Waiting on Wednesdays is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, featuring upcoming releases we’re eagerly anticipating.

Oh, Charlie, it’s been so long. Nearly four years. I’ve even bumped your WoW post to the top of the list. Maybe I should’ve waited until there was a better book blurb, but I was too excited. I’ve been patiently waiting for both your cover and your blub to be announced — I took the chance and looked for them on Amazon this past weekend. And there you were! January can’t come soon enough.

A Warrior's Desire (Pamela Palmer)

Title: A Warrior’s Desire
Author: Pamela Palmer
Release Date: January 24, 2012 (Harlequin)
ISBN: 978-0-373-61877-4
Series: The Esri #3
Genre: Paranormal Romance

From Author’s Website: Ex-Navy SEAL Charlie Rand embarks on the most dangerous mission of his career when he dives through the gate into Esria to try to rescue the only person who knows how to seal the gates, the Esrian princess, Ilaria. But it’s his guide and companion, Tarrys, who turns out to be the true revelation. And who ultimately poses the greatest threat of all. To his heart.

What book are you eagerly waiting for?

Note: Due to the excessive amount of spam, I’ve added a password plugin. Please don’t let that discourage you from commenting.

The meme is hosted by Reading at the Beach.

The rules are very simple: spotlight a book written by an author whose first or last name begins with the featured letter. Include the book cover, title and author, a synopsis, and link(s) to retailer(s). If it’s a book you’ve already reviewed, link to the review. Return to Reading at the Beach and leave a link in the comments.

This week’s letter is: P

This week pick: Pamela Palmer — The Dark Gate

The Dark Gate (Pamela Palmer)

From the back: Larsen Vale has a secret: she sees things. Terrible things. Deadly things. And her latest vision features a strange albino man. . . and her own death. Haunted and afraid, she trusts no one, not even the handsome cop who seems fascinated with her. Washington, D.C. detective Jack Hallihan has one mission: find the man who is assaulting young woman. But the police have no clues, no leads and no witnesses. And Jack has a deadly secret of his own — a secret Larsen holds the key to. Time is running out. If Larsen and Jack can’t learn to trust their attraction to each other, the Gate will be opened — and the world will be forever changed…(Read my review here).

Comment: This is the first book in a Nocturne series that I love! The second book, Dark Deceiver, came out in 2008. I’ve been waiting oh-so-patiently for the last two books, which hopefully will be in 2011.

Note: The link below is to Fantastic Fiction, which has a variety of purchase options (including on-line secondary markets) for the US and UK.

The Dark Gate (Pamela Palmer) at Fantastic Fiction.

This should surprise no one:

Magic Strikes

Nor this one. Oooo. Another purple cover…

Dark Crusade

Another book by the same author as above:

Amazon Ink

The next two are by the same author (Pamela Palmer). Anxiously waiting to hear when Book 3 in The Esri will be released:

Desire Untamed

Sapphire Dream

Nalini Singh’s new series:

Angels' Blood

These I’ll order directly from Harlequin:

The Whispering Room

Silent on the Moor

Midnight Cravings

Dark Deceiver

Author: Pamela Palmer
Copyright: 2008 (Harlequin); pgs. 276
Series: Silhouette Nocturne #42; The Esri #2
Sensuality: Warm

Who: Autumn McGinn and Kaderil the Dark

Summary: He is the most feared immortal in Esria. . .And now Kaderil the Dark plans to invade the human realm. He’s on a mission to steal back the stones of power that they possess, and kill a small band of humans immune to Esri enchantment. But in the human realm he meets Autumn McGinn, who holds the means for him to claim victory — if only she’ll betray her people. Something about this vibrant beauty’s sweetness and gentle kindness moves him, and though Kade vows to stay away, he must protect her from other Esri hell-bent on destroying the human race. Torn between duty and conscience, can Kade overcome his sinister desires — or will he find redemption in Autumn’s vibrant embrace.

Comments: Autumn McGinn is not Sitheen — the name given to the humans with Esri ancestors. She helped them find the draggon stone in the first book, and she helping with midnight patrols and research. So far, things aren’t going so well for her. She lets one of the Esri escape and she hasn’t had any luck finding the other stones. And she’s a bit of a klutz. It’s no small surprise to her that she nearly brains the tall, mysterious stranger who comes looking for Larsen at the houseboat. Autumn is immediately taken with him. At 6’4 and self-described as “Ronald McDonald’s Amazonian cousin”, it’s rare for her to find anyone — outside of the NBA — taller than she, and who appears to be interested in her.

Living centuries surrounded by the shorter and very pale Esri, Kade finds the red-headed Autumn to be the most vibrant creature he’s ever beheld. Her genuine concern for him touches him profoundly. Because he has a human ancestor — who, he doesn’t know — he is considered an outcast. He’s made a life for himself as the Punisher, the king’s personal bouncer (for the lack of a better description). He is feared throughout Esria, though he has no power other than his strength and physical appearance. It’s a lonely existence. Nobody has ever shown him kindness or acceptance. Autumn’s reaction to him unravels his world, right from the beginning. Just being near her makes him forget his mission. When he does think about it, he is determined that she remain unharmed no matter what happens to the Sitheen, and he dwells on the fact that giving her up will be the hardest thing he’s ever done.

I really loved this book. I loved watching Kaderil’s transformation from the Punisher to the man who would forsake even his life to save the human world — all for the woman he loved. Ms. Palmer added a little more to the world-building with the backstory of how the stones ended up in our world. The book ends with the possibility of more stories to come. I can’t wait to see what she does next!

Besides Larsen and Jack, the rest of the gang was back for book two. Charlie, Harrison, Aunt Myrtle, and Tarrys. Poor little Tarrys. Still nursing a major crush on Charlie. A little advice for you, Tarrys: try wearing clothes that actually fit you. I’m sure you’re very fond of your over-sized Redskins shirt (or is that the author’s) and too-big jeans, but Charlie probably thinks you’re, like, twelve when you dress that way. Oh, and one other fashion tip: wear a bathing suit at all times. If you’re destined to be a heroine in your own book, have scuba gear handy, for your author has a fondness for dumping her lovebirds in the Potomac.

Started: 17 May 2008
Finished: 19 May 2008

Rating:

LOVED IT !!

The Dark Gate

Summary: Larsen Vale has a secret: she sees things. Terrible things. Deadly things. And her latest vision features a strange albino man. . . and her own death. Haunted and afraid, she trusts no one, not even the handsome cop who seems fascinated with her. Washington, D.C. detective Jack Hallihan has one mission: find the man who is assaulting young woman. But the police have no clues, no leads and no witnesses. And Jack has a deadly secret of his own — a secret Larsen holds the key to. Time is running out. If Larsen and Jack can’t learn to trust their attraction to each other, the Gate will be opened — and the world will be forever changed. . .

Comments: Larsen is a lawyer who has a reputation for being an ice queen. When she was younger, she “saw” the deaths of the people she loved the most — her family — before they occurred. She doesn’t let people get close, for fear of what she will see. It’s been years since she had a vision, and when she finally does, it shows her own death. It also provides her with the answers to Jack’s case, but she can’t explain to him how she knows or what any of it means.

Besides having a case he can’t crack, Jack has to deal with a woman he’s attracted to and who doesn’t seem to trust him. He’s trying to win that trust, but it doesn’t help that she’s acting strangely and that, maybe, she‘s the one who can’t be trusted. He knows she lied about what made her flee from a wedding reception. To top it all off, Jack seems to be suffering from the same mysterious condition that eventually destroyed his father. Something about Larsen alleviates his suffering, so he’s torn between the possibility of alienating her by pressing her to tell him the truth, and wanting to keep her by his side.

The villain in this book is creepy. He has the ability to control people’s minds. However, there are a few individuals he can’t control at all. This makes them a threat to him, and they must be eliminated. Jack and Larsen narrowly escape several attempts on their lives.

I enjoyed this story very much. The world-building was uncomplicated and didn’t overwhelm the story. Great potential for sequels, and I can see at least one story lead in the form of Charlie. And Harrison. He’s divorced, so he’s got potential for a romance. Plus, he’s got some unresolved issues regarding the unique situation he’s in.

I look forward to seeing more from this author.

LOVED IT !!