Free and bargain romance ebooks + Discussion February 2014

[Blossom]

Free @ Amazon

Lady of the Gun by Faye Adams
Historical Western
Pocket 1996

The Wanted Bride by Sylvia McDaniel
(A Contemporary Romance)

Gio by Elizabeth Reyes
(5th Street #2)

[Blue2u]

Originally Posted by Blossom

You know I finally figure out what the problem I have with half of these NA books coming out. I was reading the excerpt of this book because it sounded interested to me but could not push the buy button. It's the heroine I think. I just don't like her right off from the start.

I think I just don't care to read for heroines who I wouldn't consider well...not a nice girl. I can take a bad boy hero anyday but if a heroine comes off witchy with a capital B or has a potty mouth I just can't stand her. If the heroine uses the F bomb for non reason other then thinks she sounds cool on the first page of the book It's a DNF for me. A hero can have a potty mouth and it doesn't bother me but it does if the heroine does it, it's just a huge turn off for me. Not saying women can't use curse words but there is a appropriate time and place for it. Know what I mean?

I think of heroines like Kiera or Abby from Thoughtless or Beautiful Disaster or the girl from Easy or Tru from The Mighty Storm. Those are the type of young heroines I like to read about.

The book I just finished the heroine would be consider someone who did what was necessary to survive and she did some not so savory things but she came off as a nice girl stuck in bad situation. She knew she needed to get her life together after all the mistakes she made. This is different from a heroine that just acts like a bad girl because she thinks she is tough and cool.

The only time this would not apply to me if it was Urban fantasy or Cozy and the heroine is something like Gin Blanko that's the only time I want to read about a bad girl if it's non romance. I know that doesn't make much sense but I can't root for a bad girl to have a HEA. I had a real problem with Suzanne from Erin McCarthy's Racing series. She is the perfect example of a heroine I couldn't stand. Ally Nightingale from the Rock Chick series is another one unlike Indie Savage who I love Ally isn't a nice girl.

Jumping off my soapbox now it just hit me why I have DNF alot of NA's lately as it seems to be trend with the heroines coming out lately.

Hmm, I'm opposite I suppose. I cannot stand reading sickly sweet or goody-2-shoes characters, IMO simply too unrealistic. I would rather read realistic characters with flaws and lots of potential for growth.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by Blue2u

Hmm, I'm opposite I suppose. I cannot stand reading sickly sweet or goody-2-shoes characters, IMO simply too unrealistic. I would rather read realistic characters with flaws and lots of potential for growth.

See I don't find those characters unrealistic. I consider myself in that category so maybe that's why. Yes Blossom is a goody two shoes and has been called that all her life but you know what there's nothing wrong with being one.

I think I can relate more to these type of heroines than the other type that just makes me shake my head. I'm Atypical maybe?

[Blossom]

Kobo Daily Deal $1.99

Blame It on Texas by Christie Craig
(Hotter in Texas 02)
Hachette 2012

Kobo | Kindle


Note: As you know she is my favorite author I go to when I need a laugh. Her books are funny and usually fast paced. She always has a pet in it and the hero is usually former/current law enforcement. It's a winning formula that I just love! If like Jennifer Crusie or Susan Anderson or Jane Graves. Give her books a try.

Note 2: Book one was formally called Don't Mess With Texas and has been retitled to Only In Texas after the State of Texas took Ms. Craig to court which is silly as we know the publisher picks the title. She won the suit but the publisher changed the name anyway.

[hannahi]

See I don't find those characters unrealistic. I consider myself in that category so maybe that's why. Yes Blossom is a goody two shoes and has been called that all her life but you know what there's nothing wrong with being one.

I think I can relate more to these type of heroines than the other type that just makes me shake my head. I'm Atypical maybe?

No I was like that too. I don't think it's atypical especially for bookworms. It wasn't totally by choice. I was a pastor's kid so nobody invited me to the wild parties in high school, even if I wanted to go. Well at least I stayed on the right side of the law that way.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by hannahi

No I was like that too. I don't think it's atypical especially for bookworms. It wasn't totally by choice. I was a pastor's kid so nobody invited me to the wild parties in high school, even if I wanted to go. Well at least I stayed on the right side of the law that way.

