Monthly Archives: June 2012

HUNTING KAT (YA) by Kelley Armstrong-a review

Posted on by
9

HUNTING KAT (YA) by Kelley Armstrong-a review

HUNTING KAT (e-novella) YA by Kelley Armstrong

HUNTING KAT is a March 2012 re-release, short-story that continues from Kelley Armstrong’s online novella KAT that can be found on the author’s website. Part of the Darkest Powers/Darkness Rising series and originally published in the anthology Kisses From Hell, Hunting Kat is a stand-alone story focusing on 16year old Katiana (Kat) a supernatural being who has been genetically altered and has only come into some of her powers in the previous 6 months. Told from Kat’s POV, Hunting Kat is a very quick read.

Kat and her guardian Marguerite have been on the run for over 11 years. As part of the Edison Project run by the Cabals, Kat was genetically altered so that when she reached maturity, the supernatural part of her DNA would be enhanced. What Kat did not know was that she was a hereditary vampire (silently hoping she was a werecat). Six months ago, a fatal gunshot to the chest would find her in the city morgue without a heartbeat or breath but alive, none-the-less. Now six months later, she and Marguerite were heading to New York to meet other vampires. But taking the car for a morning coffee run was not on the original agenda, and Kat soon found herself the victim of a hit and run and her would-be rescuers knew exactly whom they had found.

Waking up in a small holding cell, Kat was not alone. Two additional captives approximately Kat’s age were also in the cell, claiming to be part of the original Edison Project as well. But someone was lying about his true identity and Kat was not sure who would be more dangerous. Transported to another location, the trio soon devised a plan to break out and escape, only to find themselves facing off against each other. When Kat finally realizes that she has made an error in judgment she will be forced to do the one thing that Marguerite has forbidden her to do-feed from a human source. And in the end, an unlikely friendship will develop between two lost souls who are slowly finding out the truth about what happened over 11 years ago.

HUNTING KAT is an interesting and cute story. I would recommend reading KAT –the online prequel found at Kelley’s website. Some of Kat’s backstory and change is revealed and would help alleviate any questions the reader may have. HUNTING KAT is considered a stand-alone yet still part of the Darkest Powers series of novels. If you are a fan of Kelley Armstrong, you can’t go wrong with this short story.

Reviewed by Sandy

Share

The Winemaker’s Dinner Appetizers: Two Free e-novellas July 1

Posted on by
2

The Winemaker’s Dinner-RSVP and No Reservations-free July 1, 2012


 

FREE–AVAILABLE JULY 1, 2012!

The Winemaker’s Dinner: RSVP by Dr. Ivan Rusilko
Format: eBook
LINK: R.S.V.P.
ISBN: 978-1936305-797

Meet Dr. Ivan Rusilko: He’s a doctor at a world-class medical facility in Miami, he’s got a killer apartment on Miami Beach that overlooks Biscayne Bay and the Miami skyline, and he’s got a great group of friends and quite the social schedule. It’s a pretty damned charmed life, but something’s missing. He’d love a special someone to share it with—someone to laugh with, share his dreams with, and someone to just plain tickle his fancy. After a string of utterly forgettable blind dates and with no real prospects on the horizon, it’s time to take action. On the long drive from Miami Beach to Sarasota, Florida, for the annual Winemaker’s Dinner, Ivan makes a decision. He’s taking charge of his love life—and his fate.

RSVP is a short-story prequel to the highly anticipated erotic romance The Winemaker’s Dinner: Appetizers by co-authors Dr. Ivan Rusilko and Everly Drummond. RSVP is an introduction to the romantic hero and real-life author Dr. Ivan Rusilko, and it marks the good doctor’s solo writing debut.

FREE–AVAILABLE JULY 1, 2012!

The Winemaker’s Dinner: No Reservations by Everly Drummond
Format: eBook
LINK: No Reservations
ISBN: 978-1-62342-900-3

Jaden Thorne is living the dream. Well, not exactly the dream, but her dream—if you call working sixteen-hour days in a hot kitchen a dream, which she does. She’s the executive chef at the hottest new restaurant in Miami Beach, and she’s worked her ass off to get there. When her boss suddenly falls ill, she’s gifted two tickets to the premiere food and wine event of the season. Jaden jumps at the opportunity to network, and with her best friend, Tasha, in tow, she’s soon on a road trip to Sarasota, Florida, for the Winemaker’s Dinner—and a good time.

No Reservations is a short-story prequel to the highly anticipated fictionalized erotic romance The Winemaker’s Dinner: Appetizers by co-authors Dr. Ivan Rusilko and Everly Drummond. No Reservations is an introduction to the romantic heroine in the series, Jaden Thorne, and is written by erotic romance author Everly Drummond.

Share

Jacqueline Rhoades-Interview with the Author

Posted on by
Reply

Jacqueline Rhoades-Interview with the Author

Jacqueline Rhoades is a self-published author who has recently released two novels in her new Guardians of the Race Series. We would like to welcome Jacqueline to The Reading Cafe.

 

 

TRC:  Hi Jacqueline and welcome to The Reading Café. We would like to start with some background information.

Would you please tell us something about yourself?

Jacqueline:  Hi and thanks for the invite. I’ve had a full life. I was born in New England and ended up , so far, here in the middle of the country. I’ve worked in restaurants, hospital labs and schools, raised a family and coached more soccer than I think might be normal, but if I had to describe myself in one word, it would be Reader. I’m never without a book. I learned to read when I was three or four and have been unable to stop ever since. It’s almost an obsession and I actually feel withdrawal symptoms if I’m denied. I consume books. From the Classics to Louis L’Amour, sweet romance to erotica, there isn’t a genre I’ll turn away. Okay, I’ll shut up now. You’ve got the idea, but if you haven’t, I can talk books for hours.

TRC:  What inspired you to write your first book?

Jacqueline:  I have always written stories in my head, mostly at those times when it’s impossible to have a book in my hands; driving, in the shower, working in the yard, or as a passenger on long trips because I suffer from car sickness and can’t read. After years of someday-I’m-gonna, I finally decided to put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard, as it were, and as the ad says, Just Do It. Now I’m doing it and can’t stop writing any more than I can stop reading.

TRC:  You recently made the decision to indie publication. What challenges have you encountered on your road to publication?

Jacqueline:  I started getting agent responses (after their requests for partial and full manuscripts) that praised my writing, my characters, and my ‘voice’, but… they hesitated to take on a paranormal romance because the market was full or because they couldn’t see a place for light, as opposed to dark, heroes. Heartening and yet heartbreaking. There’s an indie market out there for books that don’t ‘fit’, so I decided to give it a go.


TRC:  GUARDIAN’S GRACE is the first novel in your new Guardians of the Race series. Would you please give us some background information about the series?

Jacqueline:  The Paenitentia have been around since the Great Flood. The penance for their forefather’s sin of feasting on the blood and power of man is to live and work beyond the light of day. Violent death can ‘turn’ their males into vampires. My heroes are Guardians of the Race and their whole purpose in life is to protect both Paenitentia and Man from the demons who cross over from the otherworld. Tradition has it that all Paenitentia problems stem from their seduction by the Daughters of Man (now known as witches) thousands of years ago.

TRC:  How would you describe your writing style?

Jacqueline:  Fun! I love the old movie romance from the thirties and forties; a little drama, action, heartbreak (pass the tissues, please) with a bit of comic relief. Of course, I’ve modernized using the paranormal backdrop and lots of sex!

TRC:  Would you please explain the premise behind GUARDIAN’S GRACE?

Jacqueline:  Grace is a social recluse because, as she believes, there’s something wrong with her head. After witnessing a violent event, she’s kidnapped by a pair of Guardian trainees, simply because they don’t know what else to do with her! They bring her to their House and hope to figure it out before their Liege Lord returns. Grace sees pretty quickly that the pair are harmless and, lo and behold, these guys don’t make her head buzz! She decides to make herself indispensable to the running of the House, but there’s one problem… women aren’t allowed in a House of Guardians.  The fun begins when the Liege Lord, Canaan, returns to find a strange woman in his bed and things become more complicated when he finds himself falling in love with this human woman who turns out to be a Daughter of Man, a giant no-no in his traditional world.  Fighting demons he can handle and does. Fighting his love for Grace? It’s a battle he can’t win.

TRC:  You have introduced several characters in your first storyline including ‘uncle Otto’. Have you considered writing a ‘pre-quel’ to the series about Otto?

Jacqueline:  I have, but Otto and the love of his life have a long, long, long history and it couldn’t possibly be covered in one book. I’m trying to work that out.

TRC:   GUARDIAN’S HOPE is your next instalment in the series. Would you please tell us something about the premise?

Jacqueline:  Hope comes from a tight knit religious community and once again, just doesn’t fit. She sees herself as big and bulky, particularly in comparison to her petite and pretty runaway sister. When Hope finds a box her mother hid away and the remnant of a letter her sister wrote pleading for help, she’s off to the big city completely unprepared for what she finds. Again, circumstance force the intrepid twins to bring her to the House of Guardians where she temporarily finds a home and gets to know the suave, sophisticated Nico who sees in her all the voluptuous softness that he has never had in his life. Can this big country girl find love in the arms of this cultured European as the House searches for her missing sister? You betcha!

TRC:  How many books have you planned for the series?

Jacqueline: So far, there are three written and another two swirling around in my head. I suppose this is a good place to point out that there is an underlying theme about the beauty of women in these books. All my women have different looks, body types, and personalities and they’re all as critical of themselves as most of us are. Shame on us and them! And like many women out there, they’re looking for fulfillment in ways that don’t always please their men.  

Grace has always wanted a family to care for and yes, she likes cooking and keeping house for them. For her, it’s a dream come true and I say, ‘Good for her!’ Hope, who’s grown up being treated like a household drudge, wants no part of housekeeping and finds she has a head for business. Good for her, too. JJ (Joy) in the third book, is an ex-cop who is as tough as nails. You won’t find her in the kitchen or behind a desk. We’re all different and we’re all beautiful and I want to celebrate that in my characters.

TRC:  Dov and Col are quite the pair-like two over charged puppies in a room full of children. What or who was your inspiration for these characters?

Jacqueline:  I work in a Junior High. Do you have any idea how raunchy 7th and 8th grade boys are? Sorry, Mom, but it’s true. Inappropriate as it is, I love their sense of humor and I’ve become adept at looking stern and admonishing while sucking in my cheeks to keep from laughing.

TRC:  Will you continue Dov and Col’s particular brand of ‘humor’ in all of your storylines?

Jacqueline:  I will, though they will mature. Slowly….

TRC:  Many author bounce ideas between family members and friends. With whom do you bounce ideas?

Jacqueline: My best friend, Georgianna. Her comments keep my characters true and she’s been invaluable in helping me work through plot mechanics. Email is great for specific questions, but it’s our phone or face to face conversations that really get the creative juices flowing. She also keeps me on task and is a constant source of support and inspiration. Oh, and did I mention we laugh? A lot!

TRC:  On what are you currently working?

 

Jacqueline:  I’m polishing up Guardian’s Joy and the first of a werewolf trilogy called The Alpha’s Mate. I’ve also got a contemporary romance set in a small town in the Appalachian mountains that also looks like it could turn into a series. Those secondary characters just keep pushing and pushing to have their stories told!

 

 

 

TRC:  Would you like to add anything else?

Jacqueline:  Just that I hope readers have as much fun reading my stories as I have writing them. Writing is extremely hard work, but I’ll continue to do it because it makes me happy and it gives me a legitimate reason for all those voices in my head!

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food – Homemade spaghetti and meatballs

Favorite Dessert – Blueberry Pie

Favorite TV Show – NCIS

Favorite Movie – Avatar

Last Movie you Saw – The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Dark or Milk Chocolate – Milk

Favorite Song – Moon River

TRC:  Thank you Jackie for taking the time to answer our questions. We are looking forward to your next instalment in the series. We wish you all the best in your writing career.

Share

GUARDIAN’S HOPE (Guardians of the Race 2) by Jacqueline Rhoades-a review

Posted on by
Reply

GUARDIAN’S HOPE (Guardians of the Race #2) by Jacqueline Rhoades-a review

GUARDIAN’S HOPE (Guardians of the Race #2) by Jacqueline Rhoades

GUARDIAN’S HOPE is the second novel (May 2012 release) in Jacqueline Rhoades Guardians of the Race series.

Hope Parsons is a woman lost. Raised in a religious community by her abusive father, Hope moved away hoping to locate her missing sister and start a new life free of her father’s control. But finding her temporary home destroyed and her landlord murdered, Hope knows two things–Her sister Faith is still missing and the creatures who destroyed her home were not human. And the only thing missing from the home is her mother’s ceremonial dagger known as an athame. Searching the seedy underground nightclubs and bars, Hope finds herself dragged into a world she knew nothing about. But finding herself drunk and staring into the eyes of a handsome stranger in the House of the Guardians, Hope knows it could more than the athame that is missing-but her sanity as well.

Nico is a Guardian. The Guardians are of the Race, with superior strength and speed, descended from Gabriel who live on earth to protect the humans and guard the portal, ensuring the demons do not cross the barrier. But Nico has always believed he is different-unwanted and unwelcome. Serving within a different House every 3 years, Nico bides his time until he must move on. But something about Hope Parsons forces Nico to look back on his life as a Guardian and what it truly means to be accepted into a family.

As the story progresses, Hope learns that she is a Daughter of Man, a descendant of the one of the originals and it will take Manon and Grace to show her what is means. Yet to come into her full power Hope continues to search for her sister, but must now follow the dictates of Caanan and the other Guardians. But it is Nico who will confuse and tug at Hope’s heart. Nico refuses to allow anyone to get close due to his history, and when he finds himself confessing his ‘sins’ to the beautiful woman, it will take all of his strength not to turn and run for the very last time.

Once again, there is plenty of light-hearted humor and passages involving Dov and Col. Like puppies in a room full of little children, Dov and Col entertain the Guardians as well as the reader. It will take 2 equally funny and patient women to tame the brothers from their mischievous antics but 2 women that will have enough love and understanding to calm the beasts within.

Tynan and his demon hordes continue to control the drug trafficking and prostitution trade throughout the city. With the Guardians quickly closing in, Tyn finds it necessary to dispose of the women’s bodies he once used for feeding. But his prized possession named Beauty is beginning to displease him, and it is Beauty who no longer is able to distinguish between the reality and the nightmare that is now choking her life. And with every body that is disposed, Beauty will leave a message hoping that one day, someone will know that she is still alive.

GUARDIAN’S HOPE is a fantastic second storyline in Jacqueline Rhoades Guardians of the Race series. Jacqueline is an indie author who has written a remarkable series that I hope will continue for a long time. I am looking forward to Jacqueline’s next installment-GUARDIAN’S JOY 🙂

Copy supplied by author.

LINKS TO PURCHASE:
Amazon Kindle

Reviewed by Sandy

Share

Reflected in You: Sylvia Day Title Change

Posted on by
Reply

REFLECTED IN YOU: Sylvia Day Title Change

From the Facebook of Sylvia Day: June 29, 2012

Sylvia Day PRE-ORDERS: No worries! The cover and title will update on all the e-tailer websites soon and all pre-orders will be preserved. You’ll still get the right book AND you’ll still get it in the order you were in before. (Did you know that? At midnight on the day of release, when the books start being emailed to your e-reader or mailed via snail mail, they go out in a first come, first served order?)

Sylvia Day WHY THE TITLE CHANGE: The title was changed because some of the merchants thought it was too suggestive and they didn’t want to put it out and shock customers with it. Because the publisher wants the book to be available everywhere (like BARED is), they changed the title so we could keep the distribution widespread.

Share

Blood Awakening/Burden of Blood by Wenona Hulsey

Posted on by
1

Blood Awakening and Burden of Blood by Wenona Hulsey

BLOOD AWAKENING (The Blood Burden series novella) by Wenona Hulsey

BLOOD AWAKENING is the 0.5 novellette in Wenona Hulsey’s Blood Burden series. Introducing Nicole Keenan and her new found abilities to hear ‘evil’ thoughts and dreams of warnings and what’s to come.

Nicole and her BFF Kat were heading to Florida for a few days of fun and relaxation. Kicking back, drinking, dancing and shopping were the only things on the agenda, but finding a sexy, good looking man by the name of Nick Read was an added bonus. But a short walk on the beach found Nick and Nicole in the hospital after blacking out for some unknown reason.

Nicole remembers exactly what happened. Her terrifying nightmares were coming true. The man in her dreams had somehow dropped into her reality and warned her of things to come. His startling proclamation that he had ‘awakened Nicole and one he would come back to take her and her power, when the time was right’ was enough to think she as crazy. But the reality of the situation was coming to light when Nicole began to hear the ‘evil’ thoughts. And just to prove her theory, someone in the hospital was planning to act out a grievous plan, and Nicole was the only one who could stop it before it started.

BLOOD AWAKENING is a quick read, approximately 3 short chapters in length. As the introduction to Wenona’s Blood Burden series, Blood Awakening is a must read, if only to keep you from wondering-how it all began.

 

BURDEN OF BLOOD (Blood Burden series) by Wenona Hulsey

BURDEN OF BLOOD is the first book but second storyline in Wenona Hulsey’s paranormal/urban fantasy Blood Burden series. If you are interested in the series, I would recommend reading the prequel novella Blood Awakening, which explains how the heroine Nicole discovers that she has an unwanted ability to hear ‘evil’ thoughts.

Nicole Keenan is a small town cop with an impeccable record of finding and arresting the bad-guys. What her fellow law enforcement officers do not know (about) is her ability to hear ‘evil’ thoughts. Now, that would be convenient for just about anyone, but evil thoughts surround Nicole wherever she goes, including the local bars and pubs. And when her friend Kat finally convinces Nicole that a night out on the town would be a perfect distraction, Nicole knew that it would be an early night-especially when Luke was invited along for the night’s festivities.

Luke is also a police officer and Nicole’s partner. Since Luke’s arrival on the force, Nicole has been distracted by his good looks, charm and ‘warrior’ like ability to get the job done. And Luke is most definitely attracted to Nicole, in more ways than one.

In a small town there are always those residents who keep an eye out for anyone suspicious and Nicole will suddenly find herself the topic of conversation when a mysterious stranger appears asking about her family and friends. But when Nicole finds herself hunted like prey, it will be Luke that will profess to be her guardian and protector-for all time.

The mystery of Nicole’s abilities will soon become the overriding premise to the hunt when it will be revealed by her father (and Luke) that Nicole’s abilities are descended from the family line of both Royal Fae and Irish Warrior. To complicate matters, she is the sole surviving member of the Royal Fae family. And where does Luke stand?-he is the centuries old Warrior that has been ‘sentenced’ to guard and protect the only surviving member of the royal Fae. Luke has been waiting most of his life for Nicole and he is more than drawn to Nicole as her protector-he is in love with the feisty Fae, and she to him, but life has a funny way of directing you on a chosen path. When Nicole’s full-powers are finally reveal, she knows that there is only one thing she must do-and that is to eliminate the threat to her family and friends, by hunting down the people responsible for destroying her life and to reclaim the family name. But by claiming her independence she will alienate the one person who has sworn to protect and guard the feisty Fae with his life.

BURDEN OF BLOOD is a wonderful storyline. The story is well paced and well written. My only complaint would be the ending. When the heroine walks away from both family and friends, she is also walking away from the man that she loves, all in the name of honor. Luke has sworn to protect and guard, but she pushes everyone away knowing that she risks her own life because of her stubbornness to ask for help. So, yes, the ending pissed me off, but hopefully Wenona will eventually bring Luke and Nicole together-as in a HEA, but it is Urban Fantasy and sometimes, there is rarely a HEA.

Copies supplied by author

Reviewed by Sandy

Share

Elisabeth Barrett-Interview with the Author

Posted on by
1

Elisabeth Barrett-Interview with the Author

 

Elisabeth Barrett’s new July 2012 release DEEP AUTUMN HEAT is the first book in her new Star Harbor series.  WE are pleased to welcome Elisabeth to The Reading Cafe.

 

 

TRC:  Hi Elisabeth and welcome to The Reading Café. Congratulations on the release of your first novel.

Elisabeth:  Thank you very much for having me! I’m delighted to be here!

 

TRC:  We would like to start with some background information. Would you please tell us about yourself?

Elisabeth:  Sure! I live with my amazingly supportive husband and our three little children in Northern California. I’m a card-carrying member of JASNA (Jane Austen Society of North America). I’m a sucker for big band music and jazz, cultivating orchids, and open space preserves. I give nicknames to everything and everyone. I can make up songs and stories on the spot (much to the delight of my kids).

 

TRC:  Have you always had an interest in writing? Do you recall how and when your interest in writing originated?

Elisabeth:  I think it’s safe to say that I always had an interest in writing, but it’s safer to say that I was truly obsessed with reading. I think it was a natural extension to go from reading to writing. It wasn’t a surprise to anyone that I chose a career in law. Brief writing was definitely my thing.

 

TRC:  What inspired you to write your first novel?

Elisabeth:  As I mentioned, I was an avid reader first! I knew exactly the kind of stories I loved – contemporary, small town tales, featuring alpha heroes. The idea for Star Harbor came first. I’m from New England and I lived and worked on Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard when I was younger. I’d always thought Eastern Massachusetts would be an amazing setting for a novel. One day, after sketching out the bones of a story, I just popped open my omnipresent laptop and started clacking away. That story became the first Star Harbor novel – the one featuring Cole Grayson, which is now entitled Long Simmering Spring (Star Harbor #3).

 

TRC:   Deep Autumn Heat (release date July 9, 2012) is the first novel in your new Star Harbor series. Would you please tell us about the premise for your novel?

Elisabeth:  Sure. Here’s the “official” blurb:

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.

 

TRC:  Lexie and Seb are the main characters in Deep Autumn Heat-will their story continue in your next novel Blaze of Winter or will you introduce new characters with each successive novel?

Elisabeth:  Their story will continue, but it won’t be the main focus of the next few novels. Each successive book will focus on another one of the four Grayson brothers. Of course, Star Harbor being a small town, everyone knows everyone’s business, and we will get to peek in on Seb and Lexie’s life together in future novels.

 

TRC:  Will you please tell us the premise for Blaze of Winter? (release date September 10, 2012)

Elisabeth:  Blaze of Winter is a stand alone book, but it picks up right where Deep Autumn Heat left off…with Theo Grayson, Seb’s twin, having recently arrived from San Francisco. Theo’s in town to get his writing back on track, and while he’s there, he runs into beautiful, guarded Avery Newbridge, who’s taking a break from her social work practice to help out her aunt at the Star Harbor Inn. Theo is very different from his twin, and writing him was both challenging and fun!

 

TRC:  How many books have you planned for the Star Harbor series?

Elisabeth: Right now there are four full-length novels and one novella planned.

TRC:  What has been the hardest or most difficult aspect of writing your novel(s)?

Elisabeth  Making sure that the plot passes the “smell test” – i.e. things are plausible in the universe I’ve created. Though they are fiction, I want the books to be as realistic as possible. I do quite a bit of research to make sure that the details are just right. For example, the heroine in Blaze of Winter is a social worker, and to ensure I really understood her profession, I interviewed several social workers at length. And in Deep Autumn Heat, some legal issues come into play. Luckily, that research I was well-equipped to do myself.

 

TRC:  Many authors bounce ideas between spouses and friends. Whom do you bounce ideas with and why?

Elisabeth:  For my first manuscript (Cole’s story, see above), I bounced ideas off my amazingly generous and awesome friend, Jennifer. What’s interesting is that Jennifer isn’t a writer. She’s just a wickedly smart woman who’s a bang-up editor, and I was lucky she wanted to waste – er – spend time helping me. The next few manuscripts I wrote solo, with no input except from my agent at the tail end. I’d welcome the opportunity to hook up with some critique partners and beta readers, but so far, it hasn’t happened (mainly because I haven’t really gone looking).

TRC:  Have you ever considered writing Young Adult novels?

Elisabeth:  Not as of yet. I’ll never say never, but I find that those most successful at writing YA are writers who nail the voice. And writing with a YA voice is a tricky thing. If you’re on, you’re on. If you’re not, it can be just awful.

TRC:  What are you currently working on?

Elisabeth:  I’m currently finishing up my Star Harbor series – two more full-length novels and one novella. Then I’m moving on to my next series (already in the works). The first book in the series, Return to Briarwood, is about two people whose paths crossed many years ago, and now they meet again under very different circumstances. They struggle with whether it’s possible to overcome the past and find a future together. Each has a lot to reconcile, both with each other and with themselves.

TRC:  Would you like to add anything else?

Elisabeth:  I like to bake. Especially chocolate stuff.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food

Dark chocolate (anything over 71% cacao).

Favorite Dessert

Deep, dark, chocolate cake (are you seeing a pattern, here?) 😉

Favorite Movie

Tough one. I’m a sucker for Merchant Ivory films, and of those, I’d have to say A Room with a View is my favorite.

Favorite TV Show

Anything on Masterpiece Mystery. I love Inspector Lewis, Case Files, and Sherlock. And Castle. I’m obsessed.

Last Movie you saw

Midnight in Paris. It was amazing. As soon as I finished it, I wanted to watch it again.

Do you have any pets?

Nope!

Dark or Milk chocolate

Dark, definitely.

Favorite Flower

Lavender. I like the smell.

Last Book you read

Hamlet. (I’m not making this up).

TRC:  Elisabeth, we would like to thank you for taking the time to answer our questions. We wish you the best of luck with your writing career and we look forward to your next release in September –Blaze of Winter

Elisabeth:  Thanks again for hosting me! I would like to close by saying that I hope you enjoy DEEP AUTUMN HEAT! If you’d like to drop me a line, here’s my contact information: Elisabeth’s Website | Blog| Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads And if you’d like to pre-order Deep Autumn Heat, the links are here: Kindle | Nook | itunes |

Share

DEEP AUTUMN HEAT (Star Harbor 1) by Elisabeth Barrett-a review

Posted on by
Reply

DEEP AUTUMN HEAT (Star Harbor 1) by Elisabeth Barrett -a new release review

DEEP AUTUMN HEAT (Star Harbor 1) by Elisabeth Barrett

DEEP AUTUMN HEAT is the first novel (July 2012 release) in new author Elisabeth Barrett’s contemporary romance Star Harbor series. Set in the quiet seaside town of Star Harbor, Maine Elisabeth introduces us to the Grayson brothers-Val, Cole, Theo and Seb. Deep Autumn Heat is Sebastian’s story.

Every Labor Day weekend Sebastian, along with his brothers, returns to Star Harbor, in memory of their late father. Although technically only Seb and his twin Theo return, the Grayson brothers have always made the effort to get caught up and reminisce about their younger days as the local troublemakers and heartbreakers. Theo’s writing career was starting to take off: Cole, a former Special Ops Vet was now Star Harbor’s sheriff: Val, the oldest and quietest, was someone to reign in the Grayson brothers whenever they got into trouble: and Sebastian, world renowned Chef and owner of the upscale New York restaurant Helena. But when Cole suggests they go to the LMK for coffee, Seb is swept away by the spunky chef and owner Lexie Meyer.

Lexie loves operating Lexie Meyer Kitchen. She has always supported her staff and her customers, as well as the local community. And the challenges of expanding with a catering service will add pressure to her already busy restaurant. Getting involved with Seb Grayson was never on the agenda, knowing he was only in town for a short time, but the heart knows what it wants, and apparently she wants Sebastian Grayson. Seb’s obvious attempts at flirtation tempt Lexie, but are a reminder of the past she was hoping to escape. And the recent barrage of threatening notes and an attempt on her life, put Lexie in a collision course with the Grayson boys, when Sheriff Cole Grayson insists on 24 hour protection.

Lexie and Seb’s relationship begins to heat up, when Seb remains in Star Harbor for a friend’s wedding. But the continued anonymous threats against Lexie force her to reveal a painful past and one that appears to be catching up with her –very fast. And there are several other suspects who would like to see Lexie fail, but to suspect that someone she knows and trusts is behind the rash of recent threats, force Lexie to look at those she loves and trusts the most.

Separation from Lexie is difficult for Seb but returning to New York was a priority. His business was expanding and his reality TV show was on the horizon. But the distance between the couple was growing and Seb did not know why Lexie was refusing to take his calls. The only option was to return to Star Harbor and claim Lexie as his own. But someone else was already in Star Harbor-trying to claim what was once his.

DEEP AUTUMN HEAT has romance, suspense, passion and a little sex. The Grayson brothers are tall, dark, handsome brooding men and all obviously have a love of women that will make every female swoon. The storyline is well paced and I enjoyed the brother’s interactions with each other. I like that the identity of the mystery person threatening Lexie is not too obvious until the revealing ah-ha moment although the threat from her past is another matter. And of course the requisite HEA will bring all of the brothers back together once again. A wonderful start to the Star Harbor’s series by Elisabeth Barrett.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

Share