How To Dance With A Duke by Manda Collins

Story: 9.5
Presentation: 10
Total: 19.5
Publisher: St Martins Press
Regency Historical Romance
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Blurb: What’s a wallflower to do when she’s suddenly in need of a husband? Use all the pluck and moxie she can muster to get what she wants…

Miss Cecily Hurston would much rather explore the antiquities of Egypt than the uncharted territory of marriage. But the rules of her father’s exclusive academic society forbid her entrance unless she weds one of its members. To clear her ailing father’s name of a scandalous rumor, Cecily needs to gain admission into the Egyptian Club—and is willing to marry any old dullard to do it.

Lucas Dalton, Duke of Winterson, is anything but dull. He’s a dashing and decorated war hero determined to help Cecily—even if that means looking the other way when she claims the dance card of Amelia Snow, this season’s most sought-after beauty. But Lucas has a reason for wanting Cecily to join the Egyptian Club: His brother went missing during one of Lord Hurston’s expeditions to Egypt. An alliance with the explorer’s bluestocking daughter could bring Lucas closer to the truth about what happened…or it could lead him to a more dangerous love than either he or Cecily could have imagined….

Review: From the very first page, this is one that just sucks you in.

This debut is maybe one of the best I have ever read. Sexy and engaging, I just didn't want it to end. THIS is how Regency was meant to be. Captivating. Energetic. Rocking on all cylinders :) There is no doubt in my mind that if this is what Ms Collins can do, she will have a bright future and an avid fan in me :)

You can bet your knickers that I will be on the lookout for EVERYTHING by Manda in the future.

Nerd Gone Wild by Vicki Lewis Thompson

Story: 9

Presentation: 10

Total: 19

Publisher: St Martins Press

Contemporary Romance

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Blurb: Inheriting a fortune means less to Ally Jarrett than fulfilling her real dream: to take off for the wilds of Alaska and photograph animals. Unfortunately, she's also inherited her grandmother's personal assistant--an overprotective nerd who couldn't survive a snowball fight.
As a PI and bodyguard, Mitchell Caruthers is the perfect man to protect his late employer's granddaughter. However, keeping his geek-masquerade--and the secret behind his real mission--isn't easy when the freeze between Ally and Mitchell begins to melt.
Yet all's not well in this sub-zero paradise. Ally's bad seed uncle is staking a claim on the family inheritance with a dangerous masquerade of his own. With Ally's life in danger, it's time for her right-hand nerd to expose the real man undercover, and prove himself to the vulnerable body he's been hired to guard.

Review: OMG! The more I read the harder I laugh, I just can't stop! A town name Porcupine, Alaska and a hotel called the Loose Moose Lodge. Are you laughing yet? What if I toss in the fact that Betsy, the hotel owner, has been married 7 times, her bedroom looks like a Victorian whorehouse, her buns bobble and curtsy each other beneath her black stretch pants and she is having wild monkey sex with the local bar owner! When you couple that with the hilarious mouse scene and the super studly bodyguard who is posing as a geek, all you need is this book and a comfy place to curl up and read it cover to cover.

Again, Ms Thompson has done a Snappy good job at turning Geek to Chic!

Gone With The Nerd by Vicki Lewis Thompson

Story: 9

Presentation: 10

Total: 19

Publisher: St Martins Press

Contemporary Romance

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Blurb: Movie star Zoe Tarleton has everything but respect. Now she's determined to get it by snagging the coveted role of a plain-Jane chemist. All she needs is for her decidedly uncool attorney, Flynn Granger, to teach her the Oscar-winning subtleties of being a nerd.
California's Bigfoot Country is the ideal secret hideaway for coaching. That means rehearsing the steamy scenes too. Who'd have guessed that Zoe and Flynn's performances would be so convincing? Unfortunately, something is turning their hot love story into a hair-raising thriller.
The killer bees, the poisoned food, and the toppled tree are no accidents. Someone's out to get them. Does Flynn have a love-struck woman in his life? Does Zoe have an insanely jealous fan? Or is Bigfoot real--and more resourceful than anyone imagined? It's just Zoe's luck. She's finally found the man of her dreams and the role of a lifetime--and both of them could be her last.


Review: Holy SAT score, Superman! Who'd uh thunk that a Bigfoot, a movie star and a nerdy lawyer could come together for such a cute story! Sexy, witty, nerdy......What more could a girl want? A rundown cabin in the middle of no-where-ville and Sasquatch running loose in the area? Okay, why not. Way to many hilarious instances to name, but if I must......well I must!

Lets start with a town called LONG SHAFT! LOL way to cute.....Then there is Sasquatch Diner...LONG SHAFT TRADING POST.......*snort*.... sorry, I am having to good a time writing this :) OH WOW is all I am going to say. I laughed so hard I though I was going to wet myself. but then.........Smoking hot love in the back seat of a compact car on a fuzzy BIGFOOT sleeping bag? ROFL!!!!!

Pardon as I wipe the tear from my eye.........A must read that I will be reading several more times in the future :) SNAPS Ms Thompson. You have done it again :)

Talk Nerdy To Me by Vicki Lewis Thompson

Story: 9

Presentation: 10

Total: 19

Publisher: St Martin's Press

Contemporary Romance Comedy

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Blurb: Fashion model Eve Dupree is fed up with being labeled the pretty one while her sister's called a genius. Eve's got loads of brilliant ideas, not the least of which is the invention she's building in her garage. But when she turns to the nerd next door to help get it off the ground, she finds herself on dangerous ground.
Charlie Shepherd has discovered that there's more to Eve than meets the eye. But it's not just her body he likes -- it's those sexy brains of hers. Romance is a complication he doesn't need right now. The problem is, she has something he needs and he can't seem to resist her.
Keeping her creation under wraps is harder than Eve expected -- as is denying her attraction to Charlie. But when a saboteur starts sniffing around her project, she questions everyone around her, even her nerd in shining armor. Can opposites attract or will they ignite a fire they can't control?

Review: Holy Hot Nerds, Ladies!!!!!!!! What a hoot! I have to say that my love for Ms Thompson's nerds started several years ago when I picked up Nerd Gone Wild. It was the first one I read in the series and I loved it. Now I have read other "series" books and have most of the time been disappointed by the ones that come after, but not in this case! I laughed, my heart fluttered and I felt all warm and fuzzy at the end.

I would STRONGLY recomend this book to anyone who enjoys a good lite-hearted read with a hunky nerd as the number one stud muffin. Plan on seeing reviews for more from this series and I will keep you up to date on how they measure up

Acheron by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Story: 10

Presentation: 10

Total score: 20

Publisher St Martins Press

Paranormal Romance

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BLURB: The most anticipated story in the blockbuster Dark-Hunter series. The never-before-revealed story of the Dark-Hunter leader, Acheron. He was made human in order to escape death, but in death he was reborn a god. . .

Eleven thousand years ago a god was born. Cursed into the body of a human, Acheron spent a lifetime of shame. However, his human death unleashed an unspeakable horror that almost destroyed the earth. Then, brought back against his will, Acheron became the sole defender of mankind.

Only it was never that simple. For centuries, he has fought for our survival and hidden a past he’ll do anything to keep concealed. Until a lone woman who refuses to be intimidated by him threatens his very existence.

Now his survival, and ours, hinges on hers and old enemies reawaken and unite to kill them both.
War has never been more deadly... or more fun.

REVIEW: Speechless!!!!!!!! There are not enough great things I could ever possibly say about this book or the rest of the series that Ms Kenyon has crafted for herself and shares with us. I discovered the Dark Hunter series about two years ago and have been a Kenyon Minion ever since. Without a doubt, this is the hottest, freshest face vampires have ever had. Fun, sexy, deadly and totally appealing, I fall in love a little more with every one I read....again....and again :)

Acheron is a 728 page hard back that includes deleted scenes from some of the other books in the series. I bought it the day after it hit the shelves, cracked the cover as I was walking out of the book store and had it finished less than 16 hours later......and that included the time I had to put it down and catch some sleep because my eyes were burning so bad I couldn't focus on the words anymore. I laughed, I cried, I gasped and I wanted more...more....more...MORE!!!

The largest majority of my hunter collection, both dream and dark, are paperback. Acheron is only one of three hardbacks I have, though I am searching for the rest as I plan to make this collection a permanent fixture in my library.

This is not the typical vampire story. With a heavy dash of mythology, a great spin on Atlantis and love that stands the tests of......well....anything thrown at it.....I have no doubt's Ms Kenyon will be wowing us for a long time to come. At least this fan hopes so :)