14 Days of Romance: Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine’s Day! We’ve come to the end of our 14 Days of Romance celebration and I wanted to do something special…. Two years ago on Valentine’s Day, I listed my top ten favorite romance novels of all time. Since much has changed in two years, I thought I would put together a comprehensive list of my current romance faves by author….  

Homespun Bride by Jillian Hart – This romance is in equal parts historical, western, and inspirational. I’ve always had a soft spot for a hero/heroine with some sort of physical handicap. In Homespun Bride, the heroine is blind. I love this book because it’s really one-of-a-kind. It tugs on the heartstrings and unfolds in a touching conclusion….

Montana Territory in 1883 was a dangerous place-especially for a blind woman struggling to make her way through an early winter snowstorm. Undaunted, Noelle Kramer fought to remain independent. But then a runaway horse nearly plunged her into a rushing, ice-choked river, before a stranger's strong, sure hand saved her from certain death. And yet this was no stranger.

Though she could not know it, her rescuer was rancher Thad McKaslin, the man who had once loved her more than life itself. Losing her had shaken all his most deeply held beliefs. Now he wondered if the return of this strong woman was a sign that somehow he could find his way home.

The Enchantment by Betina Krahn – This is the one historical romance I’ve re-read at least a dozen times. Swashbuckling Vikings, a kick-ass heroine, and one of the most lovable heroes I've ever read. I love Jorund because he defies classic hero classifications like alpha or beta. Perhaps that’s why his character leaps off the page no matter how many times I’ve read his story….

A Woman’s Heart: Strong, stunning, and breathtakingly fierce…Aaren Serricksdotter is the eldest daughter of a Viking sword stealer and a beautiful Valkyr. But for the power of a long-ago enchantment, none shall know the true secrets of her heart–perhaps, not even herself.

A Man Beguiled: Heir to the Norse high-seat, Jorund Borgerson is torn between the ferocious legacy of his clan–and his secret vow to bring peace to his people. Until he meets a distant clansman’s daughter, a ravishing warrior who rouses Jorund like no other.

Bound together by a force as mysterious as it is powerful, Jorund and Aaren must discover the secret of their remarkable union. For in this time of violence and chaos, two great warriors must prepare for a final battle–a journey beyond the bloodshed...to a true enchantment that is the birthright of every man and woman who has ever loved.

Knight of Desire by Margaret Mallory – Speaking of great historicals…I bought the first book in Mallory’s All the Kings Men series on a whim, mostly because the blurb grabbed me. I was not disappointed in the least. This series is filled with rich history. The hero and heroine spend the majority of the book as a married couple. But my favorite thing about Knight of Desire was the growth of the characters’ marriage over time and their struggle to trust one another completely. Their emotional journey is perfectly written….

Fearless in Battle: His surcoat still bloody from battle, William FitzAlan comes to claim the strategic borderlands granted to him by the king. One last prize awaits him at the castle gates: the lovely Lady Catherine Rayburn.

Tender in Bed: Catherine risked everything to spy for the crown. Her reward? Her lands are declared forfeit and she is given this choice: marry FitzAlan or be taken to the Tower. Catherine agrees to give her handsome new husband her body, but she's keeping secrets, and dare not give him her heart. As passion ignites and danger closes in, Catherine and William must learn to trust in each other to save their marriage, their land, and their very lives.

The Devil Wears Plaid by Teresa Medeiros – I haven’t read many Scottish historicals and when I finished reading this one at the end of last year, I really questioned why. I had a devilishly good time reading my first Teresa Medeiros romance and can’t wait for the next….

Emmaline Marlowe is about to wed the extremely powerful laird of the Hepburn clan to save her father from debtor’s prison when ruffian Jamie Sinclair bursts into the abbey on a magnificent black horse and abducts her in one strong swoop. Though he is Hepburn’s sworn enemy, Emma’s mysterious captor is everything her bridegroom is not—handsome, virile, dangerous . . . and a perilous temptation for her yearning heart.

Jamie expects Emma to be some milksop English miss, not a fiery, defiant beauty whose irresistible charms will tempt him at every turn. But he cannot allow either one of them to forget he is her enemy and she his pawn in the deadly Highland feud between the clans. So why does he still want her so badly for himself? Stealing his enemy’s bride was simple, but can he claim her innocence without losing his heart?

The In Death Series by J.D. Robb – I really can’t seem to choose a favorite. Every time I read one of these futuristic romances between Eve Dallas and Roarke, I fall in love with the characters, setting, and the unique rhythm of the prose all over again. If I had to make the painful choice between them all, an exemplary example is Creation in Death, still the best romantic suspense novel I’ve read in a really long time….

NYPSD Lieutenant Eve Dallas keeps the streets of a near-future New York City safe in this extraordinary series. But even she makes mistakes, and is haunted by those she couldn't save-and the killers she couldn't capture. When the body of a young brunette is found in East River Park, artfully positioned and marked by signs of prolonged and painful torture, Eve is catapulted back to a case nine years earlier. The city was on edge from a killing spree that took the lives of four women in fifteen days, courtesy of a man the media tagged "The Groom"—because he put silver rings on the fingers of his victims.

When it turns out that the young brunette was employed by Eve's billionaire husband, Roarke, she brings him in on the case— move that proves fitting when it becomes chillingly clear that the killer has made his attack personal. The victim was washed in products from a store Roarke owns, and laid out on a sheet his company manufactures. With the Groom's monstrous return, Eve is determined to finish him once and for all. Familiar with his methods, Eve knows that he has already grabbed his next victim. Time is running out on another woman's life. And chances are he's working up to the biggest challenge of his illustrious career-abducting a woman who will test his skills and who promises to give him days and days of pleasure before she dies: Eve.

Honest Illusions by Nora Roberts – I discovered romance through the eyes of Nora Roberts so it’s only fitting she makes the list twice (well, thrice if you count her J.D. Robb alias). Honest Illusions is my favorite Nora Roberts novel because it does what so few other romances dare to do – it follows the protagonists from childhood to adulthood in such color and detail, it’s hard to put away even for a few hours….

The daughter of a world-renowned magician, Roxy Nouvelle has inherited her father's talents-and his penchant for jewel thievery. Into this colorful world comes Luke Callahan, an escape artist who captures her heart-and keeps secrets that could shatter all her illusions...

The daughter of a world-renowned magician, Roxy has inherited her father's talents--and his penchant for jewel thievery. Escape artist Luke Callahan comes into Roxy's world and captures her heart, but he keeps secrets that could send her house of cards tumbling.

Public Secrets by Nora Roberts – This romantic suspense follows the life of its heroine through the world of her father, that of rock and roll. A lot can be said for Nora’s heroes, but in this case it’s the heroine who brings this one home for me...and makes me want to listen to every Beatles and Rolling Stones record I can get my hands on….

Emma. Beautiful, intelligent, and radiantly talented, she lives in a star-studded world of wealth and privilege. But she is about to discover that fame is no protection at all when someone wants you dead. All Emma has to do is close her eyes and she remembers the day Brian McAvoy swept into her life. A frightened toddler, she didn’t know then that she was his illegitimate daughter or that he was pop music’s rising new star. All she knew was that with Brian, his band mates, and his new wife, she felt safe. And when her baby brother arrived, Emma thought she was the luckiest girl in the world—until the night a botched kidnapping attempt shattered all their lives . . . and destroyed Emma’s happiness.

Yet now, even though Emma is still haunted by flashes of memory from that fateful night, she has survived. She’s carved out a thrilling career and even dared to fall rapturously in love. But the man who will become her husband isn’t all that he seems. And Emma is about to awaken to the chilling knowledge that the darkest secret of all is the one buried in her mind—a secret that someone may kill to keep. Emma grew up a frightened, lonely child, the illegitimate result of a pop music star's secret union. When her famous father rescues her and leads her into a star-studded world of wealth and privilege, Emma realizes that she carries a frightening secret--one that someone might kill to have kept private.

Hard to Hold by Stephanie Tyler – Romantic suspense was my first great love so I was thrilled when this one landed on my doorstep along with the other two novels in Tyler’s SEALs trilogy. With this book, she set a fine standard for all the rest to follow. Still, of all the books I’ve read from her backlist, this one refuses to let me go….

The Special Ops hero featured nothing—until he met a woman too hot to hold…. Lieutenant Jake Hansen has survived some of the riskiest missions known to man. But now the wounded Navy SEAL faces his toughest job yet: smuggling Dr. Isabelle Markham out of Africa without triggering an international incident. Not easy to do when the gorgeous hostage happens to be a senator’s daughter—and about as easy to resist as an oasis in the desert.

If it weren’t for Jake, Isabelle would still be halfway across the world, where rebel forces left her for dead. The special ops warrior may have saved her life, but she doesn’t need him to protect her now. Tell that to the ruggedly handsome hunk in full battle fatigues who’s just been assigned as Isabelle’s personal bodyguard. Close quarters aside, Isabelle won’t let Jake anywhere near her heart—until danger throws them together again. And nothing in the jungles of wildest Africa could prepare them for a passion this wild. This crazy. This hot…

Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward – If you’ve been to The Cozy Page before, you’ve heard me brag nonstop about how much I love J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood paranormals. For me, there are two standout books in the romance series. The first is the story of anti-hero, Zsadist. I loved this book because Z was the least likely of his Brothers to fall in love…and when he does, he falls hard. The healing theme and Z and Bella’s journey are both beautiful and unforgettable….

Even within the vampire brotherhood, Zsadist is feared. Still bearing the scars from a tortured past, he is renowned for his unquenchable fury. Anger is his only companion, and terror is his only passion-until he rescues a beautiful female from the evil Lessening Society.

Lover Mine by J.R. Ward – Back to my love affair with handicapped heroes/heroines….this one involves a mute protagonist, John Matthew. I waited for J.M.’s book for what felt like forever and it lived up to all the anticipation and then some. A standout paranormal romance….

Darius, a fallen Brother, has returned to the fold with a new identity and a very different destiny. Now, John Matthew, plunged into the heart of war, must face off against evil incarnate-and rescue his one true love.

Wicked Little Game by Christine Wells – I came by this Regency by chance one day in the bookstore where I worked. I’m so glad I did! Regencies have a hard time standing out from one another, but this one stood out to me. The risk Wells took while crafting the situation between the hero and heroine was well worth it. I recommend this story of forbidden love for its originality alone…

The Marquis of Vane hungers for Lady Sarah from afar as she braves a disastrous marriage. That is until Sarah’s husband makes him an indecent offer: one night with Sarah for ten thousand pounds. Passions explode and lead to a deadly twist of fate that could spell a lifetime of regret—or love.

Ashes in the Wind by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss – Ah, saved the best for last! Woodiwiss is classic romance exemplified. I had the pleasure of reading Ashes in the Wind at the recommendation of my sister-in-law. The best Civil War love story since Gone with the Wind itself – and that’s no exaggeration….

A woman burdened by war...A doctor torn between passion and duty... Alaina MacGaren is forced to flee the devastation of her homeland in the guise of a young boy, only to find sanctuary in the arms of an enemy. Cole Latimer is a dashing Yankee surgeon who has served the Union faithfully, and his tender heart compels him to help a ragged, innocent "lad" in need—never suspecting the rags conceal a bewitching belle suspected of being a rebel spy.

But Alaina's masquerade does not fool Cole for long. And the strength, courage, and breathtaking sensuality of this woman whom it would be treasonous to love sets duty and desire at war within him. Yet Destiny has joined them for good or ill—and they both must follow where their hearts would lead them, if they are to build a glorious new life together out of the ashes of the old.

This marks the end of my list of all-time favorite romance novels! Now it’s time for you to tell me all about yours, Cozies! Do we share some favorites? And since I seem to stick mostly to romantic suspense and historical romance, I’d love to hear your contemporary romance recommendations or any favorites from other sub-genres!

Here’s wishing everyone a very happy Valentine’s Day! Don’t forget to spread the love, peace, and joy today more than any other to loved ones and friends….

***For a free Valentine's-Day-themed read, visit the EXTRAS page of my website and scroll down to the Bonus Materials section where cowboy Casey and his heroine Josie are cooking up some flirty fun!!!

14 Days of Romance: Tanya Hanson

Today 14 Days of Romance continues with author Tanya Hanson whose latest release, Hearts Crossing Ranch, is available now from White Rose Publishing! Take it away, Tanya….

For me, the book that started it all was Little Women. When I was eight years old and read that book for the first of a billion times, I knew someday, somehow, I would be a writer. And I guess in its way, it’s a romance. It does have the HEA, with Jo March meeting her professor.

Or not. Louisa May Alcott didn’t want Jo to marry and matched up her feisty Miss March only because her publisher insisted. Not only did Louisa herself remain a staunchly independent unmarried woman, but her heart really wasn’t into the marriage idea. She’d seen her talented, intellectual mother Abba “kept down” by the drudgery of housework, tending four daughters as well as a helpless dreamer of a husband who felt it demeaned him to work for a living.

Anyway, my two favorite love stories, Romeo and Juliet and Gone with the Wind definitely don’t have HEA. Therefore, they don’t quality as romances. So what to do? What to pick? Out of the thousands of romance novels I’ve read over my lifetime, how do I find the favorite one? To me it’s as impossible as finding a perfect grain of sand on the shore.

