Free and bargain romance ebooks + Discussion July 2014

[ScalyFreak]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

They were free, normal free, when she posted them earlier.

This proves my point about Amazon being sneaky bastards.

When I looked at the books, roughly 4-6 hours after her post, they were listed as $3.99, or "free with Kindle unlimited". This is highly annoying, since it makes threads like this one a lot more difficult to keep straight. I fully blame Amazon, of course, since I dislike them anyway.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by ScalyFreak

This proves my point about Amazon being sneaky bastards.

When I looked at the books, roughly 4-6 hours after her post, they were listed as $3.99, or "free with Kindle unlimited". This is highly annoying, since it makes threads like this one a lot more difficult to keep straight. I fully blame Amazon, of course, since I dislike them anyway.

Guess I'm confused. I just checked all of the links and all of the books, except for Stand By Your Man for $3.98, are still free and that one has nothing about "free with KU" although it does have an ad for KU.

[ScalyFreak]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

Guess I'm confused. I just checked all of the links and all of the books, except for Stand By Your Man for $3.98, are still free and that one has nothing about "free with KU" although it does have an ad for KU.

When I look at Stand By Your Man, this is what I see:



That's why this bothers me. It's free, but only if you pay for the privilege of reading it for free. As a long-time PC Gamer, I am instantly paranoid when I see this. This kind of behavior reeks of "let's fleece those poor suckers for everything they have, before they realize that's what we're doing!"

And that's why I think we should be clear and label things that are free only with Prime or KU as free only if you pay for either feature...

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by ScalyFreak

When I look at Stand By Your Man, this is what I see:

Ahh got ya, missed seeing the button. All seems pretty clear to me though, probably why I read past it.

And that's why I think we should be clear and label things that are free only with Prime or KU as free only if you pay for either feature...

But it wasn't only free for KU subscribers when it was posted. I'm not a KU member and I got it for $0.00 it went back up just like books do all the time. I can't imagine posting some kind of disclaimer on every $0.00 deal book that's KU in the anticipation that it will eventually not be free any more.

I honestly don't see the problem, not saying there isn't one just that it's not clicking with me. Just like when any freebie is posted if it has a price listed that's not $0.00 then the price has obviously gone back up and you'll be charged if you click the buy button. If you click the read for free button for whatever reason you're taken to a page advertising KU and are charged nothing. Perhaps email kindle-feedback@amazon.com and mention you find it misleading or a problem. They do seem to listen to feedback and perhaps will try and do something that further clarifies things.

I wouldn't expect someone would post a KU only freebie as a freebie deal, unless perhaps it was in a discussion about a specific book or something in which case they should post that it's a KU title.

[orangekiwi]

Book view café is having a 50% off sale of selected books until July 28
http://bookviewcafe.com/bookstore/category/bvc-sale/
You choose DRM free epub or mobi and the discount is applied at the checkout.
Unfortunately the books are listed by title in the sale rather than author so there are four pages to search through.
From their about us page
"Book View Café is a cooperative publisher. Our members are authors across all genres, from science fiction to romance to historical to mainstream. We offer both reprints and new titles, currently in ebook form. At BVC, 95% of the cover price goes to the author."

Below are some of the authors that might be of interest to this thread.

Jennifer Stevenson (including the Hinky Chicago books)
Patricia Rice
Madeleine Robins
Patricia Burroughs
Elinor Groves
Mindy Klasky (Diamond Brides Series)

[Terisa de morgan]

Originally Posted by ScalyFreak

When I look at Stand By Your Man, this is what I see:



That's why this bothers me. It's free, but only if you pay for the privilege of reading it for free. As a long-time PC Gamer, I am instantly paranoid when I see this. This kind of behavior reeks of "let's fleece those poor suckers for everything they have, before they realize that's what we're doing!"

And that's why I think we should be clear and label things that are free only with Prime or KU as free only if you pay for either feature...

The problem is that the KU button appears even if the prize is zero. So, no label needed, you have to check the price as always.

[Blossom]

Brian correct everything I posted was Free. It's best to note that normally Amazon updates the freebies price twice a day. 3PM EST and 3AM EST but sometimes a book will go pay faster than others which is why you got to be quick.

I would never post a book that is only free if you are a KU member. I don't belong to KU and probably never will unless they get the big publishers on board. (not holding my breath on that one)

Always check the price before clicking but remember if you accidentally buy something you can immediately return it for a full refund by going to the MYK page.

[Froide]

Originally Posted by Blossom

I would never post a book that is only free if you are a KU member.

This.

[Blue2u]

Free: Saving Justice [Dog Haven Sanctuary] by Tasman Gibb

blurb: Marlo Croft, canine behaviorist at the Dog Haven Sanctuary in Halo Peak, Washington, has her life neatly organized. The trauma of her past is well buried, her emotions tamped down, and rehabilitating and rehoming damaged and unwanted dogs gives her the focused, contained life that makes her feel secure.

The arrival of a new rescue dog, Justice, also brings the unwelcome distraction of a handsome stranger who is to shadow Marlo and Justice through the dog’s rehabilitation.

Suffering guilt over the death of his wife, New Zealander Adam Guildford’s short contract in the US to research dog fighting is what he hopes will pull him out of the limbo he has floundered in for the past four years. He arrives prepared to tackle the emotional and behavioral needs of the rescued dogs, but completely unprepared for the way his presence unnerves Marlo and awakens his own dormant feelings.

As they start to gain Justice’s trust, Marlo loosens her grip on her inner fears and the simmering attraction between her and Adam heats up. Adam works carefully to dismantle the emotional barricades Marlo erected, until one day he unwittingly delivers the horror from Marlo’s past straight to her doorstep, an action that tears the three of them apart.

This contemporary romance contains adult themes including sexual situations, language and mature subject matter.

[angela67]

http://store.kobobooks.com/en-au/Sea...saving+justice

Also free at Kobo

[ScalyFreak]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Brian correct everything I posted was Free. It's best to note that normally Amazon updates the freebies price twice a day. 3PM EST and 3AM EST but sometimes a book will go pay faster than others which is why you got to be quick.

KU may be grabbing books faster than the rest of Amazon? Or maybe it was just bad timing on my part. It is also possible that I just didn't pay as much attention as I should have and over-looked a detail or two. That has been known to happen in the past.

I'm sure if I put in a little bit of effort I can twist this into being another one of Amazon's evil schemes to take over the world and turn us all into devoted followers of the Way of the Cauliflower.

Amazon is by the way almost unique among sellers of digital media in that they let you do an instant refund if you bought something by mistake. The PC gamer in me wishes that sellers of digital PC games would follow Amazon's policy on this particular point.

[Atunah]

I just want to drop a line and say thank you to the kind person that send me a gift of a kindle book. It was such a nice thing to do and brought a smile to my face on a day when I really needed it. Thank you.

As to the free/KU issue. I guess I am confused. Even on a free book you have to click the buy now button and KU doesn't really have anything to do with books that are free. Its all existing simultaneously, not instead off. I think some people had a bit of a confusion when prime reading (KOLL) first came out and it said read free with prime right under the price.

I don't think anyone here would post books as free unless they are free. Anything in KU isn't free anyway. It costs $10 a month, so I would never look at it as free. So when someone posts a free book, that is what they are. Nothing really to do with KU.

But one always has to check before hitting the buy button to make sure the books are actually still free. Like Blossom says, some can go back to paid fast. I missed a few that way where I was a dollar short and a half day late.

[mommyofkings]

Didn't see these come up yet...sorry if a re-post but searched this thread with no hits...

Available at Kindle US (and per twitter on uk also)
A Wicked Proposition (The Wicked Series Book 1) [Kindle Edition] 606 pages
Oblivion [Kindle Edition]

[apesmom]

Box set deal (note: book 1 is a perpetual freebie). The series has very good ratings on Goodreads, has anyone read any of them?

Bluegrass Series Collection by Kathleen Brooks - $0.99
Kindle | Kobo

Bluegrass State of Mind

McKenna Mason, a New York City attorney with a love of all things Prada, is on the run from a group of powerful, dangerous men. McKenna turns to a teenage crush, Will Ashton, for help in starting a new life in beautiful horse country. She finds that Will is now a handsome, successful race horse farm owner. As the old flame is ignited, complications are aplenty in the form of a nasty ex-wife, an ex-boyfriend intent on killing her, and a feisty race horse who refuses to race without a kiss. Can Will and McKenna cross the finish line together, and more importantly, alive?

Risky Shot

Danielle De Luca, an ex-beauty queen who is not at all what she seems, leaves the streets of New York after tracking the criminals out to destroy her. She travels to Keeneston, Kentucky to make her final stand by the side of her best friend, McKenna Mason. While in Keeneston, Danielle meets the quiet and mysterious Mohtadi Ali Rahman, a modern day Prince. Can Mo protect Dani from the group of powerful men in New York? Or will Dani save the Prince from his rigid, loveless destiny?

Dead Heat

In the third book of the Bluegrass Series, Paige Davies finds her world turned upside down as she becomes involved in her best friends' nightmare. The strong-willed Paige doesn't know which is worse: someone trying to kill her, or losing her dog to the man she loves to hate.

FBI Agent Cole Parker can't decide whether he should strangle or kiss this infuriating woman of his dreams. As he works the case of his career, he finds that love can be tougher than bringing down some of the most powerful men in America.

[KyBunnies]

Originally Posted by apesmom

Box set deal (note: book 1 is a perpetual freebie). The series has very good ratings on Goodreads, has anyone read any of them?

Bluegrass Series Collection by Kathleen Brooks - $0.99
Kindle | Kobo

no but they are on my TBR list.