading more from him. If the young adult genre is not your cup of tea, I recommend Boss Girl by this author.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of The Adventures Of Jillian Spectre from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Sail by James Patterson

Title: Sail
Author: James Patterson
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Publication Date: June, 2008
Genre: Thriller / Mystery

Description: A perfect family vacation turns into a life-or-death nightmare.

SET SAIL

Only an hour out of port, the Dunne family's summer getaway to paradise is already turning into the trip from hell. Carrie, the eldest, has thrown herself off the side of the boat in a bid for attention. Sixteen-year-old Mark is getting high below decks. And Ernie, their ten-year-old brother, is nearly catatonic. It's shaping up to be the worst vacation ever.

SOAK UP THE SUN

Katherine Dunne had hoped this trip would bring back the togetherness they'd lost when her husband died four years earlier. Maybe if her new husband, a high-powered Manhattan attorney, had been able to postpone his trial and join them it would all have been okay....

PREPARE TO DIE

Suddenly, a disaster hits–and it's perfect. Faced with real danger, the Dunnes rediscover the meaning of family and pull together in a way they haven't in a long time. But this catastrophe is just a tiny taste of the danger that lurks ahead: someone wants to make sure that the Dunne family never makes it out of paradise alive.

With whiplash plot twists, speedboat pacing, and an eye for the evil that can lie behind even the most gorgeous setting, James Patterson delivers Sail–the wettest, most explosive ocean adventure since Jaws.

My Thoughts: What started out as a very predictable and almost boring story did a 180 and knocked me off my feet! Sail introduces us to the family Dunne…heart surgeon mom Katherine, her brother in law Jake and Katherine’s children Mark, Carrie and Ernie. They are taking the family yacht on a vacation for some quality time and family bonding since the death of Stuart, Katherine’s first husband. At first glance, it appears a family vacation is the last thing this group of people need and instead should opt for some intensive therapy. Mark is using drugs, Carrie jumps overboard in an apparent suicide attempt and the youngest seems to be overlooked and forgotten by everyone else.

Mother Nature at her worst, explosions and murder are just a small taste of what the Dunne family has in store for them on this vacation. Once the story got past the beginning and I began to feel a connection, I couldn’t tear myself away. Everything from what happens to the family and why to who is behind it and why was intense and it doesn’t end there. The story throws twist after twist all the way to the end of the book, leaving me with my mouth hanging open in shock and surprise.

My Final Verdict: If you like to be surprised by a book and enjoy having the rug ripped out from under you, I highly recommend this story. If you enjoy stories that are intense and suspenseful but also have many layers to the story and characters that keep you guessing, then Sail should be your next adventure.

REVIEW: He Texted: The Ultimate Guide to Dating in the Digital Era by Lisa Winning & Carrie Henderson-McDermott

Title: He Texted: The Ultimate Guide to Dating in the Digital Era
Author: Lisa Winning & Carrie Henderson-McDermott
Publisher: Gallery Books
Publication Date: April, 2014
Genre: Non-Fiction

Description: You’re a busy, intelligent, modern woman. You stay on top of work e-mail. You “like” all the baby photos your sister posts on Facebook. You found your dream job through LinkedIn. But when your crush texts you “Sup?” every few days, yet never asks you out, what the hell does that mean?

These days, dating is more confusing than ever. Friending? Following? Liking? Poking? Linking? LOLing? WTF? In an era when FaceTime is no longer the same as face-to face, it’s no wonder you can’t tell if he’s into you or just really into his iPhone.

This hilarious and essential guide from the founders of HeTexted.com—with totally straightforward guy sight from the HeTexted Bros—will help you autocorrect your digital dating life, from decoding your Facebook friendships, to reading the intentions behind guys’ perplexing texts, to deciding when—if ever—you should text him first. It’s He’s Just Not That Into You for the digital age and What to Expect When You’re Expecting . . . a second date—all in one invaluable package!

My Thoughts: Single women from every generation have always wondered if the man that occupies her thoughts is “The One.” Does she ever cross his mind as often as he crosses hers? In today’s modern world where the majority of communication is done electronically with a slew of various gadgets and devices, dating has become a tricky ledge that women find themselves treading upon very carefully, trying to decipher what Mr. Wonderful’s most recent text, email, Facebook comment, etc., really means. With He Texted, the authors bring the reader some direct analysis and somewhat expert advice and varying points of view from three men, known as The Bros covering a wide range of scenarios to help the single gal determine if he’s a keeper or if she should move on.

While reading this book, I couldn’t stop thinking that if the women who submitted the texts for analysis spent as much time verbally communicating with the man she is interested in as she does trying to first decipher and comprehend his texts, emails, etc., she would probably find herself in a meaningful relationship in no time. But then what do I know? I’m certainly no expert on relationships or matters of the heart, but I can’t help but think that in order to determine if you are compatible, it’s best to get to know each other speaking out loud to one another. As a society, are we really too busy to do that or are we just lazy and just want to see positive results with little to no effort on our part?

I found this book very easy to read and enjoyed that the authors had real men offering real advice about the various topics ranging from “he friended” to “he booty-texted” to “he loves you” and all of the pitfalls and drama in between. You could also get the same advice, feedback and interaction if you just visit the He Texted website. I also enjoyed that even with the various points of view from both the guys and the gals, there was no gender bashing. The guys were not afraid to label another guy a tool or the girl as naïve or gullible, but when they did, they did so with tact and professionalism. Nobody went off on a tangent, jumping on the soapbox to vilify one gender over the other. I felt like the advice and feedback provided was given with sincerity and honesty. The book also provides a good amount of humor, especially with the “text examples” provided in the book.

My Final Verdict: Overall, although common sense and logic should prevail and people should be interacting with their voices instead of their thumbs on a keypad, the digital age we live in is proof that it isn’t happening. More people are finding their mates online year after year and this book provides a good road map for Ms. Single Gal to use to help her understand the signs so she is successful on her journey to Happily Ever After.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of He Texted from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

New Additions To The TBR Pile In June

Review requests have really taken off and if it weren't for the real world demands and expectations, I would be 100% content to crawl into a cave with my favorite blankie and all my books and read non-stop. Here are the new arrivals I received. Have you read any of them?

Title: Cell by Stephen King
Description: There is a reason cell rhymes with hell.

On October 1, God is in His heaven, the stock market stands at 10,140, most of the planes are on time, and Clayton Riddell, an artist from Maine, is almost bouncing up Boylston Street in Boston. He's just landed a comic book deal that might finally enable him to support his family by making art instead of teaching it. He's already picked up a small (but expensive!) gift for his long-suffering wife, and he knows just what he will get for his boy Johnny. Why not a little treat for himself? Clay is feeling good about the future.

That changes in a hurry. The cause of the devastation is a phenomenon that will come to be known as The Pulse, and the delivery method is a cell phone. Everyone's cell phone. Clay and the few desperate survivors who join him suddenly find themselves in the pitch-black night of civilization's darkest age, surrounded by chaos, carnage, and a human horde that has been reduced to its basest nature...and then begins to evolve.

There is really no escaping this nightmare. But for Clay, an arrow points home to Maine, and as he and his fellow refugees make their harrowing journey north they begin to see crude signs confirming their direction. A promise, perhaps. Or a threat...

There are 193 million cell phones in the United States alone. Who doesn't have one? Stephen King's utterly gripping, gory, and fascinating novel doesn't just ask the question,Can you hear me now? It answers it with a vengeance.

Title: Guilt By Association by Marcia Clark
Description: Los Angeles D.A. Rachel Knight is a tenacious, wise-cracking, and fiercely intelligent prosecutor in the city's most elite division. When her colleague, Jake, is found dead at a grisly crime scene, Rachel is shaken to the core. She must take over his toughest case: the assault of a young woman from a prominent family.

But she can't stop herself from digging deeper into Jake's death, a decision that exposes a world of power and violence and will have her risking her reputation--and her life--to find the truth.

With her tremendous expertise in the nuances of L.A. courts and crime, and with a vibrant ensemble cast of characters, Marcia Clark combines intimate detail, riotous humor, and visceral action in a debut thriller that marks the launch of a major new figure on the crime-writing scene.

Title: Guilt By Degrees by Marcia Clark
Description: Someone has been watching D.A. Rachel Knight--someone who's Rachel's equal in brains, but with more malicious intentions. It began when a near-impossible case fell into Rachel's lap, the suspectless homicide of a homeless man. In the face of courthouse backbiting and a gauzy web of clues, Rachel is determined to deliver justice. She's got back-up: tough-as-nails Detective Bailey Keller. As Rachel and Bailey stir things up, they're shocked to uncover a connection with the vicious murder of an LAPD cop a year earlier. Something tells Rachel someone knows the truth, someone who'd kill to keep it secret.

Harrowing, smart, and riotously entertaining, GUILT BY DEGREES is a thrilling ride through the world of LA courts with the unforgettable Rachel Knight.

Title: Killer Ambition by Marcia Clark
Description: When the daughter of a billionaire Hollywood director is found murdered after what appears to be a kidnapping gone wrong, Los Angeles Special Trials prosecutor Rachel Knight and Detective Bailey Keller find themselves at the epicenter of a combustible and high-profile court case. Then a prime suspect is revealed to be one of Hollywood's most popular and powerful talent managers--and best friend to the victim's father. With the director vouching for the manager's innocence, the Hollywood media machine commences an all-out war designed to discredit both Rachel and her case. KILLER AMBITION is at once a thrilling ride through the darker side of Tinseltown and a stunning courtroom drama with the brilliant insider's perspective that Marcia Clark is uniquely qualified to give.

Title: Manic Mondays by Michaela Weaver
Description: Catherine has everything a modern girl needs – a successful business, idyllic family life and even an Aga in the kitchen! But this all changes one Monday, after her husband decides to leave her for the cleaner. All of a sudden Catherine's life is turned upside down. She is left to raise her baby daughter alone, rebuild a tattered career, while trying to avoid the attentions of Mike, who is ‘Mr Lovely’ until Catherine notices his wedding ring...

Having lost everything, Catherine is determined to prove that she can make it on her own as a single mother. Manic Mondays follows Catherine over a year of Mondays, as she tries to put her life back together.

An uplifting, inspirational and honest take on ‘starting all over again’, Manic Mondays is a must read for anyone who’s ever found life, well, a little manic.

Title: Murder At Rudhall Manor by Anya Wylde
Description: A murder and a theft have been committed at Rudhall Manor. A box of jewels has vanished and Lord Sedley, a lusty old aristocrat, has been stabbed six times in the chest.

It is all very mysterious, and the Sedley family and the servants have decided that Miss Lucy Anne Trotter, a recently employed governess, is to blame for the unfortunate events.

The legendary and wickedly handsome Marquis, Lord William Adair, learns of the matter and decides to uncover the truth.

Lucy, however, has little faith in blue blooded creatures—even if they possess dashing good looks— and accompanied by two naughty pugs and a moody raven decides to investigate and unmask the killer herself.

But the hunt for the killer turns out to be far more complicated than she anticipates—what with snooty servants, warts in odd places, mixed up love affairs, agitated chickens and dreadful disguises ruining her plans.

Soon she begins to wonder if, for once, she is in over head ….

Title: Tales From A Broad by Jeannine Henvey
Description: If you enjoy new twists on old classics, then Tales From A Broad is a comedic adventure of one woman’s quest to find herself, but the spotlight focuses on her older chaperone, instead.

Forty-two and feeling not-so-fabulous, Lucy Banks allows her older sister to talk her into accompanying her twenty-four-year-old niece on a trip around Europe. In the past year she has lost her fiancé, her job and her fertility. Embracing her role as spinster aunt seems to be Lucy’s only option, until she embarks on a romantic adventure through London, Amsterdam, Munich, Paris and Florence. Will a room with a view and a handsome stranger be enough to open her heart and mind to new experiences?

Tales From A Broad promises to draw readers into a light-hearted tale of emotional development, self-discovery and love.

Title: The Bro-Magnet by Lauren Baratz-Logsted
Description: Women have been known to lament, "Always a bridesmaid, never a bride." For Johnny Smith, the problem is, "Always a Best Man, never a groom." At age 33, housepainter Johnny has been Best Man eight times. The ultimate man's man, Johnny loves the Mets, the Jets, his weekly poker game, and the hula girl lamp that hangs over his basement pool table. Johnny has the instant affection of nearly every man he meets, but one thing he doesn't have is a woman to share his life with, and he wants that desperately.

When Johnny meets District Attorney Helen Troy, he decides to renounce his bro-magnet ways in order to impress her. With the aid and advice of his friends and family, soon he's transforming his wardrobe, buying throw pillows, ditching the hula girl lamp, getting a cat and even changing his name to the more mature-sounding John. And through it all, he's pretending to have no interest in sports, which Helen claims to abhor. As things heat up with Helen, the questions arise: Will Johnny finally get the girl? And, if he's successful in that pursuit, who will he be now that he's no longer really himself?

THE BRO-MAGNET is a rollicking comedic novel about what one man is willing to give up for the sake of love.

Title: The Competition by Marcia Clark
Description: In Marcia Clark's most electrifying thriller yet, Los Angeles DA Rachel Knight investigates a diabolical high school massacre.

A Columbine-style massacre at a high school in the San Fernando Valley has left a community shaken to its core. Two students are identified as the killers. Both are dead, believed to have committed a mutual suicide. But in the aftermath of the shooting, as LA Special Trials prosecutor Rachel Knight and Detective Bailey Keller dig deeper, they realize that the pieces don't add up. Could it be that the two "killers" were themselves victims? And if so, does that mean that the real killers are still on the loose? When someone starts dropping clues that another horrific crime is in the works, Rachel and Bailey scramble desperately to profile their suspect and prevent another killing--before it's too late.

Title: The Night Visitor by Dianne Emley
Description: In bestselling author Dianne Emley’s chilling new paranormal thriller, a beautiful woman’s romantic past comes back to haunt her in the form of an otherworldly visitor seeking justice.

Gorgeous and successful, Rory Langtry seemed to have it all. Daughter of a movie star and sister of a supermodel, Rory was engaged to sexy artist, Junior Lara. But her bright future went dark one terrible, bloody night that left her sister dead and the accused murderer—Junior—in an extended coma.

Now, five years later, Rory appears to have put the past behind her. She has a wonderful new fiancé and heads a successful cosmetics company. Yet dark secrets threaten. Across town, Junior lies close to death but before he departs he seeks to clear his name.

It starts with a feeling. It turns into a vision. Soon Rory is having sensations that only Junior could experience—from the horrifying to the erotic. Then she learns details about the awful night that only Junior could know, newfound knowledge with potentially fatal consequences. When another act of violence rocks her family, Rory plunges deeper into the unsolved mystery, led by an inexplicable visitor to a dangerous time and place where all will be revealed at last. But until then, Junior will not let her go.

Title: Totlandia by Josie Brown
Description: The Pacific Heights Moms & Tots Club is the most exclusive children’s playgroup in all of San Francisco. For the city’s ultra-competitive elite, the club’s ten annual spots are the ultimate parenting prize.

But not everyone is PHM&TC material. The club's founder, Bettina Connaught Cross, adheres to strict membership rules: Moms only. No single parents or working mothers allowed. Membership is an arduous commitment. And there’s no room in the club for scandal, bad behavior, or imperfection...from tots or their moms.

In a world of power and prestige, no one has more than Bettina. And as every mom in Pacific Heights knows, you simply cannot cross her. But this year’s admissions process is more rigorous than ever, pitting prospective members against each other to prove their mettle.

But four of the six candidates vying for the remaining four slots have a secret that would knock them out of the running. Jade is a former stripper and porn actress, who has been absent for most of her son’s life. Jillian’s husband cleaned out their joint accounts and left her for his pregnant assistant. Ally never even had a husband—just a sperm donor—and she’s hiding a high-ranking corporate job. And Lorna fears that her son may have special needs... just the excuse her sister-in-law, Bettina, needs to deny her entry to the club.

Can these hopeful moms keep up appearances long enough to outlast the competition? Or will their chances—and their private lives—go up in flames?

This is the first of four books that follow our heroines during "the Onesies," their inaugural year in the club. Upcoming books—to be released in four episodes each year—will follow subsequent years: the Twosies, Threesies, Foursies, and Fivesies.

Friendship. Lies. Seduction. Betrayal. Welcome to Totlandia.

Title: Trapped At The Altar by Jane Feather
Description: New York Times bestselling author and "consummate storyteller" (Romantic Times) Jane Feather introduces a sizzling new series that moves from the remote wilds of southwest England to the turbulent royal court, when a lovely young woman is forced into marriage in order to unite two families—and discovers a most unexpected passion. . .

Ariadne Carfax has vowed to be with the man she loves, Gabriel Fawcett. There’s just one obstacle. On his deathbed, Ari’s grandfather decrees that she marry her childhood friend Ivor Chalfont, thus forging a powerful alliance between the two warring families. Giving Ari no time to protest, the elders plan her wedding the next day, forcing her to follow through on the nuptials. Though she is fond of Ivor, Ari has no intention of consummating their marriage—until he kindles an intoxicating desire that she can’t ignore. Ivor has loved Ari for years, but he doesn’t want an unwilling wife. He wants Ari to ache with the same irresistible longing he feels. And if that’s the way to woo her into his bed and into their new life, he won’t rest until his new bride surrenders to true love.

Title: Virgin by Radhika Sanghani
Description: Okay, I admit it…I didn’t do it.

Yet.

This is normal, right? I mean, just because everyone I know has talked like they’ve already done it doesn’t mean that they’re telling the truth…right?

It’s not like I’m asking for that much. I don’t need the perfect guy. I don’t need candlelight or roses. Honestly, I don’t even need a real bed.

The guys I know complain that girls are always looking for Mr. Right—do I have to wear a sign that says I’m only looking for Mr. Right Now?

Sooooo…anyone out there want sex? Anyone? Hello? Just for fun?

I am not going to die a virgin. One way or another I am going to make this happen.

Hey, what have I got to lose? Besides the obvious.