What else I read in June, 2014

Here are the other books I read or listened to in June.

Books:

Pia Saves the Day (Elder Race 6.6) by Thea Harrison -Pia Saves the Day is a must read for any fan of the Elder Races books.  This follows the action in Dragos Takes a Holiday and is part of a three novella series. Dragos is in an accident and loses his memory.  Only Pia can help him get it back.  Watching the interaction between a Dragos who does not remember his past and Pia who only wants to help him is the heart of the story.  There is tension and danger as well as romance.  Look for a surprise from Liam that leads up to the next novella in this series.

Riding Hard by Vicki Lewis Thompson – Drake really did his best

friend wrong and even when he is forgiven he is at loose ends.  He does not want to go back to the life he was living so he decides to stick around.  When he meets Tracy Gibbons she helps him come to a decision about what he wants.  They also fall in love.  Tracy does not make it easy on Drake and it is fun seeing how he has to work to win first her trust and then her love.  Riding Hard is another great short fun love story in the Sons of Chance series.  Everything happens in a very short time period but Riding Hard does tell a complete story. This is part of a series but works well as a stand-alone.  If you are looking for fun reading set in the modern west pick this book up and prepare to enjoy.

Riding Home by Vicki Lewis Thompson - The series started with Regan who caught his fiancée Jeannette in bed with his best friend Drake.  Regan (Riding High) fled to Last Chance Ranch, Drake (Riding Hard) followed looking for forgiveness, then invited Jeannette to see if all three could be friends again.  In their books Reagan and Dayton found true love.  In Riding Home it is Jeannette turn to find love and a new direction in her life.  Again all of the action takes place in a very short time span.  Zach Powell and Jeanette click as soon as they meet.  They know they are in love but Zack has some issues to come to terms with before they can be together.  That is the some tension but in the end everything works out.  I did love how strong Jeanette was and how she knew what was best of Zach even though he was in denial.  I have really enjoyed this part of the Sons of Chance series.  Riding Home is a really nice short love story that held my attention to the end. 

Million Dollar Maverick by Christine Rimmer - Million Dollar Maverick is the first time I have read a Christine Rimmer book and now I am hooked on what she writes.  I love books that start and end in the same place.  In Million Dollar Maverick the book begins as Nate Crawford stops to help when Callie Kennedy runs out of gas and it ends as he finds what he really wants to do after wrecking his truck at the same place he stopped to help months ago.  Nate is trying to recover from two things.  Fear of loving again (It has been seven years since his wife died) and the dirty trick he pulled last year when he ran for mayor (he lost and the dirty trick backfired).  I loved Callie and how she stood up for what she believed and I respected Nate as he acknowledged how he tried to wrong his opponent in the election. The title – Nate won a very large powerball jackpot and is keeping it secret while doing good deeds for Rust Creek Falls, Montana.  Nate and Callie are two great characters who have a very interesting journey to their HEA.  I recommend this for anyone who likes small town and western romances.  This is part of a long running series but works very well as a stand-alone.

Unmasking Juliet by Teri Wilson - Cute sweet story is a bit of a play on the theme.  The book is about two people who make their living creating amazing chocolate treats.  It is also a play on Romeo and Juliet.  No unhappy ending though.  Leo (Romeo) and Juliet (Juliet) are not teenagers, they are adults.  Their families are feuding.  Juliet just does not see how it can work and Leo does not see the problem.  He has been gone for years and has not bought into the feud.  I liked the story.  It had a lot of tension, one big surprise and a great HEA for Leo and Juliet.

Traitor's Blade by Sebastien De Castell - I had to sit on this one for several days before I wrote the review.  I had mixed feelings about the book.  It would catch me, lose me and then catch me again.  It is the first in a series and required a lot of world building, back story, and character development.  The author used flashbacks for much of the backstory.  It worked but did interfere with the flow of the story.  The story itself was slow to build but did come to a interesting conclusion that set up the next book.  There is a lot of sword fighting (I skimmed that part) that kept the action moving.  While I just gave it a three I did like it enough that I will try the next book in the series when it comes out.

White Trash Zombie Apocalypse by Diana Rowland – Book three kept the tension and danger going.  There is everything from a zombie movie with some real zombies to an unexpected flood.  Angel Crawford continues to carry the series as she studies for her GED and faces more danger. I love seeing how her character continues to grow and flourish.  Loved the story and am waiting on book #4.  Still don't really like the covers but do like what is in between them.

The Scandalous Adventures of the Sister of the Bride by Victoria Alexander - Delilah, the very proper widowed Lady Hargate, and Samuel Russell, the groom's friend, are just great fun to be around. Their dialog really shows the personality of each. For most of the book they spar but then it get serious. Delilah just does not want her heart broken again and refuses to take a chance on love. Sam almost gives up on her. That is the part that is not fun. This is another great Millworth Manor story. Book 3 in the series but works well as a stand alone.


Otherwise Engaged by Amanda Quick - Amity Doncaster saves Benedict Stanbridge's life and then finds hers in danger.  This is another great mystery/romance interesting characters and a wonderful story line.  Amity is another strong female charater with something in her past that sent her traveling around the world.  Benedict is great as the male who she saves and who is interested in Amity.  This is not part of a series but it does have a hook that could produce a related book set in the present.

Audio Books:

Hidden Summit by Robyn Carr - Leslie Petruso is new to Virgin River and so is Conner Danson.  Both are through with love so of course we all know what is going to happen.  There is a big element of suspense and danger for Conner.  He is hiding out until the trial of the man he commit murder.  Another great set of characters, a visits with some from previous books and a wonderful story to go with all of that.  I read the book but still enjoyed the recording.  I picked it up because I did not see anything else that interested me.

Spirits From Beyond by Simon Green - I keep meeting JC, Melody and Happy in audio books.  So far I have listened to the entire series.  I liked this one.  Happy is back on the pills, Kim is back, Melody feels like she has failed Happy and JC is the same as always.  I love listening to the dialog and how they once again they succeed in their task.  However, Kim keeps telling them there are things she cannot share and the last scene is Kim at the Carnacki Institute and you just know something big is coming up in the next book.