Attractions Books

Invaluable tool for use at Disney World. We sort of destroyed ours by tearing out pages and carrying them with us on a daily basis. The tips were great. I suggest REALLY studying the book prior to your arrival. You'll save money and time even before you get there. We are empty-nesters and it was great for us too.

Without a doubt, if your heading to Southern California (Los Angeles area) and you are interested in visiting Disneyland, Universal Studios Hollywood, Sea World, San Diego Zoos, Knotts Berry Park, etc. then you should grab a copy of this book-it's well written with many hints and tips to avoid crowds for maximum fun while at the parks. We found some of the information and prices a little dated-but a newer edition is due out in the fall 2008-if you are traveling after the fall 2008, get the latest edition of this Title for the most up-to-date information. I like the idea of the spiral binding-it keeps the pages from tearing from the binder from constant use (as did other travel books I have). $20 Price tag for this book is worth it. I've looked at the official Disney books also-and they are helpful too, but the tips seems to be beneficial to the park as well while the tips in this book are more geared towards the visitor/reader. Have a safe trip!

The information in this book was pretty accurate although I could have done without all of the personal pictures. This book outlines the basics of traveling to Disneyland. But it also outlines the author personal preferences not just what any family might like to do, but particularly what her family likes to do. Might have been nice to actually allow others to contribute more to the book so there is a wider range of opinions as to what is a must see and what is not.

I would say this book is okay if you have NEVER visited Disneyland, but if you have, there is absolutely no need to buy this book. You could organize your trip better if you did it on your own.

The information provided in the PassPorter is incomplete when compared to books like the Unofficial Guide to Disneyland. It might be cool for a pre-teen to be able to plan the trip for the family, but I found the whole thing altogether too cutesy (for lack of a better term) for Mom and Dad to use in researching, planning and organizing.

There's no problem with the information in this guide, but a slight difference in the size of the pages and the layout of the holes mean I can't use the pages with a standard 8 1/2 x 5 1/2 planner (Day Timer, Day Runner, Franklin Covey, etc.) Very frustrating, since I got the loose leaf edition so that I could pull only the pages I wanted and put them in my planner.

Once I got through the book I liked ok. I actually got really bored in some parts and ended up skimming the book just to get through it. The author has too many characters going on. Really you only care about a few, but every time someone new was introduced you ended up having to read about every little thing that character was thinking and doing for the rest of the book.

I just read this book a few weeks ago, and last night while I was sitting in my car I started thinking about it again, and am now re-reading it. I am a fan of O'Flanagan's books, and this one did not let me down. It is just such a good story. Okay, maybe it's not totally believable, but hello!! It's fiction!! A great book for a summer or winter escape from reality.

This book, Too Good to be True, revolves around Carey Browne, her family and how she takes up the decisions from her heart. The story tells us how Carey meets Ben Russell, the man she feels is the man of her dreams. Carey and Ben get married in a short period of meeting each other in the backdrop of Las Vegas.

Obviously, everybody who knows Carey and Ben are astonished to find them married at such a short notice. At the wedding party thrown by Ben's sister, Freya, things go bit haywire and Carey and Ben separate soon after their wedding.

What follows is the story as to what happens in their lives thereafter.

Why does Carey and Ben's relationship go haywire at the wedding party? Do Carey and Ben separate and divorce each other?? OR they give each other another chance to look into their relationship with a different perspective?

Read on this book to find out.

Well, this is the first book I took up by this author, Sheila O'Flanagan. Nice read. I just might take up another book to read by the same author.

This is the second book I've read from this author. The first one was He's got to go. I wasn't so impressed with this one and I felt she was dragging on the story. Also, "He's got to go" was not as predictable.

Carey and Ben meet on a trans-Atlantic flight and hit it off. After a passionate one night stand, the two impulsively head to Vegas and tie the knot. When they return to Dublin, their new-found happiness is put to the test by shocked friends, family, and former lovers.

Ben's sister Freya decides to throw them a wedding party, and invites his former lover, Leah to the celebration. Leah manages to make a spectacle of herself. Between Leah's inappropriate kiss and Ben's friends speculating how long it will take until Ben is back in Leah's bed, Carey feels humiliated. Her former lover, the much married Peter shows up at the festivities uninvited and suddenly wants to reconcile with her now that he has left his wife; she declines but not before he steals a kiss from her. When Ben sees the kiss, he assumes the worst, and rather than talk it out, Ben ignores it in hopes that it will sort itself out.

Soon, the newlyweds break up and Carey is forced to live on her own for once in her life. While a full blown divorce will take 4 years according to Irish law, in order for them both to get on with their lives, Carey offers to go to the Dominican Republic to start the dissolution proceedings, though there are still unresolved feelings between the two, and neither wants to admit feelings for the other. When Freya discovers that at 40 she is experiencing early menopause, she has no one to talk to. She forges a friendship with Carey's mom and sister, much to the displeasure of Carey and Ben. Can they ever sort it out?

O'Flanagan has penned an interesting story with charismatic characters that the reader will instantly like (and some that they will hate), as she takes the reader on a journey to discover if there is a such thing as love and first sight, as well as how two people can make a one night stand last forever.

I'd loved two of Hope Tarr's earlier historicals--My Lord Jack and Tempting, but forgot to keep up with her books until someone on an email list mentioned her. Now I'm scrambling to catch up.

