Raine Balkera - Romance Author

A long time ago I read an article about a 'famous' Playboy photographer who let us in on his biggest 'trade' secret to capturing the best photos for the magazine. He said when he starts with a new model, he is silent and refuses to offer the woman any words of encouragement. That way, she becomes desperate and starts to expose herself more, works harder to attract him as a woman, and ends up making love to the 'camera' so-to-speak. This was an eye-opener moment on Manipulative Behavior because at that time, a friend's photographer friend wanted to work with me, and I hated him. He rubbed me the wrong way and was the most insulting creep I had ever met. It confused me why he wanted to take my picture if he had nothing nice to say and treated me like dirt. After reading that Divine Providence article, it made perfect sense. Especially since he wasn't the first rude guy I had encountered back in the day. From about the 6th grade on, I met m...

Of the seven Deadly Sins, invidia (envy) is probably high on my for-shame list. And despite what you've been told, it happens to be a 'healthy' emotion and not as you're-going-directly-to-hell as most want us to believe. As long as the person feeling this way doesn't act on the negative outcome, that is. Although voodoo dolls are an acceptable form of anger management whenever the green-eyed monster rears it's ugly head. Pictures used as a Dart Board are okay, too. Anything else and you risk being labeled as petty or sounding like sour grapes. Unlike most other negative personality traits, Jealousy is probably as easy to control as it is easy to let get out of hand. As with ALL vices, though, it depends on you and how you deal with it. No, it isn't. J ealousy can become an issue of self-confidence if you lack self-control -- which can be said for everything else in life that is difficult to overcome. Overcome it we can, but it...

If you are a regular to my blog, you know that for months now I've been reviewing-for-research Book Reviews of Romance novels. More often than should be occurring, I find reviews that make me wonder what the reviewer read or if they actually read at all. Sometimes the review makes me wonder why that person chose to post a review, and other times, they compel me to share their review with you. Here are three that made the cut and deserve to be poked fun at here. #1 The Agenda Reader To be fair, Amazon Customer has a point. However , the premise of the novel had to do with an abused housewife who then sets out on her own to fulfill a dream and eventually find real love. #2 The Confused Reader Why is this person reading Romance Novels? One-star, mind you. This is thoughtless and cruel. However , nothing says cruel like ... #3 The Clueless Reader This occurs far more frequently than you might believe. 1 comment   beat me to the pu...

I pronounce it with the L, but whatever A woman is at the club with some friends when she notices a guy staring at her, and he smiles. Minutes later, the guy approaches the woman and asks if she'd like to dance. The woman politely declines and the guy walks away. Stalker stalking? No. A woman is at the gym and a guy in another section notices her, makes eye contact, smiles, walks up to her and asks how she's doing, is she single, and would she like to go out sometime. The woman smiles to be polite, says she's seeing someone right now, but thanks for the compliment. The guy says No problem, he's getting together with some friends later on, and if she's interested, here's where the party is at. He then leaves. Stalker stalking? No. A man on a bus/subway train/plane notices a woman seated nearby and is instantly attracted. After summoning up his courage, he approaches the woman, asks her if she'd mind if he sits beside her -- or he a...

Pages -  193 pages Publisher -  Tule Publishing Published -  October 9, 2015 Kindle -   link Genre -  Contemporary, Romance, Cowboys Series -  The Canadays of Montana series #2 Language -  tame Sexual Content -  3:5 SYNOPSIS The Copper Mountain Rodeo has returned to Marietta and cowboy reputations aren’t the only thing at stake… Marietta Kindergarten teacher, Kate Canaday, is doing perfectly well without the ex-love of her life mucking up her intention to stay gloriously uncommitted. So what if she’s become—according to her sisters—a serial dater? If pro-bullrider Finn Scott's untimely defection six years ago taught her anything, it was that men come with an expiration date. And she’s more than happy to oblige them. Trouble is, the sexier-than-ever Finn, now a devoted single father, has just moved to Marietta with his adorable five-year-old twins. He’s in an unexpected custody battle with his ex and too proud to ask Kate fo...

Pages -  400 pages Originally Published -  2003 Publisher -  HarperCollins e-books Publication Date -  October 13, 2009 Kindle -   link Genre -  Regency Romance Series -  Bow Street Runners #3 Language -  mild Sexual Content -  4:5 SYNOPSIS Nick Gentry, the most seductive and dangerous man in England, has been sent to find Charlotte Howard, a runaway bride who has disappeared without a trace. But when he finds her, Nick is stunned by the intensity of his attraction to the elusive young woman whose adventurous spirit matches his own. Determined to escape a forced marriage to a man who will destroy her, Charlotte agrees to an audacious bargain . . . she will become Nick Gentry's bride. But soon she discovers that Nick has secrets of his own, and it will take all her wits and stubborn will to tame his tormented soul. In the desperate quest to protect Charlotte from the diabolical aristocrat who threatens her, one thing...

Pages -  384 pages Original -  Avon, 2002 Publisher -  HarperCollins e-books Published -  October 13, 2009 Kindle -   link Genre -  Regency Romance Series -  Book 2, Bow Street Runners Language -  mild Sexual Content -  4:5 SYNOPSIS Lady Sophia Sydney would do anything to ensnare the unattainable Sir Ross Cannon. Her goal: to ruin his reputation and cause a scandal that would be the talk of all London. So she insinuates herself into his life by gaining his trust and living in his house. Every morning, her lush presence tempts him beyond all reason...the way she bends over the table to serve him the meals she has prepared...the way her hands oh, so gently—yet sensuously—brush against him. Every night, she promises with her eyes—and her body— that the hours before dawn could be spent in unbridled passion instead of restless sleep—if only he'd let her share his bed. She knows he is falling more in love with her ea...

Pages -  384 pages Publisher -  Avon Published -  May 1, 1999 Kindle -   link Genre -  Regency Romance Series -  Bow Street Runners 1 of 3 Language -  mild Sexual Content -  4:5 SYNOPSIS She couldn't remember who she was... A temptingly beautiful woman awakens in a stranger's bed, rescued from the icy waters of the Thames, her memory gone. Told that she is Vivien Rose Duvall, one of London's most scandalous beauties, she finds herself under the protection of enigmatic, charming Grant Morgan. Her life is in his hands. Deep in her heart, she knows he has mistaken her for someone else... He was the only man she could trust. As one of London's most eligible and unattainable catches, Grant Morgan is a man who has known every kind of woman. And the one in his arms now seems so innocent, so vulnerable, that he can't help but be enchanted. And as his love for this mysterious beauty grows, he's determined to unravel the secrets of ...