February Book Picks

Happy Valentine's Day! I say that, and then I must admit I'm not really a big fan of the day. Don't get me wrong – I've had some great V-days in the past. But it bothers me that it comes with so many expectations. I remember when I was in high school and college that day was everything. For the first few years we were married my husband bought me nice jewelry every Feb. 14, but flash forward 27 years and I'm lucky if I remember the day. I don't want to fight the crowds for dinner or at the movie. I'd rather curl up on the couch, with my man, and read a great book.

And there are a lot of them this month so let's get to it.

I love me some Kira Sinclair. Her latest is Bring It On. "I don't know about y'all," Sinclair says, "but right about now I could do with an escape from winter! And that's exactly how my Island Nights series - which kicks off this month with Bring It On - started. It was winter. I was cold. And my kids had been home from school for a record number of snow days (at least for North Alabama). I needed a break from everything and writing about Escape, and adults-only resort on a private Caribbean island, gave me one. And I hope it does the same for you."

The Rogue Pirate's Bride is Shana Galen's ode to all things piratey. "I've always wanted to write a book with a pirate hero," says Galen, "so when I finally got the chance to write the third book in the Sons of the Revolution series, it was the perfect opportunity to make the lost brother, Bastien, a sexy, charming pirate. I had so much fun researching pirates and naval warfare, I might even have to write another pirate hero."

Ann Lethbridge' s latest is Lady Rosabella's Ruse. "In an earlier book, my hero had an older brother who had definitely gone off the rails," Lethbridge says. "He made life very difficult for my hero in a misguided attempt to be helpful, so I sensed he might be redeemable. It wasn't until I had an idea for opera singing heroine, a house party at a location on the Kent coast of England that brought back happy memories of my youth, and a plot that required sneaking around in the dark, that I remembered Garth. While he proved resistant to redemption, he did like the nighttime pursuit of Rosabella. And that was his downfall."

Barbara White Dallie tells me that The Rodeo Man's Daughter (Harlequin American Romance) was one tough book to write. "Caleb Cantrell overcomes a heartbreaking childhood and finally arrives at the peak of success, only to have his dreams shattered—and his body, too," says Dallie. "After facing down his own death, he's hell-bent to get his life back on track, no matter the cost to anyone. It was a struggle to make this man a sympathetic character when he's driven by revenge. I only hope I succeeded, because he definitely earned my sympathy and respect. And he deserves a happy ending."

Judy Lynn Hubbard's first book is These Arms of Mine (Kimani Romance). "The book is about Derrick Chandler and Alesha Robinson's tumultuous journey to happily ever after," says Hubbard. "Derrick's last name was changed three times, but only twice by me. An unknown person somewhere along the line liked Ashton instead of Chandler and in the Dear Reader letter and in the teaser scene at the beginning of the book, Ashton is used instead of Chandler!"

Lorraine Heath had a new trilogy. The first book is She Tempts a Duke. Here's what Lorainne has to say, "I have always been fascinated by the story of the two young princes locked in the Tower of London and never seen again. So it's little wonder I use a similar plotline for my new trilogy: The Lost Lords of Pembrook. Like the princes in the tower who were viewed as a threat by their uncle, Richard III, so my three brothers were viewed as a threat by their uncle who wanted to claim their deceased father's dukedom. Like the princes, they were locked in a tower—to be murdered. Like the princes, they disappeared and no one knew what had been their fate. But twelve years later, three dark and dangerous men arrive in London, determined to reclaim their birthright. One raised on the streets, one hardened by a life at sea, one toughened by war. Yet each will discover that nothing he endured prepared him for being brought to his knees by love."

Linda Thomas-Sundstrom's new non-paranormal contemporary erotic novella Just One Night is her first published foray into the completely "human world," unless, she says, you count "animal magnetism." "Inspiration came from a JK Rowling quote recently sent to her that goes like this: 'Anything's possible if you've got enough nerve.' So, I thought," Thomas-Stundstrom says, "what if a frustrated female, who is nothing at all like the type of the sexy new guy in town prefers, offers him a gift package by showing up at his door with intent to do some serious bed time? Will a rumored ladies man turn her down? Ah, inspiration. Et voila! ‘Just One Night."'