Bitchin' Blog Posts
HaBO: Carrots!
by SB Sarah | by SB Sarah | March 24, 2010 | Wednesday at 10:11 am | 50 CommentsHannah writes:
I’m looking for a book that I believe might have a rather generic title,
like “Rogue” or “Rake” or something broad like that. The hero and the
heroine are childhood pals, even though he’s 10 years older than her. She
has (you guessed it) red hair so he cleverly nicknames her carrot then gives
her golden carrot charm for her charm bracelet. Then, when he’s 18 and
she’s 8 or something like that, she gets mad at him for some reason, throws
the carrot charm at him and he keeps it on a gold chain around his neck for
the rest of his life.I believe the heroine also has purple eyes and is French. At one point, she
and her grandmother let seven French aristocrats fleeing the Revolution stay
in their home, and they’re called the “Seven Deadly Cyns” for their
wicked and lascivious behaviour. The cover was quite camp, so I hope someone
can tell me the title!
I was pretty sure I’d be able to find this one using the power of Google, but alas, not. My GoogleFu came up with poo-diddly. But is it me, or does this sound like a pastiche of two books, the way my brain likes to combine Garth Brooks’ lyrics and old contemporary romances from the library? Anyone recognize this book?
Filed: General Bitching, Help a Bitch Out
Tagged: red, google, contemporary, books
Ros said on 03.24.10 at 10:19 AM • [link]
No idea, but my eyeballs are wincing at the combination of red hair and purple eyes. Are we sure this heroine isn’t actually a Disney wicked stepmother?
Alissa said on 03.24.10 at 10:24 AM • [link]
No idea, but it sounds fantastic! I hope someone recognises it. I also love how so many romance heroines have red hair!
knittingkat said on 03.24.10 at 10:34 AM • [link]
Tonight or Never by Dara Joy ?
knittingkat said on 03.24.10 at 10:39 AM • [link]
This book was funny, but romantic, and has a touch of “The Scarlet Pimpernel”-like intrigue in the plot.
moimoi said on 03.24.10 at 11:11 AM • [link]
Yes! A violet ees and red hair combo! I’ve been wanting to find one of those ever since I read Simply Scandalous! (Oh how I love that book~)
The hero’s just told his father about a woman he thinks he might want to marry (not the heroine, thank goodness) and his father’s reaction totally made my day:
Shelly said on 03.24.10 at 11:19 AM • [link]
Knittingkat has it.
Peyton said on 03.24.10 at 11:29 AM • [link]
I might be the only one but my first reaction to red hair and purple eyes? ALANNA OF TREBOND!
SusiB said on 03.24.10 at 11:35 AM • [link]
Red hair and purple eyes?? And I suppose she wears pink dresses and orange coats too?
Aleyna said on 03.24.10 at 11:44 AM • [link]
Oooh! I love those books!
redcrow said on 03.24.10 at 11:48 AM • [link]
I’m so accustomed to Amazing Technicolour Mary Sues that for the life of me can’t see what’s wrong with red hair and purple eyes. Now, if she had red hair and green skin… that would be clashing. This? Not so much.
ijinx said on 03.24.10 at 12:29 PM • [link]
same thing I thought - but Alanna kicked ass and did not wear a carrot anywhere :)
Jenna said on 03.24.10 at 12:42 PM • [link]
OMG, you were not kidding about the cover being camp. Too bad it doesn’t show the red hair + violet eyes combo.
teshara said on 03.24.10 at 02:15 PM • [link]
http://www.amazon.com/Tonight-Never-Legendary-Lovers-Dara/dp/0505523388
It says the ‘Cyns’ are the seven Cyndreac brothers.
:D
Mireya said on 03.24.10 at 02:52 PM • [link]
Yup, Dara Joy’s Tonight or Never. Chloe is the name of the heroine and she also has violet eyes. Everything mentioned is in the book (I looked at my copy to make sure I was not mixing it up with another one).
I have been trying to remember a book involving a tall, slim, red-headed heroine who is not particularly attractive, but that’s pretty much I can remember. The hero, I believe, used to be a childhood friend of hers. The setting is either Georgian, Regency or Victorian (I know, not that much help there either).
M.
Olivia said on 03.24.10 at 03:14 PM • [link]
It’s a Stephanie Laurens book. Her Cynster series involves the characters introduced in this novel.
knittingkat said on 03.24.10 at 03:34 PM • [link]
I’m sticking with Dara Joy’s Tonight or Never.
Redhead, violet eyes, 7 Cyndreac brothers arrive on the scene on page 229 after escaping the guillotine and having their estate has been confiscated, the main characters are Chloe and John, his nickname “Lord of Sex”, tiny gold carrot charm he wears around his neck. Sir Percy has works undercover for England using the name The Black Rose.
Heike M. said on 03.24.10 at 03:39 PM • [link]
you’re not the only one! (obviously, cause I’m not the first to reply to this)
I love these books, too! And Alanna did kick ass!
Suzanne said on 03.24.10 at 04:06 PM • [link]
Yeah Allana was my first thought…my second was a query to why thats an ugly combination.
