Top "15" Reads of 2012

Many of my blog and twitter friends have been talking about their Top 10 favorite reads of 2012. Honestly, there was no way I could possibly narrow my list down to just 10 books. I decided to narrow mine down to 15…and even then I couldn’t keep it to just 15 books, so I included books in a series for some authors. I read way too many amazing books this year not to highlight as many authors as possible.




Top “15” books of 2012


1. Perfect Fit by Carly Phillips

Really didn’t think I could love any hero more than Dare Barron from Karma, but Mike Marsden totally stole my heart. I also didn’t think I could love a Carly Phillips book more than Karma, but Perfect Fit is hands-down my favorite book by Carly Phillips ever! The official release date is December 31, 2012 and I will post my review on that day.

2. About Last Night by Ruthie Knox

OMG, City is totally the reason I fell in love with this book. I love Nev!


3. The Angel by Tiffany Reisz


I had a rough start with the first book in the Original Sinners series, but totally fell in love with the series while reading The Angel. I love Griffin and Michael so much and even fell pretty hard for Søren in this book. Have to say I’m still totally Team Nora at this point. Can’t wait for the release of The Mistress in 2013!

4. Archangel’s Blade by Nalini Singh

So I know it was released in September 2011, but I didn’t get a chance to read it until after the first of the year. I’ve wanted Dmitri’s story since we first met him and it might just be my favorite Guild Hunters book so far.

5. About That Night by Julie James

I loved Kyle when we first met him in his Jordan’s book and was super excited to see he was getting his own book. My favorite Julie James book ever!!!

6. Ash Trilogy by Shiloh Walker

So book one was released in 2011, but I didn’t read until the 3rd book was coming out. If You Hear Her, If You See Her, and If You Know Her are some of the best romantic suspense books I’ve ever read. Best to read in order, as they connect from the beginning and makes it easier to try and figure out the bad guy.

7. Karma by Carly Phillips

I waited for Dare’s book for what seemed like forever, and all I can say is it was totally worth the wait! Dare Barron is one of my most favorite heroes ever and I loved that he was in love with Liza McKnight since high school.


8. All 2012 releases from Jill Shalvis

No way on earth could I pick just one of the many books I read in 2012 from Jill Shalvis. With 3 new Lucky Harbor full length books, a Christmas novella in Lucky Harbor, and finally getting Adam’s story with Rescue My Heart, I was in heaven in 2012.


9. Kowalski books by Shannon Stacey

Wasn’t even going to try to pick just one. I love the Kowalskis so much and was super excited to see we would get books for each of the cousins.

10. Barefoot in the Sand by Roxanne St. Claire

I loved the 1st book in Rocki’s new Barefoot Bay series so much. The romance between Lacey and Clay was amazing and I loved how honest the relationship between Lacey and her daughter Ashley was portrayed. Best of all was the relationship between Lacey and her 3 best friends, Jocelyn, Zoe, and Tessa. I saw so much of me and my friends while I was reading about these women.


11. The Sullivan series of books by Bella Andre

I’m pretty sure I found Bella’s books at the first of the year and now have read pretty much everything she has ever published. I can’t pick just one of her books as a favorite, just like I can’t pick a favorite Sullivan in the family. It seems like with each book, I fall in love with that sibling over the rest.


12. Lover Reborn by JR Ward


I’d been waiting for Tohr’s book forever. I liked that Ward went back to writing the BDB series more like in the early books with this one. I’m now on the official countdown to Blay and Qhuinn’s book. I can’t wait to read Lover at Last next Spring.

13. Never Seduce a Scot by Maya Banks

I’m a huge fan of Maya Banks no matter what genre. I loved the romance between Eveline and Graeme and how they really did complete one another. I have to say Never Seduce a Scot might just be one of my favorite books ever by Banks.

14. Hot Under Pressure by Louisa Edwards


Beck and Skye’s story wrung pretty much every emotion possible from me. To quote from the movie You’ve Got Mail, read with a box of tissues.



15. Naked by Raine Miller



I actually found Naked, which is book 1 in the Blackstone Affair series thanks to my Facebook and twitter friends. I’m ready for Spring to get here so I can find out what happens with Brynne and Ethan.

Hot Under Pressure

Hot Under Pressure is the final novel in the Rising Star Chef series from Louisa Edwards. From the author’s website.~

Loaded with the hottest dishes and sexiest chefs, the Rising Star Chef competition is about to boil over for one pair of all-star cooks who can’t stand the heat—of working so close together...

