Amazon discontinued the ability to create images using their SiteStripe feature and in their infinite wisdom broke all previously created images on 12/31/23. Many blogs used this feature, including this one. Expect my archives to be a hot mess of broken book cover images until I can slowly comb through 20 years of archives to make corrections.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Random Romance Sunday: Velvet And Lucian Go To The Beach

The Book: Tainted By Temptation by Katy Madison

The Particulars: Historical Gothic Romance, Avon, Upcoming release January 25, 2011

The Blurb:

Which were more dangerous–his secret desires…or her own?

Cruel false gossip and scandal follow Velvet Campbell everywhere she goes in London—and for the sake of her sanity she must get away. Accepting a position as a governess at an estate in remote Cornwall, Velvet hopes to start over, untainted by rumor. But she finds to her dismay that her new employer—the darkly handsome Lucian Pendar—is, himself, the subject of whispered insinuations…that he hurled his wife to her death from nearby treacherous cliffs.

But angel or demon, Lucian affects Velvet in ways she never dreamed possible, causing her heart to race, stealing the breath from her body with a look. As their mutual attraction grows, there is no resisting the passion that flares between them. Yet, as secrets from both their pasts rise to the surface, Velvet is haunted by one inescapable question: has she found a kindred spirit, her destined love…or placed herself in dire peril?

Is It In Wendy's TBR?: An ARC landed on my desk at work this week, so yeah.

Any Reviews?: Not yet, as the book doesn't come out until late January. However the author has garnered some quotes from authors Anna Campbell, Laurie Brown and Carla Cassidy....if you're one to pay attention to such things.

Anything Else?: I'm highlighting this book for two reasons: 1) it's a Gothic! and 2) that cover art isn't doing this debut author any favors. Why? Because I love Gothics. I especially love historical Gothics with no paranormal crap tucked inside the pages. Looking at this cover and title though? Yeah, no clue. Generic title with equally generic cover art. I mean, I guess you could go out on a limb by saying the crashing surf is Gothic-y, but that's a major stretch (says me).

Anywho.....

I know all Gothic cover blurbs sound identical, but I cut my teeth on these sorts of books in my younger pre-Super Librarian days. I wasn't into these books for the romance. Oh no. I read authors like Barbara Michaels and Victoria Holt because the darker atmosphere and mystery-like plots appealed to me. Also there's something inherently compelling about a tall, dark, mysterious, and maybe slightly dangerous hero. You want to climb inside his head, poke around in the dark corners, and see what makes him tick. I also think that some of the best Gothics were heroine-driven stories - and admittedly I'm a bit of a heroine-centric reader (major understatement of the year).

And honestly, this sounds like it could be full of Old School Gothic-y Goodness. Cornwall! A hero named Lucian! A heroine named Velvet! It's like the Wayback Machine has dumped me back in time to when I was 16 and poking around the shelves at my local public library. That teeny piece of me that's still stuck in my teenage years is literally swooning....

9 comments:

Barb in Maryland said...

Hi Wendy
Fellow Gothic fan here. And I am old enough that I was a teen when Victoria Holt and Barbara Michaels were just beginning their Gothic Careers. Phyllis Whitney did some really good ones too, as did Jane Aiken Hodge.
But yanno, I don't remember any heroines named Velvet. I will admit to a faulty memory, but IMO, the author loses major points for heroine's name.
And that cover is wrong, wrong, wrong for a gothic. Surf--okay, clinch pose with a bare chest (his) and show of leg(hers)--wrong-o! Where's her cape or long white nightgown? Where's the candle in the window of the spooky mansion on the hilltop??
But I will probably give it a look, as I do miss the gothics.

Anonymous said...

I love, love, love Gothic Historicals!! There are just not enough of them published. Eve Silver's Historical Suspense stories are a few of my favs. I have to add this one to my list.

JamiSings said...

You know, anymore I really hate romance novel covers. It's all stock art and photos. No creativity. I want real art made with live models. If you can't give me that, then give it a basic colored cover with the title and nothing else.

I mean, this doesn't say "Gothic Romance" to me - unless it's some new sub-catagory of Gothic Surfer Romance.

Wendy said...

bafriva: The atmosphere is always what drew me to the gothics. The whole "dark and stormy night" thing. And LOL - yes she needs to wear a white nightgown while running along some rocky cliffs in the dead of night!

Barbara: OK, I know I have some Eve Silver in the TBR....uh, somewhere. I need to see which ones I've got....

Jami: I miss a lot of those Old School painted covers.

Avon has a tendency to slap uninspired covers on the debuts. I have no idea why this is. Honestly the most memorable Avon covers for me, of late, have been on the Eloisa James books - and that's mostly been because of the colors. They've chosen some real eye-popping color combos for her - like reds, purples, and dark jewel-y greens......

JenM said...

Yes, the blurb does scream "gothic" and no, the cover does not. Actually, based on that cover, I thought it was going to be a pirate story, or at least something set on a ship. That's a trope that I absolutely hate and won't read, so for me this cover is doing a double disservice to this author. On the other hand, readers who like pirate or ship stories might buy it based on the cover so I guess it all evens out in the end.

Actually, I'm always up for a good gothic so I'll have to look for this one when it comes out.

Victoria Janssen said...

Sings "Tainted Love."

Hannah said...

I agree, it's not really a Gothic cover. Couldn't they have at least added a lighthouse? However, I think the cover art is kind of awesome in an Old School way, and as a long time fan of Gothics this will definitely be added to my TBR list.

Marie-Thérèse said...

I'm torn on this. I love, really love, Gothics (working on a Barbara Michaels reread binge right now) but the heroine's name just shrieks "wrong!" to me (sounds more like an old school bodice-ripper name and I hate those books with a passion) and the cover reinforces that impression.

I guess I'll wait on this one until I read a few reviews from people I know have similar taste in Gothic romance.

Wendy said...

Jen: It's been ages since I've read a gothic, so I'm looking forward to it!

Victoria: LOL! Yeah, not the most "unique" title ever to grace a romance novel.

Hannah: Yes, a lighthouse! What every gothic heroine needs, aside from a white nightgown :)

Marie: Yeah, Velvet makes me think 1980s....all the way. I really want to read this one - and hopefully will do so soon. Dang, I'm so backed up on my reading....again. I need to come up with a better system for 2011. Aside from looking into cloning myself that is....