Moon Awakening by Lucy Monroe
Why I read this: Nath's Re-Read Challenge of books from the keeper shelf.

When Emily Hamilton's family is ordered to send a woman to the Scottish highlands for marriage to the laird of the Sinclair, Emily volunteers in order to save her younger sister from such a fate. But at her new home, the only friend she finds is the laird's sister-especially after Emily's stubborn streak causes the laird to cancel the marriage. And though her plans have gone awry, she refuses to return home...

Lachlan Balmoral is laird of his clan-and leader of his pack. One of the most feared werewolves prowling the Highlands, he is on the march against the hated Sinclair, who have abducted a Balmoral woman. He kidnaps the sister of the Sinclair laird, planning to marry her off in revenge-but the woman he takes along with her proves to be the greater prize...

For Emily feeds a desire he has never known existed. And though Lachlan would not think of touching his enemy's betrothed, he must know how a mere woman could tame his heart so easily...

It was difficult to pick a book for this challenge. There are only 12 months in a year and I have way more than 12 books on my keeper shelf, so just picking the first book to read was a challenge on it's own.

This book was decided on because I remembered from my first read that, I was emotionally invested in the book. I knew that the author had written it in a way that made me feel like I was in the story, that I was the heroine. I wanted to feel that way again.

This is the link to my original review of this book. Reading it I notice that my reviewing style has changed over the years. I used to give away most of the story, and that does not happen anymore.

In Moon Awakening, Emily is sent to marry a Laird who she does not want, and who does not want her. While waiting for the Laird to set a wedding day, Emily becomes good friends with the Laird's sister. One day they are both kidnapped, and during their captivity, Emily falls in love with Lachlan, the Laird who has captured her.

My opinion on a few of the story issues has changed. I no longer feel annoyed that Emily was kept housed in a tower room that is normally meant for prisoners. After the first night she had the freedom to come and go and she pleased, so it's not like she was treated like a captive.

Something new that didn't bother me before but tended to make me pause this go around is the use of 'sweetest spot'. Emily's sweetest spot is her clitoris. Since I am a fan of the authors work and I have read all of her books, I've come to notice that the term is used in some of her other books. Lucy Monroe writes amazing love scenes that are super sexy, so 'sweetest spot' feels out of place for me. It would suit better with more vanilla love scense, I think.

For me, reading this book the second time made it all the better. It was a B- the first time I read it, and now it is a B+. It's not perfect, but it's damn good and it made me happy to read it a second time. I'm even thrilled to read it a 3'rd and 4'th time!

Lucy Monroe has made some changes to her website and has asked her readers to take a peek. This is what she says on her blog,

I just did some updates to my website and sent some others off to my designers to accomplish. I was wondering if you feel like browsing a bit? Just check around my website for dead links or glaring errors and post them here. I've got a lollipop and signed bookmark for everyone who finds an error.

Then, in a couple of days, I'll draw a name from all the comments to this post and that winner will receive a book of choice from me. :)

Speaking of winners, DQ told me she has posted the winner to the comment section on her blog. I'm still waiting to hear from the lucky poster. :)

Hugs and thanks!

Lucy :)

What are you waiting for? Go find those errors on her website. :)

Guess who gets to guest blog on her favourite author's blog? ME!
I had sent Lucy Monroe a word game that I thought she would like, and then she asked me to blog about it on a guest spot on her blog.

After I sent an ALL CAPS excited screaming email to my buddy Ames I very calmly wrote the lovely Lucy Monroe back and told her I would be happy to guest blog.
LOL

Check out out my post here

Alan Hyatt could do his job in his sleep, and when the Goddard Project sends him to investigate a case of high-tech espionage in the Vancouver film industry, he finds a perfect reason to work in bed. But sizzling actress Jillian Carlyle also happens to be his landlady, and she's got a hard-and-fast (soto speak) rule that keeps her from dating her renters. While Alan’s cover as a reporter gets him close to all the suspects on the set of Jillian's sci-fi show, playing a background actor at her suggestion to get his story? Well,that's something else—but he's not about to turn down a red-hot redhead, even if she keeps throwing him curves...

Jillian just can't understand it. Sure, Alan is six-feet-something of chiseled ruggedness with gray eyes and anirresistible growl in his voice. But hello? She doesn't do relationships—even of the casual kind—with men who impact more than her senses. No one is getting a chance at her heart. Especially not one of her renters. Still, there's nothing wrong with enjoying Alan from afar—but not too far, or she wouldn't be able to fully appreciate his rock-hard abs when he's working out in the home gym. If only he didn't make her feel safe and oh so right when they touched...

