Welcome to my Den of Delights! Please make yourselves comfortable.

Friday, December 30, 2011

REVIEW: A Callahan Carol by Emily March/Geralyn Dawson (FREE)

4 of 5 Stars
'"I’ll miss having Santa Claus on Christmas morning.”

“I know. But growing up, growing old, is part of life.
It’s okay to be a little bittersweet about what’s gone before, but there’s a better way to look at it. A way you and I especially should look at it.”

“What’s that?”

She cupped his face in her hands and smiled up at him, her gorgeous green eyes warm and loving as she said, “To quote John’s favorite philosopher Dr. Seuss: ‘Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.’” 
Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.'

A Callahan Carol was a lovely and touching story to finish off my reading challenge for 2011.

It is a FREE short story available from Emily March’s website, but here’s a Direct Link To Get "A Callahan Carol"

It was released in December 2010, before the release of Emily March’s first book in the Eternity Springs series, Angel’s Rest.

Emily March had previously written under the name of Geralyn Dawson and had a series called the Callahan Brothers with the heroes being Matthew, Mark, and Luke Callahan. Geralyn Dawson had gone through a writing funk and was seriously contemplating throwing in the towel to her writing career. But then, John Gabriel Callahan, the fourth Callahan brother, wouldn’t leave her alone, and his story was eventually told under a new pseudonym of Emily March in a new series, Eternity Springs, and a change/rebirth to the author’s writing.

I haven’t yet read the Callahan Brothers series or anything written under Geralyn Dawson, but I’ve really connected with Emily March’s Eternity Springs series, and after reading this Christmas novella, I’m very excited to read the Callahan books.

This novella is a tale of Branch Callahan, the head of the Callahan family of Brazos Bend, Texas, who has become a "Scrooge" after the loss of his wife, years ago, and then the news of the presumed death of his youngest son, John. It has been three years and they have not heard from John. Branch has lost hope that he ever will. As another Christmas approached with no news from John, Branch has decided to cancel the Callahan tradition of the Christmas “Wonderland” outside the Callahan House. 

A Callahan Carol is a spin on Charles Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol, and is a heartwarming Christmas novella. We see Celeste Blessing from Eternity Springs “A Little Piece of Heaven” working her magic. This is a tale of forgiveness, hope, faith and love. I got teary reading this novella and my heart ached for Branch Callahan and the whole Callahan family and the pain they had suffered over the years. But at the end of this tale, I was enveloped in a wonderful feeling of Hope and Love … that feeling that for me ISCHRISTMAS.

The Callahan Christmas Wonderland...



Celeste Blessing, the angel of Eternity Springs...
 

CHRISTMAS = HOPE + LOVE...


Thursday, December 29, 2011

REVIEW: Mistletoe Mine (An Eternity Springs Novella) by Emily March

 3.5 of 5 Stars
“The human heart is a curious thing … How could it be so overflowing with joy and so consumed with misery at the same time?”
Molly Stapleton is excited for a Christmas season wedding to the man she loves, but is deeply saddened that her parents have not spoken to each other in three years.

This was a nice second chance holiday romance of a concert pianist and her rancher husband, who receive a little push getting back on track with a little "intervention" from some "angels" of Eternity Springs and some mistletoe. It was lovely to revisit the magical Eternity Springs during the Christmas season.

I'm excited for Sarah Reese's book, Lover's Leap (which will also be a second chance romance)!  There's an excerpt at the end of this novella.

Thank You to my dear friend KatLynne on Goodreads for letting me know about this Kindle Edition novella being available at Amazon for $0.99. ^_^



Saturday, December 24, 2011

"SEASON FOR GIVING" GIVEAWAY WINNER - UNTAMED BY PAMELA CLARE

Thank you to everyone who participated in the "Season for Giving" Re-Release of UNTAMED by PAMELA CLARE Giveaway!

Apologies for the delay in announcing the winners. I got caught up in Christmas preparation stuff yesterday. Hope everyone is having a wonderful Christmas season and holiday!

And the three lucky winners of paperback copies of Untamed when it is released on 3 January 2012 are:

1. SHELLY B 

2. FILIA OKTARINA

3. ELIZABETH M 

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS!!! ^_^

If the winners could please email me your postal addresses to:

ladyjaynesreadingden@yahoo.com

For those of you who weren't successful this time around, I'm very sorry. Please do look out for future Giveaways here at 

Lady Jayne's Reading Den



TO ALL MY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS, MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY HOLIDAYS, AND HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012!!!! 


Thursday, December 22, 2011

REVIEW: Room Service by Jill Shalvis (Harlequin Blaze)

4 of 5 Stars

Jacob Hill Can Give Me Room Service Any Day ^_~

“To: Maintenance
From: Housekeeping
Check the air vents and temp regulator on elevator 2A. Guest seen coming out of it today looking dazed and flushed.”

I do so enjoy Jill Shalvis’ little “quotes” at the start of chapters. She had some cute and funny sayings in her Lucky Harbor books, and in this one, she had these funny little hotel staff memos at the start of every few chapters or so.

Anyone who knows me knows that I don’t really read Harlequins, anymore, because I prefer the length of a novel to give relationships in a Romance sufficient time to grow and develop. But I really enjoyed this Harlequin Blaze by Jill Shalvis! I’m on a bit of a Jill Shalvis-a-thon, at the moment. ^_^

Emmaline “Em” Harris is an Ohio farm gal turned TV Producer. But the only three shows she’s produced have flopped and her boss has given her one last chance. He wants her to produce a cooking show. And he wants her to get the delicious Chef Jacob Hill and his pretty delectable food to be featured on the show.

Chef Jacob Hill is the Executive Chef at Amuse Bouche, the restaurant in the world-class New York hotel Hush… which is themed for …. *whispers* S-E-X. The rooms are equipped with all kinds of toys and tailored to suit the requests of its guests.

I really liked Em, the high principled, tough but sweet, determined woman who wants to succeed without hurting others.


And Jacob Hill, the badass-looking Chef with cropped hair, a wicked smile, and a past he doesn’t talk about with anyone, was very sexy.

Oh, yeah, I've got my eye on you Jacob Hill...You aren't getting away!

This was a sexy, easy, quick-read, with some believable angst, and a cute, romantic ending.

I have one complaint, though: Jill Shalvis, how could you tease me with just the mention of hot tub sex??!! Hot tub sex always deserves a full scene. Always. Or maybe that’s just me and my love of water. ^_^

I leave you with a scene:
'He stroked a finger over her jaw. "You've got something I recognize and know well."

Her breath caught at the touch. "What's that?"

"Determination. Passion. Hunger to succeed."

She understood him, and loved the feeling. But he understood her, too. Was there anything more sexy than that, a man who really knew her? She found herself fighting a broad, stupid smile. "You, Jacob hill, are a very kind man."

He stared at her, then let loose with a laugh. "First you think I'm sweet, and now kind. Who are you looking at?"

"You."

"I'm not either of those things," he said with a slow shake of his head. "In fact, ask around." He shifted his weight on the bar stool, and suddenly his legs, long and hard were entangled, with hers.

Leaning in, he insinuated a muscled thigh between hers. His lips brushed against her ear as he spoke. "In fact, I'm probably the furthest thing from kind - and sweet - you'll ever meet."'

Credits:
My Em - Cobie Smulders
My Jacob - James Guardino


This book can also be found in the two-in-one Showcase of Room Service and Shadow Hawk:

Sunday, December 18, 2011

"SEASON FOR GIVING" INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY: UNTAMED BY PAMELA CLARE (To be re-released on 3 January 2012)


As my last Giveaway for the "Season for Giving" Giveaways, this year, here at Lady Jayne's Reading Den, I'm giving 2 of my members the chance to win copies of the paperback for the re-release of UNTAMED by the amazing PAMELA CLARE (with NEW MATERIAL!), which will be re-released on 3 JANUARY 2012.  I will pre-order the copies from The Book Depository for the 2 lucky randomly drawn winners.

Pamela Clare is one of my absolute favorite authors and I'm so happy that she got a chance to re-release this book the way she wanted to. To read more about it please see below "From the Author".


From the Author


Dear Readers,

Untamed is back, both as an ebook and in print -- but there's more to the story, quite literally.

When I originally wrote it, the original publisher called to say they had to cut at least 25 pages from the story to make it fit their maximum book length. I was crushed!

The final result, with careful cutting, still garnered a starred review from Publishers Weekly. But there were some significant changes -- one in particular -- that really bothered me.

