REVIEW: Holiday Kisses by Shannon Stacey, Jaci Burton, HelenKay Dimon & Alison Kent

"Published by Carina Press [2011]

The suggested theme for the December TBR Challenge hosted by Wendy The Super Librarian is holiday romance and I chose to read the anthology Holiday Kisses. Holiday Kisses is collection of contemporary romance novellas that came out at Christmastime last year. I bought this one for myself last year but never got around to reading it, then waited a whole year to go by so that I could read it this December. Yes, I am a stickler about reading Christmas romances only near Christmas. Well, I finally read this one last week and really enjoyed it! So much so that I'm reading a sequel to one of these stories now.

"This Time Next Year" by Alison Kent

Brenna Keating is on her annual trek to her beloved Grandmother's house in the mountains for Christmas before she leaves for her new job abroad in Africa when her car swerves into a snow bank right in the middle of storm. The local physician, Dillon Craig, who is also the most eligible bachelor of the mountain, finds her and brings her to his cabin to wait out the storm. As you might guess, these two get really close over several days, talking and getting busy, if you know what I mean. They talk a lot and learn about each other and themselves. Both characters have some obstacles in their lives--Brenna's hesitancy about leaving her grandmother and Dillon's struggle to accept the military tragedies from his past that haunt him. Together, and in the spirit of Christmas, they learn from each other and get a realistic happily ever after. A very sweet love story that captures the essence of the holiday season and is sure to melt your heart.
   GRADE: B+

"A Rare Gift" by Jaci Burton

Wyatt Kent gets a job building an addition onto the local child care center-- the one owned and run by his ex-wife's little sister, Calliope Andrews. This arrangement makes Wyatt super uncomfortable for several reasons. One, he and his ex, Cassandra, ended their marriage on bad terms, so he would prefer to avoid her and anyone associated with her. Two, Calliope is pretty, sweet, upbeat and stirs something in Wyatt he tries to stifle -- desire. Fortunately, Calliope is nothing like Wyatt's ex and she's got enough confidence, sass and good humor to handle Wyatt's cranky nature and eventually these two hit it off. It also helps that she's had a crush on Wyatt for a long time. They've got a few things to overcome, but that's part of the fun. I loved Calliope's positive spirit and it was great to see Wyatt come to terms with his failed marriage and recognize that he deserves true love even if it is a little awkward that he's found it with his ex's little sister.
   GRADE: C+

"It's Not Christmas Without You" by HelenKay Dimon

Carrie Anders is finally chasing her dream of working in a prominent Washington, D.C. museum and has settled into her new city life. Unfortunately, she had to break it off once and for all with her on and off again boyfriend, Austin Thomas, who just couldn't accept her dream to seek a career in a big city. Austin insists Carrie just needs to get her grand ideas of a city career out of her system before she realizes she belongs back in their small rural West Virginia hometown with him. When he finds out Carrie doesn't plan on coming home for the holidays, he puts a plan in motion to make sure she gives up her crazy ideas and is home before Christmas. How does he do that? He sets up a tree lot right across the street from her apartment! Sounds romantic, right? Well, Austin needs a few lessons in respecting and accepting Carrie's dreams and ambitions before he learns the meaning of true love.

I loved the set up of this story. I found Austin's determination to win back Carrie heartwarming and his methods very charming, but boy did it take him long enough to realize her life dreams are just as important as his. I think Carrie could have been more upfront with why she was so exasperated with Austin's treatment of her ambitions and at the same time, I think Austin should have figured how important Carrie's career is to her after she got up and moved to D.C. Even then, it took him a couple of weeks in D.C. before he finally figured it out? It was a bit exasperating how they just danced around the issue and didn't just talk about it right from the start. Thankfully, their love for each other made them stick it out and finally figure out how to make their relationship work.

Interestingly, the conflict between these two drove me a little by their simple lack of communication, but at the same time, Carrie and Austin were two of my favorite characters in this anthology. Austin's brother Spence was also a great addition to this story--so much so that I'm reading his story right now. His story is "We'll Be Home For Christmas" in the Romancing the Holidays anthology published by Carina Press (2012), which can also be bought alone.
    GRADE: C+

"Mistletoe and Margaritas" by Shannon Stacey

This story is a beautiful, sexy friends to lovers romance. Claire Rutledge was widowed two years ago when Brendan--her husband of only two years, died. Since Brendan's been gone, Claire become closer friends with her deceased husband's best friend, Justin McCormack. Justin has loved Claire for a while now, having been interested in her before Brendan ever made a move for Claire. He's been reluctant to ever make a move on her, though, out of respect for Brendan. Claire is finally ready to put herself out there in the dating world, but can't seem to think of anyone else but Justin. With the help of some mistletoe and margaritas, Claire makes the first move and sparks finally fly between these two. Their love and affection for each other--and their passion--was totally believable and very sweet. This story is a very heart warming, feel good Christmas romance. What's not to love?
    GRADE: B+

I think it's pretty tough to pull off a convincing contemporary love story in just 100 pages, but these stories come pretty close. Of course it helps that they're Christmas love stories. Who can resist a good ole sappy Christmas story! These stories are all about delivering a believable love story doused with Christmas spirit. Holiday Kisses will certainly warm your heart this Christmas season. :)

For the anthology as a whole ... GRADE: B


Have you read any good Christmas romances lately?

