Laid Bare - Lauren Dane

Title: Laid Bare
Author:  Lauren Dane
Publisher:  Berkley
Published:  2009
Pages:  322
Genre:  Romance - Menage
Series:  Brown Siblings - Book #1

Not knowing that this book had a related story...I read the second book first...Coming Undone. However, I don't think it spoiled the first book for me...but it would have been nice not to know the outcome before reading it. Laid Bare is a story of redemption, second chances, and a powerful message of love conquering all. The emotional connection between the reader and the characters is strong and deep.  I like how Lauren Dane took an extremely devastating situation and brought the raw emotions to the forefront holding nothing back. Not knowing how I would like the menage portion of the book...I discovered that I was pulling for the threesome and hoping that they would get their happily ever after. Through her in-depth writing, I was able to feel their intense emotions, understand their respective families' concerns, and experience their ups and downs trying to overcome their obstacles, as well as, trying to mesh their lives together. Not only was this a roller coaster ride of passion, but it also contained witty dialogue, vivid imagery, and two fantastic heroes!!!

Officer Todd Keenan had a fling with rocker, bass player Erin Brown ten years ago. But not trusting his desires and needs, the relationship ended, and he moved on with his life. Now, life has changed, and the two are thrown back together - with a stronger, more confident Todd and an empty-shell of a woman, Erin. He struggles to earn her trust, to learn what has caused her to change so drastically, and to bring music back into her life. I loved Todd's character...he was so gentle with Erin...wanting to help her come to terms with her tragic past...yet a definite alpha, dominant man that knew just the right amount of control to handle all of Erin's needs.

Erin is a woman whose strength of character and determination were characteristics I wished I possessed. At first, she is a strong woman who knows her mind, doesn't care what others' think, and lives life to the fullest..."Erin Brown had stopped apologizing for wanting things.  She grabbed experience with both hands and gobbled them down." After the tragedy, her strength of character changed to that of survival, regaining and reinventing herself, and learning to live again.

Ben is Todd's best friend and business partner. He entered Todd's and Erin's relationship as a friend, but soon feelings begin to develop between the three. He is hesitant at first (which I really liked this about his character) because he didn't want to come between them. But through their words and actions, Todd and Erin showed him how much he meant to them, and how much they wanted him to be a part of their lives. But it wasn't an easy relationship...relatives were concerned and some even distanced themselves from the threesome. I love that Lauren Dane didn't make it all sunshine and roses with everyone accepting their choices. It was very realistic with real reactions...made the story very believable.

I can't wait to read more of Lauren Dane's work. She has a way with words that draws a wide range of emotions from the reader. I laughed, I cried, I cheered. I am so glad I read out of my comfort zone...I would have passed up a fantastic book otherwise.

You can read an excerpt from Laid Bare over at Lauren Dane's website.




Rating: 4.75/5
Pages:  322
Completed:  3/25/10

Laid Bare - Lauren Dane

http://worldaccordingtobooks.blogspot.com/2010/05/laid-bare-lauren-dane.html

Instant Attraction - Jill Shalvis

Title:  Instant Attraction
Author:  Jill Shalvis
Publisher:  Kensington Brava
Published:  2009
Pages:  302
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Series:  Wilder Brothers - Book #1

Instant Attraction truly lives up to its name...I was instantly attracted to the beautiful cover as well as to the words within. Praise for Jill Shalvis' writing which includes laugh out loud humor, heartwarming characters, and sizzling passion. It is the second book that I have read of hers, and it swept me away into a world of adventure, self-discovery, and witty dialogue. This is the first book in a trilogy of three bad boy heroes, the Wilder brothers, each one with their own crosses to bear. Cameron, the youngest of the brothers, is the hero in Instant Attraction.

Having been estranged from his family for months, Cameron finally comes home to the family business, Wilder Adventures and Expeditions. A world-renowned snow boarder, he is trying to get his head on straight after a life-changing accident left him unable to pursue his dream. He didn't want to come back home, but it was the only home he had, and he was so afraid he wouldn't be able to find a new dream. However, "While he'll risk his body taking clients on adrenaline-drenched excursions, his heart is off limits." Still, there is something about Katie that keeps him coming back for more...showing her how exhilarating life can be.

Katie is suffering with her own demons. After being the sole survivor of a devastating accident, she wants to live life to the fullest. "Live life balls out" is her new motto. So she takes a temporary bookkeeping job with Wilder Adventures.  She has to overcome her fears in order to embrace her new life...one of the lines in the book I absolutely love is when she tells Cameron, "I am not quitting my life."  She pushes forward, tries new adventures, and with each one she starts regaining her confidence, goes through some life-changing self-discovery, and falls more in love with the sexy, heartthrob Cameron Wilder.

I enjoyed this book so much that I have book two, Instant Gratification, Stone Wilder's story, in my shopping cart ready to be ordered!! I just love Jill's writing and can't wait to get back to the characters of Wilder Adventures.



Rating: 4/5
Pages:  302
Completed:  3/27/10

Instant Attraction - Jill Shalvis

http://worldaccordingtobooks.blogspot.com/2010/05/instant-attraction-jill-shalvis.html

Our Library Does it Again

Once again our library here in Cincinnati was featured in an article. This one was posted on a blog that I just recently visited which talked about supporting our local libraries and what they mean to a community. Brain Candy Book Reviews posted a list of the 10 largest public libraries and we ranked 2nd on the list with a total of 9,154,039 volumes. To learn more about supporting libraries, Jason gives us a link to the American Library Association...and when I looked up largest libraries...we ranked 9th in Nation's Largest Libraries...this list includes Universities and the Library of Congress.

We have over 1 million visitors a year to our library, and it says that "we have one of the finest collections of materials in the U.S."

Thank you Brain Candy for posting this information...and congratulations to Cincinnati and their Public Library system!!!

A little history about our library...it was first built in 1874 and featured one element similar to today's library...a towering atrium with a skylight ceiling. The building closed in 1955, when the new library was built down the street.

This is a picture of the old library right before it was torn down in 1955.

And here is a picture of the main hall...

Can you tell I am a big supporter or our local library?? We visit the library at least once every two weeks and check out tons of books and movies. The kids actually look forward to playing on the computers there, searching for books, and browsing through their movies. We usually do this at our local library near our house. But the looks on their faces was priceless when we made a field trip down to the main library in the city!!! So much to do and so much to see for the kids! Now that I think about it, it is about time to make another trip there...LOL.

Are you library patrons?

Our Library Does it Again

http://worldaccordingtobooks.blogspot.com/2010/05/our-library-does-it-again.html

Bride Quartet - Books 2 and 3 - Nora Roberts

I am doing a two for one review on the Bride Quartet series by Nora Roberts. Not because I didn't enjoy the books (in fact, I loved them), but I have soooo many books to review (I have been on a reading frenzy) that it just seemed easier this way. This post is about books 2 and 3 of the series. You can read my review on Vision in White, which is the first book, in an earlier post.

Title:  Bed of Roses
Author:  Nora Roberts
Publisher:  Berkley
Published:  2009
Pages:  335
Genre:  Romance
Series:  Bride Quartet - Book #2

Hero:  Jack Cooke
Heroine:  Emma Grant

As you can tell from my earlier reviews...I am a huge fan of Nora Roberts. I love her writing style, her characters stay with me long after the book is finished, and the stories are engaging. There is not much more I can say about her writing that I haven't said before...she is one of my favorite authors.

