Editorial Review

A Rough Riders free read.

Keely McKay Donohue is enduring the longest wedding reception of her life: her own. The only saving grace is that Jack Donohue is finally hers. Usually her hunky man gives her everything she wants, so why is her groom denying her the one thing she wants right now?

Jack thought his secretive wait-for-the-honeymoon plan was romantic, until he realizes he’s only put Keely in a fighting mood. If he wants to get back on his temperamental bride’s good side, he’d better find a way to sweep his cowgirl off her boots…fast.

Reviews

Short and Sweet
This short story was an unexpected treat. If you're a fan of Rough Riders then you will love this. I think Ms James did a wonderful job taking us into the beginning of Keeley and Jack's life together. If you haven't read any of the series then try this. I'm sure it will make you curious to learn more about the McKay clan. My favorite book was Cowgirl Up and Ride, so I really enjoyed reading more about those characters in this story too. Lorelei can you give us some more of this? Loved it!

SO GOOD I WOULDA PAID FOR IT!!
Keely has always been my favorite female character...What a treat to be able to read more about her wedding and Jack's plans for their honeymoon.

Slow Ride is funny, definitely SEXY and emotional...yes I cried while reading it. I also fell in LOVE with Jack all over again =)

Better and Better
Keely & Jack are 2 of my favorite characters in the McKay Family series. I was so happy to get a glimpse into their wedding. This story gives a taste of Lorelei James writing. Hot, funny and the family scenes are spot on.

The scene where Carson dances with his daughter, Keely, was both touching and telling. His wild-child only daughter has grown up into a beautiful, smart woman.

If you are not familiar with this series, try this story....you will be hooked

A Rough Rider Taste
Slow Ride is only supposed to be a taste of what the entire Rough Riders series is all about. It gives us another glimpse of the wonderful relationship between Jack and Keely that began in All Jacked Up. This is a treat for the Rough Rider fans! To get the full effect of the Rough Riders, read the series from book 1, Long Hard Ride, before dismissing this short tease!

Loved It
Ive enjoyed the entire series. This book is no exception.....
Cant wait till the next book :)

Just a little bit more...
What is there not to love about Keely and Jack? The answer nothing. Slow Ride is just a little bit more of one of the two most beloved Lorelei characters. And the fact that it was free just goes to show you how awesome Lorelei is. This is a great transition book between All Jacked up and Cowgirls don't cry. Which if you haven't read, you can't fairly judge this book. That goes the same for the rest of the Rough Riders books which happens to be just as awesome.

Sarah

A free treat for fans and an intro for the unintiated!
Slow Ride: A Rough Riders story Keely and Jack have different ideas about when their honeymoon should start. Keely wants it to begin now but Jack has another plan! This tells you about the couple and I think leaves you wanting more of their story. Which I think is the job of a free read! If you love hot cowboys, strong women, a family to root for and lots of good sex that is a part of the story, then the Rough Rider series is for you! If not, enjoy the free read that Lorelei states in the beginning takes place between the end of book 8, All Jacked Up All Jacked Up: Rough Riders, Book 8and book 10, Cowgirls Don't Cry.Cowgirls Don't Cry: Rough Riders, Book 10

Charming Short Story
What a nice surprise! Author Lorelei James gives us another look at life between wild child Keely and her now husband Jack. Readers looking for a free read to get them involved with her Rough Riders series may find the story a bit confusing as it really should be read, at the very least in conjunction, with All Jacked Up - HOWEVER - If this is your first foray into James's novels, don't judge! Her Rough Riders series is one of the best erotic western romance series out there. I can't recommend it enough.

Slow Ride
I was curious to know what would happen at Jack and Keely's wedding reception
and I was not disappointed! I was really touched by this short story, I laughed and cried.
Author Lorelei James Knows how to write a great story! Rough Riders has to be my all time favourite Series!!

... Read more

Editorial Review

In the quiet safety of the Bluebird Ranch, old promises resurface and unexpected love brings new hope.

Though tragedy has wrecked her life, Allie Siders holds on to the hope that her five-year-old daughter, Betsy, will speak again. But with a stalker out for revenge, all Allie can think about now is their safety. She must sever all ties and abandon life as she knows it. She heads to the peaceful Bluebird Ranch, nestled deep in Texas hill country, and to the only person who can help them.

The ranch is a sanctuary for abused horses, and also for troubled youths: the perfect place for Betsy to grow and recover. Ranch owner Elijah DeAngelo eagerly welcomes the duo. But Rick Bailey--the ranch foreman and DeAngelo's right hand man--hasn't decided to let his guard down . . . yet.

Promises made long ago soon force Rick and Allie to work together to escape danger. Will they discover love along the way?

Reviews

Top notch!
Tragedy is etched into Allie Siders' life, with the loss of husband in Afghanistan, her parents suddenly and finally the murder of her sister. So traumatised by the shocking losses, Allie's five year old daughter Betsy has not spoken a word in over a year and Allie is desperate to ease her suffering.

Seeking out her husband's best friend, Allie finds herself at the Bluebird Ranch, a place where endangered horses and kids on the edge learn to trust again. Ranch owner, Elijah DeAngelo, is welcoming but the cold reception Allie receives from foreman Rick Bailey has her doubting they can stay.

With threats from an unknown stalker and Betsy's grandparents seeking custody, Allie may have to take an unthinkable way out.

Lonestar Sanctuary is just what the reading doctor ordered! When I long for an uncomplicated and engaging read, Colleen always hits the spot. With effortless prose, sweet characters and intriguing suspense, I enjoyed every page as Allie, Betsy and Rick battled their fears within and without. With the perfect combination of suspense and romance, underpinned with threads of faith, Colleen's latest novel is sure to please.

GREAT BOOK!!!!
LONESTAR SANCTUARY was my second read by Colleen Coble, and it will definitely not be my last. Ms. Coble writes great romantic suspense, and what's even better - she writes great Christian romantic suspense, without beating you over the head with the Christian references.

Allie Siders has dealt with too much death over the last few years. First, her husband was killed in the war in Afghanistan, and her in-laws are determined to gain custody of her daughter. Then her parents died in a tragic plane accident, and her sister was killed during a burglary. As if that wasn't enough, her five-year-old daughter, Betsy, has stopped talking.

Allie has made a life barrel racing on the rodeo circuit. But trouble has a way of finding her, and when a man claiming to be behind her sister's death tries to attack her in her trailer, she decides that it would be in the best interest of both herself and her daughter to leave the rodeo and travel to the Bluebird Ranch.

The ranch is owned by Elijah, a man who holds more importance to Allie than anyone knows, and who also runs a program that uses horses and ranch work to help troubled kids. But even more importantly, the ranch is run by foreman Rick Bailey - the man who was her husband's closest friend during the war, and who is harboring secrets of his own.

When it becomes clear that someone is determined to make Allie suffer for a sin she doesn't even know she committed, both Rick and Allie will have to put their differences aside to keep Betsy safe.

Let me just say, this book is a real page-turner. The suspense is perfectly plotted, and although I wasn't personally fond of people close to Allie dropping like flies, it worked with the story. And as I mentioned, the Christian/inspirational references were well done, without being over done.

The ending was realistic, the dialogue throughout the story was perfectly believable, and I actually enjoyed getting to know these characters. LONESTAR SANCTUARY is a winner! ... Read more

Editorial Review

When a modern woman goes back to Jane Austen's time, she needs to know…

Everything! Eleanor agrees to travel back in time to prevent a deadly duel, but she doesn't know how to behave, what to say, and most importantly…

How to tell a villain from a rake

The captivating, infuriating, and mysterious Lord Shermont is a renowned rake and womanizer—but is he also a dangerous cutthroat and spy? Eleanor has to get up close and personal to find out…

Otherwise, she could fall into a most shocking scandal…

Thankfully, Miss Jane Austen herself arrives on the scene, with sage guidance and a twinkle in her eye, to help Eleanor navigate countryhouse society and the dangerous terrain of her own heart…

From the author of Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake, a newtime travel romance featuring a modern day career woman swept back in time toRegency England, where she thwarts a Napoleonic spy, chats with Jane Austen,and falls in love with a notorious rake.

