Book Review: Secrets Of The Playboy's Bride

This is the last of the books about the Medici Men, only the hero, Leo Grant doesn't know he's a Medici.

I still have to read the middle book in the series, but I have to say I really loved the brothers that Leanne created with this mini-series. They were strong, stubborn and even when they felt they were wronged, they still stood by their women.

I loved that it was Calista out for revenge for the death of her father after his finances crumbled due to a bad business dealing with Leo's "dad". Their courtship was pretty quick, which was a bit hard to believe, but it fit with Leo's personality. When he wanted something he got it and it was what Calista was aiming for too.

It became quickly apparent that though Calista didn't have plans for this marriage lasting very long her heart had other plans. If only she didn't have a sleazy PI looking into Leo's background. That's where things get interesting. One of Calista's sister's has some personal issues and Leo helps out and gets her on the straight and narrow.

And when things go from bad to worse with the PI, Calista brings him news of a family he didn't know that he had. I loved the ending with the reunion of all the Medici brothers. It was a fitting ending to an awesome mini-series

Don't Buy New Books? Perish The Thought!

I was reading at Emily Bryan's blog about an article about things you shouldn't buy new. Read the article here.

I think authors and musicians should be disgusted by that. Actually everyone in the entertainment industry. Sure its great to get a deal, but reselling doesn't give anything to the creators of the product.

I'm not saying don't buy anything used. After all, used book stores and CD stores are like going on a treasure hunt, but to say, never buy a brand new book or CD or DVD is just ridiculous!

I've found that in many instances a lot of major used stores don't discount books all that much, and sometimes you just don't want a book that's been around the block a few times or a CD that's already scratched to high heaven. For me, used book stores are the most fun when I find backlist books that are no longer in print. Sure I admit when times are tough, that I'll pick up a book that's in a used store that's new, but only if its in great condition.

I like to support my favorite authors. After all, if we didn't buy their books new, how will the publishers know that we love them!

Book Review: Taming Her Irish Warrior

There's a reason Michelle Willingham's book is up for a RITA this year. Taming Her Irish Warrior is wonderful without being cliche. The main reason for this is that both lead characters showed great strength, even when things weren't going their way.

Ewan MacEgan had come to win the hand of an heiress, Katherine, who just happens to be Honora's sister. But even when he does win her, he finds himself with feelings for Honora that he just can't ignore, and neither can she and Honora has problems of her own.

Her deceased husband's son, wants to claim her as a lover so that he can gain a treasure his grandmother supposedly told her about. Because she's left her husband's land, John has abused the serfs. She's desperate to find a way to remove John from power, even if she has to fight him, and Honora is just the woman to do that. She's a tomboy in every sense of the word, and trained with Ewan, but Ewan would prefer her doing other things.

I loved how determined Honora was in helping her people and how determined Ewan was to help her so that she wouldn't be hurt. They put everything aside for what or who they believed in.

This was my first book from Ms. Willingham and it won't be my last.

A Book To Get Excited About

If you ever want to read a book that will make you laugh out loud, pick up one of Jen Lancaster's memoirs.

My Fair Lazy is coming out on May 4, and I'm already giggling just thinking about reading it.

I'm trying to figure out where I want to pre-order it. So far the price is best at either Amazon or Books-A-Million both have the book for $16.47. Barnes and Noble and Borders have it for about 30 cents more.

I'm a cheapskate, so I'll be saving that 30 cents, thank you very much. Every penny counts when you are on a budget!

2010 Rita Awards Nominees

The Rita Awards are romantic fictions answer to the Oscars. I never paid much attention to these awards until this past year, when I started hanging out at the eharlequin site.

When you get to know the authors, you get to know the importance of these awards.

Currently I'm reading one of this year's nominees; Michelle Willingham's Taming An Irish Warrior. That one, of course is in the Historical Fiction category. I'm going to be reading another harlequin title that's up for an award in that category, Betina Krahn's Make Me Yours for the Blaze line.

