Blade's Lady by Fiona Brand

Description: Anna Tarrant has always assumed that her "knight" in her dreams is not real. He has been there in her head to comfort her through many difficult times. Anna's stepfather has been trying to kill her and gain control of her fortune and family company since she was a girl, and after one attempt as a young adult Anna decides to go into hiding until she is of age to claim her fortune and company, or she knows she will never survive. Finally, her birthday a mere couple of weeks away, Anna has been on the run for seven years, and she knows that she will soon be able to come out of hiding -- but her stepfather has hired a hit man to kill her, and now she is in more danger than ever. Blade has been having dreams about a mysterious sexy red head for years, and now he has finally found her. Fiercely determined to keep her, he has to call upon all of his special forces training to keep her safe and convince her that she deserves a happily-ever-after.

Review: I have a new author to search high and low for. I absolutely had trouble tearing my gaze away from this book, I was utterly mesmerized by the story from the very first page on. With high emotional intensity that reminds me of an oldie Linda Howard, this book has it all and more. Blade was the perfect modern "knight" to Anna's damsel in distress. Call me old fashioned, but I love a modern knight in shining armor who will go to any lengths to save his true love. This comfort read is off to my keeper shelf!!!

Prince Charming by Gaelen Foley

Description: Ascencion's most elusive and widely loved Masked Rider has chosen to rob the wrong coach -- inside sits Rafael, the Prince of the Mediterranean island, and the future King. Not realizing her mistake until it's too late, Lady Daniela Chiaramonte has been caught red handed in her Robin Hood-like endeavor to keep her people fed and pay the outrageous taxes the crooked tax man has inflicted on her. Rafe is stunned by the beauty that dares rob him and his friends, and very intrigued -- He can't stop thinking of getting her into his bed. Prince Rafe has a proposition for her: marry him and give him an heir, or she and her coach robbing cohorts can hang. Dani agrees to the deal, and she even begins to fall in love with her husband, but soon she is caught up in the plot to get rid of the entire royal family and now she must save her husband from the treasonous plot.

Review: I have loved every other Foley book I have read. Not this one. I was caught up and engrossed through the first 100 pages, then got a little bored in the middle 200 pages, and then it picked up again in the last 100 pages. I liked the different setting; I've never read a romance set in the Mediterranean before. I did NOT like the hero. I thought he was an ass. He started out a total playboy, and never really lost that feel. He even nearly cheated on Dani with his former mistress, which I found appalling. That particular scene was nearly a 3-some, which kind of shocked me. Thankfully she veered off of that particular line. I never really got the connection between them. The writing was good, the descriptions of certain events a bit graphic (good and bad, depending on the description) but the character development left me bored. I was relieved to finish this book and still didn't much like the hero in the end. If I'm not mistaken this is one of Foley's early works, and all the other books I have read of hers were more recent, so perhaps she has simply gotten better over time. I am still a big fan of hers, but this particular novel will not be reread.

Highlander Unmasked by Monica McCarty

What's better than a delicious highlander? This is the second book in Monica McCarty's highlander series, and it features the younger brother of the laird from book one. Alex MacLeod is a renowned warrior and for years he has cultivated the idea of his being a mercenary with no ties to his brother for one purpose: to protect his clan by going 'undercover' at court to find out as much as he can about a plot to abolish all highlanders. He intends to then go off and fight against the plot. He doesn't count on running into a neighboring clan and having to rescue Meg MacKinnon and her mother from bandits while they make their own way to court.

Meg must find a strong man with strong loyalties for a husband. Her brother is not strong enough or intelligent enough to be laird by himself, so she has made a deal with her father: she will go to court and find a suitable husband to help her brother rule. When she is rescued by what appears to be a band of misfit warriors, Meg cannot get her mysterious savior out of her mind. She is shocked to find her rescuer at court and thrilled to find out he is from a good family. But her hopes are dashed as Alex plays his part at making her think he is not loyal and certainly not the man she needs. But despite all that must keep them apart, they find in each other a love that cannot be ignored.

Fabulous story, lots of great tension, and engrossing from the first. I got teensy-bit tried of reading about court, preferring my highlander in a highland setting and all, so I can't give it a five, but I give this story a 4!!

The Duke and I by Julia Quinn

It is a sad but true fact that just because a book is widely loved, this does not necessarily mean it is actually good. I can think of two such books off the top of my head. "Flowers From the Storm" being one. Utter trash that book. I am VERY happy to report that "The Duke and I" really IS an excellent book!! Whew! Relief. What a FUN book! I tell you, as I read this book I was either smiling, laughing, or crying. The hero, Simon, had a stuttering problem as a child and his idiot father pretty much ignored his very existence because his long awaited son was not perfect. The poor child worked tirelessly to improve himself and work past his awful stutter. Even as an adult he would struggle with it when in distress or angry. The heroine, Daphne, is one of 8 children and her adorable mother (seriously, I loved this mom, she was a riot) is determined to see her oldest daughter married. To get the mom and society off of their backs, so to speak, the two make a deal to pretend an attachment. All is well until they actually begin to fall for each other and things start to get complicated and sticky. Frankly, I was surprised at the depth of this story. I have read Julia Quinn's books before and usually found them pretty light, but this one definitely had some bite to it. I pretty much read it in one day (ok, a day plus one evening), and I enjoyed every second of it. I know the plot is not entirely original, but you easily forget that as you get caught up in the charm of this story!!!

My Wicked Highlander by Jen Holling

Scotland is in the middle of a nationwide witch-hunt. Unluckily for Isobel MacDonell, she happens to BE a witch. Blessed with the ability to see things that have happened or will happen, Isobel is in danger when she uses her gift to help people. So when Sir Philip Kilpatrick arrives in England to escort her back to Scotland to marry the man her father has chosen for her, she is then forced to travel back through a land that could prove deadly for her. But before she arrives back home to her family she also faces the danger of falling in love with her escort, who is haunted by his own past. Isobel is determined to help Philip find out what happened to his sister who disappeared when she was a child. He blames himself for losing her and he feels he can never go home to stay until he finds her.

This was a complex and fascinating tale of magic and love. Jen Holling is a new-to-me author, and I am interested to read about her other magical sisters. I love a good highlander story, and I love even more when there is a little magic and mayhem thrown in!

Fallen Angels by Lori Foster

Containing 3 previously published novels, "Beguiled", "Wanton", and "Uncovered" (this one was new I believe), all 3 contain characters who work together at a P.I. firm.
Beguiled:
P.I. Dane Carter is under cover posing as his recently deceased twin to try and find out what really happened to his brother. When his brothers ex-girlfriend Angel Morris comes to him thinking he is his twin, things get very interesting when she reveals a secret about his brother.

Wanton:
P.I. Celia Carter is trying to atone for her past mistakes and guilt by finding bad guys who prey on innocent girls. But her boss Alec Sharpe would rather help her re-awaken her sexuality. When they teem up to solve both problems, things get very steamy!!!!!

Uncovered:
Firefighter Harris Black finds nude pictures of a mystery woman near a fire he has just put out. To further mystify him he finds notes with HIS name in them! Who is this woman who knows him and is secretly in love with him? Little does he know she is closer than he thinks....

All three of these stories were HOT HOT HOT. I seriously love this author. She reminds me a bit of Linda Howard, only hotter. She has a serious talent, and I loved all three of these stories, and I will most assuredly be reading these again when I want a good hot comfort read!