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Title: Betting on Texas Author:  Amanda Renee

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

Review:

Once again, I am drawn to a cowboy book.  Betting on Texas by Amanda Renee even has horses.  Bonus!  Surly Jesse is a horse trainer, and they are actually featured predominately in the story.  Yeah!  Unfortunately, Jesse knowingly puts Miranda in some hazardous situations, which did make me think less of him.  A horse trainer of all people should know better to put a horse and a human at risk like that. 

Miranda Archer is embarking on a new life.  Having won the state lottery, she purchases a ranch in Texas, loads up her meager belongings in her brand new pickup truck, and heads for greener pastures.  What she finds isn’t exactly the solitary haven she’s expecting.  Instead, she discovers that she also owns several horses, a small herd of cattle, and some chickens in addition to the farm house and acreage.  Oh, yeah, and there’s that angry, angry cowboy, Jesse Langtry, in residence, too.  Jesse has sacrificed the better part of the last 15 years  working on the ranch, training sought after cutting horses and managing the property for the former owners.  They had a hand shake agreement that Jesse would buy the ranch when they were ready to retire.  Unfortunately, the older couple is tragically killed in an accident, and the ranch is placed on the auction block by.  Jesse is outbid by Miranda, and he is pissed!  How could this rich, city-slicker from DC just stroll into town and take away his  dream?

I really wanted to enjoy this book more than I did, but the story didn’t gel for me.  The adversarial relationship between Jesse and Miranda turned me off.  Jesse completely and unfairly misjudges Miranda, which makes him hard to like.  They are constantly bickering about the ranch, which is legally Miranda’s, and Jesse blames her for buying it from under him.  He is so bitter that I just couldn’t buy into their relationship.  He puts her at risk several times with the horses, and I couldn’t get over that.  Horses are large animals, and when handled by inexperienced people, they can be dangerous.  Heck, they can be dangerous when you know what you’re doing!  To leave her to load a horse onto a trailer after getting mad at her; I just can’t imagine a professional horseman doing something risky like that.  After getting dumped off of my mare the same day I read a majority of the book, for no other reason than she was feeling frisky, I know how quickly things can go wrong with horses.  This probably won’t be a major sticking point for most, but it was for me.

I did like Miranda.  She put up with Jesse’s sullen behavior and tried not to let it bother her.  She met his dismissive treatment of her head on.  She didn’t let him alter her plans to have the home she had always dreamed of.  When life bit her in the behind, she quickly made adjustments to ensure that the animals and the people who were now depending on her were taken care of.  Her initial poor reception in town was entirely due to Jesse spreading false rumors about her and her plans for the ranch, and she acted forcefully to try to counteract the gossip he had spread about her.  Even though he did this before he met her, it’s hard to forgive a guy who would try to sabotage a complete stranger like that.

To settle things between them, Miranda and Jesse make a bet, and the winner ends up with the ranch.  Because of Jesse’s determination to win the bet and get his dreams back on track, it was hard to buy into his sincerity when his feelings for Miranda started to change.  I wasn’t sure if he really did like her, or if gaining control of the ranch was playing into his change of heart.  In fact, it wasn’t until the last two chapters that I even started to like him. 

Betting on Texas was a mixed bag for me, and I blame the confrontational relationship established early in the story for my tepid respond to Jesse.  It was hard to look beyond Jesse’s desire to own the ranch, and his less than chivalrous behavior rankled at times.  Even though Betting on Texas didn’t work for me,  I am looking forward to getting to know Jesse’s brothers better in Home To The Cowboy, the next book in the series. 

Grade: B-/C+

Review copy provided by publisher

Amanda Renee dropped by the virtual offices to chat about her debut novel, Betting on Texas.  Please give her a warm welcome.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Describe yourself in 140 characters or less.

[Amanda Renee] Risk taking, no holds barred author who believes dreams really do come true if you work hard for them! No regrets, no apologies. Just do it!

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you tell us a little about Betting on Texas?

[Amanda Renee] Miranda Archer buys the Double Trouble Ranch sight unseen at the urging of her best friend and unwilling upends Jesse Langtry and his plans for the ranch.  Believing he can chase the city girl back where she came from, he bets she won’t make it one month working on the ranch like everyone else.  If she wins, he goes away quietly, if he wins, she sells him the ranch.  It’s a 30 day battle of wits and determination.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?

[Amanda Renee] Miranda and Jesse live in my dream town.  The characters throughout Betting on Texas are the people I would want for neighbors, but that’s not to say there aren’t a few bad eggs in the bunch.  Life in Ramblewood, Texas is far from perfect. I love the down home atmosphere of ranch life.  It’s hard work, but at the end of the day, you have something tangible to show for it.  Jesse and Miranda never fear the unknown.  Nothing is ever impossible to them and that’s my favorite quality in a person.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three words best describe Miranda?

[Amanda Renee] Determined, Spunky, Competitive

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If Jesse had a theme song, what would it be?

[Amanda Renee] All We Ever Find by Tim McGraw – sums up his feelings for Miranda perfectly.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Name one thing Miranda is never without.

[Amanda Renee] Her determination! It’s all she needs to get through life.  She never considers giving up on anything, regardless of what it is. 

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things will you never find in Jesse’s bedroom?

[Amanda Renee] Sex Toys (he’s good to go on his own), frou-frou (he keeps things simple), television (if you’re in his bedroom, you’re there for a reason and it isn’t to watch I Love Lucy reruns)

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is Miranda’s greatest regret?

[Amanda Renee] Her relationship with her deceased alcoholic mother.  Miranda always wonders if she could have done more to save her from herself.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are your greatest creative influences?

[Amanda Renee] Edward Lear – For his whimsical style of writing and brilliant artistry

Sandra Brown – I aspire to one day reach her level of greatness

Antonio Vivaldi – His compositions inspire greatness

Jonathan Firth – For the emotional depth of every character he portrays

Dave Sabo of Skid Row – His musical creativity blows me away every time

My Grandpa Joe – There was nothing he wasn’t willing to try

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things do you need in order to write?

[Amanda Renee] Quiet (I’m easily distracted), my netbook (all 1st drafts are written on my netbook so I can easily take it anywhere and the battery lasts the entire day), my dog

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is the last book that you read that knocked your socks off?

[Amanda Renee] Triggerfish Twist by Tim Dorsey – I howled all the way through it!

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If you had to pick one book that turned you on to reading, which would it be?

[Amanda Renee] Wow!  I’ve read since I was 3 years old. I come from a family of bookworms.  Dr Seuss started it all – Green Eggs and Ham!

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?

[Amanda Renee] I hate to sound cliché but long walks on the beach with my dog, motoring in my Mini Cooper, spending time with family & friends, anything on the water and anytime I can work with animals, I’m happy!

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How can readers connect with you?

[Amanda Renee] My website: www.amandarenee.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/TheAmandaRenee

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AmandaReneeFanPage

Snail Mail: Amanda Renee, PO Box 3251, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582

Thank you!  It’s been a pleasure speaking with you!

[Manga Maniac Café] Thank you!

You can purchase Betting on Texas from your favorite bookseller or by clicking the links below.

About the book:

About the Author:

Born and raised in the northeast, Amanda Renee currently resides on the Intracoastal Waterway in sunny South Carolina. She was discovered through Harlequin’s So You Think You Can Write contest and began writing for the American Romance line. When not creating stories about love, laughter and things that go bump in the night, she enjoys the company of her Schnoodle named Duffy, traveling, photography, playing guitar and anything involving horses. You can visit her at www.amandarenee.com.

Add Amanda’s books to your shopping list!

BETTING ON TEXAS – March 2013

HOME SWEET COWBOY – August 2013

LEGACY OF A LONE STAR – Early 2014

Don’t care which political side you are on, this is very cute!

NEW JERSEY – BERGEN COUNTY
New critique group forming for picture book, middle grade, and YA writers in Bergen County. WHERE AND WHEN: Initial meeting will be on Monday, March 11th at 7:30 pm at the Upper Saddle River Library– 245 Lake Street. Future meetings and group goals will be discussed and formulated that night.
INTERESTED? Contact SCBWI member Nona Maher at nona.maher@gmail.com

Eliza Wheeler’s illustrations’s for Kate Milford’s LEFT-HANDED FATE, a nautical fantasy set in 1813 about the wars in the Atlantic was sold to Noa Wheeler at Holt Children’s, for publication in Fall 2014. Eliza was featured on Illustrator’s Saturday.  Here’s the link: http://wp.me/pss2W-3Kp

At Pippin Properties, Elena Mechlin has been named literary agent and will continue managing the agency’s foreign and audio rights.

At Harlequin’s Love Inspired imprint, Giselle Regus has been promoted to assistant editor.

Amy Tannenbaumhas joined the Jane Rotrosen Agency as a literary agent. She was previously an editor at Atria, and will represent new adult, romance, and commercial women’s fiction authors.

Avideh Bashirrad has been promoted to vp, associate publisher for the Random House and Dial Press imprints, reporting to Susan Kamil.

At Harlequin, Mira executive editor Valerie Gray will retire at the end of March after more than 13 years with the company. As a result, Tara Parsons will move into that role in addition to her duties as executive editor for HQN and Luna. Also at Mira, Nicole Brebner has been promoted to senior editor, while both Leonore Waldrip and Michelle Venditti move up to assistant editor (Waldrip will also work on HQN titles.)

In addition, Susan Swinwood has been promoted to executive editor, HQN and Luna, while Margo Lipschultz moves up to senior editor. Finally, Emily Martin has been promoted to director of overseas publishing for the company.

Grand Central’s romance imprint Forever and their companion digital imprint Forever Yours will expand to publish 120 titles in 2013 and more than 190 titles in 2013 — up from 64 titles in 2012 — as part of a “major initiative” celebrating the imprint’s 10th anniversary. Forever will also add editorial and marketing staff.

Illustrator Hazel Mitchel, who was featured on Illustrator Saturday http://wp.me/pss2W-2pf sent in this book promotion opportunity:

Do you have a book on cows or ice cream? This may be of interest to you:

“One of my PR clients is a large homemade ice cream stand in Swansea, Mass. I am organizing a spring book fair and would like to have authors of cow and ice cream-related books appear for a book signing/ ice cream festival.

Also, we are going to have other signings throughout the spring, summer and early fall and would love to showcase your talent – free of charge. You will also get a free ice cream cone!

Please email me offline if your are interested in participating. The creamery is located about 20 mins. east of Providence and on weekends sells about 1,300 cones a day.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL!

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy

Title:  Texas Christmas Author: Nancy Robards Thompson

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

Review:

On a recent outing to the library, I caught sight of Texas Christmas.  The cover totally sucked me in; how could I resist that oh so sexy cowboy and the horses?  This cover is like a dream  date for me – the ultimate date would be going riding with some hot dude who likes animals, especially horses, and would actually go on a ride with me.  Sigh. Sadly, this scene is not in the book.  The protagonist, Pepper, doesn’t like horses, and hasn’t since an accident when she was a child.  So, no trail riding with a super sexy cowboy is in this story.

Pepper Merriweather is reeling from her father’s arrest. He’s been accused of defrauding investors of millions, and suddenly, Pepper is facing a very ugly future.  Raised in wealth, she is now scrambling to find a job.  With her father’s face in the papers, it’s getting harder and harder to find the strength to move on with her life.  Everyone is placing blame on her, even though she never worked at her father’s company.  I thought this was especially unfair, because her father wouldn’t have anything to do with her.   They hadn’t spoken in years, and he refused to allow her to visit him in prison.  So Pepper is basically taking heat for a jerk of father who hasn’t been part of her life in forever. 

Pepper meets billionaire Robert Macintyre on a flight home from Paris, where she and her mother have been hiding from the press.  He’s a nice guy, and Pepper’s grateful that he doesn’t mention her father and his alleged crimes even once.  After rescuing her from a very angry drunk who confronts her in the airport, Rob gives her a lift home.  After a steamy kiss, the two part ways, seemingly for good.  However, when Pepper’s good friend insists that Rob hire her, or she won’t make a donation for the children’s hospital he wants to build, Rob and Pepper find themselves together again.  Add in a massive amount of guilt on Pepper’s part, and you have a slow to burn romance.

When Pepper was a young girl, she and her brother were involved in an accident, and Pepper never forgave herself for it.  She isn’t ready to allow someone else to love her, either.   Just look at her father, who can’t find it in himself to forgive her. How can she allow Rob and his young son to get close to her, when all she does is hurt people?  While I found this conflict compelling, I felt that it was resolved too easily.  The pacing of this book felt so off to me, and it hindered my enjoyment of the story.   Pepper and Rob meet early in the book, and then don’t get together again until about 130 pages later.  That didn’t leave enough page time for their romance to convincingly develop.  Instead, the focus of the story is on Pepper dealing with fallout from her father’s crimes, and Rob trying to fund the hospital expansion.  There just wasn’t enough romance to satisfy me, and I was left wanting more.

Grade:  C

Review copy obtained from my local library

Today Jessica Hart is visiting the virtual offices to talk about her latest release, Hitched!  This is one of the Harlequin KISS launch titles, and I’m thrilled to have Jessica here.  On Friday, I will be giving away one complete set of the KISS launch titles, so make sure to stop back to enter for your chance to win!

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Describe yourself in 140 characters or less.

[Jessica Hart] Loves history, lists & wide horizons. Loathes litter, lies & misused apostrophes. Hopeless at being concise.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What makes Harlequin’s Kiss line unique from their other series romance?

[Jessica Hart]  A sharp contemporary edge and a sense of fun.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What do you enjoy best about writing for Harlequin?

[Jessica Hart] Connecting with readers around the world.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you tell us a little about Hitched?

[Jessica Hart] Engineer Frith is a woman with a plan, and it doesn’t include weddings of any kind. But when she’s roped into organizing a hen party for her spoilt half-sister, she ends up relying more than she wants on her annoying neighbour George … and before long a wedding doesn’t seem quite such a terrible idea after all.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?

[Jessica Hart] A glossy magazine leapt into my hands one day, the way they do, and it seemed rude not to glance through it. There was a story in it about a billionaire’s younger daughter who was having some extraordinarily ostentatious wedding. She was described as the apple of her father’s eye and almost as an aside the article mentioned that her older sister was going to be a bridesmaid. I couldn’t help wondering what it would be like to be that sister who was clearly not the apple of her father’s eye, and so Frith started to come to life. I wanted her to be someone who didn’t belong in her family, so I made her a half-sister and gave her a fraught relationship with her father and a determination to prove that she could manage by herself. And then I thought about the kind of man who would challenge everything Frith thought she wanted, and along came George …

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three words best describe Frith?

[Jessica Hart] Loyal. Prickly. Honest.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Name one thing George won’t leave the house without.

[Jessica Hart] Treats for his horses.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things will you never find in George’s pockets?

[Jessica Hart] A list. An electronic organizer. A mirror.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is Frith’s greatest regret?

[Jessica Hart] Letting grief and loneliness make her vulnerable to humiliation.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are your greatest creative influences?

[Jessica Hart] Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Loretta Chase, Nora Roberts, Jenny Crusie, Georgette Heyer, Mary Stewart.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things do you need in order to write?

[Jessica Hart] My iMac. No distractions. A looming deadline.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is the last book that you read that knocked your socks off?

[Jessica Hart] The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If you had to pick one book that turned you on to reading, which would it be?

[Jessica Hart] Honestly? About Teddy Robinson by Joan G. Robinson. This was my favourite book when I was four. I used to scream with laughter, and insist that not a single page was missed. A perfect lesson in how a well-written story can make you believe utterly in the characters – and it still makes me laugh! After that, it would probably be Anne of Green Gables.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?

[Jessica Hart] It sounds boring, but I’m transcribing some 16th-century court records that are fascinating. That’s my labour of love. Otherwise, I like to cook and eat and plan holidays, and I spend far too much time sloping out for coffee or a drink even when I’m supposed to be writing.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How can readers connect with you?

[Jessica Hart] Come find me on Facebook, or through my website – I’d love to hear from you!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jessica-Hart/197786216977996

www.jessicahart.co.uk

jessica@jessicahart.co.uk

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Have a wonderful day!

[Jessica Hart] You too, and many thanks for the invitation to the Manga Maniac Café!

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Thank you!

You can purchase Hitched! from your favorite bookseller or by clicking the links below. Be sure to check back at the end of the week for your chance to win a set of the first four KISS titles!

About the book

About the author:

Jessica’s earlier career was a haphazard one, including stints as foreign newsdesk secretary in London, cook on an Australian outback cattle station, TEFL teacher in Jakarta and interpreter on expedition in Cameroon. She first stumbled into writing as a way of funding a Ph.D. in Medieval Studies, and since then she has written 59 books for Harlequin Mills & Boon’s Romance/RIVA series. A multiple finalist and past winner of both a RITA (Christmas Eve Marriage, Best Traditional Romance 2005) and the UK’s coveted Romance Prize (now the RoNA Rose Award), Jessica was awarded the National Readers’ Choice Award (Traditional category) for her 50th book, Last-Minute Proposal, in 2009 and again in 2010 for Cinderella’s Wedding Wish.

Jessica lives in York, a historic city in the north of England, and also writes ‘time slip’ novels as Pamela Hartshorne.

To find out more about Jessica, visit her website, www.jessicahart.co.uk, or find her on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jessica-Hart/197786216977996

Title: The Downfall of a Good Girl Author: Kimberly Lang

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

Review:

I struggled with The Downfall of a Good Girl.  I never felt a connection with Vivi, the story’s protagonist.  She is everything that I am not.  She comes from one of New Orleans’ oldest and wealthiest families, she is a former beauty queen, and now she spends her days running an art gallery and volunteering for various charitable causes.  I am fortunate to run a brush through my hair and pull it back into a ponytail on a daily basis, so a former pageant competitor was difficult from me to relate to.  The plot revolves around the annual Saints and Sinners fund-raising competition, where Vivi is pitted against her childhood nemesis, Connor Mansfield.  Connor and Vivi have been at loggerheads forever, and Vivi is dismayed to discover that Connor, now a successful rock star, will be her competition.  She had never considered that he would be chosen to be the Sinner, and she’s not happy about it at all.  She is extremely competitive, she hates to lose, and for a majority of the book, she is a poor loser just at the thought of losing.  If I met her, I don’t think we would ever be buds.

Connor is reeling from a scandal, and though he proves that the gossip about him is false, he’s still reluctant to put himself in that kind of position again.  When he meets Vivi again, he thinks he’s safe.  He doesn’t even like this woman, and she hates him.  Ever since that flash of temper when they were teens and she publically slapped him, they have been like oil and water.  What Connor doesn’t know is that Vivi once carried a torch for him, but after realizing that he was only using her to get to know her friend better, she can’t find it in herself to forgive him.  Worse, her family and Connor’s are very close, and they have been thrown together since childhood.  Forget that gentle, Southern belle non-sense – she doesn’t want to be nice to him, so she usually isn’t.

While I did enjoy the sparks between them, Vivi’s personality grated on me.  She determines from the beginning that she is going to win the contest by raising the most money, but when Connor is unveiled as the opposition, she gives up before things even begin.  Instead, she charges herself to be a better person than Connor, though even that’s a struggle for her.  Why is he back in town, stealing her thunder?  This was supposed to be her moment to shine, not Connor’s!  This thought process annoyed me, because it is the charity’s moment to shine, and the fact that Vivi was allowed to participate should have been honor enough.  She’s been denied few material things in life, but in terms of personal accomplishments, she is lacking.  She was runner up in the Miss American pageant, and she is steamed to be second best again.

Once Vivi loosens up a little and finally lets go, jumping into an affair with Connor, the pacing of the book picks up significantly.  Their competition becomes fun, and they both focus on doing their best to raise as much money for the charity as they can.  Vivi is having the time of her life, until Connor starts thinking about making New Orleans his home base.  Suddenly, their temporary affair isn’t such a good idea anymore.  She doesn’t want to risk her heart to him, and as long as their arrangement was temporary, there was no threat to her emotions.  Her attitude about trying to stick with Connor permanently pissed me off.  Instead of gambling on that ever elusive HEA, she decides that it’s not worth the effort.  If I had been Connor, I would have been furious.  It’s okay to have a fling, but not okay to try to make things work out permanently?  If Connor had walked away at that point, I wouldn’t have blamed him.

I loved the setting for The Downfall of a Good Girl, and the book would have made my TBR pile just because of that. It’s unfortunate that I didn’t click with the heroine, and that some pacing issues at the beginning of the story prevented my from feeling engaged in Connor and Vivi’s romance.

Grade:  C+

Review copy provided by publisher

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

After enjoying Nikki Logan’s How to Get Over Your Ex, I am curious to read Daniel’s side of things.  Fiona Harper follows heartbreaker Daniel in The Guy To Be Seen With.  In stores February 19

What are you waiting on?

Continuing with my Harlequin Kiss celebration, today I invited one of my favorite romance authors, Kelly Hunter, to the virtual offices for a visit.  Please give her a warm welcome!  Don’t forget that on Friday, I will be giving away one complete set of the KISS launch titles, so make sure to stop back to enter for your chance to win!

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Describe yourself in 140 characters or less.

[Kelly Hunter] I’m a forty-something mother of boys, with an eclectic work history and a fondness for the unexpected. I travel a lot and live in Australia.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What makes Harlequin’s Kiss line unique from their other series romances?

[Kelly Hunter] The party-line is that KISS features strongly unique author voices, global settings and world views, smart characters and compelling stories. Fun is definitely allowed. The level of sensuality may vary. I adore writing for this line.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What do you enjoy best about writing for Harlequin?

[Kelly Hunter] The fabulous editors.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you tell us a little about The One That Got Away?

[Kelly Hunter] In essence, it’s a second chance romance between two characters who meet again unexpectedly after many years apart.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?

[Kelly Hunter] I can tell you how the idea for the story started… A bunch of romance writer pals and I were sitting around one day (there may have been drinks with little umbrellas involved) discussing (okay, pulling apart) the famed and oft misunderstood Presents Alpha Hero. I was writing Presents Extra at the time and wondering why these super-controlled and oh-so-dominant men didn’t really seem to dominate in the bedroom. Figured I’d attempt to write one that liked to dominate there too. The result was Logan Black. The challenge was to see if I could make me fall in love with him.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three words best describe Evie?

[Kelly Hunter] Strong. Self aware.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If Logan had a theme song, what would it be?

[Kelly Hunter] Natalie Merchant’s ‘My Skin’.

Some of the lyrics:

"Oh, I need the darkness

The sweetness

The sadness

The weakness

Oh, I need this."

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Name one thing Evie won’t leave the house without.

[Kelly Hunter] Her handbag. She’s a practical girl.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things will you never find in Logan’s pockets?

[Kelly Hunter] Bus tickets, comb, junk.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is Evie’s greatest regret?

[Kelly Hunter] I kinda don’t see Evie living a life of regret. Even after that first week with Logan, Evie didn’t regret her time with him. She learned from it.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are your greatest creative influences?

[Kelly Hunter] Friends. Music. Stories written by other authors – especially ones that stretch genre boundaries and challenge my perspectives.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things do you need in order to write?

[Kelly Hunter] Time, a computer and preferably a table and chair – although the last two are optional.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is the last book that you read that knocked your socks off?

[Kelly Hunter] Crush, by Richard Siken.  Sometimes I go in search of new (to me) male author voices; more specifically male authors who write about love and relationships. I picked up Crush at the end of last year and it won my heart – probably because it was so different to what I normally read. It’s poetry. I never read poetry

My favourite line: ‘I said kiss me here and here and here and you did,’ from ‘I Had A Dream About You’.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If you had to pick one book that turned you on to reading, which would it be?

[Kelly Hunter] Something by Enid Blyton involving adventures and naughty children and minimal parental involvement (that or a Faraway Tree).

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?

[Kelly Hunter] Spend time with friends and family.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How can readers connect with you?

[Kelly Hunter] I’m on twitter, facebook, and occasionally I blog. Or you can email me privately via my website.

twitter: https://twitter.com/KellyHunterova

fb: http://www.facebook.com/kelly.hunter.73307

blog: www.kellyhunter.co

Website: www.kellyhunter.net

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Thank you!

You can purchase The One That Got Away from your favorite bookseller or by clicking the links below. Be sure to check back at the end of the week for your chance to win a set of the first four KISS titles!

