FREE/BARGAIN - Romance + Discussion - 2016

[orangekiwi]

cross posted from the FREE/BARGAIN - Science Fiction, Fantasy thread

A Brother's Price by Wen Spencer published by Roc is currently $1.99 in the US

https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/eb...rother-s-price
https://www.amazon.com/Brothers-Pric.../dp/B000OIZU1M

In a world where male children are rare, a man is a valuable commodity—to be sold to the highest bidder…

It isn’t easy being the oldest boy in a house run by women—especially for Jerin Whistler. The grand-matriarchs of his clan are descended from soldiers, spies, and thieves. That’s partly what’s kept their family alive in the wilderness. But it also means Jerin’s doomed to marry the girls next door—a fate he’s convinced is worse than death. But Jerin gets in even worse trouble when, in the process of a daring rescue, he falls in love with a royal princess who’s as high above his station as it’s possible to be.

Ren knows that Jerin is too far below her class to be an appropriate match for her and her royal sisters. But then she hears rumors of a long-held Whistler family secret—one that might provide a way for them to finally be together. Unfortunately, she still has four sisters to convince. And that’s before Jerin even comes to the capital—where simmering political tensions will threaten not just their love, but all their lives...

[sufue]

Another Amy Corwin freebie...Love Across the Pond is the sixth in her Archer Family regency series.

I've read and enjoyed several of Corwin's romantic mysteries, and now have read one other one of her more traditional romances (an earlier freebie ), but still with some mysterious elements. I've not read this one, but hey, it's free right now at Kindle US.

link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01II9O13G/

Spoiler:

Edward Archer walks right into the den of lioness Charity Stonewright when he sails across the pond to South Carolina to resolve a property dispute for his cousin, the Duchess of Peckham. Astute but bookish, the Englishman isn’t prepared for Charity, a strong-willed woman determined to prove the Charleston mansion is hers. And unbeknownst to Edward, Charity has a secret purpose. She is searching for the lost Stonewright fortune, hidden over sixty years ago, somewhere within the walls of the old, decaying mansion. Finding it will mean an end to the grinding poverty she’s endured and fulfill her dream to establish herself in Charleston society as a wealthy heiress.

Drawn to the mysterious woman, Edward is increasingly torn between duty and his growing love. But Charity seems determined to keep him at arm's length, stubbornly maintaining her distrust of him.

As the mysteries of the mansion threaten to tear Edward and Charity apart, they must learn to listen to their hearts and discover that the real treasure may be love.

[Blossom]

Whitney My Love by Judith McNaught is available for pre-order for $2.99 at Amazon and Google Play. I haven't checked Kobo.

I ordered mine from Google Play using reward credit.

All others are 6.99 so they've come down a dollar. I'm hoping they come down even more.

Sent from my XT1528

[ScalyFreak]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Whitney My Love by Judith McNaught is available for pre-order for $2.99 at Amazon and Google Play. I haven't checked Kobo.

Kobo pre-order link

$2.99

[Blossom]

I assume this is the revised version of the book. I know the original was very controversial so they years later changed it some.

Sent from my XT1528

[copyrite]

I haven't read this, only familiar with the title. A google search turned up this on an Amazon discussion post

Below is a cut/paste from a post Judith McNaught wrote in 1999 and posted on Romantic Times web forum: http://www.romantictimes.com/forum/v...c.php?p=126569

Spoiler:

By Judith McNaught, 1999
"In the original drafts of Whitney, Clayton did commit rape. In the final version, I didn't like that, and I sought to avoid actual "rape" by having Whitney inadvertently collaborate with him (when she mistook his reasons.) That was my intention and that was my belief and that was why I *had* her collaborate.

I thought I'd successfully and clearly averted the issue, and in the years that followed the publication of WML, I could never quite understand why a contingent of intelligent readers still insisted it *was* rape. I couldn't understand it--until a few months ago, when I was re-reading W,ML for the first time in many years and preparing to work on the new hardcover version.

I'd read past the scene in question and had gotten to the drunken scene between Stephen and Clayton, where Clayton confesses only that he *hurt* Whitney and had not believed she was a virgin. And then, to my utter disbelief, horror, and chagrin, I read the following line. It is Stephen's reaction to what Clayton has confessed: "It was unbelievable (to Stephen) that Clayton, who had always treated women with a combination of amused tolerance and relaxed indulgence, could have been driven to rape..."

Rape? Rape! Rape?! I couldn't *believe* I'd altered the scene so it wouldn't qualify as rape, but I'd forgotten to alter Stephen's reaction/response to it.

In an earlier post about Matthew Bennett and Clayton Westmoreland's intentions toward Whitney, I showed you how in one sentence, I'd purposely and subtly led you to draw the wrong conclusion. I did it by telling you what Matthew Bennett's reaction/response was. With Stephen, I inadvertently led you to draw exactly the conclusion I didn't want you to reach. To put it more succinctly, I shot myself in the foot.

Now, having settled that, let's address the really important issue: Did the scene, even as I intended it to be interpreted, belong in the novel? Should it remain? Should it be removed from the new version of WML?

The answer is that when I wrote the novel in 1978, 79, 80, I had absolutely *no idea* that rape was an all-too-common occurrence in real life. I never imagined that there would be women who would read my book and cringe with the real memory of real rape.

Based on the very few other historical romances that were available at the time (specifically including THE FLAME AND THE FLOWER and even Rosemary Rogers) I naively and erroneously assumed that we were all writing harmless fantasy and that it would be perceived as that by readers.

We could all digress here into a scintillating philosophical/sociological discussion and come to the obvious conclusion that until recently, rape was the only exceptable excuse/way for a fictional heroine of morals and integrity to have premarital sex. But we already realize that now.

Just before the first version of WML went to press in 1984, I gave some thought to pulling the whole scene out of the book, because I was afraid my wonderful hero might seem too harsh to some, but I couldn't remove the scene unless the entire novel ended with the wedding night scene. Everything that followed the wedding night scene hinged on the fact that Whitney had been in Clayton's bed before the wedding. We talked earlier about how strongly I feel about the need for creditability in our characters, and there was absolutely no creditable way, *No Creditable Way* that a gently bred English girl like Whitney Stone would have been "wooed" or seduced into Clayton Westmoreland's bed. Not willingly. I left the scene in there."

found here

I think I'll pass.

[ScalyFreak]

Originally Posted by copyrite

Spoiler:

We talked earlier about how strongly I feel about the need for creditability in our characters, and there was absolutely no creditable way, *No Creditable Way* that a gently bred English girl like Whitney Stone would have been "wooed" or seduced into Clayton Westmoreland's bed. Not willingly. I left the scene in there."

found here

I think I'll pass.

That is disturbing on so many different levels I feel obligated to permanently boycott this author in every way.

[Blossom]

Then you need to avoid Lisa Kleypas too

Sent from my XT1528

[ScalyFreak]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Then you need to avoid Lisa Kleypas too

I will. Thank you.

[Keslynn]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Then you need to avoid Lisa Kleypas too

Sent from my XT1528

Which Lisa Kleypas?

I have enjoyed the Wallflowers with the exception of Devil in Winter due to its weird redemption thing. But I thought the first two were fairly uncontroversial and quite enjoyable.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by Keslynn

Which Lisa Kleypas?

I have enjoyed the Wallflowers with the exception of Devil in Winter due to its weird redemption thing. But I thought the first two were fairly uncontroversial and quite enjoyable.

Where The Passion Leads but hero more than redeems himself.

The point is these were Bodice Rippers back in the 70s-80s and these scenes were very common. Whitney My Love is a bodice ripper. Judith McNaught is one awesome writer. To throw the baby out with the bath water is ridiculous is my opinion. I'd just avoid books with those scenes if they are a trigger for you. There is no need to boycott an author because of one book that was written decades ago. It was expected to write such a scene in those days as force seduction scenes were hot sellers but we've changed and grown from it. You'll miss out on some of the best romance authors in history if you punish them for their past mistakes.

Sent from my XT1528

[copyrite]

I recommended W,ML to Brooklyn. The 80's was a SciFi/Fantasy phase for me with the occasional category romance thrown in.

Between KU and OD I don't tend to buy a whole lotta books.

ETA: Ohhh that Kleypas isn't digital. Got into a big discussion at work today on why I don't read real books anymore. And only go into the library if and when Overdrive won't let me log in.

Can't remember when I last read a "real" book!

[ScalyFreak]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Whitney My Love is a bodice ripper. Judith McNaught is one awesome writer. To throw the baby out with the bath water is ridiculous is my opinion. I'd just avoid books with those scenes if they are a trigger for you. There is no need to boycott an author because of one book that was written decades ago. It was expected to write such a scene in those days as force seduction scenes were hot sellers but we've changed and grown from it.

Actually, my objection isn't the rape itself, be it by force or coercion. A rape, when a writer approaches it the right way, can be a powerful tool for character growth and authors should not avoid them just becuase it's a controversial topic that might upset some readers.

My objection with this particular author is her seemingly absolute conviction that a woman of character would never have strong sexual urges that made her forget reason and logic. Even if she did, she most certainly would never be so carried away by them that she did something she never in her wildest dreams thought she was capable of doing. She's essentially saying that only a morally corrupt woman would do such a thing, and that is nothing but slut-shaming at its finest.

That is what I find objectionable, and why I, as a rule, boycott all books and authors who follow this reasoning.

The fact that the entire industry genuinely believed that they had to use "she was forced to do it" as an excuse for women to have sex, doesn't make it any better. If anything, their belief that the argument "she was actually raped, so it's okay" was a good one, makes it worse.

I would greatly prefer not to see this devolve into a heated debate on a topic as controversial as rape, but I felt I should clarify my position on the article copyrite quoted, as it seems I was a bit misunderstood.

Move along now. There no more excitement or drama here for anyone.

[Terisa de morgan]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Then you need to avoid Lisa Kleypas too

Sent from my XT1528

And Linda Howard

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by copyrite

I recommended W,ML to Brooklyn. The 80's was a SciFi/Fantasy phase for me with the occasional category romance thrown in.

Between KU and OD I don't tend to buy a whole lotta books.

ETA: Ohhh that Kleypas isn't digital. Got into a big discussion at work today on why I don't read real books anymore. And only go into the library if and when Overdrive won't let me log in.

Can't remember when I last read a "real" book!

I don't buy much anymore either but I am collecting Judith McNaught's ebooks. She's a legend in my book. A Kingdom of Dreams is the first book in the series. Another series of her is Second Opportunities the first book Paradise was very good. Perfect is the sequel and waiting on it to be released. These are contemporaries if you consider 80s to be contemporary.


Paradise is not a bodice ripper. It's such a sweet and interesting story.