"Waiting for Nick" is the 5th instalment in the Stanislaski family series and it is great. As always, it is wonderful to revisit the characters who we came to love in earlier books.
In this story, Natasha and Spence's little Freddie is all grown up and heading out into the world. She moves to New York City with several goals, but most of all, she wants to get her man. Freddie has been in love with Nick, her Aunt Rachel's husband Zack's stepbrother, for most of her life. Unfortunately, Nick forever sees her as little cousin Freddie. Nick has overcome his rocky start in life and made a name for himself as a talented composer, but he still carries a chip on his shoulder because of his past mistakes. Freddie is determined to become Nick's partner, and write the lyrics for the music he composes. As Freddie puts her plan to win Nick's heart in motion, Nick finds it harder and harder to resist her advances. Nick and Freddie have a rocky relationship with all kinds of ups and downs, and Freddie's patience and determination are put to the test.
This is a lovely romance and a heart-warming story of making your dreams come true. Freddie and Nick are both complex and realistic characters and it is impossible not to love them. This is a relatively quick read, but it is still satisfying and worthwhile.

Nora Roberts is the queen of romantic sequels. I am a great fan of her many triologies. This book is no different. We already fall in love with young Freddie in earlier books of the Stanislaski family and we can't help but smile about her girlish crush to the trouble Nick. In this book Freddie gets her man. But the getting has to be smart since Nick seems to forever see her as a little girl. It is up to her to show him that she is a woman, and a woman whose been in love with him since she was a little girl. The love scenes are endearing and sweet and when they finally get together, you can't help but give a happy sigh for the love that bloomed from friendship and circumstances. I don't want to give it all away, but this is definitely a must read for all those Nora Roberts fans out there. Nora Roberts has a winner in this one~as always!

I actually found this book first and read it. I enjoyed it so much that I read the rest of the series. Freddie and Nick are probabily two of my all time favorite Nora Roberts charicters. They have a great dynamic throughout the story.

"Convincing Alex" was a cute book about one of the Stanislaski siblings. Alexi is tall, dark and handsome and a member of the Police force. Along comes Bess McKnee, little rich girl working on a new plot for her soap opera. She decides to use Alexi as her next mission. Alexi does not find Bess amusing at first, but soon warms up to her a lot. I can hardly wait to read the "Stanislaski Sisters."

Enjoyable early Nora Roberts about Laine Simmons who comes to Hawaii to meet her long-estranged father. Her father's business partner, Dillon O'Brian, is very protective of him and thinks Laine has only come to get money. Lovely island setting takes you away....
Excerpt from the back of the book:
"Laine Simmons had traveled to Hawaii to reconcile with her long-estranged father-only to be accused by his handsome young business of having ulterior motives. How dare Dillon O'Brian interfere in her family affairs..and have the nerve to set her heart aflame whever he came near?"

Short, but very sweet love story. Has a certain naivete that the later Nora Roberts novels lack. Very reminiscent of Ann Mather.

One or Ms. Robert's ealry one's. Laine flies to Hawaii after her mother's death to meet with her father, a man she hasn't seen since she was seven and has been led to believe didn't care about her. Meeting with Dillon, her Father's partner, is both informative and explosive. Good summer afternoon reading.

I like Nora Roberts ALOT.....she's one of my favorites...but this book didn't even make the cut for a good book. I'd say it was a decent read...but not up to snuff with her other more recent books. I guess when they say you get better with age is true!!!! Aurora is not a normal 28 yr. old women. She dabbles in the paranormal behavior....as does her mother, Clarissa.....and fights tooth and nail to keep herself away from David Brady. Needless to say....this was not a great read.

BATTLE LINES... Theatrical agent Aurora Fields kept her personal life strictly seperate from her professional one, but lines were crossed the moment she met David Brady. He had asked her client to participate in his documentary on paranormal phenomena. Aurora agreed, but stayed on hand to protect the woman from exploitation as fiercely as a mother tigress. Somehow David saw that Aurora's tough self-image was a little soft around the edges, and he was determined to dicover what she was trying to hide. He'd always considered himself a good judge of people, so why did each moment he spent with Aurora leave her as enigmatic-and enticing-as before?

As an avid fan of Nora Roberts, I am always thrilled when Silhouette reprints her older tales, and these three were a delight to read. It's fascinating to get a look at Nora's writing from early in her career and to see how much she has grown and evolved. Each of these books is short, sweet, and enjoyable, and any romance or Nora Roberts fan will likely agree.

