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Harlequin Romance Brings the Sweet!
by Bryony Green, Senior Editor, Harlequin Romance
High on emotion but low on sensuality, Harlequin Romances is famously known as the series you can happily recommend or pass on to your mum or your daughter or your friends… In Harlequin Romance, you’ll find that short, intense hit of a pure romantic high – stories that will move you, heart-warming stories that will make you laugh and cry – and take you on an emotional roller-coaster leaving you feeling a whole lot better! What’s more, just like Blaze, May is a 2-in-1 month – so you can have twice the reading pleasure for the same price!
And, this month in Harlequin Romance we’re celebrating Mother’s Day with the Mothers in a Million series – where all four of our stories explore a different aspect of being a mother. First up we have bestselling Harlequin Romance author, Susan Meier, with A Father for Her Triplets… Every mother has to be a master of multi-tasking…but Missy has to take this to a whole new level, with her 3 young triplet kiddies, a new baking business and a gorgeous new man next door!
The Matchmaker’s Happy Ending from lively voice Shirley Jump, is more about the mom/daughter bond as adults. Marnie would love for her beloved mom to find happiness again – but her matchmaking attempts backfire when she discovers her mom’s new man has a very handsome son…who is very much her own Mr Wrong…
Heart-warming voice Cara Colter brings a new spin with a small town having a Mother’s Day Gala in Second Chance with the Rebel. Lucy was heartbroken when Mac had left town all those years ago – now he’s back but they’re still as different as ever…
Finally from deeply emotional voice Michelle Douglas, First Comes Baby… features a heroine who is coming to terms with possible infertility. She has endometriosis and this is her last chance to have a baby and if that means going it alone, then so be it. She approaches her good friend Ben to see if he will be the biological father and when he agrees, they both embark on becoming parents.
So for the sweeter side of Harlequin, enjoy Harlequin Romance – a wide of variety romances you can enjoy, share, talk about and come back to, month after month!
Like it a little spicier? Try Harlequin Blaze! Read on.
Pippa Hearts Holidays!
Pippa Heart Presents
The journey of one (relatively) young, single girl’s romance with Harlequin Presents!
7 Ways to Meet People in Bookstores
by Chiara Atik, author of Modern Dating: A Field Guide (Harlequin Nonfiction)
You love going to your local bookstore to find a good read, but it’s also a great place to find a like-minded date. And with thousands of built-in conversation topics lining the shelves and coffee shops providing an easy place to get acquainted, striking up a conversation in-store is easier than you’d think. Here are some strategies for the next time you find yourself browsing the aisles…
1. Don’t Lurk, or Be Too Obvious
Even if you go to a bookstore hoping to meet someone, you’ve got to at least show as much interest in books as you do in the people browsing the store. (In other words, don’t creepily do laps around the store, “pretending” to pick up a book now and then, when all you’re really doing is stalking cute people.) Better to find a book (one you’re genuinely interested in!), plant yourself in a chair and keep watch from there.
2. Grab a Stack and Sit at the Café
The café is full of people sitting by themselves—working on homework, reading magazines or killing time between appointments—and it’s a perfect place to settle down for a while and scope out potential people to talk to. Also, the café area tends to fill up quickly—the perfect excuse to share your table with someone cute.
3. The “New Releases” Section Is the Best
People are much more likely to go to the new releases tables than “Military History” or any other niche spot you could linger in. It’s also really easy to ask “Have you read this yet?” or, conversely, “Oh, I just read that, it was amazing, you should definitely get it!”
4. Ask for Suggestions
You see someone cute in a particular section, but have no idea how to break the ice. Easy! Just ask for suggestions. “Sorry, this is random, but I’m shopping for a gift for my mom and I have no idea what to get—do you have any suggestions?” Or, “I’m sort of new to cooking/poetry/sci-fi, do you have any recommendations?”
5. Hit Up the Travel Section
It’s incredibly easy to make friends in the travel section—everyone perusing it is either planning a trip, or interested in potentially planning a trip. Ice breakers can be anything from, “Planning a trip to Paris?” to “Oh, I went to Argentina a few summers ago. It was incredible,” to “I’m dying to go to Hong Kong, have you been?”
6. Go to a Reading
Book readings are amazing—because they are free, because it’s something people very commonly, and not weirdly, attend on their own and because there’s a perfect built-in conversation topic. For popular authors, people often get to the readings two hours early: that’s two hours to sit around and easily make conversation with the other people around you! You can also strike up a conversation with the people in line waiting to get a book signed.
7. If It Goes Well…
If you get in a great conversation with someone over a mutual favorite author, it’s easy to invite them to get a cup of coffee if it’s two aisles over. The more casual, the better. If you don’t feel comfortable suggesting an impromptu date, just say something like, “I’d love to get coffee with you sometime and talk about X more!”
Need more advice on navigating the complex world of dating?
Modern Dating: A Field Guide by Chiara Atik is available now.
Harlequin Blog News Round-Up: May 2, 2013
Each week we post the best news coming out of Harlequin and Carina Press. Usually it means a few sales. 
But there’s also free books, contests, community spotlights and the latest video-in-convos with our authors and book trailers to check out.
Harlequin: There’s an App for That
Ever wanted to check up on the latest Harlequin release but couldn’t because you’re out and about? Download the Harlequin App to access new releases, free online reads and much more! It’s available on your mobile device for FREE!
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HARLEQUIN.COM: Mother’s Day Giftshop!
You know why you’re such a good daughter? Because you know the way to Mom’s heart is through a good book.
SHOP NOW ► http://goo.gl/A8SQn
HARLEQUIN COMMUNITY: Native American Shapeshifters!
April marks the release of the final book, Beauty’s Beast, in Jenna Kernan’s TRACKERS series in Harlequin Nocturne. Loosely based on a Lakota myth, Jenna added some of her own twists to make this series an exciting glimpse into the Native American world. Join Jenna all this week as she shares information about her books and the legends behind them.
HERE ► http://goo.gl/escWZ
Harlequin Featured Video!
#1 NYT bestselling author Debbie Macomber invites readers back to Cedar Cove in a Hallmark Channel USA Original Series starring Andie MacDowell. Watch as the characters come to life to find hope and love in unexpected places.
WATCH HERE ► http://goo.gl/rO3Ax
CARINAPRESS.COM: New Releases!
With new titles available for download every week, visit this page to plan your shopping for the month. You’re sure to find a story you’ll love, all priced at our everyday extra 10% off the ePrice!
SHOP NOW ► http://goo.gl/eIYrO
How a Bad Boy Gets Away With Being Bad
by Carol Marinelli, author of A Legacy of Secrets
(Book one of Harlequin Presents Sicily’s Corretti Dynasty series)
A Legacy of Secrets is the first in the sizzling Corretti series and, for me, it was love at first sight when I met my hero Santo. He is a little different from my other heroes – he appears to care about nothing and is so shamelessly debauched that many times I tried to reel him in!
I couldn’t.
‘How’s the book?’ My lovely editor emailed one morning as I inched towards/over deadline.
‘Nearly there.’ I typed back with one hand as I chewed my nails on the other, having read back what I’d written. You see, the more I tried to tone Santo down the more he refused to behave.
Because of the time-difference I couldn’t ring my editor so I waited till everyone was at school and closed all my windows so that the neighbours couldn’t overhear, then I did what I do when in crisis – I called a friend.
A writing friend!
Because I have the best/strangest job in the world, I occasionally wonder what people would think if they got a crossed line when I am chatting about one of my books. I also worry what the police might think if they ever had to tap my phone! Especially with the Corretti’s!
‘He’s just picked up his brother from prison!’ I started to regale my plot and I got to the bit that was troubling me – I thought I might have gone too far with a sex scene. My friend listened (hopefully no-one else was!) and we chatted some more and then she asked ‘Why do you like him?’
I had my answer.
‘He makes me laugh.’
Santo could get away with anything because he made me laugh and, rather too often, he did!
Yes, he might have some explaining to do to Ella but I am so glad that it wasn’t a tamed version of Santo that I tried to deliver.
I hope you love him as much as I do and I hope it whets your appetite for the rest of the fabulous Corretti series.
I can’t wait to read the rest of the stories. I shall read them, as I always do a continuity series, in one hit — over a very long weekend, with lots of chocolate, hot chocolate and a nice red wine in the evening.
Do you read a continuity series one by one or are you like me and like to have them all there before you start?
Love to all,
Carol x
About the Book
Personal assistant Ella is never without her “Santo Bag”—not the latest designer “must have,” but emergency supplies to handle whatever the devilish Santo Corretti throws at her. But no pair of sunglasses will cover the darkness in her boss’s eyes this morning.
Scandal is circling. Santo’s family is in tatters. His brother is languishing in a jail cell and his latest film’s on the rocks. All Santo wants is a little TLC. Except, Ella’s heart is not part of the playboy fix-it kit.
But what Santo Corretti wants he gets!
PLUS! Get the FREE digital prequel Uncovering the Correttis!
Check Out May’s New Releases!
April showers bring May flowers! We’ve picked a lovely bouquet of new releases to check out this month. There’s something for everyone: mystery, romance, danger, seduction…even dating tips!
Click on the title or the book cover to purchase the new release from Harlequin.com.
Against the Edge by Kat Martin
MIRA
A child he’s never met. A danger he’s never known.
That fact he’s a father is news former navy SEAL Ben Slocum was not expecting. As Benand Claire band together to track their missing son down, their concern for Sam draws them closer. A child he’s never met. A danger he’s never known.
Add to Shopping Cart ► http://goo.gl/sWZ0u
Wind Chime Point by Sherryl Woods
MIRA
Wade Johnson fell for Gabi the first time he saw her. It’s not the only time he’s found himself in the role of knight in shining armor, but Gabi isn’t looking for a rescuer. To get her to stay, Wade will need a whole lot of patience and gentle persuasion…and maybe the soothing sound of wind chimes on a summer breeze.
Add to Shopping Cart ► http://goo.gl/EgnyH
Bare It All by Lori Foster
HQN
As the person responsible for taking down a brutal human trafficker, Alice Appleton fears retaliation at every turn. No one knows about her past, which is exactly how she prefers it…until the sexy cop next door comes knocking.
Add to Shopping Cart ► http://goo.gl/sZAxy
The Apple Orchard by Susan Wiggs
MIRA
Against the rich landscape of Bella Vista, Tess begins to discover a world filled with the simple pleasures of food and family, of the warm earth beneath her bare feet. A world where family comes first and the roots of history run deep. A place where falling in love is not only possible, but inevitable.
Add to Shopping Cart ► http://goo.gl/A7h9x
All He Ever Dreamed by Shannon Stacey
HQN
Katie Davis grew up alongside the Kowalski brothers. Though she’s always been “one of the guys,” her feelings for Josh are anything but sisterly. And after a hot late-night encounter in the kitchen, it’s clear Josh finally sees her as the woman she is.
Add to Shopping Cart ► http://goo.gl/4VEFE
A Spear of Summer Grass by Deanna Raybourn
MIRA
The daughter of a scandalous mother, Delilah Drummond is already notorious, even among Paris society. But her latest scandal is big enough to make even her oft-married mother blanch. Delilah is exiled to Kenya until gossip subsides.
Add to Shopping Cart ► http://goo.gl/QHxCe
Waking Up to You by Leslie Kelly
Harlequin Blaze
Hollywood costume designer Candace Reid would do anything for her gay best friend–even marry him! But before giving up on sex for a while, she needs that last fling. Only, when her injured grandfather asks for her help with his struggling Napa vineyard, her plan for Nooky Time is completely kiboshed….
Add to Shopping Cart ► http://goo.gl/LoZBz
A Legacy of Secrets by Carol Marinelli
Harlequin Presents
Personal assistant Ella is never without her “Santo Bag”—not the latest designer “must have,” but emergency supplies to handle whatever the devilish Santo Corretti throws at her. But no pair of sunglasses will cover the darkness in her boss’s eyes this morning.
Add to Shopping Cart ► http://goo.gl/pykVe
One More Sleepless Night by Lucy King
Harlequin KISS
It used to be Nicky Sinclair’s nightmares that kept her up all night; those 3:00 a.m. silences were her worst enemy. So now she’s following doctor’s orders—rest, relaxation and plenty of therapeutic Spanish sunshine.
