Tag: historical romance

An update on my reading challenges

On By MikaelaIn Book Recommendations

The Steampunk challenge:
I have tried to read Boneshaker by Cherie Priest, but I haven’t finished it.  I started Viridis, but I haven’t finished that one either.
The Urban Fantasy challenge: 
I have read  Shaded Vision by Yasmine Galenorn,  Summer Storm by Lizette Gifford and  Raven Calls by C.E Murphy.  I will probably post reviews of them, sometime this year.

Here is the thing: I have gradually come to the insight that I am burned out on Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance.   I feel meh about books, even by authors I like. For example:  I should be excited that the next Patricia Briggs novel is out soon, instead I’m not sure I’ll buy it.   I have no idea  if I’ll buy it. All right. I probably will, since it is Patricia Briggs after all.  

So what am I doing to recover?  I am reading other genres. I have a bunch of historical fiction that is unread, and also some Romantic Suspense.  But most of all, I try to shake off the feeling that I have to review every book.  That I can read a book just for fun.

But there is one review coming next week:  Hunter’s Prey by Moira Rogers.  It will be the last one with a paranormal element for awhile. Unless I stumble upon a really good book that I want to spread the word about.

Jennifer Ashley/ Ashley Gardner bargains

On By MikaelaIn Uncategorized1 Comment
crossposted to Mobileread:

While checking out one of the books AT Drake linked to over at Mobileread, I discovered that Jennifer Ashley is self publishing her historical mysteries backlist written as Ashley Gardner. I haven’t read any of them, but they sounds interesting, plus they only cost between 0.99 and 2.99. ( Book 5-7 costs 2.99, but I am not posting those blurbs, since I figure this post gets long enough).
The Hanover Square Affair (Captain Lacey Regency Mysteries #1) ( Novel length. 0.99 atAmazon, Smashwords and BN): 

London, 1816 Cavalry captain Gabriel Lacey returns to Regency London from the Napoleonic wars, his career ignominiously over. He stumbles onto the case of a kidnapping, the accused a prominent MP. Lacey’s search for the girl leads to the discovery of murder, corruption, and dealings with a leader of the underworld. At the same time, Lacey must face the everyday troubles of his own life.

A Regimental Murder (Captain Lacey Regency Mysteries #2)Novel length. 1.99 at Amazon,Smashwords and
BN):
London 1816 After rescuing a lovely woman from an attempted robbery, Captain Lacey discovers that she’s the widow of a colonel who had been accused of murdering an English officer during the recent war. Lydia declares that her husband was innocent and that she knows the true culprits’ identities. Intrigued, Lacey begins to investigate, and soon finds himself mired in scandals past and present.
The Glass House (Captain Lacey Regency Mysteries #3)Novel length. 1.99 at Amazon, Smashwordsand BN( Also 2.99 at BN. Hmm..)):

On a January night in 1817, former cavalry officer Captain Gabriel Lacey is summoned to the banks of the Thames to identify a body. When Lacey looks down at the pretty young woman, cut down too soon, he vows to find her murderer. His search takes him from the seamy streets of the East End, to gatherings of the London ton in Mayfair, to the chambers of respectable Middle Temple barristers.

The Sudbury School Murders (Captain Lacey Regency Mysteries #4) ( 1.99 at Amazon, andSmashwords. 2.99(!) at BN)

In 1817, Captain Lacey takes a post as a secretary at the Sudbury School in Berkshire. He soon finds that the headmaster expects him to discover the source of disturbing pranks that have kept the school in an uproar. The problems intensify when a stableman turns up dead in a lock of the nearby canal. A Romany is arrested for the murder, and Lacey is the only person who believes him innocent.

I have no idea what is going on with the prices. Either she is lowering the price to 1.99, or raising it to 2.99  My advice is to purchase them from Smashwords.

That’s the historical mysteries. Jennifer Ashley is also self publishing a couple of paranormal romances, both part of her Shifters Unbound series.

Bodyguard (Shifters Unbound #2.5) ( Novel, 0.99 at Amazon[/URL],Smashwords, BN)
Elizabeth Chapman is saved from an armed robber by a giant Kodiak bear who shifts into a large, well-muscled, and fully naked human male. Ronan, the Bear Shifter, takes her to Shiftertown for safety, but will only let Elizabeth leave if he becomes her 24/7 bodyguard. The trouble is, the sassy human Elizabeth is triggering Ronan’s long-buried need to find himself a mate.

Shifter Made ( Prequel Short story, 0.99 at Amazon, Smashwords, BN)
Alanna, sister to a Fae prince, returns to medieval Ireland to coerce a Shifter to craft an incredible sword. Niall O’Connell, wildcat Shifter and master sword maker, hates all Fae, but Alanna’s heartbreaking story and beauty are difficult to resist. Together, she and Niall forge a sword that changes Shifter history, at the same time forging an unbreakable bond between their hearts.

__________________

Various bargains

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I have a coupon code from Harlequin that I haven’t posted before, and bunch of e-book deals.

 SPEND4E11 to Save $4 on ebooks at Harlequin.com

Valid until 1/31/12
Must spend a minimum of $4 to qualify.

This puts most of their e-books ( with the exception of Luna and Harlequin Teen) at a price range between 0.05-3 dollar.  However, you must buy the books one at a time.  Otherwise, Harlequin discounts the total price.    Which is still a nice discount, but not as good deal as if you buy the books one at a time.

Oh, and this code will be the only main exception to my decision to not buy e-books.  I have several authors that I intend to buy.

So, the e-books.
Let’s first start with Katie Macalister’s fun historical romps.  Right now, they are available for 0.99 each, which is a bargain. 
Amazon BN Smashwords
Noble Intentions:

Quote:
Noble Britton suffered greatly at the hands of his first wife, and he refuses to fall into the same trap again. This time he intends to marry a quiet, biddable woman who will not draw attention to herself or cause scandal. Gillian Leigh’s honest manner and spontaneous laughter attract him immediately. It matters little that she is accident-prone; he can provide the structure necessary to guide her.

But unconventional to the tips of her half-American toes, his new bride turns the tables on him, wreaking havoc on his orderly life. Perpetually one step behind his beguiling spouse, Noble suffers a banged-up head, a black eye, and a broken nose before he realizes Gillian has healed his soul and proven that their union is no heedless tumble, but the swoon of true love.

 I loved Noble intentions. It made me giggle. It is a bit over the top, but sometimes you need over the top.

Noble Destiny:

Quote:
A poor widow, Lady Charlotte Collins returns to England eager to take her place in the ton, only to find herself shunned by all. Her one choice is to marry a groom with wealth, a title, and good looks, but Alasdair McGregor cruelly refuses to be the answer to her problems. In fact, she is forced by Dare’s obstinacy to take extreme action: the faulty codpiece that leads to this marriage, the wedding that is literally a circus. But nothing can stand between Charlotte and what she wants most: the love of her husband.

 I must admit, that I never finished reading this one.  The heroine annoyed me.   Maybe it was my mood.


The Trouble with Harry:

1. He is Plum’s new husband. Not normally a problem, but when you consider that Harry advertised for a wife, and Plum was set to marry his secretary, there was cause for a bit of confusion.

2. He has a title. Plum has spent the last twenty years hiding from the ton, and now Harry wants her to shine in society? Horrors!

3. He doesn’t know about her shocking secret. How is she going to explain about the dead husband who isn’t a husband…and who now seems to be alive again?

4. He’s fallen in love with her. And yet, the maddening man refuses to confide in her. For Plum knows the real trouble with Harry is that he’s stolen her heart.

I loved this one. A lot.  Like Noble Intentions, it was hilarious.

So for the indie bargains:
Indie phenomen Amanda Hocking offers Hollowland for free at Smashwords and Amazon ( most likely also free at BN).   I downloaded this one, primarily since I want to see what all the buzz is about.

Mindy Klasky have re-issued her paranormal romance backlist novel.  How to Not Make a Wish is the first book in the Wish series about a genie.  It is a funny paranormal romance that is available for 0.99 at Smashwords and Amazon.
She also offers the first book in her Jane Madison series, Girl’s Guide to Witchcraft, for 0.99.  This is a paranormal chicklit.  I have it in paper somewhere, but I haven’t re-read it in years. 
Eve Langlais has discounted The Geek Job to 0.99, also at Smashwords.  It is 2.99 at Amazon, and Allromance, which makes me suspect the price will go up soon.
Debra Webb have a lot of backlist available for 0.99 at  Smashwords.  
The one I plan to buy is Obession.

And for the Fantasy fans: A.A. Attanasio’s Arthur Series is free at Kobo. Since the author have signed up for KDP Select, they will be gone very, very soon. So if you want it, pick it up.  ( I haven’t read it, but I downloaded it since they sounded good).

Review: Unveiled by Courtney Milan

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Unveiled (Turner, #1)Unveiled by Courtney Milan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Particulars: Historical Romance, HQN, available in print and as e-book.
The Review:
The blurb:
Ash Turner has waited a lifetime to seek revenge on the man who ruined his family—and now the time for justice has arrived. At Parford Manor, he intends to take his place as the rightful heir to the dukedom and settle an old score with the current duke once and for all. But instead he finds himself drawn to a tempting beauty who has the power to undo all his dreams of vengeance….

Lady Margaret knows she should despise the man who’s stolen her fortune and her father’s legacy—the man she’s been ordered to spy on in the guise of a nurse. Yet the more she learns about the new duke, the less she can resist his smoldering appeal. Soon Margaret and Ash find themselves torn between old loyalties—and the tantalizing promise of passion….


My impressions:

This is another book that has been in my TBR file for awhile. I have wanted to read Courtney Milan’s book since I have heard good things about her. After reading Unveiled, I am wondering why it took me so long to read it. This is… I am not sure how to explain it. There is so many aspects that affect the characters. When I read it, my heart went out to the characters. Both Ash and Margaret is scarred by their parents. Sometimes, I was amazed that Margaret didn’t help her father on, since she posed as his nurse. But, she didn’t,and that made me like her more. I felt for Ash when he struggled with his guilt over things he did. But, this isn’t a bleak book. More than anything, it is a book about hope, about love.

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Review: The Sergant’s Lady by Susanna Fraser

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The Sergeant's LadyThe Sergeant’s Lady by Susanna Fraser

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Particulars: Historical Romance, Carina Press, e-book.

The Review:
The blurb:

Highborn Anna Arrington has been “following the drum,” obeying the wishes of her cold, controlling cavalry officer husband. When he dies, all she wants is to leave life with Wellington’s army in Spain behind her and go home to her family’s castle in Scotland.

Sergeant Will Atkins ran away from home to join the army in a fit of boyish enthusiasm. He is a natural born soldier, popular with officers and men alike, uncommonly brave and chivalrous, and educated and well-read despite his common birth.

As Anna journeys home with a convoy of wounded soldiers, she forms an unlikely friendship with Will. When the convoy is ambushed and their fellow soldiers captured, they become fugitives—together. The attraction between them is strong—but even if they can escape the threat of death at the hands of the French, is love strong enough to bridge the gap between a viscount’s daughter and an innkeeper’s son?

My impressions:
I picked up this last year, when Kobo had offered selected Carina Press titles for 0.99. For a number of reasons, I didn’t get around to read it until now. This book is on many levels a complex story about survival and second changes. The characters suffers through the whole novel. Even when they are in camp, there is some sort of trouble. The plot is gripping, and with unexpected plottwists. But what I really loved with this book is the settings. I love how the setting is described in a blunt honest way. The dangers with being on the trail, in enemy land, isn’t hidden. But, despite the plotting, and setting which is good I felt that the characters were lacking. Oh, they weren’t bad. They were flawed, but I didn’t feel that they grew. Or maybe it was there and I didn’t discover it.

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Review: When Strangers Marry by Lisa Kleypas

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When Strangers Marry (Vallerands, #1)When Strangers Marry by Lisa Kleypas

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The particulars: Historical Romance, Avon, available as e-book

The review:

The blurb:

Lysette buried her face against Max’s throat. “But he’s going to take me away. Don’t let him, don’t — ” “You’re not going anywhere,” Max interrupted. “Calm yourself, Lysette. It’s not good for you to become excited.” His possessiveness made her strangely giddy. As far as he was concerned, she was his, and no one was going to take her away from him. Max stared at Etienne. His voice was soft, but it contained a note that chilled Lysette’s blood. “If you so much as disarrange a hair on her head, I’ll tear you apart.” Lysette couldn’t believe it, but she didn’t care about her ruined reputation. The only thing that mattered was that she wouldn’t have to marry Etienne.

My impressions:

This was one of the first romance novel I bought in English. I loved it then, and I love it now. It isn’t the most gripping romance novel, and it is probably a bit dated since it is almost 20 years old. But, I just love reading about Maximilien’s and Lysette’s whirlwind romance. It is set in New Orleans, against a backdrop of change and intrigues. No matter how many time I have read it, the story sucks me in. The plot has enough twists to keep up my interest, but what makes me coming back again and again is the characters. The characters is a part of the era, but it feels logical.

I think it is out of print, but if you finds it in the library, grab a copy!

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Bargain round up- the Historical Romance version

On By MikaelaIn Book Recommendations

There is a number of US only deals listed at Dear Author. To minimize the overlap, I have decided to focus on the ones that is available internationally at Allromanceebooks.  It will be a mix of publisher deals, and bestselling authors going indie. The price level I have decided is 4.99.  Why? Mainly because above that it starts to stray into ordinary pricing.

Never a bride by Amelia Grey and The Mistress House by Leigh Michaels is available for free at ARe, Kobo, and Amazon. 

Kensington offers What a Gentleman wants by Caroline Linden for 3.99 and the sequels for 4.79 each.  I read What a Gentleman wants last week and I recommend it.
To tempt a Scotman by Victoria Dahl is available for 3.19, also from Kensington.
So, the selfpublished books.
Caroline Jewel offers 3 selfpublished books at ARe, as do Colleen Gleason.  Don’t forget to check out Courtney Milan’s Unlocked, also at ARe.

Disclaimer: This is just a fraction of the bargains available. Also, I suspect they are available at Amazon and BN as well.

Review: A Tailor-Made Bride by Karen Witemeyer

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A Tailor-Made BrideA Tailor-Made Bride by Karen Witemeyer

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The particulars: Historical Christian Romance, Bethany House, available as e-book and in print.

The Review:

The blurb:

When a dressmaker who values beauty tangles with a liveryman who condemns vanity, the sparks begin to fly!
Jericho “J.T.” Tucker wants nothing to do with the new dressmaker in Coventry, Texas. He’s all too familiar with her kind–shallow women more devoted to fashion than true beauty. Yet, except for her well-tailored clothes, this seamstress is not at all what he expected.

Hannah Richards is confounded by the man who runs the livery. The unsmiling fellow riles her with his arrogant assumptions and gruff manner, while at the same time stirring her heart with unexpected acts of kindness. Which side of Jericho Tucker reflects the real man?
When Hannah decides to help Jericho’s sister catch a beau–leading to consequences neither could have foreseen–will Jericho and Hannah find a way to bridge the gap between them?

My impressions:

I picked up this when it was free on Kobo a couple of months ago. I rarely reads Christian Romance, but something with the blurb snagged my interest. And I am glad I read it. It is hard to explain what I liked most, but the short story is that I fell in love with the writing. It was a light, and hopeful story set in the West. The author had clearly spent time reseaching the setting, since it felt realistic. The plot wasn’t that special, but the characters. Oh my. The characters were a delight. Not perfect, but they were scarred, yet they still had some kind of hope for humanity. It was fascinating to see Jericho’s growth, from loathing Hannah’s work, to accepting it, and the rest of Hannah. Hannah is a strong woman, determinded to succeed.

I wont say anything more, but I encourage you to buy the book. It is well worth the money!

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Review: The Solider by Grace Burrowes

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The Soldier (Duke's Obsession, #2)The Soldier by Grace Burrowes

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Book: The Soldier by Grace Burrowes

The Particulars: Historical Romance, Sourcebooks, available both in print and e-book
Buy at: Amazon , Kobo, BN, ARe, Booksonboard

The Review:

The blurb:

This Regency era battle of wits, wills, and the sexes features a wily duke determined to see the succession of his line secured. The duke can’t force his sons to marry, but he can make their lives miserable until they do. Resisting his pressure, each gentleman holds out for true love.

The second book in the series features Devlin St. Just, the duke’s oldest, but illegitimate, son. He arrives at his new estate weary in body and spirit only to find the previous owner’s bastard daughter and her beautiful cousin are his responsibility and making his life almost unbearably complicated.

My impressions:

I liked Grace Burrowes first book, so when Sourcebooks offered the sequel at a discount I snatched it up. And I loved it. Grace Burrowes made me feel like I was there, watching as Devlin and Emma’s love story unfolded. It is nice, quiet tale that is more focused on the characters internal struggle, than any external conflict. It should have been boring, but it isn’t. Mainly because the characters. I loved how Devlin struggled with the mental scars he had after returning from the war. Emma had her own issues. And that’s the source of the conflict. The whole plot is driven by their flaws and how that affects their relationship.

That it works is a sign of how good Grace Burrowes is. I am looking forward to the last book in the triology.

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