Review | Megan Mitcham - For All To See

Two by two, dark-haired beauties vanish only to reappear as hanging, plundered corpses. The Virgin Islands boast diamond-white beaches, lush green mountains, a rich cultural heritage - and a brutal killer.

Three years on the “Field-Dresser” case and Special Agent Nathan Brewer is days away from catching the bastard - if he can convince a certain brunette to trust him. Only the woman is more likely to take a casual stroll on the surface of the sun.

After fleeing her troubles in the United States for the quiet life of a school teacher on the island of Tortola, Madelyn Garrett never imagined she’d be fixated upon by pure evil.

In a fight for her life - with a dwindling number of friends - she must rely on her cunning and Nathan’s skills for survival.

Review | Lauren Layne - Irresistibly Yours

Hotshot sports editor Cole Sharpe has been freelancing for Oxford for years, so when he hears about a staff position opening up, he figures he’s got the inside track. Then his boss drops a bombshell: Cole has competition. Female competition, in the form of a fresh-faced tomboy who can hang with the dudes - and write circles around them, too. Cole usually likes his women flirty and curvy, but he takes a special interest in his skinny, sassy rival, if only to keep an eye on her. And soon, he can’t take his eyes off her.

Penelope Pope knows all too well that she comes off as just one of the guys. Since she’s learned that wanting more usually leads to disappointment, Penelope’s resigned to sitting on the sidelines when it comes to love. So why does Cole make her want to get back in the game? The man is as arrogant as he is handsome. He probably sees her as nothing more than a barrier to his dream job. But when an unexpected kiss turns into a night of irresistible passion, Penelope has to figure out whether they’re just fooling around - or starting something real.

Review | Penelope Ward & Vi Keeland - Cocky Bastard

 

He was someone who belonged in my wildest fantasies instead of a rest stop in the middle of Nebraska. A sexy, cocky, Australian named Chance was the last person I expected to run into on my cross-country drive. When my car broke down, we made a deal. Next thing I knew, we were traveling together, spending sexually-tense nights in hotels and taking unplanned detours. My ordinary road trip turned into the adventure of a lifetime. It was all fun and games until things got intense. I wanted him, but Chance wouldn't make a move. I thought he wanted me too, but something was holding him back. I wasn't supposed to fall for the cocky bastard, especially when I knew we'd be going our separate ways. All good things must come to an end, right? "Except our ending was one I didn't see coming."

Review | Veronica Larsen - Entice

Turns out I’ve been faking being an adult.
My job? My apartment? The pretty life I've built?

Let's just say I've made some mistakes.

I'm knee-deep in the mess I've made when I find him. Tall, dark-haired, and rough around the edges. The boy I never noticed is all grown up, in all the right ways. And he's not about to let me forget it.

He can try to pretend he's immune to our attraction. I'm trained in the art of persuasion and I love a challenge.

But how can he know the answers to questions I haven't thought to ask? I’ve been putting out fires, fighting like crazy to get my life back on track. And this man? He acts like he knows who's holding the match.

Maybe there's no such thing as mistakes.
What if it's all just sabotage?

Review | Tracy March - Should've Said No

 

A year after being laid off from the Smithsonian, Lindsey Simms says yes to a job offer as curator of a heritage museum in Thistle Bend, Colorado (population 1,519). It could be worse - and it is. Because the new museum has escalated a dispute between the Karlssons, Lindsey’s relatives, and the Crenshaws, a blood feud which goes way back to a land deal that changed the fortunes of both families. Trying to stay objective, Lindsey can’t tell anyone about her conflict of interest - especially not the ruggedly handsome handyman fixing up her cabin, who seems to be keeping secrets of his own.

Although he’s the executive director of the family trust and one of Colorado’s most eligible bachelors, Carden Crenshaw prefers getting his hands dirty in town and on his sprawling ranch. Staying busy has given him an excuse not to risk heartbreak, but getting to know the beautiful “museum lady” makes him reconsider. Little does he know, the heat between them will only add fuel to the fire - unless this unlikely couple can prove they’re lovers, not fighters.

Review | Amy Olle - Beautiful Ruin

 

When Mina Winslow buys her ancestral home with plans to restore it to the beautiful sanctuary it once was, she discovers more than she bargained for. Soon, she's face-to-face with a man from her past. The one man she never stopped longing for.

Renowned archaeologist, Noah Nolan, swore he’d never return to the small, remote island in Lake Michigan. After agreeing to complete a short-term excavation project, he realizes the site belongs to the woman who inexplicably rejected him years before. A woman he’s never forgotten – or forgiven.

