Merry Christmas, Baby! by Various

Uninspiring Christmas collection
3 stars

Harlequin Blaze always bring out an anthology near to Christmas and this year’s offering has stories from Vicki Lewis Thompson, Jennifer LaBrecque and Rhonda Nelson.


It’s Christmas, Cowboy! by Vicki Lewis Thompson
Lacey Evans expected to spend the holidays holed up in a remote cabin with her fiancé. As it turns out, it’s unexpected blast from the past ranch hand, Tucker Rankin, that’s keeping her warm by the fire this Christmas.

This was a nice tale that definitely felt the most festive of the three stories. Having said that, Lacey seemed slightly fickle in her affections and Tucker wasn’t exactly the ambitious or hard-working type that I would prefer to swoon over. Still a sweet enough tale.



Northern Fantasy by Jennifer LaBrecque
Stockbroker Jared Martin is in Good Riddance, Alaska for his best friend’s wedding when he meets tempting Theodora “Teddy” Monroe. Teddy dreams of life in the big city while all Jared wants is to find a quiet town to call his own. But neither can deny that they each want the other – but for how long?

This story forms part of LaBrecque’s Alaskan Heat series and while other characters appear it does stand alone just fine. I didn’t really get why you would write a series about a small town when all the characters hate it and want to leave. Couple that with the fact that neither Jared nor Teddy were particularly interesting and I didn’t much care for this story. The fact that all the heroines in these stories also appear to have unusual names that shorten into men’s names was the final irritation for me.



He’ll Be Home For Christmas by Rhonda Nelson
Soldier Silas Davenport has decided to come home to surprise his parents for Christmas. But it’s him that gets a surprise when rather than his parents he finds lovely Delphie Moreau at his house and she’s one gift he can’t wait to unwrap.

This was a pleasant enough story even if it was fairly forgettable. I liked Delphie and could empathise with her and Silas was likeable too. It was realistic which is fine but in a Christmas anthology I was looking for something a little more ‘happily ever after’ or even a little cheesy.


All in all this was an average anthology that didn’t really delight and just didn’t feel festive enough or put me in the Christmas mood. Not bad but really not great. 3 stars.

By Invitation Only by Lori Wilde, Wendy Etherington & Jillian Burns

Short, fun and sexy reads
4 Stars

A wedding between famous actress Holly Addison and Texas Tycoon J.D. Maynard on exotic Rapture Island is the celebrity event of the season. Everyone wants an invitation which is the basis for these three short stories.

Exclusively Yours by Lori Wilde
In order to get the story of the year, journalist Olivia Carmichael must fake an engagement with infuriating writer, Nick Greer. The pair have always been at odds but being in such close quarters with each other might make them change their minds.

This was a fun story with great characters. I was able to suspend belief and just enjoy the story although the editing mistakes were quite irritating. Overall a good story that I enjoyed reading!

Private Party by Wendy Etherington
Tara Lindsey wants to know why she wasn’t chosen as the caterer for the wedding of the season. So she decides to crash the party. Unfortunately for her, chief of security, Wade Cooper, catches her in the act. But who will actually end up caught?

For being a short story this was surprisingly sweet and you really felt the relationship build. I liked the characters and was happy for them together as a pair.

Secret Encounter by Jillian Burns
Dr Peyton Monahan has come to the wedding to find the elusive philanthropist she wants to fund her latest research project. What she does find is a really hot guy. Shame that Quinn Smith has been keeping some secrets of his own…

I liked this story but if I’m honest it didn’t completely entertain me. I couldn’t understand why Peyton was so angry at Quinn’s “deception” and their whole relationship was a little unbelievable. But I did still enjoy the story and the characters were likeable enough.


Overall this is a good collection of short stories all centred around a theme but without much connection other than that. They are short, fun and sexy and worth a read if you enjoy Blaze romances. 4 stars.

3 Brides for 3 Bad Boys by Lucy Monroe

Readable and inoffensive set of stories
3 stars

This is a set of three stories about three brothers and the women that finally manage to tame them.

Rand
Rand Alexander always has a gorgeous woman on his arm but since his wife died 6 years ago, he’s never again given away his heart. Innocent Phoebe Garrison has always felt like the unnoticed wallflower on the edge of Rand’s life but now she has a plan – the deed for the property his company needs in exchange for a week in her bed.

This was an okay story but Rand never really came out of his shell and remained from beginning to end a little bit of an enigma. I also didn’t really like the fact that Phoebe was the ex-fiancée of Rand’s brother – it just made her seem a little fickle.


Carter
Carter Sloane needs a bride quickly to ensure he fulfils the terms of his late father’s will and he has just the girl in mind. Daisy Jackson works for his company and has always had a little crush on her boss but she is more than stunned when suddenly he’s proposing marriage. But does he want a bride of convenience or a wife in truth?

This was a sweet little story and would have worked well if the author hadn’t tried to convince the readers that this was rational behaviour and something that would happen in everyday life. That, for me, meant I couldn’t really enjoy it for a fun little escape from reality that it should have been.


Colton
When straight-laced Colton Denning wakes up in Vegas next to a showgirl after a scorching night of passion he’s shocked and high tails it out of town. When the lovely lady in question, Fayre Cranston, turns up in Mexico where he’s working, Colton is quite keen to pick up where they left off. Until he discovers that she’s his wife.

Again, a fairly standard story that suffers largely due to its short length. It’s not hugely believable and for some reason I had huge issues with the name ‘Fayre’ although both she and Colton were reasonable enough characters if nothing overly exceptional.


Overall, if you have this book then it’s worth a read but certainly not one that I would recommend you rush out and buy. As with many short stories, these suffer a lack of character development and believability due to the story length. They are readable, a little sexy and inoffensive. 3 stars.

Just Fooling Around by Kathleen O'Reilly and Julie Kenner

Basic stories – ridiculous premise
2 stars

This is a set of 4 short stories (or encounters) all based around April Fool’s Day and the Franklin siblings who are all cursed to receive bad luck on this one day each year.


CAM’S CATASTROPHE by Kathleen O’Reilly
The oldest of the Franklin siblings, Cam refuses to be laid low by a curse. So each April Fool’s Day he does something outrageous and laughs in the face of the curse that plagues his family. And each year he finds himself in the E.R. being cared for by Dr. Jenna Ferrar.

This story spanned about 4 years with the relationship building up over the space of a couple of hours over one day in each of those years. With that in mind, the fact that these two people could discover feelings for each other (or probably even remember each other) after such a teeny tiny amount of interaction made the story unbelievable and a little frustrating.


DARCY’S DARK DAY by Julie Kenner
Darcy Franklin is determined to visit New York on April Fool’s Day to show the curse can’t hurt her. Determined to save her from the curse, Cam asks his best friend, Evan, to make sure no harm befalls Darcy. But what Cam doesn’t know is that Evan has always had a crush on Darcy and this is the perfect opportunity for him to make his move.

Curse aside – this was a sweet story if a little unsatisfying in terms of romance. Not bad though and easily the best story of the four.


DEVON’S DILEMMA by Kathleen O’Reilly
In order to hide from the curse, Devon holes herself up in a fortress of a house in a remote town. On April Fool’s night she receives a visit from airman, Chance, who’s happy to take her mind off the bad events that are sure to follow.

It wasn’t the story that was ridiculous with this effort but the fact that Devon lived in such a state of fear from a curse that only struck one day a year. Regardless, Chance didn’t seem like long-term material and I didn’t believe in the romance.


REG’S RESCUE by Julie Kenner
Reg Franklin is the one sibling determined to find the cause of and break the curse. Because of the curse he let go of the only woman he’d ever loved to keep her safe. But now she’s back and the curse just might be ready to be broken.

While I liked this story and the two characters – to my mind Reg didn’t love Anne enough to be with her and it was only his lust driving him to get back with her. Disappointing.


I feel I could really have got behind the premise of a curse that inflicts a whole family for one day a year if it had been handled a little less clumsily and with a little bit more reality – as strange as that may sound. As it was, the whole book was fantastical, a bit baffling and utterly ridiculous. Shame, really. 2 stars and the extra one is only because I finished all the stories and didn’t mind Julie Kenner’s attempts.

His Little Black Book by Heather MacAllister

Frustratingly bland short stories

3 stars

This is a collection of three short stories all based around one wrong text message sent by the boss of an advertising agency and the consequences of the text.

Text and the Single Girl

Junior copywriter Sophie Callahan is determined to move on up the corporate ladder so when she gets a text to attend a private party with the creative director of the ad agency she sees it as her great chance. But when she gets to the beach house she finds the party only consists of client Adrian Dean – what will they do to pass time when a hurricane strikes?

Neither Sophie or Adrian were particularly likeable characters – Sophie because she was too grasping and Adrian because he felt too weak. With that the story fell flat and I didn’t believe that the pair would ever have a happy ever after.

Text Appeal

On her way to the beach house party, Mia Weiss skids off the road in the hurricane only to be rescued by hottie, Kevin Powell. Mia has always been smart in love but Kevin makes her want to throw all her resolutions out the window and just wait out the storm in his bed.

This was a fair enough story but it wasn’t particularly exciting and it was obvious that Kevin and Mia’s attraction was purely physical for the vast majority of the story which is not great when you’re reading a romance.

Safe Text

Being assistant to a demanding boss is running Cammy ragged especially since she’s infatuated with him. But Gil, Cammy’s former partner has the perfect cure in mind and it involved changing her mind about the right man for her while the storm rages outside.

While being the best of the three stories, this one was let down as Cammy had given up three years of her life and a promising career due to her ‘love’ of her boss. Gil deserved a better woman.

For all the stories I didn’t like the fact that all the women were so hung up on or obsessed with Jonathon – the boss of the agency and the man who sent the original text. I know that without that fact the stories wouldn’t make sense but who can root for women who are so pathetic and delusional? Unfortunately this anthology is only worth 3 stars and even then I think I’m being quite generous.

Bad Boys Next Exit by Shannon McKenna, Donna Kauffman & E.C. Sheedy

What a waste…

2 stars

MELTDOWN by Shannon McKenna

Jane Duvall is a great headhunter and she’s determined to snag her next client even if it means stealing him away from hotel CEO, Michael “Mac” Mcnamara. Mac plans to find out what Jane’s really up to even if that means he has to seduce it out of her.

This story started of well but pretty soon turned into absolute trash. Mac was such a bully that it was uncomfortable to read. I like an alpha male as much as the next girl but Mac’s treatment of Jane was emotionally abusive and I was horrified that anyone would class this as romance. Dreadful.

EXPOSED by Donna Kauffman

All Delilah Hudson wants is to get home for Christmas – too bad she’s stranded on a train in the middle of a blizzard. As soon as photographer, Austin Morgan, spies Delilah he’s interested in capturing her in more than just a shot. Perhaps they can heat up the holidays together.

This was a fairly bland story with characters I didn’t empathise with, identify with or particularly care for. The sex within five minutes of meeting each other seemed seedy rather than sexy and the thought of a stranger taking naked pictures of me gave me the creeps rather than turned me on!

PURE GINGER by E.C. Sheedy

Ginger Cameron is fed up with being judged solely on her looks. So she decides to change her look to something a little more dowdy. Cal Beaumann needs to hire Ginger to do PR work but he doesn’t believe that this girl is as straight laced as she appears. So he sets out to uncover her secrets one by one.

Easily the best story of this anthology, I still couldn’t identify much with Ginger. It was all a bit ridiculous and the silly conflict at the end of the story was a bit high school for my tastes. Still the best but still not so great.

This book has been sitting on my shelf for years waiting to be read. I’m actually beginning to wish I’d left it there to gather dust because I really didn’t enjoy it. I’ve previously read other books in the ‘Bad Boys’ series and by these authors and enjoyed them so this book was a little bit of a waste. There are much (much) better romantic anthologies out there and I would recommend you give this one a miss and try one of them. 2 stars and the extra star is only for E.C. Sheedy’s tale which wasn’t too bad.

Another Wild Wedding Night by Leslie Kelly

Three perfect, sexy stories

5 stars

Following on from Kelly’s Play with Me, we once again meet up with Amanda and Reese – this time at their wedding – where we get three stories about people attending their wedding and finding their own happily ever afters.

First Kiss

Bonnie Campbell is sick fed up with always being a good girl and even more so now that she realises everyone thinks of her as practically a virgin. So she’s determined to make the most of the wedding reception and all the hot men. But first she has to tell off hot movie superstar, Drew Erikson, who has managed to snag the honeymoon suite.

This was a sweet and surprisingly believable story that I really enjoyed. Both Bonnie and Drew were likeable and non-stereotypical characters and I liked their happy ending.

Halfway There

Jocelyn “Jazz” Wilkes had never been shy and had left a string of broken hearts in her wake. But her colleague, Blake Marshall, didn’t seem to be the same type as her normal guy. So why is he always in her thoughts? And why does he make her want to give up her single life and settle down. With him.

This was another great story that just oozed with chemistry between the main characters. I liked the fact that the characters had been dancing around each other for weeks and the wedding was the culmination of their feelings – even if they don’t want to admit them to each other!

Last Call

All Abby Bauer wants is a man who she can have a passionate relationship with. Unfortunately for her, despite how much she loves him, it seems that that man is not Keith Manning – her fiancé. Keith is astounded when Abby dumps him but he’s determined not to let her get away and is determined to prove he’s man enough for her.

