Romance Around the Corner

Early Reviews: Love'em or Hate'em?

2012-05-31T06:00:00.000-04:00

...but I didn't have anything better to use for this post. (Source)

Note: this post has way too many footnotes, I don’t know what happened (1).

Early reviews are my biggest pet peeve (2). One of the reasons I read book blogs is to find new stories and authors. My book buying habits are quite random, some books I buy after reading just one review or the blurb, others I buy after reading tons of reviews and lots of second-guessing. I’ve bought books just based on one person tweeting about it (3); I’ve had books sitting on my wish list for years. But in general I am an impulsive buyer. That’s why when I read an awesome review I want to be able to get the book immediately. So it’s no wonder that I hate early reviews.

If reviews are for readers, why talk about books readers can’t get? Is it because authors and publishers ask for them when they send the ARCs (Advance Reading Copy)? This has never happened to me (4) but I can see how early reviews can be good from the authors and publishers’ perspective. So even if I don’t like reading early reviews, I don’t think it’s wrong when blogs do it. Unless they post reviews more than three months in advance, then I’m just dumbfounded. What’s the point? Even if it sounds like a good book, chances are I will forget it, and if it’s a truly remarkable story, having to wait won’t make me happy.

Maybe a blogger has the opportunity to read a truly remarkable book and wants to let everyone know about it so they can get it on release day, preorder it, etc. I think that’s a perfectly valid reason. But when I keep seeing early positive reviews, I wonder if there are other motivations behind it. If the review is there for reasons beyond informing readers and book discussion, then it makes me question the blog’s intentions and weary of those reviews (unless the blog has a policy of only reviewing books they like, hence the positive reviews). If early reviews are there to share the blogger’s excitement (or disappointment) regarding a book, then I’m fine with it. But if that review is there to serve a different purpose, things become muddy. Publishers and authors may request the review to be posted earlier (though I would expect this to be more of a suggestion than an imposition), but if this becomes a recurrent practice it would appear that the reviews are aimed towards authors and publishers instead of readers. And that is just plain wrong, needless to say, reviewers do not work for publishers and/or authors.

Part of our review policy is that we do not post reviews before release day. I admit that at times I want to talk about a book so badly I even feel like writing an early review. I might talk about it on twitter, but I usually refrain from doing it. I no longer participate on the Waiting on Wednesday meme because it was torture. A pile of great books that I have to wait for, frustration at its worst.

Having said that, there’s one instance in which I look forward to reading early reviews: sequels and series. I want to know everything there’s to know about the upcoming book without spoiling the plot (5). I want to know if other fans liked it or not and why, I want to talk about the book and the series as a whole. I figure that since I’m already jonesing for the book, the early reviews won’t make me crave it even more (6).

I would like to hear your opinion on the subject as a reader, but also as a blogger (in case you are one). Do you like early reviews? Do you hate them? If you’re a blogger, do you post early reviews? Have you received positive feedback regarding them?

I’m adding a poll (7) so we can vote on it. I’m really curious to see the results so vote and let me know your thoughts on the comments.

(1) Maybe they got wet and started multiplying.

(2) Lie: my biggest pet peeve is noisy eaters.

(3) My credit card hates Twitter.

(4) Confession time: I’ve only once requested a book from a publisher, and they only give review copies after release day, so no problem with early reviews there.

(5) Lie: I love spoilers! I seek them, read them, and then hate them for spoiling the book for me (it’s a disease).

(6) Lie: of course I crave it more after reading the review!

(7) Yep, this whole post was just an excuse to test the widget.

Interview: Tamara Morgan

2012-05-30T06:00:00.000-04:00

Is it possible to mix Contemporary Romance, Historical Romance and Romantic Comedy? If you answer is no, then you haven’t read Tamara Morgan’s books, because that’s exactly what she does. Have I piqued your curiosity? Then stick around to find out more about this wonderful author, her books and for some of the funniest limericks you will ever read!

Welcome to Romance Around the Corner, Tamara! Thank you so much for joining us, we are very happy to have you here today.

TM. Thanks for having me! I love getting the chance to interact with readers and book bloggers on their home turf.

Q. For all our readers who may not be familiar with you, can you tell us a bit about yourself and your books?

TM. I’m a contemporary romance author with a love of costumes, zombies, wine, superheroes, men in kilts, and television (in no particular order). While my books are all a little different in terms of subject matter, they can safely be lumped together as romantic comedies.

Q. I see on your site that you love historical reenactments, something that reflects on your books. I assume that you must really like history, so why not write Historical Romance instead of Contemporary?

TM. That’s easy: I love history, but I’m a terrible researcher.

The first book I ever wrote was a Regency romance, and while it will always hold a dear place in my heart, there are an embarrassing number of incongruous bits in there. I’m enough of an academic to take affront to that kind of thing, but not enough of one to want to unearth primary resources and fact-check the details.

Historical reenactments presented the perfect solution for me. I can take the parts of history (and historical romance) that I love and throw them in the modern age. This allows me to play with tropes and stereotypes within my natural voice…and also to dress my characters up in costumes. The costumes are a must!

Q. Love is a Battlefield had one of the most original and appealing plots I’ve read in a while, especially in Contemporary Romance. The heroine is a member of the Jane Austen Regency Reenactment Society and the hero is a professional Highland Games athlete. Where did the inspiration come from? Are the Highland Games real?

TM. The Highland Games are very real, and I would encourage everyone to locate their nearest event. (Most of them are held in the summer, so it’s a good time to start looking!) Men in kilts throwing logs, bagpipe bands, Highland dancing competitions…it’s one of those things everyone needs to see for themselves at least once.

The inspiration for the story came from my city’s Highland Games, which I go to every year. Surrounded by all that, um, masculinity, I thought it would be fun to write a modern-day Scottish warrior and pit him against his natural enemy: the English.

Q. What can you tell us about The World is a Stage and about those naked actors and dirty limericks the blurb ~~advertises~~ warns us about?

TM. For the second book in the series, I wanted to keep many of the same themes (historical sentiments in a modern-day setting), and a Shakespearean acting troupe seemed like the next logical step. Of course, it *is* a romance novel, so I turned this particular troupe into a sort of burlesque show, where the actors run around in scandalous costumes and add kissing scenes.

The responsibility for the dirty limericks rest solely at the feet of this book’s hero, Michael. Those who have read Love is a Battlefield will recognize him as a crass, cocky, hilarious bear of a man with no social filter whatsoever. The dirty limericks are just the tip of his iceberg of inappropriate behavior.

Note from Brie: to celebrate her newest release, Tamara is having a Week of Dirty Limericks. What are dirty limericks, you ask? Well, here is one (thanks Tamara!):

There once was a man from Seville

Who found a young woman to drill

She was disappointed

For though double-jointed

He never quite mastered the skill

Q. The Highland Games are part of The World is a Stage, but this time you introduce us to the world of Shakespearean Theater. Was this something you were familiar with before, or did you have to do research? What type of research did you do for your books?

TM. I have a Bachelor’s degree in English Lit, so Shakespeare was a necessarily large part of my education. This particular story draws from the Taming of the Shrew storyline, and there are several other layers to the Shakespearean theme that I think readers familiar with his work will notice.

Like I said above, I do attend the Highland Games every year (and my daughter took Highland dancing for a few years), and I also visit any other re-enactment event I can find. Because the first book was so focused on the Highland Games, I let the men step away from that a little to work on their Top Warrior Race, which is one of those crazy, barbaric races where you run through the mud and scale walls and crawl under barbed wire. I’ve never done one of these races, but my younger brother loves them. I figure that counts—research by proxy!

Q. What else are you working on? What can we expect and look forward to reading in the future? More Games of Love books perhaps?

TM. There is a third Games of Love book in the works—this one steps away from the Scottish group and goes back to the Renaissance Fair we see in Love is a Battlefield. I’m having a lot of fun with it so far. With subject matter like this, it’s hard not to!

I’ve also got a few unrelated releases coming up. In August, I have a superhero novella coming out in an anthology from Entangled. And for next February, Samhain will be releasing my most recent project—a con woman/art thief heist romance.

Q. And finally, can’t let you go without asking our standard question: what is your favorite Romance novel?

TM. Gah! This question is so hard. Based on number of re-reads alone, I should pick something by Georgette Heyer, since several of her books have literally fallen apart in my hands from overuse.

But I’ll stick to books I read in 2012 and say that my favorite is Attachments by Rainbow Rowell. It was an unusual setting and read, but I fell for the hero from the first page.

Note from Brie: *dies* Attachments was one of my favorite books of 2011. You have great taste ;-)

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer our questions. Come back soon!

Tamara Morgan is a romance writer and unabashed lover of historical reenactments—the more elaborate and geeky the costume requirements, the better. In her quest for modern-day history and intrigue, she has taken fencing classes, forced her child into Highland dancing, and, of course, journeyed annually to the local Renaissance Fair. These feats are matched by a universal love of men in tights, of both the superhero and codpiece variety.

You can find Tamara in the following places:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

To purchase Love is a Battlefield visit:
Amazon | Kobo | B&N | Samhain

To purchase The World is a Stage visit:
Amazon | B&N | Samhain

Danger comes packaged in bulging muscles...and a codpiece.

Highland Games athlete Michael O'Leary is famous for his ability to charm a woman right out of her pants. Maybe a little too famous. When he’s sidelined with a knee injury, his wingman pounces on the chance to take full advantage of Michael’s idle time.

Trying out for the local adult-themed Shakespearean production seems simple, but there’s a catch. Michael must woo the notoriously demanding lead actress, Rachel Hewitt, thereby freeing his friend to pursue a courtship of Rachel's sister.

Rachel hates the thought of handing over the lead role in her admittedly scandalous troupe to someone so wholly uneducated in the ways of the Great Bard. But she’s in a bind, and the only one who can step up is a man who looks way too good in a codpiece—and knows it.

To add insult to injury, he refuses to take the role until she agrees to take his place in some barbaric warrior race. She’ll do it, but not with a smile. Unfortunately, the hardest part isn’t antagonizing her Scottish foes. It’s resisting the one man who seems determined to line and cue her heart—forever.

Warning: This book’s half-naked Shakespearean actors are not approved or acknowledged by people with actual literary merit. Neither are the dirty limericks.

The World is a Stage by Tamara Morgan

Samhain. June 6, 2012

Review: Summer Days by Susan Mallery

2012-05-29T06:30:00.000-04:00

Source: we received an e-ARC of the book through NetGalley for review purposes.

Note: this review is long, contains spoilers and is a bit ranty. You have been warned.

Summer Days is the newest installment in a series that’s become a representative of small town romances joining the likes of Virgin River, Shelter Bay and Destiny. This is the 7th book in the series, and although the characters were introduced in the previous books, it stands alone perfectly well.

Heidi Simpson and her grandfather are the most recent residents of Fool’s Gold. They live in a farm outside of town where she raises goats and makes cheese. Yes, there’s another Heidi quite like this one. She’s happy to finally have a steady home because she grew up on a carnival going from town to town, and even though her childhood was happy, she longed for a steadier existence. But her grandfather is an irresponsible fool who’s about to jeopardize all that took lots of hard work to build. His friend has cancer and needs a lot of money to save his life, so grandpa decides to sell the farm in order to get the money. Problem one: he doesn’t plan to actually give up the farm; problem two: the farm isn’t his to sell because Heidi is the actual owner. So when the buyer takes them to court for fraud, they both can end up in jail, even if she didn’t know about it.

The logical thing is that they must give the farm to the buyers, pay the money back and/or go to jail, right? Well, there’s nothing logical about this book and this is when things start to go downhill. Since they can’t pay the money, and they won’t leave the farm (are you wondering why no one forces them out, the police, maybe?) the judge goes for the next best thing (no, not jail!): Heidi, grandpa and the buyer must go live together in the farm and figure out what to do about it all. The only one that’s slightly rational and angry about all this is our hero, Rafe Striker, the buyer’s son. They all used to live in the farm, many years ago. They were dirt poor and Rafe had to take care of his mother and siblings after their father died. Now, a self-made tycoon, he can’t understand why his mother would want to go back to a place filled with sad memories, and wants to see Heidi and her grandfather in jail. But his mother, who’s even more foolish than everyone else in the book put together, tells him to do nothing against them, so instead he also moves in to keep an eye on things.

Can you guess what comes next? I bet you can: Heidi and Rafe fall in love and (Spoiler Alert!) So do grandpa and mom. There’s also the necessary sequel bait, a matchmaker, an estranged sister that’s actually the book’s highlight, and a ridiculous misunderstanding that leads to an almost book-meet-wall moment.

This book didn’t work for me, and I think it’s quite clear why. The setting is too unbelievable to work. This is a Contemporary Romance so I expect it to make sense, not much, but enough as not to be distracting. I know that in real life hot tycoons don’t fall for goat girls, but I draw the line at plot devices like the one found in Summer Days. The grandfather broke the law, he should pay the money back or give up the farm, and maybe go to jail.

Perhaps I’m being too harsh, but this is not the only issue I had with the book. I can suspend disbelief and enjoy farfetched plots, but everything else has to work. Unfortunately, I also found the characters lacking. Heidi reads way too similar to previous heroines in the series, the triplets in particular. There’s no uniqueness to her, yes, she has the goats and the farm, she’s cute, she wants to belong, her friend died, etc. Is not that I didn’t like her, but I didn’t care for her one way or the other, she was bland. Also, there’s a pattern here: Charity, book one’s heroine, was cute, wanted to belong and a family; Dakota, book four’s heroine, was also cute, and desperately wanted a baby and her own family; and now Heidi, has similar wants and personality to them (and those goats sure are cute).

Rafe was quite typical. Grew up poor and now is rich, has daddy, mommy and commitment issues, but he wants a family, so he hires a matchmaker to find him the perfect wife. This matchmaker is wasted in the story because the fact that he’s looking for someone is not a cause for conflict. Heidi finds about it once they are together, and she gets upset just to forgive him immediately. I liked him because he’s the character with the most common sense, although to be fair Heidi isn’t happy with the situation either, but he also lacked chemistry with Heidi. I couldn’t picture them together, didn’t see why they fell for each other and I wasn’t emotionally invested in them as a couple.

The only secondary character that I thoroughly enjoyed, and she only has a tiny role so I wouldn’t even call her secondary, is Rafe’s estranged sister. She has more personality than everyone else in the book, and her background was very interesting and great for a potential story. However, I’m not even sure if she’s going to be a recurrent secondary character, maybe she will get a novella and her hero will be Rafe’s lawyer, I hope so. I just wish I had read her story instead.

And finally, the book-meet-wall moment. This is a spoiler so look away if you don’t want to know. Rafe wants to develop the farm’s land and build some condos. Heidi freaks out when she finds about it, but instead of confronting him, she fakes some cave paintings to fool the town and the archaeologist into preserving the area. Thankfully, the plan fails, but not before I was infuriated, needless to say she doesn’t go to jail for this either. She never confronts him, she just assumes that the only reason he’s been sleeping with her is to take away her land. It’s not her land, at least not until they pay the money back. But even if it were, why not talk to him. There was so much miscommunication, unbelievable plot developments and immature characters that I’m amazed I was able to finish the book.

Having said all that, there are plenty of positive reviews out there, including some from bloggers I respect and follow. Maybe I found the setting so unbelievable that I became predisposed, which, in turn, made me unable to enjoy the rest. Perhaps you will enjoy it more than I did.

ETA: now that I've read Kaetrin's review, I remembered another WTF part. Heidi's lawyer suggests Heidi to do anything possible to make Rafe like her and drop the charges, and by anything possible I mean sleep with him. Yes, this is one good lawyer right there, did I mention the lawyer's a woman? No? Well, there you go. I was very nice when I gave this book a two.

Review by Brie

Grade: 2

Sensuality: McSexy

Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis:

Locked in an unexpected land dispute, Rafe Stryker is trapped in the one place he vowed never to return to – the Castle Ranch in Fool’s Gold, California. He made millions facing ruthless adversaries in the boardroom, but nothing could’ve prepared him to go head-to-head against stubborn, beautiful Heidi Simpson. No one is more surprised than Rafe to discover that he’s finding Heidi – and life as a cowboy – much more compelling than he wants to admit. For Heidi, the Castle Ranch is the home she’s always wanted. After a life on the road, the vivacious blonde has finally put down roots. She won’t give that up without a fight, not even for a man whose late-night kisses make her yearn to be a little less…wholesome. As the two turn from passionate adversaries to passionate, period, they’ll discover that summer love can last a lifetime.

Summer Days (Fool's Gold, Book 7) by Susan Mallery

HQN Books. May 29, 2012

Review: Mariana by Susanna Kearsley

2012-05-23T06:30:00.000-04:00

At this point it should be obvious that I love Ms. Kearsley’s books. Mariana was first published before The Winter Sea and The Rose Garden, and even though there are quite a few similarities, it’s obvious that this was written first. I found it a bit lacking when compared to her other books, though I’m probably to blame for it since I shouldn’t be comparing them in the first place. However, it is a beautiful book and I enjoyed it a lot.

The first time Julia Becket saw Greyweathers, a beautiful farmhouse located in Exbury, she was five and immediately knew that it was her home. Ever since then, when she visits the place, the same feeling of belonging invades her. And after an impulsive decision she finds herself its new owner. While she settles in, she develops a series of relationships with her neighbors including Geoffrey de Mornay, the wealthy and handsome lord of the manor, farmer Ian Summer and the local pub’s owner, Vivien.

And then strange things happen. At first she sees things, like a horse and the shadow of a man, and during a visit to the manor she experiences a deep sense of grief. She’s informed that there’s a ghost in the house and that where the feeling comes from, however, it doesn’t explain the vision. When the visions become longer and clearer, she realizes that she’s in fact traveling back in time to 1665 and experiencing the life of Mariana Farr, the woman who lived in Greyweathers during that time.

The more Julia goes back, the most she becomes invested in Mariana’s life and in her love affair with Richard de Mornay, lord of Crofton Hall and Geoffrey’s ancestor. She can live through Mariana, but she can’t do anything about it, she’s just a spectator. And so the obsession begins. She wants to know how Mariana’s story ends and why she’s linked to her. Is she Mariana’s descendant? Her reincarnation? Is Geoffrey related to Richard? Are they meant to be? At one point she’s not even sure if she loves Geoffrey or Richard, or Geoffrey because he’s Richard.

In contrast, Richard and Mariana’s story is much more simple and straightforward, though a lot more dramatic. Their love affair is forbidden and after experiencing it as a reader I understand exactly why Julia was so interested in finding out what happened to them. I wanted to know even though I feared the answer.

As usual, Ms. Kearasley has created a story that slowly but surely enclosed me until I was riveted by it and could think of nothing else. This is one of those books that start slow but intriguing, and suddenly grab you until you can’t do anything but read. Her voice is so compelling and evocative that I felt like I was there with the characters accompanying them during their trials and tribulations.

The historical romance was way more effective and sweet than its contemporary counterpart. Mariana and Richard are the classic tragic lovers. Their forbidden love is full of heart but also danger and it kept me on the edge of my seat while trying to balance the angst and the swoons. Julia and Geoffrey’s romance was the opposite, nothing dangerous, very subtle and slightly off. She was so preoccupied with the past, and trying to figure out how it all fit together in the present, that her relationship with Geoffrey ended up entangled and a bit lost in it.

The secondary characters all have tiny but important roles. You have to pay attention because it’s easy to lose yourself in the story, but this is also a puzzle, and every character represents a piece. My favorite character was Julia’s brother, I had such a great time with him that I wish he had more page time. This is another testament to Ms. Kearsley’s talent, a cast of minor characters that are just as memorable as the main ones.

And finally there's the ending. It deserves a mention because it’s quite remarkable. It’s a bit of a water-cooler ending, it makes you want to go and discuss it with someone to gather their thoughts. I read the book weeks ago, and I’m still not sure whether I liked it or hated it. I think it’s either perfectly fitting, of an evil copout. I know I’m being cryptic, but this is a reading experience that shouldn’t be ruined by spoilers, whatever you do, don’t read the final pages.

If you’re familiar with Ms. Kearsley’s stories I think you will enjoy this one. Keep in mind that her style has improved since she first wrote it (1994, I think), so it looks a bit rough around the edges when compared to her latest books. It starts slow, one of the stories overshadows the other so there’s no real balance between them, and the ending is controversial to say the least. But it’s romantic and beautiful and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Recommended to fans of emotional romance and historicals in particular.

Note: aren’t these covers gorgeous? I haven’t bought a tree-book in ages but I’m so tempted to buy all three of them and just put them somewhere visible to show them off!

Review by Brie

Grade: 4

Sensuality: McDreamy

Purchase: Amazon

Sinopsis:

When Julia Beckett moves into a beautiful old farmhouse, she finds herself transported into17th-century England, and into the world of Mariana. Each time Julia travels back, she becomes more enthralled with the past... until she realizes Mariana's life is eclipsing her own. She must lay the past to rest or risk losing the chance for happiness in her own time.

Mariana by Susanna Kearsley

Sourcebooks Landmark. April 1, 2012.

Review: Lucky in Love by Jill Shalvis

2012-05-22T06:30:00.000-04:00

Source: we received a copy of the book from the author for review purposes. We received a second copy through NetGalley so we could request the next book as well (that's right, two ARCs, my fangirl is showing).

I’ve said this before but it’s worth repeating: I consider Jill Shalvis one of the best current Contemporary Romance authors. Her Lucky Harbor trilogy was wonderful and I was sad to see it go. Fortunately for us, it seems like Ms. Shalvis wasn’t happy about it either because she’s written a new group of books set in the fictional town.

If you have read the previous books, you will recognize our newest hero as the guy no one knew anything about except that he was hot. He gets one mention and a memorable nickname, and the next thing I know, I’m dying to learn Mysterious Cute Guy’s story. In Lucky in Love he gets it, as well as name.

Ty Garrison is a former Navy SEAL who’s temporally in town to recover from wounds that go beyond the physical. He just wants to be left alone and brood, which he’s successfully achieving until one night he has an accident in the middle of a storm and one of the locals helps him.

Mallory Quinn has lived her life following the rules and being a good girl, trying to compensate for her family’s wilder ways and to atone for a tragedy that marked her life. A nurse, beloved by everyone in town, she doesn’t know that rescuing Ty is about to change her life.

Sparks fly between them and Mallory decides to let her hair down and engage in a fling. Ty knows that Mallory isn’t a fling type of girl, but he’s unable to resist her. Together they would find closure, love and the emotional health they both need.

This is the type of Contemporary Romance I like. It’s all about the main couple falling in love and dealing with internal issues. The conflict comes from within and they must learn to trust each other. There’s no villain, no external source of angst. It’s all about the main characters figuring out how to be together and actually doing it.

There’s really nothing new about it except the execution. The hero is wounded and suffering from PTSD and survivor’s guilt. He wants to stay hidden and isolated but the heroine is having none of that. She also has her own set of emotional baggage and he, unknowingly, helps her with it. So the story is about two damaged people finding each other and healing.

The heroine was sweet and caring. I liked that she comes out of her shell slowly but surely, and she does it with a lot of help. This was my favorite part of the story, the secondary characters play an important role in it and they aren’t there just as sequel bait. The next main couple is obvious, but everyone has a reason to be in the book. Both Mallory and Ty have a set of loyal friends who love and worry about them, so there’s a lot of fun banter and bromance, which I always enjoy. The town is another important character, and it’s a great example of why small town romances are so popular. The setting is lovely, and the minor characters make for great comedy.

Overall it was a great story. As I said, nothing really new happens, and the plot and characters aren’t really original. But Ms. Shalvis’ voice gives it a unique touch, and that is all it needs. The story can be slow and drag at parts, and the lack of external conflict may annoy some readers who look for something extra. But I thoroughly enjoyed it and I can’t wait to read the next installment. The best of all is that it stands alone perfectly well, there are no spoilers for previous book and although I recommend reading them in order just because they are very good, you can perfectly start here.

Review by Brie

Grade: 4

Sensuality: McSexy

Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis:

Mallory Quinn has had enough of playing it safe. As a nurse and devoted daughter, she takes care of everyone but herself. And as the local good girl, she's expected to date Mr. Right. But for once, she'd like to take a risk on Mr. Wrong. And who could be more wrong than Ty Garrison? The mysterious new guy in town has made it clear that he's only passing through, which suits Mallory just fine. Besides, his lean, hard body and sexy smile will give her plenty to remember once he's gone . . .

For the first time in his life, Ty can't bear to leave. Helping this sexy seductress-in-training walk on the wild side is making him desire things he shouldn’t including leaving the military for good. As their just-for-fun fling becomes something more, Mallory and Ty wonder if they could really be this lucky in love. After all . . . anything can happen in a town called Lucky Harbor.

Lucky in Love (A Lucky Harbor Novel) by Jill Shalvis

Forever. May 22, 2012.

Review: Hunting the Shadows by Alexia Reed

2012-05-21T06:30:00.000-04:00

Source: we received an e-ARC of the book through NetGalley for review purposes.

Have I mentioned that I have a thing for the X-Men? Well, I do. So when I read that this book was about children with extraordinary abilities locked away in a government facility and being turned into super soldiers, I couldn’t wait to read it.

The basic premise goes like this: the government has created a secret facility to experiment with genetics and children, in order to create killing machines. Each kid has a different set of abilities and they are ruthlessly trained and tested. If they fail they are destroyed, if they succeed they are assigned to a team. Our hero, J.C., used to be one of those kids and now is head of a team and one of the scientists. When the book begins, he’s running away after trying to destroy the lab because he opposes the experiments. While he’s at it a voice in his head helps him scape, however, he gets caught, brought in to questioning and ultimately subjected to a mind wiping. Fortunately for him, the voice belongs to someone who can help him.

Amy has spent her life locked in a lab. She’s a powerful telepath who can’t survive outside, but because she’s so powerful, instead of killing her, the government wants to learn from her. And by learn I mean torture her in order to see what she’s capable of. She is the voice inside of J.C.’s head. When she realizes that he’s been caught, she helps him retain his memory. In turn, he helps her get out of the lab. However, being imprisoned is the least of her problems, since she’s linked to a serial killer that’s targeting members of the team and has marked her as her next victim. That’s how Amy and J.C. team up to find the killer and hopefully also battle the facility. Actually, they don’t fight the facility at all, that was my original assumption when I started the book but I was wrong, maybe this will be addressed in the next book (?).

The book started very strong. The concept was original, the story interesting and the characters likeable. I couldn’t put it down and even though it loses some steam halfway through and I had some issues with it, I’m glad I read it. In a genre saturated with vampires, angels and shifters, I can’t even begin to tell you how refreshing it is to find a PNR that has none.

The best part of the story is the setting. I think the idea of the government doing secret experiments to create super soldiers is interesting, and I like that it’s not a good place to be at. They are not a happy family working together to save the world. It’s not clear what their purpose is, but heroism is not it. Most of the characters are ambiguous and have done bad things, the hero is part of the people doing experiments and even though he rebels against it, he has done his share of wrongs. The execution, though, needs some work. Lots of loopholes, the main story is not about the experiment but about catching a killer, so think of it as a Romantic Suspense set against a Paranormal background. Nothing wrong with that, but by not focusing on one aspect alone the story suffers. The mystery/suspense part was poorly done. The killer is obvious, we’re supposed to believe is someone else, but even the clueless reader can guess that the main suspect is just a distraction. The romance was lacking, there’s no chemistry and I never quite got why they fell in love, I’m not even sure they really did. In turn, all of these things make the worldbuilding weak, something a story like this one can’t afford.

Amy was a character that needed some extra work, she felt incomplete, or rough around the edges. She can’t touch people, she’s been living in isolation her entire life, she’s been tortured and tested relentlessly, yet she has no real problem adapting to freedom and she came across as way to put together and sane for someone who’s been through so much. I thought her character was inconsistent because at first she is damaged, but she gets over it almost magically. There’s almost no time dedicated to her struggle and recovery. Then there’s the fact that she basically moves in with J.C. and no one sees anything wrong about it.

I also had issues with J.C. He’s supposed to be this jaded soldier tormented by what he’s done, and again, at first he went in the right direction but that part of his character was also abandoned in the middle of the story to make room for the murder mystery.

I think the story needed more pages to improve the character development. The idea is really good and some of the secondary characters were intriguing enough to make me want to read their story. I can see a lot of potential here, Ms. Reed has a great voice and she has created an original and compelling world. Hunting the Shadows has several flaws but I enjoyed it enough to look forward to the next installment. If you’re a fan of Paranormal Romance I think you will like this one, especially if you feel like taking a vacation away from too many werewolves.

Review by Brie

Grade: 3

Sensuality: McSexy

Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis:

Amy has spent her life in isolation. Locked away in the Centre, a secret government facility where children with extraordinary abilities are raised as highly skilled fighters, she longs for a normal life. A life where being around people doesn't overload her sensitive telepathic mind. A life where she can't see through the eyes of a murderer as he hunts down his next victim...

J.C. Nikolaiev was a top researcher, but when his conscience got the better of him, he tried to destroy his work and free his subjects—and was imprisoned as a traitor. To save himself and prevent more people from dying, J.C. must catch the serial killer stalking the halls of the facility. But his only leads come from a woman whose thoughts have invaded his mind...

Finally out of the psych ward, Amy joins forces with J.C. to find the killer before he closes in on them. Can their growing attraction withstand the truths they uncover?

Hunting the Shadows by Alexia Reed

Carina Press. May 7, 2012.

Review: The Waiting Room by Remittance Girl

2012-05-16T13:03:00.000-04:00

This review on Dear Author caught my attention. The subject was daunting to me, but I usually enjoy the books Janine recommends so I decided to check out the author. That’s how I came across The Waiting Room.

The book opens with Sophie getting ready to spend the night in the waiting room of a Cambodian train station. She’s not alone, there’s a man there as well. She falls asleep but a noise of a zipper lowering awakens her, and when she opens her eyes she sees him masturbating. At first she is shocked and doesn’t really know what to do, but instead of running or screaming she just stays and watches. She becomes aroused by him, the setting and something inside her, so she ends up masturbating with him. Afterwards, they decide to go to a hotel and spend the night and that’s when the story begins.

Explaining more would mean spoiling the plot but one thing you should know is that Alex, the stranger, is not a perv and neither is Sophie. He has been watching her for days and can recognize something in her, something akin to the man he used to be years ago. He can see that she’s broken and the fascination he feels is equal parts desire to help her and just plain greed. He wants to fix her for her wellbeing but also for the power that comes from it.

One of the aspects I found really interesting about the story is how the power progressively shifts from Alex to Sophie. Or maybe Alex was never truly in charge and I’m reading it wrong. But what’s obvious is that Sophie undergoes a change throughout the story. She goes from broken and just wandering, to broken but ready to fix herself. I don’t think she was a completely different person at the end of the story, but she wasn’t as helpless.

Sophie isn’t a likeable character, but I found her compelling, equal parts weak and strong. There were many things about her that remain a mystery. When she has sex she disconnects herself from the act so her body feels but her mind doesn’t. The reason for that is never clear, although at one point she assures Alex that she wasn’t abused or anything like that, so she is as clueless as we are. But is that true? Was she suppressing memories? I needed more answers, although I’m not sure the story would benefit from them.

Alex was even more mysterious and half the time I saw him more as a tool to help Sophie than anything else. It’s not until the end of the book that you realize how complex he was, just in a more subtle way than Sophie. His character arc was about accepting mistakes and not being so cocky. As I said, he wants to help Sophie, but he also wants the power and feeling of ownership that comes from it. I don’t think he was a good person and yet I liked him very much.

It may have all begun with his arrogance, but he was not so blind that he couldn’t see that it had ended with his need—to be needed.

“I didn’t say you should have dismissed her, Alex. But I want you to consider what you were in love with—her or her illness. Do you really think you could see through it to the essential Sophie?”

This is a BDSM story and I’m not an expert on the subject -I’m not even a fan- so my interpretation is probably wrong. But I like that it’s not just about sex but about the mind. It’s about rules, control and discipline, so sexual preference is part of it but not all. BDSM is a key element of the plot but the sex scenes are not heavy. You won’t find chains and whips here. But again, I’m not familiar with the subject, so for all I know chains and whips are just my ignorant view based on a stereotype and not at all accurate. What I do know is that I’m willing to read more stories like this one.

Finally, I must warn you that this is a highly erotic book, but not a romance. So don’t expect a conventional happy ending. I though the way it ends was fitting to both Sophie and Alex and exactly what they needed and deserved, but if you are looking for romance and HEAs you won’t find them here. The story is raw and gritty, and the content and language used may not be for everyone.

Review by Brie

Grade: 4.5

Sensuality: McSteamy
Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis:

“…We are all animals, Sophie, all of us. We think we are so smart—masters of our destinies, yes? We lie to ourselves that we have control. But if it does not rain, we die of thirst. If it rains too much, we drown…”

Everyone needs to discover his or her own special place in the world, but Sophie has found it almost impossible. Late one night, in the tumbledown waiting room of a derelict Cambodian train station, she meets a stranger who offers to change her life.

Having seen how fleeting and cruel life can be, Alex has found his own way to deal with its uncertainty. With the help of Marcus, his mentor, he has come to believe it is only through artificially imposed order and physical discipline that one can find a semblance of serenity.

Alex is certain he knows how to cure Sophie of her existential angst. But lurking beneath his altruism, does he have his own agenda?

The Waiting Room by Remittance Girl

Republica Press. February 9, 2010

H&H: Dude-Lit

2012-05-15T14:10:00.001-04:00

Second time's a charm!

My post on Dude-Lit is up on Heroes & Heartbreakers (this time for real!), you can go read it now. In case you're wondering Dude-Lit is what I call books that have all the ingredients to be labeled as Chick-Lit but instead of a chick they have a dude. So the main character is a man. Interesting trend that I've encountered lately. Hope you guys enjoy and let me know what you think!

Interview: JL Merrow

2012-05-14T08:21:00.002-04:00

As you guys know, I love M/M Romance. And today I’m interviewing one of the best M/M authors out there: JL Merrow. We have reviewed some of her books on the blog and she never fails to impress us. Help us give her a warm welcome and stick around because at the end of the interview there’s a giveaway.

Hello JL, welcome to Romance Around the Corner. I have enjoyed every single one of your books so I really appreciate the opportunity to interview you.

Q. For all of our readers who may not be familiar with your work, could you tell us a bit about yourself and your books?

JL. Well, the J stands for Jamie, and I’ve been writing m/m romance since 2009. I’m British, so that’s reflected in a lot of my settings—although you’ll often see German themes/settings creeping in too, as I spent half a year living in Germany when I was 18 and I’ve never lost my love for the place.

Q. If I had to describe your backlist using one word I would say diverse. Within the M/M Romance genre you have written Contemporaries, Paranormals, Comedies and Historicals, as well as some M/F and ménages. And they all come in different shapes: novellas, full-lengths and shorts. Is this due to the fact that your taste is just as diverse, or is it because you don’t want to be labeled under just one category? Is there a genre that you enjoy more than the others?

JL. LOL! That backlist is a record of my struggle to write something longer than a short story, which when I started out didn’t come at all naturally! It’s also, as you guessed, a reflection of my diverse reading tastes. Before I discovered m/m romance, I was an avid reader of urban fantasy, humour and mystery novels. I like my romances to have a bit more to them than just romance—I think it’s more fun that way.

The m/f and menages came about because I didn’t think I could do them, so I challenged myself to give it a go. I can’t see me going back and doing any more—that’s not where my interests lie. I’m planning to stick to m/m from now on—with the occasional foray into f/f.

As regards genre – I’m moving more towards the contemporary romance side, than the paranormal, but basically I just go where the muse takes me. :)

Q. I would like to know more about your writing process. Which comes first, the characters, the plot, or in the case of Paranormal stories, the world building? Where do you get your inspiration?

JL. The characters, always—I can’t start without them, whereas I can and frequently do start without a vestige of a plot! I generally have a vague idea of the sort of thing the book’s about, and maybe some scenes I want to include, but I’m constantly surprised by where my characters take me. Muscling Through and Midnight in Berlin, for example, were both originally going to be short stories, but the characters refused to tie things up so quickly.

I’ve several times found myself stalled on a story, unable to go forwards, until I realised some essential facet of my character.

Q. Regardless of how different and unique your stories are, there’s one thing they all have in common: humor. Even if you’re dealing with serious issues, there’s always some underlying comedy to lighten the mood. So when I read your books I always wonder if that humor is you as an author coming through; if it is a character trait inherent to you as a person that leaves its mark in the pages; or if maybe you just like to add that lighter touch to your stories. Are comedy and humor important to you as a person and as a writer?

JL. Humour is very important to me—I think it is to most people. It’s a way of bonding, of defusing tension. And it’s fun! I find stories come along a lot more quickly if I’m having fun writing them. It’s also very satisfying for me as a person – you know how you always think of a snappy comeback hours too late to actually say it? I can just use it in a book! ;)

Q. What can you tell us about Hard Tail?

JL. Hard Tail came about entirely because of a throw-away remark in Pricks and Pragmatism! There is a real mountain bike shop in Totton, the small town near Southampton, England, which is the setting for Hard Tail and part of P&P, and I happen to know the owner very well. So I thought I’d throw a sneaky plug for his shop into Pricks and Pragmatism. And then, of course, I got thinking....

Bicycles are an important part of Hard Tail and I was impressed by how detailed that aspect was. It almost acts as a secondary character. What type of research was involved in the creation of the book?

I read magazines, trawled the net, watched videos, even got on a bike myself(!) but there’s no substitute for someone who lives in the world you’re writing about. And I was very fortunate to get a lot of help from my bike shop owner. Matt would not have been nearly so believable on the techie stuff without Keith’s input!

Q. Both Matt and Tim are charming characters. They are also very different from each other, and this is something that I often see in your books. What is it about “opposites attract” stories that readers find so compelling?

JL. I can’t speak for everyone else, but I just love the opposites attract dynamic! If two people have a lot in common and are obviously made for each other, where’s the story in that? I love watching people work out their differences, and find common ground despite them. In Hard Tail, willingness to compromise is a key theme.

Q. What else are you working on? What can we expect and look forward to reading in the future?

JL. I’ve got another novel coming out with Samhain in September, Pressure Head: this one’s an m/m mystery with paranormal elements, set in an English village. I’ve also recently completed a time travel novella set in Victorian and modern London (title still under discussion with my editors!) which I believe will be out in early 2013. Then there’s a sequel to Pleasures with Rough Strife, set in 1926, and provisionally titled Iron Gates of Life; this one was written in response to a lovely email from a fan. Not sure when it’ll be coming out as I haven’t submitted it anywhere yet!

I’ve also got several short stories coming out over the summer, including one in Lashings of Sauce, the anthology we’re putting together to celebrate the 3rd Annual UK GLBT Fiction Meet, which is taking place in Brighton in September (for details, see: http://ukglbtfictionmeet.co.uk/).

Right now I’m working on another novel with a karate theme—I thought it would be fun to explore the martial arts world from the viewpoint of a complete outsider. Provisonally titled Slam!, it’s probably my most deliberately comedic novel to date.

Q. And finally, our standard question: what is your favorite Romance novel?

JL. Eek! That’s right, lull me into a false sense of security then hit me with the tough question right at the end! ;) That is a very, very hard question to answer, but I guess if I had to pick just one I’d go for Jordan Castillo Price’s first Psycop book, Among the Living. Which may not surprise you after your question about my eclectic tastes, as it’s a romance, a mystery and a paranormal all rolled into one! It was one of the first m/m books I ever read, and the most re-read one I own (in ebook AND print).

Thank you so much for joining us today, hopefully we will see you again soon!

JL. Thank you for having me here! :D

Hard Tail Blog Tour – GIVEAWAY

To celebrate the release of Hard Tail, JL is on a blog tour. All commenters will be entered into a draw for winner’s choice of an e-book from her backlist, PLUS a gift certificate for $25 from Amazon (or the e-book retailer of your choice). The more blog tour posts you comment on, the more chances you get! Click here to see the list of other participant blogs and go comment. Draw closes on Wednesday 23rd May. Leave your email on the comment so she can contact you in case you win!

About the author:

JL Merrow is that rare beast, an English person who refuses to drink tea. She read Natural Sciences at Cambridge, where she learned many things, chief amongst which was that she never wanted to see the inside of a lab ever again. Her one regret is that she never mastered the ability of punting one-handed whilst holding a glass of champagne.

She writes across genres, with a preference for contemporary gay romance and the paranormal, and is frequently accused of humour.

Connect with JL:

Website | Blog | Twitter

Finding love can be a bumpy ride.

His job: downsized out of existence. His marriage: dead in the water. It doesn’t take a lot of arm twisting for Tim Knight to agree to get out of London and take over his injured brother’s mountain bike shop for a while. A few weeks in Southampton is a welcome break from the wreck his life has become, even though he feels like a fish out of water in this brave new world of outdoor sports and unfamiliar technical jargon.

The young man who falls—literally—through the door of the shop brings everything into sharp, unexpected focus. Tim barely accepts he’s even in the closet until his attraction to Matt Berridge pulls him close enough to touch the doorknob.

There’s only one problem with the loveable klutz: his bullying boyfriend. Tim is convinced Steve is the cause of the bruises that Matt blows off as part of his risky sport. But rising to the defense of the man he’s beginning to love means coming to terms with who he is—in public—in a battle not even his black belt prepared him to fight. Until now.

Product Warnings: Contains an out-and-proud klutz, a closeted, karate-loving accountant—and a cat who thinks it’s all about him. Watch for a cameo appearance from the Pricks and Pragmatism lovers. May inspire yearnings for fresh air, exercise, and a fit, tanned bike mechanic of your very own.

You can find Hard Tail here:

Samhain | Amazon |Amazon UK

Winners!

2012-05-13T19:48:00.001-04:00

The winners of Her Best Worst Mistake by Sarah Mayberry are:

Congratulations!

Emails are on their way.

Thanks to everyone who was part of the giveaway, you had many great things to say about Contemporary Romance. And special thanks to Sarah Mayberry for donating the copies and for doing such a great interview.

Snark, Mother’s Day, Plagiarism, Women’s Fiction and Dude-Lit

2012-05-11T08:53:00.000-04:00

Happy Friday everyone!

I’ll be out for the weekend and I won’t have time to congratulate you on Mother’s Day, so I’m doing it now. Hope you guys have a great time with your moms, grandmother, kids, friends, siblings, and/or fathers.

Here are some links to keep you entertained while I’m gone:

Author Jill Sorenson has an interesting post over at A Little Bit Tart, A Little Bit Sweet, in which she talks about snarky reviews and wonders if authors should be reviewers or not. It’s an interesting theme to me as reader and reviewer. My personal opinion is that authors are readers and so they can and should express their opinions and reviewing is part of that. However, I understand that other authors may not feel that way. Maybe there’s an unspoken rule or code about authors reviewing books.

"I love author reviews! Most authors keep it positive and that’s fine by me. Thoughtful criticism is great. Snark-as-entertainment is tougher to get behind. Coming from another author, it can sting more."

I enjoy snarky reviews when the reviewer does it for fun and once in a while. If a blog keeps writing snarky reviews of books they consider bad, it makes me wonder if maybe they actively look for stories they won’t like. Since I read reviews to find new books, a blog that only gives negative reviews -as hilarious as they may be- is just as pointless as one that gives nothing but positive reviews. I have written snarky-ish reviews, but I try not to do it regularly because I don’t want to make anyone feel bad for liking a book I hated (even if I'm not always successful at it).

*****

Our friend nath, who blogs at Books, Books and more Books, asks: what is Women’s Fiction, and how is it different from Chick-Lit and Contemporary Romance?.

"For me, women's fiction can contain strong romance threads or romantic elements, but it's more about the journey of the heroine than the HEA ending. As a result, I often associate books with older heroines or heroines with grown children to women's fiction."

I think there are quite a few differences as well as some similarities. Chick-Lit is usually about young women and there's only one main character, whereas in Women's Fiction ensemble casts are more common. Romantic interests are usually part of the stories, but never the main focus. I enjoy all three genres although I lean more towards Romance (no surprise there!).

*****

What happens when a story has all the elements of a Chick-Lit book, but the main character is a man? This is a trend I’ve seen lately and I call it Dude-Lit. I’m talking about this over at Heroes and Heartbreakers today, but I’m not exactly sure when. I think the post goes live at noon, so make sure to stop by and tell me what you think.

ETA: the post has been rescheduled for next week. I´ll let you know when it goes live

*****

I’m sure you have heard of the latest plagiarism case that this time had a book blogger as protagonist. Sunita from Vacuous Minx, has an excellent post on Plagiarism and the lack of consequences.

"There will always be plagiarists. It’s human nature to want to find an easy way out of a difficult spot, and people will give in to the temptation. But how often plagiarism will occur will depend in part on how lucrative it is. The most recent story involves the YA blogger who plagiarized a number of posts from other bloggers. But there were other plagiarism stories that week as well. You just didn’t hear about them. And next week, or the week after, there will be another one somewhere."

Plagiarism won’t go away and neither will plagiarists (even after they get caught). And what’s even worse is that the victims, as well as the readers and bloggers who called out those cases, end up getting hate mail and labeled as mean girls. The good news is that honest readers and bloggers are here to stay, and if that fails, there’s always Karma.

*****

Did you see Time magazine’s cover? The woman on the cover is Jamie Lynne Grumet and her three-year-old son. I’m not sure if she’s still breastfeeding him or if that was just posing for the picture. But if she is, her breasts look amazing! I don’t mind the idea of someone breastfeeding for so long, but that cover looks wrong. The kid standing on that chair and dressed like that, it makes him look older and there’s something off-putting about that pic that has nothing to do with the breastfeeding.

*****

Don’t forget to enter Sarah Mayberry’s contest. She’s giving away three copies of her latest book, Her Best Worst Mistake and talking about self-publishing, the possibility of writing a single title and her next project.

*****

See you next week!

More someecards here.

Interview & Giveaway: Sarah Mayberry

2012-05-10T06:00:00.000-04:00

You know how I keep saying that Sarah Mayberry is one of my favorite writers and one of the best current Contemporary Romance authors out there? Well, I’m having a fangirl moment today because she’s with us talking about her new book, self-publishing, and lots of other things. I’ll leave you with her, treat her well so she comes back soon!

Welcome to Romance Around the Corner, Sarah!

Q. For all our readers who may not be familiar with your books, could you tell us a bit about yourself and your work?

SM: I write for Harlequin, although I have just self-published my first book, also. I started writing for Blaze, which are fun, sexy, playful books, then moved on to Super Romance, which are a bit more realistic and heartfelt - but also, pretty sexy, too, hopefully. I am really into exploring people and why they do things and my heroes and heroines are always flawed but they also have the best intentions. Like most of us, they’re just trying to muddle their way through life. The bedroom door is never closed in my books, and I love writing banter and back and forth, a side-effect from my “other” job as a script writer.

Q. What do you think is the main appeal of Contemporary Romance? Have you ever considered writing a different genre?

SM: Contemporary Romance comes in many forms, even though it’s all set in the present day. There’s the romantic fantasy stuff with fast cars and billionaires, there’s more heartfelt stuff, etc, etc. I tend to go for the more heartfelt stuff, even if it does have a dash of rich guys and fast cars (think Susan Elizabeth Phillips) and I think the appeal there is commonality of experience - it could be me or a friend that this is happening to. It’s very relatable, and often very moving or funny to see your own life and concerns reflected in a novel. It makes you feel less alone, and sometimes it helps you understand yourself a little better, or someone that you know. Historical romance works for me, also, for the opposite reason - it’s pure escapism. But I love both genres, and if I ever tried to break out of contemporary it would be to try my hand at Historical. But I am not sure that my voice would be very suited to period fiction.

Q. I would like to know more about your writing process. What comes first, the characters or the story? Where do you get your ideas from? Is there a particular trope that you hate and would never use?

SM: I think I usually start with a story idea, sometimes just a scene. With The Best Laid Plans (which I learned just this week is a finalist in the Romantic Book of the Year Awards down here in Australia!), my story brain got busy when I read an ad in the local newspaper from a women seeking a sperm donor. I started thinking about who this woman was and what would drive her to this decision, and the rest of the story unfolded for me. I’m working on ideas for some more self published books at the moment, and I decided that one of them would be a reunion story. So, sometimes, taking a well-established trope and doing my interpretation of it also gets me started. But once I have the basic premise, it always come down to character. Who are these people, what are they afraid of? What do they want? How will they push each other’s buttons? My plots always unfold from character, because I want to challenge my characters with their fears and preconceptions, and usually that leads to lots of emotion and conflict and forces them into corners. In terms of tropes that I am not a big fan of, the secret baby is one that I often have trouble with. Denying the father the right to know he is a father and to know his child and participate in his/her life always makes me so angry, I have trouble forgiving the heroine. Other than that, I am pretty open, I think. If something gets my story brain revved, then I’m there!

Q. All your books are Category Romances, and the Super Romance line is as close to a single title as it gets, but have you ever considered writing a single title?

SM: I have, and I did. It’s languishing in my bottom drawer because it needs a lot more work before it can see the light of day. It’s called Before and After and is about a woman who hits thirty and realises that she’s somehow allowed herself to become morbidly obese. How did that happen while I wasn’t looking, she wonders? The story chronicles her battle to lose weight, the issues she has to deal with within herself and the men she gets involved with. It needs quite a bit of work, particularly because I wrote it in first person and now I want to shift it into third. I have a couple of other ideas, too. It’s more about finding the time to write them than anything else!

Q. In your books, you have dealt with different situations that may not be easy to write and/or read, but that are real and touching. Having lived with a person who was suffering from Alzheimer’s, I must say that I was personally invested and touched by All They Need, and how you portrayed the consequences that such a terrible disease has not only on the person suffering it, but also on the immediate family. I was wondering what type of research was involved in the creation of that book, and if it was hard for you to find a balance within the story as to not make it overly dramatic and sappy, especially considering that it also deals with domestic abuse. I was very touched by it but not once found it melodramatic.

SM: Aww, thanks. I’m pleased it resonated with you, especially since it touched on something you’ve personally experienced. I have a friend whose father-in-law has Alzheimer’s, and I have heard a few of her stories. I did a lot of reading on-line. I found a wonderful on-line diary written by a woman with Younger Onset Alzheimer’s (the researcher I spoke to said they prefer this term to Early Onset, even though it got changed in the book), and her descriptions of her life and experiences gave me great insight and allowed me to imagine how things might play out for Flynn’s parents. Once I had the book partly written and knew where I wanted to go with things, I spoke to someone at the Alzheimer’s Institute here in Australia and she confirmed that all my scenarios were believable and possible, and gave me some ideas for later scenes. She told me, for example, that an Alzheimer’s patient would probably panic and be helpless in an emergency situation, which gave me great grist for when Flynn’s mother burns herself.

As for the melodrama thing...I think keeping things small and human makes them more poignant. Sometimes we make grand, sweeping statements in real life, but more often than not, that moment is ruined by the dog farting or the baby throwing up. I think having real life intrude makes those moments more believable, and therefore more touching. Another thing I always try to do is to let my characters hang on to their pride, but not to the detriment of their happiness. Balancing between those two things can be tough for anyone, but it often makes for nice scenes, especially when things are getting emotional.

Q. Let’s talk about your new book, Her Best Worst Mistake, and your road to self-publishing. Why did you decide to self-publish this story? What are the differences and similarities between regular publishing and self-pub?

SM: I decided to self-publish because I felt as though I owed it to myself to give it a try. We’ve all heard the amazing success stories. It would be naive to imagine that anyone who self-pubs is going to trip over ingots of gold the moment we put a book out there, but it would be great to find a way to make enough from my books to enable me not be strapped to the computer, day-in, day-out. At the moment, I pretty much write every second of the day, and having the luxury to think and dream a bit is so vital to good writing, I think. I would love to be able to find a balance between self-pubbing and my Harlequin work which allowed me to have a little breathing room to imagine new projects and, sometimes, make mistakes and then fix them without having a deadline breathing down my neck.

In terms of the differences and similarities, the writing process is exactly the same. When I’m finished, however, I don’t have my editor to rely on to diagnose problem areas and suggest fix ups. That’s pretty scary, having worked with her on something like 26 books now. She’s incredibly talented, and not having her input makes me feel a little sweaty. This time around, I relied on the help of a friend and some beta readers, who are all smart, talented ladies, to get me through. The moment where I decided I had done everything I needed to do and hit the send button to send it off to the formatters was a nerve-wracking one, and I felt a little naked and exposed. But also excited! I am not sure what I will do with future efforts. People with strong story chops, in my opinion, don’t grow on trees. But I will be searching! As for the more technical aspects of it, controlling the back cover blurb and cover etc was good fun, and a pleasure more than a pain for me. I have a background in magazine publishing, so I liked working with the cover artist to get the cover to where I wanted it. For the technical side of it, I had the incredibly generous and wonderful Marie Force holding my hand via her E-book Formatting Fairies service. They were brilliant and totally got me over the line in terms of uploading stuff to the various vendors.

Q. What else can you tell us about Her Best Worst Mistake?

SM: This story started life as a subplot to Hot Island Nights, my last Blaze. I got about two thirds of the way through the writing of the book and realised I barely had enough words left to tell the main story, let alone the subplot, so I had to pull Martin and Violet’s story out. I left the ending in place, however, where Martin and Violet are clearly together, much to the surprise of the hero and heroine from Hot Island Nights. I didn’t intentionally try to create a demand for their story to be told, it was just the way the story felt right in my head because of that subplot, so I kept it in. I got a lot of fan mail afterward from readers asking for Martin and Violet’s story, however, and it got me thinking. I had a lot of their story already, so when I had time I started piecing it together, writing the beginning, then fleshing out the end. It got bigger and bigger the more I got to know Martin and Violet, shifting from a novella-sized idea that I thought I would put up for free on my website to a full-length category novel. I thought about the best way to get it out there, and then I realised that it was my chance to give self-publishing a shot.

The story itself was so much fun to write, because Violet and Martin are convinced they dislike each other. Finding a balance between their animosity and their preoccupation with each other was a hoot, and then watching them explode once they worked out what all that animosity was really about was even more fun.

Q. I see that you have two more books set to come out this year: Within Reach and Suddenly You. Can you give us a little preview? Maybe tell us what they are about?

This is her newest cover!
Thanks for sharing it with us.

SM: Within Reach was called The Grief Book while I was writing it. Which sounds grim, but hopefully it isn’t! It’s the story of Michael and Angela and Billie. Billie is Michael’s wife and Angie’s best friend, and she dies suddenly, leaving Michael shell shocked and heartbroken with two kids to care for. Angie does everything she can to help him out, even giving him a kick up the butt when he needs to get his life back on track. But as they work hand in glove, they slowly begin to realise that the person they consider a friend and helpmate is also a vital, sexy, attractive person. Neither of them expect desire or love to coming knocking, but it does, bringing all sorts of denial, guilt and conflict with it. And some pretty smokin’ bedroom times, I might add!

