A Small Helping of the Teen Menu

Think of the teen menu as a small but tasty helping this month. I'm currently in the middle of judging RWA's RITA contest, so all my reading time is being devoted to that. But before the entries I'm judging arrived, I did have time to read one YA novel I'd like to tell you about.

Lots of YA releases are parts of series, and that's the case of Cassandra Clare's The Mortal Instruments series. The first in the series was City of Bones, where we're introduced to the world of the Nephilim, aka Shadowhunters, (our main characters) and Downworlders (werewolves, vampires, fairies, warlocks, etc.). The book I read recently was the second in the series, City of Ashes. It's the continuing adventure of teenage Shadowhunters Clary, Jace, Alec and Isabelle and their non-Nephilim friends as their world gets more dangerous. Valentine, Clary and Jace's father, is determined to take down the current governmental system and rule and he's taking steps toward that goal that shock even those who know how scary he can be. He's even scarier because he can make people stop and wonder if maybe his viewpoint might be the right one after all.

Against the backdrop of death and betrayal, the young Shadowhunters are also dealing with typical teenage trials such as unrequited love, forbidden love and emotional turmoil. There is one story thread that is likely to make some readers uncomfortable, but I'm reserving judgment until I read the third in the series, City of Glass (which is already available). I'm thinking (and hoping) that something will be revealed in that book that will take away the uncomfortable aspect of the storyline thus far.

Have any of you read this series? Please don't spoil me on the third book, but what did you think of the series overall?

In the midst of judging the RITA, I'm also working on revising one of my own books, due March 8. But I'm still hoping to make time to go see Percy Jackson the Olympians: The Lightning Thief. I had hoped to read the book before I had to start my judging, but I ran out of time. Anyone else planning to go see it? Have you read the book?

Until next month, happy YA reading!

Hank Phillippi Ryan winners!

Hank Phillippi Ryan has selected her winners! The winners of one TIME novel of their choice is:

Michelle KS
Jane
Susan Sey
Helen
Linda Henderson

And the winner of three books and a book bag is:

LSUreader

Congratulations to all the winners! Please email Hank at hankAThankphillippiryanDOTcom with "Romance Dish winner" as the subject and your choice of book (for those who won their choice of one) and Hank will send your prize right out! Thanks!

New Releases for February

Because of Valentine’s Day, February is frequently referred to as the month of love. Personally, my husband and I don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day. The kids have fun exchanging Valentines, but February means something different to us: our son’s birthday. :) Do you celebrate Valentine’s Day? If so, are you doing anything special? February also brings in a bunch of hot new releases! Which February releases have you read? Of those, which ones do you recommend? Which ones are you most looking forward to? Tell us and one lucky poster will win a fabulous February release, All Night With a Rogue, graciously offered by historical author Alexandra Hawkins! You can check out my review of it here.

Until March, happy reading!

Historical

The Viscount’s Betrothal -- Louise Allen
Triumph in Arms -- Jennifer Blake
The Golden Season -- Connie Brockway
A Midwife Crisis -- Lisa Cooke
Whirlwind Secrets -- Debra Cowen
The Endless Forest -- Sara Donati (Historical Fiction)
Emerald Embrace -- Shannon Drake
Diablo -- Georgina Gentry
Charming the Devil -- Lois Greiman (Paranormal)
The Kitchen House -- Kathleen Grissom (Historical Fiction)
The Queen’s Governess -- Karen Harper (Historical Fiction)
All Night With a Rogue -- Alexandra Hawkins
Viking in Love -- Sandra Hill
Ravishing in Red -- Madeline Hunter
The Truth About Lord Stoneville -- Sabrina Jeffries
To Tame a Dangerous Lord -- Nicole Jordan
Bound by Temptation -- Lavinia Kent
Lessons in French -- Laura Kinsale
The Elusive Bride -- Stephanie Laurens
Audrey and the Maverick -- Elaine Levine
Promise Me Tonight -- Sara Lindsey
O, Juliet -- Robin Maxwell (Historical Fiction)
A Highlander’s Homecoming -- Melissa Mayhue (Time Travel)
Countess of Scandal -- Laurel McKee
Moon Craving -- Lucy Monroe (Paranormal)
The Wives of Henry Oades -- Johanna Moran (Historical Fiction)
Wind Warrior -- Constance O’Banyon
The Boleyn Wife -- Brandy Purdy (Historical Fiction)
Taming the Highland Bride -- Lynsay Sands
The Gentleman’s Quest -- Deborah Simmons
To Be Seduced -- Ann Stephens
Brigid of Kildare -- Heather Terrell (Historical Fiction)
The Accidental Countess -- Michelle Willingham
In the Warrior’s Bed -- Mary Wine

Contemporary

Knock Me for a Loop -- Heidi Betts
Her Sexy Valentine -- Stephanie Bond
Unclear and Present Danger -- Michele Cameron
If Books Could Kill -- Kate Carlisle (Mystery)
Angel’s Peak -- Robyn Carr
Tempt Me Again -- Wendy Etherington
Back in Black -- Lori Foster
Love Out of Order -- Nicole Green
Winter Garden -- Kristin Hannah (Women’s Fiction)
Take Me If You Dare -- Candace Havens
The Next Best Thing -- Kristan Higgins
No Other Lover Will Do -- Cheris Hodges
The Charmer -- Kate Hoffman
Here Comes Trouble -- Donna Kauffman
Play With Me -- Leslie Kelly
Searching for Tina Turner -- Jacqueline E. Luckett (Women’s Fiction)
Kitchen Chinese -- Ann Mah (Women’s Fiction)
McKettricks of Texas: Tate -- Linda Lael Miller
Trail of Kisses -- Michelle Monkou
Remember Me -- Laura Moore
Island Fantasy -- Kayla Perrin
Drive Time -- Hank Phillippi Ryan (Mystery)
Slow Heat -- Jill Shalvis
Chocolate Goodies -- Jacquelin Thomas
Brava, Valentine -- Adriana Trigiani (Women’s Fiction)
Love on the Rocks -- Pamela Yaye
Manhunting -- Betina Krahn, Joanne Rock, Lori Borrill
Racing Hearts -- Vicki Lewis Thompson, Nancy Warren, Dorien Kally

YA/Teen

The River -- Mary Jane Beaufrand
Fabulous -- Simone Bryant
Heist Society -- Ally Carter
Incarceron -- Catherine Fisher (Fantasy)
Scarlett Fever -- Maureen Johnson
Gone -- Lisa McMann (Paranormal)
Num8ers -- Rachel Ward (Urban Fantasy)

Romantic Suspense

Dead by Midnight -- Beverly Barton
The Vigilante Lover -- Debra Cowan
The Best Revenge -- Justine Davis
In Bed With the Badge -- Marie Ferrarella
Shotgun Sheriff -- Delores Fossen
Chickasaw County Captive -- Paula Graves
Down River -- Karen Harper
Blood Ties -- Kay Hooper (Paranormal)
The Man From Nowhere -- Rachel Lee
The Bliss Factor -- Penny McCall
Deadly Seduction -- Cate Noble
The Enforcer -- Anna Perrin
A Baby Between Them -- Alice Sharpe
Hold on Tight -- Stephanie Tyler
Colby Lockdown -- Debra Webb
Powerhouse -- Rebecca York

Paranormal

Everlasting Kiss -- Amanda Ashley
Pride Mates -- Jennifer Ashley
Real Vampires Hate Their Thighs -- Gerry Bartlett
Accidentally Demonic -- Dakota Cassidy
Pleasure of a Dark Prince -- Kresley Cole
The Hellhound King -- Lori Devoti
The Reckoners -- Doranna Durgin
Catch of a Lifetime -- Judi Fennell
Ecstasy Unveiled -- Larissa Ione
The Selkie Bride -- Melanie Jackson
What a Demon Wants -- Kathy Love
Some Like it Kilted -- Allie Mackay
Venus Guy Trap -- Shannon McKelden
Night Tides -- Alex Prentiss
Red Wolf -- Linda Thomas-Sundstrom
Blonde With a Wand -- Vicki Lewis Thompson
Embrace the Night Eternal -- Joss Ware
Truly, Madly -- Heather Webber

Urban Fantasy

Original Sin -- Allison Brennan
Unknown -- Rachel Caine
Unperfect Souls -- Mark Del Franco
Spider’s Bite -- Jennifer Estep
A Tale of Two Demon Slayers -- Angie Fox
First Drop of Crimson -- Jeaniene Frost
Shadow Blade -- Seressia Glass
The Dark Storm -- Kris Greene
Succubi Like it Hot -- Jill Myles
Twice as Hot -- Gena Showalter
Archangel’s Kiss -- Nalini Singh
Blood Magic -- Eileen Wilks

Erotica/Erotic Romance

The Blonde Samurai -- Jina Bacarr (Historical)
I Spy a Wicked Sin -- Jo Davis
Steve’s Story -- Jess Dee
Dare to Surrender -- Lilli Feisty
Secrets of Sin -- Chloe Harris (Historical)
Release -- Beth Kery
Nauti Deceptions -- Lora Leigh
Between the Sheets -- P.J. Mellor (Anthology)
Nothing Denied -- Jess Michaels (Historical)
Bedroom Bully -- Trista Russell
Laced With Desire -- Jaci Burton, Jasmine Haynes, Joey W. Hill, Denise Rosetti

Guest Author -- Stephanie Julian

Erotica author Stephanie Julian had a book-a-day habit until she realized she not only wanted to read books but write them, too. She eventually went on to graduate from Penn State with an English degree and then took a job at a newspaper because the only thing she wanted to do was write and they were going to pay her to do it. Ten years ago, she decided to rekindle her childhood dream of writing romance and here she is! Welcome to The Romance Dish, Stephanie!

Thanks for having me here at the Romance Dish.

Hi, I’m Stephanie Julian, author of the Lucani Lovers and Magical Seduction series from Ellora’s Cave. I’m an erotic paranormal romance writer with a wicked addiction…

To Junior Mints, minty, chocolately discs of sheer heaven.

Oh, and I also love romance.

I’ve been a romance reader all my life, since I first discovered Harlequins in the mid 70s. I think I was eight. I was a pretty precocious reader, graduating to Bertrice Small and Rosemary Rogers by the time I was twelve.

I also read a lot of fantasy, including Tolkien, Eddings and Brooks, and every Stephen King. But even as I enjoyed those stories, I was always looking for more romantic elements.

At college, I majored in English. I loved Shakespeare but of course I wanted to rewrite the ending of “Romeo and Juliet.” The greatest love story of all time and they both die? What the hell? Yes, it’s an amazing written work but I’ll stick with “As You Like It,” thank you very much.

That preference for a Happily Ever After is why I write romance. People who don’t understand or look down on the genre don’t fully understand the appeal.

But why do you want to read a book where you know the ending? You hear that question a lot from people who read books where all the major characters die at the end, usually in horrible fashion.

I read romance because I like to believe that life isn’t always so dire. That there is hope and love does triumph even when your world is crumbling down.

Pollyanna much? Maybe. But isn’t that the beauty of romance?

When Rhett Butler walks out of Tara and away from Scarlet, I knew one day she’d follow him and win him back. Same goes for Ilsa and Rick in “Casablanca.” Actually, I just finished my second ménage, so maybe Ilsa and Rick and Victor… Okay, maybe not. But Ilsa and Rick are meant to be together, even if they have to wait until Victor dies heroically liberating death camps.

In my series for Ellora’s Cave, an entire society of Etruscan magical users has hidden itself in our society, clinging to their old ways while trying to fit into modern life. They retain their magic, they worship deities (who just happen to be living among us, as well) and fight to keep themselves and their families safe in a world that, if they were exposed, probably wouldn’t look too kindly on them.

Some of them have horns, wings and pointy ears and can change into wolves and other animals. But these stories are first and foremost romances and the central story is always two (or three) people falling in love amid turmoil, suspense and conflict.

How they overcome their obstacles to live Happily Ever After is the best part for me. Yes, writing the sex scenes is fun and exciting but having the story unfold before my eyes is even better. I’m not a detailed plotter. I have a general idea of the story before I start but I typically just start to write when I finally have the main characters in my head.

I had a leg up on that plot for “Moonlight Ménage,” the second book in the Lucani Lovers series to be released soon from EC. It’s a continuation of the story started in “Kiss of Moonlight.” I knew Duke, Tira and Nic before I started their book and I knew where their journey would take them.

They have a pretty rocky road ahead but, in the end, they come through and are stronger for it. Together.

Isn’t that what we all want? What do you want from a romance?

Stephanie's blog
Stephanie's website

Review -- Slow Heat

Slow Heat
By Jill Shalvis
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Release Date: February 2, 2010




Jill Shalvis is a new-to-me author. Now that I think about it, every book I’ve read so far this year is by a new-to-me author. It’s one of the many reasons why I love reviewing. I’ve discovered some really great talent and Jill Shalvis is no exception. Slow Heat is the follow-up to last year’s Double Play and I enjoyed every page of it!

As the publicist for Santa Barbara’s expansion team, the Heat, Samantha McNead is used to smoothing out issues and problems concerning the team’s players. So when an obsessive fan claims to be pregnant with star catcher Wade O’Riley’s baby, Sam steps in, like always, to do what she must. Only this time she is asked to pretend to be Wade’s girlfriend for a month in order to restore his public image. Despite the fact that she secretly has the hots for Wade, Sam is determined to get through the month unscathed. And Wade is determined to bring up their past night of explosive passion in an elevator at every turn. When their make-believe weekend at a high profile wedding results in another night of fiery passion, each is more confused than ever. And if that wasn’t enough, Sam’s self-centered brother goes into rehab and asks her to take care of something for him. That “something” turns out to be her ten year old nephew, Tag.

