Must-read romances: 'Light My Fire,' 'This Other Country,' 'On the Edge'

Light My Fire by G.A. Aiken

What it's about (courtesy of Zebra):

The trouble with humans is that they're far too sensitive. Forget you put a woman in the local jail for a few months--and she takes it so personally! And yet she is the one trying to assassinate the queen. And now I'm trapped with Elina Shestakova of the Black Bear Riders of the Midnight…gods! That endless name!

But what am I to do? I am Celyn the Charming with direct orders from my queen to protect this unforgiving female.

Even more shocking, this unforgiving female is completely unimpressed by me. How is that even possible? But I know what I want and, for the moment, I want her. And I'm sure that she, like all females, will learn to adore me. How could she not when I am just so damn charming?

Why you should read it: G.A. Aiken has a way with humor and heroines … and, of course, heroes! I love the strong women and the complex dragon/men who fall for them. Celyn the Charming is so funny and self-important. I was laughing at every turn, but you have to read the series in order. There are a lot of characters and a lot of strife from previous books. Like Annwyl and Dagmar (who is without a doubt my favorite character from this series, and her book is my favorite … make an audio version, PLEASE!) and their children. What I love most about G.A.'s world building is that the book you get is no simple romance. We have so much politics and intrigue, so much action and a lot of plump and juicy tidbits dangled throughout the entire book. That's not to say the romance takes a backseat. Watching Elina and Celyn interact, fight, bicker, throw down and kiss had me giggling in my seat. Now a side note on Elina: G.A. writes really strong and butt-kicking heroines. Elina is right at the top of the list. Her tribe and people are warriors, the men stay at home and the women go to war. She is also honest to a fault … I'm referencing the scene where she explains why she wants to … well, sleep with Celyn!

What G.A. Aiken has to say …

How do you pair up your characters (or choose the perfect hero for your heroine)?

G.A.: I always put my heroines with the kind of guys/dragons/whatever who will tolerate them no matter how neurotic or anti-social they may be. Because my heroines are always neurotic and/or anti-social. So I build the hero around the … let us say uniqueness of the heroines. If the heroine has a tendency to be out of control, taking heads willy-nilly, then I put her with someone who not only loves that head-taking side of her, but also helps manage those around her who may not find the head-taking as sexy. If the heroine is a conniving plotter who is secretly running the kingdom behind the scenes; I'll put her with a hero who not only loves her conniving ways, but also makes sure to provide her with delicious gossip that she can use to manipulate others.

I like to think that I'm not just creating "couples," but that I'm creating "partners in life." And since my dragons can live for nearly a thousand years, their partners need to be able to not only deal with the crazy but enjoy the crazy. Because I just don't want my characters to simply be together. I want them to be together and be happy — no matter how high on the Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale the heroine might be.

What are you currently working on?

G.A.: Dragon No. 8. The title at this time (but keep in mind it might change) is Feel the Burn. Heh.

Epic one-liner from Light My Fire?

G.A.: Here's one of my favorite interactions …

"Decadent, isn't it?" he asked.

"Very."

"Does it offend you?"

"No. But I enjoy looking down on others and judging them for things that are none of my concern."

This Other Country by John Wiltshire

What it's about (courtesy of MLR Books):

Nikolas Mikkelsen could make a very long list of unpleasant things he's endured in his life. Then order it from 'nearly killed me' to 'extremely horrific and don't want to do again'. And what did it say about his forty-five years that being hit by a tsunami would be a considerable way down this list? But nothing, not torture, imprisonment, nor starvation has prepared him for what he now has to endure for Ben Rider's sake—attendance on a residential, gay therapy course. At least he has a new contender for the top spot on his 'my awful life' list.

Why you should read it: You have to read the first three to really understand Nikolas and Ben's full relationship. They're real, intense (super intense) and have been through so much. While you could just start at This Other Country, you may be a bit lost and not fully appreciate all these two have to offer. For those of you who have been on this journey since the first More Heat Than the Sun installment, let me tell you: Just wait. My favorite part about this series is that it has everything in it. Action, violence, intention, so much steam and flawed characters. The romance and heat are a driving force, but not just the main one. There are plots and manipulations, subtlety and, of course, all-out ferocity. The first couple of books in the series, I feel, warmed readers up, while the next two dished out exactly what readers want when we're talking about two deadly and exceptional men with lethal military backgrounds.

