I hereby call to order this meeting of the Avon Historical Romance Book Club.

Yes, that's right, I'm starting my very own, online, historical romance reading group. (Just like a regular book club, minus the wine and crudités).

Why, you might ask? Well, while "doing research" (read: playing around) on the Avon Authors forum, I saw a post (which of course I can't find a link to now) asking why there were no romance reading groups. That got me to thinking--wouldn't it be fun to try and start my own?!?

Through a long and arduous vetting process that consisted of grabbing the only book I haven't read that happened to be sitting on my desk at the time, I've decided that our inaugural pick will be...

THE LAST HELLION by Loretta Chase. Written in 1998, we've just re-released the book this month with an absolutely gorgeous new cover.

I will do my reading at lunch over the next couple of weeks. I hope many of you will, too. I plan on usurping the blog on Thursday, December 4th at 4pm for anyone who is interested in chatting.

Also, at this time, I'm taking suggestions for the next pick! What are your thoughts? Are there any romance novels you've been dying to talk about with a group of like-minded online buddies? Are any of you already involved in a regular book club? Do they have themes or is it a book free-for-all?

A ferocious conflict of wills...

Vere Mallory, the Duke of Ainswood, has everything--he's titled, he's rich, he's devastatingly good looking--and he seems determined to throw it all away. Disreputable, reckless, and wild, the last of the Mallory hellions is racing headlong to self-destruction...until a mind numbingly beautiful blonde Amazon knocks him off his feet--literally.

An incendiary passion...

Lydia Grenville is dedicated to protecting London's downtrodden. Dissolute noblemen like Ainswood are part of the problem, not the solution. She would like him to get his big, gorgeous carcass out of her way so that she can carry on with her work. The problem is, Ainswood can no more resist a challenge, especially in female form, than he can resist the trouble she seems to attract.

If they can only weather their personal firestorm...they might survive the real danger that threatens all they hold dear.

THE LAST HELLION by Loretta Chase