Hotter Than a Mother

THE SCHOOL FOR HEIRESSES anthology will be out later this year. The anthology features stories by Liz Carlyle, Sabrina Jeffries, Renee Bernard and Julia London. I've looked everywhere for information on Renee Bernard; her website is down. She also has a book called A LADY'S PLEASURE out in October. Anyone have any info they'd like to share? I need to add more authors to my TO BUY list!

Melody Thomas has officially become part of MY FAVORITE AUTHORS club. I read her Donally series and am now just tickled pink. The last book in the series, ANGEL IN MY BED, is incredible. Kristie, I know you bought it...read it now! It's excellent!!! More books by her are headed our way; she's writing a new series which should be out in 2007. Woo hoo...happy day!

For Mary Balogh fans, some amazing news that had me jumping up and down. Mary says the following: the question was if I intend writing about Attingsborough, Lady Muir, and Angeline before writing the new series. The answer is no (though perhaps now is the time to hint that Attingsborough's story is already written and should be out late next year). I wanted to coax Dell into speeding up the publication schedule and so suggested a new series to publish in paperback and in quick succession--like the Bedwyn books. So Gwen and Angeline will have to wait yet again. And the new series will be entirely new--no leftover characters from other books. At least that is the intention now. Don't hold me to it!

Only true Balogh fans can comprehend how exciting it is to finally know that Attinsborough will get a novel soon; fans have been begging Balogh for years to write his story and it looks like persistence will finally pay off! Oh, joy!

For Suzanne Brockmann fans, here's a link to the website of the man who inspired the author's Navy Seal books. I have yet to read the books; but I will soon, believe me.

It's hotter than a mother here in SF and I cannot believe I have to be here at work when all I want to do is go out and enjoy the amazing weather.

Blog Nightmare

No clue what the heck is going on with my blog...it was fine last night...argh!

Coming Soon

Laura Lee Guhrke has a new series coming up...I hope it's good. By the way, can anyone spell her last name without having to check the spelling on her website a zillion times?

AND THEN HE KISSED HER

The first of a new, four-book series set in Victorian England

The story of two people who are definitely not destined to be soul mates. Harry and Emma have nothing in common. They feel no spark. They don't even like each other. They certainly don't want to complicate their lives by anything as inconvenient as falling in love. Even Cupid has given up on them. And then, one shattering, lightning-bolt, make-your-toes-curl kiss changes everything they thought they knew about love and about each other.

The amazing Mary Balogh might be releasing her SIMPLY books earlier than expected and that makes me one happy girl. Balogh began her SIMPLY series (4 book series about teachers in a school for ladies...which yeah, is getting a little old, believe me) in 2005. Dell, her publishing company, was planning on releasing them all ONCE A YEAR (AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH) in HARDCOVER (my wallet said FUCK , NO!...my heart? BUY IT!). Now word straight from the horse's mouth (sorry, Mary!) is that she...well, here you go...her words:

I maybe ought not to say this yet since my next contract is still very much in the negotiation stage and nothing is ever written in stone (or even in sand) in the publishing world. However, I have proposed a new five-part series and have suggested that the books be released in paperback and very close together as the SLIGHTLY series was. Dell is interested and has plans for bringing forward the remaining books in the SIMPLY quartet so that they can plan for the new series either late in 2008 or in 2009. If they carry through on that, both SIMPLY MAGIC (Susanna's story) and SIMPLY PERFECT (Claudia's) will be out next year, at least in hardcover. I'll give more details when things are a bit more definite.

Yeah, still in hardcover, but both next year hopefully. Can't have it all, I suppose.

I encourage all authors to beg for early releases and paperback prices. Your readers will be much appreciative.

I'm off now. Work has been torture and my blog has suffered, as well as my reading. We all had to scramble to get our stuff done by last Friday...no ifs, ands or buts. Torture. Now we're locked out of our main system for two weeks. I'm sure more work will continue to pile in one way or another. In the meantime, summer is in a few days and we're having amazing weather. Hope it lasts! Cheers and have a great weekend!

For you Suzanne Brockmann fans, I have a link to the website of the man who is the inspiration for a good chunk of her novels. Will report more tomorrow. Have the site at work!

Lady of Fortune by Anne Stuart

As the child bride of and elderly husband, Lady Julianna of Moncrieff learned little of men and nothing of pleasure. So when the newly widowed lady finds herself thrown into the company of the mocking and elegant Nicholas Strangefellow, a maddening court jester sent by King Henry III to entertain at her mother's wedding, Julianna is more than wary; she is determined to keep her distance.

But it doesn't take long for the mysterious Nicholas to weave his wickedly sensual spell around her. And only when it is too late will Julianna discover what sort of man he really is...a coolly calculating spy out to steal a sacred relic—and her own innocent heart. Yet Nicholas is in for a shock of his own. For never did the king's fool imagine that he would become a fool for love...until the moment comes when he must choose between desire and betrayal.

Ever since I read Stuart's THE DEVIL'S WALTZ, I've wanted more! More of the nasty villain-like hero who is truly a sadistic piece of work, rather than a mere foppish idiot...more aspects that make him barely redeemable...more that would make me truly in awe of the woman able to capture and tame him. Most of the time I read a novel about a "villainous" hero who ends up being anything but. If you want to read about heroes who start off being truly fucked up, nasty, arrogant, overbearing, murderous, borderline psycho in their actions, then read a Stuart novel.

That being said, I can't honestly say the hero of this novel was that nasty; he was selfish by all means, willing to do anything to get what he wanted, including sleep with the heroine's mother (which he didn't because by that point he was all up in the heroine's grill and couldn't bring himself to do it). Yes, these personality traits and deficiencies are NOTHING compared to what Stuart has to offer in other novels.

I did enjoy the hero, however (and yes, I am deranged because I love these types of heroes so much). I loved his thought process and the way he pretended to be this total idiot when in fact he wasn't.

The heroine was guarded but not annoying. She wasn't TSTL and that pleased me. I didn't understand why the hero fell in love with her though. The book felt too short and never made me fully comprehend what the hero saw in the heroine. The book contained a secondary love story that was far more appealing..that of the heroine's mother and her new husband. Now that was HOT HOT and HOT! I wish Stuart had given the couple their own novel...their story was that intense.

The story is set in the Middle Ages. I usually read books set in the 1800s. It was interesting to read how very much like chattel women were treated at the time, married off to the highest bidder or, if noble, used to settle old scores or create alliances. I enjoyed that aspect of the book. I did find the novel funny. One of the funniest scenes was when the heroine thinks the hero has some sort of disease because his YOU KNOW WHAT is throbbing and hard. Despite the fact that she was married and is now a widow, the girl has no clue about sex. I'll let you read the book and find out why. The hero keeps a straight face throughout the heroine's worried rant but it's obvious he's reading to burst out laughing. Classic!

I enjoyed the story, but it didn't give me butterflies or make my heart sing. However, it was good and for that I would give it a big B. The hero was dark but not as dark as I would have wanted him to be. The heroine is not TSTL AND you get a bonus love story. What more can you ask for?

Hell to the No

Whisked off to London by her newly revealed half brother, Miss Juliana Applegate is supposed to be looking for an eligible gentleman suitable for marriage. But when she arrives, an illness in her brother's household forces her to stay instead with his friend Lady Sealey—and her handsome grandson, Sir Oliver Ramsey. Sir Oliver has always felt clumsy and awkward around the fairer sex, but despite his gruffness, Juliana senses a gentleness in the man who seems at first more of a fierce Viking than a shy zoologist.

Soon, she has ample opportunity to test her theory about Sir Oliver, as they are thrown together time and again—first by chance, and then to work toward a common goal. Someone is sending Lady Sealey mysterious vengeful letters that threaten an imminent doom. When the attacks begin, Juliana and Oliver are determined to protect her—even at cost to their own hearts and growing passion, as well as their very lives...

A shy zoologist? Hmmm...me thinks I'll pass on this July 2006 release. I'm all for the alpha psycho jealous arrogant mean yet warm and cuddling on the inside hero. This guy is too beta for his own good; sounds kinda wimpy!!! Plus, he totally looks like he's THIS CLOSE to falling to his death and taking the heroine with him. No, thanks!

IN MY HEART

It's not often that I read a romance that makes my heart sing and my senses hum. IN MY HEART by Melody Thomas did just that. A year ago I became eager to own any and every series book I could find. I stumbled upon the Donally series and kept the books hidden in my TBR trunk until this weekend. Had I known I would be reading such a amazing love story I would have picked up the book long ago. As many of you know, I've been in a work-related reading slump (i.e. too exhausted to read crap) for the last few weeks.

From the back blurb - After a whirlwind courtship and elopement, Lady Alexandra Marshall watched helplessly as her husband was shipped off by her irate father. An annulment followed, and though Alexandra waited with packed bags, Christopher never returned for her. She has tried desperately to forget the only love she's ever known and now devotes herself to the British Museum. . .until she discovers that someone has pilfered a fortune in jewels.

His scandalous marriage to Alex had hardened Sir Christopher Donally against the aristocracy that labeled a man's worth by the titles he carried rather than by his deeds. Now with a new bride in his future and a sister who is about to enter society. Christopher is detemined to put the past behind him. But when Alex asks for his help in finding a thief, he agrees, in exchange for her support in launching his sister. Though running into Alex was not planned, nor his emotional reaction welcomed, he can't help but be undone by one single, soul-stirring kiss...

There are few books that capture my attention as much as this one did. Thomas is a remarkable author. The interaction between the lead characters melted my heart at every turn. There were no misunderstandings, no resentment, no hiding of emotions. From the start, the heroine admitted she was still in love with the hero. Shocking, huh? The hero did the same. Now...I've read several romances with premises similar to this one and I don't think I've ever stumbled upon a heroine so willing to throw her emotions out on the table. Alex loves Christopher and she will do anything for a second chance. The way these two fight for their love is astonishing, only because it is something I rarely see in romances. Thomas focuses on the romance between the leads, never letting any secondary character or plot twist take control or attention away from their love story.

I loved this book. The heroine's vulnerability and courage were refreshing; she was not afraid to speak her heart. The hero's own love for the heroine was never masked; there were no denials, no vows on his part to make the heroine's life a living hell (which we see all too often in novels these days).

My heart is still beating so fast. I recommend this book to all. I cannot wait to read the second in this series, which I hear is just as good.

MEMO

To: Karen Hawkins
From: Moi
Re: Another Chance

There was a time when I was addicted to your books. Each time I heard a new book of yours was out in stores, I'd rush to the nearest bookstore and buy it immediately. I couldn't even wait a day. I was obsessed and addicted and ill and incandescently happy each time I heard you were releasing a new novel. Then AND THE BRIDE WORE PLAID came out, followed by LADY IN RED. I was appalled, bored to tears and distraught because I simply could not read the books. They were terrible and I couldn't believe they were written by you. Were they? I'm hoping you were suffering from writer's block or something...maybe you were under pressure, some deadline. All I know is that it's still hard for me to believe they were your works. They couldn't be!!!

I tried to read AND THE BRIDE, but stopped the torture at Chapter 3 and donated the book to the Salvation Army (sorry, guys!).

I struggled through LADY IN RED and was left with the worst taste in my mouth at the end of it. I decided then and there that I would not purchase any of your books again. Too harsh, perhaps? At the time, I didn't think so.

Today I was at Walmart and noticed your new book HER OFFICER AND GENTLEMAN. The premise showed great promise. The cover was slightly cheesy but I like the red a great deal. Soon, excitement at the prospect of reading a new Hawkins book was back and I immediately grabbed it off the shelf and bought it.

I've decided to give you another shot because you are a very talented author and I cannot forget that once upon a time I loved your books to the point of obsession. Perhaps I am too forgiving a person; perhaps I shouldn't give you another chance after two flops (well, they were flops in my opinion).

Perhaps you were merely so excited to be finishing your Talisman Ring series, you fumbled terribly with the last two books. Honestly, I don't know. I'm just trying to forget the last two books even existed at this point.

Perhaps you are back on track. I certainly hope so!!! Your website is now updated regularly and I must say that I like its look. Your books seem to be getting decent reviews. I may end up kicking myself for reading your new book, but then again maybe I won't.

I pray my hopes will not be disappointed. I'll be sure to let you know!

I'm No Genius

Apparently, several bookstores in the San Francisco area (or at least the ones I go to) only had defective copies of Laura Lee Guhrke's SHE'S NO PRINCESS.

I posted earlier that I purchased a copy of Guhrke's new book with several pages missing from the text. I was a bit irked, since I wanted to read the book for some time, but dealt with the disappointment and went to the Barnes & Noble I bought it from the next day. I exchanged it for another copy and walked out. I didn't check the book to make sure it had all of its pages. Yes, I am an idiot...or I was on that day. My brain is fried from work...what else can I say?

Where am I going with this? Well, as soon as I got home and opened up the book, eager to read the story, I discovered that it had the same pages missing as the first copy.

Motherfaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

I should have checked. I didn't. Went back to the store and realized that all of their books were missing pages. Got my money back. Went to another bookstore the following day. Pages missing again. I was beginning to despair. Today I went to yet another book store and FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY...I have the book. It's all there. Intact. Not defective. I am happy. Very happy. Started the book. Good so far. Hopefully, Guhrke won't fuck it up!

Be the first to call me an idiot...I still can't believe I exchanged one defective copy for another. I cannot stress this enough to myself: I NEED A VACATION!!!

Surprise Surprise

Bought Laura Lee Guhrke's SHE'S NO PRINCESS yesterday. Flipped through it and discovered the same #16 Font many Avon books have been sporting lately. Oh...discovered several blank pages...about 20 or so, too! Nice! It's back to Barnes & Noble today to get a better copy. Who's responsible for making sure books are NOT being sold defective? Book stores? Publishers? No clue. I was irritated yesterday. Still am. Not having such a great day. Woke up on the wrong side of the bed. It's one of those "not feeling good in one's skin" days. Bleh...

In other news, Lisa Kleypas posted a trailer for her August release SCANDAL IN SPRING. Check it out. I can't wait for August!!!

Wanted: Man to Play Boyfriend

Haven't read a book in weeks. I've been too busy at work and I'm left with zero energy at the end of the day. All I want to do right now is go home, sit on the couch and watch television. I'll be back with reviews and romance tidbits hopefully by Wednesday.

In the meantime, know that my folks are getting more and more desperate to "hook" me up with someone. My mother wants me to meet the random Italian guy I mentioned in my earlier posts. She mentioned she'd like me to come over to her friends' house for dinner and meet this guy. My response: NO F-ING WAY! Again I cannot help but notice how very romance novel-like this aspect of my life sounds...again, if I were a romance heroine, I would ask some random stranger or a hot friend of mine (which unfortunately I don't have) to pretend to be my boyfriend (look MOM, I don't need your guy; I've already found the love of my life) and then, of course, we'd end up falling madly in love and having a great life together. Wait...this sorta sounds like that stupid Jennifer Aniston movie, co-starring that guy from LAST COMIC STANDING.

Don't Even Go There...

UPDATE: SCANDAL IN SPRING OUT IN AUGUST! I can now breathe.

Went on the Avon site to check out upcoming new releases and guess what wasn't listed as an August release...no clue? Well, let me fill you in - SCANDAL IN SPRING. Now this may have been merely an oversight on Avon's part. Nobody's perfect, but seriously...do I detect a little bit of TAKE THAT attitude in response to Kleypas dumping Avon for Martins'? Just an observer's opinion...

I'm hoping it's mere oversight. Fans will rip Avon a new one, if it is indeed postponed. I posted on the board, so hopefully someone will clear this up soon!

If it is an oversight, it wouldn't be the first. More on that tomorrow.

The Final Stages of Desperation

How desperate are my parents to see me married?

Tonight they went to a barbecue, met up with some friends who just happened to know an Italian guy looking for a good Italian girl. They gave said friends my cell phone number to give to random Italian guy (aka TOTAL STRANGER and POSSIBLE SERIAL KILLER).

I'm almost sure a personal ad is next....if it hasn't happened already (hmmm...I guess that would explain the crank calls).

I told them they had crossed the line, but meddling Italians parents are meddling Italian parents. What can I do? I'll probably end up like them, so I should just shut up!

If my life were a romance novel, total stranger would call me and we'd arrange to meet at a local Starbucks. On my way there, I get hit by a car and lose my memory. Said stranger, who looks exactly like Gerard Butler, has seen the whole thing and wants to help me out, but also sleep with me because I am one HOT Italian lady, so he pretends I am his wife...I am afraid (heck..I don't remember anything), but am wildly aroused by this Gerard Butler-like stud, so I go along with it. He falls in love; I fall in love and then I find out that we're not really married, when his evil twin brother tells me everything. I feel betrayed. We separate, but ultimately we end up together and move to one of hot stud's many homes in Europe. THE END. Oh, yeah...did I mention he's fabulously wealthy and has a British accent...oh...and is a duke?

Unfortunately, my life is not a romance novel...although I am feeling a bit like a bluestocking wallflower lately.

Jumping the Gun

Have you ever begun a series, loved it, gotten all excited over the fact that more books were on the way and then been left with a bitter taste in your mouth because some of them (or maybe just the last one) didn't deliver?

Back in March, I began reading Tracy Anne Warren's THE HUSBAND TRAP and enjoyed it thoroughly. As soon as I found out the book was part of a series of 3, out each month, I was overcome with joy (ok, I'm exaggerating, but you get the idea). The 2nd book in the series, THE WIFE TRAP was enjoyable to a degree; the heroine was the spoiled brat sister of the first novel's heroine. I wanted her to get her comeuppance and she did, to a certain extent. However, heroine's antics and disregard for her husband at one point really made me want to reach out and strangle her. I wished the husband would have kicked her out. Nevertheless, the read was pleasant and I began recommending the series to friends (Kristie J, you're one of them). A few days ago, I purchased the final book of the series, THE WEDDING TRAP, fully expecting it to be the best. The plot wasn't exactly one of the most original I'd ever read. On the contrary, if I had a penny for the times I've read a story about an ugly shy bluestocking wallflower turned babe magnet of the century, I'd be one very rich woman!

The story covered the love story between Eliza and Christopher "Kit" Winter, the brother of THE HUSBAND TRAP's hero. I didn't enjoy the book; as a matter of fact, I skimmed most of it.

I have a few things to say on the matter, especially to romance authors. Much of the book featured characters from the previous books, being so so cute and so so freakin' annoying I wanted them all to die in a blast. I just wanted to scream, "YOU HAD YOUR OWN BOOKS...NOW GET LOST!" Authors, please please please...you do this all the time...these reunion type books are ok every now and then, but I hate hate hate it when the last book of a series becomes a WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO reunion special. Not that I'm saying that's what happened here...it didn't, but characters from previous books were present all too often and I got sick of it!

Also, I wasn't entirely convinced the two characters loved each other...too much time was spent depicting Eliza's transformation and I really didn't get a sense for the two really getting to know each other, except in the physical sense. The sex scenes were blah! Just a little push and oopsy daisy, Eliza was soon "compromised" by Kit....something that doesn't seem to worry Eliza all that much. I just don't get it. Was the novel set in 2006 or 1814? I was under the impression that back in the day, women couldn't even be alone in a carriage with a guy without being ruined and Eliza here was acting like freakin' Sharon Stone.

I could totally picture her face, while all of this was going on to. I'd like to call her expression THE MICHAEL MYERS. Has anyone seen HALLOWEEN? Remember when right before Michael kills some half naked chick, he tilts his head to the side and just looks on. Well, that's how I pictured Eliza, the heroine, walking around the house. Apparently, sex with the hero left her with a lobotomy!

Furthermore, I'm starting to get a little tired of the villain that's not really a villain but some idiot with a gun and a horse. I want real villains...nasty ones, men and women with no scruples, who will do anything to get what they want. The villain here was pathetic.

I loved the first book in the series and it upsets me that the third and last romance would leave me so cold. I'm not giving up on the author...as a matter of fact, I really hope she writes about a certain character, Lancelot, who got screwed in the last book.

1st book - THE HUSBAND TRAP = B+
2nd book - THE WIFE TRAP = B
3rd book - THE WEDDING TRAP = C

Spies: They're Everywhere!

I'd like to know one thing and one thing only: HOW DID SHANA GALEN MANAGE TO WRITE A BOOK ABOUT ME, WITHOUT EVER HAVING MET ME? Seriously, where did this chick get her info? NO MAN'S BRIDE, huh? Yep, that's me. I want to know how, if all men ARE NOT losers, I manage to meet so many of them. Is it my hair? Do I exude some scent that attracts these "rare" beings? Seriously, I'd really like to be clued in. Sometimes I feel like I'm being punk'd whenever I manage to go on yet ANOTHER date with ANOTHER loser.

A glimpse into my recent dating excursions, some of them set-ups:

1. Date 1 - Co-worker believes I am perfect for her cousin. I go along with it. He calls me; we arrange a date. I knew the date would suck the moment I laid eyes on him. He picks me up in a beat up car; he is about 15 years older than me. This moron proceeds to take me to a lesbian bar for a good hearty meal; he then proceeds to interrogate (yes, interrogate) me on WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH ME SINCE I'M NOT MARRIED YET? We get into a fight (wonder why). He insults me; I insult him back (hell hath no fury like a pissed off Italian chick). He starts telling me about an ex of his who dumped him (SHOCKER) and then apologizes over and over again about boring me to tears with his stories (what gave him that idea?). We fight some more; he tells me my expectations are too high, that I'm not getting any younger...blah blah blah. THEN THEN THEN he tells me he'd like to see me again. I tell him to....excuse my language here...FUCK OFF! I try to pay for half my meal; he gives me a dirty look and tells me not to insult him. Fine...free meal...it sucked anyway. DATE OVER.

2. Date 2 - another set-up. My friend's uncle has already met my husband and he's more than eager to introduce me to him. In any case, I give him my phone number; he gives it to the "MAN" and we chat on the phone for about 2 weeks before deciding to meet up. The day of the date, he gives me a call, fakes a cough and chickens out. I'm immediately turned off and don't even want to meet him. Something about his call pissed me off. Maybe it was the fake cough. We decide to meet at Starbucks a week later. He arrives about 10 minutes late. He's good looking...a little thin, but I'm more of a personality kinda girl. I already had my coffee; he gets his. We sit down. We talk. He bashes Italian people (bad idea since I'm 100% Italian), Italian food, Italian family get togethers. He whines the entire time about EVERYTHING, how his parents moved to a different state and just left him alone, how he hates this and that, how he thinks he's getting sick again because of X, Y and Z. Date ends. We go to our cars. We never speak again. DATE OVER.

3. Date 3 - I came to SF about 3 yrs ago for a wedding. At the time I still lived in NY. A male friend I got reacquainted with at a wedding invited me out for drinks. He was a perfect gentleman, very considerate...until he had to drop me off at the nearest BART station (subway/metro of SF). He looked bored, like he couldn't wait to kick me out of his car. Perhaps he had to go to the bathroom. Honestly, I have no clue what happened. It was after 2 AM. He drops me off at an area convenient TO HIM (and I'm an idiot because I let him do that, but honestly I was desperate to go home myself); I proceed to go catch the train and...discover the last one left at 1:15AM. I am ALONE in a shady part of SF and I have to get back to my parents' house (where I was staying) which is about 45 minutes East of SF. What do I do? I call my "friend;" he sounds put out (maybe because I didn't) and I just realized he would be no help. I did what anyone in my situation would do...I called my Daddy! Let's just say he was not happy. He drove to get me and I realized how lucky I was to have him.

4. Date 4 - Blind date...literally...my date was blind. It was really something. What a mess! I once worked for an insurance company. A blind attorney invited me to go to a wedding that nearly everyone in the office (EXCEPT ME...I still don't know why cats and dogs were invited to this wedding and I wasn't...) was going to. I didn't want to go. I disliked the bride (maybe that's why I wasn't invited) and everyone else. My boyfriend at the time (yeah, I had a boyfriend) guilted me into going by pulling the whole BUT HE'S BLIND, MAKE HIM HAPPY card. The wedding was a total debacle! I was bored and being gropped by a man who clearly was taking advantage of his disability. Not to mention, a friend of his wanted some action from me also, but I wasn't having it. Today, the blind date story makes a great conversation piece and ice breaker.

So what's wrong with me? Nothing. I'm attractive, Italian (what more can you ask for?), funny, sharp, educated. I can be a tad sarcastic and maybe a little too blunt, but unfortunately I've never perfected the art of sugar-coating. Are men threatened by me? I have no clue. I just know that Shana Galen knows a little bit too much about me and it scares the heck out of me!

Welcome to the TBR Pile

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!!!I just got back from a day spent driving, antiquing and UBS hopping. I'm now tired, invigorated and hungry all at the same time!

I did manage to find a few goodies:
1. STOLEN KISSES, Suzanne Enoch
2. ANGEL IN MY BED, Melody Thomas
3. CREOLE NIGHTS, Deborah Martin (aka Sabrina Jeffries)

I've been overworked lately; I need a different job. Honestly, I really am too good for my current job; I have a lot of untapped talent. I'm frustrated and realizing more and more how difficult it is, for a woman who lacks the ability to kiss ass every second of the day, to climb the corporate ladder.

A Few Notes

AAR has an interview with Lisa Kleypas and Connie Brockway up. It's very short, but good enough. I'm excited to hear that Connie Brockway WILL NOT give up historical romance.

I'll be interviewing Ms. Kleypas in the near future as well (hopefully in June), so if you have any questions you'd like me to ask her, let me know.

Apparently, Julia Quinn's 2nd Epilogues will be in e-book form and will cost readers $1.99. I WILL NOT be rushing to download this baby. Why are they even charging? Thanks to Sybil's blog for this bit of info.

I'm looking for some contemporary romances. Has anyone read Anne Stuart's BLACK ICE? Any recommendations?

Legs...AGAIN?

I don't get it. Avon's got an author who has practically fallen off the face of the earth. Everyone "knows" she's writing a new novel or series or whatever, but it's never confirmed by anyone with clout...just fans who believe they know. Where is Judith Ivory? Where is Judith Ivory? Big mystery, right? Well, you would think Avon or someone would post something about Ivory's upcoming ANGEL IN A RED DRESS (which is only a revised reprint of a previous work)...right? WRONG! I'd like to thank BAM for posting the cover. Pretty suggestive (after doing the Bay to Breakers yesterday and seeing all these random naked people run, I'm seeing a lot of strange things today...use your imagination). I don't know if I like it...I like the red, but the legs? AGAIN? I'm kinda getting sick of legs and shoulder and arm covers! Enough already!

Dead Heroes

Some discussion on the AVON board (yes, I still go there) over whether Julia Quinn should write a book about Violet Bridgerton, the matriarch of the Bridgerton clan. Many are begging Julia to write a book about the Bridgerton parents. I personally think they're nuts! For those of you unfamiliar with the saga, Violet and Edmund Bridgerton were a true love match. They had a zillion kids (whose love stories are all covered in the famed series). Unfortunately, Edmund, highly allergic to bees, is stung by a few one day and dies a very young death, leaving his wife heartbroken.

Oh, definitely, Julia...please write this story!!! I'm sure it would cheer me up, lighten up my senses, make me absolutely gush with pleasure. Julia Quinn once stated she would never write such a story, but who knows? She's already done this to please fans, which I don't quite understand.....or maybe I do? Ch...ching..ch...ching!

Hasta La Vista Avon

It's true...Lisa Kleypas has left Avon officially; her last book with Avon will be SCANDAL IN SPRING out this August. Ms. Kleypas has signed a contract with St. Martin's Press for three new Wallflower books. Nuts, huh? She left them after 17 years! At this point, I can't say I'm particularly upset...more like OVER THE MOON! Three more historicals....that's all I care about at this point.

Happy Mother's Day!!!

Absence Makes the Heart Grow...Forgetful

Today is my birthday...my 32nd! I feel good! I don't care for big birthday bashes, surprise parties and the like. I usually enjoy spending time with loved ones and relaxing (in between chocolate cake and ice cream binges). I try not to expect much from birthdays. They normally don't live up to any of my expectations. Why so negative? Well, when I turned 21, my "friends" decided to go dancing on my birthday. What's the problem with that? Well, they decided to go without me. To make a long story short: THEY FORGOT MY BIRTHDAY. I remember that as one of the worst birthdays ever!

From that day on, I learned not to expect people to remember my birthday. Despite this though, it still comes as a surprise when people don't. I'm always left hurt and disappointed, especially when those who forget are the people I would die for.

Today I am 32 and ALL my New York friends (I moved to NY when I was 23 and stayed there a bit more than 6 years) forgot my birthday. I'm pissed. Am I being a brat? Acting like a child? I am going to address this with all of them primarily because I know keeping my feelings in would ultimately just cause resentment (and this isn't just the b-day thing...there's more I can't really get into).

Whatever! Do they think I don't have a birthday? That I somehow escaped a little thing called AGING? Fucking idiots!

All my SF and LA buddies remembered...ALL OF THEM, but the NY ones are apparently too into themselves to even bother with such a trivial date! Now tell me...am I being irrational? How would you react to something like this? Just had to vent. I've been antiquing all day long and having a great time, but I've also been looking at the phone, wondering if perhaps I missed a call. How pathetic!

Now...be 100% honest...WHAT WOULD YOU DO???

The Elusive Romance Author

What's the deal with anonymous authors ripping readers a new one? If a reader has to fear getting verbally beat down each time they decide to express an honest opinion on a novel they've had the misfortune to read, then SERIOUSLY what's the point of reader message boards? Cranky Reader and Dear Author report on this very disturbing trend in romance message boards. Why not just censor everything and call it a day?

Oh...and ROMANCE AUTHOR, the poster at the center of this mess, readers are entitled to their own opinions! Don't bother frequenting a reader message board, if you're easily offended.

Lisa Kleypas Updates

A little birdie named Mailyn let me in on a little secret...well, not so little...

LISA KLEYPAS HAS FINALLY UPDATED HER WEBSITE. Yes, ladies. I honestly thought she would never do it. She's been so busy with her new contemporary and Cam Rohan's book (yes, it's a done deal...she's definitely writing it), that I thought we'd lost her. MAN FOR ALL SEASONS is a work in progress and, WOW, Cam sounds absolutely delicious. I'm very pleased with the excerpt she shares with fans...gosh, I can't wait for this book. St. Vincent from DEVIL IN WINTER seems to have a role in it. Gosh, can it get any better!?!? I am very excited.

Cam sounds as good as Sebastian St. Vincent and Derek Craven. Is this possible? Will Lisa create another hero guaranteed to make our hearts skip a beat?

One Sad Chick

Warning: the following post is not romance related. I need to vent. If you're depressed already or don't care to hear some other chick whine about life, then skip to the next post.


I've been gone for the last few days. Had to go to LA for a work related training class. Great fun! Who doesn't like being stuck in a class from 8 to 6:30 for two days straight learning about the exciting world of lease management and audits? I know you are all envious! Please refrain from hating me so.

I got back to San Francisco Tuesday night and was still suffering the effects of smog until this morning. Work was a nightmare. I couldn't get anything done. The weather outside - sunny and bright - was calling me to ditch work and play. Unfortunately, having accumulated mountains and mountains of files over the last few weeks, I wasn't able to even consider this wonderful proposal. Instead, I stayed in a flourescent lit, cold and stuffy office building, staring at the computer and hoping with all my might (the Lord forgive me for this) that a earthquake would hit and I would be "forced" to evacuate. Gosh, how desperate have I become?

I don't quite hate my job; as a matter of fact, I do enjoy working with leases. I enjoy my boss and I love my co-workers. Unfortunately, I feel like I have to leave all original thought at the security desk, each time I step inside my building...something akin to coat check. Some people check in their coats; I check in my thoughts. It's brutal, but some people enjoy that sort of brainless work. Personally, I like talking all the time while working, expressing my opinions. I'm not cut out for work that cuts you off from the rest of the world.

I've been whining about work for a bit. Lately, I've been taking work home with me. I think about it all the time. I stress about it and the fact that I might have to stay in late all of next week doesn't make it any better. I don't get paid enough for this, but I do feel fortunate to have a good job; I'm very lucky to have a boss who respects me and co-workers who, so far, don't backstab me or talk behind my back (again, as far as I know).

Due to my work schedule lately, I haven't had the energy to read anything of substance. All I've done is watch reality tv, namely THE AMAZING RACE and SURVIVOR. I love those shows and I admire the contestants for their ability to live fearlessly and risk it all. Each week, I live vicariously through these people. I wish I had their tenacity, their strength. Tomorrow is my birthday. I will be 32. I am rather pensive because of it. It happens every year. I can't honestly say I feel old because I don't. A lot is going on and I feel a bit empty inside. At 22, I had dreams of being a screen writer, dreams I gave up because of fear, dreams I still feel powerless to realize. Gosh, I just need to express myself right now. I know it's not too late to make my dreams come true but when you're trying to pay off more than a hundred thousand dollars in student loans...well, it sure feels that way. Sorry to depress anyone here, but I just have to let this out. Call me a whiner; call me a downer. I can't hold this in. I want to win the amazing race that is life, but sometimes I discover a hurdle and I just...FREEZE!

What happened to the ambitious 22 year old, the young woman who believed she could accomplish everything and anything she set her mind out to accomplish? I know she's still there...I really need to stop for a second and look for her. She so desperately wants out and I only hope I can one day free her.

Upcoming Book Covers

The cover for Shana Galen's August release was recently unveiled...I don't care for it much, but the author shows such great promise, that I cannot help but want to get the book.

According to Galen, "the book is NO MAN'S BRIDE, and it's the first in my new Misadventures in Matrimony series (releases at the end of August). The series is about 4 cousins and friends who, as little girls, vow never to marry. In this book, Quint, the hero, is a powerful member of Parliament. He is engaged to the heroine's younger sister, who he thinks is the perfect politician's wife. She's basically a spoiled brat. But before the wedding can happen, Catie (the heroine's father) decides his younger daughter can do better. He switches brides at the altar. That's where the fun begins. " What do you think of it?

I read the first of Enoch's series...didn't care for it much. Bought the second, which is still sitting in my TBR. I'll read it eventually. I have no clue what SOMETHING SINFUL is about, but since I'm a compulsive book buyer, I'll probably get it.

I recently read Cathy Maxwell's recent release IN BED WITH THE DUKE. All I'm going to say is that I didn't care for it much; the book was boring and I skimmed a great deal of it. I would not recommend it.

I'm going to LA on business for a few days, so I'll be away from my blog. Hopefully, the change in scenery will pump me up. I've been too zonked out to even think lately. Have a good weekend!!!

HIS MISTRESS BY MORNING

Elizabeth Boyle posted an excerpt to her August release HIS MISTRESS BY MORNING. The plot sounds great but the excerpt...confused me a bit...I wonder if this chick's being punk'd. I'll still buy the book. I'm curious as to how it'll all turn out. I'm not too sure about the cover...heroine's got body image issues or somethin'. She seems to be looking in the mirror and seeing herself as a bare chested dude with one shoulder....or maybe I need better glasses.

A Swift Kick in the Pants

I finished reading WHITNEY, MY LOVE last night. I had mixed feelings about the romance, deemed by many as groundbreaking. Reviews for the novels range anywhere from the “this was the best book evah” to the less sugary “this book sucked ass and the heroine was a moron.” I, for one, found the book very much deserving of the B grade given by AAR. However, I cannot honestly say that it was due to the heroine’s antics and initial hoydenish behavior. The hero provided much of the animosity and “argh” feelings that took control of me a couple of hundred pages before the conclusion (the book is a whopping 700 pages). I both loved and hated the romance. In the end, I would highly recommend the novel. The frustration the last 100 pages of the novel will cause you may lessen your overall enjoyment of the romance, but the love depicted in the preceding pages will make you willing to forgive the author for very nearly fucking up an almost perfect book.

Whitney Stone has been in love with Paul Sevarin since she was a child. At 15, her father sent her to France to live with her aunt and uncle in the hopes of them making a lady out of her AND to get this Paul chap out of her head and heart (I'm sugar coating here...the father is a real jerk to her, probably because she reminds him of his dead wife or something like that...I skimmed it a little, so I have no clue why he dislikes her). In Paris, Whitney flourishes and becomes the catch of Parisian society; she meets various gentlemen, among which the hot hot hot Nicholas DuVille (whom I hear has his own romance in an anthology, although dude deserves 700 pages more than Whitney, to be sure). She gets proposed to a great deal and even Nicky manages to fall in love, but Whitney’s thoughts and heart all belong to Paul Sevarin, whom she hopes to swindle into marrying her once she returns to England.

Anyhow, Clayton Westmoreland, the Duke of Claymore, meets Whitney during a masquerade ball and instantly is hit with a severe case of permanent arousal whenever she’s around. He must have her and decides to pay her father an astronomic sum for her hand, unbeknownst to dear Whitney (her father is broke and has lost all of Whitney's inheritance and dowry). When Whitney returns to England, Whitney manages to get Paul to propose to her. While this is all going on, Clayton, who pretends to be a mere neighbor, fondles her and kisses her every chance he gets. She’s totally lovin’ it, but she’s gotta marry Paul and show everyone who ever doubted she could get him to love her. Clayton knows about Whitney and Paul but hopes she’ll see reason. WRONG! When she tells her father of her intention to marry Paul, the shit hits the fan and he informs her of the marriage contract with Clayton. She’s furious and plots to elope with Paul…Paul, who is no where to be found. Paul who’s busy spending money he doesn’t have because he thinks Whitney is loaded. Fortune hunter anyone?

Anyhow, Whitney realizes what a jerk Paul is and ultimately is set to tell Clayton that she will marry him. Sounds simple? WRONG! Clayton is in London. Whitney goes there and figures she’ll surprise him and give him the good news. She realizes that she cares about him and that he cares about her. However, Clayton goes back early to see Whitney, not knowing she’s in London and hears from the entire village that Whitney and Paul are now engaged (a rumor spread by Paul’s mother and a bunch of other gossipmongers). He’s pissed. Not only that but some jealous twit who’s got the hots for Clayton insinuates that Whitney is a slut and has slept with both Paul AND Nicholas DuVille. He won’t believe this skank, right? AGAIN WRONG. He believes her, looks for Whitney in London, forces her to his house and proceeds to have sex with her…but oops, he soon learns that she’s a virgin. And while he’s thinking MY BAD, I AM SUCH A DOUCHE BAG, she’s apologizing to him because it’s her fault. Ultimately this is cleared up, they get married and all seems great, until Clayton believes that Whitney cheated on him and doesn’t love him. This gets cleared up soon enough, with Whitney apologizing to him again and Clayton feeling like shit over it and promising never to do it again.

Whatever, dude! Clayton is a total asshole to this woman, who I felt really sorry for. Here is a maybe 20 year old girl who is now pregnant and accused of sleeping around, when it’s obvious she’s not and she loves no one but Clayton. She’s also the same woman this retard almost raped (I hear the previous edition has him actually rape her) simply because he’s insecure and has issues. I felt sorry for Whitney and for myself because I had to witness this once spunky woman undergo a lobotomy at the hands of a man with ½ a ball.

The book started off with such a bang, too! Whitney had such fire, such a lust for life and then, once she married her fool, she turned into a sappy apologetic old woman with a severe case of Battered Wife Syndrome. Each time Clayton promised to cease his infuriating accusations and be good the next time, Whitney would apologize to him and say it was not his fault…it was hers, all hers! Whaaaaaaaaaaaat? Is she kidding? The last 100 pages or so were the saddest I’ve ever read. I could totally picture this as a Lifetime movie starring Valerie Bertinelli and that Italian guy from Dallas. I was appalled!

However, I didn’t hate the book. As much as Clayton’s jumping to conclusions frustrated me, I didn’t completely hate him. WHITNEY, MY LOVE was a purely enjoyable experience for 550 pages or so. McNaught should have ended the novel then and there. The continued misunderstandings and jealous rages of Clayton really tired me after a while and I started believing that if the book were 900 pages, instead of 700, he would continue to accuse his wife of cheating on him, possibly even with his brother.

The characters are not perfect and that’s what stands out. Perhaps this is even why the novel garnishes so much praise. As you read, you realize that Clayton is not at all the perfect arrogant duke of the early pages; he’s insecure and so afraid of losing Whitney, that he constantly puts his foot in his mouth. He loves Whitney with an intensity that is almost obsessive. As much as you want to hate him for his treatment of her, you can’t. At least, I couldn’t…not completely.

Whitney is a brat in the first pages of the novel, but she is also very young. As the novel develops, so does Whitney, growing up and becoming more and more a woman. Whitney's love for Clayton and need for his acceptance push her to constantly cover for him and blame herself each time he is unhappy. (I was surprised McNaught never completely covered why both characters acted the way they did…normally there’s always an explanation that follows). In modern times, all these two would need are a few therapy sessions to deal with their inner child and some couples counseling.

Clayton was depicted as the biggest jerk on the face of the earth. I did want Whitney to make Clayton grovel a lot more....a whole lot more...hey, maybe even dump his ass and make him suffer ON HER TERMS. There was none of that here. No revenge plots...no attempts to make him jealous. Nothing! It hurt me to see her apologize for his psychotic ramblings and accusations of adultery. If I had the ability to change anything about the book it would be having Whitney kick poor little Clayton in the balls with her Doc Martens!

In the end, despite all this, I would recommend WHITNEY, MY LOVE.

Shocking, huh?

A Chance Encounter

I was very close to leaving my favorite UBS today. I had purchased several books, wanted to leave and enjoy the good weather. The owner (who absolutely loves me, by the way), before I left, mentioned an old Jane Feather classic she was sure I would love: THE WIDOW'S KISS. I told her about my experience with ALMOST A BRIDE (bad...really bad) and with VICE (very very good). She told me she'd let me borrow the book, so I walked back to the romance section and scanned the Feather books. The book wasn't there, so I began to walk towards the exit when, out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of heaven: Lorraine Heath's TEXAS SPLENDOR. Finally, after rummaging through a dozen dusty bookstores in the hopes of not having to spend an arm and a leg for the old classic, I found it! I now have all three TEXAS books and can now discover why Kristie and so many others shy away from Heath's new novels. I am beyond excited. Oh...one more thing...the book cost me only...drum roll...drum roll...$3.00!!! Yes, I kid you not. This UBS is a gold mine.

What else did I buy?

Deborah Martin's (aka Sabrina Jeffries) BY LOVE UNVEILED

Porter's THE SEDUCER - I hate the cover, but the story seems promising.

I've never heard of Patricia Waddell. I grabbed this one by chance. TBR bound, of course. I have too many books to read. The amazon reviews are good, but I learned the hard way not to trust them. Time will tell.
Supposedly, Hern's book is quite dark. It's supposed to be really good; has won awards and all. I hate the cover, to be honest. It's ridiculous! Love how it's winter, snow's everywhere, probably below zero AND the hero and heroine are both half naked. Me thinks they're frozen to the ground. What a bunch of idiots! I do look forward to the story though. I'll just have to picture Gerard Butler and a brunette (i.e. myself) during those love scenes. LOL.

Organizing Books

My TBR books are in a big yellow Target storage bin. Unfortunately, it's not big enough. I have other books in a drawer, which is also not big enough. I need a room dedicated to only TBR romance novels. It's gotten so bad and it's about to get worse. I'm going to do some heavy book shopping today. I really need to cool it, but books are better than drugs and alcohol, right?

My read books are in my new library (it was originally a dining room), locked in a beautiful built-in glass cabinet. My apartment is in an older type building. I have no idea how old it is, but I'm hoping it'll one day survive THE BIG ONE San Franciscans have been waiting for for decades. I turned my dining room into a library for hardcover classics and historical biographies. What else is a book lover to do?

Where are all your books, both TBR and already read? Do you sell them back immediately and only keep a chosen few or do you keep them forever, just in case the author decides to write a sequel? I'm a bit of a pack rat. I'm trying to change, but it's impossible when it comes to books. I'll buy books I won't even read, only because I want it in my future two floor library. Romance novels I can't get rid of at all, unless I'm forced to destroy it and the memory of having read it because it stunk so bad.

I have to start organizing my romance novels...a good way to say is this new feature I discovered today on Sybil's blog. Don't know how long it's been up, but it looks awesome. Check it out here.

The Unloved Whitney

At lunch, eating a Moroccan Eggplant dish I got at the health food store yesterday..not bad, but not as good as I expected either. I've been really out of the loop lately...overworked beyond belief and tired. I also just realized that I own none of the books on my April Wish list and it's almost May, so I need to decide what other books coming out I MUST BUY! Decisions decisions...

I did, however, purchase McNaught's WHITNEY, MY LOVE, apparently a re-release. So, if you've never read this book and want to know what the hype is all about, get thee to a book store. If you can't find it, don't be discouraged. The official re-release date is May 2006. I've heard so many opinions...some hate it, others love it. I'll get around to reading it soon...hopefully! Anyone else want to discourage me? So far, the owner of my fave UBS has told me to skip it; the ladies of Sanctuary's Finest tell me to not even go there. If so many hate this book (and the heroine), why is it considered one of the best romances of recent years?

A Kingdom of Nightmares

Thank you to those of you who advised me not to read Judith McNaught's A KINGDOM OF DREAMS. You said I would hate the heroine; you said I would nearly pull my hair out in frustration. Unfortunately, I did not listen to you. I read A KINGDOM OF DREAMS. I hated the heroine; pulled all my hair out. I kept on putting the book down; I skimmed.

I loved the hero, but the heroine's treatment of him really turned me off. If you're looking for a heroine who will stand by her man, this is not the book. If you're, however, looking for a heroine who will try to stab the hero, make him feel guilty for killing another in self defense, tell him she hates him even though she clearly loves him, makes a fool out of him in front of his people, then BE MY GUEST, read this book.

Had the heroine displayed a bit more back bone with her family, instead of merely having cajones with the hero, I would have loved the book. However, due to the fact that she was blind to her family's faults, allowed them to use her for their own gain and caused trouble for the hero every chance she had, I cannot honestly say I would ever read this book again.

The fact that the heroine didn't grovel enough after nearly getting the hero killed with her psychotic antics forces me to throw the book in the TO BE SHREDDED AND BURNED PILE.

For Judith Ivory Fans

News on Judith Ivory's November release - According to AAR, "Angel in a Red Dress (October 1) is essentially a reprint of Starlit Surrender, the author's first book. Ms. Ivory says that she had the opportunity to rewrite the first pages and she's quite happy with them."

Cool! I've never read that one before. Love Judith Ivory. Cannot wait for this one, but wait...I guess it's not a new release...what happened to the new series she started writing a couple of years ago? Don't ask anyone at Avon. No one has a clue!

Apparently, Ivory wanted to rewrite this story a few years ago, but Avon wouldn't let her. Check out this discussion board tidbit with Ivory responding to writer Katy Cooper's questions and comments about the novel back in 2002. Nice to know patience does indeed pay off!

The story is about Christina Pinn and Adrien Hunt, Earl of Kewischester. The hero is a libertine who's slept with every female in sight. The heroine tries to fight the attraction because she fears getting hurt, but it's a lost cause. I can't find much else about the plot. It's an older Ivory that I'm sure most of you have read. Unfortunately, I haven't.

For Ivory fans, check out this cool article I found on AAR. Contains some information on Starlit Surrender.

And Another One..Another One..Another Bites the Dust...

Connie Brockway's leaving historicals to write contemporaries? When did this happen? Why am I always the last one to know? Brockway's website says zilch about anything these days except mention previous books and that horrendous WEDDING DRESS anthology (ok...not completely horrendous...I did enjoy Nicola Cornick's short story). I'm beyond upset. Brockway's AS YOU DESIRE gave me goose bumps, it was so good.

Book will be out this November. I'm not too sure what the plot is. Judging from the cover, I bet it's about a twenty-something New Yorker who likes to shop and have sex ala Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City. I'll need more info before I decide whether to buy or diss.

Fantastic...another one bites the dust!

Aroused or Constipated?

I don't normally have issues with book covers, but the cover Heath posted for her new book A DUKE OF HER OWN made me throw up in my mouth a little bit. I don't understand it. The hero looks constipated and the heroine...well, she looks like she's trying to stick something up his butt to ease his pain. I'll still buy the book, but I see how the cover could turn someone off it.

Heathitis, You Say? Is it Fatal?

Heathitis: a condition in which readers are unable to settle for mediocrity, once presented with perfection.

People presented with the extraordinary can never settle for the ordinary. Readers of Lorraine Heath and Julia Quinn can probably relate to this.

If I had a penny for every time I've heard that Lorraine Heath's recent books, compared to her older Westerns, SUCK, I'd be a very rich woman. Unfortunately, having started reading Heath only a couple of years ago, I have no concept of what I've missed. I don't find her novels set in Victorian England all that bad. A MATTER OF TEMPTATION was a stinker, in my opinion, but I'm fine with the rest of them. In fact the Victorian novels were the ones that put Heath on my auto-buy list. Can she get any better? I never thought it was possible, but lately, more and more, I'm being told differently. Fans of Heath today are saddened by what they claim is the loss of a great talent. Lorraine Heath may be alive and well, but her talent, as demonstrated by her Victorian England set novels, is long gone, or at least, terribly misplaced. So I'm told...you see, I loved PROMISE ME FOREVER; loved AS AN EARL DESIRES; even loved AN INVITATION TO SEDUCTION, my very first Heath book. Fans of Heath's earlier works tell me I'm nuts, that I would think differently if I had read the early books. Are they right? Perhaps...you see I might be experiencing the same with Julia Quinn.

I love Julia Quinn's books...love love love them...or at least, I loved them up until she published WHEN HE WAS WICKED. The book was so so, but it was mostly because the heroine, part of the Bridgerton clan, was never fully introduced in previous Bridgerton books and I never really cared much for her. When IT'S IN HIS KISS came out, I knew something was terribly wrong. The book lacked the luster of THE DUKE AND I and THE VISCOUNT WHO LOVED ME. I kept on hearing that IT'S IN HIS KISS was amazing, a masterpiece...the best book EVAH and I thought "Did I buy a different edition of the book?" I thought the book lacked a love story and was honestly irritated with Gareth, the hero, someone I believed too immature and hormone driven for a Bridgerton. And Hyacinth, the heroine with so much potential for a truly hilarious and amazing story? Bleh! She stunk and was not depicted as the strong minded, humorous hoyden we were made to believe she was OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN in past Bridgerton novels. What happened? Well, I soon realized the gushing and awing for IT'S IN HIS KISS came mostly from readers who had not read Quinn's earlier Bridgerton books, so they had nothing to really compare the story to. Perhaps, if they had read THE VISCOUNT, their gushes would be more like laments and their awes would be more out of pain.

For readers who have not been presented with the extraordinary, it's quite easy to settle. Maybe this is why Heath fans cannot stomach her recent works and I can. Maybe this is why I cannot stomach Quinn's recent works and others can. I don't know...I guess I won't know until I read an older Heath novel. At this point, I can't see what all the fuss is about...I am curious though. The beauty of Heath's westerns is legendary and I can only hope to experience it soon and hope, if it's all it's cracked up to be, that it resurfaces once again. Until then, I can only speculate as to why Heath fans are so upset that Rawley Cooper will not get a novel anytime soon.

Some Heroines Just Deserve a Good One...

A good beating, that is...

What is about heroines who feel the need to destroy the men they "love." I don't understand it.

Ladies, meet Sarah Van Horne, the heroine from Debra Dier's DECEPTIONS AND DREAMS. I recently discovered Dier's works and have enjoyed them immensely ... until now. Maybe it's because Sarah Van Horne has no self esteem, allows her little sister and stepmother to treat her like shit, yell at her, call her a slut and literally push her down the stairs. Hmmm...or perhaps it may be because she finds an amazing man who can't get enough of her, professes his love for her, proposes, marries her, makes sweet and passionate love to her and THEN allows her brother (who is a psychopath and murderer) to convince her in less than two seconds that the hero doesn't love her. You think that's it? Nope, not enough...not even close. Sarah's a kinky one; at her brother's orders, she ties the hero up, stuffs a sock (or cravat) in his mouth and who knows what else would have happened had the hero not freed himself. Nice job, Sarah! Real sweet!

You would think once this dimwitted beeyotch realizes that her brother is a lying piece of shit, she would come crawling on her hands and knees. Well, she does...for about a second. You see, once the hero tells her to get lost and that maybe they shouldn't have gotten married in the first place because she doesn't trust him to even put a pair of shoes on, she verbally assaults him, tells him he doesn't really love her and then goes nuts with the leave me alone and I'm going and you don't care and blah blah blah blah blah. Fuckin' idiot! I'm going nuts here. Do authors give us no credit at all? Why do some heroines make love so complicated. The man loves you, ya moron! Take it and run! Don't question it. HE. LOVES. YOU. Gosh, the heroine from Balogh's SILENT MELODY didn't have this much trouble hearing the news.

Another clear winner in this little game called love is Miranda Mabberly (one of the worst last names to grace a romance novel EVAH), the heroine of Elizabeth Boyle's THIS RAKE OF MINE. I generally enjoy Boyle's novels. SOMETHING ABOUT EMMALINE brought me many hours of enjoyment last year. I was looking forward to reading THIS RAKE and finally when I bought it, I quickly began devouring it...and soon suffered a severe case of indigestion. How does Miranda reward her hero's pronouncement of love? The answer is simple! Like any woman in love, she accuses him of murder and proceeds to call the authorities so he can be hanged. Nothing says true love like a hanger's noose (well, maybe in some circles it does...)!

Why can't heroines just accept that the men in their lives love them? I realize that sometimes even I am skeptical of a man's love, after been hurt so much in the past, but I've got to draw the line somewhere. If a guy were to announce to the world that he loved me and then, to prove it, risked his life for me and clearly demonstrated his love in a million and one ways, I'd shut him up with a kiss (or two or three...) and lock myself in a room with him for weeks. These ridiculous women are rejecting their men left and right and the men...THEY TAKE IT!

I want a hero who will not take it any longer! I want to see heroines get their comeuppance NOW! I want heroes that make their women beg for forgiveness if they dare pull stunts like this. I'm sick of the whole DON'T CRY, LOVE! YOU HAD JEAN-CLAUDE BEAT ME UP FOR LIKE THREE HOURS WITH A NAIL RIDDEN PIECE OF WOOD, BUT THAT'S OK. FORGIVE ME AND LOVE ME FOR HOURS speech heroes make. The woman doubted you, possibly ran away with your unborn child (this is another plot I just looooooooooove) and all you can do is hug her, forgive and forget? Is something wrong with this picture? Whatever happened to some good old telenovelas attitude? How about some MARIA, NO TE QUIERO (ok...my Spanish is kinda rusty, so I apologize).

I'm not saying the hero should beat the heroine to a bloody pulp (although some sure deserve it). I don't condone violence against women. All I'm asking is that the hero give her about two chapters of uncertainty; let the hero get engaged to some other woman even. We see this all the time whenever the hero screws up. Authors..please..give us something. I'm begging. I'm just asking for two or three chapters, instead of two or three paragraphs (if I'm lucky). I mean...are there NO books in which women are given a hard time?

Romance novels are written for a female market, but give women a bit of credit. We're not stupid and we don't want amazing men getting emotionally beat up by women who don't even deserve to walk next to them. It's upsetting!

I promise you I will burn the next book with such a heroine.

Back from the UBS...

Danelle Harmon

• The Wild One
• The Defiant One
• The Beloved One
• The Wicked One

Katherine Sutcliffe

• My Only Love

Mary Balogh

• Unforgiven

Samantha James

• Outlaw Heart

Lorraine Heath

• The Ladies Man

Teresa Medeiros

• A Kiss To Remember

They're mine...all mine. Oh, happy day!!!

Billy Hufsey? Is That You?

AAR's recent segment of THE BACK FENCE asked a few great questions which, strangely enough, I've been pondering for quite some time.

1. Have you re-read a book you didn’t care for? What was your experience? A Summer to Remember by Mary Balogh. I hated the heroine the first time I read it; thought she was snotty and annoying. I seriously thought the hero was playing her; there was no way, in my mind, that anyone as hot and magnetic as him could want a woman like her. She bored me to death and the sex scenes did zilch for me. My fellow Balogh loving friend loved the book; others thought it one of Balogh's best. Where had I gone wrong? I asked myself. So, a year later, I reread it and was glad I did. I now consider it one of the best Balogh books out there. A DO NOT MISS!!!

2. Are you predisposed to like books more from your favorite authors or do you find you are more critical if they fall short? Hmmm...honestly, I'm not sure. I tend to be critical of anyone AND anything that doesn't meet my expectations.

3. How have your romance reading tastes changed? I used to read only contemporaries by Harlequin. Charlotte Lamb was my favorite writer. I loved her Barbary Wharf series books. With the years, I felt more and more like I was living in the wrong era. I adored English literature and history and soon became caught up in romances based in the regency and Victorian age. I still have trouble going back to contemporaries. I'm too obsessed with aristocratic families and the Brits...if only I could get that time machine to work....

4. What is your experience with re-reading your favorite books? Do they usually perform for you again or do they fall short of their favored status? I reread Balogh's MORE THAN A MISTRESS and Foley's THE DUKE a couple of weeks ago. I loved them more than the first time I read them. There's no mistaking why fans love these books so much. The emotion and passion between the characters took my breath away...and the sex described ... wow wow and wow!!! I don't think I'll ever tire of reading these books. They simply melt me!

5. Must you cast your characters visually? Does it ever backfire on you? I always picture Gerard Butler when reading a romance novel, even if the hero happens to be blonde. I cannot help it. Gerard is the sexiest piece of British booty I've ever seen. Why shouldn't I picture him? As for the heroine? I tend to always picture a red head or brunette...weird, I know. Maybe it's the fact that I'm a brunette. I don't know. Perhaps I'm subconsciously picturing someone who closely resembles myself. Has this ever backfired? Well, once I bought a book whose cover had a woman who looked very much like an ex friend of mine. That ruined it big time! The hero wasn't any better. He looked like that guy with frizzy hair on the 80's hit show FAME! Nastiness! I struggled throughout the book and eventually had to put it away.

6. Are you able to accept less favorable plots elements if you have been forewarned? Depends on what the "less favorable" plot is. I won't read anything in which the hero cheats on the heroine AFTER they get together. I don't think any warning would make me accept such a novel. If I wanted to read non-fiction, I certainly wouldn't be roaming the romance section!

7. Do you believe mood shifts affect your reading enjoyment or make you less/more tolerant of undesirable plot elements? Without a doubt. Sometimes I think a major mood swing was probably the cause of my initial hatred for Balogh's SUMMER TO REMEMBER.

So...have you had similar experiences?

Brotherly Love

Nothing says romance like a good dose of incest.

Imagine stumbling upon a book in which the hero returns home after a few years. He soon discovers that his estranged SISTER is not really his sister. He sees her from afar and is immediately hot for her. He wants her; she wants him. I'm sure they do it eventually. I don't know exactly. The back blurb was enough to make me sick.

Unfortunately, I can't remember the name of the book. Can't remember the author's last name either. All I recall is her first name...Gail. I hope I misread the back blurb. I reread it a few times. Couldn't believe my eyes. How can anyone find a romance like that sexy? Is it even a romance? I know the characters aren't technically related but if you grow up believing someone is your brother, how can you even think about having sex with him, once you discover he's not? Sick!

Thank you, Mailyn!

Ok...first of all, sorry for the above picture. I was desperately looking for a good celebrity clapping picture and all I could find was Michael Jackson. This was back when he was normal.

In any case, as you all can see, I have a new template. Mailyn from IMAGINARY ORIGIN is the creator; she totally rocks. If you have not read her blog, please DO SO NOW!!! Mailyn's blog is original, funny, definitely kick-ass, if I may say so myself. She's also a great gal! You'd be foolish not to check out her blog! Do it TODAY!!!

Not Diered Yet

I discovered Debra Dier a couple of weeks ago and last weekend managed to find more of her books. I love her writing. She's a cross between Lisa Kleypas and possibly...I don't know...Liz Carlyle, maybe. I recommend her books. I've read three already and I've really enjoyed them. Can't find anything about her though. It's frustrating because I hate to discover an author and then realize they've stopped writing or have fallen off the face of the earth. Dier's last work was in 2002.

Read Anne Stuart's THE DEVIL'S WALTZ. Loved it and highly recommend it. The hero was a real rake, real scum of the earth; he needs money and tries to ruin the heroine's charge so he can obtain it. Of course, he ends up becoming obsessed with the very proper heroine who tries to fight the attraction as much as possible. It was my first Stuart and I'm looking forward to reading more.

Tracy Anne Warren's THE HUSBAND TRAP received a B review on AAR. I read the book a couple of weeks ago and enjoyed it. The review is pretty accurate. Definitely try this one out!

You Kudo Mine, I Kudo Yours

I feel like I have to vent a little more about what happened recently on the Avon Board, primarily because it all started with a simple posting by yours truly.

Sybil has very eloquently depicted the snarkfest that hit the Avon message boards yesterday. I myself am still in a state of utter disbelief (yeah, right) as to why anyone would attack another poster for expressing their own opinions. Message boards are communities in which posters are supposed to feel comfortable asking questions, giving opinions, being themselves. No one ever said the opinions have to be well-liked or conform with the norm. Or did they and I wasn’t informed? I am still new at the message board thing, so anything is possible. I’m learning though…quickly!

Avon Authors is a forum paid for by authors associated with Harper Collins Publishing Company (a.k.a. Avon), in which authors get in touch with fans, inform them of upcoming releases and gain insight into what a reader likes and dislikes.

I started posting on the board a little bit more than a year ago. I enjoyed getting advice from fellow fans on what books to read and what to avoid. It saved me time and money and I appreciated it greatly. Sometimes discussions would ensue on controversial topics, such as what turns you off a romance novel, an author and the like. Each time, at least one poster would come out, appalled that anyone would dare not like a book by one of the avon authors. I’m not surprised when people get defensive about their favorite writers; I am surprised though when these same people lash out and viciously attack other posters.

The post started like any other. A reader wanted to know if anyone could name any books or authors they didn’t like. Ok…ok…maybe the post wasn’t phrased in the most positive of ways. I admit…perhaps it did welcome exclusively negative views, but the posts following this didn’t quite fall under the definition of bashing, in my opinion. Posters gave a few names of books they didn’t care for. I threw in my two cents, mentioned Stephanie Laurens’ PROMISE IN A KISS because of the adultery issue I couldn’t get over and that was that. Or was it? A poster claiming to be the voice of reason came on and condescendingly told everyone to cool it (big big paraphrasing here). I didn’t think anyone was doing anything wrong. No one ON THE BOARD was saying anything derogatory or vulgar. Books were mentioned. Ok…I can see how an author could get offended, but I thought (maybe erroneously) that such discussion was also welcome, if done tactfully. I posted again; stated no one was trying to offend any of the authors; merely wanted to discuss books they didn’t care for and the like. Mayhem soon followed. The poster, apparently a reader of my blog since last July, proceeded to rip me a new one, stating that “that's NOT the sentiment you've been sprouting quite vulgarly, callously, ruthlessly and vociferously about Avon, it's authors and their books for the last 9 months. Your motto is "How Avon Publishing is slowly destroying the romance genre....help me in my quest to expose them!" but, I'm not going to tell people the name of your blog, they'll have to figure it out for themselves.” Which begs the question, if said reader was so offended by my alleged vulgarity, why was she reading my blog for 9 months straight?

Her post misrepresented my blog in so many ways; she seemed to almost thrive on “outing” my identity, like some sort of Enron whistleblower, as if I were trying to hide it. The blog is public. I’m not ashamed of my opinions. I write what I feel about books I’ve read. Some are good; others aren’t (and honestly recently I’ve been reading some pretty good ones). Anyone who’s ever read my blog should know by now that, as much as I say I HATE AVON, I spend more money on books by Avon authors than most people I know. Obviously, people with a sense of humor would see the humor in that and just chuckle. I know I do.

Poster continued with “Grumpy (that’s me on Avon Board) also says "These are only books, after all...not life or death situations that we can't get out of…" Just who are you trying to convince with this statement ~ YOURSELF? Anyone who reads your blog for 5 min. can figure out you have a Lisa Kleypas fixation and are sadly in need of a reality check!!!"

I found it very interesting that someone who called my blogging callous and ruthless would then proceed to fling poison at me (pot calling kettle black?). The comments above hurt my feelings (that time of the moment, you know…very sensitive lately) and shocked me because I didn’t do anything to deserve them, expect state my opinion. What amused me though was that the poster, with a couple of words, (LISA KLEYPAS FIXATION) managed to insult pretty much everyone on the board (don’t we all have a favorite writer? Aren’t we all fixated on romance novels?).

Am I in need of a reality check? I don’t think so…I think I’ve received enough in the last few years to keep me sitting still for a while.

My blog is my own, a venting tool and a way to connect with fellow romance lovers in the world. I’m not going to apologize for anything I’m said in it. I won’t like every single romance novel and, if I don’t, I’ll tell you so.

I want to say more…vent a little more, but it’s a done issue. Why am I telling you all this? Again I NEED TO VENT SOME MORE (been doing it a lot), want to understand what the hell happened the other day, and, since the poster made it SO DIFFICULT (sarcasm) to find my blog, I want Avon message board posters to hear my side and get the truth (not the distorted BS the poster was spewing) about my blog. Also, I want to express other frustrations…

What happened after the fiasco? The event forced the site administrators to set guidelines for posting. Initially, it sounded like negative comments were not acceptable because the site was created to promote, not diss, authors. Now they’re saying, negative reviews can be posted but only if they don’t encourage negativity and author bashing. What defines bashing? That’s another issue altogether…Ok…

Honestly, no matter what they say, the Avon Board will no longer be a place where readers, fans, posters go to express their true and honest feelings about a book they’ve read. No post will reflect an honest review of a novel. Be prepared for the big kudo party. If you’re not willing to bring in kudos only, then be prepared to have 1) your posts maliciously attacked eventually by a holier than thou poster or 2) the post immediately deleted by the site administrator, if it ignites another poster’s ire.

They can say whatever they want on that board, that no one is saying that negative reviews aren’t welcome, that they merely have to be phrased in a way that doesn’t invite negativity or bashing…whatever. Say what you will…no one is going to feel comfortable saying anything that remotely sounds like a set down. I myself will only go to check on excerpts, new releases and to occasionally ask an author questions. I don’t mind giving an author a kudo. I do plenty of it on my blog and when I post. I will continue to do it, but I’m not fooling myself. If I want to comment on something that bothered me about an author’s book, I’ll think not twice but five times the next time.

The Avon board is not what it used to be. A board in which adults cannot have free discussion about books read is just plain sad. Welcome to the RA RA RA board!

AUTUMN IN SCOTLAND

Info on Karen Ranney's new book out in December - AUTUMN IN SCOTLAND.

More Shopping and New Author Discovery

Purchased two books by DEBRA DIER over the weekend. The first is SAINT'S TEMPTATION. Ok...I'm not going to lie. The cover IS NOT what made me buy the book...the plot did. I love reading about heroes abandoned by women they pine for years over. Just love it..especially when they meet them again years later and discover the love never died. Gosh, can't wait to read it. The guy on the cover is a Fabio wannabe. Makes me ill. I'll have to picture Gerard Butler for this one.

Second book is DEVIL'S HONOR. Just started this one. Quite good. I think I've discovered a new author to obsess over. Poor me! Guardian/Ward story...something I normally am not too keen on, but the hero is a rake with a sense of humor and that gets me every time. Let's just hope the heroine isn't a moron.

Favorite Kleypas Heroes

Derek Craven - DREAMING OF YOU

Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent
DEVIL IN WINTER

To Diss or Not to Diss

Kathryn Smith's new book, out in July, sounds promising. I'm looking forward to it. Honestly though, it sounds like the heroine's going to bite the dust. I may be wrong. Read the excerpt. What do you think?

Big debate going on the Avon board as to whether board members should be allowed to openly "diss" an Avon author's work on the board itself. I think it's acceptable, as long as it's done tactfully. Others don't agree. Whatever...I had to throw in my two cents about Stephanie Laurens and how much PROMISE IN A KISS (or whatever it's called) sucked (I didn't say it exactly like that, of course). I don't hate the woman. Gosh, how could I? One, I don't even know her. Two, she wrote SCANDAL'S BRIDE, one of my favorite romance novels. The woman has some obvious talent...talent which, as of late, has been seriously untapped. Therein lies my disappointment and constant frustration with her (usually expressed by DON'T READ LAURENS rants). Why can't a reader express their opinion about an author's book? Why must all the reviews be glowing? Shouldn't the author want some constructive criticism? Wouldn't they want to know what it is about their books that makes readers cringe, as well as what elements make one sign in ecstasy? Beats me. Seriously, though..some on that board need to take a chill pill. I admire the woman who started the post. She had obviously just finished reading a few flops and needed to let it all out. Nice to know you can do that on the Avon board without getting attacked (add sarcastic snicker).

Discovered a new author by chance on Friday. Walked over to Stacey's, a small bookstore near work and noticed a copy of Tracy Anne Warren's THE HUSBAND TRAP. Bought it, of course (duh!). What? Did anyone honestly think I would abide by my earlier promises to hold off my book buying excursions? Yeah, right! Never gonna happen. I proudly give up. I'll cut down on some other expense if I want to afford going away somewhere this year. I read the book and enjoyed it. What I loved: the storyline. Something about twins switching roles...never read anything of the sort. I thought it would prove frustrating initially, I must confess. Believed I would be confronted by all sorts of silly misunderstandings. Miraculously, none of this occurred and I enjoyed myself thoroughly. What I hated about the book: the heroine's sister, who apparently will get her own book at the end of the month. She was the most obnoxious self-centered twirp. I wanted the heroine or even the hero to beat her down and shave her head. I cannot imagine how Warren will redeem her. She was vile! I'll be getting the book, so I'll be sure to let you all know.

Read McNaught's ONCE AND ALWAYS. I loved it. Loved the hero, despite some pretty detestable behavior on his part. One love scene, the first one, was particularly controversial. The author explained it away well enough to get me over it though. Judith McNaught has proven herself a KEEPER. So far, I've enjoyed all the books I've read by her. Of course, I've only read three, but still. That's pretty good! I must get WHITNEY, MY LOVE now though. The book has received some mixed reviews. Some find the heroine obnoxious and too much of a whiner! Hmmm...I hope she's not that much of a whiner! Moronic heroines tend to always ruin novels for me.

Re-read Foley's THE DUKE the other day. There's nothing like re-reading an old favorite. The book always make me smile and wish I were the heroine. If you haven't read it, please go out and get yourself a copy. It's one of the best novels I've ever read. Such romance, such emotion, such humorous and intelligent dialogue, passion...oh, gosh...ladies WHAT MORE COULD YOU ASK FOR?

I'm at my parents' for the weekend. My mom had an operation on Thursday and I'm sorta helping out (my mom is one of those women who can't sit still). Folks' computer is ready to crash at any minute. I'm surprised I'm able to blog. It's pretty bad. Pop-ups and firewall crap appearing every five seconds. Might have to take the modem over to Best Buy and get it checked out. My little sister tends to download everything in site. Who knows what's on this thing now?! It's very frustrating.