Friday Book Trailer

Once again not an actual book trailer, but the trailer for the new show Vikings on the History channel.  I'm hoping that the series is really popular and creates a demand for more Viking romances Like Johanna Lindsey's Viking trilogy.

Here is the hauntingly beautiful opening credits of the show as well.

I have tried searching for some recent romance books on the Viking era but have not come across anything of interest yet.  So I think I am off to reread about the Haardrad family again.
  

Johanna Lindsey - One Heart To Win

Finally!  We move away from the Regency era to Montana in the 1880s.  Once again hoping the old Lindsey magic is evident in this novel because I couldn't even finish the last book.

Some young ladies marry for money and social standing, a few lucky ones marry for love—but Tiffany Warren is marrying to end a feud. Honoring her mother’s promise, Tiffany reluctantly travels west to meet her estranged father and his enemy’s eldest son, rancher Hunter Callahan. Once the Warrens and the Callahans are united by marriage, both clans will stop squabbling over a disputed strip of land. In the chaos of a train robbery Tiffany seizes a golden opportunity: By assuming the identity of her father’s new housekeeper she can live with the father she never knew and assess his true character, as well as that of the neighboring cowboy to whom she is betrothed. But, too late, Tiffany discovers that the rivalry between the Warrens and the Callahans has escalated when the Callahans steal the Warrens’ housekeeper as soon as she steps off the train! Now, Tiffany, who is pretending to be Jennifer Fleming, finds herself living in the enemy camp, under the same roof as her fiancé. All too soon she learns her intended is a handsome, sweet talking charmer whom she has to fight off because he can’t keep his eyes—or his hands—off Jennifer. After Tiffany’s charade is exposed she refuses to marry Hunter to end the feud. As Hunter goes about claiming his rightful bride-to-be, he knows that although he loves two women—proper, elegant Tiffany as well as spunky, passionate Jennifer—he has only one heart to win (Amazon).

Used Bookstore

I went to my favourite used bookstore yesterday and found out that after 25 years they are closing.  What am I going to do??  This is the absolute best store in the city.  There are only a handful of other used bookstores around and they either do not have a good selection, of books, lack a romance section, or are poorly organized.  This place was perfect, they had almost a whole room devoted to romance novels, every book was on a shelf and in alphabetical order.  I could spend hours looking through the shelves for the perfect summer read.  It was here that I discovered Nora Roberts, Lisa Kleypas, and Sandra Brown.

The first time I went to this store I was about 13.  I can even remember one of the books I bought (and still have), it was Heather Graham's "A Pirate's Pleasure".  Over the years I would go sporadically, but in my early twenties I often went about once a week, especially during the summer break.  After a while I found that I gravitated to certain authors and would only go to the bookstore when a new book might have made it's way to the shelves.  I am hoping that another book lover will open a similar store with the attention to neatness.  For now, perhaps my summer will include trips to other local used bookstores to see if anything can come close in comparison.  On a positive note, I received over $50 in credit for the books I took to the store yesterday and the books they have left were 50% off the sticker price (which is already 50% of the selling price).

Johanna Lindsey's Let Love Find You Cover

It's finally here.  Well the cover, not the actual book.  I had my first look at the cover for Johanna Lindsey's new book Let Love Find You.



What do you think?  It doesn't really grab my attention.  Well, maybe the floating scarf spewing out of her chest does.  Overall, I find the cover lackluster and the storyline unappealing.  I will definitely be borrowing this from the library.

Synopsis for Let Love Find You by Johanna Lindsey

I haven't come across a synopsis for Johanna Lindsey's new book in my search, but an anonymous poster left this in my comments:

#1 New York Times bestselling author Johanna Lindsey sweeps readers into the ballrooms and country houses of England’s elite society in the sparkling, passion-filled tale of a desperate debutante who learns in a most delightful way that she can’t fight her scandalous attraction to her virile matchmaker.Lady Amanda Locke has struck out miserably in her two Seasons on the marriage mart. Beautiful, titled, and charming – even if she does talk a bit too much, Amanda doesn’t understand why love eludes her. Even her father, the Duke of Norford, is so perplexed he is prepared to take drastic measures to ensure his daughter’s happiness. Now, as Amanda begins her third Season, she gets a little help from Cupid, a darkly handsome horse breeder whose knowledge of basic animal attraction has guided him in arranging more than a few successful matches between the young ladies and gentlemen of the ton. Hired by Amanda’s family, Devin Baldwin produces results for Amanda and soon she is happy to be courted by one of his clients, the dashing Viscount Altone. In order to secure Amanda’s match to a nobleman obsessed with horse racing, Devin must teach Amanda how to overcome her fear of horses. But as Devin shows her the joys of riding, hunting, and racing, will their own hearts run astray as Amanda finds herself falling in love with Cupid himself?

Friday Book Trailer

I happened across a book trailer for Kathleen Givens' book, On a Highland Shore, which I absolutely loved.  If you haven't read it yet, check it out.

Review - On a Highland Shore by Kathleen Givens

In an age when Norse invaders threaten Scottish civilization, one woman will defend her clan's honor and claim her own exceptional destiny.

1263: As the Highland village of Somerstrath prepares for the joyous wedding of Margaret MacDonald, the laird's daughter, a dark storm of bloodshed and betrayal closes in.... Now, determined to hold her shattered clan together and locate her abducted younger brother in the wake of a brutal Viking attack, Margaret must choose between obeying the dictates of King Alexander's court, or placing her trust in Gannon MacMagnus, an imposing half-Irish, half-Norse warrior. Who is this stranger who vows not to harm her? Will he vanquish the barbarous killers who would continue to destroy the rugged, magnificent land she calls home? (Amazon).

I loved this book and spent most of the weekend reading it because I couldn't put it down.  I didn't want to put it down.  This book had a perfect balance of historical detail and romance.  I was drawn into the story and wanted to learn about the hero and heroine as well as other characters. This was the first book by Givens that I have read and I plan on glomming her backlist.  Unfortunately while looking up how many books she has written and what may be coming next, I discovered that the author has passed away.  I truly believe that the romance community has lost a great voice in Kathleen Givens.

Let Love Find You by Johanna Lindsey

It's that time of year again.  I have found the title for Johanna Lindsey's 2012 release.  The book is called "Let Love Find You".  Once again I find myself  hoping that this will be it.  That this book will be the one with the magical something that the old Lindseys contained.  So although I have given up on a lot of authors over the years, I think Lindsey is one that I will continue to read in hopes of catching a glimmer of the chemistry and rich stories her books had prior to 1995.

I have not found a cover or synopsis for "Let Love Find You" yet.  But I do know that this book will be released on June 12, 2012.  My prediction is that this book returns to the Malory family, maybe one of Tony or James's daughters?

Friday Book Trailer

I came across the trailer for McCarty's The Viper  this morning, can't wait to get this book.  It came out this past Tuesday, but I probably won't have time to get it until next week.

The Saint - By Monica Mccarty

It's here!  Well, not the book.  But the cover!!  And it is red hot!  Take a look:



Magnus MacKay is the ultimate Highlander: tough, proud, able to master any terrain and to best his enemies. Called “the Saint” for his refusal to discuss women, as well as for his cool and steady leadership, Magnus hides a painful truth. It isn’t virtue or piety that keeps him silent, but a wound of love and loss that cuts so deep he cannot bear to speak of it. But when the woman who refused him is betrothed to his friend and fellow Guardsman, Magnus is tested by love’s battle cry.

A wild and innocent beauty, Helen chose family duty over her desire for Magnus. Now the anger in his eyes mirrors the tormented regret in her heart. But as deadly subterfuge stalks the King and his Guard, Helen vows to right her youthful mistakes with a woman’s determined spirit. Still, Magnus harbors secrets and an iron will not to weaken to temptation—or heartache—again. But as danger looms, it’s the kiss not of a saint, but of a sinner, that can save them (Amazon).