If you want to check out this year's finalists, you can click here.

There are an awful lot of awesome books on that list.

Which books are you rooting for?

Book Review: Burning Times

This book totally reminded me why I loved the Shadows line back in the 90s. Some of the stories were really borderline horror novels and this is one of them.

In Burning Times you have a possession and a witch. The spirit that's doing the possessing is a Puritan that is out to see witches burn, and he comes through a portal in Brie and Steve Peabody's home. Brie is a semi-practicing witch.

So you know that nothing good is going to come from this.

Steve is a non-believer when it comes to witch-craft and Brie will do anything to keep him, even deny herself her true nature.

That's the only thing I had a gripe with in the story. Brie was a witch. She should be proud of her heritage and not hide it or try to become a kitchen witch, just to please her husband. (Especially when his sister is a witch as well)

All that aside this book was a real page-turner from start to finish. It kept me glued to it until the last page was turned. I had to find out how things worked out for those two, especially when things looked bad for their marriage.

This definitely would have been a great book to read around Halloween, except that maybe turning out the light would be hard. Heck, I'm not sure that I can turn out the light now.

My Vampire Rant Continues

Why is Twilight suddenly the standard by which all vampire novels should be judged? I hate to tell the fans of that rather poorly written series this, but there is a lot better out there.

I get even more annoyed when I see people say stuff like this "What is your preferred species, for paranormal fans? (Team Edward? Team Jacob? LOL)"

Even if it is followed by a LOL, NO NO NO.

I want to shout at the top of my lungs Team Lestat!

Or

Anything but those two characters that make vampires look pathetic and werewolves like wussies!

I miss the days when vampires weren't such a romantic character. I liked when they were evil. I would be so thrilled if another paranormal creature were to take the spotlight, because I absolutely hate how vampires have become the "in" thing, in paranormal creatures.

Book Review: Hired: Sassy Assistent

If you are looking for a heartwarming, sweet love story that you won't be able to put down, look no further than Nina Harrington's second book for Harlequin Romance.

This book is hands down one of the reasons I've always loved this line. The focus is on the characters and not sex, which is refreshing sometimes. Not that I don't love a spicy story, because I do.

This story, in particular, focuses on family ties and relationships, as well as coping with disabilities. The heroine, Lulu Hamilton, is hearing impaired, a result of a tropical illness that she caught while visiting her mother in Africa.

She's now working with famed doctor/writer Kyle Munroe on his second book that involves the work of her mother. In the process of doing this, Lulu and Kyle fall in love.

This story was really well written and it showed both characters issues with their parents and their relationships.

When Kyle explains how he dealt with Lulu's mother's death, your heart breaks for him, and you really wish Lulu would be a bit more understanding, even though the news casts doubts on why Kyle is showing interest in her.

There was nothing I didn't like about this book. I could not put it down. Its definitely a keeper and likely to be a book I will read again when I need to feel that all can be good with the world.

Book Review: Marrying For King's Millions

Maureen Child's Kings Of California mini-series for Silhouette Desire is probably one of my favorite mini-series. I was introduced to her books by Harlequin Ambassadors, first with the free ebook Wedding At King's Convenience and then this current book.

Maureen really knows how to write a good, spicy book, without neglecting the plot. Even though its hard to identify with the super rich King family, its easy to fall for Travis King, just as easily as Julie does.

In this story, Travis and Julie have entered into a marriage of convenience. Travis gets a wife for the year so that he can get a distribution deal for the King family wines, and Julie gets paid a tidy sum so that she can open the bakery she's always dreamed of owning.

However things start going wrong from the minute they say "I do" and that's what makes the story so great. Julie's ex shows up with blackmail on the mind, and with a little tidbit of information that causes havoc.

When its discovered that Julie is still married to her first husband Jean-Claude, Travis find it hard to trust Julie, even though he's finding himself passionately attracted to her. But scandal after scandal follows them, threatening his business deal and then Julie ends up pregnant, something Travis wasn't planning for either.

