The Shifter’s Choice-Jenna Kernan

The Shifter’s Choice

Jenna Kernan

Harlequin Nocturne, Dec 1 2014, $5.75

ISBN: 9780373009343

Yonkers resident Sofia Touma was given the choice between prison and the marines.  After basic, she is flown to Molokai, Hawaii where Captain Travis MacConnelly warns her if she quits like her file shows she has done in almost everything in her life, she returns to prison.  Though he expects her to quit in thirty seconds, his wife Brianna persuaded him to give Sofia the assignment of teaching a depressed, suicidal marine sign language when the injured sergeant refuses to cooperate with anyone including his superior officer.

A werewolf attacked Sergeant Johnny Loc Lam and Captain Travis MacConnelly (see The Vampire’s Wolf); but whereas the latter moved on, the former has not adjusted at all.  Lam tries to frighten his new teacher away, but Sofia refuses to leave.  Instead she finds out what he has become; his inability to shift from the beast to human, and the connotation that sign language means to him no cure possible.  As they fall in love, he fears his adversaries who want the wolf all the time will use her as a pawn to control him.

The second military romantic fantasy is an enjoyable Beauty and The Beast tale due mostly to the sergeant’s unique disorder enhanced by his fear of what signing means to him, and his sign language instructor’s reaction to his condition.  Although the vampire subplot adds suspense, the relationship between the leads (and them to Mac and Brianna) make for an engaging paranormal drama.

Harriet Klausner

A Texas Holiday Miracle-Linda Warren

A Texas Holiday Miracle

Linda Warren

Harlequin American Romance, Dec 1 2014, $5.50

ISBN: 9780373755479

Before he died five months ago, widower Jack Carroll asked his twenty-eight years old daughter Lacey to raise his six year old other child Emma.  Agreeing to become her half-sister’s legal guardian, Lacey left her life in Austin to be there for her sibling in Horseshoe, Texas.  Though there have been some rewarding moments, there have also been incidents like Emma’s fight with Brad Wilson over whether Santa is real and her entering the yard of the Grouch next door to pet Pepper, a dying cancer-stricken dog.

That neighbor Gabe Garrison blames himself for his son Zack’s death since he gave him the ATV in which he died.  When he nails the gate between them shut to keep Emma out, Lacey lectures him about hurting a little child and how his son would be disappointed with his behavior.  Not long afterward Emma pets Pepper, tells Gabe her daddy is in heaven and that his dog needs a doctor.  Gabe knows it is time to put Pepper down, but emotionally can’t let go; as the canine is his last link to Zack.  However, as the two sisters continue to invade his privacy, he soon wants to give Christmas joy back to Emma and though not ready for a relationship he begins falling in love with Lacey.

A Texas Holiday Miracle is a great Christmas romance starring a wonderful lead triangle.  With a nod to the 1897 New York Sun editorial, “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus”, readers will celebrate the Yuletide season with Linda Warren as love helps people through the grief process after losing a loved one.

Harriet Klausner

Woman With A Gun-Phillip Margolin

Woman With A Gun

Phillip Margolin

Harper, Dec 2 2014, $26.95

ISBN: 9780062266521

In 2015, MOMA hosts an exhibit of Pulitzer Prize winning Kathy Moran’s photographs.  Attending the event, wannabe writer Stacey Kim, is mesmerized by an iconic photo “Woman With A Gun”; that of a woman in a white wedding dress on a beach staring out at the ocean while holding a nineteenth century six-shooter.  Obsessed to know more about this astonishing picture Stacey heads to the hometown of the photographer in Palisades Heights, Oregon where Kathy also took that incredible picture.

In 2005, millionaire Raymond Cahill marries Megan.  A few hours later he is dead and she suffered a concussion.  Afterward Megan insists she remembers nothing after exchanging their vows.  Five years prior to the Cahill homicide, ADA Jack Booth lost a sure-shot case to his unrequited love lawyer Kathy Moran that that haunts him fifteen years later.  With plans to write a novel based on the incident Stacey arrives to investigate; Jack helps her even as more murders occur.

The three prime subplots converge into an interesting murder mystery though the 2015 homicides distract from the exciting present day inquiry into the gripping decade old cold case and adds unnecessary cast.  Still readers will want to know what happened in 2005.

Harriet Klausner

Paradigms Lost-Ryk E. Spoor

Paradigms Lost

Ryk E. Spoor

Baen, Dec 2 2014, $15.00

ISBN: 9781476736938

In April 1999, Wood’s Information Service owner and solo operator Jason Woods currently works on clarifying digital photos for Police Lieutenant Klein when he hears a loud bang outside his shop.  At about the same time his BFF Syl Stake, the psychic owner of the Silver Stake shop, arrives through the front door.  They check the noise only to find the battered corpse of big displaced Lewis with two bites on his neck.  Police Lieutenant Reisman leads the homicide investigation in which the M.E. reported the victim had no blood left in his brutalized body.

Klein explains to Wood that he is staking out Verne Domingo while the photos of this drug lord seem to be missing him even as individuals in the pictures appear to interact with someone.  Learning of Wood’s consultation, Verne invites Jason to his mansion where they chat while he provides a different spin to the photos and introduces his guest to a world he never knew existed over the next twenty-seven months.

