ESCAPE with these Read & Watch Picks from Brighton Walsh!

June 1, 2017 Roni Loren

It's that time again! The first of the month and time for this month's Read and Watch picks for the challenge. If you want the 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 great book recs!

This month we're welcoming summer with an ESCAPE theme and have author Brighton Walsh as a guest to help us out.

Now, though "escape" is clearly related to summer and vacations and such, don't feel confined by that. Escape can also mean a book or movie about someone escaping a serial killer or escaping to another universe or escaping a bad marriage. Or it could just be a book that provides you an escape to another world. However you want to interpret it is up to you! But Brighton and I do have some suggestions if you're looking for a place to start.

But first, meet Brighton!

Brighton Walsh spent nearly a decade as a professional photographer before deciding to take her storytelling in a different direction and reconnect with her first love: writing. When she’s not pounding away at the keyboard, she’s probably either reading or shopping—maybe even both at once. She lives in the Midwest with her husband and two children, and, yes, she considers forty degrees to be hoodie weather. Her home is the setting for frequent dance parties, Lego battles, and more laughter than she thought possible. Website: www.brightonwalsh.com

And now let's let her take it away with her picks...

Book

I tried not to think too hard on the word escape and just recommend the first things that came to mind. In the case of books, that was Jill Shalvis’s Lucky Harbor series. I fell in love with Jill’s books long before the people of Lucky Harbor came into my life, but this series is what made me a lifetime fan of hers. These books all focus not only on the relationship of the hero and heroine and their various friends and family, but also treats the town as a character in and of itself. It’s easy to picture yourself in the quaint little town, and I always compared it to the literary version of Stars Hollow. The lush descriptions and quirky characters make Lucky Harbor the perfect getaway when you need to escape for a while.

TV Show

Choosing a TV show was slightly harder. I have a lot of comfort watches, but in the end I picked HGTV’s Island Hunters. This show is like House Hunters on crack. And I’ll admit, I spend the entire time these lucky people are choosing their own private island getaway pretending it’s me. As soon as I sell a million books, I’m totally getting my own island. Until then, the next best thing is watching someone else do so (and shouting at the TV telling them which choice is the right one).

Thanks, Brighton! And be sure to check out Brighton's latest book, Paige In Progress, which also looks like a great choice for an escape. :)

About the book:

She wanted a one-night stand...and then he moved in next door.

Paige Bennett is more than content with her life and what she does—and does not—have in it. She’s got a supportive family, a great apartment, and the best friend a girl could ask for; so what if her relationships expire faster than a carton of milk? After a disastrous detour courtesy of poor judgment in the boyfriend department, her plan is back on track and her dream job is finally within her grasp. Nothing can make her lose focus now. Well, nothing except the one-night stand she had with her best friend’s surrogate brother. The one-night stand she can’t stop thinking about.

Adam Reid has always been reliable...the responsible son, the loyal friend, the steady boyfriend. Two years ago, he graduated Magna Cum Laude and is well on his way to making a name for himself at an accounting firm in Denver—a far cry from working as a helper in the Mom and Pop store his parents own in Michigan. But when said store starts failing, he’s the only one who can step in and help. So reliable Adam does what he always does, and he comes to the rescue.

Paige thought Adam was a safe bet because he lives halfway across the country. But then suddenly he’s moving back to their town, and then into her apartment building, and soon he’s worming his way right into her life. If she’s not careful, he might sneak his way into her heart, too...

Roni's Recommendations

Books

For a warm mother/daughter story with a touch of romance, go for Every Wild Heart by Meg Donohue. I really loved this one and it was the perfect light summer read. See my full review here.

I loved this one so hard, y'all. My full review is here. But this One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid will sweep you away, break your heart, and then put it safely back together, leaving you feeling all warm and fuzzy afterward. One of my favorite reads of the year so far.

And if you really want to take the ESCAPE theme to the next level, escape to another world. A Promise of Fire will introduce you to a fascinating world with a tough-ass heroine and a swoony hero. This is a series but this first book doesn't end on a big cliffhanger or anything. Full review here.

Shameless Promotion

If you're looking for a quick read about escaping your life for a summer with a super hot guy, grab a copy of Nice Girls Don't Ride. Summery escapist fun. Plus, it won a RITA award for best novella last year! (And psst, it's only $1.99)

TV Show/Movie

If you follow me on social media, you may have seen my ranting about the remake of Dirty Dancing. I don't even want to talk about it. I'm still slightly scarred. BUT this just means that it's time for a rewatch of the original. This is my favorite movie of all time and nothing sweeps me away like going to Kellerman's with Baby and Johnny. I know I'll be watching it again this month.

What I Plan to Read for the Challenge:

I'm currently reading The Dry which fits the escape theme because it's set in Australia. And I have these other two on my TBR. The Identicals because it looks like the perfect summery read and will be part of my Book of the Month order. (Join Book of the Month with this link and get 3 months for only 9.99 a month, which is way cheaper than what you can get the hardcovers for any other place. For instance, The Identicals is 19 bucks on Amazon. And it makes the first of the month more fun because you get to see what the new pics are. Note, this is an affiliate link but I haven't been asked to promote it and I'm a full paying customer. I just love it and like to share.) And Someday, Someday Maybe, which is written by the actress from Gilmore Girls and is about an actress, which sounds like escapist fun.

What I'll Be Watching:

Besides a rewatch of Dirty Dancing, I will be eagerly awaiting the start of Big Brother at the end of the month. It is tradition at our house and it's one of those things that screams "it's summertime!" to me.

Now it's your turn. What are you planning to read or watch this month to escape?

Diverse Read & Watch Picks for May & Win a Book!

May 1, 2017 Roni Loren

Happy May! I'm not sure how it's May already (isn't it only March?), but that's what the calendar keeps telling me, so I'm forced to believe them. The good news is that this means it's time for this month's picks for the Read and Write challenge!

If you're unfamiliar with the challenge, each month has a theme word, and I have guests recommend books, TV shows, and movies that go with the theme. I also throw in some of my own recs.

This month's theme is RAINBOW because it's spring and storm/tornado season in Texas and I can't wait for that scary part of the year to be done. Bring on the rainbows! But the theme also gives us a great opportunity to give extra focus to diverse, own voices, and LGBTQ reads for the month. And I have some fantastic guests ready to give you some great recommendations!

Plus, there's a CONTEST. So stay tuned until the end for a chance to win a book!

First up, author Robin Covington! A little about Robin...

A USAToday bestseller, Robin Covington loves to explore the theme of fooling around and falling in love in her books. Her stories burn up the sheets. . .one page at a time. When she’s not writing she’s collecting tasty man candy, indulging in a little comic book geek love, hoarding red nail polish and stalking Chris Evans.

A 2016 RITA® Award nominee, Robin’s books have won the National Reader’s Choice and Golden Leaf Awards and finaled in the Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice, the Book Seller’s Best and the Award of Excellence.

She lives in Maryland with her hilarious husband, her two brilliant children (they get it from her, of course!), and her beloved furbabies, Dutch and Dixie Joan Wilder.

Robin's website

Robin's Picks

Hey ya’ll! Many thanks to Roni for letting me visit with you and share my picks for LGBTQ books, tv and film!

I’m Robin Covington and I’m the product of a fine southern storytelling tradition, mixed in with the love of music and a liberal dash of moonshine bootlegging bravado! I write sexy contemporary and erotic romance that burns up the sheets . . . one page at a time.

Here are my picks for the month . ..

TV:

I’ve had two fantastic LGBTQ TV experiences lately. The first is the web series called, THE OUTS. Over two seasons the series chronicles the lives of Jack and Mitchell, ex-lovers who start out as-less-than-friends and then make their way back to an indestructible friendship. The writing is crisp and hilarious and sometimes poignant as their social circle includes the bitchily-lovable Oona, the wise-beyond-his-years Paul (aka Scruffy) and Alan Cumming. The first season is free on the show website, while the second season is available on Vimeo. Season three is in the works!

I had to also tell you about LONDON SPY. This show was a roller coaster from the first episode the last second of the final and 7th installment. Lost London party boy, Denny, falls for the serious and inexperienced Alex but when Alex gets killed, Denny learns that his life has been a jigsaw of lies and truth. It’s riveting, breath-taking and engrossing. Jim Boradbent and Charlotte Rampling bring their decades of acting chops to the screen but Ben Wishaw steals every scene as the devastated Denny who finds out he’s way stronger than he thought he was.

I watched it on Netflix – so bonus!

Movie:

I recently watched BOY MEETS GIRL on Netflix as well and I was enchanted by the candid portrayal of a transgender young woman exploring love and her options for the future as she graduates high school and heads out into the world from her small town. I really loved that the main character was played by Michelle Hendley, a transgender woman. I’ve been searching for books, film and literature to help me understand the challenges and joys of transgender people and this film helped me grow in my knowledge. It thought it was charming, funny and poignant with characters and a story that were universal. I loved it.

I watched it on Netflix and then I tuned into Hendley’s video blog which is funny and very honest about her transition and her life. (

Next up is author Lex Chase! A little about Lex...

Lex Chase once heard Stephen King say in a commercial, “We’re all going to die, I’m just trying to make it a little more interesting.” Now, she’s on a mission to make the world a hell of a lot more interesting.

Weaving tales of cinematic, sweeping adventure—and depending on how she feels that day—Lex sprinkles in high-speed chases, shower scenes, and more explosions than a Hollywood blockbuster. Her pride is in telling stories of men who kiss as much as they kick ass. If you’re going to march into the depths of hell, it better be beside the one you love.

Lex is a pop culture diva, her DVR is constantly backlogged, she has intense emotions about Hannibal's Hannigram, and unapologetically loved the ending of Lost. She wouldn’t last five minutes without technology in the event of the apocalypse and has nightmares about refusing to leave her cats behind.

Lex's website

Lex's Pick

TV Show:

For LGBT television, my #1 recommendation is NBC's Hannibal. All three seasons are streaming for free on Amazon Prime.

Why I would rec a show about Hannibal Lecter? It's actually a gay love story played out on mainstream television. Our hero is FBI agent and social misfit, Will Graham, who has settled for the idea he'll never fit in anywhere. Upon the first time he and Hannibal cross paths, Hannibal sees something special in him. A bond so strong, it's one that you can feel in your soul. For that one person to not only get you, but fully understand who and what you are under all the layers we put on ourselves. It's a love story without being about the love story, which is lovely.

And yes, there's cannibalism, but really, Hannibal makes them look goddamn tasty. It is a beautiful psychological horror show after all. Also Mads Mikkelsen and Hugh Dancy are pretty easy on the eyes. Just sayin'. Even if you don't think the show is your jam, just try it. Trust me.

But you don't have to take my word for it. This YouTuber sums it up best.

Next up is author Tamsen Parker! First, a little about Tamsen...

Tamsen Parker is a stay-at-home mom by day, USA Today bestselling erotic romance writer by naptime. Her novella CRAVING FLIGHT was named to the Best of 2015 lists of Heroes and Heartbreakers, Smexy Books, Romance Novel News, and Dear Author. Heroes and Heartbreakers called her Compass series “bewitching, humorous, erotically intense and emotional.”

She lives with her family outside of Boston, where she tweets too much, sleeps too little and is always in the middle of a book. Aside from good food, sweet rieslings and gin cocktails, she has a fondness for monograms and subway maps. She should really start drinking coffee.

Tamsen's website

Tamsen's Picks

Books

An Unseen Attraction by KJ Charles: For my money, KJ Charles is one of the best writers in romance right now. I loved this m/m historical because includes a PoC hero, and the main characters aren't Dukes or Earls, but the proprietor of a boarding house and a taxidermist.

Hold Me Down by Sara Taylor Woods: This is a BDSM coming-of-age novel, and one I hope budding kinksters get their hands on. It's an #ownvoices story with a Jewish heroine and I love seeing faith integrated in non-Inspirationals.

And finally, it's time for a few of my picks...

Roni's Picks

Books:

This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel

This book was one of my Friday Reads a while back and you can see my full review here, but this is about a loving family and how the handle things when they're youngest son starts saying he's a girl. This story was funny, touching, and loving. The whole family is full of people you'd like to know. And it really makes you think about how, as parents, we often have to make huge decisions for our children that could affect them long-term, and we usually don't have all the information (because it can't be known), so it's a leap of faith and trusting your gut.

The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon - I read this one earlier in the year and it's stuck with me. It was so fantastic. Two teens meet in NYC and spend the whole day together. But it's so much more than that. It's about how one day and one person can make a difference in the whole trajectory of your life. It was romantic, funny, poignant, heartbreaking, and ultimately uplifting. It fits the rainbow them because the cast is diverse (the heroine is Jamaican, the hero Korean-American) and the cover has a pretty rainbow theme! My full review is here.

Movies:

Queen of Katwe - I saw this one with kidlet. It's based on a true story about a girl in Uganda who discovers she has an amazing talent for chess. It was a great movie that I enjoyed, but also a bonus that my normally easily distracted in non-cartoon movies kidlet was into as well.

Hidden Figures - I saw this one with my son as well and it was phenomenal. If you haven't seen it yet. Watch. Now.

Thank you to our guests for this month! While you're grabbing your Read and Watch picks, check out their newest books, too!

Third by Robin Covington

Dr. Carla Androghetti is not interested in compromise.

With a thriving psychiatry practice in Washington, D.C. and a fulfilling position as a sexual third in a threesome with couples at Club D, she's living just the way she wants. When the murder of a famous former bedmate brings a sexy, tempting cop into her life, she indulges in an affair as sizzling as it is dangerous. Finding a man who can love her and accept her kink is a dream she’d given up a long time ago.

Homicide Detective Aiden Cross takes no prisoners.

Usually nothing can distract him from a case, but a sexy shrink with an unusual kink has him losing his laser-focus on the job. He’s been burned before by a cheating ex-wife and he doesn’t share, so why does he keep finding himself in the bed of a woman who breaks all his rules?

Passion will force them to take a risk.

When forbidden desire takes them to the edge of their personal limits, their walls will need to crumble if they have any chance together.

Americana Fairytale by Lex Chase

Modern fairy-tale princess Taylor Hatfield has problems. One: he’s a guy. Two: his perfect brother Atticus is the reincarnation of Snow White. Three: Taylor has no idea which princess he is supposed to be. Four: Taylor just left his prince (a girl) at the altar. Despite his enchanted lineage, Taylor is desperate to find his Happily Ever After away from magic, witches, and stuffy traditions. Regrettably, destiny has other plans for him. Dammit.

When word reaches Taylor that Idi the Witchking has captured Atticus, Taylor is determined to save his brother. He enlists the help of rakish and insufferable Corentin Devereaux, likewise of enchanted lineage. A malicious spell sends Taylor and Corentin on a road trip through the kitschy nostalgia of roadside Americana. To save Atticus, they must solve the puzzles put forth by Idi the Witchking. As they struggle, Taylor and Corentin’s volatile partnership sparks a flash of something more. But princesses have many enemies, and Taylor must keep his wits about him because there’s nothing worse than losing your heart… or your head.

His Custody by Tamsen Parker

He needs to be a better man for her sake, but she makes him want to be so bad...

Keyne O’Connell leads a charmed life. She has a caring family and a terrific boyfriend. Her senior year is about to begin, and her future looks bright. But one dark summer night robs her of everyone she loves, thrusting her into the care of her boyfriend’s intimidating, much older brother.

Dark and brooding, Jasper Andersson is not a good man. His business dealings are barely legal. He’s a womanizer and a casual drug user. He has no interest in becoming Keyne’s guardian, although given her limited options, he doesn’t have much of a choice. He knows he must protect her at whatever the cost.

But living in close quarters soon stirs up feelings inside them both that are far from platonic. Keyne needs a firm hand to keep her in line, but what she desires could lead Jasper into trouble...

QUICK NOTE:

BY THE HOUR came out last week! If you haven't grabbed your copy yet, what are you waiting for? ;) Read the first chapter here or just get yourself the whole thing!

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks | Indiebound

Also, a huge thank you to everyone who has bought, read, reviewed, and spread the word about it. Huge hugs!

About the book:

From the New York Times bestselling author of Off the Clockcomes a story of love, hate, and the fire that ignites when the two collide...

Dr. Elle McCray has a plan. Work hard. Be the best. And do it alone. After her ex-husband’s betrayal, she’s learned being feared is a hell of a lot easier than being humiliated. So when trouble personified, Lane Cannon, dares to flirt with her, she shuts him down cold. Too gorgeous. Too cocky. And his job as The Grove’s sexual surrogate is to sleep with patients. No, thank you.

Former escort Lane Cannon has spent enough years with people looking down on him. Stupid. Trailer trash. Rent boy. He’s heard it all. He’s worked too hard to shed his past to let some haughty doctor cut him down. But something about Elle’s ice queen act has his dominant instincts perking up and his body taking notice. He can’t walk away.

After an evening of verbal sparring turns into a night of steamy hate sex, Lane’s ready for round two. But Elle proposes a business deal. How better to keep things strictly physical than to pay him for his services?

Lane wants her, not her money. But he’ll play along in exchange for one thing—all the control. It’s only supposed to be a dirty little fling between colleagues, but these two are about to learn a lesson in love…by the hour.

CONTEST ALERT:

This month as a thank you to our guests, I'll give away a copy of one of the guest's books to three different winners.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now it's your turn. What are you planning to read and watch this month? And let us know if you have any recs for this month's theme!

April Read & Watch Picks with Author Maggie Wells!

April 1, 2017 Roni Loren

How is it April already? March was a blink. But you know what the first of the month means, a new Read & Watch theme and a guest with recommendations!

April's theme word is TIME. And I invited author Maggie Wells to join us and give us her picks for this month's theme. If you haven't seen this challenge before, each month has a new theme word that you can interpret however you'd like. You can join in at any time and can get all the details on the challenge here.

First, a little more about Maggie:

Maggie Wells is a deep-down dirty girl with a weakness for hot heroes and happy endings. By day she is buried in spreadsheets, but at night she pens tales of people tangling up the sheets. The product of a charming rogue and a shameless flirt, this mild-mannered married lady has a naughty streak a mile wide.

Fueled by supertankers of Diet Coke, Maggie juggles fictional romance and the real deal by keeping her slow-talking Southern gentleman constantly amused and their two grown children mildly embarrassed.

All right, now I'll turn it over to Maggie and let her tell you her picks!

Maggie's Picks

BOOK:

I admit it, my instinctive response to the word “TIME” is Outlander! But I shall refrain and travel a less obvious path. Not that choosing to spend time with James Alexander Malcolm Mackenzie Fraser is ever wrong…

The book I want to share this month was once my least favorite book from one of my favorite authors. It wasn’t until I read The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen a second time, that I truly came to appreciate all of its glorious nuance.

For those who haven’t read it yet, I’ll share just this one quote:

“It feels like he's taken your heart, doesn't it? Like he's reached in and pulled it out from you. And I bet he smiles like he doesn't know, like he doesn't know he's holding your heart in his hand and you're dying from him.”

If you have read The Sugar Queen, it may not seem like a good fit for this month’s theme at first glance, but to me, this book is all about time. Each character has a different relationship with time. Josey is waiting for her life to start. Margaret is holding her breath until enough time passes for scandal to fade away. Chloe has put her own life on hold. Jake destroys everything he loves in a rash moment. Adam is simply killing time because he doesn’t quite know what to do next. And then, there’s Della Lee, who has just enough time left to show them all how they are wasting their most precious commodity.

Movie:

For this one, I chose one of my all-time favorites: Big Fish.

Again, this may not seem like an obvious choice for the theme, but bear with me. Will Bloom has only a brief window of opportunity to mend his strained relationship with his dying father. But unlike other movies with the same sort of theme, Big Fish takes us, and Will, along on the epic adventures of his father, Ed Bloom’s, life.

Let’s face it, most of us think our parents are frozen in time. Our time. They are simply Mom and Dad. The rule makers. Those ever-present forces that shape our lives for better or worse. I think many us don’t really get an opportunity to know our parents as people with hopes, dreams, and adventures of their own. I know I didn’t, and now it’s too late for me to ask them to tell me their version of their story.

So, yeah, use your time wisely. Watch Big Fish with one or both of your parents, if you can. If you’re lucky, you may be able to use it as a springboard to pry a few of their fish stories from them.

TV:

Okay, fine, I have to say it—Outlander!

A time-traveling woman from the 20th century.

A Scottish highlander from the 18th century.

Love. War. Desire. Jealousy. Kilts. Greed. Shenanigans.

I’m usually not a fan of book-to-screen adaptations, but I think Ronald D. Moore and the gang are doing a bang-up job of adapting the books for the series. If you haven’t given it a peek yet, take the time!

Thanks so much, Maggie! And I'm totally with her on Outlander. I haven't read or seen the others, but Outlander...yessss.

Now that you Maggie has excellent taste, you should check out her book!

A BOLT FROM THE BLUE by Maggie Wells

Available April 4th from Kensington/Lyrical Press

True love, like lightning, never strikes twice—or does it?

As a free-spirited young woman, Hope Elliot was desperate to escape her snobbish high society family. So she ran off to Paris, where she lived for twenty-five years. Now widowed, she’s come home to settle her family’s massive lakefront estate. But before she can put her mother’s house on the market, it needs a major renovation. Enter master electrician Mick McInnes, a traditional guy who’s about to turn her life upside down . . .

Aside from the fact that Mick is hopelessly attracted to his latest client, Hope represents everything he doesn’t want in a woman. She’s ridiculously rich and adventurous, yet she doesn’t seem to know much about the real world. Besides, his policy is to never get involved with clients. But he can’t seem to resist the Chicago heiress’s sizzling advances—and soon enough finds himself in her bed, feeling like a teenager once again. And like teenagers, the two of them will just have to convince their families that opposites can not only attract, but they can also make the perfect match . . .

Roni's April Picks

Here's what I'll be reading and watching this month for the challenge!

Book:

Maybe In Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid

This one takes one event in a woman's life and then branches off into two possible storylines, what happens if she makes one decision and what happens if she makes another, so it will be dual timelines/fates. I loved her book One True Loves, so I have high hopes.

About the book:

From the acclaimed author of Forever, Interrupted and After I Do comes a breathtaking new novel about a young woman whose fate hinges on the choice she makes after bumping into an old flame; in alternating chapters, we see two possible scenarios unfold—with stunningly different results.

At the age of twenty-nine, Hannah Martin still has no idea what she wants to do with her life. She has lived in six different cities and held countless meaningless jobs since graduating college. On the heels of leaving yet another city, Hannah moves back to her hometown of Los Angeles and takes up residence in her best friend Gabby’s guestroom. Shortly after getting back to town, Hannah goes out to a bar one night with Gabby and meets up with her high school boyfriend, Ethan.

Just after midnight, Gabby asks Hannah if she’s ready to go. A moment later, Ethan offers to give her a ride later if she wants to stay. Hannah hesitates. What happens if she leaves with Gabby? What happens if she leaves with Ethan?

In concurrent storylines, Hannah lives out the effects of each decision. Quickly, these parallel universes develop into radically different stories with large-scale consequences for Hannah, as well as the people around her. As the two alternate realities run their course, Maybe in Another Life raises questions about fate and true love: Is anything meant to be? How much in our life is determined by chance? And perhaps, most compellingly: Is there such a thing as a soul mate?

Hannah believes there is. And, in both worlds, she believes she’s found him.

TV:

Thirteen Reasons Why on Netflix

This is a brand new series on Netflix and is based on a YA book I read many years ago and really liked. It's been long enough that I don't remember much about the book, but I remember that it was good enough to keep on my shelf. I DO remember that it flashes back in time to show the things leading up to a certain even, so it goes perfectly with this month's theme.

Oddly enough, both my book and TV show picks have heroines named Hannah.

Utterly Shameless Promotion

If you need another suggestion for the TIME theme, may I also suggest Off the Clock, which is the first book in my Pleasure Principle series and a current finalist in the RITA Contest (!), and By the Hour, book 2, which comes out April 25!

Now, it's your turn! What will you be reading/watching? Or if you have any suggestions for the theme, let us have 'em! :)

Read & Watch Picks for March with Agent Sara Megibow

March 1, 2017 Roni Loren

Can you believe it's March already? Welcome back for the March edition of the Read & Watch Challenge! How'd your February challenge go? (I'll update with how mine went at the end of the post.)

This month's theme is DIFFERENT. If you're new here, pop on over to this post to see how the challenge works and which themes we'll be using.

This month, I have a special treat for you. My dear agent, Sara Megibow of KT Literary, is here to give us picks for March.

One of Sara's jobs as a literary agent is to sell books to publishers, so she gets to sift through all the query letters and chapters from aspiring writers and then picks the best of the bunch to represent. So, in other words, when she gives a book recommendation, you should probably listen. She clearly has excellent taste--after all, she IS responsible for plucking Crash Into You out of the pile when I was trying to get published. ;)

Here's a little more about Sara:

Sara Megibow is a literary agent with nine years of experience in publishing. Sara specializes in working with authors in middle grade, young adult, romance, erotica, science fiction and fantasy and represents New York Times bestselling authors Roni Loren and Jason Hough and international bestselling authors Stefan Bachmann and Tiffany Reisz. Sara is LGBTQ-friendly and presents regularly at SCBWI and RWA events around the country.

So let's welcome Sara and she what she's chosen for DIFFERENT:

Sara's Book Pick

FORGED IN DESIRE by Brenda Jackson

Sara’s Thoughts: I chose FORGED IN DESIRE by Brenda Jackson to be my #Different book because I read a lot of sexy contemporary romance and small town contemporary romance but not a lot of romantic suspense. I’ll let you in on a little secret – I frequently struggle with suspension of disbelief in this sub-genre. The bad guys are coming! Danger is everywhere! And…they stop to have sex. That’s the point at which most romantic suspense books lose me. When I saw FORGED IN DESIRE at my B&N I was hopeful this book would avoid that hiccup. And it did!

“Strong Enough To Protect Her. Bold Enough To Love Her.” = that’s the tagline for FORGED IN DESIRE. And wowza – that’s the perfect description for this amazing, amazing book! I loved it! The balance between chemistry and plot was superb and I was simultaneously cheering for Margo and Lamar to beat the bad guys and to...you know…get together. Bravo!

I’ve decided that a solid dose of heart-pounding suspense goes very well with a solid dose of heart-pounding chemistry. So glad I gave romantic suspense another try and I heartily recommend FORGED IN DESIRE!

Back cover:

Strong enough to protect her. Bold enough to love her.

When good girl Margo Connelly becomes Lamar "Striker" Jennings's latest assignment, she knows she's in trouble. And not just because he's been hired to protect her from an underworld criminal. The reformed bad boy's appeal is breaching all her defenses, and as the threats against her increase, Margo isn't sure which is more dangerous: the gangster targeting her, or the far too alluring protector tempting her to let loose.

Though Striker's now living on the right side of the law, he's convinced his troubled past keeps Margo out of his league. But physical chemistry explodes into full-blown passion when they go on the run together. Surrendering to desire could be a deadly distraction—or finally prove that he's the only man qualified to keep her safe, and win her love.

Sara also has two bonus picks from her client list to look out for!

Juno Rushdan has a trilogy of romantic thrillers coming from Sourcebooks in 2018. I pitched A LONG WAY TO FALL (Book #1 in the series) as a sexy Jason Bourne and it’s even more high-action and high-suspense than what we find in romantic suspense. Follow Juno at: www.junorushdan.com

And, for Different, follow Don Allmon whose debut M/M elf + orc romance, GLAMOUR THIEVES, comes out this summer. Elf + Orc? Now THAT’S #Different! www.donallmon.com

Sara's Movie Pick

Mamma Mia

I recently saw Mamma Mia at The Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire with my dad – it was amazing! The singing and dancing and colors and general happiness was utter joy. Good news = it comes in movie-format too (starring Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan and Amanda Seyfried). I’m calling this my #Different because it’s a play and a movie and there’s bellbottoms and zoot suits. Want love? Want to sing along to Abba? Mamma Mia it is!

Roni's Book Picks

The theme DIFFERENT could be interpreted in many different ways, but I decided to choose book recommendations that if I were suggesting the books to you in person, I would offer a disclaimer of "It's a little odd/different/out there but trust me, it's awesome!" :)

The Last Hour of Gann by R. Lee Smith

Okay, so this is a LONG ASS book and there is an ALIEN LIZARD HERO and those two things along would normally make me want to run. I don't read sci-fi stuff. I don't typically like non-human heroes. I would've never picked this book up if not for a recommendation. But it ended up being one of my favorite reads of that year. I did an extensive review on it here. But this is one that I almost don't want you to read the back cover because you're going to want to run and you shouldn't, lol. It's a romance. It's horror. It's sci-fi. It's super dark. It's compelling. I read it in five days and it's long, people. LONG. So anyway, you can't get more different than this one.

