Book Lovers Inc.
Romance Novel Reviews, Author Interviews, Commentary
Monica Burns Talks Desserts & Other Yummy Confections + Giveaway
The Book Lovers are happy to turn the helm over to Monica Burns today who is going to chat with us about some very sweet things. 😉
Hi everyone, I’m delighted to be visiting here at Book Lovers, Inc., and a big thank you to Susi for inviting me to talk desserts with you. Desserts you ask? Yep, I’m talking bon bons. What are they? They’re the French expression for candy. They don’t necessarily start out as chocolate, but they’re more like fondant or other sweet candies that wind up being covered in chocolate. So many misinformed people think readers of romance do nothing but eat bon bons while indulging in our favorite occupation, but they’re wrong. If anything the actual bon bon we indulge in are the bon bons between the covers of our favorite romance novels. I’m talking hot, delicious heroes in romance books.
Men in general are delicious confections, but the heroes in my favorite romances are like red-hots on the tongue. They tempt us just like bon bons and all manners of desserts. Some are as sinful as dark chocolate while others are a little less hard and dark. I’m not sure I really like using the description of milk chocolate when it comes to heroes, because dark chocolate has a hard edge to it, while milk chocolate sounds less sinful. Perhaps I’m wrong because I prefer the taste of milk chocolate over dark. Of course chocolate in any form is always a sin to be enjoyed and milk when added just eases the hard bite of the flavor.
Think of it like this, my hero Lysander in Assassin’s Heart is definitely dark chocolate. He’s been through hell and has a hard outer shell of dark chocolate with the delicious taste of maple nut crème on the inside. A true alpha hero with sinful overtones hiding a rich creamy filling. Now when it comes to milk chocolate, that’s a more difficult one.
I write alphas who are strong men, fierce protectors, and always putty in the hands of their women. Ares from Assassin’s Honor is just like that. I’d have to liken him to a Hershey’s Kiss. That aluminum foil on the outside of that Kiss is just like his hard, “don’t let’em see you sweat” exterior, but on the inside he tastes hard and smoothly delicious on the tongue. Milk chocolate doesn’t get any better than my Ares.
My latest hero, Garrick, in my upcoming March release, Pleasure Me, is a combination of desserts. He’s part chocolate cake (made with rich virgin olive oil) and a dark fudge icing. Another part of him is a smooth creamy butter pecan ice cream topped with caramel sauce. But I think the best part of him is just like Andes mint chocolate. It’s like being blindfolded and tied up while he licks honey off your skin. It’s a wickedly delicious sensation not just on your tongue but your body as well.
So I have to admit a partiality to the multiple experiences that Garrick provides a woman. I mean, a younger alpha male who’s a virgin tempting me to sin while tying me up and blindfolding me? No, it doesn’t get much better than that kind of delicious sensation on the tongue or anywhere else for that matter.
So who’s one of your favorite romance heroes and what kind of bon bon is he?
GiveawayAll you have to do is answering the question at the end of Monica’s post .
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Great question. I will go with a paranormal romance hero. Lukian from Mandy Roth's Immortal Ops. I would say that he is a Vosges Barcelona Bar (my fave!). Milk chocolate, sea salt & hickory smoked almonds. A crazy combination that works! Lukian is a little salty too! LOL
GeishasMom73 on twitter
I never know the answer to this one, I like them all, the alpha, the beta, the rake, just give me anything 😉
For example Mr Darcy, he is an ass in the beginning but then mmm
So I guess he must be something that is hard on the outside and soft on the inside. A chocolate you bite into and then it melts in your mouth
blodeuedd1 at gmail dot com
This is so hard because there are so many that are so edible.
Like Dev from No Mercy – He is like a dark fudge on the outside and creamy carmel on the inside.
vampiremistress2010(at)gmail(dot)com
I would have to go with Roarke fro JD Robb's In Death series.
He is milk chocolate on the outside(sweet) and gooey dark fudge on the inside.
kissinoak at frontier dot com
That's very hard to choose, they are all so delectable! 🙂 But I think I'll go with Jamie (from Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series), for me the prototype of the alpha male.
He needs a hard outside, something dark, and something softer inside to melt in one's mouth! Mmhhhh, yummy! 🙂
claudigc at msn dot com
I love Curran from Ilona Andrew's series Kate Daniels. I love that on the outside he is tough and strong but on the inside he is soft for children and Kate.
smccar1 at hotmail dot com
I'm going to have to go with the classics and say my favorite hero is Romeo 🙂 I think he would be a rich white chocolate bon bon, maybe with a sweet caramel filling which would go perfectly with his personality!
Stephanie
thestephanieloves AT gmail DOT com
I’ll go with one of my current favs—Jeff Martini from Gini Koch’s Alien series. I think he is an Amaretto truffle: luscious milk chocolate liqueur-flavored center, dipped in dark chocolate and covered with nuts (of course!) Thanks for a fun post.
One of my favorite heroes is Curran from the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews. He's tough on the outside but loving and kind on the inside. Curran would be like a decadent black forest cupcake.
lilazncutie1215[at]yahoo[dot]com
Mr. Darcy, who is definitely a Pay Day. Salty on the outside, sweet on the inside 🙂
justforswag(AT)yahoo(DOT)com
I love Dax McCall in Aftershock by Jill Shalvis and think he would be a succulent milk chocolate because he is just yummy!
bradunwanted @ yahoo . com
One of my favourite heroes is Wrath from Black Dagger Brotherhood. He is really passionate. He is definitely a dark chocolate… I love dark chololate xD
Thanks for the giveaway =)
mikki-mano @ hotmail . com
Well, it's hard to top that description for Garrick… I can't wait to read his story! Yum!
ironss[at]gmail.com
My favorite hero is Zsadist from Lover Awakened by JR Ward. I guess he would be dark chocolate with caramel on the inside. Once you get past the hard exterior he really is a lovable man.
iqb99@yahoo.com
Colonel Brandon from Sense & Sensibility. A quiet, refined gentleman hiding deep passions. Has to be chocolate/chocolate fudge.
marypres@gmail.com
J D Robb's Roarke and he deep, dark rich chocolate with a creamy sweet inside.
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alterlisa AT yahoo DOT com
http://lisaslovesbooksofcourse.blogspot.com/
Hi everyone! I'm so sorry I'm just now getting here. Yesterday was a terrible, terrible day for me personally, and my mind wasn't clear enough to remember that I was supposed to be here chatting man candy. I hope you'll forgive me as I'm here now!!
Geisha,Isn't Mandy a wonderful author! I've known her for several years now and love her work!
Blodeuedd, Yes Mr. Darcy is an ass in the beginning. I found it interesting to watch A&E's and the movie version (MacFayden) of the book and see how the directors timed when a viewer came to a decision about his vulerability. One of the most incredible film shots I've ever seen is when Darcy hands Elizabeth into the carriage, and as he walks away, the camera zooms in on his hand and he flinches as if shocked by electricity. It's an awesome film moment! Brilliant directing and the man had my heart from that point forward. Much earlier than the Firth version. *grin*
BLHmistress – I know its hard to pick just one.
Estella – that sounds like a delicious piece of man candy
ClaudiGC -what a delicious description of candy!!
Stephanie, I love heroes who are like that! I'm huge Vin Diesel fan, and I see him like that.
<3Stephanie – ok that's a piece of candy I've GOT to send the DH out to find! Whie chocolate with caramel in the middle!! LOL
LSUReader – A truffle…you know, I'm not one for things that squirt in my mouth, although I know a lot of men enjoy that type of treat. LOL
Jeanette, OMG Decadent black forest cake, I'm there, when are you serving??
Chelsea – Darcy a Pay Day!! ROFL I love it!!
Izzy – I'm a sucker for milk chocolate like Hershey's Kisses
Mikki-Mano – I love Wrath. So protective of his woman. Definitely a dark chocolate guy
Sheree – Glad I was able to leave your mouth watering for Garrick.
Danielle, Lysander in Assassin's Heart has been compared to Zsadist. I love him as a hero with that type of description
Lisa R EVERYONE here loves chocolate!! although I'm more a fan of milk chocolate.
Love the virgin olive oil in cake and squirting candy reference. Cracks me up.
I never thought about it, but I guess my favorite alphas do resemble my favorite candy – buttermilk pralines. Take Riley from Nalini Singh's Branded by Fire or Diaz from Riding temptation by Jaci Burton. You need the sour buttermilk (attitude), a little salt (language in bed), and lots of nuts (ok, that's easy), to keep the sugar and syrup from being too sweet. When they come together in the right conditions, they make a brittle caramel colored little jewel that when you finally get it on your tongue, just.. Melts.
My favorite always will be Roarke from J.D Robb "In Death" Series, be cause he's always hard with others, but when his wife is in the middle, he always becomes soft and very caring XD To me, he's like Amaretto truffle: a little hard outside, but when you get in the center, he melts in your mouth :9
sweet.sayumi@yahoo.com.br
Larissa Ione's Wraith and he is a hot & spicy chocolate :).
vlsoboda(at)gmail(dot)com
Sylvia, Glad I was able to make you laugh. Love your description of buttermilk pralines
Petit – melting on the tongue is excellent!
Victoria. Hot and spicy chocolate. Sounds something I need to try!
recent fav – Malcom from Kresley Coles Demon from the dark. On the outside he has a hard crunchy coating but underneath he's all white chocolate fudge . mmm. now i'm hungry lol
meandi09@yahoo.com
I love Edward and Carlisle from Twilight. Please enter me in contest. I would love to read this book. Tore923@aol.com
Monica – Lindt makes an excellent dark hot/spicy chocolate. It's almost $4 a bar but I think it's worth the occasional splurge ;).
Jennifer – White chocolate fudge! I've only had white chocolate before, now I'll have to see if the local specialty candy store stocks white chocolate fudge!
Tore glad you like the sound of Kismet.
Victoria, thanks for the tip. I shall have to investigate.
Larissa Ione's Wraith and he'd be a triple chocolate truffle with whipped rsspberry center
LOL, great questions. Dip any hero in Harry & David chocolate and I will love him forever or at minimum until his expiration date.
Valancia, that's one potent combination there!!
RobinK – That's an idea. Freeze until needed then thaw. JUST one small problem I think he's gonna have to thaw quite a bit before performance levels are status quo. *grin*
I have too many favourite heroes, but to pick one for today and because I'm listening to Karen Marie Moning's fever series, I'll say Jericho Barrons. He's rich dark chocolate with a hint of chilli.
Favorite heroes? That's hard if you wnt me to pick from a book because he never stays in my mind more than 48 hours.LOL. but if it goes on screen, definitely Mr. Darcy!I love the accent!It's like strawberry coated with dark chocolate, bitter but juicy…yum!
darlyn225 at gmail dot com
Edward from twilight! But that is actually the movie him not the book as l haven't read them (l can't after watching the movie)
booksforcompany@gmail.com
Kaetrin – I've been hearing a lot about Barrons, and I think I'll have to try some of this darkchocolate with a hint of spice you and Victoria are talking about
Darlyn, Accents are what do it for me. In the dark, no matter what he looked like, James Earl Jones would drive me over the edge!! LOL Same for Patrick Stewart, Vin Diesel (although he's got the body of a GOD!) A man's smile and voice are the first thing I see. The rest is nice, but not all that relevant, as long as he's in working order. 😉
BooksforCompany – I'm probably in the minority for not reading/watching Twilight. it's just never interested me. But my youngest would be glad you said Edward because she intends to marry the other one, werewolf dude. Can't even remember his nam. LOL
Favorite Hero, just one? I couldn't. but I will say Mark Darcy from Bridget Jones makes me feel all soft inside, like a comfy peanut butter cup, and recently I've been obsessed by Vintor from Lissa Matthews' Simple Need, it's like biting into a bold and splashy strawberry, brightly colored and sweet.
lisagkATyahooDOTcom
Jean Claude from the Anita Blake series – I know he's not a character from a romance, but he IS a romantic interest 🙂
I'd say he'd be an exquisite truffle made by an exclusive chocolatier, filled with ganache and decorated with gold leaf, indulgent and bad for you, but oh so good! 😛
Kate1485 at hotmail.com
Lisagk – It is hard to pick just one hero. I know that my go-to-guy for heroes, is Sir Percy Blakeney of the Scarlet Pimpernel, but then I love Wrath from JR Ward's BDB series (I'm lousy with titles, I think Dark Lover was his story)
Jasmine I've not read the Anita blake series, I'm so swamped for time! But I know I need to expand my horizons, and I need to eat more truffles! LOL
OOOHHHHH men as mancandy… I like mine with soft centers… nutty ones are liable to crack on you.
My favorite romance hero?… too many to choose from…. the English rake, a supernatural secret-keeping protector, a wild west reformed gunslinger, or a time-traveling testosterone tease, an avenging knight riding his trusty steed brandishing his lance….. *sigh* I love them all!!!
