Guest Post: From Father to Son by Carrie Lofty + Giveaway

Today I’m really excited to welcome author Carrie Lofty here at Book Lovers in celebration of her newest release in her series The Christies. Carrie Lofty, after Cape Town, travels her readers at Glasgow this time and only one thing I can say about Starlight: it was magical!

Carrie stops here today with a guest post about the special relationship between father and son, because after all, Starlight is based on that very relationship. Alex, will do everything and anything within his power for his son. And don’t forget to check at the end of the post for your chance to win a copy of Starlight 🙂

I always think of U2’s “Red Hill Mining Town” when I think of STARLIGHT. It’s one of the essential songs that made up my playlist. The song opens with the phrase “from father to son.” STARLIGHT is very much a story about generations, particularly …

Romance and Me: Suit Up Baby! – or Protection in Romance Novels

I have had this issue on my mind for some time now and thought it was about time we discussed it, namely unprotected sex in contemporary romance novels.

I think due to the specificities and different rules applying to  historical / fantasy/ paranormal / sci-fi romances, I can live with it if the author fails to mention the couple using any protection during sex. I mean in historical novels that’s a given (even if there were some protective measures even back then), in paranormal/fantasy sci-fi stories the author can bend the rules of her universe so that the issue doesn’t warrant being mentioned: vampires are sterile/ humans and paranormal creatures cannot transmit diseases or impregnate each other, etc. But where I expect the issue of safe sex between strangers and one night stand partners being mentioned and dealt with is in contemporary romance.

I’m aware of how …

Dual Review: Try Me by Diane Alberts

Format read: ebook provided by publisher
Release Date: 24 May 2012
Series: Take A Chance, #1
Length: novellette
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Genre: contemporary romance
Formats available: ebook
Purchasing Info: Goodreads, Author’s Website, Amazon, Barnes & Noble

Blurb:

What happens in Vegas…can lead to romance.

It took one wild night for Sergeant Jeremy Addison to realize that Vegas? Was a bad idea.

Bloody. Bruised. Dehydrated. Abandoned in the desert, and left to stagger down the road. The only way this leave could get worse was if his savior was his ex-best friend’s sister…and the girl he’d loved since childhood.

The last person Erica expected to find on the roadside was her high school crush. She hadn’t seen Jeremy in seven years—ever since the night he said he loved her, and she ran away. Losing him then had been a mistake, but wanting him now could be catastrophic if he discovered the secret that chased every other man from her life. But with …

Review: Soulless by Gail Carriger

Format read: ebook
Series: The Parasol Protectorate – Book 1
Genre: urban fantasy
Release Date: 1 October 2009
Number of pages: 357 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Formats available: ebook, paperback
Purchasing Info: Goodreads, Author’s Website | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Book Depository US | Book Depository (UK)

Book Blurb:

ALEXIA TARABOTTI IS LABORING UNDER A GREAT MANY SOCIAL TRIBULATIONS.

First, she has no soul. Second, she is a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.

Where to go from there? FRom bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidently kills the vampire – and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.

With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia is responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening …

New Releases: July 9-15, 2012

West of Want (Hearts of the Anemoi, #2) by Laura Kaye

Betrayal is all he’s ever known, but in her, he’ll find a love strong enough to be trusted…When Marcella Raines’ twin brother dies, she honors his request to be buried at sea, never expecting the violent storm that swamps her boat. Recently divorced over her infertility and gravely injured, Ella still fights to survive. Zephyros Martius is the Supreme God of the West Wind and Spring, but being the strongest Anemoi hasn’t saved him from betrayal and loss—worse, he’s sure his brother Eurus is behind it. When Zeph’s heartbreak whips up a storm that shipwrecks a human, his guilt leads him to save her, but he vows not to get involved. Ella’s honesty, empathy, and unique calming influence attract Zeph like no other, and he finds himself wanting…everything. Ella knows Zeph’s different and fears rejection, but falls …

The Good, the Bad and the Are-You-Kidding-Me?

Welcome back to our biweekly cover talk. This week we decided to talk about comic-like covers. Usually we both don’t tend to buy those because we have the prejudice to shelf them as chiclit and well that’s not our kind of genre. But author’s like Molly Harper proved us wrong so well here we are.
Don’t forget we don’t know all the books we talk about and our judgement is only concerning the cover not the books content.
Don’t forget to tell us what you think in the comments!

Caro: When I look at these 3 covers I’m expecting some chick-lit. Silly story. It’s hard not to think that when I see ‘comic-like’ covers. High Stakes is funny because it played with the Bat/vampire cliché but I’m not loving the rest.

And One Last Thing’s cover actually works for me. It’s not playing on the silly factor and it’s simple. I even like the …

Review: The Blacksmith’s Lover by Heather Massey

Format Read: ebook from author
Number of Pages: 100 p.
Release Date: June 1, 2012
Publisher: Red Sage Publishing
Series: The Clockpunk Trilogy #2
Genre: Steampunk
Formats Available: ebook
Purchasing Info: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Book Depository US | Book Depository (UK)

Book Blurb:

The year is 1840. On the run after being caught in a scandalous incident, scullery maid Sarah Bailey must find refuge before her vengeful former mistress has her killed. When she stumbles upon a blacksmith’s shop in need of an apprentice in West Boylston, Massachusetts, she applies for the position.

Viktor is a brawny, reclusive blacksmith who creates strange clockwork and steam-powered devices. The gruff man makes it clear that Sarah’s plight is no concern of his, but ghosts from his past dictate otherwise. Viktor agrees to protect the spunky maid, but …

Interview with Heather Massey + Giveaway

Good morning, lovely book lovers! We here at BLI are pleased to start this week of right with a blog visit by author Heather Massey. She stops by today to answer questions on a range of topics, including some of her favorite cult films, the different between clockpunk and steampunk, and the growing popularity of science fiction romance. Lots to learn, so check out the interview below (then read on for giveaway goodness!).

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Marlene: Heather can you please tell us a bit about yourself?

Heather: Would you believe that 90% of my genetic makeup is coffee? I know! And I might be able to reach 100% capacity by the year 2086. I’ll keep you posted. In the meantime, I’m a lifelong fan of science fiction romance. I’ve been blogging about SF-romance blends in books, films, and television shows at The Galaxy Express since 2008.

Flash-forward to 2010: I expanded my …

Sunday Cravings

Sunday is here and you all know what that means! Time for our Sunday Cravings 🙂 This week books from a variety of genres are scheduled for release so all of us will definitely have something to anxiously await for.  There are some highly anticipated titles released in the YA genre, in the Paranormal Romance and in the contemporary one featuring authors such as Jennifer Echols, Deborah Harkness, Meg Gabot and Susan Elizabeth Phillips. I’m sure there are enough books for everyone 🙂

So, let’s start:

Amanda and Anna: Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols

A sexy and poignant romantic tale of a young daredevil pilot caught between two brothers.

High school senior Leah Jones loves nothing more than flying. While she’s in the air, it’s easy to forget life with her absentee mother at the low-rent end of a South Carolina beach town. When her flight instructor, Mr. Hall, …