Lovely news folks: over 200 books are part of the Kindle Daily Deal, including Georgette Heyer, Jill Mansell, and Susanna Kearsley — and those prices are being matched elsewhere. WOOO! Ready for a look?
First, nearly all the Georgette Heyer novels are on sale, and you can find the complete list of her titles at Amazon | BN | Sony | Kobo | All Romance eBooks, all on sale for $1.99 today. That's a lot of Heyer and it can be difficult to figure out which one you should buy. In past discussions of Heyer novels on sale, the most recommended titles included the following books – but Cleo, in the comments of the last post wherein we discussed all the Heyers, had this piece of excellent advice:
[T]he best advice I’ve received about where to start with Heyer is to start with the one’s with a person’s name for the title – Frederica, Venetia, Sylvester, Arabella, etc. My brother told me this – I’m still not sure if he’s actually read them (seems unlikely) or just picked this up from his wife and mother-in-law who are big Heyer fans.
Here are a few of the most popular Heyers, if you haven't tried one, but do have a look at the complete list of all the titles.
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These Old Shades ( A | BN | K | S) |
Devil's Cub ( A | BN | K | S) SBTB Review: A |
Arabella ( A | BN | K | S) |
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Frederica ( A | BN | K | S ) |
Venetia ( A | BN | K | S) |
Masqueraders ( A | BN | K | S) |
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What about you? Which Georgette Heyer novels do you recommend? Which are you buying today?
Don't stop there, though – there are more!
Several Jill Mansell novels are on sale, and each time her books drop in price, at least two people online will tell me how much they love her books. Earlier this year, I posted a selection of reader recommendations, including some from Ms. Mansell herself, and I'm reposting them here:
If you'd like to see the full selection of Jill Mansell titles for $1.99, have a look at Amazon, BN, AllRomance, or Kobo for the list of all the books on sale.
When I tweeted about a different sale in January 2013, I got very helpful responses, some from readers like Jessica and Amanda, and one from Jill Mansell herself. Jill says her favorites (sorry, favourites) are:
The hardest part of love is moving on…
It's been a year since Ellie Kendall's husband, Jamie, was killed in an accident, but she's still haunted by his memory. In fact, she finds herself talking to him regularly. At the urging of Jamie's successful actor father Tony, Ellie moves to London's glamorous Primrose Hill, where nobody knows her past…
But even in her new home-and with her hardworking new boss, Zack McLaren; and Jamie's best friend Todd to distract her-Ellie can't seem to leave Jamie behind.
Will Ellie stay stuck in the past? Or will she realize the man of her dreams is flesh and blood-and right in front of her eyes…
Amanda also tweeted that this was her favorite of Mansell's books.
Goodreads | Amazon | BN | Sony | Kobo
Life is easy, it's men she'll never figure out…
When hotel manager Daisy MacLean meets cocky sports hero Dev Tyzack, it's a no brainer-stay away. He is arrogant and sarcastic-but also incredibly sexy. Daisy tries her best to steer clear of him, yet soon comes to realize he is the one guest she can't bear to see leave.
Then she learns a devastating truth: most people are not who they seem to be, for better or worse…
This book was Jessica's first Jill Mansell book, and when she tweeted that to me and Jill, Jill responded with a link to the hotel where this book is set.
Goodreads | Amazon | BN | Sony | Kobo
Miranda's track record with men is horrible. Her most recent catastrophe is Greg. He seems perfect—gorgeous, witty, exciting. And he and Miranda are in love… until Miranda discovers he left his wife when he found out she was pregnant.
With the help of her friends, Miranda plans the sweetest and most public revenge a heartbroken girl can get.
But will Miranda learn from her mistake, or move on to the next “perfect” man and ignore the love of her life waiting in the wings…
Even the worst mistake of your life can lead to true love in the end…
Goodreads | Amazon | BN | Sony | Kobo
Jessica and Andrea recommended:
He's the best thing that ever happened to her. He's also the worst. He's Millie's Fling.
Bestselling novelist Orla Hart owes her life to her friend Millie Brady, whose rotten boyfriend has just left her. So Orla invites Millie to Cornwall, where Millie looks forward to a summer without any dating whatsoever.
But Orla envisions Millie as the heroine of her next novel and decides to find Millie the man of her dreams. Except the two women have drastically different ideas about what kind of guy that should be.
With Orla and Millie working at cross-purposes, and a dashing but bewildered hero stuck in the middle, the summer will turn out to be unforgettable for all concerned…
Goodreads | Amazon | BN | Sony | Kobo
Never a troublemaker, Poppy had always been content with the way things were supposed to be done – which included marrying predictable Rob McBride.
But that was before she met Tom Kennedy the night before her wedding. Could she really be falling in love with a stranger?
Unable to forget Tom, or go through with the wedding, Poppy runs off to London. Her new life and colorful friends are anything but predictable. Misunderstandings, family secrets, and jealous quarrels ensue, but can Poppy stop running long enough to figure out what – or, rather, who – is in her heart?
Goodreads | Amazon | BN | Sony | Kobo
But wait, there's MORE. Four of Susanna Kearsley's novels are also $1.99, and really, they're exquisite. You should own them, and read them on days when you're craving atmospheric historicals with incredibly emotional stories. Seriously. Go buy.
The Rose Garden is what you'd expect from Kearsley: atmospheric, lush and emotionally rich romance that's both historical and contemporary. Kearsley is an amazing writer, so this is a terrific book to pick up for $2 and add to the Kearsley shelf.
“Whatever time we have,” he said, “it will be time enough.” Eva Ward returns to the only place she truly belongs, the old house on the Cornish coast, seeking happiness in memories of childhood summers.
There she finds mysterious voices and hidden pathways that sweep her not only into the past, but also into the arms of a man who is not of her time. But Eva must confront her own ghosts, as well as those of long ago.
As she begins to question her place in the present, she comes to realize that she too must decide where she really belongs.
From Susanna Kearsley, author of the New York Times bestseller The Winter Sea and a voice acclaimed by fans of Gabaldon, du Maurier, and Niffenegger alike, The Rose Garden is a haunting exploration of love, family, the true meaning of home, and the ties that bind us together.
Goodreads | Amazon | BN | Sony | Kobo
The first time Julia Beckett saw Greywethers she was only five, but she knew that it was her house. And now that she’s at last become its owner, she suspects that she was drawn there for a reason.
As if Greywethers were a portal between worlds, she finds herself transported into seventeenth-century England, becoming Mariana, a young woman struggling against danger and treachery, and battling a forbidden love.
Each time Julia travels back, she becomes more enthralled with the past…until she realizes Mariana’s life is threatening to eclipse her own, and she must find a way to lay the past to rest or lose the chance for happiness in her own time.
Goodreads | Amazon | BN | Sony | Kobo
The Winter Sea was a Sizzling Book Club Pick, and it is truly an amazing book. Time travel and paranormal usually don't work for me, and this book is a singular exception to my normal preferences. It's absorbing, beautiful, and made me tear up at the end. It's amazing – buy it for yourself or for someone who likes historical romance, mystery, or really, really powerful writing.
In the spring of 1708, an invading Jacobite fleet of French and Scottish soldiers nearly succeeded in landing the exiled James Stewart in Scotland to reclaim his crown. Now, Carrie McClelland hopes to turn that story into her next bestselling novel. Settling herself in the shadow of Slains Castle, she creates a heroine named for one of her own ancestors and starts to write.
But when she discovers her novel is more fact than fiction, Carrie wonders if she might be dealing with ancestral memory, making her the only living person who knows the truth-the ultimate betrayal-that happened all those years ago, and that knowledge comes very close to destroying her…
Goodreads | Amazon | BN | Sony | Kobo
Archaeologist Verity Grey has been drawn to the dark legends of the Scottish Borderlands in search of the truth buried in a rocky field by the sea. Her eccentric boss has spent his whole life searching for the resting place of the lost Ninth Roman Legion and is convinced he's finally found it—not because of any scientific evidence, but because a local boy has “seen” a Roman soldier walking in the fields, a ghostly sentinel who guards the bodies of his long-dead comrades.
Here on the windswept shores, Verity may find the answer to one of the great unsolved mysteries of our time. Or she may uncover secrets someone buried for a reason.
One Kearsley. Which should it be??
I LOVE Devil’s Cub. I’ve read it several times and it never fails to entertain me. Its completely crazy; misunderstandings, good intentions gone wrong, kidnappings, highway men shot and left dead in the road…it has everything! Today I bought Frederica (because one name rule) and Bath Tangle, which I’ve had my eye on for awhile. A Civil Contract is also wonderful. Plain, practical, rich, tradesman’s daughter marries her school friend’s sweetheart because sweetheart’s father spent all the family money. HEA takes a while coming, but its very satisfying when it finally arrives.
If you can just choose one, I recommend either Marianna or Shadowy Horses. Both have smart savvy heroines and an interesting historical angle.
Pssst, SB Sarah: You’ve misspelled Kearsley in the title of this post.
I love Frederica and Venetia! Both books are patterns for the best kind of romance novel. Start with Frederica!
The Bath books: A Lady of Quality, Black Sheep and Bath Tangle are great!
The Hero books: The Nonesuch, The Tollgate and The Unknown Ajax are terrific! All have some very funny moments.
Mansell is a favorite too…..all the books on sale are good. I have most of her books in print and some on my Kindle. Mansell’s new book Don’t Want to Miss a Thing is a wonderful story.
Susanna Kearsley…..I have all her books too!!!
A GREAT SALE!
Hi Sarah !
I almost fell off my chair, because although the romance books on sale are not advertised at Amazon.ca, I checked with Amazon.com and lo and behold, they are all on sale in Canada as well !!! Nowhere else though. I could say it might cost me a pretty penny, but we don’t have them in Canada anymore !
Since I value your opinion quite a bit, Sarah, is it that you don’t personally like Georgette Heyer. I have never read her books, so I wouldn’t know. But since the recommendations don’t come from you, I have to ask.
Thanks have a good day !
My Kearsley recommendations: If you can only get one, get Mariana. But really, get all of them. The only one I didn’t fall completely in love with was The Rose Garden, and I probably would have adored it if it had a different author’s name on the cover. I just hold Susanna Kearsley to a higher standard.
For Heyer: get Cotillion, Sylvester, Frederica, and/or Arabella. There are plenty of others that are wonderful, but these are the ones I read over and over.
Also, AnnB said
Completely agree! A Civil Contract is wildly different from most of Heyer’s work, but I love it. I think it might actually be her best. It’s not frothy or sparkling, but it reads as very genuine. The conflict is realistic, and the hero is wonderful (even though he spends a lot of the book with his head up his ass). It’s one of the only marriage-of-convenience plots I’ve actually enjoyed or found realistic. If slow heat is your thing, check out this book.
@Monique:
I AM SO HAPPY the sales are on in Canada, too! WOO HOO! Happy Boxing Day, eh?
As for the Heyers, I haven’t read that many. (I have to fix that. Perhaps a sale will come along…). I’ve read The Grand Sophy, and had a terrible struggle with the anti Semitic character within (review: http://bit.ly/1jMsQ38). This review created a huge discussion, and I realize that Sophy has many fans – and I don’t think there’s a thing wrong with anyone who adores that book. It wasn’t for me, but I can easily see why it’s beloved (except for that one part!).
I’ve listened to the abridged versions of the audiobook of Sylvester and Venetia because they were read by Richard Armitage. They were abridged so I know chunks of the stories were missing, but did I mention who read them? Mercy. That was a lovely road trip. I loved all three, especially Venetia.
So I don’t have a ton of recommendations because my reading depth in Heyer-land is not as vigorous as many others. Plus, everyone has a different favorite Heyer, so these sales always reveal more recommendations.
@Darlynne: OOOPS. Thank you!
@LML: I’m buying Mariana and Shadowy Horses, but I loved The Winter Sea. I was completely blown away by it. The Kearsley books are such a rich reading experience.
Having just decided to bite the bullet and buy a Kindle, I’ve got mixed feelings about this sale.
On the upside I have enough of a gift card balance to buy three Georgette Heyers.
On the downside I only have enough of a gift card balance to buy three Georgette Heyers.
Some of Grace Burrowes books are included in this as well. The Heir, The Soldier, and three of the Lady titles as well. I started dipping into the Amazon gift card my Sweetie got me for Christmas!
I could barely get through my first Heyer, and gave up on the other 2 I bought. Life is too short to force yourself. I enjoy Austen so I kept telling myself I should like them, but I didn’t. I think they might not be for everyone.
I think I’ve read 2 Kearsley books and enjoyed “The Shadowy Horses” the best, it was very entertaining. I think they seem to take themselves more seriously then they merit, but it works when you’re in the right mood. I might buy another to have stocked up.
I’m reading “The Countess Conspiracy” right now, I managed to wait until Christmas to start it. As a lady scientist, I love seeing how far we’ve come, but I’m nearly half way through and wondering how she’s going to make this work as a HEA.
Cotillion is my favorite Heyer romance. I’m definitely getting A Civil Contract and Unknown Ajax.
My fave Heyer is The Convenient Marriage, ‘cause I think the Duke of Avon is just dreamy and I dig that the heroine stutters. It’d be super sensible of me to take advantage of this sale, but I’ve got this thing about getting all my fave writers’ books in print (to my wallet’s everlasting chagrin).
Oh, more Heyers! Bliss!!! Recommendations follow a lot of what has already been listed:
These Old Shades and Devil’s Cub for father and son. Love them both.
Cotillion for the sweetest, funniest hero ever. I just have to think of his reaction to seeing the Elgin Marbles to crack up.
