Highlander for the Holidays by Janet Chapman

BookTalk

Jessie Pringle was a spunky beauty with a wealthy childhood and a bright future until a shotgun marriage followed by a tragic murder attempt took away her abusive husband and unborn child. Left with both physical and mental scars four years later Jessie is ready to move on with her life. Armed with her dog Toby and the dream of an isolated mountain town Jessie heads to the North East to find a new life, a new love, and all the magic that brings.

Jessie is about to stumble into Ian MacKeage. Ian, smitten from the start with Jessie, is dealing with his own issues. The time has come for him to resolve his past and embrace the future, and the power that is waiting for him. He watches as Jessie displays the courage to fight for a new life…and begins to desire a new life of his own. So long as that life includes Ms. Jessie Pringle.

Review

Let me just begin by saying, there’s nothing like starting a series with the very last book! Yep, you heard that right. It’s number 8 in the Highlander Series. I gather from a quick browse on Barnes and Noble that our hero is actually a son of one of the couples in the first books of the series. So if you’re familiar with the series you won’t find any comparisons from prior novels in this review. Nope. Instead I’m gonna break down why reading the last book in a series made me hungry to go back to the beginning…

…Because you know I already have Charming the Highlander on my Nook. Yep, I’m good like that.

Without Further Ado…The reasons why I’m starting this series…

Complex Females. Jessie was messy. Not only was she recovering from a failed marriage and devastating loss of a child. She lost both the unborn child and (soon to be ex) husband when an unknown assailant attacked them in their home. Leaving Jessie riddled with traumatic flashbacks, disfiguring scars, and leg issues.

Now, before you go thinking “This is too much for me” or “I don’t like my romance heroines so tragic” Know that such events only lead to Jessie’s character seeming more spunky, funny, down-to-earth, and vulnerable. She seemed real. And this accessibility was because of her soap-opera like past rather than in-spite of it.

The Dog. Loved the dog in this book. Toby was as much of a main character in this book as his human counterparts. I don’t know if it was Ian’s innate connection with animals…or all of the various expressions Chapman gave Toby. But when Jessie starts talking to her dog like a person and he begins to respond (doggie style, no talking animals up in here)…You won’t think it’s weird at all. Mind you he doesn’t speak, but as a service dog trained to protect and comfort his owner a correctly placed tail wag can speak volumes. Bringing him into the story not only added a ‘cute’ factor but depth as well.

Hot Scottish Men. Let’s just repeat that statement. Hot, Scottish, Men. When you hit the scene where half the clan is splashing around a pool…the first time in a very long time I wished I could hop into the book. All those abs…

The premise of this series is that warriors from 18th century (or so) Scotland are tossed forward in time to find the women they are to love. Granted Ian isn’t an original clansman…instead a first generation child. The clan mentality with all its protective instincts and hearty family ethics are very much present in the tale. It’s like reading a historical romance with modern amenities. Very, very fun.

My only caveat with this tale was that we didn’t delve into Ian’s issues (war, being the prodigal son) as much as I’d have liked. I’m not sure if there was more prepping in earlier books(?) but reading this as a standalone I felt as though I was constantly being reminded of Ian’s issues without really seeing evidence of them.

Magic. So color me shocked when real magic began to happen in this book. Lead by Roger (the original Laird of the clan) the paranormal aspects were slowly seeped into the novel. Again, I think because I was so late to the game with this series I was really able to appreciate how well Jessie was integrated into the magical elements. I was new to them too and felt fully prepared when the big magic hit. I loved that. So many times in a series the reader was fully inundated into the world so you miss how choppy or quickly new characters are hit with the world. So I was so happy to see how smooth it all was. And how much I loved the character of Roger. You gotta read this to see him…I enjoyed him so much!

In the end this wasn’t the most “Christmas-y” of reads. True, it happened over the holiday. But could easily be read as a juicy winter read. Don’t be put off from the title simply because you didn’t have time this season…Or if you’re new like me, use the year to catch up and enjoy Jessie, Ian, and Toby next year. If you can wait that long!

Rating: 4/5 A winter read with an interesting female lead and a spunky dog…Oh, and some hot romance 😉

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Merry Christmas Winners!

Today I am announcing the winners of my 25 days of Jubilation giveaway as well as Karen Erickson’s giveaway of Her Christmas Pleasure. I wanted the winners to receive their goodies before the season was over. Because I don’t know about you but once I ring in the new year I’m ready to move on from Mr. Clause and the cookie buffet. Get me to a gym and some classic or contemporary reads…

*Sigh* but luckily we’re still snuggled firmly in Christmastime. As evidenced by my consuming at least half a dozen cookies last night in addition to finishing Highlander for the Holidays by Janet Chapman. Yum on both fronts.

So now it’s my time to play gift elf and giveaway some yummy books of my own.

Without Further Ado…The Winners

YA Stole my Christmas

Sandie @TeenLitRocks

A Regency Christmas

tweetyscute

A Break From the Hustle and Bustle

deanna_boocock

Her Christmas Pleasure via Karen Erickson

June M.

Congratulations All!

And Thanks to everyone who stopped by to enter!!

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Holiday Kisses by Shannon Stacey, Jaci Burton, HelenKay Dimon, and Alison Kent

Holiday Kisses is an anthology by Carina Press full of delightful Christmas-time tales. As it’s getting closer and closer to the big day I’ve broken this review down story by story. So those of you who were early birds and finished shopping in October can Click Here to purchase the full eBook version of the anthology. Those of *cough* us *cough* who may have forgotten how quickly 25 days go by may want to invest in the titles individually. You know, for that quick hour to be found while waiting in line at the mall…

…Don’t judge, you know you’ve seen me reading in the checkout line and though longingly of your own Nook waiting for you at home…Shop Prepared People! lol…

Simply click on each title to be directed to the Carina Press page where the ebooks can be purchased for about 3 dollars a copy. That’s less than a Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Latte! And much more relaxing…especially if you splurge on the Starbucks as well 😉

Without Further Ado…Holiday Kisses…

This Time Next Year – Alison Kent

Brenna Keating is on her way to spend Christmas with her grandmother when treacherous roads and a skittish deer put her car in a ditch. Riding to the rescue—literally—is Dillon Craig, a reclusive doctor who insists she weather the storm in his cabin.

Since returning from Afghanistan where he treated wounded soldiers on the front lines, Dillon’s made it a point to avoid any emotional involvement. But his unexpected guest has him dangerously close to breaking his own rules.

Brenna has a plan for her life—until she’s stranded for three days with Dillon. Soon, the chemistry sizzling between them forces her to reexamine her priorities. The man is gorgeous, if taciturn, and a true hero in every sense of the word. No woman in her right mind could resist him, and so Brenna doesn’t—even though she can’t stay…

This title was the perfect opening to this anthology. I really found myself wishing this was a full length story. Because, even with the constraints of a novella Kent really took the time to give them full personalities. Brenna and Dillon were complex. She’s torn between a lifelong dream and the reality she may not want to leave behind. Dillon is recovering from tours in Afghanistan, haunted by those he was unable to save as a medic in the Army.

I liked Brenna and Dillon together. I could tell that they were the perfect fit to heal each other’s wounds. I just wish that they had been given a full story to flesh out all the complexities Kent gives them. While the novella felt complete…the reader in me itched for a little more time. Maybe Kent will re-release in time as a longer work. I’d like to know more of their histories, spend some time with the mountain people, watch Dillon work on his woodworking craft shirtless…And I’d really love to see some of the love letters the characters sent to each other…Hint, Hint! lol.

Rating: 3.5/5 If only we had a little more time with their love…

A Rare Gift Jaci Burton

With a disastrous marriage behind him, Wyatt Kent has no interest in getting involved with any woman, let alone his ex-wife’s younger sister. But when Calliope Andrews hires him to build an addition onto her day care center, Wyatt can’t help but notice she’s a desirable woman, as warm and funny as his ex was cold and aloof.

Calliope fell hard for Wyatt the first time he walked through the door of her family’s home, and can’t believe her sister let him get away. He’s still the star of all her fantasies, and she’s determined to prove to him she’s nothing like his manipulative ex. Wyatt may be all business, but Calliope sees the way he looks at her when he’s supposed to be working…

It’s not long before Wyatt and Calliope are keeping each other warm on cold December nights. But it’s going to take a Christmas miracle for Wyatt to put his trust in love a second time.

Can I tell you how much I loved this story? I really felt like the characters had time to circle around each other. I didn’t feel like their romantic progression was rushed. And can I just tell you how cute this romantic progression is? Calliope is a quirky girl who knows what she wants and sets out to get him. The potential awkwardness that could result from a woman dating her sister’s ex-husband is dispersed by Calliope’s enthusiasm. Just watching Wyatt’s bear-like nature melt under Calliope’s love and attention was lovely 😉 Too cute. I wanted to eat this story up. It was so good, I need to stop myself now before I continue to gush…One of the best of the book for sure.

Rating: 5/5 Potentially awkward romance gives lots of wonderful love instead. 

It’s Not Christmas Without You by HelenKay Dimon

Carrie Anders officially broke up with Austin Thomas when she accepted a dream job in the city. Unofficially, she misses him and is tempted to sneak back to her West Virginia hometown to see him. That’s why this year, she’s not going home for the holidays. Her heart can’t take any more mornings-after where nothing has changed—and Austin has made it clear he’s not interested in relocating.

Austin’s been waiting for Carrie to realize she can’t live without him. But when he hears she’s not coming home for Christmas, he decides to take action. If Carrie won’t come to the country, he’s going to bring a piece of the country to Carrie—in the form of a Christmas tree lot just minutes from her apartment. He’s certain daily meetings will entice her to come home with him, this time for good.

Their attraction is as hot as ever, but with such contrary Christmas wishes, can either of them get what they really want this year?

I’ll admit, I could have skipped this tale. It’s about a relationship that has been on hiatus for roughly 6 months. This is after dating for years: think high school, college, and beyond. Carrie has moved to D.C. because Austin won’t compromise. Austin can’t understand why Carrie would like to have her own hopes and dreams fulfilled working in a prestigious museum rather than a small tourist trap in West Virginia. Silly man, the answer is Duh. What girl doesn’t want all her dreams to come true…even those that don’t include a man.

