Review: Cavewomen Don't Get Fat by Esther Blum

Cavewomen Don't Get Fat: The Paleo Chic Diet for Rapid Results by Esther Blum
Publisher: Gallery Books
Genre: Health and Nutrition
ISBN: 9781476707693
Release Date: December 31, 2013
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N

MILLIONS OF YEARS OF EVOLUTION CAN’T BE WRONG
So maybe you’re not flaunting the latest in saber-tooth style. Or beating your dinner to death with a club hours before you eat it. You’re a twenty-first-century woman. Life has changed drastically since your ancestors discovered fire. What hasn’t changed is how your body works. You’re still sporting the same metabolic ten­dencies as your lean, toned Paleolithic sisters. Which means that achieving a strong, healthy physique is simpler than you think.

BURN, BABY, BURN
What’s a modern woman with ancient needs to do? Return to her roots with a back-to-basics approach to eating that is tailored specifically to her nutritional, hormonal, and real-world needs. The Paleo Diet isn’t just for hard-core CrossFit­ters and meat-loving men. Today’s cavewoman can enjoy protein-rich, hormone-balancing, de­toxifying, and satisfying foods that will help her lose those annoying extra pounds, build lean muscle mass, and feel like the gorgeous god­dess she is meant to be. When you are able to understand the relationship that carbs have with your body, you’ll finally get the results you’re looking for—for life.

LOOK GOOD IN YOUR GENES
The ultra-feminine Paleo Chic Diet will help you hit your metabolic reset button, lose weight, and maintain your physique with a balanced, clean way of eating that won’t put your body through the same metabolic trauma that makes traditional diets so ineffective. Ready to achieve the svelte, sexy, healthy body you’re designed to have? What are you waiting for? Go wild!

The increasingly popular Paleo diet gets a female-focused guide in Cavewomen Don’t Get Fat. Author Esther Blum has a casual, friendly style of writing that makes Cavewomen Don’t Get Fat a pleasant read (I always like it when health books are both informative and enjoyable). If you’re wary of jumping into the proverbial Paleolithic water, this book is a good introduction. Ms. Blum’s “Paleo Chic” way of life is laid out in such a way that it looks doable, even for the busy modern woman. If you’re already familiar with the high protein and vegetable-rich Paleo diet, a good portion of this book will be repetitive (though the Paleo Chic diet does derivate from the traditional Paleo diet once or twice). That being said, if you’re a woman starting the Paleo diet then Ms. Blum’s chapters geared toward female hormones are well worth reading.

Almost all diet and nutrition books require outside research before beginning, and Cavewomen Don’t Get Fat is no exception. However, Ms. Blum’s research did point me in the right direction when it came to said research. Overall I recommend Cavewomen Don’t Get Fat. Ms. Blum’s writing style is appealing, the Paleo Chic diet is well thought out, and the book is an excellent motivational tool and guide to getting back in touch with our nutritional roots.

Review: An Unexpected Gentleman by Alissa Johnson

An Unexpected Gentleman by Alissa Johnson
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Historical Romance
ISBN: 9780425244913
Blue Ribbon Rating: 3 out of 5
Original Review Link
Book Purchase Link

With a brother in debtors’ prison and a sister and nephew to look after, Adelaide Ward feels that she has no choice but to set her sights on Sir Robert Maxwell and the security his income would provide her family. But on the very night that Adelaide believes Sir Robert will propose, something unexpected happens; Adelaide meets a charming stranger who threatens to sweep her off her feet.

Within twenty-four hours, the mysterious Connor Brice proposes and though she’s startled to discover that she’d rather marry a near-stranger than Sir Robert, Adelaide can’t risk her family’s future. Then Connor kisses her – in front of gossipy society members – and Adelaide no longer has any choice but to marry. But which man? Adelaide finds herself in the middle of a tug-of-war between Connor and Sir Robert, and she discovers that each man has secrets…secrets that involve their determination to ruin one another. To her dismay, Adelaide falls for Connor anyway. Yet how will she know if she will ever be more to Connor than a pawn in his quest for revenge against Sir Robert?

