Romance and Me: The Friends to Lovers Trope

There are several tropes which feature frequently in romance novels: be it a a very rich but rude or unattainable hero (can anyone say modern Mr. Darcy?), love triangles, a tortured brooding historical hero, or a rake seducing his sworn enemy’s younger sister to exact revenge on his nemesis, we all have encountered them. But there is one trope which is closer to my heart than others and it is the friends to lovers plot (and I especially love the brother’s friend falling for the little sister kind of friends-to-lovers plot).

My fascination with this trope isn’t limited to novels only, I like it just as much in movies and series (tell me honestly: weren’t Chandler and Monica the cutest couple of Friends? and if I had my say on with whom Rachel should have ended up with I would have picked Joey without a doubt, loved how his love brought out …

Guest Post: A Girly Look at Superheroes by Susan Bischoff + Giveaway

Today I am very happy to welcome one of THE authors who restored my faith in the YA genre and proved to me that stories about teenagers can be just as well written and entertaining for an older public (=older than teens) as adult books. Please welcome Susan Bischoff, author of the Talent Chronicles series, the second novel of which Heroes ‘Til Curfew was just released!
 
I lurrved Book #1 Hush Money (you can read my review here)and when I heard about the release of the second book I just had to ask Susan about something I have been wondering about for some time: Superheroes aren’t usually deemed as “girly.” How come you were inspired to write a story about them?
I’m a child of the 1970s. For us, the world was not supposed to be pink and blue. My mother has often told me …

Review: Red by Kait Nolan

Format read: ebook provided by author for reviewRelease Date: 14 August 2011Formats available: ebookPurchasing Info: Goodreads, Author’s Website, Amazon, Smashwords, Barnes and Noble, All Romance EBooks, Amazon UK, Amazon DE,

Blurb:

Every fairy tale has a dark side…

Elodie Rose has a secret. Any day, she’ll become a wolf and succumb to the violence that’s cursed her family for centuries. For seventeen years she’s hidden who and what she is. But now someone knows the truth and is determined to exterminate her family line. Living on borrowed time in the midst of this dangerous game of hide and seek, the last thing Elodie needs to do is fall in love. But Sawyer is determined to protect her, and the brooding, angry boy is more than what he seems. Can they outsmart a madman? And if they survive, will they find a way …

Interview with Author Kait Nolan + Giveaway

Today I am very happy to welcome to Book Lovers Inc. an author whose adult story has enchanted me with her vivid storytelling and original worldbuilding, so when I heard that she decided to take a paranormal spin on Little Red Riding Hood and give us an urban fantasy retelling of it, I was excited and curious. And now, having read Red, I am happy to tell you about it and its wonderful author: Kait Nolan! So read on to learn more about Kait and her stories and there is also a giveaway waiting for you at the end! 

Hi Kait, welcome to Book Lovers Inc! Can you please tell us a bit about yourself?
 
Kait: I am a grade A, 24-carat, control freak, workaholic, dog lover, food blogger, and Scrabble champion.

 
Stella: Describe a typical day of writing? Are you a planner or pantser?
 
Kait: 100% planner. I’m an incredibly busy …

Summer may be over but I still have winners to announce

well yeah, just change it to Overprotective Big Sister

Hey Everyone!

Though it is still hot and sunny, it is becoming more and more obvious that summer is over: the days are getting shorter (I’m acknowledging with deep regret that the sun goes down at 8pm now instead of 9-9:30 pm like it did a couple of weeks ago), the nights are getting chillier (one now needs that safety sweater) and school started again. Traffic is busier, and kids are everywhere. My little sister’s holiday is drawing to and end and she’ll be leaving to go back to university next week. I already miss her. Will be weird to be the only “kid” living at home. No more late night movies while we laugh so hard we have to stop the movie because we miss minutes of the dialogues, no more sister lunch dates near my office and no more shopping …

Guest post: An American Abroad by Kenneth Rosenberg + Giveaway

Today I am very happy to welcome back to BLI Kenneth Rosenberg (you’ll be in on the secret as to the special reason for that once you read his guest post ;-p)! Kenneth is celebrating the release of his latest novel: Sweet Ophelia and the Tinseltown Blues, and he is here today sharing with us his thoughts and experience about being an American author living abroad.  Please give him a warm welcome and there is also a giveaway waiting for you at the end! 

