In Which Kati Falls in Love Again and Other Minutiae

I'm reading Bound by Your Touch by Meredith Duran, which would be unremarkable except that I have attempted to read her first book, Duke of Shadows, probably six or seven times and still haven't been able to get into it. But this book is...utterly absorbing.

It's been a while since I've fallen for a hero as hard as I've fallen for James Durham, Viscount Sanbourne. No seriously. When we meet James, he is dispassionately watching yet another in a long line of inappropriate parties being given by him. He's high as a kite on some sort of "concoction" that has Lord knows what in it (opiates of some sort), and he's watching a woman who society thinks is his fiancee have a falling out with her lover. And all the while, he has a running monologue that alternates between hilariously droll and completely aware of how ridiculous his life seems. James is everything that I love in a hero. He's dissipated, self aware, wickedly smart, but hiding it and finds humor in most everything. That is, until he thinks something isn't funny. He's got the looks of a fallen angel, is remarkably loyal to those he loves, and lives for making a scandal to embarrass his father, whom he hates with a fiery passion. I'm in the midst of Chapter 8 right now, and I'm finding myself reveling in the deliberation that Duran uses in her writing. It's as if every word is specifically chosen. I can almost see her deliberating on which word to use in a sentence. Yet at the same time, she has the deftest touch with humor, making us understand that James will go to most any length to humiliate his father. But all the while, we understand that he has a reason for every action.

An example:

James has just crashed a dinner party that his parents are giving. He's come because he's discovered that our heroine, Lydia Boyce's father has sold him a phony artifact, and after his first encounter with her, is determined to make her pay. Plus, it's an opportunity for him to needle his father, something he revels in.

The interruption cast a pall over the gathering. As dining resumed, the only sound was the clink of silverware and crystal. Lydia peeked at the earl. His color was very high and he had not retrieved his fork. His glower was fixed firmly on his son.

The son took no note of it. With overstated enthusiasm, he'd begun to consume a quail. "Very tasty," he said. And then, after the next bite: "My, my. As delicious as irony."

These comments did not reinvigorate the conversation.

For me, the picture is just so clearly drawn. I can feel the tension in the room, although truly Duran hasn't gone to great lengths to describe the scene.

Anyway, I'm in love with James Durham. I just thought I should mention it.

On to other topics:

I saw The Proposal tonight. It was a cute movie, and I will admit to finally understanding what some of the hoopla over Ryan Reynolds is. I've seen him in plenty of other movies and never really got the appeal, but he was truly adorable in this movie. And he and Sandra Bullock have nice chemistry, even if the article I read in People magazine which said that they vacation together (with their spouses) made that whole naked scene a little weird. But it's a cute movie, not sure it's really worth the $8.50 (that was matinee pricing!) but cute nonetheless.

You may have heard that this week is RWA, here in DC. I'm quite excited to head downtown to see many of my author and blogger friends. I've been lucky enough to get invited to several parties, and will definitely be attending the literacy signing on Wednesday. Over 500 authors, signing books? I'm so there. Plus, I should finally be able to meet Nora Roberts. Hopefully I won't act like a total squealy fangirl. I'm also quite looking forward to finally meeting Nalini Singh, whose work I adore. And I'll finally get to meet many of my blogger friends who I've "known" online for years, including: Katiebabs, Lisabea, Wendy, KristieJ and many others. It's going to be a really fun week!

What are you up to this week? Reading anything good? Seen any good movies?