Find your future faves with this delightfully convenient shopping list of romance novels coming out in April. We’ve divided them up by subgenre to make it easier for those who’ve got a very specific obsession and there are some great books to look forward to—from marriages of convenience and cowboy menage to shifters (and not just werewolves!) and friends to lovers. Don’t forget to take this printable version with you when it’s time to shop!

Heroes and Heartbreakers April 2013 Shopping List!

Paranormal/Urban Fantasy/SfR

[Check out the complete list!...]

Today we're pleased to reveal the cover for Heart of Venom, the ninth book in Jennifer Estep's Elemental Assassin series. The series' protagonist, Gin Blanco, is an assassin codenamed the Spider who runs a barbecue restaurant called the Pork Pit in her spare time.

Here's the official description:

When a terror from the past threatens Gin’s friend and body-disposer, Sophia, Gin will stop at nothing to protect her, even if it means walking straight into a killer’s trap. Meanwhile, the rocky romance between Gin and Owen reaches a turning point—can they reunite and rekindle their love? Or will the things Gin has been forced to do in her line of work as the deadly assassin the Spider keep them apart forever? Assuming, that is, she survives long enough to find out…

Heart of Venom will be released August 27, 2013.

We talked about what we loved in 2012, but now the new year is here and we're looking forward to some new trends. Are you happy with what's out there in your bookstore's romance shelves or are you wanting a few changes in the genre? Let us know what you're looking for in the new year!

Hat tip to Tori Benson for her 2013 wish list post. 

Alisa Kwitney
New Avengers: Breakout
Marvel / January 1, 2013 / $24.99 print

Fantasy/romantic fiction/comics author Alisa Kwitney (A Flight of Angels, Moonburn) reveals the secret backstory of Avengers couple Hawkeye and the Black Widow. Under secret orders to assassinate the Widow, the rough-edged marksman finds himself caught up in a violent prison break that releases some of the world's most vicious and powerful criminals. Defying his superiors, Hawkeye joins forces with the sultry Russian spy—and with a mismatched group of personalities that include Spider-Man, Spider-Woman, Luke Cage, Captain America and Iron Man. Unexpected betrayals and shocking revelations will lead the team from Manhattan's top security Raft prison to the untamed jungle of the Savage Land in dramatically different take on Brian Michael Bendis' blockbuster Avengers comics debut. Learn the sizzling backstory of your favorite big-screen heroes in this adaptation, inspired by the best of page and screen!

Fans of the Black Widow/Hawkeye pairing from this summer's The Avengers can get their next fix with Alisa Kwitney's New Avengers: Breakout prose novel, which combines an Avengers comics story line (namely Brian Michael Bendis's New Avengers: Breakout) and elements from the movie, like the chemistry that actors Scarlett Johansson and Jeremy Renner brought to their portrayals of the master assassins on the big screen. If you couldn't get enough of them in the movie but aren't sure how to jump into the vast comics universe where their story originated, New Avengers: Breakout may help bridge the gap. Plus...well, it's a fun take on Black Widow and Hawkeye's backstory!

[And who could resist that?...]

May old friends be forgot? We don't think so! We're celebrating our favorite reads with five days of the Best of 2012. We asked our bloggers for their favorite recommendations of 2012, with one stipulation, they had to be new to them and not necessarily new to 2012. We know we got a few recommendations to add to our to be read piles and it's a great way to feed those readers you hopefully got for Christmas!

Don't miss out on the shopping list for these great recommendations once you finish reading, and check out the recommendations from Day One, Day Three, Day Four, and Day Five, too! Click here to view the Day Two shopping list.

Rachel Hyland:

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
If there is any facet of the Fantasy genre I have never understood the fascination with, it is dragons. (Also, King Arthur.) But Rachel Hartman’s debut YA novel gives us such very different dragons, all dwelling in such a wonderfully-imagined, fully-realized world, that even my level of perplexed disinterest is easily overcome by her sheer cleverness. Told with an enchanting combination of outcast angst and amiable wit by our first person, titular narrator, we are immersed in political machinations, societal tension, complex familial relationships and yes, romance, and from the very first page the story just does not let up, or let go. Highly, highly recommended.

[King Arthur, YA, what could be next!]

This year was an interesting one for romance novel readers. With the astronomical success of E.L. James's Fifty Shades trilogy, we suddenly found ourselves accused of reading “mommy porn” and advocating the “abuse of woman.” Romance had taken a drastic turn; BDSM and erotic romance became the “it” genres to read and the market was instantly flooded with clueless ingenue heroines and broody billionaires with dubious sexual histories. Covers became monochrome with a single object as the focal point rather than the customary hero and heroine portrayed in dishabille. I’m not dismissing the “revolution” but I’m ready for a change.

I’ve read phenomenal books, good books, average books, and some books I’d rather just forget about this year. I left no genre untouched, but found myself rather rather dismayed with romances overall. Again, Fifty Shades set the bar, a rather low bar, and we found ourselves at the mercy of angst-driven, emotionally draining trilogies. I’m not a fan of romantic trilogies. I see no reason to drag out a romance over three books unless there is a viable plot line that is completely separate from the romance.

So what am I looking for in 2013?

[Tell us!...]

Today we're pleased to reveal not only the cover for Amanda Bonilla's forthcoming Crave the Darkness, but also to announce a sweepstakes for the chance to win a set of the first two books in Amanda's Shaede Assassin series, Shaedes of Gray and Blood Before Sunrise!* (Details below!)

Here's the blurb for Crave the Darkness:

Nothing comes easy for Darian. Her heightened powers make her indispensable to the Shaede Nation, but dangerous missions have driven her lover, Tyler, to his breaking point. Darian must salvage their bond, but a new assignment to protect Anya—a fellow Shaede and the first of their kind to become pregnant in centuries—stands in their way.

It doesn’t help that the two Shaedes are longtime rivals and share nothing besides mutual hatred. But when it becomes clear that someone—or something—is bent on destroying the expectant mother and her unborn child, Darian must put her feelings aside and track down Anya’s would-be assassin.

As she probes into Anya’s past, Darian digs up long-buried secrets—and a connection between Tyler and the mission that could destroy everything between them…

Crave the Darkness is out March 5, 2013.

*To enter for a chance to win 1 of 2 sets of the first two books in Amanda Bonilla's Shaede Assassin series (Shaedes of Gray and Blood Before Sunrise), make sure you’re a registered member of the site, and then simply leave a comment about the post below.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A purchase does not improve your chances of winning. Sweepstakes open to legal residents of fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia, who are 18 or older. To enter, fill out entry at http://www.heroesandheartbreakers.com/blogs/2012/10/cover-alert-amanda-bonilla-crave-the-darkness-and-shaede-assassin-series-sweepstakes beginning at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) October 4, 2012. Sweepstakes ends at 2:29 p.m. ET on October 14, 2012 (the “Promotion Period”). Void outside of the 50 US and DC and where prohibited by law. Please see full details and official rules at http://www.heroesandheartbreakers.com/page/official-rules-shaede-assassin-comment-sweepstakes. Sponsor: Macmillan, 175 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10010. 

Today we welcome a long-time friend of Heroes and Heartbreakers as well as a fantastic author. Amanda Bonilla’s Shaede Assassin series features Darian, who is the titular Shaede Assassin. The second book in Darian’s adventures is Blood Before Sunrise, which was just released. Thanks for joining us, Amanda!

Earlier on my blog tour, I talked about a guy I saw in a Walmart. He was well over six foot-five, he was wearing all black, with a long black trench coat and big, thick-soled combat boots. His head was shaved to show off the tattoo on the back of his head that read Mayhem in this crazy looking script. His ears were gauged and he walked around the store as though he didn’t notice all of the people doing double-takes as he passed. The guy looked like he’d stepped right out of an urban fantasy novel. And I think some people just look like they could be vampires, werewolves, or assassins. I don’t know what it is. They just give off a vibe.

[Can you feel it now?...]

Amanda Bonilla
Blood Before Sunrise
Signet / July 3, 2012 / $7.99 print & digital

For months Darian and her Shaede guardian Raif have searched for the Oracle who attempted to overthrow the Shaede Nation—and kill Darian in the bargain. But now that they’ve finally found the half-crazed Oracle, for their efforts they are granted a possibility too painful for Raif to imagine, and too enticing for Darian to ignore.

Darian is determined to reunite Raif and the daughter he thought was dead, but her mission quickly proves dangerous when her lover Tyler is almost killed. And when a brooding and mysterious Fae warrior offers his guidance—at an extraordinary price—Darian finds herself willing to risk everything. As her single-minded hunt turns into an obsession, and she and Tyler grow further apart, Darian finds herself caught between the man she loves like a brother, and the man whose love she can’t live without...

