February 13, 2013

Fire and Ice Hop


This is the month for romance! For defying the cold nights and curling up with a good novel on your lap, and to revel in the power of love.

Okay, that might have sounded slightly tacky, but it is true: romance is not only hot, it's also vital and when its official holiday comes up, then it's time to give it some thought. And to celebrate with a gift! What am I going to give you, I wonder....

I know! A copy of a book of your choice in the Soul Screamers series! And yes, that includes the omnibus volumes or a preorder of With All My Soul. As long as Book Depository ships to your country, you can win. To enter, just leave me a comment with the answer to this question:

What makes romance perfect for you?

My answer is, of course, related to the series I picked (And from this point on, there are spoilers up to book 5, so if you're not there, feel free to not read on!)
Most times, when we find romance in a book, it's intense and wild and shocking and everlasting. I love that, because usually real life love is complicated and twisted and hard to keep. I think we all need a world colored in pink from time to time! And that's exactly why I admire so much what Rachel Vincent did with this series:

She gave us a perfect hero, she threw her heroine in and let her fall head over heels with the image of the perfect jock, the handsome star. And then... she threw that perfect boy down from the pedestal, showed us he was human and perhaps not quite so perfect. That was eye-opening!

Behind this loss of ideals, though, Vincent developped something else: she allowed an acquitance to grow into camaraderie and then into friendship, almost in the background, the development overarching three books. She let that friendship take roots, slowly, and grow. And suddenly, when one icon falls, we find that, lo and behold, we're left with a real relationship in its place. A relationship based on knowing another person, and liking what you see; based on trust and fun and hard times in equal parts.

I think it was a hue gamble, to give us one hero and then dethrone him in favour of another character, but, though daring, I find it appropiate and, above all, honest with the meaning of love and relationships.

What do you think? I look forward to your answers!

31 comments:

  1. Thanks so much for putting together this post and for offering such a fantastic giveaway for Soul Screamers! I am adding your link to my FB page! I have only read the first one so I can't comment on your questionI need to read more!

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  2. Hi Ron! Thanks for participating in Fire & Ice.

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    1. Oh and what makes romance perfect for me is trust, humor, and some steamy attraction. I think it's sexy when a couple can joke and tease with each other.

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  3. hi,

    i haven't gotten this series so winning the first omnibus would be wonderful ( thank you for opening this to international!)and since i haven't read it my answer isn't related to teh series ( perhaps it will make me change my mind^^) i love when a romance is built progressively when the character learn about each other and then accept themselves for what they are ( i don't like the " we jump in bed then see how it works")

    isabelle(dot)frisch(at)gmail(dot)com

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  4. I love when the romance isn't immediate. And gah, I hate the insta-love. It's so fake. If the characters are already in "love" before they even really know each other, that's just dumb. Love isn't an immediate thing, but happens over time. I don't like it when there's so conflicts in the relationship either. Romance isn't perfect, and it never will be. Thanks for the giveaway (:

    animefreak902(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  5. I love how Rachel Vincent has developed the relationship(s) between Kaylee & the two boys. And I always cheer for the boy that the heroine slowly develops trust and friendship with that naturally transforms into a deep, meaningful relationship. Insta-love drives me crazy!

    Thanks for the giveaway!
    ambience.of.rain {at} gmail.com

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  6. I still haven't read this series yet..so I am clueless..it is on my wishlist! thanks for sharing :)

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  7. I love all of Rachel Vincent's books!! I love romance that has depth to it. Something that has grown into something real. It needs to have that passion and spark, but also a good base of friendship and trust. It can't be perfect. Real life isn't perfect. There are always issues and complications that couples need to work through, though not quite as harsh as Kaylee. (For most people anyways lol)

    booklovingme AT gmail DOT com

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  8. What makes romance perfect for me is when it builts up little by little, not out of nowhere. And when it's something more than just physical attraction but something that connects the two people involved. And when they are a rock to each other and balance.

    Thank you for the international giveaway, fingers crossed because I haven't read this series :)

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  9. I think what makes perfect romance is a love that is build slowly with meaningful reasons, instead of physical attraction, like love at first sight (even though I do believe in it ;)) and the time allows to have funny moments and happy memories, sometimes I think some stories are too short, even series are too short, because romance story can't be all told in books, because love is forever <3 !
    Ok maybe I've been too romantic since it's valentine's day ;)
    Thanks for the giveaway !

    katyintello(at)yahoo(dot)fr

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  10. What makes romance perfect for me? I like that in-between time in the middle, when the relationship is growing, and you just really want the characters to get together, but they're not yet! So, I guess... the yearning? I love that tension.

    realityisnovel at g mail dot com

    I haven't read this series either, but it is on my TBR list. It looks so good, and I've had really good luck with the Harlequin Teen imprint.