American history professor Maggie Holiday is putting her life back together after losing her parents and her sister in a plane crash. Part of that is a new house (well, an 1850s Victorian) in a new town, and a new job as assistant professor at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Except that her lover, D.C. psychiatrist Richard, calls it running away, and Maggie's starting to notice that he takes every opportunity to belittle her choices, and she realizes she needs to break things off with him.

There's no rush, though--he lives in the city, and hates the small town, and her old house, so he's out of her hair most of the time. First things first--exploring her house.

She finds a diary of a previous inhabitant, Isabel, who describes her romance with a Union officer, and Maggie begins having vivid dreams about the war and Isabel's life.

She gets a little more than she bargained for in the attic: an intruder, dressed in a civil war uniform--though how he got in, she doesn't know. He doesn't seem violent, and the way he talks and the fact that he calls her "Isabel" leads her to believe he's a relatively harmless reenactor who's a wee bit too caught up in his role. And then he seduces her.

Actually, he's Captain Ethan O'Malley, the same man Isabel had written about in the diary, and he was hanged when a man who wanted Isabel framed him for espionage. Now his ghost is trying to be reunited with Isabel, or rather, Isabel's reincarnation in Maggie, and to clear his name.

The Haunting is a short book, 244 pages, but it's complete nonetheless. Maggie's reactions are much more realistic than I've come to expect in this sort of paranormal romance--she keeps trying to figure out how the "intruder" got in, gets a new security system, etc. Even after the seduction, she doesn't immediately trust him, and it takes a lot of convincing before she believes, and remembers.

In addition, her relationship with Richard is, sadly, all too realistic. He tries to control her by belittling her and trying to make her doubt her sanity. But when she's doing what he wants, he acts loving and charming, so it's a real effort for her to break up with him--especially when she's not sure he's not right about her sanity... after all, she's having an affair with a ghost.

Even as I enjoyed the story, I had no idea how they'd resolve the issue in the end. We learn early on that Ethan has a limited amount of energy he can use to become corporeal, so their physical relationship can't continue in the same way indefinitely. I won't give away the solution, but it was clever and satisfying.

This was an "Extreme Blaze," but obviously, I read too much erotica, because I didn't even realize it until I read a review complaining that the sex scenes were too extreme. Obviously, a case of YMMV.

I'll definitely continue to look for more of Hope's backlist.

I purchased this while on vacation and enjoyed it as an easy-to-read, fun, beach book. I was surprised at how sexually explicit it was but I now realize that's what the Blaze series is. I actually thought the subject of ghosts and reincarnation to be the most interesting. The only downside, I found myself embarrassed reading it in public just like I do most Harlequin Romance novels. Sorry Harlequin, but the covers are very corny!

I am not one who reads Romance novels but I picked up Hope Tarr's latest after one of her booksignings in Fredericksburg Va. I read THE HAUNTING and my only regret is that I hadn't read a Hope Tarr book before!! Ms. Tarr is a writer who knows how to describe a climate, mood, and feelings without detracting from the plotlines. You can SEE the story and characters as it unfolds and that's the mark of a good writer in my opinion. In THE HAUNTING, Hope Tarr takes us through historical Fredericksburg (as only a resident of this town can)and serves up two main characters whom cross the supernatural bridge to become lovers like no mere mortals dare imagined! GREAT SEX SCENES in this book, well-written and makes the reader feel like they are right there in the story.
THE HAUNTING is a good story and one that doesn't get sidelined with "current events" (like some writers of fiction tend to do)Hope Tarr just tells a great tale of a woman who finds her ideal lover across oceans of time and the veil of death itself....it's a story I won't forget though I am not a big fan of romance novels. I am now a fan of Hope Tarr's!
-Ken Knight (author of THE MIDNIGHT OIL and ISABEL AT MIDNIGHT)

Courtesy of CK2S Kwips and Kritiques

Maggie Holliday has recently purchased an historic Virginia manor when her life is turned upside down on its axis. A strange sound one night led her to the attic, where she bumped into a dream man come to life. Oddly enough, this man, Ethan, is dressed in a Civil War era uniform and keeps calling her Isabel.

As it turns out, the sinfully seductive Ethan is the ghost of a soldier put to death over the love of a woman... Isabel. He has been waiting for Isabel to return to him and is convinced Maggie is her reincarnation. Just as Maggie is coming around to believing him, an enemy from their past life has shown up in a reincarnation as well, and he will do anything to keep Maggie for himself.

I have to preface the rest of this review by saying this was my first book I've ever read in the Blaze line from Harlequin and the jury is still out on whether or not I'll be reading any more. I've been assured by multiple people that the things about this story that totally put me off are not typical of this category line but even so it will be a long time before I decide to try another one, when and if I decide to give it another shot.

I absolutely love the premise of the story in The Haunting. After all who can resist a sexy soldier ghost searching for his long lost love who just happened to be reincarnated in to a modern day academic? Not me that's for sure! I was even willing to set aside my initial misgivings about the fact it was not just a Blaze, but an Extreme Blaze to give it a try. The story was beautifully written and I love Hope Tarr's style and think she did a wonderful job bringing Ethan and Maggie to life. I especially loved the concept that every soul on earth has a specific task they are expected to complete in this lifetime and that is what guides their life. This idea is woven throughout the entire story and gives the love story an added depth. There is a fantastic twist at the end I never saw coming as it was an idea I never even though of.

