TBT - Oldie But Goodie

This Thursday, I am reaching back to 1994 with Susan Elizabeth Phillips' It Had to be You.  The book that I read had this cover:

Newer versions have different covers but the story remains the same. Readers are introduced to the Chicago Stars, a professional football team whose owner has just died and has left the team to his oldest daughter, Phoebe Somerville.  Mr. Somerville was a shrewd businessman but a poor father to his daughters. The Stars head coach, Dan Calebow is a good ole boy about to find out that there is more to the sexy new boss than meets the eye. Phoebe is about to fall for the man who sees past the showgirl body. 

I loved this story and the books that follow after with more about the Stars. If you haven't read these books, you owe it to yourself to give them a try. There's lots of hot athletes, a cute dog, strong women and plenty of laughs.

TBT - Oldie but Goodie

This week's selection is not really all that old.  It was published in 2007 and I have it in a trade paperback.  Jaci Burton is the author and the title is wild, wicked, & wanton.  The subtitle is: Three friends... three secret desires... three chances to make it all come true.  The book is really three short stories featuring Abby, Blair, and Callie.

The book opens with Abby who is about to finish her vet residency but not before her two bosses ask her out.  You just know this is going to be the topic at girls' night when the three friends meet for margaritas. A bet is made between the three women and the fantasies are on!

This book is not for the timid! It includes menage, BDSM, and voyeurism / exhibitionism. Each girl is in a different place in her life with Abby divorced, Blair never married and Callie is widowed. And each has a different fantasy. The guys are hot and the sex is even hotter.

TBT - Oldie But Goodie

Today I am reaching way back to one of my favorite books ever.  This one is by Sandra Brown and it is set in my home state and even my home area in this rather large state.  The book is Texas! Sage (Texas! Tyler Family Saga).  It is the third book in the series but it can be read without having read the first two.  The other books are Texas! Lucky and Texas! Chase and they deal with boys in the Tyler family but Sage tells the story of the younger sister making her way into the family business, Tyler Drilling. My only complaint is that the book is not available digitally.  I would be adding it to my kindle if it was.

Here's the blurb:

In the dramatic finale of #1 New York Times bestselling author Sandra Brown’s popular Texas! trilogy, the headstrong youngest daughter of the Tyler family finally steps out of the shadows cast by her two older brothers. But forging her own path will take every ounce of savvy in Sage Tyler’s possession. 

 The youngest heir to her family’s oil fortune, Sage has always been the unbridled spitfire in the Tyler clan. Now, fresh out of college, she’s looking to settle down at last with her safe, upper-crust fiancé. Then into her life saunters Harlan Boyd, a rootless drifter recently hired for a Tyler Drilling Company project. Harlan’s just the sort of man Sage should avoid, but there’s something irresistible about the laconic cowboy that intrigues her.

TBT - Oldie But Goodie

Each Thursday, I like to bring you a book recommendation for an oldie but a goodie.  This week I am bringing you Dream Man by Linda Howard.  This 1994 novel is one I have read numerous times.  It has a different premise than most books that I have read.  The main character, Marlie Keen is a clairvoyant psychic whose powers are most unusual.  The hero is a detective with the Orlando PD named Dane Hollister.  He is skeptic of the woman who shows up to give the department information about a recent murder. The serial killer in the book is seriously strange and his brain activity is what Marlie locks onto when he is in the midst of committing his crimes.  She sees the scenes through his eyes while in a trance like state. This gift makes her extremely vulnerable abut she has an inner core of strength too.

It's been a while since I read this one but I think you will enjoy it if you like suspense mixed in with your romance.

TBT - Oldie but Goodie!

This week I have a one of my favorite Suzanne Brockmann books from her Troubleshooters series.  Over the Edge was published September 1, 2001 and I think I probably read it in November of the same year. The events of 9/11 certainly weighed heavily in my mind as I read it.  If you are unfamiliar with this series, it features a team of SEALs and the author usually weaves in a subplot from WWII.

Over the Edge tells the story of Senior Chief Stan Wolchonok and Lieutenant Teri Howe.  There's your first hint of conflict!  Lt. Howe, a helocopter pilot, has left a job in the civilian world and has gone active duty with the Navy Reserves. As a woman in a world that is dominated by men, she faces different challenges than her male counterparts.  Ms. Brockmann drew me right into the story with this.  Stan comes to her rescue after one particularly obnoxious officer refuses to take "No" for an answer. Stan is disturbed by what he sees and quickly begins a project to make her more assertive.  When the team gets an assignment that will take them out of the area for a while, he maneuvers to have Lt. Howe be assisgned with the team.

I don't like to give away spoilers but I will tell you that the action part of this novel revolves around a commercial flight that has been highjacked out of Greece to a country known as "the pit".  The highjackers don't like Americans and take a special interest in one particular passenger on the flight. The SEAL team is diverted from their training exercise to assist an FBI hostage negotiating team at the site.  The WWII subplot was also amazing in this novel.

This is actually the third novel in the series but you can read it out of order.  I think it might have been the first one that I read in the series too.  A lot of the characters you will meet in this book will be featured heavily in later books.  The story is intense and I should mention that it does describe some pretty horrific events.  If rape and child abuse are triggers for you, you may want to skip this book.  The events are portrayed and discussed with care but I wouldn't want you to be surprised by this.

TBT - Oldie But Goodie

If it's Thursday, it must be time for another #TBT!  Today's Oldie But Goodie is by one of my favorite authors.  Susan Elizabeth Phillips writes romances to treasure.  They are funny and sweet and easily some of the most re-read books on my shelves.  Today I bring you Kiss An Angel which tells the story of Daisy Devreaux and Alex Markov.  This couple is forced into a marriage that neither wants and then sent on the road with a small family run circus for the summer.  I don't want to give you any spoilers here but you should definitely read this one!

TBT - Oldie but Goodie

I'm introducing a new feature this week! Every Thursday is going to be Throw Back Thursday where I will look back at home of my non-recent favorite books.  Feel free to share yours in the comments too.

I was reminded recently about one of my favorite books ever.  It isn't recent at all and in fact dates back to October 1993. I love this book so much that I bought it for my kindle in the past year. The humor and romance in this book are nearly perfect. Some things may seem dated to read it now but the humor and romance never go out of style.

So by now you want to know what book I'm talking about so here it is!

Ms. Crusie quickly became a favorite author after reading this.  It might be the perfect quick read to put you in the mood for Valentine's Day if you like your romance quirky and funny.