Guest Post + Excerpt by Hailey Edwards + Giveaway!

Merry mid-Week, book lovers! We’re really excited to be welcoming Hailey Edwards back to BLI today. Hailey is author of romance fiction including the popular fantasy romance series, Araneae Nation. Today, she stops by from her blog tour to share some fascinating lessons about one of the many herbs employed by the heroine of her latest novel, A Feast of Souls. How much do you know about herbs and spices? Whether it’s but a pinch or a whole satchel, you may learn something new. So check out what Hailey’s got to say about…

Anise!

While writing A Feast of Souls, I researched herb lore because the heroine, Mana, is a spirit walker. In the Araneae world, that makes her a spiritual leader for her clan, one who can walk in between worlds and aid in healing from the spiritual plane. Mana also studies herbology. She is no doubt responsible for feeding …

Review: Romancing the Holiday by Jaci Burton, HelenKay Dimon and Christi Barth

Format read: ebook copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley
Release Date: 3 December 2012
Publisher: Carina Press
Number of pages: 257 pages
Formats available: ebook
Purchasing Info:Goodreads, Carina Press, Amazon, Barnes and Noble – the 3 novellas can be bought separately as well

Blurb:

We wish you a merry Christmas…and a happily ever after!

A memorable three-night stand gets rekindled in a cabin in West Virginia. An office romance is sparked by an impulsive holiday kiss. And two best friends scout locations for a marriage proposal and discover that they make a perfect match. ‘Tis the season for laughter, love and a lifetime of happiness.

Edited by Angela James this anthology includes:

We’ll Be Home for Christmas by HelenKay Dimon

No man likes having his bedroom skills described as forgettable, but that’s just what Lila Payne does when she runs into Spencer Thomas again. When she discovers that he’d lied about his name during their brief …

Guest Post: HelenKay Dimon + Giveaway

We are delighted to welcome back HelenKay Dimon today in celebration of her holiday novella We’ll be Home for Christmas, released by Carina Press on December 3, 2012. We’ll be Home for Christmas is available as a single release in novella format and it is part of the holiday anthology, Romancing the Holiday which BLI’s Stella read and enjoyed, the review will be posted later today. 🙂

Thank you for having me here today to talk about my newest release, WE’LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS.

The title probably gives it away but this is a holiday romance. The story takes place in the weeks before Christmas – those hectic “how am I going to get everything done???” days. Thinking about the book and the season got me thinking about decorations and cookies (and more cookies) and gifts and everything that goes along with the season from shiny …

Guest post by Grace Burrowes + Giveaway

Today we are pleased to bring you the wonderful Grace Burrowes who is the author of such beloved historical romance series as the Windham series and the Lonely Lord series. She is here today to tell you about her brand new series the MacGregor trilogy, the first novel of which The Bridegroom Wore Plaid was released recently and which Caro loved (read her review here)! So read on and you could even win yourself a copy! 

The Basis for My New Series

I embarked upon a Scottish Victorian trilogy with some trepidation. While I’ve been reading Regencies since… well, for decades, there simply haven’t been Scottish Victorian romances thick on the ground, and my confidence with the time period was not as great.

Jennifer Ashley’s MacKenzie Brothers series was my first temptation to write in the Victorian era. Her novels are set in the 1880s and later, and start …

ARC Review: The Bridegroom Wore Plaid by Grace Burrowes

Format read: eARC received from the publisher through Netgalley
Series: MacGregor Trilogy #1
Release Date: December 1st 2012
Number of pages: 384 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Formats available: Massmarket paperback, ebook
Purchasing Info: Goodreads, Author’s website, Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Book Depository US | Book Depository (UK)

Blurb:
In an effort to preserve the family estate, Ian MacGregor, the Earl of Balfour, must marry for money. When a promising match emerges in the form of Genie Daniels, a rich English heiress, Ian begins devising a strategy to woo her. When he meets Genie’s poor cousin Augusta, he discovers a new avenue to Genie’s heart. But after spending time with Augusta and falling for her charms, Ian begins to question whether or not he’s willing to forfeit his heart to save the family …

Review: Operation Cinderella by Hope Tarr

Format read: eARC received from the publisher
Release Date: 15 October 2012
Number of pages: 162 pages
Publisher: Entangled Publishing (Indulgence line)
Formats available: ebook
Purchasing Info: Goodreads, Author’s website, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Read an excerpt

Blurb:

Manhattan magazine editor Macie Graham always gets her story—and she’ll do anything to uncover the dirt on famous radio personality Ross Mannon. After he smears her article on his show, nearly costing Macie her job, she devises a plan to masquerade as a modern-day Cinderella and get her revenge on the infuriating Texan.

