"Cry No More" by Linda Howard

 

 5 shiny stars

I just want to start off by saying that this was probably the most difficult review I've written to date.
Even though my friends on GR 'warned' me that this would be a tear-jerker, nothing, and I mean NOTHING prepared me for actually reading, and experiencing what happened at the end of the story.

KUDOS to Ms. Howard's storytelling!
THE BEFORE

1993 Mexico

In the beginning of the story, We're introduced to Milla and David Boone. David is a surgeon working for a year in Mexico offering a free clinic. Milla's found out she was pregnant just before David was set out to leave, but after meeting with the teams OB-GYN, Milla she feels secure in having her baby in Mexico with David.

Milla and David's baby is now 6 weeks old, and they're looking forward to finishing up in Mexico and moving back to the States.
One morning while Milla is at the market getting a few groceries, two men corner her. One of the men cuts the sling that holds her baby Justin to her front and frantically she leans forward to prevent her baby from falling, only to realize that her son has been snatched out of her arms. Milla viciously fights the man clawing at his face, until he loosens his hold on her son. Just when she thinks she's able to get Justin, she feels a searing, paralyzing pain in her back and she drops like a rock to the market floor. When she finally looks up she sees the man running away carrying her son like a football under his arm, She calls out for someone.. anyone "Someone get my baby"... but no one helps her.


THE AFTER

10 years later.. El Paso, New Mexico

Milla is now 33 years old, and here's the countdown of her last 10 year..

10 years ago, Justin was stolen from her, and she barely survived the stabbing to her kidney.
9 years ago, David divorced her. She didn't blame him. David hadn’t just lost his son, he’d also lost his wife. From the time she’d regained consciousness after being stabbed, her every thought, her life, had focused on finding Justin. There simply hadn’t been anything left in her for David.
8 years ago, following another lead to find Justin, Milla recovered a stolen baby, and was able to return the infant to an hysterical mother. She didn't have any closure with her own son's disappearance, but somehow she was able to offer it to some other mother.
7 years ago, she organized Finders, a group of people set out to mobilize and hunt missing or stolen children.
6 years ago, David remarried.
5 years ago, Finders received their first missing persons case. They didn't just search for missing children, but adults as well.
4 years ago, David and his new wife had their first child, a daughter.
3 years ago, Milla's brother told her to get on with her life, and forget about her son. She hasn't spoken to him since.
2 years ago, Milla heard the name Diaz for the first time, and the possibility of him being involved in Justin's disappearance. David and his wife had their second child, a boy. That night Milla cried herself to sleep.
Tonight.. tonight following a anonymous tip telling her Diaz would be at a meeting behind a church in Mexico, she saw the man who tore her son out of her arms.
She would never forget his face, but also she left her mark on him, because now he only had one eye.

Milla puts word out that she' looking for Diaz. She asks her friend and a sponsor of Finder's, True Galligar to find any information on Diaz. She soon discovers that Diaz is not the person who has stolen her son, but that he is an assassin, and if the money's right, he can find anyone.

After a rather scary first meeting with Diaz, Milla convinces Diaz to help her find her son. At first Milla is wary to be around Diaz, because he moves like a panther, has a 'cold' look in his eyes (like he's a sociopath), and screams 'predator' whenever you look at him. But, after awhile, Milla soon realizes that Diaz is only cold, and cruel to those who deserve it, and she knows in her heart that he would never hurt her. Milla soon starts to become attracted to Diaz. She's never had this type of attraction to anybody else in her life before... and it scares her because she knows this man can be brutally dangerous.

As a reader I really did not like Diaz'z character, but as the story progresses, and the more I 'get to know him'...I soon fall in love with him. He is guarded, and only opens himself up to people who he trusts, and that seems to be only Milla.

As the story builds, so does the bond between Diaz and Milla.
They soon realize, by putting pieces together from information they've discovered, that for last 10 years Milla has been fed misinformation to keep her off track from finding her son.
There is a huge conspiracy going on, with deceit, and absolute betrayal from people Milla thought were her friends and people she loved.

This is were the story gets really exciting, and without giving too much away, I gotta say that I DID NOT expect the ending this story had.

Milla's journey was so well written, and her heart breaking 'obsession' to find her son..even after so many years, after everyone else gave up was so touching and believable.

When Milla finally finds out the truth, and what happened to Justin ...
the best way I could describe how I felt for her is:




THE PRESENT

... and then there's the Epilogue. All I can say is MY GOD!!!

It is how it should be because, she deserves nothing else!





