Don't Mess With Texas

With the warm days of summer on their way,  it's time to sip sweet tea and enjoy the treat of Texas size romance, where the stories are hot and so are the heroes!  Find a comfy spot in the shade and get to know the men of Texas - whether they be cowboys, martial arts instructors or basketball players! 

The first of the books for this month is Cat's Lair, by one of my favorite paranormal romance authors, Christine Feehan.  This is the seventh in her Leopard Series.

"Cat Benoit has finally escaped the past—and the man who was the source of her nightmares. She’s off the grid, underground but watchful, and creating a new life for herself in Texas, far from the torrid dangers of her native New Orleans. She’s safe. He’ll never find her this time. Cat has to believe that. It’s the only thing keeping her sane."

Lori Wilde's stories have a real sense of her Texas roots; they make you feel good when you read them. The Rules of the Game, will definitely draw you in and have you rooting for Jodi and Jake.

"I love Lori Wilde's stories. She makes you laugh, cry, and anticipate the outcome of the story. This is the second book in the Stardust, Texas series. Jodi Carlyle and Jake Coronado both have stuff in their backgrounds where they have been hurt and hold onto those hurts. They learn from each other and grow as a couple. You will enjoy this series. I highly recommend anything by Lori Wilde." - Reader Review (The Rules of the Game)

 Diana Palmer has been one of my favorites for years, and with Diamond Spur, she is at her Texas best.

"Texas rancher Jason Donavan is known for his temper, his brooding nature and his deep distrust of women. No one at the Diamond Spur ranch can stand his moods—except Kate Whittman. She might be young, but she knows Jason is the only man for her. Kate wants him more than anything, but he offers her only brotherly protection—until she discovers that Jason's desire for her is as strong as hers for him."

 Beloved, a oldie, but a goodie and one of Diana Palmer's Long, Tall Texans series, is definitely a must read if you haven't read it, and it is worth rereading if you have.

"Simon Hart had sworn off romantic entanglements forever. But every man had a weakness, and his was the beautiful, beguiling Tira Beck. He'd angrily labelled the flamboyant socialite a shameless flirt with a cavalier attitude to marriage -- until he learned she'd secretly saved all her love for him. Against his will, Simon became entranced by her, her every gesture igniting his passion. Still, he knew the virtuous virgin wasn't about to surrender her nights to him . . . unless he became her beloved!"
 

If you haven't read my own Silver Bella, I think you'll find Jake to be a long tall drink of water in the best Texas cowboy style and Bella just type of woman to tame him.

Simon Hart had sworn off romantic entanglements forever. But every man had a weakness, and his was the beautiful, beguiling Tira Beck. He'd angrily labelled the flamboyant socialite a shameless flirt with a cavalier attitude to marriage -- until he learned she'd secretly saved all her love for him. Against his will, Simon became entranced by her, her every gesture igniting his passion. Still, he knew the virtuous virgin wasn't about to surrender her nights to him . . . unless he became her beloved!

Bella Jackson models clothes only the most sexually confident woman would dare to wear. But there’s a secret hiding behind the bad-girl reputation and barely there couture. Under the covers, she’s a total novice.

At least it was a secret. Not anymore, thanks to an ex’s blabbing. Now she’s been branded with a potentially career-ending label: Ice Queen.

Only years of practice keep the nerves at bay, and her signature walk rock steady—until a tall, sexy Texan’s gaze fixes like a laser beam on her scantily clad body. And her stiletto heels miss a step.

From the moment Jake Barton locks eyes with the smoking-hot woman on the catwalk, he knows it’s only a matter of time. He never expected the heat between them to melt away her aloof façade before they’ve even touched, revealing the vulnerable woman underneath.

Suddenly he realizes he wants more than a roll in the hay. Now to convince her to take a chance on Texas—and him—before their fragile relationship is bulldozed by tabloid lies and innuendo.

 

With more than 7 million copies of her books in print worldwide, award winning and USA Today bestseller Lucy Monroe has published over 60 books and had her stories translated for s
ale all over the world.  While she writes multiple subgenres of romance, all of her books are sexy, deeply emotional and adhere to the concept that love will conquer all.  A passionate devotee of romance, she adores sharing her love for the genre with her readers.

Visit her on the web:

http://www.lucymonroe.com/
http://lucymonroeblog.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/LucyMonroe.Romance
http://twitter.com/lucymonroe

"Spring" Into Small-town Romance

We're leaping into spring with some wonderful romance set in small town or at least with the feel of small town. While it's not everybody's favorite it sure is popular with a lot of romance readers, myself included. That small town feel just adds to the warmth of the romance and sense of emotion and have I got a great line up for you this month.

We're starting with an author who got her start with Harlequin, like me, and is also a fellow Grand Central/Forever Romance author, the amazing and incomparable Jill Shalvis. Still the One by Jill Shalvis

"Still the One is a classic small town contemporary romance filled with humor, romance, heat, and man’s best friend. Jill Shalvis writes really entertaining books that leave you saying “just one more chapter.” Ms. Shalvis draws you into her fictional world with great characters you want as friends." -  Harlequin Junkie

Erin Nicholas is one of my auto buys from way back and also happens to be my very first ever critique partner and very dear friend. You don’t want to miss this book- or the rest of the series if you haven’t read it. Getting It All by Erin Nicholas

"There’s nothing like summertime in Sapphire Falls and Tucker Bennett is looking forward to hosting his best friend’s four young sons for the next three months. This is their first trip to Tuck’s farm since their father’s passing, and he’s fully prepared to step up for the boys. He’s also thrilled by the instant attraction to their aunt Delaney.  "

If you're looking for that quaint English town then this one's got it. Heat Trap by JL Merrow

"I really love this book and the series. I hope there are more coming. There's mystery, romance and humour. I like the English dialogue. I read it all in one sitting and enjoyed it all." -Amazon

Seattle may not be a small town, but Blossom Street definitely has that small community feel. Back on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber

"There's a new shop on Seattle's Blossom Street—a flower store called Susannah's Garden, right next door to A Good Yarn. Susannah Nelson, the owner, has just hired an assistant named Colette Blake, a young widow who's obviously hiding a secret—or two!"

I'm kicking off a new series of standalone romances in the small town of Cailkirn, Alaska-where the winter nights are cold, but the men are hot. The first novel, Wild Heat, releases April 28th.

Wild Heat by Lucy Monroe
Sometimes old flames are the hottest of all . . .
In the quaint little town of Cailkirn, Alaska, it’s impossible to keep a secret, especially one as juicy as the unexpected return of Kitty Grant. Tack MacKinnon remembers her wild red curls and even wilder spirit—and still feels the sting from when she shattered his heart in college. But there’s a pain in Kitty’s gorgeous eyes that guts him to the core and Tack is determined to do whatever it takes to see the woman he still loves smile again—even if it means taking on her demons as his own.
After fleeing an abusive ex-husband, Kitty decides that the best way to heal her broken heart is to come back home. But she gets a whole new shock when she sees how undeniably sexy Tack has become. More handsome, more muscular, more charming—more everything—he’s impossible to resist. Before she knows it, they’re reigniting sparks that could set the whole state of Alaska on fire. Yet trust doesn’t come easy to Kitty anymore, and as things heat up between her and Tack, she can’t help but wonder if one of them is going to get burned . . .

"Wild Heat has sexy, interesting characters and a captivating storyline. The author’s writing style and story kept me interested enough to read it in two evenings. I’m looking forward to reading more by Lucy Monroe." –Goodreads


With more than 7 million copies of her books in print worldwide, award winning and USA Today bestseller Lucy Monroe has published over 60 books and had her stories translated for sale all over the world.  While she writes multiple subgenres of romance, all of her books are sexy, deeply emotional and adhere to the concept that love will conquer all.  A passionate devotee of romance, she adores sharing her love for the genre with her readers.

Visit her on the web:

http://www.lucymonroe.com/

http://lucymonroeblog.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/LucyMonroe.Romance

http://twitter.com/lucymonroe

Holiday Traditions that Feed the Romance Soul

One of the holiday traditions we started years ago with my mom was watching White Christmas on Christmas Eve. A favorite for all of us girls, this movie has it all.  Comedy, romance, and compassion. We've watched it so many times, all of us have the songs and most of the dialogue memorized. I swear, it's one of the places I learned effective romantic story structure. 

