Say Yes to the Marquess
Say Yes to the Marquess by Tessa Dare is $1.99! This is a historical romance and the second book in the Castles Ever After series. The first book is also on sale! It’s also currently nominated for a RITA® in the Short Historical category. Elyse reviewed this book and gave it a B+:
I had a raging head cold and cough when I read Say Yes to the Marquess by Tessa Dare. I think under normal circumstances it might have ventured into “too cute” territory for me, but since I was feeling like absolute crap, it was just what the doctor ordered.
Reader Aislinn K gave it a C+:
I love Tessa Dare. I’ve read a lot of her books and loved them all. Years ago when I first picked up one of her books, she quickly went from the standard ‘author I would read if I like the tropes’ to ‘author I trust to make the tropes I don’t like work.’
Which is why I was so surprised when I found this book kind of…meh.
It’s not a bad book. I’ve certainly read worse. But I found that not a lot happened, the pacing was a bit off, and I just feel more inclined to be nitpicky about it rather than forgive its flaws.
Your presence is requested at romantic Twill Castle for the wedding of Miss Clio Whitmore and … and …?
After eight years of waiting for Piers Brandon, the wandering Marquess of Granville, to set a wedding date, Clio Whitmore has had enough. She’s inherited a castle, scraped
together some pride, and made plans to break her engagement.Not if Rafe Brandon can help it. A ruthless prizefighter and notorious rake, Rafe is determined that Clio will marry his brother–even if he has to plan the dratted wedding himself.
So how does a hardened fighter cure a reluctant bride’s cold feet?
- He starts with flowers. A wedding can’t have too many flowers. Or harps. Or cakes.
- He lets her know she’ll make a beautiful, desirable bride–and tries not to picture her as his.
- He doesn’t kiss her.
- If he kisses her, he definitely doesn’t kiss her again.
- When all else fails, he puts her in a stunning gown. And vows not to be nearby when the gown comes off.
- And no matter what–he doesn’t fall in disastrous, hopeless love with the one woman he can never call his own.
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It Started with a Scandal by Julie Anne Long is $1.99! It’s nominated for a RITA® in the Short Historical category and is the tenth book in the Pennyroyal Green series. Elyse gave it a B grade when she reviewed it:
I gave this book a B because while I really did enjoy it–I read it in a day–I felt like a lot of Elise and Phillipe’s relationship was saved for the end. I kept looking at how many pages were left and wondering when these characters were going to act on their forbidden desires.
As part of our RITA® Reader Challenge, Reader Gloriamarie gave it a B-:
I give this book a B- for several reasons. Elements of the backstory are never shared. Mostly though, I give it this grade because it is so utterly predicable and because the resolution happened much too quickly. Much too quickly.
Lord Philippe Lavay once took to the high seas armed with charm as lethal as his sword and a stone-cold conviction: he’ll restore his family’s fortune and honor, no matter the cost. Victory is at last within reach–when a brutal attack snatches it from his grasp and lands him in Pennyroyal Green.
An afternoon of bliss brings a cascade of consequences for Elise Fountain. Shunned by her family and ousted from a job she loves, survival means a plummet down the social ladder to a position no woman has yet been able to keep: housekeeper to a frighteningly formidable prince.
The bold and gentle Elise sees past his battered body into Philippe’s barricaded heart…and her innate sensuality ignites his blood. Now a man who thought he could never love and a woman who thought she would never again trust must fight an incendiary passion that could be the ruin of them both.
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We also may use affiliate links in our posts, as well. Thanks!Falling into Bed with a Duke
Falling into Bed with a Duke by Lorraine Heath is $1.99! Nominated for a RITA® in the Short Historical category, this is the first book in a new series. This was Elyse’s first Heath book and she gave it a B+:
Confession time: I have never read a Lorraine Heath book until Falling Into Bed With a Duke. Clearly this was a mistake on my part.
When I picked up this book, I wanted something that would pull me out of crappy day and the dead mouse smell that we couldn’t pinpoint in the office. So I took this book to the coffee shop, grabbed a cup of English breakfast, and proceeded to get lost in the Victorian Era. Falling Into Bed With a Duke is good like that–it’s a one-sitting book that draws you in because you’re so in love with the hero and heroine. The only reason this book didn’t get an A is because I was disappointed a bit by the end.
It also earned an A- grade from Reader NBPLRomance during our RITA® Reader Challenge:
Like many other readers of this novel, I loved the scenes with Minerva and her father, Jack. It is wonderful to see the delicious Jack from Heath’s Between the Devil and Desire as a dad who loves his daughter unconditionally. But it’s the heat and tension Heath casts between Minerva and Ashe will have you begging for more.
Book one in her Hellions of Havisham series, Falling Into Bed With a Duke is a perfect way to introduce yourself to Lorraine Heath’s historical romances.
In the first in a dazzling new series, New York Times bestselling author Lorraine Heath introduces the Hellions of Havisham—three charismatic rogues destined to lose their hearts . . .
After six unsuccessful Seasons, Miss Minerva Dodger chooses spinsterhood over fortune-hungry suitors. But thanks to the Nightingale Club, she can at least enjoy one night of pleasure. At that notorious establishment, ladies don masks before choosing a lover. The sinfully handsome Duke of Ashebury is more than willing to satisfy the secretive lady’s desires—and draws Minerva into an exquisite, increasingly intimate affair.
A man of remarkable talents, Ashe soon deduces that his bedmate is the unconventional Miss Dodger. Intrigued by her wit and daring, he sets out to woo her in earnest. Yet Minerva refuses to trust him. How to court a woman he has already thoroughly seduced? And how to prove that the passion unleashed in darkness is only the beginning of a lifetime’s pleasure . . . ?
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We also may use affiliate links in our posts, as well. Thanks!Chance of a Lifetime
Chance of a Lifetime by Marissa Clarke is 99c! This is a 2016 RITA® Short Contemporary nominee with an “off limits friend” trope and a blind heroine. Reader PamG gave the book a B+ grade:
Chance of a Lifetime contains some very familiar tropes and plot devices: second chance at love; overprotective brothers; betrayals that really aren’t; a bucket list. None of this is wildly original stuff, but Clarke does really good things with it. Gen and Chance are truly likable and extremely well-realized, interesting characters. Alternating first person POV (past tense, thank gawd!) between Gen and Chance works well to create a distinctive voice for each of them.
Sometimes the biggest risk is playing it safe…
Gen Richards is tired of living down to her family’s expectation of the helpless blind girl. Resurrecting her high-school bucket list that begins with “kiss a total stranger” seems just the thing until she finds herself in a panty-melting lip lock with her big brother’s best friend.
Chance Anderson thrives on adrenaline, but Genny’s the one risk he’s not willing to take. His recklessness a decade ago landed her in the hospital and ejected him from her life. He’s bad for her and everyone knows it—especially her big brother.
Chance reluctantly helps Gen complete her bucket list in order to keep her out of trouble. Running through a freezing fountain, playing Spin the Bottle while fending off a mad horde of stinging insects, and skinny dipping with homicidal attack swans don’t hold a candle to the real danger: falling for the one person he can never have.
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There is a trend in the recommended books I have begun to notice, maybe I am slow, that some of the books recommended have been recommended two or even three times. While I realize that every day there are new readers of this blog who may not have heard of them, I would really like to learn about books I have not read.
I’ve been on several email lists that offer cheap or free books and discovered that most of those are worth what you pay for them. As a result, I have come to trust only the SB recommendations. Indeed, I wish there were similar groups for SF/F and mysteries.
The first three books listed today have each been listed at least once before. Possibly more times. While I breathe a sigh of relief that I am not buying those books today, I would like to find out about new to me books.
It’s a trend I;ve been noticing for a while now. This si the first time I’ve said anything about it.
All three of those books were enjoyable reads.
They’re recommending books that are on sale.
Yes, obviously I understand that. But that’s my point. Surely there are other books on sale that have not been recommended two or three times?
@Gloriamarie: I don’t know if I’ll be able to answer all of your questions, but I can help shed some light on how I put together these posts.
It’s true that you’ve probably seen the books today on the site before and I know for certain that Say Yes to the Marquess has been on sale before. I think the other historicals have just been reviewed. (I usually search and see if we’ve featured a book in the past and how recently). To get the “recommended” tag, the books often have to have been reviewed here on the site, often with a B or higher grade. If someone has come up a lot in comments or part of posts like the Rec League or Whatcha Reading, we might use that tag as well.
The RITA awards are Saturday night, so I felt these books were relevant/topical this week, especially if readers have been keeping up with the RITA Reader Challenge reviews and wanted to try them out. Also, historical romances are, by far, the most popular book sales based on our own stats.
I subscribe to several newsletters for free and discounted ebooks and often comb through them several times a day in an effort to plan out what I want to feature. Do I have a group of steamy contemporaries I can lump together? Is a new book in XYZ series coming out, which might mean previous books are discounted? We also welcome emails from readers if they see any good books on sale and many people do leave comments about additional sales on the Books on Sale posts.
I do my best to vary genres, but unfortunately, other genres seem to be more regularly discounted. Paranormal romances, I’ve found, are less likely to go on sale than historical romances. I also think that the main goal of these posts and to feature books that are on sale that usually aren’t discounted. It’s one thing to find an enjoyable read that’s already priced 99c normally versus a book with a list price of $6 or more and has a 50% price drop.