About the book

Title:  Hitched! Author:  Jessica Hart

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

Review:

Hitched! is the last of the Kiss launch titles that I read.  Once again, it showed how much  variety there is across the line.  This one threw me though, because it is written in the first person POV, and I struggled with that.  It screamed more Chick Lit to me than Harlequin Romance, and  I found being constantly in Frith’s head, with no glimpses into what made George tick, disconcerting.  I enjoy getting more input from the hero, and as I was only privy to Frith’s thoughts here, that wasn’t possible.  I never felt connected to George or his motivations, because of that.  Frith’s voice is fun and upbeat, but I have some kind of mental block when I am confronted with category romances written in this point of view.  I always have, and it seems, I always will.

Frith has been lassoed in to helping her younger sister plan her extravagant wedding.  She doesn’t want anything to do with it , though.  Always feeling like an outsider in her own family, she doesn’t get along with her sister’s friends, and her wealthy father isn’t in her good graces.  After her parents divorced, Frith watched her mother spiral into unhappiness.  Her mother was never able to get over her father, and due to his indifference to her, Frith’s relationship with him withered.  Determined to make something of herself without his help, she put herself through school and landed a job at a construction company.  Her dream is work at a huge construction project overseas, and she won’t let anything get in the way of her dreams.  Not sexy George or her sister’s much publicized wedding.  Frith has a plan, darn it, and she’s sticking to it!

I did love Frith’s personality.  She is a planner.  A mega planner, actually.  She works off of five year plans, where everything is spelled out for her as she marches toward her career goals.  George, the estate manager for the construction site she’s currently working at,  is her exact opposite.  He has no plans, and he just takes things one day at a time.  He finds Frith’s planning ridiculous.  How can you live your life if you’re so worried about sticking to a plan?  Frith has developed her five year plan, with no room for a serious relationship, to keep herself from falling into the same trap as her mother.  She will never allow herself to feel that passionately about a man, and so her focus is on herself and her career.  All of her previous relationships were tepid and easily forgotten.  All except one, that is, and that one, awful experience is something that she never wants to repeat. 

At first, Frith is able to resist George and his flirty ways.  She doesn’t trust him, and she feels that he’s a threat to her plan.  As the days tick by, however, and they are both roped in helping with the wedding planning, a companionable friendship develops between them.  This is what I enjoyed most about Hitched!  The romance is slow to build, but once Frith starts to give in to her attraction for George, it quickly steams up.  I am not a huge fan of the love at first sight trope, and am usually not convinced by the HEA, so I liked how Frith and George’s relationship changed and grew.  They both have demons from their pasts to face, and together, I know that they will conquer all of their insecurities.  Frith’s belief in George was also refreshing.  After hearing unfavorable gossip about him, she quickly dismissed it as untrue.  She didn’t let  the drama overcome her feelings for him, and instead trusted him enough to explain the situation himself.  There are so many contemporary romances were the heroine takes gossip at face value, driving the couple unnecessarily apart, so Frith’s trust was nice change.  The only thing keeping me from enjoying Hitched! more is the POV.

Grade: C+

Review copy provided by publisher

Title:  The One that Got Away Author: Kelly Hunter

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

Review:

I have read three titles from the Harlequin Kiss line now, and each has been vastly different in tone and texture.  My previous forays into the Kiss line were a bit more light hearted and more in line with what I thought this line would be like.  The One That Got Away caught me by surprise.  This is a darker read, with flawed but likable characters.  It delves into the fears of a man whose childhood was marred by abuse, and examines his deepest fear – that he will be as violent, controlling, and selfish as his father.  This fear has shaped his adult life, twisting his relationships and fueling his desperation to keep everyone at arm’s length.  Mix in a hopeless obsession that has festered for over ten years, and you have a story that makes you uneasy and steals your breath away in equal measure.

Evie has worked long and hard to make a successful business of MEP, the architectural firm she runs with her friend Max.  When a huge opportunity looms for them, they both fret about raising enough working capital.  Then Max drops a bombshell.  He asks Evie to marry him so he can access his multimillion dollar trust fund.  Shocked, she agrees, and they travel to Max’s hometown to meet his family, and give Evie another shock.  Max’s older brother, Logan, is the man she spent a blissful week with 10 years ago, a week that ended in disaster.  Both Evie and Logan have been haunted by their brief time together, but for different reasons.  Evie’s heart was broken when she didn’t hear from him again, while Logan ran as fast and as far away from Evie and his obsession for her as he could.  Evie represented everything that terrified him, and he didn’t want to face that monster in the closet of his mind. 

Now, older and ten years wiser, Evie wants to put that week from her past into perspective.  Logan refuses to discuss it.  With the support of Max and his mother, Evie slowly begins to understand the demons that stalk Logan.  She confronts him, time and again, trying to make him understand that they are both different people than they were ten years ago.  I admit that their relationship made me uncomfortable at several points,.  Logan’s fear of being like his father has made him try to repress his inner most desires, and when they batter at him, they terrify him.   Evie and Logan’s relationship is dark and intense, and at times, unhealthy.  I began to wonder if I would be convinced that they could ever have a HEA.  Fortunately, I was, and I became a bigger fan of Kelly Hunter’s because of it.

My one quibble would be the lack of depth regarding Evie’s background, and how her dysfunctional childhood affected her.  We are given a brief sketch of her parents and their inability to commit, but there is no clear picture given.

Grade: A

Review copy provided by publisher

Please welcome Zander Rush, hot-shot producer for EROS radio station.  He’s here to chat about a recent promotion that is currently the talk of the town.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Describe yourself in five words or less.

[Zander Rush] Complicated, professional, focussed.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you share a typical day in the life of Zander Rush?

[Zander Rush] Typically, I’d be up early for a run. One hour minimum. Then home for shower and coffee and into the Jag. Stop for drive-through coffee on the way to work. Much better than my own (I have the top-of-the-range machine but I’ve never read the manual). Then it’s pretty much meetings and paper shuffling from 8am until 6pm. No coffee there at all, the machine’s rubbish. Either lunch with clients or one of the local restaurants will deliver to my desk. End of day my assistant nudges me out the door and I grab something on the way home. Then another couple of hours of work, a bit of time on my training schedule and bed.

Rinse, repeat.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three words come to mind when you think of Georgia?

[Zander Rush] Shambolic, fearless, real

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is the first thing that you noticed about her?

[Zander Rush] Her voice, husky and anxious piping out through the whole studio. But I hadn’t seen her then. Once I met her I became fixated by her manners, even though she was falling apart. She was so unflinchingly polite. Classic Brit.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Have you ever had a promotion backfire like Georgia’s Valentine’s proposal?

[Zander Rush] One man’s backfire is another man’s boon. The network were ecstatic at the exposure it got and I was able to pull it back on track pretty quickly. But no, that’s probably the biggest ‘oh crap’ moment of my life…

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What was the primary reason you offered to foot the bill for the Year of Georgia?

[Zander Rush] It was her money the moment she signed the proposal contract, I just found a way of her earning it that wasn’t truly horrible for her. That two minutes in the lift with her, the look on her face… I knew the money would be the last thing she’d be thinking of but it was also my biggest tool to set things to rights.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If you could change one thing you’ve done in your life, what would it be?

[Zander Rush] Answering an ad for EROS looking for a production coordinator. That was the moment my life went off track. And then it just kept veering…

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What’s one thing you won’t leave home without?

[Zander Rush] My door key? Heh.

*cough*

Okay, serious then… uh… my smartphone. There isn’t a brain on this planet big enough to keep all my obligations in it.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What do you like to do when you aren’t working?

[Zander Rush] I train. I love to run. The longer and the more peaceful the better. Just me, my heartbeat and the thump of my feet on the track.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you share your dreams for the future in five words or less.

[Zander Rush] Meaning. Freedom. Family. Garden. Georgia.  They’re all kind of sub-sets of Georgia, really…

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Thank you!

[Zander Rush] You’re welcome. Invoice is in the mail. Now I have a radio station to run….

To learn more about Georgia, Zander, and the Valentine’s Day proposal gone wrong, read How To Get Over Your Ex by Nikki Logan. You can order a copy from your favorite bookseller or by clicking the links below.

About the book:

Juliet Madison is visiting the virtual offices this morning to chat about her new book Fast Forward.  Check out what she has to say about her latest release!

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Describe yourself in 140 characters or less.

[Juliet Madison] Writer, mother, creative, passionate, determined, daydreamer, positive, health-conscious, thinker, helper, impatient, night owl.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you tell us a little about Fast Forward?

[Juliet Madison] Fast Forward is a romantic comedy with a time-travel twist, out now from Escape Publishing. Here’s the blurb:

Aspiring supermodel, Kelli Crawford seems destined to marry her hotshot boyfriend, but on her twenty-fifth birthday she wakes in the future as a fifty-year-old suburban housewife married to the now middle-aged high school nerd.

Trapped in the opposite life of the one she wanted, Kelli is forced to re-evaluate her life and discover what is really important to her. Will she overcome the hilarious and heartbreaking challenges presented to her and get back to the body of her younger self? Or will she be stuck in the nightmare of hot flushes, demanding children, raunchy advances from her husband and hideous support underwear forever?

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?

[Juliet Madison] I came up with the concept when I was reading a book where a character acted beyond her years, and I thought it would be fun to write about a character ageing suddenly and jumping ahead to the future. I remembered movies like Suddenly 30 (13 Going on 30), Big, and 17 Again, but in all of these, the character becomes a ‘desirable’ age – youthful, energetic, successful, attractive…etc, so I decided to do the opposite – take a beautiful young character and make her an age she doesn’t want to be, in a life she doesn’t want to be in. I chose a model because I wanted to have a character who relied on her looks for her career suddenly realise she doesn’t have those looks anymore and has to discover who she really is on the inside. And because her boyfriend is a gorgeous, successful, rich man, I made her husband in the future someone completely different – a geek she used to tease in high school.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three words best describe Kelli?

[Juliet Madison] Young Kelli – Beautiful, idealistic, certain

Future Kelli – confused, determined, resourceful

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If Kelli had a theme song, what would it be?

[Juliet Madison] Young Kelli – Material Girl (Madonna)

Future Kelli – Help! (The Beatles)

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Name one thing Kelli won’t leave the house without.

[Juliet Madison] Young Kelli – shine control oil blotting sheets

Future Kelli – e-pad (an awesome invention you’ll read about in the book!)

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things will you never find in Kelli’s purse?

[Juliet Madison] Cheap make-up, junk food, a library card.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are your greatest creative influences?

[Juliet Madison] Other authors’ books, great movies, well-written television shows… these all reinforce the power of fiction to enrich our lives and they get me itching to write! Also nature, there’s something about it that inspires me and brings out my creative side.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things do you need in order to write?

[Juliet Madison] 1.Time.

2. My trusty Alphasmart NEO (or computer).

3. A brief list of plot points for what I’m going to be writing about.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is the last book that you read that knocked your socks off?

[Juliet Madison] It was actually a non-fiction book called Dying To Be Me by Anita Moorjani, about her near death experience. Fascinating stuff, and very inspiring.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If you had to pick one book that turned you on to reading, which would it be?

[Juliet Madison] The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton. I loved escaping into the world of the tree, it taught me how powerful the imagination is and how powerful books can be.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?

[Juliet Madison] Reading, watching movies and TV shows, exploring the shops in town, having lunch at the beach, chatting on facebook and twitter!

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How can readers connect with you?

[Juliet Madison] Website: http://www.julietmadison.com

Blog: http://www.julietmadison.wordpress.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/julietmadisonauthor

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/juliet_madison

Buy FAST FORWARD via Escape Publishing: http://www.escapepublishing.com.au

[Manga Maniac Café] Thank you!

GIVEAWAY (From Juliet’s website):

You can WIN:

1. Grand Prize of a $50 Amazon gift card

2. Runner-up prize of a $25 Amazon gift card

3. Bonus prize of a $25 Amazon gift card (for those who purchase the book)

HOW TO ENTER:

1. Leave a comment on my interviews or posts at any (or all) of the blogs I’ll be visiting during February. For every comment you leave (one per blog) you get one entry into the draw. So if you comment on ten blogs, you’ll get ten entries, if you comment on fifteen, you’ll get fifteen entries, and so on. Some blogs may require that you leave your email address in the comment so be sure to read the instructions at each post. One person will be chosen randomly to win the $50 card, and another person will win the $25 card which will be delivered via email.

2. To win the bonus prize of another $25 Amazon gift card, purchase Fast Forward and then forward your receipt to a dedicated email address: fastforwardbook(at)gmail(dot)com – replace (at) with @ and (dot) with . One lucky reader will be chosen randomly to win the gift card. If you enter both draws (leaving comments and forwarding your receipt) you could potentially win both prizes!

WINNER:

Will be drawn at the conclusion of the blog tour, around the first weekend in March. You will be notified via email so be sure to leave your address in the comments if asked to. If you’re not asked to, it means your address will be able to be seen by the blog owner and passed onto me.

You can order Fast Forward from your favorite bookseller of by clicking the link below.

About the book:

A few authors have filed a class action suit against the romance publisher Harlequin Enterprises and two European corporations it created. We’ve embedded a copy of the complaint below.

UPDATE: Harlequin publisher Donna Hayes responded: “Our authors have been recompensed fairly and properly for their work, and we will be defending ourselves vigorously.” The company added that “this is the first it has heard of the proceedings and that a complaint has not yet been served.”

The suit alleges that the publisher owes some authors eBook royalties from contracts signed between 1990 and 2004. During those years, these authors “entered agreements” with a Swiss corporation created by the romance publisher.

The lawsuit outlined the problem: “However, Harlequin, before and after the signing of these agreements, performed all the publishing functions related to the agreements, including exercising, selling, licensing, or sublicensing the e-book rights granted by the authors. Instead of paying the authors a royalty of 50% of its net receipts as required by the agreements, an intercompany license was created by Harlequin with its Swiss entity resulting in authors receiving 3% to 4% of the e-books’ cover price as their 50% share instead of 50% of Harlequin Enterprises’ receipts.”

continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

Review:

Whenever I get into a reading slump, I find myself reaching for a Harlequin category romance.  I don’t know why, but these things always seem to get me back on a reading track.  Maybe because of the formula, and because I know that despite all adversity, the protagonists will find a way to get together.  I’m not suggesting that they are all 5 star reads, but I find a great deal of comfort in the formula.  I have only read a few titles under the Blaze imprint, and so far, they have been quick, satisfying reads, so I  gravitated to one of these.

I picked Lead Me Home to load on my Kindle because of one thing:  the hero is a horse trainer.  I am always a sucker for a book with horses.  I am also extremely critical of stories featuring horses, because there are certain ways we do things at the barn, and then there’s the way everyone else does things.  Usually, it is in sync with how I expect horse care and horse training to be described.  Sometimes it is not.  With the exception of young Lester’s “natural” riding abilities, and the abbreviated time spent training Houdini, the unruly stallion, I didn’t have much to complain about with the horse scenes.  I would like Lester to come and show me how to canter on a runaway horse, because I am having a heck of time cantering on one of my mares.  Of course, Lester was helped out by a jerk throwing a rock, so maybe under different circumstances, he would have a problem, too.

Anyhoo, getting back to the book, Matthew is a huge guy, 6’5” and solidly built.  He is a muscle machine.  I am assuming that he’s training quarter horses, and my only other nitpick is that he is a big guy.  Quarter horses aren’t huge horses(well, except for their rear ends).  I am thinking that he looked pretty silly on Houdini, unless the stud was built like a brick sh!thouse, too.  I know how ridiculous my trainer looks on one of my mares, and she isn’t a small horse.  Oh! I am wandering off track again! Sorry!  Let’s try again!

Matthew is a famous horse trainer, probably along the lines of Clinton Anderson.  He is a published author, and everyone recognizes that he is a horse training expert.  He jets all about the world, working his equine mojo.  He also feels detached from people, and has no real committed relationships.  Both of his parents have passed away; his mother when he was a young child, and his father just a few years ago.  His father was so devastated by his mother’s death that he was an emotionally distant care-giver.  Matthew found completion training horses, and hi

Cover Shot! is a regular feature here at the Café. I love discovering new covers, and when I find them, I like to share. More than anything else, I am consumed with the mystery that each new discovery represents. There is an allure to a beautiful cover. Will the story contained under the pages live up to promise of the gorgeous cover art?

This is the coolest cover!  I love the soft, dreamy pastel shades, and the rounded title font.  I also love the mermaid reflected in the water.  Enchanted Ever After by Robin D Owens is high on my wish list!

In stores December 2012.

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

Review:

When I finished The Cowboy Comes Home, the only thing I could think was “Darn you, Harlequin!!”  Why?  It’s the first book in the Larkville Legacy series, and being anal about reading series, I now want to read the rest of the books.  When I decided to read this title, I was not aware that it is part of a series; instead, I saw the happy family enjoying a trail ride together and I just had to read it.  The hero is a horse trainer (wait, didn’t I just read a HQ Blaze about a horse trainer?!), and the heroine has a shop that sells baked goods (wait! Didn’t that same HQ Blaze feature a heroine who is a cook?).  Despite these similarities, the books are nothing alike.

Jess is a single mom, and she is still grieving the death of her father, a wealthy rancher.  Her brothers and sister are off doing their own thing, so she is temporarily in charge of the Double Bar C, even though she doesn’t want to run the ranch.  She has a business of her own to fret about, and having a young son keeps her on her toes.  When Johnny Jameson swaggers to town, she’s a bit dismayed.  She is instantly attracted to this sexy cowboy, and her son, Brady, takes a shine to him too.  After having her heartbroken and being left pregnant by her ex boyfriend, she has sworn off of cowboys.  They never stay in one place for long, and she knows that once Johnny finishes training Storm, the horse her father had so many hopes pinned on, he’ll be gone too.  Johnny’s motto is that all he needs is his truck, trailer, and his horse, and he’s a happy guy.  He moves from one training job to the next, never staying in one place for longer than he has to.  Once he’s finished training, he’s gone, and he doesn’t see that ever changing.

I found Johnny an interesting character because he is carrying around so much baggage.  It’s a good thing he has that horse trailer, because he needs the extra room to drag his unhappy past around with him.  He never knew his father, and his efforts to track him down yielded nothing.  The older man wanted nothing to do with his son, and every lead Johnny followed to find him ended in a dead end.  His mother wandered from town to town, never staying in one place for long.  When she settled down with a man who beat her, Johnny had had enough.  He packed his meager belongings and hit the road at 14 and never returned.  The kindness of an old horse trainer gave him the skills he needed to feed himself, and he has made a name for himself because of his gift with horses.

Jess is reluctant to give in to her attraction for Johnny, and with a young child to care for, her reluctance made perfect sense.&nb

Thanks to Harlequin Teen, I have a shiny new copy of Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry for one of you to win!  Here’s more information about the book, in case you haven’t heard about it yet.

About the book:

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can’t remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal.But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo’s world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.

Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she’ll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

You can learn more about author Katie McGarry by visiting her website.

Want to win a copy?  Good!  It’s as easy as filling out the widget below.  Extra entries for following.  US and Canadian mailing addresses only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Didn’t win? You can order a copy of Pushing the Limits from your favorite bookseller or by clicking the widget below.

Nikki Logan is a veteran Harlequin Romance author.  Her latest release, Slow Dance with the Sheriff, is the second book in The Larkville Legacy series.  Eight authors collaborated on this continuity, and I thought it would be fun to chat with as many as possible as I make my way through the series.  I was thrilled when Nikki dropped by to talk about her book.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Describe yourself in 140 characters or less.

[Nikki Logan] Writer seeks reader who loves long walks on beach, toasty log cabins deep in forest & plenty of wildlife. GSOH an advantage.#AuthorPersonals

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you tell us a little about Slow Dance with the Sheriff?

[Nikki Logan] This story is part of an eight-book series (we call it a ‘continuity’ because each story continues the central thread, adding to it in some way) based in fictional Larkville just outside of Austin, Texas (though they’re not all set there). My book is second in the series and features a never-left-New York ex Ballerina, Ellie, who comes to Larkville to personally check out the truth behind a letter she received from a woman claiming to be her half-sister. Ellie wants to suss out the truth before throwing her whole family into disarray. But, thanks to some hurtful and angry words exchanged with her mother, she leaves New York in an uncharacteristically rash fashion and arrives in Larkville only to find all the Calhouns away from the ranch for a couple of weeks. She has no choice but to accept the reluctant assistance of the town sheriff who cops the brunt of her barely contained anxiety about the downward vortex that is her life. But of course he’s gorgeous and gracious about it and she finds herself falling fast…

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Slow Dance with the Sheriff is part of the Larkville Legacy series. Can you share how you and the other authors worked together to write these books?

[Nikki Logan] Getting eight authors from all corners of the globe together to figure out the finer details of such a long and complicated family relationship wasn’t easy. The eight of us primarily used an email loop to communicate and we started with the continuity ‘bible’ which is a number of documents sent to us by our editors which gave us our essential character outlines, descriptions, info about fictional Larkville and some suggestions on what made each character tick.  Each of us got that information at roughly the same time and then a few of us launched madly into fleshing it/our characters/the setting out via the loop. But, of course, each of us had a different place in the schedule and different deadlines. Although I was book # 2, my deadline was the first of everyone and so I had to write like a demon once we had locked down the basics and then try and stay across changes and developments as I wrote.  But I was well into my next book by the time the authors of the seventh and eighth books were starting to plan theirs.  It was staggered.

So that Google group and its archives came in really handy for going back through everything and getting it right.

The most fun (for me) was creating the world of Larkville.  I’m responsible for Nan’s Bunk’n’Grill, the Larkville Chamber of Commerce and Mayor Hollis being a woman Then it was up to each of us to insert enough of the ‘world’ into our stories. But of course not everyone got to set their books in Larkville so other authors had to try and extrapolate the ‘world’ and feed enough of it into their stories to make it nest neatly within the series.

The biggest challenge was taking a few-line outline dashed off by the publisher and bending it to fit my voice, my style of story and my interest. I’m really happy with the way the whole story worked out, it’s true to the outline provided but also true to me and characters I would have loved to write anyway. 

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three words best describe Eleanor/Ellie?

[Nikki Logan] 3 words: On the cusp.

So much about her life is about to change for the better and she has no idea. But she’s taken her first real risk and it’s going to pay off big time.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are three things Jed would never have in his bedroom?

[Nikki Logan] His firearm (because although he’s security conscious, being a Sheriff, he moved to Larkville to have a different kind of pace in his life, and keeping his gun in his bedroom would dishonour that intent).

His muddy boots (because his Gran raised him right and because he has a loft bedroom so that mud would track all up the stairs)

A phone (Bedrooms are for sleeping or recreation and Jed would think that being contactable wouldn’t fit with either of those things)

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If Ellie had a theme song, what would it be?

[Nikki Logan] “I Will Survive”.  She’s been through a lot, but she’s finding herself in Larkville and every bad thing that has happened to her has only made her stronger.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are your greatest creative influences?

[Nikki Logan] My father was an original ‘MadMen’ advertising exec type and one of the top creative directors/copywriters in his field, so the bulk of my creative genes came from him. His father (my grandfather) told the most spectacularly intricate, engaging stories that he just made up out of his head (or seemed to) and so clearly my father got it from him and his Welsh genes.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things do you need in order to write?

[Nikki Logan] Tea – refreshing the cup gives my eyes a break from the monitor and sipping a piping hot cup of tea helps me think

Silence – I write best to silence (including internet silence) and edit best to classical music.

My dogs – there’s something about their steady breathing and reassuring presence…

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is the last book that you read that knocked your socks off?

[Nikki Logan] Reading is such a rushed and rare thing for me now… and it’s been a while since I read someone new (because when I do read its usually the latest installment from someone who already knocked off my socks a few years ago)… But I was totally blown away by seeing WAR HORSE in New York last year.  I picked it randomly when I had a free evening and wanted to see a NY show, and knew virtually nothing about it. It picked me up and transported me, breathless, to another world and I completely bought into every part of that experience. It was so engaging, so immersive so emotional and so visceral. Exactly all the things I enjoy about a good read. Except it wasn’t a read!

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If you had to pick one book that turned you on to reading, which would it be?

[Nikki Logan] I find this impossible to answer. I grew up in a house always filled with books, and with a mother always propped up at the kitchen bench with a cuppa and a good book. I don’t remember when I started to read I just know I always have. I used to read whatever the school library had (I loved romance even then and would devour ‘Sweet Dreams’ romantic YA novels and also ‘choose your own ending’ stories) and then as I got older of course Mills & Boon (of which my mother had hundreds) and all my mum’s sci-fi/fantasy books (of which she also had hundreds, tho I was selective in what I read).

But to try and answer this I looked to my bookshelf to see what I still have from when I was very young. Two books stand out – one a book of the fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen (the dark versions) which I still go back to even now for story ideas and another called “Gnomes” (Nuygen & Poortvliet) which is an anthropological examination of Gnomes as a different species. This book was such a haven at difficult times and transported me to a wonderful and mysterious place.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?

[Nikki Logan] I’m not very good at refilling the well, I have to say. I work seven-days-a-week between writing and my day job so there isn’t a lot of down time. But I try to spend it with my man and my dogs. We like to all pile into the cruiser and go somewhere that we can all romp free together. Well, they romp and I wander sedately and catch up.  Movies, the lazy- (or busy-) woman’s book. And of course reading but there’s just no time…

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How can readers connect with you?

[Nikki Logan] Through my website/blog (www.nikkilogan.com.au), or on my fanpage on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/NikkiLoganAuthor) predominantly. I try to reply to anyone who contacts me with questions or comments.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Thank you!

You can order Slow Dance with the Sheriff in print or digital from the widget below.

Here is a list of the entire Larkville Legacy series, in order by release month. I have enjoyed the first two books in the series, so I plan to try and read all of them.    I love continuity series, so Harlequin once again hit my happy button.

The Cowboy Comes  Home by Patricia Thayer – JULY

Slow Dance with the Sheriff by Nikki Logan – AUGUST

Taming the Brooding Cattleman by Marion Lennox – SEPTEMBER

The Rancher’s Unexpected Family by Myrna Mackenzie – OCTOBER

His Larkville Cinderella by Melissa McClone – NOVEMBER

The Secret that Changed Everything by Lucy Gordon – DECEMBER

The Soldier’s Sweetheart by Soraya Lane – JANUARY

The Billionaire’s Baby SOS by Susan Meier – FEBRUARY

Here are all of the covers -

Lark Ville Legacy

Title: Slow Dance with the Sheriff (Harlequin Romance) Author:  Nikki Logan Publisher:  Harlequin

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

Review:

Okay, so I somehow got sucked into the Larkville Legacy series, and after reading the first two books, I am quite eager for the third.  I don’t remember reading anything by Nikki Logan before, though I do have a few of her Harlequin Romances that I picked up during the final days of Borders’ going out of business sales.  Glad I grabbed them now, because Slow Dance With the Sheriff pushed all of the right buttons with me.  It had some humor, some sizzle, and a whole lot of powerful emotional responses from me.  Why?  There is a dog.  He is damaged.  There are two people.  They are damaged.  Because they both find it in themselves to love the dog, they all get a happy ever after.  How freakin’ cool is that?  There aren’t even any horses in this one, and since it takes place in a small Texas town, I expected at least one or two.  Nope, just a bunch of stupid cattle.

Ellie Patterson is seeking a home.  She needs someplace where she fits in, and in 30 years, she has yet to find one.  It seems that her entire life is one of disappointment.  She quit  ballet after discovering that her wealthy father was making huge donations to the company.  She couldn’t live with the humiliation of knowing that he bought her place with the dance troupe, instead of earning it herself.  She is still single and emotionally detached from any man, much to her mother’s dismay.  If she won’t keep dancing, she should at least marry in the spotlight.  Then, when she discovers her mother’s secret, she’s  shocked, but also hopeful.  Her mother was already pregnant with Ellie and her twin brother when her mother married, and she is doesn’t share one drop of blood with her father.  Even though she has never fit in with her New York family, maybe she will finally find a place to belong in Texas with the Calhouns.  Without a second thought, she rents a car and drives to Texas to meet the family she didn’t even know she had.

Problem?  First, Jess Calhoun is on her honeymoon, and she be gone for a few weeks.  Second, she is ambushed by an errant herd of cattle.  Third?  The oh-so-sexy sheriff who saves her is just as damaged as she is.  He is distanced from everyone and everything but his dog.  He likes things that way, too.  After making a life altering mistake when he was in charge of the canine unit in a big city, he has sworn off emotional entanglements.  He is happy being the sheriff of a small town, patrolling his county and keeping the law and the peace in his little corner of the world.  Life is quiet.  Life is calm.  Life couldn’t get any better.  Until he has to save Ellie from that errant mass of bovine stupidity.

What I liked best about this story is how both characters, despite their overwhelming fear of emotional, and in Ellie’s case, physical, contact,  both pushed each other to take risks.  These were baby steps, but each successful nudge pushed them closer together, until they had developed a strong bond, with trust firmly at the foundation.  Jed’s strength allowed Ellie to feel comfortable and content for the first time in her life.  Ellie’s wariness and vulnerability, coupled with her unbridled joy at finally discovering the courage to get out there and live, gave Jed a  much needed push to start living himself.  Even when he takes the overused plot devices to heart and tells Ellie that theirs is just a  temporary attachment, you know, to the depths of your soul, that Jed is only fooling himself.  Once he and Ellie begin to trust each other, you know that it will only be a matter of time, despite the rages and the denials, before they stop fighting and recognize how perfect they are for each other.  Add the unshakable approval of one traumatized police dog, and Jed and Ellie really had no chance to escape from that devious thing known as true love.  Their chance of escape?  Zero percent.

I immediately connected with the protagonists, and I constantly urged them to overcome their fears, to stop fighting against the inevitable tide that would eventually buffet them together.  Plot devices that normally drive me nuts worked here, without question.  And interwoven through everything was Deputy Dawg, that poor battered soul who needed nothing other than a warm pat and a kind word.  I think that this sliver of the story touched more more deeply than it would have otherwise, because I know how comforting and soothing a dog’s presence can be.  Now that it’s not there, I know how devastating it is when it’s not there.  At the end of this story, when all Ellie and Jed wanted was love and forgiveness, all they had to do was look to Deputy for an example of how that is done.  Nothing can bridge that chasm of unconditional love and forgiveness like a dog. 

I was occasionally jarred out of the story by some unfamiliar, and to my ears, awkward turns of phrase.  Both Ellie and Jed are supposed to be American, but they didn’t always  sound like it.  This is my one nitpick.  Nikki Logan is Australian, and every now and again, her characters sounded like they were too.  I wasn’t expecting this deep in the heart of Texas, so I do feel obligated to mention it. 

So, volume two in the Larkville Legacy has kept me engaged in the continuity of the series.  Curse you , Harlequin!  Check back for my review of the next book in the series, Taming the Brooding Cattleman.

Grade:  B+

Review was purchased from Amazon

Welcome to my Fangs, Fur, & Fey Giveaway,  hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Reading Lark.  This hop runs from October 2nd to October 8th, and you can win lots of new reads.  Click here for a complete list of blogs participating in the hop.

I am giving away an ARC of Julie Kagawa’s Immortal Rules.

US mailing addresses only, please.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cosmopolitan magazine and Harlequin will publish a line of romances called Red Hot Reads, a series that “will present independent, adventurous women in contemporary settings and feature fast-paced plots, great dialogue and compelling romance.” The snappy eBooks will all be about 30,000 words apiece.

Starting in May, the series will release two original eBooks by Harlequin authors every month. They will feature “modern young women living the free-spirited and outgoing lifestyle espoused by the international magazine.” 

Cosmopolitan‘s editor in chief Joanna Coles had this statement in the release: ”Cosmo readers love fabulous fiction and if you picked up Fifty Shades of Grey then this is the book series for you … This is fiction for the modern girl negotiating modern love – with all its unpredictability and complications!”

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Here are some nicely priced YA books for your Kindle!  Grab them today!

Pushing the Limits by Katie McCarry  is 1.99

Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa is only 1.99

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa is 1.99

Speechless by Hannah Harrington is 1.99

The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter is only 1.99!

Kimberly Lang is here to join in on my Harlequin KISS celebration.  I am uber-excited about this new series by Harlequin, and I’m working on inviting all of the launch authors to drop by the virtual offices for a chat.  On Friday, I will be giving away one complete set of the KISS launch titles, so make sure to stop back to enter for your chance to win!

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Describe yourself in 140 characters or less.

[Kimberly Lang] Author of sexy contemporary romance, trouble-maker and Southern belle.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What makes Harlequin’s Kiss line unique from their other series romances?

[Kimberly Lang] I think KISS hits that sweet spot – a fairy tale feeling that we want from a romance, but with enough realism to feel like it could happen to you or a friend. The characters and situations are easy to identify with, so readers can just get lost in the story. KISS has a fun, flirty vibe and it definitely sizzles! There’s a variety of voices in KISS (and some of the most talented authors out there!), so there’s something for everyone who loves a good story.

