Jill Shalvis
It Had to Be You
Grand Central / May 28, 2013 / $8.00 print, $5.99 digital

Ali Winters is not having a good day. Her boyfriend left her, everyone in town thinks she's a thief, and now she's about to be kicked out of her home. Her only shot at keeping a roof over her head and clearing her name is to beg for help from a police detective who's as sexy as he is stern....

After a high-profile case goes wrong, Luke Hanover returns to his hometown for some peace and quiet. Instead he finds a bombshell brunette in a heap of trouble. As he helps Ali put her world back together, the pieces of Luke's own life finally seem to fall into place. Is this the start of a sizzling fling? Or are Luke and Ali on the brink of something big in a little town called Lucky Harbor?

It Had to Be You is the seventh book in Jill Shalvis's Lucky Harbor series, and it's is just as strong as the first six. One of the tricks to keeping an ongoing series fresh is creating characters whom people like and with whom they can identify. Ms. Shalvis has a gift for writing down-to-earth yet quirky heroines and swoonworthy, honorable heroes.

[Perfect combination!...]

This post contains SPOILERS for all aired episodes of Scandal, including last night's Season 2 finale, episode 2.22, “White Hats Back On.”

(Need a refresher? Check out Kwana's recaps of episode 2.12, episode 2.13, episode 2.14, episode 2.15, episode 2.16, episode 2.17, episode 2.18, episode 2.19, episode 20, and episode 21.)

*****SPOILERS*****

Hey, Gladiators, are you with me? Sure you are! Bleary-eyed, certainly, but you’re here. Cheers to you! You went to Shondaland, you rode all the rides, and you made it out to tell the story. Today’s season finale recap is going to come at you a little fast, but like Quinn, you’re no longer a wide-eyed virgin, so I’m thinking you can handle it. You’ve proven you like to play it a little fast and loose, so let’s go.

The show opened up where we left off last week with the Gladiators coming to terms with Billy Chambers being the mole and a quickie recap of the life and times of good 'ol Billy. Sort of like a video Holiday update, but more entertaining with murder and mayhem. “If you want someone killed right, you’ve got to kill them yourself,” Huck says.

[Annnnnd Huck gets the side-eye...]

With Star Trek: Into Darkness opening today in the United States, it's a good time to recall that the original series was actually controversial in its time, featuring the first ever interracial kiss on television.

Romance has blazed many trails, hasn't it?

Do you have plans to see Star Trek: Into Darkness?

Once upon a time, there was a Big Bad Wolf. He ate grandma, remember? Terrorized poor old Red right out of her hood?

Then he got all smexied up, became either a were or a shapeshifter (because they’re different, you know—it’s that whole moon thing), and turned into a romantic hero. Big alpha males who change into a beast to defeat the bad guys and a cuddly puppy when confronted with the right woman. What’s not to love?

The first non-horror shifter I remember reading was Laurell K. Hamilton’s Richard in the Anita Blake series. Richard Zeeman was handsome, tortured, and total hotness on two legs or four…well, until he got whiny and annoying. But he had a good run of books before that happened.

Since then, werewolves have remained at the head of the were-critter/shapeshifter pack as the alphas of paranormal romance and urban fantasy, but they’ve gradually had to learn to share the spotlight with some other shifters. Some are equally sexy. (I mean, who doesn’t love a big old were-tiger? Was I the only one shouting for Sookie to stick with Quinn? I think not.) Others are, well, downright bizarre.

[Do you have a favorite type of shifter?...]

We're delighted to show you the trailer for Toni Aleo's new Nashville Assassins series, including Taking Shots, Trying to Score, Empty Net, Falling for the Backup, and Blue Lines.

Empty Net was just released, and Blue Lines will be out in August.

It’s that time of year again, when the major TV networks unveil their fall schedules and we get a little glimpse of what we might be obsessing about at the water cooler from September to May. Here’s a look at the schedule and, more importantly, new shows that The CW announced at its Upfronts presentations in New York City today:

The CW's Fall 2013 Schedule (all times ET)

MONDAY
8-9 p.m. — Hart of Dixie
9-10 p.m. — Beauty & the Beast

TUESDAY
8-9 p.m. — The Originals (DRAMA) – The Vampire Diaries’ first family head on down to New Orleans to stir up trouble. All your favorites, Klaus, Elijah, etc., will be there, and facing off with the sexy King of the city (and Klaus’ former protégé) Marcel (The Game’s Charles Michael Davis). Oh, and did we mention that undead Klaus is gonna be a daddy?
Ship Watch: Klaus/Hayley?

9-10 p.m. —  Supernatural

[What else is new to the schedule?...]

Get a sneak peek of Donna Grant’s Midnight's Kiss (available June 4, 2013), with an exclusive excerpt—and comment to help unlock a longer excerpt! 

Then, enter for a chance to win a whole set of Dark Warriors books along with a special tote bag and water bottle!*

Click here to read the excerpt! (Comment to unlock more!)

Click here to enter for a chance to win a Dark Warriors prize pack!*

DEEPER THAN DESIRE

Dr. Veronica Reid is a world-renowned archeologist whose Druid abilities help her to unearth ancient magical items. The arrival of the all-too-attractive and charismatic Arran MacCarrick puts her on the defensive when he begins to question how she really finds her artifacts…until an unknown foe attacks and Ronnie discovers that Arran has a secret as great as her own. Together, they unleash an all-consuming passion that won't be denied...

STRONGER THAN FATE

Immortal Warrior Arran is on a mission to find the spell to bind the god within him. But one look at the impossibly beautiful Ronnie and he knows there is more to her than meets the eye. With danger lurking around every corner and an undeniable hunger that grows with every kiss, Arran must reveal who he is to keep Ronnie from his nemesis. Now he is left with no choice but to fight—or fall—for the woman he loves...

[About the other books...]

Terri Osburn
Meant to Be
Montlake/ May 21, 2013 / $10.36 print, $3.99 digital

Sometimes the next best thing is what you’ve been looking for all along…

Beth Chandler has spent her whole life pleasing others. She went to law school to make her grandparents happy. She agreed to marry her workaholic boyfriend, Lucas, to make him happy. And, despite her fear of boats, she took a ferry to see Lucas’s parents just to make them happy.

While suffering through a panic attack on the ferry, Beth meets a tall, sexy stranger who talks her down from her fear—and makes her heart flutter in the process. Soon, she has a new reason to panic: her gorgeous, blue-eyed rescuer is Lucas’s brother, Joe. But could she ever leave her fiancé for his own brother…even if Lucas is more focused on making partner than on making their relationship work…and even if Joe turns out to be everything she never knew she wanted?

Filled with excitement and delight, Meant to Be is the story of a young woman torn between urban pressures and small-town pleasures.

I am not a fan of love triangles, but, as with most romance tropes that I insist I don’t like, the right author can prove me wrong. Terri Osburn is the right author in this case. And she proves me wrong using siblings in the triangle, something that usually makes me toss a book immediately. The reasons I loved this book, triangle included, are threefold.

[Exhibit One...]

In need of some sexy reading material to fill your e-reader? I’m here for you. Each month I will bring you an assortment of erotic pleasure reads to tempt your palate—and your credit card....

May brings us a delectable assortment of hot erotic pleasures that will leave you wanting more.

The Tied Man by Tabitha McGowen

Lilith Bresson, an independent, successful young artist, is forced to travel from her home in Spain to the wild borderlands of northern England, to repay her feckless father’s latest debt by painting a portrait of the enigmatic Lady Blaine Albermarle.

On her first night at Albermarle Hall she meets Finn Strachan, Blaine’s “companion,” a cultured and hauntingly beautiful young man who seems to have it all. But Lilith has an artist’s eye, and a gift for seeing what lies beneath the skin. She soon discovers that Blaine is more gaoler than lover, and if the price is right, depravity has no limits.

As the weeks pass, Lilith finds that she too is drawn into the malign web that her patron has spun, yet against the odds she forges a strong friendship with the damaged, dysfunctional Finn. In a dark, modern twist to an age-old story, Lilith Bresson proves that sometimes it’s the princess who needs to become the rescuer.

Please note that this storyline contains depictions of drug abuse, violence and non-consensual sexual activity.

An unconventional love story that will force you through the wringer over and over until the end, leaving you stunned and drained from the emotional onslaught it subjects you to.

[What else is new in May?...]

When you're reading, do you ever deliberately throw yourself a curveball? That is, challenge yourself to read in a romantic subgenre you normally avoid?

For example, say you're primarily a paranormal romance fan; have you ever made yourself pick up a contemporary set in a small town? A historical fan trying what has been buzzing in New Adult? An erotica reader looking for some romantic suspense?

Do you challenge yourself for the sake of  a reading challenge, or stick to the romantic subgenre that works best for you?

It’s that time of year again, when the major TV networks unveil their fall schedules and we get a little glimpse of what we might be obsessing about at the water cooler from September to May. Here’s a look at the schedule and, more importantly, new shows that CBS announced at its Upfronts presentations in New York City today (the CW will present tomorrow):

CBS's Fall 2013 Schedule (all times ET)

SUNDAY

8-9 p.m. — The Amazing Race 

9-10 p.m. — The Good Wife
10-11 p.m.— The Mentalist

MONDAY
8-8:30 p.m. — How I Met Your Mother
8:30-9 p.m. — We Are Men (COMEDY) –Left at the altar, a betrayed bridegroom (Paranormal Activity 3’s Chris Smith) moves into an apartment complex and gets advice from three older but-not-so-much wiser dudes  played by Jerry O'Connell (The Defenders), Kal Penn (House), and Tony Shalhoub (Monk).
9-9:30 p.m. — 2 Broke Girls
9:30-10 p.m. —  Mom (COMEDY) –The return of West Wing alums to TV continues! A newly sober single mom (Anna Faris) moves in with her own mother (Allison Janney) to get her life back together. With these two funny ladies on board, this might be the best of the surprisingly large bunch of sitcoms this season where adult kids move in with their parents (or vice versa).

[Clearly comedy is king on Mondays!...]

Everyone here at Heroes and Heartbreakers has at least experienced the vampire sensation that is Lestat. You might even say that some of us are some pretty major fans. So when we saw this news break that Tom Hiddleston would be playing a love lorn, muscian vampire in the upcomming Cannes film Only Lovers Left Alive we were a bit exicted.

From the looks of these two clips it looks like we may be finally getting more of what we love. Of course we are all also excited for any excuse to have more Tom Hiddleston in our lives, at least until Thor: The Dark World comes out. What do you think?

In less than a month, our favorite dysfunctional couple makes their return. Entwined with You, the third book of Sylvia Day's Crossfire series, will be released on June 4th. Entwined with You is highly anticipated in that the ending of Reflected in You left us reeling. As we patiently wait for release date to get here, I’ve been thinking about what I want to see happen with Gideon and Eva. I love them because they are so dysfunctional but I also hate the dysfunction—if that makes any sense.

Now that the Crossfire series will consist of 5 books instead of 3, what do we want to see/not see in the next 3 books?

• Co-dependency—Gideon is SO dependent on Eva for everything. He wants to be with her 24/7 and she allows this. There are times where Eva puts her foot down and tells Gideon to go away, but she inevitably gives in. Their relationship is already unhealthy with both of them having abuse issues so adding clinginess isn’t going to make it any healthier.

[What do YOU want for Gideon/Eva in future?...]

Even though I am neither a chef nor a foodie, books where the hero or heroine can cook great food have always grab my attention. While I do like the nurturing aspect of assembling tantalizing food, that is not the biggest pull. The greatest appeal is the its creative aspect. Most of us can follow directions and cook, but taking basic, raw ingredients and making something tempting and luscious from taste and imagination—well, that's a special talent.

This fascination has no limits, pulling me from romantic suspense books like Angel Falls by Nora Roberts to How to Bake a Perfect Life, a women’s fiction book by Barbara O’Neal, to small town romance books like Home Town Girl and Almost Home, by Mariah Stewart to chick lit stories such as Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella and Meet Me at the Cupcake Café by Jenny Colgan.

But even more appealing is when the author incorporates symbolism or magic in the story along with the food preparation, bringing two of my favorite plot devices together.

[Two great tastes that, well you get the idea...]

Earlier, we reported on the casting for Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy series being turned into film (and Chelsea Mueller assured us “it's going to be okay.”)

In addition to the three leads—Rose, Lissa, and Dimitri—the producers have announced more cast members, including the parts of Mia, Mason, Jesse, and Karp. Olga Kurylenko (Quantum of Solace) has already been cast as Kirova.

Here's Vampire Academy: Blood Sisters' description:

St. Vladimir's Academy isn't just any boarding school–it's a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They've been on the run, but now they're being dragged back to St. Vladimir's–the very place where they're most in danger. Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy's ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi–the world's fiercest and most dangerous vampires–make Lissa one of them forever.

Mia will be played by Sami Gayle (Blue Bloods), Cameron Monaghan (Shameless) will be Mason Ashford, Ashley Charles is Jesse Zeklos and Claire Foy (White Heat) will play Karp.

Interestingly, the producers have decided not to feature Eddie Castillo in this film, since it's only later in the series that Eddie's actions and role become important. The producers commented, “Basically, it is difficult to find a charismatic, high-caliber actor to play an unfortunately but necessarily reduced role. We all felt it best for the first film and the Eddie Castile character himself to wait for Frostbite, where Eddie's role is more full-bodied so we could find a more special actor. Apologies for any pain this decision may cause…”

Filming begins in two weeks, with a scheduled release date of on Feb. 14, 2014.

Vampire books have ensnared readers for years. Sometimes we think they’re sexy, other times we think they’re scary, but the creature of the night mythos follows a familiar trope.

If you think you might be burned out on vampires, maybe it’s time to try a vampire book done in a fresh way. Authors are changing the game with vampires, modifying the worlds they live in, the ways they can be killed and how they interact with their own kind.

What if vampires thought humans were extinct?

Andrew Fukuda plays with this idea in his book The Hunt. In his world, the few remaining humans have to pretend to be vampires. They go to school and work with vampires and force themselves to fake it. They hide all emotions, conceal goosebumps, never laugh and even fake the vampires’ reaction to something humorous—scratching at their wrist.

[Just be careful how hard you scratch...]

Many of the books in the New Adult category feature college students falling in love with each other.

In reality, how many women end up marrying the guys they dated in college?

If you didn't marry your college boyfriend(s), how different would your life have been if you did?

It’s that time of year again, when the major TV networks unveil their fall schedules and we get a little glimpse of what we might be obsessing about at the water cooler from September to May. Here’s a look at the schedule and, more importantly, new shows that ABC announced at its Upfronts presentations in New York City today (CBS and the CW will present over the next few days):

ABC's Fall 2013 Schedule (all times ET)

SUNDAY
8-9 p.m. — Once Upon a Time 

9-10 p.m. — Revenge
10-11 p.m. —  BETRAYAL (DRAMA) – Twisty and infidelicious, this soap/legal drama hybrid follows a female photographer who has a torrid affair with a defense lawyer. But when he gets a big murder case, he has to go up against her husband, the prosecuting attorney, in court. James Cromwell (American Horror Story: Asylum), Henry Thomas (E.T.), Hannah Ware (Boss), Stuart Townsend (Night Stalker), and Wendy Moniz (Damages) star.
Ship watch: Sara/Jack

MONDAY
8-9 p.m. — Dancing With the Stars
10-11 p.m. — Castle

[What about the rest of the week?...]

In addition to more Crossfire books and the Cosmo Hot Reads, Sylvia Day will also be publishing a stand-alone book on October 15th titled Spellbound.

She's just posted the cover and blurb on her Facebook page:

Max Westin. Sex incarnate. She could smell it, feel it with his proximity. Everything about him was a little rough, a little gritty. A primitive creature. Just like she was.

He held her hand a little too long, his thickly-lashed gaze clearly stating his intentions to have her. To tame her…

Read the rest of the blurb at Sylvia's Facebook page.

Jilted, rejected, abandoned, left at the altar, deserted, however you want to term it, having it happen on your wedding day is not a cool thing. It is what happens directly afterward that most interests me. I love to see the heroine jump back into things. Seeing her thumb her nose at her ex, leave with another man, have a honeymoon in spite of the jerk, really fall in love and find happiness; all of these things make for a wonderful HEA.

Most of the books of this plot type, that I have read, are based off of the groom cheating on the bride. I would love to be able to find a “Runaway Bride” type book but for the plot to really work for me, the groom has to be a dastardly jerk. If he isn’t cheating or horrible how can I possibly justify the heroine hooking up so quickly afterward? Here are a couple of books that I have found with this theme:

Down for the Count by Christine Bell — Lacey finds her groom in a supply closet with one of her bridesmaids so what is she to do? Well she goes on her honeymoon with her best friend’s older brother. Galen happens to be a boxing stud with a bit of a reputation but Lacey does not care. All she wants is a good time and Galen is there to provide it.

[I'll bet he does...]