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Sword of
Darkness 
Kinley MacGregor
Avon, April 2006, $6.99, 360 pp.
ISBN 978-0-06-056544-2
As an abused and impoverished peasant, running for his life
in the forest, Kerrigan finds a sword embedded in stone. However,
this is not Excalibur but the sword of the fey, an evil sword,
the sword of Caliburn. Young Kerrigan releases the sword and
defeats his enemies, but then faces an ominous choice: join
Morgan Le Fey and rule new Camelot as its king, or go with the
exiled knights from the round table to Avalon where things like
virtue and chastity await. Hmmm. Tough decision. For a lad who’s
been oppressed his entire life, ruling a kingdom and crushing
all who scorned him sounds like a pretty good option. And so
Kerrigan joins the medieval dark side as Morgen’s consort.
Years later, Seren, a simple peasant woman whose only desire
is to become a journeywoman weaver and open her own shop, is
greeted by two knights of the former round table who tell her
she must accompany them to Avalon for her own protection—she’s
to be the mother of a new penmerlin who will save the world.
This is a bit much for an innocent maid like Seren to believe,
so naturally she runs from the good knights. And when a devilishly
handsome man in black offers to help her escape them, what’s
a girl to do? Of course she accepts. And now Kerrigan has her
as his captive.
Kerrigan plans to use Seren as a hostage to force the current
penmerlin in Avalon to give up the location of the missing pieces
of the round table, which will have considerable power if put
back together. But Kerrigan didn’t plan on Seren being
such a spirited prisoner. Accustomed to people fearing him and
cowering in his presence, he’s stunned by this slip of
a girl who shows no fear of him at all. She knows he could kill
her in an instant, and yet she fights him every step of the
way, and eventually she fights her way into his heart.
Once again Sherrilyn Kenyon (aka Kinley MacGregor) creates a
delicious bad boy, the darkest of knights, whose sensuality
rises like steam off the pages. Kerrigan is the ultimate in
bad boys, practically Lucifer himself, and yet…the things
a kind heroine with the right touch can do to such a man…SIGH.
This book has it all: time traveling (which allows some hilarious
anachronistic expressions to be used by the medieval characters),
sizzling romance, fierce battles, wondrous magic and memorable
characters such as a cursed knight—part human/part gargoyle—who
sounds like a New York cab driver, and a mandrake (a man who
can change into a dragon) with such an adorable laissez-faire
attitude toward his deadly boss Kerrigan that I often visualized
him as the sidekick dragon from Mulan.
In short, SWORD OF DARKNESS is wonderful. Easily 4.5 hearts.
This is a great start to a new series from Kinley MacGregor/Sherrilyn
Kenyon. And I'm not even a big fantasy fan, but I'm familiar
with Camelot and I like historicals, so I found this story easy
to get into. I'm also a big fan of the Dark Hunter books, which
is why I decided I'd give this one a try. SWORD OF DARKNESS
does not disappoint. I love Ms. Kenyon’s sexy alpha hero
bad boys and the heroines who stand up to them—even in
the Middle Ages! I’m eagerly awaiting the next Lords of
Avalon book, which is due in stores this coming November.
Reviewed by: Catherine Chant
Honey, Baby, Sweetheart
Deb Caletti
Simon Pulse, October 2005, $6.99, 312 pp.
ISBN 978-0-689-86474-2
Many romance writers are interested in young adult (YA) fiction
these days, so I thought this month I’d review a novel
that aspiring YA writers could read and study as an example
of a finely crafted YA story.
A National Book Award Finalist, HONEY, BABY, SWEETHEART tells
the story of Ruby McQueen, a quiet girl from the Pacific Northwest
whose life is turned upside down when she happens upon Travis
Becker, a handsome, rich, motorcycle-riding daredevil who calls
Ruby “fearless” the first time they meet. No one has
ever thought of Ruby as fearless, including herself. But fearless
sounds exciting, and Ruby is at a point in her life where she
wants to be someone different, if only for a little while. Ruby
wants to be that girl Travis sees, but being fearless can lead
a nice girl places she’d rather not be.
That is putting the story in it’s simplest terms. The story
is much more complex than Ruby wanting to live up to Travis’
expectations of her. HONEY, BABY, SWEETHEART is also about relationships,
friendships, and eternal love. It includes a lively cast of
memorably characters and layers of conflict that would take
me too long to go into here.