Suddenly You is a sequel, of sorts, to All They Need, and tells Mel’s brother, Harry’s, story. He’s big and tough, with tribal tattoos and muscles on his muscles. He works as a mechanic and lives the life of a confirmed bachelor - partying on the weekends, no strings, enjoying hot chicks when they come his way, but avoiding any whiff of commitment. Pippa, the heroine, was once going out with Harry’s best mate. She got pregnant to him, however, and the relationship ended when the friend washed his hands of Pippa. When the book begins, Harry stops to help Pippa out when her car breaks down on the side of the road. Harry has always liked her, and when he learns that his mate has refused to step up and support her and her child, he feels honor bound to try to do something about the situation. The only problem is that mixed in with his good intentions is a whole lot of lust. I’ll leave the rest up to your imagination!

Q. And finally, what’s your favorite romance novel?

SM: It’s impossible to choose one. I have a handful that all occupy top position equally - Ain’t She Sweet by Susan Elizabeth Philips, See Jane Score by Rachel Gibson, Just One Of The Guys by Kristan Hiiggins, and both Blue Eyed Devil and Smooth Talking Stranger by Lisa Kleypas.

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer the questions, I hope you visit us again soon.

You can find Sarah in the following places:

Website

Twitter

To purchase Her Worst Best Mistake visit:

Amazon| Smashwords

GIVEAWAY!

Sarah has kindly offered 3 copies of Her Best Worst Mistake to give away among our readers. For a chance to win leave a comment for Sarah, or tell us why you like Contemporary Romance.

Details:

Each winner gets one (1) out of three (3) e-copies of Her Best Worst Mistake by Sarah Mayberry
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Ends on 05/13/12
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Winners will be announced here and through email and will have 72 hours to respond.
For more details visit our Giveaway Policy.

Review: One More Summer by Liz Flaherty

2012-05-09T06:30:00.000-04:00

I’ve been meaning to read this book for a while now, and I finally managed to do it. This is another case of misleading everything. Look at that cover with the happy headless girl acting all playful with Mr. Headless, so cute, right? (1) Wrong! This book is a sappy, drama infested, sob-fest. It’s also the most addictive book I’ve read this year, couldn’t stop reading it even if I kept thinking: “now what!?” Just keep reading and see.

One More Summer has an ensemble cast, although there are two clear main characters, but every one of them has a story and a journey to make. Grace, our heroine, had a terrible life. First she was the plain baby sister living in the shadow of her older siblings: Steven the intelligent and Faith the beautiful. Then her mother died and she was left living with a father who, for some reason, hated her. When her siblings left and her father got sick, she took care of him. Now the father is dead and she’s alone in a house that slowly fills with a bunch of people (that would be our ensemble cast).

Her brother, who worries about her, asks his childhood friend, Dillon, to go take care of her. Dillon is a famous and tormented writer (and also rich, because when book characters are authors, being rich, sad and famous, comes with the job) who has sweet memories of the small town where he grew up, but is weary of Steven’s little sister because his memories of her are of a sad, plain girl, who stoically endured her father’s abuse. And oh yes, also because he stood her up on her prom’s night. The rest you know how it goes, she resents him, he thinks she’s a bitch, they fall madly in love and fight all the way to the happily ever after. But in the middle of it there are a lot of secrets and pain to overcome. (2)

Promise is the other main-ish character (that’s her name, Promise). She’s Gracie’s best friend and Steven’s high school sweetheart. They have been together for years and yet haven’t managed to get married (I’m talking about Pomise and Stephen, not Promise and Grace). She’s battling cancer and she’s staying at Grace’s so that she has some help. Stephen is a surgeon married to his job and Promise can’t deal with being second-best, so she doesn’t tell him right away. Once he finds, though, he also moves in.

Finally, we have Jonah and Maxie, the elderly residents. Maxie can’t live alone because her mind wanders from time to time, and Jonah lost all his money so Gracie gave him shelter. Jonah is in love with Maxie, but she doesn’t know it. One would think this is the sweet romance in the story, but one would be wrong, the drama infestation also touches these two.

And so we have a story with different characters and personalities that are connected through family and friendship, but also through secrets and pain. They all have an important role in the book and in each other’s lives.

I know the description is long but there is a lot going on in this book. The main thing you should know is that the story is all over the place but it’s compelling and addictive. It’s one of those “unputdownable” books. The heroine is a martyr but she’s so headstrong that I didn’t feel sorry for her and I didn’t find her annoying. What I did find annoying was how self-sacrificing she was. No one is like that. Yes, her father beat into her all those feeling of inadequacy so she was afraid to drive people away, but her best friend loved her. She had to realize she was lovable because of a man? Can’t friendship do that as well? So her martyr act and what ultimately changed her annoyed me, but she didn’t. If that makes sense.

The hero was a sweetheart and I liked him very much. I also liked all the secondary characters, Promise in particular. I found her struggle with cancer very touching. I also enjoyed the recurrent theme of the book about imperfect love stories, about romance that’s not as neat as in novels, about relationships that are messy and hard work.

There’s one thing that bothered me and made me really uncomfortable. This is a huge spoiler, although, to be honest, if you pick up the book you will be able to tell what happens almost immediately. Gracie goes through a lot: her mother died, her father blamed her and beat her, the love of her life stood her up on the biggest night, her best friend has cancer, she’s ugly, she has no style, she’s collects cats so she has someone to grow old with, etc. But I’ll take it, the book was entertaining so I won’t complain, angst and drama well-done is good even when exaggerated. However, there’s one thing that I found unbelievable and just plain terrible:

***SPOILER***

When she was twelve, her father raped her, the next day Promise’s parents found her and took her to the hospital where they insisted on calling the police, but Grace said no. Promise’s parents -and I’m guessing the doctors as well- agreed to not calling anyone. They threatened the father so he never raped her again, but that was it. How is this possible? What loving parent agrees to not call the police, and then sends the child back to live with the monster? I was baffled and disgusted. The rape was predictable, but I thought no one knew, when I read the whole story I felt sick. I won’t lie, it ruined the story, I’ll take unbelievable, but not when it comes to this.

*** END OF SPOILER***

Overall, this was an interesting book. I found the story engrossing, readable, angsty and sappy, and I loved Ms. Flaherty’s voice. Fans of drama and contemporary romance should be able to enjoy it, but I recommend reading the spoiler and see how you feel about it. That spoiler is the reason I’m giving this book a 3, and I think the grading should be lower. I think the good by far outweighs the bad, until you hit the spoiler, then I’m not so sure.

(1) There’s a scene in the book where the hero pinches her dress like the guy is doing on the cover, so that’s something accurate at least. I remember this because I finished the book 2 seconds ago, I don’t have a miraculous memory or anything.

(2) I finished the book 2 seconds ago and yet I managed to write Stephen instead of Steven.

Review by Brie

Grade: 3

Sensuality: McSexy

Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis:

Grace has taken care of her widowed father her entire adult life and the ornery old goat has finally died. She has no job, no skills and very little money, and has heard her father's prediction that no decent man would ever want her so often she accepts it as fact.

But she does have a big old house on Lawyers Row in Peacock, Tennessee. She opens a rooming house and quickly gathers a motley crew of tenants: Promise, Grace's best friend since kindergarten, who's fighting cancer; Maxie, an aging soap opera actress who hasn't lost her flair for the dramatic; Jonah, a sweet, gullible old man with a crush on Maxie.

And Dillon, Grace's brother's best friend, who stood her up on the night of her senior prom and has regretted it ever since. Dillon rents Grace's guest house for the summer and hopes to make up for lost time and past hurts—but first, he'll have to convince Grace that she's worth loving...

One More Summer by Liz Flaherty

September 16, 2010.

I Wish Someone Had Told Me!: Reader Expectations and Surprise Content

2012-05-08T10:24:00.001-04:00

Surprise content and mislabeled books can ruin a perfectly good story. I’m talking about books that have some content (type of hero, trope, etc.) that one may find unsavory when caught by surprise, but when read willingly and knowingly they end up being great, even if they aren't the easiest reads.

This is a real book.
You can't make this shit up.
And you wonder why I like them!

I like Harlequin Presents books. They are old-school romances with alpha heroes that behave like cavemen, and dormant heroines who say they don’t want a domineering man but they really, really do. However, if I were to read a single title contemporary romance with characters like those, I would hate it. When it comes to alphaholes and the women who love them, forewarning and context is everything.

Last week there was a lot of buzz surrounding The Siren by Tiffany Reisz. I haven’t read the book but everyone who has, agrees that it’s not a regular romance and that the ending, though satisfactory, is not traditional. This book was originally recommended as a romance, but then, readers where quick to point out that it was not, at least not the type of romance we are used to reading. So this is a book that may not be for everyone and that romance fans should treat carefully. Now that I know what I’m getting into, I’ll read this one with different expectations, because there’s nothing on the blurb that hints towards what type of book this is.

This brings me to another issue: when bad blurbs happen to good books. Take a look at The Siren’s synopsis and then read this review, and tell me what went wrong. Because judging by the description, it sounds like a cute contemporary romance. But what you see is not what you get. And that is a recipe for disaster. I think book synopsis are important, they are one of the book’s biggest selling points, is what catches the reader’s attention and helps them decide if they want to read what’s inside. So why do I keep seeing misleading and spoilerific book descriptions out there?

Get more Historic LOL's here.

And this is why reviews are important (and I mean reviews in general, not the ones I write, I'm not that conceited). Good reviews let you know what you’re getting without spoiling the book. Obviously, sometimes spoilers are inevitable and necessary, if the hero dies at the end you bet I want someone to tell me. But they also help you prepare for what is to come so that unpleasant surprises don’t ruin the book for you. When I review Chick-Lit stories, I always say that the romance is scarce and the hero plays a minor role and is more of a love interest than a main character. Is the best way to make sure that romance readers won’t be disappointed when they don’t get the romance they were expecting from a book reviewed on a romance blog.

How about you? Are there any topics, tropes or themes that you enjoy as long as someone warns you beforehand? Have you ever bought a book based on the blurb just to get something completely different than expected and promised?

Review: The Army Ranger’s Return by Soraya Lane

2012-05-07T06:30:00.000-04:00

The first time I read one of Ms. Lane’s books, I decided to choose the one with the cheating hero. Surprisingly, things turned out well and I ended up enjoying the book. So for my second book I decided to once again step out of my comfort zone and go for the one with the widower.

Jessica and Ryan have been pen pals for over a year now. Both of them relied on those letters to survive; Ryan because he was in the middle of the war, and Jessica because she was battling cancer. They became best friends and confidents, especially Ryan, because he was able to confide in her and tell her about his wife dying, his son rejecting him and his feelings of inadequacy. Jessica wasn’t as forthcoming but still she became dependent on him. So when Ryan gets back for a short leave, the natural progression is that they meet in person. But things don’t go as smoothly, first because they are attracted to each other but neither of them feel is the right moment to do something about it, and second because Jess won’t come clean about her disease for fear of being rejected, even as a friend.

Therefore they have to figure out what they want and what’s best for them, both individually and as a possible couple. In the process, Jessica will help Ryan reconnect with his son, and Ryan will help her reconnect with herself.

I’ve said before that I like books where the conflict comes from within the characters, and this is one of those. Jessica and Ryan had serious issues. After a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery, she felt incomplete and insecure. She was also dealing with the social consequences of having a disease that had previously killed her sister, meaning that everyone treated her differently and was overprotective. Ryan was recovering from a wound, but also from the death of his wife and the ensuing abandonment of their son. When she died he didn’t know what to do, so instead of dealing with it he went away and stayed away. And now his son doesn’t want anything to do with him. So these are serious situation that feel real without being extreme and filled with external conflict.

I liked both leads. Jessica was a bit shy and insecure, but she had a good reason for it. Ryan was also insecure, although his reasons were more selfish. But they were likeable characters and I was rooting for them to find their happy ending.

There were a couple of things that didn’t quite work for me. First -and this may be just plain ignorance on my part, so take it with a grain of salt- is the fact that when they finally have sex, he can’t tell that what she had done was more than a boob job. I was under the impression that after having reconstructive surgery the scars are different than those of a regular implant surgery, so that was a bit weird to me. Then there’s the fact that at one point Ryan almost dismisses the dead wife, saying that he wasn’t sure he was in love with her, that they married too young, etc. As much as I hate heroes obsessed with the dead wife, I think it’s terrible when they act as if the poor woman wasn’t the love of their lives. He had nine years to figure out that he loved her but wasn’t in love with her, so what? She had to die for the guilt to give him a clue to his true feelings? Is that why he couldn’t deal with the loss and grief? I wanted to yell at him to grow a pair. Actually, growing a pair is his journey, really, read the book and see how he goes from coward to great hero.

My favorite part of the book was the ending and how the big misunderstanding was resolved, if there was and actual misunderstanding. Ryan redeems himself at the end and you can see how his character changes and grows. I loved it.

This is a short story and if you like damaged characters you will enjoy it. It has some flaws but overall it was a good book and I’m glad I read it.

Review by Brie

Grade: 3.5

Sensuality: McSexy

Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis:

A soldier's second chance…

As nervous as a teenager about to go on her first date, Jessica Mitchell waits for Special Forces Ranger Ryan McAdams—her best friend for the past year— whom she's never met! They've been pen pals while Ryan was away fighting for their country and Jessica was secretly fighting her own demons back home.

She knows widower Ryan's fears of returning to civilian life and his hopes of reconnecting with his son. Now she can't wait to meet him face–to–face—to hear his voice and see his smile…

The Army Ranger's Return (Harlequin Romance) by Soraya Lane

Harlequin. August 2, 2011.

H&H: Contemporary Romance Edition

2012-05-04T11:44:00.000-04:00

I have a new post over at Heroes and Heartbreakers. This time I’m talking about my favorite current Contemporary Romance authors, which means that you won’t find Nora Roberts, Jennifer Crusie or Susan Elizabeth Phillips on the list. Instead, I mention authors that may not be as famous or whose careers are relatively new, but that I consider some of the best people currently writing Contemporaries. I know I’m leaving lots of people out, because lucky for us, there are many great authors out there, so I would love to hear your thoughts, if you have read any of those authors and who would make your list!

Review: Serious Play by Bonnie Dee and Summer Devon

2012-05-03T06:30:00.000-04:00

Source: we received an e-ARC of the book through NetGalley for review purposes.

I’ve heard great things about these authors, especially when it comes to their M/M books, so when I saw this book I felt it was finally time to stop meaning and finally read them. Also, the fact that the hero has an interesting past, one that’s quite unique for a Romance novel, helped my decision.

Luke Bailey is fresh out of jail. You heard me, he’s an ex-con, and I mean a real former criminal who ended up paying for it with years of his life. This is not one of those wrongly imprisoned heroes that go to jail to protect someone else just to end up saving a puppy and an old lady from a fire (don’t ask me how he went from jail to the burning building). But he is reformed and just wants to take this new opportunity and do something good with his life. In order to do so he needs a job, so his parole officer finds him one working at a friend’s bar. This friend is our heroine, Mary. Even though she agrees to hire him, she becomes hesitant when she realizes what it could possibly mean, but Mary knows all about rejection and being a black sheep, so in the end she not only gives him a job but also rents him a room.

You probably know where this is going because, after all, we’re talking Romance here. So yes, things go as expected and they end up together. But when things began to disappear from the bar, the main suspect can’t be other but the guy who when to prison. So doubts put a strain in their relationship as well as other obstacles. Mary’s family is wealthy and disapproves of her career choice and of her boyfriend, so they begin to interfere in their relationship, which makes Mary doubt Luke, and makes Luke doubt himself and his worth.

This book was interesting for many reasons, the main one being Luke himself. This is the first time I read about a guy whose faults aren’t there to hide his true qualities. Once upon a time he wasn’t a good guy and he admits it. But he also makes it clear that he no longer is that man. However, he accepts that his actions had consequences and jail was just one of them. Now he must deal with distrust and people looking down on him and not giving him a chance. So when he meets Mary and feels the instant attraction, he’s even afraid to fantasize because he feels beneath her. I really liked him and felt deeply for him. His attitude towards his life –past, present and future- was what redeemed him to me as reader and made me want to see him happy.

Mary was more difficult to like, too much self-pity from a woman who had accomplished so much. Her family turned their back on her and was ashamed of her career choice, which hurt her a lot, and that made it difficult for her to really enjoy her success. And after so many years, that need for approval was still there and got in the way of her relationship with Luke, she ends up choosing them, even if it is for a tiny moment. At first I was grateful to see that she trusted him, but then, when the family got in the mix, it all when to hell and it was very annoying, which in turn, made her annoying.

This book was good but not great. The best part was obviously Luke, but I felt that the romance and the story were lukewarm. It had a couple of big misunderstanding that where obvious and unoriginal, as well as unnecessary. The story had enough internal conflict as it was for it to need those extras. Luke was an ex-con and had many personal problems to overcome, his need to prove himself in front of the world and his self-worth issues in particular. Mary had family issues and her relationship with Luke was also problematic, getting to really trust him, finding out if it was possible for them to be equals in the relationship, even the conflict that comes from having a relationship with an employee was enough to make a book. Then why add more instead of truly developing and addressing their internal conflicts, both personally and as a couple? The character development felt flat, not Luke’s but Mary’s. I didn’t see much difference in her at the end and it hurt my enjoyment of the story.

Now that I’m writing this review I feel like the book had lots of strong points, and yet I keep going back to the feeling I had after I finished the book, and that feeling was “meh”, not bad, but not great either. I’m not even sure if it was good, it definitely felt short and it didn’t engage me enough. I won’t recommend it because I didn’t like it enough, but if the description sounds interesting and you want to know what happens, I say go for it. Maybe I wasn’t in the right mood and you will love it. I do know that I’ll be reading these authors again, so that must count as something.

Review by Brie

Grade: 3

Sensuality: McSteamy

Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis:

Luke Bailey has dreams of building homes and putting down roots. But for a man with a rough past, finding any job isn't easy. When Mary Scott offers him a job-and a place to stay-mixing drinks and tapping beer at her theme bar, My Parents' Basement, Luke accepts. Customers flock to the cozy pub, designed to evoke memories of lost childhood, to meet and mingle and play games.

For Mary, her gorgeous new employee should be off-limits. She's his boss. And they're very different-something her interfering family constantly points out. But Mary's done playing the good girl. And Luke isn't the bad boy everyone thinks he is. Their attraction simmers until Mary seduces Luke into playing some deliciously adult games. Then a shocking betrayal threatens everything…

Serious Play by Bonnie Dee and Summer Devon

Carina Press. April 30, 2012

Review: The Witness by Nora Roberts

2012-05-02T06:30:00.000-04:00

Nora Roberts is one of the reasons why I love romance novels; she’s definitely The reason why I love Contemporaries, and that’s why her books are always greatly anticipated. However, the past few years have been mediocre at best. The last time I thoroughly enjoyed one of her books was in 2009 when Black Hill was released. So when I started The Witness I was hopeful but apprehensive. I’m happy to say that I fell in love from the moment I read the opening line.

The book opens when our heroine, Elizabeth, is a teenager. Sheltered by a dominant mother who decides everything in her life, from what to eat and wear, to what to study, she’s finally realizing that she wants to be normal. So when her mother leaves her for the weekend she cuts her hair and goes to the mall to buy new clothes. There, she meets a girl she used go to school with, and because they both have something to gain, decide to team up and go clubbing. Elizabeth is a genius, she has an eidetic memory, goes to Harvard and pretty much can do anything, so she creates the best fake ID’s ever. Once at the club they meet the owners, who happen to be members of the Russian mafia. They go to their home and once there Elizabeth witnesses the murder of one of them and of her friend. She manages to get help and once the police realize that she’s the main witness she goes into the protection program. I don’t want to spoil the plot but let’s just say that things don’t work out and she ends up hiding by herself.

Flash forward twelve years and now Elizabeth goes by the name of Abigail and is living as a recluse in a small town in the middle of the Ozarks, with her huge dog as only companion. Everything goes well until Brooks Gleason, the local Chief of Police, becomes interested in her. He can’t decide why he’s attracted to a woman who’s standoffish, rude and seriously lacking of social skills. But he is and so he pursues her. Little by little he gets under her skin and begins to know the woman she truly is, he knows something bad happened to her and that she’s hiding, but it’s too late for him because he’s already in love, so he will support her no matter what. Problem is, that the past is about to catch up to her and it may be more than they can handle.

The book is divided in two parts. The first one is about what happens to Elizabeth and it’s very different in tone to the second part. Elizabeth’s story is heartbreaking and compelling, you know things will end badly but you can’t stop reading. It sets perfectly what will come next and also her character. Knowing what she went through makes it easier to accept the woman she becomes.

Abigail’s part takes the majority of the book and it’s more about the romance than the mystery and suspense. Ms. Roberts takes her time developing the main characters, the love story and finally the conflict and resolution. The book is long but the story never drags, and each part is essential and enjoyable.

Elizabeth/Abigail is a great heroine and one of the best Ms. Roberts has written in a while, if not ever. She is the main character and the book’s focus. She has isolated herself in order to disappear and it has cost her deeply, mainly because she no longer knows how to function in society -not that she was that good at it to begin with-. She has accepted that she will be alone forever and when she meets Brooks she doesn’t know what to do. On the one hand, getting close to her is dangerous and she doesn’t allow herself to trust him, but on the other hand, he represents all she ever wanted and never knew she could have: love, family, emotional connection, normalcy and happiness.

Brooks was perfect. You know that when it comes to Nora Roberts, if the heroine is intense, her hero will be easygoing and laidback. And that’s exactly how he is. Sweet and caring, one thing I love about her heroes is that once they fall in love they go for it, no second thoughts and not fear of commitment, and that’s also the case here. This means that the romance is quite smooth and it’s all due to Brooks.

The mystery is very well-done albeit slightly unbelievable, especially when it comes to the role the heroine plays in it. Then again the bad guys where evil but not cartoonish and the resolution was surprising in its simplicity. Just when you think you have it all figured out, things take an unexpected turn and that’s the mark of a great Romantic Suspense.

This is Ms. Roberts’ 200th novel and it shows. Her voice is so unique it’s almost her trademark, the story flows in a way that only an experienced writer can do, and even though she has written 200 heroes and heroines, the ones in this book are just as remarkable and unforgettable as the rest of them. If you’re a fan I’m sure you already read it, and if you’re not, go read this, and the other 199 books now, you have lots of catching up to do and I envy you, I wish I could discover these books for the first time again.

Review by Brie

Grade: 5

Sensuality: McSexy

Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis:

Daughter of a controlling mother, Elizabeth finally let loose one night, drinking at a nightclub and allowing a strange man’s seductive Russian accent lure her to a house on Lake Shore Drive. The events that followed changed her life forever.

Twelve years later, the woman known as Abigail Lowery lives on the outskirts of a small town in the Ozarks. A freelance programmer, she designs sophisticated security systems—and supplements her own security with a fierce dog and an assortment of firearms. She keeps to herself, saying little, revealing nothing. But Abigail’s reserve only intrigues police chief Brooks Gleason. Her logical mind, her secretive nature, and her unromantic viewpoints leave him fascinated but frustrated. He suspects that Abigail needs protection from something—and that her elaborate defenses hide a story that must be revealed.

The Witness by Nora Roberts

Putnam Adult. April 17, 2012

Those Were the Days: How I Discovered Book Blogs

2012-05-01T06:30:00.000-04:00

Part of my daily routine is reading book blogs. First I watch the news and read the paper, and then go for the book blogs, I do that every morning. The other day I visited The Romance Reader and realized that I haven’t been there in months, and I couldn’t believe that I had been neglecting the first book blog I ever read. So I started thinking about the good old days where sites like TRR where my only contact with the book world.

This post is not about why I became a book blogger but about the blogs that introduced me to some of my favorite books and made me fall in love with the community.

When I first discovered the genre I was clueless. I barely knew how to use Amazon and I didn’t know there was such a thing as blogs. So at first I got all my recs from Amazon and the “costumers who bought this item also bought” carrousel and a site called AllReaders.com that was very helpful because it had book synopsis, including details like setting, percentage of violence, and my personal favorite: sex and type of sex (the first time I read that a book had “male nudity” and “the big P” I was pleasantly surprised and bought it immediately, sigh, I was easy to please back in the day, and by “back in the day” I mean now). I was so clueless that I used that site to buy backlists, the first time I read a Nora Roberts book I went to Allreaders, clicked on her name and went through that whole list, same with Linda Howard, Julie Garwood, Jude Deveraux, Johanna Lindsey, Judith McNaught (yes, I went through a “J” phase) and a bunch of other authors that I latter found out where a big deal. I’m talking about this site as if it’s an obscure and unknown place and I’m sure I’m wrong, but I never see it mentioned so I wonder if I’m the only one who uses it.

Once I became more proficient in the art of “Googling”, I discovered that by typing Author + Title+ Review, I could be redirected to websites dedicated to discussing books in a much more interesting way than AllReaders, because there were actual opinions and recommendations. That’s when I discovered The Romance Reader, and what a difference that site made. Now the “Big P” wasn’t enough to keep me happy, this site introduced me to actual reviews that, in my mind, where more reliable than those in Amazon, because if you have your own site you must know what you’re talking about, right? Right? Yes, I was young and impressionable, and did I mention clueless?

Soon after, I found a site called All About Romance, this one also had reviews, but I never truly became a fan mostly because I couldn’t figure out how it worked, and even today I’m just an occasional visitor. Again, I didn’t know anything about the Romance community, so I didn’t have a clue as to how big these sites were. One thing I learned here, though, was that there was a lot of webmaster/reader interaction, and that the people behind those sites where regular people like me.

The last blog I discovered, and one I still regularly visit and its part of my daily routine, was Dear Author. I like that blog because of the reviews, but also because of the discussions. Due to its format, I noticed that it was a very dynamic place fit for great chat and debate. Lots of drama as well, and who doesn’t love good drama?

Now I know all about blogs and more recently (two or three years ago) I discovered blogs like Smexy Books, The Book Pushers and Fiction Vixen among others. Blogs that have their own unique style and content that make them interesting and worth following. These sites are particularly useful to find new books, something I’m grateful for since Allreaders covered backlists and old school authors and I need more.

Then I became a blogger and the rest you already know, including how I found awesome blogs and bloggers that I’ve come to admire and call friends, and that make reading books a whole new experience that has nothing to do with how it was when I read my first Romance.

And before you ask, I’ve been reading Romance for over 12 years, I know I make it sound as if I’m really old, but I’m not. I was just really, really clueless and I didn’t have anyone to guide me through it and tell me what to read first. I was lucky enough to discover old-school Romances first, I haven’t read them all, but I can tell the difference between now and then, and I appreciate and notice how far the genre has come.

I would love to hear your thoughts. Which was the first book blog/review site you ever read? Do you have a favorite blog you visit regularly? Is there a blog you used to read but no longer caters to your interests? If you’re a blogger, is there a blog that inspired you to create your blog? Are you familiar with any of the sites I mention? If you started reading Romance before there were blogs, how did you discover new books? Am I asking too many questions?

I know this picture has nothing to do
with the post but it was too funny not to use.

More Someecards here, and more Historic LOL here.

Review: Back in the Soldier’s Arm by Soraya Lane

2012-04-27T06:30:00.000-04:00

This is one of the books I mentioned on my post about cheating heroes. The reason I read it was because I was curious. Hero infidelity is one of the most hated themes in romance and I thought it was interesting that there was a Harlequin Romance that directly dealt with the subject.

Danny and Penny have the perfect marriage, or at least that’s how it seems. They have been together for years, have a five-year-old daughter, and truly and deeply love each other. They both were in the military, but when it was time to retire Danny was the only one able to do it because Penny’s deployment was extended by the Stop-Loss policy. So she went back to war leaving her family behind. Danny was left alone with their daughter dealing with the life and responsibilities of a single dad, learning to adjust to civilian life and worrying about his wife. He didn't cope well and ended up having a drunken one-night stand, which he immediately confessed to Penny.

The book opens with Penny coming back for just a week to celebrate their daughter’s birthday. She has no idea how to deal with the infidelity, but she must do it because they don’t want to ruin the party. Danny, who is deeply repentant, feels that this week will decide their future and her wants to do anything he can in order to win her forgiveness. Needless to say, this won’t be a fun week.

This wasn’t a happy book, and it wasn’t easy to read. However, I liked it very much. There are many things a person can do to hurt their partner, and infidelity tops them all. But the fact that cheating is bad doesn’t mean that every infidelity is the same. So here we have a guy who was deeply confused, worried and at a crossroads. He left the navy and didn’t know how to be a civilian, didn’t even know if being a civilian was what he really wanted, his wife wasn’t there to help him and he also had the great responsibility of being a dad. And one day he made a mistake. Was he a bad guy? No. There’s no redemption from him, but what about forgiveness? That’s what Penny must figure out.

I really liked Penny and I deeply felt for her. She had to deal with Danny, but also with their daughter. This is a child that hasn’t seen her mother in months and who’s used to her father, so when her mother comes she wants nothing to do with her. The infidelity hurts her but her daughter’s rejection devastates her. And she only has one week to figure out what to do about it all. Fortunately, she has the support of her in-laws, who love her and worry about her, and who make brief but remarkable secondary characters (maybe the brother will have his own book).

The main conflict comes from the fact that Penny may forgive and understand Danny, but she doesn’t know if she will be able to forget. Every time they take a step closer towards solving the issue, she pictures him with the other woman. The complexity of the situation wasn’t glossed over and that’s why I found the story so interesting.

In the end, there’s a happy ending, a believable one. My main issue is that everything gets resolved too fast, one week isn’t enough time to talk things over, she doesn’t forgive him immediately, but that week is key.

This story is not for everyone, Danny isn’t a great hero, but he was real. There’s a lot of groveling, talking and crying. And if you don’t like angst then you will hate this book. But if you feel like taking a chance and reading a different story with a different take on infidelity and a cheating hero that isn’t a villain, then go for it.

Review by Brie

Grade: 4

Sensuality: McDreamy
Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis:

To the outside world, Daniel and Penny Cartwright have it all—a lovely home, a beautiful daughter, successful military careers and a rock-solid marriage. But when Daniel makes a reckless mistake, the foundations of their marriage are shaken. Now he's got to act fast to keep hold of his precious wife.

Daniel launches a campaign to win Penny back: he has just a week to do whatever it takes to make her fall in love with him all over again.

Back in the Soldier's Arms (Harlequin Romance) by Soraya Lane

Harlequin. March 6, 2012.

Review: Somebody to Love by Kristan Higgins

2012-04-26T06:30:00.000-04:00

Source: we received an e-ARC of the book through NetGalley for review purposes.

Somebody to Love is the story of Parker Welles. She’s rich, talented and a little bit cranky. Her life is at a crossroads, for the past few years she’s been writing a successful book series for children, books that have brought her fame and recognition, books that she hates with a passion. She wrote them as a joke after the story she really wanted to tell was rejected and ever since then, she’s been cursed with having to write them. But now the series is about to end and she doesn’t really know what to do because she can’t seem to muster enough imagination to write something different. Why does she keep writing books that make her miserable? I have no idea, but It’s not about money because she has a trust fund and all the money she makes goes to charity.

Things are about to get really complicated because her father, with whom she has a difficult relationship, gets caught in an insider-trading scheme that sends him directly to jail. Worse, they don’t have any money because he spent it all, including her trust fund. All she has left is her small son and a dilapidated old house she inherited from a forgotten relative. So she decides to renovate the house in order to sell it and her father sends his right-hand man to keep an eye on her and help. This man is James Cahill, they have a past and she hates him almost as much as her father. She calls him names and treats him bad. James, on the other hand, has been in love with her from the moment he first met her. He’s there because he wants to and he’s willing to do anything to make her see him for the person he is and not just as his father sidekick. Obviously this isn’t the smoothest love story, but it sure is interesting.

If you’re a fan of Ms. Higgins’ work you may recognize Parker as Ethan’s baby mama from The Next Best Thing. I was mystified by her the entire book and I kept wondering why I didn’t hate her. Parker was a poor little rich girl, had daddy issues and refused to patch things up with him even though she was using his money and living in his mansion. She had a kid and instead of keeping the money she earned, she gave it all away to charity, nice of her, but also careless, especially considering she didn’t trust her dad. And she ends up paying for it. Then there’s the fact of how neurotic and mean she was, she treated James like crap and he didn’t deserve it. So why on earth did I find her endearing? I think Ms. Higgins’ ability to write a character filled with unlikeable traits in a likeable -almost relatable- manner is to blame for that. I could relate with her professional struggles and understand some of her issues, I felt deeply for the little girl she was, and found her personality entertaining. Most of her actions made me shake my head, and half the things she does and say lessened my enjoyment. However, I really, really liked the book.

If I had to describe James with one word I would say eager. I kept picturing him as a puppy, eager to please, eager to be liked, carefree and slightly clueless. But he wasn’t annoying and he had plenty of reasons to be that way, not to mention that his carefree front was exactly that, an act and a façade. He had a heartbreaking past that deeply marked his character and once I read that part, all about him made sense. Whereas Parker was tired and jaded, James was glad and appreciative, happy to have someone who liked him, and that someone was Parker’s dad. It is a complicated dynamic that gets worse due to Parker’s selfishness and at times I felt like James deserved better. And yet I wanted them together, in part because it was what James wanted, and in part because it was what Parker needed.

This book is the second time Ms. Higgins writes a story in third person POV, and the second time we get to see what’s going on inside the hero’s head. It’s a departure from her usual novels that have more of a chick-lit feel to them and are told in first person. This one is definitely a romance. I enjoy both styles and I think she does them very well, but I miss her original way of writing. That’s just personal preference, though. There’s nothing wrong with the way this story is told, and it works because the hero has a journey and we need his POV just as much as we need the heroine’s.

The author’s trademark comedy is also present, some parts were hilarious and we get to revisit familiar characters like Maggie and Malone from Catch of the Day. It was a nice wink to the fans but you don’t have to be familiar with those books to enjoy this one, it is a standalone even if previous characters feature prominently here.

Now that I’m writing the review I feel like I had many issues with the book, more than I was aware of while reading the book. But the thing I keep remembering is how much I liked it, how much I laughed and how I couldn’t put it down. And because I read Romance for entertainment and this book certainly delivered, I will recommend it to you. Just bear in mind that the heroine might not be to your liking and that the hero is, at times, too beta. If you’re new to the author but love Romantic Comedy I’m sure you will enjoy it. And if you’re a fan I bet you already read it and I would love to hear your thoughts.

Review by Brie

Grade: 4

Sensuality: McDreamy
Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis:

After her father loses the family fortune in an insider-trading scheme, single mom Parker Welles is faced with some hard decisions. First order of business: go to Gideon's Cove, Maine, to sell the only thing she now owns—a decrepit house in need of some serious flipping. When her father's wingman, James Cahill, asks to go with her, she's not thrilled…even if he is fairly gorgeous and knows his way around a toolbox.

Having to fend for herself financially for the first time in her life, Parker signs on as a florist's assistant and starts to find out who she really is. Maybe James isn't the glib lawyer she always thought he was. And maybe the house isn't the only thing that needs a little TLC….

Somebody to Love by Kristan Higgins

Mira. April 24, 2012.

Interview: Josephine Myles

2012-04-25T06:00:00.000-04:00

I'm happy to welcome back author Josephine Myles. She's here today celebrating the release of her latest novel, Handle with Care. Please help me give her a warm welcome and stick around for more info on her blog tour and some cool prices you can win.

Hello Josephine! Welcome back to Romance Around the Corner, it’s always great fun to have you.

Q. For all of our readers who may not be familiar with your work, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your books?

JM: Hi Brie – thanks for inviting me over! About me? Okay, I’m a thirty-five year old Brit who writes m/m romance, much to the amusement and occasional bafflement of family and friends. I live in a lovely little Somerset town with my husband and six-year-old daughter, but much as I love being a mum I’d go crazy if I didn’t get the chance to indulge my imagination every day. It’s good that these days I do so more productively, rather than sitting around daydreaming.

I’ve been publishing erotic short stories for the last couple of years, but my first novel, Barging In, was published by Samhain in September. Since then I’ve had a couple of novellas out, and now my new release from Samhain: Handle with Care.

Q. Have you always been a fan of M/M Romance? Were you always interested in writing Romance? And when it comes to reading for pleasure, do you enjoy this genre or do you prefer something different?

JM: I’d never really thought of myself as a potential Romance writer until I discovered m/m romance a couple of years ago, but I know I’d have been a fan if I’d found it earlier on as I’ve always devoured books with strong gay characters. At the moment I’m mainly reading m/m, but I do hope to return to a more balanced literary diet in the future when I have more free time. I used to read a lot of women’s fiction and lit fic, and I know there must be plenty of great books for me to catch up on. I’m also getting into mysteries these days, so I’d like to explore more of the classics, and work my way through all the fascinating non-fiction books on my shelves.

Oh, and I always enjoy reading Terry Pratchett! Comedy is one of my all time favourite genres, and I love writers who can make me laugh out loud.

Q. What can you tell us about your newest book, Handle with Care?

JM: It’s about Ben, a thirty-three-year-old recluse who’s on home dialysis, and is obsessed with his cute young parcel delivery boy, Ollie. They flirt on the doorstep, but Ben can’t bring himself to make a move as he’s convinced he’s terminally unattractive now because of his illness. To me, the book is about healing and character growth, as Ben learns from Ollie that there’s still plenty to love about him, and that the age difference really doesn’t matter.

I think this book is a bit of a departure from your previous stories. Your main character suffers from diabetes which is quite a serious topic. What inspired you to write this story and was it hard for you to find the balance between the light and fun moments and the darker more serious ones?

I was inspired by seeing my brother-in-law’s experiences with diabetes, kidney failure, dialysis and an eventual transplant. Although it was daunting to write about a seriously ill character, I hoped I’d be able to do it with enough humour to cut through the darker stuff, much as my brother-in-law has always coped with his health situation by joking. I have to admit, I don’t much enjoy writing anything too dark, so if anything the novel is probably skewed towards the light and fun. Then again, this isn’t a bad thing as the narrative focus is on healing, and how Ollie brings sunshine into Ben’s lonely life.

Q. You have written several heroes who couldn’t be more different from each other even if they tried. Do you have a favorite? I know authors always say that characters are like their children and it’s impossible to choose one, but is there one in particular that you really miss and would like to revisit?

JM: I love the slutty ones! Of course, I love them all, but the ones who are happy being single and promiscuous, like Dan and Tristan in Barging In, and Felix in Tailor Made, are such fun to write. I really enjoy making them fall in love despite themselves. I’d love to write sequels to both stories at some point, but don’t know when I’ll find the time.

Q. What else are you working on? What can we expect and look forward to reading in the future?

JM: I’ve got a steamy short story, Screwing the System, appearing as part of the Goodreads M/M Romance Group’s Love is Always Write event, and my next novel from Samhain will be out in September – that’s a ménage called The Hot Floor, and it’s also pretty kinky. I’m currently working on a space opera novella, Storm and Lightning, which is being published as a serial on my blog every Friday. I hope to have that out as an ebook early in 2013.

My next project looks set to be a steampunk mystery, so it’s a bit of a departure for me. It will be m/m, of course, and hopefully have plenty of sizzling sexual tension which is then released in interesting and creative ways!

Q. Finally, what’s your favorite Romance Novel?

JM: Ooh, that’s such a tough question! It’s so hard to choose, but if we’re talking about stories that are Romance rather than romantic suspense, then I’d have to say something by K.A. Mitchell. If pushed, I’d choose Life Over Easy as my favourite of her titles, with Hot Ticket and Bad Boyfriend as close runners up. I just adore the way her characters clash in an utterly realistic way, and the humour and raunch factor are also huge draws. Her dialogue is fantastic and I’ve learnt a huge amount about writing romance from studying her books.

Thank you so much for being here today and taking the time to answer our questions, I hope you come back soon!

JM: Thanks for having me, Brie :D

Handle with Care by Josephine Myles – The Blog Tour (GIVEAWAY)

To celebrate the release of Handle with Care, Josephine is on a two week blog tour. A grand prize will be awarded to a randomly chosen commenter during the tour: an exclusive Handle with Care mug (which she will post worldwide), and a $25 voucher to spend at All Romance eBooks (or alternative ebook retailer of your choice).

Josephine will choose the winner on Wednesday May 9th at 9am (GMT) and she will announce the winner on her blog.

Here is a list of the other blogs participating, if you comment on all of them you will increase your chances of winning.

The best things in life aren’t free…they’re freely given.

Ben Lethbridge doesn’t have many vices left. After raising his little sister to adulthood, he wasted no time making up for the youth he lost to responsible parenting. Two years of partying it up—and ignoring his diabetes—has left him tethered to a home dialysis regimen.

He can do his job from his flat, fortunately, but most of his favourite things are forbidden. Except for DVD porn…and fantasizing over Ollie, the gorgeous, purple-haired skateboarder who delivers it.

Their banter is the highlight of Ben’s lonely day, but his illness-ravaged body is the cruel reality that prevents him from believing they’ll do anything more than flirt. Not to mention the age gap. Still, Ben figures there’s no harm in sprucing himself up a bit.

