The Big Cheat (Tammy's Romance Pet Peeve #460)

Once again, I'm revisiting the vaults over at InD'tale and bringing up my second column, "The Big Cheat".  

The Big Cheat (InD'tale Magazine July/August 2012)

Adventures at InD'tale Magazine - Soapbox Blather

About three years ago my very good Goodreads friend TJ Mackay came to me with an idea. "I'm thinking of starting up a magazine", she said. It would be a brand new thing, taking advantage of a need in the writing community that was ready to take off like a rocket ship - professional reviews of self or small-published romance novels. Tons of really talented people were not getting the exposure they needed, she said, and she wanted to provide a vehicle for those authors to be reviewed using the same standards as those in other mainstream publications, which would only look at those authors published by the "Big Five".

One of the things she asked was if I'd be interested in writing a column for her new venture. It could be about anything I wanted, as long as I stayed my snarky, humorous self and tried to talk about things relating to books, reading and/or romance. Kind of like a resident Andy Rooney.

Now it's three years later, the mag is up and running, and I've written what feels like endless words about almost any topic I could think of. They're getting buried over at www.indtale.com in the archives, so I wanted to let them out to breathe. (And I'm also fairly vain, so I just want to see my words online.)

So here's my first column for InD'tale Magazine, featured in the premiere issue, May 2012.  www.indtale.com

If you like what you read, click the link for more. And subscribe! It's free. :)

Soapbox Blather (InD'tale Magazine May 2012)

"That Night with the CEO" releases August 4!!!

One of my favourite contemporary romance authors debuts with Harlequin Desire this month! Karen manages to push all of my "like" buttons every time out, and her latest effort, "One Night with the CEO" is no exception. (Copy of the book provided by the author in exchange for a honest review)


To summarize: Melanie Costello is working her butt off to keep her small PR firm going. No small feat, after her business (and romantic partner) defected with one of their clients. When telecom mogul Roger Langford retains her to repair his playboy son's image after his latest tabloid scandal, she comes face to face with her best-kept secret: her one-night stand with Adam Langford. 

Adam is gorgeous, interested, and still out of reach - now more so than ever. Can Melanie keep a professional distance from Adam? If she can it will make her career. If she can't, more than her firm is on the line. Her heart is at risk as well.

So here's the thing. I am so excited for Karen - she was with Ellora's Cave, did three books with a small-press, re-released her old stuff herself, and this is her debut with Harlequin. So cool! The only drawback to a Harlequin is that an author is constrained by the company's guidelines, and I believe that includes the length of the book. I would have loved to see more of both characters, and as I know how good she is at character development, it's hard not to feel a bit like she was just able to scratch the surface with Melanie and Adam's story. 

(And I also need to say this: BEST. COVER. Whew!)

That being said, Adam Langford is a hard-working, custom suit-wearing, stubble-bearing, swoon-worthy Hero, well worthy of all of Melanie's efforts. Melanie is a heroine we can all relate to: burned once, she has trouble believing Adam could be as into her as she is him. With snappy banter, sizzling chemistry and a sigh-worthy happily-ever-after, "One Night with the CEO" is a worthy companion to a cold drink and a lounge chair in the summer sun.

P.S. Check out Karen's backlist -- this is just a taste of what she can do.