The Pregnant Proposition by Sandra Paul is a fun read.  This well written book is loaded with drama, humor and lovable characters.  I enjoyed The Pregnant Proposition and look forward to reading more from Sandra Paul in the future.  This is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger.

Fresh cut grass, dusty books, coffee, and panic. School must be back in session.

Right this moment, thousands of new Grad Students are wondering what they have gotten themselves  into.

Enjoy some great romances featuring Graduate Students. 

1. The Rosie Project: A Novel by Graeme Simsion 

The art of love is never a science: Meet Don Tillman, a brilliant yet socially inept professor of genetics, who’s decided it’s time he found a wife. In the orderly, evidence-based manner with which Don approaches all things, he designs the Wife Project to find his perfect partner: a sixteen-page, scientifically valid survey to filter out the drinkers, the smokers, the late arrivers. 

Rosie Jarman possesses all these qualities. Don easily disqualifies her as a candidate for The Wife Project (even if she is “quite intelligent for a barmaid”). But Don is intrigued by Rosie’s own quest to identify her biological father. When an unlikely relationship develops as they collaborate on The Father Project, Don is forced to confront the spontaneous whirlwind that is Rosie―and the realization that, despite your best scientific efforts, you don’t find love, it finds you.

2. The Reluctant Nerd by Sandra Paul

Graduate student Ernestine St. Bennett is intrigued by a nerdish new tenant in her apartment complex and decides to help him overcome his apparent social ineptness by applying the same scientific tactics that work on her fish. Little does Ernestine know that Simon Prime is really Sam Pierce in disguise, an ex-cop turned private investigator--a man who definitely does not need his masculinity enhanced! 

3. Gabe by Lori Foster 

Gabe Kasper, heartthrob of Buckhorn County, could have had any woman he wanted--if he'd had a mind to settle down. Which he didn't. The freedom of being a jack-of-all-trades with no one to answer to suited him just fine. And then a prickly, uptight, red-haired college woman showed up...

Elizabeth Parks needed Gabe to complete her thesis on heroism, but he didn't seem to think saving a couple of lives made him a hero. She was inclined to agree that he seemed like the exception to the rule. Until he rescued her heart and soul with his fearless passion.

4. Talk Dirty to Me by Inez Kelley and Ginny Glass 

Biologist Nora MacGregor is frantic when she loses her dissertation notes on female sexuality—and some very personal fantasies. Then a sinful stranger calls with a wicked proposition: if she talks dirty to him, he'll return her notes, page by page. "James" allows Nora to explore her deepest desires and challenges her clinical ideas about sex. But James can't give her the loving touches she finds in her budding relationship with Dr. Jarod Reed.

Jarod seized an opportune moment to fulfill his desire for Nora by becoming the mysterious James. While the anonymous, erotic phone sessions are unforgettable, Jarod longs to tell Nora he wants more than just talk. But how can he confess his deception without it costing him the chance to make their fantasies a reality?

5. Go Fetch by Shelly Laurenston

How much trouble can one small female be to a modern-day shapeshifting Viking? Well…it really depends on local gun laws.

Conall Víga-Feilan, direct descendent of Viking shifters, never thought he’d meet a female strong enough to be his mate. He especially didn’t think a short, viper-tongued human would ever fit the bill. But Miki Kendrick isn’t some average human. With an IQ off the charts and a special skill with weapons of all kinds, Miki brings the big blond pooch to his knees—and keeps him there.

Miki’s way too smart to ever believe in love and she knows a guy like Conall could only want one thing from her. But with the Pack’s enemies on her tail and a few days stuck alone with the one man who makes her absolutely wild, Miki is about to discover how persistent one Viking wolf can be.

6. Some Girls Bite by Chloe Neill

Sure, the life of a graduate student wasn't exactly glamorous, but it was Merit's. She was doing fine until a rogue vampire attacked her. But he only got a sip before he was scared away by another bloodsucker and this one decided the best way to save her life was to make her the walking undead.

Turns out her savior was the master vampire of Cadogan House. Now she?s traded sweating over her thesis for learning to fit in at a Hyde Park mansion full of vamps loyal to Ethan Lord o the Manor Sullivan. Of course, as a tall, green-eyed, four-hundred- year-old vampire, he has centuries? worth of charm, but unfortunately he expects her gratitude? and servitude. But an inconvenient sunlight allergy and Ethan?s attitude are the least of her concerns. Someone's still out to get her. Her initiation into Chicago's nightlife may be the first skirmish in a war and there will be blood.

7. Hard and Fast  by Erin McCarthy

Grad student Imogen Wilson is researching the dating and mating patterns of stock car racers. Sexy and reckless Ty McCord is the ideal test subject, until Imogen falls for him-hard and fast.

8. The Bachelor Meets His Match by Arlene James

Tweed-clad professor Morgan Chatam has been the subject of countless student crushes at Buffalo Creek Bible College. But grad student Simone Guilland knows that a relationship with Morgan is out of the question. Even if he weren't her advisor, the secrets from her past prevent them from having a future. In all his years at BCBC, Morgan has never once felt drawn to one of his students—until Simone. He knows he should keep his distance. Simone deserves someone younger, someone who can give her things he cannot. And yet, he can't shake the feeling that his chance at happily-ever-after may just lie in her hands. 

9. One Fine Cowboy by Joanne Kennedy 

Nate Shawcross is perfectly content to spend his days training wild horses. So when a beautiful greenhorn unexpectedly shows up for a seminar from the famous "Horse Whisperer" of Wyoming, all Nate wants to do is send her packing...

Graduate student Charlie Banks came to the ranch to learn about horse communication, but when she meets the ruggedly handsome cowboy, she starts to fantasize about another connection entirely...

Nate needs to stay focused if he's going to save his ranch from foreclosure, but he can't help being distracted by the brainy and breathtakingly sexy Charlie. Could it be that after all this time Nate has finally found the one woman who can tame his wild heart?

10. Faking It  by Cora Carmack 

Mackenzie "Max" Miller has a problem. Her parents have arrived in town for a surprise visit, and if they see her dyed hair, tattoos, and piercings, they just might disown her. Even worse, they’re expecting to meet a nice wholesome boyfriend, not a guy named Mace who has a neck tattoo and plays in a band. All her lies are about to come crashing down around her, but then she meets Cade.

Cade moved to Philadelphia to act and to leave his problems behind in Texas. So far though, he’s kept the problems and had very little opportunity to take the stage. When Max approaches him in a coffee shop with a crazy request to pretend to be her boyfriend, he agrees to play the part. But when Cade plays the role a little too well, they’re forced to keep the ruse going. And the more they fake the relationship, the more real it begins to feel.

Let me know if I forgot to mention your favorite Romance Novel Ph.d or Master;s Candidate! 

To vote for the best of the best, go to my Goodreads list: Dissertation: Gradutate Students in Romance

I hope you have been enjoying my Back to School: Univerity Addition lists!

Professors Heroes, and College Student Heroes and Heroines are available on the blog for your glomming pleasure. 

If you ask me what my favorite troupes are I will tell you Marriage of Convenience and Friends to Lovers but if you ask me what my favorite character type is it would have to be the Genius. 

And yes with the all the stereotypes of focus and absentmindedness. I love knowledge and talent and grit.  I love learning so that is a side benefit to these kinds of characters as well.  I always pick up new knowledge random though it may be. 

I adore genius heroines the most. I like that they are often focused on something else than the hero and need to find balance in their life and work the hero into their life. 

So, I am going to do a series of lists on the Genius Hero and Heroine so that you too might find a love for this character type. 

What is a genius exactly? I tried to go with the wider definition of the term and include all the types. 

Here is what our friend Wiki says...

A genius is a person who displays exceptional intellectual ability, creativity, or originality, typically to a degree that is associated with the achievement of an unprecedented leap of insight. This may refer to a particular aspect of an individual, or the individual in his or her entirety; to a scholar in many subjects (e.g. Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz or Leonardo da Vinci)^[1] or a scholar in a single subject (e.g., Albert Einstein or Charles Darwin). There is no scientifically precise definition of genius, and the question of whether the notion itself has any real meaning has long been a subject of debate.

Note no women were given as examples. Bah. Woman Geniuses are being reclaimed for the ages (I will talk about this in a later post)  but the truth is women didn't get to chance to fly in this way for a long time and even now our thinking around "smart" is still a bit stunted. 

We tend to think of genius in the Sciences especially but there is all kinds of brilliant all kinds of fields.  Let'em shine. 

Here are some of my favorite Contemporary Romance Heroines who are sexy smart. 

1. Nobody's Baby But Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Physics professor Dr. Jane Darlington

2.  All A Good Night, "Finding Mr. Right"  by Jill Shalvis, Maggie Bell, Chemist

3. You've Got Male by Elizabeth Bevarly,  Avery Nesbitt, Hacker 

4. Falling for the CEO  by Audra North, Finance genius Meredith Klaus 

5. Girl Least Likely to Marry by Amy Andrews Scientist Cassie Barclay

6. The Reluctant Nerd by Sandra Paul, Graduate student Ernestine St. Bennett

7. The Nerd and the Marine  by D.R. Grady  Lainy Morrison, Electronics Expert

8. Mackenzie's Mission by Linda Howard Weapons Expert Caroline Evans 

9. Neanderthal Seeks Human by Penny Reid Janie Morris. Architect/Account

10. Just One Taste by Louisa Edwards  Dr. Rosemary Wilkins, Food Scientist 

11. The Shy Bride by Lucy Monroe,  Cassandra, Pianist

I would love your recommendations! 

If you would like to vote for the best of the best in Genius Contemporary Heroines go to the Goodreads list: Sexy Smart: Best Genius Heroines of Contemporary Romance

Please look for the following post in this series: 

Certified: Best Genius Hero in Paranormal Romance 

Smarty Pants: Best Genius Heroes of Contemporary Romance 

Supersmart: Best Genius Heroines of Paranormal Romance 

Keen Minds: Best Genius Heroines Of Historical Romance

Tome: Sexiest Genius Hero Of Historical Romance 

If you would like to check out Genius Women of Today and Yesterday go to the Pinterest Board: Sexy Smart: Best Genius Heroines of Romance.

Fun facts:

Shakira is certified genius as is Alica Keys, Goldie Hawn, Sharon Stone, Janye Mansfield, Judy Holiday, and Charo. 

I actually don't read romance novels for the sex.  LOL. I swear. I like the sex. A lot. But I read romance novels for the psychology of all kinds of relationships and for the world building and for the happily ever afters.  Oh, and love. 

What happily ever after means to me is that no matter what goes down in that book, its going to be all right at close of cover. Its fiction and I enjoy that.

I do love me some good sexy times as well. Good sex in a romance novel is grand. I like all kinds of stream levels and have adored a close door romance as much any erotica. 

My favorite kinds of sex scenes are those that feel possible, emotionial and real. 

I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorites romances with this kind of sensuality.

First a list of love stories with great make out and kissing scenes,  the couples slowly round the bases...

1. Dragos Takes A Holiday (A Novella of the Elder Races) by Thea Harrison 

2. Scandal by Amanda Quick

3. The Sweetest Thing, Simply Irresistible and  Forever and a Day  by Jill Shalvis

4. The Reluctant Nerd by Sandra Paul

5. Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas

6. Dangerous Curves Ahead by Sugar Jamison

7. Kiss the Bride, The Chocolate Thief,  and The Chocolate Rose by Laura Florand

8. Live and The Story Guy (Novella) by  Mary Ann Rivers

9. Big Boy by Ruthie Knox 

10. Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn

Moving beyond kissing...

My favorite romances with emotional and real sex scenes:

1. Get Lucky by Suzanne  Brockmann 

 2. Marrying the Royal Marine by Carla Kelly

3. Whisper Falls: A Destiny Novel by Toni Blake

4. Hearts and Swords by Robin Owens

5. Slightly Dangerous by Mary Balogh

6. Yours To Keep (The Kowalskis) by Shannon Stacey

7. Vision In White by Nora Roberts

8. What the Librarian Did by Karina Bliss

9. STRANDED! by Pepper Pace

10. Sheltered by Charlotte Stein 

I could list every Laura Florand book here and every Ruthie Knox book but I won't. I can restrain. Sometimes. 

So, what are your favorite sexy scenes? Kissing? Making out? Touching love scenes? The flirt? Gimme!

If you would like to vote for the best of the best, I have two Goodreads lists for you! Making Love: Best Real and Emotional Sexy Times in Romance Novels and Steaming Up the Windows: Best Make Out and Kiss Scenes in Romance Novels.

And for your Pinterest pleasure--book covers and classy sexy images: Steaming Up the Windows and Great Emotional and Real Love Scenes in Romance Novels.

Pets, in general, add a lot of comic relief to a romance novel.  Unusual pets even more so!

So here is a list of Romances featuring the odd pet--goat, fish, hedgehog, pig, hawk...and so on. 

They will make you smile. 

1.  Sorceress of Faith (The Summoning, Book 2) by Robin D. Owens featuring the great Tuck the hamster.

2. Wait for You by J. Lynn has a lovely iguana. 

3. The Reluctant Nerd ((An SP Retro Romance)) by Sandra Paul Waldo the fish is priceless. 

4. Penelope ( A Madcap Regency Romance ) (The Fairweather Sisters) by Anya Wylde Bathsheba the goat. 

5. Love In The Afternoon (Hathaways) by Lisa Kleypas Medusa the Hedgehog

6. Bewitching by Jill Barnett Beezle the Weasel.

7. Silver Master by Jayne Castle Araminta and Max, the dust bunnies

8. Kiss an Angel by Susan Elizabeth Phillips Tater the Elephant

9. It Must Be Love by Rachel Gibson Sam the Parrot

10. The Proposition by Judith Ivory Freddie the Ferret

There is more unusual pet fun to be had! Hawks, foxes....Check out the Goodreads list: Unusual Pets in Romances and as always I would love to know who your favorite unusual pet in a Romance is!