-A bookmark and signed copy of Proof of Seduction by Courtney Milan

-A bookmark and signed copy of Scoundrel’s Kiss by Carrie Lofty

-A signed copy of Pieces of Sky by Kaki Warner

- A signed copy of Bound by Temptation by Lavinia Kent

- A bookmark and signed copies of Goddess of the Hunt, Surrender of a Siren and A Lady of Persuasion by Tessa Dare

-For your reading comfort, a pink Snuggie that comes with its own booklight!

-a $50 e-gift card to the fabulous RedEnvelope. For those not familiar with the site, RedEnvelope features unique gifts. I got one from them once and in addition to having nice things, the site sends their gifts in a red box with ivory ribbon and just goes the extra mile to present the entire package in a way that makes it feel very special.

and

- Last but not least, it would not be Valentine’s Day without a little chocolate indulgence! So the lucky winner will also be getting a little chocolate treat.

So, what do you need to do to enter the contest? Just comment below and tell us what debut novel you’ve read in recent memory that you enjoyed. The contest will be open from February 8, 2010 until 5:00 p.m. EST February 12, 2010, and I’ll announce the winner on Valentine’s Day!

- Lynn Spencer

Ali, Deanndra, Tinabelle, Veronica, Raegan, Janet W, Katherine M, xina, gumbybird, Sabena

Emails have already gone out to the winners and the books will go out as soon as the snowpocalypse releases me from captivity – with any luck, that will be on Monday.

Thanks to everyone who commented – I only wish we had more books to give away.  Thanks, as well, to Deanna for the great interview and Mira for the generous donation of the books.

- Sandy AAR

Leftovers from January

Each month we deal with surprise new releases that failed to make our upcoming new audiobook releases list over at AAR.  Here are just a few of those surprises and be sure to check out the updated January new releases list as well.

Brockmann, Suzanne – Stand-In Groom

Carr, Robyn – Paradise Valley: Virgin River, Book 7

Dahl, Victoria – Lead Me On

Lowell, Elizabeth – Winter Fire

Miller, Linda Lael – Montana Creeds: Tyler

Spencer, LaVyrle – Morning Glory (abridged)

Audiobook Romances on Sale in February

Abridged

Brown, Sandra – Exclusive

Coulter, Catherine – Eleventh Hour

Feehan, Christine – Burning Wild

Fielding, Joy – The Wild Zone

Lindsey, Johanna – Johanna Lindsey CD Collection 4: Love Me Forever, Say You Love Me

Robb, J.D. – Fantasy in Death

Robb, J.D. – Naked in Death

Roberts, Nora – Jewels of the Sun

Roberts, Nora – Key of Light

Steele, Danielle – Big Girl

Steele, Danielle – Danielle Steel CD Collection 2: A Good Woman, One Day at a Time

Unabridged

Brown, Sandra – Exclusive

Crusie, Jennifer – The Cinderella Deal

Feehan, Christine – Burning Wild

Fielding, Joy – The Wild Zone

Grange, Amanda – Mr. Darcy, Vampyre

Macomber, Debbie – Marriage Risk, The: A Selection from Midnight Sons, Volume 1

Mallery, Susan – Hot on Her Heels

Quick, Amanda – Reckless

Robb, J.D. – Big Jack

Robb, J.D. – Fantasy in Death

Slade, Jessa – Seduced by Shadows

Steele, Danielle – Big Girl

Additions of my Audio Library

A Matter of Class – Mary Balogh

It took a while to convince myself that I wanted to spend a full credit at Audible for a four hour audiobook.  However, after reading varied favorable opinions as well as Ellen’s DIK review at AAR, I decided to take a chance when I discovered it on sale for $8.25.

The Cinderella Deal – Jennifer Crusie

On a bit of a Crusie audiobook glom these days, I’m expecting more laughs but was intrigued to read that this particular series romance from 1996 also offers a good bit of poignancy as well.

Kill and Tell – Linda Howard

More suspense than romance, Kill and Tell still delivers a strong romance, an alpha hero, and a smart likable heroine.  Excited at this, the latest audio release of Howard’s backlist, I purchased it immediately and I’m listening to it now.

Recent Reads

Don’t Look Down – Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer

Upon its release in 2006, I participated in a Pandora’s Box discussion of Don’t Look Down – a joint effort between well known romance writer Crusie and Mayer, a former Green Beret and multi-genre author.   Although it’s categorized as fiction, there’s enough to satisfy most romance readers if you’re open to a very male point of view.  Last month I listened to the audio version in hopes the dual narration by Patrick Lawlor and Renee Raudman would add yet another intriguing dimension to this suspenseful tale but found that although the narration did benefit from the male/female voices, the overall production was uneven with frequent changes in sound quality as narrators shifted one to the other.  I don’t see this as an audiobook I’ll revisit since the narration added little to a book I already considered too long on suspense.

