My Dangerous Pleasure (Witches, #4) by Carolyn Jewel

• Title: My Dangerous Pleasure by Carolyn Jewel
  
• Classification: Adult Fiction
• Genre: Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
• Format: Paperback, 384 pages
• Publisher: Forever (May 31, 2011)
• ISBN-10: 0446563870
• ISBN-13: 978-0446563871
• Notes:  I read the ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of this book The book comes out on May 31st, and I added it to my list of most anticipated releases of May. Also, language was used which some may find inappropriate.

Paisley Nichols is the girl next store type. She owns a bakery and is one of the nicest people you'll ever meet. When a  regular customer at the bakery she owns asks her out, she says yes. That was a big mistake. Little did she know that this seemingly innocent event would change her life, throwing her into a world of  mages, witches, demons, and warlords. Now avoiding the unwanted advances of a mage who claims she's his, Paisley finds protection in a very unlikely person--her landlord, Iskander. Did I mention Iskander is extremely good-looking? He also happens to be on of the deadliest demon assassins out there. 

This is the fourth book in the series, but I didn't feel lost even though I hadn't read the previous three books. The men are gorgeous, and the love scenes are steamy. My favorite part, however, was the world that Ms. Jewel created and that is what I truly look forward to seeing more of in her books. A very fun read. I gave this one a 4 out of 5 stars rating.

Order of the series:
 
1. My Wicked Enemy
2. My Forbidden Desire
3. My Immortal Assassin 
4. My Dangerous Pleasure

Guarding a Notorious Lady (Devine & Friends #3) by Olivia Parker

Title: Guarding a Notorious Lady
Classification: Adult Fiction
Genre: Historical Romance

Series: Devine & Friends 
Format: Paperback, 384 pages 
Publisher: Avon (May 31, 2011) 
ISBN-10: 0061988405 
ISBN-13: 978-0061988400 
Notes: I read the ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of this book The book comes out on May 31st. 

How does the saying go?

‘While the cat’s away, the mice will play?’

A wager has been made

(in one of London’s gambling hells to

see who can win Lady Rosalind’s hand)

A Duke will go away

(on his wedding trip)

Hopeful suitors will wish to play

(at winning his sister Rosalind’s hand by fair or foul)

A protector will be named…

(to ensure his sister will come to no harm)

Rosalind has it all: brains, looks, pedigree, connections, and soon the one thing all rakes and fortune hunters desire the most - an absentee guardian.

Another delightful read by Ms. Parker. If you’re looking for a fun and lighthearted read, you may wish to pick this one up. I gave this one 4 out of 5 stars. Oh, and did I mention the hero in this one is Scottish? How remiss of me. *grin*

Order of the series:

1. At the Bride Hunt Ball (Avon Romance)

2. To Wed a Wicked Earl

3. Guarding a Notorious Lady

Early Review of The Wild Rose (The Tea Rose #3) by Jennifer Donnelly

• Title: The Wild Rose by Jennifer Donnelly 
• Classification: Adult Fiction
• Genre: Historical Fiction/Historical Romance
  
• Format: Hardcover, 640 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion (August 2, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401301045
• ISBN-13: 978-1401301040
• Notes:  I read the ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of this book. The book will be published on August 2nd.

Eight years ago Willa Alden had it all. She was on a climbing expedition (climbing being her passion) with the man she loved beside her. In a moment, everything changed. Tragedy struck, and an accident claimed her leg and almost her life. Sometimes in the heat of the moment, in the rage of passion, or in the midst of an uncontrollable sadness or anger a person may say something they would otherwise never have thought or said. The latter was Willa's case. Devastated by the realization she would never be able to climb the peaks she so loved, she lashed out at her soul mate, Seamus Finnegan -  Seamie, for saving her. Feeling he should have let her die, rather than let her live a life in which she could not pursue her passion, she left him. Almost immediately upon stepping on a train, she realized what she'd done. Sometimes a person may wish they could take back the cruel words they utter, but facing the one they said them to and the possibility of not being forgiven, well, it seems like an utterly impossible thing to do.

Flash forward  to present day. The year is 1914. England is on the cusp of WWI, the South Pole has recently been discovered, and women still do not have the right to vote. Willa's father is dying, and she will finally need to deal with the man she left over eight years ago. The world is about to change and no one will be left unscathed by it.

This book will  engage all  your emotions. You'll find yourself laughing, crying, smiling, and sighing. Given from different vantage points so you can know what is happening to the main characters, there are twists and turns.While the story does include a romance, it does not define the book, hence, I listed it as both Historical Fiction and Historical Romance. Donnelly explored the era and paints an informative view of what was going on at the time. There are spies, political struggles, and glimpses of a world in the midst of change.

Willa was my favorite character. Able to make it in a man's world when women were not highly regarded, I kept waiting to hear what would happen to her next. Forcing myself not to jump ahead to the next chapter or chapters that would bring me back to her portion of the story was difficult.

The book is wonderfully written. I was impressed by the seven pages worth of bibliography the author listed at the end. I did not read the previous two books, but did not feel lost because of it. This is a book I HIGHLY recommend.  I gave it 5 out of 5 stars. I now have the first two books on hold at my local library and will hopefully find time in the next couple of busy months to read them. While you could read this one without the benefit of the previous two books, I feel I need to go back and read the stories of the other characters who were in this book, but not the focus of it. I would like to know their histories as well. This is another book I'll need to buy the hard copy of to add to my keeper shelf. Thank you Hyperion for allowing me to be one of the first people to read this ARC.

Previous books in the series:
 
1. The Tea Rose: A Novel
2. The Winter Rose

Most Anticipated Releases of May

May 2 - 10th Anniversary (Women‘s Murder Club Series #10) by James Patterson

May 3 - The Throne of Fire (Kane Chronicles Series #2) by Rick Riordan

May 3 - Dead Reckoning (Sookie Stackhouse/ Southern Vampires Series #11) by Charlaine Harris

May 3 - Bite Club (Morganville Vampires series #10) by Rachel Caine

May 3 - Hard Bitten (Chicagoland Vampires Series #4) by Chloe Neill

May 3 - The Craving (The Vampires Diaries; Stefan’s Diaries Series #3) BY L.J. Smith

May 3 - One Magic Moment by Lynn Kurland

May 3 - Breaking Point (I-Team Series #5) by Pamela Clare

May 3 - The Rogue Crew (Redwall Series #22) by Brian Jacques, Sean Rubin (Illustrator)

May 3 - Sixkill (Spenser #40) by Robert B. Parker

May 3 -  Jace (Shadow Wranglers Series #3) by Sarah McCarty

May 3 - The Unbearable Lightness of Dragons (Light Dragons Series #3) by Katie MacAlister

May 3 - Divergent (Divergent Trilogy) by Veronica Roth

May 10 - Buried Prey (Lucas Davenport #21) by John Sandford

May 10 - The Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book by Jeff Kinney  .

May 10 - What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

May 10 - Die for Me (Revenants #1)  by Amy Plum

May 17 -  Graveminder by Melissa Marr

May 17 -  The Jefferson Key (Cotton Malone # 7) by Steve Berry

May 17 -  Cryptic Cravings (Vampire Kisses #8) by Ellen Schreiber

May 24 - Scandal in Scotland (Hurst Amulet #2) by Karen Hawkins

May 24 - Zombies Sold Separately: A Night Tracker Novel by Cheyenne McCray

May 24 - The Warlock (Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel Series) by Michael Scott

May 31 - Guarding a Notorious Lady by  Olivia Parker

May 31 - The Reluctant Vampire by Lynsay Sands

May 31 - Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn

May 31 - Magic Slays (Kate Daniels #5) by Ilona Andrews

May 31 - Creed's Honor (Montana Creeds #6) by Linda Lael Miller

May 31 - Dreams of Joy by Lisa See

May 31 - Kiss of Snow (Psy-Changeling, #10) by Nalini Singh

May 31 - My Dangerous Pleasure (Witches, #4) by Carolyn Jewel