Guest Review - - At Your Pleasure

At Your Pleasure

By Meredith Duran

Publisher: Pocket

Release Date: March 27, 2012

Nora, the widowed Marchioness of Towe, returned to Hodderby, her family home, after the death of her husband. Her father had his title and most of his properties stripped from him when the Whigs came to power in the wake of a Hanoverian monarchy and is in exile in France, part of the court of the Pretender. Hodderby alone was left to her brother David, but he too is now in France, leaving Nora without defenders in a house where enough gunpowder to blow up the house lies concealed beneath wine barrels in the cellar. This is the situation when word comes, as Nora is preparing for bed, that the King’s riders have been sighted, led by Adrian Ferrers, Earl of Rivenham.

The Earl of Rivenham, advisor to the King, is a very different man from the youthful Adrian Ferrers whom Nora once loved. A convert to the Church of England in order to shield his Catholic family, he has lost his faith in the religion of his ancestors and he has none in the religion of England to replace it. Hardened by experience, he is governed by prudence and expedience and will not jeopardize his family, his lands, and his title for the sake of an old love and her foolish brother, who was once his friend.

Adrian, who knows that David Colville is on his way home from France, has a Writ of Parliament that allows him to command the hospitality of Hodderby for himself and his men, search the house at will, and wait for David to show up so that he can be captured and delivered to the Tower, thereby circumventing those who have not forgotten Rivenham’s Catholic origins and are eager to see him fall from power. But the chemistry, and perhaps rarer, the camaraderie that once characterized the relationship between Nora and Adrian keeps resurfacing. As they are drawn together by inclination and by mutual enemies, old secrets are revealed and Adrian finds himself once again falling in love with a woman whom reason warns can destroy him and all that he has devoted himself to protecting.

Meredith Duran is quite simply one of the best writers I’ve read. Her characterization is superb, her plots compelling, and her prose lucid and powerful. She also offers her readers the gift of difference in a genre more accustomed to sameness. Duran sets At Your Pleasure in England in 1715, the year after the coronation of George I. The possibility of a Jacobite rebellion was real; some scholars believe it was a more serious threat that the rebellion of 1745. Most readers of historical romance fiction are familiar with the rudiments of the latter rebellion, having encountered references to Bonnie Prince Charlie, the Battle of Culloden, and Cumberland’s brutal suppression in novels from Georgette Heyer’s The Masqueraders to those by Veryan, Gabaldon, Canham, and countless others. The political climate of England in 1715 when Catholics, including Catholic aristocrats, were denied the right to worship, to vote, to be educated is less familiar. Duran captures the realities of the period without slamming her readers in the face with a history book. And she combines historical accuracy with emotionally credible actions and reactions. Nora and David appear to be lovers for whom a happy ending is impossible. Duran makes the reader fear for them, root for them, and rejoice when the HEA is achieved. If you like your romances intense, dark, emotional, and romantic in the truest sense, you will not want to miss At Your Pleasure.

~Janga
justjanga.blogspot.com

Stock Up Saturday

Taking a Shot
Play-by-Play—Book 3
By Jaci Burton
Publisher: Berkley Heat
Release Date: March 6, 2012


Jenna Riley is surrounded by sports. One of her brothers is a quarterback in the NFL (Mick Riley, The Perfect Play) and her other brother plays major league baseball (Gavin Riley, Changing the Game), so naturally her entire family loves any and all sports. On top of that, she owns and runs Riley’s, the family’s sports bar where local players and fans come to have a good time. One of those players is Ty Anderson, who plays for the St. Louis Ice, the local NHL team. Ty has been coming in a lot lately and Jenna has noticed his interest. Because her life is so full of sports, she certainly does not want to date anyone involved in sports. But there’s something alluring about the perceptive hockey star that Jenna can’t seem to resist.

Ty Anderson is good at reading people and he gets the impression that there is something more to Jenna Riley that what she shows in public. While she doesn’t resemble the type of girl he normally dates—with her short black hair tipped with purple, multiple piercings and tattoos—Ty wants to know her better. Despite Jenna saying no several times, Ty doesn’t give up...and one night it finally pays off. But Ty may be in for more than he bargained for when he discovers the real Jenna and learns of her hidden dream. Now, all he wants is to help her achieve that dream; and despite her objection to dating sports jocks, maybe find more along the way.

Taking a Shot is the third book in Jaci Burton’s popular Play-by-Play series, which has some of the best covers out there. I love this series featuring hot sexy athletes and strong, independent women...and you don’t have to be a fan of sports to enjoy them. Jenna was introduced in the first book of the series (The Perfect Play) and it was evident to me that there was much more to her character. She is not your typical-looking heroine and I like that about her. And I’m so glad that she got her own story. I was pleasantly surprised by her secret and adored Ty because he was adamant about helping Jenna realize her dream. To me, that is super sexy and makes him an unforgettable hero. The loves scenes are plenty and extremely HOT! I enjoyed visiting the previous couples, Mick and Tara, and Gavin and Liz, and also meeting the hero of the next book in the series, their cousin Cole. If you like super hot contemporary romance, pick up Taking a Shot!

~Andrea

Review -- She Tempts the Duke

She Tempts the Duke
Lost Lords of Pembrook--Book 1
By Lorraine Heath
Publisher: Avon
Release Date: January 31, 2012

At fourteen years old, losing your father is devastating enough, but Sebastian Easton, the new Duke of Keswick, is absolutely crushed when he finds out his uncle wants Sebastian and his two brothers, Tristan and Rafe, dead. Lord David locks his nephews in the tower of their beloved home, Pembrook. Sebastian knows their minutes are numbered and believes the time is near when he hears footsteps. Help comes in the form of their twelve year old friend, Mary, who lives on the neighboring estate. Mary helps them escape and Sebastian makes her a promise to meet years later and seals it with a kiss. The brothers separate to protect themselves and vow to return one day. Sebastian went abroad as a soldier, Tristan became a sailor and later a captain, while Rafe stayed in the seedy parts of London and now owns a den of vice.

Twelve years later, Sebastian and Tristan finally return to London and reunite with Rafe. They make their first appearance together in society at their uncle’s party where they cause quite a stir. Lord David is shocked and angry as he has been petitioning to obtain the dukedom for some time. Lady Mary is in attendance and is overjoyed that her childhood friends are back. She speaks up for the brothers, her dearest and oldest friends, when no one else will. Mary, herself, had only recently returned to society after being sent to a nunnery for her own protection after she confessed to her father of Lord David’s evil intentions towards Sebastian and his brothers all those years ago. Shortly after her homecoming, she was proposed to by Lord Fitzwilliam, a future marquess, and accepted. Now she is torn between her commitment to her fiancé and her reemerging feelings towards her childhood friend and love.

She Tempts the Duke is a good read, though isn’t among my favorites by Lorraine Heath. I thoroughly enjoyed the interactions between Sebastian and his brothers and also between him and Mary. When Sebastian and Mary see each other after twelve years, the emotion and passion was strong and palpable, which is typical of a Heath book. I admired the way she bucked decorum and stood up for Sebastian in front of everyone.

He thought of the way she’d not hesitated to speak up for him. She had always championed him, and in equal measure, challenged him. She was the reason he had climbed to the top of an ancient oak tree, only to take a tumble and break his arm. She was the reason he had learned to scale the castle walls. She was the reason that he and his brothers were alive to gather here now.

Mary did so much for him and I totally felt Sebastian’s sentiment throughout the first two-thirds of the book. Their romance, subtle as it was, was progressing and moving along so well. She didn’t care that Sebastian was so badly scarred and wished that he could see himself the way she sees him. By the last third of the book, I didn’t feel it quite as much. I’m not sure if it was just me, but I wanted to yell at Sebastian a time or two. I understood his wanting revenge—after all, his uncle wanted him dead—but he couldn’t seem to budge an inch from the past and try move on. He was so wrapped up in vengeance and getting back his beloved Pembrook that he couldn’t see what was right in front of him—Mary and her shining love. Then, Mary did something so silly and clichéd right at the end, I shook my head. These issues are the reason for 3.5 stars. That being said, this will certainly not keep me from picking up the next book by Heath. I have been a long-time fan of her work and many of her books are on my keeper shelves. I recommend this one, but with a caveat.

~Andrea

PJ's Book Giveaway Winners

I can't begin to tell you how much I enjoyed reading all of your comments.  Because of my day job, I wasn't able to make it back to the blog Tuesday to respond to your wonderful answers to my questions.  As I said in my comments earlier in the day, I sure am glad I didn't have to choose the winners!  Y'all inspired me to go through my books again and, in doing so, I've come up with enough to send out seven boxes.  The randomly selected winners of those boxes are:

Catslady

Tiffany Martinez

girlygirlhoosier52

Rhi Rowland

Artemis

jackieb central texas

hrdwrkdmom aka Dianna

Congratulations to you all!  Please send  your full name and mailing address to me at theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com with PJ's Book Winner in the subject line.  

Those of you who did not win, take heart.  I have a feeling I may be doing this again!

~PJ

Hot Dish

In the immortal words of country singers Big & Rich ---

"And the girls say

Save a horse, ride a cowboy"

So, anyone else out there ready to save a horse?

I know I am!!!!

~ Buffie

Andrea's Perfect Scoundrel

Today is my wedding anniversary, so I figured it was a perfect time to tell you about my favorite fictional bad boy hero: Saint. This blog was first published over at Romance Novel TV, but I wanted to share it with all of our Romance Dish readers...especially Deb as I know she loves Saint as much as I do. *g* WARNING: this blog contains spoilers if you haven't read London's Perfect Scoundrel by Suzanne Enoch. And if you haven't, what are you waiting for?!?!

Andrea’s Perfect Scoundrel

London’s Perfect Scoundrel. I couldn’t think of a more aptly named title for this extraordinary book by Suzanne Enoch. Not that the hero, Saint, is perfect. But he is perfectly sinful, perfectly wicked, perfectly delicious, and thus, a perfect scoundrel...and my all-time favorite bad boy hero. Suzanne Enoch’s story shows how one completely immoral man slowly transforms into a gentleman because of the determination and love of one incredible woman. Here’s a small (okay, maybe a little bit more than small) taste of why I have such strong love for this book and its hero.

“My dear, Saint doesn’t have to be good because he is so very...very bad.” – Lady Gladstone

“It amazes me, Saint, that you can own so few redeemable qualities and still be so likable.” – Prince George

“Why does everyone call him Saint?” – Evelyn Ruddick
“Besides the obvious? I imagine he finds it...amusing, since he’s about the furthest thing from a saint there is without taking hell into account.” – Viscount Dare

“I wonder that anyone tolerates him at all.” – Mrs. Ruddick
“Probably because he doesn’t pretend to be anything other than what he is.” – Evelyn Ruddick

“I believe it’s just that the expectations for me are so low, I can’t help but amaze.” – Lord St. Aubyn

Michael Halboro, Marquis of St. Aubyn, or Saint as he’s called, is anything but a saint. Ironic, that. He’s tall, devilishly handsome and extremely wealthy. Everything a girl could hope for, right? Yes, except that he also engages in scandalous affairs (he takes his lovers’ marriage vows as seriously as they do), says shocking things (which often offends the recipient and anyone else within earshot) and wants to raze the orphanage that he’s the chairman of, thus releasing him from the obligation stated in his mother’s will.

It is because of said orphanage, the Heart of Hope, that Saint meets his heroine, Evelyn Marie Ruddick. Evelyn is there to meet with the board of directors in the hopes that she will be allowed to volunteer. She wants to do something useful and worthwhile since her brother, Victor, and her mother think her nothing but an empty-headed girl that they use to help further Victor’s political ambitions. During their first encounter, Saint shows just how depraved he is by mocking, insulting, and not taking Evelyn’s request seriously, as shown in this scene when she was asked to leave.

“Why don’t you want me to volunteer here?” she asked over her shoulder, hearing his boot steps close behind her. “It won’t cost you anything.”

“Until you grow tired of providing puddings and sweets—or until the orphanage has to begin paying for the removal of the children’s rotten teeth.”

“The offer of sweets was only so they would talk to me. I imagine they have little reason to trust adults.”

“My heart weeps at your compassion.”

She faced him, stopping so suddenly on the stairs that he nearly ran into her. St. Aubyn towered over her, but she refused to look away from the scoundrel’s arrogant, cynical expression. “I didn’t think you had a heart, my lord.”

He nodded. “I don’t. It was a figure of speech. Go home, Miss Ruddick.”

“No. I want to help.”

“First of all, I doubt you know the first thing about what the brats and this building might need.”

“How could—”

“And in the second place,” he continued in a quieter voice, moving one step down so that her face was level with his crotch, “I can think of a place where you’d be much more useful.”

Heat rose in Evie’s face, but she refused to back away. “And where might that be?”

“In my bed, Miss Ruddick.”

This is how I picture Saint...

Despite his insults, Saint is attracted to Evelyn and agrees to let her help out...but not without stipulations. He will oversee all that she does and ultimately approve or disapprove of specific changes. He is certain that he can wear her down and eventually bring her to the point where she will beg for his caress, though the question is why he would want to. He admits to himself that any of his former lovers would laugh if they knew he was hard for a virginal chit. So, he uses his proviso to his advantage and continues to try to shock her, including constantly calling her Evelyn Marie (which I loved!).

“Why are you cleaning out the storage rooms?”

“To make classrooms.” Her fine brows furrowed. “Did you listen at all to my proposal?”

“No.”

“No? But—”

“Evelyn Marie,” he said in a low voice, wishing the flock of chickens [women] was elsewhere so he could taste her honeyed mouth again, “you’re not here because of your proposal.”

Her scowl deepened. “Then why—”

“You’re here because of my proposition.”

“I told you that you wouldn’t frighten me away, my lord.”

“Saint,” he corrected. “Have you ever seen a man naked and aroused with wanting you?”

A deep blush stole up her cheeks. “N...no”

“You will.” Unable to stop himself, he reached out to touch her cheek. “The things I will teach you, Evelyn, aren’t lectured about in classrooms. And you’ll beg me to teach you more.”

Her mouth opened and closed again. “Go away,” she finally commanded in a quavering voice. “I will not be seduced by you.”

“Not today.”

Evie doesn’t give in to Saint as easily as he thinks she will. She gives as good as she takes and gradually starts to throw him off balance by asking him personal questions such as what his Christian name is, about his mother, and his life now. He tries to change the subject by artfully relieving her pearl pendant necklace right from her neck. When she questions how, he replies, “You should see me unfasten a gown.” He then tells her she must ask for it back at that evening’s soirée (which he found himself attending more since making the acquaintance of Evelyn) in front of others. By this point, Evie is getting flustered, but she manages to do it, with style.

Best to get it over with then. “Lord Dare mentioned that you’d found a necklace at the Hanson soiree. I think it may be mine. May I see it?”

His lips twitched. “Yes, I discovered it in the punch bowl,” he said smoothly, and reached into his pocket. “Would this be it?”

Evie felt faint with relief. “Oh, thank you so much, my lord,” she gushed, before he could even produce the thing for her inspection. “It’s my favorite piece, and I thought I’d never find it.” She held out her hand.

Saint stepped behind her. “Allow me.”

Before she could do more than gulp and flush bright red, the marquis slid the cool chain around her throat and fastened it. His fingers brushed the hairs at the back of her neck as he leaned closer. “Well done, Evelyn Marie,” he murmured into her hair. “Now smile and say ‘thank you, Saint,’ or I’ll kiss your ear.”

If her heart beat any faster, it would burst from her chest. She gave a friendly smile to the air. “Thank you again, Saint. That was quite thoughtful of you.”

“You arouse me,” he whispered, “and you’ll pay for that.”

...or maybe like this. *g*

I absolutely love that Saint says exactly what is on his mind, and the more scandalous, the better! I also loved that at the end of that scene, Evie finds out that Saint replaced her pearl pendant with a diamond. And we see that his armor is starting to crack a bit. Even he is amazed. Him, lusting after an angel. No doubt both God and the devil were laughing at him. And then all hell breaks loose when Evie finds out about Saint’s plans to demolish the orphanage. She confronts him and he tells her to leave. While saying good-bye to the children, they come up with a madcap idea . . . that just might work. Evie manages (quite seductively) to get Saint to follow her to the “cellar” so they can have some privacy. But when they get close, Saint gets hit from behind and wakes up chained to the wall in the dungeon (the orphanage used to be military barracks). Now Evie has the upper hand and gives Saint some food for thought.

“You’re just like all of the other men in my life, you know.”

