FREE/BARGAIN - Romance + Discussion - 2016

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by library addict

I liked most of the Bulletcatchers books, but read them back in my print days.

I gave away all of my Brockmann books and deleted my digital copies after her actions when Dark of Night released. I liked some of the books, but only loved two of the couples and will never be able/want to reread them, so adiós.

Okay what happened after Dark of Night was released?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[library addict]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Okay what happened after Dark of Night was released?

A brief history. There are some characters introduced in the 7th book of the series who many readers felt were portrayed as being a future couple in the books. Brockmann also referred to them as a couple in various polls she set up on her website over the years, in the reader guides she used to have for the series, etc. Fast forward to Dark of Night and she kept the identity of the h/h a secret. The book finally released and it was about these two characters...only not together, each of them were with other people. So many fans were disappointed and felt she'd pulled a years long bait-and-switch.

They are her characters and she's entitled to write them however she feels. No one ever disputed that. But then she said during a B&N Q&A that anyone who didn't like the book just didn't like gay people. (Even though Jules and Robin barely featured in this book having had their story told in an earlier book in the series). Also, by this point she'd stopped writing about the active duty military characters for the most part because even though her main characters were Navy SEALs she felt she couldn't support the war and so mainly just wrote about them doing military exercises.

You can read more about it at All About Romance and Dear Author though be warned the discussions have a ton of spoilers for the series. Also, I think the links to the original B&N Center Stage chat no longer work. There's also some super long threads at the AAR message boards if they're still there. And probably lots of other places online, it was a pretty big deal at the time.*

People who posted less-than-flattering reviews were banned from Brokmann's message board which eventually she shut down. There was also a bunch of other stuff going on at the time that I won't get into (mostly because it's been many years and I can't remember it all ).

*It took me a long time to find those two links. Google may never forget, but it sure doesn't make it easy to find stuff at times.

[zelda.owns.link]

Originally Posted by ScalyFreak

Free box set from ARe:

Wicked Temptations

In .mobi and ePub only. I don't know anything about either the authors or the books, but it's five full-length novels so I'm giving it a shot.

Historical romance, all five are the first in a series.

Kobo Link

[Blossom]

I just stood up all night reading and listening to Axel by Harper Sloan. (4.5) I've yet to sleep. This was an ugly cry book for me. It takes a lot to get me to tears I didn't cry reading Cry No More...I don't think I've been on a emotional rollercoaster since Lori Wilde's A Cowboy Takes a Bride.

It does have a lot of foul language which is why is doesn't get 5 stars and the jumping ahead was clumsily done. It's not much in suspense though but plenty of angst.

I think I need to read some Brandy Alexander to recover from that book.


Sent from my XT1528 using Tapatalk

[Little.Egret]

Originally Posted by ScalyFreak

Free box set from ARe:

Wicked Temptations

In .mobi and ePub only. I don't know anything about either the authors or the books, but it's five full-length novels so I'm giving it a shot.

Historical romance, all five are the first in a series.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GN7JL0I/

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01GN7JL0I/
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01GN7JL0I/

[ScalyFreak]

Checking back in to report that the one of the five Wicked Temptations I read last night was well worth my time. now happily working my way through the first of the remaining four.

[ferrywoman]

Seconding the Pamela Clare recommendation. I've also really enjoyed the Blood Money series by Edie Harris and The Associates series by Carolyn Crane. Kaylea Cross is usually a hit for me as well.

I'll check out the other names mentioned here to help with my romantic suspense binge. Once I get started on rom-sus, I can never seem to stop. Thanks to everyone.

Originally Posted by Blossom

I just stood up all night reading and listening to Axel by Harper Sloan. (4.5) I've yet to sleep. This was an ugly cry book for me.

Would you recommend it in audio? Tried to read it several times before, but it was so riddled with typos and so badly edited, I had to bow out within the first few chapters each time.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by ferrywoman

Would you recommend it in audio? Tried to read it several times before, but it was so riddled with typos and so badly edited, I had to bow out within the first few chapters each time.

Abby Craden does Izzy and some guy named Sean does Axel. I love Abby's voice acting. I was introduced to her in Hell on Wheels by Julie Ann Walker. She is very good. I have several of her Audibles. Sean is... well he isn't that good and his voice of Izzy is downright laughable. There is more Izzy POVs than Axel's so I was able to overlook it.

I agree it needs editing even the narrators fixed a few. I downloaded the latest version the author has out. It's the one with Gold letters on the cover. I think she has cleaned it up since the red letter cover days.

I can say several books I couldn't read because of poor grammar worked well for me with audio. Lick comes to mind. Once I tried it in audio I was hooked on the entire series. Thank goodness Overdrive had all the audiobooks.

I don't think I could have gotten through 50 Shades without the narrator. They later went back and deepened her voice which ruined it so I got a refund but the first version was well done.



Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[Blue2u]

Free, Ten Below Zero - Whitney Barbetti

I just finished reading this and it's 4.5-5 stars IMO, beautiful writing and story. I will say I went into this story completely blind, other than knowing they met because of a text sent to a wrong number, and it was so much better this way for me.

Spoiler:

Blurb:
“In here,” he said, pushing on the skin above my heart, “you're ten below zero. And you’re closer to death than I am.”

My name is Parker. My body is marked with scars from an attack I don’t remember. I don’t want to remember. I choose to live my life by observation, not through experience. While people are laughing and kissing and connecting, I’m in the corner. Watching them live. I’m indifferent to everything, everyone. The only emotion I feel with any kind of depth is annoyance, and I feel it often.

A text message sent to the wrong number proves to be my undoing.

His name is Everett, but I call him rude. He’s pushy, he’s arrogant, he crowds my personal space, and worst of all: he makes me feel.

He chooses to wear all black, all the time, as if he’s waiting to attend a funeral. Probably because he is.

Everett is dying. And he’s spending his final days living, truly living. In doing so, he’s forcing me to feel, to heal. To come face to face with the demons I suppressed in my memory.

He hurts me, he fulfills me, he completes me. And still, he's dying.

--

WARNING: This is not a story about two happy people who fall easily into love. This is a story about two broken people who find one another - and don't necessarily like each other. These characters are blunt, rude, and at times annoying. They are broken and sheltered and vulnerable.


This book has violence, sexual situations, and harsh language and is not recommended for those under 17.

[Froide]

New at Harlequin Rewards: "Sign up for Harlequin News and get 17 free books!"

[Blossom]

These are the same posted in March.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[library addict]

Weekly Report:

Read:

• Bay of Sighs (The Guardians Trilogy #2) by Nora Roberts (B/4 stars)

Purchased:

[Terisa de morgan]

Weekly report:

• Purchased
  
• Read
  

As you can see, a bit of Psy frenzy

[Froide]

Originally Posted by Blossom

These are the same posted in March.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

I wonder, then, how long they'll label this as "new"?

[Blossom]

I'm not sure it would be nice for some new titles.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk