Reviewer's Choice G-P

His Baby Surprise
Kathie DeNosky
Silhouette Desire
ISBN 0-373-76374-3

Delightfully funny! His Baby Surprise is chocked full of surprises, grabbing the reader's attention on page one and not letting go until the last page. This is Kathie DeNosky at her best!

Dr. Tyler Braden is shocked when he enters the delivery room of Dixie Ridge Health Clinic and finds his patient is Alexis Morgan, a previous neighbor from Chicago that he'd shared a night of hot passion with almost ten months ago. He is more surprised when the baby boy he delivers has the same dimple in his chin and cowlick in his hair that he himself sees every morning in the mirror. Having declared he'd never father a child, this discovery is startling and brings up secrets he will have to resolve. But how can he face another man raising his son? Especially when Freddie Hatfield appears so gutless and squeamish that he can't even step foot in the Dixie Ridge Clinic to be by Lexi's side for the birth.

Lexi Hatfield is mortified when she sees Ty Braden is in Dixie Ridge filling in for Doc Fletcher instead of being in Chicago where she'd left him. She refuses to let him near her and insists that she be taken to Granny Applegate's on Piney Knob for the delivery. There is no way she is going to let him deliver their baby. But the baby's head is crowning and there is no time for her protests or moving her. When Matthew is born, Ty doesn't say a word to Lexi about his parentage so she feels safe, that is until she looks at the birth certificate!

If you love a story that makes you laugh then you have to pick up His Baby Surprise. Kathie DeNosky is a joy to read. She entwines a believable love story with everyday life occurrences and two characters you cannot help but love.

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His Special Delivery
Belinda Barnes
Silhouette Romance
ISBN 0-373-19491-9

A strong, independent man, Calvin Lee Tucker is a very complex character. Caring and generous you immediately fall in love with him, at the same time wanting to kick him for his stubbornness. But even his rough exterior doesn't spoil his image and likeability. Cal, as his friends call him, is the kind of romantic cowboy every woman dreams about. Even his tendency to be overprotective makes him lovable. Barnes displays these sexy qualities through other character's reactions.

Sara Jamison is a very strong-willed single mother. Determined to provide for her daughter, she selflessly puts herself last. Having been hurt and abandoned in the past, Sara is wary of Cal and the generosity he lavishes on her and her daughter Jessica. Sara is constantly trying to do what's best for her little family and this makes her an admirable character as well.

With a complicated, lonely history, Sara has no one to turn to, nowhere to live, and no money to support her daughter with. Backed into a corner, she must depend on a stranger for financial help, emotional support, and the care she always dreamed of. Suspicious of others, Sara is always questioning Cal's good intentions. Left with no other options, she is forced to move in with him and accept a job in his veterinary office. Bring in such close proximity of this handsome cowboy, Cal gradually become more appealing to Sara. But she pushes him away, trying to think only of her Jessica's needs. When Jessica's real father shows up, Cal's parents question Sara's intentions, Sara and Cal cannot resist each other, and havoc rains down upon the poor characters. To say anything else would simply kill the terrific suspense found in every page.

HIS SPECIAL DELIVERY has a wonderfully classic plot of a love that cannot be. Great suspense and tension built up as the story continues and the characters face more obstacles. Excellent portrayal of the setting made me really visualize it. The major characters were extremely well written, as well the secondary characters that stayed important to the story, but also in the background. For example Gary, Jessica's real father, shows up demanding to see Sara and their daughter. While Gary is vividly shown as a sleazy lowlife, his character is enormously important to show the love Cal has for Jessica. The clear depiction of the characters caused real emotion to be shown towards them, as if they were real people.

This is definitely a story I found not only moving, but pleasing to read. I managed to finish this book in only two hours while feeding my baby and doing laundry with the other hand, in other words I could not put it down. I have already reread HIS SPECIAL DELIVERY once and I plan on enjoying this story more in the future. I found Belinda Barnes' novel to not only be filled with emotion, but to flow smoothly from one event to the next. A wonderful balance of action and narrative, HIS SPECIAL DELIVERY is an extremely well written story. A combination of love, suspense and frustration earned HIS SPECIAL DELIVERY my Reviewer's Choice Award. I was exceedingly satisfied by HIS SPECIAL DELIVERY, from the uniquely entertaining beginning to the intensely emotional end. Although I have never read a book by Barnes, I look forward to following her work from now on.

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Steiger's Colt
Chuck Breuer
Adventure Book Publishers
ISBN 1-55313-084-7

I liked STEIGER'S COLT right away, and that's rare for me. When I'm reviewing a book, it's hard to relax because of all that responsibility to you folks out there to tell the whole truth and nothing but so you don't waste your plastic on a deadbeat download. But in this case, after the first few pages, I took off my reviewer's hat and jumped into the story enthusiastically as an eager reader.

