Welcome to my cyber conservatory, a glass-walled, tile-floored, plant-filled room overlooking the tiered gardens of my English country manor. OK, I really live in an ordinary house in
With Father's Day on the horizon, I started thinking about the traits that constitute a real life hero. In romance novels, the heroes are always tall, broad shouldered, devastatingly good-looking, fierce, brave, passionate, a tireless lover...you get the idea! Those are heroic ideals and make for compelling reading. But in real life, if we all held out for that sort of man, well, I think we'd all be waiting around forever because he just doesn't exist, at least not with all of the above endowments. That's OK, of course, because as women we're not perfect either. In my experience, a real life hero might not have intense, piercing eyes, but when he looks at you, he doesn't focus on your flaws but sees you as beautiful. He might not always make sparkling and witty conversation, but he's willing to listen when you need him to. He might not cut a perfect figure in designer clothes, but he's always got a shoulder ready for you to lean on. He might not be a man of influence and power, but he supports you in everything you do. For the past few months, I've been struggling to make one deadline after another: handing in a manuscript, then revisions, more revisions and finally, just last week, copy edits. My husband scored big hero points by not only cooking countless dinners, but stopping off at the grocery store on his way home from work so that there was actually something to cook, and never once complaining about our habitually empty refrigerator. Then there was the cleaning, laundry, chauffeuring our younger daughter around, etc, etc.. Poor guy! But in my opinion, a true hero and definitely a keeper.
So what's your idea of a real life hero?
But the sexy hero seems to always show up when she needs him most. In return for his heroism, Mike only wants two things from Alex: a chance to prove he is her true soul mate and her grandfather's secret chocolate recipe. Can Alex deny her destiny or will Mike's determination melt her heart?
So grab a bit of your favorite chocolate, curl up in your comfiest chair and spend an afternoon being charmed by chocolate and love.
CHOCOLATE SECRETS by Zelda Benjamin -- available now from Avalon Books, ISBN: 978-0803498846. You can purchase Chocolate Secrets at Amazon, OR you can look for it at your local library!
ONE REAL MAN by Janette Kenny
Available April 1st!
Lost And Found…
Gil Yancy is a man with a mission: claim his share of Rocky Point Ranch and build a herd of his own. What Gil doesn’t count on is the greeting he gets—in the form of a stove lid upside the head—from the mistress of the place. She’s the prettiest thing Gil’s ever laid eyes—and more—on. When last they met, the shady lady seduced him and stole his last red cent, so now it might just be time for a little sweet revenge…
Josie can’t believe Rocky Point’s new cowboy is that cowboy—the one with the strongest-yet-gentlest hands ever to mark a trail down her body. She robbed Gil blind out of sheer desperation, and years later, Josie still has something of his…but that’s not her only secret. She wants him just as much as ever—and she knows he’d do anything to please a lady…
Praise for One Real Man–
“Janette Kenny has, once again, written a winning novel.” Brenda Talley, The Romance Studio
“Kenny utilizes a standard western theme - two strong-willed characters fighting for ranch ownership - and adds a twist or two, changing the typical to the unique.” Kathe Robin, Romantic Times
“One word - awesome!” Merri Crawford, Merrimon Book Reviews
The Devil’s Daughter is on the shelves!
Fire and brimstone she can manage;
Falling in love’s a whole ‘nother story. . .
The Devil’s Daughter will do whatever it takes to win her freedom, even if it means claiming the soul of sexy Jed Caine.
There’s no question he wants her, but he wants more than just her body; he wants her heart, too, and he’ll settle for nothing less. His stubborn ways and gentle touches are too much— even for the devil’s own daughter.
She was sent to steal his soul, yet there he was. . . capturing her heart.
How was she ever going to explain this to her father??
Here’s what the reviewers have to say:
“. . .a provocative western loaded with lustful love scenes and a romance that will melt your heart.” 4 1/2 stars
- Romance Junkies
“. . .a clever paranormal western with a bad-girl heroine and a saintly hero struggling with love, loyalty, duty and passion. It reads like the best of Americana, with the right hint of devilishness, proving that naughty can be good.” 4 stars
- Romantic Times BookReviews
“. . .devilishly delightful. . .”
- Harriet Klausner
“. . .humor, sizzle, and emotion in a strong novel.” 4 stars
- BooksForABuck
“. . .a lighthearted romp from the gates of hell to the Old West.”
- Singletitles.com
“. . .an original, creative, and humorous story. . .” 5 spurs
- LovesWesternRomances
Check out more at http://lauradrewry.com/!!
Woohoo! I've been chosen as a featured author on the Medallion Press website for March. You can check out me and my new release, Fortune's Kiss, at Medallion Press. It should by posted by Monday.
I'm also launching the release of Fortune's Kiss with a contest at Fresh Fiction. It will be up in March. Just click on contests, and scroll to find me! The winner will receive a signed copy of the book and a gift card to Borders or Barnes& Noble (winner's choice)!
Hurray! FORTUNE’S KISS will be released in about 3 weeks, on March 6th, and here’s what reviewers have said so far:
“Lisa Manuel is very talented author and she grabs a hold of your attention and doesn’t let it go till she finishes the story. The characters are full of depth and vitality and you feel like you are with them every step of the way. FORTUNE’S KISS is definitely one for the keeper shelves.” – Night Owl Reviews
“Settle down with some tea and cakes and put up your feet. Fortune's Kiss is an excellent Sunday afternoon read.” – Novel Spot
“…An excellent historical romantic suspense. This is an exciting and enjoyable book and one you don’t want to miss.” – Romance Junkies
“…An amusing, engaging historical romance starring two likable heroes and a zany out of control support cast.” – Harriet Klausner
The thing I love about these reviews is that in each case, the reviewer really "got" the story. The humor (at times zany, I’ll admit), the family strife, the suspense element, the dynamics about trust and loyalty. All the things I’d hoped people would get. That’s not always the case. Sometimes an author will include threads that just get lost in the plot and go unnoticed. So I’m totally happy that my intentions for this book seem to have worked!
I’ll admit that even after three previous books, I still SWEAT when it comes to reviews. Not like I used to, though. I swear I nearly put a hole in my stomach stressing out over the reviews for my first book, MOSTLY MARRIED. And what a waste of time it was working up all that angst, because my reviews were “mostly” fabulous. I mean, you can’t totally delight EVERY reviewer out there, but for the most part, hey, I’ve had reason to be grateful.
So, a special thank you to all my reviewers, and reviewers in general. You all help drive the sale of books and I know that in some cases, your reward is nothing more than the enjoyment of reading the latest books.
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