This book is available from ROC. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

This month long battle of the heroes has finally come to an end and it was a long fought battle. Fans of both heroes have put in lots of effort in getting their heroes up to this point and the winner for the Sherrilyn Kenyon Last Hero Standing Contest is:

Rowena's review of Nine Rules to Break when Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean.

Hero: Lord Gabriel St. John, Marquess of Ralston
Heroine: Lady Calpurnia Hartwell

It's a well-known rule that a proper young lady should never steal into the house of a notorious marquess and demand a passionate kiss. But to romance this rake, Lady Calpurnia Hartwell will break all the rules.

I am a sucker for the unrequited love story. The longing and the pining never cease to make my heart race as I wonder how the author is going to bring these two people together. Whether they're best friends turned lovers or a woman with a longstanding crush, the excitement of that kind of story never fails to make my heart sigh as I'm reading the book. That was the case with this book.

I adored it.

It took me no time at all to read this book because every spare moment I had, I had my nose buried in this book. It's funny because my sister was visiting from Colorado when I started this book and her 4 year old son took to teasing me about all the reading I did with. He would sit on the couch and put his hands in the shape of a book in front of his face, pretending to read and ask me, "Who am I, Aunty Wena?"

Haha, Kainoa...very funny but I couldn't help it. This book was so good. It wasn't anything new, the storyline isn't a storyline that was fresh but the dialogue and the characters were refreshing and unbelievably bewitching. My favorite part of this book is surprisingly, the heroine, Lady Calpurnia Hartwell. She's a wallflower, a spinster. She's on the shelf and after a conversation she overheard between her younger sister and her sister's fiance about her and another conversation with her brother, the Earl of Allendale, Callie sets about having adventures. She goes about learning how to fence, smoking cheroots, kissing men in the middle of the night and all sorts of other adventures that had me laughing, holding my breath and laughing all over again.

As great as Gabriel was, it was Callie that made this story for me. I loved seeing her interact with her family, most especially her brother and sister. You can tell that there was a wealth of love between the siblings and I loved the scene between Callie and Benny when Callie comes home late and Benny's waiting up for her and she confesses all about her adventures and then asks him to let her smoke a cheroot and he finally caves. That scene was such a sweet and funny scene, one that I absolutely adored.

I seriously adored this book. I can't recommend it enough because it was a great book with fantastic characters and a storyline that kept me entertained from the beginning to the end. I will definitely be checking out more books by Sarah McLean and I'm very anxious to do so. If you're looking for a fantastic historical that will make you laugh, this is definitely the book for you.

4.75 out of 5

Edited to add: Please stop by tomorrow for a chance to chat with Sarah MacLean, she'll be guest blogging with us tomorrow. There might be books up for grabs so you won't want to miss it!

This book is available from Avon. You can buy it here or here.

I give this book a 4.75 rating out of 5.

You can read more from Judith at Dr J's Book Place
This book is available from Avon. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

First, the winners of our Jill Shalvis giveaways!

The winner of Instant Attraction is:

The Winner of Instant Gratification is:


The winners of Instant Temptation is:


The winners from this month's Monthly Reads are:

Beyond the Night by Joss Ware


On the Steamy Side by Louisa Edwards


Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher


Last month Gabby won a copy of Larissa Ione's Ecstasy Unveiled, but had already bought it by the time the winners were announced. She asked that we pass it along to someone else. So the new winner of Ecstasy Unveiled is:


Congrats ladies! Please email us at contests @ thebookbinge . com (no spaces) with your mailing information and we'll get your books out ASAP. Alternatively you can choose digital format if you'd prefer. Please put the title of the book you won in the subject line.

xoxoxo,

Holly, Casee and Rowena

Rowena's review of The Bachelorette Party by Karen McCullah Lutz.

I discovered this book by reading a review online. It was on a blog (I can’t remember which one dangit) and I remember being amused by the review that when I went to the So Cal Blogger Meet Up a couple of months ago, this book was on my list of books to pick up should I come across it and I was so happy that I did because I enjoyed the hell out of this book.

It was such a fun and entertaining read. The main character, Zadie was one of those say what’s on her mind, do what she wants to do kind of heroines that is popular in the chick lit genre and I adored her. I thought she was such a fun person to get to know and everything she thought, everything she did had me cracking the heck up.

Zadie is an English teacher who was left at the altar after her soap opera fiance’ decided to just not come home from his bachelor party. He stayed in Vegas with his friends while Zadie waited at the altar for him to show up. She’s destroyed by it but gets through the worst of it by getting hammered every chance she can and hanging out with her best friend, Grey. She enjoys her time with Grey and it cracked me up that nothing was deemed TMI between Grey and Zadie. They were the most classic of best friends, there was nothing to gross to tell each other. The conversations these two had me laughing out loud more than once.

The cast of characters this book introduced me too kept me in fits of laughter all the way through. From Helen’s crazy alcoholic self to Grey’s ridiculously hideous sister and all of Helen’s friends, they all had me laughing the night away. Helen’s bachelorette party was one helluva ride and I’m so glad that I read it. It entertained the socks right off of me and I can’t recommend this book enough to anyone out there who is interested in reading a laugh out loud chick lit book with fantastic characters.

The one thing that I was a little disappointed in was that somehow Grey and Zadie didn’t end up together. The romance reader in me wanted Zadie to get her happily ever after with the guy that is so perfect for her…Grey. She was totally herself with him and I wanted them to somehow fall in love but it wasn’t to be since Grey was still in love with Helen at the end of the book and even though I liked who Zadie did end up with, there was a part of me that wanted her to be with Grey. I heart Grey.

What cracked me up was Zadie and her inappropriate crush on her student, Trevor. I’m telling you, this book is a hoot and you all should definitely read this if you’re in the mood for some fun. This book certainly delivers the fun.

Grade: 4 out of 5

This book is available from St. Martin's Press. You can buy it here.

Judith's review of Nice Girls Don't Live Forever (Jane Jameson #3) by Molly Harper.

Nothing sucks the romance out of world travel like a boyfriend who may or may not have broken up with you in a hotel room in Brussels. Jane Jameson's sexy sire Gabriel has always been unpredictable, but the seductive, anonymous notes that await him at each stop of their international vacation, coupled with his evasive behavior over the past few months, finally push Jane onto the next flight home to Half Moon Hollow—alone, upset, and unsure whether Gabriel just ended their relationship without actually telling her.

Now the children's librarian turned vampire is reviving with plenty of Faux Type O, some TLC from her colorful friends and family, and her plans for a Brave New Jane. Step One: Get her newly renovated occult bookstore off the ground. Step Two: Support her best friend Zeb and his werewolf bride as they prepare for the impending birth of their baby . . . or litter. Step Three: Figure out who's been sending her threatening letters and how her hostile pen pal is tied to Gabriel. Because for this nice girl, surviving a broken heart is suddenly becoming a matter of life and undeath.

Molly Harper is one of those writers that has the skill to maintain the story of a character like Jane Jameson for more than the initial 200 pages. In this third book in the series, Jane is becoming more adept as living as one of the vampire population, has managed to stay out of trouble for most of the past months, has reached a new level in her relationship with her sire Gabriel, has successfully helped her best friend Zeb get past the nightmare wedding from Hell and help him and Jolene, his werewolf bride, to settle in to their new life together. Because of the death of Mr. Wainwright, her employer, Jane is now the proud owner of the occult bookstore where she has worked for a better part of the past year, and now, because of funds that have come to her, has decided to renovate and re-open the store. Together with some of her friends, she moves forward in her life, in spite of the fact that Gabriel has not seen fit to open his life and his heart to Jane. She can do nothing else after what Gabriel had done to her on their recent trip abroad. Finally getting fed up with Gabriel's repeated evasions about his long absences and the love notes he receives at each hotel on their whirlwind tour of far-flung places, Jane faces him, once again receives nothing for her efforts, and decides to return home. It would appear that her love relationship with her sire is at an end.

Jane's relationship with her family remains as tenuous as ever, if not worse. After joining the Chamber of Commerce, she is thrown in with her sister, is badgered and nagged into doing projects she feels she cannot do by the head of the Chamber, is subjected to verbal abuse by many in the community, must deal, finally, with Mr. Wainwright's nephew who has been written out of the will, and continue to be a counselor to Zeb and Jolene as the birth of their baby approaches. Jane's life is fraught with the stresses and strains of life in a small Kentucky town in addition to her ongoing need to process and mature in her “undead” status. I continue to love all these characters and find them sort of metaphors for the kind of people one will always find in such a setting. The discovery that her friend Dick is really Mr. Wainwright's great-great-grandfather adds to the fun. Watching the growing love relationship between the ghosts of Mr. Wainwright and her Aunt Jettie (who haunts Jane's home) is hilarious and adds spice to the background of Jane's story. The final confrontation is well-written and has suspense and cause for nail-biting galore. Never fear: there are happy endings to be had here!

If you have read the first two in this series you will know that the dialogue is bright and funny, full of wonderful friendship and lots of really humorous witticism. This book is a great read and well-worth the time. I couldn't put it down.

I give it a rating of 4.75 out of 5.

This book is available from Pocket. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

You can read more from Judith at Dr J's Book Place.

The series:

Max Shannon is a good cop, one of the best in New York Enforcement. Born with a natural shield that protects him against Psy mental invasions, he knows he has little chance of advancement within the Psy-dominated power structure. The last case he expects to be assigned is that of a murderer targeting a Psy Councilor’s closest advisors. And the last woman he expects to compel him in the most sensual of ways is a Psy on the verge of a catastrophic mental fracture…

Sophia Russo is a Justice-Psy, cursed with the ability to retrieve memories from men and women so twisted even veteran cops keep their distance. Appointed as Max’s liaison with the Psy, she finds herself fascinated by this human, her frozen heart threatening to thaw with forbidden emotion. But, her mind filled with other people’s nightmares, other people’s evil, she’s standing on the border between sanity and a silken darkness that urges her to take justice into her own hands, to become judge, jury…and executioner…

It's not Hawke's book, but I have complete confidence in Nalini that we will love it. We get to know a new designation of Psy in this book. It also has Max, the cop from Mine to Possess. It's not out until July, but that seems like it's just right around the corner.

Are you looking forward to Bonds of Justice?

Casee's review of Abandon the Night (Awakening Heroes, Book 3) by Joss Ware.

Quentin Fielding had everything. Money. Power. Women. But now that civilization is all but annihilated, Quent only wants one thing: revenge. Harnessing a strange new "gift," he embarks on a deadly mission to find the the man responsible for the chaos and destruction, the man he should have killed years ago: his father. Only one thing stands in his way – a mysterious, arrow-wielding beauty...

Zoe Kapoor is on her own quest for vengeance, searching for the monstrous fiends who murdered her family. Soon she and Quent join together, journeying through the ruins of the world they once knew as a desperate desire builds between them. Drawing closer to an enemy they never imagined, Zoe and Quent must abandon all fear, abandon all regret, abandon the night ... if they want to stay alive.

This is my favorite book of the first three books in this series. Quent has fascinated me since the beginning, especially since learning that his father was instrumental in The Change. Other than loving Quent and Zoe, the reason this book is so good is how the arc continued. I greatly respect and admire Joss Ware for not dangling bait in front of our eyes only to pull back and tell us to wait. She gave up secrets that I was definitely not expecting in this third book.

Quent and Zoe have an undeniable attraction. After Zoe saves Quent from the gangas, he appropriates one of her custom made ganga-killing arrows. Quent knows Zoe will come for it and he’s not disappointed. What ensues is the hottest sex that Quent has had in his life. So begins the cycle of Zoe “showing up” for the arrows that Quent manages to get his hands on.

Both Quent and Zoe are amazingly closed off characters. Quent had a childhood for hell. With a father that beat him and a mom that just stood by doing nothing, Quent did his best to thwart his father. One night when Zoe was a teenager, she sneaked out of the settlement that her family lived at. When she came back, the settlement was ablaze and everyone inside was dead. Since then, she has lived for vengeance.

Basically what we have here are two people that are hell bent on getting vengeance. Zoe for her family and Quent for everyone his father killed by implementing The Change. After months of strictly sexual meetings, Quent convinces Zoe to let him go with her when she leaves Envy.

To say Zoe was prickly is an understatement. After the tragedy that took her family away from her, she is a full-out hardcore bee-yotch. She doesn’t apologize for her behavior or for who she is. She gives the impression that she doesn’t give a damn about anyone, but that is far from the truth. It’s nothing that is overtly obvious. It’s the little things she does to help people. It’s like the way she risked her life to save Quent when she didn’t even know who he was. It’s helping a woman she doesn’t even know at the risk of getting her revenge.

Quent has a hard time admitting to himself how he feels about Zoe, but he does it. Zoe won’t admit that she needs anyone but herself. She’ll use Quent for sex and tells herself that it’s all she needs for him. Of course she’ll help him find his father, but beyond that they don’t have anything. That wears on a guy like Quent. He can only give so much to Zoe without getting anything back before he’s empty.

When Quent and Zoe finally get to Mecca (the floating island where his father lives), Quent doesn’t expect to get out alive. He enters Mecca as the prodigal son and intends to fool his father into believing that he doesn’t want to kill him. His father purposely draws him into how he affected The Change and what Atlantis has to do with it, knowing that Quent will want to know more. When he shows him the actual jewel that the Atlanteans sent him, Quent knows he can’t leave without it. The only problem is the pesky ability he has to “feel” the past of an object.

I loved how much we learned about Strangers, Quent’s father, Atlantis, etc. If anything, it made me anticipate the next book that much more. This review just can't do this book justice.

4.75 out of 5.

This book is available from Avon. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

The series:

What Are You Reading is a new feature we're starting. WAYR is a weekly open thread we'll start every Sunday. We'll tell you what we're reading and ask that you do the same in the comments. Throughout the week we'll update in the comments as we go along and we urge all of you to do the same.

Holly: I'm about 140 pages into a reread of Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase. LoS is arguably one of the best historical romance novels ever written. I am absolutely loving it (as I do every time I reread) but I'm also frustrated as hell because I can't seem to find any dedicated reading time this weekend. Every time I sit down to read something comes up.

I've just finished reading the part where they consummate their marriage. Jessica has confessed to being in lust with Dain all along and his reaction is..priceless. While I love Dain (who doesn't?), it's really Jessica who steals the show here. She's witty, kind, strong and manages Dain with aplomb. Here's a snippet from early on in the book. Withers, the butler, has just learned that Jessica and her grandmother Genevieve have just arrived. Her brother, Bertie, has been running amuck in London and Withers is eternally grateful that Miss Jessica has shown up to take him in hand:

More important, in the practical Withers’ view, Miss Jessica had inherited her late father’s brains, physical agility, and courage. She could ride, fence, and shoot with the best of them. Actually, when it came to pistols, she was the best of the whole family, and that was saying something. During two brief marriages, her grandmother had borne four sons by her first husband, Sir Edmund Trent, and two by her second, Viscount Pembury, and daughters and sons alike had bred males in abundance. Yet not a one of those fine fellows could outshoot Miss Jessica. She could pop the cork off a wine bottle at twenty paces —and Withers himself had seen her do it.

He wouldn’t mind seeing her pop Lord Dain’s cork for him. The great brute was an abomination, a disgrace to his country, an idle reprobate with no more conscience than a dung beetle. He had lured Sir Bertram—who, lamentably, was not the cleverest of gentlemen—into his nefarious circle and down the slippery slope to ruin. Another few months of Lord Dain’s company and Sir Bertram would be bankrupt —if the endless round of de-bauchery didn’t kill him first. But there wouldn’t be another few months, Withers reflected happily as he nudged his reluc-tant master to the door. Miss Jessica would fix everything. She always did.

You might think, from the snippet, that Jessica is one of those annoying, "managing" types, but she's very practical and down to earth. Which is good, since Lord Dain is anything but. I've been Tweeting about it under the hashtag #LoS if you want to follow along, though you will have to wade through some other non-related tweets to get there. (http://twitter.com/#search?q=%23LoS).



Rowena: I just started a book that I'm reading for review here on Book Binge. I read Libby Malin's last book, Fire Me and was really looking forward to reading this one.

So far, the book is just so-so but I'm hopeful that it will get better. It's not a bad start to a new reading week that's for sure but I'm not as into this book as I was in the first book. I'll keep you guys updated on whether I change my mind about this book as the week continues on.





Casee: Defeat the Darkness is a book from Morgan's Paladin series. I haven't read the last few, but I really liked the first three in the series. I'm only about two chapters in, but it is very promising.







So tell us, what are you reading? Are you loving it or hating it?

MARCH MADNESS CONTINUES -- 16% MICROPAY REBATES!!

This weekend as March Madness continues we're offering a "Sweet" 16% Micropay Rebates on ALL Secure eBooks when paying with a credit card or PayPal. So enjoy the games then read some eBooks!

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Lisa Valdez’s long awaited Patience is being released on April 6th, almost five years after the release of Passion.

Karen Robards’ third book the Banning Sisters Trilogy, Shameless, is being released eight years after the release of Irresistible.

When you think about the staggering amount of time between releases, it could make you wonder. Why now? Does anyone care after all this time?

The first historical book I ever read was a Karen Robards. She branched out into romantic suspense and was very successful at it. It was after Claire Banning’s book came out that Karen Robards told her readers that she didn’t know when and even if Beth’s book would ever come out. Why? Because she was writing romantic suspense. She wanted to write Beth’s book for her readers, but business is business. If you’re doing well in one thing, why would you abandon it? Obviously Karen Robards didn’t abandon her readers. She never promised Beth’s book, but now here it is.

Which leads me to Lisa Valdez. I read Passion back when it came out. I was looking forward to Patience. Then I started losing respect for Valdez b/c of the continual excuses. One excuse I read was that the readers that reacted badly to Passion hurt Valdez so badly that it messed up her writing mojo. She had to do Patience justice and wasn’t able to do that. Then it was going to come out about two years ago. Again it was delayed. I want to know when she had the book completed. Was it completed four years ago and she was just too cowardly to put it out after the backlash of Passion? I read what people wrote about Passion. I read about how offended people were by what they deemed was the vulgarity of a regency historical. Then there were readers like me who thought it was a breath of fresh air.

Lisa Valdez had a real chance to become a big name in historical romance. I really think she blew it with Patience. Now I’m questioning if I even want to read it.

What book have you waited for? How long is too long?

Rowena's review of Instant Temptation by Jill Shalvis.

Hero: TJ Wilder
Heroine: Harley Stevens

T.J. Wilder is the perfect package of breathtaking adventure and raw sex appeal. Even better, he's about to reconnect with the one woman he's never been able to forget...

Get Your Pulse Racing

To Harley, the landscape around Wishful, California, is exhilarating, untamed, and more than a little dangerous. The same could be said for T.J. Wilder, who's invited himself along on her trek to study a rare coyote. Harley's career is riding on this trip, and she doesn't need a stubborn, incredibly sexy distraction. But T.J. is a professional guide who knows when to stay back and when to provide invaluable expertise-just like he's done since they were in high school. And Harley, as usual, is torn between throttling him and giving in to the raw attraction that's been smoldering all these years.

T.J. knows how proud and capable Harley is, but he's damned sure not letting her put herself at risk when there are illegal hunters in the area. She needs him, with the same soul-stirring urgency that he's always craved her. And here, in this beautiful place days from civilization, he'll finally have a chance to prove it-over and over again...

There was something about TJ Wilder in the previous books that made me eager for his story. I loved his sense of humor when ragging on Stone for his fear of needles, I enjoyed seeing him be the big brother to Cam when Cam came back and I loved seeing him tease his brothers about every little thing under the sun and couldn’t wait until it was his turn to bite the love bug.

I’ve been anxiously awaiting this story for quite some time now (I wanna say since I read Cam’s book but it was really in Stone’s book that I developed ants in my pants for more TJ) and to say that I enjoyed the book would be putting it mildly.

I adored this book.

Shalvis never fails to make me happy when reading one of her books. I could be having the most shittiest of days and I’ll pick up a Shalvis to read and everything will be right in my world again. She has a knack for putting me in a good mood. This book was no exception.

TJ Wilder is the last of the Wilder boys to settle down and while he loves women, he loves the outdoors more. He likes having his freedom to do what he wants to do, whenever he wants to do it. He gets itchy after staying in one place for too long so he takes off on crazy treks across different lands. On one of his trips home, he gets closer to Harley. TJ and Harley grew up together and she’s good friends with everyone in TJ’s family…except TJ.

With TJ, she’s grouchy. She growls at him and TJ never knew why. He’s aware of Harley and again, he doesn’t know why. Harley on the other hand knows exactly why she’s so grouchy when TJ is concerned. She’s got some unresolved issues with him and she’s also got this insane and insistent crush on him that just won’t go away. It’s annoying and since he always looks so delicious, she blames him for her crush. Makes sense right?

Seeing these two bicker their way to a love match was quite the entertaining ride. I enjoyed the hell out of these two. Once TJ finds out what went down back in the day to make Harley behave the way that she does toward him and seeing him trying to make things better. To make it all better softened me toward him and made me love him all the more.

TJ was a fantastic hero and it was easy to see why Harley loved him…or crushed on him. He was totally crush worthy. He had the whole outdoorsy sexy man thing going for him and I totally ate it up. I loved seeing him interact with his family, I loved seeing him interact with Harley (even when they were fighting/arguing/bickering whatever you want to call it) and I just loved him. He was such a man’s man and I totally adored all of him.

Harley is one of those I can do anything you can do better kind of women and while that can sometimes get on my nerves, I found that Harley didn’t make me want to punch her in her throat. I’ve got to say that surprised the hell out of me because I could tell that she was that do it myself kind of woman but she wasn’t one of those too stupid to live heroines and I liked her.

One of the many reasons why I love this series is the camaraderie between the Wilder brothers. You can tell that all joking aside, this was one united family. They laughed together, they fought together and they loved together. They were a solid unit and it’s always a treat to see them again.

In this book, Annie is pregnant and it was such a treat to see her and Nick again. To see everyone again, really. I love that Jill Shalvis can bring back characters and not have them over power the main couple. Nobody was stealing TJ and Harley’s thunder and I appreciated it.

This book was a fantastic reading romp that I would definitely recommend to fans of Jill Shalvis, this series and anyone in the mood for a lighthearted straight up contemporary novel. This one doesn’t disappoint.

Grade: 4.75 out of 5

GIVEAWAY ALERT: Because I loved this book so much, I'm offering 3 copies of this book to 3 lucky winners. All you have to do is leave a comment on this review and let me know who your favorite Wilder brother is and if you haven't read the books yet then let me know why you want to read this book and your names will be tossed in the hat for a chance to win a copy.

Good luck!

This book is available from Brava. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

The 2010 RITA noms have been announced. There are some excellent titles on the list - along with, for me, some serious head scratchers.

From RWA, with links to the ones we've reviewed:

2010 RITA Finalists

* Please note that finalists are added upon notification.

Romance Writers of America® (RWA) is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2010 RITA Awards®. The 2010 RITA honors romance fiction published in 2009. Over 1,000 novels and novellas were judged in 12 categories. Winners of the awards will be announced July 31st at the RITA and Golden Heart Awards Ceremony to be held at RWA’s 30th Annual National Conference in Nashville, Tennessee.

2010 RITA for Best First Book Finalists
2010 RITA for Contemporary Series Romance Finalists
2010 RITA for Contemporary Series Romance: Suspense/Adventure Finalists
2010 RITA for Contemporary Single Title Romance Finalists
2010 RITA for Historical Romance Finalists
2010 RITA for Inspirational Romance Finalists
2010 RITA for Novel with Strong Romantic Elements Finalists
2010 RITA for Paranormal Romance Finalists
2010 RITA for Regency Historical Romance Finalists
2010 RITA for Romance Novella Finalists
2010 RITA for Romantic Suspense Finalists
2010 RITA for Young Adult Romance Finalists

2010 RITA for Best First Book Finalists

One Scream Away by Kate Brady
Grand Central Publishing, Forever
Editor: Celia Johnson
ISBN: 978-0-446-54152-7

Her Calls Her Doc by Mary Brady
Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin Superromance
Editor: Kathryn Lye
ISBN: 978-0-373-71561-9

The Gladiator by Carla Capshaw
Harlequin Enterprises, Steeple Hill Love Inspired Historical
Editor: Melissa Endlich
ISBN: 978-0-373-82824-1

Angel Vindicated by Viola Estrella
Ellora’s Cave, Cerridwen Press
Editor: Helen Woodall
ISBN: 978-1-419-92068-4

The Better Part of Darkness by Kelly Gay
Simon & Schuster, Pocket Books
Editor: Ed Schlesinger
ISBN: 978-1-439-10965-6

Stolen Fury by Elisabeth Naughton
Dorchester Publishing, Love Spell
Editor: Leah Hultenschmidt
ISBN: 978-0-505-52793-6

Nothing Like You by Lauren Strasnick
Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Editor: Anica Rissi
ISBN: 978-1-416-98264-7

The Last Will of Moira Leahy by Therese Walsh
Random House Group, Shaye Areheart Books
Editor: Sarah Knight
ISBN: 978-0-230-746157-5

2010 RITA for Contemporary Series Romance Finalists

A Not-So-Perfect Past by Beth Andrews
Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin Superromance
Editor: Victoria Curran
ISBN: 978-0-373-71556-5

From the Outside by Helen Brenna
Harlequin Enterprises, NASCAR
Editor: Tina James
ISBN: 978-0-373-18522-1

Single Mom Seeks... by Teresa Hill
Harlequin Enterprises, Silhouette Special Edition
Editor: Melissa Jeglinski
ISBN: 978-0373654314

Revealed: a Prince and a Pregnancy by Kelly Hunter
Harlequin Enterprises, Mills and Boon Modern Heat
Editor: Joanne Grant
ISBN: 978-0-263-87252-1

I Still Do by Christie Ridgway
Harlequin Enterprises, Silhouette Special Edition
Editor: Patience Smith
ISBN: 978-0-373-65432-1

2010 RITA for Contemporary Series Romance: Suspense/Adventure Finalists

Mountain Investigation by Jessica Andersen
Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin Intrigue
Editor: Allison Lyons
ISBN: 978-0-373-69414-3

The Christmas Stranger by Beth Cornelison
Harlequin Enterprises, Silhouette Romantic Suspense
Editor: Allison Lyons
ISBN: 978-0-373-27651-6

The Soldier's Secret Daughter by Cindy Dees
Harlequin Enterprises, Silhouette Romantic Suspense
Editor: Patience Smith
ISBN: 978-0-373-27658-5

In Care of Sam Beaudry by Kathleen Eagle
Harlequin Enterprises, Silhouette Special Edition
Editors: Leslie Wainger and Charles Griesman
ISBN: 978-0-373-65451-2

Silent Watch by Elle Kennedy
Harlequin Enterprises, Silhouette Romantic Suspense
Editor: Diana Ventimiglia
ISBN: 978-0-373-27644-8

Cold Case Affair by Loreth Anne White
Harlequin Enterprises, Silhouette Romantic Suspense
Editor: Susan Litman
ISBN: 978-0-373-27652-3

The Christmas Present by Tracy Wolff
Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin Superromance
Editor: Wanda Ottewell
ISBN: 978-0-373-71607-4

2010 RITA for Contemporary Single Title Romance Finalists

Talk Me Down by Victoria Dahl
Harlequin Enterprises, HQN
Editor: Tara Parsons
ISBN: 978-0-373-77356-5

True Love and Other Disasters by Rachel Gibson
HarperCollins Publishers, Avon Books
Editor: Lucia Macro
ISBN: 978-0-061-57906-6

For the Love of Pete by Julia Harper
Grand Central Publishing, Forever
Editor: Amy Pierpont
ISBN: 978-0-446-61918-9

Too Good to Be True by Kristan Higgins
Harlequin Enterprises, HQN
Editors: Keyren Gerlach and Tracy Farrell
ISBN: 978-0-373-77355-8

A Little Night Magic by Joy Nash
Dorchester Publishing, Leisure Fiction
Editor: Alicia Condon
ISBN: 978-0-505-52693-9

Dirty Sexy Knitting by Christie Ridgway (LOVE)
Penguin Group USA, Berkley
Editor: Cindy Hwang
ISBN: 978-0-425-22829-6

Instant Attraction by Jill Shalvis (LOVE)
Kensington Publishing Corp., Brava
Editor: Kate Duffy
ISBN: 978-0-758-23123-9

Fireside by Susan Wiggs
Harlequin Enterprises, MIRA Books
Editor: Margaret O'Neill Marbury
ISBN: 978-0-778-32910-7

2010 RITA for Historical Romance Finalists

Wicked All Day by Liz Carlyle
Simon & Schuster, Pocket Books Romance
Editor: Lauren McKenna
ISBN: 978-0-4165-9492-5

With Seduction in Mind by Laura Lee Guhrke
HarperCollins Publishers, Avon Books
Editor: Erika Tsang
ISBN: 978-0-06-145683-1

To Beguile a Beast by Elizabeth Hoyt
Grand Central Publishing, Forever
Editor: Amy Pierpont
ISBN: 978-0-446-40693-2

Make Me Yours by Betina Krahn (LOVE)
Harlequin Enterprises, Blaze
Editor: Brenda Chin
ISBN: 978-0-373-79483-6

Knight of Pleasure by Margaret Mallory
Grand Central Publishing, Forever
Editor: Alex Logan
ISBN: 978-0-446-55338-4

The Lone Texan by Jodi Thomas
Penguin Group USA, Berkley
Editor: Wendy McCurdy
ISBN: 978-0-425-23062-6

Not Quite a Husband by Sherry Thomas
Bantam Dell Publishing Group
Editor: Caitlin Alexander
ISBN: 978-0-553-59243-6

Taming Her Irish Warrior by Michelle Willingham
Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin Historical
Editor: Joanne Grant
ISBN: 978-0-373-29566-1

2010 RITA for Inspirational Romance Finalists

The Inheritance by Tamera Alexander
Thomas Nelson, Inc., Women of Faith Fiction
Editors: Ami McConnell and Natalie Hanemann
ISBN: 978-1-59554-632-6

A Lady Like Sarah by Margaret Brownley
Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Editor: Natalie Hanemann
ISBN: 978-0-59554-809-2

The Gladiator by Carla Capshaw
Harlequin Enterprises, Steeple Hill Love Inspired Historical
Editor: Melissa Endlich
ISBN: 978-0-373-82824-1

Entertaining Angels by Judy Duarte
Kensington Publishing Corp.
Editor: John Scognamiglio
ISBN: 978-0-7582-2016-5

An Eye for an Eye by Irene Hannon
Baker Publishing Group, Revell Books
Editor: Jennifer Leep
ISBN: 978-0-8007-3311-7

The Silent Governess by Julie Klassen
Bethany House Publishers
Editor: Karen Schurrer
ISBN: 978-0-7642-0707-5

Breach of Trust by Diann Mills
Tyndale House Publishers
Editor: Stephanie Boerne
ISBN: 978-1-414-32047-2

The Confidential Life of Eugenia Cooper by Kathleen Y'Barbo
Random House Publishing, WaterBrook Multnomah
Editor: Jessica Barnes
ISBN: 978-0-307-44474-5

2010 RITA for Novel with Strong Romantic Elements Finalists

The Better Part of Darkness by Kelly Gay
Simon & Schuster, Pocket Books
Editor: Ed Schlesinger
ISBN: 978-1-439-10965-6

Scandal Sheet by Gemma Halliday
Dorchester Publishing
Editor Leah Hultenschmidt
ISBN: 978-0-505-52805-6

Red's Hot Honky Tonk Bar by Pamela Morsi
Harlequin Enterprises, MIRA Books
Editor: Valerie Gray
ISBN: 978-0-7783-2729-5

The Lost Recipe for Happiness by Barbara O'Neal
Bantam Dell Publishing Group, Discovery
Editor: Shauna Summers
ISBN: 978-0-553-38551-9

Silent on the Moor by Deanna Raybourn
Harlequin Enterprises, MIRA Books
Editor: Valerie Gray
ISBN: 978-0-7783-2614-4

The Accidental Bestseller by Wendy Wax
Penguin Group USA, Berkley
Editor: Wendy McCurdy
ISBN: 978-0-425-22767-1

The Virgin's Daughters: In the Court of Elizabeth I by Jeane Westin
Penguin Group, USA, NAL Trade
Editor: Ellen Edwards
ISBN: 978-0-451-22667-9

Lakeshore Christmas by Susan Wiggs
Harlequin Enterprises, MIRA Books
Editor: Margaret O'Neill Marbury
ISBN: 978-0-778-32689-2

2010 RITA for Paranormal Romance Finalists

What Would Jane Austen Do? by Laurie Brown
Sourcebooks, Inc., Casablanca
Editor: Deb Werksman
ISBN: 978-1-4022-1831-6

Untouchable in Deep Kiss of Winter by Kresley Cole
Simon & Schuster, Pocket Books
Editor: Lauren McKenna
ISBN: 978-1-439-15966-8

Kiss of a Demon King by Kresley Cole
Simon & Schuster, Pocket Books
Editor: Lauren McKenna
ISBN: 978-1-416-58094-2

My Forbidden Desire by Carolyn Jewel
Grand Central Publishing, Forever
Editor: Michele Bidelspach
ISBN: 978-0-446-17824-2

The Fire King by Marjorie M. Liu
Dorchester Publishing, Leisure Books
Editor: Chris Keeslar
ISBN: 978-0-843-95940-6

For the Earl's Pleasure by Anne Mallory
HarperCollins Publishers, Avon Books
Editor: May Chen
ISBN: 978-0-061-57914-1

Darkness Unknown by Alexis Morgan
Simon & Schuster, Pocket Books, Pocket Star
Editor: Micki Nuding
ISBN: 978-1-4165-634-3

Covet by J.R. Ward
Penguin Group USA, Signet
Editor: Kara Cesare
ISBN: 978-0-451-22821-5

Mortal Sins by Eileen Wilks
Penguin Group USA, Berkley Sensation
Editor: Cindy Hwang
ISBN: 978-0-425-22552-3

2010 RITA for Regency Historical Romance Finalists

Surrender of a Siren by Tessa Dare
Ballantine/Bantam Dell
Editor: Kate Collins
ISBN: 978-0-345-50687-0

Scandal by Carolyn Jewel
Penguin Group USA, Berkley Sensation
Editor: Kate Seaver
ISBN: 978-0-425-22551-6

Tempting Fate by Alissa Johnson
Dorchester Publishing, Leisure Books
Editor: Leah Hultenschmidt
ISBN: 978-0-843-96156-0

A View to a Kiss by Caroline Linden
HarperCollins Publishers, Avon Books
Editor: Lyssa Keusch
ISBN: 978-0-061-70635-6

Revealed by Kate Noble
Penguin Group USA, Berkley Sensation
Editor: Cindy Hwang
ISBN: 978-0-425-22174-7

What Happens in London by Julia Quinn (LOVE)
HarperCollins Publishers, Avon Books
Editor: Lyssa Keusch
ISBN: 978-0-061-49188-7

Lord Braybrook's Penniless Bride by Elizabeth Rolls
Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin Historical
Editor: Linda Fildew
ISBN: 978-0-373-29548-7

2010 RITA for Romance Novella Finalists

"A Little Night Magic" by Allyson James in Hot for the Holidays
Penguin Group USA, Berkley, Jove
Editor: Kate Seaver
ISBN: 978-0515-14700-1

“The Robber Bride” by Marjorie M. Liu in Huntress
St. Martin’s Press
Editor:
ISBN: 978-0-312-94382-0

“Annalise and the Scandalous Rake” by Deb Marlowe in The Diamonds of Welbourne Manor
Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin Historical
Editor: Linda Fildew
ISBN: 978-0-373-29543-2

"Charlotte and the Wicked Lord" by Amanda McCabe in The Diamonds of Welbourne Manor
Harlequin Enterprises, Harlequin Historical
Editor: Joanne Grant
ISBN: 978-0-373-29543-2

“This Wicked Gift” by Courtney Milan in The Heart of Christmas
Harlequin Enterprises, HQN
Editor: Ann Leslie Tuttle
ISBN: 978-0-373-77427-2

“On a Snowy Christmas” by Brenda Novak in The Night Before Christmas
Harlequin Enterprises
Editor: Paula Eykelhof
ISBN: 978-0-373-83736-6

“The Christmas Eve Promise” by Molly O'Keefe in The Night Before Christmas
Harlequin Enterprises, Silhouette Special Releases
Editor: Stacy Boyd
ISBN: 978-0-373-83736-6

2010 RITA for Romantic Suspense Finalists

One Scream Away by Kate Brady
Grand Central Publishing, Forever
Editor: Celia Johnson
ISBN: 978-0-446-54152-7

Waking the Dead by Kylie Brant (LOVE)
Penguin Group USA, Berkley Sensation
Editor: Cindy Hwang
ISBN: 978-0-425-23114-2

A Dark Love by Margaret Carroll
HarperCollins Publishers, Avon Books
Editor: Carrie Feron
ISBN: 978-0-06-165278-3

Whisper of Warning by Laura Griffis Messer
Simon & Schuster, Pocket Books, Pocket Star
Editor: Abby Zidle
ISBN: 978-1-416-57064-6

Stolen Fury by Elisabeth Naughton (LOVE)
Dorchester Publishing, Love Spell
Editor: Leah Hultenschmidt
ISBN: 978-0-505-52793-6

Dark Country by Bronwyn Parry
Hachette Livre, Hachette Australia
Editor: Bernadette Foley
ISBN: 978-0-733-62323-3

Promises in Death by J.D. Robb
Penguin Group USA, Putnam
Editor: Leslie Gelbman
ISBN: 978-0-399-15548-2

Kill for Me by Karen Rose (LOVE)
Grand Central Publishing, Vision
Editor: Karen Kosztolnyik
ISBN: 978-0-446-51030-1

2010 RITA for Young Adult Romance

Fairy Tale by Cyn Balog
Random House Group, Delacorte Press
Editor:
ISBN: 978-0-385-738494

Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover by Ally Carter
Hyperion Books for Children
Editor: Jennifer Besser
ISBN: 978-1-423-11638-7

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles
Walker Books for Young Readers
Editor: Emily Easton
ISBN: 978-0-8027-9823-7

Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols
Simon & Schuster, Pocket Books, MTV Books
Editor: Jennifer Heddle
ISBN: 978-1-416-57173-5

The ABC's of Kissing Boys by Tina Ferraro
Random House Group, Delacorte Press
Editor: Krista Marino
ISBN: 978-0-385-73582-7

Nothing Like You by Lauren Strasnick
Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Editor: Anica Rissi
ISBN: 978-1-416-98264-7

Although we read quite a few, there are a lot we haven't read. I might make it a goal to read most (if not all) of these this year. Maybe.

So, who do are you rooting for? Give us your picks from each category.

Here's a book that I want to bring to your attention. It's a book that I read a couple of months ago but still absolutely adore. It was such a cute story that I can't wait to promote the book here on Book Binge. If you guys know what is good for you then you would definitely put this book on your TBB lists, quick. I promise you won't regret it.

Check out the blurb:

A lady does not smoke cheroot. She does not ride astride. She does not fence or attend duels. She does not fire a pistol, and she never gambles at a gentlemen's club.

Lady Calpurnia Hartwell has always followed the rules, rules that have left her unmarried—and more than a little unsatisfied. And so she's vowed to break the rules and live the life of pleasure she's been missing.

But to dance every dance, to steal a midnight kiss—to do those things, Callie will need a willing partner. Someone who knows everything about rule-breaking. Someone like Gabriel St. John, the Marquess of Ralston—charming and devastatingly handsome, his wicked reputation matched only by his sinful smile.

If she's not careful, she'll break the most important rule of all—the one that says that pleasure-seekers should never fall hopelessly, desperately in love . . .

This book is responsible for converting Alea from Pop Culture Junkie into a romance reader. She used to be mainly a YA reader but she's making her way through romance novels at a rapid pace and it's great to see that she's become such a great fan of the genre. She's too cute!

This book comes out next week and I for one am terribly excited. Put this on your list of books to buy next week and read it, you'll love it!

This book is available from Avon. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

This book is available from Berkley Trade. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

Holly's review of Taming the Highland Bride (Devil of the Highlands, Book 2) by Lynsay Sands

She was ready to let her heart run wild . . .

Merry Stewart has had enough! Enough of her brothers, whose behavior would make even the most improper lady blush. Enough of their Highland home, which would surely have fallen to ruin were it not for her. She dreams of escaping into the arms of her betrothed, Alexander d'Aumesbery - even though they haven't yet met. But when they do, Merry is devastated. It seems he's no better than the men in her family.

So beautiful, so brazen . . .

From the moment he meets Merry, Alexander is determined to make her his. Desperate to convince her he's nothing like the members of her roguish clan, he will prove he is every bit the well-mannered gentleman. Yet, beneath it all beats a heart as intense and uncontrollable as hers. And finally, when his life is threatened, Merry realizes he's the husband she's been waiting for . . . and their passion becomes the one thing that cannot be tamed.

I only just discovered Sands' historicals last year. Prior to that I though she wrote only paranormals. Since discovering her medievals I've gone on a buying binge, gobbling up her backlist. I've found her novels to be quick, light reads. While this was more of the same, I wasn't quite as satisfied with it.

I think many of the actions of the heroine were supposed to be kind of cutesy but they were kind of dry instead. I wasn't laughing or smiling over her antics as much as I have in the past. I'm not sure if it was my mood while reading or a reflection of the book but there you go. I think the problem might have been that they just went on too long. There were a ton of instances where she had to be clever and find solutions to problems (carting her husband around after he'd been bashed in the head or drugged) and that didn't leave a lot of time for the romance.

I really liked the way Alex tried to make Merry understand he wasn't like her father and brothers. Because of a series of misunderstandings and the actions of outside forces, Merry thinks he's a drunkard like her family. His disappointment over her feelings for him and the way he tries to fix it were sweet. It did bother me that Merry was so much in charge during the book, though. I like my medieval warriors to be just that..warriors. Because Alex was hurt so much Merry was mostly left in charge of running the keep and training the men. This bothered Alex quite a bit, but he wasn't able to do much about it since he was always drugged or recovering from beatings.

The mystery plot annoyed me only because no one seemed to take the threats seriously. Every time something happened to Alex it was explained away or considered an accident. I wasn't surprised at who the villain was, though the reasons behind it were interesting.

Something that really bothered me, and I'm sure this will prove just how shallow I am: the first time Merry sees Alex he's falling down drunk. He isn't normally a drinker, but he had a bad tooth that was causing him pain so he drank whiskey to dull the pain of having it removed. But..it was never mentioned why it had to be removed, or what tooth it was. Was it one of his front teeth, so now when he smiles he's gap-toothed? Was it infected because he doesn't believe in personal hygiene? I wondered about it all throughout the book. I guess it was just a little bit too much reality in my fiction.

Still, it was readable and I enjoyed the main story. I'm also looking forward to reading The Hellion and the Highlander, Merry's oldest brother's book.

3.75 out of 5

The series:




See my review of Devil of the Highlands here.

This book is available from Avon. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

Because we're nosy the curious sort, how about a little impromptu poll about your reading habits?

1. On average, about how many books do you read a month?

2. Where is your favorite place to read?

3. Do you read ebooks?
3a. If you do, what percentage of your reading is dedicated to ebooks (i.e., how many ebooks vs print books do you read)? If you don't, why not?
3b. What kind of e-reading device do you use to read your ebooks?

4. When you're reading hardbacks, do you take the dust jacket off or leave it on?

5. When you go to the bookstore (new or used) and there are multiple copies of the book you're planning to buy, do you pick up each one and choose the best copy? Or do you just grab and go?



Don't be shy now! We want to know all about your reading habits. Leave a comment with your answers or do a post on your own blog and leave a comment with the link.

Inquiring minds and all that...

This book is available from Berkley. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

I want to thank Rose Lerner for visiting and bringing such a great discussion to the site.

The original winner of In For A Penny hasn't checked in and I can't find a way to contact her, so I'm choosing a new winner.

Now, for the winner of signed copy of In for a Penny:

Congrats! Please email me at contests @ thebookbinge . com (no spaces) with your mailing info and I'll pass it along to the author. Thanks again to all of you who commented.

Holly's review of One Dance with the Cowboy by Donna Alward

"Care to take those boots for a spin, Miss O'Keefe?"

Jen O'Keefe will agree to just one dance with coolheaded cowboy Drew Laramie. But only for old times' sake. She can't risk losing her heart to him again.

Drew left Larch Valley, promising Jen he'd return. When he didn't, she moved on…. Now the childhood sweetheart Jen had stopped waiting for is back!

I really enjoyed this story. I'm kind of a sucker for the "lovers reunited" plot anyway, but Alward did a good job of bringing these two back together.

Drew and Jen were high school sweethearts. Jen thought for sure they'd end up married and living happily ever after, but Drew had other ideas. He wanted to make a career for himself and get out of Larch Valley, which meant leaving Jen behind. But now he's grown up and moved back home and can't deny Jen still heats him up.

Jen was crushed when Drew broke up with her all those years ago. She knows she can't deal with that kind of heartbreak again, so she's determined to avoid him at all costs. Unfortunately, she's an adult with responsibilities, so when Drew needs to hire to cater an event for him, she can't say no. She can't deny the chemistry between them, but she isn't willing to give up her heart. Of course, she may not have a choice...

I've read Alward in the past and have yet to be disappointed. Jen and Drew were both strong characters.I did wonder at the way Jen was constantly rushing after Drew, despite swearing she wouldn't get sucked in by him again. It was obvious she still had feelings for him. Drew wasn't as easy to figure out. He was attracted to Jen, but I'm not sure he had leftover feelings for her. It seemed to me that his feelings were newly developed as he got to know the grown-up version of his high school sweetheart.

I did feel like the end was a bit abrupt. Throughout Jen is the one who constantly puts herself out there. I would have liked to see Drew go to her and grovel a bit more. Otherwise it was good.

If you're looking for a light, heart-warming read, I'd say this it.

3.75 out of 5

This book is available from Harlequin Romance. You can buy it here or here in e-format.