Not So Crazy For You

Expected Publication: November 27th, 2012
Wild About You (Love At Stake # 13)
By: Kerrelyn Sparks
Avon Books
ISBN-13: 9780062107718

The thirteenth book in the Love at Stake series features Howard Barr, the were-bear!
Handsome Howard…Hunky Howard… Hot Howard…

It’s not every day that Elsa Bjornberg feels fragile, not when she hosts a home renovation show where she can effortlessly demolish a kitchen. But from the moment she meets Howard Barr, this bear of a man makes her feel like a woman. And the way he looks at her, as if she was a pot of honey he’d like to lick…

Howard is not like most men. For one thing, he’s a shapeshifter. And he always thought his celebrity crush would never amount to anything more than drooling at Elsa on the TV. When his meddling vampire employer gets involved, the star is suddenly within his grasp—and within a hair of her life. For an ancient curse forbids their newfound love, and Howard is suddenly torn between his desire for her and his desire to keep her alive.

Review

 

   Howard Barr is leading a fairly solitary life, but even he gets lonely watching all his friends marry off and have kids.  Right now he's focused on revenge for Rhett Bleddyn for killing his first love and getting him banished from his home for two decades.  He won't stop until Rhett's career, place as werewolf packmaster and underhanded embezzlement are stopped once and for all.  Meanwhile, Elsa Bjornberg has come to the Dragon Nest Academy where he is a security guard to do renovations on the building next door.  Sparks fly from the very first touch and their family histories may just be inextricably linked.  But can they manage to fight an ancient curse that threatens to keep them apart?  This book was one that I was really excited to read.  I loved Howard in the other books and the series has managed to keep momentum pretty well up until now.  I was majorly disappointed.  I like fluff as much as the next person, but this book felt like it had no plot and zero real romance.  Howard and Elsa are both focused on each other's looks above all else and she is absolutely unable to see past the fact that he's a were-bear, which is not synonymous with MONSTER.  I felt really frustrated at how weak-minded Elsa was and how easily she let others talk her into questioning the fact that Howard was harmless and a good guy.  The epiphany she has to that effect felt seriously fake and forced.  Also, Howard's desperation to be with Elsa and then pushing her away for her protection (at the very end of the book almost), as a basic afterthought was dumb.  I liked the parts with Tino and Shanna was amusing, if annoying.  Her Aunts were insufferable and the way they change their minds at the end with no convincing was very weak.  But Howard and Elsa's "romance" did absolutely nothing for me.  So utterly contrived and without any appeal for me.  I hope the next one is better. 

 

VERDICT:  2.5/5  Stars

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via Edelweiss.  No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book's expected publication date is November 27th, 2012.*



Vampire, Please Be Mine

Published: March 29th, 2011
Vampire Mine
By: Kerrelynn Sparks
Avon Books
ISBN: 9780061958045

Nothing on earth can make this vampire fall in love . . .

After 499 years of existence, Connor Buchanan has arrived at an inescapable conclusion: he is a cold-hearted SOB. He's been watching his friends—those poor romantic fools—plummet off the cliff into love like a dazed herd of sheep. But not Connor. He knows that love leads to nothing but heartache.

Until Marielle . . .

She is an angel cast down from heaven for disobedience. Trapped in mortal form, she finds a protector in Connor, a Scottish vampire haunted by a dark past. Marielle hopes to heal his broken heart and earn her way back home, but suddenly she has these . . . feelings. This strange yet pleasant physical yearning—for a vampire! Is this the work of a demon luring her into hell, or has this angel found heavenly bliss?

Review

   Connor Buchanan can't believe how crazy his fellow vampires are, falling in love.  He vows he won't become the next one to give in to a woman.  Then, on a mission against the Malcontents Connor witnesses the banishment of Marielle.  She has disobeyed orders one too many times and as a result, been cast out of the heavenly host.  Now Marielle is being pursued by a demon and must adjust to being human and all that it entails.  Plus, she is unable to touch anyone but a vampire because even though she's no longer an angel her touch still has the power to kill.  Can Marielle earn her place back to Heaven and can Connor protect her until she's able?  Is Connor truly damned or is redemption still possible?  But when it comes down to it, will Marielle be able to leave Connor behind?  This was wonderful.  I loved the introduction of angels and demons into the series, especially all of the trials an angel has to go through to adjust to mortal life.  I adored Marielle because she was so sweet and innocent, but she still had a feisty spirit all the same.  Connor was my favorite hero of the series so far, because for him it's all about how he believes he's undeserving and damned to Hell due to past wrongs.  The redemption that he undergoes is pretty awesome.  The romance in this book is hot and sweet both, which is just how I like it.  However, the formula is still present and obvious in this book (which is #10 in the series) so I can't quite say I loved it, so much as enjoyed it a lot.

