Silently Loved by Annie Lee

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: Tobias Books
• ISBN-13: 978-0615536859 

After a four-year failed marriage to Dane Weathers, an unplanned pregnancy, and a terrible beating that led to a miscarriage,  Hailey promised herself she would never depend on another man again. That is, until she meets her deaf and nearly blind landlord. As Hailey attempts to move on with her life as the Sign Language teacher at a local high school, she is faced with budding emotions towards her landlord and threats from a dangerous ex-husband who won't let her go. - Quoted from the back of the book.

First I would like to thank Annie Lee for asking me to review her book. I am so happy that I said yes. This was a very good book that grabbed me from the beginning. There was just a little of Hailey's background at the start that left me wanting more and I got just that. As Hailey and Noah get to know each other and as Hailey and her best friend Reese reconnect you find out more about Hailey's failed marriage. I liked how Noah and Hailey became close and fell in love. There are ups and downs in this book. I found myself smiling, crying and sitting on the edge of my seat. Annie's writing is so good that she pulls you in to the point that you feel like the characters are alive and you don't want to put the book down. Now I want to read Annie's first book. I think she will be on the bestseller list in no time. 5 stars.

FTC DISCLOSURE:I received this book from the author in return for a fair and honest review.

Playing the Game by Barbara Taylor Bradford

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press
• ISBN-10: 0312578083

Annette Remmington, a London art consultant and private dealer, is at the top of her game. She is considered a rising star in the international world of art, and has a roster of wealthy clients who trust her judgment and her business acumen. Her success reaches new heights when a rare and long lost Rembrandt finds its way into her hands, which she restores and sells for top dollar. Called the auction of the year, Annette becomes the most talked about art dealer in the world.
Annette is married to her mentor and personal champion, the much older Marius Remmington. For twenty years, Marius has groomed her into the international art star that she has become, not to mention saving her from a dark and gritty past. She is his pride and joy, and as her best advisor, it’s with great care that he hand picks only the best journalist possible to do a profile on his beloved wife in a popular London Sunday newspaper. Jack Chalmers is a bit of a celebrity himself, becoming one of the top journalists of his time. Marius believes only he will be able to capture the true brilliance of his lovely wife. But Marius never intends to put his marriage in jeopardy. How could he have known that the connection between Jack and Annette would ignite so many secrets? And how could he know that Jack would uncover a scandal that could ultimately destroy them all? - quoted from Amazon.com 


This was my first audio book that I have ever listened to. I picked this one to be my first because I really like Barbara Taylor Bradford's Emma Harte series. I really enjoyed this book. I liked getting to know Annette. From the beginning I knew there was something in the past that was a problem but could not put my finger on it. As the book went on it got more and more interesting until I did not want to stop listening. I liked how the mystery of the forged art work kind of tied in with Annette's past at the end. I thought the ending of the book was perfect, but I won't give away any details - just that it was the perfect ending. I thought the narrator did a good job - I could listen to someone with an English accent talk all day long. So in ending this was the perfect audio book for me to start with. 5 Stars.

The Manning Grooms by Debbie Macomber

 

• Mass Market Paperback: 528 pages
• Publisher: Mira
• ISBN-13: 978-0778326021

 Jason Manning is content with his life as a bachelor, a slob and a sports fan. Then a precocious girl named Carrie Weston decides to play matchmaker, introducing him to her mother Charlotte. To his relief, Charlotte is as averse to marriage as he is. But Jason's feelings start to change once he gets to know his Bride on the Loose.

James Wilkens as almost a Manning groom - because he almost married one of the Manning sisters. With that broken engagement behind him, he spends New Year's Eve in Las Vegas... where he meets Summer Lawton. She's just suffered a painful betrayal, and James promises her that in a year, she'll be over it. To prove his point, he makes a date to meet her in Vegas Same, Next Year. Except it turns out to be more than a date - it's a wedding! - quoted from the back cover of the book. 

I am going to review each story of the book separately.  

The Bride on the Loose - I liked this story but it was not one of my favorites of Debbie's. I enjoyed reading about Charlotte and Jason, although for some reason I was not fond of Charlotte. I did like Jason though. I thought it was cute now Carrie was trying to find a man for her mom so she could be happier. The ending was good but then again if it did not have a happy ending we would not like it right?

Same Time, Next Year - At first I really did not like this story and thought it very unreal to me. Then it kept growing on me until the last section then I really liked it and even had a lump in my throat reading some of it. The last part of the book was more the way that I like how Debbie has written her other books I have read. I want to know what happens next with Summer and James.

I give this book 3 stars - it was a good great but now outstanding to me.

