Author pseudonyms: helpful or harmful? Just wondering...

Warning: a long and rambling post ahead... but honestly. I'm really curious about this.

I've been thinking a lot about this, because I see it happening more and more often. It always bothers me when an author takes on a pseudonym to publish a book in or outside their usual genre. I feel cheated, because sometimes I’ll miss a book by a favorite author. Without the name recognition, I don’t always pick up books by new authors. I admit it. I only have a limited amount of money to spend, and the majority of my book-buying money goes to tried and true authors rather than first-timers, even though I do also buy and read new and new-to-me authors. I commented in my Overview of 2010 post about how sad I was that Leslie Parrish was having so much difficulty getting her books sold because they seriously rock the house, and I wondered if the pseudonym was hurting her because she lost out on the name recognition (she’s also well-known Harlequin author Leslie Kelly). The answer I’ve heard from many authors is that their publisher recommends/requests/requires the name change when branching out to a new genre – even if it’s still within romance. Something about reader expectations, blah blah blah.

I have to wonder if this is a smart move. We are living in an age where publishers will drop an author immediately if their first book doesn’t sell well. I would think that they would want to take advantage of any name recognition they can. When you send an established author out into the world with a new name, not only are they a new name, but they are a new author with a first book. It does nothing to increase their credibility.

Many romance readers are incredibly savvy. We read the OBC blurbs. We follow our favorite authors on Facebook, and twitter, and we read their websites and blogs. Not only are authors allowed to have more than one type of voice speak to them, they usually have no say in the matter, LOL, and as consumers, we should be able to understand that. On the other hand, many romance readers are also impossibly old-fashioned (GASP – S.E.Ecks? Nooooo! Say it isn’t so!!). They like what they like, who they like, and the way they write it. These folks are disappointed when an author changes genres, and whine to the high heavens about the immorality of sex in romances today (because real people don’t ever have sex with the door open, or before they get married, or in any way other than missionary). And there are many who fall somewhere in between. Just like in any other area of life, you can’t pigeonhole romance readers into a type. So why cater to only one portion of readers (the please don’t ever ever change a thing portion)? If those folks aren’t going to follow an author into a new genre anyway? Why not cater to those who will, and get the extra name recognition and sales out of it?

Here are some examples of pseudonyms I've been thinking about:
Sylvia Day/ SJ Day/ Livia Dare: I adore her historicals. I’m not a fan of urban fantasy, so didn’t read the SJ Days or the Livia Dares, but if she wrote those as Sylvia Day I wouldn’t hold it against her. In fact, I noted in my review of her latest historical that I simply (ok, impatiently, LOL) waited out the UFs knowing this book was coming. Not sure why the UF had to be released under not one, but two pseudonyms.

Leslie Parrish: This is the pseudonym for bestselling Harlequin author Leslie Kelly. A Kelly category is pretty much guaranteed to be a success, cause well, she rocks. But as Parrish, she had a really tough time breaking into romantic suspense, which sucked cause, well, the books rocked. Was it because Parrish was a “new” author with a "first" book? As a reader, I’m more likely to take a chance on a known author spreading her wings than an unknown newbie (although I read plenty of those as well). Personally, I think sending her out into the romantic suspense world as a new author hurt her sales, where her name recognition could have helped them. Sure, some readers would have read the first one and decided to stick with her categories (those "No, don't ever ever change a thing" folks  - and indeed, some did and needless to say were NOT happy). But how many more would have picked up that suspense book, simply because Leslie Kelly wrote it, and loved it – and then bought the rest?

Beth Williamson/Emma Lang: I really don’t understand the reason for the pseudonym here at all (Emma Lang), also requested by her publisher as I understand it. Emma Lang writes western historicals. Beth Williamson? Yup. Western historicals (although she has several hawt contemporaries out there as well). So here, this seems to be a perfect opportunity to take advantage of an author’s name in a genre where she’s already known. Why wouldn’t a publisher want to capitalize on that?

Toni Blake/Lacey Alexander: A successful dual genre, dual-named author. Her Toni Blake contemporaries are wonderful. Her Lacey Alexander erotic romances are also terrific. She’s also one who was able to keep her dual identity secret for a long time. I’m not sure if her print or her e-books came first, but it’s definitely easier, IMO, to break in as a new author into the digital world.

Jessica Bird/JR Ward: Does this one even count? I only ask because there seems to be no more Jessica Bird. JR Ward reigns in that relationship, and I guess given her success, rightfully so. Once the BDB came out, Jessica simply disappeared. But here's an example of a pretty successful category romance author breaking out into paranormal, and hitting a home run with a new identity. Would it have happened anyway, had they been released as Jessica Bird? I tend to think so, but at this point, who can tell?

Nora Roberts/JD Robb: Perhaps the most successful dual-named author of them all. I read on her site that the In Death series was originally only supposed to be a trilogy. I wonder if that was why she originally went with a pseudonym for the futuristic suspense books, either in case they weren't successful, or out of fear that her readers wouldn't accept a new genre. Was it her choice, or her publisher's decision? Nora? You out there? It would be very interesting to hear more about this. And once the books were successful, then I assume she was stuck. She even has a different author photo on her Robb books that looks much more appropriate for a suspense/thriller/futuristic author than a romance author (I'm sure that amazingly awesome leather coat is the same one that Eve wears). I think the NR/JD Robb brand is what every pub house is after when they ask their author to use a pseudonym. But really, how likely is that to happen again, where a highly successful author continues to write in both genres under both names? There's only one Roarke, people. (I'm sure there are other success stories, so if you know of any more, please share!)

Megan Hart: Here’s an author who is successful in romance. And yet, she hasn’t changed her name for any of her latest releases, some of which are not really romances. She made no bones about it to her readers – I recall her saying over and over – “Hey, this isn’t a romance – but I’d love for you to take a chance on it.” IMO, this hasn’t hurt her brand as a romance author in the slightest. When she does write a true romance, her romance audience will read it, even if they skip the speculative fiction. (If you write it, they will come.)

Many other authors have also successfully changed genres without changing their name. Coming to mind immediately are Tami Hoag, Lisa Jackson, Sandra Brown, Catherine Coulter, Heather Graham, Linda Howard, Iris Johansen, Mariah Stewart, and Karen Robards (can you tell I read thrillers - a lot?). Interestingly, they all switched from romance to suspense - and Graham dabbles with the paranormal (in its truest definition). And yet, Kelly wasn’t given the same opportunity. Interesting to me.

James Patterson and John Grisham both wrote books for YA readers (my boys both enjoyed them – youngest really enjoys the Maximum Ride series). Nobody asked them to change their names (I assume).

As a reader, I pick and choose which books I buy, even when an author releases a book in the same genre as she usually writes. I appreciate being given the benefit of the doubt for my own intelligence. Oftentimes, a book just doesn’t sound all that interesting to me, so I skip it. Doesn’t mean I don’t go back to that author next time. I eat up Teresa Medeiros’ and Kathryn Smith’s historicals, but after I read the first vampire historical from each of them, I passed on the rest. But when they each released another straight historical, I was the first to go buy it (I think I actually squeed aloud when Kathryn Smith told me about her latest series at the RWA Literacy signing in SF). Take Anne Stuart – she writes contemporaries, suspense and historicals. Just because her ‘genre’ changed, her writing remains constant. Dark, morally ambiguous heroes and almost TSTL heroines that make you want to smack some sense into them.

I look at authors like Lauren Dane, who writes contemporaries, futuristics, and paranormals concurrently. Or Shiloh Walker, who also switches from contemporary to paranormal. Or NJ Walters, who switches between vampires, shifters, and contemporaries easily. Common denominator: all these folks got their start in digital publishing, and continue to publish there. (And someone please tell me why NJ isn't a huge star in the NY scene? Huh?) Wonder if that’s the key here. Are digital readers more willing to follow authors and move between genres than their print counterparts?

What do you think? Does it help or hurt an author to use more than one name, whether they are switching genres or not?

Restless Heart by Emma Lang

Blurb via emmalang.com:
Angels don’t always have halos…

Angeline Hunter ran from a horrific marriage, to start her life again in a small town in Wyoming, away from the Mormon life she had escaped in Utah. She didn’t want to fall in love, or even fall in like, with a man like Samuel Carver. He was too nice, too normal, and far out of the reach for a woman who lived each day in a lie.

Sam Carver had hair the color of midnight and eyes darker than pitch—the eyes of a man who’d seen too much. But he couldn’t get enough of the mysterious, ethereal beauty who had turned up in his little Wyoming town, working at the Blue Plate, keeping to herself.

He knew Angeline Hunter was running scared, pursued by a fanatic who threatened her life. But no matter what it took, Sam would convince his angel to put her trust in him, to put the painful past behind her and learn just how pleasurable the present could be….
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This is the sequel to Ruthless Heart, which I enjoyed. Angeline is the sister to Eliza, the heroine of that book.

What a fabulous book, with two really likable characters. This is, at its heart, a tender love story of two lost souls finding and healing one another. A Civil War soldier, Sam saw far too much death. He still dreams about it every night. He’s got a father with dementia and struggles to overcome the “half-breed” stigma. He feels as though he is just treading water – not sure of where to go, what to do, or how to improve on his life as it now exists.

