Hello, and welcome back! Baseball is beginning to wind down: we're into play-offs for one this week, so that team is in its last few days, though it appears the other team will be playing into July. Ah, well. I've still got a fair stack of June books on my desk, though to be honest, there are only a few left that look at all appealing. I've been trying to wade through the other ones first, but I think I'm going to put down the one I've been trying to slog through and pick up one of the couple that I really want to read instead. This time out, I have three new books for you.

Come and Get Me (Heat) by Alyssa Brooks is up first. Sadie is horrified when her lover Dylan proposes marriage, but she can't say 'no'. So instead, she runs away, leaving him a clue where to find her. Gee, she's not wishy-washy at all, is she? Dylan chases after her, only to have her run off again after some steamy sex. (And, as an aside, I have to ask: if he can't tell she's faking an orgasm early on, how are we to believe he becomes Superstud immediately after he finds her the first time?) If you just want to read about some sexy encounters between this pair and don't care about the lack of real story or conflict, you might enjoy this one. Otherwise, save your money.

A Wedding in Paris (Harlequin) has a trio of stories by Barbara Bretton, Marie Ferrarella, and Cindi Myers. My favorite of the bunch is Bretton's 'We'll Always Have Paris', with Kate and Ryan Donovan on the eve of their daughter's wedding and their own divorce--if only they can survive Paris and knowing that they're still in love. Ferrarella's 'Something Borrowed, Something Blue' has Shannon Donovan meeting up with Josh McClintock, who was a real jerk when she knew him years ago. But she's engaged now, at least until she finds out what her fiance's been up to. And maybe Josh isn't still a jerk. I didn't enjoy this one nearly as much. Myers's 'Picture Perfect' has aspiring chef Lacey Jessup and photographer Marc Kendrick seeing the City of Lights together. The latter was my next fave in the collection, though the ending wasn't quite what I'd been hoping for. And the middle story felt a little too formulaic for me.

At the Edge (Avon) by Cait London is next, the first in her new trilogy about the Aisling triplets, Claire, Tempest and Leona, each with a different paranormal skill. Claire is empathic, though past events in her life have heightened her ability as well as giving her new skills. She's chosen to live in Montana, away from the crowded cities, but now Neil Olafson has moved in next door and has brought all sorts of people and noises with him, disrupting Claire's serene existence. Of course, when she's attacked, Neil can't walk away, despite being uncertain about believing in her abilities. I loved this story. It's got twists and turns that'll keep you reading, and the relationship between Claire and Neil is complicated in its own right. The only thing I'm unhappy about with this one is that we have to wait till next spring for sister Tempest's story, darn it! I'm giving this one four of Cupid's five arrows.

Until next time, happy reading!