No Going Back

Book Description

Two exciting novels by one talented New York Times bestselling author, together for the first time in a single volume.

SOFT FOCUS
Executive Elizabeth Cabot knows when to cut her losses--and she runs her personal life the same way. So when she learns that Jack Fairfax has deceived her, she's determined to end their romantic relationship. But breaking up their business deal is trickier--after all, they have a signed contract. And while she's still trying to disentangle herself from Jack's client company, Excalibur, they discover a lethal act of sabotage that could put them both out of business--for good.

If she can help Jack save Excalibur, she'll save her own company from losing a fortune. Putting her emotions aside, she joins him in the search for the scientist who's disappeared with a valuable new crystal that could revolutionize the high-tech industry. She'll go in, solve the problem, and get out. But working so closely with Jack, she's finding it harder and harder to deny the passion she feels. And now, with millions of dollars at stake, Elizabeth begins to worry about an entirely different sort of risk.

AFTER DARK
Life is tough enough these days for Lydia Smith, licensed Para-archaeologist. Still reeling from a seriously nasty incident in an alien tomb, she is obliged to work part-time in Shrimpton's House of Ancient Horrors, a very low-budget museum. She has a plan to get her career back on track, but it isn't going well--things keep getting in the way.

For instance, the dead body that she discovers in one of the sarcophagus exhibits. Or how about finding out that her new client, Emmett London, is one of the most dangerous men in the city? That isn't helping matters either. But what really puts a crimp in Lydia's plan is her own unfortunate attraction to Emmett, and the exciting, unsettling knowledge that he feels the same way about her...

Customer Reviews:

reprint alert!.......2004-09-17

This has to be one of the stranger pairings of Jayne Ann Krentz/Jayne Castle books. After Dark is the prequel to After Glow - just out recently under the Castle name. It was a super paranormal/off-world tale that I really adored and thought it a great, vibrant tale, much in the old Krentz mold. Strangely, it was not received well by her fans at the time - before the big Paranormal Romance boom. Its reception was so cold that her publisher put off putting out anymore in this series for nearly four years. I guess the Paranormals burning up the charts caused them to rethink that line, and they brought out the sequel to After Dark - After Glow - which received great reviews. My, my what a time frame can mean to the readers mind? Soft Focus was a very enjoyable Single Title Romantic Suspense (meaning before Krentz and her publishers started doing the Trilogy releases - 1 good strong tale followed by two weaker ones). It was a very enjoyable read, but not Krentz at her best. So why the putting of the Krentz tale and the Castle Tale together, where there is nothing to connect them, especially since both are still in print? My guess to get your money. How many people buy this without looking closely to see they are reprints? I could see putting After Dark and After Glow into one double book, they belong together. This marketing smacks of just wanting more bucks.

After Dark was a great Off-World tale of Harmony, where earth travellers colonised and then were cut off from Earth connections when the "curtain" closed. (See Amaryllis, Zinnia and Orchard, books set on the same planet). A race of aliens once lived on the planet, leaving behind vast underground ruins, all protected by "trap" illusions. It takes a special sort of "detangler" to derazzle the traps that were known to fry people's minds. Lydia Smith is a detangler for an archaeologist team working in the eerie green glowing underground. When something goes wrong, Lydia finds herself without a job or a professional reputation. In comes Emmett London, who is tracking down lost antiques. He hires Lydia as a consultant. Alien ghosts and "traps" start haunting the couple left and right as it's obvious someone doesn't want the team to solve the riddle of the missing alien artifacts. Lydia and Emmett sizzle. This was one paranormal that was ahead of the pack.

In Soft Focus, Elizabeth is an all business heroine (typical JAK!). She applies the same cost and profit in her business life to her romance life. So after a one night stand with Jack Fairfax, and Elizabeth discovers Jack deceived her, she wants to cut her losses. Jack is not willing to let her do it, and uses their business contract to keep a leash on the spunky lady.

Jack owns Excalibur, a cutting edge technology firm. When he discovers there is sabotage going on that could put them both in the red financially, Elizabeth has to let Jack back into her life. If she helps Jack save Excalibur, she stands to make millions of dollars. Together they search for a missing scientist who made off with a new special crystal. Elizabeth and Jack follow the clues to a film festival and the fun begins, with Jack keeping an eye on winning Elizabeth back as well as saving his firm.

Two very enjoyable reads. Two oddly mismatched books. If you are a JAK fan, check your shelves. You likely already own both!
Super use of Multi-POV (Point of View), the way all romances should be written!

Old is new again........2004-08-16

If you haven't read these two books before they combined them into this one title, you will really enjoy this. However, Krentz stories are so good and original, that you never forget a story. So, why would her fans want this repackaged book? I love Krentz' work under any nom de plume. And her jaunts into other worlds is just plain fun. I hope she continues. Just give us new ones! We will eat them up.

reprint of previous works.......2004-07-11

this is just another reprint of her older books. it's deceptive because i have accidentally bought "new" editions of her work like this just based on the "new" title and then found out i had already read the books in the combined edition. both original books are good if you haven't read them, but if you're like me and read everything she writes, it pays to be careful when a "new" work by her is marketed to you.

Montana Secrets : Going Back (Harlequin Superromance No. 1307)

Average customer rating:

ACTUALLY A 4 STARS PLUS
JBen
Very enjoyable romance
Awesome Debut
second chance at love romantic suspense

Montana Secrets : Going Back (Harlequin Superromance No. 1307)
Kay Stockham
Manufacturer: Harlequin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 037371307X

Customer Reviews:

ACTUALLY A 4 STARS PLUS.......2006-03-27

Time, shame and pride have injured this couple.
Grace Korbit took off to get an education and to support her younger brother. Also to hide her past.
Jake Rowland and his wife were at their wits end to help Seth who had been there for them when they needed help.
Now big brother was in a hell of his own and not willing to accept help.

Despite Grace's emotional fear of returning to Montana and seeing Seth again she came and ultimately challenged him to accept her help. I liked her bit of no-nonsense bullying.

Jake and Maura's daughter, Lexi added just the right amount of mischief and misunderstanding to add to the challenge of Grace's presence. Why had Grace left him ten years ago? He didn't want her to see the shell of a man he had become. Had he pushed her too far with his physical demands then? Now he couldn't even do that.

What a great story - wonderful characters - great moving plot -
DEFINITELY RECOMMENDED --m

JBen.......2005-11-06

Grace and Seth's story will have readers turning the pages quickly. You'll remember this story long after you've finished. With all the odds against Grace and Seth, they still manage to find their way back to each other after several years. Even though Seth is bitter and broken, he still loves Grace, while Grace has never given up on her love for Seth.

Montana Secrets is for anyone who enjoys a good love story where the characters will grip at your heart. It's easy to get swept away in this wonderful reunion.

Montana Secrets is the debut book by Kay Stockham. She's definitely an author to watch for in the future!

Very enjoyable romance.......2005-10-28

MONTANA SECRETS by Kay Stockham
October 27, 2005

Amazon rating 4/5

"In Kay Stockham's debut novel, MONTANA SECRETS, physical therapist Grace Korbit is battling demons from her past. She has just been hired by her childhood friend Jake to help his brother (her ex-boyfriend) Seth Rowland recover from an accident that left him a paraplegic. Seth's been told that it is very possible for him to make a recovery, but he refuses to believe it, and spends his days feeling sorry for himself. The once active cowboy now sits in his wheelchair doing nothing.

Grace in the meantime is carrying a secret that she has kept close to her heart. It has made her fear and distrust men. Seth was one of only two men she tried to have a relationship with, but both failed due to her fears. Now, Grace is back in Seth's life." - Complete review at BookLoons dot com -- M Lofton.

Enjoyable romance, with well-written characters and believable plot. Recommended.

Awesome Debut.......2005-10-19

Kay Stockham debut in Montana Secrets is a heart felt, profoundly emotional story.

Physical Therapist Grace Korbit is pulled back to her hometown to care for former high school sweetheart after his terrible accident. She is willing to overlook the ghost from her troubled past to pull Seth out of his shell.

Seth Rowland an active rancher has let his riding accident send him into a tailspin.
He locks himself in his room, drowning in his pain and sorrow. Seth has gone through several therapists before Grace walks back into his life. At first Seth resist Grace's effort but is slowly pulled back to the land of the living.

But Seth realizes Grace has pains that go deeper then any accident. Can these two emotional scared souls find their way to happiness?

Montana Secrets really tugs at your heartstrings. The inner family struggles to care for an injured relative are expressed so true to life. Seth and Grace find a deep and abiding love. It was a treasure to watch their journey.

second chance at love romantic suspense.......2005-10-14

Physical therapist Grace Korbit returns to her home town of North Star, Montana to help her high school lover Seth Rowland adjust to being wheelchair bound. He is nasty to her as he is to everyone else who enters his now tiny circle since the riding accident, but in this case he also tosses the memories of her deserting him to go east on a scholarship. She handles all he tosses at her seemingly calm until she finally challenges him to an arm wrestling match. If he wins she will leave because his muscles are strong enough to work the chair; if she wins he must follow her orders. He agrees just to get rid of her. To his shame, she beats him easily.

While they work together to build up his strength, he finds he still loves her, but interrogates her to learn why she really left. Grace never stopped loving Seth, but has hidden the real reason for a decade. As Seth continues to probe, dark family secrets reemerge endangering Grace, Seth and family members.

Though the MONTANA SECRETS that drove her away seem over the top, fans will enjoy this second chance at love romantic suspense. The story line is at its best when Grace works with Seth who is going through a form of grieving for what he has lost. Grace is terrific as the courageous therapist who refuses to allow her beloved to wallow over his misfortune. The added suspense seems sensationally unneeded though that serves as the motive to have driven Grace away as the prime theme is the healing of the lead couple, which makes the novel worth reading.

Harriet Klausner

The House on Creek Road: Going Back (Harlequin Superromance No. 1159)

Average customer rating:

Movingromance

The House on Creek Road: Going Back (Harlequin Superromance No. 1159)
Caron Todd
Manufacturer: Harlequin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 037371159X

Customer Reviews:

Movingromance.......2003-10-14

Elizabeth Robb left Three Creeks not planning to ever return to her hometown as the memories were bad. However, Elizabeth cannot refuse the request to come home from her beloved grandmother to help her go through family mementos before selling the farm. Still Elizabeth plans to sneak quietly into town and leave before her family even knows she is back.

Serendipity fails as everyone seems to know Elizabeth is back in town. However, through her grandmother, Elizabeth meets new neighbor Jack McKinnon, the one person she does not mind knowing that she is in Three Creeks. Still that shocks her as she is very attracted to Jack even if he resides in the place that she feels is her worst nightmare. Jack feels the same way about Elizabeth, but both carry so much baggage that neither believes anything can come of their deep feelings for one another.

Elizabeth is a strong character struggling with her past yet seeking a future with Jack who wants to remain small town after a life in the city. The story line emphasizes the cast so that the readers fully understand why Elizabeth would prefer to stay away, but also feels a need to help her beloved grandmother. Though at times the plot slows down, fans of modern day small town Texas romances will gain pleasure from Elizabeth's efforts to reconcile her demon with her love.

Customer Reviews:

action-packed thriller .......2006-04-14

She never met her father as he died in a plane crash twenty-eight years ago just before she was born. However, Dr. Libby Wilson has come home from the lower Forty-Eight to Alaska with a need to know whether someone murdered her father on the day he was to marry her pregnant mother as she suspects his business partner killed him since the will was not changed and he instead of his daughter or his fianc?e inherited all.

Libby hires Carson Dodge to salvage her dad's plane that crashed into Evening Lake, Alaska. Carson admires Libby's courage and agrees to help her with her quest by bringing up the plane as she wonders whether her theory will prove right. Meanwhile someone, she assumes her prime suspect, will do anything including murder to prevent the plane rising out of the watery grave.

This action-packed thriller is made even stronger by the lead couple. Libby is fixated on the truth and her obsession grips the decadent Carson who finds her bravery intoxicating; he believes he has EVERYTHING TO PROVE to her that he is her champion. The powerful lead couple and strong support cast including the Alaskan geography make for a delightful exhilarating romantic suspense that the audience will read in one sitting.

Harriet Klausner

Another enjoyable story by Nadia Nichols.......2006-04-13

EVERYTHING TO PROVE by Nadia Nichols
April 12, 2006

I can always count on an enjoyable book when written by Nadia Nichols, and EVERYTHING TO PROVE is no exception. The story takes place in the beautiful state of Alaska, with the prologue detailing the story of a young man, Connor Libby, a Vietnam War Vet, who is about to marry his girlfriend, Marie Wilson, an Athaspakan Indian who worked for him and his godfather, Daniel Frey. Connor's father, Ben Libby, had been a very wealthy man, but when he passed away, his business went to Daniel, his business partner, making him Connor's guardian. Daniel never kept it a secret his disdain and hatred of the Indians that lived near the surrounding areas, and he was not happy that Connor had decided to marry Marie. On the day of their wedding, as Connor is flying his plane to meet Marie in her home village, his plane crashes and disappears into the deep lake across from their cabin, taking Connor with it. Connor's faithful dog, HoChi, a three-legged dog Connor saved in Vietnam, escaped the sinking plane but rumors had it that the dog's spirit haunted the grounds after that fateful day.

Twenty-eight years later, Libby Wilson is in Alaska searching for answers about the father she never knew. She can't yet prove that Connor was her father, making her the rightful heir to the wealth held by Daniel. But she suspects that Daniel had something to do with her father's death. Her mother Marie never fought for the inheritance due to Libby, and continued to live in poverty to this day. Libby wanted to right what was wronged all those years ago, and despite her mother's warnings, she travels to the Lodge at Evening Lake, where her father's plane reputedly crashed, hoping to find the answers to her questions and to prove that she was indeed the daughter of Connor Libby.

Libby asks the owner of a salvage company, Carson Dodge, to help her locate the plane. Despite a horrific diving accident that nearly took his life only 6 weeks before, he accepts the assignment to dig up the plane, but because of other engagements he can only devote a week of his time. She promises him a down payment of $5000, money she does not have, and although she does not tell him exactly what he is looking for in that plane, she promises him $150,000 for compensation, knowing that once she proves who her father is, she will have enough money to pay Carson. Carson imagines all sorts of treasures hidden in that plane, not realizing that all Libby wants to do is find the remains of her father which would help prove her paternity.

Libby is up against a lot of challenges. Carson can barely change his clothes, let alone dive or handle a boat by himself because of his injuries. And Daniel Frey, now a very old man, had never stopped hating the Indians. When Libby comes to interview him under the pretense of a study for the Libby Foundation (Daniel doesn't seem to notice the coincidence of her first name), Daniel becomes nervous, and spies on them as they slowly try to find where the plane may be located in the depths of the cold lake.

Libby helps Carson find that missing plane, although he really wishes she would leave him alone. With some meddling by Libby's temporary landlady, Carson begins to notice Libby as more than just a future heiress. He sees the fire in her eyes, and begins to admire this woman who will do anything to get what is rightfully hers.

I enjoyed the story of Libby and her need to prove her paternity. Nadia Nichols has a way with words, always picking beautiful backdrops to set her stories. Her writing always seems to evoke feelings deep inside the reader, taking the reader to picturesque places that often seem to go hand in hand with the beauty of land where time has stopped. As I read this book, I could envision the beauty of Evening Lake, the poverty of the Indian village where Libby grew up, the trees, even the loon that was constantly warbling near the lake. I especially found one scene rather poignant, in which the dog HoChi waits for his master to return from the sunken plane, never leaving the shore. It's scenes like this that make EVERYTHING TO PROVE a well-worth read. Likeable characters including the cantankerous Carson, plus the backdrop of Alaska made this book a story to remember. -- courtesy of Love Romances

Man With A Past : Going Back (Harlequin Superromance No. 1347) (Harlequin Superromance)

Average customer rating:

SHAKEN TO THE CORE!
This tender romance will fill your heart!
Good story!
Couldn't put it down
A must read for any romance fan

Man With A Past : Going Back (Harlequin Superromance No. 1347) (Harlequin Superromance)
Kay Stockham
Manufacturer: Harlequin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0373713479

Customer Reviews:

SHAKEN TO THE CORE!.......2006-10-08

This is a great book (two-hanky read!).

From the inside cover (by the author):

"We've all made mistakes, but have you ever been accused of something you didn't do? Ever had to piece together the remaining shreds of dignity while trying to go about your business and live your life when you're surrounded by people you'd thought of as friends when the reality is they never believed in you?

"Man with a Past" is about family and community, but more important, it's about relationships and all the little idiosynchrasies that come with living in a small town where everybody supposedly knows your business better than you. It's also about hope, faith and all the emotions that surround the loss of a child.

Joe's story is one I found intriguing, one that had to be told. When I researched Shaken Baby Syndrome, I found it nearly impossible to fathom why, better yet how, someone would shake a baby to death. But even more unfathomable to me were the lesser-known, and admittedly rare, stories of men convicted of murdering their children by SBS, men who'd served time, who were then released many years later when new evidence was brought to light that proved their innocence. By that time many had lost the support of marriages, family and friends on top of the loss of their child."

This tender romance will fill your heart!.......2006-07-06

Joe Brody, has spent the last ten years in prison for a crime he didn't commit. Now he is back to the town where he grew up, but small-town folks haven't forgot the pain from the past. Ashley Cade, came to this town to forge a better future for herself and her baby Max. As a widow that grew up in the foster care system, she carries a bag of insecurities and she had to overcome a lot in order to make friends in the town. To make matters worst she hires the one person that is rejected by most town folks. But Joe has a way of getting into her heart and soon things between them get complicated. Will their love survive the secrets and truths that must be shared before they can forge a future for themselves together? Kay Stockham has gifted us with another tender hearted, romantic story that will tug at the strings of your heart. This is a great love story, about second chances in life and new beginnings. You must not miss this lovely romance, its got a great combination of hope, heat and heart. Definitely a page turner, a must read, and a keeper. Great job Kay!

Good story!.......2006-06-03

MAN WITH A PAST by Kay Stockham
June 2, 2006
Amazon rating 4/5

"Joe Brody has just gotten out of a ten-year prison stay and returned to his hometown to be near his aging father. Joe was convicted of killing (at age eighteen) his two-month-old baby by shaking her to death. Now, the town hates him as a baby killer, though Joe has always claimed to be innocent.

Ashley Cade, a recent resident of this small town, is finding it hard to be accepted. She is a widow, her husband Mac (who never got to see his son Max) one of the first casualties of the Iraq war. Ashley bought the old house owned by Wilson Woodrow, a friend of Joe's father Ted, who resides in the old folks' home. Wilson lives with Ashley as part of their agreement when she bought his place, and is trying to renovate it as a Bed and Breakfast Inn. She needs the income the B&B, and hope to be accepted by the town's residents.

Joe doesn't have a place to live, but Wilson allows him to sleep in his part of the house, away from Ashley and Max. Ashley hires Joe to do renovation, not knowing who he really is, but trusting Wilson's judgement of this mystery man. All she knows is that he once had a baby girl, who died as an infant. Ashley sees a man who has lost a child and is afraid to get attached to another infant. Joe, however, knows that once she finds out why he went to prison, she will hate him just like the rest of the town. But his father believes in him, and so does Wilson." - Complete review at BookLoons - M. Lofton

A more seriously- themed harlequin superromance that featured likeable characters and a plot that will keep the reader glued to the book. Recommended.

Couldn't put it down.......2006-05-31

Man With a Past has it all--emotion, humor, fascinating characters and a wonderfully satisfying ending. Kay Stockham is an amazing storyteller and has obviously mastered her craft. I didn't want the book to end.

A must read for any romance fan.......2006-05-31

Kay Stockham delivers an emotionally charges story in, Man With A Past.

Joe Brody, newly released after 10 years in prison, is treated with distain upon his return to his hometown. Joe has always sworn he never harmed his newborn daughter. All he wants to do is rebuild his life with his widowed father. But Joe can't seem to catch a break until he meets Ashley Cade

Young widow Ashley Cade has come to Taylorsville with her young son to start anew. She has trouble making friends and getting help to restore her new home into a B & B. Finding Joe to help seems like a miracle. But she doesn't know about Joe's past. Will she listen to her heart or her head when she finds out?

Both Ashley and Joe have been deeply marked by their pasts. Their connection is very emotional and wonderfully sensual.

Man With A Past is an exceptional story. It really makes you feel the pain and the joy of these two characters. This books tugs at your heart and is a treat from beginning to end.

No Going Back: Journey to Mother's Garden

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More please
Incredible

No Going Back: Journey to Mother's Garden
Martin Kirby
Manufacturer: Time Warner Books UK
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0751535486

Book Description

"There's a sign hanging just inside the broad and battered front door of our ramshackle farmhouse that reads "Deu Vos Guard." On the day we bought our tiny patch of Catalonia, a new friend who lives across the valley laughingly translated it as God Help You." So begins Martin Kirby's candid and often comic account of how he and his wife, a typical British couple with two young children, give up their careers, home, and stable life in England to move to a small rundown mountain farm in Catalonia and turn it into a viable small-holding business.

Customer Reviews:

More please.......2007-07-14

Such a refreshing change to read a male perspective of changing your life.

Career man with a long employment history, son of divorced, now elderly parents, loving and admiring husband, and besotted father. If you are thinking of changing your worker bee life for one of semi self sufficiency, then this will appeal to you.

Incredible.......2003-10-31

Trust me, I've been there. Martin describes his family's move to Spain in such a personal way that it makes you feel a part of the Spanish countryside. I enjoyed this book to the very last drop, and no doubt you will too!

Average customer rating:

No Going Back to Moldova

Manufacturer: Corgi
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0552993336

Going Back (Harlequin American Romance #255) (American Romance, No 255)

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Going Back (Harlequin American Romance #255) (American Romance, No 255)
Judith Arnold
Manufacturer: harlequin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0373162553

Harlequin American Romance Series, No. 255 and 256: Going Back; Come Home to Me

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Harlequin American Romance Series, No. 255 and 256: Going Back; Come Home to Me
Judith; Carroll, Marissa Arnold
Manufacturer: Harlequin Enterprises, Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000WMH96E

Average customer rating:

No Going Back
Maggie Marshall
Manufacturer: Minerva Press Ltd.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1861067356

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