Ruby is the type of protagonist who makes keen observations
about the world around her at every turn. You feel “immersed”
in her perspective from the very first page thanks to a tight
point-of-view and clever metaphors that give you a perfect teenage
take on things. At times these observations are laugh-out-loud
funny and at other time so emotionally poignant that I had tears
in my eyes.
What HONEY, BABY, SWEETHEART can teach us aspiring YA writers
is:
1.) You don’t need a “chick lit” voice to write
a successful YA story.
2.) You can be edgy without being dark and depressing.
3.) Not all YA novels, even romance ones, need to have a the
traditional happily-ever-after to feel complete and satisfying
to the reader.
4.) Not all YA novels need to be packed with action cover to
cover to be a page-turner. HONEY, BABY, SWEETHEART actually
has a slow pace compared to other YA titles, but it’s the
poetry in the words, the tension on every page and the depth
of the characters and their interactions that pull you in, keep
you turning those pages. Read HONEY, BABY, SWEETHEART and you’ll
see what I mean.
HONEY, BABY, SWEETHEART is a book I highly recommend to anyone
who wants to write YA or just enjoys a good teen story.
Reviewed by: Catherine Chant
Mr. Impossible
Loretta Chase
Berkley Sensation, March 2005, $6.99, 313 pp.
ISBN 0-425-20150-3
In 1821, near Cairo Egypt, Daphne Pembroke pours over ancient
papyri, trying to break the code of Egyptian hieroglyphics.
But because she's a woman, in a society that does not look favorably
upon female scholars, her brother Miles poses as the language
expert so that she may continue her studies unhindered. It is
because of this ruse that Miles is kidnapped by men seeking
to uncover an ancient king's tomb purported to be filled with
treasure. They believe they have a papyrus that tells where
the tomb is hidden and expect Miles to translate.
Rupert Carsington, the Earl of Hargate's fourth son, a rather
rash and reckless man who's quick with his fists and a bit of
an embarrassment to the family, is sent to Egypt to assist His
Majesty's consul general-and keep out of trouble. But shortly
after he arrives, Rupert intercedes between an Egyptian soldier
and a defenseless man and lands himself in prison. This puts
the consul general in a bit of a tough spot. The Earl of Hargate
is a powerful man who could easily remove the consul from his
post if anything were to happen to Rupert.
When Daphne comes seeking help in finding her missing brother,
the consul general offers her the "brawn" of Mr. Carsington
to assist in the investigation. If she'll pay the bribe necessary
to get him out of prison, it would solve two problems at once.
Daphne reluctantly agrees and so begins their tentative partnership.
Rupert figures that hunting for a missing brother, who the authorities
all believe is simply drugged out in some brothel somewhere,
is at least a tad more interesting than sifting sand in the
desert.
Rupert Carsington is a delightful hero, filled with a charming
sense of humor with which he mercilessly teases the heroine.
Daphne is a strong, passionate heroine, ahead of her time in
many ways, but still bound by the edicts of her society when
it comes to her interactions with Rupert. The sexual tension
is high every time the hero and heroine share a scene and the
romance builds against a backdrop of intrigue and villainy as
two groups vie for possession of the treasure map and Miles
Pembroke. As Rupert and Daphne delve deeper into the mystery
of her brother's disappearance and pursue new leads, the body
count climbs and the stakes rise, creating quite a page-turner.
MR. IMPOSSIBLE is a touching romance filled with witty dialogue,
action/adventure and hot desert passions. Fans of The Mummy
(with Brendan Fraser) will enjoy this read!
Catherine Chant
Seize the Night
by Sherrilyn Kenyon
St. Martin's, January 2005, $6.99, 325 pp.
ISBN 0-312-99243-2
SEIZE THE NIGHT is the seventh novel in Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark-Hunter
series. Valerius Magnus, a former Roman general, swore vengeance
on his brothers when he died and now serves out eternity as
a Dark-Hunter-a type of vampire that isn't allowed to feast
on humans-and instead helps humans by killing vampire beings
called Daimons who feed on human souls. Valerius is regal, uptight
and to most on-lookers a complete snob. Everything around him
is beneath him.
