The February 14th Secret by Cindy Dees

Good evening,

                            I hope you got a very happy V-Day and if you haven't found your soulmate yet don't worry and don't forget to love yourself too.... i remember a manga when there was this lovely scene... a boy tell the young girl that is in love with him that when you offer a gift to someone, you want him to love it so at first you love the gift and that's the reason you choose it. When you love someone, you give him the most imprtant gift yourself and your love so to make it important you must love yourself first. I was crying when reading this scene ( my translation isn't exact but i hope you got the meaning ^^)

Please enjoy this new review, i thought it was better to post it today so you can find a book for this saisonal day ^^

Happy Valentine's Day to all and a big thanks you for reading what i write.

all the best,

Editor : Harlequin Romantic Suspense

Publication : 2011 in Deadly valentine
ISBN:  0373277156
Genre: romantic suspense/military romance
Violence: strong
Langage: normal
sex: mild
Public: 18+
Source: bought

Short description from goodread :

 Colt McQuade is a soldier with a secret, and Layla Freeman is the one person who can unravel it. But someone else wants the information, too, sending the couple on the run. They'll do everything they can to protect Colt's precious knowledge--and guard their hearts in the process.

Story:

               Layla Freman receives an invitation to her special valentine ritual under the form of a postcard, problem the one who has written it and share this each year with her, Peter, is dead. Curious and also hopeful she goes to the restaurant. There she meets a man, Colt, who affirms to have spent the last year in company of Peter until his death under the torture. He claims to need her help to unlock a memory Peter put in his head before dying.  Shocked to learn how Peter really died and has told this man all about her and her secrets, Layla wants to leave when she is attacked. Colt saves her. To avoid these men and find the answer to the enigma of what has done Peter, they go together on the run.

My opinion:

          This story has some good characters, Colt, the soldier who spent one year under the torture and Layla, a woman who has lost the only one she has ever loved. Bound together by this man Peter their common friend they start to discover each other…while trying to stay alive. We learn a lot about Peter even if he is dead before the start of this story and even with that he is my favourite character. The action is fast and the breaks are few and in a way that’s the problem… I don’t think a soldier who has suffered as much as him would let his guard down so quickly. Yes he could have started to love her from what Peter told him of her but with men armed with guns following him and trying to capture or kill him, he just take the time to make love in the woods…not realistic enough for me. He should be high on guard all the time and not act like this. The quest to find the secret is interesting and the plot explained however I don’t think the military are likely to let some of them in the hands of one enemy when they have some critical information…one year that’s very long.

So it’s a good read but it could have been better, the military aspect of the story is interesting even if it’s the one that make it less believable

Score:  3,5 /5

Challenge:

This book enter in the Romance and Me Challenge

Her Un-Valentine by Justine Davis

Hello to all,

                          Happy Valentine's Day  to you.
Today  i give you my review on Her Un-Valentine by Justine Davis  ( quite appropriate isn'it?), enjoy!

Editor : Harlequin Romantic Suspense

Publication : 2011 in Deadly Valentine

ISBN:  0373277156

Genre: romantic suspense
Violence: mild
Langage: normal
sex: none
Public: +16
Source: bought
 


Short description from goodread :


When she's kidnapped, Taylor Burke is shocked to see her new coworker, Angus Kincaid, holding the gun. She later kisses him just to aggravate his partner and is even more shocked that she likes it. Could she be falling for the bad guy, or does Kincaid have other surprises up his sleeve?

Story:

               Strong willed, Taylor Burke has always put her job first and the social and love life has suffered from it. Working nearly not stop as the executive assistant for Whitney Systems,  the company of her  late best friend’s father, she know she can be attractive  but it’s not her priority. When her boss hires a “ geek” Angus Kincaid she doesn’t  understand why since he doesn’t seem to be adequate at the post given to him. After her boss ask her to do some investigations secretly and to speak about it to no one it’s even her priority. Why does he want to know the list of everybody who left the company, and they relations? When she confronts him, he explains that Angus is his nephew and that he needs some time to adjust as for the investigations he can’t tell her.

So on the Valentine Day, worse holiday in the year in Taylor’s point of view, when she is kidnapped by Angus and and an ex-co-worker she is quite outraged. How can a nephew do that to his kind uncle…she doesn’t want to collaborate with her kidnappers. However Angus seems to act strange as a kidnapper and when she tries to make his partner jealous while kissing Angus and speaking of the card he gave her she didn’t imagine the sparks that come to live in her heart and body. Who can she trust?

My opinion:

          I loved it really, there is any sex only kissing and some touching but it’s perfect for the story. Taylor is a normal woman, stronger than what  she thought to be but also vulnerable. She sees Angus the geek and guess that he is not only that but she can’t explain her feeling. When she is kidnapped by him she sees that’s she was right and in the same time she still has the feeling that something is strange. Really good intuition. It’s not love at first sight but interest that grows in something else.

