Tag: Kati’s reviews

Five Books Everyone Should Read: KatiB

Posted March 8, 2015 by Holly in Features | 2 Comments

Five Books Everyone Should Read is a new feature we’re running in 2015. We’ve asked some of our favorite authors, readers and bloggers to share five books that touched them or have stayed with them throughout the years.

The Five Books (Romances) Every Reader Should Read

I read exclusively romance, and have done so for years, so I’m sure that there are other important books I could list for this post, but I’m going to list romance, since that’s what I read. These aren’t necessarily exclusively my favorites, though several of them are, but they are books or authors that I think each romance reader should try.

Dream Man by Linda Howard

Detective Dane Hollister of the Orlando police department has never met anyone quite like Marlie Keen. While he has doubts about her supposed clairvoyant powers, she sees crimes as they’re being committed, there is no doubt about how much he desires her. To Marlie, Dane is all heat and hard muscle, and he makes her body come alive as it never has before. But not even she can foresee that their passion will lead them on a dangerous journey into the twisted mind of a madman who will threaten their happiness and their lives.

Readers new to romance might not realize that Linda Howard used to write incredibly hot, chemistry filled romances. Her more recent books have a more romantic suspense feel, while her earlier romances do have a suspense element; they are mostly incredibly hot romances. Old school Howard features extreme alpha heroes and their heroines. But what really makes the old school Howard books sparkle is the chemistry. Dream Man features a cop hero investigating a serial murderer and a psychic heroine. The attraction between Dane and Marlie really draws the reader in making you want to turn the pages faster and faster. While the sex scenes might not be as spicy as today’s erotica, they are incredibly well written and feel really spicy. Old School Howard is not to be missed.

Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh

THE FIRST PSY/CHANGELING NOVEL from the New York Times bestselling author of Shards of Hope, Shield of Winter, and Heart of Obsidian…
The book that Christine Feehan called “a must-read for all of my fans.”

In a world that denies emotions, where the ruling Psy punish any sign of desire, Sascha Duncan must conceal the feelings that brand her as flawed. To reveal them would be to sentence herself to the horror of “rehabilitation”—the complete psychic erasure of everything she ever was…

Both human and animal, Lucas Hunter is a Changeling hungry for the very sensations the Psy disdain. After centuries of uneasy coexistence, these two races are now on the verge of war over the brutal murders of several Changeling women. Lucas is determined to find the Psy killer who butchered his packmate, and Sascha is his ticket into their closely guarded society. But he soon discovers that this ice-cold Psy is very capable of passion—and that the animal in him is fascinated by her. Caught between their conflicting worlds, Lucas and Sascha must remain bound to their identities—or sacrifice everything for a taste of darkest temptation…

In my humble opinion, Nalini Singh writes two of the very best paranormal romance series being published today. Her Psy/Changeling series is long running, and features two things that I really love. The first is heroes who are both strong and steadfast in their love for their heroines. The second is a plot that is phenomenally tightly written. One knows from the beginning that Singh has an endgame in mind for the series. Each entry builds upon the overarching mythos of the world, while also providing a fully realized, focused romance. They are incredibly satisfying books, ones that have a proud place on my keeper shelf and are routinely recommended to readers.

All Through the Night by Connie Brockway

A woman compelled. . .

In the glittering world of Regency England, Anne Wilder played a dangerous game. A widowed lady by day, by night she became a masked thief preying on society’s elite. She roved high above London’s black rooftops, compelled by phantoms from her past to take ever greater risks. Until her restless spirit led her into Colonel Jack Seward’s trap. . . where seduction was her only way out.

A man obsessed. . .

She’d played him for a fool, taking advantage of his hungry response to escape from his clutches. But as Jack hunted for his thief, his heart fell captive to a self-possessed widow. Torn between illicit passion and tender love, Jack is duty-bound to capture the audacious criminal, even if it means ripping society apart to do so. Now he stalked her through the ton, never realizing the lovely widow who captured his heart was the same woman who roused his most violent passions.

