Harlequin Hottie: Ryan Hansen

Miracles upon miracles all you dedicated Veronica Mars fans (or should I say marshmallows!)…Veronica Mars the movie is finally a thing! 

Thanks to some pretty wicked awesome crowd sourcing initiated by show creator Rob Thomas and main star Kristen Bell on kickstarter.com, this week’s Harlequin Hottie Ryan Hansen will soon be returning to the big screen.

Ryan played Dick Casablancas in Veronica Mars, the epitome of hot bad boy. He was so bad but so damn good at the same time. 

Sure, looking back, his floppy blonde hair looks so 2006. But we’ll forgive him. He’s been looking mighty fine lately in 2 Broke Girls, where he plays the total opposite of Dick; as Candy Andy he’s a totally sweet guy.

Check out the campaign video (funds currently top $3.1 million!) to see Ryan in his finest! But seriously…dude knows how to rock a bathrobe. 

Steamy Sessions with a Sheikh Surgeon

The Sheikh Surgeon’s Proposal

By: Olivia Gates      

The Setting: Fictional desert kingdom of Damhoor, an Arabic land

The Happy Couple:

Janaan Latimer – an emergency doctor, volunteering with a global aid organization 

Sheikh Malek Aal Hamdaan – Prince of Damhoor, Minister of Health and a playboy surgeon

The Set-Up: After her mother commits suicide, Janaan travels to the desert in the kingdom of Damhoor to volunteer her medical skills and find her family roots. On an emergency medical mission, Janaan falls for her boss, Malek, a superior surgeon and mega stud.

The Issue: Working under such close quarters on the mission, it’s hard for this pair to keep their hands off each other. But with Malek set to take the throne as King of Damhoor, he’s in no position to choose his own wife. He must marry, according to tradition, a suitable mate from a neighbouring kingdom. Janaan can’t bear the thought of Malek with another woman, and isn’t satisfied with his solution to be his mistress for life.

Happily Ever After: When Malek ascends the throne after his father’s death, Janaan is sure this is the end of their affair. Though she loves him, she knows they can never be together while he’s King. After six heartsick months apart, Malek takes a page out of King Edward VIII’s book and abdicates the throne, eager to start a family and the rest of his life with Janaan.

Scandalous Scale: Hot n’ Heavy +++     

The Verdict: In a bookstore, The Sheikh Surgeon’s Proposal would be in the curtained-off room labeled ‘adults only’. This is one steamy read. The medical angle adds interest, as do the well-developed backstories of the principle characters. This is the first fictional-setting romance reviewed on this blog, and it definitely did not disappoint!

Harlequin Hottie: Travis Fimmel

Travis Fimmel in Vikings 

I watched the premiere of Vikings this past Sunday on the History Channel and who knew North Germanic warriors, underneath all the grit and blood from their enemies, could look so good.

This week’s Harlequin Hottie, Travis Fimmel plays Ragnar Lothbrok, an unparalleled Viking warrior and brave new explorer in the History Channel's new show. 

Despite his strange Viking hair do (braided mohawks are usually a hair don’t), Travis's rough and tough Viking exterior proves just so damn sexy. 

Maybe it’s the way he holds that shield and wields a battle-axe. Or maybe its his piercing blue eyes and deep voice. 

Eleven years before he became a kick ass Viking, Travis was named one of People Magazine’s sexiest bachelors at the ripe age of 22, alongside the likes of Ben Affleck, Tobey Maguire and Zach Braff.

Travis Fimmel, Calvin Klein magazine ad

Ladies, you might also remember Travis from his Calvin Klein underwear modeling years. 

To watch this week's Harlequin Hottie in action, catch the next Vikings this Sunday @ 10 pm/9c on the History Channel. 

Or, watch full episodes online here

Love at First Sight, with a Lord!

The Aristocrat and the Single Mom

By: Michelle Douglas     

The Setting: Modern times, Nelson Bay, Australia 

The Happy Couple:

Kate Petherbridge – a single mum who runs her own tour boat business

Lord Simon Morton-Blake – a proper English Lord, unaccustomed to ‘fun in the sun’

The Set-Up: Lord Simon travels to Australia, planning to bring home his wild child runaway sister. Instead, he falls for Kate, his sister’s beautiful blonde Aussie friend.

The Issue: When Kate meets Lord Simon, its love at first sight. His impeccable accent, his brilliant smile, his hard body. He seems pretty attracted to her too, until he learns she has a seven-year-old son, Jesse. Lord Simon’s aversion to children stems from a traumatic episode in his early teens, and Kate is hard-pressed to convince him he could be a great father.

Happily Ever After: After only two weeks in Australia, and two searing kisses, Simon finds himself hopelessly in love with single mum Kate. And after endless games of cricket on the beach, he even finds himself bonding with Jesse. Maybe he can be a father after all, especially if Kate says yes to his marriage proposal.

Scandalous Scale: Getting Warmer    

The Verdict: Finally, a romance with a strong and independent(ish) female lead! Kate has her life together and is perfectly happy, even before Lord Simon steps into the picture. It’s actually Lord Simon who’s falling apart. Backstories and subplots keep this minimal action story interesting, though if you’re looking for hot n’ heavy sex scenes, keep looking, this one’s relatively tame.

Harlequin Hottie: Mr. Darcy (Colin Firth)

The sexiest literary lad in all the land 

I went to this fabulous exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History the other day and it was all about food, where it comes from, how it’s processed (in the US mostly, but also around the world) and most interesting, what different people around the world eat, now and in the past. 

They had this whole part of the exhibition that featured what famous people eat including what Michael Phelps eats for breakfast (it’s a lot not-surprisingly) and what historical people like Jane Austen would have had for lunch.

At the Jane Austen station, as we were all remarking that she ate ice cream in a time when freezers didn’t exist, the talk turned (inevitably) to what our favourite Jane Austen books were, our favourite adaptations. Mine, btw, is Pride and Prejudice, but not the abomination starring weird-nosed Keira Knightly. I am partial to the A&E version, starring this week’s Harlequin Hottie, Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy.

Like just look at him, he is sex on toast. The neck cravat, the piercing eyes, the muttonchops, the front hair flow. It all looks even better when he gets all wet. Just saying.

Colin Firth has looked good as Mr. Darcy in more ways than one. While his turn in P&P got us all initially excited, he is perhaps most beloved for his starring role as Mr. Darcy in Bridget Jones Diary. Who can forget his reindeer jumper?

Who’s your literary stud muffin? What fictional man keeps you turning the pages?