The Rake by Mary Jo Putney
Ladies and Gentlemen, I present you my nomination for Most Tormented Hero of the Romantic world: Mr Reggie Davenport.

Reggie is a consummate rake. Which means that he spends his days doing nothing but indulging himself with women, gambling and all-nighters. He also has the usual issues: difficult childhood, no one who really loved him after his family died when he was 8, plus the fact that his inherited rights have been denied to him. You must be asking yourself, how is he different from the truckload of Tormented Heroes around?...(Read More)

Someone to Watch Over Me by Lisa Kleypas
I adore Lisa Kleypas. She is one of my favorite Romance writers – I like her style, I like that most of her heroes are members of the working class and not only Lords of the Ton, I like the fact that she is able to take a much used plot and turn it something unique due exclusively to her amazing storytelling abilities. I also adore her because she has given me my top two favorite Romance Heroes: St Vincent (Devil in Winter) and Derek Craven (Dreaming of You) . She has delighted me with interesting and spunky heroines such as Lawless Lily and Lilian Westcliff. And this is why it breaks my heart to say that Someone to Watch Over Me didn’t do much for me...(Read More)

Stardoc by S.L. Viehl
This is one of those books you finish, and immediately haul your ass back to the bookstore to find volume 2 (and 3, and so on). I absolutely loved this book.Dr. Cherijo Grey Veil is a brilliant, talented human surgeon. The story begins with her scouring the city slums for a pilot that will get her off Terra (Earth)—she is running from something, although the audience doesn’t know quite what it is she’s running from yet. Kind of reminiscent of A New Hope, Cherijo searches bars and taverns for a shuttle that will take her where she wants to go, and won’t ask questions. She finds her own personal Han Solo (minus the good looks) in an off-worlder pilot named Dhreen, who has his own bucket of bolts to fly her out to Kevarzanga-2 (aka K2), where she has put in for a position as a doctor in the colony’s free clinic. Cherijo arrives at the K2 clinic and thinks she has finally escaped the oppressive shadow of her father, Dr. Joseph Grey Veil. Unfortunately, things are never that easy...(Read More)

No Rest for the Wicked by Kresley Cole (Ana's Review)
Ok, I am totally digging this Immortals After Dark stuff.I am reasonable enough to understand that there are probably other paranormal series out there which are more agreeable to the usual readers of the genre, but boy, this one got to me. As with the prequel, A Hunger Like no Other, I could not put it down until I read the last page and Dear Partner now knows that whenever he sees me reading a book with a dreadful cartoonish cover with two people embracing above a title that has 5 words or more he is not to approach me under any circumstances...(Read More)

If Angels Burn by Lynn Viehl
Dr. Alex Keller is a rockstar in the cosmetic surgery world. She’s been on the cover of Time Magazine and been proclaimed as the “Fastest Scalpel in the World”. What’s more is she works pro bono, taking on cases of disfigurement from accidents and violent crimes, preferring to help those who most need her skills over rich, vain clients. As she and her brother are wealthy from the deaths of their adoptive parents, Alex can afford to be scrupulous...(Read More)

A Summer to Remember by Mary Balogh
Lauren is a proper lady, prim and educated to control her emotions no matter what. After being left by her childhood sweetheart, she wants no future for herself other than being an independent spinster. Kit is seemly a care-for-nothing whose father is bent on seeing married to a neighbor and he angrily sets out to get a bride by himself and the feels that Lauren will fill the role quite perfectly. If at first, he is drawn to her over a wage with some friends, soon his sense of honor makes him come clean with Lauren and after explaining the situation they make a deal: Lauren will help him by pretending to be his bride so that Kit can assert himself in front of his father and at the end of the summer, she will break off the engagement making them both free. The only thing she asks in return is that Kit shows her how to have fun. It may sound silly, but Lauren has never enjoyed herself: she has been bound by a sense of duty to her adoptive family and by her own beliefs that a proper lady will be serious and collected...(Read More)

Fire Study by Maria V. Snyder
After months of breathless anticipation, finally I was able to pick up the new adventures of Yelena, and get down to business. A quick recap for those who have yet to read the series, or who might be a bit rusty: Yelena was a murderer facing the gallows in the northern country of Ixia, and presented with a rare opportunity: the die, or to live as the Commander’s food taster. Yelena chooses the latter, and undergoes extensive training in poisons. She manages to save the Commander’s life, the fate of Ixia, and at the same time learns that she has impressive magical powers. She becomes a diplomat to the southern country of Sitia, and leaves the north to undergo the necessary training she needs to harness her magic, and learns that she is actually a southern Sitian stolen from her home as a child. Her training in Sitia reveals Yelena to be a Soulfinder—the first in a thousand years. The title earns her both awe and distrust, especially from the governing council of Sitia and First Magician Roze Featherstone. Great evil faces Sitia as someone—a soulstealer—kills and steals the souls of young mages, amassing power. Yelena stops the soulstealer, but faces trouble with the untrusting council, and her problems are nowhere near finished...(Read More)

Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast by Robin McKinley
I wonder: is there anyone out there that doesn't know the tale of The Beauty and The Beast? Here is how the fairytale goes: Once upon a time, there was a wealthy family made up by a widowed father and his three daughters, Hope, Grace and Beauty and they lived happily until one day their father’s fortune turned and they lost everything. Having to start from scratch they moved to the countryside where their new life began. One day, coming back from a trip their father gets lost in the forest and ends up in an enchanted castle where he is treated like a king by invisible forces. The next day, before he leaves he visits the garden and picks up a rose as a present for youngest daughter, Beauty. As soon as he picks the flower though, the Beast appears and says that he committed a terrible sin and he should die unless his daughter is brought to him as a payment. Beauty who was the epitome of everything that is good in this world, decides that her father cannot die and goes willingly to the castle. And there her new life begins, and she slowly starts trusting the Beast until one day, missing her family so much she asks him to let her go and visit them. He grants her request but she must return within one week otherwise he dies. Her sisters, who were envious of her fortune, as the Beast covered her in beautiful dresses and jewelry, make her stay one more day and when she returns the Beast is dying and she then realizes that she loves him, and ta-ram the Beast is free of the enchantment he was under and in his place a beautiful Prince appears and they live happily ever after...(Read More)

Witching Hour Theater by Craig Shaeffer
Witching Hour Theater opens with protagonist Larry Wilson buying a ticket to the Starlight Cinema’s triple feature on a Friday night. Larry, in his late thirties, leads a quiet, uncomplicated life. He frequents the Starlight Cinema’s Witching Hour Theater every Friday for the thrill of the films he loves and the sense of camaraderie with other horror buffs. On this particular October night, however, things are a little different than usual. For one, Larry finally works up the nerve to ask out the cute brunette that works the concessions stand—and she says yes. Buoyed by the success of scoring a date, Larry enters the theater and notices that it is much fuller than usual. The films shown at the Starlight follow a standard format: new film, classic film, and obscure film. That evening’s offerings consisted of a new mainstream teen slasher, The Omen, and finally a strange film Larry has never heard of before—which looks promising in the 'B-movie it's so bad it’s funny' department. While the theater is crowded, Larry expects that, as usual, the audience will thin out after the popular first flick leaving only the diehards by the end of the second film...(Read More)

Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey (Ana's Review)
I was dared by Thea to read this and have to say that if it wasn’t for it I would never have picked it up. The book tells the tale of Phedre no Delaunay, as narrated by herself as her memoirs. The plot is extremely complex so I will cheat a bit and use Thea’s own words to summarize: Phedre no Delaunay is a child born beautiful as any D’Angelline…but for a single scarlet mote in her eye. Because of this small flaw, Phedre is denied a position as an adept in the Court of Night Blooming Flowers (the collective houses of honored courtesans), but can make her marque (paying her debt) through other work. Sold by her mother to one of the houses of the Night Court, Phedre is discovered for what she really is--the mote in her eye is not a flaw, but a mark of those god touched by Kushiel. She is an anguisette--one who can take pleasure from pain--and the only one to be born in generations. Phedre’s marque (think of it as her indenture contract) is bought by the wise and kind Anafiel no Delaunay, who trains her in the arts of espionage and secrets...(Read More)

Sugar Daddy by Lisa Kleypas
I was pleasantly surprised by how great a book this is. Push me over with a feather and color me happy I was surprised by this one! From the Amazon reviews, and gauging from comments on other websites, there seems to be some stigma against “going contemporary” in the romance genre. I can’t imagine why, if the books are as solid as Ms. Kleypas’ Sugar Daddy. Is romance is more romantic when it is historical (and therefore more escapist)? I don’t know. But I digress...(Read More)

Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews
Magic Bites introduces us to Kate Daniels, mercenary guild member, isolated loner tough gal type heroine. The story begins with Kate casually sipping on some Boone’s in her family home on the outskirts of Atlanta. Her quiet time is interrupted by a vampire—but not your typical vampire. In Ilona Andrews’ world, vamps are mindless parasitic vehicles for The People, who control them and have them do their bidding. FINALLY! Immediately, I was drawn to the story. As you probably know by now, the whole sexy vampire thing drives me batty. If well written, with established rules and in a functioning universe (like Kim Harrison’s The Hollows world) I can definitely appreciate a sexy vamp…but too often it feels like some washed out copout...(Read More)

Taking the Heat by Kathryn Shay
Liam O’Neil is one of four brothers and one sister with Irish roots, who live in New York City and work as a chef at the family pub. His is a widow whose wife lost her battle against cancer three years ago and who is trying to get his life back on tracks while raising his two kids: 8 year old Mike and 13 year old Cleary. Most of his waking moments are spent worrying about his younger who is a sad, introvert boy clearly still struggling with coming to terms with his mother’s death. Liam himself is not as outgoing as his brothers, he is the shy one, the sad one. He had a very happy marriage and always thought they would be together forever but tragedy showed him that you have no control over life. Now he is too lonely and he decides to start dating again...(Read More)

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
Sookie Stackhouse is a waitress working at Merlotte’s the local bar, in small town Bon Temps, rural Louisiana. She is an uneducated (but book smart), pretty young woman who lives with her grandmother and who doesn’t get out much.
Because you see, Sookie has a "disability": she can read minds. Ever since she was small she has been able to read people’s thoughts, and it has been a constant source of grief for her. It makes relationships hard to have, sex nearly impossible, and because of the constant need to keep her guard up....(read more)

Dark Desires After Dusk by Kresley Cole
What I am going to say not only goes against the wave of reviewers who loved this book but also breaks my heart since I am a die-hard fan of Kresley Cole’s Immortal After Dark series , but this was my least favorite so far. And I had such high hopes for this story. I mean, how could I not: Cadeon Woede is a handsome rage demon with a chip on his shoulder – the need to atone for the mistake that has cost his brother’s throne 900 years ago. We first met him a few books back participating in the Hie – a supernatural race around the globe for the high prize: a key to turn back time. Cadeon and his brother Rydstrom wanted the key so that they could go back and regain Rydstrom’s throne. They lost the race, but the search for weapon that could kill the usurper still guides them – and in Dark Desires, a chance of getting The One Sword that will slay their enemy Omort, is to be given to them but at a very high cost to Cade. (read more)

To Taste Temptation by Elizabeth Hoyt
Samuel Hartley is an American who has made himself a very rich man in trade. His official excuse to be in London is to do some business ( to set up the import of Wedgwood pottery) but he has a secret mission: a few years ago while still a scout in the colonials army pretty much his entire regiment was killed by Indians and he is certain their location was given away by one of their own – he believes that the someone who betrayed them is still alive and well in England and he wants to find who he is. He has brought his sister along and he finds that the perfect opportunity to mingle with society is to have Lady Emeline Gordon to chaperone her – Emeline is a widow, a respected member of society, one that dictates rule and fashion. She has a young son whom she loves dearly and (Read more)

A Lady's Secret by Jo Beverley
This is another one of those “almost” books. You know, the ones that have an amazing kick-start that grabs your attention for about 200 pages or so and then something happens along the way that diminishes that great feeling of connection with a story and you can see it slipping through your fingers as you realise in the end that the book was almost one of the Great Ones.This one starts with a cursing Italian nun in a French Inn , circa 1764: “Maledizione” she says and immediately grabs the attention of Robin Fitzvitry, Earl of Huntersdown. Robin is on his way to England after spending some time at Versailles and is utterly and completely bored when he comes across Sister Immacualta, a nun on the run who needs help getting to the very same place he is headed to. (Read more)

"The Mountains of Mourning" by Lois McMaster Bujold
A novella, previous published in Analog magazine, "The Mountains of Mourning" fits in the Miles Vorkosigan chronology after his stint as Admiral Naismith of the Dendarii Mercenaries in Warrior's Apprentice. Miles, freshly graduated from the Service Academy, has proven himself as worthy of a spot in the Barrayar service, and uphold the Vor title. Back with his mother and father at Vorkosigan Surleau (their country estate), Miles stumbles upon a persistent, distraught woman at the estate gates. The woman refuses to move until she has been heard by Count Vorkosigan, as is her right as the daughter of a serviceman. Miles, more so out of the amusing prospect it would be to send her up to interrupt his father's breakfast rather than out of pity, orders that she be heard. As is her right, after all...(Read More)

Hunter Kiss by Marjorie Liu
After Thea's review of The Iron Hunt (which she loved), I realised that I had the Novella that introduces the series in the Wild Thing anthology. I decided to give it a go. And I loved it.It has everything I could hope for in a book. A captivating narrative voice (in first person), a very interesting world where demons co-inhabit with humans and a sweet and heart warming romance. (Even though this series is Urban Fantasy, the romantic element is at the core of this prequel).Maxine Kiss (and my appreciation ... (Read More)

The Huntress Year One by Ivory Madison
So, I came into this miniarc knowing a little bit about Helena Bertinelli, aka The Huntress. The last of the Bertinellis, Helena has grown up apart, angry, and trained by her assassin cousins. She has a huge chip on her shoulder, and as such, her methods are questionable (as seen with Oracle's reluctance and distrust of her in the Birds of Prey series). So, when I saw Year One at my local store, I eagerly scooped it up--not to mention the art is stunning, penciled by Cliff Richards. (Read More)