June 2010

June was dismal. Not only did I have the reading doldrums, as witnessed by more than a half dozen books with bookmarks in them sitting on my nightstand, but I can't remember in recent history when I only read five books in a month. Unbelievable.

With that, here's the month that was June...

ONE DANCE WITH A DUKE by Tessa Dare
Spencer Dumarque, Due of Morland is a member of the Stud Club with the sole focus and purpose to gain all of the Stud Club coins and claim ownership to a prize horse. Lady Amelia D'Orsay knows she doomed to be unmarried and most certainly unloved but decides to try her luck with the very eligible, elusive and mysterious Duke of Morland. I enjoyed this book on many levels and was anxious to see where Ms. Dare was going to go with this trilogy.
My Grade = B+

SKIN TIGHT by Ava Gray
As anyone who (still) reads my blog knows I absolutely loved Ms. Gray's first book SKIN GAME. I loved it so much I bought multiple copies and gave them away every chance I could. Therefore I was beside myself with excitement to see where she was going to take us in SKIN TIGHT with two completely different people, the very mysterious Addison Foster and the cool and controlled Mia Sauter.

Who is Addison Foster? Did you have some idea of who or what he might be from SKIN GAME. My bet is you never expected what Ms. Gray reveals in yet another gritty and moving book. I found this story fascinating. Ms. Gray has a talent for making the unthinkable believable.

More please.
My Grade = B+

DREAMVEIL by Lynn Viehl
Another author that continues to surprise me with interesting twists and turns in her stories is Ms. Viehl. In this second book about the Kyndred, a people/species who have Darkyn blood, we have Rowan Dietrich's story. Rowan ends up working in a 4-star French restaurant and trying out some of her hidden cooking skills while fascinating Chef Jean-Marc Dansant. That doesn't mean that GenHance doesn't want to get their hands on her for a little experimentation.

These Kyndred books are a terrific follow up to the Darkyn series and present a whole new addition of possibilities in this world Ms. Viehl has created.
My Grade = B

JUST A HINT CLINT by Lori Foster
This is a re-read I pulled off the shelves when I saw it out in re-print. I remember enjoying this book when I read it, but without picking it up and fanning through it I couldn't remember a single thing. Weird, since it's a re-read too. I'm remembering "romp" and "predictable". Not the worst way to spend an afternoon.
My Grade = C

TWICE TEMPTED ROGUE by Tessa Dare

Rhys St. Maur decides to go home after the death of one of his friends in the Stud Club. No more putting off setting things to right. What he doesn't expect is to come face to face with his past his first night back. Meredith Maddox has done what she needed to do to provide for her family. Even though this meant marrying an inn keeper several decades her senior and working from dawn until dusk. Now widowed she never expects to come face to face with the man she's loved since they were both children.

This was a capable and solid read, it didn't have the same emotional punch for me the first book of the trilogy did. However, I will be buying the third book, THREE NIGHTS WITH A SCOUNDREL when it comes out the end of July.
My Grade = B