Category Archives: 4 Flames

LOVE DRUNK COWBOY
Author: Carolyn Brown
Source: Publisher
*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (May 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1402253583
ISBN-13: 978-1402253584

SUMMARY:

Carolyn Brown’s first five cowboy/country music single title mass market romances have sold over 65,000 copies All Austin Lanier wants is to sell her inherited watermelon farm, slip on her stilettos and run back to corporate America. Until the drop dead sexy cowboy next door, Rye O’Donnell, decides he’ll only take the farm if he can get the fiery woman who owns it as part of the deal…

MY THOUGHTS:

Love Drunk Cowboy is the first book in the “Spikes and Spurs” series by Carolyn Brown. It is set in present day Texas with a western theme involving Austin and Rye.  Austin inherits her Grandmother’s watermelon farm but wants to sell it and return to the city life.  All it takes is one look at Rye and she thinks that farm life might be the life she has been missing. 


I actually liked this book!  I loved Rye and Austin as a couple.  They were fun, witty and easy to enjoy.  As you read about their journey, you can’t help but wish for your own piece of country life just so you can have as much spark as these two! 


While at times, Austin acts as though she has forgotten her city smarts, fans of Western Romance will more than likely enjoy this new series.  If you are a fan of the author, I am sure you will want to pick up this new series as well.  Sit back, turn on the music of Watermelon Crawl by Tracy Byrd, and enjoy the fun new series by an author who brings the spark to the genre of Western Romance!


MY RATING:

Very Good! I would recommend this book! 4 STARS

COLT’S CHOICE
Bad In Boots #2
Author: Patrice Michelle
Source: Personal Purchase

Paperback: 239 pages
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave (April 30, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1419951440
ISBN-13: 978-1419951442

SUMMARY:

Colt is very aware the sexy part owner of his rodeo ranch is way out of his league. But the more he tells himself Elise Hamilton is ‘hands off’, the more he wants to put his hands on. 

Elise knows her broad-shouldered and lean-hipped cowboy partner has all the makings of Mr. Right. First, she has to convince Colt she’s serious about helping him run the ranch without her libido getting in the way. 

Then again, maybe she can rope her cowboy and have him, too. 

MY THOUGHTS:

This is the second book in the Bad In Boots series by Patrice Michelle.  I hadn’t even heard of this series or author before until I came across this book at a used book store.  The summary sounded fun and thought this would make a quick read to pass some time at night.  Needless to say, my night went without sleep and I fantasized about cowboys more than I should have.

I know it is hard to read about the highly coveted cowboy that sweeps you off your feet.  The author did make her cowboys to be better than what you would expect in a romance.  The character of Colt actually could be a male you could find on a ranch and instantly have drool running down your chin from his sexy good looks.  I liked Colt, but there was one thing about him that made me cringe just a little.  I didn’t like how possessive he became with Elise.  It was constantly Mine,Mine,Mine out of his mouth whenever someone made a play for her.  I can understand the possessiveness if say they were engaged or in an actual relationship, but Colt made no mention at first of them seeing each other exclusively.

Elise was smart and sexy in her own right.  She could turn on the sex hormones just as quickly as the cowboys.  Yet, underneath all the sexy, she also had a brain and knack at business and computers.  I liked her input in handling the ranch.  I also liked how she wasn’t afraid of a little hard work around the ranch.  She kept up with the ranch hands and earned their respect. 

I loved the side characters of Mace and Cade who just happen to be Colt’s sexy and single brothers. They each brought a certain personality to the book that made them enjoyable to read about. I do hope the author plans to continue their stories in future books.

I am happy to have found a new author to read that has a way with writing believable cowboys who happen to be sexy!  Now I must go and purchase the rest of  her books along with the first book in the series.  Don’t worry if you haven’t read the first book though.  This book did wonderfully as a stand alone book.

MY RATING:

FLAWLESS
Author: Lara Chapman
Source: Publisher
*I received this ARC copy free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 272 pages
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books (May 10, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1599906317
ISBN-13: 978-1599906317

SUMMARY:

Sarah Burke is just about perfect. She’s got killer blue eyes,
gorgeous blond hair, and impeccable grades. There’s just one tiny—all right, enormous—flaw: her nose. But even that’s not so bad. Sarah’s got the best best friend and big goals for print journalism fame.

On the first day of senior year, Rock Conway walks into her journalism class and, well, rocks her world. Problem is, her best friend, Kristen, falls for him too. And when Rock and Kristen stand together, it’s like Barbie and Ken come to life. So when Kristen begs Sarah to help her nab Rock, Sarah does the only thing a best friend can do—she agrees. For someone so smart, what was she thinking?

This hip retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac is filled with hilariously misguided matchmaking, sweet romance, and a gentle reminder that we should all embrace our flaws.

MY THOUGHTS:

I admit, the cover was not too appealing to me.  When I first glanced at it, I had that ‘meh’ feeling. Even after reading the summary, I was still not convinced that it would wow me by the last page.  Boy, was I wrong.

Sarah has always been insecure around people due to the size of her nose.  Honestly, reading the book and trying to imagine her nose, the only image I could bring up in my mind was Gonzo from The Muppet’s.  Then as I read more, it would morph into the nose from that movie Roxanne that Steve Martin had.  Even though this book was focused on Sarah and her nose,  I eventually started to enjoy the story that was underneath it all.  I loved the character of Rock, even when he was naive and easily fooled by the antics of Sarah and Kristen.  I wasn’t a big fan of Kristen though in this book.  Yes, she was protective of Sarah, but she lacked a certain depth that would have made me connect better with her.  I couldn’t understand why she was trying so hard to impress one boy.  After I sat and thought about it though, I realized Kristen was doing  it based on looks alone that rounded out the story and gave us the outlook on both sides.  One was scared to be noticed due to a flaw, one was scared to show her true self due to being based solely on her looks at times, and one wanted to be accepted in a new school with new people.

Each character brought something unique to the story which made the book that much better.  I will state that I was not a big fan of the ending.  While it had the outcome I was cheering for, I felt it was too quickly resolved and done within a few pages.  I would have liked to have seen a little bit more and the results of the outcome with other characters included.

Overall a good book especially for teen girls struggling with fitting in and trying to fix their image. It has a great message behind it and is easily adapted for a teen to enjoy.

MY RATING:

Very Good! I would recommend this book! 4 STARS

TEMPEST RISING
Author: Tracy Deebs
Source: Gifted

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers (May 10, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0802722318
ISBN-13: 978-0802722317

SUMMARY:

Tempest Maguire wants nothing more than to surf the killer waves near her California home; continue her steady relationship with her boyfriend, Mark; and take care of her brothers and surfer dad. But Tempest is half mermaid, and as her seventeenth birthday approaches, she will have to decide whether to remain on land or give herself to the ocean like her mother. The pull of the water becomes as insistent as her attraction to Kai, a gorgeous surfer whose uncanny abilities hint at an otherworldly identity as well. And when Tempest does finally give in to the water’s temptation and enters a fantastical underwater world, she finds that a larger destiny awaits her—and that the entire ocean’s future hangs in the balance.

MY THOUGHTS:

Tempest Rising is a new novel by author Tracy Deebs focusing on the world of mermaids and sea creatures.  When a friend sent me this book to read,  I couldn’t wait to read it!  Just the cover alone — with all of its purple glory– captured my attention!  I am a sucker for purple, beautiful covers and something to break the cycle of vampires and werewolves. 


At first, I was having a hard time enjoying this book.  It seemed to drag on for Part One.  I didn’t like Tempest that much because of the way she was treating her boyfriend Mark, acting like she didn’t like a boy fawning over her.  I thought Mark was at times a little protective, but I saw that he actually cared about Tempest.  Then we are introduced to Kai.  *swoon*  Kai was sexy, secretive, funny and sweet.  He isn’t what he seems, but we find out what he is and go with the flow.  


Tempest is dealing with a lot of things in this book.  After her Mother left her family when Tempest was only eleven,  she has practically help raise her brothers and taken care of her Father.  Before her Mother left,  she left a note for each one of her children explaining that when they turn 17, they will have to make a life decision.  That decision involves staying as a human with her family on land, or becoming a mermaid in the sea.  While Tempest was torn between staying with her family or leaving them behind,  you could actually feel the struggle she was having in the decision.  Her family always new about their heritage of being half human/ half mermaid, and her Father even holds out hope that Cecily, Tempests’ Mother, will return to them some day.   When Tempest tries to rescue Kai after an attack from the sea witch,  she finds herself in the underwater kingdoms and trying to figure out her destiny.  

I was thrilled when Tempest finally got to explore life under the sea and alongside Kai.  I felt her to better suited with Kai than with Mark.  After the slow dragging story in Part One,  the book really picks up speed and takes you for a fantastical ride underwater!  I loved learning about the supposed Prophecy, the different kingdoms under the sea, and I even enjoyed the sea witch as a villain.  Yes, it was a little predictable in some parts,  but the ending was a surprise.  I couldn’t believe Tempest made the decision she made after struggling so hard throughout the book with it.  


I do hope there is more to this than just one book.  I am anxious to see how Moku and Rio, Tempests’ brothers, deals with their decision.  I also want to see if the author will be able to tell a tale involving her Father and maybe some of the other creatures under the sea. 


MY RATING:

IT HAPPENED ONE SEASON
Author(s): Stephanie Laurens
Mary Balogh
Jacquie D’Alessandro
Candice Hern
Source: Publisher

*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

Mass Market Paperback: 432 pages
Publisher: Avon (March 29, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 9780061993374
ISBN-13: 978-0061993374
ASIN: 0061993379

SUMMARY:


We asked our readers what story they would most like to see from four bestselling authors. They responded . . .

have come together to create one of the most unforgettable events of the year. The results are spectacular—each story is as unique as a lover’s first kiss.

MY THOUGHTS:

Have you ever read a book and wondered what would have happened if the story had went a different way?  Well in this story, there are four authors telling different takes on a certain storyline.  Basically, you get four different reads in one book!


I really enjoyed this book.  I liked how each author brought something different to the story.  Each one of them had their own writing style while using the same basis of a plot.  What made it even more enjoyable was the fact that I found myself excited to be reading a Historical Romance!  I have been trying to enjoy this genre and it has been a hit and miss for me.  I will say though that this book was a hit!


Each story flowed nicely and each one was amazing as a stand alone.  I was able to finish one story and continue on shortly after into the next one without any hitches.  I will also mention that while I enjoyed the book as a whole, the last story by Candice Hern was my least favorite of the bunch. It was a little slow going, but it still wasn’t that bad.


If you are looking for something unique, then I say pick up this book.  If you are a fan of Historical Romance, or just wanting to try it for the first time, this would be perfect!  You get to read 4 different stories by 4 different authors of this genre in one book!


MY RATING: