Coming Soon: Anticipated Releases for February 2011

Just in time for the romance reader's national holiday: Valentine's Day. Tons of great books will be flooding the shelves this month! In case you need to nudge your lover in the right direction, send him the link to this list and tell him it's your Valentine's Day registry. Along with some delightful chocolates from the go to spot Chocolat Moderne (they've got stuff for him too!), [I've got my eye on: this and dark chocolate covered cherries (in vodka syrup)] nothing could make your day better, right?
And if there isn't someone special in your life, SPLURGE on yourself! Books & Chocolate= a match made in singles heaven!

Here are the Anticipated Releases for the Month of February 2011

February 1st- Looks like three more winning novels will be added to our shelves on this day! A wife in need of seduction awaits us in Tiffany Clare's release; Lord of Vice, Dare, will be brought to his knee's in Alexandra Hawkins' latest; and Christina Phillips has more Roman/Druid drama to please us readers with!/ Programming Note: Hawkins and Phillips stopped by the blog earlier this week for interviews and are giving away copies of their latest, so check that out.

'The Seduction of His Wife' by Tiffany Clare

"AN INCONVENIENT SCANDAL
Emma Hallaway has not seen her husband in twelve years—and that’s fine with her. As a young girl, she’d agreed to a simple marriage of convenience, allowing her to pursue her private passion for painting. And though unknown to the rest of polite society, Emma is now one of the most daring and sought-after artists in London. However, when her secret is threatened to be exposed, Emma is forced to open her heart—and her home—to a total stranger: her husband…
AN UNEXPECTED SURPRISE

Richard Mansfield, Earl of Asbury, is all too familiar with danger. As a matter of fact, it is hard on his heels when he returns to England. Still, even he is shocked to learn of his wife’s scandalous double life as an artist. But once he sees the vibrant grown woman she has become—so passionate, so strong, and so alluring—his undeniable attraction to Emma stuns him. Suddenly Richard is determined to turn their sham of a marriage into a true and lasting love. But how exactly does a gentleman seduce his own wife?"Source

[Read an excerpt: here]

'After Dark With A Scoundrel' by Alexandra Hawkins

"Young, tender, and highly impressionable, Lady Regan can't help but be intrigued by her brother's wayward friends - the wickedly charming Lords of Vice. One man in particular, the dashing Lord Hugh Mordare (known simply as 'Dare' among the ton), utterly captivates her - in spite of his reputation as a notorious womanizer. But when she steals an innocent kiss from Dare, Regan is swiftly packed off to boarding school, safely away from danger.and desire.

Five years later, Regan returns - a proper lady and ravishing beauty. Miss Swann's Academy for Young Ladies has taught her how to behave in polite society. But all the training in the world cannot extinguish her love for Dare. Now, she hopes to beat the master of seduction at his own game - by daring Dare to love her in return. This time, both of their hearts are on the line - and winner takes all."Source

[Read an excerpt: here]

'Captive' by Christina Phillips

"She is a prisoner of her sworn enemy - and her own desire...

Having lost her faith when Roman invaders destroyed life as she knew it, Morwyn took a vow of celibacy to spite her goddess. But before she can join up with the rebels, she's captured by a Gaul mercenary whose animal charms and chiseled body will test her conviction... and make it harder to kill him.

Bren, pledged to the true Briton king, has spent three years undercover in the Roman Legion. So when his own unit attacks and brutalizes a fiery Celtic beauty, he saves her the only way he can - by claiming her as his prisoner. But unlike his men, Bren would never take the woman by force, no matter how obviously she burns for his touch.

As they near Roman headquarters, Morwyn resolves to honor her vow of celibacy - but if the Gaul were to ravage her, could she be blamed for enjoying his body? With just a hint of seduction, sooner or later the Gaul will succumb to his exquisite captive... "Source

[Read an excerpt: here]

February 15th- There are two more books to add to your list and pick up on the 15th. Delilah Marvelle is releasing the last book in her Scandal series, and Amanda McCabe has something in store for us as well!

'The Perfect Scandal' by Delilah Marvelle

"If there is anything Tristan Adam Hargrove, fourth Marquis of Moreland, has learned to avoid, it's scandal. For the dark and dashing lord is not only an honorable gentleman who would never seduce a woman for his own gain, he is also the author of How to Avoid a Scandal, the infamous red book that has swept like wildfire through the better part of London society.
When a raven-haired beauty arrives as his new neighbor, he knows better than to succumb to the desire he feels. He knows little about her—only that she is high born, a protégé of the Crown and completely unsuitable for the base passions he hides from the world. If only he had never glimpsed the vulnerable beauty one fateful night. If only her lips were not so ravishingly red. If only it were not already too late to save her and himself from the untamed passion he is about to unleash in the name of love."Source

[Read a review at My Book Addiction: here]

'The Shy Duchess' by Amanda McCabe

"With her golden hair and dazzling emerald eyes, Lady Emily Carroll should have her pick of suitors. Instead, her crippling shyness has earned her the nickname "Ice Princess."

Nicholas, Duke of Manning, isn't looking for a bride, but he won't pass up a stolen kiss at a masked ball.

With her blushes hidden, Emily lets her inhibitions go. Only to find herself betrothed! Now it's her wedding night, and her new husband seems determined to thaw his Ice Princess and reveal her every secret…."Source

[Read an excerpt: here]

Fat Tuesday (for books) is on February 22nd, 2011. Time to jam pack that Amazon cart with plenty of romances. If you choose to buy a couple romances on this day, you can get a good deal at Borders; where they're having a buy 4 romance get the 5th free deal. Enjoy some delightful reads from Julie Anne Long, Margo Maguire, Nicole Jordan, Robyn DeHart, and Anne Mallory.

'What I Did For The Duke' by Julie Anne Long

"For years, he’s been an object of fear, fascination…and fantasy. But of all the wicked rumors that forever dog the formidable Alexander Moncrieffe, Duke of Falconbridge, the ton knows one thing for certain: only fools dare cross him. And when Ian Eversea does just that, Moncrieffe knows the perfect revenge: he’ll seduce Ian’s innocent sister, Genevieve—the only member of the powerful and wealthy Eversea family as yet untouched by scandal. First he’ll capture her heart…and then he’ll break it.

But everything about Genevieve is unexpected: the passion simmering beneath her cool control, the sharp wit tempered by a gentleness that coaxes out his deepest secrets… And though Genevieve has heard the whispers about the duke’s dark past, and knows she trifles with him at her peril, one incendiary kiss tempts her deeper into a world of extraordinary sensuality. Until Genevieve is faced with a fateful choice…is there anything she won't do for a duke?"Source

[Read an excerpt: here]

'Seducing The Governess' by Margo Maguire

"A Proper Governess Should Never. . .
Assist a handsome stranger, alone on an unfamiliar road . . . unless the rake happens to be her new employer.
Take a position in a crumbling manor . . . especially if the household staff has been replaced by unruly former soldiers.
Allow her young charge entrÉe to her heart . . . for once done, it will be impossible to maintain proper distance.
Permit her charge's uncle a breathtaking kiss under a star-lit sky . . . henceforth she will most certainly lose composure whenever he is near.
And above all, she should never, ever fall completely, irreversibly in love with her employer . . . for nothing good can possibly come of it."Source

[Read a review at The Romance Dish: here]

'To Desire A Wicked Duke' by Nicole Jordan

"Two years after losing her beloved fiancé to war, Tess Blanchard feels ready to chance love again. Thus, she’s aghast when a threatening scandal forces her to wed her longtime nemesis, Ian Sutherland, Duke of Rotham. The impossibly arrogant, irresistibly seductive nobleman is the last man she could ever imagine loving! Making matters worse, Tess discovers secrets in Rotham’s wicked past that send her fleeing London for his remote castle in Cornwall.

Having long desired Tess, Ian is exasperated that the ton thinks he’s driven his reluctant new bride from their marriage bed and so follows hard on her heels. Naturally, their spirited rivalry leads to glorious, pleasure-filled nights — complicated by a mysterious ghost who haunts Ian's castle and Tess's vexing insistence that he play matchmaker to her friends. But can blazing desire between two warring hearts turn into wedded bliss and timeless love?"Source

[View the PDF excerpt: here]

'Treasure Me' by Robyn DeHart

"Graeme Langford, Duke of Rothmore, has always been torn between his beloved Scottish homeland and his duty to the English crown. But his is an adventurer's soul and nothing keeps him from his dream: finding a long-lost stone hidden near Loch Ness.
Bookish Vanessa Pembrooke heads to the Highlands looking for traces of the legendary beast--not a husband. Yet when fate binds her to Graeme, it's not all bad: he's the first man ever to share her hunger for adventure. As their passion grows, so too does certain danger, and they'll soon risk everything to keep the jewel out of a murder's hands. But can they do so without losing the greatest treasure of all... their love?"Source

[Read an excerpt: here]

'One Night Is Never Enough' by Anne Mallory

"From the first glimpse he knew he must have her — even if only for a single night . . .
Powerful, ruthless, seductive—the lord of London’s underworld—Roman Merrick gets anything he wants . . . and he burns for Charlotte Chatsworth, a polished jewel in the glittering ton. So he engages her debt-ridden gambler father in a game of chance, wagering ten thousand pounds against one night with the man’s exquisite daughter. And Roman Merrick never loses.
But one night is never enough . . .
Charlotte is devastated to learn that her reprobate father has lost her in a card game to the most dangerous man she’s ever met. With the threat of ruin behind every corner, Charlotte embarks upon a perilous path with the man she cannot forget. But in truth, it’s Roman who has everything to lose—for a game undertaken for pleasure alone soon has him gambling his heart. And love and passion unleashed could bring his great, dark empire tumbling down . . . "Source

[Read a review at Night Owl Romance: here]

--

So enjoy this special month and your special day with whomever you choose (even if it's just yourself). Romances give us hope; in humanity, in the extraordinary, in everything that the cynics of the world like to rag on. Flip them off from a Borders parking lot and be on your way ;)

Coming Soon: Anticipated Releases for June 2010

   Let's Jump For Joy! It's Finally June! May has come and gone and brought with it, a lot of fabulously new books which are now perched somewhere in our bookshelves. In June we will see some wonderfully new additions coming our way! Like the new Johanna Lindsey novel for instance! I know, I can hardly wait!





 Here's what you should look out for in the Month of June:

-June 1st  is today! The following are the new releases scheduled to come out today! Run out and go bother the cashiers at your local B&N, Borders, or convenient drug store with a romance rack!

'Taste Of Temptation' by Cheryl Holt

"Helen Hamilton is a twenty-five-year old spinster, with no income and no prospects, who struggles to care for her two orphaned sisters. Destitute and only a heartbeat away from the streets, Helen applies for a position as a governess to the younger siblings of Captain Tristan Odell, the oldest and illegitimate son of the notorious philanderer, Earl of Hastings. But when Tristan turns Helen away, her future seems as desperate as her options.

Determined to do whatever it takes to support her sisters, Helen ends up at a brothel, where she agrees to sell herself as a mistress to a client of wealth and prestige. She even drinks a potion to make men desire her — and is shocked when the man who buys her is none other than Tristan. He too is shocked — and aroused by the possibilities. He hires Helen, but offers her more than a position as governess. Enmeshed in an affair of unrestrained desire, their passion quickly grows, as does an unexpected danger that could soon destroy them both..."Source

-Read an excerpt from 'Taste Of Temptation': here (click 'Sneak Preview')

~*~

'The Forbidden Rose' by Joanna Bourne

"A career is blooming...

A glittering French aristocrat is on the run, disguised as a British governess. England's top spy has a score to settle with her family. But as they're drawn inexorably into the intrigue and madness of Revolutionary Paris, they gamble on a love to which neither of them will admit."Source

Read an excerpt from 'Forbidden Rose': here

~*~

'To Kiss A Count' by Amanda McCabe

 "Leaving exotic Sicily behind, and with it her heart, Thalia Chase returns to England to visit her sister—and to try to forget the enigmatic Italian Count di Fabrizzi. She's shocked to suddenly see him in Bath—and in the company of a suspected thief!
Marco, Count di Fabrizzi, is on a dangerous mission and doesn't need the beautiful Lady Chase hindering his progress. But she is intent on adventure—so what is a gentleman to do when a lady is so insistent, and so very passionate?" Source

-Read an excerpt from 'To Kiss A Count': here

~*~

'To Surrender To A Rouge' by Cara Elliott

"An expert in antiquities, Lady Alessandra della Giamatti arrives in Bath to excavate newly discovered Roman ruins-only to find herself caught in a web of evil intrigue by a blackmailer threatening to expose her scandalous past. The one man who can help her is Lord James "Black Jack" Pierson, a fellow member of the expedition and a sinfully handsome rogue whose tempting presence ignites a different sort of danger.

Jack has clashed with Alessandra in the past, so when she suddenly surrenders her body he can't help being suspicious. Is she a scheming temptress? Or is she truly a lady in trouble? As desire and deceptions swirl around them, Alessandra and Jack must find a way to win each other's trust. For if they don't work together to uncover a shocking truth, their enemy-and their own simmering passions-may destroy them and everything they cherish."Source

-Read an excerpt from 'To Surrender To A Rouge': here

~*~

-June 8th

'Tempting A Proper Lady' by Debra Mullins

"A Most Improper Alliance

Two years ago, dashing Captain Samuel Breedlove disappeared without a word. But he's resurfaced in London a wealthy man, only to discover his fiancée preparing to wed another. Now Samuel needs to restore his good name and expose a villain—and tempting, temptable Cilla seems an ideal accomplice.

Priscilla Burke knows the marriage of her charge, Annabelle Bailey, to the Earl of Raventhorpe must be perfect. It would be madness for her to even consider doing anything that would mar this beautiful day and destroy her fledgling career as a wedding planner. Why then is she so drawn to this irresistible stranger who insists she help him sabotage the impending affair?

But a proper lady's desire is nothing to toy with. And a man whose character has been questioned cannot allow himself to dream of happily ever after. This not-so-innocent seduction may have unforeseen consequences . . ."Source

-Read an excerpt from 'Tempting A Proper Lady': here

-June 15th will mark the release of yet another Johanna Lindsey novel. This one is listed as being apart of the beloved Mallory series; all you JL fans can stop salivating now (or at least until you reach the epilogue)!
 

'That Perfect Someone' by Johanna Lindsey

"Nine years ago, Richard Allen fled England and his controlling father. Determined to live his own life, he took to the sea and settled in the Caribbean, joining a band of treasure-hunting pirates and adopting the persona of a carefree, seductive Frenchman named Jean Paul to guard the secrets of his past. When he slips back into England to carry out an urgent task, Richard becomes infatuated with a married woman, Georgina Malory. But his reckless attempt to woo Georgina at a masked ball turns out to be the worst mistake of his life because it brings him face to face with another beautiful woman.
Thrilled that her solicitors have finally come up with a way to free her from her betrothal contract to the Earl of Manford’s son who abandoned her years ago, heiress Julia Miller is ready for the marriage mart and hopes to find that perfect someone at her friend Georgina’s ball. Charmed by a masked Frenchman who gives her her first kiss, she can’t help but pursue this mysterious man—until she makes a shocking discovery. Now, to avoid falling into a ruthless nobleman’s trap, Julia must enter a risky, intimate charade with a man she never believed she could love."Source

-Read an excerpt from 'That Perfect Someone': here

~*~

-June 22nd

'Twice Tempted By A Rouge' by Tessa Dare

"Luck is a double-edged sword for brooding war hero Rhys St. Maur. His death wish went unanswered on the battlefield, while fate allowed the murder of his friend in the elite gentlemen’s society known as the Stud Club. Out of options, Rhys returns to his ancestral home on the moors of Devonshire, expecting anything but a chance at redemption in the arms of a beautiful innkeeper, who dares him to take on the demons of his past — and the sweet temptation of a woman’s love.

Meredith Maddox believes in hard work, not fate, and romance isn’t part of her plan. But when Rhys returns, battle-scarred, world-weary, and more dangerously attractive than ever, the lovely widow is torn between determination and desire. As a deep mystery and dangerous smugglers threaten much more than their passionate reckoning, Meredith discovers that she must trust everything to a wager her heart placed long ago."Source

-Read an excerpt from 'Twice Tempted By A Rouge': here
-For a funny video made about the Stud Club Trilogy (from which this book is apart of) featuring the Author Tessa Dare click: here

~*~

-June 29th looks to be the M.Y.C (mark your calender) a.k.a 'Big Day' in June 2010. A lot of amazing authors had a meeting where they discussed the perfect day to suffocate us avid readers with their much sought-after new releases. The following books are set to be released on Tuesday, June 29th 2010!!

'My Dangerous Duke' by Gaelen Foley

"The Inferno Club: In public, this scandalous society of London aristocrats is notorious for pursuing all manner of debauchery. But in private, they are warriors who would do anything to protect king and country . . .

They say that the very name of Warrington is cursed . . .

From a time as old as the cold stone of the duke's ancestral castle, the Warrington men have been plagued by tragedy. But Rohan Kilburn, the Duke of Warrington, has vowed to escape the predestined torment by forsaking love and devoting his life to the Inferno Club and its secret mission.

