Interesting news from Sourcebooks this AM: they're launching an online reading club, “Discover a New Love” for romance fans. For $9.99 per montg for six months (my apologies for the misinformation), members get exclusive discounts off ebooks (up to 40% according to the site), and the books they buy are DRM-free on a trial basis. Plus, each month's membership yields one free ebook from a selection of four.
The inaugural books featured are Mairana by Susanna Kearsley, Enraptured by Elisabeth Naughton, Lady Maggie's Secret Scandal by Grace Burrowes, and One Hot Cowboy Wedding by Carolyn Brown. There are four additional titles in the Discover store, priced from $4.19 to $14.00. Membership is not required to shop in the bookstore, though the free titles and exclusive opportunities are for members only. And, while she hasn't started writing yet, the blog at Discover a New Love will be hosted by Barbara Vey of Beyond her Book. Which is totally awesome in every possible way (Go, Barbara!).
The online book club will include “online parties and chats with authors, and exclusive early releases to members,” and, according to the press release, “many of the featured ebooks will be available on a worldwide basis.” So no DRM and possibly geographic restriction-free? That is worth a bit of celebrating. CEO Dominique Raccah also threw down the virtual gauntlet to other publishers, saying in the press release and accompanying Wall Street Journal article that “she will make the site available to other publishers, [but] it is unclear whether other houses would allow their titles to be sold without restrictions on book sharing.”
Sourcebooks, who published Everything I Know About Love I Learned from Romance Novels, is offering one 6-month subscription for me to giveaway. Woo!
Standard disclaimers apply: I'm not being compensated for this giveaway. Void where prohibited. Open to anyone worldwide 18 years of age or older, and wearing SCUBA gear. Astronauts in the space station are eligible, but sorry, Mars Rovers are not. Hold all questions until the end. For external use only. Do not use while sleeping or bathing.
So have at it: what Sourcebook romance novel would you like to read as part of the club? I'll select one comment at random on Friday 13 April (sorry, forgot the deadline!), and the winner will receive six months free access to the Discover a New Love online book community.
As a big fan of Susanna Kearsley, I am so pleased to see Mariana up on offer as one of these books!
I like the Grace Burrowes books too, so even in just the first month it appears it would be very hard to pick just one book!
I’d like to read Elisabeth Naughton’s book Tempted since I have to choose. All of them sound awesome.
I’ve been salivating over Mariana by Susanna Kearsley!
I just had a look at the catalogue and wow there are some options. (Warrior sheep???) But Her Highness the Traitor sounds very good. Actually most of them do. What a great idea they have. I hope it’s a fantastic success and gives other publishers a much needed wake up call.
I’ve been salivating over Mariana by Susanna Kearsley!
Lordy, I hope the 4 books are offered in future months, because I think I want them all. If I had to pick one…I think I’d go with the Grace Burrowes title. I’m really enjoying that series, and it’s the one I want to read next.
I would like to read Lady Maggie’s Secret scandal
I think I’d give the Grace Burrowes book a try.
Shame on me for not reading this post to the bottom or else I would have waited to see if I won the contest before joining. Oh, what the heck. I still want to enter. I used to swear up and down that I would never ever read a historical romance novel, but now I’ve been sucked into them now that I know that they can be sexy and have sex. So I’d like to read/get Never a Bride by Amelia Grey.
(Also fan of Barbara Vey’s blog and not because I was pictured in it once. http://blogs.publishersweekly….
Oooo Grace Burrowes for sure. Even though Jane Litte has pointed out some historical accuracy probs with her past works, I still like her. 🙂
Looks like for the featured 4, I would have to close my eyes, point at the screen, then open to see if I’m closer to the Grace Burrows or Mariana, becuase they both sound good!! And I love Sourcebooks (yes I’m one of the people those Austen books are for) so a discount on other titles by them would make me poor(er)!!
Hmm, A Tapestry of Dreams by Roberta Gellis, maybe. Or Wild Thing by Robin Kaye – quite different choices, I guess 😉
I like Shana Galen, so I’d say her next book (which, bad fan that I am I don’t know the title of)…
I think I’d read One Hot Cowboy Wedding. The cover looks fun, and I’m in a contemporary romance kind of mood. But I do like Grace Burrowes……
I’m looking to more by Cathy Mann. Great new series. 🙂
I’d love to win a subscription- I just got a new Kindle Fire, and I need to fill it up!
(And oops… I think I’d go with the Grace Burrowes title!)
Most interested in Marianna.
I would pick the Susanna Kearsley book since her writing is just lovely.
Looks like a very good selection! I just may join…if I don’t win.
I’d love to read the Susanna Kearsley, but the Grace Burrowes sounds good too!
Time-slip fiction done right can be absolutely marvelous. And the Kearsley looks yummy. I’d go with Mariana. If I were forced at gunpoint. The Grace Burrowes book also looks really tempting…
I think I might try out Virgin if you pick me, but it looks like there are a lot of good choices there.
It’s so cool they’ll have some international titles!! I would love to read Lady Maggie’s Secret Scandal =)
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I would go with Lady Maggie – I’ve been enjoying the rest of that series, so I’m looking forward to the new one.
I love the idea of such a club. I think its a smart move. What would I pick, hmm
Probably the Grace Burrowes title, as I loved the one I read by her.
I would start with the Grace Burrows title. I really liked the other books in this series.
I love Terry Spear’s paranormals but would also be interested in a Georgette Heyer book. This book club sounds fun!
My first club pick will also be the Grace Burrowes title. I’ve loved the rest of the Windham books!
What I want to know is what the price will be to renew after the first six months. The website says “introductory” price, but there’s no sign that I can see of the regular price.
Mairana by Susanna Kearsley
Kristine Grayson’s Utterly Charming. I need some fairy-tale-meets-the 21st-Century tomfoolery in my life. And that includes 6-months free reign in Blogdom. Please make me your random choice on Friday the 13th!
I’d love to read Carolyn Brown’s new book One Hot Cowboy Wedding. I love her books.
i would say the grace burrowes book. i love her stories