Black Sheep for the laughs. Frederica for the clear-headed heroine and the elegant hero and their pitch-perfect banter. Venetia for the swoon-worthy romance and the poetry and the way the couple truly are a meeting of like minds. Sylvester for the unlikely pairing of the restrained hero and the impulsive trouble-prone heroine. A Civil Contract for reasons noted above: it’s the most mature of the romances (though I have to say that Heyer’s class prejudices come across a little too clearly for my comfort at times; still, I love it anyway). Friday’s Child for the sheer wacky delight of the group of young men: hints of Bertie Wooster perhaps. The Talisman Ring because I love the heroine and the hero who is drawn into the mystery despite himself and clearly enjoys himself despite himself.
Well, I love Heyer and while there are a few that are only luke-warm for me, most of them are dear friends that never let me down. I don’t know of a romance writer better at witty dialogue and she always makes me believe that the hero and heroine are meant for each other.
So many of the most wonderful Heyers have been mentioned/recommended already. I want to mention The Masqueraders, which is my eternal favorite. It features a brother and sister who each masquerade as the opposite sex (she in breeches, he in hoops) and a romance for each of them. Sir Anthony may be my favorite Heyer hero ever—big, self-contained, “sleepy looking”—but willing to put everything on the line for the heroine. Plus there’s fabulous outfits, swordplay, coach-holding-up, a long-lost-missing-nobleman, a masquerade ball, and a fabulously dastardly villain. It has everything (well, except pirates, LOL)! I love it to pieces.
I also want to mention the additional felicity that some of the Heyers are Whispersync books, so you can buy the Audible narration at a much-reduced price after you’ve purchased the ebook from Amazon. I just purchased The Grand Sophy, Frederica, and The Convenient Marriage—got three e-books and the 3 audiobooks for less than $20 total.
When Sourcebooks started reissuing Heyer, I read so much about her online that I bought Black Sheep, Faro’s Daughter, Cotillion, Arabella, False Colours & Frederica in trade paper from Borders.
I only read Black Sheep and Faro’s Daughter. I wasn’t blown away by them, and then I read something about Heyer’s anti-Semitism in The Grand Sophy (maybe, here?) and decided not to read any of her other novels.
Now here I am, years later, having just purchased my first e-reader (nook) and I now have 14 Heyers downloaded! There was a sale at Thanksgiving and I felt at $1.99, I might as well try her again. I restrained myself and only bought 5. But after reading The Convenient Marriage and enjoying it immensely, I decided I’d buy more if there was another sale.
Thank you for posting the sale yesterday because I’d been checking bn.com everyday since Thanksgiving without luck. Even yesterday, I checked and could see Faro’s Daughter was still $10.49 so I never bothered to check the other titles! So glad I came here and saw that certain titles were on sale.
At Thanksgiving, The Grand Sophy, Venetia, The Unknown Ajax and A Civil Contract weren’t on sale, but they were yesterday. I couldn’t stop there, so I also bought These Old Shades, Devil’s Cub, The Masqueraders and The Corinthian.
I’ve downloaded The Black Moth for free at Gutenberg.com, so I guess I actually own 15 Heyers on my nook and 6 in trade paper. Not sure where to begin, but as I mentioned, I loved Convenient Marriage (so funny, and what a sexy hero) and only felt meh about Black Sheep.
FYI: BN.com has also put Victoria Holt on sale for $1.99 during each holiday. On Thanksgiving, it was The Time of the Hunter’s Moon. Yesterday, it was India Fan. Hopefully they’ll put a different Holt on sale for New Year’s Day.
@Karen: That’s an outstanding haul of books to read! I hope you love your new e-reader!!
Thanks, Sarah. I’m one of those people who prefers paper, but I admit I love how easy it is to buy, download and read books on the e-reader.
I’d picked up “Shadowy Horses” and “The Rose Garden” when they were on sale earlier this year, but I jumped all over “The Winter Sea” and “Mariana”. “Mariana” was my second Kearsley, after “The Winter Sea” (of course), and the book grabbed me from the first page. It’s got just the right amount of spooky suspense to keep me from reading it at night. LOL Just waiting on “The Firebird” to go on sale now…
I did nab a few Heyer books, as well – “Devil’s Cub”, “These Old Shades”, etc – that didn’t go on sale post-Thanksgiving. I now have 54 pages of unread books on my Kindle (total: 485 books). Amazon could go out for five years and I’d still have books to read. LOL
Yay!!! i bought Frederica, Grand Sophy, which I read years ago, My Lord John, and Simon the Coldheart. I’m reading My Lord John now, for any Anya Seton fans out there, Heyer’s non Regency historicals are lovely too!!!!
Lovely blog all are very informative really looking attractive.
Ohhhh…The Firebird just went on sale too (Kearsley) and I didn’t realize until I started reading it that it tied into The Winter Sea, which I’d read and loved. So I spent the last few days devouring it, and finished it last night (a fitting end to the wonderful Hogmanay I celebrated yesterday!)
So. Good. Seriously, it gave me shivers.