Week ending September 4, 2015
LOVE’S A GAMBLE
Leo, Rosanna. Vice. Samhain. Sept. 2015. 183p. ebk. ISBN 9781619227194. $5.50. CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
Kate Callender is staunchly against gambling, as her childhood memories are dominated by a father who loved the habit more than her or her mother. She now runs a support group in Las Vegas, and her mission is to help others with the addiction and those who have a spouse, sibling, or parent addicted to gambling. Liam Doyle is the successful owner of two of the top Las Vegas casinos and is getting ready to launch a third. Liam, however, is finding that success in business does not equal success and happiness in life. On the opening day of Vice, Liam’s latest and greatest casino, he notices a lone figure picketing outside the main doors. Kate has decided to take a stand against gambling, and she’s chosen the club as the perfect place to start. The heat between these protagonists spikes instantly, though they are in total opposition. As her protest continues and the annoyance grows, each tries to make the other see their position. When Kate’s life is threatened, Liam’s attraction turns possessive and all bets are off. Can Kate and Liam reach détente and gamble on a future together?
Verdict Two damaged people come together at first owing to an immense attraction and stay together as attraction and desire blend into something more. Leo’s (The Stand-In) latest features some mild erotica.—Lisa M. Jordan, Johnson Cty. Lib., Overland Park, KS
March, Ava. Viscount’s Wager. Carina: Harlequin. (Gambling on Love, Bk. 3). 2015. 225p. ebk. ISBN 9781459290051. $4.99. REGENCY ROMANCE, LGBT
Anthony, Viscount Rawling, shared a blissful, stolen evening with Gabriel Tilden as a teenager, only to have his heart broken the next morning. Seven years later, Gabriel is visiting London after the loss of his wife, and Anthony discovers his attraction to Gabriel is as strong as ever. As the two men renew their friendship and pursue a closer relationship, Gabriel sinks deeper into a gambling addiction to recoup his finances while hiding his problems from his new lover. Will the cost of this addiction be more than the two can afford?
Verdict Characters from March’s All in with the Duke and Sharp Love support Anthony and Gabriel’s rocky relationship, while providing strong ties to the first two books. March’s command of the Regency genre, previously shown in her “Brook Street” and “Bound” series, continues. Recommended for libraries owning any of these titles.—Melanie C. Duncan, Shurling Lib., Macon, GA
Kennison, DB. Still Life. Samhain. (Randi Lassiter, Bk. 1). 2015. 234p. ebk. ISBN 9781619230057. $5.50. ROMANTIC MYSTERY
Randi Lassiter is a small-town realtor/private investigator who has sworn off love after walking in on her husband and her best friend in the throes of passion. While taking pictures of another straying husband at a cheap hotel, Randi stumbles across a dead body. Det. Joe Bricksen is new in town and pegs Randi as suspect No. 1 for his new murder case. And though he cannot take his eyes off of her cleavage, he quickly realizes her innocence—and his keen attraction. While tracking down a serial killer, Joe and Randi must overcome the arrival of his ex-fiancée just as things between them start to combust. As the murders escalate, and Joe’s attraction explodes, this small-town girl must fight to stop a mad killer and start building her happily-ever-after.
Verdict The first title in the “Randi Lassiter” murder mystery series paints a grisly picture of a deranged serial killer and the grotesque capabilities of a twisted mind. But romance readers, don’t despair! Sparks fly between the jilted Randi and her hunky detective, and not even gruesome murder scenes can stop this pair from igniting.—Judy Taylor Garner, Strayer Univ., Glen Allen, VA
LeCoeur, Ursula. The Devious Debutante. Royal Street. (Love in New Orleans, Bk. 3). 2015. 362p. ebk ISBN 9780578166698. $4.99. HISTORICAL ROMANCE
The third installment in LeCoeur’s series continues with the story of Maureen Collins, daughter of cotton magnate Patrick Collins from the first book, The Willing Widow. Maureen’s father has hired a new lawyer, Ben Merritt, who is also a government agent investigating opium smuggling. After an impulsive kiss, Maureen falls for Ben as she realizes her interest in the local profligate Vespasian Colville is purely platonic. Maureen is a plant enthusiast, and when Ben buys her a special red camellia, the pair stumble upon evidence of the opium trade. Numerous misunderstandings ensue: Maureen suspects Ben is an addict; he thinks her father is a smuggler. In spite of her father’s opposition to her marrying a Yankee, Maureen perseveres in her romance with Ben.
Verdict Full of New Orleans flavor and romantic tension, this third series title—a contrast of historical mystery and torrid romance, with a star-spangled climax—is a winner.—Henry Bankhead, San Rafael P.L., CA