One of the best stories I've read to date, and definitely one I'll be re-reading!

Review of "All the Queen's Men" by Linda Howard

1994 Iran

An American covert 5 person team is in place to blow up a manufacturing facility that was developing and supplying Anthrax. The team was made up of Sayyed (a native Iranian who was now an American citizen, a tough, wiry man in his late forties), Hadi Santana who was of Arabic and Mexican heritage, but an American. Husband and wife - Dallas & Niema Burcock (Dallas as former SEAL and contractor for the CIA, and Niema an electronics specialist), and their leader Darren Tucker.
Sayyed, Hadi, and Dallas are set to go in, set explosives, destroy the facility and get out. Tucker and Niema are to stay behind, monitor the mission, destroy all the electronic devices, and later rendez-vous with the rest of the team.
The team runs into trouble and all hell brakes loose. The team is ambushed, and while Niema is listening, Tucker orders Dallas to activate the detonators while he's still inside the facility.
Niema then shuts down, her last memory is of her husband making Tucker promise to look after Niema for him.




Tucker then proceeds to get Niema out of Iran. Niema is only eating when Tucker gives her food, she isn't talking or sleeping.

There comes a point where Tucker decides she has to sleep because she's gone days without, so her lies down behind her tells her stories both true in fictional in order for her to relax enough to sleep.

This description of a solar eclipse was so well written, I had to include it in my review.

"I saw a solar eclipse once. I was in South America." He didn't get any more specific than that. "The weather was so hot the air felt sticky. Cold showers didn't do any good; I was sweaty again as soon as I got toweled off. Everyone wore as little clothing as possible." He didn't know if she was listening; he didn't much care. He kept that soothing, gently monotonous tone, his voice just barely above a whisper. If he could bore her to sleep, so much the better. "It had been on the radio that there would be a solar eclipse that day, but the heat was so miserable no one much cared. It was just a little village, not the type to attract any eclipse chasers. I had forgotten about it myself. It was a sunny day, so bright the light hurt my eyes, and I was wearing sunglasses. The eclipse slipped up on me. The sun was still shining, the sky was blue, but all of a sudden it was as if a cloud had passed over the sun. The birds all stopped singing, and the village pets hid. "One of the villagers looked up and said, 'Look at the sun,' and I remembered about the eclipse. I told them not to stare, that it would blind them if they looked too long. The light was eerie, if you can imagine dark sunshine. The sky turned a really deep shade of blue, and the temperature dropped at least twenty degrees. It kept getting darker and darker, but the sky was still blue. Finally the sun was completely covered, and the solar halo around the moon was . . . spectacular. On the ground we were in a strange, deep twilight, and everything was quiet, but overhead the sky glowed. The twilight lasted for a couple of minutes, and during that time the entire village stood still. Men, women, and children; none of them moved, or spoke. "Then the light began to come back, and the birds started singing again. The chickens came off roost, and the dogs barked. The moon moved on, and it was as hot as it had been before, but no one bitched about the weather anymore."



Niema breathing finally starts to slow, and her body isn't as stiff as it was. Tucker then starts telling her more stories until Niema finally drifts off to sleep. Niema wakes up spooning Tucker thinking it is her husband, it is then it finally hits her that Dallas is dead, and the flood-gates are opened, the wall she has put up has cracked, and she now begins to mourns the death of her husband while being held and comforted by Tucker.

...5 years later

After the death of her husband Niema has decided the wild-adventurous side of her is what inevitability got her husband killed because she is the one that wanted to take the mission, not him. She never re-married. She dates, though not often. She has a comfortable-safe desk job with the CIA. "She's busy. She likes her work, she's very well paid, she has a nice home, drives a new car". But, unknown to her is that Tucker (who is really CIA field operative John Medina) has kept his eye on her from a distance, making sure she's okay because he wants her for himself.

When a new explosive is used to take down a plane, Tucker/John is given the mission of tracking down this new explosive, and He asks Niema to go in on the operation with him. When Niema sees Tucker for the first time in 5 years, Tucker introduces himself with his 'real' name, his identity that only a select few have knowledge of which now includes her...and for 5 years John has thought that Niema blamed him for her husbands death, because he was the one that gave the order to kill himself to get the mission done. Niema never did blame him, because she knew her husband would do anything for the mission to be successful.