REVIEW: It Happened One Season by Stephanie Laurens, Mary Balogh, Jacquie D'Alessandro and Candice Hern

Once upon a time there were four authors who each contributed a novella with similar plot elements to the historical romance anthology titled It Happened One Night, published in 2008. The authors had so much fun collaborating their stories that they decided to do it again. Only this time, the recurring theme of the anthology would be determined by a reader and so a contest was announced to the world in search of such a winning theme. Over a thousand entries were submitted by readers and carefully narrowed down to a mere handful of candidates, the winning plotline then decided by public vote. The ballots were cast and counted and lo and behold, the winner of the contest was Phyl, who just so happens to be my friend and fellow blogger who blogs at Phyl's Books and Quilts. Isn't that so cool? Congratulations, Phyl. :)

I enjoy reading historical romances and discovering new authors, but I admit that I probably wouldn't have otherwise been compelled to pick up this anthology had I not known that it was Phyl's winning plot ideas that drove these stories. I have this silly notion stuck in my head that anthologies are a gamble of sorts. I generally feel this way especially about romance because I think it's very challenging to write a well developed, realistic and compelling love story in only a hundred pages. I need to shake this notion, though, because I have read several romance anthologies over the last few years and have enjoyed most of them very much--including this one!

I was thrilled by Phyl's win of the plotline contest and had been anticipating the release of It Happened One Season since its inception. Phyl's plot lines were really fantastic--well thought out, creative and truly the foundation for some great short story romances. Turns out there was no gamble whatsoever reading It Happened One Season. 

The recurring plot elements for each story in the It Happened One Season anthology are that (1) the hero is a younger brother of a titled lord, had a career in the army, but has lived as a recluse since returning from the war with France; (2) the heroine is shy or unattractive and after many Seasons has never had a suitor; and (3) The hero's brother has only daughters and asks his brother to marry to try to ensure succession.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"The Seduction of Sebastian Trantor" by Stephanie Laurens

This sweet, fun story is a little mix of both romance and mystery. The story starts with a ball at which Sebastian Trantor is supposed to be seeking a wife from the lot of eligible women in order to fulfill is familial duty to marry and provide a family heir. In a desperate desire to escape the ball, he slips away and finds refuge in the library. While Sebastian sits in the dark enjoying the solitude, a young woman picks the lock of the library and begins rummaging through the desk, muttering to herself as she searches for whatever it is she's so desperate to find. Sebastian finds himself both amused and curious by this woman--Tabitha Makepeace, and her task at hand. He finally reveals himself to her and after some amusing exchange of words, they introduce themselves and explain what each is really secretly doing in the private library of their host. When they are discovered alone in the library together, Tabitha is compromised and Sebastian makes up the story that they have just become betrothed in order to protect her reputation. The couple proceeds to elude everyone with their fake betrothal as Sebastian helps Tabitha uncover a blackmailer and they fall in love for real.

"The Seduction of Sebastian Trantor" was fun and sweet. It was clear that Sebastian started falling for Tabitha right away and amusing how he would kiss her to disguise them or make their story look convincing, when really, he was trying to convince Tabitha that they had something between them. It was a lot of fun watching these two turn their farce into a reality all the while trying to catch a blackmailer.
GRADE: B

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"Only Love" by Mary Balogh

In this story, Cleo Pritchard was married by arrangement at the young age of seventeen to the much older Colonel Aubrey Pritchard who died five years ago during the war. Now at twenty-seven, Cleo has given up hope of ever remarrying or even having a lover. Then she sees Major Jack Gilcrest at a ball, a dashing young man with whom she was acquainted during the war as he served in her late husband's regime. Jack is at the ball in search of a suitable bride per his older brother's request to produce an heir. Pleased to see someone he knows, Jack asks Cleo to dance and while they are a bit nervous and awkward, it is very clear that they drawn to each other. Jack realizes pretty quickly that that he and Cleo should marry. They have a slew of practical reasons between them why they indeed should marry. Jack just needs to convince Cleo that the only reason they should marry is for love.
GRADE: B

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"Hope Springs Eternal" by Jacquie D'Alessandro