VERDICT:  4/5  Stars

*No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book is now available in stores and online.*

The Vampire and The Virgin (Not a Sacrifice, We Promise)

Published: March 9th, 2010
The Vampire and the Virgin
By: Kerrelynn Sparks
Avon Books
ISBN-13: 9780061667862

Olivia's packing list:

1. Sunscreen
2. Bathing suit
3. Flip-flops

FBI psychologist Olivia Sotiris was looking for a cool ocean breeze, sand between her toes, and a break from her crazy, chaotic, and sometimes all-too-dangerous life. But when she escaped to the small Greek island of Patmos, all she got were meddling grandmothers trying to marry her off. Can't they see that none of the men around interests her—except Robby MacKay?

Robby's packing list:

1. Synthetic blood
2. More synthetic blood
3. Jogging clothes
(even vamps have to stay in shape!)

Robby needs to cool off, too, since all he can think about is revenge on the Malcontent bloodsuckers who once held him captive—but then he meets Olivia, the beauty with wild curls and a tempting smile. When a deadly criminal from a case back home tracks her down, Robby will have to save her life—along with giving her a first time she'll never forget . . .

Review

   Olivia Sotiris just needs to get away from life for awhile - including the demented serial killer who's been stalking her since she helped put him behind bars.  Going to Patmos, Greece to visit her Grandmother for a few weeks seems like a good idea.  Robby Mackay has been forced to go on a vacation in Greece, because he is single-mindedly focused on revenge against those who held and tortured him; even if it means harm to himself and others.  Robby is just biding time at first but then he meets Olivia, who he is drawn to against his better judgement.  Olivia didn't go to Greece looking to meet someone, but when you have the ability to tell lies from the truth, getting a date isn't easy.  It helps that she can't read Robby.  But when the serial killer manages to get to Olivia on Greece and she has a misunderstanding with Robby, it's going to take a lot of work for them to realize they belong together.  This was a decent story and the characters were well developed for such a by-the-numbers plotline.  I enjoyed reading about Olivia's struggles, but Robby kind of annoyed me with his fixed desire for revenge.  Plus, in this book the other characters didn't have as much of a presence as in the other ones because of the fact that Robby was mostly alone (except for Carlos) when he went to Greece.  I like it when there are more than a few supporting characters.  The romance in this one was a little too 'Twilight' for me to truly get behind it's success.  All in all it was a fun and quick read, but I won't be re-reading it again.

VERDICT:  3.5/5  Stars

*No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book is now available in stores and online.*

We Don't Play With Our Food...

Published: September 28th, 2010
Eat, Prey, Love (Love At Stake #9)
By: Kerrelynn Sparks
HarperCollins Publishers
ISBN-13: 9780061958038



Wanted: Bride. Must love children. Mortals need not apply.
 
Carlos Panterra is looking for a mate, a woman who will love and care for the young orphans he's recently taken under his wing (or paw, as the case may be). When the shape shifter spies the beautiful Caitlyn, it's like sunshine amidst the darkness. At last, he's found the perfect woman, except . . .
 
Caitlyn Whelan is mortal. Worse, her father is the head of a CIA agency bent on hunting the undead. Still, Caitlyn knows that Carlos is the man for her, shape shifter or not. So she jumps at the chance when her sister offers her a job to work with him, determined to show Carlos their attraction is more than just animal magnetism. But danger lurks in the night, and their unleashed, untamed passion might just get them both killed . . .

Review

   Caitlyn Whelan never believed in vampires and things that go bump in the night.  She's about to get a crash course when after reuniting with her sister Shanna against their parents' wishes, she finds out that vampires at least are real.  And her sisters husband happens to be one of the undead.  She decided to join their organization and help them hunt bad vampires, also known as Malcontents, instead of joining her Dad's secret CIA team that hunts good AND bad vampires.  Carlos Panterra is drawn to Caitlyn from the moment he first sees her, but knows nothing can happen because it's his duty to repopulate his race (were-panthers).  To do that he needs to find a mate that is a were-panther like himself.  But while he is helping Caitlyn learn to fight, he can't help but feel the sexual tension - and neither can she.  When the two are forced to go on a mission together, will they finally give in to fate or will they fight it until it's too late?  Caitlyn's feisty and snarky attitude had me loving her place as heroine of the book.  I was glad that her paranormal ability was something interesting, like the ability to understand and learn all languages almost instantaneously.  Carlos could be domineering and annoying, but his hotness practically radiated off the page.  Sparks creates a world of romance, mystery and adventure that you can't help but feel immersed in.  You wish the book didn't have to end (at leats I did)!  The only thing I didn't like was how long it took Caitlyn and Carlos to get together - it began to border on completley ridiculous.  I am bummed that I started so far into what I had no idea was a series, but it didn't affect my enjoyment the least bit.

VERDICT:  4/5  Stars

*No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book is now available in stores and online.*