Sweet Dreams

Sweet Dreams

Rochelle Alers

Rating 4

Mystery Man Who Are You

Rochelle Alers writes an excellent story testing the trust of two people who have had relationship issues.

Charadra Eaton has found pleasure in teaching students throughout her travels but when she finally finds a craving to return home she realizes that during her travel she has not really found home. After living aboard for two years and living through her sexual frustrations through dreams that she writes down in vivid details. She finds that she has finally met her match with Preston Tucker when she mistakenly leaves her journal in a cab and Preston finds it. Preston Tucker is a famous playwright who has been known for his enticing plays but when he finds Charada’s journal and reads it in its entirety he decides that he must meet the woman behind the erotic dreams and writings. Preston is intrigued with CHarada Eaton when he meets her he realizes that not only is she a excellent write but she’ feisty and intelligent and he come sot realize he she compliments him perfectly. What neither Charada nor Preston realizes is they are soul mates and destiny ahs place them together but will trust allow them to build a true relationship.

Rochelle writes about an elegant family with the dream of happiness but when it comes to finding happiness the test of all has to come true.

Spontaneous

Spontaneous

Brenda Jackson

Rating 5

Combustion

Brenda Jackson writes a red hot novel with blazing scenes of two people who deserve to be loved battling to ensure they never acquired heartbreak as their parents have endure by the one’s they loved.

Kimani Cannon is set on being a doctor but also she knows that she will never marry after enduring her mother being her father’s punching bag after becoming intoxicated.  However  her mother has continue to believe that Kim has the chance to find love when all Kimani can do is think of nothing what happen to her mother and wanting her mother happy.  When her mother calls her announcing her fifth marriage Kim is determine to ensure her mother’s happiness and safety.  Duan Jefferies has never realized that love would hit him especially after his mother walked out of his and his siblings’ lives without a backwards glance.  Duan is happy that his siblings have found love but when he finds himself face to face with Kimani he finds himself infuse with her not only her looks but also her feistiness and her outlook on life.  Duan never thought he would gain happiness but when he finds it, he knows he will not come between Kimani and her dreams but destiny has better ideas.  Duan has prepared to save himself from making a fool of himself while Kim has learned some valuable lessons as well as information that is vital to their relationship that will take them both on another level.

Brenda Jackson has done it again writing about a family with their own issues but still find time to help others as well as fall in love.  Mrs. Jackson wrote a complete story even tying in her secondary characters perfectly another job well done.

Safe in His Embrace

Safe in His Embrace

Candice Poarch

Rating 4

Running from You

Candice Poarch writes a sensual story that teaches us how far someone goes to protect their heart and to protect their life but our hearts cannot be protected from true love.

Senetra Blain has been on the run from her ex-husband who has been able to avoid any type of punishments from the various abuses he has put her through. Force to go to a place where he would not think to look for her she is force to reconstruct her life to the point to where she does not even make contact with her mother directly. Senetra recreates whom she is to name herself Regina Novak but when she meets someone who is close to her home state she finds herself retreating but not before, she finds herself curious about him and with that little bit of curiosity he breaks through the wall she has put around her heart. He gets there slowly but surely and soon they are dating but not before he makes the mistake of blurting out her real name during a weekend getaway that sends her running for her life thinking that her ex-husband has found her. Alex Wilson sees Senetra and knows who she is but decides for whatever reason she is living in Alaska as Regina he would wait for her to feel close enough to him to provide the information. He has gradually fallen in love with her but a moment in bliss leads to him giving away what he knows and it puts her on the defensive leaving him with the time of his life on his hands getting her to believe him and trying to win her back. While Alex and Senetra are dealing with their problems and trying to reach beyond a point that can lead them to a happy life Senetra mother is trying to reach her without avail to get her information that can possible bring her back home. Not before, she opens up a lifeline that provides extra opportunity for Senetra to learn how to love again.

Candice Poarch writes an excellent story that teaches us that learning to love is something that is hard once it has been broken. I love how Candice bridges families together and bring them back to become one and how she takes us on a visual tour of Alaska.

Queen of His Heart

Queen of His Hearts

Adrianne Byrd

Review Rating 4

Cat N Mouse

Adrianne Byrd writes an exciting intense story about soul mates with all the odds and circumstances set against them coming together. Only a little divine intervention will make a happily ever after for this couple.

Spa owner, Jalila Goodwin has met nothing but losers and duds in her search for a knight in shining armor. When Jalila is offered the opportunity of a lifetime, she finds herself in an intense situation that could lead to love or more heartache. Keenan Armstrong, an executive producer in a rut. When Keenan partner thrusts reality television in his face he finds himself wondering if he could pull it off. The last thing he expected was to start having feeling for the subject of his new show. Will these two be able to find real love in the middle of a reality show?

Adrianne Byrd writes a hilarious girlfriend read that would have the women howling in laughter. Even the secondary characters had their own sideline drama that added to this hilarious story. The only negative situation I found in this book was the hero need to drop the F bomb when wanting to be intimate with his heroine. As well as some of the requested and the actions of the heroine once or twice, it was necessary for me to look at the cover of the book wondering to myself if I was reading an erotica piece instead of a romance.

Recipe for Temptation

Recipe for Temptation

Maureen Smith

Rating 5

It is getting HOT…

Maureen Smith brings the heat out of the kitchen in a way that makes you not look at a kitchen the same again.

Reese St. James has had it after losing a longtime patient the OB/GYN realizes she’s burnt out and on edge of a emotional and physical breakdown and rather than risk a patient’s life and her career she takes a two month sabbatical to Atlanta, Georgia where she her mind set on finding her way again and evaluating life. Never in her dreams did she think that she would come to meet a man she has idolize from afar and fantasize about being in her bed but when she finds herself in Michael Wolfe’s restaurant enjoying a meal to only look up and see the man himself she’s besides herself and not exactly sure what to do. When things are turned up and Michael attempts to bust her in a lie that he believes she has told she soon finds herself looking at him as if he is the Devil himself. Michael Wolf is a man who everyone knows from television to his restaurant but when he sees Reese sitting in his Atlanta restaurant eating by herself he is intrigued by her. He has no problem expressing his interest but when he’s told she’s a food critic and he realizes she’s not who she says she is he’s furious and determined to get back at her. Michael soon learns that Reese is really whom she really is he feels like a fool and attempts to go out of his way to apologize and regain his footing with her. When the two go head to head and they both realize the mistake they are determined to make the best out of what’s there but when they attempt to protect their hearts and words are said that can cause a rift almost not fixable their true feelings are put to the tested. Everyone around them can feel the heat and sizzle even their viewers on the cooking show can see it but will Reese accepted before it is too late.

Maureen Smith took us back to meet a few characters from Taming the Wolf as well as A Touch of Heaven and she got two secondary characters from both of these books and gave them a story within this story itself. Maureen can take a story and make you fall in love with every character wanting to see them again and again I look forward to the next extension of this group when she brings back two people Michael well respects.

Hidden Pleasures by Brenda Jackson

Hidden Pleasures

Brenda Jackson

Rating 4.5

The Price of Love

Brenda Jackson returns to the scene with another Steele this time the Phoenix clan also known as The Bad News Steele’s’. The Steele brothers were truly their father’s sons and their love for woman was obvious as well as their need to hold on to their bachelor cards unlike their cousins’ in North Carolina.

Brittany Thrasher was the umpteen of prim and proper so when she meets Galen Steele she is very disgusted with the way he presents himself and had no problem telling him as such. Brittan grew up in a situation that left her insecure with who she was so when she receives word from a woman in Phoenix stating that she may possible be able to bring closure to some questions in her life she finds herself on a journey to find and find the answers. Galen Steele had never forgot the chocolate beauty he had all but bullied out of her cab but when he sees her at a Phoenix auction he’s determined to find out more about her and get to her in his bed and out of his mind. After he learns information that he realizes is the key to getting what he wants he puts his plans into action. Brittany knew she had to win the auction on a vital piece of information but when she gets into a bidding war with a man, she realizes that she may not be able to achieve her goal. When a man she isn’t aware of snags it for an amount that is total over her range Brittany is determined to negotiate her way to collect her piece. When she realizes the man is Mr. Ill Manners from New York she is ready to walkway but when he gives her the proposal of a lifetime Brittany is determined to do a little soul searching and gaining the property but not before fate has a little fun between Galen and her.

Brenda continues the Forged Steele Series with a hot one right of Phoenix. I get the feeling Drew’s boys are going to fall hard but wont’ go down without a fight.

Heart’s Secret by Adrianne Byrd Rating 3

Heart’s Secret

Adrianne Byrd

Rating 3

Project Runway vs. Wall Street

When you start this novel, think Donald Trump but add a little chocolate and down the age some and then throw in Tyra Banks because in this story well Wall Street meets Top Model. Adrianne Byrd spins a story on the rich and famous dating services and how far families will go to keep a clean breed when it comes to expanding their families.

Jaxon Landon is tired of his grandparents nagging about him settling down so he decides to get them off of his back by devising the perfect plan of bringing a woman to them and presenting her as his finance but never once did he think that his plan could very well back fire in his face. He’s known to many as the Prince of Wall Street woman are dying to be with him and he can have his pick of woman by he can’t seem to get his grandparents to understand that so when he introduces Kitty a dancer from a night spot he favors he had never suspected that his grandmother had meddle. She has possibly with the help of her matchmaker granddaughter found his kinder soul. Zora Campbell had found herself alone yet successful but when her best friend who also doubles as a professional matchmaker comes to her asking for a favor Zora never knew that this favor could change her life and put her in a situation where happiness may very well cost her because of her little white lie that wasn’t really hers. Zora knew men wanted her because of her looks and what she had but she wanted a man who could meet her on her level and appreciate her for her so when she meets Jaxon at his grandparents anniversary she is struck by his beauty but upset with his fiancée. When she finds herself between two men who do not have a care for one another, she finds out how far everyone will go to get what they are destined for.

