Book Binge

Holly's review of Hidden Currents (Drake Sisters, book 7) by Christine Feehan

Elle Drake has gone missing. She’s a strong telepath and even her six magical sisters cannot find her, although they all agree she is alive. Something terrible has happened or she would have contacted them and let them know where she is.

Jackson Deveau, a deputy sheriff in the small village of Sea Haven, off the northern California coast, has known that Elle is destined for him. When she disappears, he gathers with his friends, Jonas Harrington and Ilya Prakenskii, and Elle’s sisters to find her and bring her safely home. But Sea Haven is no longer safe for any of them and it takes every bit of strength the combination of all the Drakes and their men to survive the coming storm.

Hidden Currents is the 7th and final book in Christine Feehan's Drake Sisters series, and for me, the most anticipated. I would like to start out by saying that if you haven't read the previous entries in this series, this is not the place to start. Many things from the previous books are referenced and I think someone starting the series with this book would only come away lost and confused.

Elle Drake is working undercover trying to find evidence that billionaire shipping magnate Stavros Grastos is involved in human trafficking - and avoiding Jackson Deveraux, the man she's destined to be with but who has made it clear he doesn't want her - when she's taken captive on Stavros' private island. Although Elle is a strong telepath, for some reason she can't psychically read Stavros and once on her island, her abilities are completely blocked.

Alone, frightened and confused, Elle experiences brutalities no woman should face. Just when she's convinced she can hold on no longer, Jackson touches her, bringing her back from the brink of madness. Although she would rather retreat into her own mind, Jackson asks to live, knowing what he asks but needing her in his world.

Jackson has been out of his mind worrying over Elle. Even though she was physically away from him, her mind always touched his. Until she was no longer there. Even her sisters couldn't connect with her. He'd only been waiting for Elle to realize she had to come when she disappeared. Now, finally, he's connected with her and he isn't letting her go. Through her he experiences some of the horrors she's been facing on her own, and he knows she needs to be rescued as soon as possible. But once he finally gets her home, he realizes the trouble is far from over. Stavros escapes during the raid and he continues to torture the entire family as Elle struggles to recover.

I was very surprised by the intensity of the opening of this book. Although Feehan has pushed some boundaries in the past, there was a certain line I never really expected her to cross. She definitely crossed it in this book. After the first quarter or so, however, the intensity fades and the romance becomes the focal point of the story.

In previous books, I was unsure about Jackson. He seemed closed off and..almost cold. I knew there was something in his past that had scarred him, but I had no idea what. Finding out really just added another layer of depth to his relationship with Elle. I expected him to be domineering and cold, but instead he was tender and sensitive, staying strong for Elle and yet giving her space.

Elle was a very strong woman. Though she suffered at the hands of a monster for months, she did her best to work through her pain and trauma. She didn't just lie down and die. Her need for Jackson scared her at first, because she was afraid to rely on him completely, but after awhile she came to value him and appreciated that he was constantly with her.

The connection between Elle and Jackson was strong right from the beginning. Watching them heal together and learn to trust one another was the more powerful part of the story, I think. In the face of their relationship, the drama of Elle's capture and subsequent torture took a back seat. Therefore I don't think Stavros seemed as much of a threat as was intended. I was so focused on Elle and Jackson that Stavros seemed more an annoyance than anything.

It's not that I doubted the threat, it's just that I wasn't very interested in his story or how they eliminated the threat. The first half of the book was much more interesting in that respect. Once Elle and Jackson connected, everything else took a backseat.

If I have a complaint it's that Elle's physical recovery seemed glossed over. I had to suspend disbelief quite a bit to accept that she was held captive - and suffered untold horrors - for a month and yet spent no time in the hospital and saw no doctor. She didn't even let her sisters work on her (they have healing powers) until she'd been home for several days.

Also, the way the book ended..I wonder if she isn't going to create a spin-off? While part of me thinks that would be great (I'm really not quite ready for the series to be over) another part of me would be very disappointed in her.

Although tough to read at times (because of the content) overall it was very well done. Kudos to Feehan for closing out the series in such a great way.


4.5 out of 5



This book is available from Jove. You can buy it here or here in e-format.


