Category: Contemporary

Contemporary Romance Author Molly O’Keefe on Why Athletes Make Great Heroes

Molly O’Keefe’s highly anticipated contemporary romance, Can’t Buy Me Love (on sale June 26), centers in part around an ice hockey superstar named Luc who is sidelined by injuries. This got us thinking on the je-ne-sais-quoi of athletes in romance novels—whether they’re exceptionally fit Scottish warriors or studly professional basketball players, something about these men spurs great plots and sends readers into pining fan-girl territory. What is it, exactly? Molly O’Keefe is here to weigh in! Be sure to enter to win one of 15 advance copies of her new novel below.

I thought about this blog while drooling over Jaci Burton’s amazing, sexy, sexy covers. Those covers say it all, don’t they? Athletes make good heroes because they are hot! But the more I thought about it, obviously, the reason they make great heroes is deeper than that. The reason I made Luc Baker—my hero in Can’t Buy Me Love—a hockey player, wasn’t just about his abs (which are lovely). But was more about creating a character that was driven, disciplined and committed. And successful. And rich. Let’s not forget that part. All of those things feed a really potent fantasy.

So, because I love lists almost as much as I love athlete heroes, here is my list of my top three reasons I love professional athletes as heroes.
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Book Release – Betrayal by Danielle Steel – A riveting novel of fame & fortune

In Danielle Steel’s thrilling new novel, a renowned film director confronts an act of unimaginable treachery—and the first devastating blow will not be the last.

BETRAYAL

At thirty-nine, Tallie Jones is a Hollywood legend. Her work as a film director is her passion and the center of her life; one after another, her award-winning productions achieve the rare combination of critical and commercial success. With no interest in the perks of her profession or the glitz and glamour of Los Angeles, Tallie maintains close and loving relationships with her college-age daughter and her aging father, and has a happy collaboration with Hunter Lloyd, her respected producing partner, confidant, and live-in lover. Rounding out the circle and making it all work is Brigitte Parker, Tallie’s devoted personal assistant. Friends since film school, they are a study in contrasts, with Brigitte’s polished glamour balancing Tallie’s artless natural beauty, and her hard-driving, highly organized style a protective shield for Tallie’s casual, down-to-earth approach.

As Tallie is in the midst of directing the most ambitious film she has yet undertaken, small disturbances begin to ripple through her well-ordered world. An outside audit reveals troubling discrepancies in the financial records maintained by Victor Carson, Tallie’s longtime, trusted accountant. Mysterious receipts hint at activities of which she has no knowledge. Soon it becomes clear that someone close to Tallie has been steadily funneling away enormous amounts of her money. In the wake of an escalating series of shattering revelations, Tallie will find herself playing the most dangerous game of all—to trap a predator stalking her in plain sight.

In this riveting novel, Danielle Steel reveals the dark side of fame and fortune. At the same time, she brilliantly captures a woman’s will to navigate a minefield of hurt and loss—toward a new beginning.


Danielle Steels official website | On Facebook

About the author:
Danielle Steel has been hailed as one of the world’s most popular authors, with over 590 million copies of her novels sold. Her many international bestsellers include Legacy, Family Ties, Big Girl, Southern Lights, Matters of the Heart, One Day at a Time, and other highly acclaimed novels. She is also the author of His Bright Light, the story of her son Nick Traina’s life and death.

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What’s your favorite Danielle Steel book? I think it would HRH for me.

Random Thoughts: Stefanie Slone Interviews Eloisa James

Romance author Stefanie Sloane sat down with Eloisa James, author of Paris in Love, her new memoir, to discuss her year in France, her writing style, and a few of the life lessons she learned during her time away.

Stefanie: Everyone dreams of packing up and moving to a romantic locale. But so few of us actually manage to turn such fanciful imaginings into reality. For you, a health scare sent you overseas. Many in your position would have hunkered down and sought comfort in the familiar, but you went looking for an adventure. Why? And are you glad you chose the unfamiliar over the comfortable?

Eloisa: For one thing, my cancer was not life threatening: it was caught at an early stage. So, for me, it was more of a wake-up call than a nesting call. I realized that time—my time—could be cut short at any moment. Sometimes nesting is the best possible action (when caring for a new baby, for instance), but not always. I strongly believe that it is still OK to seek out adventures as an adult, a mom, a wife.

Throughout the book, you experience epiphanies, if you will; moments where life reveals itself to you in an effort to educate, inspire, and encourage. Was there one lesson that was particularly hard for you to learn? And which was the most satisfying?

It was very hard for me to say goodbye to my friend Rose. The fact that I had moved to Paris for a glorious year, post-cancer treatment, and that she—during that same year—succumbed to incurable cancer, gave me a great deal to think about. Rose lived with incredible joie de vivre: her call to me from the top of a mountain—“It’s beautiful here…you must come before you die”—became one of the most heart-wrenching and heart-felt lessons of my year.

Clothing, including lingerie, plays a reoccurring role in your memoir. For French women it appears that fashion—and the bits underneath that keep one’s assets in place—are to be celebrated rather than feared. Why do you think it is that we American women possess such a drastically different view of clothing? How did your own opinion of your body and wardrobe change after experiencing Paris?

I could sum it up as this: French women do get fat. They have bodies of all different shapes. But they dress to suit their figure, no matter its shape. I understand my figure differently, after a year of observing Parisians. My closet is less crowded, for one thing—but the clothes I have are tailored to fit my body, and I have figured out how to make them go together. I’m so much happier now that I know that I can quickly put together a chic and flattering outfit.

Your memoir is written in a rather unique way with stories told in short bursts of vivid description and unforgettable prose. Why did you decide to tell your Paris story in such a way? What is gained and/or lost in this abbreviated style?

I wanted to write about Paris in the way I was experiencing it: in very short bursts. My father (Robert Bly), is a poet, and when I was in elementary school, he was working on prose poems. Mastering a very short form of prose, even if my snippets have no comparison to his poetry, was an exercise in affection. What’s more, I wanted this book to give readers the sense of small but vivid pleasures, and so I resisted turning it into a traditional travel narrative.

What do you hope readers take with them from reading Paris in Love?

Whatever you do, whether it involves travel, or a new language, or a painting class, don’t allow fear to stop you. If you do visit a foreign country, don’t spend all your time (or even much of your time) being a tourist. Sit in a café and watch the world passing by. Be joyful rather than learned.

Watch Eloisa and her husband discuss their time in Paris:

Eloisa James is a professor of English literature who lives with her family in New Jersey. She is the also the author of Midnight Pleasures and Enchanting Pleasures. Preorder Paris in Love, on sale April 3rd. Find Eloisa on Twitter & Facebook!

Stefanie Sloane credits her parents’ eclectic reading habits—not to mention their decision to live in the middle of nowhere—for her love of books. A childhood spent lost in the pages of countless novels led Sloane to college, where she majored in English. No one was more surprised than Sloane when she actually put her degree to use and landed a job in Amazon.com’s editorial department. She spent more than five years reading for a living before retiring to concentrate on her own stories. Stefanie Sloane lives with her family in Seattle. Visit StefanieSloane.com | Find Stefanie on Twitter & Facebook!

Trouble Me: A Rosewood Novel, by Laura Moore featuring the youngest & the wildest of the Radcliffe sisters

Do you like small town romance stories from authors like Robyn Carr, Linda Lael Miller, Debbie Macomber, and Susan Mallery? If so, try Laura Moore’s Rosewood series. Trouble Me , the third book in the series, is on sale today- I know you’ll love it! -SueG

TROUBLE ISN’T THE ONLY THING ON HER MIND.

The youngest and wildest of the Radcliffe sisters, Jade is the last to return home to her family’s sprawling Virginia horse farm and its unsettling memories. She never planned on a night of passion with a stranger before starting her new life as a teacher and riding instructor—or the shock of recognizing the man who gave her so much pleasure standing right there in her classroom.

Officer Rob Cooper is stunned. Not only is the woman who rocked his world his daughter’s second grade teacher, but she’s the troubled teen whom he blames for his wife’s death years ago. Worse, now that he sees her in the light of day, he wants her more than ever. Time has softened Jade’s hard, rebellious edge—she’s spirited, honest, and sexy to distraction. But will the feelings ignited in the heat of desire be enough to heal a past that needs forgiving?

I, for one, love small town contemporary romances, especially when the hero is wearing cowboy boots *wink* – Laura has been a favorite author of mine for years, and I think she could quickly become one of yours too. Who are some of your other favorite small town contemporary writers?

Order now | Visit LauraMooreBooks.com | Find Joan on Goodreads!

Read an exclusive excerpt of Texas Bride: An Original Bitter Creek Novel, by Joan Johnston

From Joan Johnston – check out her website to enter: To celebrate the release of TEXAS BRIDE, I’m offering a KINDLE FIRE to a reader, along with an autographed book in this month’s book drawing on my website. So if you haven’t signed up for the new drawing yet, please do so. To enter, you’ll be asked to answer 3 questions about TEXAS BRIDE.
Good luck!
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HE MAY BE HER ONLY HOPE.
SHE MAY BE HIS LAST CHANCE.

Not that Miranda Wentworth was much for romance but she never imagined becoming a mail-order bride. Now marriage to a stranger is her only hope of finding a home where she and her two younger brothers can escape the brutality of the Chicago orphanage where they live. With any luck, she can even start a family of her own, once the three of them are settled at Jacob Creed’s Texas ranch. But Miranda has one gigantic concern: Her husband-to-be knows nothing about the brothers she’s bringing along. What if he calls off the deal when he discovers the trick she’s played on him?

Jake Creed is hanging on to his Texas ranch by his fingernails. His nemesis, Alexander Blackthorne, is determined to ruin him. Jake will never give up, but he’s in desperate trouble. His wife died six months ago in childbirth, along with their stillborn son, and his two-year-old daughter needs a mother. The advertisement Jake wrote never mentioned his daughter—or the fact that he has no intention of consummating his marriage. He’s determined never to subject another wife to the burden of pregnancy. But Jake doesn’t count on finding his bride so desirable. He doesn’t count on aching with need when she joins him in bed. And he never suspected his bride would have plans of her own to seduce him.

Please enjoy this excerpt of TEXAS BRIDE, on sale today!

TEXAS BRIDE by Joan Johnston, Excerpt

Order now | Visit JoanJohnston.com | Find Joan on Twitter!

Guest Review – REDWOOD BEND by Robyn Carr + Giveaway!

REDWOOD BEND reviewed By Kathy Altman, USA TODAY

CAPTION
Genre: Contemporary romance

No longer content to live so far away from the only family she and her 5-year-old twins have, Army widow Katie Malone packs up her boys and heads to Virgin River, Calif., for the summer. She hopes to find somewhere nearby to settle — somewhere kid-friendly but not too close to her overprotective brother. After months of hiding out on one side of the country while her brother laid low on the other, waiting for his chance to testify against a murderer with mob connections — a chance that never arrived because the mobster was killed the morning of the trial — Katie and her boys desperately need some safety and stability in their lives.

Which means the very last man she should want to become involved with is the former teen actor whose adolescent antics put every other bad-boy celebrity to shame. Especially when the grown-up version is still dangerously charismatic — and decidedly anti-commitment.

Dylan Childress gave up the Hollywood lifestyle long ago — or, rather, his grandmother yanked him out of it after his best friend died of a drug overdose. Eventually, Dylan found his true passion and majored in aviation in college, then started up a charter pilot service.

But business in Payne, Mont., isn’t good, and while he and his partners are on a cross-country motorcycle tour, he decides to check out local airports for ideas on how to save his company. Then he meets the sassy and irrepressible Katie, who’s more impressed with his motorcycle than she is with him, and Dylan can’t help but wish he didn’t come from such a spoiled, irresponsible, commitment-phobic family. Because if ever he’d consider making a forever kind of promise, it would be to Katie and her boys.

But his genes guarantee that the only “long term” he’s capable of is the kind you find in an airport parking lot.

Redwood Bend was a joy to read! Every interaction between Katie and Dylan crackles with tongue-in-cheek humor and sexual tension, and Katie’s twins offer their own authentic and heart-stealing moments of frustration and fun. And, of course, adding a delicious under-layer of angst is the seemingly insurmountable conflicts keeping Katie and Dylan apart — he’s not a forever kind of guy, and even if he were, his life and his livelihood are three states away. Not to mention the fact that Katie’s a package deal.

All Katie wants is to matter to someone. And all Dylan wants, though it takes him longer to admit it, is a family of his own. But Katie refuses to let Dylan use his relations’ problems with monogamy as an excuse to break her heart. In fact, she doesn’t let him get away with much of anything. At the same time, he’s opening up a whole new world for her — and seducing her, despite her reservations, as he haltingly connects with her boys. I really enjoyed her voice — she can be nosy and a bit of a nag, but her frankness makes for some delightful banter. Let me share some examples.

This snippet occurs after Dylan and Katie first meet. He and the “motorcycle gang” he’s touring with stop to help her change a flat tire:

“You have a couple of stowaways,” he said, glancing into the car.

She peeked into the SUV. A couple of sets of identical brown eyes peered over the backseat. “My boys,” she said.

“You don’t look old enough to have boys.”

“I’m at least fifty now,” she said. “Ever been on a road trip with five-year-old twins?”

LOL. This next snippet is from my favorite scene, when even though he’s resolved to avoid temptation, Dylan can’t help searching out Katie. He’s just gotten off his motorcycle after driving up to her cabin:

She gave herself a lot of credit for not sharply inhaling at the shock of his good looks. He swaggered toward her, peeling off his gloves. He had that swagger thing down; it was probably due to the constriction of the tight jeans around his hips.

And a few pages later:

I just Frenched a movie star.

Can you see why I smiled most of the way through this book? Well, except for the part with the disgruntled bear.

Appealing characters and a fresh and heart-tugging twist to a familiar conflict, coupled with what-did-she-just-say? dialogue and a cozy sense of community, all help make this latest installment in the Virgin River series a true romantic getaway.

Psst. One more thing. Intrigued by my mention of Katie’s brother and his brush with the mob? Check out his story in this book’s predecessor, Hidden Summit.

Kathy Altman is a soon-to-be-published author of contemporary romance and romantic suspense. She’s a member of Romance Writers of America (RWA) and Washington Romance Writers (WRW) and is also active in the online Harlequin community. Her website is KathyAltman.com.

Sue’s Comments: check out all the reviews on Goodreads –
I thoroughly enjoy the Virgin River series & every gosh darn moment I can spend there . . . I want to move there & open a book store, “VIRGIN BOOKS”.

QUESTION – if you were going to open a business in VIRGIN RIVER, what kind would it be? — every week 5 winners are chosen to win a FREE book – winners announced on Sunday – good luck!

If you like Robyn Carr, try Emily March or Mariah Stewart as they deliver small towns equally inviting!

Born To Darkness by Suzanne Brockmann

As the New York Times bestselling author of the Troubleshooters series and a “superstar of romantic suspense” (USA Today), Suzanne Brockmann has an acclaimed history of taking readers’ breath away with her novels of hot passion and high adventure. Now she takes her talent for sexy, action-packed storytelling in a thrilling new direction: forward—into a future, both fantastic and frightening, that only the brilliant Brockmann could envision.

Dishonorably discharged, former Navy SEAL Shane Laughlin is down to his last ten bucks when he finally finds work as a test subject at the Obermeyer Institute, a little-known and believed-to-be-fringe scientific research facility. When he enters the OI compound, he is plunged into a strange world where seemingly mild-mannered scientists—including women half his size—can kick his highly skilled ass.

Shane soon discovers that there are certain individuals who possess the unique ability to access untapped regions of the brain with extraordinary results—including telekinesis, super strength, and reversal of the aging process. Known as “Greater-Thans,” this rare breed is recruited by OI, where they are rigorously trained using ancient techniques to cultivate their powers and wield them responsibly.

But in the depths of America’s second Great Depression, where the divide between the haves and the have-nots has grown even wider, those who are rich—and reckless—enough have a quick, seductive alternative: Destiny, a highly addictive designer drug that can make anyone a Greater-Than, with the power of eternal youth. The sinister cartel known as The Organization has begun mass-producing Destiny, and the demand is epidemic. But few realize the drug’s true danger, and fewer still know the dirty secret of Destiny’s crucial ingredient.