I’m sorry if you’ve been finding the deals lately to be a little lackluster, but hopefully this helps readers get a feel for the method behind the madness!
Thank you, @Amanda, for the explanation.That you for treating my inquiry with respect.
We are probably on many of the same lists for discounted books. For books that interested me, I’ve tried looking at Goodreads/Amazon reviews and have come to the conclusion that those readers aren’t as picky, oh excuse me, I meant to say discerning and discriminating a reader as I.
Some books are in the public library and I can get them that way, but I am so irked when I spend good money for a shoddily written story that others have praised.
For another perspective on repeated deals – I appreciate when sales on popular/recommended/award winning titles are mentioned again, because I don’t always catch those sales the first time around. And it also gives me a chance to grab books I love for family and friends.
With all the ebooks I read, it’s hard to keep track of what I do and don’t own. Sometimes I think I have a popular title but it turns out I just borrowed it from the library. I checked the link on all the titles above, just to be sure I did already own them. (The three historicals I did. I didn’t have the contemporary, but when I saw I had another book in the series, I grabbed that one too!)
Thanks so much for all the thought you put into posting your recommendations. I’ve discovered so many good reads because of them. I also appreciate that you post the Amazon Smile links.
Now if someone could just create an app that would track ebook purchases from multiple vendors, I would be so happy!
@Marci, you wrote “With all the ebooks I read, it’s hard to keep track of what I do and don’t own. Sometimes I think I have a popular title but it turns out I just borrowed it from the library. I checked the link on all the titles above, just to be sure I did already own them.’
Until you get your app, maybe you could do what I did and make a spreadsheet.
Labor intensive though.
@Gloriamarie Do you use Calibre? It’s open source (free) software for ebook management that has a lot of functionality. It’s really awesome for those of us who purchase ebooks from multiple retailers – you can create one repository for all your ebooks regardless of vendor and format.
Tutorials and help threads for how to use it are fairly easy to find. I bring it up because one of the features I use a lot is ‘Create a catalog’ to export metadata like book title, author, series name, etc. into a CSV or spreadsheet file.
Sarah did a post about organizing reading lists a few years back where she mentioned Calibre: http://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2011/08/organizing-a-reading-list/
A lot has changed in the five years since it was posted but there are lots of comments from others about how they organize their reading lists. If you use Goodreads that data can also be exported.
@Alex, Thank you. I did try Calibre and I could not figure it out at all. Remember I say if myself that to computer is an arcane gnosis which mysteries have not been vouchsafed unto me.
However, my BF, who created the website fir the San Diego Natural History Museum and therefore is knowledgeable about these computer things couldn’t figure it out either.
Also if I recall correctly, it is only for one’s devices and is of no help recording which library books a person has read.
What would be wonderful is if a SBTB reader creates a spreadsheet template for books and advertises it for sale in a decorative little side ad on this site! Available for Numbers and Excel. Yep. That is my personal book-organization fantasy.
& Gloriamaria, I agree with what you wrote about books being repeated here; and I agree with Marci, too, that reminders are often helpful. There are so many Regency authors whose work never appears on SBTB, and I wonder if it is because their work is so-so or because I am just greedy and want to read about more books. More, more, more.
@Gloriamarie I just started putting together a spreadsheet! It is labor intensive. I’ve started trying to add all my books to Calibre too, now that I’ve got a fresh laptop. It’s going to be a long project but totally worth it. My ebook library has gotten too big for me not to track it better.
@LML, ” There are so many Regency authors whose work never appears on SBTB, and I wonder if it is because their work is so-so or because I am just greedy and want to read about more books.”
What is Numbers, please? And, just to mention, some of us are Mac devotees.
This may be SB apostasy, but I am getting kinda bored with the Regency and Victorian England.
I really do love speculative fiction but as I said, I need groups like the SB to vet Sf/F and mysteries for me because I have been so repulsed by the poor quality writing I find on the various email lists for free or really cheap books. I get a daily thing from Amazon about SF/F but I don’t trust it because, after all, they want sales.
@Marci, I think it took me a good month to do mine. As I don’t have to work, I had the spare time. Of course, it cut into my reading time.
Hi, Gloriamarie! Numbers is the name of an Apple brand spreadsheet program. Microsoft’s spreadsheet program is called Excel. Most people seem to use Excel on Apple computers, probably because they already know how to use the program, but I decided: Apple computer, Apple programs.
@ LML, thank you. My preference is always for free software and I’ve been using LibreOffice for my spread sheet.
Gloriamarie, I agree. Free is good, but $10.00 for the program and no charges for updated versions (unlike Microsoft) is not bad. Documents created with Numbers can be saved in Excel version.