FREE/BARGAIN — Romance & Discussion

[sufue]

I'm always up for re-reading my favorite Mary Stewart books. My most favorite is Madam, Will You Talk - I adore both the setting and the story. But closely followed by My Brother Michael, The Moon-Spinners, and This Rough Magic. And many others of hers are worth re-reading too, but in my limited time, it's those that I re-read when in the mood....

[sufue]

I'm more familiar with Jennifer Ashley writing as Ashley Gardner - as the author of the Captain Lacey historical mystery series, which I quite like. And I know she writes a shifter series as Jennifer Ashley. But I didn't know she has written a few Regency romances, and now here's the first one for free at Kindle US and UK...

Duke in Search of a Duchess
Kindle US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GK7Z8MZ
Kindle UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08GK7Z8MZ

Spoiler:

The meticulous Duke of Ashford is dismayed when his children inform him they’ve asked the young widow next door to find him a new wife. Ash can’t think of a more appalling assistant than Helena Courtland, gossipy busybody he steadfastly avoids. But Helena sweeps into his home and his life before he can stop her, turning Ash’s precisely ordered world into a chaotic whirlwind, and stealing his heart.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Quoth

Madness when I actually have had a Wireless barcode terminal for nearly 25 years and wrote sold custom barcode database systems 25 years ago!

That old saw about the cobbler's children going barefoot comes to mind.

Originally Posted by sufue

But I didn't know she has written a few Regency romances, and now here's the first one for free at Kindle US and UK...

Duke in Search of a Duchess

SWMBO insisted I pick this one up for her.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by sufue

I'm always up for re-reading my favorite Mary Stewart books. My most favorite is Madam, Will You Talk - I adore both the setting and the story. But closely followed by My Brother Michael, The Moon-Spinners, and This Rough Magic. And many others of hers are worth re-reading too, but in my limited time, it's those that I re-read when in the mood....

Hah! We have a totally different list of favorites! Mine are Wildfire at Midnight, Nine Coaches Waiting and The Ivy Tree. And the aforementioned Gabriel Hounds.

[Martinoptic]

The Ivy Tree was the first I ever read. and because it was inspired by Bratt Farrar, it put me on to Josephine Tey, another author I’m fond of.

[sufue]

Too funny

I like those too, of course, just not at the tippy-top of my Mary Stewart list.

Originally Posted by issybird

Hah! We have a totally different list of favorites! Mine are Wildfire at Midnight, Nine Coaches Waiting and The Ivy Tree. And the aforementioned Gabriel Hounds.

Now, as far as Georgette Heyer...

The Unknown Ajax (absolute favorite), The Grand Sophy, Beauvallet, The Talisman Ring, and of course, These Old Shades and Devil's Cub. But, as with Mary Stewart, I like almost all, except a very very few. Which reminds me, I haven't seen what used to be Sourcebook's annual "Georgette Heyer birthday sale" in a long time. I have most of Heyer's books in e-book now anyway, but just thinking about it made me realize I haven't seen that sale in several years ???

[issybird]

Originally Posted by sufue

Now, as far as Georgette Heyer...

The Unknown Ajax (absolute favorite), The Grand Sophy, Beauvallet, The Talisman Ring, and of course, These Old Shades and Devil's Cub. But, as with Mary Stewart, I like almost all, except a very very few. Which reminds me, I haven't seen what used to be Sourcebook's annual "Georgette Heyer birthday sale" in a long time. I have most of Heyer's books in e-book now anyway, but just thinking about it made me realize I haven't seen that sale in several years ???

Full confession: I've never been able to cozy up to Heyer. For me, her writing clobbers you with its Regency details; it screams, "Look at how meticulous my research has been!" to the extent that it takes away from the story. It draws attention to itself in a way that Austen, for example, contemporary Regency, does not.

My favorite Heyer thus far has been The Corinthian which was fun. So, that said, Ajax was available at my library; I've downloaded it and will give it a go. I bought a bunch of Heyers in those Sourcebook sales, but Ajax wasn't among them. And I've also been aware that those sales ceased a while back.

One more Heyer comment: I've read most of her mysteries and while they have some Golden Age appeal, they're not among the best of that subgenre.

[library addict]

Weekly Report:

Read:

• Shadow Survivors (Protectors at K-9 Ranch #1) by Julie Miller (B/4 stars)
• Housebroke by Jaci Burton (C-/2 stars)

Also up to Ain't No Party Like a Bear Party in my complete Psy/Changeling series reread.

Purchased:
none

[sufue]

Totally agree with you on the mysteries...not bad, but not great.

Hope you like Ajax!

Originally Posted by issybird

Full confession: I've never been able to cozy up to Heyer. For me, her writing clobbers you with its Regency details; it screams, "Look at how meticulous my research has been!" to the extent that it takes away from the story. It draws attention to itself in a way that Austen, for example, contemporary Regency, does not.

My favorite Heyer thus far has been The Corinthian which was fun. So, that said, Ajax was available at my library; I've downloaded it and will give it a go. I bought a bunch of Heyers in those Sourcebook sales, but Ajax wasn't among them. And I've also been aware that those sales ceased a while back.

One more Heyer comment: I've read most of her mysteries and while they have some Golden Age appeal, they're not among the best of that subgenre.

[sufue]

Joffe's Free Friday romance, which I'm actually posting on Friday for once , is Wintercombe, which is the first in the Wintercombe series by Pamela Belle.

Kindle US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01I00TDBI
Kindle UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01I00TDBI

Spoiler:

Sometimes we find light in the darkest of places…

Tortured by a cold, Puritan father, Silence has learned to conceal her passionate nature inside a prison like shell of passivity. Her eventual marriage does not offer her the escape that she longs for and she craves some semblance of autonomy. It is only the sweep of history that finally offers Silence the freedom she so desires.

Civil war has raged and her sombre husband has been away for two years. Wintercombe, once a tranquil bastion of family virtue, is transformed into an unruly, drunken, and licentious garrison. From this turmoil a still more subtle threat dawns in the handsome shape of Captain Nick Hellier.

As the battle for England is matched by the struggle within her soul, it’s not long before Captain Hellier starts to slowly unlock the chains around Silence’s fragile, Puritan heart…

There are also a mystery and an other fiction-ish war novel for free, posted in their respective threads...

[library addict]

Weekly Report:

Read:

• People in Glass Houses (World of Harmony/Arcane #23) by Jayne Castle (A-/5 stars)
• Texas Cowboy Sweetheart (The Stars of Texas #1) by Rebecca Crowley (C+/3 stars)

Also up to Alpha Night in my complete Psy/Changeling series reread.


Purchased:

[sufue]

I've read and enjoyed a couple of Rachel Aaron's series, including her Heartstrikers (aka "nice dragon") series, and her DFZ series. Now she has a three-book spin-off to the DFZ series, called the DFZ Changeling series, and the first book, By a Silver Thread, is on sale at Kindle US for $0.99. And the whole series is KU if you have that, and thus binge-able if you like it!

Kindle US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BYB6MX9F

Spoiler:

A new DFZ series from the author of NICE DRAGONS FINISH LAST and MINIMUM WAGE MAGIC, now complete at three books!

In the world’s most magical metropolis where spirits run noodle shops and cash-strapped dragons stage photo-ops for tourists, people still think fairies are nothing but stories, and that’s exactly how the fairies like it. It’s a lot easier to feast on humanity’s dreams when no one believes you exist. But while this arrangement works splendidly for most fair folk, Lola isn’t one of the lucky ones.

She’s a changeling, a fairy monster made just human enough to dupe unsuspecting parents while fairies steal their real child. The magic that sustains her was never meant to last past the initial theft, leaving Lola without a future. But thanks to Victor Conrath, a very powerful--and very illegal--blood mage, she was given the means to cheat death.

For a price.

Now the only changeling ever to make it to adulthood, Lola has served the blood mage faithfully, if reluctantly, for twenty years. Her unique ability to slip through wards and change her shape to look like anyone has helped make Victor a legend in the DFZ’s illegal-magic underground. It’s not a great life, but at least the work is stable… until her master vanishes without a trace.

With only a handful left of the pills that keep her human, Lola must find Victor before she turns back into the fairy monster she was always meant to be. But with a whole SWAT team of federal paladins hunting her as a blood-mage accomplice, an Urban Legend on a silent black motorcycle who won’t leave her alone, and a mysterious fairy king with the power to make the entire city dream, Lola’s chances of getting out of this alive are as slender as a silver thread.

[sufue]

Cross-post to the Audiobooks thread for a big batch of Ilona Andrews audiobooks on sale at Kobo US, UK, and Canada. Titles vary a bit by country, but there are currently 25 in the US, a few more in Canada, and less in the UK.

link to the post: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh....php?p=4424068

[library addict]

Weekly Report:

Read:

• Shadows of Winter (The Curse and the Crown #1) by Lindsay Buroker (B+/4 stars)

Also up to Last Guard in my complete Psy/Changeling series reread.


Purchased:

[library addict]

Weekly Report:

Read:

• Curse of the Alien Ring (Sectors #18.5) by Veronica Scott (C+/3 stars)
• Mind Games by Nora Roberts (B/4 stars)
• Cold Case Investigation (Hudson Sibling Solutions #3) by Nicole Helm (B/4 stars)
• Texas Reckless Cowboy (The Stars of Texas #2) by Rebecca Crowley (B/4 stars)

Also up to Resonance Surge in my complete Psy/Changeling series reread.


Purchased: