Kari's Top 10 of 2011

Here are mine in no particular order.  Honestly, I had more than 10 but these are the ones that stood out for me.
  (OK I cheated like Autumn and added an extra to make 11.) Enjoy!



The Last Blind Date By Linda Yellin
Forbidden by Ted Dekker
Darkness Dawns by Dianne Duvall
Cloaked by Alex Finn
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
The Heart of a Killer by Jaci Burton
Die for Me by Amy Plum
Hereafter by Tara Hudson
The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown
Lover Unleashed by J.R. Ward
Treachery in Death by J.D. Robb

The Heart of a Killer

Author: Jaci Burton
Publisher: Mass Market Paperback (October 25, 2011)


No one said coming home would be easy. But for Dante Renaldi, it's murder.

Before the Special Forces hero has even unpacked his bags from twelve years of active duty, he's embroiled in murder—corpses bearing the brutal trademark he's seen only once before—on the worst night of his life.

The last time Detective Anna Pallino saw Dante Renaldi, they were in love. Now, he's part of the connection to a string of fresh homicides and a horrible assault Anna only survived thanks to him.

More than anything, Anna wants to trust Dante. But as the bodies and the coincidences stack up, Anna will have to decide, and fast: Is the man she owes her life to the very same one who wants her dead?

The Heart of a Killer is the first in a new series by Jaci Burton.  I am a fan of her Wild Rider series, so I was excited to read this new one. Thanks to Ms. Burton for the ARC!  I wasn't disappointed!  Dante has been away from town for 12 years.  Now he is back and finds not only is his old flame a cop, but those he cared about before he left are being murdered. He must decide who to trust. Can 12 years really change someone that much? The mystery in this one is great.  There are so many suspects that just when I thought I had it figured out, I realized I was wrong.  I never would have guessed the end.  I love when I can't figure out the killer in the first half of the book!  The tension and suspense is kept up right up until the end.


The romance is also really good as Anna and Dante are a great couple. Dante is definitely an alpha, but you can tell that he has never stopped thinking about or caring for Anna.  Anna is dealing with her own demons and Dante does a great job of helping her overcome them.  They both are wary of each other at first, yet when it comes down to the wire, they can freely admit that they still love each other.  I loved the how the HEA played out for them.  The scene in the break room was just too sweet! The sexual tension between these two is steamy and very sensual.  Ms. Burton really knows how to write a great love scene!

I definitely recommend this one!  I really hope that Gabe gets his own story soon!  The book hints at the direction that it could take, so I'll just keep my fingers crossed!


--Kari