Romance and Me: Historical Romances – The Foreign Edition

Hey Everyone!

We have discussed different aspects of historical romances: our favourite eras, what we like the most about this genre, why we read HR novels, we have even discussed gladiators, HR pet peeves and erotic historical romances but there is something we haven’t talked about yet, and that is foreign or exotic historical romances.

About 99% of historical romance novels are set in England, in smaller part France or Scotland, a couple are even set in North America (and one or two in Ancient Egypt), but historical romances set outside of these usual locations are few and far and between. Can you think of any which take place in South America? Africa? Asia? Australia? Oceania? Or we don’t even have to go that far, any historical romances set in other European countries …

Review: An Illicit Temptation by Jeannie Lin

Format read: ebook
Release Date: 1 September 2012
Series: Book #3.5 in the Tang Dynasty series (Sequel to My Fair Concubine)
Number of pages: 52 pages
Publisher: Harlequin
Formats available: ebook
Purchasing Info: Goodreads, Author’s Website, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Read an excerpt

Blurb:

Dao is a house servant masquerading as a princess on her way to marry a powerful chieftain. As a lowly commoner with no prospects, she is content to be an alliance bride until an encounter with Kwan-Li, her enigmatic escort, tempts her with the promise of forbidden love. On their adventure through the wild Khitan steppe, Dao discovers Kwan-Li has secrets of his own…

My Thoughts: You might remember how much I enjoyed My Fair Concubine, the 3rd book in Jeannie Lin’s Tang Dynasty series (though no need to worry if you haven’t read the previous books, …

Guest post by C.C. Humphreys + Giveaway

Today we’re here to welcome historical novelist C.C. Humphreys to Book Lovers Inc. His guest post is on a topic that has always fascinated me, the line between realistic historical fiction and something I guess you might call historical fantasy. Not totally made up history, but history where magic sometimes happens, alongside verifiable historic events.

As it does in C.C. Humphreys’ story of war with a little magic, A Place Called Armageddon. It’s about the 1453 siege of Constantinople, a place that has always been more than a bit magical, all by itself. 

Fantasy? In historical fiction?
by C.C. Humphreys

Interesting questions. It is something I have considered. And I think it comes down to what I call ‘a hammock moment’.

I was lying in my hammock – a rare and so especially wonderful laziness – and this sentence popped into my head:

“Magic happens to people who believe in magic.”

I think that is absolutely …

Review: The Sweetest Spell by Suzanne Selfors

Format Read: print ARC from the author
Number of Pages: 416 pages
Release Date: August 21, 2012
Publisher: Walker & Company
Genre: Fantasy, Fairy Tale, Young Adult
Formats Available: Hardcover, ebook
Purchasing Info: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Book Depository US | Book Depository (UK) | Author’s website | Publisher’s website | Goodreads

Book Blurb:

Emmeline Thistle, a dirt-scratcher’s daughter, has escaped death twice-first, on the night she was born, and second, on the day her entire village was swept away by flood. Left with nothing and no one, Emmeline discovers her rare and mysterious ability-she can churn milk into chocolate, a delicacy more precious than gold.

Suddenly, the most unwanted girl in Anglund finds herself desired by all. But Emmeline only wants one-Owen Oak, a dairyman’s son, whose slow smiles and lingering glances …

New Releases: September 17-23, 2012

Yesterday’s Heroes

by Heather Long
Genre: urban fantasy romance
Release date: September 18, 2012 by Carina Press

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Aurora “Rory” Graystone
Codename: Halo
Abilities: superior reflexes, I.Q. and aptitude for calculating probabilities
Mission: find missing teammates

Rory knows she’s being watched, and she’s not about to let the hunter catch her in his trap. She’ll confront her stalker, a man she suspects is involved in the disappearances of other superheroes–if she can ignore the sensual heat that fills her every time he’s near…

Michael Hunter
Codename: Hard Target
Abilities: expert tracker and sniper
Mission: kill Rory Graystone

One of five desperate men sent back in time to save the future, Michael believes eliminating Rory is the key to his mission. But even as he takes aim, a split second of doubt causes him to miss his shot.

Drawn together by passion, and on a collision course with fate, can Rory and Michael work together to change the future? Or have …

Guest post by Suzanne Selfors + Giveaway

Today we are very excited to welcome Suzanne Selfors to Book Lovers Inc! Of course we’re excited, we’re all hyped up on lots of yummy chocolate after reading her delightfully delicious chocolate-covered fairy tale, The Sweetest Spell (review later today). But before the review, Suzanne is here to share with us how her desperate search for a midnight chocolate fix (can’t we all relate?) led to this scrumptious story.

And if you’re craving a little chocolate fairy tale of your own, just answer Suzanne’s question for a chance at to win your very own copy of The Sweetest Spell!

Love + Chocolate = The Sweetest Spell

By Suzanne Selfors

How to take the fairy-tale formula of peasant girl meets prince and make it even more romantic? In my opinion, you add chocolate.

There are few things in life that stir such passion as a square of dark chocolate. I crave it. I LOVE it.

I’d …

The Good, the Bad and the Are-You-Kidding-Me? Cover Quiz + Giveaway

Welcome to our new edition of The Good, the Bad and the Are-You-Kidding-Me? This week we have a Game for you! Since you enjoyed the last game we played, we thought we could come up with something fun but different. Last time there was only 1 good answer for each question, but this time we’ll give room to YOUR knowledge of covers. You can answer with the covers YOU know, in whichever genre you want. The game is simple… We tell you a requirement (a thing, an animal, an object, a word in the title…) and you have to come up with a book cover that fits the bill. Of course that alone would be too easy 😉 So you can earn more points depending on the level of difficulty.

What can you Win?
Prize is a 15$ book depo shopping spree.

How to play?
Below you can find 17 challenges. Each …

ARC Review: Gold Digger by Aleksandr Voinov

Format Read: e-book provided by publisher through NetGalley
Length: 127 Pages
Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance
Release Date: September 17th 2012
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Formats Available: Ebook
Purchasing Info:  Author’s Website, Goodreads, Riptide Publishing

Book Blurb:
Not all that glitters is gold.

Nikolai Krasnorada leads the life of a corporate nomad. Working for a gold explorations company, he’s never put down roots, and he likes it that way. Roots can be dangerous, as everyone from his “man-hating” sister to his manipulative mother to his war-traumatized father has proven.

But when his CEO sends him to Toronto to strike a deal with LeBeau Mining, Nikolai meets Henri LeBeau, crown prince to the resources conglomerate and inveterate flirt. Sparks fly immediately, despite the business deal that threatens to go sour and Nikolai’s own reluctance to give Henri false hope about him being Mr. Right. He’s barely come to terms with his bisexuality, and getting involved with Henri would …

Sunday Cravings

Happy Sunday my beloved Book Lovers all around the world! How wonderful was your weekend this time?

It’s Sunday, so you all know what that means: time for some serious lusting after certain releases! Let’s start 🙂

Lea: Because I Am Yours by Beth Kery

Secrets are exposed, love is challenged, and the future is compromised, when Francesca and Ian face an inevitable decision that will change their lives forever as national bestselling author Beth Kery’s Because You Are Mine comes to a spellbinding conclusion…

From the moment Ian and Francesca first met, the attraction was mutual—a purely, exquisitely physical charge that ignited between them. It couldn’t be ignored—only indulged, evolving into a bond of pleasurable subjugation. But Francesca’s open sensuality left her wanting more. Getting it from a man as mysterious and resolute as Ian was a challenge she never anticipated.

Francesca knows there’s only one way for them to …