Adrianne Byrd has seemed to somehow or another brought woman’s fiction into romance over the past few books. I’ve recently seen I’ve found words that are almost never been mention in our black romances and at this point it makes me come to pick up a book with Adrianne Byrd’s name on it and look at it as a woman’s fiction instead of a romance. Truthfully, this book was good until you get to certain parts where you have to stop and wonder if you purchased an erotica or a Kimani Romance. While Mrs. Byrd has a great romance writing history, she is starting to lose me a reader of her romance novel. But overall the book was a great read without a few scenes that could have been without she touches on subjects that are real and in our world and she handles them with care and makes the story and stronger story.

Deadly Sexy by Beverly Jenkins Rating 5

Beverly Jenkins takes us on a fun ride of the inside workings of the sports world not only does she offer the glitz and glamour but she takes us on the business side where things just get downright nasty.

JT Blake is Los Angeles’ toughest and sexiest sports agent. Lady B as she’s called is able to negotiate contracts, quote players’ stats, play a mean game of Madden football and keep her sometime, overprotective, multimillion dollar, clients in line without breaking a sweat. Every man who has encounter her has been in awe of her and has tried to win the hand of Lady B but no one has been able to match wits with her until she meets Reese Anthony.
While driving an eighteen-wheeler on California’s I-5 to San Francisco, Reese stops to help what appeared to be a damsel in distress. He quickly learned that not only was she beautiful but she was also very knowledgeable of sports and cars. Reese offered JT a ride back to Oakland and the sparks immediately began to ignite. However, there was more to Reese then he let on. He was not just your average truck driver. He was actually an ex-Detroit vice cop turned attorney, who is also the a major factor of his father’s trucking company but just recently Reese has landed a position as the head investigator for one of the leagues investigation  team. Little did he know, he would also have to protect JT as well?

As always Beverly Jenkins brings it when she wrote this. As an avid Jenkins fan, I can defiantly say I love how she ties history into all her pieces and keeps everything realistic. Kudos Mrs. Jenkins.

Chemistry by Kim Louise

CHEMISTRY

KIM LOUISE

RATING 3

LOVER’S CHEMISTRY

Kim Louise writes a sweet romance that shows how interest draws people but sometimes fate has to play a part to make things go forward.

Kyra Douglas is set on making one thing happen and that is getting her poetry published in a literary magazine that will recognize her for her works. However until that day comes she will continue to work as a techie at Com-Tel America. Kyra has been gone for a month to enjoy a writing retreat and when she returns things have been shaking up a tad bit and when she is, introduce to Race Jennings with his computer problems she finds herself in awe with him. When she finds out that her best friend is dating the new CFO, she looks at him as off limits but not before they share a few heated moments. Race has decisions to make when he finds himself attracted to the techie he realizes that he can’t have both woman and he has to decides and because he was seeing Chantal before he got to know Kyra he does the gentleman thing and goes after Kyra. Fate has a way of playing with people. Race knew the relationship with Chantel was strictly lust but he was not sure if it was worth pursing but when he finds that, she is, interested in poetry he is willing to try it. He likes what he is seeing but when things begin to build and he starts to realize things is not what they seem things begin to make sense and attractions begin to fly.

Kim twists romance and poetry with the corporate world producing a sensual word play story that leaves you with a smile. While the story seem to almost be predictable, it was nice to see a romance writer write a story without any major drama of today’s society.

Prize of a Lifetime (Donna Hill)

Prize of a Lifetime

Donna Hill

Rating 5

How Far Will U Go

Donna Hill writes a seductive fun novel about two individuals who any reader will fall in love with and want to win.  The question still remains can they have both?

Mitch Davenport not only has lost his business but the woman he thought as his forever when he found himself in a financial situation he watched his forever walk out of his life with resentment of his situation.  However, Mitch has been offered the opportunity of a lifetime with the possibility of gaining all that he lost plus more.  However, before that can happen he has to learn how to accept life and all its surprise.  Sasha Carrington who has always dream of having her own and making her mark has been offered an opportunity of a lifetime to possible gain what she seeks she never expected to find a man who not only sparks her interest but also wins her heart.  The question still remains will her need for independence overrule her heart or will she choose and allow them to have it all.  Sasha and Mitchell have had their downfalls as well as their great moments together & separate but the love that they share is the ultimate sacrifice.

Donna Hill turns up the heat but also make our hero and heroine own up to their downfalls before their true density can take shape.