A love that defied king and country. . .

This is one of those favorites of mine. While I don’t read my historical romance any more, this is a book that I read once a year, and each time I revel in the sheer brilliance of Connie Brockway’s craft. The story is a cat and mouse game between our honorable hero, Jack Seward and his thief, Anne Wilder. The story is one of the most romantic that I’ve read. The characters are both nuanced and interesting, and the romance is swoonworthy. This is, in my opinion, among the most perfect romances ever written. I gave it an A+ on Dear Author.

It Happened One Wedding by Julie James

SHE KNOWS BETTER THAN TO SAY “I DO”

After a humiliating end to her engagement, investment banker Sidney Sinclair is done with commitment-phobic men. But when her sister winds up engaged after a whirlwind courtship, she’s thrown in to close contact with exactly the kind of sexy playboy she wants to avoid—the gorgeous best man. She’s stuck with him, for better or worse, until her sister walks down the aisle, but that doesn’t mean she has to give in to his smooth advances, no matter how tempting they are…

BUT HE MAKES IT HARD TO SAY “I DON’T”

Special Agent Vaughn Roberts always gets his man on the job and his woman in bed. So Sidney’s refusal to fall for his charms only makes him more determined to win over the cool and confident redhead. Only what starts out as a battle of wills ends up as a serious play for her heart. Because the one woman who refuses to be caught may be the only one Vaughn can’t live without…

For my money, Julie James writes the best heroines in romance. They are smart, career minded, independent women who aren’t necessarily looking for a man. They are women you want to read about and have a glass of wine with. I love every James book and could really choose any of them to put on this list, but I chose It Happened One Wedding because it features my favorite opening scene ever in a contemporary romance. The meet cute is brilliant and sets up the lead characters in an adversarial role where they are fighting their attraction even while being forced into each other’s company. Every moment of it is funny and romantic. Julie James is absolutely not to be missed.

The Hook-Up by Kristen Callihan

The rules: no kissing on the mouth, no staying the night, no telling anyone, and above all… No falling in love.

Anna Jones just wants to finish college and figure out her life. Falling for star quarterback Drew Baylor is certainly not on her to do list. Confident and charming, he lives in the limelight and is way too gorgeous for his own good. If only she could ignore his heated stares and stop thinking about doing hot and dirty things with him. Easy right?

Too bad he’s committed to making her break every rule…

Football has been good to Drew. It’s given him recognition, two National Championships, and the Heisman. But what he really craves is sexy yet prickly Anna Jones. Her cutting humor and blatant disregard for his fame turns him on like nothing else. But there’s one problem: she’s shut him down. Completely.

That is until a chance encounter leads to the hottest sex of their lives, along with the possibility of something great. Unfortunately, Anna wants it to remain a hook up. Now it’s up to Drew to tempt her with more: more sex, more satisfaction, more time with him. Until she’s truly hooked. It’s a good thing Drew knows all about winning.

All’s fair in love and football…Game on.

New Adult is among the hottest trends in romance right now. Generally they feature a ton of angst, drama and ridiculousness. Not so with The Hook-Up. This story features a star college quarterback and a heroine who completely captivates him, yet has absolutely no interest in him – or so she thinks. What makes this book one of my favorites is it features my favorite trope: the hero in hot pursuit. The moment Drew lays eyes on Anna, he wants her. He respects everything about her and is incredibly attracted. It’s a fabulous story of a couple becoming friends and then falling in love, and about what comes after. I love this book with every fiber of my being.

So there it is. Honestly? There are so many good romances out there, that if you ask me a month from now, this list could change. But for today, these are the books that I think every romance should read. They feature the best of the subgenres I read. If you haven’t read some of them, I hope you’ll consider giving them a try.

About KatiB: I’ve been reading romance for more than 30 years and reviewing regularly for the last five. My first romance was Irish Thoroughbred by Nora Roberts, and once I read it, I was a goner. I read most subgenres of romance (except inspirational and steampunk) but focus mostly on contemporary and paranormal, with a sprinkling of historical thrown in for flavor. I am an avid sports fan, so I have a special place in my heart for sports themed romances. I’m a sucker for old skool romance, which is probably most evident in the fact that The Windflower is my favorite romance of all time.
Reviews can be found at Dear Author. Follow her on Twitter: @KatiD

2 Comments

Tagged: Five Books Everyone Should Read, Guest Blog, Kati's reviews, KatiB

Guest Review: His Every Breath by Fae Sutherland & Chelsea James

Posted April 11, 2010 by Book Binge Guest Blogger in Reviews | 0 Comments

Kati’s review of His Every Breath by Fae Sutherland & Chelsea James

When rough-and-tumble Trace Collins allows his buddies to drag him to a gay strip club for his birthday, he doesn’t expect to find his soul mate. But it’s love at first sight for Trace and he is immediately enthralled by the sexy young Adonis who’s getting naked on stage. Trace is determined to make that man his.

Riley Beckett doesn’t want anything to do with romance or love. Past hurts and a jaded attitude make Riley a tough nut to crack, but Trace is no quitter. He’s determined to win Riley’s trust and show him what real love means. Persistence pays off when Riley finally begins to thaw and it looks as though “happily” might just meet “ever after”. There’s only one thing standing in their way—the devastating secret Trace is keeping.

Trace Collins can’t believe his buddies have dragged him to a gay bar for his birthday. But when he lays eyes on Riley Beckett, stripping on stage, he falls immediately and irrevocably in love. He can’t believe it, he’s become a cliché! Trace goes back to the club, night after night, watching Riley dance, and becoming more and more fascinated by this young guy who is so gorgeous. Finally, Trace makes his move, stepping up and paying Riley and exorbitant fee for a private dance. It’s there that he tells Riley of his attraction, and his hope to get to know him better.

Riley has been burned before. He’s been hurt and betrayed and devastated. All of this combines to make him jaded and completely focused on his career. He wants nothing to do with Trace. Soon though, he decides that he’s interested enough to see where things go. He allows Trace to woo him, thinking he’ll never let him into his heart. But as Trace perseveres, Riley becomes more and more entranced by this handsome, attractive man who wants everything from him. Just as Riley begins to trust, he finds out that Trace is keeping a secret. A big one. Will he be able to overcome his sense of betrayal and love Trace? Or will he walk away, and pursue his career as a dancer?

This is a very sweet romance. Trace is absolutely dreamy, and pursues Riley so actively and single mindedly. It does occasionally feel a little stalkerish, but his overall charm kind of negates it. In real life, I probably would have called for a restraining order, if I’d been Riley. But in the romance, it comes off as determined, and quite sweet. The passion between the two of them is organic and feels real. But Riley put me off some. Mostly because the way he was written made him quite overly feminine. In fact, with a couple of changes to the sex scenes, and Riley pretty much could have been female. This was my biggest complaint with the book. Part of what I love about m/m romance is that we get a glimpse inside that ever elusive male brain, and truly, Riley read completely female to me. The thing is, the romance worked for me, but it would have worked just as well as a traditional romance. His Every Breath is a sweet romance that misses the mark because of protagonist who I felt was completely unrealistic.

2.75 out of 5

This book is available in e-format from Ellora’s Cave. You can buy it here.

You can read more from Kati at Katidom.

0 Comments

Tagged: 2.75 Reviews, Contemporary Erotica, Ellora's Cave, Guest Reviews, Kati's reviews, M/M Romance, Reviews

Guest Review: Branded Sanctuary by Joey W. Hill

Posted April 10, 2010 by Book Binge Guest Blogger in Reviews | 0 Comments

Kati‘s review of Branded Sanctuary (Nature of Desire, Book 7) by Joey W. Hill.

