When All The Girls Have Gone by Jayne Ann Krentz

I took while to pick up Jayne Ann Krentz’s When All The Girls Have Gone, which is totally unlike me as I usually have them pre-ordered the second they become available.  When I ran into it at the bookstore a couple weeks ago, whilst picking up an Amanda Quick novel (I’m going through a regency phase again) I decided it was high time to devour it.  And so I did.

It took about four hours, with a few breaks for deep breathing, but I managed to finish it with minimal nervous sweating.  I’m one of those people who watches a movie and then gets so panicked half way through that I look up the ending.  That’s just how I roll and it endlessly annoys my husband.

Anyways, When All The Girls Have Gone is like any other Jayne Ann Krentz novel.  It’s amazing.  Sure, they all follow somewhat the same structure as far as mysteries go, but somehow I’m never able to guess who the criminal is.  Just when I think I’m narrowing in on the killer boom there’s a twist and it turns out to be someone I never expected.  Then even when you know for certain who it is she still manages to throw some surprises in.

Charlotte Sawyer is your typical every day woman.  She goes to work, she goes home, she gets left by her fiancé days before her wedding.  The usual.  Everyone thinks Charlotte is predictable, even boring.  And sure, compared to her spontaneous, exciting, beautiful sister, she probably is.  But when Jocelyn’s friend dies of suspicious circumstances, and Jocelyn vanishes, Charlotte combines forces with private investigator Max Cutler to figure out just what is going on inside that secretive women’s investment club Jocelyn’s a part of.  Together they work their way through a complicated mystery, filled with twists and turns and misdirection.  And if they find each other attractive, that’s perfectly natural.  But as their journey continues they find it harder and harder to ignore the romance building between them.

I mean, how can you not love how that sounds?  Charlotte isn’t the brave, out-going, typically strong woman that Jayne Ann Krentz usually writes about.  She’s just a normal woman thrust into a situation she has no idea how to handle...at first.  As the book goes on Charlotte starts to learn how to stand up for herself, how to be strong, and best of all, how to be comfortable in her own skin.

It’s not my favorite Jayne Ann Krentz novel.  Maybe not even my top 5 (I’m pretty loyal to the first 5 I ever read), but it was a delightful read and I’ll absolutely read it again.

The Girl Who Knew Too Much by Amanda Quick

For those of you who know me (or have read my bio on the blog) you know that Jayne Ann Krentz (and her alter-egos Jayne Castle, Amanda Quick, & Stephanie James) is my absolute favorite author.  All-time.  Forever.  The best.  Her novel Absolutely Positively was the first romance novel I ever plucked off the shelf and was the start of my love of romance novels.

So when I was digging through the advanced reader copies in the back of the bookstore where I work I was absolutely astounded to find the name Amanda Quick staring back at me.  Super popular authors don’t tend to send out ARCs because they don’t need to.  They’ve already developed their hoard of devoted followers.  But here it was.

Amanda Quick usually writes regency romance, but with her new novel The Girl Who Knew Too Much she has decided to give 1930s California a chance.  Irena Glasson is on the run.  From what?  She’s not sure.  But she only knows that she has to keep herself, and the secret journal left to her by her murdered former employer, safe.  She’s just made a new life for herself when she finds herself, yet again, discovering a dead body.  Irene doesn’t plan on running this time.  Instead, with the help of Oliver Ward, washed up magician and current owner of California’s most exclusive hotel, she plans to uncover the truth of what’s happening in Burning Cove.  But when the bodies start piling up Irene realizes that she might be in very real danger and she might have to do something she promised herself she’d never do… trust a man with her life.

This story had everything an Amanda Quick novel is known for: unique characters, a steamy romance, and a mystery you’re dying to solve.  I was enamored from start to finish with the fabulous story-telling.  I can never guess what I, as the reader, am going to uncover next in her enigmatic tale of murder, mayhem, and somehow… romance.  It just all blends together so well to create a book you can’t put down.

Ms. Quick’s characters cannot be beat in terms of realism.  You won’t find model looks and flawless personalities here.  You’ll find characters with creative pasts, but very real traits.  They’re smart, but make mistakes.  Strong, but with very real weaknesses.  Confident, but insecure in the ways that we, as the readers, are also insecure.  I pass her characters on the street every day, or so it seems.  They’re that wonderfully believable without being boring.   

And this story.  Woosh.  Like I’ve mentioned before, I simply cannot guess where an Amanda Quick story is going to end up.  Every time I think I know the ending, that I’ve solved the mystery, she throws another twist into the plotline and I find myself scrambling to catch back up.  It’s exhausting and thrilling and unforgettable. 

If you’ve never read an Amanda Quick novel, you should.  If historical novels aren’t where you interests lie then have no fear:

For paranormal romance, check out Jayne Castle.  These are some of the most exceptional paranormal romances I’ve ever read.  The imagination of Ms. Castle is utterly phenomenal.  And the men aren’t bad either, if you know what I’m saying (they’re hotter than the depths of hell).

For contemporary romance, check out Jayne Ann Krentz (the real name of the author responsible for all these works).  Some of her series are mind-blowing.

And hey, fun bonus.  Ms. Krentz’s Arcane Series crosses over between all three worlds (paranormal, contemporary, and historical).  AND THEY ARE FABULOUS.  

Playing Dirty by Mickey Miller

MALE ROMANCE AUTHOR ALERT.

It's honestly been a while since I read a romance novel by a guy that wasn't M/M (i.e. male/male), which is funny because I think a high percentage of M/M books are actually written by women. Anyways, Playing Dirty by Mickey Miller was recommended to me by a friend who knows the author and, knowing I'm a huge romance reader, was curious what my thoughts were.

The book is self-published and a debut book, so I wasn't expecting a fabulous, perfectly put together, totally non-cliche book... which is good, because I didn't get that.

Jake Napleton is a baseball player with a bad reputation.  Rather than fix his reputation, Jake is fine with keeping his positive attributes a secret while letting the world think he's a boozing womanizer.  Enter Andrea Diggers.  Andrea is a budding public relations expert looking to prove herself and Jake's image is the perfect place to start.  But Jake is more interested in what Andrea can give him in the bedroom and less interested in how she's going to improve his reputation.

If you're an avid reader like myself then you've probably come across this plot a time or two.  I think almost every romance writer has written this plot a time or two (which actually means Mr. Miller is probably on his way to a lucrative career).  I think Mr. Miller fell victim to the "too many plot lines going at once" problem that many authors (and the writers of American Horror Story) fall victim to.  There was an ex-boyfriend problem, a kid problem, a crazy mom problem, a crazy boss problem, his bad reputation problem, and her job problem.  Too many problems.  The book would probably have been more successful had Mr. Miller chosen 2 or 3 of these and expanded on them more.  I would have loved to really learn more about the characters, especially Andrea, and what really made them them.  But if you love drama-filled stories and don't mind the crammed in plots then you won't be disappointed.

Something I didn't expect-- I kept forgetting that Playing Dirty was written by a guy.  I remember occasionally thinking "wow, this could have been written by a lady".  I really thought I would notice a difference between this novel and those by female authors, especially during Andrea's POV, but Mr. Miller has the apparent talent of morphing into a woman and putting her thoughts onto paper.  Sometimes female authors are criticized for creating unrealistic male characters, but you won't be able to say the same about this book obviously.

The sex scenes were fab.  So, the author needs no help there.

All in all, I think that Mickey Miller has real potential.  He definitely has room to grow as an author (especially finding his own voice among the many, many romance authors out there on the market), but I think you should put him on your "Authors To Watch For" list.

Seven Minutes in Heaven by Eloisa James

I had never read an Eloisa James novel prior to picking up Seven Minutes in Heaven, but I recognized her name as one of the popular regency romance novelists in our bookshop.  I thought that the title was a bit strange, a modern day concept as a title for a historical time period, but it isn’t long into the novel before you discover exactly why the novel was given that title.

Edward “Ward” Reeve is desperate for a governess for the two half siblings that have been unceremoniously dumped into his lap. Eugenia Snowe, widow and owner of the premier governess placement agency, is his first call.  When they meet they discover, much to Ward’s pleasure and Eugenia’s dismay, they have a passion that cannot be ignored.  Eugenia is just the sort of person Ward’s half-siblings need to learn the ins and outs of society, and the sort of person to finally awaken Ward’s mind and desire, but will a misunderstanding between the two of them lead to utter disappointment?

I love regency romance novels.  I’m exceptionally particular to Stephanie James and Amanda Quick, but wow, Eloisa James is certainly someone whose books I want lining my shelves.

Her characters were witty and the dialogue was hilarious and totally realistic (at least with how I imagine stuffy lords and ladies would talk, since I have no actual life experience).  I totally loved how quirky and unique the children were paired with the ridiculous situations they got themselves into.  I admit I have a soft spot for storylines with children… they always add some light-hearted fun into the tense adult drama.

The romance was wooooosh.  It had my heart beating pretty quickly a few different times.  Ward was definitely a force to be reckoned with while Eugenia was no innocent, blushing bride, that’s for sure. 

As for the “misunderstanding”.  The reader knows what it is pretty much right from the start, but that didn’t keep me from panicking as Ward dug himself a deeper and deeper hole, unbeknownst to him.  I won’t spoil it, but I will say that I thought I was going to have a panic attack if Ward didn’t figure his shit out soon.