PRAISE FOR LAURIE BROWN:

"Highly original. If you're in the market for a differentkind of historical romance, or you enjoy stories filled with period detail,Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake is a solid bet."
wordcandybooks.blogspot.com

"Brown's ending was clever and I never suspected Josie wouldchoose the path she takes. I would recommend Hundreds of Years to Reform a Raketo anyone who enjoys paranormals, and even Regency fans who don't usually readthem. Brown did an excellent job of combining the two genres."
aladysdiversions.blogspot.com

"A very enjoyable read with Josie a feisty and independentcharacter, and Deverell the ghost and Deverell the man both also veryappealing."
curledup.com

"Humor, mystery, ghosts, history, and… pure fun."
blogcritics.org

"A fresh tale that is as charming as it is hot!"
zeekspage.blogspot.com

"You'll be transported to another time and won't want to return until the very last page is digested."
fantasybookspot.com

Reviews

Excellent !
This is a historical romance with a twist , since the reader and the main character are from modern times. Eleanor Pottinger is in England to do a seminar on Regency fashion when 2 ghosts (Mina and Deirdre Cracklebury) ask her to go back in past and stop a duel. Eleanor goes to bed thinking that she is just jet-legged but in reality she is back in the past. Once she is in the past she imbraces the era and who find yourself in a house party trying to keep Mina and Deirdre Cracklebury from being seduced by Lord Shermont. It was funny and smart and over all a great read!!!

If you enjoy this genre I would also suggest; Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake, Spirited Away, The Wedding Ghost (Zebra Regency Romance) and a classic The Mirror

whimsical time travel romance
Recently dumped by her cheating fiance, Eleanor Pottinger is an expert on Regency aristocratic fashion. She is currently working as a designer for a Jane Austen festival during Regency Week. However, she is bit taken aback to find her room at the old inn is preoccupied.

Nonplussed Eleanor meets the ghosts of sisters Mina and Deirdre Cracklebury. The trio negotiates a deal in which Eleanor will go back to 1814 to prevent a deadly duel between their brother Teddy and Lord Shermont in exchange to them introducing her to Jane Austen. As she and Shermont flirt outrageously with one another, Eleanor must decide between sense and sensibility; she needs to choose either the active sex of a lifetime or a passive meeting with a writer even as she considers WHAT WOULD JANE AUSTEN DO?.

Though Jane is a minor player, Eleanor and Shermont are wonderful leads and the ghostly sisters great support as Laurie Brown provides a whimsical time travel romance. The story line is fast-paced and filled with twists. This is Eleanor's tale as she tries to make the right choices considers her mantra: WHAT WOULD JANE AUSTEN DO? In this situation.

Harriet Klausner

Enchanting Review: What Would Jane Austen Do?
WHAT WOULD JANE AUSTEN DO?
LAURIE BROWN
Historical Romance
Sourcebooks Casablanca

Rating: 4.5 Enchantments

When Eleanor Pottinger goes to England for a regency convention, hopeful on getting a start on her costume making business she could never imagine that the hotel losing her reservation would start her on an unforgettable journey back through time. But when she wakes up to find the ghosts of two dead sisters who want to send her back to Jane Austen's time to save themselves Eleanor thinks it's all a joke, or better yet a dream, until she finds herself surrounded by either the best regency actors or she's really traveled through time.

WHAT WOULD JANE AUSTEN DO? is an entertaining and light historical read. I loved the two sisters, Deirdre and Mina, both in ghost form and physical form in the 1800s. With Eleanor banishing the ghost forms almost the moment she awakes, it's solely up to her to figure out just what it will take to send her back to her own time. There was so much I liked about this book. Eleanor is a great character, and watching her struggle with fitting in without the guidance or assistance of the ghosts is truly enjoyable. The banter between the characters was especially well done and I loved the mystery of not only who Shermont truly was, a man who was found by the side of the road with a bump on his head, but just how Eleanor was going to get back to her own time, if that was even possible.

One of my absolute favorite scenes in the book takes place about a third of the way through, when Eleanor awakes in the middle of the night. Unused to the absolute silence of the estate, she goes in search of a servant and possibly some warm milk to help her fall back asleep, but instead finds herself alone in the library with the mysterious Shermont. I loved the chemistry between the two in the scene and how they ended up sharing a sandwich. My only real issue with WHAT WOULD JANE AUSTEN DO was the ending did seem a little rushed to me, but it didn't detract from a great story.

Laurie Brown teaches writing classes at the college level, has presented seminars at conferences all over the country, and has three published romance novels. She has been a Golden Heart finalist twice and has received the Service Award from the Chicago-North Chapter of RWA. She resides in Illinois.

Lisa
Enchanting Reviews
January 2009

... Read more

Editorial Review

Lydia Bennet is the flirtatious, wild and free-wheeling youngest daughter. Her untamed expressiveness and vulnerability make her fascinating to readers who’ll love this imaginative rendering of Lydia’s life after her marriage to the villainous George Wickham. Will she mature or turn bitter? Can a girl like her really find true love?In Lydia Bennet’s Story we are taken back to Jane Austen’s most beloved novel, Pride and Prejudice, to a Regency world seen through Lydia’s eyes where pleasure and marriage are the only pursuits. But the road to matrimony is fraught with difficulties and even when she is convinced that she has met the man of her dreams, complications arise. When Lydia is reunited with the Bennets, Bingleys, and Darcys for a grand ball at Netherfield Park, the shocking truth about her husband may just cause the greatest scandal of all ...“A breathtaking Regency romp!”—Diana Birchall, author of Mrs. Darcy’s Dilemma ... Read more

Reviews

A Wonderful Sequel
"The true misfortune, which besets any young lady who believes herself destined for fortune and favour, is to find that she has been born into an unsuitable family." (pg. 9)

The opening line of Chapter 1 of Jane Odiwe's sequel to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice describes the character of Elizabeth Bennet's youngest sister Lydia to a tee. In Lydia Bennet's Story, Jane Odiwe brings to life Lydia's lively, high-spirited character as we gain insight to her side of the Wickham debacle through her eyes - and her heart.

Lydia Bennet's Story begins at the point where Lydia becomes increasingly involved with that dastardly rake, George Wickham. Lydia, who cares not to think beyond a new bonnet and how many suitors will ask her to dance at the next assembly, falls quickly under Wickham's spell. To Lydia, who is high spirited and wants nothing more than to be married to a wealthy, handsome soldier, Wickham seems to be the man of her dreams. But she finds out the hard way that Wickham's heart has never been hers and that he only wants her as a connection to Mr. Darcy and his money.

Odiwe weaves her fiction into Austen's story seamlessly, as we follow Lydia through the aftermath of her marriage to Wickham and the subsequent scandals she is subjected to because of him. We also watch Lydia transform from a selfish girl into a mature young woman who wants nothing more than to love and be loved - in style, of course.

I enjoyed Lydia Bennet's Story immensely. It was a fun story with everything I love about good Regency fiction - good writing, plenty of period descriptions and background information that lend authenticity, and romance that is exciting but not over the top. Odiwe did an excellent job of staying true to Austen's style while creating new characters and plots to make the story fresh and interesting. She also gave me a new appreciation for the character of Lydia. In an age of numerous Austen sequels, this one is definitely worth reading.

What a different take on Pride and Prejudice
I found this book to be enjoyable and thought-provoking! It is nice to see Lydia's side of things! I always felt bad for her, because her youth and immaturity led her astray. Glad to see her get a better ending! ... Read more

Editorial Review

A Young Woman Longing for Adventure and an Artistic Life...

Because she's an illegitimate child, Eliza is raised in therural backwater with very little supervision. An intelligent, creative, andfree-spirited heroine, unfettered by the strictures of her time, she makes friendswith poets William Wordsworth and Samuel Coleridge, finds her way to London,and eventually travels the world, all the while seeking to solve the mystery ofher parentage. With fierce determination and irrepressible spirits, Eliza carvesout a life full of adventure and artistic endeavor.

PRAISE FOR JOAN AIKEN

"Others may try, but nobody comes close to Aiken in writing sequelsto Jane Austen."
PublishersWeekly

"Aiken's story is rich with humor, and her language iscompelling. Readers captivated with Elinor and Marianne Dashwood in Sense andSensibility will thoroughly enjoy Aiken's crystal gazing, but so will those unacquaintedwith Austen."
Booklist

"...innovative storyteller Aiken again pays tribute to Jane Austenin a cheerful spinoff of Sense and Sensibility."
Kirkus Reviews

Reviews

Great read, but little to do with Sense and Sensibility, November 30, 2008
Have you ever read a totally unfavorable book review so full of acrimony that it left you wondering if you would have the same reaction? I have, and am often hooked into trying out a book to see if I agree. So when I read a collection of reviews gathered at the Austenfans website against Joan Aiken's novel Eliza's Daughter : A Sequel to Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility, I was intrigued. Here are a few of the zingers to set the mood. "It is the worst JA sequel I have ever read", "I wonder why ANYONE would have bothered to write something like this!", "I cannot recommend this book, except as an example of what NOT to do when writing a sequel to any great novel, especially Jane Austen.", or the final insult, "How did it even get published?" Ouch! To add further to the m�l�e, this website was created and is maintained by Sourcebooks, the current publisher of Eliza's Daughter originally issued in 1994 and now available in a new edition. Cleverly, only a publisher of this depth and confidence would have the strength and wisdom to assemble such a collection of scathing reviews and post them as publicity. A blunder - or a stroke of marketing savvy? We shall see.

Eliza's Daughter continues the story of a very minor character in Sense and Sensibility who receives scant mention in the original novel as the illegitimate child of Eliza Williams and her seducer John Willoughby. The infant, also named Eliza Williams is placed by her guardian Colonel Brandon in the care of a negligent foster mother in the village of Byblow Bottom, an infamous Regency era repository for the natural offspring of public persons who were reared away from their parents to avoid disclosure of their existence. Raised in this rural backwater Eliza learns to survive under difficult circumstance and scrape together a bit of education, all the while trying to unravel the mystery of her parentage. Clever and creative, she knows by age twelve that education is the key to her survival and seeks out Colonel Brandon's attorney's and asks for their assistance while he is abroad serving in the army. They send her on to the Rev. Edward Ferrars and his wife Elinor nee Dashwood at Delaford. The Ferrars are living in genteel poverty as a country vicar and his wife with one daughter away at school and Elinor's mother the once elegant Mrs. Dashwood now suffering from mental illness. Their acquaintance is strained and they decide to pack her off to school in Bath where their daughter Nell attends and Elinor's younger sister Margaret Dashwood is a teacher. She is not very welcome there either, but she endures and excels in music having a gifted voice which brings her some attention.

As the natural daughter of who knows whom, Eliza is definitely a social pariah and reminded of it with every connection and situation where she lives. The mystery of her parentage still lingers, but as the plot develops clues appear like bread crumbs along a trail bringing her closer to an answer by directing her to London and then on to Portugal. Ms. Aiken writes an engaging tale and knows how to keep our attention by a series of misadventures and recoveries by the heroine. We meet new characters as well who are interesting and authentic, but it is her treatment of Austen's original characters that is troubling and forms the largest objection from all of the previous reviewers.

When Austen's novel concluded we were left with the happy thought that both Marianne and Elinor were married, their mother Mrs. Dashwood and younger sister Margaret are in better financial circumstances and the adversarial characters such as Lucy Steele, John Willoughby, and Mrs. Ferrars were much the worse for their life choices. So, as we read Eliza's Daughter and discover that the happily-ever-after does not really exist beyond the last page of the original novel it is more than a bit unsettling. Colonel and Marianne Brandon are childless and have departed for India and show little if no interest in Eliza's well being. This seems odd, since the Colonel has in the past always shown great concern for Eliza's grandmother, mother and his friends. Elinor and Edward live a penurious and Spartan life eeking out an exsistence at Delaford. Edward is now a bitter man more concerned for his parishioners than his family and Elinor faintly the strong and wise woman that we knew from the past. Their only surviving child Nell is a pill, negligent of her familiar duties and callous to others feelings. Mrs. Dashwood was always a bit unfocused on reality, but now she is insane? Margaret Dashwood is a spinster working as a teacher then a companion? As one reviewer stated, "I found it to be so totally mean spirited toward all the characters we have come to know and love so dearly", and I have to agree. In defense of Ms. Aiken's choice of plot and character development, if everything was sunshine and syllabub, there would be nothing to write about, so in making Austen's good guys the bad guys, she makes her heroine Eliza more pitiable and plucky, but at what cost?

Reading the negative reviews in advance was really a gift leaving me with no expectation of liking this novel. In fact, I was strongly disposed to disapprobation myself, for what Janeite could condone such mistreatment of beloved characters? So I began with an entirely different objective in reading Eliza's Daughter, not as an Austen sequel but as a Dickensian tale full of memorable characters, social corruption, sinister doings and a twisting plot - Eliza Williams has a Copperfieldish adventure - and as such, it became quite amusing. However, it could have been an even more enjoyable if Eliza had been allowed to have a few more positive friendships to support her along her journey as Mr. Dickens supplied David Copperfield with his endearing characters such as Peggoty, Mr. Barkis and Wilkins Micawber. Choosing to make Austen's heroes and heroines the villains of this tale was a shocking and shallow choice. I may never forgive Ms. Aiken for striping away the tone and quality that Austen developed, but I will thank her for an inventive and engaging story that really had very little to do with what we experienced in Sense and Sensibility.

A VERY boring read, April 14, 2010
I loved S&S , so any sequel sounds great to me.

I wish I hadn't bothered with this one. It's dull, and really has nothing to do with S&S except for a couple of the same characters (who seem to have received personality transplants).

Dull, dull, dull...don't waste your time on this one. Try "Elinor and Marianne" instead.

Morose, Depressing, Bitter - Not a pleasant read, October 13, 2009
This is the first and only sequel I actually could not stomach. Where did Aiken come up with the characterizations she gave Austen's creations? I have read many so-so, okay, good, very good, and excellent renditions of Austen's world continued by others. But none has ever sunk into the abyss of utter unpleasantness this story portrays.
Other reviewers acknowledge the disconcerting negative portrayals of beloved characters, but continue on to say that if you pretend it is not an S&S sequel, it is okay. Excuse me, what's the point? I chose to read it because it was supposed to be an Austen sequel, and Aiken's other works were fairly good, although there are much better sequel writers (Joan Austen-Leigh, Pamela Aidan, Jane Dawkins, Amanda Grange, Helen Halstead, Regina Jeffers, Susan Kaye, Rebecca Ann Collins, even racy Linda Berdoll) but I have read all of theirs. I think Aiken must have resented something about the original S&S and expressed her bitterness by writing this book.

Pretend it's not a S&S sequel, and it's pretty good, January 6, 2009
This book was not at all what I expected. First, the events in this book occur after the end of Sense and Sensibility. The Eliza of this book is the daughter of Little Eliza and Willoughby. The future painted in this book for the Sense and Sensibility heroines is possible, but I really didn't feel it was probable considering how S&S left the characters.

The author gives the heroes and heroines of S&S rather dismal futures and makes them into petty, weak, spiteful, jealous people. Not to mention that several of these characters where given physical characteristics (like a deformity) not mentioned in S&S.

So I ignored that this book was supposed to be a sequel to S&S. In that case, the writing is good, though the pacing was slow for the first 30 pages. The author obviously thoroughly researched the time period, and the vivid details immersed me into the characters' world.

The characters were all interesting and varied. Eliza, our heroine, seemed determined to rush head-long into ruin by continually making poor decisions. Though she makes a show of staying respectable, she seems to feel like she's fated to end up like her mother (pregnant, unmarried, and alone). This really isn't a romance book.

There are no explicit sex scenes. Some people might not be interested in reading this book because of how the S&S characters are portrayed and because [spoiler] Eliza does end up pregnant, unwed, unattached, and satisfied with that state of things [end spoiler].

Genre Reviews
http://genrereviews.blogspot.com/

Eliza's daughters, A sequel to Sense and Sensibility., November 22, 2008
For avid Jane Austen readers sequels are fun and not to be taken seriously but we cannot help hoping that someone else might capture the magic. Joan Aitken is the best of many who try to prolong the enjoyment of Miss Austen's style. This story, Eliza's Daughters,has ingenious plot lines, moves along at a great pace till a quick and rather weak ending. An enjoyable read , nevertheless.

A Fine but Flawed Early Aiken "Austen", November 5, 2008
In her half dozen or so Jane Austen sequels, the late Joan Aiken usually chose as her heroine one of the minor characters of the original novel and built a story around her, with Austen's original leads turning up in lesser roles. For this one, she selected someone whose existence was a key plot element in "Sense and Sensibility," but who never actually appeared there, Willoughby's illegitimate daughter.

When we meet her, our heroine-to-be seems destined for the usual fate that 18th Century rich men bestowed on their mistresses' daughters, who were farmed out in some remote village until big enough to earn their keep as a servant or governess or some such. But fate and Aiken have other plans for Eliza's daughter. And I think you'll find her story indeed interesting, eventful, Austenesque and a worthy period page turner.

Aiken was a wonderful writer in her own right and, to my mind, far and away the best of the Austen imitators and well worth reading--I especially liked her "Jane Fairfax." But I do have some "buts" here. For one thing, Aiken lacked Austen's gift for wit and creating the memorable characters who unintentionally supply it; I really miss that here. For another, Eliza, our heroine-narrator, tells us up front that she's going to leave some things out of her story, then makes good on that promise by throwing us a curve at the end that I don't think we deserved. Also I think you'll not much like the ever-afters she gave the beloved S&S characters who reappear in this one. All of which is why I'm reluctantly giving this re-release of one of Aiken's earliest Austen sequels three stars instead of four.

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Editorial Review

Good girls can play rough too…

Rough Riders, Book 10

Jessie McKay has accepted her marriage to Luke McKay wasn’t perfect. After two years of widowhood, she’s ready to kick up her bootheels—until Luke’s younger brother shows up to spoil her fun. But if Brandt thinks she’ll ever take orders from another McKay male, he’s got manure for brains.

Brandt McKay has avoided his sweet, sexy sister-in-law ever since the night he confessed his feelings for her weren’t the brotherly type. Unexpectedly faced with proof of Luke’s infidelity, Brandt is forced to ask for Jessie’s help in taking care of Luke’s young son. Jessie agrees on one condition—she wants Brandt’s boots exclusively under her bed for the duration.

The sexual heat that’s always simmered between them ignites. Brandt is determined to make the temporary situation permanent, proving to Jessie he’s a one-woman man. And Jessie is shaken by feelings she’s sworn never to have again for any man…especially not a McKay.

Warning: Contains branding-iron-hot sex , the one McKay on earth who wants to be tamed, and a woman who’s decided tame is for nice girls who finish last.

Reviews

This book has it all!, November 11, 2010
This book has it all: grief, joy, violence, tenderness, hate, love, hitting bottom, and redemption. The prologue of a drunken menage is painful to read. I believe one reviewer said it should have been burned before publishing. I completely disagree! It is supposed to make the reader uncomfortable so you understand how far off track Jessie has gone in an effort to forget her late husband and all the regrets she has about that marriage.

This romance novel has a happily-ever-after for some characters but for a few we're left waiting for the resolution to their situations. It's not sequal baiting at all. This series is a continuing saga about a dynamic family that has already undergone so may changes and will continue to do so, just like real people.

The child in this story, Landon, begins his life in an untenable situation, is temporarily rescued, thrives under the care and love of Brandt and Jessie, but the place where we leave Landon came as a bit of a surprise to me. It would have been so easy to leave the baby with his guardians where he would grow up cherished, but Lorelei took the difficult route, one that is very real, and put him where he belongs, with his mother.

The sex in this erotic novel is smokin' hot. It isn't gratuitous as is the case with some erotic romance books, because it adds to the story, makes the characters and plot lines more complete, but no doubt it also will leave the reader breathless.

If you haven't read any of the Rough Riders series you may be a little confused about who is related to whom but you will be perfectly able to follow the story. If this is your first Rough Riders book, though, you will want to go back and read the others, I guarantee, so be prepared!

This isn't a Sex Story, November 11, 2010
Not to say there isn't hot sex going on..because there is -- plenty of it.... there is just so much more to this book.

I am not going to give you the breakdown of the story.

I am going to say that for fans of the Rough Riders Series, Lorelei James has moved the entire family story forward. We get a glimpse into how the other characters from prior books are doing. We also learn more about the McKay Ranch Holdings and how the business is organized.

I liked that we also learned the history of some of the Parental Characters and how the current status came to be.

Now onto Jessie and Brandt. Jessie has been a victim of a hard life, abandonment, widow-hood, being kicked out of her home by her father-in-law. She is just starting to heal and learn who she is and what she is made of. Brandt is a good man. He has flaws but he is a stand up guy who tries to do the right thing. He has loved Jessie for years.

By introducing the child of his late brother/Jessie's dead husband, the characters in the story must face instant parenthood, putting anger towards a ghost to rest and creating a future for themselves.

I thought the writing was wonderful. Ms James dealt with killer emotional issues with insight but never got bogged down. I am not a fan of books where a character has been so hurt that they are professional victims. I worried that Jessie would fall into that category but no- she learns to face life and love again.

We learn that a hard part of living is letting go of anger and hurt and the acceptace of people who hurt us is how we become stronger and move forward.

This is not a light read. You will laugh and cry so it will stay with you long after you finish.

Isn't that the test of a great story--one that you can use the tools in your own life and help you move forward?

HOT, SEXY, EMOTIONAL...AMAZING!!, November 9, 2010
TRULY ADDIDCTING SERIES and the HITS just keep coming!!! Cowgirls Don't Cry is heartbreaking, heartwarming and sensual all wrapped up in one truly AMAZING book.

Brandt & Jessie's story is emotional and hot, with humor to keep it well rounded. It's one of my favorites, I want to go find a Brandt of my own. I stayed up til 3:00 am to finish Cowgirls Don't Cry in one session.

DO NOT be turned off by reviews talking about the prologue, yes it is raw and different. But as one reviewer states, it shows us how desperate Jessie is to break free of her past, to OWN her sexuality. I know or have heard of women that do things they wouldn't normally do because they are either broken hearted or trying to break free of some type of tramatic event in their lives or just feel something is missing from their lives. LIFE is NOT all roses, rainbows and kittens, life isn't wrapped in a neat package. Life is ugly, messy and confusing. The great thing about LJ's writing, is she takes the good, the bad and the ugly and puts it in her books, and makes them feel realistic.

Lorelei can't put the Rough Riders books out fast enough for her fans.

Lorelei James does it agian :), November 11, 2010
There isn't a rough rider sereis book I haven't liked and this one isn't an exception. It made you want to laugh, cry, beat somebody and jump someones bones. Eventhou I didn't like or understand the prologue for this book I still rated it a five. The prologue did not add to the store it just IMO made the characters look weak and unstable. But once you got past that what wasn't there to enjoy about this book.

Brandt showed Jess in everyway possible that he loved her and knew who she really was inside and out. Whereshe realized she could truly love again without fear of rejection. Throw a cute little boy in the mix and Lorelei James out did herself. I really wasn't expecting the book to end anywhere near the way it did which just show again what an awesome writter LJ is. I can't wait to read the next attention of the RR series. Anybody have a clue who it will be about ? :)

Another Awesome, Sexy, Tear Jerking, Belly Laughing Lorelei Hit!, November 11, 2010
Well, to say this book is freaking awesome is an understatement! The first L book I ever read was Cowgirl Up and Ride. I read it three times within a weekend. I was so hooked that I immediately bought every one of her books available on download. Best money I've ever spent. L's books help get me through some of the worst times in my life. To be able to escape within the pages of her books, was such a pleasure. When I read her books, I feel like I'm one of the characters or as person within the families. I find my gut clenching, tears rolling, belly laughing, and falling in love with each character. CDC is one of the sweetest and sexiest books L has ever written. Since coming across L's books, I find myself reading them over and over and over and anxiously waiting for the next one. For anyone to give this anything other than a five is just unconscionable! Keep up the great work Lorelei, you Rock!!!

Cowgirls don't cry, November 24, 2010
First Impressions:
I was not sure I was going to like the direction this book appeared to be going after reading the prologue. I was a disappointed and really didn't want to see Jessie going down a destructive road. I should have known better, Lorelei James never lets me down in heroine department. Things turned around quickly and I knew Jessie was going to be ok.

The Hero:
My heart always goes out to a hero who's been in love with his heroine from afar. Brandt is a bit different from some of the cowboys in this series. He's a little more understated, mature and gentlemanly. Not that the cowboys in this series are any less loveable, but Brandt is far more obvious and outward with his feelings and is a stand up guy all around. He's just as sexy and intense as all the rest of the McKay men though.

The Heroine:
Jessie has been through hell and back after a less than perfect marriage, then becoming a widow, losing her home and being forced to pick herself up and start over. When she is faced with the undeniable evidence of her dead husband's infidelity she is shaken but steps up and handles the situation with grace. I liked that she stood up faced her problems when walking away would have been so much easier.

What worked:
There is so much that worked for me in this book and this is supposed to be a short and sweet review so, I'll try to narrow it down. I loved that Jessie didn't put up a huge fight over her feelings for Brandt throughout the entire story. Yes, there was some reluctance but she didn't put up ridiculous obstacles. I also liked the we got a little dose McKay family antics throughout the book. Good to know they have been getting' busy, procreating and raising the next generation of wild McKays. Of course the romance was intense and sexy and I loved both Jessie and Brandt. Finally, if you read my blog you know I've developed a strange fascination with the llama. I love'em. Now I'm convinced that Lorelei James loves ME and specifically wrote llamas into the this story. That's right folks, there are llamas in Cowgirls Don't Cry. So full of win I can't stand it. lol

What didn't work:
I wouldn't necessarily say this didn't work for me but I will say I was uncomfortable at first with the situation with Luke McKay's baby being at the center of this romance. But I do think Lorelei James handled this well despite the very sad circumstances and the eventual outcome was appropriate. Also, more llama time would have been nice. *g*

Final conclusion:
Lorelei James just can't disappoint me with this series. At ten books in and a huge cast of characters she still manages to bring a hero and heroine that are unique and stand out among the cowboys and cowgirls that have paved the way before them.

Another great one!, November 11, 2010
Ms. James is an excellent writer and this book doesn't disappoint. I love the Rough Riders series and I wait with much anticipation for the next installment. It's hot, romantic, involved and just plain, great. It deserves 5 stars but I'm taking one away for the cursing parts in the dialogue which got on my nerves. I don't want to read God's name taken in vain over and over...that's just me. At one point, it got kind of ridiculous and was annoying. Ms James, cut out all the cursing references using God, Jesus and Christ....and please write another winner. Your fans adore you!

Another great addition to the "Rough Riders Series", November 10, 2010
I'm not going to tell you what the book it about, that's what the Product Description for. What I am going to tell you is that this book is another great addition to the Rough Riders series. I really do love everything that was written about Brandt & Jessie's story. It made me cry, it made me laugh, and most important it made me "HOT". Mrs. James writes books that are fun to read and told in a real world, it could happen to you setting and that is what this book was all about. I love Lorelei James books and this one is no exception. Be prepare to not want to put this book down, you will want to finish it all at once. PS. Grab some Kleenexes too it will be a "Rough Ride".

Very moving, December 2, 2010
I found Book 10 in the Rough Riders series to be a truly wonderful book. Ms. James has continued to flesh out the characters of the McKay family in a way that shows them to be unique and real. Unlike other authors of her genre who seen to have lost their mojo, Ms James continues to provide us with stories and characters that are intriging and believeable. It's hard to believe that one could find themselves reduced to tears while reading an erotic romance but none-the-less I found myself crying as the story progressed. It was a very touching story. Some reviewers were disturbed by the prologue...I found it to be a way to show us how far someone would go to prove she was "worthy" after having been so emotionally scared by the infidelities of her deceased husband. It shows that desperate women can do desperate things when they're on the edge. Jessie realized the error of her ways and was ashamed of her behaviour that night so in my mind, the prologue fit well in the storyline. It also showed how far a man would go to help the woman he loved and adored. Brandt's willingness to be present at Jessie's ultimate humiliation in order to protect her from other men who could potentially hurt her was his way of being her knight in shining armor. Regarding his choice of asking her help with Landon...that was guestionable but it all worked out in the end. It showed that a desperate MAN will take desperate measures as well! Regardless, I found the story to be captivating and moving. Ms. James continues to provide us with worthy reading that is thoughtful and worthy of our time and money. She hasn't taken the low road and written trashy material that she knows will sell based just on her name but is a waste of our time and money. She truly takes the time to write material that is worthy, enjoyable and shows that she knows her readers have some intellect. Thank you Ms. James for anothe wonderful addition to the Rough Riders series.

LJ's books just keep getting better!, November 11, 2010
In the latest addition to the Rough Rider series, Ms. James continues to add emotional depth to her characters. If you are interested in a great family series, I can not recommend her books highly enough!

Brandt and Jessie are former in-laws who are still involved in each others lives. Jessie's dead husband has been haunting them for the last two years but now their lives are changing for the better. This does not happen without pain but the joys far outweigh them. As well as the smoking hot sex!

Other reviews mention the prologue which I believe was meant to be uncomfortable because sometimes people do stupid things! One of the best things about a Lorelei James book is that it is set in the real world, which is one of the reasons that her books are one of the few that I can read repeatedly and find something else to enjoy!Cowgirls Don't Cry: Rough Riders, Book 10 ... Read more

Editorial Review

A love that cannot be bought or sold proves to be the greatest gift of all, in this heartwarming classic that demonstrates once again why New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh is among the most celebrated authors of historical romance.

Weddings are supposed to be joyous occasions—especially when a couple seems as well matched as Randolph Pierce, Earl of Falloden, and his bride-to-be, Eleanor Transome. Ellie brings to the marriage a vast dowry, while Falloden, though distant, is handsome, tremendously desirable, and possessed of a title most young ladies can only dream of sharing.

Yet Ellie is not most young ladies. She knows that she must honor her dear father’s dying wish for her to wed the proud earl, but she dreads a lifetime in a union without love—and how can Falloden claim to love her when he married her only for her fortune? As Christmas descends upon the Falloden manor, the warmth of the season may yet melt away the trappings of duty and wealth, leaving behind only a man and a woman destined for each other’s arms.


From the Paperback edition. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Lady Isabel Cameron has little use for marriage and propriety. Her dream is to study art in Paris. But her father has engaged her to a waddling, bankrupt, domineering lord twice her age. When her childhood flame Marcus Hawksley reappears—handsome, single, and socially snubbed—Isabel devises the perfect escape. She will solicit Marcus’s assistance to destroy her reputation.

Marcus has already felt the wrath of the ton, with his business as a stockbroker deemed unacceptable. But he is no despoiler of innocent ladies—until by chance, Isabel’s improper advance leaves her the only witness against a lie that could truly ruin him. Faced with her father’s demands for marriage, Isabel and Marcus agree to a wedding of convenience—and six months’ tenure living as supposed husband and wife. But as the heat between them grows, what seemed a pretense becomes deliciously real…

“A tantalizing tale…with sizzle and characters that engage readers’ emotions.” –Romantic Times

Editorial Review

One for remembrance…one for healing…and one to seal her heart forever.

Lone Star Lovers, Book 4

Chrissi Page has tried to find one man who heats her bed the way the Kinzie brothers did one shameful night years ago. She’s failed miserably, leaving her with no choice but to bank that inner fire—and keep a lid on her inner bad girl.

She’d been weak, unable to choose between three men who appealed to her in different ways. And when they’d confronted her as a tease, anger had boiled over into a passion so wild, she’s still trying to live it down.

Since that night, Ezra, Cade and Joshua have individually sown their wild oats with pretty much the entire available female population of Two Mule, Texas. Yet nothing erases the attraction they still feel for Chrissi. And when she ends up stranded on the road near their ranch, it’s their last chance to turn their mutual obsession into an unusual proposition.

One weekend, three on one. If she can’t stand the heat, they’ll let her go on with her life. And try to find a way to live with the hole she’ll leave behind in theirs.

Warning: A girl who thinks she can’t have it all, and three brothers who set out to prove otherwise. One on one, two on one, and three on one; bondage in the wild; a bit of riding crop action. And a pickup truck load of emotion.

Editorial Review

Bestselling author Nora Roberts presents the first novel in an extraordinary new trilogy about the lives and loves of sisters of the heart. Margo, Laura and Kate were brought up like sisters amidst the grandeur of Templeton House. But it was Margo, the housekeeper's daughter, whose dreams first took her far away, on a magnificent journey full of risk and reward, to find herself--and love. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Montana winters are harsh, but bad weather won’t get in the way of the Calders’ Christmas reunion. Patriarch Chase Calder is determined to make this holiday the happiest yet—especially for his daughter, Cat. And Chase knows the best gifts aren’t always done up in paper and ribbon…

It’s high time for widowed Cat to have a man in her life again, whether she’ll admit it or not. Chase has been thinking long and hard, and he’s got a plan—one he’s far too wise to reveal to his stubborn little darlin’. And as the magical season begins with a glorious snowfall, the Calders share a host of surprises—including a mystery solved, a special visitor, and the greatest gift of all: love, the forever kind…

“Dailey’s charming tale sparkles with romance…the perfect holiday read.”—Romantic Times on Eve’s Christmas

“A good old-fashioned Christmas gift.”—Publishers Weekly on Happy Holidays

Editorial Review

Love blooms in the second novel in Nora Roberts's celebrated Bride Quartet series.

As little girls MacKensie, Emma, Laurel, and Parker spent hours acting out their perfect make believe "I do" moments. Years later their fantasies become reality when they start their own wedding planning company to make every woman's dream day come true. With perfect flowers, delicious desserts, and joyful moments captured on film, Nora Roberts's Bride Quartet shares each woman's emotionally magical journey to romance.

In Bed of Roses, florist Emma Grant is finding career success with her friends at Vows wedding planning company, and her love life appears to be thriving. Though men swarm around her, she still hasn't found Mr. Right. And the last place she's looking is right under her nose.

But that's just where Jack Cooke is. He's so close to the women of Vows that he's practically family, but the architect has begun to admit to himself that his feelings for Emma have developed into much more than friendship. When Emma returns his passion-kiss for blistering kiss-they must trust in their history...and in their hearts.

... Read more

Editorial Review

New York Times bestselling novelist Jennifer Crusie combines fast-paced banter, sexy situations, and unforgettable characters in this delightful romance about two reluctant lovers who couldn’t be more wrong about being right for each other.
 
TRUST ME ON THIS
 
Dennie Banks is an investigative reporter chasing down the biggest story of her career. Alec Prentice is a government agent working undercover to catch an elusive grifter. When they meet by accident, it’s a case of mistaken identities at first sight. What they don’t mistake is the instant attraction they have for each other, an attraction they’ll do everything in their power to resist—because Dennie thinks that Alec is running interference for her interview subject, and Alec suspects that Dennie is linked to his swindler. As the confusion grows, so do their feelings for each other, and what begins as a romantic comedy of errors may just end in the love affair of a lifetime.