What John Wiltshire has to say …

Ben and Nikolas are intense, deep and extreme. How was writing their story?

John: Writing Ben and Nikolas has been a roller-coaster ride from day one. The main difficulty for me was forcing myself to keep the first book very cold and neutral, flattening down their characters, so to speak, so they reveal over the whole series. Less is more, but that's actually a very hard thing to do. By the time I was editing the first book for publication, I was actually writing the fourth book, so I was writing very different men to the ones I was editing. I'm hoping that anyone who sticks with the series through to the end will look back on book one and be amazed at just how much things have changed for both main characters. Also, I guess I have to say, I don't find the characters as extreme as other people seem to. Being ex-Army, coming from that unique, tribal environment, much of what Ben and Nikolas do and say seems entirely normal to me. I think most ex-military people would agree with me that it's civilians and their reactions to things that we find odd!

What are you currently working on?

John: I've started a new, stand-alone novel, set in New Zealand, where I currently live. I wanted to take a break from the More Heat Than the Sun series, as I've just finished book seven. Also, the sequel to A Royal Affair —Aleksey's Kingdom — is just about to go into the editing process with Dreamspinner Press, so it seemed like a good time to write something entirely apart from these established series. It's a contemporary novel about two very different men, both ex-pats from England, who meet under the most unlikely of circumstances. Neither is gay, according to them, so it'll be interesting working through that denial with them.

Epic one-liner from This Other Country?

John: Well, goodness, that was hard! I think I'd have to go with this description of Nikolas:

He was a lion impersonating a pampered Persian house cat for a while, and surrounded by flowers, bespoke tailoring, literature and art, people didn't see the untamed wildness of the amber eyes, nor suspect the killing rage that lay just beneath the surface of the impeccable grooming.

On the Edge by Allison van Diepen

What it's about (courtesy of HarperCollins):

From Allison van Diepen, author of Snitch and Street Pharm, comes a sexy, dangerous novel about a teen who witnesses a murder and gets caught up in the seedy world of Miami's gangs.

Maddie Diaz never should have taken that shortcut through the park. If she hadn't, she wouldn't have seen two members of the Reyes gang attacking a homeless man. Now, as the only witness, she knows there's a target on her back.

But when the Reyes jump her on the street, Maddie is protected by a second gang and their secretive leader, Lobo, who is determined to take down the Reyes himself. Lobo is mysterious and passionate, and Maddie begins to fall for him. But when they live this close to the edge, can their love survive?

Why you should read it: I don't often read YA contemporary (love me some fangs and fur), but the cover and book blurb had me interested. I love forbidden romance and was curious to see how the author would make a gang leader likable. Maddie (poor girl) witnesses a violent crime and becomes a target for one gang … only to be rescued by a rival gang. I liked the realness and violent quality the book has (in regards to it being YA). It seemed realistic to me (having never met a gang before), and I was caught up in the moment with Maddie when it came to Lobo. I will, say, though that I thought their romance is a bit too insta-love for me, though you can tell she is completely swept away with it all. I also thought parts of it (such as the Reyes gang leader) are wrapped up too nicely. All in all, it's a great break from reality for readers looking for something a little darker and edgier to add to their reads. I honestly did like Lobos at the end (no spoiler here) and will definitely read more of Allison.

What Allison van Diepen has to say …

Why do you love writing forbidden romances?

Allison: Great love stories often defy all sense of reason. In On the Edge, I've thrown Maddie Diaz, an ambitious honors student, together with Lobo, the leader of the notorious Destinos gang. The last thing Lobo wants is to bring her into the dark, twisted world he's navigating. And yet the intense connection between them is undeniable.

What are you currently working on?

Allison: I'm finishing up Light of Day — it's the story of X, one of the mysterious, sexy members of the Destinos gang introduced in On the Edge. It will be out in 2015. I'm also planning more books about the Destinos, and the girls they can't help but fall for.

Epic one-liner from On the Edge?

Allison:

"We'll both be safer if you forget what you know."

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Jessie Potts, also known as Book Taster, adores books in all forms. She also does reviews for RT Book Reviews magazine and works in the submissions department at Dreamspinner Press. You can follow her on Twitter (@BookTaster).