Faefever: I'm Burning Up With Fever

Making the Grade: B+

For My Thoughts



Faefever is book 3 in the Fever series by Karen Marie Moning. I felt as this story progressed it was building toward an impending sense of doom. Some answers are given, many more questions are raised and the action really ramps up as Halloween - aka D-Day approaches and the walls come tumbling down. The night the lights went out at Barrons Books and Baubles I actually felt anxious while reading wondering what evil was waiting in the dark for Mac and all the people of Dublin. And the cliff-hanger ending? Well - can’t say I wasn’t warned.

For those of you that had to wait a year for Dreamfever to find out Mac‘s fate - you have me deepest sympathies.

My favorite part of this book - well at least the one that made me laugh out loud (and trust me these books don’t have a lot of laughs) was the device Mac created for herself and aptly named the MacHalo to protect herself from the Shades those things that sling around in the dark and eat you, but can’t abide the light. I will admit they scared me. One thing is for sure in this series the dark is very deadly.

The scene with Mac prancing around Barrons Books and Baubles to Bad Moon Rising (a premonition of things to come?) wearing her bike helmet decked out with flashlights glued and duct taped to it so it cast a protective glow around her was priceless especially when Barrons caught her in the act. He couldn’t contain his laughter and neither could I. Who knew the big guy had a sense of humor.

I still have no idea who or what Jericho Barrons is but he is undoubtedly one of the most powerful players in this game.

One thing we do learn in Faefever is that Barrons has some kind of special Druid power called Voice that when used can coerce people to do things against their will. Since Mac has been subjected to Voice from the Lord Master once before, she needs to learn ASAP how to defend herself against this ability.

Barrons = teacher, Mac = student...let the games begin.
Here‘s just a snippet of their first session:

“TAKE YOUR SHIRT OFF.”
The command hit me like a brick wall and destroyed my mind. I sucked in a violent, screeching breath and ripped my shirt from neckline to hem.
“Stop, Ms. Lane.”
Voice again but not the brick wall: rather a command that lifted the brick wall from me, freeing me. I sank to the floor, clutching the halves of my torn T-shirt together, and dropped my head n my lap resting my forehead against my knees. I breathed deeply for several seconds, then raised my head and looked at him. He could have coerced me like that at any time. Turned me into a mindless slave. Like the Lord Master, he could have forced me to do his bidding whenever he’d wanted. But he hadn’t.

“What are you?” It burst out before I could stop myself. I knew it was wasted breath. “Why don’t you just tell me and get it over with?” I said irritably. (YES Barrons - fill us all in please!)
“One day you’ll stop asking me. I think I’ll like knowing you then.

Barrons pulls no punches while educating Ms. Lane in the power of Voice.

All the major players Barrons, V’Lane, Rowena, The Lord Master even the Sinsar Dubh up their games in Faefever. What is to become of Mac - this book did not end on a good note for the Sidhe-Seer. Thank goodness I don’t have to wait to find out.

Off to start Dreamfever. I hear Chapter 4 is full of yummy Barrons goodness - bring it on.

Workout Wednesday: Impulsive - Hooking Up Hawaii Style

I'd like an Impulsive hook-up in Hawaii

instead of doing this read-n-ride challenge

Pages read 245

Riding Time 3hours 1minutes

Calories Burned 1252

Distance Peddled 61.38 miles

Making the Grade: B

For My Thougts


I have been a big fan of HelenKay Dimon ever since I read my 1st book by her - Your Mouth Drives Me Crazy. And with this review she becomes my 1st three-peat offender on the blog. I love her sexy, contemporary stories, great characters and the Hawaii setting provides a great way for me to escape and imagine I'm chillaxing on the beach enjoying a great book.

HelenKay Dimon gives new meaning to “smoking in the boys bathroom" in her latest novel Impulsive and she wastes nooooo time getting right to the action…like page 1.

Katie Long had a simple job to do at the wedding of Deana Armstrong & Josh Windsor (Holding out for a Hero)…well besides helping her sister cater the wedding of the century. Keep her eye on the prize that is Eric Kimura, ex-hubby of the blushing bride and report back on his activities. Sounds like a simple enough task to make a little extra cash on the side except Katie didn’t count on the physical chemistry that ignited between her and the hunky Deputy Prosecutor. Hot sex in the bathroom had definitely not been in the job description.

Eric Kimura was going to put all the rumors to rest once and for all and show everyone that he was well and truly over his ex-wife Deanne. What better way to prove it than by attending her wedding to her DEA agent hubby. The last thing he expected was the hot quickie in the bathroom with one of the catering staff.

On the surface Katie and Eric are not what I would consider a match made in heaven. First of all Katie is much younger, by like 12 years than Eric. She’s barely out of her wild child years, had a brush with the law, has always been considered a screw-up by her sister and is just starting to get her life on track. Eric on the other hand is older, more mature, established in his successful career and has decided to run for the position of Prosecuting Attorney.

Considering that Eric was running for a public and high ranking position, I found the quickness with which these two engaged in hot anonymous sex a little foolhardy. In Eric's position he should have realized that his life was about to be dissected, bisected and probed while his every move was examined under a microscope. Hooking up with the hired help could have derailed his political ambitions before they even got off the ground. Having said that one only has to scan past and current headlines regarding political figures and their penchant for inappropriate sexual encounters to know that - men are men - they aren’t always thinking with the big “head”.

Katie didn’t think that when she agreed to play I Spy on Eric that she would ever see him again but he had different ideas. As her feelings grow and their relationship blossoms, Katie knows she needs to come clean about her part in their supposed first “meeting” before it blows up in her face. Someone inside Eric’s camp however has other plans for Katie “aka their inside source” and isn’t about to let her quit without a fight or take her down in the process.

When he truth comes out, who will Eric believe? Can he get over Katie’s betrayal and the betrayal of someone close to him? Do these two have more between them then hot sex to sustain their relationship? All these questions and more, plus a great story can be answered...don’t delay...be Impulsive...buy this book now!

Bloodfever: You Give Me Fever....FEVER

Making the Grade: B+

For My Thoughts


This is the 2nd book in the fever series. I like to call it Bloodfever: The Hunt for Red October OOP (objects of power). For those of you that don’t know, I caved to all the twitter pressure a couple of weeks ago and decided to move this series up to the top of my TRB pile.

For those of you wondering - yes I am developing a “slight” fever. It’s not quite full blown yet, but I have a feeling after I finish books 3 and 4 (Faefever and Dreamfever) that I too will be in full “fever” mode and will be joining the drooling masses eagerly awaiting the final book in the series Shadowfever which releases in January 2011.

On a side note I have made a surprising discovery - I’m not minding the 1st person narration (maybe you can teach an old dog a new trick?).

I received many warnings and saw many comments and tweets about all the WTF endings Karen Marie Moning employs in these books. The good thing for me about starting this series late in the game is I don’t have to worry about those cliff-hangers - well maybe just a little ( come on book 3 you better get here this week in the mail!).

For anyone who watches a continuing TV series, the cliff-hanger ending is a well known, well used ploy. Watch a favorite show faithfully every week and then come the end of the season get hit with a shocker ending that leaves the loyal fan gnashing their teeth and traumatized at having to wait months for new episodes to return in the fall. It’s a darn good marketing tool - always leave your fans foaming at the mouth wanting more. This series is no different and while Bloodfever did end on a bit of a cliff-hanger, I felt it was more of a whoa moment - didn’t see that one coming about the evil little Sinsar Dubh book.

Bloodfever continues the tenuous relationship forged by need between Mac and Barrons. He’s the muscle and she’s the brains - or the OOP detector. However you describe their relationship, it is clearly evident that they need each other.

Trying to get Barrons to come clean about anything is like trying to pull teeth. He operates on a need to know basis and frankly he doesn’t think Mac needs to know anything - she’s just supposed to trust everything he says and does. We do get some answers, but way more questions arise. I had an epiphany while reading Bloodfever. It’s the literary version of the the TV show Lost. Always teasing us with little tidbits of information before piling on a ton more questions.

I liked that Mac has grown and matured considerably in this book - but it’s not like she had a choice exactly. Mac proves in Bloodfever that she realizes the weight of expectation her powers have placed on her shoulders and she’s willing to step-up to the plate and do whatever it takes to stay alive including eating some pretty nasty stuff.

