Janice Maynard's THE MATING GAME

Janice Maynard has a new release, MATING GAME - check it out! I truly think this is my favorite of all of Janice's covers so far, it's gorgeous!
Nola Grainger needs a man...and fast. Her grandmother has left her everything in her will, with one small catch: Nola has to be married within a month. But if she's going to get married, she wants it to last. And for her, that means finding a man with as much passion as she has—who can take care of every desire, every day.
Nola finds three prime candidates: her high school sweetheart Billy, hard-dealing businessman Marc, and sexy handyman Tanner. Trying out three very different—and very desirable—men proves to be more fun than Nola imagined.
But she never thought it might prove fatal.Because someone in town is dead set against Nola sticking around. And with three new men in her bed, the danger might be closer than she thinks...
Janice's website has a great excerpt too - take a look!
My review:
Nola Grainger has thirty days to find a husband in order to inherit her grandmother's ancestral home. Trouble is, Nola doesn't even have a steady boyfriend. What she does have are three prospects who couldn't be more different if they tried. First is her exciting, occasional bed partner Marc, who leaves her breathlessly satisfied, next is her high school sweetheart, Billy, seemingly Nola's first choice, but he seems a little cool. Lastly, there's Tanner, the able bodied, hard bodied handyman her grandmother had hired to renovate her home. While Nola realizes that passion and sexual attraction are important aspects of marriage, she wants more. She wants a marriage that's real, with someone who will be her mate for life, not just for the one year required by the conditions of her grandmother's will. All three men sincerely care about Nola and their attentiveness is flattering to her as well as at times, confusing.
As if all of this wasn't difficult enough for Nola, someone has decided they don't want her around and increasing threats have her fearing for her life.
MATING GAME is a tad different than any romance I've read. It has Janice's trademark sensuality and classy, likable characters, but the premise of a young woman testing the waters, so to speak, in the beds of three different guys might be a bit of a stretch for some readers. I'll admit that my first thought when the heroine, Nola, slept with all three in a very short period of time, was "Man, what a floozy." As the story progresses, Nola's emotions are delved into more deeply, and while the concept might still be a little on the wild side for those of us who are strictly monogamous, remembering that this is fiction, written solely to entertain, will allow you to fully enjoy. On a side note, Nola ends up picking the guy that I fell for early on, so I was especially pleased with her happy ending! Way to go, Janice! Oh come on guys, you all know Nola's going to have a happy ending, the question was with whom!

Click here to go to Amazon - the last time I looked, Amazon's price was $11.25 - what a steal!
Big thanks to Janice for allowing me to read this for you - and my apologies for being so late with the chatter. You've hit yet another home run with MATING GAME!
Laurie

Ask Janice anything! (and you just might be rewarded - there's a giveaway!)

THE WINNING NAMES HAVE BEEN DRAWN AND THEY ARE:
Janice's "Conversation Hearts" guest soaps: Tee
Laurie's "Love Your Heart" makeup bag, pen and pin: Amy S
Go Red! pens and red dress pins go to: Kathy, Jodi, Maureen and Marie
Congrats to all of the winners! Please contact me with your mailing info at ljodamron@gmail.com by Sunday!




I'm so pleased to have Janice Maynard as guest blogger today! Janice is here to celebrate her latest release, HOT MAIL, with fun conversation and prizes!
Here's an excerpt from HOT MAIL to start things off:
Jane had always struck him as a calm, self-possessed female, not at all prone to hysteria. But what had transpired this evening would upset anyone, and all things considered, he thought she was handling herself pretty well.
She shivered hard. He realized that the frigid air pouring through the busted-out window had filtered to the back of the shop. He could handle it, even without his coat, but Jane was in a vulnerable state. He glanced down at her feet and cursed as he realized for the first time that her slender feet were bare.
He ground his teeth, trying to remember that she had dealt with a lot tonight and didn’t need him berating her. Biting back his scolding words, he stood, took the cup from her, and set it aside.
When he scooped her up in his arms, she flailed wildly. “Put me down.”
He grunted and nearly dropped her. “Be still, for godsakes.”
She continued to struggle, traces of pink blooming on her cheekbones. Her expression was mortified. “I’m too heavy, Ethan. Don’t be ridiculous.”
He had already reached the foot of the staircase leading up to her apartment. “You’re tall,” he said, breathing heavily. “There’s a difference.”
Her foot hit the wall as he moved up the stairs. He muttered an apology and hitched her a bit higher in his arms. Her bare toes struck him as sexy, and the thought made him uncomfortable, especially considering the fact that her left breast was nestled against his chest. He could smell her soap and a faint trace of perfume.
Where her head rested on his shoulder, strands of her hair tickled his chin. It was disconcerting as hell.
On the second floor, he thought about setting her on her feet, but he’d made it this far, so he might as well finish his chivalrous posturing. He spotted her bedroom through an open door and managed to maneuver through it without doing any further damage to his cargo.
He dropped her on the bed and ignored his aching back. Instead, he turned to the dresser and yanked open a drawer. “Where are your socks?” He tossed the question over his shoulder and froze when the first thing his hand touched was a hot pink bra.
He dropped it like it was a poisonous snake and moved one drawer down. “Jane?”
“One more,” she said. Her voice sounded stronger, and he thought she might possibly be laughing at him.
He sighed in relief when he found a pair of wool hiking socks. As he replaced the drawers, his mind flitted back to a beautiful spring day when he and Jane had hiked in the Smokies. They’d laughed and talked, and at the top of a steep incline, they had simply paused to savor the view.
His chest tightened as awareness slammed into him of how much he had missed those fun-filled times with Jane. She was easy to be with, and he had always felt comfortable and relaxed around her.
But somehow... not today.

