It's The Berries!

May is quickly sliding into June and bringing with it one of my favorite food seasons of the year:  Berry Time!  Strawberries (love ‘em!) are at their peak here in South Carolina and many of my favorite berries – blueberries, raspberries and blackberries, to name a few - will soon join them. From now through August, I’ll be picking fresh berries and featuring them prominently in my meal planning. Yes, that’s right. I said “picking.” I’m fortunate to live in an area where we have an abundance of farms and orchards and nothing, but nothing, beats that “fresh from the farm” taste. Some of my earliest memories are of picking berries at my grandparents’ farm. I had a good system back then: one berry for the bucket, two berries for me. I thought it worked quite well! *grin*

There are so many things to love about strawberries. They make a beautiful centerpiece with their vibrant red color and tantalizing aroma. They’re the perfect fruit for dipping into rich, dark chocolate.

They're a great source of Vitamin C and one cup is only about 45 calories! (Minus the chocolate, of course.) They call out to me to pop one in my mouth and enjoy the burst of delicious sweetness on my taste buds and I answer that call...a lot. Right now, there’s a basket of locally grown strawberries in my fridge and I’ve been having a blast eating them six ways from Sunday. They’ve graced my cereal at breakfast, added colorful flavor to my yogurt at lunch, topped a bowl of ice cream for dessert, joined with pineapple and bananas for a satisfying snack, quenched my thirst in a cool smoothie and tumbled joyfully over home-baked shortcake.

I come down firmly in the middle of the shortcake debate between biscuit and sponge cake.  I love them both!  Some berries will be frozen for mid-winter strawberry pleasure but frozen strawberries just aren't the same as eating them fresh from the farm so, for as long as the season lasts, I’ll be on a diet of strawberries, strawberries, strawberries! Then, when the season ends, I’ll bid a fond farewell to plump, juicy, sweet strawberries and say a hearty “Welcome Back!” to another favorite fruit: Blueberries!

I pick my blueberries, blackberries and figs at a local farm called The Happy Berry. Don’t you just love that name? It’s a great place! The people who run it are friendly and helpful, there’s always laughter among both the employees and the pickers, you share the orchard with chickens and the occasional baby pig and you leave with oodles and oodles of yummy berries at a very affordable price. Have you ever picked blueberries? There’s a technique called “tickling” that makes it easy and fun. The berries hang in clusters from the branches. Hold your bucket in one hand and cup your other hand below the cluster of berries. Then, using your fingers, “tickle” the berries off the branch and right into the waiting bucket. Easy peasy! I visit The Happy Berry five or six times over the summer and usually end up with enough berries in my freezer to see me through the winter. Making fresh blueberry muffins, pancakes or cobbler in the summer is a delicious delight but, in the dark days of winter, it’s priceless!

Here are a few of my favorite berry recipes.

SUNSHINE STRAWBERRY SMOOTHIE

2 cups orange juice
2 cups orange sherbet
1/2 cup fresh strawberries
1 banana
2/3 cup fresh pineapple


Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.  For a thicker smoothie, add crushed ice before blending. 








BLUEBERRY CREAM CHEESE SQUARES
(from thehappyberry.com)

 3 cups blueberries
 1/4 cup cornstarch
 2-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
 3 tbsp sugar
 1/3 cups melted butter

 2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese
 2 tsp vanilla
 1-1/2 cups sugar
 1 small package of whipped cream

Combine blueberries and cornstarch; cook until thickened. Cool.

Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter and press into a 9 x 13 baking pan. Reserve a little to sprinkle on top.

Soften the cream cheese. Gradually beat in sugar and vanilla, then fold in whipped cream. Spread half of cream cheese mixture over crumb crust. Spread cooled blueberries over this and then the rest of the cream cheese over the blueberries. Sprinkle with reserved crumbs. Chill overnight.

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS
(from thehappyberry.com)


1 cup blueberries
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk (room temp.)
2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup melted butter
3 tsp baking powder
2 eggs (room temperature)

Preheat oven to 425°F. Grease muffin pan or pans.

Sprinkle berries with small amount of sugar or flour and toss lightly to cover. (This prevents sinking in batter). Set aside.

Sift and combine all dry ingredients in a medium size bowl.

In a smaller bowl, beat eggs until light then add milk and melted butter.

Using a spoon, make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients. Quickly add the liquid ingredients, then mix lightly. Gently fold in blueberries.

Fill muffin pans two-thirds full of batter. Bake 20 to 30 minutes.

Makes 12 muffins

Do you like berries?  Which ones are your favorites?  Have you ever hand-picked them?  Have any recipes to share?  I'm always on the lookout for new ways to fix my favorite berries!  Oh, and just for fun, on which side of the great Strawberry Shortcake debate do you stand?  Biscuit or Sponge Cake? 


~PJ

Review -- The Journey Home

The Journey Home
By Michael Baron
Publisher: The Story Plant
Release Date: May 11, 2010










Joseph, a man in his late thirties, awakens disoriented and uneasy in a place he doesn't recognize. He sets out on a journey to find his home with no sense of where he's going and only the precious, indelible vision of the woman he loves to guide him.

Antoinette is an elderly woman in an assisted living facility who has retreated inside her head. There, her body and mind haven't betrayed her. There, she's a young newlywed with a husband who dotes on her and an entire life of dreams to live. There, she is truly home.

Warren, Antoinette's son, is a man in his early forties going through the toughest year of his life. With far too much time on his hands, he decides to try to recreate his memories of home by attempting to cook his mother's greatest dishes and eat them with her.

Michael Baron is a new author to me, and what a treasure it is to discover an author who has written such a poignant and incredibly moving story. The journey that Joseph, Antoinette and Warren are on goes in a direction that I was definitely not expecting. Sometimes detours can be wonderful things.

When Joseph awakens in a house full of strangers with no memory of anything but his name, he is understandably confused and upset. Although the people are friendly and offer him nothing but compassion and help, Joseph feels the need to leave, beginning his journey to a home he cannot remember. He is soon befriended by Will, a seventeen year old boy, who offers to drive Joseph wherever he wants, to search for the wife and home that his memory cannot completely recall.

Antoinette is suffering from Alzheimer's and continues to withdraw from those around her. Ever since her husband died five years ago, her life has not been complete. Her world now exists in her mind, where she is young and vibrant again and enjoying life with her beloved husband. The "real" world holds no appeal for her any longer.

Warren's marriage is over, he's lost his job and his mother has Alzheimer's: not exactly the best time of his life. He's searching for a way to reach his mother, so he decides to use the amazing dishes she used to cook and prepare them for her himself. Cooking always brought his mother such pleasure, and Warren hopes that by sharing these homemade meals, Antoinette may find joy again. But Warren discovers so much more than he could imagine with this experiment.


Jan smiled and sat back in her seat, her eyes sweeping him up, as they so often did. "I was going to say that I could taste your mother's love for you in it." The comment affected Warren especially strongly. Since he'd begun replicating the food Mom served, he'd thought about the fun she had creating these culinary monuments to family and friends. Now, though, he flashed back on the look of excitement in her eyes when she presented his plate and told him the name, or the pleasure she reflected when he would subsequently request the dish. She desperately wanted him to love this food, because if he did, he was accepting much more than nourishment from her.

The love between a parent and child, the passion and love between husband and wife, and the friendship and compassion between virtual strangers weave together in The Journey Home to form a bond that can never be broken. This is a story that will tug at your heart strings, bring tears to your eyes, and having you reaching for your family and friends to tell them how much you love them. And it may just make you want to head to the kitchen to whip up some homemade goodness to share with those you love. As Joseph observes, "Life was far to short to eat badly."


~ Gannon

Review -- Haunting Warrior

Haunting Warrior
By Erin Quinn
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: May 4, 2010

A past he couldn't forget.

Rory MacGrath's life changed the night his father mysteriously vanished after uncovering the secrets of the ancient Book of Fennore. The trauma turned Rory from an innocent boy into a troubled, cynical man. Leaving Ireland, he shunned his family, his heritage---and the very magic that has defined his people for centuries.

A dream he couldn't ignore.

Then the dreams begin...Dreams of an ethereal beauty whose touch is more real than any he's known. And in these dreams, she has a message---a calling for Rory to return home to a destiny that will take him beyond the realm of anything he imagined.

A woman he couldn't resist.

Lured to the castle ruins where his father disappeared, Rory is plunged back in time, and into the body of another man---a man betrothed to the very woman of Rory's dreams. She is in possession of the secrets of his past, his family, and his identity, and her hold on Rory is inescapable. For she is his doom. His salvation. And his destiny.

Time travel romances have always been a particular favorite of mine, so if that didn't sell me on Haunting Warrior, the cover most definitely would! Yes, Rory is oh so gorgeous on the outside, but even more importantly, he is beautiful on the inside. And did I mentioned he's emotionally tortured? Perfect hero material!