Ethan and Maggie/Isabel are wonderfully developed and grow so much by the end of the story. Their insecurities and Maggie's disbelief over what Ethan tells her are very real. If such a thing could happen in real life and happened to me, I'd probably react almost exactly like Maggie, though I'd have probably been in near hysteria over a ghost showing up in my attic and telling me I'm his dead lover. The villain is portrayed well also, even if his sexual inclinations were a bit too sick and twisted for me to be comfortable during the scenes presented in his point of view.

Now for what I didn't like about the story... Granted I am admittedly not exactly an erotica fan though I do read and enjoy it now and again when a particular author or storyline catches my attention. The Haunting appealed to me enough on both of these counts which is why I tried it. Unfortunately, this sexual content in this story was way too much for me. The language doesn't bother me as it gives the book a grittier, earthier feeling. The sex scenes though blew my mind and almost made me quit listening more than once. I am very grateful I was not listening to this one in the car though or I'd have been positively mortified should one of the explicit scenes happened while my windows were open! It was primarily the details in the villain's perspective that got to me. He is one sick sex fiend and the details of what he did or wanted to do were something I most certainly could have done without.

I guess a simple way of putting it is that I absolutely loved The Haunting, except for the strong sexual content that makes up so much of the book. However, readers who enjoy "naughtier" books with a strong plot and well developed characters will positively adore this book.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, April 2007. All rights reserved.

The Haunting is one category romance that is very spicy with the sex scenes and talk. Overall, a very delicious and sensual read that has an overwhelming atmospheric feel. Too bad it wasn't a full length novel with more insight on our star crossed lovers especially the ones during the Civil War. Through memories and diary entries, we meet Ethan our Yankee hero and his soul mate Isabel who is a Southern Belle from Virginia.
Maggie is a present day assistant professor who has just bought her first house. Maggie has been through a lot in life. She has lost her parents and sister, almost committed suicide and has a semi- abusive relationship with her former therapist. Maggie's world is about to become very interesting when she finds the diary of Isabel, a young woman who lived in the house during the Civil War. Maggie soon comes to realize that she is the reincarnation of Isabel from meeting the ghost of Ethan who resides in the home.
Ethan was from Boston and in the bluecoat's army. He meets Isabel and they start having a hidden romance. Unfortunately their romance was cut short by tragedy and Ethan being framed by a man who wants Isabel for himself.
We are given glimpse of Virginia and a sweet young woman's love for her enemy through her diary, along with Maggie trying to understand this all, including the ghost of Ethan who is able to be intimate with Maggie and make her remember her life as Isabel. Their love scenes sizzle even though Ethan is a ghost.
But how can they have a life together? The forces seem stacked against these two but Hope Tarr gives us an incredible romance and an ending that is very touching and beautiful.

Katiebabs

It's A Wonderfully Sexy Life (Harlequin Blaze)

As far as I can tell, 'Coming Attractions' is the only book published by Bobbi Marolt. After reading the book, I'm disappointed she hasn't released anything else. Marolt brings together two women who are emotionally distant from the world and has them fall effortlessly in love. However, they both have hurdles to overcome before they can truly be together forever.

Helen, a newspaper columnist, is popular in New York and begins to take chances with her column. She chooses topics that make people examine Helen's personal life (or lack thereof) more closely. Public reaction to her topics is the catalyst that makes Helen want to come out and come clean. Her publisher is supportive, so Helen moves forward with her plans.

Helen employs the help of her show biz lesbian friends to organize a show called "coming attraction" where a large group of popular entertainers from all venues will come out of the closet together. Helen hopes to include Cory, a popular concert pianist.

Initially, Helen says she'll come out when she has a lifetime lover on her arm, but changes her mind when she realizes Helen is serious. As Helen begins to deal with Cory's reluctance, she falls victim to an almost fatal plane crash and begins to reevaluate everything in her life.

This was a well-written, enjoyable story that lets the author's talent shine. The characters are likable and easy to relate to. 'Coming Attractions' is highly recommended by this reader, as I'm sure you'll enjoy it too.

Contains all the immediacy that living in New York City entails.

Wonderfully drawn characters. I felt Cory and Helen were real people with some big issues to overcome.

This was a perfect book to read in a day. It is a real page turner with lots of twists and turns.

My only issue is Helen's need for Cory to out herself to the public before she was ready. It was akin to emotional blackmail. However it wouldn't stop me from enjoying the story or the characters.

I only regret that I can not find more books by this author.

This is a pleasant read filled with humor, politics, and love. Marlot presents a picture of the struggles between two people who have to beat their own demons. I would recommend buy the book and enjoy the ride.

This book has two plots. One is about a famous New York newspaper columnist who decides she wants to come out of the closet. She arranges for a concert where famous stars from Hollywood and Broadway will perform and then all of them will announce to the world at the same time that they are gays and lesbians. That's the fantasy part of the book. The more realistic plot is about the columnist, Helen, starting a new relationship with a classical pianist, Cory, and whether they will be able to make the relationship work when they want some very different things. Throw in a plane crash that nearly kills Helen and you have the book. It's a short and easy book to read. Not great literature, but a pleasant enough read for a couple of hours.

Reading Coming Attractions, Bobbi Marolt's first novel, is a pleasant way to spend an afternoon. Well known NYC newspaper columnist Helen Townsend has decided it's time to come out. Out of the emotional hiding she's been living in while recovering from the loss of her lover to cancer, and out of the "passing for straight" closet her feminine looks have allowed her. Come out in a big way.

Just as she begins to plan a major coming out show for herself and a number of broadway and motion picture stars, Helen meets Cory Chamberlain. Cory is beautiful, intelligent, enigmatic and a world renown pianist. Intensely attracted to one another, Cory and Helen become lovers. There are several obstacles on the way to the "Stars Come Out" show. Not the least of which is Cory's cold feet at participating in the show, after she is been offered the position as conductor of a Boston orchestra.

For its length, the plot seems unnecessarily complicated; consequently it sometimes lacks development or follow through of some story threads. And some of the secondary characters are difficult to keep straight (as it were). Marolt is willing to introduce a very powerful issue in the importance for gays and lesbians, particularly prominent professionals in show business, to come out. Yet she doesn't address the complexities of coming out to this reader's satisfaction. Having said that, Coming Attractions is a promising and entertaining first novel. It is interesting to have this "romance" deal with this issue in such a manner. And the ending at show night is fun and touching. Hopefully, Marolt will continue to develop her writing.

Hi, this is my first review on amazon. I enjoyed the book and found troubles putting it down. As others have pointed out, its about skinheads, rape, murder, and some seriously whacked out people. This mother of Justin Merriman shows absolutely the worst parenting skills possible. She enabled her son to live a life of crime. It seemed like ANYTHING her son wanted she did it for him. I don't believe the young Merriman fellow ever knew of the consequences of any bad decisions he had ever made. There really were not many "likeable" characters in this story. There were a lot of "interesting" characters though. I felt bad for the Montgomery family. They seemed like a typical suburban family, who's daughter made bad decisions as to the friends she made.

I picked this book up in the local used bookstore. I knew nothing about any of the characters in this book prior to reading it. If you enjoyed the movie American History X, you would probably enjoy this movie.

This was written more like a newspaper article than a book. Didn't get to know the victims very well-just here they are - they killed them. I can't believe these girls had such low self esteem to let these immature losers treat them like they did. And the mother! Such a loser- hanging on to these weirdos as if she had no life of her own.

How far will a mother go to protect her adult son from a murder charge? Sometimes, pretty far, as is revealed in the book Dangerous Attraction, by Robert Scott.

Twenty year old Katrina Montgomery was a lovely and warm young woman who was also a very beloved member of her family. None of her family is sure why she began to hang out with the lethal street gang in Ventura, CA. called the Skin Head Dogs. It appears that Katrina felt some sort of thrill involved with "taking a walk on the wild side."

Katrina befriended a member of the gang, the tattooed and drug abusing Justin Merriman, who himself was also twenty years of age and was doing time for the assault of a correction's officer. Katrina and Justin spent much time writing letters back and forth to each other until the day that Justin's time had been served and he was released.

Justin came out of prison with the impression that Katrina was his girlfriend, but that is not the way that she saw it. At a gang party on Thanksgiving of 1992, Katrina proceeded to get herself quite intoxicated and ended up at Justin's family home along with two other of the gang members. In Justin's bedroom, she was taken and raped by Justin right in front of his buddies. He then stabbed her in the neck with a knife, beat her over the head with a heavy wrench, then finally cut her throat. Her body was never found.

It was not until six years later, when he was stopped for a bike riding violation by police and ran, that he was caught.....and even that was after a wild chase and a harrowing seven hour standoff.

So, where does Justin's mother fit in?

Beverlee Sue Merriman had her own ways. She did everything within her powers to protect her son, no matter what the consequences were to her. She made sure to keep in close contact with Justin's other skinhead gang buddies, to ensure that no one would "talk." She ended up doing her son more harm than she would ever imagine.

This case had grown cold by the time the police had finally gathered enough evidence to bring Justin to trial, where the jury concluded that he was to die by lethal injection at San Quentin Prison in California.

This is a very well written true crime book. Robert Scott, also the author of Rope Burns and Like Father, Like Son, has done an excellent job of laying out this story which occurs over an eight year time span. Fans of true crime will find this story of murder, along with all of the terrorizing used to keep the gang members silent, to be a very interesting read.

This is an unusual true crime story -- it takes the reader inside of gangs, including prison gangs. This story is about a young woman who was raised in a decent home with a good family, but for some reason decided to get involved with a guy in prison who was also a gang member. After he got out, she tried to cut ties with him. She wound up dead, and the killing was so senseless. The loser who killed her still lived with his mother, who covered up the crime and wound up going to jail herself as a result. This book is very easy to read, it's not that long, and it is a good story that I wish every high school kid would read. It does not put "the wild side" in a very good light.

I thought this book was great so good that I will be looking up more books from this author.I have read alot of these kinds of books and at a certain point in the story they start saying the same thing over and over but in different words,not this author.I found it so interesting and was pulled in that I re-read some pages over a couple of times because I found this guy to be a true monster, it's also the way this guy Robert Scott writes,I'm scared to know that there are people out there in the world like this ,your put in the story into the pages with these people into there life.How sad for this girl's family,if you like books like true crime & murder than you will really like this one.I have never been interested in the neo nazi gangs before, if not for the writing being so good I would of put it down on the first page, instead I stayed up and read it and couldn't put it down until I new the ending, if justice was going to be served or not.I recommend this book and will be getting more books by Robert Scott and hope they are just as good.

