December Joyathon: Interview + Giveaway with Vicky Dreiling

Meet Vicky:

coming 2012

Vicky Dreiling is a confirmed historical romance junkie and Anglophile. Frequent business trips to the UK allowed her to indulge her passion for all things Regency England. Bath, Stonehenge, and Spencer House are among her favorite places. She is, however, truly sorry for accidentally setting off a security alarm in Windsor Castle. That unfortunate incident led her British colleagues to nickname her “Trouble.”

When she’s not writing, Vicky enjoys reading, films, concerts, and most of all, long lunches with friends. A native Texan, she holds degrees in English literature and marketing.

Where To Find Vicky: Author Site | Twitter | Facebook

Kati: Who is Vicky during the holidays? (author, gift giver, last minute shopper, baker)

click to read an excerpt

Vicky: I give gift cards, books, and movies. No baking – shudders. I buy everything online. I hate the mall LOL. (LOL)

K: What is your favorite thing about the holidays?
V: Playing Guitar Hero after the food is consumed. I belt out a mean Livin’ on a Prayer. ;-)

K: Do you write more or less during the holidays?
V: Last year, I was working on revisions during the holidays. This year, I will put together a new proposal. I just finished book 3 in my fan-named “How To’ trilogy. HOW TO RAVISH A RAKE publishes on April 1, 2012.

K: If you’ve written a holiday themed/titled book, what is it about? If you have not, would you write a holiday themed/titled book in the future?
V: I would totally love to do a Regency version of Christmas Vacation! Granted, I’d have to forego the Xmas lights, but I could totally do one w/all those relatives and pets. (LOL. I would love to read that.)

K: Which of your heroes would you go on a sleigh ride with? (with permission from the heroine of course)
V: Will, ‘the Devil,’ Darcett. I like bad boys. ;-) (Oh that Will. *giggle*)

K: What is your favorite Christmas story, book or movie? (Mine is White Christmas)
V: Christmas Vacation. That movie is hilarious.

K: Real tree or fake tree?
V: Fake – I have allergies.

K: Specific gifts or gift cards?
V: Depends on the person. I’ve given Sephora and Cold Water Creek gift cards to my editor and agent. I also give books and movies to my kids.

click to read an excerpt

K: Fruit cake or gingerbread?
V: Gingerbread.

K: Home for the holidays or visiting relatives?
V: All of my relatives are fairly close to home, so no long flights for me.

K: Snow or Texas slush (aka sleet)?

V: Well, I live in Texas. One Xmas it was hot and we were wearing shorts. My mother turned on the A/C so she could have a fire LOL. (I remember those Texas winters. Sometimes you experience all 4 seasons in the space of 2 days.)

K: What are you looking forward to in the new year?
V: A brand new set of characters. Only one will be from my ‘How To’ trilogy. Also, I’m looking forward to attending Romantic Times in Chicago and the RWA National Conference in Anaheim. (maybe I'll see you at RWA!)

K: Author’s choice.
V: What is your favorite holiday tradition?

Thanks Vicky for stopping by!

A CHRISTMAS PROMISE:

Weddings are supposed to be joyous occasions—especially when a couple seems as well matched as Randolph Pierce, Earl of Falloden, and his bride-to-be, Eleanor Transome. Ellie brings to the marriage a vast dowry, while Falloden, though distant, is handsome, tremendously desirable, and possessed of a title most young ladies can only dream of sharing.
Yet Ellie is not most young ladies. She knows that she must honor her dear father’s dying wish for her to wed the proud earl, but she dreads a lifetime in a union without love—and how can Falloden claim to love her when he married her only for her fortune? As Christmas descends upon the Falloden manor, the warmth of the season may yet melt away the trappings of duty and wealth, leaving behind only a man and a woman destined for each other’s arms.

Where To Buy: Amazon | Kindle |  B&N | Nook | Book Depository
Book Extras: Read an Excerpt

Vicky is giving away a copy of A CHRISTMAS PROMISE by Mary Balogh to one(1) lucky reader. Here's how to enter:

• Leave a comment answering Vicky's question along with your email addy, ninja style: yourname at gmail dot com
• Fill out the rafflecopter form. You must answer Vicky's question, all other entries are optional.

Easy peasy right? Don't forget to enter for the awesome super secret prize here.

A huge thank you to Vicky for participating in the Joyathon and for giving away a copy of A CHRISTMAS PROMISE.

Winners: How To Seduce A Scoundrel

Drum roll please.... The winner for Vicky Dreiling's How To Seduce A Scoundrel are:

Johanna Jochum

Laurielu

Diane P. Diamond

I used random.org to pick the winners. I emailed all the winners so please respond back by Saturday morning so I can get your books on their way. If I don't hear from you I will pick a new winner on Sunday.

Thank you so much for stopping by For The Love Of Romance. And a big THANK YOU to Vicky Dreiling and Brianne from Grand Central Publishing for providing the book.!

Guest Post and Giveaway with Vicky Dreiling

I am so happy to have Vicky Dreiling here on For the Love of Romance. I am a HUGE fan of Vicky's and her books. I could stay here all day and ramble on about the awesomeness of Vicky, but I won't. Though she is very awesome! And fabulous.


A little bit about Vicky Dreiling:

Vicky Dreiling is a confirmed historical romance junkie and Anglophile. Frequent business trips to the UK allowed her to indulge her passion for all things Regency England. Bath, Stonehenge, and Spencer House are among her favorite places. She is, however, truly sorry for accidentally setting off a security alarm in Windsor Castle. That unfortunate incident led her British colleagues to nickname her “Trouble.”

When she’s not writing, Vicky enjoys reading, films, concerts, and most of all, long lunches with friends. She holds degrees in English literature and marketing. A native Texan, she shares her home with her daughter and a spoiled mini-lop rabbit that lives in a slightly gnawed cardboard cottage.

You can find Vicky here: 

Author Website | Twitter | Facebook | GoodReads

Vicky is here to give us a quick peek behind the scenes of her books plots and characters. Her newest, How To Seduce A Scoundrel, is amazing! Vicky was nice enough to send me an advance copy and I devoured it. I am thoroughly in love Hawk and I would love to be friends with Julianne. Plus, isn't the cover to die for? I love it. 

Genre: Historical Romance

Mass Market Paperback: 448 pages

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing- Forever (July 1, 2011)

ISBN: 9780446565387

SCOUNDRELS, RAKES, AND ROGUES BEWARE . . .
Lady Julianne Gatewick is in a pickle. It started when her brother’s best friend—for whom she’s long nursed a secret tendre—agreed to act as her guardian for the Season, only to seduce her with a risqué waltz.
But when the music stopped and the expectant ton waited for the Earl of Hawkfield to claim her as his own, he made his disinterest clear. Rather than succumb to humiliation, Julianne does what any recently discarded, wickedly witty young miss would do. She secretly pens a lady’s guide to enticing unrepentant rakes . . . and it becomes the hottest scandal in London.
Every honorable rake knows that friends’ sisters are forbidden. But suddenly Julianne has a spark of mischief in her eyes that Hawk can’t resist. Try as he might to push her away, he spends his days listening for her laughter and his nights dreaming of her kisses. He’s always avoided innocents and their marriage-minded mothers, but has the man least likely to wed finally met his match?
ALL’S FAIR IN LOVE AND WAR

So now I'll hand things over to Vicky. Take it away!

In my debut novel HOW TO MARRY A DUKE, I included an unusual high concept premise: The Bachelor in Regency England, minus the hot tub and camera crew. I really had no idea what I was getting myself into when I started writing the book. I just watched the TV show, and after the idea popped into my head, I thought it would be fun to write.  In truth, it was very difficult to write the book, but I didn’t understand why until after I’d revised and polished the manuscript for my editor.

