LynneC’s review of A Moment On The Lips by Kate Hardy
Contemporary Romance published by Harlequin Presents 1 Nov 11

Kate Hardy is a great writer. Her style is easy to read but deceptively clever, so you don’t notice it until you think, “Hey, that’s good.” She brings her characters to life, and they’re not cut out of cardboard. They have characteristics and traits that make them determinedly individual. I always know I’m in for a great read when I pick up a Kate Hardy book.

A Moment on the Lips is no different. In this, Carenza has taken over the family ice-cream business in Naples, after her grandfather fell ill. Before this, she was a party girl, mainly in London, with little thought to anything else. But her grandparents brought her up, so she owes them. A shame she doesn’t have the experience to go with the job, but she is smart enough to know she needs a mentor. So she goes to Dante.

Dante owns a chain of restaurants, and although Carenza doesn’t know it, he owes her grandfather. Their businesses overlap, but aren’t in direct competition, so he sees her when she asks, do-me shoes and all. That’s where the story starts, with him cynically noticing her shoes. He remembers her from before, and he hates that he still wants her.

So follows one of the steamiest scenes I’ve ever read in a Presents, even though they don’t get to fourth base. They reconnect, and how!

The following story becomes inevitable, but they won’t consider anything permanent. Once the misunderstandings of the first part of the book are swiftly cleared up, and glory be, they actually sit down and talk about it – Dante agrees to mentor Carenza and they set out on the wild journey that will lead to their happy ending.

All Kate Hardy’s efforts are concentrated on the two main characters. That means that the supporting cast is often thinly drawn, although there are a few memorable cameos, such as Dante’s PA, that I enjoyed. And the plot isn’t her main forte. The two main characters enjoy each other very much, and most of the problems come from the outside, forcing them apart. The story of the problems with the ice cream business will be familiar to many Presents readers, and the conclusion won’t come as a surprise, since the villain is clearly telegraphed from the get-go. In fact, there is little tension in the book, but a delightful story of two people getting over their initial doubts about each other and falling in love.

Naples is nicely described, but Hardy ignores the terrible part of the city that any visitor can’t help but notice. The huge piles of garbage, for instance. And as the owner of ice cream parlors, Carenza would definitely be paying protection money. So this is an imaginary, idealized Naples. Perhaps putting in some of the real place might have added some interesting shades to the book. But I wouldn’t have sacrificed any of the luscious love scenes for that.

Read this for a charming love story that hits the spots well. Perhaps one day Kate Hardy will get her teeth into a full-length romance. I’ll be in the queue to buy it.

Grade: B+

Summary:

Dante Romano may be dark and delectable, but Carenza Tonielli will never sell him her family’s ice cream empire. Only she needs him—to help her learn how to run it! And when Dante looks at her as if she’s the next decadent sundae on the menu, even wary Carenza just can’t resist mixing business with a bowlful of pleasure.…Cue one red-hot fling that’s blowing her mind! But, unlike Carenza, her ice-cool Italian is adept at keeping his emotions well under wraps, so she decides to turn the tables on Dante and prove that sometimes living in the moment is sinfully good for you!

Read an excerpt.

Lynne Connolly‘s review of Surrender to the Playboy Sheikh by Kate Hardy
Contemporary romance released by Harlequin Presents 1 Jul 09

If anyone thinks that HMB books are churned out with next to no effort from the writer – this is one of the best examples against this argument that I’ve read, and certainly the best this year.  Kate Hardy wrote the award winning Breakfast At Giovanni’s which by the time it left the UK Modern line and moved to the US Present line became In Bed With Her Italian Boss. So I ask you, which title do you prefer? I can definitely recommend this one as well. 

This book took the trope of the playboy sheikh and turned him into a real person, one you could like. Karim is a second son, and inherits the responsibilities of the small country when his older brother dies. Part of his playboy reputation comes from the fact that these days a lot of business and networking is done at parties. While he regrets losing his career as a volcanologist he doesn’t repine on it but gets on with his new life. I loved that about him, and I adored the way he considered the needs and wants of the woman he falls in love with. He doesn’t take for granted that she will fall in with his wishes, he doesn’t force her or blackmail her or coerce her, he seduces her.
Great big sigh of happiness. His seduction is done with respect and healthy anticipation. I adored that about Karim and I could see exactly why Lily fell for him.
Elizabeth Finch (Lily) owns a catering company, and is a bit of a celebrity, doing recipes for magazines and photoshoots. She’s booked up three months in advance. And a warning here-Kate Hardy knows about cooking and if the descriptions of little ice-cream balls and coffee mousse filled choux buns don’t make you hungry, ur not doin it rite. She has a quiet dignity, and glory be, she is in her late twenties and she behaves like it, too. She has a brain and while she’s independent and proud of it, she’s prepared to compromise.