Angeline was always the good, obedient daughter. So obedient, that she never put up a fuss when her father arranged for her marriage to a Mormon church elder, one who was far older than her and abusive to boot. We only find out exactly how abusive late in the book. Angeline’s family is Mormon, and she is to be one of three wives to her husband. Her one defiant act was to run away when the abuse got too bad. Her husband is out looking for her, having already hired someone to kill her and failing at that (see Ruthless Heart). Angeline is meek, out of fear, but as the book goes on, Sam’s quiet, understated demeanor, love, and support help her gain her footing and she becomes more self-confident. The scenes where she realizes that she has the power to bring a man to his knees simply by undressing for him were enlightening for Angeline and very well done. To see her grow and gain her confidence back was lovely.

Oh, how I loved Sam. It was unexpected to read a Lang (Williamson) book with such a beautiful beta hero. He’s soft spoken, he isn’t afraid to show his love for Angeline or for his father. He runs around helping folks and trying to make everyone happy. But he’s no pushover, and when he needs to, he steps up and protects his woman. He empowers Angeline simply by being gentle and showing Angeline what she means to him. The character growth in both Sam and Angeline was terrific, but even moreso in Angeline. She became her own woman; one who people turned to for help. As she grows, we see her take on the tough situations in order to support Sam, as he goes through difficult times.

Their courtship was heartbreakingly simple and beautiful. Over the course of a month, Sam brings her little gifts and slowly gains her trust before he ever even asks her out. (As an aside, I loved that the first gift he gave her was Sense and Sensibility!) Enough trust was built that it is Angeline who initiates their final step into lovemaking after a bit of official courting. They each have their scars, both physical and emotional. But like in any successful relationship, they make each other stronger, lift each other up, and show each other their worth.

The secondary characters are also strong and well-drawn, without removing the focus from Sam and Angeline. Each one of them adds layers of richness to the story. The real “action” happens after Sam and Angeline get married. Heartbreaking events force them to look inside themselves and to step up and be strong and support each other.

Oh wow, how I enjoyed this book. It was a tender, gentle love story set against a time of changes in our post-Civil War history. My complaint about Ruthless Heart had to do with the strongly negative picture painted of the Mormon church as well as the heroine's unorthodox views of the church. Here, we see Angeline reject the Mormon church, but she still has a strong faith. We see the women being valued and their opinions seen as important. (Given that Wyoming, where the book takes place, was the first to grant women the right to vote, this makes sense historically – the story takes place in 1873). I also liked the historical accuracies as they related to Sam, his war experiences, and his Indian heritage.

Those looking for a great conflict between the hero and heroine won't find it here. But the external issues lend an air of tension to the gentle love story. And the ending lines bring the two books full circle perfectly.




And oh, as an aside, one of the most gorgeous covers I've seen in a while. Man-titty, but understated. The focus more on the man himself than his chest.  (And his pose actually reflects an exact pose described in the book.) Sighworthy cover.

WTF, Borders?

No wonder you're going out of business soon. If you offend everyone the way you just did me...

ARC: Pride and Pleasure by Sylvia Day

Hot damn. I've been waiting forever for Day's next historical. While I adore her writing, urban fantasy isn't my thing, and so have been (im)patiently waiting out her last several releases. Waiting for MY book *g*. And here it is, thanks to an ARC provided by the author.

Wealth has its dangers…

There are disadvantages to being an heiress, as Eliza Martin knows well. Fortune hunters flock to her, acquaintances lie and pander, and lately, someone is engineering “accidents” to propel her to the altar. But Eliza will not be bullied, and she will get to the bottom of this plot. All she needs is a man to infiltrate her assemblage of suitors and find the culprit. Someone not easily noticed; a proficient dancer, quiet, and even-tempered.

…so do certain men

Thief-taker Jasper Bond is entirely too large, too handsome, and too dangerous. Who would believe that an intellectual like Eliza would be seduced by a man of action? But the combination of her stubbornness and the mystery makes the case one Jasper can’t resist. Client satisfaction is a point of pride and it’s his pleasure to prove he’s just the man she needs after all…
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I adored Jasper and Eliza. Flat out loved it. Because although there is an element of mild suspense, most of the focus is strictly on them. And while I expected Jasper to be a badass, he really is all about feeling the love for Eliza, which amazes him (and her) no end, but he runs with it.

Eliza is an incredibly intelligent woman, one who chafes at the bit at the lack of feminine standing in the world. Yet she is not your typical bluestocking. Yes, she has difficulty making socially inane conversation, but she can do it. And she is a strong woman, too, which I love.

I also loved that Eliza and her uncle had a loving relationship, and that she didn't resent looking after him. They had a special bond.

The mystery was fairly easy to solve, but I loved the journey there. Jasper and Eliza's love grew slowly, even though the attraction was there immediately. Day gave them the time to get to know each other, and I loved that. As a result, Jasper wasn't at all the alpha jerk that I expected. He was sweet, kind, and loving with Eliza. She loved that for once someone was taking her at her word. And I loved that when certain things come to light at the end of the book, she doesn't jump to conclusions. She gives Jasper the benefit of the doubt because she knows this man. As well as she knows herself.

All in all, a much more character focused book than many of her historicals, with a bit of mystery/suspense built in. If you are a Day fan, you won't want to miss this. Releases January 25.

ALS, music, and hope

This is a very personal post for me. My sister-in-law has been sick for the past couple years, and she and my brother have been visiting doctors non-stop trying to get a diagnosis. She was finally definitively diagnosed a couple months ago with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease), which is a disease of the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement. It is progressive and always fatal.

My brother and his wife have been together since the early 80s. Married in 1989. Neither of them have really had any other boyfriend or girlfriend. Only each other. We used to joke that if they came to dinner, you only needed one chair, because they couldn’t keep their hands off each other. Obviously, over the years, that has mellowed, but they are still very much in love. I worry for my brother.

They have two beautiful daughters – one is a junior in college who just got back from a semester abroad in London. The other is a high school senior, who has her heart set on going to BU. Now that SIL is no longer working, I hope that they can work something out so that she can still go. And yet, I hate that if she goes, she won’t be able to spend the last bits of true quality time that she can with her mother. My heart breaks for all of them, and for our entire family. We have no way of knowing how fast the disease will progress for SIL, but there is no doubt that it will. She is already in a wheelchair, because she doesn’t have the strength in her feet and ankles to support her body.

I don’t know what decisions they will make as they move forward. Whatever they decide will be the best they can for their family.

As most of you know, I am a huge supporter of the ACS and cancer research. Each year, I nag beg ask you to support my Relay for Life walk. This year, and moving forward, I am going to branch out and find different ways to support the ALS as well as the ACS. There is a ton of research going on for both diseases, and much of it surrounds stem cell research. Since the ruling that reversed President Obama’s 2009 executive order that widened the opportunities for federal funding, there is even a greater need for donations and funding of research for all diseases, but especially those that are fatal where research could make such a difference literally between life and death. I definitely don’t want to turn this into a discussion of the rights or wrongs of embryonic stem cell research – just making a point that funds are needed in order to conduct research – of any kind. There are several organizations out there conducting research for a cure for ALS; one is the ALS Association, another is Project ALS. Both are doing wonderful work not only on the research front, but in providing support to ALS patients and their families.

This morning on the radio, I heard an ad for a CD from an artist who is donating 100% of the proceeds to Project ALS. This is such a simple and easy way to support ALS research and get something completely enjoyable out of it. The artist is Peter Gusmano, and his website is Guitar for a Cure. From there, you can read his story, or link off and purchase his CD, A Flickering Light, which is really great. The CD is available at Amazon and iTunes, among other places. Music Therapy is such a great thing, and I hope that ALS patients, their families, or really anyone who hears this beautiful CD can derive even more pleasure knowing that every dollar spent on that music is going to work to save the lives of ALS patients.

I promise not to flood you with requests for money, but will definitely be participating in the Walk to Defeat ALS and looking for other similar opportunities so that I can support funding the ALS cure research. I hope that, if you don't have your own personal pet cause, that you'll consider looking into supporting a cure for ALS or cancer.

Romance Novel: 2011 edition

Usually, delete email I get from my mom, but I loved this one, and remarkable, hadn't seen it anywhere else yet.
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He grasped me firmly but gently just above my elbow and guided me into a room, his room. Then he quietly shut the door and we were alone. He approached me soundlessly, from behind, and spoke in a low, reassuring voice close to my ear. "Just relax."

Without warning he reached down and I felt his strong, calloused hands start at my ankles, gently probing, and moving upward along my calves slowly but steadily.

My breath caught in my throat. I knew I should be afraid, but somehow I didn't care. His touch was so experienced, so sure.

When his hands moved up onto my thighs, I gave a slight shudder, and partly closed my eyes. My pulse was pounding. I felt his knowing fingers caress my abdomen, my ribcage. And then, as he cupped my firm, full breasts in his hands, I inhaled sharply. Probing, searching, knowing what he wanted, he brought his hands to my shoulders, slid them down my tingling spine and into my panties.



Although I knew nothing about this man, I felt oddly trusting and expectant. This is a man, I thought. A man used to taking charge. A man not used to taking 'no' for an answer. A man who would tell me what he wanted.

A man who would look into my soul and say ...

"Okay, ma'am," said a voice. "All done"

My eyes snapped open and he was standing in front of me, smiling, holding out my purse.

"You can board your flight now."

Lori's 2010 reading year, part 2: favorite books

So... in 2010 I read 301 books (revised from previous post). Here's the breakdown:

Historical: 96
Contemporary: 130
Romantic Suspense: 50
Futuristic: 16
Nonfiction: 1
Paranormal: 7
Thriller: 4
M/M: 7
(total is > 301 because some books were placed in more than once category)

I think the contemporary is so high because I read a lot of category romance. I didn't read a ton of single title contemporaries. Plus, often if a book is a RS, it also gets categorized in my contemporary shelf. But it definitely confirms that my two favorite subgenres are historical and RS. Hmm... wonder if I can stick to just one category per book for next year. Not likely.

So what books did I absolutely love? I had 24 5-star reads. That's 8% of my total. I'm not going to list them all; you can find them on my Goodreads account (link to my 5-star shelf is at the right). Of those, several were rereads, and I won't include them here. I only had one 1 rating in there (Sexy as Hell, which I reviewed for Book Binge - I just don't like reading about cheaters and assholes, what can I say?).

Here are the ones that stood out to me so greatly that I would pimp them to you and nag until you read them. In no particular order.

Captain's Surrender: Alex Beecroft (m/m)
A sweeping epic historical showing a wonderful, sweet love set against the harsh life of the Royal Navy.

Shaken: Dee Tenorio (contemporary)
I've never ever included a novella before, but this was soooo good! A married couple tries to put their life back together after the death of their daughter.

The Darkest Hour: Maya Banks (romantic suspense)
Another married couple. Wife comes "back from the dead" with serious addiction issues and fear. Wonderful family, too.

The Perfect Family: Kathryn Shay (comtemporary, m/m)
Not a romance, but a wonderfully relevant look at a family dealing with the coming out of the youngest child.

Duke of Shadows: Meredith Duran (historical)
I cannot believe I waited so long to read this. Simply fantastic.

Song of Seduction: Carrie Lofty (historical)
A gorgeous portrayal of 18th century Europe, the music industry, and obsessive love.

The Dark Tide: Josh Lanyon (m/m)
I've always been a Jake fan, and I simply adored the end of this series.

Visions in Death: JD Robb (futuristic, R/S)
A welcome relationship-focused issue in this series following the very intense and tense Divided in Death.

Loyalty in Death: JD Robb (futuristic, R/S)
A spooky foreshadowing of 9/11. A terrific suspense portion and a wonderful relationship aspect as well.

Exclusively Yours: Shannon Stacey (contemporary)
Proof that writing what you know pays off. A fantastic family story that features reunited lovers and loads of mud and teenagers. (It works, trust me!)

Cold Sight: Leslie Parrish (romantic suspense)
Parrish writes like Karen Rose, and her books are sufficiently creepy to keep me happy and contain the perfect amount of romance to balance it out. Plus, no TSTL heroines!

I Can See You: Karen Rose (romantic suspense)
Loveloveloved Noah and Eve. Both so damaged, but so perfect for one another.


Honorable Mentions go to:
Slow Heat: Jill Shalvis
Silent Scream: Karen Rose
Marry Me: Jo Goodman
Coming Undone: Lauren Dane (which was a Jan release, but I technically read it in Dec 09)
Something About You: Julie James

What were your favorites this year?

Lori's 2010 reading year, part 1

2010 was the year that I was determined to track my reads all year. In the past, I've tried doing it via an excel spreadsheet and the longest I ever made it was through March. Much as I adore Excel (I think it's the best thing Bill Gates ever did, LOL), I couldn't access it to record my books immediately. This year, thanks to Goodreads and my iPhone, I was able to track my reads. Once the Goodreads app came out, it was easy. I didn't have to remember anything - I always had my phone with me and could record when I finished a book immediately. I was also able to jot down some initial thoughts that helped my memory when I went to review. However, I also realized I have tons of typos when I write on my iPhone, LOL! So all those typos on my monthly roundups are because I copied and pasted from Goodreads. And apparently, I suck at proofreading when I type on the phone. Also, I wonder if there was some bug in December, because Goodreads ate a ton of my reviews for that month. Which sucks, cause my memory aint what it used to be.

Here are some thoughts about 2010...

The good: I made it all year with tracking my books! Go me! As I said, noting them right away in Goodreads made it easier to write reviews.

The bad: I was really lazy and rarely brought over my thoughts on Goodreads to this blog. Something to work on in 2011. Also realized that I might want to post weekly rather than monthly wrapups. There were so many books to note that it made for long, unwieldy posts.
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The good: The In Death challenge. I've put off reading this series for a really long time. First, I generally don't enjoy books about the same couple, but Robb makes it work so well! I just finished book 21, and plan to hit the library tomorrow for Memory In Death.

The bad: I think I burned out on the books, and stopped reading them for a period of about 4 (5?) months. But thankfully, I picked the next one up and started it Thanksgiving weekend, and am now back in the saddle.
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The good: I read 295 books in 2010 (and actually, I think it's likely closer to 300 because I read some small ebooks in December that I never recorded. There were 24 5-star reads in that bunch, so, close to 10%. Not bad. And a ton of 4 stars. So I read a bunch of great books this year.

The bad: I hardly read anything that wasn't romance. While I did read some thrillers, I usually read several non-fictions each year, but not so this year. On my list, Jimmy Carter's White House Diary, Travels in Siberia by Ian Frazier (saw the author interviewed on the Colbert Report), War by Sebastian Junger (saw author interviewed on the Daily Show), Witness in Palestine: A Jewish American Woman in the Occupied Territories by Anna Baltzer (also a Daily Show find). Must get to these at a minimum.
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The good: Carina Press - 2 of my favorite books of the year come from them. Why that surprises me, I don't know. Quality authors seem to follow Angela James wherever she goes.

The bad: Harlequin's gain is Samhain's loss. I've noticed a decrease in editing quality with some Samhain books since Angie's departure. No terribly edited books, but just not as top-notch as before. However, I still love many of the authors that write for Samhain, so will continue to buy those authors as their books come out.
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The good: Some really great authors put out some amazing books.

The bad: Pub houses don't seem to be supporting some genres as much as they previously did. This makes me sad. The big names still do well, thank goodness, but new-to-the-genre authors who wrote amazing books are unable to continue selling the books that speak to them. Thinking specifically of Leslie Parrish here, whose Cold Sight romantic suspense was one of my favorite books this year. And I have to wonder if she'd written them as Leslie Kelly if she might have been more successful. Others have made the leap successfully using the same name - Stephanie Tyler comes immediately to mind (although she does also write as Sydney Croft in partnership with Larissa Ione). Either way, I think Parrish has a wonderful voice, and am disappointed to see that her pub house isn't supporting her as much as she deserves. OTOH, some authors made the leap the other way: HelenKay Dimon, who has much success with single title contemps, made the leap over to Harlequin Intrigue to find a home for her RS voice. And I'm digging her books there in a line I tend to avoid. And again, wondering if her name recognition has helped folks to try those books when they otherwise might not have (raising hand).
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The good: I spent more face time online, discovering Facebook, twitter, continuing my own personal blog, and in general raising hell.

The bad: All that online time meant that I became less productive at work (must stop doing romancelandia at work!), and was glued to either a computer, phone, or book at home. Thank goodness my kids are rarely home anymore. OTOH, JenniferB is so busy being a mom that she hasn't had much time to read or to write those amazing reviews of hers. I sure hope that she'll be able to do more in 2011. I can totally relate, though, as I'm sure anyone with a young, active child can. The homework, the sports, the family trips, and on and on... There were a couple years where I barely posted anything over here.
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The good: Many authors are self-publishing via Smashwords, making books that might otherwise be unavailable out there for us all to enjoy. For me, this year I purchased and enjoyed books from Shiloh Walker (Beg Me), Kathryn Shay (Still the One, plus many of her backlist), Marie Force (True North - still reading it). I'm sure there are some amazing ones I've missed. I think this gives authors tremendous power over their work.

The bad: While giving authors some control over their works, I wonder if it's becoming too difficult to deal with pub houses, if a book may be less well edited (although Shiloh blogged about this extensively)
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The good: Rereading some amazing series. (Hearts of the South and Devils on Horseback)

The bad: There's a bad to rereading awesome books? Huh, who knew.

There are a ton more thoughts running through my head, but I think I'll leave it here. Coming soon, my list of best reads of the year.

Lori's December reads

In December I read 26 books, bringing my total up to 295 for the year. It was tough to track my books all year, but I did it!!

Some good books this month, including 4 In Death books! Also read an inordinate amount of category - most of it super good.

One really bad thing this month: I noticed that several reviews I wrote on Goodreads via my iPhone never saved to my account. I don't know if there was a bug that was resolved or what the cause was, but bottom line is that I lost close to 10 reviews of really good books.

I didn't get around to posting many reviews here this month, but most of these have something written over at my Goodreads account.