Michelle “Mac” Mackenzie knows the ugly truth. And as one of the Obermeyer Institute’s crack team of operatives, she’s determined to end the scourge of Destiny. But her kick-ass attitude gets knocked for a loop when she finds that one of the new test subjects is none other than Shane, the same smoldering stranger who just rocked her world in a one-night stand. Although Shane isn’t a Greater-Than like Mac, as an ex-SEAL, he’s got talents of his own. But Mac’s got powerful reasons to keep her distance from him—and reasons that are just as strong to want him close. She’s used to risking her life, but now, in the midst of the ultimate war on drugs, she must face sacrificing her heart.

Preorder your copy today!

And don’t forget to Like Suzanne on Facebook!
Learn more about Suzanne Brockmann’s book at her website: Suzannebrockmann.com

See How They Run by Bethany Campbell, a Loveswept Classic

In this harrowing, pulse-pounding story of romance and danger by Bethany Campbell, two strangers race to save innocent children from a crime lord’s hit men.

A gifted teacher for special-needs children, Laura Stoner loves her charges, especially eight-year-old autistic twins Rickie and Trace Fletcher. An ordinary day on the school playground turns into a nightmare when shots ring out and an old man lies dead. By witnessing the drive-by shooting, the boys become innocent targets of a dangerous syndicate. Now U.S. Attorney Mike Montana is tasked with getting the boys and their beautiful, determined teacher out of harm’s way.

But it’s getting harder by the minute. There’s a leak inside the Witness Protection Program and no matter how fast or far they run, the bad guys spot their every move. Part of Mike wants to deny the fierce possessive attraction growing for Laura. But desire wins, and soon he’s in over his heart, aware that nothing means more to him than getting them all out of this one alive.

Includes a special message from the editor, as well as excerpts from these Loveswept titles: In the Arms of the Law, Ivy Secrets, and The Rose of Blacksword.

Order your copy here

HEA USA Today review Lover’s Leap by Emily March

Review written by Serena Chase, USA TODAY

CAPTION
Genre: Inspirational romance

The small mountain town of Eternity Springs has a long memory — especially if a person’s past is less than pristine. Fortunately, however, the town also has a resident “angel” in Celeste Blessing, and that Harley-riding, spa-retreat-owning purveyor of romantic restoration is determined to bring hope and healing to the people of Eternity Springs.

In Lover’s Leap, the fourth book in Emily March’s Eternity Springs series, Celeste is at it again. And this time she hopes to redeem more than romance — she aims to restore a family that was torn apart before it ever had a chance to begin.

Here’s the sitch: Sarah Reese is thrilled to win an all-expense-paid trip for two to Australia, and when she and her college-age daughter, Lori, arrive at the location of their last Australian adventure — a diving trip to the Great Barrier Reef — they can’t wait to get on the boat. Sarah’s excitement fizzles, however, when she hears a familiar name and realizes the captain of their charter is none other than Cameron Murphy, the teenage delinquent who ran out on her 20 years earlier — when she was 16 — and pregnant with his child. But Cam isn’t the cute juvie rebel she fell for in high school. Now, he’s a successful business owner — and he looks better than ever.

When Sarah and Lori realize that the teen driver who picked them up from the hotel is Cam’s son, the sting of betrayal is fierce. Without a word to Cam, Sarah and Lori flee, finishing their dream vacation in a mixed state of disbelief, outrage and hurt.

The town of Eternity Springs holds a thousand regrets for Cam Murphy, the biggest of which is Lori, the daughter he’s never met. He left town believing that Sarah and their daughter would be better off without the taint of his “bad Murphy blood” in their lives, but seeing Sarah again, even at a distance — and Lori, for the first time — awakens the desire to reclaim his first and only love and to cultivate a relationship with his daughter. He and his teenage son leave their business in Australia and head to Colorado so Cam can confront the demons of his past. But he doesn’t know that, since he left 20 years ago, an angel has come to rest awhile in Eternity Springs, and she is determined to see that Cam — and his relationship with Sarah — is redeemed.

Hits & misses: The characters and setting of this novel are well-developed. Even coming in late (Lover’s Leap is the fourth book in what’s expected to be a five-novel series) the author provides just enough back story to ensure a first-time visitor to Eternity Springs won’t become lost or confused. Fans of the first three books of the series will likely have a much clearer grasp on the large cast of characters — including the mystery of who/what Celeste Blessing is (and what she’s about) than those who are new to the series, but those coming in fresh to book four shouldn’t have too much trouble catching on.

Lover’s Leap is an enjoyable book, but this is not a thrill-a-minute novel or a cozy one-afternoon read. The plot is fairly clear from the beginning, but with all the angst-ridden side roads and necessary back story the reader must navigate in order to reach the story’s climax, there are times it seems as though it is taking for-ev-er to get from point A to point C. The author was, perhaps, a bit overly thorough in her plot development — the story’s pace would have benefited by condensing some of the lesser subplots — but it is still a pleasant story.

To read or not to read: Readers who remember the Della Reese/Roma Downey series, Touched by an Angel, will find Eternity Springs a comfortable place to visit; but, unlike the squeaky-clean TV show, they will find this small town’s residents a little more — ahem — sexually driven. While there is nothing in this book that (most) readers would consider overly erotic, there are some pretty titillating lead-ins that leave the reader with no doubt as to what has transpired in the bedroom. (Or in the shower. Or under the tree. Or … well, you get the idea.)

Emily March has created a fun cast of characters who just happen to benefit from the intervention of a nosy, angelic advocate. With passion, romance, and revealing moments that will touch your heart, Lover’s Leap takes readers on an unhurried journey where past mistakes are redeemed and a more beautiful future is forged — one miracle at a time.

A writer, performer and accomplished partaker of dark chocolate, Serena Chase lives in Iowa with her husband and two daughters. Her reviews can also be found at the blog Edgy Inspirational Romance.

Check out the rest of the Eternity Springs novels here Start the series with Angels Rest – Enjoy!

Guest Post by Emily March! + Giveaway

For someone who makes her living imagining things, I am a pretty down-to-earth sort of girl. I’m not especially superstitious–well, except that I always wear my alma mater’s colors on game day, and I do have my lucky hat to wear whenever I go fishing. And, as a southerner, I wouldn’t dream of skipping my serving of black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day. As a rule, I’m skeptical about UFO sightings, I don’t think Bigfoot roams the woods, and I do not believe in the likes of werewolves, vampires, fairies, zombies, or selkies.

I chose this subject for today’s blog because of a fascinating, ongoing thread on my college alumni message board about personal paranormal experiences. It’s made me think about what “woo woo” things I dismiss out of hand, what I could accept, what I do accept, and what I believe in absolutely. ESP is something I can accept. As a mother, so many times I’ve sensed something was wrong with one of my children who was miles away, and it was. Then there are the times I think about my sister out of the blue and bingo, the phone rings and she’s called.

Some of the stories on the personal paranormal thread are fascinating, and some are downright spooky. Shakespeare said it best: ‘ There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.’

Which brings us to angels. I do believe angels exist. I am a religious person, so this is a matter of faith for me. However, even if that were not the case, a couple of things have happened to me personally that make me a believer.

In the final days of my father’s life, he conversed with his brother and sister, both of whom had passed decades earlier. Scientists might say they were hallucinations of a dying mind, but I was there. I think angels were waiting for him.

The other event happened when my son played in a neighbor’s backyard with friends. He came in crying and my neighbor asked him what was wrong, and he told her he was sad because his grandmother died. Later, we discovered that my mother-in-law had indeed passed away that afternoon.

Ghosts or souls or spirits– angels–or mere coincidence– you decide.

That’s the direction I’ve taken in creating the character of Celeste Blessing in my Eternity Springs series. I have tried to write her in such a way that readers can decide for themselves just who, or what, she is. Wise woman or heavenly messenger? It depends upon your personal beliefs, personal experiences. One thing about her is certain. She’s a wonderful character to write.

How about you? Have you had any brushes with angels–either the earthly or heavenly variety in your lives? Remember, every week R@R randomly chooses 5 winners for random books, winners announced on Sunday – good luck!!