As the years progressed, we couldn't fit everything we wanted to do into our time together on Christmas Eve and the movie tradition had to be changed.  This will be our third Christmas without Mom, but because we've shifted our extended family get together to the Saturday before Christmas, I get to reinstate our older tradition of watching the movie on Christmas Eve with my family.  I'm delighted and so are my daughters.  (Not so sure about their husbands! LOL)

For me, the holidays and romance are a natural match.  This time of year, I wait eagerly to see what the publishers are going to offer as food for my love of hot holiday romance.  Here's what's on my list, I'd love to know what's on yours!

A Bravo Christmas Wedding by Christine Rimmer has two of my favorite story elements (three if you count Christmas), a princess and a cowboy.  Christine writes an intense, sexy story that is sure to be a new holiday favorite for me.

Rocky Mountain Miracle by Christine Feehan - No Christmas will ever be the same after Cole and Maia meet on a snowy western ranch… Find out why in #1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan’s romantic holiday e-novella! Okay, can you hear the total fangirl squee from here that one of my ultimate faves has a Christmas story out???

Some fabulous holiday romance classics are repackaged in On the Naughty List by Lori Foster, Carly Phillips, Sugar Jamison & Beth Ciotta.

I love single author anthologies.  Add in a holiday romance theme and I'm going to read it.  That's the case with Nancy Warren's Sugarplum Trio.

A wonderful and engaging historical by Anthea Lawson, Mistress of Melody should not be absent from your holiday reading pile!

What would a romance list be without at least one Harlequin Presents? Christmas in Da Conti's Bed by the awesome and hugely talented Sharon Kendrick is sure to please.

Ready to give a new author a try?  Read either of these charming stories by a couple of my friends you may not have read before: Three Christmas Ghosts: A Regency Christmas Carol by Lydia M. Sheridan and Bahama Christmas by Lavada Dee.

If all this lovely holiday romance leaves room for any more reading, you may want to try my Corporate Information Systems Duo - out today!

Change the Game: In a high-stakes game of love, attraction, and desire, two people playing for all the wrong reasons are about to discover how delicious it can be when plans go deliciously awry and love is all that matters. Alex Trahern may be bent on revenge, but Isabel is set on getting her man.

(NB: Re-edited with previously deleted scenes now included.  Digital re-release of Come Up and See Me Sometime originally published in print only 2005 by Kensington Books)

Win the Game: It's another high-stakes game of love, attraction, and desire, but the players have a past and the stakes couldn't be higher. It's not just their hearts on the line, but secrets and the family neither ever thought to have with the other. Marcus Danvers is a man with a plan and that plan is to win, whatever it takes.
(NB: Re-edited digital re-release of Goodness Had Nothing to Do With It originally published in print only 2005 by Kensington Books)

Hugs, happy holidays and happy reading!

Lucy

Lucy Monroe - Author

With more than 7 million copies of her books in print worldwide, award winning and USA Today bestseller Lucy Monroe has published over 60 books and had her stories translated for sale all over the world. While she writes multiple subgenres of romance, all of her books are sexy, deeply emotional and adhere to the concept that love will conquer all. A passionate devotee of romance, she adores sharing her love for the genre with her readers.

Visit her on the web:

http://www.lucymonroe.com/

http://lucymonroeblog.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/LucyMonroe.Romance

http://twitter.com/lucymonroe

Lucy Monroe: Researching for my Ruthless Russians Duo

It's funny how books and mini-series come about.  A couple of years ago, my editor sent me a list of upcoming Harlequin Presents themes they were doing mini series for and one of them caught my attention and my imagination.  Notorious heiresses.  So, how did we get from there to Ruthless Russians?

It all started in San Francisco.  I'd decided I wanted to write a book duo about two old-money heiresses who'd grown up as close as sister on San Francisco's Nob Hill.  So, I asked my daughters if they'd like to go on a little trip with Mom.  One said yes, the other was still leery about leaving the baby home.

Isabelle and I had an amazing time in San Francisco and as will often happen, parts of the city I didn't expect to play into the story fascinated me.  I took tons of photos of the areas I intended to write about and the hotel that would inspire The Chatsfield - San Francisco (from Sheikh's Scandal).

