ARC Review: In Her Sights by Robin Perini

In Her Sights
Author: Robin Perini
Publication: Montlake Romance (November 29, 2011)

Description (from the back cover): Jasmine "Jazz" Parker, Jefferson County SWAT's only female sniper, can thread the eye of a needle with a bullet. But she carries with her a secret from her past that she thought she buried for good at the age of fifteen. Two years ago she even drove away the one man she believed she could love - ex-Army Ranger turned reporter Luke Montgomery - to keep her past hidden. But now, in a fleeting second, the time it takes for one clean shot, one perfect hit, to save the life of the governor's daughter, Jazz's world begins to crumble around her.

When Luke splashes her face and name across the front page of the newspaper, a vicious enemy from her past returns seeking vengeance without compromise. Jazz is forced to turn to the one man she can never have before she and everyone she cares about pays the ultimate price. Full of explosive action and almost unbearable suspense, In Her Sight is a relentless, steamy thriller surprisingly infused with soul and poignancy.

My Thoughts: This was an amazing and very suspenseful story. I couldn't put it down! Luckily, I picked this up on a Friday evening because it was 1:30 AM before I hit the final page and let out a sigh of relief. This was an extremely fast-paced romantic suspense novel (with a very heavy emphasis on the suspense).

Jazz Parker has reinvented herself after a horrible childhood as the daughter of drunken prostitute who was beaten to death by one of her clients. This same client came back the next morning to beat and rape 10-year-old Jazz and she managed to kill him with the baseball bat that she was supposed to use to defend her mother. She is guilt-stricken because she was unable to protect her mother. After years bouncing around the foster care system, she finds herself fifteen and on the streets trying to survive. She is rescued by a friendly sheriff who she is very reluctant to trust because of her previous experience.

Jazz changes her name, has her juvenile record expunged, and starts a new life as a police officer herself. When the story begins she is the only female SWAT sniper for her county. She is part of the SWAT team but holds herself aloof from her colleagues because of real trust issues. She is under investigation by Internal Affairs in the person of the spoiled son of the County Sheriff who was beaten out for the SWAT team by her. He is out to get her and, since she hasn't tried to be part of the team, her teammates aren't on her side.

Enter Luke Montgomery. He is a former Army Ranger turned investigative reporter. He is also Jazz's former lover. She walked away when it looked like he was getting too close to her secrets. Luke is a very black and white sort of guy. He is determined to find and report the truth no matter who it hurts. He is currently investigating corruption in the police department. One of his suspects is the officer who has targeted Jazz.

When Jazz and Luke meet again, sparks fly. Neither has gotten over the other but both still have the same reservations. He knows she is lying to him by not talking about her past; she is still intent on keeping her past a secret. Both of them have trust issues. His are because he has been betrayed before by colleagues. Hers are because of her childhood. Otherwise, Luke is part of a large and loving family that is very supportive of him. One of his brothers is Jazz's only friend on the SWAT team. Luke is also the father of an adorable three-year-old daughter. He didn't know she existed until his former girlfriend died. She had left him because he was so determined to put himself in danger doing his investigations which certainly didn't help with his trust issues.

Jazz has also become the target of someone from her past who wants revenge on her. At first, the two cases seems separate but soon it looks like Jazz's enemies and Luke's corrupt cops are getting together. Luke and Jazz have to solve both problems before they can work on their relationship.

The story was an excellent, page-turner. I recommend it to anyone who likes a good romantic suspense novel.

Favorite Quote:

Luke took in the fierce expression meant to terrorize mere mortals, and damn, if he didn't get hard, because he also saw the translucent glow of her skin and the heightened flush of her cheeks as the moonlight bathed her face. His body didn't know how to be cautious with her. His heartbeat quickened and tension worked its way through him.

I received the ARC as a part of the Amazon Vine program. You can buy your copy here.

WoW: Copper Beach by Jayne Ann Krentz

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. She has a linky widget at her site each week for your post and to make it easy to find posts by other people.

The purpose of the meme is to spotlight books that we are eagerly anticipating. It is fun to take a look at what others are waiting for.

I have noticed that it has expanded my wishlist though. Be warned!

I am waiting for Copper Beach by Jayne Ann Krentz. I am a huge fan of her work. I think I have every book she has ever written on my keeper shelves. The book doesn't come out until Jan. 10, 2012 but I won an Early Reviewers copy at LibraryThing and hope mine will get to me much sooner.

Here is the product description:

A rare book. An ancient code. An all-new novel from the New York Times-bestselling master of passion and the paranormal.<

Within the pages of very rare books some centuries old lie the secrets of the paranormal. Abby Radwell's unusual psychic talent has made her an expert in such volumes-and sometimes taken her into dangerous territory. After a deadly incident in the private library of an obsessive collector, Abby receives a blackmail threat, and rumors swirl that an old alchemical text known as The Key has reappeared on the black market.

Convinced that she needs an investigator who can also play bodyguard, she hires Sam Coppersmith, a specialist in paranormal crystals and amber-"hot rocks." Passion flares immediately between them, but neither entirely trusts the other. When it comes to dealing with a killer who has paranormal abilities, and a blackmailer who will stop at nothing to obtain an ancient alchemical code, no one is safe.

I can't wait to read this one!

Teaser Tuesday: In Her Sights by Robin Perini

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!

I recently received the ARC of In Her Sights by Robin Perini. This is her first book and is very suspenseful. It is about Jazz Parker who is the first female sniper on the Jefferson County SWAT team and Luke Montgomery, former Army Ranger turned investigative reporter. They formerly had a romance but Jazz walked away when Luke started to get too close to the secrets of her past. Now she is being targeted by Internal Affairs in the person of the spoiled son of the County Sheriff who she beat out for a place on the SWAT team. She has also drawn the attention of an old enemy. Luke is investigating possible police corruption and ties to the mob. They need to band together no matter how they feel about each other in order to save their lives.

Teaser:

Jasmine sitting on the porch swing in the backyard, watching him and his brothers battle it out in volleyball, her expression surprisingly wistful. The longing in her face had been so deep he'd asked her later if she missed her family, but she'd shut him out - again. It had been the beginning of the end of their relationship. A few days later, she'd walked out.

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (Nov. 14, 2011)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.

It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week.  It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

I had a pretty good reading week last week. Two of the three books I finished were real page-turners. I just had to keep reading until 1:30 AM for one of them.

In Her Sights by Robin Perini is the one that kept me up late. This was an extremely fast-paced and suspenseful novel about a woman who has a hidden past and who is currently the only female sniper on the Jefferson County SWAT team. She faces opposition from inside the police force and from an old enemy and has to turn to her former lover - an ex-Army Ranger turned investigative journalist - for help. This was one of my Amazon Vine books. I will be posting the review on Nov. 17.

The Pledge by Kimberly Derting was also a compelling read. This one was a young adult fantasy novel the had a well-built world and very likable characters. It also had a very scary villain. I got this one from Simon & Schuster's GalleyGrab program. Here is my review.

Lord of the Abyss by Nalini Singh was a fantasy romance in the Harlequin Nocturne line. It was the concluding novel in a four book series. This was the only one of the four books I read. I liked the story and thought it was an interesting twist on Beauty and the Beast with our heroine in the role of the beast. My review is here.

I am currently reading Unleashed by Nancy Holder and Debby Viguie. This is a young adult novel and is the first book in the Wolf Springs Chronicles. I am not very far into it but it has a likable main character and lots of other mysterious characters. She comes to live with her grandfather in a small isolated Arkansas town after her mother dies. Weird things are happening! If this one has werewolves, they don't seem to be the human, sexy ones. There is a real sense of danger and tension in the story.

Next week I have quite a stack of young adult review books to read. But I would like to read a couple of new books that have arrived recently. I may alternate these with some adult books just for some variety.

I got Blaze of Glory by M. Garzon from the author. I read a sample and thought this young adult contemporary story (with horses) sounded like an interesting read.

In the Forests of the Night by Kersten Hamilton is the second in her Goblin Wars series. I liked the first one and chose this one as one of my Amazon Vine picks this month.

Ignite by Kaitlyn Davis was also pitched to me by the author. This is a young adult paranormal.

Singled Out by Sara Griffiths is the last one in my NetGalley queue. I have had this one since last Spring and the publication date is right around the corner now. This is also a young adult contemporary novel. I was intrigued by the sports theme. I really like baseball.

What are your plans for the coming week?

In My Mailbox (Nov. 13, 2011)

The weekly In My Mailbox post is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It is fun to see what everyone else gets in their mailboxes, shopping bags, and library visits. Click on the link to The Story Siren's site to see the rules and join in the fun.
 
I guarantee that your TBR pile will grow when you see all the wonderful books everyone gets. You will discover lots of great blogs and lots of books that you won't be able to live without.

There were no books in my mailbox this week. However, I did get a Logitech C310 HD Webcam. I have wanted one for a while since my laptop doesn't have a built-in webcam. When it was an Amazon Gold Box special one day last week, I decided the time had come for me to join the video revolution.

Right now it is still in the box but I do hope to get it unpacked and installed soon.

What did you get in your mailbox this week?

ARC Review: Lord of the Abyss by Nalini Singh

Lord of the Abyss and Desert Warrior
Author: Nalini Singh
Publication: Harlequin; Original edition (November 15, 2011)


Description: Once upon a time…the Blood Sorcerer vanquished the kingdom of Elden. To save their children, the queen scattered them to safety and the king filled them with vengeance. Only a magical timepiece connects the four royal heirs…and time is running out.…


As the dark Lord who condemns souls to damnation in the Abyss, Micah is nothing but a feared monster wrapped in impenetrable black armor. He has no idea he is the last heir of Elden, its last hope. Only one woman knows—the daughter of his enemy.

Liliana is nothing like her father, the Blood Sorcerer who'd cursed Micah. She sees past Micah's armor to the prince inside. A prince whose sinful touch she craves. But first she has to brave his dark, dangerous lair and help him remember.

Because they only have till midnight to save Elden.



Desert Warrior



The fabled desert kingdom of Zulheina was Tariq's birthright, and he was a man who held tightly what belonged to him. And that meant he had to reclaim a very special woman--the woman who had broken his heart years before in New Zealand. And once he had lured her to this distant land, he meant to keep his new bride here forever....


But Jasmine Coleridge was not as easily tamed as he had imagined. Her beguiling blend of untouched innocence and dazzling sensuality threatened, once again, to bring the haughty sheikh to his knees--and made him wonder who was the true prisoner....



My Thoughts: This eARC contained two stories. Lord of the Abyss was a fantasy with blood sorcerers and a family that has magic powers. The abused daughter of the sorcerer - a blood sorcerer herself - goes to find the youngest son of the family to aid him in taking back his country from her father. The son - Micah - was sent away by his mother to save his life and has become the Lord of the Abyss whose duty it is to capture evil souls and consign them to the Abyss. He is an object of fear to those around him. He doesn't remember his past until Liliana gradually brings back his memory.


Micah may be an object of fear but he is still honorable and kind. His true self as a Prince of Elden is not destroyed. But it is buried under the spells cast by the blood sorcerer who wants to destry Micah's whole family. 


Even though she is ugly and has no self-esteem, Micah falls in love with Liliana. He admires her courage and sense of honor. She tells him stories and makes him laugh. Her goal is to restore his memory and get him back to Elden before her father manages to completely destroy the country. She is determined to defeat her father and thinks that her death will be necessary to defeat him. She is reconciled to this until she gets to know Micah.


This was a nice romance (with some very hot love scenes) and fantasy adventure all in one.


Desert Warrior was the second story. Apparently this one was first published in 2005. It reads a bit that way with a too handsome to be true sheik and a beautiful but insecure heroine. She was forced by her family to give him up at age 18 and he has been nursing a broken heart and damaged pride ever since. Her heart was broken too but she was too young to stand up and rebel against the only family she knew. No matter how badly they treated her. 


When his parents die, she goes to his desert kingdom to comfort him. Almost immediately he decides to marry her but never to trust her with his heart again. Since she loves him, she agrees. Next there are many instances of him being emotionally cruel to her as he tramples on her pride and her already low self-esteem. There are also lots of hot love scenes because, whether he will admit it or not, they do love each other.


I don't know how or why Jasmine puts up with the stuff Tariq throws at her. I would think that love could be destroyed if it were treated as badly as it was in this story. The story was filled with intense emotions and heartbreak on the way to the happy ending. It was an emotional roller coaster of a story. Very intense!


Favorite Quote:

She'd grown up hearing the people her father had enslaved whispering of the four royal children, the true heirs to the jewel that was once Elden. The hope in their furtive voices had nurtured her own, fostering dreams of a future in which fear, sharp and acrid wasn't her constant companion.

I got this eARC from Harlequin via NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Book Beginning & Friday 56: Lord of the Abyss by Nalini Singh

Happy Friday everybody!!

Book Beginnings

Book Beginnings on Friday is now hosted by Katy at A Few More Pages.  

Anyone can participate; just share the opening sentence of your current read, making sure that you include the title and author so others know what you're reading. 

If you like, share with everyone why you do, or do not, like the sentence.

The Friday 56

Rules:

• Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
• Turn to page 56.
• Find the fifth sentence.
• Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of Freda's Voice
• Post a link along with your post back to Freda's Voice

Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

I grabbed the eARC of Lord of the Abyss by Nalini Singh from NetGalley recently because I really like her work. This is one book in a multi-author series and is part of the Harlequin Nocturne line.

Beginning:

He was the most beautiful monster she had ever seen.

Friday 56:

Trying not to think about the fact that she had just given her back to the man who scared even shadows, she made a face at a speck of dirt that seemed imprinted in her skin.

Here is the product description from Amazon:

Once upon a time…the Blood Sorcerer vanquished the kingdom of Elden. To save their children, the queen scattered them to safety and the king filled them with vengeance. Only a magical timepiece connects the four royal heirs…and time is running out.…

As the dark Lord who condemns souls to damnation in the Abyss, Micah is nothing but a feared monster wrapped in impenetrable black armor. He has no idea he is the last heir of Elden, its last hope. Only one woman knows—the daughter of his enemy.

Liliana is nothing like her father, the Blood Sorcerer who'd cursed Micah. She sees past Micah's armor to the prince inside. A prince whose sinful touch she craves. But first she has to brave his dark, dangerous lair and help him remember.

Because they only have till midnight to save Elden.