The Acceptance Speech

This is the gist of it.  I did ad-lib some things that weren't in my notes.  You all are getting "just the notes."  Because frankly it's easier for me to copy and paste than try to remember all the blathering moronic things I probably said in front of 2000+ people.

Enjoy the insanity below:

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Mrs. D, my high school librarian, and the reason I hit upon the career in the first place.  Sign up to do a work-study in the media center, or suffer through another semester of geometry?  The choice was easy. 

DT, director of The Library That Gave Me My First Professional Job, for taking leave of his senses and hiring a very green 23-year-old fresh out of college, who had no idea what she was doing.  I couldn’t have asked for a better first boss in this profession.

My former supervisors at My Current Employer – GW for getting me in the door, and JT for giving me my dream job in collection management. 

My current supervisor, SQ, for being incredibly supportive, and all-around awesome.

The local RWA chapters I’ve begged and pleaded with over the years to do my library’s annual Literary Event.  Orange County, Los Angeles, and San Diego.  Your members have taken pity on me, and made me look good to my bosses.  Thank you.

To RWA, yes for this wonderful honor, but for also not having this conference during the baseball trade deadline.  Seriously, 2008 in San Francisco almost killed me. 

Dede Anderson and her staff at The Romance Reader for being the reason I got hooked on the genre in the first place.  My first Nora Roberts trilogy, my first category romance, my first Maggie Osborne, Susan Wiggs, Emma Holly, Megan Hart – yeah, all their doing. 

To all the fine folks I’ve met online and out in cyperspace thru the years.  The Scandalous Ladies for all the coffee klatch’ing, all the SoCalBloggers for the fabulous book talk, with a special shout-out to Rosie.  The first official meeting of our group was just the two of us, and now there are over 20. Sybil who exploits my category romance addiction for her own nefarious purposes, KristieJ for slapping me upside the head every now and then over all the great books I still have languishing in my TBR.  For the record, no Kristie, I still haven’t read Connor’s Way, Sugar Daddy or any of Patricia Potter’s westerns.  I know Kristie.  Yes, I know.  I suck.  And now everybody in this room knows it too.

My parents who have loved and respected each other for 40 years, for raising three relatively well-adjusted daughters – for supporting us, loving us, and most importantly, letting us go off on our own, even if they thought our “plans” were a disaster waiting to happen.  Some of them were, some of them weren’t – and we all turned out OK.

My two sisters for being more of everything I wish I was.  When I grow up, if I’m half as awesome as they are, I’ll consider myself rich beyond words.

And finally to My Man.  For being persistent, tolerant of the book mountain range growing in our apartment and loving me when it wasn’t always easy.  Thank you.

Hit The Ground Running

Wednesday at RWA turned out to be my busiest day so far.  The morning started with meeting Harlequin Historical author, Christine Merrill, for breakfast.  I actually won lunch with Christine back in March, during Operation Auction, which was held for Fatin and her daughters in the wake of her husband's death.  We opted instead for breakfast, because between her schedule and mine, it was pretty much the only time we could squeeze in.  It's always nice to chat with a fellow librarian, even if these days that entails a lot of crying in our beer (or tea and Diet Coke as the case may be).

After that, I hit the Goodie Room, where I snagged some more Romance Trading Cards for one of the So. Cal. Bloggers, and even a few books for myself.  Of course upon arrival back to my room I discovered that I already had a box to ship home.  People, I'm not even really trying this year and I already have a box to ship home!  This does not bode well for the rest of the conference.

I lazed about a bit, killing time before the Keynote Luncheon. The food was....well, conference food. Honestly, as long as it's edible I'm pretty happy. Madeline Hunter gave the keynote this year, and what I heard of her speech was very good. There were technically difficulties with the speaker system on my side of the ballroom. But luckily they got it working, so I was able to at least hear the meat of the speech.


After lunch I attended the Avon Spotlight. These publisher spotlights are very good to attend for those of us who are "non-writers" because often times upcoming books are discussed. Also, any trends or specific sub genres the agents may be actively looking for.  Well folks, the end of the world as we know it just might be here.  For the first time, in a very long time, the Avon editors said "Sure!" to historical westerns.  I know, try not to fall over from the shock.  I honestly think a large part of this might be the start of their new digital Avon Impulse line, but this was a welcome step in the right direction if you ask me.  So if you're a writer, and you've written a good, solid western romance - don't automatically dismiss submitting to Avon!

There were more workshops after this, including a spotlight for Carina Press - but I had to get back to my room and put on my party duds.  After slapping on a dress (and even some make-up ::shock::), I headed down to the Harlequin Blogger Tea.  Refreshments were served, and fascinators made by the Harlequin folks were distributed.  It was a good chance to meet the Digital Team in person, and for bloggers to pass around business cards.  This was also where I finally was able to connect with Megan Frampton, who I have met in previous years past, but it was lovely to see her again, in the flesh.

I cut out of that early because RWA was hosting a VIP reception for their award-winners and board members (past and current).  Yeah, since I AM the Librarian Of The Year (maybe you've heard?), I figured it might be a good idea to go to that.  So I headed up to a very high floor of the hotel room and introduced myself in person to many of the board members.

When I come to RWA, I'll be honest, my dance card is usually fairly manageable.  This year, with the award, a few invitations happened.  I had a couple for last night, and had the best of intentions, but I only managed to make it to the cocktail party hosted by Harpercollins/Avon.  It was at the Central Park Boathouse with its lovely view.  I ran into the All About Romance contingent, we chatted quite a bit, mostly about books (of course!), I met several agents and a bookseller, and was briefly introduced to Loretta Chase (lovely woman!).  On the way back to the hotel I sat with Rose Fox, from Publishers Weekly, and we had a wonderful conversation about our work, books and New York City.

After that, I went back to the hotel where I, of course, hit the bar.  I chatted with KristieJ, Rosie, SarahT, Nath, and the world famous authors, L.B. Gregg and K.A. Mitchell for longer than I probably should have, since today is a rather big to-do for me.  Yep, it's Awards Luncheon time, where they'll slap me upside the head with my plaque for Librarian Of The Year.  But hell, I was having too much fun last night.  Who needs sleep?

Pictures: The lovely Nath and KristieJ wearing their fascinators at the Harlequin Blogger tea.  Yes, that's my ugly mug next to Fabio's ugly mug at the Avon Cocktail Party.  How could I not want a picture with such an iconic, bodice-rippin', clinch cover?

Say Goodbye To Wendy's Brain

I don't know why I always think that I'll be able to write semi-coherent blog posts while I'm at RWA.  I mean, it's not like I'm sleeping.  Also, every time I attend, no matter that I've been to these conferences several times, I always seem to hit Sensory Overload, and my brain starts to slide out of my ears.  I know Wendy Losing Her Brains isn't all that surprising (you're thinking, "Wow, Wendy has brains?  Who knew?) - but yeah, the conference really hasn't even started yet, and I've already hit maximum danger levels.  This doesn't bode well for everybody concerned since the Awards luncheon (did you hear?  I'm Librarian Of The Year!) isn't until Thursday.  Oh well, let's get crackin' and hopefully this will make some sense.