When I began writing An Heiress for His Empire, the relationship between Vik and Max became every bit as intriguing and important as that between Maddie and Romi.  By the time I began working on A Virgin for His Prize, I knew that my guys who'd grown up in the Russian community in San Francisco and were now self-made tycoons were the center of the story every bit as much as the unconventional heiresses that ignited their passions and ultimately captured their hearts.

San Francisco is a city rife with subculture.  Isabelle and I absolutely loved it and hope to return, buy I think you'll find a good dose of the city's flavor in both books in my Ruthless Russians duo.  In fact, I think you'll find yourself wanting to visit after reading the books.

What is one place you've always wanted to visit, but have only had the chance to read about?

Hugs and Happy Reading,
Lucy

AN HEIRESS FOR HIS EMPIRE
© By Lucy Monroe

Ruthless Russians mini-series
Harlequin Presents #3274
October 2014 (09-16-14)
ISBN-10: 0373132808
ISBN-13: 978-0373132805

The story: Innocent debutante Madison Archer has hit the headlines for a scandal not of her making. Now, marriage to the unscrupulous Viktor Beck is the only way to save what’s left of her reputation!

The contract: Maddie has always featured in Viktor’s plans to take over her father’s company and expand his empire. The intense attraction between them only sweetens the deal he’s offered....

The secret: Though love doesn’t beat in Viktor’s heart, he’ll show Maddie just how hot their chemistry can be. But even this corporate shark is in for a shock—his wild socialite is still a virgin!

Read an Excerpt

A VIRGIN FOR HIS PRIZE
© By Lucy Monroe

Ruthless Russians mini-series
Harlequin Presents #3282
November 2014 (10-21-14)
ISBN-10: 0373132883
ISBN-13: 978-0373132881

Her awakening: San Francisco heiress Romi Grayson has only had a taste of Maxwell Black’s addictive brand of seduction and knows she should stay away...especially having discovered just how determined he is to possess her!

His proposal: Max prides himself on always being in control, yet somehow Romi sneaked under his cast-iron defences, then walked away. Now he is driven to finish what they started....

The ultimate prize! This Russian tycoon will stop at nothing, even blackmail, to have Romi warm and willing in his bed. And her innocence will make his long-awaited possession all the sweeter....

Read an Excerpt

I love the book trailer that COS Productions created for An Heiress for His Empire and wanted to share it with you all as well. :)

The Latin Lover is coming soon – in Stereo! - Trish Morey

It’s true! Just when you think it’s safe to pick up one book and get one fantabulous Presents read, now you’re going to be able to pick up one book and get two!

The Latin Lover is an October Harlequin Presents release and features two great novellas, The Greek Tycoon’s Inherited Wife, by bestselling author Lucy Monroe and Back in the Spaniard’s Bed, by Trish Morey, winner of the 2009 Short Sexy Romantic Book of the Year Award.

Here are the blurbs, just to whet your appetite...

The Greek Tycoon’s Inherited Bride

Phoebe’s betrothal to Spiros Petronides’ brother meant she was forbidden, and honor was the code the Greek billionaire lived by. But with one kiss, Spiros knew he had to claim her as his!

Back in the Spaniard’s Bed

Leah left Alejandro Rodriguez because she’d overstepped the boundaries of a mistress and fallen in love! The Spaniard’s arrogance angered her, but his touch ignited her. So when Alejandro storms back into her life, how can Leah deny him?

And here’s a brief excerpt from Back in the Spaniard’s Bed, in case you’re still not convinced...


Nobody walked out on Alejandro Rodriguez. Not business tycoons or CEO’s or poker-faced politicians. And definitely not women. Leah Mitchell was just going to have to get that through her head.
He watched her working through the window of her small dressmaking shop from his vantage point across the narrow street, her head down, totally focused on the task at hand, her fingers nimble and quick as they worked the fabric through the machine.
He remembered those fingers, long and slender like the woman herself, and he remembered how they’d once worked their skilful magic on him...
He missed them.
He growled, low in his throat, a familiar thumping demand building below. Soon, he knew, soon he would feel her hands weave their magic upon him once again.
All of a sudden those same fingers stilled and she looked up, her eyes alert, searching the streetscape outside, the passing pedestrians and traffic, almost as if she’d sensed his presence. He smiled as he flipped the collar of his coat up against the unseasonable November cold. So she wasn’t over him? He’d suspected as much.
And he’d enjoy proving it to her.
He’d make her wish she’d never left him, make her beg for more.
And then he’d unceremoniously dump her.
The peak hour Sydney traffic was bumper to bumper along the narrow one-way street but somehow Alejandro forged a path through, parting the sea of cars like he had a god-given right, the tails of his long black coat swirling in his wake like the wings of a manta ray.
He was oblivious to the sound of car horns, oblivious to the calls from irate drivers to get off the road. Because right now his focus was on one thing and one thing only – Leah Mitchell, and how he was going to get her back into his bed.


I loved writing this story, it was challenging to deliver the full Presents experience in the shorter format but I’m really happy with the result and delighted it’s being released in North America in partnership with Lucy Monroe’s fabulous novella. Two great reads for the price of one – what could be better than that?

What do you think of the Presents 2-in-1 format? One lucky person will be drawn from the comments to win a copy of The Latin Lover, personally signed by Trish!

Lightbulb & Other Fun Moments in a Writers Life

I won't pretend that every other romance author has the same experience, but I've talked to enough to know that lightbulb moments when writing a book are a beautiful, beautiful thing. Me? I love lightbulb moments, no matter when they come. This past year plus has been a real struggle for me - healthwise, family wise and personally. So, the fact I've had a few really crucial lightbulb moments regarding my writing over that same period has been an utter blessing to me.

Like the time I was reading a review of another author's book. The reviewer was mad because the author had taken what she considered the easy way out in resolving a particular conflict that is pretty common in modern romance. I have no idea how dead-on the reviewer's views were in relation to that particular book, but I took her admonishments to heart and resolved never to dismiss that particular plot element as an any easy give. It's a conflict that comes up in both The Real Deal and Deal With This, each book resolving the conflict differently. Can you guess what it is? Anyway, several months later, I'm still keeping it in mind as plots develop and characters and I argue over the direction the book is going.

Jut FYI - the characters always win.

Another moment of clarity came when I was working on one of my own books and I realized I was listening more closely to my internal editor than I was my characters. The sad truth of it was, s/he was louder! Again, I can't speak for other authors and their internal editors, but my little monster has a personality disorder. That's right, Sybil eat your heart out - my IE has more voices than a busload of NY City traffic cops giving the driver directions to a Mets game. And they were all clamoring for my attention. I introduced IE to Elle, the heroine from my upcoming TGP book, The Spy Who Wants Me. Though gorgeous, Elle is tough. She drop-kicked the little monster into the deep, dark reaches of the wasteland beyond my imagination.

Whew, that was close!

Another recent mental lightening bolt came while I was reading one of my autobuy authors. She'd set up an really wonderful emotional conflict and then...resolved it with a single discussion and no follow-up scene to show the altered reactions of the characters. She's on my autobuy lists because she's so brilliantly imaginative. She's also a fantastic writer of sensuality. Her books are emotional, but she does the quick resolution a lot. She's incredible at building worlds and creating characters, but the emotional and plotlines of her stories aren't yet at the same level. When they are? She's going to rocket to the top of bestseller lists. I'm sure of it. But see, this lightning bolt singed me personally, forcing me to take an evaluative look at the imagination, characterization, emotional journey, sensuality and plotting in my own stories. And I realized I've got some real growing as a writer to do to bring some of those elements in line with one another.

A sobering but exciting revelation.

Well, I titled this post Lightbulb and Other Fun Moments in a Writer's Life. Maybe, I'd best share some of the other before you all get cornea burnout from all the flashbulbs going off. LOL

Seeing the first historical I'd written in print definitely counts as a fun moment in my life. I adore the heroine of Annabelle's Courtship. She's a sufferagette before the right to vote became an official movement. She's smart. She's strong willed. And she's lots and lots of fun. So, I'm particularly happy to see her book available in print.

I had more than one fun moment while visiting the Greater Detroit chapter of RWA and then attending Lora Leigh's Reader Appreciation Weekend afterward. If you want to read more about that, visit my blog.

But the best, most fun moments in my life as a writer? When I get a chance to interact with readers. So, thanks, Lee, for having me here to guest blog and thanks to everyone reading. Hopefully, you'll each take a moment and share your favorite or a recent lightbulb moment in your own life!

Hugs to all,

Lucy

http://lucymonroe.com

Secret Agent Heroes and Why We Love Them

I watch very little television, but there is a new show I just love. It's called "Burn Notice" and features a spy who has been "burned" by his agency. It's funny. It's intense. It's great. And the spy? To die for. He's gorgeous, he's charming and he's tough. Great combination.

It's no surprise to my family that I love this show. After all, they have to hear all about my own personal secret agent heroes as I'm writing their stories. When I created The Goddard Project agency, it was pure self-indulgence. I wanted to write about hereos that made my own pulse kick up a notch and my breathing go a little funny. You know? And being married to a super smart alpha has its perks in this way too. He helped me to come up with the whole high-tech premise of the series. He makes great inspiration for the sexier than sin heroes too.

And speaking of uber sexy...that's Alan Hyatt to a T. The hero of DEAL WITH THIS (in stores on Nov 27). Sex on a stick, as Jillian would say. The man is hot, he's dangerous and he's very talented where it counts. As an agent - of course. Okay, so maybe I wasn't just talking about his job performance, but you'll have to read the book to find out. LOL

What is it about secret agents that make them such compelling heroes for us? Is it the element of secrecy? The edge of danger? Their ability to use weapons the rest of us wouldn't even recognize?

I'm not sure, but I do know that I adore them and will be writing many more stories about The Goddard Project's agents because of that. :)

Want to watch a really cool book trailer that does a great job of showing off our sexy secret agent? Here it is:



Hugs,
Lucy

P.S. I've got a month long party going on at my personal blog (http://lucymonroeblog.blogspot.com/) to celebrate the Nov 27 release of DEAL WITH THIS. Pop by and say, "Hi," and get entered into one of the many drawings for prizes going on.

Inside the Writing Life for Lucy Monroe

Is there anything sexier than a super studly, oh so stubborn Scottish laird? I sure didn't think so when I was writing Annabelle's Courtship. (Well, okay, *maybe* dh, but that's it! LOL) The thing is I had so much fun with this book, writing it just for me. Not for a deadline, not for a particular publisher, just because I'd dreamt up these characters and could no more hold back from telling their story than I could from breathing. Writing is like that for me, absolutely necessary.

I never realized how much so until this past year when some health issues made it difficult to concentrate on my stories. I'm not a super nice person when I don't write and I've got a husband and houseful of teenagers who will verify that for you without blinking an eye. :) They will also verify that to interrupt me when I'm writing the black moment is a very bad thing, but dh doesn't mind the consequences of certain types of scenes and I'm sure you know what they are. Yikes...did I really say that? I guess I did. LOL

And there were times writing Deal With This (Nov 27th release) that I laughed out loud and man, my family appreciated that mood. :) Dh also got some special time 'cuz you know Alan and Jillian are a bit flamboyant and theories have to be tested and all that. But I'm not just talking about gasp...can I say it? SEX...I'm talking about EMOTION too.You've no idea how many discussions I've had with my own wonderful alpha hubby over a hero's motivations and actions. Ian from Annabelle's Courtship and Alan from Deal With This are no exceptions. I won't tell you which one he identified with most easily, but I will say that many things may change over history, but certain truths about alpha men are not on that list. :)

I've got a question for you all though, Annabelle's Courtship came out first as an eBook (it'll be in print in the Fall of 08) and Deal With This will naturally come out in print first and electronic format shortly thereafter. What I want to know is, do you read eBooks and if so, do you read them when available by print authors, or do you have certain authors you buy exclusively in electronic format? I know that I tend to buy a whole set of autobuy authors in eBook and another set in print and then there's a group I insist on having both editions of - for different types of reading (in bed at night versus in the hot tub, you know...lol).

Hugs,

Lucy

P.S. I love to give away prizes, so one winner randomly drawn from the comments on this post will receive a personalized signed ARC for DEAL WITH THIS.