Something About You

Something About You is the newest contemporary romance by Julie James. From the back cover.~

FATE HAS THROWN TWO SWORN ENEMIES…

Of all the hotel rooms rented by all the adulterous politicians in Chicago, female Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Lynde had to choose the one next to 1308, where some hot-and-heavy lovemaking ends with a death. And of all the FBI agents in Illinois, it had to be Special Agent Jack Pallas who gets assigned to this high-profile homicide. The same Jack Pallas who still blames Cameron for a botched crackdown three years ago-and for nearly ruining his career…

…INTO EACH OTHER’S ARMS

Work with Cameron Lynde? Are they kidding? Maybe, Jack thinks, this is some kind of welcome-back prank after his stint away from Chicago. But it’s no joke; the pair is going to have to put their rocky past behind them and focus on the case at hand. That is, if they can cut back on the razor-sharp jibes-and smother the flame of their sizzling-hot sexual tension…

Julie James is an auto-buy author for me and she delivers again with Something About You. I’ve enjoyed every book I’ve ready by Julie James, but think maybe Something About You might just be my favorite. Cameron and Jack have the best chemistry, and it was funny to watch them both fight their attraction to one another. They end up having to work together to keep Cameron safe and figure out who is after her. With a bit of mystery and lots of romance, Something About You is one of the best books I've read this year.

I’m a huge Julie James fan and love that she is one of the authors who has brought back the contemporary romance. I pretty much love every genre of romance that is out there, but I got started with contemporaries, so they always hold a special place in my heart. I highly suggest any Julie James novel to anyone who loves contemporary romances.

Doctor's Appointment & Reading Update

I went to see the medical oncologist yesterday and due to my history of ovarian cyst, she wants to get with my OB/GYN before we pick a course of action. The medicine she wants to put me on would basically be an estrogen blocker, but since I have to stay on the pill, not sure it would really work right. So for now, she is going to do a bit more research and talk with all my doctors to see if we will just do multiple mammograms a year or treat with meds as well. I go back in 6 weeks, unless she calls first with a course of treatment. I'll update more once I talk to my doctor. I really liked that she wanted to look into it more before just putting me on another medication.

As for reading, I've been doing lots of reading lately. I have finished reading Something About You by Julie James(LOVE IT), Giving Up the "V" by Serena Robar(fun YA book), and Instant Attraction by Jill Shalvis(RITA nominated book that I LOVE). Since I'm recovering from a huge sinus infection right now, I'm behind on posting about all the books I've read, but hope to post a bit this weekend.

Thanks to Janelle Denison over at the plotmonkeys blog, I pulled Larissa Ione's Pleasure Unbound out of my TBR pile and can only say I'm currently devouring it. I love this series so much, I bought the next 3 in the series tonight when I ran by B&N to pick up Mind Games by Carolyn Crane(Woohoo CJ!!!).

Homicide in Hardcover

Homicide in Hardcover is the first book in the A Bibliophile Mystery series by Kate Carlisle. From the back cover.~

Brooklyn Wainwright is a skilled surgeon. Sure, her patients might smell like mold and have spines made of leather, but no ailing book is going to die on her watch. The same can’t be said of Abraham Karastovsky, Brooklyn’s friend and former employer.

On the eve of a celebration for his latest books restoration, Brooklyn finds her mentor lying in a pool of his own blood. With his final breath, Abraham leaves Brooklyn a cryptic message, “Remember the devil,” and smiles as she takes possession of his priceless-and supposedly cursed-copy of Goeth’s Faust.

Brooklyn suddenly finds herself accused of murder and theft, thanks to Derek Stone, the humorless-and annoyingly attractive-British security officer who found her knelling over the body. Now she has to make sense of the clues left behind by her mentor if she hopes to restore justice…

Homicide in Hardcover was recommended to me by my friend Silver James, and I’m so glad I listened to her. I loved the main character Brooklyn Wainwright. When Brooklyn finds her mentor Abraham in a pool of his own blood, she becomes the main suspect in his murder. Although she is told to stay out of the investigation by both the police and inspector Derek Stone, she does a bit of investigating on her own. When a competitor of Abraham is also found dead in his home, Brooklyn is again questioned as a suspect.

I really enjoyed Homicide in Hardcover. The friendship between Brooklyn and her best friend Robin was perfectly written. They enter-acted just as women who had been friend their entire life would around one another. I also enjoyed the chemistry between Brooklyn and Derek Stone and hope it is explored further in future books. Homicide in Hardcover is the perfect read for someone who enjoys a great mystery and wonderful characters.

Fantasy in Death

Fantasy in Death is the 30^th book in JD Robb’s best selling In Death series. From the inside cover flap.~

Bart Minnock, founder of the computer gaming giant U-Play, enters his private room, and eagerly can’t wait to lose himself in an imaginary world, to take on the role of a sword-wielding warrior king, in his company’s latest top-secret project. Fantastical.

The next morning, he is found in the same locked room, in a pool of blood, his head separated from his body. It is the most puzzling case Lieutenant Eve Dallas has ever faced, and it is not a game…

She is having as much trouble figuring out how Bart Minnock was murdered as determining who did the murdering. The victim’s girlfriend seems sincerely grief-stricken, and his quirky but brilliant partners at U-Play appear shocked as well. No one seems to have had a problem with the enthusiastic, high-spirited millionaire.

Of course, success can attract jealousy, and gaming, like any business, has its fierce rivalries and dirty tricks-as Eve’s husband, Roarke, one of U-Play’s competitors, knows well. But Minnock was not naive, and he knew how to fight back in the real world as well as the virtual one.

Eve and her team are about to enter the next level of police work, in a world where fantasy is the ultimate seduction-and the price of defeat is death.

Robb gives the reader another stellar mystery/romance with Fantasy in Death, not that I really ever expect anything less. Eve Dallas must get help from the NYPSD e-men and Roarke to help crack Bart Minnock’s murder. Bart is found murdered, behind a locked door in his private gaming room, where only Bart had entered the room. Feeney, McNabb, and Roarke go straight to work to try and recover what is on the destroyed disc still in his machine. As Eve and Peabody investigate Bart’s background, it seems as if he well liked by everyone he has met. Roarke had even tried to hire him before Bart and his 3 best friends started their own company, U-Play. As Eve and Peabody continue to look at all the angles, one of Bart’s partners is also attacked while playing the same game that killed Bart.

I will say that I had the killer figured out somewhat early in Fantasy in Death, which is unusual for me. I normally only figure out the “who-done-it” right before Eve reveals it. I’ve said again and again how much I love JD Robb’s books, and Fantasy in Death in yet another winner in my book. Now only have to wait until November when Indulgence in Death is released for my next Eve Dallas/Roarke fix.

Savin' Me

I was sent a copy of Savin’ Me by my friend; author Alannah Lynne to read while I was recovering from surgery last month. The actual release date was 3/10/10. The following blurb is from www.wildrosepress.com site.

Kat Owens can't believe her luck. Her new job was supposed to be a fresh start—one that would lead to a position she's coveted for years. Instead, it reunites her with the man she’s spent the past thirteen months trying to forget.

Only a fool would let Kat slip away. That was Erik Monteague’s realization upon waking—alone—after an impassioned night with Kat. But fate has brought her back into his life, and he’ll stop at nothing to rekindle their smoldering attraction.

Neither is prepared for the emotional fallout that follows when they act upon their explosive passion. Erik’s feelings for Kat force him to confront the past that has haunted him for ten years. Kat must choose between a promotion and love, while knowing love might not be enough to save Erik.

I loved Savin’ Me from the very first page. Erik and Kat are so hot together I’m pretty sure there was steam rising off my Sony reader. While there were many steamy scenes, the emotional baggage both Erik and Kat carry around could threaten to put an end to their relationship. Watching Erik and Kat fall for one another and put aside past baggage was wonderful. I especially loved watching Erik fall completely for Kat. He is sexy from the very first page, but his sexiness seems to go up a notch as he falls for Kat.

I highly recommend Savin’ Me by Alannah Lynne and I look forward to more books from her in the future. Savin’ Me is an ebook release only and can be purchased from the Wild Rose Press website.