Just last week, author S.U. Pacat announced her Captive Prince novels will be published by Penguin. Pacat notes that this will be the publisher's “first m/m romance paperback release.” The final book in the trilogy will be published in both trade paperback and e-book.

Long before this development, Mandi from Smexybooks was championing the series. Here's why:

I don’t normally seek out fantasy books, but when I received several recommendations for Pacat’s Captive Prince series, I decided to try it out. A planned trilogy, Captive Prince: Volume One and Volume Two are already out, with Volume Three eagerly anticipated as the second book ends on a cliffhanger. Pacat not only writes and builds an amazing world, but she gives us two heroes who start as such great enemies and eventually will have a happily ever after. It’s really quite amazing how she writes this story.

Damen, a prince and the rightful heir to the throne of Akielos, gets drugged, kidnapped, and sent into enemy territory as a slave. He gets sent to the court in Vere, and is now owned by Prince Laurent. Laurent is an ice-cold, frigid twenty-year-old, and in less than a year, will rise to become King. No one in Vere knows Damen’s true identity, thinking he is just another slave, or that Damen killed Laurent’s brother on the battlefield years ago. This death devastated Laurent, and he has vowed revenge against Damen. If he only knew he now owned him.

[Keeps gettin' better...]

Sylvia Day's third Crossfire novel, Entwined with You, is finally out! Have you read it? What did you think? Were you pleased with the ending—and looking forward to the rest of the series? Where will Gideon and Eva go from here? Let's discuss!

***SPOILERS*** in COMMENTS!

Remember that potential TV adaptation of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series we mentioned in July? Well, according to Hollywood news site Deadline, it's been picked up by Starz for 16 episodes, with production set to begin in October in Scotland!

The show, which assumably will follow time-traveling Sassenach Claire Randall and Scottish warrior Jamie Fraser as they meet and fall in love, is being developed by Ronald D. Moore, the mind behind Battlestar Galactica 2003 and the female Starbuck we know and love.

We'll share more news as we get it, but in the meantime, what say you? Think you'll watch? We've talked about fantasy casting Outlander before, but any guesses on who might get cast as Jamie and Claire for this series? 

Kristen Ashley
Fire Inside (a Chaos novel)
Hachette / June 4, 2013 / $3.79 digital

Lanie Heron isn't looking for love-no surprise, considering her last serious relationship nearly got her killed. So when Lanie propositions Hop Kincaid, all she wants is one wild night with the hot-as-hell biker who patrols with the Chaos Motorcycle Club . . .

For Hop, Lanie has always been untouchable. She's too polished and too classy for his taste. But when she gives Hop the once-over with her bedroom eyes and offers him a night in paradise, he can't say no. And he doesn't regret it when he finds that Lanie is the best thing that's ever happened to him-in or out of bed. Now the trick will be to convince her of that.

Kristen Ashley fans have had June 4th circled on their calendar for months, panting for more than the tantalizing glimpse we got of Lanie and Hop in Own the Wind. So many questions sprang to mind: Wasn’t Hop, even by MC standards, somewhat of a “man-hoor”? How would Chaos president Tack, married to Lanie’s best friend Tyra, react to his top lieutenant carrying on with a member of his wife’s extended family? The Connecticut princess and the Chaos biker…oh the drama, could it possibly live up to expectations and hype? Readers, worry not, Fire Inside is adolescent, fiery, sprawling, and over-the-top, a fabulous roller-coaster of a read in the best Kristen Ashley Motorcycle Man tradition.

[Annnnd SOLD!...]

One of our bloggers, Chelsea Mueller, was tweeting recently about a traveling dilemma: knowing that she would have to power down her e-reader in 15 minutes, should she start a new book?

What do you do when you travel? Do you amuse yourself with the in-flight catalog while you aren't able to e-read, or do you prepare by bringing a paperback and an e-reader, so you're never out of reading material?

Photo courtesy of Lin Pernille Photography

This post contains spoilers for the first season of Orphan Black, including minor spoilers for Saturday's Season 1 finale, “Endless Forms Most Beautiful.”

Saturday night was the Season 1 finale of the amazing Orphan Black on BBC America. After a bit of a slow if steady start, all the pieces shifted into place, the last five episodes raced viewers breathlessly toward Saturday’s season finale with excellent writing, brilliant acting, and an ever-more complex mystery that continues to boggle the mind.

Orphan Black begins when punk Brit Sarah Manning returns to her hometown after 10 months on the run. She wants to find a quick way to finally cut loose of her drug dealing ex-boyfriend and reclaim custody of her young daughter, Kira. But before she can do more than claim her baggage, a weeping woman catches her eye. As Sarah moves across the platform to investigate, the woman turns… she is the spitting image of Sarah. Before Sarah can say “doppelganger much?” the woman steps off the platform and straight into the path of a speeding train right before Sarah’s eyes. Shocked and horrified, Sarah steals the dead woman’s purse and discovers the she is Detective Beth Childs. Unable to resist, and in need of a fast score to fund her plans for Kira, Sarah switches identities to fake her own death, enters Beth’s home, and takes over her life.

[And Beth's life takes her over right back...]

Michele Sinclair
Seducing the Highlander
Kensington / June 4, 2013 / $7.99 print, $6.99 digital

Of the seven McTiernay brothers to protect their Scottish Highlands, Craig is most willing to place duty before love—until he's enchanted by the last woman he expects...

Meriel Schellden knows that marrying Craig McTiernay will strengthen the ties between their clans. She insists she is motivated by duty and responsibility, nothing more. But when a mere formality becomes a kiss far from platonic, Meriel must question where her true intentions lie...

Though Meriel entices him far more than she realizes, Craig's commitments have always kept his passions restrained. But no sense of duty to his clan can make Craig forget the way Meriel's touch left him teased, tantalized, and desperate for more. Now as a surprising rival contents for Meriel's affections, there has never been a better time to listen to what his heart has desired all along...

Michele Sinclair's Seducing the Highlander is the fifth book in the McTiernay Brothers series set in the early 14th century Scottish Highlands. Its hero, Craig McTiernay, is the middle brother of the seven the series focuses on.

The wives of the McTiernay brothers want to prove that the feelings Meriel Schelldene has for Craig McTiernay go much deeper than friendship. But years ago, Meriel had decided she wasn’t interested in marriage and her best friend, Craig, was of the same mind. Her twin sister (married to Craig's brother) has other ideas.

[A matchmaking sister? Look out!...]

Today we're pleased to welcome author Amanda Hocking here to talk about her wishes for the fourth season of Downton Abbey. The third book in Amanda's Watersong series, Tidal, releases this week, and also might include some unlikely pairings, similar the one she's suggesting below. Thanks for being here, Amanda!

I am a huge Downton Abbey fan. I’m British (by way of my grandparents on both sides of my family, not by birthplace), so I think that I finally understand the way some Italian Americans feel about The Sopranos.

Not only is the show brilliantly written, exquisitely designed and costumed, but it has Maggie Smith. Really, everything else could be terrible, and Dowager Countess of Grantham’s wit could still carry the whole thing. Fortunately, though, the show is amazing and insanely addictive. Who knew the goings on of the household staff in a turn-of-the-century manor could be so exciting?

But onto the heart of the matter—I am totally shipping Mary Crawley and Tom Branson for the next season of Downton Abbey.

Before Season 3 of Downton started, I was looking up a few things about the show, and I accidentally made a grisly discovery. Namely that two beloved characters weren’t going to survive onto the next season (though, no SPOILERS can actually prepare you for the abrupt devastation of either of their deaths, or the onslaught of tears).

[Oh yes, that season...SPOILERS inbound]

Game of Thrones Season 3 is here! Need to catch up? Don't miss Regina Thorne's Season 2 refresher or her recap of episode 3.01, episode 3.02, episode 3.03, episode 3.04, episode 3.05, episode 3.06, episode 3.07, and episode 3.08.

And now, onto last night's episode 3.09, “The Rains of Castamere."

***MAJOR SPOILERS FOR LAST NIGHT'S EPISODE***

In last night’s episode of Game of Thrones, the Freys hired Dothraki wedding planners (Motto: at least three deaths or your money back!) and threw a party at the Twins that no one in Westeros will ever forget. We focused on the Starks (and Dany), though the Lannisters certainly made their presence known. And we also found out that Roose Bolton likes fat girls, killer one-liners and sobriety at weddings.

We open with Robb asking Catelyn’s advice about his plans to attack Casterly Rock, the seat of House Lannister. Considering how rocky their relationship has been since Cat released Jaime Lannister, she’s a bit surprised that Robb is even talking to her, let alone asking her what she thinks. He tells her that her advice about not sending Theon back to the Greyjoys was absolutely correct and that because he ignored her, Winterfell, Bran and Rickon are lost. Cat nobly refrains from saying “I told you so!” and instead says that Robb’s plan is dangerous, though he thinks he can succeed with the help of the Freys. If the Lannisters catch Robb’s forces between Casterly Rock and the sea, “we’ll lose the war and die the way Father died. Or worse,” Robb says somberly, in a chilling bit of foreshadowing. Catelyn tells Robb that she wants the Lannisters to suffer by losing what they love.

[If wishes were horses...]

Today we're pleased to reveal the cover for Christina Brooke's provocatively titled The Greatest Lover Ever. Find out what happens when spirited meets stubborn—it's nothing short of scandalous!

Here's the official description:

THE SWEETEST SCANDAL

Beautiful, exuberant, and stubborn Georgiana Black has more spirit than sense—which she learns when an ultimatum to the Earl of Beckenham ends their engagement. Six years later, Georgie is less concerned with impending spinsterhood than with making sure her young sister doesn’t make the same mistakes she did. But soon Georgie stumbles into a scandalous encounter with none other than her former fiancé. Beckenham is still breathtakingly desirable—and as iron-willed as ever...

THE TRUEST TEMPTATION

Beckenham’s brief engagement to Georgie taught him one thing—when it comes to a wife, he wants a woman who will do her duty and cause no trouble. When the fiery Georgie falls unexpectedly into his arms, Beckenham remembers just how lushly delectable she is. Suddenly, the idea of actually marrying Georgie is irresistible. Convincing her will take more than a simple proposal, however. In a battle of wills, can passion conquer pride?

The Greatest Lover Ever will be out on December 31, 2013. Which seems like forever, but! Check back with H&H soon, because very soon we'll be sharing an exclusive excerpt of Christina Brooke's London's Last True Scandal, which releases in a few short weeks, on June 25.

We’re reading our way across America…one romance at a time.

California: Carpe Demon by Julie Kenner (Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom, Book 1)

Ah, California. The Golden State, the land of opportunity, the realm of champagne wishes and caviar dreams. From its glorious beaches to its verdant farmland and from its fabulous mansions to its hippy communes (plus, Disneyland!), California—Cali, to its friends—is a tangled pop culture web of photogenic and promiscuous teens, ruthless studio execs, strident feminists/animal rights activists/marriage equality revolutionaries and gangsta rappers straight outta Compton. Plus there’s, like, Valley Speak and people who are famous for being famous and health nuts preaching the dubious benefits of the Paleo diet/healing crystals/açai. There is delicious local wine and Ghiradelli chocolate and the world headquarters of Google, and it’s even where Barbie built her first dream house. Also, there’s pot. From stately San Francisco to surfie San Diego, from the purple mountains majesty of Yosemite to the aquamarine, uh, marine delights of Monterey Bay, and from the...well, whatever is further inland and yet is still pretty in this second-largest mainland state (thirty-first to join the Union, by the by), perhaps nowhere in the world is as well documented in story and song, and certainly not on film.

[California Dreamin'...]

Although it can be initially jarring to encounter a character with a very unusual name, it's nothing compared to when a character shares the same name as someone in your real life.

For example, you pick up a book by one of your favorite authors only to find out the hero's name is the same as your little brother's—eww!

Do you find it hard to read the book when the characters' names are the same as someone in your real life?

Sarah Dessen
The Moon and More
Viking Children's / June 4, 2013 / $19.99 print / $10.99 digital

Luke is the perfect boyfriend: handsome, kind, fun. He and Emaline have been together all through high school in Colby, the beach town where they both grew up. But now, in the summer before college, Emaline wonders if perfect is good enough.

Enter Theo, a super-ambitious outsider, a New Yorker assisting on a documentary film about a reclusive local artist. Theo's sophisticated, exciting, and, best of all, he thinks Emaline is much too smart for Colby.

Emaline's mostly-absentee father, too, thinks Emaline should have a bigger life, and he's convinced that an Ivy League education is the only route to realizing her potential. Emaline is attracted to the bright future that Theo and her father promise. But she also clings to the deep roots of her loving mother, stepfather, and sisters. Can she ignore the pull of the happily familiar world of Colby?

Emaline wants the moon and more, but how can she balance where she comes from with where she's going?

Many of Sarah Dessen’s readers, like myself, have long left behind their coming of age years. But even if the problems her characters face are no longer relevant to my life, the lessons they learn always seem so meaningful and far-reaching. That is one reason Ms. Dessen’s books have such a widespread appeal.

But most engaging to me is Ms. Dessen’s talent in creating multi-dimensional characters—drawn with strokes of realism and authenticity. One way that she does this is to tell the story from the first person point of view and showcase the different sides of her characters, like Emaline, from The Moon and More, as Emaline interacts with her friends, her family, her boyfriend, and the new guy in town.

[Sounds interesting...]

Recently, Motorcycle Clubs have come to the forefront of romance, from unlikely guises like the TV show Sons of Anarchy to books like Kristen Ashley's Motorcycle Man and her Chaos series. What do you think of motorcycle clubs in romance? Should they just be left to the open road or are you looking for a little hot rod action? Let us know in this week's poll and then tell us in the comments what you like or don't about Motorcycle Club romances.

Jaci Burton
One Sweet Ride
Berkley Trade / June 4, 2013 / $15.00 print / $9.99 digital

Gray Preston was born into money, but he’s built his racing empire on hard work and muscle. And now that Gray has millions of fans, his senator father sends one of his aides, Evelyn Hill, to elicit Gray’s help in garnering votes for the upcoming national election. Gray wants nothing to do with his estranged father’s campaign, but Evelyn can be pretty persuasive. She’s willing to learn about racing, and maybe even get a little dirty.

Evelyn’s number-one goal is politics, which makes working with Gray difficult, because his only passion is fast cars. As she and Gray spend time together, he teaches her about the sport he loves, and she learns a lot about the man behind the wheel. The more she learns, the more she wants him. But any desire that threatens to derail the carefully laid plans for her future is a dangerous one.

With the passion Gray and Evelyn share running hotter than either imagined, one of them is going to have to compromise, or else run the risk of losing more than their hearts. 

With One Sweet Ride Jaci Burton's Play-by-Play series covers new ground: the ups and downs, twists and turns of stock car racing. And when this is combined with the equally fast-paced race of a different sort—the political realm—there's a savvy symmetry that elevates this series and keeps it from getting stuck in any ruts. Above all, race car driver Gray Preston and political aide Evelyn Hill juxtapose and complement each other as well as their two different worlds surprisingly do.

[This is what it's like when world's collide]

Next Tuesday is the much anticipated release of Entwined with You, the third book in Sylvia Day's Crossfire series. The Crossfire series has been optioned for television, but even before that news came out, fans were suggesting who would be best to play the role of Gideon Cross.

“What mesmerized me most was his piercing blue eyes and the unmistakeable vulnerability that sifted through them like smoke.”—Sylvia Day's Reflected in You

So today we're presenting pictures of the most popular mentions; weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section!

[Plus more possible Gideon Beefcake!...]

One of the hardest things about the long summer TV hiatus is the months and months of uncertainty with regard to our beloved onscreen couples. Remember the agonising wait between Seasons 2 and 3 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, when Buffy had sent Angel to Hell? Or the questions surrounding Brennan’s pregnancy announcement at the end of Bones’ Season 6? (The resolution of which made me so furious I completely stopped watching, by the by.) We say adieu to these folks for the summer and sure, we spend that time checking in with the likes of Fiona and Michael, and Sookie and Eric, and Franklin and Bash, but their regular season counterparts inevitably stay with us, and often have us feverishly wondering just where they might go from here.

So where did we leave off with our TV romances this time around? Well, let us see... (Please bear in mind here that while I do watch a lot of the shows, I don’t watch all of the shows, so if I have left off your favorite ship here, share your thoughts on their current fates in the comments!)

[Time for a summer cruise on your favorite ship...]

Lisa Renee Jones
Being Me
Gallery / $15.00 print / $7.59 digital / June 11, 2013

I arch into him, drinking in his passion, instantly, willingly consumed by all that he is and could be to me. . . .

Sara McMillan is still searching for Rebecca, the mysterious woman whose dark, erotic journal entries both enthralled and frightened her. Tormented by a strong desire to indulge the demands of her new boss while also drawn deeper into her passionate bond with the troubled artist, Chris Merit, Sara must face a past as deeply haunting as Rebecca’s written words. In one man’s arms, Sara will find the safe haven to reveal her most intimate secrets and explore her darkest fantasies. But is safety just an illusion, when the truth about Rebecca has yet to be discovered?

Fascinated by the dark fantasies in the journals she’s discovered, and the two men who have now found a place in her life, Sara McMillan finds herself torn between her new life and her past. Now, more than ever, Sara identifies with the lost journal writer, Rebecca, and is certain that something sinister has happened.

In the arms of the sexy, tormented artist Chris Merit, Sara seeks answers about Rebecca and ends up discovering things about herself she never knew existed. Chris forces Sara to reconsider who she is and what she truly wants from life—but not before his dark desires threaten to tear them apart. Her boss, Mark Compton, offers her the shelter to understand just what those needs mean to her, and what they might have meant to Rebecca, but can she trust him to lead her to a final conclusion to Rebecca’s story?

[Only one way to find out...]