Marry Me (Reidsville, #2) by Jo Goodman. Goodreads rating: 5.
Cole was perfect for Rhyne. I loved seeing her come out of her shell and learn to embrace herself as a woman. Also loved the secondary characters, as I did in Never Love a Lawman. Cole's sister was a wonderful addition. Must read.

Visions in Death (In Death, #19) by J.D. Robb. Goodreads rating: 5.
Despite the drama in this one, the levity and love between Eve and Roarke and the little discoveries Eve makes about friendship make this a stellar entry to the series. Especially since Divided was so tense with no light relief from all that tension. Where this one truly shined was the character arcs and Robb knowing that after all the upheaval in the previous book, we needed to see a united and together Eve and Roarke. Full review to come on the blog.

An Amish Christmas by Patricia Davids. Goodreads rating: 4.5.
Beautiful, respectful story of falling in love slowly in an Amish community. Loved it.

Christmas with Her Boss (Harlequin Romance #4205) by Marion Lennox. Goodreads rating: 4.5.
Read this because of Shannon Stacey's review. I think she was dead on. I really enjoyed this book. Loved all the characters, but had to won...more4.5 stars. Read this because of Shannon Stacey's review. I think she was dead on. I really enjoyed this book. Loved all the characters, but had to wonder why the heroine felt she had to resign her position, especially given how infrequently she saw her boss.

Love Me (Take Me, #2) by Bella Andre. Goodreads rating: 4.5.
I didn't read book 1, but didn't feel like I was missing too much (although I will be going back to read it now!). Andre did a fabulous job with the themes of rising above your past, feeling worthy of accepting love and wanting it. A very sexy romance and quite emotional.

Triple Threat by Jan Coffey. Goodreads rating: 4.5.
Really liked the hero and heroine. Interesting plot, too. One that was really intriguing to think about. Must now go look for its predecessor, Ted's story.


Still The One by Kathryn Shay. Goodreads rating: 4.5.
Review to be posted later this month (it's already up in part at Goodreads if you want a sneak peek) - Kathy Shay will be a guest over here, and we'll talk about this one. It's available on Smashwords - I highly recommend you read it!


Survivor In Death (In Death, #20) by J.D. Robb. Goodreads rating: 4.5. I actually cried big fat tears in one scene. Some truly heartwrenching stuff going on in this one.

A Soldier's Redemption (Silhouette Romantic Suspense #1635) by Rachel Lee. Goodreads rating: 4.
What I enjoy in the RS line (formerly SIM) is the relationship that develops between the characters under trying circumstances. Often I could take or leave the suspense portion. In this one, the suspense was rooted in a believable story. And I loved the way that Wade was portrayed as having such difficulty adjustimg to civilian life. Liked watching Cory slowly come out if her shell, only to jump back into it the moment she felt threatened either physically or emotionally. It seemed realistic. Loved that Wade and Cory actually *talked* to each other about their thoughts and feelings.

All of You by Dee Tenorio. Goodreads rating: 4.
I enjoyed this book quite a bit. Tenorio excels at bringing out the best in her characters' emotions and making them seem so very real. This is book 1 in a two-parter about 2 twin brothers who switch dates. I thought this one was more focused on the heroine's issues, but it didn't detract at all. In fact, Kyle's easy acceptance helped bring her along.

All or Nothing by Dee Tenorio. Goodreads rating: 4.
This is the 2nd book. Here, again, the focus is more on the heroine's issues, but again, it's because the twins had a good, happy homelife growing up. However, Lucas is far more intense than his brother, making for an intense love story. Loved it.

Divided in Death (In Death, #18) by J.D. Robb. Goodreads rating: 4.
 This was a very uncomfortable book, in that Roarke and Eve are again fighting over that which together makes them strong - most especially Roarke's immense love for Eve and his desire to make everything in her world perfect. Which he already does by simply existing, but when he gets a glimpse into her past and learns something rather horrifying (but frankly, not that surprising if we're talking about governments), he is determined to make it right for Eve. Which would involve illegal activity on his part, including murder. He sees no problem with it, but Eve's innate sense of justice won't allow her to sanction it. They spend the entire book at odds, and it's very uncomfortable to read. But uncomfortable does not equal bad, and so I thought this was another excellent and believable entry in the series.

Explosive by Beth Kery. Goodreads rating: 4.
Really enjoyed this one. Review upcoming for Book Binge.

Guns and the Girl Next Door by HelenKay Dimon. Goodreads rating: 4.
In general, Intrigues aren't my favorite . But I like the way that Dimon writes them. Her Intrigue heroes are always flawed, and always learn to rely on the strength of their heroines. This book was as much about a team working together and dealing with strengths and weaknesses of their own and each other, as it was about the romance.

Her Private Avenger by Elle Kennedy. Goodreads rating: 4.
I really liked both the hero & heroine. Loved how sensitive Quinn was and how he acknowledged both to himself and to Morgan how mych he'd loved her. A...moreI really liked both the hero & heroine. Loved how sensitive Quinn was and how he acknowledged both to himself and to Morgan how mych he'd loved her. Also liked that they both remembered the good times as well as the end.

Here Comes the Groom by Karina Bliss. Goodreads rating: 4.
Terrific book. Friends to lovers story along with some PTSD from an Afghanistan vet hero.

Home in Time for Christmas by Heather Graham. Goodreads rating: 4.
Loved the backdrop of the Revolutionary war for this time travel. Although it was odd that Jake so readily accepted what had happened to him. But truly liked all the characters.

How to Wed a Baron by Kasey Michaels. Goodreads rating: 4.
I liked this one a lot. Another "I'm no good" hero who is quite simply bowled over by the heroine. And goes with it, for the most part.

Never a Bride by Amelia Grey. Goodreads rating: 4.
I must have liked it because I gave it a 4, but to tell the truth, I can't remember a thing about this one.

Origin in Death (In Death, #21) by J.D. Robb. Goodreads rating: 4.
Wonderful book, yet again. Great social commentary again here, along with Eve & Roarke settling back down after a volatile couple of books. 

Rescued by His Christmas Angel by Cara Colter. Goodreads rating: 4.
Here's one that was deleted by GR. I read this one on the rec of someone (can't remember now, damn it). I was glad I did. A wonderful story about a single father and the elementary school teacher that changes his life.

The Cruelest Cut by Rick Reed. Goodreads rating: 4.
I think I would have given it 5 stars but for the bumbling, corrupt police chief. Otherwise I loved it. Loved the teamwork and actual work the team did. Can't wait for the next Jack Murphy.

The Dangerous Viscount (The Burgundy Club #2) by Miranda Neville. Goodreads rating: 4.
Here's another where the review was wiped. Sigh.This was a great story of the bookish Sebastian and the beauty Diana. It was such a great juxtaposition of the usual regency trope of a young, plain woman coming out of her shell.  Only here, it was the hero, and because of his anger at the heroine. Loved it.

How To Tame a Lady by Kasey Michaels. Goodreads rating: 3.5.
Splitting the middle between a 4 for the hero and story and a 3- for the heroine. Nuff said.

The Pursuit of Pleasure by Elizabeth Essex. Goodreads rating: 3.
I found there were frequent phrases that were totally overused, such as describing the heroine's brow as "her marmalade brow" so often I wondered seriously about the editing. Plus, marmalade made me think of jam every time I read it. Then, as quickly as it began, her brow was never mentioned again after about p 50. And the author found a new phrase to repeat. The smuggling story was average, but got better as it went which is what raised this up to a 3.

Trust Me (Lassiter Group, #1) by Sydney Somers. Goodreads rating: 3.
I really wanted to like this RS book. Really. But it just didn't work for me too well. And I'm not sure why (another Goodreads eaten review).

Guns and the Girl Next Door by HelenKay Dimon

Agent Holden Price didn't have to go far to find his next case—it crashed right into his living room! Not only had the beautiful blonde lost control of her car, but if she was telling the truth, someone was also trying to kill her. As a recovery agent, he had an obligation to investigate. And he couldn't deny that Mia Landers interested him more than she should.

Nothing made sense to Mia—especially not the attempt on her life. All she could do was trust Holden, the tall, dark and devastating agent who discovered that he and Mia had a common enemy…and a fierce attraction. But in order to act on it, they'd first have to come face-to-face with their darkest fears and a deadly revelation that might put their newfound love on the line.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you to HelenKay Dimon, who kindly provided me with an ARC of this book (although I admit that it didn't convert well at all, so I went ahead and bought a copy). Guns and the Girl Next Door is related to her earlier Intrigue, Under the Gun.

In general, Intrigues aren't my favorite.It's too hard to get a believable romance into such a short page count when there is, at the heart of the book, a fast-moving suspense. But I like the way that Dimon writes them. Her Intrigue heroes are always flawed, and always learn to rely on the strength of their heroines. This book was as much about a team working together and dealing with strengths and weaknesses of their own and each other, as it was about the romance.

Having said that, both Holden and Mia come to rely on each other and it grows slowly from a sexual to a very intimate thing. Although Mia began the sexual relationship with the emotional need to feel clean, they were both surprised with the intensity of feeling that struck. They were torn between embracing it and fighting it, since it brought out both their vulnerabilities.

Their HEA was an assured thing - after all this is a Harlequin, but I liked that Dimon went out of her way to show how safe and good Mia made Holden feel as well as the other way around. It built more believability into their quick fall into love.

I found it hard to believe that there would be no fallout from the death at the end, and so assume that Trevor will make an appearance in the next book as the team continues their hunt for their boss. This is a series, and has an overarcing plotline. We saw the couple from Under the Gun making a big appearance in this one, and it helps to seal their HEA, so I'm looking forward to seeing more of Holden and Mia in the next one, Gunning for Trouble, in Feb.

Another strong book from Dimon, with a messy hero and the heroine he relies on for so much.

In Death Challenge final post...

First, I would like to thank Christine for hosting the In Death challenge. I've been afraid to start the books because I knew I would get hooked, and I was so right. Darn it. I burned out somewhere around June or July, and then picked back up at the end of November. All in all, I've read up through book 21 since last December. Wow. Only a bazillion more to go :)

Anyway, here are a few short synopses of the 4 I read this month.

Divided in Death

There are plenty enough reviews out there that give the plot summary. So I'll just talk about my reactions. This was a very uncomfortable book, in that Roarke and Eve are again fighting over that which together makes them strong - most especially Roarke's immense love for Eve and his desire to make everything in her world perfect. Which he already does by simply existing, but when he gets a glimpse into her past and learns something rather horrifying (but frankly, not that surprising if we're talking about governments), he is determined to make it right for Eve. Which would involve illegal activity on his part, including murder. He sees no problem with it, but Eve's innate sense of justice won't allow her to sanction it. They spend the entire book at odds, and it's very uncomfortable to read. But uncomfortable does not equal bad, and so I thought this was another excellent and believable entry in the series.


Visions In Death

Despite the drama in this one, the levity and love between Eve and Roarke and the little discoveries Eve makes about friendship make this a stellar entry to the series. Especially since Divided was so tense with no light relief from all that tension. Where this one truly shined was the character arcs and Robb knowing that after all the upheaval in the previous book, we needed to see a united and together Eve and Roarke.


Survivor In Death

I actually cried big fat tears in one scene.

No matter how much softer Eve has gotten, she sticks out like a sore thumb in her inability to be soft with Nixie. She shows her compassion in different ways, and we kmow, as does Nixie, that she is deeply touched and affected. I think Roarke was able to relate to her better simply because a) she's a living breathing female, and b) because he'd had some experience with Marlena and Jenny back in Ireland.

Loved that Eve and Summerset seemed to come to a mutual respect albeit grudgingly given on both sides.

Best LoL moment:

She slid a glance toward him as she uncoded the seal. "You really do want sex."

"I'm still breathing, so that would be yes."

Origin In Death

Possible tiny spoiler at the end of 1st paragraph...

I think what I liked so much about this one was twofold. First, as always, Robb's social commentary is superb. She takes issues that are on the burner today and pumps them up for 50 years in the future. And sometimes the look we get is excellent (gun control, birth control, same-sex marriage and interracial relationships a non-issue) and sometimes it's downright scary, as in this book where the focus is on genetics and cloning.

I also liked the first real peek I recall at the actuality of the Urban Wars, and once again, I felt like this was somewhere I could see our world heading.

Lastly, I liked that this book seemed to settle Eve and Roarke once again, following the upheaval in Divided in Death and the almost wackiness I felt in Visions In Death. Although, they continue to get themselves into situations that stretch their comfort level (family for Thanksgiving), but it shows how they ground each other and how their relationships make them much more willing and able to interact with others on a real basis (though they are still uncomfortable as hell with the idea of family and Eve is still uncomfortable with the idea of sharing a holiday table with anyone!).

Quick update

Have you read Marry Me by Jo Goodman yet? You must. Now. Go out and buy it. Read it. And love it. I command you.

Review upcoming.

Oh, and only 3 days til I'm off work. Til Jan 4. Color me happy! Hope your holiday preps are going well.

Lori's November Reads

November was a great month for me, not just in terms of quantity, but quality as well. There were no duds, and I had 4 5-star books! Four! Taking a week off gave me renewed energy, as well as a lot of down-time. The kids were never home, and hubby and I relaxed and read up a storm. We also had the chance to hang out together, which we hardly ever have time for anymore. That was probably the very best part of vacation.

I hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and got some time off from whatever takes up all your time.

Now it's Hanukkah, and we've been crazy busy again. I thought I'd post up Bob's Hanukkah songs again, since there are some new readers here.
Rock n Rollin' Hanukkah

So... on to the books. I read 30 books in November (half may have been on my week off, not sure). That brings my total up to 269. But geez, I only reviewed one book over here. Why, when I try to note something in Goodreads on each one? I so could have done reviews. Maybe that will be my next task, to bring my reviews over from Goodreads. Anyway... here's what I read:


Captain's Surrender by Alex Beecroft. 5 stars on Goodreads. (m/m)
Wow. The almost sweet friendship to romance set against the horrific realities of the time both in terms of war and punishment of infractions. So well done. This definitely isn't an erotic romance but a sweeping historical that happens to have at its heart, two men. Additionally the secondary characters are beautifully well drawn and add such rich flavor.

The Best Laid Plans by Sarah Mayberry. 5 stars on Goodreads.
Another winner from Mayberry. I liked how they both went in eyes wide open, and were ready to conceive in a test tube. The way it would really be done. I really enjoyed Ethan's brother and SIL as well.

The Perfect Family by Kathryn Shay. 5 stars on Goodreads.
This was excellent. It looks at every aspect of a teenager's coming out from the perspective of how it affects each family member individually and in their relationship with the teen, to religion and its place in the family and gay teen's life, and so many other things I can't even begin to go there. Shay has never shied away from hard subjects, and this is no different. Although she stepped away from romance here, it's a beautiful, truthful look at how a revelation like this can whip through a family and how they all work to keep it together out of deep love for each other. Highly, highly recommended!

The Dark Tide by Josh Lanyon. 5 stars on Goodreads. (m/m)
I can't believe I hadn't read this yet. The final book in Adrien & Jake's saga. I've always been a Jake fan, so I absolutely adored this one.

Edge of Sight (Guardian Angelinos #1) by Roxanne St. Clair. 4.5 stars on Goodreads.
Awesome start to this spinoff series. As always, a great hero, and a strong heroine who is more than his match.

Wild Heat (Hotshots #1) by Bella Andre. 4 stars on Goodreads.
This was my first read by Andre. I really enjoyed it. I liked that Logan and Maya were honest with each other - about the fires and that when Maya realized he couldn't be guilty, she immediately said so and cleared him. They didn't play games. Big plus. And although Logan seemed too good to be true, his actions and thoughts backed up the character that Andre built. And who doesn't just adore firefighter stories?!

Hot as Sin  (Hotshots # 2) by Bella Andre. 4 stars on Goodreads.
I liked this one a lot. Andre has a great voice for the RS and the firefighters.

Never Too Hot (Hotshots #3) by Bella Andre. 4 stars on Goodreads.
This one was far more introspective - no suspense. It focuses on the injured firefighter from book 1. I loved how he was drawn in, even though he really didn't want to be. Connor couldn't hide his true self, and Ginger was good for him. Supportive and loving. It was a totally different feel in terms of subgenre than the first two. A terrific secondary storyline as well featuring Connor's father and Ginger's good friend.

Corralled by Lorelei James. 4 stars on Goodreads.
This book addresses one of my big questions with all the MFM books I read where there is no jealousy, no competition, no hard feelings. Lainie has been seeing both Hank amd Kyle and when she's caught, the guys suggest they embark on a threesome, a new concept for all of them. While they put it to Lainie that they don't want her to have to choose, and neither one is ready to give her up, in reality both men are vying for her affection amd to be the one she chooses in the end. That was where I felt the book was strongest: in the jealous rivalry between the men as they fight to maintain their close friendship as well as in the one on one interactions where Lainie and the guys just talk.

Because this isn't a permanent menage story, Lainie must choose someone. When the time comes, it kind of slips in subtlely, and both Lainie and the one not chosen both recognize it. A scary event forces Lainie to come to terms with her past.

I liked all three characters as well as Lainie's best friend and Hank's siblings, and imagine that they'll get their own stories. I thought the menage scenes seemed a bit forced, but I imagine that they were meant to, since although it was consensual, it was never intended to be anything other than a vehicle for Lainie to get to know the guys and make a choice.

Beg Me by Shiloh Walker. 4 stars on Goodreads.
What I liked so much here was that in addition to the emotional toll the story takes on Tania, Walker never fails to show the huge effect on Drake as well. Both characters take an emotional journey. The controversial topic didn't bother me so much; Walker never fails to show the emotional impact, and this story is far less about the sex than about Tania's emotional healing and Drake's journey toward a more fulfilling and realistic love.

The Tin Star by JL Langley. 4 stars on Goodreads. (m/m)
I always wonder in M/M, why it is that they never use each other's names? Before they became lovers, Jamie and Ethan were friends who never called each other anything other than their names, and now all of a sudden they have to call each other Blue Eyes and Cowboy? This isn't spercific to this author; it seems to be a trend in m/m that really irritates me. Anyway, aside from that one thing, I really liked it. I'm not sure why it's on everyone's list of the absolute tops in m/m, but it was a good story.. I really like Ethan a lot.

Cowgirls Don't Cry (Rough Riders #10) by Lorelei James. 4 stars on Goodreads.
Wow. Totally didn't expect the beginning. It was very odd, but I understood it as the book went on. Another great entry. I was waiting for Jessie and Brandt and was not disappointed in their story.

Enforcer (Cascadia Wolves #1) by Lauren Dane. 4 stars on Goodreads.
This is a reread for me. And now I think I have to go reread the whole darn series. Loved Nina's irreverence and how it causes Lex such confusion and amusement. Love Dane's wolves. Oh how I adore them. And on this reread, I can see how Dane's writing has changed - not better or worse, just evolved a bit. It also reminded me what I immediately loved about her writing: strong female leads, alpha but sensitive male leads, humor, and great engrossing stories. If I had one qualm, it's how Lex and Cade simply expected Nina to go along with all that was required in order to change fully and complete the tri-bond and Claiming. And then were frustrated when she was ticked off. But in her own time, she came to understand and feel good in her new skin. So it was all good.

Undeniably Yours (Kowalski Family #2) by Shannon Stacey. 4 stars on Goodreads.
I loved the first Kowalski book. And I wanted to love this one just as much. I adored Kevin. He was a great mix of devilish and strong family man. He already felt something for Beth even before she showed up pregnant. So wanting to be with her seemed a natural extension for him.

I had a very hard time warming up to Beth. She kept holding Kevin off, and while I understood the reluctance to jump into a relationship because of the baby, she never gave them a chance to find out if there was anything else there. Her original reason of feeling smothered by her parents was good until I saw them all interacting, and it seemed she had a great relationship with them. She seemed to be inventing excuses and it wore thin after a while. So in a juxtaposition of the usual, it was Kevin who had far fewer doubts, and Beth who really didn't want to get involved.

Once again, I adored the Kowalski family. I loved the bickering, the teasing, the obvious love they shared. They told it to each other like it is. And I always knew they were there for each other. I was so happy to see Kevin stand up for himself at the end, to be willing to let Beth go for his own sanity. And I loved the honest way he accepted her back, too. He didn't play games. He just loved her and wanted to be with her. Another wonderful secondary romance set a great tone here as well.

Second Chances by Lauren Dane. 4 stars on Goodreads.
I read this when it was first published several years ago, and it's no less emotional and powerful today. Although I really don't 'get' the BDSM lifestyle, in Dane's hands it's always handled as something that makes the relationship stronger for both partners, not about one person having all the power. My only complaint is that I would have liked to have seen Rori amd Jude have sex before she agreed to wear his collar. That type of commitment seemed rushed to me. Which is odd, given their history amd the time frame, but it did feel a bit rushed. Go figure.

Passions of a Wicked Earl by Lorraine Heath. 4 stars on Goodreads.
I feel as though Heath is back in her groove. Several of her last historicals haven't been tops on my list. But this is a fantastic book - I can't wait to read the next one.

My Lord Scoundrel (Notorious Bachelors #1) by Emma Wildes. 4.5 stars on Goodreads.
I loved it. A hero and heroine who not only don't deny their feelings, but fight for them and their right to be together. Both smart and resourceful. And with really terrific secondary characters who don't take over the story but are still very interesting in their own right.

Our Wicked Mistake (Notorious Bachelors #2) by Emma Wildes. 4 stars on Goodreads.
I enjoyed this but not as much as the first book, I admit. I liked both Luke and Madeline.

His Sinful Secret (Notorious Bachelors #3) by Emma Wildes. 4 stars on Goodreads.
I was really looking forward to this one - Michael seemed to have so many secrets. I liked the subtlety with which she showed how Michael hurt Julianne by not sharing with her, except in bed. And I liked that she wasn't a doormat for him - she challenged him about the way he treated her. Michael thinks he's doing such a good job keeping his marriage separate from his job, but in the end realizes he hasn't done that at all. Nice finale to the series.

Open Country by Kaki Warner. 4.5 stars on Goodreads.
Another terrific book from Warner. I think she's going to be big. I have book 3 on pre-order.

Rules of an Engagement by Suzanne Enoch. 3.75 stars on Goodreads.
I was chomping at the bit for Shaw's story. I was disappointed that it was almost halfway through the book before I felt a genuine connection between Shaw and Zephyr and felt fully drawn into the story. Once that happened, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Without Reservations (With or Without Series, #2) by JL Langley. 3.5 stars on Goodreads. (m/m)
This was a good book. If you like m/m and shifters, you'll probably like this. It addresses racial and homosexual prejudice, too. Good.

Holiday Bound by Beth Kery. 3.5 stars on Goodreads.
I liked this novella, but not as much as Kery's full-lengths. It may be me. Most novellas don't work for me. Although, I didn't really care for the way that Alex jumped to conclusions about Angeline. Plus, it just addresses some real lowlife behavior, which is gutsy against the backdrop of a romance novella.

The Dickens With Love by Josh Lanyon. 3.5 stars on Goodreads. (m/m)
A nice holiday novella. Not his best; not his worst.

Ten Ways to Be Adored When Landing a Lord (The Ralstons, #2) by Sarah MacLean. 3.5 stars on Goodreads.
This definitely didn't have the same joy and humor that 9 Rules did, and the heroine wasn't as wonderful, but I enjoyed it a lot. Isabel was a good heroine, though I felt that her final denial of their relationship was forced. I really liked Nick as a hero. Although I suppose it says something that my favorite scene was between Nick and the heroine's 10 year old brother rather than between the hero & heroine. I was really touched during the scene where Nick teaches James to tie a cravat.

Pack Challenge (Magnus Pack, #1) by Shelley Laurenston. 3 stars on Goodreads.
I love Laurenston's irreverent sense of humor, and it was in full force here. But I also thought there were lots of problems- how easily Sara and her friends accepted the shifters. How they had no problem with the carnage they witnessed. And trust me, there was carnage. But any Laurenston book is fun, so I enjoyed this a lot despite the problems.

Emergency: Wife Lost and Found by Carol Marinelli. 3 stars on Goodreads.
A divorced husband & wife doctor team meets back up after an accident. They have to address their heartbreaking history and her intrusive family.

Expecting! by Susan Mallery. 3 stars on Goodreads.
Meh.

Lassoing Lara by NJ Walters. 3 stars on Goodreads.
A novella that didn't work for me as well as NJ's books usually do. Sad.

Wicked Rake, Defiant Mistress by Ann Lethbridge. 3.5 stars on Goodreads.
It was ok. I liked the hero and heroine, but felt like there was something missing. A free read here: http://www.everyonesreading.com/.

The Perfect Family by Kathryn Shay

blurb via kathrynshay.com:
What happens to the "perfect family" when the future suddenly changes in the most unexpected way? Seventeen-year old Jamie Davidson doesn't think being gay should be such a big deal...until he comes out to his parents and friends. Even as Jamie celebrates no longer needing to hide his true self and looks forward to the excitement of openly dating another boy, the entire Davidson family is thrown into turmoil. Jamie's father Mike can't reconcile his religious beliefs with his son's sexuality. His brother Brian is harassed by his jock buddies and angry at Jamie for complicating all their lives. Maggie, his mother, fears being able to protect her son while struggling to save her crumbling marriage. And Jamie feels guilty for the unhappiness his disclosure has caused. Every member of their “perfect family” must search their hearts and souls to reconnect with each other in this honest, heartwarming, and hopeful look at the redemptive power of love and family.

Oh dear lord, where to start with this review? This is an amazing story of love, forgiveness, and healing within a family. It examines the role that religion and faith plays in an individual’s life as well as its influence over an entire community. And here, religion and faith are portrayed as two different things. It examines the relationships within the family and how they change when each family member has different feelings that need to be acknowledged. How a mother’s feeling that nobody can do as well for her baby, not even her husband, can tear into a marriage. And how societal intolerance can contribute to a teen’s overwhelming feelings of rejection and despair.

Jamie Davidson is gay. He hasn’t come out to anyone yet, but he’s starting to feel more and more uncomfortable with the lie that he’s living. He notes to himself many times that he’s “performing”. Jamie is the 17 year old younger son in a wonderfully close and loving family. He has an 18 year old older brother, and his parents are still completely in love after all these years. As Jamie becomes more and more uncomfortable with his performances, he happens to meet another guy, Luke – a friend of his brother’s who plays baseball on the same high school team. They each realize the other’s interest and form a close friendship that begins to become more. They decide together to come out to their parents and families.

The Davidson family is close, but there are stresses. The biggest one is religion. Mike is a devout Catholic, embracing the very rigid stance of the church with wholehearted love, and while she is Catholic, Maggie can’t seem to stop herself from questioning a lot of the church’s doctrines on social mores. She has begun to seek out other denominations to try to fulfill her desire to be close to God without having to bow to the Catholic church's inflexibility, which was the cause of so much childhood sadness for her. Jamie and his brother Brian have always been especially close, best friends, sharing everything. It’s really pained Jamie to keep this fundamental piece of information about himself from his brother.

When Jamie finally comes out to his folks, his dad has a really tough time reconciling his son being gay with his Catholic faith. Maggie, while devastated as well, tries very hard to accept Jamie just for who he is – not wrong or sinful. Just Jamie. His brother, Brian, the jock, gets a lot of flak from his teammates. The family priest wants Mike and Maggie to consider sending Jamie to a “reprogramming” camp, which Mike considers, and Maggie outright opposes. Their divergent views on the fundamentals of their religion and faith, and how Jamie fits into that drive a big wedge between them. They try to work things out, but their marriage faces a big crisis. Through all of it, though, their love for Jamie, Brian, and each other never wavers.

In this book, Shay examines a teen’s homosexuality from every angle. From Jamie’s feelings, so beautifully expressed through his poetry, to his brother’s feelings. Brian feels confused, not sure why Jamie is gay. He feels conflicted, because as a devout Catholic, his religion tells him that this is wrong. He feels hurt, because although they shared almost everything, he was the last in the family to find out about Jamie. And he feels angry, because one of his friends is Jamie’s new boyfriend, and the rest of his friends are making his life difficult for him, and he feels he has little to no control over any of it. So much so that he is unfaithful to his girlfriend, whom he dearly loves, simply in an effort to prove how het his really is. She won’t tolerate his infidelity, and dumps him.

Mike is horribly conflicted. He’s a wonderful father, he loves his kids, he wants to accept Jamie, but he’s completely torn by his devotion to his religion. The people he deals with, including Luke’s father, don’t make it any easier. None of the adults in their circle of friends are very accepting – Mike is removed from a teaching position within the church, his beloved priest wants him to send his boy away, and his wife doesn’t believe that he has Jamie’s best interests at heart; that he can’t separate being a father from being a Catholic.

Maggie is also torn apart. She loves both her sons unconditionally, and the rift between then is driving her crazy, making her sad and depressed, and frustrating her because she can't fix it. She loves her husband tremendously, but feels conflicted over his seeming intolerance of who their son is. In addition, she’s trying to come to terms with her own family history – all brought about by her own parent’s religious devotion to the Catholic church (note: I really wanted to say fanaticism here, but it just didn’t seem right to do so). She wants to be in control of it all so that she can manage the issue better.

And Jamie and Luke are simply trying to come to terms with who they are, and how they now fit into society, all while falling in love for the first time. For Jamie, it’s freeing to not hide who he is, but it doesn’t come without his share of problems. He heads up the school’s blood drive, but when it comes time for him to donate, the intrusive questions mean that he can’t donate. His relationship with Luke costs him his best friend, who can’t see her way to accepting what the church tells her is wrong. And his relationships with his father and brother are equally strained – they all want to just love one another but there is too much stress to simply let it go. He wants to enjoy the experience of falling in love with his very first boyfriend, but outside influences, especially Luke’s father, make it horrendously difficult. He also experiences such guilt because he feels like he convinced Luke to come out, and Luke had such backlash. So much so, that his homelife becomes too much, and Luke attempts suicide. His father is amazingly intolerant, even in the fcae of Luke’s attempted suicide, all in the name of the church.

Lest you think this book is a big indictment of the Catholic church, I really didn’t come away from the book with that feeling. I think Shay portrays it as inflexible, as a doxology that is driven by not one’s own beliefs, but as one that forces its followers to conform to church ideology. Additionally, while I thought that Father Peter was intolerant based upon his beliefs, I felt his compassion for the family, and their situation. I could tell he wanted to make things better for them – it was just that his way of doing so didn’t sit well with Maggie, Jamie, and even Mike to some extent. Mike was torn between the teachings of the church and his love for his son and his desire for his son to not have to change. Maggie has a scene with the priest, where she tells him she has found a different church to attend.

“Then you’re giving up on your faith?”

“No, never on faith. But on your church. It’s not an institution I can embrace anymore.”

The priest stood. “I’m sorry to hear that. I came today because I want you to be healthy and happy. I want that for all God’s people.”

I think that Shay goes to tremendous lengths to differentiate between one’s religion and one’s faith in this book. Never did Maggie or Jamie lose their faith in God. They lost their reliance on Catholicism as an organized religion, preferring to find one that allowed them to speak to God directly, and feel good about their faith, rather than persecuted for it. Religion is such a sensitive issue, and I think that Shay handled it very well.

High school is such a sensitive time. Kids want to fit in. Conformity is if not encouraged, it’s certainly the easy way around many of life’s problems. My own son is feeling conflicted about homosexuality, when in the past he has always been very sensitive to anyone different than him. Kids are discovering who they are, and their feelings about life’s major issues. Shay shows well how both acceptance and intolerance can affect young men and women just learning who they really are.

This isn’t a lighthearted book; Shay’s never are. She as always, handles controversial, emotional, and difficult topics with sensitivity, with a 360 degree view, and with beautifully drawn characters that speak to the reader.
Shay has strayed from Berkley and Harlequin to publish this with Bold Strokes books, a publisher of LGBTQ general and genre fiction. This book is 313 trade size pages, and manages to cover an awful lot of ground in that page count. It never feels rushed, it never feels like anyone’s views were compromised by a desire to complete the story. Shay writes with perfect pacing. Her story of a family’s love is one that I highly recommend for anyone.

A quick note on The Perfect Family by Kathryn Shay

I read this book last night. I'm a big Kathryn Shay fangirl, and the reason is because she doesn't shy away from big issues, and can face down multiple big issues in a book like nobody else can. I'll be doing a full review of this over the weekend, but wanted to make a note here that you should read this book. Stat. It's not a traditional romance, but it is a family's love story told amidst their teenage son coming out. Shay takes on the feelings a teen has when coming out, the joy and heartbreak of a first relationship (both gay and het), prejudice in a small town, gay teen suicide, how it affects a husband/wife relationship, a brother/brother relationship, friendships, and each family member's journey individually and together. Quite literally, she blew me away.

Full review coming up soon...

blurb via kathrynshay.com:  
What happens to the "perfect family" when the future suddenly changes in the most unexpected way? Seventeen-year old Jamie Davidson doesn't think being gay should be such a big deal...until he comes out to his parents and friends. Even as Jamie celebrates no longer needing to hide his true self and looks forward to the excitement of openly dating another boy, the entire Davidson family is thrown into turmoil. Jamie's father Mike can't reconcile his religious beliefs with his son's sexuality. His brother Brian is harassed by his jock buddies and angry at Jamie for complicating all their lives. Maggie, his mother, fears being able to protect her son while struggling to save her crumbling marriage. And Jamie feels guilty for the unhappiness his disclosure has caused. Every member of their “perfect family” must search their hearts and souls to reconnect with each other in this honest, heartwarming, and hopeful look at the redemptive power of love and family.

Coming the first week of December... to my TBR

First, I hope you all had an amazing Thanksgiving and spent the day with the ones you love. If you aren't here in America, I still hope you spent the day with the ones you love :)

At casa Lori, we had a girlfriend spend the day with us for the very first time. Oldest's GF is positively adorable, and she is great for him. He, in turn, spent Thanksgiving at her house on Saturday, when they had their family dinner. It's a blessing when you can not only adore who your child has chosen, but also really like her family.

I also read a ton of books - I took the entire week off from work - a first for me. It was. Fricking. Awesome. And now I want to retire. And never work again. Sigh. The Man to Die For really needs to make that rock star gig work for him instead of the teaching gig. Or, I could win the lottery. That would be great. What? You have to buy a ticket? Well, damn.

I am so excited for the first week of December. Some books are pubbing that I'm dying to read.

WANT! I haven't even thought about the rest of the month. What are you dying to read next month?

The Forbidden Rose by Joanna Bourne

Title: The Forbidden Rose
Author: Joanna Bourne

Type: Historical Romance
Series: Related, a prequel to The Spymaster's Lady

Thoughts: Wow. Every one of Bourne's titles thus far have been a Wow for me. This one as much as the first. It is Bourne's voice--it is dark, yet witty, sparse, yet rich. A keeper for me.

Three things stand out for me. The first gets me every time. It is the silent observations a Bourne hero makes of the heroine. Here, Doyle's absolute first thought about Maggie was her stillness. Within minutes, it was her wit--insulting and uttered under duress--but funny nonetheless. In short, Doyle saw the power of her mind first. He saw control, cunning, instinct. Yes, her breasts were a fast second, but that did not detract from the power of these first moments. For me, it set the sexiest of stages--a hero that would dominate through expectation rather than will. Because he recognized the spine in Maggie, I knew he would not simply take her over, charming her and the reader both into following him around for the remainder of the book. Bourne accomplished this in just pages. Doyle's presence and Maggie's control.

So it is the concise, often witty, thoughts a Bourne hero shares (in italics of course) that turn me on.

The second thing that gets me is Bourne's ability to weave a million strands into one, tightly-written story. You absolutely cannot miss a minute of this book. If you do, if you skim even the shortest of paragraphs, you will miss one of these strands. Every word counts. For this, I've heard Bourne called "masterful" and "brilliant". I agree. Immerse yourself in Bourne's details and you will be rewarded with more than one emotional or brain-twisting punch by story's end. In this one, it was the fate of the littlest girl that packed the biggest punch. It left me breathless.

So rich, rich, rich. That's the second thing.

