One of my all-time favorite romance novels is LORD OF SCOUNDRELS by the fabulous Loretta Chase. I have a copy so dog-eared that I recently downloaded a copy to my Kindle, so I could read it over and over without worrying any more about the book falling apart. Whenever someone who’s never read Romance asks for a recommendation before dipping their toes in the genre, I almost always recommend LORD OF SCOUNDRELS. In my opinion, it represents the best of Romance.
What makes it so special? Wonderful characters, to start. A big, dark, sexy, brooding alpha male hero who seems dangerous but is really full of self-doubt, even self-loathing. And a sharp-minded, witty, no-nonsense heroine who feels genuine to the core, and is a perfect match for him.
The sparks fly between them from the first moment they meet. The beautifully written sexual tension just crackles on the page. There is a scene with a glove — just a glove! — that is one of the sexiest, most breath-taking scenes you’ll ever read. The dialog is as good as a Hepburn-Tracy movie. In fact, the dialog in the scene where the hero and heroine first meet is so dazzling it ought to be in a textbook on how to write great dialog. And though it is often laugh-out-loud funny, this is not a simple light-hearted story. It’s a powerful emotional ride as well.
In the end, it’s all about love – love offered and love accepted. It tugs at my heart in so many ways, each time I read it. This book succeeds on every level: character, story and writing. I’ve never recommended LORD OF SCOUNDRELS to anyone who didn’t end up loving it.
If you haven’t read it – and why haven’t you? – I’d like to recommend it to you as well. I’ll send a print copy or a Kindle copy to one lucky commenter.
Melanie here! Candice Hern, you ROCK! Thank you so much for interrupting your trip and stopping by! I have my ‘Scoundrel’ copy and it’s getting its wear and tear too!
And here’s just a little teaser about who Ms. Hern is…
Candice has been a voracious reader all her life. For many years she had been a devotee of Jane Austen, Fanny Burney, Maria Edgeworth, Susan Ferrier, and other women writers of the Regency period. When she discovered Georgette Heyer and the Regency Romance genre (not so very long ago — it is not clear how she remained ignorant of the Great Georgette for most of her life) she was instantly hooked. After a few years of reading Regency Romances by the bagful, she decided to try her hand at writing one.
Her first book, A Proper Companion, was published in January 1995. She went on to publish five more traditional short Regency romances, and eight longer historical romances set during the Regency. She is now publishing her older Regencies as e-books, and is currently working on a new e-Regency.
I’m not sure if you guys noticed, but I took off on you for just couple of days, and I’m sure you’ll understand. Because of it, I haven’t had a chance to do one of my own ‘hooks’ so I’ll do it now, and share the spot with Candice and the book is…Drum rool please…‘The Bride Sale’ by Candice Hern!
Couple of years ago I was at my local book store, and I picked this book at a very low price, but that was not what attracted me to the book. It was its blurb, and here it is…
“A Bartered Lady
Lord James Harkness is shocked to discover a “bride sale” taking place in his small English village — and surprised by the depth of his feelings for the unfortunate gentlewoman being auctioned off by a disreputable husband. But is it honor and nobility that compel James to outbid the townsfolk for the proud, beautiful lady — or is it something more akin to . . . desire?
A Mysterious Lord
Verity Osborne is not sure whether good fortune or ill brought her to this dark, brooding man and his lonely manor house on the moors. Local talk brands James Harkness as evil — but Verity senses a gentleness underneath. She dearly longs for her liberty, but his sensuous touch causes her to stay. However, James must first trust Verity with his secrets if they are ever to share love’s rapturous freedom. And will the promised passion she sees flaming in his eyes warm Verity’s heart . . . or burn her?”
Now I DARE you to pass a book with a blurb like that!
I was so happy to have not passed it by. From that point on, I was hooked on Candice and went straight to Amazon and stocked up on some of the best reads EVER written. If you haven’t discovered this author, please, please look her up! I promise you, you’ll not be disappointed. Her heroines ROCK! And her heroes are to DIE for!
I’ll be giving only a Kindle copy of ‘THE BRIDE SALE’, and I do apologize for that, but the copy I got is in a very sad shape and to be honest, it’s too precious to me. Speaking of, do you have one of those books that you just cannot part with, no matter what? Tell me…
Won’t you join our celebration by:
1) Telling us which ‘Hook-a-Book’ did/would you likely give your friends…
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All three are required for a TRIPLE chance to win in the Giveaway!