Like Mac I can’t tell the good guys from the bad. Everyone is using her and telling her things to further their own agenda. She doesn’t know who she can trust and neither do I. I am more convinced then ever that although Barrons is one big question mark - I do believe he is on the good guy side (please don’t let him betray her *bites nails*).

The scenes in the Burren (underground caves) with Mallucé were gross and engrossing at the same time. I could not turn the pages fast enough trying to find out how Mac was going to escape from her seemingly inescapable situation.

Ahh and the angry kiss between Barrons and Mac *sigh*, I wanted more but here’s just a taste of what we got:

 I bit his lip. He tripped me and pushed me down to the stone floor of the cavern. I punched him. He straddled me.
 I ripped his shirt down the front, left it hanging in tatters from his shoulders.
 “I liked that shirt,” he snarled. He rose over me, a dark demon, glistening in the torchlight, dripping sweat and blood, his torso covered with tattoos that disappeared beneath his waistband.
 He grabbed the hem of my shirt, tore it straight up to my neck, and inhaled sharply.
 I punched him. If he punched me back, I was past feeling it. His mouth was on mine again, the hot silk of his tongue, the sharp, deliberate abrasion of his teeth, the exchange of breath and the small, desperate sounds of need.

What’s up next for Mac? I don’t think I can even imagine, but I’m pretty sure I can count on a whopper of a cliff-hanger.

Workout Wednesday: Kowalski Family Chronicles Part 2

Disclaimer: Reading Undeniably Yours may make you long for a big, liberally iced slice of chocolate cake!

E-Pages read 417KB(anyone know how many pages that is?)
Riding/Elliptical Time A lot
Calories Burned A Lot
Distance Peddled A Lot

It's turned into mission impossible to get a book read in a week by just riding at the gym. So I had to pull out all the stops and read on the elliptical as well.

Making the Grade: B+

For My Thoughts

Kevin Kowalski and the entire fun-loving Kowalski clan are back in Undeniably Yours, the follow up to Exclusively Yours by Shannon Stacey.

For anyone who doesn’t already know it, Shannon Stacey is a big fan and supporter of all things Boston sports related and she makes no bones about where her allegiance lies when cheering for her teams. So it‘s no surprise that her characters are huge fans of all things Boston/New England. The many sports references in Undeniably Yours were often a source of comedic relief like when considering names for a new born baby (hello Carl Yastrzemski?? - I think not).

So I wasn’t on the second flip of the finger on my Itouch into this E-book and I already had a big grin on my face….Ms Stacey does have a way with words… you could go all the way. I love a feel good, make me smile like a Cheshire cat book ( I do wonder what people are thinking when they see grinning like a fool while I’m working out - probably that I’m a loon!).

Kevin Kowalski, former cop and current owner of sports bar Jasper’s Bar and Grill has been known to occasionally hit it out of the park with the ladies, but he didn’t expect to hit a customer coming to the rescue of a damsel in distress sitting at his bar. And Beth Hanson can’t believe it when the hot bartender decks her boss and in the process costs her her job as her jerk wad boss yells at her before stumbling out of the bar a la Donald Trump “Your Fired”!

Little did these two realize that the knockout punch delivered that night at the bar would start the ball rolling down a path that would change their lives forever.

What are the odds? A 2 lousy percent! Those are pretty good odds, except if you’re Kevin and Beth. Next up for this unlikely duo: Baby on Board.

I loved that Kevin was so supportive and over the moon excited about the impending birth of the baby. He was like a little kid on Christmas morning. Beth was a little harder for me to warm up to (she reminded me of the Grinch). Maybe that was because I didn’t feel she was giving Kevin a chance and her “neighbours only who are having a baby” rule once she was knocked up? Beth, Beth, Beth…that’s like closing the barn door after the horse has escaped. I felt as frustrated as poor Kevin (and his blue balls and I’m not talking about Patriots Blue footballs) with the cold shoulder treatment she was giving him. At that point - what was the point of denying him? I would have been all over him like white on rice…or like chocolate fudge icing slathered on a big, ole slice of sinfully delicious chocolate cake *wink wink*. I could have used a couple of extra slices of cake in Undeniably Yours.

