FREE/BARGAIN — Romance & Discussion

[worktolive]

New month, new sales.

Polaris Rising, the first in Jessie Mihalik's space opera/romance trilogy is on sale for $1.99.

Spoiler:

A space princess on the run and a notorious outlaw soldier become unlikely allies in this imaginative, sexy space opera adventure—the first in an exciting science fiction trilogy.

In the far distant future, the universe is officially ruled by the Royal Consortium, but the High Councillors, the heads of the three High Houses, wield the true power. As the fifth of six children, Ada von Hasenberg has no authority; her only value to her High House is as a pawn in a political marriage. When her father arranges for her to wed a noble from House Rockhurst, a man she neither wants nor loves, Ada seizes control of her own destiny. The spirited princess flees before the betrothal ceremony and disappears among the stars.

Ada eluded her father’s forces for two years, but now her luck has run out. To ensure she cannot escape again, the fiery princess is thrown into a prison cell with Marcus Loch. Known as the Devil of Fornax Zero, Loch is rumored to have killed his entire chain of command during the Fornax Rebellion, and the Consortium wants his head.

When the ship returning them to Earth is attacked by a battle cruiser from rival House Rockhurst, Ada realizes that if her jilted fiancé captures her, she’ll become a political prisoner and a liability to her House. Her only hope is to strike a deal with the dangerous fugitive: a fortune if he helps her escape.

But when you make a deal with an irresistibly attractive Devil, you may lose more than you bargained for

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by worktolive

New month, new sales.

Polaris Rising, the first in Jessie Mihalik's space opera/romance trilogy is on sale for $1.99.

Spoiler:

A space princess on the run and a notorious outlaw soldier become unlikely allies in this imaginative, sexy space opera adventure—the first in an exciting science fiction trilogy.

In the far distant future, the universe is officially ruled by the Royal Consortium, but the High Councillors, the heads of the three High Houses, wield the true power. As the fifth of six children, Ada von Hasenberg has no authority; her only value to her High House is as a pawn in a political marriage. When her father arranges for her to wed a noble from House Rockhurst, a man she neither wants nor loves, Ada seizes control of her own destiny. The spirited princess flees before the betrothal ceremony and disappears among the stars.

Ada eluded her father’s forces for two years, but now her luck has run out. To ensure she cannot escape again, the fiery princess is thrown into a prison cell with Marcus Loch. Known as the Devil of Fornax Zero, Loch is rumored to have killed his entire chain of command during the Fornax Rebellion, and the Consortium wants his head.

When the ship returning them to Earth is attacked by a battle cruiser from rival House Rockhurst, Ada realizes that if her jilted fiancé captures her, she’ll become a political prisoner and a liability to her House. Her only hope is to strike a deal with the dangerous fugitive: a fortune if he helps her escape.

But when you make a deal with an irresistibly attractive Devil, you may lose more than you bargained for

I vaguely seem to remember picking that book up for my wife at that same sale price last year and that was not the first time it was on sale for that price.

[worktolive]

Originally Posted by DNSB

I vaguely seem to remember picking that book up for my wife at that same sale price last year and that was not the first time it was on sale for that price.

Yes, the books in that trilogy have been on sale before. I thought the series was great, and would highly recommend it to any SF fans. The trilogy is more romance adjacent, rather than romance focused, but there's enough to keep us happy.

Here's a FREE book by an author I really like. I read this and found it to be a nice, light romcom.

The Negotiator by Avery Flynn

Spoiler:

Wanted: Personal Buffer
Often snarly, workaholic executive seeks “buffer” from annoying outside distractions AKA people. Free spirits with personal boundary issues, excessive quirks, or general squeamishness need not apply. Salary negotiable. Confidentiality required.

Workaholic billionaire Sawyer Carlyle may have joked he needed a buffer from their marriage-obsessed mom, but he didn’t need a waiting room filled with candidates to further distract him. (Thanks, bro.) But when a sexy job applicant shooes his mom and the socialite in tow out of his office, Sawyer sees the genius of the plan. And the woman. In fact, Miss Clover Lee might just get the fastest promotion in history, from buffer to fake fiancé...

This free-spirit might look like hot sunshine and lickable rainbows, but she negotiates like a pitbull. Before Sawyer knows what hit him, he’s agreed to give up Friday nights for reality tv, his Saturdays for flea markets (why buy junk still baffles him), his Tuesdays and Thursdays for date nights (aka panty-losing opportunities if he plays his cards right). And now she wants lavender bath salts and tulips delivered every Monday?

Yup, she’s just screwing with him. Good thing she’s got this non-negotiatable six-weeks-and-she’s-gone rule or Sawyer may have just met this match..

[copyrite]

Originally Posted by worktolive

Yes, the books in that trilogy have been on sale before. I thought the series was great, and would highly recommend it to any SF fans. The trilogy is more romance adjacent, rather than romance focused, but there's enough to keep us happy.

I''m not really a SF fan, but I really enjoyed this series last spring when I couldn't focus when reading contemporary romance. Made me a fan of the author!

[library addict]

Also on my recommend list. I paid full price for the books and don't resent it

[sufue]

Me four - or is it five

[worktolive]

Congrats, Sufue, on starting a blog! I've thought about doing so because I do lots of book reviews anyway for GR and Amazon, but have never taken that final step. We don't have much overlap because I mainly read romance, UF, and SFR, but I'll subscribe for when you review those genres.

[sufue]

Thank you so much!

It has been a labor of love, but a lot of fun too, and I still have a long way to go at getting things just the way I want them. (I'm still having trouble adding dates automatically to posts, and I have NO idea where my contact form goes, so hopefully no one has used that yet .) I am learning like crazy, and someday may put my newly acquired skills to work improving the website of our family-run company (my real job). I have no idea where my blog is going in the long term, but right now, I'm really enjoying it.

It is, obviously, mostly reviews of mysteries, but my second favorite area is romance, and in that area, based on a lot of exchanges upthread, I think our tastes do overlap a lot. So thanks for looking at those reviews!

Originally Posted by worktolive

Congrats, Sufue, on starting a blog! I've thought about doing so because I do lots of book reviews anyway for GR and Amazon, but have never taken that final step. We don't have much overlap because I mainly read romance, UF, and SFR, but I'll subscribe for when you review those genres.

[library addict]

Rogue King by Abigail Owen (Inferno Rising #1) is free

Spoiler:

The burn of desire begins and ends in dragon fire.

Kasia Amon is a master at hiding. Who—and what—she is makes her a mark for the entire supernatural world. Especially dragon shifters. To them, she’s treasure to be taken and claimed. A golden ticket to their highest throne. But she can’t stop bursting into flames, and there’s a sexy dragon shifter in town hunting for her…

As a rogue dragon, Brand Astarot has spent his life in the dark, shunned by his own kind, concealing his true identity. Only his dangerous reputation ensures his survival. Delivering a phoenix to the feared Blood King will bring him one step closer to the revenge he’s waited centuries to take. No way is he letting the feisty beauty get away.

But when Kasia sparks a white-hot need in him that’s impossible to ignore, Brand begins to form a new plan: claim her for himself…and take back his birthright.

Kobo

Google Play

Apple Books

Amazon Kindle



This series overlaps with her Fire’s Edge series re: the overarching plot. FWIW the books have been hit or miss for me, but I enjoyed this one and both series overall.

[Terisa de morgan]

Thank you, I've got it.

[library addict]

Jeffe Kennedy's The Golden Gryphon and the Bear Prince which just released last week is on sale for 99¢ through the weekend. It's the first full-length book in the Heirs of Magic series. A prequel novella, The Long Night of the Crystalline Moon was released in the Under a Winter Sky anthology. All four full-length books in the series are scheduled to be released this year.

Should note this is a spin-off/second generation series from her Twelve Kingdoms/Uncharted Realms/Chronicles of Dasnaria series. But technically you could just read this series by itself.

Spoiler:

A Legacy of Honor

Crown Prince Astar has only ever wanted to do the right thing: be a credit to his late-father’s legacy, live up to his duties as heir to the High Throne of the Thirteen Kingdoms, and cleave to the principles of honor and integrity that give his life structure—and that contain the ferocious grizzly bear inside. Nowhere in those guiding principles is there room for the fierce-hearted, wildly free-spirited, and dizzyingly beautiful shapeshifter, Zephyr. Still, even though they’ve been friends most of their lives, Astar is able to keep Zephyr safely at arm’s length. He’s already received a list of potential princess brides who will make a suitable queen, and Zephyr is not on it.

A Longtime Obsession

Zeph has wanted the gorgeous, charming, and too-good-for-his-own-good Astar for as long as she can remember. Not that her longing for him—and his perfectly sculpted and muscular body—has stopped her from enjoying any number of lovers. Astar might be honorably (and foolishly) intent on remaining chaste until marriage, but Zeph is Tala and they have no such rules. Still, she loves Astar—as a friend—and she wants him to at least taste life before he chains himself to a wife he didn’t choose. There’s no harm in him having a bit of fun with her. But the man remains stubbornly elusive, staving off all of her advances with infuriatingly noble refusals.

A Quest to Save the World

But things change when a new terror threatens the Thirteen Kingdoms. Following prophecy, Astar and Zeph—along with a mismatched group of shapeshifter, warrior, and sorceress friends—go on a quest to stop a magic rift before it grows beyond anyone’s ability to stop. Thrust together with Zephyr, Astar finds himself increasingly unable to resist her seductive invitations. And, in the face of life and death battles with lethal monsters, he begins to lose sight of why having her, just once, is such a terrible idea…

Kobo

Apple Books

Amazon Kindle

Note: I don't see it listed on Google Play.

She also sells books directly from her website.

Haven't had the chance to read this one yet even though I bought it at full price, but I love many of the books in the earlier series.

[sufue]

I didn't know she sold from her website. Nice to know - I like to buy from authors direct when possible to give them (presumably) more/all of the sale price. Thanks!

Oh, and lots of times they are DRM-free that way...

Originally Posted by library addict

Jeffe Kennedy's The Golden Gryphon and the Bear Prince which just released last week is on sale for 99¢ through the weekend. It's the first full-length book in the Heirs of Magic series. A prequel novella, The Long Night of the Crystalline Moon was released in the Under a Winter Sky anthology. All four full-length books in the series are scheduled to be released this year.

Should note this is a spin-off/second generation series from her Twelve Kingdoms/Uncharted Realms/Chronicles of Dasnaria series. But technically you could just read this series by itself.

Spoiler:

A Legacy of Honor

Crown Prince Astar has only ever wanted to do the right thing: be a credit to his late-father’s legacy, live up to his duties as heir to the High Throne of the Thirteen Kingdoms, and cleave to the principles of honor and integrity that give his life structure—and that contain the ferocious grizzly bear inside. Nowhere in those guiding principles is there room for the fierce-hearted, wildly free-spirited, and dizzyingly beautiful shapeshifter, Zephyr. Still, even though they’ve been friends most of their lives, Astar is able to keep Zephyr safely at arm’s length. He’s already received a list of potential princess brides who will make a suitable queen, and Zephyr is not on it.

A Longtime Obsession

Zeph has wanted the gorgeous, charming, and too-good-for-his-own-good Astar for as long as she can remember. Not that her longing for him—and his perfectly sculpted and muscular body—has stopped her from enjoying any number of lovers. Astar might be honorably (and foolishly) intent on remaining chaste until marriage, but Zeph is Tala and they have no such rules. Still, she loves Astar—as a friend—and she wants him to at least taste life before he chains himself to a wife he didn’t choose. There’s no harm in him having a bit of fun with her. But the man remains stubbornly elusive, staving off all of her advances with infuriatingly noble refusals.

A Quest to Save the World

But things change when a new terror threatens the Thirteen Kingdoms. Following prophecy, Astar and Zeph—along with a mismatched group of shapeshifter, warrior, and sorceress friends—go on a quest to stop a magic rift before it grows beyond anyone’s ability to stop. Thrust together with Zephyr, Astar finds himself increasingly unable to resist her seductive invitations. And, in the face of life and death battles with lethal monsters, he begins to lose sight of why having her, just once, is such a terrible idea…

Kobo

Apple Books

Amazon Kindle

Note: I don't see it listed on Google Play.

She also sells books directly from her website.

Haven't had the chance to read this one yet even though I bought it at full price, but I love many of the books in the earlier series.

[library addict]

Originally Posted by sufue

I didn't know she sold from her website. Nice to know - I like to buy from authors direct when possible to give them (presumably) more/all of the sale price. Thanks!

Oh, and lots of times they are DRM-free that way...

Plus she pays the sales tax. This savings would depend upon where you live, but she said it was just easier on her end if she simply pays it so she can charge everyone the same price.

[worktolive]

Not a romance, but if you are in the mood for something different will leave you feeling inspired, I HIGHLY recommend this book, currently on sale for $1.99. Best book I read in 2019, indeed, the best book for several years.

A Gentleman In Moscow by Amor Towles.

Spoiler:

In 1922, Count Alexander Rostov is deemed an unrepentant aristocrat by a Bolshevik tribunal, and is sentenced to house arrest in the Metropol, a grand hotel across the street from the Kremlin. Rostov, an indomitable man of erudition and wit, has never worked a day in his life, and must now live in an attic room while some of the most tumultuous decades in Russian history are unfolding outside the hotel’s doors. Unexpectedly, his reduced circumstances provide him entry into a much larger world of emotional discovery.

Brimming with humor, a glittering cast of characters, and one beautifully rendered scene after another, this singular novel casts a spell as it relates the count’s endeavor to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be a man of purpose.

[library addict]

Weekly Report:

Read:

• One Day to Fall (One Day to Forever #2) by Therese Beharrie (B-/3 stars)
• The Cupid Complication (The Cupid Guild #3) by L Penelope (A-/5 stars)
• The Home They Built (Blackberry Bay #3) by Shannon Stacey (A/5 stars)

Also started my annual complete Psy/Changeling series reread. I am up to Caressed by Ice.

Purchased: