Aside from the first romance novels consumed in utter stealth beneath my covers after midnight while still in high school, I’ve always been a pretty open romance reader. I mean, I’m not shy about cracking a vintage Harlequin while waiting for the bus or pulling out my Grace Burrowes at the doctor’s office. My female
Reawakening Peaches and Cream Jello Mold
Disclaimer: If zombies, threesomes or Jello salads make you squirm (and not in the good way), you may want to back out of this post immediately. The book I’m discussing this week is probably one of the weirdest things I’ve ever read, romance or otherwise. It’s by Charlotte Stein, whose work I have long enjoyed,
Afternoon Delight Chocolate-Chile Lava Cakes
When I first heard about Anne Calhoun’s Afternoon Delight (out tomorrow) on Twitter a few months ago, I was super eager to read it just based on a single phrase: food truck. I’ve read several of Calhoun’s books and she has never disappointed. Add in a heroine with a food truck and a sexy paramedic
My Kitchen Rules
I have some rules for my kitchen. I mean, I guess not every cook is like this, but all the serious home cooks I know have pretty much the same ones. It’s pretty funny how similar we are actually. The reason I mention this is that sometimes I read books about chefs and, well, side-eye
Private Politics Ben’s Chili Bowl Copy-Cat Chili Dogs
[Elisabeth here. I gushed so effusively about Liam, the hero of Emma Barry’s latest DC-set romance, that my husband pestered me until I let him read it. I asked if he had any thoughts he wanted to include in my review. As it turned out, he had lots of thoughts. So I just let
The Man and the Hero
There has been a lot of discussion lately in the Romancelandia blogosphere about Alpha Males and Beta Males and Theta Males and Gamma Males. Am I missing any Greek letters there? And while I understand the marketing reasoning behind each of these category distinctions (especially for those of us who read romance for the heroes
The Power of Happily Ever After
Genre fiction of any sort has a certain power. It’s the power to sneak serious thinking into “mindless, fluffy, badly written” books. It’s what part of what Very Serious Literary People do not understand about why smart people sometimes read “dumb” books. Part of it is escapism (which I don’t view as a derogatory term):
The Chocolate Kiss Gâteau Lion d’Or
Laura Florand is one of those exceedingly reliable authors who always manages to write a book that I know I will adore. I’ve only read three of hers thus far (I’m rationing them), but each one has been utterly charming and full of amazing culinary inspiration. The Chocolate Kiss is no exception. It takes place
Nurse Janice Calling Roast Duck with Citrus Cherry Port Sauce
If I ever enjoy an older romance, I expect it to be the sort of enjoyment a person gets from things that are wacky and adorable. I don’t ever really expect them to be exactly good. But Nurse Janice Calling, despite the retro cover, the awful title and the 1964 publication date, was a darn
Trust-Worthy Romance
Trust is an interesting phenomenon. In love or friendship, it’s what lets people relax, let down their guards and just enjoy each other for who they are without worrying about being judged, hurt or ridiculed (except in good fun, of course). In romance novels, one or both characters’ lack of it is often the main