Harlequin Books discussion

Hey everyone,

I've started a new topic for themed chats. I'm open to suggestions so if there is something you'd like to talk about, just let me know. :)

I'm going to start this one a bit late in the month but that is okay. I'd like to know what your thoughts are on everything Fall related. I.E. Do you like a romance set during Halloween or Thanksgiving? Do you like pumpkin spice? I adore Fall book covers. Do you? Do you decorate for the season? Know any good crafts? You get the idea, right? You can tell us anything you'd like to share on the topic of Fall/Autumn. ~ Kim

Personally, I love books set during holidays. I look for them all the time. I don't go to as many book sales or yard sales as I used to but the book table is always my first stop. My other Fall passion is NFL football. I watch as many games as I can while reading during commercials. :) ~ Kim

For the month of October ...

Location, location, location. What is your favorite? Which do you not like? Where would you like a book set? Have you ever decided to read a book just because of the setting? Answer or add questions!

I read all kinds of books.

Me too, Aaron, me too. Variety spices things up. ~ Kim

Who is your favorite book hero? Favorite book villain? Favorite movie hero and favorite movie villain? How about for TV? Which book hero would you love to spend a day with? Let's talk about anything hero. LOL

Personally, my favorite hero is scarred, visible or internal, and who is a noble, only because I love historicals. Otherwise, I like the hero to be a business man but I tend to pick boss/PA workplace romances. I just love it when the PA does a weekend makeover and the boss is blindsided by coworkers taking an interest in her. Jealousy. Gotta love it, in books. ~ Kim

Please share your favorite holiday or winter memory with us. :)

One of my favorite wintertime memory was the Blizzard of '77. Yeah, I know. I'm aging myself with this memory. LOL School was closed for a while and we were bored so one of us kids got the brilliant idea of sledding out my bedroom window. From the second floor. While mom was at work. We had a blast! Until one of the neighbors decided we shouldn't be aiming straight across the street into his driveway. He seemed to think it was dangerous. The street was a big tunnel which you could look clearly into from my window. We were smart enough to wait for the all's clear. :)

I remember that blizzard!!! I was a little kid! My whole neighborhood got together to help each other and we ended up with a whole group of us, the moms, a dad, and us kids, pulling sleds to the grocery store - a couple of miles away - and bringing stuff back for everyone.

Tara wrote: "I remember that blizzard!!! I was a little kid! My whole neighborhood got together to help each other and we ended up with a whole group of us, the moms, a dad, and us kids, pulling sleds to the gr..."

I was pretty young too! I remember walking through the snow tunnels to get to school once they could clear enough snow. Snow piles were as high as traffic lights! So many good memories from that year.

I grew up in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but we actually had a blizzard there, too, that same year! Our teacher took us outside to let us see the snowflakes--my first snow. It was so exciting. Imagine an entire elementary school of children all squealing in excitement! Of course, I thought it would keep falling and I'd be able to build a snowman and make snow angels after school, but the flurry only lasted long enough to set a weather record. ;) I used that experience to start my Christmas novella, GINGERBREAD & JINGLE BELLS. The hero and heroine become fast friends on a freak snow day in Central Texas--at the same age I was when we had that freak snow in South Florida. Very fun! Thanks for bringing up a good memory.

Caro wrote: "I grew up in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but we actually had a blizzard there, too, that same year! Our teacher took us outside to let us see the snowflakes--my first snow. It was so exciting. Imagin..."

<3 I love hearing about what inspired a story. THANK YOU for sharing! ~ Kim

Today is my birthday and it was a tradition in my family to decorate the tree today. When I was very young I thought I was special because I got a tree for my birthday and my older siblings did not. LOL ~Kim

Since it is January why don't we discuss our reading habits for the year?

Do you set goals? Do you pick a new genre to try at least once? Do you join challenges? Do you just wing it for the year and don't understand those who set goals? Do you make lists of upcoming books so you don't miss them? Do you plan to keep books you've read or give them away? What do you plan for reading in 2022?(I reserve the option to make any one of these questions a monthly topic at some future point if they need further discussion. LOL)

Harlequin Books wrote: "Since it is January why don't we discuss our reading habits for the year?

Do you set goals? Do you pick a new genre to try at least once? Do you join challenges? Do you just wing it for the year ..."

I like reading challenges. They help me dive into my TBR's so that they don't languish there forever. The problem is, I usually save my TBR's for monthly or quarterly challenges and use yearly challenges for current releases. I feel bad for my books that are sitting to the side. LOL ~ Kim

February:

Here is some folklore for the month:
Married in February’s sleety weather,
Life you’ll tread in tune together.

If February give much snow,
A fine summer it doth foreshow.

Fogs in February mean frosts in May.

If Candlemas Day [February 2] be mild and gay
Go saddle your horses, and buy them hay
But if Candlemas Day be stormy and black,
It carries the winter away on its back.

It is better to see a troop of wolves than a fine February.

Some of these I have heard before some not. This month share a gem of folklore you grew up hearing that you think others may not have or one that inspired a story, a character, or poem. If it is local folklore, see if we can guess where you are from. (no cheating by looking at the member's profile! LOL)
~ Kim

What are your favorite feel-good books? Don’t miss THE FRIENDSHIP CLUB by Robyn Carr, author of the hit Netflix series!

Do you prefer stand-alone books or books in a series?

So what are everyone's thoughts about our new cover art?

If a person asked you for a book recommendation from your favorite genre, what would you tell them?

Did you get the books you wanted for Christmas?

I was given a gift card so I can pick some out. :) ~ Kim