HOW TO MARRY A DUKE was only my second manuscript, so that contributed to my struggles while writing the story. I had a fairly steep learning curve, but I was very determined. It wasn’t until after I’d finished the book and started writing HOW TO SEDUCE A SCOUNDREL that I realized the complexity that I’d introduced into the novels.

Traditionally, most books have familiar plots such as marriages of convenience or secret babies. Often the books contain a subplot, such as a secondary romance. But, both Duke and Scoundrel had multi-layered premises. HOW TO MARRY A DUKE contained a matchmaker plot and forbidden love in addition to the overarching bachelor premise. There were also several subplots involved. Similarly, HOW TO SEDUCE A SCOUNDREL is spoof on The Rules--in Regency England. Like my first novel, Scoundrel also contains two traditional plots: the guardian and forbidden love. Again, subplots were involved. 

The biggest difference between the two books is that I had actually analyzed the elements in the first book, and that understanding helped make the writing of my second novel a bit easier. I’m currently writing a third book, HOW TO RAVISH A RAKE, and it too has a similar structure to the first two novels.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this behind-the-scenes look into my writing process. May the Magic Romance Fairies be with you!

Thank you so much Vicky! I am so excited for How To Ravish A Rake. I already have a crush on Will, Hawk's younger brother, and I keep telling Vicky to write faster. 

Giveaway!

Thanks to the fabulous Brianne from Grand Central Publishing I'm giving away three (3) copies of How To Seduce A Scoundrel. All you have to do is leave a comment below. Also, make sure you follow For the Love of Romance and get an extra entry. 

The giveaway will be open until Tuesday, July 19th (midnight) and I will post the winners on Wednesday. 

Blog Tour: Q&A and Giveaway with Vicky Dreiling, Author of How To Seduce a Scoundrel

Welcome to the blog tour...

For those who follow me on Twitter, you know that I'm a HUGE fan of Vicky Dreiling's latest book: HOW TO SEDUCE A SCOUNDREL. I was grinning like a crazy person bound for Bedlam after I finished it. Please give a warm Texas "Howdy" to my fellow Texan (yes, I currently live in California but still consider myself a Texas girl) and super fabulous author: VICKY DREILING!

Howdy Vicky!!!!!

Meet Vicky:

Vicky Dreiling is a confirmed historical romance junkie and Anglophile. Frequent business trips to the UK allowed her to indulge her passion for all things Regency England. Bath, Stonehenge, and Spencer House are among her favorite places. She is, however, truly sorry for accidentally setting off a security alarm in Windsor Castle. That unfortunate incident led her British colleagues to nickname her “Trouble.”

When she’s not writing, Vicky enjoys reading, films, concerts, and most of all, long lunches with friends. She holds degrees in English literature and marketing. A native Texan, she shares her home with her daughter and a spoiled mini-lop rabbit that lives in a slightly gnawed cardboard cottage.

FIND VICKY:

Author Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

How To Seduce A Scoundrel:

Genre: Historical Romance
Mass Market Paperback: 448 pages
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing- Forever (July 1, 2011)
ISBN: 9780446565387
SCOUNDRELS, RAKES, AND ROGUES BEWARE . . .
Lady Julianne Gatewick is in a pickle. It started when her brother’s best friend—for whom she’s long nursed a secret tendre—agreed to act as her guardian for the Season, only to seduce her with a risqué waltz.
But when the music stopped and the expectant ton waited for the Earl of Hawkfield to claim her as his own, he made his disinterest clear. Rather than succumb to humiliation, Julianne does what any recently discarded, wickedly witty young miss would do. She secretly pens a lady’s guide to enticing unrepentant rakes . . . and it becomes the hottest scandal in London.
Every honorable rake knows that friends’ sisters are forbidden. But suddenly Julianne has a spark of mischief in her eyes that Hawk can’t resist. Try as he might to push her away, he spends his days listening for her laughter and his nights dreaming of her kisses. He’s always avoided innocents and their marriage-minded mothers, but has the man least likely to wed finally met his match?
ALL’S FAIR IN LOVE AND WAR

BOOK EXTRAS: Read an Excerpt | My Review | 5 Fun Facts | Playlist | A Letter from Vicky


Q&A:
Kati: Could you give us a little blurb about How To Seduce a Scoundrel?
Vicky: Lady Julianne Gatewick has dreamed and schemed to marry the ultra hot charmer, Marc Darcett, Earl of Hawkfield (a.k.a. Hawk) for the last four years. When she learns Hawk is to be her guardian for the
season, Julianne is certain all her dreams are about to come true. After a steamy waltz, however, Hawk
makes his disinterest clear. Julianne’s heartache turns to anger. Determined to get even with every
stubborn bachelor in the ton, Julianne pens a how-to snare a bachelor guide for single ladies of the
ton. When her pamphlet The Secrets of Seduction becomes a scandal, Julianne must keep her identity a
secret at all costs.

Hawk knows Julianne is forbidden to him because she’s his best friend’s sister, but he’s tempted again
and again by the beautiful and spunky “Julie-girl.” If he caves into his desire, he could cause a lasting rift
with his best friend and both their families. Sometimes, however, fate intervenes.

Kati: How do you go about choosing songs to put on your book playlists?
Vicky: Both the lyrics and the melody play a part in my decisions for the book playlists. For example, the first song on the playlist for How to Seduce a Scoundrel is Everybody Loves a Clown by Gary Lewis and the
Playboys. Hawk is a consummate charmer, but the song gives the reader a clue into a side of Hawk that
we didn’t see in my first novel How to Marry a Duke. I also choose theme songs for the books. Better
Man by Pearl Jam is the theme song for How to Seduce a Scoundrel. The theme song for How to Marry
a Duke is I Believe in You (Je Crois en Toi) by Celine Dion and Il Divo. Readers who listen to the playlists
may recognize songs that mirror crucial scenes. For example, I listened to Goodbye, My Lover by James
Blunt in a scene where Tristan bids Tessa goodbye in a very emotional scene after they return from
his home in the country. Another example involves the return of the villain in How to Marry a Duke.
The song I listened to was All Along the Watch Tower by Eddie Veddar; the melody has a slightly scary
connotation for me.

Kati: If you could trade places with any of your characters a la Lost in Austen style, who would it be and why?
Vicky: That’s actually a tough question to answer. I’d love to trade places with Tessa, because Tristan looks
almost exactly like Henry Cavill. Also, I wish I was as witty as Tessa. I know that sounds strange. After
all, I wrote the book, but my characters take on lives of their own.

I also think it would be fun to trade places with Julianne because she’s in her early twenties and has two
wonderful, bubbly friends. It would be fun to be that young again – for a little while.

Kati: Would you ever consider writing a contemporary that featured tan heroines and super hot surfers?
Vicky: Well, I happen to really love Young Adult novels, and super hot surfers would make a different sort of YA. I did keep all my high school diaries, so I’ve got plenty of fodder for a YA novel. My motto is: Never
say never (unless it’s illegal LOL).

Kati: What can we expect next from the fabulous Vicky?
Vicky: Oooh, fabulous. I’ll have to tell my family to treat me with awe now. I’m picturing collective eye rolling. O.K. seriously (or as serious as I ever get), I’m writing book three of my trilogy right now. How to Ravish a Rake is the story of shy, good girl Amy Hardwick and the charming rake, William Darcett, the younger brother of Hawk. Ravish is coming in spring 2012. Readers can find an excerpt of Ravish in the back of How to Seduce a Scoundrel.

Thanks so much for inviting me to blog! Cheers!
A Texas sized Thank You to Vicky Dreiling for stopping by my blog!!!


