Candy's May Picks

I don't care how busy I am in the summer reading is my favorite pastime. I'm not big on the outdoors, and losing myself with a book is the best way for me to relax. And I read everything from classics to erotica to young adult.

I'm really excited to read some of the books offered by some of my author friends this month. Let's take a look:

I adore Melissa Bourbon Ramirez and her new book BARE-NAKED LOLA. "I like to think that Lola is my alter–ego," Ramirez says, "if I were a smart, sexy, salsa dancing black belt private eye. I love her because I get to write about the Mexican culture, which I'm so close to because of my husband, and I get to write people who my own children can relate to: people who love the Mexican culture, who embody its traditions, and who are fully American at the same time."

J. Lynn says the inspiration for TEMPTING THE BEST MAN is something close to her heart. "Some of my favorite kinds of love stories are those that feature two people who've known each other for many years, but never admitted their feelings," Lynn says. "Best friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, or like in "Tempting the Best Man," falling for the brother's best friend, are such fun tales to tell. And they can be really hot because the insecurities that come along with falling for a stranger aren't there when you've known the person your entire life. I also think that everyone can relate to these stories in one way or another."

Lacy Williams says THE HOMESTEADER'S SWEETHEART was inspired by something she found while working on another book. "During research for another project," Williams says, "I came across an old photo of several street urchins with dirty faces on the streets of New York City. From the poignancy in this photo, the hero of my story was born. Jonas White has overcome many obstacles, including the abandonment of his parents and living on the streets, but can he overcome his biggest fear to win the heroine's heart?"

DIAMONDS ARE TRULY FOREVER is the newest release Gina Robinson. "Diamonds is the second book in my Agent Ex series," she says. "The series explores the challenges of being married to a spy – and not ending up the agent's ex. The hero in Diamonds is the sidekick from ‘The Spy Who Left Me.' Writing about spies, with all of their various code names is challenging. Sometimes when I'm writing, even I get the names mixed up. And it's even more interesting when you're in the character's head—how should the character refer to himself in thought? So to keep the naming simple, and the book interesting, and funny, in Diamonds the hero, Drew Fields, is undercover – as himself – in his hometown. Which sounds simple enough, except that means he has to fake reconciliation with his nearly ex wife, Staci. And the two are still hot for each other. But Staci has a flaw that's awkward for a spy's wife—and potentially fatal for both of them—she's a terrible liar."

WHEN SHE WASN'T LOOKING is HelenKay Dimon's new book. When you write romantic suspense, the inspiration sometimes comes from difficult real–life stories. My May release from Harlequin intrigue, WHEN SHE WASN'T LOOKING, had that sort of start. Years ago I was a lawyer in Maryland, not even thinking about writing books, and a terrible crime happened nearby and a family was killed. I remembered that story and started to do the "what if" game. What if a surviving daughter, now grown up, thought the killer was still on the loose. And what if a gruff but to–the–bone decent man walked into her life and for the first time she had hope she could find the truth? A story was born.

THE LAST REAL COWBOY is the first in Donna Alward's Cadence Creek Cowboys duet. The cat in the book was inspired by a funny situation. "In Feb of 2010,says Alward," I went to Toronto to visit the Harlequin offices and stayed with my friend Jayne, who is the Community Manager for Harlequin. At her place I was introduced to her cat, Chippie, who, she warned me, could be a bit of a biter. Having a "quirky" cat of my own, I have to say Chippie never got me once. I could see the gleam in his eye and caught him every time. But Jayne thought Chippie was being naughty so she put him in the bathroom for a time out. I heard this odd sound and Jayne casually informed me that it was Chippie unrolling the toilet paper. Then she told me to wait for it....and sure enough, he flushed the toilet. I don't have to tell you that I burst out laughing, do I? I fell in love with Chippie that night. Who can resist a handsome cat with a big attitude? When it came time to write book, I knew Angela needed to have a cat so she wasn't entirely alone in the world. And of course that cat was going to be a handsome orange and white rescue with a big ‘tude. And like Chippie, Morris tends to voice his opinion about new people in the house – like the first time he meets the hero, Sam. The book is dedicated to Jayne – who is a wonderful, awesome lady, and also to Chippie – a very special cat."

"I live in the Texas Hill Country, which is mostly rolling ranch land," says author Desiree Holt. "People raise cattle and horses and in my area it's nothing new to see people ride by my house on horseback. We have a sheriff who is a real icon. He wears a Stetson—always—fights the bad guys and also is a team–roping champion. We're right smack in the middle of what was one e Comanche territory and many of their ancestors still live here, so I decided to combine both the Native American history, the ambience of a small but wide open county and the tasty sheriff in the character of Hawk Blackwater. You can find him in my latest release, DARK SECRETS, set in Freewill, Wyoming, which looks suspiciously like the town where I live!"