I hit the ground running yesterday with Librarians Day.  RWA always does a nice job planning this, and I'm not just saying that because I was presenting this year.  My topic du jour was Harlequin 101.  The best way to describe it?  Harlequin For Dummies.  Me and one of the editors, Mary-Theresa Hussey, talked a little bit about the history of the company, and then proceeded to walk through the category lines and talk about them step by step.  So for example?  The variety of settings in Harlequin Historical.  That Harlequin Intrigue is a wee bit heavier in the suspense department than Harlequin Romantic Suspense.  And, oh yeah - that the Silhouette name has gone bye-bye. 

Mary-Theresa and I were prepared, but I had never met her before, and she had never met me before.  We chatted over e-mail and got our ducks in a row, but when you're on a panel, without a moderator overseeing things, you never know if your styles are going to "mesh" well.  But I thought we did just dandy, and people seemed to like us.

The luncheon speaker this year was Julia Quinn (that's her in the picture), who did a lovely job.  She was funny and told us all a story about a reader letter she once received that made me cry.  I ate lunch with the lovely Trinity Feagen and Lifetime Achievement Award Winner this year, Sharon Sala.

After all this hulla-bullo, it was networking time!  I picked up quite a few items in the Librarian Goodie Room, which was picked clean within a matter of minutes.  I also got a chance to talk to several authors, like Michelle Willingham, Vivien Arend, K.A. Mitchell, HelenKay Dimon, Leslie Kelly, Jill Shalvis, and a whole host of others my brain is blanking on right now.

I then hit my room to drop off my stuff, then to connect with KristieJ and Nath who had arrived at the conference hotel.  Our grand plan this year was to avoid the line at the Literacy Signing, which went out the door of the hotel and down the street.  We hung out in the bar for a few minutes, then went down to the ballroom.  Now, we were in a ballroom - but it wasn't the world's biggest ballroom considering the hordes there (hence, no pictures, because I suck like that).  I picked up a few things for colleagues and myself - but there were a bunch of folks I missed just because of the sheer madness of the place.  I was very happy to meet Karen Templeton, live and in the flesh, and also Megan Hart. 

After all that it was time to hit the bar and hang out with folks for the second Blogger Bar Bash.  People came and went, stopped by to say "Hi!", and by midnight I was too pooped to party.  So back to my room where I managed to fall into bed.

Today is a big day for me, and hopefully I'll take some more pictures!  It was so nuts at the Literacy Signing that my camera never left my purse.  Sigh.  But I am having a great time, and enjoying the Librarian Love Fest, even if my brain is sliding out of my ears. 

(Note: sure enough, as the week wears on I get lazier.  Linkage on this post will happen....uh, after the fact.  I know, I suck.).

Lions, Beatles, And Bar Bashes, Oh My!

Here I am, once again - blogging when I should be sleeping.  Seriously, this cannot continue.  So let's see how brief I can keep this blog post.  Will it be coherent?  Well, you decide.

After a morning of lolly-gagging, Rosie and I headed out in the afternoon to do some sightseeing.  On the agenda today, a trip to the corner of 5th Avenue and 42nd Street - which is where you will find the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building of the New York Public Library.  Or as everyone else seems to call it "Ooooh, the one with the lions!"  Yes, folks - the one with the lions.  It was a fabulous visit, of course.  There were tons of displays, which made me long for that brief moment in time when I entertained the idea of becoming an archivist.  The idea got scrapped when I realized that with my luck I would probably end up destroying some priceless treasure I was put in charge to protect.

After that I had to get my Beatles geek fangirl fix on, so Rosie and I hit Central Park, where we landed in Strawberry Fields.  It was quite a hike, but we made it, and then strolled around the park for a bit.  After that we had a little mini-discussion on how to get back to the hotel and my legs decided they were done.  So we hailed a cab, and got back to the hotel in time for Rosie to pick up her registration materials. 

After a nice dinner, we hit the bar where the first Blogger Bar Bash got underway.  It was a pretty small group of us, but by 9:30PM the bar was full.  It gave me a chance to wander around and chat with several people, new and old acquaintances alike.  Sylvia Day, Molly O'Keefe, Pearl, Kim from Hawaii, Magdalen, SarahT, Angela James, Smart Bitch Sarah, and a whole host of other folk.  Hanging out in the bar is probably my most favoritest thing about these conferences.  Everyone is always so nice, friendly, and willing to chat with total strangers.

I then called it a night, because Librarians Day is tomorrow....uh, and I'm presenting.  Which means I should be in bed and not blogging...but this is how much I love you all.  I know, gag!  Oh, and hey!  I have more pictures up in my Flickr account.

The City So Nice, They Named It Twice

Hello from New York City!  Rosie and I made it to the Big Apple relatively unscathed.  She forgot her Kindle (OMG!!!!) and My Man got himself in a car accident on his way back home after dropping me off at the airport.  The good news is that Rosie has something else to read, and My Man escaped the accident unharmed.  His car?  Uh, another story entirely.  But needless to say I spent most of yesterday worried out of my mind about him.

After all that excitement, I was greeted at JFK by my limo driver.  Yes, limo driver.  Apparently being Librarian of the Year makes me pretty hot stuff!  It also means that I got my flippin' registration bag EARLY!  It was waiting for me upon check-in.  Behold!  That little blue flip dealie is actually book light, and I'm guessing the weird Harlequin pouch is some sort of eco-friendly water bottle?  But yeah, that's the swag.  In other news, the conference tote is very nice, as are the name badge holders.

After I got checked-in, Rosie and I met for a quick bite to eat and drink downstairs.  There we ran into Magdalen and SarahT (who had just arrived from Switzerland and boy was she jet-lagged!).  We had a nice nosh, a few drinks and lovely conversation.  Always good to chat with fellow bloggers and romance addicts.

When I got back upstairs, what did my little eyes spy?  Another goodie for being Queen Librarian of the Universe!  This lovely bottle of wine.  Which I couldn't drink because I'd already had my limit.  So I saved it for tonight, and I'm enjoying it now while typing this blog post.

Today was my one totally free day, so I was able to catch-up with my former college roommate, who lives in Queens, and who I haven't seen in 10+ years!  Patty was totally up for doing "tourist-y" stuff, so we made the trip to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.  We only did a few little parts of Ellis Island, because holy cow, my legs were jello by that point - but it was still a really great day.  Oh, and the tourists!  I told My Man, I know we live in California.  I mean, it's not like we live in White Bread, U.S.A. - but the international flavor of this city is really a trip.  I heard more languages spoken today then I think I have in my whole life.

After a nice healthy dinner of pizza and cheesecake, I'm back in my hotel room - soaking up the outrageously priced wifi and chillin' with my wine, Rosie, Nath, and Nathie's sister.  On tap for tomorrow?  Not sure yet.  I suspect Rosie and I might end up in Central Park, and then it's the first Blogger Bar Bash in the evening.  I'm going to do my best to blog every single day - and hopefully I won't do my usual RWA madness, which is blogging at 2AM (seriously, I've done that more than I care to admit).  I also plan on taking more pictures.  These are just a small sampling.  Want to see more?  Keep an eye on the special album I created on my Flickr account.

RWA Harlequin Tea, Romance At Random, Blogger Bar Bash, & General Insanity

Are you going to RWA?  Are you a book blogger?  Well here's your chance to hang out with some of the awesome-sauce folks with Harlequin!

Are you a book blogger going to the RWA conference in NYC? Harlequin wants to meet you! Join us for a Book Blogger Tea on Wednesday, June 29^th from 4:30-5:30 in the Times Square room at the conference hotel. Join us for tea & scones and ‘fascinating’ conversation! Fascinators, hand-made by the Digital team, will be provided to set the mood – or bring your own tea-party appropriate headgear.

Tea! Scones! Fancy fascinators!

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Publisher Random House has launched a new online community geared towards romance.  Unlike Macmillan's Heroes & Heartbreakers, which is publisher-neutral, Romance At Random appears to be Random House only (at first blush anyway - I still haven't fully explored the site!).  But hey, that's OK - because Random House has a slew of great authors, many fan favorites.  Also, this is appears to be a good place to visit if you're interested in the return of the Loveswept category line, which is being revived as a digital-only imprint.

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In even more RWA news, don't forget that there will be Blogger Bar Bashes on Monday and Tuesday evenings.  Gory details can be found in this previous blog post.  True to my word that if you can only stop by for a few minutes that you're still welcome - we'll see how long I hang out in the bar on Tuesday.  Apparently "Librarian Of The Year" is code for "Getting A Whole Bunch Of Invites."  One of which is Tuesday evening.  But we'll see how it goes.  Between Librarians Day (uh, where I'm presenting) and the Literacy Signing, I might be too pooped to leave the bar for anything other than sleep that evening.  Won't know until then.

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You'd think I'd be bouncing off the walls for this trip to New York City, but all I can think about is my monstrous to-do list and how long it still is.  People, I leave on Saturday.  Oh well.  My Man is probably right.  The list is totally do-able.  Just tackle it one thing at a time.  But it still means I'm hitting the ground running this evening and likely won't stop until I board my flight Saturday morning.

Which means dear blog readers, that this is it for now.  The next time you hear from me, I'll be on the East coast, hopefully happily sated from my first slice of real pizza in God knows how long.

Arabian Nights

Let's get this out of the way right up front: Yes, Innocent In The Sheikh's Harem by Marguerite Kaye is a very sensational title.  It conjures up all sorts of images, most of them not necessarily "good."  Although, technically, the title fits.  Our heroine is an innocent, and she does find herself living in a sheikh's harem.  But it's not what you think.....

Lady Celia Cleveden is the eldest of five daughters, her father a British diplomat.  Sadly, this doesn't make her a good catch.  She's not a beauty like her younger sister Cassandra.  While she is intelligent, calm, practical and forthright, she's not a woman that inspires passion.  So her father does what all good 19th century fathers do - he marries her off to a junior diplomat as a way to expand his influence.  And George takes Celia's hand because he'd be a fool, politically speaking, not to.  Besides, she's a hell of a hostess.  The perfect diplomat's wife.  Which is why, even though everybody thinks he's mad, George insists she travel with him to Arabia to secure access to a valuable shipping port.  For her part, Celia is all for it.  Our girl has an adventurous, curious spirit and the idea of exploring this mysterious part of the world excites her.

Of course it all slides south rather quickly.  After bandits attack, George ends up dead.  Celia is rescued from certain death (and worse) by Sheikh Ramiz al-Muhanna.  Wanting to size up the Englishman he was set to meet with, Ramiz was following (OK, spying) on the traveling party from a distance.  He's shocked to discover the man brought his wife.  But he quickly learns all he needs to know about Celia.  Her husband may be an idiot coward, but this woman most certainly is not.  After he rescues her, he doesn't have much of a choice.  He can't take her back to Cairo, as the attack on these visiting dignitaries was a message for him.  He needs to get home and sort things out with his war-hungry, squabbling neighbors.

Celia is naturally out of sorts.  She's grateful for Ramiz's rescue, but she's totally out of her depth.  He's taking her back to his palace, and then when she jumps to all the wrong conclusions, he tweaks her nose about staying in his harem (in reality, his harem is empty and nowhere near a bordello that the West thinks all harems are).  However she's also smart enough to see the writing on the wall.  If Ramiz wanted her dead, he would have left her to fend for herself.  Or he wouldn't have intervened in the attack at all.  She's sad about George, but it was no great love match.  They hadn't even consummated their union.  Three months married and she was never really a wife.  She was hoping for love in time, but his death makes her realize the cold, hard truth.  He didn't want a wife.  He saddled himself to her to further his career.  Is she really so unattractive that not even her husband wanted her?

What I loved about this story was the excellent sense of place and the type of characters Kaye populates this world with.  For readers who complain that "setting" has become nothing more than window dressing or wallpaper in historical romances - this is your book.  Kaye's depiction of Arabia is lush, hypnotic and sensual.  It's easy to understand how Celia is brought under it's spell, how her senses come alive in a world so unlike, yet surprisingly similar in some ways, to her native England.  It's almost like a fairytale.

For his part, Ramiz became the sheikh after his war-mongering brother was killed.  He's of the school of thought that diplomacy is the way to go, although convincing his old guard neighbors of this is proving difficult.  He's feeling the pressure to take a wife, but the idea of marrying one of the area princesses just to secure an alliance?  He's not wild about the idea.  Plus, he's frankly too busy to deal with females right now.  That is until he sets eyes on Celia.  He knows he should stay away from her, but he can't.  He takes one look at her, and immediately knows her husband was the stupidest man alive.  To show this woman pleasure?  Ahhh, how can he resist?

I rarely talk about sex when writing reviews, but in this case?  I think it's worth mentioning.  Harlequin Historicals, for a long time, lived in a PG-rated world.  In recent years, I'd say some of them have crept into PG-13 territory.  But this story?  Probably the hottest HH title I've ever read.  OK, so I haven't read the entire backlist of the line, but seriously - hot stuff.  I suspect it's a by-product of Kaye writing several short stories for the spicier Undone line, and that naturally bleeds over into this, her first full-length novel.  When the couple partakes in an activity named after a double-digit number?  Um, yeah.  This ain't your mama's Harlequin Historical title.  Just sayin'.

When it's all said and done, what really worked for me, besides the evocative backdrop, were the characters themselves.  I loved that Ramiz acted like an autocratic sheikh at times, but he wasn't an asshole.  I loved that Celia behaved like one would think someone with her diplomatic background would behave.  I also loved that she wasn't prone to hysterics, but she also wasn't above feeling uncertain, or even a little scared at times when the situation called for it.  The ending did feel a little abrupt to me, but I loved the fact that the hero ends up realizing the error of his own ways, without the aid of a well-meaning third party, BFF, or whomever to show him the light.

I know some readers are never going to go out on that sheikh limb no matter what anyone says, but this historical has so much of what some readers seem to be clamoring for at the moment.  Like Celia, I found myself falling more than a bit in love with this world.  I can't wait to read the next book, The Governess And The Sheik. 

Final Grade = B

Digital Review: Portrait Of Seduction

Never have titles been more fitting than in Carrie Lofty's series for Carina Press.  First with Song Of Seduction, and now this latest release, Portrait of Seduction - that's exactly what the author does.  She seduces the reader with her stories.

Greta Zwieg started forging paintings because of Napoleon.  All of Salzburg is in a constant state of worry, and people are determined to protect their valuables.  So while Greta's fakes hang on the walls, the real masterpieces are safely tucked away.  However, quite by accident, Greta soon learns that her uncle is passing her fakes off as the real deal, and selling them to unsuspecting buyers!  She is horrified by this deceit, but as a single woman, a poor relation at that, she does not have the power to stand up to him - the man who gave her a home after her parents both died tragic deaths.

Oliver Doerger is living a lie.  Born a bastard, this former military man is posing as a valet for his aristocratic half-brother and playing spy.  Uncertain times have led Oliver into this life.  His brother needs him.  His country needs him.  Then a dramatic night at the opera puts him in the path of Greta Zwieg.  Even as they both intellectually know that no good can come of their attraction, they succumb anyway.  She's a well-born lady with a dangerous secret and vile uncle.  He's a not-so-well-born "servant" with a dangerous secret. This love affair should have doomed ending written all over it - but, of course, since it is a romance novel, it happily does not.

What I love about Lofty's historicals is that she never flat-out ignores the history.  She uses that history, bends it a bit, and spins her characters into people that very possibly could have existed in real life.  Greta, while a smart woman, has no real power.  She's completely under the thumb of her uncle, and haunted by what happened to her parents.  Defying her uncle is not an option.  At least not an option if she wants to stay safe.  For a woman in the early 19th century, safety was a very important thing indeed.

Oliver is a good man, a solid man, a man who would make any woman in the appropriate class a good husband.  But Greta is not in his class.  She's so far out of his league he might as well be standing on the moon.  Even though he is masquerading as a valet, he's still a bastard.  Period.  End of story.  So while he's horribly tempted by Greta, and dangerously attracted to her, he knows (and she knows!) that nothing good can ever come of it.  Of course, does this stop them?  Uh, no.

If I had to describe this novel is one word it would be passionate.  With Song of Seduction, that passion expressed itself through the music.  With Portrait of Seduction, that passion plays out in the utter need and want that sizzles between the couple.  Lush, seductive, these two people are burning for each other - even as they know, intellectually, that their passion will destroy them.  There is a reason that writers and storytellers have been exploring themes of forbidden love for thousands of years.  When the story works, it captivates quite like nothing else.

In many ways, I felt this was a tremendously strong story.  I did, at times, find myself frustrated with the characters - especially Greta who, at times, was a little insensitive.  However, to be fair, this insensitivity fits perfectly into the type of woman she is, the time period she inhabits, and the difference in station from Oliver.  Still, when she did do, or say something, that hurt his feelings, I had that urge to reach through the mechanical cogs of my Sony Reader and happily slap her simple.

Still, it's to the author's credit that she makes it all work without throwing the historical baby out with the bath water.  A large reason why it works is because she smartly sets this story during the chaotic time of the Napoleonic Wars.  I was lost, swept away by the magic the author weaves, and invested in this romance that should have had tragic overtones, but never, ever did.  The passion, the threat of war, the uncertainty, the angst - I positively wallowed in it.  It's a big, sweeping, dramatic story that hearkens back to a time when historical romance meant grand passion smartly displayed against a backdrop of compelling historical detail.  Don't miss it.

Grade = B+

Note: This title is available from Carina Press and at other fine e-retailers.

The Month That Was May 2011

Lemon Drop: I'm all ready to go Auntie Wendy!

Me: Um, I see that.  Pray tell, where are you going?

Lemon Drop: To New York City, of course!

Me: Oh really?  And why are you going to NYC?

Lemon Drop: ::eyeroll:: Seriously, Auntie Wendy?  To go to RWA! 

Me: Oh really?!?!  Uh, let's table this discussion for now.  I want to tell you all about what I read last month.  After slogging through a slump in April, I was able to break out somewhat in May.  I finished 6 books! 

Click on title links for full reviews

Defiant by Kris Kennedy, Historical medieval romance, Pocket, 2011, Grade = B-

• Hero and heroine both searching for the same missing priest, find themselves embroiled in political turmoil in King John's England.  A medieval that's pretty heavy on the "medieval stuff," and a romance that requires some reader patience as the hero and heroine are at cross purposes.  But a strong historical with some actual history.  Should appeal to those readers who like big, meaty history-filled historicals.

Wife For A Week by Kelly Hunter, Contemporary romance, Harlequin Presents, 2007, Grade = C+

• Lying about being married when his host's naive, sheltered daughter throws herself at him, the hero now must return to Hong Kong to close the business deal.  The fly in the ointment?  He's to bring along the little woman.  Enter the heroine, who needs money for her back-to-school fund.  Lovely bantering dialogue and an evocative Hong Kong setting.  Unfortunately a tacked-on, silly suspense thread during the second half takes off some of the shine.  Harlequin Cheat Sheet: Cash Strapped Heroine, Mogul Hero, Pretend Marriage, Virgin Ahoy!

Honeymoon With The Rancher by Donna Alward, Contemporary romance, Harlequin Romance, 2011, Grade = B

• After catching her fiance' in bed with his mistress, jilted heroine takes her honeymoon to Argentina alone.  She's in for a surprise though when she gets rustic instead of Club Med, and the surly hero can find no record of her reservation.  A story heavy on internal conflict featuring a hero with major baggage and a heroine who has lost her way.  Harlequin Cheat Sheet: Jilted Heroine, Wounded Hero, Big Secret, Virgin Ahoy!, Mmmm Cowboy!

Madame Tussaud by Michelle Moran, Historical fiction, Crown, 2011, Grade = A

• The story of Madame Tussaud (of wax museum fame) and her life in late 18th century Paris - before she was Madame Tussaud, and on the eve of the French Revolution.  A compelling, white-knuckle read that sucks the reader into the uncertainty, chaos, and terror in a turbulent time in French history.  Also, a compelling story of a remarkable woman, who was ahead of her time.

You Killed Wesley Payne by Sean Beaudoin, Young Adult crime noir, Little Brown, 2011, Grade = B+

• A hard-boiled crime novel dropped into a YA world.  Gumshoe hero finds himself investigating a murder (or was it?) in a corrupt high school that has more graft than Prohibition Era Chicago.  Fast-talkin' slang, a fair amount of violence, and the depiction of teen characters will probably horrify parents who don't "get" it.  But for crime fiction fans and teens who pilfered granddad's Mickey Spillane novels?  Great stuff.

My Favorite Countess by Vanessa Kelly, Historical Regency romance, Zebra, 2011, Grade = B-

• Villianous other woman from previous book gets her own romance, with a suitably unsuitable doctor hero.  Loved the non-Duke hero and the rough-around-the-edges (OK, I'll just say it - bitchy) heroine.

Me: Sweetie, I'm sorry - but you can't come to RWA with me.

Lemon Drop: Mommy told me you might say that.  I mean, I know you're Librarian Of The Year and all, but haven't you wondered exactly why you got that award?

Me: Um, I was operating under the assumption of group brain trauma.  Apparently not?

Lemon Drop: I can't believe you don't see it.  You go to RWA last year in Orlando.  After that you start featuring me on this blog.  People like me.  They ask you on Twitter, "How's Lemon Drop?" or "When do I get to see Lemon Drop again?"  Coincidence?  I think not!

Me: Ahhh, it's all becoming clear to me now. 

Lemon Drop: Mommy told me you're a college graduate, but you seem kinda slow to me.  I show up on your blog, I get adoring public, they start anticipating these appearances of mine on your blog, and voila!  Auntie Wendy = Librarian Of The Year!

Me: How does your mother fit you in your crib with that ego?

Lemon Drop:  ::sniff:: Well....it's just obvious Auntie Wendy.  I mean, honestly now.

Me: My niece. The diva.  Your Mommy is going to curse my existence when you hit your teen years.

TBR Challenge 2011: Wendy, You Twisted Little Monkey

The Book: Billion Dollar Baby Bargain by Tessa Radley 

The Particulars: Contemporary romance, Silhouette Desire #1961, 2009, Out of Print, Available digitally! 

Why Was It In Wendy's TBR?:  I picked it up at RWA 2010 in Nashville Orlando.  

The Review:  Danger, danger Will Robinson!  Thar Be Spoilers Ahoy! 

I cannot tolerate a steady diet, but Lord help me, sometimes I find myself getting sucked into a book that features a barely housebroken, asshole Alpha hero.  I'm not proud of it people, but it flips the ol' Guilty Pleasure Switch.  Sort of like eating chocolate cake for breakfast.  You know it's bad for you.  You don't do it every day.  But damn, sometimes you just can't help yourself and it tastes so darn yummy!

Connor North and Victoria Sutton meet at the impulsive wedding of mutual friends.  He's the best man, she's the maid of honor.  It's pretty much loathe at first sight.  He's just been dumped by his girlfriend (who cheated on him with his business partner - ouch!) and she's worried her already-once-divorced BFF is making a rash decision.  Sure enough the wedding goes off without a hitch, fast forward in time, and Victoria is babysitting lil' baby Dylan while Mommy and Daddy take a special anniversary trip.  Then Connor shows up on her doorstep with Very Bad News.  Their friends have died in an accident, and according to the will - he and Victoria are to share joint-custody of Dylan.  Which should be a neat trick since they can't stand each other.

It's hard to know where to begin, but let's start with Connor.  What we have here is a pretty proto-typical Alpha Billionaire Hero.  He's tall, dark, handsome and surly.  Frankly, he's lacking in enough people skills I wonder how the heck he got to be a billionaire, but whatever.  Honestly, he's a jerk - but the author gives me enough to work with that I don't think he's a complete lost cause. It's a darn thin line though.  Just sayin'.

Although if I'm honest, it's Victoria that's the bigger fly in the ointment for me.  Yes, Connor is a jerk - but when her BFF tells her why Connor is behaving like a jackass - a normal person would have cut him a teeny bit of slack (he loses his girlfriend, his house and his business partner all in one fell swoop - seriously, of course the guy is behaving like a jackass!).  But oh no, not good enough for Victoria. 

Now all of that sounds fairly unpleasant, but honestly?  I was rolling with it.  And don't ask me why, because I can't tell you.  I'm chalking it up to "author skill."   Also, I find the Alpha Asshole a bit more tolerable when the author pairs him with a heroine who gives as good as she gets.  And yes, Victoria does irritate, but at least she's not cowering in a corner in the wake of Connor's jackassery.  

No, where this story really stumbles for me is with baby Dylan.  The author puts a lot of emphasis on "biology" here.  See, the BFFs were infertile.  So Connor donated sperm and Victoria donated an egg.  Needless to say, neither of them knows this about the other.  So the minute the BFFs are dead, there's a lot of possessiveness about Dylan flying around.  More than once Victoria refers to him as "her baby."  Uh, no.  No he's not.  You donated an egg.  That does not make you the child's mother in any real sense of the word.  Likewise, Connor uses the word "seed" more than once, which just....ugh.  Admittedly, this is a hot button for me.  Just because people have the ability to make babies doesn't mean they're parent-material.  Plus, I know babies are helpless, and it's normal to feel protective of them, but dang - the possessiveness was just icky.  It was like Connor and Victoria were using the baby in some sort of twisted power struggle.

And that's ultimately what really hurts the story for me.  If that had been dialed back (or not included at all!), I'll be honest - I flipped the pages on this story easily enough to land it in C territory.  Even considering the jackassery.  But as it stands?  Well, I can only look past so much.  

Final Grade = D+

Digital Review: Fourth And Goal

My reputation for being Little Miss Crabby Pants seems to be getting out.  Or at least my annoyance with romance authors who include professional sports in their books and muck up the details.  My various tirades on this subject is what led Jami Davenport to e-mail me about her latest ebook, Fourth And Goal.  Ms. Davenport assured me that she knew exactly how I felt, as she's a football (Seattle Seahawks) and baseball (Seattle Mariners) fan herself.  She asked if I would be interested in reading her latest for review, and after a quick perusal of the excerpt, I signed on.

Derek Ramsey is a wide receiver for the Seattle Lumberjacks - he's just not sure for how long.  A star athlete in high school and college, his career in the NFL has so far been a bust.  He's well aware this is his last shot, and he's going to work his ass off to make it work.  What he doesn't need are any distractions, so when he hires old friend Rachel McCormick to be a live-in caretaker for his property, he really questions his sanity.

Buddies growing up, Rachel and Derek shared one wild and passionate weekend of Hot Nookie.  She made the mistake of confessing her true feelings, and he bolted faster than you can say "Wham, bam thank you ma'am."  Coupled with the hurt feelings over this incident, Rachel's father, Derek's high school football coach, has become embroiled in an old points-shaving scandal.  Rachel knows that Daddy is innocent, which means he's taking the fall for one of his old players.  Derek seems like a good place to start snooping.

I love a good reunion story, especially when the reunion involves a love affair gone bust.  Rachel adored Derek, so when he spurned her affections, it left her deeply wounded.  For his part, Derek is a moron.  He has feelings for Rachel, and can't seem to quite get her out of head, but since he's a guy, it takes him a while to admit it.  All this gets complicated when they tumble back into bed together (boy howdy, do they tumble!), and Derek has the best game in his fledgling NFL career.  Hey, ballplayers are nothing if not superstitious.  They're just going to have to keep on burning up the sheets!

I really enjoyed the fact that Rachel is a heroine who knows football.  She lives and breathes it.  While she's the nonathletic klutz in a family of athletes, that doesn't mean she didn't learn a thing or two.  In fact, Derek was such a good player in high school and college because she worked with him breaking down game tape.  Her father's troubles led the arena league team she was working for to let her go (guilt by association).  She needs to snoop on Derek to clear her father's name, to give herself a chance at a career she wants, but frankly, she also needs the money.  She also needs to figure out what she wants to do.  She wants to get into scouting, but between her father's troubles and the fact that she doesn't have a penis, it's proving to be difficult.

This is an erotic romance, and I generally go into this genre expecting "sexy and fun."  So when an author gives me some depth, it's always, in my opinion, a nice addition.  While there are plenty of Sexy Times between Rachel and Derek, their mutual back stories, coupled with Derek's burgeoning stardom (once the team starts winning!) gave this story such a lovely feel.  Nobody knows the Lumberjacks exist, until they go on a winning streak, and with that comes more demands on Derek's time.  Who does he say no to?  I also appreciated the added touches of Derek's beat-up body surviving the grind of an NFL season, and also that he wasn't a mega-super-duper-star right out of the gate.  You know how many guys have great college careers but are either a bust or "just OK" in the NFL?  Quite a few.

I do have a couple of nit-picks, because you know - this is me we're talking about here.  First, point-shaving in football is not an easy thing to do.  Unlike basketball, teams aren't scoring points every other minute.  In order for it to work, you pretty much need the quarterback in the mix.  Derek, as a wide receiver, wouldn't be the best guy for the job, because WR is a "dependent" position.  In other words, someone needs to throw him the damn ball.  I suspect the author realized this, so she stacks the deck in her favor by making the QB Derek's cousin-but-they-might-as-well-be-brothers, Tyler.  So Rachel thinks that either Derek could be protecting Tyler, or they were in cahoots together.  I'll admit it, I nit-picked this aspect of the story half to death, but the author wraps it up in a way that I was sold on it by the end.

The writing itself is quite good.  It does take a little while to get to the Sexy Times, so some readers might find the first portion of the story "slow" - but it worked well for me as far as setting the stage is concerned.  The one aspect that didn't always gel was the author's tendency to use football lingo/euphemisms in the story - especially during love scenes.  A couple of times, this can be cute.  More than that?  We land in eye-rolling territory.  Less definitely would have been more.

But you know what?  I really enjoyed this story.  A lot.  With my nit-picks, my final grade would generally be around B- or B territory.  However, I gotta say it, I got sucked into this book.  I mean, hook line and sinker sucked in.  I was deeply invested in these characters.  Not just Derek and Rachel, but all of them.  Even Derek's asshole cousin, Tyler, who cannot string a sentence together without dropping the F-bomb half a dozen times.  Hooked folks, I'm positively hooked.  So....

Final Grade = B+

When does the next book come out?  Dang.

Note: This title is currently only available as an ebook.  You can purchase it via Loose ID and wherever their titles are sold.

Jerkfaces And Summer Reading

My last column ever has gone up over at Access Romance Readers Gab.  Today I'm talking about "guilty pleasures" and tropes that you know you shouldn't like, but do anyway.  Go on over and take a gander!

++++++

In other Wendy's Writing Somewhere Else Besides This Blog news, I contributed to an article that made its appearance in the local newspaper this morning.  It's all about summer reading for grown-ups, and several area librarians and booksellers were asked to give recommendations.  The selections were to fall under "upcoming release," "classics," and "guilty pleasures."  All the suggestions were compiled into a slide-show, which can be found here. 

Even though I'm attributed at the bottom of the paragraph blurb, for easy reference, I recommended the upcoming Tess Gerritsen (squee!), John Steinbeck and Michelle Moran.  No, no romance I'm afraid.  The deadline on this was incredibly short, and I hadn't really read a single title romance that seemed to "fit."  Plus, I'll be honest (see my latest Access Romance column!) putting the "guilty pleasure" label on all romances tends to stick in my craw in a very unpleasant way.

I also think I deserve bonus points for having a California connection for all my recommendations.  Gerritsen was raised here, Moran currently lives in the state, and Steinbeck?  Well, duh.

Reminder: TBR Challenge For June

For those of you participating in the 2011 TBR Challenge, a reminder that your commentary is "due" on Wednesday, June 15. 

This month's theme is Contemporary romance.  Any sort of contemporary romance, be it single title or category, will fit the bill.  Remember, the themes are completely and totally optional.  If you don't wanna read a contemporary, you don't have to.  Read something else you've unearthed from the depths of the TBR pile!

It's also not too late to sign-up.  If you are interested in doing so, or just want to learn more about the challenge, please see the information page.

Unusual Historical Spotlight: Far East, Middle East, Austria, Arizona and the Circus

Wanted: Mail Order Mistress by Deborah Hale

What You Need To Know: Publication date March 22, 2011; Book 3 in a trilogy

Description: 

Betrayed by his first wife, Simon Grimshaw won't marry again. But sultry nights in Singapore can be lonely—nothing a beautiful English mistress wouldn't fix!

Bethan Conway answers an advert to become a wife, believing it will help her secret search for her missing brother. But Simon isn't the ugly old man she was expecting. He's a hot-blooded bachelor who wants a woman in his bed—a position Bethan's more and more tempted to fill!

What Makes It Unusual:  It's set in Singapore!

Portrait of Seduction by Carrie Lofty

What You Need To Know: Publication date May 2, 2011, Book 2 in a series, digital only

Description:

Greta Zwieg forges masterpieces. With her copies on their walls and the original paintings safely hidden, the noble families of Austria can rest assured their treasures will survive Napoleon's advances. But now Greta’s uncle is changing the rules, selling her counterfeits as originals. Greta abhors the deceit. Anxious for her family's safety in a perilous time, she is nevertheless determined to put things right.

Oliver Doerger is living a lie of his own. Acting as valet for his aristocratic half brother, Oliver thwarts an attempt on Greta's life and is overwhelmed by the forbidden passion that flares between them. Although he's not truly a servant, he is a bastard and a spy--certainly no match for a woman of such exquisite quality.

Though both fear discovery, they cannot resist each other. When the truth comes out, and the city falls into chaos, Greta and Oliver will be forced to choose: love or duty?

What Makes It Unusual: It's set in Austria!

Innocent In The Sheikh's Harem by Marguerite Kaye

What You Need To Know: Publication date June 21, 2011; Book 1 in a series.

Description:

Lady Celia Cleveden thinks of herself as eminently sensible from the tips of her sturdy boots to the top of her unadorned bonnet. It seemed logical she would marry an equally practical gentleman.

Until she's rescued by wildly enigmatic desert prince Ramiz of A'Qadiz, while traveling across his unforgiving sands. He offers her a place in his harem and Lady Celia ought to be shocked…except the seductive desert and intoxicating Ramiz make it curiously tempting….

What Makes It Unusual: It's set in the Middle East!

Catch Me by Lorelie Brown

What You Need To Know: Publication date July 18, 2011; digital only

Description:

Maggie Bullock's father needed expensive medical care and if that meant stealing from their friendly swindling banker, so be it. Once her father was on the path to recovery she would face the consequences. The whole thing was surprisingly easy until she's kidnapped by bounty hunter Dean Collier.

Collier is tired of tracking down worthless scum. He's afraid he'll lose his last scrap of humanity and become a stone-cold killer, just like the men he brings to justice. He jumps at the chance to become sheriff of Fresh Springs, Arizona. The one condition—capture Maggie.

He figured it'd be easy. Until beautiful, loyal Maggie breaks through defenses he'd thought cemented. His feelings for her run the range from fury to confusion to love, but if he doesn't bring her in someone else will. Can there be a future between a sheriff and a fugitive?

What Makes It Unusual: It's my blog and I say westerns are unusual.  The minute I walk into a bookstore and start tripping over historical cowboys left and right, I'll stop featuring them.  Ahem, anywho - this one is set in Arizona.  Not a whole ton of westerns that feature a southwest flavah.

The Greatest Love on Earth by Mary Ellen Dennis

What You Need To Know: Publication date August 1, 2011

Description:

Set against the exotic world of an 1875 circus and the high-society milieu of Denver, Colorado, Mary Ellen Dennis's The Greatest Love On Earth sweeps readers into a story of death-defying feats, dangerous rivalries, and a love that has all the thrills and romance of the greatest show on earth.

Bold, beautiful Calliope Kelley has two passions in life: her father's circus and Brian O'Connor, and she just may lose them both. For years she has singlehandedly struggled to keep the Sean Kelley Circus going. Then Brian O'Connor, the daredevil animal trainer Calliope has adored since childhood, returns to the circus, having found everything a man can want. . .except the right woman.

Soon their passion will explode under the Big Top. Soon a deadly enemy will begin sabotaging Calliope's beloved circus. As terror becomes the star attraction, it will take a woman's indomitable dreams and a man's enduring love to survive and triumph over the most impossible odds of all.

What Makes It Unusual: The circus!  OMG, the circus is in town!

• Because I can't realistically catch or feature all titles (I'm one woman after all!) - what "unusual" historicals have you run across in the last couple of months, or are upcoming this summer that you have enjoyed and/or are looking forward to reading.  Share the love in the comments section!

Unusual Historicals Spotlight: Introduction

One of my favorite author-run blogs out there is Unusual Historicals, which is a group blog that features historical romances with unique and/or unusual settings.  Back in the not too distant past, I found myself suffering from a severe case of Regency England Burn Out (which I have since overcome) and that was when I developed a deep, mad love for historical romances that were a little off the beaten path.  So I thought it would be fun, here at the Bat Cave, to semi-regularly highlight new-ish historical romance titles that feature "different" or "unusual" elements.

This post serves as an introduction, and also as a bit of a disclaimer.  Here it goes:

1. Titles featured in the UH Spotlight are in no way endorsed by yours truly.  As in, the chances are highly likely that I won't have read any or all of these.  This is merely a BOLO (Be On The Lookout) style of promo post.  It's up to the reader of these posts to do further research on specific title(s), if they so desire, and to digest these posts however they see fit.  Likewise, if I don't feature a title, it should not reflect poorly on the author or title.  Could be I didn't know about it, or I had to make the executive decision to leave it off to keep the post manageable.  I'm a lot of things people - but I'm not the end-all-be-all of historical romance promotion.  Also, it's why Baby Jesus created blog comments.

2.  Historical romances only.  As in, the romance has to be the central focus of the story.  Sorry fans of historical fiction or historical mysteries - you're not going to find them featured here.

3.  I will do my very best to mix these posts up to feature both digital-only and print-available titles.  I can't make a 100% guarantee, since I will be at the mercy of what's getting published - but I will try.

4.  As of right now, I'm not planning on putting myself on a strict calender for these posts to go up.  I'm going to shoot for quarterly (every three months).  Again, I'm at the mercy of what's getting published, so right now I would start to think of these posts like Christmas morning.  It will be a surprise to both of us what will be under the tree.

The inaugural post of the UH Spotlight is set to live tomorrow morning.  Enjoy!

More Than Words

One of the things I love about romance is that it's a genre that celebrates women.  Women aren't mere bit players.  They aren't relegated to sassy side-kick or femme fatale.  They're the lead.  The star of the show.  Yes, yes, hunky heroes are very swoon-worthy, but without a compelling heroine, a romance novel tends to lose a bit of luster (at least in this heroine-centric reader's opinion).  Harlequin has taken this element of the genre to heart and the last several years has sponsored the More Than Words program.  Women who are making a difference in their community are nominated, winners are chosen, and they are awarded $10,000 for their chosen causes.  As if that wasn't awesome-sauce enough - Harlequin then corrals some of their authors to write novellas inspired by these causes, and puts them out in an anthology.  The latest edition, More Than Words Volume 7 features stories written by Carly Phillips, Donna Hill and Jill Shalvis.

Compassion Can't Wait by Carly Phillips

Julia Caldwell is a social worker at a children's hospital in Miami.  Manny Cortez is a young patient with leukemia, and while his single mother has her hands full caring for him, his twin brother, Michael is lost in the shuffle.  Julia knows what it's like to be the lost child in the wake of a sibling's illness, so she wants to do something great for Michael.  He idolizes the star pitcher for the Miami Suns baseball team, Kyle Hansen.  Julia decides to pull some strings so Michael can meet him - but the fly in the ointment?  Julia and Kyle were high school sweethearts, and the relationship didn't come to a graceful conclusion.

What I enjoyed about this story is that both Julia and Michael, while still a bit hung-up on their romantic past, acknowledge that they both were at fault for the demise.  I also liked that they both acknowledged that they changed and "grew up" after their split.  What didn't always work so well for me was the writing style.  A little too much "telling" over "showing" creeps in fairly frequently.  But that aside?  This was a solid read.  Even when I wanted to nit-pick the baseball "stuff" to death.  It's obvious that Phillips is at least a passing fan, because when I scoffed at the idea of an expansion team winning the World Series after only three years in existence, I used my mad librarian skills to look it up.  Yeah, the Arizona Diamondbacks did it in their 4th season (first season = 1998, World Series = 2001).  Carly = 1, Wendy = 0.

Grade = B-

Someplace Like Home by Donna Hill

Burnt out from her current job, social work Verna Scott decides to start her own youth residence facility.  Her group home is proving to be a success, but the need for funding and volunteers means she's always beating the drum.  It's while she's out promoting her program among high school guidance counselors that she meets Ronald Morris.  He thinks her program sounds great, and hey, Verna ain't so bad herself.  He starts putting on the full court press, but can Verna unload her baggage to give this budding attraction they share a fair shot?

This is a nice story with a realistic feel to it.  Unfortunately, the pacing of it is a real issue.  I liked that both Verna and Ronald behaved like "real people" and adult ones at that - but reading about them going on dates and getting to know each other is...well...kinda boring.  The conflict in this story is non-existent until very, very late in the game.  Which would be OK, except that conflict turns out to be some pretty heavy stuff.  Frankly, I have a hard time believing anyone is this well-adjusted.  Especially when one of the concerned parties is a teenager who hasn't had the easiest go at life thus far.  But Hill can write, and I liked these people.  I'm definitely open to reading more by this author.

Grade = C+

What the Heart Wants by Jill Shalvis

Reformed wild child, Ellie Cahn runs a non-profit program for troubled teenage girls.  The idea is to bolster their self-esteem, teach them about self-worth and healthy relationships, steering them on a positive life path.  A flat tire puts her back in the sights of Jack Buchanan.  A former wild child himself, Jack is ex-military and runs his own string of self-defense/martial arts studios with one of his brothers.  Jack and Ellie used to run together in high school, but they were "just friends."  But now?  Yeah, they're looking at each other in a whole different light.

This story was the highlight of the anthology for me.  Shalvis includes a secondary character, one of Ellie's teenage students, that puts a nice focus on her work, and also helps to highlight Ellie's troubled past.  A past she shared with Jack, who at the time, was her only real anchor.  In turn, Jack has always felt protective of her, but still feels guilt over an incident that happened when they were kids, that almost ended very badly for Ellie. A nice mix of romance and compelling conflict that the author wraps up in a neat, tidy bow at the end.  A lovely reunion story.

Grade = B+

The romance genre is a "feel-good" genre.  Readers read it for a variety of reasons, but at the end of the day, we like romances because they leave us "feeling good."  Never, ever discount the power of a positive ending.  What I especially loved about this anthology is that not only do you get that "feel good" vibe from the stories?  You get it from the remarkable women and the causes they run/support that inspired them.  A lot of times I turn to anthologies when I'm in a reading slump, or Real Life is so hectic that a full-length novel is just too daunting to contemplate.  More Than Words Volume 7 not only would succeed on that level, but I defy anyone to read these stories and not think "Wow!" when you learn about the truth behind the fiction. 

Overall Grade = B

Digital Review: The Awakening Of Juliette

If I'm to believe the majority of what I read out there on the Interwebs, I'm one of like three romance readers who likes short stories.  Of course, I know this isn't truly the case.  I mean, if nobody bought them, they'd stop publishing them, right?  I understand that some readers are never going to like the format, no matter how much nagging cajoling I do, but I still maintain that these can be satisfying reads as long as the reader doesn't attach impossible expectations to them.  A short story is never going to be a full-length novel.  It's the authors who know this, understand it, and work with it that are the best at writing "short."  And Marguerite Kaye seems to get it.  With a slew of digital Harlequin Historical Undone shorts already under her belt, her latest, the epically titled The Sheikh's Impetuous Love-Slave, is a tasty prequel to her first full-length novel, due out this summer.

Sheikh Khalid al-Raqam has a lot on his plate.  Not only is he trying to maintain an uneasy peace between various tribes, he's also working to protect his homeland's ancient treasures from looting Europeans.  So he really doesn't have the time to deal with the gift political nightmare that gets dumped in his lap.

Juliette de Montignac is a lone survivor of a shipwreck.  She's "rescued" by men who roll her up in a carpet and bring her to their sheikh.  A sheikh who doesn't look kindly on the fact that the spinster Juliette has spent her entire life aiding her father's archeology work - and uh, that they were in Arabia treasure hunting without permission. 

While sheikhs have never entirely gone out of vogue in contemporary category romance, their historical counterparts are rarer these days.  What I enjoyed about this short was that it had a nice "throwback" feel to it, without any of the Throwback Hangover.  Yes, Juliette is a captive.  And yes, Khalid is suitably Alpha and wants to teach her "a lesson."  But then we veer off course, delightfully so.  Juliette's in a mess, but she's not about to cower in the corner.  She stands tall.  Because of that, Khalid cannot help but admire her determination and spirit.  Dang, he's downright attracted to it!  In turn, while she's technically a captive, the author quickly turns it around to where the couple starts communicating with each other as equals.  Why?  Because turns Khalid is attracted to not only Juliette's beauty - but her brains as well.  Oh happy day!

Again, this is a short story - so readers expecting a full-blown, nitty-gritty romance novel aren't going to get one.  Certain developments in moving the romance forward take place "off-page," I suspect to make the word count fit.  Because of that, the declarations of true lurve do come off a bit hasty, but the steamy Reindeer Games help gloss over some of that.  From a personal standpoint, where this story did stumble a bit for me was in the final love scene when the couple finally gets down to Insert Tab A Into Slot B.  It was a bit overwrought and flowery for my tastes, and Khalid, a mucho studly Alpha hero, gets a wee bit syrupy. 

But you know what?  I still enjoyed it.  It had a great Old Skool Vibe without any of the icky stuff that can make Old Skool romances....well....icky.  The author also segues nicely into setting up the first full-length book in her Princes Of The Desert series, Innocent In The Sheikh's Harem, due out next month.

Grade = B

Note: This short story is currently only available digitally.  You can purchase it from eHarlequin and other fine e-retailers.

When The Other Woman Meets Her Match

It's fairly well documented on this blog that I'm past "over" the Evil Ex-Mistress trope in Romance Novel Land.  Chalk it up to being bitten one too many times with the heavy-handed "message" that Women Who Aren't Virgins And Enjoy Sex = Evil Skank and Pure As The Driven Snow = Heroine.  Luckily this claptrap isn't quite as prevalent in the genre today as it was, say, 20 years ago - but any sort of whiff of it tends to get my hackles up.  It was part of the reason why Vanessa Kelly's last book, Sex And The Single Earl didn't light my personal world on fire.  But with her latest release, My Favorite Countess, Kelly takes the Evil Ex-Mistress from that earlier book and makes her the heroine in this story.  And yes gentle blog reader, I am a total sucker for the villain being the hero (or heroine, as it were) in their own story.

Bathsheba had a mini-celebration the day her husband died.  Unfortunately, while his death bought her freedom, it also heaped more responsibility on her shoulders.  Turns out she's broke.  She's held it together by taking a few lovers, who were generous with gifts, but she's currently unattached.  The only way she sees to pull herself out of this mess is to marry again.  Someone wealthy and who won't annoy the hell out of her.

Temporarily killing time in Yorkshire (and loathing it), she's at a tiresome dinner party when she meets Dr. John Blackmore.  Needless to say sparks fly, and the attraction is most unwelcome.  The last time a man made Bathsheba feel this way she married him, and that's one disaster she has no desire to repeat.  Besides, she needs to marry money before the ton finds out just how broke she is, and a mere doctor is not going to cut the mustard.

For his part, John is married to his work.  In today's terminology, he's an OB/GYN - dedicating himself to helping the poorest of the poor, which raises a few eyebrows at the hospital.  He's not a terribly popular fellow, and after a house call goes very badly, he decides to get away with a short stay in the country.  Bathsheba intrigues him no end.  She's drop dead beautiful, but she also has the tongue of a viper.  However John sees past that, and puts on the full court press.

John is everything romance readers have come to expect, and want, in their heroes.  He's noble, caring, hardworking, handsome, charming and with just the right amount of baggage.  Readers will love him by the close of the first chapter.  I suspect where the issue is going to lie is with our heroine.  I'll be blunt, Bathsheba is a bitchy snob.  Some are going to have a hard time looking past that.  However, I was able to.  Mostly because the author does a good job of selling me on the idea that Bathsheba's bitchiness is part of a defense mechanism.  Also, she's a flippin' Countess.  Of course she's snobby!  Of course she's concerned about appearances!  Of course she's concerned about her station and propriety!  But readers who like their heroines draped in costume, and behaving like someone right out of the 21st century are likely not going to be all that enthralled.  I will admit, as much as I did enjoy her characterization, she's not always the easiest woman to "like."

The romance here works it's way through at a natural clip, and there's just enough external conflict to keep the plot humming along.  I did feel that there were moments during the final chapters that bordered on melodramatic, and some of the love scenes were a bit too over-wrought for my tastes - but all in all, I rather enjoyed this story.  There was a nice mix of internal and external conflict, John is an upstanding and noble hero in the most traditional sense, and Bathsheba is salty enough to add just the right amount of spice to the occasion.  The author tells the story well, and does a good job of keeping readers up to speed who might be totally unaware that Bathsheba was evil in a previous book.  And for those of us who are well aware?  It was great fun to read about the real woman hiding behind the curtain.  Also, a Regency English hero who isn't a bloody Duke?  Oh happy day indeed.

Final Grade = B-