GIVEAWAY:
A BIG thanks to the wonderful Brianne, from Grand Central Publishing. I am offering a copy of HOW TO SEDUCE A SCOUNDREL to THREE(3) lucky winners. This giveaway is open to residents of the US or Canada only- No P.O Boxes please. The publisher will mail the book directly to the winner. Giveaway will run from July 8 until July 15, 2011. You HAVE to fill out the form to win. Winner will be chosen by random.org...

Giveaway Guidelines:

1. You MUST fill out this FORM. (Please don't put any personal info in the comments.)

2. Don't forget to leave Vicky a comment. =)

Easy Peasy Right?

Five Friday Favorites

Yay for Fridays! It's the end of the work week for all you 9-5ers. Saw Green Lantern Sunday and Ryan Reynolds looks GOOD in green spandex. And whitey tighties. Goodreads has been good to me. I've gotten 2 wonderful looking books that I'll be moving to the top of my TBR pile. I received some super fabulous items from Ashley March and Jenn LeBlanc which the lucky winners of the Midsummer's Eve Giveaway Hop will receive with their books. Picked up some great reads at my local B&N. Helloooo abs!
So grab a drink, kick back and share your favorite things about this week with me. And I'll share mine with you.

How To Seduce A Scoundrel by Vicky Dreiling. Oh. My. Gosh! Just read my review. I'm still grinning like a total goofball. I got the opportunity to read this book from NetGalley and at the end of the galley, there's an excerpt for Will's book(Hawk's baby brother). And I want to know more! Oh, Vicky D. you are a tease.

Wild Vines. This stuff is DEE-LISH! Oh man. It's almost like drinking Boons Farm. Syrupy sweet, bubbly and the type of stuff that got Levi Johnston into Bristol Palin's pants (or so she says in her memoir). Hooray for wine coolers! I heart giggle juice.

Model Mayhem. THE BEST SITE EVER! The wonderful Jenn LeBlanc introduced us to this site. There are gorgeous, drool worthy pictures from model portfolios. We've trolled this site over and over again. Supposedly we're researching for something but I can't seem to remember what once I start looking.

San Diego County Fair. Deep fried Kool Aid balls (a total disappointment), fried Twinkies, girl scout cookies, Snicker's , Klondike bars, Oreos. You name it, it can be deep fried. Watching men in breeches jumping horses. Fun concerts. Beer and Wine Festival. Muscle cars. Smelly animals. Racing pigs. Bandaloni- the one man band from the first season of America's Got Talent. Ride till you puke carnival rides. What more could you ask for?

Romance Lately. The new show brought to you by The Pervies aka Jamie from For the Love of Romance, Rita J from Not Another Romance Blog and yours truly. We talk about all things romance, have guest authors, and giggle like 12 year olds. We had our first two shows within the last week. First show featured Tiffany Reisz, author of SEVEN DAY LOAN and second show we had Jenn LeBlanc, THE RAKE AND THE RECLUSE (What? You don't know her? I've got her book plastered all over this blog). Check out the show blog here.

W...W...W... (5)

W...W...W...Wednesdays is a weekly meme MizB of Should Be Reading. 

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

So, here's my answers:

• What are you currently reading? Embraced by Blood by Laurie London. This is the second book of her Sweetbloods series. I really like her first book BONDED BY BLOOD and am enjoying this current book. This is Alfonso and Lily's book. 

• What did you recently finish reading? How to Seduce A Scoundrel by Vicky Dreiling. I love (x infinity) this book. Read my review here (includes an original limerick by yours truly. Edward Lear's got nothing on me!)

Seven Day Loan by Tiffany Reisz (18+) So much emotion and a sexually charged atmosphere captured my attention in this too short, yet thoroughly satisfying novella. Read my review here. (Material not suitable for those under 18 years of age. Also, not recommended for those uncomfortable with anything pertaining to erotica. Proceed at your own risk.)

• What do you think you’ll read next? Ripe for Pleasure by Isobel Carr. I was drawn by the cover. For those of you who don't know, I'm a cover wh*re. This series caters towards second sons aka the spare. Sounds very promising.
















PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own WWW Wednesdays post, or share your answers in a comment here (if you don’t have a bl0g). Thanks! 

ARC Review: How to Seduce A Scoundrel by Vicky Dreiling

How To Seduce A Scoundrel by Vicky Dreiling
Format: eBook via NetGalley
Genre: Historical Romance
Mass Market Paperback: 448 pages
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing- Forever (July 1, 2011)
ISBN: 9780446565387
Miss Julianne Gatewick is in a pickle. It started when her brother's best friend-for whom she's long nursed a secret tendre-agreed to act as her guardian for the Season, only to seduce her with a risqué waltz. But when the music stopped and the expectant ton waited for Marc Darcett, Earl of Hawkfield, to claim her as his own, he made his disinterest clear. Rather than succumb to humiliation, Julianne does what any self-respecting, recently discarded young miss with a wicked sense of humor would do. She secretly pens a lady's guide to enticing unrepentant rakes . . . and it becomes the hottest scandal sheet in London.
Every honorable rake knows that friends' sisters are forbidden. But suddenly Julienne has a spark of mischief in her eyes that Hawk can't resist. Try as he might to push her away, he spends his days listening for her laughter and his nights dreaming of kissing her senseless. He's always avoided innocents and their marriage-minded mothers, but has the man least likely to wed finally met his match?

Where to Buy: Amazon | Kindle | B&N | Katy Books | Book Depository
Where to Find Vicky: Author Site | Facebook | Twitter
Extras: Read an Excerpt | Book Playlist 

Go and buy it NOW!

REVIEW:

---

Vicky Dreiling has done it again! I can't even begin to put into words how I feel about this book. Only that I can say: since downloading this galley, I've been grinning like a total idiot and my husband thinks I might be bound for Bedlam due to my sudden outbursts of laughter. Also, I wanted to start writing a review halfway through the book. I loved it THAT much! There's so much I want to say about this book but I don't want to give any spoilers.
So I will sum it up with this limerick inspired by Hawk's unfinished one at a reading salon (I woke up this morning with it floating in my head and had to get it written down):

There once was an Earl of Hawkfield

Who used humor and wit as a shield

He tried to keep up his guard

But fell in love with his ward

And in the end, they did yield.

Top 5 Things I Loved About This Book:

1. Marc Darcett, Earl of Hawkfield aka Hawk- He's my new literary boyfriend (shhh...don't tell Mr. Kati). He's got two sides to him: the funny, teasing side and the brooding, I've-got-a-secret-that-would-create-a-scandal side. His past mistake has eaten at him for the last 12 years. His grandmama has taken ill (for the umpteenth time) so his mother and sisters decide to visit her. Since his mother is supposed to sponsor Julianne for the season, his aunt volunteers to do so, and Tristan (the Duke of Shelbourne from HOW TO MARRY A DUKE) entrusts guardianship to Hawk. Uh oh!
2. Julianne Gatewick aka Julie-girl. Tristan's baby sister who has a daddy issue. She watched her father cheat on her mother and then apologize, time and time again. This has made her wary of allowing herself to give her love to a man who does not love her back. She has held a tendre for Hawk since the age of 9, and has refused 12 marriage proposals in hopes of Hawk proposing to her. This was going to be the season he would do so (she hoped).
3. Lady Rutledge aka Aunt Hester. Can I just say that this lady stole the book from the very first time I met her? She is the crazy aunt who tells it like it is. I'm sure there's one in every family. She encourages Julianne to write a pamphlet to help the single girls of the ton snare a man in the parsons trap. Anonymously of course. She has been married 5 times. There's so much I want to know about her. I hope she gets her own story. =)
4. Anne Boleyn. Yes, Anne Boleyn. And yes, she's been dead for quite sometime. If you follow Vicky on Twitter, you know she's a fan of The Tudors (*ahem Henry Cavill ahem*) and has drawn inspiration from the show. Julianne also draws inspiration from Anne for her pamphlet. After all, what better way to keep a man interested than to keep him on a lusty leash? Oh, and try to avoid getting your head chopped off.
5. Rule Number ONE aka Only Rule of Friendship. Never fall in love with your best friend's sister. Well ain't that a kick in the pants breeches? These are my favorite types of romances. It's absolutely forbidden but if there's enough spark, it's bound to explode into a full blown "You're my best friend's sister!, So?, Not happening!, But I love you, I don't feel the same way, I hate you, I love you, You got a secret?, Tell me!, No way!, I hate you again, Here's my secret, Forgive me, I'll think about it, Okay let's make up, I forgive you, I never knew I loved you until now, Let's ride off into the sunset all Happily Ever After like and have tons of babies. Yay!" Oh yes, can't forget the fact that the hero always ends up compromising the heroine and he feels it's his duty to marry her. Men!