I've never been to a wild party either and as you said it wasn't totally by choice. I had my mother and very older sister tagging along to everywhere I went even youth group. You can't imagine how embarrassing that was! Kids thought me weird because of it so I didn't get invited much anywhere. I left home at 21 and moved in with my boyfriend who I married several months later.

I met my husband online. He was a Airman at the time and I guess you could say a goody two shoes too. He had never had a girlfriend before or went to wild parties. He was sooo shy, sweet and a southerner to boot! We've been together 15 years now.

[library addict]

Originally Posted by Blossom

See I don't find those characters unrealistic. I consider myself in that category so maybe that's why. Yes Blossom is a goody two shoes and has been called that all her life but you know what there's nothing wrong with being one.

I think I can relate more to these type of heroines than the other type that just makes me shake my head. I'm Atypical maybe?

For me it depends on the author and the execution in the text.

I do wonder why we are more forgiving of bad behavior in male characters than in female ones though. Is it because as women we hold heroines to a higher standard? I don't like the boys will be boys mentality. When judging characters behavior I always try to think if these gender rolls were reversed would it still be okay with me? On the one hand it is fiction so I don't expect total reality. But the "its okay for boys but not girls" is not okay for me.

In real life I do not like swearing at all. I think we have a wide and varied language and people shouldn't swear. But I don't mind reading it. I think it just does not register the same way in my brain (visual vs audio). Eve Dallas from the In Death series is one of my favorite heroines ever and she swears a lot. So again, it's all in the execution of the story.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by library addict

For me it depends on the author and the execution in the text.

I do wonder why we are more forgiving of bad behavior in male characters than in female ones though. Is it because as women we hold heroines to a higher standard? I don't like the boys will be boys mentality. When judging characters behavior I always try to think if these gender rolls were reversed would it still be okay with me? On the one hand it is fiction so I don't expect total reality. But the "its okay for boys but not girls" is not okay for me.

In real life I do not like swearing at all. I think we have a wide and varied language and people shouldn't swear. But I don't mind reading it. I think it just does not register the same way in my brain (visual vs audio). Eve Dallas from the In Death series is one of my favorite heroines ever and she swears a lot. So again, it's all in the execution of the story.

You make some good points. I think for me I am more forgiving of bad boys because I see the romance as the heroine is the strong one coming to rescue the hero and well for the lack of a better word tame him and make him a nicer guy in the end. I do hold my heroine's to higher standard. They are the ones who have the power to heal their hard hearted and sometimes tortured hero.

Like in Effortless would I have been so in love with Kiera had she been a match for Kellan's behavior absolutely not. Because Kiera was a good person that made Kellan too want to be a good person and clean up his act.

In 85% of the romances I have read it's the heroine that saves the tortured hero. the heroine is the one who shows the hero how to love and be loved. She is main character of the story and so yes I hold her to a higher standard than the hero.

I also think for a women it's the whole a lady does not swear idea. Swearing doesn't bother me if the persons mad or hurts themselves or they talking about someone they don't like but using swear words out of context does bother me in movies, TV, real life and books.

I think the difference in NA with heroine's having a potty mouth is they are almost always talking in first person. Maybe if it was third person it wouldn't bother me so much but when reading in first person you are hearing every thought the person has and it shows their personality real quick. If the heroine isn't a nice girl how she going to save her hero? She can't. The hero is going to have to save her. To me that makes for a boring story most of the time.

[Critteranne]

Originally Posted by Blossom

You know I finally figure out what the problem I have with half of these NA books coming out. I was reading the excerpt of this book because it sounded interested to me but could not push the buy button. It's the heroine I think. I just don't like her right off from the start.

But sometimes when reviews complain about how horrible and mean a heroine is, I want to click BUY right away because I'm so sick of heroines that are ... so meh.

What saves me is that with the same book there's usually another review that complains that the same heroine is spineless and weak. So I give up and buy something else instead. Like a book of Victorian ghost stories.

[Blossom]

Oh I am so excited!!! I just found out that Fern Micheals Captive series is being released in ebook! Someone here told me about the series and I bought the paperbacks but I haven't read them because I was hoping for ebooks copies. The first book Captive Passions was just released on the 4th, the second will be out on the 20th and the last two will be out on March 4th, and March 20th.

I plan to buy the first two after the second one is released. I am debating if I should pre-order the last two.

[cfrizz]

I'm the one that told you about it Blossom, I think you will like them. Fern has an extensive back list that needs to be released!

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by cfrizz

I'm the one that told you about it Blossom, I think you will like them. Fern has an extensive back list that needs to be released!

I thought it was you but Google is not my friend today I couldn't find the post.

I can't wait to have the series in ebook! I love it when a book comes out in digital form that I have been waiting for.

[cfrizz]

I was just looking at the horrible reviews that people are writing about the series. They are obviously younger readers. If I read them now, I would probably hate them too.

But this was the style of writing back then and then add in the fact that they are forgetting it took place back in what the 17th-18th century. Women had no rights, were the property of their fathers or husbands and the men didn't think twice about having another woman on the side.

What I loved about this book is that Serena REFUSED to be a victim! And the scam she pulled to keep Regan at bay was absolutely hysterical!

I will always have a soft spot in my heart for Fern early work.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by cfrizz

I was just looking at the horrible reviews that people are writing about the series. They are obviously younger readers. If I read them now, I would probably hate them too.

But this was the style of writing back then and then add in the fact that they are forgetting it took place back in what the 17th-18th century. Women had no rights, were the property of their fathers or husbands and the men didn't think twice about having another woman on the side.

What I loved about this book is that Serena REFUSED to be a victim! And the scam she pulled to keep Regan at bay was absolutely hysterical!

I will always have a soft spot in my heart for Fern early work.

I will always love these types books because they remind me of how strong women always were and how despite the circumstance they were thrown in they manage to find some semblance of peace in the end. I call these epic romances and no one does these anymore. They are lost on most young readers yet these readers will gobble up these indies out where the hero is just as abusive or maybe even more to the heroine and she acts like it's normal just as long as the hero is super hot rockstar, mma fighter, Billionaire or biker....etc.

We must never forget where we came from or how far Women have come from since then and these novels remind me of that.

[Blossom]

Free @ Amazon

Secret Vows by May McGoldrick
Historical Romance
Signet 2001-2002

Book Description
Publication Date: February 2, 2014
“A wonderful book…Don’t miss it.” -Heather Graham

“The classic rebel-in-disguise story has never been more fun, exciting, or romantic…fabulous!”
-Susan Wiggs

Winner of Holt Medallion for Rebel

Two books in one collection.

In our continuing effort to make our previously published work available to new readers, we have put together this edition of the award winning novels The Promise and The Rebel. They contain the stories of two women who have made secret vows…and the two men who love them.

The Promise

Running for her life on a desperate journey to America, Rebecca Neville promises the dying wife of the Earl of Stanmore to raise and care for her newborn son, James. Once in the New World, Rebecca begins her new life--as a mother.

Ten years later, the Earl of Stanmore learns of the fate of his family. He sends to the colonies for his young heir so he can raise him as a peer of the realm. With no intention of forsaking her vow, Rebecca returns to England with James to face a future without her beloved charge, but she must also face her tumultuous past.

The Rebel

Jane Purefoy is a woman with a past. The daughter of an English magistrate, she takes on the guise of the notorious Irish rebel, Egan, leading a secret band of revolutionaries against the brutality of the colonial troops.

Sir Nicholas Spencer is on his way to Ireland to court Jane’s younger sister when he runs afoul of Egan. Nicholas unmasks the legendary rebel, only to uncover Jane. Bewitched by her, he decides to keep her secret while embarking on a risky plan of seduction, one that will throw her family into chaos, the country into rebellion, and his heart into the throes of a love that can never be.

We hope you enjoy The Promise and The Rebel!