When Noah’s affinity for uncovering all things lost, forgotten, and buried stirs Mina’s repressed memories of a terrifying secret, she must find the courage to unearth the past, or risk losing the treasure of her heart forever.

Review | Loreth Anne White - In the Waning Light

 

Two decades after her sister’s brutal attack and murder, Meg Brogan has finally found happiness… or so it appears. A bestselling true-crime writer, Meg has money, fame, and a wealthy fiancé. But when a television-show host presses her to tackle the one story everyone claims she cannot write - the story of her own family’s destruction - her perfect life shatters.

Determined to finally face her past, Meg returns to her hometown of Shelter Bay. Shrouded in cold, brooding fog, the close-knit coastal town harbors dark secrets and suspicious residents. One of the few people to welcome Meg back is Blake Sutton, her high-school sweetheart and the marina’s new owner. Desperate for clues, Meg digs through her family’s files. As Pacific storms brew outside, her passion for Blake reignites.

But someone doesn’t want Meg digging up the past. And that person will go to deadly lengths to prevent the writer from revealing a terrible truth.

Review | Kristen Proby - Easy Melody

 

Callie Mills never intended to return to New Orleans and the life she left behind more than a decade ago. There was no need to open old wounds when she had the life she’d worked hard for in Denver. But when she’s fired from her awesome job in Colorado and her father dies, she has no choice but to return home to run the derelict bar left to her in the heart of the French Quarter. Callie must not only face bad memories but turn The Odyssey into something she can be proud of.

And who better to help bring in crowds of people than Declan Boudreaux?

Declan is a sought-after musician who knows he’s good at what he does and loves doing it. Known to pack the house, he also loves women and doesn’t expect to be knocked back a step by the beautiful new owner of The Odyssey. Callie is sharp, gorgeous and funny, and makes him yearn for something he never has before… Commitment.

But when Callie’s able to turn the business around with renovations, making it one of the hottest bars in the Quarter, will she sell out and leave her past behind once and for all, or will Declan be able to convince her that’s she’s where she needed to be all along… in his arms.

Review | Shelly Alexander - It's In His Touch

 

There’s nothing that Angelique Barbetta can’t handle, no illness she can’t recover from, not one item on her outrageous bucket list that she can’t conquer - not even alligator wrestling! But after discovering her fiancé in a less-than-professional position with their perky assistant, even tough-as-nails Angelique needs a break. Her law firm sends her to Red River to work on a case that should be a piece of cake. Until she meets her sexy neighbor Blake Holloway…one of the proprietors who will lose everything if Angelique wins.

On opposite sides of a hostile legal battle - with a pair of Angelique’s silk undies ending up in Blake’s hands - undeniable chemistry swirls between them. As Blake shows Angelique just what Red River has to offer, her heart begins to melt for the people whose businesses make up the soul of the town. Can she put aside her feelings to win the case? Or will he convince her there’s much more at stake than winning - like love?

Review | R.S. Grey - The Allure of Dean Harper

 

From: LilyNBlack@Gmail.com
To: JosephineKeller@VogueMagazine.com
Subject: You’re a flippin’ idiot

Good morning my dear, naive friend,

I hope you’re enjoying a breakfast of regret and sorrow.

Why?

Because you sent me to work for Dean Harper, aka a control freak in a tailor-made suit. Sure he owns the trendiest restaurants in NYC, but c'mon Jo, his ego makes Kanye West look like the Dalai Lama.

He's the type of guy that only hears the word “no” when it's followed by “don’t stop.”

Working for Dean Harper would be like selling my soul to the devil…and before you say anything, I don’t care if the devil has punch-you-in-the-gut brown eyes and an ass to match. My soul isn’t for sale.

Love,
Regretfully yours,
Lily

Review | Shelly Alexander - It's In His Heart

She has a secret. He has a scandal. And they both have an attraction they can’t deny.

Ella Dennings is furious. Soaking wet, muddy, and furious. All she wants is to enjoy a quiet summer retreat in her Red River Valley cabin. Maybe she can finish healing after the death of her husband, Bradley. Maybe she can even finish writing that third book in her anonymously written bestselling series. But when she arrives at the cabin in a raging rainstorm, who does she find holed up there but Cooper Wells, Bradley’s sexy best friend - a man capable of seducing women within seconds - and a man Ella has never liked.

