UNFINISHED BUSINESS



UNFINISHED BUSINESS                    JACK McCALLUM
    Posted:  Feb. 13, 2014

Unfinished Business by Jack McCallumOn and Off the Court with the 1990-91
Boston Celtics. For the Boston Celtics, the 1990-91 season started perfectly: Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish could do no wrong; the younger players, Dee Brown and Brian Shaw, played like veterans; and Chris Ford's innovative coaching seemed marked by genius. But as the season wore on, things began to unravel: McHale and Parish suffered injuries - and then Bird's back went. - In Unfinished Business Jack McCallum chronicles this crucial and exciting year in the history of one of the most successful sports franchises ever.


HUBBY'S REVIEW:
This is a book about the 1990 – 1991 Boston Celtics basket team. A look at how that season started out with so much promise but ended up with star players being hurt. During the second half of the season McHale, Parrish, and Bird were absent for multiple games and they could not overcome the loss of those players especially during the playoffs when they were looking for experience to help guide the younger players. Plus missing Birds clutch shooting because of a bad back added to the down fall as well. The author takes you behind the scenes of that season with a look at all the players and where they came from. He takes you through Chris Ford being hired as the coach for that year and a look at his life and his playing career. This is a good book sports book and you don’t have to be a Celtic fan to enjoy this story. I enjoyed reading about some of the lesser known players and how they made it to the pros. I also enjoyed the story on Chris Ford and his family, things that I did not know about it. I got this book from net galley.

A CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER

A CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER          SHALVIS, ASHLEY, RAMSASY,CANNON,PAPPANO
Posted:  Feb. 13, 2014

A Christmas to Remember by Jill Shalvis  Curl up with this heartwarming Christmas collection!

Jill Shalvis, Dream a Little Dream: Melissa has kept every man at a safe distance-especially firefighter Ian, a sexy friend with sexy benefits. But Ian secretly longs for more. Luckily, 'tis the season for giving love a chance . . .

Kristen Ashley, Every Year: Holidays don't come easy for Shy and his brother, Landon. But with the magic of Christmas, along with a little help from Tabby and her family, the Cage brothers are about to get the gift of a lifetime . . .

Hope Ramsay, Silent Night: Down on her luck and evicted from her apartment, single mother Maryanne hopes to start over in Last Chance. When the snow begins to fall, it looks like her baby might literally spend Christmas Eve in a manger. And Maryanne might celebrate the holiday with a handsome stranger.

Molly Cannon, Have Yourself a Messy Little Christmas: Lincoln is a bachelor who's set in his ways-until a professional organizer dressed up as Mrs. Claus changes his life, one tip at a time. . .

Marilyn Pappano, A Family for Christmas: War widow Ilena doesn't mind spending Christmas alone. But when a new doctor blows into town with the winter wind, will she get her secret Christmas wish?

Plus: Excerpts from upcoming novels!      (40,000 words)

HUBBY'S REVIEW:
A nice start of a group of romantic writers and some of their more recent stories. The Hope Ramsey one I had read the entire book already, so I can say with confidence that it is a good way to get to know some of her characters. The same way with Kristen Ashley, I had read the characters from “motoercycleman “so again I knew the characters. But these were good little stories to get started with. I got this book from net galley.

STORM FRONT

STORM FRONT                                         JOHN SANDFORD
Posted:  Feb. 13, 2014

Storm Front by John Sandford  The thrilling new novel in the #1 New York Times' bestselling series.

In Israel, a man clutching a backpack searches desperately for a boat. In Minnesota, Virgil Flowers gets a message from Lucas Davenport: You’re about to get a visitor. It’s an Israeli cop, and she’s tailing a man who’s smuggled out an extraordinary relic—an inscribed stone revealing startling details about the man known as King Solomon.

Wait a minute, laughs Virgil. Is this one of those Da Vinci Code deals? The secret scroll, the blockbuster revelation, the teams of murderous bad guys? Should I be boning up on my Bible verses?

He looks at the cop. She’s not laughing. As it turns out, there are very bad men chasing the relic, and they don’t care who’s in the way or what they have to do to get it. Maybe Virgil should start praying.

