My Beach Bag

My last day, here on the blog, and I guess it's time to show you all what's in my beach bag. Back in April, I wrote about this here. But I guess I could find a few words to say about all my keeper books, so, excuse me whilst I widge on some more about these books.

My Fair Captain, by the ever clever and wicked nice gal, JL Langley. This book changed my reading habits entirely. Sure, I'd started reading m/m romance, but it was this book in particular that set off the reading binge that would be responsible for MLM. Yes. It's all because of Nate. Heh. Not really, but he makes a handy scapegoat. Anyway, this isn't a work of Oprah Winfrey quality fiction (and thank you, jesus, for that), but it's so much fun, so original, the relationship so sexy, the characters wonderfully drawn..oh! Me likey! Me likey so much that to date I believe I've bought 8 copies and chucked them out to friends.


Breaking Point by Suzanne Brockmann. A lot of folks would argue with me about this next book being one of Suze's best. PPFFFT. Brockmann is one of the powerhouses of romance. She tells a great, fast paced story. She sticks her landing everytime. And she is a master at deep POV. Oh her books just ROCK. Anyway. Suze always has so many story lines going in her books...and I think this is a real gift. She draws these relationships out slowly, carefully, over many books. Builds tension and conflict until WOWWIE she finally sets those characters center stage and they work it all out. This is my favorite couple. While I do love Jules Cassidy, oh I do, the pairing of Max and Gina is the story that hooked me.



Crack by JR Ward. What more can I say? Zsadist's book! He's a broken, angry, bottom of the barrel, unlovable, unloving vampire of the BDB kind. So they spout such idiocy as "True, that." And "You feel me?" It's crack. Once it's in your system, it's nearly impossible to resist. OK true I still haven't read that last one....

Anyway. Z is my fav. And Bella's good people. He may whine a little, but he's got some valid baggage. Unlike a certain pothead twin brother of his that I'm so not mentioning right now.



Welcome to Temptation, by Jennifer Crusie. There's something about Phineas Tucker that appeals to me. Is it that he's sexy? He plays pool? He's a terribly ambivalent Mayor? He's focussed on nailing Sophie but won't be seen in public with her? And Sophie! Smart. Aware of her shortcomings. Manipulative (don't you love that scene at the end where she ticks through the steps of the con while addressing the big shots at the town meeting?) and funny. It's in my beach bag. Just ask and you can borrow it anytime.


Demon Moon, or How I Switched Teams because of my desperate affection for Savitri Murray, by Meljean Brook. I've had this book listed as my favorite since I read it last year. Meljean built this fantastic world of guardians, demons, vampires, and humans in that gripping, classic tale of good versus evil. So big fat hairy deal, right? Oh I forgot to mention: Savitri Murray and Colin Ames-Beaumont. Nothing about these characters is usual. They have staggering imperfections balanced by unbelievable strengths. There's a balance of good and bad within them that is reflected through out this magnificent story. OK YES I GUSH. I don't care. It's my favorite.


Last, but never least, The Hell You Say by Josh Lanyon. I'm almost embarrassed to talk about this book again, because I adore Adrien English and have made that abundantly clear since I first picked up these books. Cheerleader? Oh, so what. But of the three available (to date) this is by far my favorite. You want some drama? Some soul shattering revelations? Some chuckles and head shaking and maybe a little fear? Here it is. But I warn you: this ain't no HEA. This isn't a gay romance where men come leaping willy nilly out of the closet clutching their rainbow flags to their heaving, manly chests and yelling "Woot that was easy! Why'd we wait so long? I LOVE YOU, MAN!!!" This story really hammers home just how gut wrenching it is for one man to be deeply conflicted and in denial about his sexuality. And holy moly, how that anger and resentment coil and build and ultimately spills over and, oh noes, it hurts my bff. DAMN IT. I'm going to fricken explode before the next one comes out. We're going to have to wait for it. New book comes out soon.

So that's my three day event on teh blog. Hope you all have a happy, safe weekend. I'm going to drink some more coffee.

Ciao.