February New Releases

It's the start of a new month, which means... new releases!! What are you looking for to this month? Here are the books that will make us - or at least me :P - run to the bookstore :) Seems though I won't be running that often :P


February 1

Animal Magnetism by Jill Shalvis
published by Berkley

Co-owner of the town's only kennel, Lilah Young has lived in Sunshine, Idaho, all her life. Pilot-for-hire Brady Miller is just passing through. But he soon has Lilah abandoning her instincts and giving in to a primal desire.

It's Brady's nature to resist being tied down, but there's something about Lilah and her menagerie that keeps him coming back for more.

Genre: Contemporary romance
Series: TBA

Ames: Jill is an auto-buy author for me. Plus the combo of Jill and a heroine that loves animals? There's no way you can keep me from reading this one. LOL

Nath: To tell the truth, I'm still trying to love this author. I enjoy her books, but I want to love them like everyone else... so I'm going to get this book and give it another go :P

Monroe: Its no secret that I love Jill!!! This is a given for me! ;)


The Perfect Play by Jaci Burton

published by Berkley

Football pro Mick Riley is an all-star, both on the field and in the bedroom. But a sexy, determinedly single mom just might be the one to throw him off his game…

For years Mick has been taking full advantage of the life available to a pro athlete: fame, fortune, and a different girl in every city. But when he meets and beds confident, beautiful event planner Tara Lincoln, he wants much more than the typical one-night stand. Too bad Tara’s not interested in getting to know football’s most notorious playboy any better.

As the single mother of a teenage son, the last thing Tara needs is the jet-set lifestyle of Mick Riley; even though their steamy and passionate one-night stand was unforgettable. Tara’s life is complicated enough without being thrust into the spotlight as Mick’s latest girl du jour. Tara played the game of love once and lost big, and she doesn’t intend to put herself out there again, especially with a heartbreaker like Mick.

But when Mick sets his mind to win, nothing will stop him. And he has the perfect play in mind.

Isn’t it just yummy?

Genre: Contemporary romance, Sports romance
Series: Play by Play series, Book #1

Ames: I've tried Jaci's writing in the past and it was more her romantic suspense book that didn't work for me. I really enjoyed her erotic romance anthology so I'm going to check this one out. Also that cover is hot stuff!

Nath: Very hot cover! I've heard good comments about this book, but what's holding me back right now is the fact that the heroine is a single mother. Haven't been in the mood about reading books with single mothers as heroines... although she has a teenage son, that might tip the scale :)

Pride and Pleasure by Sylvia Day
published by Kensington

Wealth has its dangers...

There are disadvantages to being an heiress, as Eliza Martin knows well. Fortune hunters flock to her, acquaintances lie and pander, and lately, someone is engineering "accidents" to propel her to the altar. But Eliza will not be bullied, and she will get to the bottom of this plot. All she needs is a man to infiltrate her assemblage of suitors and find the culprit. Someone not easily noticed; a proficient dancer, quiet, and even-tempered.

...so do certain men

Thief-taker Jasper Bond is entirely too large, too handsome, and too dangerous. Who would believe that an intellectual like Eliza would be seduced by a man of action? But the combination of her stubbornness and the mystery makes the case one Jasper can't resist. Client satisfaction is a point of pride and it's his pleasure to prove he's just the man she needs after all...

Genre: Historical romance
Series: none

Ames: Sylvia Day is an auto-buy author for me. Nuff said. But doesn't that blurb just sound delish?

Nath: Saw Lori's review for this book and Ames is so excited... I might wait for the paperback version though.

Monroe: Sylvia Day rocks! Shes a new author for me so I love being able to get her new and old books to read! =)


Absolutely, Positively by Heather Webber
published by St. Martin's Press

“Exposed” by a Boston Herald reporter, Lucy is suddenly the talk of the town. Long back-story short: Even though the rest of her Valentine ancestors were blessed by Cupid with psychic abilities, Lucy’s only special power lies in her ability to find things. This skill has proven quite a blessing for those who come to her matchmaking agency in search of finding their long-lost loves. Now that Lucy’s secret is out, she has more new clients than she knows what to do with. But soon a certain man of mystery steals Lucy’s spotlight…

No, it’s not Sean Donahue, the sexy fireman-turned-private-eye who’s stolen Lucy’s heart. It’s a masked man in a cowboy hat, dubbed “The Lone Ranger,” who’s been throwing handfuls of cash across the Common. Now all of Beantown’s abuzz. Can Lucy unmask the mysterious money man, track down all her clients’ old flames, and turn up the heat on her love life? Absolutely, positively...

Genre: contemporary, mystery, fiction
Series: Lucy Valentine series, Book #3

Nath: I read the first two books in this series and just enjoyed them so much :) It's just a really fun and fluffy series! Looking forward to this book :)

Monroe: Ok I have books 1 and 2 and havent read them yet BUT I know they are good! lol So ya Ill have to get this one as well!

The Last Goodbye by Sarah Mayberry
published by Harlequin

Ally Bishop knows the settling kind when she sees one. And Tyler Adamson is definitely one. Ordinarily this never-in-one-place-long girl would stay far, far away. Maybe it's the way he looks in jeans, or the way he looks at her, but suddenly Ally is breaking her own rules with dizzying speed. All that Australian temptation right next door…well, there's only so much resistance one girl can have.

As she dives into a fling with Tyler, Ally assures herself she can maintain perspective. After all, he's only here long enough to care for his ailing father. That gives them a time limit, right? With each passing day, however, she falls for Tyler more. And soon she has the strongest urge to unpack her suitcase and stay a while.

Genre: Category romance
Series: none

Ames: Sarah is an auto-buy author for me. I really enjoy her books. And I like the twist on this one, the heroine is the one who's afraid of commitment.

Nath: Still debating. I still have Ms Mayberry's latest release, Best-Laid Plans in my TBR pile...


Everyone Loves a Hero... and that's the problem by Marie Force

published by Sourcebooks

Everyone loves a hero. That's the problem.

Hero pilot Cole Langston is learning to live with—and enjoy—his newfound fame and the rabid female attention that comes with it until a lucky punch knocks some sense into him and opens his eyes to true love.

When his copilot suffers a heart attack in flight, Cole lands the jetliner in a blizzard and revives the stricken captain. Catapulted to national hero status, Cole has more women vying for his attention than he knows what to do with. They all have one thing in common: they try without success to bring this happy-go-lucky pilot down to earth. Then comes an airport altercation, a punch to the face, and the lovely Olivia—a shy, timid artist who does what no other woman has ever managed to do: steal Cole's well-protected heart. With women coming on to him everywhere they go, Olivia struggles to believe that Cole is ready for a committed relationship. His biggest problem is getting rid of all his extra ladies before the only one he wants figures out that she's one of many.

Genre: Contemporary romance
Series: none

Ames: I read Love at First Flight and even though some aspects of it bothered me, I'm willing to give this author another try.

Nath: I've been looking for a good contemporary romance and this might be it :) Although, man, there is a lot of pilot heroes lately!!

Monroe: What a yummy cover...SOLD! ;)

The Sworn by Gail Z. Martin
published by Orbit

As plague and famine scourge the winter kingdoms, a vast invasion force is mustering from beyond the northern seas. And at its heart, a dark spirit mage wields the blood magic of ancient, vanquished gods.

Summoner-King Martris Drayke must attempt to meet this great threat, gathering an army from a country ravaged by civil war. Neighboring lands reel toward anarchy while plague decimates their leaders. Drayke must seek new allies from among the living – and the dead –- as an untested generation of rulers face their first battle.

Then someone disturbs the legendary Dread as they rest in a millennia-long slumber beneath sacred barrows. Their warrior guardians, the Sworn, know the Dread could be pivotal as a force for great good or evil. But if it’s the latter, could even the Summoner-King’s sorcery prevail?

Genre: Fantasy
Series: The Fallen King, Book #1

Nath: Seems like this is the start of a new trilogy. I didn't even realize it was coming out. Not sure whether I'll get it or not, but it's good to have it on the radar :P


February 3

Mr. Bishop and the Actress by Janet Mullany

published by Little Black Dress

What could be more important than a lady's reputation?

