The August Read & Watch Challenge: Let's Get EPIC

August 2, 2017 Roni Loren

So confession: I completely missed July's Read and Watch Challenge. Being up against a book deadline and getting ready for the RWA conference pretty much buried me. I shut down all social media and had to buckle down to get the book done. I also was reading all non-fiction since I was so focused on keeping my head in my story and didn't want to add more fiction in there. So I apologize for missing the month! But I'm back now and ready to tackle August's Read & Watch theme: EPIC

The basic premise of the challenge is that each month, you read a book and watch a TV show/movie that play to the theme. If you want more details on the Read & Watch challenge, you can still join in. Just click here to see the other themes. And even if you're not doing the challenge, stick around for some book and tv recs. : )

Okay, so "epic" can mean a lot of different things to different people. For me, when I think of epic, I think of stories that span a large amount of time or a lot of characters. When I read a story that is epic, it stays with me for a longer time than a typical book. I feel like I've lived with the characters and they are now permanent residents in my memory. Epic books stick longer. And typically, they are literally longer--page-count wise. Or, they are part of a long-running series that follows the same characters. Harry Potter, for example.

I also find that epic books are a double-edged sword because on one hand, they are the books that stick with me and often become lifelong favorites BUT they are also intimidating as hell because they're often SO big, which means I'm reluctant to pick them up in the first place. Anyone with an out of control TBR pile knows that feeling--I could read this giant book OR I could read three shorter ones. But that's why I wanted to choose this as a theme. I almost never regret having picked up one of the long books, so I need to make myself get over that intimidation factor.

So, what would I recommend if you're looking for something epic?

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

I know many of you have probably read this already or have watched the TV show, but this is always the one that first comes to mind when I think of epic. The book is long and has a lot of history woven in, which is fascinating in its own right, but at it's core, the love story between Jamie and Claire is what has stayed with me. Even with my faulty memory these days, this story hasn't left my brain.

11/22/63 by Stephen King

King is really the, well, king of the long ass book. I could recommend a few different ones of his for this theme. And I will have another below that I'm picking as a reread for me. But I'm choosing this one because if you're not into horror, you don't have to be scared of this one. The premise is that a guy in present day finds a wormhole back to a few years before the Kennedy assassination. He tries to stop it from happening. Along the way, he meets a woman and there is a romance thread as well--which was a nice surprise. This is also now a TV show, which I haven't watched yet, but I loved the book. It was fascinating and character driven and just so well done.

The Original Sinners series by Tiffany Reisz

If you want your epic in sexy form, grab these. I know I've talked about these books here before, but they are a fantastic example of an erotic series that is about so much more than sex. You will follow the characters through so many stages of their lives and they will feel real to you--like they are living their lives in some place you just haven't visited yet. Highly recommend.

The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare

Another TV show (Shadowhunters). But I read the books years ago and they've stayed with me. This is YA urban fantasy/paranormal so a little outside of what I typically recommend here, but I raced through this series and loved it. Love triangles and hot warriors and kickass ladies. I'm so there for it.

The Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead

Oh, how I devoured these books. Another YA paranormal (I was going through a phase, with the rest of the world) but these are SO good. Don't let the vampire theme scare you. It's very well done and unique. And the love story in this one does feel epic to me. I love me some Dmitry. And just writing this makes me want to reread them because I haven't read them in years. Damn. *adds back to TBR pile*

What I'll Be Reading

It by Stephen King

I read this in high school and it has always stayed with me (in my mind and on my shelf.) It's one of my favorite horror books of all time. But with the new movie coming out, I really want to reread it with adult eyes. So my goal is to take that doorstop down from the shelf and start it again.

What I'll Be Watching

Gilmore Girls

This is an ongoing project. I'm only in season 2 because I don't get a lot of alone TV time, but I've loved the journey so far.

11/22/63

Hubs and I both read the book, so I've been wanting to watch the Hulu series to see how it compares.

So those are my picks, what would be your picks for EPIC? What will you be reading and watching this month?

Need a Stress Break? A Fun and Sexy Thanksgiving Read

November 14, 2016 Roni Loren

I've been away from the blog and newsletter for a little longer than I normally am, but I'm sure like many of you, I needed a break from social media and the internet. Sometimes you have to go in self-care, cocooning mode. And what always helps me when I'm feeling that way is a great book. I needed something escapist, light-hearted, and funny and I found it in Her Naughty Holiday by Tiffany Reisz.

