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What’s Your New Year Resolution?
by Harlequin Presents editor Carly Byrne
Happy New Year everyone! Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and that 2013 has been good to you so far.
After the over indulgence of the festive period (how many roast dinners is too many?) we all look hopefully to the New Year full of good intentions – to lose the extra pounds we’ve piled on over Christmas, give up alcohol (but dry January is no fun) or get that promotion. But what if the typical array of resolutions doesn’t apply to you or are, frankly, too daunting/boring/generic?
The Presents team got to thinking what the Presents hero and heroine’s resolutions might be… For the heroine it might be to put her alpha male boss in his place, not buy another pair of designer shoes or to set out her own terms for the marriage of convenience! Pippa, our very own real life Presents heroine’s resolution is to ditch the online dating and getting out into the real world. An alpha hero on the other hand probably wouldn’t make one – he can achieve whatever he wants, he doesn’t need a resolution to do it!
To help you with your resolutions the Presents team have compiled a list of New Year’s resolutions – Presents style!
- Go on an exotic holiday (hot male companion optional)
- Watch the sun rise over Paris from the top of the Eiffel Tower (preferably with a glass of champagne in one hand and a sexy man in the other)
- Attend at least one red carpet premiere this year
- In love with your boss? Get a new job and give your old boss a goodbye to remember!
- Overcome your fear of camels so you can ride off into the sunset with your desert sheikh.
- Blag your way into Prince Harry’s entourage, create such a scandal there’s no option but to marry him!
What’s your ideal way to spend New Year’s Eve? What are your New Year’s resolutions? Can you think of any other Presents-style resolutions?
Harlequin on The Bachelor Tonight!
by Amy Wilkins, Harlequin Digital
Hey fans of The Bachelor — tonight’s episode will feature something you’re familiar with: Harlequin romance covers! Today’s show will feature a special “group date” where the women pose for a Harlequin cover with the newest Bachelor, Sean Lowe. The contestant that shows the most spontaneity, flair and chemistry with Sean will be awarded a three-book cover-model opportunity with Harlequin. And based on the
Just the Boys: Behind the Scenes with Romance Heroes Cal & Josh by Jessa Slade and Elle James
Giveaway! Win Amy’s Stash-o-Books!
by Amy Wilkins, Harlequin Digital
Between the holidays and a heavy snowfall yesterday, things are delightfully quiet (re: deserted) at Harlequin Books HQ in Toronto this week. It’s the perfect time to clean out the email inbox — dare I hope to dream the impossible dream of inbox 0? — as well as my desk…and lucky for you readers, that means cleaning out my stash of giveaway books for a year-end contest!
I’ve divided by stash of 2012 Harlequin Presents (plus a couple Penny Jordan Collection 2-in-1s) into two sets of 8 books ($42 value each) to be won!
Want a chance to win one of these sets of books? To enter, leave a comment telling me your favorite Harlequin Presents book of 2012 and if you’d like to receive set 1 (left) or set 2 (right).
New Year, New Paranormal Romances for 2013!
by Amy Wilkins, Harlequin Digital
The new year is right around the corner (thankfully, the world didn’t end last week!) and Harlequin has a new batch of paranormal and fantasy romances to start your 2013 off right: with books! Take a peek at these new titles on sale now at your favorite book store or ebook site…
Harlequin Blog News Round Up: December 27, 2012
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 and with our authors and book trailers to check out.
Find out what’s behind the curtain below.
Download Tiffany Reisz’s THE GIFT for Free
A trained submissive, Eleanor will do whatever her master commands…even spend a week with a stranger. Do you like your literature erotic? Also available now – The Original Sinners series! Bring home Mistress Nora today. Available from participating retailers.
Download The Gift now from Harlequin.com. Offer expires December 31st 11:59PM ET!
Download the Harlequin App
HARLEQUIN APP is available on your phones for FREE! Discover new books, free online reads and more. Available for Android and Apple products.
Android » http://bit.ly/AaPjH9
iPhone/iTouch/iPad » http://bit.ly/yjVopP
Harlequin.com’s Biggest Hits of 2012
Shop the books that appeared in the Top 20 of the New York Times bestseller list in 2012. (They’re also available in ebook as well. ) And there’s even a Carina Press list, too.
Begin browsing the selection on Harlequin.com.
Harlequin Community’s Greetings Wall
Wishes you joy, happiness, and peace in a new year filled with hope and love….and books, LOTS of books! Leave your own holiday messages on our Greetings Wall!
Sign into Harlequin Community and start chatting.
Harlequin Book Trailer: FOREVER A LORD by Delilah Marvelle
You have to check this trailer out! If you love a good historical romance, you won’t want to miss the final book in the Rumor series, FOREVER A LORD. Available in all bookstores, print and e-book formats.
Can’t Miss Carina Press
Enjoy this collection of can’t-miss stories from Carina Press!
Browse on Carinapress.com!
Winner of the Ebook!
Last week’s round up included a fun giveaway–an ebook copy of Susan Wigg’s upcoming release, THE APPLE ORCHARD. My expert choosing skills (i.e. I used random.org) kicked in and I chose commenter #6, Amy @SimpleLoveBlog. Congrats, Amy! As soon as the ebook is ready (we’re still busy prepping the title) we’ll pass it along to you. 
Happy Holidays from Harlequin!
Dear readers and authors,
Everyone here at Harlequin Mills and Boon wishes you all a very merry Christmas and happy new year! May you all have a safe, happy holiday shared with friends and loved ones.
We’ll be back with a new post on Friday…with a special end-of-year giveaway to boot! 
How are you spending your holiday season this year?
~Amy Wilkins, Harlequin Digital
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope that, by the time you read this, the holiday madness will be over and you’ll be sitting with some spiked egg nog or coffee in front of a cozy fire like this one.
Or, at the very least, you’re somewhere you enjoy.
Happy holidays!
Happy Holidays from Harlequin!
Dear readers and authors,
Everyone here at Harlequin wishes you all a very merry Christmas and happy new year! May you all have a safe, happy holiday shared with friends and loved ones.
How are you spending your holiday season this year?
~Amy Wilkins, Harlequin Digital
Harlequin Editors Pick the Top 5 Series Romance Titles of 2012!
It’s no secret that Harlequin releases a lot of romance each year. Roughly 180 titles per month to be exact. So it goes without saying that it washard to narrow down a top five list of editor choices for 2012. However, we’ve managed to do it. It’s a diverse group of writers and romance genres.
Curious to know who made the list? Find out in order of date published.
A COLD CREEK REUNION by RaeAnne Thayne, Special Edition April 2012
This is a beautifully told reunion romance featuring a Cold Creek firefighter who is confronted with the woman who left him at the altar ten years prior—only now she’s a widow with two small children, one with Down’s Syndrome.This is a story celebrating true love and proving that sometimes, you can go home again!
BLAZING MIDSUMMER NIGHTS by Leslie Kelly, Blaze June 2012
Very romantic.It’s based on a Midsummer Night’s Dream and has dream sequences that are sensual and full of fantasy.Those dreams also come into play in the main romance, giving it a mystical feeling.This book gives readers a sense that nothing is as it seems, and anything is possible.As a bonus, Leslie did a nice job with it.It’s a strong book.
SLOW DANCE WITH THE SHERIFF by Nikki Logan, Harlequin Romance August 2012
This story made me absolutely melt! The heroine is city girl with intimacy issues, the hero is a sexy sheriff who feels responsible for his partner’s death. The only person he trusts is his new sidekick, Deputy, who is a big lumbering bear of a dog. They both have deep conflicts to overcome and Deputy is there along the way almost as the glue holding them together at times, and I cried my eyes out as they struggled through their conflicts. But this is by no means a depressing book – it is in fact so romantic and uplifting!
THE RANCHER’S SECRET WIFE by Brenda Minton, Love Inspired August 2012
It’s the story of a soldier who’s lost his sight who comes home to heal. And the heroine (who the hero secretly married before he went off to war) arrives in town looking for the hero. It’s angsty, and romantic, and you will swoon and cry and fall in love with both hero and heroine by the end of the book.
FLASH OF DEATH by Cindy Dees, Romantic Suspense October 2012
What made is so memorable was the powerful, sexy and emotional bond the hero and heroine form in Chapter One after he saves her from an assassination attempt. I will never forget the first chapter of this book.
Mira Monday: Happy Holidays (Plus a Few Big Announcements!)
by Michelle Venditti, Mira Editorial Assistant
The celebrations are in full swing here at the Harlequin office as we enjoy the holidays and get ready for a new year. The New Year inevitably brings changes for us all—and the MIRA team is no exception.
In fact, we’ve got a few very important announcements to make about the changes that have been happening this holiday season:
If you’ve been following the Harlequin Blog, you’ve heard about the new Harlequin Author Network that we’ve launched. It’s an exciting new development for us and our authors, but it also means we have to say goodbye to amazing long-time MIRA Editor, Miranda Indrigo. Miranda will be joining the digital side of the business in the position of Online Author Liaison. We’ve been missing her greatly, but we’re so happy for the exciting new challenges she’s taken on—and luckily for the rest of us at MIRA, her office is still right down the hall!
Next, we’re saying another goodbye to one of our Editorial Assistants, the wonderful Laura McCallen. Laura has been with MIRA filling a maternity leave contract since the summer and has been an integral part of the team ever since. However, this January she’ll be moving on to new adventures. The MIRA team is excited to announce that Laura has accepted a position with Mills & Boon in our UK offices as Editorial Assistant for the Harlequin Presents line! So while we’re all sad to see her go, the goodbye is bitter-sweet, and we know she’ll be a fabulous addition to our friends across the ocean.
But it’s not all farewells around here…. Each departure brings a new arrival, and we’re happy to introduce two (returning) members to the MIRA team!
First up, returning from her maternity leave is Kate Studer.
Kate is the Editorial Assistant for Harlequin MIRA and Harlequin’s Overseas Program. Publishing has played a major role in her life since she handcrafted her first cardboard-bound “book” in the fourth grade. She went on to write more stories at the University of Waterloo, where she graduated with an Honors BA in Rhetoric and Professional Writing. After a brief stint working in youth magazine publishing, she realized that the charmed world of fiction is where her heart is most happy, and joined the Harlequin MIRA team in 2008. A big fan of character-driven fiction, she’s drawn to fresh, evocative writing that effortlessly brings tension and depth to a story.
And joining us from the HQN line in her new position as Editor for MIRA is Emily Ohanjanians.
Emily always wanted to be an editor, and joining the fantastic editorial team at Harlequin was truly a dream come true. She acquired her first author within six months of becoming an editorial assistant with Harlequin MIRA and has never looked back! Now she is lucky enough to enjoy working with authors in various genres, so life is never boring. She has a slight obsession with story structure and nothing hooks her like dark, psychologically complex stories with—for lack of a better term—messed-up characters.
So, goodbye to our old friends and welcome to new ones. And to all you readers, Happy holidays from the MIRA team! We wish you a joyful holiday season and all the best in 2013!
(From left to right: Valerie Gray, Miranda Indrigo, Emily Ohanjanians, Laura McCallen, Susan Swinwood, Paula Eykelhof, Michelle Venditti)
12 Dates of Christmas – Presents style!
by Harlequin Presents editor Carly Byrne
By now we should all have survived our work Christmas parties (without too much damage to our careers!), finished our Christmas shopping (apart from those pesky last minute stocking-fillers) and be looking forward to the rest of the festivities this holiday has to offer!
To kick start your festive entertainment the Presents team would like to showcase our Christmas wares and give you a taste of what’s to come in this month’s books through the 12 Dates of Christmas!
1. Make your first date this Christmas with the delectable Duke of Torchester – he’s commanding and charismatic and is making his ex-pop star chambermaid quiver! –
Harlequin Blog News Round Up: December 20, 2012
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 and with our authors and book trailers to check out.
Find out what’s behind the curtain below.
And, before I forget, I hope you have a wonderful Christmas! And, since it’s the holidays and stuff, I want to do something fun!
I’m giving you a chance to win an ebook copy of Susan Wigg’s THE APPLE ORCHARD, which we just profiled the gorgeous cover of this week.
All you have to do is guess what movie this GIF comes from:
Leave it in the comments. I’ll choose a winner in next week’s round up.
Happy holidays, Harlequin fans.
I Heart Presents: She Stole the Heart of Santa Maria
…despite being a very ordinary girl. Allegra Jackson has the common touch but many think this young woman, along with her raucous family, has breathed new life into the once stuffy royal house of Santina.
What happens when Allegra wakes up with a ring on her finger? Find out on the Santina Crown page at I Heart Presents.
How Do You Make a Billion Dollars Quick?
Buy a billionaire from Harlequin at a special price of $2.99 per ebook!
This ebook collection, from awesome Presents authors Sharon Kendrick, Lynne Graham, Carole Mortimer and Lucy Monroe, is available on Harlequin.com but only until the February 15th, 2013.
Christmas Countdown: 5 Days
AKA Time to Panic.
Okay, maybe you don’t have all your gifts. You should stop by Harlequin.com’s daily Christmas treat. We’ve given away free stocking stuffers, ebooks and discounts on books all December long. You just might find something to satisfy a family or friend’s craving for good stories.
Follow us to Harlequin.com for today’s treat.
Harlequin Community Spotlight on Presents
If you’re looking for warm, compassionate, sexy stories that capture pure romance, this is the series for you!
Join the conversation in Harlequin Community. Maybe they can answer a question I get asked a lot here at the blog…
Holiday Books from Harlequin
Let Harlequin be your Santa’s helper this year with great reads that are guaranteed to warm your heart and leave you wanting more holiday magic. Fill up those stockings with tales of togetherness, undeniable passion and unexpected love. But don’t let me convince you, see for yourself:
The Carina Press 2012 Staff Favorites
The Carina Press team sat down and picked their favorites. Spicy, sexy, sweet–there’s a pick for everyone. Find out what they are!
Good Versus Evil
by Alison Packard, author of Love in the Afternoon (Carina Press)
My debut novel, Love in the Afternoon, is a tribute to a television genre I’ve watched for more years than I can remember. Daytime dramas, or as they’re more commonly called, soap operas, have always gotten a bad rap. But even so, there are millions of us who love them and aren’t ashamed to admit it. Soaps are sometimes–okay, most of the time–over the top, but at their core they’re about love and family–that’s what draws us in and keeps us watching. Over the years, daytime dramas have tackled many social issues and have helped educate as well as entertain. And they’ve been the training ground for some of our finest actors, such as Julianne Moore, Marisa Tomei, Dana Delany, Kelsey Grammar, Nathan Fillion, Robin Wright, and Meg Ryan, to name a few.
Over at the Carina Press blog, I’ll be talking about my favorite soap couples, but there’s another reason why soaps are so popular and I’d like to share that with you here today. It’s that age old battle of good versus evil.
If there’s one thing we soap fans love, it’s a deliciously bad villain. I’m not talking about your average everyday criminal, or the desperate ingénue who fakes a pregnancy to try to break up the show’s super couple. No, I’m talking about those larger than life evil doers. You know–the ones who plot, scheme, cause mayhem and have a ball doing it. Every soap opera has at least one, and while we may curse them, we can’t help but love them. After all, without a dastardly villain, our shows would be boring, right?
Here are some of my favorites:
Todd Manning–One Life to Live: There’s no sugar-coating his bad acts. Todd Manning led one of the most disturbing scenes ever shown on daytime. To say Todd was hated is an understatement, so how is it that Todd turned out to be one of the most complex and popular characters on daytime? The credit has to go to his portrayer, Roger Howarth, and the writing team of OLTL. Many soap villains never pay for their crimes, but Todd did, and not long after doing so he came to realize just how much of a monster he really was. The scene where he admits that to his victim is, arguably, one of the most brilliantly acted scenes on daytime. Despite his popularity, OLTL never made Todd into a traditional romantic leading man, and he has never forgotten what he did, or forgiven himself for doing it.
Helena Cassadine–General Hospital: Helena is the widow of Mikkos Cassadine, that crazy Greek dude who tried to freeze the world until Luke Spencer killed him and saved the planet. (Thanks, Luke!) Helena (originally portrayed by the divine Elizabeth Taylor and currently by the elegant Constance Towers) decided to make it her life’s mission to avenge her husband’s death, and to this day hates the Spencer clan with a passion. Not content to exact her demented brand of justice on the Spencers, Helena has also plotted against her own family members. She poisoned her son and threw him off of a yacht, and had no qualms about drugging and locking up her ‘beloved’ nephew because she couldn’t tolerate the woman he loved. Oh, and let’s not forget she slit the throat of her husband’s mistress and still laughs about it. The woman is truly evil and relishes in it.
Roger Thorpe–Guiding Light: Roger Thorpe, as portrayed by the late great Michael Zaslow, just may be the ultimate soap opera villain. Clearly evil, and capable of some truly heinous acts, Roger Thorpe, much like Todd Manning, was a very complex character who managed to gain enough viewer sympathy to become one of the show’s most popular characters. The list of Roger’s crimes is extensive and includes rape, adultery, bribery and kidnapping. Like most soap villains, he was presumed dead several times, but as we all know, dead isn’t always dead on a soap opera, especially if a body isn’t found. So just when the residents of Springfield thought they were free of Roger Thorpe, he’d rise like a Phoenix from the ashes, ready and willing to wreak havoc all over again.
So there you have it–my three favorite soap opera villains. I’d love to hear yours. Who are the villains you loved to hate, and why?
About the Book:
Kayla Maxwell is eager to shed her slasher-flick bimbo image–and she plans to do just that in her new role on daytime’s most popular soap. With a chance to showcase her dramatic range, Kayla will be able to wash away the lingering betrayal and public humiliation left by her controlling, philandering ex-boyfriend.
Sean Barrett, the son of an influential, award-winning actor, is the hottest soap star in the country. Paired on-screen with the talented and beautiful Kayla Maxwell, Sean is determined to keep her at arm’s length, burned before by fame-seeking actresses who had no qualms about using him to get to his famous father.
But when Kayla receives threatening letters, her past as a scream queen seems to be coming back to haunt her. Succumbing to an attraction neither one of them can deny, Sean and Kayla must face down her stalker and their own personal demons before trusting what they both feel–a love that lasts long after the cameras stop rolling.
Purchase Love in the Afternoon for just $1.99 from Carina Press!
What Were Your Favorite Reads of 2012?
by Amy Wilkins, Harlequin Digital
2012 is coming to a close — and with the end of the year, I usually look back on all the books I’ve read. This year, I set a personal record for the number of books finished in one year…even beating my English-major university days! It’s so hard narrow down my favorite reads from such a record year, especially since I read so many otherworldly books — but I gave it a shot anyway!
So here are, in no particular order, some of my favorite paranormal and fantasy books I read in 2012. What are yours? Please leave a comment, I’d love to hear what books you enjoyed in 2012!
Susan Wiggs Cover Reveal: The Apple Orchard (with Bonus Shots!)
Susan Wiggs’ new release The Apple Orchard, is a tale of food and family, hidden treasures, and memories. Set to be released this upcoming May, it’s a new stand-alone book from the woman Jodi Picoult says “paints the details of human relationships with the finesse of a master.”
The photo shoot to create this gorgeous cover was so magical, we had to share the extra shots taken.
Apple season was unfortunately nearing an end when we shot this cover, but the team (the prop stylist, photographer, photographer’s assistant, and the designer) did a great job of creating the perfect mood for the cover with styling and final retouching of the image.
About the Book:
Tess Delaney makes a living restoring stolen treasures to their rightful owners. People like Annelise Winther, who refuses to sell her long-gone mother’s beloved necklace – despite Tess’s advice. To Annelise, the jewel’s value is in its memories. But Tess’s own history is filled with gaps: a father she never met, a mother who spent more time traveling than with her daughter. So Tess is shocked when she discovers the grandfather she never knew is in a coma. And that she has been named in his will to inherit half of Bella Vista, a hundred-acre apple orchard in the magical Sonoma town called Archangel. The rest is willed to Isabel Johansen. A half sister she’s never heard of. 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. And in a season filled with new experiences, Tess begins to see the truth in something Annelise once told her: if you don’t believe memories are worth more than money, then perhaps you’ve not made the right kind of memories. From one of America’s most beloved writers, The Apple Orchard is a story of family ties – both old and new – and of the moments that connect our hearts.
The Apple Orchard is available for preorder at select etailers. Are you looking forward to Susan’s new release?