Category Archives: Penguin Publishing

September 3, 2013 · 3:57 am

Review: The Good Wife by Jane Porter

Title: The Good Wife by Jane Porter
Brennan Sisters Series Book Three
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Berkley
Genre: Contemporary, Fiction, Romance
Length: 432 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

Is it possible to love someone too much?

Always considered the beauty of the family, the youngest Brennan sister, Sarah, remains deeply in love with her husband of ten years. Boone Walker, a professional baseball player, travels almost year-round while Sarah stays home and cares for their two children. Her love for her husband is bottomless—so much so that her sisters say it will end up hurting her.

Living apart most of the time makes life difficult, especially since Sarah often wonders whether Boone is sharing his bed with other women on the road, even though he swears he’s been true to her since his infidelity three years ago. While she wants to be happy and move forward in her life, Sarah constantly fears that Boone will break his promise. Now with Boone facing yet another career change, tension rises between the two, adding more stress to an already turbulent marriage. Emotionally exhausted, Sarah can’t cope with yet another storm. Now, she must either break free from the past and forgive Boone completely, or leave him behind and start anew . . .

The Review:

Jane Porter’s The Good Wife explores the devastating and lingering effects of infidelity. This third installment of the Brennan Sisters series is youngest sister Sarah’s long awaited story and I eagerly devoured every page.

Married to a professional baseball player, Sarah is still working on forgiving Boone for a short-lived affair three years earlier. Although Boone has sworn it will never happen again, Sarah finds it virtually impossible to trust him while he is on the road. In the wake of her mother’s death and another unexpected family tragedy, Sarah is quickly overwhelmed by Boone’s traveling schedule and her (unfounded) fears that he is once again cheating on her. Late in the story, an angry confrontation and ugly accusations take this passionate couple in a very unexpected direction.

Throughout the Brennan Sisters series, Sarah has been plagued by her unresolved issues with Boone’s infidelity. In an effort to keep the peace with Boone, Sarah keeps her anger and hurt bottled up but following her mother’s death, she becomes obsessed with her fears. Feeling she has lost her identity, Sarah questions her past decisions regarding her relationship with Boone and their marriage. With another career change for Boone, Sarah’s anger becomes unmanageable and she finally explodes. This conflict will either make or break their marriage and Sarah is finally forced to take a long hard look at what she wants for herself and ultimately, her marriage.

Characters from other novels Brennan Sisters series are also revisited in The Good Wife. Meg’s marriage to Robert is on shaky ground months after her affair and a stunning plot twist reveals surprising information. The Brennan family continues to distrust Kit’s love interest, Jude and the sisters’ attitudes toward him are source of friction. Everyone continues to worry about Brianna’s health and she finally reveals the nature of her illness. Brother Tommy’s marriage is still rocky and he stubbornly refuses to listen to his family’s advice.

As with most of Jane Porter’s novels, The Good Wife is a realistic portrayal of life and all the messy emotions that accompany it. The characters are faced with real life problems that do not always have easy answers. The Brennans are close but they also have disagreements and there are tense moments between various family members. However the tight bond shared by the members of this loving family is strong enough to withstand any obstacle that life throws their way.

Another outstanding addition to the Brennan Sisters series that I absolutely love and highly recommend.

Read my reviews of the other novels in the series HERE.

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Filed under Berkley, Brennan Sisters Series, Contemporary, Fiction, Jane Porter, Penguin Publishing, Rated B+, Review, Romance, The Good Wife

June 24, 2013 · 3:57 am

Review: The Silent Wife by A.S.A. Harrison

Title: The Silent Wife by A.S.A. Harrison
Publisher: Penguin Books
Genre: Contemporary, Fiction
Length: 336 pages
Book Rating: C+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

A chilling psychological thriller about a marriage, a way of life, and how far one woman will go to keep what is rightfully hers

Jodi and Todd are at a bad place in their marriage. Much is at stake, including the affluent life they lead in their beautiful waterfront condo in Chicago, as she, the killer, and he, the victim, rush haplessly toward the main event. He is a committed cheater. She lives and breathes denial. He exists in dual worlds. She likes to settle scores. He decides to play for keeps. She has nothing left to lose. Told in alternating voices, The Silent Wife is about a marriage in the throes of dissolution, a couple headed for catastrophe, concessions that can’t be made, and promises that won’t be kept. Expertly plotted and reminiscent of Gone Girl and These Things Hidden, The Silent Wife ensnares the reader from page one and does not let go.

The Review:

A.S.A. Harrison’s debut novel, The Silent Wife, is an fascinating novel about the disintegration of Jodi Brett and Todd Gilbert’s twenty year relationship that takes an ominous turn when Todd leaves Jodi for another woman.

Jodi and Todd are a forty something couple who enjoy a luxurious and self-indulgent lifestyle. Jodi is a part-time psychologist who works from home and Todd is a successful property developer. Their common law marriage has withstood Todd’s numerous affairs and Jodi has no reason to believe his latest fling will change the status quo. Needless to say, Jodi is stunned when Todd moves out and she learns that she is not entitled to any financial compensation because Illinois does not recognize their common law marriage.

Neither Jodi nor Todd are particularly likable or sympathetic characters. They are both self-absorbed and selfish. Neither accepts responsibility for their actions and they each have an amazing sense of entitlement. Todd is weak, malleable and constantly tries to justify his actions. Jodi is distant, petty and will go to any lengths to keep the comfortable life she has created for herself.

One of the things I particularly liked about The Silent Wife is the fact that each chapter contains a “his” and “her” perspective. The reader gains valuable insight about the characters’ thought processes and motivations. However the story is often mired in superfluous detail and the plot is slow moving due to the characters’ constant inner dialogue.

The Silent Wife is an interesting character study and the psychological aspect of the storyline is quite informative. The characters are deeply flawed and complex and A.S.A. Harrison throws in some very intriguing plot twists late in the novel. The ending is satisfying but a little ambiguous since there a few questions left unanswered.

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Filed under ASA Harrison, Contemporary, Fiction, Penguin Publishing, Rated C+, Review, The Silent Wife

March 31, 2013 · 11:59 pm

Review: Lush by Lauren Dane

Title: Lush by Lauren Dane
Delicious Series Book Three
Publisher: Penguin Publishing
Imprint: Berkley Trade
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic, Romance
Length: 320 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

USA Today bestselling author Lauren Dane delivers a second serving of sexy in her new Delicious novel, in which taste and temptation make up a sweet recipe…

Mary Whaley has her hands full running a successful catering company and overseeing her supper club. She has everything she ever wanted—or so she thought. When she meets ridiculously hot and very dirty rock star Damien Hurley at her friend’s engagement party, the attraction she feels is overpowering—and she isn’t about to deny herself.

Damien is used to a hard and fast life. He and two of his brothers started a band when they were fresh out of high school—then they hit the big time and stayed there. He’s also a legendary madman on the stage and in the bedroom. But when he meets Mary, something clicks, and the bad boy starts thinking he may have finally found something good.

What begins as a series of fleeting trysts soon gets much more complicated. Damien can’t figure out why Mary doesn’t want more from him. And before long, it’s Damien who wants more from Mary. But it turns out Mary is no stranger to celebrity news, and he’s got a very big job ahead of him: proving that he’s worth more than a one-night stand…

The Review:

Lush, the third installment of Lauren Dane’s Delicious series, is a fast paced and scorching hot romance between a sweet yet sexy caterer and bad boy rocker.

Mary Whaley and Damien Hurley’s intense attraction results in a one night stand. Neither is interested in a serious relationship-Mary is busy running her thriving catering business and Damien is on tour with his band. But as their paths continue to cross, Damien and Mary continue to burn up the sheets with some seriously down and dirty sex. Soon, Damien discovers he wants more than sex from Mary, but Mary has no desire to live in the limelight. Adding to Mary’s reluctance to further involve herself in Damian’s life is his wild reputation. Can Damian convince Mary to give their relationship a chance? Will Damian’s past come between them?

Mary is a strong character; sexually confidant and willing to go after what she wants in the bedroom. She is always honest with herself, Damian and her friends that all she is looking for is a no strings attached affair with him. Mary has no trouble standing up for herself and whether it is Damian or her close friends, she does not hesitate to speak her mind.

Damien owns his hard partying past and he offers no apologies or excuses for enjoying his success. He is surprisingly down to earth, respectful and caring. He definitely knows how to satisfy a woman, but it is how he treats Mary outside the bedroom that really matters. Damian works hard to earn Mary’s trust and convince her that his wild days are behind him.

One of the strongest elements of Delicious is the secondary relationships. The secondary cast of characters is vast, and they all play vital roles in the story. Strong friendships and family bonds provide depth to the overall plot and their unwavering support sustain Damian and Mary throughout the novel. They have one another’s best interests at heart and they are always brutally honest with Damian and Mary. They have disagreements and fights, but their relationships always emerge unscathed and stronger than ever.

Lush has it all. An entertaining plot, genuine characters, and seriously hot sex scenes. Lauren Dane provides an absolutely fascinating view of what goes on behind the scenes in the music world. Longtime fans of the Delicious series are going to enjoy catching up with their favorite characters. New to the series? You are going to fall in love with all of the characters in this highly addictive series.

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Filed under Berkely Trade, Contemporary, Delicious Series, Erotic, Lauren Dane, Lush, Penguin Publishing, Rated B, Review, Romance

February 5, 2013 · 3:58 am

Review: The Good Daughter by Jane Porter

Title: The Good Daughter by Jane Porter
Brennan Sisters Series Book Two
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Berkley Trade
Genre: Contemporary, Fiction, Romance
Length: 384 pages
Book Rating: B+

Review Copy Obtained from Author

Summary:

Love was given to all, except herself . . .

Kit Brennan has always been the most grounded of her sisters. A Catholic school English teacher for seventeen years and a constant giver, her decisions have been sound—just not very satisfying. Her fortieth birthday is right around the corner, causing Kit to consider some wilder notions, like skipping right past the love and marriage to raising a child all by herself . . .

A girls’ weekend away is just the reprieve Kit needs from school, Mr. Wrongs, and life-changing decisions. It’s there that she meets a man who’s dangerous; a man who challenges who she thought she was, or rather should be. Kit wants to indulge herself this once, but with one of her students in crisis and the weight of her family’s burdens weighing heavy on her heart, Kit isn’t sure if now is the time to let her own desires take flight . . .

The Review:

In The Good Daughter, the second installment of the Brennan Sisters trilogy, Jane Porter brings her readers another novel that is as heartwarming as it is poignant. It a journey of self-discovery for middle sister Kit as she struggles with an impending loss, unsettling memories from her past and what she wants for her future.

In The Good Woman, high school English teacher Kit Brennan broke up with her longtime live in boyfriend. She is quite close to her family and she shares a tight bond with her sisters. As the middle daughter, Kit is the family peacemaker. Her twin sister, Brianna, is the family wild child while Kit is content to stay out of the limelight. She does not do anything to rock the boat and she is not very assertive. But all of that begins to change when Kit meets a man that her family most likely will not approve of.

Kit is very reflective in The Good Daughter. Her forays into the dating scene ended with disastrous results and she is contemplating what she wants for her future. With the purchase of her first home and with a few successful home renovations under her belt, she realizes she does not need a man in her life. What Kit really desires is a family and she knows what she is considering will not go over very well with her rather conservative and very Catholic family.

The two men that Kit meets prove that appearances can be deceiving. Michael Dempsey is a clean cut professional and new to the area. Kit is not really interested in dating, but she has a hard time saying no so she agrees to go on a date with him. Kit is quite uncomfortable with some of the things he reveals and she realizes that something is not quite right about Michael.

The other new man in Kit’s life is Jude. He is sexy and mysterious. A bad boy biker type that Kit is drawn to despite the fact that he is nothing at all like anyone she knows. Like many people, Kit is guilty of judging someone based on their appearance, so she quickly dismisses the possibility of any type of relationship with Jude.

Eventually Kit’s personal and professional lives converge and both men play key roles in this part of the storyline. We discover the secrets both men are hiding and Kit learns a lot about herself as the story arc plays out.

The Brennan family remains on the periphery for much of The Good Daughter. While Kit shares many scenes with her parents, most of the interactions with sisters Meg, Sarah and Brianna are mainly on the telephone. Her brother Tommy and his wife Cass are still at an impasse in their struggle with infertility. Brianna is dealing with a health issue of some kind. Neither Brianna and Kit have yet to come to terms with an incident from their childhood.

The Good Daughter is full of deep emotions and some of the scenes moved me to tears. Jane Porter provides Kit with a happily ever after ending, but the remaining unresolved storylines will leave readers impatiently awaiting the next book of the Brennan Sisters trilogy which is scheduled for release later this year.

Click HERE to read my review of The Good Woman .

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Filed under Berkely Trade, Brennan Sisters Series, Contemporary, Fiction, Jane Porter, Penguin Publishing, Rated B+, Review, Romance

February 4, 2013 · 3:58 am

Review: Learning to Stay by Erin Celello

Title: Learning to Stay by Erin Celello
Publisher: Penguin/NAL Trade
Genre: Contemporary, Fiction
Length: 352 pages
Book Rating: A+ & A Recommended Read

Review Copy Obtained from Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Elise Sabato is proud of her husband, Brad, for serving his country…and grateful when he returns home to her. But the traumatic brain injury he suffered in Iraq has turned him from a thoughtful, brilliant, and patient man into someone quite different….someone who requires more care and attention than Elise can give while working in a demanding law firm. And when Brad ends up on his family’s farm, hundreds of miles away, she wonders where their marriage is headed.

Elise must decide between the life she always wanted and the life she seems to be living…until she finds inspiration in the most unlikely of places: a lovable dog named Jones who teaches her that when the best-laid plans take unexpected turns, sometimes you end up right where you were meant to be.

The Review:

What would you do if your significant other changed dramatically following an injury or illness? In Erin Celello’s Learning to Stay, that is exactly the quandary that Elise Sabato is in following her husband Brad’s return from his deployment in Iraq.

Brad Sabato escaped serious injury when the convoy he was riding in was hit by an IED. Elise’s relief and joy at his safe return soon turns to despair when she realizes there is something drastically wrong with her husband. Brad is now prone to violent and angry outbursts and he is unable to perform the most basic of daily tasks. He begins drinking heavily and Elise is constantly walking on eggshells around her now volatile husband. Genuinely afraid not only for herself, but also for Brad’s safety, she arranges for him to go live with his father while she tries to come to terms with their uncertain future.

Elise’s struggle to reconcile the husband who returned home from Iraq to the man she married is utterly heartbreaking. As the sole breadwinner in the family, she is caught in a horrible position once she realizes that Brad needs constant care. Elise is also facing the terrible realization that the dreams and hopes she and Brad once shared are no longer possibilities once she comprehends the full ramifications of living with someone with traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Learning to Stay is an incredibly poignant novel that highlights the hidden injuries of war as well as the struggle to re-integrate into life at home after serving in combat. It also details the difficult and complex journey that veterans and their families face when they attempt to find treatment for TBI and PTSD. Erin Celello does an outstanding job demonstrating the devastating toll these injuries take on the lives of the injured and their loved ones.

Learning to Stay is a compelling and moving novel that I highly recommend.

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Filed under Contemporary, Erin Celello, Fiction, Learning to Stay, NAL Trade, Penguin Publishing, Rated A+, Recommended Read, Review

November 6, 2012 · 3:57 am

Review: Rescue My Heart by Jill Shalvis

Title: Rescue My Heart by Jill Shalvis
Animal Magnetism Series Book Three
Publisher: Penguin Publishing
Imprint: Berkley Sensation
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 304 pages
Book Rating: C+

Review Copy Obtained from Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

After a tragic stint in the National Guards, Adam Connelly returns to Idaho and to Belle Haven, the animal shelter he owns with his brothers. All Adam wants is to be alone. Then he opens the door to the past—the woman whose heart he once broke. Still gorgeous, still tough-as-nails, but this time, unusually vulnerable.

Holly learned the hard way to never depend on a man for anything. Now, of all men, it’s the last one she wants to see, and the only one she needs. Her father has gone missing in the Bitterroot Mountains and she could use someone with tracking skills to help find him.

For Holly and Adam, each with their ghosts, a trek this desperate, this unpredictable, and this intimate, will have its share of risks—including opening their hearts one more time.

The Review:

Rescue My Heart by Jill Shalvis is a steamy second chance at love romance between Adam Connelly and Holly Reid. Twelve years ago, Adam broke Holly’s heart after he dumped her when he joined the military. Now back in Belle Haven, Adam is the only person who takes Holly’s concerns about her missing father seriously. As they search for her father, Adam and Holly discover the red hot attraction between them burns stronger than ever.

As individuals, I really like Holly and Adam. They are fully developed characters with realistic strengths and weaknesses. Both have changed a great deal since they were teenagers but they are each fighting demons from their past and that plays a big role in their current relationship.

Holly’s heart may have been broken when Adam left her, but she did not let that keep her from falling in love again. With her rebound marriage to an older man over, Holly has returned to Belle Haven to run the business side of the family ranch. She has emerged from her failed marriage a much stronger woman who knows her mind and stands her ground against the alpha males in her life. Is Holly going to settle for the bits and pieces that Adam is willing to share with her? Or is she going to hold out for the fully committed relationship that she deserves?

Adam is the epitome of the strong, silent type. As a teen, he was rebellious and walked a fine line between the right and wrong side of the law. Knowing he would only destroy Holly’s life if they stayed together, Adam cut all ties with her when he joined the military. He returned to Belle Haven after a devastating tour in Afghanistan and he continues to suffer from PTSD. While he mostly has the PTSD under control, there are certain circumstances which triggers painful memories and sometimes crippling anxiety. While Adam is more than willing to indulge in some seriously hot sex with Holly, he must decide is he is ready for a real relationship with her.

As a couple, I found it difficult to connect with Adam and Holly. Most of the first half of Rescue My Heart is dedicated to the two day search for Holly’s dad. The story is slow moving and much of the conflict between them is internal as Adam and Holly try to work through their respective issues. They do not spend much time together outside of the bedroom and I was left wondering exactly what their relationship was based on other than their shared past and mutual passion. There are only a few interactions between them that did not involve sex, so their relationship felt rather superficial and rushed.

The supporting cast of characters is absolutely superb and I enjoyed them a great deal. Holly’s dad is a tough as nails rancher and I love how he acknowledged the changes he has observed in Holly. I already liked the gruff but caring man, but his obvious respect for Holly’s transformation totally won me over.

The other relationships that really stood out for me were those between Adam and his brothers Brady and Dell. Typical siblings in so many ways, Brady and Dell’s concern for Adam was always apparent. For the most part, they knew when to back off and when to push and they always have his best interests at heart.

Rescue My Heart is a wonderful novel about strong family ties and letting go of the past. Jill Shalvis does an excellent job with the PTSD aspect of the storyline and Adam’s struggles with the aftereffects of war are realistically portrayed. The dialogue is well-written and witty but there is also plenty of substance to this very sexy romance.

Although it is the third installment in the Animal Magnetism series, Rescue My Heart can easily be read as a standalone story. I am definitely looking forward to next book in this wonderful series.

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Filed under Animal Magnetism Series, Berkley Sensation, Contemporary, Jill Shalvis, Penguin Publishing, Rated C+, Rescue My Heart, Review, Romance