On Second Thought - - Snow Angel

Snow Angel

By Mary Balogh

Publisher: Class Ebook Editions, Ltd.

Release Date: January 2, 2018

(Originally published June 4, 1991 by Signet)

Reviewed by Janga

In this novel, one of Balogh’s many “weather books,” Rosamund Hunter, an impulsive widow, quarrels with her brother with whom she is traveling and demands to be let down to make her own way. Caught in a snow storm, she has just realized the danger of her predicament when Justin Halliday, the Earl of Wetherby (Balogh must have chuckled when she chose the name), rescues her and offers her shelter. Justin is on his way to a friend’s hunting box: “The thing was he had planned it all out to be a last fling of freedom—one last grand orgy of uninhibited sex and pleasure. And the weather has cooperated beautifully with those plans.” But instead of being accompanied by his mistress, who has taken to her bed with a cold, his companion is a virtuous widow.

The first third of the book consists of Rosamund and Justin caught in a fantasy world of winter beauty and isolation. They play in the snow like children, engaging in snowball fights, holding a snowman contest, and making snow angels. The attraction between them builds, and they become lovers. There is no seduction here. Justin tells Rosamund that he is on the brink of a betrothal and that he expects to be a faithful husband. Rosamund, who truly loved her much older husband, has no expectations of remarrying. They agree to an affair that will end with no regrets when the roads are passable once again. They part with no intentions of ever meeting again.

Weeks later, Rosamund is one of the guests at the house party being held in celebration of her niece Annabelle’s betrothal, marking the formal recognition of the match that has been arranged for her. Her betrothed is the Earl of Wetherby. Justin and Rosamund are honorable people who try to resist the attraction that draws them to each other, but inevitably they surrender to temptation. Is an HEA possible after their dishonorable behavior?

When I saw Mary Balogh’s announcement on Facebook that Snow Angel had been released in digital format, I immediately went to Amazon and downloaded it. Then, ignoring all the other books I needed to read, reviews I needed to write, and an overflowing laundry basket, I curled up in my favorite chair with a comfy throw and a cup of peppermint tea and began rereading. I didn’t stir until I finished it with the kind of sigh that only rereading a much-loved book can evoke.

Balogh is simply one of the best in the historical romance genre at creating characters who fully engage her readers and placing the characters in believable situations that test them, shape them, and reveal who they are and are not. I have no idea how many times I have read this book, but I’ve read it often enough that my paperback copy, more than a quarter century old now, has a tattered cover, loose pages, and a tea stain or two. I am happy to have a copy on my ereader. I know I will reread it again. It is not one of Balogh’s most popular books, but I think it has that special quality that defines her books and makes them keepers. If you have never read Snow Angel, I highly recommend it. If you have read it, I think you will find it just as rewarding as a reread.

Winner - - About a Dog

The winner of a print copy of

About a Dog by Jenn McKinlay is:

Katie Chapman

Congratulations!

Please send your full name and mailing address to:

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Review - - The Art of Running in Heels

The Art of Running in Heels

By Rachel Gibson

Publisher: Avon

Release Date: December 26, 2017
Reviewed by Janga

 

This book opens with characters beloved by fans of Rachel Gibson’s Chinooks Hockey Team series—John and Georgie Kowalsky (Simply Irresistible, 1998). The couple is watching Gettin’ Hitched, a reality TV show that is an exaggerated version of The Bachelor. They don’t expect to see their oldest daughter Lexie as one of the contestants. They are even more surprised to see where her appearance leads.

It seemed like a good idea to Lexie at the time. Her plan was to appear on the reality show to get some free publicity for her doggie couture business, Yum Yum’s Closet (Really!), and the plan worked. Business is growing. So is Lexie’s panic at the idea of marrying a man she doesn’t love on national television. When her best friend offers to help her escape fifteen minutes before the wedding is scheduled to begin, Lexie agrees. She becomes a runaway bride, one that people throughout the country are looking for everywhere--except in Sandspit, British Columbia, Canada, the scheduled stop for the chartered floatplane that Lexie boards, thanks to another old friend who owns the plane.

Sean Knox has chartered a floatplane to Sandspit because it is the quickest way to get in and out of the small town where his mother lives. It is strictly a duty visit. After growing up the victim of his mother’s hypochondria until his uncle rescued him, he is inured to her announcements that her death is imminent. He certainly never expects the “emergency” passenger who keeps his plane waiting to be his coach’s daughter in a poufy wedding-dress and five-inch stilettos. It is surprising that she doesn’t recognize him as the newest trade on her father’s hockey team, but he is not about to tell her who he is.

Since Sean is the only person Lexie knows (sort of) in Sandspit, she nags him into having lunch with her and letting her visit his mother. Sean and Lexie don’t like each other much, but they do have undeniable chemistry. It is hardly a surprise that they agree on a one-night stand. Despite their belief that one night will be the end, no reader will be surprised that the tabloids are tipped off that the Getting Hitched no-show bride is arriving in Seattle. The world, or at least that significant part of it that follows Gettin’ Hitched, sees Lexie as a heartbreaker; her business is tanking from all the negative response. Just when it seems that she may salvage her reputation and her company, a tabloid photo of her with an unidentifiable Sean surfaces, and the hunt is on to discover the mystery man. Lexie’s not happy when she realizes Sean’s deception, but she hopes a fake “Lexie and Sean, the perfect couple” presentation will solve her image problems. But the complications are just beginning.

I love Simply Irresistible, and the younger Lexie Kowalsky is one of the reasons I do. I was super excited when I learned that The Art of Running in High Heels was her story. I’m sad to report that I liked her better as a kid than I did as an adult. The grown-up Lexie is still too much the wild child, too opportunistic, and too careless of others’ feelings to be a heroine for whom I could root without reservations. I particularly disliked her lies to her parents.

I didn’t like Sean much for the first part of the book, but he improves once the fake relationship begins. He is essentially a good guy with some baggage that has left him with unresolved issues. Considering that he is forced to lie to the man who is not only the father of his fake fiancée but also his coach—and one who is just beginning to view him more favorably—Sean earns points for his behavior. He and Lexie are opposites in some basic ways, and I remained skeptical that all those differences could be resolved happily. Sean’s epiphany came too quickly and with too little evidence that his reserve had been breached to make a believer of me.

Maybe I was expecting too much from this book. Maybe I have aged out of the audience for romance with a wild and crazy element. Regardless, although this is not a bad book, it just didn’t leave me with a desire to reread it and to read more Gibson the way that the first-generation Chinooks books did. My favorite parts of the novel were the scenes with John and Georgie.

If you read and enjoyed the earlier Chinook books, particularly Simply Irresistible, I recommend that you read this book. You may find it a worthier successor than I did. If you haven’t read Gibson but like hockey-star heroes or impetuous heroines with obvious flaws, this one may lead you to a massive glom. I’m not sorry I read The Art of Running in Heels, but I won’t be adding it to my Rachel Gibson keepers.

Review - - Now That You Mention It

Now That You Mention It

By Kristan Higgins

Publisher: Harlequin / HQN

Release Date: December 26, 2017

Reviewed by Janga

 

Nora Stuart grew up on Scupper Island, a small, isolated community off the coast of Maine. When her father left, her mother became busier and more distant, and her younger sister changed into a person Nora no longer knew. Awkward and overweight, Nora found adolescence a nightmare of loneliness and otherness made more painful by the taunts of Luke Fletcher, the island’s golden boy and Nora’s chief rival for the coveted Tufts scholarship. The scholarship, which provided generously for the recipient beyond the usual perks of tuition and board is Nora’s way off the island and into a normal life. Her win is not popular with the natives, but Nora leaves the island immediately. For fifteen years, she has been busy creating a new, fulfilling life. She is now a gastroenterologist on staff at a Boston hospital. Her life may not be perfect, but it is far removed in every way from her past. Then Nora is struck by a van, and everything changes.

Nora ends up in the ER of her own hospital. She is convinced that she is dying, but instead of angelic voices she hears her significant other, an ER physician, letting an attending nurse know that he deems Nora not so significant after all and is interested in whatever the nurse has to offer. Emotionally vulnerable for a variety of reasons, Nora’s best choice for recovery seems to be to return to the island, and so she does, along with Boomer the Bernese Mountain Dog whose custody she must now share with her ex.

On Scupper Island, Nora finds her mother, who adores her pet bird and offers “hug therapy”—for a price—to those in need but whose mothering is minimal at best; her niece Poe in the throes of adolescent angst and rebellion, complete with Goth costuming and an attitude that almost hides her pain over her mother’s imprisonment and her own displacement; and Audrey, a sweet-natured teen who reminds Nora of herself but whose pain is as real as Poe’s. There are also old friends eager to renew connections and old enemies who have forgiven nothing. Nora will forge new relationships, uncover unexpected truths about herself and others, and find that life as a Mainer may just offer more benefits than she ever expected, especially since it includes her own personal beta hero with a sense of humor, a sense of honor, and a sense of who he is and where he belongs.

Kristan Higgins has done it again! She has written a book that made me laugh, made me cry, and made me think—this time about all the truths people hide from one another. The romantic element is strong and satisfying, but this book is a women’s fiction novel. It is Nora’s story, and the reader shares her journey in all its complexity, confusion, readjustment, and reconnection. I loved Nora, who is as smart and real and contradictory and as huge a mix of strengths and flaws and uncharted bits as the most interesting women I know. The secondary characters, by and large, are also interesting, appealing characters. I did think the “villains” were rather one-dimensional, but that is a small complaint about a book that has keeper written on every page.

Higgins’s next book, Good Luck with That (August 7, 2018) sounds like a standalone.  I expect it to be another winner, but I hope Higgins will return to Scupper Island at some point. I sense some untold stories there that I would love to read. In the meantime, reading Now That You Mention It is a wonderful way to end 2017 or begin 2018. I give it my most enthusiastic recommendation.

Release Blitz - - The Siege: A Novel by Marilyn Baron

The Siege: A Novel
By Marilyn Baron
Genre: Contemporary, Women's Fiction, Romantic Suspense, Mystery, Historical
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Released: January 8, 2018

A journey of self-discovery leads to love and passion in the search for a family's hidden past...

Artist Theia Constas receives a tour of Italy from her grandmother as a college graduation present. Before she departs, her ya-ya's deathbed revelation of a cache of WWII photographs and love letters extends Theia's itinerary to Crete in search of her unknown grandfather, a promising artist who studied under Chagall but didn't survive the war. 

Wade Bingham, an actuary who always follows the rules and calculates the odds, finds himself alone on his honeymoon trip, wondering why his fiancee jilted him at the last minute.

In the wrong place at the wrong time when their hotel in Florence, Italy is besieged by terrorists, the two strangers find themselves thrust together in Wade's honeymoon suite. Immediately attracted to each other, Wade conducts a siege of his own to win Theia's heart.  

Excerpt

The Siege

“Go back to your room,” the American tour director ordered, shouting at the woman.

“I can’t get the door to open,” Theia protested, thrusting her key card at him in frustration.

The tour director hurriedly took the proffered card in sweaty hands and tried the lock, which didn’t click.  He jammed the key card into the slot again, to no avail.

A man opened the door and stuck his head out of the room. “What’s wrong? Is this some kind of a fire drill?”

“It’s no drill. Get back in your room and shelter in place until I give the all-clear. Don’t open the door to anyone.”

The tour director returned Theia’s card. “Get back in your room with your husband.”

“This is my room, but he’s not my husband,” Theia insisted.

“There must be some kind of mistake,” the man in the room announced. “This is my room.”

The tour director grabbed the woman’s key card again and examined the key holder. He shook his head, rolled his eyes, and looked at Theia like she was a recalcitrant child. “You’re on the wrong floor, miss. This is Room 515. You’re in Room 415.”

“I’m sorry.” Theia blew out a breath and turned to leave. The tour director blocked her way.

“Excuse me, but I need to get back to my room.”  Tears of exhaustion pooled in her eyes. She wanted to scream.

“I’m afraid you can’t go anywhere. We’ve disabled the elevators for your safety, and hotel security is blocking the stairs, for now.” He ushered her into Room 515 and pushed her into the arms of the man standing at the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  

Goodreads 

Amazon 

The Wild Rose Press 

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 Book Unleashed  


In The Siege, Theia makes a pilgrimage to Crete to search for information about her grandfather and other Jews on the island who perished during WWII. 

Have you researched your ancestry?

Have you visited any of the countries/areas where your ancestors once lived? 

  

GIVEAWAY

Date: January 8 - 14, 2018

Prizes:

1) $25 Amazon Gift Card

2) The Alibi eBook copy

3) Signed Print of Amelia Marsh by Sharon Goldman

   

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Marilyn Baron writes in a variety of genres, from women’s fiction to historical romantic thrillers and romantic suspense to paranormal/fantasy. Her latest book, The Siege: A Novel, a mainstream women’s fiction set in Italy and Greece, released January 8, 2018, is her 14th novel with The Wild Rose Press, Inc. and her 23rd work of fiction. AmazonEncore republished her psychic suspense novel Sixth Sense in 2015. She is also one of six authors of Love Around the Table, a short story anthology published November 1, 2017. She’s published five short stories with TWB Press.