One of my favorite heroes is Adam from the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs. Since he's a dark, scary wereworlf, he'd be dark chocolate on the outside, but on the inside he's all smooth and sweet like caramel, yum! 🙂 Talking about men as candy feels so dirty (in a good way!) lol
Thanks for the giveaway!
drakeLa90 at aol dot com
Buell, it is hard to pick just one isn't it!
Les121 – I love how we're all in agreement that men MUST be like some variation of chocolate!
Darcy anytime! He's just all tipe of chocolate mixed together: dark and bitter at the beginning with a soft milk flavour at the end and a little bit of spice that surprise you at times!
aliasgirl at libero dot it
Reading mind, If you like Darcy, you might like Sir Percy from the Scarlet Pimpernel. He's into disguises and plays roles to avoid people seeing who he really is. Even with his wife. LOVE that man. So romantic and hawt! See if you can rent A&E's version with Richard E. Grant. Your library might have it too.
My favorite is Emmett from the Twilight series.
He's so buff <3 and I think he would be a dark chocolate with hazelnuts.
Yum!
girl23rocks at hotmail dot com
I would have to pick Terrible from the Downside books by Stacia Kane. (they're not romance books, but he is a love interest)
He would be dark chocolate with a raspberry centre.
natalie23[at]hotmail[dot]co[dot]uk
My favorite romance hero is Zsadist from J. R. Ward's Lover Awakened. He would be dark chocolate with a caramel inside.
bdecouverte@gmail.com
SweetShenanigans Haven't read the Twilight series. But I love the sound of that candy
Natalie23 I've not had time to read stacia. Dark chocolate hmm…you and SweetShenanigans like them with a bite to them. LOL
Belle, if you love Zsadist you should check out my hero Lysander in Assassin's Heart. I think he's just like the candy you described, and Emily @ What Book Is That compared Lysander to Zsadist. So I think dark chocolate with caramel is a must!
Acheron from Sherrilyn Kenyon's books. He's just smooth, sweet chocolate!
meredithfl at gmail dot com
My favorite romance hero is Romeo because he did everything for the woman he loved.
Thanks you!!!
artgiote@gmail.com
omg. whom do i choose? i go with another typical alpha male – mr rochester from jane eyre. he's a chocolate cookie with some nuts on top, because you really have to work hard to find a way in, but inside he's full of melted chocolate & caramel, because he has such a wonderful vulnerable side on it. i would add some sprinkles on top for his hilarious moments he gives us & some cinnamon, just because i love cinnamon, so all great men must smell like it. *nods*
hrududu AT hotmail DOT de
Meredith I think I'm one of the few who's not read Kenyon…simply because of lack of time. But he sounds like a wonderful bon bon
Romeo, Romeo…what a tragic hero. I sure wish Shakespeare had not made it a tragedy.
Gconoy AWWRIGHT!! Another Mr. Rochester lover!! Isn't that man to die 4!! You've described him as candy quite well.
I would say Barrons from Karen Marie Moning's Fever series is like the darkest chocolate. He's so mysterious and sexy!
angeldream3(at)gmail(dot)com
Mr. Darcy is like plain m&m's with a hard outer shell and sweet middle.
marlenebreakfield(at)yahoo(dot)com
Thanks for the giveaway! My favorite romance hero is Lazarus Huntington, Lord Caire, from "Wicked Intentions" by Elizabeth Hoyt. He's like a chocolate covered cherry– hard and smooth on the outside but soft and luscious on the inside.
BornajhawkATaolDOTcom
It's a hard question.
It takes time for me to choose. But The one that still left any emotion to me is Peeta. I got no words to describe how sweet he is.
he would not be a drak chocolate but sweet chocolate which make you keep want more and more 🙂
aleetha.ally at gmail dot com
twitter: @aleetha
mbreakfield Darcy as an m&m that's plain and simple and seems to suit him well
Laura, Lazarus sounds a bit hard and sweet, and with Hoyt's books all her heroes are yummy.
Aleetha, Isn't candy always hard to pick when you can only choose one!
Hawke is chile infused dark chocolate.
linze_e at hotmail.com
OMG Lindseye what's with everyone and the chocolates infused with odd things like chile, etc. ROFL That would pack a wallop I'm sure! LOL