trueromance

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE BOOK!

Once upon a time we avid readers relied on a limited amount of publications in our quest for the next best read. Armed with the latest copies of Romantic Times, or the New York Times Sunday Book List, we roamed the stacks, deferring to our dog-eared, yellow highlighted copies, hoping the reviewers’ tastes matched our own. The method was hit or miss, and many of us kissed our share of frogs in search of the perfect hero and compelling story. But when we did ultimately find “The” book, we shared our new find with all our friends, excited to pass along the latest gem of a story and its new author.

Fast forward twenty-five years and here we are inundated with reviews and blogs, along with a bevy of readers’ personal opinions on emerging authors, and the latest and greatest reads. I, personally, believe information is power, and love having access to all the backlists, new release info, and comparative suggestions many bookseller sites offer. I’ve found some of my new favorite authors through this literary information highway, and take full advantage of the forums to share my excitement about my latest find with equally passionate readers. Lately “The” books for me are: Georgina Gentry’s, DIABLO; Catherine Mann’s; RENEGADE; Lorelei James’ BRANDED AS TROUBLE, Megan Hart’s, SWITCH.

While the theme of sharing is the same, the venue is far more reaching and encompassing. I believe it makes for a better match, with the perfect books getting it into the hands of the right readers; a must when time and money are limited.

It may be a new decade, with new options for finding our literary princes, but it’s always been - and always will be - about “the” book.

So, how do you find “The” book? What are your favorite sites, and who do you defer to when picking your next great read? Is the emphasis on fellow readers, blogs, newsletters, or published reviewers? Inquiring avid readers want to know.

Comment below & someone will be chosen to win some of Sue’s stash — Happy Romance!

Karen Matheny

Tall….6’1”….check.

Smart….you bet….check.

Chris Winters is a TV-Film guy/techno-jock who makes the A-list for Borders True Romance, Reader’s Entertainment Group, and Between Your Sheets. Born in Virginia and currently living in LA, this 2008 Mr. Romance can be seen in TV and movie cameos, biking or running around the city, appearing at events, or sometimes on various websites.

What do romance readers want to know about Chris?

Has being Mr. Romance helped you in achieving any of your Hollywood goals?
I think anything you do adds a step to achieving any kind of goals in life. I have had, very interestingly, someone mention it on a red carpet event before. I started recently using it more to bring the awareness.

Has being a cover model added romance to your relationships or has it actually been a detriment?
Well, I do not think being a cover model of anything will add or take away romance from an individual because a person should love someone for who they are inside. I know me just being me adds a lot to romance, or anything else for that matter. Romance is defined on respect, communication, and love for the other person.

Where do you hope to be in your career in the next two years?
Well, I do have a few people pushing me that are successful working actors, so I will be having a great year in the middle or end of 2010. I remember in 2005 a lot of things happened within that year and it was the same time. I’ve done a lot in Hollywood since my arrival two years ago. I have to thank my fans for that as well for keeping up with me.

If you could go back in history and become anyone he wanted, who would that be?
That’s a really tough question. I would imagine the person I could possibly be would be Abraham Lincoln. He has his own personal issues along with doing something really great in his life. One true hero.

If you could choose to be any character in a book for a film, which character would it be?
This is another tough question. Off the bat, I would imagine Darth Vader from the Star Wars movies. I always loved that character!

What Chris wants you to know about him?
I can honestly say I do love life. I thank God everyday for another chance to breathe again. I am the type of guy who you will meet and walk away smiling, knowing that I am down-to-earth.

I am a free spirited individual who believes in living life to the fullest and laughter is the start of everything. I enjoy many things in life. This ranges from eating, running in parks, solving challenging problems, to spending some time with someone. They say life is too short, but I always ask: “What else is longer?” Life shouldn’t be measured in time, but the time you enjoy with it.

