My Favorite Heroine ~ #amreading #TheBronzeHorseman #HistoricalRomance #Books

I just kicked off a new blog series over at Moonlight and Mystery, and I thought I'd share it here as well.  Moonlight and Mystery is a new site for romance, suspense, and mystery, and 11 authors contribute to the content.  I'm one of the authors in charge of the blog topics and schedule, and I often start the series with the first post.  We've done a series on book settings and another on the book from our childhood that impacted our writing; this new series is on each author’s favorite hero or heroine, and this is the first time we’ve had to pick favorites!  I’m not going to lie, as an avid reader, it’s tough.  I did a post on my own blog years ago on my favorite fictional couples (note: I had not read the book I'm going to talk about at the time of that old post from Feb. of 2013, otherwise this couple would have made it...but I read it later that same year, and it's featured on my Favorite Books of 2013 post which came out in Dec.) and I forced myself to narrow it down to five.  But one hero OR heroine?  Nearly impossible.

But, since I have to, I’m going with the heroine of a book that made a huge impression on me, a historical romance novel that might not be on romance readers’ radar, since it’s not as well-known as Outlander or Whitney, My Love.  The novel is called The Bronze Horseman, and it only crossed into my To-Be-Read list because Goodreads has a feature that shows novels you might like based on your ratings of novels you’ve read.  The Bronze Horseman popped up as a popular choice for fans of Outlander, Pillars of the Earth, Gone with the Wind, and The Tea Rose…all books I loved. 

I’ll admit, I had my doubts when I started the book—WWII-era Leningrad does not have the same romantic flair as, say, the Scottish Highlands of the 18^th century, but I am so, so glad I pushed through the opening scene as we meet the family and the Stalin regime announces the Soviet Union is at war.  I was literally captivated by this book.  Entranced.  Every romance author knows that conflict is key, and for a series like this one, multiple, believable conflicts are necessary.  Author Paullina Simons delivers this brilliantly, if painfully (for readers who want these characters to have their HEA).  My heart ached for what the two main characters (and many of the additional characters) had to go through—and the horrors of war are brought to life by the author’s attention to detail and meticulous research.  And yet through it all, a beautiful and poignant love between Tatiana and Alexander grows and endures.

Okay, so that’s a lot about why I loved the book.  What is it about the characters that made them favorites?  I did love the hero Alexander, don’t get me wrong.  Some readers were uncomfortable with some of his behavior early on in the book, when he’s trapped in a love triangle of sorts.  While it wasn’t the most admiral spot for him to be in, I tried to view it through a more favorable lens.  Tatiana was too young for him at the time, even though he loved her.  He also was trying to do as Tatiana directed, because she wanted Alexander’s current girlfriend to be happy.  Finally, he used the relationship to have frequent contact with Tatiana’s family as the war progressed and supplies grew tight, and it allowed him to bring them all food.

This initial conflict, with Tatiana worrying more about someone else’s happiness than her own, shows right off the bat how selfless she is.  As the borders are closed in an attempt to starve all the inhabitants of Leningrad, Tatiana, the youngest in the family, becomes the strong one, braving brutal cold and dangerous streets daily to find food for her family.  She cares for each of them even while she worries about Alexander fighting at the front.  She bears the load as each person gives up or dies from the cold and lack of nourishment, or the constant bombings.

When it becomes clear her brother may have been in a battle, she goes looking for him.  When the hospital fill with wounded and dying, she’s there, volunteering as a nurse.  And lest it sound like she’s too nice, too sweet, we eventually see what she’ll do to save Alexander from behind enemy lines.  Nothing stops her, and the determination and cunning she shows to rescue her love make for an edge-of-your-seat plotline.  Beyond that, I don’t want to say too much, because, spoilers!  And if I’m making it seem like too depressing a read, remember that is *is* a romance, which means a Happily Ever After (eventually)…and there are some wonderful times of joy in simply being alive (and steamy encounters) when Alexander is given leave.

I’d add that the first two books, The Bronze Horseman and Tatiana and Alexander, are worth the read if you like epic Historical Romance.  The last in the series was extremely disappointing to many fans and didn’t seem to fit, as if it had to be tacked on as the third book in the series per a contract.  Although there is an exciting scene at the end, if you’re determined to see the series through!