All Ross wants is a woman with old-fashioned values to be his housekeeper and role model for his troubled teenage daughter. When the perfect woman shows up, Ross is relieved—until he finds himself drawn to his gorgeous, red-stiletto-wearing new employee. “Martha Jane” is opinionated and sexy, and Ross is intrigued…and more than a little turned on.

Macie thought Operation Cinderella was foolproof, …

Review: Avatar: The Promise Part 2 by Gene Yuen Lang

Format read: paperback
Release Date: 4 April 2006
Length: 76 pages
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Formats available: paperback
Purchasing Info: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Book Depository US | Book Depository (UK)

 Blurb:
Avatar: The Last Airbender creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko continue the story right where the TV series left off! Aang and Katara are working tirelessly for peace when an impasse between Fire Lord Zuko and Earth King Kuei over Fire Nation colonies within the borders of the Earth Nation threatens to plunge the world back into war! Meanwhile, Sokka must help Toph prepare her hapless first class of metalbending students to defend their school against a rival class of firebenders! Written by Eisner winner and National Book Award nominee Gene Luen Yang (American Born Chinese) and drawn by Gurihiru …

Guest post by Hope Tarr + Giveaway

It is our pleasure to welcome today to Book Lovers Inc. Hope Tarr, multi-published romance author, whose latest novel Operation Cinderella, the first book in her new contemporary romance series, Suddenly Cinderella series was recently released by Entangled Publishing! Hope stops by to tell us more about the series, the characters and what you can expect from Operation Cinderella. Please give her a warm welcome, and make sure you read on, there is a sweet giveaway for you at the end. 😉

OPERATION CINDERELLA & the Suddenly Cinderella Series:

Characters Welcome by Hope Tarr

What makes a novel sparkle, truly sparkle? For me it all comes down to one deceptively simple word – character.

Give me characters that I can care about–cry when they cry, laugh when they laugh, and yes, bleed when they bleed – and I’ll forgive an author a plot hole as big …

Wishlist: Holiday Edition #1

Hey Everyone!

Sure, you might find that it is still a bit early to think about Christmas and the holidays (though some of my fellow Book Lovers myself included don’t think such a thing is possible. Seriously, I count back the days ’till Christmas as soon as January rolls around 😉 ), but since there are so many of us we have to start early for everyone to get a chance to show their holiday wishlists. And who knows maybe you’ll get inspired for some gift ideas, either for yourself or your loved ones. 😉

So here are some holiday themed stories that caught my eye recently and that I can’t wait to get my hands on:

No Mistletoe Required by Jeanette Murray

Dan Beckins isn’t sure how he let his best friend con him into volunteering to build Santa’s Winter Wonderland at the local hospital. He’s got no problems with charity …

Review: Lean on Me by HelenKay Dimon

Lean on Me by HelenKay Dimon

Format Read: e-book provided by Novel Sidekick courtesy of Author for Review
Length: 111 Pages
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Holloway Book II
Release Date: October 22, 2012
Publisher: Carina Press Publishing
Formats Available: eBook, Kindle, Nook
Purchasing Info: Publisher, Author’s Website, Goodreads, Kindle, Nook

Book Blurb:

Cassidy Clarke once climbed the world’s highest mountains, but after an unexpected illness ends her career she’s back in her hometown, broke and hoping for a little luck. But the townsfolk aren’t exactly putting out a welcome mat for the woman who once snubbed them in the media, despite her apologies now.

Mitch Anders knows someone has set up camp on the grounds of his plant nursery, and he’s surprised to find his sexy high school crush ducking questions about where she’s staying. Though he’s sworn to stop cleaning up other people’s messes, Mitch offers Cassidy a job …