Deception and desire are the name of the game in AN UNEXPECTED GENTLEMAN. Author Alissa Johnson takes some historical romance tropes and gives them new life, delivering a satisfying romance. Connor is a man who’s had his life made hell by Sir Robert over and over again, so it’s easy to sympathize with his determination to get revenge. Though he may or may not have used Adelaide to do so – I’ll leave that for the reader to find out – Connor isn’t careless when it comes to Adelaide. He does have feelings for her and the way Ms. Johnson shows his adoration for her ended up charming me. Adelaide, for her part, is sensible and puts her family first, both qualities I respect in a heroine. That doesn’t mean she’s perfect, and it doesn’t mean she can’t be swept away by passion; after all, her initial meeting with Connor proves otherwise. I enjoyed watching these two fall for one another.

AN UNEXPECTED GENTLMEAN does start off as a bit of a slow read, but happily, it picks up. There aren’t any grand surprises, but the story works without them. I will say that I did miss the sparkle of Ms. Johnson’s AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT and TEMPTING FATE, the only other books by Ms. Johnson that I’ve read. AN UNEXPECTED GENTLEMAN didn’t have the energy of those books, which was somewhat of a pity. Still, a book that is simply a good romance is sometimes enough, and that’s just what AN UNEXPECTED GENTLEMAN was for me.


Note: My review was written for Romance Junkies and is cross-posted here with permission from Romance Junkies.

Sunday in Review

It’s update time again :)

Below are the newest reviews I’ve written here and on Joyfully Reviewed. The master list and categorical lists on the right-hand side are updated as well.

Reviews for upcoming releases:
- The Heart of a Duke by Victoria Morgan (available 12/3/13)
- Foolish Games (Out of Bounds, Book 2) by Tracy Solheim (available 12/3/13)
- Confessions of a Bad Bridesmaid by Jennifer Rae (available 1/1/14)

All other new reviews:
- Entwined (Darkest London, Book 3.5) by Kristen Callihan
- The Thinking Woman’s Guide to Real Magic by Emily Croy Barker
- Gossamer Wing (Steam and Seduction, Book 1) by Delphine Dryden
- Jilted (Promise Harbor Wedding, Book 1) by Kelly Jamieson
- Moonlight Kiss (Cricket Creek, Book 5) by LuAnn McLane
- The Sum of All Kisses (Smythe-Smith Quartet, Book 3) by Julia Quinn