SHE’S THE ONE HE LEFT BEHIND

Henry Beck thought he’d already faced the toughest kitchen challenge of his life. After all, what could top sweating it out as a Navy cook on a submarine? But when he learns his competition for the title of Rising Star Chef is the sweet hippie girl he married...and left...ten years ago, the heat is on.

HE’S THE ONE SHE CAN’T FORGET

Now Beck and Skye Gladwell are going head to head in the finals...and sparking up old flames every time they touch. But Skye wants more than a win over the man who abandoned her when she needed him most—she wants a divorce! Then her sexy almost-ex makes a deliciously dangerous proposition. He’ll give in to her demands, but if his team wins the RSC, he has a demand of his own...one last taste of the only woman he ever loved.

I was lucky enough to get an early copy of Hot Under Pressure from NetGalley thanks to Louisa.  I’m a huge fan and was so excited to get my hands on this final book in the series early.

I absolutely loved this book. Beck and Skye are both such amazing characters and I enjoyed getting to know them both better in this book. The chemistry between Beck, or Henry as Skye calls him, is obvious anytime they are in the same room.  I loved getting to know more about their history together and apart. Both Skye and Beck are so strong, yet there was a vulnerability about each of them that made me love them even more.  I love a book that wrings out every emotion possible for me, and with Hot Under Pressure I was moved to both laughter and tears at different time…sometimes at the same time even.

The final challenge for the RSC competition just about killed me. The stories both Beck and Skye told had me bawling my eyes out. Of course, the story doesn’t end there and we are given more of their story with an amazing epilogue. I’ll be the first to say I’m not always a fan of an epilogue, but I agree with Louisa completely that we needed to see what the future held for these characters and it was very well done.

The release date for Hot Under Pressure is March 27, 2012 and I suggest you pre-order in advance or run to your nearest bookstore on release day to get this book.

I loved this book so much, I want to share the love, so I’m giving away a digital copy of this book, or if you are new to the series, any book in the RSC series. All you have to do to qualify is to comment on this post between March 26 – March 30. I’ll use random.org to select a winner and post the winner this weekend. Please let me know in your comment if you prefer kindle or nook format. I know I can gift from both Amazon and B&N, but not sure who else allows gifting of e-books.

On the Steamy Side

On the Steamy Side is the 2^nd book in Louisa Edwards’ Recipe for Love series. From the back cover.~

She’s never met a man so mouth-watering

When Lilah Jane Tunkle fled her dull life in Virginia for the bright lights of New York City, she didn’t expect to wind up a nanny to a gorgeous celebrity chef’s ten-year-old son. Working for the delectable Devon Sparks is a sure-fire recipe for disaster, especially after Lilah gets a tantalizing taste of his perfectly seasoned kisses…

And he can’t resist her down-home spice

Devon’s not sure he can handle one more surprise ingredient in his life-he left his popular TV show, his culinary reputation is on the line, and now the son he barely knows is back for seconds. Lilah’s Southern sass is supposed to keep the boy in line, but soon enough she’s teaching Devon a thing or two about homespun food…and turning up the heat.

I tend to buy books as soon as they come out, but don’t always get to read them right away. I like to joke that I’m afraid they will stop printing books one day. I’m a big fan of Louisa Edwards and I really enjoyed On the Steamy Side a great deal.

In the beginning, Devon is exactly how I would picture a big-time TV chef. He is rude to others in the restaurant, thinks he is always right, and pretty much can get any woman he wants by smiling at them. In fact, the first night Devon and Lilah meet, they hook up. As he spends more and more time with Lilah, I think we get to see the real Devon Sparks. Lilah is like no one Devon has ever met. She says what’s on her mind and doesn’t really care if he likes it or not. She even steps up the help Devon with Tucker, the son he barely knows. Devon is at a career crossroads when we first meet him. He has been doing a cooking TV show for so long; he thinks it is affecting his skills in the kitchen.

Lilah was an interesting character for me. I loved how her Southern roots came out as she passed on the down-home wisdom her aunt taught her. She has feeling for Devon very early on and those feelings only grow stronger the more time she spends with him. She sees a side of Devon he doesn’t usually share with anyone. I found it a little hard to believe how well they got along at first, since they truly are polar opposites. However, the more I read, the more I liked them as a couple.

I really like the voice Louisa Edwards gives to her characters and am happy to say I have both Just One Taste and Too Hot To Touch in my monster TBR pile.