A Distant Thunder (Anita Stansfield)

Jayson sighed. “I miss the naivete of youth. I miss making music in the basement and eating your father’s cooking . . . playing my music and being with the people I loved.”
Elizabeth couldn’t hide the fact that she was a little choked up when she said, “I echo that . . . And I miss the rain.”
Following long moments of quiet, Jayson said, “Rain is . . . just rain . . . and no matter where I go, it’s always raining in my heart.”
After battling personal, professional, and financial setbacks, it looks as though Jayson finally has it all—fame, fortune, and a great family. However, he learns how swiftly a rising star can become extinguished. The problem was that Jayson actually had no life left at all. He had no career, no daughter or mother who needed him. His brother was busy with a flourishing career, and Elizabeth had her family.
Just when he reaches an irreversible crisis point in his life, God’s arms reach out to protect Jayson from his own worst impulses. But the road to healing can be arduous and elusive. And even with the love and support of his precious Elizabeth, can Jayson be reclaimed?
Renowned LDS author Anita Stansfield keeps her readers riveted as the drama of A Distant Thunder relentlessly unfolds. Part two of the Jayson Wolfe story is complicated and intense, charged with real-life parallels and struggles that are finely drawn and profoundly moving.

From This Moment On (Lynn Kurland)

Colin of Berkhamshire knows two things - the pleasure of warring and that brides do not want him. Two years ago his bride-to-be, Alienore, fled and hasn't been seen since. Yet his father keeps foisting prospects on him. The latest seems to do nothing but faint.

Alienore of Solonge knows two things as well - that fleeing not only Colin but also her scheming stepmother was the right thing to do. Yet as a knight in disguise she constantly fears discovery. At this point, she's not sure whom she fears more, the Butcher of Berkhamshire or her evil stepmother.

Through a bizarre twist of fate, she ends up journeying with her charge- Colin's latest intended - to England, where Alienore finds herself not only in the Butcher of Berkhamshire's garrison, but being made over into a knight by him personally. She thinks her lie cannot worsen

Until she begins to fall in love with him...

I was definitely entertained by reading this book. Colin was constantly doing things the "manly way." I loved his version of wooing (fighting, telling bloody stories, showing how to sharpen a sword).I still dont believe a girl can get away with impersonating a guy for all that long a time.

The Sound of Rain (Anita Stansfield)

Jayson felt almost as if he'd been catapulted into some eerie time warp as he stood and looked out over the ocean. It had been Drew's idea . . . to stop first at the place they'd come with their mother fewer than two years earlier. And Jayson couldn't deny that for all the grief and heartache he was taking with him . . . his musical abilities had grown through the experiences he'd found in Oregon, and his heart had been touched in ways that had changed him forever.
Friendships and relationships formed and forged through the fiery furnace of experience have left Jayson Wolfe wiser, sadder, and anxious to embrace new hopes and dreams. In the life he is reconstructing, his music is as essential as oxygen, and failure is unimaginable. But does life ever go as planned?
In this first volume of her new series, acclaimed LDS storyteller Anita Stansfield once again reaches out to her readers' hearts, minds, and spirits as she explores both the joy and grief that accompany complicated and intricate relationships. And her readers will find part one of this trilogy compelling and intense, heartwarming and heartbreaking — a deeply rooted love story with heart-stopping consequences.

I loved this book and am looking forward to books # 2 and 3. I had to put the book down at one point, because my eyes were too blurry from tears to continue reading. It also makes you appreciate things in life.

A Garden In The Rain (Lynn Kurland)

Patrick MacLeod is haunted by his past, by events he had no control over and wishes desperately he could change. He hasn't the heart for love, nor the time for rescuing maidens in distress of their own making. Until he sees a woman who touches his heart and stirs his soul...and makes him believe love might be possible after all.

For Madelyn Phillips, Scotland is the land of dreams, filled with magic, romance, and handsome Highland lords. Unfortunately, the reality of her dream vacation is no car, no luggage, and a pesky ex-fiance determined to shadow her every move. She thinks her dreams are in vain. Until she sees a man standing on a windswept moor, a Highlander full of secrets and longing, and Madelyn knows she has seen her destiny.

But the past isn't through with either of them, and it will take all the love each possesses to make their dreams come true...

I really liked this book. I could definitely take having a Patrick looking after me :)

The Rogue Hunter (Lynsay Sands)

Samantha Willan is a workaholic lawyer. She's grateful for some rest and relaxation in cottage country, and after a recent breakup she wants to stay as far away from romance as possible. Then she meets her irresistible new neighbor. There's something strange and mysterious about his eyes. Is it just her imagination, or are they locked on her neck? Garrett Mortimer is a rogue hunter. His last assignment united Lucian Argeneau with his lifemate, and Mortimer is hoping this one will be less . . . adventurous. He's here to track down a reported rogue, but fun in the sun is every bloodsucker's nightmare. Worse, he can't seem to get his mind off Samantha, especially when he spies her skinny-dipping in the lake. After eight hundred years as a bachelor, is he ready to turn a volatile attraction into a lasting love affair?

An okay continuation in the series but nothing terribly exciting. Hopefully future ones are better.

(Rated R)

Tall, Dark & Hungry (Lynsay Sands)

It bit: New York hotels cost an arm and a leg, and Terri had flown from England to help plan her cousin's wedding. The new in-laws offered lodging. But they were a weird bunch. There was the sometime-chipper-sometime-brooding Lucern, and the wacky stage-actor Vincent. And then there was Bastien. Just lookin into his eyes, Terri had to admit she was falling for him- someone even taller, darker and hungrier than the other two. She was feeling a mite peckish herself. And if she stayed with him, those blood-sucking hotel owners wouldnt get her!
Series is starting to get predicatable and a little boring. But of course I will still read them all.

Vampires Are Forever (Lynsay Sands)

Inez Urso is beginning to have her doubts. Her business associate Thomas Argeneau has some interesting traits, like an allergic reaction to the sun, excellent night vision, and not much of an appetite for food. And to top it all off, he just tried to bite her neck . . . but maybe that was a sign of passion. If so, she'd be happy to experience more, despite her determination not to mix business with pleasure.
Well, if not forever, at least two hundred years. Inez is the most beautiful woman he's seen in centuries. Those luscious lips, seductive curves, and her elegant neck . . . he just couldn't resist the temptation of one little bite. Now Thomas will do anything to convince her that only an immortal like him can satisfy her all night long . . .

This one was better than the last couple I've read. I do wish that she would have made the hero a bit more "alpha."

(rated R)

Love Bites (Lynsay Sands)

Etienne Argeneau's three hundred years of bachelorhood were at an end. Either that, or he'd be forever alone. He could only "turn" one human in his lifetime, and most of his kind reserved that power for creating a life mate. If he turned the wrong woman... But what choice did he have? He had to save Rachel Garrett. He didn't know her very well, but the beautiful coroner had saved his life. To save hers he would make her immortal.

Rachel Garrett awoke surprised. All she'd wanted was to get off the night shift at the morgue; now here she was staggering to her feet naked and in a strange place. But everything would be all right. She'd just make like a bat out of -- Then she saw the man of her dreams emerging from his ...coffin? And the look in his bright silver eyes said they'd be spending a lot of time together. She just hoped he tasted as good as her looked.

This one just didnt grab me as much as some of her others have.

(Rated R)

A Quick Bite (Lynsay Sands)

Lissianna has been spending her centuries pining for Mr. Right, not just a quick snack, and this sexy guy she finds in her bed looks like he might be a candidate. But there's another, more pressing issue: her tendency to faint at the sight of blood . . . an especially annoying quirk for a vampire. Of course it doesn't hurt that this man has a delicious-looking neck. What kind of cold-blooded vampire woman could resist a bite of that?
Dr. Gregory Hewitt recovers from the shock of waking up in a stranger's bedroom pretty quickly—once he sees a gorgeous woman about to treat him to a wild night of passion. But is it possible for the good doctor to find true love with a vampire vixen, or will he be just a good meal? That's a question Dr. Greg might be willing to sink his teeth into . . . if he can just get Lissianna to bite.

I dont know if it's because I've read other books in this series and this was supposed to be the first but this one didnt grab me as much as the other I've read. It was still a good read but I recommend reading it before the rest of the series.

(Rated R)

If I Had You (Lynn Kurland)

Artane...a majestic keep on the edge of the sea.
Artane...the foster home of Anne of Fenwyck and the legacy of Robin de Piaget.
Warring had kept Robin far from home for so long, Anne had all but given up hope he would ever return. But now Robin has returned to Artane - to the enchanting young woman who leaves him breathless with longing...and to a treachery that places them both in terrible danger. Then as the past threatens their future, he realizes that he wants nothing more than to have her - forever...
Lovely story. Loved how everyone was trying to get Robin to woo Anne in different ways when she really just liked the gruff way Robin did things.

Vampire, Interrupted (Lynsay Sands)

After seven hundred years of life, Marguerite Argeneau finally has a career. Well, the start of one, anyway. She's training to be a private investigator, and her first assignment is to find an immortal's mother. It seemed simple enough, until Marguerite wakes up one evening to find herself at the wrong end of a sword. Now she realizes she's in way over her head.
Julius Notte wants to protect Marguerite, and not because someone just tried to take her head off. She doesn't know it yet, but she's his lifemate and he's determined to woo her. It's been over five hundred years since he last courted a woman, but surely the techniques haven't changed. Now if only he can keep her alive—so to speak—so they can have that happily-ever-after.

Another good Argeneau book.

