Hello, and welcome back! Mother Nature is treating us to a little snow here after teasing us with spring. Oh well. I know the real spring is just around the corner, so I can manage with a few snowflakes. Especially when there's plenty of reading material to be had.

First up this week is the latest from Karen Rose Smith to kick off a new series that will begin in June--this one's the prequel:
Take a Chance on Me (Silhouette Special Edition #1599) (Silhouette). Adam Bartlett's past is about to catch up to him, in ways he never could have imagined. Growing up knowing he was adopted affected him greatly, and then not being able to track down any of his history left him greatly disappointed. Imagine his shock when a stranger interrupts him at work and announces that he's Adam's father and he needs Adam to save his younger son. Even more of his past resurfaces when his liaison for the testing turns out to be Leigh Peters, the woman who broke his young heart. Despite the turmoil he feels, Adam agrees to be tested to see if he can save his unknown half-brother. Leigh has her own emotions to deal with, knowing that she hurt him long ago, but also certain she did it for a good reason. Clearly, these two have a lot to work through, between them and with the rest of their respective families. It's a very emotional ride, but one you know will have a happy ending for all. I'm borrowing four of Cupid's five arrows for this one. Now to wait for the next one to kick off the series officially....

The new one from J. M. Jeffries is also coming soon: Code Name Diva (Genesis). Major Derek Lange's life is work, work and more work. He had his one shot at happiness years ago, but he knew he wasn't going to be able to make Raven Hathaway as happy as she deserved, so he left. Now, his work is to bring her in for treason, or die trying. Of course, he doesn't know the full extent of the reasons the Senator and General want her so badly. And of course, the best-laid plans don't always work out the way one intends. Raven, it turns out isn't just a dumb model spending time with a known terrorist, but CIA. Neither has gotten over the other in all this time, but, despite the sparks that fly constantly, neither wants to be hurt again. Plus there is the matter of getting out of the desert in one piece once Derek's plans go awry. This one is laugh out loud funny in places, and super-steamy in others. I had a great time reading this one and was sorry to see it end. It's getting four and a half arrows. With some of the secondary characters here, I'm hoping this is kicking off a new series.

Over in the forum, we have a discussion going on about essential romances. I've asked everyone to list the five romances they think every reader should have or read, and if we get a big enough response, I'd like to compile the info here at a later date for an article. So come on over and tell us which ones you think should be on the list!

Until next time, happy reading!