Random Romance Sunday: RIP Beverly Barton

The Book:  Yankee Lover by Beverly Barton

The Particulars: Contemporary romance, Silhouette Desire #580, 1990, Out of Print

The Blurb:

TO ARMS

John Mason knew better than to make a wager with a lady. Ladies, he'd learned, didn't play fair. But the chance to win a date with the sultry Southern belle perched daintily in the county fair's dunking booth made the bet worth taking.

Experience had taught Laurel Drew harsh lessons about hard-living macho types like the big blond Yankee with the good throwing arm. Pity that didn't still the drumroll vibrating through her body at his touch.

The verbal sparks that flew between them threatened to start another Civil War. But John had a few battle tactics he hoped might warm the sudden chill in the air -- AND provide some much needed Southern comfort.

Any Reviews?:  There's one lonely lil' two star review over at Amazon.  The average rating over at GoodReads is 3.4.

Anything Else?:  Barton passed away unexpectedly this past week at the age of 64.  An author with over 70 novels under her belt, I would hazard a guess that she's most well known for her romantic suspense work.  But I thought today, in honor of her achievements, it would be fun to profile the book that started it all for her.  Her debut.  This slim lil' contemporary category for the Desire line.  Also, I'll admit it, I think this cover is a hoot.  The hero's hair defies logic.  I mean, Ken dolls have more realistic hair.  And exactly what is the heroine wearing below the waist?  Is that a tutu?  Are they preforming Swan Lake in the shower?  

You know, I think My Man would have enjoyed Black Swan more if there had been shower scenes.  Just sayin'.

Random Romance Sunday: Resistance Is Futile

While my folks were out visiting, My Mom declared that she wanted something to read.  So I went rooting around in the Bat Cave Harlequin Print Stash, pulling out some books that I know Mom could wrap up quickly - and if she couldn't?  No big yank if she had to take one of them home with her to finish (and send back to me later).  Well, she read four books in 48 hours.  If only I had inherited my mother's fast reading skills.  Sigh.  Anyway, here they are:

His Wife for One Night by Molly O'Keefe, Harlequin SuperRomance, February 2011

Description:

Jack McKibbon knows the score when he offers to marry his best friend Mia Alatore. He's fixing a bad situation for her—that's all—they aren't making a real life together. She wants to stay on the ranch and he's got his studies and inventions elsewhere. Still, this arrangement is a good deal for both of them.

Until that one night…

A sexy interlude with Mia makes Jack rethink their relationship…and their future. But all his plans grind to a halt when she asks for a divorce. Once upon a time, Jack might have agreed. But now that he knows the chemistry they share, he's not giving up a second chance to be with his wife.

I loved this book.  Mom loved this book.  Mom loved this book so much she e-mailed the author.  

Next up, a string of baby books.  Hey, don't hate the player, hate the game.  Mom met Jacqueline Diamond over a year ago, when I dragged her along to a local RWA chapter meeting where I was asked to speak to their published authors (basically? How I do my job, how books get in the library yada, yada, yada).  Well, Ms. Diamond is super-duper nice, and when she found out I was bringing Mom along, she gifted Mom with one of her older titles, which Mom promptly read and enjoyed.  So yeah, Mom went on another Jackie Diamond reading binge, all of these belonging to her Safe Harbor Medical series.

The Would-Be Mommy by Jacqueline Diamond, Harlequin American, February 2010

Description:

From the moment he arrives at Safe Harbor Medical, Ian Martin is on infant overload. But the story he's covering gets a lot more interesting when the adventure-seeking reporter meets Jennifer Serra, an intriguing PR director who has created a stir by taking home one of the center's unwanted newborns!

Jennifer has always wanted a child of her own. Her dream becomes thrilling reality when she agrees to temporarily-- permanently?--be a mother to a sweet baby girl. Ian could complete the picture--Jennifer sees how easily he bonds with little Rosalie.

But just when she begins to look at Ian as potential father material, the dashing journalist dredges up a scandal from Jennifer's past that could jeopardize her plans for adoption...and for a future with Ian.

His Hired Baby by Jacqueline Diamond, Harlequin American, August 2010

Description:

Surrogate mom Kate Evans, a widow with a five-year-old son, isn't looking forward to her upcoming delivery--not because of the pain, but because when it's over the doctor will place her baby in the arms of the couple who hired her. When Kate gets the startling news that Tony Franco's wife has abandoned him, it only makes her feel more conflicted.

Second thoughts or not, Kate signed a contract, and she won't go back on her word. Instead, she offers to help prepare Tony for single parenthood, never expecting to fall for him in the process. But once their baby is born, she'll lose both of them forever...unless she can convince Tony to give love another chance.

The Holiday Triplets by Jacqueline Diamond, Harlequin American, December 2010

Description: 

Mark Rayburn always admired Samantha Forrest's fierce dedication, even if it often caused heated disagreements between the two doctors. But making a lifetime commitment to three babies without a moment's thought? Unbelievable, even for Sam. None of her professional pediatric experience would prepare her for real-life motherhood—Mark knows Sam is in over her head.

Though he thought he swore off fatherhood years ago, Mark steps in to help Sam, and quickly falls in love with the adorable triplets. The former rivals make a great team, and soon Sam and Mark are giving off enough sparks to keep the whole town lit up through New Year's Eve. But when Sam's impulsive nature puts both their careers on the line, they find themselves fighting again…only this time, they're on the same side.

My Mom is a busy woman, and I think category romance appeals to her on the "they're quick reads" front.  Which is actually one of the reasons I like them too, along with the shorter word count = stronger, intense focus on the romance reason.  This binge prompted questions about Harlequin.  It also prompted her thinking about signing up for the Reader Service so she can have books delivered right to her mailbox.  No word on if that will happen - but my guess is that if she does, she'll sign up for Americans or Supers.  I think she'd like Special Editions too, but alas, we ran out of time before I could dig up some Karen Templeton for her to read. 