(Rated R)

The Accidental Vampire (Lynsay Sands)

Ever since an accident turned her into a knockout vamp, Elvi Black's been catching her z's in a coffin, staying out of the sun, and giving up garlic. She knows there's more to being undead than what she saw in Dracula, but she can't very well ask her mortal friends about proper biting etiquette. But when her neighbors placed a personal ad for her in the local paper, she never imagined she'd meet Victor Argeneau, a vampire who could have his pick of any woman-dead or alive.
Rich, powerful, and drop-dead gorgeous, Victor's the perfect man for a novice neck-biter like Elvi. He's willing to teach her everything he knows, but he'll have to do it fast. Someone's out to put a stake through her new vamp life, and only Victor can keep her safe-and satisfied-for all eternity.

This one was funny! When Elvi finds out that she can eat and doesnt have to sleep in a coffin...I thought I'd pee my pants with her reaction.

(Rated PG-13)

Bite Me If You Can (Lynsay Sands)

One minute Leigh is walking home in the early hours of the morning, and the next a vampire is sinking his teeth into her neck. Turns out it was a rogue vampire marked for termination, but it does Leigh little good because the damage's already been done. She's become one of them.
Lucian Argeneau, hunter of rogue vampires, has been alive for over two thousand years, and there's very little to excite him anymore. Food has become tasteless, sex is ordinary. Then Leigh drops into his life. Suddenly he finds himself craving coffee . . . and imagining the sassy brunette atop the black satin sheets on his nice big bed. It's Lucian's job now to enlighten Leigh on the inner workings of being immortal . . . and tutoring her is igniting a fire in him that hasn't burned in centuries.
But until they stop a renegade bloodsucker from destroying the human race, passion will have to wait!

I had a great time following the adventure of a newly turned vampire and her prickly vampire protector. Funny and sexy!

(Rated R)

A Bite To Remember (Lynsay Sands)

Once bitten, twice shy, and sexy PI Jackie Morrisey wasn't going there again. Vincent Argeneau may be the hottest guy she's ever met, living or dead, but she's here to stop a killer from turning this vampire into dust, not to jump into bed with him.

Anyone who doesn't like the darker side of vampire stories will like this series. It has a hint of a little bit of everything; suspense,mystery,passion and humor.

(Rated R)

This Is All I Ask (Lynn Kurland)

Set near the Scottish border at a rugged castle on the edge of the sea, this is the story of a courageous lord who lost everything he held dear. Of a strong young woman willing to sacrifice everything for happiness. Two lost souls who find in each other a reason to live again, to laugh again, and to love for the first time...

Emotional and Sweet! A wonderful story.

Highland Vampire (Hannah Howell, Adrienne Basso, Deborah Raleigh)

Kiss of the Vampire

Seeking the truth of his tortured heritage at court, Jankyn MacNachton finds something he never expected - true desire. Efrica Callan is beautiful, innocent, and possessed of a courageous heart. She spurns the men who court her dowry, but all Jankyn can offer this lovely creature of light is life in darkness - and in his arms...

I liked this one. After reading Eternal Highlander I was curious of Jankyn's story and this hit the spot.

His Eternal Bride

Suspecting her of murdering her husband, Callum, on their wedding night, Maev McCloskey's clan has banished her to a remote tower. There, she dreams of her dead love - and the passion they never knew in life. But soon she wonders if the seductive, mysterious Callum of her sleeping mind is real - and, if he is, whether joining him in his world would be an act of courage...or of madness.

I didnt finish this one. It had way too much sex in it even for me.

To Tame the Beast

In revenge for the curse that has forever banished him to the shadows, the creature called the Beast of MacDonnell demands the firstborn female child of each generation. Isobella's sister is soon to suffer this fate - unless Isobella can save her. Unafraid, she intends to confront the monster when she finds a strange man isntead: a warrior with the face of an angel and mesmerizing silver eyes who tempts her like no other.

I like this one. The author presented a great story and made it easy to stay involved in it.

(rated R)

My Immortal Highlander (Hannah Howell, Lynsay Sands)

As identical twins, Bothan and Calum MacNachton share a bond stronger than most brothers, one forged by a terrible secret. Rumours and dark tales have been whispered about their clan for centuries. For they roam the Highlands at night, driven by a savage hunger that can never be sated. Their only hope lies in marriage to Outsiders, mortal women whose pure blood will weaken the hold of their eternal curse. Now, alone and on the hunt for their brides, Bothan and Calum are at the mercy of both the Outsiders and whatever new dangers love brings...

Kenna Brodie and Sarra DeCourcey know what it is to stand apart. As strong, proud women, they are determined to prove themselves to their clan no matter what it takes. They've heard the terrible, whispered warnings, but nothing could prepare them for the handsome brothers whose fierce, unyielding desires are beyond any legend...

What Bothan and Calum promise is a life unlike any Kenna and Sarra have ever known. Now, as battle lines are drawn and love's most dangerous secrets are revealed, Kenna and Sarra must choose whether to betray their dark lords or stand and fight for a passion that will never die...

Both of these stories in this collection were a good continuation of this series.

(Rated R)