Course Of Action: The Rescue-Lindsay McKenna and Merline Lovelace

Course Of Action: The Rescue

Lindsay McKenna and Merline Lovelace

Harlequin Romantic Suspense, Sep 2 2014, $5.50

ISBN: 9780373278855

“Jaguar Night” by Lindsay McKenna.  In the Amazon Rainforest, a drug lord abducts volunteer nurse Aly Landon.  Marine Staff Sergeant Josh Patterson liberates her from the vicious gang.  Now they must trek a hundred miles in a rough terrain with deadly force in pursuit, and her still hurt from her captivity and not in shape for such a march.  Josh admires her tenacity, but soon falls in love with the brave Aly.

“Amazon Gold” by Merline Lovelace.  In Peru, Naval Chief Charlene Dawson and her RCB crew conveys by sea Delta Force Sergeant First Class Jack Halliday and his team into the Amazon.  His mission is to take down former teammate turned rogue drug dealer Sean McMasters.  Neither Charley nor Jack anticipated an attraction, but both feel the pull.

The second Course of Action Sidewinders military romance duology contains two action-packed plots due to the strong protagonists working dangerous operations while falling in love in the exotic Amazon.

Harriet Klausner

Frozen Heart, Melting Kiss-Ellie Darkins

Frozen Heart, Melting Kiss

Ellie Darkins

Harlequin Romance, Sep 2 2014, $5.99

ISBN: 9780373743070

Rachel begged Maya Hartney of Maya’s Delight to cater the Appleby and Associates gala.  Maya’s greatest sensation is to watch people go orgasmic over her food.  So when, Rachel’s boss Will Thomas treats her gourmet spread like fine junk food, she’s hurt by his reaction, one that she never had before.  As she leaves, Maya realizes his treatment of her reminds her of her parents quick to write her off.  However, his boss Sir Cuthbert Appleby lectures him for whatever he did to hurt Maya and demands he take time off before he burns out; threatening to end the pro bono work Will does for the worthy Julia House.

Will visits Maya at her house to persuade her to change her mind and cater the office dinner; she adamantly refuses as his descriptor “fine” is not good enough for her to cook the meals.  He offers to be a student in her one-week cooking, but since that is filled she counters with one-on-one lessons.  As they cook, kiss and fuss, the caterer and the workaholic fall in love.

This culinary romance is an engaging jocular contemporary.  The student fears heart-felt personal relationships and the instructor’s only previous passion has been cooking culinary delights for appreciative people.  Ellie Darkins bakes a warm (can’t use fine in order not to alienate Maya) contemporary.

Harriet Klausner

Undercover In Copper Lake-Marilyn Pappano

Undercover In Copper Lake

Marilyn Pappano

Harlequin Romantic Suspense, Sep 2 2014, $5.50

ISBN: 9780373278862

DEA Ice Queen Alexandra Baker tells informant Sean Holigan that his “friend” of thirteen years, mob boss Craig Kolinski, will send him to Copper Lake, Georgia to collect info on his younger sister Maggie.  Baker explains Maggie was dating a Kolinski drug dealer until the couple was arrested.  Expecting Maggie will talk to the DA; Kolinski will demand her brother make sure his meth head sister keep quiet.

Kolinski gives Sean a picture of his nieces (five years old Daisy and six years old Dahlia) and says make sure addict Maggie shuts up or the little girls will pay the price.  Unaware his sibling has children, reluctantly, Sean returns to Copper Lake; a place he considers as hell.  Meeting for the first time since high school, Sean and his out of control nieces’ foster mother Sophy Marchand are attracted to each other.  He soon risks his life to keep the three females in peril he loves safe from ruthless hit men.

The latest Copper Lake romantic suspense (see Copper Lake Encounter and Copper Lake Confidential) is an exciting thriller starring a prodigal son coming home and a do-gooder heroine; although the young hellions steal the show.  Filled with action, Undercover In Copper Lake is a tense family drama.

Harriet Klausner

Joyful-Shelley Shepard Gray

Joyful

Shelley Shepard Gray

Avon Inspire, Sep 2 2014, $12.99

ISBN: 9780062204509

In Sugarcreek, Ohio, with his parents in heaven, Randall Beiler struggles keeping the family farm viable and worries he is failing his younger siblings who still live there with him; as the older ones left them to move on with their lives.  Thus seeing no immediate future, Randall ends his long term relationship with Elizabeth Nolt though he loves her.

To his chagrin, his brother hires Elizabeth to cook and perform other household chores.  Needing money since her mother abandoned her and her grandmother, Elizabeth hesitantly accepts the position.  Fearing his beloved will see him as a loser, just as he believes his family does, Randall loathes the arrangement.

The third Return to Sugarcreek Amish romance (see Thankful and Hopeful) is an entertaining second chance if the stubborn male would set aside his fear of failure.  Although several minor subplots involving other residents distracts from the prime storyline of "Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" (Book of Proverbs), this is an upbeat Joyful contemporary.

Harriet Klausner

Accidents Of Marriage-Randy Susan Meyers

Accidents Of Marriage

Randy Susan Meyers

Atria, Sep 2 2014, $25.00

ISBN: 9781451673043

Married for fifteen years, social worker Maddy and attorney Ben raise three children (fourteen years old Emma, nine years old Gracie and seven years old Caleb) in Jamaica Plains, Massachusetts.  Recently Maddy feels overwhelmed by her work and her children’s needs, but the greatest pressure comes from her quick to anger husband.

Ben drives to work, but rushes back home to gather needed papers he left behind.  Maddy calls Ben begging he pick her up in a bad area as the cops towed her vehicle away for failing to register the car and taxis refuse to stop.  Angrily, Ben cancels a critical meeting and drives over to pick up his wife.  When he gets into a road rage contest with another foolish driver, Ben loses control and crashes; leaving Maddy in a coma.  Now Ben and the three kids struggle with the family glue comatose.

This is an insightful look at the impact of rage on a family.  The crucial powerful premise is the realistic diverse ways the extended family, coworkers and friends behave before the accident; while Maddy is comatose; and after she regains consciousness.  Accidents Of Marriage pulls no punches as Randy Susan Meyers writes a profound novel.

Harriet Klausner

Grudgebearer-J.F. Lewis

Grudgebearer

J.F. Lewis

Pyr, Sep 2 2014, $18.00

ISBN 9781616149840

The Eldrennai created the Aern as slave warriors to defend the master race against the Zaur.  Over seemingly endless time, the Eldrennai eventually became freed but also remained Grudgebearers sworn to their oath to protect the Eldrennai.  A truce of sorts was reached between the three races six hundred years ago at the Sundering and every century since they meet at the Grand Compunction to renew the shaky peace.

However, just before the latest conference, an Eldrennai royal Prince Dolvek inanely devastates the pact when the fool opens up an exhibit of sentient Aernese armor.  Accompanied by his daughter on his way to the centennial conference, but angrily aware of the breach due to his link to the ancient armor, Oathkeeper Kholster considers eradicating his former Masters as the viable means of not breaking the vow while reacting to the affront.

The first Grudgebearer science fiction tale is a great drama that looks closely at the relationships between three sentient species; especially the profound effect of long term enslavement on a now somewhat freed race.  The cast representing the three peoples and the armor seem genuine.  Except for unnecessary deities, this is an outstanding opening act.

Harriet Klausner

A Song For The Dying- Stuart McBride

A Song For The Dying

Stuart McBride

HarperCollins, Jan 16 2014, $24.95

ISBN: 9780007344307

Once a Scottish Detective Inspector who worked a serial killer case that included his late daughter as a victim (see Birthdays for the Dead) Ash Henderson went to prison when Irish felon Maeve Kerrigan successfully framed him for a murder.  Eight years behind bars with two goals keeping him going: avenging what Kerrigan did to him and finishing the Inside Man serial killer case investigation though the latter went dormant after Ash went to prison.

When a nurse was found murdered with the Inside Man’s brand of a doll buried in the body, Ash’s former partner psychologist Dr. Alice McDonald obtains his release with electronic conditions to work the inquiry with her.  The best chance to catch the psychopath is a survivor, who just gave birth.  Ash thinks first the predator and then the personal.

The second dark twisting Henderson police procedural is an exciting gritty thriller starring an angry rebel with a cause.  Fast-paced and filled with Stuart McBride’s trademark gore, fans will cheer on the antihero though McDonald comes across as a recalcitrant child rather than an expert forensic psychologist.

Harriet Klausner