Thursday, April 16, 2009

My Hunkie Hero Post - and more

My Hunkie Hero Post


I was tagged by Annie to do the Hunkie Hero and it will probably come as no surprise to anyone who mine is.

My Favourite Hero:
Who else could it be but Derek Craven from Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas?

Why he stole my heart:
There are oh so many reasons!! He's not a titled hero yet he wields a lot of power. He thinks he's not good enough for the heroine yet he is totally smitten with her. He knows his way around the bedroom. Those are just a few reasons right off the top of my head.

Favourite Quote/Excerpt:

“Stay still!” Derek swallowed hard, his gaze traveling to the lush display of her breasts. “You and your…research.” He said the word as if it were obscene. His hand covered her breast, his palm rubbing over the nipple until it formed a tight bud. He tried to let her go, but his body wouldn’t obey. Every nerve screamed rebelliously. He wanted more. He would have given everything he owned just to grind himself inside her. Breathing harshly through his teeth, he fought to contain his desire.

“I wanted to be someone other than myself,” Sara said in defiant misery. “The kind of woman that you would…dance with…and desire. And even now…I don’t regret what I’ve done. You may not feel any attraction for Sara Fielding, but al least you felt something for the woman I pretended to be, and that—“

“You don’t think I want you?” he asked hoarsely.

“I knew when you refused to kiss me this morning-“

That’s what this is about? You wanted revenge because I didn’t…” Craven seemed to choke on the words. When he managed to speak again, his voice was tainted with a cockney twang. “It was enow for you that I’ve ached like a drawn dog ever since you came ‘ere-“

“Drawn dog?” she repeated in confusion.

“Pulled away before the rutting’s finished.” He clenched his hands on either side of her face, glaring at her. “I wanted you this morning, you little tease. I’ve wanted to do you over since the first time I… Be still!”

He snarled the last two words with a roughness that made her cringe. She stopped squirming at once.

Swallowing hard, he forced himself to continue. “Don’t move, or I won’t be able to stop myself. Listen to me. I’m going to let go of you…and you’re going to leave. For good. Don’t come back to the club.”

I just love this scene – it embodies everything I love about Derek; his rough beginnings, his attraction for Sara, his sacrifice at sending her away because he doesn’t think he’s good enough


Who would play Jamie in a movie:
Again - this one is a given - Richard Armitage. The minute he made his first appearance in North and South he was just a natural for the part.





~~~<<<>>>~~~

And more


You may have noticed this phenomenon. And I don't think I'm the only one that suffers from it - fortunately. I seem to buy more books than I read. I hope someday that balances out better but until it does - books that will soon arrive in the mail



The Wolf’s Heart by Jenna Leigh


Reporter Elaine Westerbrook will do anything to get the information she needs, including reigniting a fire with the deliciously mysterious Marcus Bei. Its lonely at the top of the corporate world. But that’s the price hell pay to keep his pack safe from his father and others like him. But Marcus cant find the strength to push away the very thing his other half has been waiting for so long his mate. Together, they search for the truth and find out if they have a future in spite of a past threatening to tear them apart.

I first saw this one at Barbara’s blog and being shallow, I loved the cover. Then I read the storyline and it sounded very interesting. Unlike many others, I love a good ‘destined mates’ storyline and I quite enjoy werewolf stories so I was sold. It sat lonely in my cart until I added more.




The Countess Takes a Lover by Bonnie Dee

Who is learning more, the novice? Or the master? Countess Meredith du Chevalier, a widow with a reputation for being sexually adventurous, is intrigued when she is approached by a gentleman who wishes her to "make a man" of his son. Sensing a passionate man beneath Christopher Whitby'’s reserved exterior, Meredith takes on the challenge, inviting the botanist to her country home to revitalize her abandoned greenhouse. Chris finds people to be a chaotic, animalistic species, and has chosen to devote his life to the study of plants. One kiss from the vivacious countess, however, and his inner animal is aroused. But lust is only a fraction of what he feels for the vulnerable woman hiding behind a brittle fade. He resolves to coax her to grow until her petals unfurl in a glorious bloom. To her surprise, Meredith finds Chris brings much more to life than just fallow soil. But just as their love begins to thrive, he learns about the secret arrangement. Meredith must risk her heart for the most dangerous lesson of all-love.

Although I haven’t read many Bonnie Dee books, the one I did, Bone Deep, blew me away and I kept my eye out for when this one came out in print form. It also has been in my cart for a while…waiting



An Indecent Proposition by Emma Wildes

When the duke of Rothay and the earl of Manderville make a foolish and scandalously public wager over which of them is the more skillful lover, the firmly respectable and notoriously unavailable Lady Caroline Wynn makes the even more shocking offer to serve as judge. The trio all harbor complex secrets of their own, and as they discreetly begin the judging process far away from the keen eyes of society gossips, more than the lady's reputation and the gentlemen's pride are at risk from their growing passions.

It’s the talk of the town. London’s two most notorious rakes have placed a very public wager on which of them is the greatest lover. But what woman of beauty, intelligence, and discernment would consent to judge such a contest? Lady Carolyn Wynn is the last woman anyone would expect to step forward. But if the men keep her identity a secret, she’ll decide who has the most finesse between the sheets.

To everyone’s surprise, however, what begins as an immoral proposition turns into a shocking lesson in everlasting love…

I had seen this one but it was Stacy’s review that convinced me I needed to get it. So being totally self-indulgent when it comes to books, I ordered it.




Fire at Midnight by Lisa Marie Wilkinson

Rachael Penrose is confined to Bedlam insane asylum in London after discovering that her uncle Victor plans to kill her brother in order to inherit the family fortune. Victor, with a gang of criminals, uses French privateer Sebastien Falconer as the scapegoat for his crimes. When Victor spreads the lie that Rachael informed on Falconer’s smuggling activities, Falconer vows revenge on the girl. Gripping suspense and romance play out in front of numerous historical details, including a violent storm that devastated England in 1703 and swept the Eddystone Lighthouse into the sea.

This cover just calls to me. And the storyline sounds right up my alley. I can hardly wait to get my hands on this one. I’m thinking Tuesday just might be the day!!


14 comments:

Shaymless Aymless said...

Oh poor Gabriel. I thought he had edged out Derek last year after your rave on Broken Wing... Not that I don't think Derek is scrumptious (and I have yet to read Broken Wing (duck)).

btw; I'm giving away a copy of Magic Bites on my blog!

azteclady said...

I think you are going to like The Countess Takes a Lover, m'dear. :cheeky grin:

Ruth said...

Okay, I just went a bought to download to my Kindle Derek's story and place a Wolf's Heart on order. Thanks for helping me spend money :)

Julie at Outlandish Dreaming said...

That's a great excerpt! I can't wait to read it - it's next on my TBR list! Unfortunately, the book I'm reading now is loooong - but good! So, I probably won't get to it for about another week at least.

Lea said...

Great pick for your "Hunky Hero" Kristie. I have been tagged too, and am having difficulty deciding who will be my choice!! lol

As for the buying more books than you read. HA! I'm trying to decide A)Whether I need to rent storage for my books.
B)Give up blogging, because I have less time to read as the computer seems to be taking what little of it I do have.
C)Just relax and enjoy both.

Hmmm, maybe I should run a poll. ;)

Warm Regards
L

Kristie (J) said...

Aymless: Heh heh heh - while true Gabriel is ahead by just a whisker of a hair, Derek has been my hero longer. And I get to post a pic of Richard Armitage to go along with it.

AL: I remember that review!!! And a very fine one it is. Did you ever get a chance to read Bone Deep? What a wonderful, different kind of story that is.

Ruth: Ack!! While I'm not worried about you loving Dreaming of You. It hasn't been up there on my favourite book and favourite hero lists for nothing, now I'm hoping Wolf's Heart is equally good - OK - maybe not equally - it's hard to match Derek and DoY but I hope for both of us that it's very good *g*

Julie: Ah - you haven't read DoY. I will love to read what you think of it when you do. I think it's probably my most reread book of all time.

Lea: It IS very hard to pick!! There were a number I could have gone with - but in the end as I said to Aymless, it was getting to post a picture of Richard that did it. And *laughing* if you do do a poll, I would pick C. I can't seem to give up either!!

azteclady said...

I haven't read Bone Deep yet, no--but Karen reviewed it way back when and I it's in my "most read it" list.


So many books! So little time!!!!!

azteclady said...

crap, that was MUST read it

:sigh:

need more sleep, then more coffee.


Then a brain.

Eva S said...

More books for me to buy, thanks!! I need more books, especially that Lisa Kleypas!I have so many older Kleypas to find...

Kristie (J) said...

Eva: *GASP!!* You haven't read Dreaming of You?? Oh my - you simply MUST read it!! For years it was my numero uno book and it's still #2!!

AL: *grin* I remember that review too. That's where I discovered I could get it in print form - and I did!

Eva S said...

I discovered Kleypas rather late, but now I'm happy to have so many books to read! Any other MUST...?

cheryl c said...

I love Derek, too. One of my very favorite heroes. Sigh...

I am addicted to buying books, too. I have several piles of TBR books, but that doesn't stop me from buying more. I read a lot, but I don't think that I will ever catch up with all the books still to be read. I think my husband will have to bury me with my unfinished books! ;-)

Unknown said...

Hi Kristie!

Armitage is an excellent choice for hunky hero...he's so sweetly sexy. Now I've got to go watch the North and the South to get a Richard Armitage fix..lolol..

What an excellent haul for books!! I've been trying control the book buying binges, sometimes it works, sometimes not so much. My hubs thinks I'm insane, he won't even let me look at bookstores or the book section at the Wal-Mart, but they keep showing up in the mail....curious isn't it?

Dottie :)

orannia said...

Will you disown me if I admit to not having read either Dreaming of You or Broken Wing? Yet!!!! That is the qualifier! Broken Wing is almost at the top of my TBR!