Dark Before the Rising Sun, is the last installment in the Laurie McBain trilogy that began with Moonstruck Madness. It is a direct continuation of its sequel, Chance the Winds of Fortune. 1 1/2 stars
Cover Artists
Historical Romance Review: The King’s Pleasure by Shannon Drake
Shannon’s Drake’s (aka Heather Graham) The King’s Pleasure is set amid the intense medieval backdrop of the Hundred Years’ War and the Black Death. It’s a solid romance in a historical age that always grips my attention. 4 stars
Covers of the Week #30
One of our favorite style of covers is the combination of a lone heroine and beneath that, a smaller image of an embracing couple. For the week of Monday, November 1, 2021, to Sunday, November 7, please enjoy these lovely “pose and clinch” covers.
Historical Romance Review: Paradise and More by Shirl Henke
Paradise & More by Shirl Henke is memorable to me for having one of the most eye-catching covers in romance. A dazzling beauty by Pino Daeni, it features a fully naked couple in a glorious clinch, their nudity covered by some strategically placed flowers and the book’s title. Lamentably, I have a later reissue, the stepback version, where their nakedness is hidden under a respectable-looking cover. This is the first book in the House of Torres duo that takes place in late 1400s Spain. 3 & 1/2 stars
Covers of the Week #29
Gothic romances hold an important place in the annals of the romance genre, with dark brooding heroes, strong-willed heroines, and gorgeous covers illustrated by the master artists. For the week of Monday, October 25, 2021, culminating on Halloween Day, Sunday 31, 2021, let’s delight and take fright in these creepy Gothic romance covers!
Historical Romance Review: Passions Wild and Free by Janelle Taylor
This review is of Passions Wild and Free, book #2 in the “Western Wind” series by Janelle Taylor. 3 tars
Covers of the Week #27: Horses on Covers
We’ve highlighted quite a few romance covers here at Sweet Savage Flame. A common theme for many is to include animals, particularly horses, in the background to demonstrate passion and vitality. Some equines weren’t content to be cast as mere decoration, however. Neigh, these horses demanded a starring role with the couples engaged in their usual passionate clinches. (That sentence came off a bit odd, didn’t it?)
Historical Romance Review: Secret Fire by Johanna Lindsey
Secret Fire was the second Johanna Lindsey romance I read and cemented her works among my favorites. This romance set in Russia and Victorian England was released during Lindsey’s peak years of output. 5 stars
Covers of the Week #26
We had a lot of fun a couple of months back doing Covers of the Week #12, where we posted images of when romance covers by talented artists go hilariously bad. So we’re doing it again! For the week of Monday, October 4 to Sunday, October 10, 2021 (which happens to be my birthday week), enjoy these silly or awful-looking covers that make us smile.
Covers of the Week #25: Ken Otsuka
For over 40 years Ken Otsuka has worked in commercial and then fine arts. For the week of Monday, September 27, 2021, to Sunday, October 3, let’s take delight in the beauty of Ken Otsuka’s romance covers!