THE BILLIONAIRE'S UNEXPECTED HEIR by Kathie Denosky

The Billionaire's Unexpected Heir

by

Kathie DeNosky

Silhouette Desire

1972

October 2009

This story was incredible. The hero was a little slow on the uptake, but well worth the wait.

Lady Mischief liked the book so much she had to go on a search for the other books in the series.

Lady Mischief is not a Desire reader, this book caught her eye on the rack at Wally World, but she enjoyed Ms. DeNosky's story and style so much that once she completed all "The Illegitimate Heirs" books she could find she then searched out as much of Ms. DeNosky's backlist as could be found.

The lesson to be learned here is: even if you limit yourself to a few categories there are wonderful writers in the other lines. Expand your reading horizons.

Yours forever between the covers of a book,

Lady Mischief

RAFFAELE: TAMING HIS TEMPESTUOUS VIRGIN by Sandra Marton

Raffaele: Taming His

Tempestuous Virgin

by

Sandra Marton

Harlequin Presents

#2869

November 2009

Raffaele Orsini's father isn't just connected, he is what everyone in the neighborhood wants to be connected to.

Raffaele and his brothers despise his father and what he does. One day his father pulls the "sick" card and makes Raffaele give his solemn word to keep an old promise of his fathers.

This is the first book of four about the Orsinis brothers. All Lady Mischief can say about Raffaelo is WOW!

Yours forever behind the covers of a book,

Lady Mischief

THE RUTHLESS ITALIAN'S INEXPERIENCED WIFE by Christina Hollis

b

The Ruthless Italian's

Inexperienced Wife

by

Christina Hollis

Harlequin Presents

Extra #63

July 2009

The story isn't bad, but the back cover is misleading. The blurb's headline proclaims "Virgin nanny".

She is not a virgin.

Lady Mischief would not have a problem with this if the cover hadn't misled her. Hey, Harlequin! Let's have a little truth in advertising.

Yours forever between the covers of a book,

Lady Mischief

BOUGHT FOR MARRIAGE by Margaret Mayo

Bought For Marriage

by

Margaret Mayo

Harlequin Presents

Extra #64

July 2009

Dione Keristari's father is a real piece of work. He is a bully who stole her away from her mother and controlled her life. He has run his business into the ground and now he is in the hospital with heart problems (who knew he had a heart?) and is insisting Dione approach a business enemy for the money he needs to save his business.

Theo Tsardikos cannot stand Bully Keristari, but he is turned on by the three minutes he spends in Dione's company. He tells her, you marry me and you can have the money for your father.

She agrees but says it will be on her terms. She is not that young. She is an educated woman. Nobody could force her to marry for this money. Her father was not deserving of this kind of sacrifice. This works for "good fathers" or when the heroines are young and extremely innocent. It did not work as a plot devise for this character.

Lady Mischief did not like any character in this book. She is wishing she had spent the money on Ben & Jerry instead.

Yours forever between the covers of a book,

Lady Mischief

THE GREEK TYCOON'S BLACKMAILED MISTRESS by Lynne Graham

The Greek Tycoon's

Blackmailed Mistress

by

Lynne Graham

Harlequin Presents

#2836

July 2009

Seven years ago Aristandros Xenakis was engaged to Ella for about five minutes. Just long enough to announce the glad tidings to his entire family and friends and for her to find out he expected her to give up her medical training to become a wife and mother.

Now Aristandros is the sole guardian of the child Ella wants. He makes Ella sign a devil's pact with him in order for her to be able to be near the child. Is it for revenge? Or does he have deeper reasons?

If you like a take-charge-anything-goes-alpha-hero, and Lady Mischief does (in books) Aristandros is a good example, until the end.

The story is solid, but the end comes too quick. In the end he caves and gives her everything she wants and she gives him a quarter inch.

But after saying that, both the characters are likable. The book is worth the money and the time it takes to read it.

Yours forever behind the covers of a book,

Lady Mischief

WITH SEDUCTION IN MIND by Laura Lee Guhrke

WITH SEDUCTION IN MIND
by
Laura Lee Guhrke

Avon
Historical Romance
Paperback
September 2009

Daisy Merrick's great ambition in life is to be a writer. Unfortunately she must eat and have a roof over her head while she is waiting to be published. Even more unfortunately she keeps getting sacked from her jobs.

One day she finds the courage to visit a publisher and ask him if he will print her work. He says her work is not ready yet, but he has an author who is no longer producing. He assigns Daisy to work as the great Sebastian Grant, Earl of Avermore's editor.

Little does Daisy know that the Earl is recovering from a ten year cocaine habit that had almost killed him and now has a case of writers block that is killing him or likely to drive him back to the drug.

Ms. Guhrke writes about adult characters, in adult settings, facing adult problems. This is her special niche that she has carved out for herself in the historical market. Others may attempt to transpose modern problems into an historical setting, but no one can do it as well as Laura Lee.

This book easily rates:

Yours forever between the covers of a book,
Lady Mischief

THE DARK HIGHLANDER by Karen Marie Moning

THE DARK HIGHLANDER

by
Karen Marie Moning

Audio Book
narrated by
Phil Gigante
9 CDs
11 hours

The Dark Highlander is the story of Dageus MacKeltar, 16th century druid and twin brother of Drustan MacKeltar.

In Drustan's book, The Kiss of the Highlander, Dageus used his druid powers for personal gain when he tried to save his brother's life. This gave the spirits of the evil thirteen ancient druids an opportunity to invade Dageus's body.

Dageus in his travels through time(in The Dark Highlander) in search of a way to rid himself of the evil ones before he is totally evil himself. He finds antiquities curator Chloe Zanders in modern day New York where first he holds her prisoner then he enlists her help.

The story is wonderful. Mr. Gigante handles Chloe's voice very well, Gwen/David Spade makes a reapperance in this book and is still good for a laugh.

Forever yours between the covers of a book,
Lady Mischief

KISS OF THE HIGHLANDER by Karen Marie Moning

KISS OF THE HIGHLANDER
by
Karen Marie Moning

AudioBook
narrated by
Phil Gigante
10 CDs
11 hours

Lady Mischief has recently had to spend many hours traveling the lonely highways. It doesn't take long to realize that the radio plays the same old songs in rotation on an hourly basis and how much talk radio can one person listen to before said person will need serious therapy? So the Lady decided that her time should not be wasted in such manner and went to her local library to borrow a few audio books to listen to.

The first book Lady Mischief chose was Karen Marie Moning's "The Kiss of the Highlander". It is the story of Drustan MacKeltar, a 16th century druid placed under a spell by gypsies. He sleeps until he is awakened in present times by Gwen Cassidy.

It is a true revelation to hear an author's words spoken out loud. Phil Gigante is a very talented narrator and Lady Mischiefs following statements are not a reflection on his talent, nor Ms. Moning's writing, just in this case it is perhaps an unfortunate combination of both.

Gwen Cassidy is described as having a Jennifer Anniston hairstyle and bee stung lips (ala Angelina Jolie?) Then add Mr. Gigante's falsetto voice and Lady Mischief's overly fertile imagination and the picture that crops to mind is David Spade in drag as Jennifer Anniston wearing a silver lame dress that keeps falling off.

Everytime Gwen spoke Lady Mischief exploded in laughter. After listening for awhile she grew accustomed to the voice and the explosive laughter calmed down to a giggle until she had to shut off the car but when she began her travels again it would be as if it were the very first time she heard Gwen's voice. (And to think there are so many people who believe Lady Mischief does not have a sense of humor!)

Lady was really torn on how to score this book. The story is well written and well told. The narration is very entertaining, but the whole David Spade in drag thing is also very distracting.

Yours forever between the covers of a book,
Lady Mischief

MY SEXY GREEK SUMMER by Marie Donovan

MY SEXY GREEK SUMMER
by
Marie Donovan

Harlequin
Blaze
May 09
#470

Grad student Cara Sokol is about to spend the summer on a Greek island. Her "nonexistent sex life" needs a "jump-start" but she has sworn off of Greek men forever. At least until she meets Yannis Petrides.

Lady Mischief loves Greek tycoons, stories that involve Greece, etc. It has always been one of Lady Mischief's major ambitions to find one of Harlequin's Greek Tycoons for herself. She doesn't want a real Greek tycoon because she is afraid he might look like Jackie Kennedy's second husband. That changes the fantasy drastically.

