Teaser Tuesday: The Quick by Lauren Owen

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Teaser:

And.how odd, how interestingly perverse, to be frightened by happiness. It was the dread of getting things wrong, fear of losing this friend he had (by sheer luck) managed to find.

This week my teaser comes from The Quick by Lauren Owen. I won this ARC from LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program. Here is the description:

For fans of Anne Rice, The Historian, and The Night Circus, an astonishing debut, a novel of epic scope and suspense that conjures up all the magic and menace of Victorian London

1892: James Norbury, a shy would-be poet newly down from Oxford, finds lodging with a charming young aristocrat. Through this new friendship, he is introduced to the drawing-rooms of high society and finds love in an unexpected quarter. Then, suddenly, he vanishes without a trace. Alarmed, his sister, Charlotte, sets out from their crumbling country estate determined to find him. In the sinister, labyrinthine London that greets her, she uncovers a hidden, supernatural city populated by unforgettable characters: a female rope walker turned vigilante, a street urchin with a deadly secret, and the chilling “Doctor Knife.” But the answer to her brother’s disappearance ultimately lies within the doors of the exclusive, secretive Aegolius Club, whose predatory members include the most ambitious, and most bloodthirsty, men in England.

In her first novel, Lauren Owen has created a fantastical world that is both beguiling and terrifying. The Quick will establish her as one of fiction’s most dazzling talents.

What do you think? Is this something you would add to your reading stack?

ARC Review: River Road by Jayne Ann Krentz

River Road
Author: Jayne Ann Krentz
Publication: Putnam Adult (January 7, 2014)

Description: From the New York Times–bestselling author of Dream Eyes and Copper Beach, a brand-new quintessential Jayne Ann Krentz romance.

It’s been thirteen years since Lucy Sheridan was in Summer River. The last time she visited her aunt Sara there, as a teenager, she’d been sent home suddenly after being dragged out of a wild party—by the guy she had a crush on, just to make it more embarrassing. Obviously Mason Fletcher—only a few years older but somehow a lot more of a grown-up—was the overprotective type who thought he had to come to her rescue.

Now, returning after her aunt’s fatal car accident, Lucy is learning there was more to the story than she realized at the time. Mason had saved her from a very nasty crime that night—and soon afterward, Tristan, the cold-blooded rich kid who’d targeted her, disappeared mysteriously, his body never found.

A lot has changed in thirteen years. Lucy now works for a private investigation firm as a forensic genealogist, while Mason has quit the police force to run a successful security firm with his brother—though he still knows his way around a wrench when he fills in at his uncle’s local hardware store. Even Summer River has changed, from a sleepy farm town into a trendy upscale spot in California’s wine country. But Mason is still a protector at heart, a serious (and seriously attractive) man. And when he and Lucy make a shocking discovery inside Sara’s house, and some of Tristan’s old friends start acting suspicious, Mason’s quietly fierce instincts kick into gear. He saved Lucy once, and he’ll save her again. But this time, she insists on playing a role in her own rescue . . .

My Thoughts: This story was Jayne Ann Krentz at her romantic suspense best. The characters were amazingly life-like. Well, except for the fact that, if men life Mason Fletcher exist, they are staying well away from me.

The story begins with a prequel. Lucy Sheridan, age 16, is being hauled away from a wild party by her crush, the responsible and mature 19-year-old Mason Fletcher. She leaves town the next day and doesn't return to Summer River for thirteen years. What Lucy doesn't know is that she has been targeted by Tristan Brinker who wants her to star in his latest rape video and Mason saves her from that fate.

Now, Lucy is grown up and working as a forensic genealogist. She works for a private investigation firm and finds lost heirs. She is a successful woman in all areas of her life except her romantic life. She has dumped her fiance after finding him in bed with another woman. Her therapist tells her she has commitment issues. She is currently trying to find Mr. Right by using an online matchmaking service.

She has returned to Summer River to settle her aunt's estate. Her beloved Aunt Sara and her partner Mary Colfax recently died in an automobile accident. Lucy has inherited her aunt's estate and some shares in Colfax Inc. from Mary. She is being urged to sell Sara's house and land to turn it into a vineyard and she is being wooed by various Colfax family members who want those share back, too.

Mason Fletcher has returned to Summer River too. He has established a successful private investigation business specializing in cold crimes with his younger brother Aaron. But when a case goes wrong, he heads for home to rethink his life. He is working in his uncle's hardware store when Lucy comes in for light bulbs. An offer to help her with some home improvements lead to the discovery of Tristan Brinker's body bricked up in her aunt's fireplace which starts a chain of events that combine the past and the present.

I loved that both characters were strong people and that, in the course of their falling in love, they didn't have misunderstandings that hurt each other. I also liked the way Krentz wove events and characters from the past into the mystery. She also managed to surprise me when she revealed the villains of the story. I really enjoyed this story and couldn't put it down. For me, it was a compelling page-turner. 

Favorite Quote:

"I can't imagine the shock of having a body fall out of the fireplace. And your aunt's fireplace, at that. She was a vegan, for heaven's sake."

"She killed him, Mom. She didn't eat him."

I got this ARC from LibraryThing's Early Reviewer Program. You can buy your copy here.

Teaser Tuesday: River Road by Jayne Ann Krentz

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week my teaser comes from River Road by Jayne Ann Krentz. Krentz is returning to her romantic suspense roots with this new release. Here is the description from Amazon:

From the New York Times–bestselling author of Dream Eyes and Copper Beach, a brand-new quintessential Jayne Ann Krentz romance.

It’s been thirteen years since Lucy Sheridan was in Summer River. The last time she visited her aunt Sara there, as a teenager, she’d been sent home suddenly after being dragged out of a wild party—by the guy she had a crush on, just to make it more embarrassing. Obviously Mason Fletcher—only a few years older but somehow a lot more of a grown-up—was the overprotective type who thought he had to come to her rescue.

Now, returning after her aunt’s fatal car accident, Lucy is learning there was more to the story than she realized at the time. Mason had saved her from a very nasty crime that night—and soon afterward, Tristan, the cold-blooded rich kid who’d targeted her, disappeared mysteriously, his body never found.

A lot has changed in thirteen years. Lucy now works for a private investigation firm as a forensic genealogist, while Mason has quit the police force to run a successful security firm with his brother—though he still knows his way around a wrench when he fills in at his uncle’s local hardware store. Even Summer River has changed, from a sleepy farm town into a trendy upscale spot in California’s wine country. But Mason is still a protector at heart, a serious (and seriously attractive) man. And when he and Lucy make a shocking discovery inside Sara’s house, and some of Tristan’s old friends start acting suspicious, Mason’s quietly fierce instincts kick into gear. He saved Lucy once, and he’ll save her again. But this time, she insists on playing a role in her own rescue . . .

Teaser:

What was it about the beautiful old house that made her so uneasy? 

ARC Review: The Mystery Woman by Amanda Quick

The Mystery Woman

Author: Amanda Quick

Publication: Putnam Adult (April 23, 2013)

Description: Under the plain gray skirts of Miss Beatrice Lockwood’s gown, a pistol waits at the ready. For Beatrice is a paid companion on a secret mission—and with a secret past—and she must be prepared to fight for her life at any moment.

Yet she is thrown oddly off guard by the fierce-looking man who joins her in foiling a crime outside a fancy ball—and then disappears into the shadows, leaving only his card. His name is Joshua Gage, and he claims to know Beatrice’s employers. Beyond that, he is an enigma with a hypnotically calm voice and an ebony-and-steel cane. . . .

Joshua, who carries out clandestine investigations for the Crown, is equally intrigued. He has a personal interest in Miss Lockwood, a suspected thief and murderer, not to mention a fraudster who claims to have psychical powers. The quest to discover her whereabouts has pulled him away from his mournful impulses to hurl himself into the sea—and engaged his curiosity about the real Beatrice Lockwood, whose spirit, he suspects, is not as delicate as her face and figure.

He does know one thing, though: This flame-haired beauty was present the night Roland Fleming died at the Academy of the Occult. Guilty or not, she is his guide to a trail of blood and blackmail, mesmerism and madness—a path that will lead both of them into the clutches of a killer who calls himself the Bone Man. . . .

My Thoughts: In this second book in the Ladies of Lantern Street series, Miss Beatrice Lockwood is working for Flint & March and is undercover as a paid companion protecting a young heiress when she meets Joshua Gage who helps her foil the abduction of her charge. Joshua is recovering from injuries that happened when one of his investigations as an agent for the Crown went badly awry, He has spent the past year in isolation at his family estate and has been left with a scarred face, a week leg, and a determination to leave investigations in the past.

Joshua is called back to London from his brooding when he believes that Beatrice is the one who is blackmailing his sister. Psychic sparks fly between Joshua and Beatrice when they meet though each is wary of the other. The running joke through this whole story is Beatrice's acceptance of her psychic powers and Joshua's determination to deny that they exist and to rely instead on logic. Joshua quickly comes to see that Beatrice is in danger and it looks like the case that injured Josh so badly isn't over. 

This story had all the elements of an intriguing mystery and an inevitable romance. Both Beatrice and Joshua are strong characters who have a great deal in common as they are both investigators and competent adults. However, they come from different social classes. Beatrice can't see a future for them but Joshua is not a conventional sort of man. The villains include a Russian assassin called the Bone Man and a truly mad scientist.

This was a fun story for all of Amanda Quick's fans and anyone who like paranormal historical fiction. 

Favorite Quote:

"I make my living as a private inquiry agent who poses as a paid companion," she said, trying to catch her breath. "Before that, I pursued a career as a paranormal practitioner for a certain individual who was evidently engaged in blackmail. I assure you, it takes more than a few snide comment from my betters to insult me."

"They aren't your betters."

She paused in the act of adjusting her hair. "What?"

"You are so much better than they are," he said, his voice roughening. "Better in spirit  better in character, better in every way imaginable. You are...amazing, Beatrice."

I won this book from LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Full Disclosure by Dee Henderson

Full Disclosure

Author: Dee Henderson

Publication: Bethany House Publishers; 1 edition (October 2, 2012)

Description: "Officer Silver." The clerk nodded toward the man getting off the elevator. "There he is."

She waited while Agent Paul Falcon passed through security. He was tall with authority in his stride, wearing a tailored business suit. She knew his reputation and what was on his desk. Despite his rank and seniority, he worked cases rather than lead a bureau office. He was as far from bureau politics as a murder cop could get, which made him the man who could help her. He was working on too much caffeine and too little sleep, she thought, noting the coffee mug in his hand and the grim tightness around his eyes. But she'd spent too many days working without sleep herself to find it unusual.

"Agent Falcon, this is Officer Ann Silver."

She stepped aside in the lobby, opened her flight bag and removed two photos. She didn't bother to explain; she simply offered them. He took the photos. His watch looked expensive, and the ring was FBI Academy. She'd assumed he was married, yet his left hand was bare.

She saw the flare of heat in his eyes as he recognized the murders.

My Thoughts: This was a very different sort of romantic suspense title because neither the romance nor the suspense came easily. Ann Silver meets Paul Falcon when she drops a clue in his hands that will help him solve the murder case of the Lady Shooter that has been on his mind for years. The Lady Shooter killed thirty people over a span of years but then disappeared. 

Paul is fascinated with Ann but their jobs make it hard for them to get to know each other. It is especially difficult because Ann is such a private person. She reveals herself to him very slowly. He finds out that besides being the Midwest Homicide Investigator she is also an author who has written a number of romances that tell the stories of her friends. He also learns that she is good friends with one his sisters-in-law and a number of people he knows and works with.

He is also surprised to learn that she knows the former vice president and is ghost writing his autobiography. Ann has many secrets. That autobiography is filled with revelations that will rewrite some modern history and intimately involves Ann.

This story is a bit unusual because it is told primarily from Paul's point of view. Paul is the adopted son of a very powerful and close family. He knows that someday he will be the one in charge of the family. He is very good at his job as an FBI murder cop. He is also a very religious man who has a close personal relationship with God. He has decided that he wants to be married. When he meets Ann and gets to know her, he decides that she is the right one for him. However, convincing her will not be easy.

Anne is an introvert who needs large spaces of quiet. Interacting with people makes her tired. While she has a number of close friends, she is careful about the number of people she lets into her life. She knows that maintaining her friendships takes time and effort. She also suffers from nightmares for a reason that she is very reluctant to share with Paul. 

The two of them have many things in common including their careers in law enforcement and each has a close personal relationship with God. One of the major mysteries in the book for me was whether or not Ann and Paul would ever be together. Ann seemed to put up so many legitimate roadblocks that I was concerned that there wouldn't be a happy ending for the two of them.

Fans of relationship stories will enjoy this one. The writing was engaging and the characters were well-drawn and interesting people. 

Favorite Quote:

"I don't want to get married for the sake of not being single, only to make a mess of it. It's a permanent one-time decision. I won't get divorced. I might get charged with murder because I kill the guy our of frustration, but I wouldn't walk away from a marriage. So my choice is to stay single or get married, and so far stay single has been the wise decision the few times I've gotten close to considering it."

I won this book from the September LibraryThing Early Reviewer program. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Can't Buy Me Love by Molly O'Keefe

Can't Buy Me Love
Author: Molly O'Keefe
Publication: Bantam (June 26, 2012)

Description: In Molly O’Keefe’s captivating new contemporary romance, a woman with a past and a man without a future struggle to find a place where they belong.
 
A girl from the wrong side of the tracks, Tara Jean Sweet knows that opportunity will never knock; she’ll have to seize it. Elderly Texas rancher Lyle Baker has a dying request: He will give Tara Jean a stake in his leather business in exchange for a little family subterfuge. All Tara Jean has to do is play the part of a gold-digging fiancée to lure Lyle’s estranged children home. The mission is soon accomplished. 
 
Now Lyle’s gone—and his ridiculously handsome son, Luc, an ice hockey superstar sidelined by injuries, is the new owner of Crooked Creek ranch. He’s also Tara Jean’s boss. But being so close to sinfully sweet Tara Jean does crazy things to Luc’s priorities, like make him want to pry her deepest secrets from those irresistible lips. But when Tara Jean’s past demands a dirty showdown, will Luc stay and fight?


My Thoughts: This wasn't the easy romance that I was expecting. Both main characters are very damaged people and neither is over the damage. Tara Jean Sweet, as she is known now, began life as the abused daughter of a woman with bad taste in men who lived on the wrong side of every track. She got out by using her body and her ability to scam old, lonely men. She has tried to turn over a new leaf but the past she is running from is in danger of catching up.

Luc Baker is a pro hockey star who is holding on to his position on the team despite numerous concussions and the possibility of brain damage because hockey is the only place he has felt a sense of self worth. His elderly father abused him both physically and verbally as a child. Now the father is dying but a threat to marry Tara Jean brings Luc and his needy half-sister home to the ranch. When he dies, he leaves 40% of his leather goods business to Tara Jean, which was her incentive to fake an engagement, and the rest to Luc provided he runs the business for five months. Luc feels caught because his sister's inheritance depends on him taking the deal.

Tara Jean and Luc are attracted to each other but trust issues and secrets keep getting in the way. They hurt each other numerous times throughout the book. Tara Jean is particularly defensive and does everything she can to drive Luc away. It is the only way she can think of to protect herself and him. The story was filled with strong emotions as both characters struggled to put their pasts behind them and define the futures they want to have. 

This was a very intense read. It isn't a light, fluffy beach read but an in-depth exploration of two damaged people who manage to overcome great difficulties to find a romance. The author really swept me into this story and made me ache for both of the characters. The one character I didn't have much sympathy for during most of the story was Luc's sister Victoria. She was so needy. She was used to defining herself through her husband but, when he was convicted of masterminding a Ponzi scheme and committed suicide, she didn't take advantage and learn to stand on her own feet but rather decided to lean on her brother for support. I thought it took quite a while for her to wise up. I'm curious to read the next book in this series which will be her story.

Favorite Quote:

She could wallow in sex. swim in its eddies for days. Ignore the problems and mistakes that were growing like weeds in her life. And she could do that now. Luc could make her forget Dennis and the money and his threats about Victoria. He could make her forget how alone she was. How scared she was of failing. How success felt like something that happened to other people. Not to her. Never to her.

I got this ARC from review through the LibraryThing Early Reviewer's program. You can buy your copy here.