Angus isn’t the hero we could expect, he isn’t a cop and disguise himself but in the same time he wrote her an Un-Valentine card making her day better. He is there to suspect everyone but is it really suspicion that makes him look at her. Justine Davis did really well in such a few pages. The investigations is captivating, the characters help the readers to feel like they could be in the story.

To recommend to all who love sweet romance and want to spend a good time

Score:  4,5/5

Challenges:

This book enter in the Romance and Me Challenge

[book Review] The Sunset Witness by Gayle Hayes

Title: The Sunset Witness

Author: Gayle Hayes

Publication :  February 2012

Genre: romantic suspense/ thriller
Format: ebook – 76 pages
Violence: strong
Langage: normal
sex: mild
Public: 18+
Source: Free copy provided by the author for review
 


Description from Smashwords :

When Rachel Douglas moves to Sunset, Oregon at the invitation of her estranged childhood friend, Sarah, she discovers Sarah was not truthful about her reasons for abandoning her beach house. Rachel is determined to stay even after someone tries to scare her away.

Then Rachel meets Michael Archer and says that only a serious character flaw would prevent her from falling in love with him. Wouldn’t you know it—he has more than one, but she falls in love with him anyway.

Michael’s complicated past threatens their hopes for the future. After a double homicide, Rachel must choose either to run with Michael or to live without him.

My opinion:

          I was at first intrigued by the form of the story: a report of investigation by a detective about the disappearance of a witness. I didn’t know what to expect but the result is excellent; we have the story from Rachel’s point of view thanks to a flash drive given to the detective Josie Gannon whose report fills the gaps and gives the conclusion of the investigations.

The characters are interesting and their past is as important for the plot as their present. I was immediately hooked, I wanted to guess the culprit and it wasn’t evident at all.  All the characters are keeping something secret and it’s often not what we could expect. The story is short but very complete and the writing style is good.  We can see how the events took place and the interactions between the characters give us a lot to think about. I appreciated the reflection about love and passion and their results positive or not, it’s well thought and well written.

The romance is there but in a way it’s secondary in the story, I was more concerned about the plot, the murder and the threats than the love part.  As for the end, it gives you matter to think about and it’s quite fun.

I would recommend it to people who want to spend a good time with a suspense book of quality.

Score:  4/5

Interested in this book? You can buy it at Smashwords,  Amazon or Barnes and noble

You can find the author Gayle Hayes on her blog or on Twitter

Source: a copy in exchange for a honest review, no compensation was received.

Le Cavalier Vert Tome 4 : Le Voile Noir de Kirsten Britain

Bonjour à tous,

                             voici donc mon premier avis en français pour ce mois de février. Il s'agit du livre de Kirsten Britain " Le Voile Noir" quatrième tome de la série du Cavalier vert que j'ai attendu plusieurs années avant d'enfin pouvoir le découvrir alors maintenant c'est à vous ^^

Bonne lecture,

Illustration Donato Giancola

Editeur VF: Bragelonne 2011

Série en cours
Titre original: Blackveil ( published in 2011)
Genre: Fantasy
Violence: moyen
Langage: normal
sexe: absent
Public: +14ans
Prix 25euro

Quatrième de couverture  de l'éditeur Bragelonne

 

Karigan était une jeune fille comme les autres…
Elle est désormais un Cavalier Vert, l’un des légendaires chevaliers du royaume. Propulsée malgré elle dans un monde de dangers, contrainte d’accepter un destin périlleux, Karigan l’obstinée s’est vouée tout entière à la cause de son roi.
Lorsque d’infâmes sorciers menacent de briser la frontière avec l’ancienne et maléfique forêt du Voile Noir, la jeune femme est toute désignée pour protéger le royaume.
Mais les bois sont semés d’embûches et abritent une puissante sorcellerie enfermée depuis des milliers d’années…

Histoire: 

               Le Mal que Karigan a jadis repoussé est de retour et ses fidèles vouant un culte à l’empire se sont rendu dans la forêt du Voile Noir pour réaliser sa volonté et obtenir une arme capable de détruire le royaume. Pendant se temps au château les intrigues vont bon train et Laurenne cherche désespérément un moyen d’éloigner Karigan afin que le roi se concentre sur sa promise. Lorsque les élétiens décident de mener une expédition dans la fôret pour voir ce qui reste de leur royaume et sauver les leurs qui y seraient encore, ils proposent  au roi Zacharie de joindre des hommes à leur équipe pour respecter l’alliance qu’ils ont conclu. Le roi n’est pas vraiment enthousiaste à cette idée sachant que à deux exceptions près nul n’est jamais revenu de cette région, y envoyer Karigan n’a pas son aval mais il doit se ranger du côté de Larenne et fini par accepter.

Alors Karigan se retrouve confronté à des éléments de son passé et à des doutes sur ses divers sentiments, Alton lui tombe amoureux de sa meilleure amie dont le chant plait aux gardiens du Mur. C’est donc psychologiquement ébranlée mais armée d’un cadeau des Armes qu’elle  va affronter les périls de la forêt pour la seconde fois.

Pendant ce temps, au palais, le roi Zacharie est gravement blessé lors d’un attentat et dans l’éventualité de sa mort prochaine on le marie sans qu’il ait reprit conscience après avoir écarté ceux qui comme Larenne aurait pu protester. Mont-d’Ambre quant à lui part sur les mers guidé par un anneau à la recherche d’un trésor légendaire en lien avec des dragons.

Style:

           Kirsten Britain est vraiment un maître pour décrire les chevaux et leur réaction cela mêlé à une plume certaine en fait un grand auteur de fantasy. Son écriture est fluide. Les personnages recherchés et aux prises à de multiples tourments. L’intrigue principale est entrecoupée d’intrigues mineures qui certaines se trouvent résolues dans ce volume et d’autres s’ajoutent à la longue liste des choses encore à découvrir. Kirsten aime tenir ses lecteurs en haleine et c’est peu dire.

Avis:

         Un très bon livre cependant il serait préférable de relire les tomes précédents avant de commencer celui-ci surtout si vous les avez lu il y a un moment car on y fait beaucoup d’allusions. De toute la série c’est actuellement celui que j’aime le moins.  J’aurais voulu que les traîtres soient punis et que le roi soit moins… compatissant avec sa femme car quoiqu’en dise Larenne je ne suis pas persuadée des bonnes intentions de cette dernière.  On en apprend également plus sur les origines de Karigan et son pouvoir, ce qui est très agréable.Surtout…j’ai détesté la fin. Pour moi l’auteur aurai du s’abstenir les deux dernières pages dans ce volume, je déteste les cliffhangers  certes ils peuvent être nécessaire mais lorsque on a en moyenne 4ans entre chaque volume je trouve que c’est pas très respectueux du lecteur de terminer de cette façon. Raison pour laquelle je ne donne qu’un 3,5 car le récit reste bien écrit mais j’ai été déçue.

Score: 3,5/5

Challenge :

Book read for the 2012 TBR reading Challenge

The Final Mission by Rachel Lee

Hello to all,

                        This month is the Romantic suspense month for the Challenge Romance and Me  so i'm starting to discover this subgenre (however i will try no to review only that this month).
Today i give you my review on The Final Mission by Rachel Lee.

Enjoy!

Editor : Harlequin Romantic Suspense

Publication : 2011

Genre: romantic suspense
Violence: mild
Langage: normal
sex: mild
Public: +16

How i got this book: bought

Short description from goodread :

Dom Mason wants his sons to remember their mother as a hero, a loving wife and mother, a nurse and a soldier. He wants to let the past go, let the wounds heal.

For the past two years, NCIS agent Courtney Tyson blamed herself for Mary Mason's death. She's determined to bring the killer to justice. But that means telling Dom the truth about how his wife died.

Neither of them expects--nor wants--the sudden attraction that flares between them, hot and fierce. But when a killer intent on protecting his secrets comes for Courtney, they will discover that it's not the past that matters, but the future...together.

Story:

               Courtney, an NCIS agent, thinks that her friend and informant Mary has been murdered and not killed in an ambush by rebels in Iraq two year ago. She has tried to prove it and build a case but her hierarchy doesn’t follow her. In a last attempt she goes to see Mary’s husband hoping she sent him something that could be useful.

There is find a man that seems to have made peace with the past and two young boys very happy to see her and to teach her the life in a ranch.
Dom is surprised when a woman come at night to speak to him about his dead wife even more when she said it was a murder. Angry at first he see that she is at least hurting as much as he was so he decided to help her without knowing that seeing a woman in his home again can wake to man behind the father.

However the danger is still there lingering because someone doesn’t want the truth to be revealed. After some mail resembling more to a threat than anything else, a shot is being heard. What is more important; the case of the family’s security. Courtney is feeling conflicted and just doesn’t want to believe someone knows where she is since she took precautions but stil…

My opinion:

           As my first romantic suspense, i didn’t know what to expect at all. I’m quite happy to have tried this new sub genre in fact. The romance is light,  the psychology of the characters is very well shown. These two are hurting even without knowing and they must learn to rely on each other to learn about themselves. It’s also great to feel the researches that were done on horses it make the story so more believable.

I also learned a bit about NCIS, for me it was a civil agency for the navy (fault to the serie NCIS) so I was surprised to see one member of it to have commando lessons and such. I guess I still have to learn more.

