*BOOK REVIEW & EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW* Within Temptation by: Tanya Holmes + Giveaway ~Blog Tour~

Title: Within Temptation (Sons of Temptation, #1)
Author: Tanya Holmes
ASIN: B00K91U118
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Romantic Mystery/Romantic Suspense
Length: 350 pages
Binding: Ebook; Paperback
Published: 9th May 2014
Buy: Amazon , B&N

Synopsis:

Love, betrayal and murder in a small town…

Twelve years after her mother's murder, Shannon Bradford fears she may have helped convict an innocent man. Even worse, her prominent family may have had something to do with it. Desperate for answers, she seeks help from the one person least likely to give it. Her best friend and childhood crush, Trace Dawson. The man she sent to prison.

Serving hard time for murder has left Trace angry and bitter. As far as he's concerned, digging into the past won't replace the years he's lost or erase the hell he's lived. Now that he's free, Shannon Bradford tops his list of bad memories. But he never counted on falling in love.

Set in a sleepy little town during the dead of winter, this award-winning romance novel is a tale of one woman's quest for truth and a man's struggle to forgive.

My Rating:

The fascinating thing about being an avid reader is just when you think you've read every kind of story imaginable, one will totally creep up and catch you by surprise. I went into reading Within Temptation thinking it was going to be an erotic contemporary romance mixed in with a little "whodunit"/suspense. What it actually turned out to be is a well crafted mystery, and the romance/love story was the icing on the cake. While this may sound like a turn off to those readers looking for a hot romance, don't let my words discourage you. Within Temptation is one of those novels that has it all; I just wasn't expecting the mystery aspect of the story to be what captivated me more than the actual romance.

Shannon Bradford and Trace Dawson have history...a connection thought dead and buried when she accused him of murdering her mother that puts him in prison for 12 years. But on the very day of his release, the two come face to face, and while he is bitter and she is wondering if she made the right call all those many years ago, it is quite obvious the flame between them is still there. The author does a great job building sexual chemistry between Trace and Shannon. Rather than tons of sex scenes, Holmes uses some really hot "close encounters", a few self stimulation sessions (wink wink) that packed plenty of heat. I was really surprised that the couple didn't actually hit the sack until about the last 90 pages of the book (kindle/e-book pages) and I was absolutely okay with it. I think it is a fine art when an author can maintain sexual tension throughout the majority of a story before a major sex scene happens.

"You don't know the first thing about humility."

"Really."

"Yes, 'really'. You're too full of yourself."

A slow, wicked grin eased across his lips. "Maybe so. But I'd bet the farm you wouldn't mind being full of me too."

Trace was a very interesting hero. Intense, bitter, angry, sexually frustrated. Combine all of those things with a rough childhood and 12 years in the joint, and you have yourself a deeply layered character. Known as the "Butcher Boy" by the whole town, I really felt for him as he tried to adjust back into society.

Many romantic mysteries are very predictable but I must give Tanya Holmes credit--I was clueless until the very end.  Every time I thought I had it figured out, someone else would start to look like a prime suspect. The story is so well written that it is extremely difficult for me to believe this is not only a debut novel, but that Holmes is considered an indie author. The caliber of her writing is right up there with veteran romance authors and it's quite shocking that this novel hasn't been picked up by a major publishing company. I suspect that this won't last long considering the crazy buzz Within Temptation is getting.

I can't move on until I mention another interesting aspect of the novel which is the many themes that I came across while reading the story-- child abuse, mental illness, fear of aging, suppressed memory, hypnosis. With any other writer this could have been a hot mess. I've read plenty of books where authors try to cram pack so many topics that it becomes hard to focus on what the true purpose of the story is. Holmes weaves these themes in seamlessly like a pro.

While I am a huge fan of Within Temptation, there were a few things that bothered me. Overall, I liked Shannon and as her story unfolds, my sympathy grew--I am being vague so I can stay away from spoilers. However, her wishy washy attitude towards Trace annoyed me after awhile. Once she realizes that she may have made a mistake in accusing him of her mother's murder, it's like she expects him to just forgive her and jump at the chance to work with her to help clear his name. Trace spent TWELVE years in the prison! I think he has a right to be a mad, bitter, pissed off, even if it wasn't technically her fault.

Another thing that didn't seem realistic is the timeline. Trace went to prison when he was 18-- yet he was a stripper, became an expert on dance, taught dance lessons in prison, knows how to work on cars, knows how to renovate a whole house, has several associates degrees (that he worked on while he was in the joint) -- how the hell did he learn all these things by 18 (aside from the associate degrees)? Especially while in high school and with an abusive childhood? Maybe if the author gave us some more background information on how he learned these skills, it would have been more believable.

Lastly, again, Trace spent 12 years in prison but comes out and suffers no kind of PST. After watching shows like RECTIFY--about a man who serves 19 years on death row for the murder of his high school girlfriend and later is released upon new DNA evidence--I became more aware of how traumatic it can be for inmates as they struggle to acclimate back into society after serving years in prison. Yes, the author does a good job of showing how the town reacts to Trace's release, calling him "Butcher Boy" and ostracizing him and the people that support him. However, it would have been more realistic if he had some kind of symptoms of PST, perhaps nightmares or panic attacks.

Within Temptation is a smartly written mystery romance with plenty of nail biting suspense that keeps you riveted until the very end. I think this quote I found sums up the romance aspect of the novel: "The sexual tension is high, and the burn is slow. Sex is character-driven, rather than plot-driven."  While there were a few minor issues dealing mostly with Trace and the believability of his many, many skills, the story is quite remarkable, especially when you have to keep reminding yourself that it was written by a debut author. Read below for my exclusive interview with Tanya Holmes.

best wishes,mia

Excerpt

The beginning notes of Nat King Cole's "Nature Boy" filled the silence. He nudged my chin up with a finger, and what I saw stole my breath. His eyes burned. Instinct made me back away until a wall appeared out of nowhere, and just as he'd done at the garage, he moved in on me. His muscles expanded when he rested his forearm above my head to box me in. Unlike the wall at my back, the wall of muscle in front of me didn't hold me steady, and the more I stared at it, the weaker I became. Trace touched my mouth with his fingertip, pressing past the barrier of my lips until my teeth parted. My breath rushed in on a gasp as he penetrated and explored. All the while, he stared down at me, his intent sure. Before I could stop myself, I'd sucked and drawn his finger in deeper. He swore softly and his nostrils flared. After I realized what I'd done, I shamefully jerked my head away, dislodging him, but the seductive taste and feel of him remained.

"Look at me," he commanded.

I obeyed, giving in to the carnal awareness whittling my breath down to short, audible pants. My heart stopped once he lifted his glistening finger and sucked it into his mouth. He kept his eyes trained on me while he lowered his hand to my lips and reverently painted his wetness across them. His chest expanded when I sampled his gift: warmth, sweetness, and fire. That's how he tasted. Like heaven and hell, darkness and light.

He hadn't kissed me, yet I knew his touch. Hadn't swept his tongue inside, yet I knew his taste. Hadn't done anything except toy with my mouth, but in my imagination he'd done everything and then some. Heat scalded my loins, made me ache so badly I wanted to cry, and like clockwork, the rain came, salving the blaze with a weepy dampness familiar to every woman.

"Please, j-just let me leave," I begged.

He shook his head as if to say, No mercy.

I couldn't breathe. "Trace...I'm scared."

"I know." He slowly cradled my jaw. "Me too."

Author Interview

1. Within Temptation is one of the best mystery romances I have ever read, mostly because it kept me guessing until the big reveal. What inspired you to write this story?

​Trace Dawson, actually. He (the hero in Within Temptation) came to me fully formed. I knew this guy from day one.

So where did he come from? What shaped his personality and circumstances? In looking back, I can think of several direct influences.

Book-wise, I'd say my biggest inspirations were Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence and Catherine Cookson's The Moth. Both novels have an upper class/lower class H/h pairing that produced very juicy conflicts. These are characters who see the world through different eyes because they live in completely different worlds, yet their hearts come together despite these societal road blocks.

Other influences include film and TV. I'm a movie buff and I totally use actors for character inspiration. This is why I love movies, (especially older ones) because they provide a great creative well to drink from. For instance, Clive Owen's BMW Films' character was the physical model for Trace, but that evolved over time to the point where I began adding certain physical traits and personality ticks from various actors. I also started piecing together plot ideas.

There was a film called Captives starring Tim Roth and Julia Ormond. Roth played the bad boy convict to Ormand's good girl. The differences between him and Trace Dawson are stark, especially when it comes to what Roth's character was convicted of (and admitted to doing)---but Roth's edginess intrigued me. He had a dark and gritty intensity in his performance that I wanted to capture on the page.

​Another film that inspired me was Past Midnight starring Rutger Hauer and the late Natasha Richardson. This was a romantic suspense movie about a man convicted of killing his pregnant wife. Hauer's portrayal of the socially awkward ex-con was very nuanced, in that, although he had a darkness about him, he also had a sweetness that Tim Roth's character lacked. So that's what I drew from for Trace's softer side.

And finally, there's Disney's Sleeping Beauty & Snow White. The whole evil queen/evil step-mother thing fascinated me because I always wondered what motivated them. With Snow White's villainess, vanity seemed to be her driving force, but it was a tad too one dimensional for me. They never really explained her deeper motivations. You know, like why was she so vain? What happened in her life to shape her unstable personality? Same with the villainess in Sleeping Beauty.