Tabitha Devereaux is a human vampire hunter who patrols New
Orleans and keeps the streets safe from the bloodsuckers. She
has appeared briefly in previous books as a secondary character.
(Her twin sister Amanda was the heroine of NIGHT PLEASURES).
After Tabitha mistakenly stabs Valerius during a fight, they
develop an uneasy friendship. But the more time they spend together,
the more she comes to like the arrogant general who is shunned
by his fellow Dark-Hunters for being Roman scum (many of the
other Dark-Hunters are Greek). Tabitha learns that Valerius
uses his aristocratic airs as a shield to deflect other's derision,
something he's had to endure all his life. In a city crowded
with people, human or otherwise, Valerius is very much alone.
Tabitha, on the other hand, comes from a large, loving family
with eight sisters, all of who have various levels of psychic
ability. Tabitha is an empath, sensing the feelings of others,
and can tell instantly when one of her sisters is in trouble.
This talent helps her get to know the real Valerius and soon
she's defending him to not only other Dark-Hungers, but to her
own family.
And here's where the trouble starts. Tabitha finds herself falling
for the one Dark-Hunter who is despised by her sister's husband,
Kyrian. Bringing Valerius into the family is not an option.
But neither is abandoning her tight-knit family. What's a girl
to do?
Together Tabitha and Valerius battle the prejudice against their
relationship and Kyrian's arch-enemy Desiderius, who is plotting
to kidnap Kyrian's daughter, and just out of spite, he'd like
to kill a lot of people close to Tabitha and Amanda as well.
Compared to previous books, the triumph over the evil forces
in this story seemed almost too easy. Still, SEIZE THE NIGHT,
like all the other Dark-Hunter books, is filled with unbelievable
passion. It also has a gorgeous hero, a strong heroine, a nasty
bad guy, and the mysterious Acheron (head of the Dark-Hunters),
all enveloped in a fascinating paranormal world that resides
in our very own New Orleans.
Although each of the Dark-Hunter novels can be read by itself
in any order, if you read NIGHT PLEASURES (Kyrian's story) before
SEIZE THE NIGHT, you will have a better appreciation of Kyrian's
intense hatred for Valerius. And if you read DANCE WITH THE
DEVIL (Zarek's story), you will have a better understanding
of the relationship between Valerius and his half-brother Zarek.
So, while reading the previous books in the series before you
read this one is not a pre-requisite, you will get more out
of the story if you do. Each successive Dark-Hunter novel also
reveals another piece of history about Acheron, one of the more
intriguing characters to cross into all the books.
For more information about the Dark-Hunter series, visit the
web at:
http://www.dark-hunter.com
Next Up: SINS OF THE NIGHT (Alexion's story) to be released
July, 2005. An excerpt is included at the end of the SEIZE THE
NIGHT.
Catherine Chant
Her Frog Prince
By Shirley Jump
Silhouette Romance, December 2004, $4.25, 292 pp.
ISBN 0-373-19746-2
Available from Eharlequin.com and Amazon.com
HER FROG PRINCE is the third installment of the "In a Fairy
Tale World..." magical matchmaking miniseries. Due to a
godmother's curse, Princess Lissa of Silestia has spent the
last seven years as an old lady. To break the curse and return
to her youthful self, she must match up twenty-one couples before
her thirtieth birthday. It's down to the wire with only three
more couples to go...and she's got her work cut out for her
on this one. Match uptight society princess Parris Hammond with
scruffy beach bum marine biologist Brad Smith? Impossible. Or
is it?
Parris may seem all designer suits and indignant retorts, but
deep down she's looking for something meaningful in her life,
something to prove she can do more than marathon shop and look
nice on a man's arm. But will anyone give her a chance?
Brad Smith, who has more than a handful of issues with the high
society life, would like nothing more than to toss Parris back
into the ocean after their first meeting. But he needs a makeover
in order to charm a committee into funding his research on the
giant squid. As fate would have it, Parris is the person best
qualified to help him.
HER FROG PRINCE is a witty and adorably opposites attract romance.
With fascinating facts about the giant squid that piqued my
curiosity enough to look them up on the internet, and an ending
so touching I had tears in my eyes, this fairy tale's a winner!
The next three installments in the miniseries are: ENGAGED TO
THE SHEIK by Sue Swift (Jan. 2005), NIGHTTIME SWEETHEARTS by
Cara Colter (Feb. 2005), and TWICE A PRINCESS by Susan Meier
(Mar. 2005).