I adored this story. It was a mixture of sweet and sexy with enough emotion packed in to make it really enjoyable. For me, I could have read this story over and over and never got bored.

Kelly did a similar thing with Overexposed and One Wild Wedding Night and it works just as well second time round. If you’re looking for short, sexy snippets then I would recommend this as the perfect example of Blaze romance and one I really enjoyed. 5 stars.

The Naughty List by Donna Kauffman, Cynthia Eden & Susan Fox

Mixed bag Christmas romance

3 Stars

This is Brava’s annual Christmas story anthology featuring three authors and three different stories all focussing on romance, heat and Christmas time.

Naughty But Nice – Donna Kauffman

Irishman, Griff, is in small town Hamilton to head up a corporate town-wide makeover. Baker Melody has given up her high flying career and now simply wants a quiet life so the pair are bound to cause sparks when they meet up.

This must be part of a series by Kauffman and I remember having similar problems with another of her stories in a previous anthology. It was so bogged down in detail about other people and back story that I got very bored very quickly. And Griff’s “Irish” accent was cringe-worthy in the extreme. Not good.

All I Want for Christmas – Cynthia Eden

Christie Tate is fed up with always being the good girl. So at the office Christmas party she decides to ask Santa for what she really wants – a really good time. But that’s before she realises that Santa is Jonas, her brother’s best friend and the guy she’s had a crush on since childhood.

This was a sweet, enjoyable and romantic story that’s perfect for this kind of anthology. It’s light and frothy with enough heat to keep you warm on a winter night. I liked both Jonas and Christie and it had a sweet happy ending.

Charlotte “Charlie” Coltrane is back in Whistler after promising herself she would never return. She’s immediately captivated by hot contractor, L.J. and is surprised to discover he’s the geeky kid she remembers from high school.

This was a sweet and slow paced story about a couple of misfits that find love. It wasn’t earth shattering but I enjoyed it and was happy at the outcome.

This book had, for me, one great story, one good and one bad. It’s a good read for a cold winter night or just for taking a break from things but nothing extraordinarily special or romantic. Only the middle story was the light, fluffy romance that I was expecting but the last story was still enjoyable while the first was just bad. Still, worth a look if you like Christmas romance despite the festive content being at a minimum. 3 stars.

Not Another Blind Date by Leslie Kelly, Janelle Denison & Jo Leigh

A good selection of Valentine’s stories

4 stars

This is Blaze’s annual collection of stories for Valentine’s Day all focusing on blind dates and what they can lead to.

SKIN DEEP by Janelle Denison

At a fancy dress party, good girl Jayne decides to give herself one night of craziness with a hot, bad boy. Jayne’s never enjoyed sex so hot but it was a one-time thing. Or so she thinks. When Jayne gets set up on a blind date with Brian she realises the Cupid has other ideas.

I really enjoyed this story as it was sweet and cute with some good heat running through it. Definitely the best of the book.

HOLD ON by Leslie Kelly

Shy Sarah Holt is enamoured with sexy Doctor Steve Wilshire but he doesn’t know she exists. So when a twist of fate allows Sarah to step in as Steve’s blind date she jumps at the chance and has the best night of her life. But will it last?

This was a good story if a little far-fetched. I liked the romance but I was surprised Steve wasn’t a little more angry when it came out who Sarah actually was which made the conclusion a little unbelievable for me.

EX MARKS THE SPOT by Jo Leigh

Paige Callahan has just lost a big break for her job so it’s the icing on her crappy week when her ex-boyfriend sets her up for a blind date on Valentine’s Day. But things start to look up when she meets sexy, wealthy, Noah.

I could barely finish this story as it was ridiculous – what ex-boyfriend, described as careless and thoughtless, would set his ex up on a Valentine’s date and what girl would accept? It was also boring and the ending was forced and unbelievable.

Overall, there are two good stories in this anthology and one that didn’t do it for me at all. Despite the bad story I’m still going to go with 4 stars as even if you’re not a fan of Valentine’s Day this anthology is worth a read if you get the chance.

The Mammoth Book of Regency Romance

A good taster of Regency authors

4 stars

I’m always on the look out for enjoyable Regency romances but never want to try a new author’s full length book incase I don’t like the writing style. That’s why I was delighted to find this large anthology. At such a low price (£4 at the time of writing) I felt I couldn’t go wrong.

There are 23 stories in this book, all of them original to this collection so you can guarantee you won’t have read them anywhere else. There are offerings from well known authors such as Lorraine Heath, Candice Hern and Elizabeth Boyle as well as many from less the less well-known. Some stories are sexy and some are quite tame. Basically there’s something for everyone no matter what your taste.

Much like another reviewer, I also found it quite astonishing how good most of the stories in this anthology were. For being so short (each lasts roughly 30 pages), there were remarkably few that I couldn’t finish or didn’t enjoy.

I really liked quite a number of the stories in the book and will definitely be checking out longer length stories by a few of the authors. My standout stories were Upon a Midnight Clear by Anna Campbell, Cinders and Ashe by Elizabeth Boyle, Stolen by Emma Wildes and The Devil’s Bargain by Deborah Raleigh.

Overall, for the price, you get a really good selection of stories and even if you don’t enjoy them all, you’re bound to get find a few that take your fancy. This is a book I would definitely recommend. 4 stars.

Born on the Fourth of July

Fairly lacklustre romantic anthology

2 stars

This Blaze anthology is a collection of stories based around military heroes and the woman who love them.

FRIENDLY FIRE by Jill Shalvis

Cord Madden is stunned to return from active duty to find his best friend and neighbour, Lexi McGowan, pleasuring herself in his shower. He’s stunned by his reaction to her but the wounds that ended his career are holding him back. Can they both move past it?

This was a fairly bland story with little in the way of deep emotion. I can understand that recovering from wounds suffered while in the army is tough to come to terms with but it doesn’t really make for interesting reading.

THE PRODIGAL by Rhonda Nelson

Major Chase Harrison has only returned from Iraq to attend his father’s funeral even though there was no lost between the pair. But he still has to deal with his father’s secretary, the lovely Rorie Whitaker, who makes his blood boil in a completely different way.

This was the best story in my opinion but still nothing overly special. It was quite sad that father and son could never work things out and while I appreciate that’s real life – that’s not what I read romance for. The romance was nice but I could have done with a more concrete ending.

PACKING HEAT by Karen Foley

Throughout his tour of duty in Iraq, Matt Talbot has been exchanging letters with lovely school teacher, Megan O’Connell. Now that he’s back in the US he plans to get to know her a whole lot better.

This was an okay story although I had a lot of trouble believing that a sweet teacher would be so free and loose the first time she met a guy. It again was a little low on the emotion and excitement but wasn’t terrible overall.

This is a book that is probably more aimed at an American market as I think they would more enjoy the military heroes angle.

Personally, I didn’t think any of the stories delivered particularly well on emotion or drama and while I did get through it, it wasn’t overly exciting or a book I would read again. 2 stars.

Manhunting

Enjoyable Valentine’s anthology

5 stars

This is the annual Blaze anthology for Valentine’s Day with three connecting stories of three friends who are determined not to spend another Valentine’s Day alone.

THE CHASE by Betina Krahn

Samantha Drexel has always loved Nick Stack’s music but when the pair finally meet, the sparks that are flying are more from anger than anything else. But those sparks soon turn into sparks of lust but will their one night together turn into forever?

This was a fun story with likeable characters that had great chemistry and a lot of spark.

THE TAKEDOWN by Joanne Rock

Tori Halsey has been in love with her brother’s best friend for most of her life. Now she’s all grown up, she decides that it’s about time she finds out whether they’ve got the kind of chemistry that can last a lifetime.

I do like a story where the couple have known each other forever and especially enjoyed this one as both Tori and Luke realised perhaps they didn’t know everything about each other. Good chemistry and a well-written story.

THE SATISFACTION by Lori Borrill

Sweet Kitty Colburn is determined not to be the only one without a date on Valentine’s Day. Unfortunately, the man she’s picked out is a little, well, boring. So, before she commits to a staid and dull existence, she plans to have some wild times with sexy chef, Josh Beeker.

This was my favourite story of the three as Josh discovers another side to his sweet and shy neighbour. I liked the development of the relationship and it was nicely sexy too.

It’s unusual for me to enjoy all the stories in an anthology but I really enjoyed all three of these. The Valentine’s content is limited so the stories can be enjoyed all year and if you’re looking for some light, fun and romantic stories to take your mind off things for a while then I would recommend this book to you. 5 stars.

Mills and Boon Christmas Treasury of Romance

Disappointing Christmas collection

2 Stars

This is the first Mills and Boon Christmas Treasury although I’m sure it follows on from the Christmas Annuals they published in 2007 and 2008. It takes authors from all different Mills and Boon lines and gives you eleven stories promising romance for over the Christmas season.

Authors featured are: Lucy Munroe, Heidi Rice, Liz Fielding, Alison Kent, Julia James, Margaret Moore, Pamela Toth, Debra Webb, Karen Martyn, Natasha Oakley and Susan Mallery.

My biggest complaint about this book is that only three Christmas or festive stories out of the entire eleven. Why bother compiling a Christmas Treasury only to have most stories have not one drop of Christmas content? I just don’t get it. If I buy a Christmas anthology, I’m looking for 100% Christmas stories.

Having said that the lack of Christmas themes was the biggest issue with this book, I probably would have still been satisfied with the book if I had enjoyed the stories. But, the majority of the stories were bad, with some terrible ones thrown into the mix. Formulaic, highly depressing, lacking depth and emotion, boring and dull were just some of the words that sprang to mind about a lot of the stories. At least one of the stories was also previously offered for free on the e-harlequin website which was rather annoying.

Having said that – there were three good and very enjoyable stories, too. The Christmas Crush by Pamela Toth, Evidence of Desire by Debra Webb and Fool for Love by Susan Mallery were by far the best stories of the book. They alone stopped me from giving this collection only 1 star.

The stories ranged from 6 pages long up to 52 pages long. I tended to prefer the longer ones as they had more depth but that wasn’t always the case. For those who like a particular series of Mills and Boon, there were 2 Modern stories, 3 Romance stories and 1 each of Blaze, Historical, Intrigue, Special Edition. There was also the Woman’s Weekly Competition winning story and a single title author.

I have to say that I did love the retro cover. It really stood out and made me laugh at the same time.

Overall, this book was a huge disappointment to me and I’m afraid that I can’t recommend it. If you’re a Mills and Boon fan then you’re probably going to be much more satisfied buying a full length book. 2 stars.

Blazing Bedtime Stories: Volume 5

One great story, one mediocre

4 Stars

This is the fifth book in Blaze’s Bedtime Stories collection which gives fairy stories a romantic and sexy twist.

A PRINCE OF A GUY by Leslie Kelly

Olivia Vanderbrook has been sent on a very important mission. Journey from her home in the fairytale land of Elatyria to the mystical, magical world called San Fransisco to find and return the kingdom’s errant prince. But it’s not the prince she goes looking for that she ultimately finds.

I am really beginning to enjoy sexy fairy tales and this one is definitely that. Somehow, it’s a believable story with great characters, an interesting plot and some nicely sexy moments. Highly enjoyable and a story that I couldn’t put down.

GOLDIE AND THE THREE BROTHERS by Jennifer LaBrecque

Finding a guy and getting married is Goldie Dawkins’ biggest desire. That is until she lays eyes on Jake Malone. But Jake is 100% against marriage and although he feels the same desire, he won’t risk his freedom. But then they’re trapped together in a cabin in the woods during a storm and they have to deal with their attraction.

I found this story a bit hit or miss. I couldn’t see how two people with such opposing views (and seemingly understandable reasons for these views) could find a way to be together. When they did it was such a turnaround and so quick that I didn’t believe it for a minute. This isn’t a fairy tale and while easy to read and somewhat entertaining – it didn’t do it for me.

This was a book of two halves with the first story one I enjoyed a lot and the other that I could take or leave. Still, for a quick, romantic read with just a touch of fantasy – this is a fine book to choose. 4 stars – 5 for the first story and 3 for the second.

Sex, Love and Valentines

Fun for a quick thrill

3 Stars

This is a collection of 20 erotic stories compiled for Valentine’s Day and each of the stories revolve around the day. This is an Xcite book so you get a range of authors, both male and female, giving you a whole different range of erotic tales including some girl on girl stuff and one gay story.

Firstly, I have to say that I wasn’t impressed with the cover. The girl licking the lollipop was just too pre-pubescent schoolboy fantasy for me to take it seriously and it certainly didn’t excite or titillate me as I’m assuming it was supposed to!

The book contains 20 stories most of which are about 10 pages in length which is perfect for a quick read when the mood strikes. Having said that, at times it was like you were just getting a taste of the story and then it would end just when the going got good.

I’ll admit that the stories (or at least most of them) were exciting in their own way, but for me, I prefer erotic stories with a little bit more fantasy and romance. Some of the stories in this collection were very real-life, realistic and felt more like seedy one night stands.

I’m going to give this collection 3 stars because although there were some really enjoyable and well-written stories (Dr. Charm, Shot to the Heart and Neighbours were my particular favourites), the good stories were outnumbered by the pointless, sordid and at times downright terrible stories in the bunch.

Still, for a quick thrill and for the price then you’re bound to find at least one story in this collection that tickles your fancy.

Seduction by the Book by Stephanie Bond

Short quickie romances

3 Stars

The four stories in this anthology focus on four women who take their favourite stories they’ve read in their erotic book club in order to seduce the men of their dreams.

BETWEEN THE COVERS

Cassie Godwin still lusts after her ex-boyfriend, Mark Shapiro, who dumped her over 6 months ago. After telling her he ‘just wasn’t that into her’, Cassie is determined to make the man eat his words.

This was a cute story and while both Cassie and Mark were both likeable, I couldn’t really get over the fact that Mark had initially dumped Cassie because she wouldn’t go to bed with him.

TURNING THE PAGE

Admin assistant, Page Sharpe, has been in love with her boss, Richard Armstrong for 5 years and it’s high time she made her move. Taking her cue from Venus in Furs, Page manages to show Richard who is really boss.

If I’m honest, I really couldn’t get into this story. I’m happy to read about sexual  submission but when mousy Page turned Richard into a pathetic, wimpy man, I just couldn’t see why I was supposed to route for the pair.

A NEW CHAPTER

When wild child Wendy Trainer realised she was in love with her best friend, she needed to plan his seduction. Worried he might not believe her capable of settling down, she invents a pretend boyfriend and asks Nate Betram to help plan the seduction hoping to make him jealous enough to make his move.

I love stories where best friends fall in love and because of their shared history, this one felt real and complete. Wendy and Nate were perfect for each other and this was definitely the best story of the anthology for me.

SURPRISE ENDING

Jacqueline Mays has always longed to find someone that she could indulge her bondage fantasies with. When she is tasked with auditing the accounts of celebrity chef, Elliot Nicholson, she is sure she’s found her man.

This was an okay story that focussed more on spanking than on heavy bondage. I could get behind the way the couple met and interacted but the story was much too short for any real emotion to come through.

With four stories covered in this book, each one only lasts about 50 pages. While this makes them perfect for a quick read, it does take away from the characterisation, back story and emotional connection. Stephanie Bond is still a great storyteller and although it’s not her best book, if you’re looking for some quick and fun reads then this is a good choice. 3 stars. This book is followed by the e-book Too Hot to Print and the longer length story Her Sexy Valentine.

Sexy Ms. Takes by Jo Leigh

Simple and sweet set of stories

3 Stars

This book is part of the Blaze Encounters series whereby a single author writes three, sexy short stories all around the same event or theme.

In this case, each of the heroines are aiming to get to a New York casting audition for a huge broadway play.

MS. CAST

Actress Bella Lacarie is sure that she’ll get the part in the new play but instead finds herself kidnapped at gunpoint and imprisoned in a basement. Luckily for her, hunky detective John Greco is trapped there with her.

This story was head-shakingly unbelievable and the Italian family stereotypes did nothing for me. The romance was flimsy and I want more of a happily ever after than there seemed to be.

MS. STEP

Dancer Willow Hill needs to land her audition so she can start to make something of her life. Instead she gets knocked over on the street and damages her leg. When she’s confined to bed, she’s very happy that Dr Flynn Bradshaw is on hand to make her feel better.

This was a cute story and I really liked both Willow and Flynn. Their romance was sweet although I could have done with an epilogue or some more information about their ending.

MS. SING

Singer Maggie Trent is on the way to the audition of her life when she gets a call from her best friend Colin Griffith asking for her help. Maggie would do anything for Colin but now all she wants is for him to realise that she’s in love with him.

This was a good read and another sweet story, I could have done without the references to British pop culture (as if trying to prove that the character was genuinely British) but I liked the romance and the ending.

All in all this isn’t a book that I would go out of my way to read again. It was easy to read, sweet and the writing was engaging and well done but none of the characters or stories were outstanding. If you’ve only got a few hours or want something quick and simple then I think you’ll still enjoy this book. 3 stars.

Kissing Santa Claus

Pretty standard Christmas romance anthology

3 Stars

LOCK, STOCK & JINGLE BALLS – Donna Kauffman

Holly Berry hates everything to do with Christmas. So it’s no great joy to her when she inherits her mother’s Christmas shop in the small town where she grew up in and then left as soon as she was able. But her childhood crush Sean Gallagher is determined to make sure this is a Christmas season that Holly won’t soon forget.

This story lacked any sparkle, Christmas or otherwise. The plot was quite plodding, the characters lacking depth and the main focus of the story, a diary of secrets, was seemingly the prelude to another story by Kauffman. Disappointing.

BAH, HANDSOME! – Jill Shalvis

Hope O’Brien is struggling to keep her Colorado B&B in the black. She can’t afford to turn down any paying customers but when accountant Danny Shaw (who just happens to be the man who’s trying to put her out of business) turns up she might just change her mind. But the sparks that are flying aren’t out of anger so the B&B staff attempt a little holiday matchmaking.

This was an adorable story that kept my interest from beginning to end. I do love a sexy geek as a hero and Danny definitely was that. The couple had chemistry, there was humour and there was lots of snow. Not terribly Christmassy but it doesn’t matter when the story is as good as this one is.

IT’S HOTTER AT CHRISTMAS – HelenKay Dimon

Marissa just can’t believe her luck – all she wants is to leave Hawaii and head home to Philadelphia to enjoy some snow at Christmas yet she’s been the victim of two thefts and now can’t get a flight. The only person that can help her is police deputy Ted who is determined to show Marissa that Christmas doesn’t need snow to be perfect.

While I did enjoy this story, it didn’t really have any real excitement. The plot was predictable and quite unrealistic and the characters weren’t particularly endearing. It’s not a horrible story but not one I can really remember despite only finishing it a couple of days ago.

If you’re looking for some light, festive, sexy reads then this might be the book for you. For me, the Jill Shalvis story is excellent but I could take or leave the other two. 3 stars.

Santa, Honey

One great story and two stinkers

2 Stars

HO, HUMBUG, HO – Kate Angell

As community service for speeding in a school zone, hotshot baseball player Alex Boxer is stuck playing a mall Santa right before Christmas. It’s lucky he’s got cute little elf Holly McIntyre to keep him company.

I have read Kate Angell before and thought she was okay but this story read like a proposal rather than a finished story. There was absolutely zero emotional depth to the characters and I neither believed nor cared in their love.

NAUGHTY OR NICE – Sandra Hill

Luke Carter thinks his luck is out when he’s taken hostage by a gun-wielding Santa on Christmas Eve. But when the Santa turns out to be desperate Jessie Jones, he realises his luck might be in after all.

This story was originally published in 1996 (in The Night Before Christmas) and it really doesn’t stand the test of time. The hero is said to be a Brad Pitt wannabe – only older and with a long ponytail. Not my kind of hero at all! The storyline was far fetched but when Janet Jackson showed up in the story I knew it was just too ridiculous for my tastes.

CHRISTMAS UNPLUGGED – Joy Nash

The only thing Casey is worried about over Christmas is the deadline for her newest interactive marketing campaign. That’s until her sister drags her up to a snowy lodge in the middle of nowhere that doesn’t have anything – not even electricity. Luckily for Casey there’s a sexy outdoorsman who’s happy to keep her warm for the holidays.

This is, hands down, the best story in this book and one that I actually very much enjoyed. Casey is such a likeable, realistic character and could barely put the book down as she and Matt fell in love. Sexy and sweet – a perfect, quick Christmas read.

Overall, this really isn’t an anthology I can recommend. The third story is a definite winner but the two quite terrible first stories really bring this book down. There are some much better Christmas romantic anthologies out there and I would think any of those would be a much more satisfying read. 2 stars and both of them are for the Joy Nash story.

Sand, Sun...Seduction

Sexy and sultry summer romance

5 Stars

ENTICED by Stephanie Bond

Attorney Kimber Karlton is having a stressful time. She’s missed her flight to her romantic getaway and now she has to take a chartered plane with rugged rogue and sex god, Finn Meyers.

This was a fun, likeable story with great characters and some real emotion. It really made me smile and was the perfect summer read.

PROPOSITIONED by Leslie Kelly

After her messy divorce from her cheating ex, Liz Talbot finds herself tending bar in gorgeous St Lucia and loving it. That is until millionaire Jack Beaumont tracks her down and tempts her with a proposition she isn’t sure she can refuse.

Like the first story, this was a summery, sweet and exciting read with great characters, hot sex and the perfect ending.

FEVERED by Lori Wilde

Journalist Macy Gatwick is determined to get a promotion by getting the story of the year. She just needs to find Armando Cutler and find out why the corporate whiz suddenly left his job and exiled himself in Costa Rica. But getting stuck with the gorgeous man in a cabin during a tropical storm makes her change her priorities.

This was the weakest story of the three, for me, yet it was still a good read with interesting characters, good dialogue and a sultry setting.

You rarely get a romance anthology where all the stories are strong and enjoyable but they definitely are both in this book. The settings will transport you to hot, sensuous places while the romance will make you sigh. This is the perfect book for a summer read and one I would recommend. 5 stars.