She’s received writing awards in Single Title, Suspense Romance, Novel With Strong Romantic Elements and Paranormal//Fantasy Romance. She is The 2017 Finalist for the Georgia Author of the Year Awards in the Romance Category for Stumble Stones: A Novel.

A public relations consultant in Atlanta, Marilyn graduated with a BS in Journalism (Public Relations) and a minor in English (Creative Writing) from the University of Florida. She worked in Public Relations for AT&T in Atlanta for 13 years before starting her own PR firm.

She serves on the 2017-2018 Roswell Reads Steering Committee and the Atlanta Authors committee and she presented on an Atlanta Writers Club panel at the 2017 AJC-Decatur Book Festival.

Read more about Marilyn’s books, short stories, and other works of fiction at http://www.marilynbaron.com.

Website: http://www.marilynbaron.com

Newsletter: http://www.marilynbaron.com/newsletter/

Social Media Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Marilyn-Baron-286807714666748/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarilynBaron

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4722647.Marilyn_Baron

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Marilyn-Baron/e/B008PJFQPC

Review - - Every Dog Has His Day

Every Dog Has His Day
By Jenn McKinlay
Bluff Point Romance - Book 3
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: January 2, 2018
Reviewed by PJ
 

If you've been reading Jenn McKinlay's Bluff Point Romance series you already know that divorced, single mom, Jessie Connelly is a former adversary of the women in the Maine Crew group of friends who is working hard to improve her life and herself. You also know that Zach Caine is the affable, fun-loving bachelor in the crew, the one you turn to for a good time but not if you're looking for anything permanent. Or, is he? 

Growing up with cold, unloving parents who took every opportunity to tell her she was an accident, it's no wonder Jessie held on tight to the first person who showed her affection. Too bad that person neglected to tell her he was already engaged to Mackenzie "Mac" Harris (Book 1 - About a Dog). Mac was left at the altar while Jessie ran off and married him. Eight years later, Jessie is finally free of her miserable marriage to the man who robbed her of her inheritance, treated her with disdain, ignored their daughters, undermined her confidence, and cheated on her from day one. She's rebuilding her life and her self-confidence, ironically with the unexpected assistance of Mac, the woman she wronged all those years ago, but after living with someone who continually showed Jessie and her daughters that men cannot be trusted, she has no interest in letting another man into their lives. Besides, she sees all the young women coming and going from Zach's house. She's sure he's a player, just like her ex. Leave it to a mischievous kitten, a lovable dog, her two adorable daughters, and one man who turns out to be much more than he appears to turn her plans upside down. 

With his California-surfer looks and aw-shucks smile, brewery owner, Zach Caine gives the impression of being nothing more than a good-time guy without a care in the world. Even his best friends believe he has no interest in settling down with one woman. If Zach yearns for more than work and fun, that's something he's not sharing, except maybe with his lovable canine companion, Rufus. Then five-year-old Maddie and seven-year-old Gracie Connelly and their foster kitten, Chaos come charging into his life with their frantic mother, Jessie on their heels. It doesn't take long for Zach to lose his heart to all three of the Connelly women and it looks like his feelings are returned but Jessie, Maddie, and Gracie have never had a man in their lives that they can count on. Will Zach be able to convince them to give him a chance?

It's the second week of January, a little soon, one might think, to place a book on a Best of 2018 watch list but that's exactly where this book has landed. Jessie and Zach's story is everything I want in a contemporary romance, full of humor, heart, romance, friendship, and fun. To use current vernacular, it has all the feels (grade school talent show: three tissues, minimum - just sayin'). Catching up with Zach's Maine Crew was fun and watching the threads of friendship extended to - and accepted by - Jessie, someone who has felt isolated her entire life, both poignant and satisfying. I love this group of friends with their off-the-wall games and wagers; how they give each other grief but always have one another's backs.

Reading Zach and Jessie's journey to love was pure pleasure - they're my favorite Bluff Point couple so far - and the joy of watching all six of the main characters (two and four legged alike) bond into a loving, forever family? That's why I've already read Every Dog Has His Day twice and can't wait to do it again.

While each book tells a separate story, the friends at the heart of this series and their relationships continue to evolve throughout the series. For a richer reading experience, and better understanding of the characters, I strongly encourage reading the books in order: About a Dog (May 2017), Barking Up the Wrong Tree (Sept. 2017), and Every Dog Has His Day (2 January 2018). 


Do you enjoy kids and animals in your romances?

Have you read any of Jenn McKinlay's Bluff Point Romance books?

One randomly chosen person leaving a comment before 11:00 PM (Eastern), January 9 will receive a print copy of the first book in the Bluff Point Romance series: About a Dog.
(U.S. only)

Winner - - If Ever I Should Love You

The randomly chosen winner of a print copy of

If Ever I Should Love You by Cathy Maxwell is:

Linda Watson

Congratulations!

Please send your mailing address to:

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Winner - - Cajun Crazy

The randomly chosen winner of a print copy of

Cajun Crazy by Sandra Hill is:

Eliza

Congratulations!

Please send your full name and mailing address to:

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Winner - - Julie Johnstone

The randomly chosen winner of a copy of

When a Laird Loves a Lady by Julie Johnstone is:

Glenda

Congratulations!

Please email your choice of ebook or print along with 

your mailing info to:

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Review - - If Ever I Should Love You

If Ever I Should Love You
By Cathy Maxwell
Publisher: Avon Books
Release Date:
Reviewed by PJ

  

Unexpectedly inheriting an old and respected title is all well and good unless, of course, the title inherited comes with a pile of debts and no funds. Such is the case for former Captain Roman Gilchrist, now the Earl of Rochdale. It's becoming increasingly clear that there is only one way to pay the debts, restore the estate, and support his family. As distasteful as it is to him, Roman must marry money. When his attorney presents him with the names of society's Spinster Heiresses, "three young women, all marriageable, very attractive, and wealthy beyond your dreams," Roman is startled to realize he already knows one of them. Several years earlier, while serving in India, Roman met and was captivated by Miss Leonie Charnock but their association did not end well. When Roman, an honorable man, acted to save Leonie's reputation his actions cost him any hope of advancement in his career as well as the regard of his peers while Leonie, with her parents, flitted off to London with no stain whatsoever upon her reputation. Leonie and her money were going to save the earldom. She owed him.

Leonie Charnock is a woman who is haunted by the events of her past and has found her own way of dealing with them. She's worked hard to come to terms with her actions and their consequences but, with one dance, they all come rushing back. She knows well what Roman did for her but, as a young woman at the time, she didn't realize the extent of the price he paid. Leonie knows she owes him but has no desire to be anyone's wife. On the other hand, if she can convince him to agree to a marriage in name only, living in separate places, he can have the money he needs and she can finally have the independence she craves. When it becomes clear that's not going to be the case, Leonie reacts in a way that creates a chasm between them that may never be breached.

In this first book of her new Spinster Heiresses series, Cathy Maxwell takes a familiar romance convention and turns it on its head. Readers are used to seeing tormented heroes who turn to gambling, sex, or drink to quell their demons. Rarely, is it the heroine who wages this battle while the hero is the proper, responsible half of the relationship. Leonie and Roman have several obstacles to overcome if they have any hope of a happy ending, many of their own creation. Yes, Leonie's addiction plays a large role in their relationship but so too does Roman's reaction to it and to her. There are times in the book when neither of them is very likeable but if you've ever self-medicated or lived with someone who has you know there are always peaks and valleys to navigate. Kudos to Maxwell for not giving them any easy answers. This makes Leonie and Roman more realistic, their actions more believable, and the evolution of their relationship more satisfying. 

If you're looking for something a little different, with real-life issues, flawed yet resilient characters, deep emotion, and a hard-won happy ending, give this one a try.

Do you enjoy romances that are a bit out of the ordinary?

Are you fond of settings other than London ballrooms?

Do you have a favorite Cathy Maxwell novel?

One randomly chosen person leaving a comment before 11:00 PM, January 6 (Eastern), will receive a print copy of If Ever I Should Love You. (U.S. / Canadian addresses only) 

Review - - Cajun Crazy

Cajun Crazy
By Sandra Hill
Publisher: Avon
Release Date: November 28, 2017
Reviewed by PJ

  

The last thing Simone LeDeux needs in her life is a man. Especially a Cajun man! Returning home to Louisiana from Chicago after kicking her cheating fiancé to the curb, the former cop is determined to focus all her energies on helping her mother rehab from knee surgery and opening Legal Belles with her attorney friend. So, of course, one of the first people she meets is her half-brother's new law partner, Adam Lanier. All it takes is one "darlin'" in his slow, Cajun drawl and Simone's lady parts urge her to forget all about her avoidance vow. 

Moving to the bayou after the death of his not-so-beloved wife, Adam Lanier has no interest in a relationship, confining his interactions with women to sex only and keeping them far away from his six-year-old daughter. His late wife's infidelity and sexual escapes have left him with trust issues and, because of a quick Google search, he's made some snap judgments about Simone. Let's just say those judgments don't go over well when Simone discovers what kind of person he thinks she is. 

In the way of small towns on the bayou, Simone and Adam are continually thrown together, causing their initial attraction to simmer but, more than that, they begin to like each other and become friends. Adam even includes his daughter in their budding relationship. Everyone in the bayou is urging a happy ending but Adam still has those trust issues, Simone has a lousy track record with Cajun men, and a roadblock involving Simone's sometimes dangerous career looms large between them. Will Adam be able to put the hope chest Tante Lulu makes for him to good use or will pride and doubt stand in his way?

I've been reading Sandra Hill for years, beginning with her time-traveling Vikings, and continuing with her Navy SEALS and sexy Cajuns. Her books never fail to make me laugh. Sure, some of her characters (Tante Lulu) are outrageous, at times leaning into caricature territory, and her humor can tend to the bawdy, but her stories have a lot of heart...and sizzle...and did I mention the humor? I enjoyed Simone and Adam's journey though there were times Adam tried my patience. He comes through in the end, though, for an intelligent man, it took him awhile to see the light.

If you're a fan of this series, you'll no doubt enjoy catching up with many of the characters from previous books. This story does stand on its own, however, if you're new to Hill's bayou, you may feel overrun by the plethora of secondary characters and how they fit into the greater scheme of all things LeDeux. One secondary character who stands out above the rest is Adam's precocious daughter. I don't know how long Sandra Hill plans to continue writing stories set in the bayou but I sure hope it's long enough for Maisie to grow up. I haven't had nearly enough of her!

Bottom line: if you're looking for a fun, light romp in the Louisiana bayou with plenty of sizzle and laughter, a bit of danger, strong women, and sexy men, you can't go wrong with Cajun Crazy. 

Have you read any of Sandra Hill's books? Do you have a favorite?

What's making you laugh these days?

I have a print copy of Cajun Crazy for one randomly chosen person who leaves a comment before 11:00 pm, January 4. 
(U.S. / Canada only)

Coming Attractions

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a happy holiday season and are ready for 2018. It looks to be an exciting year for new books! We'll be talking about the titles we're most anticipating later this month. I have a lot of books to read and review this month (I was under reading restrictions for most of December due to an eye injury and am woefully behind) so most of our posting space has been reserved for that. We do have a few authors who will be visiting us and, of course, if I add any to the schedule during the month I'll update the Coming Attractions post. You can always click the 'What's Happening' link on the right side of the page for a complete listing. 

Here's to a happy, healthy 2018 filled with good friends, great books, and plenty of fun!

On Tuesday, January 9 we'll be participating in the Release Day Blitz for Marilyn Baron's new novel, The Siege. I'm excited to begin my 2018 reading with this mainstream women's fiction novel set in Italy, the country of my heart. 







Janga will return with a new On Second Thought review on Monday, January 15. 

We'll be joining the Jamie Beck review tour on Thursday, January 25 with Janga's review of All We Knew, the second book in Beck's The Cabots contemporary romance series. Click here to read Janga's review of the first book in the series, Before I Knew.







Stop by Wednesday, January 31 to read an excerpt from Kat Martin's next novel, Beyond Danger. This romantic suspense tale is the second book in Martin's Texas Trilogy. 




Are there any books coming out in January that you're excited about? One of my most anticipated is Every Dog Has His Day by Jenn McKinlay. She returns to Bluff Point, Maine for the third story in what has become one of my favorite new contemporary romance series. 

What are you looking forward to this month? 

Winners - - Miranda Neville Tribute

The two winners of a Kindle copy of 

Secrets of a Soprano by Miranda Neville are:

Eileen A-W

Alina P

Congratulations!

Please send your email address to:

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Winners - - Favorite Romances of 2017

The four randomly chosen winners of a print book
from my conference stash are:

Paula Heinemann-Halteman

Patoct

catslady

petite

Congratulations!

Please send your full name and mailing address

 (U.S. addresses only) to:

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com