Reading more like eight entertaining urban fantasy novelettes that interrelate through the fully developed lead triangle (Jason, Syl, and Verne), subgenre fans will take immense delight in reading Ryk E. Spoor’s “greatly expanded edition of Digital Knight”.  The pulp fiction storylines are filled with plenty of adventures and diverse paranormal species that brilliantly seem natural; while dynamic Jason "is the center of weirdness for the universe" (Eerie, Indiana).  Though my personal favorites occur in a California courtroom and Venice, Florida; all the entries are fun because of how adaptable, quick-thinking Jason uses his head not to knock on Wood but to find solutions to supernatural puzzlers.

Harriet Klausner

Meet Me Under The Mistletoe-Cara Colter

Meet Me Under The Mistletoe

Cara Colter

Harlequin American Romance, Dec 1 2014, $5.50

ISBN: 9780373755448

On November 30^th Banks and Banks accountant Hanna Merrifield begs Mr. Dewey not to quit as the manager of her Upstate New York Christmas Valley Farm that she inherited when her mom died a year ago.  Even with a potential buyer arriving tomorrow, Dewey refuses to listen to Hanna’s pleadings; he blames his anti-Christmas spirit on the evil dwarf horse Molly and insensitive people knocking on his door at any time of day or night.  She tells her unsympathetic boss she needs twenty-four hours to go home on a family emergency before driving the two hours to the farm to meet her “savior” the person interested in ownership.

As she tries to capture Molly the wanderer, her first love Sam Chisholm, heading to the farm to buy it, almost runs over Hanna.  Having been engaged only a few months ago, Hanna’s shocked that she still has deep feelings for the former rebel without a cause turned suit.  Sam reciprocates as the gnome he remembers now is a beautiful woman.  Both use the veneer of a business deal to conceal their desires.  As their love seems to each of them like a Christmas Miracle, Hanna must decide between ennui at Banks and Banks or cherished competition on her family farm.

The merry Meet Me Under The Mistletoe feels somewhat like a throwback to a pre-social media holiday romance.  Hanna and Sam are a nice amiable pairing while the secondary characters add layers to Cara Colter’s pleasant Christmas contemporary.

Harriet Klausner

Deadly Obsession (A Brown and Deluca Novel)-Maggie Shayne

Deadly Obsession (A Brown and Deluca Novel)

Maggie Shayne

Harlequin MIRA, Nov 25 2014, $7.99

ISBN: 9780778316800

Renowned self-help author Rachel de Luca gained psychic skills after she received the corneas donated from the late brother of police detective Mason Brown.  Rachel and Mace began seeing each other and tonight enjoy another wonderful evening together when they see a blaze.  Mace learns from bystanders that the two Rouse children are trapped inside.  Without regard to his safety, he rushes inside and soon exits carrying eight years old Jeffrey and three years old Rose though afterward Mace is rushed to Syracuse’s St. Joe suffering from severe burns on his arms and smoke inhalation.  Panicked Rachel calls her sister who reminds her that Mace’s nephews (Jeremy and Joshua) need her with their father Eric dead, their mom Marie locked away in a padded cell and now their uncle injured.

Mace’s partner Rosie informs him and Rachel that the fire inspector concluded arson killed the mother and the person of interest is the separated husband Peter.  Mace leaves the hospital to finish recuperating at home.  He hires Gretchen Young as his in-home nurse; unaware she has romantic plans for him after watching his heroism on the news.  At the same time Marie escapes confinement, several more arsons including Mace’s home occur.  Rachel distrusts Gretchen although she wonders if that is jealousy instead of her psychic barometer warning her. 

The fourth Brown and de Luca paranormal police procedural (see Sleep with the Light, Wake To Darkness and Innocent Prey) is a tremendous thriller that rotates perspective giving the audience a wonderful 360 panorama at what is going on that ironically the characters do not have.  Fast-paced, loaded with action and a strong cast, this is one drama hard to put down.

Harriet Klausner

Home in Seattle-Debbie Macomber

Home in Seattle

Debbie Macomber

Harlequin MIRA, Nov 25 2014, $7.99

ISBN: 9780778316787

“The Playboy and the Widow.”  In Seattle, playboy Cliff Howard and widowed mother of two preadolescent daughters (Joan and Katie) Diana Collins meet and surprisingly are attracted to each other; a feeling both dreads.  Even more shocking to Cliff and Diana, Joan and Katie give him their approval.

“Fallen Angel.”  In Seattle, Harold Johnson retires and expects his daughter Amy to run Johnson Industries.  Unsure she wants to be the CEO instead of just an executive raising a loving family, Amy meets wanderer Josh Powell.  To her astonishment she tells him about her father’s desires; Josh explains he had a similar relationship with his dad, but instead fled the world of finance and his demanding parent to travel the globe.  As they fall in love, each must decide what they want with their respective lives.

These are reprints of two engaging Seattle romances written over two decades ago.  Both enjoyable novels contain pleasing casts though in each case the lead relationships never feel totally plausible; as the early encounters are doubtful and time is not on their sides.  Still Debbie Macomber, even in her early days, shows her skills in authoring charming romances.

Harriet Klausner