Ravishing in Red by Madeline Hunter (The Rarest Blooms, Book 1)

A sweet love story based on a marriage of convenience, Ravishing in Red is a strong start to Madeline Hunter’s new historical romance series.

Audrianna Kelmsleigh’s father was accused of treason, resulting in disastrous consequences. Her family shunned by society, she goes to live with her cousin in a boarding house of sorts called ‘The Rarest Blooms’. She sees an ad in a newspaper relating to information in her father’s case, and wishing to clear her name she rushes off to meet the would be informant. Instead of meeting him, however, she meets Lord Sebastian Summerhays, who is investigating the same issue. He is shot accidentally, leading to a scandal and eventually their marriage. Their marriage is further complicated by the fact that it was Sebastian who led the case against her father, leading her to distrust him.

The good, the bad and the rec

At first look, this appears to be another marriage of convenience story, but Madeline Hunter’s craftsmanship reveals the story beautifully, (more)

I broke a little rule I have about book signings—I don’t like to go and meet an author without having read anything they’ve written.

Solace & Grief is Foz Meadows’ debut book and technically I could have picked it up earlier in the week, but decided it would be best to buy it from Kinokuniya, because they hosted the launch.

Foz’s family and friends were on hand serving sandwiches, crackers and dip and a nice, spicy fruit slice with plain white icing (I’ve always loved icing sugar). White wine (Kat, do you remember if it was a still white or champers? The glasses seemed a bit wide for champagne and I can’t remember if it sparkled) was also on hand for the celebration. Given that Solace is a vampire, I think it would have been appropriate to serve red wine as well, but since I don’t drink, it made no difference to me.

Scott Westerfeld introduced Foz and her book. He said that he wasn’t familiar with her when she asked him to help launch her book so he asked her to send him a copy first. His praise ended with, ‘It’s a really good book and you should buy it,’ (more)

Too Much Temptation by Lori Foster

Because who can resist a story about an overweight 25-year old virgin and an attractive, successful hero, who want each other in every hot, wet and dirty way?

Grace Jenkins has been attracted to her elderly employer’s grandson, Noah Harper, for years, but he’s been oblivious and engaged to someone else. When his engagement ends under mysterious circumstances, Grace knows he doesn’t deserve to be disowned by his grandmother over the break-up. She visits him to offer her support and ends up in his bed, knowing he isn’t interested in a relationship. Noah and Grace soon realise that they want more, but Noah’s grandmother wants him back with his fiancée and Grace back on the payroll and away from Noah.

This was a book that made a huge impression on me when I first read it about 6 years ago (when I was new to contemporary romance) and one that I’d meant to reread long before now.

Grace is an overweight, shy, 25-year old virgin but has a lot of spine, loyalty and the ability to let go of her self-consciousness over her weight and nudity at those crucial (more)

Source: Foz Meadows

The Sydney launch of Solace & Grief featured an introduction by Scott Westerfeld, copious wine, much book talk and—not to be underestimated—home-baked goods.

When Foz Meadows first invited me to the launch of her debut novel, Solace & Grief, I had to decline because it was all the way in Melbourne. So I was chuffed to learn that she was having another launch in Kinokuniya in Sydney, which makes sense given that the novel is set in secret places within Sydney landmarks and locations.

(Aside: What do you wear to a book launch? Believe it or not, the answer to this question occupied 20 minutes of my morning. When Decadence arrived I had to laugh because we had on almost exactly the same outfit!)

Scott Westerfeld provided the introduction. I’ve not read any of Westerfeld’s books yet, although I have Leviathan on my wishlist, thanks to various reader-spruikers aided by the weight of an Aurealis Award for Best Young Adult Novel. Westerfeld gave a wonderful (more)

Moon Craving (Children of the Moon, Book 2)

A paranormal Scottish historical featuring a werewolf laird and a deaf English heroine that won’t leave you wanting to hit the characters on the head.

Talorc, laird of the Sinclair clan, is a Chrechte, part of an ancient tribe of werewolves that integrated itself into the clans of the Picts in Scotland to preserve their heritage. As the laird, he’s a subject of the King of Scotland, who orders him to marry an Englishwoman. Abigail became deaf through a childhood affliction. As a survival mechanism, she has learnt to speak clearly and to read lips. Her relationship with her family has led her to believe that she will be shunned because of this affliction, and as a result she has learnt to hide it well, and continues to do so with her new husband.

This is a beautiful love story of two people coming together. Talorc is tough and gruff, like the typical Highlander in most novels but he has a gentleness about him, despite his wolf nature that is well interpreted. Monroe also does a good job of showing Abigail’s vulnerability and how she holds herself together and tries to be strong. (more)

Perfect Formation by KB Alan

Perfect Formation is KB Alan’s impressive debut e-book about a Will and Grace-type couple’s ménage with a bisexual dominant man.

Richard Daniels and Taryn Moss are walking home drunk and are immediately struck by a man who captures both their attention. Caleb Black thinks their drunken admiration and palpable intimacy are cute, so he decides to ask them both out when they’re sober. Sparks continue to fly when they learn that although Richard is gay, he likes having sex with Taryn, who is straight, and that Caleb likes topping both men and women.

Even though the relationship is somewhat affected by outside influences such as their families and friends, Alan skilfully balances each member’s relationship with the others. Taryn is uncomfortable with getting too close to her men in case the relationship fails or she loses Richard’s friendship. Richard is afraid that Taryn and Caleb may decide that they want a completely hetero relationship, since they can marry and have children in a socially acceptable and legally recognised union, (more)

In honour of Valentines Day—and in the absence of reviews to post—we’re spreading the link love around!

Lovely book things

First, a big congratulations to the City of Sydney librarians who put together an excellent Library Lovers event at Customs House last Thursday. I’m told the event was booked out. Rather than hiring professional actors, library staff did the readings—from Greek poetry to an excerpt from Kiss Me, Annabel by Eloisa James to one of my favourite poems, Close Reading, which we were lucky enough to be able to publish here at Book Thingo last year.

The Australian Romance Readers Association today launched its new website designed by Australian author Paula Roe. If you’re an ARRA member, the newsletter also came out today and in my column I talk about why I like reading the end of the book first. Also, it looks like the Annual ARRA Readers Awards Dinner is set for May 15 in Sydney. No details on the venue yet.

If you only have a couple of minutes, check A Regency Romance in 2 minutes (more)

Too Good To Be True by Kristan Higgins

(Otherwise known as OMG, Wandergurl is reading a contemporary that is not also a paranormal and is not written by Susan Elizabeth Phillips.)

Grace Emerson is history teacher and civil war buff whose ex-fiancé is now dating her baby sister whom she loves and adores. Tired of the pitying looks and parental nagging, she invents a hot boyfriend to appease her family. In the meantime, Callahan O’Shea, a rugged bad boy with Irish heritage, moves in next door. Now … should she or shouldn’t she?

We all know what happens next, but Kristan Higgins does a good job of reinventing the (bad) boy next door and making the whole story appealing. Too Good To Be True is a hilarious mix of well thought out characters—including a cute West Highland terrier—in an easy to read page turner that kept me grinning.

The upside

Grace is a very relatable character. As a history nerd with an equally nagging family. (Mum asks me if I’ve met Anyone Interesting no matter where I go. (more)

Salvation in Death by J. D. Robb (In Death, Book 27)

With 26 earlier books in J. D. Robb’s In Death series, I had a pretty good idea of what to expect from Salvation in Death and Robb delivered on all counts.

Eve Dallas is a homicide lieutenant in the New York Police and Security Department in 2060 and each book contains a case for her to solve, while juggling issues from her past and the roles as wife to multi-billionaire/owner of damn near everything under the sun/Irish sex god Roarke and friend that confuse her on a daily basis.

Father Miguel Flores was performing a funeral service when he dies in front of the grieving family from cyanide poisoning after drinking sacramental wine. Signs of a tattoo removal and plastic surgery as well as a silver medal inscribed with the name Lino suggest that the victim wasn’t really a priest. Eve has to find out who he really was and why he chose this particular parish to minister, in the hopes of finding clues to his murderer.

A televangelist who regularly hits the vodka and cheats on his wife takes a drink from a vodka-laced bottle of water onstage and collapses dead in full view of his audience. (more)

Remastering Jerna by Ann Somerville

A BDSM book for readers who don’t read BDSM. Yes, it was that good.

[Edited because my previous intro was highly susceptible to misunderstanding.]

Australian author Ann Somerville has, at times, been a controversial figure in some of the online romance communities I hang out in. I mention this up front because I get the feeling that a lot of readers will want to dismiss her work based on preconceived notions.

All I can say is that they’d be missing out on one of my most unexpected keepers of 2009. (And I’m not the only one who thinks so.)

Yes, the book starts a little shakily as Somerville sets up the protagonist, Jerna Setiq, a devoted husband, teacher and father of two, whose contented life is decimated when he’s falsely convicted of child perversion. Once the stage is set for Jerna’s emotional journey, however, Somerville gets it just about perfect. (more)