Wickedly Wonderful!

by Anna Campbell

I discovered Liz Carlyle fairly late in the piece, thanks to my wonderful writer friend Christine Wells who is a long-time fan. It's wonderful when you discover a great author who's got a BACKLIST!!!! Yum!

So I'm gradually catching up on the older Liz Carlyles and gaining a lot of reading pleasure as a result. Still got a couple to go. And in the meantime, I'm reading the newer stuff. Given that all her books are linked, I'm beginning to feel a bit like a time traveller, but that's OK. A bit of dizziness is welcome when the stories are as delicious as these.

WICKED ALL DAY is the second in the current series. The first was the luscious TEMPTED ALL NIGHT. The books will stand alone and my experience indicates you don't have to read them in order. But having said that, it's nice to see how the different threads of the stories weave together.

Zoe Armstrong is the Marquess of Rannoch's troublesome daughter who has inherited far too much of her father's stubbornness, temper, spirit and determination to settle into life as a decorous Regency miss. Zoe is wild and inclined to kick over the traces at the slightest - or sometimes even no! - provocation. She's spectacularly beautiful and in possession of a huge dowry, thanks to her father who loves her dearly even though he struggles to control her unruly ways.

Zoe has received a number of offers of marriage and has refused them all. Her father is at his wit's end as to how he can settle this passionate, difficult child who is so close to his heart. Because Zoe has one insurmountable mark against her in the Regency marriage market - she's illegitimate. And while she's tolerated in society because of her connections and her dowry and her beauty, her outlandish behavior through several Seasons threatens to make her persona non grata outside her family.

Then disaster strikes. Zoe and her distant cousin Robin Rowland are caught in each other's arms in a private room at a ball. She's forced to accept Robin as her betrothed to avoid a major scandal.

Robin and Zoe have always been best friends, a pair of mischief makers in league against the world, so this arrangement should suit everyone. Unfortunately, Robin is in love with another woman and while he lines up to do the honorable thing, his wretched unhappiness casts a blight on the whole family and particularly on Zoe. Zoe too comes to loathe her engagement, not just because it has changed Robin, but because she gradually realizes that while she loves Robin like a brother, the man she loves like a soul mate is his older brother, Stuart, the Marquess of Mercer.

Stuart is of a type that is among my favorite romance heroes. The pattern of perfection, the high stickler, the immovable object. He's long been aware of Zoe's manifold attractions, but her wildness convinces him they would be utterly miserable together. He's held himself at a distance from her since a passionate kiss many years ago because he knows if he comes within range of the woman who fascinates him so powerfully, he'll forget good sense and fall under her spell. Zoe, who as a girl hero worshipped Stuart, has been hurt by his coldness in recent years, so the estrangement has only worsened.

Now Stuart is trapped in a nightmare where Zoe is to marry his brother. He has no hope of ever escaping her - and worse, he'll have to treat her as his beloved brother's wife, a member of his family. Understandably, he's in complete emotional turmoil for much of the story!

So we have a number of classic plot devices set up. The stick-in-the-mud hero and the headstrong heroine struggling against blazing attraction. Forbidden love that won't be gainsaid. Childhood affinity developing into a mature passion.

A family party in the country provides ample opportunity for confusion and mayhem. While Zoe and Stuart's romance is tempestuous and occasionally heart-wrenching, the secondary characters add enormous richness to the story. Robin in particular will touch you, as he struggles to change from a good-time Charlie to a man worthy of the woman he loves and of Zoe, who he loves like a sister. One of the many things I admire about Liz Carlyle's books is that while she often includes a cast of thousands, none of these people are cyphers. All are individuals with important roles in the story. Carlyle puts her characters into motion and the reader lies back with a big smile on her face and watches the increasingly complicated events unfold until the blissfully happy ending.

Oh, and did I mention the love scenes? Liz Carlyle does some of the best in the business. It's been a hot summer here in Australia but believe me, reading this book made it a HOT summer! And she writes like an angel with a wit and a wisdom that make her books keepers for me.

Be warned - when you pick up WICKED ALL DAY, it will make you READ all day!

Allison Chase Winner!!

Thanks to random.org, we have the winner of a copy of Most Eagerly Yours by Allison Chase:

Cynthia Thomason

Congratulations, Cynthia! Please e-mail Allison with your mailing information: allisonATallisonchaseDOTcom.

Guest Author -- Allison Chase

Originally from New England, historical author Allison Chase grew up with a deep appreciation for the rich history of her surroundings, and admits that, "If living in the past is a bad thing, then I've been bad all my life!" She and her family love to travel, especially throughout the British Isles and Ireland, and she's never happier than when exploring historic sites such as castle ruins, ancient abbeys, or the rambling gardens of old country manors. She lives in sunny, warm South Florida with her husband and two daughters. Her latest book, Most Eagerly Yours (see my review here) is the first in her new series, Her Majesty's Secret Servants. Please welcome Allison to The Romance Dish.

I’m so happy to be here at The Romance Dish today! Thank you, Gannon, for inviting me and for that really nice review of MOST EAGERLY YOURS a few weeks ago. :)

When we think of historical romance, we often think of feisty heroines – buxom, vivacious vixens whose seductive powers can bring an alpha nobleman to his knees. But a heroine doesn’t have to be loud or intractable or particularly well-endowed to get her way. Some use much more subtle means to wield their power, ensnaring the hero with little more than a soft word and a significant look. That’s assuming, of course, that they possess…

A Certain Spark

I have heard it said that when Prince Charles decided to marry Diana, it was in large part due to her apparently quiet, compliant nature. He had always loved Camilla but couldn’t be with her (well, turns out he could have), so he chose a wife who wouldn’t have the gumption to interfere in his affairs. His mistake was to confuse shyness with lack of spirit. Oh, wasn’t the joke on him! Diana had, as this particular royal biographer put it, an inner spark that refused to be doused. She possessed an inherent sense of self-worth that told her she deserved better, and that she would NOT accept a pat on the head and slink quietly off into a corner.

Diana’s story reminds me a little of another royal blunder, earlier in history…

When I first started researching the Victorian Age for my new series, Her Majesty’s Secret Servants, I didn’t know a lot about Queen Victoria herself. For instance, I didn’t know she grew up relatively poor, in cramped apartments amid shabby furnishings and threadbare rugs. Since in her early years she wasn’t expected to inherit the throne, her household income was minimal and her illustrious uncles – George IV and the future William IV basically forgot about her most of the time.

But her mother, along with the comptroller of their household, John Conroy, saw the very real possibility that Victoria might be queen someday, so they kept the child under their strictest control, intending to make her so physically and emotionally dependent on them that they would someday be the real power behind the throne.

Ah, but “the best laid plans of mice and men oft go awry…” What those ill-fated co-conspirators failed to recognize was the fierce spark inside that little girl – a fire in her belly that refused to be extinguished. Once Victoria did assume the crown, the first thing she did was banish Conroy from her court and relegate her mother to rooms far, far from the royal apartments in Buckingham Palace. That’s my girl! It makes me want to stand up and cheer out loud!

When I think of strong heroines, it isn’t an ability to level a man twice their size with a well-aimed karate chop, it’s having the confidence to know who they are and what they want, and the brains to out-think anyone who would hold them back. It’s about integrity, self-assurance, and courage.

That’s why when I came up with my new series, Her Majesty’s Secret Servants, I knew young Victoria would make such a wonderful secondary character and a catalyst for the action of the stories. My Victoria knows who she is and what she needs, and she knows she can depend on her childhood friends, the Sutherland sisters, to help her achieve her goals.

The sisters, Laurel, Ivy, Holly and Willow, are kick-butt heroines, not because they posses superpowers or can wield weapons, but because they each have unique talents they know how to use, and because they all have that inner spark to give them courage and drive them to achieve their goals.

In the book one, MOST EAGERLY YOURS, we learn that the sisters themselves are threatened by a mysterious secret from their past that puts them in uncertain danger. They soon realize that their quiet country upbringing was an effort by their uncle to protect them from those dangers, but as Ivy declares in book two, OUTRAGEOUSLY YOURS (December 2010), “Seclusion didn’t make us any safer. The danger was still there, waiting…” These ladies aren’t stupidly throwing themselves into perilous situations, but neither are they about to surrender their hard-won independence or their beloved London Readers’ Emporium, or turn their backs on their queen, to return to the safety and tedium of a sheltered existence.

In MOST EAGERLY YOURS, the eldest sister, Laurel, is the first to be called to the queen’s service…

The Queen is threatened by her jealous cousin, George Fitzclarence, who is known for speaking treason. She asks Laurel to pose as a wealthy widow and use her charms to win George’s trust, then find out what he is might be plotting. Laurel is prepared for the risks of acting a part, but not for the formidable obstacle she encounters in the Earl of Barenforth--George’s friend and a notorious rake, whom Victoria has warned her to avoid...

An undercover agent for the Home Office, Aidan Phillips, Earl of Barensforth, is on the trail of a financial hoax involving alchemy, murder...and George Fitzclarence. When a lovely young widow wanders into his path and turns his well-laid plans on end, he senses she is hiding something. Aidan is no stranger to seduction, or to the wiles of beautiful women. And he intends employing a few wiles of his own to uncover the lady’s secrets...

Most of us at one time or another have had to stand up for ourselves when no one else would. What was the hardest battle you’ve ever had to wage, and what were the results?! I’ll choose a random commenter to receive a copy of MOST EAGERLY YOURS.

Hugs to all,
Allison

http://www.allisonchase.com/
http://www.allisonchase.wordpress.com/
You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter and Myspace!

Review - Don't Kill the Messenger

Don't Kill the Messenger
by Eileen Rendahl
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Release Date: March 2, 2010





“My job description generally doesn’t put me in harm’s way. Or, at least, it’s not supposed to. I’m a delivery girl, a glorified gopher to the things that go bump in the night. I’m one of the little cogs in the big machine of the unseen undercurrents that keep all our everyday lives moving smoothly. I may not be the most well-oiled of those cogs, but I generally get the messages and package where they need to be by the time they need to be there. Occasionally, however, things don’t go according to plan and I need to defend myself or hightail it out of a situation like Usain Bolt in the last leg of a relay.”



Due to a near drowning at the young age of three, Melina Markowitz is gifted (well, sometimes Melina thinks she is more cursed) with the ability to see paranormal forces and creatures not noticed by the general public. By night, Melina is a file clerk at the local hospital. By day, she teaches classes at a dojo. In between both jobs, Melina is a messenger, delivery girl if you will, for the different factions in the supernatural world. Given a sealed envelope by a vampire, Melina finds herself attacked by ninja-like warriors while in route to make the delivery. The ninja-like warriors kick her derriere and steal the envelope. Determined to not let someone get the best of her, Melina sets out to locate the ninja-like warriors and find out exactly what is in that envelope. But when you are dealing with paranormal forces and supernatural creatures, rarely is anything what it seems and Melina finds herself in a world of trouble involving Taoist priests, Chinese vampires called kiang shi, and some really evil humans.

In the midst of a myriad of paranormal characters (vampire, werewolf, imp, witch, etc.), Melina finds solace in Officer Ted Goodnight, a cop with the urge to protect Melina at all costs. Melina is intrigued by this “normal” man as you can tell from her first reaction to him.

“A cop with no sense of humor. At seven thirty a.m. He made up for it in the eye-candy category, though. The peephole had not done him justice. Gotta love that California-dude bronzed skin, pouty lips, and sunshine-and-surf good looks. And solid. His uniform shirt clung to his shoulders and biceps in a way that left no doubt about what kind of shape this guy was in. Plus, he smelled good. I sniffed. I wasn’t sure what it was, but it made me think of muffins and cookies.”

Nevertheless, there is quite a distance between being intrigued by someone and trusting someone with all you know and all you are. Melina’s journey to trust is revealed to the reader in slow measurements and shows the reader Melina’s difficulty in trusting herself to be vulnerable with another person.

While I generally prefer reading historical romances, I have to say that I really enjoyed this book!! This novel is written in first person from the heroine’s perspective. Ms. Rendahl’s straight-to-the-point and sometimes sassy prose immediately grabbed me from the first page and didn’t let go until I finished the last page. I love a spunky heroine who sticks up for herself and the ones she comes to love. I do, however, wish there was more romantic interaction between Melina and Officer Goodnight. But maybe we will see more of them in Ms. Rendahl’s next book, Dead on Delivery, which is scheduled for release in February 2011.

~ Buffie

Review -- Provocative in Pearls

Provocative in Pearls
by Madeline Hunter
Publisher: Jove
Release Date: February 23, 2010












“Blame it on the pearls. They appeared so lovely above your naked breasts, Verity. You looked dangerously provocative, and I quite lost my good sense.” – The Earl of Hawkeswell






It is suppose to be a marriage of convenience. Well, convenient for the Earl of Hawkeswell as he is the one in need of a fortune. Not so convenient for his new bride, Verity, who pretty much had her life all planned out – marry the one man who could carry on her father’s legacy and live the rest of her days in her small community. Upon discovering her despicable cousin arranged the marriage in order to raise his social status, Verity takes destiny into her own hands by running away shortly after speaking her wedding vows. Planting evidence along the river to convince anyone and everyone that she has drowned, Verity spends the next two years incognito in the English countryside with a small group of ladies who hone their gardening skills counting the days until she reaches the age she can claim her fortune without the benefit of marriage.

The Earl of Hawkeswell is very frustrated, and has been for almost two years now. The single reason he choose to marry Verity – her fortune – is not accessible to him until she is declared deceased by the English government. Hawkeswell has not been able to touch one single pittance of the money. Without the reinforcements of his wife’s fortune, Hawkeswell’s finances have been stretched as far and as tight as possible. Hoping to forget his financial woes for a little while, Hawkeswell travels to the countryside with his good friend Sebastian Summerhay. However, escape is not in the cards for Hawkeswell as he encounters the very woman who has made his life a living hell, his long thought dead wife.

Determined to get his wife’s fortune, Hawkeswell believes it is in his best interest (and the interest of those in his care) to make the marriage work, so in addition to spending time together he extracts a commitment from Verity to accept three kisses from him every day. Those three seemingly insignificant kisses build the chemistry between Hawkeswell and Verity and before either one of them realize the consequences, the passion they feel for one another explodes and the sweetest of love blooms.

In Provocative in Pearls, which is Book 2 of The Rarest Blooms series, Madeline Hunter continues her tradition of lush, passionate writing that inevitably pulls at the strings of your heart and leaves you sighing with satisfaction. I am looking forward to the rest of this series and can’t wait to see what is up next for the ladies of The Rarest Blooms!



~ Buffie

Mary Margret Daughtridge winners!

Thanks to random.org, the winners of a copy of SEALed with a Ring are:

cheryl c

and

Deb Marlowe

Congrats, cheryl and Deb! Ladies, please send your full name and address to theromancedishATgmailDOTcom with "Mary Margret winner" as the subject and we'll pass along your information. Thanks!

Erin Go Bragh

       
     Happy St. Patrick's Day!





It's that time of year when we hoist a mug of ale, quote Irish Blessings and add an O' to the front of our name, even if that name happened to originate in Germany, Sweden or Russia.  Surely, someone, somewhere on our vast family tree must have been from the Auld Sod.  And if they weren't...well, what can it hurt to pretend for one day out of the year?

Do you celebrate St. Patrick's Day?   Attend parades?  Eat anything special?  Have you been to Ireland or, like me, do you long to one day visit the Emerald Isle?  Do you get a tear in your eye when the band plays "Danny Boy" or raise your voice in a rousing chorus of "When Irish Eyes are Smiling?"

When Irish eyes are smiling,
Sure, 'tis like the morn in Spring.
In the lilt of Irish laughter
You can hear the angels sing.
When Irish hearts are happy,
All the world seems bright and gay.
And when Irish eyes are smiling,
Sure, they steal your heart away.

Speaking of stealing your heart away, does your heart melt just a wee bit at the thought of a blue-eyed, dark-haired Irish lad casting a grin your way and, in a lilting Irish brogue, greeting you with "top o' the mornin', lass."  ::Sigh::   The mature Pierce Brosnan still makes me weak in the knees but it's the young Irish lad who first captured my heart in his role as Rory O'Manion, way back in the 1981 mini-series "The Manions of America."  I wanted to get on a plane to Ireland the very next day.

My St. Patrick's Day menu is corned beef, cabbage and boiled potatoes.  I don't remember ever having it while growing up but after sampling it at The Pretzel Bell (a local eatery) while in college, along with cold draft beer and hot black bread, it's become my March 17th tradition.

I have memories of being a little girl and wearing green so as not to get pinched at school on St. Paddy's Day.  It's a tradition I continue, though these days pinching someone can get you in a heap of trouble, St. Patrick's day or not.  I do lay claim to Irish blood in my ancestry and enjoy celebrating that part of my heritage. I've been to a few parades but not any of the big ones.  One of these days, I'd like to be in Savannah, Georgia on St. Patrick's Day.  They've been publicly honoring the day since 1813 and are recognized as having the second largest St. Patrick's Day celebration in the United States.

I admit to getting emotional whenever I hear "Danny Boy" and I've joined in many a rousing rendition of "When Irish Eyes are Smiling", usually after a few rounds of brew.  I haven't met the Irish lad with the twinkling blue eyes in person yet but I sure do enjoy meeting him on screen and in the pages of the many wonderful romances I've read.  Nora Roberts, in particular, is exceptionally talented at bringing both Ireland and Irishmen to life in her stories.

So, whether you're Irish, or only Irish for a day, I wish you a very happy St. Patrick's Day and leave you with two of my favorite Irish blessings.

An Old Irish Blessing

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

An Irish Prayer  

May God give you...
For every storm, a rainbow,
For every tear, a smile,
For every care, a promise,
And a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends,
A faithful friend to share,
For every sigh, a sweet song,
And an answer for each prayer.

~PJ


Do you have a favorite Irish blessing to share with us?  Or a bit of Irish trivia?  How about a favorite book set in Ireland or featuring a sexy, Irish hero?   One can never have too many of those on her tbr mountain! 

An interview with Mary Margret Daughtridge

Contemporary romance author Mary Margret Daughtridge has been a grade school teacher, speech therapist, family educator, biofeedback therapist, and Transpersonal Hypnotherapist. She is a member of Heart of Carolina Romance Writers, Romance Writers of America, and Romancing the Military Soul, and is a sought-after judge in writing contests. Her newest release, SEALed with a Ring (check out my review here), hit shelves this month and she is my very special guest today! Please help me in welcoming her to The Romance Dish!


Hi, Mary Margret! Thank you so much for joining us today at The Romance Dish! You have a new release, SEALed with a Ring, on shelves now. Congratulations! Can you tell us a little bit about it?

I subscribe to the theory you should write what you love to read. Well I love books with alpha males with a tender side, smart ambitious heroines, and marriage of convenience plots. So SEALed with a Ring has a lovely CEO of a car dealership who needs a husband quick, and hottie SEAL who only wants to look after his special needs brother and who will marry her—if she’ll make the kind of deal he’s looking for.

For the fun of it, I added a seduction by rumba, and a dog.

Ah, yes, we do love our alpha males here at The Romance Dish. *g* SEALed with a Ring is the third in a series about a group of Navy SEALS. What prompted you to write about SEALs specifically?

I know SEALs seem like an odd choice for someone who writes pure romance, not action/suspense/romance. In the first in the series, SEALed with a Kiss, any special operator would have done. I only needed someone military who had certain job constraints. After I had researched SEALs, I realized these extraordinary men could make fascinating heroes for character-driven stories.

I couldn't agree more--they are fascinating! What type of research do you do before/while writing?

I’m a research junkie and usually have five times more than I can use. I do all the usual, books, newspapers, the Internet, etc. I find there’s no substitute for firsthand knowledge. I took ballroom dance lessons. I interviewed a salesman at a local Toyota dealership. A Navy doctor and a retired Navy nurse helped me with Davy’s wounds and also the timeline.

Wow, you really immerse yourself in research. I admire that! In SEALed with a Ring, Davy has a younger brother with Asperger’s Syndrome. This is a disorder close to my heart as my son is on the autistic spectrum (PDD) and my cousin has Asperger’s. Do you know someone affected by the disorder?

I first learned about autism as a speech therapist. Later I was a Parent Educator at a center for children with developmental delays. We had autistic children there and several who today would be classified as Asperger’s. That was some years ago. To bring myself up to date, I read not only clinical descriptions but memoires by people with Asperger’s, including Freaks, Geeks, and Asperger’s Syndrom: A User Guide to Adolescence by Luke Jackson, a teenager when he wrote it.

You asked if I know someone. She’s passed away so I can only speculate, but I think my grandmother may have had it. A lot of our favorite funny stories, about what a “character” she was, actually would be examples of someone thinking with pure Asperger’s literality.

It sounds as if your grandmother was a very special person, Mary Margret. I often wonder how many people have it and don't know it.

Okay, here at The Romance Dish, we love to talk about heroes. Davy is a wonderful hero; a sexy, ladies’ man with a heart of gold. Who was your inspiration for him?

A-w-w-w-w! I’m so glad you liked him. I knew he was a sweetie from the moment he appeared first in SEALed with a Promise—even though he was acting like a jerk. The inspiration for him came about as I asked myself, suppose you had all that SEAL confidence/arrogance/drive in a man who is footloose and fancy free and likes sex—not seduction, mind you, sex, and is so handsome both men and women have a hard time seeing past his beauty? And suppose his self-respect depended on believing he was one of the good guys?

I seriously need to read SEALed with a Promise. I would love to see Davy acting like a jerk! LOL!

Our Gannon lives in the beautiful state of North Carolina where SEALed with a Ring is set. Are you from there?

I am. I’m North Carolinian, born and bred. I grew up in NC’s coastal plain, an easy drive to the ocean. Topsail Island is a real place. I’ve vacationed there for many years.

I loved your descriptions of Topsail Island in the book. It sounds like a place my family needs to visit! What is your favorite part about being a writer?

Being able to stare out the window for long periods and tell people, “I’m working.” Seriously, I think I was born to be a writer. I just didn’t know it. I’ve had a lot of professions, and it always seemed that I had to squelch some part of myself. My favorite part of being a writer is that I feel exactly like myself.

Very well said! What are some things that you enjoy doing when you’re not writing?

Sing, cook and of course read and research. I never tire of it. I go to the coast as often as I can.

What are you working on now? What can we expect from Mary Margret Daughtridge in the future? More SEAL books?

A while back I began to think about a SEAL lieutenant who’s nickname, behind his back, is “Darth Vader.” It isn’t meant disrespectfully, exactly, but it isn’t meant affectionately either. In SEALed with a Ring, suddenly, there he was—Lt. Garth Vale. Now he’s found a baby, a stowaway, aboard a CIA plane. It’s a variation of the Secret Baby plot.

Ooooh, sounds great! Can't wait for it!

Quick Six time!

Plotter or Panster? Pantser—God help me!
Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate
Coffee or Tea? Coffee
Dogs or Cats? I have a cat. Don’t tell her but I’m really a dog person.
Flats or Heels? I don’t go many ‘heels’ places anymore. But on the dance floor, heels for sure. Five inchers. Love ’em.
Summer or Winter? Fall. In this area it begins the third week in August and lasts until Christmas.

Thank you so much, Mary Margret! Since you’ve been inundated with questions, I’m going to let you have a turn. Is there anything you’d like to ask our readers?

What do you think of the cover? Does it “look” like a book you would like to read? Why or why not?

Comment for a chance to win one of two copies of Mary Margret's latest, SEALed with a Ring!

SEALed with a Ring by Mary Margret Daughtridge

She’s got it all…except the one thing she needs most

Smart, successful businesswoman JJ Caruthers has a year to land a husband or lose the empire she’s worked so hard to build. With time running out, romance is not an option, and a military husband who is always on the road begins to look like the perfect solution...

He’s a wounded hero with an agenda of his own

Even with the scars of battle, Navy SEAL medic Davy Graziano is gorgeous enough to land any woman he wants, and he’s never wanted to be tied down. Now Davy has ulterior motives for accepting JJ’s outrageous proposal of marriage, but he only has so long to figure out what JJ doesn’t want him to know...

For more information about Mary Margret and her books, please visit her website at http://marymargretdaughtridge.com/.

Hot Dish for March

With St. Patrick's Day just around the corner, I thought this month I would share with you my Irish crush.

Now, while there are other Irish men who are sexier and may catch your eye quicker, this man has had a hold on me for at least 20 years.

See, it is not just his looks (and believe me, I *DO* think he is quite good looking!) that attracted me to him.

Oh no.

When he sings to me (yes, to ME specifically -- hey, a girl can dream), my heart flutters, my eye lids droop, and my breath quickens. It has been that way since the first time I heard him sing and this hasn't dwindled over the years.

Oh no, not one single bit.

I would love to run my fingers through his hair, to squeeze his well-defined biceps, and to hear his brogue as he speaks sweet nothings in my ears. Aahhhhh. Oops! I'm sorry, I got lost in my own dreams.

So, my Irish crush is . . . . BONO.

Yes, Bono! As I said before, you may not think he could stop traffic with his looks, but honey I would stop for him anywhere, any time!!! There's something about a teen crush that you just can't shake.

So my question for you today is this . . . do you still have a crush on a celebrity that began several years ago?

~ Buffie

Review - Moon Craving

MOON CRAVING
Children of the Moon - Book 2
By Lucy Monroe
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Release Date: February 2, 2010

Laird of the Sinclair clan and alpha of his Chrechte wolf pack, Talorc has resigned himself to the fact that, in order to prevent war, he must marry the English woman his king has chosen for him. Having already rejected one English bride sent by his king, he knows he has no choice but to accept this one, even though it means forever giving up his dream of a true, Chrechte mate – one who would share both his human side and that of his inner wolf - for he has learned the hard way that he must never share the secret of the Chrechte with the human woman who will share his life.

Cruelly rejected by her mother since losing her hearing to a fever as a young girl, Abigail has known love and acceptance from only one person – her older step-sister, Emily. It was Emily who taught Abigail how to read lips and how to continue speaking normally even though she could no longer hear the words and Emily who helped her keep the secret of her deafness from those who would ridicule her. But Emily was married off to a Scotsman and for three years, Abigail has been alone in her silent world. Now she learns that she too is to be married off to a Scotsman, the very one who rejected her sister before Emily was kidnapped by the man who is now her husband. Though Abigail has no wish to be married, she recognizes that this may be her only opportunity to escape her mother’s cruelty and be reunited with her beloved sister, for once Talorc learns her secret, he will surely wish to be rid of her.

Though both have approached their marriage with reluctance, the attraction and desire between Talorc and Abigail is immediate and mutual and as they settle into their new life in Scotland, an emotional attachment between them begins to deepen. Though Abigail still wishes to see her sister, she no longer wants to leave Talorc and knows she must not let him discover her deafness. However, the secrets that they are both keeping, plus his clan’s mistrust of the English, threaten to undermine the love that they are only beginning to acknowledge and when those secrets come to light, the enormous sense of betrayal may be too much for them to overcome.

This is the first book I’ve read by Lucy Monroe and I enjoyed it immensely. While it is definitely a paranormal historical, with the Chrechte shape-shifting from human to wolf, I found the paranormal elements to be light with the love story being the primary focus of the book. As a bonus, it’s set in medieval Scotland, one of my favorite locations and periods. I found Abigail’s ability to function in a hearing world believable and was glad Monroe injected realism by not making it too easy for her. The interactions between Talorc and his inner wolf were fascinating and, again, totally believable to me. I enjoyed the humorous touches, such as Abigail’s misunderstanding of the word “mate”, and the sigh-worthy, emotional and very sensuous love scenes between Abigail and Talorc.

There is also a secondary (male/male) love story within the book, not typical in the romances I usually read, that is written with sensitivity and acceptance. Both characters are very likeable and I wanted their happy ending just as much as I wanted one for the hero and heroine.

The only detraction, for me, was the author’s occasional use of what I perceive as “modern” language.  Words such as “okay” and “wow” and phrases such as “Abigail was still lady of the keep. Full stop. Period.” They were jarring and had a tendency to pull me from the story but, thankfully, Monroe’s characters pulled me right back in. Overall, I found Moon Craving to be an enjoyable, very satisfying story and I look forward to reading more from this talented author.

~PJ

Review - - In Bed With the Duke

In Bed With the Duke
By Christina Dodd
Publisher: Signet
Release Date: March 2, 2010

Demure lady's companion Emma Chegwidden never defies society’s rules. Until the night she runs straight into the arms of the mysterious and menacing Reaper . . . a man who rides the night-shadowed countryside and conceals his identity behind a mask. His goal is justice . . . or is it vengeance? Only one thing is certain: nothing will stop him from his dark purpose.

Michael Durant, long-lost heir to the duke of Nevitt, has a score to settle. Cynical, dangerous and ruthless, Michael is the last man on earth that sensible Emma should defy. But some challenges are too tempting to resist . . . and some passions too fierce to ignore. Soon Michael discovers in Emma the woman he has always longed for . . . a woman whose beauty and courage reach through to his tortured soul . . . and he will defy anything, even fate itself, to claim her . . .


After a four year hiatus from the sub-genre in which she was first published, Christina Dodd returns with a historical romance that will delight her fans and no doubt bring her many new ones. Liberally seasoned with her trademark humor and sensuality, this romantic adventure has me eagerly anticipating more historicals from Ms. Dodd.

Michael Durant, heir to the Duke of Nevitt, has been held prisoner in the tiny (fictional) European country of Moricadia for more than two years. His family believes him dead but, though there were times during his two years in the horrific dungeons of Prince Sandre de Guignard when many men would have wished for death, Michael is still very much alive. Now under house arrest at the home of the prince’s cousin, Lady Fanchere, and her husband, he’s content to let the ruling family believe him a broken man. But, under the cover of darkness, he has set into motion a daring scheme to exact revenge against the deGuignards and pave the way for the return to power of the rightful king of Moricadia. All is going according to plan until the arrival of Miss Chegwidden, a delightful young lady who just can’t seem to keep herself out of the path of trouble.

Emma Chegwidden believes Michael Durant to be a coward and is appalled that he allows his family in England to believe he is dead. The gently raised young lady who now labors as a paid companion reserves all her admiration for the mysterious Reaper, the hero of the masses who many believe is the ghost of the murdered King of Moricadia. Michael spends his days teaching her of the atrocities of Prince Sandre against the people, fueling her desire for justice, while the mysterious Reaper comes to her under cover of night, awakening her to the desires of her body and the love in her heart. But, will she be able to find forgiveness in her heart when she finally discovers the enormity of the secret Michael has been keeping?

I enjoyed this adventurous, romantic fairytale with a likeable heroine who evolves from a meek young lady, continually losing her way, to an intrepid woman willing to risk danger, and worse, for the man she loves and a hero whose tortured soul can only be healed by the woman who has captured his heart.

One more thing…Ms. Dodd’s method of giving the villain in this story his just desserts is one of the best “he had it coming to him” scenes I’ve read in quite some time!

Miranda Neville winner!

Thanks to random.org, the winner of a signed copy of The Wild Marquis is:

librarypat!

Congratulations, librarypat! Please send your full name and address to mirandaATmirandanevilleDOTcom with "The Romance Dish winner" as the subject and Miranda will get your prize in the mail. Thank you!

Review -- Revenge Wears Rubies

Revenge Wears Rubies
By Renee Bernard
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Release Date: March 2, 2010





They are called the Jaded. Eight men from various walks of life, but their paths had led them each to India and now this . . . Each was captured and thrown into a raja’s dark, hidden dungeon in Bengal, not knowing the purpose behind the act. During a rebellion brought on by the raja’s own men, the eight men were able to escape, but not before discovering and taking some of the raja’s vast treasure. And thus causing them to have a powerful enemy hell-bent upon finding them.