From the Paperback edition. ... Read more

Editorial Review

One lucky woman…three sexy cowboys...she's in for the ride of her life! Channing Kinkaid itches for a change; a wild western adventure with anuntamed man. Determined to shed her inhibitions and embrace the steamier,seamier side of life, she sets her sights on hooking up with a realchaps-and-spurs-wearing cowboy. Enter Colby McKay -- bull rider, saddle bronc buster and calf roper. From themoment he sets lust-filled eyes on the sweet and fiery Channing, he knows he'sfound the woman who’s up to the challenge of cutting loose. What rough and rowdycowboy could resist a no-holds-barred sexual romp with a sassy young thingstarring as his personal buckle bunny?

Intrigued by Channing's bold proposition of horsing around on the road, Colbyimpulsively sweetens the deal; sexual escapades not only in his bed, but in thebedrolls of his rodeo traveling partners, Trevor and Edgard.

Although Channing's secretly longed to be the sole focus of more than oneman's passions, Colby's demand for complete submission behind closed doors willtest her willful nature.

Can Channing give up total control? Especially when not all is as it seemswith the sexy trio? Or will the cowboys have to break out the bullropes andpiggin' string to break in this headstrong filly?

Warning: This title contains the following: lots of explicit sex, goingstrong long after the cows come home, graphic language that'd make your mamablush, light bondage with bullropes, menage-a-trois, and -- yee-haw! -- hot nekkidcowboy man-love.

Editorial Review

Kimani Cannon knows she's in trouble the second she lays eyes on 6'4" of luscious male. The best kind of trouble, too...mm-mmm! Duan Jeffries turns out to be the perfect man--charming, considerate...and the best lover she's ever had. Too bad Mr. Delicious is just a one-night stand....

Until Kim needs a date to her mother's (fifth) wedding! Duan's willing to act the part of her fianc�... as long as it means full benefits. More amazing sex? No problem!

Then Kim finds out that Duan's got his own private agenda. Suddenly, she doesn't know what to believe. Her head and heart are telling her to be careful. But the sensual thrumming in her blood is turning out to be much more persuasive....

... Read more

Editorial Review

On the fast track to a partnership with her accountancy firm, Kate is stunned when she is fired for suspected embezzlement.

Forced to cope with the sudden reversal of fortune, Kate returns to Pretenses, the exquisite boutique run by her friend Margo and sister Laura.

But when persistent, persuasive Byron de Witt enters her life, the flames of passion he ignites begin to burn as brightly as her all-consuming career ambitions... ... Read more

Reviews

Continuing the "Dream", January 16, 2001
Nora Roberts continues what she started in "Daring to Dream" in this wonderful second book of the trilogy.

Kate Powell, cousin to the Templeton children who was raised as one of their own after the death of her own parents when she was a child, has spent her whole life trying to be the best at everything she does so that she can "pay them back" for their generosity. Close to her goal of becoming partner in an accounting firm, her world is rocked by not one but two revelations -- the first, that her father had a cloud of scandal hanging over him at the time of his death, and the second, that she suddenly finds herself facing a similar scandal. In addition stress and worry make her ill, and she is forced to re-evaluate her life and her goals.

Kate is a wonderful heroine. She's strong, independent, smart, and far easier to relate to than the glamorous Margo of the first book. Her independent streak and desire to stand on her own take some getting used to for Byron De Witt, a southern gentleman through and through who is surprised to find himself falling in love with a woman so completely not his "type".

As wonderful as it is to watch Kate's relationship with Byron develop, the best part of this book (like the first) is the relationship between Kate, Margo, and Laura -- three women who grew up as sisters and whose bond is stronger than blood.

THE BEST OF THE TRIOLOGY - A MUST READ!!, January 26, 1999
This is the best of the triology. Kate is truely an over achiever, and got exactly what over achievers get - sick with an ulcer! Her life is working for her, she is an accountant and working her way up the corporate ladder. Just when she thinks she has climbed the last rung, the ladder comes crashing down around her. After getting sick, facing federal criminal charges, and being forced to work full time in the shop her and her sisters started up, does she find her dream and she holds on tight to it at the end, and not only becomes happy and content in her business world, but of course in her love life also! This is truely the best of the triology, but you have to read them in order to truely appreciate the sisters and the family they came from.

Book Seems to be in a Holding Pattern for Roberts, May 3, 2005
HOLDING THE DREAM is the second book in the Dream trilogy by Nora Roberts, which is about the lives of three women who grew up together and focuses on their lives as adults. The glimpse back at their childhood and teen years is accomplished with flashbacks, and is done with expertise so the story is smooth and not jerky as many flashbacks can sometimes appear.

HOLDING THE DREAM focuses on Kate Powell who was raised by the Templetons from the time she was a small child when her family was killed. Even though she was a cousin to Laura Templeton, she was raised as her sister, never any difference being shown between the girls.

Kate doesn't have the attractiveness of Margo or Laura's sophistication, but she has always been the top in her class academically and has excellent in all aspects of the business world. She has received promotion after promotion in a large accounting firm, but is set up by a shrewd co-worker and her world comes crashing down around her. With the help of her life long friends, Kate refocuses her efforts into the business the three of them have set up and realizes that something is missing from her life. Since this is a pure romance novel, you can guess that the "something missing" is love.

That last line isn't meant to be cynical because Nora Roberts pulls off an excellent story with vibrant characters and the beautiful background of Big Sur, California. At times I felt like I could actually hear those waves crashing on the cliffs! As typical, her story is great, but I felt it was a little flat and not up to her usual standard of greatness. She only grazes a couple of minor details brought out in the book and left me wanting to explore those elements. For example, I wanted to learn about more on the Templetons. This couple not only raised their daughter and son but saw to it that their extended family's child and their maid's child were given many of the same opportunities as their own children. This must truly be an exceptional couple, but we aren't allowed to know that fact because we are only given glimpses of them.

All in all, this is a good book, not one of her best, but far superior to many writers currently on the market. A safe bet for a few enjoyable hours.

Dream trilogy continues to Impress., December 5, 2001
"Holding the Dream" is book #2 in Nora Roberts' "Dream" trilogy, and if it's possible I think this book is even better than the first.
Kate Powell, Laura Templeton's cousin, was orphaned as a child and has been raised by the Templetons as one of their own. Now, as an adult, Kate is an obsessive over-achiever, determined to succeed in business to "pay back" the Templetons for their generosity towards her. Just as everything is looking up and she believes she's about to get promoted to partner, Kate's life falls apart. She gets ill with a stomach ulcer, discovers that her father died during the middle of a messy scandal, and suddenly finds herself caught in a scandal of her own. Someone has set Kate up to make it look like she's been stealing from her company, and Kate must prove her innocence.
Kate isn't alone in this, however, as Southern gentleman Byron DeWitt has come into her life and is quite taken with this determined woman. Byron's support and faith in Kate help her get through these tough times. Laura and Margo, Kate's two best friends, show her unwavering loyalty, and the friendship these three share is the foundation of this entire trilogy. Kate's romance with Byron is exciting and realistic.
Kate is a wonderfully strong and independent heroine, and the tale Nora Roberts weaves is completely absorbing. I enjoyed Kate's story immensely and I know you will too, so read this book today!

love this book, August 22, 2001
This is the book that introduced me to Nora Roberts, and I've been a big fan ever since. This is the second in the Dream series (and I recommend all of the titles -- it's my favorite series to date) and it's my favorite of the Dream series. Whenever Nora Roberts makes a series, the formula is typically one sibling who is very cautious, who has been hurt before, one sibling who is on the wild side with a voracious sexual appetite, and one is sensible and a tad shy. This one is about the sibling who is very cautious; smart in business, not so daft with her emotions. It's this sibling who I always like best.

In sum, read the series. But start with Margo ("Daring to Dream") so you don't go out of order.

I LOVE everything by Nora Roberts - GREAT bathtub book., September 5, 2001
This series of three books about three sisters was the first set of Nora Roberts books I ever read. I fell instantly in love with the characters, the setting and the story line. I was sad to see the end of this book and immediately began looking for more Nora Roberts books.

If you enjoy reading books about women who overcome their self doubts and many obstacles to become successful in their own way and content with their life, this book (and the others in the trilogy)is one you should read. It is also a romance novel full of the realistic ups and downs that many relationships suffer.

Nora reminds us success is not always monetary, that it is important to have love and many obstacles can be overcome.

A delightful portion of a romantic trilogy by Roberts, June 3, 1997
Nora Roberts has won me over with her ability to romance her readers. Her characters become become part of your reading life, full of struggles and sucesses. Her trilogies grip you so that you the reader anxiously jump forward to the next saga.This trilogy regarding the lives of three beauiful women is complete entertainment. I highly recommend the reader starts with "Daring to Dream" , book one of the trilogy, then goes on to "Holding the Dream" and the concludes with "Finding the Dream" You'll be cheering these heroines on through out the trilogy,feeling their emotions, and the love they cherish between them

A reader from Asia, June 13, 2000
This is the first dream trilogy that i've read. But i can't wait to read all of them. i love strong-willed and intelligent heroines. And Kate is the very type of heroine that i've always wanted to encounter in romance novels. She is indepedent, intelligent, and sweet. too independent to pass her own problems to Byron at first. But Byron is so much Southern gentleman that he never turn a blind eye on Kate's troubles. And i like the way that Byron fell in love with Kate who is not stunningly beautiful.

A book that makes your heart warm, June 13, 2000
This is the first dream trilogy that i've read. But i can't wait to read all of them. i love strong-willed and intelligent heroines. And Kate is the very type of heroine that i've always wanted to encounter in romance novels. She is indepedent, intelligent, and sweet. too independent to pass her own problems to Byron at first. But Byron is so much Southern gentleman that he never turns a blind eye on Kate's troubles. And i like the way that Byron fell in love with Kate who is not stunningly beautiful. ... Read more

Editorial Review

In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there's a deadly turf war going on between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret band of brothers like no other-six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Yet none of them relishes killing more than Wrath, the leader of The Black Dagger Brotherhood.

The only purebred vampire left on earth, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who murdered his parents centuries ago. But, when one of his most trusted fighters is killed-leaving his half-breed daughter unaware of his existence or her fate-Wrath must usher her into the world of the undead-a world of sensuality beyond her wildest dreams. ... Read more

Reviews

A New Vampire Series That Entertains!!!, January 27, 2006
Wrath is a vampire who prefers to be alone, and work alone. When his good friend Darius asks for Wrath's help with his daughter he is turned down by Wrath. Knowing going into the request it would probably be a negative answer he still attempts to reach Wrath's softer side. Darius's daughter is half human and she is getting ready to change over but will need the help of a strong vampire male. Wrath thinks he has been able to walk away from that commitment and responsibility but then Darius is killed. Now he must look over his friend's daughter. Too bad the human, Beth speaks to the long buried part of him he thought dead. Will he be able to walk away from her after her transition?

Beth has been noticing changes in her body but has been largely ignoring them as she goes about her business as writer for a local newspaper. But one night she thinks she dreams about a dark, large man who has fangs and it scares her. When she realizes it was not a dream but reality she at first wants to freak out...but then she also can't get over how sexy he is. When she finds out the truth about herself and Wrath will Beth be willing to accept what fate has in store or will the Lessers get to her first?

Ms. Ward's new vampire world is a delicious addition to the sub-genre of vampire fiction. Her story is a little dark, and little erotic, and a whole lot entertaining. She has taken the vampire legend and has made it her own. With an eclectic group of secondary characters, her own creatively drawn bad guys the reader will not roll their eyes with boredom. I highly look forward to the next in the series.

decent romance, decent sex, May 28, 2006
I have without a doubt The Black Dagger Brotherhood will have a cult following. It's dark, dramatic, and the characters are likable. They all have their own little kinks. The story is decent.

Dark Lover starts off with Darius, an aristocrat vamp, asking Wrath, the blind king, to help his half-breed daughter, Beth through the transition. The transition is similar to puberty. Darius fears his daughter may not survive it and thinks Wrath's pure vampire blood would be strong enough to help her. Wrath declines because he's a loner, prefers to keep to himself, and is an arrogant jerk. Unfortunately, Darius is killed by lessers (soul-less vamp killing humans) and his last wish was for Wrath to find Beth.

I expected Wrath and Beth's first encounter to be interesting. Intsead it was the typical, borderline cheesy, instant sexual attraction scene. Beth wanted Wrath to do her on the spot. "Kiss me. Touch me. moan moan moan" After Wrath realizes how much he loves Beth he becomes very needy. He needs her every second of everyday. He wasn't acting like a male, much less an alpha male warrior.

The brothers are all supposed to be over 100 years old and they have accents which they hide when they speak, yet they sound like OUTDATED thugs. "Straight up. True? My brother. Man. Yo" I smiled every time I read a dialogue between them. I was half expecting them to pronounce all the words that end with an "-er" with an "-a" sound. Like "My Brotha" LOL Another thing I found funny was how manly the brothers liked to act, and when they're spilling their guts out, the tend to clam up quickly, fearing their masculinity would be compromised. Also, pay attention to their names. Rhage (Rage), Phury (Fury), Vishous (Vicious), Zsadist (Sadist), Tohrment (Torment).

The plot felt like it was thrown together haphazardly. There were no real plans in the fight against the lessers. I think this series has a lot of promise and will possibly be better in the future. Whenever a writer starts something new, they tend to experiment and get a better feel for the story. It's too bad none of the books are stand alone; every book is connected. I hope when Phury's story is written, things won't be as choppy.

Some of the elements in this book is similar to Christine Feehan's Dark Carpathian series, which I highly recommend.

More Violent than Sherrilyn Kenyon but with a WONDERFUL Romance, September 22, 2005
What an excellent writer this is! Dark Lover will easily make the best seller lists and win awards. I love paranormal romances (as well as all other kinds of romances - having read hundreds of them) and this is top quality. At first, I was dismayed by the level of violence and cussing in this book, it being even grittier than Kenyon's and Feehan's works. Still, I think Sherrilyn Kenyon fans will love this. The romance was superb - not overboard on the sex but plenty of detailed sensuality - just perfect! We get to meet several lovable(ha!) characters which will make up future books in this series and I will read them all, even if I am flinching a bit at all the blood, gore and language. The romantic line is worth it.

Dark Lover, September 24, 2008
Ugh. I hated this book. With all of the rave reviews given to this book I was extremely shocked to find how much I hated it. Finding one stitch of intelligent dialogue in this book is like finding a needle in a hay stack. Sadly, my original review of this book has been deleted so here I go again.

Here are the characters:

Beth, the heroine. She's half vampire and half human but knows nothing of her vampire heritage. Her food consumption consisted of Twinkies, fish crackers, cookies, chinese food and cola. Good god I felt unhealthy after reading this book. I was just waiting for her to rip out her pack of cigarettes and start chain smoking. Beth's dialogue is simply terrible. When the author delves into her thoughts it is even worse.

Wrath, the hero, and I use this term loosely. He wants to protect Beth while she is going through her transition. He normally doesn't have anything to do with humans but Beth smells good so he makes an exception. He will basically kill anything that gets in his way although the author claims he's quite honorable. He's blind, leather-wearing, (pants too) emotionally weak and the leader of the vampire mobsters. His homeys consist of Tohrment, Rhage, Zsadist and Phury. They are also leather-wearing, sword-weilding vampires who sit around listening to rap. One of them likes to rape and kill. Cool.

We have some really wonderful baby powder scented villains (no I'm not joking) who are trying to kill all the honorable vampires. Mr. X as he's called is the most one dimensional villain that I've ever read. His scenes are really quite disgusting. There must only be 26 of these soulless, zombie villains because we would run out of letters pretty quickly otherwise and would have to think up real names.

Butch is a stereotypical, macho cop who's in love with Beth. He actually hiked up his pants when he was going in for an arrest. Yep.

There are a few other cardboard characters within the book but they are really not worth mentioning.

Within the book you can read such wonderfully original prose:

"His throat was raw, and it felt like he'd french-kissed a blowtorch."

"He looked like he was smuggling paint rollers under his skin." (refers to six pack abs)

These are probably the worst similes I have ever read. There are many more in the book though if you like that kind of thing.

I know I didn't really get into the plot but I think you get what I'm trying to say. This was a bad, bad book. Unfortunately I bought a few of the other books in the series at the same time. I've learned my lesson.

The voice of dissention: Tales of a C-grade Thriller..., June 23, 2006
Based upon the panoply of 4 and 5 star reviews, I was pretty excited to pick this first "Brotherhood" book up. However, after the 532 years it took to finish, I must add to the voices of dissention and say I just didn't like this book ... at all. In fact, "Dark Lover" sometimes got me downright angry to be wasting so much time grinding through it. I kept hoping it would start to flow and improve, I kept giving it "another 40 pages..." but it never recovered. The fear of someone else being misguided into believing this is a romantic masterpiece got my hackles up. Therapy is writing this review.

I know, I know - there are some reviews here of people who enjoyed this work, so take my opinion for what it is. Still, that doesn't make J.R. Ward even close to the next Julie Garwood, Virginia Henley or Anne Rice.

This isn't a romance book in spite of what the publishing blurb says. It a banal mishmash featuring a formulaic psycho killer and his coven, the typical macho cop, the leather-wearing - uh ... dangerous (?) vampire, and an unimpressive heroine... in that order. No really, in that order. The albino psycho gets more page time than anyone else. Be prepared to enjoy the albino psycho constructing his evil plot, the albino psycho musing about his history, the albino psycho growing from his mistakes, and the albino psycho admiring himself in a new set of tennis shorts. Huh? Where's the interaction between hero and heroine? Ohhh right, that's the 3 or 4 pages every 70 pages or so. As the reader, I was desperately trying to fill in the feelings of the characters for the author, trying to flesh out the story, trying very much to avoid comparing it to a C-grade thriller.

