Rough Surrender by Cari Silverwood - 5 Stars

My choice is Rough Surrender.  What’s the question, you ask?  If I were stranded on a deserted island, what is the one book that I couldn’t live without? 

What is the attraction of the pre World War I period that so captivates everyone?  Is it that airplanes and motor vehicles are in their infancy?  Or that the clothing styles evoke a hint of the freedom that women will eventually attain?    Find out by delving into Cari Silverwood’s blockbuster of a novel where she weaves the story around the answers to just those questions!

Rough Surrender has it all, beginning with the gold toned Art Noveau cover of a bound woman in ecstasy with the Egyptian pyramids in the distance behind her.   How can you not love a novel that has a well developed cast of characters, steamy erotic sex involving BDSM, a murder mystery, and an exotic backdrop?   In addition to the riveting story, it is evident that Cari Silverwood spent a great deal of time researching the 1910 time period for her novel because the historic details are meticulously executed.

The novel begins with Leonhardt Meisner in a London brothel taking his pleasure with one of the prostitutes.   As Leonhardt is paying the proprietor Mr. Smythe, there is an altercation when another client loses control and goes too far with a whip.   He wants to step in, but is prevented by Mr. Smythe because the problem client is a Duke.  Leonhardt stops frequenting the brothel, when a prostitute’s beaten and whipped body is found in the alley behind the establishment the day after his visit.  This only enforces the conflicting emotions that Leonhardt suffers from because he is unable to reconcile his enjoyment of sadism with his feeling that it is wrong. 

A year later, Leonhardt is in Cairo where he meets his match in Faith Evard.  Faith has traveled to Cairo to take part in the Week of Aviation, flying her Bleriot.  A grisly murder has taken place in Cairo and crocodiles have dragged the body into the Nile.  During the search for the body, Faith discovers the arm with a ring on its finger and while shaken, maintains her composure.  This impresses Leonhardt and makes him determined to forge a relationship with her. 

Faith’s childhood friend, Jeremy Henleyson, has arranged for her plane to be housed near the aerodrome in his friend Mr. Meisner’s warehouse.   When Faith goes to check on her airplane with Leonhardt, she discovers that the engine is missing.  A search is instituted, but the engine remains missing!  While in the warehouse, Faith discovers that she is sexually attracted to Leonhardt.   Having a forceful and feisty personality, she is determined to remain single and fights her attraction.   Faith refuses to submit to anyone, least of all a man!  Can you foresee a bit of discipline taking place with Faith on the receiving end? 

In no time at all Leonhardt has concluded that Faith, even with her feisty exterior, is actually a submissive.   Leonhardt is intrigued because he never dreamed he would find a woman who needs and enjoys his form of domination.  Doing what every good Dom does, he pushes Faith’s boundaries while paying close attention to her every move.  I was amused that Leonhardt refers to Faith as a vixen and that there are silver foxes on the ends of her nipple clamps, along with tiny bells attached elsewhere for his musical entertainment.   I’ll leave the where for you to snicker about when you read that chapter!  It’s the author’s attention to the tiny details in Rough Surrender that makes it unforgettable!  She also manages a number of well placed double entendres that force you to pause and chuckle.

Leonhardt and Faith meet Hasim Massri at a party thrown by the Prince in honor of aviation week.  It’s apparent that Hasim enjoys the same sexual kinks that Leonhardt does.   A contest begins between the two Masters with Faith as the prize.  The tension between the men is palpable.  Will Leonhardt share his lovely sub with another Dom?  Or will Hasim take Faith away from Leonhardt?

A chink finally appears in Leonhardts armor.  He’s terrified of airplanes and flying!  In an attempt to figure out Faith’s determination to conquer the skies, Leonhardt decides to take a flying lesson.  His fear isn’t quashed by spending an hour on the ground learning about the airplane with an instructor.  It begins to escalate when he’s seated in the plane with goggles on and the engine sputtering.   It goes full throttle as he’s rolling down the strip of grass with the instructor running beside him shouting instructions on how to take off.  In spite of it all, Leonhardt somehow manages to get airborne for a very few seconds.   When the airplane stops, Leonhardt is convinced that it’s a flimsy death trap and while he’s around, Faith will never risk her life flying again! 

To say that this novel is well written is an understatement.   Not only are the characters of Leonhardt and Faith well rounded, but watching Leonhardt grow into his role as Faith’s Master and her realization that she can be feisty and her own woman, while submitting to Leonhardt was a pleasure to read!  The supporting cast is equally well written.   And I have to say that I’ve found a new and improved use for my vast collection of calligraphy pens.  Thanks Cari!  Rough Surrender takes you through the full spectrum of emotions.  I laughed, cringed, sighed, snickered, and finally cried when the story came to an end!   I’m hoping that there is a sequel involving Hassim, Leonhardt and Faith in the not too distant future!   While I’m waiting for the sequel, I’m off to that deserted island so that I can jump back in and reread my new favorite novel!

Originally reviewed on The Romance Reviews Website

Sanctuary by Tanya Hanson - 4 Stars

This is a truly inspirational story about how God’s love can overcome even the most trying of circumstances.  Tanya Hanson has written another wonderful novel with the Hearts Crossing Ranch as a backdrop.    You feel as if you could walk out of your front door and Elaine Martin, the matriarch of the Martin clan, would be walking in your house for coffee and a chat!  How can you not like a novel that has such heartwarming characters as the Martin family and their friends.

The novel begins with Hooper Martin’s story of surviving testicular cancer.  He’s finished chemotherapy and now must regain his strength and move forward with his life.  His most cherished reason for getting well is his daughter, Ella, who has just started kindergarten.   Ella’s mother, Lynn, left the ranch when Ella was three months old and has never returned.  Hooper’s divorce is final and he is ready to move on with his life and see what God has in store for him.

Hooper’s brother, Kenn, is getting married to Christy and guests are arriving.  Kenn’s roommate from college, Brian Cameron, shows up with his sister, Mallie.  Brian’s girlfriend was going to be his date, but she dumped him because of his commitment issues.  Mallie is a cancer survivor too.  However, Mallie’s type of cancer, GBM, recurs in a high percentage of cases.  Knowing this, Mallie decides that long term relationships and marriage are forbidden.  She’s decided to only have weekend flirtations.  And who better to spend a flirtatious weekend with than Hooper!

As the plans for the wedding progress, Mallie gets drawn into the bridal madness.  She, Hooper and Ella form their own group at all the festivities.   As Ella and Hooper spend time with Mallie, Hooper realizes that it’s time for his life to go forward, no matter if it’s for a day, a week, or longer, and Mallie has to be a part of it.  Will Mallie realize that Hooper is right?  Will Ella grow to love Mallie? 

Ms. Hanson’s descriptions of the landscape around Hearts Crossing Ranch come alive as if you are seeing it through her eyes.    How can you not enjoy reading a heartwarming love story in such beautiful surroundings?  I’m anticipating another trip to Hearts Crossing Ranch very soon to see what’s happening with the Martin family!

Buried in Briny Bay by Bobbye Terry – 5 Stars

Bobbye Terry has written a truly witty novel packed full of hilarious characters with a mystery to boot! The novel begins by letting you know that Roxie Turner has been threatening to kill Georgia Collins for years. She even has a list of how she’s going to accomplish the dirty deed. And she’s told everyone in town all the details on her list. Will Roxie bake a cupcake, put arsenic in it, and give it to Georgia? Or perhaps put antibiotics in Georgia’s toothpaste and hope for an allergic reaction? Maybe place a car bomb underneath Georgia’s car? Could Roxie sneak into Georgia’s house undetected and asphyxiate her with a pillow while she’s asleep? Or could Roxie throw a paring knife and have it hit Georgia in her eye? How about knocking Georgia out and throwing her off the cliffs onto the rocks of the Pamlico Sound? Folks are dropping like flies in Briny Bay. Someone is using Roxie’s list to murder Georgia, her family and friends. Will it ever stop?

Briny Bay has it all, beginning with Trixie’s “restaurant” the Happy Daze Diner and ending with Roxie’s boutique, Marriage with Style. Not only can you chow down on the best icebox lemon pie at the diner, but you can catch up on the latest gossip or the latest murder. Trixie and Roxie’s brother Jack, the local lawman, stops in to dish the dirt on the local murders. When Georgia Collins is found dead in the local landfill, Jack tracks his sisters to the Happy Daze. He then hauls them in for questioning by the town detectives to see if Roxie has finally hired a hit man to do Georgia in.

Georgia’s murder is followed by her brother’s murder and her accountant’s murder. The accountant, Frank, had been turned in to the IRS by Georgia for embezzling money from her accounts. Frank spends five years in prison before being released and moving to Greensboro. Georgia frequently travels to Greensboro. Coincidence, I think not!!!

Being from the South, I know that we take pride in parading our eccentric relatives for everyone to see and enjoy. Bobbye Terry has certainly done this with the residents of Briny Bay. I laughed out loud when sisters Trixie and Roxie trail Frank to a hotel in Greensboro and tell the desk clerk that they are Nancy Drew and Nora Charles! And how can you not like Roxie’s husband, Floyd the barber, who spends his time watching a big screen tv in his wall to wall leather man cave. Not to mention that Floyd’s last name is Frye and both Trixie and Roxie frequently refer to him as a couch potato. The only “normal” character is the “hotty” PI Trixie and Roxie hire to help them solve the murders, but the sisters quickly drag him into their insanity.

I can’t believe how much FUN Bobbye Terry packed into this short novel! I’m ready to move to Briny Bay and join Roxie and her sister, Trixie, in their next murder investigation. Thank you Bobbye for a really witty novel that had me laughing from beginning to end and trying to guess which character did the murders. Please, please, please make the next novel longer. I can’t wait!!!

Reviewed on The Romance Reviews by Wicked Tiffy's alter ego Ann

Caught by a Clown by Sandra Crowley – 4 Stars

This novel has it all – changing locales, fast paced action, and quirky characters. How could you not have quirky characters with a clown in the title? The quirkiness starts with David Graham who is an uptight, by the book FBI agent with a stick up his butt. It continues with Stacie Monroe who is a fly by the seat of your pants investigative journalist. Can you just see the sparks starting to fly?

The novel opens with Stacie searching for her friend’s brother, Alan, who has impregnated the daughter of Mike Caputo, the local mob boss. Alan has disappeared along with some of the mobster’s money. Stacie’s first clue leads her to pose as a receptionist at the Resort to Nature in Phoenix, AZ where she believes Alan may have fled. To Stacie’s chagrin the Resort to Nature is a nudist resort. Okay, this poses some interesting problems… Where does one hide a gun?? Or anything else??? You’ll have to read the novel to find out!

We discover early on in the novel that Stacie’s family dynamic is a huge reason for her cavalier attitude toward life. It starts with her mother who is a lawyer, and progresses to her father who is a symphony conductor, and finishes with her sister who is labeled the “always-perfect Cynthia”. Thank heavens for her grandfather who was a career police officer. Stacie needs all the knowledge that he’s given her to stay alive during this novel! She’s able to handle weapons, defend herself against mobsters, use hand lotion to stop windows from squeaking, and pick handcuff locks with her earring. All handy talents for a gal to have!

I found it especially interesting to watch the interplay between David and Stacie as they endeavor to solve the mystery of Alan’s disappearance and the missing Caputo mob money. David’s approach is very methodical and well thought out, while Stacie’s approach is “if I try this what will happen?” Stacie’s approach usually lands her in hot water with David riding to the rescue! As the novel progresses, Stacie and David start to incorporate each other’s techniques into solving the mystery. David begins to loosen up and take more risks and Stacie is more aware of her actions. For instance, when Stacie and David escape from mobster Caputo’s lake house in a Corvette, David states that they confiscated the car, they didn’t steal it. However, always the FBI agent, David has the Corvette towed in after it is involved in an accident so that the proceeds can be used to fight crime and Caputo in particular.

The budding romance between David and Stacie is a joy to watch unfold. In the beginning of the novel, David has no intention of ever being anything but a loner. As an FBI Agent, he spends most of his time undercover and could be killed at any time. As much as he wants to have a relationship, he’s afraid of risking it. Stacie, on the other hand, is ready, willing, and able to love David with all her heart. David’s hard shell begins cracking about midway through the novel and by the end of the novel he emerges ready to love Stacie with all his heart.

The mystery involving Alan’s disappearance and the missing money becomes more and more intriguing as the novel progresses. Just when you think that you know where the story is headed it goes off in another direction. The novel is bittersweet in parts, hysterically funny and has a mystery that leaves you in suspense until the end! My only regret is that we never get to see the picture of David, Stacie, and Alan in full clown regalia!!

Reviewed on The Romance Reviews by Wicked Tiffy's alter ego Ann