by Jayne Hoogenberk, eHarlequin Community Manager

I promised I’d be back this week with more suggested reads for the month of May and here I am!   I’ve been combing our editor recommendations and polling our Community members, and here’s part TWO of my must-read list of books that we’re raving about in our blogs and forums.  You might be surprised to note that more than one of these stories were inspired by real life events!

TAKE SIX AUTHORS, EIGHT STORIES, and STIR GENTLY…
From glittering ballrooms to a Cornish smuggler’s cove; from the wilds of Scotland to a Romany camp—join with the highest and lowest in society as they find love in this thrilling new eight-book Harlequin Historical miniseries. Though the “official” series title is Regency Silk and Scandal, Regency co-authors of this new continuity love fellow “continuista” Louise Allen’s slightly longer description of the project: “The Scandals of the Murdered Baron’s Mystery Gypsy Lovechild’s Forbidden Revenge Quest Involving Virgins and at Least One Earl.” This Saga in Eight Books sounds like the PERFECT antidote to a boring day at the office, no?

Want more details on the Regency Silk and Scandal miniseries?  Read the author’s blog HERE and check out what editor Joanne Grant had to say right here on the Harlequin Blog.

How about a sexy summer anthology featuring two separate stories for twice the delectable scandal?

From June through August 2010, Silhouette Desire is launching a new miniseries called A Summer for Scandal—6 romance-packed stories in 3 volumes and the good news is that the first volume is available NOW on eHarlequin. This month two stellar authors—USA Today bestseller Katherine Garbera and Yvonne Lindsay—contribute sassy stories to our Secrets, Lies…and Seduction anthology, the first in the miniseries. In July, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Brenda Jackson teams up with Olivia Gates for the second installment: In Too Deep.  And topselling authors Catherine Mann and Emily McKay end the miniseries with Winning It All in August. These romances are the perfect summer getaway—powerful, passionate and provocative!  But don’t take MY word for it…read an excerpt HERE

And fan-favorite author Merline Lovelace is back with Risky Engagement. Not only is this part of her popular Code Name: Danger miniseries, but also this book is part of Silhouette Romantic Suspense’s “Military of the Month” promotion within the series AND was inspired by a true life story.  Merline says, “Have you ever planned the perfect vacation, only to have one disaster after another occur? That’s what happened when we jaunted down to Cabo San Lucas with our best pals, Neta and Dave. But even disasters can turn into fun with the right attitude—and they make terrific fodder for books!”   If you’re in the know, you KNOW that Merline always writes a juicy, suspenseful and sexy story and trust me you won’t be disappointed!

Now it also occurs to me that you might be in the mood for a Big Summer Book and lucky for you I have a number of single title suggestions to suit whatever mood you’re in.

Coming in June, we have a gritty debut from author Pamela Callow with Damaged featuring heroine Kate Lange, a struggling lawyer with a twisted family past, whose run-of-the-mill custody case suddenly turns into a murder investigation, with Kate as the murder’s next target. Pam says she was inspired to write Damaged by a criminal case in the United States and says, “drawing on my professional career at blue-chip firms, I wrote Damaged, the first of four planned books in the Kate Lange series. Kate is my everywoman superwoman. The next book in the series, Indefensible, will come out in January 2011. The third, Tattooed, is planned for the Summer of 2011, and the fourth in June 2012.”  You can check out the book trailer for Damaged here or on our Harlequin Books YouTube channel and read the first FIVE chapters of this page-turner here!

Author Diane Chamberlain has been hailed as “the southern Jodi Picoult” and is best known for her emotional relationship novels including the international bestseller, The Secret Life of Cee Cee Wilkes. Her latest story also available in June, The Lies We Told, tests the bond between sisters when disaster and love for the same man comes between them.  Diane is very proud of the book trailer for The Lies We Told, and you can view it by clicking on this link.  Diane says, “In my opinion, it gives the feeling of the book and the central themes (our family stories are not always what they seem and the powerful relationship between sisters) without actually trying to tell the viewer the story.”

A true story of selfless love inspired Debbie Macomber to write Hannah’s List. In this heartwarming story, a young widower named Michael receives a letter from his wife (speaking of remarkable women!) on the first anniversary of her death. In her letter, Hannah urges Michael not to bury himself in his grief but to remarry—and she includes a list of women she’d like him to consider as a second wife. This sweet story is a must-read for fans of uplifting fiction and Debbie’s wonderful storytelling.  To celebrate publication of this new Blossom Street novel, you can enter the Hannah’s List contest for a chance to win $10,000 by telling Debbie “What you would do if you had a ’second chance’ at something special in your life? You can enter the contest at the Hannah’s List website and view the book trailer for Hannah’s List here.

Well that about wraps things up for this month, did I miss something?  What are YOU reading and loving this month?  And were you paying attention?  Can you tell me which of my recommended books were inspired by true life stories?  I have a treat for you if you can correctly identify them in the comments section below.  I’ll be drawing at random from your comments for a chance to win a copy of Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove cookbook! Submit your comments by 11:59pm EST Monday, May 31st. Only open to residents of the U.S. and Canada. For full contest details, click here.

Jayne

Community Manager
eHarlequin.com

by Jayne Hoogenberk, eHarlequin Community Manager

I’m back with a great line up of romances to help warm up your Spring and keep you turning the pages til we hit the beach with our summer time must-reads.  Our editors recommend you check out the following favorite authors and new miniseries and continuities, and I can’t wait to talk about them with you in our blogs and forums!

First off the block is Maureen Child’s Man of the Month story for Silhouette Desire, The Last Lone Wolf. Maureen is known for her provocative stories, family sagas and strong sexy heroes, and she’s been giving us some backstory on her hero Jericho and how Daisy Saxon plans to rock his world in the Silhouette Desire Author blog on eHarlequin.  Maureen says “I loved this book and it wraps up a quartet about the latest batch of King (of California) brothers! Oh, there will be more, but Jericho King is one of my favorites, so I’m excited to see him out on the shelves….”  you can read more of her blog here.

Of her new series in Silhouette Special Edition, fan-favorite author Marie Ferrarella says, ”Here we are with the second installment of Matchmaking Mamas. This time it’s soft-spoken Theresa Manetti who is trying to find a mate for her workaholic daughter. Kate has only ventured out into the dating field a handful of times. The last time was not the charm, inasmuch as she became engaged to a high-profile criminal lawyer who enjoyed more than his share of “undercover” work, the undercover in this case being sheets. After that disaster, Kate dedicated herself to building up her career and completely ignoring her personal life.”  Ha! We just know THAT won’t last, but you’ll have to read Fixed Up with Mr. Right? to say I told ya so!

You also won’t want to miss New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Brenda Jackson’s romance double-header this month with Spontaneous (Harlequin Blaze)and Hidden Pleasures (Kimani Romance).  Of Spontaneous she says, “I’ve been anxiously waiting to be able to write Duan Jeffries’s story—and I’m thrilled to introduce him in my very first Blaze novel. My readers first met the Jeffries clan when Reggie Westmoreland fell in love with Olivia Jeffries in my Silhouette Desire book titled Tall, Dark…Westmoreland! Since then, I couldn’t get Olivia’s two older brothers, Duan and Terrence, out of my mind. Terrence made his debut in my Kimani novel Temperatures Rising, and now, finally, it’s Duan’s turn.”  Read the first chapter here. (bring ice!)

And Harlequin American Romance is launching a 6-book continuity miniseries from June (available in May on eHarlequin) to November, called The Codys: First Family of Rodeo. The Codys’ are a wealthy ranching family with strong ties to the rodeo. Six siblings compete in rodeo events and find love in various western settings.  This miniseries is full of drama, emotion, family secrets, pregnancies and babies, weddings, and hunky cowboys! I know, I had you at rodeo, right?

The first three books are:
Walker: The Rodeo Legend by Rebecca Winters (June)
Dexter: Honorable Cowboy by Marin Thomas (July)
Dusty: Wild Cowboy by Cathy McDavid (August)

If Suspense & Adventure is more up your alley, then you’ll be wanting to check out the all-new trilogy from Harlequin Intrigue, Texas Maternity: Hostages kicking off with Delores Fossen’s The Baby’s Guardian and don’t miss Kerry Connor’s emotional and gripping Shivers miniseries title,  Stranger in a Small Town of which she says, “All of my characters mean a great deal to me, but I especially felt for these two people, two lost souls who find a connection when neither expects it.”  Read more here.  Kerry and Delores often blog at eHarlequin and you can catch up with on the Intrigue Author blog.

On a girls weekend in Las Vegas, best friends Alex, Molly, Serena and Jayne (sadly NOT me) are supposed to just have fun and forget men, but they end up meeting their perfect matches in Harlequin Romance’s new Girls’ Weekend in Vegas miniseries.  Check out Book One, Saving Cinderella! by Myrna Mackenzie, followed by Vegas Pregnancy Surprise by Shirley Jump (July), Inconveniently Wed! by Jackie Braun (August) and Wedding Date with the Best Man by Melissa McClone (September).

I promise to be back with more NEXT week, until then, tell me more of what you like to read and which stories you’re looking forward to most!

Happy Reading,

Jayne

Community Manager
eHarlequin.com

Congratulations to all of our authors who are on this week’s New York Times bestseller list.

Paperback

#20 Moonlight Road by Robyn Carr (MIRA, week 5)
#26 The Summer Hideaway by Susan Wiggs (MIRA, week 4)
#27 Hot Westmoreland Nights by

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by Jayne Hoogenberk, eHarlequin Community Manager

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Not only is March roaring in like a lion up here in Toronto and in the Eastern Seaboard, it’s also heating up as we prepare to celebrate the 2,000th Silhouette Desire novel, with a month-long ‘blog bash’ on the eHarlequin Community Desire Author blog.

Fan Favorite author, Bronwyn Jameson kicked off the festivities on Monday the 1st and all of your favorite authors will be popping in to post about writing these sensual, irresistible stories about rich, powerful heroes, strong and sultry heroines and scandalous family sagas. Visit their blog daily for new updates.