What bothered me was that in the end, I don’t think Austin got it. He openly hated Carrie’s job and spent the majority of the novella waiting for her to come to her senses and come home. While the do eventually reconcile and “compromise” it’s not in any way I see working in the long run. I wondered if maybe Carrie should have given the big city boys a chance…because Austin’s not giving up anything for her dream.

Rating: 1/5 I didn’t like their relationship…If Carrie was my girlfriend I’d tell her to move on…

Mistletoe and Margaritas by Shannon Stacey

Claire Rutledge still believes in love, despite losing her husband. So, after two years, she’s not surprised by the steamy dreams telling her it might be time to start moving on. But she didn’t expect her friend Justin to have the starring role.

Justin McCormick has loved Claire since the moment he first saw her, but his best friend got there first. Now that Claire is ready to move on with her life, Justin is finding it harder than ever to hide his true feelings. And when they both get caught up in the holiday spirits at a party, their simmering mutual attraction boils over into a night neither of them can forget…

Can I start by saying how much I love Shannon Stacey’s writing. When I interviewed her this summer she let it slip that this story would be out around the holidays. You don’t even want to see how excited I got when this collection went up on NetGalley. E.X.C.I.T.E.D. doesn’t even do it justice.

Stacey didn’t disappoint. Her characters, as always, were down to earth and funny. You hit this relationship not at its beginning but close to its boiling point. You’re literally waiting for these characters to implode! They’ve spent so much time trying to resist each other because of the nature of Claire’s first marriage that the tension is through the roof. Their relationship, both physical and emotional, comes together very realistically. Though this is the shortest title in the collection I never felt as though the progression of their relationship was rushed. And they were given time to deal with the emotional ramifications of their attraction. When this one ends you’ll find a Happily Ever After, not just because the Author tells you there will be one…but because you can see it for yourself in the character’s new-found understanding.

Rating: 4/5 Mistletoe spurs yet another relationship…Because something had to break that tension! 

*Book Received from Carina Press via NetGalley…I was in no way compensated for my review beyond the gift of a free book…Thanks!*

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TGIF (19)…My most Popular…

TGIF is hosted by Ginger at Greads. It’s about answering/asking our readers a random book related question. The question posted by Ginger today is…

Most Popular: What blog post has gotten the most comments/activity on your blog this year?

Most Popular: Passion (Fallen #3) by Lauren Kate *Spoilers*

I think it has to do with the *Spoilers* portion of my title. It’s definitely not my favorite book in the series. It wasn’t even one of my more well written posts. I put it up hoping to ignite discussion about all the questions Kate left us with in this title. Sadly there was no discussion to be had! Apparently people prefer to ponder my questions silently…because while they enjoy reading the page, they’re not so hot on answering. I guess they’re all puzzled by Kate’s Angel conundrum as well…

Most Commented Goes To: 25 Days of Jubilation…Or, TheLibrarian’s Tale of Christmas Woe and a Giveaway

This is most commented probably because everyone likes a good Tale Of Woe around Christmas time…Oh and an awesome giveaway 😉 Head on over to enter the giveaway now. I’m officially picking a winner on Monday (December, 19). This way everyone can enjoy the Christmas bounty before Christmas!

Also, since I’m reminding about free Christmas themed goodies, Check out:

TheLibrarian Interviews…Karen Erickson and Giveaway

Comment on the post to win an e-book version of Her Christmas Pleasure. If you’ve been scoping out my Christmas selections this year you’ll know I LOVED the hour I spent with this book. Short, sweet, and yummy…the perfect Christmas break. I’ll be announcing the winner on Tuesday (December 20th) That way the winner has 5 days to enjoy the Christmas Pleasure before the holiday is officially over! lol.

Aren’t you glad you stopped by for all these fun Giveaways? What was the most popular for you? Any trends you noticed? Any type of post you like to read in particular? Do tell…

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Library Musings…Date them or Hate them: Girls who Read

So I might be a little slow on the uptake, but recently LindzerWest (you may remember her from the great Book Club of Two re-read of Wuthering Heights) introduced me to the essay “A Girl You Should Date” by Rosemarie Urquico Which is all about loving a girl who loves to read…Love that 😉

So I got to thinking I should share this essay with all of my bookish readers…

They would LOVE this homage to female readers everywhere…

But the more I began to investigate this awesome little essay…I found a few new facts and a mystery…

First “A Girl You Should Date” is actually a response to an essay by Charles Warnke entitled “You Should Date An Illiterate Girl” (This is the link to the original essay) And while they’re vastly different in tone and, partially, context…I’m pretty sure they’re both very much about loving a girl who reads…Only I think Mr. Warnke got dumped…So we shall forgive him and his hater-attitude. I think within his final paragraphs you’ll find the same gist Urquico has in her entire essay. Except Ms. Urquico’s will leave all bookish-women feeling warm and fuzzy and Mr. Warnke still comes off a bit burned.

I’d love to be able to link to Urquico’s original posting of her essay…but no one seems to know where it originated! Just Google “A Girl You Should Date”. You’ll find it’s been massively reposted all over the internet. With all bloggers simply going *fangirl* over its lines. Yet the closest I could get to the beginning of the mania was a tip that the spread started from GoodReads…So that’s where I’m linking for a bibliographic source. And if anyone has figured out the mystery that is Rosemarie Urquico let us know! That girl is harder to find than Waldo…

Feel free to leave any comments, *fangirl* or analytical alike at the bottom of the Post…Maybe Urquico will find us…

Without further ado…The Essays…

A GIRL YOU SHOULD DATE

(Pictures from NonaMerah’s blog)

Date a girl who reads. Date a girl who spends her money on books instead of clothes. She has problems with closet space because she has too many books. Date a girl who has a list of books she wants to read, who has had a library card since she was twelve.

Find a girl who reads. You’ll know that she does because she will always have an unread book in her bag. She’s the one lovingly looking over the shelves in the bookstore, the one who quietly cries out when she finds the book she wants. You see the weird chick sniffing the pages of an old book in a second hand book shop? That’s the reader. They can never resist smelling the pages, especially when they are yellow.

She’s the girl reading while waiting in that coffee shop down the street. If you take a peek at her mug, the non-dairy creamer is floating on top because she’s kind of engrossed already. Lost in a world of the author’s making. Sit down. She might give you a glare, as most girls who read do not like to be interrupted. Ask her if she likes the book.

Buy her another cup of coffee.
Let her know what you really think of Murakami. See if she got through the first chapter of Fellowship. Understand that if she says she understood James Joyce’s Ulysses she’s just saying that to sound intelligent. Ask her if she loves Alice or she would like to be Alice.

It’s easy to date a girl who reads. Give her books for her birthday, for Christmas and for anniversaries. Give her the gift of words, in poetry, in song. Give her Neruda, Pound, Sexton, Cummings. Let her know that you understand that words are love. Understand that she knows the difference between books and reality but by god, she’s going to try to make her life a little like her favorite book. It will never be your fault if she does.

She has to give it a shot somehow.
Lie to her. If she understands syntax, she will understand your need to lie. Behind words are other things: motivation, value, nuance, dialogue. It will not be the end of the world.

Fail her. Because a girl who reads knows that failure always leads up to the climax. Because girls who understand that all things will come to end. That you can always write a sequel. That you can begin again and again and still be the hero. That life is meant to have a villain or two.

Why be frightened of everything that you are not? Girls who read understand that people, like characters, develop. Except in the Twilight series.

If you find a girl who reads, keep her close. When you find her up at 2 AM clutching a book to her chest and weeping, make her a cup of tea and hold her. You may lose her for a couple of hours but she will always come back to you. She’ll talk as if the characters in the book are real, because for a while, they always are.

You will propose on a hot air balloon. Or during a rock concert. Or very casually next time she’s sick. Over Skype.

You will smile so hard you will wonder why your heart hasn’t burst and bled out all over your chest yet. You will write the story of your lives, have kids with strange names and even stranger tastes. She will introduce your children to the Cat in the Hat and Aslan, maybe in the same day. You will walk the winters of your old age together and she will recite Keats under her breath while you shake the snow off your boots.

Date a girl who reads because you deserve it. You deserve a girl who can give you the most colorful life imaginable. If you can only give her monotony, and stale hours and half-baked proposals, then you’re better off alone. If you want the world and the worlds beyond it, date a girl who reads.

Or better yet, date a girl who writes.

– Rosemarie Urquico –

You Should Date An Illiterate Girl

JAN. 19, 2011 By CHARLES WARNKE

Date a girl who doesn’t read. Find her in the weary squalor of a Midwestern bar. Find her in the smoke, drunken sweat, and varicolored light of an upscale nightclub. Wherever you find her, find her smiling. Make sure that it lingers when the people that are talking to her look away. Engage her with unsentimental trivialities. Use pick-up lines and laugh inwardly. Take her outside when the night overstays its welcome. Ignore the palpable weight of fatigue. Kiss her in the rain under the weak glow of a streetlamp because you’ve seen it in film. Remark at its lack of significance. Take her to your apartment. Dispatch with making love. Fuck her.

Let the anxious contract you’ve unwittingly written evolve slowly and uncomfortably into a relationship. Find shared interests and common ground like sushi, and folk music. Build an impenetrable bastion upon that ground. Make it sacred. Retreat into it every time the air gets stale, or the evenings get long. Talk about nothing of significance. Do little thinking. Let the months pass unnoticed. Ask her to move in. Let her decorate. Get into fights about inconsequential things like how the fucking shower curtain needs to be closed so that it doesn’t fucking collect mold. Let a year pass unnoticed. Begin to notice.

Figure that you should probably get married because you will have wasted a lot of time otherwise. Take her to dinner on the forty-fifth floor at a restaurant far beyond your means. Make sure there is a beautiful view of the city. Sheepishly ask a waiter to bring her a glass of champagne with a modest ring in it. When she notices, propose to her with all of the enthusiasm and sincerity you can muster. Do not be overly concerned if you feel your heart leap through a pane of sheet glass. For that matter, do not be overly concerned if you cannot feel it at all. If there is applause, let it stagnate. If she cries, smile as if you’ve never been happier. If she doesn’t, smile all the same.

Let the years pass unnoticed. Get a career, not a job. Buy a house. Have two striking children. Try to raise them well. Fail, frequently. Lapse into a bored indifference. Lapse into an indifferent sadness. Have a mid-life crisis. Grow old. Wonder at your lack of achievement. Feel sometimes contented, but mostly vacant and ethereal. Feel, during walks, as if you might never return, or as if you might blow away on the wind. Contract a terminal illness. Die, but only after you observe that the girl who didn’t read never made your heart oscillate with any significant passion, that no one will write the story of your lives, and that she will die, too, with only a mild and tempered regret that nothing ever came of her capacity to love.

Do those things, god damnit, because nothing sucks worse than a girl who reads. Do it, I say, because a life in purgatory is better than a life in hell. Do it, because a girl who reads possesses a vocabulary that can describe that amorphous discontent as a life unfulfilled—a vocabulary that parses the innate beauty of the world and makes it an accessible necessity instead of an alien wonder. A girl who reads lays claim to a vocabulary that distinguishes between the specious and soulless rhetoric of someone who cannot love her, and the inarticulate desperation of someone who loves her too much. A vocabulary, god damnit, that makes my vacuous sophistry a cheap trick.

Do it, because a girl who reads understands syntax. Literature has taught her that moments of tenderness come in sporadic but knowable intervals. A girl who reads knows that life is not planar; she knows, and rightly demands, that the ebb comes along with the flow of disappointment. A girl who has read up on her syntax senses the irregular pauses—the hesitation of breath—endemic to a lie. A girl who reads perceives the difference between a parenthetical moment of anger and the entrenched habits of someone whose bitter cynicism will run on, run on well past any point of reason, or purpose, run on far after she has packed a suitcase and said a reluctant goodbye and she has decided that I am an ellipsis and not a period and run on and run on. Syntax that knows the rhythm and cadence of a life well lived.

Date a girl who doesn’t read because the girl who reads knows the importance of plot. She can trace out the demarcations of a prologue and the sharp ridges of a climax. She feels them in her skin. The girl who reads will be patient with an intermission and expedite a denouement. But of all things, the girl who reads knows most the ineluctable significance of an end. She is comfortable with them. She has bid farewell to a thousand heroes with only a twinge of sadness.

Don’t date a girl who reads because girls who read are the storytellers. You with the Joyce, you with the Nabokov, you with the Woolf. You there in the library, on the platform of the metro, you in the corner of the café, you in the window of your room. You, who make my life so god damned difficult. The girl who reads has spun out the account of her life and it is bursting with meaning. She insists that her narratives are rich, her supporting cast colorful, and her typeface bold. You, the girl who reads, make me want to be everything that I am not. But I am weak and I will fail you, because you have dreamed, properly, of someone who is better than I am. You will not accept the life that I told of at the beginning of this piece. You will accept nothing less than passion, and perfection, and a life worthy of being storied. So out with you, girl who reads. Take the next southbound train and take your Hemingway with you. I hate you. I really, really, really hate you.

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TheLibrarian Interviews…Karen Erickson and Giveaway

Earlier today I reviewed the yummiest Christmas novella:

To add to the Christmas-goodies I’ve asked Karen to answer a few Christmas-themed questions. The three wise men brought 3 gifts in the Christmas story…So today I’m asking Karen Erickson for 3 gifts of my own, in the form of answers to my holiday-themed questions…

1. Your characters in Her Christmas Pleasure blended a bit of Naughty and a bit of Nice…and, frankly, the size of the novella itself was Naughty (I wanted more!) and Nice (perfect size for a quick yummy read) Considering this, where do you land on Santa’s list for writing this title? Naughty or Nice?

Well, considering I’ve written MUCH hotter titles than Her Christmas Pleasure, I’d say I’m more on the Nice side on Santa’s list, LOL. My historicals, while sexy, aren’t as hot as my earlier contemporary titles (specifically from my Playing With Fire series). So hopefully I made the Nice list – though being on the Naughty list isn’t so bad….*grins*

2. We spend much of this novella attending Regency England Christmas celebrations…The mistletoe, the yule log, lots of mulled beverages and holly abound. Is there a reason why you were drawn to write a story set at Christmas time? and What are your favorite Christmas traditions? Pictures please, if appropriate. 

I love a good Christmas story. I’ve written a few in the past (contemporaries) and I can’t explain why, but when the idea came to me for Her Christmas Pleasure, it had to be set during Christmas. It might’ve helped that I started the novella right around Christmas last year and finished it in January.

There are still many Christmas traditions carried on today that were happening (and even established) during the Regency period – including mistletoe. I knew Damien and Celia had to kiss under the mistletoe – that’s how they came to me in the first place!

3. It’s easy to say that Damien and Celia receive the gift of Love this Christmas. What is the best gift you’ve found beneath the tree?

Years ago my husband went out with his friend and they bought last-minute gifts for the wives. I had no idea what he was up to but when I opened my gift Christmas morning, the first thing I thought was, “Why this?” It was an iPod. I believe this was in 2003 – we still had dial-up internet and let me tell you, downloading a song from iTunes was an impossibly long and trying process!

So it sat for a couple of months. We finally got rid of the dial-up, I started writing once more (it was something I’d always started and stopped since I was in my very early 20s) and I pulled out the iPod, making myself a playlist. It helped with the writing so much – one of the best gifts I’ve ever received (though that iPod died a few years ago, LOL)!

If we count gifts from when I was little, the Barbie Dream Townhouse. It had an elevator – it was AWESOME.

4. Bonus! (I’m much greedier than baby Jesus, lol) What can we expect from the next Merry Widow…Give us 3 hints…

Oooh, well I can tell you the title for the third Merry Widows novella is A Scandalous Affair. I cannot tell you the release date because I don’t know it, LOL. Here are a few hints though:

• The hero has an embarrassing impediment which makes him a bit shy (and gives him a bad reputation amongst society, those wretched, judgmental beasts!)
• The heroine is rather determined in her pursuit of the hero
• I love the heroine’s brother so much I think he deserves his own story
• There is a minor guest appearance by one of the other Merry Widows and her new husband.

And that’s all I’m telling you. *inserts evil laugh here*

Contest: I’ll give away a Kindle or Nook ebook gift of Her Christmas Pleasure to one lucky commenter!

This giveaway is now closed…Click Here to see the winner

Thanks Karen! How sweet is she spreading the Christmas Spirit via a giveaway…And very tempting with her teasers for Merry Widows #3. Can’t wait to pick it up!

Bio

Karen Erickson has always loved the written word. From being one of the best readers in her kindergarten class to penning romantic stories that never ended about her favorite band members (Duran Duran) in high school, she always wanted to write. It just took her a while to seriously pursue it.

With the birth of her third child came a realization – it’s one thing to talk about writing a book, another thing entirely to actually do it. First published in 2006, she’s gone on to write over 30 erotic and sensual romance titles for e-publishers including Samhain Publishing, Ellora’s Cave and Carina Press.

On a personal note she’s a native Californian who lives in the foothills below Yosemite with her husband and three children. Oh and the dog, the cats, the rooster and the chickens…

Where you can find Karen on the Web:

• Website: http://karenerickson.com
• Blog: http://karenerickson.blogspot.com
• Group Blog (The Smutketeers): http://smutketeers.com
• Facebook: http://facebook.com/karenericksonwritesromance
• Twitter: http://twitter.com/karenerickson

Thanks so much for having me, Sara! Happy Holidays everyone!

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Her Christmas Pleasure (The Merry Widows #2) by Karen Erickson

BookTalk

Mistletoe is a dangerous thing. That small ball of leaves can spring up out of nowhere and change the course of lives.

Lady Danvers and Damien Morton have been friends forever. Damien was the best friend of Lady Danver’s, Celia’s, husband. Since his death Damien has become an integral part of Celia’s life. He’s been a shoulder to cry on, a friend, and a father figure for Celia’s young son. Until now, Celia has managed to ignore the fact that Damien is head-over-heals in love with her. Sure, she’s noticed the long lingering stares, the warm touches, and the love blooming between her son and her friend. But, attraction is easy to ignore in the society of the Ton especially between a Lady and an untitled man.

Until that sneaky ball of greenery. This kiss underneath the mistletoe may very well bring two people together in the magic of the season.

Review

If you’re looking for the perfect way to pass an hour with a glass of wine this Holiday Season look no further. Her Christmas Pleasure is like a Christmas cookie, a little bon-bon, a piece of fudge. It’s short, sweet, and yummy…

I didn’t realize when I requested this book that it was a novella. I wasn’t sure how I felt about the length when I opened the ebook…

Short doesn’t usually mean good in the Romance genre…

It usually means underdeveloped characters I don’t connect to…

It means I feel gypped by a lack of fleshed out relationships and bedroom scenes that seem rushed and [pardon the pun] unfulfilling.

I could not have been more wrong in my prejudice of this book. I’ve waited a bit to write this review trying to figure out exactly how Erickson gave so much body to such a short book. Right from the start I felt involved in Damien and Celia’s lives. Probably because Erickson throws you right into the middle of things. The middle of a Christmas celebration, the middle of their relationship, and in the middle of Damien’s decision to stay by Celia’s side and fight for her affections…or run away to a new job and a new country. These characters have a history and you feel that connection and the tension right from the start.

By the time Damien and Celia make it to their first bedroom scene you’ll be thinking “What took you two so long?!” even though you’ll only be, like, 30 or so pages in! Erickson is just that good at setting her scenes and forming her characters. I was amazed to find that the novella was over. I think I kept clicking after the final page just hoping for a magical continuation of their story (hey, I’m sure some of Santa’s elves specialize in Romance novels…they’re the naughty ones 😉 Sorry couldn’t resist!)

Anyway, know that I wasn’t sad this book ended so quickly because the story wasn’t complete. Nope. Damien and Celia’s story comes to a satisfying conclusion [again, me and the puns today!]. I just wanted more because I loved the characters so much. I wanted to follow them into their happily ever after. I wanted more from their newly formed family.

Honestly, treat yourself to this little Christmas nugget. You’ll thank me for the hour you spent in the company of Her Christmas Pleasure…It’s the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of the season.

Rating: 5/5 Still in awe of so much love in such a short package

*Book received from Carina Press via NetGalley for review…Thanks!*

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A Winter Scandal (Legend of St. Dwynwen #1) by Candace Camp

BookTalk

Thea is officially a spinster. After a few seasons attempting to garner attention with youth and ribbons and no dowery to speak of Thea left the ballrooms of the country and settled into life as a Vicar’s sister. She spends her days writing her brother’s sermons and keeping her nose in a book. Many a fine hour is spent in quiet study of the latest tomes.

Gabriel is officially a rake. He’s spent his adulthood flitting from ballroom to ballroom managing to capture the heart of many a youthful debutante and the bedroom of many a widowed Lady. But with the purchase of a country estate Gabriel is ready for a bit of quiet amongst friends for the holiday season.

That is until Thea finds a baby in a manger…

A baby wearing Gabriel’s crest…

Convinced the child is Gabriel’s by-blow Thea storms in to confront the rake. But the child’s story won’t be dealt with so easily. As the mystery of the baby gets deeper and deeper. These two opposites will find that what they may really want this holiday season is love…

Review

“I know you’re not the sort to lose your head even over a man who looks like sin walking, which his lordship does”…”It’s your heart I’m worried about” (152)

This is such a Cinderella story. A woman transformed by finding love. When we meet Thea she’s a confirmed spinster. Completely entrenched in the boring life of a Vicar’s sister. It only takes one meeting from Gabriel to begin to crack away at that stodgy facade. Out come rosy cheeks, curls, and a desire to dress pretty again. It was fun to watch Gabriel’s kisses turn Thea from a caterpillar to a butterfly.

What I wasn’t as in love with in this book was the mystery plot line. I thought the mystery took a really long time to come to a head. For about 90% of the novel we have 0 clues. ZERO. I was slightly frustrated by this point. The love story progressed on a nice story-arc and those bedroom scenes were absolutly wonderful! But that pesky mystery [who the baby’s mother was and how he ended up abandoned in the church] kept popping up!

Granted trying to solve the mystery and taking care of baby Mathew was the entire reason Thea and Gabriel were forced to be together. I mean, Gabriel completely ignored Thea after a first kiss and a re-meet at a country ball. If fate hadn’t thrown a mysterious baby their way there would have been no hope for this couple falling in love.

So it’s a good thing baby Mathew was left in that manger. Because once Gabriel gives Thea a chance he discovers a smart, practical woman who is just dying to let her hair go wild and embrace her wanton ways. They have the best kissing scenes in this book! Right from the start they have sparks.

I think of all the Christmas-themed romances I’ve been devouring lately this has been the least “Christmas-y”. True, they find a baby in a manger and Thea is the Vicar’s sister…but other than these satellite references there is no real attachment to the holiday. This is not a book filled with yule-tide greetings and traditions. But it was a lovely winter Romance. Feel free to do this one before or after the holiday season. It’s a nice way to warm up a winter weekend.

3/5: Solid winter read

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TheLibrarian Interviews…Carla Kelly

Earlier today I reviewed a very special Christmas Romance:

And now I present even more Christmas-themed goodies. The three wise men brought 3 gifts in the Christmas story…So today I’m asking Carla Kelly for 3 gifts of my own, in the form of answers to my holiday-themed questions…

1. Marian gets herself into quite a few hijinks in this novel. Including shoving a morphine induced Lord Ingraham on to a mail coach…While I’m assuming you don’t have a whole lot of personal experiences with plots like this, What’s the wildest Christmas Story you have to tell? Personally?

Art does not imitate life, in this case. No wild Christmases in my life; just the usual kind. All I ever do when writing a book is write the story I want to read. I suppose I was in the mood for a Christmas tale with a bit of adventure to it.

2. The Regency world you create is so rich; full of tradition. Where did you find the inspiration for the family traditions in this story? Was it research? Or did some spring from your own family history?

It was research,  mostly looking in histories of British Christmases. They didn’t really start to turn into what we know today until Prince Albert married Queen Victoria and brought along his German traditions, and that was after the Regency era.

3. A peek at your website tells me that there are more regency era books in the works. Give us a few teasers about these new titles…Will they be naughty or nice?

A bit of both. The books I write for Harlequin Historicals are, I suppose, what you refer to as naughty, although not particularly naughty by Harlequin standards. Others coming out on ebook via Cedar Fort and Signet are those earlier Regencies I wrote for Signet. When I left Signet to write for Harlequin, I asked for and was granted a reversion of rights on my traditional Regencies – trads, as they are known in the business. Apparently Signet is relaunching that old trad Regency line in January with those older Regencies – mine, and other Regency writers who used to write for Signet. The old trad line was not graphic, relying instead on witty writing.

Bio:

Bio:

Carla Kelly is a veteran of romance fiction. The author of more than thirty novels and novellas for Donald I. Fine, Inc., Signet and Harlequin, Carla is the recipient of two RITA Awards from Romance Writers of America and two Spur Awards from Western Writers of America, plus a Lifetime Achievement Award from Romantic Times.

