Goodbye 2009, Hello 2010!
10 Questions with Robin Kaye & Win Breakfast in Bed!
Welcome Author Robin Kaye to Cheeky Reads!
We’re pleased to have Robin here today to answer some questions about her latest romance Breakfast in Bed. She’ll be stopping in throughout the day to answer questions. Don’t forget to comment to win a copy of the book!
Your latest book had me laughing out loud. It revolves around a hero who wants to go from a domestic dud to a domestic stud and enlists his sister's best friend to teach him how to cook and clean. Hilarity ensues...Would you tell our readers more about Breakfast in Bed? Hi, Sabrina. I’m so glad you liked Breakfast in Bed. Rich Ronaldi rented an apartment from his sister, Rosalie and unbeknownst to him, his other sister, Annabelle sublet the very same apartment to her best friend Becca. Before they could decide which of them keeps the apartment, Rich’s girlfriend dumps him because he’s not relationship material. Rich decides he needs to become a domestic god to win his girlfriend back, so he tells Becca he’d let her stay until her apartment is remodeled if she becomes his domestic god coach.
Like most readers I'm all about connecting with the hero and heroine in a book. So, I always ask authors to describe their hero in three words. Domestic Dud turned Stud works for me. But if I had to come up with my own I’d say Rich is smart, sexy and trainable. There is no way we can make a man change, unless he wants to--and Rich wants to.
What about your heroine? What three words would best describe her? Smart, creative and independent all to the nth degree.
Now that we know more about your characters, what was it about them that had you wanting to write that HEA for them? any favorite scenes to write? What woman wouldn’t jump at the opportunity to train a man as good-looking as Rich? Besides, she got him to do all the cooking and housework. To me, there is nothing sexier than a man doing housework, the humdinger is scrubbing the toilet and bathtub.
My favorite scenes to write were Rich’s disasters. There’s nothing like a fire in the dryer to heat up a romance.
I love your top ten reasons woman love domestic gods list on your website (readers check it out here)! All three of your books feature men who are or become domestic gods. I have to ask, do you have a personal domestic god who inspires you?
Oh yeah. My husband is a total domestic god. He does all the laundry and cleaning, he’s a passable cook, and remodels our house in his spare time. I figure I’ve got it all--a domestic god with a tool belt. He’s also the best, most supportive husband and father I’ve ever known. Picking him up was one of the smartest things I’ve ever done.
You grew up in Brooklyn and it's the featured setting of your books. Do you love making it a character all it's own? It's not your typical romance novel setting and that's what I find so appealing! I do love Brooklyn and New York. I chose it because I’m comfortable there and I’m in a constant state of homesickness. I know and love the people. Setting my books in Brooklyn gives me a great excuse to visit, and allows me to write off the trip as research.
Brooklyn is very much like NYC, it has a lot of the same sounds and smells but just at a lower volume. Each of the neighborhoods are so different, they all have their own flavors and cultural accents. I adore exploring the neighborhoods and soaking in the culture. I lived in Kensington when I was a kid, but always loved the park. The Park Slope section of Brooklyn is my absolute favorite and I would live there in a heartbeat if I could afford to.
I need a NY fix every few months so I call my friends and go home for a long weekend to absorb the energy and the craziness. I come home refreshed and renewed with my Brooklyn accent in full force. But then I’m told that happens every time I speak to a relative.
Read any good books lately that you would recommend to our readers? Authors always seem to have the inside track on great new authors!
I’ve been reading My Own Personal Soap Opera by Libby Malin, I’ve read Stephanie Julian’s Kiss of Moonlight, and someone just recommended Can’t Stand the Heat by Louisa Edwards. I’m told she has a very similar writing style to mine so I’m looking forward to checking her out.
What's up next for you? Do you have another Brooklyn romance cooking? As a matter of fact, I do. It’s called As Good as He Gets and I don’t have a release date yet, but I’m thinking either May or June. It’s a bit of a departure, it takes place in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Boise, Idaho and a little mining town in the mountains of Idaho called Three Whores Bend. As Good as He Gets is Ben and Gina’s story. We meet a whole new cast of characters as well as a few of the regulars, and I love them all. I’m having a lot of fun writing it.
Where can readers find you next on your blog tour and is there anything else you'd like to share with us? You can go to my website www.RobinKayeWrites.com and my blog tour schedule is on my calendar. I’ll be giving out copies of Breakfast in Bed to lucky commenters.
If you could train the man in your life to do one thing, what would it be? As for me, I’d teach him to give great back rubs. What about you?
Breakfast in Bed by Robin Kaye—in stores January 2010
The third funny, sexy, contemporary romance from a fresh new voice in romance fiction…
Rich, the epitome of “anti-domestic,” can’t cook to save his life, and his idea of cleaning his apartment is to invite his mother over. But he’s ready to settle down, and he can’t stop thinking about the ex-girlfriend who got away. When he notices that his soon-to-be-married friends cooked and cleaned their way into their women’s hearts, he asks his friend Becca to help transform him into a nurturing man to win back his ex.
Rich is the only guy who’s taken the time to know Becca for herself. She decides she’ll give him the makeover he’s asking for, though she’ll be damned if she’s going to turn him into a domestic god for another woman. She wants Rich for herself, but how can she convince him that her kitchen and her bedroom are the only domestic locales he desires?
About the Author
Award-winning author Robin Kaye is a professional writer and winner of the Romance Writers of America Golden Heart award for her first novel, Romeo, Romeo. Once it was published, Romeo, Romeo won the 2008 Best Contemporary itRom (Italian Romance) Award by Romance B(u)y the Book, the 2009 HOLT Medallion Contest First Place Winner for Best Romantic Comedy and the 2009 NJRW Golden Leaf Award Winner for Best Single Title. Her romantic comedies feature sexy, nurturing heroes and feisty, independent heroines. She lives with her husband and three children in Mt. Airy, Maryland. For more information, please visit http://www.robinkayewrites.com/
Enter to Win a Copy of Breakfast in Bed! Just leave a comment telling us what one thing would you like to train the man in your life to do! I’ll be randomly drawing a winner on January 1st, so be sure to stop by to see if you won!
Extra entries: Earn an extra entry by tweeting about this interview & contest or by posting about it on your own blog. Make sure to leave a link or your twitter name!
Sorry, this contest is open to US and Canada residents only.
Holiday Wishes & Awesome Novellas
I’ve been a little absent lately from the blog, but things are starting to quiet down and I’ll be back to reading and reviewing like a rock star!
We had a wonderful holiday weekend with family. Florida Christmas celebrations are always interesting, and this one was no different. On Christmas day, we were out on a boat enjoying low 70’s temperatures and watching the manatees play in the canal. Later, a group of dolphins stopped by and we stood out on the boat dock and watched them play.
I was also able to read two great novellas this Christmas and I highly recommend both. I might re-read them just to keep the holiday spirit going for a little while longer!
The first was This Wicked Gift, by new author Courtney Milan. The novella was part of The Heart of Christmas anthology. Courtney’s story is worth buying the whole book for even if you ignored the rest of the book, and I can’t wait to read her debut full length historical romance, Proof of Seduction which releases January 1st.
The second was Winter Heat by Dawn Halliday and was part of the A Highlander Christmas anthology. I adored the heroine Maggie McDonald and what romance lover doesn’t enjoy a little taste of a Highlander?
All in all, a relaxing holiday with some great reads.
What about you? Did you have a good holiday? What was the most fun thing you did, or the best book you were able to sneak time in to read?
You Love Me! Marissa Sends Us the Honest & Scrap Award!
The rules for this award are simple, you have to tell ten honest things about yourself and pass them on to other bloggers. So, here are the ten honest things I can think up about myself right now. :)
New Release Tuesday!
