REVIEW: Bare it All by Lori Foster

Bare it All by Lori Foster

Series:Love Undercover, #2

Publication Date:April 30th 2013

Publisher:HQN

Paperback, 480 pages

Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's Website, Book Depository

"A cop's craving to know more about the woman next door could prove fatal in the steamy new novel from New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster"

As the person responsible for taking down a brutal human trafficker, Alice Appleton fears retaliation at every turn. No one knows about her past, which is exactly how she prefers it...until the sexy cop next door comes knocking.

Detective Reese Bareden thinks he knows what makes women tick, but his ever-elusive neighbor keeps him guessing like no other. Is his goal to unmask Alice's secrets? Or protect her from a dangerous new threat? One thing is certain: their chemistry is a time bomb waiting to explode. And with no one to trust but each other, Reese and Alice are soon drawn into a deadly maze of corruption, intrigue and desire-and into the line of fire....

Review first published at Book Lovers Inc

Lori Foster is a huge name in the romantic suspense genre, and after reading a couple of books of hers I can definitely understand why! This author knows how to write great romance and even greater characters! Bare it All is her newest book and the second in her Love Undercover series and follows the story of Reese and Alice who had also made an appearance in the author's Men who Walk the Edge of Honor series.

One thing that I really like in Lori Foster's stories is the way she builds her characters and how they feel real and solid. I remember while reading A Perfect Storm, how much I liked Arizona's character and how deeply I cared for her. Much like then, Alice just stole my heart in this story. She's one of those characters who are really beautiful, not only on the outside but on the inside too. She's one of those characters who's deeply wounded but still finds a joy in life and is strong and generous. All in all, she's a character I can't help but care for. And I honestly believe that the best thing in Bare it All is Alice. She's the reason I enjoyed a story I found not so memorable otherwise.

Bare it All has a really slow beginning. I mean really slow. Nothing crucial happens for the best part of the book and when things finally pick up they are wrapped up quite easily and quickly. So as far as the suspense or action department goes, Bare it All, wasn't something special. Now let's talk about the romantic department which also wasn't something really special I'm afraid. I mean I loved Alice, the main heroine, and thought that Reese was an interesting character too but the romance between them fell just flat for me. There were no sparks. Maybe because one of the things I really enjoy in a romantic story is the building of a relationship, to read about the way the main couple becomes something more than friends or strangers, to witness their growing attraction but in Bare it All, all I got was a couple who was already halfway in becoming something more. Now here, I have to add that both Reese and Alice made an appearance in the previous novel of the series, so that is maybe the reason why things were a bit progressed between them, but even though I read the first book in the series, I remember little of it I'm afraid and even less about a secondary romance in it... But since those books are meant to be read as stand alones too, I think that things should progress on a slower pace nevertheless.

Anyway, despite Bare it All being a rather typical romantic suspense book, I still managed to enjoy myself while reading it and that is mostly because of Lori Foster's writing style. I mean this author is simply amazing, so it's not a wonder how every single one of her stories is a success! The way she builds her characters, main ones and secondary alike, is simply incredible. She has the ability to make her readers care for all her characters and feel their emotions or understand their action and their motives.

All in all, Bare it All, isn't the best book I have read by the author, but it is still a good read and it is definitely better than the first one in the series. Maybe I feel that way because of Alice, I don't know, all I know is that I enjoyed reading it a lot more than I did the first book of the series!

*This title was provided for review from MediaMuscle

Let It Snow Books: Interview with Lori Foster + Giveaway

Welcome to Day 5 of Let it Snow Books 2012, where for the next three weeks you have the chance to read some really fun holiday posts from some of your favorite authors, both here and at Ex Libris.