Review - In Bed with a Highlander by Maya Banks

Ewan McCabe, the eldest of three brothers, is determined to rebuild his clan and castle while setting about the downfall of his enemy.  Everything looks to fall into place when he comes across Mairin Stuart.  Mairin, the illegitimate daughter of the king, has been kidnapped from her sanctuary and will be forced to marry.  Escaping, she finds herself in Ewan's control and facing marriage once again.

I wanted to like this book, I really did.  I don't dislike, but I didn't love it.  The book just left me feeling meh.  Ewan was too perfect, he was tall, dark, and handsome.  A warrior who was gruff but had a heart of gold.  Mairin was too much of a Mary-Sue.  Everyone loved her the instant they met her.  Even Ewan's son Crispen adored her and called her Mama the second Mairin and Ewan were married.  She is very reminiscent of Julie Garwood's heroines, except here she annoyed me.  The book is set in the time that King David was on the throne.  His nephew, Malcolm was also trying to lay claim to the thrown.  Mairin was very important politically because her first born would be given some land (Neamh Alainn), which would help either one keep the throne somehow (I forgot how).  But if she was so important, why was she left alone at an Abbey to basically fend for herself?  You would think that her uncle (King David) or half-brother (Malcolm) would keep her close to marry her off to an ally. 

Anyways, the majority of the book is spent on Mairin getting to know the clan, getting into mischief, and almost getting killed twice.  The book did pick up near the end when Mairin and Ewan are called to court, but I felt that everything was too rushed by this point.  Overall, the hero and heroine were too perfect and the villain was too "villainy".  I also felt that Banks' voice was too modern.  Looking at her backlist on Amazon, I only found contemporary romances.  So I think this may be her first medieval, and it shows.  It wasn't in your face obvious, but every once in a while it would pull me from the book.  Like every time Mairin rolled her eyes.  I would stop and think, would someone during that time roll their eyes?  I have no idea, but for some reason it strikes me as a modern gesture.  In the end, I don't think this is a horrible book, but it isn't an outstanding one.  It was like all Scottish medievals rolled into one.  I definitely will not be keeping this book.  More than likely I will take it to the used book store for credit.  Having said that, I am still contemplating reading the next two.  But I think that is my little OCD coming out and feeling the need to finish the trilogy because I know there are two more books.

Highland Guard Series Releases

On October 18, we get to read the fourth installment of the Highland Guard series from Monica McCarty. 

Prized for his snakelike stealth and deadly strikes, Lachlan “Viper” MacRuairi is a warrior to enlist but not to trust. His only loyalty is to his purse, his indifference sealed by bitter betrayal. All that changes when Lachlan is tasked to protect and deliver Bella MacDuff to the king’s coronation—and the proud, lushly sensual countess unwittingly challenges him to his greatest battle yet: to love again.

Passionate and devoted, Bella has defied Britain’s king and her own husband to place the crown on Bruce’s head, and for this she pays a terrible price: Losing her daughter and her freedom to her husband’s vengeance. Imprisoned with barbaric cruelty, she vows to reclaim her child, even if it means selling her soul—and her body—to a dark, lethal warrior whose eyes glint like steel, but who makes her skin tingle and her breath race. Together they embark on a rogue mission with sinister twists and turns that threatens not only Bella’s gamble to save her daughter—but also her heart.

Also, while looking, I found the synopsis for the fifth book, The Saint, which will be out March 27, 2012.  There is no cover yet, but here is the synopsis:

Magnus MacKay is the ultimate Highlander: tough, proud, able to master any terrain and to best his enemies. Called “the Saint” for his refusal to discuss women, as well as for his cool and steady leadership, Magnus hides a painful truth. It isn’t virtue or piety that keeps him silent, but a wound of love and loss that cuts so deep he cannot bear to speak of it. But when the woman who refused him is betrothed to his friend and fellow Guardsman, Magnus is tested by love’s battle cry.

A wild and innocent beauty, Helen chose family duty over her desire for Magnus. Now the anger in his eyes mirrors the tormented regret in her heart. But as deadly subterfuge stalks the King and his Guard, Helen vows to right her youthful mistakes with a woman’s determined spirit. Still, Magnus harbors secrets and an iron will not to weaken to temptation—or heartache—again. But as danger looms, it’s the kiss not of a saint, but of a sinner, that can save them.


I am looking forward to this book as McCarty's stories always deliver!

Which One First - Johanna Lindsay?

Last week SBTB asked readers which Johanna Lindsey book a new romance reader should read first.  I pretty much agreed with the resulting list except maybe The Heir.  That is one of three Lindsey books that I have never been able to finish.  The other two being Heart of a Warrior  and Home for the Holidays. 

If I were to recommend which books of Lindsey's to read, I think it would go like this:

1. Hearts Aflame - the first ever JL book I ever read and the beginning of my historical romance love.
2. Tender Rebel - Tony Malory's story in the Malory family.  There is something about Tony that appeals to me, the description of his looks, his attitude, and his personality.
3. The Magic of You - another Malory story, this time it's Tony's niece, Amy and Warren Anderson.  A hot story with lots of humour.
4. Defy not the Heart - a medieval romance with a twist - the hero has trouble pleasuring the heroine at first because he is worried about his size.
5. When Love Awaits - another medieval, this time a man marries to gain land.
6. Once a Princess - an ordinary person suddenly finds out she is a princess from a far away land, and her prince is hot!
7. Prisoner of Desire - some people have been turned off of the story line of forced seduction, but for some reason it works in this book.
8. Love Only Once - the first book to start the Malory series - is there any other reason needed?
9. Secret Fire - a Regency era book with a kidnapping and Russian setting.
10. Fires of Winter - the story of Kristen's (Hearts Aflame)  parents
11. Surrender my Love - another Viking era story, this time it's Selig's story
12. Paradise Wild - a little old school, but I enjoyed the story with a different setting (Hawaii)
13. Man of My Dreams - Megan is determined to land herself a Duke, Ambrose St.James.  Ambrose, hiding out as a horse breeder is determined to change her mind.
14. Gentle Rogue - this book would be higher on my list, but James is so revered in subsequent books that he begins to annoy me.
15. A Gentle Feuding - warring clans and Scotland, what else is needed?

     

I tried to keep the list to my top ten, but just couldn't do it.  Sadly, my favourite Johanna Lindsey books were all published before 1995.  I continue to read each book that is released, but none seem to have that magical something of the old books.

What Ever Happened To...

Do you ever read a couple of books by an author and then they seem to suddenly disappear?  For myself, I can think of two authors I am wondering about.  First up is Rebecca Brandewyne.  I read her book, Upon a Moon Dark Moor, for the first time when I was about 13.  I loved the gothic feel to it, and how Brandewyne did not rush the story, but let it unfold as Draco and Maggie grew up.  There was also a sequel involving their sons, Across a Starlit Sea.  The way the sequel ended left it pretty wide open for a third book involving the grandchildren.  According to her website the third book will be called Beneath a Sun-Washed Sky, and it should have been finished in 2007 or 2008.  I have not come across it in my searches.

The second author is Tamara Leigh.  A couple of years ago I read her book, Blackheart.  It was a Medieval where a man, Lord Bernart Kinthorpe, orders his wife Juliana to sleep with his enemy, Lord Gabriel de Vere.  Lord Kinthorpe is impotent but wants to put an end to the rumours that he is by producing an heir.  I can't remember the reason why he chose his enemy, but the rest of the story is about Gabriel finding out about the plot and falling in love with Juliana.  Again, there was a subplot with Juliana's sister that made it obvious that there would be a sequel.  If I remember correctly, the sister had suffered an injury to her head that left her somewhat mentally incapacitated.  During the time that Juliana was taken by Gabriel, the sister left Kinthorpe's castle.  At the end of the novel, Gabriel's friend (naturally) was looking for the sister to bring her back. This book was written in 2001 and the book about the sister has not been written yet.  The information I can find is that Tamara Leigh is now writing inspirational romances.  Which is a shame because I really enjoyed her medieval romances and wanted to read the story of the sister.  I can understand that authors' style changes.  Some move from historical to contemporary or erotic to mainstream.  But I do wonder if authors sometimes owe it to their fans to at least finish what they started.

 

Friday Book Trailer

Something a little different for today's book trailer.  It's a news clip about Harlequin romance novels, book covers and a little bit about the history of the romance genre.  With Seth Rogen and Paul Rudd (mmmm Paul Rudd!) reading from some books!

Friday Book Trailer

Check it out!  Hilarious book trailer for Maya Banks' new trilogy.  I first saw it at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books.



I am so looking forward to this trilogy, I haven't read any of Banks' books, but if a historical book involves Highlanders, kidnapping, enemy clans, and revenge, I am hooked!  Not sure what that says about me, and pretty sure I don't want to know!

   

Review - When Passion Rules by Johanna Lindsey

Alana Farmer enjoys a privileged life in London.  She spends her time either in fencing lessons with her uncle, or helping out at an orphanage.  Everything changes on her eighteenth birthday, Alana discovers that her uncle is not a relative, but the assassin hired to kill her.  She is also the princess of Lubinia and must return to reveal herself to her father, the king, and help stop a rebellion.

I finished reading this book two days ago but have been procrastinating in actually writing the review.  I have mixed feelings about this book.  There are aspects of this book I really enjoyed and felt like the old Johanna Lindsey is finally coming back.  But on the other hand, there are things that pop up that are not quite Lindsey and make me question if there are ghost writers.  I question this because there seems to be such a disparity in the way Lindsey's newest books are written.  Some seem to have depth, feeling, and actual stories (A Loving Scoundrel) while others feel rushed, are amateurish, and boring (That Perfect Someone).  Also, in When Passion Rules, the way the love scenes were written just didn't feel like an authentic Lindsey work.  Looking around at other reviews, I see that other people have the same opinion.

I had a couple of issues with this book.  The big one for me was the timeline.  I tried to keep track, and I think once Alana is in the castle to the end of the book happens over one week.  Within this time, she willingly becomes Christoph's lover and they go from mistrusting each other to falling in love.  It felt too rushed for me, and I would have preferred if it was spread out over a month or two instead.  Also there were  a couple of WTF moments.  First, while Alana is Christoph's prisoner, he takes her outside of the castle to a fair in the countryside.  The main reason really was for Alana's former guardian to get a message to her but it still seemed highly unlikely that a guard of Christoph's standing would take an imposter to a country fair.  The other one was Christoph's wannabe mistress, Nadia.  What is it with the need to write in nasty, bitchy, always older than the heroine, mistresses?  When we first meet Christoph, she wouldn't take no for an answer, to the point of being pathetic.  Not sure why she had to be written this way, other than to show the reader how irresistible Christoph is.

Having said that, I did enjoy this book.  At one point I was reading this before bed and was getting really tired.  I kept telling myself that I would just read to the end of this chapter and go to sleep.  But every time I got to the end of the chapter, I had to go on and read the next one.  I did this for about three chapters. Alana started out a bit too much of a Mary Sue/Pollyana with her sweet disposition, love of children, and excelling at everything she does.  But she eventually grew on me once she left England and started her journey to Lubinia.  The hero, Christoph, has some flaws, but over all even as an alpha male, he does show humour, tenderness, and he's hot!  I was a little worried that Alana would have it really easy convincing the king that she is his daughter and be immediately welcomed into the castle.  So I was happy when the story turned instead to her being imprisoned for being an imposter with Christoph in charge of her.  Although I don't think When Passion Rules is comparable to Lindsey's best novels, it is getting pretty close and is a vast improvement over her latest books.  If you loved Once A Princess, you will like When Passion Rules as it does have some similarities.

Reading Slump

And I think my reading slump will continue on until I get Johanna Lindsey's newest book next week.  The books I picked up at the library last week just aren't holding my attention.

Against the Law by Kat Martin - I stopped reading at chapter 16 but left my bookmark in, so I might return and give it one more try.  So far Lark hired Dev Raines to help her find her niece that had been adopted a couple of years ago.  Within a couple of chapters they find her in her adoptive parents house, along with the dead parents and nanny.  They take the girl and leave.  Now Lark is raising her neice, but where are the CAS workers and anyone else you would think would be involved in this?  I'm pretty sure you can't just take a child, even if she is your niece.  The back cover leads the reader to think the story is about finding the child, but she is found even before the book is half way through.  It then begins to concentrate on the drug smuggling business the adoptive father was involved in.

Black Magic by Cherry Adair - I'm only on page ten, I don't think I am in the mood for a paranormal story right now, so I might come back to this book another time.

The Hellion and The Highlander by Lynsay Sands - A cute, readable historical set in England and Scotland during the Crusades.  History takes a back seat in this novel which is more character driven than plot.  I did finish reading it, there were a couple of humourous moments involving the heroine's inexperience in the bedroom.  However, after awhile, her lack of experience in certain acts became cringe-worthy rather than funny.  I lost interest in the story around chapter thirteen and skimmed through the rest of the book.

Conversations With The Fat Girl by Liza Palmer - This story is about two best friends, Maggie and Olivia, who grew up being the fat girls.  Olivia goes on to lose her weight through surgery, becomes engaged, and wants Maggie to be her maid of Honour.  I couldn't finish this book because I found the main character, Maggie, to be too immature for her age.  Although she is 27, I found her reactions to her "crush" at work to be similar to a fourteen year old.  Maybe it was because the author was trying to convey the sense that  Maggie did not have those experiences as a teenager.  I don't know, it just felt off.  I also found it unbelievable that Olivia, who is portrayed as being sweet and nice as a fat girl, suddenly becomes a raging bitch because she is thin.  I get that people change when their perceptions of themselves change, but I can't see someone suddenly treating everyone around them as insignificant and beneath them just because they have lost weight.  Perhaps if the author had kept Olivia's sweet character, but brought out her insecurities in a different way, I would have found it more believable.

Moonlight Road by Robyn Carr - Gah!  Why did I bother trying this author again???!!!  I obviously did not learn from the first time.  Once again, this book is chock full of previous characters, everyone is related to someone and practically all the female characters are pregnant.  Note to self - do not bother with this author again.

     

Friday Book Trailer

Today's book trailer is for one of my favourite historical authors; Lisa Kleypas (she is also on my list of favourite contemporary authors). 

Kev Merripen has longed for the beautiful, well-bred Winnifred Hathaway ever since her family rescued him from the brink of death when he was just a boy. But this handsome Gypsy is a man of mysterious origins—and he fears that the darkness of his past could crush delicate, luminous Win. So Kev refuses to submit to temptation…and before long Win is torn from him by a devastating twist of fate.
Then, Win returns to England…only to find that Kev has hardened into a man who will deny love at all costs. Meantime, an attractive, seductive suitor has set his sights on Win. It’s now or never for Kev to make his move. But first, he must confront a dangerous secret about his destiny—or risk losing the only woman he has lived for…

Library Trip

Well I didn't have much luck getting The Game of Thrones at the library on Friday.  Apparently everyone else also wants to read it right now.  So I am 6th on the waiting list.  I did come across a couple of books that interested me, which is good because I have been in a reading slump since finishing Rachel Gibson's Any Man of Mine.  These books should keep me pretty busy over the next couple of weeks: