Free and bargain romance ebooks + Discussion January 2014

[copyrite]

The Kindle First January Pick in the Romance Category is Mint Juleps and Justice (An Adams Grove Novel) by Nancy Naigle.

From the Editor
I’m a big-city girl through and through. But curled up with Mint Juleps and Justice, I wished I were from a small town. My cozy corner of choice? Adams Grove, Virginia, the heart and soul of Nancy Naigle’s book.

What I love most is that the town is a character itself. In Adams Grove, Nancy has created a warm, spirited place where the ladies shop for family BBQs at the Piggly Wiggly as they trade gossip in the aisles. Where sweet-smelling honeysuckle grows on picturesque, winding Old Horseshoe Road. Where the scones at the local bakery are as fresh as the romance. It’s a place where I actually wanted everyone to know my name.

The truly special part? Nancy made Adams Grove a town where people can’t help falling in love—including Brooke, who retreats here after her divorce. She crosses paths with Mike, who’s trying to heal his own war-torn heart. They pair up to figure out who’s been lurking around (and snooping inside) Brooke’s home. Once they do, Adams Grove—and their love—becomes a safe haven for the couple, a place of solace and protection that they never expected to find. Even if their neighbors are on the nosy side.

Oh, and did I mention the food? It’s the meals in Adams Grove that bring the characters closer—in friendship, in family, and in love. I felt like I was sitting right back in my Grandma Ruby’s kitchen in Alabama, anxiously waiting for her honey-baked ham and buttery cornbread. For her, food was love. And in Adams Grove, with its scandalous goings-on and earnest matchmakers, love is what makes folks live—and delight—in their town for generations.
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- Kelli Martin, Acquiring Editor

other Kindle First titles for January here.

[copyrite]

Originally Posted by Sydney's Mom

I used the "send to another device" feature to send them to my pw. I usually just send freebies to K4PC and add them to Calibre once and awhile (fixing covers and titles and tags when you are adding 45 new books is a pain!) So I having these on my pw they can go to the top of my TBR.

Happy 2014 Everyone!

I don't add all free titles I purchase to Calibre. Anything I'm not going to read any time soon (I know I probably shouldn't even click, but well, I'm not ready to join 1-Clickaholics just yet!) I will send to my Kindle Cloud Reader. Anything I'm definitely adding to Calibre goes to my PW, so it's easy to see what titles I want to add to Calibre when I connect the PW via USB.

[TallMomof2]

Another excellent book is Cottonwood by R Lee Smith. The romantic elements aren't as prominent as other books by Smith but they are there and it's the romantic love that ultimately drives the plot. It's a difficult book to read because of the violence but it is very well written.

I read Heat, too and it's not as good but it was written years before Gann and Cottonwood and you can see how much Smith has developed as a writer.

Currently, I'm working my way through The Lords of Arcadia series by Smith. Very enjoyable fantasy with realistic characters. The series has romantic elements but romance is not the central theme.

I'm so glad I found R Lee Smith through this thread. It wouldn't have happened if we were limited to reporting freebies. Thanks, ladies (and any lurking gentlemen).

[KyBunnies]

Originally Posted by copyrite

I don't add all free titles I purchase to Calibre. Anything I'm not going to read any time soon (I know I probably shouldn't even click, but well, I'm not ready to join 1-Clickaholics just yet!) I will send to my Kindle Cloud Reader. Anything I'm definitely adding to Calibre goes to my PW, so it's easy to see what titles I want to add to Calibre when I connect the PW via USB.

My problem is I download stuff for myself, my son, my nieces, my aunts (3 at last count). All read something different. All kindles / apps connected to my account. Anytime I find something I think they would like I download to the kindle for pc then move to Calibre and when they want something I send to that device or they come see me.

My son does not want to manage / look for books to read. My nieces are both under 16 so I do not trust them to not download something they shouldn't read. My aunts are just old and confused about everything in downloading.

I finally have all but around 100 books in Calibre. Slowly working on adding metadata, tags, price, which person, etc. One day I will have all of this organized. Will be easier since I have it all on my hard drive and not the computer. So when I change computers I will not have lost anything well hopefully.

[danicca]

Originally Posted by library addict

Nora Roberts' The Next Always is on sale at Amazon for $3.99

I paid full price for that one, but I re-read it so it's not a real loss. This is great price.

[copyrite]

Originally Posted by KyBunnies

My problem is I download stuff for myself, my son, my nieces, my aunts (3 at last count). All read something different. All kindles / apps connected to my account. Anytime I find something I think they would like I download to the kindle for pc then move to Calibre and when they want something I send to that device or they come see me.

My son does not want to manage / look for books to read. My nieces are both under 16 so I do not trust them to not download something they shouldn't read. My aunts are just old and confused about everything in downloading.

I finally have all but around 100 books in Calibre. Slowly working on adding metadata, tags, price, which person, etc. One day I will have all of this organized. Will be easier since I have it all on my hard drive and not the computer. So when I change computers I will not have lost anything well hopefully.

I can see how that could get very confusing!

I'm a paranoid backupper... after every decent sized batch and/or edit, I back up to an external hard drive, a more portable drive, to my husband's computer (that he doesn't realize I'm doing LOL), and once a month or so to my laptop.

[Joykins]

The Double Cross by Carla Kelly (Joykins)

I thought I had changed it to Ibbotson's _The Morning Gift_ but Kelly is just worth reading anyway, so either will do.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by Joykins

I thought I had changed it to Ibbotson's _The Morning Gift_ but Kelly is just worth reading anyway, so either will do.

You did it's on the list just under the wrong name. Fixed.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by Jane A

Blossom, I'm feeling kind of ambivalent about my suggestion, partly because it's part of a series that must be read in order and also because some people feel it's not really a romance. It was one of my top reads of 2013, but I had others, too. One book I read a while ago that I thought was fantastic was Joanna Bourne's The Spymaster's Lady. Do you want to switch my selection out?

On another note, I must read The Last Hour of Gann!! I think that will be my first purchase of 2014.

Done. I have this series on my list. Joanna Bourne is suppose to be a superb storyteller.

Wow I was really expecting more deals today and some freebies but I see nothing.

[library addict]

Not sure if this would be of interest to anyone here or not.

Entangled Mafia

Personally, I want the author to choose her characters' names and how to end the story, but maybe I am just being a stick in the mud

[Joykins]

Originally Posted by tempest@de

- KC Burn (mainly the Toronto Tales series)
- K.A. Mitchell
- Mary Calmes has two series that focus on a couple I enjoyed seeing what happens after they get together, after all that is not the end but the beginning off a love story.
A Matter of Time is my favorite, mainly because it’s more fun, Jory is a bit of a klutz and ends in some troubles. The book is in first person, maybe some people don’t like it.
Timing also is about another couple.
she as several stand alones and some paranormal series.

I enjoy Burn, Mitchell, and Calmes but find them uneven--some of their books I love, others not so much. Kaje Harper is reliably good. I also like Rowan Speedwell, but I think the m/m romance I like best and would put it on "romances you must read" list if we had one for m/m -- _Where the Allegheny Meets the Monogahela_ by Felicia Watson.

[Carmelreader]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Done. I have this series on my list. Joanna Bourne is suppose to be a superb storyteller.

Wow I was really expecting more deals today and some freebies but I see nothing.

Ditto Spymaster's Lady. Really good.

[Jane A]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Done. I have this series on my list. Joanna Bourne is suppose to be a superb storyteller.

She is wonderful! If you like audiobooks you should try The Spymaster's Lady in audio. It is fantastic. I've read it and listened to it, it's well worth taking in either way.

[tempest@de]

Originally Posted by Joykins

I also like Rowan Speedwell, but I think the m/m romance I like best and would put it on "romances you must read" list if we had one for m/m -- _Where the Allegheny Meets the Monogahela_ by Felicia Watson.

I will add them to my list to look later, thank you!

[KyBunnies]

Wondering if we should start a DNR list for books that have problems.

Problems would be grammar errors, formatting issues, using contemporary words in a historical setting?