I will 100% be coming back for Ms. Eloisa James.  I recommend Seven Minutes in Heaven to anyone who loves regency/historical novels with strong, powerful women who aren’t afraid to stand up for themselves and their worth (no matter how others define it).  Ward is a swoon-worthy alpha male that will be invading many women’s fantasies starting January 2017.

Flash of Fury by Lea Griffith

Have you ever read a book and you keep having deja vu?  Like you've read it before?  That was my experience reading Flash of Fury by Lea Griffith.  Only I hadn't read it before, it just seemed like I had.

Flash of Fury is a composite of every military romance you've ever read.  Nothing about it stood out as a unique piece of work.  It was almost like Lea Griffith read a number of romance novels and just followed their plot line when writing her own book.  

The characters (Kingston McNally & Allie Redding) are boring, boring, boring.  They fall in love hours after meeting one another and, in the middle of horrifically dangerous situations, seem to have no problem constantly admiring one another's bodies.  Like, I get it, this is a romance novel and there needs to be romance.  But realistically, we should probably stop thinking about King's ass when we're being shot at.  

The plot is overdone, drawn out, and honestly, confusing.  For one, it starts out with a ridiculous amount of military lingo.  I read quite a few military romances and yes, they use lingo, but they do a good job of helping the reader understand what's going on.  Two pages in I couldn't wrap my head around the scene and I almost put the book down out of frustration.  

Then you've got all the different plots.  Terrorists, a mole in the CIA, a double agent on King's team.  Lea Griffith was obviously trying to set up the other books in her series at the same time, but she introduced way too many plotlines and characters to give focus to any one.  

I'll be honest, I got so bored that by the end I was skimming those pages.  When I finally finished I was relieved that I didn't have to read it anymore... not begging for more, like I usually am after reading a good novel.  I think this may be Lea Griffith's debut novel, so I'm willing to cut her a little slack (and maybe give her another chance), but I'm pretty disappointed in how this book turned out.  

2 For 1: Under Her Skin by Adriana Anders and Reckless Hearts by Reckless Van Fleet

My new husband and I recently went to Ireland for our honeymoon.  Knowing I had an eight hour flight ahead of me I downloaded a not-yet-published books to my Kindle.  I was desperately hoping I’d made good choices and wouldn’t be stuck with a handful of terribly written sleazy novels (the well written sleazy novels are awesome, obviously). 

UNDER HER SKIN- ADRIANA ANDERS

Under Her Skin by Adriana Anders was an excellent choice for an airplane read.  When you’re on an airplane you, like myself, probably don’t want a novel that will have you blushing and twitching in your seat for your seat neighbor (the one who isn’t your husband) to notice.  You, also, want something that’s going to keep you from remembering that you’re thousands of feet in the air.  Under Your Skin fit both of my necessary criteria.

On the run from an abusive relationship Uma longs for two things: safety, and to get the tattoos that her ex-boyfriend forced on her removed.  She has no time for strong, bearded men who seem to have taken an interest in her.  But, there’s something about Ivan that makes her want to share her deepest, most painful secrets… maybe it’s because Ivan seems to be hiding some secrets of his own.

Under Her Skin was a different sort of novel.  While reading it I remember thinking, “Wow, this is something else.”  My heart wept for Uma and her horrific experience at the hands of her ex-boyfriend.  I desperately wanted to reach through the pages and offer comfort of my own, but as is the problem with books it was impossible to do.  I was so thankful when strong, handsome Ivan came into the picture to relieve her of some of her pain.

The intimate scenes were fabulously done.  It was mind-numbing getting to see ex-con Ivan cater to Uma’s fears and past by offering her something no other person ever had: his total submission.  Now, this book isn’t a dominatrix book, by any means (I’ve read a couple of those), but watching Ivan, with his rough exterior, let Uma take control of what was happening between them both endeared me to him and their story, but also got my blood pumping (but not too much, for an airplane, you know).

Under Her Skin is the perfect choice for someone who wants a new twist on an alpha male story.  The writing was spot on and beautifully done, Adriana Anders has some serious talent for making you feel and making you want.  If you want to check out Under Her Skin, and I strongly suggest you do, it comes out February 2017.  I know that Adriana Anders will be on my to-read list from here on out.

RECKLESS HEARTS- HEATHER VAN FLEET

Reckless Hearts by Heather Van Fleet had quite a bit of things that tend to get my interested in a romance novel: ex-marines, a single father, the promise of a series, etc.  So, I picked it up excited to read what was sure to be an explosively sexy book.  What I got, however, was a pretty big disappointment.

Collin Montgomery’s girlfriend dies only weeks before he returns from Iraq, leaving him a single father to a newborn.  Finding it difficult to master single parenthood, a social life, and a full-time job Collin’s friends, and sister, convince him that he needs a nanny.  Cue Addison Booker, a girl desperate for a job even if it means working closely with sexy, annoying, frustrating Collin Montgomery.  Collin needs Addison.  She’s perfect for Chloe.  And maybe for him, which is why it’s so difficult to keep his hands off her.  But if can’t he might ruin everything.

I was really pulling for this novel.  I was hoping for a sexy alpha man brought to his knees by a strong, independent woman.  What I got was two annoying characters who didn’t know what they wanted and flip flopped constantly regarding their feelings.  An example of Collin’s mindset: can’t keep my hands off her, kiss her, can’t do this, kiss her, gotta stay away, kiss her, be a dick to her, kiss her, I love her, let’s get married.  An example of Addison’s mindset: he kissed me, I hate him, never going back, wait he called, kind of forgive him, kiss him, I’m annoyed by him, kiss him, we’re moving too fast, I love him.

The whole back-and-forth thing was exhausting.  I like a little chase in my romance, but oh my god, this was simply too much.  Also, I found his lack of respect for his infant daughter appalling.  Let’s not ask this girl you’ve known for 3 months to move in and be a stay-at-home mother to your daughter.  You’ve known her three months and didn’t even really like her that much until a week ago. That’s just bad parenting.

The secondary characters were just as upsetting.  It’s clear that Heather Van Fleet is setting up a series with two of Collin’s friends and his sister, but her attempts to intrigue you with their subplots fell short.  Gavin and Max, ex-marines themselves, were complete and total assholes with zero boundaries in regards to women.  Their treatment of Addison, and other women in her life, were those of typical guys who think women exist for their entertainment.  It turned me off completely.

Heather Van Fleet made many attempts to breathe some life into the plot with a few opportunities for drama, but the drama never escalated and eventually fizzled out without much of a revival to the storyline. 

The writing was decent, the dialogue was realistic, and I so wanted to love this book, but the positives just couldn’t outweigh the negatives in the long run.  Reckless Hearts comes out February 2017 if any of the above sounds like something you'd enjoy.

 If you love ex-marines and alpha males who treat their women right check out: Julie Ann Walker and her series of bad boy bikers.  Now there’s some good writing.

I just received a huge bundle of romance novels so there will be plenty of new reviews coming soon.  Thanks for reading!

Left at the Altar by Margaret Brownley

In Two-Time, Texas the local time depends on which jeweler you have decided to pledge your loyalty to.  Tommy Farrell and Meg Lockwood’s marriage is supposed to unite the two jewelers, turning Two-Time into a one-time town, but nobody sees it coming when Tommy leaves Meg standing at the altar.  Now Meg’s father is suing Tommy and his family for breach of contract and Meg’s pretty sure that nothing has ever humiliated her so terribly in her entire life.  Tommy hires Grant Garrison, a fancy Boston lawyer, to take his case.

Grant Garrison is supposed to take Tommy’s side in the matter, so why does he continuously find himself drawn to Meg and her unique personality?  Meg is trying to start over and wants nothing more than to forget the entire mess ever happened, but with the looming court case before her, and a handsome lawyer popping up at inconvenient times, she’s not sure she’ll ever get to move on.

Left at the Altar by Margaret Brownley is good, clean romance.  You’re not going to read any ravishing scenes or find the two characters having a private moment in a stairwell.  It’s innocent without being boring, sweet without being cliché, funny without being obvious about it. 

At the bookstore we’re usually brutally honest about books we’ve read.  There’s one sitting on our table in the breakroom with a note that says, “I will never get those three hours back.”  Left at the Altar wouldn’t have a note like that.  I would write something like, “Worth a read.  Adorable, witty, and quirky.”

I thought the idea of a two-time town was absolutely hilarious.  I would never have imagined something like that could exist, but Brownley did a wonderful job of really making the town come alive with her conflicts and secondary characters.  I loved the loyalty that the townspeople had for their jeweler. 

Meg and Grant certainly had chemistry.  I felt their attraction and their amusement; I suffered when they felt betrayal.  Meg’s inner struggle regarding the future she’d planned for herself and the future that was being forced upon her instead rang really true.  Grant’s conflict regarding his professionalism and his unexplainable draw towards Meg made me both giddy and reluctant to trust him. 

Left at the Altar was a wonderful, heart-warming romance.  If you’re the type of reader who prefers clean romance and innocent fun, with a dab of hilarity, then please check out Margaret Brownley’s newest novel (out November 2016).