Here are the following fun filled facts:

I am very goal oriented and determined but I have a weakness for chocolate and other sugary things.
I like a stimulating conversation, this can range from fractual functions to macrophages; or the uvula!
I love Xbox 360. I only like a few select games that have a storyline.
I like parks– especially Pan Pacific in Los Angeles, next to The Grove (it was featured on Miracle Mile and actor Brian Thompson was on it. I worked with him. The park is pretty cool at night, while running).
I like Peanut butter, and most common things everybody else likes. Ladybugs come to mind.
I DO NOT fold clean laundry. Hate it. I use it for my ultimate Hamster Nest. My Hamster Nest is when you sleep on various clothing articles.
I like snakes, snails, spiders, and scary movies. Yeah, I am NOT AFRAID to get my hands dirty, muddy, or tear up my shoes! I will also rub your feet.
I like various music. However, I really like Indie music that no one else listens to.
I really, super love, swing sets! If you want to feel young again, that is the place.
Midnight blue or blue that resembles late, starry night. Romantic and euphoric.

So let’s give a shout out for this talented, humorous guy who is determined to make it to the top and to take all of his friends with him because success for Chris is all about the heart. Hear him on the March 9th on Canned Laughter and Coffee with Renee Bernard and learn why this is a swinging Mr. Romance, http://www.blogtalkradio.com/circle-of-seven/2010/03/10/canned-laughter-and-coffee.

Update: Here’s the interview!

Learn more about Chris at Between your Sheets.com

Alyssa Day, ATLANTIS REDEEMED, Setting: Atlantis and Yellowstone National Park
Subgenre: Paranormal Romance
Hero: Brennan, an Atlantean warrior who has lived without emotion for more than 2,000 years
Heroine: Tiernan Butler, a human investigative reporter who has the Gift of Truth Telling

One sentence summary:
When 2,000 years of lost emotion hit you all at once—do you fall in love or die?

Scene you like most and would never cut:
When Brennan first re-encounters Tiernan and the curse he has suffered under for so long shatters.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying:
Anything that makes her look, feel, or be helpless. She has a vested interest in bringing the truth to the public and achieving justice for her murdered best friend.

Your hero, is he a boxer or brief kind of guy:
Pure Atlantean silk, baby.

Ancillary character you had the most fun with:
The vampire leader, Devon. He has very interesting goals and the shocking twist at the end almost surprised even me! I’m going to write his book one day.

Your heroine’s favorite hobby:
Walking on the beach, far away from anybody who might be telling lies. Lies hurt her; they feel and sound discordant and screeching against her soul.

Your hero’s favorite hobby:
Can I say it involves Tiernan and nakedness? LOL. He also is having a great time learning to tell jokes now that he has emotion back and can recognize humor.

What you think readers will like best about this book:
The emotion. My editor said this is the most emotional novel I’ve ever written and I think she’s right. Something about Brennan’s almost childlike attempts to cope with 2,000 years’ of lost emotion swamping him all at once; then the way he and Tiernan fight for each other even when they are in so much pain—I admit I cried more than once writing this book.

Reviews: Wow! Everything from “spectacular” and “exemplary” to “a cocktail sauce of awesome.” I’m loving the reviews!

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet:
High priest Alaric. His path is so tortured, and everyone wants to know what happens with him and Quinn. There is a very emotional scene in Atlantis Redeemed between the two of them; Alaric is starting to crack around the edges a little bit.

What’s next:
Christophe’s book is next – and it’s a heist book! In ATLANTIS BETRAYED, out in September, he encounters a famous British cat burglar and boy, do the sparks fly! Then it’s the first of my new urban fantasy series, also for Berkley. I can’t wait!
For the first time ever, I’m stuck for a title for Denal’s upcoming book. If you can think of a wonderful title (must have Atlantis in it), I’ll put you in the acknowledgements for the book.

There must be prizes! One book to 3 random readers commenting on this blog! Please visit me online at http://www.alyssaday.com for excerpts, a free short story, video interviews, and more. Thank you so much!
Hugs,
Alyssa

Check out Borders.com for all of Sophia’s wonderful Historical books, click here - Happy Romance!

Sophia Nash, Secrets of a Scandalous Bride (Feb. 23, 2010)
Setting: London – Regency era
Subgenre: Historical Romance

Hero: Rowland Manning, a hero masquerading as a villain.

Heroine: Elizabeth Ashburton, a widow in the dowager duchess’s secret club—or is she?

One sentence summary:
When Elizabeth Manning is forced to confront the devil from her past, her friends in the dowager duchess’s club can not help her, and she turns to a most unwilling hero . . . Rowland Manning, the most ruthless, enigmatic man in all of England.

Scene you like most and would never cut:
At the end of Chapter 18, Elizabeth reveals that she has done something to make Rowland feel more like he is part of the rest of humanity—not as apart as he thinks. Advance readers mentioned how heart-wrenching it is.

Thing your heroine would never be caught dead doing/saying:
“Let someone else do it.” Elizabeth never stops to think things through. She just steps into the breach and does the right thing at that moment. She is a classic heroine, yet she deplores her rash actions, never considering that real sin occurs when someone has good intentions but ultimately fails to act.

Your hero, is he a boxer or brief kind of guy:
Nothing gets between Rowland Manning and his breeches.

Ancillary character you had the most fun with:
“Ata” or Merceditas St. Aubyn, the Dowager Duchess of Helston, and her stalwart first love, Mr. John Brown have appeared in all of the books in the series. Ata is the name of my French great grandmother. She was a 4’11 ball of fire who loved to laugh and who was saddled with an overbearing 6’2” aristocratic husband. I inserted touches of her life in the series—such as the canary in the gold cage, and her love of riding. Readers will learn Ata’s fate in this story, and the last widow, Sarah Winters’ destiny, too.

Your heroine’s favorite hobby:
Cooking.

Your hero’s favorite hobby:
Not eating.

What you think readers will like best about this book:
The hero in the story, Rowland Manning, was the villain in the last book, “Love with the Perfect Scoundrel.” There was something so mesmerizing about him while I was writing that story that I knew he had to be a hero underneath it all. Rowland is larger than life, and he makes the biggest changes in any book I’ve ever written. I love his jaded wit, his reluctance to play a gallant hero, and his story arc. Elizabeth Ashburton is the only woman brave enough to take him on, and to be worthy of him in the end.

Also, for those curious about the writing process: I had originally thought that the end of the story was about 100 pages earlier than it turned out to be. And my favorite part of “Secrets of a Scandalous Bride” is those same last 100 pages.

Reviews: Booklist and Library Journal have each given the book a *starred review.* “Expertly spiced with deliciously subtle sense of wit, deftly seasoned with a superbly nuanced cast of characters, and featuring a plot brimming with lusciously sensual romance and a dash of dangerous intrigue, Secrets of a Scandalous Bride, is Nash’s best book yet.~Booklist

The person that readers want you to write about but you haven’t yet:
I’ve had many ask me to write stories for Rosamunde’s brothers from “A Dangerous Beauty.”

What’s next:
I’m delighted to report that I’m working on a brand new, exciting series for Avon/HarperCollins! The first book will be out next year. Readers may check for updates in the coming months at www.sophianash.com.

I’m plotting a number of stories for this new series, and I’d love to hear about readers’ favorite plotlines. For example, do you favor stories that feature: a second chance at love, tortured heroes or heroines, alpha/beta males, Cinderella, governess, secret baby, Beauty & the Beast, or any other type?

There must be prizes! One book to 5 random readers commenting on this blog—winner’s choice of title.

REMINDER: Romcon is fastly descending upon us & we want you there — stop by Romconinc.com for details!

Happy Romance & congrats to our winners — note your name below & email SueG with your snail mail address, sgrimsha@bordersgroupinc.com:

Monday - Christy’s winners: Amanda; Lisa G; Maered

Tuesday - Danielle’s winners: Sarah 53121; Isabel; PatL

Wednesday - Kate’s winners: Cailla; Barbara Elness; Amber S; Anna Shah; Rebecca Ringler

Thursday - Sue’s winner: Angelique Richardson

Friday - Cara & Lauren’s winners: Deb; vickey r; Jane C; Kristin; Denise

***************

First week of March & have we got the line-up for you!

Sunday - Francis Ray!

Monday - Sophia Nash

Tuesday - Pamela Clare

Wednesday - Julie James

Thursday - Louisa Edwards - FREE short story!

Friday, Saturday & Sunday - Sheila Clover of Readers Entertainment/COS is covering Christine Feehan’s, Fan 2010 - on the spot, minute 2 minute updates — just like you’re there!

Hope to see you next week! Happy Romance!

Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah was an engaging read. It is not lightweight, frivolous, or funny and definitely not a beach read. Which is good because it’s currently pouring rain at my house. With the stormy weather the ambiance was perfectly cozy to read it until late at night when I should have been in bed sleeping. Two children getting up before the sun rises means a tired mother. Yet Winter Garden kept my attention, my feelings were engaged, I was hooked on the story, and it made me cry. Twice. Any book that makes me cry gets five stars as there have only been a couple of books that I have ever read that have had that kind of power.

The story starts off with two sisters, Meredith and Nina Whitson, and showed how they were completely different and not familiar with each other. Meredith has a husband who was a childhood love and two beautiful grown children. Meredith works for the family business and leads a busy life. Yet she is depressed and closed off from her husband as both of her children have left the family nest to attend college. Nina is a free bird, living the nomadic photography lifestyle while hardly checking in with her family as she wanders around torn countries. Nina has a man that she sees frequently in the course of her travels yet keeps him at arms length emotionally.

The two girls had grown apart years ago as they have had their disapproving mother, Anya, never love or care for them throughout the years and that affected their relationship. Even with their attentive and loving father around to keep the family together, it was never enough. Of course, tragedy strikes as their father becomes ill and forces Anya and her two daughters to be together to learn more about each other and explore Anya’s past so her daughters can finally know about their mother.

The fascinating part about this story is that it features a fairy tale that Anya tells throughout the book. It is shrouded in mystery and takes place in Leningrad, which is now modern day Saint Petersburg. It is a love story and has been a source of tension in the family as Anya has never told the ending. She has finally been compelled to tell the ending and explain her own personal mysteries to her daughters. The fairy tale starts off in a very mystical way and had me a little skeptical at how it was going to continue. This didn’t feel like the type of mystical book I was getting in to. As the fairy tale went on, the details in the story slightly changed and with that change, you will discover some interesting facts about the life that Anya led before she came to America and married Evan Whitson.

The main character of Meredith was a hard read. If you have any personal sadness in your life, Meredith will hit you hard as she has closed herself off and is most obviously severely depressed. Honestly, there were a few times where I wanted to close the book because I couldn’t feel like I could read anymore on how Meredith could show how depressed she was! I’m glad I didn’t seriously think about closing the book, it was a great story. The fairy tale was amazing but very graphic on war related items. It was sad to read and hard to imagine. While a few of the plots in the book were obvious on where they would end, the main plot with Anya and her daughters took many unexpected twists that were thrilling to read and also very tragic.

I can only imagine that Kristin Hannah has a sister, or a large family, and intimately knows rough waters of family life because her past books like True Colors, Between Sisters, or Summer Island are striking family ties in such a heartfelt way. When you feel like your parents don’t love you, or are not proud of you, Hannah describes those feelings perfectly. Hannah is able to guide you through forced family meetings that you feel you have attended in your own life, yet somehow get you through to the end and show you that it is possible to have a happy ending.

If you have family members whom you love yet have had problems in the past with, you need to pick up a Kristin Hannah novel. Winter Garden was remarkable in family issues and the astounding storytelling of Leningrad in the 1940’s. I highly recommend it.

Have you ever had issues with your mother or siblings that you couldn’t work out? Remember that life can be unexpected. Be sure to let your family members know you care about them.