HUBBY'S REVIEW:
Storm Front is another Virgil Flowers book. This time while he is trying to catch a mother and her sons in a fraud of selling wood that they say is from an old barn which really is not. He receives a call from his boss about a stolen artifact from Israel. The man is supposed to be a professor from Minnesota. He is to meet with an Israeli women from their State and help her to get the item back. Not wanting to give up his first case he tries to work both cases. He is also interrupted by some members of the U.S. who also trying to find the professor before he sells the item. Then the lady (lack of a better term) that he is trying to get on the fraud case puts herself right in the middle of this one as well. This makes for a exciting finish for the book. I enjoyed reading this story very much and I have learned to like the character of Virgil Flowers. John Sanford did another good job with this story.

HEART AND SNOW

HEART AND SNOW                                      SUZAN BUTLER
Posted:  Feb. 13, 2014

Heart and Snow by Suzan/S.M. Butler  Star goalie Cody Baker has the life he’s always dreamed of since he was a child. Not only does he get to play hockey in the national league, he managed to marry the perfect woman to support his dream. But now his wife is pregnant, his long-absent father wants to reconnect, and just like that, Cody loses control of the game.

Babies are the furthest thing from Josephina Baker’s mind. Thanks to failed birth control, Jo’s perfect life is in tatters. Bye-bye overseas vacations. So long, wild, sheet-scorching nights after road trips. Adieu lovely evenings out with the girls. Hello, morning sickness, long sleepless nights, and dirty diapers.

Spending the holidays with family only strains their already stressed relationship. Their red-hot marriage is as cold as snow lately and only the fire in their hearts can thaw it out.

HUBBY'S REVIEW:
This story takes place in Texas and is about a young couple who has been married for 10 years and find themselves pregnant. Cody the hockey player and goalie for the team is at odds with himself because he feels he will not be a good father since his father was never around when he was growing up and like himself was a hockey player. His wife Jo is trying to give him the strength and courage he needs to overcome his fears while she is going through her own set of emotions. On top of all of that the team is making a push for the playoffs and she is planning a trip to her parents’ home. This is a good story with a lot of emotions and the author really gets to the pressure points of any young couple that is expecting their first child. Then you put family and friends on top of all of that and you have the makings of a really good story. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, having never read anything by her before I was happy with it. I got this book from net galley.

THE PLEASURE DIAL

THE PLEASURE DIAL                             JEREMY EDWARDS
Posted:  Feb. 13, 2014

The Pleasure Dial by Jeremy Edwards  The year is 1934, and amiable New York gag writer Artie Plask has taken the West Coast plunge. His first day on staff with a top radio show introduces him to the irresistible Mariel Fenton, a wit among wits who immediately takes an interest in all aspects of Artie's life-especially his private life. As Artie finds his feet in a world of blustering comedians, pan-sexual sex goddesses, timid screen legends, exhibitionistic scriptwriters, and self-infatuated geniuses, Mariel leads him on a zany journey up and down the pleasure dial-a giddy romp through Hollywood that's chock-full of airwaves showdowns, writing-room counter-plots, devious impersonations, naked meetings, and a sensuality-drenched assortment of erotic escapades.


HUBBY'S REVIEWS:
This story takes place in 1934 and a gag writer from New York Artie Plask, is offered a writing job in Hollywood with the top radio show. Once he arrives he finds himself in a home with other writers not in a building and a beautiful women swimming naked in the pool. Finding it difficult to concentrate. He also meets the top writer who also turns out to be a very attractive lady that he feels an attraction for. After a few meetings they begin a series of erotic escapades from their apartment to a train going to Santa Barbara and places in between. Somehow they do find time to write. After some time the show gets cancelled and Artie gets a new job back in New York he asks Mariel to come to New York with him and the writer not making you feel the she is really in love with Artie by her not saying anything to him at the last minute is rushing to the train station to catch Artie. The author does give you as the reader the feel of the 1930 with the radio show and trains stations. I got this book from net galley.

