For the Roses by Julie Garwood

For the Roses (1995) (Pocket Books)
Julie Garwood
Grade: A
Genre: American historical
Sex scenes: hot
Source: own
Claybornes' Brides: (1) For the Roses

TBR RBC 2015: A book by Julie Garwood 

When four young street urchins in New York find a tiny, perfect baby girl thrown in a dumpster, their lives change forever. Though they’re little more than children themselves, Adam, Cole, Douglas and Travis shoulder the responsibility of bringing up the little girl they call Mary Rose Clayborne. All four have pasts they’re trying to escape from and so they head west, in the hope that they can find a place where they can erase the past and build the future that Mary Rose deserves.

Fast forward nineteen years and the Claybornes are well-respected in the tiny town of Blue Belle, Montana. Bringing up Mary Rose by themselves was a challenge and a learning curve, but the Clayborne brothers have strived to provide her with every opportunity as befitting a young woman of genteel upbringing. Enter Harrison Stanford MacDonald, a Scottish lawyer who’s worked in England for many years. He arrives in Blue Belle with a secret agenda and befriends Mary Rose, who adopts him for her own, much to the confusion and annoyance of her brothers. When Harrison’s news is revealed, it’s sure to turn this tight-knit family upside-down …

The MacGregor Grooms by Nora Roberts

The MacGregor Grooms (1998) (Silhouette)

Nora Roberts

Grade: B--

Genre: contemporary romance

Sex scenes: mild

Source: own 

The MacGregors: (1) Playing the Odds ... (10) The MacGregor Grooms 

Daniel MacGregor is no stranger to match-making at his ripe old age. After all, rattling around in his castle in Port Hyannis with his wife Anna, sitting on the fortune he has amassed through the years, what else is a man to do? Not that he would ever admit it out loud, but he’s had a hand in seeing his three children fall in love with and marry the partners he’s chosen and give him scores of grandchildren. Five grandchildren have already married (with his cunning input) but why stop when there’s still more to go?

Mackenzie's Mountain by Linda Howard

Mackenzie's Mountain (1988) (Harlequin)

Linda Howard

Grade: A+

Genre: romantic suspense

Sex scenes: hot

Source: own 

Mackenzie Family: (1) Mackenzie's Mountain 

Mary Elizabeth Potter is the new schoolteacher in the tiny town of Ruth, Wyoming and damn good at her job. When she discovers that the school’s brightest pupil dropped out a month before she arrived, she’s determined to find out why and get Joe Mackenzie’s able mind back in the classroom. Blissfully ignorant of the town’s prejudices surrounding the Mackenzie’s Indian heritage and Wolf Mackenzie’s cleared – but no less forgotten – criminal record, Mary marches up the mountain to their home, completely unprepared for what she’s about to find.

Night Shield by Nora Roberts

Night Shield (2000) (Silhouette Books)
Nora Roberts
Grade: B+
Genre: romantic suspense
Sex scenes: mild
Source: own
Night Tales: (1) Night Shift, (2) Night Shadow, (3) Nightshade, (4) Night Smoke, (5) Night Shield

The last book of the Night Tales series brings us in a full circle, telling the story of Detective Allison Fletcher, daughter of Captain Boyd Fletcher, hero of the first book of the series. She’s proved herself capable and worthy of her rank, but this is her first proper case and so there’s pressure to shine. Six burglaries over eight weeks has seen $800,000 of easily liquidated possessions stolen, all yet to be recovered. The only link between all the victims is that they were out at a club the night of the burglary – and 5/6 were at Blackhawk’s, Jonah Blackhawk’s newest club.

The Last Honest Woman by Nora Roberts

The Last Honest Woman (1988) (Mills & Boon)

Nora Roberts
Grade: B-
Genre: contemporary romance
Sex scenes: mild
Source: own
O'Hurley: (1) The Last Honest Woman

I really should stop reading books that I own and start cracking on my NetGalley backlog, but when these are NR books, I really can’t help it, especially since Waiting for Nick gave me a tantalising glimpse of the O’Hurley family that I just can’t get out of my mind.

