My TBR list - I'll never catch up

Do you ever feel like your "To Be Read" list will ever get smaller?  


I'm having anxiety over mine lately.  Each time I finish another book, I find 5 more to add to my list.  It's like these books breed.  Like a book knows you are about to finish and it decides to make more books to add to your list.  


As of today I believe I have approximately 212 books on my "To Be Read" list.  Oy!


Even if I read a book every 2-3 days I will never finish this year.  It's almost defeating.  It almost makes me crazy.  But then I remember that I'm not alone.  I know people that have longer lists than me!  

How long is your list?

Follow Enchanting Ella on Twitter and like her Facebook Page.  

Still curious?  Read her bio.

Operation: Endeavor, Book #2 of When the Mission Ends (by Christi Snow)

- Amazon - 

Will not be available on B&N

Book Release Date:  January 2, 2012

Operation: Endgame rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

When the Mission Ends series rating:  4 out of 5 stars

"Operation: Endeavor" is book two of the When the Mission Ends series

Read Maddie's review of book one, Operation: Endgame

How are the sex scenes?

"He breathed heavy and shallow and passion filled his eyes..."

"Having him within her was heaven..."

"She was trapped by the emotion she saw there 

as much as she was imprisoned by his hard, pulsing body."

How are the story lines?

Solid. A little predictable, but a little intriguing and solid.

Would you read it again?

Yes.

  

Back of the Book

Colton Robertson left his career in the Air Force to come home and help his family heal. Unfortunately, his reception was not quite what he'd hoped for and he ended up as a roommate to hippy dippy yoga instructor Penelope Pruitt. 

Penelope has spent her life under the restrictive thumb of her parents and she doesn't want to do the same with the straight-laced, serious Colton. But when it becomes apparent that Penelope's life is in danger, Colton won't settle for anyone else protecting Penelope besides him.

Opposites attract and that's definitely the case with Colton and Penelope. On the surface, they don't have anything in common, but as the sparks fly and the danger ramps up, their passion is inevitable.

Review

Operation: Endeavor by Author Christi Snow, is the second book in her thrilling Romantic Suspense series When the Mission Ends. It picks up soon after the end of Operation: Endgame, which would be beneficial to read prior to Endeavor. There are more hot ex-military men, more steamy sex scenes, and more suspenseful moments to keep you guessing!!

Oh uber Alpha-Male Colton! Seriously – how is one meant to cope when you read this: 

“I promise I could fulfill you better than he ever could.” Okay – I. Was. Hooked.

Meet our Hero Colton Robertson– he was serious, competent, dynamic, sexy and totally in command. (Did I mention he was sexy?? I was only just getting my lust under control from Jake!) Having been thrust into a parenting role at the tender age of ten years, Colton, the elder brother of Cassie and Chris, was a natural leader. He had only just retired from his highly successful career in the Air Force, to come home to help his family heal. In many ways, he was a man always alone and isolated, with the twins having each other, and Jake. His tendency to be overbearing also corresponded with his aloof façade, which was perhaps part of his allure. He was extremely easy to admire, and yes, I will say it again, lust after!

For so long, beautiful, intelligent and feisty Penelope Pruitt, could only equate independence with singleness, having fought for control of her life from her manipulative and unsupportive parents. Her dread of being controlled far outweighed her deeper yearnings for love, nurture and desire. Ultimately, she is a Heroine to love – particularly as she ‘has to take book wherever she goes”. (I think we might be related!) She was perceptive, gutsy and sassy, yet beneath a strong façade, hid a loving, generous heart, a woman desiring the country homestead, complete with the non-negotiable wrap around porch and swing.

Penelope didn’t need or want overbearing. As Colton’s admiration and attraction for her grows, his need to protect was triggered, especially as she became embroiled in a mysterious and lethal situation ostensibly concerning her Bookstore. She’s beautiful inside and out, and Colton is completely beguiled by her, but will he be willing to bend to a new shape without compromising what comes so naturally to him? He’s unrepentantly autocratic, extremely sexy, and sends chills throughout her body when near, but, will Penelope be able to receive love from one so strong and naturally domineering?

Once again, Christi Snow delivered an engrossing, engaging and sizzling romantic suspense. Hot, blistering sexual tension then chemistry, a mystery to be unraveled  perpetrators of evil, cleverly masked behind their facades of reputable citizens, touches of humor and a deeply coded sense of family/friendship, and you have a hit in my mind. There was a good mix of predictable with unexpected twists and turns. The author successfully took the malevolence up a notch with Operation: Endeavor, and I am now eagerly awaiting the next book! Gah!

Learn more about Christi Snow and upcoming titles on her website , Facebook and Twitter.

This review provided by

Published by Christi Snow

Disclaimer:  No compensation was received for this review.  

ARC received from author in exchange for honest review.

The Reluctant Countess (by Wendy Vella) Release Day!

Buy for $2.99!

Amazon - B&N

Happy Release Day to 

author Wendy Vella!

Find her on Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads

Read below for an excerpt

Blurb

From rising romance star Wendy Vella comes a Cinderella story of whirlwind passion between a dashing earl and a beautiful countess—and the secret that threatens to tear them apart.

Regal, poised, and elegant, Sophie, Countess of Monmouth, is everything that a highborn lady should be. But Sophie is hiding a past that is far from royal. When Patrick, Earl of Coulter, realizes that her story doesn’t add up, he resolves to find out the truth of what Sophie and her sister-in-law are concealing. Although Sophie has every reason to avoid him, the handsome and charismatic Patrick awakens something wicked deep within her soul . . . a powerful need that Sophie must stifle in order to protect her place in society.

Despite Sophie’s humble background, the raven-haired beauty has won Patrick’s heart. But what Sophie needs now is an ally. Viscount Myles Dumbly, the disgruntled former heir of Monmouth, is determined to expose Sophie as a fraud to recapture his lost inheritance. Soon Patrick is drawn into a fight for both their lives. Somehow he must find a way not only to rescue Sophie from poverty once and for all, but to keep her in his arms forever.

The Reluctant Countess by Wendy Vella (Excerpt)
by Romance At Random

Want to read more from Loveswept?

Here's their January shopping list!

Wallbanger (by Alice Clayton)

Amazon - B&N

Release Date:  November 25, 2012

Wallbanger rating:  5 out of 5 stars

How are the sex scenes?

Fabulous! Real, warm, fun and sensual!

  

How are the story lines?

Wonderful. Rich, believable and very funny!

  

Would you read it again?

Definitely! And again after that too!

  

Back of the Book

Caroline Reynolds has a fantastic new apartment in San Francisco, a KitchenAid mixer, and no O (and we're not talking Oprah here, folks). She has a flourishing design career, an office overlooking the bay, a killer zucchini bread recipe, and no O. She has Clive (the best cat ever), great friends, a great rack, and no O.

Adding insult to O-less, since her move, she has an oversexed neighbor with the loudest late-night wallbanging she's ever heard. Each moan, spank, and-was that a meow?-punctuates the fact that not only is she losing sleep, she still has, yep, you guessed it, no O.

Enter Simon Parker. When the wallbanging threatens to literally bounce her out of bed, Caroline, clad in sexual frustration and a pink baby-doll nightie, confronts her heard-but-never-seen neighbor. Their late-night hallway encounter has, well, mixed results. Ahem. With walls this thin, the tension's gonna be thick...

Review

Wallbanger by Alice Clayton is a deliciously fun, memorable Contemporary Romance set in San Francisco. With her trademark mix of silly and steamy, it was an engaging, feel-good novel with sparky, lovable characters, strutting pussy cats, wonderful descriptive prose, and loads of laughs.

Our heroine, Caroline Reynolds is a funny, intelligent, confident woman and a very talented interior designer - not decorator! She surrounds herself with her two equally crazy best friends Mimi and Sophia, has a wonderful job and lives with her mischievous cat, Clive. As she moves into her new apartment, she discovered that her neighbor was a bit of a cad with noisy nocturnal activities!  The majority of the story is heard from her point of view, which includes her humorous inner debates between Brain, Backbone, Heart, Nerves and Lower Caroline, with the constant update on 'The Return of O', her missing Orgasm. This kept me both entertained and frequently giggling.

With Caroline’s tendency to provide monikers for those she met, her self described status as “hot and sexy”, and shamelessly naughty humor, (my favorite kind of girl!!) it is no wonder the devilishly handsome neighbor, Simon Parker could not resist her. 

Simon is of course, the perfect specimen of male – tall, drop dead sexy gorgeous, piercing blue eyes, complete with an arrogant smirk guaranteed to charm and woo. Their first encounter with each other with Simon clad only in a sheet, and Caroline in what created her nickname of “Nighty girl”, was so exasperatingly funny, that you knew you were about to embark on an entertaining ride!

Simon, a successful Photographer, had been carefully hiding from love. He had witnessed in his parents’ marriage, natural, open affection, complete without false fanfare and wistfully recalled that they "...used to hold hands all the time. Not for show." His constant travels allowed him to remain un-tethered, but Caroline's open, warm and truly accepting nature finally cracked open his long-held clasp of singleness, offering him a face to call ‘home’.

In many ways, that's the love Simon had held out for. His 'harem' was temporary, safe, fun. Caroline was not looking for a boyfriend, feeling contentedly single, and was particularly determined to avoid the man seemingly unable to sustain monogamy. It was fun to read their comical journey into friendship through their ‘truce’, as they both waged internal wars determined to resist each other, despite the flirtation and taunting.

There is spark, intensity, innuendo, sexual tension and snarky banter from the start, and as the story progressed, so did their antagonism and despite best intentions, their interest.

Needless to say, resistance was eventually futile. Initially their journey of each other wasn't lustful and frenzied. (Well, not completely!!)  Caroline felt 'worshiped' by Simon. "With sweet kisses and soft touches, he began the process of getting to know my body, and it was exactly what I needed." Whilst in that ‘aahh moment’, Caroline then describes them as "Flaily and My Snorey Pants." Funny!

But when they finally had completed exploring gently, well.... the lust freely ran through their bodies 'like a freight train'. You will not be disappointed!

What makes their friendship/relationship believable however, is the genuine care and easy comfort with each other. Beyond the joking and fun, something special is forming.

Alice Clayton is extremely talented. Her ability to create beautiful, romantic moments, interspersed with splashes of unexpected humor, is brilliant. Caroline and Simon's banter is quick-witted, snappy, spiced with innuendo and downright hilarious. The supporting characters are given the perfect amount of airtime and storyline, and her stunning description of Spain, (and, cough, Simon), causes you to feel as though you are there, luxuriating with Caroline as she explores and enjoys and gazes at the shirtless ‘oozing sex’ Simon.

Wallbanger is the most refreshing romance I have read all year. The author takes her time exploring Caroline and Simon. From their initial zing of attraction/exasperation to continuous, feisty banter and from a little heartbreak to soulful and sensual love-making - it's clear why this couple became fabulous and true friends. The book leaves you feeling satiated. A MUST read book!  

Learn more about Alice Clayton and upcoming titles on her website, Facebook and Twitter.

This review provided by:

Published by Omnific Publishing

Disclaimer:  No compensation was received for this review.  

Deep Autumn Heat, #1 of the Star Harbor series (by Elisabeth Barrett)

Amazon - B&N

Release Date:  July 9, 2012

Autumn Heat rating:  3.5 out of 5 stars

Star Harbor series rating:  N/A (haven't read them all)

"Deep Autumn Heat" is book one of the Star Harbor series

How are the sex scenes?

Warm at best, not particularly sizzling, but nicely written.

How are the story lines?

The story lines are still developing. 

They were interesting, and fairly predictable. 

There will be another three stories to come, so I presume we will learn more about the other characters’ stories worlds then.

Would you read it again?

Probably not. 

Back of the Book

In this sexy new Star Harbor romance series, featuring the too-tempting Grayson brothers, a celebrity chef turns up the heat for a local café owner—and things start to sizzle.

