*Cough*Cough* This Place Needs Cleaning!

Yep, it's that time of the month again. I have an article up at Access Romance. This month I'm talking about my new "discovery" a little thing called an e-reader. I know, I know... Last one to the party again.

There's a couple of things I want to share with you. First, I read PRECIOUS & FRAGILE THINGS by Megan Hart last week. Out. Of. The. Park. A terrific read. It is NOT A romance, but it IS a very good book.

My next bit of news is that I've been talking to the fabulous LB Gregg and it seems she will be out this way for RT. A little of this, a little of that and it appears that I too will be making an appearance at RT. Can NYC and RWA be far behind????

Last and not least is this little gem. I admonished my sons not to spend money on Christmas gifts that they could not afford. In fact, I told them they need not buy gifts for their Dad and I. We really want for nothing and I hate to think of the boys spending money they need for other things. Beanie took my words to heart. Instead, he plotted and planned with his Dad and this is what I got for Christmas. Yes, I cried. I just watched it again and cried. That kid... I never know what he's going to do next.

PLEASURE & PURPOSE by Megan Hart

PLEASURE AND PURPOSE by Megan Hart

I don't know if I'm in the right state of mind to do justice and give a reasonable review of this book. All I can think of to say is that if you read this book and judge it at face value, you will be missing out.

Right this moment having finished reading it about an hour ago I can hardly frame or find words.

It's three stories interwoven as one. It's told sequentially. It's about knowing and understanding oneself, being able to love oneself. It's about accepting love. It's about surrender.

It was a thrilling way to spend this morning. Wow!

Pleasure and Purpose

Because Megan Hart rocks and I love her. Coming soon to a store near you.

Stole this...

After reading heartbreaking stories of loss in Australia and looking at devastating pictures of the destruction, I got a welcome break in an unexpected place. I saw this little ditty on Megan Hart's blog and had to share it. I needed the laugh. Desperately. Sugah Lumps, OMG!

BTW, for my gentle readers, a warning, this video is wildly irreverent and a bit profane. Beware before clicking 'play'.

STRANGER by Megan Hart

Don't faint. I'm actually going to attempt a review. I can't remember the last time I wrote a review about a book, but this one is worth it.

First of all I read STRANGER by Megan Hart more than a month ago. (Excerpt) Without even cracking open the book I looked at that cover and all sorts of impressions came rushing back to me. Considering my sporadic reading lately and the sheer number of books I've read in my life, that was a very good sign.

I think I read about half of STRANGER thinking that while it was well written I felt out of sorts with the dysfunctional Grace and Sam. They both seemed a little selfish and self indulgent. These are reasonably attractive and intelligent people who shouldn't be so screwed up.

On the surface Grace has it all. She has taken over as funeral director of her father's mortuary business. She's attractive, intelligent and a woman in sync and in charge of her universe. Grace likes sex with strangers, no strings attached.

Even though Grace is far from a snob, it's hard to see, besides his looks, what would attract her to Sam. He is drifting through life without commitment playing his guitar in bars. He's recently returned to his home town for his father's funeral. Sam doesn't want to grow up.

Whatever you are thinking right now about what you think you know about Grace and Sam or how they meet, you probably are wrong. That's part of the beauty of this book.

So there I am, reading a well written book, interested but irritated with the characters. I want them to grow up, look around and see how lucky they are.

Then in her own inimitable style Ms. Hart deftly drops in one of the most memorable scenes I can remember reading in long time. This scene is not between Sam and Grace. It is Grace alone, at work. I don't want to say any more, but that scene was a major turning point in the book. It was an incredible way to reveal the soul of who Grace is. It changed the way I felt and cared about the character for the rest of the story. I was moved to tears. Big wet tears that dripped off my chin. For me the book is worth reading for that scene alone.

Don't be scared. This lovely erotic romance has the requisite happily ever after. Although in quintessential Hart style it is a more realistic happily ever after than the fairy tale one.

Another good read for me. I'm dying to discuss this with someone who's read it without spoiling it for anyone else. So, you know, write me already if you've read it.

This book was released on January 1st and should be in book stores now.

What I've been doing since I saw you last...

I have to go to work so I only have a moment to finish this and get out the door. I had one of my lazy Sundays yesterday and didn't do much of anything except read. Wait! I DID fill the vitamin chests for the next two weeks, and... No, that's it. I was a lazy bum.

Of course that didn't stop the dervish I live with. He mowed the lawn and went for a 5 mile run. Freak!

I've been wanting to mention I'd read TWISTED CREEK by Jodi Thomas. This was first read by Dev and then Nath and then a whole bunch of other people. Another very good book. If you haven't read it...go get it. You won't be sorry. Now how often do I say that?


See this?


This little gem came in the mail on Friday. I read it over the weekend. STRANGER, another very good book. It doesn't release until January 2009, but keep it on your radar. I'll be posting my review closer to release date. But it's another winner from Megan Hart.

I'm rested after yesterday but girding my loins for this week. I only work 3 days and then it begins...the family wedding weekend. I'm always excited to see everyone and the day promises to be fun, exciting and...interesting.

Tell me, anyone know what to say to a father who calls and asks if it would be appropriate to crash the wedding with his new wife that was specifically NOT invited? Yeah. Let the good times roll. My Dad. You never know what he's going to do next. I, of course, passed this info on to my brother who's the father of the bride. Wonder what I'll be writing next Monday.

Oops, just remembered I'll be out of town next week at my class. Take of things for me won't you? I'm hoping to get out and about later tonight and catch up with all of you. Anything interesting going on?

So...

Last week purely by happenstance I'm blog hopping and a post pops up on Google Reader for author Megan Hart's blog. I pop over and see she has a cool little quickie contest. The first 5 people who commented would get a copy of a story Ms. Hart will have in the Red Hot Valentine’s Day anthology coming out from Avon Red in January 2009.

You guessed it. I scored a copy. I thought about waiting to publish this post near the release date, but I decided I couldn't wait. Can you guess why? GET THERE was one of those sorts of stories I like best. I've written before how good Ms. Hart is at making you feel like her characters are people you could meet in real life. GET THERE was very much such a story.

Ty and Edie meet on-line and then later in person through a message board for a sci-fi TV show Edie writes for. They meet and fall in love but live cross country from one another. Much of this story is about how they try to stay close, in touch and connected when they both have demanding careers, a significant time difference and distance between them.

While I adored the We could get there by... exchanges they had in their emails, it was the small nuances like Edie remembering his smell, the sound of his voice, adoring his smile as it came up on a screen saver of pictures she had on her computer that made the story for me. These small things that make characters so real are what I adore in reading.

Edie and Ty both speak and write of their longing for one another but they also pepper their IMs and conversation with the practicalities of their life as well. They are about to make a big move into a house and finally be able to live together.

We all from time to time wax poetic about our loves. It's hard to express how wonderful, fabulous and incredible the person you love most is if you aren't a writer. That's what I appreciate about this story. To know how much these two people love each other. Appreciate each other. Enjoy each other. Respect and admire each other and they aren't precious, or corny.

You know it was nice to read about a couple that is already together. I loved that without being preachy or trite Ms. Hart is able to show us that Ty and Edie don't take each other or their relationship for granted. That was my hook. The appreciation and joy a couple can take in one another. A couple already together. Already in love.

Of course, I would have liked to have a longer story. When you like someone's writing you just want more. Fans can be so pesky like that. Fortunately STRANGER a full length novel is due out January 1, 2009. GET THERE will be available in the anthology in early January as well.

Huh? What? Where am I?

183 posts on Google Reader. Husband on vacation. Two sons on vacation. I'm working. Christmas was wonderful. Still lots of treats around tempting me. I'm reading!!! I'm not reading posts or blogging.

Real life will resume...next week?

Movie update: I AM LEGEND. Very good. Scary as hell. Will Smith is great in this. At least to me who hates scary movies. Why'd I go? What else, the men in my life.

Books:

Megan Hart's TEMPTED. Good. Got lots to say about it. More later.

BEYOND THE DARK Anthology. A struggle. Every single one of them.

Anna Campbell's UNTOUCHED. I thought it was a very good book. Great balance. Predictable, but good.

Marjorie M. Liu's THE LAST TWILIGHT due out in February. Really good. Part of the Dirk & Steele series. A standout. More on this one later too.

I'm being brave and posting this unedited and without links!

Birthdays, TV, and Questions

Just a quick check in. Sunday we worked at the Secret Santa for our local school kids at Wal-Mart for four hours. GG & I had our birthday on Monday. We both had the day off so that was cool. We did a little Christmas baking but mostly just enjoyed being together.

Yesterday, the 18th was my sister's birthday. Of course throw in some work, Shmoo taking his finals this week and the major holiday that's coming up in six days and you can see life's been pretty full. Not that I imagine it's been any less for all of you.

I have TEMPTED (by Megan Hart) sitting on my desk waiting for me to write the review. I hope to have that up. Tomorrow? Maybe?

Some quick questions for you.

1. Did anyone see the BIGGEST LOSER finale last night? Didn't Julie look awesome? Those twins kicked some booty didn't they? GG predicted they would both be the winners. Of course as soon as you saw them it was pretty obvious they'd done well. Sheesh. 51% of their body fat. They are literally half the person they used to be. Julie too. Neil looks like a completely different person. I bet people he used to know don't even recognize him.

2. Okay, how about ALVIN & THE CHIPMUNKS? I think they did a good job with the chipmunks. They were so cute. Of course stupid script, but we enjoyed it. We ended up going with our boys, both girlfriends and one other of Beanie's friends. That was lots of fun. Worth seeing for cute factor and nostalgia, but if you aren't into that...wait for the DVD.

3. Have you tried some new fantastic Christmas treat? I have! One of my co-workers brought in chocolate cookies with peanut butter chips. I've had other versions of this cookie before, but these were just the right amount of chocolate and not overwhelming with the peanut butter chips. Since I sit at the end of the cubicle row she wanted to leave them on my filing cabinet. Uh, yeah...NO! Way too much temptation.

My list of Twelve Books I Can't Wait for in 2008 is up at TGTBTU or Sybil's as I refer to it. Paranormals, historicals, westerns... Huh, imagine that. Of course it starts off with TEMPTED. Yeah, yeah, I'll post up my review. Really, I will.

Take care out there. It's busy and crazy.

Tra-la-lah

This came in the mail today. Yippy, skippy, doo-dah day!

Mary Hartman and Megan Hart

It all started when I originally titled this post 'Megan Hart, Megan Hart' after one of my all time favorite sitcoms Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. Remember that one? No? It was a hilarious and controversial satirical sitcom by Norman Lear from the late 70s. Of course some of you probably weren't even born yet. For those of us who are old enough, you may remember Mr. Lear best as the creator of the sitcom All in the Family starring Carroll O'Connor as Archie Bunker. Anyway, I loved Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman and was going to name my post copying Mr. Lear's premise that everything in soaps is repeated twice. Here's a promo that gives a taste of MH,MH wackiness.






All of which has nothing whatsoever to do with my original purpose which was to tell you about Megan Hart, Megan Hart. Megan announced the winner of her book trailer contest yesterday. The winner received a $100 gift certificate to Amazon, which is pretty rockin'. The trailer is for her new book TEMPTED that is coming out in January 2008. As you know I loved her books BROKEN and DIRTY and I can't wait to read TEMPTED. Check out the winning entry by Frayo. I think it's pretty freakin' cool. BTW, this is appropriate for mature audiences only.






Right now I'm going to head over to eHarlequin to buy my copy of Megan's latest release THIS IS WHAT I WANT, a Spice Brief ebook. It'll have to hold me over until TEMPTED is released. You can visit Megan here.

What are you reading?

November is not shaping up to be a very productive reading month. Sure I've read a few books, but I'm in the mood for something to REALLY engross me. Something that takes a lot of concentration and focus that engages me completely. I've been sort of hoping that the ARC I won of Megan Hart's next book TEMPTED would get here.

I recently agreed to take delivery of two books by Georgette Heyer COTILLION and AN INFAMOUS ARMY from Sourcebooks. All they asked is that I mention that Ms. Heyer's books were being re-released and maybe do a review when I read one (or both) of them. Since I do like to read English historicals and I've also been wanting to try Ms. Heyer I was happy to get the books for free and mention the re-release of the books. Of course, I noted that the two books I got are not the ones that made the new AAR 100, but what the heck. Like I said, I've been wanting to try out Ms. Heyer and this is my chance. So I guess it's official. I got free books, I pimp their publication and now I'm a full fledged book whore. Anybody feel free to step in and refute my logic. Seriously. Anybody. Really.

All of which has nothing to do with why I'm having a slow reading month. Want to read but don't know what to read. You know like having a food craving but not knowing what you want to eat exactly? Sometimes you get lucky and try something way off the radar and get *ahhhhh* satisfied. That's sort of what I'm hoping will happen with my reading. I'm going to browse through my stash and find something off my current radar and get my craving taken care of. Western? Contemporary? Suspense? Erotic? Sweet? Inspirational?

I had lunch with Super Librarian Wendy yesterday. She whet my appetite for westerns by giving me a great synopsis for THE HORSEMAN by Jillian Hart. I also picked up the new Charlene Sands HH BODINE'S BOUNTY. God knows what will end up in my hot little hands.

Currently I'm struggling through HOLY SMOKES by Katie MacAlister. I've enjoyed this particular series about the adventures of Guardian (not angel) Aisling Grey in the supernatural, paranormal realm. The first couple of books were great. Unfortunately, the last couple have strayed far from the central romance and are involved in the politics and power plays of dragon septs, demons, heaven and hell and well...I've lost interest. The book's not bad, it's *big yawn* boring. I'm sooo disappointed too because I sure liked the first few books. They were funny and entertaining and I'm not one who's particularly enamored of comedy in my romance. I like dark and angsty. But I did enjoy these.

So, I'm muddling along. Distracted by life, work and the upcoming holidays and looking for something to read. What about you. C'mon take a second and comment. What are you reading right now? You might suggest something that will satisfy my craving. You never know... Help a friend out.

TEMPTED coming to a theater near you...

Okay TEMPTED is a book, so IT won't be coming to a theater near you, but maybe a fabulous video trailer pimping the book might. As all the regular visitors here at NOBODY ASKED ME know I'm a big Megan Hart fan. I loved DIRTY and became even more of a fan with BROKEN. Both books are from the Harlequin Spice line. As you can imagine, I'm looking forward to this coming January when Ms. Hart will be releasing her third Harlequin Spice, TEMPTED.

Right now Megan is running a contest for bloggers and those real creative types who can create video trailers. You can win some pretty cool stuff like this:

YOUR VERY OWN, personally autographed copy of TEMPTED. Did I mention it's due out January 2008 from Harlequin Spice? ;-)

Autographed copies of some of Megan's other books.

$100 gift certificate to Amazon.com. Wow!!!

Below is Megan's book trailer for TEMPTED. She has also been posting the video trailer entries like this one on her blog. So not only can you win cool prizes, lots of people will get to see what a creative Soo-per Geen-yus you are!










You can also go here and watch Megan's video diary telling you all about the contest, or go here and you will find the written details for the video trailer contest.

So you with me so far? Good.

Okay, so I've known about the video contest for awhile. I read and watched Megan's blog post back on September 8th. However, somehow I missed the blogger component of the contest. Don't ask me how, especially with a signed copy of TEMPTED on the line. Anyway, the good news for me was that besides the video trailer there was another way to win a signed copy of TEMPTED.

The FIRST TEN BLOGGERS who post the contest information will get a signed copy of TEMPTED when the books become available to Megan some time in the next few months. Everyone who posts after the first 10 will go into a drawing for a signed copy. Can you guess why I rushed to get this posted on my blog? I'm so glad Anne had it up on Let's Gab. Whew! Wailing, whining and FOMO (fear of missing out) narrowly diverted.

Here's all you have to do:

1. Post all the info from this post on your blog (can use the links if the videos won't embed on your blog).

2. Email Megan: Tempted @ MeganHart.com (no spaces) with the link to your blog/post to let her know you posted it.

I don't know enough about video trailers or the process to enter one of those, because believe you me, if I did I'd be hard working at it. Having enjoyed DIRTY and BROKEN so much I have my fingers crossed about getting a signed copy of TEMPTED.

So what are you waiting for? I know a lot of you who visit here liked DIRTY and BROKEN too. Go post. Go create. I'm going to go make some popcorn so I can watch all your cool videos.

BROKEN by Megan Hart

Broken by Megan Hart

I hadn't really planned to review another book so soon. Why? No reason. I just generally don't. I guess because of the work involved. It's way easier to just sit down and write whatever strikes me. Lazy? Yes. But true too. So here I am.

Of course, I have good reason for this review, as I said in my review of DIRTY, also by Ms. Hart, I was curious to read her next book BROKEN (excerpt). As soon as I saw it in my local Barnes & Noble I bought it. I was really looking forward to reading a new and different story from Ms. Hart and wondered how I was going to react to it after my strong personal reaction to DIRTY.

BROKEN is the story about Sadie, a psychologist who meets Joe for lunch on the first Friday of each month. When the book starts these lunches have been going on for two years. Each month Joe tells Sadie a story of an encounter he had during the month. A sexual encounter. Each month Sadie puts herself in the shoes of the woman Joe tells her about. Since we know from almost the beginning of the book that Sadie is married I was intrigued where this story would lead, but also wondering how I was going to feel about infidelity assuming of course that this was a story about Joe and Sadie. Ms. Hart's deft weaving of the circumstances of the lives of both of these people go a long way to soothing those concerns, at least she did for me. As for the infidelity, I guess it would depend on how you personally define cheating.

The things I really liked about this book are the details woven in. Feelings Sadie has about herself, her job, her other relationships. I love when books focus on the main couple, I really do, and I don't usually like too much distraction from the main story. But I also really like knowing that the couple isn't an island and there are outside influences, people and distractions in their lives.

I think Ms. Hart dealt with the circumstances of Sadie's life in an honest and realistic way. In fact so much so that it was unimaginable to think about the commitment Sadie had to unexpectedly make and embrace in her marriage. However, despite the obstacles and trials in Sadie's marriage I think Ms. Hart did well letting us know the dynamics of the marriage before and after tragedy struck. I very much felt the tension and difficulty of that relationship. I also liked that it wasn't so cut and dry that one man was "better" or clearly superior to another. In real life things aren't so black and white and they certainly aren't in this book either.

Even with all these good things going for it by the middle of the book I was asking some questions and starting to wonder why a supposedly intelligent and well educated woman was letting her life drift like it was. Literally with the turn of a page Ms. Hart starting addressing some of those questions. The second half of the book just flew by. It's really wonderful how much we are able to learn about Joe just from the telling of those stories since we read them in Sadie's voice because she has put herself in the place of each of the women in the stories.

I've been enjoying tremendously the diverse rides I've had reading lately. This was another book that gave me much to think about. Not in the same personal way as DIRTY but more in the, "I want to talk about this over margaritas with my girlfriends" way. An enjoyable read, something different, and lots to talk about. Those stories at lunch...whew!

So I was thinkin'...

So thinking, thinking, thinking since I finished DIRTY. One realization is how happy I am to know I have my HEA with GG and my boys. Looking back over my life I certainly have had plenty of opportunities for my life to have turned out differently. I honestly couldn't say whether that is by design, fate, or stupid luck. In any case, I'm grateful for my sack of rocks.

I've also been thinking and pondering over the Rock Creek Six series. I've finished JED and am almost done with NATE. While I'm enjoying all the books I think SULLIVAN is still my favorite. These books aren't as historically accurate or deep as I usually like my westerns, but as I was watching my nephew's high school baseball team play today I found myself thinking about Rock Creek, Texas. Which if you've ever been to a high school baseball game you will know how remarkable that is.

My mother's family is from a small town in Montana. As a kid I loved visiting there and knowing everybody in town. Everyone always knew when we were visiting, where we'd been and how long we were staying. Until I was in my teens I couldn't imagine a better place to live. As I got older and past my teen years I didn't think I'd like living my life in a fishbowl so much. Here in the bedroom community I live in Southern California life is very anonymous. Three years ago we hosted a neighborhood potluck BBQ so we could get to know our neighbors because there were so many new ones. Out of the 8 families that participated only two are still here and two more houses were built on our street. So there are essentially 8 new families. I know the names and am acquainted with only two of those families. You can't get more anonymous than that.

My point is this. I'm beginning to think there has to be something in between. Like it says in the 'CHEERS' theme song it's nice to have a place where everyone knows your name. For that reason I went to the same UBS for years and I have had the same nail salon for probably 10 years and hair dresser and dentist and gynnie. You get my drift. Roots, relationships, connections are important.

So not only has it been fun reading those Rock Creek books, but I've also enjoyed getting to know the characters and the community over a period of time and several books. Ms. Handeland in particular does a great job of reminding us in her books how the town is changing and growing up as the series progresses. So once again I find myself thinking that living in a small community like Rock Creek sounds kind of nice.

I'll write more on the books when I finish CASH the last book. I'm thinking about reading something else in between just to prolong it and so the series isn't over.

DIRTY by Megan Hart

This book was not what I expected. Coincidentally after I finished reading it mid-day yesterday my husband phoned. I was sort of weepy telling him I'd just finished a book that was supposedly an erotic romance and it had sort of knocked me on my ass. My dilemma in trying to do any sort of review of this book is that it has so many personal emotional triggers in it that I don't know if I can give it an honest evaluation as a book on its own.

I do think that a writer has to be pretty darn talented to write life situations and relationships so accurately that a reader would find them personally identifiable. I found myself wondering if Ms. Hart had experienced some of the same situations she put her characters in for her to so accurately capture their emotions. There is no way to fake to a child of an alcoholic parent what it feels like to be abandoned by a parent consumed with their addiction unless you've experienced that sort of loss first hand. At least I don't think so. Reading words coming out of Elle's mother's mouth that I've heard first hand from my own mother was a little bit freaky I have to say. While I've never suffered the trauma that Elle did, there were many quirks to her personality that I have in common with the character that made it a bit uncomfortable and emotionally draining to read at times.

So while I'm caught up in the turmoil of these personal emotions it's difficult to talk to anyone about the book and remove those factors. One of the first things I did when I sat down to write this was to look for other reviews. I immediately went to Dear Author and found a review that Jane did of DIRTY back in January. Since I was hardly around from mid-November to mid-January working on my heritage scrapbook project I missed most, if any, buzz there had been about this book. To tell you the truth I don't know how or why it got into my TBR. Somebody somewhere that I read a review or blog about it must have liked it.

Tara Marie had mentioned in her comments at the Dear Author review that she had picked up this book a couple of times and put it down and just couldn't get into it. I had the same experience. In fact I was in the process of a book purge when I picked DIRTY up and was leafing through it and reading bits to see if I should try to read it one more time or put it in the bag of books to be traded. Somehow, this time, I kept reading.

Here's the blurb from the back of the book:

This is what happened... I met him at the candy store. He turned and smiled at me and I was surprised enough to smile back. This was not a children's candy store, mind you--this was the kind of place you went to buy expensive imported chocolate truffles for your boss's wife because you felt guilty for having sex with him when you were both at a conference in Milwaukee. Hypothetically speaking, of course. I've been hit on plenty of times, mostly by men with little finesse who thought what was between their legs made up for what they lacked between their ears. Sometimes I went home with them anyway, just because it felt good to want and be wanted, even if it was mostly fake. The problem with wanting is that it's like pouring water into a vase full of stones. It fills you up before you know it, leaving no room for anything else. I don't apologize for who I am or what I've done in--or out--of bed. I have my job, my house and my life, and for a long time I haven't wanted anything else. Until Dan. Until now.

For me this blurb doesn't do the book justice or accurately give you an idea what the read will be like. I guess I get how this is called an erotic romance. Sort of. Is there sex? Yes. Is it really hot and wild? Not particularly. I would classify this more as a dark urban contemporary romance. Besides Jane's review I read most of the 13 now posted on Amazon as well. I don't see where alot of people have had the same reaction as me. For one thing I don't see much of the personal identification I had with the character and situations. I can understand from Jane's review her problems with seeing Elle as not very likable. Although I don't see Elle as flat and gray as Jane does and I realize that while I was reading I was trusting the author not to let me down and give me a pretty good reason for Elle's behavior. Ms. Hart does do that. Although I have to say that the book takes too long to start giving the reader peeks and hints as to why Elle is the way she is.

I was disappointed that we don't know more about Dan than his just always reacting to Elle. Why is he able to accept her and the restrictions she places on their relationship. What makes Dan tick? I don't think we get to see any (enough) of that. I am glad though that Elle is not a whiner or complainer. She's found what works for her so she can function somewhat normally and she's doing it.

For me this book is about redemption and the claiming of one's own life. Who harder to forgive than ourselves? For those reasons it made DIRTY a very worthwhile read. How I will feel about the book ultimately I don't know. Many of my thoughts are still swirling around my own personal demons. Only time will tell. I do know that I went to Ms. Hart's web site I found myself interested in her next Harlequin Spice release due out in May called Broken. I'm looking forward to reading it and comparing the experience to this book.

A final note, as usual when I really like or am intrigued with an author I go looking for other books of theirs to glom. There are many of Ms. Hart's to choose from at Amberquill Press both erotic and non-erotic titles. Interestingly I didn't purchase a single one. Like DIRTY that languished in my TBR for several months I didn't feel compelled or interested to buy after reading the blurbs and/or excerpts from those books. Maybe I'll figure out why about the same time I find out how I came to have DIRTY in the first place.