Gettin In Trouble(shooters)

Holy. God. Friend of Bellas, Suzanne Brockmann just wrote to say she's gonna visit us Friday with an exclusive, the flippin likes of which we've never seen at Romance: B(u)y the Book and Blog...

Friday, June 1, Suz is here
with a GuestBlog and
the Exclusive, * First-Seen Anywhere
Excerpt from
"Force of Nature!"

Oh, oh, oh, it's sooooo good, Bellas!
Tell your friends, cause you can only see it at
Romance: B(u)y the Book!
All thanks to Suz!

What's "Force of Nature" About? Suz sends this:

Florida private investigator Ric Alvarado's first big mistake was hiring his childhood friend Annie Dugan to be his Girl Friday. Even when they were kids, Annie was never content to sit demurely on the sidelines. What made him think she'd sit safely in his office now?

Ric's second big mistake was saving a stranger's life -- and finding himself owed a favor by the man's father, Gordon Burns, an organized crime boss suspected of having terrorist ties. Suddenly Ric finds himself -- with Annie -- working deep undercover as part of an FBI investigation.

FBI agent Jules Cassidy's big mistake was thinking he could see Hollywood heartthrob Robin Chadwick again without serious sparks flying. His second mistake was thinking Robin, in Sarasota to promote his latest film, would leave when Jules warned him about the dangerous case he was investigating. But Gordon Burns is a movie buff, and suddenly Robin's in the thick of things, helping Jules, Ric and Annie gain access to Burns's private compound.

Where the next mistake they make may cost them their lives...

***

*OK. Technically, if you've read the ARC, you've seen the excerpt, but you know what I mean.

Books I Read Over The Long Weekend

What did you read over the long weekend? What did you do?

Sabrina Jeffries Guestblog: A Villain To Die For

Caroline Linden: you've won a copy of Sabrina's "Beware a Scot's Revenge!" Send me your snail mail at mbuonfiglio@RBtheBook.com. Congrats, Bella. Did we mention Nathan Kamp's on the cover?

Sabrina Jeffries is funny as anything and a really nice chick, to boot. So who'da thunk this demure missionaries' kid would be so attracted to the wrong sorts? Sure, she's always written gorgeous, jerky bastard heroes who do wildly naughty things in carriages and stuff (see why I love her novels so much), and vibrant, not-always-waify heroines who bring em to their repentant knees. But today, she may have crossed some fabulous line. Please, a TGIF -- and TG for Really Bad Guys -- Buongiorno for a Friend of Bellas...

Have any of you seen the new Robin Hood series on BBC America? I got hooked on it the first time I laid eyes on actor Richard Armitage. And for the uninitiated, Armitage is not playing Robin Hood. He’s playing the villain, Sir Guy of Gisborne, who is trying to steal the favors of Maid Marian.

At first, I thought the producers meant for him to be a typical “bad boy,” with just enough dark deeds to make him interesting, but not enough to make you hate him…or yourself for loving him. A good example would be Cole from the TV show “Charmed.” Sure, he kills a few people during his periods of evilness, but it’s all for the love of Phoebe, so you forgive him. Mostly.

But Sir Guy is another matter. In one of the early episodes, he sends his own illegitimate baby son off into the woods to be abandoned to the elements and certain death. That goes beyond “bad boy” behavior and right into villain territory.

It should have killed my love for Sir Guy. It didn’t. Apparently, there is something seriously wrong with me, because I still eat those villains up. I want to take them to my heaving bosom and save their wicked souls, while letting them have their despicable way with me, over and over until we’re both hot and sweaty and … Sorry, got carried away. That’s what Sir Guy does to me.

And I’m not alone in my occasional love of villainy, judging from the number of women who had the hots for Hannibal Lecter so bad that they were perfectly happy to read about him riding off into the sunset with Clarice. Some actors just elevate villainy to new heights of grandeur. I’m not sure what it says about me that I’d like Maid Marian to choose Sir Guy over Robin (a perfectly lovely character, by the way), but I can’t help myself. I’m in lust with Sir Guy.

So what about you, do you fall in lust with true villains, or can you only stomach the bad boys? What line can a character not cross if he’s to gain your love? And if you’re into villains, who’s your favorite?

Visit Sabrina at SabrinaJeffries.com!

The (Hen)d Of An Era

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Sabrina Jeffries GuestBlogs tomorrow Friday, May 25!!! Super-naughty topic for those of you who love the really, really Bad Boys.
***

Well, all great things have to come to an end, I just always thought Squawk Radio -- if it did make an exit -- would probably do so because of some mojito-induced antic of crotchety ol Kitty Kuttlestone. Don't get me wrong. Kitty and I are colleagues -- the best of friends, really, bless her Botoxed brow.

And even though I've been frustrated more than once when she's scooped me on some big story -- I'd like to say it's always because of her superior journalistic talents, but this romance columnist has it on background that it might have had something to do with the Kitster's willingness to partay with the boys in editorial, but you didn't hear that from me -- I still respect Kitty's ability to bring home the romance bacon with the style and aplomb of a woman a third her age.

But why are those Squawkers leaving us? You can find out at Squawk Radio.com, or visit with The Authors Formerly Known As Squawkers right here in a early June when I get the scoop on Miss Kitty herself.

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Free For All: Whad'ya Wanna Talk About? Squawk? What you're reading?
***

Did I ever tell you what a tough time I have getting details right? Like, I turned in my first column for LifetimeTV.com and wrote the book title incorrectly not once, but twice?

Anyways, now that I had a sec to think about it, I realized I got some details wrong about Suzanne Brockmann's Oct. 31 release, "All Throught the Night," and I really wanna get it right, cause it's so cool: "All Through the Night" is a novella, a nice, meaty one. It's also a...Troubleshooter! What better holiday gift to give (ourselves, dernit, to heck w/everyone else)?

It's a little lighter for the most wonderful time of the year, however. Suzanne Brockmann will GuestBlog with us at the LifetimeTV.com blog in August to celebrate the release of "Force of Nature."

***

Encore! Mille grazie, Kate Pearce, for moseyin' on over to chat about you hot cowboy heroes, as well as our own.
Encore due! diane, you've won a 'graphed copy of Kate's "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?" Please send me your snail mail at Mbuonfiglio@RBtheBook.com. Congratulazione, Bella!

Kate Pearce GuestBlog: My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys. And Bi-Sexual Rakes. And Intergalactic Vikings...

Contest!!! Kate's giving one Lucky Commenting Bella a copy of "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?"
I first met Kate Pearce in the bar at RWA national Atlanta, where she and her friends thought I was trying to pick up their editor, Adam Nevill. I guess hearing me say something like, “call me if you wanna get together to finish what we started” might have sounded a little suggestive, had we not been talking about concluding an interview about erotica my supervisor ultimately nixed. I think the guy actually shivered -- not in a good way -- when I showed him the copy...
Now Kate’s a Bella, w/a very hot novel about an “aw, shucks, ma’am, can I help you with that orgasm?” cowboy who doesn't want what happened in Vegas to stay in Vegas called, “Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?” Please offer Kate a warm Hey, Howdy, Buongiorno…

Hi Bellas and thanks to Michelle for letting a newbie author GuestBlog in such awesome company!

First let me introduce myself properly. I grew up in North-East London (very close to David Beckham, but not close enough) and moved to the U.S. with my lovely husband and kids in 1998. None of which, you might think, qualifies me to write an erotic romance about a cowboy who lives in Oregon.

But I always had a ‘thing’ for cowboys. As a kid, I watched all the old T.V. shows: “Bonanza,” “The High Chaparral,” and my favorite, “The Virginian.” Even then I was torn between my love for The Virginian and my love for Trampas, the blond god played by Doug McClure.

When I first met my Virgin editor, Adam Nevill, at RWA in Atlanta he looked at me funny and said, “You’re English” I’m like, ‘duh’ He replied “I would never have known that from your book.” I took it as a huge compliment that I managed to get the sense of the wonderful country I now call home into my writing.

Of course, I was lucky enough to have the help of several locals to rid my text of such words as ‘car park, spotty face, wonky chair and bum.’ Who would’ve guessed our languages could be so different? I’m sure I got some things wrong and I’m sure someone will be kind enough to point them out to me.

I did wonder whether I was capable of producing a book about contemporary America but as I also write erotic romances for Ellora’s Cave and Kensington Aphrodisia, an average writing day might include, Cowboys, Surgeons, Intergalactic Vikings and bisexual Regency Rakes.

So does anyone else love cowboys
or care that a Brit dared to write about one?

Visit Kate at KatePearce.com !

***

Encore! If you haven't heard already, head over to SquawkRadio.com for a big announcement. The Squawkers will be here soon to dish more about the whole thing.

Force To Be Flippin Reckoned With

Bella Kate Pearce GuestBlogs tomorrow, Wed. May 23, with a Rootin' Tootin' chat about some of America's hottest heroes!

***

Suzanne Brockmann simply is one of the best writers in the biz. On top of that, she's got this courageous social consciousness thing going, which isn't so unusual among romance writers.

Yet it's the stuff she tackles and places before a readership that includes lots of men -- especially military guys -- that makes me proud she plays for our genre's team.

So, we all know that Brockmann speaks with respect and love about her son's being gay. And she includes gay characters within her novels, a couple of whom figure prominently in her upcoming release, "Force of Nature" (Aug. Ballantine)

And in November, Brockmann's releasing a special holiday anthology and donating the proceeds to a cause supporting equality and education about issues affecting folks who are gay.

Now, this post isn't about politics -- far from it. It's a little streamofconsciousness (shawkah) about stuff that's occurred to me as I've been reading my "Force of Nature" ARC:

1. If you love Brockmann, you're gonna stay up all night long to read this; it's that fuhlippin good.
2. If you haven't read Brockmann? Get the to Amazon or your fave bookstore (don't forget your independents) and puhREE-order.
3. Some authors are scrupulous about depiction of characters' using condoms, and some aren't. Brockman, of course, is, and does it in a pretty smooth way that doesn't make it seem like a public service announcement.

So, that started me thinking about a blog I read a while back by those dirty girls at LustBites.blogspot.com. The Lusties were talking about birth control and utilitarian use of condoms in romance and erotica, and how reading about it affects the reader's enjoyment of a sex scene.

And I want to ask you: Does use of/discussion about condoms, sexually transmitted diseases, etc., pull you out of, or draw you into a "sex scene?"
Do you think writers should feel obligated to provide their characters with birth control, condoms, and conversations about STDs?
***

Encore! The LustBites wenches' publisher, Virgin Books, prints a lovely blurb on the ISBN page of all BL and Cheek Novels which reads: Black Lace books contain sexual fantasies. In real life, always practise safe sex.

Hey, Babe

Dave and the kids and I saw "Shrek the Third" last night. Shrek's wife's with baby ogre, and it got me thinking babies. Not the "ohhh, wouldn't it be nice to have another" thinkin, because it wouldn't be nice to have a third, not for me, thankyouverymuch.

I was so glad when my kids started to become little people, as opposed to those little infant humans I feared dropping or not parenting to the standards of the Suburban Baby Policemoms.

Now, babies in romance novels, they's another story altogether. They're always a source of such happiness in epilogues, disappointment when the deflowered heroine who turned away from the hero finds she's not pregnant, even though being enceinte w/out a husband would surely bring ruin to her family and wreck the child's life.

Then, there's the way heroes always find their pregnant wives so sexy, can't get enough of the chicks' bods even though the gals have delivered a passel of young'ns -- nursing them all despite the aristocracy's horror at women who perform such an unnatural task. (Please, no letters; that's the ton's opinion, not mine).

There are secret babies, bastard princesses, and, my particular favorites, the stories like the one sent to me recently by Harlequin Presents author Sandra Morton, "The Italian Prince's Pregnant Bride," part of the "Billionaire Brides" series, with, perhaps the best tag line ever:

Billionaire Brides: Pregnant by their princes.


Yeah, I know some of you are writhing in happiness cause, that's just SOOOOOO classic dreamy H'Quin Presents. And you know how this one goes. Absolute bastard of an arrogant, misogynistic-yet-likable Italian prince/self-made billionaire has wet, hot, anonymous sex with a seeming ice queen -- forgetting in his passion the condom (because it's H'Quin Pres, we pronounce everything like BBC News Desk) -- and ends up learning her ID in a scene in which he embarrasses and debases her.

It's soooooooooo good.

So, what's your favorite baby scenario in romance? What do you like about baby story lines? How do you feel about the way pregnancy and body changes through pregnancy are dealt with in romance? How much of a lightskirt are you for "pregnancy" category romance?

***

Our very own Bella Kate Pearce GuestBlogs
Tuesday, May 23!
Wear your chaps, cause she's talkin cowboys...

Sabrina Jeffries GuestBlogs Friday, May 25,
with a topic that's absolutely so evil cool, you won't wanna miss it.

Yes, I Have No Jackie Collins Photos

I'm back, and can I just say I'm, like, the luckiest person on the planet? I mean, you know I've always wanted to do the RBtheBook thing on a larger scale -- let more people know how great romance is -- but my little overnite to LA really showed me that I'm pretty blessed to be hooked up with Lifetime Television and their dot com team.

These kids -- and I have to say kids, cause I think I was at least ten years older than everybody I worked with -- are incredibly bright and have remarkable ideas about how to celebrate romance, and get viewers excited about the great stuff reading it brings to our lives.

And on top of it all, they're just nice folks, and I've heard through the grapevine that Lifetime Television's corporate culture is pretty much kinder and gentler than what one would might expect in the TV industry.

So, did I think of you while I was doing the Jackie Collins interview? You betcha. I like wanted to jump online to say, "my God, this is so surreal." But the event went beautifully and she is an absolute charmer. I mean, it's clear she's self-possessed and isn't anyone's fool. But she seems to draw good people to her, too, if her assistant and publicist are any indication. And she's really beautiful, and very approachable.

I can't wait to see the finished product, cause she is a total blast. Wait til you hear what she has to say about the whole Paris Hilton thing. I mean, I didn't even know there was a Paris Hilton thing. I really need to get out more.

Since I don't have any photos to show you of yesterday -- you know I'm terrible w/ that stuff -- here are a few from Washington Romance Writers, sent by Katheryn Caskie. I'll try to give you her descriptions.

Ask away: What do you want to know about the Jackie Collins interview?
My question: If you could have lunch with any celebrity or "author celebrity" who'd it be?

Kathy's Photo Captions: ULeft, "Michelle grows a foot and joins the Norwegian basketball team." (That's Kathy's best friend and Regency authoress extraordinaire, Sophia Nash). Next, R, "Romance Jeopardy team looking snockered." (Julia Quinn and I managed to lose the most points for our team -- the most lost of any team, I think. I forgot the 'phrase it in a question' thing in Dbl Jeop. Next, L, "Kathy and Lisa Gardner," (who I'm dyin to have GuestBlog here. Funny, smart woman. Last, R, me and Jeanne Adams, WRW Retreat chair. Oh, and Diana Peterfreund and me. She's the originator of EBWAR (Everything's Better w/Alan Rickman).

***
Encore! Grazie Kathryn Jordan for visiting and updating us on "Hot Water" and "Steam." Can't wait to hear what's next for you and your male escort hottie, William. You know what we mean.

Encore due! vivi anna; pearl; abookworm : you've each won a prize from Kathryn! Send me your snail mails at mbuonfiglio@RBtheBook.com and Kathryn will contact you about your prizes. Congratulazione, Bellas!

Kathryn Jordan GuestBlog: Into Hot Water ,Yet Again

Contest!!! Read today's GuestBlog to learn more!

Kathryn Jordan's a favorite around here. The last time she steamed up the place we all enjoyed cyber-ritas and a naughty chat. Today, we'll all get into a little more hot water with her, and re-visit a favorite fantasy. Please, a warm Bella buongiorno for our friend...

