Everything and the Moon by Julia Quinn

Challenge: Read a book with 4 words in the title.
Rating: 4

Struck by love at first sight, Robert Kemble, a future earl, and Victoria Lyndon, the vicars daughter, enjoy their whirlwind courtship in the country and plan to get married. But both have fathers who are against their relationship, and on the eve of their planned elopement things go all wrong when Victoria's father stops her. By the time Victoria goes to find him and explain, Robert believes he has been stood up and runs off to London. Robert's father lets her believe he was only dallying with her, and her heart is broken. Seven years later they meet again by chance, and both find that the spark is still there. But both believe the other person stood them up. Now they need to learn to trust again if they are going to be happy ever after.

I almost stopped reading this a couple of chapters in. It started out a little silly, but I decided to give it a bit longer before giving up. I am very glad I did. Julia Quinn has crafted a wonderful emotional story about love lost and then found again. You really feel for both and what they both go through as a result of their meddling fathers. This book, thankfully, does not depend on the big misunderstanding to carry it through the whole book. They do figure out what happened and it becomes more about other issues in the later half of the book. Over all it was fun and enjoyable.

Only You by Elizabeth Lowell

Challenge: Read a book that's been on the TBR for awhile.
Rating: 4.5

Saloon card dealer Eve Johnson has nothing left to bet but herself, so in order to get a stolen treasure map back, she will wager her virtue. Unable to give the winning hand to herself, she gives it to unsuspecting stranger, sharpshooter Matt "Reno" Moran. But when the other players don't take well to Reno winning, Eve steals the map in the confusion and runs off with Reno's winnings -- including her virtue. Reno tracks Eve down and grudgingly agrees to team up to find the missing gold mine in the Colorado mountains. As they follow the map and dodge the killers on their tail, they discover that love is more important than gold.

It's true that Lowell tends to follow a formula in her Only series, but it's a formula that works. I really enjoyed this story in classic western form. This is easily the best western series I have read. Lowell's stories are always interesting, always emotional, and always satisfying in the end. I look forward to the next in the series!

Some Like It Wicked by Teresa Medeiros

Challenge: Read a book published in 2008

This book was chosen by default for this particular challenge, as I almost never buy new books, so I didn't have a large number of new releases floating around on my shelves. This was a very quick read -- I read it within 2 days without even really trying to get through it fast. The characters are likable and interesting -- especially Robert the Bruce the obese cat. I think he was the most amusing character in the book. LOL! While I enjoyed this story it never really moved me or wowed me. It was cute and sweet and I enjoyed the ending a lot. I enjoyed the humor. There were several laugh out loud moments in here that show the authors quirky sense of humor. I have to share one of my favorite lines from the book:

He couldn't have marked his territory any more clearly had he piddled on her kid boots like one of her aunt Margaret's ill mannered spaniels.

Winter '08/'09 Reading Challenge

I am now on to my third Shelfari Readers of Romance reading challenge. In the next 3 months (Dec-Feb) I have to read 15 books! The criteria and my book choices are as follows:

1. Reader’s Choice Place any book here
Highlander Unchained by Monica McCarty

2. Book that was read and Reviewed in the Fall Challenge
The Leopard Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt (reviewed by Cindy)

3. Read a book that has a “D” word in it for December
Her Only Desire by Gaelen Foley

4. Read a book that has an arranged marriage or Marriage of Convenience (AAR Special Titles could be a big help!)
My Devilish Scotsman by Jen Holling

5. For Valentines Day, read a book that has love, kiss or heart in the title
Only Love by Elizabeth Lowell OR Straight For the Heart by Marsha Canham

6. Read a book by Lisa Kleypas
Worth Any Price

7. A book that makes you think about Christmas
Winter Fire by Elizabeth Lowell

8. A title that has 4 words in it
From This Moment On by Lynn Kurland

9. Read a story that has a military or civil servant (firefighter/cop/fbi/clan chief/commander) in it –can be any genre
Morgan by Lori Foster

10. Read a book that has a Viking or Pirate in it!
My Fair Viking by Sandra Hill (I go on the record saying that I am reading this with my feet dragging the whole way. I have not been impressed with her stuff but I am told her Vikings are good, so we will see...)

11. Pick a book that was first published in 2008
Some Like it Wicked by Teresa Medeiros

12. Read a series (Harlequin or Sillehoutte)
Cullen's Bride by Fiona Brand

13. Read a book that the author has 3 names (ie Susan Elizabeth Phillips/ Karen Marie Moning)
Re-read a KMM book -- yet to be decided. Probably Immortal Highlander.

14. For the New Year-Pick a book that has been in your TBR pile for a long time --Out w/ the old in w/ the new!
Only You by Elizabeth Lowell (clearly I am trying to get through this series! This has been on the TBR for about 3 years easily.)

15. Read a book that has a “W” word for Winter
A Rose In Winter by Shana Abe (soooo looking forward to this one)

Never Too Much by Lori Foster

Confirmed bachelor and diner/hotel owner Ben Badwin enjoys women. So when the new landscaping business owner across the street comes in all dirty and worn out, Ben plans to "enjoy" her. But Sierra Murphy is not interested. She just wants to work and try to forget the past she is running from. But Ben isn't giving up, and when her past comes to find her, he does everything he can to keep her around and protect her because his bachelor days were over the second she walked into his life.

Cute! Not mind blowing, and not as good as some of her work, but a cute story. I also enjoyed the secondary romance between his mom and the hunky older landscaping guy.

Wild by Lori Foster

I've been looking forward to this last Winston Brothers book! Zane Winston is used to women throwing themselves at him, but none have been quite so unusual as the Gypsy palm reader next door to his own electronics shop. Her exotic dark looks aren't really to his taste, but he finds himself oddly intrigued. He goes to talk to her at her home above the store, only to find out that Tamara Tremayne is not so exotic after all! Her long dark wig and black contacts hide a beautiful blonde woman who stirs his interest. But Tamara will have to sell her shop and move if she can't figure out who is trying to sabotage her shop and ruin her business. Now that he has found her Zane will do anything he can to help her and keep her around forever.

Loved it! Plenty of twists and turns, great love scenes, and a very fun cast of characters. Great series!

The Duke by Gaelen Foley

*Slight spoilers in this review!*

The Duke of Hawkscliffe is a paragon of virtue. So when his ladylove dies suspiciously he decides to do whatever it takes to find the killer, if there is one. When he risks his reputation by taking a mistress who is connected to his suspect, he never intends for the relationship with the beautiful courtesan Belinda Hamilton to be anything but a farce. But for a courtesan he realizes she is very innocent, and as he closes in on the killer, he also digs deep and learns who this woman really is and what horrible circumstances brought her to this profession. Before either of them know it they have broken the courtesan rule and fallen in love.

I admit I have mixed feelings about this book. There are two things I don't especially love in a romance novel -- rape of the heroine (no matter who did it), and a heroine who is a courtesan. This novel contains both elements. There were two things that allowed me to forgive the author. One, she does not go into details about the rape. It happens, you're there, but you aren't forced to "live" it. Two, the Duke is her first lover after the rapist takes her virginity, so it's not like she has been around the block before meeting him. Honestly, this was a very emotional touching story, and if I were not familiar with Gaelen Foley and already a fan of her books, I may not have read this in the first place. It has a very romantic (slightly over the top) ending, though I didn't feel that Hawk came around fast enough. It was very Pretty Woman meets the Regency, and not a bit 'o fluff, but worth the read for Foley fans.