"Blithe Images" is the oldest of the three and it lacks the maturity and flow of Nora's later work. It tells the story of Hillary Baxter a small town girl who has made it big as a fashion model in New York. And when the owner of the prestigious Mode magazine, Bret Bardoff, hires her to do an extensive layout, she tumbles headlong into love with him. But Hillary lacks the confidence of the sophisticated women in Bret's life, and feels that she will never be able to compete with them. She is oblivious to how alluring her innocence and enthusiasm truly are, although Bret most certainly is not. Will Hillary and Bret find a way to tell each other how they truly feel? Or will Hillary's doubts and Bret's interfering "friend" Charlene keep them from finding a lifetime of love in each other's arms?
This is a quick and fun little story that I really enjoyed, though the writing did tend to jump around in a bit of a disconcerting fashion. Despite this, I still had a great time reading "Blithe Images"

"From this Day" introduces BJ Clark, the manager of a cozy little Vermont Inn, and though it is only a year older than "Blithe Images" it shows a considerable improvement in Nora's style. BJ's Inn has recently changed ownership, and she is sure that Taylor Reynolds plans to destroy her perfect little haven and turn it into another of his fancy resorts. So when BJ meets Taylor, she is prepared to do battle. But what she isn't prepared for is the powerful attraction she feels towards him. Taylor and BJ are a wonderful pair and Nora tells the tale of their romance in a delightful fashion. BJ knows she has lost her heart to Taylor, but will he return her love and fulfill her every dream? Or will BJ lose both her inn and her one chance at happiness?
"From this Day" is a sweet and amusing tale that kept me captivated from start to finish. It's a lovely little gem that any Nora Roberts fan will not want to miss.

"Untamed" is the final book in this 3 pack and definitely my favourite. Jovilette Wilder is the Queen of the Jungle Cats in Prescott's Circus Colossus, and when the beloved owner of the circus dies, he leaves it to his estranged son. So when Keane Prescott, a successful Chicago attorney, arrives to inspect his new acquisition, Jovilette goes at him with her claws bared. And though Jo resents Keane, she can't deny the passion he awakens inside her or the pull he has on her heart. And despite her bravery in the ring with her lions, Jo is terrified of revealing the love she holds for Keane in her heart. Not wanting to be hurt and not knowing what Keane's plans are for the circus, Jo keeps her feelings to herself. And when Keane starts to distance himself from her, it looks like Jo is destined to live her life without the man she loves!
Nora has done a fabulous job in "Untamed" of creating a brilliantly vivid picture of this traveling circus and everyone in it. The romance between Keane and Jovilette is utterly enchanting and readers will undoubtedly find "Untamed" well worth the read!

Each of the books in this 3 pack is filled with the magic of Nora Roberts' writing, and early in her career or not, anything by Nora is sure to entertain and satisfy. "Blithe Images", "From this Day", and "Untamed" deliver exactly what they should, a light-hearted and fun-filled romantic journey that is sure to be enjoyed by all!

Fast-paced mystery romance about two rival newspaper reporters forced to work together on a murder case in Louisiana. Matthew Bates went to college with Laurel Armand's brother and fell in love with her picture. He accepts a job in New Orleans, hoping to get to know her and is assigned to work the same story as her.
Laurel is annoyed at having to share credit for the story and thinks that "yankee" Matthew is not her type. Of course, she soon learns otherwise and they solve the mystery together.
Excerpt from the back of the book:
"Long before he met her, Matthew Bates loved Laurel Armand. Working with her brought both pleasure and pain, because the sexy Southern belle kept him at a professional distance. Then the rival reporters were thrown together on a case of murder and madness-where much more than love was at stake."

Nora Roberts again tells an excellant story. The characters were well thought out and the plot was great.

"Jingle Bells, Wedding Bells" is a great read, containing 4 stories of Christmas wishes and true love. Each story is full of holiday cheer and is sure to lift your spirits any time of the year!

First is Nora Roberts' "All I Want for Christmas", my favorite story of the four. Zack and Zeke Taylor, twins just starting first grade, decide to ask Santa Claus for a mom this Christmas. Nell, the new high school music teacher in Taylor Grove seems to fit the bill. Luckily enough, Zeke and Zack's father, Mac, can't stop thinking about Nell. Nell and Mac's relationship is passionate and tender and full of ups and downs. This story is fabulous, and will surely please readers.

Next is "A Very Merry Step-Christmas" by Barbara Boswell and it is great! Natalie and Brian meet in detention for being late to school and soon discover their lives are remarkably similar. The two 14-year-olds each have a single parent and three younger siblings. The two schemers decide that Brian's dad, Police Chief Zack Ritter, and Natalie's mom, Claudia Nolan would be perfect for each other. When Claudia and Zack meet, the sparks immediately fly, but Zack refuses to date women with children, and that makes Claudia completely off limits. But fate keeps pulling them together and happiness is within reach, if only they can find the courage to take a risk! This is a lovely, uplifting tale, and my second favorite story in this anthology.

"Jack's Ornament" by Myrna Temte is an entertaining read. Jack Zorn's life is all about work on the Bar Z Ranch, until beautiful Elizabeth Davies-Smythe arrives to drop off his niece and nephew for a visit. Elizabeth gets snowed in for some time, and has a wonderful time flirting with the ruggedly handsome Jack. The longer Elizabeth stays, the more powerful her feelings for Jack become. Jack too begins falling in love, but he stubbornly believes that the glamorous Elizabeth could never be happy with a simple rancher like him. Will true love triumph? Or will Jack's inflexible views prevent him from finding happiness with Elizabeth?

Finally is "The Forever Gift" by Elizabeth August. Abigail Jones has been hiding from her past for years, and has finally settled in a tiny out of the way town called Blye's Stand. When she picks up a young hitchhiker on the way home, she soon discovers that the girl, Rose, is the niece of Abigail's sexy neighbour, Kane Courtland. Two years of avoiding each other is brought to an end for Kane and Abigail, as Rose befriends Abby. Abigail has a powerful reaction to Kane's presence, which she knows will only get her into trouble, but is incredibly hard to ignore. Kane and Abigail become cautious friends, but Abigail knows that before they can take their relationship any further, she must tell Kane about her dark past. Will Kane stand by Abigail? Or will he turn from her like all of her friends before him? This is a truly touching and enjoyable story.

Overall, this anthology is lots of fun. It contains 4 well-written stories that capture the magic of Christmas. This book is well worth the read if you can find it. Enjoy!

Mischief and mayhem ensue when the Taylor twins decide they want a mom for Christmas in NORA ROBERTS-ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS. And there are more merry complications when children plot to get thier single parents married in BARBARA BOSWELL'S-A VERY MERRY STEP-CHRISTMAS. For lonely rancher Jack Zorn, work always comes first-until he gets a hankerin' for marryin' sparkling Elizabeth Davies-Smith in MYRNA TEMTE'S-JACK'S ORNAMENT. And in ELIZABETH AUGEST'S-THE FOREVER GIFT the holidays can be hard when your alone like Abigail Jones. But Kane Courtland is about to give her the greatest gift of all-love.

fill the afternoon with a smile. as long as you dont expect that all of the books Ms. Roberts writes are a 5 starer, you will enjoy this one. i have yet to stop reading a book mid-way thru, so somethings good ::smile

FBI Agent Roman DeWinter comes undercover to the Whale Watch Inn to break up a counterfeiting and smuggling ring. One of his suspects is the inn's lovely owner, Charity Ford. He has to solve the case and clear Charity from all involvement before he can allow himself to fall in love with her. There is mystery and suspense as we figure out who the counterfeiters/smugglers are.
Excerpt from the back of the book:
"Secret agent Roman DeWinter came to the seaside inn with only the clothes on his back and a loaded .38 revolver. His orders: expose a criminal organization based at the vacation hideaway. His downfall: forsaking all reason for a few precious moments with the lovely innkeeper Charity Ford - his key suspect....."

Raven is a famous singer and Brandon is a charming musician. They'd once been in a relationship, but Brandon left. Raven assumed he'd left because she hadn't wanted to have sex with him, but that wasn't really the case. When Brandon comes back five years later, he wants to try to resume their relationship. Raven resists, but resistance becomes more difficult after they team up to come up with the score for a much anticipated musical. However, for their relationship to last this time around, Raven has to learn to share the more vulnerable side of herself with Brandon. Although I did enjoy this book as a quick read, with occaisional parts that made me smile, nothing about it really grabbed me. Brandon and Raven were both interesting, they weren't really characters that would stick around with me for a while. Also, I got tired of Raven's inability to share any of the really important parts of her life with Brandon. I don't see how she expected them to get into a serious relationship and stay that way without some sharing going on. Even with her lack of relationship experience, I still felt like she should've noticed that she was holding back things from him and not acted like every problem with their relationship was Brandon's fault. Although this isn't too bad a read, I would recommend picking up one of Nora Roberts' other works more - The MacGregor Grooms is good, as is The Stanislaski Brothers.

Early Nora Roberts novel with similar plot to "Waiting for Nick" in the Stanislaski series, which was superior. Good book, but been there, done that.
Excerpt from the back of the book:
"How dare Brandon Carstairs walk into Raven Williams life after all these years! The mesmerizing musician had broken her heart; now, he was back with a passionate proposal. Were the benefits of a musical collaboration worth the risks that a reunion could entail? Raven had graduated from the school of hard knocks-but would she ever be able to forget Brandon's lessons in loving?"

One of my favorite books by the great Nora Roberts. It was really interesting to see what would come out of their time apart and how they worked out their problems.

"Their songs and their passion would electrify a waiting world. Raven Williams was a singer who had an overwhelming need to love and be loved, and whose voice of rich velvet had catapulted her to fame. Brandon Castairs was a musician in whom the charming Irish dreamer warred with a practical British reserve. The music they made together was exciting, disturbing, erotic. Soon it would reach a dangerous crescendo."

Nora Robert is one of my favorite authors and I usually can't put her books down. The only thing that kept me reading this book was knowing that it is a Nora Roberts book and it would have to get better. It didn't.

The characters are unsympathetic and it's hard to care what happens to them.

Nora Roberts has used thieves as heroes in other books, but the characters are charming and its fiction, so it works. It didn't work in this book. Doug is a thief who often gambles away what he steals. There is nothing romantic about him. It was mentioned a few times that Doug would sometimes check into a hotel for a week and rob the other guests. Every time this was mentioned I couldn't help but think of the poor tourist who worked hard all year to go away for two weeks and relax. Then, his first day in a foreign country, his wallet is stolen with his cash, his credit cards, and his ATM card. He'll get his cards replaced, but they'll be waiting for him at home. Meanwhile, he's traveled across an ocean and has no means to do anything but sit in his hotel room and watch TV. I really tried to like the characters, but Doug just came off as cruel.

Whitney is shown, repeatedly, to be upset and concerned about the innocent people who get killed as she and Doug go after their treasure. However, she has no concern for Doug's victims - rather, she's impressed by what he does.

If this were my first Nora Roberts book, it would also be my last. I own most of her books and there are no others I actively disliked - and just two I was passive about (Hidden Star and Captive Star, I liked Secret Star).

Hot Ice-an adventurous, romantic, comedy that had me staying up all night to read. Nora Roberts wrote great romantic scenes like her other book Sancturary. Hot Ice made me laugh out loud many times because of the many sarcastic remarks. Hot Ice is definetly a page-turner that made me want to order more of her books!

"Hot Ice" by Nora Roberts is not half as bad as some of the reviews would lead you to believe. Though "Hot Ice" is certainly not one of Nora's best works, it is still a fun-filled, exciting, and romantic read that I had trouble putting down. So give this book a try, you may be pleasantly surprised.

Doug Lord is used to living his life on the run, due to his chosen profession - larceny. Doug is great at what he does, but it looks like his luck may be running out since he crossed a terrifying and some say omnipotent criminal named Dimitri. Injured and running for his life, Doug surprises New York heiress Whitney MacAllister when he leaps into her car, right before the bullets start flying. Tired of her sheltered and smotheringly boring life, Whitney decides to help Doug, at least for a little while, and see where it takes her. After losing the black sedan chasing them, Whitney brings Doug back to her apartment.

Doug knows money when he sees it, and he figures Whitney may just be his ticket to finding the treasure of a lifetime. Doug has in his possession the stolen documents that lead to a legendary hidden fortune dating back to the French Revolution. Whitney has the cash and the connections Doug needs, but the only way Whitney will agree to help Doug is if she becomes his partner. Doug never works with partners, having been burned one too many times, but he figures he can bring Whitney along until he has what he needs from her and then ditch her.

So Doug and Whitney's adventure begins. With Dimitri's hired muscle always right behind them, Doug and Whitney need to be smart and fast. Their dangerous encounters with Dimitri's men make for some wonderfully suspenseful scenes that will have readers on the edge of their seats.

The stolen documents lead Doug and Whitney to Madagascar, where their journey begins in earnest, but complications abound. Whitney doesn't trust Doug one little bit, and Doug surely doesn't trust Whitney. But as time passes, the ever present spark between them gets brighter and brighter, until it's nearly impossible to resist. Doug knows that letting himself fall for Whitney could very well cost him his big break, but in the end, his heart doesn't give him much choice. Whitney too finds herself falling in love, as she gets to know the intelligent, determined, perceptive, and funny man underneath Doug's sexy exterior. So as these two race through the exotic lands and rainforests of Madagascar with hired killers never more than a step behind, Whitney and Doug find a passionate love in each others arms that they never expected to find. But Doug knows a thief like him has no future with a classy lady like Whitney. Unfortunately, that's not the biggest problem on Doug's mind, because the dangerous game he and Whitney are playing may end up being fatal!

I thought Doug was a wonderful character. He was smart, handsome, intriguing and very real. Though Whitney's character sometimes grated on my nerves a bit with her occasional spoiled rich girl attitude and her annoying little account book, for the most part, I was able to overlook her flaws and see the sensitive and strong woman beneath. Whitney and Doug undeniably make a great team, and their amazing adventure kept me glued to the pages.

Overall, "Hot Ice" was a very enjoyable read. The story never stops, and is filled with thrilling suspense and red-hot romance. I am extremely glad I decided to take a chance and buy this book when I found it, because otherwise I would have missed out on some great entertainment. So don't believe everything you read, buy this book today and form an opinion for yourself, I most certainly did not regret it!