Hot Cover Monday! All He ever Desired (Kowalski series)

Ryan Kowalski release date for ebook is November 19th 2012 paperback February 1013.


Find out more about Shannon Stacey and her work here on her website www.shannonstacey.com/

Free ebook Friday! Jennifer's Garden by Dianne Venetta

JENNIFER’S GARDEN epitomizes the showdown between a career woman’s criteria for the perfect husband and what true love means. 

In a race against time, cardiologist Jennifer Hamilton is caught between her mother’s dying wish and taking the risk of a lifetime with Jackson Montgomery. He’s the man hired to complete the landscaping for her new home; the venue for her upcoming wedding. Jackson’s everything she neverwanted in a man, but as the job progresses, his lure pulls strong. It’s an attraction she cannot deny.

And one that puts her career on the line.

Get it for free from Amazon right now here www.amazon.com/Jennifers-Garden

Find out more about Dianne Venetta on her website here www.diannevenetta.com

Book review: Hunk for the Holidays by Katie Lane

Hunk for the Holidays

As vice president of her family’s construction company, Cassie McPherson always puts business before pleasure. That might explain why she doesn’t have a date for the company Christmas party. But it doesn’t quite explain why she’s crazy enough to hire an escort for the event or—crazier still—why she’s dying to unwrap him like a present . . .

With whiskey-colored eyes and a killer smile, James is one gorgeous hunk who really knows how to fill out a tuxedo. He charms everyone—including Cassie. And when the night ends, the party doesn’t stop. As Cassie falls, literally, into his bed, James falls head over heels in love. Now he has to figure out a way to tell her the truth: he’s not an escort. He’s her family’s fiercest business rival. But all he wants for Christmas is her . . .

This is actually my first Katie Lane book. The blurb sounded fun and i have heard good things about Katie Lane books so i was excited to read this.The McPherson's have a big construction company in which all the family work. Cassie is the Vice President but really a glorified account by her own words. It's not what she wants to do but as the only girl in the family her overprotective dad wants her in a safe place so she's stuck. James Sutton is the the McPherson's biggest rival right now so he's basically public enemy number one where they are concerned. Cassie is a workaholic and doesn't even really want to take time off for the company Christmas party which means she has no time for dating either. Usually she hires a escort to go to social events. This way she doesn't have to show up alone and well meaning family and friends can't try to set her up with a really great guy that they know. This time though it's James who shows up at her door. Cassie's dad is the one who invites him to the office and then they are supposed to do to the company Christmas party.His chance to size him up. He can't make it though. Unfortunately Cassie doesn't know this nor does she know what James looks like. She mistakes him for her escort and he doesn't correct her and this is where the fun begins. This was a really fun book. There are a lot of really great funny lines that will make you laugh out loud. Both James and Cassie have relationship hang ups but fall for each other anyway. The book was a little long for me though at 352 pages. Here and there it drags just a little bit. I loved all the characters though. Cassie and her brothers are fun even though sometimes Cassie seems a bit clueless. James is great though. I liked him the best. Nice romance that just happens to be at Christmas time. 4 out of 5 Modokker Book Pick stars for Hunk for the Holiday's by Katie Lane.


Find out more about Katie Lane, this book and her other work here on her website www.katielanebooks.com

Book review: An Outlaw's Christmas (McKettricks) By Linda Lael Miller

Available Now!
With his wild heart, Sawyer McKettrick isn’t ready to settle down on the Triple M family ranch in Arizona. So he heads to Blue River, Texas, to seek a job as marshal. But in a blinding snowstorm he’s injured—and collapses into the arms of a prim and proper lady in calico.

The shirtless, bandaged stranger recuperating in teacher Piper St. James’s room behind the schoolhouse says he’s a McKettrick, but he looks like an outlaw. As they wait out the storm, the handsome loner has Piper remembering long-ago dreams of marriage and motherhood. But for how long is Sawyer willing to call Blue River home?

As the gray skies clear, Piper’s one holiday wish just might bring two lonely hearts together forever.

I'm a big fan of Linda Lael Miller's McKettrick series. The original books are probably still my favorites. This one is more in that time frame than her latest books in the series. Set in in 1915 the main two McKettricks in this book are Sawyer McKettrick and Clay McKettrick(A Lawman's Christmas) sons of Jeb and Kade McKettrick from the original books in this series. It was fun to go back and kind of visit those books. There are some surprise appearances at the end of the book that i was so happy to see. 

Poor Piper like all books set in what i call way back when she as a school teacher was compromised by doing a good deed and saving Sawyer's life. If she was a man i wouldn't have mattered but back then apparently if you stayed in the same house ( even if it's a school house) with a man who wasn't your husband you were a fallen woman. Never mind the man was half dead from a gun shot wound and had no idea what was going on for hours. Piper had been a orphan and raised with her cousin Dara who was married to Clay McKettrick and convinced Piper to move out to where they lived in Blue River Texas. She took on the job of school teacher but had decided to save her every penny and move back where she came from. All that ends when she finds Sawyer in the snow and drags him in the school house in a blinding snowstorm. Her reputation is ruined the minute she does this but she could not possibly leave him there to die. Sawyer was a body guard of shorts and got tangled up with his boss's wife.  He left before things got complicated but the his boss wants him dead. That's why he finds himself shot 5 minutes after getting into town.Which perpetuates the idea he might be a outlaw to Piper when she find him and he's also carrying a gun. I enjoyed this book. You have some danger from the shooter but you have your romance between Sawyer and Piper as they get to know each other. Piper struggles to find herself and her purpose and her place as a married woman. Loved the characters and like i said the surprise at the end. Well worth reading if you love a good western romance but more so if your a fan of the original books in the McKettricks series. 4 out of 5 Modokker Book Picks for An Outlaw's Christmas by Linda Lael Miller.

Find out more about Linda Lael Miller here on her website www.lindalaelmiller.com

Book review: A Fool's Gold Christmas ( Fools Gold series book 10) by Susan Mallery

A FOOL’S GOLD CHRISTMAS (Fool’s Gold #10)
October 2012


The unrelenting cheer in Fool's Gold, California, is bringing out the humbug in dancer Evie Stryker. She learned early on that Christmas miracles don't happen, at least not for her. And this year seems like no exception. An injury has forced her to return to the family fold, no matter that they're estranged. She won't add to the awkward scenario by being seduced by the bad-boy charms of her brother's best friend, the last man she should ever want to date. Even when she's recruited to stage Fool's Gold's winter festival, she vows to do as promised, then move forward with her life anywhere but here. 

Jaded lawyer Dante Jefferson is getting used to the backwater town he now reluctantly calls home, but the pounding of little dancers' feet above his temporary office is more than any man should have to take! When he confronts their gorgeous teacher, he's unprepared for the attraction that sears him down to the soul. Evie is his best friend's sister-off-limits unless he's willing to risk his heart. Dante has always believed that love is the most dangerous force in the universe, but that was before he had to reckon with the magic of a certain small town, where miracles do seem to happen....

For some people it might be a little early for Christmas stories but they are always fun to read. This is the first of several i will be reviewing this year.  I've been reading the Fools Gold series by Susan Mallery since it started and this one is book 10. I've pretty much enjoyed each one. A Fool's Gold Christmas involves two characters who so far have been only secondary Characters. Dante Jefferson is Rafe Stryker's business partner. He's always been a bit a bah humbug kind of guy. Although we've never known much about him. Evie Stryker is the only girl in the family and the result of a one night stand her mother had in a time of grief. She grew up feeling shunned by her family and to her seen as a mistake her mother regretted. In Rafe's book you see him try to get close to her. Little to late for Evie. She's a grown woman now. Unfortunately a terrible injury gets her brought to Fools Gold for her recovery and she's stuck with a family who she feels never wanted her and her dream of a professional dancer long gone. 

I really enjoyed this book. You finally get a look into what makes Dante tick. Previously i could never decide if i liked him or not but felt there was probably more to him that you could see. He made some poor choices in his younger years and it cost him big time. He learned not to fall in love. Evie had a similar issue in never trusting anyone. Not with the way her family treated her growing up. Dante and Evie end up living next door to each other and Dante realizes he's attracted to Evie. Big no no since her brother is his partner but he can't help himself. What starts out as a casual no strings attached affair to get past the holidays turns into something more. Only one of the two can't quite handle the truth when it finally hits. I love how you get a glimpse of some of the characters from previous books. Little check ins i guess. It doesn't take away from Dante and Evie story but enhances it cause it's natural in Fools Gold with holidays to see these people. Evie finally gets to see her family really does care and they regret the way they treated her. Perfect for a Christmas story. Totally enjoyable! 4 out of 5 Modokker Book Pick stars for A Fool's Gold Christmas by Susan Mallery.

Find out more about Susan Mallery and her work on her website www.susanmallery.com