Upcoming reviews:
- Christmas on Main Street by JoAnn Ross, Susan Donovan, LuAnn McLane, and Alexis Morgan
- Rise of the Gryphon (Belador, Book 4) by Sherrilyn Kenyon and Dianna Love
- The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap by Donna Kauffman, Kate Angell, and Kimberly Kincaid
- Skies of Steel (The Ether Chronicles, Book 3) by Zoë Archer
- The Seduction of Elliot McBride (Highland Pleasures, Book 5) by Jennifer Ashley
- Mystery Man (Dream Man, Book 1) by Kristen Ashley
- Wild Man (Dream Man, Book 2) by Kristen Ashley
- Down for the Count (Dare Me, Book 1) by Christine Bell
- Down and Dirty (Dare Me, Book 2) by Christine Bell
- Bolted (Promise Harbor Wedding, Book 2) by Meg Benjamin
- Cowboy Waltz by Cameron Dane
- How to Ravish a Rake (How to Series, Book 3) by Vicky Dreiling
- Soul Weaver by Hailey Edwards
- Some Like It Hot (Rising Star Chef, Book 2) by Louisa Edwards
- Hot Under Pressure (Rising Star Chef, Book 3) by Louisa Edwards
- A Beginner’s Guide to Rakes by Suzanne Enoch
- Cowboy Take Me Away (Rainbow Valley, Book 1) by Jane Graves
- Trouble at the Wedding (Abandoned at the Altar, Book 3) by Laura Lee Guhrke
- One Taste of Scandal (Redcakes, Book 2) by Heather Hiestand
- Beauty Bites (Biting Love, Book 6) by Mary Hughes
- Reaver (Demonica, Book 6 / Lords of Deliverance, Book 5) by Larissa Ione
- Breathe by Lauren Jameson
- Archer (Hard Body, Book 1) by Debra Kayn
- Since You’ve Been Gone (Welcome to Paradise, Book 4) by Elle Kennedy
- Caught Up in You (Loving on the Edge, Book 4) by Roni Loren
- Kiss of Steel (London Steampunk, Book 1) by Bec McMaster
- All Fired Up (Hot in the Kitchen, Book 2) by Kate Meader
- Keeping Secrets in Seattle by Brooke Moss
- Blood Persuasion (Immortal Jane Austen, Book 2) by Janet Mullany
- Raw Desire by Kate Pearce
- Soul Sucker by Kate Pearce
- Texas Outlaws: Jesse by Kimberly Raye
- The Fifth Favor by Shelby Reed
- Dark Witch (The Cousins O'Dwyer Trilogy, Book 1) by Nora Roberts
- Nights of Steel (The Ether Chronicles, Book 4) by Nico Rosso
- Secrets of a Gentleman Escort by Bronwyn Scott
- This Is Who I Am (Masters of the Shadowlands, Book 7) by Cherise Sinclair
- Archangel’s Legion (Guild Hunter, Book 6) by Nalini Singh
- Heart of Obsidian (Psy-Changeling, Book 12) by Nalini Singh
- Sully’s Sweet Salvation by Sierra Summers
- Primal Law (Alpha Pack, Book 1) by J.D. Tyler
- Easy by Tammara Webber
- Unleashing Mr. Darcy by Teri Wilson

Review: To Command and Collar by Cherise Sinclair

To Command and Collar by Cherise Sinclair
Series: Masters of the Shadowlands, Book 6
Publisher: Loose Id
Genre: BDSM Contemporary Romantic Suspense
ISBN: 9781611186673
Blue Ribbon Rating: 4 out of 5
Original Review Link
Book Purchase Link
Cherise Sinclair Reading Order

In the life before he was an engineer, a Dom and a Shadowlands Master, Raoul had seen plenty of darkness. But he’s never seen evil as sickening as the evil he finds in a human trafficking ring that he volunteered to help the FBI bring down. Raoul is no slave owner, but he’s more than willing to pose as one if it will help the FBI agents on the case. He has been instructed to reject all of the slaves offered for sale at the small auction he’s been invited to so that he’ll be invited to a larger auction. Despite his best intentions, Raoul throws the feds’ plans out the window when he sees Kimberly – a friend of one of the Shadowlands’ subs - as one of the slaves for sale. Raoul can’t leave Kimberly behind, so he buys her.

Kim has been physically, sexually, mentally and emotionally tortured by her captors, but she hasn’t let it break her. When Master R purchases her, Kim can’t simply put the past behind her. More challenging than coming to grips with what was done to her and the scars it has left on her body and psyche is the knowledge that her freedom came at the cost of other kidnapped women’s lives. When she learns that there’s a chance the FBI can still raid the big slave auction if she poses as Master R’s slave, Kim can’t bring herself to refuse. She’ll have to live with Raoul and learn to treat him as her Master in order to be successful. Kim figures she can live with anything if it means freeing other slaves. What she doesn’t count on is Master R’s loving brand of dominance making her feel more alive than she ever has before.

Get ready for the most emotionally wrenching MASTERS OF THE SHADOWLANDS book to date. TO COMMAND AND COLLAR is a gripping, sometimes painful, sometimes joyful book with a dominant, caring hero and an incredibly strong heroine who has been through hell and is struggling to find herself again. Author Cherise Sinclair isn’t afraid to pack a wallop when it comes to human trafficking, something I appreciate given the seriousness of the subject. The beginning of TO COMMAND AND COLLAR was almost painful to read because of this – and that’s a good thing, even though the vivid imagery Ms. Sinclair’s words evoked meant I had to step away from the book a time or two.

It was beautiful to watch Kim come alive under Raoul’s care, though the love of her friends and the aid of a psychologist should not be discounted. Ms. Sinclair doesn’t abandon the reality of what Kim has survived. But it is the struggles of healing and the awakening of passion that Kim faces while living with Raoul that makes TO COMMAND AND COLLAR touching.

What I love about the MASTERS OF THE SHADOWLANDS books is that Ms. Sinclair makes each BDSM relationship as different as the characters she creates. Raoul and Kimberly dive into a full-time Master/slave relationship. The timeline is sped up because of the slave auction. But aside from the book’s villains, the main obstacle Raoul and Kimberly must overcome, if they want their burgeoning relationship to work, is whether Kimberly wants to be a full-time submissive. Raoul has been burned in the past by a relationship gone south, and he knows he can’t be anything less than what he is, nor would he ever ask Kimberly to give him more than she wants to give. Kimberly is concerned that her time as a slave has affected her when it comes to what she enjoys in BDSM. The way in which Kimberly figures out her desires adds realism to the book, helping to bring TO COMMAND AND COLLAR further to life.

TO COMMAND AND COLLAR is the sixth book in Ms. Sinclair’s fantastic MASTERS OF THE SHADOWLANDS series. Readers new to the series will be able to follow along with the information that Ms. Sinclair provides, and fans of the series will be delighted to see all their favorite characters again. As much as I enjoyed TO COMMAND AND COLLAR, I finished the book wanting another MASTERS OF THE SHADOWLANDS story. Ms. Sinclair has me drooling over sexy FBI agent Galen Kouros and man, oh man, does she have me on the edge of my seat, wanting to know if Dom/sadist Sam will make things work with the woman who has captured his attention.

TO COMMAND AND COLLAR doesn’t have the usual sparkle – as I call it – of Ms. Sinclair’s MASTERS OF THE SHADOWLANDS books, but given the storyline, that’s understandable. What is consistent is Ms. Sinclair’s phenomenal talent for delivering engaging, gorgeous stories with fiery hot love scenes. All in all, I can safely say that fans of the MASTERS OF THE SHADOWLANDS series won’t want to miss TO COMMAND AND COLLAR.


Note: My review was written for Romance Junkies and is cross-posted here with permission from Romance Junkies.

The "Be Thankful" Initiative

PENGUIN GROUP (USA) AND NORA ROBERTS HELP TACKLE HUNGER IN MARYLAND

The “Be Thankful” initiative urges support of our less fortunate neighbors

Thanksgiving is a time to gather with family around an extravagant meal and be thankful for all the security and stability in our lives. But it’s also a reminder that a cold winter is ahead, and it is therefore important to acknowledge our less fortunate neighbors, which is why Penguin is proud to support The Maryland Food Bank, with Penguin’s first ever “Be Thankful” initiative.

#1 New York Times bestselling Penguin author, Nora Roberts was born in Silver Spring, Maryland and has a deep affinity for her home state, having set many of her more than 200 novels in Maryland. Her recent NY Times bestseller, “Thankless in Death” is a suspense thriller which centers around loved ones coming together for Thanksgiving. The brutal reality of hunger in Maryland sadly has its own frightening narrative. “I was shocked to discover that the Maryland Food Bank distributes more than 34.6 million pounds of food - the equivalent of almost 29 million meals each year - and despite that significant effort, families still go hungry in our region,” stated Nora Roberts. “I am proud to help raise awareness of this issue and to applaud the incredible work that local food banks do daily to eradicate hunger in Maryland. The holiday season is a great reminder to capture the spirit of giving thanks and helping those in need.”

Penguin would also like to acknowledge the efforts of Governor Martin O’Malley, who is committed to ending childhood hunger in Maryland by 2015. “One hungry child is one too many," said Governor O’Malley. “Because of its connection to student achievement, workforce strength, physical health, and behavioral health, we’ve made eradicating childhood hunger a priority in our State.”

“We are delighted to support The Maryland Food Bank for the first time. The negative cascading effect that food insecurity can have on a person, a child or a family, is devastating. Penguin is proud to recognize the tireless efforts of The Maryland Food Bank and its commitment to lead the fight against food insecurity and hunger,” said Leslie Gelbman, President of Mass Market Publishing, Penguin Group (USA). To mark the occasion, Penguin Group (USA) is making a $10,000 donation to The Maryland Food Bank. “There are more than 457,000 people in our service area who don’t know where their next meal is coming from, and more than a third are children,” says Maryland Food Bank President & CEO Deborah Flateman. “The emotional toll of hunger is especially high during the holidays. Families are struggling to put food on the table, heat their home, and at the same time keep traditions alive, so their children feel normal – at least for one day. This gift will go a long way, and help many, many families in need.” The donation ensures that over 20,000 meals will be made available to the citizens of Maryland who are in dire need of food assistance.

You too can become involved in the “Be Thankful” initiative by donating food or volunteering; to view a complete list of the affiliated food banks and or participate in a Virtual Food Drive, please visit Feeding America’s national Food Bank Locator at http://bit.ly/9ociO.

###

About the Maryland Food Bank
The Maryland Food Bank is a nonprofit hunger-relief organization, leading the movement to end hunger throughout Maryland. For more than thirty years, the Maryland Food Bank has partnered with communities across the state to distribute food to individuals and families in need. Through carefully-crafted programs, the food bank aims to meet the immediate needs of Marylanders while simultaneously working to find long term ways to reduce hunger statewide. Currently distributing 79,000 meals per day – nearly 29 million meals annually – the Maryland Food Bank will continue to expand its efforts until hunger ends.

The Maryland Food Bank www.mdfoodbank.org operates from three facilities: one in Baltimore, one in Salisbury, and one in Hagerstown. Through an extensive network of soup kitchens, pantries, schools and other community-based organizations, food is distributed throughout 22 counties, including Baltimore City, and Somerset, Wicomico, and Washington counties – some of the most food-insecure regions in Maryland.

About Penguin Group (USA)
Penguin Group (USA) Inc. is the U.S. member of the internationally renowned Penguin Group. Penguin Group (USA) is one of the leading U.S. adult and children's trade book publishers, owning a wide range of imprints and trademarks, including Viking, G. P. Putnam’s Sons, The Penguin Press, Riverhead Books, Dutton, Penguin Books, Berkley Books, Gotham Books, Portfolio, New American Library, Plume, Tarcher, Philomel, Grosset & Dunlap, Puffin, and Frederick Warne, among others. The Penguin Group (www.penguin.com) is part of Penguin Random House plc, the international media company.

Review: Foolish Games by Tracy Solheim

Foolish Games by Tracy Solheim
Series: Out of Bounds, Book 2
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Contemporary Romance
ISBN: 9780425266649
Release Date: December 3, 2013
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N

Bridal gown designer Julianne Marchione is the consummate professional. But combine migraine medication with a terrifying storm and even a pro like Julianne can lose her cool at a client’s wedding…particularly when a hot football player is involved. Although Julianne wants to put her foolish one night stand behind her, she finds she can’t for long. Nearly a year later, Julianne’s infant son needs a blood transfusion, and she isn’t a match.

Will “William the Conqueror” Connelly grew up with the stigma of being an illegitimate child and he’d never wish that on anyone. Which is why he’s thrown for a loop when he finds out he has a child. Will’s furious with Julianne, but he’s not about to let anything happen to their son, Owen. Determined to do the right thing, he talks Julianne into a temporary marriage. It’s supposed to be a marriage in name only, but much to his surprise Will finds himself bonding with his unexpected wife. Will their newfound passion lead to a real marriage? Or will the ghosts of Will’s past keep him from trusting Julianne?

