By the time we get to this, the fifth book in J. R. Ward’s h-laden paean of praise to male musculature known to we happy many as the BDB, we’re already quite familiar with our redoubtable hero, the vampire warrior Vishous. We know that he’s wicked smart. We know that he suffered a troubled childhood—which hardly makes him unique among this tortured brethren. We know he has precognitive visions, a “cursed” hand that can both kill and heal, and some intimidating facial ink. We even know his sexual proclivities: dude likes to be In. Charge. (And he’s kinda gay. It’s way hot.)

Previously, the fraught romantic escapades of his fellows Wrath, Rhage, Zsadist and Butch had delighted and amazed—well, perhaps not so much that of Butch; with every “baby” that comes out of his mouth, I die inside just a little bit more —and when it was then Vishous’s turn to find his “female of worth” and make her his own in couplings both varied and plentiful, I was understandably intrigued to see just what kind of woman would be conjured up to melt the cold, cold heart of the Brotherhood’s purportedly most intellectual, er, member. (No pun intended. I promise.)

[But puns are fun!...]

An incredibly handsome, virile warrior who changes in battle, becoming an unrecognizable creature whose warcry alone can literally destroy his enemies. A man whose destiny is to achieve everlasting fame—but whose life will be all too short. A hero who goes through innumerable tests to finally be with the love of his life.

The Alpha Male from your favorite paranormal romance? Sounds a lot like it, especially since he is so beautiful that all the men around him worry that he’ll seduce their wives and daughters.

But no, it’s Cúchulainn, the legendary mythological Irish folk hero whose story will be told on the big screen—portrayed by half-Irish Michael Fassbender, no less. 

Oh, yeah. Nice casting. Nice story. Just all the way around niiicccee.

Do you think Fassbender is overexposed yet (and not in a good way)? Or are you looking forward to seeing him rock the big screen, yet again, being furious while not wearing very much?

Ted tells his kids that the first time he told their mother he loved her was the first time he’d said those words since he last said them to Aunt Robin. Years ago, Ted and Robin broke up because they didn’t see themselves in the same place in five years’ time, but here they are, in the same place. Literally. That has to mean something.

Neither is sure what to make of this new development, and Robin doesn’t want any more surprises, but that’s exactly what she gets: An annoying co-worker arrives to whisk Robin off to an assignment in Russia, twelve hours earlier than Robin thinks. Ted helps Robin pack in record time, and they share a parting kiss, vowing to continue this when Robin gets back.

[Does distance make the heart grow fonder?...]

Given the recent success of ABC’s romantic soap, Revenge, it seems like a good time to discuss one of the most narratively interesting of romance plots: the revenge romance. The storylines tend to follow a basic pattern—one of the protagonists seeks to revenge him or herself for a perceived offense by initiating a romantic relationship with the other protagonist, with the intention of using it to harm/humiliate/defeat the other, only to fall in love, realize they were wrong, reveal their true intentions, and stride off into the Happily Ever After Sunset.

Revenge romances are intriguing because they combine elements that normally shouldn’t work together. On paper, the idea of a protagonist eliciting feelings from an opponent in order to use them as a weapon against them is morally reprehensible. This idea is particularly strong in romances where the hero is the one seeking vengeance, since heroes tend to take the sexual route, often by seducing, ruining, then discarding the heroine to spite her (or whichever protective male relative or friend he’s really hoping to hurt). Heroines in general tend to go the romantic route—they usually aim to have the hero fall in love with them in order to leave them heartbroken. Social ruination doesn’t normally enter into it (at least in historicals).

[Sweet revenge...]

Insurgent, the sequel to Veronica Roth’s dystopian YA novel Divergent, won’t hit stores until May 1, but today Entertainment Weekly posted an exclusive excerpt from Chapter 2.

Here’s the official description:

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris’s initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

...And a teaser from the excerpt:

He hooks a thumb in one of his belt loops and says, “How are you, Beatrice?”

“Did you just call me Beatrice?”

“Thought I would give it a try.” He smiles. “Not good?”

To summarize: Tris and Four (aka Tobias) are back!! Are you as excited as I am?

A Perfect Blood (Rachel Morgan series #10)
Kim Harrison
HarperCollins, February 21, 2012, $26.99 hardcover/$12.99 digital

Ritually murdered corpses are appearing across Cincinnati, terrifying amalgams of human and other. Pulled in to help investigate by the I.S. and the FIB, former witch turned day-walking demon Rachel Morgan soon realizes a horrifying truth: a human hate group is trying to create its own demons to destroy all Inderlanders, and to do so, it needs her blood.

She’s faced vampires, witches, werewolves, demons, and more, but humanity itself might be her toughest challenge yet.

I love me some Hallows adventures featuring Jenks, Rachel, Ivy, Al, and oh yes, Trent! Ever since the terrible loss of Kisten Felps, the Hallows took on a bit of the sads for me. That is, until Trent Kalamack became a bit more “present” in the most recent books.  And whoo boy, is he present in this book!

[And who doesn’t love a good elf, even if he’s not bearing cookies?...]

Enter for a chance to win a copy of Yours, Mine, and Ours by MaryJanice Davidson!

Click here to enter for a chance to win!

NO PURCHASE NESSECARY. Purchase does not increase your chances of winning. You must be 18 or older and a legal resident of the 50 United States or D.C. to enter. Promotion begins February 21, 2012, at 12:00 pm ET, and ends February 28, 2012, 11:59 am ET. Void in Puerto Rico and wherever prohibited by law. Click here for details and official rules.

[About the book...]

Can’t get enough of SyFy’s new show Lost Girl? Neither can we, so we’ve begun a weekly recap. Don’t miss Heather Waters’s thoughts on episodes 1-3 or Kiersten Krum’s recaps of episode 4 and episode 5.

And now, on to the recap of episode 6, “Food for Thought”...

Bo can’t decide what to wear. Oh, the horror. She holds up one slinky dress after the other, examining how they look in the floor length mirror every Hilton Hovel should have. Kenzi enters her bedroom and wonders if they have plans. Bo says that she has a doctor’s appointment tonight. Kenzi: “In a push-up bra and sexy boots at this hour?” Bo explains that the appointment is with Doctor Lauren, and as I roll my eyes, Bo wonders about the merits of her latest dress choice. “Needs more boobooly,” Kenzi decides. “Gotta let the girls breathe.” Boy. Howdy.

Kenzi wonders what kind of a test it is, like a sex test grading Bo’s luscious curves. It’s a succubus mid-term, Bo explains. Doctor Lauren is taking her out on the town tonight to see how Bo does controlling herself amongst the livestock. Kenzi wonders if that’s all it is, because she sensing date vibes and knowing how Bo likes the ladies…Bo insists it’s definitely, definitely not a date. She’s just hates tests and needs to chill a little. No disasters on the menu tonight, it’s just drinks and dinner. What could possibly go wrong with that?

[One can only imagine...]

“I haven’t forgiven you because...I don’t believe you need my forgiveness.”

And then Mary says what we’re all at least thinking:

“Please don’t take me there again unless you’re sure.”

And she makes him do the whole kneeling thing, out in the snow, and it’s the Most Romantic Thing ever.

The only question now, though, is what can they do for Downton Abbey Season 3? Because it’s hard to believe viewers will tolerate more obstacles in Mary and Matthew’s way, and couples can be...boring when they’re finally all Happily Ever After.

What do you think would be the best, most interesting developments for the third season?

Rainshadow Road
Lisa Kleypas
St. Martin’s Griffin, February 28, 2012, $10.19

Lucy Marinn is a glass artist living in mystical, beautiful, Friday Harbor, Washington. She is stunned and blindsided by the most bitter kind of betrayal: her fiancé Kevin has left her. His new lover is Lucy’s own sister. Lucy’s bitterness over being dumped is multiplied by the fact that she has constantly made the wrong choices in her romantic life. Facing the severe disapproval of Lucy’s parents, Kevin asks his friend Sam Nolan, a local vineyard owner on San Juan Island, to “romance” Lucy and hopefully loosen her up and get her over her anger. Complications ensue when Sam and Lucy begin to fall in love, Kevin has second thoughts, and Lucy discovers that the new relationship in her life began under false pretenses. Questions about love, loyalty, old patterns, mistakes, and new beginnings are explored as Lucy learns that some things in life—even after being broken—can be made into something new and beautiful.

Lisa Kleypas’s Rainshadow Road is the second of her Friday Harbor books, following the delightful Christmas at Friday Harbor. This is Sam’s book. The younger brother of Mark Nolan, the hero of Christmas at Friday Harbor, Sam owns a vineyard and shares a house with his brother and their orphaned niece.

[Family is everything...]

*******SPOILERS*******

In the past, there is a beautiful horse drawn carriage that pulls up to the King (Charming’s “father”) and Princess Abigail steps out to speak with him before her wedding. What the King doesn’t want to tell her is that Charming is missing and he has sent his guards out to bring him back. But Charming outsmarts them by jumping over a fallen tree on his horse. Umm, why the hell can’t the guards jump the tree? Are their horses’ legs different from Charming’s horses’ legs? Anyway, Charming ends up getting captured by another set of guards.

(Need to catch up? Check our our previous Once Upon a Time recaps:
Episode 1| Episode 2 | Episode 3 | Episode 4 | Episode 5 | Episode 6 | Episode 7 | Episode 8 | Episode 9 | Episode 10 | Episode 11 | Episode 12)

Present time, David is with Katherine having dinner when she tells him not only did she apply to law school in Boston, she was accepted and asks him to move with her to start a new life.

[Time to make a move, David...]

Mehuru from Philippa Gregory’s A Respectable Trade isn’t a romance hero, but he should have been. Though he lacks the happy ending guaranteed every hero in the romance genre, he’s got everything else. Intelligent? Check. Influential? Check. Educated? Check. Wealthy? Check. Tall, dark and handsome? Check, check and check. A priest of the Yoruba tribe in eighteenth century Africa, a position that combines the duties of spiritual leader and politician, Mehuru has it all, but loses it all in very short order. His own trusted servant betrays him to slavers who strip Mehuru of everything, including his name. Tortured past? Check, big time, only in this book, Mehuru lives a tortured present.

