Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Year in Review: My Favourite Historical Romance Novels in 2014

As I review the books I read in 2014, I've come to realise a few things:

I didn't read as many debut authors as I would've liked. I plan to rectify this in 2015. I already have a list in my planner of debut authors from the past 2 years whose books are in my TBR -- my hope is to cross out as many names as I can this coming year.

2014 was a year of series starts and series ends. I was so happy when Lorraine Heath decided to revisit her Scoundrels of St. James starting with When the Duke was Wicked, the first book in her Scandalous Gentlemen of St. James series, which features the next generation of "scoundrels" and Tessa Dare released Romancing the Duke, the first book in her new Castles Ever After series, but it was also the year when Sarah MacLean concluded her The Rules for Scoundrels series with Never Judge a Lady by her Cover, Sophie Nash finally released Isabel and the Duke of Candover's story, The Once and Future Duchess, which ended The Royal Entourage series, and Courtney Milan completed her The Brothers Sinister series with the final instalment, Talk Sweetly to Me.

It was also the year I read and fell in love with Jennifer Ashley's MacKenzie series, and discover Juliana Ross.

2014 was a year of really, really amazing stories and a record number of superlative adjectives from me, and here are my Top 15 for the year:



1. Romancing the Duke by Tessa Dare
2. The Luckiest Lady in London by Sherry Thomas
3. Rogue Spy by Joanna Bourne
4. Sapphires are an Earl's Best Friend by Shana Galen
5. The Once and Future Duchess by Sophia Nash



6. The Dark Affair by Maire Claremont
7. Sweet Disorder by Rose Lerner
8. The Captive by Grace Burrowes
9. Moonlight on My Mind by Jennifer McQuiston
10. The Suffragette Scandal by Courtney Milan



11. The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie by Jennifer Ashley
12. Vixen in Velvet by Loretta Chase
13. Darling Beast by Elizabeth Hoyt
14. The Baron Next Door by Erin Knightley
15. Fool Me Twice by Meredith Duran

Also:
Never Judge a Lady by Her Cover by Sarah MacLean
Beauty and the Earl by Jess Michaels
The Traitor by Grace Burrowes
London's Last True Scoundrel by Christina Brooke

Here's a link to last year's list.
Sunday, December 28, 2014

Free and Discounted Historical Romance Novels

For this week's post, I'd like to share two holiday-themed books for your consideration. I know Christmas is over, but there's still the New Year to look forward to, and these two books might be the best way to extend the holiday spirit. ^_^ The first is a novella and Book 0.5 in Cecilia Grant's Blackshear Family series. The second is an anthology of 4 stories by some of my favourite authors.

I hope everyone is enjoying the season!


About the book:

IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN SIMPLE ...

With one more errand to go -- the purchase of a hunting falcon -- Andrew Blackshear has Christmas completely under control. As his sister’s impending marriage signals the inevitable drifting-apart of the Blackshear family, it’s his last chance to give his siblings the sort of memorable, well-planned holiday their parents could never seem to provide.

He has no time to dawdle, no time for nonsense, and certainly no time to drive the falconer’s vexing, impulsive, lush-lipped, midnight-haired daughter to a house party before heading home. So why the devil did he agree to do just that?

IT COULDN’T BE MORE DELICIOUSLY MIXED-UP ...

Lucy Sharp has been waiting all her too-quiet life for an adventure, and she means to make the most of this one. She’s going to enjoy the house party as no one has ever enjoyed a house party before, and in the meanwhile she’s going to enjoy every minute in the company of amusingly stern, formidably proper, outrageously handsome Mr. Blackshear. Let him disapprove of her all he likes -- it’s not as though they’ll see each other again after today.

... or will they? When a carriage mishap and a snowstorm strand the pair miles short of their destination, threatening them with scandal and jeopardizing all their Christmas plans, they’ll have to work together to save the holiday from disaster. And along the way they just might learn that the best adventures are the ones you never would have thought to plan.



About the book:

The Duke’s Arms is an undistinguished little inn in the tiny village of Hopewell-on-Lyft. But one Christmas season sees both inn and village seething with adventure, intrigue, rabbits, and, above all, love as four couples find Yuletide happiness.

A Knight Before Christmas by Grace Burrowes
With her year of mourning at an end, Penelope Carrington must remarry in haste, or her portion of her late husband's estate won't be enough to dower her younger sisters. Shy, handsome man of business Sir Leviticus Sparrow longs to give Penelope a marriage proposal for Christmas -- and his heart -- but Sir Levi must first foil the other bachelors scheming to meet Penelope under the mistletoe in his place.

In The Duke’s Arms by Carolyn Jewel
What's a Duke to do when he's made an awful impression on the love of his life?

The Duke of Oxthorpe lost his intensely guarded heart to Miss Edith Clay when Edith’s rich cousin sought to attach the duke’s marital interest. So smitten is Oxthorpe with the former poor relation that he’s gone through intermediaries to sell Edith a property adjoining the ducal seat.

Edith doesn’t much care for the haughty duke, but as Christmas approaches, Oxthorpe reveals himself to be reserved rather than arrogant, considerate, and -- blame the mistletoe! -- an accomplished kisser. Will Edith hold Oxthorpe’s earlier behavior against him, or will she learn that the best holiday gifts can be the most unexpected?

Licensed to Wed by Miranda Neville
If Lord Carbury could learn to take no for an answer, his marriage proposal might earn him a yes!

Wyatt, Viscount Carbury is much too busy to court a bride, but when his childhood neighbor, Robina Weston, is left orphaned and penniless, Wyatt dutifully adds marrying Robina to his list of responsibilities. Wyatt is dismayed to learn that for Robina, poverty and pride are preferable to sharing life with an arrogant, infuriating man who always thinks he knows best.

When Wyatt and Robina must endure Christmas in the country together, antipathy turns to interest, and then to unexpected attraction. Will they fight their feelings, or yield to the surprising gifts the holidays offer?

The Spy Beneath the Mistletoe by Shana Galen
Fledgling spy Pierce Moneypence seeks a highwayman and the key to Eliza's heart.

When weapons designer Eliza Qwillen (Q) and clerk to the mysterious M, Pierce Moneypence, arrive in the English countryside, they’re unprepared for the dangers that await. The operatives are intent upon capturing the highwayman styling himself as the New Sherriff of Nottingham. Secret rendezvous, mistaken identities, and cat-and-mouse games challenge these fledgling agents, but rediscovering their passion for each other is the most rewarding mission of all.


Here are this week's featured Free and Discounted Historical Romance Novels found on Amazon:


About the book:

The Warrior ...
Major Sir Robert Campell is a hero to the Scots and English alike. He's revered for his prowess as a leader and a soldier. He takes control of any troublesome situation ... except when it involves the beautiful English woman who stole his heart four years ago.

The Lady ...
Lady Claire Campbell was smitten the moment she laid eyes on Rob. Who can resist a powerful Highland Warrior in a kilt? Especially one who has the rugged face of a god and can't take his eyes off you ...

Time and tragedy have torn Rob and Claire apart, and now Rob is going to the Continent to fight a brutal battle against Napoleon and the French. Claire follows him, desperate to heal what has broken between them. But some wounds go deeper than blows Rob receives on the battlefield. And some wounds can never be healed.

NOTE: This book was previously released in the SCANDALOUS SUMMER NIGHTS historical romance anthology.



About the book:

**previously released in the June 2014 Scandalous Summer Nights Set**

An heiress turns away every suitor until she meets a mysterious foreigner at a masque ball. His kiss ignites her in ways that nothing else has, but he refuses her pleas to elope. Has she lost her heart to a man who doesn’t exist?

John Howards has finally accepted an invitation to one of his cousin’s masque balls. Having always been shy he decides to attend in the guise of his friend from the Congress of Vienna. What he didn’t expect was that playing a role would free him to flirt with a beautiful woman. Or that she would return his regard. After an illicit night in the garden that he regrets, can he convince her to marry as himself?

Elisa Jarvis has made it to the age of one and twenty without falling prey to a fortune hunter. Now her guardian is pressuring her to marry before her next birthday – in less than a fortnight! She needs to find the love of her life, not be distracted by the latest dull gentleman who has decided to court her.



About the book:

She thinks she's in control ... but he's about to prove to the haughty princess that she is the plaything.

Princess Shanyin has a harem of male concubines to serve her every sexual fantasy, but from the moment she sees the handsome Chu Yuan, she has to have him. At her request, the Emperor gives the aristocrat over to Shanyin for her pleasure, setting off a power play of sensual torment and dominance between them. Trapped in Shanyin’s harem for ten days, will the proud Yuan surrender to his own dark desires, or will he turn the tables on the seductive princess?



About the book:

Sir Duncan de Ware is a sworn champion of the common man and a master of disguise. So when he finds plucky maiden-in-distress Linet de Montfort facing off against a notorious pirate, noble Duncan goes undercover to come to her rescue, despite her insistence that she can take care of herself. When the pirate abducts her, Duncan and Linet are caught up in a breathless adventure of danger and romance on the high seas. And soon Linet realizes her only hope is to trust her mysterious hero -- with her life and her heart.



About the book:

What happens when six English ladies are shipped off halfway across the world as mail order brides? EVERYTHING! Watch them go from a posh lifestyle in London to Clear Creek, a nothing of a town full of quirky characters, crazy livestock, and bumbling villains! Oh, and handsome grooms too!

Duncan Cooke, aka The Duke of Stantham, had a problem. He had a huge estate in England to manage, one not far from London, and it came with all the headaches one would expect with an estate in disarray. Including six unwed cousins, women no man would touch for fear of losing a limb, or worse. Strange things happened to all who tried to court them, so they were left unwed. But Duncan realized that his hometown of Clear Creek had exactly what he needed. Men! And so with the help of his brother’s wife Sadie, he concocted a plan to send his cousins to Clear Creek as mail order brides! He just hoped the calamity that often followed them, didn’t find its way across the sea as well ...



About the book:

From Sharon Cullen, author of the eBook sensation Loving the Earl, comes the tale of a ruthless pirate and the Scottish lass who fills him with desire for something greater than plunder.

With her clan’s crops burned and their property confiscated, Mairi McFadden is desperate to free her brother from imprisonment so that he can take his rightful place as chief. Her only hope is the fierce English pirate Phin Lockwood, but the buccaneer laughs at her meager funds. His roving eyes, however, tell Mairi there’s something else he’ll take in exchange for her brother’s rescue. Though she burns with hatred for the English, she’ll do anything to save her clan.

The crown has made it clear that Phin has two choices: bring in a certain Scottish traitor or hang. And he’s not about to let a tiny, whiskey-eyed woman get in his way, even if she is pointing a gun at him. When Phin learns that Mairi’s brother is the very man he seeks, he’s more than willing to use the lass as bait. But as the moment of capture draws near, Phin is surprised by his feelings for the courageous beauty who has him considering risking his life -- for someone besides himself.



About the set:

Eleven full-length novels from eleven New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling authors! Each book is the first in a beloved series. From the majesty of medieval castles to the glittering ballrooms of the Regency, read an enchanting novel from each of the Jewels of Historical Romance!

UNDENIABLE ROGUE by Annette Blair, Book 1 of her Rogue’s Club series
London, 1815: Thanks to a battlefield promise, Gideon St. Goddard, Duke of Stanthorpe, will take a bride. Sabrina Whitcomb needs to provide for her children, but wedding a stranger is no light matter.

THE BRIDE WORE BLUE by Cheryl Bolen, Book 1 of her Brides of Bath series
England, 1813: For six long years Thomas Moreland has dreamed of the beautiful young noblewoman who rescued him. Wealthy now, he's come to Bath to rescue his fair Felicity -- while endeavoring to win her love.

NOBLE SATYR by Lucinda Brant, Book 1 of her Roxton Family Saga
France & England, 1740s: In the age of hedonism and enlightenment, Antonia is abandoned at Versailles, where the predatory Comte de Salvan plots her seduction. The Duke of Roxton snatches Antonia to safety -- but is Roxton a noble savior or a satyr most despicable?

LADY DANGER by Glynnis Campbell, Book 1 of her Warrior Maids of Rivenloch series
Scotland, 1136: Deirdre of Rivenloch has never had trouble turning away men. But when she marries the powerful Sir Pagan Cameliard to save her sister, Deirdre soon finds herself losing the battle over her heart.

THE MacKINNON’S BRIDE by Tanya Anne Crosby, Book 1 of her Highland Brides series
Scotland, 1124: When Iain MacKinnon's young son is stolen by the English, he captures the daughter of his enemy to bargain for his son's return. But even as Page blames the chieftain for welching on a contract with her father, she suspects the truth ...

LUCIFER’S ROGUE by Colleen Gleason, Book 1 of her Draculia Vampire Trilogy
England, 1802: Voss, the Viscount Dewhurst, is an immortal who loves women and all things pleasurable, with no regard for others. Things are about to change when Miss Angelica Woodmore crosses his path and the rake falls ... hard.

THE WILD ONE by Danelle Harmon, Book 1 of her De Monteforte Brothers series
England, 1776: When handsome black sheep of the family Lord Gareth de Montforte thwarts a stagecoach robbery, he finds himself inheriting his dead brother's fiancee and infant baby.

ROGUE’S HONOR by Brenda Hiatt, Book 1 of her Saint of Seven Dials series
London, 1816: A duke's daughter in disguise is rescued by legendary Regency Robin Hood, the Saint of Seven Dials. Love is the last thing either needs, but when was love ever wise?

AMETHYST by Lauren Royal, Book 1 of her Chase Family Series
England, 1666: Amethyst Goldsmith will soon be condemned to a loveless marriage, and she sees no way out -- until a devastating fire sweeps through London, and tragedy lands her in the arms of dashing nobleman Colin Chase.

THE DEVIL OF KILMARTIN by Laurin Wittig, Book 1 of her Kilmartin Glen series
Scotland, 1307: Symon MacLachlan encounters Elena Lamont and discovers her touch frees him from the madness he battles. Certain she is the legendary Lamont healer, he tries to lure the skittish lass to marry him, but will he be able to win her love?

SILVER STORM by Cynthia Wright, Book 1 of her Rakes & Rebels series
Connecticut & Virginia, 1783: Dashing privateer Captain Andre Raveneau saves spirited Devon Lindsay from the Redcoats. He reluctantly agrees to deliver her to her fiancé, but doesn't count on falling in love with her himself!



About the set:

The Eldest Langley - Lady In Disguise.
To save her family from ruin, Miss Olivia Langley is forced into a dangerous charade -- pulling on a disguise, she takes to the road as a highwayman. Disaster strikes when she robs the one man she had hoped never to see again. Five years ago Lord William Ryder broke Livvy's heart. Now he has returned, and she fears that if anyone can succeed at unmasking her deepest secrets, it will be him.

The Middle Langley - Lady In Demand.
Miss Phoebe Langley doesn't fit into society. She’s willful and outspoken. Oh, and not only is she in business, she once earned her living as a highwayman. Not the type of scandalous behavior appropriate for a debutante. She shouldn't care what people think about her, especially the stuffy Viscount Finneous Levermarch, but she does, and even worse, she soon realizes she has feelings for him.

The Youngest Langley - Lady In Distress
Isabella was the Langley sister everyone overlooked. Injured in the same accident that killed her parents, pain had become a constant part of her life, forcing her to observe from the sidelines. But now, after several months in a Scottish Clinic, she is no longer the same woman. Determined to take charge of her life and set her dreams in motion, she goes after the only man she has ever loved: Luke Fletcher, a man not born into her world but the only one she has ever wanted.


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