FREE/BARGAIN — Romance & Discussion

[copyrite]

Egads I could blow my June book budget from yesterday's releases! Time to start Swagging again I guess. LOL

[ATDrake]

X-link to the DRM-free thread for the first of Dreamspinner Press giveaways for today:

Far From Home by Madeleine Urban, a collection of 3 m/m romantic science fiction novellas.

[Keslynn]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Agreed even though it's labeled as urban fantasy it isn't. It's not written in first person and it focuses on the relationship more than plot. I'm on Dimtri's book so relieved to take a break from the rabbits. Illium is my favorite though.

Do I need to read novellas in publication order? Or can I go back later once I get my hands on them?

Sent from my XT1528

I LOVED Dmitri's book. Really romantic with less rabbits. Same with the other couples which is probably why I've enjoyed those books more than Raphael/Elena books (after the first).

Just a warning, it's back to rabbits on the next Raphael and Elena book. It doesn't really stop being that way for them until Archangel's Heart, which has a sex-to-plot ratio that's comparable to other couple's books.

I haven't read any of the novellas, but I would guess that it's perfectly fine to go back to those later. I don't think that the author tends to put big plot points in the novellas. She uses them more to flesh out the existing stories.

[library addict]

If you're in Harlequin My Rewards, you can re-submit the HMR Ratings Challenge, HMR Poll, and Share Your Thoughts With HMR! again for 100 points each.

[Terisa de morgan]

Originally Posted by library addict

If you're in Harlequin My Rewards, you can re-submit the HMR Ratings Challenge, HMR Poll, and Share Your Thoughts With HMR! again for 100 points each.

Thank you! I'll get the new Ilona Andrews on August!

[Cinisajoy]

I tend to skip the rabbit scenes.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

I tend to skip the rabbit scenes.

You can't do that with an audiobook on Hoopla.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Blossom

You can't do that with an audiobook on Hoopla.

That sounds bad. I don't think rabbit scenes would be good in audio.

[worktolive]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

That sounds bad. I don't think rabbit scenes would be good in audio.

That's one reason I'm haven't tried romance books on audio. I often skim those scenes when I'm reading, and I'm not so sure I want to listen to someone read them out loud. I guess I should give it a try sometime just to see. My library often doesn't have a book that I want in print but they do have it in audio.

[copyrite]

Originally Posted by worktolive

That's one reason I'm haven't tried romance books on audio. I often skim those scenes when I'm reading, and I'm not so sure I want to listen to someone read them out loud. I guess I should give it a try sometime just to see. My library often doesn't have a book that I want in print but they do have it in audio.

I just speed 'em up if it's Audible (or a player that can do variable speed) so they're just fast enough I can sorta discern what's being said, and slow back down at the end of the scene.

[FizzyWater]

Originally Posted by worktolive

That's one reason I'm haven't tried romance books on audio. I often skim those scenes when I'm reading, and I'm not so sure I want to listen to someone read them out loud. I guess I should give it a try sometime just to see. My library often doesn't have a book that I want in print but they do have it in audio.

Even worse is that it always just seems like a few pages when reading, but when listening, some of those rabbit scenes can go on for 20 minutes or more! Yikes! Add in the over-enthusiastic or breath-y narration and I want to bang my head on the wall. I wish I could insert bookmarks so I could skip over those the next time I listen.*

And if I've got an audiobook on while I'm cleaning, I've usually got the sound up and the windows open. Suddenly someone grabs someone's hoozit or whatzit and I have to dash back into the room with the player and turn it down before I shock my neighbors!

*Most of my listening is done on an old iPod Classic (the only i-Thing I ever intend to buy). If there's a way to insert bookmarks into Audible audiobooks, I've never found it. I've honestly thought about finding a ripping program and learning how to cut out those scenes for PG versions when others might hear.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by FizzyWater

Even worse is that it always just seems like a few pages when reading, but when listening, some of those rabbit scenes can go on for 20 minutes or more! Yikes! Add in the over-enthusiastic or breath-y narration and I want to bang my head on the wall. I wish I could insert bookmarks so I could skip over those the next time I listen.*

And if I've got an audiobook on while I'm cleaning, I've usually got the sound up and the windows open. Suddenly someone grabs someone's hoozit or whatzit and I have to dash back into the room with the player and turn it down before I shock my neighbors!

*Most of my listening is done on an old iPod Classic (the only i-Thing I ever intend to buy). If there's a way to insert bookmarks into Audible audiobooks, I've never found it. I've honestly thought about finding a ripping program and learning how to cut out those scenes for PG versions when others might hear.

I can imagine you making a mad dash. I don't mind breathy sex scenes as I only listen with ear buds but it's the filler sex scenes that I want to skim. You of course want to read the h/h first time and maybe one fun inventive time together and the one after they realize they are true love but more than that and it takes away from the story.


Sent from my XT1528

[ferrywoman]

I read a ton of and enjoy erotic romance, so, uh…

But I've gone through several phases of sex scene fatigue myself, especially since a lot of the scenes can be derivative. But generally, I think "filler" is a YMMV thing inasmuch as readers can see the connection between the characters and accept whether the physical relationship has emotional stakes.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by ferrywoman

I read a ton of and enjoy erotic romance, so, uh…

But I've gone through several phases of sex scene fatigue myself, especially since a lot of the scenes can be derivative. But generally, I think "filler" is a YMMV thing inasmuch as readers can see the connection between the characters and accept whether the physical relationship has emotional stakes.

I expect a ton of sex in erotic romance. Other books, it just gets distracting.
I have read most of the J D Robb books. The romantic gestures were nice, but after about the second book I skipped the rabbits.

[ferrywoman]

Ha! I don't.

I just think it's not about frequency but rather a personal expectation and choice. A sex scene or two more can "take away from the story" for one reader, "deepen the intimacy" for another, "inconsequential so may skip/but may still read" for others, whatever the romance subgenre.