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Playing for Keeps
Playing for Keeps by Jill Shalvis is $1.99! This contemporary romance released earlier this year and is the seventh book in her Heartbreaker Bay series. Readers recommend this one for a low-angst, but still emotionally fluent read. And it has a cute dog. However, others expressed annoyance at the heroine’s continuing self-sabotaging behavior.
If you’re planning on falling in love…
When it comes to the confident, charismatic Caleb Parker, Sadie Lane feels the spark—the kind that comes from rubbing each other the wrong way. She’s a tattoo artist, he’s a straight-laced mogul. But after they accidentally co-rescue an abandoned dog from a storm, Sadie sees a vulnerable side to the seemingly invincible hottie.
you’d better be sure…
Caleb doesn’t do emotions. Growing up the underdog, he’s learned the hard way to build up an impenetrable wall. Perfect for business. Disastrous for relationships. He’s never worried about it before—not until he finally gets behind Sadie’s armor and begins to fall.
… someone is there to catch you.
Both guarded and vulnerable, Sadie and Caleb are complete opposites. Or are they? Shocked at their undeniable connection, can they ever admit to wanting more? That all depends on what they’re each willing to risk.
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Simmer Down
Simmer Down by Sarah Smith is $1.99! Maya was excited about this one when it released, and it has a 3.4-star average on Goodreads. Readers report that there are some rivalry and competition tropes ahoy, along with a significant amount of food p0rn.
In this finger-licking good rom-com, two is the perfect number of cooks in the kitchen.
Nikki DiMarco knew life wouldn’t be all sunshine and coconuts when she quit her dream job to help her mom serve up mouthwatering Filipino dishes to hungry beach goers, but she didn’t expect the Maui food truck scene to be so eat-or-be-eaten—or the competition to be so smoking hot.
But Tiva’s Filipina Kusina has faced bigger road bumps than the arrival of Callum James. Nikki doesn’t care how delectable the British food truck owner is—he rudely set up shop next to her coveted beach parking spot. He’s stealing her customers and fanning the flames of a public feud that makes her see sparks.
The solution? Let the upcoming Maui Food Festival decide their fate. Winner keeps the spot. Loser pounds sand. But the longer their rivalry simmers, the more Nikki starts to see a different side of Callum…a sweet, protective side. Is she brave enough to call a truce? Or will trusting Callum with her heart mean jumping from the frying pan into the fire?
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You Lucky Dog
You Lucky Dog by Julia London is $1.99! This is a contemporary romance and the first in the Lucky Dog series. It’s set in Austin and a series of an unfortunate events lead to two basset hounds being mixed up.
An accidental dog swap unleashes an unexpected love match in this new romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Julia London.
Carly Kennedy’s life is in a spiral. She is drowning in work, her divorced parents are going through their midlife crises, and somehow Carly’s sister convinces her to foster Baxter–a basset hound rescue with a bad case of the blues. When Carly comes home late from work one day to discover that the dog walker has accidentally switched out Baxter for another perkier, friendlier basset hound, she has reached the end of her leash.When Max Sheffington finds a depressed male basset hound in place of his cheerful Hazel, he is bewildered. But when cute, fiery Carly arrives on his doorstep, he is intrigued. He was expecting the dog walker, not a pretty woman with firm ideas about dog discipline. And Carly was not expecting a handsome, bespectacled man to be feeding her dog mac and cheese. Baxter is besotted with Hazel, and Carly realizes she may have found the key to her puppy’s happiness. For his sake, she starts to spend more time with Hazel and Max, until she begins to understand the appeal of falling for your polar opposite.
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Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke is $1.99 and a Kindle Daily Deal! This is historical fiction with fantasy and was made into a mini series. I’m really curious about the mini series, if anyone has ever watched it. Readers liked the detail and dialogue, but some found the ending a bit lacking.
Part of The Bloomsbury Phantastic series – three books tracing the tradition of fantasy from Edgar Allan Poe to Neil Gaiman and Susanna Clarke. Susanna Clarke’s novel is an epic tale of nineteenth-century England and the two magicians who emerge to change its history.
In the year 1806, in the midst of the Napoleonic Wars, most people believe magic to have long since disappeared from England — until the reclusive Mr Norrell reveals his powers and becomes a celebrity overnight. Another practising magician emerges: the young and daring Jonathan Strange. He becomes Norrell’s pupil and the two join forces in the war against France. But Strange is increasingly drawn to the wildest, most perilous forms of magic and soon he risks sacrificing not only his partnership with Norrell, but everything else he holds dear.
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I have owned JONATHAN STRANGE AND MR. NORRELL since 2004. I have moved it ten times across four states. I know exactly where is is on my bookshelves. I have never read it.
Is there some sort of TBR list of shame? Because this one is mine.
Simmer Down is one of the worst books I have read in years. It’s so terribly written.
I loved the book Jonathan Strange.. and thought the TV adaptation was excellent. Appropriately creepy for the faerie content and Clarke’s universe. The show gave me a big crush on Enzo Cilenti, too…
@FashionablyEvil: that would be a great subject for a post: what book have you owned the longest without reading it? I’m guessing the focus would have to be on physical books because ebooks can just exist on an e-reader without making their presence known, but physical books that you have to pack up, move, and find space for on your shelves, that’s more of a commitment. I guess the follow-up questions would be, why do you think you haven’t read the book yet—and do you think you ever will?
@FashionablyEvil – I’ll be your Norrell wingman. That thing has been moved as many times as yours (though all in the same state, alas) – and every time I dust that bookshelf I blush in shame. SHAME! I say.
@FashionablyEvil: You’re not alone. I bought the book probably 15 years ago, and it stays unread. I couldn’t get through the first chapter, I’m afraid.
OOOO…..a romance with Basset hounds…..ooooo….they’re my catnip, or should I say chew toy?
@FashionablyEvil this is too funny. I cannot explain my attachment to that (still unread) book. I’ve lived in the same location for 20 yrs so I haven’t actually moved it with me, however I have remodeled the room where that book lives several times, and I have faithfully packed and unpacked it each time. I swear, I WILL read it. Someday.
Add me to the team! I read the first 100 pages of the Norrell three times. I owned it for about a decade before finally donating it. I have read a lot of very long, heavy books, but for some reason I found it impossible to get through that one.
@FashionablyEvil, Musette, Misty, JenM and SusanH- ummm…me too! I actually had the hard copy for a long time, read about two chapters, moved it from Florida to PA (and back again) and finally donated it.
Then I bought it on sale for kindle and it still sits unread. And I really want to read it—— someday
You can add me to the list of people having unread copies of the Norrell book. Should have everything I like in it, but I just can’t get into it.
I liked Norrell. The audiobook is very good…maybe people would enjoy that more? Narrator is Simon Prebble.
I liked all of these (the Shalvis is one of her better books) and I’m going to put in a specific good word for the London, which is cute as a button.
I read the Jonathon Strange book when it came out and I have no idea what it was about, what happened, why it was written. Is this as shameful as not reading it at all?
NOT THAT THERE’S ANY SHAME IN NOT READING SOMETHING. I belong in this club for sure.
You Lucky Dog is my idea of horror; I walk dogs and I could not IMAGINE mixing one dog with another (though I did have a neighbor, mid-pandemic and maskless, advance on me and a dog, insisting over my protests that it was some dog I’d never heard of.) And if anyone fed my or anyone else’s dog CHEESE I’d be mad as hell, not date them. Never seen a dog in such GI pain as when one of my clients tried to get her pup to eat by adding cheese to his food.
I’ve an allergy most books featuring animals because they so often get basic stuff so wrong…
@Darlynne I tried reading Jonathan Strange after seeing it recommended at my favorite used book store and I found it deeply dull and inscrutable. *shrug* I figured it was just one of those things that other people get a lot out of that I just don’t…
JSAMN would be on my TBR List of Shame but for the fact that I gave away virtually all of my physical books (thousands and thousands of them) about 7 years ago. I will say that I’ve owned the ebook since 2011 and the audiobook since 2016 and it’s still unread/unlistened to. But the evidence will remain hidden thru my lifetime, at least. So…no shame, no guilt. LOL.
I found You Lucky Dog by Julia London to be an entertaining book; it made me laugh aloud several times.
I read Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell years ago. I liked it at the time but recall little of it now. (Admittedly that’s true of many books I’ve read!)
I loved Jonathan Strange et al. Loved the footnotes! I usually hate footnotes. It is still on my bookshelf despite the fact that my crazy dog ate the first few chapters. I must be weird or just an English major. Also I need to buy a book with basset hound love because dogs ❤️
Y’all, I’m so glad to have so much company on Jonathan Strange. You just made my day. 🙂
A bestseller that nobody read!
I also started Jonathan Strange… & never finished it.
It started kind of interesting and kind of clever and kind of intriguing and then – I’m not sure what happened. It stopped being an enjoyable read and plowing through it was less rewarding every time I picked it up and then I stopped picking it up.
I’m not sure it’s bad. I think it’s for a very particular taste.
*raises hand*
I’ve had Jonathan Strange on my library “want to read” list for…maybe three years now?