Third--despite all of these clever details, so richly layered--literally anything can happen. And does. Bourne endangers everyone, then assigns responsibilities (of the heroic kind) where you least expect them. All of Bourne's characters are smart. None are untouchable. I worried sick more than once. And this angst added to the tension already present through her voice alone. Dark, yet witty; sparse, yet rich.

I had only one regret. Besides the fact that it ended. I did not 'research' this title before picking it up. Consequently, I did not know that it serves as a prequel to The Spymaster's Lady. I recognized Doyle and Adrian both, but will admit to a bit of confusion. It was Adrian's age--I couldn't place him as a teen and it nagged at the back of my mind throughout. Now that I know, so much more of it makes sense.

Thinking back now--as I write this review--I'm remembering Doyle more clearly as well. One of the things I liked best about The Spymaster's Lady was Doyle's language. He was hilarious. And yes, that course humor was here in his own book. It was simply shadowed, ever-so-subtley, by the vulnerability that love brings.

Awww hell. I think I'm going to sign off now and go re-read The Spymaster's Lady.

Yipee skippy! Kathryn Shay's backlist now as $2.99 ebooks

Oh happy happy joy joy!!!

I just received an email direct from Kathryn Shay (to me alone, I'm sure, cuz we're likethis, ya know - haha!).

Anywhooooo... it seems that some of her backlist is available now for $2.99 via both smashwords and Amazon. So if you haven't read her famous firefighter trilogy, go for it. Or her O'Neil trilogy, or her amazing standalones - I highly recommend Trust in Me (It made my list of top 10 reviews.) - go out and get them for just $2.99!!!

Here's the email:

News from Kathryn Shay
Out of print books ready for e-readers

Dear Readers, (ed: I know she really just meant me - honest!)
Because I’ve been asked about the availability of my past work, I’ve finally been able to put them up on Kindle and Smashwords, Apple and a few other outlets (with new covers) as epubbed books. They are also sale priced at $2.99. Yes, you read that right!! So if you never read my well-loved firefighter trilogy, my O’Neil series or my stand-alones, just click on one of the sale links below the description and buy a copy for your e-reader.

I’ll also be putting up some new work soon: a never before published novella and an original full length book. And stay tuned—more out of print books will be coming as soon as I get those rights back.
Kathy Shay



Hidden Cove Firefighter Trilogy — Meet the brave men and women from Hidden Cove New York, who fight fires by day and live ordinary, angst filled days just like the rest of us.

After the Fire
An action filled romance begins a new trilogy that tugs at your heartstrings. Origin. pub. by Berkley Press. "A superb contemporary romance that grabs you in the prologue and won’t let go until you’ve read the final page. Bravo, Ms. Shay!" The Romance Readers Connection "Powerful and compelling, this novel reinforces Shay’s well earned reputation as a first rate storyteller." Booklist
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/25806
http://amzn.to/d1mEOH

On The Line
Fire Chief Noah Callahan and Fire Investigator Eve Woodward are facing the turmoil caused by accidents at fire scenes. Who knew they’d fall in love? Originally published by Berkley Press. "Powerhouse author Shay’s complex and unforgettable characters breathe life into this truly intense novel." Romantic Times Book Club
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/25911
http://amzn.to/ceMnWU

Nothing More To Lose
An injured firefighter from 9/11 and a disgraced cop struggle to salvage their lives with the help of the women who love them. Originally published by Berkley Press. "Shay writes an emotion-packed story with angst and some hot sex. This dramatic tale also has a nice touch of humor." RT Book Club
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/25995
http://amzn.to/cxOPbl



O’Neil Family Series — Meet Bailey O’Neil, an antigang specialist and her brothers who run an Irish pub in New York City.

Someone To Believe In - who'da thunk a senator could be so hot?
Follow New York Senator Clay Wainwright and anti-gang specialist, the Street Angel, Bailey O’Neil as they battle over how to control street gangs and unexpectedly fall in love. Originally published by Berkley Press. "Shay’s writing trademark is taking seemingly impossible relationships and developing them into classic tales of true love, which is what she does here." Fresh Fiction
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/25915
http://amzn.to/a33KvT


Close To You
Follow brother-in-law of the vice president Aidan O’Neil and Secret Service Agent CJ Ludzecky as they travel the fine line between professional ethics and falling in love. Appearances by characters from Someone to Believe In. Originally published by Berkley Press "Kathryn Shay writes believable characters you can't help falling in love with." The Romance Reader Connection http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/25900
http://amzn.to/bXUKHG

Taking the Heat
If ever there was a mismatch, it’s staid, solid Liam O’Neil and risk-taking firefighter Sophie Tyler. When passion and eventually love consume them, there’s no denying their need to be together. Orig. pub. by Berkley Press. "Taking the Heat is an emotional roller coaster ride. Shay writes an emotion packed story that presents a realistic view of problems faced by female firefighters."
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/25917
http://amzn.to/9p0laE


Stand alone books

Trust in Me (I reviewed this here. It made my list of top 10 reviews.)
As kids, the stockcar racing town of Glen Oaks called them The Outlaws, but no one knew the hoodlums on the streets would grow up to be upstanding citizens. Follow three couples as they struggle to find happiness as adults. Original publisher-Berkley Press. "This powerful tale of redemption, friendship and forgiveness shows again that Shay knows how to pack an emotional wallop." Booklist
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/24352
http://amzn.to/avzXal

Ties That Bind - this was fabulous!
When a former client accuses lawyer Reese Bishop and his divorced wife, Judge Kate Renado of misconduct, they must clear their names together. In the process, they fall in love again. Originally published by Berkley Press. "Shay has crafted a novel with an intriguing premise and, best of all, with two protagonists who unleash tons of conflict in their wake." RT Book Reviews
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/25952
http://amzn.to/9GmgQf

Promises to Keep - I adored Joe!!
By-the-book Secret Service Agent Joe Stonehouse is paired with rebel Agent Luke Ludzecky as they go undercover in a typical high school that has the potential to erupt in deadly violence. The two women they meet cause the situation to be even more explosive. Originally published by Berkley Press. "Kathryn Shay never disappoints." Lisa Gardner, NYT bestselling author
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/25763
http://amzn.to/ajN7Qi

Thoughts on reading quantity vs quality

Every month when I do my reading roundup, I get comments on the number of books I read, and at least one person comments on how they need to get moving on their TBR because they haven't read nearly that amount. I have a different take on it.

I read because it's how I relax. I'm fortunate enough to have two very self-sufficient kids who are more than old enough to take care of themselves when I want to relax for an hour with a book. Plus, they are never home in the evenings, and stay up far later than me!

I'm also a very fast reader, and always have been. A category romance usually takes me about 2 hours to read. There have been vacations where I've read 4 categories in a single day. But my husband reads about a book a month. And he's good with that.

Having said all that...

I went through a period of several years where I hardly read at all. I was too busy with my kids, too busy with my job, too busy to interact with anyone, much less have time to sit around reading when the house needed to be cleaned, the dinner needed to be cooked, the laundry needed to be done, kids needed to go to play dates or one sport or another... oh, and a marriage to keep on the front burner. Sound familiar to anyone?

At some point in the last few years, I realized that I need to take some time for myself, and that makes all the other relationships easier to manage. Of course, it didn't hurt that my boss actually wrote it into my yearly goals that I needed to work less and take more family time. Cool boss, no? But it's an indication of the kind of time I was devoting to my job and not to my family or myself.

I never, ever pay attention to the number of books other people read. As long as they feel happy and are satisfied that they get some "me" time in their busy lives, then I think whatever they read is awesome. In addition to not paying attention, I also never compared my reading quantity to anyone else's. Yes, I missed reading. A lot. But I found ways to sneak some in.

When the kids hit a grade in school where extra reading became required, we had family reading time. Everyone would grab a book and we'd all sit in the family room and read for a half hour.

When sitting in the stands waiting for a baseball, basketball, football, volleyball (fill in your sport, although they all apply to me) game to start, I snuck in a few pages.

When I got to school to pick up my kids and I had 15 minutes to wait, I read a little.

I don't think a day has gone by when my kids haven't seen me with a book in my hands. But some of those days, I was lucky to fit in a chapter in total.

But back to the comparison thing... I love books. As I know all of you do. But I also love my family. As I know you all do (ok, your own family, not mine! But why don't you love mine?!). There's a time and a place for every priority. And once I stopped to realize I needed me time, I slowly began reading more. And the more I read, the more I realized how much I had missed losing myself in a great story. I also think that while I will finish out the year with my monthly wrap-ups, I doubt I'll do it again. I'm only going to review the books I felt strongly enough about. I don't need to track my reads, I've come to realize. I just need to know that I'm reading enough to make myself feel good.

So my hope for you is this: that you are able to read enough that you feel you've satisfied your "me" time - even if it meant that the dishes went undone until morning. That you feel good about taking the time for yourself, even if it meant that your child needed to entertain themselves for a half hour. (Honestly, that's ok. They need to learn how to do that, and they need to realize that while you love them more than anything, if you're happy, they're happy, too.) That you feel like you've done enough to recharge your batteries, even if it meant instead of watching TV with your hubby one evening, you buried your nose in a book.

Whatever it is, it's not about how many. It's about why you read, what you read, and making yourself happy.