Romance Books

Especially if you are like me- the professional "Commitmentphobe Trainer" you know, the guy says he doesn't want to ever get married, breaks up with you, marries next girl he dates, happily every after- for him anyway.

I've been reading a number of relationship books recently to help me to have a better relationship and a greater understanding of men especially. This book really helped me to do that. It helps the reader to understand the different personality types, indentify which type you are and how you can avoid doing things in a relationship that gets a negative response from your male partner. I really enjoyed this book and it has helped me enormously.

I also recommend reading.

How To Keep Your Man: And Keep Him For Good

Man Magnet: How to Be the Best Woman You Can Be in Order to Get the Best Man

This book was great. I didn't expect it to be so engaging - it looked really dry. Though I knew most of what was mentioned in the book, I did like it, and I opened my eyes to some things I didn't see before. Good read.

"Women Men Love, Women Men Leave" is a thoughtful exploration of the inherent differences between men and women. It not only identifies and explores the emotional gender divide, it also offers practical, user-friendly behavioral modifications that, when employed, can help couples re-establish solid footing in a previously "rocky" relationship. The authors display remarkable insight into why men and women perceive each other quite differently, and how this perceptual disparity is more often than not the underlining factor in a relationship malaise.

Written in plain, straightforward, English, "Women Men Love, Women Men Leave," avoids the pitfalls of many similar texts, by communicating its ideas authoritatively, while avoiding even the hint of condescension. There is also an enlightening set of quizzes located in the book's Appendix. These brief self-examinations help readers reflect upon their own attitudes and identify potential problem areas within their character makeup that may adversely affect their relationships with the significant men in their lives. All-in-all, this book is a must-read for anyone searching to strengthen their understanding of how to engage in a successful and mutually-rewarding male/female relationship.

David M. Matthews, Author of "Every Man Sees You Naked: An Insider's Guide to How Men Think"

After a painful break-up I was left with many questions. And this book has answered them all. Things I/he said/done that puzzeled me, have now found meaning and understanding. I might even say I was clueless about men until I read this book. I understand now that what I thought was a good relationship was anything but, thanks to this book. The first part (women men leave) gave me a lot of insight into my behavior and his reaction to that. I found myself in some greater or lesser extent in each portrait of common women behavior that can end a relationship.The authors explain in structured and simple way what men want from relationships and how they behave. Another helpful book that I highly recommend is How to Snag a Guy and Keep Him Hooked: 99 Ways to Make Him Ache for You If you want to spare yourself a lot of heartbreaks in the future read both books!

My kind of book, mystery, urban Fantasy, paranormal all rolled up into one. Eugenie Markham is a kick butt powerful shaman that takes a lot of jobs banishing sprits and fey who cross into the mortal world. One night out at a bar she meets a sexy guy Kiyo and sleeps with him. They go to his hotel and something from the otherworld wakes them up and Kiyo surprised her when he attacked the otherworld creature and then disappeared from the room.
Eugenie takes a case to go to the Otherworld and find a missing teenager who been taken there by one of the Shining Ones. She goes in her human form along with her 3 sprits, along the way, Eugenie finds out surprises of her own that are shocking to her. Her Mother and her Stepfather have been keeping deep dark secrets from her since she was a child about her past. Eugenie returns from the Otherworld without the teenager but while there, she makes friends with the Oak King Dorian and could she be falling in love with Kiyo and what is exactly is he? Now she comes face to face with a prophecy about her past, deep dark secrets, what exactly is she? This prophecy claims that Eugenie's first-born will threaten the world as Eugenie knows it. Dark powers are stirring to life within her. Eugenie goes back again to try to save the teenager Jasmine and fails again. A great read, I look forward to the book, The Thorn Queen, but I understand it won't be out until the beginning of 2009. I totally enjoyed this book. If you enjoy this type of book, indulge yourself.

I can't wait for the next one,I'm a Big Fan of the Rogue Angel series and this is even better. Most of our paranormal heroines are so so tough, that they sometimes just strike me a stubborn,and silly. But ODILE,aka Eugenie is the real deal. She has power,not afraid to use it, has inner conflict,intelligent sexy & sassy and is sometimes vulnerable,just like real women. I really think this series can top the Succubus one,at least for me,Hey Richelle,give me more!!!!