Have you read these books?  What were your takes on the characters?  Please share your favorite heroes and heroines!

Second Chances - Why I Love Reunion #Romance #amreading #amwriting

There's something special about first love--sharing that initial terrifying plunge into vulnerability, experiencing a roller coaster of intense emotions, and linking your fate to another person's, even if only for a brief time.  The saying may be cliche, but I truly believe most people never forget their first love.

Of course, by definition, first love usually happens when we're young. And the young are usually eager to try new things, travel new paths, seek new challenges...and so that fragile first relationship doesn't often last.  Sometimes feelings just fade, sometimes distance creates complications, sometimes mistakes are made or promises broken. Even if that first love was not the right long-term partner, the experience usually leaves a lasting impression.

Sometimes, that first love IS the right person.  That's how it happened for my best friend in my neighborhood - she and her husband were high school sweethearts who parted ways when he left for the military and she stayed in their hometown.  Years later, one chance meeting at a New Year's Eve party was all it took, and now they've been happily married for 22 years.

Since I love the idea of a second chance at first love, most of my novels are based on two former lovers reunited - "reunion romances". In Silver Lake, the best friends who never quite got their chance in high school are reunited in a final attempt to solve the mystery of their friend Brandy's disappearance.  In Gull Harbor, a psychic medium arrives in a sleepy seaside town to go to battle with an aggressive ghost...and she's shocked to also encounter the man who promised to love her forever, then abandoned her the day after college graduation. In Haunted Souls., the two main characters only get a few weeks together before a military commitment splits them apart...but a secret baby brings them back together years later.  My characters have a past, and despite the chemistry that lingers between them, the betrayals and secrets create enormous obstacles in their journey to reconciliation and romance.

I'm also drawn to the reunited lovers theme as a reader, so I thought I'd make a few recommendations of my favorites over the years.  Bear in mind, not all of the following books fit into the Romance genre--the definition of Romance includes a Happy Ever After for the main characters--so I'll note the genres as well.

Madeleine's Ghost combines
elements I love - reunion
romance, ghost story, mystery,
history, and a New Orleans setting.

Madeleine's Ghost by Robert Girardi - one of my favorite books, because it combines a reunion romance with a mysterious haunting...those are the elements I use in my novels to create plenty of tension and intrigue. Madeleine's Ghost is considered literary fiction, which is a bit of a catch-all genre encompassing beautifully written books that don't fall neatly into other categories.  But to me, this is a captivating mix of romance, history, and the paranormal. The timeline moves between past and present, revealing the layers that make the characters come alive.  The descriptions of both New York City and New Orleans were so vivid I felt like I was there...and I enjoyed every minute spent traveling between the gritty East Village and the steamy bayous of Louisiana, keeping my fingers crossed for Antoinette and Ned.

The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly (first in the Tea Rose Trilogy).  A sweeping historical fiction, set in East London in 1888, during the time of Jack the Ripper's reign of terror.  The story begins in the tough, poverty stricken neighborhoods of Whitechapel and moves to New York City as the main character, Fiona, tries to escape the tragedies of her past and begin a new life.  But she cannot forget Joe, her boy who broke her heart...and when she returns to London to seek her revenge, she'll confront her soul-mate once again.  I enjoyed the other two books in the series as well (As an aside, the couple portrayed the next book, The Winter Rose, made my "Favorite Fictional Couples" blogpost).

The Bronze Horseman
and Tatiana & Alexander
are titles I always
recommend

The Bronze Horseman and Tatiana and Alexander (first two books in The Bronze Horseman Trilogy) by Paullina Simons.  It's difficult to put into words how much I loved these two historical romance novels.  I admit I had a few doubts when I began the first book--WWII-era Leningrad does not seem like the most romantic setting, and in fact, the things that happened once the Soviet Union entered the war were downright horrific.  But throughout the years, the struggle, and the horror, Tatiana and Alexander hold on to their love, even when separated.  My heart ached for what these characters went through, and Simons captures the brutal history with amazing accuracy while still delivering a poignant--and often steamy--love story. These books made my "Favorite Reads of 2013" blogpost.  One additional note, though...while I constantly recommend the first two books to friends, I didn't enjoy the third book in the series.  The ending of Tatiana and Alexander is perfect and I wish I had stopped there.

