With the family Texas radio station chain in jeopardy due to her father's failing health, Kyra Cartwright will sacrifice her life to save the empire. This is nothing new to Kyra who has given up her wants and desires for that of her father and brother ever since her mom died when she was ten. Now, Kyra plans to marry wealthy media mogul Harold Stovall though she does not love him. However, before her final sacrifice, Kyra comes to the Florida Keys to live her life long fantasy at Fantasy, Inc.

Retired on a disability, former firefighter Anthony Michael Moretti's wants to escape, albeit even for a short time, from his feelings of hopeless helplessness. To do so he comes to Fantasy, Inc. Every evening, Michael wears a mask so that he can perform daring rescues, especially concentrating on saving Kyra. She finds herself liking Tony, but desiring Michael but knowing that Harold is her final destiny in spite of falling in love with "two men".

The third book of the Fantasies, Inc. series, INTIMATE FANTASY, is simply fantastic. The story line is entertaining and loaded with romance and dilemmas. The characters seem genuine and readers root for Anthony-Michael and Kyra to ride off into the sunset together. Julie Kenner keeps the quality bar high and places the pressure for book four squarely on the capable shoulders of Janelle Denison.

Harriet Klausner

In an effort to save her family's business, Kyra Cartright has decided to accept a proposal of marriage to a business acquaintance for whom she has feelings but not of the toe-tingling variety. Before she tells him "Yes," she decides to indulge in one final breakaway weekend on Intimate Fantasy Island--never realizing that her wildest fantasies were about to change her life forever.

Tony Moretti made his livelihood saving other peoples' lives. But in the space of one afternoon, he lost not only his life's work, but also his health and self-confidence. Scarred and in pain, he accepts his friend's offer of R&R at Intimate Fantasy island before settling down to life without the thrills he'd become used to. By day, he lounged around the pool, but by night he morphed into the mysterious Michael, an unidentified man who traveled in the shadows and rescued those who had gotten into trouble. And one of those is Kyra.

Kyra finds reality far better than her fantasy in the arms of Michael, a man with masterful bedroom skills. And by day, she finds a wonderful friend in Tony, a man whose scars are overlooked in favor of that special 'something' about him that draws her closer and closer.

Afraid the truth will ruin all he's accomplished so far, Tony holds back and doesn't tell Kyra of his alter ego. A boating excursion turns deadly, prompting questions and revelations and, for Tony, the point where he must decide to risk it all and tell Kyra the truth.

Julie Kenner creates a tender and passionate love story with two very real people, each faced with life-altering events, in a story line that is both credible and heart tugging. My heart melted for Tony, whose life of a firefighter has gone from the heroic to the mundane as he contemplates a desk job and can't quite handle it. Kyra is just what he needed to gain back his self-confidence and zest for life. She saw past the scars and the pain to the real man inside. A man who *does* make her toes curl!

This is part of the Fantasies, Inc. continuity series, and it's a winner! The hero, Tony, is at once both vulnerable and strong. After a debilitating injury, he wants to return to the role of a hero (he was a firefighter), and goes to Fantasies, Inc, to be able to be a hero once more. At night he's in disguise, the dashing rescuer of the island, and the man of Kyra's fantasies.

Watch out for this one. It's a hot read!!!

Loved the storyline. Loved the characters. I hope she follows up with another book - maybe one with Carl as the main character so we can visit in on how Garret and Rachel turn out.

Readers who enjoyed NOBODY DOES IT BETTER will delight in this new romance by author Julie Kenner. The same warm, flowing style and light hearted humor that marks this wonderful author's prose shines through with dazzling intensity in RECKLESS.

For ten years Rachel has built a new life creating an image of strength and powerful sexuality. The mask had become to convincing, in fact, that she even fooled herself into believing the Belinda Rachel of her childhood bad been banished forever. Now she plans to attend her high school reunion to taunt, tease and leaving hanging the three men she blames most for her miserable childhood. She left her small town of Braemer a fat, shy girl. She returns a svelte sex kitten. Those who were responsible for voting her "Most Likely to Die a Virgin" would be panting for her attention.

In her new life in New York, Rachel always maintained the upper hand, never letting anyone too close. Typically, when a man started to get even remotely close, she dumped him. The one man she dated for a month soon say through her tough veneer and quickly departed rather than live with the vulnerability beneath her exterior. Therefore, she was ill prepared for her reaction to the charismatic, sexy man who rescues her at the side of road.

Garrett was immediately enamoured with the beautiful woman standing over the wounded black lab at the side of the road. Amazed by her resourcefulness, Garrett admired the way she used her pantyhose as an emergency bandage, and quickly put his veterinarian skills to work helping with the hurt dog. When Rachel mistakes him for her high school nemesis, Garrett doesn't volunteer that he's not Carl, but Carl's elder brother. The dazzling woman before him conceals vulnerability that touches his heart, and from the first moment he sees her, Garrett determines to make her a part of his life. Even if he has to help her with her plans of revenge.

RECKLESS will delight romance lovers with his enticing plot and vivid characterization. Kenner has a knack for creating characters that really pull the reader into the story. Walking a bit on the wild side, RECKLESS combines the wanton and the wild with the vulnerable and the shy to create a remarkable tale of love. RECKLESS is very highly recommened!

Julie Kenner has done it again! A fabulous book that will leave you wanting more from this up and coming romance author. With a dynamite hero and heroine and a supporting cast you can cheer for, RECKLESS, satisfies on all levels. This is one romance you don't want to miss.

Kenner's book is an excellent narrative which chronicles the actual experiences of the buffalo soldiers and the white officers who served with them. The book is a pleasure to read because it goes beyond the dates and battles, opting instead to recreate their foibles and shortcomings as well as their valor and heroism. It takes a true historian to give the rest of us glimpses into such humanity.

Kenner's book is an excellent narrative which chronicles the actual experiences of the buffalo soldiers and the white officers who served with them. The book is a pleasure to read because it goes beyond the dates and battles, opting instead to recreate their foibles and shortcomings as well as their valor and heroism. It takes a true historian to give the rest of us glimpses into such humanity.

This is an incredible social history placed on the backdrop of the west. When most people think of racial issues in the American west, they think about White settlers vs. Indians on the warpath. Dr. Kenner's book presents a different picture of the West. His book focuses on the world of white calvary officers and their "colored" soldiers. Dr. Kenner talks about issues from the fighting skill of these often forgotten African-American soldiers to interracial dating to homosexuality. This is an incredible story, that no serious historian of the west should ignore.

favorite scene with lisa-
finally realizing with greg that ken means more to her than her job.

favorite scene with ken-
making a deal with alicia about the pics.

together-
lisa comes back to ken for good.

Julie Kenner is a great writer - I have enjoyed all of her books so far. This is no exception.... I loved the characters. I am hoping that maybe she writes a book about the chef Tim so that we can see how Lisa and Ken are doing...

Ken Harper's talent and ambition matched Lisa Neal perfectly, making him irresistible. Unfortunately, it was her own ambition that cost LIsa the sexy restaurateur, leading her to New York for the opportunity of a lifetime. She'd worked her tail off for years for an opportunity to become a player in the Hollywood scene, and when one of the country's hottest independent producers offers her a job, she immediately leaves LA and Ken behind. Too bad the hot producer found more satisfaction in snorting the drugs investor's money could buy than he did in making movies. And too bad Lisa's name was linked in the scandal. Now she's returning to the City of Angels with a promise of return to the world of film if she can convince Ken to help.

Ken's restaurant Oxygen continues to succeed. Not bad for a college drop-out from Blanco, Texas. His semi-celebrity status doesn't please him, but can't be avoided, even when it brings women like Alicia Duncan. Alicia wants an interview with Ken at Oxygen and will do anything to get it. Ken refuses to diminish the mystique of the restaurant with testimonials, personal appearances, or commercials. So when Lisa returns to town and convinces Ken to let her use Oxygen for a film site, Alicia wants to know why.

Every year Oxygen's anniversary reminds Ken of the loss of the love of his life. At the restaurant's opening he had an engagement ring in his pocket, believing Lisa felt the same way he did. Instead, she was gone to New York two days later with another man. "Hit-and-run dating", as his best friend calls it, wasn't making him happy. Maybe if he helps her, Ken can finally get on with his life. So he agrees to let Lisa use Oxygen, for a price. Ken had been waiting to marry Lisa before he made love to her. Now he wants Lisa not just for sex but decadence, "A wild time the likes of which we never got to have before." But the question remains if a night of sin and sex will be enough to satisfy them both.

