Lady Emma's Dilemma by Rhonda Woodward

This was about a widow who rejoins society after her husband dies, only to come across an old flame who she still has feelings for, despite the misunderstanding which ruined their original courtship. It's an unusual take for a Regency, as this widow is originally looking for a lover rather than a husband.

If they had just talked to each other all the misunderstandings would have been fixed in the first couple of chapters….but perhaps that wouldn't have made for much of a story.  

It was an OK light read, but I did find the heroine a bit annoying.

Until The Sun Falls From The Sky by Kristen Ashley

E - Book

Leah Buchanan’s family has been in service to vampires for five centuries. Even so, Leah wants nothing to do with her family’s legacy. But when she’s summoned to her Selection by the Vampire Dominion, under familial pressure, she has no choice but to go.

Lucien has been living under the strict edicts of the Vampire Dominion for centuries but he’s tired of these ancient laws stripping away everything that is the essence of the vampire.

So he’s taking it back.

And this is because Lucien has been watching and waiting for decades for Leah to become available for a Selection and he will not be limited with what he can do with her. He will have her, all of her.

Therefore, Lucien is going to tame Leah, even if he gets hunted and killed for doing it.

Lucien is  a dominant, possessive, protective, controlling vampire. Leah is 40 years old but doesn't intend to grow up until she is 93 (I liked her attitude).  She never wanted to be chosen to be a Concubine and fights Lucien at first. As she gets to know him she falls in love with him.

Overall a good read. I'll be looking for the next in the series.

Big Jack by J.D. Robb

 In New York City in 2059, someone is pursuing missing gems from a decades-old heist...someone who's willing to kill for them. Sharp-witted and sexy, NYPSD Lieutenant Eve Dallas is used to travelling in the shadowy corners outside the law. And in a future where crime meets cutting-edge technology, she will attempt to track down the diamonds once and for all-and stop the danger and death that have surrounded them for years. 

Never disappointed in Eve and Roarke. Love their chemistry and, as always, an interesting mystery to solve. 

The Stranding by Karen Viggers

A man arrives in a small coastal town, obsessed with that he has lost, broken by grief. He is drawn to Callista, a young artist who has her own compelling reasons for wanting to be alone. A friendship develops, then a passionate affair, but everything is challenged when their past demons are accidentally revealed. Everything comes to a head with a whale stranding on a remote beach, and the whole town becomes involved in a tense and uncertain rescue; a rescue that challenges the beliefs and philosophies of the local community as well as the outsiders who assist in the rescue. The stranding brings the characters together in an emotionally charged situation that produces unusual rifts and liaisons and an unexpected outcome.

Loved the description of the area (I can take a guess as to where it was set), loved the whales. The characters let the book down for me. 

A House Somewhere; Tales of Life Abroad

We’ve all dreamt of escaping to a House Somewhere. In this collection some of the finest names in contemporary travel writing reveal the perils and pleasures of exchanging the familiar for the foreign.

Isabel Allende discovers love and paradise in California, Pico Iyer finds home in Japan amidst the alien and indecipherable, and a dank barge on the Seine opens up a new side of Paris for Mort Rosenblum.

Revealing the flip side to the dream, relocating to the juicy heart of New York proves fiery for Lily Brett, Chris Stewart is frightened for his life in Andalucia, and the plumbing in William Dalrymple’s rooftop Delhi flat is held to ransom by his water-conserving landlady.

 A very enjoyable look at living in a foreign country. There were only 2 stories that I couldn't get into.

My favourites were The Alien Home set in Japan, Tiwarik an Kansulay set in the Philippines, City Of Djinns set in India, Digging Mr Benny's Dead Uncle set in Thailand (possibly partly because I've just returned from a holiday in Thailand) and Coming Home in Massachusetts.
Overall an excellent read. 

Hannah's Awakening by Sue Lyndon

E - book

Hanna longs for a life outside her tightknit Amish community, and as her nineteenth birthday approaches she finally works up the courage to leave her home for good. Her first taste of the outside world comes courtesy of an English neighbor, Ben Foster, who gives her a job and a place to stay. He also gives her butterflies in her stomach and some very improper thoughts that she doesn’t quite understand. 

The moment Hanna shows up at his cabin and shyly asks for help, Ben finds that ignoring her sweet feminine presence isn’t possible when she’s suddenly wearing form-fitting clothing and sleeping under his roof. In spite of his growing passions Ben does his best to make Hanna feel welcome in his home. After she disobeys him during a trip to town, however, she does something unexpected—she comes to him and pleads to be punished. The act of chastising her changes the nature of their relationship, and when Ben asks Hanna to think of him as her daddy things take a passionate turn. 

Hanna blossoms under Ben’s attentions. She’s never experienced such love and care, and she softens inside every time he calls her his baby girl. Though it leaves her blushing bright red with shame, being undressed and bathed sets Hanna on fire in a way she has never felt before. Her daddy can also be firm when it is needed, and Hanna soon learns that naughty girls get their bare bottoms soundly spanked. 

Even as she tries to enjoy every second with him, Hanna knows that her future with Ben is uncertain. They’re both running away from their past, and Hanna has always planned to run far, far away. Are their paths only meant to cross for a short time, or will they discover a new road to walk together?

I enjoyed this book. Some spankings and a gradual move into an age-play relationship.  I would like there to be another on what happens next.

Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs

When Mercy Thompson, mechanic and shapeshifter, attempts to return a powerful fae book she previously borrowed in an act od desperation, she finds the bookshop locked up and closed down. It seems the book contains secrets - and the fae will do just about anything to keep it out of the wrong hands. And, if that doesn't take enough of Mercy's attention, her friend Samuel is struggling with his wolf side - leaving Mercy to cover for him lest his own father declare Samuel's life forfeit. All in all, Mercy has had better days, and if she isn't careful she may not have many more…"

I love how Adam and Mercy's relationship us growing. Some of the characters from previous books make an appearance. Lots of action and interest. Another great book in the series.