Book review: Hotshot (Buchanan-Renard #11) by Julie Garwood

Available August 6, 2013
Peyton Lockhart and her sisters have inherited Bishop’s Cove, a small, luxurious oceanfront resort, but it comes with a condition: The girls must run the resort for one year and show a profit—only then will they own it.

A graduate of a prestigious French culinary school, Peyton has just lost her job as a food critic. Out of work and in a bad place personally, a year doing something completely different sounds wonderful.

There are countless challenges and too many people who want to stop the sisters from succeeding. Among them are Peyton’s contentious cousins, who are outraged that they didn’t inherit the resort, as well as a powerful group of land developers who have been eyeing the coveted beachfront property.

It’s soon apparent to Peyton that their efforts are being sabotaged, but she refuses to let the threats scare her—until she’s nearly killed. She calls on her childhood friend and protector, Finn MacBain, now with the FBI, and asks for his help. He saved her life once; he can do it again.


Finn MacBain meets Peyton Lockhart when she's a little girl in the beginning of this book. He's 14 and she's 6. Peyton's family is the MacBain's new neighbors and because of a incident with the Lockhart's pool Finn and his 2 brothers aren't allowed over there.  Just so happens the evening the Lockharts are having a party Finns observes a little girl wander out to their pool and sit down and in a matter of minutes she falls in. Finn runs to the rescue when he bursts into the party knocking Mr Lockhart down in the process and dives into the pool and saves her. From then on Finn has a fan for life in Peyton.  Years later Finn is with the FBI now and home for one of his twin brothers wedding. Peyton walks right up to him and says hi and he has no idea who she is until she calls him the knickname she gave him years before,"Hotshot".  Peyton  has just gotten a job at a foodie magazine and uproots herself from  her home to move to another state only to find out her new boss is a major sexual predator. After getting some evidence against him she takes off only to be chased in a snow storm and almost run off the road and shot at.  When Finn notices the bullet holes in Peyton's car he starts looking into what's going on. In the mean time  Peyton and her two sisters are offered a deal by their wealthy uncle who owns a bunch of resorts.  They can run Bishop's Cove in Florida for one year and make a profit they can keep it forever. While Peyton and her sister Lucy move down there to start working on the resort and getting it ready they have to deal with a cousin who is hell bent on ruining their chances. All the while this is going on someone is still trying to kill Peyton or at the very least scare her to death.  Finn is on the job and although they become close he's in denial that he he loves her can't leave her alone. He can't although he does try it just doesn't work.   This book has  a lot going on. Peyton and her sisters trying to fix up the resort while someone is trying to sabatoge the whole thing and then Peyton nasty ex-boss  trying to silence her from exposing what he's been doing  to his father in law. Peyton comes across as a strong female character trying to do the right thing by exposing her boss and protecting other women from him and trying to run a resort while dealing with her crazy family. Finn is this larger than life good guy, former Olympic champion and now super FBI agent. The man is saving the world one day at a time.  I love how Julie Garwood brings back past characters in small ways.  You'll find a few previous characters mentioned in this book and hearing tidbits about past characters always gives me a thrill.  This is a fast read and i enjoyed the main characters as well as all the secondary characters. Another win for me from Julie Garwood. 5 out of 5 stars for Hotshot!

Find out more about this book and everything Julie Garwood on her website here www.juliegarwood.com

Book Review: Sweet Talk by Julie Garwood

Available starting today 8/7/2012

Sweet Talk


When FBI agent Grayson Kincaid first encounters Olivia MacKenzie, she makes quite an impression.

The beautiful, tough, young attorney has stumbled into the middle of an FBI sting operation and has reduced it to chaos. Months of surveillance and careful planning down the drain, Kincaid's partner is furious and lets Olivia know that she's ticked off the wrong guy. After all, he's FBI.

Olivia isn't intimidated by his partner's bullying because she's something even scarier...she's IRS. And working for the IRS isn't for the faint of heart. She's on the trail of an elaborate Ponzi scheme, one that threatens to ruin the lives of naive and unsuspecting victims, and one she has personal reasons to be angry about. But after she asks questions of the wrong people, her life is suddenly endangered. She's accustomed to fighting for the underdog but being vulnerable herself is a very different story. Smart enough to know when she need reinforcements, she looks to Grayson Kincaid.

Together they make an excellent team to fight corruption, but Olivia is also fighting the immediate and intense attraction she feels for Agent Kincaid, and that may be a battle she is bound to lose.

Anyone who knows me know i am a huge Julie Garwood fan. It makes reading her new books a lot of fun but a little scary too. Of course i hope to love them but there is the chance i won't. I really like how Julie connects her books. In this new one they are at one of the Hamilton hotels and Grayson knows and speaks to Aidan from one of her earlier books Murder List. Grayson is also the cousin of Sam from a couple of books ago, Sizzle.  This book starts with 4 little girls who are gravely ill and form a bond because of their shared pain and suffering. They all survive and the book begins with Olivia going to a job interview because she thinks she might lose her job at the IRS to cut backs. She ends up getting attacked by the guy interviewing her and his body guard. FBI agent Grayson Kincaid ( love that name) comes to the rescue when he tackles the body guard and saves her. That's how they meet!  Olivia had a hard childhood. She spent most of it in the hospital seriously ill and none of her family every came to see her until her aunt Emma moved to be near her and became like a surrogate mom to her. The three girls she was hospitalized with are her best friends even now. She grew up to become a lawyer and she  uses that to help kids in need of legal representation. Which sometimes gets her into dangerous situations.Outside of that she's trying to put her father in prison for what she thinks is a big Ponzi scheme. She just can't seem to find the evidence she needs to prove it. Somehow the guy her job interview turned fist fight  with has something to do with her father and between threats from him and her family and her dad lawyer and well several other people, her life is in danger. Grayson of course is going to protect her at any cost. Grayson for his part doesn't have to work. He's got plenty of money and at this time is caring for his 9 year old nephew. (sweet huh?)  I like how this story played out. I was really hoping we'd get a little more Aidan though instead of just the one appearance at the beginning because i have been hoping for a long time that she'd get back to him and Cordy from her previous book Murder List. A couple of the sex scenes were the kind you might roll your eyes at although a couple others were really darn hot. I love epilogues but the one Julie did here was kind of me'h for me. Didn't add anything really. What i really liked what Grayson and Olivia as a couple. I also loved some of the character names for Grayson and Ronan. The one name i didn't like but hope if this is going to continue on with the other girls is Olivia's one friend Collins. 4 out of 5 Modokker Book Pick stars for Sweet Talk by Julie Garwood.

Find out more about this book and Julie Garwood's other work on her website here. www.juliegarwood.com

What about your comfort read?

Do you have a comfort read? Your go to book or author that you  turn to when you just aren't in the mood mentally to read a new unknown book?? Do you get out a comfort read when you don't feel good. Keep a pile by your bed?? Are any of those books read so much they are kind of getting a wee bit tattered? Um YES! Too all of it. Right now between reading other new stuff I am reading Saving Grace by Julie Garwood. I confess she is my #1 comfort read author. ANYTHING she's written works for me. I have probably read all her books at least 30 times a piece. Each one. They never get old for me. Some of the authors depending on what i feel i need are Jill Shalvis ( like your surprised) Susan Mallery, Linda Lael Miller (cowboys sigh) Christine Feehan (paranormal) Roxanne St Claire ( again surprised? not) and Cindy Gerard both for Romantic Suspense. These are are authors where i own the majority of their books in paperback and there is a considerable pile by my bed. I put them away every now and then but tend to start dragging them back out again right away. lol How about you? What do you look for in a comfort read??? What makes you feel better?

Do you save your favorite books? The Bride by Julie Garwood

This is the original cover in 1989


A later cover which most of you might recognize.


By edict of the king, the mighty Scottish laird Alec Kincaid must take an English bride. His choice was Jamie, youngest daughter of Baron Jamison...a feisty, violet-eyed beauty. Alec ached to touch her, to tame her, to possess her...forever. But Jamie vowed never to surrender to this highland barbarian.



He was everything her heart warned against-an arrogant scoundrel whose rough good looks spoke of savage pleasures. And thought Kincaid's scorching kisses fired her blood, she brazenly resisted him...until one rapturous moment quelled their clash of wills, and something far more dangerous than desire threatened to conquer her senses...

Sigh I love this book. Just finished re-reading it for the probably 50th time??? yeah....

How many of you re-read your favorite books? Do you have keepers that you love so much you can't bear to let them go? I do. To be honest i have at least 7 boxes of various sizes filled with books by authors i can't bear to let go. I'll borrow them to friends to spread my love for these books and authors but I make sure they come back. In between new releases i re-read these. If i need a comfort read i go to one of these boxes and pick whatever strikes my fancy. I keep a handful of these by my night stand for when i can't sleep. Julie Garwood and Nora Roberts were the first two authors that made my keepers list. I bought a few Nora Roberts books at my local libraries used book sale several years ago. I had not read since high school due to work, stint in the Army and having small children. It was actually the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyers and all the talk about it that got me to try reading again. After reading that series i was kind of stuck not knowing what to read because i didn't know any authors. Luckily a friend dragged me to the used book sale where i picked up Miss Nora. I had Nora Roberts then so i read and read and read and finally decided a couple months later i should try someone else too. Who though? My friend was reading a Julie Garwood book and I looked it over ( she was reading it and wouldn't let me have it right then lol). I went to the library to see what else they had by her. I checked out Murder List and was very hooked on Julie in no time. This is where my love for the Scottish highlanders came from. I had a copy of Shadow Music from somewhere and i kept thinking I don't want to read some old historical. It's probably really stuff and boring. One day I decided to at least read the first chapter. If i didn't like it i would give it away or donate it. HA!! I think i read that book in one sitting and stayed up half the night. I think most if not all Julie Garwood's back-list is now in ebook form for those of you with ereaders who love Julie Garwood like i do or who would like to give her a go. She only writes one book a year and i wait patiently although sometimes not so patiently for it to come out. This year we're waiting for August to come around.

I would love to hear about your list of keepers if you would like to share. Do you keep books or at least re-read books if you have a ereader only? Do you have a list of authors that you always buy and always keep? Who are they and why do you love them? Here's a short list of mine.


Julie Garwood
Nora Roberts
Jill Shalvis
Susan Mallery
Linda Lael Miller
Christine Feehan
JR Ward
Lori Foster
Debra Kayn
Dana Marton

This is my long standing list. Authors I've been collecting so to speak since i started reading again several years ago. I have discovered many more since then.  I confess i can add to it right now but it would get really long. Many have been around for a while that i just didn't have the opportunity to read ( to many authors not enough time in the day). In the past year though I have discovered more and more debut authors. Brand spanking newly published authors. Please be sure to give these authors a try as well as the more established authors. There are really good books by some really great authors everywhere. Best place to start finding these fine people is on Facebook and twitter but i think a even better place in through reading blogs. All kinds of blogs. Even authors have blogs where they talk about not only their own work but work of fellow authors. The romance community is kind of a family and most everyone is really nice and helpful. Most authors are down to earth real people just like everyone else out there. My blog has links to several blogs to the left side of this post. I encourage you to start there and see where it leads you. Almost every blog has a blog list like mine so you can keep finding new authors and books and reviews that way.

PS Some new debut authors I've read and enjoyed in the past year are:
Sierra Dean
JB Lynn
Besty Horvath
Heather Snow
Jenn LeBlanc
Jodie Griffin
Lexi George

Book review: Ideal Man by author Julie Garwood

I received a eARC through netgalley of Ideal man for my honest opinion and review.

I'm so excited about this book that I'm going to just come right out with the blurb for starters.

Ideal Man
Julie Garwood
August 9th 2011
Pre-order now.
Dr. Ellie Sullivan has just completed her residency at a large urban hospital. While jogging in a park nearby, she witnesses the shooting of an FBI agent in pursuit of wanted criminals, a couple identified as the Landrys. The only person to see the shooter's face, Ellie is suddenly at the center of a criminal investigation.


Agent Max Daniels takes over the Landry case. A no-nonsense lawman, he's definitely not the ideal man that Ellie has always imagined, yet she's attracted to him in a way she can't explain.

 I read in one big gulp and hated to see it end. Max is just plain awesome. Poor Ellie had a rough up bringing. At age 11 she found herself a child prodigy and shortly after she picked up a stalker. Evan Patterson who was 6 years older than Ellie became obsessed with her and at one point nearly killed her. Finally her parents with the help of a FBI friend found her a family to stay with 800 miles away where hopefully Evan can't find her. Now Ellie is a trauma surgeon and witnesses a FBI agent getting shot by the Landry's some baddies the FBI has been after for some time. She ends up doing surgery on the agent and this is where she meets Max Daniels FBI agent and sexiest man alive Ellie thinks.  There is instant chemistry between the two and when Max finds out the Landrys have a hit out on her he volunteers to follow her to her parents home where she is for her sisters wedding. Now Ellie has to worry about Evan Patterson and a possible hit man out to get her. Not to worry Max is there to protect her.  I just have to say that Julie Garwood is my favorite author. I have never been disappointed in any book of hers that I've picked up to read. This always makes me a bit nervous when she has a new book coming out because I'm afraid i might be disappointed. I am pleased to say that that didn't happen here. This is one of the best books I've read all year. I give Ideal man by Julie Garwood 5 out of 5 Modokker Book Pick Stars. A Must read. To read more about Julie Garwood and her books click here to check out her website www.juliegarwood.com . If you are familiar with Julie Garwood's other books there is a surprise mention of Michael Buchanan at the end of this book but that's it. Wonder if that means Michael might get a book. Never hear much about him. One can hope.

What's coming on the blog is June

Been a crazy week this week. I only was able to get one review up but it was a great book so that's good. My Internet was out for almost 2 days and i ended up with a different antenna for my Internet a bigger one! Bigger is better right? Then my power went out today for no reason at all. I finally got it back on and here i am. Before the weekend is out I'll have a review of author JB Lynn's debut novel "First Victim". It's a romantic suspense. I am reading another debut "Demon Hunting in the Dixie" by Lexie George that is proving interesting and funny so far. In the next few weeks I'm going to be hopefully be reading,
The Secret Guide to Dating Monsters by Sierra Dean
Merciless by Diane Palmer
Playing Dirty by Susan Anderson
Only Mine  by Susan Mallery ( Fool's Gold series)
Ideal man by Julie Garwood
Probably some others mixed in between as time allows.

Now what are you reading this month? I'd love to hear about it and perhaps add it to my own TBR pile. It's always growing when I'm not paying attention. lol

TBR or in other words the To be read pile

TBR, do you have one? Most people who read do. I had a decent size one about 100 books but in the last few months it's taken on a bigger size of about 200 to 250. I haven't counted. Not sure if I'll read all of them or trade some. Most were free or almost free. I have a great library i use that sells their used largely donated books very cheap. About twice a year they have a book sale and then they are even cheaper and what's left is free. Can't beat free. I always pick up a bag full of smaller Harlequin books for my mother in law although i enjoy them myself too. Lately I've been working on my TBR pile and well also trying to finish up finding and reading one of my favorite authors.  If you know me i have a list of authors that i adore. That list occasionally grows when i find someone else i can't get enough of. Once they're on my list i try to read everything they've written. Not so easy with some authors like Nora Roberts who have written so many books. Let's see if i were to make a written list of favorites they'd have to include:
Nora Roberts
Julie Garwood
Christine Feehan
JR Ward
Susan Mallery
Linda Lael Miller
If they write a book i'm going to read it. I finally read every book that Christine Feehan has written and i am working on Julie Garwood not counting books she's written as Emily Chase. Getting all Nora Roberts books written might very well take me years there are so many. I've been working my way thru Susan Mallery and Linda Lael Miller.  If you have noticed some of these authors write quite different genre's but i like that because i like to mix it up some. You can only read so much paranormal no matter how good it is until you need a little basic romance.