Urban Fantasy with a healthy dose of steamy stuff, topped with well developed characters including Fae, Demons and shapeshifters, peppered with lots of action in this and the Otherworld home of the Fae, kicks Richelle Mead's new Dark Swan series off to a great start.

The star of Storm Born, Eugenie Markham aka Odile the Dark Swan, is a powerful shaman-mercenary who banishes unruly spirits, demons and uncorporal Fae from our world either to the Otherworld or to the Underworld beyond death's gates. But something weird is going on, as suddenly, she's very 'popular' with the Fae who all want her to have their child and are more than willing to force the issue.

There was so much about this book that I liked. There's lots of great action as Eugenie undertakes first a rescue mission to the Otherworld to rescue a teen kidnapped by the Fae, and later as she is beset by those who would have their way with her or kill her. I also liked the transition in attitudes that Eugenie makes over the course of the book- she hates and fears non-humans until some eye opening revelations give her a new perspective and some philosophical discussions with a Fae King begin to force her to question her prejudices. And I really liked both of her sexy love interests. Both relationships were really different and had their own appeal, with Kiyo a sexy veternarian she shares a powerful animal attraction and the Fae King Dorian, who is very proficient with knots, challenges her to expand her powers and her mind. I loved both of these characters. I liked Kiyo's openness and dedication to Eugenie and Dorian was an intriguing mix of intelligence, delight and boredom. So I'll be anxiously awaiting more of Dorian, Kiyo and Eugenie when the Thorn Queen continues the series in the summer of 2009.

I have to agree with Patricia Briggs' cover quote: "Storm Born is my kind of book -- great characters, dark worlds, and just the right touch of humor. A great read." Richelle really does create characters that you swear could walk off the page. Eugenie Markham is a standout butt kicker -but better drawn than all the dime a dozen female demon killers out there these days.
While it fits what everyone is calling urban fantasy - I found this book to be much more than that catagory conjures up for me. Dark Fantasy, Romance and Mystery to name a few. This is a very well constructed story - complexities and surprises abound.
I actually passed this book up twice before I decided that I would pick it up. I read it in two days. I would have missed out on one heck of a story.

This is a good start to an interesting series. There is humor, action, romance, mystery. Don't expect anything Native American even though she is called a shaman. The "real world" is Tucson, AZ and that's as close as you get. Except for Eugenie's roommate who is a fake Indian and kind of comic relief. Her mythology is mixed with Japanese, Greek and European folklore. Yes, it is predominantly a romance with 2 non-human romantic interests, though I thought the plot moved along as it needed to given that this is a "set the stage" kind of book. As for the romance there is more tension than sex but I felt like the sex scenes flowed from the action (and I usually find sex scenes to be contrived, clinical and too long). I would, however, prefer more action from the plot instead of the bedroom. I will be looking for the next installment.

I was browsing books at the store.. after reading the first two pages from this book, I was already hooked. The entire book's interesting, funny, and overall fun to read. I borrowed it from the library for some light summer reading, but now I'm planning on buying it to read it again sometime :)

The story is pretty simple: Emma is a marketing assistant and so far she had no real business success. She gets send to a meeting in Glasgow and that could be her big chance to get a promotion. She totally blows it, gets a little tipsy at the airport and when she thinks her plane is going to crash down she tells all her secrets to the guy sitting next to her. She really spills all: from what underwear she is wearing, to her first sex, and that she waters her co-workers plant with orange juice.

She is totally embarrassed when she arrives at the office on monday and finds out that the stranger is the owner of the company she is working for. He took a year off after his best friend died but now he is back in London to check out what has been going on in his company while he was gone.

The story was a little predictable but darn funny. I loved how Jack was making smartass comments and teased her about her secrets. And of course they hook up and he is just the sweetest guy ever. But he also keeps a big secret from Emma and that causes some tension between them. That was so far my favorite of Kinsellas' books because it had so many ROFL moments and I just liked Emma so much because she was funny and a "normal" girl.

Surprisingly laugh-out-loud in its entirety, Kinsella further extends her pastiche for chick lit in this decent piece about lies and their consequences. That message is decidedly transparent and unsubtle, yet the heroine, Emma, is intriguingly relatable and funny. Her interactions with people around them are humorous and come close to the Department of Deadpan. It was also nice to see a somewhat strong, middle-class female character in the midst of hundreds of books in the same genre that deal with impossibly unreal women. Emma is an every woman. Thus, the novel succeeds in portraying a larger than life situation that would otherwise be unrealistic. However, the male protagonist is a bit ridiculous, as is the premise and the ultimate outcome. The requisite "happy ending" would have been nicer if it weren't so expected and rote. Every character gets their just desserts, be it good or bad. Kinsella gives us no surprises, yet she does deliver humor that is fresh and fun.

One of the funniest books I have read! I would love to see this book turned into a movie!

This was my first introduction to Sophie Kinsella. In this book, Emma spills all her secrets to the man sitting next to her on the plane. What she does not realize is who he is and how he will be involved in her life.
This is a laugh out loud book that you can not stop reading. It takes you back to her job, where you can get a sense of all her secrets.

A delightful, charming, surprise of a first novel. Reminiscent of Alice Hoffman's more whimsical books. I loved it and immediately ordered her newest novel " The Sugar Queen".

I didn't want it to end. Loved the characters and especially loved the apple tree.

Lovely book from the very first page! The characters are fully formed and endowed with unexpected & surprising talents! You can almost smell the tantalizing aromas coming from Claire's kitchen! The special magic (and strength) of the Waverly sisters is woven through the entire story - but very delicately. No wizards, wands,and wars - just a sweetly enchanting love story.

"Every smiley moon, without fail, Claire dreamed of her childhood. She always tried to stay awake those nights when the stars winked and the moon was just a cresting sliver smiling provocatively down at the world, the way pretty women on vintage billboards used to smile as they sold cigarettes and limeade."

Pretty, isn't it?? Being a Waverly in Bascom, North Carolina, meant people looked at you a little differently. For many generations, the Waverly's were considered odd. Claire Waverly, from the age of 6, grew up in Bascom at her Grandmother's house. The Waverly garden has been a legend for many years. If you ate an apple from the tree you would see the most important thing that would happen to you in your lifetime. Not really a good thing, to be honest. The flowers were all edible, and had some remarkable affects on people. It was one of the reasons Claire had become such a successful caterer. She could make all sorts of delectable items, each containing some mystical flower from the Waverly garden.

Sydney Waverly was Claire's younger sister. For her, growing up a Waverly was awful. She hated the fact that her family was different and went out of her way to be like the other kids in school. In the end, she took off right out of high school and never looked back at Bascom....until now. Sydney and her 5-year-old daughter were on the run, from an abusive man. The only place Sydney could think of going that would be safe was back to Bascom and Claire.

Now Claire's very quiet, solitary life has been turned completely upside-down. Throw in a smitten art professor that has moved next door, an aunt that has the ability to always know when a person needs something, a gay gourmet grocer that has lost the love of his life, lots of people from Sydney's past: both friends and enemies, and Claire doesn't know what has hit her. But the one thing Claire she DOES know is that she wants to reconnect with her sister. And keep her safe from the past she is running from.

I never did read the book "Practical Magic" by Alice Hoffman. But I did see the movie. And I know it's been said before, but it wasn't difficult to draw a lot of similarities between it and this story. BUT, that being said, this is a highly enjoyable read. The characters were well drawn out, and I really wanted good things to happen to them. Quirky Aunt Evanelle was a hoot! I just loved it when Fred moves in. And I thought the interaction between Claire and Sydney was very realistic of how sisters would act.

The story was a little predictable, but in the end, I still completely enjoyed it. It was a little mystical, a little romantic, a little mysterious, and a whole lot of fun!

Just as when everyone raves about a movie, it turns out to be a let down, so did Garden Spells for me. Books incorporating a little magic are appealing, but the apple tree in this story exceeded my ability to suspend my sense of credibility. The first half of the tale is stronger than the second, as the two estranged women warily attempt to connect with one another as sisters. The development of the characters and the presentation of the Waverly family's spiritual gifts were also very well done. But things start to go over the top during the second half, and the plot descends into the romance genre. The climax is over before it becomes as menacing as it should have been, and the way in which it is resolved is nothing less than ludicrous. Garden Spells falls into the category of a good beach or plane read, but it could have been so much more. Sarah Addison Allen is a new author with potential as yet unmet.

This finishes the story line begun several books ago. It was a good read but I think I enjoyed the earlier stories more than this installment.

LOVE THIS BOOK,WONDERFUL STORIES, GREAT PLOT, LORA LEIGH HAS NOT DISAPPOINTED ME YET.LOOKING FOR THE NEXT GREAT BOOK!!!!

I love Lora Leigh and she does not dissapoint with this book. I love her menage a tois's. I particularly liked the second story in this book. I hope she features Khalid in her next book. Very hot book.

A must read for any and all Lora Leigh fans. Just what you would expect, if you have read the other books in this collection. Lora Leigh...never lets you down.

As a fan of Bound Hearts I admit I've been waiting for the next installment of the series. And as the same with 4 and 5, I found myself utterly disappointed. The delivery just isn't there. All in all, the characters are prosaic, the sex is sleazy, and something in the plot is horribly amiss. This is, quite possibly, the most horrible series ever put to pen, and I'm almost 100% certain the other reviews are from herself. ;)

I'm convinced that Lora Leigh is to the book industry as Michael Jackson is to little boys. She just lost a fan, forever.

I have been enthralled with Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunters, but did not totally understand what they were all about. This companion was wonderful fun, well written, and explained almost everything about them, their history, and their lives. I will continue to use it as I work my way through the series as there are details relating to most of the characters in the books. I especially love the references to other Hunters, Gods, and Goddesses which hopefully (please Sherrilyn) will result in future books. This is a must for die hard fans.

This book is excellent. My son and I read it in just a few days and have been discussing it ever since. It gives alot of great background on all the characters, places, etc. It was hilarious, I love the way it was written as a source book for future dark hunters. May Sherrilyn Kenyon never stop writing these wonderful series.

this book was fantastic the hummor was fantastic and very interesting. Was a fun read and gave alot of info in the charecters that I have grown to love.

Meeting Sherrilyn Kenyon was a delight. She was all smiles and bubbly, even for us brave few who waited four hours to have our books signed. This book is a wonderful reflection of her creativity, her passion, and her sense of humor. Finally, a reference book about the Dark Hunters! lol I plan to use the map in the book to visit the New Orleans locations she has pointed out in many of her books. Even if you don't want a reference book or an interview from Simi (okay, who DOESN'T want that?!), the pictures were worth the purchase.

This book is essential if you really want to understand the "people" you meet in this series. Ms. Kenyon has gone to great lengths to help you understand and it has special treats that are found no where else. I recomend this book to any DH fan.

Although I have long been acquainted with the name Mary Jane Clark, I readily admit that this is the first book I have read by this author. Surely it is not the last since I found it a good page turner in the old fashioned tradition of suspenseful mysteries. Like other suspense books in this tradition this book grabbed me from the first page and had me staying up late to finish the book as I couldn't wait to find out what happened.

Eliza Blake, a well known television personality is faced with every parent's worse nightmare. When her beloved child Janie fails to return from summer camp, Eliza is informed that she has been kidnapped. Not your typical woman, Eliza's child makes her highly visible and is therefore appraoched by well meaning individuals and quacks trying to help her out in related search efforts. But when tyime moves on and Janie isn't found and fearing the worst, Eliza takes matters into her own hands and seeks help from a group of friends dubbed The Sunrise Suspense Society.

And this is where the novel left me a bit confused. Bewtween the very very short chapters and the group of well suited indiviuals coming to the aid of a friend, I kept checking this book to see if it wasn't written by James Patterson and his stable of co-authors. It did work because the book did captivate me but I would have enjoyed a bit more originality.

It may have simply been coincidental and I was a bit disappointed and rated this a 3 instead of my original rating of a 4. Still, I will continue to read Clark's older titles hoping thay will stand on their own a bit more.

This was a great book! An easy and quick read (great beach reading), it took me two nights to get through. The story was interesting and I didn't want to put it down. My only complaint was that there were quite a few characters to keep track of so in the beginning I had to keep checking back to see who she was talking about. But the story came together in the end and I was very pleased overall. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes mystery and suspense.

I've never been dissapointed with a Mary Jane Clark book, and "It Only Takes a Moment" continues that trend. The book is suspenseful from cover to cover, and you will never want to put it down. The language used by Clark is unlike that of any other authirm and you really do feel like the story is real, and you can picture everything in your head.

The end of the book felt a tiny bit rushed, but maybe that's just because it played out differently than I would have liked it to. All in all, the book will beloved for years to come by people of all ages, and I highly recommend it!

Since there are plenty of reviews already giving a general synopsis of the book, I thought I would just talk about my reading experience. First of all, I have not read any of the author's other books, so I am not sure about her usual style. This book 'feels' like it could be a script for a Law & Order in that it is written in MANY very small chapter segments. If you're a very busy person that likes to read a few minutes here and there, it's great. At the time I read it, though, I was in the mood for a good deep read and the format was frustrating to me. That said, the storyline was gripping and the author really got me - I was completely surprised by the ending! That's what good stories are made of.

"It Only Takes A Moment" by Mary Jane Clark



Eliza Blake, is a very a successful anchor at a top rated morning News show. She thinks that she has seen the worst that man can do to man, until one day her young daughter and housekeeper are abducted. Now the horrors that Eliza has faced vicariously during her career, has become personal. Very personal. We, as the audience are treated to a behind the scenes look at what happens to a TV personality when their lives fall apart and we get to view it in brutal living color with a wide screen and high definition.

This is a fast paced book about the four most critical days of abduction. It's tightly written with short, well paced chapters. Great characters, that are also very well written and for the most part, believable; if a little stereotypical. The red herrings alone add to the enjoyment of this novel; and keep you guessing and questioning yourself as to who-dun-it right up to near the bitter end.

I enjoyed "It Only Takes a Moment" so much, that I will be purchasing several more of Ms Clark's earlier novels, and this one is defiantly a keeper.

In this novel the main male lead is named Lucan, a Generation One vampire that leads warriors of the Breed (a simplistic name for the good vampires, ha ha) against the Rogues who have given into their bloodlust addiction. As a Gen One vampire Lucan has the most strength and power but also the most temptation to fall into bloodlust which is where our female lead comes in.

Gabrielle Maxwell is an artist, a photographer of lonely, desolate places that somehow convey hope to the average viewer. She generally feels alone in life until she witnesses a brutal murder outside of a nightclub. When she reports the strange murder the police brush her off as crazy and even her cell phone photos won't convince them of what she saw; a man brutally torn apart and cannibalized by a group of men with fangs and feral yellow eyes. Lucan protects Gabrielle from the rougher elements of the Rogue society that are after her for her rare gift of finding vampire locations. Lucan has a hard time protecting her from himself (he just can't get enough of her for some reason), especially after learning that she bears the mark of a Breedmate (a woman with the genetic capability of bearing vampire children). By feeding from Gabrielle's blood Lucan would be tied to her for life, a burden that he doesn't want or need in his warrior lifestyle.

Of course Gabrielle breaks through all of that in the end and they learn that it is Lucan's brother controlling the Rogues in the upcoming war (and so the saga continues). But Gabrielle and Lucan live happily ever after so to speak. All in all a likable enough story. We'll see how the next one goes.

This book is a great start to this series. After reading this I ordered the next 3 series straight away.

Awesome series! Loved it almost as much as I love JR Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series. Will definitely keep reading Lara Adrian!

This book starts a series that twists the struggle of good vampire against bad vampire while still leaving the reader in the comfort zone. As part of this twist vamps were born from aliens that crash landed on this planet thousands of years ago and learned to adapt and survive to their new environment by drinking blood and avoiding sunlight. Eventually they learned they could procreate with human woman and the new vampire race was born. Occasionally human woman are born who are compatible with them, all specially marked.

Alas, many vamps cave to bloodlust and the Order was established 700 years ago to dispatch their crazed brethren, who are susceptible to the slightest touch of titanium. Now Lucan, the Orders founder and considered a relic, finds both his breedmate and- you guessed it - his greatest enemy in years at the same time. He struggles internally and externally under the twin threats.

Definitely a good read to pick up.

Kiss of Midnight is an interesting and entertaining beginning of a new paranormal series - well, new at least for me :)
It has similarities with the BDB: vampires at war, a group of 6 warriors fighting evil..., but both the development and the writer's voice are different.

In this new vampire tale, we have the Breeds, vampires with alien origins that can only mate with a Breedmate, a human with a mark of a teardrop falling into a crescent moon.
If a Breed loses himself to bloodlust, he turns Rogue, becoming a danger to the Breeds and the humans they coexist with. Lucan Thorne, one of the oldest Breeds and leader of an Order of warriors, has sworn to hunt the Rogues to protect his brethren and the humans.
Gabrielle Maxwell, a human photographer, gets involved when she witnesses a murder outside a club and takes photos with her cell phone. She reports to the police, but as there aren't signs of the murder, they laugh at her. She is pleased when 'Detective' Lucas Thorne arrives at her door, not knowing that he's gonna change drastically her life.

When I started reading the book, I was a little uncomfortable with the alien thing. It sounded a little strange, but by the time I finished, I was used to it, so now it doesn't bother me.
I liked a lot the lead characters. Lucan is a warrior worried about the Rogues and his inner demons, and doesn't plan to have a Breedmate. He has fears and doubts, and isn't prepared to follow his heart.
Gabrielle is a strong woman, somewhat dark and lonely, who always has felt different from the rest of the people. Her life changes suddenly, but she accepts it and goes on.
I liked their love story a lot. They have a lot of chemistry since their first meeting, and the romance is believable and developed. The book also has a few twists on the plot, and interesting secondary characters.

Although it didn't shock me like other series' beginnings - Dark Lover, for example - it's a promising start, and I look forward to the next books.

Gemma Jansen's struggling to take care of her ranch on her own while continuing to supply animals for the rodeos. Only none of the promoters seem to want to use any of her animals and none of them can give her a reason why. She's in need of a ranch foreman and believes she knows the perfect man for the job.

Cash Big Crow has quit the rodeo and now takes odd jobs to earn a living. Gemma's offer of a job as foreman at her ranch isn't exactly the job of his dreams - though a more permanent home and someplace he can spend the summer getting to know his adult daughter is appealing. The perk to taking the job is going to be a stipulation he insists upon - she's the boss during the day, but at night, he's in charge.

Gemma's very attracted to Cash, however she's also quite a bit older than he is and a widow to boot. She's not entirely sure she's ready to move on but she definitely needs his help. The last thing she expects is the unbelievable jealousy she feels when she first sees Cash with another woman - imagine her surprise when she learns that the `other woman' is actually his daughter, Maci. She hadn't even known that Cash had a daughter.

Gemma's offer of a job gives Cash the opportunity to settle in one place and get to know his daughter without having to constantly be looking for work. The one big problem with the whole situation as far as he can see is the mutual interest between Maci and Carter, a cowboy/artist living and working at Gemma's ranch. Cash knows exactly what he wants, even if he's not ready to admit to his feelings; he just never guessed his own daughter would possess the same passionate nature as he. While Gemma and Cash learn that rough and ready is just how they like their loving, Maci and Carter are learning that it takes more than loving to make a relationship work - there has to be trust too.

Lorelei James definitely has a talent for telling hot cowboy stories that will have readers longing for one of their very own. Gemma and Cash are simply perfect for each other. They're both passionate and hard-working and not afraid to go after what they want. Maci and Carter's relationship is reminiscent of young love. They both have backgrounds steeping in issues they've carried with them and several misunderstandings and snafus which result in some interesting encounters and one butt whopping from Cash that Carter won't soon forget. RODE HARD, PUT UP WET is exactly the sort of storytelling I've come to expect from Ms. James. The sex is hot, but it's the emotional context that ensures it's a story you'll remember.

Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies)

I rarely, if ever, read or watch anyhing with a western theme, but something about the cover intrigued me. So glad I took the chance! This book read very well and it was sooooo sexy! Highly, definetly recommended, along with Sex Scenes: Erotica Excerpts from the Novels of Kim Corum.

After reading Long Hard Ride, the first book of the Rough Riders series I was hooked on western romance. The story continued with Gemma and Cash who we met in the first book. There was a connection with Gemma and Cash but Gemma was not ready to move on after her husband of 25+ years passed away. I really enjoyed reading about Gemma finding love again in her late 40's with Cash. Cash is 10 years younger than Gemma and has a grown daughter of his own to deal with. Her story with Carter McKay was just a bonus in this book. If you love hot western romance you won't be dissapointed in this book or any other of the Rough Riders series.