What's on My Radar? Episode 1

FLIRTING WITH FOREVER by Gwyn Cready

Releases March 30, 2010

Genre: Time Travel Romance

Ava Stratford has piqued more than reader interest with her sexy, tell-all biographies of seventeenth-century painters. She has also aroused the anger of the deceased in the art world. Unlike her readers, these dead artists know she uses a long-lost time portal to uncover the secrets of history's bad boys. When she sees the breathtaking and provocative portraits of half-clothed noblewomen produced by Sir Peter Lely, Ava dons her period travel garb, determined to dig up a great story. What she doesn't know is that Lely has been recruited to return to his life on Earth, intent on protecting his secrets and mastering the woman who has captured his heart.

Thoughts: This cover...WOW. I was completely captured simply by this gorgeous cover. Does anyone else have a thing for castles on their covers? I suppose it's a weird little anecdote of mine, but I love castles in romance. Probably because a castle is the perfect symbol of romance. They're always magical in their beauty. Even the most Gothic of castles inspires romance.



BEDTIME STORIES: A COLLECTION OF EROTIC FAIRY TALES by Jean Johnson

Releases April 6, 2010

Genre: Erotic

All-new! Fairy tales retold with an erotic edge, by the national bestselling author of the Sons of Destiny series.

Jean Johnson sneaks between the covers of such classic fairy tales as Beauty and the Beast, Puss n' Boots, and Sleeping Beauty, and refashions them into bedtime stories for adults only. With clever gender twists, hot fetishistic turns, other-worldly desires, and explorations into forbidden territories, Bedtime Stories reveals a veritable garden of sensual delights that gives new meaning to the term "happy ending."

Thoughts: Another beautiful cover but I'm also intrigued by fairy tales having an erotic twist to them and this one sounds uber good in that department.



MARKED by Elisabeth Naughton

Releases April 27, 2010

Genre: Paranormal Romance

THERON – Dark haired, duty bound and deceptively deadly. He’s the leader of the Argonauts, an elite group of guardians that defends the immortal realm from threats of the Underworld.

From the moment he walked into the club, Casey knew this guy was different. Men like that just didn’t exist in real life—silky shoulder-length hair, chest impossibly broad, and a predatory manner that just screamed dark and dangerous. He was looking for something. Her.

She was the one. She had the mark. Casey had to die so his kind could live, and it was Theron’s duty to bring her in. But even as a 200-year-old descendent of Hercules, he wasn’t strong enough to resist the pull in her fathomless eyes, to tear himself away from the heat of her body.

As war with the Underworld nears, someone will have to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Thoughts: I'm always on the look out for a new paranormal romance series and this one has some major promise. I'm not really crazy about the cover but the blurb has me captured - hook, line and sinker.



SEX AND THE SINGLE EARL by Vanessa Kelly

Releases May 4, 2010

Genre: Historical Romance

Their marriage was convenient...

Simon St. James, fifth Earl of Trask, knows he could do worse in the marriage of convenience department. Sophie Stanton may be a bit of a social liability, with her ungovernable ways and flighty nature, but Simon has responsibilities as an earl that far outweigh happiness in the household. As for happiness in the bedroom...he has to admit he sees Sophie’s potential in that arena...

Their passion was not!

But Sophie isn’t some bargaining chip to be traded, and she’s not about to let Simon St. James tell her how to live her life—even though she has nurtured a crush on the handsome young earl for as long as she can remember. If his idea of courtship is telling her what to do, then she is not interested, or at least she is trying not to be. But when his scolding words turn to scorching kisses, suddenly Sophie starts paying attention...

Thoughts: I'll admit that the word sex is what first caught my eye with this book. I know, I'm well aware of my kinky radar. ;) But I'm also a sucker for a good "marriage of convenience" romance. There's always some good emotional turmoil to be had with this type of plot.

BTW, you gotta check out Vanessa's website. It's gorgeous!



BARELY A LADY by Eileen Dreyer

Releases June 29, 2010

Genre: Historical Romance

Olivia Grace has secrets that could destroy her. One of the greatest of these is the Earl of Gracechurch, who married and divorced her five years earlier. Abandoned and disgraced, Grace has survived those years at the edge of respectability. Then she stumbles over Jack on the battlefield of Waterloo, and he becomes an even more dangerous secret. For not only is he unconscious, he is clad in an enemy uniform.

But worse, when Jack finally wakes in Olivia's care, he can't remember how he came to be on a battlefield in Belgium. In fact, he can remember nothing of the last five years. He thinks he and Olivia are still blissfully together. To keep him from being hanged for a traitor, Olivia must pretend she and Jack are still married.

To unearth the real traitors, Olivia and Jack must unravel the truth hidden within his faulty memory. To save themselves and the friends who have given them sanctuary, they must stand against their enemies, even as they both keep their secrets.

In the end, can they risk everything to help Jack recover his lost memories, even though the truth may destroy them both?

Thoughts: This romance sounds emotionally tumultuous. The best kind really. Normally I'm not into espionage or war heroes but I find myself looking at this book constantly on Amazon and I'm taking that strong urge as my instincts yelling out that this is a good one and should not be missed.