Monday, September 12, 2011

Not Your Ordinary Romance


If you like to read romances, but find yourself craving a good book that will really help you escape reality for a little while, you might consider reading a paranormal romance for a love story with a twist! 

For a taste of adventure on the high seas, I recommend Blow Me Down by Katie MacAlister.  Main character Amy is a workaholic financial analyst with a teenage daughter named Tara.  When Tara accuses her mother of not knowing how to relax, Amy grudgingly agrees to try out the beta version of a virtual reality game called Buckling Swashes.  Just as lightening strikes the house Amy logs in and wakes up as the pirate Earless Erika in the fascinating, and surprisingly real, world of Buckling Swashes.  Almost immediately Amy meets the sexy avatar of the game’s creator, Corbin.  Not one to be swayed by a pretty face, Amy promptly tells Corbin that his avatar is too-perfect, and when he sheds the disguise she finds that she really likes his real appearance.  However, that doesn’t stop her from drawing on her experience as a member of the fencing team during college to thoroughly beat him in a duel and win his ship!  It’s not all fun and games, though… not long after Amy and Corbin part ways, she discovers that the game is just a little too real when she can’t find a way out!  Fortunately for her, the sexy pirate is all too willing to come to her aid, but as the romance between them heats up they both realize that there are threats facing them inside the game and out…    

If you thought dating in the 21st century was hard, imagine if you were looking for that special someone to spend an eternity with!  In Dead End Dating by Kimberly Raye, Lil Marchette is a 500 year old born vampire with a taste for designer labels and anything pink.  Unlike a “made” vampire, “born” vampires can have children and Lil’s mother would like nothing better than for her daughter to find that special someone to settle down with and make little vampires!  However, Lil isn’t just going to settle for anyone!  She’s a hopeless romantic and won’t settle for less than Mr. Right!  While she’s waiting, Lil avoids working for the family business, Midnight Moe’s (a chain of copy/print stores) by opening up Dead End Dating, a Manhattan-based matchmaking service catering to the supernatural.  Lil’s dream is to use her special skills to help the undead wed, but she’s not against helping humans and other supernaturals, too!  Her first client, Francoise Deville, is a real challenge!  An extremely old and nerdy vampire, Francoise is a gentle soul who just can’t wait to find someone who’s willing to settle down and scrapbook with him.  However, just as she’s getting down to the business of finding Francoise’s eternity mate, in walks Ty Bonner, an extremely hot made vampire who would set her pulse racing, if she had one!  Ty just happens to be a bounty hunter who’s investigating a series of kidnappings.  It turns out the kidnapper preys on single women, so Lil needs to help Ty catch him before anyone else, especially one of her clients, ends up dead! 
  
Not into virtual reality or vampires?  For those of you who feel especially in-tune with the lunar cycle, I recommend Kitty and the Midnight Hour by Carrie Vaughn.  Kitty is a late night radio DJ who has a secret.  A strange attack she suffered years ago has not only opened her eyes to the supernatural world, it’s made her a part of it!  After a caller from the other side reaches out to her, Kitty finds herself in a unique position to help people like her who have been thrust into a world they don’t understand.  After receiving encouragement from her boss (who is clueless about her real nature) she decides to start a late night advice show, The Midnight Hour.  However, opening up about her life and problems on the air not only stirs up trouble for Kitty with the leaders of her pack, but it also makes her some new enemies!  Kitty soon realizes that there are some who don’t want her talking, and they’ll do anything to shut her up….

Additional Recommended Reading

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