IT BEGINS WITH A KISS

EILEEN DREYER

DRAKE’S RAKES

GRAND CENTRAL PUBLISHING

JULY 3, 2012

3 STARS

Due to the way the staff treats them, the girls who attend Miss Lavinia Chase’s Finishing School believe it is a Last Chance Academy. Desperate to get away from the school, Fiona Ferguson conspires with one of her fellow students to ride along to the next village to go find her brother. One of the other girls, however, has contacted her own brother to find Fiona’s brother and to stop Fiona from getting into a much bigger mess.

Alex Knight, who is a friend of Fiona’s brother, agrees to seek him out. First, though, he must find Fiona and return her to the safe haven of the school. Only when he reaches Fiona and her two friends, is he horrified to learn the truth of their treatment at the finishing school.

IT BEGINS WITH A KISS was an enjoyable read, and the chemistry between Fiona and Alex practically melted my reader. However, I would have enjoyed it more if it had been a complete story. It will wet your appetite for Ms. Dreyer’s new series and you do get to meet the heroines. However, this would have been better used as the prologue in book one.buy link

Pip Ballantine & Tee Morris- The Janus Affair

THE JANUS AFFAIR

MINISTRY OF PECULIAR OCCURRENCES BOOK 2

HARPER COLLINS VOYAGER

MAY 29, 2012

FIVE STARS

Wellington Books and his junior archivist, Eliza Braun are back in action! This adventure begins with them being in the wrong (or perhaps right) place at the wrong time, when they witness the mysterious disappearance of a young woman from a train. And it so happened to be a young woman Eliza had met. When more disappearances occur, and an old, dear friend of Eliza’s from New Zealand is nearly taken, the two archivists take things personally and begin to look into the situation.

As they try to figure out the mysterious device that causes people to disappear in a flash of light, they discover misdeeds of a field agent who has been recently promoted. Their investigation takes many twists and turns, and even a few wrong directions, but for the reader, the journey is the greatest fun.

The sophomore follow up to the stellar Phoenix Rising last year, The Janus Affair is just as much fun as the first. Non-stop excitement coupled with character growth and a sparkling cast of supporting characters, this is a quick, enjoyable read. I would dearly love to meet Books and Braun in real life. They are both strong, fascinating characters. I can't wait for the next installment of their adventures.

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Review: Vickie McDonough- Finally A Bride

FINALLY A BRIDE
VICKIE MCDONOUGH
BARBOUR PUBLISHING
APRIL 1, 2011
BOARDINGHOUSE BRIDES BOOK 3
4 STARS


Set ten years after SECOND CHANCE BRIDES, we once again visit Lookout Texas and old friends. Jacqueline "Jack" Davis is still a tomboy at heart, taking chances to get the story of a lifetime as a reporter for the local paper. Her dream is to write the big story and earn herself a place on the Dallas newspaper, so she can leave Lookout. After what she went through with her first father, she does not trust many men and fully believes she will never marry. Her biggest problem is Billy Morgan, who she does not care for even as  a friend, proclaims she will marry him.

Pastor Noah Jeffers has been offered the chance to fill in for the Pastor of Lookout Texas. He is not certain he wants to do so for several reasons, including the fact that he had no desire to return to Lookout Texas. He grew up there until his violent father moved them away after Noah had caused one too many problems. Of course, back then everyone knew him as Butch Laird. He took his mentor's last name since he had been more of a father to Noah than his own father had. When he arrives, he is stunned that the feelings he had had for Jack ten years prior have not lessened at all.

Meanwhile, Carly Payton, who had gone to jail in book one THE ANONYMOUS BRIDE has been working for a preacher elsewhere, but after the death of his wife, he was forced to let her go. At Rachel Davis' behest, Carly reluctantly returns to Lookout.

Ms. McDonough's books have been a treat, as we get to revisit with old friends and make new ones as the series progresses. It is a rare author who lets us peek into the ongoing lives of previous characters. This history that builds between the characters shines through and makes for enjoyable reads.

Laughter, tears and love abounds and I look forward to reading her next endeavour.