Entries Tagged 'S-U' ↓
March 20th, 2010 — 0.5 Stars, Arabia/Middle East, Arranged/Forced Marriage, Book Review, Category, Contemporary, Estranged, Great Britain, Interracial, Kings, Princes, Sheiks, Chiefs, Mistaken Identity, S-U, Secret Baby, Sheik/Desert, The Arts, Travel
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I found this book to be an absolutely awful read. It’s one of those romances that if your non-romance reading friend were to pick it up they could use just about everything in it to prove their point on why romance is garbage. No—seriously it’s true…
Lucy Benson is in debt up to her eyeballs. The bank has pulled out it’s financial backing for her plan to renovate Westbury and now she has to deal with creditors and contractors she’d already hired and had start working on the castle. When Kahl (just call me Kahl) shows up she assumes he’s one of them. He doesn’t correct her.
She tells him her sob story and how she plans to pay everyone back, never knowing he was the reason why the bank pulled out of their deal. Then he proceeds to take advantage of Lucy in what amounts to a one night stand. The next day he leaves her before she wakes up and leaves her with no way to contact him. He also leaves her pregnant because he’s a dumbass and chose not to use protection.
When Lucy unexpectedly runs into Kahl again in Abadan she’s surprised and amazed that he’s Sheikh Kahlil and also insanely worried he’s somehow found out about Edward. Very quickly he puts two and two together and jumps to the most illogical conclusion – Lucy must be a gold digging whore who planned it from the beginning! (Okay so not in those exact words, but the meaning was just the same.)
He forces her into marriage and Lucy proves how idiotic she truly is by feeling guilty that Kahlil never saw Edward go through a lot of his firsts. WHAT? Why? The guy is an irredeemable asshole who even now is threatening her with legal action to take away Edward, won’t let her leave his country, and still thinks she’s an immoral woman who is completely unacceptable as the future queen of his country. Feeling guilty over his irresponsible misbegotten behavior? Puh-lease.
The 180 flip in the last ten pages didn’t do anything to redeem Kahl in my mind.
Rating: 0.5 Stars
Buy: The Sheikh's Captive Bride
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March 13th, 2010 — 3.5 Stars, 4 Stars, ARC, Blackmail, Counts, Marquis, Viscounts, Georgian, Gothic, Great Britain, Paranormal, Revenge, S-U, Spinster, Survival, Suspense/Thriller, Werewolf
I have a funny story with this book and by story I mean an epic fail. I was returning some books back to the library and somehow Lady Anne sneaked back with them. When I realized what I’d done it was as if I’d been amputated! So painful. Of course I returned the books on a Sunday; the only day in the week the library isn’t open until late in the afternoon or early in the day.
After a pretty good freak out, I waited until I could call. Ended hanging up once because I was on hold for five minutes and called back. Then I had to wait on the phone for twenty plus minutes before somebody from circulation got to me. They either forgot me or they were busy. I told them about the book and the person I talked with probably never got a call like this before because I was given a hard time.
Finally, I managed to convince them that the book was mine and not a library book. I don’t understand how this was so difficult as 1) it is not stamped with the library name nor was it 2) tagged with a detector strip or that pocket thing and 3) clearly says advance review copy on the cover! This is why I write in books to identify and claim them.
In the end they put the book on hold for me and now it was a matter of getting back over there. The library where I dropped the books off while on errands was all the way across town. I really didn’t make this easy on myself. Luckily I got there, but it was close! One more red light and it would have been better luck next time. Needless to say I was very, very pleased to get this book back and finish it… which I did later that night.
What I liked best about Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark was its tribute to Gothic romance, followed swiftly by a capable intelligent heroine. The hero liked that best about her too so how could you not fall in love with him? Lady Anne is very plain and a spinster to boot, which are some of my very favorite things to read in romance.
Simpson writes in a witty and engaging voice. I loved Lady Anne. She was such a treat. Her musings on Lord Darkefell are particularly fabulous:
It was either that or go back to pondering the feel of Lord Darkefell’s too-perfect lips pressed against hers. And his too-perfect body against hers. He was entirely too perfect—if there was such a concept as overabundant perfection—in a physical sense and entirely too maddeningly imperfect in every other way.
Without giving anything else away I will say this: if you like mystery, intrigue, werewolves, and Gothic you will love this book! Oh and chances are you're going to jump to conclusions about the mystery and be totally wrong - I was!
Rating: 3.5-4 Stars
Buy: Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark
Originally posted 2009-03-29 05:55:39. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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February 19th, 2010 — Book Intro, Contemporary, Erotica, Guest Blogger, LGBT, S-U
by Jeanne St. James, erotic romance writer.
I love the romance genre. I should. I write it. Well, to be more exact, I have published two erotic romances: Banged Up, a m/f erotic romance, with Liquid Silver Books, and Double Dare, a m/m/f interracial ménage, with Loose Id. In addition, I have published a gay erotic novella. I’ll repeat that again… an erotic novella. I did not mention romance.
When Phaze Books had a special call for submissions for their “rebel”-themed Heatsheets (short stories), the only requirement was that it be about a “rebel” and it be short. So I decided to write my first strictly gay novella and decided to keep it short by using one scene – one interaction between the two characters – for the story. So the story (one night in the two men’s lives) involves them going back to a school reunion and exploring (sexually) the secret crush they both had on each other back in high school.
Rip Cord’s Blurb:
Gil Davis hated high school. Ever the geek, he has no intention of attending his 10th year class reunion. The last thing he wants is to relive the taunting and teasing he received during his teenage years. However, there is one thing he missed from high school: the star Varsity football player. The one he had a crush on since the first day he laid his eyes on him.
The last thing he expects is the now pro football player to come back to their home town to attend a lame high school reunion. Known as the Bad Boy of the NFL, Ripley “Rip” Cord, not only shows up, but shows up without a date and an eye for Gil.
Since the novella is only about 12,000 words, I was limited on plot. I wanted to use an already established relationship – Gil and Rip being classmates – in which the two discover a hidden attraction – a secret crush. That allowed me to throw them into the story a lot quicker.
So, my point is… I’ve been getting mixed reviews on Rip Cord. People either love it (5 star) and want a sequel or say it’s so-so (2 star). Why? Well, I’m guessing it’s because someone is reading it thinking it’s an erotic romance. It’s not. The difference for me between erotica and erotic romance is the ending. The ending on Rip Cord is not HEA (Happily Ever After) like my erotic romances. This little story has a HFN ending (Happy For Now) that means things were left up in the air at the end. The men had plans to meet up again in the future, it’s just not known where or when. Of course, they are both “satisfied” sexually during the book but there isn’t a complete emotional connection. No “we’re getting married” or “we’re having a baby,” for example, like a typical romance.
Because of that, I do not consider Rip Cord an erotic romance. That’s why I label it erotica or an erotic novella. Two men thrown together having hot, steamy man love and then each go on their way -- at least at the end of THIS story. It doesn’t mean they won’t hook up again or eventually achieve that HEA.
Here’s a review in which the reviewer “got” what kind of story it was:
From Seriously Reviewed:
"Well, I sat down to read and burned dinner! I couldn’t stop reading. The story is fast. Gil attends his high school reunion. And we all remember how enjoyable that is…not. But with a hot jock like Rip, at least he’ll have someone to stare at during dinner. But wait. This is hot gay erotic romance. So when boy sees hot football star, boy lusts for football star, and holy shit, the football star has game of his own. The sex was raw and brazen, the dialog refreshingly natural and the ending pleasantly simple and satisfying."
Now, she considered this HFN ending satisfying. Someone looking for a HEA might not. So what makes a book a romance? My opinion (and this is only my opinion) is the HEA ending. But rest assured, both the HFN and HEA story can be a pleasurable read. What’s YOUR opinion?
EXCERPT FROM RIP CORD:
CHAPTER ONE
Gil Davis couldn’t believe it had been ten years since he’d last walked through these doors. Where had the time gone?
When the invitation to his class reunion had come, he almost tossed it out, just as he had with the notice of his fifth year reunion.
He was not into reliving his high school years.
No way, no how.
But something on the invitation had caught his eye… this time they were holding it at the school. So instead of immediately pitching it, he had thrown the invitation on his kitchen table. Unfortunately, Katie, his best friend and roommate, found it and hounded him relentlessly until he agreed to RSVP.
And, of course, Katie insisted on being his date.
Which thrilled him to no end… Not.
Now he wasn’t so sure if he wanted to go in.
He wasn’t sure he was ready for a night of teasing from his former schoolmates.
Yet, here he stood, just inside the double doors of his old high school staring at the registration table by the gymnasium doors.
Someone grabbed his elbow. Firmly.
“You’re not chickening out are you?”
Gil just shook his head and swallowed hard. “Did you find the restroom all right?”
“Fine,” Katie said in her little no-nonsense tone. “Let’s go.”
The harder she tugged on his arm, the more he dug in his heels. He didn’t want to leave his little corner of safety yet. “Hold on.”
“No, Gil. It’s not going to get any easier. You look fine. We’ve – okay, I’ve worked really hard to get you to this point.” She smoothed the hair back from his eyes. Gil was surprised she hadn’t spat on her fingers first like a hovering mother hen.
The problem was, he was still a nerd at heart.
“Now, get your shit together and let’s go!” She gave his arm one last hard yank and dragged him over to the table.
Sucking in a breath, he steeled himself for what was to come.
The two women sitting at the table wore big predatory smiles.
“Gilbert? Gilbert Davis is that you?” the toothy piranha on the right asked. “I swear I didn’t recognize you without your bottle-bottom glasses and pocket protector.”
Those glasses were long gone thanks to Katie dragging him years ago to the optometrist for contacts.
Gil leaned forward to read her name tag. Bonnie (Trusk) Smith.
Bonnie Trusk. He remembered her. She had been part of the Homecoming Court their senior year.
And had accidentally run over his foot one day in the parking lot with her Eddie Bauer Explorer. Why? Her excuse had been she hadn’t seen him. Yeah, he had been the invisible man, “invisible” to all of the popular kids.
“Just Gil,” he corrected her.
She laughed and waved a hand toward him, clearly dismissing him.
The other woman, Patti Petroski-Harrison, shoved a “Hello! My name is… Gilbert Davis” sticker at him. “And your hair! It looks…” Gil expected the next word out of her mouth to be “normal.” Her face showed her internal struggle. “Nice.”
He was a geek. He knew it. He had been one ever since he could remember. And his classmates had always teased him about it.
She sized up Katie. “Are you his wife?”
Katie laughed and patted Gil’s arm. “Oh, no.”
Gil gave her a quick warning look.
Katie just gave him a sugary smile and a noisy kiss on the cheek.
“Well then,” Patti said. “When you go through the doors, Gilbert, there will be a table with place settings. Find your name and that will tell you where you’re seated.”
“Just Gil,” he corrected again, but by then both women were flashing their beaming smiles at another couple who had come up behind them.
Katie tugged him to the side to avoid being crushed by the new arrivals’ hugging and squealing. Gil didn’t recognize the newcomers. But then they had probably been a part of the “in” group.
Gil had been a full-fledged member of the “out” group, but not the “out of the closet” group.
A woman’s shrill scream shot a bolt of pain through his head.
“Did you hear Rip Cord is going to be here? Can you believe it?” the one called Patti asked, her question ending in a squeal. She looked as if she would bust a vein.
Gil stumbled back a step from the table, barely avoiding Katie’s toes.
Holy hell, he never should have agreed to come to this thing. Especially if he’d known Rip would be here.
Gil had a crush on Rip since high school. Unfortunately, Rip was definitely of the heterosexual persuasion. Being captain of the football team, he’d had every girl in school chasing after him, one way or another.
So he’d admired the well-built, handsome jock from afar. Very afar.
Hearing Rip’s name brought all those old feelings back to the surface.
All the insecurities.
Gil certainly had never expected his secret crush to come back to town for a ten-year class reunion. Rip had become way too famous for that.
Gil grabbed Katie’s arm and, with her squeaky protest, dragged her through the double doors into the gym.
“Jesus, Gil. What’s going on?” she asked as he pushed her against the wall just inside the doors.
“Did you hear that?” He struggled not to hyperventilate.
“What?” Katie peeled the backing off of Gil’s name tag and slapped it onto his chest. Not so gently either.
“Rip is going to be here.”
“Rip?” She wrinkled her nose. “What the hell is rip?”
“Not what. Who!” Gil swallowed hard and blew out a long breath. He realized then he was squeezing her upper arms. Way too hard. He relaxed his fingers.
“Okay, okay. Calm down. And let up a little more please.”
He released her and wiped his sweaty palms along his slacks. He never should have worn slacks. Slacks were nerd-wear.
Why didn’t Katie talk him out of wearing them? He should have worn torn jeans or leather pants or --
“So is Rip a band? I would’ve thought they just would’ve hired a DJ. It’s cheaper.”
“Wait. What?” Gil shook his head. “First of all, why would they need music?”
Katie pointed a finger upwards. “Hear that, nerd-o? Music. You know, it creates atmosphere and gives you something to dance to.”
“Dance?” Gil swallowed hard. He cocked his head. He did hear music. He hadn’t noticed it because he’d been too panicked about Rip being there. “Okay, just don’t ask me to dance.”
“No can do, Gilly. We will be dancing. I didn’t come along to be a wallflower.”
“Katie, you know I can’t dance,” he hissed inches from her face.
She had the nerve to laugh. As if his lack of rhythm was something to laugh about. His coordination left something to be desired. Gil considered it a handicap – maybe not one recognized by the government. But no one should make fun of the handicapped!
Gil frowned. “I didn’t see anything on the invitation about dancing.”
Katie sighed. “Gilly, don’t worry, we’ll fake it.”
“Don’t call me Gilly here. It’s bad enough people will be calling me Gilbert.”
“Okay, Gil. So if Rip isn’t a band then who or what is it?”
A low murmur throughout the room behind him caused Gil to look up. Coming through the doors…
Gil pressed a hand to the wall to steady himself. His legs had suddenly lost all strength.
Coming through the doors was…
“Him,” was all Gil could get past the lump in his throat.
Buy link: http://tinyurl.com/phaze-ripcord
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February 3rd, 2010 — 4 Stars, Book Review, Contemporary, Crime and Protection, Mystery, S-U, Seas, Secret Agent, Soldier, Thief, Travel, United States of America
Roxanne St. Claire will keep you on your toes with this novel. Nobody is what they seem and that includes the hero and heroine too.
Constantine Xenakis is a former Navy Seal, one time Bullet Catcher, and thief. He wants to be a Bullet Catcher again and he wants Dan Gallagher’s job as Lucy Sharpe’s right hand man.
His first mission back on the team is a test of his character. The dive site is the El Falcon and it’s rumored that the long lost Bombay blue diamonds are somewhere among the wreckage. He’s to ensure the safety of all treasure found, but can he resist the temptation to keep something for himself?
There’s a thief onboard the Gold Digger. Treasure found on the dive site is going missing. It’s Con’s job to find out who is responsible and stop them. He catches Lizzie Dare red-handed the first night on board, but she insists she was just trying to get documentation about the finds so that Paxton, the client behind the Bullet Catcher case and owner of the finds the diving crew bring up, can’t profit from them illegally and claim they never existed.
It’d be so easy to turn her in and call the job done, but Con decides to hold his peace for now and keep a closer eye on everyone’s, but especially Lizzie’s doings.
Roxanne St. Claire turns up the heat for Make Her Pay. The sexiest scenes, in my opinion, are when Con and Lizzie are showering together in a little cramped space on the boat. Yum. Con’s headspace was particularly fun. Poor guy.
Rating: 4 Stars
Buy: Make Her Pay (The Bullet Catchers)
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January 27th, 2010 — Author Interviews, Guest Blogger, S-U
Today, we’re welcoming back a familiar voice here at LRP, hello Terry Spear. Thank you for visiting, let’s chew the fat awhile. Susan looks over at Terry whose shapeshifted into an Arctic wolf, and is currently chewing the fat from a rib bone. Terry, honey, what I meant was, let’s have a friendly talk.
- Susan: I understand you enjoy reading, particularly historicals and paranormals. Would you share the title(s) of some of your favorite reads?
Terry: I loved Celtic Fire
and the Immortal Highlander
, but so many others too. Both have a paranormal bent with a historical past. I love time travels, but there aren’t as many out there that I can find to read!
- Susan: I’ve read other shapeshifting novels where the hero uses a fur pelt to shift. What is the catalyst that initiates your weres to shift? Is it a certain moon phase, or a strong emotion such as anger?
Terry: I was just reading about wolfsbane and how in some fables, the flower can cause the person to shift, in others, it prevents them from shifting, in others, it kills the creature. LOL. I love how stories can be so different from one another, which shows just how vivid imaginations can be.
In my stories, werewolves for the most part are born as such. The full moon has more of a draw on werewolves who have more human roots in their genes, than for royals who have had mostly werewolf genetics. And the royals are the only ones who can shift during any phase of the moon, whereas, the others can’t become a wolf during the new moon. So that leaves newly turned wolves with little control over their shapeshifting ability in the beginning. In To Tempt the Wolf
, two of the men who are turned, deal with it in different ways, just like people will handle a situation differently based on their personalities. Some are stronger, some more weak-willed. In Wolf Fever, the heroine has been recently turned, and she’s fighting the shift. But when she’s accosted at one point in the story, she suddenly feels the urge to shift. In another instant, she’s cold and can’t get warmed up, as well as the full moon’s strong pull is causing her trouble with the compulsion to shift. In Legend of the White Wolf, the heroine also has difficulty controlling the shift when she’s threatened. So for each, it depends on their personality as to what might trigger the need to change.
- Susan: Your heroine (Faith O’Malley) in Legend of the White Wolf
is smart, beautiful and fearless. Which heroines do you prefer writing, the strong heroines, or the vulnerable ones?
Terry: Definitely strong, with vulnerabilities. I’ve never cared for the Tomb Raider
type who had no flaws or vulnerabilities, or the heroine in Alien
who was the same way, tough, hard as nails, no feelings. At least that’s the way it seemed to me. On the other hand, weepy heroines who rely on everyone to do their bidding, doesn’t do it for me. I remember years ago watching a movie where the hero was struggling to fight some evil bad guy and the woman was standing helplessly nearby, screaming, her hands on her cheeks, eyes wide, and my mother saying, “Pick up a lamp! Clobber him! Do something!” I agreed with my mother. A heroine who stands up for right is a heroine in my book. 
- Susan: I consider you a multi-faceted author. You have been known to write urban fantasy, YA, Scottish-Medieval romances, romances with paranormal and romantic suspense elements. Is there another sub-genre you “secretly” wish to write for?
Terry: I’ve written a couple of time-travels and someday, I’d like to do some for publication. In part, it’s my love of history. Tossing a hero or heroine into the rabbit hole of the past and watching them thrive, stirs my imagination. Making them realistic is the real challenge though. I’d still love to do it.
- Susan: Some readers may not know this, but you create gorgeous wooly teddy bears. Have you created one to resemble an Arctic wolf?
Terry: LOL. Thanks, Susan! I’ve been asked to create a werewolf bear…In fact, if I ever design one, I have a couple of orders for them! I did create vampire bears for authors. Someday, if I ever get caught up, I do want to try my hand at one.
- Susan: In Legend of the White Wolf you familiarize your readers with at least two packs. I personally would love to be part of Leidolf’s red wolves. Will you include new packs in your upcoming werewolf series?
Terry: Seduced by the Wolf
is all about Leidolf and his poor pack. In Heart of the Wolf
, readers got a glimpse of the abused pack under Alfred’s rule. Leidolf took over that pack, and now has the task to heal them. I have to make a comment here, that if it hadn’t been for my editor, Deb, being upset that the red pack was doomed for extinction, Leidolf wouldn’t have come into the picture to save the day. So thanks to Deb for her concern for the reds in the Portland area! Leidolf has also taken on another real problem, and he’s one of the characters in Legend of the White Wolf.
For Taming the Highland Wolf, we’ll see what Highland werewolves are made of. That’s Book 7 coming in the spring of 2011. I’m pretty sure there’ll be two conflicting clans…it’s a Scottish thing, you know.
- Susan: Could you give us a little glimpse of your next title in the series, book five called Seduced by the Wolf due out in August 2010?