Add to Shopping Cart ► http://goo.gl/Kyl4C
The Marshall’s Hostage by Delores Fossen
Harlequin Intrigue
She is the last person Dallas Walker ever wants to see again. Still, this U.S. Marshal has no problem taking Joelle Tate into “protective custody”—on her wedding day. To save his family from unjust charges, he’d take on a lot worse than an ex-flame he couldn’t trust.
Add to Shopping Cart ► http://goo.gl/jxBJU
A Prior Engagement by Karina Bliss
Harlequin Superromance
After two years as a POW presumed dead, SAS soldier Lee Davis is finally going home. Back to his family, friends and…fiancée?
Add to Shopping Cart ► http://goo.gl/S8MSu
Keeper of the Shadows by Alexandra Sokoloff
Harlequin Nocturne
As a crime beat reporter, Barrie Gryffald’s work is risky enough when she’s investigating mortal homicides. But when a teenage shifter and an infamous Hollywood mogul are both found dead on the same night, her Keeper intuition screams, Otherworldly.
Add to Shopping Cart ► http://goo.gl/NzWt7
The Seduction Hypothesis by Delphine Dryden
Carina Press
Wildlife biologist Lindsey thought attending a fan convention with her new boyfriend Ben was a great idea–until their relationship imploded. Lindsey still lusts after her ex–but if he wants her, he’s going to have to prove he can give her what she needs.
Add to Shopping Cart ► http://goo.gl/sDic7
Living Dangerously by Dee J. Adams
Carina Press
Julie Fraser, Hollywood’s newest “it” girl, arrives on the red carpet to more than just the flashes of the paparazzi’s cameras. A sniper’s shots leave her bleeding and in the line of fire. Her life would be over if it weren’t for the bodyguard who comes to the rescue–taking a bullet in the process.
Add to Shopping Cart ► http://goo.gl/fNlmM
Modern Dating – A Field Guide by Chiara Atik
Harlequin Nonfiction
From the creators of the popular online dating site howaboutwe.com comes the definitive guide for navigating the modern dating world.
The single woman is having a moment.
Add to Shopping Cart ► http://goo.gl/GzDtk
The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa
Harlequin Teen
She has done the unthinkable: died so that might continue to live. Cast out of Eden and separated from the boy she dared to love, Allie will follow the call of blood to save her creator, Kanin, from the psychotic vampire Sarren. But when the trail leads to Allie’s birthplace in New Covington, what Allie finds there will change the world forever-and possibly end human and vampire existence.
Add to Shopping Cart ► http://goo.gl/3sUTt
Just Try and Make Them Fall in Love
by Katie McGarry author of Dare You To (Harlequn Teen)
When I sold my Young Adult novel, Pushing the Limits, to Harlequin Teen, they initially asked me to continue to write in the world of PTL and I happily agreed. I loved all my characters and couldn’t wait to jump back in. Plus, I knew exactly whose book I wanted to write next: Beth and Isaiah, the best friends and surrogate family of Noah in Pushing the Limits.
I suggested this to my publisher, and they said it was up to me, but they’d also be okay if Beth and Isaiah each fell for someone else rather than ending up together. I heard what they said, also heard the words that it was up to me, and happily set out to plot Beth and Isaiah’s story.
I thought I knew everything—how they’d slowly figure each other out and how they’d fall in love and I excitedly began to plot it all out in my mind. But then something strange happened. The character arcs that are so desperately important for a story weren’t happening.
Isaiah continually enabled Beth’s bad behavior and continually put his heart on the line and Beth…well, Beth really cared for Isaiah.
Cared? I was writing a love story—I needed more than caring. And Isaiah. What was I going to do with this boy? Couldn’t he see that if he truly loved Beth, he’d tell her when she was making a wrong choice? Like, hey, see that train coming down the track? You might want to step off the rails.
It wasn’t working. The freaking story wasn’t fleshing out the way I wanted. Isaiah and Beth were not falling in love.
Gah. The nerve of these two.
I mean, I created them, right? I saw them falling for each other when I wrote Pushing the Limits. Why weren’t they cooperating?
So I did what I normally do when I’m stuck: I free wrote. I was going to prove Beth and Isaiah wrong. I was going to write a few scenes and they’d get their sorry butts back in line and fall in love even if it killed all three of us in the process.
And I wrote some very amazing scenes. Some of the best I’ve ever written and I learned some very emotional, riveting, heart-twisting pieces of information about Beth and Isaiah. And those deeply personal tidbits—they told me things I had been trying to ignore. Something very foretelling about them and their relationship and I finally had to pull the cotton out of my ears and listen.
Beth and Isaiah are extremely complicated characters and their relationship is even more complex. Their hopes and dreams and emotions are intertwined like strands of hair in a braid and I craved for them to be happy.
Do they find happiness? Is it with each other? This is where I tell you that Dare You To will be released on May 28, 2013 and that I’m excited for you to find out.
Katie’s on a blog tour right now! Check out these other great book blogs for more Dare You To posts.
Tour Schedule
Monday, April 29th – Amazon
Mira Monday’s Evidence of Life Book Club Discussion Questions
by the Mira Editors Team
There must something in the water here at Harlequin, because recently, the Mira editors have all been craving literary suspense to read in our “free” time. When searching for our next fix, we found none other than our own Evidence of Life by Barbara Taylor Sissel (Mira, April 2013). So we sat down at lunch last week for a mini book club and wanted to share part of our discussion with all of you fellow readers out there.
Harlequin.com. We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below, and more discussion questions can be found in the Readers’ Guide at the back of the book.
Harlequin Blog News Round-Up: April 25, 2013
Each week we post the best news coming out of Harlequin and Carina Press. Usually it means a few sales. But there’s also free books, contests, community spotlights and the latest video-in-convos with our authors and book trailers to check out.
Find out what’s behind the curtain below.
Pick up the iBookstore’s Book of the Week
Get started on the Love Undercover series for FREE this week only. A fiery mix of romance and mystery, Run the Risk by Lori Foster is the iBookstore book of the week!
Download it for your iPod, iPhone or iPad FREE ► http://goo.gl/WdY2c
Feel Good This Spring!
Health is happiness! From an A-List nutritionist’s guide to food, to family-friendly ‘recipeas’, wellness is a click away! Are you looking for a new leaf for your health?
DISCOVER HARLEQUIN NONFICTION ► http://goo.gl/sqFqk
HARLEQUIN COMMUNITY: Writing Event!
This week Laura Drake and friends discuss the difference between Women’s Fiction vs Romance. Yes, there is a difference.
JOIN US ► http://goo.gl/ttiFi
CARINA PRESS.COM’S NEW EROTICA
Can’t get enough erotic romance? Our brand-new collection of four hot novellas will satisfy your cravings. The four authors of Love Letters Volume 1: Obeying Desire also stopped by the Harlequin Blog to teach us “How to Write a Love Letter“. See this and more NEW Erotic Romance.
BROWSE HERE ► http://goo.gl/N5lcw
Harlequin’s New Paranormal Releases for May 2013
by Amy Wilkins, Harlequin Digital
Harlequin has a new bevy of paranormal books out this month, from Julie Kagawa’s dystopian vampire YA The Eternity Cure, to a magical historical romance novella by Barbara Monajem. Keep reading to check out all our new releases his shelves and ebook stores next week in North America!
Who Needs an Honorable Hero?
by Maisey Yates, author of the Secret Heirs of Powerful Men series from Harlequin Presents
I love a bad boy hero. Don’t get me wrong, I love an honorable hero. Sometimes I can’t decide which sort of hero I like more.
My December Presents, A Royal World Apart had a hero who was nothing short of honorable. He guarded a princess for free just to make sure he kept his word…and he kept his vows to his wife even though she’d been severely injured on their wedding day. And, in the process, he kept his virginity. (Just sayin’.) Yep, Mak was an honorable hero.
But the heroes in my new series Secret Heirs of Powerful Men, are a little bit more morally ambiguous. First there’s Sayid who I call “Superbad Sheikh” on Twitter. He’s a warrior and, while he certainly has a moral code, it’s his duty to protect the people of his country–no matter the cost.