As was the case in Exclusively Yours, the charm and appeal of Undeniably Yours is more about the sum of the parts rather than just the main focus on the H/h. There is something very heart-warming about the Kowalski family. As I was writing this review it came to me that this family reminded me a family drama on TV - ABC’s Brothers and Sisters. Also the secondary story featuring Paulie and Sam was just as engaging and I looked forward to their time in the spotlight when Kevin and Beth were taking a breather (and that doesn’t always happen where the secondary storyline enhances rather than detracts from the main couple).

You wanna laugh? You wanna feel good? Then pony up to the bar at Jasper’s and enjoy the E-Book.

Ohh and one last think - don’t leave your calling card on one of the napkins at the bar. Kevin Kowalski is no longer accepting resumes to fill a vacancy. That position has been filled by the one woman with all the right qualifications.

Available from Carina Press
Read an Excerpt here

Twitter Influence: Who the heck is this Jericho Barrons character?

Who are you Jericho Barrons and why do you have a lot of my twitter peeps in a "fever"?

The Twitterverse (or at least my little slice of it) has gone crazy over the last 2 weeks and my twitter timeline has blown up with "talk" about the Karen Marie Moning's Fever series. Everyone's in a furor over the next release in this series Shadowfever (due out in Jan 2011 and holy crap it's 608 pages!), so alot are re-reading the series in preparation for the next book. Just an observation from my point, this series must be awesome because I have never re-read a book in my life.

So I had this book in my TBR pile along with the next book in the series Bloodfever. Why you ask? Well I like books and I probably ordered these two the last time twitter blew up when the last book released in this series. With a TBR pile as big as mine - well there just never is enough time to getting around to all the good books.

I think the straw that broke the camel's back was a tweet from @WickedLPixie on Friday night after she finished reading one of the books - Dreamfever "Okay wtf kind of ending was that?!!?!" and wanted to throw her e-reader at the ending. If this series has the power to influence and cause this kind of reaction in so many people - I had to give it a try.

So for starters, I am not a huge paranormal fan (although I have been reading more of that genre this year), I have never read anything by Karen Marie Moning (although I have read many new to me authors this year) and I avoid stories told in 1st person like the plague - yes this one is written in 1st person from the heroine's point of view. Just a few of the reasons this book probably sat in the TBR pile unread.

I started this book Friday night and although not overwhelmed by the story to start with, there was enough there to spike my interest and keep me reading. One of those things that keep me intrigued was KMM set up a story and a world with lots of questions and unresolved answers. I need answers even if a story is about mystical fae, Unseelie, Seelie, Shi-sadu and  lots of other things I can't say or spell.

Maybe I'm a little long in the tooth to really enjoy a heroine who is a 22 year old good-time "barbie" girl from the deep south.  It soon became clear once MacKayla "Mac" Lane landed in Dublin to investigate the mysterious and heinous death of her beloved sister Alina that there is more to this girl than meets the eye.  Who is Mackayla really?  It's one of the burning questions in Darkfever. She seems to have no idea who or what she is and the powers she possesses in the Emerald Isle. Mac and I did bond over pink. The color pink. It's her favorite color (as the author reminds us of over and over again), but pink is also my favorite color - so at least we had that in common.

And just who is Jericho Barrons? At first I wasn't sure about him and the jury's still out but he must be a good guy right? Who or what is he - I have no idea, but I'm pretty sure after finishing this book - he's not human.

One thing missing for me - there was absolutely no romance at all in this book (you can't count the panty dropping action V'lane seemed to invoke on unsuspecting females).  Barrons and Mac had a strictly business relationship.  They needed what the other had to offer.  Mac needed someone who could keep her safe while she continued her search for her sister's killer and answer her sister's dying wish by finding an all powerful book. Once Barrons realized Mac's potential and usefulness to his own cause their relationship evolved into - if you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. I really hope that Mac didn't sell her soul to the devil when she put all her eggs into Barrons basket.  I really could have used some smexy action especially featuring Jericho Barrons. Hopefully there will be some in the upcoming books *fingers crossed*.

I am told this book is an example of Urban Fantasy (I have no idea what that really means). If I had to classify this book, it would be as a suspense/mystery/fantasy/paranormal.

In conclusion:

My rating C+

Was this the best book of a new series, by a new author I have ever read? No honestly that honor this year goes to the Moonlight series by Nancy Gideon - I gobbled up those books
Did I catch the Jericho Barrons fever? No, not yet - I need to see some more of the big guy
Am I starting to enjoy reading 1st person narrative? No I don't ever see that happening
Will I continue reading this series? Yes (I already have book 2 Bloodfever)

I didn't hate Darkfever and it didn't rock my world. I am intrigued enough about the characters, the story and the questions left unanswered to continue Mac and Barrons great adventure in the land of the leprechauns.

Changeling Love: Playful and Passionate!

I read passionately while playfully riding this week


Pages read 321 pages
Riding Time 3 hours 47 minutes
Calories Burned 1418
Distance Peddled 67.97

Making the Grade: A

For My Thoughts


They’re baaaack! Yay! The Changelings are back and two members of the SnowDancer pack are holding centre court in Nalini Singh's latest entry in the Psy/Changeling series Play of Passion.

This is the ninth instalment in the series and while it still remains one of my favorite, must-read series, the last two books (Blaze of Memory and Bonds of Justice) featuring mainly the cold, calculating Psy with very little Changeling interaction have not been my favorite. I need my fix of playful, cuddly, passionate Changelings - so once again thank goodness they’re back!

Drew Kincaid is one big, bad wolf you better watch out for cuz this cub will charm the socks (and you’re pants) right off of you and he‘s got his wolf sights locked and loaded on the very delectable Lieutenant Indigo Riviere.

Here’s the rub and boy do these two like to “rub“...if you catch my drift...when you are part of a pack there are rules to the hierarchy.

Indigo has a hard time (or at least her wolf does) of accepting Drew as a potential mate - he just doesn‘t fit the mould for what Indigo believes she needs in a mate. He is younger (ok it’s only 4 years…it’s not like she’s a cougar!) and he‘s a dominant male Changeling, but she is at the top of the pack hierarchy and effectively his superior…his boss. They’ve got a few hurdles to overcome, but Indigo would have to be a cold-hearted Psy to resist the likes of this bad boy charmer.

Drew is like the cool kid of the pack…Mr. Popular who is well liked by everyone and all the ladies are lining up around the den for his affection. But Drew knows what he wants and regardless of all the challenges and roadblocks Indigo throws up, he wants the sexy Lieutenant.

Now I said he was charming, but he’s still a male and when he challenges Indigo’s authority in front of co-workers…she sends him straight to the dog wolf house…do not pass go…do not collect $200.00. Mr. Tenacity has a few tricks up his sleeve though and what girl can resist roses and chocolate kisses for long?

One of the most touching scenes…one that made me go awwwww and tugged at my heartstrings involved a little stuffed bear named Platypus. It brought back all my childhood memories of my own beloved Blankie and if possible made me fall in love just a little more with Drew.

Play of Passion is like 321 pages of one long fun and playful flirtation between Indigo and Drew. They are great together and Singh makes sure we see where their heads are at as they struggle through the ups and downs of their relationship to make it work.

Several changeling favorites make appearances including series favorite Hawke. Seeing this Alpha male meet his match is highly anticipated by everyone who loves this series and his long awaited book is up next…woot woot!

Those sneaky, unfeeling Psy are up to something in this book and Singh feeds up just enough tidbits throughout to know it does not bode well for the Changelings and humans..and they are evil so it can‘t be good. Play of Passion definitely ended almost on a cliff-hanger note, almost as if it should have ended with To Be Continued… It sure seemed to be setting up for a climatic continuation in the next book.

Lastly it’s always hard to recommend if someone who has never read a series should start with a book, in this case #9 in the series. I personally like to start a series at the beginning. That being said, I think it’s fair to say Play of Passion could be enjoyed all on it’s own. But without understanding all the back history and pack dynamics and the influence of the Psy you might not get full value or enjoyment of the story.

Do yourself a favor and start at the first book Slave to Sensation and enjoy all the books in this series.