Abby O’Hurley Rockwell has put off offers to write biographies of her late, infamous husband’s life for a long time, but now that a few years have passed and she desperately needs the money, now is the time. She’s letting accredited biographer Dylan Crosby into the farmhouse she shares with her two sons while he gets his interviews with her and she must be careful to not reveal too much of the truth …

Considering Kate by Nora Roberts

Considering Kate (2001)
Nora Roberts
Grade: A-
Genre: 'contemporary' romance
Sex scenes: mild
Source: own
Stanislaski series: (1) Taming Natasha, (3) Falling for Rachel, (4) Convincing Alex and (5) Waiting for Nick

Once I read Waiting for Nick, I couldn’t not start Considering Kate – NR and her Stanislaski series is just much too addictive. Considering Kate wasn’t what I expected (though I didn’t know what to expect) but all in all, it was a brilliant way to round off what is arguably NR’s most consistently excellent series.

At twenty-five and still in her prime, Kate has decided that it’s time to retire from the stage and return home to open up her own ballet school. It’s a difficult decision to make, especially since she’s still so young, but years of endless rehearsals, performances, travelling and making small talk with those in the arts and culture circles has made Kate weary and she longs for a family and life of her own in the small town where she grew up. An old building in the area has recently gone on the market and while neglected and in need of serious refurbishment, it’s the right place for what Kate wants; and what Kate wants, she gets.

Waiting for Nick by Nora Roberts

Waiting for Nick (1997)
Nora Roberts
Grade: A
Genre: 'contemporary' romance
Sex scenes: mild
Source: own
Stanislaski series: (1) Taming Natasha, (3) Falling for Rachel, (4) Convincing Alex

I have been waiting for Freddie and Nick’s book since Falling for Rachel when Nick was first introduced and the pair met for the first time. At thirteen, with her first glance at the rugged, nineteen-year-old bad-boy, Freddie tumbled headlong into puppy love that has only developed into the real thing over the years. Fresh into New York to start a new life for herself, Freddie is determined to partner with Nick and slot herself into his life until he asks himself why she wasn’t there all along. All the Stanislaskis know that Freddie is in love with Nick as well as she knows it herself; now it’s just time for Nick to realise the same …

I Only Have Eyes For You by Bella Andre

I Only Have Eyes For You (2012)
Bella Andre
Grade: C+
Genre: contemporary romance
Sex scenes: hot
Source: NetGalley
Sullivans: (1) The Look of Love, (2) From This Moment On, (3) Can't Help Falling in Love, (4) I Only Have Eyes For You

Sophie Sullivan is the youngest of eight (yes! eight!) children and a twin to boot. She's never felt as confident as her siblings and has always plays by the rules, earning her the nickname 'Nice' to her twin's 'Naughty'. Her passion is books and her job as a librarian means that she's able to integrate her love for reading into everyday life. Her job may not be as exciting as the paths that her siblings have taken, but Sophie loves her job and her life is almost complete but for one thing: Jake McCann.

Jake spent so much of his childhood and time with the Sullivans that he is treated as the ninth Sullivan. He runs the successful chain of McCann pubs and like the other Sullivan boys, is known for being a bit of a player. He's loved Sophie from a distance for years, but knows he can never be good enough for her because of his rough childhood and upbringing. His mother deserted him when he was young and his father was a drunk who beat him when he felt like it. Even more shamefully where Sophie is concerned, Jake can barely read. Sophie's brother Zach is the only one who knows Jake's secret and it is only after ten years worth of tutors that Jake manages to cope with running his business, but he relies on phonecalls and face-to-face dealings as much as possible. Considering Sophie's love for books, Jake's secret is one that he could never bear for her to discover.

The Perfect Neighbour by Nora Roberts

The Perfect Neighbour (1999)
Nora Roberts
Grade: C+
Genre: contemporary romance
Sex scenes: hotter than NR's regualar mild. See below
Source: eBay
The MacGregors: (11) The Perfect Neighbour

I really wanted to love this book. The MacGregors are one of my favourite NR series (I can never decide) and The Perfect Neighbour had Daniel MacGregor back in full force, still happily meddling away at nearly ninety years old. I'd wanted some light relief and a happy-ever-after to cheer myself up after the darkness of The Siren and while TPN did provide lots of both, I was left feeling uncomfortably unssatisfied.

As the youngest child of two artists, it's no suprise that Cybil Campbell has followed in the footsteps of her parents. Genvieve Grandeau-Campbell is well-known for her beautiful landscapes but Cybil has followed her father who writes the Macintosh political comic strips and has produced her own popular daily strip featuring the blonde Emily who can never manage to hold down a job.

Cybil is one of those heroines who you want as a best friend. She's kind, funny, upbeat and welcoming, unable to hold a grudge for very long. Her neighbours are forever in and out of her door and she always has time for people who want to talk. With a little nudge from her friend and downstairs neighbour Jody (the basis for Emily's friend in the strip whose name I can't remember), Cybil bakes a batch of cookies by means of introducing herself to her new, reclusive neighbour opposite her in 3B.

Convincing Alex by Nora Roberts

Convincing Alex (1994)
Nora Roberts
Grade: A
Genre: contemporary romance
Sex scenes: regular NR
Source: own
Stanislaski series: (1) Taming Natasha, (3) Falling for Rachel, 

Book four, and I'm still loving this series. Yes, I have given this a marginal grade up from the rest, but that's because I think Bess is my favourite heroine, not because this is necessarily my favourite book of the series. I still need to read books five and six before I can make a proper, informed choice, but if they're as good as the first four books, I'm going to have to read them all again before I can even think of choosing.

Bess McNee is very serious about her work. If this means caking on make-up an inch think and squeezing into hot-pink spandex to work the streets in the name of research, then by God she'll do it. When Detective Alexi Stanislaski (equally serious about his work - no guesses here about what he does) mistakenly arrests Bess for soliciting him, Bess can't help but think that her night has only got better. Not only has she got her time masquerading as a prostitute to help her with her newest storyline on the show 'Sacred Sins' for which she is one of the writers, but if she ever needs to write an arrest/jail scene, then her research is all done!

Falling for Rachel by Nora Roberts

Falling for Rachel (1993)
Nora Roberts
Grade: A-
Genre: romantic suspense
Sex scenes: standard mild and dreamy NR
Source: own
Stanislaski series: (1) Taming Natasha

I'm actually quite surprised. With all the stuff that I wrote in my review of Taming Natasha about the majority of later books in NR series being subpar, I've allowed myself the night to reflect and sitting here with my green tea (just plain), I find myself having enjoyed Falling for Rachel just as much as the previous two books in the series.

Rachel is a public defendant, worked off her feet. When she is assigned Nicholas LeBeck's case, she manages to see beyond his tough facade and sees the shaken, vulnerable boy underneath his gang jacket. He may be guilty of burglary and theft, but since he won't give up the names of his fellow gang members, Rachel is determined to save him from jail. So is Zack, Nick's step-brother. he puts up bail, agrees to pay for all the stolen merchandise, not just what was found on Nick, and gives Nick a home and a job at his bar, Lower the Boom.

Judge Beckett agrees to a two-month probationary period to monitor Nick. What Rachel and Zack hadn't counted on was being appointed Nick's co-guardians.

Taming Natasha by Nora Roberts

Taming Natasha (1990)
Nora Roberts
Grade: A-
Genre: contemporary romance
Sex scenes: pretty standard Nora Roberts, really. That is, for those not well versed in Roberts' books: mild and dreamy.
Source: own

First thing to note: I'm a HUGE romance reader. The majority of books that I review here will be romance. So if you're a romance snob who can't get beyond Fabio covers and the identify with society's general contempt of romance as a genre, then this isn't the place for you.

On the other hand, if you don't care that you're seen in public reading what is clearly a romance novel, then I'll carry on.