Lexie Meyers decides there’s nothing sweeter than watching Sebastian Grayson’s perfect, wicked mouth devour her coconut cake. He’s hot, he’s hungry, and he’s sizing her up like she’s the best thing on the menu. But she’s been burned in the past and flings just aren’t her thing. Too bad Sebastian can’t resist a challenge.

Worldly, famous, and notorious with the ladies, Seb had planned a weekend of fishing and relaxation with his brothers. Until Lexie, with her kissable lips and frosty “get lost” attitude, makes him want to forget his culinary empire and create some magic with her. After he fires up his charm—including challenging her to a televised cook-off to break through her resistance—it’s now hotter in the bedroom than it is in the kitchen and Lexie isn’t sure whether she’s lost her mind . . . or just her heart.

Review

Deep Autumn Heat by Elisabeth Barrett is her debut contemporary romance set in a picturesque, sleepy fishing village in New England.  It is the first book in her Star Harbor series, which revolves around four, dangerously gorgeous brothers, and their journey towards love.

Our first sexy heartthrob brother is Sebastian Grayson; handsome, arrogant and renowned Master Chef. Amongst his brothers he is just Seb, one of the Grayson ‘bad boys’ when young. In many ways, he has the world at his feet with his hugely successful career almost justifying his borderline obnoxious behaviour. Yet, he has not completely embraced his true potential, and is largely directed by his entourage of ‘staff’, rather than showing initiative. Tall, powerfully built, bright green eyes, and devilishly seductive, women have always fallen at his feet, (among other places I suspect!) until he meets Lexie.

Fabulous fire-cracker, Lexie Meyers; our heroine with spunk, wit and kindness in abundance. She is the owner of her own restaurant LM Kitchen, and has a heart filled with warmth and generosity, despite being been badly damaged in the past. Emotionally scarred, she is understandably guarded and careful around men. As Sebastian enters and creates havoc in her ordered world, maintaining her tight hold on resistance to his well-perfected charms became increasingly difficult. He is known as a womanizer  but, as happens in romance novels, he ‘finally meets’ the one woman who can challenge his solo outlook on life, a woman he craves and wants to possess.

The sparky repartee between the two Chefs was wonderful. It was delightful and frequently funny to see Seb put in his place by the feisty Lexie. They also challenged each other to overcome vulnerabilities, to move forward from their ‘safe’ worlds, to take chances, on life and in love.

With their common love of creating food and owning their own restaurants, it was believable that Seb and Lexie’s culinary passion would overflow into their physical passion. Their love-making is written beautifully, with a scarce amount of detail.

“They made love slowly, content to let the slide of their bodies do the work this time….

After several long minutes of his slide and release, Lexie was growing frantic. She abandoned the kissing and her head tossed from side to side….

He groaned into her neck, and then stroked faster and faster, harder and harder, crushing her into the mattress as he pumped his body into hers. Lexie gasped with relief. She thrust her hips against him equally hard, lifting them off the bed with her desire”

“She was ready. More than ready. In one swift movement, he spread her folds and sank into her waiting depths”

Books starring siblings always attract me. I love to see how family dynamics are captured, especially when it’s brothers. These boys are all drop dead gorgeous, of course, but also very emotionally intelligent – an extremely rare (and a tad unbelievable) quality in men.

As is often the case with the first book in a series, time taken to lay future books’ foundations, can often be at the expense of the novel’s story. Deep Autumn Heat was a delicious, easy read. Despite trying to create tension with a few nefarious sub-plots, it was light, predictable, and not particularly challenging. However, I’m confident this will only get better, the more Elisabeth Barrett writes. I am looking forward to reading the next installment, Blaze of Winter, which will be the story of Theo, Seb’s twin.

Learn more about Elisabeth Barrett and upcoming titles on her website, Facebook and Twitter.

This review provided by: 

Published by LoveSwept

Disclaimer:  No compensation was received for this review.  

ARC received from author in exchange for honest review.