Here is a brief background of the Bride Quartet series. Four close childhood friends grow up to form a company called Vows, one of Connecticut's premier wedding planning company. Bed of Roses is Emma's story...she is the wedding florist. It was interesting getting into the details of flower arranging, and planning the arrangements and bouquets for the wedding. She is also the romantic of the group, growing up dreaming of a lifelong love affair, the perfect setting for a proposal, and her own wedding. Of all the books (which I have only read the first three), I like Emma's story the best. Being a romantic at heart myself, I connected with Emma and her hopes and dreams of a future that encompasses a love of great magnitude. Her story is heart-wrenching and had me reaching for a tissue or two.

Jack Cooke has been a friend of the "family" for years. He is an architect and has helped in the renovations of the family home into the perfect showplace for Vows and the perfect place where all four women can create and pursue their individual talents. He is my favorite of the heroes...he "bangs a booming ten on your spark-o-meter, is an architect, and a bit flawed in that he has big commitment issues. It is a friends to lovers story that will warm the heart, bring a tear or two to the eyes, and make you hope for that romantic, happy ending.

Here is a quote that gives you some insight on Emma's take on love:

I don't think you tell someone you love them because you expect something. I think you tell them because you have something to give.

Rating:  4.75/5
Pages:  335
Completed:  4/10/10

Title:  Savor the Moment
Author:  Nora Roberts
Publisher:  Berkley
Published:  2010
Pages:  325
Genre:  Romance
Series:  Bride Quartet - Book #3

Hero:  Delaney Brown
Heroine:  Laurel McBane

Laurel is the wedding cake expert of the group. While Bed of Roses was my favorite due to the romance of the story, Savor the Moment was great because of the behind the scenes look we get at designing and making wedding cakes. I love the reality TV show "Cake Boss" so reading about Laurel's trials and successes with her cakes was a great asset to the story.

Delaney is the brother of one of the four friends and he is also the attorney for the business. Being the older brother, he has watched the girls grow up together and considered all of them his sisters. Therefore, he has some issues with becoming involved with one of them. There wasn't a lot of angst with this story...the two issues being how Delaney has always thought of Laurel, and Laurel's issue that coming from a poor family, one filled with financial and infidelity problems, she wasn't good enough for the Ivy League lawyer, Delaney.

I loved the ending of the story and thought the Nora Roberts wrapped the story up with a great beach scene and an awesome quote:

I know you're the one now, and I know you're going to be the one tomorrow, and next month, next year. And you're going to be the one for the rest of my life.

Rating: 4.5/5
Pages:  325
Completed:  5/4/10

Bride Quartet - Books 2 and 3 - Nora Roberts

http://worldaccordingtobooks.blogspot.com/2010/05/bride-quartet-books-2-and-3-nora.html

Listful Mondays: Book Pet Peeves

Well, here it is again Tuesday and I am just posting my Listful Monday. For some reason my Google Reader is not updating the new blogs I am following, so I missed this event again. Oh well, better late than never!!! LOL.

This meme is hosted by Julie at A Small Accomplishment.

The theme for this week is:  Book Pet Peeves.

1.  I hate to go into a bookstore...find a copy of the book I have been wanting forever...only to find that someone has cracked the spine or bent the cover. And that is the only copy they have!!

2.  Libraries putting their stickers on the blurb of the book so that it is unreadable.

3.  Those cardboard inserts in the middle of paperback books advertising a book club or something to that effect.

4.  My used bookstore...when they put a book in their bargain bin...they cut the corner off the cover.

5.  Crusted food on library books...that's just gross.

6.  Books with glaring errors in them...I am not talking about an occasional typo here and there...I am talking big errors...like when the heroes name changes halfway through the book.

7.  Dog-eared pages.

8.  Throwing dust jackets away on hardbound books...yes, I know people that do that.

Now, I am not all that picky about what other people do to their books (even though dog-earring and breaking the spine makes me cringe), I just don't want it done with my books...LOL.  So what about you, what are some of your pet peeves when it comes to books?

Listful Mondays: Book Pet Peeves

http://worldaccordingtobooks.blogspot.com/2010/05/listful-mondays-book-pet-peeves.html