And then she is brought to him unbidden by cutthroats hoping to calm the duke's infamous temper—a sacrificial virgin of sorts. But even overpowered, Kate Madsen will be no man's sacrifice. And the duke's price for claiming her may be what he has sworn never to give—the heart he has so long and fiercely guarded—to the beautiful hostage he was never meant to love." Source

-Read an excerpt from 'My Dangerous Duke': here
-Watch this INCREDIBLE book trailer for the Inferno Club series: here

~*~

'Love In The Afternoon' by Lisa Kleypas

"As a lover of animals and nature, Beatrix Hathaway has always been more comfortable outdoors than in the ballroom. Even though she participated in the London season in the past, the classic beauty and free-spirited Beatrix has never been swept away or seriously courted…and she has resigned herself to the fate of never finding love. Has the time come for the most unconventional of the Hathaway sisters to settle for an ordinary man—just to avoid spinsterhood?

Captain Christopher Phelan is a handsome, daring soldier who plans to marry Beatrix’s friend, the vivacious flirt Prudence Mercer, when he returns from fighting abroad. But, as he explains in his letters to Pru, life on the battlefield has darkened his soul—and it’s becoming clear that Christopher won’t come back as the same man. When Beatrix learns of Pru’s disappointment, she decides to help by concocting Pru’s letters to Christopher for her. Soon the correspondence between Beatrix and Christopher develops into something fulfilling and deep…and when Christopher comes home, he’s determined to claim the woman he loves. What began as Beatrix’s innocent deception has resulted in the agony of unfulfilled love—and a passion that can’t be denied…"Source

-Read an excerpt from 'Love In The Afternoon': here

~*~

'The Brazen Bride' by Stephanie Laurens

"Shipwrecked, wounded, he risks all to pursue his mission - only to discover a partner as daring and brazen as he.

Fiery, tempestuous, a queen in her own realm, she rescues a warrior - only to find her heart under siege.

Bound by passion, linked by need, together they must brave the enemy's gauntlet to win all their hearts' desire." Source

-Read an excerpt from 'The Brazen Bride': here

~*~

'A Groom Of One's Own' by Maya Rodale

"Miss Harlow's Marriage In High Life
London, 1823

A handsome duke. His beautiful soon-to-be duchess. A whirlwind courtship. It is this author's privilege to report on the event all of London is talking about: the upcoming wedding of the Duke of Hamilton and Brandon to the only daughter of the Duke of Richmond. Every details of the "Wedding of the Year" will be reported in these pages as a London Weekly exclusive.

But I, Miss Sophie Harlow, must confess to a secret infatuation with this "double duke" that can only lead to trouble. It is impossible that this notoriously upstanding gentleman would ever jilt his bride for a scandalous female newspaper writer. And yet...the arrival of a foreign prince, the discovery of a shocking secret, and one passionate kiss could change everything. Will this perfect duke risk the scandal of the year to marry the woman his heart desires?

There are only just three more weeks until the wedding…" Source

-Read an excerpt from 'A Groom Of One's Own': here

~*~

'I Kissed An Earl' by Julia Anne Long

"Violet Redmond's family and fortune might be formidable and her beauty and wit matchless—but her infamous flare for mischief keeps all but the most lionhearted suitors at bay. Only Violet knows what will assuage her restlessness: a man who doesn't bore her to tears, and a clue to the fate of her missing brother. She never dreamed she'd find both with a man whose own pedigree is far from impeccable.

"Savage" is what the women of the ton whisper about the newly styled Earl of Ardmay—albeit with shivers of pleasure. Born an English bastard, raised on the high seas, he's on a mission to capture a notorious pirate for vengeance. But while Violet's belief in her brother's innocence maddens him, her courage awes him . . . and her sensuality finally undoes him. Now the man who once lost everything and the girl who has everything to lose are bound by a passion that could either end in betrayal . . . or become everything they ever dreamed."Source

-Read an excerpt from 'I Kissed An Earl': here

~*~

'The Duke's Captive' by Adele Ashworth

"Vengeance would be his . . .

Ian Wentworth arrives in London with one goal: revenge. Now a duke of enormous wealth, he should settle down to the business of marrying and producing heirs. But nightmares of an ordeal from his past haunt him at every turn. All those he believes responsible have paid with their lives. All but one: Viola Bennington-Jones, the lovely Lady Cheshire. And he will not rest until he sees the tempting beauty suffer.

Viola keeps her secrets—and there are many—safe from society's prying eyes. When she first spies Ian at a glittering ball, the rush of recognition immediately turns to panic. Does he remember the tender touches that once passed between them? Does he feel the electric passion that binds them still? Or does he blame her for the awful horrors her kin bestowed upon him? The enigmatic duke holds her captive: in desperate thrall to his powerful sensuality, her future—and her heart—in his hands."Source

So mark your calenders and get ready to clean off the reading glasses; because June 2010 looks to be THE month to blow your life's savings at Barnes and Noble!