What I Read Last Week

I think my eyes have read too much. Everything is blurry! I wouldn't have finished the third book if the stupid cable box was working right. I would have watched the Penguins play instead. But noooo. By the time I realized what I needed to do, it was too late – I would have lost the night's recordings and that wouldn't do. So, I read instead. Not that reading is a chore, but I was angry and in a pissy mood (Penguins losing didn't help matters). Good thing my husband was out teaching. I was able to calm down by the time he got home. Anyway, this is what I read in the past week (sorry it's so long):

Jan 24: "Hold on Tight" by Stephanie Tyler. This is the finale of a romantic suspense trilogy. If you were to read this series, I would definitely read them in order. Blurb on back: Chris Waldron, an elite U.S. Navy SEAL, is used to getting out of tight spots. But all his years of training can't prepare him for the crisis he now faces. When a mission to rescue a kidnapped ambassador and his wife goes tragically awry, an FBI hostage negotiator is killed and Chris finds himself at the center of the ensuing investigation. Leading the charge is Jamie Michaels, a blistering-hot special agent – and Chris's onetime lover. Despite their reignited mutual attraction, Jamie is determined to keep things professional with Christ this time. But seeing him bruised and battered in that hospital bed has rekindled all those feelings she thought she'd left behind during their brief, passionate encounter in Africa. Now Jamie must keep at bay her craving for danger as she spearheads a search for the truth that just may blow Chris's career to bits – and put them both in the crosshairs of an unseen enemy. This is definitely a page-turner. The romance was good, the suspense was good, and it entertained me easily. Still, there were way too many characters (with more noticeable head-hopping) and some unbelievable coincidences for me to say it was great. But hey, that's me. I gave it 4 stars on Goodreads.

Jan 28: "White Lies" by Jayne Ann Krentz. If I've read any of her other books, I don't remember, and this one is the second in the Arcane Society series, which I guess can be considered paranormal romance. Blurb on inside cover: Relationships are challenging enough for most single over-thirty women. For level-ten parasensitive Clare Lancaster, they're a minefield. The elite few who know her secret call her a human lie detector, and any falsehood, no matter how subtle or well hidden, sets her blood racing. Over the years, Clare has come to accept that someone with her extraordinary talents is unlikely to find a suitable mate. And she's even resigned herself to the fact that everyone, to one degree or another, hides behind a façade. Including her recently deceased brother-in-law. When Clare finds the body of Brad McAllister, the golden child of Stone Canyon, Arizona, the posh residents turn a suspicious eye in her direction. As Archer Glazebrook's daughter, Clare is shielded from the law, but not the gossip. It seems that meeting the half sister and family whom she did not know until seven months ago was a mistake. Now her father summons her from California to play a role in his business empire, and Clare doesn't intend on making the same mistake twice. But after meeting Jake Salter, Archer's "business consultant," she is convinced that things aren't what they seem. Salter's careful conversation walks a delicate line between truth and deception, revealing and resisting. Something sparks and sizzles between them – something more than the usual electricity between a man and a woman. Caught in a dizzying storm of secrets, lies, and half-truths, Jake and Clare will plunge into an investigation that demands every bit of their special gifts. Together, they must overcome their mutual distrust in order to unravel a web of conspiracy and murder. Whew! Lengthy blurb, huh? I liked this book, although the ending dragged on a bit (some set up for the next in the series, I assume). The romance was great and I really liked the couple, but I doubt I rush out to get the rest in this series, because the Arcane Society portion didn't really pull me in. I gave this book 4 stars on Goodreads.

Jan 29: "Wolf Tales V" by Kate Douglas. Paranormal romance on the erotic side (meaning, frequent, hot sex), this is the fifth book in the Wolf Tales series. There are 12 altogether and I'll eventually get them all read (since I own them). Blurb on back: Life hasn't always been easy for strong-willed Millie West, but it's been a hell of a lot simpler without romantic entanglements. Millie finds her pleasure when and where she wants it, although what she's gotten from regular guys has never been quite enough. When she meets Ulrich Mason, she finally learns why. Imbued with the sexual prowess of the Chanku pack, Ulrich is the perfect partner to help Millie embrace the birthright that has been denied her for too long. But will the very ritual that binds them in ultimate pleasure reveal secrets that could destroy them both…? Like his pack brother, Baylor Quinn is on a mission to bring a Chanku female into the fold – but his quarry is far wilder than any he has yet encountered. Caught in a feral limbo between woman and wolf, Manda is scarred by the cruelty of a world that has never understood her. It will take patience, compassion, and the healing hand of a master lover to help Manda embrace her own sensual powers – and the mate who loves her beyond measure… I really like the stories in this series, but sometimes the sex can be too much (did I actually say that?), so I don't read them back to back to back. Sort of like needing a breather, you know? But for erotic romance, it's the best, so I gave it 5 stars on Goodreads.