First Comes Marriage – Mary Balogh

I reviewed First Comes Marriage for AAR in 2009 granting it DIK status and it was my love of its story line that carried my favorable experience with the audio version.  Anne Flosnik performs adequately as narrator although her sluggish delivery along with the failure to consistently distinguish voices did serve as more of a distraction than a positive for overall listening enjoyment.  Regardless, I was captivated as I listened and figured a less than perfect narration was a small price to pay for hours of truly pleasurable entertainment.  Oh, and I think I’ve mentioned it before but it warrants saying again – this has the best proposal scene ever.

Time for Your Thoughts

What new releases are you looking forward to?

Do you know of any February releases that failed to make this list?

What are the latest additions to your audio library?

What are your latest audio successes or failures?

Ending Notes

Please check AAR’s main site for monthly lists of upcoming audiobook releases,

For those new to our Speaking of Audiobooks column, be sure to check out our audio archives for further recommendations and discussions.

See you again later this month.

– Lea Hensley

As in recent years, paranormals have been big and several of our staffers had good paranormal and alternate reality reads that they thought deserved more attention. Senior Editor Ellen Micheletti has really enjoyed Molly Harper’s Nice Girls Don’t series of which she reviewed Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs and Nice Girls Don’t Date Dead Men in 2009. Of the books, she says, “The books are so funny, I can’t read them
in public for laughing out loud. They are chock full of humorous characters and the writing is smooth and assured.”

Senior Reviewer and Pollster LinnieGayl Kimmel enjoyed Tekgrrl by A. J. Menden, a novel about superheroes with a “fascinating, intelligent heroine with some great super-power skills.” And Senior Reviewer Heather Brooks also found a paranormal to love in Midnight’s Master by Cynthia Eden, a demon romance with a powerful, standout hero and steamy sexual tension.

Normally I gravitate toward historicals and suspense, but I did find some really good paranormal reads myself this year, including one from a series that I think deserves a lot more buzz than I’ve seen it getting online. Doomsday Can Wait by Lori Handeland is the second in her Phoenix Chronicles series, featuring a heroine who must use her powers to fight against evil and stop demons bent on destroying humanity.

Continuing with the theme, my other buried treasure of the year was a historical but had a definite paranormal plot twist. For the Earl’s Pleasure is by Anne Mallory, a historical romance author with several books to her backlist. Her latest was a charming, even poignant read and I think it deserved more attention than it got.

Another of our publishers, Blythe Barnhill, also found a historical deserving of more attention. She describes Emma Wildes’ An Indecent Proposition as “innovative and different.” Rounding out the list of buried treasures with a historical setting was the regency trad/Jane Austen sequel The Other Mr. Darcy by Monica Fairview, which also garnered DIK status here at AAR when it was reviewed. Senior Reviewer Rike Horstmann described the author’s work using the point of view of “a difficult and too conventional heroine” as “amazing.”

Moving into the romantic suspense and thriller reads, we have the only buried treasure book this year to have been nominated more than once. Pollster Lee Brewer and Reviewer Jean Wan agreed that Dangerous Lies by Anna Louise Lucia was something special. Lee noted that she was so impressed that she went back and bought the author’s other novel, and Jean said of this book that she “was blown away by the assured prose and character depth.” In addition, this book also earned a DIK review here at AAR.

Jill Sorensen’s Set the Dark on Fire got favorable mentions on several internet sites, but still doesn’t seem to have gotten quite the amount of attention Rike Horstmann thought it deserved. She enjoyed both the setting and the characters in this one. And switching from romantic suspense to thrillers, Anne Marble really liked The Shimmer by David Morrell. When trying to guess why this book didn’t get as much buzz as others by the author, she noted that it was not quite like his usual work and was published by a different publisher as well. No matter what this reason, this was still a book in need of more attention!

Also on the suspense front, Bessie Makris wishes more readers knew about the Phryne Fisher series by Kerry Greenwood, of which Queen of the Flowers, Murder in the Dark and Murder on a Midsummer Night were published in 2009. Set in the 1920s, this mystery series follows the adventures the glamorous Phryne Fisher, a heroine who grew up poor in Australia and who then came into great wealth as her father inherited following the deaths of more distant relatives in the Great War. Bored by society life, Phryne has become an ultraglamorous investigator. Bessie describes the books by saying, “The setting gives Greenwood the opportunity to write about women’s lives in the 1920’s (including topics like birth control, abusive marriages, prostution, drug abuse. Phryne is also very glamorous with incredible clothes, a red Hispano-Suizo automobile, and an airplane. And to bring it all back to the romance genre, she doesn’t lack for male companionship.”

A few of the staff here had some contemporary romance picks as well. Our Message Board Moderator Lea Hensley thought Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James belonged up there with the blockbusters. Of this book, she said, “I am impressed with her classy writing style and ability to deliver a contemporary romance that seems realistic, sensibly sexy, and totally character driven.” Publisher Sandy Coleman rounded out the contemporary picks with Too Hot to Handle by Robin Kaye. Sandy admired Kaye’s writing voice and stated that she “writes romances about ordinary people that are refreshing to someone who’s tired of the Billionaire Next Door. Which I am. Completely.”

Rounding out our buried treasures we have a work of women’s fiction, a series title and a male/male romance. Pollster Lee Brewer greatly enjoyed Henry’s Sisters by Cathy Lamb, a novel about the lives of three sisters who are united by their love for their mentally handicapped brother Henry. Senior Reviewer and Pollster LinnieGayl Kimmel thought First Come Twins by Helen Brenna, which received a DIK review, deserved more buzz as it was, “a wonderful category romance filled with complex characters and an interesting island setting.” Last but not least, Reviewer Katie Mack wanted to bring attention to Gobsmacked by L.B. Gregg which she described as “plain fun to read.” This novel features the humorous voice of a first-person narrator and has led Katie to glom the rest of the series.

So, if you’re looking for something a little off the beaten path, these buried treasure picks for 2009 are a few we found to enjoy. What buried treasures did you discover this year?

-Lynn Spencer

I

Deanna Raybourn has a new historical mystery coming out on March 1.  The Dead Travel Fast is not a Lady Julia Grey story, but instead is a stand-alone that represents a return to the classic Gothics so many of us remember with much fondness — it even takes place in a crumbling and mysterious castle in Transylvania.  I loved it.

To celebrate the release, Deanna Raybourn took the time to answer a few of my questions.  And, even better for 10 lucky readers, we’ve got 10 copies of The Dead Travel Fast to give away, thanks to the generosity of Mira. To enter for your chance to win a copy, all you need to do is comment to this post by 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, February 4th. The usual caveats apply: Due to high shipping costs, this contest is open only to U.S. and Canadian readers.  And, since the giveaway is designed to get advance copies of books into the hands of readers who wouldn’t otherwise have access to them, if you review for another Web site or blog, please don’t enter.  Winners will be announced here on Friday morning.

Ready to hear from Deanna?

Deanna, thanks so much for joining us today.  Could you please tell our readers a bit about the plot of The Dead Travel Fast?

Thanks for inviting me! The Dead Travel Fast is a mid-Victorian Gothic that follows the adventures of novelist Theodora Lestrange as she leaves her sedate life in Edinburgh for a crumbling castle in the Carpathians—and a nobleman who may or may not be a vampire…

I enjoyed the book so much and loved that it was a return to the kind of classic Gothic romances I devoured in my early teens.  A mysterious, decaying castle; a brooding, enigmatic count; a growing chorus of whispering from the villagers about all sorts of terrible goings-on – the tension in the book builds so deliciously.  There are shades, as well, of classic horror novels, including, of course, Dracula, since the book takes place in Transylvania in the mid 19^th century.  Did you have fun revisiting the Gothic formula?

I had a wonderful time! I grew up reading Victoria Holt, Mary Stewart, M.M. Kay, so writing a classic Gothic was just tremendous fun. This book was a love letter of sorts to all of those writers who came before, from the Romantics who started the genre with their fog-shrouded mountains and chain-rattling ghosts, to every mid-twentieth century writer who used the phrase, “Had I but known…” I think Gothics occupy a soft spot for loads of readers who are deeply nostalgic about them, and I wanted to write a book that Gothic fans would enjoy. I twisted it a touch with the folklore and vampire themes, but I am very pleased that it is structurally a traditional Gothic—and that it reads that way!

The setting in The Dead Travel Fast almost seems to be a third major character.  The people of Roumania are so dramatically different in their beliefs and attitudes than the Londoners many of us are far more familiar with in our reading about that I was constantly reminded that I was reading about very unique people in a very unique place.  What do you think the unusual setting brought to the book?  And did you get the chance to visit Roumainia?

I was actually planning a trip to Transylvania, and I was hugely disappointed to have to cancel it. The setting was absolutely essential to this book. It simply would not have been the same story if I had moved the action to London or Paris. I needed those grim mountains and shadowy forests to set the scene, and more importantly, I needed a heroine completely out of her element. What started me off with this book was a newspaper clipping describing how Transylvanian villagers exhumed a suspected vampire and performed an elaborate and gruesome ritual to bind him to his grave. It sounded like something entirely Medieval, but it was dated 2004. There are to this day places where the customs and beliefs I wrote about still exist, and that astonishes me. I also relied heavily upon Emily Gerard’s The Land Beyond the Forest for my research. It’s a divine book, written from a British woman traveler’s perspective about Transylvania when very few people knew anything about the land or its people. I was actually able to get my hands on a first edition, the same printing Bram Stoker used when he was writing Dracula! Gerard made one or two errors regarding the language, but the book is absolutely riveting.

What do you like most about Theodora and Andrei?

For starters, I love how different they are from Julia and Nicholas. Theodora is a middle-class young woman who has to rely very much upon herself. She is resourceful and clever, and perhaps not quite as nice as Julia, and definitely not as scatty. Andrei is a force of nature. He is something of a rogue, but he has a tremendously vulnerable side as well. His smooth, mannered exterior is partly a reflection of his aristocratic upbringing, but it’s also a very useful tool for keeping people at bay. He is a man of many secrets—and perhaps even more questions—about himself and the legacy of his birthright.

Though The Dead Travel Fast is decidedly different from your previous books it also felt very much as if you were sticking to what you know and what readers expect from you in terms of style.  In other words, I would have no trouble – no trouble at all – in recommending the book to everyone who enjoyed the Lady Julia Grey series.  How do you think this one differs and, on the other hand, what do you see as the similarities?

One of the most difficult accomplishments for a writer is developing a distinctive voice, creating a narrative rhythm that is so unique a reader will know it’s your book without seeing your name on the cover. It took a lot of work and a lot of time to develop that voice for the Lady Julia Grey Series. Then when I went to write The Dead Travel Fast, I had to do it all over again! I loved the challenge. Both of my narrators are British women, but Julia is an aristocrat with a somewhat insouciant attitude. Theodora is much more serious and, since she is experiencing a culture that is entirely foreign to her, she’s a keen observer of what people are doing and why, and perhaps a little more thoughtful while Julia is more inclined to take action first and think later. My hope was to create a book that read differently from the series, but could still be enjoyed by someone who loves the Julia Grey books.

We always ask every author we interview at AAR about what’s up next.  With you, I find myself craving reassurance: Do you intend to continue the fabulous story of Lady Julia Grey?

Absolutely—I just finished writing Dark Road to Darjeeling, the next installment in the series. It is set on a tea plantation in the foothills of the Himalayas, and Nicholas and Julia find themselves enmeshed in another investigation together, in spite of his attempts to shake her off! This book also sees the return of a few characters we haven’t seen for awhile, and introduces an arch-villain for the first time. It’s due out in October, and I cannot wait to share it with readers!

And this reader cannot wait to read it!  Remember, to enter for your chance to win one of 10 advance copies, comment to this post by 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, February 4th.  If you’re not one of the lucky winners, take heart!  The Dead Travel Fast is available on March 1st.

- Sandy AAR

Heather

Congratulations, Heather!  I have emailed you and will make arrangements to have the book sent.  Thanks to everyone who entered.  If you didn’t win, your wait for the newest from Kristan Higgins will be short. Its release date is February 1st.

- Rachel Potter

But, Steve, my man, you muffed it on the name.  Big time. Because only one thing comes to mind when women hear the word “pad” and a computer isn’t it.

But you know, Steve is a rockstar.  Always has been.  Always will be.  I suspect that after a whole lot of cheap iPenis jokes, we’ll all get over it.

Back when I got my first job at an ad agency, one of the things I remember doing on my very first day was to sit down at my original Mac Classic and spend a half hour or so on a a “How To Use a Mouse” tutorial.  Because, believe it or not, back in those days most people didn’t have  a clue.

Another memory?  Circa 1993 or so for some mysterious reason I remember asking someone, “what’s a home page?”  Because, believe it nor not, back in those days most people didn’t have a clue.

The whole world has changed so much in my lifetime that sometimes it astonishes me.  And no company is better at leading the world in innovation than Apple.

You’d have to be living under the proverbial rock to have missed all the hype about the announcement of the new Apple Tablet.  Which, according to all the breathless reports, was going to revolutionize the ebook biz.

Watching the event live and reading a fair bit of the online coverage after, I just don’t see that.

Of course, reading isn’t as sexy as video games, movies, photos, and surfing the Web, so I guess it’s to be expected that the book side of the announcement was…well, not freakin’ much.

Because it was totally not freakin’ much.  You can read ebooks on the iPad.  Whoopdedoo!

My takeaway?  Despite Steve Jobs’ magnificent showmanship, it works like an iPhone.  Only it’s bigger. And faster. (Though the second generation iPhone wasn’t one bit faster than the first – despite all the hype.) And, gee, correct me if I missed something, but where was the Kindle app?  Hello, I love, love, love being able to read on both my Kindle and my iPhone and have them sync automatically.  No Kindle App is a deal breaker.

And you know what?  My iPhone fits in my pocket.  Despite hearing a news anchor say that the iPad puts the whole world “in the palm of your hand,” the only palm I can think of that the iPad might fit is King Kong’s.  Maybe.

The price is better than I expected, but, hello, AT & T monthly data charges as well?  Kindle wireless is free.

Bottom line for me?  I can’t use it for work.  I’m already set on the e-reader front.  So, unless Apple works some powerful mojo over the next few months, for now I’m passing.

But Apple makes mojo.  Powerful mojo.  And, if past performance is any indication, it works on me.  Oh, yeah, it does.

What about you? You buying or passing?

- Sandy AAR

I nearly always find writing the Reviewer’s Choice Column affirming (in a “See? There WERE some good books this year!” kind of way). And it’s always nice to have a column with unabashed gushing; often we keep that stuff under wraps. Unlike years past, we all managed to find favorites this year, and some of them were even the same ones.

Anne Marble:
Top pick: St. Nacho’s by Z.A. Maxfield

Anne has led the way with M/M reviews at AAR, and judging from some of our mail, we have some readers who really appreciate these reviews. It’s no surprise that her favorite from 2009 is an M/M romance. She loved that it was written in the first person (and stay tuned; a review is coming).

Three of our staff members chose paranormal novels this year.

Andi Davis:
Top pick: As Shadows Fade by Colleen Gleason
Runner up: What Happens in London by Julia Quinn.

“This was the last book of a series that I really loved and the finale was incredibly satisfying.”

Cindy Smith:
Top pick: Branded by Fire by Nalini Singh

“Changelings from different packs/species who have no choice but to work out their need for dominance in order to be together.  I loved that neither Mercy nor Riley gave up any part of who they are but were able to learn to respect and accept the strengths in each other.  It was refreshing to see a couple find a way to be together without either of them having to give up a certain amount of power.”

Emma Leigh:
Top pick: Beloved Vampire by Joey W. Hill

“It broke my paranormal slump with its amazing character depth and dialogue. I could also find no fault with the direction of the plot, which practically never happens!”

Three of our staff chose contemporary romances this year as well. There have definitely been some complaints that good contemporaries are getting harder to come by, especially for those who are not fans of romantic suspense. The evidence may be anecdotal, but the fact that they aren’t heavily represented this year seems to suggest that straight contemporaries really are a little harder to find.

LinnieGayl Kimmel:

Top pick: Vision in White by Nora Roberts

“My favorite romance is Vision in White by Nora Roberts. This book had so many features that I like. First, and most important,it was a straight contemporary romance (hooray for not a bit of a paranormal thread in it). I also loved the friendship between the four women, and the hero, Carter,  was nerdily divine.”

Abi Bishop:
Top pick: Start Me Up by Victoria Dahl

“Nowadays it seems harder and harder to find contemporary romances that don’t have suspense or paranormal elements, so when I find a really good one, I’m that much more ecstatic. Under the Influence fits that bill perfectly, and I had a smile on my face from start to finish. It’s a funny, sexy, and refreshingly modern version of the classic Opposites Attract story. Throw in a sexy and interesting secondary romance, and I was completely sold. Plus, I’m a sucker for gender role-reversal plots, so I loved the premise of a high-powered executive heroine falling for a bartender/beach bum hero.”

That leaves the historical romances, which took the lion’s share of the voting this year (with twice as many top picks as contemporaries and paranormals put together). More unusual for us is that four books got more than one vote.

Bessie Makris:
Top Pick: Silent on the Moor by Deanna Raybourn
Runners up: The Perfect Poison by Amanda Quick and Kindred in Death by J.D. Robb

Lea Hensley:
Top pick: To Beguile a Beast by Elizabeth Hoyt
Runner up: Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James

“To Beguile a Beast by Elizabeth Hoyt is a solid number one pick for me.  I was fascinated with the badly scarred Alistair hiding away in his crumbling castle and loved every aspect of this tender yet sensual story.  While reading, I experienced one of my old romance highs I don’t seem to find often these days and it reminded me that it’s books
such as this that keep me reading romance.

“In second place is Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James  With just two contemporaries under her belt, Ms. James has worked her way firmly into a highly anticipated auto buy position for me.  I thoroughly enjoyed this battle between two attorneys vying for partnership in their firm.  This is by far my favorite contemporary of the year.”

Julia Quinn’s What Happens in London was chosen by two reviewers this year.

