Dear Author: Romance Book Reviews, Author Interviews, and Commentary

Dear Ms. Laverentz,

Recently I read one of Jane’s reviews of a sports themed novel (using football instead of hockey). You use the world of the NHL as the background for your hero, Eric Cameron. I’ll be honest and admit that I know just enough about hockey and medicine, the background of the heroine Dr. Emily Jordan, to be dangerous. But I do know a lot about romance novels so I will have something knowledgeable to say in this letter.

Let me start off by saying there are a lot of issues going on here. Emily’s hectic life as a trauma doctor in the ER, Eric’s career as a high profile pro hockey player, Emily’s single motherhood and relationship with her 8 year old son, Robbie. Eric’s past as a brawler and loner. Emily’s past as an abused wife following her upbringing in a house ruled by her tyrannical father. Eric’s rough childhood with his single mom and his terrible first marriage with a gold-digging ho. And that’s all before Emily and Eric even meet and then have to work out their own relationship in this minefield of their pasts.

You …

Dear Mrs Ruff,
Having read the glowing review of your first book at The Romance Reader, I decided to take a chance. After all, who doesn’t want to read about buff men paid lots of money to stay in buff condition while they live the American dream - getting paid to play a sport? But though I like lots of things about it, it’s not going to get as high a grade from me.

Samantha James’ introduction to her advertising company’s newest client’s employees is one lots of women might enjoy. The locker room of the Seattle Rainiers is packed with handsome men in various states of undress when Samantha is lead through on her way to meet their manager. Afterwards, he takes the time to introduce her to all the players including pitcher Jarrett Corliss. I was impressed with the fact that you don’t have any of these men act in stereotypical “get this broad out of here - women have no place in sports!” ways. They accept her as professional paid to revamp the Rainiers poor public image, to get fans interested in the team again and …

Dear Ms. Mallery:

This is Book 3 in the Buchanan series and it features youngest brother Reid who happens to be a famous former baseball player who suffered a career ending shoulder injury the previous year. He’d rather be playing ball than tending bar at one of the Buchanan’s restaurants, but at least he can salve the pain with a bevy of willing women.

Reid loves women and they love him back or so he thought until one morning an apparently disgruntled female reporter does a personal piece on Reid accusing him of being bad in bed. His life goes down hill as every gossip and news agency in the country wants a piece of him. There is no way for Reid to rebut the reporter’s claim of his between-the-sheets ineptness without looking totally classless. He decides to go and hide out at his grandmother’s house.

Lori Johnston had been hired as the day nurse for his convalescing grandmother. Gloria Buchanan, the matriarch, is as cruel and hateful as they come. Lori is convinced that Gloria is lonely, needy, and just acting out. Lori also is unconnected to the sports …

Dear Ms. Andre:

I’ve often wondered why sports stars are not the subject of more romance books. The men fit the standard mold: aggressive, wealthy, dominant, ambitious, usually in possession of totally hot bodies. As I read the few sports related fiction books I can find, I am more convinced that the reason is because so few authors actually know about sports to effectively write a sports related hero.

Game For Anything features the SuperBowl winning quarterback, Ty Calhoun, ordered to undergo an image makeover by the new team owner of The Outlaws. A top image consultant, Julie Spencer, is brought in to effectuate the makeover. Julie and Ty went to high school together and on graduation night, Julie, the school’s rich good girl, gave up her virginity to poor football hero, Ty. After an explosive night, Julie runs off and the two don’t see each other again for ten years.

Julie’s impression is that all jocks are dumb and has only watched one football game in her life. Ty still feels like he can’t quite shake the dirt off his feet despite all his success and Julie represents both …

Dear Ms. LaFoy,

I’d enjoyed lots of your historicals and was curious to see how well you’d do with a contemporary. The answer is well enough that I’d love to see you write more of these. I enjoy sports romances and even though I didn’t know too much about ice hockey when I read this, a hockey mom friend of mine assured me that you got the details just right.

Cat Talbott never expected to inherit her half brother’s minor league hockey team. But she does know that she’s got to do something fast to turn things around or the whole franchise will go bust. She’s had a few offers to buy it but wants to give it at least one season to see if she can keep her brother’s dream going. And the man she hopes can help her turn the Wichita Warriors around is former player and friend of her brother, Logan Dupree.

Logan used to be a Warrior before he got called to the pros. Now, he spends his time drinking on his houseboat in Tampa and trying to forget the sudden injury that ended his pro career. He’s got …