Hello, and welcome back! A bit cooler here and definitely more like fall this week, so the soup pot is coming out of hibernation. And the bread machine will be working harder again. The kitchen smells so good, I can hardly wait to start sampling. Plus this week's cool, rainy weather means plenty of indoor time for reading, which is good, as my October stack of review books is growing by the day. First, though, I have one last September book to share with you all before we get into the October reviews.

Jeanne Adams's Deadly Little Secrets (Zebra, received from publisher) has CIA agent Ana Burton working the drudge cases now, the cold cases that no one's been able to solve in years, now that her judgement on the job has been called into question following an assignment that left other agents dead. Her current case brings her into the orbit of security expert Gates Bromley when she starts digging into the theft of expensive art. Her investigation apparently makes the thief nervous, as danger suddenly erupts around her, and Gates and his employer find themselves drawn in as well. Not that Gates has been uninvolved. He and Ana have struck sparks since their first meeting, and each since has only deepened the attraction they share, even though they both have issues they carry with them, and both are well aware that any long-term relationship is out of the question. I quite enjoyed this one, much more than her last. Ana and Gates are hot, and Ana is no shrinking violet, despite the things in her past, recent and more distant. Gates is dangerous in his own right, but he finds that his feelings for Ana will not be denied. This one has just about the perfect blend of romance and suspense, with danger and adventure sprinkled in to keep a reader fully engrossed in the story. I think Ms. Adams is developing into an author romantic suspense fans will want to keep an eye on in the coming years, provided she continues to keep that perfect balance of romance and suspense without tipping too far so the suspense outweighs the romance. I'm borrowing four of Cupid's five arrows for this one. Good stuff!

Until next time, happy reading!