Jackie is writing in with help finding a novella she really enjoyed, but the whole story of her history with romance is pretty awesome.
Hi, ladies! I’m a huuuuuuge fan and avid devourer of your insightful and
hi-freaking-larious website! Trashy romance novels have always held a
special place in my heart (and loins) as I’m the youngest of four sisters
by 15-12 years…which means that I became quite adept at sneaking their
bodice rippers when I was 8 years old.Our Mom was a huge prude so anything
remotely heave-y or turgid-y had to be hidden around the house. (She even
ripped down my sister’s poster of a bare chested dude and burned it on the
gas stove. Truth.) I’d sometimes literally stumble over their secret hidey
holes and read the shit out of those forbidden fruit-tastic novels, but I
wasn’t so good at re-hiding them (like under the bathroom scale—I never
claimed to be a crafty child).
Anyway, I’m throwing myself at the collective feet of all of you omniscient
smart bitches to ask for help to locate an anthology book featuring a story
by Veronica Sattler. I think it was a Valentine’s Day anthology published
in the mid to late ‘90s and it might have featured cherries, chocolate, or
hell, EVEN BOTH MAYHAPS! in the title or cover art.All I can remember is
that it was a contemporary story, but it’s not her “Wild Cherries”
Harlequin Superromance.I remember being so struck by it because I had also
just finished reading Sattler’s super fantastically crazypants “The
Bargain,” (in which Ashleigh Sinclair, an innocent brothel kitchen maid,
gets tricked into being Lord Brett Westmont’s “governess” of sexy times
by order of Brett’s Duke/Grandpa who’s all, “Grandson, you’re a rather
competent rake, but you need to be taught by a PRO!,” while Brett’s all,
“Uhhh, I wield my turgid wang o’ debauchery quite well, but thanks for the
free ho, geriatric Gramp-bro!,” and Ashleigh’s, like, “Ahem, I’m a 19th
century English rose—why the shit am I named after a day shift 80’s
stripper?”) and I just needed MOAR MOAR MOAR of Veronica Sattler.Ok, enough rambling! This bitch is forever grateful and thank you so damn
much for your help!
While I know plenty of awesome Ashleighs, I have not encountered that name in the historical romance world, at least, not on a female. I may be wrong about that.
Anyone recognize this book?
I loved Veronica Sattler’s books too! Thought I still had my old paperbacks but can’t find them. I do recall that she wrote 2 Harlequins (Superromances I think) in the mid to late 90’s and could never find anything after that. I think they were ‘Wild Cherries’ and ‘Wild Honey’. Sorry, I don’t recall any anthologies.
Hmmm, wonder if any of her books have been rereleased as eBooks!
I think it might be “The Bargain,” HH 191.
I was all excited reading this, because I remembered an anthology with chocolate in the title and on the cover, but alas, the one I was thinking of, Seduction by Chocolate, didn’t come out until 2000 and doesn’t feature Veronica Sattler. Guess there must be a lot of those anthologies.
I looked briefly for Sattler novellas with no luck – at http://www.romancewiki.com/Veronica_Sattler – they only list novels for her
I was all excited reading this, because I remembered an anthology with chocolate in the title and on the cover, but alas, the one I was thinking of, Seduction by Chocolate, didn’t come out until 2000 and doesn’t feature Veronica Sattler. Guess there must be a lot of those anthologies.
I looked briefly for Sattler novellas with no luck – at http://www.romancewiki.com/Veronica_Sattler they only list novels for her
Thankfully I was between sips of coffee when I read that!!
And, yes, it is The Bargain!
I believe Richard is correct.
The Bargain by Veronica Sattler (harlequin historical #191)
THE DUKE OF RAVENSFORD
The aging nobleman had decided that the only thing his grandson needed to complete his education was a woman with a reputation, and he would provide one…
ASHLEIGH SINCLAIR
An orphaned kitchen maid in an English brothel, she was tricked into taking the post as a “governess” to the duke’s grandson…
LORD BRETT WESTMONT
Handsome and heartless, Brett had known every kind of woman but one, and now his grandfather had seen to it that his collection was complete… All were caught in a deception that could cost a young woman her virtue, and a notorious rake his heart…
thanks FictionDB.com
My mother used to flip out if she so much as found a romance comic book in our rooms. Funny how all my sisters turned out to be such avid romance novel readers! Ahh, the forbidden fruit:)
I think she already knows the name of The Bargain – the HaBo she’s looking for is a Veronica Sattler contemporary novella in a collection that might have chocolate or cherries in the title. The Bargain description was just part of the background to the HaBo.
I’m so used to the description being for the book they are looking for that I didn’t even think about it.
There’s no suggestion anywhere that Veronica Sattler was ever part of an anthology… the only possibility I can think of is some special, for-subscribers-only, Harlequin/Silhouette publication with a very small press run. But even that sort of thing winds up listed somewhere online…
Maybe the story in the anthology Jackie’s looking for was written in a similar Sattleresque style? Any details about the story or stories?
ROFL!!
I think I am more interested in the Bargain.
I have no idea about the book but UR awesome and hilarious and I love love love your clever and snarky descriptions. Your HABO made my day 100%.
This link gives the author’s snail mail contact info:
http://regencyromancewriters.com/Authorinfo.cfm?authorID=358
Worth a try!
I’m an avid Veronica Sattler fan and had no idea of a possible anthology. I do know she does not write anymore which is wickedly tragic. I loved The Bargain. Sabelle is another good one of her books.
I’d like to know about an anthology containing a story by Veronica since I’ve devoured all of her works.
Harlequin was publishing a lot of 3-in-1 collections which were reprints of categories, but in a collection for Mother’s Day or Valentine’s day or Cowboys or Babies or whatever struck their fancy. It’s possible that one of the Sattler categories got republished in one of those.
Under98 Absolutely I am! Some days, though, it doesn’t feel like it. LOL
On another a blog someone suggested that Veronica’s writing was similar to Judith McNaught’s so maybe that is who wrote the story the OP is looking for. Plus McNaught was part of a Christmas anthology. I know she said valentine’s, but one never knows. http://www.amazon.com/Gift-Love-Exposure-Gabriels-Yuletide/dp/0671536613/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1311529658&sr=1-2
I have never read either author so I could not say for sure, but it may help in the search. 🙂
Ha! Now that you know the name of the book, may we prevail upon you to review it for us??? Because that quote? Is made of awesomesauce.
@ Lynda the Guppy – that makes sense. It looks like she only wrote two contemporaries, and Janet said it’s not Wild Cherries, so that makes it Wild Honey (maybe). If it is, ShellBell got it right.
BWAHAHAHA! I think I read that book!