This month, my TBR challenge was to finish books I’d started reading. Several months ago, I read the first two chapters of Elizabeth Hoyt’s The Serpent Prince and set it aside. I’m immensely glad I came back to it, because it’s the best book in the series: 5 out of 5.

Country bred Lucy Craddock-Hayes is content with her quiet life. Until the day she trips over an unconscious man—a naked unconscious man—and loses her innocence forever.

Viscount Simon Iddesleigh was nearly beaten to death by his enemies. Now he’s hell-bent on vengeance. But as Lucy nurses him back to health, her honesty startles his jaded sensibilities—even as it ignites a desire that threatens to consume them both.

Charmed by Simon’s sly wit, urbane manners, and even his red-heeled shoes, Lucy falls hard and fast for him. Yet as his honor keeps him from ravishing her, his revenge sends his attackers to her door. As Simon wages war on his foes, Lucy wages her own war for his soul using the only weapon she has—her love . . .

I stopped reading way too soon. It’s been so long I can’t remember why I stopped after the second chapter—I suspect I wasn’t in the right mood for a historical. It’s also possible I got concerned about all of the positive hype it got. Sometimes hype makes me shy away from something because I’m afraid I’ll be disappointed.

The Serpent Prince deserves all the buzz it’s received.

I absolutely adore these characters. Simon and Lucy practically leap off the pages, they seem so real. Take Simon for instance. I love his depth of self-awareness and the fact that he tries to leave Lucy alone so she won’t be caught up in his world. But eventually he realizes that he needs her light in his life. Beautiful stuff.

Though Simon gets significant page space because of his vendetta, Lucy is no less vivid. Her deep love for him is evident, as is her disapproval for what he is doing. Hoyt does an exceptional job of showing dueling for what it is. I like that this is a real obstacle to their relationship, and the way it plays out is perfect.

The love scenes in The Serpent Prince are fantastic—each one plays a vital role in their romance, which is just how love scenes should be.

I’ve been skimming through the book since I finished it, which meets my definition of a keeper. My only disappointment is that I can’t go out and buy Hoyt’s next book today.

Next month’s TBR challenge is to read series (Harlequin, Silhouette) books. The longer they have been TBR, the better.

“Wow” was the word that came to mind when I saw the cover for Kelley Armstrong’s Living with the Dead. The publisher is Bantam.

There’s nothing I don’t love about this cover. Well, except for the fact that the book itself won’t be available until late this year. I’m so Jonesing for a Kelley Armstrong read. Luckily, she’s got one coming in a few months.

Yes, I know J.D. Robb’s Creation in Death came out late last year and that I’m just now reviewing it. I loaned it to my sister and didn’t want to write the review without the book. Now that I have it back, I can write the review: 4 out of 5.

NYPSD Lieutenant Eve Dallas keeps the streets of a near-future New York City safe in this extraordinary series. But even she makes mistakes, and is haunted by those she couldn’t save—and the killers she couldn’t capture. When the body of a young brunette is found in East River Park, artfully positioned and marked by signs of prolonged and painful torture, Eve is catapulted back to a case nine years earlier. The city was on edge from a killing spree that took the lives of four women in fifteen days, courtesy of a man the media tagged “The Groom”—because he put silver rings on the fingers of his victims.

When it turns out that the young brunette was employed by Eve’s billionaire husband, Roarke, she brings him in on the case—a move that proves fitting when it becomes chillingly clear that the killer has made his attack personal. The victim was washed in products from a store Roarke owns, and laid out on a sheet his company manufactures.

With the Groom’s monstrous return, Eve is determined to finish him once and for all. Familiar with his methods, Eve knows that he has already grabbed his next victim. Time is running out on another woman’s life.

And chances are he’s working up to the biggest challenge of his illustrious career—abducting a woman who will test his skills and who promises to give him days and days of pleasure before she dies: Eve.

In most books in the In Death series, there is a balance of case vs. personal life. This book provided an interesting variation—total immersion in the case. We’ve seen numerous times how Eve works herself until she collapses. What I loved about this book was getting Roarke’s perspective. Yes, he plays a part in Eve’s cases, but in Creation in Death, we see the inner workings of the police investigation through his eyes. It’s a fascinating point of view.

The villain is quite creepy, and I enjoyed seeing Eve track him down. I mentioned in my year in review that I would never forget one particular scene, and it—and the scenes leading up to it—is unforgettable. (I’m being purposefully vague to avoid spoilers.)

I thought the ending was particularly good—it shows Eve’s unwavering dedication to justice, and I thought justice in this case was particularly fitting.

I’m listening to Strangers in Death now. (My autographed copy is on the way.) Listening to the story rather than reading it first is turning out to be an interesting experience. But that’s a blog entry for another day . . .

I’m a longtime reader of Ann Rule, but her latest books haven’t been among her best. I was expecting more of the same with Smoke, Mirrors, and Murder, and instead I found it to be a gripping read.

In some murder cases, the truth behind the most tragic crimes crystallizes with relative ease. Not so with these fascinating accounts drawn from the personal files of Ann Rule, America’s #1 bestselling true-crime writer. What happens when the case itself becomes an intractable puzzle, when the clues are shrouded in smoke and mirrors, and when criminals skillfully evade law enforcement in a maddening cat-and-mouse chase?

Even the most devoted true-crime reader won’t predict the outcome of these truly baffling cases until the conclusions revealed in Ann Rule’s marvelously nsightful narrative: An ideal family is targeted for death by the least likely enemy, who plotted their demise from behind bars. . . . A sexual predator hides behind multiple fake identities, eluding police for years while his past victims live in fear that he will hunt them down. . . . A modest preacher’s wife confesses to shooting her husband after an argument–but there’s more to her shattering story than meets the eye. These and other true cases are analyzed with stunning clarity in a page-turning collection you won’t be able to put down.

Page-turning is a good description for this book. The stories in this volume are fascinating. I was especially intrigued by “The Truck Driver’s Wife,” “The Chemist’s Wife,” and “The Painter’s Wife.” The first of these stories is baffling–there’s no resolution to it, not even to the manner of death, which some think may be spontaneous combustion. (!) The second describes a relationship-gone-wrong where wrong equals deadly. The third story tells of a man who breaks out of prison and kidnaps a woman from her home. Scary and chilling stuff.

There are seven stories in this anthology, and all of them are intriguing. If you’re interested in reading true-crime, I definitely recommend this anthology.

I’ve never read Brenda Jackson, but I was intrigued by the cover of Solid Soul. It ended up being an interesting read: 3.5 out of 5.

In the real world there was no way flower shop owner Kylie Hagan would ever meet up with millionaire Chance Steele. But the world of single parents and teenage hormones brought the together for the first time–and a simmering passion they both tried to deny wouldn’t keep them apart for long.

Chance made her think of hot, sultry Southern nights. Kylie had him imagining satin sheets and soul-stirring kisses. But in the cold light of day, they had to resist each other. There was no way they’d let uncontrollable desire ignite their carefully protected hearts.

But some things they couldn’t ignore. . . .

If you were to look at a list of my least-favorite plot devices, matchmaking kids would be high on that list. Kylie’s daughter and Chance’s son provide the catalyst for them to meet by saying they are in love with each other. From there, the youths play a minor role in the book (thankfully) and the focus switches to Chance and Kylie.

The two are immediately attracted to each other, but Kylie is reluctant to get involved. She wants to set a good example for her daughter–an understandable desire–and she was also burned by her daughter’s father. Kylie embodies the once-burned, twice-shy philosophy. Both of these issues are understandable, but I thought her reluctance went on way too long, especially after it was clear they were involved and that Chance wanted more than a casual thing.

The kids play a role in the end to bring Chance and Kylie back together. I wish the story hadn’t gone that route, but I did enjoy seeing the couple work through the issues. 

Chance was terrific, even if I thought his explanation of the “forged of Steele” subtitle was a little corny. I wish that had been simply a subtitle indicating the name of the series rather than have it incorporated into the dialogue. Still, this was a small point.

Overall, I enjoyed Solid Soul, and I plan to pick up more books by this author. 

I stumbled on this cover during some blog hopping; it’s Chris Marie Green’s Midnight Reign. The publisher is ACE.

I love the attitude projected by the model on this cover. The background and title treatment are nice, as well.

I was a bit reluctant to vote in the 2007 All About Romance poll because I kept such poor records of my 2007 reads. (Poor equals practically non-existent.) I ended up voting, but I’m not entirely happy with my list. I know there would be some changes if I could remember everything I read.

Anyway, I did my best, and here’s my list.

Best Romance
Visions of Heat, Nalini Singh
Since I’ve reread this book a few times, I figured it was a good choice.  
 
Most-Hanky Romance
The Secret Passion of Simon Blackwell, Samantha James
This was a moving story. I plan to read more of James’ work. 
 
Most Luscious Love Story
The Nymph King, Gena Showalter
This was a very sexy read.

Best Erotic Romance
Passion for the Game, Sylvia Day  
 
Most Tortured Romance Hero
Gabriel, Shadows on the Soul, Jenna Black
Gabriel is terrific and this is definitely my favorite installment of Black’s series.  
 
Strongest Romance Heroine
Eve Dallas, Creation in Death, J.D. Robb
It will be a long time before I forget the scene where Eve emerges from the bad guy’s basement . . . 
 
Best Romance Hero
Wizard, Driven, Eve Kenin
I never figured that a man without emotions would be the best hero, but he’s absolutely terrific.  
 
Best Romance Heroine
Raina, Driven, Eve Kenin

Best Romance Couple
Emma Hathaway and Restell Gardner, If His Kiss Is Wicked, Jo Goodman

Best Buried Treasure Romance Read
The Object of Love, Sharon Cullars  
 
Romance Author Most Glommed in 2007
Jo Goodman
 
Best Cabin or Road Romance
Driven, Eve Kenin  
 
Best Medieval/Renaissance Romance
Her Irish Warrior, Michelle Willingham
 
Best European Historical Romance 
The Stranger I Married, Sylvia Day
 
Best Amer Hist or Frontier Romance
A Reason to Believe, Maureen McKade 
 
Best Contemporary Romance
Touch Me, Susan Lyons 
 
Best Series/Category Book
Beau Crusoe, Carla Kelly
 
Best Romantic Suspense 
Innocent in Death, J.D. Robb
 
Best SF, Fantasy, or Futuristic Romance
Driven, Eve Kenin
 
Best Paranormal Romance 
No Humans Involved, Kelley Armstrong
 
Best Chick Lit/Women’s Fiction 
You Had Me at Halo, Amanda Ashby
 
Best Romance Short Story
“Mischief and the Marquess,” Sylvia Day, Perfect Kisses  
 
I didn’t place a vote in a handful of categories, but I voted in more categories than I initially thought I would.

Did you vote?

I’m continuing on with my to-be-read challenge. This month, I decided to focus on finishing books that have been sitting around half finished. First up, Stephanie Tyler’s Risking It All.

What is it about extreme surfer John “Cash” Cashman? Ambitious documentarian Rina Calhoun has filmed risk-taking sports enthusiasts before, but she’s never made a private tape of one of these bad boys. . . . And it turns out the daring, hot movie version’s got nothing on the real thing!

But Rina’s X-treme documentary is turning into an X-asperating docudrama, since Cash won’t sign her release form. No paper from him, no big break for her.

Cash wants to help the fiery little number behind the lens, but he can’t because his secret life as a navy SEAL has him deep undercover. Yet as Rina stumbles into the line of fire, all bets are quckly off. He’s risking everything to save her. But will it be enough?

I set this book aside several months ago through no fault of its own. Sometimes I skim ahead to see what will happen, and then I quit reading because then I know what happens. It’s stupid, I know. But there it is, and that’s what happened here. This month, I figured enough time had passed that I could start fresh. I’m glad I picked it up again because it’s a fantastic story: 4.5 out of 5.

The back cover blurb offers a decent summary of the story. What it doesn’t tell you is that the book jumps right into the story with compelling characters and a plot that keeps you reading. In fact, it was so engrossing that I skipped ahead to make sure everything works out all right. You know how that turned out . . .

I tend to read romances for the hero. Cash is awesome, but I also have to comment on how much I loved the heroine as well. Rina is easy to relate to, and I sympathized with her thoughts about her job and her questions about how she would handle being with a man whose job put him in danger. Cash and Rina seem like real people, and I really enjoyed reading about them.

Tyler offers a fresh voice in military romance, and I’m excited that I have her next book already.

Dear Spammers,

Thank you so much for your attempted contributions to the conversation. As much as I appreciate comments on my blog entries, your long lists of links add nothing meaningful. Until you can come up with something that actually relates to the topic at hand, your comments will continue to be deleted as spam.

Sincerely,
Alyssa

P.S. I love comments from real people. Really! If you want to say something, jump right in.

I posted on Romancing the Blog about a book I loved by an author whose earlier books I hadn’t loved. This is it: Atlantis Rising by Alyssa Day.

I’ve tried to read her other books—really, I have. I have three—I’ve tried to read two of them, but haven’t finished either. The other one sits in my to-be-read pile, being repeatedly overlooked. So I’m not kidding when I wrote that I was a little skeptical about picking up Atlantis Rising, but I decided to give it a try. I’m so glad I did: 4 out of 5.

Riley Dawson is more than a dedicated Virginia Beach social worker. She’s blessed with a mind link that only Atlanteans have been able to access for thousands of years. Being an empath may explain her wistful connection to the roiling waves of the ocean, the sanctuary it provides, and the sexual urges that seem to emanate from fathoms below . . .

Conlan, the high prince of Atlantis, has surfaced on a mission to retrieve Poseidon’s stolen Trident. Yet something else has possessed Conlan: the intimate emotions—and desires—of a human. Irresistably drawn to the uncanny beauty, Conlan soon shares more than his mind. But in the midst of a battle to reclaim Poseidon’s power, how long can a forbidden love last between two different souls from two different worlds?

This story sucked me in right from the beginning. The world-building is exceptional—set up strongly, but not so much initial detail that it becomes overwhelming. More aspects of the society are revealed as the story continues, a technique that really works.

Another thing that works—the relationship between Conlan and Riley. Their connection is a tangible one, and I liked seeing how it deepened during the course of the book.

Of course, we got glimpses of the other Warriors of Poseidon, and it looks like there will be many more books to come in the series. If they are all as good as this one, that’s a good thing.