Author: Linda

Linda Reads: Deadline by Sandra Brown

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Sandra Brown

Sandra Brown is an award winning author of romance novels and suspense thrillers of which sixty have made it to the New York Times bestsellers list.

She is a lifelong Texan and attended Texas Christian University where she majored in English.  In 1968, she married her husband, Michael Brown, a former television news anchor.  Before starting her writing career in 1981, she worked as a model, did TV weather casting and was a feature reporter on “PM Magazine”.   Her episode on truTV’s “Murder by the Book” premiered the series in 2008 and she helped launch Investigation Discovery’s new series, “Hardcover Mysteries”.

Ms. Brown recently received an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Texas Christian University.  She was name Thriller Master for 2008 – the top award given by the International Thriller Writer’s Association.  She also received the Romance Writers of America’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Deadlineis a mystery/thriller/romance that is well-written with a lot of twists and turns that keeps you thoroughly entertained.

Dawson Scott is a well-respected journalist recently returned from Afghanistan. Haunted by everything he experienced, he’s privately suffering from battle fatigue which is a threat to every aspect of his life. But then he gets a call from a source within the FBI. A new development has come to light in a story that began 40 years ago. It could be the BIG story of Dawson’s career one in which he has a vested interest.

Soon, Dawson is covering the disappearance and presumed murder of former Marine Jeremy Wesson, the biological son of the pair of terrorists who remain on the FBI’s Most Wanted list. As Dawson delves into the story, he finds himself developing feelings for Wesson’s ex-wife, Amelia, and her two young sons. But when Amelia’s nanny turns up dead, the case takes a stunning new turn, with Dawson himself becoming a suspect. Haunted by his own demons, Dawson takes up the chase for the notorious outlaws. . .and the secret, startling truth about himself.

A stimulating multi-layered story with great characters, sharp dialogue and a few surprises thrown in!

5 Erotic Romance Novels Better Than Fifty Shades of Grey

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While you’re waiting for the movie version of Fifty Shades of Grey to come out, here are a few highly recommended erotic titles to keep you entertained.

Bared to You by Sylvia Day – This is book one of a trilogy that focuses on the complicated relationship between Eva and Gideon who were both abused and are looking to find true love.

The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty by Anne Rice (under pseudonym A.N. Roquelaure) retells the fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty with an erotic twist.

Sweet Addiction by Maya Banks – The story of two lovers who seem to be living the ultimate love story, but end up separating and then meeting years later.

Sexual Life of Catherine M. by Catherine Millet – A memoir translated from French detailing Catherine’s vigorous sex life.

House of Holes by Nicholson Baker.  A story about the exploits of an adult resort that specializes in sexual fantasies.

Amazon’s Top Ten Romance Novels So Far This Year

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Amazon has picked J.R. Ward’s Lover At Last: A Novel of the Black Dagger Brotherhood as the top Romance novel of 2013 so far.  Below is the complete list of editors’ selections in best-selling order.

1.  Rush (The Breathless Trilogy) by Maya Banks

2.  Whiskey Beach by Nora Roberts

3.  Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles, Book 2) by Marissa Meyer

4.  Starting Now: A Blossom Street Novel by Debbie Macomber

5.  The Wanderer (Thunder Point) by Robyn Carr

6.  Lover At Last: A Novel of the BLack Dagger Brotherhood by J.R. Ward

7.  Three Sisters (Blackberry Island) by Susan Mallery

8.  The Best Man by Kristan Higgins

9.  Love Irresistibly by Julie James

10.  Darius: Lord of Pleasures by Grace Burrowes

Author Tom Clancy Dead at Age 66

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Tom Clancy

Tom Clancy

Prolific writer Tom Clancy died Tuesday night, Oct 1st, at the John Hopkins Hospital in  Baltimore, Maryland.  The cause of death has not been released.

He was best known for his technically detailed espionage and military thrillers.  Several were made into movies including The Hunt for Red October, The Sum of All Fears, Patriot Games, and Clear and Present Danger.  The first Net Force book was made into a television movie and the first Op-Center book was made into a mini-series.

He was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1947.  He attended Loyola College as a physics major, but switched to English in his sophomore year.  Before becoming an author, he ran an independent insurance agency.

In 1979, he began writing Patriot Games where his hero CIA agent Jack Ryan was introduced.  In 1982, he set aside that book and started The Hunt for Red October which was based on a real incident in November 1979 about a Soviet missile frigate attempting to defect.

Seventeen of his novels have appeared on the New York Times bestsellers list.  Besides his stand-alone novels, he has written several series available in paperback format.  They are:  Op-Center, Net Force, Net Force Explorers, Power Plays, Ghost Recon, Rainbow Six, and EndWar.

He was a part owner of a baseball team, the Baltimore Orioles, author of several non-fiction books, developed three board games, and co-founded the video game developer Red Storm Entertainment.  He is one of only three authors to sell two million copies on a first printing (other two – J.K. Rowling and John Grisham).

His newest book, Command Authority, is due out in December.

Linda Reads: The Lemon Orchard by Luanne Rice

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Luanne Rice

Luanne Rice is the author of 31 novels, including 22 New York Times bestsellers.  Five of her books have been made into movies and mini-series.

Luanne was born in New Britain, CT and spent most of her life in Connecticut.  She currently divides her time between New York City and Southern California.  She is an avid environmentalist and advocate for families affected by domestic violence.  Her first published poem appeared in the Hartford Courant.  Her first novel, Angels All Over Town, was published in 1985.  Many of her books take place in or have a connection to Connecticut.

Ms Rice delivers another captivating book, The Lemon Orchard.  It’s a love story between two people from completely different worlds, but with a common bond from their pasts.  The story starts off in Connecticut and moves to Santa Barbara, California.

Five years after a family tragedy, Julia, an anthropologist who graduated from Yale, goes to Malibu to house-sit her aunt and uncle’s house located in their lemon orchard.  She hopes to start healing and move on with her life.  There she meets the handsome, illegal immigrant who oversees the orchard, Roberto.  She learns that Roberto is also trying to heal and move on from a devastating loss in his life.  Their relationship starts off as a comforting friendship and moves on to something more.  Julia then realizes that she might be able to help Roberto resolve the issue from his past.

Ms Rice is quite skilled in character development and sets a beautiful stage with her descriptive settings.  She deals deftly with grief and loss, love, forgiveness and redemption.  This book is also quite relevant as it explores the world of illegal immigrants and the struggle they endure to try to live a better life.