Greetings! How happy I am to visit with my steamy woman’s fantasy - for the third time! Guess you Bellas can’t get enough of HOT WATER. Ilook forward to chatting with new bellas as well as tried and true.

For those new, the novel begins with this quote: “Women are like tea bags. They don’t know how strong they are until they get into hot water.” Eleanor Roosevelt - Bless her feisty heart!

HOT WATER turns the tables on the “Pretty Woman” story. What if a woman escaped her life for a weekend to live out a fantasy. What if she rents a red Lamborgini and hires a gorgeous younger man for fabulous mega-sex at a lush spa resort - spa treatments, silky mineral water soaks AND amazing sex. Not to mention, Latin dancing. OMG!

What if he (William) turns out to be highly tuned to feminine desires, not just physical - mental, emotional, spiritual... Well, this is a fantasy. But what fun hearing the most female empowering phrases in the voice of this younger man, who, btw, looks just like Eduardo Verastequi!

And the female character (Julia) has plenty to escape. We find out gradually.

Some topics -

• Have you ever fantasized hiring a man for sex?
• What intrigues us about a woman turning the tables on what men have done forever? Why does this feel so empowering?
• What makes us girls escape into fantasy novels? Does this enhance our real relationships?

In Feb. I did an event at Purrmission, a sexy lingerie shop in Santa Barbara, CA., one of the few HOT WATER couples events. Almost half the book is in “William’s” POV, and the men enjoyed the readings as much as the women. (Painless way to learn, perhaps). And in the atmosphere of playful passion, I felt comfortable reading pretty explicit scenes. Sure as heck wouldn’t happen in a library!

The sequel, STEAM, starts right where HOT WATER left off. Can such a fantasy last?

In a real life twist, I set STEAM aside to write a novel based on the life of silent screen star, Gladys Walton, who was Al Capone’s girlfriend. They spent time at the same spa resort in the CA desert where Julia met William. Check it out: http://wow-womenonwriting.com/9-editorsdesk.php#eventrecap

Also ask me about film option and Lifetime possibilities in the works... Fingers crossed.

Don’t forget, Michelle will be picking winners again - the official HOT WATER mug with Eleanor Roosevelt quote. Also “Get Into HOT WATER” t-shirt, tank top or THONG! Turquoise to match the book cover. And a fabulous HW music CD.

Visit Kathryn at KathrynJordan.com !
***

Encore! Grazie mille, Gennita "Jenn" Low, for visiting and bringing your Bad Boys with you. Ah, you know exactly what we Bellas like, dont'cha? Hope you'll come back again.

Encore due! jean, you've won a signed copy of Jenn's new book! Email me with your snail mail at Mbuonfiglio@RBtheBook.com. Congrats, Bella!

Gennita Low GuestBlog: Hello Mr. Hot Stuff

Contest!!! Gennita’s giving one Lucky Commenting Bella a signed copy of “Virtually His!”

Gennita Low's friends -- well, that's just about everyone; she's a nice person -- call her Jenn. And Jenn's been nominated 3 times for RWA's Golden Heart Award. Which is impressive by any measure, but not as cool as the many books she's written filled with action, adventure, and really hot, um, hotness. I recommend "Sleeping with the Agent." Will you please offer Jenn a warm Bella buongiorno as she asks us to define what makes bad so good...

I love me a bad boy anti-hero. You know the kind I mean.

To me, he is the ultimate forbidden fruit when it comes to a woman's fantasy because you know you shouldn't. even. look. in. his. direction. Uh-uh. You know he's going to break your heart into a thousand pieces. You know he's like unwanted calories to your baggage of female angst and cynicism.

But I can't help myself. I just love them in my romances. I mean, where else can I indulge myself into a full course of bad boy a la mode knowing that in the end, he's going to be mine, mine, mi...I mean, the heroine's, ahem?

I also like my bad boys bad-ass too. Bad-ass. Kick-ass. Tight-ass.

Hmm. You see where I'm going here.

However, my fantasy bad boy isn't going to work for me if he's just going to be bad and nothing else. He's got to have some layers to his personality. Brains as well as muscles (it's my fantasy, dammit!) Since I write techno-thrillers, my bad boys are either super spies or special forces operatives. I enjoy putting them in dangerous situations that highlight the greyness in their characters, pushing them to do things that would make life uncomfortable. For example, my SEAL hero, Hawk, in THE HUNTER (2005). Oh, he was so bad. He killed me when he rendered my heroine unconscious and then wrote his nasty little message on her thigh with a magic marker!

As a writer, I try to push myself in each story, to find something that would make me sit back and go "whoa! Can I? Dare I? And how would I get away with that?" In that sense, the bad boys in my head challenge me.

"How bad can you make me?"

Let me tell you, it's a challenge I find hard to resist. ;-) So in my newest book, VIRTUALLY HIS, the muse has presented me with not ONE but SEVEN bad boys to deal with. My heroine, Helen "Hell" Roston, has to figure out which of these dudes is her trainer who's been messing with her...head...in their virtual reality session.

Virtual reality...can you imagine the trouble a BAD ASS BAD BOY can get into with that much power and control? Fortunately ***cracking knuckles***, I also like to introduce my bad boys to very dangerous women. And then I get to figure out how these two are going to mesh in their love match. Mentally AND physically. ***evil grin***

My question to you is, how do you know, as a reader, that THIS IS the ultimate bad boy? I mean, he stalks into the room...so, yeah, that's Mr. Hot Stuff coming at you. What else? Is it the smile? THAT look in his eye? The way he stands too close? What?

Visit Jenn at
Gennita-Low.com!

Call Me Lucky

So. Evan "The Greatest Guy Ever" Silverman, VP Online at Lifetime Television calls me and says, "How'd you like to go to LA and interview Jackie Collins for LifetimeTV.com?"

And I was all, "oh, I dunno. Let me check my schedule, cause I may already have an on-cam interview scheduled at the mansion of some other Hollywood and literary icon..."

As you read, I'm on my way to Beverly Hills [cue the Hillbillies theme] to meet with and interview "Jackie" in her BH home about her upcoming novel, "Drop Dead Beautiful" (June 26, St. Martin's Press), yet another installment in the Lucky Santangelo saga, and Collins' 25th book.

The Jackie Collins interview series, as well as a Feature Review of "Drop Dead Beautiful" and other fun stuff will be the first Romance: B(u)y the Book line-up when LifetimeTV.com relaunches in late June.

Lucky gets her name in dark purple like all RBtheBook personages of note, because she's, like, a role model and hero to millions of women who love Collins' novels.

Lucky's not only seriously bright, she's stunning, made her way in what was still pretty much a man's world when she came on the scene in "Chances," and is always happy to get and enjoy what's hers -- whether in the boardroom or the bedroom. Or in the penthouse suite. Or in the...

Seems most everyone I know read her older sister's copies of Collins' novels, and pretty much came of age right along with the feisty Italian daughter of crime magnate Gino "The Ram" Santangelo. Pithy family motto? "Don't F*CK with a Santangelo."

Oh. Of course not. Mi scusi.

All kidding aside, it's cool to note that Collins was one of the first writers of popular fiction to allow her female characters to take charge of their sexualities, and in doing so made waves by daring to point out the double standard prevalent in society and popular fiction.

So, my three questions are: What's your Jackie Collins "coming of age" story? If you had a family motto, what would it be? And finally, What would you ask Jackie Collins in an interview?

***

Encore! Gennita Low GuestBlogs Wednesday, May 15!
Encore due! anne, way back when, you won Eve Ortega's prize from her terrif GuestBlog about cover art. Please email me your snail mail at Mbuonfiglio@RBtheBook!
Encore tre! And a very belated grazie, Eve Ortega, for visiting with us. We'll look forward to hearing how your work in progress is going, and how "Goddess of the Hunt" is fairing "on the market."