The stumbling blocks in the romance are believable and are dealt with in a great way. There is little heavy drama and savage declarations, but Kate Hardy uses proper words like “penis” and “come” and her sex scenes are erotic. Not erotic because of the frequency or the heat, but because you can see the couple falling in love, and even before they fall they care about each other, so the sex scenes are about connection and pleasure, not about athletics or marathons.

I spent a lovely morning with this book, and I’d advise you to do likewise. I read the UK version, but the US version is one of the July Harlequin Presents offerings. Get it. You’ll love it.  An unrestrained…

Grade: A

Summary:

Karim al-Hassan can have any woman he wants, and sexy little waitress Lily Finch is in his sights. One glance leads to a searing kiss – and a hunger that Karim plans to satisfy with a temporary fling.

But Lily is more than just a waitress. Successful and career-focused, she is determined never to mix business with pleasure agian – until playboy Karim’s slow seduction breaks her resistance! Soon Karim is breaking his own rules: he wants Lily in his bed – for ever!

Read an excerpt here.

2009 looks to be a good one for Harlequin (and for Harlequin readers).  Lots of interesting upcoming releases, and free goodies too!  We begin with a 60th Anniversary Update:

Rich, powerful heroes… Scandalous family sagas… Powerful and provocative storylines…

…That’s what Silhouette Desire is all about! The Desire line is January’s series spotlight so visit www.eharlequin.com for some special offerings, including 20% off all Desire titles and the return of the Man of the Month series with An Officer and a Millionaire by Maureen Child. We’ll also be holding special events in the eHarlequin Commmunity, such as blogs from the Desire heroes, discussion of the Desire online read, and a visit by author Yvonne Lindsay.Also as part of our 60th anniversary, we’ll be offering 16 free ebooks from each Harlequin series starting on January 29th at our brand new anniversary site www.HarlequinCelebrates.com! Sign up now to be sent a reminder when the books are live. Plus, check other eBook retailers for other formats.

–Amy

Enriched eBooks

How do you make a Presents book even better – enrich it! This month we have a special eBook edition of Kate Hardy’s Hotly Bedded, Conveniently Wedded that is enhanced with hyperlinks, photos, recipe, and a special author note. Want to see the place in Bath where the hero and heroine get married? Follow a link to see a picture. Intrigued by the hero and heroine’s archaeology jobs? We provide links to more information. With over 130 links added to the book, that’s just a taste of what you’ll find!

I just finished reading our enriched eBook Hotly Bedded, Conveniently Wedded by Kate Hardy and it not only has me craving an Italian romance, but it’s given me several new locations on my “places to see” list, with the Blue Grotto in Capri topping the list. The best part of the enriched edition for me was the author involvement in the creation of this version. Kate Hardy provided pictures and recipes, adding a personal touch that spoke volumes about how much the story means to her. Best of all, I feel like I’ve had a European vacation and I never left my chair.

We’ll have more enriched eBooks throughout 2009, too. There will be more information in next month’s update but keep your eyes peeled for enhanced eBook versions of Silent in the Sanctuary by Deanna Raybourn and Montana Creeds: Logan by Linda Lael Miller.

–Aideen

Exciting New Releases

What’s getting the buzz at Harlequin for January? Take a look!

HQN has new reissues of your favourite bestselling authors – Falling for Gracie by Susan Mallery, Heart of the Dragon by Gena Showalter, Strange Bedpersons by Jennifer Crusie and Secret Fantasy by Carly Phillips.

Welcome two brand-new authors to Mills & Boon Modern! Kimberly Lang who makes her debut this month with The Secret Mistress Arrangement, which will be published in North America by Harlequin Presents in April. Sabrina Philips also published her first book, Valenti’s One-Month Mistress, with Mills & Boon Modern last month, making its way to Harlequin Presents this March.

There are two new Silhouette Nocturne miniseries starting this month. First is Linda Thomas-Sundstrom’s werewolf series “Transitions” that begins with her sexy, gritty Nocturne Bite story Blackout, continuing next month with another Bite called Wolf Bait. The series of five books, published by both Silhouette Nocturne and Nocturne Bites, features five sets of couples who come into contact with a criminal who is infecting people an ancient Lycan virus.

The second series is Linda O. Johnston’s Alpha Force series, about an undercover military force made up of shapeshifters. This series gets started with two books this month – Alpha Wolf (Nocturne) and Claws of the Lynx (Nocturne Bites).  More about both series can be found at our blog, www.paranormalromanceblog.com.

Some other books getting the buzz this month are:
- Megan Hart’s erotic novel from Spice, Stranger, which features the brother of Megan’s popular hero Dan, and scenes with Dan and Elle, the protagonists of Dirty and Reason Enough)
- Talk Me Down by Victoria Dahl (HQN)
- an eBook exclusive collection of hot historicals in Bronwyn Scott’s Sexy Regency Bundle
- romance on the waves in 1500s Caribbean with High Seas Stowaway by Amanda McCabe (Harlequin Historical), the follow up to her Harlequin Historical Undone prequel Shipwrecked and Seduced
- The Stranger and Tessa Jones by Christine Rimmer (Silhouette Special Edition), the first in the Famous Family series about classic family-based miniseries. The Stranger and Tessa Jones combines Bravo Family Ties and The Jones Gang when a Bravo man meets a Jones woman!

