WHAT I DID FOR A DUKE, the latest from Julie Ann Long - I'm giving away a copy!

I ordered WHAT I DID FOR A DUKE by Julie Anne Long after receiving daily excerpts via email from Eye on Romance. (I have found so many fabulous books through them.) I ordered after the second excerpt, it looked that good! I have two reviews that are past due, but after deciding to sneak a quick peek at the first chapter or two, I couldn't put my Kindle down. Yes, those reviews remain unwritten.
WHAT I DID FOR A DUKE is not your typical historical romance. It is frou frou free and lacks elaborate descriptions of gowns and ballrooms, instead focusing closely on the characters and their emotions and motives.
I had a love/hate relationship with a couple of the characters, including the hero, for a good deal of the book. The hero, Alex, is considerably older than the heroine and while today I might find that a tad squicky, considering the times, it's believable. The contrast between them is crucial to the story. The hero at times put me in mind of the television character "House." He's jaded, undeniably tortured, arrogant, and seemingly uncaring of anyone else, almost to the point of cruelty. Undoubtedly one of the most uniquely original heroes I've ever read. The heroine, Genevieve, at first looks to be your typical historical heroine - sweet, young, and innocent, dreaming of a future with the young man she's loved for most of her life. She sees things with far greater depth than most and Ms. Long's descriptions of Genevieve's thoughts and dreams are simply beautiful. It isn't long before the reader realizes that Genevieve isn't exactly what she seems. She's young and innocent, yes, but she's intelligent, courageous and not the least bit intimidated by the brash, worldly Alex. And while Alex seems somewhat cold hearted and unfeeling almost to the end of the book, one unexpected and hugely unselfish act on his part was all it took to toss me head over heels in love with him.
Ms. Long's talent as a historical romance author is a true gift. WHAT I DID FOR A DUKE is an absolutely beautiful story and I give it my highest recommendation.
I've decided to give away a Kindle copy of WHAT I DID FOR A DUKE. If you're interested (and you should be!), just leave a comment. Remember, a Kindle is not required to read Kindle books, so don't let that discourage you from entering. There are several other methods of reading Kindle books. Do you enjoy historicals? Are you familiar with Julie Anne Long's work? I've read several of her books and have yet to be disappointed.
Want a copy of your own - buzz on over to Amazon!
I'll draw the winning name on Friday, March 4th. Good luck!
Thanks for checking it out,
Laurie

Box of books winner named!

The name drawn for the "if it fits, it ships" box is Barb V.! Congratulations, Barb! I already have your address and will get the box in the mail in a couple of days.
Thanks to everyone who entered! I loved hearing all of your Valentine plans. The Carrabbas mentions made me hungry for Italian! The Carrabbas that was closest to us closed down a couple of years ago, so we stick with Olive Garden these days! And the flowers, diamond earrings, and a can opener - what a wide variety of sweethearts you all have!
Have a great week
Laurie

Happy Valentine's Day!

Wishing you all a wonderful Valentine's Day! Does anyone have special plans? Tim and I do goodie bags for the girls and their boyfriends and that's about it!

The law office where I work is in a building that has a bank on the first floor. When I had first started here (before hub was in the picture!) there was a guy that worked as a teller at the bank who asked me out a couple of times, and not being interested in him at all, I gently refused. Valentine's Day came and he presented me with a box of chocolate drops with dark chocolate. Not a fan of chocolate drops or dark chocolate, I took them home and gave them to my uncle, who loved both! He was thrilled with them.

I think my favorite Valentine's Day celebrations were when I was in elementary school and everyone decorated a shoe box with construction paper, doilies and stickers, cutting an opening in the top so everyone could put your Valentine's in the box. It was so exciting to open that box and see if your favorite friends gave you a "special" Valentine! Remember the heart-shaped suckers that were sold by the strip?

To honor St. Valentine, I have one more box loaded with romance novels of every kind. It's one of the U.S. Postal Service's "if it fits, it ships" large boxes. I can't begin to tell you what's in it because it's already packed up and ready to go. There's likely trade romances, maybe a couple of ARCs, series romance and mass market - it's a real mix! I'll draw the winning name this Friday, Feb. 18th.

Share something romantic that you've done for Valentine's Day, or something special you've received, something awful you've received, or heck, just say you're interested in the books - and you'll be entered! What are your favorite Valentine memories?

Have a great Valentine's Day!!

Laurie

UNVEILED winner announced!

The lucky winner of Courtney Milan's UNVEILED is ESTELLA! Congratulations! Please contact me with your email address by Saturday so I can get your Kindle copy of UNVEILED to you. If I don't hear from Estella by Saturday, I'll announce a new winner.

Thanks to all who commented - I'll be getting my hands on PROOF OF SEDUCTION soon, thanks for your recommendations!

Laurie

UNVEILED, new from author Courtney Milan!

Thanks to author Tessa Dare, who asked on Twitter last week for a handful of readers to read the latest release by Courtney Milan, UNVEILED, and share their thoughts. I was fortunate enough to be one of the readers chosen and am I ever pleased that I was. UNVEILED isn't your typical historical romance. This was my first ever read by Ms. Milan and no, it definitely won't be my last. Yes, there's a tortured hero, an almost equally tortured heroine, and layer upon layer of rich storytelling. Ash Turner is seeking bitter revenge when he meets Margaret. What he finds is a woman who is incredibly attractive to him not only because of her beauty, but because of the woman herself. She is the most kind, caring, selfless person he has ever met. Margaret wants to despise Ash from the moment she lays eyes on him, and it's difficult for her to hide her loathing. It isn't long before she's helpless against his powerful masculinity and his natural charm.
This book is excellently written and the storyline uniquely original.
He was her bitterest enemy…
Ash Turner has waited a lifetime to seek revenge on the man who ruined his family, and now the time for justice has arrived. At Parford Manor, he intends to take his place as the rightful heir to the dukedom, and settle an old score with the current duke once and for all. But when he arrives, he finds himself drawn to a tempting beauty who has the power to undo all his dreams of vengeance.
And her dearest love
Lady Margaret knows she should despise the man who’s stolen her fortune and her father’s legacy—the man she’s been ordered to spy on in the guise of a nurse. Yet the more she learns about the new duke, the less she can resist his smoldering appeal. Soon Margaret and Ash find themselves torn between old loyalties—and the tantalizing promise of passion…

Can't wait to get your hands on UNVEILED? You're smart if you do! Here's a quick link to Amazon so you can snag a copy for yourself!
Because I'd like to pay it forward, so to speak, I'm going to do a giveaway for readers here and will buy one of you a Kindle copy of UNVEILED.
If you're interested in the Kindle copy (remember, you don't have to have a Kindle to read a Kindle version of a book), just leave a comment. I have the Kindle app on my iPod Touch and used it exclusively as an ereader before I had an actual Kindle; there are also versions for your PC, Blackberry, iPhone, etc. I'd love to hear whether any of you have read Ms. Milan's work before and if so, what title? I will be seeking more of her books and would like recommendations. I'll pull a name from all comments on Tuesday, Feb. 8th.
Thanks again to Tessa Dare for introducing me to Courtney Milan!

WINNERS!!

Lindsay gave me numbers to select tonight's winners.
The winner of the Kindle download of TO TEMPT A SHEIKH by Olivia Gates is Pam S! Congratulations, Pam! Please email me at ljodamron@gmail.com so I'll have your email - your download will be directly from Amazon.
The winner of a book from Jill's backlist is Crystal GB! Way to go, Crystal! If you would please email me (again, at ljodamron@gmail.com) with your mailing info and two or three selections from Jill's backlist, I'll pass them on to her.

Thanks to everyone who entered these contests!

I hope everyone has a terrific weekend!
Laurie

Ice Ice Baby

The big storm that crossed the country dumping snow and ice cut a swath through central Ohio and we were nailed with an inch of ice. We were home from work on Tuesday and Wednesday because of the ice, and then we had heavier rains move in while the temps were in the mid 20s and started hearing falling trees all over the neighborhood. This is the birch tree in our front yard, so sad. Tim is calling the insurance company today to see if we're covered for its removal. We were so incredibly lucky that it didn't crash into our house, we know, but we're still sad to lose it.

We were without power for not quite 24 hours, not bad considering some folks still don't have electricity.

Anyone else hit hard by the storm? I did a lot of reading while we were stuck at home - will be talking about a fabulous historical, hopefully later today.

Be careful out there!

Let's help author Olivia Gates! (there's a giveaway!)

Author Olivia Gates has a new book out today and because she lives in Egypt and because of the protests, internet access has been cut off. I'm joining several in the romance community who are giving a shout about Olivia's book, TO TEMPT A SHEIKH, releasing today. Please help us by posting the information below on your blog, your Facebook page or by tweeting a link to Olivia's home page. Let's support an author who cannot access the internet to promote her book.