One of the early standouts has got to be Kathleen Woodiwiss’s The Wolf and The Dove. When I was a young mom some thirty years ago, I’d treat myself to a new romance novel whenever I did the grocery shopping. In those days, one whole wall of my local supermarket was lined with paperbacks of every subject and genre. I gravitated toward the thickest romance tomes, especially those with glorious heroes on the cover. And that’s how I first met Wulfgar, the Iron Wolf, and Aislinn of Darkenwald, the beautiful Saxon maiden who steals his heart long before he realizes it.

Of course, Aislinn herself burns both with malice toward him and a passion she can’t douse.

To this day I remember his anger at being a bastard and jealousy of Ragnor, his ambition rivaling that of William the Conquerer in whose time the story takes place. I remember Aislin’s purple eyes widening the first time the first time she, and he…Well, you get the picture.

I loved the darkness of the medieval history, the harsh yet somehow elegant British setting. A stormy passion settling into true love. I still love dashing medieval romances with beautiful princesses and daring knights and lords. Yet, I ended up writing about cowboys. Go figure. Then again there are plenty of folks who consider America’s cowboys the knights errant of the plains with their adventurous spirits, respect for womenfolk, and staunch code of honor.

You might enjoy the cowboys of Hearts Crossing Ranch, my eight book inspirational contemporary series from at White Rose Publishing. Book Five will be out soon, and the stories are all stand alone, but a good place to start is Book One, Hearts Crossing Ranch, when a rugged Colorado cowboy falls for a beautiful city slicker on one of his family’s modern-day wagon train trips.

Now for a sneak peek into Hearts Crossing Ranch….

Cowboy Kenn Martin bears the guilt for allowing a coach to ruin his younger brother’s bright athletic future. Feeling unworthy of any happiness, he’s lost his faith in relationships and in God. When he meets Christy Forrest, he begins to hope for redemption but soon learns his past mistakes aren't something she'll easily forgive. 

On the Colorado wagon train adventure planned by her late father, landscape designer Christy Forrest seeks to find peace in the nature she loves. However, she can't let go of her anger at the drunk driver who killed her dad—or the woman who did nothing to stop the man from driving.  Falling for Kenn Martin begins to lighten her heart…until she realizes the handsome cowboy carries heavy a burden all his own—a burden she’s not sure she can accept.

Thank you for sharing your favorite romances with us today, Tanya! Readers, you can find out more about Tanya and her books at her website and the western blog Petticoats & Pistols. Hearts Crossing Ranch is available now at Amazon. For a more in-depth look, watch the book trailer….

14 Days of Romance: Jerri Hines

We’re counting down to Valentine’s Day here at The Cozy Page! Continuing our 14 Days of Romance event is author and friend, Jerri Hines whose favorite romance novel happens to be one of mine, too. Take it away, Jerri….

For a romance author, February is the perfect month. Valentine’s Day…the day for lovers. Cold winter’s nights…snuggling close by a warm crackling fire. A great book…a wonderful love story to immerse one’s self while the snow falls. For me, nothing’s better than escaping into a Romance Novel.

I am an avid reader. I love to read. All different genres, depending on my mood, but I’m partial to romance. I’m such a sap when it comes to a touching love story. I cried reading The Notebook and Love Story. I’ll admit since I was a young girl the poem, “The Highwayman” by Alfred Noyes, has haunted me. Who can forget “And the highwayman came riding—Riding—riding—The highwayman came riding…”

But I confess I have a Cinderella complex. I love a happy ending. When I pick up a romance, happily ever after is what I’m looking for. I have an expectation no matter what obstacles are thrown my heroine’s way, love will conquer all. Taking all that in account, if I had to choose my favorite romance novel, it would be…Ashes in the Wind by Kathleen Woodiwiss. 

I have read Ashes in the Wind numerous times over the years. Still I’m drawn to the characters of the Civil War novel. I love the feisty heroine, Alaina. Once a Southern Belle she disguises herself as boy, fooling the Yankee doctor, Cole…for a while. From the book's blurb-   A woman burdened by war...A doctor torn between passion and duty...A sweeping tale of love in the face of dishonor from the incomparable storyteller--Kathleen Woodiwiss.

Forbidden love. A Southern Belle and a Yankee. What is it that draws us to a love that should never be? But it does though, doesn’t it?

Here is a glimpse into Jerri’s latest release, Daughter of Deceit, which is available now on Amazon and written under Jerri’s pen name, Carrie James Haynes….

Daughter of Deceit's premise is a forbidden love. For the first time, I venture across the ocean to Regency England writing about Lord Julian Casvelyn, who has long lived with the guilt brought on by the death of his brother, a brother killed by George Hythe, England’s most notorious spy. For years, Alyce Hythe, daughter of the infamous traitor, has been hidden away from the prying eyes of London Society, given a new identity and told to forget who she was. Thrown together by fate, the two search for answers long denied them and along the way discover a love that can free them both.

Romance…suspense…with a touch of paranormal. Irresistible to any romance lover!

Shunned from London society for being the daughter of England’s most notorious spy, Alyce Hythe desires only to clear her father’s name. But strange things have been happening causing old rumors to be whispered of mystic ghosts and demons. Only one thing is certain for Alyce...someone wants her dead.

For years Lord Julian Casvelyn has mourned for his dead brother, murdered in cold blood by England’s most infamous traitor. But one eventful night has changed everything Lord Julian believed about his brother’s death. Never did he suspect the woman he has just saved from certain harm is the daughter of that man. Now Julian is caught in midst of a conspiracy and desire for a woman...learning unearthing secrets has a price.

Thank you for sharing your favorite romance as well as your latest release, Jerri! Readers, you can find out more about Daughter of Deceit at her blog and on her Facebook page, Novel Works!

Spreading the Love Day #1

It's my official countdown to Valentine's Day and Day #1 of "Spreading the Love" here at Cozy. For romance readers, there's no better way to celebrate Valentine's than with an HEA love story. I'll be spreading the Valentine's Day cheer with a book-a-day giveaway today, tomorrow, and Sunday (+ an additional prize drawing for those who comment all three days).

Today we're talking about the classics. One of my favorite classic romances is Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind. Before it was a movie, it was a sought-after, Pulizer Prize-winning piece of southern literature. The leap the story made from book to Technocolor screen was not an easy one. When filmmakers first considered the screenplay, Civil War movies weren't popular at the box office. It was clear up front that the only actor who could portray hero Rhett Butler was Clark Gable who was more than reluctant to take the role. The search for the right Scarlet O'Hara was a near disaster. After months of searching, luck brought Vivien Leigh to the night-time set of the Atlanta burning. The movie opened in 1939 in Altanta and was celebrated by parades, fanfare, and droves of screaming fans. For twenty long years, it held Academy Award-winning records with ten wins and is ranked number four American Film Institute's Top 100 American Films of All Time - beaten only by The Godfather (3), Casablanca (2), and Citizen Kane (1). Gone with the Wind was oddly the only book Margaret Mitchell completed before her untimely death. At a whopping 1037 pages (first edition), some might say it's no wonder she never sought to publish another manuscript.

When I picked up Gone with the Wind, I was already a fan of the movie. And though Clark Gable brought Rhett Butler to life onscreen, he was just as alive on the page. From the first paragraph, Mitchell painted plantation in full color. The journey through the Civil War, the death of the Old South, and the political intrigues of post-war Reconstruction in Atlanta swept me away. Though it was the longest book I'd ever read at the time, I couldn't put it down. And so Gone with the Wind remains one of my favorite romantic novels of all time.

Unfortunately, this story doesn't come with a HEA most of today's romances do. One that does though and is as richly vibrant as Margaret Mitchell's classic is another Civil War tale by the late Kathleen E. Woodiwiss: Ashes in the Wind. Romance readers never forget their first Woodiwiss romance. This was mine. It starts in New Orleans with the hero, Yankee surgeon Cole Latimer, convinced that heroine Alaina MacGaren, a wanted southern woman, is a boy. While Gone with the Wind's focus centers around the events of the Civil War, Ashes in the Wind follows the events of runaway Alaina's life and the delightful events of her relationship with the dashing Yankee. Published in the early days of the reigning romance industry (1979), it remains my favorite story of this classic author's backlist (and a recommended comfort read for snowy weather).

Last we come to the queen of romance herself. In an industry that pressures authors to be "hotter", we too often forget what romance really means. Whenever I need this reminder, I turn to Jane Austen. For me, Austen's books are the epitome of romance. Rhett Butler may be the first rogue hero, but Darcy was the first romance hero. His character and that of heroine of Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth Bennet, and some of the most celebrated characters in all of literature. And at its core, Pride and Prejudice as well as Sense and Sensibility, Northanger Abbey, Mansfield Park, Emma, and Persuasion are all love stories with HEAs. Austen opened the doors to not only women's fiction but the romance world as well and tops my list of classic favorites.

Today we'll close with out first book-a-day giveaway. I have a hardback edition of The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler. To enter the win the drawing for it, just comment and tell me what classic romance novels (prior to the 1980's) top your favorites list! The winner will be chosen randomly and announced on Monday, February 15th so check back in to see if you have won. (Chances of winning depend on the number of entires. You must be 18 years or older to enter.)

And spt! There's only a couple more days to vote historical romance Forever Amore Best Book of the 2009 at LASR! Polls close on Valentine's....