Lord of the Privateers

Lord of the Privateers by Stephanie Laurens was a very interesting read. The romance and passion between the main couple was breathtaking. Their passionate moments were at times very intimate, tender and sweet, and other times absolutely steamy hot. Then of course there was the rescue mission to read, the suspense in wondering if all the pieces will fall into place as planned and the rescue be a success, or if something or someone will throw a screw in the works. Even having read just this one book I was holding my breath in some scenes and waiting to see what happened next. I loved this book and I highly recommend it. *JK*

the unexamined life

Dianne Warren's novel Liberty Street tells a story about a woman's journey through life in small-town Saskatchewan and, more broadly, about the strength of second chances. Frances Mary Moon's young life was full of bizarre tragedies that affected her more than she knew, and everything boils up inside her again when she and her partner, Ian, get trapped in traffic due to the funeral of a young girl and her infant. She blurts out her secrets: that she lost a baby during premature birth when she was 19, and that she had been married and probably still is. The long chapters jump between Frances's formative years and her present-day adult life as she decides to return to her hometown and see for herself what ghosts reside there. The depiction of Frances as a child is just exquisite; to see through her eyes is a perfect recreation of a child's inner workings. With a strong narrative voice in both sections, the novel creates an intimate portrayal of the road to resolution and recovery for a soul adrift. Frances as a child has a confused but determined voice. As an adult, she sets to thinking through what exactly she is looking to recover by digging into the past. Warren's novel is a thoughtful, intricate tale that builds quietly but strikes hard and fast. © Copyright PW (ML)

A Mini Mystery

NYPD detectives Luc Moncrief and K. Burke are trying to figure out why beautiful young New York women are dropping dead. Autopsies reveal nothing. The only thing they seem to have in common is a nanny placement service. When a fourth young woman with no children dies—they are really baffled. In their off-time, Luc and K. Burke manage to see the Kentucky Derby. He is friends with one of the owners of a horse in the race. When the horse wins, another deadly mystery begins. French Twist by James Patterson and Rich DiLallo is a quick read from the new Bookshots collection. It's a great pick for busy people. DB

Seven Minutes in Heaven

Seriously, you can't miss Seven Minutes in Heaven by Eloisa James. There's so much to love about this story, from our hero who is an unconventional as our heroine, but for some reason, the two characters in this story have stolen my heart. They were precautious, smart and utterly adorable.

As for the heroine, Eugenia, I was very impressed with her strength and wit. As Regency heroines go, she was one of the best I've read in a long time. I loved the fact that her feelings for her dead husband were complex even though he's been dead for seven years. I literally had tears in my eyes as she finally lets go of Andrew.

And then there was Ward. This man was such an intriguing and interesting character. He had inner strength and exuded confidence from the moment he showed up on the page. I fell in love with him immediately! The love he had for his brother and sister was palpable. Yes, he had some faults. But he wasn't stubborn and that was the key, because as soon as he figured out his mistakes, he was ready to admit to them and ask for forgiveness. *JK*