About the book:
He rescued hostage Talia Burke from his royal family's rival tribe and swept her into his strong embrace. But Prince Harres Aal Shalaan soon discovered there was more to the brave beauty than he knew. Talia held information vital to protecting his beloved kingdom…and she had every reason not to trust him.

Marooned together at a desert oasis, Talia couldn't resist Harres. Yet even as his sizzling seduction entranced her, his loyalty to his family and country would always make them enemies. Falling for the sheikh would be her heart's greatest mistake…but she feared it was already too late…. In stores February 1! Available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Borders, Books A Million and bookstores everywhere. Also available at eharlequin both in print and as an ebook.

To read a first chapter and visit Olivia's webpage, click HERE
If you'd like to order a copy for yourself, here's a quick link to Amazon!

I've ordered a copy for myself and will give away one Kindle copy here. Please note that you do not have to have a Kindle to read Kindle books. You can download the Kindle app for your iPod, PC, etc. so there's no good reason not to enter! Just leave a comment about series romance - do you have a favorite line? I have to admit that I'm a sucker for the Desire, Intrigue, and the Presents lines. I used to like the Blaze line, but they had gotten almost silly there for a while and I just never made my way back. This will be a quick contest because I don't want to take away from those important first week sales. I'll draw a winner on Thursday evening. Tell you friends - if they mention you in their comment, I'll enter your name an extra time for each mention.

Thanks, ladies!
Laurie

ANIMAL MAGNETISM, the latest from Jill Shalvis - and there's a giveaway!

Author Jill Shalvis has a new book releasing this coming Tuesday - ANIMAL MAGNETISM. I was fortunate enough to read a very early copy and can vouch that in typical Jill style, this book has a beautiful setting that comes to life under Jill's pen, charming, witty characters that you will fall in love with, and sensuality and heat to please all romance fans.

This alpha male is going to bring out her wild side…
Sunshine, Idaho, is a small and sunny town—the perfect home for man and beast. Well, maybe not for man, as pilot-for-hire Brady Miller discovers when his truck is rear-ended by what appears to be Noah’s Ark.
The co-owner of the town’s only kennel, Lilah Young has good reason to be distracted behind the wheel—there are puppies, a piglet, and a duck in her Jeep. But, she doesn’t find it hard to focus on the angry, gorgeous stranger she’s collided with.
Lilah has lived in Sunshine all her life, and though Brady is just passing through, he has her abandoning her instincts and giving in to a primal desire. It’s Brady’s nature to resist being tied down, but there’s something about Lilah and her menagerie—both animal and human—that keeps him coming back for more…

Jill has a fun excerpt on her website, so be sure to check it out! And once you've checked out the excerpt and want to order your own copy, here's a link to Amazon!
To celebrate the release of ANIMAL MAGNETISM on Tuesday, Jill is offering one reader here a book from her back list. To be entered, just comment with what you're currently reading, or a recent read that you would like us all to know about! I think word of mouth is the best recommendation a book can get and I love those referrals from other romance lovers. Do you have a favorite "Jill" book? I love them all, but an oldie, SERVING UP TROUBLE remains one of my very favorites. I've read it so many times that I can practically quote parts of it word for word! I'll draw the winning name on Friday, February 4th. And remember to stop back to see if you're the winner because I won't seek you out!
Thanks for checking out ANIMAL MAGNETISM, and special thanks to Jill for giving away a book to one of my special readers!
Laurie

New winners named for Toni Blake's SUGAR CREEK

Once again, I'm offering up my apologies for being neglectful here. Frustratingly enough, even while I've been a slacker for a handful of weeks, I've never heard from the two winners of copies of Toni Blake's SUGAR CREEK. I'm naming new winners and hoping that they will come forward. If not, I will set them aside for a Valentine's Day contest that I'm working on. The new winners are CYBERCLIPER and VIRGINIA. Ladies, please send your mailing info to me at ljodamron@gmail.com - I'll give the new winners until Thursday to get in touch.



And don't forget, the SUGAR CREEK giveaway is in celebration of the release of WHISPER FALLS, the third book in Toni's "Destiny" series, set in Ohio. So fun to read books set in your own back yard!

More book chatter and contests coming soon, perhaps even later today!

As always, thanks for stopping by!