71) Immortal Nights by Lynsay Sands

The Blurb :

Abigail Forsythe’s life hasn’t been easy lately. Still, if there’s one thing guaranteed to take her mind off an empty bank account and abandoned dreams, it’s a naked man locked in a plane’s cargo hold. A very big, incredibly gorgeous naked man. And when instinct prompts her to free him, Abigail must rely on this stranger for survival…a stranger who leaves her thrumming with need every time they touch.

Tomasso Notte knows he’s found his life mate in Abigail. Now he just has to hold on to her. They’re miles from civilization, hunted by his kidnappers. Abigail has no idea of Tomasso’s abilities, or of how intensely pleasurable their unique connection can be. But he’s about to show her, beginning with one wild, hot, immortal night…

My Thoughts :

I haven't read much the last couple of weeks and I haven't even got an audio book on the go either.  So I needed a book to read that I knew would grab me and keep me hooked and I knew just what book to pick.  Immortal Nights is the twenty-four book in the Argeneau series and was, just like every installment that came before it, a pleasure to read.

Fans of the series will know that the immortals are not really vampires but the descendants and survivors of Atlantis.  The nano technology they have in their blood keeps them healthy, young and can heal nearly any injury.  Lovers of the series will also know the rules the Immortals follow and how hard it is for them to find a life-mate.  If you have read any of the books you will know that the general story repeats with all this information.  Boring?  No!  The author makes each story feel new, and unique while the story is always individually tailored to the immortal and life-mate who are the center of each installment.  It is a recipe that has worked all these years and one that doesn't seem to be going bad any time soon.

This time around we get to follow Tomasso's tale which is nicely entwined with that of Dante, his twin brother.  His story was told in the previous installment and the on-going story continues with Tomasso and joins up with Dante's.  The on-going story slowly progresses in Immortal Nights and there is even a nice cliffhanger but the general plot doesn't make too much headway which means more Argeneau books to come.  I can't wait for the next part of the story and look forward to another romantic, action packed paranormal delight.

Lynsay Sands has a gift and hopefully she will keep using it.  This series has come a long way and I hope there is still a lot more to go.  The Argeneau's are entertaining, exciting and inspirational.  I love delving back into their world and always hate to leave it.  Hopefully the wait for number twenty-five won't be a long one and it won't be the last one.

29) Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella

The Blurb :

An anxiety disorder disrupts fourteen-year-old Audrey’s daily life. She has been making slow but steady progress with Dr. Sarah, but when Audrey meets Linus, her brother’s gaming teammate, she is energized. She connects with him. Audrey can talk through her fears with Linus in a way she’s never been able to do with anyone before. As their friendship deepens and her recovery gains momentum, a sweet romantic connection develops, one that helps not just Audrey but also her entire family.

My Thoughts :

Since changing jobs there has been only one or two bad consequences and one is that while I only have a ten minute walk to work, I only have a ten minute walk to work.  Which means my audio book listening time has dropped dramatically.  I am trying to make up for it but this short book took me two weeks to listen to.  But it was a lovely two weeks of listening.

I have enjoyed every Sophie Kinsella book I have read and Finding Audrey is no exception.  While this isn't the usual Chick-it Romance that fans will be used to it does have very strong elements of these two genres.  However this leans towards Young Adult but deals with very grown-up situations.  It is also very amusing and heart-warming while also being an eye-opener and general chance to learn something you wouldn't normally know about unless it has happened to you or someone close to you.

Now I don't know how much research the author put into the topic at hand but it seems like she hit the nail on the head in most aspects. I am not saying that I know everything about it either but what I do know rung true here.  However I have to wonder why the author went with a young girl and didn't write this from the perspective of an adult.  Bringing awareness for the subject seems to be a huge reason for this book but I wanted more.

I loved Audrey right from the beginning.  Her dysfunctional family were realistic and funny.  I couldn't wait to see what happened and how things would end.  Although I found it annoying that the mystery of what really happened to Audrey was left unanswered.  A brave move but one I am sure upset some readers.  After getting to know Audrey so well and her letting us see everything it felt like she was keeping her biggest secret from us.

A wonderful read and a great listen.  I didn't really like the mother, father and brother having different narrators sometimes and then other times they had the main narrator.  It put me off at times and didn't really change the story or the impact it made.

Well worth checking out.  Don't be put off by anything, the subject matter, the YA, the fact it isn't something you wouldn't read, nothing....just try it and enjoy it.

17) Runaway Vampire by Lynsay Sands

The Blurb :

The latest entry in the sizzling paranormal vampire series featuring the Argeneau family - no one does wickedly funny and irresistibly steamy like Lynsay Sands!

Dante Notte has heard it said that love hurts. He just wasn't expecting it to run him over in an RV. Still, a punctured lung and broken ribs are nothing compared to the full-body shock he feels whenever he's near the vehicle's driver, Mary Winslow. He needs to keep her safe from their pursuers while he rescues his brother. Most challenging of all, he needs to claim this smart, stubborn woman as his life mate.

The naked, injured, insanely gorgeous younger man who clambered into her RV insists they belong together. If Mary wasn't feeling their incredible connection in every inch of her being, she wouldn't believe it. But now that the men who took Dante's twin are after her too, trusting her gut means risking her life for an immortal who's the very definition of a perfect stranger.

My Thoughts :

Twenty-three books into the series and I can honestly say that the Argeneau's never get boring!  Anyone who has read at least a couple of books in the series will know that every book is basically the same.  Immortal meets human, human is life-mate, human ends up immortal, etc etc.  However the story every time is different, exciting and wonderful.

Lynsay Sands continues to surprise and amaze me with her fantastic storytelling skills and new situations and characters.  Each Argeneau story is unique in it's own way and tells the story of how one of the immortals I have come to know and love, meets their life-mate and gets their happily ever after.  There is a on-going background story and you always get to see at least a glimpse into the previous immortal subjects but the two main characters are the center figures and always have their own individual stories to tell.

As always the story gets hot and steamy, there is always some adventure, mystery and usually action.  There are funny moments and also sad times but there is always a feel good ending and a wonderful addictive story to follow.  The stories are also realistic, or as realistic they can get if you take away the immortals from Atlantis.  Which in itself is an original and excellent concept that I don't even worry about being told about in each book.

Any fans of the series will love the Runaway Vampire as much as any of the other books in the series.  They will also feel a slight disappointment at the ending, which in my view was too quick and a bit of a cliffhanger.  I was expecting at least one or two more chapters.  However it is also a great sign that there are more books to come and I can't wait to see what happens next.

If you haven't already tried this series then I highly suggest you do.  I can't get enough and plan on reading the whole series again as soon as I can.  Maybe even listen to them via Audible.  I don't think the Argeneau Immortals will ever bore me and I hope they will live forever!

95) About a Vampire by Lynsay Sands

The Blurb :

With immortal good looks and scorching charisma, Justin Bricker has yet to meet a woman he can't win over. His potential life mate should be no different. But instead of falling into his bed, Holly Bosley runs away and ends up mortally wounded. To save her, he has to turn her. And then Bricker learns the shocking truth: Holly's already married.

Holly wakes up with a bump on her head, a craving for blood, and a sexy stranger who insists they belong together. She needs Bricker's help to control her new abilities, even as she tries to resist his relentless seduction. Choosing between the world she knows and the eternity he offers is impossible. But Justin is fighting for his life mate—maybe even his life—and he'll break every rule to do it.

My Thoughts :

About A Vampire is the 22nd book in the Argeneau series and while you may read that and think 'wow the series must be getting old by now', I am here to tell you that it just keeps getting better!

There are always certain aspects of an Argeneau novel that you can rely on.  There will be immortals made, a life mate will be found and there is definitely going to be some sex scenes.  While you can expect all of these three things happening in every book two questions remain unanswered.   How will all come about?  and who will be involved?  The answer is the exciting part of some amazing stories that keep me coming back for more.

Each story seems familiar but no two are the same.  The author manages to come up with new situations, people and challenges that made each story different and special.  Fans of the series have been waiting for Bricker's story and it is just as original and exciting as the other previous twenty-one books.  Less violence that is some of the previous books and not a lot of mystery this time around but the romancing and decisions involved that dominate this story are fun and interesting thanks to Lynsay's wonderful writing style.