Eventually, I left the book's original publisher, and both the first book in the series, Surrender, and Untamed went out of print. I thought that was the end of the series. I got emails almost every day from readers eager for Connor's story, but I didn't know what to tell them.

Fortunately, Berkley stepped in and bought the entire series, which meant I got a second chance at both Surrender and Untamed. Both have new (historically accurate!) covers. Both have fresh edits where I had a chance to tweak scenes and language. And those 25-plus pages? They've been restored.

I am so happy to share the book with you as I wrote it.

As for Connor's book, watch for Defiant in July 2012.

And thanks for your support! Your devotion to this series helped to keep it alive.

Yours,

Pamela Clare 


 

Entries close on 22 December 2011 and randomly drawn Lucky Winner will be announced on 23 December 2011 here at Lady Jayne's Reading Den and will also be advised via email.

HOW TO ENTER:

1. Share about this Giveaway AND about the upcoming re-release of Untamed by Pamela Clare on 3 January 2012 on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads or your Blogs.

2. Leave a comment here to let me know how you shared this (and so I know who has entered).

3. If you are not comfortable to share your email details here, please email me those details so that I can let you know when the winner is announced. 

My email is: ladyjaynesreadingden@yahoo.com 

CONDITIONS:

1. Must be a member of Lady Jayne's Reading Den.

2. Must be from one of the ~100 countries that The Book Depository ships free to. See list of eligible countries here:

PRIVACY: Your privacy is very important to me. When you enter a giveaway and give your personal information, be assured that this information is not shared with anyone else and will not be used to contact you in any other way than to notify you if you win or to deliver your prize. 




For more chances to WIN copies of SURRENDER AND UNTAMED BY PAMELA CLARE, my very lovely friend, BLITHELY BOOKISH, who has a wonderful Blog, is also having an Amazing first time Giveaway with more than one copy of these books to be won, plus one signed copy by Pamela Clare!!! It closes on 24 December 2011. Pamela Clare's books are not to be missed! To enter please click on the link below:

GOOD LUCK, MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY HOLIDAYS, AND HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012!!!! 


Saturday, December 17, 2011

"SEASON FOR GIVING" GIVEAWAY WINNERS: HEAD OVER HEELS (PLUS MORE) BY JILL SHALVIS


Thank You to everyone who participated in the Head Over Heels (Plus More Books) by Jill Shalvis Giveaway! It's so great to see all the love and interest in Jill Shalvis's books and Thank You for spreading the word!

Because I like to surprise people, there are actually 3 winners today (randomly drawn). 

And the 3 Lucky Winners are...

1.Quinn - Head Over Heels plus the first 2 books in the Lucky Harbor series.

2.Uniquely Moi - Head Over Heels plus 1 other book by Jill Shalvis' of your choice 

3.Nissie - Head Over Heels (or if you haven't got the series, would you prefer the first book, Simply Irresistible?)

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS!!! ^_^

If the winners could please email me your postal addresses to:

ladyjaynesreadingden@yahoo.com

For those of you who weren't successful this time around, I'm very sorry. Please do look out for future Giveaways here at 

Lady Jayne's Reading Den

And I'll be having another International Giveaway as part of my "Season For Giving Giveaway" for the re-release of UNTAMED by PAMELA CLARE (Release Date 3 January 2011) running from 18 - 23 December 2011, so please make sure you enter then!  

WISHING YOU ALL A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS 

AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Warmest Regards from Australia,

Jayne xoxo 

Thursday, December 15, 2011

SQUEEE!!!

*WARNING: There is SQUEE-ing here!

OMG, OMG, OMG!!! *SQUEE!!!!* 

I still can't believe it and I'm so happy I want to cry! *bounces*

I just won a printed copy of SMALL TOWN CHRISTMAS from Jill Shalvis' blog!!!

I entered the Giveaway because I just LOVE her Lucky Harbor series and was all geared up to read Logan’s story… and then was soooo disappointed when I couldn't buy the e-book because it wasn't available for Australia. But this has totally made my day, week...Heck, my holiday season!!! 

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, Jill Shalvis and Publisher (Forever/Little, Brown and Company)!!! ^_^
 
 
**For a chance to win a Maddie Boyfriend Scarf from Simply Irresistible and a print copy of Small Town Christmas from the wonderful Jill Shalvis and Publisher/Editor, please head over to Jill Shalvis' Blog!!! 