Although initially alarmed by their unconventional ways, strait-laced Harry Bishop is content in the service of Lord Shad and his family. But when he is sent to London to rescue Shad's wayward relation from debt and self-destruction, he also has the dubious honor of dealing with the man's illicit lover - troublesome actress Sophie Wallace.

A man of dignity and decorum, Mr Bishop is desperate to disassociate himself from the scandalous Sophie. Unfortunately, avoiding her proves harder than he could ever have imagined and soon she's causing him all kinds of bother...

Genre: Historical Romance
Series: none

Ames: Janet is also another auto-buy author for me. Read the Rules of Gentility and you'll know why. :)

Also, this book is available at Book Depository in case you see it somewhere else with a different date.


February 15

Outside In by Maria V. Snyder
published by Harlequin

Me? A Leader? Okay, I did prove that there's more to Inside than we knew. That a whole world exists beyond this cube we live in. And finding that led to a major rebellion - between worker scrubs like me and the snobby uppers who rule our world. Make that ruled. Because of me, we're free. I thought that meant I was off the hook, and could go off on my own again - while still touching base with Riley, of course. He's the one upper I think I can trust. But then we learned that there's outside and then there is Outside. And something from Outside wants In.

Genre: Young Adult
Series: Inside Out series, Book #2

Nath: I love, love, love Ms Snyder's writing and stories. Inside Out is still on my TBR pile, but it's been getting good reviews :) This one as well, so definitively going to get it. Does anyone know whether Ms Snyder is going to write more books in the Poison Study world?


February 22

What I Did for a Duke by Julie Anne Long

published by Avon (Harpercollins)

For years, he's been an object of fear, fascination . . . and fantasy. But of all the wicked rumors that shadow the formidable Alexander Moncrieffe, Duke of Falconbridge, the ton knows one thing for certain: only fools dare cross him. And when Ian Eversea does just that, Moncrieffe knows the perfect revenge: he'll seduce Ian's innocent sister, Genevieve—the only Eversea as yet untouched by scandal. First he'll capture her heart . . . and then he'll break it.

But everything about Genevieve is unexpected: the passion simmering beneath her cool control, the sharp wit tempered by gentleness . . . And though Genevieve has heard the whispers about the duke's dark past, and knows she trifles with him at her peril, one incendiary kiss tempts her deeper into a world of extraordinary sensuality. Until Genevieve is faced with a fateful choice . . . is there anything she won't do for a duke?

Genre: Historical romance
Series: Pennyroyal Green, Book #5

Ames: I really enjoy this author's writing but I know I'm a few books behind on this series. So I want this title...but with my new resolution, I need to catch up on the series before I can buy it. *sigh*

Nath: Or maybe someone nice will send it to you :P I'm thinking of getting this one because of the great buzz the book has been getting :) Hopefully, I don't need to have read the other books in the series ^_^;

The Heiress by Lynsay Sands
published by Avon (Harpercollins)

Desperately seeking a husband...

Suzette is not like other heiresses; she wants a poor husband, a gentleman who will be so grateful for her dowry that he will allow her access to it so that she can pay off her father's gambling debts. When this alluring beauty encounters Daniel Woodrow—handsome, titled, single... and even more impoverished than she could have hoped for—it seems Suzette's wildest dreams have come true.

But Daniel has not been truthful. Tired of being accosted by an endless stream of vapid coquettes and their fortune-hunting mothers, Daniel has decided to plead poverty to stop them in their tracks. Yet here is a most refreshing and delectable lady, who claims to be thrilled by his penury. Now all Daniel has to do to find true happiness is to keep a little white lie alive... while avoiding a villain who's determined to prevent this union by any means necessary.

Genre: Historical romance
Series: Madison Sisters, Book #2

Nath: Whether I get this book will depend on my enjoyment of The Countess :) However, this is another Avon release that's been getting a good buzz. Avon is seriously on a roll!


Green-Eyed Demon by Sabina Kane

published by Orbit

The clock is ticking for Sabina Kane. She has to save her sister from her mysterious captors. And in order to do that, she has to broker a deal between the mages and the vampires before all hell breaks loose.

But as much as Sabina is focused on surviving the present, the past won’t be ignored. Before she can save those she cares about, she’s got to save herself from the ghosts of her past. Because the past is haunting her. Literally.

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Sabina Kane series, Book #3

Nath: I'm not sure whether I'll be picking this one up or not. My problem is I'm not totally engaged while reading the story. I like the action, but seems to have a problem with the writing. Also, Sabina in the last book... some of her action, meh.

Treachery in Death by J.D. Robb
published by Putnam

Detective Eve Dallas and her partner, Peabody, are following up on a senseless crime-an elderly grocery owner killed by three stoned punks for nothing more than kicks and snacks. This is Peabody's first case as primary detective-good thing she learned from the master.

But Peabody soon stumbles upon a trickier situation. After a hard workout, she's all alone in the locker room when the gym door clatters open; and-while hiding inside a shower stall trying not to make a sound-she overhears two fellow officers, Garnet and Oberman, arguing. It doesn't take long to realize they're both crooked-guilty not just of corruption but of murder. Now Peabody, Eve, and Eve's husband, Roarke, are trying to get the hard evidence they need to bring the dirty cops down-knowing all the while that the two are willing to kill to keep their secret.

Genre: Romantic Suspense, mystery
Series: In Death series, Book #32

Nath: Need I say more? LOL.


How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf by Molly Harper

published by Simon & Schuster

Northern Exposure

Even in Grundy, Alaska, it’s unusual to find a naked guy with a bear trap clamped to his ankle on your porch. But when said guy turns into a wolf, recent southern transplant Mo Wenstein has no difficulty identifying the problem. Her surly neighbor Cooper Graham—who has been openly critical of Mo’s ability to adapt to life in Alaska—has trouble of his own. Werewolf trouble.

For Cooper, an Alpha in self-imposed exile from his dysfunctional pack, it’s love at first sniff when it comes to Mo. But Cooper has an even more pressing concern on his mind. Several people around Grundy have been the victims of wolf attacks, and since Cooper has no memory of what he gets up to while in werewolf form, he’s worried that he might be the violent canine in question.

If a wolf cries wolf, it makes sense to listen, yet Mo is convinced that Cooper is not the culprit. Except if he’s not responsible, then who is? And when a werewolf falls head over haunches in love with you, what are you supposed to do anyway? The rules of dating just got a whole lot more complicated...

Genre: Paranormal romance, chick-lit
Series: Naked Werewolf, Book #1

Nath: Last year, I've read and enjoyed the Jane Jameson series. This is by the same author, a three back-to-back releases :) What I like about Ms Harper's books is that they are light and fun, a bit more on the comedic chick-lit side. That also means that they are not for everyone ^_^;

Harvest Moon by Robyn Carr
published by Mira (Harlequin)

Rising sous-chef Kelly Matlock's sudden collapse at work is a wake-up call. Disillusioned and burned out, she's retreated to her sister Jillian's house in Virgin River to rest and reevaluate.

Puttering in Jill's garden and cooking with her heirloom vegetables is wonderful, but Virgin River is a far cry from San Francisco. Kelly's starting to feel a little too unmotivated…until she meets Lief Holbrook. The handsome widower looks more like a lumberjack than a sophisticated screenwriter—a combination Kelly finds irresistible. But less appealing is Lief's rebellious stepdaughter, Courtney. She's the reason they moved from L.A., but Courtney's finding plenty of trouble even in Virgin River.

Kelly's never fallen for a guy with such serious baggage, but some things are worth fighting for. Besides, a bratty teenager can't be any worse than a histrionic chef... right?

Genre: Contemporary romance
Series: Virgin River series, Book #13

Nath: I really enjoyed Wild Man Creek, so I'm crossing my fingers for Harvest Moon. Have to say, I'm not convinced with Kelly. She was sort of in a relationship in Wild Man Creek and it kind of turned me off ^_^; Luckily, it's going to be a new relationship in this book :)