RITA -- And the Finalists are...

It's an exciting day in the world of romance. Today, Romance Writers of America® (RWA) will announce the finalists for the Rita® and Golden Heart® awards, honoring the best published books and unpublished manuscripts of 2016. A winner in each category will be chosen from the finalists and will be announced Thursday, July 27 at the RWA National Conference in Orlando, Florida. 

We'll be following the announcements here and at The Romance Dish Facebook page and chatting about the 2016 books that were our favorites. I'll fill in the finalists for each of the categories below as they are announced but I'm sure we all have our own thoughts about what books published in 2016 should final. 

Tell me about the books you'd like to see honored this year.

Which category is your favorite?

Share your thoughts about the finalists as they are announced. Which titles would you like to see win? 

Three randomly chosen people who leave a comment will receive a package of books. 
(US only)

One randomly chosen international reader leaving a comment will receive their choice of one RITA® nominated book from bookdepository.com. (value not to exceed $10)

Please include US or INT with your comments! 

 2017 RITA AWARD FINALISTS

Contemporary Romance: Long
Novels that are set from 1950 to the present that focus primarily on the romantic relationship and that are 84,000 or more words.

ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID by Lizzie Shane
HOT IN HELLCAT CANYON by Julie Anne Long
MAKE ME SIN by J.T. Geissinger
MIRACLE ON 5TH AVENUE by Sarah Morgan
PANSIES by Alexis Hall
SNOWFALL ON HAVEN POINT by RaeAnne Thayne
TENDER IS THE NIGHT by Barbara Freethy





Contemporary Romance: Mid-Length
Novels that are set from 1950 to the present that focus primarily on the romantic relationship and that are between 56,000 and 84,000 words in length.

BACK IN THE SADDLE by Karen Templeton
BAREFOOT AT MIDNIGHT by Roxanne St. Claire
CAROLINA DREAMING by Virginia Kantra
FAST CONNECTION by Megan Erickson and Santino Hassell
LONE HEART PASS by Jodi Thomas
OFF THE HOOK by Laura Drewry
ONCE AND FOR ALL:AN AMERICAN VALOR NOVEL by Cheryl Etchison
TELL ME HOW THIS ENDS by Victoria De La O
THE TURNING POINT by Marie Meyer
WANDERLUST by Roni Loren




Contemporary Romance: Short
Novels that are set from 1950 to present that focus primarily on the romantic relationship and that are between 40,000 and 56,000 words in length.

APB:BABY by Julie Miller
BREAKING GOOD by Madeline Ash
CHRISTMAS ON CRIMSON MOUNTAIN by Michelle Major
FALLING FOR THE RANCHER by Tanya Michaels
FAR FROM HOME by Lorelei Brown
HIS STOLEN BRIDE by Barbara Dunlop
A MALIBU KIND OF ROMANCE by Synithia Williams
OVERWHELMING FORCE by Janie Crouch
SEARCHING FOR DISASTER by by Jennifer Probst
TWO DOCTORS & A BABY by Brenda Harlen





Erotic Romance
Novels in which strong, often explicit, sexual interaction is an inherent part of the love story, character growth and relationship development and could not be removed without damaging the storyline. These novels may contain elements of other romance subgenres (such as paranormal, historical, etc.)

THE DIRTY SECRET by Kira A. Gold
THE MASTER by Tara Sue Me
OFF THE CLOCK by Roni Loren
RAVENOUS by M.S. Force
THREE SWEET NOTHINGS by Nikki Sloane



Historical Romance: Long
Novels that are set prior to 1950 and that are longer than 89,000 words.

DUKES PREFER BLONDES by Loretta Chase
HOW I MARRIED A MARQUESS by Anna Harrington
SUSANA AND THE SCOT by Sabrina York
NO MISTRESS OF MINE by Laura Lee Guhrke



Historical Romance: Short
Novels that are set prior to 1950 and that are between 40,000 and 89,000 words.

DO YOU WANT TO START A SCANDAL by Tessa Dare
DUKE OF SIN by Elizabeth Hoyt
A DUKE TO REMEMBER by Kelly Bowen
LEFT AT THE ALTAR by Margaret Brownley
THE STUDY OF SEDUCTION by Sabrina Jeffries
TAMING THE HIGHLANDER by May McGoldrick




Paranormal Romance
Novels in which fantasy worlds or paranormal or science fiction elements are an integral part of the plot.

BAYOU SHADOW HUNTER by Debbie Herbert
THE BEAST by J.R. Ward
THE CHAMPION OF BARESH by Susan Grant
ENCHANTED WARRIOR by Sharon Ashwood
GHOST GIFTS by Laura Spinella
THE LEOPARD KING by Ann Aguirre
THE PAGES OF THE MIND by Jeffe Kennedy
WHERE THE WILD THINGS BITE by Molly Harper



Romance Novella
Novellas that focus primarily on the romantic relationship.

HER EVERY WISH by Courtney Milan
"THE HUSBAND MANEUVER" by Karen Witemeyer in WITH THIS RING
LET IT SNOW by Jeanette Grey
"Let us Dream" by Alyssa Cole in DAUGHTERS OF A NATION
SEARCHING FOR MINE by Jennifer Probst
TYCOON by Joanna Shupe
WILD IN RIO by Lyssa Kay Adams




Romance with Religious or Spiritual Elements
Novels in which religious or spiritual beliefs are an inherent part of the love story, character growth and relationship development and could not be removed without damaging the storyline. These novels may be set in the context of any religious or spiritual belief system of any culture.

KEEPER OF THE STARS by Robin Lee Hatcher
MY HOPE NEXT DOOR by Tammy L. Gray
TRUST MY HEART by Carol J. Post



Romantic Suspense
Novels in which suspense, mystery, or thriller elements constitute an integral part of the plot.

ALL THE DEAD GIRLS by Rita Herron
ATONE by Beth Yarnall
FIELD OF GRAVES by J. T. Ellison
KILLER COUNTDOWN by Amelia Autin
Mr. and Mrs. Smith by HelenKay Dimon
ONE MINUTE TO MIDNIGHT by Nico Rosso
REPRESSED by Elisabeth Naughton
TALL, DARK AND DAMAGED by Sarah Andre


Young Adult Romance
Novels in which young adult life is an integral part of the plot.


AFFECTIVE NEEDS by Rebecca Taylor
THE DISTANCE FROM A to Z by Natalie Blitt
THE PROBLEM WITH FOREVER by Jennifer L. Armentrout
SUMMER OF SUPERNOVAS by Darcy Woods


Best First Book
A novel entered in another contest category. To be eligible, the author (or authors in the case of a writing team) shall not have had any other novel or novella previously commercially available in any format.

ALTERATIONS by Stephanie Scott
BEFORE GOODBYE by Mimi Cross
CLOSE TO YOU by Kara Isaac
THE DISTANCE FROM A TO Z by Natalie Blitt
ONCE AND FOR ALL:AN AMERICAN VALOR NOVEL by Cheryl Etchison
SUMMER OF SUPERNOVAS by Darcy Woods



Mainstream Fiction with a Central Romance
Mainstream Fiction novels in which themes or elements other than the romance are integral to the story even though a central love story and an emotionally satisfying and optimistic resolution to the romance are still present. This category is intended for romances that do not fit neatly into any other category due to their mainstream fiction nature but where the central romance could not be removed without damaging the storyline.

THE MOON IN THE PALACE by Weina Dai Randel
THE DEPTH OF BEAUTY by A.B. Michaels
THE COLOR OF A PROMISE by Julianne MacLean
NOW THAT IT'S YOU by Tawna Fenske




2017 GOLDEN HEART FINALISTS

Contemporary Romance
Manuscripts that are set from 1950 to the present that focus primarily on the romantic relationship and that are greater than 65,000 words.

Always Sunny by Kimberly MacCarron

Far-Fetched Love by Priscilla Cook

Framed by Susan J. Bickford

Mounting the Marquis by Kelli Newby

No Man Left Behind by Penelope Leas

Sometimes You Need a Sexy Scot by Melonie Johnson

Take the Lead by Alexis Daria 

Tempting Fate by Jeri Black

Things I'll Never Say by Christina Hovland

This Child Is Mine by Jo Anne Banker

Contemporary Romance: Short

Manuscripts that are set from 1950 to the present that are less than 65,000 words in length.

Job Opening: Billionaire's Wife by Susannah Erwin

A Love Wide Open by JoAnn Sky

Princess of Meridian by Catherine Stuart

What Would Ginger Do? by Kimberly MacCarron

Historical Romance
Manuscripts that are set prior to 1950.

Confess, Your Grace by Scarlett Peckham

The Governess's Glance by Jennifer Henderson

How to Train Your Baron by Diana Lloyd

Lord Lion and the Lady Publisher by Laurel Kerr

The Lost Chord by Suzanne M. Turner

The Price of Desire by Emily Sullivan

Unmasked by Elizabeth Rue

With Love in Sight by Christina Britton

Paranormal Romance
Manuscripts in which fantasy worlds or paranormal or science fiction elements are an integral part of the plot.

Beryl Blue, Time Cop by Janet Halpin

Bless Your Heart and Other Southern Curses by Heather Leonard

Constant Craving by Kari W. Cole

Fire's Rising by Grace Adams

The Mer Chronicles: Love's Diplomatic Act by Kate Ramirez

Soul Affinity by A. Y. Chao

Romance with Religious or Spiritual Elements
Novels in which religious or spiritual beliefs are an inherent part of the love story, character growth and relationship development and could not be removed without damaging the storyline. These novels may be set in the context of any religious or spiritual belief system of any culture.

Fair Haven by Laura Conner Kestner



Romantic Suspense
Manuscripts in which suspense, mystery, or thriller elements constitute an integral part of the plot.

The Fire Beckons by Lynette Labelle

The Guide by Sarah Morgenthaler

Seductive Strokes by Patty Hoffman

Semper Fi by Meta Carroll

Shot Down by Tracy Brody

Vengeance by Diana Belchase

Young Adult Romance
Manuscripts in which young adult life is an integral part of the plot.  

All the Feels by Kimberly MacCarron

Listen by Jennifer Camiccia

Mouthful by C R Grissom

Swimming through Fog by Nicole Hohmann 

Review - - Hometown Cowboy

Hometown Cowboy

By Sara Richardson

Publisher: Forever

Release Date: February 28, 2017

Reviewed by Maria Lokken

    

If you’ve been dumped one time too many, you would probably be a bit apprehensive about jumping into another relationship. For Jessa May Love that means, no more men. Ever. Romance is off the table. But when ladies’ man Lance Cortez, the tall, dark and handsome bull-riding champion needs her help – well then, she’s got a problem.

Jessa runs the animal shelter in Topaz Falls, but the shelter is in need of money to continue its good works, and Lance needs help with his father Luis who is getting on in years. Jessa moves onto the ranch to help with Luis and that puts her within arms distance of Lance as he prepares for the World Rodeo Championship. And you guessed it – these two are destined to be in and out of love faster than a bull can throw his rider.

Jessa’s one desire in life is “to love someone wholly and truly, and to have them love her back.” That’s a tall order, especially for a cowboy who’s not sure he even knows how to love. Each comes to the on again, off again, hot steamy relationship with enough baggage to throw a wheel off a cart, and that dynamic is what makes Hometown Cowboy an interesting read.

This is a story of love lost and lessons learned and about the journey both Jessa and Lance go through to get to a place where love is what matters. The author creates a wonderful cast of secondary characters who help Jessa and Lance find their way to each other. For Jessa, it is the women from her book club. Each one is different from the next, but when her romance goes off the rails they are united in their support.

Lance has his father and two brothers, Levi and Lucas. And… well, what can I say, each one is tall, handsome and sexy - and that’s in addition to being brothers Lance can confide in and count on.

Every character in this book has a history, and that makes for good conflict that eventually gets resolved into a happily-ever-after. The journey on this one was fun.

My one major quibble with this story was the author’s description of the hero’s father. Luis Cortez, is a 67-year-old bull riding champion. While his glory days are long gone, he’s a well-known figure in the community. The author describes him as an old man. And while he has a situation, that I won’t give away, I’d like to point out that in the year 2017, 67-years-old is NOT OLD. A large majority of people are living well into their 90’s, and 100’s and many are still vital. Let’s face it, they invented Viagra for a reason. You’re not dead at 67. Whenever I read a book that describes people in their 50’s and 60’s as old, it throws me out of the story a bit, because in my opinion, 60 is the new 40.

In any event, I believe you’ll enjoy this contemporary romance, the women are smart, the men rugged, and there’s plenty of sigh worthy moments. This is the first in the Rocky Mountain Riders series. Each one will feature a different brother, and Lucas’ story is next.

What’s your cut off age for a hero and heroine in a romance?

Review - - What it Takes: A Kowalski Family Reunion

What It Takes: A Kowalski Family Reunion

By Shannon Stacey

Publisher: Carina Press

Release Date: February 28, 2017

Reviewed by: Janga

    

 

Laney Caswell is newly divorced after ten years of a marriage in which she gradually lost more and more of the person she was and turned into an eager-to-please wifey. She left her Rhode Island home to take a job for the summer at the Northern Star Lodge & Campground in Whitford, Maine, as an assistant to Rosie Miller, the matriarch who manages the place and the Maine Kowalskis. Laney’s plan is to enjoy her new job and spend her private time watching movies her ex disliked, reading books she never had time to read, and rediscovering the spirited, independent woman she used to be. Laney hasn’t given up on the idea of a forever love and marriage and children, but she needs time to become her own person again before she thinks about inviting a man into her life.

Ben Rivers grew up in Whitford, best friends with Sean Kowalski (Yours to Keep, Book 3, 2011). Approaching burnout after years as an urban paramedic, he eagerly accepts when Josh Kowalski (All He Ever Dreamed, Book 6, 2013) and Josh’s brother-in-law and Whitford chief of police Drew Miller (Love a Little Sideways, Book 7, 2013) offer him the newly created position of the small town’s paramedic. At thirty-eight, Ben is not only ready to return home; he is also ready to settle down with a wife and start a family so that he can find the kind of happiness he sees in the lives of all his Kowalski buds.

The attraction between Laney and Ben is immediate and it is deeper that just physical attraction. Laney is certainly not immune to Ben’s obvious appeal, but she is even more impressed with his willingness to accept her need for independence. Still, Laney is wary. When the extended Kowalski family decides to hold the annual Kowalski family camping trip at the Northern Star during two weeks in July, Lacey and Ben are thrown even more into one another’s company as the gregarious Kowalskis insist they both join in all their activities. But what kind of relationship is possible between a man looking for serious commitment and a woman afraid that loving a man means losing herself?

What It Takes is the tenth entry in Stacey’s popular Kowalski series. It has the strengths of the earlier books in the series in its likeable characters, credible contemporary situations, and appealing family dynamics. Laney is a sympathetic character and many readers will be able to relate to her determination not to fall into the trap of making her life all about pleasing other people a second time. Ben is an appealing, sexy hero with a tender beta heart. He not only falls for Laney; he also likes her and understands her.

For fans of the Kowalskis, a big part of the appeal of this book is the promise of a Kowalski reunion. I’m sure that I won’t be the only reader whose wish to see more of favorite couples (in my case, Keri and Joe from Exclusively Yours, Book 1; Kevin and Beth from Undeniably Yours, Book 2; and Max and Tori from Fighting for Max) will be frustrated. Nevertheless, Stacey skillfully pulls the reunion off. All the couples from the previous nine novels—even those who are not Kowalskis--make appearances, along with assorted children and secondary characters. Moreover, their cameos generally seem natural and unforced. It is logical that the characters whose daily lives are part of Northern Star—Josh and Katie and Rosie and Andy—have a larger presence. It also makes sense that Sean as Ben’s best friend would have a more prominent role. Ben and Sean have a reunion within the reunion, and a little bump in Sean and Emma’s HEA serves as a secondary thread.

If you are a fan of the Kowalskis, you will not want to miss this book. It is a delightful read for those who know and love these characters. If you have never read Shannon Stacey but like small-town contemporary romance with rich contexts and lots of family interaction, I think you too will enjoy this book. But be warned, reading it may just leave you adding the other nine books to your TBR list. I’m planning a reread of the full series.

Review - - Someone to Love

Someone to Love

By Donna Alward
Darling, VT - Book 2

Publisher: St. Martin’s

Release Date: March 7, 2017

Reviewed by Janga

  

 

A few years ago, Willow Dunaway returned to her hometown, Darling, Vermont, and opened The Purple Pig, a café that specializes in healthy delicious dishes made from local organic, and fair trade ingredients. The serene Willow, practitioner of yoga and meditation, whose appearance suggests she is a nouveau hippie, is quite different from the up-tight, high-achiever Willow was in high school. Because her best friend, Laurel Stone, recently married Aiden Gallagher (Somebody Like You), Willow is drawn into the circle of the exuberant Gallagher family. She and Hannah Gallagher become close friends, and Willow is warmly welcomed by the entire clan--except for the eldest son Ethan. Willow and Ethan shared an awkward moment at Laurel and Aiden’s wedding when she caught the bridal bouquet and he caught the garter. Unlike the rest of his family, Ethan seems cold and judgmental.

Ethan Gallagher, a widower with two young sons, Connor and Ronan, was not always a grump, but he is still grieving the loss of his wife Lisa eighteen months earlier. He is also burdened by his responsibilities as the boys’ sole parent and by the guilt he feels that his 24/7 shifts as a firefighter necessitate his depending on his family to help care for his sons. The somber Ethan writes Willow off as an idiosyncratic lightweight, but his sons fall for her free-spirited charm.

As Willow and Ethan are thrown into each other’s company, they are forced to acknowledge the chemistry between them, but neither is looking for a relationship. Ethan, still holding on tightly to his past with Lisa, has not yet come to terms with his loss, and Willow has a dark past that includes an indifferent mother, an eating disorder, depression, and a failed romance. Her focus is on maintaining the peace she has found through her new lifestyle. But as their initial impressions of each other are corrected, the attraction moves beyond the merely physical. Ethan is drawn to Willow’s whimsicality, generosity, and love for his sons, and she finds his sense of responsibility and surprising sense of humor immensely appealing.  But unexpected consequences jeopardize their developing relationship. Broken hearts appear more likely than an HEA.

Alward’s second Darling, VT novel is even better than the first. Willow and Ethan are both wounded characters who win readers’ hearts, although Willow’s wounds are more deeply hidden than are Ethan’s. The anguish and loss these two have suffered is real rather than a growing pain sometimes exaggerated to trauma as is sometimes the case in contemporary romance. Connor and Ronan are adorable, but they are also believable kids who can be rambunctious, competitive, and whiny when tired. They are more than generic cute kids. They are sweet and vulnerable and sadly in need of a mother figure, a role Willow falls into easily, and there is never any doubt that Willow’s relationship with Ethan includes Connor and Ronan as well.

Fans of the first book will be pleased to see more of Laurel and Aiden. The Gallagher family is fast becoming one of my favorites. I enjoyed them all. Kudos to Alward for dealing with birth control with a rare degree of realism and in a way that adds to the story’s strength rather than detracting from the romance.

If you like your romance with a delightful small-town setting, a cast of likeable characters, and an unusual blend of grittiness and heartwarming appeal. I highly recommend Someone to Love. You will also want to put the third book, Somebody’s Baby, an April 4 release, on your list. 

Review - - Holden

Holden
By Delores Fossen
The Lawmen of Silver Creek Ranch - Book 10
Publisher: Harlequin Intrigue
Release Date: February 21, 2017
Reviewed by PJ
    

Holden Ryland certainly didn't become a marshal just to end up busting his ex, Nicky Hart, for taking files from Conceptions Fertility Clinic. But only Nicky knows just what was really stolen: a newborn being held for ransom. A newborn who is kin to both her and Holden. The missing boy is only the start of a mystery that snakes through Texas, winding its way through their families. Bad blood may linger between them, but Holden can protect his nephew back at the Silver Creek Ranch. If they can lay their past to rest to rescue this child, is it possible for them to have a future together? 






I enjoy a good romantic suspense novel or suspense-thriller and Fossen's Holden more than fills the bill. This story hits the ground running from page one and doesn't let up until the end. It's filled with action, intrigue, romantic chemistry, second chances, family feuds, and enough twists and turns to keep me guessing until the very end. 

Holden and Nicky are intriguing characters who had a brief relationship in the past that ended badly when Nicky did something she now regrets. Working together to find the missing baby quickly makes it clear that there's still attraction between them but Nicky's lies put Holden and his family in danger once before. Is she being completely honest this time and as deeper emotions come to the surface, will Holden believe in her enough to put his heart on the line one more time?

Nicky and Holden have a complicated past, made more so by the fact that their families are on opposite sides of the law. I found their journey believable and enjoyable but readers should know that their romance, while important, is secondary in this book. Holden is part of Harlequin's Intrigue line and as such the primary focus is on the action/suspense facet of the story. A bit more time devoted to the emotional development of their relationship would have been nice but there was enough for me to believe in their happy ending and I was so caught up in the action that I truly didn't miss it as much as I would have thought. Fossen skillfully leads her characters through an action-packed, edge-of-your-seat race to uncover a villain and save a baby before it's too late and I was with them every step of the way.  

Holden is the 10th book in Fossen's The Lawmen of Silver Creek Ranch series but stands well on its own. Several characters from previous books are featured in Holden but not having read their stories in no way lessened my enjoyment of this book. If anything, it made me excited to read their books! 

Whether she's writing straight western contemporary or western contemporary intrigue, I can always count on Delores Fossen to bring realistic, multi-layered characters and emotional, fast-paced, and thoroughly satisfying stories to life through the pages of her books. 

On Second Thought - - Silk and Shadows

Silk and Shadows

By Mary Jo Putney

Publisher: Mary Jo Putney, Inc.

Release Date: November 29, 2013

(originally published by Signet in 1991)

Reviewed by Janga

Recently, I did my part to see that romance readers knew that the ebook of Silk and Shadows, the first book in Mary Jo Putney’s Silk trilogy, was available free. A week or so before the sale, I recommended the trilogy in a FB conversation with Miranda Neville. Of course, all this attention stirred a longing to reread the books. I did, and fell more deeply in love with the characters than I did when I first encountered them more than twenty-five years ago. Silk and Shadows not only introduces the trilogy; it is also my favorite of the three.

The prologue introduces the hero, Mikhal Khanauri, or “Peregrine, the wanderer,” who has just arrived in London. The year is 1839, and Peregrine is ready to set in place a plot for revenge that has consumed him for most of his life.

The flame of hatred had been fired when he was a boy of ten, and over the years he had tended it with black bitter care. Waiting and preparing for his revenge had been a strange mixture of pleasure and pain. He has wandered the face of the earth, acquiring wealth in many ways, honing mind and body until he was a more deadly weapon than any knife or rifle, learning how to survive and prosper in any land, among any people. Every skill, every golden coin, every sharpening of wit and hand, had been treasured as another step toward his ultimate goal.

Because Peregrine twice saved the life of Lord Ross Carlisle, author, younger son of a duke, and another who has traveled widely, he has an entrée into London society that his wealth alone would not have given him. Ross introduces him as Prince Peregrine from the mysterious country Kafiristan. Peregrine’s exoticism, his obvious wealth, and his impressive physical presence make him one of the season’s most popular guests. Ross also introduces Peregrine to Lady Sara St. James, only daughter of the Duke of Haddonfield. Lady Sara, first cousin to Ross, has just accepted the marriage proposal of a wealthy baronet, Sir Charles Weldon.

Weldon is the man whom Peregrine has targeted for destruction. Although the reader remains ignorant of the reasons for Peregrine’s hatred of Weldon until well into the book, enough of the baronet’s character is revealed to understand that he is a hypocrite steeped in evil, exploitive practices. For example, part of his fortune comes from brothels he owns, including one that provides underage virgins.

Peregrine’s plan is to destroy Weldon financially and socially before killing him. In order to do this, Peregrine must end the betrothal between Weldon and Lady Sarah, who will bring a large dowry to her marriage. He chooses to do this by arranging for Ross and Weldon to walk in on his seduction of Sara. Marriage to Sara is not part of Peregrine’s plan, yet he finds himself proposing that they wed. Sara has fallen in love with Peregrine, but she is remarkably clear-headed in her view of him. But when she realizes that Peregrine’s vengeance will not only destroy his enemy but hurt innocent people, she leaves him. Peregrine must choose between revenge and love.

Mary Jo Putney has been one of my favorite authors since very early in her career. I love her heroes, but she has created more of my favorite heroines than any other single author. No one is better at drawing a heroine who is both genuinely good and deeply passionate. Sara is one of these heroines. Her faith is not a matter of words spoken or rituals observed but rather of the way she lives her life. Her integrity holds even through choices that are painful for her. She marries Peregrine in the face of her father’s disapproval, and she leaves Peregrine even though doing so means heartbreak for her. Although Peregrine brings change to Sara’s life and challenges her to grow in significant ways, he is the character who changes most fundamentally and whose growth is greatest. His hatred for Weldon is understandable, but Peregrine finally understands that to be possessed by hatred diminishes one’s own humanity.

MJP also avoids the one-dimensional villain. Weldon is truly evil, but he is credibly evil because his errors stem from pride and selfishness, the most human of flaws. He also has one redeeming quality that ultimately leads him to a choice motivated, at least in part, by unselfishness. He is thus more complex and interesting than a character portrayed as Evil Incarnate. Weldon also is the vehicle through which Putney reveals the darker side of life in Victorian London. One of my favorite parts of the novel is the secondary romance between Jenny, a young girl Peregrine rescues from the virgin brothel, and Benjamin Slade, Peregrine’s trusted lawyer. Jenny’s courage and Benjamin’s ability to recognize her essential innocence and goodness rather than labeling her based on her experience sounds another redemptive note in the novel.

If you like romance that features characters whose bodies, minds, and spirits are all part of their development, romance that shows gritty edges beyond afternoon teas and fancy balls, romance that will leave you considering the human spirit, I highly recommend Silk and Shadows. If you have read it before, I suspect you will find a rereading as immersing and rewarding as I did.

I also recommend the other books in the trilogy. Silk and Secrets (1992) is a tale of reunited lovers who have been separated for twelve years. The reunion takes place in Persia when warriors who owe allegiance to Juliet Cameron rescue Lord Ross Carlisle, an Indiana Jones type, from Turkoman raiders. The third book, Veils of Silk (1992), is a marriage of convenience story set in India. The hero, Major Ian Cameron, is a Scotsman, an army officer horrifically imprisoned in Central Asia; the heroine, Laura Stephenson, born Larissa Alexandrovna Karelian, is the daughter of Russian aristocrats. The Silk Trilogy is not as widely beloved as Putney’s The Rake or the Fallen Angels books, but all three books are marked with this author’s usual excellence and a touch of the exotic. They are romantic in the fullest sense of that word.

Review - - The Undateable

The Undateable

By Sarah Title

Publisher: Kensington/Zebra

Release Date: February 28, 2017

Reviewed by Janga

 

Melissa Bernard, affectionately known as “Bernie,” loves her job as a librarian at Richmond College, a small institution in the San Francisco Bay Area. She enjoys her work supervising the undergraduates who work in the library and helping desperate students with their research projects. But she is less than thrilled when Carly, her favorite student assistant, and Carly’s boyfriend dance on the reference desk as the center of a flash mob. In fact, Bernie isn’t sure whether she disapproves more of the flash mob in the library or of Carly accepting the boyfriend’s proposal. She considers them far too young for marriage. Unfortunately for Bernie, her disapproval is written clearly on her face, and her face is prominently displayed in a video that goes viral. Bernie is overwhelmed when she becomes a meme. The Disapproving Librarian Disapproves is everywhere, including on posters and bookmarks ordered by the Director of Libraries, who is delighted with the development, despite its reinforcement of a negative stereotype of librarians. Bernie’s immediate supervisor convinces her to take her accumulated leave and allow the frenzy surrounding the meme to fade.

Colin Rodriguez is sharing his parents’ Bay Area home with his sister, and only parental stipulation that he must have a paying job to continue living there rent free pushes him into finding a job. He becomes a staff writer for Glaze.com, an online fashion magazine. As the sole straight male on the staff, he is charged with offering the male perspective. With a younger, female colleague eager to claim his position as senior staff writer, he needs to convince the Disapproving Librarian to agree to a makeover by the experts at Glaze and thirty Glaze-arranged dates in thirty dates. Colin will cover the dates for the magazine, and in the process, prove that Bernie, contrary to the reputation she has gained, is not undateable.

Bernie, whose makeup routine and sense of fashion are nonexistent, initially refuses. In the first place, she is uninterested in what Glaze is offering, and, secondly, she thinks agreeing will mean selling out her feminist convictions. But arguing with Colin is more fun than she expected, and her friends push her to go for it. Still wary, she finally agrees. The first dates are disasters, but as Bernie adapts to the makeover and to dating, they improve to a degree. If the best part of the experience for her and for Colin is their verbal duels before and after the dates, neither of them is ready to admit it—not even to themselves.

Sarah Title uses her first-hand knowledge of librarians, the power of the online world, and a pair of engaging leads to create a romance that is truly contemporary, laugh-out-loud funny, and frankly feminist. Bernie’s dates—from the self-infatuated pontificator to the poet fixated on his ex and his mother to the nice guy who strikes no sparks—will be familiar to many readers. Watching Bernie and Colin fall in love is a delight, and Maria, Colin’s snarky, blogging alter ego whose advice sounds more and more like Bernie, adds to the fun.    

After reading Practice Makes Perfect, I considered Sarah Title one of my top new-to-me authors of 2016. I had high expectations for The Undateable, and it was even better than I expected. From Maria’s opening letter through the epilogue, I was invested in the characters and their story. Bernie is one of my favorite contemporary heroines ever. I loved her honesty and her wit and her insecurities. I cheered when she said things I wish I had been brave enough to say when I was young. I also liked that although she changes in some ways during her thirty-day experience, the core of who she is remains unchanged, and it that unchanging Bernie with whom Colin falls in love. It is Bernie and his love for her that motivates Colin to grow up. That too merited cheers.

If you like romances with wit and humor and characters as entertaining and endearing as those in your favorite sit-com, I think you will like this book. I highly recommend it. Now I’ll return to my celebration that The Undateable is the first in a series. The second Librarians in Love book, Falling for Trouble, releases June 27, and the third, Laws of Attraction, will be available October 31. I’ve added both to my must-read list.

Devil in Spring Winner

The randomly chosen winner of a signed copy of

Devil in Spring by Lisa Kleypas is:

Frances Bullock

Congratulations!

Please send your full name and mailing address to:

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Review - - Picket Fence Surprise

Picket Fence Surprise

By Kris Fletcher

Publisher: Harlequin Superromance

Release Date: March 7, 2017

Reviewed by Janga

    

 

Heather Jacobs knows how lucky she is to have a second chance to be the mother her ten-year-old daughter Millie needs her to be. The fears and insecurities that she inherited from her own troubled childhood sent her running from Hank North and their daughter when Millie was a toddler. Heather spent nine years learning to be a good parent, and she is grateful that Hank, now married to Brynn Catalano and the father of an infant son (Dating a Single Dad), agrees to share Millie with her. She is also eager for more time with her daughter, something Millie wants as well. Heather cannot allow herself to be distracted by her attraction to Xander Sorenson. He is a great friend and, like her, he is a part-time parent to a daughter he adores. They also have in common their awkward position as exes who have been welcomed into the large, lively, loving North family by virtue of their children. But Heather has no room in her life for romance.

Xander Sorenson cherishes his time with two-year-old Cady, but he wants the kind of life his friend Ian North has found with Cady’s mother, Darcy Maguire (A Family Come True). Xander understands that the mistake in his past cannot be eradicated, but he is committed to building a new life for himself. Cady is a big part of that life and always will be, but he longs for a wife and sisters and brothers for Cady. The chemistry is right with Heather Jacobs but the signals she sends are confusing. Just when it seems that the two of them have a shot at their own HEA, Xander’s past collides with Heather’s past. The collision has Heather reconstructing barriers to protect herself and her life with Millie, but pushing Xander away is not as simple as she thought.

Kris Fletcher takes minor characters with major mistakes in their pasts from two earlier Comeback Cove, Canada books and gives her readers a double second-chance story in this fifth book in the series. Heather and Xander have both grown and changed from the young adults who made bad choices that affected their own lives and the lives of others, but their pasts are still part of them and still affect their lives. They are likeable but flawed characters. Because of their flaws, it takes some tough talk from people who know them well to move them past the black moment. One of the trademarks of Fletcher’s novels is the central role of family dynamics in her tales, and Picket Fence Surprise is no exception. Family in this book is a far cry from the conventional nuclear family; it is a messy mix that reflects the reality of many families in the twenty-first century. Not only Heather and Xander but also the kids and other secondary characters have an appealing credibility and genuineness.  Even the nearly impossible becomes believable in Fletcher’s deft hands.

If you are not a reader of Harlequin’s Superromance line, you may be surprised to find that they are as complex as contemporary single-titles and roughly equivalent in length. Kris Fletcher’s gifts for character development and authentic dialogue have made her one of my favorites in this line. I have a particular affection for the Comeback Cove books which began in 2013 with A Better Father. If you like contemporary romance with strong family connections that avoids clichéd situations, I recommend Picket Fence Surprise. You may find, as I did, that Kris Fletcher is an author who leaves you looking for more of her books.