Monday, June 05, 2006

Cruise Control by Sarah Mayberry

Cruise Control Facing your own mortality can do crazy things to a girl. Anna Jackson wants to grab life with both hands and take it for a ride, she's tired of treading water and wants to ride the waves. Anna turns her life on its ear - quitting her job as a lawyer in favor of starting her own limousine service, cropping her hair and bleaching it platinum blonde, and oh yeah, deciding to have an illicit fling.

The first time Marc Lewis rides in her car, she writes him off as arrogant and cold. He might look like dream fling material, but she had no time for jerks, even if they did spike her temperature and jumpstart her lethargic libido. The next time she's hired to drive the sexy entrepreneur to a meeting, she realizes her assumptions about him were all wrong. When they give in to their mutual attraction in the parking garage - both are stunned at the intensity of their joining.

A chance encounter at an art gallery finds them sneaking into an empty office and endulging their desires, again walking away without a word. Forcing herself to live by her new rules, Anna goes to Marc and proposings a no-strings-attached fling. They seal the deal on his hardwood floor. Thinking they'll burn the attraction out quickly, they're both surprise to find their need for one another increasing, and spending a holiday in Bali.

The intimacy of vacationing leads Anna to realize she's not having a fling, she's fallen in love with Marc, and she suspects he feels the same. Instead of relishing the idea, Anna panics. Her cancer has only been in remission for a year, she can't be tied down yet with so much she still wants to do, and more than that, if the cancer returns she doesn't want to put Marc through the loss.

Parasailing, scuba diving, bungee jumping and a new motorcycle help her keep her distance , until and accident brings everything crashing down. Sarah Mayberry has a warm and natural voice thar spins a fast past, athletically erotic tale full of beautiful views and witty humor. The Australian and Asian setting provide an elegant backdrop and the phrasing adds flavor to the story. (FYI...abbatoir is a slaughterhouse). I loved the way the characters opened up slowly to the reader and each other.

Sunday, June 04, 2006

Finding Home by Marie Ferrarella

Finding Home What if you had a quarter million dollars to spend on anything you wanted? Not what your husband or children wanted, but you. After an unexpected inheritence from her uncle, Stacey Sommers is forced to do something she hasn't done in 26 years -- put her own wants first.

What she wants isn't new or different, it's to take what she has and make it better. If only her husband looked at remodeling their home that way. Set in his ways and frugal, he can't bear the thought of spending that much money to fix what isn't broken. But Stacey is tired of fixing with a band-aid things that need major surgery. Though the renovations walls come down, both in the house, and in a marriage taken for granted. When they let the light in, both realize what they have is worth holding on to.

This book has the most sensual love scene I've ever read. Not sex or erotic titilation, but making love in words. Absolutely brilliant. The scene was so filled with yearning and depth I had tears in my eyes. Most of the book the couple is straining to be needed, appreciated, heard so when the two finally come together it is conveyed so much pent up need and promise you'll re-read the scene. At least twice. If you've ever wondered how to write a love scene, this is how it should be done.

Saturday, June 03, 2006

I love the my cyber friends!

My Romance Diva's writing pal Amanda Brice blogged about Just One Spark. "Ms. Bayley-Burke's print debut is touching and emotional and you root for the couple the entire time." Isn't she great!

Ceri listed the info on all the Diva's summer releases on her blog.

And Tisa, one of my 100 Book Challenge buddies, blogged me there.

Friday, June 02, 2006

Follow Me Home

CoffeTime Romance published one of my short stories on their site. Read Follow Me Home. Determined to find out just what her husband has been up to in the days since he left, Brenna follows him from work to a bar. Inside she realizes their problems have to do with them, not someone else. Can Brenna convince him to work through their issues and follow her home?

(You have to click an 'over 18' link, but my story is as sweet as they come.)

Thursday, June 01, 2006

Who likes a bad boy


I'm starting Drive Me Crazy today...and I have a confession. While my writing buds extol t he virtues of Nathan Fillion and Heath Ledger...I'm in love with Johhny Knoxville. I know. I know! But I promise, I'll keep Joel a bit cleaner. But that grin...how DO I put that into words?

And then there was Tisa




I think.

Spreading the review love around

I subbed two book reviews to All Romance Writers and my review for Flying Lessons got posted!I I loved that book, so it makes me happy. Plus...I'm not online today. Unless I get 2K in first.