Regency Romance by Mary Balogh

     I found Mary Balogh when I read A Summer To Remember (c2003).  I went on to read as many of her books as I could find.  At that point, I didn't find many so I left her for another.  Recently, at the library, I found she has been very busy.  I picked up A Secret Affair (c2010)  and remembered why I liked her so much.  Besides all the standards of a good romance - beautiful lady, handsome man, etc. - she almost always adds a little extra something to the plot.  In A Secret Affair she has made the leading man miss being a member of the ton by the mere fact of his birth being two days before his father (an earl) married his mother.  It seems this does not  bother Con too much and it makes it possible for him to find a passion to which he devotes his life and to keep that passion a secret.  There are really two secret affairs in this book and neither of them is the affair between Con and Hannah.
     After I read A Secret Affair, I discovered it was the fifth book in a five book series!  Again, because I like to see how an author allows characters to grow and evolve, I wish I had found the books in order.  In the first book, it seems that Con is a blackguard and a scroundrel.  As the books progress, Balogh uncovers Con a layer at a time.  Because of this quirk of mine to see growth in characters, I have listed the series below in order for you.  At this point I have read most of them and I can assure you that the characters do take on insight and maturity as the series progresses. Each romance is different just as each couple is different. 
     If you have read Mary Balogh before, this series will not disappoint you.  It is also nice to think that there were a few noblemen and women who were truly noble.

The Huxtable Quintet

First Comes Marriage  (c2009)
Then Comes Seduction  (c2009)
At Last Comes Love  (c2009)
Seducing an Angel  (c2010)
A Secret Affair   (c2010)

Under the Dome by Stephen King

     Let me begin by stating that I am not a Stephen King fan.  Under the Dome is a book I never thought I would read.  I do not read horror and I do not like fantasy or sci fi.  Then, you ask, why should I post a review of a Stephen King book?  Simple answer - I could not put this book down (and that is saying quite a bit since it is a 1000 page book)!  Since I don't read King, I can't say if this is the best he has written.  I only can speak to this book - and it is a compelling read.
     A dome has fallen over the medium size town of Chester's Mill, Maine.  It has sliced off the hand of a gardener, caused the crash of a small plane which flew into it at full speed, and caused the division of families when some members are caught on the outside.  No one knows where it came from, what it is, or when it will leave.
     Dale Barbara is on the inside.  He is an Iraq vet turned short-order cook trying to leave his military experience behind.  He finds himself teamed up with a few courageous towns people against the current Chester's Mill mayor, Big Jim Rennie.  Big Jim has power and means to extend it.  Big Jim's son has a horrible secret in the pantry and in his head. 
     While "Barby" and Big Jim are on a collision course, it is the dome which is the real adversary.  Time is running out for the residents of Chester's Mill.
     This is really a story about what could happen in a society closed off from the restraints of the larger world.  How far will someone go to retain power?  How courageous are "normal" people?  The mix of people King brings together to save the town is what makes this story real.  The Iraq vet, the town newspaper owner (a woman), three teenagers, and a physician's assistant are just some of the unwilling heroes.
     This is a story that you will remember and find yourself thinking about long after the book is closed.

The McKettricks (and others) by Linda Lael Miller

     I found Linda Lael Miller by reading Shotgun Bride.  One of my favorite settings for romance books is the Old West and Shotgun Bride was right there.  Then I discovered it was part of a trilogy - High Country Bride, Shotgun Bride, and Secondhand Bride - about the McKettricks of Texas.  I was roped in and went on to read all of the McKettrick series which Miss Miller has continued to enlarge.  The McKettricks are a great read with lots of action and romance.
     Of course, I can read them faster then Miller can write them so I moved on to the Stone Creek series.  I was still ahead of her so I looked to see what else has come from her pen and I discovered Mojo Sheepshanks, her latest heroine.  I also discovered Miss Miller is an extremely versatile writer.  Mojo lives in Arizona, but in 2006, and she is anything but old-fashioned.
     The Mojo Sheepshanks series is modern and funny.  Mojo is a wannabe detective.  The stories are tight, twisty, and great mysteries as well as romances.
     You will always get a great read with Linda Lael Miller!

The McKettricks

   High Country Bride (c2002)
  Shotgun Bride (c2003)
   Secondhand Bride   (c2004)
   McKettrick's Choice   (c2006)
   Sierra's Homecoming   (c2006)
   McKettrick's Luck   (c2007)
   McKettrick's Pride   (c2007)
   McKettrick's Heart   (c2007)
   The McKettrick Way   (c2007)
  A McKettrick Christmas   (c2008)
   McKettricks of Texas: Tate   (c2010)
   McKettricks of Texas: Garrett   (c2010)
   McKettricks of Texas: Austin   (c2010)

Stone Creek Series

   The Man from Stone Creek   (c2006)
   A Wanted Man   (c2007)
   The Rustler   (c2008)
   A Stone Creek Christmas   (c2008)
   The Bridegroom   (c2009)
   At Home in Stone Creek   (c2009)

Mojo Book Series
   Deadly Gamble   (c2006)
   Deadly Deceptions   (c2008)

Mysteries by Elizabeth George

Elizabeth George is simply a brilliant writer.  Her mysteries are psychological suspense at its best but what I like is the way her characters grow and evolve.  She is very careful to maintain their individual character as they interact with each other and with the events taking place but you never forget they are human and, therefore, are imperfect.  Since her characters grow with each book, I strongly suggest that the books be read in the order they were writen. I read the third one first and knew immediately that I had missed a great part of the character's lives.  After that I found the first one and read them in order.  It added so much to know the characters and to know what cases they had worked on before.  Like all of us, their involvement with each other and their work added to their knowledge and their compassion.  I have placed the books on this page in order.  I do not have a favorite as each book added another layer to body of work.  They are all available in e-books, paperback and hardcover.

A Great Deliverance  (c1988)
Payment in Blood   (c1989)
Well Schooled in Murder   (1990)
A Suitable Vengeance   (1991)
For the Sake of Elena   (1993)
Missing Joseph   (1994)
Playing for Ashes   (c1995)
In the Presence of the Enemy   (c1996)
Deception on His Mind   (c1997)
In Pursuit of the Proper Sinner   (c1999)
A Traitor to Memory   (c2001)
A Place of Hiding    (c2003)
With No One as Witness   (c2005)
What Came Before He Shot Her   (c2006)
Careless in Red   (c2008)
This Body of Death   (c2010)

Thigh High by Christina Dodd - Romantic Suspense

Thigh High by Christina Dodd (c2008) is a fun read set in the Big Easy during Mardi Gras three years after Katrina and full of characters that can only be found in New Orleans.  While I did truly like Nessa and Mac, who are the main attraction, this book would be nothing without the great-aunts, the transvestite, the eccentric who lives in the attic, and various and sundry other minor, but very important, characters.  It is hard to imagine that a prestigious bank could have a vault with a secret passage that has been there for a hundred years, but, in New Orleans anything could be possible.  There are at least two pretty hot sex scenes, but they are both important to the plot.  Long after you forget the sex, you will remember Aunt Hestia and Aunt Calista!  Available in both e-book and paperback