Captain Alec Trentwell leaves the comfortable solitude of his country cottage for two reasons. One is to seek a bride and produce an heir to satisfy his familial obligation. The second is to seek Penelope Markham, the beloved sister of his friend and fellow soldier Edward Markham who died at Waterloo at Alec's side. Alec feels tremendous guilt surrounding Edward's death and consequently feels a responsibility towards Penelope. Alec plans to tell Penelope the details surrounding her brother's death and offer her financial assistance which is so desperately needs. Alec becomes enthralled with Penelope as soon as he sees her, however, so delays telling her the truth. There is mutual interest and heat between them and soon they marry, but the secret of Edward's death threatens to destroy a happy marriage.

"Hope Springs Eternal" is a romantic and sexy love story. There is sweet romance between strong, believable characters who shared a passion for each other that was romantic and sexy. Penelope Markham is a strong and intelligent woman and I admired how she was unapologetic and unashamed of her dire financial situation or her ruined reputation as an art instructor just for creating a piece of sculpture that the ton deemed scandalous. Plus Penelope wears glasses! I found that little detail so refreshing. Alec was truly haunted by his guilt for the death of Penelope's brother. His grief and guilt made sense and while I knew all along that Penelope would not blame him for Edward's death when she finally learned the truth, the whole process of Alec telling her the truth of what happened, her reaction, his reaction, the resolution... it was dramatic without being too over the top. The story felt very genuine and I enjoyed it very much.
GRADE: B+

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"Fate Strikes a Bargain" by Candice Hern

This story features two unique and unapologetic characters who enter a marriage of convenience who truly deserved their happily ever after. Captain Nathaniel Beckwith is still emotionally disturbed by the war, leaving him surly, moody and stern, yet he has agreed to do his duty and provide the family with an heir. He is seeking a suitable wife at the latest ball, but in an attempt to avoid the ladies and the dancing, Nathaniel finds reprieve behind a large potted orange tree, where he meets a simple but pretty and gregarious woman who also happens to be hiding.

Philippa Reynolds enjoys the lively balls but has grown tired of the Seasons without a suitor and is resigned to a life without marriage. When she reveals to Nathaniel that she doesn't fit in because of a severe limp due to a displaced hip she's had since birth, he is open and honest about the severity of her condition, but also disgusted with the ton's narrow-mindedness regarding her health and potential as a marriageable woman. Nearly straightaway Nathaniel sees that a marriage between them is the answer to both their problems.

Both Cleo and Nathaniel are misfits of sorts. While Nathaniel's imperfections are the emotional scars he acquired from war and Philippa's imperfections are a physical disability she's had since birth, their experiences with their flaws are enough for them to be honest, understanding and empathetic to each other without pity. Add a spark of mutual attraction and these two are a perfect and loving match.

"Fate Strikes a Bargain" is a well wrought story about two characters with obvious imperfections who are honest, open and willing to work through their issues together. It was nice to read a story in which an author is willing to write about characters with real disabilities, be sensitive to those issues and show how important honesty and a positive attitude are to a person's character. And that romance, love, passion and happily ever after are truly deserved by all.
GRADE: B

I think it's challenging enough to pull off a realistic, compelling love story in a full length novel when the author has enough page time to develop the characters, conflicts and resolutions while convincing the reader of true love. In an anthology, the author has to successfully do all of that in only a hundred pages or so and I think all four authors did a fine job of accomplishing just that in It Happened One Season. Reading this anthology also gave me the opportunity to discover three new-to-me authors in one book. Previously, I had only read one work by any of the authors and that was A Matter of Class by Mary Balogh. I would definitely consider reading novels by all four of these authors again.
 
OVERALL GRADE: B


Have you read any other works by the authors of It Happened One Season?
If so, what do you recommend? 


Do you have a favorite anthology? (any genre) 

REVIEW: Kiss Me Deadly edited by Trisha Telep

Kiss Me Deadly is a young adult anthology containing 13 Tales of Paranormal Love and a treasure trove of short stories by some of today's leading young adult paranormal authors. I have only read books by three of the thirteen authors--Sarah Rees Brennan, Rachel Vincent and Maggie Steifvater, all of whose stories I enjoy very much, so naturally I was looking forward to their contributions. Reading this anthology also gave me the opportunity to explore the writing of the other ten authors with whom I was less familiar. I can't think of a better or more efficient way of sampling the works of so many authors than by reading an anthology such as Kiss Me Deadly. Now that I've finished reading all of the stories, I want to look into so many full length novels by these authors, not to mention entire series!