A scholar of the Indian Wars, Carla also writes what she calls “footnote projects.” These include a short history of Fort Buford, where Sitting Bull surrendered; and various monographs ranging from army hygiene, to the fur trade, to 1930s Indian education. She edited the fur trade journal of Swiss artist, Rudolph F. Kurz for Oklahoma University Press.

In addition to mainstream fiction, Carla also writes fiction for an LDS (Mormon) audience. She lives in Wellington, Utah, in Carbon County, which is famous for coal mining. To find out what she’s up to, her blog is carlakellyauthor.blogspot.com. She blogs occasionally, unless she’s busy writing.

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Marian’s Christmas Wish by Carla Kelly

BookTalk

Marian is looking forward to having the perfect Christmas. It’s been a year since her father’s death and it’s about a month until the family is too destitute to maintain their current home. Marian figures it’s best to make the most of the present and squeeze every bit of Christmas Spirit out of the season.

That is until her brother comes home with two lords. One, a whale of a man to marry Marian’s sister (and save the family home) another,  handsome and young Lord Ingraham who seems to be hiding from his true desires.

Then Marian’s other brother will return home disgraced from University. Hijinks will abound as witty Marian attempts to save the family spirit…and force everyone to fulfill their Christmas wish…If only she knew that someone’s wish was for her heart…

Review

This is the sweetest Christmas Romance. It falls into a category of Romance classification called Traditional. An adult Romance read without any overt sex. it reads just like a trashy romance…without the trashy bits. I think the best way to show my love for this book is to breakdown all the bits that worked for me.

The Clean Romance. It’s not exactly a secret that I like my romances trashy. I love the buildup to a bedroom scene…extra points if it happens somewhere other than a bedroom, the garden perhaps? the stables? It’s all lovely in my book. Which is why I had a bit of trepidation in learning that this book was Traditional…and squeaky clean.

Uh oh, I was a bit nervous to leave the tried and true path of the trashy romance…

I should have worried not. This book was wonderful. The romance between Marian and Gil built quickly. There were plenty of sweet moments, and a few slightly sensual. It’s obvious Gil is a man who knows what he’s doing even if Marian is pure as snow. Watching him fall for such a naive girl was thrilling. As a reader you know what must be going through his head, you know exactly when Marian catches his eye and exactly when he falls in love…even if Marian is a little slower on the uptake.

Marian’s age. I’ve mentioned that Marian is a bit naive. She’s also a bit immature at the start of this book. I’ll even admit there were times when I was wincing at her reactions. You see, Gil, the very hunky spy, is about 13 years her senior. I’ll give you a moment to ‘ick’ before we put this all in the perspective of Regency England where poor Marian could have potentially married someone old enough to be her father…or grandfather.

So beyond the massive [by modern standards] age gap Marian’s youth served the story well. It forced the relationship to move a little slower. And it was fun watching Marian mature under Gil’s instruction and stolen kisses. You can see the potential in Marian from the beginning…But the woman you find at the end of the story is worthy of any full-blooded Regency Romance.

Marian’s Brain. Oh, my, does her intelligence get her in trouble! The last place an intelligent woman was desired was a Regency dining table. True, we’re reading a story about a man who falls for this witty woman, it’s what we love as a reader. But Kelly bars no punches when Marian speaks out of turn.

Most of the time Marian is right.

All of the time it amuses Gil and endears her to his love.

And Marian is still struck down every time. It’s fun to watch her speak her mind, score little points with the reader and with Gil. But Kelly never lets these slips of the tongue endear her to anyother character. And rightfully so. If we’re introducing the correct age gap between marriageable couples…we’re going to keep the society rules too. I love an author who sticks to her guns and who gives me a smart character to boot.

Gil aka Lord Ingraham. He’s hunky, he’s mysterious, he’s sweet, he’s amusing, and he’s a spy. I. Love. This. Man. How he plays puppet master behind the scenes for so much of the book. It was so much fun to watch his plans come to fruition. Then, when Marion goes and saves him herself…*sigh*…so wonderful to see the two of them support each other. Because, as much as Marian obviously needs a bit of help growing into a woman…Gil needs as much help rectifying the choices he’s made as an adult. Together their romance is oh, so, sweet.

Christmas. Is there anything better than a Regency England Christmas? I don’t think so. It’s the golden age of Christmas. Full of traditions like Mistletoe, the Yule Log, Christmas Pudding wishes, and Midnight Mass in the family church. Of all my Christmas reads this year I found this one to be the most festive. I felt such a part of the celebration. I could just feel the Christmas spirit pouring off the page. It made me want to read this one with a fresh snow-fall and a hot chocolate…and my mother’s Christmas tree…It’s ever so much more traditional than my own.

This tale really is a wonderful Christmas read. If you’re hankering for a new book this holiday season that will make you smile, laugh, and even bring a tear or two to your eyes. It’s the perfect soft romance for a snowy day.

Rating: 5/5 A Christmas romance to get you in the Christmas Spirit!

*Book received from Cedar Fort Books via NetGalley…Thanks!*

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