Wade O’Riley may be the best defensive catcher in Major League Baseball, but his life wasn’t always so grand. Growing up poor with an indifferent, alcoholic father took a toll on a young, impressionable Wade. This caused him to want to make something of himself. And he did, in a big way. But with fortune comes fame . . . and the crazy people who want to take advantage of that. Wade knows he is innocent, but is glad that Sam is helping him with the situation because he has not forgotten their one night together, despite what Sam may think. And even though he has a hard time with commitment (after all, he’d been let down by it before), he’d like to see where this thing with Sam leads.

I completely adore Sam and Wade! These two are dynamite opposite each other. I love a good romance where the hero and heroine are adversaries and the tension between them is super intense. Right from the start they are at each other:

“Are you okay after last night’s game?” she asked.

“Always. How about you, Princess?”

She’d asked him a million times not to call her that. It drove her crazy, which was of course why he did it. “I’m fine. We need to talk.”

“Sorry,” he said with mock regret. “But we don’t talk. We fight. And I’m not in the mood.”

This exchange between Wade and his best friend Pace (the hero from Double Play) concerning the “pretend” relationship had me laughing:

“We want to see the show.”

“You mean the wedding.”

“That, too,” Pace said with an obvious smirk.

“I’m sorry, exactly how is this so funny?”

“Well, you’ve never met a woman you couldn’t conquer, and she’s sure as hell never met a guy whose balls she couldn’t crush. So who’s going to survive? That’s the million-dollar question.”

Wade is pegged as a carefree ladies’ man, and Sam as an “all work and no play” kind of gal. Of course, those are personas that they show the public, but aren’t who they really are or want to be deep down inside. Spending a month together “pretending” to date allows them to realize that and so much more about the other. Plus, Tag was a big part of that as well. He totally made several scenes and a couple in particular between him and Wade melted my heart! As did a very sweet part involving Sam and Wade playing the game Truth or Dare. Sigh.

Slow Heat may be about baseball, but you certainly don’t have to be a sports fan to enjoy it. If you like reading fun, sexy contemporaries, then this one fits the bill quite nicely. Pick it up and enjoy the game!

~Andrea

Laura Kinsale Winners!

The two winners of signed copies of Lessons in French are

LSU Reader

and

Susan Sey

Please email your full name and snail mail address with "Laura Kinsale Winner" in the subject line to theromancedish@gmail.com.  We'll forward your information to Laura.

 

Jennifer Estep Winner

The winner of a copy of Spider's Bite by Jennifer Estep is

INDIGO

Congratulations, Indigo! Please send your full name and snail mail address to theromancedish@gmail.com, with "Jennifer Estep Winner" in the subject line, to claim your prize.

Guest Author -- Vonna Harper

We are happy to welcome erotica author Vonna Harper to The Romance Dish today! Vonna writes for several publishers and her stories range from cougars to cowboys to sexy beasts! And did you know that Vonna has bionic hips? Check out the story on her news page here. Besides writing, Vonna can be found blogging at The Bradford Bunch, The Aphrodisia Authors and Novelists' Ink. Welcome, Vonna!


Writing Myself Into A Corner

For those who don't know me--yeah, I know, there's a lot of that going around--I write erotica for Kensington Aphrodisia and Ellora's Cave. I've also written for Samhain and Loose Id and might again if I can clone myself.

Back in the olden days I wrote category romances for Harlequin and Silhouette under another name, but being a restless, easily distracted broad, I decided to jump on the erotica bandwagon when Ellora's Cave began shaking up the industry. And boy did they, proving that readers are ready for ebooks. These days EC is sitting pretty at http://www.jasminejade.com/ in case you've somehow (and I don't know how that's possible) missed it.

Probably by now you're wondering what this has to do with my title, Writing Myself Into A Corner, so here's the deal. For reasons I'm not sure I understand myelf, I jumped with both feet into the capture/BDSM genre within erotica, one of the most popular genres. I find capture fantasies great fun. If Tarzan (with deodorant and razor, thank you very much) burst in right now and threw me over his shoulder, I'd be a happy camper. Although my stories get labeled BDSM, I don't get that lifestyle. Oh, I'll occasionally read about it or check out Sex and Submission, a www.kink.com project, but I'm not good at getting into the dom/submissive mindset. Give me a warrior or shape shifter in need of a hostage or political prisoner and I'm on top of that.

I've been on top of that a lot, maybe too much. Maybe its just today's mood, but I want to stretch other erotic muscles, specifically hot adventure and danger. But will readers still love me if I do? My latest print book Taming The Cougar is a capture/shape-shifting gig as is His Slave which I just turned in and Falcon's Captive coming out in Aug. Ditto with Winter of the Beast and BeastMaster with EC.



What to do.
Change?
Stay with the familiar?
Eat ice cream?

Okay, I can get around the ice cream.
Vonna

http://www.vonnaharper.com/
A touch, and more, of erotica

Have you jumped on the e-book bandwagon? Do you read erotica? What story themes do you enjoy?

Vicki Lewis Thompson winner!

The winner of a signed copy of Blonde with a Wand is:

Spav!

Congratulations, Spav! Please send your full name and address to theromancedishATgmailDOTcom with "VLT winner" in the subject line and we'll pass your info on to Vicki. Thanks!

Lessons in French Cooking at the Romance Dish!

by Anna Campbell

The Romance World has been abuzz with the release of the latest Laura Kinsale LESSONS IN FRENCH.

This is a delicious concoction wih the frothy lightness of a perfect soufflee and the rich, heady depths of the finest cognac. Yeah, I know, more cooking imagery - but this blog IS the Romance Dish! Where else do I get to make jokes about the villain in a book being a crepe?

Laura is one of the most beloved writers in the genre so it's my great privilege today to talk to her about LESSONS IN FRENCH. And make sure you comment - we have TWO signed copies of this mouthwatering book to serve up to people today.

For more information on Laura and her books, please check out her website: www.laurakinsale.com

For a great discussion of one of Laura's older books (and a classic!), please check out the review I did here last week for THE PRINCE OF MIDNIGHT. Some great to and fro in the comments!

Laura, huge congratulations on your latest release LESSONS IN FRENCH which I devoured in one sitting. Can you tell us about this story and the inspiration behind it?

What if the hottest, sweetest, wildest boy in school was your personal tutor for French class? That's how Callie and Trev first met, but instead of high school it was the English countryside; Callie was the wealthy daughter of the local earl, and Trev--in spite of his aristocratic lineage--was from a penniless French family that had barely escaped the guillotine. But Trev and Callie shared more than just language lessons, and when her father caught them together in a carriage...well, that was the last Callie ever saw of Trevelyan d'Augustin. Until nine years later. Callie has been left standing at the altar three different times. She's resigned herself to spinsterhood, and her greatest desire is to win the silver cup with her prize bull, Hubert. When Trev reappears, her quiet spinster life turns upside down. The enormous Hubert vanishes into thin air, one of her former jilts comes back to woo her in a most determined manner—and her bull takes the town by storm! In the midst of these misadventures, Callie finds herself falling in love again with the worst possible man for her.

I've been saying that this book was written in tribute to all the enjoyment I've had reading Georgette Heyer's Regencies over the years. That's true, but as people have begun talking about LESSONS IN FRENCH, I've realized that it has some other roots too. I'm thinking of all those wonderful romantic movies, such as SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE where there is romping comedy but also a deep emotional undercurrent.

You’re famous and much beloved for writing complex, heart-wrenching romance yet LESSONS IN FRENCH, while it definitely has a huge emotional punch, is much lighter in tone than your earlier work. I found myself laughing out loud at the antics of the various characters and the witty banter. Is this an area you’ve wanted to explore for a while and will we see more comedy from you?

Even though most of the books I've written have been very intense, and some quite dark, there is usually some humor in there. I think perhaps the older I get, the more amusement I get out of life. Which is a nice trend, isn't it? I think the best romantic comedy has some heart-tugging in it. I don't plan far ahead (tomorrow is a long time for me), so I can't say what I'll do in the future. I still enjoy torturing characters!

Definitely a nice trend! Your books are regularly mentioned among the greatest romances ever written (you certainly feature on my personal list!). How has this affected you? Do you feel that weight of expectation when you sit down to write a book?

Writing really only works for me when it's divorced from the "real world." I love it when people enjoy my books--who wouldn't? But when I am writing, the less I think about that sort of thing, the better. It's just me and the characters.

You have an astonishingly individual voice that is completely inimitable. For all that, I’d love to know what writers have influenced you.

The writers that have influenced me are John Fowles (THE FRENCH LIEUTENANT'S WOMAN), C.J. Cherryh, James Joyce and Charles Dickens. As you can tell, all of them are word and character junkies. Unlike, say, my least favorite writer, Hemingway. I'm not a big fan of the "he said, she said," stripped down version of literature.

Thanks, Laura, for a great interview and for being our guest today on the Romance Dish. Do you have anything you'd like to ask our readers?

Thank you for having me on the Romance Dish. I'd love to hear which books and movies both tugged at your readers' heartstrings and made them laugh. I'm ready to go out and buy some!

So, guys, get commenting! TWO lucky people will win signed copies of LESSONS IN FRENCH! Good luck!

Guest Author -- Vicki Lewis Thompson

An eight-time RITA nominee, the 2008 recipient of RWA's Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award , and author of more than ninety books, New York Times bestseller Vicki Lewis Thompson is one busy lady. She is the author of the very popular Nerd series--who knew geeky could be sexy?--, the witty paranormal Hex series, and she also writes for Harlequin. Whew! How does she do it? In addition to all that, she's one of the loveliest, friendliest people I've ever met! Now, Vicki has a fun new series, Babes on Brooms, involving two witch sisters. The first book, Blonde With A Wand was released yesterday and centers on Anica and her magical mishap. Check out my review here. Next month, we'll find out what Anica's sister, Lily, is up to in Chick With A Charm. Please join me in welcoming, Vicki to The Romance Dish.


Yay! I’m blogging on the Romance Dish! Ever since Gannon invited me to be here I’ve been looking forward to this. Let the party begin!

I want to talk about drinks. See, both BLONDE WITH A WAND and CHICK WITH A CHARM are really about drinks, which happens to be because I’m fascinated by both kinds – coffee and cocktails. That’s why Anica, the blonde sister, owns a coffee shop, and Lily, the brunette sister, is a bartender.

I spend a fair amount of time at Starbucks, which is where I got my inspiration for Anica’s shop. I can’t claim to hang out at bars, but I do have this great book with fabulous pictures of unusual cocktails. I also have a digital toy called a Barmaster, which will give me the recipe for a gazillion alcoholic drinks, plus it tells bar jokes.

Between Starbucks and my Barmaster, I’m covered in the research department. But why the fascination? It’s the creativity that goes into the making of these drinks that has me hooked. The barista or bartender has to make sure the froth is just so and the syrup drips in exactly the right way, so that when the customer is presented with the final result, it’s a work of art. Well, and it tastes good. Then there are the names, things like Caramel Macchiato and Java Chip Frappuccino (coffee) or Sex on the Beach and Freddy Fudpucker (cocktails). How can a person resist?

Both of my heroines are witches who can work magic, but to me, the mixing of coffee and bar drinks is its own kind of magic. It made sense that they would be drawn to these professions where they deal with exotic potions. In both cases, they can have drinks with steam coming from the cup or glass. Very spooky and paranormal.

I should probably tell you a quick bit about each book. In BLONDE WITH A WAND, out now, Anica gets angry with her boyfriend and turns him into a cat. In CHICK WITH A CHARM, out in March, Anica’s sister Lily puts a love potion in a drink she serves to a handsome customer. For those of you who followed the Hex books, matchmaking witch and wizard Dorcas and Ambrose Lowell make key appearances in both of these books. I had such fun writing them. Oh, and I’ll be happy to give away an autographed copy of BLONDE WITH A WAND today!

But back to the drinks. Am I the only one fascinated by them? If confronted with a chance to sample a fabulous coffee drink or an unusual cocktail, I’d be hard-pressed to choose. How about you? Are you into coffee drinks? Or maybe there’s a cocktail recipe that you’d like to share with me. What’s your favorite thing in the world to sip on?

Bunco Babes Gone Wild winner!

The winner of a copy of Bunco Babes Gone Wild is:

irisheyes!

Congratulations, irisheyes! Please send your full name and address to theromancedishATgmailDOTcom with "Bunco Babes winner" in the subject line and I'll get it right out to you. Thanks!

Guest Author -- Jennifer Estep

Jennifer Estep says she's a Southern gal through and through - sassy, sarcastic, and just a tad crazy. She's always loved making up wild stories in her head but nowadays she gets paid to do it. The author of four published novels, Jennifer is also an award-winning features page designer for a daily newspaper.


Spider's Bite (Pocket Books), which was released January 26th, kicks off Jennifer's new Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series.   

Please give Jennifer a warm welcome to The Romance Dish!

Greetings and salutations! First of all, I want to thank PJ and the rest of the Romance Dish ladies for inviting me to guest blog. Thanks so much everyone!

So today I thought I would talk about romance, of course.  *g*  And I thought that I’d focus on reader expectations, especially when it comes to books that aren’t straight-up romances – like my new book Spider’s Bite.

Spider’s Bite was released last week, and it’s the first book in my new Elemental Assassin series. Now, some of you might know me from my Bigtime paranormal romance series. Those books – Karma Girl, Hot Mama, and Jinx – were definitely romances, with a lot of sexy superheroes, masks, and spandex thrown in.

But Spider’s Bite is not a paranormal romance. It’s an urban fantasy through and through, and focuses on an assassin named Gin Blanco who runs a barbecue restaurant in her spare time. It’s very dark, gritty, and Southern with lots of blood, lots of action, and lots of violence.

And I think it also has a lot of romance in it. There’s a ruggedly handsome detective, loads of sexual tension, and a very steamy scene that takes place inside a supply closet. You can imagine what happens in there between Gin and the detective. ;-)

But I wonder if there’s enough romance in it for, well, romance readers. How much romance do folks expect in a book that’s not a straight-up romance? A love interest? Some kisses? A sex scene or two? And what about the happily ever after? Is that a requirement in a non-romance?

For the record, Spider’s Bite gets pretty steamy in places (namely, that supply closet). But Gin doesn’t get her happily ever after at the end of the book, although I do plan for her to have one during the course of the series. Whether it’s with the detective or someone else, well, readers will just have to wait and see.

Me, personally? I like books that have a little bit of everything in them – action, adventure, romance, even an explosion or two. I don’t necessarily expect a romance in say, a spy thriller or a cozy mystery, but it’s always a nice bonus. So is a happily ever after for the couple in question.

But writing a romance in a non-romance book can be tough. It’s a fine line to tread between putting enough romance in to please fans of that genre and enough fantasy world building to please fans of that genre (or a twisty mystery or whatever specific genre you happen to be writing in).

And urban fantasy is its own unique hybrid, since the genre gets so much crossover readership from romance fans, fantasy fans, and others. It’s a lot to juggle and think about as an author. But in the end, all I can do is write the best book that I can and hope that readers – all types of readers – respond.

What about you? How much romance do you like in other genres? Is the promise of an eventual happily ever after enough to get you to read a series? Share in the comments.

Jo Davis Winners!

 

MAUREEN

AND

MARIA

You're both won signed copies of Hidden Fire and I Spy A Wicked Sin!

Please send your full name and email address to theromancedish@gmail.com and put "Jo Davis Winner" in the subject line.

 

Guest Author -- Hank Phillippi Ryan

Award-winning investigative reporter Hank Phillippi Ryan is on the air at Boston's NBC affiliate. Her work has resulted in new laws, people sent to prison, homes removed from foreclosure, and millions of dollars in restitution. Along with her 26 EMMYs, Hank’s won dozens of other journalism honors. She's been a radio reporter, a legislative aide in the United States Senate and an editorial assistant at Rolling Stone Magazine working with Hunter S. Thompson. Pretty impressive, huh? And on top of that, she's an incredibly nice person. :)

Her first mystery, the best-selling PRIME TIME, won the Agatha for Best First Novel. It was also was a double RITA nominee for Best First Book and Best Romantic Suspense Novel, a DAPHNE nominee, a TOP PICK and an RT Reviewers' Choice Award Winner. FACE TIME (August 2009) and AIR TIME (Sept. 2009) are IMBA bestsellers. DRIVE TIME is out February 1 from MIRA Books. Please help us welcome Hank back to The Romance Dish!


Can you keep a secret?

Okay, I see you all leaning forward...she’s going to tell us something big, you’re thinking. A secret. And yes yes yes, we can keep it.

Really?

What if—all you had to do was tell, and it would change your life? Would keeping the secret as you promised be more important? Or would you be tempted…
What if—all you had to do was tell the secret—and you would be a huge success?
And what if—you really thought telling my secret would make someone else’s life better? Would it be more important to keep your promise to me? Or to tell for the greater good?

Okay, I don’t have a secret. (Not that I’m going to tell you today, at least.) But secrets are at the heart of mystery, and certainly at the heart of romance. Right?

How many times have you wondered just how much you can really share—or SHOULD really share—with that amazing guy across from you at the restaurant table? And haven’t you wondered exactly what he’s keeping from you? Or curled up, cozy, propped up on pillows with just a downy quilt over the two of you…what have you been tempted to divulge? Or not?

If your loved one asks: “can you keep a secret”-- what do you say?

And if you know a secret do you tell your significant other? When you say—oh, I’ll never tell—does he/she count? And in that floating time just before—or after,--um….when it seems like it’s only the two of you. What would you tell then?

And it’s not just in your personal life, of course. How about on the job? As a TV reporter for the past 30 years, keeping things confidential is the hallmark of my work. There; are things I’ve been told that I can never reveal. Sources have divulged documents and reports and financial information and medical info, but where it all came from, I can never tell.

When you hear some juicy gossip at work…and you know you’ve got to keep it confidential—can you do it?

And what happens when the secrets of your personal life (and we all have them, including my main character TV reporter Charlotte McNally) and the secrets of your professional life (and we all have them, including Charlie McNally) are coming together on a deadly collision course?

As DRIVE TIME proves, the real secret of a secret—may be knowing when to tell.

In this excerpt from DRIVE TIME, Charlie and her brand new fiancé are asleep in Josh’s bedroom. At least, Josh is asleep. Charlie is wondering what her life will be like when she leaves her home on Boston’s chic Beacon Hill and moves in with her dishy prep-school professor husband. And then—it turns out Josh is having a difficult night, too.


My new nightgown was a major success. But I still can’t sleep. Brookline’s old-fashioned line streetlights weave criss-cross patterns on Josh’s bedroom ceiling, stripes of shadow across the stark white. They’re now as familiar as my own ceiling design, Beacon Hill’s gas-lit yellow cast across the pale blue I painted myself. It’s been home for a long time. Now, I sleep here as much as there. And I’m feeling just as comfortable. Almost.

“Sweets?” Josh whispers. “You asleep?”

“Not one bit,” I say. “I’m trying, but not terribly successfully. My brain won’t turn off. Nor will the rest of me, thanks to you.” I turn to face him, eyes open again, smiling with possibility, glad for a good excuse to be awake. I’ll just be tired tomorrow. It’s happened before. I expect Josh to reach out for me, but his expression is—concerned? And why are his glasses back on? My Josh-radar pings into the red.

“What?” I ask. “What’s wrong?”

“Can you keep a secret?” he says. He’s still on his back, hands clasped over his chest, head turned to watch me.

I sit up, yanking the comforter over me, and twist around to look down on him, assessing. Can I keep a secret? What kind of a question is that?

“Um, keeping a secret, that’s the reporter’s credo, right?” I smile, trying for adorable-cheerful. Maybe I’ve misread his mood. I squint at the digital alarm clock. It’s hard to be perceptive at 3:34 AM. “Confidential sources stay confidential?”

Josh scoots up, back to headboard, grabbing his half of the comforter. “It’s Bexter,” he says. He leans over, gives me a quick kiss. “I’m sorry, sweets, to be distracted. Tonight, especially. But you know Dorothy Wirt? The Headmaster’s assistant? Well, the Head and I found her at her desk, a few days ago. Crying.” He shakes his head, remembering. “She finally told us she’s been getting some pretty disturbing phone calls. She didn’t want to tell, she insisted, didn’t want to “alarm” the Head. I mean, I think it’s more alarming that she tried to keep it to herself.”


(( Josh tells Charlie she has to keep this to herself. But Charlie’s an investigative reporter for a Boston TV station. And she thinks this could be a big story. Josh says his boss ordered him never to tell. But Josh’s daughter Penny—soon to be Charlie’s step daughter—goes to Bexter Academy. What if she’s in danger? But the Headmaster insists—Josh must never tell about the phone calls.))


“That’s exactly what he said, “ Josh replies. “I don’t agree with him, but he’s the boss. And that’s why I asked you about keeping a secret. You can, right?”

Silence has never been so noisy. How do I answer that? For the past twenty years, my loyalties have been only to journalism. I stare at my engagement ring again. Somehow, now, the glitter contains a bit of a taunt. Who’d have imagined a continental divide in the middle of a king-sized TempurPedic?

“I’m just thinking,” I begin. “If there’s a possible danger to the kids, including Penny? I’ve seen it, so often, the tragic results when people try to cover up a problem or pretend a threat doesn’t exist. And it’s my responsibility as a journalist to investigate what people are trying to hide. Right?”

Josh’s turn on the tightrope. Are his loyalties to me? To the Bexter kids? To his boss? This is a discussion we’ve never needed to have. Now we’re having it in the middle of the night, naked, and when I kind of have to go to the bathroom.

“Wrong,” Josh says.

I shiver, though it’s not cold. I need to let him continue. I need to hear this.

“Wrong,” he says again. “Because it’s your job to—to wait. Until you have all the facts. And we don’t have any facts. I told you something in confidence.”

He turns to me, face softening, then picks up my hand, twisting the diamond on my finger. “We’re not source and reporter here, sweets. We’re almost husband and wife.”

He’s right. But I’m right. Is there a right?


In DRIVE TIME, Charlie is torn between her loyalties to her fiancé, her new daughter, her job, her career, her future and her dreams…can Charlie really have it all? Can anyone? And perhaps, as DRIVE TIME explores—maybe the real secret of a secret—is knowing when to tell.


So—when is it right to tell a secret? Ever? Are you faithful as a tomb when it comes to keeping our mouth shut? Have you ever told a secret—and regretted it? Have you ever KEPT a secret-and regretted it?

GIVEAWAY! The choice of any one of Hank’s Charlie McNally series—to five lucky commenters! And one grand prize winner gets the first three books--plus a terrific limited edition black canvas tote bag.


Did you know?

Suzanne Brockmann says: “I love this series!” Sue Grafton says: "This is first-class entertainment." And Library Journal just gave DRIVE TIME a starred review, saying in part “Placing Ryan in the same league as Lisa Scottoline…her latest book catapults the reader into the fast lane and doesn’t relent until the story careens to a stop. New readers will speed to get her earlier books, and diehard fans will hope for another installment.”

Coming Attractions for February

Can you believe that January is practically over? We have another fun-filled month planned here at The Romance Dish with guest blogs, reviews, interviews and giveaways. Check out what's in store for February.

Emmy award winning investigative reporter and best selling mystery author Hank Phillipi Ryan will be with us on Monday, February 1st to talk about her latest Charlotte McNally mystery, Drive Time.

On Tuesday, February 2nd, Jennifer Estep joins us to dish about Spider's Bite, the first book in her new Elemental Assassin series.

New York Times bestselling author Vicki Lewis Thompson will be joining us on Wednesday, February 3rd to tell us all about her brand new Babes on Brooms series and the first book, Blonde With A Wand and the second in the series, Chick With A Charm which will be released in March 2010. No one does witty witches like Vicki!

Don't miss our very own Anna Campbell's interview with the inimitable Laura Kinsale on Thursday, February 4th. Laura's brand new book, Lessons in French has been earning rave reviews.

Erotica author Vonna Harper is blogging with us on Friday, February 5th.

The heat is still on when erotica author Stephanie Julian is our guest on Monday, February 8th.

You don't want to miss Andrea's New Releases on Tuesday, February 9th. She'll have the latest books to add to your ever-growing TBR stacks!

Trish Milburn is back on Wednesday, February 10th with the Teen Menu. She always has great YA books to share.

Futuristic romance author Ann O'Bannon will be talking with us on Thursday, February 11th.

Romance Bandit and New York Times bestselling author Kate Carlisle is hanging with us on Friday, February 12th to give us the scoop on the second book in her Bibliophile Mystery series, If Books Could Kill.

Kensington Aphrodisia erotica author PJ Mellor is our guest on Sunday, February 14th. Looks like it's going to be a hot Valentine's Day!

And speaking of hot, the month wouldn't be complete without checking out Buffie's Hot Dish on Monday, February 15th. Can't wait to see what she has in store for us!

Debut author Brenda Gayle will be with us on Tuesday, February 16th to tell us all about her book, Soldier For Love. Brenda will be donating 25% of all her book royalties (print and e-book) to the Haitian relief effort.

Mark your calendars for Wednesday, February 17th. NYT bestselling author and Squawk Radio babe Teresa Medeiros will be in the house. Get ready for lots of fun and laughter!

Contemporary romance and romantic suspense author Madelle Morgan will be telling us all about her book, Diamond Lust on Friday, February 19th.

Monday, February 22nd will be author Allison Knight's day to dish with us.

Get ready for a Second Helping with Anna Campbell when she shares another fabulous book review with us on Wednesday, February 24th.

We'll wrap up the month with a visit from RITA award winning historical romance author Sophia Nash. She'll join us on Thursday, February 25th to chat about her latest book, Secrets of A Scandalous Bride, book IV in her fantastic Widows Club series.

Review - Blonde With A Wand

Blonde With A Wand
By Vicki Lewis Thompson
Publisher: Signet Eclipse
Release Date: February 2, 2010

Anica Reaves is crazy about Jasper Danes, but she's not so sure he'll feel the same way about her once she tells him she's a witch. After all, the last guy she revealed that secret to ran like a bat out of hell. But Anica insists on honesty with any man she's involved with. But during her dinner date with Jasper, Anica discovers he's been less than honest with her. Unfortunately, her temper gets the best of her and she zaps Jasper with her wand turning him into a cat. Because she uses her magic in a negative way against another, Anica is stripped of her powers. How in the world will she remove the hex now?

Jasper thinks his date with Anica is going perfectly and plans for tonight to be "the night", but when Anica returns from the ladies' room, her demeanor has changed from affection to disdain. Things don't improve as they are walking toward Anica's apartment, and Jasper foolishly thinks he can thaw Anica's iciness with a little seduction and a kiss. The next thing he knows, he's sitting under his pile of clothes, transformed into one very ticked off cat. It gives a whole new meaning to "date from hell!"

Anica wrangles a hissing and spitting Jasper and takes him back to her apartment, anxious to hide her magic faux pas from everyone. She knows if the Wizard Council finds out what she's done, she'll be in deep woo woo. Desperate for help, Anica calls her sister, Lily, hoping that she might be able to help find a way to reverse the spell. Anica has always been the "responsible" sister and Lily's the "wild one", so it irks Anica to have screwed up in such a huge way. Unfortunately, nothing Lily does with a wave of her wand helps Jasper, and Anica can't find any counter-spell in any of her magic tomes. Help comes from Big Knob, Indiana in the form of Dorcas and Ambrose, the magical matchmakers from Thompson's popular Hex Series.

Jasper is counting the minutes until he turns back into a man, and he can get even with Anica. But the longer he spends with her, the more he wants her. Every night he becomes human, but returns to his feline form again in the morning. But those hours as a man only serve to stir up the chemistry between him and Anica, and Jasper thinks that maybe being with this sexy witch isn't such a bad deal after all. He even learns to enjoy the simplicity of his life as a cat:

He was now a champion nap-taker, too, and he had to acknowledge that naps lowered his stress levels. He also had meditation skills to rival the Dalai Lama and the patience of...well, of a saint. As a man he used to sit and drum his fingers on the desk while his computer booted up. Now he simply sat and waited.

....He realized with some surprise that there were things he'd miss about being a cat.

Anica and Jasper are about to be tested in ways they never dreamed, and they will have to decide if they are willing to sacrifice the most precious magic of all.....love.

Vicki Lewis Thompson has given her readers another fun and whimsical series. If you are a fan of Bewitched and witch Samantha Stevens and the mayhem her magic sometimes caused with her human husband, then you'll love Blonde With A Wand, the first book in Thompson's Babes on Brooms Series. Jasper's close encounter with Anica's nosy neighbor who wants to take him to the vet to be neutered had me laughing out loud.

The second book in the series, Chick With A Charm, will be released in March. It's all about Lily, Anica's sister. No doubt she's going to make Anica's magical slip up look minor in comparison. Treat yourself to a little magic and a lot of laughter and read Blonde With A Wand.


~ Gannon

Guest Author - - Jo Davis

Jo Davis was a public school teacher for sixteen years before leaving to pursue her dream of being a full-time writer. She writes romantic suspense and erotica for NAL, has been a finalist for the Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence, has won the HOLT Medallion Award of Merit, and has had one of her books optioned as a major motion picture. Check out her website for more information about Jo and her books.

Welcome to The Romance Dish, Jo!  We’re delighted to have you with us today.  HIDDEN FIRE (*love* that cover!), the third book in your Firefighters of Station Five series was recently released. Will you tell us a bit about the story?

Hello, ladies! I’m thrilled to be here at the Romance Dish! Thanks so much for inviting me. Without further ado…

Station Five’s bad boy, Julian Salvatore, has met his match in cool attorney Grace McKenna. When they first met in TRIAL BY FIRE, Jules fell for her and began his campaign to win her over. Grace, however, is well aware of his rep as a ladies’ man and isn’t willing to become a notch on his bedpost. She also senses that his behavior is a coping mechanism he uses to hide some very heavy baggage, and shies from becoming too involved with a man who needs to be “fixed”. But her heart has little say in the matter when all her preconceived notions about him are shattered one by one, and she gradually learns there’s a heart of gold beating underneath his unrepentant, sexy exterior. Before they can find happiness, however, the ghosts of his past must be put to rest…

Click here to read an excerpt from HIDDEN FIRE.

I fell in love with Jules. What woman doesn’t want to be *the one* to bring love and joy into a tormented romance hero’s life? Do you fall in love with your heroes? Is it hard to leave them behind once you’ve finished writing their stories?

Oh, yes, I definitely fall in love with my heroes! I especially fell for Julian, who had such a long way to go in healing emotionally. Saying goodbye to each one is always tough, which is part of the reason I love to write a series—I get to keep the guys around just a little longer. I hate goodbyes so much, I never type “The End” at the end of my manuscript before I turn it in! In my head I’m thinking, “But it’s not really the end, it’s only the beginning…”

I feel the same way!  I really hate saying goodbye to the characters of a much loved book.  I think that's why I'm such a fan of  the multi-book series. 

The villains in this book are particularly heinous. How difficult is it to write a villain? As the creator, are you able to detach yourself from their crimes or are you thrown into the maelstrom?

I love writing villains, and my friends will tell you that’s because I have a warped, evil mind! I throw myself into the role, really getting into their heads, and it’s sometimes a scary place to be. But I’m fascinated by the psychology of the criminal mind, what makes him or her tick. I don’t just wing it, though. I have research books at my fingertips to consult and make sure the villain I’m creating is exhibiting the appropriate behaviors for his or her type of criminal. My premise for the killers in HIDDEN FIRE began with a question: What if, very early on, one victim escaped the grisly fate intended for him, and never knew it?

While researching for the villains in HIDDEN FIRE, I learned that it’s not uncommon for killers to work in pairs or teams, and I read several case studies that gave me goosebumps. Chilling, huh? Fact is always more stunning than fiction.

Your villains sure gave me goosebumps!

What’s next for the men and women from Station Five?

Tommy Skyler, the station’s youngest firefighter, will get his story, LINE OF FIRE, on May 4!   Ex-football hero Tommy will work hard to win his lady love, Shea Ford, who happens to be Detective Shane Ford’s twin. (And yes, fans of Shane, he has a meaty role and you’ll get to know a more personal side of him!) My readers have also been waiting for Captain Sean Tanner to cause a major train wreck, and in Tommy’s story, lives are changed forever. On the suspense side of things, an old title pops into my head that says it all: Something Wicked This Way Comes. Tommy’s story propels us headlong into Sean’s story, RIDE THE FIRE, which will be released in December. The end of Tommy’s story reveals a shocker that gave my editor the chills, and blows out of the water something readers thought they knew. 

On top of that, the frightening thing is, what is coming to Sugarland can happen in any town, anywhere. Sean will have to put the past behind him once and for all if he hopes to avert evil and win the woman he loves… 

Click here to read an excerpt from LINE OF FIRE. 

Oh man, talk about a teaser!  I can't wait to get my hands on this book!  

Jo, you recently hinted (at Romance Bandits) that we might see a new series down the road starring some secondary characters from the Station Five books. Any news you care to share on that? I can’t be the only one who wants to know more about Tonio and Shane!

I don’t have any real news yet and can’t say too much about it, but I’m working on a new romantic suspense series proposal that will make my readers very happy should it be accepted by my publisher. The new series will be more gritty, while featuring those melt-your-panties heroes we love! All I can say is I very much hope to be able to give Detective Shane Ford’s and Anthony (Tonio) Salvatore’s stories to my readers.

We're hoping for the same thing!  

You also write erotic suspense thrillers. Your new SHADO Agency series premiers February 2, 2010 with I SPY A WICKED SIN which received 4 ½ stars from RT Magazine. Congratulations! What can we expect from the men of SHADO?

Thanks so much! I was thrilled with the RT review, and other early feedback I’ve received. The SHADO Agency series was created on this premise: James Bond meets Bourne Identity and goes erotic. I wanted to write a scorching erotic romantic suspense series involving sexy spies who encounter a host of dangerous and titillating situations, and who always get their man! Or woman. It’s a three-book series with an arch-villain who’s a major player throughout the three books, yet there’s a happily-ever-after at the end of each.

I SPY A WICKED SIN features hero Jude St. Laurent, who’s blind and suffering from huge holes in his memory. Worse, he has no clue he’s a former assassin who’s been blamed for the theft of a stolen weapon of mass destruction and is marked for death. And our heroine, fellow agent Lily Vale, has been sent to eliminate him… I hope my readers enjoy Jude’s story!  

Click here to read an excerpt from I SPY A WICKED SIN.

You certainly have been blessed with some lovely covers, Jo. *grin*  I'm looking forward to reading I SPY A WICKED SIN.  It sounds fascinating. 

Thanks so much for visiting with us today.  I'm sure our readers have questions for you but is there anything you'd like to ask them?

I’m curious to know if there’s a series out there that readers would love to devour, but isn’t being done right now. Answer this: I’d LOVE to read a series about _____, featuring heroes that are _____. Let your imagination run wild!

Jo has generously offered to send copies of HIDDEN FIRE and  I SPY A WICKED SIN to two lucky commenters, chosen at random.  Each of the winners will receive both books.

~PJ

Review -- Bunco Babes Gone Wild

Bunco Babes Gone Wild
By Maria Geraci
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: October 27, 2009





What happens when you combine twelve women, a handful of dice, some gossip, and lots of frozen drinks? A rip-roaring good time!

Georgia Meyer arrives in Whispering Bay, Florida, to visit her sister, Frida, and in desperate need of some time to think. She is currently the CFO of a major electronics company in Birmingham, Alabama, and is dating the company boss, Spencer Moody. For their five year anniversary dinner, Georgia is expecting a proposal and a ring. Understandable after five years together. Instead, she receives a calculator. An expensive calculator, but still. So Georgia drives down intending to stay only a couple of days reflecting on what to do and ends up getting roped into playing Bunco with Frida and her friends, the Bunco Babes. After several (or more) drinks, the gals start to get a bit rowdy and one of the Bunco Babes gets asked to show off her new boob job. She flashes them and then another gal flashes hers and then as Georgia describes it:

After that, all hell broke loose. Everyone was flashing. It was a blur of nipples and pale-colored flesh. There were big boobs, little boobs, somewhere-in-the-middle boobs. Sort of like an R-rated version of Dr. Seuss.

At this point, I was laughing out loud! And then, of course, who would walk in while Georgia was flashing hers but the gorgeous guy she had a slight run-in with earlier, Dave Hernandez. And by the look on his face, he likes what he sees. They’re both in Whispering Bay “temporarily”, but Georgia’s frequent interactions and growing attraction to the sexy construction worker make her really question whether Spencer is the one. Or could what she feels for Dave be the real thing?

This book was so much fun that I gobbled it up! I enjoy playing Bunco and you can tell Ms. Geraci does, too. Not only does she showcase the budding, hot romance between Dave and Georgia, but also the importance of having great girlfriends. These women know everything about each other and always stick together to help when a friend is in need. I wanted to be a Babe! Plus, there are a lot of great recipes included along with short snippets about a few real Bunco groups. If you’re looking for a great book that’s funny and quick to read, pick this one up!

~Andrea

I enjoyed Bunco Babes Gone Wild so much, I'd love to give a copy away to one lucky commenter today!

Review -- The Golden Season

The Golden Season
By Connie Brockway
Publisher: Onyx
Release Date: February 2, 2010




The Golden Season is my very first Connie Brockway book. Yes, you read that correctly. I don’t know why I haven’t read her books before (except to say that I already read a lot of authors), but I am so glad I have now. Her writing is exquisite and the romance is one of the most beautiful I’ve read in a long time.

Lady Lydia Eastlake is quite the celebrity in Regency London. Yes, she is extremely beautiful. Yes, she is insanely wealthy. And yes, she is the epitome of respectability. But it’s the combination of those plus her independence that makes her so popular. Born to parents whose marriage was met with scandal (it was considered taboo by many for a widow to marry her brother-in-law), Lydia enjoyed an extravagant, globe-trotting lifestyle during her childhood. Upon her parents’ sudden death, Lydia came to England to live with a guardian until her godmother, Eleanor, Duchess of Grenville, took her under her wing. From the moment she debuted, Lydia took London by storm and continues to do so. And then one day while meeting with her banker, Lydia finds out that she is bankrupt.

“No,” she said, shaking her head. “I’m sorry. I can’t be poor. Too many people depend on me. Craftsman and merchants, artisans and wine brokers, tradesmen and other such businesses.”

This was doing it a bit brown. “They do have other clients,” he said.

She frowned, more annoyed than offended. “I don’t think you properly appreciate my position, Terwilliger. I am not just another member of the ton. I am”—she cast about for the appropriate word—“I am an industry.”

Was she twitting him? She’d always had an odd sense of humor.

“Terwilliger,” she said with a touch of exasperation, “I dine at an establishment and its reputation is made. I import a certain varietal wine for a dinner party and within a week the vintner has orders for the next five years and the vineyard where the wine comes from is secure for a decade. I wear a perfume and not only is that fragrance’s popularity guaranteed, but the perfumery’s, too. The same can be said of the mill that produces the silk for my gowns, the musician I hire for an afternoon salon, the composer I employ to write a new sonata ...” She trailed off, studying him to gauge whether he understood.

He recognized in surprise that she was right and once again was visited by the uncomfortable notion that behind all her frivolity, Lady Lydia understood very well the world in which she lived. She was an industry. True, the ton was filled with fashion makers, but no one save Beau Brummell had captivated the public imagination like Lady Lydia Eastlake. She drew crowds wherever she went. People stood in line outside the shops she frequented and lined Rotten Row each afternoon hoping to get a glimpse of her riding past in her barouche.

In this passage, Lydia comes across as being a bit vane and a touch spoiled, but I see it more as confidence. Even when she behaves this way, she is still thinking of others. The fact that she is so genuine and knows exactly who she is made me appreciate and like her right from the start. She acts the way she does because that’s what she’s always known and what has always been expected of her. So, Lydia’s choices are pretty clear: either live off of a pittance and keep her beloved independence or marry a wealthy man and live comfortably without that freedom. As expected, Lydia chooses the latter.

Captain Edward “Ned” Lockton, recently retired from His Majesty’s naval service, comes home to Josten Hall to be with his family in the ancestral home he has always loved. Home only a week and Ned is informed by his brother the earl that the family’s fortune is gone and that Ned is to find an heiress and marry her as soon as possible. Ned goes to London, not because he is forced to or shamed into going, but because he sincerely loves his family in spite of their spoiled and self-indulgent ways. He likes to keep the peace. From the moment he first matches wits with Lydia, Ned sets out to win her. Sigh. He is sensible and always composed (he reminded me a bit of Mr. Darcy) and while it takes a little while for Lydia to crack his reserve, the reader is left with no doubt as to how he feels (one thing in particular that he does made me cry!). And the fact that Lydia is enormously wealthy pretty much seals the deal. But how will each take the news that the other does not have what they require in a spouse?

I loved, loved, LOVED this story! It has been a while since I’ve read a historical romance that was so well written and thoroughly blew me away. Seriously, I could not put it down. Everything about it was simply perfect; from the levelheaded, honorable Ned to the self-assured, compassionate Lydia; from the quirky but charming secondary characters to the slow-building romance sprinkled with tension, which when left in Ms. Brockway’s adept hands, unfolded beautifully. This may be my first Brockway book, but it isn’t going to be my last. I’ve already ordered several from her backlist, including so many romance readers’ top ten all-time favorite, All Through the Night. So, if you couldn’t already tell, I highly recommend The Golden Season. You don’t want to miss it!

~Andrea