In Heir to a Desert Legacy, his brother the rightful ruler of Attar has died and that leaves Sayid in control until he discovers a surrogate gives birth to an actual heir to the throne, which suits him just fine because he was born to fight. Never to rule.
Poor Chloe the surrogate mother didn’t know what she was getting herself into when she agreed to go back to Attar with Sayid. Because Sayid’s not big on diplomacy. Or manners. Or…not being a jerk when he feels like it.
Then there’s the second hero in the series. In Heir to a Dark Inheritance Alik Vasin is a Russian ex-mercenary who’s not big on right-and-wrong, only survival and collecting a paycheck. Alik is the kind of guy who changes his allegiance as quickly as money changes hands. He’s known as the “Bad Boy Russian” to my Twitter followers. See? There’s a theme happening. A theme of badness.
But then Alik finds out he has a daughter.
That’s actually the turning point for both of these big, bad heroes. They end up with a baby in their care. And not only a baby but also a woman who’s not afraid to challenge them to become better men. Who makes them take a good hard look at themselves and realize they are bad, bad men who need to be punished… *cough* I got sidetracked there. (Though, Chloe MAY tie Sayid up. I’m just saying.)
This brings me to what I love about the ‘bad’ hero. The redemption. There’s nothing more gratifying than that moment when he realizes, not that he needs to be saved, because most of my bad heroes have written themselves off as unsalvageable, but that they can be saved. That love is worth any amount of pain. That love is worth risk. That it’s worth changing for.
And that they’re worthy of it.
Actually, this may be where the honorable hero and the dishonorable hero come full circle. The honorable hero, like Mak, has to believe that he’s worth more than simply being an ideal. While the dishonorable hero, like Alik, has to believe that the pieces of his tattered soul are worth piecing back together.
They ultimately both have to believe that they are worthy of more than they’ve been. That they’re worthy of love.
If you like bad boys, and you like to see them redeemed, check out Heir to a Desert Legacy, on shelves now, and Heir to a Dark Inheritance, coming to stores April 23rd and in ebook everywhere May 1st!
Presents Pitch Round Up: Come as Your Character? Easy, Right?
by Harlequin Presents Editorial Assistant Pippa Roscoe
We had a tremendous response to our recent on-line pitch competition, and some of the broadest, most exciting submissions we’ve seen. Although we could only take five of our favourite entries into the pitch, we were astounded by the quality and originality of the ‘first meets’. It’s certainly motivated me to get myself out there and find my own alpha hero that I can stand toe to toe with!
Each and every one of our online pitch entrants not only rose to the task of coming as one of their characters, but exceeded our expectations! We met a lot of feisty heroines and even a desert Sheikh!
It was wonderful to see everyone so excited to come as their characters, even despite the few technical difficulties we had at the start (!) So with baited breath, the Presents team got ready to interrogate, I mean question, our pitch entrants, armed with jelly babies and queries designed to unearth what makes these characters tick…with some hilarious results!
There was the Desert Sheikh who’s pet peeve is people who can’t use their turn signal: When I drive my own cars, it makes me crazy. It’s a small lever! It’s not rocket science! Ashley, a dancer whose greatest fear is stage fright, literally puking on a judge once! Kat Gardener who appreciated her hero’s honesty – figuring that there must have been an ulterior motive behind the biggest playboy proposing marriage to a woman he just met! Livvy, whose favourite drink is a beer, but loves a zinfandel with lobster (at least we’d know what to order if we took her out for dinner!) And Cari, who prefers staying out of the limelight and behind the computer screen, but promised to see us on twitter sometime soon.
So the Presents team may have started a new craze! Characters will be popping up all over Twitter. Can you imagine alpha males and scandalous heroines flooding the tweets?!
The first submission is already in and we can’t wait to read it. But while we get stuck into that, here are some of the questions we asked our entrants… Would you know the answer to these for your characters? If so, do tell!
- What’s your character’s pet peeve?
- Where would your character take your hero/heroine for a first date?
- What’s your character’s favourite drink?
- What is your character’s greatest fear?
How to Become a Harlequin Writer
by Kathryn Lye, Editor, Harlequin Blaze
http://community.harlequin.com/faq.php?faq=community_guidelines#faq_1. Sponsor: Harlequin Enterprises Limited.