After attending the session with Julie Garwood and Jude Deveraux last week, my inner 13 year old is itching to re-read many of their books, so in addition to the paper copies I have (some in pieces), I wanted to see if there were any on digital discount. Hooray!
Rebellious Desire, which I haven't read before (SCANDAL!) is .99c! The reviews are not as universally glowing as with Garwood's other books, but I am surprised to find a backlist title on sale – this was published in 1986 – that I haven't read.
Of all the dukes in England, Jered Marcus Benton, the Duke of Bradford, was the wealthiest, most handsome–and most arrogant. And of all London's ladies, he wanted the tender obedience of only one–Caroline Richmond. She was a ravishing beauty from Boston, with a mysterious past and a fiery spirit.
Drawn to the powerful duke, undeterred by his presumptuous airs, Caroline was determined to win his lasting love. But Bradford would bend to no woman–until a deadly intrigue drew them enticingly close. Now, united against a common enemy, they would discover the power of the magnificent attraction that brought them together…a desire born in danger, but destined to flame into love!
Goodreads | Amazon | BN | Kobo | iBooks
A Knight in Shining Armor is currently 25% off at $5.99 at Amazon. – which isn't a huge sale, but so many of you were curious about it, I wanted to highlight the discount. This book was the gateway drug for many readers, and I love it with fond nostalgia, despite some major flaws within the ending. Please be warned, it has a somewhat controversial and not-exactly-traditional-romance ending (though it is happy-ish), and some readers hatessssss it. Me, I am swept up every time. Every. Time. My copy is in 3 pieces.
Abandoned by her lover, thoroughly modern Dougless Montgomery finds herself alone and brokenhearted in an old English church. She never dreamed that a love more powerful than time awaited her there… until Nicholas Stafford, Earl of Thornwyck, a sixteenth-century knight, appeared.
Drawn to him by a bond so sudden and compelling that it defied reason, Dougless knew that Nicholas was nothing less than a miracle: a man who would not seek to change her, who found her perfect just as she was. But she could not know how strong were the chains that tied them to the past — or the grand adventure that lay before them.
I've written about this before – it's hard to forget that this is allegedly a “Bernie Rhodenbarr Mystery.” If you're Deveraux curious, The Black Lyon is $4.74 – $4.99 depending on retailer. It is a very highly reviewed medieval romance, and cited as many readers' favorite.
Darkly handsome and rich beyond imagining, the bold English conqueror was called Lyon for his-lion like fierceness. He had no match among enemies, or women … until he met Lyonene, the green-eyed beauty whose fiery spirit matched his own. Through a whirlwind romance and stormy marriage, she endured every peril to be by his side… until jealousy and vicious lies drove her across the Irish Sea and into grave danger.
One man could save her — only the fierce Black Lyon had the courage to destroy the ruthless plot that had driven them apart and threatened the bond of love they had vowed could never be broken.
Goodreads | Amazon | BN | Kobo | iBooks
My Favorite Bride is .99c, and was originally published in 2002. It's book #6 in the Governess Brides series. Those governesses were getting busy! This book is very favorably reviewed – and I just realized that I look favorably upon books whose Goodreads review average is flipping me off. Ha!
When Miss Samantha Prendregast arrives at Devil's Fell to take charge of six rebellious girls, the vibrant, outspoken governess is not quite prepared to deal with the tall, dark and dashing master of the grand estate. The children she can manage with intelligence, guile . . . and a little bribery.
Their widowed father, Colonel William Gregory, is not so easily charmed — and far too easy to fall in love with, which she dares not do. William always cherished the orderliness of his life, until this captivating troublemaker began flouting his authority and distracting him with her witty defiance and breathtaking beauty.
Despite the fact that they clash at every meeting, William finds himself inexplicably drawn to Samantha's fire. And now he's even contemplating marriage, which would be sweet madness indeed. But before he can successfully woo her, William must discover what it is that Samantha is hiding from him.
But the secret the lady is preciously guarding is far too shocking and dangerous to ever reveal .
Oh no!! I’ve just bought another book!! But just can’t resist medieval romances and never got round to reading a Deveraux… *weeps*
I like Rebellious Desire. It’s not my favorite Garwood, but if you like her historical backlist, it still satisfies!
What Angela James said about REBELLIOUS DESIRE. (I wonder if anyone’s tried that use-champagne-to-shine-the-boots trick and how it worked for them…)
I just read Dodd’s MY FAVORITE BRIDE a couple of weeks ago and was charmed and entertained. I giggled my way through a lot of it, and though I wanted to slap the hero near the end, it was a very satisfying read.
I will always have an image in my mind of Dougless riding a bicycle in a miniskirt and heels, causing cars to go off road. (I was never completely sold on the ending of A KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR. Because WTF? (Not that it stopped me from countless rereads.) And that’s all I’m going to say about that.)
I’m one of those how hatesssss Knight in Shining Armor. I haven’t read another Deveraux since that one.
I can’t quite remember if I SHOULD love Rebellious Desire, but I know I DO. YAY! I can have my own copy now. Thanks for the deal alert!!