Hello, and welcome back! Things here are even crazier than usual, with the part-time hours expanded beyond full-time for a week or two, but I do have a few January releases to share with you this week, so let's get started!

Two Little Lies (Pocket) by Liz Carlyle leads things off this time, with the second in her latest trilogy. This one has Quin Hewitt, Marquis of Devellyn, meeting up with his former mistress, Viviana Alessandri many years after their affair ended badly, and Vivi has been keeping a secret from him all this time. Her secret is no secret from the reader, though, which takes some of the fun away from the reader, I thought. And, while there's no denying the chemistry between them, I didn't like Quin much as a hero, so this one isn't a keeper for me. It was just okay, so it's earned only three arrows.

Dakota Dreams (Signet Eclipse) by Madeline Baker is next, with Nathan Chasing Elk desperately seeking his young daughter and trying to prove his innocence of the murder of his wife, and his only way to do that is to escape from prison. Catharine Lyons knows the injured man on her family ranch is likely dangerous, but she can't send him off to die. This one is not the 'traditional' American Indian romance, but should still please fans of the subgenre with the elements familiar to these readers and a short foray into 'traditional' territory late in the story. For me, it was a nice change from what I was expecting when I opened the book, but still, it's not a keeper for me. I'm giving it three arrows as well.

One Last Look (Pocket) by Linda Lael Miller finishes off her trilogy with Clare Westbrook and Tony Sonterra. I have a shelf-full of her books in my book room, collected over many years, but the first two books in this trilogy are still unread at the moment, and I wished I'd read them before starting this one. The first-person narrative was a little jarring for me, though if I'd read the previous books in the series, I would have known to expect it. I also would have known the characters a lot better, which would have made the story much more enjoyable. I plan to reread this one, after I've read the first two books, but for those of you who've already read them and have been waiting for the last installment, I'm sure this will be welcomed heartily onto your keeper shelves.

Until next time, happy reading!