Amanda Bonilla’s Blood Before Sunrise picks up where the previous book, Shaedes of Gray, left off and once again submerges us into the dark and dangerous fantasy world in which our heroine lives. Set in Seattle, this noir and Machiavellian urban fantasy will have you clinging to the edge of your seat.

[Better buckle up, it’s gonna be a wild ride...]

Today we’re thrilled to welcome author Elle Kennedy to Heroes and Heartbreakers. Next week, Elle will release Midnight Rescue, the first book in her new Killer Instincts series. With words like “desperate,” “sex,” “dangerous,” and “passion” in Midnight Rescue’s blurb, who better than Elle to offer her picks for the finest in kick-ass heroines? (See the end of the post to find out how to enter for a chance to win a copy of the book!)

Welcome, Elle!

I’m one of those readers who absolutely adores kick-ass heroines. To me, there’s nothing more satisfying than a woman who can hold her own against an alpha male, a woman who can save herself rather than rely on someone else to save her, a woman who instills honest-to-God fear in those she comes up against. 

I know that most readers enjoy strong heroines, but when it comes to kicking butt, I’ve spoken to many readers who’ve admitted they prefer the hero to be the one doing the butt kicking. Which I understand. Powerful alpha heroes are sexy. Who doesn’t want a tough, capable man coming to your rescue and sweeping you off your feet? 

[That said: Bring on the badass heroines!...]

We’ve talked about damaged heroines and bad friend heroines, but what about the baddest bitches on the block? As much as we track their relationships, most urban fantasy heroines should be best known for their ability to kick ass and take names.

As such, I’m assembling my fighting team. I’ve picked five of the strongest, most lethal urban fantasy heroines to watch my back. Not only could this group of women take out the Cobra Kai, but also they’ll save the world. Repeatedly.

1. Gin Blanco from Jennifer Estep’s Elemental Assassins series. She has the power to force the elements to her will, but that just isn’t enough of a challenge. She’s an assassin who could kill you six ways before you blink—and she doesn’t have to use magic to do it. But she might, because it’d be interesting.

Smart, ruthless and an undeniable badass, I want Gin to have my back.

[And rounding out the team are...]

Sorry, this sweepstakes has ended.

Check our Sweepstakes page for more offers!

Click here to enter for a chance to win!

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. 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 March 7, 2012, at 2:00 pm ET, and ends March 16, 2012, 1:59 pm ET. Void in Puerto Rico and wherever prohibited by law. Click here for details and official rules.

[About the book...]

Got a fondness for giants, dwarves, elemental magic and badass heroines who are willing to kill to protect the people they love? If you do, you might already know about Jennifer Estep’s Elemental Assassins series, the fifth book of which, Spider’s Revenge, releases tomorrow.

The series features Gin Blanco, a.k.a. Genevieve Snow, a.k.a. The Spider. When Gin was thirteen, her mother and older sister were burned to death by a fire elemental who tortured Gin and branded Gin’s silverstone spider rune into the palms of her hands. Gin’s stone magic allowed her to survive as she literally brought the house down—and now she blames herself for killing her baby sister Bria in the collapse. She spent months living homeless on the streets before being taken in by Fletcher Lane, a.k.a. The Tin Man—one of the best assassins in the city of Ashland. He traines Gin to follow in his footsteps and acts as her handler.

While we wait for tomorrow—hurry up, tomorrow!—we’ve got details (i.e. SPOILERS) on the Elemental Assassin series thus far:

[The story so far...]

Jennifer Estep
Tangled Threads (Elemental Assassin Series, Book 4)
Pocket, April 26, 2011 $7.99

I’d rather face a dozen lethal assassins any night than deal with something as tricky, convoluted, and fragile as my feelings.

But here I am. Gin Blanco, the semi-retired assassin known as the Spider. Hovering outside sexy businessman Owen Grayson’s front door like a nervous teenage girl. One thing I like about Owen: he doesn’t shy away from my past—or my present. And right now I have a bull’s-eye on my forehead. Cold-blooded Fire elemental Mab Monroe has hired one of the smartest assassins in the business to trap me. Elektra LaFleur is skilled and efficient, with deadly electrical elemental magic as potent as my own Ice and Stone powers. Which means there’s a fifty-fifty chance one of us won’t survive this battle. I intend to kill LaFleur—or die trying—because Mab wants the assassin to take out my baby sister, Detective Bria Coolidge, too. The only problem is, Bria has no idea I’m her long-lost sibling . . . or that I’m the murderer she’s been chasing through Ashland for weeks. And what Bria doesn’t know just might get us both dead. . . .

[Talk about your family drama!...]