Today, we welcome author Lori Foster here at Books to Brighten your Mood with a festive post and you will have the chance to win a copy of Run the Risk, Lori's latest release. Well, Lori Foster needs no further introductions from me, I suppose. Her work and her stories are simply amazing and incredibly sexy! So, it's not a big surprise that A Perfect Storm is among my favorite romantic suspense books of the year!
Do you want to remember why I loved A Perfect Storm so much? Read my review here:

A Perfect Storm was a really pleasant surprise for me! You see, I had in mind to read something by Lori Foster, so when I was given the opportunity to participate in the Blog Tour for her newest release, I jumped right on to it!

A Perfect Storm is the 4th book in The Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor series and although I haven't read the previous 3 books in the series, let me tell you... Read the rest of the review here.

Since this whole event is about the Best Books we read in 2012, could you share with us some of your favorite titles you read this year?
Lori: I sort of glommed 3 different authors over the summer. Jill Shalvis with her "Lucky Harbor" series, Erin McCarthy with her "Fast Track" series, and Macy Beckett with her "Sultry" series. I have a few more from the first two series to read, and I'm looking forward to them! Both authors write fast paced, sexy, FUN stories.
Macy is fairly new, so only her first book, "Sultry With A Twist," is out. I got to read the second story as an arc before publication. Good stuff!
Currently I'm reading a YA book (my first!) titled "Pushing the Limits," by Katie McGarry. I'm hooked! It is extremely emotional and sexy and engaging.

What makes you feel that Christmas time is finally here?
Lori: The smell of cinnamon and evergreen! I love walking into a store and inhaling those holiday scents.
I love my Christmas music too. Neil Diamond's Christmas album is one of my favorites. Elvis too. And compilations by contemporary artists are always good!
Early on my husband and I start making plans. We always have Christmas Eve at our house and we usually end up with around 60 guests. I like to buy a gift for everyone, so we start shopping late October. I wrap everything, bake cookies, decorate the inside and outside of the house... I'm not a fan of the cold or snow, but it's wonderful if we have the white stuff right at the holidays. It makes an otherwise stark landscape so pretty.

Do you have any favorite holiday themed stories (movies or books)?
Lori: Scrooged, A Christmas Story, and many of the holiday cartoons like "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" and "A Charlie Brown Christmas." Love to watch those with my grandson!

What would be your (bookish or not) New Year’s resolutions?
Lori: My resolutions are always the same, and I never manage to stick with them. Eat better, exercise more, take more vacations... My husband and I are so fortunate that we're still, after so many years together, so happy. We fill up each and every day with a variety of things and that makes any sort of a routine difficult. (That's my excuse and I'm sticking with it!)

What would you ask Santa to bring you this year?
Lori: Hmmm... there's really nothing that I want that I don't just go and get for myself. If we're talking pure magic, I'd ask that he bring lots and lots of wonderful gifts to the kids at the "One Way Farm," a nearby home for abused and abandoned children. It's a constant source of heartache for me, knowing that there are children out there who are hurt, scared, or alone. It should never be that way.
In fact, this holiday season, it'd be amazing if everyone cut back on shopping for each other and instead donated one awesome gift - or the cash equivalent - to your local children's organization for kids in need. I promise, that's the very best gift you can get for yourself.

Happy holidays to everyone!

Happy Holidays Lori and thank you for stopping by today!


About the author

Lori Foster first published with Harlequin in January 1996. Her second book launched Temptation Blaze and her 25th book launched Temptation Heat. Since those early days, Lori has routinely had 6 to 10 releases a year. She’s a Waldenbooks, USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly and New York Times bestselling author with over 50 titles published through a variety of houses, including Berkley/Jove, Kensington, St. Martins, Harlequin and Silhouette.

Visit Lori

Goodreads ~ Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

   

About the Book:
Title: A Perfect Storm
Author: Lori Foster
Series:Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor, #4
Publisher: HQN Books
Length: 442 pages
Release Date:March 27th 2012
Purchase Info: Book Depository, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Goodreads

He never saw her coming...

Spencer Lark already knows too many secrets about Arizona Storm, including the nightmare she survived and her resulting trust issues. But in order to expose a smuggling ring—and continue avenging his own tragic past—the bounty hunter reluctantly agrees to make Arizona a decoy. Yet nothing has equipped him for her hypnotic blend of fragility and bravery, or for the protective instincts she stirs in him.

