The Pawn by James Stevens

What a great thriller.  Lots of twists and turns that keep you jumping all the time.  An agent, Patrick, gets pulled into a case at a time that may not have been best for him or his family.  A couple of  really sick and twisted guys take there way with women for different reasons and it was interesting how they knew each other and ended up playing off of each other.  There was much history for the characters that was all tied together beautifully by Stevens.  The depth of the story and the characters flowed very well together and makes me anxious to read more.  This is the first in a series!!

Leaving Before It's Over:A Novel by Jean Reynolds Page

We all make choices in our lives.  For Roy Vines his choice in being with the woman he loved meant giving up his family and all that went with it.  When his wife became ill he needed to go back to his family to ask for help.  From there all the past hurts, lies and misinformation started to come back to the surface.  Those things you just can't shove under a carpet.  The character development was done very well and you could feel for all of the characters.  You could sense those that cared and those that just wanted to come out ahead.  Much growing up occurred for the young and old and you felt all the better for it.  Page did a wonderful job meshing two different lives together and making you feel for both and glad that the good did prevail.(NOOK)

One Summer by David Baldacci

This was a beautiful story, yet hard to read.  A man is on his death bed and then even more tragedy happens.  There are three young children having to deal with very grown up situations.  You add in having a teenager and young children, moving to someplace you don't know, not knowing how to be a father and it makes for a very emotional story.  Baldacci does a great weaving a tale and making you a part of it.  I was reading most of this at work and had a hard time keeping things in.  It truly is a must read, but make sure you have some tissues. (NOOK)

Temptation Ridge by Robyn Carr

I love how she tells a story.  I always feel a part of it.  The town, Virgin River, continues to have its characters and troubles.  A few new people in town learn quickly how close everyone is and that it is really a big old family.  The beloved doctor dies, which leaves a hole, but quickly gets filled by another that is going to add a lot of interesting drama to the town.  The people in the book feel like they are your friends and that you could just sit down with them and share.  The characters stretch their boundaries, learn about trust and really try to do things better.  A wonderful book that I am glad continues so I can continue to learn more about these folks and be a part of their lives, if just for a short time.

The Cabinet of Curiosities by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

These men sure do know how to weave a tale.  The characters have such depth, you get pulled into the story and really don't want it to end.  This took place in and around New York City and delved back into the old museum and 'freak show' kinds of places, Cabinets of Curiosities.  Some bones were uncovered which then led to gruesome deaths and twisted stories and someone who may have discovered a way to prolong life.  Some people were trying to cover things up, some people thought they knew it all, yet it was Pendergast that just held things together and made things work in the end.  The one thing that always gets me with these books is that I think I have figured out who the 'bad guy' is and it is never that person.  There are several more books in this series and I am looking forward to making my way through them and seeing what else these authors can toss out at us. (NOOK)

Fifty Shades Freed by E.L.James

This rounded out the series very well.  I did not feel disappointed when I finished and felt that there had been a lot of growth and depth in all of the characters.  Of course there was some conflict.  Christian is always overprotective and Ana liked to push his buttons.  As he became more comfortable with her and truly believed that she would not leave him things got better and he opened up more and more.  Yes, there were still the erotica parts, but it was truly turning into a slightly more traditional relationship.  James did a beautiful job with the characters and made you feel for them.  She created much depth and concern that made me really want to follow through and see how the characters would work things out.  These books may not be for everyone, but they were very well written and I look forward to reading more of her work. (NOOK)

Fifty Shades Darker by E.L.James

There was a lot more character development and depth in this, the second book in the series.  Christen Grey is learning that he wants more from Ana than a Dominant/Submissive relationship and is trying to figure out how this can work.  Ana is still trying to take in all of Gray and work her way down this road as well.  The relationship deepens, yet there are things that Grey is having a hard time letting go of from his past.  There was still enough erotica to keep you going, but much more substance to the story line.  I enjoyed this a lot and could not wait to get into the third one, which I am reading now!! (NOOK)