The year is winding to a close and I want to get in the last few books of the year. Finished Lauren Willig's The Betrayal of the Blood Lily before Christmas but didn't have time to make note of it. This book moves the action to India and follows Penelope Devereaux as the protagonist. Good story, but getting pretty far afield from the orginal concept of the Pink Carnation. Like the on-going story of Ellie, though. Hoping there's going to be a few more of these so I can find out what Colin is up to! Is he a spy for the British Government? Is he a writer of spy novels as he claims to be? Only future books will tell!

Three more days to the year. How many do you think I can manage in that time?

Play safe!
Diana

So you're under a blizzard warning and need something to read? Here are two ideas for you:

Diamond in the Snow -- Paul and Caroline get stuck at his house during a blizzard. How do they spend their time? Well once Caroline finds out Paul's a closet Dom, it's all over but the screaming in ecstasy!

A Devil in Winter -- Kevin Winter spends a wonderful evening with an old flame, only to discover she's getting married to another man. Not able to leave well enough alone, his attempt to see her is thwarted by her younger sister. Kevin kidnaps Anna to keep her quiet --and finds she's far more fun than his old flame ever was!

Both these stories appeared in anthologies in the past but are now available as single, downloadable titles. This way you don't even need to go out into the snow to get something to read and be inspired!

Want them on your new Kindle? Get Diamond in the Snow here and A Devil in Winter here!

Play safe -- and don't drive on those roads!

Diana

Only three weeks left to the year! I'm adding another book to my list of Books Read This Year list and have two more "must reads" left in my pile. Will I get them both read in these hectic weeks before Christmas? Will I get my current work-in-progress finished by the first of the year, my self-imposed deadline? Will we have a white Christmas? A Happy New Year? Stay tuned for answers to these and other questions!

The book I'm adding as Another Book Finished is The Temptation of the Night Jasmine by Lauren Willig. I know, I know. Not ANOTHER Lauren Willig Pink Carnation book!?! Yep. 'Fraid so. What can I say? When I get on a particular wave, I like to ride it all the way into shore.

This book follows Charlotte Landsdowne and I have to say I like this character very much. She remains true to her character all throughout the story (unlike some of Willig's other heroines). Of all the female progagonists in these stories, Charlotte is the one I most relate to, probably because she's very much like I was when I was in my teens. My mom used to tease me that she could set off a bomb next to me and I'd never notice because my head was so deeply involved in the book in my hands. Charlotte, too, lives in the world of fantasy and it's a lot of fun watching her fall in love with a very real world hero.

Hope those who celebrate Hanukkah have had a happy one...those who are preparing for Christmas, enjoy!

Play safe,
Diana

Read another of Lauren Willig’s Pink Carnation series…this one is The Seduction of the Crimson Rose. I have to say I enjoyed this one just as much as the first and better than the middle two. Both the hero and heroine in this story were drawn much more vividly. The action, the characters, the plot itself all worked together to make an enjoyable read.


That said I did feel the heroine, in this case, Mary Alsworthy, did waffle some in her demeanor in the last third of the book. I know the love story had to come together, but I felt as if Mary betrayed some of her personality along the way. It’s hard to take an aloof character and have her fall in love. Ms. Willig does an okay job with it.

As far as my own writing goes, don’t forget I have two new titles out (one of them free!) and a re-release. Love in the Afternoon (also available on the Kindle) is a Quickie from EC that came out in August, Remembered Love is a free Naughty Nooner, and Diamonds in the Snow is a Christmas novella. If you haven’t done your shopping yet…what are you waiting for? Hanukkah has already begun and Christmas is a scant 21 days away!

Play safe everyone!
Diana