What Happens in London by Julia Quinn

Goodreads Description:

Rumors and Gossip...
The lifeblood of London 

When Olivia Bevelstoke is told that her new neighbor may have killed his fiancee, she doesn't believe it for a second, but, still, how can she help spying on him, just to be sure? So she stakes out a spot near her bedroom window, cleverly concealed by curtains, watches, and waits . . . and discovers a most intriguing man, who is definitely up to something. 

Sir Harry Valentine works for the boring branch of the War Office, translating documents vital to national security. He's not a spy, but he's had all the training, and when a gorgeous blonde begins to watch him from her window, he is instantly suspicious. But just when he decides that she's nothing more than an annoyingly nosy debutante, he discovers that she might be engaged to a foreign prince, who might be plotting against England. And when Harry is roped into spying on Olivia, he discovers that he might be falling for her himself...

My Rating: 5 out of 5

My Review:

I really enjoyed the story line a lot.  I loved how it was laid out and the pace.  The romance is entertaining and the mystery kept me turning pages at a very fast pace.  I loved all the characters and can't wait to read about Sebastian.  I didn't read the first in this series, but I will do so very soon!  I hadn't realized it was a series when I read the story but was secretly hoping it was as I was reading. Julia Quinn is definitely one of my historical romance all time favorite writers!

Accidentally Catty by Dakota Cassidy

Goodreads Description:

Katie Woods never thought she’d be forty-one, divorced, and thrust back into the dating world. To start fresh, Katie uproots her veterinary practice to upstate New York—not exactly the hottest dating scene on the planet. But when an unconscious cougar appears at her clinic, Katie’s newly single life gets a much needed jolt of the supernatural kind. 

After Katie examines the cougar and leaves him caged overnight, she’s shocked to find a big strapping specimen of young, hot man in its place. And when the scratch she got during the exam results in some unnatural side effects, Katie has more to deal with then her animal attraction to a much younger guy—she has to figure how to stop herself from becoming a cougar of the four legged variety.

My Rating: 4 out of 5

My Review::

Yet another hilarious book from Dakota Cassidy in the Accidentally Paranormal series!  I absolutely LOVE Nina she never fails to make me laugh.  But this book is about Dr. Katie Woods who accidentally gets turned into a Cougar, and at 41 as it's pointed out to her, she's a cougar cougar when she starts to fall for Shaw the kitty who accidentally scratched her!  An as Nina says it's never easy and a lot of crap comes to rain all over their parade! Great mystery and action and wonderfully paced.  I feel in love with the new characters and I can't wait for the next in the series!

Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor by Lisa Kleypas

Goodread Description:

New York Times bestselling author Lisa Kleypas’s new series begins during the most magical time of year

ONE LITTLE GIRL NEEDS A FAMILY

One rain-slicked night, six-year-old Holly lost the only parent she knew, her beloved mother Victoria. And since that night, she has never again spoken a word.

ONE SINGLE MAN NEEDS A WIFE

The last thing Mark Nolan needs is a six-year-old girl in his life. But he soon realizes that he will do everything he can to make her life whole again. His sister’s will gives him the instructions: There’s no other choice but you. Just start by loving her. The rest will follow.

SOMETIMES, IT TAKES A LITTLE MAGIC…

Maggie Collins doesn’t dare believe in love again, after losing her husband of one year. But she does believe in the magic of imagination. As the owner of a toy shop, she lives what she loves. And when she meets Holly Nolan, she sees a little girl in desperate need of a little magic.

…TO MAKE DREAMS COME TRUE

Three lonely people. Three lives at the crossroads. Three people who are about to discover that Christmas is the time of year when anything is possible, and when wishes have a way of finding the path home…

My Rating: 3 out of 5

My Review:

OK first I have to say this was by no means my favorite Lisa Kleypas book.  It was too short and there wasn't any real substance to it.  I enjoyed meeting the Nolan Brothers and Holly and I enjoyed seeing Maggie and Mark get together but it was VERY predictable.  The writing itself was good and the plot perfectly paced and organized.  I hope the second in the series is a bit more.  Maybe more conflict or something to keep it more interesting.

Night Pleasures by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Goodreads Description:


Dear Reader, 

Have you ever wanted to know what it's like to be immortal? To journey through the night stalking the evil that preys on humans? To have unlimited wealth, unlimited power? That is my existence, and it is dark and dangerous. I play hero to thousands, but am known to none. And I love every minutes of it. 

Or so I thought until one night when I woke up handcuffed to my worst nightmare: a conservative woman in a button-down shirt. Or in Amanda's case, one buttoned all the way up to her chin. She's smart, sexy, witty, and wants nothing to do with the paranormal--in other words, me. 

My attraction to Amanda Devereaux goes against everything I stand for. Not to mention the last time I fell in love it cost me not only my human life, but also my very soul. Yet every time I look at her, I find myself wanting to try again. Wanting to believe that love and loyalty do exist. 