After giving it some thought, I came up with: Fear of rejection. Fear of growing old. A need for control and a flawed sense of self-worth. Those seemed to be the likely deeper motivations for both Disney villainesses. And that's what I used to create Lilith. So as you can see, Within Temptation is a patchwork quilt of various influences. 

2. I was really surprised at the many themes I came across while reading Within Temptation--child abuse, mental illness, fear of aging, suppressed memory, hypnosis-- why did you incorporate these specific themes into the story? Were any of them written because of personal experience?

The seed for this story began as a study in class distinctions, and how the heart is blind to them, but that wasn't enough. I needed more.

Then Trace showed up.

I remember writing the initial draft of the first chapter in one sitting, feeling everything he felt. He was an angry, bitter ex-con who'd just been released from prison---that's all I had initially. So I had to figure out what he was so angry about. Sure being in prison can make you bitter, but his rage went deeper than that. It was all consuming. A character interview (which I usually don't do) provided the answer. That's when he told me Shannon had betrayed him in the worst possible way.

As for personal experience, sure. Like most people, I know what betrayal and disappointment feels like. That was enough to get the creative juices flowing. The only other theme that I could directly relate to was the aging thing. There's a flashback scene with 40-year-old Lilith where she takes issue with a life insurance commercial. Well, that actually happened to me. :-)

It was about 1 or 2 in the morning and I was watching a really awful Dracula movie when this life insurance commercial came on. I was like, really? Who the heck wants to think about that before they go to bed? lol It was surreal, and left an indelible impression on me. So I used it for Lilith and added a ton of crazy.

3. At the end of Within Temptation, you tease us with a sneak peak of Temptation's Edge, book 2 in the Sons of Temptation series which can be read as a standalone. When can fans expect this next installment? Do you know how many more books are planned in the Sons of Temptation series?

​I'm currently writing Book 2 (Temptation's Edge). It's got a tentative 2015 release date. Unlike Within Temptation, which is romantic suspense, Temptation's Edge will be a straight contemporary romance.

The third book in the trilogy (Beyond Temptation) will also be a contemporary romance. The hero's name is Declan Michael North (Dex for short), but that could change. What I know so far is that he's British, rich, very cheeky, and he's an ex-porn star turned serious actor. I also know his troubled backstory and his secret agenda.

So what possible connection does an ex-porn star (and a Brit to boot) possibly have with Temptation, West Virginia?

Stay tuned. :-) ​

About the Author

Tanya Holmes is a former Romance Writers of America Golden Heart finalist, a recipient of the Maggie Award, the MICA Award, as well as Overall Winner of the Sandy Haddad Award and a two-time finalist and one-time winner of The Emily (Best of the Best). She's happily married with children and loves reading, writing and a good cup of coffee---but not necessarily in that order. Her debut novel, Within Temptation was released on May 12, 2014.

Connect With Tanya

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Giveaway

Three Grand Prize winners (U.S. Only)

Winner A 

Signed copy of Within Temptation 

Within Temptation pen 

Within Temptation rack card 

Within Temptation magnet 

Poison perfume-scented hanky 

 Playing For Keeps by Jamie Denton, paperback 

Skin Deep by Megan D. Martin, ebook

Winner B 

Signed copy of Within Temptation 

Within Temptation pen 

Within Temptation magnet 

Within Temptation keychain 

Within Temptation rack card 

The Matchmaker by Jamie Denton, paperback 

Drowning in Rapture by Megan D. Martin, ebook

Winner C 

Signed copy of Within Temptation 

Within Temptation rack card 

Within Temptation keychain 

Within Temptation magnet 

Sample of Poison perfume by Dior 

Paving Paradise by Nerika Parke, e-book 

Dead Stop by Jamie Denton, paperback

a Rafflecopter giveaway

good luck,mia

RELEASE DAY BLITZ- To Murder Matt by: Viveca Benoir

synopsis

How can one man ruin every life he touches?

When sexy former racing driver and now international playboy, Matt, ends up in hospital, four people sit outside his room and wait to hear whether he will live or die.

Each one of them wants him dead.

This book takes you on an exciting roller coaster through each of their lives. A breathtaking story of lives entwined in desire, passion, lies, deceit and epic betrayals.

What makes one man so hated by everyone?

Important Note: This book contains graphic sex scenes, and taboo content. It is therefore suitable for open-minded individuals 18+ Adults

This is a sexy read, and also covers some difficult taboo subjects with delicacy and honesty. If you like to read a book with your heart racing, that gets you jumping out of the chair in shock, that makes you laugh, and cry, then this is the read for you. It is an intelligent, fast-paced book that draws you in, and won't let you go until you sit panting and can’t remember what day it is. It has a cover that people won’t realize hides a real raunchy adventure. It was going to be a one off, but so far all the reviewers have asked, (no, demanded) a prequel AND a sequel and so Viveca is busy writing those presently.

Current Reviews can be found on Viveca's website or just click HERE.

 

meet the sexy suspects...

book info & buy links

Title: To Murder Matt

Author: Viveca Benoir

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Organized by: Kinky Book Klub

Release Date: 14th May 2014

Buy Links

Amazon (US) | Amazon (UK) | Amazon (GER) | Amazon (FRA) | Amazon (ITA)

B&N | KOBO

about the author

Born in Germany to British Army parents, Viveca grew up in Europe and speaks six European languages fluently. Married, with two biological children, plus four adopted children. Now, years later, the kids all grown up, she is on her way to becoming an international best selling author, writing a variety of genres. Her hobbies include, when she has time - fencing, dressage, playing the cello, traveling, and many more.

Connect with Viveca

Website | Facebook | Goodreads

best wishes,mia

Book Review: Hell On Wheels by: Julie Ann Walker

Title: Hell On Wheels (Black Knights Inc., #1)
Author: Julie Ann Walker
ISBN: 1402267134
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Theme(s): Bikers, Special Ops, Romance
Binding: Paperback
Length: 384 pgs
Published: 7 Aug 2012; Sourcebooks Casablanca
Buy: amazon.com

Synopsis: Black Knights Inc.—Behind the facade of their tricked–out motorcycle shop is an elite special ops team assigned the jobs too hot for anyone else to handle.

Hold On Tight...
Ex–Marine Nate "Ghost" Weller is an expert at keeping his cool—and his distance—which makes him one hell of a sniper. It's also how he keeps his feelings for Ali Morgan in check. Sweet, sexy Ali has always revved his engine, but she's his best friend's baby sister...and totally off limits.

Rough Road Ahead
Ali's never seen anything sexier than Nate Weller straddling his custom Harley—or the flash of danger in his eyes when she tells him she's in trouble. First something happened to her brother, and now she's become the target of a nasty international organization. With Nate, her life is in the most capable hands possible—but her heart is another story altogether.

My Rating:

My Review: First and foremost, before I even delve into this review, let's turn our attention for a moment to the cover and title of this book. Hot guy with a gun, wearing a sexy black tight v-neck t-shirt, and a bad ass motorcycle (later I would find out its name, Phantom) in the background. Hell On Wheels??? Oh, HELL YEAH! I really can't explain my joy when I came across this book. Maybe it's because I have a thing for bikers-- I am obsessed with the FX tv show Sons of Anarchy, and my boyfriend just so happens to ride as well. Also, the romantic suspense genre is starting to get a bit...boring, especially when it comes to the hero being a covert special ops agent. But combining the two worlds? I'm game! Now, I know it's been done before, how could I forget Jaci Burton's Wild Riders series. But the key is, it hasn't been over done. Julie Ann Walker is a new author that I was hoping would give us something fresh in this overly saturated genre. While she doesn't fail in this mission (like that? hehe), she does have some work to do to smooth out the kinks.

First with what I liked about Hell On Wheels. The story opens with  2 people that are deeply hurt by loss but in completely different ways. You have Ali, our heroine, who has just been told that her beloved older brother Grigg has been killed on a mission. Then you have Nate, our hero, who not only suffers from the loss of his best friend, but also is being torn to shreds with guilt. Why does he feel guilt you ask? Well, that is for you to find out! What I can say is that Walker is fantastic with evoking emotions. It's been a long time since a romance novel has caused me to tear up or to feel heaviness in my chest. There are two scenes that come to mind, one with a flash back scene between Frank and Grigg and another with secondary characters Frank and Becky. I will leave it up to you to pin point the exact scenes.

Not only does Walker give us a great tortured hero (who is alpha, but not over-the-top) and smart heroine (helpless females get on my nerves after awhile), she also is good at creating realistic and likeable secondary characters. Each of these characters have a role that we've seen done over and over again, such as Ozzie the geeky tech, Becky the house mechanic, and Frank, the gruff boss who carries the weight of the world on his shoulders. Once these characters were introduced, I thought the book was going to go down hill. But somehow Walker brings a freshness to these cliche character types. Ozzie is my favorite. He is hilarious, not only because he annoys everyone with his singing and song choices, but because he is constantly quoting movies. Might I also add that while at first I imagined Ozzie to be nerdy since he is a wiz with computers and techie stuff, my imagination quickly changed with the way Walker describes him: "The guy was wearing a T-shirt with a picture of Mr. Spock's favorite hand gesture ad the slogan 100% Trekkie, which was slightly incongruous when compared to the shoulder holster and the mean-looking, matte-black gun secured to his side. He looked like some strange combination of geek and warrior. The man you'd call if you needed to invade a small country or translate a message written in Klingon." Sexy, right? :)

If you are a fan of lots of sex scenes, you won't find it here. BUT WAIT! What Walker DOES do exceedingly well is sustaining the heat meter. When an author can create sexual tension, build on it, and you don't even realize the book is halfway over and the main characters haven't done the deed yet, then you know the author has a skill. And what's even better is the fact that Nate and Ali aren't the only ones that have a serious case of sexual tension. So does Frank and Becky, which will be the main leads in book 2, but I am getting ahead of myself!

Now to why I only gave Hell On Wheels a 3 star rating. The beginning of the book absolutely scared me. The first couple of chapters didn't flow and I had to keep telling myself that this is a new author, give it time, the wrinkles will start to smooth out. And thank God they do. But some of her word choices were repetitive and it wouldn't have been that noticeable if they weren't bigger words, like "capitulated" and "surreptitiously".

I also got annoyed with the way she wrote some of Ali's inner dialogue. I get that Ali doesn't like cursing, but does she really spell out the word "hell" as "H-E-Double Hocky Sticks" in her head??? Imagine that throughout the whole story. Yeah, quite irritating. My other big issue is the majority of  the characters sounded the same, like they all had the same voice. Each character should sound different, have a distinct personality and I felt that other than maybe Ozzie, the dialogue and prose kind of runs together. I will say it does get a better by the middle to the end of the book; Nate starts to sound like Nate and Frank starts to sound like Frank.

My last issue is something that happens with many first books in series. While I loved her secondary characters, there were a few minor ones that she spent too much time on. There were paragraphs I skimmed and a few pages I skipped. And I hate doing that. It's always tough to find a balance when you're trying to build your world and set up your characters for future books.

Overall, I think that Hell On Wheels was a solid first book in a planned series. For a debut author, I think Julie Ann Walker has a lot of potential. While she isn't as steamy a writer as say veteran erotic romance author Lora Leigh, they do share a similarity in plot formula, such as the hero who falls in love with his best friend's baby sister, or the hero who thinks he is too old and jaded to be with the woman he wants. Lora Leigh is the queen of writing those plot devices, so we shall see how Walker makes them her own. I also think she has a great sense of humor, especially the Dum Dums lollipop drama between Becky and Frank. You will see what I mean when you read the book! Speaking of those two, Frank and Becky's story will unfold next in In Rides Trouble, due out next month on September 4th. I know, the release dates for Hell On Wheels and In Rides Trouble are only a month apart! Book 3, Rev It Up, comes out on October 2nd. I look forward to reading some more biker, special ops yumminess!

Book Review: A Perfect Storm by: Lori Foster

Title: A Perfect Storm (Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor, #4)
Author: Lori Foster
ISBN: 978-0373776566
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Theme(s): Suspense, Romance, Human Trafficking
Length: 449 pgs
Binding: Paperback
Published: 27 March 2012; HQN Books
Buy: Amazon.com, BN.com

Synopsis:

He never saw her coming...

Spencer Lark already knows too many secrets about Arizona Storm, including the nightmare she survived and her resulting trust issues. But in order to expose a smuggling ring—and continue avenging his own tragic past—the bounty hunter reluctantly agrees to make Arizona a decoy. Yet nothing has equipped him for her hypnotic blend of fragility and bravery, or for the protective instincts she stirs in him.

Arizona wants to reclaim her life, which means acting as bait to lure the enemy into a trap. Sure it's dangerous, especially with a partner as distractingly appealing as Spencer. But as their plan—and their chemistry—shifts into high gear, Arizona may discover there's an even greater risk in surrendering her heart to a hero...

My Rating:

My Review: This review is going to be a bit longer than normal because as I started reviewing A Perfect Storm, I noticed myself mentioning a lot about the series as a whole. If you don't know this already, A Perfect Storm is the 4th and last installment in Lori Foster's The Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor Series. And boy was it a great run while it lasted! Am I sad to see this series end? Absolutely. Do I think Lori could squeeze one more book out? Hell yes, and I will get to that later in my review. But as they say, all good things must come to an end. And it just so happens to end with Spencer and Arizona's story, which sort of begins at the end of Savor the Danger, book 3 in the series.

The way Lori Foster weaves this series together is through constant interaction between her characters. The main characters from each book make frequent appearances throughout the whole series, which leads to some intricate storytelling. So before I go on, let me set the stage. The series revolves around 3 friends, Dare, Trace, and Jackson (Spencer doesn't enter the stage until later obviously) who work as mercenaries to stop human trafficking.

Things get a little personal in When You Dare, book 1, when Dare must save Trace's sister, Alani, who has been kidnapped while on vacation. Trace's cover is blown since he is related, so Dare goes in. When he goes in for Alani, he ends up rescuing another woman that had been kidnapped too. Severely beaten, Dare can't help but admire Molly's fighting spirit and against his iron rules to not mix business with pleasure, he reluctantly agrees to help Molly track down the men who kidnapped her, not counting on falling in love along the way...

Fueled with fire after almost loosing his sister Alani to the very monsters he hunts down, Trace of Fever, book 2, focusing on Trace going undercover. Pretending to be a bodyguard for Murray Coburn, Trace knows the wealthy businessman is corrupt and intends to find proof to put him away. What he doesn't count on is Coburn's long lost daughter, Priss (short for Priscilla), waltzing in with her own agenda. With Dare and Jackson for backup, Trace has his hands full with keeping focused on the mission while trying to protect Priss from letting revenge get the best of her. He also can't seem to keep his hands off her lovely assets....

Trace doesn't seem to get a break because in Savor the Danger, book 3, instead of fighting human traffickers, he has to fight his brotherly instincts when his little sister, Alani, ends up in bed with Jackson. Jackson has been flirting with Alani for what seems like ages, but has kept somewhat of a distance out of respect for her brother, Trace. After Alani's kidnapping, the girl just doesn't seem the same, aloof and skittish. Finding any excuse possible to get her alone, he convinces her that his place needs a makeover-- and Alani is one hell of an interior decorator. But things go south when he wakes up the next morning...with a naked Alani in his bed and absolutely no memory of how it happened! He knows he has to have been drugged-- there is no way in hell he would forget a whole night of lovin' with the woman of his dreams-- but convincing Alani of this is a whole other matter. On top of that, Jackson has a few secrets of his own...such as one rainy night when he comes across men throwing a body bag into the river. Jumping in after it, he ends up saving an abused girl who is a victim of sex slavery. Jackson helps her rebuild her life by giving her an education, a new identity, and sort of adopts her as his little sister-- and that is how we come to know Arizona. We learn at the end of book 3 that there is a connection between the people that drugged Jackson and those who were responsible for Arizona's years of hell as a sex slave, and Arizona is out for revenge, to make them pay. Spencer is a bounty hunter who meets Arizona in a bar while on a hunt. He is first blinded by her beauty, but he soon realizes the little minx is a magnet for trouble. And he can't help but go with his instincts and follows her into the fire-- which is how he ends up meeting Jackson, Trace, and Dare...

This brings us to A Perfect Storm, book 4. Arizona doesn't trust any man except Jackson but with Jackson setting up house with Alani, the only person she feels she can turn to is Spencer. Yeah, she knows she can probably trust Dare and Trace, but they would only run back to Jackson, and that would just kill her plans. Besides, even if she won't admit it, there is something about Spencer that attracts her, that causes her womanly instincts to flare up, and it scares the living daylights out of her. But she knows she needs someone to partner up with her so that she can expose a smuggling ring and Spencer is the perfect man for the job. But Spencer doesn't quite play fair and before she knows it, the whole family is involved-- Dare, Trace, and her annoying adopted brother Jackson. Can they all work together to help Arizona realize her self worth and how much she means to them all, especially Spencer?

Lori Foster did a great job with the main theme that runs through this series which is human trafficking. Is it going to meet everyone's approval? Probably not since it is a sensitive topic. But I think she handled it with care and respect. Although When You Dare, book 1 is my favorite in the series, what sets A Perfect Storm apart is the realism. In her previous books in the series, we experience the fear of being kidnapped, beaten, almost being sold-- but just in the nick of time, Molly and Alani are rescued. This is a popular formula that is used in many romances. But in A Perfect Storm, Arizona's harrowing experience is the real deal. She was sold by her father at the age of 17 and experienced the many horrors of sex slavery. She was later able to escape and had to cheat, lie, steal, and learn how to use weapons in order to survive.

After all, in the real world, we don't always have white knights in shining armor to come save us. Arizona didn't have anyone in her corner for the majority of her life. Instead of staying the victim, she chose to fight, to take matters into her own hands as I mentioned above. Jackson saves her that fateful night when she is thrown into the river and like any good man, he wants to wrap her up in a security blanket and fight her battles for her. But that isn't how Arizona rolls and for her, trying to make her forget is not always the best way to conquer her fears. She reminds me so much of another amazing female survivor, Lisbeth from Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Like Lisbeth, Arizona doesn't really trust any man, can never let her guard down, and the only way to truly feel justice is to make those monsters pay personally, rather then send someone in to do it for them.

Do I like Arizona? Yes, I do. Was she a little annoying? Yes. Was it because of her age? No. I'm pointing this out because I know some people didn't like Arizona. Some people felt she was immature, tried to be too hardcore, that her cursing and her use of slang was unnecessary. Umm...did they skip the part where it's mentioned that she came from a poor area and that her daddy sold her into sex slavery? What, do you think that spending a couple years at a ritzy school that Jackson paid for is going to "tame" and turn her into a proper young lady? PUH-lease!!!! I give Lori Foster a lot of credit for breaking away from the normal romance formula. I felt that Arizona was very authentic, especially based on her experiences. Just like Lisbeth in Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Arizona is a woman that is a product of her environment and those survival instincts just don't go away over night. Keeping active and involved is her way of keeping sane.

I enjoyed Spencer and appreciated the fact that it didn't take him long to realize he had to accept Arizona for who she is. Yes, he had a hell of a time fighting his alpha male tendencies, and maybe there was a time or two that he couldn't help himself. But I liked Spencer because instead of trying to change her, he worked on helping her come to terms with her power as a woman. Yes, Arizona knows that men like to look at her, but she doesn't realize how beautiful she truly is and it's not until Spencer that she is appreciated for what's in her head and her heart. He also helps her discover her own sexuality. Before she was sold into sex slavery, she was a virgin. This is a girl who only knew the brutal side of sex, the disgusting and selfish depravity of men. Spencer is the one who brings out these female urges and it scares and intrigues her at the same time.

My favorite part of the book is when Spencer takes Arizona to Dare and Molly's for a party to celebrate her birthday. I love this part because this really shows how much the whole gang loves and accepts her as part of the family. And how Dare, Trace, and Jackson trust Spencer enough to offer him a position as a mercenary for their company. This is where Lori Foster really shines as an author, at least in this series because I absolutely enjoyed every moment when the main characters from the other books got their moment to shine.

And this is a perfect segue into my only 2 issues with this book and series. One of these characters that I love is Chris, Dare's best friend (who happens to be gay) and assistant who lives in a small house a short distance away from Dare's home. Chris is a minor character that has played a pivotal part in all 4 books. He sort of serves as the comic relief is many situations, but in no way does he fit into the stereotype that most gay assistants fall into. Chris is not flamboyant, nor does he do hair or makeup, and no he doesn't have a crush on his best friend. In fact, from the very beginning I got a sense that Chris is another Alpha male that just so happens to prefer men instead of women.

While I am satisfied how things got wrapped up with Spencer and Arizona, I think there is still one more story that needs to be told. That just so happens to be about Chris. I don't want to spoil anything, but let's just say another gay character was introduced earlier in the series and in A Perfect Storm, when Arizona mentions this character to Chris, he gets a little prickly, like maybe there are feelings there that are yet to be explored... Why would Lori put that small detail in if she wasn't considering weaving a story for Chris?

The reason I am annoyed is not so much with the author, but with popular mainstream publishing companies and the way they treat gay characters. Or should I say, the lack of gay romances put out by big publishing companies? Yes, gay romances are becoming popular BUT they are usually put out as e-books first, more then likely labeled under "erotica", and are published by smaller, independent companies like Ellora's Cave, Dreamspinner Press, Samhain Publishing, etc. And when these books do become paperbacks, the prices range from $12.99 on up to $17.99! I just feel that popular publishing companies that focus on romance need to get with the program.

Another HUGE injustice that I know many fans are frustrated about is the gay characters Qhuinn and Blay from J.R. Ward's insanely popular Black Dagger Brotherhood series. Where is their book??? There is all this speculation that Ward is putting their story in an e-book. WHY??? Why don't they deserve their own book? I think it's the publishing company that is pushing Ward to do this because they are too scared to make that leap.

Wow, I totally went off on a tangent! But this is something I am extremely passionate about. Chris deserves his own happy ever after. I think Lori Foster knows it too. I just hope she can find a way to make it happen.

My only other complaint about A Perfect Storm goes back to the heart of the story, Arizona. At the end of Savor the Danger, book 3, it is revealed that Jackson has helped Arizona create a new identity to protect her from those that may still be out looking for her. Arizona is not her real name and is a part of this new identity. I totally get that. It's cool. But I figured that in this book, with the "threat" now out of the way, Arizona's real name would be revealed. You know, maybe Spencer would be curious and want to know what her birth name actually is. Umm...well, this totally doesn't happen. In fact, this is never even brought up in the whole book! Maybe I am just a stickler for detail, but this annoyed me. I'm not sure if it totally skipped Lori's attention or if she meant for it to be that way. Maybe Arizona's new identity is symbolic for a fresh start and that she had such a crappy upbringing prior to being sold by her father that she doesn't want to retain anything from her previous life, including her real name. So I tried not to let it bother me too much, but I'm a little surprised that Spencer didn't pursue that aspect of Arizona.

It has been an absolute pleasure reading Lori Foster's The Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor series. I couldn't have asked for a better set of hot, protective alpha males to warm my heart and insides for the past year (umm, yeah, let's not tell my boyfriend about that haha!). I pray to the gods that Lori changes her mind and pumps out 1 more book so that Chris gets his own story. And if it's not her but the publishing company that has the issue, I hope they get off their high horse and take a leap of faith.

Book Review: Into the Crossfire

Title: Into the Crossfire (A Protectors Novel)
Author: Lisa Marie Rice
ISBN: 0062085794
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Romantic Suspense/Contemporary
Theme: Navy Seal, ALPHA
Binding: paperback
Length: 384 pgs
Published: 29 November 2011
Buy: amazon.com, bn.com
My Rating:


Synopsis: Sam Reston’s world is dangerous, uncertain, violent . . . with no room in it for the helpless and weak. Then the most beautiful woman in the world moves next door to him . . .

Nicole Pearce’s life is complicated enough. The last thing she needs is to get involved with a secretive, hard-bodied, hard-headed neighbor. Yet Sam leaves her breathless—her body tingling with desire—and it takes every ounce of her fabled control to resist offering herself to him, no strings attached. What she doesn’t know is that Sam Reston is on an undercover assignment . . . and she’s about to step into the crossfire.

Never has Sam ached for a woman so badly. Now Nicole’s in grave danger and he will become her shield. Because a terrorist plot hatched half a world away is heading to their doorstep—and it can be derailed by only one man and one woman.

**The following review may contain SPOILERS**

My Review: Between reading ARCs (advance reader copies) which have to be reviewed by a certain time and completely redoing my blog over the holidays, I was a bit burnt out. I needed a de-stressor and what better way to relax my brain then to go back to my first love, the romance novel. :) I have read some of Lisa Marie Rice's erotic romances when she was writing for the e-book website Ellora's Cave. My two favorites are Midnight Man (book 1) and Midnight Run (#2). I'm not even sure why I haven't stuck with her over the years but maybe that's a good thing and here is why.

I noticed some reviewers gave Into the Crossfire more like a 2 to 3 star rating, mostly because they are loyal fans of Rice and this particular book did not live up to the standards that they expected. Since I've only read 2 out of the more than dozen romances she has written, I guess you can say I'm cutting the author a little break. My major complaint, however, is exactly what some of the reviewers touched on: Lisa Marie Rice spends WAY too much time on background info in this book. I feel like I read more about the villain and his motivation for setting things in motion rather then the 2 main characters. This made the relationship feel really rushed and a bit under developed. The scenes that we all wait for, ya know, the "intimate" parts seem to only happen twice in the book-- one in the middle and one towards the end. Now, that is not always a bad thing. Some authors are AMAZING at building the sexual tension between characters and once the BIG scene happens, it's so good that you don't even notice that the book is almost at the end. THAT is a truly gifted romance author.

So why am I still giving Into the Crossfire a 4 star rating? Well, it's more like a 3.5, but since my rating system is still a bit barbaric, I figured a 4 will do. Rice did do a decent job at building the tension between her 2 leads, Sam and Nicole. When the "big moment" happens, it definitely didn't disappoint which earned her major brownie points. Did I forget to mention that Sam is an alpha? Wait, did I forget to tell everyone I LOVE alpha males in my romance novels?? Sam Reston is the epitome of hot male dominance. I'm sure it has to do with the fact that he is a former Navy SEAL, so he is used to being in charge and protecting others. Rice is good at creating alphas, so she gets some more brownie points for that.

Despite the pages of back story that I found myself skipping through, I do like the way she introduces Mike and Harry into the book, which are Sam's "adopted" brothers. They both appear to be very different characters with interesting backgrounds that will hopefully make 2 solid follow-ups to Into the Crossfire. Actually, Mike's book, called Nightfire: A Protectors Novel (Marine Force Recon) is due out February 7th. More alpha male goodness on the way, yay!

~Mia~

Quick Note: I just want to add that since Lisa Marie Rice has been around for awhile and some of her books were published in ebook format and later in paperback from ebook publishing sites, you may want to be careful that you aren't buying the same book. What I mean is, some of her older books are being reissued under different titles, different cover art, etc. I believe Into the Crossfire was an old story of hers that got turned into a mass market paperback. So just make sure you check out her website HERE for a complete list of her books. When you go there, you will see that Into the Crossfire actually has a different cover art then what I have.