Chloe has always been a creature of joy and laughter. Since a brutal attack nearly a year ago, the trauma she experienced has gotten worse. She has started hiding from her life, even putting up walls between herself and those she cares about most. During a panic attack one night, she impulsively calls a number that she’s had for many months. Chloe met Brendan at her boss’s wedding. With confidence and seduction, he easily steps into the role of helping her manage her fear. By the end of the long call, they’ve indulged in some serious flirtation and mind-blowing phone sex—and she’s feeling things she’s buried for too long.

The problem is that Brendan is the perfect male submissive—and Chloe isn’t wired for the D/s lifestyle. While their attraction is undeniable, Chloe doesn’t know if she can be everything Brendan needs. As a submissive, Brendan would never ask her to be something she’s not—even if it will break both of their hearts to turn away from how they feel about each other.

A survivor of a vicious attack, Chloe is struggling. She used to embrace life, heading for every adventure with complete abandon, and now she’s afraid of everything. One night, she awakens from a horrible nightmare, and impulsively calls Brendan, a guy she met at her friend and boss, Marguerite’s wedding. Brendan has been waiting for Chloe to call. He was very attracted to her at the wedding, and gave her his number, but she never called, and he figured she wasn’t interested. He’s thrilled when his phone awakens him in the middle of the night and it’s her. He stays on the phone for hours with her, and in fact, has a very hot encounter with her on the phone. Chloe is bewildered. She’s never behaved this way before, but she feels so safe with Brendan. The next morning, she stumbles out of bed and walks out her door to find him waiting for her. He takes her to work with a promise to pick her up at the end of the day. Chloe knows she’s done for.

But Brendan has a secret. He’s a sexual submissive. And his Mistress is Chloe’s boss, Marguerite. Brendan struggles with how to share this aspect of his life with Chloe, unsure of how she’ll react. Chloe is aware of Marguerite’s lifestyle as a Mistress, but is unaware of her relationship with Brendan. She’s not just his Mistress, but has a past with him. Chloe is bewildered by Brendan’s role as a sexual submissive. She doesn’t understand pain with sex, and while she wants a future with Brendan, she just doesn’t know how she could ever fulfill him sexually. It goes against her nature.

This book was an absolute revelation for me. I have always said that I didn’t understand pain with sex, and I never really identified with the D/s life. But this book explored it in a way that I could relate to. Joey W. Hill never uses the D/s scenes to titillate. She focuses on Brendan’s motivations, how he struggles to reveal not just what he wants sexually, but to make Chloe understand his relationship with Marguerite. Personally, I could identify completely with Chloe’s bewilderment, her attraction to Brendan, and her slow identification of how her pain and difficulties getting over her attack might help her to understand better Brendan’s life and choices. The book is emotionally packed and paced gorgeously, with Hill never, ever rushing a moment, and allowing the reader to relish the slow development of Chloe and Brendan’s relationship. I didn’t realize it when I asked for the book, but it is book 7 in the Nature of Desire series. While I knew pretty early on that there were preceding books, I never felt lost, or like I was missing something. I was intrigued by a couple of secondary characters in the book, but not enough to ever distract me. Branded Sanctuary is a lovely, resonant, emotional romance that I recommend without equivocation. I can tell you that I finished the book and immediately turned back to the beginning to read it again.

4.75 out of 5

This book is available from Ellora’s Cave. You can buy it here in e-format.

The series:

0 Comments

Tagged: 4.75 Reviews, Erotica, Joey W. Hill, Kati's reviews, Nature of Desire Series, Reviews

Guest Review: Release by Beth Kery

Posted March 8, 2010 by Book Binge Guest Blogger in Reviews | 5 Comments

Kati‘s review of Release by Beth Kery

Genny loved her husband Max, but he lacked the sexual charge that was instead ignited by his business partner, Sean. Ruggedly handsome, Sean had a heart-stopping smile that made Genny weak. The more time they spent together, the stronger the attraction between them became. Then her husband offered to share her with Sean for one intoxicating night…

That night in the company penthouse, Max and Sean showed Genny the heights of ecstasy. But it was Sean who touched her very spirit, and one-onone, they were red hot. But as Genny learns, there’s a price to pay for such impulsive pleasure. What began as a night of forbidden desire spirals into a whirlpool of murder, sensual submission, secrets, and a scorching passion that threatens to consume everyone it touches.

Genevieve Sauren is in shock. Her house has burned down and all she wants to do is collapse. She heads directly to the condominium she remembered that her deceased husband Max kept over his security company, Sauren-Kennedy. All she wants is a shower and some sleep before dealing with all of the awful details that will come. Imagine her shock when she walks in on Max’s business partner, Sean Kennedy, in the midst of a very hot bondage session with an unknown woman. When Sean realizes Genny is there, he sends the woman on her way, and immediately goes to make amends.

You see, Sean and Genny have a history — a very steamy one. Last New Year’s Eve, before his untimely death, Max arranged for Sean to participate in a threesome with he and Genny. To say that the night was the hottest of her life would be an understatement. But Genny is tortured by memories of the night. Although Max was supportive through the event, later he showed her that he’d taped the entire encounter, for reasons that she doesn’t understand. Genny worries about that, but more, she worries about her reaction to Sean. She just wants to hand over all control to Sean, and as a successful, smart businesswoman, that just seems so unlike her. For his part, Sean is thrilled to see Genny again, and will do anything to keep her near him. But he soon realizes that the house burning down, and the break-in at Genny’s boutique might be associated with a business partner of his and Max’s. With Max dead, Sean knows it’s up to him to protect Genny anyway he can. But will he be able to convince Genny to get over her fear of loss of control? And will Genny be able to trust a man who she is sure has something to do with her husband’s death?

Beth Kery has an amazingly deft hand with chemistry. This being an erotic romance, the sex is, of course, steamy. But it’s the emotional connection that she’s able to forge between the characters that makes Release a winner. Sean is definitely an alpha male, but he respects Genny entirely and encourages her to be her own person. Genny is confused, and dithered perhaps a bit long for my tastes. But as a couple, Sean and Genny are very successful. There is quite a bit of light bondage in the sex scenes, but it’s done in a way that is respectful. I usually don’t enjoy bondage in my erotic romance, but these scenes are done in such a way that Sean’s love and deep affection for Genny comes through clearly, and I wasn’t bothered at all. I felt that the suspense subplot was unnecessary, as the budding ties between Sean and Genny were absolutely enough to keep my interest as a reader, but overall this book is a compelling and fun read. I recommend Release for any reader who enjoys very hot sex scenes and a dominant hero. Beth Kery has written another winner.

5 Comments

Tagged: 4.5 Reviews, Berkley, Beth Kery, Contemporary, Guest Reviews, Kati's reviews, Reviews

Guest Author: Kaki Warner Interview

Posted February 11, 2010 by Holly in Promotions | 21 Comments

Today we’d like to welcome author Kaki Warner to the site. Kaki’s debut novel, Pieces of Sky, is a Western and was reviewed by Kati back in January. Kati recently had an opportunity to interview Kaki. I hope you’ll take a minute to say hello and welcome her to the site. Make sure you check the bottom of the post, because we’re going to give a copy of Pieces of Sky away!

______________

First of all, Kati, thanks for inviting me to visit at Book Binge today. And an even bigger thank you for your wonderful review of Pieces of Sky, posted on 1/15. I appreciate that you did such an in-depth read, and am delighted that PoS passed muster.

What drew you to writing a Western romance? There are very few being published right now. Is there something that attracted you to the Western genre?

I have to laugh, Kati. You’re assuming I had an actual plan when I started PoS many years ago. I didn’t. I had just read an awful book, and thinking surely I could do better, I decided to write one of my own. So, grabbing a Big Chief Tablet and a Number 2 pencil, and remembering that my college creative writing professor had said to “write about something you know” I sat down to write about the southwest, where I grew up and where my heart still dwells, even though my husband and I now live in the mountains of Washington state. I didn’t think in terms of what market I was targeting—western, romance or whatever. I just wanted to write a fun story with believable characters set in an interesting place. Simple, right?

Well, that was twenty-five years, a stack of tablets and several generations of computers ago, so maybe it wasn’t so simple after all. Granted, actual writing only took up about five of those years, but the idea, and the story, and the characters never strayed far from my mind. So, to answer the first part of your question—I didn’t know I had written a Western romance. My editor put that label on it, discerning woman that she is.

As to the second part of your question—what attracted me to the Western genre (again, assuming back then I knew there was such a thing, which I didn’t) is the cowboy myth, where men lived by codes of honor and life was tough and only the bravest and most stalwart survived. Corny, I know. But there you have it. Besides, there aren’t many things sexier than a guy in jeans and a Stetson working a fine-looking horse.

Pieces of Sky has a very epic feel to it. And your characters definitely suffer losses. Was it important to you to write a romance that goes against the grain of more “traditional” romances?

It was important to me to write a semi-plausible story with mostly-believable characters dealing with some of the hardships and tragedies that plague regular people even now. Loss, guilt, regret, redemption—these are things people face every day, and getting through it, and still having hope and love in your heart—that’s the real challenge, whether it’s 1868 or 2010. I didn’t want to trivialize that struggle, or sugarcoat the hard choices people have to make sometimes, which is why I opened the book with a somewhat brutal scene, to forewarn the reader that this wasn’t going to be a tiptoe through the cactus type of book. But I also tried to soften that stark reality with a bit of humor and an interesting love story, because those elements are just as necessary to a good book as believability. That said, even though PoS might not be a “traditional” romance, I think it depicts a very traditional love story.

Did you dream cast your characters? Because when I picture Brady, I picture Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Or, maybe I just picture JDM for all my heroes.

Lucky you for having such great dreams. JDM does have a grand smile, doesn’t he? And those dimples aren’t bad either. But, no, I didn’t have anyone in particular in mind when I wrote PoS. And even though I can easily picture the individual features of each character, I don‘t have completed images in my head. That way I’m not limited by pre-conceived perceptions of how a character wearing a real person’s face, like say, JDM’s, might behave (does that make sense?). However, all my character’s individual personalities are absolutely real to me, quirks and all.

Who is the next book in the series about?

Book 2, Open Country, is about the middle brother, Hank. He’s the quiet one, the smartest, the tinkerer, and when necessary, the family peacemaker and enforcer. And while the book primarily deals with Hank’s struggle to come to terms with his own issues as well as his troubled relationship with a woman on the run who claims to be his wife, although he doesn’t remember marrying, Brady and Jessica are still very much a part of the story. In fact, I had a hard time shutting Brady up, probably because he still had some things to learn. In many ways, this trilogy is more of a three-part family saga where each novel stands alone but the ongoing stories of all the brothers weave in and out of each book. In book 3, which tells Jack’s story, all those elements come together and the remaining family issues are finally resolved. Mostly.

Which romance authors are you reading right now? What are some of your favorites?

In addition to the great standbys—Eloisa James, Julia Quinn, Jodi Thomas, Sara Donati, I’ve got a stack of TBRs, including books from two new authors, Kimberly Fisk (Lake Magic) and Courtney Milan (Proof of Seduction), and Monica Burns (Kismet). I don’t know when I’ll get to them, though. In addition to promoting PoS, and doing final edits on Open Country, and awaiting copy edits on Book 3, I’m also working on a new historical series about four women who meet on a train in Colorado and get stranded in a dying mining town where they…well, you’ll see.

____________________

Thanks for the excellent interview ladies! That series about four women in Colorado has me very intrigued…

If you’d like a chance to read Pieces of Sky, leave a comment on this post telling us what you love about Westerns, or with a question for Ms. Warner, and you’ll be entered to win a copy.

Contest ends Sunday February 14, 2010 at 11:59 p.m.