New Tradition: Matt 4 Moms & UGiG!

Because he's some mother's son -- and many a mom's fantasy -- I bring you what's become our RBtheBook tradition:

Matt 4 Moms &
Us Girls In General Day!

It's our all-inclusive way of saying hooray for us chicks who add so much to the lives of children: nieces and nephews, godkids, friends' babies.

So on this, your special day of the year, enjoy knowing that you are woman, you roar, you rock. You make it all happen, and there is strength in knowing you're never wrong.

Um, well, if not on this day, when can we dare to dream, my sisters?

So. There's This Guy. And This Girl. And This Other Guy...

Romance: B(u)y the Book and this blog
move to LifetimeTV.com in late June. Details soon!
Oh, and I've got a fun secret to tell you -- Monday!
***

Hot, slick, forbidden female fantasy. The kind your guy will have great fun listening to you detail, if he's the kinda guy I think he is.

I mean, what guy wouldn't want to know his woman's long harbored a fantasy about a decadent weekend of wild sex with two healthy, single, stuhrapping mens who have been friends for years and don't mind sharing? Or has secretly desired he turn her control-freak life upside down by encouraging her wicked dreams of being masterfully dominated.

And I can't imagine a man alive who would be disconcerted to learn his chick's got a fantasy yen for wanton exhibitionist lovin' while watching some of the same.

Yup. Jaci Burton's "Wild, Wicked & Wanton," definitely did it for me. It's got that great erom anthology angle of three friends finally getting theirs -- always a fave of mine, way back from Lori Foster's earliest.

And while it pretty closely follows the romance construct, there is the naughty little veterinarian sammich in the first short. Yet I think you'll find Burton herself is masterful when she builds the monogamous HEA, a monumental task in this scenario.

Poor Dave. Last night he had to listen to me drone on about how arousing I found this book, how important these fantasies are to women's sexualities; why women's fantasy sammiches are different from men's (giving v servicing); and why anal sex scenes are so hot, especially in erotic romances where couples are journeying through sexual expression, onto love.

What that man doesn't endure for love of me.

What's the last hot book you read? Do you share your thoughts about those books with your partner? Does your heart bleed for my husband?

Mmmm, Pass Me The KFC, Luvah...

Romance: B(u)y the Book and this blog
move to LifetimeTV.com in late June. Details soon!
Oh, and I've got a fun secret to tell you about Monday!
***

Well, we had a great time yesterday talking with Eve Ortega/Tessa Dare about all the things we love -- and love to hate, as she put it -- about romance novel covers. So with apologies to folks who don't much care for the nekkid backs, I give you some of the very same.

Why? Cause I love Kresley Cole's novels, and had forgotten til Bella MaryKate reminded me as she began her Cole journey with Cole's latest, "If You Desire," not to be confused with Connie Brockway's "As You Desire," another fab historical on my keeper shelf.

Why do I dig Cole? Especially in her first two novels, her heroes are unabashedly alpha, leaning toward Old School. And I absolutely sink. into. her. stories.

OK. There's this little tiny thing about an occasional slip of voice that's a tad anachronistic -- I'm warning youz purists in advance cause I don't want you to miss out on great reads just because of a couple cadences of language.

Cole's novels have great sub-plots filled with thrills and danger, but the thick of the thing is totally the love story. sigh. Nary a TSTL chick in sight, but you can find some believably forward-thinking debs. And her Highlanders? Ah, it's so nice to have a strapping Highlander around for a good weekend's read.

Her paras are strong, too. :)

And did I mention that the novels are fuhlippin hawt? Totally in context, totally mouthwatering; you will so totally blush if you read this stuff on the metro, not cause it's graphic, but because you feel every vulnerability expressed in and out of the clinch.

You might want to try Kresley Cole's stuff if you love historicals - specially Highlanders - or you just want to try a historical with the feel but not the history lesson. And if I can work it out, we'll have Cole visit with us soon.

So. You're stuck in a hotel suite for a weekend with a phone and a romance novel hero of your choice. Who's your hero -- and -- what kind of take-out do you order in?