(*more sarcasm*) I particularly cherished when our hero vampire admired his lover's flawless physical beauty ... even though he was nearly 100% blind. That's right, he _sniffed_ how fine-looking she was. Love is grand.(*end sarcasm*)

Admittedly I don't read romances for their literary or innovative value. I _do_ read them for the quixotic escapism, and this didn't have any. It irked me that I had to suffer through a cast of thousands, clich� after clich�, purple prose, and bizarre ineffectual similes such as 'his chest was like 'paint rollers under the skin?' Eewwwww! (I think another review mentioned this too... oh, just so horrifying.)

I know these type of books have an amount of predictability to them - romances are read knowing there's a happy ending - so after suffering through 400-ish pages, I guess I wasn't surprised how it closed: yes, the biggest baddest gang of loner vampires end up getting a condo together in the Hamptons. Ok no, not really... but just as dreadful.

This book valiantly tried to be so much, and ended up so little.

Please, save yourself the money. Or if you feel you really would like to read this, get it used... and please don't hurt the messenger.

Cheese-fest, April 26, 2008
Oh boy, where can I start? I usually have good luck using Amazon reviews to choose my next book. This time however, I have to disagree with all of the 4 and 5 star ratings. This book was laughable. I found myself cringing at the dialog between the supposed tough guys. No straight guy in the history of the planet has ever uttered the cheesetastic lines these guys did. And the names......Zsadist, Rhage, Phury, Tohrment....it's embarrassing. I couldn't even finish and I'm still baffled by other people's glowing reviews.

Lust at First Sight (Sort Of...), December 8, 2007
I knew going in that Dark Lover was a paranormal romance, so I was expecting a slightly formulaic plot with sexy vampires and a rocky path to forever love. I can honestly say I got that; but I keep vascillating on just how much I enjoyed this novel. On one hand, I kept turning the pages as it was interestingly written and peopled with stereotypical characters you love or love to hate. On the other hand, the "romance" between the main characters never really made it for me as it was almost totally built around lust.

There are lots of things that bugged me about this novel, and some things I did enjoy. Firstly though, I simply couldn't buy into all the experiences the heroine suffered with almost no qualms: assault, an intruder that she desires immediately (and has sex with!), violence against a friend, turning into a vampire, learning about the father she never knew, marriage within days of meeting her "mate." I wanted more build up between the hero and heroine; that would have at least given credence to the sudden, soul-clenching, can't-live-without-you relationship which develops. Secondly, I really *hated* the names of the vampires; Rhage, Phury, Zsadist, Wrath? It reminded me of the odd spellings I tried to come up with for future children when I was in junior high school. I also had difficulty with the vampire world as presented here as it followed few of the "rules" I've read about anywhere else (but that may not have been a bad thing). Finally, the formula itself was almost too much; a twist or turn here or there would definitely have fleshed the story out, and made the characters much more life-like.

So what did I like that kept me reading? I liked that the hero was flawed with poor vision; that kept him from being too stereotypical. I loved some of the minor characters, including Rhage, Zsadist, Vishous, Butch the cop, and Fritz the butler. They were definitely nice additions that rounded out the landscape. I liked that Wrath finally stepped up to his true calling and I'm sure I'll want to know how things work out in their world. The writing, while quite purple at times, was engaging enough to keep me going and wondering how things would turn out (though I was certain I knew...and I was right).

A friend who often reads the same books as I do recommended this one to me and overall, I can't say it was a bad choice for me. While wishing it was more than it is, I can say that fans of paranormal romance and vampires in particular will enjoy it. In fact, as I reflect more on my reading experience, I may yet think it falls in the four star category. Despite its flaws, it's good reading that doesn't require much of the reader other than turning those pages.

Just plain terrible, May 12, 2009
I expected to love this book based on the large number of positive reviews it has received. After going through the torture of reading it, I can't believe it received so many because this book is just plain terrible. The plot is terrible and so is the writing. There isn't any real romance. This book is a porn novel. I like reading books that involve characters getting intimate, but not books where that is the only plot (if that can even be called a plot). One dumb line in the book is when the main male character tells the main female character that "she tastes like peaches". I usually give a series a second chance by reading the second book (then stop if that one is bad, too), but I will not torture myself again. I also will not read anything else written by this author. She is on my permanent DO NOT READ list.

Fantastic!!!, October 22, 2006
Dark Lover is an EXCELLENT read. I am completely taken with this series and cannot say enough good things about it. J.R. Ward artfully combines action, romance and the supernatural in a way few authors of this genre can. I strongly urge just about anyone to read this...really! And fans of Paranormal Romance will not be diappointed. I was really tired of the self-absorbed world of Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake, and bored with Christine Feehan's Carpathians and looking for something a little different, when I came across Dark Lover....and I'm so glad I did. I could not put it or the sequel "Lover Eternal" down. I really hate to categorize Ward's books as Paranormal Romance because, to me, they transcend that label. The character development and dialogue, the quality of the writing in general is so much better than what you usually find with books in this genre. J.R. Ward is sharp and I look forward to just about anything she puts out in the future (although I do hope to see alot more of this series too!). The only thing bad I can say about Dark Lover is that it's over too soon!!

Wonderful book, November 28, 2005
In an age where the vampire fiction market is overflowing with cheap and unimaginative stories, J.R. Ward adds a wonderful new dimension to this genre.

The Brotherhood of the Dagger is a group of alpha males that ooze testosterone and a good bit of menace. Each have a unique personality and a collection of flaws and problems that promise to make their books an interesting read.

This book follows Beth, a half-human/half-vampire, who has just learned about her vampire nature and Wrath, the king of the vampires. Both characters are well drawn, interesting and their romance is believable and enjoyable.

For those who enjoy Sherrilyn Kenyon's work, I would highly recommend this new series. I believe JRW surpasses SK by a mile with better prose and a far more complex story. I can't wait for the next one. ... Read more

Editorial Review

He knew better than to lust after the hired help. But Ramsey Westmoreland's new cook was just so delectable...it was enough to make the Denver rancher rethink his rules. When temptation got the best of him, he discovered Chloe Burton was just as hot in the bedroom as she was in the kitchen.

Though their affair was growing steamier by the minute, Ramsey couldn't help but question Chloe's true motives. And when he discovered her ultimate betrayal, he was set to satisfy himself with cold showers. Until he realized his fatal mistake: never underestimate the power of the human heart, especially a Westmoreland's.

... Read more

Editorial Review

Acclaimed author Kresley Cole introduces a sizzling new series with this tale of a fierce werewolf and a bewitching vampire -- unlikely soul mates whose passion will test the boundaries of life and death.

A mythic warrior who'll stop at nothing to possess her . . .

After enduring years of torture from the vampire horde, Lachlain MacRieve, leader of the Lykae Clan, is enraged to find the predestined mate he's waited millennia for is a vampire. Or partly one. This Emmaline is a small, ethereal half Valkyrie/half vampire, who somehow begins to soothe the fury burning within him.

A vampire captured by her wildest fantasy . . .

Sheltered Emmaline Troy finally sets out to uncover the truth about her deceased parents -- until a powerful Lykae claims her as his mate and forces her back to his ancestral Scottish castle. There, her fear of the Lykae -- and their notorious dark desires -- ebbs as he begins a slow, wicked seduction to sate her own dark cravings.

An all-consuming desire . . .

Yet when an ancient evil from her past resurfaces, will their desire deepen into a love that can bring a proud warrior to his knees and turn a gentle beauty into the fighter she was born to be?

Includes an excerpt from Kresley Cole's next romance novel, No Rest for the Wicked. ... Read more

Editorial Review

AT THE CROSSROADS OF DEATH AND DESIRE, A WOMAN TASTES A PLEASURE NO MORTAL IS MEANT TO SURVIVE.
 
In the frozen Alaskan wilderness, former state trooper Jenna Darrow survives an unspeakable breach of body and soul. But with her narrow escape comes an even greater challenge. For strange changes are taking place within her, as she struggles to understand—and control—a new hunger. To do so, she will seek shelter in the Boston compound of the Order, an ancient race of vampire warriors whose very existence is shrouded in mystery. Perhaps the most mysterious of them all is Brock, a brooding, dark-eyed alpha male whose hands hold the power to comfort, heal . . . and arouse.

As she recovers under Brock’s care, Jenna finds herself drawn to the Order’s mission: to stop a ruthless enemy and its army of assassins from subjecting Earth to a reign of terror. Yet in spite of their resolve, a purely physical relationship without strings soon binds Brock and Jenna together with a desire fiercer than life and stronger than death itself—until a secret from Brock’s past and Jenna’s own mortality challenges their forbidden love to the ultimate trial by fire.


From the Paperback edition. ... Read more