Book Rebound

The Moning Fever Series covers are very cool - wet cobblestones and a woman walking across them.Krista emailed me about a problem she’s having, and oh, I can so relate:

I have a problem. I recently read Karen Marie-Moning’s Fever series, and
since finishing it, have lost my will to live. The hero (I use this term
loosely) is absolutely my favorite of all time, and I feel like I’ve just
been dumped. I’m not looking for someone to replace him, just something to
numb the pain. A rebound sorta thing, ya know? Someone to show me that there
can be life after Barrons.

I have searched the website for a review, thinking surely one has been done
for this series, but I fail to find it if one exists. If you haven’t read
the series, I recommend it highly, despite the after affects it had on me
(for real.) My only advice is to not throw it out the window during the
first few chapters. It gets better.

So, if you have read the series, my question is: Do you have any suggestions
on what to pick up next, during this Life After Barrons period of my life?

Oh, book rebound! That feeling you get when you read about a character that so rocked your world, you’re not sure what to read next?

Alas, I haven’t read the Fever series, but I do remember book rebound, that feeling where you’re not sure what to read next, and you’re let down that you’ve finished reading about an amazing character and a story that pretty much embedded your socks in the drywall.

I remember that feeling after finishing The Windflower. I remember clearly thinking to myself, “Well, that’s ruined me for historical romance forever.” And it was awhile before I could pick up another book without measuring it against the complete absorption I experienced with Windflower

*deep sigh* Sometimes there’s almost a penalty for discovering truly superb romance, you know?

So: got any recommendations for book rebound for Krista? What book or series gave you rebound feelings? And did you find a cure?

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Random Musings

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  1. Amen.
    That’s all I really have to offer.
    I, as so many others, have fallen into Barrons web as well…and I can say that after nearly a year I have yet to feel the void he has left in my life (God bless KMM for making him, but she has damned us all in the process lol) …there just isn’t anything out there that compares to him.  Period.
    With that said I will add, that she (KMM) has posted on her website and facebook that after her ‘Dani’ trilogy, she has agreed to write TWO MORE MAC AND BARRONS BOOKS…so alas, he is not gone forever!!!!
    In the meantime, I have re-read the series…and day dreamed a lot 🙁 lol if anyone does have suggestions as to what to read after Barrons I wld be interested as well!!
    P.s. dreamworks has purchased movie rights to the fever series as well…so if they can find a movie screen able to contain that which is Jericho Barrons well be seeing that mug via Hollywood portrayal pretty soon 🙂

  2. Miranda says:

    I rebounded after Harry Potter and the Outlander series.

    I read something entirely different to get over my yen to be in Hogwarts or Past!Scotland.

    But if you’re still looking for Fae, I would recomment Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire. No strong romance in the first book, but it’s really good.

  3. Zodiac Lung says:

    I, too, am suffering with an unnatural attachment to Barrons right now. I reread the series…then I’ve been playing Dreamfever OVER and OVER again on my ipod, just to hear Phil Gigante voice Barrons. Other books of the genre are bland and empty right now.I’m thinking of “Gone With the Wind”, just to leave Barrons behind for a while.

    just62….how many times I’ve reread Shadowfever….

  4. Lisa says:

    No one tops Barrons…but to help me get beyond him and try to move on, I read the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews to try to get him off my mind.  Curran is a good second and takes the edge off (after I’d say book 3).  KMM is a genius with her heroes.

  5. Jennifer says:

    It’s good to know I’m not alone. I haven’t pined for a hero like this since Adam Black. I thought there couldn’t be anyone else after him, and then there was Barrons. But now…I’m lost and directionless, stumbling blindly from book to book hoping to find that kind of fulfillment again.

  6. Annabelle says:

    I love, love, love Ann Aguirre’s Sirantha Jax series. The hero, March, cold soldier, gun for hire March. Oh March, he makes me sigh in all the right places. He’s a real man but he’s loyal and he will not be swayed in his love for Jax. I’m sad there’s only one book left in the series and no doubt I will have terrible rebound once the series is done.

    I also enjoyed Nalini Singh’s archangel series. Although Raphael is no Barrons. He’s too remote, too perfect. Still, a good read and after March and Barrons he’s one of my favorite alpha males.

  7. nadia says:

    After five supremely intense books and a complex hero like that, hard to think of someone or a series who compares.  Maybe go another direction?  Since you like paranormal, why not glut on Kresley Cole’s Immortals After Dark for a while.  Intensity, yes, but so much humor as well.

  8. JanLo says:

    Well, there’s the incomparable Roarke in J.D. Robb’s In Death series. Naked in Death is the first of many of these tasty potato chips. And, a hero to drool for. I enjoyed Barrons, but Roarke has a piece of my heart.

  9. Linda B. says:

    I share her pain. It is 10 times worse if you listen to the audiobooks, with Phil Gigante as the voice of Barrons. Le sigh.

  10. Erin says:

    Wow you guys – clearly I have to go read these KMM books!!

  11. Kim says:

    I just recently finished the Fever series myself and the void is still felt.  I tried going back and reading her Highlander series and it pales in comparison (but still has its moments). 

    I recommend Colleen Gleason’s Gardella Vampire series.  Max Pesano is a hero that I had trouble shaking from my thoughts.  And the development of the romance across five books is very similar to the Moning series.

  12. Lynda says:

    It’s hopeless. There is nothing that can replace him. At least once a week I reread my favorite Barron’s scenes. I have an e-copy on my computer at home, at work, my kindle, and my phone. I stalk the facebook page. The only thing that keeps me going is knowing that there will be TWO MORE BOOKS in a few years. I think this makes me an official nutcase! 🙂

  13. Daisy says:

    Wow – um, I guessed I missed something here.  -ducking before I say this – but I really didn’t like Barrons and was oh, so disappointed in how the whole Fever series unwound. 

    However, even if I don’t understand the Barrons love, I do understand the series withdrawal.  I will probably never survive if Robb ever completes the In Death series. 

    As to recommendations – I would suggest going outside the genre.  In Death is fabulous, I am enjoying Lee Childs “Jack Reacher” series and J.A. Konrath’s “Jack Daniels” series.  If you must stick with romance, I would suggest some of the tried and true ‘originals’ – Garwood, McNaught, Deveraux. 

    Good luck!

  14. I agree with Nadia. Go in a completely different direction. Pick up something funny like Katie Macalister or MaryJanice Davidson or Nicole Peeler. Get someone who can make you laugh your head off till the angstiness goes away.

  15. Kelvin says:

    I know the feeling! When I need a rebound, I usually try to switch media. If I’ve just beaten a Bioware game, there’s no point in trying to play another RPG for the next three months. It won’t be up to snuff. When I needed to recover from my Firefly obsession, I picked up the Outlander series.

    Some things are just so special that there’s no point in forcing something else to compete.

    I think I’ll pick up KMM now, thanks for the recommendation 🙂

  16. narcissa says:

    Yup, that’s how I felt once I finished the Fever series.  There is no romance series that will fill the void Barrons left at this point.  You have to switch genres completely and hope that time will make you forget.  Maybe some mysteries or historical fiction.  But avoid reading anything to do with Ireland!  Also avoid rereading the Fever series because that will only make it worse!

  17. becca says:

    I’m that way after reading just about anything by Lois McMaster Bujold – her voice is so wonderful (ah, Cazaril! love the man) that nothing (not even my beloved In Death books) can do it for me after a Lois re-read. I have to switch genres entirely, and go to something non-fiction for awhile.

  18. corina says:

    Oh the rebound. I have this problem every time I finish (or catch up with) a really great book or television series. Things that have recently left me pining for more: Josh Lanyon’s Adrien English books; the first two seasons of The Vampire Diaries television show; Anne Stuart’s Ice series; a Julia Quinn binge; Suzanne Brockmann’s Troubleshooters, the Lord Peter Wimsey books by Dorothy Sayers . . .

    My tastes are eclectic, but once something really great gets its hooks in me, that is ALL I want. I’m apparently an entertainment binger by nature. I try to find more that is JUST like whatever has it’s hooks in me, but of course it doesn’t exist. I agree with the commenter who suggested switching media. If you’ve just finished an an amazing series of books, try replacing some of your reading time by catching up on a television series you’ve heard great things about. If switching media doesn’t work for you, definitely switch genres. It can be disconcerting at first, but stick with it.  I find I NEED that palate cleanser or everything I read feels stale. When I’m really stuck with fiction, I turn to non-fiction for awhile. Barbara Tuchman’s The Guns of August helped soothe my angst when I recently ran out of Georgette Heyer mysteries.

  19. Nicole L says:

    Ughhh!  I haven’t read the Fever books yet.  They have been sitting on my kindle for awhile now.
    But, I completely understand the feeling of being “dumped” after a book.  I’m late to a lot of series, so I end up reading 4 or 5 books in a row (Immortals After Dark, Lords of the Underworld) and when I’m finally done, I seriously mourn thier loss.
    So, I agree with the others.  Because this dude Barons sounds so intense, do something funny to cleanse your palate a bit. I just listend to “Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs” and I laughed my ass off…try something like that.