Author Julie Kenner once again delivers a romance that turns up the heat! With the ambiance of Los Angeles for her background, LA CONFIDENTIAL is a sexy, dazzling romp. The single-mindedness of the heroine's decision to pursue her career goals never threats the hero's success, nor does she back away from her goals for love. Indeed, this reviewer is very impressed with the successful conclusion that never comprises the strength of these wonderful characters. In addition, Ken's best friend who happens to tend bar at Oxygen is a hoot! His knowledge of women's magazines gives the novel a touch of verve that is irresistible. LA CONFIDENTIAL has been added to the keeper shelf. Very highly recommended.

Medicine, whether conventional, homeopathic, or herbal, as it is practiced in America follows mainly a cause-and-effect approach. It seeks THE REMEDY that will cure the disease. Instead, Botanical Medicine teaches us wisely that disease is the result of a complex set of factors: metabolic terrain, lifestyle, social and physical environment, and psychological structure. The treatment of major diseases or minor disorders requires a combination of remedies, but each set should be individualized according to the person's constitution. My survival (I am now 72) is based on my studies of homeopathic and herbal medicine since I was in my 20s. This book was the latest and the most efficient contribution to this survival process. I expect that Requena and Kenner will soon update it to introduce herbs whose healing powers have been recently found in the advanced industrialized countries, although they were known since long to indigenous people in different parts of the world.

This wonderful book takes us into the world of European aromatherapy, or phytotherapy, as it relates to all the systems of the body. I especially like the unexpected blending of Chinese and European traditions of healing and how the essential oils play a crucial role in health. This is a great book for the more serious practitioners of aromatherapy as it is full of chemistry and medical terms. Laypeople will enjoy the in-depth descriptions of the herbs.

This is a fine wicked knowledgeable book, and entirely readable, especially the beginning, which can be read aloud straight through without losing you your audience.

I first met =A Colder Eye= when I was one of the editors of a literary criticism reference series. We were proceeding alphabetically, which meant that when we hit "O" we got half the Irish writers in one go, also alphabetic near neighbors like Mary Lavin. I found =A Colder Eye= on the shelf at Columbia University's main library, and went flipping through its index to see whether it had substantial sections on the authors I was researching. What I found was that all its index listings for authors had epithets attached: "O'Casey, Sean," it said, "ventriloquist."

"?", I thought, and checked another.

"O'Nolan, Brian," it said, "logician."

"Right," said I, and put the book on my small and extremely selective "books to be checked out" stack. As I knew only too well after reading several small mountain ranges of literary criticism and rejecting most of it, a critic who can joke about his subject, and get it right, is to be cherished. Hugh Kenner knows his stuff.

(It's one of the two great funny indices in English literature, the other being of course the index to =The Spotted Owl=; but leave that for another day.)

You would be well rewarded for buying =A Colder Eye= in hardcover if you did nothing more than read the part about the charming unreliability of Irish recollections; and allow me to say that the ghost of Brian O'Nolan should be both ashamed and proud of himself for perpetrating the interview with James Joyce Senior.

There's nothing else so good on its subject as this book. Enough. Go buy it now.

(And if you like it? Hunt up a copy of Walter Bryan's (that is, Walt Willis's) =The Improbable Irish=. If you like both, you may need to acquaint yourself with the works of Brian O'Nolan. But start with Hugh Kenner.)

A deliciously funny and engaging look at the personalities and history behind Irish literature in a tumultuous time. The care and humor with which Kenner treats the subject of Yeats is just beautiful. Several times I laughed out loud while reading it on public mass transit, much to the dismay and confusion of my fellow riders, but I just couldn't help it. I can hardly wait to read Kenner's other works (and I wish I'd discovered him a long time ago).

I've read a couple of reviews that already give the gist of the story so I'll just give my opinion. I found Aphrodite's Passion so much better than Aphrodite's Kiss, the prequel. This is one of the few books that the heroine isn't an idiot. Which is a rare find these days. However, the hero, Hale, isn't my favorite type, hence the 4 star rating. I can't write what my problem with him is unless I give away too much so let's just say he's a really good hero but not great:)

If you're bored with the same old thing, I recommend buying this book.

