Books on Sale: Historicals from James, Rodale, & RITA Finalists
The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever by Julia Quinn is $1.99! This historical romance won a RITA® for Best Regency in 2008 and is the first in the Bevelstoke series. The heroine starts off as an ugly duckling. As she grows into a beauty of the ton, she seeks out the only young man who was kind to her. Unfortunately, she finds him lonely and broken. Readers loved the secondary characters and the bits of humor through the romance, though many seem conflicted on the hero. It has a 3.8-star rating on GR.
2 March 1810 . . . Today, I fell in love.
At the age of ten, Miranda Cheever showed no signs of Great Beauty. And even at ten, Miranda learned to accept the expectations society held for her—until the afternoon when Nigel Bevelstoke, the handsome and dashing Viscount Turner, solemnly kissed her hand and promised her that one day she would grow into herself, that one day she would be as beautiful as she already was smart. And even at ten, Miranda knew she would love him forever.
But the years that followed were as cruel to Turner as they were kind to Miranda. She is as intriguing as the viscount boldly predicted on that memorable day—while he is a lonely, bitter man, crushed by a devastating loss. But Miranda has never forgotten the truth she set down on paper all those years earlier—and she will not allow the love that is her destiny to slip lightly through her fingers . . .
An Affair Before Christmas by Eloisa James is $1.99! This is the second book in James' Desperate Duchesses historical romance series. I'd definitely classify this as a second chance romance between a couple who's already married. Though they've been married for four years following a romantic, whirlwind engagement, our hero must capture the affections of the heroine before their marriage falls apart for good. A lot of readers seem to have mixed feelings. Some felt the overall conflict was silly (Be wary of GoodReads reviews because they hold a lot of spoilers!), while others enjoy seeing the H/H rekindle their relationship. Have any readers read this one?
Magic under the mistletoe...
One spectacular Christmas, Lady Perdita Selby, known to her friends and family as Poppy, met the man she thought she would love forever. The devilishly attractive Duke of Fletcher was the perfect match for the innocent, breathtakingly beautiful young Englishwoman, and theirs was the most romantic wedding she had ever seen. Four years later, Poppy and the duke have become the toast of the ton... but behind closed doors the spark of their love affair has burned out.
Unwilling to lose the woman he still lusts after, the duke is determined to win back his beguiling bride's delectable affections...and surpass the heady days of first love with a truly sinful seduction.
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RECOMMENDED: Wallflower Gone Wild by Maya Rodale is $1.99. This is book two in Rodale's wallflower series, and is about a group of women who are stuck with labels identifying them - labels that aren't always accurate. Elyse really loved this book and gave it an A, saying:
It’s a charming, funny romp and it makes me say things like “charming, funny romp” like I’m an asshole reviewing a Julia Roberts movie. It’s so good I was willing to ignore that horrible wig the woman on the cover is wearing.
Basically this book is about looking past the labels society gives a person. In the heroine’s case, that label is London’s Least Likely to Cause a Scandal.
Being good has worked out very badly for Lady Olivia Archer. All she has to show for four seasons on the marriage mart is the nickname Prissy Missy. Her prospects are so bleak that her parents have betrothed her to a stranger with a dire reputation. If Phinneas Cole—aka The Mad Baron—wants a biddable bride, perhaps Olivia can frighten him off by breaking every ladylike rule.
Phinn has admired Olivia’s poise and refinement from afar…qualities that appear to have vanished now that they are officially engaged. This Olivia is flirtatious, provocative, and wickedly irresistible. She’s not at all the woman he bargained for, yet she’s the only one he wants.
He’s determined to woo her. She’s determined to resist. But Olivia is discovering there’s nothing so appealing as a fiancé who’s mad, bad, and dangerously seductive.
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Love and Other Scandals by Caroline Linden is $1.99! This is historical romance about a tall, forthright misfit heroine and a rake who falls for her. Readers on GR praised the emotional connection they felt with the characters. This book was also a finalist for the Best Historical Romance RITA® and received favorable reviews during our Reader Challenge.
When I was taking notes while rereading this book in preparation for writing this review, I wrote the word “subtle” in all caps and underlined it twice. And I think that’s what really elevates this book for me. (Although the fact that the heroine and her friends also spend a lot of time and energy trying to procure and read an erotic serial is a close second.) In Love and Other Scandals, Linden hits the Goldilocks zone on basically everything, along with writing a truly great heroine.
It was fun and light, a perfect getaway read. Sometimes, you're just looking for a book with likeable characters and a happy ending and that's exactly what this book is.
And Mochabean also gave it an A:
Picture Han Solo and Princess Leia in a Regency historical, with well-written dialogue and a deliciously meta subplot about an erotic serial pamphlet passed around at balls and hidden in prayer books. There's verbal jousting and sarcasm and all the catnip that is a haters-to-lovers story. There's a "What Not to Wear" subplot and a "This Old House" subplot. There's a balloon ride and a fair lady's heart won via modern plumbing. As an added bonus, my least favorite trope is not there: no catty woman to serve as a foil to the overly sweet heroine. Yay book!
Joan Bennet is tired of being a wallflower. Thanks to some deliciously scandalous—and infamous—stories, she has a pretty good idea of what she's missing as a spinster. Is even a short flirtation too much to ask for?
Tristan, Lord Burke, recognizes Joan at once for what she is: trouble. Not only is she his best friend's sister, she always seems to catch him at a disadvantage. The only way he can win an argument is by kissing her senseless. He'd give anything to get her out of her unflattering gowns.
But either one of those could cost him his bachelor status, which would be dreadful—wouldn't it?
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Categories: Ebooks, Free or Cheap Ebooks, General Bitching