Since the stories are rather short, it's difficult to write reviews for them without giving things away, so instead I've written a one (or two or three) sentence synopsis, a brief impression and my rating for each story. I will say that all of the stories have interesting premises and characters, yet some authors were more adept than others at introducing their world, developing their characters and writing a cohesive story with closure in such a short number of pages. Also, it took me a few stories to realize that this anthology is not a collection of paranormal romance shorts as I expected, but rather a collection of supernatural, paranormal or urban fantasy type short stories with romantic elements, but the overall tone is not romance with happily ever after endings.

"The Assassin's Apprentice" by Michelle Zink
A young girl out to avenge her parents' death by killing the demon who murdered them. An Assassin interferes with her plan by stepping in to help her, much to her chagrin. A little lacking in world building. It took almost the whole story to understand the significance young girl's lineage and the role of the assassins in this world.
3.5 out of 5

"Errant" by Diana Peterfreund
A unicorn hunter arrives at a privileged French estate with her beloved unicorn to stage a traditional unicorn hunt for a spoiled young bride's wedding. Lessons in friendship and the cages that societal circumstances impose on two young women of completely opposite upbringings and lifestyles.
4 out of 5

"The Spirit Jar" by Karen Mahoney
A young vampire nicknamed Moth from Boston goes to London, UK on a mission for her Maker to retrieve a book of spells. While stealing the book, she meets a young man named Adam who is also trying to steal the book. Moth is tough, spunky, and determined, yet humanity still resides within her.
5 out of 5

"Lost" by Justine Musk
A sweet story about a teenager who has an uncanny knack for finding lost things. When her best friend is in a coma, she is compelled to visit a house on the route which she walks her dog and meets a stranger named Haiden who feels very familiar to her. He teaches her to focus on herself and her instincts, revealing her talent for helping the souls of people near death find their way. A little rushed in the character and plot development, but still an enjoyable and touching story.
4 out of 5

"The Spy Who Never Grew Up" by Sarah Rees Brennan
A spy story based on classic Peter Pan. Creative and clever story telling, yet I didn't particularly like the characters and the story felt a little lacking in purpose or of lessons in love or friendship. Or did I just miss it?
3 out of 5

"Dungeons of Langeais" by Becca Fitzpatrick
This is a prequel type story in the author's Hush, Hush series takes place in 1769 France tells the story of Chaucery who has become immortal as he is possessed by an angel for two weeks every year starting on the Jewish month (Rosh Hashanah, I believe) and how Chaucery tries to force the angel Cheshvan to break their contract by kidnapping his mortal lover. Satisfying dark, gothic tone.
4 out of 5

"Behind the Red Door" by Caitlin Kittredge
Jo Ryan finds Red Door in the Ash House, apparently a haunted house. Jo goes into the house on a dare and thinks she sees something in the shadows. Curious, if not obsessed, she goes back and meets Nicholas Day a ghost who has been stuck there for years, claiming to have killed himself with razors when his beloved drowned in the river. Jo spends her free time in the house with Nicolas, falling in love with him. Except she starts to lose weight and vitality and is haunted by visions of other young girls trying to tell her something. A ghost romance with deadly consequences.
4 out of 5

"Hare Moon" by Carrie Ryan
A story from the world of The Forest of Hands and Teeth.
Tabitha is a dreamer and feels restless in her village surrounded by forest, fenced off from the rest of the vacant world. She feels a yearning every time she passes a gate and finally garners the nerve to open it and see where it leads. Ignoring the moans and cries surrounding her in the forest, she follows the trail to another gate where she meets Patrick who lives in a village on the other side of a gate. They talk and decide to meet two days after the full moon every month. Over time they fall in love and hope for a life together. One month he doesn't come, leaving Tabitha distraught. When she is discovered with her hand on the gate, she is punished and forced to become a sister at the convent, where she discovers a hidden cavern with a written history of their village and the world. She doesn't give up on Patrick and when they meet again after the Hare Moon, life will never be the same for anyone. A great and terrifying introduction to the world of The Forest of Hands and Teeth. Am now considering picking up the full length novels in this series, even though horror is not my thing!
4.5 out of 5

"Familiar" by Michelle Rowen
Teenage witch Brenda is reluctant to come into her powers but finally agrees to obtain her "familiar" or her pet with whom she is to bond before she starts her formal training. She comes home bonded with an adorable kitten who immediately converses with her in her thoughts. Turns out he's a shifter named Owen who was hiding in the pet shop, biding time to figure out how to buy his way back into his pack of which he was kicked out. Brenda helps Owen retrieve the diamond bracelet that was his collar and they are confronted by a gang of werewolves who want to Owen's loyalty, profits from the bracelet or Brenda! The story was a tad bit predictable, but fun and was a sweet romance, hence a favorite.
4.5 out of 5

"Fearless" by Rachel Vincent
This short story is set in the world of Rachel Vincent's Soul Screamers series. Those familiar with the series will recognize Nash as a secondary character in this story along with a cameo appearance from his brother Tod.

Teenager Sabine was abandoned as a toddler and has spent her troubled youth bounced between foster homes. In this story, she has been sent to a halfway house for delinquent girls. Sabine has definitely gotten herself into trouble, but not without reason. She's a mara, a very rare kind of banshee who survives by feeding off the fears of others, which she does by visiting them while they dream, causing nightmares and exacerbating their fears. Shortly after arriving at the halfway house, Sabine starts to die when she can't nourish herself from the other girls. Interesting glimpse into another aspect of Vincent's Soul Screamers series, but now I'm all uncomfortable about Sabine and the promises she and Nash have made to each other when I am loyal to Kaylee and obviously want Nash and Kaylee together! I sense major trouble in the latest novel in this series, My Soul to Steal. Yikes!
4.5 out of 5

"Vermillion" by Daniel Marks
This quirky story takes place in Purgatory and features the teenage supernatural clean-up team of Velvet and Nick, a.k.a. Nyx, who also happen to be romantically involved. They work for Manny, a Station Agent in their district of Purgatory and through her, they meet Amie Shin who works for Howard Barker, the Station Agent of Vermillion, another district within Purgatory. Velvet and Nick are sent on assignment with Amie in Vermillion to chase down and trap a particular errant soul who is haunting humans in the realm of the living. Agents do this by slipping into the living realm through cracks and temporarily 'slipping' into human bodies to contain the evil spirits or illegal haunters or .. hmm.. dead souls doing bad things. Amie is also using seduction and trickery to try to break up Velvet and Nick. Bitch. This story was surprisingly complex in both the nature of the relationships and the world building and had an exciting and satisfying finish. I did a little investigating and have gathered that Daniel Marks has upcoming trilogy of full length novels set in this world featuring Velvet and Nyx and I think book one will be titled Velveteen. Very exciting.
5 out of 5

"The Hounds of Ulster" by Maggie Steifvater
Bryant and Sullivan are best friends and talented young musicians, with a particular affinity for Irish folk rock. Bryant plays guitar and Sullivan plays the fiddle. Determined to be a part of an elite club of musicians who play at Mullens, an Irish pub, the two brazenly crash a jig and finally capture the attention of the club members. A mysterious and beautiful girl standing in the wings sets her sights on Sullivan, jeopardizing his friendship with Bryant as well as his future. A poignant story of friendship and perhaps unrequited love. Not part of any series, but has elements similar to Maggie's Faerie books, Lament and Ballad.
4 out of 5

"Many Happy Returns" by Daniel Waters
A Generation Dead story
A bunch of teenagers of a small New England town are involved in a deadly car crash, leaving six dead and one in a coma, barely alive and if she does survive, is not likely to ever walk again. In this world, a certain genetic disposition enables some teenagers with the possibility of waking up from the dead within seven days after they have died, but in a permanent zombie-like state of being. As parents wait around to see if their child will be among those who 'wake' from the dead, feelings of anger, denial, grief, acceptance, anger and hope are rampant within the community. I've gone back and forth between giving this story a 3.5 or a 4 out of The focus of this story is on the adults as opposed to the teenagers, but it is a well written, thought provoking and heart breaking story with a bittersweet ending. Also, this story is more about the parents than with the teens or their relationships.
3.5 out of 5

Average rating: 4.11 out of 5

GRADE: B


Do you have any book recommendations by any of the contributing authors above? 

REVIEW: Weddings From Hell by Maggie Shayne, Jeaniene Frost, Terri Garey, and Kathryn Smith

Published: May 2008

"Till Death" by Maggie Shayne.

As a young child, Kira McLellan witnesses her mother's tragic death and learns of the rumored curse set upon the females on her mother's side of the family. All her life, Kira refused to believe in curses. Until she gets called on by her mother's mysterious family for the reading of her recently deceased aunt's will and is off for Scotland to visit the family she's never met. During her stay, Kira learns more about the curse on McLellan brides that curses the women to die at her husbands had should he ever cheat on her. Kira also ends up falling in love with a long time friend of the family, Ian Stewart, and makes it her priority to break the curse on the McLellan women once and for all.

This is the first story by Shayne that I have ever read. I enjoyed Kira's character--a confident modern woman and despite her disbelief in curses at the beginning, her acceptance of ghosts and the curse was well paced. I also admired her determination to solve the mystery of the curse and to break it once and for all. Despite the appropriate pacing with Kira and the curse, however, I felt the pacing of the relationship between Kira and Ian was not at all realistic. They practically fell in love with each other just from hearing each other's voice during a long distance phone call. And when they finally do meet it was an obvious case of love at first sight. I just don't buy that. Lust at first sight? Oh yeah. But not love. Sorry. So despite the fairly neat tale of the curse on the McLellan brides, the rushed, unrealistic and sugar coated love story component of this short was less than satisfactory.

GRADE: C

"Happily Never After" by Jeaniene Frost.

I have read both of Frost's full length paranormal romance novels in her Night Huntress series, Halfway to the Grave and One Foot in the Grave featuring the vampire huntress Cat Crawford and her vampire lover named Bones. "Happily Never After" is a short story set in the same world as the Night Huntress series, but is about Bones' trusted friend and fellow vampire named Chance and a human woman named Isabella Spaga.

A friend of Bones' from a long time ago, asks him to help out her grandchildren--Isabella and Fraizer Spaga-- who seem to have gotten into some trouble with a local mobster named Robert Bertini. Bones sends Chance to check up on the grandchildren and finds Fraizer missing and Isabella being forced to marry Bertini in order to apparently ensure the safety of her missing brother. Chance soon finds himself falling for Isabella and decides to do whatever it takes to save her from the likes of Bertini and to find her brother as well.

"Happily Never After" is a fun read. The antics of mafia wannabe Bertini and his two goons were a bit cliche, but if nothing else, it provided Isabella the perfect platform for her to showcase her sassy attitude and charming sense of humor.

Chance is a great hero. He's calm, cool, collected and confident, yet not arrogant. He's respectful and patient with Isabella and her feelings for him and will protect and save her regardless of her affections for him. Both Chance and Isabella were likable characters and their relationship was sweet. Overall, "Happily Never After" was a satisfying read both for the characters and the conflict resolution.

GRADE: B+

"Gouls Night Out" by Terri Garey.

"Gouls Night Out" is a story is about a goth styled city girl named Nicki Styx who has the ability to see dead people and how she gets involved in solving a wedding inspired murder. Nicki's redneck cousin Debbie is about get married but suddenly finds herself short a bridesmaid when she has a fight with her best friend Michelle who in turn bails on the wedding. So Debbie asks Nicki to take Michelle's place in the wedding party. Thanks to Nicki's ability to see the dead, Michelle appears to her and the two set about trying to solve how Michelle died and of course seeking justice.

This story was my least favorite story of the lot for a few reasons. One is that while I really liked Nicki and thought she was strong, smart and sassy, the author had her boyfriend show up on the scene to save her from the bad guy when she had thus far proved herself quite the capable young woman. I can appreciate the boyfriend's role in the justice part, but Nicki should have been the one to kick the bad guy's ass for sure.

I also found the story arc rather commonplace. Heroine sees dead victim; dead victim slowly remembers details of her death; heroine and dead victim work together to figure out the murder; use scare tactics to make murderer confess to authorities; dead victim is able to leave this realm to a better place; and all is good in the world. Just too simple and predictable for me--I prefer a story with more originality.

This story was also chock full of redneck mentality and lifestyle stereotyping, which might be offensive to some readers.

GRADE: C

"Wedding Knight" by Kathryn Smith.

This story is the prequel to Kathryn Smith's Brotherhood of Blood series, which is a historical paranormal romance series featuring a band of good guy vampires whose existence is tied to the Templar Knights and the Blood Grail. When Brotherhood vampire Payen Carr discovers that his past lover, Violet Wynston-Jones is about to wed a member of the Order of the Silver Palm--the Brotherhood's worst enemy-- he crashes the wedding in attempt to stop her from saying "I do." Convinced that Payen came back because he still loves her, Violet sets out to show him not to fear love, but accept and embrace it. But it is enough to make him hers forever?

"Wedding Knight" was my favorite story in this collection. While readers who have not read Smith's Brotherhood of Blood series might not completely understand the mythology surrounding the vampires and their enemies, the story is still well developed and the conflicts are well presented. The action and tension throughout the story was realistic and developed at an appropriate pace. There were conflicts in the plot relating to both the Order as well as the hero and heroine's personal relationship, all resolving nicely within the 100 pages. Payen and Violet were both very likable characters and very hot together. I enjoyed the fact that Violet was the romantically and sexually assertive one and the icing on the cake for this couple was a perfect happily ever after ending.

GRADE: A-

OVERALL GRADE: B-

What Happens In Vegas by Copeland, Bast, Dane and Tunstall

Winning it big.

That's the name of the game at Las Vegas' Liege Hotel and Casino, where the hottest fantasies hinge on a roll of the dice... and the tantalizing knowledge that anything could happen before sunrise.

What Happens In Vegas is an erotica anthology published by Spice publishing that includes erotic romance stories by Jodi Lynn Copeland, Lauren Dane, Kit Tunstall, and Anya Bast. Each story is connected in one way or another to Las Vegas' Liege Hotel and Casino, yet each tale is completely stand alone.

"Hot for You" by Jodi Lynn Copeland.

Carinna is a cocktail waitress at The Liege and doesn't do relationships. In fact, she recently broke up with her last boyfriend as soon as he proposed marriage to her. One night on a whim, Carinna decides to hit the poker tables at the end of her shift. She ends up sitting at a table across from her long time friend, firefighter Jack Dempsey, with whom she has barely spoken to since their one night stand four months ago. Now sitting face to face again at the poker table, the heat stirs between Carinna and Jack again and it doesn't take long before they're having smoking hot sex. While burning up the sheets is all Carinna is interested in, Jack has other plans. He'll turn up the heat, all right, but this time he's ready to win her for keeps.

"Hot for You" is a scorchingly hot and sexy romance. The story is told in the first person from both Carinna and Jack's points of view. This was a fun and clever way for the author to really get the reader into the heads of both characters and helped convey their emotions and intentions at every shift in the story. I quickly became vested in both characters emotional interests which I think made their happily ever after twice as meaningful to me. I am thoroughly impressed at how well Ms. Copeland developed her characters, conveyed an emotional and entertaining plot, and wrote several meaningful and erotic sex scenes all in one novella.

GRADE: A


"Stripped" by Lauren Dane.

Dahlia Baker is a graduate student by day and a burlesque dancer at The Dollhouse by night. Nash Emery, the wealthy playboy brother of Dahlia's boss at The Dollhouse sees her dance one night and propositions her for a night of drinks and 'private dancing.' Dahlia not only turns him down, but puts him in his place. Of course he offers sincere apologies, but Dahlia is not so easily seduced. So Nash spends the next couple of months coming to The Dollhouse whenever he is in town and casually getting to know her. Finally Dahlia agrees to a date and their sexual chemistry is amazing. Still, Dahlia is cautious about the depth of her involvement with Nash. Namely because she has issues with their class differences, his playboy reputation, as well as the fact that she's always been misunderstood and mistreated because of her bombshell looks. It will take time, patience and trust before Nash is able to strip Dahlia of her defensive armor so that she'll let him into her heart.

"Stripped" is a hot and sexy and at the same time, a very romantic love story. The relationship between Dahlia and Nash developed at a believable rate and I really appreciated Dahlia's reluctance at starting a dating or sexual relationship with Nash after his insulting proposition. Not only was Dahlia's response realistic, but it forced the characters to get to know each other on personal and emotional levels, not just physical. This made the romantic element of their story ring true and their happily ever very sweet.

GRADE: A

"Red-Handed" by Kit Tunstall.
Amy Gerard gets caught red-handed while cheating the Liege Casino by Roan Cavello, the casino's wealthy and intimidating owner. When Roan threatens to involve the authorities, Amy tries to strike a deal to keep herself from trouble. She suggests that she be Roan's companion for several weeks in order to pay off her debt. Roan agrees, as long as she agrees to be his submissive for the duration of their pact. Somewhat out of Amy's comfort level, but better than imprisonment, she proceeds with the deal, and surprises abound when both Amy and Roan's sexual and emotional boundaries are tested.

"Red-Handed" is the story in this anthology with the most kink. Roan likes his sex naughty and is experienced in BDSM. What Amy lacks in experience, however, she makes up for in willingness. Roan didn't waste anytime coming onto Amy once the deal was made, which despite his eager dom, came across too forceful. Combined with Amy's quick and easy sexual response, their sexual relationship felt a bit contrived, even for those who enjoy BDSM in their sex life. While I did get somewhat emotionally vested in their relationship toward the end, as Ms. Tunstall was able to convince me that Roan and Amy came to care about each other, the happily ever after was a bit sudden and I still wasn't fully convinced that they truly loved each other. That being said, it was still fun and enlightening to read the hot and kinky sex scenes and know that the couple was happy together in the end.

GRADE: C


"The Deal" by Anya Bast.

Cassidy has spent the last year getting over being left at the alter by her ex-fiance. The last thing she wants is a relationship because she's not going to run the risk of ever getting hurt like that again. Working as a professional shill for the Liege Casino, Cassidy is starving for sex and finds herself hot for her best friend and Liege blackjack dealer, James Carter. When he proposes a "friends with benefits" relationship, she can all but resist him. Cassidy panics after their first rendez-vous, but James is not about to let her go. He playfully suggests five nights of blackjack--winner picks the sex act of the night-- all in order to break her down and find a way into her heart.

"The Deal" delivers plenty of fun, steamy sex in a heartwarming romance. Ms. Bast clearly conveys the friendship between Cassidy and James through both their dialogue and body language and it was enjoyable to watch their relationship slowly shift from friends to lovers. James' playful pursuit of Cassidy with his sexy win-win version of blackjack was creative and sinful. James' efforts to carefully win Cassidy's trust and love was just as convincing as Cassidy's reluctance to give in to his love. Both characters' actions and reactions were always realistic as was the final resolution of their love story, which made Cassidy and Jack's happily ever after truly heartwarming.

GRADE: A

I loved the level of heat in What Happens In Vegas and the way the very different stories all revolved around the same hotel and casino. Each story is both sexy and romantic, delivering the perfect blend of sugar and spice. What Happens In Vegas is delightfully sinful--as it should be for a collection of erotic romances straight from Sin City. Each sexy story is topped with a happily ever after making this erotica novel a jackpot winner.

OVERALL GRADE: B+

CONTESTS!

I won't be giving away my copy, because I already know I'm going to be rereading this one whenever I'm in the mood for some sugar and spice. Which is often. But.....

For a chance to win a FREE copy of What Happens In Vegas, visit Ann Aguirre's blog here. Ann is running yet another fabulously generous contest, giving away FIVE copies to some lucky players!!! Ann will announce her winner on May 5.

AND.... Cynthia Eden is also giving away a copy of What Happens In Vegas here. Cynthia will announce her winner on May 6.

Anthologies: Love 'Em or Hate 'Em?

I read primarily paranormal romance and I love reading series romances, because quite honestly, I love when something really, really great lasts a really, really long time ... heh heh. If an author has built a truly fascinating world for her (or his) series and the characters in that world are richly developed, the magic of that author's writing lingers throughout the months between book releases. I'm still enjoying the author's work as I speculate over the overall story arc of the series and anticipate the next installment. And that next series installment might just turn out to be a short in an anthology and I know I won't want to miss a beat.

So herein lies my love-hate relationship with anthologies...

The part I love is that for $7.99 I get to sample the story telling voices of four, or if I'm really lucky--five authors. Most of the time I am buying an anthology because there is a story in it by one of my favorite series authors. But what are the chances that the other stories in the anthology are stand alone titles by those authors? Slim chances. It is more than likely that the authors' sites will state something along the lines that this story can be read alone, but is best read in order. *sigh* Did I mention I'm a stickler for reading a series in chronological order? And of course, I only want to do what's best. So now I am faced with the decision to either let the book sit on my shelf having just read at best 100 pages of it, or buy the backlists of the other authors in the anthology. Which isn't always a bad thing. For my wallet yes, but its also a great way for me to discover some new authors.

Speaking of a that $7.99 anthology sitting on my shelf that is only partially read, I'd like to mention that some anthologies sell for $14. FOURTEEN DOLLARS for four hundred pages of four short stories. Is it me, or is that a bit excessive? I have bought them before. I paid $14 for the WILD THING anthology last July so that I could read Meljean Brook's contribution, "Paradise," book 3 of her Guardians series. I also more recently bought Enchanted Seasons for Nalini Singh's short, "Beat of Temptation". Both anthologies, that I spent a total of $28 on, sit on my shelf all unread except for Meljean's and Nalini's stories, respectively. *sigh* I will probably go back and read the others some day, but I really don't understand why the books had to be listed at $14. :(

I realize that my personal love-hate relationship with anthologies is truly governed by my obsessive need to read an author's COMPLETE series IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER and by the expense it ends up incurring when I then explore the other authors' series. I just can't keep myself from buying them, and I still haven't decided if I love them or hate them. Either way, I seem to be the exact market publishers are targeting, don't you think?

Ummm... having said all of that, here are two anthologies that are on my current wish list:

FIRST BLOOD Featuring stories from Meljean Brook, Susan Sizemore, Erin McCarthy, and Chris Marie Green.
Paranormal Romance.
$7.99 Berkely Sensation
Release date August 08.




AND NEWS OF THIS ONE HOT OFF THE PRESS:
An anthology that I have barely any information on, but know that I want right now:

Title TBA Featuring stories by Jeaniene Frost, Melissa Marr, Vicki Pettersson, Kim Harrison, Jocelynn Drake.
Adult Urban Fantasy Anthology
Price TBA Eos line of HarperCollins, Tentative release date May 09.

What a fantastic author line up! Jeaniene Frost's contribution will be a short story from Bones' POV in New Orleans before he meets Cat. Did I mention that I want this book like right now? RIGHT. NOW. :)

So, how do you feel about anthologies? Do you buy them without hesitation even if you are initially only interested in one author's story? Or, if applicable, do you just skip that story in the author's series? Have you ever discovered a new favorite author from reading an anthology? And finally, does the anthology's list price play a role in your decision to buy the book?