STEIGER'S COLT is a classic western, a tale told of a time in America when men were men, women were spunky, and the rattlesnakes had unlimited biting rights on your sorry backside. The book respects the western genre but at the same time has a freshness about it that just about any reader will appreciate. The point being, you don't have to be a western reader to enjoy this book.

Right after the Civil War, Carl Steiger, a lonely, battle-hardened Union soldier with a lot of blood on his hands makes his way back to his birthplace family located somewhere in the largely untamed Big Thicket country of old Texas. Steiger, a former blacksmith and horse-whisperer, has lost his family and everything he had, but gained a few new things during the war, mainly a well-honed ability to employ firearms against men and beasts alike, fists which punish bad guys twice his size, and a strong betting instinct which helps turn the playing cards and other things in his life to his advantage.

Steiger is sick of the years of war and wants peace in his life, planning to find it on the old homestead, where he intends to grow a little hay and raise horses. Of course, life isn't that simple--on a visit to town, he runs afoul of a couple of evil land-baron wanna-be's who employ gunslinging henchmen to cleanse their stolen properties of squatters like Steiger. What happens from there is a well-paced, beautifully told story with a classic plot, one we've all enjoyed dozens of times from the likes of Louis L'Amour and Clint Eastwood, but it still works if the author gets the details right. And in the case of this book, the author does a good job, with enough action, drama, romance, and historicity to satisfy the most hardened western buff.

STEIGER'S COLT displays author Chuck Breuer's mastery of his craft and thanks to his painstaking attention to historical details, we're able to travel back to a time when there was more to life in America than conforming to the latest politically correct neo-pagan ideology and cringing over dot.com stock plunges.

If life in the office cubicle is making you crazy and you're starting to feel like an urban rattlesnake who's eager to shed its skin of modern day responsibilities, download STEIGER'S COLT and slither into a westernscape so real you'll be able to smell the gunsmoke and taste the broiled rabbit. Believe me, pardner, this is one download you don't want to miss.

Do You Believe?
Ann Lawrence
Tor Books
ISBN 0-765-34888-8

Rose Early needs to know what has happened to her sister Joan, so Rose is now in England trying to find her. All roads lead to dead ends, except for the one heading straight to Vic, also known as VF Drummond the famous horror writer. She reluctantly joins forces with a man who does untold things to her libido and listens when she talks about the strange - evil - things going on in the local church. Years of being unfavorable compared to her sister make her suspect Vic's sincerity. After all, who wants someone like her, once he's known Joan?

Vic Drummond has demons of his own to fight, including the loss of his Aunt Alice - the only one who's ever showed him love not conditionally based upon his deep pockets. Yet Rose doesn't fit into any of the neat slots as she should. Fighting his fascination doesn't work, so he might as well give in. However, giving in might be the death of both of them... if evil is truly real.

Ann Lawrence shows her awesome talent with her newest writing foray. DO YOU BELIEVE? is a page-turning thriller masterpiece that had me guessing until the last. As always, Ms. Lawrence's characterization is superb and had me rooting for the good guys. Instead of continuing to gush, I recommend anyone who loves a thrilling read mixed with a satisfying romance to run out and get this book.

Reviewed by:
Karen Larsen

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The Evil One
Louise Klement
CrossroadsPub.com
ISBN 1-58338-663-7

Cassie McDermott takes her five-year-old brother to New Mexico, where she hopes to find the father she has not seen in years. Life with mom, a drug abusing, child abusing hooker, has become too much to bear. Cassie is determined to get herself and Ethan completely away from her and the continuing abuse they have suffered.

Cassie disappears and Ethan, bright despite not being able to speak, is suddenly alone in a motel room with only a card bearing the name of former RN turned secretary Solana Rodriguez. Rodriguez just happens to work for PI Trent Matthews. Between Solana and Matthews' daughter Jen, the two women convince Trent that they must begin hunting for Cassie right away. Their appetite for action is augmented by the fact that a serial killer of pretty young blondes has already struck their area many times in the past. Cassie is another pretty young blonde.

Toss in a 'seer' who suffers nosebleeds when she has visions induced by The Evil One to round out the cast of characters found in this excellent suspense filled tale. She is only able to extinguish the hold The Evil One has over her as she sketches the gruesome details of what this vile creature has in store for The Innocent Ones he lures in order to 'set them free.'

THE EVIL ONE offered by Louise Klement is a chilling, page turner that will keep you riveted from the opening paragraph straight through to the end of the book. Writer/Reviewer Klement, well known for her 'Sallie Mae' series has crafted a gripping roller coaster of chills and excitement for the reader in her suspenseful horror work. Most disconcerting for me personally as I read the account: The Evil One embraces a madman's theme which has been found in real life as a demented character decides to do the impossible for those he has decided need his help. BRRRR! Now THAT is a frightening notion. Do not want to meet this one in an open field on a clear day much less in a dark alley.

The Evil One serial killer introduced by Klement will turn your blood cold as you read of the doings of this unbalanced psychotic. Each of the various characters you will meet in THE EVIL ONE are plausible, engage in believable, animated dialogue and are plagued with the same human flaws as beset all of us. The concerns shown for Cassie and Ethan are ones we can feel and understand.

Klement combines a darn good mystery with suspense filled horror in this well written narrative. Caution: This is NOT a nice little rainy evening by the fire when you are home all by yourself novel.

Rainscape
Jaye Roycraft
NecroLily Books
ISBN 0-9747680-7-3

Dina blackmails Rayn into helping the investigation, but soon begins to wonder who is exploiting whom. She is drawn to him from their first encounter, but dares not trust her growing conviction that he's innocent of the murders. Her attraction to Rayn may be real, or he may be manipulating her for his own, dark purposes. Her heart tells her to trust the soul behind Rayn's seductive golden eyes, but time is running out. Caught in a maze of desire, deceit and betrayal, Dina must decide who to trust and quickly before she loses her heart, her career, and even her life.

RAINSCAPE works well on many levels -- as a romance, as a mystery and as science fiction. Ms. Roycraft starts by building a world as believable as it is alien. Her descriptions, particularly those of the barely habitable desert, are vivid and lyrical. The plot is well crafted and satisfying, but the best part of RAINSCAPE are the wonderful characters that create, complicate and work to solve mystery.

I really enjoyed RAINSCAPE. It has great descriptions, wonderful characters, and a fast-paced plot that kept me glued to the book until the final, satisfying page. Genre purists might object to some aspects of the story -- the ending is more complex than the straightforward "happily ever
after" found in most romances -- but for anyone who enjoys the richness that blending genres can add to a book, RAINSCAPE is a treat that shouldn't be missed. The ending practically promises a sequel. I can hardly wait.

Reviewed by:
Carrie S. Masek

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Danegeld
Susan Squires
Leisure Books
ISBN 0-505-52446-5

Britta is a Saxon witch in pre-conquest England. After the death of her only relative, her mother, and her own rape, she retreats to the safety of a small, deserted island, returning to the mainland only to do enough healing to earn the things she cannot provide for herself. She believes the magic she inherited from her mother is gone along with her virginity, but she still has her knowledge of herbs and medical practices to support her.

Karn is a Danish raider, a Viking, part of a group bound to conquer Britta's small corner of England. When his band is betrayed by one of his own people, most of his men are killed in battle. Karn himself is grievously wounded, taken prisoner and tortured.

Britta is drawn to the compelling Viking from the moment she first sees him, and eventually she rescues him from his captors, even though he's the enemy. She takes him to her island and tends his wounds. But the man who captured Karn and raped Britta isn't one to be easily defeated or cheated of what he wants. Nor will the relationship between the witch and the Viking be an easy one. Both are too proud, too wounded and too tied to their own cultures to readily accept each other.

DANEGELD is a wondrous book in any number of ways. It's remarkable for the meticulous research that must have gone into the detailed and realistic depiction of the time, with all its turmoil, dirt, disease, barbarism, and crudity. The violence may disturb some romance readers used to gentler, less realistic stories, but it feels right in this context.

Britta and Karn are products of their time, though each has abilities and potential to raise them above the average. The characterization of each shows depth and subtlety as they grow into their gifts, maturing and learning to cope with a changing reality. A variety of intriguing secondary characters enrich a fast-moving plot, while the magical element contributes another layer of depth. In a brilliant move, the author deliberately leaves ambiguous the source of the power Britta wields. It works wonderfully in the tapestry of the story.

The development of the relationship between Britta and Karn, though, lifts this book into the "superb" category. The attraction between them is deftly developed, beginning with a mild physical pull, compounded by a mystical connection Britta doesn't understand but knows is real, and evolving in minute steps as they learn each other's histories, cultures, and personalities. Over time, they come to admire each other's character strengths as well as their physical attributes, and the admiration finally grows into a passion destined to change their world.

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Relentless
Leslie Kelly
Harlequin Temptation Heat
ISBN 0-373-25941-7

Pamela Bradford was unsure that getting married to Peter Weiss was a good idea even though he liked everything she liked and encouraged her to follow her heart when it came to career choices. Her uncertainty stemmed from Peter's lack of sexual response when she tried to turn on some steam. Still, she decided she lovedhim and would marry him. As a last minute folly, she told her bridesmaids her misgivings. Before she knew it, she had taken the place of the “girl in the cake” destined for the party. Under the cover of bachelor cake, Pamela heard what Peter really thought her. The wedding was off.

Ken McBain wasn't sure why he agreed to come to the bachelor party. He didn't like the groom as a person and he certainly didn't like the fact that Peter had invited girls to the party. Ken wondered why someone as beautiful as Pamela Bradford couldn't see what a two-timing scoundrel Peter was. Pamela... just the picture in her father's office made him want her. Hearing Peter talk about all the women he'd had while dating Pamela, Ken decided to leave the party and was looking for his coat when the cake flew open and out came an enraged Pamela.

The next day, while waiting for the plane to take off, someone slid into the seat next to her. No one was supposed to be there. That was the seat Pamela had paid for Peter. She turned and found Ken! Did she really invite him to come with her to the honeymoon resort last night? Delighted, she decided to seduce him but once his confession comes out, will she forgive him?

Ms. Kelly has once again proven what a master she is at setting up a story. RELENTLESS is one of the most delightfully written novels I have read in a long time. It's a story full of some of the most sensual scenes ever read and I absolutely LOVED the opening paragraph. It sets the mood of the novel, which made me want to read it from start to finish without putting it down. Humorous phrases such as “the honeymoon from hell plane” had me laughing so hard I had to stop to wipe the tears. This fun, sensuous romp is located in an exotic honeymoon resort filled with Grecian statues, a hot tub, and of course, the book of Kama Sutra. The main characters stay focused on their situation while the minor characters stay in the background to add depth, warmth, and sometimes snarling disgust to balance the story. Ken plots his every move so that Pamela, when he tells all, will still want and love him even though he has deceived her. Pamela plots against Ken as well, plots to have as much sex as possible. She wants him. He knows she wants him but is it as Ken fears? Is she only on the rebound after calling off her wedding? Will she love him after he tells her his secret? Find out! Read RELENTLESS. You'll love it!

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Then is the Power
Gerry Mills
Lightning Source, Inc.
ISBN 1-894841-45-X>

THEN IS THE POWER, by Gerry Mills, is one of the best books I've read in a long time. Against a background of international intrigue and political infighting among members of a president's scientific advisory committee, Dr. Gordon Whittier, a little-known psychologist, and a team of psychics race to save the United States from a threat such as the world has never imagined.

The story starts when Whittier witnesses an uncanny incident. A group of small boys race their toy boats on a calm, windless day-and a crude sailboat, driven by an extremely localized current of air, wins-against a radio controlled sailboat! It is obvious to Whittier that he has observed a potent display of telekinesis. The other youths set upon the winner, and he flees, leaving behind a stone that bears an unusual carving. Whittier picks up the stone, goes about his business, and promptly forgets about the telekinetic boy for decades-until the former Soviet Union launches an attack upon Las Vegas. Their weapon is not a nuclear missile. Rather, it is an act of psychic destruction, directed against the silicone chips that exist in virtually every electronic device in the city. Both Sin City and nearby Nellis Air Force Base are rendered dark, silent, totally inoperative areas by the psychic attack. Even electronic instruments buried deep underground, inside massive concrete rooms at the Air Force base, are destroyed. This attack is only one of many more that could take place, the Russian ambassador warns the American president, if the United States does not agree to its annexation to Russia within twenty days.

Whittier must find the telekinetic boy he observed years ago. The problem is that he doesn't know where the boy (now a man) lives, what he looks like, or who he is. A team of psychics provides clues, in the form of strange sketches, derived from impressions that they receive from handling the carved stone that the boy left at the lake the day that his peers attacked him after he'd won the boat race. The clues point to an island resort, and the race is on to find the man who may be the country's only hope of fending off a takeover by its longtime enemy. However, a renegade Army general, a rogue FBI agent with a vendetta to settle, Soviet spies, and others will do whatever it takes to thwart Whittier. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking down, toward doomsday.

This excellent novel is so suspenseful that the reader won't be able to put it down once he or she opens its cover and becomes immersed in its thrilling world. Mills has done an outstanding job in every respect. The plot is a roller coaster! The characters are fully developed, believable, and interesting, and there is a well-considered back story to the plot as a whole and to the individual situations and characters involved in the story's non-stop, heart-pounding action. By all means, buy a copy of this great novel. It is well worth the price.

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