Betrayal, babies, and blazing hot passion - Foolish Games has it all! Tracy Solheim has delivered an engaging sports romance with her second Out of Bounds novel.

I adored Julianne from the start. She’s a wonderfully human character, meaning she’s flawed and definitely makes mistakes, but she does her best to make things right. On the flipside is Will, a hero I admit I had a hard time connecting with. For me, Will tended to be more caveman than alpha man and that just isn’t my personal cup of tea. He’s also a bit too hostile and quick to judge Julianne. I understood this in the beginning of the book, but I was disappointed that the dreamy hero of the middle of the book reverted back to his initial behavior at the end. That being said, the scenes with Will and his son endeared him to me and I liked the steam factor when he and Julianne worked past their issues and hit the sheets.

A charming secondary romance between Annabeth, Will’s mom, and Hank, the general manager of the Baltimore Blaze (Will’s team), brought a smile to my face more often than not. Annabeth and Hank’s love story was quieter, but ultimately the more powerful of the two for me. The obstacles their relationship faced felt organic to the story, whereas the misunderstandings and blowups in Will and Julianne’s marriage came across as more manufactured.

Foolish Games is the second Out of Bounds novel, but it can be read as a standalone. The hero and heroine of the first book, Game On, do appear, which should delight fans of that story. Personally, I thought the highlight of Foolish Games was Will’s teammate Brody. The sexy tight end stole every scene he was in and I cannot wait to read his book. Thankfully, Ms. Solheim isn’t making readers wait long, for Brody’s the hero of the next Out of Bounds book, Risky Game. Though Foolish Games was hit and miss for me, I’ll definitely be buying Risky Game!

Review: Confessions of a Bad Bridesmaid by Jennifer Rae

Confessions of a Bad Bridesmaid by Jennifer Rae
Publisher: Harlequin KISS
Genre: Contemporary Romance
ISBN: 9781460324196
Release Date: January 1, 2014
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N

Olivia Matthews is ready to let loose! Armed with tight dresses and a perfect tan, the Aussie bridesmaid is ready to take England by storm. Or at least ready to have a good time at her best friend’s wedding. But from the first, nothing goes as planned. The only appealing part of the weekend is the groom’s brother, the sexy Mr. Darcy-ish Edward Winchester. Now if only Olivia could convince Edward to give into their mutual desire and enjoy a fling that could turn into so much more…

Society weddings and familial tension are a combustible pairing before you throw in an outsider, so it’s no surprise that Confessions of a Bad Bridesmaid has drama to spare. Romancing blooming in the midst of a chaotic wedding weekend is nothing new, but author Jennifer Rae makes it feel fresh, thanks mostly to her leading lady. Olivia just about broke my heart. She’s always been seen as second (or third, or fourth, or fifth) best when compared to her near-perfect sister and her friends. As a result, Olivia is insecure about her looks and is determined to try and be the kind of woman men find attractive. Needless to say, it’s Olivia’s true self Edward falls for and what I liked best about Confessions of a Bad Bridesmaid was watching him peel back the party girl persona Olivia wears like armor to find the woman underneath.

While Olivia herself made Confessions of a Bad Bridesmaid impossible to put down, the story as a whole was a bit of a letdown. I grew frustrated with the push-pull between Edward and Olivia and their romance never quite drew me in. The secondary characters (Edward’s sister, Bunny, in particular) grated on my nerves more often than not. Still, Confessions of a Bad Bridesmaid wasn’t a bad read, just not a story I think I’ll re-read. However, I liked Olivia so much that even though Confessions of a Bad Bridesmaid wasn’t for me, I’ll be giving another one of Ms. Rae’s books a try.