Mark it on your calendars! November 27'th is the day that Lucy Monroe's new book is out. Deal with this is the second book in the Goddard Project series. Jillian, the Heroine of this book is the best friend of the Heroine from The real deal. I'm so excited for Jillian's story.

Check out the cool video for Deal with this.



Lucy has tons of neat stuff happening on her blog. Check it out.

Annabelle's Courtship by Lucy Monroe
Published by Samhain

Ian MacKay, Laird of Graenfrae, has no use for love or marriage. However, his stepfather's will mandates that marriage is what he must have...to an Englishwoman.
A sensible man, Ian develops a list of requirements in a wife: Plain, moderately dowered, older and practical. He thinks he has found the
perfect candidate in Lady Annabelle. Labeled The Ordinary her first season, Annabelle longs for a man who will see her as beautiful and love her as her father loved her mother. When she meets Ian, she thinks she has at last found that man. Until his proposal, in which he has the audacity to list his "requirements."
She refuses his proposal. He informs her that she will marry him at the end of the season. The battle of wills is on.

Ian is a Scottish Laird who is in great need of funds. His tenants homes are falling apart and several farming items need to be purchased/repaired in order to keep everyone happy and healthy. His step fathers will states that the only way Ian can get his inheritance is if he marries an English woman. Ian was once betrayed by a beautiful rich woman and it turned him off the idea of marriage. Once he understands that he has no other choice, he puts together a list of requirements. His new wife must be Plaine, Modestly dowered, Older and Practical.

Ian arrives in England for the start if the Season and after asking around he decides that Annabelle is the perfect woman to marry. Belle is attracted to Ian, and she is flattered that he is paying attention to her. Unfortunately, Ian believes is honestly, so he tells Belle flat out that he wants to marry her, and he tells her why.

"Your looks are not too grand and you are well past the age for marrying. You do not wear expensive jewels or gowns, which bodes well for future demands on my purse."

Even though she likes him, Belle does not take his proposal well. She tells him off.

"I am not interested in marriage. If I were, it would not be to an arrogant Scotsman who believes my lack of face and fortune make me willing to marry on such short acquaintance.'

Ian is arrogant, and doesn't understand why Belle doesn't fall at his feet. He keeps on trying to get her to marry him, and the more she flings the proposal back into his face, the more he wants her.

I like Ian, I really do. He starts off like such a typical conceited man who is used to getting what he wants, when he wants it. He is all about honesty, but he doesn't seem to realise that his words are hurtful. Even though Ian comes off as an ass some of the time you wind up laughing, because Belle does not let him get away with it.

"Do you really think I wish to dance with you after your insult?"
"'Twas not an insult, lass. 'Twas a proposal."
"My name is not 'lass'. Is it Lady Annabelle, as Ceddy told you on these
many days past. Are you hard of hearing? Perhaps you need an ear trumpet."

See? It's hard to stay mad at Ian, when it's clear that Annabelle can take such good care of herself.

Laird Ian does figure out that his words are hurting Belle, and he tries to make it up to her. He agrees to court her and he is very sweet. He is protective and amazingly romantic.

Right after Belle finally agrees to marry him they get all touchy feely. Ian stops before it goes to far and Belle asks if they could keep on going. She wants to know why they must wait before they make love. She also reminds him that they have done other things, so is it not the same thing? Instead of giving the stock answer of 'I must know my heir is really mine."

He says,

"What we did was share pleasure, but when we make love we will join our bodies, We will become one. It is not the same. It is more and it is for marriage."

How romantic.

Yes, Ian started off insensitive to Belle's feelings, but he quickly changed his tune.

There is a villain in Annabelle's Courtship. A man who needs money, wants to marry Belle and then do away with her after he gets an heir from her. Belle is put in danger a few times, and Ian never fails to rescue her. I love a Hero who beats up on the person who threatens his love, and Ian didn't disappoint me.

We have a Heroine who wont let a man talk down to her and is far from being a wimpy simpering Miss. A Hero who did well in redeeming his early behaviour. Several moments where I giggled at what Belle said or thought, and of course, a romantic love story. This is what all historicals should be like. An A from me.

My very favourite author has a new website. Check it out!
http://www.lucymonroe.com/

She also has a release with Samhain. It's in my TBR.
Annabelle's Courtship by Lucy Monroe

Ready by Lucy Monroe
Published by Brava/Kensington Books
Grade: A+

They're the good guys fighting the bad guys. They'll get the job done--if the price is right and so is the cause. And what cause could be nobler than the heart's desire? Rough and ready, tough and tender--when it comes to love and security, these hunks are definitely for hire... As a writer, Lise Barton is used to coming up with wild scenarios for her characters, but the one that's playing out for her right now is no fiction--it's frighteningly real. Someone is stalking her, someone who knows where she lives and what she does. Someone who has even threatened her family--her brother, his wife, and their precious baby girl. Lise isn't about to let someone hurt them, so she packs up and leaves Texas for the anonymity of Seattle. And then the threats start again… Joshua Watt's mission is simple: Go to Seattle and bring Lise home for Thanksgiving or he'll never hear the end of it from his sister. It's not like "Aunt Lise" to stay away from their adorable niece, and Joshua's pretty sure he's the reason for it. He's spent months trying to forget the taste of her lips, the feel of her soft hair in his fingers. Yeah, okay, he wants her--badly--but family comes first. But the minute he sees the fear in Lise's eyes, his survival instincts kick in. The former Army Ranger isn't about to let some creep terrorize an innocent woman--not on his watch. He's going to do what it takes to protect Lise and try to keep his personal feelings out of it. Because if there's one thing he's learned, it's that sex and work don't mix. Not ever. So far…

This was one of the first LM books that I read. I loved it as much this second time as I did the first. Lucy is the queen of Alpha Heroes. All her Heroes are uber yummy and not the type of men you want to cross, but you know that they will have your back if you need them. I constantly have 'dreamy sigh' moments when I read her books.

In Ready, Nemesis is stalking our Heroine. Lise is a writer, and Nemesis feels that her book is the reason his wife left him. Nemesis is a bastard wife beater. He couldn't hang on to his family like a real man, so he has blamed Lise. He has her so scared that she can't even leave her house. Little does she know that Nemesis has a camera and some mics hidden in her apartment. He is watching her.

At a family gathering Lise and Joshua kissed, but Lise pushed him away. She wasn't about to start a relationship, and Phillip wasn't really looking for one either. So, when Lise tells her family that she wont be going home for Thanksgiving, Joshua thinks that she is canceling in order to avoid him. When he arrives at her apartment to make her go back home, she tries to club him with a fire poker.

Joshua takes the job on of being her bodyguard. Even though he has a rule about no sex while on a job, he can't keep his hands off of Lise.
This book is hot! I'm so glad I picked it as my first re read this month.

Satisfaction guaranteed by Lucy Monroe
Published by Brava, April 2007
Grade: B-

Anytime, anyplace, Ethan Crane's your man. An agent's agent, he’s tough, smart, and fearless. Exactly the guy you want when the stuff hits the fan—and precisely the kind Beth Whitney avoids like the plague. It took a fiancé (make that ex-fiancé) in the business to teach her, but she's learned her lesson: Don't. Date. Agents. Ever. It's this little rule that's kept her gainfully employed at the agency, doing her part for world security from behind a desk. So when a case throws the two together, Beth's determined to keep it strictly professional. So far, so good—except for the steamy kisses, the red-hot phone sex, and...What was that rule again?

Every time I sit down with a new Lucy Monroe book I think, is this going to be the one that disappoints me? Is this going to be the one that forces me to skim pages and skip to the end because of boredom?
No, it was not.

Beth Whitney's father is the head of a spy agency. After his daughter is stood up at the alter by an agent who was on a case, she vows never to date another agent again. It's been three years and Beth still hasn't trusted anyone, agent or civilian, to start a relationship with. Mr. Whitney wants some grand-kids, and he knows the perfect man for his daughter to make that happen.

Ethan Crane.

He is a tough, sexy agent who is into extreme sports, beautiful women and tough assignments. For two years he has lusted after sweet Beth Whitney, but the fact that seems so innocent, plus she is the daughter of the boss, has kept him from asking her out.

Mr. Whitney decides to force Beth and Ethan into a situation where they will have to spend lots of time together. Even though Beth is just a administration agent she has taken the required basic training through the agency. Her father puts her in the field to post as Ethan's girlfriend. From there the sparks fly.

Beth isn't the simpering innocent he first thinks she is, and she proves it by standing up for herself after Ethan starts playing his little man mind games with her. You go girl.

There is a phone sex scene that is so good that as soon as it was over, I flipped back 7 pages to read it again.

The best part was that even though there is action and a bad guy, the story concentrated on the relationship between Ethan and Beth, rather than what was going on with the assignment. Very often with spy books, there is so much going on that the love story sits on a back burner. That didn't happen with this one. Our Hero and Heroine have starring roles in this story, just as it should be.

Moon awakening, by Lucy Monroe

Published by Berkley, February 2007

Grade: B-

About the book:

Lachlan Balmoral wants justice for a wrong done his clan and his pack. Emily, daughter to an earl and all too human, gets in the way of the werewolf's carefully considered plan. The desire between the two is scorching, but is there enough love in this werewolf's heart to capture not only the body, but the spirit of the woman his wolf demands for his own?

It's just the start of the year, but this is my favourite new book of '07. Lucy Monroe is an amazingly wonderful author. Once again she has written a book that I devoured in a few hours.

Emily is sent to a Scottish laird in order to marry him and please the Kings. She doesn't wish to wed, but she sacrifices herself so that her sister would not have to be sent to a land that they were taught is a cruel one. After arriving, she meets a young pregnant widow who is to be her sister in law. Emily and Cait quickly become close friends. Talorc, the laird that Emily is supposed to wed doesn't introduce himself for several days. Emily sees him a few times, but he does nothing but scrawl at her. Emily can't understand why Talorc is being so rude to her, so she calls him on it. She confronts him, says she would rather marry a goat than marry him. He is pretty mad about that. Talorc doesn't want to marry her either anyway. He is a ware-wolf and no one tells him who to marry! Especially if the person he to marry is a loud mouthed human.

One day Emily and Cait are kidnapped by Lachlan and some of his warriors. They are the enemy clan and they plan to seek revenge by taking Tarlocs sister, because they think that a female clans member was stolen from them. After telling a lie, Emily begs Lachlan to take her in Cait's place, but instead he decides to take them both. Right from the start there is an attraction between Lachlan and Emily. She doesn't like it because proper women simply do not think about that sort of stuff, and Lachlan doesn't like it because he thinks that Emily is wed to his enemy, and even he wont touch another mans wife.

Once they reach the keep, Cait marries Drustan, Lachlans first in command, and Emily is locked away in the tower. When Lachlan visits Emily the next day he finds out about her fear of water, and the reason why she wanted to leave the other clan. He surprises her and other clan members by trying to teach her to swim in order to overcome her fear. In order to swim she had to get naked, and even though they start to fool around, he promises not to take it too far.

When Emily finds out that some of the people around her can turn into wolves she is shocked, but not hard to convince. She admits that in hindsight there were many clues, and when Lachlan visit her that night in wolf form she fully convinced.

There is a bit of mystery going one at the same time. Lies are being told by someone in order to cause war between the two clans, and it's the women who figure it out. The men are too busy being all alpha male and getting angry to stop and listen to any reasoning.

At the same time Emily falls in love with Lachlan. He feels the same way about her, but he is torn between his love for her, and his duty a liar. Not every child born to shape changers become a changer as well, and the chances of a human and a ware-wolf having children who change is even slimmer. They are a race that is very small, and they are dying out quickly because of it. Does Lachlan follow his heart and marry Emily, or does he find a femwolf to mate with and give him a better chance of having wolf kids to keep the race going?
It is a romance, so he does choose Emily.
Even though we don't find out if they have any kids who change, my hopes are up because Lachlan has a human mother. If she could have a changer son, then so can Emily.

My only complaint, and I hate to mention it because I read for pleasure and I truly did love this book is that even after her first night at Lachlans keep when she was no longer a prisoner, she was still kept in the cold tower with a tiny bed. I wish he would have moved her someplace else. I'm actually surprised that she didn't demand to be moved because she is such a strong-willed, outspoken woman.

When I read I am usually an outsider looking in, but this time I felt like I was Emily. When she got angry so did I. Where her feelings were hurt or she was insulted I felt it in my gut. When she got teary, I got teary. Few authors can make me feel like I am part of the book, but Lucy Monroe does it every single time!

Take Me, by Lucy Monroe
October 2006, Berkley Sensation.
Grade: A

Back cover reads: Jared, Viscount Ravenswood, has no choice but to honor the deathbed wish of his ailing servant. All she asks is that Jared introduce her soon-to-be orphaned daughter to the notorious and reclusive Calantha, Duchess of Clairborne. No ordinary request, for this is no ordinary child. She is, in fact, the key to the Duchess's most private secrets, and to Jared's own past-one that has branded him Lord Beast among the ton.

But when the Viscount meets the Duchess, he finds not the pitiless dowager he expected, but a lovely and wary angel-survivor of a brutal marriage left now with only her roses and the breathtaking mystery that is her life. For Jared, to solve it is to fall in love, to make her believe in the impossible, and to follow the promise that comes with the most intimate whisper of all... Take me...

This is the third book in the T-me trilogy. After meeting the hero in Tempt Me, I was super excited to learn more about him.
When Jared was a boy he was attacked by a wolf while trying to save his sister, Irisa, who was the heroine in Tempt Me. The wolf attack left a scar on his face. Along with the scar, his huge build and his love of swearing, he was nicknamed 'Lord Beast'. Women are afraid of him, and men intimidated by him.

Cali spent two years in a marriage with a man who humiliated and hit her. He made her feel worthless as a wife and person. When he was bad to her friends and staff she was afraid to stand up to him because she knew he would just hit her for it. Because she knew he would strike her, she considered herself a coward for not sticking up for others.

Jared and Cali are connected because his housekeeper gave birth to Hannah, a baby that Cali's husband fathered. Jared made a death bed promise to Hannah's mother that he would take Hannah to Cali. Knowing the type of monster that Cali was married to, Jared didn't want to give Hannah to her, but Mary-Hannah's mother, promised that she and Cali were once friends and that she is a kind person.
Having been married to an actual beast for 2 years, Cali was able to look past the scars on Jared's body and see the man underneath, A good kind man who loves Hannah like his own who wants the best for her. Jared does not want to give up Hannah so he convinces Cali to marry him so that they can raise the little girl together.

While Jared and Cali are falling in love someone else is trying to kill Hannah and frame Cali for it.
With the help of the couples from the other T-Me books they set out to find out who the real would be killer is.

I felt badly for Cali. Almost everyone in her new family accused her of trying to hurt Hannah, and Cali had to work hard to prove her innocence.
Jared, being the typical alpha male didn't do much to ease her hurt feelings until she flipped out on him. At one point she slapped him across the face, and I cheered her on. He was being such a jerk. Sure, he believed her, but he still let his sister and brothers in law accuse her. Sometimes they did it flat out and other times it was passive aggressive. Kudos to Irisa for sticking up for Cali. It should should been Jared though. The big jerk! I guess I'm being hard on him. I do like him, I really do! Cali doesn't like his swearing, so he tried really hard not to curse in front of her. It was so cute to see this big intimidating man stop mid-word and change what he is saying so as not to offend his wife.

I'd like to add that the the person trying to frame Cali was so not the person I thought it was. I like being fooled that way. It keeps things fresh.
I want a Jared of my own. I don't mind the potty mouth, and his scars turn me on. I love a man who looks dangerous.
I loved this book!!

Tempt Me, by Lucy Monroe
April 2006, Berkley Sensation.
Grade: A-

Humiliated by his family's indiscretions, Lucas, Lord Ashton-nicknamed "The Saint" - wants nothing more than to live a quiet life with the prim and proper bride of his choice. And if the innocent young lady in question gives him some decidedly devilish urges, he is determined to control himself-much to her dismay.

Lady Irisa Langley is at her wit's end. Much as she loves her exasperatingly perfect fiancé, she's starting to think it would be wrong of her to marry him. For Irisa has a secret that would shock even the world-weary denizens of the Ton, and someone-who doesn't want her anywhere near Lucas-knows it.

Lucas never knew that he could desire more in a bride than impeccable manners and an unblemished pedigree. But even as scandal looms, a loyal little spitfire with heated kisses and silken skin is making him forget every rule of etiquette he's ever known...

I picked up this book for a few reasons. First because I am trying to get a hold of all books written by Lucy Monroe, plus I had set out to buy Take Me. Tempt Me was sitting right there next to it, and since it's a series I jumped at the chance.

It starts off with the heroine, Irisa telling her parents that if they force her to marry a man old enough to be her grandfather, then she will let the ton know that she was born outside of marriage. Thats no big deal now a days, but back in the 1820 it black listed you.

Irisa ends up getting engaged to Lucas. He is a fierce protector who is looking for the perfect, proper wife. At first he thinks that Irisa is that perfect mate, but he learns pretty early on in the engagement that Irisa is far from perfect.
Together they deal with a blackmailer, Irisa getting kidnapped, gossip, and her hateful parents.

I love, love, love how overprotective Lucas is of her. He does not put up with anyone hitting, threatening or gossiping about the woman he loves. He deals with it swiftly and painfully. To bad so sad for the one who dares to harm her in anyway.
The thing I love the best about Temp Me is that the love they feel for each other is brought out in the open early on. There is no waiting till the last couple of pages in the book before things are straightened out. They are a loving team throughout the novel, and work on all the problems they face together.

I can't think of anything I didn't like. Irisa is a bit of a flake and so naive about sex that it makes me laugh. It's all just part of her personality though, and it doesnt take away from the book.

As soon as I can I am going to buy the first book from this series. I was meeting Thea and Drake for the first time when they made appearances in Tempt Me, and I am eager to find out how they fell in love in Touch Me.
Meeting Irisa's brother, Ravenswood intrigued me, and I can't wait to learn more about him when I start Take Me... which I am going to do right now!!!