Terry: Ah, yes, Seduced by the Wolf, Leidolf’s story. He’s a royal red, with barely any human influences, and is pretty arrogant about it. Fans thought he ought to have a newly turned heroine because of it. But what he encounters knocks him totally off balance—a wolf biologist, red royal werewolf type—who plays by her own rules. She has NO intention of joining his pack or any other. And man does he want her. Now, if she didn’t want him back, he might give up on her. But he knows, or at least he hopes it’s not just wishful thinking on his part, that she’s just as intrigued with him as he is with her. And so, he’s not about to give her up. But she’s not about to give in either. The perfect couple, don’t you think?
- Susan: What would you say to readers who “haven’t” had the pleasure of reading your werewolf series? Why should they pick up your novels?
Terry: If you’re looking for werewolves who are real wolves at heart, look no further. For adventure, mystery, romance and intrigue, the series has it all. I love combining mystery and intrigue, having cut my teeth on mystery novels when I was younger. But adventure stories with a combined mystery like the Bourne
series, fascinated me even more, and add a romance, some subtle humor, and even better yet, the paranormal, and you’ve got the perfect scenario!
Heart of the Wolf, Book 1, started off the series with its wolfish characters and more realistic portrayal of life as a werewolf and the trouble with pack behavior. Destiny of the Wolf, Book 2, came next, which showed a gray pack that actually runs a town in Colorado. To Tempt the Wolf, Book 3, reveals a rare werewolf scenario, and a hero who has lost everything—his pack, his sister, his home, and his memory, and fights the urge to take a human for his own. And Legend of the White Wolf, Book 4, presents Arctic werewolves in Maine, who move about freely, not secretly like the wolves in other stories, although that’s only their wolf counterpart. No one, or mostly no one, knows what they truly are. Seduced by the Wolf, Book 5, shows what happens when a wolf biologist prefers living with wolves rather than her own werewolf kind, and the red pack leader in the area has other plans in mind. Wolf Fever, Book 6, coming in the fall of 2010, is about a psychic newly-turned werewolf nurse, who fights fully becoming one of the werewolf kind when she can’t even control her psychic visions. But Chester McKinley can’t quit thinking about the woman who solved the murder case through her psychic talents that HE was trying to solve. Is she for real? And do her abilities include a mesmerizing kind of sensuous control that she’s used on him? Taming the Highland Wolf is Book 7, and I can’t wait to get started on the hunky Highland story! And Dreaming of the Wolf, Book 8, is Jake’s story from Destiny of the Wolf. He doesn’t believe in dream mating. So what happens when the woman of his dreams desperately needs his help?
Susan: Thank you Terry, for spending the day with us at Love Romance Passion. Please feel free to visit anytime, even as a white furred Arctic-if you prefer.
Terry: LOL, Susan, thanks so much for having me again! I loved your fun questions and wish you and your readers a warm and cozy den with the best to read during the winter season.
LEGEND OF THE WHITE WOLF—IN STORES FEBRUARY 2010
Award-Winning Author introduces the next installment of her paranormal romance series
A 2008 Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year Award Winner!
Night Owl Romance Reader Choice Award for Best Paranormal 2008
In this fourth in Spear's series, Private Eye Cameron MacPherson and Faith O'Mallery are both on quests that lead them into the world of magical wolves...
Cameron arrives in the Canadian Arctic to search for his partners in his P.I. business who are late returning from a hunting trip. Faith is there to discover what her father had seen in the same area years earlier that had made him lose touch with reality—man-wolves, he called them.
The two tumble into an icy world of enemies bent on destroying the lupus garou kind. As they turn into lupus garou themselves, and bond with the pack that only they can rescue from destruction, Cameron and Faith find their soul mates in each other.
Buy: Legend of the White Wolf
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves, Terry Spear has an MBA from Monmouth University. As an eclectic writer, she dabbles in the paranormal, historical and true life stories for both teen and adult audiences. She is the author of Winning the Highlander’s Heart and The Vampire in My Dreams (young adult). Spear lives in Crawford, Texas.
You can find Terry at the following places:
www.terryspear.com
http://www.wickedlyromantic.blogspot.com/
http://casablancaauthors.blogspot.com
http://fierceromance.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/reqs.php#/home.php?ref=home
http://shapeshifterromance.wordpress.com
Buy: Legend of the White Wolf
Giveaway: 2 copies of Legend of the White Wolf are being generously donated by Terry and Sourcebooks. That means 2 winners! Open to US and Canadian readers only, sorry international readers. To enter, simply ask Terry a question. One entry per relevant comment; multiple entries allowed! Ends: February 3, 2010.
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January 26th, 2010 — 4.5 Stars, ARC, Contemporary, Detective, Guest Reviews, Paranormal, Police, S-U, Science, Survival, Suspense/Thriller, United States of America, Werewolf
by Susan S., guest reviewer
Spear’s latest novel is bursting with romance, suspense, and heart-pounding excitement!
Legend of the White Wolf is the fourth book in Terry Spear’s werewolf series.
Does it stand alone? Yes.
Recommendations: This novel will appeal to readers who enjoy both paranormal romance, and romantic suspense.
The heroine (Faith O’Malley) is a forensic scientist working with the police dept. in Portland, Oregon. She’s also a woman on a mission. Faith is traveling from Oregon to Maine, in search of her soon-to-be, ex-boyfriend Hilson. Apparently, he just stole her father’s research.
Meet Cameron MacPherson, a sandy haired, blue-eyed gorgeous hero. He’s a physically fit private investigator, and former police officer. Cameron has a mission of his own, to find his missing partners, Owen and David.
But, when Faith and Cameron stumble onto a murder scene, their plans are not only sidetracked, but they are now persons of interest in a murder-mystery.
Will they find the person(s) responsible, or will they become the next targets?
More importantly, can two jilted people learn to love and trust their hearts again? Read Legend of the White Wolf to find out.
Here are some things I enjoyed: There’s a scene, where Cameron runs a towel over Faith’s wet hair. I thought it was both simple and utterly romantic. The author’s description of an Aurora Borealis was also beautifully written.
What will you enjoy? Hunky- wolfish men shedding their clothes, wolf bites, hotel clerk’s key mix-ups, and the reference to the Sleeping Beauty trio.
Legend of the White Wolf will leave you howling for more! Don’t worry, Terry Spear promises to feed our wolf addiction with books five and six, set to release by fall of 2010. Both novels will be published by Sourcebooks, Inc., Casablanca-titled Seduced by the Wolf and Wolf Fever.
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Buy: Legend of the White Wolf
Paranormal Romance, ARC, Series, Sourcebooks, Inc., Casablanca, February 2010, Mass Market Paperback, Print Pages, 367. ISBN-13# 978-1-4022-1905-4.
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January 24th, 2010 — 1.5 Stars, Book Review, Category, Contemporary, Estranged, Gentry, Italy, S-U, Science, Secret Baby, Tycoon, Working with Land
t
Matteo De Luca is one prideful, stubborn man. He was stubborn at twenty-five and he still is at thirty-five. He’s very wealthy and comes from a blueblood Italian family but chooses not to share this with anyone, especially our heroine until after she is staring gobsmacked at his house in Tuscany.
Stephanie Leyland-Owen married Charles when Matteo broke it off with her 10 years ago and disappeared. She married Charles to protect her unborn child from her father, who is a very prejudice man. Her son, Simon Matthew Leyland-Owen, does not look like Matteo (he actually looks like Matteo’s grandmother) which is how she manages to keep Matteo from guessing the truth.
At twenty-nine, Stephanie would like to think she’s able to stand up to her father and not care about how ridiculous family dimensions are in her house. Her mother who has until midway through the novel been a doormat suddenly grows a spine and starts to talk back. Her one brother is a mimicry of their father. Her other is a nonentity, but is supposedly carefree and charming.
The novel is way to slow moving. The sex is rather pathetic, even the daring one out in the open. I didn’t really feel like the leads were connecting emotionally, let alone falling back in love. Matteo doesn’t believe Stephanie about her behavior from years ago. She never brings him to task not telling her about himself and for letting her father treat him like crap when by all rights he should be squishing her dad like a bug.
Overall it was just very meh.
Rating: 1.5 Stars
Buy: The Italian's Secret Child
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January 20th, 2010 — 2 Stars, Book Review, Contemporary, Plump/Endowed Heroine, S-U, Soldier, The Arts, United States of America
I picked this novel up because I heard good things about it especially concerning the plump heroine, Angie Kane. Her exact size is never mentioned and her weight is mentioned obliquely a lot. The hero sees her as curvaceous. She eats a full plate of food in comparison to her sister who’ll eat a third of a plate with leftovers remaining. She’s not fashion forward, but she has a knack for interior design. Her major relationship before the hero was with a guy who went to college and cheated on her there.
The hero, Chris Montgomery, is a blushing Green Beret. That seems a little farfetched to me. Isn’t part of military training learning to take ribbing and cracks without flinching, let alone blushing?
For those who don’t know a Green Beret is a member of the US Special Forces…
tasked with five primary missions: unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, special reconnaissance, direct action, and counter-terrorism Wikipedia
After nearly being gutted in action, Chris returns to Lambert Falls and starts renovating his grandfather’s house. He meets Angie almost immediately and is determined to pursue her and gets her sister and uncle on his side.
The novel is unconventional because it takes place over an extended period of time due to Chris going away to Colorado to train new recruits. He loves doing it and he feels he has to because the person who asked for his consultation is the man who saved his life. It creates some unnecessary conflict in my opinion.
Hand to God, this book was full of that one singular phrase. At least once per page, sometimes more, Hand to God. You could find it both in dialogue and in narration. It got very old very quickly. It was a three word filler stuck into the writing whenever there was a question about forgetting the characters were from small town, southern USA.
Rating: 2 Stars
Buy: Falling In Love
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January 10th, 2010 — 4.5 Stars, 5 Stars, Book Review, Convict, Cooking, Foster/Orphan, Historic America, Marriage of Convenience, Pregnant, S-U, Soldier, Survival, Travel, United States of America, Wartime, Widow or Widower
Morning Glory is easily one of the top five romances LaVyrle Spencer wrote. It spans two years from 1941-1943. Small town America is still recovering from the Great Depression. America is holding neutrality while helping the Allies in the Second World War by supplying them material aid. It’s about five or six months before Pearl Harbor is attacked officially drawing America into the war.
Will Parker is an ex-convict drifter. He’s skinny, starving, and down on his luck. When he is fired unfairly from a job at Whitney, Georgia’s local sawmill, Will obtains a local paper and sees in the classified ads a woman advertising for a husband. (This is quite the reverse of most romances, because it is usually the man who advertises for a wife.) On a whim he decides to answer it.
When he meets Crazy Elly Dinsmore, will is not sure what to expect. She’s several months pregnant, has two young children, and looks tired and haggard. Her place is falling apart around her ears and she looks like she could do the same. It is obvious that she is desperate, but then so is he, and both are looking for a change in their fortunes.
They both agree to a trial period where they will see how they get along. Will is determined to prove his worth. Elly is hoping to prove she’s not crazy, though a woman taking on an ex-convict who was in prison for killing a woman (whore or not) is more than a bit crazy not to ask for more information than, “did you have a good reason?”
Three side characters are wonderfully written and created with just a few scenes and phrases. First there is Miss Beasley, the spinster librarian, who reads to be between her forties and fifties. She’s brilliant but fussy. Lula Peak, the town slut, is itching all the time for a man. Anyone will do so long as he can supply her with some of the finer things in life. Will Parker is her wet dream, but he’ll have none of her. Harley Overmire, the superintendent at the local sawmill, is a vain and cowardly man. When the draft starts, he is the first to run his trigger finger through the saw.
Spencer really gets you inside the heads of the characters. The low self esteem of both Will and Elly keep them from each other when they desperately desire to be closer. War is hard on them and changes Will so much. His trauma is handled well, but before the two can become solid lovers and partners again the sheriff rolls up and arrests Will for the murder of Lula Peak. Is a HEA possible for two people who never seem to catch a break?
Rating: 4.5-5 Stars
Buy: Morning Glory
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December 18th, 2009 — Author Interviews, Georgian, Gothic, Paranormal, S-U, Suspense/Thriller, Werewolf
Q - I had so much fun reading Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark; what was your inspiration for the book? Do you have any photos you worked from for the imposing castle and grounds?
A - Thank you, Keira... I appreciate the kind words! I am a rational person, and so is Lady Anne. When she hears a werewolf has been spotted, she thinks, 'big dog on the loose'. Once I saw that, and put it together with the Georgian era, when there was a lot of superstition (not that there isn't that now!) the rest flowed from there. As for photos of the castle... what actually inspired Darkefell Castle is a pen, ink and watercolor picture I bought at a rummage sale; it is of an old castle with a modern (Georgian modern, probably mid-1700s) addition, and it is exactly Darkefell Castle! I've searched and searched online, but I can't find the original that the artist worked from.
Q - What was the hardest part of writing your book?
Thinking up the plot.
Outlining.
Writing it.
Editing final drafts.
Depends upon what stage I'm at working, what I would answer to that question. Right now I would say, final editing is agonizing, because you know that after it's gone, sent off to your editor, you will likely not have any opportunity to substantially change the course of the book again. You have to be sure of it!
Q - How did Sourcebooks find out about your novel?
I have a great agent with his nose to the ground, looking for intriguing new opportunities. When we were looking about for a publisher for the Lady Anne series, he included Sourcebooks Casablanca among the recipients, as he found their recent acquisitions interesting. We took it from there, sending it to the acquisitions editor, Deb Werksman, and she like it!
Q - How much time do you spend writing each day (or each week, if you prefer)?
It depends on a) what I'm writing and b) what else is on my plate. If I have a book due, it's full-time days writing. If I have a book being released, then promotion takes over. But most days, overall, I tend to write about five hours a day.
Q - What do you think is the greatest creative risk you've taken?
Blending mystery and romance so thoroughly in the Lady Anne series. I adore romances with mystery elements and love mysteries with a strong thread of romance, and I hope readers do, too. I mean, both romance and mystery are parts of life, why can't they co-exist in a novel genre?
Q - What are some plot devices you like? Can't stand?
I don't know so much if they are plot devices, but I despise emotionally manipulative writers, the ones who set you up to have certain expectations, then dash them. I think they believe that it's more 'literary' to put characters (and readers) through pain than to give them a happy ending. Not necessarily.
Also, I hatehatehate (I feel so strongly about this I had to repeat it three times!) writers who aren't true to their characters. When I close a book, I want to know, even if the end is sad, that it makes sense, that how the characters acted was true to their soul as the writer created them, and not some behavior that feels superimposed by the author because he or she had a certain ending in mind.
As for plot devices I like, all I ask of a writer is that they are true to their characters, and I'll go with almost anything!
Q - Could you provide a picture of your bookshelf?
I don't have just one bookshelf! They're kind of scattered all over the house!
Q - Share some of your favorite books!
Favorite books... ah, the list is endless! A Flaw in the Blood
, by Stephanie Barron blew me away... such a great writer. People know her from her fabulous Jane Austen as a detective series, but she's good at everything she writes. I like classics, of course. Who hasn't been inspired by Pride & Prejudice? But for day-to-day reading, I love mystery novels! Anne Perry, Victoria Thompson, many others!
Q - What do you do to relax and get away from writing? Is there something that really gets you away from it all?
Mostly, just ordinary stuff. I love to read; I can't imagine there's an author alive who wouldn't say that! Reading is such a great escape, and that's what I try to write for my readers, a great escape from care and worry. I do have a few hobbies - including karaoke - and hanging out with friends on the weekend. That is about it. I'm a very simple gal. A good book on the patio and a glass of wine or cup of tea is about the perfect end of a day.
Q - I have a spoiler question... Will there be a sequel so that Darkefell can win over Lady Anne? Oh please say yes!
Okay, I'm not one to release spoilers, but I will say this much, in Lady Anne and the Ghost's Revenge
(August 2009) things heat up considerably between Darkefell and Anne, and in Lady Anne and the Gypsy Curse (November 2009) the passion reaches bonfire proportions on the heat scale! Some do like it hot!
Q - How do you define love?
Love: wow, definitions are tough, but my idea of love is caring so much about another person, that you put them first in your thoughts. You know their faults and don't give a damn. You would make any sacrifice to make them happy.
Q - Is there anything else you'd like to share with us?
I had a great time with these characters; they often did quite unexpected things! And I hope readers enjoy them as much as I did writing about their adventures.
Visit me at http://www.donnaleasimpson.com for more information on the Lady Anne series, and if you'd like to learn more about the Georgian era, in which they are set!
Originally posted 2009-04-04 05:11:00. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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December 16th, 2009 — Gothic, Guest Blogger, S-U, Suspense/Thriller
by Donna Lea Simpson, guest blogger
I read a few gothic romances when I was much younger... you know, the kind with the cover that shows the girl running from a castle wearing a floaty dress. I keep getting, from readers and reviewers, that I write Gothic historicals, but I never set out to do that. Maybe Gothic style just comes naturally to me.
The usual set up of a Gothic, historic or modern, has the heroine trapped somewhere with a man who may be some kind of dangerous, murdering madman. Or... he may just be a nice misunderstood guy, but he insists on keeping secrets from the heroine and everyone else! The one facet of the heroine's character that is vital to the Gothic plot, is that she cannot leave the mystery alone. She doesn't pack her bags and escape the castle in a timely fashion, she doesn't just shut her mouth and ignore the weirdness, she's compelled to pick away at the hero's mysterious behavior, open the door to the forbidden room, or descend to the cellar from which the weird, clanking noises come.
In this sense, I suppose Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark (Sourcebooks Casablanca - April 2009) does follow classic Gothic sensibility. There are mysteries here, weird things afoot at night, and Lord Anthony Darkefell, the dark brooding hero, is not telling all he knows. Lady Anne Addison is the ultimate intrepid heroine, not willing to let the mystery rest. She must know the truth! However, Gothic heroines often seem to blunder mindlessly through the novel, making discoveries by accident, and Lady Anne uses all of her wits and considerable skepticism.
One enormous difference between Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark and the true Gothic is the use of the hero's viewpoint. Gothic novels never feature the hero's viewpoint, because to do so dilutes the 'unknown'; a viewpoint character exposes some of their soul to the reader, or it's not proper characterization. I wanted readers to get to know Darkefell, to understand him, and his changing feelings for Anne.
I guess when you get down to it, the use of some aspects of the Gothic is just plain fun, both for the reader and writer. In Northanger Abbey
, Jane Austen had great fun with Gothic sensibility. Her heroine, Catherine Morland, imagines all kinds of horrible things-that General Tilney murdered his wife, or imprisoned her-until she is shown how wrong it is to let her imagination run riot like that.
Now, in a true Gothic, Catherine's worst fears would have been proved right!
Another big difference between my Lady Anne books and classic Gothic style, is, you never get a sequel to a Gothic. I have managed to stretch the series to Lady Anne and the Ghost's Revenge (Sourcebooks Casablanca - August 2009) and Lady Anne and the Gypsy Curse (Sourcebooks Casablanca - November 2009), and having fun all the way, with Lady Anne and Darkefell's increasingly romantic entanglement.
I hope you all enjoy the books, and I would be interested in hearing if you feel there are Gothic elements in the book, and how they work to the story's benefit, or detriment. I had a great time with these characters; they often do quite unexpected things!
Visit me at http://www.donnaleasimpson.com for more information on the Lady Anne series!
Donna Lea Simpson is giving away one copy of Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark today. Open to US and Canada readers only. Enter by leaving a question for Donna or by telling us why you love/hate Gothic elements in romance! Winner will be announced April 1, 2009, no joke... sorry couldn't help myself. 
Originally posted 2009-03-31 05:57:47. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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December 15th, 2009 — 1 Star, Book Review, Dukes and Earls, Great Britain, Guardian/Ward, Mistaken Identity, Rogues and Rakehells, S-U, Scarred Hero, Victorian, Virgin Heroine
The cover is fantastic on this book. The color scheme is wonderful with gorgeous yellows, blues, and shades of brown. It was an impulse buy because of it. The back blurb was intriguing. That’s about the last truly good thing I can say about the novel.
The writing made me wince several times. I’m not a reader who will nitpick when it comes to phrases and objects in historicals, simply because outside of reading I don't have a background in the time period. That said, this book is filled with contemporary phrases that read very out of place. It started innocuously enough with ‘what a relief’ and fell apart from there with common curse wordage especially the jarring use of the word fuck.
I had no patience with the hero, Greyden Kane. The Duke of Ryeton is a scarred recluse determined to shun all of society in an effort to stay good. He was the worst sort of rakehell when he was younger and treated women abominably. One so much so she had him attacked. He's very good at getting in his own way and being too obtuse to notice. His change of heart at the end just didn't do it for me and left me vaguely bored.
Rose Danvers is practically a ward under Greyden’s care. When her father died he left her and her mother in a heap of debt and greatly diminished prospects. Rose knows she and her mother must be a burden on Kane but can’t do anything about it. She suspects he has feelings for her but she can’t get him to admit it. Their relationship takes off when she decides to seduce him at the beginning of the novel. I would say she's sheltered and should have no idea about this but she's been stealing her mother's Voluptuous magazine which publishes how-tos and erotica. It didn't seem very believable. Why would her mother have the magazine subscription when she remains in mourning?
Lady Margaret Devane was a virgin until Greyden Kane. She is the one society and Grey think most likely behind the attack, but there isn’t any proof. Is she determined to ruin Rose as she was?
Rating: 1 Star
Buy: When Seducing a Duke
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December 10th, 2009 — Author Interviews, Bodyguard, S-U, Suspense/Thriller
Keira: Good morning everyone! Today we have a very special guest and a giveaway. Please join me in welcoming Roxanne St. Claire to the blog!
Roxanne: First of all, thank you SO much for inviting me to do this interview! I love the blog and how much you clearly love our genre.
Susan: For readers who are unfamiliar with your Bullet Catcher series, who are the Bullet Catchers?
Roxanne: The Bullet Catchers series consists of eight novels and two novellas. Each one stands alone as an individual romantic suspense adventure, but many of the characters reoccur over the books and each has their own story. The Bullet Catchers organization is an elite group of bodyguards, investigators, security specialists and all around brilliant, hot crime fighters run by a former CIA operative named Lucy Sharpe.
Keira: Bodyguard romance – be still my heart. What do you think is most appealing about bodyguard romance
Roxanne: Who doesn’t want to be protected by a fearless, sexy, smart, resourceful, gorgeous (did I mention sexy?) guy who is willing to die for you? I’ve no doubt that’s the timeless and universal appeal of the bodyguard romance.
Keira: What qualities must every Bullet Catcher have? What makes them unique heroes?
Roxanne: In every story, a Bullet Catcher is given an assignment that will test them physically and emotionally, so the hero (it is usually the hero, although there have been two stories with female Bullet Catchers as the heroine) has to strong on the outside and the inside. He (or she) has to make split second decisions, face ruthless villains, and solve complex crimes…and he (or she) has to navigate the treacherous seas of love that they think they don’t want or need…but can’t live without.
Keira: You’ve written and published 25 books so far, of which 8 (+2 novellas) are Bullet Catcher stories. How do you come up with all the plots? Is it hard for you to keep it fresh?
Roxanne: Ideas are easy – execution is a bear! The concept of the Bullet Catchers has a built-in “danger and romance” element that is at the heart of every book I write. The challenge is to keep it fresh, of course, give each character memorable and appealing traits (and some flaws, yes, they must have those) and craft a non-stop story that continually ups the stakes and increases the passion. It’s not easy, but usually it is fun. Sometimes, it is harrowing and I want to weep until I get the story just write.
Keira: What do you like best about writing romantic suspense?
Roxanne: I like the mix of sensuality and danger, and how things are constantly “at the edge” for the characters. But it does complicate a love story, and usually the plots have to unfold over a very short period of time, so it’s difficult to make the romance believable.
Keira: How do you define love?
Roxanne: Complete and utter trust combined with toe-curling attraction and a willingness to do anything – absolutely anything – to protect and save the relationship and the other person.
Keira: What do you think makes a great sex scene?
Roxanne: Conflict and plenty of it. I try to end every sex/love scene with a twist of precisely the thing that makes what they just did a HUGE mistake. Then they have to work through that.
Keira: Do you read what you write? Is suspense romance your favorite genre to read?
Roxanne: I do read, but I read very little romantic suspense. I should read more and I try to, but I also like to read YA, straight romance, some thrillers, and nonfiction. When I’m deep into a book, it’s hard to read anything at all because, frankly, I’m too tired and when I’m done writing, I just want to hang with my family and watch TV.
Jane: Will there be more Bullet Catcher books?
Roxanne: I honestly don’t know. Right now, they are on hiatus as I write a spin off series for a new publisher. Called The Guardian Angelinos, this series is about an extended family of renegade crimefighters based in Boston. It will be similar to the Bullet Catchers (and may have some overlapping Bullet Catcher characters as the Angelinos are distant cousins of Johnny Christiano, the hero of Take Me Tonight) but I think the new series will be a little bit grittier, and the stories will have higher “save the world” kind of stakes. I’ve turned in the first one and am currently writing the second. The series will launch next fall, and I’m really excited to see what my new publisher, Grand Central, does with the packaging and promotion. I expect great things!
Keira: Is there anything else you’d like to share?
Roxanne: Just that I’d love to introduce your readers to a Bullet Catcher! I’ll give one commenter the Bullet Catcher book of her choice! To see the complete list and read excerpts (and bios/pics of the hotties) go to my website: www.roxannestclaire.com. Leave a comment (or question – I’ll answer anything!) at the end of this interview and we’ll pick a winner!!!
And thank you!
Giveaway Ends: December 17th, 2009 and is open to all readers worldwide.
Author Bio:
Roxanne St. Claire is a bestselling, RITA-award winning author of twenty-four novels of suspense and romance. She currently writes a popular romantic suspense series called “The Bullet Catchers” that features the adventures of an elite cadre of bodyguards and security professionals, published by Simon & Schuster's Pocket Books. In addition to being a four-time RITA nominee, her books have won the National Reader’s Choice Award for best romantic suspense for two consecutive years, as well as the Daphne du Maurier Award, the HOLT Medallion, the Maggie, Booksellers Best, Book Buyers Best, several Awards of Excellence, the Aspen Gold and multiple Gayle Wilson Awards of Excellence. In 2011, she will launch a new romantic suspense series, featuring a renegade family of street smart crime fighters known as the Guardian Angelinos, published by Grand Central Publishing.
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December 7th, 2009 — Author Interviews, Contemporary, Historical Romance, Paranormal, Regency, S-U, Vampire
I can't think of a better way to start the weekend off than with an author interview with romance writer Lynsay Sands. I got the opportunity to pose a series of questions about her writing and tips and advice for new writers. Her responses are a joy to read! Thank you again, Lynsay for interviewing with us, and now on with the interview!
LRP: So first question, what do you enjoy doing besides writing?
Lynsay: Walking and nature. Luckily the two things go together.
LRP: You like to write paranormal romance on top of historical. What do you think is the appeal of vampires?
Lynsay: Actually, I just like to write, period. I don't prefer any genre. I have written medieval, regency, vampires and shape shifters. I've also written contemps and will do so again. I wouldn't mind trying my hand at horror too, although I don't think I write dark enough. My horror would probably be black comedy rather than strict horror.
As for the appeal of vampires, I can't really answer that, that's not what it's about for me. With the Argeneaus it was the family and the situations that appealed to me. The vampire stuff was just handy as a problem of sorts, something that was both a blessing and a little bit of not-so-much-a-blessing at the same time. These are people who just happen to be vampires. They still have the same issues everyone else does.
LRP: How do you decide on character names and book titles?
Lynsay: That is the hardest and most important part for me. The names usually have a lot to do with their character for me and when I say I struggle at the beginning of writing a book, the name is part of what I'm struggling with. I can change the name several times until I find the character and the name that suits them.
As for book titles . . . I suck at those and my editor is always changing them. The Accidental Vampire is one of the few they didn't change.
LRP: What is your advice to would-be authors?
Lynsay: Write what you enjoy and do it for your own pleasure. Do not go into writing for the money, or even thinking you'll make any. Most writers don't make much money. I've been lucky of late and can work at only this, but most writers have to continue to work a day job throughout their career. And this is HARD work. Believe me. At least it is for me. I work long hours. It isn't just the writing you have to do. You come into it thinking it will just be writing your stories, but there is the writing of the book, the corrections, the proofs, the fan letters, the promotional stuff they want you to do, etc. etc.
And then it isn't like accounting or engineering where if you get it right, it's just right across the board. Writing is more subjective and a story is NEVER just right. You can't please everyone and there is ALWAYS going to be someone who hates your story and seems to delight in telling you that. Even those who like them overall, may criticize the pants off you for something. That is life as a writer. You either develop a thick skin quickly, or . . . So make sure you love it if you're going to give it a go.
LRP: How long does it take you to write a novel on average? What work took the shortest amount of time and what book gave you the most trouble?
Lynsay: Usually a month for the first round, I tend to write them straight through. The fastest I've ever written one was two weeks. That was my first book, The Deed. The one that gave me the most trouble was A Quick Bite. It was my first book for a new publisher and I was a bit anxious (read panicking like CRAZY) so I really struggled with it.
LRP: How do you handle writer's block? (Or better still... coffee or tea?)
Lynsay: Tea . . . and sometimes coffee. As for writer's block, moving work to a coffee shop and writing there by hand in a notebook usually loosens things up.
LRP: What is your favorite aspect of writing?
Lynsay: Finishing it. LOL. That's not really true, though sometimes it is a relief to print them up and send them out. There are several aspects of writing that are great. Working from home is one. My commute is a short walk to the sunroom and I can go there in pjs or a toga if I like (grin).
Making my own hours is nice too, although with me, I tend to not know when to stop, I just work around the clock which isn't good. But I guess the stories themselves are my real favorite part. I am experiencing them as I write them. It's kind of like reading them but it takes longer and involves more work (grin). However, I laugh, or smile my way through the stories, and sniffle at the occasional touching scenes too and for me, that's probably the best part. I get to enjoy the stories as I write them, and I write exactly what I enjoy. I'm just lucky others seem to enjoy them too.
LRP: What do you think makes a good bedroom scene?
Lynsay: I'm not sure. I've been told I write them well, but I'm not sure that's true and if so why it is. I have a friend who has a real struggle with the sex scenes. I think she thinks too much. She seems to think people will think it's her sex life she's writing about, so she gets all self-conscious and is very stiff when writing them. I don't get caught up in that. For me the beginning of the book is where I struggle. I can often write the first chapter or two twenty or more times. I've come to realize that what's happening then is I'm getting to know my characters. Once I have a handle on them (how they think, feel, react, etc) the stories usually flow after that and become a film in my head that I'm just typing up as quickly as I can, sex scenes and all. That gives me a certain amount of distance from it all I guess and less self-consciousness than others might suffer.
LRP: What do you hope your readers will gain from your books?
Lynsay: I hope they get an escape from their everyday lives, a chance to relax and hopefully smile if not laugh. I don't aspire to write something that makes them stop and think or changes their views on anything, I just think life is tough and we all need a break from it and I hope my books give readers the opportunity to do that
LRP: Thank you again Lynsay, for taking the time to answer all my questions.
Lynsay is really friendly and welcomes questions. Be sure to visit her website @ http://www.lynsaysands.net/.
Lynsay also writes a blog, which you can visit @ http://lynsaysands.spaces.live.com/.
Don’t miss out on her upcoming vampire novel this fall: The Rogue Hunter (Argeneau Vampires, Book 10)
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What's your favorite book by Lynsay Sands?
Originally posted 2008-11-23 19:17:17. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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December 3rd, 2009 — 5 Stars, Book Review, Clumsy Heroine, Great Britain, Historical Romance, Poor Eyesight, S-U, Scarred Hero, Spectacles
I just finished rereading Love is Blind by Lynsay Sands today. It combines two of my favorite things to read in a romance novel. The hero is scarred and she is practically blind. Plus the sex is steamy. What more could one want?
Adrian Montfort, Earl of Mowbray, was scarred in battle against Napoleon. Raw and vivid, the scar proved indecent to display in polite society. Women swooned on sight! The women who did not cringe away in terror were nefarious and cruel. Before the night was over Adrian had packed and fled to his family’s seat in the country.
It is ten years later, after his father died, that his mother convinced him to return to London in search of a bride. Long suffering, Adrian complies and goes to London for the season. At the first ball, he explains to his cousin, Reginald, that the women are all the same, just younger, and proves it by referencing each maiden to one from the past.
Suddenly Reginald smiles and points to Lady Clarissa Cambray and dares Adrian to classify the chit as another girl from the past. She is clumsy, a terror to dance with, and vain, refusing to wear spectacles to help her see. Upset teacups, burned piffles, and alighting wigs on fire are her repertoire. Intrigued, Adrian finds himself drawn to her.
They hit it off right away with Clarissa’s frankness and cheerful retellings of all her woes since coming to London. But best of all in Adrian’s mind is that she can not see him! No awful cringing, fainting, or ugly whispers to contend with, but he can’t leave her blind forever. A few days longer wouldn’t hurt, though, right? He just needed a little longer to make sure she loved him back.
One of the most memorable parts of the novel is when the stepmother tries to explain to Clarissa about the marriage bed. Lydia, the stepmother, has either not had a singular good experience with sex or used this opportunity to spread fear of the act to her stepdaughter maliciously. It dealt with a key and a lock and more specifically the lock was a cherry pie and the key was a truncheon that was slammed violently into the pie. The fallout of this explanation scares the hell out of Clarissa and she immediately becomes terrified to complete the act with Adrian. Their wedding night is hilarious... poor Adrian was most confused.
Rating: 5 Stars
Happy readings!
Originally posted 2008-11-21 05:24:35. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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