Arizona wants to reclaim her life, which means acting as bait to lure the enemy into a trap. Sure it's dangerous, especially with a partner as distractingly appealing as Spencer. But as their plan—and their chemistry—shifts into high gear, Arizona may discover there's an even greater risk in surrendering her heart to a hero...

~~~~~~~~~~~~GIVEAWAY~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lori has generously offered a copy of Run the Risk to one lucky winner. (Open Internationally.)All giveaways end on January 5th.

~Fill the form below to enter ~

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: Q & A with Lori Foster + Giveaway!

Today I'm really excited to welcome author Lori Foster in celebration of her latest release Run the Risk, book 1 in her brand new romantic suspense series Love Undercover.
Today we're the next stop in the Blog Tour for Run the Risk, and Lori stops by to answer a few questions about herself and as a bonus, there's a giveaway at the end of the post. Please check the full tour schedule here for more chances to win your own copy of Run the Risk and to learn as much as possible about this new exciting series :)

Please, welcome Lori!

1.Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
Lori: Thank you! Where would authors be without readers? I love hearing from readers, sharing their interests and their lives, chatting online at Facebook and Twitter. Seeing their book reviews on Goodreads. Stealing their pins on Pinterest. J I am eternally grateful for their enthusiasm, dedication, and caring.

2.What’s your guilty pleasure?
Lori: I don’t really feel guilty about it, but I LOVE horror movies and action movies. I go to the theater at least once a week, often twice if there are movies I want to see. A bad horror movie is more entertaining to me that a perfect drama. And there are very few chic flicks I enjoy. Popcorn, cola, violence and blood – right up my alley. And if they throw in a sexy Alpha guy, I’m there.

3.If you weren’t a writer, what would be your career?

Lori: I doubt I’d have a career. Before publishing, I spent much of my time as a stay at home mom. I did babysitting, and I cleaned apartment buildings and other people’s houses. Now that my kids are all grown, maybe I’d have found something intriguing to do. But I have no way of knowing that now.

4.What do you do when you are not writing?
Lori: I go to the movies. Read in the evening. Spend the day on the lake, swimming, sunning, skiing, boating. I love the outdoors, so when I have enough time between books, we usually try to do something with nature – Hocking Hills, The Natural Bridge, parks, etc... I enjoy my large, extended family a lot, so we hold a lot of afternoon parties where everyone gathers, chats, eats... we have fun.

The thing is, I’m rarely not writing. My Muse tends to give me fits if I go too long between storylines. So I fit in the non-writing activities by force of will – and otherwise I just give my Muse free rein.

About Lori:

Lori Foster first published with Harlequin in January 1996. Her second book launched Temptation Blaze and her 25th book launched Temptation Heat. Since those early days, Lori has routinely had 6 to 10 releases a year. She's a Waldenbooks, USA Today, Publisher's Weekly and New York Times bestselling author with over 50 titles published through a variety of houses, including Berkley/Jove, Kensington, St. Martins, Harlequin and Silhouette. 

Visit Lori Foster:

Goodreads ~ Website ~  Twitter

 


About Run the Risk:

When Detective Logan Riske goes undercover to find Pepper Yates, a potential link to his best friend's unsolved murder, he vows to gain her cooperation by any means necessary. But the elusive beauty is more suspicious—and in far more danger—than he expected. And the last thing Logan needs is to start caring for her….Pepper has spent years dodging the corrupt club owner who will stop at nothing to keep her silenced. She can trust no one, not even the handsome new "construction worker" who's moved in next door. The heat between them is undeniable. But will surrendering to passion bring her the safety she so desires—or will her feelings for Logan draw them both into a killer's crosshairs?

~~~~~~~~~~~~GIVEAWAY~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MediaMuscle has generously offered a paperback copy of Run the Risk to one lucky winner.The contest is open US/Can only, sorry :)

Good Luck to all!

Guidelines

~ The contest is open US/Can only.

~ You must be 13 years old or over to participate.

~ The winner will be chosen via Random.org

~ The prize is submitted by the author/publisher and I have no responsibility whatsoever over it.

~ The contest will be open until October 31st.

~ The winner will be notified via e-mail and will have 24 hours to confirm his/her e-mail address before a new winner is selected.

~Fill the form below to enter ~

a Rafflecopter giveaway

REVIEW: Run the Risk by Lori Foster

Run the Risk by Lori Foster

Series:Love Undercover, #1

Publication Date:September 25th 2012

Publisher:Harlequin HQN

Paperback, 379 pages

Useful Info: Goodreads, Author's Website, Book Depository

When Detective Logan Riske goes undercover to find Pepper Yates, a potential link to his best friend's unsolved murder, he vows to gain her cooperation by any means necessary. But the elusive beauty is more suspicious—and in far more danger—than he expected. And the last thing Logan needs is to start caring for her….Pepper has spent years dodging the corrupt club owner who will stop at nothing to keep her silenced. She can trust no one, not even the handsome new "construction worker" who's moved in next door. The heat between them is undeniable. But will surrendering to passion bring her the safety she so desires—or will her feelings for Logan draw them both into a killer's crosshairs?

Review first published at Book Lovers Inc

It saddens me to say so, but Run the Risk disappointed me in many levels. It's not the fact that it is a bad book, or anything as simple as that, but for a Lori Foster book, it is nothing close to what I expect from this author.

I haven't read much from this author, granted, but I have heard so many great things about her writing and her stories, and from the one book I have read of hers, my expectations were pretty high. And having high expectations from a book or an author, never works in my advantage. Never.

Run the Risk is the first book in Lori Foster's new romantic suspense series, Love Undercover, and it's the story of Logan, an undercover detective who will stop at nothing to uncover his best friend's murder and Pepper, sister of the sole witness in the murder case Logan tries to solve. Intriguing enough? I know I was intrigued to no ends as soon as I read that blurb and I just had to read this book immediately. Now that I actually read it, maybe I shouldn't have rushed to it so quickly. Run the Risk was a typical romantic suspense story, with nothing fresh to add to the genre and with a romantic plot that could have been so much better. As it is, neither the plot, nor the romantic part of the story holds something memorable or remarkable. We get an alpha male, a heroine that from an ugly and sitting duck transforms into a swan and an independent woman everyone lusts after and a mystery that is pretty predictable and easy to solve.

My first problem with this book was the main hero, Logan. Granted, from the blurb I knew that he would try to seduce Pepper to serve his own means. That fact on itself is something I don't usually enjoy reading, but if done correctly, I end up loving it. But, Logan and his attitude didn't help matters. He was much too arrogant for my taste, much too certain for his sexual prowess and at times, ruthless. At least that's how I saw him. Pepper on the other hand was an easy victim, who didn't think twice on acting at the exact same way when Logan's betrayal revealed and use him in turn to satisfy her sexual needs. At least Logan had an ulterior motive. Pepper's revenge on him was purely mean. And how could she ever sleep with a man she felt betrayed from is beyond me. So, one could safely assume that the romantic department of the story was a total failure for me. I didn't care neither for Logan nor for Pepper and their happily ever after left me deeply untouched. I couldn't connect with neither of them, almost from the first chapters of the story.

The plot is typical for the genre. Some mystery, some hot scenes, and like I said before, nothing memorable... Especially the first half of the book was boring. The second half was way better and the reason my overall rating of Run the Risk isn't lower. It possessed a certain spark and things finally picked up a bit. Contrary to the first half where all we got to read was how much Logan and Pepper lusted after each other, even if they shouldn't, for their own reasons. And talking about lust and sex between those two, I still can't understand why Pepper was against the whole touching thing. An explanation is given, but from the way she reacted to every touch I assumed something greater was behind her attitude. But now. Nothing great or exciting...

