Series...

Today, Standoff, the last book in this story arc of my Cascadia Wolves series, releases from Samhain.

I love this cover! Anne Caine does a great job but I must say I've loved every single cover in this series. They've all been so pretty and done so well - I've had great cover mojo. But it's over. In the last year I've ended two series - this one, my Cascadia Wolves and my Chase Brothers books. I'll continue on with both worlds. In fact I've already contracted Unexpected, Megan's story for August and I really want to write Nathan Murphy's story to revisit Petal. But while I love series and the sense of home I can build with a cast of characters readers can revisit time and again, I think it's best if they don't drag on too long. I want to end when readers want more, not when they're reading and thinking, "Gah, she really neededed to stop this series two books ago!"

Series enable an author to really dig deep, to create a world built over many books. What that means is I can take a town like Petal and breathe real life into her. I can give Petal traditions like Homecoming, which I've come back to in every story. Or in the case of this particular family, the Christmas proposal or wedding. I love that. I love that as a reader! I love how I can take werewolves and create government. Law and order and lawlessness too. I've had four books to build a paranormal universe in, which has been a treat. Four books to build the suspense with the werewolf mafia. I'm spoiled and it's been a great ride.

I think about Nora Roberts' trilogies and I think she as the right idea. She builds enough to give readers a sense of something big and sweeping and yet intimate at the same time. Very few authors can take it more than four books in the same story setting and make it work over and over. Kim Harrison can (I just finished The Outlaw Demon Wails this last week and OMG! it was fab), Nora as JD Robb can do it with her In Death books - but in a fully realized romance world you don't see it as often and after book five, it begins to seem all a big stretch (sister's best friend's baby sitter's brother in law's best friend). I do love spin offs though! Like I love cupcakes. I'll eat up every book related to the family Jenny Cruisie introduces us to in Welcome To Temptation (and Davy's story was so good!), or the Chesapeake books from Nora, or SEP's Chicago Stars. There's something really special about returning to a world you've loved so much.

What about you all? What do you like best about series? Do you read them? Which ones?

PS - I've been lucky enough to get early reviews on this one: 5 Nymphs - I’ll say up front that I loved this story. It has everything needed to make a great book…a well written and plotted ongoing storyline, great secondary characters well integrated from previous books and two sexy, determined and dedicated individuals as our hero and heroine. It’s a thrilling story that pulled me in from the very first words and kept me racing through its pages until I reached the action filled end.

4 1/2 stars from JERR: Lauren Dane has done a magnificent job of combining awesome characters and a sparkling plot. I only hope that this is not the last installment in the Cascadia Wolves series.

5 Blue Ribbons from Romance Junkies: I loved the intensity of this storyline and the emotional connections between the characters, but I especially adored Grace’s honest reactions and willingness to stand up for herself. She does it with such style that I found myself immersed in each heated scene. If you’re reading this book solely for the romance, Ms. Dane doesn’t disappoint there either. There’s tons of red hot steamy sexy scenes and of course with a couple that butts heads as often as Cade and Grace do, there’s plenty of make up sex that’ll leave you hot and bothered. Beautifully written Ms. Dane. I’ll be anxiously awaiting more Cascadian Wolves tales in the near future.