Carol Lynne - and my catch up week (or two)

Okay I admit it, I'm terrible at keeping up with some of my favourite authors!  Partly because there are so many of them, but also because, while I do read - a lot and often - my day never has enough hours to do as much reading as I'd like.  Oh say about 15 hours a day; straight reading time... uh, maybe I should rephrase that 'cause a LOT of my reading is not straight. *grin*

Anyway.....

Yeah, I've had the last four books in Carol Lynne's Men in Love series in my TBR for months.  The last time I did a CL catchup was... uh, last fall? That'd be 2009... I'm hoping it wasn't the summer 'cause then it's just been way too long since I sat down and read any CL... and my TBR still has a few of her books - all newer series - sitting there just waiting to get my attention.

So yes; my catchup on the Men in Love then the Bodyguards in Love series as well as the three latest Cattle Valley tales is complete....  Indulgence? You bet, but soooo worth it!

Oh and I was sure that I hadn't yet read Ms. Lynne's Stepping Stones only to pull it up; and while I had read it, it was just too good not to spend a while with Declan and Donovan... oh and Mark.  I cannot forget about Mark!

So my list, with mini-reviews, is as follows:

• Stepping Stones - Heartbreaking to begin with, followed by hot and ultra-sexy man-lovin' and a romance that will melt the hardest heart!
• Arm Candy (CV14) - Finally getting to really know Mario and Asa was a luscious treat.. and oh my, I do love the men from Cattle Valley!

• Recipe for Love (CV15) - I really didn't see how Jay and Erico would ever come together, but once again Carol Lynne displays her storytelling mastery!  And may I say... I LOVE JAY!!!!
  <<<<  I absolutely fell in love with Jay; first here and then in the book. What a sexy & amazing man!
  
  
  
  
• Firehouse Heat (CV16) - Leo and Sammy; definitely a hot couple!  And their story was touching... and now I have to wait?  I need Zac and Jakob's story AND Neil and Ben's... soon please!!?
• Riding the Wolf - Day and Eli... werewolves are absolutely scrumptious and the story for these two men is awesome.  Definitely a book to re-read!
• Open to Possibilities (MiL3) - I do so love a good ménage, and Gabe, Rex and Boone are a wonderful and totally sexy trio.  Oh and the story around these three? Stellar!
• Closing the Circle (MiL4) - I really didn't see this coming... uh, no pun intended.  But WoW!  Good thing I like ANY kind of romance - m/m, m/f, m/m/f, m/f/m, m/m/m, m/m/m/f, m/f/m/f/m and any and all combinations thereof.  Still having hot flashes... and NO! I'm not at that time of life quite yet, thankyouverymuch.  But really? Jake, Cree and Jenny with Remy and Cory? HOLY CATS people!
• Going Against Orders (MiL5) - Oh my I thought my heart was going to break... good thing that I know Carol Lynne knows how to write beautiful romance. Mac and Nicco were apart for far too long... but I think they just needed to have Amir to make them complete.  *Smokin' babe, totally smokin'!*
• Tortured Souls (MiL6) - Bram and Declan? Wow, these two sure fought it, but it all worked out... but honestly? Bram, Thorn and Brier went through total hell... it's about time that Bram had some loving in his life... and Declan is just the man for him!
• Reunion (MiL7) - Okay, I really jumped the gun with this one.... I actually bought Reunion first, then discovered that it was seventh in a series.  Can you say 'quick trip to the bookstore?' And oh it was soooo good reconnecting... but of course I had just been with all the characters so it was a great continuation.  And an excellent segue into Carol Lynne's Bodyguards in Love series.
• Brier's Bargain (BiL1) - Brier's story is second only to Bram's for inherent heartbreak, but it's also, in many ways, a gentler or perhaps 'happier' story overall.  Brier and his Jackie are an amazing duo and they're perfect for each other.  Brier definitely has my heart.

• Taming Black Dog Four (BiL2) - OMG!  I really could not get enough of Jack, Lobo, Carlo and Renaldo.  These four are not just hot enough to sear the pages, they're enough to make my heart to go into palpitations! These men have gone through hell and it's so freakin' beautiful watching them find their way back together.  This is just as sexy and I expected it to be... what really surprised me was the strength of the emotions involved.  I also really enjoyed the secondary romances... heartbreak there too, but all works out in the end. 
• Seb's Surrender (BiL3) - Until his story with Jared, Seb was more of a background character, more so than any of the other men in the series.  But Jared is the pnly one who could breach Seb's walls.  And Jared.... My heavens what the man went through... but to see him finally - or for the first time ever - find himself and to actually be able to see himself as a worthwhile person is testament to the power of love.
• I Love Rock 'n' Roll' (BiL4) - Okay I lied... I guess Seb wasn't quite the most background character; Archer definitely fills the bill there.  But he sure as heck makes a big impact with Kiefer / Jimmy!  I hope that we get to see more of these two in books to come... 'cause they're dynamite together!

• Feels so Right - This is Austin and Tony's story and yes, while everything happened between the two of them extraordinarily fast, it was also hot as all get out... love these two together!
  I love this cover... very sexy.   >>>>>
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Sex With Lex - same...