Kristi can be found rambling about life at http://www.KristiBug.com

Kate Douglas - known for her sexy Chanku shapeshifters in the popular erotic paranormal series, Wolf Tales, but her newest series from Kensington, The DemonSlayers, takes her out of the realm of erotic shapeshifters and into a world populated by demons, mythological warriors, and the humans brave enough to join them in the ages old battle of good versus evil.
www.katedouglas.com

Tag line: It’s the ultimate battle of good versus evil—the demon’s the good guy, and he’s got just one week to save the world, or all hell breaks loose.

My thanks to Borders Books for giving me this great opportunity to post. This is a really exciting week for me as my very first mass market paranormal, DemonFire, the first in my new DemonSlayers series, is just out. I got to thinking about the dynamics of coming up with a new series, of changing genres, and the process that we, as authors, go through in order to create a story. And ya know what? It’s not nearly as mysterious as it sounds.

I’ve been busy with my Wolf Tales series for Kensington Aphrodisia now since the first book debuted in January 2006, but last year I realized I was ready for something else as well. My agent, Jessica Faust, and I were brainstorming new ideas—

Jessica: Demons are popular. Got any ideas for a demon story? Something big!

Me: Not really. Big? Good versus evil…that’s big. (laughing…what a stupid idea!)

Jessica: I like it! Send me a proposal…

And thus the DemonSlayers series was born. I imagine all books begin, at some point, with the author asking that simple question: What if…? Okay…good versus evil? What if the balance between good and evil were reaching a tipping point—in Evil’s favor? What if demons were streaming into our world unchecked? What if the only one who could stop them was another demon? And what if the one woman with the power to save that good demon’s life didn’t believe in demonkind at all?

Once I began asking myself that blasted “what if” question, I couldn’t stop. Ideas kept popping into my head and before long I knew these characters—Dax, a demon too good for hell, booted out of Abyss and hired by the good folk of Eden to save Earth from demonkind. He’s got a human body—an avatar, of sorts—that’s only good for one week, and all of his demon powers are stored within a tattoo of a serpent that snakes from his thigh to his heart. Unfortunately, he’s cursed by demonfire as he enters Earth’s dimension, and the curse turns his powers against him.

Then there’s Eddy Marks, a pragmatic newspaper reporter. She believes in things she can see and feel and understand, but the naked man she finds injured and bleeding—and impossibly under attack by a garden gnome wielding a pitchfork in her potting shed—knocks all her preconceptions out the window. Her biggest surprise comes when she learns she has the power to control Dax’s horrible demon curse.

Eddy’s got a foster dog—Bumper—a cross between a pit bull and a standard poodle, described as looking like a pit bull in a Shirley Temple wig, and Dax has Willow, a tiny will o’ the wisp who feeds him energy and helps him understand his human body. There’s Ed Marks, Eddy’s dad, who believes in all things paranormal, including Lemurians, the mythological warriors who supposedly live deep within the extinct volcano of Mt. Shasta that looms over the town of Evergreen.

So, what if Lemuria really exists? It must, because Alton of Artigos, the six foot, eight inch Lemurian warrior is every bit as real to me as either Dax or Eddy…or Bumper or Willow or Ed Marks. This is a good thing, because it takes every single one of them to battle the demons descending on the tiny town of Evergreen.

As Dax’s week flies by at breakneck speed, as he battles the demon curse tattooed across his torso and Eddy fights falling in love with a man with the lifespan of a moth, the demon king grows stronger and the threat to all mankind more ominous. The battle of good versus evil reaches an unimaginable climax on the slopes of Mount Shasta, but it’s a wild ride to the finish with unexpected results.

What’s next for the DemonSlayers? Book 2, HellFire, will be out in September 2010, when the Lemurian warrior, Alton of Artigos, teams up with Eddy’s best friend Ginny Jones to fight a new demon invasion near the town of Sedona, Arizona. In the ultimate battle of good versus evil, it often takes the strangest of comrades—and lovers—to even the odds.

For a first chapter excerpt of DemonFire (and one of HellFire!) go to www.kensingtonbooks.com/demonslayers.

And let me know, because I really am curious, if you’ve followed authors who’ve switched genres. A lot of us are doing it—for me, the change isn’t so drastic as I’m merely going from erotic paranormal to sexy paranormal, but what about the BIG switches—from contemporary to historical, for instance, or contemporary to paranormal? And what about those authors who write across the spectrum? Lately it seems that we’re just all over the board. I love reading old authors in new genres, but what about you?

GIVEAWAY: I’ll be giving away five copies of DemonFire, or if the winner already has the book, they can exchange it for a copy of one of my Wolf Tales or Sexy Beast books.

46% off online TODAY, click here & save $12.88!

In this heartfelt and incisive new novel, Danielle Steel celebrates the virtues of unconventional beauty while exploring deeply resonant issues of weight, self-image, sisterhood, and family.

A chubby little girl with blond hair, blue eyes, and ordinary looks, Victoria Dawson has always felt out of place in her family, especially in body-conscious L.A. Her father, Jim, is tall and slender, and her mother, Christina, is a fine-boned, dark-haired beauty. Both are self-centered, outspoken, and disappointed by their daughter’s looks. When Victoria is six, she sees a photograph of Queen Victoria, and her father has always said she looks just like her. After the birth of Victoria’s perfect younger sister, Gracie, her father liked to refer to his firstborn as “our tester cake.” With Gracie, everyone agreed that Jim and Christina got it right.

While her parents and sister can eat anything and not gain an ounce, Victoria must watch everything she eats, as well as endure her father’s belittling comments about her body and see her academic achievements go unacknowledged. Ice cream and oversized helpings of all the wrong foods give her comfort, but only briefly. The one thing she knows is that she has to get away from home, and after college in Chicago, she moves to New York City.

Landing her dream job as a high school teacher, Victoria loves working with her students and wages war on her weight at the gym. Despite tension with her parents, Victoria remains close to her sister. And though they couldn’t be more different in looks, they love each other unconditionally. But regardless of her accomplishments, Victoria’s parents know just what to say to bring her down. She will always be her father’s “big girl,” and her mother’s constant disapproval is equally unkind.

When Grace announces her engagement to a man who is an exact replica of their narcissistic father, Victoria worries about her sister’s future happiness, and with no man of her own, she feels like a failure once again. As the wedding draws near, a chance encounter, an act of stunning betrayal, and a family confrontation lead to a turning point.

Behind Victoria is a lifetime of hurt and neglect she has tried to forget, and even ice cream can no longer dull the pain. Ahead is a challenge and a risk: to accept herself as she is, celebrate it, and claim the victories she has fought so hard for and deserves. Big girl or not, she is terrific and discovers that herself.

Although, Danielle was not able to comment today she is graciously offering 3 giveaways! Comment below & tell us what your favorite Danielle Steel book was & why.

Buy now at Borders! Read the first chapter, click here.

This is a continuation from a previous post the RJ’s did for us — there were so many good ideas we just had to break them down into 2 posts — read on . . . .

RJ Reviewer Chrissy has Print and eBooks on her “can’t wait to read” list…

1. INSIDE OUT by Lauren Dane – releases November 2010 – loved the first two books in the series and can’t wait to find out what happens next.

2. SWEET TEMPTATION by Maya Banks – releases April 2010 – loved the other books in the series.

3. THE HELLION AND THE HIGHLANDER by Lynsay Sands – releases February 23, 2010 and 4. TAMING THE HIGHLAND BRIDE by Lynsay Sands – releases January 26, 2010 – I’ve never read this author before but love Highland stories and these look like they’d be fun reads

And for ebooks (because you KNOW I can’t leave those out

SOLD TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER by Donna Alward (Samhain) – releases April 13, 2010

And

2 HOT TO HANDLE by Kelly Jamieson (Samhain) – releases February 2, 2010

When asked if whether she has noticed a trend in her wish-list-making this year, Chrissy commented…

The only trend I really notice in my reading is I’m reading a lot more fun, lighthearted reads. Mostly contemporaries but I throw in paranormals, historical, and whatever else interests me. LOL I’m a mood reader! Oh and let’s not forget…. An eye-catching cover will gravitate me towards a specific book too.