Random Romance Sunday: Get In Your Car And Drive

Well here's something to look forward to this summer - romance novel cover models with their clothes on!

Starting on May 24, 2011, and releasing back-to-back-to-back months, veteran author Stephanie Bond is giving readers a new single title series via Harlequin (specifically, Mira Books).  Here's a brief premise of what the series is about (from Bond's newsletter):

"The trilogy centers around three brothers who unite to rebuild their hometown in the Georgia mountains that was destroyed ten years ago by a tornado.  All is going well until their workers threaten mutiny because there are no women!  So the brothers place an ad for single women with a pioneering spirit looking for a fresh start…and then they wait. The books will be released in June, July, and August and the titles are BABY, DRIVE SOUTH, BABY, COME HOME and BABY, DON’T GO"

There's a wee bit more nitty-gritty on her web site.

I'm not a huge single title contemporary girl, and Bond tends to run hit or miss for me, but this series premise sounds interesting, and the covers are delish.  Guys.  Wearing clothes.  And tool belts!  So much pretty to look at, my eyes might pop right out of my head.

Do you think My Man would mind if I blow up these covers and hang them in the Bat Cave home office?

Uh, probably.

I'd hang them up poster-size in my work office, but something tells me I wouldn't get any work done.  Uh, ever again.

Just a hunch anyway.

Random Romance Sunday: Double Your Pleasure

The Book: Should've Been a Cowboy by Vicki Lewis Thompson

The Particulars: Contemporary Romance, Harlequin Blaze, May 24, 2011

The Blurb:  

Party organizer Tyler Connelli is on the fast track to her dream career. She’s so close she can almost taste it. But when she returns to her family and sees her one-night stand, Alex Keller, all done up in his cowboy gear, her self-control is stretched to the breaking point....

They’re worlds apart. She’s a busy career girl, and Alex is a cowboy. But while getting together might not bode well for anything long-term, it more than makes up for it in sheer hot chemistry! Problem is, this is one wrangler she might want to get tied down—and tied up—to...indefinitely!

 The Book: Cowboy Up by Vicki Lewis Thompson

The Particulars: Contemporary Romance, Harlequin Blaze, June 21, 2011

The Blurb:

“Never fall in love with a cowboy.” These words were drilled into Emily Sterling’s head since her parents divorced over twenty years ago. But now Emily has returned to her father’s ranch... only to find herself face-to-face with jaw-droppingly hot rancher Clay Whitaker.

Clay is the resident stud expert at the Last Chance Ranch and isn’t so keen on “spoiled” city slickers...until Emily arrives. Now he’s showing Emily just what a ranch—and a cowboy—has to offer. And it’s an offer Emily can’t refuse. After all, she’s not falling for a cowboy—she’s just getting hot and naked with one. Yeah, right....

Wendy Says:  Uh, yes please?

Oh, you're looking for something more inspired than that?

Uh, pretty please with sugar on top?

Oh, and if you seem to recall me saying somewhere online that I was bored with man-titty covers?  Yeah, that wasn't me.  It was a pod person.  Because yes, while I am bored with some man-titty covers, cowboys are automatically exempt.  Save your breath - they just are.  Because they're cowboys.  Shirtless cowboys wearing tight jeans and cowboy hats and......where was I going with this again?

Oh!  Yeah, the stories.  Yeah, that's the ticket.  The actual stories.  Ahem. 

This is a continuation of Thompson's Sons of Chance series that came out last summer.  I read that trilogy back-to-back-to-back, and reviewed them all over at TGTBTU.  The whole experience pretty much wrapped up as "Just OK" for me - but now here I am, a year later, starring at the glorious cowboy-man-titty that those evil masterminds at Harlequin have doctored up....

Damn them!  Damn their black merciless souls!

Wait - do you hear that?  It's pretty faint, but it sounds like crazed maniacal laughter coming out of Toronto......

Random Romance Sunday: Plop, plop, fizz, fizz

The Book: Hot Winds From Bombay by Becky Lee Weyrich

The Particulars: Historical romance, Fawcett, 1987, Out of Print

The Blurb:

SHE DREAMS OF EXCITEMENT IN FARAWAY LANDS.

She is Persia Whiddington, astonishingly beautiful, voluptuous, and on the brink of womanhood.

He is Zachariah Hazzard, handsome, lustful, and ambitious, a sailor destined to be captain of a merchant vessel.

The night they meet, they find passion in each other's arms--with a tempestuous desire too briefly realized before fate wrenches them apart.

But always it is Zachariah on her lips, in her heart, in her soul, as a desolate Persia journeys from the cold climes of Maine to the seductive, sultry nights of Bombay... a turbulent adventure that will place her in terrifying danger, not knowing if ever she will see her true love again--if ever their love will rekindle that hot, soaring flame....

 Is It In Wendy's TBR?: Nope.

Any Reviews?:  Nada.  Zilch.  Nothing.  I even struck out on Amazon and GoodReads.

Anything Else?:  You can always tell you've got an Old Skool bodice-ripper on your hands by the sheer volume of WTFBBQ on the back cover blurb.  Persia Whiddington? Zachariah Hazzard? And seriously, only in a bodice ripper would you see a story set in both Maine and Bombay.  What next?  Chile and Russia?  Iceland and California?  Alaska and South Africa?

And this poor, unfortunate title.  It immediately brings to mind Indian food....and not in a good way.

As for Becky Lee Weyrich, she wrote several books, including a number of paranormal-y type stories back when paranormal meant slogging through a bunch of New Age, soul mate clap-trap that makes me head hurt just thinking about it.  In fact, Romantic Times gave her the Lifetime Achievement Award for New Age Fiction 1992 - which reinforces the notion that I should stay far, far away.  But given her Old Skool roots, her writing time travel and ghost stories back when not many authors were, I wouldn't be surprised to hear she's got a few fans floating around out there in RomanceLandia.  And if you are one of those fans, sadly RT reported back in February that Ms. Weyrich passed away.

Random Romance Sunday: The Immovable Forehead

The Book: Diary of a Domestic Goddess by Elizabeth Harbison

The Particulars: Contemporary romance, Silhouette Special Edition #1727, 2005, Out of Print

Is It In Wendy's TBR?: Nope, I've actually read this one!

The Blurb:

The Goddess Rulebook:

Rule #1: Figure out what you want -- and go after it

Columnist Kit Macy's dream house was almost hers. Then the entire staff of her old-fashioned household magazine was fired by the new, hip, handsome boss. No job meant no mortgage, and no backyard for her four-year-old son. She needed a plan...and decided to reinvent herself.

Rule #2: Change is good

Hotshot editor Cal Panagos intended to revamp the magazine -- from its staff to its stories. But the stubborn single mom's desire to succeed -- and her beautiful eyes -- soon got under his skin, while Kit's ideas breathed life into his publication. Working closely day after day, Cal began to forget the most important rule of all: Never mix business with pleasure....

Any Reviews?:  The Romance Reader (uh, my review) gave it four hearts (equivalent to a B grade):

"Diary Of A Domestic Goddess is a quick, charming read that succeeds thanks to well-drawn, realistic characters and witty dialogue. Frankly, the state of romance would certainly get a shot in the arm if there were more heroines out there like Kit Macy. She’s the woman you see in the grocery store, at PTA meetings, or at your son’s soccer games. She is Every Woman, and because she is, you really want her to have her happily ever after."

RT gave this three stars:

"Elizabeth Harbison's Diary of a Domestic Goddess (3) has an almost chick-lit tone, and it's a hoot at times. Kit's great -- witty and brave -- but Cal's not as well-developed."

 The average rating on GoodReads is 3.6 stars.

Anything Else?:  I stumbled across this old review of mine recently while looking for something else entirely, and this story came rushing back to me.  At the time I read it, I remember really loving it.  It felt fresh and lively, and featured a good strong heroine.  In fact, that's probably why I liked it so much.  Because yes, I do recall the hero is a wee bit underdeveloped, but the sheer awesomeness of the heroine sold me on the story.  I also loved that her ex-husband wasn't eviiiiiiiiil and her precocious young son wasn't cutesy-wootsy nauseatingly sweet. The heroine was very much an Every Woman, and I really dug that about her.

Although, yeah - this cover does creep me out.  I mean, it looks like the female cover model hasn't met a Botox injection that she didn't like......

Anywho....Harbison wrote several books for Harlequin before jumping ship into mainstream women's fiction.  Having moved to hard cover, she's still writing within that genre.

Random Romance Sunday: Honey-Gold Eyes And Pouts Of Passion

The Book: Heart's Desire by Vivian Vaughan

The Particulars: Historical romance, Kensington Zebra, 1987, Out of Print, Apparently the first book in a series.

The Blurb: 

HONOR'S QUEST
Holly Campbell got off the stage in Silver Creek with steely determination in her velvet-brown eyes. The telegram had said her father committed suicide in this peaceful town, but she'd never believe that. He'd been murdered and she was here to prove it. She'd do it alone, too--her father's letters had told her whom to trust and it sure wasn't the sheriff. Quintan Jarvis was as crooked as they came, and Holly meant to keep her distance ... despite the way his honey-gold eyes lit up at the sight of her... and the way her traitorous body yearned for the handsome lawman's embrace.

PASSION'S PRICE
Quintan Jarvis didn't know what to make of the beautiful woman who got off the afternoon stage. She looked every inch the lady, but she behaved like a vicious little spitfire. He'd done nothing to earn her rude words and hostile glances, and he wasn't going to stand for much more of this nonsense. He'd enjoy teaching the vixen a lesson about manners ... and men. He'd make that sassy mouth of hers pout with passion, taste the sweetness of her smooth, creamy skin, feel her soft curves press against him, begging for the loving that was her true HEART'S DESIRE

Is It In Wendy's TBR?:  No, but I have to be honest here.  I mean, if I can't be honest on my own blog, what's the point, right?  Ahem.  OK, I'll just come out and say it.  Looking at this cover, reading this back cover blurb, being the old school western junkie that I am?  Yeah, I'd rescue this from a used bookstore if I were to run across it.  I probably wouldn't go out of my way to search out a copy, but if I stumbled across it?  By chance?  Yeah, I'd rescue it.  Sick monkey that I am.

Any Reviews?:  1987, so nada.  Not even on Amazon or GoodReads.  I got nothing people!

Anything Else?:  Looking at this book I find myself mentally running down the Old Skool Romance Check-List in my head.  For starters, let's take the cover:

1). Clinch pose with clothes falling off - check.
2). Couple standing in some mysterious cotton-candy like substance - check.
3).  Deranged wild life on cover either a horse, a bird of prey or both - check.
4).  Mustachioed hero - preferably with Tom Selleck fullness, but Clark Gable will do in a pinch - check.
5).  Cheesy tagline - check. ("She ached for the love of a man she could never trust!")

Now the back cover blurb:

1).  You can never harp on too much about eye color.  Eye color is very important - check.
2).  It's not a historical romance without some sort of family secret plot thread - check.
3).  The heroine's body is always, always "traitorous." - check.
4).  The heroine needs to be described as a "vixen", "sassy," or a "spitfire."  Any variation and use of these words will do - check.
5).  This is very important - the heroine must not trust the hero, and it must be implied on the back cover that she'll fight him every step of the way, all the while her traitorous body is succumbing to his honeyed kisses - check.

I mean honestly - is it any wonder why I'd have to rescue this book if I saw it?  I mean, how am I supposed to resist this much over-the-top 1980s cheesy historical western romance goodness?  I'm a mere mortal.  If you cut me, do I not bleed?

Random Romance Sunday: Lacy In Leather?

The Book: Lacy by Diana Palmer

The Particulars: Historical romance, first appeared in 1991 from Ballantine.  Has since gone on to be reprinted numerous times, the most recent an upcoming mass market paperback edition from HQN (Harlequin).

The Blurb:

At the sprawling Whitehall cattle ranch, one indomitable woman dares to follow her desire no matter where it may take her.

When Lacy Jarrett and Cole Whitehall are unwittingly compromised into marriage, her dreams of a passionate forever are met with hard, cold resentment. For the boy whom she teased and flirted with not so long ago has been changed by the horrors of war. Their uneasy union bridles with torment - made worse by the blatant desire that remains unquenched and unchallenged. But Lacy's undying love for the handsome Texan is her destiny, and she vows to reignite the sensual fire dormant in their souls AND unlock the secrets of Cole's stormy heart.....

Is It In Wendy's TBR?:  Nope.

Any Reviews?:  Not really.  Amazon customer reviews range from 2 to 5 stars.  The average rating over at GoodReads is currently showing as 3.84 out of 5 stars.

Anything Else?:  I've never read Diana Palmer.  Now, that said, I've read enough reviews for various Diana Palmer books over the years to give me the feeling that it's probably a good thing I've never read a Diana Palmer.  My gut tells me that it wouldn't be the best experience for me.  At all.  Maybe I'm wrong and missing out.  And maybe this is a wise decision and it's allowing me to hang on to that last thread of sanity that my one and only book by Danielle Steel didn't snap.

That being said, I know more than one romance reader who considers Palmer their crackalicious guilty pleasure.  Hey, it's not our place to judge.  Mine is Thea Devine, and dollars to donuts over 75% of you reading this have gobbled up a fair number of J.R. Ward novels.  Here at the Bat Cave we preach tolerance and acceptance....as Wendy eyeballs that Old Skool Thea Devine in her TBR with the over-the-top trashy cover art.

Ahem.  

Even with the numerous reprints, I just had to showcase the original cover art.  I couldn't seem to find a bigger image, but I'm fascinated by what the heroine is wearing.  I mean, what is she wearing?  To me it looks like a leather apron with nothing underneath.  If she's a butcher or carpenter, I'm thinking it's not wise (or sanitary) to go to work with just a leather apron on.  Wonder if she's had the health department called on her....

Random Romance Sunday: Someone Pass The Ginkgo Biloba

The Book: Wild West Brides by Cathy Maxwell, Ruth Langan & Carolyn Davidson

The Particulars: Historical western anthology, Harlequin, 2002, Out of Print

Is It In Wendy's TBR?:  Nope, I've read it.


The Blurb:

National Bestselling authors Cathy Maxwell, Ruth Langan and Carolyn Davidson team up to bring you Wild West Brides, a collection of three brand-new stories about women who conquered the West and found their soul mates . . .

Flanna and the Lawman by Cathy Maxwell
Desperate for someone to help her protect her land, a female con artist saves an ex-lawman from the hangman's noose by claiming him as her no-good husband, and finds herself wanting to turn their charade into a real marriage.

This Side of Heaven by Ruth Langan
When a runaway and her young nephew find a safe haven with a solitary Montana rancher, three lonely people become a family, until their peace is threatened by the boy's father, bent on vengeance.

Second Chance Bride by Carolyn Davidson
His mail-order bride's deceit had stung him to the quick, but the pregnant widow's care of his four-year-old daughter had Jebediah rethinking his vow to send her packing as soon as her baby was born.

Any Reviews?:  Mrs. Giggles gave this one an 86:

"Of the three, only Cathy Maxwell's Flanna And The Lawman is worth a reread. In fact, Flanna And The Lawman is, in my opinion, ranks up there with Connie Brockway's Heaven With A Gun (from the Outlaw Love anthology) as one of the finest Western novellas I've read. The other two are standard, formulaic marry-in-distress romances with no refreshing twist to make them memorable."

RT gave it 4 Stars:

"These three tales are heartwarming, fun and a wonderful way to wile away a few hours and feel satisfied not once, but three times."

Anything Else?:  You want to know the real reason I review darn near everything I read somewhere online?  Yeah, so I can remember something about the book!  I've read this anthology.  I know I've read this anthology, but I'm pretty sure it was pre-blogging days.  The bad news is I did not read it for TRR, so that means....no review.  Which means I can't recall a damn thing about any of these stories. 

Usually I can recall at least a little something.  Like say, "I remember liking the Maxwell story" or "I thought the hero in the Langan story was yummy."  But yeah - I don't even have that. 

I got nothing people!

Which usually means I just found the book a pleasant diversion.  Nothing blindingly brilliant, nor brain-damagingly awful.  Nice, pleasant, but just sorta there.

The worst of it is that I did, at one time, have yearly reading records going this far back, but yep - you guessed it - they went up in flames during a Great Computer Meltdown (circa 2005). 

Uh, which would be why I keep all my reading spreadsheets in Google Docs these days.  Unless Google melts down, I'm thinking they'll be safe for at least a wee lil' bit......

Random Romance Sunday: Come To Butthead....

The Book: Demonwood by Anne Stuart

The Particulars: Historical Gothic romance, Candlelight Romance #523, 1979, Out of Print

The Blurb:

Demonwood. Its very name sent shivers down her spine. Why had she ever come to this forsaken place in the snow-covered Vermont wilderness? Connell Fitzgerald. Mary said his name and blushed.

Cynical, aloof, Connell was the most strikingly handsome man she had ever seen. Black hair framed his sun-tanned face. His fierce blue eyes pierced her soul.

But hadn't they warned her? Hadn't he killed his first wife? Mary didn't believe any of it. All she remembered was the excitement of their first kiss, the surging warmth of their bodies touching. They had said she was in grave danger, but she had vowed to make Connell love her forever. Could a passion like that be denied?

Is It In Wendy's TBR?:  No.  And you can bet if it were I would be putting this baby up on eBay so fast your head would start spinning.....

Any Reviews?:  Not really a review per se, but on her web site the author has a page she calls "out of print gems."  Buried at the bottom of the page is this particular "gem:"

"I love all my work (well, maybe there are a few that could happily disappear forever, like Demonwood or Lazarus Rising) but mainly I just love my books. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t write."

Eep.

Anything Else?:

Heh heh heh heh - she said "demon wood."

Beavis and Butthead, slightly horrified by the thought of demonized "wood."

Random Romance Sunday: The Lord, The Spinster And The Wager

The Book: Lord Stanhope's Proposal by Jessica Benson

The Particulars:  Historical romance, Traditional Regency, Zebra, 2000, Out of Print.  There is a 2005 reprint.  Different cover, same publisher, also out of print.

The Blurb: 

THE TON's MOST ELIGIBLE BACHELOR...
A true gentleman and handsome too, Lord Stanhope was the toast of the ton. But at the height of the Season he was rusticating to Sussex. Calista Ashton, an "elderly dried up spinster," had become the subject of a wager placed by his own foppish cousin. Now it was up to Stanhope to rescue the innocent Calista.

THE VICAR's MOST UNMARRIAGEABLE SISTER...
The vicar's sister, at four and twenty, didn't care a fig for fashion -- or amour. Instead, Calista Ashton loved racing fine steeds, reading scandalous books, and embracing an independent life. Now a group of visiting London bachelors have arrived at a neighboring estate. And much to Calista's dismay, she soon finds herself being courted by not one, but two noblemen! Unused to the ton's flirtations, her head was turned by the dashing Lord Stanhope who kissed divinely. Kissed? What was happening amid the lush country meadows: sweet seduction -- or true love?

Is It In Wendy's TBR?:  Nope.

Any Reviews?:  A treasure trove for a debut traditional Regency!  The Romance Reader gave this one four hearts (equivalent to a B grade):

"I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and it was delightfully refreshing in its approach. There is a quirky prologue introducing the characters and I can only second the author's dedication to her agent, who never once suggested it be ditched. Calista and Tristan are two witty, mature characters, absolutely amazed at the insanity whirling around them as they find peace, laughter, and security in one other."

All About Romance gave it an A:

"Many Regency fans are mourning the shrinking of the sub-genre. If you need a healthy dose of lighthearted action, if you're tired of reading the same old, set-in-London stories, if you're ready for a level-headed and good-humored hero and heroine who manage to outwit everyone around them, I urge you to find Lord Stanhope's Proposal. You'll be cheering for Calista and Tristan as loudly as I did."

Rakehell (a site devoted to all things Regency) also gave this a very favorable review:

"If you didn't read this book the first time it was released, rush out and buy it immediately. This is a comedy of manners at its best. The writing is witty, light-hearted and brimming with amusing dialogue. The comedy is both in the dialogue and the situations the various characters find themselves in."

Anything Else?:  Let's go back in time to the mid-00s, when the traditional Regency was dying a slow, painful death.  In a bid to revive sagging sales, cartoon covers started popping up all over the place.  Now by all accounts, Benson wrote some "humorous" trads, but still....cartoon covers?  Really?  I mean, does anybody like these?  There's just something creepy and...cartoonish about them that they never appealed to me.  Give me headless people any day.

Also, admittedly, these types of covers usually had the opposite effect on me than the one I suspect the publishers were shooting for.  Instead of me thinking "fresh and lively," I'd think, "braindead, slapstick and stupid."  For every one "good" book I read with a cartoon cover, I must have read about 10 others that drove me to the nearest vodka bottle in a bid to kill off those short term memory brain cells.

All of Benson's trads eventually got the cartoon cover treatment, and when the the trad lines closed shop she went on to write a women's-fictiony-chick-lit book that was published in 2007.  Since then nada.

Random Romance Sunday: Mike, Robbie and Chip: Steve's Wingmen

The Book: Part-Time Wife by Susan Mallery

The Particulars: Contemporary romance, Silhouette Special Edition #1027, Book 4 in Hometown Heartbreakers series, 1996, Out of Print

The Blurb:

MY THREE SONS

Rugged Craig Haynes came from a long line of lady-killers. Lately, though, the single dad was targeting only Jill Bradford, his sons' new nanny. Two parts sweetness, one part sin, the pint-size redhead proved a wizard with his three rambunctious boys. So what made this miracle-worker insist she was strictly hired help? Could a houseful of Haynes males ambush her wary heart...and maker her a mother and wife?

Is It In Wendy's TBR?:  Not this one, although I have a couple of other categories by Mallery floating around in the TBR.

Any Reviews?:  RT gave this 4.5 Stars:

As always, Ms. Mallery treats the reader to wonderful characters with a gift for snappy dialogue, splashes of humor and the ability to love and learn.

 There's also three customer reviews over at Amazon, ranging from 3 to 5 Stars.

Anything Else?:  Another RRS entry that I picked out because of the cover.  I'm a sucker for a pretty dress as much as the next girl, but this cover model looks particularly glass-eyed imagining her wedding day.  Like a grown-woman playing dress-up.  I wonder if she's thinking of riding to her nuptials on the back of a pink My Little Pony?

Then there's the back cover blurb.  I'm a little disconcerted that the hero, a father of three, is described as a "lady killer."  I get it, he's handsome.  But now I'm imagining that creepy old guy who hangs out in college bars trying to pick up nubile young coeds.

Ick.

Not that single guys (or gals) with kiddies running around the house aren't allowed to date and have a sex life....but lady killer implies bed-hopping lothario to me and....

Ick.

Ahem, anywho.  Mallery has a backlist that's about 10 miles long.  I know she has a slew of fans out there.  Hey, when you're an author with a backlist this size fans are a given.  Harlequin appears to have digitized some of her backlist, including a couple titles in this series, but alas, not this one yet.

(And since I know someone is going to ask: If you don't "get" the references I made in the title of this post, here you go.  What can I say?  I watched a lot of Nick At Night as a kid.  Oh, and if you don't know what a "wingman" is, here you go.)

Random Romance Sunday: Taking Dictation With Mad Jack

The Book: Darling Jack by Mary McBride

The Particulars: Historical romance, Harlequin Historical #323, 1996, Out of Print

The Blurb:

Jack Hazard Needed A Wife

And Anna Matlin was the perfect woman for the job. Though she seemed like a timid mouse, Jack was convinced that the file clerk possessed a multitude of charms. Charms that he would soon expose as he drew her into his dangerous game of revenge.

Anna's colorless existence ended the day she became the 'wife' of her hero, Jack Hazzard. But though she was learning that beneath the legendary Pinkerton detective's dashing exterior was a haunted, lonely man, still she longed for the brief assignment to become the role of a lifetime!

Is It In Wendy's TBR?:  Nope.  I know, a Harlequin Historical set in the U.S of A and Wendy doesn't own it?  The shock!  The horrors!

Any Reviews?:  Library Journal gave this one a favorable review (which you can read in full over at Amazon):

Despite the dark Victorian overlay, there are moments of high hilarity in McBride's (Forever and a Day, Harequin, 1995) novel, an interesting blend of poignancy and humor.

RT Book Reviews gave it 4.5 Stars:

Mary McBride has a gift for distilling tragedy into triumph. If you haven't discovered this talented jewel, take a chance on Mad Jack Hazard. You can't lose.

Anything Else?:  As much as I love American settings in historical romances (this one takes place in Chicago and St. Louis) I tend to go a big rubbery one over Pinkerton heroes.  I'm well aware this makes absolutely no sense at all - what with my mystery/suspense reading background and my love for private detective characters in that particular genre.  I don't know why this is, it just is.  So that would be why I don't naturally gravitate towards these sorts of American historicals.

Now that all be said, oooooh this one tempts me so!  Turns out we have a self-loathing, wounded hero type, who has a tendency to fall into the nearest whiskey bottle.  The RT review implies that the hero is coming off a major screw up (caused by his drinking), but he's determined to close one last case - hence plucking the mousy heroine out of the secretarial pool to work with him undercover.

And to think I originally zeroed in on this book because the cover model looked like an extra who wandered off the set of Maverick. 

Ahem, anywho - Mary McBride has a decent-sized backlist and wrote several books in the Harlequin Historical line.  However her most recent title was a Silhouette Desire from 2008.  Nothing since then....

Random Romance Sunday: And My Cat's Name Is Satan

The Book: You Again by Peggy Nicholson

The Particulars: Contemporary paranormal romance, Harlequin SuperRomance #698, 1996, Out of Print

The Blurb:

A handsome, sexy hero, his beautiful ex-wife, an attempted murder, a thoroughly hissable villainess and a. . . cat.

Jessica always thought that her brilliant charmer of an ex-husband married her on one of his impulses--an it-seemed-like-such-a-great-idea-at-the-time finale to a champagne picnic.

And Sam? Well, he figured Jessica never really loved him. He was her first man, and as sex itself is such a snazzy little concept... In other words, had Jessica confused all that lovely feeling with love?

Seven years ago Jessica and Sam divorced. Now they're together again, and fighting for their lives. But it'll take faith and love to win this particular battle--and one very special cat!

 Is It In Wendy's TBR?:  I love the HSR line, but no.  Just, no.

Any Reviews?:  A treasure trove actually.  All About Romance gave this one an A-.

Despite these small flaws, You Again is probably the most unusual and one of the most well-written mainstream series romances I've read. If you're not afraid of stories that are a bit off the beaten track, you should grab this at your friendly local used book store and treat yourself to a few hours of fun, intelligent entertainment.

 The blog, Harley Hell, gave this one 2.5 Stars:

Even though the cat on the cover plainly seems horrified at what's going on behind her, and the expression clearly didn't bode well for what was contained inside, it wasn't a horrible book. The protagonists were very likable, even if Sam was as dumb as a bag of hammers.

And in an added bit of fun - that AAR review?  Yeah, written by none other than Candy Tan.  Yes, that Candy Tan.  Full of awesomeness that gal is.

Anything Else?:  This week's edition of RRS is brought to gentle Bat Cave readers by none other than author Victoria Janssen, who turned me on (heh, no pun intended - she writes erotic stories) to the Harley Hell blog.  A blog by two readers who used to mock Harlequins and are now...well...addicted to them.  Don't worry ladies, it happens to a lot of us (::raises hand::).  Anywho, I was trolling through their archives when I came across this gem with the most horrified looking cat on the cover.  I can't decide if Ms. Kitty is horrified by the naughty clinch going on behind her back, or possessed by a demon.  Maybe a little of both - since from reading the reviews I learned that the heroine's soul ends up taking up residence in said kitty's body.

Seriously, I'm not making this up.

Because of that, I'd rather be boiled in oil than read this story - although I must admit that the "he was her first man" line from the back cover copy intrigues me no end.  That sort of implies she was "doing" something or someone else before she had her "first man."  So what and/or who was our heroine "doing?"  Women?  Circus clowns?  Sea turtles?  House plants?  What?!  Damn you Harlequin, how you mock me so!  ::shakes fist in air::

In Peggy Nicholson news, she has a decent-sized category backlist and wrote a couple of books for the now defunct Silhouette Bombshell line in the mid-aughts.  Since then?  Nada.

Random Romance Sunday: Or Are You Just Happy To See Me?

The Book: Shameless by Sandy Steen

The Particulars: Harlequin, Crystal Creek #17, 1994, Out of Print

The Blurb:

It had been many years since Rio Langley had called Crystal Creek home. He'd always felt like an outsider there, anyway. And the flooding reflections of what he'd had and what he'd missed would always haunt him. But he wouldn't be around long. He'd come back simply to fix up his mama's old place, sell it and head back up to Wyoming. Then a baby landed on his doorstep and turned his head. And he was a goner...

...  moreIs It In Wendy's TBR?: Nope.

Any Reviews?:  1994, so not really.  Although there is one lonely customer review over at Amazon.

Anything Else?:  What we have here ladies and gents is a title in a Harlequin continuity series.  These used to be fairly common, and were break-away series that were separate from the actual existing lines.  Which meant their own banner, branding and distinctive cover art.  Uh, and it's the cover art that made me highlight this book.  First, I'm not sure what the art department was thinking, but all the covers are like this.  A separate picture superimposed over a crotch.  Which is bad enough - but for the love of all that is holy, won't someone think of the poor baby?  And then you have to wonder about the owner of the crotch.  I mean, it can't be normal to have a baby exiting through your zipper.  Just sayin'.

I will say this back cover blurb intrigues me on the Outsider Back In Town Long Enough To Sell Mama's House And Then He's Outta There level.  But I'm unlikely to take the plunge because 1) I need another series in my life like I need a hole in the head and 2) Gah, do you know how many Harlequins I have in my TBR already?  But for those of you who are interested, RomanceWiki has a complete list of the series, along with the spin-off books that later appeared in the SuperRomance line.  As for Ms. Steen, her last book was one of those HSR spin-off titles, in 2005. 

Random Romance Sunday: Aces And Eights

The Book: Straight For The Heart by Marsha Canham

The Particulars:  Historical romance, Bantam Dell, 1995, Out of Print

The Blurb:

"The Game Is Called Cutthroat Gentlemen. Quick and Vicious ... Just The Way I Like It Sometimes."

She risked everything to play a man's game in a man's world. As the elusive, mysterious Montana Rose, she was known as the queen of the Mississippi riverboats, a sensual and dangerous Southern beauty who was willing to gamble everything, even her life, on each cut of the cards.

Intent on calling her bluff, the equally devious and dangerous Michael Tarrington is determined to teach the fiery lady gambler a lesson in seduction. But instead, the rakishly handsome Yankee finds himself swept into her world of illusions, treachery, and smoldering passions that threaten to cut ... straight for the heart.

Is It In Wendy's TBR?:  Amazingly enough, no.  Reading this back cover blurb this is just the sort of book I'd "rescue" if I were to stumble across it in a used bookstore.  I know how I am....

Any Reviews?:  A couple actually.  Booklist gave this one a very quick write-up, ending on this vaguely positive note:

"Canham deals out plenty of surprising twists in her paperback historical fiction."

Publishers Weekly is a bit more thorough, although not all that positive:

"Canham's (In the Shadow of Midnight) latest is deftly plotted, and Amanda is sympathetic, if a bit insipid, while Michael is engagingly complex. But secondary characters are flat and stereotypical, and readers who dislike excessive violence will find the concluding chapters disturbing."

You can read both of these reviews in full, as well and see some customer reviews (ranging from 2 to 5 Stars) over at Amazon.

Anything Else?:  Initially intrigued by this back cover copy, I'm glad I never have stumbled across this book at a used bookstore and fell under the spell of impulse buying.  Why?  Because turns out our fair heroine in this story has a scheming twin sister.

Sigh.

Every romance reader has at least one trope that makes them go a big rubbery one.  Twin stories happen to be one of mine.  These stories seem to have two speeds - either one of the twins is a eviiiiiiiiiil or we get the ol' Parent Trap trope where the twins "switch places."  Neither of which flips my switch.  I don't loathe these as much as the soul mates trope - but yeah.  It just ain't my bag baby.

That all being said, I do know readers who lurve stories about twins.  I also know that Canham has a bit of a loyal and fervent fan following out there in Romance Novel Land.  So feel free to use the comments section to convince me that this is one twin story I just might want to give a whirl.  What can I say?  I love me American settings.

Random Romance Sunday: Peter Piper Picked A Peck Of Pickled Peppers

The Book: Miss Ware's Refusal by Marjorie Farrell

The Particulars:  Traditional Regency, Signet, 1990, Out of Print

The Blurb: 

PRIDE BEFORE PASSIONS

Lovely Miss Judith Ware was proud. Too proud to feel sorry for herself when her family's loss of fortune forced her to earn a living. And too proud to accept the marriage proposal of the handsome, wealthy Simon Ballance, Duke of Sutton, who offered her everything but love.

The duke was just as proud. Too proud to expose his grievous war wound to society's scorn. And too proud to open his heart to any woman's painful pity.

With pride so powerful, could passion and love ever prove stronger...?

Is It In Wendy's TBR?:  No.  I came to the genre after the big trad hey-day, and I just never gravitated towards them. 

Any Reviews?:  1990, so not really.  That said, this is actually one instance where there are some informative customer reviews over at Amazon.  I encourage you to check those out.