Play Of Passion
Publisher: Berkley
Available: November 2nd 2010
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Read an Excerpt

In his position as tracker for the SnowDancer pack, it’s up to Drew Kincaid to rein in rogue changelings who have lost control of their animal halves—even if it means killing those who have gone too far. But nothing in his life has prepared him for the battle he must now wage to win the heart of a woman who makes his body ignite…and who threatens to enslave his wolf.

Lieutenant Indigo Riviere doesn’t easily allow skin privileges, especially of the sensual kind—and the last person she expects to find herself craving is the most wickedly playful male in the den. Everything she knows tells her to pull back before the flames burn them both to ash…but she hasn’t counted on Drew’s will.

Workout Wednesday: Untraceable

Pages read 178 of 400 pages
Riding Time 2 hours 4 minutes
Calories Burned 498
Distance Peddled 29.13


Disclaimer: When you start a book this interesting, no way was I waiting to read it just at the gym...not happening!

Making the Grade: A

For My Thoughts


I have a new obsession. I am addicted to the books of new-to-me author Laura Griffin. Nothing makes me happier than discovering a new author whose books rock my socks.

So there are some drawbacks to this obsession especially if the author has a few books in their backlist. I must buy them all - which I did (including the new anthology released Oct 2011 and pre-ordering the new release for Nov 2011). The bank account took the hit, but now I have every book ever written by Ms. Griffin. Now another drawback is…I need to find the time to read all these fabulous books *cries*. There's only been one other time that I have ever read an author and then gone and purchased their entire backlist and that was Karen Rose - so Laura Griffin is in good company.

Untraceable is listed as the 1st book in The Tracers series so even though I later discovered that Alexandra Lovell and Nathan Devereaux actually made a brief appearance in an earlier book (Whisper of Warning), I don’t believe it had any impact on starting my Laura Griffin experience with Untraceable.

The opening chapter of Untraceable grabs you right from the start setting the stage for what is a compelling, well written, highly entertaining story. I love it when a book hooks you right from the beginning and you just want the world to go away and leave you alone so you can lose yourself in the story. It’s one of the reasons I love me a great romantic suspense read.

PI Alex Lovell is good at making people disappear. Her latest case involves helping a woman Melanie Bess disappear from her abusive husband….who just happens to be a well respected cop. Alex needs to build a case but it’s going to be tough since Melanie seems to have permanently disappeared and since the main suspect is a cop, Alex isn’t holding her breath expecting any help from the Austin PD.

I love when the heroine is written as a strong female character and Alex Lovell definitely fits that bill. She’s smart and savvy, independent and more than capable of looking after herself and the clients who need her help. But part of being smart is knowing when to ask for help when you’re in over your head and Alex isn’t above using her connection with hunky Police Detective Nathan Devereaux to solve her case.

Nathan doesn’t buy Alex’s story for one minute about one of his co-workers and a respected member of the Houston PD, but when she presents some compelling evidence, he decides to giver her the benefit of the doubt and agrees to help her on the down low. Besides what better way to get closer to the sexy PI then to help her investigate her case and possibly expose a dirty cop.

Untraceable is a fast paced story, full of nail-biting action that keeps you invested in the story and the characters until the last page is turned. Although billed as a romantic suspense, the romance simmers and builds in the background as Alex and Nathan dance around their undeniable attraction to one another. One of the reasons this book touched a chord with me is that Ms. Griffin writes these characters so that I really came to care about them and their HEA.

If you are a fan of romantic suspense, great storytelling that will keep you guessing and strong, intellectual characters then Untraceable is the book for you.

The Tracers Series, Book 1
Pocket Star Books
November 24, 2009

Read an Excerpt

Be careful what you look for…you might find it.

Private investigator Alexandra Lovell uses computer skills and cunning to help clients drop off the radar and begin new lives in safety. Melanie Bess, desperate to escape her abusive husband, was one of those clients. But when Melanie vanishes for real, Alex fears the worst and sets out to discover what happened. Using every resource she can get her hands on—including an elite team of forensic scientists known as the Tracers, and a jaded, sexy detective who’s helped her before--Alex embarks on a mission to uncover the truth, one clue at a time.

Homicide cop Nathan Devereaux wants to believe that Alex’s hunch about Melanie’s murder is wrong, but his instincts—and their visceral attraction—won’t let him walk away. As a grim picture of what really happened begins to emerge, he realizes this investigation runs deeper than they ever imagined. And each step nearer the truth puts Alex in danger of being the next to disappear. . . .

Everyone Needs a Guardian Angel(ino)

I don’t know if Roxanne St. Clarie plans on writing any more books in her Bullet Catcher series (maybe they’re just on temporary hiatus), but her new series featuring the men/women of the Rossi/Angelino families are sure to entice, excite and get your heart pounding if Edge of Sight is any indication.

So au revoir Bullet Catchers and hello…Bring on the Guardian Angelinos.

Making the Grade: A

For My Thoughts


It’s like a murder mystery dinner theatre gone bad at the upscale Boston restaurant Paupiette the night part-time waitress and future Harvard Law student Samantha Fairchild witnesses a murder for real. This game of Clue gone wrong…it was the assassin…in the wine cellar…with a gun… has a decidedly bad ending for Sam. Now she’s become the #1 target on more than one person’s hit list after it’s discovered that her image - smile you’re on Candid Camera - was caught on the security camera which the killer thoughtfully removed before leaving the scene of the crime.

Tired of being alone, afraid and holed up in her apartment, Sam decides to call in reinforcements and contacts her good friend and reporter Vivi Angelino for help. Showing up under the cover of night at Vivi’s apartment, Sam gets more than she bargained for when she has a run in with a blast from her past in the form of Vivi’s twin brother and the stuff wet dreams are made of...Zaccaria Angelino. Doesn’t that name conjure up a hot, spicy Italian dish? Yummy...I’ll take an Angelino to go!

Sam and Zach share a steamy past. Three non-stop hot, off the charts weeks of sex before Zach shipped out for active duty to Iraq (for the 411 on how this relationship began, check out the prequel, Taken to the Edge here). It’s been three years and in all that time, Sam has never heard from the Zach, not even a measly postcard. It’s very obvious that what transpired between these two in the past is far, far from over.

Zach’s never forgotten the time he shared with his Sammi but he’s not the same guy she knew. He’s not only changed mentally, but physically. A close call with a mortar shell, almost cost him his life and did cost him an eye and left him with a disfiguring scar on his face. Dude’s even sporting a black eye patch a la Captain Jack Sparrow. The last thing Zach wants is to take on the job of Sam’s bodyguard, but deep down he knows there’s no one else he can trust with her protection and safety. And Sam’s going to need Zach on her side since the bad guys will stop at nothing including using friends and family to get at Samantha. Being around each other 24/7 and keeping their hands (and mouths) off each other is going to test even the strongest of wills.

St. Claire writes the Rossi/Angelino family members as real, likable (well except maybe JP) characters that we come to know and care about and have a vested interest in their well-being while giving us just enough information to wet our appetite for future books in the series. She has a lot of characters to draw from as the Rossi family consists of 5 siblings (Gabe, Marc, JP, Nicki and Chessie) and then of course the 2 honorary members of the family, adopted cousins - twins Zach and Vivi Angelino.

With twists and turns Edge of Sight is an emotional roller coaster ride from start to finish. Chills galore, taunt, gut wrenching action and a compelling story that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the last page is turned.

What a fantastic beginning to what is sure to be a great new series from Roxanne St. Claire starring the men and woman of The Guardian Angelinos. Next up is Marc Rossi’s story in Shiver of Fear due out next year.

Read an excerpt of Edge of Sight

Back Cover Blurb

When Samantha Fairchild witnesses a murder in the wine cellar of the restaurant where she works, the Harvard-bound law student becomes the next target of a professional assassin. Desperate for protection the authorities won't provide, Sam seeks help from Vivi Angelino, an investigative reporter who recruits her brother, Zach, to protect Samantha. A Special Forces vet with the scars to prove he's equally fearless and flawed, Zach takes the job, despite the fact that he and Sam once shared a lusty interlude that ended when he left for war and disappeared from her life. Now, as they crack a conspiracy that leads to the city's darkest corners, Sam and Zach must face their fears, desires, and doubts, before a hired killer gets a second shot...