I enjoyed the first book in her Men at Work series, so I knew I was probably safe jumping into book two (though you don't need to have read book one.) This was a fun and sexy story with low angst and a super hot single dad. Also, the teen daughter was fantastic. Lots of humor throughout and great banter. It was just what I needed. Plus, it's Thanksgiving themed so perfect for this time of year.

So if you're looking for a read to cheer you up, grab this one. :)

Back cover:

A feast she wasn't expecting!

Clover Greene would sooner crawl into her oven than host family for Thanksgiving dinner. Yet another annual ritual of too much food, served with a side of criticism over "Clover's Bad Life Choices." This year, she needs to distract them all—with a handsome fake boyfriend. And she has the perfect guy in mind.

Contractor Erick Fields is the poster boy for sexy single dads, and Clover has been secretly crushing on him for ages. She certainly wasn't expecting Erick to agree to her insane charade…or to add lots of hot, wicked sex to the deal. If they can pull it off, the worst Thanksgiving ever might give them something to be really thankful for!

So what are you reading right now? Anyone have a great escapist read recommendation?

Need a fun October Read? Her Halloween Treat by Tiffany Reisz

September 26, 2016 Roni Loren

It's almost October and that's one of my favorite times of the year. We don't get much Fall here in Dallas, but the two or three weeks we do get, I cherish. And as soon as October starts, I start thinking about Halloween. Not so much because I'm all that into the day itself, but because of all the things that come with it. Cooler weather, horror movies on TV, that signal that the holiday season is starting. Love it.

So this weekend (when it was still 90 degrees outside--ugh), I picked up Tiffany Reisz's Her Halloween Treat. It turned out to be the perfect read to get me in the mindset for fall--particularly because it's set in Oregon (the part of the country where I eventually want to live). But beyond the Halloween theme and fall mood, the book was a really fun, sexy read. I always enjoy the humor in Tiffany's books. The characters in the story are people who sound like my friends, which I love.

So if you're looking for a quick, funny, steamy read, this one's a good choice. Plus, it's worth reading for all the 80s and 90s references alone. ;)

(Disclosure: I know Tiffany and we share an agent, but she didn't ask me to review this book and I purchased my own copy.)

About the book:

Trick…or wicked treat!

It was a devastating dirty trick—Joey Silvia just found out her boyfriend of two years is married. What. A. Dick. Joey knows her best chance to get over one guy is to get under another. Of course, heading home to her family's remote cabin in Oregon poses some challenges in the "available men" department…until she discovers this cabin comes with its own hot handyman!

Holy crap, Chris Steffensen. When did her brother's best friend turn into a hard-bodied pile of blond-bearded hotness? He's the perfect Halloween treat—and a surprisingly dirty rebound guy. For a couple of weeks, anyway. Except that Chris has other ideas…like proving to Joey that this blast from the past is a whole lot more than a naughty Halloween hookup.

Grab a copy: Amazon | B&N | Kobo

Books in my Mailbox & Fun Stuff Happening Next Week

July 8, 2016 Roni Loren

My heart is heavy today with all that's happening in the country and what happened in my own town last night, so this is going to be a brief post. But I wanted to share the books I've picked up this week and also give you a heads up about the RWA conference.

I won't be blogging next week because I'll be heading to San Diego for the Romance Writers of America conference. If you're around the San Diego area, there's a giant charity book signing that will be happening Wednesday night. I'll be there along with hundreds of other romance authors. Stop by and see me. :)

There will also be our fancy romance writer awards (The RITAs) on Saturday night, which will be broadcast live online on RWA's website. I have two books nominated. BREAK ME DOWN is nominated for Best Erotic Romance and NICE GIRLS DON'T RIDE is up for Best Novella. So if I'm lucky, I'll get to test out if I can actually walk and not fall in the high heels I bought. o.0 I'm having outfit angst because me and dresses don't get along. But I promise I won't show up to the ceremony in jeans.

All right, on to the book haul for the week. Though I like ebooks and have read about half and half on ebook vs. print over the last five years, lately I've been on a print kick. And oddly enough, on a hardback kick, which is new. But anyway, here's what I've got in my stack:

The Bourbon Thief by Tiffany Reisz - Full disclosure, Tiffany and I share an agent and are friends, but she's an autobuy for me because of her writing. This one is Literary Fiction and not romance, but when I like an author, I trust them enough to follow them to different genres.

The Sun In Your Eyes by Deborah Shapiro - Also Lit Fic, which isn't my usual thing, but I've been in the mood to read some lately. I'm not sure where I saw this book featured originally, but the blurb captured my attention. It has rock 'n' roll, a road trip, intense female friendship in college, and then what happens when these two women meet again later in life. They pretty much had me at the road trip, rock 'n' roll thing. Plus, I find best friend female friendships fascinating and not unlike romance in their intensity, especially when we're young.

Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage by Jennifer Ashley - If you saw my blog post on the first book in this series, The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie, earlier this week, this won't be a surprise. I loved book one, so of course I had to buy the next. :) Steamy, smart historical romance.

Also, a quick reminder that WANDERLUST is only a week and a half away! If you' haven't pre-ordered your copy yet, grab one for only $3.99! This is a full length novel (Harlequin length) and stands alone from my other series, though you may get a wee glance of Pike pre-CALL ON ME. ;)

Get your copy:

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks | Google Play

READ CHAPTER ONE here

All right, that's all I've got for y'all today. I hope you all have a good weekend.

What to Read: Dark Romance - My Recommendations

September 2, 2015 Roni Loren

I'm starting a new series of blogs today called What To Read. I did something similar a few years ago, but I figured it was time to tackle a few other subgenres and to update some recs on older ones. Today, I'm focusing on dark romance--one of my favorites.

Now, the definition of "dark" can vary widely from person to person. A really gritty romantic suspense could be considered dark if you focus on the fact that there is violence or murders or serial killers. But that's not what I'm talking about today. For my purposes, a dark romance is one that has an anti-hero, a villain type as the lead guy, and/or completely mindf*cks you. The usual lines of morality are blurred. These are the guys who you really wouldn't want to mess with in real life, but who are so interesting to read about.

When I read these, I have that thought--wow, I really shouldn't be rooting for these people or liking this hero or wanting this person to get the girl. But I do. And I can't help it, lol. Hence, the mindf*ck. I love when an author can pull that off.

And the key for me that separates this from just reading about really bad people is that even when the main guy is an anti-hero, he always has some seed that keeps you with him. It could be his version of his own moral code, some line he won't cross. Or something happens and he's redeemed on some level(as much as one of these guys can be redeemed.) Or the backstory is so well-crafted that you get it. You understand why he is the way he is. Usually, very bad things have happened to him. So you see the humanity underneath the dangerous, broken parts.

Now, a trigger warning. Some of these books go to really dark places. Uncomfortable places. In many ways, that's the beauty of fiction. You can step in and out of the world and still be safe. However, if you have triggers around rape, violence, or anything in that zone, you may want to steer clear of these.

Okay, so recommendations. And note, none of these authors have asked me to feature their books or given me copies in exchange for promotion. These are my own personal recs of books I've read.

Recommendations

*Click book covers for more info

One of the ones that has stuck with me as of late is Prisoner by Skye Warren and Annika Martin. Skye is one of the first authors I saw doing truly dark romance. Her books pull no punches. They go there. The heroes are often very bad men, but you want to read about them and the heroines. She has a number of books out there, but her collaboration with Annika is probably my favorite. Prisoner is about...a prisoner (surprise!) who kidnaps the heroine when he escapes. I also enjoyed Love the Way You Lie.

This next duet is one that will mind*ck you. You really, really don't want to feel any sympathy for the guy. He's so very villain-y...until you find out why. Captive in the Dark and Seduced in the Dark by CJ Roberts. All the trigger warnings for this one, y'all.

The Last Hour of Gann by R. Lee Smith is a little (a lot) left of center from the others. It's Sci-Fi and LOOOOONG. And, uh, the hero is an alien/lizard man. I know, I know. Believe me, if I hadn't seen a lot of people whose opinion I trust recommending it all over when it came out, I never would've picked it up. But it ended up being one of my favorite reads of whichever year I read it. The hero lives by different rules (you know, he's on an alien on a different planet and all) and the heroine is human. But the journey he goes on is truly worth reading.

Like Dexter? Try One Cut Deeper by Joely Sue Burkhart. She does a good job of making the hero sympathetic even though he's about as dangerous a man as one can be. This one has blood play, knife play, and edgy BDSM scenes. You've been warned.

Okay, so what if you're curious about dark romance but you don't want to jump into the deep end quite yet? Here are some suggestions for books that are dark in theme but still have heroes with strong moral codes who you can feel good about.

I recommend Tiffany Reisz's Original Sinners series all over the place. Full disclosure: We share an agent and know each other. But honestly, that has nothing to do with my love for her books. The series is well-written, sexy, and intense. Expect lots of BDSM, a sadist priest who you'll love, and a long list of characters who will stay with you for a long time.

Asking For It by Lilah Pace is one that has a dark theme but likable characters. This and the follow-up book, Begging For It, tackle the issue of rape fantasy. It's a tough topic, but the author handles it with a deft hand.