In his memoir, A Moveable Feast, Ernest Hemingway once wrote, “Maybe away from Paris I could write about Paris as in Paris I could write about Michigan.” As an American writer living in Budapest, I can see where he was coming from. Somehow being in a completely different environment from that which your story takes place seems to clarify all of the details. Things that you might have otherwise …

Interview with Author Felicity Heaton + Giveaway

Today we would like to welcome to Book Lovers Inc. the wonderful Felicity Heaton who has penned countless paranormal and sci-fi romances! She is here to celebrate the release of her latest novel Her Guardian Angel, and I took advantage of the occasion and asked her a bunch of question. Please give a warm welcome to Felicity Heaton and read on to discover more about her writing and her many series!

Stella: Hi Felicity, welcome to Book Lovers Inc! Can you please tell us a bit about yourself?
 
Felicity: Sure. I’m a romance writer focusing on the paranormal romance and science fiction romance genres. I’ve been writing since 2005 and have been an independent author since 2006. I’ve written over forty stories and around thirty of those are still available. At the moment, I’m focused on paranormal romances and my existing series in that genre, as well as new ones. I …

Review: IOU Sex by Calista Fox

Format read: ebook provided by publisher through NetGalley
Release Date: 1 August 2011
Number of pages: 66 pages
Publisher: Carina Press
Formats available: ebook
Purchasing Info: Goodreads, Author’s Website, Amazon

Blurb:

Fiona Carlisle didn’t think anything could hurt as much as finding her fiancé in bed with her sister. But receiving an invitation to the happy couple’s engagement party comes a close second. Determined to prove to her family and herself that she’s moved on, Fiona has every intention of attending, looking red-hot and with an even hotter man on her arm. And there’s only one man who will do: renowned photographer and reputed playboy Michael Houston.

Fiona’s rebound fling with Michael was a brief but erotic romp. Michael has made no secret of the fact that he’s still interested. So when Fiona asks him to escort her to the engagement party, he agrees, with one condition: she must spend a sensual weekend …

The I’m not feeling well and am grumpy so I’ll leave you alone winner post

Hey Everyone!

I’m suffering. This year my allergies are killing me. I woke up this morning with bloodshot, burning eyes (I not only scared myself when I looked in the mirror, but panicked the whole family, wasn’t a nice thing to see 🙁 ), my throat is itching and I can’t smell anything my nose is so swollen. So excuse me if I’ll make it short and to the point, don’t want to sneeze on all of you. :-/

Today congratulations are in order for…

The lucky winner of an ebook copy of Deadly Obsession by Katie Reus is: Sugar  

The lucky winner of a signed hardcover copy of Second Grave on the Left by Darynda Jones is: ellabythesea   

The lucky winner of an ebook copy of Incorporeal by J.R. Barrett is: Liz Z 

Congratulations winners, you have all been notified by e-mail of your win, you have 72 hours to …

Romance and Me: The Cheater Files

Hey Everyone!

Today’s post was inspired by the novel I am currenty reading where the heroine has trust issues with the hero due to her father being a cronic cheater and growing up having to witness her father’s womanizing ways.

Cheating is not a theme often explored in romance novels (or maybe it’s just me who doesn’t stumble upon those stories), the most I have seen is the hero or heroine having a jealousy fit but usually unfounded and serving only to prove the depth of their affection for each other.
But instances where either the hero or the heroine cheats on the other or someone else (either by thought, kiss, making out or sex) are rare. I would guess because witnessing either the hero or the heroine being unfaithful, even if to a third (and only marginal) character would make us readers have negative feelings about them and that would undermine how much …