  20. Donna says:

    Oh, I feel your pain. I’m having twinges now as Meljean Brook’s final Guardian book approaches. What ever shall I do when this is over? Okay yeah, yeah there’s the Guild Hunter books, and the Elder Races, and IAD, and the Dark Forgotten, but Michael… oh Michael….

  21. Jennifer K says:

    Barrons is such a *peculiar* character… so smug… yet…hmmm.

    I second Lisa’s recommendation of Ilona Andrew’s Curran.

    OR-Maybe go the other direction- Try a beta male! New Blood (Blood Magic, #1) by Gail Dayton.  Jax starts out such a sad bastard (he’s a bound blood servant) but I loved his relationship/romance with blood sorceress Amanusa. Horrible cover on the book, but I really love the story.

  22. Cynara says:

    I had the same problem.  I tried reading Moning’s books on Christian’s ‘uncles’ and that was fun – Kiss of the Highlander helped a bit.  The only other series I’ve been near as addicted to lately is Karen Chance’s Cassie Palmer series; the first few are quite readable, but after that they become nearly as amazing and addictive as the Fever series – while being funnier.  I gotta say, Chance develops a hero who I like as much as Barrons, in a totally different way.

  23. Beth M says:

    If you don’t mind dark and violent, you should check out Anne Bishop’s Black Jewels trilogy (and then read everything else set in that world): Daughter of the Blood, Heir to the Shadows, Queen of the Darkness.  These are dark romantic fantasy, with characters that grab you and don’t let you go.  I read them over and over again, and can’t get enough.  Best characters ever.

  24. Kate Pearce says:

    Oh Barrons… he is the sort of character that makes the writer part of me despair that I could ever create something so wonderful, but the reader in me just adores him.
    I too reread the books regularly-just the Barrons parts. 🙂

    I’ve had this relationship with the Duke of Avon, Damerel, Roarke and all Dorothy Dunnett’s heroes.
    I too suggest something light and fluffy to refresh your palate. 🙂

  25. JL says:

    Oh man, I feel your pain. I know the Fever series isn’t for everyone but I was so taken in by it, it physically hurt when when my pre-ordered copy of Shadowfever arrived a week late!

    I’m with Nadia and Patricia on this one. Go in a complete opposite direction. Personally, I love Nicole Peeler’s Jane True series (funny!) and Stacia Kane’s Downside Ghosts series (dark and gritty), which are great if you are looking for UF. Both have fantastic heroes that are very un-Barrons (though with Peeler’s, you have to read past book 1 to get to the good stuff and to get used to her humour, IMO). Kane`s books left me with that same desperate feeling as KMM`s books.

    Just a suggestion for anyone picking up the Fever series for the first time: get ahold of all the books at once. The cliffhangers are insane.

  26. cbackson says:

    @corina:  Are we the same person, possibly?  Because you just named perhaps all of my favorite things…

    Every time I re-read Gaudy Night, I feel this immense sense of sorrow that I will never again read it for the first time.  Or whenever I get through a re-read of The Lymond Chronicles (and no, the Niccolo books have never grabbed me, so there’s no succor there).

  27. MarieC says:

    Ah, Barron…I had the same problem. I read anthologies to ‘heal’. Short stories that satiate yet don’t entail a long term committment.

    If short stories don’t work for you, here are some suggestions for long term relationship (reoccuring main characters): Molly Harpers’ Jane Jameson, Ilona Andrews’ Kate Daniels (as suggested by others), Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson are all good.

  28. Heather Greye says:

    Oh, Barrons…sigh

    I didn’t quite have rebound with this series, but I can see why people do.

    I highly recommend Nalini Singh’s Psy Changeling. It’s the series I rebound from. And to. 🙂

    No single hero through all the books, but several dreamy ones. Like Judd Lauren of Carressed by Ice.

  29. Reneesance says:

    Hopping on the Gail Dayton bandwagon for a minute.  Why not try her Compass Rose series.  Not one but 7 heros to lurve, each with their own special something 😉  Or if you get the squicks from polyamoury how about the aformentioned something funny?  Terry Pratchett’s books about the Watch are some of my favorite and Vimes is a perfect grumpy anti-hero.  Start with Guards, Gaurds, then Men at Arms, and Feet of Clay right after that.

  30. Kate Pearce says:

    I love the way we all do that romance readers ‘sigh’ over Barrons. LOL

  31. Oh, Sarah, fellow Windflower admirer, I totally know where you are coming from.  Laura London ruins us for all other historical romance novels.  I actually have a whole storyline in my head based on Cat 10 years later falling in love with a daughter Rand Morgan didn’t know he had fathered.  The only problem?  She’s in the control of Michael Granville who survived the accident in the icehouse.

    Honestly, with the post’s question, I find that giving myself a little time to mourn the loss is helpful, just like any other breakup!  The best part is that I am a huge re-reader (it helps me with my recurring Cynster crush), so after giving myself the space to come to terms with my characters not being flesh and blood, I can go back and reread the books.  I find the sense of loss lessens over time when I do this, since I know I can immerse myself back in the lives of my favorite heartthrobs.  It’s the only thing that makes it okay to turn that last page!

  32. Emily says:

    I haven’t any KMM series, I know but I am new to romance. I just am posting in to say that I have never felt this way about a hero, and that I definitely don’t feel this way about Roarke. {Ducks}  I like the In Death books, but Roarke is definitely my least favorite thing about them. He’ s bossy, manupulative, always trying to buy her, disrespectful of her boundaries, could care less about how she feels, etc. Roarke does come across better later in the series, but in the first two forget it.

  33. Sam says:

    I don’t know the series (though hearing most everyone in the comments go on about it, I think I’ll add it to my library list) but I know the feeling and I agree with those who’ve said to go in a totally different direction. When I’m all broken after a fiction book/series, I tend to read some non-fiction or fiction of a totally different genre.

  34. Mel R says:

    I’ve read the Fever series—waited until I had all 5 books before I started reading so I wouldn’t have to wait between each release—and Barrons got to me, too.  The whole story got to me.  I was so mad that the last book was so long, I wanted everything resolved NOW!  And every time I picked up a book, I couldn’t put it down for hours.
    The only other series to grab me like that was the Twilight series.  I know, juvenile reading, but it did.

    To move on from Barrons, I picked up Lover Unleased by JR Ward.  More dark-and-heavy, but a different story that allowed me to gradually move on to other books. 
    As for Roarke, he doesn’t suck, but the last few books kind of do—haven’t had one capture my attention in awhile.

    why96…I hope I’m not left wondering why 96 books of In Death are on my shelves

  35. Scrin says:

    I just finished the Ministry of Peculiar Occura nces by Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris, which features one of the most asskicking heroines ever, in steampunky Victorian England.

    Put it this way: In the opening scene the hero is being rescued by her and he asks where the rest of the field team is and he’s told, “Well, you know the Ministry is on a tight budget these days, so the Director told me I could either have a full field team or extra dynamite…”

    Shame it’s a brand-new series. It’s a little more actiony than the Heartless series by Gail Carriger (ALSO RECOMMENDED, FOLKS), and doesn’t feature a consummated romance but leaves it very, very open for a sequel while giving a good story.

    Oh, his name is Wellington Thornhill Books and her name is Eliza Braun. Books and Braun.

  36. Scrin says:

    Whoops. Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences. I dropped my keyboard typing that one.

  37. Bookluvr4life says:

    Omg I understand completely! I read the Highlander books by KMM as well, and they were pretty good, then I re-read the Fever books lol. Finally I moved on and started the Kate Daniels series, which I love. You should give them a try 🙂

  38. Leslie says:

    I recommend a complete palate cleanse and have to recommend Richard Kadrey’s Sandman Slim books – so freaking dark! Sam Spade meets Lovecraft meets the Evil Dead. I do not usually read horror, but the first book was recommended and it hooked me b/c it is at once an homage to various types of fiction and something that feels different. The paranormal world-building is amazing and the stories are situated in an LA that is even darker than the real city but still recognizable (as if the Weetzie Bat books were written by Ash instead of Francesca Lia Block).

  39. zinemama says:

    Totally off topic, but I’d like to thank everyone who mentioned Gillian Bradshaw’s The Beacon at Alexandria in the cross-dressing discussion awhile back. I just got it from the library and am only on page 65 but am loving it.

    spamword: based96. I’m sure there are another 96 titles I’ll read based on your recommendations!

  40. Bri says:

    I’m going to parrot several others and suggest the Kate Daniels series.  While I loved Barrons in a why-do-I-love-this-bad-boy-so-much kind of way, I mourned the loss of another book after I finished the 5th book in the KD series. 

    Curran = UNF.

    But before you go running off and diving into the lusciousness that is Curran, know that it takes till book 3 for the fireworks to really start. 

    It’s worth it.  I promise.

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