It sounds like All My Catnip, but for some reason I haven’t picked it up yet.
I managed to read Jonathan Strange on my second try, and mostly enjoyed it, though in retrospect I find it unsatisfying. My unread book is Wolf Hall.
Jonathan strange has been unread on my bookshelf for years, it does look good on it though. Watched the mini series years ago and remember enjoying it.
Speaking of not reading. Someone mentioned a coupon for Harlequin a couple days ago and I splurged on a couple of books. Then I found that, in order to read them, I have to use a proprietary ereader that is not attached to any device and apparently only reads on my phone or laptop, neither of which is a good choice for me. The thing, Glose, does not seem to come with any directions and is not all that intuitive. I was pretty computer literate in the 1970s and 80s but have not kept up and don’t want to have to try and hack this thing. Have kind of tried to see if Calibre will work but not any good results so far. Any suggestions?
Oof yes, I am also on team Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell has been on my TBR for…years. Mine is a paperback BUT I bought the e-book version when it was on sale years ago aaaaand still haven’t cracked it.
I think my criteria for the TBR doldrums are:
1. a book you have never read more than 10-15% of;
2. that you: have a hardcover copy of OR bought the kindle edition at presale hardcover price OR spent a full audible credit on OR have more than two versions of (i.e., paperback and audio, paperback and kindle);
2. for at least two years; AND
3. you still really, actually want to and intend to read and remains on your TBR for that reason, not just inertia.
Aside from JSaMN, my TBR doldrums include: The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu, The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson, The Moon and the Sun by Vonda McIntyre, Lincoln in the Bardo, and so so many more.
(Books you’ve read a significant chunk of, put down, and never picked back up again for whatever reason but still intend to finish someday but now you’d probably have to start reading from the beginning are an entirely different category IMHO)
I too had the Norrell to on my shelves for many years and never read it. Finally donated it to my local friends of the bookstore so it could fulfill it’s destiny and be read by someone else.
although i liked norrell, i also have more than one book i’m really truly going to read one day i swear. sometimes i just give up, give them away, and hope they find a compatible reader. other times i pick them up and the stars have aligned and they work for me.
@Cristie: Or, based on the responses here, to fulfill its destiny to NOT be read by someone else.
@FashionablyEvil: I’ve had a copy of Salem’s lot since I was 10ish, since my mom gave it to me. I’m now 42. I feel your pain.
I am another one who tried JSAMN but just stopped caring without getting very far in. Despite the building, I just did not want to spend time with the characters.
@ Vicki
I don’t think Glose works with Calibre. In the future you may want to buy from ebook retailers, not directly from the publisher. Harlequin is now owned by HarperCollins, I think.
I second the audiobook of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell – I had the hardcover and it was just so laborious to bring it places etc. The audiobook zips right along!
I also have the Strange/Norrell sitting on my bookshelf. Has moved with me a couple of times, including from WA state to STL. I **think** I read the first chapter or two at one point in time. The funny thing is, I have not read a physical book in years, so why am I holding onto it? If I ever do decide to finally dive back in, it will be with the ebook. Perhaps it’s time to donate it. Also, maybe I should watch the show.
My ex, who is *not* a reader at all, got through Strange/Norrell in a wk (he was gifted it one Xmas). I, who read a book a day, didn’t make it past the first chapter. Sooo much work.
OTOH, I have a tbr shelf with a base pile of 22 books, many of which have been there for yrs. I end up putting new books on top of the pile & those are what I read. It’s annoying, because I really want to read those books, but somehow I’m just never in the mood for them.
@Karen D: Watch the show. It’s splendid. Also, you will be introduced to Eddie Marsan, an actor’s actor who is not nearly as famous as he should be.
I did read my copy of JS&MN, but I remember absolutely nothing about it at all, which is very atypical for me. So… I’ve been carrying it around for probably almost 15 years intending to read it again out of some bizarre sense of obligation (to the book?), even though this is probably never happening because when I think of reading it again, I am filled with a profoundly confusing sense of dread. This is baffling because I know I didn’t hate it — if I did, I’d remember more about it — and I think I might even have liked the beginning, so I have NO IDEA what happened between me and this damn book.
Add me to the amazingly large sorority of non readers of JSMN. I asked for it for Christmas the year it came out but only got to Chapter 2. I wasn’t really the target audience though because I hate books of manners. (Yes, including Austen)
@Vicki: Does Glose let you download books to a computer or phone? You could bring them into Calibre that way or even the MoonReader app, if they aren’t DRMd (which can be removed, but ugh). I feel your pain. I wanted to use the app that allows me to buy from independent bookstores, but the app is not well-designed and really limited.