Even more disturbing, I find myself wondering if there's any way a woman like Amanda can love a man whose battle scars run deep, and whose heart was damaged by a betrayal so savage that he's not sure it will ever beat again. 

Kyrian of Thrace

My Rating: 3 out of 5

My Review:

I enjoyed the plot and the characters, however the names (being greek) were hard to pronounce.  The romance was perfectly paced and I enjoyed how Kyrian gets his soul back and how Amanda helps him.  I think my favorite scene is when Amanda ties Kyrian to the bed to help dispel his anxieties! Over all a decent read and I will read the next in the series and see how it goes!

Sophia by D. B. Reynolds

Goodreads Description:

The Pacific Northwest . . . home to lush forests and constant rain, to lumberjacks and computer geeks, especially those of the vampire kind. 

Sophia, beautiful and deadly, has spent the last hundred years dancing her way through the balmy nights and hot-blooded men of South America. But when her Sire sends an urgent summons, Sophia rushes home to Vancouver only to find he has disappeared, leaving nothing behind but three dead vampires and a letter with Sophia’s name on it. 

Colin Murphy, a former Navy SEAL, came to the Northwest seeking a quiet place to heal the scars earned in more than a decade at war. But when someone starts killing local vampires and torturing their mates, Colin takes on the mantle of a warrior once again as he sets out to find the killers and do whatever it takes to stop them, even if that means hunting with vampires. 

Following her Sire’s trail of death to a small town in northern Washington, Sophia unexpectedly discovers the heat of a South American night in Colin’s arms. But too soon Sophia and Colin find themselves in a race to uncover the killers before the next dead vampire becomes Sophia herself. 

My Rating: 4 out of 5

My Review:

Definitely was not disappointed.  Great new book in the Vampires in America series!  Sophia was a very strong heroine and I loved her view on this and her strength.  Colin was definitely a mans man and I felt sorry for the betrayals he suffered.  I'm happy him and Sophia dealt with their issues and I LOVED the epilogue.  I can not wait for Duncan to come out. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes Mystery, Romance, and Paranormal!

Seduction of a Proper Gentleman by Victoria Alexander

Goodreads Description:

To break a centuries-old curse, beautiful, headstrong Lady Kathleen MacDavid knows she must ignore every rule of propriety by seducing—and marrying—the Earl of Norcroft. So she sets off for London, braving scandal and ruin to achieve her goal . . . until a crazy bump on the head makes her forget nearly everything.

The thrill of winning a bet—that he'd be the last of his set to wed—hasn't eased the earl's pain of losing his friends to marriage. Still, he'd be willing to settle down if he could meet someone worthy of his love—and desire. But he has met no such woman, until Kathleen is brought to him. Suspicious of her motives, he's determined to resist her seductive ways. But sometimes even the most proper gentleman finds it expedient to act improperly . . .

My Rating: 3 out of 5

My Review:

Decent end of the series.  Not as great as the other books though.  Of course since you know by the end of book 3 who won the bet this book had to be different.  However I was taken back by the mystical aspect of this book and how much it played a part in the bring about of the two main characters.  If it were a stand alone book, I wouldn't really recommend cause it doesn't have much to recommend itself but as the last of a series it's a must read and it wraps everything up.

The Black Hill by Nora Roberts

Goodreads Description:

A summer at his grandparents' South Dakota ranch is not eleven-year-old Cooper Sullivan's idea of a good time. But things are a bit more bearable now that he's discovered the neighbor girl, Lil Chance, and her homemade batting cage. Each year, with Coop's annual summer visit, their friendship deepens from innocent games to stolen kisses, but there is one shared experience that will forever haunt them: the terrifying discovery of a hiker's body.
As the seasons change and the years roll by, Lil remains steadfast to her aspiration of becoming a wildlife biologist and protecting her family land, while Coop struggles with his father's demand that he attend law school and join the family firm. Twelve years after they last walked together hand in hand, fate has brought them back to the Black Hills when the people and things they hold dear need them most.
When small pranks and acts of destruction escalate into the heartless killing of Lil's beloved cougar, memories of an unsolved murder in these very hills have Coop springing to action to keep Lil safe.
Lil and Coop know the natural dangers that lurk in the wild landscape of the Black Hills. Now they must work together to unearth a killer of twisted and unnatural instincts who has singled them out as prey.

My Rating: 3 out of 5

My Review:

This is the first Nora Roberts book that wasn't part of a series.  I enjoyed it more then I thought I would.  The action and mystery were wonderful.  I enjoyed the romance between Cooper and Lil.  I really enjoyed seeing how the relationship started and how it changed through the years.  It was slowly paced for a bit but the end was faster.  At least I felt it was, I got so into it I was turning the pages a lot faster! I would recommend this book because it has a great mystery and romance.