New Reviews for Jami Davenport

I just received a five-flag review for Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed? at Euro-Reviews:

Rich, handsome and sexy as hell, Jake Reynolds returns home to discover a real life Goldilocks in his own bed. He's got just the solution to take care of Harlee's needs. Overly made up, polyester clad Harlee Davis had no idea as to who's bed she was in. Running away from a nasty breakup, a ruined career and a cruel world, she sought refuge from the storm, and found more than just shelter.

When Harlee learns of Jake's plans to demolish the camp she's been entrusted with, she wages a crusade to stop this. A lot is riding on this for Jake, as he and his family stands to lose everything. Will the two stop battling long enough to realize that the only thing worth fighting for at this point, is their love?

"Quirky characters. Love and passion. Great plot. Great writing. Elements of a good book." --5 Flags, Aya29 (Euro-Reviews)

I also have new reviews at Book Cover Reviews:

The Dance

Is Mariah Baker really all that frigid like her ex-fiancé makes her out to be? She certainly does not think so, what else has the scumbag called her. Not that she cares what he has to say, she’s moving on with her life. Let’s see if she can discover her hidden wild side. She noticed a sexy Puerto Rican move in next door and she decides he’d make the perfect man for her plan. But little does she know he’s what she thinks he is. Although, Rico finds Mariah very attractive and causes his heart to dance when he discovers that she can train horses to dance. He also decides that she is the perfect person to keep his mind off his troublesome family that seems to want too much from him. Do you think the magic of the San Juan Islands can keep their fling from disappearing? Find out for yourself in Jami Davenport’s ‘The Dance’, Book 1 in her San Juan Islands series, and available now from Siren Publishing.

“Definitely a sizzling read from beginning to end, Jami delivers pure sexiness from San Juan.”-- Mark (Book Cover Reviews)

Who’s Been Sleeping in My Bed?

Jake Reynolds returns home from a long days work and discovers a beautiful blonde sleeping in his bed. Wondering how she ended up there and why she’s there to begin with he decides to investigate. She tells him she didn’t know it was his bed and she was only escaping from 2 storms: one brought on by nature and one from her messed up life. He then decides to hire her on as an assistant for his construction business and the next day, she gets right to cleaning up his office that looks as if it’s been hit by a tornado. But to his dismay, when his family discovers what kind of assistant he has hired, they begin to believe he might be going back to his bad boy ways even that is not what is going on. And when Harlee Davis finds out Jake plans to destroy the very camp that she swore to protect, she stops at nothing to put a halt to his plans. Can Harlee stop Jake’s plans before he puts them in action? Discover for yourself the exciting conclusion to Jami Davenport’s ‘Who’s Been Sleeping in My Bed’, book 2 in her San Juan Islands series and available now from Siren Publishing.

“Another captivating installment from Jami Davenport’s San Juan Islands series that will have you addicted until the climatic conclusion that will make you antsy for more.”-- Mark (Book Cover Reviews)

Three New Reviews for The Dance

I'm happy to report that I've received three new reviews for The Dance in the past week.

For buying information, check out my website at:

http://www.jamidavenport.com/ or Siren's website at http://www.sirenpublishing.com/

5 Cherries—Whipped Cream (Long and Short Romance Reviews)

Right from the get-go, The Dance embraced humor, warmth, very human characters and a wealth of possibilities. It’s a well told tale about two people who make choices with the best of intentions and get the worst results. However, until they face their demons, and for one of them, it ends up being formidable, they will have an incomplete future.

You might wonder about my word choice, ‘incomplete future’. Think of a scale – you put two items to weigh and they don’t match. Of course you are going to add something to or subtract from the one that needs to be balanced. Thing is, sometimes the item we believe to be perfect ends up being not enough. That is how I see the relationship between Rico and Mariah. It’s a delicate dance to make a relationship work and Ms. Davenport explores this from a very human perspective. Our hero and heroine each end up giving, but the scales remain unbalanced. They have to come to terms with what each is willing to do, to go that extra mile, if they want that balanced future, a complete future.

