Romancing Rakes For The Love of Romance: March 2012

Saturday, March 31, 2012

Lover Reborn (A Post In Which Jamie Talks About BDB Sex)

Tohr is finally here!!!!!

To honor this momentous event, Talk Supe and Under the Covers are hosting a BDB-themed blog hop to celebrate with other BDB fanatics! We've decided to participate. For other blogs (some have giveaways) check them out here. Below, you will find some pictures of Jamie's copy of Lover Reborn. Uh, yeah. It says Inspected by Tohrment. Read it and weep. Seriously. You'll need a box of tissues and then some for this book.

Winner, Winner...

Congrats to:

***winners have been contacted & responded. we're a little late in announcing***

Yadira Alonzo

Diane Sallans

Shelley Best Bagby

They've each won a copy of DEADLY DANCE by Dee Davis and RUN FROM FEAR by Jami Alden courtesy of Forever Romance

***winners have been contacted & responded. we're a little late in announcing***

Maureen Carol

Wendy Pariseau

Amy Medeiros

They've each won a copy of CATCH ME A COWBOY by Katie Lane and QUINN by RC Ryan courtesy of Forever Romance.

Winners have been contacted via email. Winners have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

Don't worry if you missed out on these giveaways, we've got more going on here.

Spotlight: About That Night by Julie James

We met Julie James last year at RomCon and had a total fangirl moment. Her writing is witty, sexy and totally fantastic. She was last year's reigning queen of DABWAHA and *fingers crossed* this year also. So don't forget to cast your votes for A Lot Like Love when the time comes. Yes, she's the woman who has Jed Hill in a suit instead of shirtless on her book cover.

Coming April 3rd, Julie's latest book in her FBI/US Attorney Series, About That Night, releases and we'd like to share a little bit about it with you. In fact, come back on that date to see who won their very own copy of About That Night.

Meet Julie:

After graduating from the University of Illinois College of Law, Julie James clerked for the United States Court of Appeals in Jacksonville, Florida. She then practiced law with one of the nation’s largest law firms for several years until she began writing screenplays. After Hollywood producers optioned two of her scripts, she decided to leave the practice of law to write full-time. Her books have been translated into thirteen languages and Julie’s most recent novel, A LOT LIKE LOVE, is a national bestseller.

Julie James lives with her husband and two children in Chicago. Her next novel, About That Night , will be available in April 2012.

Connect ~~Stalk~~ with Julie: Author Site | Twitter | Facebook | Blog

The Post In Which Jamie Begs and Bribes

Ladies! It has come to my attention that in the race for Hottest Hunk my guy (well he's yours too) Fassy Fassbender is in THIRD! Now ladies, surely we know he is not third place material. Shall I count the ways in which he is sexy and hot? Well, I'm going to.

Celebrate 1 Year of Blogging with Us!

This past year of blogging among the romance community has been a truly fabulous one and a total learning experience. We have met (in person, on Twitter, Facebook, etc.) many wonderful authors and fellow bloggers along the way. To celebrate, we’ve invited some fantastic authors and bloggers who have impacted each of us in their own way. There are some many more authors and bloggers we would have loved to feature but we don’t have the super organizing skills like Elise Rome with her 31 days of March Madness.

We’ll be featuring authors during the week and fellow bloggers on Saturdays. On Sundays, we’ll announce the winners.

Look at the fantastic authors and bloggers we’re hosting:

Juliana Stone

Laurie London

Dianne Duvall

Darynda Jones

Virna DePaul

Roni Loren

Karen Erickson

Tiffany Reisz

Maggie Robinson

Melissa Schroeder

Nicola Marsh

Bella Andre

Carolyn Brown

Tawny Weber

Lila DiPasqua

Kieran Kramer

Elise Rome

Delilah Marvelle

Jenn LeBlanc

Vicky Dreiling

Mandi from Smexybooks

Aislynn from Stitch-Read-Cook

Mel from Bookworm2Bookwork

Kim from SOS Aloha

There will be books and swag to win plus we are giving away a Kindle ($79) to one lucky US Reader as well as some book bundles from each of us.

Tell your friends, neighbors, your mailman/mailwoman, the UPS guy, that hottie that runs shirtless through your neighborhood at 5 on the dot... Post it on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest.

Keep up to date with all the fantastic authors and bloggers here as well as entering for the grand prize and book bundles.

We hope you join us to celebrate our first year of blogging!

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Jamie + Kati Release Day Historical Review: How To Ravish A Rake by Vicky Dreiling

HOW TO RAVISH A RAKE by Vicky Dreiling
FORMAT: ARC
GENRE: Historical
LENGTH: 400 pages
PUBLISHER: Forever (April 1,2012)

SCANDALOUS DESIRES . . .
Amy Hardwick has one last Season to shake off her wallflower image and make a love match. If she can’t, she’ll set aside her dreams of romance and return home to a suitor who can provide security—if little else. What she doesn’t count on is the inappropriate—and irresistible—attention lavished on her in a darkened library by rake extraordinaire Will “The Devil” Darcett . . .

DEVILISH DELIGHT
When Will is caught in a tryst with the ton’s shyest miss, he knows he must offer for her hand. Yet Amy is not the shrinking violet she seems to be. Passion lies beneath her prim exterior and Will is eager to release it. But winning Amy isn’t simply a matter of seduction; first, Will must convince her that he’s mended his wicked ways . .

We loved it!

Other Books in Series(click for excerpts):

available now

REVIEW:

Okay. It's been a while since we've done book birthdays but today is a very special day. Our man Tohr finally gets his own book and happily ever after as well as Will 'the Devil' Darcett gets a taste of a certain wallflower. So many fantastic books are having book birthdays today that our wallets are hiding and one-click on our Kindles are calling our name.

Cowboys, mercenaries, chefs, rogues, rakes, vamps, dukes...you name it, it's having a book birthday today. We'll be busy cozying up to Tohr so in case you don't hear from us for a few days, that's where we're at. :)

HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY TO:

Interview + Giveaway with Leigh LaValle

Leigh LaValle's debut The Runaway Duchess is garnering fantastic praise such as "a powerful debut" from Tessa Dare, "an enchanting debut...the promise of true love" from Courtney Milan, and "exciting" from RT Book Reviews. So, when we got the chance to host Ms. LaValle we jumped at it. Jamie gave her book our highest rating: 5 hearts! It was that amazing.

WELCOME TO THE BLOG LEIGH!

Meet Leigh:

I live in the Pacific Northwest with my family. When I am not writing, mommying, or reading, I am rarely seen cleaning, and more often found hiking or, when I am really lucky, in the white powder of the ski slopes. I am also a devoted yoga practitioner and instructor.

I hold an honor's degree in English Literature with a minor in Creative Writing. My poetry is published in several small literary magazines.

The Runaway Countess was a finalist in the 2011 Romance Writers of America Golden Heart contest. It is my second completed manuscript, the first having been relegated to the dust bunnies under my bed after my son was born.

Connect with Leigh: Author Site | Twitter | Facebook | Blog

Today is a little different than any other man candy Monday. Today on the official blog we are voting on the Hottest Hunk. So go, vote, win something cool but before that, check out our choices for Hottest Hunk.

Historical Review: The Runaway Countess by Leigh LaValle

THE RUNAWAY COUNTESS by Leigh LaValle
FORMAT: PDF
GENRE: Historical
LENGTH: 102,167 words
PUBLISHER: Samhain Publishing Ltd. (March 6,2012)

Her heart longs for justice, but her body clamors for sin.
Once the darling of high society, Mazie Chetwyn knows firsthand how quickly the rich and powerful turn their backs on the less fortunate. Orphaned, penniless and determined to defy their ruthless whims, she joins forces with a local highwayman who steals from the rich to give to the poor.

Then the pawn broker snitches, and Mazie is captured by the Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire. A man who is far too handsome, far too observant…and surely as corrupt as his father once was.

Sensible, rule-driven Trent Carthwick, twelfth Earl of Radford, is certain the threat of the gallows will prompt the villagers’ beloved Angel of Kindness to reveal the highwayman’s identity. But his bewitching captive volunteers nothing—except a sultry, bewildering kiss.

And so the games begin. Trent feints, Mazie parries. He threatens, she pretends nonchalance. He cajoles, she rebuffs. Thwarted at every turn, Trent probes deep into her one vulnerability—her past. There he finds the leverage he needs and a searing truth that challenges all he believes about right and wrong.

Warning: The delicious, if left-brained, hero might forever change all you think you know about the Robin Hood legend. Contains razor-sharp wordplay, skinny dipping and tortured hearts.

Connect with Leigh: Author Site | Twitter | Facebook | Blog

Get Your Own Copy: Kindle | Nook | All Romance | Samhain

Book Extras: Read an Excerpt

Go and Buy it NOW!

REVIEW:

XOXO, Romance Girl Links

Happy Thursday dear readers! March Madness is in full swing. The authors are answering questions, the prizes are flowing and you can find new-to-you authors and bloggers. There's some fun books that are free for your Kindle device or app. Plus a few giveaways around the blogosphere. Sign up for some fantastic blog hops and get your sexy on for next week's Man Candy Monday. You don't want to miss it!

Blog Tour: Interview + Giveaway with RC Ryan + Katie Lane

We love our cowboys here at Romancing Rakes For The Love of Romance. We like 'em sexy, sweaty, rocking those butt hugging Wrangler's, driving that giant pickup truck, shading their gorgeous face from the sun with a Stetson, taking off their shirts cause they got too overheated in that summer sun...excuse us while we wipe the drool off our desks. RC Ryan and Katie Lane are here today to share their latest releases and they're packed with good ol' boy charm.

WELCOME TO THE BLOG RC AND KATIE!!!

Meet RC:

New York Times best-selling author Ruth Ryan Langan has written 96 novels, both contemporary and historical.

Ruth has appeared on Good Morning America, and CNN, as well as dozens of radio and TV shows across the country, and has been quoted in such diverse publications as The Wall Street Journal, Cosmopolitan, and the Detroit Free Press.

Ruth is a charter member of Romance Writers of America, as well as a member of the Detroit Working Writers.

Connect with RC: Author Site | Twitter | Facebook

Meet Katie:

Once upon a time there was a little girl who walked around with her head in the clouds. While the other kids paid attention to the world around them, this little girl (For clarity’s sake, let’s just call her Katie.) spent her days dreaming. The dreams varied. One day Katie might be a princess who was rescued by a prince on a three-legged horse (Perfection can be so boring.), and the next day she might find herself as an overworked mother of ten. (Mothers are wonderful heroines, don’t you agree?) This playacting was acceptable when Katie was little, but as she grew older, people started to take notice and think her a little odd. (Odd? What’s odd about a tall, skinny seventh grader pushing an overfilled doll stroller down the street?)

Now Katie spends her days at a computer daydreaming, while the rest of the time she enjoys hanging with her family, reading, going to the gym, playing golf, motorcycle riding, traveling, or just snuggling next to her snoring prince. (Snoring might seem like a minor imperfection when compared to a three-legged horse, but believe me it’s not) Because if the little girl of the clouds learned anything over the years, it was that every moment in life is a happily-ever-after just waiting to be fulfilled.

Connect with Katie: Author Site | Twitter | Facebook

Blog Tour: Interview + Giveaway with Annie Nicholas

WELCOME TO THE BLOG TOUR:

We love our sexy covers here at Romancing Rakes For The Love of Romance and well, Annie Nicholas' newest release, OMEGAS IN LOVE, is quite abtastic. Nothing gets our blood pumping than sexy shifters with rock hard bodies.

Meet Annie:

Annie Nicholas hibernates in the rural, green mountains of Vermont, where she dreams of different worlds, heroes, and heroines. When spring arrives the stories pour from her, in hopes to share them with the masses one day.

Mother, daughter, wife are some of the hats she happily wears while trudging after her cubs through the hills and dales. The four seasons an inspiration and muse.

Where To Find Annie: Author Site | Twitter | Facebook | Blog | Group Blog

Man Candy Monday: Luck O' the Irish

Top o' the man candy Monday mornin' to ya. Okay, so we're a few days late on saying Happy St. Patrick's Day but hey, we'll make for it with these hot Irish men. So ladies, grab a pint of Guinness, sit back, relax and ogle...

Contemporary ARC Review: Catch Me A Cowboy by Katie Lane

CATCH ME A COWBOY by Katie Lane
FORMAT: ARC
GENRE: Contemporary
LENGTH: 384 pages
PUBLISHER: Forever (March 27, 2012)

Back In The Saddle

Shirlene Dalton has it all: a dream marriage to a man who spoils her rotten and the most outrageous mansion Bramble, Texas, has ever seen. But when her husband unexpectedly dies, Shirlene finds herself right back where she started—in a rundown trailer on the wrong side of the tracks. Never the type to let a little bad luck and a whole heap of heartache get her down, Shirlene is ready to prove to the local gossips she can make it on her own...until she ends up living next to the most tempting cowboy in town.

Billy Wilkes has a score to settle and a plan to wipe Bramble right off the map. But when his sexy, redheaded neighbor figures out what he's up to, his good ol' boy charm won't be enough to save him. With the town on his tail, Billy will have to come clean quick—or kiss Shirlene goodbye.

I liked it.

Other Books in Series(click on covers for excerpts):

REVIEW:

Contemporary eARC Review: Quinn by RC Ryan

QUINN by RC Ryan
FORMAT: eBook via Netgalley
GENRE: Contemporary
LENGHT: 352 pages
PUBLISHER: Forever (March 1,2012)

The Truth Can Be an Irresistible Temptation . . .

As a young boy, Quinn Conway was shattered by his mother's mysterious disappearance. Today, as the oldest of the Conway brothers, his only concern is protecting his family and their ranch. One look at beautiful, strong-willed Cheyenne O'Brien tells him she's also no stranger to tragedy. A series of increasingly dangerous "accidents" are plaguing her and her land, and Quinn can't stand idly by while a woman is in danger.

Fiercely independent, Cheyenne isn't one to lean on others, yet she can't deny her attraction to the rugged rancher offering help. Soon, the passion building between them proves as wild and untamed as the land she loves-and just as impossible to resist. But a relentless enemy is about to make one final devastating move. To survive, Quinn and Cheyenne must put their cherished freedom-and their hearts-at risk . . .

I liked it.

Other Books in Series(both coming later this year):

REVIEW:

Blog Tour: Guest Post + Giveaway with Jennifer Lynne

WELCOME TO THE BLOG TOUR:

Meet Jennifer:

Jennifer Lynne is a multi-published author who writes sensual and erotic romance from her home in Melbourne, Australia. She has two novellas published with Red Sage, including Seducing Serena in Secrets Volume 28 Sensual Cravings, and Pandora's Gift. Her first sensual romance with Breathless Press, Educating Ethan, will be out in February. Jen lives in hope that readers will continue to enjoy her novella-length tales of love and lust!

Connect with Jennifer: Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook | Blog

Winner, winner...

CONGRATS TO:

Gena Robertson

She's won an ecopy of BRAVE ARE THE LONELY by Heather Long

Cheryl McEwen

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erin f

They've each won copies of WITH THIS KISS by Bella Riley and LAST CHANCE BEAUTY QUEEN by Hope Ramsay.

Winners have been contacted via email. Winners have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

If you didn't win, we've got a few giveaways still open.

A huge thank you to Forever Romance for providing the giveaway copies of With This Kiss and Last Chance Beauty Queen. Another huge thank you to Heather Long for providing the giveaway copy of Brave Are The Lonely.

Blog Tour: Interview + Giveaway with Jami Alden + Dee Davis

We are on a romantic suspense book kick and it's only fitting that we host Dee Davis and Jami Alden featuring their latest releases. It gets our adrenaline pumping and our fingers turning the pages faster and faster wanting to know what the heck happens next.

WELCOME TO THE BLOG JAMI AND DEE!!!

Meet Jami:

Like so many romance readers, my first romance novel was by Kathleen Woodiwiss - The Flame and the Flower, to be exact. I was thirteen. I spent the next month working my way through her entire back list. Shortly thereafter I discovered Judith McNaught, Johanna Lindsey, Karen Robards, Catherine Coulter, Shirlee Busbee among others, and devoured their lavish historical epics full of overbearing alpha males and the women who brought them to their knees. I was hooked. My high school teachers marveled at my ability to read romance novels under the desk and still score straight A's. I started to imagine myself, living in a cabin in the mountains somewhere, writing romance novels.

During my stint as the world's surliest receptionist, I took my first stab at writing. The result was a very melodramatic western historical which reads like a bad Elizabeth Lowell rip off. Its currently languishing on my hard drive, forever stuck on page 330.

