How to Woo a Reluctant Lady by Sabrina Jeffries is today's Kindle Daily Deal and it's $1.99. This book has some tremendous reviews – and I've never tried a Jeffries novel so this might be the one I grab. It has a 4.07 average at Goodreads – which is kind of amazing.
When a charming rogue proposes she marry him to meet her grandmother's ultimatum, the Sharpe clan's strong-willed sister makes a tempting counter-offer that preserves her inheritance and ignites his imagination. Lady Minerva Sharpe has the perfect plan to thwart her grandmother's demands: become engaged to a rogue! Surely Gran would rather release her inheritance than see her wed a scoundrel.
And who better to play the part of Minerva's would-be husband than wild barrister Giles Masters, the very inspiration for the handsome spy in the popular Gothic novels she writes? The memory of his passionate kiss on her nineteenth birthday has lingered in Minerva's imagination, though she has no intention of really falling for such a rakehell, much less marrying him. Little does she know, he really is a covert government operative. When they team up to investigate the mystery behind her parents' deaths, their fake betrothal leads to red-hot desire.
Then Minerva discovers Giles's secret double life, and he must use all the cunning tricks of his trade to find his way back into her heart.
Her Royal Spyness is $1.99 at most retailers, and is today's Nook Daily Find. This is tagged as “historical cozy mystery” featuring a young lady who is 34th in line for the throne, a cousin to King George V, and “flat broke.” This is book 1 in a (currently) 7 book series.
The Agatha Award winner debuts a 1930s London mystery series, featuring a penniless twenty-something member of the extended royal family.
Her ridiculously long name is Lady Victoria Georgiana Charlotte Eugenie, daughter to the Duke of Atholt and Rannoch. And she is flat broke. As the thirty-fourth in line for the throne, she has been taught only a few things, among them, the perfect curtsey.
But when her brother cuts off her allowance, she leaves Scotland, and her fiancé Fish-Face, for London, where she has: a) worked behind a cosmetics counter-and gotten sacked after five hours b) started to fall for a quite unsuitable minor royal c) made some money housekeeping (incognita, of course), and d) been summoned by the Queen to spy on her playboy son.
Then an arrogant Frenchman, who wants her family's 800-year-old estate for himself, winds up dead in her bathtub. Now her most important job is to clear her very long family name.
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Sweet Caroline is $1.99 at Amazon (not sure for how long). This is an inspirational contemporary romance set in the lowcountry of South Carolina. Some reviewers on GR found that there was too much inclusion of God's plan for the characters, and others felt it wasn't religious enough. (I just gifted it to a friend who lives in SC; I hope she likes it.) Rachel Hauck was nominated for a RITA® for The Wedding Dress.
Caroline serves others with little time to enjoy the sweeter parts of life. Until her old boyfriend returns to town–and she's given a second chance at first love. Life hasn't always been so sweet for Caroline Sweeny. She's sacrifice her desires for others–unlike her mother who abandoned their family years ago.
But when a friend challenges her to accept an exciting job adventure in Spain, Caroline says “yes” to a new destiny.
But before she can pack her bags, Caroline suddenly finds herself the new owner of the run-down Frogmore Cafe–and forced to choose between her friends and her future. Then her first love, Mitch O'Neal, returns home and encourages her to seek God's desires for her future.
With his help, she may just discover the true sweet life.
I like the Royal Spyness mysteries. They’re light fun.
I really loved How to Woo a Reluctant Lady. It was my first book by Jeffries and it’s still my favorite despite having read many more of her books since then.
I really enjoyed Sweet Caroline but the inspirational elements are heavy. The scene in the church was somewhat overwhelming and completely not what I am used to (in a church). That being said I enjoyed the romance and I loved the unconventionality of the ending. I really wish I could find more books like this in secular romance.
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At the end of the book Caroline elects to pursue an opportunity and not just a man. She also doesn’t seem at any point in the book to be feeling desperate or sorry for herself because she is 29 and single. Mitch is supportive of her trying to try new things and going new places. I really need more books like this. I am so tired of reading books where the only problem where the desperation for the heroine to find someone and settle down and pop out kids because she’s so old (not yet thirty) and she has no kids, and what will become of her if she doesn’t get married like tomorrow and have kids. I want more books that show women doing different things and experiencing life.
Ok sorry if that’s a little rant-y. I did enjoy this book and I warn people it’s heavy on the Inspy stuff, but I found it worth it. (Oh and I didn’t quite like the end for a secondary character but in general the book was pretty good. )
I really liked How to Woo a Reluctant Lady, my husband bought it for me at the grocery store and it was my first Jefferies novel and I have read quite a few since then. Her novels are a really good time, a little on the light side but very fun.