Blue Bayou (First in The Callahan Brothers Trilogy) by JoAnn Ross. Bad boy Jack returns to his hometown to find his teenage love, Danielle, has also decided to make a life for herself back in Blue Bayou after the death of her husband.  The young lovers were torn apart once by tragedy, and past and present collide as secrets are revealed and connections are discovered, and this romantic suspense/contemporary romance is an entertaining beach read with a hot alpha hero who whispers Cajun terms of endearment.  I enjoyed the other two books in the series as well.

Spencerville by Nelson DeMille.  A lot of DeMille fans don't care for this one, probably because it's heavy on romance.  Yes, a reunion romance, as an ex-CIA agent returns to his small hometown to find out what happened to "the one that got away" - his old high school girlfriend.  The answer is: nothing good.  This is sort of a romance thriller that I absolutely loved, but I will caution readers that there is a lot more graphic violence and disturbing scenes than in a traditional romance.  But I enjoy all genres, and this combination produced a real page-turner for me.

GULL HARBOR is a #1 Amazon and Barnes + Noble Bestseller, now
available on Audible as well!

Series vs. Stand Alone #amwriting #amreading

My latest release, Divine Fall, has garnered many requests for a sequel as well as a prequel, and I'm thrilled about that.  It's truly gratifying to know that readers aren't done with my characters and want to stay in their world a bit longer--writing characters people care about is what it's all about.  While I've left the door open to possibly continue Jamie and Dothan's story, Divine Fall is very much a stand alone novel without a cliffhanger ending.  All my books are, in fact, and I think that has a lot to do with my own reading preference--which, not surprisingly, is for...you guessed it, stand alone novels!

In Divine Fall, the last Nephilim
will have to make a choice--
continue his quest for revenge, or
protect the girl he's grown to love.

Don't get me wrong--I do understand the appeal of revisiting characters you know and love.  And sometimes it makes perfect sense that the circumstances of the overall story arc will create enough action to keep characters fighting against plenty of conflict and tension. But a lot of the time, it doesn't, and things go south in terms of the plot.  Especially when writing romance, where the author has to keep the couple apart for a good portion of the time.  A content couple with no obstacles to overcome to achieve that happiness makes for a very boring storyline.  In my books, both the hero and the heroine have significant conflicts - both internal and external - keeping them apart.  I want the reader to be desperate for them to finally get together, and to be gratified when they finally earn their Happily Ever After.  Plus, I always throw in a climactic danger scene, because again, I like a plot that involves more than just complex emotions and character development.

Silver Lake and Gull Harbor
are both reunion romances
mixed with ghost stories.

So, after about 300 pages of sexual tension, spooky suspense, and shocking revelations, coupled with an edge-of-your-seat climax, I feel like my characters have had enough.  They deserve their happiness, and I want to give it to them.  Sure, I could find another way to rip them apart in Book 2, and then let them find their way back to one another once again...but honestly, how much more could I throw at these two people and still come across as believable?  Even though real life gets awfully complicated sometimes, fictional characters do tend to be burdened with more than their fair share of bad luck, family strife, damaging secrets, devastating betrayal, and life-or-death situations.  As a reader and a writer, I prefer believable scenes and events.  Even within the paranormal, it's important to me to have enough details and explanations to keep a supernatural element from veering too far out into left field.

Of course, there are exceptions.  A story about a detective or a private investigator, for example, easily lends itself to a series--the very nature of the job will thrust the main character into new danger, deceit, and mystery with each case.  Or a series that uses the same setting, family, clan, etc. as a connection, focusing on different main characters with each new novel as opposed to the same two main characters.  For example, fans of Whitney, My Love (which includes me) needed more of Whitney and Clayton, and Judith McNaught answered the call by creating the Westmoreland Saga.  Each book can function as a stand-alone, but characters are connected as relatives of the seductive Duke of Claymore, and we get to see brief appearances of beloved characters from previous novels, or in the case of A Kingdom of Dreams, ancestors dating back to 1497.

Only a few trilogies or sagas featuring the same main characters have truly kept my interest through the entire journey.  The Twilight Saga spanned four books, yet the conflict was strong enough, and the world-building intriguing enough, to keep me enjoying each new book.  Yes, I loved Twilight, and when an editorial reviewer said Divine Fall reminded her of Twilight, I was thrilled.

