I always look forward to a new Lorraine Heath book and her
newest novel, TEXAS
LEGACY, is
something very special. The hero in TEXAS LEGACY is a character who was a boy in Lorraine Heath’s
Texas
Trilogy, which she wrote quite a few years ago.
Lorraine Heath’s new book got me thinking about all the wonderful supporting
characters I’ve
read about over the years. Sometimes, as with TEXAS
LEGACY, an author will give the character a
book of his own and other times the reader is just left to forever wonder
“what if.”
Love's a silver bullet
That blows your world apart
I wanna be remembered as an outlaw
The boy who stole your heart
I wanna be the guy who wears the white hat
Then rides across the plain
I'm gonna be your enigmatic stranger
Honey, you are looking at your Shane
- “Cowboy Dreams,” Prefab Sprout
Rawley Cooper first appeared in Lorraine Heath’s Texas
Trilogy series as a boy who knew what it was to suffer. Now, in TEXAS
LEGACY, Rawley is a grown man coming back
home and reuniting with the girl he left behind. In the earlier series,
Rawley’s story made
readers shed a few tears, root for him, and hope he’d find happiness in his
future. Lorraine
Heath tells a story of young love that evolves as the hero and heroine have
grown and matured
over the years. As satisfying as it is to see Rawley all grown up and
getting a second chance
with his first and only love, it’s great to see how his friendship with
Faith heals and they get
back that emotional bond they had when they were younger before taking their
relationship to
the next level. This hero and heroine find love with somebody they trust
more than almost
anybody else, after knowing betrayal and cruelty. I don’t know if Lorraine
Heath plans on
writing more stories about this second generation of the Leigh family, but
her stories always
have passion and great storytelling.
Nothing sounds as good as, 'I remember that'
Like a bolt out from the blue, did you feel it too?
I remember that
- “I Remember That,” Prefab Sprout
Stephanie Laurens is one of my favorite authors and I was
thrilled when she decided to tell stories about the next generation of
Cynsters. Of course,
when it was revealed who the heroes for three of those books would be, I was
even more
delighted. Two heroes in that series and one from her Casebook
of Barnaby Adair series were all men who were
supporting characters in books she wrote years ago. Although only supporting
characters,
each man was fascinating or worthy of a second look. I don’t remember
reading whether it
was positive reader feedback or whether she just decided to give these
characters a new
lease on life for her own reasons, but I cheered anyway. Viscount
Breckenridge was a
character in the book THE
IDEAL
BRIDE. In
THE IDEAL BRIDE,
Timothy Danvers,
Viscount Breckenridge has the reputation of a charming rake, but over the
course of the story,
Stephanie Laurens is able to throw a few details about himself and his
background that make
readers want to get to know him better. Thankfully, in VISCOUNT BRECKENRIDGE TO
THE
RESCUE, readers get that opportunity to get to know this character
better and they like
what
they find. THE LADY
CHOSEN is the
first
book in Stephanie Laurens’ “Bastion Club” series, and it’s my favorite as
well. The hero in
THE LADY CHOSEN,
Tristan
Wemyss,
Earl of Trentham, is akin to Dorothy Sayers’ classic gentleman sleuth Lord
Peter Wimsey, and
the heroine – Leonora Carling – is the intelligent and strong-willed woman
to match him.
Jeremy Carling is Leonora’s younger brother and a budding academic like
their father. By the
time Jeremy appears again in the story IN PURSUIT OF ELIZA CYNSTER
, readers get to see how Jeremy has matured. Although an
academic, Jeremy proves to be equally as resourceful and brave as he and
Eliza trudge across
the country running from their pursuers. Out of all three heroes, my
favorite is the one
in LOVING ROSE: THE
REDEMPTION
OF MALCOLM SINCLAIR. I first read about Malcolm Sinclair in the Cynster
book THE
TASTE OF INNOCENCE. What started out
seeming to be a run-of-the-mill generic villain turned into something much
more. Although I
usually adore the heroes in a Stephanie Laurens book, the one in THE
TASTE OF INNOCENCE just didn’t do it for me,
and so Malcolm Sinclair stole the show. While the hero was being pigheaded
and insensitive
when it came to the heroine, Malcolm Sinclair was revealing layers to his
character that made
me root for him a bit and shed a tear or two at his Professor Moriarty-like
demise. This is what
I long for in a romance novel – characters who surprise you with their
hidden depths and
capture your imagination. After recently reading Stephanie Laurens’ newest
Casebook
of Barnaby Adair mystery, THE
MURDER AT MANDEVILLE HALL, I found
another supporting character I hope she will do more with in the future. At
the end of the
story, one character stood out as a sort of tragic gothic hero. Hooray! I
look forward to reading
Stephanie Laurens’ next book.
The disappointed
Will bear me on their shoulders
To a secret shadow land
Where a somber marching band
Plays a tune for broken hearts
- “The Disappointed,” XTC
The hero and heroine in THE
GREATEST LOVER EVER by Christina Brooke
have a very tempestuous relationship with a tangled history. Their
relationship is engrossing,
but I admit that one of the highlights in this book is the complex villain
Lord Pearce. While the
hero is conflicted about his feelings for the heroine, Pearce schemes to get
the fortune and
the woman he wants. Whether Christina Brooke meant to ever give Lord Pearce
a story of his
own, his tortured words spoken to the hero in his moment of defeat have
always held me
captivated. The author shows some depth to the character in explaining his
history and
motivations for acting the villain. It’s revealed that perhaps Pearce
behaved like a scoundrel
because of his circumstances. It’s not a justification but something that
makes you want to
learn more about him and hope that he gets a second chance to be the hero
instead of the
villain.
In THE STONE PRINCE by Gena Showalter, Jorlan comes from an alien
world and
finds his
true love Katie. The villain in this book is Jorlan’s disfigured and
disgruntled brother, and
badass sorcerer, Percen. I’ve read so many stories with the standard issue
evil wizard looking
to bump off his goody-goody sibling. At first glance, Percen would be
another in a long line of
such villains……until Gena Showalter does something super cool. THE
STONE PRINCE is told from alternating
perspectives, including Percen’s. The secondary love story in THE
STONE PRINCE ends up being Percen’s when
he meets Heather. The love story between Percen and Heather is so compelling
because he
has the whole “Phantom of the Opera” vibe, and they can relate to each other
since they both
know what it’s like to feel like an outsider and inferior. By the end of THE
STONE PRINCE, I was hoping for Percen and
Heather to get a book of their own. Gena Showalter did continue their
story…..in a way. The
hero of THE PLEASURE
SLAVE is
the son
of Percen and Heather. On the one hand, I’m happy to know that this couple
thrived after
getting together, but I also desperately wish there was a story about their life
between when they
jetted off to Percen’s home planet and their adult son found love. There
just seems to be so
much story left to tell – Heather, as a human, acclimating to an alien world
and any possible
conflicts that arise because of that culture clash, both characters working
through their
emotional baggage, and Percen’s being a wizard. All those things make for
excellent
storytelling. I live in hope that one day Gena Showalter will tell this
story. I’m not particular. A
novella will do.
MACKENZIE’S MAGIC by
Debra
Dier
always makes my list of top ten all-time favorite romances. The author once
asked me exactly
what it is that I like so much. It’s difficult to pinpoint. It is a
character-driven thought-
provoking tale of time travel, soul swapping, and it includes an enchanting
romance. The
dialogue is top-notch as well. At the opening of the book, Jane Eveleigh is
a melancholy bride.
Her new husband is devilishly handsome, wealthy, well-placed in society, and
clever. However,
Dominic Stanbridge is something of a rogue like Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent
in Lisa Keypads’
classic THE DEVIL IN
WINTER. Jane
finds herself blackmailed into marriage with a ruthless yet charming man she
doesn’t love.
Debra Dier could have gone so many ways with this story and that is perhaps
one of the
reasons I love it so much. There are several potential amazing stories along
with the fabulous
one that she actually decides to tell. Since I’m a sucker for razor sharp
wit, I’m crazy about the
verbal dueling Jane does – both with the man she married and the one who
later takes his
place and inhabits his body. That first scene or two between Jane and
Dominic, before his soul
is swapped out, drew me into this story because it says so much about both
characters and
there is a definite undercurrent of sexual tension even though Jane’s
disdain for Dominic and
his general coldness is evident. Even though I’m delighted with how the
story progresses and
ends, I often can’t help but wonder how the relationship would have
developed between these
two characters had fate and fae magic not intervened. Similarly, I always felt
as though Debra Dier
tossed out a few things to tease the reader that a future book focusing on
Dominic’s fate
would be forthcoming. Alas, it was not to be, but I still have hope.
In honor of Lorraine Heath’s latest release, we are excited
to offer wonderful giveaways: we have one print copy of Texas Destiny, Texas
Glory, and Texas
Splendor. There will be one winner per book! Be sure to comment below and
tell us what side
character you want to see get his or her own story by your favorite author!
Open to US residents or US mailing addresses only.
***
SOME OF THE BOOKS MENTIONED IN THIS COLUMN:
Texas Trilogy 3.5
For as long as he can remember, Rawley Cooper has loved Faith Leigh. But the
cruelty of his
childhood haunts him and he knows he’s undeserving of Faith. When she comes
to him on the
night of her nineteenth birthday, they both give into temptation. But the
searing kiss reaffirms
what he’s always known: he can’t have a lifetime of her in his arms. To
protect his heart, he
packs his things and heads west.
Faith has always adored the boy her parents took in and raised. But she’s
not certain she can
ever forgive him for riding out of her life just when she needed him the
most. When an urgent
telegram forces him to return six years later, Rawley discovers Faith is now
a woman to be
reckoned with.
As old feelings are stirred back to life and new passions take hold, they
both must confront
secrets from their past or risk losing a legacy of love.
Romance Historical | Romance Western [Avon Impulse, On Sale:
January 15, 2019, Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9780062856098 / ]
***
The Casebook of
Barnaby Adair
#7
#1 New York Times -bestselling author Stephanie Laurens brings you a
tale of
unexpected romance that blossoms against the backdrop of dastardly murder.
On discovering the lifeless body of an innocent ingénue, a peer attending a
country house
party joins forces with the lady-amazon sent to fetch the victim safely home
in a race to
expose the murderer before Stokes, assisted by Barnaby and Penelope, is
forced to allow the
guests, murderer included, to decamp.
Well-born rakehell and head of an ancient family, Alaric, Lord Carradale,
has finally
acknowledged reality and is preparing to find a bride. But loyalty to his
childhood friend, Percy
Mandeville, necessitates attending Percy’s annual house party, held at
neighboring Mandeville
Hall. Yet despite deploying his legendary languid charm, by the second
evening of the week-
long event, Alaric is bored and restless.
Escaping from the soirée and the Hall, Alaric decides that as soon as he’s
free, he’ll hie to
London and find the mild-mannered, biddable lady he believes will ensure a
peaceful life. But
the following morning, on walking through the Mandeville Hall shrubbery on
his way to join the
other guests, he comes upon the corpse of a young lady-guest.
Constance Whittaker accepts that no gentleman will ever offer for her—she’s
too old, too tall,
too buxom, too headstrong…too much in myriad ways. Now acting as her
grandfather’s agent,
she arrives at Mandeville Hall to extricate her young cousin, Glynis, who
unwisely accepted an
invitation to the reputedly licentious house party.
But Glynis cannot be found.
A search is instituted. Venturing into the shrubbery, Constance discovers an
outrageously
handsome aristocrat crouched beside Glynis’s lifeless form. Unsurprisingly,
Constance leaps
to the obvious conclusion.
Luckily, once the gentleman explains that he’d only just arrived,
commonsense reasserts itself.
More, as matters unfold and she and Carradale have to battle to get Glynis’s
death properly
investigated, Constance discovers Alaric to be a worthy ally.
Yet even after Inspector Stokes of Scotland Yard arrives and takes charge of
the case, along
with his consultants, the Honorable Barnaby Adair and his wife, Penelope,
the murderer’s
identity remains shrouded in mystery, and learning why Glynis was killed—all
in the few days
before the house party’s guests will insist on leaving—tests the resolve of
all concerned. Flung
into each other’s company, fiercely independent though Constance is,
unsusceptible though
Alaric is, neither can deny the connection that grows between them.
Then Constance vanishes.
Can Alaric unearth the one fact that will point to the murderer before the
villain rips from the
world the lady Alaric now craves for his own?
Romance Historical | Mystery Historical [Savdek Management, On
Sale: August 16, 2018, Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9781925559132 / ]
A perplexing and
enthralling historical mystery!
***
The Ministry of
Marriage
#5
THE SWEETEST SCANDAL
Beautiful, exuberant, and stubborn Georgiana Black has more spirit than
sense—which she
learns when an ultimatum to the Earl of Beckenham at a London ball ends
their engagement.
Six years later, Georgie is less concerned with impending spinsterhood than
with making sure
her young sister doesn’t make the same mistakes she did. But soon Georgie
stumbles into a
scandalous encounter with none other than her former fiancé. Beckenham is
still
breathtakingly desirable—and as iron-willed as ever...
THE TRUEST TEMPTATION
Beckenham’s brief engagement to Georgie taught him one thing- when it comes
to a wife, he
wants a woman who will do her duty and cause no trouble. When the fiery
Georgie falls
unexpectedly into his arms, Beckenham remembers just how lushly delectable
she is.
Suddenly, the idea of actually marrying Georgie is irresistible. In The
Greatest Lover Ever,
convincing her will take more than a simple proposal, however. Georgie and
Beckenham finally
have a second chance at love. But in a battle of wills, can passion conquer
pride?
Romance Historical [St. Martin's Press, On
Sale: December 31, 2013, Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9781250029355 / ]
Wonderful
flawed, complex characters make this story a delight!
***
When Santa Fe antique dealer Julie Anderson was curiously drawn to purchase
a battered
jewelry box, she never expected it to contain her own personal love slave.
Especially not tall,
dark and sinfully handsome Tristan-a man hard to resist, and determined to
fulfill her every
desire.
Though Tristan was a rogue of the battlefield and the boudoir, making love
with Julia was like
nothing he'd ever known. Yet revealing his true heart would break the
centuries-old spell and
separate them forever.
And Tristan would do anything to go on loving Julia... even remain a slave
through all eternity...
Romance Paranormal [HQN Books, On Sale:
June 1, 2010, Paperback, ISBN: 9780373776221 / ]
***
Forced to marry Dominic Stanbridge, the most notorious rake in London, Jane
vows to thwart
his attempts at seduction. But the morning after their wedding, Dominic
speaks in a strange
Scottish accent, and claims to be Colin McKenzie, a Scottish earl that lived
300 years before.
Never beliveing she could be bewitched, Jane now finds herself attracted to
the man she
swore to hate.
Romance Time Travel | Romance Historical [Leisure, On Sale: May 1,
2001, Paperback, ISBN: 9780843948660 / ]
19 comments posted.
I am always happy to see secondary characters get their own stories... a big fan of Vivian Arend's characters and break off series!
(Colleen Conklin 11:49am January 16, 2019)
Yes, I enjoy finding a secondary character become the major one in another book. It's like finding out more about an old friend.
(Anna Speed 12:55pm January 17, 2019)