SLAVE by Sherri Hayes

PUB. INFO: The Writer's Coffee Shop Pub. House, 7/2011
GENRE: BDSM
SERIES: Finding Anna, book 1
MY GRADE: F

SYNOPSIS: Stephan has lived the lifestyle of a Dominant for five years. After several rebellious teenage years, it gave him the stability and control he had been seeking after his parent’s death.

As president of a not-for-profit foundation, he knows what his future holds and what he wants out of life. All that changes when a simple lunch with his college friend and Mentor, Daren, leads him to buying a slave.

Thrust into a situation he never thought he’d be in, Stephan can’t walk away. He is compelled to help this girl in the only way he knows how.

Brianna knows only one thing, she is a slave. She has nothing. She is nothing.

Can Stephan help Brianna realize that she is much more than just a Slave?

MY THOUGHTS: Boy, was this terrible. Brianna Reeves is a beaten down, abused, eighteen year old 'slave' in every sense of the word and seems pretty content to stay that way.

Stephan is probably at least ten years older than her (his age wasn't given) and very involved in the dark side of life. He's wealthy and though the author tries to fool the readers into believing he's a hero, hero he ain't, in my book. He buys her to get her out of a terrible situation only to put her into a new submissive one...with him, with collar and on. He's not physically or sexually abusive but ordering someone around, someone who's still a teen, and treating them like a piece of property, is abuse.

Something I find odd and totally unbelievable is, after knowing her a few days or weeks, he gets her enrolled in school to get her GED, sets her up for college, buys her a car, cell phone and all this other BS.

There was no sex in this book, except for one scene early on, and if there was more, I somehow missed it. Fine by me since I don't like either character. Stephan is pure garbage.

The only thing I liked about this was how the first person narration switched between Stephan and Brianna throughout.

I received this from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

LADY GONE BAD by Sabine Starr

PUBLISHER: Brava, 9/2012
GENRE: Historical romance
SETTING: Texas, America, 1883
AUTHOR SITE: link
MY GRADE: C

SYNOPSIS: The saloon singer known as "Lady Gone Bad" is the most drop-dead gorgeous outlaw the West has ever seen. Lady has never met a cowboy she couldn't entice, or a lawman she couldn't outrun. But when Lady tangles with a sexy U.S. Marshall, she's tempted to stick around long enough to watch him lay down the law - in her bed.

U.S. Marshall Rafe Morgan wants to lock up Lady Gone Bad for good - and he won't let his attraction to her slow him down. But when his attempt to bring Lady to justice goes awry, Rafe is nearly hanged - and by dawn, his face is plastered next to hers on every "Wanted" poster in Texas. Now on the run together, Rafe and Lady find themselves in very close quarters - and even more compromising positions. As Lady surrenders to Rafe's touch, she slowly begins to reveal all her secrets - including her real name. Maybe "Lady Gone Bad" isn't beyond redemption after all. Either way, Rafe is in for one wild ride...

MY THOUGHTS: This book was a true western. I don't really see it as romance because of how much action was in it. The hero and heroine were on the run with each other starting less than ten pages into the story and it just never slowed down, ever. Too fast, too much action for my taste.

The heroine and hero both have had tragedies in their lives and they work together to try to bring closure. The plot involving Rafe's sister just wasn't at all believable to me.

I liked the hero but the heroine seemed a bit too modern and sassy. She's twenty-seven and her real name is Sharlot but she goes by 'Lady' and 'Lady Gone Bad'. That in and of itself is just silly and annoying at the same time.

Overall, I didn't like any part of the story. It was more of an action western and that just didn't appeal to me. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone.

I received this from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

THIEF OF SHADOWS by Elizabeth Hoyt

PUBLISHER: Grand Central Publishing, 7/2012
GENRE: Historical Romance
SETTING: England, 1738
SERIES: Maiden Lane, book 4
MY GRADE: B-

SYNOPSIS: Winter Makepeace lives a double life. By day he's the stoic headmaster of a home for foundling children. But the night brings out a darker side of Winter. As the moon rises, so does the Ghost of St. Giles-protector, judge, fugitive. When the Ghost, beaten and wounded, is rescued by a beautiful aristocrat, Winter has no idea that his two worlds are about to collide.

Lady Isabel Beckinhall enjoys nothing more than a challenge. Yet when she's asked to tutor the Home's dour manager in the ways of society-flirtation, double-entendres, and scandalous liaisons-Isabel can't help wondering why his eyes seem so familiar-and his lips so tempting.

During the day Isabel and Winter engage in a battle of wills. At night their passions are revealed . . . But when little girls start disappearing from St. Giles, Winter must avenge them. For that he might have to sacrifice everything-the Home, Isabel . . . and his life.

MY THOUGHTS: I had high expectations for this. I really liked the synopsis and thought this would be an exciting read. Instead it was a bit boring. I liked both hero and heroine but something was missing and I can't put my finger on what is was.

The twenty-six year old hero being a virgin was a total turn-off and I'm not sure what the point of that was. Other than that, I like the man he is and the good deeds he's doing for children under cover of night.

I too liked the graphic sex scenes and that the heroine wasn't a dried up young widow. Since her husband's death, she's had a few lovers. I also liked little Christopher. I'm not ususally too happy about children being in romance books but I enjoyed his character a lot and found him to be a little cutie who was just looking for a mother's love. I'm not happy with the way Isobel was cold to him but I understand it a bit.

I received this from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.