Renamed Moses, Mehuru finds himself thrown in with other African captives on a ship bound for distant, chilly England. Though his companions succumb to despair, Mehuru refuses to lose his dignity, even when his white captors doubt his ability to learn the most basic concepts.

[He’s got what it takes...]

Wow. That’s the best word I can come up with for this episode. Let me say it again: WOW. We have everything in this episode; celebration, heartbreak, humor, and oh, the romance! THIS is what a true finale should be.

(Need to catch up? Check out our recaps of the Season 2 premiere, episode 2, episode 3, episode 4, episode 5, episode 6, and episode 7.)

[Deck the halls of Downton Abbey...]

Enter for a chance to win a copy of The World of Downton Abbey by Jessica Fellowes and Below Stairs by Margaret Powell!

Click here to log in or register to enter for a chance to win.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE DOES NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCE OF WINNING. You must be 18 or older and a legal resident of the 50 United States or D.C. to enter. Promotion begins February 19, 2012, at 12 pm ET, and ends February 27, 2012, 11:59 am ET. Void in Puerto Rico and wherever prohibited by law. Click here for details and official rules.

It’s finally here! The second season of the delicious British soap opera Downton Abbey is now being aired on American shores (and airwaves and cable and satellite—heck, you know what we mean), and to make your experience even more delightful, we’ll be giving away a special Downton Abbey prize-pack each week to a lucky entrant. The prize includes a copy of The World of Downton Abbey by Jessica Fellowes and Below Stairs by Margaret Powell, and all you have to do to enter is click here and either log in to or register for the site.

And don’t miss last week’s Downton Abbey Season 2 Christmas Special recap or our Downton Abbey collection for more special content!

[About the books...]

Shiloh Walker
If You Know Her
Ballantine, $7.99, Feb. 28, 2012

Nia Hollister doesn’t scare easily. Come hell or high water, she intends to find her cousin’s killer. She returns to Ash, Kentucky, for answers. What she doesn’t expect is to ache with desire every time she sees Law Reilly. If any man can help her escape the nightmares for a while, it’s him. But can she allow herself to take comfort in those strong arms when a murderer still roams free?

Unknown to Nia, as she quietly slips into Law Reilly’s home, is that she’s being watched—by someone who is waiting for an opportunity to strike.

Timing is everything, though he can’t wait forever. If she’s not frightened, she soon will be. Nia has made a vow to find her cousin’s killer. She should be careful what she wishes for.

If You Know Her is the conclusion to Shiloh Walker’s exciting, nerve-wracking, explosive, romantic suspense Ash Trilogy. Throughout the series, we’ve watched a town terrorized by a serial killer.

[Isn’t it romantic? It is! Read on!...]

When two different authors take on the same central plot line, the results are never the same, and sometimes, it’s important to examine the similarities as well as the differences. So when I discovered that RITA-winning Science Fiction Romance author Linnea Sinclair and NYT best-selling author of Science Fiction Jack Campbell riffed on the same central plot idea, it was a chance too good to pass up. 

Linnea Sinclair’s entry is Accidental Goddess, the story of Captain Gillaine “Gillie” Davre, who inadvertently time traveled over 300 years into the future, only to discover that legend has turned her into a goddess. Jack Campbell’s entry is Dauntless, the first book in the Lost Fleet Series, the story of Captain John “Black Jack” Geary who is rescued 100 years after his “last stand” to discover that he has become a legendary hero.

[We can be heroes...]

J.D. Robb
Celebrity in Death (In Death #34)
G.P. Putnam’s Sons, $27.95/digital $14.99, Feb. 21, 2012

Lieutenant Eve Dallas is no party girl, but she’s managing to have a reasonably good time at the celebrity-packed bash celebrating The Icove Agenda, a film based on one of her famous cases. It’s a little spooky seeing the actress playing her, who looks almost like her long-lost twin. Not as unsettling, though, as seeing the actress who plays Peabody—drowned in the lap pool on the roof of the director’s luxury building. Talented but rude, and widely disliked, K. T. Harris had made an embarrassing scene during dinner. Now she’s at the center of a crime scene—and Eve is more than ready to get out of her high heels and strap on her holster, to step into the role she was born to play: cop.

It’s disconcerting to watch your life played out before your eyes—while Lt. Eve Dallas stands on the set of The Icove Agenda, she’s overwhelmed by the feeling of déjà vu standing outside of herself and seeming to watch her own cloned copy and that of her partner, Det. Delia Peabody, reenact their murder investigation of a year ago.

[All of this has happened before, and all of it will happen again...]

Because he was just cast in the film Oblivion (with Tom Cruise) and to celebrate the fact that Game of Thrones will be back on April 1, this week’s Friday Beefcake is dedicated to Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, who sometimes answers to Jaime Lannister. Enjoy, and have a great weekend!