Reviewed by PJ Ausdenmore
Publisher: Random House
5 Stars

One lucky poster will win The Dangerous Book of Excerpts by Tessa Dare and Courtney Milan, which contains excerpts from Tessa’s first three books and from Courtney’s debut novella (10/09) and debut single title (1/10), plus other goodies from the RWA conference.

Every year there seems to be one debut author who bursts upon the scene and absolutely knocks my socks off with her superb writing skill.  This year, that author is Tessa Dare.  In her debut book, Goddess of the Hunt, Dare showcases her command of the English language with exquisite prose that sings across the pages with a lyrical quality that is a joy to read.  Her characters are so vividly drawn that they practically leap from the pages and her story…

Reviewed by PJ Ausdenmore
Publisher: Penguin
5 Stars

London, 1816

What happens when Lady Sarah Cole loses her heart to the dashing Marquis of Vane while trapped in a painful marriage?  That’s the dilemma facing the heroine of Wicked Little Game, a brilliantly written, powerfully emotional book from 2009 RITA-nominated author, Christine Wells.

“She lifted her chin with proud disdain.  She mustn’t reveal the slightest hint of weakness.  He’d show her no mercy if he sensed how susceptible she was, how fiercely she longed for him in the night.  She’d never acted on that yearning, never allowed Vane the slightest liberty, not even a chaste kiss on the cheek.  But the shame of lying in her husband’s bed while she ached for another man’s touch was slowly corroding her soul.”

When young Lady Sarah eloped with…

Angel’s Bay – Book #1
Reviewed by PJ Ausdenmore
Release Date – June 30th
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
4.5 Stars

There’s an old show business saying of “leave them wanting more”.  That’s exactly what the first book in Barbara Freethy’s new Angel’s Bay series does.  I started reading this book earlier this afternoon and just turned the final page a few minutes ago.  By the tenth page I had forgotten about everything I had intended to accomplish today and found myself fully immersed in the lives of the residents of this small coastal California town, the mystery of a 150 year-old shipwreck and the possibility of angels in Angel’s Bay.   Though I am still enjoying the afterglow of a satisfying happy ending for the hero and heroine of this book, I want more – more…

Reviewed by PJ Ausdenmore
Publisher: Kensington
4.5  Stars

For the past five years, since the day Todd won the lottery and dumped her at the altar, Torie Hagan’s life has been cursed.  At least, that’s what she believes.  While she and Todd have found their way back to a platonic friendship, every other man who has had the misfortune of dating her has been the victim of some type of injury, almost as if they had been targeted.  Now, with the fifth anniversary of that aborted wedding just around the corner, Todd has come home for a visit but someone isn’t at all happy about his return.  Filled with hatred and more than a little unbalanced, the unknown villain murders Todd, leaving evidence at the scene that will implicate Torie.  The person then…

Reviewed by PJ Ausdenmore
Publisher: Penguin
3.75 stars

Set in Scotland in 1885, The Scot and I is the story of two enemies forced by circumstance to become uneasy allies who then slowly evolve into much more. Alex Hepburn, an agent for Queen Victoria’s secret service, is on a mission to protect the queen from a planned assassination attempt by Demos, a rogue cell fighting to free Scotland from British rule, but he is stunned when the beautiful blond woman who has captured his attention raises a gun and fires.  Alex has been betrayed by a woman before, with deadly consequences, and he isn’t about to let this one get away.  He finds the blond wig the woman was wearing and, using his “gift” of sensory perception, he follows the trail to a young…

Reviewed by PJ Ausdenmore
Publisher: Forever
4 stars

I’m a long-time fan of medieval romance.  Once upon a time, medievals were in abundance with new books being released every month but they’ve become a bit scarce in recent years so you can imagine how excited I get every time a good one hits the market.  Toss a sexy highlander, a feisty heroine and a touch of paranormal into the medieval mix and my reader’s heart dances with delight.

The beloved younger daughter of Duncan MacKenzie, the Black Stag of Kintail, Lady Gelis MacKenzie has begun to wonder if she will ever be allowed to marry.  She dreams of being swept away by a handsome, passionate man while watching her over-protective father spurn suitor after suitor…until an offer arrives from the one man that honor…