Darlene's Digest

Some years ago I had a villain who caught my imagination. Robert St. Armand wasn't just a pirate, he was a pirate with style and had far too high an opinion of himself and his success with women. Robert got his comeuppance in Castaway Dreams (High Seas #2) but just wouldn't leave me alone. He needed his own book.

How do you transform a villain into a hero? You throw a plot moppet and a puppy at him. If he catches them, he's capable of reform. Oh, and having a no-nonsense governess on hand to keep them all in line helps.

Five years ago I published The Pirate's Secret Baby (High Seas #3) which went on to win the Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence and the New England Readers' Choice Award. The Pirate's Secret Baby led to What the Parrot Saw (High Seas #4), the story of that little moppet all grown up and running the family business.

To celebrate that publication anniversary, the ebook edition of The Pirate's Secret Baby will be on sale at Smashwords f…

A Dangerous Collaboration by Deanna Raybourn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The best part of this novel wasn't the whodunnit, though that was well done, but seeing the interaction between Veronica, Stoker, and Stoker's brother. We saw Stoker and Veronica's relationship tested further, and we also learned about some of the tensions in the Templeton-Vane family that led to Stoker's estrangement from his home.

It's a great series with a heroine for our times--a scientist, an explorer, a woman who embraces her own sexuality--and the hero who appreciates her. I look forward to more Veronica Speedwell mysteries and many hours of reading enjoyment in months to come!

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Devil's Daughter by Lisa Kleypas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love Lisa Kleypas historical romances because of the depth and quality of her research. It doesn't hurt that she packages that research into a fabulous love story.

We first met West Ravenel some books back in the Ravenel series when he was introduced to us as the pot-bellied, soft, wastrel younger brother of Devon Ravenel, Lord Trenear. But West's character began to undergo some changes and it's all come to fruition in the latest book as West meets Phoebe, Lady Clare, a beautiful young widow and the daughter of characters from the Wallflower series.

Phoebe wants nothing to do with the man who bullied her late husband when they were schoolboys, and West thinks himself unworthy of such a fine woman. I enjoyed how their relationship developed slowly rather than with instalust, and how each character uncovered the hidden strengths in the other.

Lisa Kleypas is an autobuy for me and has been since her very…

Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another fascinating and satisfying Murderbot story from the very talented Martha Wells. I'm recommending this series to all my friends looking for interesting and intriguing SF.

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Run Away by Harlan Coben
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It kept me up past my bedtime, which is high praise indeed.
The question always lurks in a parent's mind--what would you do to save your child? In the case of parents of drug abusers the question becomes even more complex and troubling, and Sam knows this, but when he sees his strung out daughter Paige in Central Park, he approaches her to offer help one more time.

This sets a series of events in motion which spiral into secrets revealed, murder, deeply buried crimes and answers the question "What would you do? How far would you go?"

I was flipping pages as the ending snuck up on me, leaving me once again impressed with Harlan Coben's talent as a mystery and suspense writer.

(This is a stand alone novel, not part of his ongoing series.)

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Connections in Death by J.D. Robb
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sometimes you get the murder mystery, sometimes you get the police procedural, in this book you get both, and it's still a satisfying experience nearly 50 novels into "In Death".

Eve Dallas is called in to investigate a suspected OD by a drug user, far below her pay grade but a favor for a friend. She quickly determines it's murder and we readers realize what cops say all the damn time--most crimes are committed by people who do stupid things, not by criminal masterminds. But watching her and her team (and Roarke, of course) unravel two gangs' businesses and rivalries is a delight to watch, especially the climactic battle and interrogations at the end.

I expect Queen Nora has something special planned for "In Death, #50" and in the meantime, we'll cheerfully glom all the books she produces until that day. Incidentally, if you're not a fan, I insist you start with Naked in Death…