Defy Not the Heart is a favorite of mine. It’s a wonderful, funny, and romantic medieval historical romance by the late, great Johanna Lindsey. 5 stars
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Category Romance Review: Wish on the Moon by Sally Wentworth
Wish on the Moon by Sally Wentworth has gotten mixed to low reviews around the internet, but it’s a romance I fully enjoyed. This is an unusual romance because technically, the heroine is “the other woman.” She comes in and breaks up a seemingly happy engagement–and not just a random stranger’s but her cousin’s. 4 stars
Cassie Edwards: A Formula For Success (and Controversy)
In a previous post, I wrote about one of my favorite authors, Cassie Edwards. Before plagiarism allegations ended her career, she was billed as the “Queen of Indian Romance.” In this post, I will write about the formula Mrs. Edwards used to become a New York Times bestselling author of Native American romances.
Historical Romance Review: Texas Triumph by Victoria Thompson
This review is of Texas Triumph, #2 in the “The Cowboy and the Lady” series by Victoria Thompson. This is the follow-up to her book, Texas Treasure.
Covers of the Week #49
Here in the United States, March is recognized as Irish Heritage Month. This week also sees the arrival of St. Patrick’s Day, who is the patron Saint of Ireland. For the week of Monday, March 14, 2022, to Sunday, March 26, 2020, let’s appreciate some romance covers featuring American-set romances with protagonists of Irish ancestry.
Stepback Covers Part VII: Stepback and Modern Romance Novels
By the dawn of the 21st millennium, the stepback was the pinnacle of cover art in the romance genre. The combination of a best-selling author, a prominent artist, and fantastic design aesthetics meant quality all around. The stepback was an acceptable middle-ground and proved to be constant in an era of transformation.
Stepback Covers Part VI: Stepback Saturday
A fun way to show off old and new stepback cover art is to post them on “Stepback Saturdays” on bookish Instagram or Bookstagram. Using #stepbacksaturday bookish Instagrammers upload pictures of cover art.
Stepback Covers Part V: 1990s Stepbacks
By 1990 every established publishing house was rethinking the way they did cover art. The stepback was starting to mean something special. Rising stars–both authors and artists–would combine for a winning combination, and no publisher could ignore that.
Stepback Covers Part IV: 1980s Romance Stepbacks
Throughout the 1980s, romance publishers would use various tricks to catch prospective buyers’ eyes: embossing, foil lettering, bright colors, explicit embraces, big-named artists, superstar cover models, and more. Nevertheless, the stepback was not commonly utilized until the mid-1980s.
Covers of the Week #48: George Ziel
For the week of Monday, March 7, 2022, to Sunday, March 13, 2022, we’re showing off the exquisite artwork of cover illustrator George Ziel.