Look for Shirley Jump's latest Silhouette Romance KISSED BY
CAT February 2005. To order, visit eHarlequin.com or Amazon.com
Reviewed by: Catherine Chant
The Bride
Wore Chocolate
By Shirley Jump
Zebra Books, September 2004, $5.99, 310 pp.
ISBN 0-8217-7691-6
Candace Woodrow lives her life by a very strict plan. And that
plan does not include waking up in the bed of sexy Michael Vogler
three weeks before her wedding to Barry Borkenstein. Too much
tequila and she may have just made the biggest mistake in her
well-planned life. Or is it fate stepping in?
Between heavy doses of chocolate, Candace tries to get her carefully
structured life back on track. Only now Michael refuses to let
her carry on with wedding plans to "Bob Boring" without
at least a experiencing a taste of what she could be missing.
To make matters worse, Michael becomes her biggest client by
ordering thousands of baskets from her Gift Baskets to Die For
business. Candace can't seem to get him out of her sight...or
her thoughts. But the spontaneous Vogler is completely wrong
for her. How can she sacrifice years of carefully made plans
with Barry, a man so alike her they could be twins, for a complete
stranger? Even if this particular stranger is more tempting
than a devil's food cake.
Throw in two best friends, one adventurous grandma, one mother
with enough ex-husbands to rival Elizabeth Taylor, one suspicious
future mother-in-law, one traitorous three-legged dog who takes
to Michael like he was a sirloin strip, and you have a recipe
for a delightful romantic comedy sure to touch your heart.
And speaking of recipes...
If the devilishly handsome hero doesn't have you drooling the
moment you meet him, the delectable chocolate recipes between
each chapter will. The directions are as funny as the book.
With titles like "Candace's My-Life-Sucks Rocky Road Chocolate
Fudge," "Maria's The-Devil-Made-Me-Do-It Parfait,"
and "Rebecca's Taste-the-Temptation Rum Chocolate Truffles"
you know you're in for a treat. You can make the recipes and
snack right along with Candace as she works through her dilemma.
And a dilemma it is. While Michael is indeed the dishiest thing
since chocolate mousse, Barry isn't exactly a schlub. What's
a girl to do?
If you crave a yummy romance to capture your heart, tempt your
sweet tooth and tickle your funny bone, THE BRIDE WORE CHOCOLATE
is sure to satisfy.
Up next in this tasty series - THE DEVIL SERVED TORTELLINI (March
2005) and THE ANGEL CRAVED LOBSTER (August 2005) from Zebra
Books. Dig in!
Reviewed by: Catherine Chant
Dare Me 
Leigh Ellwood
Phaze Books (phazebooks.com), July 2005, $4.00 dl
ISBN 1-59426-513-5
Anyone who knows me knows I’m a sucker for a novel featuring
musicians. So, as soon as I saw the guitar on the cover of DARE
ME by Leigh Ellwood, I just had to check this book out. (Ads
in Romantic Times DO work, folks ?). And I was not disappointed.
This story hooked me from the very first page. DARE ME is an
erotic romance filled with equal amounts humor and sizzle.
Bass player Cal Briscoe has fallen hard for his best friend’s
girl and although Brad and Ellie often allow him to join them
for a ménage, being intimate with Ellie the way he wants
is off limits. When Brad and Ellie announce their engagement,
Cal knows the gig is up, and he’s not sure he wants to
be the third wheel anymore. Discouraged by the state of his
love life, he accepts Brad’s offer use their house in Ellie’s
tiny home town Dareville, VA. Only, Ellie forgot to tell Brad
she had offered the place to her friend, photographer Sue Carmichael,
for that same week.
Sue and Cal do not exactly see eye to eye on the mix-up. After
Cal mistakes her for Ellie the night he arrives and joins her
in bed, bringing her erotic dreams to life, the sparks fly—and
not always in a good way. They fight and disagree on just about
everything as they try to cohabitate, but mostly they fight
their mutual attraction in one snappy scene after another.
If you’re looking for another great erotic romance to add
to your library or looking to read your first erotic romance
to see what the genre has to offer, DARE ME is a great place
to start. A must read for those who love hot, steamy romances
with a touch of humor.
Catherine Chant
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