You did it! We figured this one out! It is a truth universally acknowledged (by me for certain) that the Bitchery pretty much knows everything, and really, it's true. Scroll down to see the solution for this HaBO - and many thanks!
Bitchery reader Elyssa wrote me to say she has two books she can’t find:
I actually have two books that I’ve been looking for and my usual great memory has been failing with these two. I know I haven’t dreamt these up, at least I don’t think I did. I read—-or should I say stole—-this book from my mom’s nightstand, and I’ve been looking for it everywhere. I’m sure it won’t live up to my memory since part of the allure was reading the book illicitly.
Book One:
I remember that this book takes place in England, and I’m pretty sure it’s Regency era. The heroine is 17 and is blond but an orphan (so sad). She went to school with a bunch of other girls and made friends with another fellow orphan who’s a brunette. Somehow, the blond heroine has a guardian (the hero, who’s also blond) and there are two meddling aunts who want the couple to get together. But, alas, the hero is sort of engaged. And there’s one scene in the novel where this cunty ex-mistress of the hero who comes onto the heroine. There’s also a secondary romance with the brunette friend and the hero’s friend who, of course, is a a Rake. Oh, and the hero of the story is in his 30s (I want to say 36) and wants to marry the heroine off for some reason but can’t when he starts desiring her.
Book Two:
I also think this book takes place in England although it could start in America, too. For the most part, the setting is on a boat and then somewhere else (possibly a desert). The rich heroine is chasing after her fiance who’s off searching for a treasure or researching (not sure which). The fiance keeps giving her the run-around to marry her, and heroine’s getting fed up and decides to find out what’s up. Heroine goes to the boat-yards, smacks into the handsome hero who’s shirtless. She hires him and gets on board. Of course, her room is right next to the hero’s, who’s the captain of the boat. They travel, fight sexual attraction, although there’s one scene on the boat where hero goes down on her in his cabin and she begs him to take her. He doesn’t. They land where they’re supposed to and find the fiance who’s been whoring and not doing what he’s supposed to. I think the heroine has a map to where the treasure is and leads everyone to it – the hero decides to leave, thinking the heroine is better off with jerk fiance. But heroine comes to her senses and everything ends HEA. (For some reason, I thought the hero and heroine were named Jack and Sophie and the book had a yellow cover – but I haven’t found any books that fit this description, so I highly doubt it).
Both books would have been published during 1990s (somewhere in that decade), possibly early 2000.
If there’s any chance that you know what these books are, it would be greatly appreciated!
Handsome shirtless heroes? Orphans with lusty-eyed guardians? Man, there’s hardly any books like that- bring it on!
Oh, God, I think I remember the first one. Damn this terrible memory! I think it was a big author… Grrr… Elyssa, I’ll try to apply my dried up brain matter to this and get back to you, but if it’s the book I’m thinking of, someone here will guess it!
The first book also has a scene where the heroine, getting fed up with the hero denying the sexual tension, calls him “Uncle _____ (insert hero’s name)” when she talks about how her kids will call him. Of course, hero gets creeped out b/c Uncles are old and nasty; things he is not. (And then, of course, he kisses her).
Oh and I’m not too sure about book two if the heroine is rich or not but I do think she has money.
Seriously. If any of you know these books, I’ll be eternally grateful and heart you forever. *g*
The second one sounds familiar. I’m sure I read something similar in the last couple of years. But I haven’t a clue about the title or the author. At least now you know you didn’t imagine it.
The first one kind of sounds like a Kat Martin I read ages ago….Wicked Promise?
Was the second one a historical? Because it reminds me of Heart of Fire by Linda Howard, but that’s contemporary. Also, the rain forest, not a desert, so maybe not.
Wow, I know I read the second one. At least five times, different authors. But the treasure map thing, maybe not.
Ciar, I’m really iffy about the treasure map thing. All I know is that the woman’s after her fiancee and the hero captain helps her out. I know it’s not the book by Betina Krahn.
“For some reason, I thought the hero and heroine were named Jack and Sophie…”
It’s a lost novel by Patrick O’Brian!
I can beat that for romance cliches… probably one of the reasons I’m stunted in my romance novel lit is that the first romance novel I ever read (stolen from mom) included a half-breed Injun-with-rogue-heart-of-gold-but-kinda -rapey, named “Hunter”, a red-tressed fiesty reporter heroine who was a virgin-but-he-thought-she-was-a-whore, and a Big Misunderstanding.
After being a steady adoree of this site, I’m beginning to wonder if I was prematurely scarred by Cassie Edwards…
I’m sorry, Ishie, when that kind of trauma occurs so early in life, the psychopathology is incurable. There’s nothing you can do about it. 😉
Hmm… that would explain a lot. Anyone want to help me get a gross of feisty redheads out of the basement?
Cassie Edwards will do that to ya. Consider years of therapy, or possibly reading relly good romance will suffice.
The only “ward” book that comes to mind is Joan Wolf’s “The Rebellious Ward”. However, I don’t think she was blond.
The second book DOES sound familiar but my brain is particularly mushy this morning and no titles are forthcoming!
Sorry.
I almost want to say #1 is one of the “V” novels by Jane Feather, but I think perhaps I have Vixen & Vice mooshed together in my brain …
I’m with you Peggy—I was thinking the first one sounded a lot like Jane Feather’s Vixen. With Chloe as the 17 year old ward who, I think, rescues animals, or has some big dog, and she lives with Sir Hugo, the guardian. I remember loving Sir Hugo cause he was a big giant grouch.
The second one also sounds familiar, another Jane Feather or Catherine Coulter…I’ll keep digging.
I don’t think it’s Jane Feather’s book. I really thought the hero’s name was Julian (?). I just remembered another scene (and perhaps this will help) where there’s a ball and the heroine comes upon the hero kissing the hand of his fiancee. Then the heroine impusively agrees to another guy’s proposal to make the hero jealous, but the hero turns the guy down.
Sounds like
Happily Ever After
by Tanya Anne Crosby?
http://www.mrsgiggles.com/books/crosby_happily.html
Yes! The second book is Happily Ever After! Thank you so much, Larita.
I haven’t read it, but Mrs giggles’ review sounded promising and I’ve been trying to find it. Hope you enjoy it!
I’ve read it before and loved it, Larita. I’ve been searching for Book 2 for ages!
The first one is definitely a Kat Martin. I just returned it to the library.
I for one, am horrified that you would give away the ending like that.
The hero gets together with the heroine and HEA?! Way to spoil it all!
Ha. Good luck finding your books.
Kat Martin is awesome.