Angry and misunderstood, Rory is sent to America to live with his aunt when he's an adolescent. He stays in California, growing to adulthood, ignoring his family, never returning to the land of his birth. But some members of his family refuse to be ignored; Rory's recently deceased grandmother, Colleen, comes to him and urges him to come home to Ballyfionuir to face his destiny. Scared and pissed off, Rory initially refuses to go, but his dreams of a haunting beauty calling him home leave him no choice. While he is at his grandmother's funeral, he sees his mysterious dream woman across the cemetery and he follows her...and ends up hundreds of years in the past.

Saraid's people have been murdered and hunted by Cathan Half-Beard, his men, and his son, Ruairi the Bloodletter. Her brother, Tiarnan, makes an agreement with Cathan to give Saraid in marriage to Ruairi as a step toward peace---a peace that Saraid knows will never happen, but she agrees just the same. During her wedding to Ruairi, Saraid gets the feeling that there is something different about the Bloodletter, like there is someone else behind his eyes. Indeed, Rory now occupies the body of the man who looks like his twin, and is more confused than Saraid by where is he is and what is happening. But it doesn't take long for Rory to realize that joining with this woman is his destiny, and they must work together to save Saraid's clan from the greedy Cathan and find a way to destroy the evil and mysterious Book of Fennore.

As I said before, Rory is one of my favorite types of heroes: alpha to the core, tortured, sexy, and honorable and loving when it comes to his heroine. Rory is understandably confused and disoriented by his trip to the past, but is thrilled to finally be with the woman of his dreams. At first his primary goal is to find the Book of Fennore, since he's convinced it's the key to his return back home. But as time passes, his attraction to Saraid turns to something much deeper, and Rory knows that their lives are irrevocably intertwined and his return to the future is no longer as simple as it seems.


He'd convinced himself he'd come to this time and place because of the Book. Because of the half-baked quest his dead grandmother had sent him on. But now he acknowledged that was all an elaborate fabrication. He hadn't come for the Book. He'd come for the girl. This girl, this woman who'd crawled beneath his skin and nestled at his heart before he'd ever even met her.


Saraid is a heroine of quiet strength, willing to make any sacrifice to save her people, including marrying a man like the Bloodletter. The man she thinks she is marrying is no longer behind those arresting blue eyes. Gone is the cold-blooded killer and in his place is a man of honor, love and passion. Rory steals Saraid's heart and she knows that she will do anything, including using the Book of Fennore, to keep him safe. Even if the cost of her sacrifice is her very soul.


He kissed her again, holding her like she was all that separated him from a soulless existence. He kissed her like she was air and water, sustenance to a life deprived of both. He kissed her with the love his words declared, and it broke the empty shell of her heart, fractured it into a million sharp and tiny pieces....


"What I gave, Ruairi, I gave willingly. I gave of my heart. No matter what happens, y' will remember that. Promise ye'll remember that."

Haunting Warrior is the second book in this series by Ms. Quinn. I have not read the first book, Haunting Beauty, but I'm sure that it would enhance this story, even though it can stand alone. Ms. Quinn will release Haunting Desire, which is Tiarnan's (Saraid's brother) story, later this year. She leaves her readers dying to know what will happen with this one!

So if you fancy a trip through time to ancient Ireland, grab a copy of Haunting Warrior and lose yourself in this tale of secrets, magic, and the enormous power of a love that transcends time.


~ Gannon

Annette McCleave winner!

The winner of a signed copy of Bound by Darkness by Annette McCleave is:

Pam P

Congratulations, Pam! Please send your full name and address to annette.mccleaveATgmailDOTcom with "Romance Dish winner" as the subject to claim your prize. Thanks!

Review -- Enemy Lover

Enemy Lover
by Karin Harlow
Publisher: Pocket
Release Date: May 25, 2010

She turned around and faced him, her face expressionless. "I was brutally raped, then mutilated, by a human trafficker. The guys who were supposed to have my back never showed. I barely escaped with my life. When I healed, I went back for the bastard and killed him. I'm on the lam, Cross. A wanted woman. I work alone and prefer not to get involved on any level with any person or," she smiled, "vampire."





Tried, convicted, and sentenced for the murder of human trafficker Carlos Montes, former super cop Angela Giacomelli faces the next several years of her life behind bars. As Angela contemplates her future with desperation and despair while riding in a prison bus to the joint, she is kidnapped from the prison bus and soon finds herself in an interrogation room surrounded by nine men, all of whom look like they could take on the world by themselves. Angela is given two choices: (1) return to prison to face the sentence she has been given for the next 20 plus years, or (2) work for the L.O.S.T. organization. The Last Option Special Team is an organization that works on the fringes of the law, using every possible opportunity to put away very bad people. Of course Angela chooses to work with L.O.S.T. and she is immediately given a new identity. Angela’s old life is dead and gone. Her new life as Jax Cassidy is just beginning. Six months into her new life, Jax takes a key role in the latest L.O.S.T. case – eliminate Colonel Joseph Lazarus, leader of The Solution, a patriot organization using terrorism to fund itself. In the midst of the operation, Jax comes face to face with Marcus Cross, right hand man to Colonel Joseph Lazarus. Sworn to take any means necessary to accomplish the task, Jax is befuddled by her reaction to this blue-eyed hunk of a man.

Marcus Cross has led an awful life, full of pitfalls and rejection. His mother (who can only be described as a witch with a capital B) deserted him when he was only two weeks old. When Marcus tracked her down at the age of 12, she promptly told him to get out of her life or she would kill him. Raised by his grandfather, Marcus joined the Army as soon as he graduated high school. Enjoying some success in the Army, Marcus was shipped out to Afghanistan where he suffered a near fatal injury. Well, actually, it was a fatal injury. Finding Marcus nearing his death, Colonel Lazarus drank from Marcus and fed Marcus his life’s blood, thus changing Marcus into a vampire. Immortality has served Marcus well over the years. With no mortal distractions and trained to carry out any task without hesitation, Marcus is an asset to The Solution. However, when Marcus encounters mortal Jax Cassidy during one of his missions, his mind and heart are confused by the raw emotions she stirs in him.

She smelled exciting. Like a wild roller-coaster ride. He turned as she passed to his left, and looked down into the two liquid, dark-chocolate-colored eyes. Full red lips smiled, showing straight, pearly white teeth. She moved passed him toward the bar and his gaze followed. His cock thickened. She was one long drink of water. Her languid gait called to him to follow, and he automatically took another step forward. He caught himself after two steps. What the hell was he doing?

In my opinion, Marcus is one of those rare alpha heroes. He is self confident, but not so cocky you can’t stand him. He is tough and assertive, yet has a vulnerable quality that is so endearing. He is the bad boy and the boy next door (with fangs) all rolled into one hunky package. Plus the man exudes sexual tension just by walking in the room. He is confident in his desire for Jax and in her desire in him and isn’t afraid to tell Jax the way it is and the way it will be.

He explained, “You and me, we’re driven by pure animal instinct. And while there may be some hurt involved, it’s the good kind. The kind that makes you want more. That’s how it will be between us, Jax.” He stalked closer to her until only inches separated them. “Hard, furious, primal.” He traced a finger along her bottom lip. “That’s how you take it.”

It has been a long time since I have read a novel that includes the total realm of emotions. This book has it all – desperation, passion, humor, fear, anger, despair, love, lust, sadness, euphoria and oh so many more. I was pushed almost to the point of emotional overload, but in such a good way. Just as Marcus described Jax as a “wild roller coaster ride” in the excerpt above, the entire book is a wild roller coaster ride. One moment I was clutching the book while my heart pumped furiously over some high anxiety scene and then the next moment I was sighing over the love shown by Marcus and Jax.

While this book is full of action, filled with suspense around every corner and will have you wondering what the heck could possibly happen next, what I enjoy most is seeing the emotional growth of Jax and Marcus. Both of these characters have been dealt a pretty bad hand in life, but through each other they find joy, happiness and peace from their pasts. One of my favorite scenes is when Marcus and Jax make love. As their foreplay progresses, Marcus senses Jax tense up and appear frightened.

But instead of taking her, he kissed her. He took her face into both of his hands, lowered his lips to hers, and, in a light, almost reverent way, he kissed her. The gesture nearly did her in. Anger, embarrassment and a dawning sense of gratitude for his consideration overwhelmed her. She felt the hot sting of tears in her eyes. Desperately she tried to stay them, but they leaked out.

The sweetness of this scene is astounding and it still touches the corners of my heart when I read it.

This book is the first in the L.O.S.T. series. I am really looking forward to reading about the guys of the L.O.S.T. organization and seeing each of them achieve their happily ever after.

Enemy Lover is a heart-racing, adrenaline-pumping, muscle-tensing, mind-whirling story that takes your heart, mind and soul prisoner and doesn’t free you until the very last sentence. If you haven’t figured it out by now, I LOVED this novel and suggest to EVERYONE -- go get it!

~ Buffie

Guest Author -- Karin Harlow

Here at The Romance Dish we love to talk to debut authors. Joining us today is paranormal romantic suspense debut author Karin Harlow.

Karin is in the midst of a media blitz over her novel ENEMY LOVER, which is the first in the L.O.S.T. series. I have just finished reading this book and I totally LOVED it! My review will be posted tomorrow, May 20.

Please give a warm welcome to Karin Harlow.



Thank you for inviting me! I love the new digs, ladies! Very friendly and I don’t get lost! :-)

So, today I want to talk about movies and emotion. I’m a visualist. I like to see things, hear them, experience the story by being there in the moment. I love atmospheric movies. Movies with pacing that keeps me on the edge of my seat. But more than that, the best movies, regardless of genre, for me are the heart-pounding in your face romances. I want to feel the rush the characters are feeling.

One movie I watched a while ago that had me on the edge of my seat and in tears was Casino Royale. Two scenes actually got me. The one where James gets his boys whacked. Yowch! I could not stop cringing! But it was the scene in Venice, where after James realized the woman he loved had betrayed him, and all hell started to break loose, that he went after her. Not able to live with herself for what she had done (even though I understand the reasoning) his lady, unable to face him, ran. One thing lead to another, the building they were in began to fill with water, and when James got too close, she locked herself in the cage elevator that was underwater, wanting to die rather than face him for what she had done.

“No, no!” I screamed. “Man up! You can work this out!”

Despite her tearing his heart out and feeding it to the fishes, love triumphed. Desperately, maniacally, James tried to save her. But when he was finally able to release her, it was too late. He didn’t give up. No, not James. He swam with her limp body clutched to his chest to the surface, where he tried desperately to breathe life into her dead body. I felt his desperation. I felt his entire world crumbling around me as it crumbled around him. I felt his helplessness to save the woman he loved. And though I read the book, which, big surprise did not end that way, I knew why double-oh-seven became the cool, calm, calculating womanizer we have always known. His heart had been ripped out, torn into pieces and cast into the wind, never ever to be completely whole again.

That scene has stayed with me years later. It has become my visual mantra. My high water mark for ripping the guts out of my characters, and consequently myself. When I cry as I’m writing a scene, I know something good is happening, good in the sense I have struck a deep, raw nerve. It’s really what separates a good book from a great book. The emotion the characters wring out of me the writer and you the reader. I worked hard to make each and every page of ENEMY LOVER mean something. I worked hard to make each scene count. I worked hard as I reached deep inside of my battle weary and war torn characters to pull the last vestiges of their emotions from them, then force them to give me more. I loved every freaking minute of it!

I’m proud to say that Jax Cassidy and Marcus Cross are two of the most destroyed and rebuilt with parts missing characters I have ever had the pleasure to write or read about. Their depth is deep, authentic and moving. I make no excuses for who they are and what they do. Hell, Marcus is a vampire at the top his game. A predator by nature, he owns the term vampire. And Jax? A force of nature to be sure. Put the two of them together and you have nuclear fission.

Yeah, they’re the kind of characters I love to read, so it’s not wonder they’re the kind of characters I love to write.

How about you?

What movie have you watched lately where a character just ripped your heart out?

Answer and be entered to win a custom L.O.S.T. latte mug!

Oh, PS -- I love to hear from readers! Feel free to stop by my site or friend me on Facebook or follow me on Twitter. You can always reach me at KarinHarlow@aol.com


~ Buffie

******************************************************
ENEMY LOVER

Book One in the highly anticipated L.O.S.T. series.
Pocket Star, May 25, 2010

It’s Jax Cassidy’s first mission for L.O.S.T.—one that will give the former cop who went rogue a chance to prove herself. Her assignment: gain the trust of assassin Marcus Cross . . . eliminate him . . . then take down Marcus’s mentor, Joseph Lazarus, a man with a bold eye on the White House. But the woman who’s known by her team for being a femme fatale succumbs to passion, only to discover Cross’s deadly secret. He’s a vampire, and Joseph Lazarus is his creator.

Left for dead by his platoon in the violent hills of Afghanistan, special ops sniper Marcus Cross was given a second chance at life. His newly heightened skills make him the perfect killing machine, and as Lazarus's right hand man, he’s quickly rising to the top of his dark empire, purging enemies with speed and precision. Only when dangerous beauty Jax Cassidy is sent to bring him in does he begin to question Lazarus’s motives and his own actions. But when Jax’s life is threatened by the one thing that can destroy them both, Marcus must make a bitter choice—her death or his.

Review - - Sugar Creek

Sugar Creek
Destiny - Book #2
By Toni Blake
Publisher:  Avon
Release Date:  May 25, 2010

In Sugar Creek, the second book in her contemporary Destiny series, Toni Blake brings us a sexy, sassy and heartwarming story about two people from feuding families who discover everything they never knew they wanted…with the least likely person.

Rachel Farris is not thrilled to be returning to the small hometown she left years ago. She’s a city girl now, with a good career in Chicago- a career she’s trying to save. Her company is downsizing and there’s a chance that Rachel might lose her hard-won position. Now is not the time to be leaving town but her grandmother needs help with the fall harvest at the family’s apple orchard (though, privately, Rachel thinks the older woman is just lonely) and Rachel has never learned how to say “no” to her family. Besides, it’s only for a few weeks. How bad could it be?

Mike Romo is all business when it comes to keeping his small town safe from reckless drivers.  The sexy cop may have women falling at his feet but, while he's all for fun and games, he has neither the time nor the inclination for a relationship, especially with a spoiled city girl who flaunts the law by speeding in his town and whose last name is Farris. The Farris-Romo feud is legendary in the small town of Destiny and everybody (at least, everybody in the Romo family) knows it all started when Rachel’s grandmother, Edna stole the Romo’s apple orchard from Mike’s grandfather fifty-some years ago.

Mike and Rachel have three strikes against them before they even meet: (1) She’s “city” through and through while he’s settled firmly in Destiny, (2) their families have been enemies since before they were born and (3) Mike wants to buy (“steal” in Rachel’s mind) the Farris (formerly Romo) apple orchard. Add to that the fact that she thinks he’s a jerk and he thinks she’s a snob and it’s a wonder that they can even speak to one another without resorting to violence but overshadowing all those strikes is an intense physical attraction that just won’t go away and it’s only a matter of time before they do something about it.

“Just because I’m a good cop,” he said, “doesn’t mean I’m not a bad boy.”

“Ohhh,” she moaned as the sensation dug deeper into her, and she heard herself rasp, “I think you’re on the verge of making me a bad girl.”

(Okay, this is where I admit that I've always been attracted to bad boys and Mike is a very bad boy...in a very good way!)  Even though Mike and Rachel succumb to the physical desire between them, that doesn’t mean the road to “happily-ever-after” is without its share of potholes.

They kissed some more and Rachel forgot the rest of the world existed though when Mike reached for the buttons on her jeans, it brought home for her once more exactly what was about to happen here. She pulled back and said, breathily, “I want to be clear, though – this doesn’t mean I like you.” 

His answer came just as raspy. “Good – it doesn’t mean I like you, either. Now shut up and kiss me.”

I really enjoyed these two characters.  Their desire sizzles off the pages while the snappy banter between them kept me flipping those same pages, eagerly anticipating what was to come next. There's deep emotion as well, as these are two people with solid barriers protecting their vulnerable hearts and layers that are slowly and expertly revealed to the reader and to each other as the story progresses.  There are secrets - and, in Mike’s case, a tragic, heartwrenching event - in their pasts that have shaped the people they have become and opening themselves enough to trust and love will not come easily.  I appreciated that Blake did not treat their fears and vulnerabilities lightly but, instead, used them to create a deeper, more complex and realistic relationship which, in turn, created a richer, more meaningful reading experience for me. 

The secondary characters are intriguing and appealing, especially Rachel’s grandmother, Edna.  She had me in stitches at times and in tears at others while reminding me throughout the story of just how much I miss my own grandma.  In a parallel story that blends seamlessly into the present-day journey, Edna finally reveals to Rachel the events that led to her owning the apple orchard that was once the property of the Romo family and, without revealing any spoilers, let me just say that there's more to Granny than meets the eye! We also catch up with Mick and Jenny from One Reckless Summer and meet other friends who I’m hoping will one day have their own stories told.  I can't wait to find out which characters will take center stage next. 

Toni Blake's fictional town of Destiny, Ohio is rapidly becoming my favorite summer vacation destination!

~PJ

Guest Review - - Running Scared

Running Scared
The Sentinel Wars - Book #3
Shannon K. Butcher
Publisher: Onyx
Release Date: May 4, 2010

Lexi Johns is waiting. Waiting to be taken by the very beings from whom she has spent a lifetime running. The tingling of awareness grows more intensely every day, and the mark the Sentinel warrior Zach left on her skin burns as he closes in. Every instinct in her screams for her to run, but she has no choice but to stay and let him take her.

As far as Lexi is concerned, the survival of the human race depends on her being captured by the Sentinels. If she manages to infiltrate and destroy their stronghold, Lexi will succeed in freeing her brainwashed friends, avenging her mother, and finally being able to live out her life in some semblance of peace. Luckily, she has the assistance of her mother’s friend, Hector Morrow and his radical group, the Defenders of Humanity, who are hell-bent on the total destruction of the Sentinels and their monstrous pets, the Synestryn.

Zach has to find Lexi if it is the last thing he does, and it will be if she slips through his fingers again. She is his match. The only female who can channel the power building in him and prevent the destruction of his soul. Catching her proves to be the easy part. The hard part is convincing her that everything she believes about him and his race is untrue. The Sentinels are actually one of the three races responsible for protecting humans from the evil Synestryn. Unfortunately, they are fighting a losing battle. The Theronai, warriors of the Sentinel race, numbers are dwindling and their defenses are being torn down faster than they can rebuild. Their whole race needs Lexi and the magic she could wield with Zach’s power.

Once sequestered in the secret Sentinel base, Lexi’s whole world begins to unravel. Everything she was taught about the Sentinels is contradicted, and Lexi finds that she is faced with the most important decision of her life. Does she continue down the path she has always led, or does she surrender herself to the unquestionable connection with Zach and the unwavering love and trust he is offering her.

Running Scared is fast-paced, action-packed, and a wonderful third installment for Shannon K. Butcher’s The Sentinel Wars series. The world that she has created is refreshing, creative, and completely captivated me with its originality. Her imagery is fantastic, and her characters are rich, dynamic and deliciously flawed. Running Scared, as well as Burning Alive (Book 1) and Finding the Lost (Book 2), were books I couldn’t put down. I highly recommend them to anyone who loves paranormal, urban fantasy, or just a fabulously written book. The only thing that would have made it perfect for me was if a glossary was included. It took me a while to remember what everything was!

~Jenn

Review -- Stormwalker

Stormwalker
By Allyson James
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: May 4, 2010









WOW!! That was my primary reaction after turning the last page in this paranormal gem by Allyson James. Stormwalker grabbed me from the first page and took me on one wild and crazy roller coaster ride. You know the kind that thrills you even as your stomach falls to your feet and you end the ride giddy from the adrenaline rush.

Janet Begay is a Stormwalker--she is able to manipulate the power of lightning, wind and rain--a power she inherited from her Navajo father's side of the family. Her mother is a goddess from Beneath; quite literally a mother straight from hell. Her family put the 'D' in dysfunctional! Janet is one tough cookie, but taking on the power of a storm can be overwhelming, and she needs some "help" releasing the residual power.

Enter Mick, the first and only man she has ever loved, the man she hasn't laid eyes on in five years. Mick is capable of "drawing" the energy into himself, which usually ends with him and Janet horizontal--all of that excess energy is channeled into many steamy and creative ways! Mick is as mysterious as he is sexy. Janet knows next to nothing about him, even after all they've been through together. She doesn't even know his last name...or if he even has one. The one thing she does know is that Mick can manipulate fire, and he is, as she is later informed, a Firewalker. In spite of all the questions Janet still has about Mick, his love for her is unquestionable. He will stand by her and protect her till the end.

Janet is called to the desert town of Magellan by the chief of police to help find his daughter Amy who has disappeared mysteriously. The area surrounding Magellan is full of vortexes, the place where the mystical energies of fire, air, earth and water come together in one space. They are also the gateways to Beneath, home of Janet's not-so-Mommy-dearest. As if that wasn't a big enough pain, Janet has to continually butt heads with Nash Jones, the local sheriff and Amy's fiance. Nash is an Unbeliever and thinks that Janet and her "woo woo" is total bull. But Nash seems to have some secrets of his own, and Janet is just the girl to figure them out.

A captivating, sassy, kick-ass heroine, an alpha hero who gives new meaning to the phrase "smoking hot", Skinwalkers, Changers, Coyote god and a bi-sexual magic mirror (no, I didn't make that one up!) come together to make this a book not to be missed. There is never a dull moment in this story and readers will become so engrossed, they will be ready to plan a trip to Magellan--it feels just that real! I could say more, but I don't want to spoil a thing. There are several "WHAAAT???" moments in Stormwalker--oh, I just love those!!!--and the best part of all of this is that this is the first book in the series. Book 2, Firewalker, will be released in November.

Allyson James also writes under the name Jennifer Ashley, under which she wrote The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie in 2009--one of my top picks last year. She is a brilliant writer no matter which sub-genre she tackles, and she will always be an auto buy for me. Stormwalker has an honored place on my keeper shelf...right next to The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie. Treat yourself to a walk on the wild side and run, don't walk, to your nearest bookstore and BUY THIS BOOK!!!


~ Gannon

Hot Dish for May

Hello, ladies!!! This month's Hot Dish is sizzlin' hawt, if I do say so myself. There's not a lot of words this month, but the view sure makes up for that ;-0

This month I am tipping my hat in appreciate to those hunky Southern gentleman. We sure know how to grow them down here in the South (as you will see in just a moment)!

Without further ado, I am pleased to present Rusty Joiner as May's Hot Dish. Rusty is a native of Atlanta, Georgia. Currently, he is living in Los Angeles pursuing his career as a model/actor. But enough of the chatting, let's get down to business. Here's the superb visual for this month :-)

Well, ladies, what do you think of darling Rusty? Does he conjure up thoughts of a Southern gentleman or a Southern bad boy? Or maybe a little bit of both? I know I'm having all kinds of thoughts!!

~ Buffie

Make Your Reservation Winner

Congratulations to our Make Your Reservations Winner!

misskallie2000

You've won an advance galley of Anna Campbell's My Reckless Surrender!

To claim your prize, please send your full name and mailing address to us at

theromancedish@gmail.com

Please put Reservations Winner in the subject line.

Hannah's List Winners

Thank you to everyone who participated in our Hannah's List giveaway. Congratulations to the following three winners:

Suehussein - Copy of Hannah's List

Emily N. - Copy of Hannah's List

Pamela Keener - Copy of Hannah's List and a $25 Visa Gift Card

Please send your full name and snail mail address with "Hannah's List" in the subject to: theromancedish@gmail.com

Guest Author -- Annette McCleave

We are thrilled to welcome paranormal author Annette McCleave back to The Romance Dish! It wasn't until after she tried her hand at banking, financial advising, and high tech marketing that Annette realized how important writing was to her. In 2005, one of her manuscripts finaled in the RWA Golden Heart contest and in 2008, not only was she a Golden Heart finalist, but she won for Best Paranormal Romance! Please welcome Annette as she asks....

How Do You Define Sexy?

I’m easy.

Yes, it’s true. When it comes to romance heroes, I hop between the covers with far more enthusiasm and far fewer protests than a good girl ought to. And I have no shame when it comes to different sorts of heroes either. Some women are rigorously faithful to alpha heroes, some will only tuck an enlightened beta under their arms. Me? I love ‘em all.

Which made me stop for a moment and ponder. Do I have any standards at all? Are there specific qualities I look for in a delicious hero? I must have—not every romance hero I’ve read is a keeper. So, I considered the usual list of attributes:

-- Physical attractiveness. Who doesn’t admire a nice body? He doesn’t have to be perfect, but some level of male beauty goes with the romance hero image.
-- Great aftershave or cologne. Mmmm. I suppose those with scent allergies wouldn’t include this one, but I love a man who smells good.
-- A rakish smile. I’ll admit that none of my fantasies include bad teeth or bad breath.
-- Confidence. I like a man who has lots of confidence. It can even border on arrogance.
-- Competence. It’s one thing to be confident, quite another to have nothing to back it up. The best romance heroes are wickedly good at something.
-- Power. Sometimes this attribute shows up as wealth, sometimes it shows up as title or position. Even the beta hero has power over his world—perhaps through his intellect or charm.

All of the above attributes work for me, but the one quality that truly defines hero for me, no matter what the guy looks like or smells like, is honor. If the hero acts in an honourable way—does the right thing even when it hurts, defends someone weaker than him, sacrifices something important for a greater good—I’m sold. After that, it’s all sighs.

That’s probably why the hero in my latest Soul Gatherer novel, Bound by Darkness, does this in the first chapter:

Brian’s eyes adjusted instantly to the dim interior of the church.

The last afternoon Mass was over, but a few map-carrying tourists lingered in the pews and in the gift shop. Spotting his fugitive was easy. A bone-thin blond girl, no more than twenty, dragged a stiff leg up the nave toward the altar, one arm hanging by her side, the other clutched to her chest. It was a testament to the awe-inspiring beauty of the cathedral’s arches that no one noticed the blood trail she left behind on the marble floor.

Brian leapt over two rows of pews and sprinted.

He reached his target just as the demon hit the church with a masonry-crushing blast. The girl was on the verge of collapse. Deep cuts laced her arms and neck. The front of her threadbare Old Navy T-shirt was soaked with blood, and her lips were chalky white.

Each passing minute was killing her.

Behind him, the heavy bronze doors exploded inward, sailing twenty feet before landing on pews that buckled under the weight. The tourists ran blindly for the main entrance, far less interested in what had caused the explosion than in escaping the mayhem. Not bothering with introductions, Brian scooped the girl up in one arm and dashed for the Forty-ninth Street door.



Think back to the last hero you savoured in a book. What was it about him that reeled you in? What was the first quality that got your heart beating a little faster? How did the author convince of his sexiness?

To celebrate the release of Bound by Darkness, I’m giving away a signed copy to one random commenter on today’s post. I’m also running a release contest on my website until the end of May, so stop by for more chances to win. Good luck!