Book Lovers Inc.
Romance Novel Reviews, Author Interviews, Commentary
Guest Post by Cindi Myers + Giveaway
Today we are very happy to welcome Cindi Myers to Book Lovers Inc! Cindi’s latest novel Always the Bridesmaid is one of Entangled Publishing’s latest releases in their new and wonderful Indulgence imprint. So far we at BLI have been very happy and delightfully surprised by these Idulgence titles and Always the Bridesmaid didn’t disappoint either. It was a wonderful, heartfelt, sweet and sexy love story, be on the lookout for my review later this week, and until then read on and enter for your chance to win a copy of Cindi’s novel!
Relatable Romance
by Cindi Myers
Romance endures – and romance novels remain popular through the decades. There’s something so satisfying about the experience of falling in love and living the promise of happily-ever-after that keeps us coming back again and again. In a world full of stressful jobs, too-small bank accounts, whining kids, family feuds and bad news, a romance novel is a fun escape from reality.
So you could say it’s the fantasy of romance that makes them so popular – the fantasy of that gorgeous, perfect man, who falls in love with you – um, who falls in love with the heroine, who is someone you could imagine yourself being, or might want to be. Romance makes you feel good, and we all need to feel good, right?
But I think romance novels have so many fans today because the stories are relatable. Though the best romance novels over the years continue to find new fans, new books have kept up with the times. The characters in many of the best novels today are people like you and your friends. They have real-world problems, many of them things that weren’t talked about a lot in earlier times – the heroes and heroines may be divorced, they may be single parents. They have money problems and family problems and work woes. They could be your sister or brother, your neighbor or best friend – they could be you.
In Always a Bridesmaid, the hero, Mike Brubaker , is a divorced dad. The heroine, Stephanie Ludlow, works and attends grad school. Trying to stretch a tight budget, she ends up sharing a house with a group of roommates and her sexy landlord, Mike. She’s no blushing virgin – Stephanie has had a couple of bad relationships and doesn’t want to get hurt. Falling in love isn’t an easy journey for Stephanie or Mike – just as it isn’t easy for a lot a real-life people who’ve been scuffed up by past relationships.
Sure, the fantasy is still there, but it’s shaded with a dose of reality that makes it even easier to get lost in the story.
So, what do you think? Are your favorite romances the ones that deliver a heavy dose of fantasy – or do you like romances that are grounded in real life? Weigh in with your comments – I’m curious to know!
ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID by Cindi Myers
She’s sworn off weddings…
After two failed relationships and six stints as a bridesmaid, Stephanie Ludlow is convinced she’s man-poison. So when her hormones point due south to her sexy—but not so charming—new landlord, she can’t help the sparks that fly. It’s a good thing she’s declared a strict “no sex” policy, because Mike Brubaker might as well have “it’s not happening” tattooed across his delectable chest.
He’s sworn off love…
Spurned single dad Mike has learned the hard way women are the source of all evil and should be avoided at any cost. And that definitely includes his gorgeous new tenant. But when they’re thrown together in the wedding party from hell, both will stop at nothing to fight the heat building between them. Giving in is not an option for either of them.
May the best man—or woman—win.
Cindi Myers is the author of 50 published novels, including Always a Bridesmaid, from Entangled Indulgence. Her historical and contemporary romances and women’s fiction have garnered praise from reviewers and readers alike and several have been Waldenbooks Bestsellers. She is a former Rita nominee and was the 2005 Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Writer of the Year.
When she’s not writing, Cindi enjoys skiing, hiking, camping, gardening, knitting, quilting and of course, reading. She lives in the mountains of Colorado with her husband and two spoiled dogs. For more about Cindi, visit her at web sites at http://www.cindimyers.com and http://www.romanceofthewest.com or her blog.
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~*~*Giveaway*~*~
Entangled Publishing has generously offered an ebook copy of Always the Bridesmaid by Cindi Myers to a lucky commenter!
All you have to do is answer Cindi’s question: Are your favorite romances the ones that deliver a heavy dose of fantasy – or do you like romances that are grounded in real life?
(You can read our full giveaway policy here)
Please be sure to include a valid email address in the comment form (need not be in the actual body of the comment).
This giveaway is open to all!
Giveaway ends on Saturday, June 9th, 2012; we will announce the winner on Sunday.
Good luck!
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I like stories grounded in reality. It’s funny you should ask that now, because I was just discussing that today with some other women. I’m in Cancun with my son and about 20 kids with his graduating class and some parents. The other moms and I were all talking about this subject, because various women around the pool were reading Fifty Shades. I’ve read all 3, and was just saying I found some situations in it too unreal. By the time I got to the third book, I had to force myself to finish. I just didn’t care about the couple anymore. I guess i like the more , Hey, this could really happen stories. This book sounds great, though. Thanks for the chance.
I like books that are grounded in reality. I don’t care for the way out there, this is never going to happen to me type books. Give me a couple with real chemistry and every day problems and I’m your girl.
Marika
maw1725@gmail.com
I love both type of romances. Actually I love romances with HEA, period. It is great to read about real life situations but it is equally exciting to read about fantasy.
tamsyn5(at)yahoo(dot)com
Thanks for a great post! I’d have to say that depending on my mood, I like both. I like to completely escape real life sometimes and that’s when I read a lot of PNR/UF. When *I* want something happy/uplifting, I read contemporary romance. But, either way, I tend to read a lot of romance, in whatever shape or form 🙂
efender1(at)gmail(dot)com
I like both, although with contemporaries, it’s always fun when they are grounded in reality since then you can really imagine yourself in the heroine’s place. I especially like it when the leads are just regular people, not millionaires or famous people.
I think I like both….depends on my mood. Sometimes I like a good contemporary realistic romance, but sometimes I just want a fantasy perfect happily ever after story to escape real world. 🙂
I love my romances that are grounded in real life!
This book sounds amazing!
Thanks for the giveaway 🙂
I just don’t like the tragic ending, even it’s real life event. I like happy ending, but not ‘too’ happy ending/perfect ending.
Maybe the best is the story between fantasy and real life. 😉
I like books that have a bit of reality, but not so much that it detracts from the HEA that I look for in all my romance novels. Some daily life struggles are good to help me relate to the characters, but I like it when they all work out in the end! Always a Bridesmaid sounds great, I’ll definitely have to check it out!
I like books that are based on reality. Its easier to relate to a book that has situations that occur in real life. When a book is so far fetched it doesn’t hold my interest its hard enough when you grow up and realise that all the fairystories you read as a child are never going to happen life doesn’t always have happy endings.
I love reading both types of romances but I find fantasy more exciting not that real life isn’t interesting too. I love using my imagination.
I like reading both and I guess it just depends on what mood I’m in. I guess if I really want to escape life than I will take on the fantasy, but if I’m looking for something that I can really relate to then I’m reading the grounded story.
I like both types of books.
Nice guestpost, thank you. I do like fantasy in my romance, and not too much of real life. There is enough drame in real life as it is, so not too much heart breaking details in my romance books please.