Hello, and welcome back! Summer is back with a vengeance this week, so aside from work and necessary errands, staying inside the air conditioned house with some of the reading material stacked here on my desk is the plan for the next seven days--or more, depending on what Mother Nature decides to do next. Fortunately for me, Nora's latest is at the top of my personal reading stack: Angels Fall (Putnam), with Reece Gilmore's fresh start in Angel's Fist Wyoming taking a turn for the worse. I'm very much looking forward to diving into this one a little later today. And then I'm heading for her booksigning on Saturday. In the meantime, though, I have two other new books to share with you.

Hit Hard (Brava) by Amy J. Fetzer is up first. Sam Wyatt has a mission to complete, along with a little vengeance for a wounded team member. He has no intention of picking up a stray. Viva Fiori's dilemma puts a real crimp in his plans. More adventure story than erotic romance, this one wasn't my cup of tea. I think I preferred Ms. Fetzer's paranormals of yore than her more recent tales. Oh well. I'm sure other readers will disagree with me and enjoy this one just fine.

Vanquished (Medallion Press) is Hope Tarr's first new book in several years, and it's good to see her back in action. Callie Rivers's position as spokeswoman for the suffragettes in Victorian London is firm. Nothing in her background gives her opponents anything to use against her, so they arrange to create something new. Photographer Hadrian St. Claire is 'persuaded' to participate in this quest, yet he finds she is far different than he'd imagined, and causing harm to her is soon the last thing he wants to do. With just enough historical detail to anchor you in the story yet not overwhelm the romance, this one has a worthy heroine and plenty of steam to keep historical readers enthralled. Welcome back, Ms. Tarr! This one's earned four of Cupid's five arrows.

Until next time, happy reading!