Coming August 2010: Dark Peril!

This sounds awesome!!!!.....I can't wait. I was wondering if Christine Feehan was planning on writing a book for Dominic. He has been super heroic and selfless in other Dark books. Also, Solange deserves a happy ending....Jiminy Cricket! She's been through the freakin' wringer.

Here's the blurb for Dark Peril, coming out August 2010...

DARK PERIL

Dominic of the Dragonseeker lineage, one of the most powerful lines the Carpathian people has, ingests vampire blood laces with parasites in order to be able to go the very heart of the enemy camp and learn their plans. It is a one way mission. He knows he has little time once the parasites and the blood go to work. He plans to get in fast, relay the information to the leader of the Carpathians living in the area and go out fighting—an honorable way to end his life.

Solange Sangria is one of the last of the jaguar people, a royal pureblood. Her people, once many are now nearly extinct, a dying species that cannot recover from the choices they made over hundreds of years. She has long been alone, fighting to save the remaining women who are able to shift, from the hands of Brodrick the Terrible, her own father who slaughtered her family and everyone she loved. Wounded, weary, she plans one last battle, hoping to stop the man who has made an alliance with the vampires, accepting she will not come out alive.

They are two warriors who have lived their lives alone. Now, at the end of their time, they find each other, a complication, neither saw coming.

NECRWA 2010 Let Your Imagination Take Flight Conference

It's almost time for the NECRWA conference....yippee! Next Friday and Saturday, March 26 and 27, the New England Chapter of the RWA is hosting their annual Let Your Imagination Take Flight Conference in Framingham, MA. It's a great opportunity to meet and mingle with other authors, attend cool workshops, listen to inspiring talks by writers such as Mary Janice Davidson, and even try your hand at pitching your story if you're willing to brave the dreaded...dum, dum, dum...editor/agent appointment. There are a ton of cool workshops, including the ever popular Surviving the Editor/Agent Appointment by Jess Andersen, Kate George's Finding Your Voice, and Katy Cooper's World Building For Everyone. Oh, and don't forget Penny Watson's How to Mix a Mango Martini. (OK, it's not really on the workshop schedule, but it should be, dammit!). I'm really looking forward to meeting Mary Janice Davidson, since I love her quirky and humorous paranormal romances. There will also be a book fair and signing on Saturday evening from 4-6. Here's the conference link. Hope to see some of you there...I'll be manning the registration table with some of the other Quirky Ladies, so please say hello.

Happy Wednesday,

Penelope

I'm King of the World!

Okay, maybe not really King of the World. More like Princess of the Burb? Penelope's Romance Reviews made Love Romance Passion's 2010's Top 50 Romance Blogs! Here's my description...."Penelope's Romance Reviews - Paranormal and historical romance are just the tip of the iceberg with Penelope." Woo hoo....now are you getting the Titanic reference in my blog title?

Well, I'm off to work on Sweet Magik. I will also be reading Goddess of the Hunt by Tessa Dare as time permits this week. And, if the rain doesn't let up soon, I may be forced to build an ark.

Happy Romance Reading to All!

Penelope

Review of Moonlighting in Vermont by Kate George

Moonlighting in Vermont by Kate George

Once upon a time, I lived in Vermont. I loved picking fresh blackberries in my backyard on a summer morning. I loved growing my organic garden. I loved going into the general store and choosing penny candy out of a jar and putting it on my "tab." I loved antiquing in an old barn, snowshoeing on fresh snow, and driving without fear of being run off the road by an enraged madman talking on a cell phone. Yes, I have very fond memories of Vermont and a distinct longing to move back there someday, preferably in a little cottage with a couple of wiener dogs.

Kate George's novel was wonderful for many reasons. One was the setting, of course. I loved hearing about my old favorite places in the "Upper Valley"--which is the area around Hanover, NH, where Dartmouth is located. The lifestyle there is a breath of fresh air, and I do mean that literally. The heroine Bree lives on a "farm" taking care of chickens, horses, dogs, cats, etc. She mucks about in mud and crap and wears hiking boots. The author's obvious love of animals is never more apparent than when she is describing Bree's menagerie of dogs, all with their own adorable personalities, heaping love and affection on the heroine. Well, I'm a dog person, so this really appealed to me. And I loved how the "city" folk were completely undone by this natural environment. When I lived in Vermont, we called city folks "flat-landers" and would make fun of their fancy clothes, luxury cars, and snooty attitudes. (Folks in Vermont drive pick-up trucks, wear sensible clothing, and are very down to earth. Seriously, it's my Shangri-La!).

Bree is a great heroine...plucky, always getting herself into scrapes, fiercely independent, loyal. And she has a wicked sense of humor. There are a lot of physical mishaps, including a motorcycle wipe-out, getting stabbed with a pair of sewing scissors, and a hilarious mud wrestling scene with Bree's best friend. I also love the fact that the heroine is juggling a bunch of guys, including a lawyer, auto mechanic, police officer, and stone mason (Go Bree!). There are a lot of flirtations and sexy interludes going on, which adds great sexual tension to the story.

The "mystery" was actually the weakest link of the story, mostly because Bree is more of a passive observer than an active participant in solving the crime. Instead of sitting at home waiting for something to happen, she should have been out badgering the cops and looking for clues. That seemed more in line with her personality. I'm praying there will be another book about Bree, and hopefully she will take a more active role in the mystery.

I am very impressed with Ms. George's writing. She has a fabulous voice....fresh, funny, irreverent. It lends itself perfectly to this genre. I can't wait to find out which of the hunky Vermonters will win Bree's heart! And in the meantime, I'm booking a weekend at an inn in Woodstock. Only this time, I'll be the flatlander tourist from Massachusetts with my SUV and cell phone. How embarrassing!

Grade: A-

Penelope

Beard of the Day

I have never actually watched the television show Prison Break, but I love Dominic Purcell's super serious, intense look, the scruff on his face, his almost bald head, and the bulging biceps look pretty damned good, too. I could totally get into modeling an alpha male hero after this dude. Yum! Happy Friday!

I took a few days off after "the heart attack that never happened" from my writing, and then cranked for the rest of the week. The WIP is coming along nicely, and I'm fitting in my powerwalks each day and eating things like grilled tofu (not kidding....it was delicious!), and more spinach. I also read Sarah Jane Osborne's book Arranged Marriage while in the emergency room, and I loved it! It's a great romantic comedy, and the humor was much appreciated at the time.

Hope everyone is having a good week!

Penelope

Heart Attack Waiting To Happen

So, my week started out with a bang.

After getting short of breath and suffering from chest pains, I decided....

1) I had indigestion, so I popped a prilosec.

2) I was suffering from anxiety due to my self-imposed 30,000 word deadline for March.

3) I was having a heart attack.

Normally, I'm the sort to totally ignore all physical symptoms until an emergency situation arises (death would constitute an emergency situation). However, on the off-chance that I was actually having a heart attack, I decided to go the emergency room Monday morning. First, I downloaded a book on my Kindle, figuring I would be waiting a while. (What? There's no rule that says you can't read a romance in the emergency room while having heart failure). They slapped the EKG doo-dads on me, and....huge sigh of relief....my ticker was doing just fine. I fist pumped into the air and yelled, "Well, all right. I was just being paranoid!" Then they told me one of my blood tests was weird, and I had to stay for chest x-rays, a CAT scan, a stress test, etc. Needless to say, four hours later I went home with my husband who figured out I've been getting exercise-induced asthma, so he gave me an inhaler. It worked great!

So, the good news is....my heart is healthy. And, I got to read a really funny book on my Kindle.

On Monday night, my son asked me if I'd been bummed as I pondered my mortality in the hospital, thinking that I would never finish my book. I told him, truthfully, that it never crossed my mind. I was thinking about my kids and my husband and how much I love them and need to focus on being healthy for their sake. My son got teary eyed and hugged me. My husband got teary eyed and hugged me. My daughter asked if she should eat the pink candy or the yellow candy.

Today I ate some spinach and went for a power walk. I'm feeling better already.

All my best,

Penelope

Tasty Mysteries and Hilarious Vamps: My Weekend

Here's my quickie weekend reading update. I realized recently that my long reviews turned into short reviews, which turned into one sentence summaries. Pretty soon I'll be writing in shorthand. Trying to get 40,000 words written in one month while still maintaining my regular reading schedule is getting tough. Needless to say, my kitchen is a mess and I can't see my husband past the pile of laundry on my bed!

Fatally Flaky by Diane Mott Davidson (#15 of the Goldy Bear Culinary Mystery Series)

Before I became addicted to romance novels, I was addicted to mysteries. This series is right up my alley....no blood and guts, lots of humor, a cute curly haired heroine married to a big cuddly teddy bear-police officer, and a smidge of romance thrown in for good measure. Because the heroine is a caterer, there are recipes included in every book (love it!). Fatally Flaky was a fun addition to this series. I like the fact that Goldy has finally gotten some self-confidence after all these years. And, I can't wait to try the Nutcase Cranberry-Apricot Bread. Grade: B+

Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs by Molly Harper

Oh. My. God. I thought I had hit my limit with first person snarky vampire heroines, but evidently I was wrong. I loved this book. Loved. Loved. Loved. There are so many excellent one-liners in this book, I don't even know where to begin. I could not stop laughing out loud. Harper has done a fabulous job with the humor, pacing and hilarious characters in this story. Here is one of my favorite snippets...

"If you want to hurt me, fine. Take my books. Burn down my house. Shave my head while I'm sleeping. But nobody, nobody screws with my dog."

Hee hee hee. I couldn't agree more! Grade: A

Penelope

Beard of the Day

It's Friday! Time for....Beard of the Day. (Or rather, Scruff of the Day, as the case may be). Clive Owen looks way hot in this photo, and ready to rumble!

Super quickie reading updates.....I read Guardian Cowboy by Crystal Rain Love this week. It's a "sweet" (rated G) e-book about a sexy cowboy named Presley (guess who his Mama likes?). Even though I was sad we didn't get to see Presley in any good lovin' scenes (he has that whole hot cowboy thing going on), I really enjoyed this sweet, well-written and emotional story. Now I'm in the mood for some more cowboy books!

Also read: I Thee Wed by Amanda Quick. AQ never disappoints....I got a spunky heroine, a highly disciplined hero who is shocked by his passionate response to the heroine (so shocking!), a fun mystery/story line, and an HEA. What more could a girl want?

Hope y'all have a good weekend,

Penelope

Review of First Drop of Crimson by Jeaniene Frost

First Drop of Crimson by Jeanine Frost

I love Jeaniene Frost's Night Huntress series. I love the over-the-top paranormal stuff, the intensity, the explosive chemistry between the characters, the sizzling sex, even the horror and violence. Cat's first person narrative gets us right into the thick of it, and makes these books come alive.

First Drop of Crimson is absolutely nothing like that series.

But it is nevertheless a fantastic book.

First Drop is coming from a very different point of view. Instead of Cat's bitchy first person narrative, we are watching a story unfold about a normal human woman who has suffered debilitating trauma. What if you were a normal human woman and you had your entire world turned upside down? Your new husband, who you adored, was horribly murdered by paranormal beings? You watched ghouls torture and destroy your friends and family? You miscarried your first child?

This is the story of Denise, a regular woman suffering the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and how she finds the strength and integrity to fall in love again, do the right thing, and battle evil. In a sense, this is much more impressive and dramatic than having a paranormal heroine battle evil. Denise is just a regular schmo who becomes a true heroine by the end of the book. In spite of her horrible fear of paranormal beings, she is willing to do whatever it takes to protect her family, and eventually the vampire she loves.

Spade is also fascinating. He fell in love with a human once before, and was destroyed by her gang rape and death. He vows never again to become involved with a mere mortal. In spite of an intense sexual attraction to Denise, he tries to distance himself from her. He grudgingly begins to respect Denise, as he sees her rise above her PTSD and feelings of guilt about her dead husband. Their love story unfolds slowly, step by step, in a very subtle way.

Subtlety is certainly not Frost's M.O. in the Huntress series, so I was very pleasantly surprised by her approach to this story. It's not the crazy, intense thrill ride we get with Cat. The Huntress books don't really deal with believability. They are so over the top, that just isn't in the mix. But I found Denise a much more plausible and likable character than Cat. She is a real woman. With real issues, dealing with a horrifying situation. Denise's growth over the course of this book was very believable, and her growing trust in Spade was believable, too. She grapples with an intense sexual attraction to him in spite of her guilt feelings about her dead husband. I also love her humor thrown into every situation....she is a great character!

When Spade finally professes his love for Denise, it is an incredibly romantic and touching moment. I think the love story between Spade and Denise is...I can't believe I'm going to say this...sweet. I know, hard to imagine a love story between a hard-hearted killer vampire and a frightened human-turning-into-a-demon as a sweet romance, but there you go. I loved it!

My favorite part of this book is when Denise saves Nathaniel at the end. It bothered me a lot that he was a throw-away, a means to an end, when in fact he seemed like a nice person who had been horribly abused. I LOVE that Denise saved him, and tried to protect the man she loved at the final climatic scene. She showed tons of integrity and grit--a perfect match for Spade.

Okay, maybe I lied when I said it is nothing like the other series. There are still some elements reminiscent of the Huntress books. The sex scenes are very hot, the build-up for the suspense is excellent, and this story has plenty of wit and humor.

I am very impressed with this book. Jeaniene Frost has shown another side to her writing chops, and I, for one, think she rocked the house. I am looking forward to more Huntress books, as well as more installments of this spin-off series.

Grade: A

Penelope

Review of Proof by Seduction by Courtney Milan

Proof by Seduction by Courtney Milan

This book is delicious.

It is the equivalent of a multi course meal at a fine dining establishment. I'm thinking, luscious creamy bowl of soup as an appetizer, filet mignon and baby vegetables for entree, and lemon tart with fresh berries for dessert. Don't forget an incredible bottle of red wine.

It is decadent, satisfying, surprising, lush and beautiful.

I put off reading this book because the blurb did not sound appealing to me. The whole Madame Esmerelda thing threw me for a loop. I simply had no idea how incredible this story was going to be, or I would have been the first one in line waiting for the restaurant to open for dinner.

There is one simple reason why this novel is so wonderful, and it's the characters. Courtney Milan has painstakingly painted the portraits of these characters in lovely, life-affirming detail...to the point that we see every brush stroke, layer upon layer, until the stunning final product. Gareth is my kind of hero....cold, calculating, arrogant, scientific. Jenny is determined, vulnerable, world-wise, and generous with her heart and love. This heroine, who has nothing compared to the opulence of the noble Carharts, opens her heart to Gareth's entire family, and ultimately gives all of them gifts beyond measure. Milan is a gorgeous writer...her prose is smooth and lush, heady and addictive. It is not a fast paced, action packed thriller. It is a love story, filled with stark realizations and emotionally charged love scenes. The end is utterly satisfying, including a totally unexpected gesture by the hero, involving an.....elephant! (Hard to believe this is so romantic, but it is. I laughed out loud at the absurdity and beauty of this moment!)

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It is truly seductive.

Grade: A

Read it! Love it! Be Seduced!

Penelope

Mini Review of Pleasure of a Dark Prince by Kresley Cole

How To Mix a Werewolf-tini

Take one super sexy, incredibly protective, hunky Scottish werewolf named Garreth,

Add a gorgeous, tortured, secretive Archer named Lucia,

Throw in a fabulous adventure in the Amazon rain forest,

Don't forget the vampires, demons, Skathi, Shapeshifters, and Evil Gods,

Add a nice hefty heaping portion of totally hot sex,

An intense emotional connection between the hero and heroine,

Great humor, pacing, and secondary characters,

Scary-ass climatic scene,

And totally satisfying ending,

With just a touch of enticement for the next book in the series.

Shake well with plenty of ice. Serve with a twist of lemon.

Enjoy Pleasure of a Dark Prince. It's an "A" read all the way.

Wishing Scottish werewolves lived in my backyard,

Penelope

Happy Monday!

I survived school vacation week! Woo hoo! I actually had a really fun time with my kids. However, I did not get a chance to read very much, and I did not work on my WIP at all. :(

In addition to cranking out my new story, I have an awesome pile of books to dig into this week. First up, I am rereading Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters. It's the first of the Amelia Peabody series, which is absolutely fantastic....a mixture of archaeology, suspense, and romance. My review will be posted on Lydia Storm's blog (Dark and Stormy Romantic Suspense) this Friday.

I am also looking forward to Pleasure of a Dark Prince by Kresley Cole, Proof by Seduction by Courtney Milan, and First Drop of Crimson by Jeaniene Frost.

Looking forward to some Kindle-time,

Penelope

Beard of the Day

This is an oldie but goodie! Jeff Bridges from the very sexy 1984 movie Against All Odds. Gotta go download some Phil Collins songs.

Surviving School Vacation Week and Actually Having A Ball With My Kids,

(And it didn't hurt that I mixed a nice mango martini last night),

Penelope

God Save Me From Winter Vacation Week!

From the file labelled "Big Bad Ideas"......

Seriously, whoever came up with the idea of a week of school vacation during February was insane. I live in New England, which basically leaves 2 options...

1) Plan a vacation to Florida. Pay out the wazoo for hotel and air fare since it's vacation week. One day before you're set to leave, everyone in the family comes down with a stomach bug. Good times. (Thank God for air discomfort bags).

2) Stay home. Tell kids you'll be out sledding and having a ball in the crisp New England weather. Oops....too bad there's a blizzard going on, 0r rain, ice, and/or sub-zero temperatures. OK, so the kids can stay indoors and fight until the germs that have been percolating so nicely decide to erupt and everyone in the neighborhood gets swine flu.

3) Needless to say, I may or may not be posting anything else this week.

Praying for Spring,

Penelope

Review of Simply Love by Mary Balogh

Happy Valentine's Day! Since this is one of my favorite romance novels, I thought I would re-post my review from last year. It is an incredibly romantic Beauty and the Beast tale by Mary Balogh, who is pretty much the queen of true romance in this genre....

Simply Love by Mary Balogh (2007)

A friend of mine once commented on the fact that Mary Balogh does not have a sense of humor. True, there is no humor in her historicals, unlike Amanda Quick or Julie Garwood. Balogh's stories are serious, sometimes emotionally wrenching, and perhaps even somber in tone. But I defy anyone to find a writer whose endings are as emotionally satisfying, and whose characters are as romantic as Balogh's. Simply Love is one of the most touching and satisfying stories I have ever read. I cry repeatedly while reading this book. Balogh introduced Anne Jewell and Sydnam Butler (Sydnam, I love you!) in previous books as secondary characters, and thank the good Lord, she resurrected them in this wonderful tale. Both have been badly beaten down by the events of their lives. Their stilted dialogue and awkward courtship blossom into something glorious and life-affirming for both of them. The symmetry of this story, two broken souls who are able to provide each other with the will and strength to embrace life once again, is simply perfect. My only complaint about Simply Love is that I felt bereft when I finished it. I wanted more! It's everything romance should be. Grade: A+

Hoping all of you are enjoying a romantic holiday,

Penelope

Valentine Winners!

Happy Valentine's Day! I hope all of you are planning a decadent celebration with champagne, lobster tails and chocolate mousse for dessert. And if not, at least planning to read a lovely romance novel today.

Here are the lucky winners of the Valentine Contests...

**Cathryn P. has won the gourmet chocolate!

**Jennifer M. has won an Amazon giftcard!

**Keira of LoveRomancePassion has won an Amazon giftcard!

**Sherry has won a book to be determined from the Most Romantic Heroes list!

Congratulations, ladies. Thanks so much for playing this week. By the way, Hugh won the Most Romantic Beard contest. Excellent choice! And big shout out to Scorpio M and Meandi who got all of the answers right on the Most Romantic Hero quiz. They obviously read the same (wonderful) books I do.

I will be re-posting my review of Simply Love by Mary Balogh later today in honor of the holiday. It's my favorite Valentine re-read.

Happy Heart Day,

Penelope

Final Day for Penelope's Valentine Celebration Contests!

Today is the final day to enter the Valentine Celebration contests....here are links to the various posts:

Valentine Contest. Prizes include gourmet chocolates and Amazon giftcards. Go here!

Vote for the MRB (Most Romantic Beard). Giftcard giveaway. Go here!

Penelope's Most Romantic Hero Quiz. Book giveaway. Go here!

Sunday, Feb 14: Winners announced.

Good luck to everyone. Thanks for stopping by to play,

Penelope