Holiday Heat by Starla Hartless

I just finished this book, and I honestly just want to read it again. This has all the elements I love in a Romance novel. It has comical moments, heartwarming moments and sexy moments. If you don’t like hot sexy stories, then Starla’s books are not for you but I just had such a good time with this one.

The second book in the Cougar Love series, Holiday Heat reminds me of the screwball comedies of the fifties but definitely updated and much hotter.

Roxanne finds herself at the office Christmas party, suddenly indulging in a sexual encounter with a co-worker who happens to be a younger man. After the heat of the moment passes, Roxanne is left confused, guilty and embarrassed by her lack of control. What follows is a series of misadventures as Roxanne attempts to convince herself that she doesn’t want to be involved with Adam.

Adam may be younger than Roxanne but its obvious that he is the more mature partner in this relationship as he tries to find a way into Roxanne’s heart.

Along the way, Roxanne has to deal with a bratty sister and her out of control children who suddenly appear on her doorstep.

All of this happens during the holiday season in New York. A very amusing very steamy book by Starla Hartless who always leaves me wanting more.

A fun, funny book that I totally enjoyed one rainy afternoon. Yes, I couldn’t put it down!

Five stars!

The Alienist by Caleb Carr

A very well written, rather dark story but one that was impossible to put down. Mr. Carr paints a very intricate portrait of life in NYC in the 1890’s. While the murders were gruesome and involved children who were prostitutes it does reflect the times as they were. Children were not protected by any laws and many of them were on the streets forced to survive on their own. The Alienist, Dr. Lazlo Kreizler (Psychiatrists were known as Alienists at the time) brought together an unusual team to work the murders that were being committed by a serial killer. The team consisted of a newspaper journalist, a police dept secretary (one of the first females to have that position) two outcast police detectives using cutting edge technology for that period and others.

The story is intense, the pace rapidly increases throughout the book until you feel breathless trying to get to the end. I absolutely loved this book although the possibility of nightmares did exist! I was thrilled with the character of Sarah, an independent, liberated woman in 1890 was very unusual and I completely identified with her. An unexpected turn of events toward the end of the book literally had me in tears as I read it.

Mr. Carr did an excellent job developing all the characters in this book. An amazing writer indeed, and I am looking forward to reading more of his works. Five Stars for sure!

DEAR LIBBY by Starla Harless

Dear Libby to be released on Amazon July 4, 2019 Available for pre-order now

I read Carved Wooden Heart by Starla Hartless and Elizabeth Horton-Newton (twice) and when I heard that Starla was working on a new series I was so excited that I asked for an ARC copy. I wasn’t disappointed! This is the first in a series she calls The Cougar Love Series and it is off to a great start!

The Libby in Dear Libby is an advice columnist in Sweetwater, TN whose real name is Sadie and unbeknownst to her, her editor arranged for her to be considered for a national position at Stark Publications. Jake Stark comes to town to interview her and while she thinks he is good looking she also thinks he’s a snob. He invites her to dinner and she blows him off but they end up at the same restaurant where he requests the table next to hers. When her best friend cancels at the last minute he invites himself to join her and well I’m not going to tell you the whole story, you need to get the book.

It is a very enjoyable read, and I will say there are a few complications. The setting is wonderful from the little town of Sweetwater to the penthouse suite in NYC to the mansion in Southampton Long Island, the descriptions are so vivid you’ll feel like you are really there.

I give it 5 stars and I am certainly looking forward to the second book of this series.