I’m not hearing of a lot of books releasing this week, so I’m showcasing the latest books available from Samhain! Take a peek at the latest ebook releases they have to offer. Happy Reading!
Seducing the Sheriff by Marie-Nicole Ryan
Lessons in Temptation by Charlie Cochrane
Midnight Savior by D. McEntire
Huge Giveaway By Kimberly Killion!
Highland Dragon by Kimberly Killion
Her One Desire by Kimberly Killion
An Affair Before Christmas by Eloisa James
Claiming the Courtesan by Anna Campbell
Untouched by Anna Campbell
Tempt the Devil by Anna Campbell
Before the Scandal by Suzanne Enoch
Death Angel by Linda Howard
Too Good to be True by Kristan Higgins
Wild Sight by Loucinda McGary
Heart of the Wolf by Terry Spears
Everything Forbidden by Jenna Petersen
You have to do two simple things to enter:
1) Go to Kimberly's website and fill out the form on her contest page
2) Follow Kimberly's blog, Wowf about Writing!
GOOD LUCK and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!
Contest Rules: One entry per person per contest period. Contest winner will be announced on Kimberly Killion's website and blog Dec. 26th, 2009. All entrants must be 18 years of age or older
Mrs. Miracle Movie Premiers Tonight on The Hallmark Channel
The movie airs tonight at 8p/7c on the Hallmark Channel.
Here's the synopsis from the Hallmark Channel if you aren't familiar with the story:
Losing a spouse is always hard, and for Seth Webster (James Van Der Beek), playing single dad to two rambunctious six-year-olds doesn’t make it any easier. With the holidays approaching, finding a housekeeper has proven to be near-impossible, until Mrs. Emily Merkle (Doris Roberts) shows up at the Websters’ door, ready to turn their lives around. No sooner has “Mrs. Miracle,” as Seth’s boys call her, straightened up the house, than Seth meets Reba Maxwell (Erin Karpluk), best friend to the Webster kids’ first-grade teacher. After just one date, Seth and Reba find they have a lot in common. Since the death of his music-loving wife, Seth has been unable to play a single chord on the piano, and, in the name of her career, Reba, once an avid actress, has avoided the theater. With a Christmas pageant to prepare for and a fresh romance on the horizon, Mrs. Miracle definitely has her work cut out for her and proves to be more than just a normal nanny.You can also read the first three chapters of the book here.
Romance Book Review: Hot Spell by Michelle Rowen
Book Review: Hot Spell
By: Michelle Rowen
Harlequin Blaze November 2009
4 Heart Review
Disclosure: Book provided by author
Everybody knows there's no love lost between paranormal investigator's Amanda LeGrange and sexy Jacob Caine. They can't even stand being in the same room together...
Well, unless it's an enchanted bedroom. And they're trapped there, at midnight. And the sexual tension suddenly becomes too powerful to resist...
Then that bedroom gets really hot, really fast! But come morning, they still can't keep their hands off each other. Are they cursed forever? If so, neither one's complaining.
So, this was a November Harlequin release and I’m a very bad blogger for not posting this early in Nov so you could all run out and pick this one up. I do think you might still be able to find it in some stores that leave their books out a little longer, but I know you can order this baby online at www.eharlequin.com or Amazon – and it’s worth it!
Harlequin Blaze is my favorite Harlequin line, so I was very interested in reading Michelle Rowen's first book for the line. I've noticed that many of the recent Blazes have started to have some aspects of the paranormal, but this was my first one that was completely a paranormal romance. I really enjoyed that combo, and Michelle managed to put a very satisfying paranormal in the smaller Blaze packaging.
Part of what I loved about this book was how Michelle created a paranormal plot that was fun and upbeat, and paired that with the deep emotional issues that the heroine Amanda has. It was a great balance that allowed the reader to have fun with the otherworldly aspects while keeping the drama on the development of the relationship.
As I mentioned, I thought Michelle managed to create a very cool and neat paranormal agency, and the world in which it exists, within the constraints of a shorter length category book. Some authors can’t get me interested in their world-building in an entire full length single title, and Michelle had me interested in a sequel before I was in halfway in.
I loved the hero and heroine in this book and the sexcapades are hot, hot, hot! I’ll just say that more than one scene stuck out to me and that’s saying a lot in this shorter book length. Michelle packed a sexy wallop in one little category!
I can see this becoming an awesome series within the Blaze line and really hope to see Michelle write more of these. I was able to get Michelle to admit on twitter that she is currently working on a follow up that would be Patrick’s story – you’ll have to read the book to know how awesome that news is!
New Release Tuesday!
It’s release day for many authors and I’ve rounded up just a few of the fun looking new releases out there. Be sure to check out your local bookstore or online for more great new books to read. Today is a huge release day for Harlequin, so check out www.eharlequin.com to see all the newest releases there!
If like me you are craving some Harlequin Christmas stories, they have a special page just for those. Click here to check out all the Harlequin Christmas stories.
Desiring the Highlander by Michelle Sinclair
Better Naughty Than Nice by Jill Shalvis and Vicki Lewis Thompson and Rhonda Nelson
Dating Outside Your DNA by Karen Kelley
The Christmas She Rules by Jennifer Leeland
A Cold Creek Homecoming by Raeanne Thayne
Christmas Male by Cara Summers
Christmas at Bravo Ridge by Christine Rimmer
Merry Christmas, Paige by McKenzie McKade
The Cavanaugh Code by Marie Ferrarella
My Christmas Wish by Ember Case
A Creed Country Christmas by Linda Lael Miller
An Improper Holiday by K.A. Mitchell
New Release Tuesday!
Here are just some of this weeks new releases just in time for the start of Holiday shopping season. There are tons of great new books out today so I tried to mix the choices I posted up a little so there is something for everyone. Happy reading and have a wonderful holiday!
Divorced, Desperate and Deceived by Christie Craig
Tall Dark and Hungry by Lynsay Sands
Hard to Hold by Stephanie Tyler
The Sweetheart’s Knitting Club by Lori Wilde
A Storm of Passion by Terri Brisbin
Book Review: Sweet Seduction by Maya Banks
Review: Sweet Seduction
By Maya Banks
Berkley HEAT
4 Heart Review
Disclosure: ARC provided by author
Since this was an ARC, it didn't come with a back cover blurb so the only first impression I had to go on was the cover image. That cover image was quite amazing, as you can see from the image to the right. That image, when combined with the title of Sweet Seduction, let me know this book would be on the spicier side. This time, first impressions were a great indicator of what was inside.
Many might wonder, “Why an image of a woman alone?” Once you've read the book, you'll understand it perfectly. This is a book about a woman's fantasies and a man who loves her so much, that he'll do anything to fulfill them. Here's a peek at a blurb I found online.
He was the stuff erotic dreams are made of
Salon owner Julie Stanford wanted Nathan Tucker ever since she gave him his first massage. Getting paid to feel every inch of his body, stripped, oiled, and spread out in front of her? Stuff dreams are made of. But the sexy lug was oblivious to the signals she was sending—until she finished off his final rub-down with something extra. In fact, the best extra he ever had. Unfortunately, he came around too late. Now Julie’s moving on…
She was everything he’d dreamed of
The woman was driving him crazy. She lit fire to his insides then ran like a scalded cat. And now she’s going to someone else to have all her fantasies fulfilled? Over his dead body… He’s more than willing to give her what she wants, and as soon as he pins the little minx down, he’d show her his own brand of sweet seduction.
This was my first time reading Maya Banks, but I had heard great things so I was very excited to give this one a try. I wasn't disappointed. As part of a series, I had no problems reading this book as a stand alone, but do think I would have enjoyed it more, and understood the character relationships better, if I'd read the previous books in the series first.
The story started off with a bang and didn't really let up from there. Right from the beginning I like the character of Julie and knew she wouldn’t be taking any crap from the hero. Speaking of the first scene, if you read romances and can't wait for the “action” to start, then this is your book.
Julie was my kinda woman, she knew what she wanted but she wasn't prepared to wait around forever for it. Nathan was a good match for her as he was sweet and would always let her and her outspoken characteristics be the center of attention. He was a good foil for her.
I enjoyed the secondary characters and saw just enough of them to know that each heroine’s book showcases having their sexual fantasy fulfilled. I liked knowing that each book will have differing sexual situations and wouldn’t provide any cookie-cutter sex scenes.
There is more to this story than just the sex, and Maya does an excellent job of weaving in side plots that add to the central story. She has an awesome writer’s voice, and know exactly how to craft a good contemporary story.
One thing that did get me about this book was Nathan’s reasoning for not taking the Julie bait sooner. I felt like he didn’t really have a good excuse for denying his attraction at the beginning and based on his later actions, should have been the type of man to pick up her signals. Luckily, he gets over that real fast.
I can say that based on Sweet Seduction, I will be buying and reading the rest of the series. In speaking with Maya, I know that there are two more books to come, but I'm hoping for at least three so that we can get Cole's story. He intrigued me very much and I can't wait to hear how he came to be at Damon's and to be trusted with such a delicate job. If you want to know what that means, you’ll have to read the book! :)
Sins of The Flesh Winners!
As chosen at random.org, the winners of a copy of Sins of The Flesh are:
s7anna
Janga
Elaing8
Beth (BBRB)
Ali
Congrats! Send your mailing address to cheekyreads @ gmail.com (no spaces) and I’ll send your information to the publisher. Since they’ll be sending the books directly to you, please give them a little time.
Happy Reading!
Enter to Win $10 Gift Card!
Sins of The Flesh Blog Tour
Did that pique your interest? How about a fun excerpt?
The day the music died, Caterina Shaw did as well.
Not physically, although she understood the death of her body was inevitable. She had come to terms with that reality some time ago. She had even managed to deal with the blindness caused by the tumor eating away her brain. But then the pain had
become so great that it had silenced the music, stealing away the only thing that had made life worth the anguish.
“You understand this treatment is new and uncertain,” Dr. Rudy Wells explained, his voice smooth and comforting. The touch of his hand, warm and reassuring, came against hers as it rested on her thigh.
“I understand,” she said and faced the direction of that calming voice.
Another person abruptly chimed in, his tones as strident and grating as a badly played oboe. “We’ll begin with laser surgery to remove the bulk of the tumor followed by two different courses of gene therapy.”
Two? she wondered and sensed Dr. Wells’ hesitation as well from the tremble that skated across his fingers. He removed his hand from hers and said, "Dr. Edwards believes that we can not only shut down the tumor growing in your
brain, but possibly regrow the portion of your optic nerve that the tumor
damaged.”
Caterina’s only wish when considering the experimental treatment had been to stop the pain so that she could play her cello once again. So that her last months would be filled with the vitality her music provided.
It was through her music that she lived. That her mother lived, Caterina thought, recalling the passion she had felt as a small child when her mother had played the piano for her; the way her mother’s fingers had coaxed life from the keys much like she now did with a stroke of her bow and the deft touch of her fingers on the strings of her cello.
Or at least like she had up until the cancer had put an end to her music, bringing her life to a close. Except now she was being told something different.
Caterina had never thought about eliminating the tumor. Every prognosis so far had been that she was terminal. Now these new doctors told her not only that might she live, but that she might actually see again too. She didn’t dare believe that she would be able to get her old life back completely, as well as her sight but . . .
“You think I’ll be able to recover? To see again?” Caterina asked, needing to be sure she had understood correctly.
“The risks are great, my dear,” Dr. Wells urged gently.