Are you an e-book reader? What are some of your fav’s?

RJ Reviewer Cindy has 4 authors and their 2010 books on her “must have” list!

1. Terri Brisbin- Storm of Pleasure Sept 10: I reviewed Storm of Passion and was mesmerized, I can’t wait for this one.

2. Deborah Cooke- Whisper Kiss Oct 10: Winter Kiss was so epic, I can’t wait for what comes next.

3. Erin McCarthy- Hot Finish Aug 10: This series is so hot, plus I love NASCAR. Plus Erin McCarthy is simply a joy to read.

4. Anything by Sarah McCarty and Beth Williamson.

Both write very hot, emotional and action packed historical romances. They’re both auto-buys and I’ve never been disappointed by either.

When asked if whether she has noticed a trend in her wish-list-making this year, Cindy commented…

Except for sci/fi futuristics, dragons or shifters, I find I am being let down more often by paranormal/fantasy romance.

RJ Reviewer Rosie Bindra is most looking forward to this year…

Larissa Ione’s Ecstasy Unveiled (Jan. 26, 2010) - I reviewed the first three books in this series and completely fell in love. I thought it brought something new and different to the paranormal genre and really stood out.

Patricia Brigg’s Silver Borne (March 30, 2010) - I reviewed the first book in the series and have been in love ever since. It’s one of the few series books that has managed to keep me completely engrossed to the point where I have to read the new book on the day it comes out. Mercy (the lead character) is just a kick-ass girl and I can’t get enough of her.

Kresley Cole’s Pleasure of a Dark Prince (Feb. 16, 2010) - I’ve never reviewed any books from this series but managed to snag a copy of the first book as a freebie and it was the best freebie ever. I love how Kresley combines all different creatures and myths and brings them into one series. I never get tired of her books because they all focus on different parts of the lore.

When asked if whether she has noticed a trend in her wish-list-making this year, Rosie commented…

Oh, as for the trend in my wish list, I’ve noticed I’m starting to lean towards the sci-fi romance books lately. Books like Patricia Brigg’s Mercy series or a new series I just discovered, Faith Hunter’s Jane Yellowrock series.

Leslie Larsen, RJ Reviewer, responded about the Romance she’s looking forward to this year…

I noticed that Blood Promise by Rashelle Mead was reviewed this past year. It is a young adult romance novel and is apart of the Vampire Academy Series. I absolutely love these books. The fifth and last installment into this series is Spirit Bound. I can’t wait to read it! This young adult series has romance, adventure, magic, mystery, everything that I love!

What about you? Can you keep your list of Romance books that you’re looking forward to most limited to a top 10 for 2010? Or are you a ‘Junkie’ too and have a list to match ours? Share your lists and why you’re hungering for more books by your favorite authors with us and we’ll build TBR Mountain Ranges together!

Or better yet… let us know if we’ve sparked your interest in a ‘new to you’ author for 2010! Nothing we like better than sharing the love!

Tell us if you see a trend in your reading choices for 2010, because some of ours are changing even though we still have our favorites.

This is our month, isn’t it? February is Romance & Borders recognizes that by offering our customers a special Buy 4 Get the 5th FREE promotion! So come on in & stock up on some of these best sellers:

Pleasure of a Dark Prince, by Kresley Cole - on sale 2/16

First Drop of Crimson, by Jeaniene Frost

Embrace the Night Eternal by Joss Ware

to name a few. Stop by our stores & check out the selection & let our booksellers help you find that Valentine you’re looking for.

In celebration of the Holiday today, tell us of something special that happened to you one Valentines Day. While you comment below, please note if you’d like to do a post for Borders True Romance Blog & we’ll get you set up on our calender.

One thing that happened to me on Valentines — my date, at the time, & I were going to a concert & the artist was a punk, heavy metal sort, so we thought of, kind of, dressing the part . . . my date brought me black roses, & seriously I thought that was so special because he actually put some thought into the evening & went to the trouble to have them painted black!

Actually, I was so impressed with that, & many other things, that I married him!

Happy Romance!
SueG