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Smoking guns and hot guys
BY CHRISTIE RIDGWAY
By Cindy Gerard Pocket Star, $6.99 384 pages, ISBN 9781416566724
The Secret Papers of Madame Olivetti by Annie Vanderbilt chronicles a 50-something widow who is looking back on her life and the men she's loved. Lily Crisp travels to the South of France, where she plans to pour her stories and secrets into the safekeeping of her manual typewriter, nicknamed Madame Olivetti. Under summer sun and with lovely French repasts at her elbow (and an attractive handyman at her door), Lily recounts tales of her Midwest upbringing, her marriage to a wealthy Idaho cattle rancher and the ups and downs of that relationship. There are stories about Lily's experiences in France, the United States and Mexico. More sun, more good food, more mysteries to be solved. Vanderbilt tells a compelling story through Lily, an honest narrator with a sense of humor and an unquenchable sense of adventure. She doesn't duck from her mistakes, which only makes the reader sympathize with them more. This book is a sensuous treat to be enjoyed like ripe, juicy fruit and dark, rich chocolate.
By Annie Vanderbilt NAL Accent, $15 304 pages, ISBN 9780451225276
Jo Goodman's latest historical romance, The Price of Desire, is an engrossing read set in Regency London. Griffin Wright-Jones, Viscount Breckenridge, flouts convention by running a successful gaming hell. Yet he struggles to hold onto his usual insouciance when a beautiful woman becomes the marker for a gambling debt. Still, Griffin refuses to back down and insists that Olivia Cole reside with him until her brother returns with the money owed. As Griffin comes to know Olivia, he's intrigued by her emotional spells and her surprising talent with cards. And then there's the not-so-small matter of their obvious mutual attraction. The motivations of these complicated characters run deep, and as they reveal to each other their dark pasts and troubled souls, love blooms. Up against evil villains and their own inner conflicts, Olivia and Griffin's cause is one the reader will truly care about, creating a book to savor well past the final page.
By Jo Goodman Zebra Books, $6.99 448 pages, ISBN 9781420101744
Kim Lenox's Night Falls Darkly, an atmospheric tale of romance and the supernatural set in Victorian England, will give readers chills. Heroine Elena Whitney's past is as mysterious to her as the guardian who came to her rescue three years before. Though she lives in his house, Archer, Lord Black, has never shown his face, and Elena is free to pursue a medical career in London. But when Archer arrives at Black House, Elena's plans for her life are derailed. Not only is her guardian intent on keeping her safe at home, the sensual man touches Elena in ways she's never known. Archer's attraction to his ward only complicates his mission: an Immortal of the Shadow Guards, he's tasked with the elimination of vilely corrupt mortals, and this time he's after the Ripper. Real-life famous faces of the era walk across the pages as Archer and Elena fight their love and fight to stop a murdering madman. When the story ends, there are more questions, sure to be answered in further gripping stories of the Shadow Guard. o
By Kim Lenox Signet Eclipse, $6.99 336 pages, ISBN 9780451225375 Christie Ridgway writes contemporary romance. Look for her next book, Unravel Me, in November.
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Journalist Jenna McMillan returns to Argentina and a pivotal event in her life in Cindy Gerard's exhilarating romantic adventure, Show No Mercy. Concerned she's lost her nerve after her last story ended in her horrifying abduction, Jenna agrees to interview an important businessman. But she's thrown right into another nightmare when an explosion and gunfight sends her on the run with her savior from her previous escapade—one Gabriel Jones, who may be good or may be bad, but is definitely sexy . . . and not pleased to see Jenna again. Their last time together, sparks flew and they're in the air again, though Gabe resists the fire. He holds a heavy, heart-wrenching secret, but it's one that Jenna is strong enough to bear. This book has scary villains, sizzling sexual chemistry and enough action to make it a one-night read. There's also the promise of exciting upcoming stories starring the secondary characters, which adds more sparkle to this thrilling, fast-paced read.
French food and family secrets
Deep conflicts and deeper love
Serial killers and serious thrills