This book also changes the fantasy drastically. This is the first Greek based romance Lady Mischief did not finish reading. It was just too painful. She could not find a single person she liked in it.

Regretfully this book is rated:

Yours forever between the covers of a book,
Lady Mischief

ALPHA WOLF by Linda O. Johnston

ALPHA WOLF
by
Linda O. Johnston

Silhouette
Nocturne
January '09
#56

Dr. Melanie Harding did not believe in werewolves. She was a veterinarian. She owned her own clinic in rural Maryland. She was a scientist. She knew there was no such things as werewolves. She knew that injured dog she found late at night, practically on her doorstep was just a big dog.

So why did everybody in town insist he was a werewolf?

What was going on out at that top secret military base that hunky Major Drew Connell worked at?

What is Alpha Force?

This book has everything. An engaging heroine. A wild hero. Suspense galore.

Yours forever between the covers of a book,
Lady Mischief

BURNING WILD by Christine Feehan

BURNING WILD
by
Christine Feehan

Jove
Paranormal Romance
Paperback
May 2009

To anyone who knows Lady Mischief or even to anyone who has been following this blog the following statement will not come as a shock or even as a surprise.

When you spend your hard earned money on a product you should have something which does not leave you feeling cheated or misused in any way. If you purchase a ring from The Dollar Store you have certain expectations from it, however if the ring came from Tiffanys your expectations are much higher. But then, so aren't the prices at Tiffanys.

When Lady Mischief pays $7.99 (US) plus tax for a book she wants a book jam packed with words that mean something, that take you somewhere, that make you feel something. She does not want to pay that kind of money for a lot of white space, large font print, and a word count equal to a Harlequin Romance packaged in 400 pages.

With that said, Lady Mischief will now get on with BURNING HOT.

Jake Bannaconni had been bred for certain skills that he never let his vicious parents know he had inherited. He grew to manhood, became a ruthless tycoon, and tried to protect the woman and two babies that came into his life.

Emma Reynolds taught Jake how to care for his infant son and how to love.

But could he protect them from the ruthless people who wanted to breed them and experiment on them?

This is the best book Lady Mischief has read in several years. It hit every nerve a good book should hit and it left you wanting more, a lot more. When a 443 page book with small font and no white space leaves you wanting more you know the book, the characters, and the author are all winners.

Hey, Hollywood! This book would be a perfect movie or HBO series. Read it. Check it out. Produce it!

BURNING HOT is the Ultimate Reading Orgasm.

Five (5)

Yours forever between the covers of a book,
Lady Mischief

DESTINY OF THE WOLF by Terry Spear

DESTINY OF THE WOLF
by
Terry Spear

Sourcebooks Casablanca
Paperback
2009

Lady Mischief was waiting in a friend's car and wonder upon wonder her eyes fell upon a pile of new books. Oh, the joy that filled the Lady's heart!

She immediately slid her own book back into her shoulder bag and started to peruse the treasure awaiting her. One of the books was a werewolf book by Terry Spear and Lady enjoyed the small bit she was able to ingest before her friend came back to the vehicle and cruelly ripped the book from the Lady's hands.

The friend was adamant about not giving the new book back to the Lady until after she, herself had read it, but she did give Lady Mischief a prior werewolf book by the same author.

Lady was overjoyed because until this time she had not read anything by Terry Spear and what she had read in the car had whetted her appetite.

Terry Spear has a wonderful voice and DESTINY OF THE WOLF had a lot of potential. However, it did not live up to its potential.

Lady Mischief is going to break one of her cardinal rules and actually use some points from the book, which may prove to be spoilers, to explain the problems this story has.

1.) There is too much going on.
a.) It is confusing.
b.) There are too many villains.
c.) None of the many story threads receive the attention they deserve.

2.) The Heroine is a flip-flopper
a.) She says she is alpha but acts like a dumb (really DUMB) beta.

3.) Point of View
a.) Head jumping. It changes multiple times per scene.
b.) Confusing.

4.) Brother of Heroine
a.) Abandoned the family, especially the sisters to abusive men
b.) Then he rolls into town and is pissed that she didn't ask his permission to
mate with her love.
c.) He didn't even know where she was.
d.) He rescued his parents and not her. Leaving her alone and vulnerable.

5.) Sister of Heroine
a.) Had two mates plus a lover. (Makes it difficult to care about her.)
b.) Knew the Hero was really the one meant as her sister's true mate and she
stole him for herself anyway, and then cheated on him.
c.) She was weak and STUPID!
d.) She ran away from her abuser knowing her sister who had tried to save her
had been knocked unconscious. She left her to be beaten and possibly

raped, definitely abused.
e.) When she found a good man, she lied to him, stole from him, kept him

from his true mate, and left him for another abusive male.
f.) She even stole her sister's name.

And yet her sister and the hero still remember her kindly.

The bitch (since she was a female werewolf the term is appropriate) was willing to keep her sister from ever having any happiness. She does not deserve any forgiveness. At least not immediately. Maybe someday, but not right away. She almost cost too many people their lives, and she was not worth it.

This book is reluctantly rated:

Two (2)

Yours forever between the covers of a book,
Lady Mischief

ONE NIGHT WITH THE REBEL BILLIONAIRE by Trish Wylie

ONE NIGHT WITH THE
REBEL BILLIONAIRE
by
Trish Wylie

Harlequin Presents #2833
June 2009

Roane Elliot (the heroine) sees a naked stranger on the beach and the first thought to enter her "innocent heart" is . . .

The second thought is to challenge him for trespassing. The woman isn't carrying a gun, a tazer, mace, or even a big stick. If she has even an ounce of common sense shouldn't her first thought be to get the hell out of there before he sees her?

Adam Bryant is the hero who had basically run away from home ten years earlier.

From there the story goes down hill.

Lady Mischief loves Harlequin Presents, but she finds she has been very disappointed in them recently. As a result this will be her last Presents for a while. Perhaps after a moratorium the books will either improve or Lady Mischief's expectations will be suitably lowered.

As a matter of kindness this book is rated:

Yours forever between the covers of a book,
Lady Mischief

SEDUCE THE DARKNESS by Gena Showalter

SEDUCE THE DARKNESS
by
Gena Showalter

Pocket Star Books
Paranormal Romance
An Alien Huntress Novel
Paperback
July 2009

Future earth is populated by otherworlders and humans. Bride McKells is a vampire (the only one of her kind, as far as she knows) trying to pass for human. All her knowledge of vampires comes from old movies and books, mostly of the Dracula type.

Devyn, King of the Targons, is a warrior working with an organization that tries to keep universal peace. He is a sex addict that wants to have sex with every variety of female life form ever created, (he's a real horn-dog) but does not feel the necessity to repeat with the same women or species.

Bride ran into Devyn in the street. She was gorgeous and he was attracted until he realized she was a vampire. She scented an old friend off of him and began stalking him in order to find her only and best friend.

Devyn has already had two vampire women, so he does not need Bride to fill a hole in his collection. However, she does fill something he is missing.

This is just a brief set up to get you into the story. The book is part of the Alien Huntress series with revolving characters, so if you have read previous books in the series you will recognize them, including Devyn. But each book can stand on its own. Lady Mischief has only read one other book in this series and that would be the book right before this one, the book of Bride's best friend.

SEDUCE THE DARKNESS is high adventure, a wonderful love story, a tale of friendship, and has some pretty hot scenes.

This cost of this book is equivalent to two gallons of milk. You know, sometimes water is actually better for the kids. Leave the milk in the store, buy the book, make yourself a nice hot drink, sit back, read, and enjoy.

This book rates:

Four (4)

Yours forever between the pages of a book,
Lady Mischief

MOON KISSED by Michele Hauf

Moon Kissed
by
Michele Hauf

Silhouette
Nocturne #72
September 2009
Wicked Games

Belladonna Reynolds liked to run after dark, down foreign streets. Until the night she had to out run a mangy group of men she later found out were vampires.

She is "rescued" by Severo, a werewolf in his human form, who takes advantage of the moment to paw her.

She is the target of a jealous vampiress. He is a loner.

The love story is good. The conflict is a bit contrived. The resolution okay.

How can Lady Mischief put this delicately? There is a touch of bestiality in this book. Sure when you read shape shifter books you tend to wonder, and in Season 2 of True Blood Jason Stackhouse wondered about Sam's sex habits when in animal form, but come on. This is a romance. In a well respected line. If you read the guidelines for Women's Erotica you will note it very clearly says NO Bestiality. There really are some things that are better left to the readers' imagination. The matter would have been better handled with a few gentle words, a loving touch.

This book rates:

Yours forever between the covers of a book,
Lady Mischief

WICKED CHARMS by Jayel Wylie

WICKED CHARMS
by
Jayel Wylie

Pocket Books
Historical
Romance
Paperback
September 2003

In today's economy many readers are going to the library, exchanging books with friends, finding long forgotten treasures (or not so wonderful reads) on their TBR (To Be Read) shelf, shopping yard sales, or used book stores for their books. In honor of all those dedicated readers (and her empty purse) Lady Mischief walked into the room which houses her TBRL books, closed her eyes, and grabbed a book. The book which came out of that room was WICKED CHARMS.


This book first reached the bookstore shelves in September of 2003. Fortunately books are not like milk, unless the book is a political treatise. Books do not have a fresh sale date. That is why you can read TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD today and it reads as wonderfully as it did the day the first printing hit the stores.


WICKED CHARMS is the story of Aiden Brinlaw, a knight in service of Prince John. He was sent to secure a royal castle that has been promised to Aiden as part of his betrothed's dowry. His betrothed is Prince John's sister, a Royal Princess.

When Aiden arrived at Glencairn Castle he found Evelyn and her toddler son in residence. Evelyn had been betrothed to the heir of the castle before he died in the Crusades. While he was away at war she had borne him a son.

The beautiful Evelyn sets out to marry Aiden thinking he is the new lord of the castle. She must secure her son's inheritance.

Aiden is wonderfully Alpha. Yes, that is Alpha with a capital A. He is arrogant and thinks nothing of using Evelyn for sex until he has enough of her and then he will marry her off to some farmer somewhere.

But Evelyn had learned a valuable lesson. That lesson most women have heard from their grandmothers at one time or another. A man doesn't have to buy a cow . . .

Evelyn leads Aiden on a merry dance.

The title and the Prologue might lead you to believe this is a paranormal. Or at least that the supernatural or "fairy folk" play a big part in it. That is really misleading. If you like any of the above there is not enough supernatural goings on to fill a tea cup. But if you know that and you are not constantly waiting for something to happen, the story is a good one.

The love story between Evelyn and Aiden is warm and touching. His relationship with baby Max is sweet.

There is some confusion in the end concerning Prince John and King Richard, and knowing the true history of the pair it is probably a wise way for the author to go, but it did effect the final rating.

If you like Historicals you will like this book. Lady Mischief checked with Barnes and Noble and you can order the book in paperback and they also have the book in e form, ready to download. It is also available through Amazon.

Lady Mischief always likes to order an author's backlist.

Four (4)

Yours forever between the covers of a book,
Lady Mischief

SENTINELS: LION HEART by Doranna Durgin

SENTINELS:
LION HEART
(Book 2)
by
Doranna Durgin

Silhouette Nocturne
Paranormal Romance
August 2009
Volume 70

Sentinel/Shapeshifter Joe Ryan has lost his partner, and best friend from childhood, under suspicious circumstances. At the same time his half sister died putting him under further suspicion. Now he lives alone in the mountains of Arizona where he patrols and guards the power hidden deep in the mountain.

Lyn Maines hates dirty operatives with a deep passion. She is sure Joe is dirty. Those in command send her out to find out just how dirty.

She wasn't prepared for how attracted she was to him, or the fact that he made a great cup of coffee.

This is Book 2 of the Sentinel Series. It is a notch above the rest.

Three (3)

Yours forever between the covers of a book,
Lady Mischief

WHAT HAPPENS IN LONDON by Julia Quinn

WHAT HAPPENS IN LONDON
by
Julia Quinn

Avon
Historical Romance
Paperback
July 2009

When Olivia Bevelstoke heard her new neighbor Sir Harry Valentine had killed his fiancee she started to spy on him from her bedroom window.

Sir Harry worked as a translator for the "boring branch" of the War Office. Olivia Bevelstoke watching his every move from her bed chamber added much needed spice to his life.

Lady Mischief adored this romp through London society. The proposal scene left Lady Mischief chuckling for many minutes. This gem by Julia Quinn is not to be missed.

This is a full tissue box novel. You will laugh so hard your eyes will water. It is intelligent and funny. A must read for Historical Romance Lovers.

Four (4)

Yours forever between the covers of a book,
Lady Mischief

BAD MOON RISING by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Bad Moon Rising
by
Sherrilyn Kenyon
St. Martin's Press
Hardcover Release
August 4, 2009

BAD MOON RISING is the long awaited for story of Fang, the wolf were-hunter, and Aimee, the bear were-hunter.

Die-hard Kenyon fans have been waiting for this book for a long time. In many ways it lived up to expectations and in many ways it fell short.

If you are a Kenyon fan and you have read all of her books, you have already read half the book. It begins at the beginning. (Literally and figuratively speaking.) Once again the reader is given the legend of how the were races were created in the Prologue. This is a good thing to include. Those who are familiar with the series can skip over it, those who are new to it can read the history if they choose. Then chapter one begins with a pack of were-hunters breezing into New Orleans, pre-Katrina, to visit the other worldly bar Sanctuary. The book is chock full of many characters the reader met in the earlier Dark Hunter and Were Hunter books, at least the books that took place in New Orleans.

Lady Mischief found it refreshing to have the previous books updated for her in BAD MOON RISING. She has read many a series that have traversed years, decades even, and many of the names are so similar that even when the author provides you with a genealogy chart it is difficult to keep all the players apart.

That being said, the material from past books seems to take as much space in this tome as the new material does.

Bad Moon is more bridge than edifice. New dimensions, new gods, new demons are introduced while old friends are fading into the background.

With the introduction of both Varyk and Thorn Lady Mischief found herself quivering in anticipation of future delights. Both have promise of being the tortured hero Ms. Kenyon has made her own.

Unfortunately Lady Mischief's favorite tortured hero, Acheron, only made a token appearance. It probably has something to do with that totally unworthy woman who became his wife. She seems to be sapping all the godliness out of him. Totally unworthy!!!

Looking at this book as a bridge, and grateful not to have to read the other books again, Lady Mischief gives this book a rating of:

four (4)

Yours forever between the covers of a book,
Lady Mischief

AMAZON INK by Lori Devoti

AMAZON INK

by

Lori Devoti
Pocket Books
Fantasy
Paperback
June 2009 Release

Mel Saka left her Amazon tribe when they took her stillborn son away and from her unconscious arms and then expected her to get over it and "warrior up". Mel had grown to love her unborn baby and had wanted to raise him, against all Amazon traditions. She realized someone in the tribe must have caused her son's death so she took her young daughter and she left to lead a normal human life.

Ten years later she finds the bodies of two young Amazons on her front steps. She has to warn the Amazons they are being targeted without letting them know she is involved.

Mel is the Amazons' prime suspect.

Lady Mischief has been a big fan of Lori Devoti since her first Hellhounds graced the pages of a Nocturne, but the Lady didn't know what to expect when Ms. Devoti branched out into the Amazon single-title world. What the Lady found was pure storytelling genius!

Amazon Ink gives us a group of people that have survived for millennium on tales of past glory, but living the life of shady nomads in twenty-first century USA. When an opportunity arises to fight a real battle they are more than ready. It is up to Mel to stop them, if she can.

There is magick and spiritualism. Love and family. Friends and enemies. The lines are clear. The lines get crossed. The lines get blurred. There is understanding and perhaps even the beginning of forgiveness.

Lady Mischief is not a big fan of first person narrative, but Amazon Ink is done so well you forget that someone is telling you a story, you feel as if you are actually there as it all unfolds around you.

The month is now August. Lady Mischief has read over two hundred books since the beginning of the year. She has enjoyed many of the books, given out a few perfect scores, but this book is in a category of its own. The Lady's only regret is that she read it too soon. If she had waited until Amazon Queen was out then she would be able to stay in the Amazon world. If Amazon Queen is not about Mel and her life, then Lady hopes she is at least a visitor in Zery's life and that we will she another book featuring Mel, Peter, and Detective Reynolds again.

Lady wishes she could score this book higher, but she will have to settle for a rating of:

Yours forever between the covers of a book,
Lady Mischief