Romance Novels. Growing up I always had a bad image of romance novels as smut filled trash reading. I grew up in a conservative christian household in a conservative christian town. If people read romance novels they did so in secret and did not talk about it or share those stories with others. I did not even want to be seen walking through that section of the book store. I never touched one until I was in my early twenties and determined to read EVERYTHING written by Meg Cabot. After reading Meg's seven (plus one novella) adult historical romance novels I determined that I would be done. And I was. Until a couple years ago when I hit a reading slump.
This reading slump comsisted of me not being able to get through any book. They were all blah. I needed something to clense my pallate and was wanting something light to read where a man and woman hated each other but then ended up falling in love ala Pride and Prejudice. My friend Erin recommended Julia Quinn's The Viscount Who Loved Me.
It was fantastic and exactly what I had been wanting. Yes, there is sex but it is not the point to the story, as I had originally thought. And when there was it was usually a point to it within the context or the story and the relationship of the characters. They were not just books filled with orgies and rampant overly graphic sex scenes. The sex is not and, in those that I have read, never has been the point to the book. Romance novels are, in fact, novels about two people falling in love. ROMANCE! Who knew. Lesson learned: Don't judge a book based on someone else's opinion. You can use that for other areas of life too.
Since then I have read a number of other romance novels and discovered new and very talented authors like Julia Quinn, Jennifer Crusie, Elizabeth Boyle, and others.
One day a year or so ago, Erin, the same friend who introduced me to Romance novels, told me about a new author she had discovered named Kieran Kramer. After reading the three books Kieran had out at the time, she found Kieran on twitter. They had discussed an upcoming convention in Chicago at which Kieran was going to be involved. Erin was wanting to go and asked if I would be interested in going with her. So, after scheduling the trip, I grabbed her first books, When Harry Met Molly, and started reading her. Three books later I was definitely a fan and had also friended her on twitter and facebook.
Twitter is a magical place. It gives the normals of the world, like myself, the ability to talk directly to actors, politicians, authors, and other people whom you would have no contact with, except maybe through snail mail, previously. Sometimes these people don't look at the posts but sometimes they do and sometimes they respond back and you discover that they actually are very nice people.
This was the case with Kieran. She messaged back and forth with Erin and when we told her we would definitely see her at the RT 2012 convention in Chicago she sent us her phone number and we had lunch with her and an author friend of hers. It was an amazing experience. Not just the having lunch with an author but the entire convention (even though we only did the Saturday events). And now, I can say that an author I know personally is releasing her sixth novel.
Kieran's new book, the second in the House of Brady series, is coming out in February 26th. The House of Brady series is written with characters from The Brady Bunch and is set in Regency England. If you are a Brady Bunch fan, or have even watched some of the episodes, you will love the series. The first book, Loving Lady Marcia, follows the oldest daughter. The Earl is Mine, will twll Gregory's story.
Handsome, charismatic, and on the verge of becoming a successful architect, Gregory Sherwood, Lord Westdale, could have just about any woman he wants. So why rush to marry? So far there’s been only one woman he’s considered his ideal match. But that was before she had a secret affair with his best friend…with the help of an unwitting accomplice named Lady Pippa Harrington.
A PASSION TOO GOOD TO DENY
Pippa may not have acted in her old friend Gregory’s best interests, but she’s always believed that the heart sets its own rules. This is why Pippa must escape her arranged marriage–fast–by fleeing to Paris, where she hopes to pursue her artistic passions. To do so, Pippa will need all the help she can get–from Gregory, the one man she isn’t sure she can trust…or resist….
I can't wait for the newest book! It looks so good. And, to celebrate it's release, Kieran has a fantastic giveway with the chance to win a Kindle Fire, Coach bag, $50 gift cards, and more!
So, here's your chance. Get involved, enter to win awesome prizes, and discover a fantastic author in the process!
READ KIERAN KRAMER
The Impossible Bachelors Series
When Harry Met Molly
Dukes to the Left of Me, Princes to the Right
Cloudy with a Chance of Marriage
If You Give a Girl A Viscount
House of Brady Series
Loving Lady Marcia
The Earl with the Secret Tattoo (E-Novella)
The Earl is Mine
So, I encourage you to read Kieran and get to know her
HERE. She's more interesting than you would think. Did you know she was on Wheel of Fortune?
