Julie James: Honk If You Love Real Men

Our Author of the Month, Julie James is a truly spectacular author of contemporary romance. She has the ability to write the most swoon-worthy of men while pairing them with strong-willed woman. She laces her stories with just the right amount of suspense and fills in the rest with the most hilarious moments in romance. If you haven't read any of Julie James's books yet, go grab at least one because I'm sure when you're done with that you'll be looking for more! I hope you enjoy our post we've put together!

Read our Review

Laura Hunsaker, Author of Highland Destiny says:

Nick is my man. What I love about him is that he's very much a normal guy. He isn't the Boss' secretary.. or the Shiek, or the Vampire, or the bajillionaire who has a secret virgin stableboy. I like how he is very "real." He takes care of his woman, even when she isn't really *his* yet.

In fact, my fave quote from him is:

"Something inside Nick snapped.
That was his fake girlfriend in there. Sitting at the table where they had just shared cheese fries the night before. And if she thought she could throw scorching hot-sex- looks to any pansy-ass scarf-boy who wandered into her shop, she had another thing coming. He had a look of his own to show the douchebag. It was time to break out the don’t-fuck-with-me face."

Anyone who knows me, knows I'm not big on contemporaries but something about Julie James' heroes makes them stick with me long after the book is finished. Especially Nick. I loved how their relationship progressed and how the two of them interacted, and Nick can protect me any day of the week.

Nick McCall Fantasy Cast: Jed Hill

Read our Review

Nissie from Riverina Romantics says:

When Annie told me about this post, she asked me "Do you want to do Jason Andrews?" Well.... YEAH! Who wouldn't? He's 'Just the Sexiest Man Alive' , for crying out loud. But if she'd asked me when I was at the beginning of the book, the answer would have been "No, thank you." Very seldom do I like the heroine more than the hero right off the bat. But his attitude and self-importance really put me off at first. I'm very happy to say I changed my mind about Jason. Under all the show, was a caring, loving guy who is hotter than blazes. A lot of people obviously thought that before they got to know the real Jason- being named The Sexiest Man Alive and all- but I came to that conclusion much later. And in getting to know he wasn't the pompous ass he acted like, he became much more attractive to me. In addition to his gorgeous face and body, he cracked me up! Marilyn Monroe said "If you can make a girl laugh, you can make her do anything." It's true. By the end of the book, after he'd been taken down a notch or two by Taylor, I was completely in love with the guy. He was still Jason Andrews. Sexiest Man Alive. Biggest Star on the Planet. He still had some of his attitude. But he was oh, so divine!

This could very well be my favorite Julie James book. But that opinion changes sometimes. I love them all. All her books have made me laugh and made me sigh. She has created some of the most wonderful characters I've ever read. It's very safe to say that Julie James is an automatic buy for me now and all her novels are on my keepers shelf.

Kseniya from GoodReads says:

Julie James' books are smart, snappy, funny and sexy yet so realistic. I laughed so many times while reading her books I lost count.

Jason was by far my favourite character, I mean c'mon the title speaks for itself! Just The Sexiest Man Alive was an amazing book to read, I laughed my socks off at James' witty humor! Her writing style is brilliant and she kept me interested all the way through the book. She showed a great insight into Hollywood life and she sure knows the subject of law pretty well.

The characters were very strong personalities and I was nearly at the end of the book before I even realized that Taylor and Jason haven't even kissed yet! And I usually get bored if nothing happens... Not with this book though!

Jason Andrews Fantasy Cast: Matt Bomer

Read our Review 

Leah from GoodReads says:

I want Jack Pallas's babies. Seriously. The man is intense, sexual, intelligent, extremely focused, loyal, fierce, and then there's one of my personal favorite qualities, sarcastic. How could you not want him?! He's a studly FBI agent, out to serve and protect. He can serve and protect me anyday *wink wink*. I looove Julie James, but I would love her simply because she created Jack Pallas. I've said it before, but I'll say it again: Julie James is an Author Goddess!

Jack Pallas Fantasy Cast: David Gandy 

Read our Review

Annie from Under The Covers says:

J.D. Jameson is a man of money. With good looks (yummy smoky blue eyes), a great job (a freakin’ lawyer!), a sports car (definitely not the Prius type), he’s the man that everyone wants to be. But he’s also an asshole. Or as Payton would say, The Asshole. He’s over-confident, never taking no for an answer. He’s controlling and dominating (though that may not be such a bad thing in certain circumstances). And basically all the things that should make me hate him, makes me love him even more!