Jane Granville:

Top pick: What Happens in London by Julia Quinn

“I had a number of books I loved this year, but JQ’s What Happens in London was definitely up there on my list.  It just had everything I love about her writing, and was the epitome of a funny, light (but not fluffy) historical romance.”

Lynn Spencer:
Top pick: What Happens in London by Julia Quinn
Runners up: Bound by Your Touch by Meredith Duran, Freudian Slip by Erica Orlroff, and As Shadows Fade by Colleen Gleason

Lynn’s thoughts: “My number one pick for the year was What Happens in London by Julia Quinn.  That book flowed almost flawlessly for me.  The pieces fit together very well, and reading this one just made me feel happy.

“Bound By Your Touch by Meredith Duran – a very close second; the writing style is beautiful, and the author captured the emotion of her story beautifully.

“Freudian Slip by Erica Orloff – The author took what could have been a very cheesy premise and instead wrote a very poignant book about second chances.  The best parts of this story are truly romantic and I loved it.

“As Shadows Fade by Colleen Gleason – I normally am a good girl and stick to 2 runners-up, but 2009 was the best reading year I’ve had in a while and I couldn’t leave this one out.  I enjoyed the entire Gardella Vampire series, and this final installment of Victoria’s story was truly satisfying and made me adore the main characters even more than I already did.”

Sherry Thomas’s Not Quite a Husband also got two top nods.

Rike Horstmann:
Top Pick: Not Quite a Husband by Sherry Thomas
Runners up: Marrying the Captain by Carla Kelly and Hot Under Pressure by Kathleen O’Reilly

“My favorite romance this year was Sherry Thomas’s Not Quite a Husband. I loved the exotic settings and the unusual characters, and the luscious prose left me breathless several times. My runners-up are Marrying the Captain by Carla Kelly and Hot Under Pressure by Kathleen O’Reilly. Amazingly enough, I loved them for the same reason: The main characters were people who somehow felt grounded, more real with their flaws and insecurities than most other romance characters, and this meant I could relate to them.”

Heather Brooks:
Top pick: Not Quite a Husband by Sherry Thomas
Runners up: To Beguile a Beast by Elizabeth Hoyt, Don’t Tempt Me by Loretta Chase, Dreamfever by Karen Marie Moning, and Marrying the Captain by Carla Kelly

“This was a really hard decision to make, but I have to go with Not Quite a Husband by Sherry Thomas as my favorite of the year.  Neither Leo or Byrony are perfect and their relationship was a struggle to read, but I don’t necessarily like perfect couples.  I loved that she was difficult and that he loved her anyway as well as the fact that they both made dreadful mistakes.  I also appreciated the fact that she was an older woman and that he was infatuated with her for forever.  It was one of the most moving books that I’ve read in years.

Runners up:  Carla Kelly’s Marrying the Captain and Not Quite a Husband by Sherry Thomas.

“The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie was my favorite because it was so wonderful to read a historical with intelligent yet complicated characters.  Definitely a book not to rush through.”

Ellen Micheletti:
Top pick: The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley

“My favorite was The Madness of Lord Ian McKenzie.  I’ve read several books where the hero had a mental illness or condition, and most of those led me to think that the heroine would eventually end up as the
hero’s nurse or his abused spouse.  Not this one.  Beth is strong and intelligent and she loves and understands Lord Ian.  I closed the book thinking they will be very happy together.”

And in what constitutes a landslide (at least among AAR staffers), Meredith Duran’s Bound by Your Touch is our big winner, with four votes.

Rachel Potter:
Top Pick: Bound by Your Touch by Meredith Duran

Jean Wan:
Top Pick: Bound by Your Touch by Meredith Duran
Runner up: Dangerous Lies by Anna Louise Lucia

“Runner-up & Buried Treasure: Dangerous Lies by Anna Louise Lucia.  I was extremely impressed with the author’s control of both character and plot, in a situation that could easily have gotten out of hand, and I am looking forward to this author’s future books.”

Blythe Barnhill:
Top Pick: Bound by Your Touch by Meredith Duran
Runners up: Marrying the Captain by Carla Kelly and What Happens in London by Julia Quinn

“When I sat down to write this column, I was still making up my mind between Bound by Your Touch and Marrying the Captain. It’s the Duran by the nose, mostly because it felt innovative and refreshing to me. But only by a nose, because I thought Carla Kelly also hit it out of the park. And What Happens in London was delightful and funny.

Sandy Coleman:
Top pick: Bound by Your Touch by Meredith Duran
Runner up: Smooth Talking Stranger by Lisa Kleypas

“I had a good reading year.  It was the year I discovered Deanna Raybourn, who is turning into a favorite author.  Connie Brockway came back to historicals (yeah!) with a terrific book, Sherry Thomas continues to intrigue me, and Charlaine Harris had the best Sookie Stackhouse novel in years in Dead and Gone.  I also loved The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie, and I’m excited about where the author will go next.

Two books stood out to me this year.  Lisa Kleypas has been a favorite of mine for years now and I thought she hit it out of the park with Smooth Talking Stranger.  I loved the heroine, but, quite honestly, the hero was what kicked it over the top for me.  For an author known for creating memorable heroes, he’s one of her best.

“But I’ve got to go with Bound By Your Touch by Meredith Duran as my favorite of the year.  The story and the characters were perfectly done and I was in awe of her achievement, while I also reveled in the story.  A benediction that is on the way to getting tiresome is to compare an author to Judith Ivory.  Nobody is Judith Ivory but Judith Ivory, but as a standard of excellence I think she will do very well.  I thought that the hero evoked what we loved about Nardi from Bliss – only without the vomit.  Definitely my book of the year.”

Our annual poll has a shorter voting period this year, so we’ll soon know whether our staffers choices are echoed among our readership. There’s still time to vote…and if you’re a fast reader, maybe our suggestions will help you find a few to squeeze in at the eleventh hour.

- Blythe Barnhill

The Next Best Thing by Kristan Higgins

One of my best discoveries of the past year was the author Kristan Higgins.  I ripped through all four books in her backlist and found them entertaining and thoughtful, funny and romantic.  She’s become a comfort read for me, actually, so I was excited to learn that there is more comfort forthcoming.  On February 1st, HQN releases The Next Best Thing.  Kristan graciously took time to answer my questions about the book, and will be giving a signed copy of it to a lucky reader.

All you need to do to enter for the giveaway is to leave a comment to this post by 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, January 28th. The winner will be randomly selected and posted here on Friday morning.  The usual caveats apply:  This contest is open only to readers in the U.S. and Canada and, since the purpose of the giveaway is to put early books into the hands of readers who wouldn’t  otherwise get them, if you review for another Web site or blog that receives advance copies, please don’t enter.

And now, here’s Kristan!

What can you tell us about your upcoming book, The Next Best Thing?

The Next Best Thing is about Lucy, a young widow who’s trying to get on with life five years after the death of her husband, Jimmy. She’s not looking for love…stability and predictability sound a lot better this time around. Lucy figures she’s already had the love of her life, lost him and suffered so much because of it that what she wants now is a nice, slightly boring guy who won’t thrill any part of her.

First order of business for Lucy: suspend the benefits package in her friendship with Ethan, her late husband’s brother. For the past two years, she and Ethan have, er, comforted each other, and while Ethan is Lucy’s best friend, he’s the last guy she’d pick for a husband. He’s way too dangerous, way too lovable. Ethan, however, has other plans. He’s lived in his brother’s shadow all his life, and while he’s initially willing to let Lucy try to find Mr. Not-So-Bad, it’s harder than he thinks to stand by and watch.

I’ve heard this will not be the only book readers can expect from you in 2010?

You are correct! All I Ever Wanted is scheduled for an August release. This one’s the story about getting over a one-sided relationship…Callie was madly in love, he wasn’t…and even worse, he’s her boss. When she learns he’s seeing someone else, she forces herself to get out there and find some other man…even though Mark seemed so perfect. Ian McFarland is clearly not that guy…a rather unsociable vet who prefers the company of animals to people. Callie will have to find that what she thinks she wants may not be what she really needs.

I love this book! Callie tries so hard to make people happy, and she’s usually so good at it! She just can’t understand A) why her boss and she didn’t work out, and B) what exactly is in that that grouchy vet’s past and why he gets under her skin so easily.

One thing I’ve noticed about your books is that your heroines’ parents are not only living but involved in their lives.  Since this is rare in romance novels, I assume this is a deliberate choice?

Is it rare? I didn’t know! I think most people would say that parents play a huge role in their lives. No one loves you more than your mom and dad (one hopes, anyway), no one knows you better…and no one can home in on that sore spot faster or more effectively. That being said, in The Next Best Thing, Lucy’s father is dead. One of the things Lucy deals with is not only this loss, but her mother’s seeming detachment from Lucy’s struggles to patch her life together.

Additionally, in at least two, possibly three of your books, the heroines’ parents are pretty unhappily married.  Is there a reason you choose to highlight their relationship problems?

Oh, that makes me sound so cruel! As soon as you asked that question, I had to go back and count, and yep, I’m batting .500 in the divorced parents department.

There’s a quote by J.R.R. Tolkien:

“Things that are good to have and days that are good to spend are not much to listen to, but things that are palpitating, uncomfortable and gruesome make a very good tale.”

In other words, it’s more fun to have some trouble brewing…not in life, of course, but definitely in a novel! Often, the parent situations in my books reflect the heroine’s worries…it’s harder to have faith in lasting love if your parents can’t make it work. Certainly, Lucy looks at her mother and sees herself, which can be both comforting and lonely. In my defense, I must point out that all of the parents in my books have ended up happy…not necessarily married, or not necessarily to each other, but happy nonetheless.

How would you classify your books – as contemporary romance or Chick Lit?  Personally, I think they straddle.  Both the humor and the first-person point of view (lack of the hero’s voice) makes the librarian in me want to pick Chick Lit.

When I started writing, I was blessed with a healthy degree of ignorance — I just wrote the type of book I wanted to read. I didn’t realize there were so many subsets within romance. The truth is, I’ve never been completely clear on what chick-lit is…I always picture Sex in the City, and since my most of my heroines can’t hold their liquor and wouldn’t know a Jimmy Choo if it hit them in the head, I guess I’d go with romantic comedy. Contemporary romantic comedy. How’s that?

Do you find humor easy to write?

Yes and no. I see humor everywhere, am the queen of inappropriate laughter, and tend to store funny things in my brain for decades. Writing it down takes some practice, especially scenes that involve physical humor (a scene in Just One of the Guys leaps to mind, in which Chastity gets stuck in a closet at her boyfriend’s parents’ home). I pay attention to timing, clarity, all that good stuff. I always go back and revise. But when I’m in the groove, it flows pretty well indeed.

My sister describes your book, Catch of the Day, as “a romance between a woman and her dog” – which makes me laugh.  I am a dedicated dog person, and I love the animals in your stories.  When in the process of deciding and defining characters do you choose your animal protagonists?  Could you write a book without an animal sidekick?

Tell your sister I love that description! For me, owning and loving a pet is a statement of commitment, love and tolerance, so given that all my heroines want that with people, it makes a lot of sense that they’re pet owners. I’ve always had animals…dogs, cats, horses, fish…so it was very natural to have my heroines do the same.

You’re right…I do make a very careful choice about what pet best matches the story, usually when I’m clear on what my heroine is struggling with. For example, in Too Good to Be True, Grace owned a dog who walked all over her (metaphorically and literally), and she loved him for it. This symbolized Grace’s relationship with her family, too…one of the things she had to overcome during the story. Buttercup in Just One of the Guys had a lot in common with Chastity herself and showed Chastity’s desire to befriend those in need. In The Next Best Thing, Lucy owns Fat Mikey, a cat given to her by Ethan. I know, a cat! Shocking! But for me, cats are more independent, less reliant on human adoration, and more quietly comforting…which was just what Lucy needed. As Ethan well knew.

Could I write a story without an animal sidekick. Sure! I’m working on a story now where the heroine has commitment issues. I think she might need to earn a pet, if you will.

Your heroines seem to be pretty physically active – rowing, running, biking, walking.  Is there a reason for this?

It’s me living vicariously. No, I love to take long walks — I live in a beautiful area of woods and farmland, and I even still run, albeit painfully, slowly and awkwardly (the neighbors are petitioning me to stop). But I love for my heroines to be outside, and I like giving them an activity that gets them moving, both in their thoughts (because a lot of deep thoughts happen during these times), and physically.

Do you read fiction for pleasure?  Do you read romance?

Of course I read romance! And plenty of fiction…in fact, I rarely read nonfiction. I read romance, horror, literary fiction, historical fiction, women’s lit. But all my life, ever since I first swiped Shanna by Kathleen Woodiwiss off my grandmother’s night table at age 13, I’ve loved romance. In high school and college, I’d reward myself after reading the Iliad or Heart of Darkness with a Johanna Lindsay or Linda Lael Miller. Romance novels have been one of the most constant things in my life, have seen me through some very sad times and some very happy times as well. I can’t tell you what a such a privilege and thrill to write romance for a living.

What authors, if any, have influenced your writing or style?  Whom do you like to read?

Well, in some ways, every author I’ve ever read has influenced me somehow, whether it’s Margaret Mitchell or Stan Lee. I never sat down and said, “I’d like to write a book just like that one,” but I’ve always loved honesty in writing — Elinor Lipman, Monica McInerney and Jonathan Tropper leap to mind as writers who are very honest about their characters’ flaws and feelings, and they’re all very funny, too. I love Sherry Thomas, Deanna Raybourn, Elizabeth Strout, Stephen King and Dean Koontz.  Hm. In making this list, I can see that I’m fairly schizophrenic on this front. Maybe that’s a good thing. A rolling stone gathers no moss…or something along those lines.

- Kristan Higgins with Rachel Potter