The back drop totally fascinated me. Oh sure, this occurs in a delightful and romantic location but what hooked me were the horses, especially Mariah’s horse, Sueño. The riding discipline that Mariah practices is called dressage. I had no clue what that was; couldn’t wrap my mind around what that would look like. I found a co-worker who knew exactly what it was because she herself practices it with her horse so I was able to pick her brain. How cool was that? Think of the Lipizzaner stallions and you’ll get the picture. Once I figured it out, I had a new appreciation for Mariah’s character and enjoyed the story on a whole other (new) level. Now I am fascinated with Ms. Davenport’s choice of profession for her character. I wonder, what was her inspiration?

The conflict of the story is meaty and emotional. Ms. Davenport resists, though I have no idea how she did it, the easy way out for her characters. I really wanted Rico to save the day. I wanted the conflict to end as happily as Mariah and Rico eventually become. The author stuck to realism and endeared her characters to me even more. They are not perfect, they are not cardboard and neither are they capable of super human acts. Rico and Mariah are just a man and a woman stumbling through the pile of yuck life has thrown at them, to come out on the other side with bumps and bruises but whole.

The passion they share is sweet and hot. The happily ever after is well earned and emotional. And through it all, Ms. Davenport keeps it optimistic with humor, love of family and hope. Which is a good thing because there are some tense moments which for me, were jarring and emotional. You can’t come away from reading The Dance untouched. I certainly didn’t and I highly recommend this book to everyone who enjoys a well told romance.
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Euro-Reviews--5 Flags

The Dance by Jami Davenport is the story of a man and a woman who have been deeply wounded by loss and betrayal. They've each handled their pain very differently but still end up in the same place - hiding behind thick walls to keep out anyone who could hurt them again.
Mariah has been alone for as long as she can remember. She clings to material things because they don't run away. But still she keeps the hope alive that one day she'll find real love and have the whole fantasy. But in the meantime she'd rather by like Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind, and not think about it until tomorrow.

Rico has his own skeletons in his past and in his present his freeloading family is milking him dry. A has-been rock star who was addicted to drugs, Rico has thrown himself into his import business to keep everything else out of his life. But still his family is making him nuts so he goes into "hiding" in the San Juan Islands off the coast of Washington State. When he sees Mariah on her horse she puts the first chink in his wall in years, but is he ready to let her in, and will she want to cross that threshold?

The two can't resist each other and eventually give in to their feelings and their walls come tumbling down. But all too soon it is time for Rico to head back to his "real" life and that coupled with the truths that Mariah learns brings their happiness crashing against the rocks.

The Dance is a great book! It pulls on your heartstrings and caused me to tear up a time or two. I really felt for Mariah and all the hurts she had to work through. Her growth throughout the story was inspiring. Rico, of course, had my heart from the beginning. And when the two are together it is beyond scorching! Through all of this The Dance is still more than just a love story, there are some ups and downs which keep you guessing and causes plenty of hand wringing as we wait to see if they will get their happily ever after. I definitely recommend this book, its a great read filled to the brim with real emotions and plenty of heat.

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Simply Romance Reviews--"A" Rating and Outstanding Read

Mariah Baker doesn’t want to nurse her wounds – not the kind on the outside but the inside ones, that are deep and painful. She’d rather put it off like Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With the Wind, but in The Dance she’ll learn that isn’t the best way to heal.

Rico is hiding from a family which is milking him dry. A music star that was betrayed and then shunned, he went into the import business and still supports his freeloading family. But he’s bored in his “hideout” until the day he sees a vision on a horse and can’t stay away.

Mariah and Rico are instantly attracted to each other and work hard to keep it controlled – at least for a while. Mariah knows Rico will leave at the end of the month and she doesn’t even know his true identity, he pushes all of her buttons and she can’t resist.

But nothing is as it seems and when Mariah finds out the truth and Rico goes back to his “real” life it is almost too much for her to bare. Coupled with the underhanded plotting by her unscrupulous ex, Mariah doesn’t have much of a chance though she puts up a good fight.

I really enjoyed Jami Davenport’s The Dance. It is a beautiful love story and so much more. There is a lot of plot weaving and twists here that you wouldn’t expect in this kind of story but it all works, especially the love scenes – can you say “smokin’?” If you’re looking for a read which will bring tears to your eyes and joy to your heart then pick up The Dance you won’t be disappointed.

Book of the Week at LASR and WC

Two Siren-Bookstrand books are up for Book of the Week, one each at Long and Short Romance Reviews and Whipped Cream Romance Reviews. We would love it if you would please take a short moment and vote for:

The Dance by Jami Davenport at http://www.longandshortreviews.com/WC/recentrev.htm
You can read the review at: http://www.longandshortreviews.com/WC/0808/TheDance-JD.htm


Flavia's Secret by Lindsay Townsend at http://www.longandshortreviews.com/LASR/recentrev.htm
You can read this review at: http://www.longandshortreviews.com/LASR/0808/FlaviasSecret-LT.htm

New Review for The Dance

I was happy to receive this 4-star review for The Dance:

Dance, The
Jami Davenport
Siren Publishing, 2008
ISBN: 1606010875
4 Stars
Reviewed by B. Lamar for ReviewYourBook.com
Entertaining…

Just as Mariah swore off men, she met Rodrigo--handsome, sexy, and oh-so-tempting. The down-on-his-luck former rock star had been watching the beautiful woman ride her horse. Mariah’s bills were piling up. The old horse farm’s upkeep took an amazing amount of money. Plus, she had expensive taste. Everyone seemed to want a piece of Rodrigo. They seemed to think he was still making money, even though his bank account dwindled as his fame dwindled. Can this couple survive through the distrust?

Jami Davenport has created an entertaining look at the lives of has-been rock stars. The Dance is about maturing, learning to trust, and learning to love. The characters are well-developed and have depth. Fans of romantica will enjoy The Dance.

The Dance Release Contest--Win this Gift Bag

Check out this link or read below for how you can win a San Juan Islands gift bag. All entries must be received by Friday, June 11, at 7 am Pacific time. I'll announce the winners at 9 am tomorrow.

http://home.att.net/~jamidavenport/WhatsNew.htm
Stayed tuned throughout the day, as I'll give members of the Siren Readers loop extra chances to win.

Using the listed links, answer these five questions. Send your answers to jamidavenport@... before 7 am Pacific time on Friday morning.

Each correct entry will receive their name in the hat for the drawing to win this gift bag, which includes: An Orca Whale cloth tote bag, three types of soaps, Starbucks Coffee, Pike Place MarketSpice tea (for the tea lovers), Rosario mug and shot glass, chocolate spoon for stirring your coffee, a glass ornament, Orcas Island keychain, and a wooden Orca Whale bookmark.

The winner will be drawn and announced on Friday morning at 9 am Pacific time.

Questions:

The hero has two names, what are they?
What is Mariah’s horse’s name and what does it mean?
What does Rico want to do to his neighbor?
What is the name of the Island that is the setting for the book?
What are the San Juan Islands known for?

Where to find the answers:

http://www.sirenpublishing.com/jamidavenport/td.asp
http://home.att.net/~jamidavenport/TheDance.htm

Jami Davenport's Intro

I've been creating stories since I was old enough to know the alphabet, but my stories were my secret garden. I never shared them with anyone until a few years ago when I tried my hand at fan fiction. That experience gave me the confidence to pursue writing as more than a hobby.

An advocate of happy endings, I write sexy romantic comedy, sizzling suspense, and equestrian fiction. I live on a small farm near Puget Sound with my husband, a former Green Beret turned plumber, a chocolate Lab with a tennis ball fetish, a prince disguised as an orange tabby cat, and an opinionated Hanoverian mare. In my spare time, I ride and show my "dainty little" dressage horse and grow roses.

My first two novels will be published this summer. "Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed?" will be released on June 12, followed by "The Dance."

As an avid boater, I've spent countless hours in the San Juan Islands, the setting for my first two books and the most beautiful place on earth in my opinion. In fact, the picture at the left shows the view from the fictional Rose Hill Farm, the setting for both books.
I am excited to have this opportunity to share my books with others, and I thank Siren for publishing them.
http://www.jamidavenport.com/
http://jamidavenport.blogspot.com/
http://www.myspace.com/jamidavenport