LOVE AND SMOKE Riva Staulet triumphed over past betrayal to become one of the wealthiest and most influential women in New Orleans. Now she must risk everything, including exposure of dangerous secrets, to prevent a ruthless politician from destroying all she holds dear.
JOY AND ANGER Up-and-coming director Julie Bullard must get to the bottom of the sabotage at her movie's location in the Louisiana wetlands -- even if it means enlisting the aid of the handsome and mysterious Cajun known as the Swamp Rat.
HOLDING THE TIGRESS Jessica is haunted by the reckless passion she shared with a masked stranger while in Rio at Carnaval. Now, she could be vulnerable to blackmail during the takeover threat against the shipping empire she controls. As violence looms over the crisis, she must turn to the man she trusts least, the Brazilian owner of the rival shipping company -- who may be her mysterious midnight lover.
Jennifer Blake has been called a “pioneer of the romance genre”, and an “icon of the romance industry.” A New York Times and international best selling author since 1977, she is a charter member of Romance Writers of America, member of the RWA Hall of Fame, and recipient of the RWA Lifetime Achievement Rita. She holds numerous other honors, including two “Maggies”, two Holt Medallions, multiple Reviewer’s Choice Awards, the Career Achievement Award from Romantic Times BookReviews Magazine, and the Frank Waters Award for literary excellence. She has written over 60 books with translations in 20 languages and more than 30 million copies in print worldwide.
Jennifer and her husband reside in a lakeside Caribbean-style retreat in North Louisiana where they often entertain family and friends. Always a gardener, she spends much of her time encouraging her garden to bloom with her favorite daylilies and antique roses. She also enjoys walking her two dogs, Buffy and Lucky, and indulging in needlework, painting, and travel.
First let me say that I am a huge fan of Jennifer Blake. She is a gifted writer, without question. Typically I become engrossed with her novels from the get-go. This was true of the first book in this series, with Riva as the main female character. The same, unfortunately, could not be said for the other two books. I simply could not get in to the story about the movie production. It had nothing to do with the characters. I just didn't care for the story. It didn't pique my interest I suppose. While I actually enjoyed, for the most part, the third book and it's content, I was so grossed out by the Carnaval party at the beginning that I had a difficult time getting passed it. Wished time and again that it wouldn't be referenced so often. Oh, another thing I just have to mention....I can't stand the author's reference to a man's nipple as a "pap". She repeats this in all of her novels. Ick. I mean, just call what it is for gosh sake. Obviously those of us reading Ms. Blake's novels are not prudes. LOL
Three love story set in New Orleans, the first two story have forgettable characters and very slow story line. The third story about two powerful people who fight for their company and their love because of this story I get the book 3 star. If you buy this book the only story worth read is the last one.
I have just finished all three books. I started and I just couldn’t put the books down until I finished. I love the way u end ur books - leave u wanting more. Great reads
Loved the 2 stories but my favourite was the second with Raphael and Jessica. There’s was a more exciting and adventurous one. But please read them all.
This is a great collection of three love stories. My review below is for LOVE AND SMOKE by Jennifer Blake.
Where there's smoke, there's fire...and plenty of passion.
Riva Staulet, a wealthy widow and savvy businesswoman, knows a secret from long ago, one that could shatter lives, perhaps her own, if she reveals what she knows. The man who destroyed her sister’s life, the one now running for governor, could possibly ruin her own hopes, dreams and perhaps even her life. Riva’s mysterious, sharp minded, good looking stepson, Noel Staulet, has his own secret—he’s been in love with his lovely, sophisticated stepmother for many years, but that’s all the more reason why he tries to avoid her at all costs. That was then; this is now. Together again, Riva and Noel make great business partners, as they always did, but their roles are about to change in a way that neither expects.
Dark secrets from the 1960s still simmer beneath the sands of time after decades of stillness. A smooth-talking, corrupt politician that Riva knew earlier still wants her, but she can’t afford to let him use her again, not now, not ever. LOVE AND SMOKE releases the fire that bursts into flaming passionate love triangles and an intriguing plot line that doesn’t slow down from page one until the end of the book. Interesting characters with strong motivations make LOVE AND SMOKE another A+++ read from bestselling author, Jennifer Blake.
This collection was wonderful. I loved the way the stories had you incision the culture of Louisiana and Brazil. I would recommend that the first and this collection are worth reading.
Another grouping of Jennifer's book. She writes were you could almost picture yourself in and around New Orleans. You have both strong female and male characters with a little intrigue thrown in.