Audiobook Review: The Devil in Denim by Melanie Scott, Narrated by Julie Frances

“The Devil in Denim” was my first experience with anything by Melanie Scott. There were some things I liked about the story and some I think needed more work.

In this story Maggie Jameson is drunk at a bar because she just found out her father sold his team the New York Saints' a New York baseball team and according to Maggie, her inheritance. The team was bought out by Alex Winters. Alex himself was a baseball player but because of an injury he was forced to end his career. Life was not unfair to him though, and he is now a rich business man and also very handsome.

So I really like the idea of Alex buying the team from Maggie’s father and them working together. I also like Alex. Even though the title depicts him as a devil he was really a great guy. He was self-assured but not arrogant. He was very fair and a very smart businessman. The character that fell short for me was Maggie. It was so hard to 1) empathized with her and 2) like her. From the very beginning she is angry at Alex because he bought the team. This is unclear to me because her father obviously wanted to sell it. Although the team has been a part of Maggie’s family the team is in financial trouble and her father ends up selling it. This, in Maggie’s eyes makes Alex a “devil.” She was so rude and nasty to him all because he bought the team. Which was completely puzzling to me. Then she is angry at her father because after graduating from business school she was supposed to have a very comfortable job as CEO for the Saints. I mean cry me a river, Maggie. Alex understanding that the Saints are a family business wants to hire Maggie as an effort to help him win over the team and the fans. Maggie is angry and resistant to this idea. Why? I have no idea, I didn’t see a string of job offers even though she was apparently incredibly talented. So I get what the author was trying to do but Maggie just came off as a self-absorbed pampered –entitled princess. Besides Maggie’s unlikeability, I also found the dialogue between the adults to be very childish. The way Maggie spoke with some of her friends reminded me of a group of high school friends not grown and mature women.

Even though I didn’t care for Maggie I did really like Alex and I really liked his chemistry with Maggie. This would have been a four star for me if the heroine had more depth. Also, the narrator Julie Frances made most of the women sound very whiney especially Maggie. Once I got past my dislike of Maggie I enjoyed the sports world and the loyalty of the team. I also enjoyed watching the hero and heroine fall in love. I also plan to read more stories by Scott.

**Audiobook provided by Audible.com**

Purchase: | Audiobook | Amazon | Kindle | B&N |

A Historical Christmas Eve Event Winners

There are many winners to announce but before I do so, I just wanted to take the time and say a SUPER BIG THANK YOU to each and every author that participated in the 3rd annual Historical Christmas Eve event. I loved each and every scene you all created and this event would be nothing without you. Thank you so very much. =)

Now, on to the winners!

Attending a Ball...with Julie Anne Long and Giveaway

Attending a Ball on Christmas Eve - Julie Anne Long

Julie Anne Long originally set out to be a rock star when she grew up, and she has the guitars and the questionable wardrobe stuffed in the back of her closet t prove it. When playing to indifferent crowds at midnight in dank clubs lost its, ahem, charm, she realized she could incorporate all of the best things about being in a band—namely, drama, passion and men with unruly hair—into novels, while at the same time indulging her love of history and research. So she made the move from guitar to keyboard (the computer variety) and embarked on a considerably more civilized, if not much more peaceful, career as a novelist.

Julie lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with a fat orange cat. (Little known fact: they issue you a cat the minute you become a romance novelist.)

Place to find Julie:

| Site | Facebook | Twitter |

Reuniting with a Former Love...with Vicky Dreiling and Giveaway

Reuniting with a Former Love on Christmas Eve - Vicky Dreiling

Triple RITA finalist Vicky Dreiling is a confirmed historical romance junkie and Anglophile. Frequent business trips to the UK allowed her to indulge her passion for all things Regency England. Bath, Stonehenge, and Spencer House are among her favorite places. She is, however, truly sorry for accidentally setting off a security alarm in Windsor Castle. That unfortunate incident led her British colleagues to nickname her “Trouble.” Vicky is a native Texan and holds degrees in English literature and marketing.

Places to find Vicky:

| Site | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads |

A Secret Rendezvous...with Elizabeth Essex and Giveaway

A Secret Rendezvous on Christmas Eve - Elizabeth Essex 

When not rereading Jane Austen, mucking about in her garden and simply messing about with boats, award-winning author Elizabeth Essex can be always be found with her laptop, making up stories about heroes and heroines who live far more exciting lives than she. It wasn’t always so. Long before she ever set pen to paper, Elizabeth graduated from Hollins College with a BA in Classics, and then earned her MA in Nautical Archaeology from Texas A&M University. While she loved the life of an underwater archaeologist, she has found her true calling writing lush, lyrical historical romance full of passion, daring and adventure.

Elizabeth lives in Texas with her husband, the indispensable Mr. Essex, and her active and exuberant family in an old house filled to the brim with books.

Places to find Elizabeth:

| Site | Blog | Facebook | Twitter |

Dancing with a Rogue...with Lecia Cornwall and Giveaway

Dancing with a Rogue on Christmas Eve - Lecia Cornwall

Lecia Cornwall lives in Calgary Alberta, in the foothills of the beautiful Canadian Rockies, with two grown children, four cats, a chocolate lab and a husband who puts up with all of the above with remarkable patience. Lecia's debut novel was published by Avon in April 2011. And, she is, of course, busy working on yet another book.

Places to find Lecia:

| Site | Facebook | Twitter |

A Kiss Between Friends...with Christina Brooke and Giveaway

A Kiss Between Friends on Christmas Eve - Christina Brooke

When Christina Brooke is not dancing with dukes, testing her marksmanship at Manton’s or driving her high-perch phaeton in the Hyde Park, she is writing the next book in her Ministry of Marriage/Westruthers series. Christina lives in Brisbane, Australia with her husband and two sons and a Great Dane cross called Monty.

Her next book, THE GREATEST LOVER EVER, is released on December 31.

Places to find Christina:

| Site | Facebook | Twitter | 

A Scandalous Rumor...with Miranda Neville and Giveaway

A Scandalous Rumor on Christmas Eve - Miranda Neville

Miranda Neville grew up in England but she has lived in Vermont for many years. She is the author of seven historical romances and a novella for Avon Books, plus a novella in the anthology At The Duke's Wedding. Her cat Ernie has all the talent on the family and starred in a book trailer.

Places to find Miranda: 

| Site | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads |

A Wallflower Blooming...with Susanna Ives and Giveaway

A Wallflower Blooming on Christmas Eve - Susanna Ives

Susanna Ives grew up in the rural South, where she spent most of her youth at the local theater, acting in productions, working in the lighting booth, and building sets. Eventually she left her small town for the city lights of Atlanta, where she attended college and worked in corporations as a multimedia developer. These days she chases after her two curious, energetic children, designs web pages, and writes.

Places to find Susanna:

| Site | Facebook | Twitter |

A Foiled Spy Mission...with Jade Lee and Giveaway

A Foiled Spy Mission on Christmas Eve - Jade Lee

A USA Today Bestseller, JADE LEE has been scripting love stories since she first picked up a set of paper dolls. Ball gowns and rakish lords caught her attention early (thank you Georgette Heyer), and her fascination with the Regency began. An author of more than 40 romance novels and winner of dozens of industry awards, she finally gets to play in the best girl-heaven place of all: a Bridal Salon! In her new series, four women find love as they dress the most beautiful brides in England. A Gentleman’s Gamble and What the Groom Wants are coming out in January and February.

And don’t forget KATHY LYONS. She’s Jade’s lighter, contemporary half. Don’t you hate it when you share erotic dreams with a stranger? It happens in her new Kathy Lyons series. Dream Nights with the CEO is available now!

Places to find Jade:

| Site | Facebook | Twitter | Kathy Lyons | 

Fighting a Duel...with Jillian Stone and Giveaway

Fighting a Duel on Christmas Eve - Jillian Stone

Jillian Stone is author of the gaslight romantic suspense series, The Gentlemen of Scotland Yard and the steamy steampunk series Phaeton Black, Paranormal Investigator. She is currently working on several contemporary erotic romance novels, as well as the Gentlemen of Scotland Yard spin-off, CODENAME: DRAGON.

Places to find Jillian:

| Site | Blog | Facebook | Twitter |

A Drunken Escapade...with Christie Kelley and Giveaway

A Drunken Escapade on Christmas Eve - Christie Kelley

Award winning author, Christie Kelley was born and raised in upstate New York. After seventeen years working for financial institutions in software development, she started writing her first book. She currently writes regency historicals for Kensington. Christie now lives in Maryland with her two sons.

Places to find Christie:

| Site | Facebook | Twitter | 

A Ruined Dinner Party...with Juliana Gray and Giveaway

A Ruined Dinner Party on Christmas Eve - Juliana Gray

JULIANA GRAY is the award-winning author of the Affairs by Moonlight trilogy. Her debut, A Lady Never Lies, is a nominee for 2012 Book of the Year by RT Book Reviews. The trilogy concludes with A Duke Never Yields, which has won starred reviews from Kirkus and Booklist and a 4 ½ star rating from RT. She enjoys dark chocolate, champagne, and dinner parties, and despises all forms of exercise except one.

Places to find Juliana:

| Site | Facebook | Twitter |

Caught in a Compromising Position...with Maureen Driscoll and Giveaway

Caught in a Compromising Position on Christmas Eve - Maureen Driscoll

Maureen Driscoll is an Emmy-nominated writer/producer working in Hollywood. She is the author of the Kellington series of Regency romance novels and a happily struggling actress.

Places to find Maureen:

| Site | Facebook | Twitter |

Saving a Lady...with Maggie Robinson and Giveaway

Saving a Lady on Christmas Eve - Maggie Robinson

Maggie Robinson is a former teacher, library clerk and mother of four who woke up in the middle of the night, absolutely compelled to create the perfect man and use as many adverbs as possible doing so. A transplanted New Yorker, she lives with her not-quite perfect husband in Maine, where the cold winters are ideal for staying inside and writing hot historical romances.

Places to find Maggie:

| Site | Blog | Facebook | Twitter |

Learning a Secret...with Sherry Thomas and Giveaway

Learning a Secret on Christmas Eve - Sherry Thomas

Sherry Thomas writes both historical romance and young adult fantasy.

On the romance side, she is one of the most acclaimed authors working in the genre today, her books regularly receiving starred reviews and best-of-the-year honors from trade publications. She is also a two-time winner of Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA® Award.

On the young adult fantasy side, her debut book, The Burning Sky, received a Publishers Weekly starred review and is an Indie Next Book Pick.

Sherry writes in her second language. She learned English by reading romance and science fiction—every word Isaac Asimov ever wrote, in fact. She is proud to say that her son is her biggest fanboy—for the YA fantasy, not the romances. At least, not yet…

Places to find Sherry:

| Site | Facebook | Twitter |

Stranded at an Inn...with Caroline Linden and Giveaway

Stranded at an Inn on Christmas Eve - Caroline Linden

Caroline Linden was born a reader, not a writer. She earned a math degree from Harvard University and wrote computer software before turning to writing fiction. Ten years, twelve books, three Red Sox championships, and one dog later, she has never been happier with her decision. Her books have won the NEC Reader's Choice Beanpot Award, the Daphne du Maurier Award, and RWA's RITA Award. Since she never won any prizes in math, she takes this as a sign that her decision was also a smart one.

Place to find Caroline:

| Site | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads |

Finding an Abandoned Baby...with Theresa Romain and Giveaway

Finding an Abandoned Baby on Christmas Eve - Theresa Romain

Historical romance author Theresa Romain pursued an impractical education that allowed her to read everything she could get her hands on. She then worked for universities and libraries, where she got to read even more. Eventually she started writing, too. She lives with her family in the Midwest, where she is working on her next book.

Places to find Theresa:

| Site | Blog | Facebook | Twitter |

Resolving a Feud...with Anna Campbell and Giveaway

Resolving a Feud on Christmas Eve - Anna Campbell

ANNA CAMPBELL has written eight multi award-winning historical romances for Grand Central Publishing and Avon HarperCollins and her work is published in sixteen languages. Anna lives on the beautiful east coast of Australia where she writes fulltime. Her latest release is A RAKE’S MIDNIGHT KISS, book two of the Sons of Sin series. Don’t miss her free short story, “His Christmas Cinderella”, in the e-anthology A GROSVENOR SQUARE CHRISTMAS, released in October 2013.

Places to find Anna:

| Site | Romance Bandits Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads |

Sharing a First Kiss...with Tracey Devlyn and Giveaway

Sharing a First Kiss on Christmas Eve - Tracey Devlyn

Tracey Devlyn Tracey Devlyn is an award-winning author who writes historical romantic thrillers (translation: a slightly more grievous journey toward the heroine’s happy ending). She’s a co-founder of Romance University, a group blog dedicated to readers and writers of romance, and Lady Jane’s Salon-Naperville, Chicagoland’s exciting new reading salon devoted to romantic fiction.

An Illinois native, Tracey spends her evenings harassing her once-in-a-lifetime husband and her weekends torturing her characters. For more information on Tracey, including her Internet haunts, contest updates, and details on her upcoming novels, please visit her website.

Places to find Tracey:

| Site | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads |