Hello, and welcome back! Fall has finally arrived here, I think for good now, and with the cooler temperatures, it's much more pleasant to sit outside and read again--though at the moment, most of my outdoor reading is happening at fall baseball practices and the warm-ups before the games. Oh well. I'm enjoying it anyway, because pretty soon it'll be too cold and then it'll be time to curl up indoors with a nice cup of tea or cocoa and a good, steamy book. This time, I have two new books to share with you, both romantic suspense.

Kill Me Twice (Pocket) by Roxanne St. Claire starts things off with Jazz Adams thinking she's going to do her sister a favor and winding up with a sexy bodyguard instead. Alex Romero isn't at all happy about the babysitting gig, but finding out the woman he's supposed to be guarding is already lost doesn't make it any easier. Cute premise, though the suspense isn't very suspenseful, and some good chemistry between Jazz and Alex. It was a fun read, but not a keeper for me. It's earned three of Cupid's five arrows.

Don't Say a Word (Signet) by Barbara Freethy is next, and it is awesome! Julia DeMarco is on the verge of setting her wedding date when she sees a picture that looks like her as a child. After a difficult period in her life, finding out more about the photo and the girl in it forces her to focus on herself, much to the dismay of her family. Alex Manning has his own reasons for wanting to know more about the girl in the picture, and the two of them embark on a fast-paced and dangerous quest to find out just who Julia is. The suspense in this one is tight and will have you guessing, and the romance doesn't take a backseat to the mystery. Ms. Freethy is one of those authors whose books I buy automatically when they're released, and I hope some of you will agree. This is one of the better books I've read this year and it's earned four and a half arrows.

Until next time, happy reading!