If books were fireworks, KISS would be the sparklers – burning hot and fast with lots of sparks, but close-up and personal, because you hold them in your hand while they burn.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What do you enjoy best about writing for Harlequin?

[Kimberly Lang] I love the short format. There’s a real challenge to telling a complete story in 50,000 words or less, but I like that challenge. It keeps me focused because I don’t have the word count available to wander off with secondary characters into subplots. The immediacy and pace required means I never get bored by the story or tired of the characters. 

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Can you tell us a little about The Downfall of a Good Girl?

[Kimberly Lang] I had so much fun writing this book.  Downfall is set in New Orleans (the site of many a good girl’s downfall!), and pits the saintly Vivi against her childhood nemesis, Connor, during the Saints and Sinners charity fundraiser. I’ve got an alpha hero rock star in a set of five-foot tall angel wings and a former beauty queen determined not to lose this crown. There’s music, good deeds, a parade and a really hot scene with a piano that I’m quite fond of.  You can find the official blurb and an excerpt on my website (http://www.booksbykimberly.com/books/the-downfall-of-a-good-girl/)

And speaking of music… all the songs featured in Downfall were written by the beautiful and talented Cristina Lynn, a local singer/songwriter who was kind enough to put her words in Connor’s mouth. Cristina even wrote an original song inspired by Connor and Vivi’s story.  Check out my site or hers (www.cristinalynn.com) for a listen!

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How did you come up with the concept and the characters for the story?

[Kimberly Lang] Honestly, I couldn’t tell you.  My mind is a very messy place, so I really don’t know what causes an idea to bubble to the surface. Usually, I’ll have a character or a situation as the seed and I build the book around that. This time, I knew I wanted to set a book in New Orleans, and I knew one of the characters would be in the music industry (because music is such a big part of New Orleans). From there, my creative process gets a little fuzzy… I know I had several false starts and rejected Chapter Ones before everything clicked into place for this story.  But where the idea finally came from? No clue.  I’m just glad it did.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three words best describe Vivi?

[Kimberly Lang] Saintly. Competitive. Elegant.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Name one thing Connor won’t leave the house without.

[Kimberly Lang] A smartphone – he needs to stay connected and have music to listen to. (Hm, I guess I have that in common with him!)

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things will you never find in Connor’s pockets?

[Kimberly Lang] Connor would only carry the bare minimum required, so anything other than a phone and a credit card would be superfluous.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is Vivi’s greatest regret?

[Kimberly Lang] Slapping Connor at their Coronation Ball ten years ago. (Only in that she wishes she’d have hit him harder and not done it in public.)

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What are your greatest creative influences?

[Kimberly Lang] I have a couple of English degrees, so I’d like to say something about great literature, but I’m really inspired by pop culture, especially TV shows like Friends and Buffy, the Vampire Slayer that have strong women and really great dialogue.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What three things do you need in order to write?

[Kimberly Lang] Diet Coke, hot tea, and cherry jelly beans.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What is the last book that you read that knocked your socks off?

[Kimberly Lang] This is a bit of a tease (and slightly self-promo-ish), but… I’m really excited to say that I’m part of the When Honey Got Married … anthology with the very talented Kelly Hunter, Ally Blake, and Anna Cleary that will be released in March. Although we planned the books together, I was totally blown away with how good their stories turned out. I mean, I like my contribution to the anthology, but Kelly, Ally and Anna’s are just amazingly good and I can’t wait for folks to get to read them!

[Manga Maniac Cafe] If you had to pick one book that turned you on to reading, which would it be?

[Kimberly Lang] I’ve been an avid reader my entire life – my mom says I started reading when I was four, so I don’t ever remember not loving books and wanting to read. The first romance novel I read, though, was Bertrice Small’s Skye O’Malley, and it led to my obsession with romance novels. I still love a big, fat, sexy historical romance – and those are the books I’m most likely to turn to when I need a break.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] What do you like to do when you aren’t writing?

[Kimberly Lang] I read, watch crime dramas like L&O: SVU and Criminal Minds, hang out with the family and play with the dog.  I’m also a fitness instructor – I teach a combination of yoga, pilates and tai chi that helps combat the “writer butt” that develops from too many jelly beans.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] How can readers connect with you?

[Kimberly Lang] My website, www.BooksByKimberly.com, Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/kimberly.lang.520) and Twitter @booksbykimberly.

[Manga Maniac Cafe] Thank you!

You can purchase The Downfall of a Good Girl from your favorite bookseller or by clicking the links below.  Be sure to check back at the end of the week for your chance to win a set of the first four KISS titles!

About the book

About the author

Kimberly Lang isn’t one of those people who always knew she wanted to be a writer. She actually wanted to be a ballerina, but puberty failed to deliver the required swan-like elegance. That dream scuttled, she went on to get her Master’s Degree in English – and she has the bartending skills to prove it. At her husband’s insistence, she quit teaching in 2007 to write full-time, and in May 2008, sold her first book to Harlequin’s London office. That book, The Secret Mistress Arrangement, debuted at number nine on the Borders Series Bestseller list and won the 2009 National Readers’ Choice Award for Best First Book.

Since then, Kimberly’s books have appeared on the USA Today, Amazon, Borders, and Bookscan bestseller lists, and have been translated into more than a dozen languages. (And, yes, that’s really cool.)

She’s married to her college sweetheart, whom she affectionately (but appropriately) calls her Darling Geek, and is Mom to the most brilliant and beautiful child on the planet (aptly nicknamed Amazing Child). She started taking yoga-based fitness because she eats way too many jelly beans while writing, and became an instructor once she figured out that spending time with her butt over her head helped spark her creativity. More than one sticky plot point has been solved in the Down Dog position.  She has no hobbies because she doesn’t have time, but if she did, they’d include knitting, skiing and ballroom dancing, because they sound like they might be fun.

Title:  How To Get Over Your Ex Author:  Nikki Logan

May Contain Spoilers

From Amazon:

Review:

How To Get Over Your Ex is the first Kiss title that I picked up.  I have read and enjoyed several of Nikki Logan’s books, so I was eager to dive into this one.  The premise of being rejected on live radio intrigued me, and I wondered how Georgia would handle such a publically humiliating incident.  When she puts her head down and runs, I couldn’t blame her.  My gosh! How mortifying to learn how badly you’ve misread your relationship!  While Georgia believed that she and her boyfriend Daniel were firmly on the path to marriage and contentment ever after, Daniel was just hanging out with her because it was convenient and because he didn’t love her or expect her to push for a commitment.  Ouch!

I loved Zander’s reaction to the disaster he inadvertently allowed to happen.  The radio producer is used to successful, high-rated programs, so when Georgia’s Valentine’s Day proposal is shot down like a lead balloon, he has to somehow salvage the promotion.  He’s got advertisers to think of.   With London taking sides after the rejection,  he must quickly make Georgia more sympathetic.  How could she not realize that her relationship was so shallow?   Having been burned by love himself, Zander does his best to retain Georgia’s pride and keep his ratings.  By proposing that she have a Year of Georgia, to discover who she really is, he entwines his life with hers for the next twelve months. 

I loved the concept of having a year to discover who you really are.  Georgia balks at the idea at first, not wanting anything else to do with her humiliating on-air segment.  She thinks it’s a waste to spend the sum allocated by Zander on classes and exploring who she really is.  She knows who she is!  As she starts taking classes and meeting new people, Georgia discovers how little she does know about herself.  She thought that she was happy, but she was just settling for the easiest, most convenient option.  She has put her dreams on the back burner in favor of work, and now that she is confronted with all of these different situations, she realizes how close she came to selling herself short.  Life is full of risk, but she was always taken the safest route.

I enjoyed How to Get Over Your Ex so much because I liked Georgia and Zander so much.  The story is more about discovering who you are and then accepting that even if you chase your dreams, things aren’t always going to work out, but if you avoid taking chances, you will never have what truly makes you happy.  Zander is dealing with an embarrassing relationship fiasco from his past which has kept him at arm’s length with his relationships, so it was fun to see how Georgia, using her fresh perspective on life, continue to try to win him over, regardless of how often he rejects her advances.  I thought this was a different read for a Harlequin, focusing more on Georgia gaining some needed confidence before she attempts to tackle her tangled emotions for Zander.  I am looking forward to reading Daniel’s side of things in Fiona Harper’s The Guy To Be Seen With next month.

Grade:  B+

Review copy provided by publisher