Snapped

Pamela Klaffke

Mira, Han 1 2010, $13.95

ISBN: 9780778327462

Fifteen years ago Sara B and Ted founded Snap with no money to truly launch the magazine.  However, with its Dos and Don’ts, the magazine has become one of Canada’s most popular weekly.  In fact if imitation is the ultimate flattery, than Snap is the top gun.

However, as Sara B closes in on her fortieth birthday, she has lost some of her edge; even she knows she is on cruise control professional and personally.  Her affair with younger Jack is okay but not any euphoric incredible.  Even her renowned page Dos and Don’ts has lost its luster at least in her mind.  Sara B especially feels her age since she hired energetic youthful Eva, who represents what Sara B was before she realized the new forty is still forty.

This is a superb sarcastic saga of a woman not coming to grips with middle age hammering at her when she compares herself today with Eva and with herself at Eva’s age.  Time has moved on and she fears passed her by when she was not looking beyond the next Don’ts.  Fans who relish a dark jocular acerbic tale will appreciate this strong tale as Sara B realizes she has gone from a Do to a Don’t.

Harriet Klausner

Baby It’s Cold Outside

Jennifer Greene, Merline Lovelace and Cindi Myers

Harlequin, Jan 12 2010, $7.99

ISBN: 9780373837397

“Blame It on the Blizzard” by Jennifer Greene.  After her patient dies, Dr. Emilie Sutherland needs time away by herself so heads to her family’s hunting lodge in Alaska.  However, engineer Rick Hunter arrives at her lodge seeking shelter from a blizzard.

“Deep freeze” by Merline Lovelace.  After becoming number 112 of a vile Don Juan, Mia Harrelson allows her sister Emily to persuade her to head to the Southern Hemisphere for a cruise as it is summer down there.  Bikinis prove a bit underdressed for Antarctica especially when the crew and passengers are in trouble until the Air Force arrives.  Mia is soon in deeper trouble when she meets Palmer Station manager Brent Walker.

“Melting Point” by Cindi Myers.  In Reykjavik, Eagle Mountain Sportswear marketing director Stacy Bristol hires Iceland’s first Olympic Gold Medal winner skier Kristjan Gunnarson as a model for Troll’s treasure sweaters.  However he proves a gold medal winner of love when he also melts the ice from the heart of the consummate professional.

The three terrific contemporary romances live up to the classic song that is its title as love between strangers will warm the hearts of readers.

Harriet Klausner

The Earl and the Governess

Sarah Elliot

Harlequin Historical, Jan 1 2010, $5.99

ISBN: 9780373295777

In 1822, William Stanton, Earl of Lennox, became the ward of goddaughter Mary Weston-Burke, an apparent hellion based on what the headmistress at her school told him.  When he sees a woman being robbed by a boy, he gallantly rescues her.  Isabelle Thomas is the daughter of a late antique dealer who was exposed as a fraud.  Penniless with no home besides the street, she has no place to go; William, on the spur of the moment, offers her a position as governess to Mary, which a grateful Isabelle accepts.

Isabelle feels somewhat safe in William’s home and wins over a frightened Mary.  However, when her employer kisses her, she has a new fear; her deep attraction to the Earl who is of a different social class than her.  Isabelle knows she must leave, but does not want to hurt Mary who needs and trusts her and besides someone wants to harm her to conceal his partnership with her late father.

Chaos theory abounds in this delightful regency romance as love blossoms all because of a newt in a teacup.  Fans will root for the courageous heroine and appreciate romantic William who goes after what he wants: the love of his life regardless of her father’s scandal and her social class and status.  Mary enhances the tale of love between two people whose stations are as far apart as the top from the bottom of Big Ben.

Harriet Klausner

Reese’s Bride

Kat Martin

Mira, Dec 29 2009, $7.99

ISBN: 9780778327448

In 1855, Reese Dewar still uses a cane to help him get around his estate Briarwood after suffering wounds in battle in the Crimea.  However, the biggest wound he took was to his heart when his beloved Elizabeth Clemens married the Earl of Aldridge eight years ago.  Still in a rage over her betrayal, he vowed to never trust a woman again, especially this one who shared a bed with the late Edmund Holloway, her spouse.

In the middle of the night widow Elizabeth accompanied by her son Hared seeks sanctuary at Reese’s home.  She insists Edmund’s brother and his wife is drugging her to control Jared’s fortune that he inherited form his late father.  She fears they will arrange the deaths of her and her child if need be.  Reluctantly, Reese lets them into his home, but knows the only way to protect them is to give them his name.  However, though Elizabeth knows he is right before agreeing to his offer, she also owes him the truth why she betrayed him and concealed a secret that will send him into a deeper rage.

The second Victorian Dewar sibling’s Bride romance (see Royal’s Bride) is a terrific tense thriller starring two terific lead characters, a perhaps too precocious son, and two vile villains.  The story line is fast-paced from the moment Elizabeth arrives at Briarwood and never slows down until the final confrontation between Dewar and Holloway.  Fans will appreciate this superb second chance at love historical tale.

Harriet Klausner

Shattered

Joan Johnston

Mira, Dec 29 2009, $7.99

ISBN: 9780778328292

In Austin, almost a decade has passed since Kate Grayhawk Pendleton caught her husband J.D. cheating; stunned she left and met Wyatt Shaw in a hotel bar.  They made love and she left only to give birth to twins Lucky and Chance who are Wyatt’s offspring.  Now the mother of the late J.D. Ann Wade is running for president and needs to know what skeletons could derail her chances of winning the Republican nomination as the kids are not her biological grandchildren.

Son of a mobster, Wyatt has learned the kids are his.  He wants them and Kate in his life.  At the same time Texas Ranger Jack McKinley, who broke Kate’s heart in high school, wants Kate back in his life while also trying to destroy Wyatt Shaw’ who he assumes will take over his dad’s D’Amato crime syndicate.  Jack’s wife Holly will do almost anything to keep her spouse whom she loves, but her son’s needs come before her heart.

This is an exciting Bitter Creek romantic suspense that fans of the saga will enjoy as the entangled relationships between the lead foursome is fascinating and made more complicated by children and parents.  The story line is filled with action although too many subplots make it difficult to follow especially for a newbie.  Still romantic suspense readers will enjoy the tale with an engaging mystery and plenty of suspense while wondering who will end up with whom.

Harriet Klausner

Forbidden Falls

Robyn Carr

Mira, Dec 29 2009, $7.99

ISBN: 9780778327493

Hope McCrea put the abandoned church building for sale on E-Bay.  Widower reverend Noah Kincaid buys the edifice after talking with Hope as he has decided to relocate to Virgin River in Northern California to bring faith to the flock.

Noah arrives and immediately advertises for a Pastor’s Assistant although he expects no applicants, but several do; none qualify. He hires former exotic dancer with no church experience Ellie Baldwin because he feels she has earned a second chance to prove herself as “respectable” so she can regain custody of her children.  Starting with admiring her spirit and her somewhat wicked sense of humor, Noah falls in love as does Ellie.  However, both understand the children and the flock come before their desires.

This is an interesting addition to the Virgin River saga as two characters from different walks of life fall in love; an emotion neither wants, desires because neither has a good track record.  Ellie is not afraid to open her mouth as she is brassy and amusing while the Reverend is wallowing in self pity so much so the empathetic audience as well as many locals wants to help him.  Fans will appreciate the latest return to Virgin River as Robyn Carr provides a wonderful contemporary second chance at life and love.

Harriet Klausner

Hero’s Tribute

Graham Garrison

Kregel, Oct 2009m $13.99

ISBN: 9780825426858

Michael Gavin is a hero in his hometown of Talking Creek, Georgia.  He was quarterback of the high school football team and played at the University of Georgia.  He was given the Medal of Honor for his distinguished service in Iraq.  Parents in Talking Creek always use Michael as the epitome of a person being all they can be; in other words a hero.

