Temptation Ridge and The Body at the Tower

Shelby McIntyre has big plans—plans that include finding Mr. Right. Her dream man will have a clean-shaven jaw, creases in his pants and hopefully and advanced degree. What she gets is rugged Luke Riordan.

At twenty-five, after five years as her mother's caregiver, it's time for Shelby to experience freedom and adventure. Time for travel, college and romance. But when she visits Virgin River, she runs into Luke Riordan, decidedly not whom she has in mind.

A handsome Blackhawk pilot, Luke exited the army after twenty years, four wars and having been shot out of the sky three times. At thirty-eight he's tough and jaded. His major was in one-night stands, with a minor in commitment avoidance.

Technically, these two are all wrong for one another. But sometimes what you want and what you need are two different things…two very good things. 

My thoughts:

I always said I would read a Carr, and now I did.

But so many stories and people! And since it's a series, I mean yikes how many people showed up! I did not feel lost, I just wished it could have been more focused on Luke and Shelby. Now I had to care about a bunch of other peeps too. Like Shelby's uncle who is having a romance with a a movie star. And this woman who meets a doctor (can't say more there). And then there are people who found love in previous books.

Shelby, a 25 year old who has not lived, but taken care of her mother, is the one looking for love.

And then there is a 38 year old veteran who is all, no love for me. You know one of those men who thinks they know best, and you just wanna hit them (fine, yes I want to hit everyone!). Because they always think they know what the woman should do, but in reality everyone is happier as it is.

So they meet, fall in love, have their romance in this small knit community. They have their drama and then they live happily ever after.

Conclusion:
Good

Cover
meh

Paperback, 400 pages
Published June 22nd 2010 by Mira (first published 2009)
Virgin River #6
Contemporary romance
'Own

Now nearly a full-fledged member of the Agency, the all-female detective unit operating out of Miss Scrimshaw's Academy for Girls, Mary Quinn is back for another action-packed adventure. Disguised as a poor apprentice builder and a boy, she must brave the grimy underbelly of Victorian London - as well as childhood fear, hunger, and constant want - to unmask the identity of a murderer. Assigned to monitor a building site on the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament, Mary earns the confidence of the work crew, inching ever nearer her suspect. But if an irresistible desire to help the city's needy doesn't distract her and jeopardize her cover, unexpectedly meeting up with an old friend - or flame - just might.

A suspenseful and evocative window into a fascinating moment in history, The Body at the Tower is the much-anticipated second outing with a daring young detective. 

My thoughts:

I did not read book 1, but I felt it worked anyway. I quickly got into the world, but of course when this guy showed up I did wonder what had happened between them in book 1.

BUT, I know they said she was not big, but still, how does a 17 year old get away pretending to be a 12 year old? See I never get that in books, mostly cos when I was 12 I could not have played a 12 year old boy. Damn, they were short, it took them to like 16 to get near me in height. And then there is the whole thing that something recognizes her and likes her and I was all euwww, she is dressed and pretends to be a 12 year old boy. I know you know she is a woman, but still, that is nasty. I could not get behind that budding maybe one day romance.

As for the book...Mary is part of an agency of spies (women), and she is on a case. Who killed this guy, wow, the road there was long and I did not really get how they found any evidence. It was all too sudden. The mystery part was lacking.

Conclusion;
But hey, it was still a good book. A bit of a mystery, spying, weird maybe romance...still on the fence about that. And not to mention a cool heroine. A light mystery.

Paperback, 344 pages
Published 2010 by Walker Books
The Agency #2
YA (historical mystery
Own