Whatever she meant by that, it sounded insulting. “No, I’m not.”

“Yes, you are. Victor sends me to talk to disgusting old men because they think I’m charming. He doesn’t care if I have to lie to them about how interesting I find them, or whether the stupid political teas he makes me are useless and worthless and make me very . . . nervous. And you—you’re worse.”

“Do tell.”

“You only let me into the orphanage because you thought it would give you the chance to lift my skirts. You’re handsome, and exciting, and . . . enticing, but I do have a mind, you know. You don’t know me, and you don’t know these children who depend on you for their lives. All you care is that it’s inconvenient.”

His angel certainly had a mouth on her. He would never have expected it, but at the moment he didn’t much appreciate it. “Are you finished?” he snapped.

“Not yet. As of this moment, nothing is inconvenient for you. You now have all the time in the world. And someone else gets to judge whether you should be let loose into Society again or not.” She stood. “And ponder this, Lord St. Aubyn. If you never reappear, will anyone even miss you?”

During his week (yes, a whole week!) spent in the dungeon, Saint does a lot of soul searching and comes to some harsh realizations about himself, one of which is the fact that he really has absolutely no one to call “friend”. He manages to escape, but not before he finally succeeds in seducing the tempting Evelyn, which only brings up more realizations, such as the fact that Evelyn Marie Ruddick is unlike anyone he’s ever met and the only woman that has wanted him, not something from him. Along with appreciation comes admiration and respect. So when Evelyn’s family wants her to marry Mr. Clarence Alvington because of his family’s political connections, Saint will do anything in his power to make sure Evelyn has a choice. And if he wants any chance to spend time with Evelyn, Saint knows that he needs to behave like a gentleman. It was quite endearing because he tries so hard and starts worrying about saying the right things.

“You’ve...picked a lovely day for our outing,” she said.

“Are we talking about the weather now?” Saint set the bottle in the grass and took one of the glasses from her, making sure that he brushed her fingers as he did so. It seemed imperative that he touch her every few moments.

“The weather is always a safe topic.”

He took a sip of wine, gazing at her over the rim of the glass. “A ‘safe’ topic. Fascinating.”

Her eyes lowered. “No. It’s dull.”

Evidently he’d said the wrong thing. Being proper was even more difficult than he’d imagined. “No, really. This is new territory for me. Usually by now on a picnic I’m unclothed. Are there other ‘safe’ topics?”

She looked up at him again, suspicion in her clear gaze. “The weather is the safest, being that everyone knows something about it. Fashion is controversial, unless one laments the new decadence of style, and—”

“Decadence. I like decadence.”

Evelyn smiled. “I know. And bemoaning the waltz is safe with the older generation, for the same reason. Also, no one likes Bonaparte, and the Americans are very gauche.”

“So it’s safest to like nothing.”

She hesitated for a moment, taking far too long a swallow of her wine. “And to approve of nothing, and to do nothing.”

“My, my, Evelyn. I had no idea you were a cynic.” He tilted his head, trying to read her expression. “That’s not it, though, is it? That’s just what you say to your brother’s odd selection of political Bedlamites. Because you, my dear, are far more interesting than the dull creation you describe.”

To his surprise, her eyes filled with tears, though the apology for whatever he’d said wrong this time faded on his lips at the sight of her warm smile. Some very uncomfortable things began happening to his nether regions.

“That, Lord St. Aubyn, is a very nice thing you just said.”

He reached into the basket to cover his sudden discomfiture. “How very unusual of me,” he muttered, and produced a sandwich. “Pheasant?”

So he finds himself acting out of character, directly in opposition to his own self-interest, and experiencing emotions he never thought he’d feel. And he actually likes how those new sensations make him feel. He likes how being with Evelyn makes him feel and how doing things for Evelyn makes him feel. He even goes so far as to buy a new orphanage for her and the children when he can’t back out of the deal he made to demolish the old one. And finally, he executes the ultimate surrender by making a very public declaration of love to his heroine.

“I’ve finally realized why they called that damned place the Heart of Hope. Because somehow, someone guessed you and I would meet there, Evelyn Marie.” – Lord St. Aubyn

“I lied to you earlier. I told you that I didn’t have a heart. I do have one. I just didn’t know it until I met you. You are my light. My soul craves you, and I love you with every ounce of the heart you’ve awakened in me. I...I could live without you, but I wouldn’t want to. Will you marry me, Evelyn Marie?” – Michael Edward Halboro, Marquis of St. Aubyn to Evelyn Marie Ruddick in the middle of the Dorchester ball

Oh, how the mighty have fallen! Now, to say that Saint did a complete 180° would be a bit misleading. He is still very much a bad boy...but only for Evelyn. :wink:



London’s Perfect Scoundrel is one of the few books that I have read more than once. I hope I was able to convey some of the love I have for it in my blog. :) Since I featured a historical bad boy hero, I’d like to know who some of your favorite historical bad boy heroes are? Also, do you reread books? If so, which ones?

Guest Review - - The Sister Queens

The Sister Queens

By Sophie Perinot

Publisher: Berkley NAL

Release Date: March 6, 2012

The four daughters of Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Provence (1195-1245), and his wife, Beatrice of Savoy (1205-1267), all became queens. The Sister Queens is the story of the two eldest, Marguerite, who at 13 was married to Louis IX of France, and Eleanor, two years younger, who is married to Henry III of England eighteen months after her elder sister becomes Queen of France. Both sisters inherited the comeliness of their mother, a legendary beauty from the powerful and ambitious Savoyard family, but their temperaments are very different. Marguerite is controlled and elegant; Eleanor is fiery-tempered and strong-willed. Their marriages are also very different.

At first, Marguerite is pleased with her handsome, youthful king, but she soon becomes unhappy. Her mother-in-law, Blanche who served as her son’s regent during his boyhood, is jealous of her influence and power and determined to limit Marguerite to the fringes of Louis’ life. She fosters the religious zealotry that makes Louis an indifferent husband even as the principles of his faith applied to his rule make him a powerful and effective king.

Eleanor has reservations about her marriage to the English king who is only a decade younger than her father, but Henry’s age and unimpressive looks are soon forgotten in the face of his delight in his lovely bride and his eagerness to wed. He is Louis’ opposite—a loving, devoted husband but a weak and ineffectual ruler.

But, despite their differences, the sisters are devoted to one another, and neither time, distance, disagreements, nor the political rivalry of their husbands destroys that devotion. They share their lives with one another through the letters that they exchange, they learn from one another, and eventually see a more cordial relationship established between their husbands.

The story covers just over twenty years (April 1234-January 1255), beginning the day before Marguerite leaves her home in Provence to journey to France for her marriage and ending with Eleanor and Henry’s departure from the French court. Perinot presents not only the sisters but also the kings they married and a cast of secondary characters as complex and vivid characters with contradictory qualities that contribute to their complexity. Henry is a romantic, indulgent husband and a doting, involved father, but he is also impulsive and easily influenced, not characteristics associated with wise and able rule. Louis, on the other hand, is highly competent in administering his kingdom with admirable courage and a sense of justice, but he is a religious fanatic who withdraws emotionally and often physically from his wife and who can order that the lips of a man who profanes the name of God be burned off.

As interesting as the stories of kings and their choices are, the heart of this book is the relationship between two sisters. The alternating chapters and the inclusion of the fictional letters between Marguerite and Eleanor insure that readers are propelled into the intrigue and jockeying for position in the royal courts of France and England and the purpose and the terrors of the Crusades, but they also reveal the hearts of these two women—their memories of Provence and family ties, the concerns they have for their own children, and the struggles each faces as the dreams of girlhood are replaced by the realities of womanhood. Connecting all these things are the strands of jealousy, competition, forgiveness, loyalty, and abiding love that make up the bond of sisterhood.

If you are a reader of historical fiction or a fan of Medieval romance, I highly recommend The Sister Queens. If you are neither but enjoy stories about the many relationships that define a woman, you may find more to like here than you expect. This is an impressive debut novel, and I for one am looking forward to seeing what Sophie Perinot does next.

~Janga
justjanga.blogspot.com

Emily March Winner

The winner of a signed copy of HEARTACHE FALLS by Emily March is

LSU READER

Please send your full name and mailing address to us at theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com.  Please put "Emily March Winner" in the subject line.

Books, Books, Everywhere I Look

I'm trying to sell my house so I can move into a smaller one.  I love my home but it's way more space than I need.  I've already gotten rid of a lot of tools.  I didn't know how to use them anyway.  Furniture went out the door without a single twinge.  With a couple exceptions (and they stayed), there was no sentiment connecting me to any of the pieces.  My books, now that's a different story.  I've been reading for a long, long, long time and I've saved a lot of books.  The last time I did a "book cleanse" was when we moved here sixteen years ago.  Do you have any idea how many books you can save in sixteen years?  Now add those to the ones that made the trip from our old house to this one.  I've transitioned from a keeper shelf to keeper shelves to keeper closet to...well, let's just say I could probably open a library with the contents of one of the bedrooms in the house. ;-)

As much as it pains me to do this, I'm going to have to part with some (okay, a lot) of my books.  There just won't be room for them in a smaller house.  Now comes the hard part.  How do I decide what stays and what goes?  A few are non-negotiable.  Julie Garwood's Saving Grace for example.  It's my favorite comfort read and has brought me comfort so many times over the past eighteen years that I've worn out two copies and am now working on my third.  That one stays.  Another favorite re-read is Trust Me by Jayne Ann Krentz.  I sobbed for a full hour after finishing Jude Deveraux's A Knight in Shining Armor.  How could I get rid of that?  Then there's Charming the Prince by Teresa Medeiros, What I Did For a Duke by Julie Ann Long, Julia Quinn's Bridgertons, Christina Dodd's Wilders, The Duke is Mine by Eloisa James, Robyn Carr's Virgin River series, Johanna Lindsey's Malorys and everything written by Tessa Dare, Kaki Warner, Lisa Kleypas, Jo Beverley and Joanna Bourne.  I could go on and on but you get the idea. 

How do I place these beloved friends in a box and dump them at Goodwill or, even worse, watch people toss them around at a yard sale with no care for covers or spines then argue over the 25 cent price?  No, I can't do it.  They've brought me too much joy to be treated in such a manner.  They were there for me during the dark times, when I needed them the most.  They deserve better homes!  That's where you come in, fellow book lovers.  Have I got a deal for you!

It was hard - very hard - but I've managed to make the tough decisions.  Okay, not all the tough decisions but I have made a start.  I have four boxes of books ready to go to new homes (quickly, before I change my mind!).  Some are old, others are new.  A few are signed.  I have single titles, categories and all sub-genres.  All you have to do is answer a few questions and I'll choose four random people to receive one box each.  So tell me...

What are the keeper books you could never part with?

Do they have their own shelf, closet or, like me, do they occupy their own room in your house?

Do you read one particular sub-genre of romance or do you cross over to different ones?  Which are your favorites?

Give me your best pitch for why my books should find a new home with you!

Due to the size and weight of the boxes I need to limit this giveaway to the United States.  Please indicate in your comments if you live in the U.S. and want to be included in the drawing.

~PJ

Emily's March Madness

Emily March has long been a favorite of mine, both for the historical and romantic suspense novels she wrote as Geralyn Dawson and the wonderful, heartfelt contemporaries she's now writing as Emily March.  But, beyond the books, she's also a woman I admire for her work on behalf of homeless animals.  (For more information about Emily and the work she does with animals, read my interview with her here.) If you read her Eternity Springs series, you'll see her love of animals shining through in the rescue dogs that play an important part in the stories she writes.  

This month, as legions of college basketball fans gear up for the NCAA Tournament, also known as March Madness, Emily is hosting her own version of March Madness.  Partnering with some of her writing buddies (Christina Dodd, Karen Hawkins, Kristan Higgins, Jayne Ann Krentz, Susan Mallery, Teresa Medeiros, Lori Wilde and more), Emily will give away one book each day from March 1 - 31.   At the end of the month, one name will be drawn to receive a $500 donation to the animal rescue organization of their choice.  Emily will also make a $500 donation to Legacy Boxer Rescue in Dallas/Ft. Worth, the organization for whom she fosters dogs.  

Named for Angel's Rest, first book in Emily's Eternity Springs series, Angel, the boxer in the photo above, is a foster Emily and her husband nursed back to health and delivered to a loving, forever home.  

To register for Emily's March Madness contest, click here.  

For more information about Emily March and her books, visit her website, like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.  If you've caught the Pinterest bug, you can check out Emily's boards by clicking here.

Tell me about the animals in your life.  Are they rescues?  Did you choose them or did they choose you, like my two did?  One randomly chosen person leaving a comment will receive a signed copy of Heartache Falls, the third book in Emily March's Eternity Springs series. 

LOVER'S LEAP

Eternity Springs  - Book 4

By Emily March

Publisher:  Random House

Release Date:  December 27, 2012

Twenty years ago the town bad boy, Cam Murphy, left Eternity Springs in handcuffs, riding in the back of a sheriff’s van . . . and breaking young Sarah Reese’s heart. The defiant teenager vowed never to return.

In Australia, Cam makes a new beginning. He builds a successful business and suffers few regrets until Sarah—and their daughter—walk into his life, and then immediately run away. Realizing it’s time to right yesterday’s wrongs, he follows Sarah home to Colorado—and turns her world upside down.

Cam wants to know his daughter. He needs to prove to Sarah, the town, and himself that he’s changed. Will the residents of Eternity Springs offer forgiveness—and will Sarah have the courage to trust this man who is asking for a second chance?








~PJ

Leigh LaValle Winner

Many thanks to all who stopped by to help Leigh LaValle celebrate the publication of her debut novel.  The lucky winner of a digital copy of The Runaway Countess is

bn100

Congratulations!  We hope you enjoy the book!

The Teen Menu

YA News

One of the best books I've read in recent years is Marcus Zusak's The Book Thief. So it's cool news that Fox 2000 is set to begin production on a movie version this summer. Deadline.com recently reported that director Brian Percival (Downton Abbey) will direct the film.

We are a mere 13 days away from the opening of The Hunger Games in theaters. I suspect it is going to have a huge opening weekend box office take. The artists on the movie's soundtrack were recently revealed along with the video of "Safe and Sound" by Taylor Swift with The Civil Wars. Among the other artists featured are Maroon 5, The Decemberists, Miranda Lambert, Kid Cudi, and several others.

More photos from the film were recently featured on the Entertainment Weekly website. Check them out here.

And here's a cool clip in which Katniss begins to impress the Capitol bigwigs with her archery skills.

In non-Hunger Games news, Austin Butler has been cast to play male lead Sebastian Kydd in The CW's television adaptation of The Carrie Diaries. The book and show chronicle the teen years of Carrie Bradshaw of Sex in the City fame. I'll have to check this out because it's set in the '80s, and that's when I was in high school. I wonder if parachute pants will make an appearance. :)

The Pottermore site from J.K. Rowling, which will sell electronic and audio versions of the Harry Potter books, will be out of beta testing and debut to everyone in early April.

YA Review

I realized recently while going through a list of the books I read in 2011 that I read a YA at the end of the year that I neglected to review here. Ally Condie's Crossed is the second in the trilogy that began with Matched. The series is set in a dystopian world, one in which the Society chooses everything for all its citizens (jobs, clothing, what people can read and do, even who one is to marry aka their match). The Society does this in exchange for safety. But the question central to this trilogy is whether guaranteed safety is worth giving up one's ability to choose. The books' central character, Cassia, has come to believe that choice is more important, including her choice to love Ky instead of Xander, the boy the Society has chosen for her who also happens to be her best friend.

Cassia's struggle is made more difficult by the fact that Xander is her dear friend, and had she not fallen for Ky she could probably be happy with Xander. But events in Matched have sent Ky to the outer reaches of the Society, and Cassia spends a good bit of Crossed moving from one work station to another in attempt to eventually get transferred to the area where she believes Ky to be. Even when they are eventually reunited, there is no time to rejoice. They're on the run, fleeing the Society and seeking out two different groups -- one a group of farmers that live in the canyons that Ky heard about as a child before his parents' deaths, another a group of rebels whose aim is to fight the Society and what it stands for.

Reached, the final book in the trilogy, is set to release in November. I'm curious to see how Condie wraps up the story and what will be the eventual fate for Cassia, Ky, Xander and the Society.
~~~

Pardon me for a bit of self-promo. I just wanted to announce that my new paranormal YA novel, White Witch, is now available from Bell Bridge Books. It's the first in the Coven trilogy about Jax Pherson, who flees her dark witch coven in pursuit of a normal teenage life. This book, originally titled Coven, won RWA's Golden Heart award in the Young Adult category in 2007.

Review - - Betrayal

Betrayal
Bella Terra Deception - Book 3
By Christina Dodd
Publisher: Signet Select
Release Date:  April 3, 2012

Christina Dodd ratchets up the tension, and the sizzle, in Betrayal, the heart-stopping third book in her sensational Bella Terra Deception romantic suspense series.

BETRAYAL, as with the first two books in the Bella Terra Deception series, showcases Christina Dodd at her very best.  Set in the beautiful California wine country and starring the powerful Di Luca brothers, their beloved grandmother and the women the men come to love, Dodd pulls out all the stops in three riveting, sizzling stories that combine emotionally tormented heroes, strong, spirited heroines, family secrets, stolen diamonds, a priceless bottle of wine and the arrival of danger that threatens to destroy not only the family business but their very lives.  The tension begins in the first book, offering just enough clues to keep me guessing while gradually adding new characters and obstacles to hold my attention along the way.   While each book concludes with a happy ending and resolution of the danger threatening that particular couple, the tension and danger to the entire family caused by the overlying mystery continue to build, escalating to an explosive conclusion in BETRAYAL that had me on the edge of my seat.  

Noah Di Luca has a secret, a pretty big one as secrets go, that he's been keeping for nine tortuous years.  While he's lived life to the fullest and carefully maintained a carefree image, guilt has a stranglehold on his soul and love has no place in his life.  To share his love, or the burden of his secret, with anyone else would be placing their lives in danger, a fact that isolates Noah from his family and causes him to walk away from the only woman to ever hold his heart.  But now, in the middle of a deadly family crisis, a crisis Noah believes his naive actions nine years earlier caused, Penelope, the woman who claimed his heart all those years ago has returned to Bella Valley.  All the old feelings are still there but someone from Noah's past, a person he's unable to emotionally separate himself from while at the same time wishing they'd never met, arrives with a demand that carries a deadly consequence should Noah fail to find his grandfather's missing bottle of wine. 

Eighteen year old Penelope Alonso loved Noah Di Luca with all of her young heart but at the end of her one summer in Bella Valley, she left with that heart shattered.  Now she's returning, not to see Noah but to hopefully claim the heritage that she's just recently discovered, in the only town that's ever felt like home.   The flame of attraction still burns brightly between them, as do the feelings in their hearts, but will love have a chance to rekindle or will it be shattered by suspicion, betrayal not easily forgotten and the danger that threatens Noah and everyone he holds dear?

I love second chance stories and this one is terrific.  Dodd does an excellent job of balancing suspense and romance, keeping the story flowing and keeping me totally engrossed.  I did not want to put this book down.    In fact, I even went so far as to mute my phone so I wouldn't be interrupted!  Noah and Penelope are both multi-layered characters with substantial life baggage, including the broken trust between them, with which they must come to terms before they are able to move forward with one another.  Dodd does this gradually and realistically, giving us characters to whom we can relate, situations into which we can place ourselves, and villains we'd probably be willing to take out ourselves if we could get our hands on a weapon.   

I came to care about these characters and what happens to them - not just the heroes and heroines of these books but all of the Di Lucas, especially Sarah, the matriarch of the Di Luca family. Christina Dodd is exceptionally gifted at creating the complex, flawed characters I love to read about, especially within the framework of a family.  With BETRAYAL and the two books that preceded it, she pulled me right into the hearts of the Di Lucas and they, in turn, touched my every emotion.    

For books that will draw you in and not let go until long after you've turned the last page, I highly recommend the Bella Terra Deception series.  The books, in order, are SECRETS OF BELLA TERRA, REVENGE AT BELLA TERRA and BETRAYAL.

~PJ

Make Your Reservations!

It's time again to mark your calendars and Make Your Reservations for April! No surprise--there are a lot of great book we are looking forward to next month! Are any of these upcoming books on your list? If so, which ones? If not, which books are on your list?

The Duke's Perfect Wife
By Jennifer Ashley

Lady Eleanor Ramsay is the only one who knows the truth about Hart Mackenzie. Once his fiancee, she is the sole woman to whom he could ever pour out his heart.

Hart has it all--a dukedom, wealth, power, influence, whatever he desires. Every woman wants him--his seductive skills are legendary. But Hart has sacrificed much to keep his brothers safe, first from their brutal father, and then from the world. He's also suffered loss--his wife, his infant son, and the woman he loved with all his heart though he realized it too late.

Now, Eleanor has reappeared on Hart's doorstep, with scandalous nude photographs of Hart taken long ago. Intrigued by the challenge in her blue eyes--and aroused by her charming, no-nonsense determination--Hart wonders if his young love has come to ruin him...or save him.

(Berkley Sensation)


*******

About That Night
By Julie James

He’s playing games.

Though Rylann Pierce tried to fight the sparks she felt for billionaire heir Kyle Rhodes the night they met, their sizzling chemistry was undeniable. But after being stood up on their first date, Rylann never expected to see him again. So when she finds herself face-to-face with Kyle in a courthouse nine years later, she’s stunned. More troubling to the beautiful assistant U.S. attorney is that she’s still wildly attracted to him.

But she’s making the rules.