Talkin' Sports 7:30-8pm PST

Talkin’ Sports
With Pat


7:30-8 pm PST

Topics up tonight:

What should be the top story?
Alex Rodriquez

Band 1 yr. from baseball and a 25 million dollar fine.
Or
Derek Jeter
Retiring from the New York Yankees after this season?
50 of the tops models are crying their eyes out!


NBA All-Star Game

Interview Coming Friday: Lynnette Austin "Nearest Thing To Heaven"


 Are you as excited as we are?
Lynnette Austin
Here on Friday

7pm PST






NEAREST THING TO HEAVEN
Ty Rawlins, the widowed father of rambunctious triplets, is at odds with Sophie London when she returns to Maverick Junction at Thanksgiving for her cousin Annelise Montjoy's wedding to Cash Hardeman. Chicago is home, where she runs Starlight Productions, her greeting card company. Sophie is a fish out of water in Texas. The cows freak her out. The long-horned steers are nightmare material. But Ty's triplets, one of whom spilled cherry soda on her white silk lap at Cash's barbecue, are enough to make her run all the way back to Illinois in her Jimmy Choos. What will it take for Ty to convince Sophie that Maverick Junction is where she belongs, right beside him and his boys?



Tomorrow I talk to Lynnette about the questions I wanted answered most.  I hope they are some you want to know too about Maggie & Brawley?



CAN'T STOP LOVIN' YOU                       LYNNETTE AUSTIN
Posted:  Feb. 11, 2014

Can't Stop Lovin' You by Lynnette AustinShe's the only dream he wants . . . Hometown girl Maggie Sullivan can't wait to get out of Maverick Junction. Designing the wedding gown of the year for her friend-and America's Favorite Heiress-is the break Maggie's been waiting for. But her lifelong dream takes an unexpected turn when she runs into her high school sweetheart-now the town's hotter-than-hot veterinarian. Brawley Odell, country right down to the tips of his cowboy boots, has returned to take over the local animal doctor's practice. But the real reason he's in town is that he's never stopped thinking about the fiery green-eyed beauty who once captured his heart . . .

MY REVIEW:
   Brawley Odell thought he was giving her the world but all he was giving her was a lifetime of hurt, by cutting her loose her senior.  You see Maggie Sullivan and he were boyfriend and girlfriend since Jr. High.  He, Cash and Maggie were also grade school friends so she was always there and he thought she always would be.  But he thought wrong.
     Then came time for him to leave for college and she was a senior in high school. They knew they could make it work him coming home on weekends.  He came home to her one weekend and holidays for as long as he could until this one weekend when he called and said he would come on a Friday night instead.  She prepared and when he got there he didn’t even come in.  At the door he broke up with her, telling her that it was for the best and that his mind was made up.  No amount of talking was going to change his mind and no questions asked his way and no other way about.  Done and over.
     Maggie was a basket case.  Her parents were gone for three days thank goodness so she was able to just cry her eyes out that day.  Cash came over to help her cry it out and get her to eat.  Brawley of all people called her.  She was devastated to say the least.  She cried her tears, hardened her heart, and opened her clothing & design store.  She never went on to design school but she never gave up her dreams of going to New York City.  Brawley on the other hand went on to Dallas after college worked as a Vet for the rich and pampered.  Then comes home once Doc retires and a Vet is need back home.  He didn’t want to push his mentor out.  Plus he really wanted to try and win Maggie back he missed her.
     At this point my thought was really dude?  You dump this chick, you don’t give her a reason, and you don’t come back after college not even after a reasonable amount of time for her to have finished college.  She sees and knows you dated a Dallas cheerleader and such.  You think you can just swoop in?  I don’t think so, I was partly right, Maggie was no push over.  When Cash’s wife Annie wears one of her beautiful dresses she created she was able to begin her dreams of going to New York just a month after Brawley got home.        I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.  The sexual tension, the bantering, friendships, the family saga and country spirit make so worth the read.  But the emotional conflict between Maggie and Brawley and the secret that is between them and once they have to face it on top of the death of a good friend is just heart wrenching.  My only regret is that there was not prologue that was there with all the characters telling you who was who so that people like me who was new to the series knew what was happening with references were made at certain points.

5 stars for sure.  Provided by netgalley.

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