I think this book is a true MUST READ for everyone. It will energize you to take the actions you want to change your life. It is easy to read, easy to understand and most importantly, easy to implement the ideas in the book.

I enjoyed reading this book. Doreen Banaszak's style is friendly and easy to understand. Though I hadn't yet read Excuse Me, Your Life Is Waiting that this book is the sequel to, I felt that the meat of the first book was well covered and expanded on in this one. The book's message about adding feelings into the equation for attracting what you want has given me much to think about. I only just finished the book a few days ago and will keep it around awhile to refer back to, but I intend to practice the techniques given in the book. I've looked at Doreen's website and signed up for the newsletter. Here I go...thinking and acting "as if" my wants are already haves...I feel better already!

Delivered in a user friendly, powerful manner, Excuse Me, Your Life Is NOW can definitely be one's guide to life changing experiences!
The book speaks strongly and comprehensively both to "old-timers" and to newcomers alike regarding the ever present laws of attraction.
A re-energizing manual, the perfect "booster shot" for the ones familiar with the laws for demonstrating their true desires, and an eye opening one for the newcomers to an empowered way of going through life. A refreshing opportunity for a fulfilling life dance!

Doreen Banaszak had big shoes to fill when she was asked to create a sequel to Lynn Grabhorn's bestseller, Excuse Me, Your Life Is Waiting. And she did it! Doreen fills in many of the gaps in understanding how the Law of Attraction and the conscious creation process really work. The techniques and deeper understandings in this book can help you break through some of the more challenging aspects of manifesting your desires. I also really enjoyed Doreen's conversational style, and how she shared some of her own personal challenges. By seeing how she overcame some of the biggest challenges of the conscious creation process, by using these principles, she sets a great example of how anyone else can too. This is a very inspirational and empowering book!

I was very disappointed with this book. I was basically "addicted" to Lynn Grabhorn's book "Excuse me, your life is waiting". After I found out that Lynn passed away I was so upset that there would be no sequel to that book. I was overjoyed when I found out that someone else "tried" to write the sequel. I felt that Doreen displayed NONE of the pazazz that Lynn originally did. I didn't enjoy a moment of this book. I thought it was dull and NOTHING like the original

This book consisted of three stories involving the death of someone and solving the mystery.

3 stars for MY LOVE LIFE IS KILLING ME.
Alex has a blind date with Matt. The bartender mistakenly tells Alex her date is the guy in the corner, John. Alex talks with John for awhile. Matt never shows up because he died in the bathroom. John is a private detective who had been following Matt. Alex and John fall for each other but John breaks up with her thinking his lifestyle can't have a partner. Sexual language: moderate. Number of sex scenes: three.

The last two stories, below, were not that good and I wanted the book to be over.

2 stars for DIAL M FOR MORTIFIED.
Darcy owns a coffee shop. Trish owns competitor coffee shop and is killed upstairs at Darcy's shop. I didn't like the way Darcy tells police "no one here killed Trish, I promise you that." Darcy has no facts and does not know who killed her. She makes unsupported statements. Noah is a reporter who becomes involved with Darcy. Sexual language: moderate. Number of sex scenes: four.

2 stars for DEAD MEN DON'T WRITE CHECKS.
A wealthy man Theo does peace corp work around the world. His mother sets him up on a blind date with Franny (a school teacher) to be his escort at a charity function. Someone dies during the event. Sexual language: moderate. Number of sex scenes: two.

For all three stories: Setting: current day U.S. Copyright 2006. Genre: contemporary romance.

Mercy me! This unusual anthology has three slightly longer novellas by the same author. That's not necessarily a bad thing, either, as Amy Garvey is very creative when it comes to plotting and characters. The romance angle is much stronger than the mysteries contained herein, as two of them aren't really even murders, although it sort of looks that way initially. I'm not going to give them away, either. You'll have to read it to find out for yourself.

You'll have to be prepared for some very explicit sex scenes in all three of these slighly interconnected stories. The heroines all know each other--in fact, the slightly kinky ex-husband of heroine #1 ends up with heroine #2, and they get along just dandy!

Another thing Ms. Garvey does extremely well (in my opinion, at least) is capture that feeling of `instant lust'. Although each of the stories here begin with a blind date, the temperature escalates rapidly, and within hours of first meeting, the couple heads off together for some really HOT sex. The excitement and exuberance fairly jumps off the page, and you can't help but smile at their antics, hopefully in remembrance of when that last happened to you. Hopefully, not all that long ago, either.

This would be a fabulous beach read: when you get too steamed up, you can go for a swim to cool off! Enjoy!

The first story in this anthology is the best and the only reason I'm keeping this book. "My Love Life is Killing Me" is the story of Alex, a divorcee set up on a blind date by a friend. She winds up with the private investigator following this man. Did I mention the blind date dies in the men's room at the bar where he's supposed to meet Alex? That's how she mistakenly sees John Tanner, a taciturn loner who doesn't believe he's long-term relationship material, and sits down and begins to talk to him.
Alex is a dance instructor and there is a sexy scene in her dance studio where she's showing Tanner how to tango. And what do ya know, it DOES take two to tango and Tanner proves he's more than just a lonely P.I. This couple's chemistry is to die for and I've already read their story twice.
The other two stories are okay, but nothing out of the ordinary.

"My Love Life is Killing Me". With the ink not quite dry on her divorce papers, Alex looks forward to dating again, but is not sure how to take the dive. Her best friend comes through arranging a blind date. Things initially seem okay until her date dies in the men's room with undercover private investigator John looking into what happened. Alex wants to team up with John, but he wants to form a personal relationship only as he does not want Alex to get hurt.

"Dial M for Mortified". With her coffeehouse Sacred Grounds grinding near bankruptcy, Darcy needs a gimmick to get customers to come in once; she feels most will return. She throws a "blind date night" bash that turns into a monster success. At her gala is reporter Noah, who Darcy is attracted to even if he seems more like someone who failed to have his first caffeine fix. However, everything changes when someone adds a homicide to their coffee.

"Dead Men Don't Write Checks". Elementary school teacher Franny feels she is a chivalrous knight protecting her neighborhood from the developers like the Landry Foundation that bulldoze historical buildings in the name of progress. She decides she must confront the dragon in his lair so she wears her sexiest outfit and crashes the Landry Foundation's annual fundraiser to tear down CEO Theo. Shockingly it is attraction at first sight between Theo and Franny until one of the opponents dies during dessert.

These are three amusing blind date romantic suspense thrillers with homicides to spice up the relationships between the protagonists. Readers will appreciate Amy Garvey's fun I LOVE YOU TO DEATH as long as they do not have a blind date on the horizon.

Harriet Klausner

"My Love Life is Killing Me"
Recently divorced, Alex Ramsay reluctantly goes out to meet Matt Crawford, a blind date set up by a well-meaning friend. After sitting at his table for a few moments, Alex is instantly smitten, only to discover he's not Matt after all, but instead P.I. John Tanner. Matt turns up dead, Tanner's investigating, and Alex is falling in love. Who knew death could be so romantic?

"Dial M for Mortified"
Darcy Bennett needed a plan to get her struggling coffee shop in the black, so she decided to host a "blind date" night in the hopes of drawing in new business. The event turns out better than she imagined, especially when sexy reporter Noah Gleason seems interested in getting to know her better. Things are going smoothly until a dead body shows up, leaving Darcy to wonder if Noah is hanging around to be with her, or to find "the next big story"....


"Dead Men Don't Write Checks"
Franny Gabriel hates change. It just really bothers her that pieces of history are demolished in order to make way for the new. She's decided to fight back, in a truly civilized and dignified fashion - as the blind date of her adversary. Only Franny doesn't expect to like Theo Landry as much as she does. He's a good guy, who happens to be absolutely gorgeous - what woman in their right mind can think about history while being kissed senseless in the present? The only thing to ruin her mood is a little murder.....

If I have one complaint about these stories, it's that they are too short! Amy Garvey has written three novellas proving that not all blind dates have to end in disaster. Instead, they can be sweet and sexy encounters that lead to something longer lasting. Amy's characters are endearing, and you will surely find yourself with a smile on your face as these couples try to deal with feelings of forever while still on their first date. While the general overall feeling is light-hearted, it doesn't make the love scenes any less heated. In fact, you may need to turn on the a/c for some of them. I would definitely read another book by this author.

Resourceful, handy, and full of important travel reference, "Frommers Toronto" by Hilary Davidson is a good book to have when traveling to Canada's largest city. Full of maps, suggested itineraries, and the names and addresses of many local establishments, this book came handy when I traveled to Toronto back in October 2000.

While I consider this book a good buy and reference, I am more biased when it comes top travel guides, I highly recommend Lonely Planet's guide to the city. Lonely Planet is an excellent series because it is full of information that not only will benefit you during your stay in Toronto, but also comes in handy when preplanning your trip. Whether you want to learn about entry requirements or more about the city's history and culture, Lonely Planet in my opinion ranks supreme in the travel book industry. Frommer's is a great series, but I feel that it is geared more to travelers 35 years and above, whereas Lonely Planet covers the young adult market.

Still a good book, Frommer's will make your stay in Toronto a pleasant one. Try it, you won't be disappointed.

I just got back from a trip to Toronto and I found this book incredibly helpful. I bought it mainly for the restaurant and shopping chapters (which were great) but the best parts were the walking tours. There are three days of complete itineraries plus several walking tours of different neighborhoods, and they were so interesting that I ended up spending most of my trip following them. I feel like I really saw the city, not just the touristy highlights. Some of the places I wouldn't have found on my own, and others, like the University of Toronto Campus, I wouldn't have thought of visiting (there are two art galleries on the campus though so it's definitely worth a visit).

The other thing I really loved about the book was that there were sections about restaurants that are good for people with food allergies. This is always an issue for me when I travel, so it was fantastic to have a list of places that I could eat at without worrying.

There were a lot of great things about this book, so I'd highly recommend it. Also, Toronto is a great city so I'm planning another visit!

....there's so much to do and see in Toronto, you are going to need a guide like this one from Frommer's. You aren't likely to miss the big tourist sights--the CN Tower, the Jetsons styled City Hall, the Sky Dome and Ontario Place--but the little secrets like shopping districts where you can get more from your dollar (that is, more than what you get on the daily currency exchange), Frommer's take you there. Also there are superb breakfast places and diners that you can get meals on the cheap. Frommer's helps you find them. You can wander in the historic glory of Casa Loma and it's famed gardens or you can get a dig on the daily downtown hustle and bustle...heck, I don't know if they still do that kinda thing nowadays, but you can even ride Lake Ontario, if you're so inclined. Frommer's will give you the details so's you get the best bang for your buck. Trolley rides, jazz shows, art museums, places to get film developed in an hour, Frommer's got the buzz about. While the CN Tower is a must see, (the glass floor at the skyview scared the bejesus outta me) it isn't the only thing to see and do in this great city. This guide will be indispensible to your enjoyment of Toronto. Trust me.

The usual reason to buy a travel book like this is to get some insights about places to visit and use the map to figure out how to get to those places. Unfortunately, the maps in this book aren't always correct. We had tickets to Mama Mia at the Royal Alexandra. The book justs insists that the RA is on the wrong side of Simcoe. Luckily there were plenty of banners hanging along King Street to guide us in the right direction. Still, I was a little more gunshy about all of the Frommer's recommendations after this. Some of the dining recommendations were good but some just made no sense (a highly recommended seemed mediocre and overhyped). The layout of the book means that there is never a single map to show you where both the restaurants and attractions are. Each is relegated to its own section. Due to the Royal Alex mishap, Frommers got relegated to the hotel room and we just used the freebie Hertz map we got when renting the car. And tripadvisor.com got consulted for all attaction advice.

Luckily the book is cheap so I wasn't out much money. But with the wealth of web resources, I would either just rely on the web or buy one of the other travel companies books.

I have loved time-travel stories for as long as I've read them. This one also promised erotica and an interesting subplot centered on the film Moulin Rouge. Confession: I have never seen Moulin Rouge, but I will definitely give it a whirl after reading this. Naughty Paris takes you on a sensual and adventurous journey that will keep you riveted from beginning to end, and aside from a few troubled spots (I'll get to those later), this is an awesome read and another great offering from Harlequin Spice. Autumn Maguire is a curvy thirty-four-year-old who travels to Paris after having been jilted by her fiance. After she agrees to pose nude for an artist, she encounters an old sculpture and a painting of a very handsome, well-hung man that sends her over the edge and beyond. And that is how she suddenly finds herself in 1889 Paris, fifteen years younger and much thinner, and at the mercy of Paul Borquet, an artist with an insatiable lust and a mysterious past. Their erotic journey encounters many obstacles as various villains get in their way of reaching happiness.

I enjoyed the author's strong, sassy voice and the backdrop of 1889 Paris. The setting has a campy feel to it -- like the sweeping of Borquet's cape and the over-the-top villains -- and that makes the book fun to read. There are things that must've come straight out of the film Moulin Rouge. As said earlier, I haven't watched the film, so I don't know if this is an erotic retelling of the film or what. The time travel aspect is interesting. Like most time-travel stories, some things are unclear, like *why* did Autumn travel through time, and there are some loose ends that I won't get into due to spoilers. Alas, those are things one encounters when reading this kind of book. There are some things I felt the book lacked. For instance, there isn't enough romantic tension or angst between the protagonists. There is too much emphasis on the things that happen to them that keep them from being together. One of the things I like about erotica, particularly from authors like Emma Holly, is the sexual tension mixed in with the sex scenes. There is little of that here. Autumn is too much of a damsel in distress, which bugs me, because she otherwise seems like a very intelligent, level-headed person. The erotica is more centered on words than on erotic scenes, which I would have liked to read more of. The characters spend more time talking about the things they want to do with each other instead of doing them. I would have liked more of a balance of that and actual explicit encounters. Some notes on aristocratic titles: the Duke of Malmont should not be addressed as Lord Bingman (unless that is his name, which I doubt) or "his lordship." He is the Duke of Malmont, period. And if addressed differently, he is "his grace." A marquis down to a baron are considered lords. Other than that and the loose ends, I enjoyed Naughty Paris. It is riveting, sensual and fun to read. I recommend this fun offering and I look forward to reading The Blonde Geisha.

Left at the altar by her fiancé David assumingly because she sucked at BJs and holding a nonrefundable ticket to France, a stunned Autumn Maguire decides to go on her honeymoon alone. In Paris, Autumn loves the city and responds to an artist's ad for a model as she wants to extend her stay longer. The painter asks Autumn to don a beautiful opulent red cloak which she does but cannot stop herself from staring at an old portrait that seems hauntingly familiar.

However, something strange happens as Autumn suddenly feels transformed into a sexy and sensuous goddess followed immediately by lightning. Autumn has traveled back to the late nineteenth century studio of notorious artist Paul Borquet who is willing to work with the eager Autumn, but he insists she allow him to mold her into his muse. His touch sends a fire up and down her body so she accepts all he offers, but also wonders how she traveled to 1889 and why she is hot for her painter when she was one step from being married.

As she did with THE BLONDE GEISHA, Jina Bacarr places someone out of place and time for the prime setting; this time using time travel to bring a twenty-first century female back to a late nineteenth century Left Bank studio. NAUGHTY PARIS is a well written erotic historical romance starring a debauched artist and his sexual inspiration. Paul is a terrific lead male who keeps the plot anchored in 1889 Paris while the displaced heroine "naughty" Autumn makes the tale fun with her contemporary free sex liberating the "enlightened" and bringing out the best in her artist and in Ms. Bacarr.

Harriet Klausner

Loved the cover and couldn't wait to dive into this pricey but delectible-sounding charmer. Great expectations can sometimes lead to bigger disappointments. There is a great historical novel hidden inside this book but it's ruined by an unnecessary time travel subplot. When the female lead first starts whining about certain abruptly canceled expenses--I didn't feel sympathy. What she needed was a good breach of promise attorney! Then she starts making annoying stupid decisions--one right after another that --somehow!--lead into improbable sensual escapades. Most of these sensual moments are done TO her rather than in a more loving, connected way AND many of them also occur due to her
ability to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. This author is skilled enough to give a go, but prepare for a fairly high **ICK** factor in the sensual scenes. Her next book will be MUCH better because this one came so close to being memorable.

Autumn Maguire is painting Paris red. Well, maybe more a tad blue, since her fiancé jilted her and shes used her honeymoon tickets to get there. Determined to have a good time, she answers an ad for an artist's model and discovers how awakening for the spirit it can be to pose nude, even if the artist is less than inspiring. While exploring his studio though, she discovers the self-portrait of a long dead artist and it awakens in her the passion she thought she lacked. When the clothes come off and a little wicked black magic folds in, Autumn finds herself in a most unusual situation. It's a different Paris she awakens to--the darker, naughtier side. Cue the devilish grin.

In nineteenth century Paris, Paul Borquet, a most scandalous artist at the time, discovers a wondrous Titian-haired beauty in his studio. Never so assured of a masterpiece in his life, he must paint her. And never having found so beautiful and intriguing a woman, he entertains a riveting lust for her as well. When the overwhelming influences of the sensual culture confound her, Autumn flees and entrances the sexy Paul in her wake. Concerned for her safety, he pursues. When she catches the eye of a notorious lord, it will be all he can do to assure she comes to no harm in the unfamiliar world that is the baser side of Paris.

No more than the first two chapters in, I felt the allure of Ms. Bacarr's Paris, the rich language and erotic imagery she evokes too powerful to resist. If this were chocolate, it would be whatever the richest, most decadent piece you've ever consumed is. And that, in a nutshell, is what this book is--decadent. From the studios of the famous artists to the opening days of the Moulin Rouge, Naughty Paris embodies the sexual power that the city thrived on at one time. Autumn discovers a part of herself that she never knew existed and Paul recovers a piece of himself that he'd begun to lose amongst the seedy and disreputable back streets. Bacarr's use of the paranormal element of time travel was cleverly done and the ill will surrounding Autumn and Paul because of it sent chills down my spine. Paul is a sigh-worthy hero, strong and passionate, and certainly ranks in my top ten most memorable. This was a late-night binge reading pleasure that I've since picked up more than once. Glad to see this author keeping me on my reading toes!

Forget theme park world that most people associate with Florida today, OLD FLORIDA chronicles the vintage, the off beat and the unusual places that recall a time not too long ago before the Sunshine state was over run by tourism.

We used to spend some time in Florida visiting a great aunt in Dunedin and this book is a reminder of what we missed along the way--and things I'd like to return to see (if the kids will let us bypass Orlando). Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings' farmhouse is definitely on the list as are some of the other places chronicled in this book.

The photographers, Steve Gross and Susan Daley, who also produced and photographed OLD HOUSES, SANTA FE: HOUSES & GARDENS, and CATSKILLS COUNTRY STYLE, as well as their recent release, CREOLE HOUSES, appreciate and photograph these unusual places that should be both seen and preserved. Their work provides an armchair glimpse into another time--each place is preserved and kept in its own unique manner and fortunately brought to life, and held for posterity, in the evocative vision of these photographers. We all need to see the built environment a bit more as they do and appreciate what we still have from the past before it is beseiged by homogenous strip malls and McMansions. Gross and Daley help inspire and lead the way.

Once upon a time, Rizzoli was a publisher of beautiful and definitive books. How the mighty have fallen. "Old Florida" is sadly typical of Rizzoli's current product: hit-or-miss photography accompanied by text barely worthy of a tourist brochure. Recommended only if you need some eye-candy to glance at while clicking between A&E and the TravelChannel.
If you really want to learn about Florida history and architecture, consider these books instead: "Speedway to Sunshine: The Story of the Florida East Coast Railway" and "Mizner's Florida: American Resort Architecture."

Who knew? Browsing the bookstore shelves for a present for a dear friend recently retired to the Sunshine State I came upon this fine book, OLD FLORIDA. This book is a gem! The excellent photographs show all the great gardens and historic houses like the ones in St Agustine we love to visit and many we plan to. I will be ordering several more to give as gifts.

I love this book! It is a beautiful tour of OLD FLORIDA"S lost treasures of architecture and all the facinating houses and gardens that most tourists never go to. In this age of over development and franchise attractions this beautifully photographed book showed us many wonderous places that make Florida unique. When I found this book I was amazed and looked up the authors, Sue Daley and Steve Gross. It turns out that they have done several books of this sort. They also did a book on Sante Fe and another one on the Catskills and both are as beautiful and interesting as OLD FLORIDA. They are both photographers who seem to be able to find both historic and contemporary houses to photograph that one would love to visit. This is what makes their books so good, their sophisticated eye for showing a place through it's houses and people who created them and we can't wait to see where their books will take us next.