Sunday, August 21, 2011
I Love to K.I.S.S. & Teal
I went along to my Dad’s doctor’s appointments on Thursday, and to keep myself distracted from dark thoughts that the doctors might have bad news, I took an old faithful with me: a romance novel. The book in question for this day was Cathy Maxwell’s THE SEDUCTION OF SCANDAL. Historical romance? Check. Gorgeous cover? Check. Fun and reliable trope? Check. I was off to a brilliant start.
Despite my worries, the time flew because the story was so engrossing and a perfect distraction. At one point of the day, Dad and I were eating together and I had to make myself put it away. It was hard because I wanted to know how the story was going to work out. The villain(s) were dreadful. I was very invested in the outcome of the hero and heroine.
After I took Dad home, I turned on some little league baseball for him and put the book to my nose. I read as fast as I could, even with Dad interrupting me every ten minutes to say I could switch the channel if I wanted to watch something else. “No,” I said, “this is fine. I’m almost done. I want to finish this book.” So he left me be and I got to The End. It was a very satisfying ending for me. I put it down and smiled.
Dad asked, “Did it turn out like you wanted?”
“Yes,” I said, “exactly like I wanted.”
Therefore, if you too like escapist fiction of the historical variety with a gorgeous cover (I love the hero on this cover) and a fun trope, run out and read THE SEDUCTION OF SCANDAL. If you love highwaymen and a little rousing about the countryside that reminds you of the Headless Horseman, run out and read THE SEDUCTION OF SCANDAL. If you love heroes who are a little more beta and thoughtful than the average alpha, but also has a delicious alpha side—run out and read THE SEDUCTION OF SCANDAL. If you like heroines who are determined to rescue themselves; secondary characters who are so real they nearly pour you a spot of tea; and a horse you just want to root for: run out and read THE SEDUCTION OF SCANDAL.This month, Avon has seven books for their K.I.S.S. & Teal promotion. The program donates much needed money to the research and awareness of ovarian cancer. Not only is the book I read great, but the books to choose from also include Caroline Linden, whose book ONE NIGHT IN LONDON was featured a week or so ago here and we will be interviewing Jenny Brown about her STAR-CROSSED SEDUCTION on August 29th. I’m sure like me, you will also want to be adding their books to your TBR pile.
Books we haven’t yet featured, but I have a feeling most of us will be gushing about anyway in the weeks to come are: Lynsay Sands’ THE DEED (which is about one woman’s quest to get laid—who knew red-blooded men could be so disobliging? But don’t worry: we know she’s going to find a hero who will fulfill her every wish); Stephanie Laurens’ VISCOUNT BRECKENRIDGE TO THE RESCUE (which features some kidnapping, so you know that will be fun. Kidnappers are almost always sorry for kidnapping the typical intrepid historical heroine. Gotta read that!); Katharine Ashe’s IN THE ARMS OF A MARQUESS (which features my favorite trope: a mouthy spinster, since that’s exactly what I am; and a hero named Ben. I’m sorry, but I just love men named Ben. This is going into the cart); and last but not least, Tessa Dare’s A NIGHT TO SURRENDER (we’ve all been drooling for her next series, haven’t we? And MORE spinsters! I’m so happy!)
This September, I plan to do my part with the K.I.S.S. & Teal program and read-read-read. It’s an easy, ignore-the-dishes-and-children job, but I’m willing to do my share. I hope you are able to do the same. There is no shortage of great books to pick from.
QUESTION OF THE DAY: What book are you most looking forward to this Fall? What tropes do you most adore in romances? How do you like to distract yourself?
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45 comments:
Well, I was at Barnes and Nobles today and picked up the newest Jennifer Ashley, The Many Sins of Lord Cameron and am totally digging it. Looking at the new RT today, which also include a review of MY book... I saw about six books I'll look for in the next few months, including the newest JD Robb, the new Laurie King book, which features Sherlock Homes, Mary Russel and PIRATES! Also a new Kathy Reichs, featuring Temperance Brennan and NASCAR, a new Jeanne Adams, a new Cherry Adair, and a new Christie Craig!
Me? I'm all over the book when it comes to tropes, genres or the like.
I love highwaymen. One of my books on sub with editors, LORD MIDNIGHT, has a highwayman hero, who I adore. So I would love to see his profession have a comeback in the romance world. :)
As for what I'm looking forward to. . .mmmm. I haven't had a chance to see what's coming up so I can figure out what I'm looking forward to. LOL I was looking forward to Ashley March's book, but I just recently finished the ARC of it, so now I've got to find something else. :)
Without a doubt the book I'm most looking forward to this fall would be Scandalous Desires by Elizabeth Hoyt. Can't wait to see what happens between Silence and Charming Mickey!
I'm not very picky about the tropes I get into lately, but I do have to confess that I'm a sucker for the marriage of convenience (probably why I've been soaking up all the Western mail order bride romances lately). The ugly duckling/spinster on the shelf/wallflower getting her prince charming/Big Man on Campus trope works well also. I love when the underdog wins, especially when she leaves all around her with their mouths hung open wondering why Mr. Perfect fell for her.
I think since re-discovering romances they have been the best distraction yet. Over the past 10 years waiting has become a joy whether it is in a doctor's office, in the car line picking up the kids or just sitting in a parking lot waiting for a practice/after school activity to end. Waiting has changed from high stress to low stress thanks to the fact that I always have a good book with me.
I'm excited about Caroline's new book. The series sounds so interesting. :) I'm also looking forward to NO PROPER LADY, the debut from Isabel Cooper coming out from Sourcebooks. It's about a futuristic assassin who goes back to the Victorian era to kill a black magician. It sounds fresh. We'll see.
I love kidnappings and I love highwaymen. Wait, that doesn't sound right....
KISS and Teal sounds like a great program. Great cause.
Irish - I agree about making waiting better. I'd imagine I've got lots of sitting on benches at sporting events ahead of me. Books will definitely make that a treat. :)
Hope your Dad's appointment went well, Hells.
I'm so busy looking at the books already on my shelves to find excitement for ones ahead. Though our own Chanceroo should have another book (and short story) out by the end of the year.
I've switched back to Historicals lately so I'll have to pick this Maxwell book, and I want the Jennifer Ashley Chance mentioned. Though I need to read the one before it. (I'm so behind!) I read Caroline Linden's prequal short story so now I'm really looking forward to her new series. And there's always an Eloisa James to be excited about. Anyone know when her take on Princess & the Pea is due out? (Guess I could go look for myself.)
I've read The Seduction of Scandal and wholeheartedly agree with everything you had to say about it, Hellion. It's Maxwell at her best!
There are so many books I'm looking forward to this fall. Tessa Dare's, of course, is high on my list. I just finished writing a review of In Bed With a Highlander (Aug. 30) by Maya Banks and I'm head over heels in love with her historical voice. I cannot wait to get my hands on the next two books: Seduction of a Highland Lass (Sept. 27) and Never Love a Highlander (Oct. 25).
Oh, and if you enjoy romantic suspense, don't miss Deadly Little Lies by Jeanne Adams (Sept. 6) and Revenge at Bella Terra by Christina Dodd (Sept. 6). Both books kept me up reading late into the night. So very good!
Chance, I'm quite impressed by your stack! I am very intrigued by the one which has Sherlock Holmes in it (which IS coming out this Christmas and now I feel like an idiot--why did I see 2012 on it? Weird.)
You are an equal opportunity trope lover which is why we love you! :)
Well, Donna, here's hoping highwaymen make a comeback because Maxwell did a superb job with this one--and I want more!!! I want to dig out my other highwaymen books (on my keeper shelves): Jude Deveraux's The Raider; Teresa Mederios' Heather and Velvet (and I think she might have had a newer, more recent highwayman one...Some Like It Wild maybe??); Kasey Michaels' Secrets of the Heart (which is my FAVORITE highwayman like one because it's soooo Scarlet Pimpernel, I sorta blend the two).
I remember reading one called The Highwayman, and it was a storied version of the poem The Highwayman. I don't remember a whole lot about it, except I kept thinking, "This is the poem." I assume it had a better ending though. I don't remember.
I think Iris Johansen had a highwayman book I really loved...
Yes, Donna, there is a current dearth of highwayman books. They should come back in fashion, especially since it's now the fashion to write in the Georgian era--lots of highwaymen then! It'd be PERFECT!
Irish, I am SOOOOO with you. I've been looking forward to Silence's book since the debut of the first in that series. That is going to be one angsty book. Sure, Hoyt's books are all angsty, but this one is going to be ANG-STY.
I too love a marriage of convenience, esp since divorce is pretty much not a solution. They're going to have to work SOMETHING out. And MOC always forces close proximity. *LOL*
Books do make the time fly by...and they're so much more convenient to carry. :)
I read my first Cathy Maxwell a few months ago and was CRAZY happy with it, so I can't wait to read The Seduction of Scandal. So glad to hear it rocks. :)
Marn, Linden's book does sound very promising; and your other debut potential sounds like a hoot!! I think I'd like to give that one a whirl as well. Huzzah, more for my TBR pile!
Don't worry, Marn, you're in good company: I love kidnappings and highwaymen too. *LOL* (Though I have a preference to a kidnapping at the beginning of a book rather than at the end--because when it's at the end, it seems like a last ditch effort to insert some angst to the story. But that's just me...)
Dad is well as can be expected, as he would say. I wish he'd eat more, but otherwise, he's pretty good.
Bo'sun, I think the Princess & the Pea is out in February...but I'm not sure, it could be the end of the year....
Definitely read the Maxwell. :) Fun, fun, fun...and angsty. :)
Just checked. THE DUKE IS MINE (Eloisa James) comes out Dec 27th. Just in time for my birthday!
PJ, I wanted to say more about the book, but I didn't want to give anything away either! *LOL* So basically I'm just telling people to read it and we'll discuss it after. *LOL*
I have been intrigued by Maya Banks' new books ever since I saw the Tessa Dare book trailer. *LOL* Though I did spend a lot of time yelling at my computer at all the "what are trews?" comments--they're PANTS, people! They're highlanders in PANTS. But obviously that was half the fun and all that. :)
And I'm always willing to recommend the Bandits...and also La Dodd! :)
I'll be having myself a Merry Little Christmas! Huzzah for Eloisa's new book! *LOL*
Scape, it was a marvelous book! I can't wait to hear what you think of it.
Hellie, I know what you mean about saying too much. I read the Maya Banks ARC in early July and marked about 10 passages I wanted to quote. Then I read it again in late July and marked around 10 - 12 more. By the time I was ready to write my review (after a third reading because, honestly, those characters just kept calling to me) I realized I couldn't possibly use all the passages I'd marked or I'd be quoting 75% of the book! lol!
See, I could have TOTALLY done that in this book! *LOL* I totally wanted to quote that whole scene where the heroine magically appears at his house. *LOL* Hysterical. He totally walked into that situation.
And there are other books where it was like I wanted to quote pretty much ALL of the book.
Not sure what it says about me that I just gasped at the idea of highlighting passages in a Romance novel. I should so be doing that, but the thought of doing it makes me cringe. LOL!
I don't *highlight* passages (though this can be done easily in your eReader, Bo'sun, without hurting it), but I do put post-its on pages and jot a note about what I'm post-iting about.
I like the post-it idea. And I could bring myself to highlight paper books. Certain ones. I need to do that to some Crusie and SEP books.
I use post-its too. No highlighting in my books!
Hel's the Laurie King book is called Pirate King and will be out in September. I believe it is a bit more lighthearted than the last few Mary Russel/Holmes books, but as it takes place during the filming of a silent movie about pirates...it should be a sweet bit of distraction!
Hey, Bo'sun! I finished the The Many Sins... last night. I'll bring it with me to Atlanta and you can take it home!
Oh goodie!!! *does happy dance* *sits back down and tries to look cool*
I'm starting to freak about what I'm going to wear at the conference. Somehow not going to Nationals meant I forgot about the wardrobe panic. Huh.
The week before, I'll be in Vegas at the erotic authors conference and figure I can look at clothing there... Big mall on the strip...
See, Bo'sun, I thought PJ was a fellow office supply store junkie!!
Janga, I can't wait to read your blog on September 1st...it's always good to be informed about what I'm missing out on. I'm glad for Twitter, Facebook, and fellow blogs about books, but I know your articles are actually the ones that cast a wide net and share with me books I might not have read at all.
I'm glad we have a very similar list on the KISS & Teal though. :)
Clearly I think we're going to have to have a BOOK CLUB BLOG about Scandalous Desires. I can't wait to hear what everyone thinks of this book. I'm only sad we're not near enough to each other to bring snacks and a favorite adult beverage to share.
Can I just say how ironic it is you're going to an erotica conference and you'll be clothes shopping? I mean, do erotica characters even wear clothes?
When is the conference again? Do I get any fun mail? My mailbox has been looking empty lately since I haven't renewed a couple magazine subscriptions.
*makes note to look at possible magazine subscriptions*
Just dropping back in for an update:
My synopsis submission didn't make it in the top 5 for the Intrigue pitch I did. It was a good learning experience though.
Thanks again to Maureen and Terri for all their help - you pirates rock!
Now I'm left wondering...does this count as my first official rejection? LOL. I even received a "sorry not what we are looking for at this time" standard email.
I'm hoping I can count it so the 1st R is behind me! :)
Oh, the Conference is 9/29 - 10/2. I'm sure I'll get plenty of swag to share.
Anytime someone says "no thanks" it counts, Scape. So sorry you didn't make it. Did you get close? Is there any way to know?? You're welcome for all the help. What's an hour out of my weekend? LOL! Except an hour I was distracted from Twitter that night. Which is a good thing.
I read that as "Do Erotica AUTHORS even wear clothes?" LMAO!! And I'd think the characters should start out wearing something or else where is the fun of getting it off?
Well, depending on the sorts of erotica, the clothes can vary from many layers that hint at massive secrets to baring most... I'm not a baring most sort of pirate...
Sorry, Scape! I'd still look at sending the sucker in using other channels...
I'm a fan of Cathy Maxwell, particularly as she can be obtained in audio format.
I listened to two books from her Marriage series recently: 'The Marriage Contract' and 'Married in Haste'. Both were highly entertaining!
I don't really look forward to new romance books unless they continue a series that I have completed, and there aren't many of those. I'm still in the process of fishing for the tastiest and most delicious romances from across the spectrum and still have many authors to try. I tend to follow Janga's guidance (eager for Sept 1st) but am always keen to learn of more!
Favourite trope is the woman struggling against prejudice and adversity in a man's world, particularly if she uses her feminine intelligence and charm to break down the barriers. A favourite is 'Ravished' by Amanda Quick. It is often described as a 'Beauty and the beast' novel, which I also like, but for me the central trope is the woman paleontologist emersed in fossils who comes into conflict with an ugly land owner.
Ways to distract myself other than reading romances?
Walking the hills, tending my garden, racing my car round the narrow English lanes and ...... Wouldn't you like to know! LOL
Love, love, love Cathy Maxwell.
I've been slacking on my reading. I'm currently in a writing phase and tend to zone in. My TBR is getting tall. Way tall.
But I'm a super fan of Highwaymen. And a sucker for ship Captains' and stowaways. Or the governess and the Lord.
I forgot the tropes part of the question. Reunited lovers is my favorite trope, and I like friends-to-lovers almost as well. I also love tropes with a twist. I blogged about twisted tropes at Heroes and Heartbreakers last week. And i apologize for al the plugs. They just seem to go with the conversation. :)
Plug away, Janga! Plug away!
I never answered the trope question either. I'm not sure what I like. Sin's mention of Captains and stowaways is a good one. I like historicals in which the heroine dresses as a male. In face, Jo Beverly wrote one in which the heroine is the highwayman! My Lady Notorious maybe?
I also like friends to lovers and opposites attract.
Yep, you're absolutely right, Hellie. One office supply store junkie reporting for duty! *grin*
Chance is coming to M&M too? Awesome! How many of the Revenge crew will be there? The Dishes will all be on hand to welcome you to our little corner of the country! :)
Yup, PJ, I'll be there! I'll be arriving crack of dawn on Thursday and leaving crack of dawn on Monday. Hope I can figure out how to use the transit system...
@Scape, I agree with Bo'sun it counts
@Chance, yes for swag!!
@Quantam, of course I'd like to know!! I think you'll really enjoy Maxwell's newest heroine. She's smart just like you like them. And I love driving fast on narrow little curvy roads--sign me up!!! And I love your favorite trope--it totally made me go, "Awwww." *LOL* You're such a women's libber!
@Sin, glad to hear you're in a writing phase. Just go buy these books I'm telling you and they'll be here when you return. *LOL*
@Janga, I love reunited lovers--and it is a lot like a friends to lover trope. After all, these lovers were friends once too, right?
So many good books and so little time! But I always have time for highwaymen. Thanks for the heads up.
Every Savage Can Reproduce
Hi Enid, I know that problem!! *LOL* You should definitely make time for this highwayman. :)
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