Janice is kindly offering up the pictured set of "conversation heart" guest soaps for giveaway here! Aren't they the cutest? Conversation hearts play a part in HOT MAIL, so these are perfect as a prize!










I'm celebrating with some goodies from the "Go Red" store on the American Heart Association website, to raise awareness for women's heart health. One winner will receive a make-up bag, a Go Red! pen, and red dress pin, and there will be some other goodies tucked inside. Four additional winners will receive pens and pins.










To be entered for the prizes, all you have to do is ask Janice a question! Don't be shy, she'll answer them all! Well, unless it's just too private, in which case you'll get a "No Comment!" Can't think of a question or someone else already asked your question? Just leave a comment for Janice, tell her which of her books are your favorite, which of her heroes you think is the yummiest, etc.
Thanks bunches for stopping - and please send your friends - the more the merrier when there's a party, right?
Laurie

Janice Maynard's HOT MAIL

I've read every book by Janice Maynard and loved them all, but I truly think she’s written my favorite with HOT MAIL. Janice is sweeter than a box of Valentine candy and will be here on Tuesday, February 10 as a guest blogger! I hope you'll all stop by and say hello. We’ll post an excerpt on Tuesday to tempt you, but in the meantime I’ve posted a review below. Oh, and did I mention there will be prizes? I'll be offering up some little goodies from the Go Red (for women's heart health) store - a make-up bag, some Go Red pens and some red dress pins.
A blurb:
Jane has wanted Ethan for years but has never found a way to tell him. With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, she decides to seduce him by sending anonymous erotic valentines every Friday until the big day. Then she’ll finally reveal her true feelings— and wildest desires.
But when her stationery store is vandalized, it’s Ethan who comes to her rescue—and the sparks start flying way ahead of schedule. Now Jane and her erotic alter ego are competing for Ethan’s affections— and the results couldn’t be hotter.
My review:
Jane and Ethan have known each other for more than half their lives; Jane has loved Ethan for several of those those years. They were best friends until Ethan secretly became engaged to someone else, and although that engagement was soon broken, Jane's tender heart and their friendship were both crushed. Jane finally decides that she’s waited long enough to make her feelings known and begins anonymously sending sexy valentines to Ethan. He is immediately intrigued by the suggestive poems, but when Jane’s paper/stationery shop becomes the target of a vandal, Ethan, as assistant police chief, focuses all of his attention on Jane and her safety. When the vandalism continues and the threat appears to be escalating, Ethan insists on sticking close, but Jane wants him for more than just her protector. It isn’t long before the two become involved, and Jane thinks her wishes may finally be coming true. Until, that is, Ethan's reaction to the naughty valentines isn't quite what Jane was hoping for.
Ethan, being your typical male, never quite understood what happened between him and Jane. All he knows is that he has desperately missed her friendship and even more so, her companionship. When he thinks that Jane is in danger, he becomes nearly obsessed with keeping her safe and soon realizes that his feelings for Jane run much deeper than he ever realized and his intentions quickly turn romantic. Ethan has decided that he wants a future with Jane, but the intrigue of the seductress sending him secret valentines is a frequent niggle in the back of his mind.
Jane and Ethan are both very likable characters. Janice Maynard has written them in such a way that they seem incredibly real and instantly familiar. There’s a good mix of sweet and sexy in HOT MAIL, typical of all of Janice’s books, and secondary romance of Ethan's sister is an equally sweet bonus. I give this book the highest of recommendations to all contemporary romance lovers. Not as blatantly erotic as Janice’s “Elizabeth Scott” works, HOT MAIL is plenty satisfying.Pop on over to Amazon for more information - and to order copies for yourself and a friend. I personally think this would make a great little Valentine's Day gift for a best friend - just look at that beautiful cover!