If you haven't read any of the books in this series then you really need to give at least one book a go.  I remember thinking I would hate the series when I picked up the first one, many years ago, but I was addicted within a few chapters and haven't missed an installment since.

Going to give these a go? Make sure you start at the beginning because even though each book is told from another characters perspective, the characters from previous books do pop up in other books.  That means you may come across some spoilers if you don't follow the right reading order.

Already a fan?  Make sure you get this one as soon as possible!  It releases this week and is worth adding to your Argeneau collection.

11) The Immortal Who Loved Me by Lynsay Sands

The Blurb :

A few hours ago, Sherry Carne would have sworn that vampires didn’t exist. That’s before rogue immortals rampage through her store, leaving bloody chaos (literally) in their wake. The kicker comes when Sherry learns that one of the vamps on the bad guys’ trail may be her life mate. Her head says it’s impossible. The rest of her takes one look at Basileios Argeneau and has much more interesting ideas.

Whatever Basil expected in a life mate, funny, outspoken Sherry isn’t it. But mind-blowing chemistry and instinct don’t lie. They tell him something else, too—that Sherry’s connection to the immortal world goes deeper than she knows. And that she’s in the kind of danger only Basil can save her from—if she’ll just trust him, now and forever . . .

My Thoughts :

Like all the previous Argeneau novels, this was a wonderful reading experience.  The author never fails to come up with another original and exciting story in the world of her immortals.  With each life mate story that comes along there is always a new twist and a different plot.  However the same story is there in the background and all the characters from the previous books come along for the ride.

It amazes me how Lynsay Sands manages it.  Twenty-one books in and she never fails to spin a different tale that ends with the same satisfying ending.  Romance combines with mystery and the paranormal for the foundation of this series which is always the same.  The main characters stories always build on this foundation and make a new but familiar tale that sucks you in from the very beginning.  I know that they will make it in the end but how they get there is the huge mystery that keeps me coming back for more.

This time around there are some developments in the on-going story that will please a lot of fans.  There is also the usual group of characters from the previous books making an appearance or being referred to.  It is always nice to find out how everyone is doing.   You can expect some hot scenes and some thrills as well as some amusing moments.  Everything I have come to know and love about this series.

Argeneau immortals are one of the best 'vampire' series out there.  A great strong concept with fabulous characters and spectacular writing.  I hope there will be another twenty-one books in the series because I just can't get enough of the different ways the life mates meet, get together and stay together.  Oh and I hope Bricker is the next one to find his life mate!

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11)

130) A Partridge in the Au Pair's Tree by Susan Donovan

The Blurb :

British nanny Noelle Clarke finally gets a break when her wealthy employers and their two high-maintenance children go to Aspen for the holidays. Despite feeling a little homesick, Noelle can’t wait to kick back and relax with a bottle of wine and some telly. But when she accidentally trips the family’s alarm system and the dashing American cop Ryder Partridge comes to her aid, Noelle may get a far more satisfying Christmas than she’d hoped for.

My Thoughts :

I read a few of these novellas last year and enjoyed the festive theme.  So I decided to go back and look at them again this year and see if there were anymore that were worth checking out.

Although this one a romance and not my usual type of book, I decided to give it a chance because it sounded cute.  Which it was.  I really enjoyed reading it and the Christmas angle was nice and fun.  The story wasn't complicated, the characters were nice and the plot was realistic.

Definitely worth reading to get into the Christmas spirit!  Check out the other Twelve Days of Christmas novellas and see if there are any others you would like!  They are cheap and cheerful and lovely short stories from a wide variety of authors and genres.

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124) The Unpredictable Consequences of Love by Jill Mansell

The Blurb :

When Josh Strachan, newly returned to his home in north Cornwall from sunny California, first meets Sophie Wells, he's immediately smitten. Sophie's pretty, she's funny, she has lots of friends and she clearly loves her job as a photographer, despite the sometimes tricky clients. There's just one problem: Sophie has very firmly turned her back on love. It's nothing personal, she tells Josh, but she just doesn't do dates. And no one - even Sophie's scatty best friend Tula - will tell him why. Josh is sure Sophie likes him, though, and he's just got to find out what's put her off romance. And then put things right...

My Thoughts :

I used to read a lot of Chick-lit before I discovered the Paranormal genre and only a couple of those authors still manage to catch my interest.  One of those is Jill Mansell.  I have enjoyed each and everyone of her books so far and always try and get a copy of anything new that comes out.  Her stories are always emotional but wonderful and I love spending time with the characters she creates.

The audio book was well narrated and it really brought the story to life.  Delving into the lives of the characters in this book is like watching a soap opera but instead of crazy over the top situations there are well thought out 'that could happen' moments.

I enjoyed my time in Cornwall with the cast of this book and it was lovely to see all their stories unfolding and reaching a high point.  All the ups and downs, the emotions and thoughts, it is all wonderfully written and made me smile one more than a few occasions.

Jill Mansell stays on my must read list.  If you are looking for something in the chick-lit/romance genre for yourself or a friend then I can only highly recommend Jill's books.  Every book is a new story filled with characters and stories you can relate with and love.

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111) Snow Falling on Bluegrass by Molly Harper

The Blurb :

Kentucky Tourism Commission employee and executive assistant extraordinaire Kelsey is known around the office for having everything under control. So it’s not surprising that she and her boss, Sadie, have everything planned to the second for the office winter retreat. But there are things even Kelsey can’t micromanage.

An unprecedented snowstorm smothers half of Kentucky and knocks out the power, closes the roads, and generally shuts down the state. Luckily, the lodge has working fireplaces and enough food to keep the staff from turning on each other like something out of The Shining. Kelsey wouldn’t mind being stuck inside if it wasn’t for the tension with her not-so-secret crush, Charlie, the office’s statistician. But handsome Ranger Luke, the lodge’s only employee on hand, is there to take Kelsey’s mind off her discomfort.

Even though this weekend is supposed to be a planning session for KTC, Kelsey can’t help her mind from wandering and finds herself conflicted over Luke and Charlie. Someone’s love will keep her warm, but whose will it be?

My Thoughts :

Molly Harper has never managed to disappoint me and her stories always make me smile.  Snow Falling on Bluegrass, the third book in the Bluegrass Series, was funny, light and exactly what I needed.  A romantic comedy with some giggles and laughs which left me feeling happy.  Quirky characters with some crazy weird lives that you can somehow relate to but also wonder how they manage to stay alive.

Stuck in the middle of nowhere in a snowpocolypse isn't how the employees of the Kentucky Tourism Commission expected to spend their annual weekend planning session.  Kelsey was hoping to spend the weekend getting over her ex and trying to find something or someone to take her mind off Daryl who didn't just leave her for another woman but also left her with a lot of unpaid bills.  The horror movie type situation isn't really a good start but it could be worse as the staff try and survive the cold.

The story is amusing throughout and it was nice to see the characters from the previous books again.  Kelsey's story was certainly one that more than a few girls could sympathize with and her character is one of those girls you would like to be friends with.  I really enjoyed getting to know her and following, what was most definitely, her life changing experience.

While this series has none of the paranormal elements you may have come to love and expect from this author it doesn't mean it isn't worth reading.  If you like any of Molly Harper's other books then you will definitely get over the lack of Vampire or Werewolf because Bluegrass is the same light hearted, fun, crazy and enjoyable read that you are used to.

An added extra for fans is the audio book being narrated by Amanda Ronconi who reads all of Molly's audio formats.  She is a super narrator and I love her voice.   Well worth checking out all of Molly's books on Audio just because of Amanda's talents.  She really makes the characters stand out and the story even more fun.

If you haven't read the other Bluegrass books then don't worry too much about reading Snow Falling on Bluegrass first.  While the characters from the previous books make an appearance the books can also stand alone.  However I do highly recommend reading them all.  My only slight annoyance about this book is the release date.  Why do publishers insist on releasing books at the wrong time of the year?  When a story is based in Winter/January why release it in Autumn/Herbst?   Do they even read the book?  The title is a big giveaway!  This would have made for the perfect Christmas release!  I definitely felt like waiting till it gets colder before reading this one but Molly Harper is a pre-order author!

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