One of my absolute favorite books, The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons, left me scrambling for the next in the series, Tatiana and Alexander.  I thought the second was nearly as good as the first, and the ending was perfect.  But then I went ahead and read the third, The Summer Garden, and I was so disappointed.  It was a strange combination of childhood flashbacks that went nowhere mixed with sad details of present day life, and one of the characters did something I hated.  Now, when I recommend The Bronze Horseman, I tell people to read the first two books and leave it at that!

Chime in - what do you prefer, stand alones, series, or both?  What are your favorites?  Why? Let's hear your opinion!

My Favorite Reads of 2013 - Kathryn Knight

Reading is my absolute favorite pastime, and I'm absolutely never, ever without a book.  Before I got my Kindle, I was highly dependent on some type of reading light...and often amazed at how many friends' and family members' guest rooms were missing this necessary feature.  Cut to me in my p.j.s, creeping through houses late at night, stealing lamps from other rooms.  But how can I possibly go to sleep without reading a chapter or two?  Or ten?  Inconceivable.  To me, waiting for an appointment or a doctor running late is enjoyable...because I have my book.

Last year, I listed my favorite books of 2012 by their genre.  I'll do the same this year, pulling my favorite 2013 reads from my Goodreads list:

Historical Romance:  The Bronze Horseman series by Paullina Simons

The Bronze Horseman showed up on my Goodreads page as a suggestion based on my love for Outlander, Gone with the Wind, Pillars of the Earth, and The Winter Rose.  I had a few doubts when I started--WWII-era Leningrad does not have the same romantic flair as the Scottish highlands of the 18th century--but I am so, so glad I pushed through the opening scene as we meet the family and the Stalin regime announces the Soviet Union is at war.  I was literally captivated by this book.  Entranced.  Obsessed, even...I have found myself talking about it at parties on more than one occasion.  Every romance author knows conflict is key...and for a series, there needs to be multiple, believable conflicts.  Simons delivers this brilliantly, if painfully.  My heart aches for the characters and what they have to go through, and the horrors of war are brought to life by the author's attention to detail and meticulous research.  And yet throughout it all, a beautiful and poignant love between two amazing characters endures.  I'm almost finished with the second in the series, Tatiana and Alexander, and as soon as I'm done with this post, I'm headed anxiously back into their adventure. 


Psychological Suspense/Thrillers: Lexicon by Max Barry

This novel was recommended by several people I trust--otherwise, I'm not sure I would have tried it, based on the blurb describing a school that teaches the 'art of persuasion'.  But, these readers share my passion for certain other books, and their excitement had me interested.  And then the first page of Lexicon had me hooked.  This book is so much more than the description can even attempt to cover.  It's a page-turning thriller with dark humor, crisp dialog, powerful romance, ancient mystery, and a frightening look at the possibilities that arise from a dependence on technology and the ease of data collection.

Young Adult: The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay

I spent most of 2013 writing a YA paranormal romance manuscript.  So I tried to read a lot of YA romance novels along the way, to help keep me in the right frame of mind.  This one stood out for me by leaps and bounds.  The Sea of Tranquility was a stunning debut novel.  The usual "insta-love" cliché was deftly avoided, and the reader is allowed to enjoy the anticipation and tension between two compelling characters.  While this could result in slow pacing, Millay inserts enough hints at complicated backstories (and trickles the information in as the relationship grows) to keep the suspense level up.  These characters were highly developed and believable, the story original and brilliant, and the emotions were raw and authentic. A must-read for romance lovers.


Historical Fiction: Winter of the World by Ken Follett

This is the second book in the amazing Century Trilogy (Fall of Giants, set during WWI, came first).  Descendants of the families portrayed in Fall of Giants give the reader a look into the dramatic turmoil and destruction of WWII.  Winter of the World is historical fiction at its best, with no departure from the amazing level of intrigue and pacing that I've come to anticipate from Ken Follett. I learn more about history from his books than I ever did in school thanks to his exciting plot twists, interesting details, and character interactions. 

These novels are, of course, a fraction of what I read in 2013...but the books listed above are the ones that kept me glued to the pages late into the night...and thinking about the characters when I couldn't be with them.  Those are the hallmarks of a great read for me.  What were your favorite reads of 2013?