Niema is hesitant to be back in the field, but apart of her (the part that she's buried for 5 years) wants to take this job. She finally agrees to take this 'one' mission (to get it out of her system) and begins training with John so that she will be prepared for their job.
While training with John, Niema becomes attracted to him, but John is so good at 'acting' she can't read whether he feels the same way as her because with John he shows nothing.
They're mission is to go to France, make contact with an arms dealer by the name of Louis Ronsard. Niema is to get herself invited to his Villa, where she will meet up with John and she will plant a bugging device, and he will access and steal all information concerning the explosive.

This where the story really gets good!



The chemistry between Niema and John is explosive!
Part of their cover is that John is to be introduced to Niema at Ronsard's party, at his Villa, and become immediately enamored with her. When they first kiss (as apart of their cover) the kiss soon becomes out of control because they both have been keeping their true feelings for each other under such control that now they've reached their breaking point.



Niema steps back shocked by her response to him, but also very wary, because even though physically John's response to her is passionate, in his eyes, He looks as though he's just doing his job (little does she know that he's losing his control with her as well, he's just better at hiding it).

My favorite part of the book however, is when Niema and John are in Ronsard's office completing their mission, and they see Ronsard heading towards the office on the security monitor, and they have to act fast... and I'll leave it at that, because I don't want to spoil it for anybody.

lets just say,



Reading this story is like reading a book from Robert Ludlum's "Bourne" series.

The storytelling is fantastic! The writing, and characters are wonderful!... and getting to finally see John and Niema lose control and let their passion take over was so worth the fun & excitement!




It's was so easy to get lost in this wonderful world of spies, espionage, intrigue, and of course a kick-ass romance!


Can't wait to read the next, and final book in this series!!

5+ Rating

I just finished the story, and it took me a couple of minutes to compose myself (Kristen Ashley and her friggen Epilogue had me in tears and an emotional wreck by the end of the last sentence..yep...THAT GOOD!).

This was by far the BEST story in the "Ghosts & Reincarnation" series.
The hero in the story is in the same league as "Sam", "Max", "Tate", and "Mitch" (other KA hero's)....Oh Yeah..that Good!

The story is about two people so in love and then separated due events (and people interfering) that they had no control over, only to be reconciled 20 years later at both of their best friends wedding.

On Prentice's part there is a lot of bitterness, and mistrust, and for Isabella she knows she hurt Prentice (Isabella's father was abusive, controlling, and manipulative and FORBADE her from ever seeing, or talking to Prentice ever again) and she believed Prentice would have a better life without her because of all the lies her father told her and she believed. Even though she left Prentice, she always loved him, to the point of wearing his engagement ring around her neck for the last 20 years even though she was forced by her father to marry someone else more 'suitable' for her.

Their journey once reconciled is beautiful, and heartbreaking. Isabella is so damaged, and broken that only Prentice's love, understanding, and his persistence can heal her.

This truly was a fairy tale story (even with a fairy god-mother), and can be read as a stand alone.

I highly recommend it!

Until the Sun Falls From the Sky

by Kristen Ashley

 

 

WOW!

This was so not what I expected!

Another great story by Kristen Ashley!
This is the first paranormal romance I've read from her and I LIKE IT!

Lucien is a Vampire and His character is very dark, domineering, arrogant, and 'strong'.
There were so many times in this story when I was so 'pissed off' at Lucien for his utter lack of regard for Leah feelings and her situation that I wanted to stop reading, and yet I couldn't. He was just so 'cold' and I really Did. Not. Like. Him.
However, I think that's what made him such a great Vampire character.

Leah's family (all the females) have been in the service of Vampires for over 500 years acting as their Concubines, and now it is Leah's turn to enter service.
Her character is downright hilarious! She has sass, spunk, and at moments she was very immature. I loved how she said, "She was only going to grow up when she was in her nineties, and she still had 50 some years left before she had to to that". AWESOME!
Leah's strength is fierce and so is her attitude, and she proves she will stop at nothing to protect her heart from being broken by Lucien while He's trying to 'tame' her.

I enjoyed reading how Lucien and Leah's relationship evolved, and when they FINALLY decided to quit fighting one another and give into their feelings it was BEAUTIFUL!!

Look forward to reading the next book in this series.

 Knight (The Unfinished Heroes #1)

 

I really liked this story!

It was a little bit different that Kristen Ashley's other stuff, but definitely worth the read.

Knight is a really edgy, scary, intense character. He thinks nothing of using force to protect what's His and to hell with the consequences (that's just the way it is). I really like how KA wrote Him with a very strict 'code' for his life that is black & white (no grey areas), and everyone knows exactly where they stand, and what is expected of them.