I loved the way the character's interacted. Travis definitely fit the bill as a wealthy celebrity and Julie was properly out of her element as his "Queen."

It was great to watch Travis fall for Julie and the baby, even though he had his doubts about her. You could understand his weariness as a result of each scandal, just as you could understand Julie's frustrations and her inability to control the situation.

Maureen has created a strong cast of characters and a great read that will happily reside on my keeper shelf.

Book Review: Brazen

Carly Phillips is an author that always delivers a good story. Brazen was Carly's first book for the Temptation line and its been reissued on Harlequin's HQN imprint, so that everyone can read it, and its worth revisiting. I was a bit surprised that it was a Blaze Temptation, as the sex didn't really take a front and center part in the story until the second half of the book. That didn't make the story any less steamy though.

Sammy Jo was the kind of heroine I really love. She's hard working, she loves her family and she's not a whiner. She sets out to have a fling before she has to commit to a man she's marrying to get her father out of debt.

Sometimes things don't go as planned. Enter Mac "Ryan MacKenzie" who she believes is a bartender. There's an instant attraction between the two and when her rental car leaves her stranded at his bar, things really start to heat up. However, the fact that both of them are keeping secrets from each other doesn't make things go easily for them in the end. See Sammy Jo, doesn't tell Mac about her fiance and Mac keeps her in the dark about the fact that he owns a highly successful hotel. That causes a good bit of conflict in the end.

Both characters are lovable and you understand their need to keep secrets, even though you want them to share them, so that they can get it together. There are times when you'll want to shake them both so that they'll see sense. I guess that's why Zee played a huge part in the story, he helps Mac see reason.

This is the kind of book that you can easily envision being turned into a romantic comedy and a good one at that. It has all the right elements including a wonderful happy ever after.

What To Read Next

When your "To Be Read" pile is the size of a fairly large mountain, its hard to decide which book to pick up next. I'm having that problem right now. Do I read some of the books I recently acquired or do I dive into the pile of older books that have been waiting for their chance to entertain me.

Its not easy to decide, especially when there are so many of them, in varying shapes and sizes; hard cover, paperbacks, ebooks, and they all demand that I read them NOW!

I wish there were more hours in the day so I could get through my ever growing pile of books, especially since there seem to be more and more books that I want to read each day. Hanging out at the community at Eharlequin doesn't make things any easier. I've gotten to know a few of the authors and since I feel that I know them, I like to hunt out their books.

If you are into harlequins I can recommend, Sarah Morgan, India Grey, Nicola Marsh, Linda Warren, Maureen Child and Charlene Sands as authors that have great talent as well as great personalities, and those are just a few.

Now I have to go pack to pondering which books to tackle next.

Book Review: When Strangers Marry

Any lover of historical fiction can't go wrong with a book by Lisa Kleypas and this book is no exception. It has all the things in it that make for a good romantic read; hot steamy sex, a little bit of suspense, and characters you can't help but fall in love with.

Kleypas creates a whole cast of characters that you will welcome into your life because of their strength and their flaws and each character in this book has something in their past that makes them "interesting."

Lysette Kersaint stumbles into the life of Maximilien Vallerand fleeing from an abusive step-father who is trying to force her into a marriage she doesn't want. Max is looking for a way to best a rival, who had an affair with his murdered first wife, oh and he's been accused of murdering that first wife. Add to the mix his twin sons, two brothers and his mother and you get a very interesting array of characters.

The story is set in New Orleans and is also full of the history of the time which really gives the story a colorful background.

This is one of those books that my grandmother would have enjoyed because you get a good story and you feel like you've learned something while reading it. This is a must read for historical romance fans. It would be on my keeper shelf if it weren't falling apart.

Book Review: Who Is Deborah

Elise Title's Who Is Deborah is a great modern day gothic novel complete with an amnesiac heroine, a dark and brooding hero, and two twisted secondary characters that keep you on your toes wondering who did or, or who is going to do it throughout the whole 241 pages of the book.