My TBR (to be read) pile contains quite a few Nora Roberts books. Like i said I'll be reading her forever trying to catch up. I read her new ones when they come out though. I really like the Bride Quartet series she is working on now. Besides Nora though I have a pile of Susan Wiggs, Linda Howard who is working her way on to my favorite list. LOVED Mr Perfect! Let's see we also have Christy Reece who is a newer authors with some awesome series out there and Victoria Dahl who is almost on my fav list. Her new release Lead me on should be awesome if i can every find it in the store to buy it. How about Jane Porter. wonderful writer and person.  I have tons more authors and books that's just who comes to mind. Who is on your TBR pile. How about a wish list? Have one of those? Tell me about your TBR pile/Wish list in the comments section. Who is on your list and how many books are on it. Perhaps i can find some more books to add to my list then!

REVIEW: Prince Charming by author Julie Garwood

I am a huge Julie Garwood fan! If you hang around here long enough you'll figure that out quickly. I just finished theJulie Garwood historical Prince Charming. I didn't realize how long this book was until i got halfway thru and realized it was 531 pages. I have to say though, i really enjoyed all 531 pages. From the beginning til the end it was good. I think it took my about the first 10 pages to get lost in it and then before i knew  i was halfway thru. Below is a synopsis.

England, 1868 AD. Only her beloved grandmother, Lady Esther, knew how devastated Taylor Stapleton had been when her fiance eloped with Taylor's Cousin, Jane. Now that good lady -- one of London's richest and most formidable matriarchs -- lay dying. But first she was going to help Taylor Pull off the scam of the season. To escape becoming a ward of her unscrupulous uncle, Taylor would wed Lucas Ross, a rugged American rancher,Lady Esther's money would enable Ross to bring his youngest half-brother home to Montana. Taylor had her own urgent reason to go to America ... a precious legacy she hadn't revealed to Ross, for they had agreed to go their separate ways once they reached Boston. But as her handsome new husband spoke of life in Montana, Taylor began planning a new future. To Taylor, the wide-open spaces of Montana sounded like paradise....

I just loved Taylor and Lucas. Lucas doesn't think he is worthy of love and not a gentleman but he is. His character is wonderful and Taylor is a gem. She's got alot of fire and spirit and she is definitely determined. The story is long and involved with plenty of details. Taylor picks up a new friend along the way and has many secrets. She is to pick up her deceased sisters twin girls and raise them with help from the money her grandmother leaves her. Before she can pick them up they are stolen and she has to confess to Lucas that they exist and he then vows to find them. He eventually does with his friend Hunter to help him. They pick up an addition kid a boy who has no real name. This makes them a family of sorts. Taylor takes off with her 3 new charges and her new friend for the Montana territory to get away from her nasty uncle Malcolm. Lucas catches up with her there and they decide to stay a while but dear uncle Malcolm hunts her down there and she finally has to face him to keep her twin girls. In the end Lucas and Taylor work out all their secrets and become a real family. One paragraph just isn't enough to tell everything in this book. You simply HAVE to read it! lol  It's a great read. You may need a few days to get thru the whole book but it well worth it. This isn't a new book it was released initially in 1994 but it's worth tracking down to read it. I was lucky enough to find it in a used book store for 35 cents. What a bargain that was!

Going to give it 5 Modokker book pick stars! Get this book if you love historicals you can't go wrong