Jill Shalvis has a cute and fun blog that I frequently visit. She has an adorable dog named "Frat Boy" that features fairly often in her blog posts, and she has a wicked sense of humour and delicious eye candy. Be sure to check out Jill Shavis' Blog!!


Quote/Inspiration of the Moment: From On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta


Melina Marchetta is one of my favourite authors, and On the Jellicoe Road was well deserving of the American Library Association’s Michael L. Printz Award of Excellence in Young Adult Literature in 2009, in my humble opinion. And today, I was reminded of this quote once again...I love it!
"My body becomes a raft and there's this part of me that wants just literally to go with the flow. To close my eyes and let it take me. But I know sooner or later I will have to get out, that I need to feel the earth beneath my feet, between my toes - the splinters, the bindi-eyes, the burning sensation of hot dirt, the sting of cuts, the twigs, the bites, the heat, the discomfort, the everything. I need desperately to feel it all, so when something wonderful happens, the contrast will be so massive that I will bottle the impact and keep it for the rest of my life." 
~ On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta




To read some more quotes from the amazing author Melina Marchetta (I can't recommend her highly enough!) please see my review for  On the Jellicoe Road


Wednesday, December 14, 2011

"SEASON FOR GIVING" GIVEAWAY WINNER: SURRENDER BY PAMELA CLARE (RE-RELEASE)



Thank you to everyone who participated in the Re-Release of SURRENDER by PAMELA CLARE Giveaway! It's so great to see all the Pamela Clare Lovin' and Thank You for spreading the word of the re-release of this book!

I really wish I could give each and every one of you who entered a copy. I initially indicated that I would be giving away only 1 copy of Surrender... But I've now decided to give away 3!!! 

And the randomly drawn 3 Lucky Winners are...

1. Autumn

2. Aretha Zhen

3.Spav

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS!!! ^_^

If the winners could please email me your postal addresses to:

ladyjaynesreadingden@yahoo.com

For those of you who weren't successful this time around, I'm very sorry. Please do look out for future Giveaways here at 

Lady Jayne's Reading Den

I have another current International Giveaway which closes on 16 December 2011 for Jill Shalvis' Head Over Heels (Plus More) - Link Here

And I'll be having another International Giveaway as part of my "Season For Giving Giveaway" for the re-release of UNTAMED by PAMELA CLARE (Release Date 3 January 2011) running from 18 - 23 December 2011, so please make sure you enter then!  

WISHING YOU ALL A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS 

AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Warmest Regards from Australia,

Jayne xoxo

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

REVIEW: Froi of the Exiles (#2 Lumatere Chronicles) by Melina Marchetta


5 of 5 Stars!!!

Melina Marchetta is the Queen of Richly Developed, Real, and Complex Characters in YA!

PROLOGUE

‘They call her Quintana the cursemaker. The last female born to Charyn, eighteen years past.

Reginita, she claims to be. The little Queen. Recipient of the words writ on her chamber wall, whispered by the gods themselves. That those born last will make the first, and blessed be the newborn king, for Charyn will be barren no more.

And so it comes to be that each autumn since the fifteenth day of weeping, a lastborn son of Charyn visits the palace in a bid to fulfil the prophecy. But fails each time.

They weep for fear of hurting her. But she has no tears for herself. ‘Come along,’ she says briskly. ‘Be quick. I’ll try to think of other things, but if your mouth touches mine, I will cut it out.’

Most nights she concentrates on the contours of the ceiling, where light from the Oracle’s godhouse across the gravina shines into her chamber. She holds up a hand and makes shapes in the shadows. And inside of her, in the only place she can hide, Quintana sings her song.

And somewhere beyond the stone that is Charyn, the blood of a lastborn sings back to her.’
…..

WOW. As with the powerful opening scene of On the Jellicoe Road, Melina Marchetta had me totally gripped with the Prologue of Froi of the Exiles. I found myself already aching and devastated for Quintana of Charyn. Quintana is one of the most fascinating YA female protagonists... But I’ll get more into that a bit later…

Aussie author, Melina Marchetta, is one of my absolute favourite YA authors! But to classify her Lumatere Chronicles series as just YA Fantasy would not do it justice. Melina Marchetta’s stories and characters are intricate, well-written and complex enough for Adults to appreciate. Melina Marchetta is well deserving of the multiple awards she has been nominated for, and won, over the years (including the American Library Association’s Michael L. Printz Award of Excellence in Young Adult Literature in 2009 for On the Jellicoe Road, and the Aurealis Award for Best Young Adult Novel for Finnikin of the Rock).

Froi of the Exiles (Froi), the sequel to Finnikin of the Rock (Finnikin), was released here in Australia on 3 October 2011. It was the day I dropped my parents off at the airport. I was sad to see my parents leave, but what better comfort than a Melina Marchetta book! (Though "comfort" is not quite the right word, as this is a darker book than her previous works... darker even than The Piper's Son, though that was a difficult book to read, for personal reasons - Still amazing, though!). I COULD NOT WAIT to get my hands on Froi, such that I paid the AUD$26.99 that they were charging for it (and I admit, I SQUEE-ed, a little, because they had it at the airport ^_^). It would have been cheaper at the bookstore, but I didn’t want to waste time. I wanted to… Get. Right. Into. Froi!

The dark blood red cover, with the hilly, rocky kingdom in the background, Froi’s profile in shadow, and he’s… shirtless??? Say, what??? Whoa. And he has this foreign (almost elvish-like) writing across his right shoulder blade...and there are shiny red flower patterns around the title... I loved the cover and walked to the car, tempted to whisper, “My precious, my precioussss…” Seriously, THAT’S how happy I was to be holding Froi in my hands! LOL

The US Cover has another sword on the cover - What is it with US covers and SWORDS??? The image of Froi is lovely, though, with his piercing eyes...


Froi of the Exiles, like all of Melina Marchetta’s books, did not disappoint. It enthralled me, had me holding my breath, smiling, my heart aching, racing and even had me weeping – tears of sorrow and joy. 

Froi is almost twice the size of Finnikin. It’s BIG! (Get your mind out of the gutter! Oh, wait... that’s me! LOL) I was pulled in…no, enveloped into … every single one of its 593 pages! Melina Marchetta is like a spellcaster, whose words wrap around me and I am transported into the landscape of the Land of Skuldenore, immersed in the languages, the people, and cultures of the various kingdoms.

The landscape of Charyn is inspired by Cappadocia in Turkey

Three years after the events in Finnikin of the Rock, Froi has found his home... Or so he believes...

Froi was not what one would describe as an admirable or endearing character in Finnikin. He was downright feral, and I was interested to see what Ms Marchetta would do with his character when I found out that he was the subject of the sequel. Froi has come a long way since Finnikin. I highly recommend you read these books in order. It is essential to fully appreciate the complexity of Froi and the growth that he goes through as a person, as well as the journey of the cast of other amazing characters.

Froi is rough; he grew up on the streets, stole to survive, and it was a chance meeting at the slave traders market with Finnikin and Evanjalin that changed his life. As a result of the acceptance he found with Finnikin and crew, Froi became fiercely loyal to them.

Froi is ashamed of his past and fears that there is a monster of great baseness living within him. For this reason, he steers clear of the girls of Lumatere. He is impulsive and quick tempered and has been trained by the Captain of the Guard to count to ten before doing or saying anything. Froi counts a lot. And despite his coarseness, Froi has a sharp mind and an affinity for languages. But it was his moments of compassion and tenderness (which he considers himself incapable of), especially with Quintana, that really got to me and won me over.

In this sequel, Froi is sent into the enemy kingdom of Charyn on a secret mission.

His mission involves the half-mad Princess of Charyn, Quintana, with her tangled, bird’s nest hair, crooked teeth, eyes that squint and stare unabashedly, filthy clothing, and strange, crazy way of talking. As I mentioned, Quintana is one of the most fascinating YA female protagonists I have ever come across...and my heart ached for her. She is an interesting mixture of vulnerability and strength, ferocity, cynicism and wonder, conflicting multiple personalities, and is…quite mad, really. Yes, that’s right. She’s mad. Having that glimpse of what she suffered in the prologue, you can understand, to some extent, her madness, though, right? But there is much more to the story…

I won’t go into the plot except to say that there are plots within plots and twists, and it is tightly written, as I would expect from Melina Marchetta. There are multiple storylines with scenes weaving back and forth between the going-ons in Lumatere and in Charyn, keeping me intrigued.