Anya is a really great female lead. She is strong, determined, and not afraid to 'bust her butt' to do what she had to do to survive.

I loved how Anya and Knight 'fit' together.

This book definitely fits into the 'erotica' category with a little bit of B & M.
I read a few comments about people being uncomfortable with the 'Daddy' and 'Baby' usage in the book.
To me that was just the Dom and Sub's role in the story.

Just a 'heads up' if this isn't your cup o' tea.

I look forward to reading the next story in this series.

Rock Chick Renegade (Rock Chick #4)

5 stars

This book was such a roller-coaster ride...especially at the end ... Home

I loved Vance and Jules together!
Just getting to know one another, and learning to share and trust one another

Favorite quote in the book is Jules explaining her Uncle Nick's love for her Auntie Reba:

"He loved her in a way that was indescribable. It wasn't like she walked on water or was the earth and moon and stars.
It was different.
It was breath.
It was necessity.
She was the last of my blood and she was life to him".

*sigh* ....BEAUTIFUL!!

another great story in the Rock Chick Series!

 

Review of Poughkeepsie by Debra Anastasia

 

bookshelves: adult, contemporary, contemporary-romance, fiction, suspense,  chick-lit, romance

Read from February 21 to 24, 2012 — I own a copy

I loved this book!  Rating:  ( 5 stars)

This was the first book I've read by Debra Anastasia and I will definitely be look forward to reading more of her work.
I really liked the characters, the writing and the story line.

The Characters: 
 
The Brothers:
 
Blake: A homeless man who's spot is at the Poughkeepsie train station.
 
Cole: A priest's assistant.
 
Beckett: A drug dealer, pimp, arms dealer... you name it he does it, but all so he can look after his brothers.
 
The relationship between Blake, Cole, and Beckett was strong, loyal, and unwavering, and the reason for it's birth is tragically sad.
How these men managed to come out of such bad childhood experiences and have even a little bit of goodness and kindness is extraordinary.

The Sisters:
 
Livia: Psychology student with strong morals and convictions, she also goes to the Poughkeepsie Station to take the train to school.
 
Kyle: The younger broken sister who thinks her mom left their family after she was born because of her.

The story is about Blake and Livia getting to know one another as first friends then it developing into so much more.

I LOVED how Blake counted every single smile Livia gave him right from the beginning, and that Livia didn't see Blake as invisible, but She truly did 'see' him as a human being and as a man...that's what first attracted Blake to Livia.
Blake is so adamant about not taking hand outs and only receiving what he's earned. He is homeless, but He never sways from his honor and integrity.
What I loved the most about his character was his manners which were so old-fashioned, but it totally worked for him.
Blake and Livia's relationship has to endure many trials the biggest being He's homeless, and the stigma and prejudice that's associated with it, but in the end with understanding and a lot of work it prevails.

This is such a touching story and one I'll surely not forget.

It was a such a pleasure to read.

The Wreck  by Marie Force

Recommended  for fans of:

Contemporary Romance, Thriller-Suspense, Second chance relationships

	Comparable to Pamela Clare's I-Team Series
	This is the first story I have read by Ms. Force and it certainly won't be the last! The story is about two high-school sweethearts Brian and Carly. Carly is a cheerleader with great grades, and Brian an amazing athlete. Brian doesn't want to be an all-star athlete, he wants to be a lawyer. They plan to get married and go to school together. They have an awesome future together, until one night a car accident kills 6 of their best friends including Brian's younger brother Sam. Brian and Carly witness the car accident and can do nothing to save their friends. Their grief nearly destroys them. Carly can't speak after the accident because of the trauma, and Brian wants to move on with Carly, but doesn't know how to reach her or deal with his own loss and grief....so he leaves to go to school, and doesn't come back for 15 years until his father (the towns Chief of Police) collapses due to a case he's working on. The case his father's working on is a man who kidnaps, rapes, and tortures Cheerleaders, and one of Carly's nieces friends has been taken leaving the town once again traumatized. This is a story of such loss, and survival, and also the incredible love these two characters have for one another! I was in tears so many times because my heart broke for the circumstances these two had to live through just to survive. AN AMAZING READ!!! (less)

 Review of Extreme Exposure (I-Team #1) by Pamela Clare

 

*originally posted on Goodreads

 

Read from September 27 to 29, 2010 — I own a copy

I wanted to take a couple of day to think about this book before I posted a review... well a couple of days have passed and this story still 'pops' into my head. 

To start with.. Reese is PERFECT! The man can cook, clean, has excellent taste in food, and wine. He was (and plans to be once again) a teacher who ran for Senate because his students challenged him to prove what he was teaching them 'that anyone can run for office and make a difference'. Reese has a conscience and He's an idealist who stands on what He believes in. He is protective yet not overbearing. He works out (buffed and ripped) and according to the book is amazing in bed...what more can I say...He's every woman's fantasy and every man wants to be him.

Kara on the other hand grew up without a father, and the first man she fell in love with dumped her when she became pregnant so she was left to work, and raise a child on her own....hence there is a trust issue between her and Reese.
Only a character like Reese's could break the barrier that Kara has put up.

Now to the story...AMAZING! Kara is an investigative reporter who 'gets right in there' to get the story. She risks her life in order to protect the innocent and make the world a better place for her little boy. 

There is action, suspense, mystery and of course a brewing romance between Reese and Kara.

I highly recommend this book and will continue to read the rest of the series.

Review of Sweet Dreams (Colorado Mountain Men #2) by Kristen Ashley

 

*as reviewed on Goodreads

 

Recommended for: contemporary romance,chick-lit, bad-ass alpha males

Read from February 10 to 14, 2012 — I own a copy, read count: 1

" And when he spoke, his voice was near to a growl.
"A woman gets under your skin, the kind of woman that feeds the muscle, the bone, the soul, no replacing that.....but once you have that, there's no replacing it."
I stared at him and he stared back.
Then I whispered, "Tate-"
but stopped speaking when his hand moved and his thumb tweaked the diamond he'd slid on my finger six weeks before.
"No replacing it," he repeated on his own whisper."

- favorite quote in the book, and I love how the author refers to being 'under your skin', and 'feeding the muscle, bone, and soul' .... life sustenance.

Loved this book. Loved Lauren and Tate.
I loved that the author didn't ever change Tate's wickedly, TOTALLY BAD-ASS, Biker-dude, Alpha-Male attitude... and that Lauren had to 'learn' the lingo, learn how to be a 'biker-babe' without changing who she was...and that her light never got extinguished, but that she 'lit up'...sometimes literally.

....*sigh*... basically A LOT of LOVE for this book.

  Review of At Peace by Kristen Ashley

*as posted on Goodreads

Recommended for: Kristen Ashley Fans, contemporary romance, thriller-suspense, Kick-Ass male leads

Read from March 26 to 30, 2012 — I own a copy, read count: 1

5 ++


This bloody book had me in knots & stitches the whole time! Literally loud sobs coming out of my mouth & tears streaming down my face one minute, then laughing out loud the next.


The only other book to effect me like this was "The Gamble" (also a Kristen Ashley book)... Go figure? .. LOL!


I LOVED THIS BOOK!
FAVORITE, FAVORITE, FAVORITE BOOK ..... EVER!


Cal (Joe)- AMAZING! (even though I wanted to kill him a couple of times until he smartened up then... Compassionate, Caring, Strong, Uber-Alpha-Neandreathal-Kick-Ass-Mophia-Connected-Killer Lead man.
Violet - AWESOME! (her scars were on the inside, but man the strength this woman has is overwhelming)
Katy & Keira - The best written teens I read about in a long time. Totally fell in love with them and their characters!


I also loved the secondary characters Benny & Frankie in particular. Aunt Theresa and Uncle Vinnie were also favs!


On a final note, I can't wait to read Mike's story, because a character that 'fine' HAS GOT TO GET HIS OWN HEA!


Oh ya.. Did I mention I LOVED this book?
... might have mentioned that a few times *he-he*


Enjoy! *smile*

.. makes you wonder

I've been reading some of the MOST AMAZING books in the last little while, and most of them have been written by an Author by the name of Kristen Ashley.  

Ms. Ashley self-publishes her books on Smashwords, and her books are also available at amazon.com.

Her stories are  Contemporary Romance, but the male characters are some of the most űber-kick-ass leads I've ever had the 'pleasure' of reading about!

The female leads tend to be damages, but far from broken and the end result of these stories are some of the most AMAZING Happily Ever After stories I ever read!

When all said and done, and the female leads step into their characters, they not only shine, but they go NOVA... and it's a beautiful thing to read!

I wouldn't have found any of Ms. Ashley's books had I not been a member of Goodreads, and the books were not heavily recommended and rated.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is that, I'm so glad that the technology available today allows people all over the world to connect and share, and have media available ANYWHERE.

Have a great day,  and don't forget to do some act of kindness today!

Peace and Love