I think it’s also great the way Rachel Lee finish the book without saying the result of the case because the reader can imagine which one he prefer. I would have been very angry if he was declared not guilty and part of me wanted to see him judged but the romance is what is more important so she did great

Score:  4/5

Challenges:

This book enter in the Romance and Me Challenge



In my mailbox : December 2011- January 2012

Hello to all,

                     In my mailbox is a creation of Kristy from  the Story Siren that consist to share which books we received,bought, won or borrowed. Normally, it's done once a week but after seeing so many IMM long and interesting i was feeling really stupid with so many weeks with nothing so i've decided to do it once a month that way the list can seem longer.

This one is even more special because it's for December ( i forgot to do it because i was too sick) and January. Some of the books were even won before but the post can take a long time to deliver packages so here is my december and January IMM:

Bought: None ( i can't leave the house since November so shopping isn't a possibility and won't be for at least one more month)

Borrowed: none ( same reason)

Review: none  my blog is too young for that

Gifts: my mother bought me some mangas for Christmas ^^;; and Chicago vampire  tome 4 ( in french)

Won:

Won at Xpresso Read: Beyond by T.P. Boje

Winging It by deborah Cooke won at  I'm loving Book

The Girl on the Cliff by Luncinda Riley, won at Booklover Inc

A vampire For Christmas ( anthology) won at the December Joyathon on Romancing Rakes thanks to Joan Swan

waterfall by lisa Bergren won at Romancing the Book

Night Reigns  by Dianne Duvall won at the blog tour on a Life bound by book.











I'm really sorry if i forgot something is this recap. Anyway i'm really happy and again a big thanks to all that may concern for these blog hop, contests and giveaway.

All the best

Random Act of Kindness- February

Hello to all,

                          It's a long time since i wanted to participate in this event but since i'm dependant of someone else to buy online i had to wait. However next month is my birthday and i managed to get the opportunity to do this and i'm quite happy about it. I hope i will do it properly for my first time.

So First the Rules:

Please remember that R.A.K. is not about receiving FREE books! It's about giving as well as receiving. It's about passing on the joy of reading and books with others. If during any given month, you find that you may not be able to give at all, please reconsider signing up for that month. We've found that there have been quite a few people who have received but not given and that may seem unfair to some.}

COMPLETE RULES RE-CAP:
Please read carefully & follow all rules! Thank you!

• Please sign-up each month that you can participate (and by participate, we mean give as well as receive).
• Show off your participation by grabbing our RAK button (code is in the right sidebar).
• Create a wish list (on Amazon, Goodreads, or your blog, etc) and post it in the Google Doc located in each R.A.K post for the month.
• If you choose to do a R.A.K for someone, check out their wish list and contact that blogger directly for their information.
• Once you receive a RAK, send us an our new email to [rakbybooksoulmates @ gmail . com] so that we can update the Google Doc. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU SEND EMAILS TO THIS ADDRESS!
• E-book participation is limited to files being gifted directly to a person from the e-book store. Amazon's Kindle Store is set up to allow this, as well as the Kobo store and we believe Barnes & Noble with Nook as well.
• At the end of the month, SHOW US YOUR R.A.K by making a "RAK Wrap-Up" post. This post should include who you SENT gifts to as well who you RECEIVED gifts from :)

OPEN TO EVERYONE including all our International brethren!

Remember, there's always the Book Depository and they offer FREE shipping!

You can enter and find these rules here: BookSoulmates


Now my  RAK wish list:  All are print books ( i guess from bookdepository because free shipping ^^;;) and it will be long so you can choose. you can also check this list on bookdepository

*Awaken the Highland Warrior by Anita Clenney ( paperback)
*Holidays are hell by kim Harrison ( paperback)
*Grave Witch by Kalayna Price (paperback)
* Daimon by Jennifer L Armentrout (paperback)
*half-blood by Jennifer L Armentrout (paperback)
*the Darkest Hour by Maya banks ( paperback)
*In Bed with an Highlander by Maya Banks
* The shifters serie by rachel Vincent: Stray- Rogue-Pride- Prey- Shift- Alpha(paperback)
*Blood Bound By Rachel Vincent(paperback)
*Kindling the moon by Jenn Bennett(paperback)
*Visions of magic by Regan Hastings(paperback)
*Visions of skyfire by regan Hastings(paperback)
*Kiss of Fire by deborah Cooke(paperback)
*Kiss of Fury By Deborah Cooke(paperback)
*A Witch in Winter by Ruth Warburton
* First grave on the right by Darynda Jones
So if you want to send me something you can send me a email at isabelle(dot)frisch(at)gmail(dot)com and i will give you my information.

In advance a big thanks you to all and a big thanks to Booksoulmates for organizing this

all the best