I'm pretty picky when it comes to actually buying a book. That's why I love Amazon so much... the readers' and critics' reviews are invaluable. So I surprised myself when I grabbed this book off the display in front of the register in a bookstore and bought it after reading only the synopsis.

What a wonderful surprise!!

The Julie Kenner has an acute sense of humor and weaves a story full of fun, adventure and romance. The tongue in cheek writing is about a real superhero (actually a decendent of the Greek "gods" and protector of mortals) who's "cover" is to be a romance novel cover model, and who falls hard for a mortal. Tracy, the mortal he falls for just can't figure out why everything in the romance department was going horrendeously wrong and suddenly is now going in the exact opposite direction (and with more than just Hale, the superhero).

My only regret is that I didn't realize that this is the sequel to "Aphrodite's Kiss." There are some spoilers in Aphrodite's Passion with regard to the first book.

This book was even better than Aphrodite's Kiss. I hope she follows up with Mordi's story. I really don't want to give up all the characters yet. I wish I had a great group of friends like that!

I should say that I'm only 200 pages into this book, but I simply wanted to relate how steady it has been to now in its blend of chronicle, elucidation, and detail. Particularly impressive is how Kenner uses an often very dense (Jamesian, Pound-ish) style of commentary to achieve this. I glanced through a copy of his selected essays ('Historical Fictions') and was disappointed to see that in them it often fell flat, whereas here it flows. Strong works of criticism often seem to fail with first intrusion of any flourishings of "style". I think that part of the revelation of Eliot the critic was his careful push away from a certain weightiness of thought while retaining depth and the critic's persona (which until then might have been all the rage, but for Eliot must have been a conscious decision, and is all the better for it in contrast with many of the zigzagging claims and stances that have come in the interim since). In critique it is the thinking that counts.

Pound oozes style, but his thought is what breaks the waves.

There is a sentence that one doesn't know what to do with. Does it express what it should? It is mine and I would say it needs to be modified. This is a 500 page book and it has had lapses so far. But like Pound's poetics, the stretching into the peripherals of Kenner's way of writing wins dividends and he wanders into prose critical summations complete with all the strength of good poetry.

The "Era" of the title tells you that this is also a book of people and the events around them, and Kenner paints the literary picture in continuously brief and slightly worn strokes. Here he can sometimes get a little misty, perhaps even dewy. A wide range of references will tend to rush away from the events given the slightest notice. But this is Pound's era, and how else are we to see the man? I shall read on and discover.

This is an impressive read. I came to it at just the right time in my life. I had been reading the poems of Marianne Moore and Buckminster Fuller as well as studying Ancient Greek. This is a dense but ultimately very rewarding book. It incorporates passages of troubadour lyric and Greek and name-drops a lot of historical characters with which you may or may not be familiar. For those interested in Pound and his times, I highly recommend it. For those unsure, check out the excerpts that Amazon provides. This is not everyone's cup of tea. But, as I said, I came to this at the right time in my life.

Would that we all had "readers" as sympathetic as Kenner is to Pound. I've returned to this book and learned something new each time. Its importance cannot be underestimated. Simply amazing.

A footnote: The Fine Arts Museum at the Legion of Honor here in SF had a few years ago an exhibit of Modern Sculpture, including the Hierartic Head. It was the highlight of the year.

This is a must read if you like Julie Kenner... She is a great talent.

Julie Kenner's NOBODY DOES IT BETTER provides a sexy read that includes the outrageous and the humorous. This light and quick novel will leave the reader hungering for more from this author's pen.

Within twenty-four hours, Paris Sommer's plan goes right down the drain. She had it all figured out. Write a couple more testosterone-laden adventures under her pen name, pad her bank account, and then write the great American novel that academia and her father would be proud of. Somewhere in the mix she would find a nice husband, have a couple of kids and live in a house in the suburbs. And it looked like her plan was going to work; that is, until the hero of her fiction walked through the door.

Devin O'Malley, owner of a local pub and son of a con artist, couldn't help overhearing Paris and Rachel's conversation. If Paris needed Montgomery Alexander to walk into a party thrown in his honor, then that's what would happen. A little hair dye, a change of clothes and a quick study of her previous novels, and Devin transforms himself into the supposed author. But he hadn't counted on a three-week stint of imitating the fictional author, nor had he figured out where he's going to get $20,000 to keep the mob from doing horrible things to his father. But what's the mob compared to his wild attraction and desperate longing for Paris?

This sexy, funny tale will leave the reader in stitches. Julie Kenner is a rising star with romance, and bears watching. Her indomitable style, mischievous romantic streak, and quick moving plots are wonderful entertainment. As a reviewer, I've already had a sneak peak at her next book THE CAT'S FANCY, due out in August. Both NOBODY DOES IT BETTER and THE CAT'S FANCY are not to be missed!

I read a lot of Harlequin Temptations. I always find them cute and funny and sexy. I have a few favorite Temptation authors, ones who really understand dishing up a romantic fantasy, steamy style. Julie Kenner does this well! Devin is yummy, to-die-for and clever. He knows how to keep Paris (the heroine) and the readers teased and breathless. I found myself turning the pages just to see what this outrageous duo would do next. Kenner has such a wry, engaging way with words. I laughed out loud quite a few times. I'm sure hoping for more from Julie Kenner. Really, no one does Temptation better!

Like all Protectors, Jason Murphy has special abilities that enable him to communicate with sea creatures and turn into a were-dolphin. However, unlike his peers, Jason has an evil father Hieronymous to contend with. His odious dad imprisoned Jason for six years causing him to miss the birth of his son Davy to the human Lane Kent. In turn this also left him subject to being declared an Outcast by the Venerate Council of Protectors for violating the required registration of half-breed births.

Hieronymous has plans to kidnap his half-breed grandson so he can steal the child's superior intelligence and become the smartest evilest dude in the world. Jason wants to win back the trust of the only woman he ever loved, but never bothered to tell Lane about his species. Even more important he must keep his son safe from his own father.

The lead couple is a delightful star-crossed pair, who clearly cherishes one another yet cannot trust each other. Hieronymous is kind of cartoonish as a villain, yet that adds to the pleasure of the tale. The other Protectors come across pathetic wasting time arguing over whether their peer Jason is a risk due to his gene pool to the point that the reader will scream at them to stop squabbling and take on the villain all ready. Perhaps nobody but Julie Kenner could take a farfetched tale even by fantasy standards and turn it into an amusing escapist novel.

Harriet Klausner

This book was great it had everything that I really enjoy in a Romance novel!! I have read alot of Julie Kenner yet,this was one of her better ones. The good characters and a strong plot was a good twist to the story!!! My main issue with this book was that it went slow at the beginnning yet at the end it picked up and started to take off in a very good way! you should read this and try it for yourself

Jason is finally free to return to real life and reunite with the woman he loves and had to leave seven years ago, in the process, he will get to meet his son, Davy, at last. Of course, it won't be as easy as all that.

First off, as far as Davy's mom, Lane Kent is concerned, Jason abandoned her when she was pregnant. She may still love him, but the hurt is great, and she is ready to get on with her life, in the form of trying to find another man to be her love and Davy's father.

Then, there is the fact that Jason's evil father wants to kidnap the boy before he turns seven. This is the man who kept Jason and Lane apart for all that time. You see, Jason is not just a man, nor is his father or his son.

Jason is a Protector, a super hero, and his father is the most evil of all the Protectors' enemies, an Outcast. If the evil Hieronomous can capture Davy, he can drain the boy's powers just as he turns seven and actualizes them completely. Lane knows nothing about all this, until Hieronomous sends his other son, Mord, to kidnap Davy. Once that is accomplished, Lane, Jason, and other Protectors readers have grown to love, including a certain ferret, must rescue him. Hopefully, there will be time for Jason to reignite Lane's love, but that has to be secondary to finding Davy. Hieronomous must not become any more powerful.

***** As always, Julie Kenner can be counted upon to deliver a fun book, something most of us can really use along about now. Though lighter than SILENT CONFESSIONS, it still has powerful, intense love scenes. Lane may not be a heroine, but she is not a force to be lightly taken, and Jason is as charming as the dolphin he can become. I hope that this is not the last in the series, and that maybe the mysterious Mordecai gets his own story in the near future. *****

Reviewed by Amanda Killgore.