Being drawn into one of Melina Marchetta’s stories is like watching an intricate, beautifully choreographed dance, which is performed with such raw emotion, moves you to tears, and leaves you in awe… And you want to watch and experience it all over again.

The love story between Froi and Quintana is… startling – I mean, when you read about these characters, you wonder how these two damaged people could fall in love - but there is an aching beauty to it. Melina Marchetta said on her website that “Froi's love story was the most difficult because I had to find the beauty in a relationship that begins out of deceit for one, and duty for another.”

There is more than one love story in Froi of the Exiles. We get to see Finnikin and his love in their marriage (so sweet and sexy!), Lucian of the Monts and the wife he didn’t want (I can’t wait to read more about them!), and Trevanion and Beatriss who broke my heart with the wounds of the past that threatened to keep them apart… and we also get to meet some really interesting new characters!
‘ ‘Ask me,’ she cried. ‘Ask me something. You never ask me of the past and without questions, I can’t speak, Trevanion. These unspoken words choke me inside.’

He looked at her, shaking his head with despair at not being able to release the words himself.’


‘What do you want me to ask you, Beatriss?’ he said, anguish in his voice.’


*sniffles*
Melina Marchetta’s stories always have strong themes of loss, separation, family, friendships, community, love, belonging, and growth of self that have moved me so much, as she interweaves the story with such a realness, and magic, all at the same time. Her characters matter to me. I feel their pain, their hope, their anger, their fears, their love, and their need to belong - to a love, a family, a people, a place.
“If we forget who we lost, then we forget who we once were, and if we forget who we once were, we lose sight of who we are now.”
If you’ve never read a book by Melina Marchetta then you are really missing out!

Warning: This books ends in a cliffhanger. I knew this before reading it but it sure didn’t stop me!

I am VERY EXCITED for Quintana of Charyn to be released next year!! *bounces*
‘‘Is your queen what you are searching for in a woman, Froi?” Grijio asked.

Froi thought for a moment. ‘I never imagined I was looking for something in a woman. But if I did, I’d have to judge her by the way I felt laying beside her before I went to sleep at night and how I felt in the morning waking up to her.’

‘Oh, too profound, my friend,’ Olivier mocked. ‘Much too profound.’’
The Lumatere Chronicles Reading Order:

1. Finnikin of the Rock - My Review Here
2. Froi of the Exiles - US Release 13 March 2012
3. Quintana of Charyn - Australia Release October 2012
Froi is capable of compassion and tenderness
...even if he doesn't think so...
But Froi is fierce and he grew up wild...
Princess Quintana has tangled, bird's nest hair...











And she has multiple personalities...
But she is more than she seems...














Credits:
My Froi -Thomas Dekker
My Quintana - Hannah Murray 

The photo of Cappadocia, Turkey, is from Melina Marchetta's website (link below). Interesting Info: Melina Marchetta will be travelling around Europe for further research to fine tune the landscape for Quintana of Charyn:
http://www.melinamarchetta.com.au/main/page_news_and_stuff_news_and_stuff_1.html

Saturday, December 10, 2011

REVIEW AND INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY: Head Over Heels (#3, Lucky Harbor) by Jill Shalvis

INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY DETAILS AFTER THE REVIEW

5 + Stars!!!

HEAD OVER HEELS?? HECK, I’M OVER THE MOON!!!

I loved this book so much that I read it twice in a row, since I wasn't ready to let Lucky Harbor go.

I've been thinking about this book a lot... about Chloe "The Wild One", who has trouble saying "I love you", and about Sawyer, the sexy, stoic and badass Sheriff, who is falling... Big. Time. I've also been listening to a lot of Ed Sheeran - Amazing Album! - and this song has become my Chloe and Sawyer song:


In the third Lucky Harbor book, Head Over Heels, Chloe “The Wild One”, the youngest of the three half-sisters and daughters of the free-spirited Phoebe Traeger, and the only one raised by their nomadic mother, has a “Home” for the first time. She’s making a go at helping her sisters run the beachside inn at Lucky Harbor that their mother left them upon her death. But Chloe has never felt truly settled and she is frustrated with her sisters for telling her that she needs to “settle down”.

Chloe "The Wild One" needs to run wild and free and dance
...and wants to have sex without needing an inhaler
 




Chloe rides a Vespa and has a "See ya later, Authorities!"-attitude
‘She understood that, from the outside looking in, it might seem like she had a death wish, but she didn’t. It was just that when she was in the midst of an asthma attack, she often felt so close to death that she, well, dared it. But she just wanted to run or dance or laugh hard, or have sex without needing an inhaler and possibly an ambulance.
Not exactly a common problem, but one that often had her straddling a fine line between socially acceptable behavior and the wild yearnings her mother had always encouraged. Her sisters wanted her to stop pushing those boundaries and settle down a little. And it was that which bothered Chloe more than anything. The message was simple: If she wanted to be accepted, she’d need to change. But dammit, she wanted to be accepted just as she was, imperfections and all.’
I really connected with Chloe, even though I was known to be a “goodie-two-shoes”, not a “wild one”. Because all of us yearn to be loved for who we are, imperfections and all, and Chloe is no different. But Chloe’s thoughts reminded me of a time when I had had a discussion with an ex-boyfriend about his materialistic attitude and snobbery towards certain people, and when I questioned him on it, he said, “Hey, this is just me. People should accept that.” Suffice it to say that he wasn’t “The One”, and I remember saying to him, once, “Yes, we all deserve to be loved for who we are, but we should NEVER use that as an excuse to be rude to people, to not seek to change, and to avoid growing and becoming the best “you” that you can be”.

So while Jill Shalvis’ books have been a great source of sexy fun for me, this book, in particular, was so much more. Through this theme in Chloe’s life, it had me thinking, again:  Do we need to change to be loved? How does one balance being true to one’s self against the expectations of others? On the flipside, when is being “true to self” just really an excuse to not deal… to not grow? When is being “true to self” actually a prison rather than the freedom we think it is?

Hmm…it’s getting a bit too “deep” in here…Let’s move on to some man-candy! LOL

Aaahh…Sheriff Sawyer Thompson, the ruggedly gorgeous, big, badass, brooding and oh-so-serious Sheriff, with the implacable calm, tough exterior, melting chocolate eyes, and who moves with a fluid grace. I BLAME THANK Tammy (Ms Tom Selleck) from Goodreads for putting the image of the delectable Timothy Olyphant, in my head, as my Sawyer, through our discussions yesterday unrelated to this book. This made for EXTRA DELICIOUS reading!! He was the PERFECT image of Sawyer, for me. ^_^

Timothy Olyphant can’t be BIG as well as badass, you say? Hmm…^_^
But he's so gosh-darned HAWT, no? ^_^
Chloe puts this Sheriff through the wringer... LOL


















Chloe drives this dedicated Sheriff up the wall… and drives him to some wild thoughts, too. She pushes Sawyer’s buttons, as she brings out his wild side that he’s fought so long to subdue. They shared a passionate kiss…kisses… that both tried to forget, but couldn’t.    
 ‘He looked down into her eyes. “What are you up to?”

“No good.”

He shook his head and ran a finger along her temple and down her jaw. A little startled by the power of his touch, she covered his hand with hers and held it in place against her. Something flashed in his eyes, an aching hunger that held her captive.

Because it matched hers. She was shocked at the strength of it, at how difficult it suddenly was to breathe. But she wasn’t shocked when he nudged her backward until she bumped against the door. His mouth skimmed her jaw, then her throat, his teeth grazing her skin as he pressed a thigh between hers.

Heat skittered along her belly, then directly south.

“Sawyer.”

In answer, he brought his head up and kissed her. Deep, hungry, tasting her in a purposely slow, thorough manner before pulling back to once again look into her eyes.

Oh, God. “Sawyer, what are we doing?” she whispered.

He shook his head. “No fucking clue.”
She let out a low laugh. "Maybe we should do it some more."'
OMG, THAT KISS!!!!
(Thank you to Buggy for reminding me of it! ^_^) 

SAWYER AND CHLOE BURN UP THE PAGES TOGETHER!!!

I LOVE Sawyer! I mean, all the Lucky Harbor heroes are delicious, but Sawyer truly stole my heart. As well as my panties. ^_^  Sawyer is a caring and creative lover, as he and Chloe find ways to deal with her asthma issues during their lovemaking. *SHIVERS*

Sawyer puts a huge smile on Chloe's face...and MINE!!! LOL

I LOVED how Jill Shalvis developed Sawyer and Chloe’s relationship! Yes, they were HOT for each other, despite themselves, but what I loved most about them was how SWEET and CUTE they were together. Sawyer would totally hate me describing him, and them, as “sweet” or "cute" *LOL*... but they were! HE was! I loved their conversations as they got to know each other, loved their cuddling and playing (the paint scene *giggles*), and loved the scenes when they were “there” for each other... Just…AWWW!!!
‘Chloe sat, too, and slipped her arm around him, resting her head on his shoulder. She didn’t speak, she just gave him a moment. Which was another surprise. She was always in such perpetual motion, always working so hard at driving him up the wall. Or hell, maybe it wasn’t hard work at all, maybe it came easy to her.

But now, right this very minute, she was here. For him. Soft and warm and caring. What the hell was she doing here anyway? And why did it feel so damn right?’
 *SIGHS*

I LOVE spending time at Lucky Harbor. Jill Shalvis makes the beautiful, small beachside setting of Lucky Harbor come alive and I loved seeing Maddie and Jax, and Tara and Ford settled into their relationships, and the ever developing relationships between the three sisters. I also loved Lance, Chloe’s best friend, who has Cystic Fibrosis. *sniffles*

THIS WAS SUCH A WONDERFUL READ! JUST AWESOME! I LOVED IT!!! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, JILL SHALVIS!!! NO WONDER IT’S NOW ON THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERS LIST!!!

Wait… wait up! MORE sexy Sawyer images, you say???ALRIGHT THEN!!! LOL
*GULP*
*SWOONS* Sawyer… I can’t breathe when you look at me that way!

‘“Chloe?”

“Yeah?”

“I’d be worth the inhaler,” he said, then forced himself to walk away into the night.’


VERY EXCITED FOR MORE LUCKY HARBOR BOOKS NEXT YEAR!!!  (See below)

The Lucky Harbor Series:

1.Simply Irresistible – My Review Here
2. The Sweetest Thing - My Review Here
3. Head Over Heels
4. Lucky in Love – Release May 22, 2012
5. At Last - Release July 2012
6. Forever and a Day – Release August 2012

eBooks:
Anthology: “Kissing Santa Claus” in the anthology A Small Town Christmas (Logan, Tara’s ex-husband’s story)
Heating Up the Kitchen: Recipes With Love from Lucky Harbor (Recipes by Tara)

Credits: 
My Chloe - Rachelle Lefevre
My Sawyer - Timothy Olyphant 


I’m having another “Season For Giving Giveaway”!

Christmas is a time for giving, and what better gift to give my members than a book by one of my other favourite authors, Jill Shalvis. And Head Over Heels is one my favourite new releases this year! 

If you haven't read Jill Shalvis then I'll also give the Lucky Winner a paperback copy of the first two Lucky Harbor books, Simply Irresistible and The Sweetest Thing. If the Lucky Winner already has these books, then depending on the cost (the "Wilder Brothers" books are more expensive), I'll throw in one/two of Jill Shalvis other books.

Sounds good? Spread the word!

Entries close on 16 December 2011 and randomly drawn Lucky Winner will be announced on 17 December 2011 here at Lady Jayne's Reading Den and will also be advised via email.

HOW TO ENTER:

1. Share about this Giveaway and about Head Over Heels and the Lucky Harbor series by Jill Shalvis on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads or your Blogs.

2. Leave a comment here to let me know how you shared this (and so I know who has entered), and also please share about your favourite Jill Shalvis book, or if you haven't read her (what are you waiting for?! ^_^), your favourite Contemporary Romance book.

3. If you are not comfortable to share your email details here, please email me those details so that I can let you know when the winner is announced. 
My email is: ladyjaynesreadingden@yahoo.com 

CONDITIONS:

1. Must be a member of Lady Jayne's Reading Den.

2. Must be from one of the ~100 countries that The Book Depository ships free to. See list of eligible countries here:


 GOOD LUCK AND HAPPY UPCOMING HOLIDAYS!!!! 

PRIVACY: Your privacy is very important to me. When you enter a giveaway and give your personal information, be assured that this information is not shared with anyone else and will not be used to contact you in any other way than to notify you if you win or to deliver your prize.