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  11. The perfect romance for me is to have someone make me laugh, respect my thoughts and opinions, and of course to allow for me to wear the pants in the family! LOL This series looks amazing. I hadn't previously heard of it but have now added them all to my wish list. I had to pass up reading because of the spoilers but I was so tempted!

    Thanks for the great giveaway,
    Marlena
    charmedpoms(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  12. The perfect romance is where the romance slowly builds and intensifies, and where characters are real and not completely perfect :) And I completely agree with what you said about the Soul Screamers books! It was totally refreshing to have the perfect boy not seem so perfect after all :)
    Lacey
    laceyblossom1(at)gmail(dot)com

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  13. The perfect romance for me is when we have complicity, chemistry and respect :).
    Thank you for the international giveaway!
    roxana(dot)zuziac(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  14. I love the happily ever after and the connection between people!!
    Thanks for the giveaway!
    mestith at gmail dot com

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  15. A perfect romance would have love, trust, faith, and hope.
    videoclimber(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  16. For me a perfect romance is when there`s beautiful and strong chemistry between the characters, and I like when there are a lot of problems, obstacles, etc. for them to overcome and deal with before the happily ever after. So in the end everyone knows it was worth it despite all the negative/bad/tragic aspects of their (characters`) stories. I also appreciate when they have their own weaknesses and they are not just pure perfect creatures.
    Thanks for making the giveaway INT! :)

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  17. chemistry!!

    Thanks for the chance to win!
    Froggy
    froggarita@gmail.com

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  18. Romance is perfect when the two people involved balance one another out. I love it when there is problems for the two to work out and grow closer because of.

    -Jessi
    Shinyxoxmuffins at yahoo dot com

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  19. Romance is perfect when the two people just get each other like no one else does.
    Thanks for the giveaway!
    oceanangel_92(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  20. For me, romance is perfect when two different and imperfect persons can see just the perfection ok each other
    botezatu_paula(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  21. For me, it's the attraction, love, and just comfort of being with that person :)
    Thanks for the awesome giveaway!
    cassandrahicks1989@yahoo.com

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  22. This is my favorite series of all time! Exactly what you described makes this series unique for me! We can read so many books about a girl falling in love with the perfect boy, a boy who is popular, hot and witty. I admire Rachel for writing the romance so honestly! For me this book describes what the true love means. Two people who are best friends, trust each other and they're the centre of each other's universe.
    Thank you for this amazing giveaway!

    verusbognar (at) gmail (dot) com

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  23. What makes a romance perfect for me is when the people in love are friends with chemistry. I like it when there are flaws, when people aren't perfect, but despite everything they love each other, they love each other because they're imperfect but together they're stronger. I also love it when a romance has people who know how to talk to each other instead of having silly fights over misunderstandings.

    AWESOME post:)

    Thank you:)

    ccfioriole at gmail dot com

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  24. Romance for me is good, when the two people just can`t deny or ignore that they need and want eachother any longer. Doesn`t matter that specific story line but seeing them work together to overcome the problem is always great

    xo_veronica16[at]hotmail[dot]com

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  25. For me perfect romance is simply the connection between 2 souls who care foe each other. And when i read about the little things that make you truly believe that there is soulmate for everyone. And all you need to do is try and let your heart be won

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  26. What makes romance perfect for me is when it makes you feel those butterflies in your stomach that remind you of your first love and how it felt to go through that for the first time! Also, I greatly enjoy depictions of EQUAL relationships, with lots of humor and (snarky/playful) banter back and forth. I don't need graphic depictions of sex acts (I don't need a manual!!), I'd much rather have a great kiss and most of the rest left to the imagination.

    Also, just wanted to say a huge THANKS for this awesome giveaway!! I haven't read any of this series yet but have been wanting to for a while!! I've greatly enjoyed the Fire & Ice month o' hotness, thanks to all of y'all who've participated!

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  27. I love the happy endings, because they not always are in real life.

    spamscape [at] gmail [dot] com

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