The writing style is good. We are talking about a Lori Foster story here. The writing is expected to be good. As good and sexy are the sex scenes as well, but for a sex scene to work for me and to enjoy it I have to care for the protagonists. If I don't, then even the best written and sexiest scene fells flat for me. And that was the case with every sex scene in this book. I couldn't connect with the heroes, so the spark between them eluded me. It almost felt as if they didn't care for each other and all they wanted was to blow off some steam, and that wasn't the case, believe me, but it surely felt that way at some points.

All in all, Run the Risk is just a good book for me, nothing special, with a set of characters I could feel no real connection and a mystery that was far too predictable. Still, I read it pretty quickly, so that counts for something, right?

REVIEW: A Perfect Storm by Lori Foster

A Perfect Storm by Lori Foster

Series:  Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor,#4

Publication Date:March 27th 2012

Publisher:HQN Books

Mass Market Paperback, 442 pages

Buy via Book Depository

He never saw her coming...

Spencer Lark already knows too many secrets about Arizona Storm, including the nightmare she survived and her resulting trust issues. But in order to expose a smuggling ring—and continue avenging his own tragic past—the bounty hunter reluctantly agrees to make Arizona a decoy. Yet nothing has equipped him for her hypnotic blend of fragility and bravery, or for the protective instincts she stirs in him.

Arizona wants to reclaim her life, which means acting as bait to lure the enemy into a trap. Sure it's dangerous, especially with a partner as distractingly appealing as Spencer. But as their plan—and their chemistry—shifts into high gear, Arizona may discover there's an even greater risk in surrendering her heart to a hero...

Review first published at Book Lovers Inc

A Perfect Storm was a really pleasant surprise for me! You see, I had in mind to read something by Lori Foster, so when I was given the opportunity to participate in the Blog Tour for her newest release, I jumped right on to it!

A Perfect Storm is the 4th book in The Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor series and although I haven't read the previous 3 books in the series, let me tell you, there wasn't a problem whatsoever to follow the story of Spencer and Arizona! Surely, at first I kind of felt that I was missing some crucial parts of their history but soon enough everything was cleared and I was able to really enjoy their story. I'm pretty certain, that having not read at least the third book in the series, where both heroes make their first appearance made me somehow miss a little bit of the dynamic of their relationship, but in overall, I didn't meet any problems with connecting to the heroes and following their adventures. So, if there's anyone out there who hasn't read the previous books and wants to start right from this one, go ahead! Lori Foster writes in such a way, that you won't encounter any problems whatsoever!

My favorite part of this book, was the way Foster portrayed her two main heroes and developed them as characters. Both Spencer and Arizona are really great characters (I have a rather soft spot for Arizona I'm afraid!), you could understand they had past, their past really influenced and defined them in the present, but both of them, just try to make the best they can, even through very traumatic experiences.
Arizona is... amazing! I have a soft spot for emotionally traumatized heroes and Arizona is the best character I have ever read, who survived such cruelty. She isn't self pitying and she doesn't expect people to pity her. She just does everything she can in order to save people who share the same fate as hers. She is strong, independent,fearless and so very honest that I couldn't help but love her! Her toughness isn't just an act or a defense mechanism. All her past experiences have really toughened her and defined who she is. A survivor! The way she acts, almost childish in some cases, is plainly adorable. She's so ignorant in matters of relationships but so eager to learn everything, and I just adored her!

Spencer on the other hand is an alpha male. Someone who is scared by his wife's death and I also loved pretty much everything about him as well. The way he protects Arizona, the way he seems to understand her and finally the way he worked around Arizona's defenses and made her overcome some of her fears.
The plot, was heavier on the romance department rather than the action department, and that was the only thing I wasn't thrilled about in A Perfect Storm. Somehow, I expected a little more action, but the action scenes were only a couple and not really extended. But despite my need for more action, the book was really easy to read, and the writing style just flowed.

All in all, Perfect Storm is a really good, Romantic Suspense title, that no fan of the genre should miss reading!