“But you qualify for the human trials because of the advanced state of your illness, Ms. Shaw,” Dr. Edwards added, annoyance at his partner evident in the staccato beats of his voice.
Her advanced state which could possibly bring death even with this treatment, Caterina thought. Not that she feared her end. What she did fear was letting the pain in her head rob her of the one thing she could not live without.
Her music.
She knew without hesitation that it was worth any risk to regain that part of her. To drive back the illness so she could play her cello once more and reanimate her heart for as long as she had left if the treatments couldn’t stop the tumor.
“What do you need me to do?”
Copyright 2009 Caridad Pineiro
Scordato
Now, I'm pleased to introduce Caridad!
People always ask how book ideas come to me, but in actuality, I usually get the ideas for the characters before the idea for the plot. When it came to SINS OF THE FLESH, Caterina’s character popped into my head first. I knew I wanted her to be vulnerable, but strong. I wanted her to be elegant and creative. I used to be a musician and that career seemed perfect for portraying those attributes.
As for Caterina being vulnerable, it came to me that she would have to be ill and with that suddenly came the idea for something else – a radical gene therapy.
Because I wanted that aspect of the book to be accurate, I did research into how gene therapies were being done, how DNA was replicated and tested, and how foreign genes incorporated into humans could be seen.
I discovered lots of interesting things, like that there were ways to replicate tissues perfectly with certain amphibious genes and that you could make people/animals glow in the dark by introducing fluorescent protein markers. These are real life things that some might see as “fiction” in the book.
As for the real “fiction” – Caterina’s skin changing capabilities and altered eyesight – I totally played around with what might happen if foreign DNAs were introduced into a human body.
Which I guess makes me think about what traits people might want to get by receiving foreign DNA. Would they want to be able to change their skin colors in order to hide? Or have extra-sensory vision to help them see through walls?
If I could have a special power, I would probably choose to have super strength. I’m protective by nature and would like to be able to take care of other people with my super strength. Kind of like Wonder Woman.
How about you? If it was possible to combine foreign DNA into your body, what traits do you think you would like to have?
Answer one of these questions or leave one for myself or Caridad and you'll be entered in the drawing to win one of five copies of Sins of The Flesh!
Bonus: +1 Entry for being a Follower, +1 for Tweeting this contest (leave your twitter name or the link in your comment).
Only comments that answer one of the questions or ask additional questions will be entered to win. Sorry, contest open only to US and Canada per the publisher.
Excited for Thursday!
Is it Thursday yet? LOL – I can’t wait because I’ve got two very cool things happening tomorrow. The first, is a special Guest Blog from Author Caridad Pineiro about her new release, Sins of The Flesh. Check out the blurb below and make sure to stop by to chat and a chance to win a copy!
Secondly, I’m guest blogging over at McIntyre’s House of Muse! I’m honored to have been asked by author Amanda McIntyre to be a guest on her Thursday Coffee Talk post.
What will we be chatting about? One hint: I’m going to make your holiday shopping easier! Make sure you pop over to join the fun and win a FANTASTIC prize! Here’s the link.
Now, for a sneak peak at Sins of the Flesh…
Caterina Shaw’s days are numbered. Her only chance for survival is a highly experimental gene treatment – a risk she willingly takes. But now Caternia barely recognizes herself. She has new, terrifying powers, an exotic, arresting body – and she’s been accused of a savage murder, sending her on the run.
Mick Carrera is a mercenary and an expert at capturing elusive, clever prey. Yet the woman he’s hunting down is far from the vicious killer he’s been told to expect: Caterina is wounded, vulnerable, and a startling mystery of medical science. Even more, she’s a beautiful woman whose innocent sensuality tempts Mick to show her exactly how thrilling pleasure can be. the heat that builds between them is irresistible, but surrendering to it could kill them both…for a dangerous group is plotting its next move using Caterina as its deadly pawn.