A League Of Her Own-Karen Rock-

A League Of Her Own

Karen Rock

Harlequin Heartwarming, Dec 1 2014, $6.50

ISBN: 9780373367030

Former twice collegiate softball player of the year, Heather Gadway coaches the Morro Bay University team.  Her demanding dad Dave calls her, but she ignores him to focus on the team’s pitcher though she expects a lecture once she calls him back.  Dr. Freeman informs her that her dad had a heart attack and is about to undergo surgery.  Heather returns home to be there for her father and to manage his minor league team the Holly Springs Falcons though he does not believe she is capable of doing the job.

Recovering alcoholic Garrett Wolf knows the Falcons especially Dave Garrett took a chance by signing him at twenty-seven and three years out of baseball, but the team’s survival was shaky before the owner’s emergency surgery.  Fearing his career will be over if Dave fails to return, Garrett likes the small southern town lifestyle after being out of control in nearby Atlanta.  When Heather meets her players they all share doubts about a female softball superstar managing their team.  However, she and Garrett are attracted to each other, but both know a romantic entanglement could kill their respective goals to make it in baseball.

A League Of Her Own is a Heartwarming baseball romance starring a former superstar with a bone marrow need to prove her worthy to her dad and a recovering alcoholic with a bone marrow need to prove him worthy to play in the Majors.  A fast-paced nine innings, Karen Rock authors a lively pitchers’ duel.

Harriet Klausner

The Fortress in Orion (Dead Enders)-Mike Resnick

The Fortress in Orion (Dead Enders)

Mike Resnick

Pyr, Dec 2 2014, $18.00

ISBN 9781616149901

Democracy covert operative Colonel Nathan Pretorius awakens in a hospital recovering from a near death experience when General Wilbur Cooper arrives.  Nathan recognizes Cooper as the SOB who sends him on dangerous missions like the one on Bendaris IV that left him visiting the Other Side of life and the need for new body parts.  .

Ignoring Pretorius’ insistence to leave him on pension, Cooper assigns his top field agent with his latest impossible target that he insists is the Big One game changer.  Introduced to the clone of the Traanskei Coalition Kabori General Michkag, Pretorius learns what his superior officer expects him to accomplish.  He and a small, eclectic team will capture or assassinate the original Michkag and replace him with their lab replica while the alien military leader attends a meeting in an underground fortress on Orion.  Pretorius honestly explains to those he wants on his squad that the pay stinks and the odds of survival are 7% and dropping with each new info.  Still Pretorius, Felix Ortega the strongman more machine than man, Sally “Snake” Kowalski the contortionist convict, Toni “Pandora” Levy the hacker-locksmith, Circe the emotion reader, the clone and Kabori defector Djibmet begin the suicide mission by stopping at a whorehouse on McPherson’s World to add a mental shapeshifter and a Madam.

The first Dead Enders science fiction starts a new exciting series in the Birthright universe (see The Starship and Jake Masters sagas).  Though the action is somewhat muted as the first half of the novel introduces the readers to the unique team, The Fortress in Orion remains an enjoyable outer space adventure.

Harriet Klausner

Universal Alien-Gini Koch

Universal Alien

Gini Koch

Daw, Dec 2 2014, $7.99

ISBN: 9780756409302

In less than five years, Kitty Katt-Martini has come a long way from being an Arizona marketing manager, but nothing compared to her husband Jeff the alien from Alpha Four in the Alpha Centauri system and now Vice President of the United States.  However, you may take the girl out of Arizona, but not Arizona out of the girl; as Kitty cannot hide her boredom with many of the Second Lady social functions such as her ennui while attending a cricket match in Australia.  Insulting the host country and causing havoc for the Secret Service, Kitty decides to leave; but ungracefully falls and bangs her head.

When she regains consciousness, a confused Kitty finds she is the solo alien and married with children to her “handler” Chuckie Reynolds; and that the Alpha Centauri entourage including Jeff Martini never came to earth.  At the same time another Kitty resides amidst aliens.  In both worlds, each Kitty must confront the Mastermind if she is to return home to her Jeff on her earth.

The tenth Alien science fiction (see Alien In The House and Alien Research) is a madcap what if thriller in which the heroine gets a double taste of what could have been (think of George Bailey in It's a Wonderful Life).  As always frantically-paced and jocular, Universal Alien is a lively over the top of Mount Kosciuszko entry.

Harriet Klausner

The Million-Dollar Question-Kimberley Lang

The Million-Dollar Question

Kimberley Lang

Harlequin KISS, Dec 1 2014, $5.99

ISBN: 9780373179121

Evan Lawford regrets how he treated Olivia Madison back in college though he struggled with what he did as he never wanted to hurt her, her kind parents or her brother Jory his roommate.  A successful businessman Evan and ballerina Olivia meet for the first time since he abruptly ended their one-night stand relationship breaking her heart (and secretly his).

Evan knows he still wants Olivia; and to her chagrin, though she lectures herself to ignore him, she remains attracted to the rat that hurt her.  As they begin round two with no idea where it will go, Olivia conceals from Jeff why she wanted to see him in the first place; fearing how he will react if he knew funding her art comes before her thumping heart.  Meanwhile Jeff deals once again between loving Olivia and loving her caring family who he does not want to hurt as they treated him as one of them unlike his biological family.

This is a pleasurable second chance at love romance starring two fascinating leads in love although Evan’s rationale for rejecting his beloved shows how ethical he is but also seems foolish.  Still The Million-Dollar Question is a warm contemporary.

Harriet Klausner

High Stakes: A Jack Doyle Mystery-John McEvoy

High Stakes: A Jack Doyle Mystery

John McEvoy

Poisoned Pen, Dec 2 2014, $24.95

ISBN 9781464202766

FBI Agents Damon Tirabassi and Karen Engel contact former Chicago Golden Gloves champ Jack Doyle to help them with another case involving murdered race horses (see Blind Switch for their previous collaboration).  At Jack’s favorite greasy spoon, the Feds explain that retired horses are frequently given to veterinary schools; however an unknown fanatic vehemently opposed to the practice has performed several mercy killings.  They want Doyle to seek clues among his racing cronies at the track.

Just after their breakfast meeting, Doyle travels to Dublin to attend an award ceremony honoring his friend jockey Mickey Sheehan.  While still in Ireland, a frightened Sheila Hanratty informs Doyle that her husband Niall the bookmaker has suffered several questionable accidents; suspecting foul play, Jack investigates. Back in the States, affluent jailed convict Harvey Rexroth (see Blind Switch) seeks “justice” against the man who assisted the Feds in sending him up river.

The fifth Jack Doyle turf mystery (see Photo Finish, Close Call and The Significant Seven) is a terrific thriller with a strong trifecta of subplots enhanced by appealing horse racing tales.  If you don’t know Jack you are missing a treat summed up on the first page when the felon muses: “the lock had been easier to pick than Secretariat in a Fantasy League Race.”

Harriet Klausner

Southern Comforts-Nan Dixon

Southern Comforts

Nan Dixon

Harlequin SuperRomance, Dec 1 2014, $6.75

ISBN: 9780373608911

Mamie Fitzgerald converted historical Fitzgerald House into a B&B in Savannah in 1998.  She created rules for her three daughters (Abigail, Bess and Dolley) to manage the establishment.  Her oldest offspring Abby wants to be a chef, but delays her dream because time and money are needed to renovate the B&B. 

When Mr. Fantasy arrives, Abbey thinks hunk until she hears him scornfully lecture someone over his cell phone and muses cranky hunk while reminding herself of Mama’s Rule #1: “The guests are always right, even when they are wrong.”  However, when a child wants to catch a “rainbow”, he gives him a lift and changes Abbey’s opinion to huggable hunk.  Developer Grayson Smythe informs her he has reservations to stay in the Kennedy Suite for six months.  Over the next few weeks, she witnesses his kindness towards a single mom new employee and her child; and soon the guest and the innkeeper share meals together in her kitchen breaking Mama’s Rule #2: “Absolutely never get involved with a guest.  It’s not well done.”  As they fall in love, his Yankee (hard to use the word Yankee for a Bostonian) background invades Georgia.

The first Fitzgerald Georgia Peach romance is a warm opening act with two fully-developed leads, a particularly strong support cast (including one involved in a suspenseful subplot that showcases Gray’s moral code) and the pragmatic fun Mama’s Rules; enhanced by Abigail’s new rules.  Klausner’s rule: this is a charming southern hospitality contemporary.

Harriet Klausner

Dreamwalker-C.S. Freidman

Dreamwalker

C.S. Freidman

Daw, Dec 2 2014, $7.99

ISBN: 9780756409647

In Manassas, Virginia Jessica Drake shares her vivid dreams of alien worlds only with her younger brother Tommy.  Her detail is so incredible, Tommy uses much of what she relates to him in internet gaming.  DNA testing stuns Jessica and her mom when the results prove she is not the offspring of either of her parents; while hospital birth footprints affirm these are her parents.

When Tommy texts his sister with “133 watchd”; concerned Jesse rushes home to learn a woman was looking at their family home.  Thinking he was exhausted from an all-nighter with gamers in Australia, an upset Jesse assumes his imagination is running wild again.  At school a woman wants to buy Jesse’s dream art “Stalker”.  On the net, Jesse joins a website for those who have conflicting proof as to whom their parents are.  From that site she meets Rita and Devon who warn her that at least eight members have recently died in accidents.  Jesse and her parents are safe from a house fire, but Tommy vanished.  Following information on his computer, Jesse and her new friends search for Tommy; but soon learn of a diabolical alien multi-worlds’ (including earth) operation.

With its strong underlying message to beware of superpower nation abuse and unwanted influential pressure on less fortunate people, Book One of the Dreamwalker Chronicles is an engaging young adult science fiction.  The audience will believe in the Friedman universe due mostly to the actions of the only fully developed character Jesse and some interesting alternate historical tidbits.  On the other hand the mysterious female watcher, the new buddies, the family and others are stereotypes used exclusively in support of the heroine.  Still this marvelous opening act will please readers.

Harriet Klausner