Stepback Saturday is a weekly bookish event held on Romance Instagram and started by the incomparable Lindsay of PinkCowlandReads. Every Saturday, the community shares amazing pictures of the gorgeous art located on the inside cover of our favorite romance novels. We gush, swoon, laugh and enjoy the amazingly bizarre and wonderful art of romance.
There’s also a game element! We only share the stepback and the challenge is to guess the title and author of the book based only on the art.
For the first Stepback Saturday of 2021, I’m going a little non-traditional and I’m thrilled. You ready? Am I ready? I think so.
Okay.
I’m delighted to display the absolutely bonkers wonderful Christmas present my mother gave me. I think my husband has a 10+ minute video of me hugging the box as I stammered with overwhelmed Christmas joy.
No. We won’t be releasing the video.
But here it is, the Christmas gift that had me babbling with glee.
Isn’t it glorious?
In 2003 Mattel released the Jude Deveraux “The Raider” Barbie and Ken Doll Giftset. I discovered “The Raider” Barbie and Ken Doll giftset when I first discovered Stepback Saturday and got swept up into some deep dive research. Always a good time.
With a soft spot for collectable Barbies, and my rapidly growing romance novel obsession this seemed like a match made in niche geek heaven. NEVER did I expect for this amazingly hilarious, absolutely gorgeous, gift set to end up on my bookshelf. But I’m so glad it did.
Look at Barbie’s bedroom eyes!
FabioAlexanderKen’s five’o’clock shadow!
So many abs!
Her dress is falling off her shoulder!!
She truly has a bodice meant to be ripped. I’m obsessed.
*happy sigh*
It’s a perfect thing.
It’s part of a limited edition “Romance Novel Collection” which would imply there would be more than one but it doesn’t seem like the company continued the line.
Clearly, “The Raider” and Ken’s abs broke the mold.
Although it’s highly unlikely we’d ever see more from the Barbie Romance Novel Collection, I like to imagine the other novels and authors that would have been featured.
Can’t you just picture an amazing Joanna Lindsey Barbie and FabioKen??
A Bareknuckle Bastards Collection!! *eee*
Or a BEVERLY JENKINS!!!
OMG *swoon*
They could do a special Bridgerton collection modeled after the actors in the new series!!!
Aaah!!
It’s just too powerful. The world isn’t ready.
For the rest of the month I have a really fun theme planned for future Stepback Saturdays (hint, hint: vintage romance fantasy). Since this was such fun, I plan on continuing to feature Stepback Saturdays on the blog in the near future.
Especially for my offbeat finds.
If you’d like to see my previous entries, you can always come and hang out with me on Instagram.
If you have a special bookish something that’s bringing you joy right now, please let me know in the comments. Happy Saturday, friends!
The crazy bright colors of the MacLean books immediately jumped to my mind too
Wouldn’t it be gorgeous!? Maybe we’ll see it someday. *crossing fingers*