Deborah was attacked in NYC and a private detective friend of her husbands has located her in the hospital to bring her home, but when she gets there things are not what they seem. Her husband is a horror writer who lives with his cousin, who is just a little bit crazy. Oh and Deborah is finding out that the person she's supposed to be wasn't very nice, which isn't how she really is. That gets people wondering.

There are several attempts on her life while she's at Raven's Cove, but her memory is slow to return and she doesn't know who she can trust.

The best part about the book is the suspense surrounding Deborah's return. The reader is left wondering when she's going to remember, and you know she's got to remember her past life at some point.

The thing that bothered me the most was their wasn't any closure at the end, when she regained her memory and the killer/would be killer is exposed.

This was a good enough read, but again the ending left a little to be desired.

Book Review: The Dangerous Debutante

The Dangerous Debutante is book two in Michaels Romney Marsh Trilogy. This story centers around Morgan Becket and Ethan Tanner the Earl of Aylesford.

Morgan meets Ethan on her way to her brother's home in London. The two have more chemistry than any couple has a right two and they enjoy stirring up trouble with the ton, even though Morgan only stays in London for about a week, mostly because her brother Chance and his with Julia are at their wits end trying to figure out how to deal with her and her lust for Ethan. The two are very much alike as Morgan often says "Like recognizes like."

The book's strong point revolves around Morgan and Ethan's characters. Its not often that two characters connect from the beginning. The only tension between them is sexual.

The only thing that bothered me was how Morgan's family wasn't developed nearly enough. We know that there's something mysterious about them, but everything is cloaked in mystery. If you haven't read the first book in the series (and I hadn't) you are left wondering what is going on with the Becket's.

Book Review: Juliet Naked

I loved and was annoyed by this book all at the same time. I loved it because anyone that's ever really been into a band knows people like Duncan, the kind of artist obsessed fans that make you almost hate an artist because they like them too.

I totally felt like I knew Duncan within a few pages and in those few pages I wanted to shove every Tucker Crowe CD up his butt and rotate them counter-clockwise. He was a prat, a wanker and possibly a few other things that all result in him being obnoxious. It made me wonder how Annie managed to stay with him for 15 years and even more than that, how she managed to still like the music of Tucker Crowe after all that time.

I loved when Annie received her first email from Tucker after she posted her review of Juliet, Naked. It seems fitting that she should be the one talking to Tucker and not Duncan.

I also loved getting to know Tucker, and not the persona that the psycho fans created online. He's a typical, washed up, musician, complete with a string of ex-wives and children that he barely knows or cares about, well, except for one, Jackson from his current, falling apart situation.

The ending is where it really went wrong for me. I wanted more for all the characters and that just didn't happen. I guess the problem was the book was just too real for me. It was good, but it was just too darn real.

Almost Done

I've finally just about plowed my way through Juliet Naked. I'm looking forward to turning the last page. I don't know why, but this was a harder read than I expected, and I usually love Hornby's stuff. (More on that later though)

This is the first non-romance that I've read in well over a month, so I'm kind of proud of myself. I need to pull myself away from fluff every now and then and read something all together different. It gets the brain buzzing and at this time of year I needs whatever stimulus I can get to make sure those brain cells don't atrophy. I'm pretty sure I'm too late for some of them, but I would like to make sure the rest don't go to hell in a hand basket.

I really need to start going through my TBR pile for more "brain books" and hopefully next month's book won't task my brain so much.

Too Sick To Read

My "To Be Read" pile is starting to fall over. I've lost so much reading time in the last week because I was lucky enough to get the flu.

Just what I always wanted!

Usually I can curl up with the sniffles or a cough and read a good book, but not this time.

Nope, this cold came complete with a fever, chills, and a throbbing headache that made looking at the printed page practically impossible.

So now I've got more books than I care to count staring me in the face, and I'm not even sure where to begin, but I guess with whichever book is closest, and right now it looks like I'm reading Kasey Michaels' The Dangerous Debutante. I probably should have opted to finish the new Nick Hornby, but that one will have to wait another day or so, when I feel more up to laughter.

Book Review: More Blazing Bedtime Stories

More Blazing Bedtime Stories will have readers taking a cold shower before heading to bed. Julie Leto and Leslie Kelly have created two stories that are part fairy tale and part paranormal erotica.

Into the Woods is the story of a fairy godmother that wants to get out of the fairy godmother business and with good reason. As a fairy godmother Tatiana has to match up princesses and princes but she can never get a match for herself. That's why she takes things into her own hand crossing into the real world.

Tatiana and Jack St Cloud have unbelievable chemistry and his sister is the key to her gaining her freedom.

This story really was a hot and spicy read. It didn't take Tatiana very long to get busy with Jack and some of the scenes between the two are actually beyond steamy, but what really makes the story work, is that you really feel bad for Tatiana, who has spent 400 years granting wishes, but she never got her own wish granted.

Then there's One Upon A Mattress, by Leslie Kelly. A rather wicked queen is looking for a match for her son and enlists the help of a werewolf to find the missing princess. The only problem is, werewolves mate for life and the werewolf just happened to fall madly in lust with Princess Penelope who has more piercings and tattoos than any sensible princess would have.

I personally had a hard time wrapping my mind around the goth girl princess thing, but that didn't make the story any less enjoyable. I just spent a lot of time wondering why Penelope did the things she did, in her quest for answers about her family, but again...WOW! The scenes with Lucas in the bedroom were really hot.

This book gets five glasses of ice water!

Book Review: The Ultimate Betrayal

Michelle Reid's The Ultimate Betrayal goes were most presents novels fear to tread, inside a married couples home.

Rachel and Daniel have been married for seven years, and have 3 children, when Rachel learns that he's been cheating. This throws their whole life into a tailspin and asks a question that so many couples ask when one partner has strayed, should we try to rebuild the trust that has been shattered?

It wouldn't be a romance novel if they didn't try to make a go of it, and through the period of time were they are trying to work things out, we learn a bit more about Rachel and Daniel.

At first its easy to dismiss Rachel as being stupid and insipid, but as the book progresses we learn why she's the way she is, and we even learn to sympathize with Daniel a little bit though there are things that he's done, besides the affair that just seem so damn odd.


It was great to see a presents novel not dealing with a virgin, but rather a couple that's almost normal, even though they are well-to-do. A great read.

Book Review: Mistress Of The Sun King

Mistress Of The Sun King is a fictional biography of Athenais de Montespan the second mistress of King Louis XVI of France. The story starts with Athenais' move to the court of France and then skips to her marriage and subsequent affair with King Louis XIV. Not much of her life is detailed in those first areas, until she starts to be noticed by the king.

This novel is definitely a very romanticized telling of Athenais' rise to be 2nd in power in France, but this was writen as a love story, which is why her fall from grace is not part of this book. Even in doing that, its impossible not to find Athenais to be a greedy, scheming woman who will do and often did anything to stay in the position of the King's favorite. In the beginning of the book, its very difficult to like her at all and though she becomes more tolerable as the book progresses its very hard to change that first impression.

There's a lot of intrigue and scandal in this story. Most of which seems historically accurate or close to it. I particularly liked the inclusion of the possible child of the Queen's that could have been fathered by one of her dwarves.

Sandra's choice of character's is unique as most people seem to gravitate towards the queens and kinds as subject matter, but she chose the king's mistress, and for the most part, its an entertaining read.

As a society we like the bad girls, and Athenais was definitely a bad girl in her day. A great read that has made me want to learn more about her and Louis XIV's reign.

Book Review: Pure Temptation

Vicki Lewis Thompson's books are almost always fun books. That said, Pure Temptation just didn't do it for me, and I'm hard pressed to figure out why, besides the obvious, 26 year old virgin thing.

Dear god, I wish writers would stop with this. Its just a little too unrealistic. It may work for a cute comedy, but in a romance novel where the heroine is supposed to be gorgeous, its just silly.

All that aside, Tess and Mac are cute and funny. Tess has a summer project to lose her virginity and Mac is her best friend, and she enlists him to help her find a man to do the deed. Well, Mac can't stand the thought of her being with anyone else, so he volunteers to solve her problem. Which causes problems because both end up falling hard for each other, even though they know Tess has plans to move to NYC in August.

The best part of the book involves the sex, because Tess has taken to reading some pretty interest self help books about the subject and she ends up being experienced without even having sex.

The bad part still is the whole virginity thing. The concept of friends to lovers works well, but with the 26 year old virgin thing involved, it detracts from a story that could really work otherwise.

Its a good read, but it lacks that something that would make it great.

Recommended Reading

By now anyone that stops by this blog knows that I'm a lover of romantic fiction. I've been a Harlequin girl since I was in junior high. If any of you out there want to sample some great short stories slowly, you need to check out the eharlequin website.

I'm saying this because they have several online reads each month and currently the one by Presents author Sarah Morgan is fantastic. I just wish it were one that had installments posted daily, because its really a great story. Its called Diamonds and Desire and you can read the first 4 chapters here.

If you like Sarah's books check out here author page on the site. She's a super nice lady too.

A Book Buying Extravaganza

Today was book day. Saturday's always seem to be that way for me. I received 2 shipments from Harlequin in the mail and I went a little crazy at Target and Goodwill. Needless to say, my "To Be Read" pile has just gotten a little bit larger. Not that it matters. I love buying books. I love standing in the book section of stores and just reading the back blurbs.

I love doing that more in used book stores. That's usually when you can find me sitting on the floor going through book after book deciding which blurbs make the book worthy of coming home with me.

So what did I buy today? Besides the eharlequin stuff which is just too numerous to mention?

Jen Lancaster's Bitter Is The New Black
Nancy Warren's Too Hot To Handle
Michelle Reid's The Ultimate Betrayal
Luanne Rice's Beach Girls
Adriana Trigiani's Lucia Lucia
Sarah Strohmeyer's The Cinderella Pack
Gillian Shield's Immortal

Lots of reading to be done! The question now is, which one to start?

I Remember When

There was a time when my idea of a great day shopping involved combing through aisles and aisles of clothing.

I still enjoy doing that from time to time, because I love pretty clothes, but anymore the thing that really makes me happy is going to a book store. Any book store. Used books make me the happiest, because they are cheaper, but I'l take Barnes & Noble or Books A Million too, because they come with coffee!

When I think of my plans for the weekened, I always wonder if I'll be able to get a trip to Goodwill in, so I can see if there are any new books on the shelves for 99 cents. That's the kind of thing that brings me joy, even if the floors of my house are covered with used paperbacks of every size and shape imaginable.

Imagine my glee when I get to go somewhere like Paradox Books in Wheeling, WV where a lot of my favorite romances only cost 50 cents! I can't begin to tell you how happy that makes me. I only wish I could get there soon. I haven't been to Wheeling since Christmas shopping season.

I'm hoping that this weekend I can combine two of my favorite shopping past times, clothes and books, even though I'm flat broke!

Book Review: Lady Elmira's Emeralds

Lady Elmira's Emeralds is a fun romp that really ties two romances together between the Lady Imogen and Viscount Oakfort as well as his sister Caroline and Imogen's brother Arthur. The only problem is the matter of his aunt's emerald pendant that has been lost found and lost again, about 20 times in the story. Oh and Imogen's betrothed to Rodney a rather Bryon-esque poet.

The story basically revolves around George and Imogen trying to resolve their feelings for one another while trying to get the necklace back to its rightful owner, without that owner finding out that it was missing.

This story was cute. OK, it was very cute. The inclusion of two peacocks that caused a feud between the Viscount's and Imogen's families really added something to the story. Both birds had a lot of character and their actions brought a great deal of humor to the story.

The Viscount's family seemed to be a bit more developed and it was easy to like Elmira, George, Caroline and Hilliard, it wasn't quite as easy to like Imogen. She seemed a bit to flighty, especially when it came to making her mind up between George and Rodney.

This was a light and entertaining book. Definitely good for boring afternoon.

The Future Of Libraries

What is going to happen to libraries as eReaders become more and more the rage? I find this troubling, even though I love that there is now a technology that should keep most books in print forever.

If libraries lend eBooks, then what is the fate of print media or for that matter digital sales. Why would you buy a download for a book when you could borrow it?

Now don't get me wrong. I love technology, but life would be so empty if everything became digital. Music is now on invisible files that you transfer to your iPods. Books are slowly going that way. More digital books were sold after Christmas on Amazon then actual books.

I don't know why, but I find that just a bit depressing.

When did it become unnecessary to have something tangible?

Maybe I'm old fashioned. I love holding books. I love the smell of a book. I love combing the shelves in stores and libraries for something good to read. If all that had to be done by logging on to a website on my computer or on a device of some sort I think just a little bit of the fun in life would go away.

Book Review: Johnny Angel

Danielle Steel's Johnny Angel is a winner. This book should come with a box of tissues though, because to quote an old Bachrach and David song, "Anyone who had a heart" would not get through this book without shedding some tears. OK, without shedding a lot of tears.

This is the story of a teenager (Johnny) who's life is cut too short and how he comes back to help put his family and his girlfriend's family back together again, though only two people can see him, his mother and his younger brother.

There are a lot of fiction about the afterlife. I've read several and this one is beautifully written. It gives you hope, especially when things are going terribly wrong, and they do go wrong for Johnny's family, even beyond his death. Johnny's return is to help put things to rights, perhaps things he couldn't do when he was alive.

In 210 pages, Danielle Steel gives us a story that is totally unforgettable and totally heartbreaking and yet happy. The last pages are definitely worth reading the book for.

Book Review: Anyone But You

Anyone But You is a hilarious story about a 40 year old divorcee, her dog, Fred and her downstairs neighbor, who happens to be a doctor and happens to be only 30.

The cast of characters is absolutely hilarious, from Nina and her hangups about dating a much younger guy, to her friend Charity who she convinces to write a book about her dating experiences, to Alex the neighbor she's falling for and his crazy family of doctors. Oh but the real star of the show is Fred, the bassett/beagle mix with a fondness for Oreos.

You may not immediately identify with this group, but by the time the last page is turned you will love them all. especially Fred, who has a funny way of getting Nina and Alex together.

This book isn't your typical romance, though that is certainly part of the story. This story is about life and friendships and coming to grips with yourself; making the most of what you've got.

This book is guaranteed to bring a smile to your face and make you wish that Nina's story could be yours, even if you aren't 40 and divorced and unsure of whether you want another man in your life again.

Jennifer's book shows you that love can happen to you at any age and it really knows no limits. If you need to giggle a little bit to get over the cares of the day, this book will be a good one to read.

Moodylady's February Reads

I've read 12 books in the month of February. I'm proud of myself. That's one more book than I read in January. If you've checked out my reviews, you know that these are the books I've read this month:

12. Sarah Morgan - The Sheikh's Virgin Princess: Loved
13. Carrie Alexander: A Taste Of Temptation: Loved
14. Sarah Morgan - The Vasquez Baby: Disliked
15. Vicki Lewis Thompson - Notorious: Liked
16. Neil R. Selden - The Great Lakeside High Experiment: So/So
17. Maureen Child - Wedding At Kings Convenience: Loved
18. Nancy Warren - Under The Influence: Loved
19. India Grey - Mistress: Hired For The Billionaire's Pleasure: Liked
20. Stephanie Bond - Her Sexy Valentine: Loved
21. Mary Tate Engel - Hard To Resist: Liked
22. Samantha Hunter - Caught In The Act: Liked
23. Leanne Banks - From Playboy To Papa!: Liked

My goal for March is to hit 17 books and to read more than one ebook.