Then in fall 2001 I had an incredible stroke of luck and got laid off from my marketing job. I decided it was time to stop saying I wanted to be a writer and to actually give it a serious go. Fortunately my husband, a socially well adjusted alpha male, is a very generous patron of the arts.

Four years later, I sold my first book and I'm pretty much living the dream of getting paid to write romance. I don't live in a cabin in the mountains, but I do live in a rural-ish town near San Francisco (hey, we have deer and bunnies in our yard, along with the occasional coyote) with my husband, sons, and DOG who patiently listenS to my dialogue and helpS me work out plot points. When I'm not writing sexy romance, I enjoy running, reading, yoga and watching Food Network and bad reality TV.

Connect with Jami: Author Site | Facebook | Twitter

Meet Dee:

Dee Davis has a BA in Political Science and History, and a Masters Degree in Public Administration. During a ten-year career in public relations, she spent three years on the public speaking circuit, edited two newsletters, wrote three award winning public service announcements, did television and radio commercials, starred in the Seven Year Itch, taught college classes, lobbied both the Texas State Legislature and the US Congress, and served as the director of two associations.

Her highly acclaimed first novel, Everything In Its Time, was published in July 2000. Since then, among others, she’s won the Booksellers Best, Golden Leaf, Texas Gold and Prism awards, and been nominated for the National Readers Choice Award, the Holt and two RT Reviewers Choice Awards. To date, she has sold twenty-one books and four novellas, including the A-Tac Series and Set-Up in SoHo.

She’s lived in Austria and traveled in Europe extensively. And although she now lives in Manhattan she still calls Texas home.

Connect with Dee: Author Site | Twitter | Facebook

Romantic Suspense Review: Run From Fear by Jami Alden

RUN FROM FEAR by Jami Alden
FORMAT: eBook via Netgalley
GENRE: Romantic Suspense
LENGTH: 464 pages
PUBLISHER: Forever (February 28,2012)

With each step she takes, he tracks her every move, waiting for the perfect time. The perfect revenge. Until then, he’ll watch her…

More than anything, Talia Vega wanted to leave behind her harrowing past. Moving 800 miles away, she succeeded . . . until the one man who knows her darkest secrets wanders into the restaurant where she works. Now the agonizing memories come crashing back—along with an undeniable desire for Jack Brooks, the ex-Green Beret who rescued her from a sadistic monster two years ago.

Jack Brooks knows that showing up unannounced is a purely selfish move. Talia doesn’t need his protection anymore, but he can’t get the raven-haired beauty out of his mind. And when a twisted madman is hell-bent on resurrecting her tortuous past, Jack vows to do anything to keep her safe--even risk his own life to save the only woman he’s ever loved.

I loved it

Other Books in Series:

REVIEW:

Good Monday morning to y'all. We think you'll love this week's theme and the eye candy that goes along with it. The age old question: boxers or briefs won't be answered in this post but hey, you get to ogle men in boxers and briefs. Nothing is sexier than a man in his birthday suit but boxers or briefs comes in second.

Commence the oglage in 3... 2... 1... annnnd GO!

Romantic Suspense ARC Review: Deadly Dance by Dee Davis

DEADLY DANCE by Dee Davis
FORMAT: ARC
GENRE: Romantic Suspense
LENGTH: 400 pages
PUBLISHER: Forever (April 1,2012)

As the intelligence specialist for A-Tac, a black-ops CIA unit masquerading as Ivy League faculty, Hannah Marshall is used to working behind the scenes. But when a brutal murder hits too close to home, Hannah finds herself in the middle of the action, falling in love while racing to outwit a sadistic mastermind.

A KILLER CLOSES IN
After the death of her A-Tac partner, Hannah doubts everything she thought she knew about love and loyalty. When handsome Harrison Blake joins the team, she’s reluctant to trust him—or to act on her intense attraction to him. Then Hannah receives a podcast of a gruesome murder, and the only person who can help her find the killer is Harrison.

Harrison has spent years trying to hunt down the cunning monster who killed his sister. Now investigating with Hannah, he faces a shocking possibility—his sister’s murderer has resurfaced. As the danger escalates, Hannah and Harrison grow closer, and the desire simmering between them ignites. After Hannah disappears, Harrison has only one chance to save the woman he loves.