Loving Lisa Kleypas!

In case you haven't yet heard, Ana and Thea from The Book Smugglers blog are celebrating the works of author Lisa Kleypas all this week on their blog. So far I have only read Ms. Kleypas' contemporary romances, Sugar Daddy and Blue Eyed Devil, and both were phenomenal novels. The next novel in this contemporary world is titled Smooth Talking Stranger and will feature Jack Travis, who appeared briefly in Sugar Daddy and then more prominently in Blue Eyed Devil wherein he hired his younger sister and the heroine of Blue Eyed Devil in his firm. Here's a look at the newly revealed bookcover of Smooth Talking Stranger, revealed for the very first time yesterday by Ana and Thea on The Book Smugglers blog.  And a book blurb, also supplied by Ana and Thea... and was also on Ramblings on Romance several weeks ago. 

Smooth Talking Stranger by Lisa Kleypas 

(March 2009, St. Martin Press)

Jack Travis leads the uncomplicated life of a millionaire Texas playboy. He makes no commitments, he loves many women, he lives for pleasure. But no one has ever truly touched his heart or soul. Until one day, a woman appears on his doorstep with fury on her face and a baby in her arms. It seems Jack is the father and this woman is the baby's aunt. The real mother has abandoned the child to her more responsible sister. And now, Jack is being called upon to take responsibility for the first time in his life.

You can also read an excerpt of Smooth Talking Stranger on Lisa Kleypas' website HERE.  Ooo la la! I want this book yesterday! 

Be sure to visit The BookSmugglers all this week as Ana and Thea (and I believe a brave DARE guest reviewer... ) will be reviewing and discussing various novels of Ms. Kleypas. They also have an interview and book giveaway planned toward the end of the week. Don't miss it!


How I came to read Lisa Kleypas. 

i.e., How I came to Love Lisa Kleypas! 

As I've mentioned in the past (see my very first blog post HERE), I only started reading romance novels almost exactly two years ago from today's date! After a long hiatus from reading recreationally-- aside from baby books, cookbooks and magazines, that is-- I started reading Young Adult fiction, starting with the Harry Potter novels in the summer of 2003 (read aloud to my girls) right up to Twilight and New Moon which I read back to back in September 2006. Immediately after devouring the two Twilight novels, I fell in love with the romanticized vampire and knew I needed to read adult fiction with vampires as not only the good guy, but the love interest, too. After a little research on Amazon.com, I discovered paranormal romance. Imagine! An entire subgenre of romance with 100s, if not 1000s of books to choose from!

I instantly became a paranormal romance junkie, with a particular addiction to vampires. J.R. Ward became my favorite author and I was thrilled when I found out she would be doing a book signing in my local Barnes & Noble on the release day of Lover Revealed in early March of 2007. While in the bookstore that night, one of the employees was handing out a B&N newsletter and schedule of upcoming events for the month and I learned that author Lisa Kleypas would be visiting the same B&N a few weeks later. I recognized her name as a prominent romance author and even took pride in myself for knowing she wrote historical romances! About a week or so later I found myself back in my Barnes & Noble standing in front of the display of Sugar Daddy novels silently debating whether or not I should buy and read the book just so I could go to a book signing for an author I barely knew. I mean, I liked the idea of meeting another successful author, but I wasn't really into historical romances. And now this latest novel is this author's first contemporary romance? And it's hardcover? Nah, too many risks, I thought. But... Lisa Kleypas is a big name in romance, and how often does one get the opportunity to meet not one, but two successful and well known authors in her very own Barnes & Noble? Right? As I stood there debating, an employee of B&N who is also a romance reader, remembered me from Ward's signing and convinced me to buy the hardcover copy of Sugar Daddy. 

A few days later I picked up the book and started reading. At first, I was thinking that contemporaries are just not my thing. I had enough strife in my own young life, did I really want to read about someone else's struggles? I wanted the extreme escapism I found in paranormals. But then, before I knew it, I was completely sucked in to Sugar Daddy and the story of Liberty Jones. I laughed, I cried, I got nervous, excited and mad. I ended up devouring it even more readily than some of my favorite paranormals and Sugar Daddy became one of my favorite reads of 2007. 

A few days later, I attended Lisa Kleypas' book signing and was so utterly impressed by her. She was poised, articulate, friendly, and really down to earth. Ms. Kleypas even made me teary eyed when she talked about her passion for writing romance stories ever since she was 12 years old and again when she shared a personal anecdote in order to show why reading romance is important and comforting for us. I walked in to that signing as the newest fan of Lisa Kleypas the author and walked out of that signing as the newest fan of Lisa Kleypas the person.   

Here is a picture of me with Lisa Kleypas at the Sugar Daddy book signing at my local Barnes & Noble in March 2007.

My hair was really long then. A few months after this picture was taken, in August 2007,  I got it cut and donated 12 inches of my hair to Locks of Love.  I had previously donated 12 inches in August 2005, too! Just a little tidbit about me. ;) 

If you haven't already read Lisa Kelypas' contemporary romances, you really should. Right now you can buy Sugar Daddy in hardcover at amazon.com at the Bargain Price of $5.99! Go HERE. It is an A read for me.

Of course, you're going to want to read Blue Eyed Devil, so you may as well order it as well. Blue Eyed Devil is an A+ read for me and currently my favorite novel of 2008.