I so dare.. REVIEW: "When You Dare" by Lori Foster

Why this book?: I needed some hunky alpha males this weekend.

Disclaimer: This book was given to me in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Type: Romantic Suspense, alpha males, Seriously excellent names, Hunky heroes, Mercenary for Hire, Author chick, Gay best friend, Doggies!

Pages: 448
Publisher: Harlequin
ISBN: 978-0-373-77571-2

About the book: Professional mercenary Dare Macintosh lives by one hard and fast rule: business should never be personal. If a cause appeals to him and the price is right, he'll take the mission he's offered. But then the lovely Molly Alexander asks him to help her track down the men who'd had her kidnapped—and for the first time, Dare's tempted to combine work with pleasure.

Fiercely independent, Molly vows to trust no one until she's uncovered the truth. Could the enemy be her powerful estranged father? The ex-fiancé who still holds a grudge? Or the not-so-shy fan of her bestselling novels? As the danger heats up around them, the only anchor Molly has is Dare himself. But what she feels for him just might be the most frightening thing of all…. [From the back cover]


My Review: I'm really getting into the whole romantic suspense genre. I would classify this book as suspense, though to be honest, there was far more romance than suspense going on, but considering the plot, I think the genre title is fair. I feel a little conflicted about the book, there were parts I really loved, and some things just fell flat. That said, I'm still very eager to check out the other two novels in this series, "Trace of Fever" and "Savor the Danger."

I'll start with the characters, since that was the most important thing for me. I really liked Dare, and not just for his name. Despite his violent lifestyle, he seems like a truly stand up guy, the type of person I really respect. He doesn't let the violence interfere into his regular life. He's a take charge character, and he is very knowledgeable about how to deal with difficult, and potentially dangerous situations. He knows he has to protect Molly, and he's willing to do anything and everything to make sure she's safe. I really do appreciate this sort of character, and the development that went into it - I didn't just read Dare's characteristics, I felt them. Also, he has an excellent name - Dare Macintosh - so it's hard to not like him.

Continuing on, I wasn't a huge fan of the heroine, Molly. I love tough chicks, heroines that take the hit and just keep going, that rise above the tough circumstances. However, it seemed like despite the fact that Molly never broke down from her ordeal, she wasn't really tough. Molly's character lacked the realness that Dare had. I will take a real feeling heroine over a tough one any day. She was in a terrible situation, and I wanted her to break down and show some real emotion. It seemed like she needed to process what she had been through, even just to take some time and cry it all out. But instead she was ready to just drop it and move on. I'm not saying that's a horrible way to deal with a situation, but for this character in this story, it didn't seem to fit.

Despite my issues with one of the main characters, I chose to stick with the book, mostly for Dare. But in the end, I'm glad I did - the ending sequence and reveal of the villain really did it for me. I actually skipped through some of the steamy scenes (practically unheard of for me) because I wanted to get to the action scenes, and to see Dare at work. So in the end, I would suggest this book to others, and I will definitely be reading the rest of the books.

Cover Loving: Excellent cover. Hard to pass this one up! I wish I had a nice poster featuring this cover...

Recommendation: Fans of romantic suspense will most likely want to pick this one up.

Final Rating: THREE POINT FIVE out of FIVE (3.5/5). Good, but not great. I enjoyed it well enough, but there were some things I just couldn't get over.

Have you read "When You Dare" by Lori Foster, or any of the sequels? Share your thoughts in the comments! Want to pick up a copy? Get it from Amazon.com!

Happy Reading!
~!~ Amanda ~!~

I certainly am! Review of "Rough, Raw, and Ready" by Lorelei James

Howdy folks. I know I'm certainly in the mood for some rough and tough cowboys. And this book just about did the trick. Sexy cowboy overload! Are you Rough, Raw and Ready (Rough Riders) ? 

Disclaimer:  I bought this book. I was not given this book or anything else in exchange for a review.

Type: Series, Cowboys, Menage-a-trois, M/M/F, Emotional Baggage, Marriage +1, I'm totes jealous of this girl.

Why this book?: I'm working my way through the Rough Riders series. My work just got most of them in (except for this one, is that on purpose - considering the content?) and I finally decided to read them all IN ORDER.

About the book: Chassie West Glanzer has got a pretty darn good life, and a super sexy husband - former rodeo champ and buckle-bunny chaser Trevor Glanzer. Their own little ranch is out of the way, so she found it quite odd when a man walked right up to their doorstep. His name is Edgard Mancuso, and he claims to be an old friend of Trevor's. After inviting him to stay for the next few weeks while Edgard's truck is being repaired, Chassie learns Edgard and Trevor's secret. They were lovers years ago, and it's obvious the bond between them hasn't lessened over time. Now Edgard and Chassie have to figure out what to do when they're both in love with the same man. And Trevor couldn't possibly give up either one. Is a solution even possible, or will everyone end up heartbroken?

I have read all the Rough Riders books coming before this one, and while I enjoyed each and everyone one of them - so far, this book is definitely my favorite. Each book was good, certainly, but I could still put them down and go off to do something else while reading. But I couldn't stop reading or thinking about Edgard, Trevor, and Chassie. Their story seems so much more emotional. And yes, there are always going to be cheesy scenes, but I thought the story in this book more than made up for anything else. By now, we all know (or at least you should) that Ms. James can write quite the steamy scene, and there is no lack of those in this book. But this book is just so much more than the sex. It's about dealing with love from the past, and present. And figuring out how to compromise, and how to live without being afraid of what other people will think of you.

The characters rang true, and real. You could practically feel the tension between the two men, and understand Chassie's difficulty at accepting and understanding just how deep Edgar and Trevor's relationship ran. And I definitely identified with Chassie, not just when it comes to confusion, but with her family troubles as well. As a West, related to the McKays but definitely not in tight with the core group, Chassie feels left out when it comes to family issues. Oh, they include her for the most part, but when it comes to something serious, she's left on the sidelines. Except for Trevor, the McKays are all Chassie has left, and you can feel the hurt she deals with. Not to mention Edgard's, and Trevor's family problems.

Recommendation: Heck yes! Everyone that enjoys some good steamy scenes, some even better steamy cowboys, and a emotional thrillride to boot? Pick up your copy today via the link to Amazon.com on the left.
Final rating: FIVE out of FIVE. I've been shying away from such high ratings lately, because while I may enjoy a book, I've realized not everything is perfect. But this book definitely warrants such a great rating. Will the rest of the series measure up? We'll see, I've got the next four on deck, waiting for their turn.

Have you read "Rough, Raw, and Ready" or any other book by Lorelei James? What are your thoughts? Share your opinions in the comments. =)

Until next time, Happy Reading!
~!~ Amanda, aka Morning Glow ~!~