Janice, thank you so much for allowing me to read and review HOT MAIL for you – Jane and Ethan quickly became my favorites of all of your characters!
Laurie

BY APPOINTMENT ONLY, Janice Maynard's latest

Janice Maynard (check out her updated website!) has a new book, BY APPOINTMENT ONLY, releasing in a couple of days - readers are going to love it! Hannah and Morgan are brilliantly written and Janice pulls you into their story from page one.
A blurb:
A good marriage is based on love, commitment, and enough hot sex to last a lifetime…Hannah loves Morgan enough to become his fiancée, but that doesn’t mean she wants to get married. In her experience, everything goes downhill after you say “I do”—and it all starts in the bedroom. For Morgan, marriage isn’t the end, it’s the beginning, and he’s aching to get started.They find the perfect compromise with a new form of counseling—premarital sex therapy. Each private session brings them closer together, revealing the quirky, kinky sides of their deepest desires. As the role-playing sessions heat up, Hannah discovers that marriage might be the sexiest game of all.

Check out an excerpt here - warning: it's a great teaser!

My review:
At the beginning of this book, Morgan Webber spies Hannah Quarles making a hasty exit from a church to her car and then back into the church; he's undeniably curious. When he sees how stunning she is, he's helpless against the urge to follow her back into the church. Imagine his relief when he finds that she's not the bride in the ceremony taking place, but rather standing up with an elderly couple who is getting married. After the ceremony the church empties and Morgan and Hannah share a heated kiss before she abuptly leaves the chuch again, leaving Morgan desperate to discover her identity.
The story then picks up with Morgan and Hannah in a romantic relationship, and although Morgan has proposed marriage and given her a breathtaking engagement ring, Hannah hesitates to set a wedding date. Morgan is a patient man, but he loves Hannah and wants her to be his wife so badly that he can't help but press just a little. When he presents her with a copy of Bride magazine and she stumbles upon an interesting article about pre-marital sex counseling and wants to investigate the possibilities, he's not in a position to refuse. Hannah comes by her fear of commitment quite honestly, having a father who abandoned her and her mother shortly after Hannah's birth, and a mother who was seriously neglectful. Morgan is quick to use his own parents as an example of a successful marriage, as they've been happily married for thirty-eight years.
Hannah and Morgan take their counseling sessions very seriously and find the sex counseling especially interesting, being nudged into scenarios that they would never have considered on their own. When Hannah still cannot bring herself to set a date, Morgan is frustrated, but after Hannah's parents make their way back into her life, Morgan begins to understand the reasons behind her hesitation.
Just when Hannah decides to give herself, body and soul, to Morgan, fully trusting in his love for her and his promise to love her forever, he has a revelation of his own and doubts begin to take shape in his mind. Needless to say, Hannah is bombarded with emotions ranging from total despair to white-hot anger and she begins to wonder what it will take to bring Morgan back to her. Neither could have anticipated the turn of events about to take place, or the impact not only on them, but on those who love them most.
Janice Maynard has done it again. She's written a love story that goes above and beyond but doesn't quite fit the norm. She has written her heroine as the one with emotional baggage that won't allow her to proceed along the expected course of engagement, something you would normally associate with the male character. I would clarify that Hannah's "issues" aren't silly or frivolous excuses - anyone would have doubtful hesitations if they shared her painful past. Morgan is the stuff of every woman's romantic dreams. He's romantic, tender, and most definitely was present and attentive the day they gave lessons as to the way around a woman's pleasure. The secondary characters and their romantic ups, downs and heartaches are an integral part of Hannah and Morgan's tale and serve as a wonderful filler for their story to wrap around. I give this book the highest of recommendations - from the gorgeous cover to the very last page, it is excellent.

Okay, you've had a blurb, an excerpt and a review - the only thing left is to order a copy! Here's a link to Amazon to help you out!
Thanks so much, Janice, for allowing me to review BY APPOINTMENT ONLY for you - I seriously loved it and can only hope that others will take my advice and get their hands on it!
Next up will be a review for LuAnn McLane's latest, A LITTLE LESS TALK AND A LOT MORE ACTION - I just know it's going to be fun!
Laurie
xo

THE PERFECT TEN by Janice Maynard

Janice Maynard - Just thinking of her makes me smile. She is without a doubt one of the sweetest, most genuine women you'll ever meet. Janice truly cares about everyone and she doesn't hesitate to show it - she's the first to celebrate your good news and to offer her thoughts and prayers when you're in need. Janice was kind enough to send me an ARC of THE PERFECT TEN, which released this week - go get your copy, remember how important those early sales are to authors!! Here's a little blurb and a brief review that I hope will be more temptation than you can resist so you'll rush out to get your hands on it!
A blurb for THE PERFECT TEN:
THE PERFECT TEN - a January 2008 release from NAL/Signet Eclipse...
Something juicy is brewing in the mystical Blue Ridge Mountains, where the beautiful Killaney cousins are concocting brand-new scents in their shop Lotions and Potions. One April night under a full moon, the three women create an alluring combination of eucalyptus, aloe, and sandalwood that sparks a strange chemical reaction. One whiff and men can't seem to get enough of Love Potion #10 - or of the Killaney women - while Diana, Elizabeth, and Jeannie find themselves being swept off their feet and into their wildest fantasies...
You'll find an excerpt here.
My review:
THE PERFECT TEN is a collection of three stories, related just as the three heroines are, and all having the common theme of an apparent love potion that they've concocted for their business, Lotions and Potions, in Asheville, North Carolina.
HE LOVES ME, HE LOVES ME NOT
This first story is that of the youngest cousin, Diana, who unknowingly sets Damian Benetti's blood on fire. Damian works with his hands in his specialty car repair shop, and the hand cream that he gets at Lotions and Potions is the only thing that soothes his rough, dry hands. When he shows an undeniable interest in Diana and begins pursuing her full-throttle, she's determined not to involve her heart. She is convinced that Damian's attraction is the result of the "magic" hand cream he's been using. Damian has no problem with bringing out more and more of Diana's seductive tendencies, but he comes from an entirely different background and doesn't believe that she could ever want a future with him. He has his work cut out for him in convincing Diana that his interest is genuine and not a result of using her magic hand cream.
MOVIE MAGIC
Elizabeth feels that life is passing her by. A failed relationship several years before has left her a romance recluse, focused solely on helping to run the business she owns with her cousins. When she meets the enigmatic Enrique Cantilano, location scout for a movie producer, she can't help but compare herself to the beautiful starlet-types that he's used to dating. Enrique admires Elisabeth's classic beauty, a breath of fresh air compared to the plastic falseness of the women his usual surroundings. When Elizabeth eventually realizes that Enrique isn't the lackadaisical, unmotivated man she first thought, she's even more confused about putting him first in her life and taking a chance on love.
I DREAM OF JEANNIE
Jeannie has been misjudged as a sexpot since she first developed at a very young age. She had to work with determined diligence to get people to take her seriously; few are capable of seeing the real woman behind the beautiful face and body. Nathan Hardison is initially drawn to Jeannie's beauty but quickly discovers a witty, highly intelligent woman who is more than capable of taking care of herself. Jeannie enjoys Nathan's attentions and is pleased to have someone take care of her and her needs. Despite the fun and satisfying pleasures Nathan and Jeannie share, he has concerns about the publicity Jeannie and her cousins are getting over their magic lotions and creams. There is a negative incident in Nathan's recent past that he would prefer remain there, but the media coverage the cousins are receiving makes him feel exposed, resulting in him lashing out at Jeannie with ugly accusations. He soon regrets his ignorance-driven actions and knows that he needs to make things right. Is it too late for Nathan and Jeannie?
Each of the three cousins in this book are simply adorable and their various personalities keep each story unique and fresh. The young men who are helplessly drawn to them could not have been better written as their heroes.
Janice always writes characters who seem as if they could be close, personal friends of hers. Her stories are always sweet but are never lacking in emotion or sensuality. I give THE PERFECT TEN the highest of recommendations.
Janice has a July release this year too (just in time for my birthday, thank you), BY APPOINTMENT ONLY - another great cover, don't you think? This one promises to be a great summer read.

Check out a great excerpt for BY APPOINTMENT ONLY.
Thank you, Janice, for asking me to review this one - thanks everyone for stopping by!
Laurie

IMPROPER ETIQUETTE by Janice Maynard

Janice Maynard http://www.janicemaynard.com/ , for anyone who hasn’t met her, is one of the sweetest, kindest, most genuine people you could ever want to know. Beneath that sweetly innocent exterior lies a closet vixen, a woman who can mix it up with romances that are emotionally and sensually fueled.
Janice writes seductive “sweeter” romances under her own name and more erotic tales as Elizabeth Scott .

Janice’s most recent release is an anthology titled IMPROPER ETIQUETTE, and it is wonderfully fun. The three stories in this anthology center around three woman who heed the advice they find in an antique lover’s handbook written by the very cheeky Miss Matilda. Here is my review:
When Francesca Fremont takes a meal to her new neighbor to welcome him to the neighborhood, they don’t exactly get off on the right foot. Despite their disastrous introduction, Francesca catches the eye of Brett Gilman. Brett has moved into the old fixer upper just to catch some breathing room from scandal that has his life in a shambles. It isn’t long before Francesca takes the sage advice of Miss Matilda’s writings and sets out to seduce Brett. The two are soon heating up the kitchen and every other room in the house.
Lily Lanford has her own guy to snag and she decides that Miss Matilda’s advice to play it cool might be just what it takes to heat things up with her neighbor, Ben Reynolds. Lily and Ben are very good friends and while Lily wants more, Ben seems oblivious. Lily decides to take a clue from Miss Matilda and play hard to get, and it isn’t long before Ben finds Lily simply irresistible and he wants to be more than just her next-door neighbor. Caitlyn Anderson is thrilled at the opportunity to serve on a mayoral-appointed committee whose purpose is the improvement of impoverished neighborhoods in her city. Duke Yancey is also serving on the committee. While the two are both hard-working, highly successful business owners, the similarity ends there. Caitlyn is poised and serious, a lady through and through, and Duke is a born ladies’ man, smooth, suave, and rarely serious, which thoroughly chafes Caitlyn. When these two get together, the fun – and the passion – are ever so sweet.
If you like romance with characters that are successful and sweet, and passions that are sizzling with depth, then this anthology is for you! I give it a high recommendation and hope that you’ll be tempted to get your own copy!

Thanks for stopping!

Laurie

PLAY WITH ME by Janice Maynard

Janice Maynard sent me an arc of her latest book, PLAY WITH ME, some time ago and I’m deeply ashamed that I’m just now getting a review posted for her. I can’t even explain myself except that it’s mostly because the holidays kept me incredibly busy this year, and partly because I was a total slacker and just couldn’t get into reviewing for a while. I can’t begin to apologize enough to Janice.
This book is a lot of fun, overflowing with sensuality - and look at that beautiful cover! Three heartwarming stories – just plain feel-good tales with smoldering love scenes. If any of you haven’t met Janice and you have the opportunity to do so, you should jump at it. You won’t find anyone who is sweeter than Janice Maynard. She is genuine and real, truly kindhearted and caring.
This is my review for PLAY WITH ME:
STILL WATERS
Catherine Maderis, sedate museum archivist, finds herself in a sticky situation after making a pact with her two best friends Kallie and Gina, to meet again in one year, after they’ve each made their wildest, naughtiest fantasies come true. Catherine has set her sights on Phillip Trent, a long-time friend who has been asking her out for some time. Phillip intimidates Catherine with sheer potent maleness; he is an alpha male to the core and quiet, reserved Catherine has been just too shy to go out with him. Catherine proves to be a provocatively sensual woman underneath the delicately cool facade and Phillip finds himself struggling for gentlemanly restrain whenever he is around her.
SKIN DEEP
Kallie Bradshaw sets out to seduce her best friend, Beau Donovan, in keeping with the pact she made with Catherine and Gina. Kallie has wanted Beau for more than just a friend for a very long time. This seduction could prove difficult seeing how Beau treats her like a sister. Little does Kallie know that Beau is equally interested in her. He had just decided to do something about it when Kallie shockingly makes the first move. The odds seem to be against the young lovers and both begin to question their relationship, and whether they can successfully take it to the next level.
PARTY GIRL
Gina McCutchen reluctantly agrees to go on a cruise in an attempt to keep her end of the three-way pact made with her best friends Catherine and Kallie. They both took their chances at love and came out on top. Gina doesn’t have high hopes for this cruise to be the shoehorn for her glass slipper, but she’s determined to give it her best shot. When Trey Lipman ends up on the same cruise, Gina is briefly convinced that her trip is destined for certain ruin. An encounter with Trey a few years earlier left Gina shamed and humiliated. It turns out that Trey’s rejection of Gina before was simply an effort to protect himself because he cared for her. He still cares for her but isn’t sure that there will be time on this cruise to get through the barriers that Gina has put up around her heart.
Janice Maynard has put together an excellent collection of stories that mesh well together. Her characters are always extremely likeable and so well-suited that you can’t help but give them a mental push towards each other.
I give the highest of recommendations for this book – anyone who enjoys incredible sensuality, sexy fun and romantic settings will adore this book.
Take a moment to visit Janice's newly revised website http://www.janicemaynard.com/ and if you have a notion to get this book, which you definitely should, here's a link to Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Play-Me-Janice-Maynard/dp/0451220234/sr=1-1/qid=1168307795/ref=sr_1_1/105-2938839-8820417?ie=UTF8&s=books .
Thanks as always,
Laurie

A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS, a fun Christmas anthology

This week brings the release of A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS, a wonderfully fun Christmas anthology containing the works of Lori Foster, Gemma Bruce, and Janice Maynard. I personally enjoy Christmas stories, and find that anthologies are perfect reading during the holidays. While I typically enjoy full-length novels, these shorter stories are a good fit in a busy schedule when you are pressed for reading time. The holiday theme is a nice touch to put you in the holiday mood - the cover is a holiday treat in itself - how fun! My review:
DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR by LORI FOSTER
When Osbourne “Ozzie” Decker is asked by his friend and fellow SWAT officer, Lucius Ryder, to keep an eye on Marci Churchill, twin sister of Lucius’s new wife, Bethany, he hesitates. His hesitation stems from the uncontrollable desire he has for her. Marci turns him inside out with just a look, who knows what spending several days in close contact with her will do to him. Someone seems to be following Marci, and Lucius and Bethany won’t leave her alone to go on their honeymoon unless she is protected. Osbourne keeps Marci close by his side, and when it turns out that she is equally attracted to him, even the cold temps outside can’t cool them off. Marci’s ability to “hear” animals is a blessing and a curse. There is always someone who wants to talk to her or interview her; she just wants to be left alone. Osbourne always thought that Marci, despite being totally hot, was a bit of a kook, but once he witnesses first-hand her very special gift, he finds himself falling in love with her. Osbourne and Marci are a perfectly sweet couple. Both are written to be caring and tender, typical of Lori Foster, who is incredibly talented at writing characters that feel like someone you know and love, comfortably common and just a little bit flawed.
BAH HUMBUG, BABY by GEMMA BRUCE
Allison Newberry excitedly takes her sister up on her offer of the use of a mountain chalet in the Colorado Rockies town of Good Cheer for the holidays; she can’t wait to spend some down time, all alone. No family, no work, no pressure, just her and maybe a ski hunk or two. Her plan is looking good until old flame Lee Simonson shows up at her door, when it suddenly becomes obvious that they have been duped into spending the week together by their meddlesome families. This is topped off by a huge snowstorm that has them completely snowed in. Despite a rocky start, these two take up where their relationship ended a year prior, but in the back of Allison’s mind is Lee’s dangerous job; how he could take off on a photo shoot to some drug-infested part of the world, not knowing if he would make it back. When the two walk into town a couple of days later and meet some very quirky townsfolk, reminiscent of days, no, make that years, gone by, they are filled with a loving warmth that comes with a sense of belonging. After they return to California, it becomes clear that nothing is as it seems in the town of Good Cheer. This is my first read by Gemma Bruce, but it certainly won’t be my last. Allison and Grant are sensual, fun and well-written.
BY FIRELIGHT by JANICE MAYNARD
Madison Tierney finds herself stranded in the woods in the middle of a raging snowstorm. Sure, she wanted to avoid going home and needed some time away, but this is just too much. She sees a light in the woods and follows it, exhausting herself fighting the wind and blowing snow, and collapsing in a heap when she finally reaches the doorstep. When Grant Monroe finds a beautiful woman on the ground at his door, the first thing he does is make sure she’s ok and begin to warm her up. After that he has to fight the strongest attraction he’s ever had for a woman. He finds himself wanting Madison so badly that he can hardly stand it, but insists on getting to know her before acting on the attraction. Once these two finally do get together, they practically combust, but as the storm lets up and they return to civilization, Madison’s attitude cools considerably, confusing Grant, who realizes that he has fallen madly in love with her. Janice Maynard never fails to write characters that are passionate, caring, and always respectful, and Madison and Grant are no exception.
This is a fun anthology by three very strong voices in women's fiction, you won't want to miss it.
Thanks!
Laurie