***GIVEAWAY*** Leave a comment telling me what your favorite Drake book is (or, if you haven't read them, why you'd like to) and you'll be entered to win a copy. ***GIVEAWAY***

Holly's review of To Ruin The Duke by Debra Mullins

A disreputable duke

All of London is abuzz with the shocking exploits of Thornton Matherton, Duke of Wyldehaven, a man as sinful and wild as his name. He plays fast and loose with money, drink, and women. Or does he? An impostor has tarnished Thornton's good name, and the real duke will not rest until he has proven his virtue.

A righteous lady

Abandoned by her aristocratic father when she was a child, Miranda Fontaine despises the nobility. Despite her distrust, she visits the Duke of Wyldehaven on an urgent mission. Determined to keep a deathbed promise, Miranda will do whatever it takes to pin down the notorious duke . . . even if it means seducing him herself.

Passion's ruin

Desperate to escape the web of deceit and clear his name, Thomas cannot bear the distraction of Miranda's supple skin and alluring eyes. Her beauty will be his undoing . . . and her bed will be the site of his most wicked ruin . . .

Years ago I read Three Nights by Debra Mullins. It was a sweet story that immediately grabbed my attention. I was so impressed with it I went out and bought her entire backlist. Sadly none of the others I read lived up to my expectations. As a matter of fact, I seem to recall feeling very strongly about the last one I read. Disillusioned, I wrote her off. Even so, each time a new book is released, I feel compelled to check it out. This one tempted me, despite my experiences with her in the past.

The Duke of Wyldehaven, Wylde, has been hidden away at his country estate for the past two years, mourning his late wife. In his absence an impostor - who resembles Wylde enough to pass for him - has been gallivanting around London, ruining his good name. Unfortunately Wylde doesn't discover this until much damage has been done to his reputation. Although he initially plans to stay in London only a few days - he's there to attend the funeral of one of his best friends - he decides to stay and get to the bottom of the issue.

Miranda Fontaine has arrived in London with one goal in mind - to get the Duke of Wyldehaven to acknowledge his son. He seduced her best friend and then abandoned her, where she fled to the country to have his child. Sadly she died in childbirth, but not before securing a promise from Miranda that she'd take her baby, James, to London and make sure he received his rightful place in society.

Although Miranda is determined to honor her friend's wishes, she's not sure the Duke is the right person to care for little James. Since Miranda's own father refused to acknowledge her, she knows what it feels like to be cast aside. She wants better than that for James. When she arrives to hear awful tales of the good Duke, she's even more dubious. And when he flat denies that the child is his? She convinced. But then he spins a fantastical story about some impostor acting like him. Although Miranda doesn't believe his tale for a moment, she is willing to let him do right by his son. That does not mean, however, that she'll become his mistress. Despite the growing attraction between them, she's vowed never to be put in a position where she must be at the mercy of someone else.

One of the things I loved best about Three Nights, the other Mullins book I enjoyed so much, was that the focus is on the relationship between the hero and heroine throughout most of the book. Unfortunately the same can't be said for this one. Much of the focus is put on the situation with Wylde and his impostor, plus a separate mystery that arises when Miranda begins receiving threatening notes.

Even so, I did feel a deep connection between them. They really seemed to compliment each other. Miranda really reminds Wylde that he didn't die along with his wife and he reminds her that there's more to life than being alone. I thought it was sweet they way they leaned on and drew strength from each other. Even though they didn't have as much time together as I would have liked, I still believed totally in their love for one another.

I especially loved Miranda. She was practical and levelheaded. Although she knew she wanted Wylde, she knew she wouldn't be able to live with herself if she became his mistress. She was also very practical about her personal safety. Unlike many other historical romance heroines, she didn't rush headfirst into danger, or insist she could care for herself and spurn all offered help. She was careful to guard her heart, but equally as careful with her personal safety.

Wylde's character was hard to pin down. At first he comes off as very tortured and almost self-pitying. It isn't long before we see another side of him, however. He was very suspicious of Miranda's motives in the beginning and therefore somewhat callous to her. After he got to know her, however, he became very tender toward her and we saw the true person underneath his gruff exterior.

I wasn't very impressed with the mystery angle. It isn't a secret who the villain of the piece is (he's introduced fairly early on) and really felt that part of the story served only as a purpose for conflict between the hero and heroine. I didn't really see the point otherwise. The ending came about rather quickly, which left several loose ends dangling. I'm hoping she plans to make this a series, and that's why she left things as open as she did. If not I'll be seriously disappointed.

Although I found the mystery to be less than impressive, I really enjoyed the characters. They really drew me in and made me care about them.

Overall the mystery lacks, but the romance definitely makes up for any shortcomings.

3.75 out of 5

This book is available from Avon. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

I would once again like to thank Executive Editor Marsha Zinberg and Harlequin for kicking off their blog tour with us. I really had a good time zipping around reading her various blog entries, and I'm thrilled that we were able to offer some of the Famous Firsts to our readers.

If you didn't win this time around, don't worry, you still may have a chance to win. I have four more books to giveaway. Check back next week for details!

Alright, let's get down to business. We offered one amazing tote bag that just happened to get lost in my book room. So sorry for all of you who entered hoping to win it. But the good news is, the books are intact and ready to giveaway! What? Oh, fine, the tote isn't lost. I really just want to keep it for myself. and four Famous Firsts. Every person who commented was automatically entered to win my the amazing tote. So let's save that for last.

The Winners For: Tears of the Renegade by Linda Howard

Tangled Lies by Anne Stuart


Moontide by Stella Cameron


The Matchmakers by Debbie Macomber



Congratulations ladies! Please email me at contests @ thebookbinge . com (no spaces) with your mailing info and I'll get your books out as soon as possible.

And now for my the tote bag.



Congratulations Wendy! If you're not interested in the tote bag I would very generously take it off your hands. If you are interested, however, please email with your mailing information.

Thanks to everyone who entered, and be sure to stick around to see what we've got lined up for the summer.

Rowena's review of The Accidental Bestseller by Wendy Wax.

Grade: 4.5 out of 5

Once upon a time four aspiring authors met at their very first writers' conference. Ten years later they're still friends, survivors of the ultra-competitive New York publishing world. Mallory St. James is a workaholic whose bestsellers support a lavish lifestyle. Tanya Mason is a single mother juggling two jobs, two kids, and too many deadlines. Faye Truett is the wife of a famous televangelist and the author of inspirational romances: no one would ever guess her explosive secret. Kendall Aims's once-promising career is on the skids—and so is her marriage. Her sales are dismal, her new editor detests her work—and her husband is cheating. Barely able to think, let alone meet her final deadline, Kendall holes up in a mountain cabin to confront a blank page and a blanker future. But her friends won't let her face this trial alone. Together they collaborate on a novel using their own lives as fodder, assuming no one will ever discover the truth behind their words.

No one is more surprised than they are when the book becomes a runaway bestseller. But with success comes scrutiny and scandal...as these four best friends suddenly realize how little they've truly known each other.

This book was one of those books that when I first saw the cover, I got a little excited. I like pretty covers and I think the book cover for this one is so pretty and perfect for the summer. I popped this book open and didn't think that I would be getting the story that I got. I was expecting something light and fluffy and what I got was an emotional story about friendship and courage.

The story follows four author friends who met at a writer's conference at the beginning of their careers and it's interesting to see the different roads their lives/writing careers take. We have Mallory St. James, the most successful of the bunch who is a bestselling author who works really hard at what she does, so hard that she sacrifices family time just so that she can write those 20 pages each day then there's Tanya Mason who is a single mother living with her controlling mother and working two jobs to stay afloat and Fay Truett is an inspirational writer who is married to a televangelist who has a pretty big secret herself and finally there's Kendall Aim's. Kendall Aim's writing career is being shot down the toilet but before she can leave her publishing house, she owes them another story and her friends all come together to help Kendall get this book written. They all collaborate on the book and use bits and pieces from their personal lives to write the book and when Kendall turns it in and it becomes a national bestseller, each of their lives are changed forever.

I enjoyed this book, I thought it was extremely well written and I thought it was a book that I could sink my teeth into time after time. This is definitely going on my keeper bookshelf because I really enjoyed getting to know each of the authors and Ms. Wax did a great job of keeping me engrossed in the story. When the shit hits the fan, you don't really know what's going to happen but you can't help but keep reading to find out. My heart was heavy for these guys because their friendship was tested and they each realized how much they don't know about each other. I mean, it made me think about my own friendships with my friends. The friends that I'm the closest with, the ones that I think I know so well can truly be different people than I actually think and this book made me want to fix that.

Out of all of them, I think my heart hurt the most for Kendall. I mean, even though I sympathized with them all, it was Kendall's storyline that I related to the most which doesn't make any sense since I'm the single mother working everyday to support my kid so you would think I'd relate or connect with Tanya the most but for me, it was Kendall. I really enjoyed getting to know her and I really felt for her with finding out about her writing career then her husband and then with the fallout from Sticks and Stones, I could the frustation that she felt and I thought Ms. Wax did a fantastic job fleshing her character out, she wasn't perfect but that's why I liked her. She felt real to me and I liked that.

I thought this was a great book, there were times when it dragged a bit in the middle of the book but for the most part, it was a very engaging story, one that I enjoyed and one that I'm glad that I read. I enjoyed all of the characters and I enjoyed the storyline, it was a refreshing read from what I normally read and I just flat out enjoyed it.

This book is available from Berkley Trade. You can buy it here in print, here in e-format or here for your Kindle.

Casee's review of Real Men Last All Night by Lori Foster, Lora Leigh, Cheyenne McCray, and Heidi Betts.

Luring Lucy by Lori Foster
All Lucy was looking for when she went to her vacation home was in innocent fling to quell the yearning she had felt since her husband died four years ago. She never expected her longtime friend Bram to lure her into a love affair so hot.

As I was reading this first story in the anthology, I had a major case of déjà vu. I could have sworn that I had read a book by Lori Foster about someone named Lucy years ago. I blamed it on the pain pills and continued. I didn’t get much farther before I realized that I HAD read it before and that Luring Lucy is in fact a re-print. That annoys me. Especially when the back of the books says “In this hot new collection”. Notice the word new? I almost decided not to continue, but I really like the other three authors.

In Luring Lucy (first published in the Hot and Bothered anthology), Lucy has returned to the beach house where she caught her husband cheating. At 39, Lucy is determined to get her life back; to start she’s going to have a hot affair with her lawn boy. That’s before Bram shows up and throws her plans all to hell.

Bram has been in love with Lucy since the moment he met her. When she married his best friend, David, he stepped aside, never revealing his true feelings. When he learns that she’s on a mission to have an affair, he races to the beach house to inform her that any affair she’s going to have is going to be with him.

My annoyance about the whole reprint thing aside, I really liked this book.

4.25 out of 5.

Cooper’s Fall by Lora Leigh
Former ranger turned bar owner Ethan Cooper never expected to get an eyeful of prim Miss Sarah Fox from his attic window one hot summer afternoon. But now his blood is on fire for the delicious little minx.

Cooper’s Fall begins in typical LL fashion. Ethan Cooper is in his attic (it was never really revealed why he’s in the attic) and see’s his hot next door neighbor, naked and touching herself down by her pool. When he sees some interesting body piercings she has, Cooper starts thinking that “Miss” Sarah may not be the good girl she portrays herself to be.

Sarah Fox moved into a small town hoping to fit in. After a tragedy in her past, all Sarah wants is peace and a little happiness. She thinks she can find it the small Texas town she moved to. After two years of living there, Sarah has almost no friends. When she goes to the bar, she gets hustled out like she’s someone’s kid sister. She’s enraged when she finds out that Ethan Cooper is behind her getting snubbed. She decides that the town is not for her, but before she leaves, she’s going to give him a piece of her mind.

Cooper felt protective of Sarah from the moment she came into town. He put the word out that she wasn’t a conquest for any of the men that were only looking for that. When she confronts him, he realizes that his initial order has gotten way out of hand.

Sarah was a good heroine. Cooper was one of those heroes that had to have a heroine that would stand up to him. Sarah would take any of his crap. I also appreciated how she made no bones about her feelings for him.

4 out of 5.

The Edge of Sin by Cheyenne McCray
Zane Steele lives a life of extraordinary danger as a government agent and has never let anyone get too close. Then he sees the one woman who changes his life forever.

When Zane first see’s Willow, he’s instantly attracted to her. Though he has no plans to approach her, he can’t keep his eyes off her. What he doesn’t realize at first is that she has noticed him too. He also learns what a force Willow can be.

On the day they meet, Zane and Willow have sex in a restaurant they’re at for their first date. It sounds totally sleazy, but it was hot. They just had this instant attraction to each other that they can’t deny.

As they get closer, Zane continues to ignore the problem at hand. As a top-secret government agent, anyone close to him can be a target by people like the mafia, terrorists, etc. He doesn’t want Willow to get hurt b/c of him, so he’s kind of stuck. On one hand, he doesn’t want her hurt. On the other hand, he doesn’t want to let her go.

I enjoyed this story. I really liked Willow at first, but as the book went on, I found myself thinking “Seriously?”. I mean really, who acts like she does? And it wasn’t the sex in the restaurant that did it either. It was any number of other things. It just seemed that a girl like Willow wouldn’t have lasted long in the world. She seemed too good to be true.

3.5 out of 5.

Wanted: A Real Man by Heidi Betts
Claire left her high school sweetheart Linc, in search of a better life. Ten years later she needs his help as a U.S. Marshal to find her missing daughter…Linc's daughter. Reeling with the knowledge of a daughter he’s never known, Linc sets out to claim what’s his.

This is my favorite story in the whole book. I love reunion stories; I can take or leave secret baby stories. In this novella, I had both. And they worked very well together.

Claire left her small Pennsylvania town when she was 18, determined to not fall in the footsteps of everyone else in town. The hardest think she ever did was leave Linc, the boy she loves and always thought she would marry. She just doesn’t want to restrict herself to small town life.

What she didn’t know when she left was that she was pregnant with Linc’s baby. I never really did understand why she didn’t go back. She hadn’t been in California for very long before she realized she was pregnant. Instead, she married some guy who said he would take care of her. That was the only part that I didn’t really get.

When Claire decides to divorce her husband after 10 years, he takes her daughter and leaves town. His family is uber powerful, so Claire is convinced that they’re going to falsify DNA documents so Jonathan can get permanent custody of Sara. Scared and worried, Claire tracks Linc down who is now a US Marshal.

Linc has never forgiven Claire for leaving him the way she did. When she comes and tells him that he has a daughter, he is floored. And furious. He didn’t think there was any other way Claire could betray him, but he finds out there is. When she tells him what’s going on, he agrees to help her, albeit unwillingly.

Linc and Claire have always had an undeniable connection. When they travel back to San Francisco, they can’t ignore the pull. I loved the relationship between these two. You could just tell that no matter what happened, they were meant to be together. I loved it.

4.5 out of 5.

Overall, I would have to say 4 out of 5.

This book is available from St. Martin's Press. You can buy it here.

Leave a comment for a chance to win Real Men Last All Night!

Thanks to RANDOM.ORG for help in choosing the winner for this giveaway. The winner for the giveaway of INSTANT GRATIFICATION is:

We'd like to thank everyone who participated in this giveaway and with the summer in full swing be sure to check out Book Binge for more giveaways because I promise, we'll have plenty!

Congratulations to Ash! Please email us at contests[at]thebookbinge.com with your snail mail addy so that we can get your book sent out to you!

Thanks again and happy reading everyone!

Casee's review of Love at First Flight by Marie Force

Juliana is a talented hair stylist, on her way to Jacksonville, Florida, to see her long-distance—and longtime—boyfriend. While waiting for her delayed flight, she meets Michael, a prosecutor about to begin the biggest murder trial of his career, on his way to attend his engagement party in Jacksonville. Both relationships are beginning to crack under the strain of the distance, and when Michael and Juliana realize they're booked on the same flight home on Sunday night, they agree to meet up again to compare notes.

During a disastrous weekend with her boyfriend, Jeremy, Juliana wonders if the reason he hasn't popped "the question" during their ten years together is because he's interested in other women. . .

Michael's high-maintenance fiancée has always wanted the dream wedding: the big dress, the big cake, the even bigger guest list—none of the things he envisioned for himself. In the midst of their engagement party, Michael realizes his marriage to Paige is doomed before it has even begun. . .

Both of them suddenly single, Michael and Juliana commiserate on the flight home to Baltimore. In the midst of heartache, they strike up a sweet friendship that leads to passionate love.

After reading this blurb, I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this book. I can totally get behind a love at first sight story. It's the fact that both characters are in a relationship at the time they meet that had me hesitant at read it.

Given my expectations, I found the book to be oddly compelling. I couldn't put it down after I started it. How is it a romance if the hero and heroine are both in relationships? And the relationships they have with their respective significant others are not glossed over. In addition to that, I consider myself as somewhat of a prude because I don't really like when the h/h have sex with other people even before they're together. Call me old-fashioned. So the fact that I was so engrossed in the story really surprised me.

Juliana and Michael meet when they're both on their way to Jacksonville, FL to meet their SO's. They have an immediate rapport and talk for hours. Michael is attracted to Juliana from the moment he looks at her, but he shoves it back b/c he's an engaged man. Besides, just because he was attracted to her didn't mean that he was going to act on it. But Michael is drawn to Juliana and it's not just because they're both in long-distance relationships.

When Juliana and Michael part at the airport, they realize that they're on the same flight back. They go their separate ways and that's when it all goes downhill…for both of them.

Juliana has been with Jeremy for 10 years. He is her first and only lover/boyfriend. She can't imagine being with other than him, which is why she is so shocked and hurt when he tells her that he's been wondering what it would be like to be with someone else. It's not that he doesn't want her. He makes sure to tell her that he's still in love with her. Jeremy was such a man. Srsly.

Juliana is crushed. Before she heads back to D.C., she tells Jeremy that she wants a 90 day separation. During that time, they will both consider their relationship and their feelings for each other. They also agree to never speak of the time they spend apart. Jeremy starts having second thoughts almost immediately. Go figure.

In another part of Jacksonville, Michael is starting to realize what it will be like to be married to Paige. With a domineering father, Paige seems unable to cut the strings that tie her to her family. Michael has always had misgivings about her family's involvement in their relationship, but he figures that they'll be living in another state after their married. That's before it's announced at the engagement party that Paige's father has gotten him a job in FL. It really hits the fan then and Michael breaks off the engagement.

Both Juliana and Michael are a little shell shocked when they meet back up on the flight home. Juliana is heartbroken. The fact that Michael is thinking more about a big case he has starting soon tells him what he needs to know about breaking off the engagement. They intend to part ways yet again when they get off the plane, but fate has another idea for these two.

Juliana finds herself living with Michael as his roommate. She had been living in Jeremy's house with him and can't bring herself to live there during the three months of their separation. It's only after they've been living together that Michael starts to understand that he's been in love with Juliana since the first time he saw her. Yet her heart isn't free.

In no time at all, Juliana falls in love with Michael. Then she finds herself in a situation that she doesn't know how to get out of. She's in love with two men…which one should she choose?

I did enjoy this book. The connection between Juliana and Michael was instant and strong. Juliana's struggle with her feelings and her need to do the right thing really was an emotional read. What seemed so real is that one minute Juliana was sure she would pick Michael and then she would read a letter from Jeremy and question herself again. Eventually she did what she thought was right for herself, which I admired.

There were a couple things I didn't like, including how Michael and Paige's relationship was wrapped up. It just seemed too pat for my taste, especially after what Paige did throughout the book (and throughout the flashbacks in their relationship).

Marie Force really has a knack for getting the reader emotionally involved with her characters. I felt the same way when I read Line of Scrimmage and Love at First Flight is no exception. I have to give kudos to her for writing such an unconventional romance so well. The fact that she could engage my emotions throughout the whole book really is a testament to her skillfulness of storytelling.

4 out of 5

This book is available from Sourcebooks Casablanca. You can buy it here or here. No e-format available as of now.