Second Chance Colton – Marie Ferrarella

Second Chance Colton
Marie Ferrarella
Harlequin Romantic Suspense, Oct 1 2015, $5.50
ISBN: 9780373279371

After a stint with the Marines, Ryan Colton returned home to become a homicide detective with the Tulsa Police Department. He becomes very concerned when a vandal commits several acts at his family’s Lucky C Ranch that recently escalated to dangerous levels with a fire and a house invasion that led to the beating of his still in a coma mom.

TPD Forensic Lab Chief Susie Howard informs Ryan that a stable break-in contained DNA evidence that points to his sister Greta as the culprit. Angry and disbelieving of Susie’s assertion, Ryan challenges her contention, but retesting affirms her initial finding. Recalling a decade ago to when he and Susie were in love, but Ryan abandoned her when he deployed. Still believing he did the honorable thing by the woman he will always love, Ryan and Susie were stunned when she joined TPD four years ago. Forensics at the bunkhouse murder scene of ranch hand Kurt Rodgers also names Greta as the only suspect. As the former lovers investigate the homicide and vandalism that increasingly means arresting Greta; each realizes they remain in love with the other.

The fifth Coltons of Oklahoma (see The Temptation of Dr. Colton by Karen Whiddon and Protecting the Colton Bride by Elle James) is a gripping second chance at love police procedural. Although Ryan’s failure to recuse himself from a case involving his sibling seems unlikely especially in a big city police department and readers will suspect early on what truly happened; Marie Ferrarella provides a tense romantic suspense.

Harriet Klausner

Falling For Her Fake Fiancé – Sarah M. Anderson

Falling For Her Fake Fiancé
Sarah M. Anderson
Harlequin Desire, Oct 1 2015, $5.25
ISBN: 9780373734184

In Denver, Ethan Logan takes over modernizing the over century and a half old Beaumont Brewery starting with bringing interoffice communications out of the 1970s. However, Ethan never expected the pushback from the frightened staff who overtly opposes the needed reengineering changes to save the business and their jobs.

Ethan realizes he needs a family member to help him win over the employees. Thus he turns to the fifth heir Frances Beaumont for assistance with a whacky concept of a marriage of convenience between them. Frances agrees to marry him if he meets her stipulations. Neither the businessman nor the first daughter debutant expected to fall in love; but who will risk their heart first to renegotiate a permanent deal.

The fifth Beaumont Heirs romance (see His Son, Her Secret) is an enjoyable boardroom contemporary that ironically uses the overused, typically historical marriage of convenience premise to modernize a Colorado brewery. The protagonists are a nice pairing of a married couple preparing for their divorce even before they exchange I do; until each wants to modify the contract, but fears confessing how they feel.

Harriet Klausner

The Immortal’s Redemption – Kelli Ireland

The Immortal’s Redemption
Kelli Ireland
Harlequin Nocturne, Oct 1 2015, $5.75
ISBN: 9780263917994

In 1718 Scotland, as he waits in ambush for the fat genocidal Laird of Clan McKay, Dylan knows he lacks a key trait that successful assassins require: patience. Still he somewhat controls his anxiety to kill the abomination for mass murdering of Druids. However, before he can complete his task, Danu the Mother of All visits him with a vision of a beautiful woman who along with mankind will need his help three centuries in the future when a Shadow Realm god escapes bondage.

Three hundred years later Danu returns; she informs Dylan the time is now for him to find the woman who will lead him to the truth or his death as he must kill this Kennedy Jefferson to prevent the end of the world. When she awakens in a hospital, Kennedy has amnesia and fears she suffers from mental illness apparently common in her family. Only her best friend Ethan keeps her stable. When Dylan and Kennedy meet, they are attracted to each other, but his mission must come before his heart.

The Immortal’s Redemption is an entertaining romantic urban fantasy with an intriguing dilemma faced by the lead male. The support cast and Dylan are fully developed, but Kennedy acts irresponsibly foolish and feels for the most part incomplete as perhaps more insight on her memory loss and sudden moments of recall would have helped readers to understand her better.

Harriet Klausner

An American Duchess – Sharon Page

An American Duchess

Sharon Page

Harlequin HQN, Sep 29 2015, $7.99

ISBN: 9780373789382

In 1922, accompanied by her Mother, twentyish Zoe Gifford drives her car on the Brideswell Abbey Estate in Hertforshire to visit the aristocrat she plans to marry in haste Lord Sebastian Hazelton.  The marriage will enable Zoe to use her trust fund to pay off Mother’s disastrous debts and also her husband for cooperating before they divorce.  A blown tire forces the two women to start walking.

When Zoe and Sebastian’s older brother Nigel, Duke of Langford, meet, both are attracted to one another.  However, Nigel suffers from war-related PTSD and hates the monstrous changes wrought by the Roaring Twenties as epitomized by the upstart American female who does not know her proper place.  She, in turn, rejects his antiquated beliefs.  Love has blossomed in Hertforshire, but seems unable to overcome the vastly different philosophies.

An American Duchess is a pleasant post World War I romance starring a Thoroughly Modern Millie and a Brontosaurus in love.  Though the angst loses its edge in the last quarter of the historical, Sharon Page captures the essence of a radically changing world (see the early episodes of the People’s Century) as epitomized by this lead couple, Mother and other family members and servants.

Harriet Klausner

If Not For A Bee – Carol Ross

If Not For A Bee

Carol Ross

Harlequin Heartwarming, Oct 1 2015, $6.50

ISBN: 9780373367436

 

In the bakery in Rankins, Alaska, thirteen year old Gareth Everett holds the specially made birthday cake when a bee lands on the box, panicking the teen.  His widow mom Janie rolls up a newspaper to swat the insect, but a beach bum interferes protecting the bumblebee.  Gareth drops the box.  She realizes the bee patrol protector is renowned scientist Dr. Aidan Hollings AKA as brother-in-law to her sister Emily (see Mountains Apart).  The baker Lilah cannot make a timely replacement because another of Janie’s four children Reagan is lactose intolerant.  Gareth watches mother and son walk away as if part of a funeral march.

Aidan uses the small town as his temporary home base while leading the state study of bumblebees.  However, he likes the feisty Janie the journalist and enjoys the enthusiasm of her two oldest sons (Gareth and Reagan) who still struggle with the death of their dad; though he admits he is not very comfortable with their two year old twin brothers.   As the two adults fall in love, she must overcome her doubts that a famous hunk would want a ready-made family of five; and he must overcome his doubts that a widow with four children would believe a globetrotting scientist would want a ready-made family in the middle of nowhere.

Deftly combining jocularity with anxiety, the latest Seasons of Alaska (see A Case for Forgiveness) contemporary is a delightful family drama romance in which the two oldest boys play significant roles in this love fest.  Readers will relish the tale of the matchmaking bumblebee as love thrives in Rankins, Alaska.

Harriet Klausner

Enchanted by the Wolf – Michele Hauf

Enchanted by the Wolf
Michele Hauf
Harlequin Nocturne, Oct 1 2015, $5.75
ISBN: 9780263917987

In Paris Valoir Pack Principal Etienne Montfort negotiates with an emissary from the Unseelie Fairy that as part of the deal allow the werewolves to hunt in the latter’s kingdom. To seal the deal, Valoir werewolf Kirnan Savauterre and Fairy Princess Beatrice the undesirable half-breed will wed.

Whereas Kir has enormous doubts but even stronger loyalty to his pack; Bea welcomes a chance to leave her always disappointed in her father in search of her mother. Neither the purebred werewolf nor the hybrid princess expected to fall in love. Still both must come together based on mutual trust to deal with prejudicial prenotions, interspecies interference and animosity especially towards Bea living with his pack. To prove his love, Kir seeks the truth re his wife’s maternal DNA.

Readers will feel Enchanted by the Wolf and Unseelie Princess as the mixed couple navigates the issues caused by their mutual races’ distrust and misconceptions of each other. The protagonists are terrific as Michele Hauf uses real world problems a society causes (though radically changing in the last few decades) towards a mixed race couple as the springboard to a magnificent urban fantasy romance.

Harriet Klausner

Dragon’s Promise – Denise Lynn

Dragon’s Promise

Denise Lynn

Harlequin Nocturne, Sep 1 2015, $5.75

ISBN: 9780373009534

Unlike his older brothers Braeden (see Dragon’s Lair) and Cameron (see Dragon’s Curse) who embraced their changeling wizard status, twentyish Sean Drake only wanted to be an ordinary human.  However, one year ago, reality changed Sean’s hopes when he shifted into a dragon for the first time.  Now he considers returning to his family Dragon Lair after years away.

In a bar in the Detroit area, Sean’s inner dragon marks Caitlin St. George as his.  Though confused by their attraction they share a one night stand before going their separate ways.  Pregnant, Caitlin’s parents plan to give the baby away and marry her to a man who will control her worst urges.  When Nathan the wizard kidnaps their infant, a desperate Caitlin informs Sean that he sired a child who was abducted.  Avoiding Caitlin the dragon-slayer for distracting obvious reasons, Sean the dragon pursues Nathan in order to rescue his offspring and slay the abductor.

The third Drake romantic urban fantasy is a suspenseful super finish to the trilogy starring in this one the ultimate star-crossed lovers (her DNA demands fighting and slaying dragons like him and his to flight from her).  Lynn world once again seems real especially the Drake family tree, but it is the protagonists who make this a winner as natural enemies united by their save their baby quest and love.

Harriet Klausner

Canadian Wolf – Linda O. Johnston

Canadian Wolf

Linda O. Johnston

Harlequin Nocturne, Sep 1 2015, $5.75

ISBN: 9780373009527

Aware of the success of Alpha Force (see Loyal Wolf), Canada wants a home-grown team of shapeshifters to work on cases to similar those performed by this unique American military unit.  Thus the brass assigns Alpha Force Lieutenant Selena Jennay to help the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to create their own shapeshifting team led by purebred human Sergeant Major Owen Dewirter.

Having had a dangerous experience with a shifter; the Canadian accepts the existence of the subspecies; but rejects the premises of changing without a full moon stimulus and retaining human cognizance in the beast form.  To quickly provide him with proof of assertions, Selena changes into her wolf.  Though he distrusts Selena and others like her, Owen insists on a real field test: rescue kidnap victims, catch their abductors and expose the traitor inside their team.  Falling in love was not part of the mission.

The latest Alpha Force police procedural urban fantasy romance (see Untamed Wolf and Undercover Wolf) provides newness with the international twist and the gender-bending lead couple.  Although the storyline starts somewhat slowly ironically due to the two fresh spins, the appealing leads and support cast make for an interesting romantic suspense.

Harriet Klausner

The Puppy Proposal – Katie Meyer

The Puppy Proposal

Katie Meyer

Harlequin Special Edition, Sep 15 2015, $5.50

ISBN: 9780373659180

Nic Caruso arrives in Paradise Isle, Florida to assess the locale as his family’s potential next mega resort.  When Nic rescues Murphy, a dog who lives up to his “legal” name, he also meets local veterinary technician Jillian Everett.

To his amazement, Nic finds Jillian so alluring that he ignores his mantra of family first.  She wants to believe he is her Prince Charming, but after a childhood of foster care Jillian distrusts everyone, but especially handsome charmers who always have a devious agenda.  While they fall in love; he knows the Caruso family construction project to lure tourists here will end his relationship with Jillian as her Paradise will become lost.  While he struggles between his close-knit family and the love of his life, Jillian remains a doubting cynic that anyone truly wants her permanently at their side.

This engaging contemporary stars two opposites in love and a page stealing matchmaking canine; and ably supported by a robust secondary cast (his kin and her two future book leads BFFs).  Though somewhat philosophically passive as the lead couple separately reflects back on their respective lives of with and without a loving family; the first Paradise Animal Clinic romance is a sunny delight.

Harriet Klausner

Protecting the Colton Bride – Elle James

Protecting the Colton Bride

Elle James

Harlequin Romantic Suspense, Sep 1 2015, $5.50

ISBN: 9780373279333

On his father’s Lucky C Ranch in Oklahoma, Daniel Colton runs a successful quarter horse program.  However, Daniel wants to grow his operation, but as an illegitimate has limited means (except his paternal family who he prefers not to beg for help) to reach the top social tier he needs to support his expansion.

His diligent assistant Megan Talbot informs him that she must quit after only a few months on a job she loves due to her demanding father threatening to sell her horses if she fails to return to California and marry a man of their choice.  Daniel suggests a marriage of convenience that will give him a ticket to the elite through his wife and Megan a husband so that her parents cannot choose her mate in a forced marriage.  Although attracted to each other and share a common interest in horses, neither expected to fall in love; nor he risking his life to keep his wife safe from an assailant trying to kill her.

The fourth Coltons of Oklahoma (see The Temptation of Dr. Colton by Karen Whiddon) is an engaging fresh contemporary that deftly uses the marriage of convenience theme between amiable protagonists though this premise typically is found in historical romances.  Although the viable death threat adds exhilarating suspense, the subplot feels unnecessary as the delightful love story of Daniel and Megan is what makes this a marvelous read.

Harriet Klausner