Dangerous to Know by Tasha Alexander - Lady Emily Series Book 5

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Minotaur Books
• ISBN-13: 978-0312383794 

Returning from her honeymoon with Colin Hargreaves and a near brush with death in Constantinople, Lady Emily convalesces at her mother-in-law's beautiful estate in Normandy. But the calm she so desperately seeks is shattered when, out horseback riding, she comes upon the body of a young woman who has been brutally murdered. The girl's wounds are identical to those inflicted on the victims of Jack the Ripper, who has wreaked havoc across the channel in London. Emily feels a connection to the young woman and is determined to bring the killer to justice.


Pursuing a trail of clues and victims to the beautiful medieval city of Rouen and a crumbling chateau in the country, Emily begins to worry about her own sanity: she hears the cries of a little girl she cannot find and discovers blue ribbons left in the child's wake.  As Emily is forced to match wits with a brilliant and manipulative killer, only her courage, keen instincts, and formidable will to win can help her escape becoming his next victim. - quoted from the cover of the book.

My review of this book is going to be short and sweet as I don't want to give too much away. I thought this book was a good addition to the Lady Emily series. The way that Emily's tragedy from the last book was used to lure her in this story was kind of interesting. I also enjoyed that Sebastian was a little more out in the open this time. All in all another great book. 5 Stars

Paradise Valley by Robyn Carr - Virgin River #7

• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Mira
• ISBN-13: 978-0778312949

Marine corporal Rick Sudder is home early from Iraq - his tour ended abruptly on the battlefield. The carefree boy is gone, replaced by a man who believes his future is as bleak as his mirror image. But can the passion and commitment of a young woman who has never given up on him mend his broken body and shattered heart?

As the people of Virgin River rally around Rick, another recent arrival tests the tightly knit mountain town's famous welcoming spirit. Dan Brady has a questionable past, and he's looking for a place to start over. He'd like it to be Virgin River .. if he can find a way in. But he never expects to find it in the arms of a woman who was as much an outcast as himself.

For a favorite son returned from war and an outsider looking for a home, Virgin River offers them a chance to make peace with the men they once were ... and to find the dreams they thought they'd lost. - quoted from the back of the book

If I had to list my favorite series - the Virgin River series would be one of them. This book did not disappoint. I cried and smiled thru this book. The more I read about this town the more I feel a part of it. I was happy to see more progression with Walt and Muriel, Cam and Abby and to hear more about Cheryl and the addition of a old but new character in Dan. I am looking forward to reading the next installment in this series. 5 Stars

Dying in Style by Elaine Viets

• Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Signet; Reprint edition 
• ISBN-13: 978-0451216793

Ah, the Danessa Celedine handbag. To have one is to invite envy and flaunt wealth, with each bag costing upward of five thousand dollars. When a large company considers paying millions for use of the Danessa name, Josie's hired to inspect the designer's stores anonymously. And each boutique is worse than the one before. Her less than stellar report provokes threats of a lawsuit... until Danessa is strangled with one of her own thousand-dollar snakeskin belts. Josie better bag the killer before she winds up in an ugly jailhouse outfit herself.  - quoted from the back of the book. 


I am a cozy mystery fan and enjoyed this book. I like the little twists in the murder and trying to find out who actually killed Danessa. The ending of the book was fun to read even though it was not so fun for Josie. I could not put this book down. I would like to continue on with this series. 4 Stars

Welcome to Temptation by Jennifer Crusie

• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks
• ISBN-13: 978-0312357054 

 Turn Left at Small Town Secrets

Sophie Dempsey is content living a quiet life filming wedding videos until an assignment brings her to Temptation, Ohio. From the moment she drives into town, she gets a bad feeling. Sophie is from the wrong side of the tracks and everything in Temptation is a little too right. And when she has a run-in with the town's unnervingly sexy mayor, Phineas Tucker, making a little movie turns out to be more than a little dangerous. 

Yield to Oncoming Desire

All Sophie wants to do is film the video and head home. All Phin wants to do is play pool with the police chief and keep things peaceful. They both get more than they bargained for when Sophie's video causes an uproar and the proper citizens of Temptation set out to shut them down. 

Welcome to Temptation

As events spiral out of control, Sophie and Phin find themselves caught in a web of gossip, blackmail, adultery, murder, and really excellent sex. All hell breaks loose in Temptation as Sophie and Phin fall deeper and deeper in trouble ... and in love.  - quoted from the back of the book.

I thought this book moved a little slow for me. I enjoyed the last two or three chapters of the book more than I did the rest of the book. The story line at times seemed a little choppy. It was a nice book to read but not one I would read a second time.