Hello, and welcome back! We finally had our first snowfall, though it's pretty pitiful--the grass is still very visible through it, and the sun's out now, so I expect by suppertime, despite the cold weather, most of the snow will be gone. Perhaps next time we'll get more. Though with the freezing temps outside, I have plenty of reason to stay inside and read.

First up this week is the latest from Suzanne Brockmann, Hot Target (ISBN 0345467930) (Ballantine). SEAL chief Cosmo Richter finds himself stuck with some enforced time off when his mother is injured, but sitting around the house isn't really his style, so he takes on a part-time gig, keeping movie producer Jane Chadwick safe from an extremist group unhappy with her latest project. I admit to not being a big fan of the SEAL stories, so I was a little lost with some of the secondary characters who play roles in this one. The story is good, however, and if you're a Brockmann fan, I know you won't want to miss it. A word of caution, though: have some tissues handy when you read the dedication in the front of this one. For me, that made the rest of the book even more enjoyable. This one gets three and a half arrows.

Next is the anthology Big Girls Don't Cry (ISBN 0451213769) (Signet Eclipse), with stories from Donna Hill, Brenda Jackson, Monica Jackson, and Francis Ray, all featuring heroines who aren't toothpicks. The trouble I had with this one is how much that fact was jammed down my throat during the course of reading the book. It got a little old. And annoying.

Finally, Catherine Anderson's My Sunshine (ISBN 0451213807) (Signet) is out now, too, another volume in the Coulter family sagas with vet Isaiah Coulter finding that his newest employee Laura Townsend is not quite what he expected. Laura's suffered a lot in her life, but she's made great strides, too, though not enough to believe a man like Isaiah could really be interested in her. As usual, a great, emotional story, one that will make Anderson fans happy, and, if you're a LaVyrle Spencer fan still searching for someone who writes in a simliar vein, a very good choice. This one earns four arrows.

Until next time, happy reading!