Holly‘s review of In Bed With Her Italian Boss by Kate Hardy
Contemporary Romance released by Harlequin Presents 8 Apr 08

I generally enjoy the Presents line, though I don’t remember reading Kate Hardy before. Unfortunately, this book features one of my least favorite plot devices – the BIG MISUNDERSTANDING – which resulted in the hero and heroine acting like children for most of the novel. I’ll be looking for more titles by her in the future, but I’m going to make sure they’re written around a different plot device.

I liked Gio as a hero. He was kind and considerate to Fran and was close with his family. He had hangups because he feels responsible for his father suffering a heart attack while covering for him at work in college, so he’s turned into a workaholic. He refuses to get involved in a serious relationship for fear he’ll let the person down again. Even though he loves music and is an excellent player, he won’t pursue it as anything more than a hobby, because he feels the need to punish himself for something he had no control over. After awhile, this became very tiresome and I was ready for him to move on.

I really liked Fran. She was adopted as a child and has always felt like the odd man out with her family. She’s witty and efficient and had a great dry sense of humor I really enjoyed. When Gio asks her to pretend to be his girlfriend, she reluctantly agrees, but is surprised at how well she fits in and gets along with his family, and immediately starts feeling guilty for deceiving them. When her flat floods and she needs a place to stay, Gio offers her his spare room and things quickly heat up. But she struggles with keeping it casual since Gio has made it clear he wants a no strings attached affair and her pride and personal insecurities won’t let her ask him if he wants something more. Her constant waffling back and forth about “this means nothing/this means everything” started to bother me after awhile, but I understood her reasons for feeling the way she did.

Up to this point, I was digging the story. Then came the big misunderstanding. With one conversation, both Fran and Gio could have saved themselves a ton of heartache, but instead they clung to their pride and conviction that each were the wronged party, when really it was just their own stubborness that caused problems. Although I felt it ended well, my frustration throughout the last 1/4 of the book came close to ruining it for me.

Grade: C+

Summary:
Having just been fired, Francesca has three immediate requirements: a coffee, an extremely calorific pastry and a new job. Stopping off at her favorite café, Giovanni’s, she manages to pick up all three!

Working for darkly handsome Giovanni Mazetti is fantastic—except Fran discovers the job comes with a tantalizing caveat: pretending to be his adoring girlfriend! Soon their kisses start happening in private as well as in public, and although Fran knows it’s all a game to Giovanni, she can’t help wishing his feelings were for real….

Read an excerpt here.

2008 is the National Year of Reading in the UK.

It is about celebrating reading in all its forms and highlighting the importance of libraries. It is about encouraging parents to read to their children, and people in general just to read.

It is about challenging employers to turn their old smoking rooms into quiet reading rooms, and encouraging workers to read. Natasha Oakley whose Wanted: White Wedding is out this month explained further ‘Setting aside the fact I earn my living writing books,as a mum of five this is something I really want to be involved in. The hope is that the campaign will reach people who don’t consider themselves ‘readers’. The slogan is ‘Reading – Anytime, Anything, Anywhere’. I’m all for taking the snobbishness out of books. It should be fun!’

Authors from literary authors to series romance authors are involved in a wide number of events. As part of the NYR nine Mills & Boon authors have been asked to be ‘Writers in Residence’ in nine of England’s library authorities. The timing and the match could not be more perfect, as Mills & Boon celebrates its 100^th birthday, there is no one who knows a good book like a Mills & Boon author – or reader! It’s a fantastic accolade and tribute to the importance of Mills & Boon to libraries and all the hard work done by so many of our authors in them.

The Mills & Boon ‘Writers in Residence‘ for the NYR are

Louise Allen – Peterborough

Susan Stephens – Kirklees

Kate Hardy – Norfolk

Nicola Cornick – Wiltshire

Sharon Kendrick – Hampshire

Caroline Anderson – Suffolk

Michelle Styles – Northumberland

India Grey – Cheshire

Natasha Oakley – Bedfordshire

A spokesperson for Mills & Boon said : ‘Mills & Boon is extremely proud to support the National Year of Reading, a government-backed initiative which aims to get more readers reading more! It will be supported by a TV advertising campaign featuring Geri Halliwell, Lenny Henry, Bill Bailey, Jon Culshaw and Jo Brand amongst others. The NYR will see a nationwide campaign reminding reluctant readers, hesitant readers and even prolific readers of the joy of reading. It’s a wonderful opportunity for Mills & Boon to be part of this fantastic year celebrating reading!’

You can see the launch video