Coop’s got his own baggage. He’s engulfed in a nasty legal battle, and after selling his home to cover his legal fees, he’s got nowhere to go but the cabin. He and Ella will just have to coexist under one roof...but is their heated animosity boiling over into attraction? And when Ella’s racy new book rocks the sleepy town, will her secret identity spell scandal for both of them?

Review | J.T. Geissinger - Wicked Beautiful

Life coach and best-selling author Victoria Price has it all: a successful career, fabulous friends, a fantastic penthouse in Manhattan. What she doesn’t have - and doesn’t want - is a husband. Fifteen years ago her high school flame broke her heart so badly she swore she’d never love again. Now she makes millions teaching other women how to be just like her: a ruthless bitch.

Drop-dead sexy restauranteur and infamous playboy Parker Maxwell has only three rules for the women he dates: no questions about his past, no expectations for the future, and no spending the night. When he meets Victoria, however, he’s willing to break his own rules if it means sating the explosive desire she arouses in him. What he doesn’t know is that the alluring Victoria Price used to be the mousy Isabel Diaz, the girl he deflowered and dumped long ago.

Presented with a perfect opportunity for revenge, Victoria decides the game is on. But when her connection with Parker proves more than just skin deep, she has to make a choice: continue with her plan for payback, or risk her career, her reputation, and her heart by taking a second chance on love?

Review | Sawyer Bennett - Ryker

 

The stakes have never been higher for Carolina Cold Fury goalie Ryker Evans. With his contract running out, he’s got a year left to prove he’s still at the top of his game. And since his wife left him, Ryker has been balancing life as a pro-hockey star and a single parent to two daughters. Management is waiting for him to screw up. The fans are ready to pounce. Everybody’s taking dirty shots - except for the fiery redhead whose faith in Ryker gives him a fresh start.

As the league’s only female general manager, Gray Brannon has learned not to mix business with pleasure. And yet even this tough, talented career woman can’t help breaking her own rules as she gives Ryker everything she’s got. She hopes their hot streak will last forever, but with Ryker’s conniving ex plotting to reclaim her man, the pressure’s on Gray to step up and save a tender new love before it’s too late.

Review | Lauren Layne - The Trouble with Love

 

As Stiletto magazine’s authority on all things breakup-and-heartache, Emma Sinclair writes from personal experience. Five years ago, Emma was Charlotte, North Carolina’s darling debutante and a blushing bride-to-be. Now she’s the ice queen of the Manhattan dating scene. Emma left her sultry Southern drawl behind, but not even her closest friends know that with it she left her heart. Now Emma’s latest article forces her to face her demons - namely, the devilishly sexy guy who ditched her at the altar.

After giving up everything for a pro-soccer career, Alex Cassidy watches his dreams crumble as a knee injury sidelines him for good. Now he’s hanging up his cleats and giving journalism a shot. It’s just a coincidence that he happens to pick a job in the same field, and the same city, as his former fiancée…ight? But when Emma moves in next door, it’s no accident. It’s research. And Alex can’t help wondering what might have been. Unlike the innocent girl he remembers, this Emma is chic, sophisticated, and assertive - and she wants absolutely nothing to do with him. The trouble is, Alex has never wanted her more.

Gossip | Conquer the world 2015

 

Wilkommen im neuen Jahr!

Ich, Schussel, habe natürlich vergessen, das Ergebnis meiner "Welterkundung" 2015 in meine Bilanz einzubauen. Ganz aktuell, gibt es deshalb hier einen Blick auf jene Orte, die ich im vergangenen Jahr "besucht" habe. Schaut mal vorbei: Conquer the world 2015 ;)

Für 2016 plane ich auf jeden Fall eine Fortsetzung, denn ich finde die Idee toll. Wo seid ihr denn 2015 in eurer Fantasie so herumgereist?

Ich hoffe, ihr hattet einen schönen Jahreswechsel!

Alles Liebe, Doris

2015 | Frohes neues Jahr und Blogbilanz

Nimm dir Zeit zum Arbeiten - es ist der Preis des Erfolges.
Nimm dir Zeit zum Denken - es ist die Quelle der Kraft.
Nimm dir Zeit zum Spielen - es ist das Geheimnis ewiger Jugend.
Nimm dir Zeit zum Lesen - es ist der Brunnen der Weisheit.
Nimm dir Zeit freundlich zu sein - es ist der Weg zum Glück.
Nimm dir Zeit zum Träumen - es bringt dich den Sternen näher.
Nimm dir Zeit zu lieben und geliebt zu werden - es ist das Privileg der Götter.
Nimm dir Zeit dich umzuschauen - der Tag ist zu kurz, um selbstsüchtig zu sein.
Nimm dir Zeit zum Lachen - es ist die Musik der Seele. 

Eine irische Weisheit, die ich für 2016 gerne beherzigen und die ich euch ebenfalls mitgeben möchte. In diesem Sinne also einen guten Rutsch und ein frohes neues Jahr 2016!

Ich bin ja ein Fan von Listen (wie jeder sofort erkennt, der mit mir auf GoodReads befreundet ist *hust*), aber auch von Zahlen und Fakten und daher kommt ihr nun nicht darum herum, mein Lesejahr kurz und bündig in dieser Form präsentiert zu bekommen. 

2015 | Top Fifteen

Das Jahr neigt sich dem Ende zu und das bedeutet für die meisten Blogs eines: einen Rückblick auf das vergangene Lesejahr zu geben. Bevor ich euch allerdings mit ein paar Zahlen und Statistiken bezüglich meines Blogs langweile beehre, gebe ich euch einen Überblick über die fünfzehn Bücher, die 2015 zu etwas Besonderem gemacht; die Emotionen geschürt und Entspannung & Spaß gebracht haben; die einmal mehr gezeigt haben, warum das Lesen zu meinen liebsten Hobbys gehört. 

Sie stammen alle - was für eine Überraschung! -  aus dem Romantic Thrill und Contemporary Romance-Bereich. Die noch fehlenden Rezensionen folgen demnächst. 

Retrospects | December 2015

 

Ich hoffe ihr hattet schöne Weihnachten voll netter Gesellschaft, gutem Essen, und passenden Geschenken ;) Ich kann mich nicht beklagen, außer dass ich wohl bald zur Tür hinausrollen werde, so lecker und vielfältig waren die Menüs zuhause und bei den obligatorischen Verwandtenbesuchen. Zwischendurch fand ich auch noch Zeit ein paar Bücher zu lesen und ich muss sagen, dass ich gut gewählt habe. Es gab - abgesehen von ein paar unzulänglichen Kurzgeschichten - keine nennenswerten Enttäuschungen.

Review | Sandra Brown - Eisige Glut

 

 blanvalet  | Offizielle dt. Website der Autorin |  Hier kaufen

Albträume und Schlaflosigkeit sind die ständigen Begleiter des Journalisten Dawson Scott. Bis er von einem Fall erfährt, der zur Story seines Lebens werden könnte: Ein Mann soll einen grausamen Doppelmord an seiner Frau und deren Geliebten verübt haben. Scott erhält einen entscheidenden Hinweis: Eines der Opfer, Jeremy Wesson, soll der Sohn eines Terroristenpaares sein, das nie gefasst wurde. Auf eigene Faust beginnt Scott zu ermitteln und versucht, über die attraktive Amelia Nolan, Jeremys Exfrau, an Informationen zu gelangen. Was er schließlich aufdeckt, ist mehr als erschreckend...

Review | Tracey Alvarez - Playing for Fun

 

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Wanted: A woman for Ford.
Ford Komeke can’t deny he could use an up-skill in the dating arena. It’s a local in-joke that his game, as far as women go, sucks. Thanks to the meddling of New Zealand’s worst octogenarian matchmaker, he’s got an online dating profile, a new wardrobe, and a haircut from Stewart Island’s sexy hairdresser, Holly Parker. But since he’s well and truly mired in the friendzone with Holly, what’s the harm in exploring his options? A little jealousy could work wonders.

Offered: Dream job with a catch.
What do you say when you’re offered an un-turn-downable career opportunity? You say, hell-to-the-yeah! Only there’s a problem. To get the dream job Holly must leave Stewart Island and her two best friends, Shaye and Ford. But if Holly can distract Shaye with wedding planning and set Ford up with a nice girl so she can stop imagining him naked, neither will notice if she exits stage right. Neither will notice if her feelings for Ford stop being strictly platonic.

Warning: One kiss is never enough.
As addictive as the chocolate stash Holly hides in her fridge, one kiss forces them out of the friendzone - way out of the friendzone. Heat and hunger explode, but the ugliness in Ford’s past hold his heart hostage. Playing for fun or playing for keeps? Holly and Ford must decide because the consequences of falling in love means that someone’s heart or someone’s dream will ultimately end up shattered.