Dls’s Comments (group member since Sep 14, 2010)

Dls’s comments from the Fans of Eloisa James & Julia Quinn group.

Ok time for the reveal!

Leigh-Ayn Goodreads seems to have a crowd sourced one and also emails me new books by authors on my shelves monthly.

No clue

Please PM me or answer here if you want to be on the schedule for 2918
Thanks! DLS

Yes please. How strange that it didn’t show that.

I didn’t know she died.

Yes, she recommended Ashe’s the earl.

I’m also reading the new Sarah Morgan

There is wifi. But somehow they can regulate these purchases so you can’t make them from abroad even if you preordered. I assume it’s to protect the local publisher? Very annoying!

Next for me is Loretta Chase. Also at Jangas recommendation I bought the Earl.

I head out of the country for nearly two weeks o Thursday and won’t be able to download new purchases so I’m looking now for other idea to buy now

I have definitely not read this!

No clue

I cannot explain it :-)

She writes historicals as Amanda Quick and contemporaries as Jayne Ann Krentz and future romances as Jayne Castle. I wouldn’t call her the most accurate or the most PC (particularly the earlier historicals) but she can be hysterically funny. Her more recent books all have strong paranormal elements and many of her books have a mystery element.

It’s Rendezvous by Amanda Quick.

I just reread all the Sheila Simonson’s—both her regencies (which are similar to Balogh in their level of historical accuracy, but the romances take a back seat in some of them to the plot and they are non of them explicit. ) and her mysteries.

On rereading Bar Sinister I realized that it is a fascinating interpretation of the particular challenge of being the bastard of a noblewoman as opposed to nobleman, because the bastard might have a right to the mother’s legal spouse’s estate and that could cause all kinds of trouble.

I’m reading Grace Burrowes new book now. I did read the new Maiden Land novella — I really liked the person Mary Whitsun became . And the glimpses we see of the Duke of Montgomery are fun. But it has a few loose ends.

While I am not a fan of the "let him think he is in charge" method of marriage, I think the list of qualities in a husband here is, shall we say, a baseline. (This is a historical--it wouldn't be funny in a contemporary. And in fact, that's not how the marriage in this book works either. She just charges ahead and does what she wants.)

“Now then, you want to know my observations on managing a husband, is that the question?”
“Well, yes, I suppose that is what I am asking,” cousin admitted.
“The first thing one must learn about the proper management of husbands,” heroine said in her best lecturing tone, “is that they prefer to think themselves in command of the household. They quite enjoy the illusion that they are the field marshals and that their wives are the captains who carry out orders, if you see what I mean.”
“I see. Is that not rather annoying?”
“On occasion, yes. Without doubt. However, men are a bit slow-witted in some things and that rather makes up for the problems caused by their tendency to believe they are in charge.”
“Slow-witted.” Cousin was shocked. “Surely you cannot be talking about hero (heroine’s husband) ? He is very intelligent and very scholarly. Everyone knows that.”
Heroine waved a hand with airy dismissal. “Most certainly he is intelligent enough when it comes to knowing the odd historical fact such as the Battle of Actium. But I must tell you it is no great task to let a husband go on believing he is in command of the household whilst one goes about organizing things precisely as one wishes. Does that not imply they are a bit slow in some respects?”
“You may have a point. Now that I consider the matter, I must admit I have always known one could manage Father in that fashion. He is always so preoccupied with his studies, he pays no attention to household matters. Yet he believes himself to be in command.”
“I rather think we can say the tendency is a common trait of men in general. And I have come to the conclusion that women do not disabuse their men of the notion because men appear to be more accommodating when they believe themselves to be in charge of even small matters.”
“Quite a fascinating observation, heroine.”
“Yes, it is, is it not?” Heroine was warming to her topic now. “Another trait I have discovered in husbands is that they have a rather limited notion of what constitutes proper female behavior. They tend to worry excessively about the cut of a neckline or whether one has gone riding without a groom or how much one has spent on even bare essentials such as new bonnets.”
“Heroine—“
“Furthermore, I would advise any female considering marriage to give careful thought to the matter of another common masculine characteristic I have discovered. That is their inclination to be astonishingly stubborn once they have formed an opinion. And that is another thing: Men are never loath to form opinions very quickly. Then one must—“
“Uh, heroine—“
Heroine ignored the interruption. “Then one must set about the annoying business of getting them to see reason. Do you know, cousin, were I to be in a position of advising a woman on what to look for in a husband, I would ask her to consider the qualities she would look for were she to be in the mood to purchase a horse, instead.”
"Heroine!"
Heroine held up her gloved hand and began to enumerate crisply. “Look for good blood, strong teeth, and sound limbs. Avoid the creature that shows any inclination to kick or bite. Pass up one which exhibits a tendency towards laziness. Avoid the beast which displays excessive stubbornness. Some thickheadedness is unavoidable and no doubt to be expected but too much probably indicates genuine stupidity. In short, search out a willing specimen who is amenable to training.”
Cousin clapped her hands over her mouth, her eyes brimming with something that might have been either shock or laughter. “Heroine, for heaven’s sake, look behind you.”
An ominous sense of impending disaster settled on heroine. She slowly turned around and saw hero and hero’s friend/cousin’s possible fiancé standing less than five feet away from her. Hero’s friend appeared to be having a great deal of difficulty swallowing his amusement.
Hero, one hand braced negligently against a tree limb, wore an expression of polite curiousity. There was, however, a suspicious glint in his eyes.
“Good evening, my dear,” hero said softly. “Please feel free to carry on. Do not let us interrupt your conversation with your cousin.”
“Not at all,” heroine said with an aplomb she felt would have done credit to Cleopatra greeting Caesar. “We were just conversing about the qualities one looks for in a good horse, were we not, cousin?”

I like the fight Charlotte is leading which adds depth and context to the book but Nathaniel won my heart. The solutions he finds to their complex of problems at the end of the book are perfect

Probably my favorite by this author!

I have been reading Sheila Simonson’s newest book and that started me rereading her backlist. I’m going to read the newest Bujold novella and I think Someone to Wed by Mary Balogh is due out tomorrow.

Reading the latest Sheila Simonson. I hadn’t realized she has a new one out. This is another modern detective story but people who haven’t tried her historicals might like them.
Also for the first time I am trying a Nook free serial read. It’s a Navajo mystery by Anne Hillerman adding to her fathers series.

They do sort of. End chapter 7 end chapter 8 end chapter 13 . It’s not a big part of the book but it’s there (thanks Nook search).
Actually what I loved about Leo’s book was that after all the drama and depression of his appearances in earlier books his relationship with Catherine is so lighthearted. Not the events of the book but their interactions.