Anything Else?:  Once again, I was surfing around looking for an RRS book and this one jumped up to bite me.  Why?  Dang, just read that back cover blurb again!  Two counts of "pride" and six "proud"s.  Not to mention a plethora of other "p" words.  "Powerful," "painful," "prove," "pity," and "passion."  It was like going back in time to my school days and having my English teacher drone on about alliteration.  Then I started thinking of tongue-twisters, and then it just all went downhill from there.

It was the back cover blurb that caught my eye (for all the wrong reasons), but the Amazon reviews really have me curious about this book now!  A blind hero and a heroine who is hired to be a "reader" for him?  Seriously, I'm not sure I can resist that, and really....do I want to?

Random Romance Sunday: An Old Friend's Secret Past

The Book: A Shiver of Rain by Kay Bartlett

The Particulars: Silhouette Intimate Moments #254, 1988, Out of Print

The Blurb: 

DANGEROUS EMBRACE

Rachel Brewer thought she'd stumbled into the pages of a spy novel, and she wasn't thrilled. Especially since the "bad guy" was her late husband, Jack, and the FBI agent was the intractable but sexy Luke Warren.

Luke insisted that Jack had stolen millions in gold--and he suspected she knew about it! Worse, he was determined to stay at her Northwest resort until he found the cache. She was unsettled by the prospect--in more ways than one.

Soon gunfire and arson made the situation all too perilously real. Yet the passion that set Luke's and Rachel's blood afire could become the most dangerous situation of all....

Is It In Wendy's TBR?:  No, but I'm now thinking about adding it.

Any Reviews?:  1988, so no.  Nothing over at Amazon either.  Sorry folks!

Anything Else?:  I was supposed to go to Disneyland on Friday with Lil' Sis and Lemon Drop, but winter in So. Cal. means rain.  And yeah, it was raining hard enough on Friday that Disney was just not a good idea. Bummer.  But it got me thinking, why not pick a book with "rain" in the title for this week's RRS post?  This was one of the first ones I hit on, I liked the title, I liked the cover blurb, and went into research mode.  And that's when I hit the mother lode.

Kay Bartlett only wrote two books, both SIMs, both in the late 1980s.  I thought, "How sad, this author only wrote two books and then vanished."  So I hit Google and that's when my searching turned up something interesting.  Turns out, Kay Bartlett is a pseudonym for none other than Janice Kay Johnson!  During the 1980s, Johnson wrote several books - some as JKJ and Bartlett, but also as Kay Kirby (if my research is correct, the Kirby books were co-written with her mother).  She eventually settled in as Janice Kay Johnson, and found her groove in the early 1990s with Harlequin SuperRomance, which is where she can still be found these days.

So how cool is that?  I set out to find just "any ol' book with rain in the title" and stumble across a pseudonym for an author who is one of my current autobuys.  Happenstance I tells ya.

Random Romance Sunday: Purple Reign

The Book: Crystal Passion by Jo Goodman

The Particulars: Historical romance, Kensington Zebra, 1985, Out of Print. There was a 1999 reprint, but it is also Out of Print.

The Blurb:

RAPTURE'S BRILLIANCE

When Ashley awoke from her drugged sleep, she found herself in the bedchamber of a dark-haired, steel-eyed stranger. Before she could escape, his powerful hands had pinned her to the bed--before she could scream, his lips had captured hers. Before she could explain that her guardian had tricked them both with a vile and ruthless scheme, the rapture of his searing, searching caresses drove all thought from her mind. All she could feel was hunger for his touch, thirst for his kiss, and yearning for ecstasy's endless pleasures...

LOVE'S SPLENDOR
Captain Salem McClellan was amused to discover that the Duke of Linfield's hospitality included a lithe young beauty to warm his bed. Tangling his fingers in her ebony hair, exploring the creamy satin of her flesh with burning lips, he felt the fire of Ashley's response beneath him. Too late, he realized her innocence and knew he could never leave her to the Duke's mercy. For he was enchanted by her fierce pride, ensnared by her rare beauty, and enthralled by the night of shimmering CRYSTAL PASSION

Is It In Wendy's TBR?: Uh, no.

Any Reviews?: 1985 - so, uh, not really. Amazon customer reviews range from 2 to 5 stars.

Anything Else?: When looking for books to feature on RRS, I tend to randomly surf around FictionDB until something hits me upside the head. In this case, it was a whole lot of purple. That back cover blurb is so gleefully over-the-top, so 1980s, so....just....so wrong on so many levels that I knew I had to feature this book. Plus the eye-popping original cover! And it was Jo Goodman's second book! Seriously, I can't be expected to resist all that.

Kensington must have realized that the back cover blurb wasn't going to translate very well out of the 1980s, because when the book was reprinted in 1999, looks like they did some tinkering. The blurb on Goodman's web site has a lot of the same pertinent facts in it - but the purple is reined in considerably. The publisher also went with what I call Boring Reprint Cover Art. I sort of understand why this was done, but I don't know. I mean, if I want over-the-top, throwback, historical romance crazy - I'm going to be more drawn to cover and blurb #1. But that's how I roll.

There's a treasure trove of information on Goodman's web site (yeah!) - which details all the books in this particular series (this is Book #1 in the McClellan Family) and the author even includes interesting tidbits for each book. For example? Naming a hero "Salem" sounds like something straight out of a 1980s Romance Writing Handbook, right? Wrong-o. Goodman swiped the name from a guy she met at a friend's house.

I know there are several Goodman fans out there in Romance Bloglandia, so fire away folks. Have you read the McClellan Family series? What did you think? Do they stand the test of time? Or do they need to be "enjoyed" while firmly wearing your Old Skool Over-The-Top Eye-Glasses?

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....