Elizabeth Taylor has violet eyes, but they are blue with a shading towards violet. Blue eyes and ginger is common.
**shrugs**
Darlene Marshall said on 03.24.10 at 04:22 PM • [link]
His nickname is “Lord of Sex”? Are you kidding me? Did his close buds call him “Duke of Slut” on the sly?
sam said on 03.24.10 at 05:03 PM • [link]
heheh, i’d LOVE to have that colouring! ...but i also love to wear eye-bleeding colours; i have happily worn pink paisley skirts with orange t-shirts and pomegranate red shoes, and quite enjoy having to wear fluoro orange hi-viz shirts for work:)
haha, although 96 is my checkword: although 96 people had to have their retinas operated on after sighting my ensemble
Chicklet said on 03.24.10 at 05:20 PM • [link]
“Prince of Punanny,” actually. *g*
PallasJay said on 03.24.10 at 05:28 PM • [link]
^ Ok, that is some funny stuff. I’m going to have to create some sort of situation that allows me to call someone a “Prince of Punanny”. I love having new goals!
JamiSings said on 03.24.10 at 06:46 PM • [link]
@PallasJay - I’ve got two ideas for you. Either you can write a paranormal about an incubus-like fae who’s actual name in the Court is Prince Punanny. OR you could write one about a male sex surrogate who’s friends totally misunderstand what his job is about and call him that - in front of the heroine no less!
Suzanna Medeiros said on 03.24.10 at 07:20 PM • [link]
moimoi, because of the excerpt you posted I now *have* to read Simply Scandalous (Tamara Lejeune, right?) :p
Tiff said on 03.24.10 at 07:43 PM • [link]
I don’t believe the two “Cyns” are related. Laurens’ series has only 6 original Cynster cousins and the prequel to Devil’s Bride, which is A Promise in a Kiss, is set in London.
Cathy said on 03.24.10 at 08:28 PM • [link]
Wow, first time I’ve ever recognized a HABO request. As I recall, the wedding night in that book was pretty damn funny.
RebeccaJ said on 03.24.10 at 08:49 PM • [link]
Now was this just straight red hair or was this “riotous corkscrew curls” that she couldn’t tame no matter how she tried? Lord knows I’ve read that line often enough.
Donna said on 03.24.10 at 09:18 PM • [link]
Oh, me too! First time I recognized a HABO book! And I don’t have to pull it off the shelf to know this is Dara Joy’s “Tonight of Never.” Not her best work. Honestly, only “Rejar” could be considered above a C+, not that I haven’t read them all. And having said this… has she developed some terrible disease or die or something cause it’s been like a decade since I’ve seen a new book?
Many69. Seriously? So many thoughts, so little time!
Nadia said on 03.24.10 at 10:53 PM • [link]
One of my girls has those red, riotous curls that cannot be contained (well, not without a prodigious amount of product, anyway), but alas, we have given up hope of a future match with the Duke of Slut because her eyes are a mere brown. Perhaps we can aspire to a tycoon of European descent or even a tormented secret agent man, with the help of colored contacts.
Kathy C said on 03.24.10 at 11:47 PM • [link]
So I decided I had to read this book based on the description. My network of 20 something libraries didn’t have it so I went to the interlibrary loan service. Only 3 libraries in the entire state of a copy. hmm…should I take that as a warning? I requested it any way.
Pamela said on 03.25.10 at 12:31 AM • [link]
I finally got rid of my copy of Tonight or Never a few years ago. Oddly enough my most vivid memory of that book is the reunion scene where hero realized heroine has grown up. She greets him as usual by jumping into his arms and kisses his face. He remembers that they called her kisses, “Chloe’s Chicken pecks.” Ha!
I think my favorite Dara Joy is Knight of a Trillion Stars. There are so few sci-fi romances though this one slips into fantasy a bit.
RebeccaJ said on 03.25.10 at 01:06 AM • [link]
From someone with stick straight hair, I think riotous curls should never be restrained:)
Michelle P said on 03.25.10 at 01:21 AM • [link]
I am pleasantly surprised to see so many fans of Alanna! (That, too, was my first thought at “red hair and violet eyes.” They were some of my favorite books in high school!)
SusiB said on 03.25.10 at 01:26 AM • [link]
If the heroine in the Dara Joy book’s name is Chloe, I think I actually remember reading it! It had this stupid marriage of convenience plot. The heroine tells the hero that she wants to marry him because she wants him to teach her how to be a female rake. If it’s the book I’m thinking of, her secret plan is to overwhelm him with her virginal charm (or something) so he’ll realize that he loves her.
moimoi said on 03.25.10 at 02:56 AM • [link]
Suzanna: Yup, that’s it! The father’s totally okay with the hero marrying the heroine because she has an awesome nose and he wants to add it to the bloodline. What a cool parent :)
Shannon said on 03.25.10 at 03:03 AM • [link]
Yup, it’s the Dara Joy and well worth reading if only for the Percy scenes… Spanish Fly anyone :P
verify - analysis 72… it doesn’t need THAT much analysis!!
MarieC said on 03.25.10 at 03:54 AM • [link]
Yup, definately ‘Tonight or Never’ by Dara Joy.
Totally agree! I was always hoping she would continue this storyline.
Kate Pearce said on 03.25.10 at 04:33 AM • [link]
actually my eldest son has black, riotous curls that cannot be contained and green eyes -very becoming I must say. He should have been a girl-alas
shirley said on 03.25.10 at 07:06 AM • [link]
The only disease she has is first-time-author-signed-a-‘bad’-contract-itis. She got into a contract that screwed her (publisher ended up with rights to Matrix of Destiny world, characters, etc and when she tried to sell one to someone else who was interested for better terms, orig. pub. refused to give back rights[after rejecting ms. in first place]) or something like that.
Anyway, supposedly she spent tons of money trying to fight pub (during this sold “Ritual of Proof” to new pub - who was interested in continuing Matrix as well) - and pretty much ended up getting herself blacklisted and/or choosing not to go traditional publishing again. She has continued some of the Matrix stories in self-publishing, but sadly, they leave a lot to be desired. Plus, there have been some serious snafus in getting self-pubbed books after paying for them.
It’s really quite sad because I absolutely LOVE the Matrix of Destiny series (Knight, Rejar, Mine to Take) and I always wondered how/if she’d ever finally explain the connection to the contemps (High Energy, High Intensity).
You know, thinking here… but I think that maybe one of DA’s very first author’s behaving badly involved Joy. Maybe you could check over there for more accurate/detailed info. Anyway, really sad because I was/am a huge fan and reread all of her books regularly… Even ‘Tonight or Never’, which isn’t one of the best ;)
Jasmine said on 03.25.10 at 07:20 AM • [link]
@ Peyton
ME TOOOOOOO! WOOO TAMORA PIERCE!!!!ELEVENTYONE! *ahem*
DONNA said on 03.25.10 at 04:50 PM • [link]
Thanks so much Shirley! I have been so frustrated waiting for Traed’s book & now I shall mourn its demise properly and move on. How terribly sad and awful for her. I shall be kinder and more sentimental about her books - although Rejar, solid A material from the cover to the last page - in the future.
Renee said on 03.25.10 at 04:51 PM • [link]
THANK YOU FOR THIS!!! I’ve been looking for this book on and off for years. I never actually read it but it was the cause of an evening of merriment at a party based on the facial similarity of one of my very best friends and the cover model. The poor guy had to put up with us calling him “lord sexton” for MONTHS. Guess who’s getting a copy for xmas? *evil grin*
FD said on 03.25.10 at 11:45 PM • [link]
Dammnit, I think the spam filter ate my comment. Will try sans link.
@ Mireya - I recently reread The Earl’s Dilemma by Emily May, which features a tall, redheaded, slender childhood friend with freckles. (The Earl in question is BFF with the heroine’s brother - who is also redheaded and freckly.) Although it features the annoying marriage-required-to-inherit plot device, it’s well worth a read, even if it’s not the book you’re looking for.
I have a soft spot for Tonight Or Never, just because it features pretty much every cliché going, but manages to be light-hearted and intentionally funny as well as accidentally funny.
I feel kinda sorry for Dara Joy too, although that’s possibly only because I am not one of the people who got ripped off in any of her ill fated book-flogging drives.
RebeccaJ said on 03.26.10 at 01:18 AM • [link]
I hate it when the characters described in the book look nothing like the people on the cover. And I hate that I keep checking the whole time I’m reading the book, as if they’re magically going to change:)
Hydecat said on 03.26.10 at 03:21 AM • [link]
I’m a redhead, and I always wanted violet eyes. Guess I should find this book! However, I’m not sure why the guy on the cover linked above is punching his own kidney.
Viorica said on 03.26.10 at 09:05 PM • [link]
Your son is Harry Potter?
(Count me as another Alanna fan. I still have all the books in that series.)
Abby said on 03.30.10 at 03:45 AM • [link]
Okay, so I’m such a Late Lucy to this party, but OMG, I actually know this one! It’s total Dara Joy’s Tonight or Never, and it has the distinction of being maybe one of the worst romance novels I have ever read, and a total rip off of The Scarlet Pimpernel.
Intriguingly, the only Stephanie Laurens novel I’ve ever read features the Cynsters, and also vies for Worst Romance Novel I’ve Ever Read, on the grounds that the characters grimaced like every third paragraph. Look it up, Ms Laurens, look it up!
Cheap Evening Dresses said on 04.11.10 at 09:02 AM • [link]
It’s total Dara Joy’s Tonight or Never, and it has the distinction of being maybe one of the worst romance novels I have ever read, and a total rip off of The Scarlet Pimpernel.
Intriguingly, the only Stephanie
Hannah said on 04.12.10 at 03:06 AM • [link]
Hey guys! Thanks so much for figuring it out for me! Not only did you do me a huge favor by remembering the title, you also generously donated 48 hilarious comments! Duke of Slut is solid gold, maestro.
Hannah said on 04.12.10 at 03:11 AM • [link]
Also, interestingly enough, I read another review of this book and apparently 124 of the 394 pages are sex scenes! That’s 31%!
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