Galen Hawke is one of the Jaded. After escaping, Galen’s friend and fellow captive, John Everly, died in his arms but not before extracting a promise from Galen that he would look after John’s beloved fiancée, Haley Moreland. Months later, Galen discovers that Miss Haley Moreland is newly betrothed. He is incensed that John’s “angel” could be so callous as to become engaged so quickly after John’s death. Revenge on his mind, Galen formulates a plan: seduce and publicly ruin Haley. Yet once he gets to really know Haley, he doesn’t feel as pleased as he should that his plan is working. In fact, he begins to slowly lose interest in the motive behind his actions . . . along with slowly losing his heart.

Haley Moreland is in London to enjoy her one and only Season. Ever since her mother died, her father has remained in a constant state of mourning by drowning his sorrows in a bottle. The family’s finances have dwindled and Haley will do what she must to save her family and servants – even marry a portly, balding industrialist. One night at a soirée, Haley escapes the stuffy ballroom and happens upon a handsome stranger. There is an instant spark between the two which eventually turns into a roaring fire. Being a practical person, Haley doesn’t think she should wait for love (which is why she is engaged to Herbert), though deep down inside, she craves it. When Galen shows her his decadent life, Haley throws caution to the wind and dives in head first. But will she still feel the same when she finds out Galen’s secret?

Revenge Wears Rubies is the first in Renee Bernard’s Jaded Gentlemen series and introduces readers to six singularly tortured heroes. There were eight men held prisoner—six are heroes, one passed away, and the other isn’t really mentioned in this story, so I can only assume that Ms. Bernard has something up her sleeve for him. In this one, she pairs the sinfully delicious Galen with an equally passionate Haley. The tension between them is explosive and continues into the bedroom and beyond where the love scenes are scorching, including one that may not be for the faint at heart. I really enjoyed their journey and am eagerly anticipating the next book in the series, Seduction Wears Sapphires (August 2010), to find out more about why these men were captured and where the treasure they stole is hidden. If you’re a fan of spicy hot romances mixed with a bit of intrigue and set in Victorian London, don’t miss this one!

~Andrea

Guest Author -- Miranda Neville

Historical author Miranda Neville grew up in beautiful Wiltshire in southwest England. During that time, she devoured the works of Georgette Heyer, Jean Plaidy and any other historical novels she could lay her hands on. She attended the University of Oxford to study history and spent several years writing catalogues of rare books and original letters and manuscripts for Sotheby's auction house in London and New York. Much of her time was spent reading the personal correspondence of the famous and confirmed her suspicion that the most interesting thing about history is people. Plus, she's a sucker for a happy ending. Her debut, NEVER RESIST TEMPTATION, released in March of 2009, and her newest, THE WILD MARQUIS, hit shelves this week. Please welcome Miranda to The Romance Dish!


The Magic of Bookstores
By Miranda Neville

One of my all time favorite movies is You’ve Got Mail. There’s something about the Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan chemistry that’s magic. Plus I adore New York and the film depicts the city at its idealized best. I watched it again the other day and it struck me how dated certain aspects of it are. First there’s that dial-up sound at the opening. It’s only a few years ago that we all accessed the internet that way (and boy was it slow). In the age of broadband and WiFi it seems merely quaint.

The film, if by some sad chance you’ve never seen it, depicts a David and Goliath struggle between the plucky independent bookstore owner (Ryan) and Fox Books, the giant chain run by Hanks. How times have changed. Nowadays we worry about the complete disappearance of the bricks-and-mortar bookstore and the rumored death of one of those corporate behemoths. We’re not worrying about Fox Books coming to the neighborhood; we worry it will leave and there’ll be nowhere to buy books but WalMart and Amazon.

We’re all readers here so I don’t have to sell you on the appeal of bookstores. Not surprisingly, romance writers have often used booksellers as characters.

Sugar Beth Carey, the heroine of Susan Elizabeth Phillips’ AIN’T SHE SWEET, doesn’t start out as one. But part of her road to redemption is getting a job in the local bookstore and eventually she opens her own children’s store. (I admit I have some reservations about the economic viability of Sugar Beth’s business but hey, Colin is a rich writer and she sold a Jackson Pollock so she can afford to take a loss).

In Jennifer Crusie’s WELCOME TO TEMPTATION the delectable Phin runs a bookstore as well as being mayor of the town and we’d all like to get between his covers. Going back in time, Pam Rosenthal’s THE BOOKSELLER’S DAUGHTER is a fascinating look at the clandestine (i.e. sexy) book trade in 18th century France. Like all Pam’s writing, the book combines intense eroticism with impeccable research.

As it happens, this month sees the release of two historicals with book trade backgrounds. Kaitlin O’Riley’s DESIRE IN HIS EYES is the second in a Victorian series about a family of sisters who own a bookshop in London. And then there’s THE WILD MARQUIS, by yours truly. I’m also launching a series, about rare book collectors in Regency London.

Juliana Merton is a widow, struggling to keep her late husband’s business afloat, when the Marquis of Chase walks into her bookshop. He needs an expert to help him buy a rare manuscript; she needs a rich client. Never mind that he’s a rake with an appalling reputation and she’s prim and respectable. Both have mysteries in their pasts. These secrets emerge against the backdrop of an important rare book auction and involve clues hidden in books, including a rare Shakespeare edition.

What is the appeal of the bookstore as a setting? Can you think of other books where a main character is a bookseller? One commenter will win a signed copy of THE WILD MARQUIS.

*******

The Marquis of Chase is not a reputable man.

He is notorious for his wretched morals and never received in respectable houses. The ladies of the ton would never allow him in their drawing rooms . . . though some of them have welcomed him into their bedchambers. Rejected from his father’s house at the age of sixteen, he now lives a life of wanton pleasure. So what could the Marquis of Chase possibly want with Juliana Merton, a lovely, perfectly upstanding shopkeeper with a mysterious past?
A moment’s indiscretion?
A night’s passion?
Or a lifetime of love?
Even the wildest rakes have their weaknesses . . .

For more about Miranda and her books, please visit her website at http://www.mirandaneville.com/.

Make Your Reservations!

Here at The Romance Dish, we love to talk about romance and add books to our TBB lists and TBR piles. So we're starting a new monthly feature spotlighting some upcoming releases that we are looking forward to and so should you! Time to mark your calendars and make your reservations for these upcoming April releases!



The Chief by Monica McCarty

The ultimate Highland warlord and a swordsman without equal, Tor MacLeod has no intention of being drawn into Scotland’s war. Dedicated to his clan, the fiercely independent chief answers to no one—especially not his alluring new bride, bartered to him in a bid to secure his agreement to command the deadliest fighting force the world has ever seen. The treacherous chit who made her way to his bed may have won his hand, but she will never claim his heart.

Although her husband’s reputation is as fierce as his manner, Christina Fraser believes something softer hides beneath his brutal shell. But the only warmth she feels is in their bed, in the glorious moments of white-hot desire that disappear with the dawn. When Christina’s reckless bid to win her husband’s love goes awry and thrusts them into danger on the eve of war against England, Tor will face his ultimate battle: to save his wife and open his heart—before it’s too late.

*******

In Scandal They Wed by Sophie Jordan

What kind of woman would marry a man she just met? A woman with nothing to lose.

Long ago, Evelyn Cross sacrificed her good name, her freedom, and any hope for love. Now, in the remote English countryside, she struggles to survive and avoid the scandal threatening to destry all she holds dear…until a sinfully handsome viscount arrives on her doorstep, offering marriage, salvation, and tempting her with so much more.

What kind of man would marry a woman he just met? The kind bound by duty.

Fresh from the war, Spencer Lockhart returns home to claim his title and right the wrong his cousin perpetrated upon Evelyn Cross. In need of a wife, marrying her is a small price to pay for duty. But When he meets her, the fiery chit is not what he expects to find in a ruined lady. As desire flares hotly between them, honor is the last thing on his mind…

What kind of man and woman would marry when they’ve only jet met? The kind who could ignite a scandal with just one touch.

*******

Lois Lane Tells All by Karen Hawkins

She thinks she’s Lois Lane . . .

Susan Collins always wanted to be a hard-hitting reporter, but there’s not much call for her talents in sleepy Glory, North Carolina. Then the Murder Mystery Club—a trio of enterprising octogenarians—decides to open their own CSI lab at the assisted-living center. And when strange "accidents" begin to happen around town, Susan senses she could be on to the news story of her dreams.

He doesn’t want to be her Superman . . .

Mark Tremayne has returned to Glory to take over as CFO of The Glory Examiner. His job is to keep the newspaper profitable, which means covering the annual Baptist Church Bake-Off and selling ads for the county fair—not allowing his too-sexy-for-her-own-good reporter to hare off after a wild story that could alienate some of the townspeople.

Together . . . they’re Kryptonite.

Mark’s and Susan’s viewpoints could be from different planets, but their mutual attraction is in total alignment. Despite their arguments, the indomitable redhead and the hot accountant are a sexual explosion waiting to happen. And when it does, Glory had better watch out!

*******

Desires of a Perfect Lady by Victoria Alexander

A secret list of the desires of Lady Olivia Rathbourne:

*Disregard convention
*Follow my heart
*Bed the Earl of Wyldewood

A decade ago, Olivia had expected to marry the Earl of Wyldewood, only to have happiness stolen from her before his ring could be placed upon her finger. Now he stands before her, as proud and arrogant and handsome as ever, vowing to rescue her. Well, he's got some nerve urning up after all these years. Where was he when she needed him?

As for the earl, scandal has never touched him nor has impropriety ever besmirched his name. But his penchant for doing the expected does have his family calling him, well, dull. Isn't it time to flaunt society's conventions and do what he's always wanted? And first on his list: Olivia in his bed—with or without a wedding.

*******

Something Scandalous by Christie Kelley

Raised as the youngest daughter of the Duke of Kendal, Elizabeth learns a devastating truth on his deathbed: he wasn’t her father at all. And because the Duke had no sons, his title and fortune must go to his only male heir: a distant cousin who left England for America long ago. Anticipating the man’s imminent occupation of her home, Elizabeth anxiously searches for her mother’s diary, and the secret of her paternity...

Arriving in London with his seven siblings, William Atherton intends to sell everything and return to his beloved Virginia farm, and his fiancée, as quickly as possible. But as Elizabeth shows William an England he never knew, and graciously introduces his siblings to London society, it becomes clear the two are meant for each other. Soon, Elizabeth finds herself determined to seduce the man who can save not only her family name, but her heart...