Back cover:

It was her last chance:

Amber Bierce had nothing left except her sister and two tickets on Earth’s first colony-ship. She entered her Sleeper with a five-year contract and the promise of a better life, but awakened in wreckage on an unknown world. For the survivors, there is no rescue, no way home and no hope until they are found by Meoraq—a holy warrior more deadly than any hungering beast on this hostile new world…but whose eyes show a different sort of hunger when he looks at her.

It was his last year of freedom:

Uyane Meoraq is a Sword of Sheul, God’s own instrument of judgment, victor of hundreds of trials, with a conqueror’s rights over all men. Or at least he was until his father’s death. Now, without divine intervention, he will be forced to assume stewardship over House Uyane and lose the life he has always known. At the legendary temple of Xi’Matezh, Meoraq hopes to find the deliverance he seeks, but the humans he encounters on his pilgrimage may prove too great a test even for him…especially the one called Amber, behind whose monstrous appearance burns a woman’s heart unlike any he has ever known.

From R. Lee Smith, author of Heat and Cottonwood, comes an epic new story of desire, darkness and the dawn that comes after The Last Hour of Gann.

WARNING: This book contains graphic violence, strong sexual content and explicit language. It is intended for mature readers only.

One Cut Deeper by Joely Sue Burkhart

I read this one a while back, but it has a serial killer hero. Yes, the hero is a serial killer. And it works. (I've been heard it compared to Dexter, but I haven't seen that show so I can't say for sure.) Here's the review I did back when I read it.

Back cover:

Her needs are dark. His are dangerous.

Charlie MacNiall has been bringing his beautiful king shepherd to the vet clinic where Ranay Killian works for the better part of a year. She doesn't realize he's been slowly wooing her. She certainly has no idea that he picked her deliberately--that she is to become his. A broken heart and a desperate desire to be dominated make her the perfect victim.

His perfect victim.

Charlie fixes Ranay, testing her emotional limits while pushing her sexual boundaries past anything she'd imagined possible. Pain is their shared pleasure...until Charlie disappears and Ranay is all but destroyed.

The FBI says the man she loves is a serial killer. Ranay can't deny there's a darkness in Charlie, a monstrous hunger that drives him to the brink. She even believes he could kill. But Charlie's hunger is what bonds them--it's the foundation of their love. Would he actually kill her?

I could say, "And now for something completely different." But really, we're already out there, aren't we? ;) So next isn't a romance, it's a horror book. But for anyone who has ever been in an IKEA, you'll be able to relate and laugh. I thought this was such a clever idea for a story. And the paperback looks like an IKEA catalog with the drawings of furniture (and eventually torture devices) within the pages. :) Here's my full review.

Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix

Back cover:

A traditional haunted house story in a thoroughly contemporary setting, Horrorstör comes packaged in the form of a glossy mail order catalog, complete with product illustrations, a home delivery order form, and a map of Orsk’s labyrinthine showroom. It’s “a treat for fans of The Evil Dead or Zombieland, complete with affordable solutions for better living.”—Kirkus Reviews.

Something strange is happening at the Orsk furniture superstore in Cleveland, Ohio. Every morning, employees arrive to find broken Kjerring bookshelves, shattered Glans water goblets, and smashed Liripip wardrobes. Sales are down, security cameras reveal nothing, and store managers are panicking.

To unravel the mystery, three employees volunteer to work a nine-hour dusk-till-dawn shift. In the dead of the night, they’ll patrol the empty showroom floor, investigate strange sights and sounds, and encounter horrors that defy the imagination.

Charlotte Stein romances

If you're looking for straight up romance pick, anything by Charlotte Stein will serve you well. Charlotte writes really quirky erotic romances that often have a forbidden element in them and have BETA HEROES (now that's different, right?). Her author voice is also very unique. These are sexy and funny almost always have awesomely awkward characters. If you're not sure where to start, I recommend Sheltered (awkward virgin heroine) or Forbidden (priest hero).

Roni's Watch Picks

If you want a creepy ass show to watch, this one fits the bill. Weird and spooky and strange, Channel Zero: Candle Cove from the SyFy channel kept me entertained. If you don't like scary, skip this one.

What I'll be Reading and Watching This Month:

Reading:

This one is a little different for me because I don't read a lot of what's labeled "women's fiction", which always struck me as kind of an odd genre delineation. What does that even mean? But, I've heard this recommended in a few different places and the premise intrigues me.

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty

Back cover:

Alice Love is twenty-nine, crazy about her husband, and pregnant with her first child. So imagine Alice’s surprise when she comes to on the floor of a gym (a gym! She HATES the gym) and is whisked off to the hospital where she discovers the honeymoon is truly over—she’s getting divorced, she has three kids, and she’s actually 39 years old. Alice must reconstruct the events of a lost decade, and find out whether it’s possible to reconstruct her life at the same time. She has to figure out why her sister hardly talks to her, and how is it that she’s become one of those super skinny moms with really expensive clothes. Ultimately, Alice must discover whether forgetting is a blessing or a curse, and whether it’s possible to start over…

Watching:

One Day at a Time on Netflix

I've only watched the first episode, but I thought it was really cute. I remember the original show from the 70s that it's based on, but this is a different take (see how I worked in the theme word? ;) ). Here's the summary from Wikipedia:

This Netflix-original comedy-drama is inspired by Norman Lear's 1975 series of the same name. This time around, the series follows the life of Penelope, a newly single Army veteran, and her Cuban-American family, as they navigate the ups and downs of life. Now a nurse, Penelope is raising two strong-willed children. When faced with challenges, Penelope turns to her "old-school" mother, and her building manager, who has become an invaluable confidant. The series offers a contemporary take on what life looks like in both good and bad times, and how loved ones can help make it all worthwhile.

Update from February:

I was such a fail at the challenge in Feb. However, I have a good excuse. :) This month was RITA judging, which is when romance writers get a stack of 5-7 books that we have to read in about 6 weeks and judge for the RITA contest. I can't publicly post about those books, so it doesn't show that I've read them, but I've been busy reading those and didn't get a chance to read my challenge books.

I also only got to watch an episode or two of Gilmore Girls. It's been a crazy busy month. Hopefully, y'all were more successful at the challenge this month than I was, lol.

All right, that's what I've got for you for this month's challenge. I'd love to hear what you plan to read and watch for the theme DIFFERENT! :)

2017 Read & Watch Challenge: February's Word & Recommendations

February 1, 2017 Roni Loren

It's time for the next month of the 2017 Read & Watch Challenge!

(If you missed the initial post that explained how this works, check it out here. You can join in anytime. There's also a free checklist and reading journal you can download.)

This month's theme word is RETRO. The best thing about this challenge is that you can choose how to interpret the theme word when selecting which book to read and movie/TV show to watch for that month.

Possible interpretations of the this months' theme:

A book that was published more than ten years ago.
A story with a throwback theme (time-travel, 80s references, takes place in a previous decade even if it's a contemporary book)
A book or TV show/movie from your childhood
A non-fiction book about something from the past (or technology from that past, I'll have a rec below)
Historical fiction or romance
A TV show/movie from the past that's been rebooted
A book with a retro cover
A story or documentary about a band/singer from the past

And if you're still having trouble picking something, I've got help! Each month I invite a tastemaker, solicit reader recommendations from my reader group The Fearless Romantics, and I offer my own suggestions and what I'll be reading/watching for the challenge.

On to the recommendations, take it away Genevieve!

Tastemaker of the Month: Author Genevieve Lynne

Oh how I love a good retro story! Maybe it started when my husband and I netflixed Mad Men one week and actually felt like we’d accomplished something. Ten seasons in one week? You’re damn right that was an accomplishment!

What I recommend...

Books:

For my book recommendation I’m gonna mention a few novels. My first one is The Haunting of Maddy Clare by Simone St. James. It’s set in 1920s England, and is about a young woman who takes a job helping a ghost hunter and falls in love with a wounded veteran. It started a little slow, but picked up quickly, and it is creepy you guys. Like in a good way. I’m talking what the hell was that sound?, hurry and get under the covers, sleep with the lamp on creepy. And oh mah gawd there are black crows. Everyone knows black crows mean trouble. It won two well-deserved RITAS a few years ago. What I loved about this novel is that it hit all my favorite genre buttons: romance, mystery, and thriller.

What I’ll be reading:

I’m going to be reading In the Shadow of Lakecrest. It’s about a woman who discovers her new husband has a dark and disturbing past that has to do with some family secrets she tries to uncover. I do love me a good dark family secrets story.

TV:

I’m telling everyone who will listen that they need to watch A Crime to Remember on the Investigation Discovery channel. It’s fascinating! Every episode tells the story of a crime that happened anywhere from the 1920s through the 1960s. It goes into the investigation techniques used during that time, and tells how the crime was solved. No DNA testing, no high tech equipment, no fancy chemicals. Check it out. It comes on Tuesdays, but they have the videos on their website, and they play reruns all the time.

What I’ll be watching:

Hidden Figures. Duh, right? I’m almost ashamed to admit I haven’t seen it yet. Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE who’s seen it has told me how wonderful it is. For those who may not know, it’s a true story about female African-American mathematicians who worked for NASA. Need I say more? I can’t wait to see it!

Thanks, Genevieve! Now on to some suggestions from readers...

Reader Group Recommendations

I asked the readers in my reader group, The Fearless Romantics, what their recommendations were. (And if you want to join the reader group, find us here!)

Stacy recommends Mary Balogh's Bedyn Saga series. She says, "this was/is my favorite series of hers. These books led me to Pride and Prejudice, which was set in the same time and had the same locations."

Yanina recommends: "Lisa Kleypas' Wallflower series and BBC'S pride and prejudice"

Martha said: "I can totally second the rec for Mary Balogh's Bedwyns. I would also put in a shoutout to the old Loveswept novels with Tami Hoag (Sarah's Sin) and Iris Johansen (Sedikhan series). And then there's Johanna Lindsey's Mallorys. I mean, if we're going retro, what's not to love about the Fabio romance covers?! And if you're gonna go to the 80's early 90's bodice ripper covers, then you gotta tackle Tom Cruise romance movies starting with Top Gun, but don't forget Days of Thunder and Far and Away. Round that out with the Wedding Singer Soundtrack, and you're good to go."

Randee said: "Princess bride. Book and movie. Both are amazing not traditional romances but super fun!"

Susan offered a book/movie combo: "I loved the Thorn Birds - book and movie. I remember thinking I could never read a book that long and then stayed up nearly all night two nights in a row to finish it."

And from readers on my Facebook page...

Connie said: "Shanna by Kathleen Woodiwiss most amazing romance author of all time!"

Dixie said: "The first romance that I read and that got me hooked was Seduction by Amanda Quick. Still a favorite reread."

Monica said: "Thirteen Reasons Why with its tape set makes me think of Retro and they just released the trailer for the netflix show to come out the 31st of March."

*From Roni: I read Thirteen Reasons Why years ago and it has stuck with me. Fantastic book. (And I had no idea there were coming out with a show.)

Sharla said: "If Tomorrow Comes by Sidney Sheldon! My favorite old romance. Intrigue, deception, romance, woman finding the kickass within herself... and it was made into a movie in the 80's. Book is better."

Roni's Recommendations

Books:

HIstorical romance is actually a relatively new genre to me even though most romance readers grew up with them. I've mentioned before, but I didn't grow up reading romance. I was more a suspense and horror girl--but that's mainly because I didn't know romance novels existed, lol. So over the last few years, I've been working my way through some historical romances that people have told me are must reads and I'm totally in love. It's one of the subgenres that I've found I most consistently enjoy. So here are a few that could work for this month's theme.

Again the Magic by Lisa Kleypas

This is one that was recommended to me multiple times and finally I listened. I'm so glad I did. This one got me out of a reading slump last fall. The heroine falls for a servant when they're teens and everything falls apart. He's sent away to a rough life and he thinks she did it. He comes back as a grown man who has become successful in his own right and is now out for revenge. So good.

The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley

Widowed heroine and a hero who has Asperger Syndrome (though he's called mad because they didn't know how to define it back then.) This one was so well done. Super steamy, a mystery woven in, unique characters, and the Asperger aspect was handled well (my son's on the spectrum, so I'm always sensitive to how it's portrayed.) It was one of my few 5-star reads last year.

TV/Movies:

Hidden Figures

If you haven't seen this, you are completely missing out. (I'm probably one of the ones who told Genevieve to get her butt to the movies, lol.) Go. Now. So well done, fantastic acting, and a story that will make you cheer aloud. When I saw it, the entire theater applauded and whooped. I can't remember the last time I've had that happen in a movie. Even my nine-year old who sometimes has trouble staying focused for a "non-kid" movie was into it. (Though I had to do a little whisper-explaining along the way.) He just learned about civil rights and MLK so it was a great movie to add to that.

Fuller House (Netflix Original)

When I saw that Netflix was doing a reboot of Full House with the kids from the original cast (along with regular appearances by the entire cast), I couldn't resist because it was one of my favorite shows growing up. However, I had pretty big doubts that it'd be any good. It's hard to recapture something like that. I was wrong. I've gobbled up both seasons like candy. They somehow manage to embrace the original schtick of the show (including the requisite the group hugs and cheesiness) and it totally works. There are also nods to old episodes and inside jokes. There is also an appearance by the New Kids on the Block. I mean, come on, how can a child of the 80s/90s resist? Things are stressful in the world right now, so this is a show to go to when you just want to laugh and feel warm and fuzzy. It's also a show you can watch with your kids, which is hard to find these days.

What I'll Be Reading and Watching

Books:

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

This is a book I chose from the Book of the Month Club and I've started but not gotten too deep into it. The premise is futuristic, which doesn't seem like it'd fit the retro them, BUT it's all about 80s references.

Here's the summary because it's hard to explain:

In the year 2044, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he's jacked into the virtual utopia known as the OASIS. Wade's devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world's digital confines—puzzles that are based on their creator's obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them.

But when Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade's going to survive, he'll have to win—and confront the real world he's always been so desperate to escape.

But that "obsession with pop culture" it mentions is an obsession with the 80s. Wade has to basically devote his life to studying pop culture from the 1980s to solve the game. So if you're a child of the 80s, your head is going to spin with all the references. Like I said, I started this one, but haven't gotten too deep into it. I'm hoping to fix that this month.

The Revenge of Analog: Real Things and Why They Matter by David Sax

As someone who is dedicated to her paper planner, reads more paper books than digital, and has vinyl albums on her wall, this book is speaking to me. I've read a little so far and am finding it fascinating.

Texas Glory by Lorraine Heath

I read Texas Destiny this past week. I'm not sure if I've ever read a historical western romance before, but I loved this one. It's old school so there's head-hopping to get used to but it was a great story. I'll probably blog about it more on Friday. But I've bought Texas Glory, the next book in the series, and hope to get to it this month.

TV/Movies:

Gilmore Girls (on Netflix)

I am apparently one of the few ladies in my age group who totally missed this show when it originally aired. I'm fixing that now. I'm about 6 episodes into season one and loving it.

The Princess Bride

I've never seen it. I know, I know. I need to fix that. I'm taking the recs from my reader group and putting this on my list. :)

Update: What I Read/Watched for the January Challenge of BEGIN:

Read:

The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon (I raved about it here.)

Watched:

OJ: Made In America (Almost done with this one. It's up for a number of awards and is very well done. It's not simply about the trial but delves into so many other things. I thought this might be redundant because we already watched The People vs. OJ which was excellent, but this is documentary style and incorporates so much more than just the trial.

Missed January's recommendations? Check them out here.

Thanks to our Tastemaker of the Month - Genevieve Lynne!

In Bokchito, Oklahoma, you know everyone and trust no one…

Emily Matthews swore she’d never expose her son Jack to her dysfunctional family that sent her running from Bokchito at only seventeen. The sins of her past still haunt her, but when her brother lands in jail, she has no choice but to go back and face her old demons.

Miller Anderson has never forgotten about the girl who ran out of his life thirteen years ago…

And with the secret he’s keeping from Emily, he knows he most likely never will. But when his daughter Abby plays matchmaker to set him up with his lost love, he can’t resist the resurgence of emotion that has them reliving their high school glory days.

Evil has a way of waiting for what it wants…

Just when Emily and Miller discover their old flame hasn’t died, they learn another fire has been smoldering in Bokchito. Her family’s long line of sins, kindled with a generation-old grudge, ignites when Emily discovers the truth about Miller’s daughter and is forced to choose between protecting Miller’s secret and the one thing she can’t afford to lose…her son Jack.

Caught up in a game of lies and dirt road scandal, Emily must risk everything to save her son and preserve Miller’s good name, or let her family’s darkest secret ruin them both.

Free on Kindle Unlimited or buy for 3.99 or get it in the boxed set, on sale today for only 99 cents!

Find Genevieve online: Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Get a free coloring sheet!

So who's in for this month? What are you going to be reading and watching? For those who did it last month, how'd your January challenge go?