Just released from prison, Kyle Rhodes isn’t thrilled to be the star witness in a high-profile criminal case—but when Rylann comes knocking at his door, he finds she may be the one lawyer he can’t say no to. Still as gorgeous and sharp-tongued as ever, she lays down the law: she doesn’t mix business with pleasure. But Kyle won’t give up on something he wants—and what he wants is the one woman he’s never forgotten.

(Berkley Sensation)


*******

The Art of Duke Hunting
By Sophia Nash

Six Regency heroes — One royal hangover

Last night was a blur.

This morning is a shock.

Tonight will be a secret...

The Duke of Norwich has two rules: never marry and never go to sea. So on the morning after the most extravagant royal bachelor party of the century, he is stunned to find himself aboard a storm-tossed ship and locked in the arms of a proper lady.

The Countess of Derby has two rules as well: never give away your heart and never let anyone get in the way of your life's deepest passions. But Esme cannot resist Roman when all seems lost at sea. Yet when their ship returns to London, everything will be forgotten...as long as they can keep their secret from the Prince Regent. For if the future king commands them to marry, all their fondest dreams will be ruined. But where love is concerned, some rules are made to be broken...

(Avon)


*******

Betrayal
By Christina Dodd

During one hot summer, they came together in the sweetness of first love...until his past reared its ugly head and Noah walked away from her without a word.

Nine years later, Penelope returns, never imagining she’d see Noah or that one glance would wake their fiery passion. But even as she fights the impulse to love him again, their secrets betray them. As peril builds around them, Penelope has one choice: to survive, she must once again trust the man who betrayed her.

Even with terror stalking through Bella Terra’s streets, love may be the most dangerous choice of all.

(Signet)



*******

A Week to Be Wicked
By Tessa Dare

When a devilish lord and a bluestocking set off on the road to ruin...time is not on their side.

Minerva Highwood, one of Spindle Cove's confirmed spinsters, needs to be in Scotland.

Colin Sandhurst, Lord Payne, a rake of the first order, needs to be...anywhere but Spindle Cove.

These unlikely partners have one week:

to fake an elopement
to convince family and friends they're "in love"
to outrun armed robbers
to survive their worst nightmares
to travel four hundred miles without killing each other

All while sharing a very small carriage by day and an even smaller bed by night.

What they don't have time for is their growing attraction. Much less wild passion. And heaven forbid they spend precious hours baring their hearts and souls.

Suddenly one week seems like exactly enough time to find a world of trouble. And maybe...just maybe...everlasting love.

(Avon)


*******

The Saint
By Monica McCarty

Magnus MacKay is the ultimate Highlander: tough, proud, able to master any terrain and to best his enemies. Called “the Saint” for his refusal to discuss women, as well as for his cool and steady leadership, Magnus hides a painful truth. It isn’t virtue or piety that keeps him silent, but a wound of love and loss that cuts so deep he cannot bear to speak of it. But when the woman who refused him is betrothed to his friend and fellow Guardsman, Magnus is tested by love’s battle cry.

A wild and innocent beauty, Helen chose family duty over her desire for Magnus. Now the anger in his eyes mirrors the tormented regret in her heart. But as deadly subterfuge stalks the King and his Guard, Helen vows to right her youthful mistakes with a woman’s determined spirit. Still, Magnus harbors secrets and an iron will not to weaken to temptation—or heartache—again. But as danger looms, it’s the kiss not of a saint, but of a sinner, that can save them.

(Ballantine)


*******

Sierra Falls
By Veronica Wolff

Family is important to Sorrow. She gave up her dreams to run the struggling family lodge. Even her name is a family relic, though lately it feels like a curse that might determine her fate. Things look up when she discovers a collection of letters from her three-times great grandmother and namesake, telling the story of a forbidden love affair.

Billy Preston is the new sheriff, a widower escaping the grief of his former life as a big city cop. He helps out after an accident at the Bailey lodge, and what begins as admiration for Sorrow’s quiet strength quickly becomes something much more. When Sorrow’s discovery brings fame to Sierra Falls, and her dreams of a better life are within reach, one too many “accidents” have Billy wondering whether someone is willing to kill to keep them off the map.

As the community pulls together, Sorrow takes a lesson from her ancestor’s letters: only in family, friends, and love do you find true joy.

(Berkley Sensation)


*******

If I Fall
By Kate Noble

After a duke's betrayal, the resilient Sarah Forrester reinvents herself as the Golden Lady: society's leading light, the beautiful and witty life of the party. It's all a façade of course-one that protects her from another intimate disloyalty. When her old friend, Lieutenant Jackson Fletcher, returns to London, he is determined to rediscover the true and trusting Sarah he once knew. It'll take more than a kiss and a promise. It might even call for an innocent and necessary deception.

Then Jackson is enlisted to help capture the lead suspect in a murder— a man who happens to be Sarah's most ardent suitor. Jack must continue the deception, and weathering this newest and gravest betrayal will be Sarah's ultimate test. But as Jack's passion for her grows, he must also reveal his own secrets. And as the killer turns his attention to his pursuers, more than love and trust is put at risk.

(Berkley Sensation)


*******

Confessions from an Arranged Marriage
By Miranda Neville

They couldn't be more different—but there's one thing they agree on...

In London after a two-year exile, Lord Blakeney plans to cut a swathe through the bedchambers of the demimonde. Marriage is not on his agenda, especially to an annoying chit like Minerva Montrose, with her superior attitude and a tendency to get into trouble. And certainly the last man Minerva wants is Blake, a careless wastrel without a thought in his handsome head.

The lights and din of her debutante ball set Minerva's teeth on edge. Surely a moment's rest could do no harm...until Blake mistakes her for another lady, leaving Minerva's guests to catch them in a very compromising position. To her horror, the scandal will force them to do the unthinkable: marry. Their mutual loathing blazes into unexpected passion but Blake remains distant, desperate to hide a shameful secret. Minerva's never been a woman to take things lying down, and she'll let nothing stop her from winning his trust...and his heart.

(Avon)