As you well know, bestselling author, Brenda Jackson has the honor of being the author of the line’s 2000th release, Hot Westmoreland Nights, delivering yet another highly-anticipated installment of the steamy Westmoreland saga and we can’t wait to read about Ramsey Westmoreland’s dilemma with his delectable new cook, Chloe and how she takes him down! It’s also Brenda’s 15th Anniversary as an author this year, so she truly has a lot to celebrate. Brenda gave us some insider info on her latest Westmoreland story in her Inside Scoop interview and says, “Readers can expect a strong, sexy and handsome hero who thinks he doesn’t need love, and a beautiful and feisty heroine who shows him differently. Readers can also expect a hot and sexy love story.”

Brenda is a die-“heart” romantic who married her childhood sweetheart and still proudly wears the “going steady” ring he gave her when she was 15. Because she began believing very early in the power of love and
romance, she can’t help but write stories with happy endings and we love the Westmorelands so much that we can’t wait for even more beginnings!

Don’t miss Hot Westmoreland Nights, one of six new sensual Silhouette Desire titles on sale this month, and don’t forget to stop by the Desire Author blog to say hello. For all of Brenda Jackson’s currently available titles, see her author page on eHarlequin.com.

To learn more about the author, visit her Web site, www.brendajackson.net.

And tell us, who is YOUR favorite Westmoreland so far?

Jayne

by Brenda Jackson, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Hot Westmoreland Nights

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Anyone who has read my books knows I have this thing for family series.  And when I was told that one of my family series book was Silhouette Desire’s 2000th book, I could not contain my excitement.

From the time I first began reading romances, Silhouette Desires were my favorite.  It was small enough to toss in my purse and pull out for a good and relaxing read just about anywhere.  Especially when I got a break during those busy management meetings at the well-known insurance company where I worked.  Once I decided I wanted to be an author, my choice was to be a Silhouette Desire author.  After a number of rejections letters—a few telling me what to do to improve my craft—I joined a writers group where I received not only good feedback on what I needed to do to improve my writing, but I became friends with a bunch of lovely ladies, who like me wanted to write love stories.

I never gave up the belief that one day I would do it, even after one of my bosses at work who found out about my dream, basically told me that he would win the lotto before I published a book.  Not a lot of encouragement there, right?  Wrong.  His words encouraged me to prove him wrong and I did.  I have written over 70 books and he’s yet to win the lotto.  Of course I couldn’t pass up the chance to send him a copy of my first book with a card asking, “How many millions did you win playing lotto?”

Hot Westmoreland Nights becoming Silhouette Desire’s 2000th book is special because it’s about the Westmoreland Family.  I wrote my first Westmoreland Book in 2002 and now Hot Westmoreland Nights is my 17th novel in the series.  The Westmorelands continue to be a special family because my readers have made them so, and each time I pen a story about them, I can’t forget just how special they are.

I have plenty more Westmoreland stories to share and if you missed out on the Westmoreland series, my first book in the series, Wrapped in Pleasure, has been reissued.

Congratulations to Silhouette Desire for reaching such a wonderful milestone, and I appreciate being a part of your growth and success from day one as a reader, and now as one of your happy and dedicated writers.

Happy Reading to all!

Celebrate 2000 titles! Get 3 Desire books for $9.99 at eHarlequin.com!

By Krista Stroever, Senior Editor, Silhouette Desire

So I’m guest blogging today as we approach a momentous milestone (is there any other kind?) for Silhouette Desire—March will see the publication of Desire’s 2000^th title! From June 1982, when we started with Corporate Affair by Stephanie James (click through, you’ll be tickled when you see who that actually is!), to our 1000th book milestone Man of Ice, by the inestimable Diana Palmer in 1996, to our 2000th book today—Hot Westmoreland Nights by Brenda Jackson, and boy, are they ever. Nobody does a sexy, strong, honorable man’s man like Brenda Jackson. Her heroes truly embody the spirit of the Desire man. And, um, speaking of bodies…

A little known secret—the talented young director behind this video? Brenda’s very own son!  It’s not surprising that an author with such a talented family creates such talented families! Brenda’s known for the Westmoreland clan—dynamic, successful and prolific! But fortunately for all of us readers, Brenda uncovered a whole Westmoreland family out West—rife with family secrets of their own. Starting with Westmoreland’s Way and now on to Hot Westmoreland Nights, we meet rancher Ramsey Westmoreland, who finds himself breaking all kinds of rules when sexy Chloe Burton moves in.

And, though this might embarrass Brenda, since we are talking about Desire through the years, I thought I’d end with a little blast from the past—Brenda back in 1989, a mere 7 years after Desire began, as a “writer wannabe” at a writers conference in Texas! Click the link to see what was on shelves from Desire back then!

Editor’s Note: Thanks to Krista for this excellent post about Silhouette Desire’s 2000th title! Be sure to check back on Monday morning for a new blog entry by Brenda Jackson herself!