Almost Heaven
Almost Heaven by Judith McNaught is $1.99! This is a Kindle Daily Deal and so far, hasn’t been price-matched. This is one book I could never read because the hero has the exact name (first and last) of an ex-boyfriend. Awkward. Many readers loved this book and McNaught’s writing, though there were some who thought both main characters were kind of awful.
Elizabeth Cameron, the Countess of Havenhurst, possesses a rare gentleness and fierce courage to match her exquisite beauty. But her reputation is shattered when she is discovered in the arms of Ian Thornton, a notorious gambler and social outcast. A dangerously handsome man of secret wealth and mysterious lineage, Ian’s interest in Elizabeth may not be all that it seems. His voyage to her heart is fraught with intrigue, scandal, and a venomous revenge. As a twisting path of secrets takes them from London’s drawing rooms to the awe-inspiring Scottish Highlands, Elizabeth must learn the truth: is Ian merely a ruthless fortune hunter at heart?
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Driven to Distraction by Olivia Dade is $2.99! This book was mentioned on a recent podcast episode with Alyssa Cole, who said she was really enjoying it. The heroine drives a bookmobile and the hero works in the library’s IT department. Readers liked the characters, but thought the book really changed in tone halfway through. This is the fifth book in the Lovestruck Librarians series and several of the other books are on sale.
F THE BOOKMOBILE’S ROCKING . . .
Constance Chen is not the demure kind of librarian. Sure, her high-horsepower ride is Big Bertha the Bookmobile, but Con swears a blue streak, does her own home improvement, and wears steel-toed boots. She has a tight circle of friends, a demanding, beloved sprawl of a Chinese-American family, and a strict hookups-only policy when it comes to men. Her life is just how she wants it. Except for one maddeningly sexy footnote.
Sam Wolcott, her friend’s baby brother and the library’s IT star, has been throwing sparks with Con since he moved to town. To everybody else, he’s a thoughtful, sensitive sweetheart. To Con, he’s a cantankerous pedant, because if they don’t fight nonstop their clothes will spontaneously combust. Sam needs a commitment Con won’t—can’t—give. And neither of them will chance their hard-won bonds for pure lust.
Too bad Con and Sam have a whole week in a very tiny, very private space to sustain their dumb arguments. Alone. What happens in the Bookmobile might take their resistance right out of circulation . . .
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The Lady’s Command by Stephanie Laurens is $1.99 at Amazon! This is the first book in The Adventurers Quartet Regency romance series, and it features a road trip (well, more like a sea trip) and a married couple. Readers loved how different this romance seemed from normal Regency plots, but wanted more actual romance between the hero and heroine.
The instant Captain Declan Frobisher laid eyes on Lady Edwina Delbraith, he knew she was the lady he wanted as his wife. The scion of a seafaring dynasty accustomed to success, he discovered that wooing Edwina was surprisingly straightforward—not least because she made it plain that she wanted him as much as he wanted her.
Declan’s vision of marriage was of a gently-reared wife to grace his arm, to manage his household, and to bear his children. He assumed that household, children, and wife would remain safely in England while he continued his life as an explorer sailing the high seas.
Declan got his wish—up to a point. He and Edwina were wed. As for the rest—his vision of marriage…
Aunt of the young Duke of Ridgware and sister of the mysterious man known as Neville Roscoe, London’s gambling king, even before the knot was tied Edwina shattered the illusion that her character is as delicate, ethereal, and fragile as her appearance suggests. Far from adhering to orthodox mores, she and her ducal family are even more unconventional than the Frobishers.
Beneath her fairy-princess exterior, Edwina possesses a spine of steel—one that might bend, but will never break. Born to the purple—born to rule—she’s determined to rule her life. With Declan’s ring on her finger, that means forging a marriage that meets her needs as well as his.
But bare weeks into their honeymoon, Declan is required to sail to West Africa. Edwina decides she must accompany him.
A secret mission with unknown villains flings unexpected dangers into their path as Declan and Edwina discover that meeting the challenge of making an unconventional marriage work requires something they both possess—bold and adventurous hearts.
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Code Name: Bundle by Christina Skye is $1.99 at Amazon and $2.24 elsewhere! This bundle collects books seven, eight, and nine of the SEAL and Code Name romantic suspense series. Some readers loved the pairings and one book even has genetically enhanced service dogs! But some found the books a bit dated.
Smart, stubborn heroines and the tough, hunky Navy SEALs assigned to protect them—Christina Skye’s Code Name books deliver fast-paced thrills with sizzling romance! Bundle includes Code Name: Baby, Code Name: Blondie, and the newest title, Code Name: Bikini.
CODE NAME: BABY
Battle-honed Wolfe Houston is on a mission of national security: protect valuable government assets targeted by hostiles. But tracking down four genetically enhanced service dogs and guarding their furry backs 24/7 is going to take all of Wolfe’s tactical skills.
The dogs’ unsuspecting civilian trainer, Kit O’Halloran doesn’t know that deadly mercenaries are determined to kidnap her charges. With puppies to find and bullets to dodge, there’s no time to waste — so why is Kit pressed against an adobe wall by moonlight, reveling in the hot magic of Wolfe’s slow, skillful hands?
Wolfe is fascinated by Kit’s devotion to her puppies, especially Baby, the incorrigible runt of the litter. But two other civilian trainers have died under strange circumstances — and a foreign government has just posted a staggering bounty for Kit’s capture. Before Wolfe can explore their burgeoning attraction, the two are on the run, forced to guess which of their secret contacts is friend . . . and which is deadliest foe. Only Baby can lead them through the storm to safe haven in each other’s arms. Good dog!
CODE NAME: BLONDIE
Miki is living every woman’s fantasy — stranded on a desert island with a rugged navy SEAL. But little does Miki know she’s a suspect in an international high-tech robbery, and her steely-eyed companion is ready, willing and able to do anything to make her talk.
Navy SEAL Max Preston doesn’t buy one word of his gorgeous captive’s rambling story as he carries her up the beach. Yeah, she’s got curves in all the right places, but Max has a nose for a con — and there’s no way he’ll let his iron control waver.
Now a hurricane’s headed their way, and for Max and Miki time is running out fast. Can they team up as friendly forces — and use Max’s amazing canine companion to escape before a deadly villain takes his twisted revenge?
CODE NAME: BIKINI
Ex-cop Gina Ryan traded in her Smith & Wesson to follow a dream. Now she’s creating decadent desserts aboard a luxury cruise ship in the Caribbean. But a gorgeous passenger is about to send her perfect world up in smoke.—
Trace O’Halloran is a hard-edged navy SEAL, under strict orders to take some high seas R & R. There’s a shipload of women in bikinis eager to help him unwind, so why can’t he take his mind off the stubborn pastry chef with an attitude the size of Montana?
When a dangerous assassin from Trace’s past appears, Gina and Trace must join forces to save the ship’s guests. The clock’s ticking, and they’ll need every weapon at hand— from body armor to chocolate ganache!
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I think the $1.99 Lovestruck Librarians are cheap because they’re short rather than being on sale.
(Apologies to any vertically challenged vixens of the stacks reading that out of context…)
I love the Lovestruck Librarians series. Small town, librarians and diverse characters. A lot of fun.
Have any librarians read the Lovestruck Librarians series and enjoyed it? I love it when librarian characters are well done but as a librarian, I can get a little picky about when things are right and when they’re not (such as the librarian characters spend all of their time happily reading to children and never worry about budgets or difficult patrons or coming up with the next awesome thing).
Okay but can we PLEEEASE chat about how that Stephanie Laurens book looks like a bad prom date photo? The stance, the backdrop, the awkward hands being awkward?
Or maybe they’re incognito robots. Dude. IMAGINE IT!
Him: Must. Not. Emote. Must. Blend.
Her: See this face? See this smile? Human. Totes human, I pinky promise.
@Jacqueline, I thought the same thing. Realizing that we were looking at a ship made a little more sense, but that staircase really threw me. Everything is off, including the people.
There should be an e-reader app that allow replacement of names, especially those of exes or otherwise awkward names. (Thinking of that David Cameron book mentioned in a post a few weeks ago).
@Darlynne Oh blessed be, I ain’t alone! But like, dude. Come on! If they’re staring at a ship that is one hell of a fancy ass staircase to be parked next to an ocean for Boaty McBoatface, right? Or maybe I’m just stair ignorant…?
No, that staircase looks awful fancy to me too. I think it’s coming down off a deck? Would be a PITA to climb when that deck is slippery, I think.
Am also wondering about the presentation of the librarian and the library, tbh. I’m a librarian as well and I guess I usually just avoid stuff about libraries because it makes me twitchy. (I also can’t watch Mozart in the Jungle—as a classical musician’s kid I grew up partially backstage.)
@Caitlin GOOD! Sometimes I wonder if I’m just a picky ass face who needs to stop being so critical. I swear, some fictional architect definitely lost his fictional job over this fictional screw up LOL.
I’ve not read a lot of librarian romances, though I have a few in my collection. I only worked at my library for 8 months, then had to leave when state funding got slashed to the knees and so did my hours. Since I was only there for less than a year, I don’t know if it would bother me. You’d not be alone, though, because I’ve often heard that expertise in a field can make reading about fictionalized versions of it a pain in the badonkadonk.
For the librarians – I read My Reckless Valentine, another book by Olivia Dade, and the heroine does library things in a take no prisoners way. She also worries about her job and it becomes a workplace romance. But like many contemporaries, there is a lot of hanky panky going on at times when normal people would be working and in places where they should be working. That’s a peeve of mine, especially when it’s a business owner who, in the real world, would more likely be working his/her ass off to make the rent.
I’m really tempted by Almost Heaven. I read it back in the day and remember Judith McNaught leading a conversation about the series in a CompuServe Forum. Crazy sauce on a 2400 baud modem. I wonder how the wilful heroine holds up to the 21st century … click!
Librarian here too, and I love me some good librarian romances when I can find them! I also get thrown out of the story if it doesn’t in any way resemble the real job. That said, I’m interested in trying this one.
The other thing I wanted to mention was how awful I’m finding the covers for Stephanie Laurens’ books. There’s a quality to them that looks, for lack of better vocabulary at the moment, cheap and weird. I’ve had one of her books on display in our New Books area for weeks, and no one seems to want it. A good cover may not spur a sale (or checkout), but a bad one will cost you big-time!
@Nancy C YESSSSSS! Another one on board the “OMG THIS BOOK SUXS!” boat.
I say we take an official poll for this being on a Cover Snark post.
Exactly! I don’t think people judge a book by its cover; rather, they just ignore it.
I read one and a half of the Lovestruck Librarians. The first was cute and short with a high concentration of sexytimes and fairly authentic library stuff, if a little improbably edgy for a small town. Some of it was kind of hilarious. Anyway, I liked it enough to buy the second one, but the second one was out there with its free-thinking library director who has zip political savvy. Seemed like there would be some more of the concentrated smexin’ as well. I couldn’t push myself past the half way point due to the obvious yet improbable plotting. YMMV
@ NancyC: I’ve had one of her books on display in our New Books area for weeks, and no one seems to want it.
Or it could just be that she’s lost her audience. I gave up Laurens ages ago. “The instant Captain Declan Frobisher laid eyes on Lady Edwina Delbraith, he knew she was the lady he wanted as his wife.” This is pretty much the plot (such as it is) of every Laurens book I ever read. Her prose is purple, her plots are thin, and there are enough Cynsters and friends to populate a small country, and they all show up in nearly every book.
I’m still reading Stephanie Laurens though I did skim a fair amount of the text in the Frobisher series. But I didn’t buy the books because I thought the covers were pretty bad and I don’t buy or save ugly covers. I don’t understand the terrible covers because she’s a top-tier author and Mira is a top-tier publisher, but I thought maybe I was just not in touch with current trends. Glad to see I’m not alone.
@Sandra I thought “Cynster” was a portmanteau for cynical spinster, and a book full of those might be fun to read, but disappointingly it is just a family name used in the series.
I enjoyed the Olivia Dade book mostly for the foul mouthed Asian (being one myself).
I haven’t read any Stephanie Laurens, but her covers do seem awkward. I think this is definitely Cover Snark material!:
https://www.amazon.com/Buccaneer-Heart-Adventurers-Quartet-Book-ebook/dp/B016UEJI0W/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1491534638&sr=8-9&keywords=stephanie+laurens
@Lisa: Wow. The look on that guy’s face.
*record scratch*
It me, Balki. You’re probably wondering how I got into this situation.
This is why I never complain about headless covers.
@Lisa HOLY BIG FARTING NOOOOOOO! That cover. That cover! It’s so awkward it makes ME look like a graceful, gorgeous swap by comparison…and that shit ain’t easy. Damn.
@Ren Benton BWAHAHAHAHA RIIIIGHT?! I post romance book cover memes every week on my Fangirl Musings Facebook and social media accounts AND OH MY GOD I SOOOO WANNA STEAL YOUR LOL TEXT FOR THIS BOOK! I won’t though cause I’m not Trump or the Devil but ooooh. The temptation is real! haha
@Ren: Balki! I knew that face seemed familiar! Balki with the ascot that Fred wears in Scooby Doo!
Is it just me, or does the guy on the Laurens’ book look like Dennis from Always Sunny?
@Tori: He’s a five star man! (And yay for another Always Sunny fan!)
I was struck by the 1980’s shoulder pads on her coat. I think I may have owned one like it.
@kellydakota Dude, bless your eyes! I feel like it’s a sin that my brain didn’t pick up on those shoulder pads.
But to be honest, I would still totally rock the hell out of that coat! Yeah I’m 27 AND I MAKE MY OWN FASHION RULES lmao!
Royally Screwed by Emma Chase is .99 everywhere in honor of it being made into a movie by Passionflix.
Also, Amazon UK readers, it appears that many of Mary Stewart’s titles are on sale today. IVY TREE, THUNDER ON THE RIGHT and NINE COACHES WAITING are .99. The first three Thursday Next books by Jasper Fforde are also on sale. Can we hope there will be more?
Actually, Amazon UK seems to have all the Mary Stewart books on sale, from .99 to 2.99 pounds. Wish granted.
Have any of you read (or re-read) Almost Heaven in the last decade, and does it hold up? I remember loving it when I read it at 18, but I’ve been burned by a few McNaught re-reads as an adult because DAMN some of her heroes are rapey alpholes.
Also, I’m completely salty that UK folks can get Mary Stewart on e-reader. I have all of the oft-reread ones I stole from my mother but they’re completely threadbare, and there’s no kindle version in the US, which gives me a sad.
I also can’t believe that Mary Stewart’s books are still not available as e-books here in the U.S. I compulsively buy any of her books I come across at used bookstores & if they ever release them in e-book form I’m gonna one click so hard I’ll probably sprain something.
I know! I went to check Amazon immediately to see if any of Mary Stewart’s books had finally made it ‘across the pond’. I will go one click crazy when they show up!