J.D. can be a douche, no question. But like Pride and Prejudice (read the book and you’ll understand this reference!), Darcy wins the girl by being nice to her. And when J.D. puts on the charm...ladies, be prepared to melt!

Nic from Scorching Book Reviews says:

As much as I love Julie James’s heroes, J.D. from Practice makes Perfect is my favourite. J.D. isn’t a tough guy, he isn’t there to save the girl; he’s the hit guy at the office you’ve always have a crush on. At the start of the story, we see J.D. as a man embroiled in a long running feud. He’s bitter arrogant, smarmy and a little bit of a git. The little game that he and Payton have engaged in for years has gotten out of control and the only thing that matters to him is being the best at everything. I didn’t like him much at the start of the book, but hell, he was entertaining even then. Then something happened that made him see the error of his ways, made him see he was being an ass. Then we meet the real JD and, damn, that man is HOT! When he lets go of all that tension and admits that he is attracted to Payton he becomes a force to be reckoned with. He is funny, charming, sexy and just a touch of arrogance that chances him for Mr. Nice guy to Mr. Irresistible. He treats her like a princess that he can’t get enough of. He isn’t a perfect hero, nor is he the alpha hero but is pretty darn appealing book boyfriend.

“You’re going to stop talking now,” he said, pulling her to him. “Because I’ve already waited long enough to do this.”
Then his mouth came down on hers, and finally, after eight years. J.D. Jameson kissed her.

J.D. Jameson Fantasy Cast: Ryan Barry

Thank you to all who helped me with this post! Special thanks to Nissie and Leah for helping me come up with the perfect Jason Andrews and Jack Pallas!

Interview and Giveaway with Julie James!

As you may have heard, Contemporary Author Julie James is our Author of the Month for September 2011! Julie writes the most hilarious, most entertaining contemporary romance I've read in a long time. Her books make me burst out laughing and thus get me some weird stares, but it's worth it! Each book is like it's own anti-depressant! So, Maidens, help me welcome the wonderful Julie James to Under the Covers! For more information on Julie and her books, please visit her website here.

Hi Julie! Thanks so much for chatting with us today! Let's get started, shall we? You were a lawyer before you started writing full-time. What made you decide to be a writer? Was it hard to make that transition from one occupation to another? 

 I have no writing background, have never taken any sort of creative writing class and, frankly, had never envisioned myself doing anything other than practicing law. But I love movies, and I love reading. I’d always had an idea for a romantic comedy film and one day, I just decided to sit down and write it. So I bought a book on how to write screenplays and got started.

Since I knew no one in Hollywood, after I finished the script I began cold querying agents and managers in L.A. There was some interest in the script, and I signed with a film agent. Shortly thereafter, a Hollywood producer optioned my script, but, unfortunately, the movie was never made. After the option expired, my film agent suggested that I turn the screenplay into a book, and I decided to give it a shot. When I’d finished the book, my film agent hooked me up with a literary agent, and shortly after I signed with her we got a two-book deal from Penguin/Berkley. And the rest, as they say, is history.

In terms of the transition from one occupation to another, sure, there are times when I miss practicing law, but I enjoy writing even more. It’s tough to beat a job you can do in sweatpants.

Do you have any must-have items while you are in the writing dungeon? 

 In the morning, I need something chocolate before I get started—usually Nestle’s Tollhouse chips right out of the bag, and at mid-day, I go out for a Starbucks run.

You write fantastic contemporary romance, but if you could dabble in another sub-genre, what would you pick and why? 

I’m very happy writing contemporary romance and don’t currently have any plans to explore another sub-genre. But if I did, I suppose I might try my hand at romantic suspense. Back in the day when I wrote screenplays, I wrote two suspense scripts so I have some experience with that.

For the most part, your books can be read as standalone novels. In the future, would you like to tackle the challenge of writing a series? 

While not a series, my third and fourth books, Something About You and A Lot Like Love, are linked by recurring characters. My upcoming release, About That Night, is also linked to those two books. I’ve created this criminal justice world with the Chicago FBI and U.S. Attorney’s offices, and I would like to write additional stories in that setting. In fact, this summer I went on private tours of both the U.S. Attorney and Chicago FBI offices, and I’m fascinated by what they do. That being said, I would never force a story just to get it into a certain setting—so if a standalone idea is what appeals to me most, then that’s the story I’ll write next.

I love all the heroes of your books! Jason Andrews is the sexiest man alive. Jack Pallas has that glowering thing going on and Nick McCall is my number one lover! How do you make sure that your heroes stand out?

What characteristic should all heroes have?  My approach is that I start with an awesome heroine, and then come up with a guy who deserves her. My heroes tend to be more sarcastic types, the kind who are far more likely to trade banter and quips with the heroine than be super-expressive about their feelings. But when they do fall in love, they fall hard.

Here's the sex question...Jason Andrews is the SEXIEST man alive. But there's no sex in his book! I personally think it works well. What was behind your decision to keep it this way? 

Actually, there is sex in the book, it’s just at the very end and it’s not graphically written. There are two reasons I did that: First, Just the Sexiest Man Alive was my first book, and as I mentioned earlier, the story was originally written as a romantic comedy screenplay. And with scripts, the writer doesn’t write detailed sex scenes—it’s up to the director to figure out the mechanics of the scene. So when Taylor and Jason do finally get together in the book, I wrote those scenes in a similarly non-explicit fashion because that’s what I was familiar with. (My books have since gotten steamier as I’ve become more familiar with the contemporary romance genre.)

As for why the characters wait until the end? Because, simply, that’s what fit with the story. Because Taylor (the heroine) had been cheated on in the past, she had major concerns about getting together with Jason, who is the biggest movie star in Hollywood and a notorious womanizer. It wouldn’t have made sense for her to sleep with him until she completely trusted him.

About that Night is Kyle's book! What can we expect from this upcoming release? More hysterics, I hope! 

Well, any book that’s about a guy who’s a billionaire heir/ex-con/computer genius nicknamed the “Twitter Terrorist” who went to prison for hacking into Twitter and shutting it down after his girlfriend broke up with him via a tweet has to have a few laughs, right? At least, I hope it does. What can I reveal about the book…? Hmm… well, the heroine is a woman from Kyle’s past, and the book picks up right after he has been released from prison. I would say, in terms of tone, that the book is most similar to Just the Sexiest Man Alive (meaning pure contemporary romance, no suspense subplot). But there is definitely sex in this book : )

 Fun questions! Let's say Kyle Rhoads, the infamous Twitter terrorist, got on Twitter again. What would be his first tweet? 

 LOL. Knowing Kyle, it would probably be: “I can’t believe these jokers let me back on.”

 I'm sure readers would agree that they drool over your sexy heroes. But who do YOU drool over? Who is your favourite literary hero?

 Oh, I’m a sucker for Mr. Darcy from Pride & Prejudice. He’s just so smitten, despite all his efforts to the contrary, and so intent on winning over Elizabeth. I read that book once a year.

Is there a book and/or series that you wished you have written? 

One of the screenplays I wrote back in the day is a romantic suspense about a woman (an attorney) who goes on safari in Africa and discovers that one of the people on that safari is a hitman hired to kill her. There’s a really hot ranger in the story—but the heroine doesn’t know if she can trust him because he could very well be the hitman. I came up with the idea after going on safari in South Africa—that was the most incredible trip I’ve ever taken and would love to set a book there. I’ve pitched the idea, but have been told that books set in exotic locations don’t sell well. But I haven’t given up hope—maybe some day!

Thanks so much for stopping by, Julie!

 

Author of the Month Julie James will be giving away TWO COPIES of A LOT LIKE LOVE! This contest is open to everyone! 

To enter, please:

1. Be a follower

2.In the comments, tell us who your favorite literary hero is! And leave a valid email address too!

Extra entries are acceptable. If you post or tweet this giveaway, we ask that you provide links. Thank you and good luck!

Review: Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James

 

 

Practice Makes Perfect

by Julie James

Contemporary Romance

In Practice Makes Perfect, James takes on a whole new meaning when she says “laws of attraction”.

Two of Chicago’s best lawyers, Payton Kendall and J.D. Jameson are in the ultimate contest. Surely a test of how-bad-do -you-want-it , this battle has been eight years in the making, where Payton and J.D. go head-to-head with one another for their dream of being made partner.

But when Ben, their boss tells them that only one of will be made partner, the race is on as Payton and J.D. duke it out in the final haul.

Let me tell you...This is the most entertaining book I’ve had the pleasure to read in some time. Julie James has a way of bringing laughter in all her little books. There’s no question about it. But for some reason, this book seemed to surpass all her other hilarious moments. Ms. James has made me into a crazed fan because of her incredibly smart and agreeable characters, snarky and witty dialogue, one-two punch one-liners and the stream of constant warring between these two? Man, you won’t want to miss out!

It was such a joy to read about Payton and J.D. They have such amazing chemistry, even when they are fighting. I never thought I’d say that I enjoy them equally when they have heating up the sheets or simply heating up in anger and frustration.

Here’s just a snippet of what you’ll encounter if you pick this treasure up:

He would wait for her to come in. Not that he had any fucking clue what he was going to say when he saw her. “Hi, Payton, thanks for the apology, that was nice. Did you see they’ve got muffins in the break room? Oh, by the way, I sliced off one of your heels and shoddily glued it back together hoping it would break off in court and leave you hobbling about like a drunk one-legged prostitute. Have a nice day.”

Somehow, he had a feeling that might not go over so well.

See? You’ll thank me later when you’ve finished reading this one. (“You’re welcome” in advance.)

J.D. Jameson is a man of money. With good looks (yummy smoky blue eyes), a great job (a freakin’ lawyer!), a sports car (definitely not the Prius type), he’s the man that everyone wants to be. But he’s also an asshole. Or as Payton would say, The Asshole. He’s over-confident, never taking no for an answer. He’s controlling and dominating (though that may not be such a bad thing in certain circumstances). And basically all the things that should make me hate him, makes me love him even more!

J.D. can be a douche, no question. But like Pride and Prejudice (read the book and you’ll understand this reference!), Darcy wins the girl by being nice to her. And when J.D. puts on the charm...ladies, be prepared to melt!

 

 

Purchase Links: Amazon

Author of the Month: Julie James

Happy September, Maidens! For this month, we are honored to have the talented and hilarious JULIE JAMES as our Author of the Month! As many of you know, I am a huge fan of Julie's and just adore her books. So I am thrilled to make this announcement as a fan. 

For those of you who aren't familiar with James's work, she is a contemporary romance writer whose titles include Just the Sexiest Man Alive, Practice Makes Perfect, Something About You and A Lot Like Love! Before she was a full-time writer, she was a lawyer and a screenplay writer. Her next book, About that Night will be available in April 2012. Stay tuned for more Julie James here on UTC!

Review: Just the Sexiest Man Alive by Julie James

Just the Sexiest Man Alive

by Julie James

Contemporary Romance

Find it on Goodreads!

Taylor Donovon is a star Chicago lawyer who comes to Los Angeles to represent her firm at an important trial. As a lawyer, Taylor is sharp, efficient and ruthless. But her dating life hasn’t had the same success as her work life.

Betrayed by her fiancé, Taylor finds herself hurt and untrusting towards men. And I don’t blame the girl. Catching your fiancé with his teaching assistant isn’t something a woman needs to experience. With this, it’s no wonder why she is so resistant towards men’s advances.

And then comes the Sexiest Man Alive.

Jason Andrews.

When her boss asks her to do a favor for him, Taylor agrees not realizing that she has just accepted babysitting duty for the number one top celebrity and the three- time “Sexiest Man Alive.”

Jason Andrews is used to getting what he wants. So when Taylor Donovon struts in and points a finger at him for his mistakes, Jason is taken aback by her tenacity. And this intrigues him.

I loved the “cross-examination” part! I thought it was hilarious and Taylor really kicked ass in that scene. For me, the best thing about Taylor’s character was that her feelings where persistent. Despite her growing affections for Jason, she didn’t automatically turn around and start falling to her knees for him. I loved that Ms. James kept that resistance in her throughout this entire book because even though Taylor does fall in love in this one, she doesn’t forget her past hurts.

The fact that there is no sex in this book is an example. Catching your fiancé with another woman is traumatic and has scarred Taylor’s dating life. So there is no way a woman who has been cheated on will suddenly jump in the sack with some guy. Even if he’s the sexiest man alive.

This book was another hit for James. I loved it and if you’re a fan of sweet, smart and witty romances, then this is for you!

Review: Something About You by Julie James

Something About You

by Julie JamesContemporary RomanceFind it on Goodreads! 
Julie James owns me. Something About You is the second book in a row I’ve read by Ms. James and I’m seriously considering another read by her. I just don’t know which one to pick! As I mentioned before, I’m not an avid reader of contemporary romance, but Something About You is a fresh and unique detour for Ms. James since it is the first book that has a suspense subplot. And wow, it’s good!

Cameron Lynde is an assistant US attorney who has dealt with cases involving the FBI before. However, there is one case involving Special Agent, Jack Pallas that has caused bad blood between the two. Cameron presents information to her boss about Jack’s undercover assignment, but her boss decides that they do not have enough to press charges. Understandably, Agent Pallas is pissed and unfortunately, lets his anger get the best of him when says things about Cameron in front of news camera. Instead of being fired for his actions, Pallas gets transferred to Nebraska.

James hits the fast forward button and years later, Cameron and Jack’s world collide once again. This time they meet when Cameron is an ear-witness to a murder in a hotel room and when she learns that the FBI have jurisdiction, she finds herself face-to-face with the man she thought she would never see again.

And sparks fly.

James lathers on the sexual tension in this book until you can’t even spread it anymore. Cameron and Jack’s chemistry was scorching hot and I loved Jack’s intensity and minimal bouts of humor. It made any joke he says to be that much more entertaining and endearing since it’s so rare.

I also want to mention Wilkins, who is Jack’s Special Agent partner. He was hilarious and that Meet Cute concept was hilarious! He’s a good guy.

Overall, this book was fantastic! I love Julie James and I would definitely recommend this book for a great read!

Review: A Lot Like Love by Julie James

A Lot Like Love

by Julie James

Contemporary Romance

Find it on Goodreads!

I have a confession to make. I don’t read many contemporary romance novels. It’s not that I have anything against them. They’re just an avenue I have yet to explore in romance. I’ve heard a lot about Julie James and her books for awhile now. But it wasn’t until the DABWAHA competition that I realized that there must be a reason why readers adore her. And after reading A Lot Like Love, I know why.

I’m not quite sure how to even begin speaking about all the good things about this book. I fear I’ll sound like a complete fangirl and embarrass myself. But you know what? To hell with it! JULIE JAMES ROCKS!

First off, I want to talk about how AMAZING her characters are! When I first read the blurb to ALLL, I saw that the heroine, Jordan Rhoads was a gorgeous blonde (am jealous) and a heiress (even more jealous). With this description, it’s obvious who came to mind first – Paris Hilton (I’m trying to suppress my shudders here). But when I started reading ALLL, I realized that Jordan is NOTHING like what I thought she would be. James surprised me by making Jordan a down-to-earth sweetheart who has a great work ethic and a sassiness that I loved! Jordan is not your typical heiress. In fact, I would definitely agree with Xander and Nick on this and say that Jordan was seriously out of their league! She was a fantastic heroine that I loved to bits!

And then there’s Nick McCall who is a dream! I loved all his sarcastic quips and his don’t-fuck-with-me stare! And let me tell you, the fact that he can handle a gun is hotter as hell! Jordan and Nick were perfect together! I loved their idle banter and their heated arguments. The two were amazing!

I can’t forget Kyle Rhoads aka Sawyer who is Jordan’s brother. Kyle is a trip even as he is doing his time in prison for his twitter meltdown. He has some of the best lines in this entire book and I thought that if Nick or Jordan weren’t such strong characters on their own, then Kyle could have stolen the show! I loved the brother-sister love between Kyle and Jordan. I cannot wait to read About that Night which will be Kyle’s book! So excited!

Apart from the amazing characterization and hot romance, there’s a great suspense subplot that had my eyes glued to the pages. I devoured this book and I almost wished I slowed down a little. In the end, it was worth it. Every page is fantastic. With the right amount of humor, James had me laughing out loud, gaining me some pretty awkward stares in public.

If I wasn’t a Julie James fan before, I certainly am now! For fans of all types of romance, Julie James is one you must check out. A Lot Like Love is a perfect summer read to heat up your vacations! 

P.S. IS THAT JED HILL ON THE COVER?! I recognize that sexy jaw and mouth!

Favourite Quote:
Something inside Nick snapped.
That was his fake girlfriend in there. Sitting at the table where they had just shared cheese fries the night before. And if she thoughts he could throw scorching hot-sex- looks to any pansy-ass scarf-boy who wandered into her shop, she had another thing coming. He had a look of his own to show the douchebag. It was time to break out the don’t-fuck-with-me face.