Thursday, August 30, 2007

The Ultimatum by Dan Graziano


The Ultimatum by Dan Graziano

Avon, 2007

Henry is an author who’s been living with his lawyer girl-friend, Layla, for about six years. They are in love and comfortable. Life has an easy rhythm. However, Layla decides that it’s time to take the next step—marriage.

She tells Henry that he has one week to propose or she’s outta there. Their good friends, Jack and Gina, are getting married one week to the day and Henry has until the bouquet toss to make good on his relationship with Layla.

What ensues is a thought-provoking, often humorous, tale of each day as it the countdown to week’s end is on. Will the ultimatum end in a proposal? Or will this couple go their separate ways?

The Ultimatum is a fun story and the author, Dan Graziano, is able to bring a uniquely male perspective to the story. As I was reading this I kept thinking of how I, or any female author, may have presented this. I realised I very much enjoyed seeing the male take on the situation. The author does present both Henry and Layla’s point of view, so he is trying to present both sides to the story. Unfortunately he often cuts back and forth between them, or narrating omnisciently, with no scene breaks, which I found very confusing, and distracting.

However, there were some great laugh-out-loud scenes, as well as some wonderfully touching emotional ones, in this book. As a woman I thought it was a great look into how a man might react to an ultimatum like this. I found it pretty realistic. Especially all of the golf and drinking! While I’m not entirely sure a woman would make the whole date decision as Layla did, I didn’t find it unrealistic either.

All in all, I found The Ultimatum by Dan Graziano quite enjoyable and engaging.


I give it 4 Kisses, Reviewed for Romance Divas

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Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Hunting the Demon, Jaci Burton



Hunting the Demon by Jaci Burton

Release Date August 28, 2007


Nic Diavolo is the son of the head Demon, destined to become the ruler of the Lords of the Sons of Darkness. Only he doesn't know it. And, even though he dreams it, he doesn't want it. Or anything to do with it.

Shay Pearson is a demon hunter, with the Realm of Light. She's the one who needs to capture Nic, lure him in to their midst, and determine who's side he is on. Has his demon half taken over? Or is he all male? Or is he the best combination of both?

With the Lord of the Sons of Darkness ready to make him their king, will Shay and the others be able to save him? Or will power be too strong of an aphrodisiac?

I have been waiting for this book forever. Truly. I loved Surviving Demon Island. Was a little worried because I've never been a big fan of the demon. But Ms. Burton knows how to make her demons desirable. At least the ones that are only part demon, anyway! LOL And, Hunting the Demon did not disappoint.

Just like SDI, Hunting the Demon is non-stop action, and sizzling passion. I loved the tension that gets ratcheted up with every passing chapter. And I really loved Dominic "Nic" Diavolo. A lot. Mmm. The only drawback to this story was that I found I wasn't as connected with Shay as I was with Gina (SDI). I'm not sure why. With SDI I felt invested in both Gina and Derek, whereas with Hunting the Demon I was more concerned with Nic. Maybe he was just so hot that I was distracted. :-D

The problem with Hunting the Demon is that it made me become heavily invested in two more characters: Angelique and Ryder. The way Ms. Burton weaved them into this already packed tale was brilliant. I wasn't sure who I wanted to watch more. Them or Shay and Nic. I must have Angelique and Ryder's story now, and I think it highly unfair of the author to string me along like this. Damn good technique--just unfair.

At this point you must realise I can't say enough good things about the series. I really like it. I highly recommend Hunting the Demon.

I give this a 4.5, BE Reviews

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Saturday, August 11, 2007

Starting Out Sideways by Mary E. Mitchell


Starting Out Sideways by Mary E. Mitchell

St. Martin’s Press, May 2007

Roseanna Plow figures she has a pretty good life. She lives on Long Island in a small apartment with her husband, she has a good career as a job counsellor for the developmentally challenged and she’s close to her mother. In proximity, that is. Her mother is only slightly meddling and, while she dresses like Donna Reed, she sounds like a drill seargant.

It turns out that Roseanna’s husband isn’t so wonderful and he’s decided to move in with her best friend. Her mother’s way of fixing things is to set Roseanna up with the manager of the local grocery store. Ham, who’s real name is Mickey Hamilton, used to be a butcher and, to Roseanna, he’s a little dull, even if he does have a cute butt.

Roseanna strives to find her way back to normal, all the while dealing with her soon-to-be ex-husband and her ex-best friend buying a house, her clients dealing with life’s challenges in their own special ways, a new punk-looking best friend who’s only twenty-five and parents who aren’t who she thinks they are.

This is a touching and, often, hilarious look at life for an every day average woman who finds out she isn’t so average after all. While Roseanna finds out that things aren’t always what they seem the reader is reminded that blessing can be found everywhere, even in the smallest of things or moments.

I truly enjoyed this book. It was the perfect read to curl up under the covers with on the, unfortunately, rainy days we have had of late. It would be just as perfect on the beach. It was refreshing to read about a woman who had a normal job and life, who wasn’t trying to come up with crazy schemes but just wanted to continue on with her life and be happy. Written in contemporary chick-lit still Starting Out Sidways, is poignant and funny. A truly delightful find.

I give it 4.5 kisses, Review for Romance Divas

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All Jacked Up by Penny McCall


All Jacked up by Penny McCall

Berkley Sensation, April 2007

Aubrey Sullivan thought she was pretty content in her world of books. As a librarian for the Library of Congress she was doing what she loved to do and, partly due to her photographic memory, she got invited to all the in and hip parties with the higher ups in D.C. Unfortunately, due to that same memory apparently, someone wants her dead.


Jack Mitchell is the FBI agent/possible mole who says he’s only kidnapping Aubrey to protect her. It doesn’t matter that he’s trying to save his own hide, and job, in the process. With one of the largest mob bosses in the U.S. after them, Jack isn’t taking any chances with something happening to either one of them.

In close quarters and on the run, Jack and Aubrey drive each other crazy, sometimes even in a good way.

This is a fairly fast-paced story by debut author, Penny McCall. It starts out pretty intense and stays that way, pretty much throughout. Unfortunately, the head hopping kept disconnecting me since I had to keep reading back to figure out who was saying what. Sometimes I still wasn’t sure. It was there, constantly through the entire story, and not just between the hero and heroine. That was the main thing that really bothered me, but it bothered me a lot. That, and the fact that Jack kept referring to Aubrey’s size. Yeah, we get it already, she’s skinny and not built.

On the other hand, the author has a great voice and I love the comedic edge she applied to both Jack and Aubrey, which helped to lighten up some of the more intense moments. The supporting characters were hilarious and I could see all of them very clearly, which I loved. All in all, it was a good story with some kickass moments.

It looks like Ms. McCall has another book coming out in July and I will give it a read. If she’s managed to lessen the head-hopping the book could be phenomenal.

I give this 3.5 Kisses, Review for Romance Divas

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