Then one day, a package accidentally splits open, revealing Ben’s dirty little secret…and an unexpected connection that leaves him wondering if he’s been reading Ollie wrong all this time. There’s only one way to find out: risk showing Ollie every last scar. And hope “far from perfect” is good enough for a chance at love.

Warning: Contains superhero porn comics and a cute, accident-prone delivery guy with colour-changing hair. Readers may experience coffee cravings, an unexpected liking for bad mullets, and the urge to wrap Ollie up and take him home.

Kindle US | Kindle UK | Samhain

English through and through, Josephine Myles is addicted to tea and busy cultivating a reputation for eccentricity. She writes gay erotica and romance, but finds the erotica keeps cuddling up to the romance, and the romance keeps corrupting the erotica. Jo blames her rebellious muse but he never listens to her anyway, no matter how much she threatens him with a big stick. She’s beginning to suspect he enjoys it.

Connect with Josephine:

Website | Email | Blog | Facebook | Twitter

Review: Sunrise Point by Robyn Carr

2012-04-24T06:00:00.000-04:00

Source: we received an e-ARC of the book through NetGalley for review purposes.

At this point it should be obvious why I got this book so I’ll skip that part and go straight to the review, especially because I’m running out of ways to explain why I’m a fan of Ms. Carr’s books.

Sunrise Point is the story of Nora Crane. She is in her early twenties, already a single mother of two girls, and desperate. Her boyfriend, a drug-addict and an ass, left her and their daughters abandoned in Virgin River. For the past few months she’s been getting by thanks to the help of everyone in town but she wants better for her kids so she decides to get a better-paying job. The opportunity comes in the form of the local orchard, so she decides to apply for a job picking apples.

Tom Cavanaugh has decided to settle down once and for all. His work running the family orchard is his dream, but he wants a wife and kids. His ideal woman is classy, willing to move to Virgin River, and most importantly, baggage-free. So when Nora comes asking for a job the instant attraction is unwelcomed, after all, she never got married, she has two young daughters, her ex is in prison and she’s almost homeless. He even refuses to hire her because she has no experience and doesn’t even look strong enough to handle the job. But his grandmother can see beyond that and makes him help her, so Nora ends up working for them.

Nora doesn’t want a relationship either, so once that’s settled, they become friends. Nora has to deal with her new job and Tom begins dating another woman. But is that what they really want? Nora dreams of having the stability that comes with a family and a home like Tom’s, and Tom keeps fighting the attraction he feels towards a woman who couldn’t be farther from his ideal. But love has other plans so it’s time to adapt.

Believe it or not, this is the nineteenth book in the Virgin Rive series, the nineteenth! I don’t know how she does it but she keeps getting new ideas. I confess that I wasn’t sure about this book. The last two books were more miss than hit so I even considered not reading it. Howeve I can’t resist the temptation and I’m really glad I read it because this is by far the best of the latest trilogy.

Nora was a great heroine. Really young but mature given the circumstances, not only with the kids but also her family and background. Hardworking and a little bit stubborn. Not much different from all the other Virgin River heroines. Tom was also very likeable, he had many things in common with Nora, the stubbornness in particular, and he had a very clear idea of what he wanted, in fact, most of the book, if not all, is about him getting over his expectations and realizing that what you think you want is not necessarily what you get and really want.

The best thing about this book, and what I think marks the biggest departure from Ms. Carr’s usual stories, is the fact that the romance develops really slowly. Yes, there is an instant connection, but the leads are not ready to be together, they don’t even want to. So they become friends instead. I found this to be such a refreshing change, Nora and Tom meet in the book, but it’s almost like a friends-to-lovers story. Obviously if you are into instant gratification the fact that they don’t even begin dating until way past the middle mark may throw you off, but I personally enjoyed it. I don’t like insta-love so the fact that the leads get to know each other before falling in love was wonderful.

There’s a villain in the book, and she was absolutely ridiculous and cartoonish. She’s the woman Tom dates before Nora and I found her one-dimensional and evil. I get it, she’s there to cause trouble and help the hero realize what he really wants, but why not give her some depth? You can have an antagonistic character that isn’t evil, or at least give him/her a reason to be that way. Also, the hero’s attitude got on my nerves. His ideal was unattainable and it takes him way too long to understand it. But those are the only complaints I have, and regardless of them, I really enjoyed the book.

This book stands alone perfectly well. You don’t need to read any of the previous books to fully appreciate Sunrise Point. It’s a great contemporary romance recommended to fans of small town stories. If you’re a fan of the Virgin River books, then you probably already read it, and if not, I’m sure you will love it.

ETA: if you have a Kindle, the book is only $1.99~~, that's an awesome deal and I'm not sure how long it will last. (Thanks to~~ Sonya ~~for pointing out that this deal is just for US residents)~~ The promo has ended, the price is $6.15 now.

Review by Brie

Grade: 4

Sensuality: McSexy
Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis:

Former marine Tom Cavanaugh has come home to Virgin River, ready to take over his family's apple orchard and settle down. He knows just what the perfect woman will be like: sweet, decent, maybe a little naive. The marrying kind.

Nothing like Nora Crane. So why can't he keep his eyes off the striking single mother?

Nora may not have finished college, but she graduated with honors from the school of hard knocks. She's been through tough times and she'll do whatever it takes to support her family, including helping with harvest time at the Cavanaughs' orchard. She's always kept a single-minded focus on staying afloat…but suddenly her thoughts keep drifting back to rugged, opinionated Tom Cavanaugh.

Both Nora and Tom have their own ideas of what family means. But they're about to prove each other completely wrong.…

Sunrise Point (Virgin River Novel) by Robyn Carr

Mira. April 24, 2012.

Interview: Jordan Castillo Price

2012-04-23T07:43:00.000-04:00

Today, Jordan Castillo Price is back on the blog to tell us all about her newest release, her plans for the future and answering several other questions I was dying to ask to one of my favorite authors.

Hello Jordan, welcome back to Romance Around the Corner. It’s always a pleasure to have you!

Q. For all our readers out there who may not familiar with you and your work, could you tell us a bit about yourself and your books?

JCP: Hi Brie! I’m so thrilled you invited me back!

I’m one of the early m/m writers to arrive on the scene, back in 2004 when my vampire/werewolf story Starlight was published in the anthology Bloodlust by M. Christian and Todd Gregory, although then it was considered gay erotica rather than m/m romance. The label is interesting, because I think m/m transcends a lot of these labels, yet doesn’t fit neatly into any other categories. Not all of my work is erotic, and not all of it is romantic. This genre is still in its infancy, and it will be interesting to watch the evolution of its definition. My most popular series, PsyCop, began in 2006 and is still in the works, with two more novels planned over the next couple of years.

Q. Your newest release, Magic Mansion, started as a serialized novel, not only that, but readers who tuned in monthly were able to vote for their favorite characters. Could you tell us more about the book and the process of writing a story while having input from readers?

JCP: Magic Mansion is about two gay stage magicians who meet on a reality show. I published the first version serially in my newsletter, about 5 to 7 chapters at a time, and on every key voting point where a magician would be voted in or out of the mansion, I turned that decision over to the readers.

It was a huge challenge to work this way, because while I had a general idea how I wanted the novel to end, I wasn’t 100% certain of how we would all get there, or even what all the details would be. It was up in the air, for instance, who would actually win the reality show. Probably because the relationship between the main characters was more the point than who won the show—although if you think about it, it wouldn’t be possible for both main characters to win, so I’d need to feel things out and make some decisions about how to wrap everything up in a satisfying way.

The mentality I brought to the serialized writing was very different from my usual mindset. Early on I realized that there was absolutely no way I could predict how readers would vote, and so I needed to adopt a go-with-the-flow attitude. It was also clear I couldn’t tempt fate. I couldn’t offer a scenario as a voting alternative unless I was fully willing to write it.

Q. I’m curious to know more about the differences between writing a regular novel and a serialized one. Do you write it all at once and then divided it? Or you play it by ear and see how the readers respond?

JCP: I’ve never written a novel all at once and then serialized it—although, really, I could see the temptation to do that. It’s really hard to write something to order. What if you choke? What if there’s a wrench thrown in your schedule that month? What if you’re three-quarters of the way through and you realize that something in chapter two should have been different? These are all very legitimate concerns.

My feeling, however, is that writing something complete and then doling it out bit by bit is not satisfying for me as a writer. It feels contrived. If I’ve written a whole novel, I want to publish that whole novel and then shout it from the rooftops, not make readers sit around and wait for pieces of it.

My first serialized novel, Zero Hour, was published one chapter at a time. Once in a while I might get ahead by a chapter or two, but never more than that. I found the publication schedule to be too skimpy; one chapter a month really isn’t enough to keep readers engaged, and they were more likely to save up big chunks of the story and read it.

For my second serialized novel, The Starving Years, I began publishing multiple chapters per month to keep the story moving, and I also included a reader vote at the end of each section to keep the audience engaged. That way, I felt I had a really authentic reason to serialize—because I needed to tally the vote before I could flesh out the next part of the story!

Finally, for Magic Mansion, I added the reality show concept, because it seemed like a fun way to include the actual voting as a real element in the storyline itself.

Serialized stories are about momentum and suspense more than perfection. They require both a lot of faith, and a lot of editing. They’re exhilarating to write, though, and in particular I love the sense of connection I get with the readers, and the immediate feedback to the work.

Q. JCP Books is your own indie press. What made you decide to create it instead of going with a different publisher?

JCP: After working with several publishers I decided I preferred to have greater creative control over my work than would be possible working for someone else. Before I started JCP Books I was a graphic designer by trade, and I love the intricacies of typesetting and cover art. When I was in grad school, I took a few semesters of bookbinding in which I made one-of-a-kind “art books” where I not only crafted the content, but the book itself.

I think of making my own ebooks and paperbacks as an evolution of that “art book” sensibility, where every title is unique, and gets as much attention lavished on it as it needs, with special graphics and detailed end-matter, functional tables of contents, and covers that really convey the way I envision the story. I see myself as a book artisan.

Publishers are not going to be able to invest that amount of time into the layout and design of each title. They have standardized templates they develop according to the taste of their design department and fit each new title into that template accordingly.

Q. Because I don’t want to get my PsyCop Fan card revoked, I must ask, what’s next for Victor and Jacob? When can we expect the next book? There’s going to be a next book, right, right?!?

JCP: It’s gratifying to know readers are eager for more of Victor Bayne’s adventures. PsyCop 7 is currently incubating. I plan a total of 8 PsyCop books for the main series (plus the bonus shorts and extras).

Q. All your books have a bit of a dark tone. They have paranormal elements, some violence, horror, definitely suspense, and lots of black humor. I was wondering if you would ever consider writing a different type of book, something more like a contemporary romance without the darker elements. I’m just asking this because I love contemporary romance and can’t get enough!

JCP: The books I write are exactly the type of books I love to read: blood, guts and danger. I’m intrigued by the way relationships can be explored in greater depth and breadth if they play out over a stage with paranormal or SF elements. There are scads of writers out there who write contemporary romance because that is what they enjoy.

Fans of contemporary romance may enjoy Magic Mansion, as I went deliberately subtle with the paranormal element to keep the focus on the theme of media manipulation and authenticity.

Q. What else are you working on? What can we expect and look forward to reading in the future?

JCP: When I was reading The Suicide Collectors by David Oppegaard, I was touched by the relationship of the main character and his next door neighbor, who was a stand-in father to him. I realized that I was more invested in the two of them than I was in many relationship couples, which led me to want to start exploring family dynamics in my work.

The Mnevermind Trilogy is the result of this new direction. Mnevermind is set in alternate-reality Madison Wisconsin (a college town full of overeducated folk thinking lots of thinky thoughts) in which Daniel Schroeder manages his family's business: an independent memory palace in a run-down part of the city. The first novel, Persistence of Memory, is slated for the end of April.

I’m also planning a new paranormal series called Turbulence. This will be a sequence of free short stories to fill the slot in my newsletter left by the completion of my serialized novels. Each story will have its own arc, so readers can start reading right away without feeling like they’re going to be left hanging, but each short will also lead to the next to allow for development of the characters, relationships and worldbuilding. I’d love for this to debut in May, but the research is turning out to be more involved than I anticipated. Interesting, but involved.

Q. Finally, I can’t let you go without asking you our standard question: what’s your favorite romance novel?

JCP: Stephen King’s 11/22/63 had a beautifully romantic ending. Funny thing was he almost wrote something else (that didn’t do the romantic story arc justice at all), and a guy named Joe Hill suggested the ending he eventually went with. I thought, “Wow, Stephen King trusts some guy enough to change the ending of an epic book based on his idea? That’s wild!” And then it turns out Joe Hill is Stephen King’s son! Given the father/son dynamic of the current series I’m working on, the story behind the story intrigues me as much as the book itself.

Thank you so much for being here today and taking the time to answer our questions!

JCP: I was flattered you asked! Thank you so much for having me!

Jordan Castillo Price is the author of the PsyCop series and the owner of JCP Books LLC. She writes paranormal, horror and thriller novels from her isolated and occasionally creepy home in rural Wisconsin. Connect with Jordan in the following places:

Jordan’s website

JCP Books: Jordan’s online bookstore

JCP News: Jordan’s monthly newsletter

Facebook: Jordan’s Fanpage and the PsyCop Fanpage

Jordan’s Blog

Joint Review: We'll Always Have Paris by Jessica Hart

2012-04-20T06:00:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, our friend and fellow blogger nath invited me to her blog, Breezing Through, to buddy-review We’ll Always Have Paris by Jessica Hart, a sweet and funny contemporary romance, with a happy heroine and a straight-laced hero. It was a different experience for me because this is my first joint review ever. Fortunately, nath is a pro so I was in good hands. Make sure to stop by and tell us what you think!

You can also find nath on her other blog, the wonderful and appropriately named Books, Books, and more Books. Thank you nath for inviting me and I can’t wait to do it again!