Favorite Quote: “Feel my mighty sword.” (***quote subject to change in finished copy of book***)

Overall: This book is a keeper. If you haven't pre-ordered it. DO IT NOW! This book was an emotional roller coaster ride that I never wanted to get off of (I may need to seek professional help). I laughed, I loved, I sighed, my heart ached, I gasped, I yelled, I fangirl squealed, and I felt like I was let into a fun little secret. Let me explain this last part. I follow Ms. Dreiling on Twitter , and I've stalked er, thoroughly read her author website so any references in the book I remember hearing about made me grin a little more. You must listen to the playlist for this book. The first song ("Everybody Loves a Clown" by Gary Lewis and the Playboys) fits so well with Hawk's personality. I could go on and on about this book because once again, Ms. Dreiling has me wanting to know more about her secondary characters, but I won't. GET THEE TO A BOOKSTORE ON RELEASE DAY. For real.




***I requested this book from NetGalley.***

Five Friday Favorites

Yay for Fridays! It's the end of the week. Time to kick back, relax and grab a good book or see a great movie. Or in my case, spend a good 5 hours sitting on the boardwalk, people watching behind my 'Top Gun' inspired aviators and finding inspiration for a WIP that'll never see the light of day. Without further ado, I give you this weeks Five Friday Faves:

How to Seduce A Scoundrel by Vicky Dreiling. I requested this through NetGalley (my first time EVER) and it was approved. Yay! Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed her debut HOW TO MARRY A DUKE and couldn't wait to read SCOUNDREL. Let me tell you, I've been giggling since page one. And now that I've gotten to know Vicky through Twitter a little better, I feel like I've been let into a fun secret. There's references in the book that would make you giggle but as for me, it's a loud guffaw.

NetGalley. Best.Thing.EVER! How did I not sign up for this months ago? Oh yeah, I thought it was just for super established, ultra fabulous bloggers. I was sooo jealous of those who got a sneak peek into some of the books I've been dying to read and had to wait for. Now, I too can get a sneak peek. Yay!




Seven Day Loan by Tiffany Reisz. I'm not just picking this book as part of my faves because Tiffany is going to be our first guest on Romance Lately. When one (aka the general public) thinks of erotica, they think of some woman in a leather bustier and hooker heels wielding a lethal looking riding crop (which could be the case in some stories/books) but they don't think that an amazing story can be told alongside super hot, make-you-tingle-down there sex. So today, I salute you Ms. Reisz. Check out my review HERE. (18+)

Coconut Creme Frappuccino from Starbucks. Where have you been all my life? You wonderful delicious thing, you. It tastes just like those Girl Scout cookies. The caramel delights ones. *sigh* Milk, ice, coconut flavored syrup, whip cream and coconut flakes.

My bookshelf. So this week, I decided to re-arrange my bookshelf and let me just say that my romance section is 3 deep. It looks so awesome and super clean. I debated on alphabetizing the books but in the end, I just put them by size and genre. Sort of. Why yes, I do have the whole Twilight, Harry Potter and Mortal Instruments series. It makes me sad that I can't share my whole romance collection via this picture with you. Oh! And don't you love my bookends?