More Than Neighbors-Janice Kay Johnson

More Than Neighbors

Janice Kay Johnson

Harlequin SuperRomance, Jan 1 2014, $6.75

ISBN: 9780373608928

Near Spokane in Goodwater, woodworker Widower Gabriel Tennert relishes his rustic solitude though he was not always like this.  He has celebrated for over three years that his former reclusive neighbor Ephraim Walker moved away leaving the ranch vacant until now.  Hearing loud music, to his horror Gabe knows he has a new neighbor that includes kids.

Rather than watch her stressed out twelve years old son come home every day in tears, single mom Ciara Malloy bought the Walker spread after a meeting with her child’s middle school assistant principal; in which he had the audacity to blame Mark for being bullied.  Mark likes Gabe’s horses and though the woodworker normally stays far away from people, he enjoys the tweener’s enthusiasm.  Soon Gabe mentors Mark on woodworking, horses and bullies.  Ciara and Gabe are attracted to one another, but both hesitate to act on their feelings though their reasons differ.

This is a profound family drama featuring three fully developed protagonists.  Mark especially stands out as a young victim slowly regaining his tweener equilibrium in a different setting; while Ciara is a grizzly momma protecting her cub; and Gabe feels guilt over his increasing emotional involvement with the mother and son.  The romance is well-written, but it is the baggage each must overcome in order to forge a committed relationship that makes this an interesting contemporary.

Harriet Klausner

The Rosie Effect-Graeme Simsion

The Rosie Effect

Graeme Simsion

Simon & Schuster, Dec 30 2014, $25.99

ISBN: 9781476767314

Genetics Professor Don Tillman created the perfect compatibility questionnaire that insured an outcome of no partners since nobody of sound mind would complete his 16-page required document.  That is until he met Rosie who scored nada on Tillman’s torture test but married him anyway (see The Rosie Project).

 

While Don precisely to the half inch slices and dices vegies, Rosie informs her husband she is pregnant.  Pleased he didn’t cut off a half inch of finger, Don responds to her happy announcement by comparing her news to surviving a plane with engine trouble that requires an after-action investigation into what caused the perilous problem.  Stunned and hurt by her beloved’s reaction to her joyful pronouncement, their relationship turns from happily ever after to falling apart.  Unaware of what is happening to his relationship; Don focuses on reviewing the scientific literature re pregnancies and Rosie on leaving.

Though this droll sequel is an amusing look at married life through the mind of a Mr. Spock logical but socially inept autism spectrum genius; it lacks the overall fresh effect of its predecessor.  Tillman remains a unique protagonist with his intriguing outlook that rings true to me; especially with his similarity to someone I love with all my heart who also simultaneously drives me crazy.

Harriet Klausner

Dogwood Hill-Sherryl Woods

Dogwood Hill

Sherryl Woods

Mira, Dec 30 2014, $8.99

ISBN: 9780778317326

Retired due to a knee injury from the NFL at twenty-eight, former star quarterback Aidan Mitchell arrives in Chesapeake Shores allegedly to interview for the high school coaching job.  He meets Archie the dog whose owner Widow Liz March apologizes for her dog’s boisterous, friendly greeting.

Led by the extended O’Brien family, the New Yorker feels welcome, but overwhelmed as it was always his late mom and him only.  He also conceals from everyone his real reason for coming to the Maryland community.  Aidan wants to meet his biological father Thomas O’Brien.  His Uncle Mick offers him a five year coaching contract, but Aiden hesitates, as he is unsure whether he could be near his “family” for that length of time.  Instead he counters with a one year deal and a four year option to take over a team with a several years losing streak.  As he works with his new team, Aidan must deal with a player’s demanding father, his O’Brien secret, and his feelings for Liz; who after being burned by her husband, reluctantly reciprocates.

The twelfth Chesapeake Shores (see The Christmas Bouquet and A Seaside Christmas) is a warm family drama starring two engaging leads struggling with respective overflowing plates made much more complex by their love for each other and further compounded by trust issues.  Series fans will relish this feel good contemporary.

Harriet Klausner

Hush-Karen Robards

Hush

Karen Robards

Gallery Books, Dec 30 2014, $26.00

ISBN: 9781476766584

FBI Agent Finn Bradley breaks into the dark Houston mansion seeking Jeff Cowan, son of disgraced and imprisoned financier George, who scammed billions from his customers.  Instead of confronting Jeff, Finn sees his still warm body hanging in what looks like a suicide.  He also finds Jeff’s separated wife Riley at the scene.

Riley explains to the Fed that Jeff feared for his safety and that of his family after several of his dad’s associates “accidently” died at a time when irate volatile clients demand their money returned immediately; but he also failed to name names.  HPD rules suicide, but Riley believes otherwise as she concludes her teenage sister-in-law Emma and her mother-in-law Margaret remain worthwhile targets of violent scammed investors who demand George reveal where he hid the loot.  Finn and his partner trail Riley hoping she leads them to the missing money.  Thus he intercedes when mobsters assault Riley.  Neither trusts the other, but their misgivings are made worse by their attraction even as the irate adversary snatch Emma to force George to talk.

Hush is a tremendous romantic suspense starring two refreshing beloved enemies who spend much of the thrilling storyline lying or concealing the truth.  The fresh relationship between Riley and Finn make for an intriguing romantic subplot that enhances the prime suspenseful storyline of keeping safe the Cowan women while locating those responsible for the attacks on them.

Harriet Klausner

Broken Bonds-Karen Harper

Broken Bonds

Karen Harper

Mira, Dec 30 2014, $7.99

ISBN 9780778317357

Despite the Lockwood sisters’ harrowing childhood memories of the youngest sibling’s abduction and their father’s desertion, the middle one Kathryn the anthropologist (see Forbidden Ground) and Tess (see Shattered Secrets) found love and happiness in Cold Creek, Ohio.  The two younger siblings would like the oldest Charlene the social worker to move on like they have.

The Childhood Education in Appalachia Project employs Charlene.  She visits families in their homes in order to persuade the parents to send their kids to school.  On a remote mountain road, Charlene saves the life of Lake Azur community manager Matt Rowan just before his truck plunges off the road.  Since his vehicle was pushed off the cliff by a black truck, Charlene and Matt wonder who wants him dead.  As they team up investigating his near death, the couple falls in love.

The third and final Lockwood sister Cold Creek thriller is an enjoyable romantic suspense as there are several viable suspects with diverse motives and the love subplot supports the terse inquiry.  The deep look at fracking enriches the sensational spinning storyline.

Harriet Klausner

Together Again-Debbie Macomber

Together Again

Debbie Macomber

Mira, Dec 30 2014, $7.99

ISBN: 9780778315148

“The Trouble With Caasi.”  In downtown Portland, the CEO of the Empress Hotel Caasi Crane is stunned when her incredibly competent general manager Blake Sherrill resigns just a few months after a generous raise.  At their meeting just after she read his stunning resignation letter, Blake cynically informs her he has no job other offer and he finally got her attention as he prepares to depart.  As Caasi begins to learn about Blake’s non-hotel life after eight years in close proximity, she also realizes why she is miserable since he quit and that has nothing to do with work especially after he kisses her.  She loves this man about to hike out of her life.

“Reflections of Yesterday.”  A dozen years ago in Groves Point, South Carolina, teenagers Simon Canfield and Angie Robinson were in love.  However, his affluent family bribed her father to leave town with his daughter.  Angie refused until she saw Simon with someone from his upper class.  Knowing she is not his social equal, Angie and her family leave town with the Canfield money.  Almost thirty, Angie owns a successful florist, but feels a deep need to pay back the blood money.  Back in Groves Point, Angie and Simon see one another for the first time since they were seventeen.  Each realizes their love remains as strong as ever, but he acrimoniously rejects her overtures as her betrayal has hardened his heart.

These mid 1980s reprints are pleasant last chance contemporary romances.  The Trouble With Caasi is refreshing as the lead female is clueless re non business male relationships; while engaging Reflections of Yesterday is typical of the subgenre.

Harriet Klausner

Unchained-Caris Roane

Unchained

Caris Roane

St. Martin’s Paperbacks, Nov 25 2014, $7.99

ISBN: 9781250035318

Marius the vampire fears his father Daniel for good reason as the latter will do anything to achieve his objective of ruling their species and the inferior humans.  This ruthless vampire would maim and kill anyone after torturing them including his five children, especially the three rebelling against him (see Chains Of Darkness and Born In Chains for the stories of two of the siblings).  Daniel’s minion and Marius vie for control of a gizmo that can kill vampires.

Though he cannot perceive how a member of the lesser race is his only chance at success, Marius knows he needs the assistance of archeology grad student Shayna Prentiss.  When his father’s thugs accost Shayna, Marius intercedes by kidnapping her and taking her to his secret hideout.  Stunned by the extraordinary skills of her savior and her wannabe abductees, Shaya is further astonished by her attraction to Marius as she never falls for “living” males; her preference being the dead of ancient civilizations.  However her amazement is much less than that of her host who cannot believe how much he desires a lowly mortal.  Bound by their blood chain and in love, Shaya embraces the vampire culture with a thirst to know more; while Marius fears what will happen to his beloved once she enters the combat against his deadly dad.

The third and final Dark Men in Chains romantic fantasy is a thrilling climax to a pleasant two cultures colliding trilogy.  Although the initial lead pair in love (beyond saving the world) seems too abrupt, Caris Roane writes an appealing tale that has the audience rooting for this enchanting couple.

Harriet Klausner

Mine To Take-Jackie Ashenden

Mine To Take

Jackie Ashenden

St. Martin’s Paperbacks, Nov 25 2014, $7.99

ISBN: 9781250051769

The result of a rape, Gabriel Woolf lives for one thing only; destroy the SOB who violently assaulted his mom and anyone even the innocent who stands in the way of his achieving his objective.  Ruthlessly stomping through people, Gabe joins the Nine Circles billionaire club whose members are his nearest thing to friendship.

Thanks in part to Eva, a Nine Circles’ associate, Gabe’s plan to complete his life goal of vengeance vowed at his recently deceased mom’s deathbed takes a giant step towards fruition.  He offers to invest in his biological father Guy Tremain’s financially troubled hotel chain with one stipulation that his target’s stepdaughter investment broker Honor St. James escorts him at an affluent lodge.  When he tries to bully Honor; unlike so many before her who cravenly backed down she stands up to him.  Stunned by her strength and her by a feeling of connecting lost souls, Gabe and Honor begin an affair that both want but fear will take them to uncharted undesirable territory; neither anticipated how strong their need grows nor how convoluted Guy’s byzantine maze proves to be.

The opening act of the Nine Circles romance is a taut drama that stars two captivating leads.  Believing he belongs in Dante’s hell, Gabe is an intriguing avenger whose attraction to Honor brings unwanted feelings of love and guilt that he prefers to ignore before they implode his scheme.  Honor has deep issues too re loss, but remains resolutely in love while doubting a HEA will happen.

Harriet Klausner

Never Trust A Cowboy-Kathleen Eagle

Never Trust A Cowboy

Kathleen Eagle

Harlequin Special Edition, Dec 16 2014, $5.50

ISBN: 9780373658596

In Short Straw, South Dakota, undercover “ace” Delano Fox obtains a position working directly for Brad Benson, stepson of the Flynn Ranch owner Frank Flynn.  As Brad sleeps off the night before in his truck, Del arrives at the spread where he meets Frank’s daughter Lila, who while recovering from an injury lives apart from her dad and his second family and also runs a daycare on the ranch.

Del and Lila are attracted to each other from their first encounter.  However, Del believes sassy Lila will ignore his part in Brad’s arrest when that occurs; but also knows that when his beloved learns the truth about his reason for being at her family ranch and his background, she will lose her trust in him.  Still Del must complete his assignment and pray he still has his woman afterward.

Aptly titled, this South Dakota ranch romance contains a strong twisting storyline and a solid cast in a vivid Badlands setting.  Readers will enjoy visiting the Mount Rushmore State with delectable Del and likable Lila as our guides.

Harriet Klausner

Wound Up-Kelli Ireland

Wound Up

Kelli Ireland

Harlequin Blaze, Dec 16 2014, $5.50

ISBN: 9780373798322

In Seattle, Beaux Hommes stripper Justin Maxwell knows tonight is his last performance having just received his doctorate in psychology though he has eighty more hours of practicum to complete.  In the audience on his farewell show is his former student Grace Cooper.  Justin has wanted her for years, but controlled his desire as he accepted that would have been immoral; but joyfully realizes not anymore.

After his final act aimed as if she was his only person in attendance, Justin and Grace leave together.  However, in spite of the best night of their respective lives, Grace the intern relocates to Baltimore in two weeks.  Both reluctantly accept their relationship has no future but things turn worse when they learn each volunteers at the not-for-profit Second Chances helping disadvantaged youths; particularly since Justin mishandles what this means after their one niter.  Still as they work together, the attraction turns into love but their attitudes re Second Chances remain a major schism.

The second Pleasure Before Business blazing romance (see Stripped Down) is a heated tale starring protagonists with youth traumas that shaped their respective adult lives.  An exciting relevant suspense subplot distracts from the prime theme of whether this couple in love can find the emotional fortitude to commit to a long term relationship; with readers cheering for them to make it.

Harriet Klausner