My Bookish Wants & Gots (13)

My Bookish Wants & Gots is weekly Saturday feature here on The Book Vixen. I list the books I want - which can be old, new, or upcoming releases - and the books I recently got. My Bookish Wants & Gots was inspired by Book Chick City’s On My Wishlist and the Mailbox Monday meme.

High Noon by Nora Roberts

Police Lieutenant Phoebe MacNamara found her calling at an early age when an unstable man broke into her family's home, trapping and terrorizing them for hours. Now she's Savannah's top hostage negotiator, defusing powderkeg situations with a talent for knowing when to give in-and when to jump in and take action. It's satisfying work-and sometimes those skills come in handy at home dealing with her agoraphobic mother, still traumatized by the break-in after all these years, and her precocious seven-year-old, Carly.

It's exactly that heady combination of steely courage and sensitivity that first attracts Duncan Swift to Phoebe. After observing her coax one of his employees down from a roof ledge, he is committed to keeping this intriguing, take-charge woman in his life. She's used to working solo, but Phoebe's discovering that no amount of negotiation can keep Duncan at arm's length.

And when she's grabbed by a man who throws a hood over her head and brutally assaults her-in her own precinct house-Phoebe can't help but be deeply shaken. Then threatening messages show up on her doorstep, and she's not just alarmed but frustrated. How do you go face-to-face with an opponent who refuses to look you in the eye?

Now, with Duncan backing her up every step of the way, she must establish contact with the faceless tormentor who is determined to make her a hostage to fear . . . before she becomes the final showdown.

    

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Blue Smoke by Nora Roberts

The blaze that night at her family's pizzeria changed young Reena Hale's life. Neighbors and relatives would help the Hales rebuild. The Baltimore authorities would arrest the arsonist responsible. But as Reena beheld the fire's brutal beauty and destructive power, her destiny began to take shape. She would understand and master its terrible force-and one day become an investigator herself.

But she is not the only one fascinated by the flames. Someone else sees their power-and is obsessed not with conquering the fire but with controlling it, owning it, using it to exact vicious revenge . . .

When Reena finally joins the arson unit, her strength and wits are constantly tested-although sometimes the job seems like a snap compared to her love life. But she can't always blame the men-after all, a soot-caked woman barking orders and smelling of smoke isn't the biggest turn-on in the world. Then she meets Bo Goodnight, who seems different. He's been trying to find Reena for years, and now that she is close enough to touch, he has no intention of letting go.

Nor does the man who has begun to haunt Reena's life-with taunting phone calls and a string of horrifying crimes. And as Reena tries desperately to trace the origins-of the calls, the fires, the hatred aimed in her direction-she will step into the worst inferno she has ever faced.

    

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Black Hills by Nora Roberts

A summer at his grandparents' South Dakota ranch is not eleven-year-old Cooper Sullivan's idea of a good time. But things are a bit more bearable now that he's discovered the neighbor girl, Lil Chance, and her homemade batting cage. Even horseback riding isn't as awful as Coop thought it would be. Each year, with Coop's annual summer visit, their friendship deepens from innocent games to stolen kisses, but there is one shared experience that will forever haunt them: the terrifying discovery of a hiker's body.

As the seasons change and the years roll, Lil stays steadfast to her aspiration of becoming a wildlife biologist and protecting her family land, while Coop struggles with his father's demand that he attend law school and join the family firm. Twelve years after they last walked together hand in hand, fate has brought them back to the Black Hills when the people and things they hold most dear need them most.

Coop recently left his fast-paced life as an investigator in New York to take care for his aging grandparents and the ranch he has come to call home. Though the memory of his touch still haunts her, Lil has let nothing stop her dream of opening the Chance Wildlife Refuge, but something ... or someone ... has been keeping a close watch. When small pranks and acts of destruction escalate into the heartless killing of Lil's beloved cougar, recollections of an unsolved murder in these very hills have Coop springing to action to keep Lil safe.

Lil and Coop both know the natural dangers that lurk in the wild landscape of the Black Hills. Now they must work together to unearth a killer of twisted and unnatural instincts who has singled them out as prey.

      

I’m on the lookout for romantic suspense by Nora Roberts and these three came highly recommended.

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Instant Attraction (Wilder #1) by Jill Shalvis

Get Wild...And Then Get Wilder...

Accountant Katie Kramer is a quintessential good girl ;working hard, recycling diligently, all the while trying to ignore the feeling that she doesn't fit in anywhere. That's all she wants. Well, that; and amazing sex, and the kind of daredevil escapade she can look back on when she's crunching numbers in a dusty cubicle. Which explains why she just took a job in Wishful, California, working for Wilder Adventures and Expeditions. Waking up to find a magnificently built stranger towering over her bed; that part defies explanation...

After wandering the planet for months following a life-changing accident, Cameron Wilder has come back to the only home he knows. Under other circumstances, he might be thrilled to find a gorgeous woman sleeping in his cabin, but now, while he'll risk his body taking clients on adrenaline-drenched excursions, his heart is off limits. Still, Katie's killer smile triggers something deep in his gut...among other places. Showing her how exhilarating it can be to stop balancing her life as if it was a checkbook is the biggest rush he's ever felt, and an adventure Katie's wishing would never end. . .

    

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Instant Gratification (Wilder #2) by Jill Shalvis

The Doctor Is In Deep

Wishful, California, is 3000 miles from Dr. Emma Sinclair's last job in a New York City ER. It may as well be another galaxy. Here, running her father's clinic for a summer, Emma treats bee stings, stomach flu, and the occasional pet cat. Plus, she has to contend with patients like Stone Wilder: gorgeous, laid-back, and irritating beyond belief. The man laughs at her. A lot. And Emma loathes him. All except that tiny part of her that wants to throw him on her examining table and break every doctor-patient rule in the book. . .

When Stone tries to help Emma learn to loosen up a bit, he pictures white-water rafting or scenic mountain hikes. Not a mind-blowing affair that shakes them both to the core. Emma's sure she has no place in a town like Wishful, but Stone knows different. Emma belongs here - in this town, in his life. And convincing this strong-minded, stubborn, sexy woman of that fact will be a challenge no Wilder man could resist. . .

      

Got the two Wilder books from PBS. Can’t wait to read them.

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Unbroken Connection (Taken by Storm #2) by Angela Morrison

Against all odds, the couple that swept you away in TAKEN BY STORM is back. Michael is in Thailand diving his dream. Leesie is at BYU living hers. And they just can't leave each other alone. Their romance rekindles, deeper than before. They grow desperate to see one another again. To hold one another again. Michael decides there is only one direction their relationship can go and asks Leesie the ultimate question. Her answer challenges everything Michael is and wants to be. Can she change for him? Can he change for her? Enough?

      

I picked this one up when it was a free Kindle book. I still need to read the first book; I have it, just haven’t read it yet.

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Bound By Blood (Bound #1) by Cynthia Eden

It’s an Immortal War…

Vampires and werewolves have been blood enemies for centuries, but now a new threat is rising...demons are escaping from hell and those demons are intent on wiping out both the vamps and the werewolves.

In order to stop the demons, pureblood vampire princess Morgan LaBeaux agrees to the treaty offered by werewolf alpha Jace Vaughn. She'll mate with him, share her blood with him...and in return, the wolves will aid the vampires in this battle.

But Morgan doesn’t realize just how dangerous the wolves can truly be. Jace has been waiting years to claim her. He’s set a trap for his princess, and now that he has her, Jace doesn’t plan to let her go. He’ll send the demons back to hell, and he’ll keep his vampiress—forever.

Warning: This novella is a sexy paranormal romance. As such, it contains vampires, werewolves, and demons--oh, my! It also contains hot sex and adult language. You have been warned!

      

Got this one as a free Kindle book. As of this posting, it’s still up on Amzn as a freebie so if you want it, hurry up and grab it.

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Hot Secrets (Tall, Dark & Deadly #1) by Lisa Renee Jones

The Walker Brothers…

Tall, dark, and deadly, these three brothers run Walker security. Each brother is unique in his methods and skills, but all share key similarities. They are passionate about those they love, relentless when fighting for a cause they believe in, and all believe that no case is too hard, no danger too dark. Dedication is what they deliver, results are their reward.

Book 1 HOT SECRETS:

Royce Walker, a former FBI Agent, who’s opened a private security firm with his brothers, has always had the hots for the prim, proper Assistant District Attorney, but considered her hand’s off because of a family connection. However, when danger threatens Lauren, he isn’t willing to stand by and watch her get hurt. Now the passion for survival is only rivaled by the passion burning between them. And that passion, might just be the death of them both.

      

I’ve read and enjoyed a couple of books by this author so when I saw this as a free Kindle book, I grabbed it.

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Shelter from the Storm by Patricia Ryan

A short story from The Mammoth Book of Hot Romance, 2011. When Maryann is rescued from a storm by a handsome stranger who thinks she’s a prostitute, she lets him take her to his hotel room. A night of abandoned, no-strings lovemaking is just what the jilted schoolteacher needs—if only she can keep from falling for her sexy rescuer. Includes an excerpt from Patricia Ryan’s Secret Thunder.

      

I actually want the entire Mammoth Book of Hot Romance book. One of these days I’ll get it. For now I can read this short story. Got it as a free Kindle book and as of this posting, it’s still a freebie. So grab it while you can.

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Wild Card (Down & Dirty #1) by Moira Rogers

As Alpha of the Lonely River Pack, Jack Owens is responsible for keeping the peace between what's left of the human population and the wolves who have taken over since the War. All wolves are his responsibility, even the ones like Virginia Howard who don't necessarily recognize his authority. Ginny's been a thorn in Jack's side since she took over her parent's operation and established herself as one of the area's premiere ranchers. The fact that she's everything he wants in a mate makes it hard to stay away from her, but any good hunter knows how to bide his time.

Ginny fights hard to maintain her independence from men, human and werewolf alike. The humans may not like having a woman as their chief competition, but they're not the ones determined to see her submit. When a group of angry wolves try to run her out of business, she's forced to accept Jack's assistance. But in saving her ranch, Ginny runs the risk of losing something far greater--her heart.

      

I can’t get enough of werewolves. And this is a quickie read (only 61 pages according to Goodreads) so I’ll be reading it soon. Another Kindle book I got as a freebie that’s still free, so grab it while you can.

What are your bookish wants and gots this week?

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