Confessions of a Cover Whore

Oh that Adonis line...

Hello Captain Tightpants

My name is Kati R, the blogger behind Romancing Rakes, and I am a cover slut. Wait, can I say slut on this blog? No? How about whore? Yes I can. It's my blog. LOL. We’re all adults here.

Anywho, I am one of those people who judges a book by its cover. Judge me all you want but there’s just something about a gorgeous, ab-tastic, super lickable cover that screams “BUY ME!” when I’m perusing the shelves at my local book store.

So here are the types of covers that make it home with me and collect dust on the bookshelf:

1. Ab-tastic fantastic: I don’t care who you are, I know you will pick it up, pet or just admire this type of cover for a while. Don’t give me that look. The perfect 8 pack, the sculpted anterior serratus, the bulging (no, keep your eyes above the waist) biceps, those to-die-for obliques, that lickable Adonis line, a flash of coccyx...  

Pretty dress.

2. Gorgeous flowy dresses: There’s just something absolutely romantic about a woman in a gorgeous dress accompanied by a seductive stepback involving a half dressed man.
3. Bright pink, pastel pink, heck, any pink cover: It’s my favorite color. Duh!
4. Fun, witty titles: see ELEVEN SCANDALS TO START TO WIN A DUKE’S HEART by Sarah MacLean or CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MARRIAGE by Kieran Kramer

Mmm...tattoos

5. The embrace: You know what I’m talking about: The one where the hero and heroine are clutching each other in quite a provocative pose (usually with the heroine straddling the hero).
6. Highlanders: Yes, they get their own category. Man, kilt, sword. What more do you need????
7. Holiday covers/titles: I am a HUGE fan of the holiday season and Christmas themed books are the one 

Christmas & Abs

thing I look forward to every year. What’s more magical than the holidays?
8. Tattoos: There’s something sexy about tattoos. That is all.
9. Men in tight breeches and boots. Anyone who knows me can attest to the fact that I am a sucker for THOSE boots. The tightness of the breeches leaves nothing to the imagination. They hug that posterior like a second skin. *sigh*
10. Back blurb: If the title and the cover don’t do it for me, I turn to the back. If it’s about second chances, best friend’s little sisters or a man named Sin (doesn’t matter

The embrace & a Highlander

whether he’s a Duke or the owner of a gaming hell), the book is going home with me.

So there you have it. I do read reviews on my Goodreads app while browsing the store but, it’s always the cover that wins out in helping me decide to who is in, and who is out (what? I was watching Project Runway while writing this post). Just a note: This method has never led me astray. Okay, just that once and that other time. Other than that, I’ve enjoyed the books I’ve read. So far.

What about YOU? How do you decide which books to buy? Are you a cover ho like me or do you do the page 99 test?

Five Friday Favorites

Oh sweet Pete! I haven't done my Five Friday Favorites in a while. Um, I've got quite a few. Perhaps I should just categorize it? Oh the agony! Decisions, decisions. RomCon11 was the bomb dot com. Seriously. It rocked. Hardcore. Red dildo included. I have a new appreciation for law men and highlanders. My love for certain authors have skyrocketed. I actually got some reading done the past few days. My bookshelf is groaning from all the new books I got from RomCon. I was famous for a hot minute and I apparently am a mauler of all things hot and in kilts. I'm slightly obsessed with my aviators and is it next June yet? I met Jamie Lynn and Rita in person. Neat-O! And what is up with this marine layer crap going on?! Drove up to Santa Monica Pier and cruised the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway)-- thanks Veronica Mars!

So after much deliberation, I give you my Five Friday Faves:

Derek "Highly Inappropriate" Hutchins. Besides being good looking, he's a pretty funny guy. And he's got some pretty inspiration worthy friends or rather friend, named Will. He was such a good sport during RomCon letting us tag along. Remember his name, he'll be famous one day. He was already stopping traffic on the street and random women were taking pictures and sending it to their daughters.
[Photo courtesy of Jamie Lynn. Thanks friend!]

Jamie "I'm here for business" Lynn. FINALLY met her in person at the Denver Airport before rocking hard at RomCon. Hilariously funny. She's the blogger behind For The Love of Romance. She brought a riding crop, won some handcuffs and red rope. I was tied and handcuffed and cropped. I might have liked it. She also sends me stories in my inbox. They are amazing.
[Photo courtesy of Book Reading Gals FB album]

Jenn "Always Professional" LeBlanc. The awesomest host/chauffeur/tour guide/photographer/writer/model sharer EVER! She's just all sorts of amazeballs. She has THE best job ever. No joke. Have you seen my sidebar. Yes, that's her book. Yes, that's Derek. Yes, it's an amazing read. Yes, there are pictures throughout the book. Yes, go and buy it now cause you're missing out.
[Photo taken by Jamie Lynn on my camera]


Highlanders. So right now I'm reading In Bed with a Highlander by Maya Banks and am almost done. There's just something sexy and primal about a man willing to protect his clan, his keep and his woman. Oh yeah, can't forget the kilts. Er, trews. I've been on a highlander kick thanks to Heather of Book Reading Gals. The hero of Build A Hero at our table was a highlander, there were models in kilts at RomCon, there was highlander panel with Kimberly Killion, Margaret Mallory and Melissa Mayhue, and quite a few books picked up at RomCon featuring highlanders.


Denver, CO. What is there to say? The weather is lovely, the scenery is so flipping green, there's a creepy blue horse with glowing red eyes by the airport, Denver International is HUGE, downtown is all sorts of fun, the Tilted Kilt (I kept calling it the Kilted Tilt) was hopping, Cricket burgers are fabu and oh yeah, this thing called RomCon is held there.

(source)

So what are you loving this week? What made your Top 5? A new book? Author? Place? Movie? Song? Artist? New friend? Random how stranger? Remember, sharing is caring...