However everyone is shocked when Michael learns he has cancer; the townsfolk are there for him and his family whole sadly wondering why bad things happen to good people.  As he nears death, Michael asks sports reporter Wes Watkins to deliver the eulogy at his funeral.  Wes is stunned as he and Michael are strangers, but agrees.  He begins digging into the life of the local hero with an ulterior motive of using the story as a ticket out of town to the bigger gigs.  However, Wes begins to uncover some shocking secrets in the life of the paragon revered by his town.  He ponders who Michael truly was and if he tells the entire truth with what he learned what that says of him as he would push the statue of Mr. perfect off the pedestal.

Michael dies in the very beginning of the book, but readers see who he is through the filtered lens of different people especially his family, the townsfolk and the reporter as each provides their perspective.  Character driven, fans will appreciate this terrific insightful look at a Hero’s Tribute as to be human means to have flaws, but it takes Amazing Grace to move past them to greatness.  With a final twist at the eulogy that will leave readers stunned and wanting to join in on the four song tribute, Graham Garrison provides a strong Christian tale.

Harriet Klausner

Starstruck

Julie Kenner

Harlequin Blaze, Dec 2009, $4.99

ISBN: 9780373795123

Alyssa Chambers is on a business trip to Dallas where she hopes to make contact with rich Russell Starr at the opening of his newest hotel as she wants to obtain his business.  She persuades her friend Chris Hyde to allow her to accompany him to the festivities in which he has an invitation.

Alyssa is attracted to Chris, but writes him off as a potential mate because his friendship is important to her.  She also knows his work as a freelance writer means his income is sporadic but mostly none.  However, something odd happens at the gala, a magical need of two hearts beating as one.

Starstruck is an enjoyable heated contemporary romance starring two friends falling in love.  The story line is fast-paced from the onset as Chris knows what he wants for Christmas while Alyssa hesitates as his friendship means so much to her.  The plot may sound sub-genre typical, but Julie Kenner insures her readers will enjoy this couple’s best Christmas as each discovers their love for one another.

Harriet Klausner

Christmas Male

Cara Summers

Harlequin Blaze, Dec 2009, $4.99

ISBN: 9780373795154

Legend has it that the famous Rubinov Diamond causes incredible desire between people.  At the National Gallery, Police Lieutenant Fiona Gallagher scoffs at the myth as a romantic hooey.  However, she looks across a crowded room just before Christmas and her eyes meets that of a stranger; they connect.

Army Captain D.C. Campbell runs police security at Fort McNair.  He finds himself unable to stop staring at Fiona.  When the diamond is stolen, the military police officer and the civilian cop team up to try to recover the purloined gem.

With the National gallery and the rest of DC as a backdrop, they were “Strangers in the Night exchanging glances”, but instead of dancing the night away, they team up to chase a thief and fall in love.  Fans will enjoy this entertaining police procedural romance as the legendary Rubinov Diamond works its magic on two cops in time for Christmas.

Harriet Klausner

The Christmas Present

Tracy Wolff

Harlequin SuperRomance, Dec 2009, $5.50

ISBN: 9780373716074

In San Francisco, Diego Sanchez who spends time at Rafael Cardoza’s Helping Hands community center is accused of murdering his pregnant teenage girlfriend.  Rafael believes Diego who swears he is innocent, not because the lad says so but because he knows how much Diego loved Esme.  He needs to find a good criminal layer but that costs money.

Rafael rescues divorce attorney Vivian Wentworth from a gang of teens.  A mutual friend Richard sent her to defend Diego pro bono though criminal law is far from her specialty.  Rafael thinks he should kick her back to uptown designer clothing where she belongs, but she refuses to quit.  Instead she works extremely hard to prove Diego is innocent while also persuading Rafael to escort her as they work the mean streets seeking expert witness.

This is an engaging legal thriller romance with a delightful lead couple from opposites sides of Geary Blvd falling in love while trying to defend a Hispanic teen from a murder rap.  In many ways Diego owns the story line as he has no time to grieve his loss as the system is ready to lock away a poor Hispanic not caring whether he did the brutal deed.  The Christmas Present is a strong tale with a deep social commentary bringing profoundness to the holiday season.

Harriet Klausner