ARC Review: Blood and Bone by Tara Brown

Think 'The Long Kiss Goodnight' meets 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith' and you'll have some idea what you are getting with this book....until the end when shit goes all wrong.

I had actually started writing this review when I was about 70% through this book because I thought it was so good, I didn't want to forget all the effusive praise I planned to heap on the author. Luckily I decided to finish the book before I finished my review because things went so left in the last 20% of this book, it truly was not funny.

First, plot in super fast rewind: Jane can't remember anything that happened before 3 years ago. She's got a wonderful boyfriend who she loves but can't remember meeting and just one friend. One day people start showing up calling her Sam, and then people start dying and shi% gets real.

I have to separate the first 80% of this book from the end for the purposes of this review because I honestly felt like I read two different books. The majority of this book was extraordinarily well written, intense, well layered pulse pounding action and suspense. I enjoyed the way Jane and Derek's relationship evolved as Jane's memory emerged. One thing in particular I liked was how Jane and Derek's sex life changed as Jane changed.

For the first 80% of this book I was completely enthralled in the mystery. I was trying to figure out who Jane was and who she could trust just as she was trying to figure it out in the book. Every time I thought I knew what was going on, things took yet another unexpected twist. There is one point when Jane feels completely lost and just can't figure out what is real. As the reader you can identify with Jane because you will have the same feeling.

The majority of this book is 5 stars for writing, characterization, pace and plot. It was just stellar BUT THEN things fall apart. I thought a long time about how I could describe what went wrong without spoiling the end of the book, hopefully the following will give you what you need without ruining it if you plan to read the book.

Sometimes too much of a good thing is bad. Like, plaid is awesome but imagine an outfit with a plaid top, pants, shoes and a handbag, that would be a hot mess, right? That's what happened in this book. The twists and turns were great but eventually they defeated the entire plot of the book. Things just turned into a mess. I love mystery and suspense but I do not enjoy reading a book like this where the ending is so far fetched that you can't logically conceive of it. And it's not just that it's far fetched, it literally ruins everything you might have liked about the book. I feel like I'm dancing on the edge of giving too much away so I'm going to quit while I'm ahead. I can sum it all up by saying, I wish I had quit reading before the end. Because there was a good book somewhere in there that got ruined by an over abundance of creativity.

I'm giving this 3 stars because the writing was good and I loved so much of the book, I couldn't bring myself to go lower. Despite my rating, I do not recommend you read this book...or at least don't read the whole thing. Sorry, that's the best I can do without telling you everything.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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RFTC Hall Pass Event Winners

There are many winners to announce but before we do so, we just wanted to take the time and say a SUPER BIG THANK YOU to each and every author that helped us celebrate RFTC's 4th blogoversary. We loved having you all come by to share your Hall Pass heroes list. Thank you so, so much. =)

ARC Review: Rules of the Game by Lori Wilde

Rules of the Game is the second book in Lori Wilde's Stardust, Texas series. Each book can be read as a standalone story, but the characters are interconnected. This one was a really sweet and fun book, and I enjoyed reading it. Lori Wilde is a great contemporary romance writer, and I always enjoy her stories. If you are looking for a great quick and easy read, you really can't go wrong with Lori Wilde.

After being dumped at the alter and turning 30, Jodi Carlyle decides its time to face her fears and move forward with her life. She gets dressed up and crashes a wedding. Needing some help after she forgets the invitation she stole from her sister, Jodi catches the eye of a sexy stranger. Jake wants to get to know Jodi better, but she gives him a fake name and refuses to let him get to know the real her. She decides a fling is exactly what she needs and Jake is the perfect person for one. But after they go their separate ways, Jodi thinks that is the last she will see of him. But little does she know that he is the new star of the Dallas Gunslingers, and also the best man at her sister's wedding. Can Jake and Jodi turn their fling into something more? 

I really liked Jake. He was sweet and charming. I thought he was great from the very start, and the more I got to see of him the more I liked. I loved that he was so determined to get to know Jodi, even when she wasn't giving him much to go on. She gave him a fake name and tried to end their time together, but he kept pushing for more. It was refreshing to see the guy pursuing the girl, when in romance you so often see it from the other side. Jake had been through a lot, and it was good to see him wanting more after everything he had been through. Jodi had some issues and was trying to move forward with her life just like Jake. They had different ways of going about it, but they were both after basically the same thing. I think that was what made these two so great together, was that they could connect because they both had painful things they were struggling with in their pasts. They were just surviving before, and trying to figure out a way to start living again. Jake and Jodi were great for one another, and I really enjoyed seeing them fall for one another. It was good to see Jodi come out of her shell and I thought that Jake was such a big part of that. These two had a lot of chemistry and were really cute together. 

Overall, I thought that this was another good read from Lori Wilde. It was fun and entertaining, and a good read for when you are looking for something light and easy. While the characters are struggling with issues, Lori Wilde has a way of keeping things upbeat and I really like that. I know that I can sit down and just spend a few hours enjoying a good story without it being dark or filled with drama and angst. Her books always leave me feeling happy and in a good mood. There are times when the dialogue and story got a little cheesy for me, but I like the sweetness so it isn't that big of a deal for me. I would recommend this book if you are a fan of contemporary romance, especially if you like a good sports romance. Lori Wilde never disappoints, and I know I will read more from her in the future.

**ARC Provided by Publisher**

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Guest Post with Jade Lee and Giveaway

Meet Jade Lee author of 50 Ways to Ruin a Rake.

USA Today bestselling author Jade Lee has been scripting love stories since she first picked up a set of paper dolls. Ball gowns and rakish lords caught her attention early (thank you, Georgette Heyer), and her fascination with the Regency began. An author of more than thirty romance novels and winner of dozens of industry awards, Lee lives in Champaign, Illinois.

| Site | Facebook | Twitter | Kathy Lyons | 

Review: The Curse of the Brimstone Contract by Corrina Lawson

Mystery, magic, adventure and romance mixed to precise and perfect proportions make Corrina Lawson's The Curse of the Brimstone Contract one of my new favorites.

Steampunk is one of my genres of choice. So I am always on the lookout for a something new in that classification. The Curse of the Brimstone Contract fits the bill very nicely. Steam power makes machines run in 19th century London. But magic makes the wheels of commerce turn. Only the upper class possesses mage power and the nobility will do everything to ensure it stays that way.

Joan Krieger is the merchant seamstress who aspires to design trend-setting fashions and is on her way to getting a rich client to endorse her latest design. But her client dies under mysterious circumstances. When it appears the the cause of the death may have been magical, the family business comes under suspicion. It seems that Joan's prospects are dashed and her family's business is doomed.

Needing to know the truth about the suspicious death, Joan hires Gregor Sherringford to help her find the facts. Gregor is aloof, intelligent and seems to command a little magic himself. But his true genius is revealed when he recognizes Joan's quick mind and determined nature and agrees to team up with her.

There are many things I liked about The Curse of the Brimstone Contract. But mainly I like the two main characters.

Having a seamstress as a main character appeals to the needleworker in me. I've sewn all my life and even went through stage of designing my own clothes. I related to Joan's thrill of creating a new and unique design, especially one that is appreciated by others. Joan is creative and very intelligent. She is ever aware of class and sex differentiations that determine too much of her life. But her insistence in knowing the truth is what makes her bloom into a force to be reckoned with, whether you are her friend or her foe.

Gregor is a genius. He is also opinionated (arrogant), distracted, observant, enigmatic and seemingly magical. He is not always forthcoming, which only serves to annoy Joan. But overall, Gregor is a likable man, with an honorable nature that that is both attractive and sexy. Joan and Gregor make a formidable investigative team. And as they investigate the case, they get closer to each other.

The author mentions Arthur Conan Doyle as an influence. Yes, I can see a bit of Sherlock Holmes in Gregor. And for you Sci Fi fans, in Gregor, I also saw hints of The Doctor.

One of the ongoing themes in the book is the source of magic. Supposedly, only the upper echelon of society is supposed to be able to wield magic. Of course, when you think about that, there are all sorts of flaws with that theory, the primary one being that nobility does not consort only with nobility. So where did the magic come from in the first place? There is one theme that I really loved. The idea that energy of creativity is a source of magical power. That a person's ingenuity has the power to alter the rules of the world as we know it. I fear this idea spells trouble for the nobles of London.

There is so much more than a mystery to be solved in this book. Romance. Of course there is romance. Gregor's and Joan's ability to merge their minds to solve a mystery presages the sweet uniting of their hearts. In addition to mystery and romance, there are class issues, an arranged marriage (unwanted), old magic, curses, new magical ability, and secrets. So many secrets. There is not a boring page in The Curse of the Brimstone Contract. I hope to be reading another book in the series soon!

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