BOTM July 1 to 15, 2015 - Fires of Winter (Medieval)

[Kat, Baroness (in her own right)]

Fires of Winter by Johanna Lindsey

Lovely and dauntless, abducted by invaders from across an icy sea, Lady Brenna vowed vengeance, swearing no Viking brute would be her master...

No barbarian would enslave her noble Celtic heart.

Yet Garrick Haardrad, the proud and powerful son of a ruthless Viking chieftan, claims her with a primitive abandon that leaves her breathless, igniting fires of passion that blaze through the cold Nordic nights and forge the unbreakable bonds of a fiery, eternal love.

Discussion thread for the July 1 to 15, 2015 BOTM. Please remember to use the spoiler tags when necessary. (please see "some html is ok" for instructions)

[Kat, Baroness (in her own right)]

Welcome to our first group read of the month... in fact, our first ever group read!

Suzie and I look forward to reading and chatting along with everyone. Hope you like what we did to the group - we decided to spice things up a bit to make you all feel more at home here.

With that said, happy reading!

[Lisa - (Aussie Girl)]

I'll have to see if I can rustle up a copy somewhere. I haven't read a Joanna Lindsay for a decade or so.

[Kat, Baroness (in her own right)]

Yeah, same here. I'm going to check the library first but if they don't have it I'm sure there's one in our local secondhand bookstore!

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

I have to find my copy.

This will be a first-time read for me.

[Kat, Baroness (in her own right)]

Me too. I haven't read much medieval. It's not as popular as the other stems of historical romance, I noticed...

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

I'm not adverse to Medieval.

There just isn't as much of it as Regency, Victorian and Georgian. Not that there is a lot of Georgian in the first place.

[Kat, Baroness (in her own right)]

Yeah! I haven't read much Georgian either. I think the only ones I read were from Elizabeth Hoyt and Sylvia Day.

[Lisa - (Aussie Girl)]

Joanna Lindsay writes in the older style historical romance style a bit towards purple prose. I wonder when this one was written. As I mentioned I haven't read her for ages so it will be interesting if she's changed her style.

[Kat, Baroness (in her own right)]

It says here that Fires of Winter was published 1980.

I read her latest book, Wildfire In His Arms, recently but I was disappointed with it.

[Lisa - (Aussie Girl)]

I kindled a copy .. but won't be able to start till next week as I have a few other books to get through first.

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

I'm up to page 51--and the Vikings don't seem to have Viking names. :(

[Historical Romance Lurver]

This is my virgin read of Johanna Lindseys' novels!
I often would see her books over the years, but admit I wasn't too attracted to them when other raunchier looking covers caught my eye.

Into the second chapter so far, and keen to keep reading on. Looking forward to sharing all of our thoughts. x

[Lisa - (Aussie Girl)]

I have to admit I wasn't a huge fan of Joanna Lindsey back in the day. She wrote sort of bodice rippers but nowhere at the level of the greats Kathleen Woodiwiss or Rosemary Rogers.

But I'm willing to give it a go and keep an open mind.

[Sarah]

I'm adding! Like Lindsey!! Now as to when I will get to read it? Soon I hope ;)

[Kat, Baroness (in her own right)]

SuzieQtyPye wrote: "This is my virgin read of Johanna Lindseys' novels!
I often would see her books over the years, but admit I wasn't too attracted to them when other raunchier looking covers caught my eye.

Into the..."

How come?! Most of her covers were Fabio... ;)

For example:

[Kat, Baroness (in her own right)]

Andrea (Catsos Person) is a Compulsive eBook Hoarder wrote: "I'm up to page 51--and the Vikings don't seem to have Viking names. :("

Oh, man. :/

[Kat, Baroness (in her own right)]

Sarah wrote: "I'm adding! Like Lindsey!! Now as to when I will get to read it? Soon I hope ;)"

I love Lindsey's Malory-Anderson series and some of her Western! :)

[Sarah]

I had almost forgotten about her! It's been forever since I read anything by her.

When does the read start?

[Kat, Baroness (in her own right)]

You can start from now until the 15th! :p

[Kat, Baroness (in her own right)]

I finally got a copy, I will start Friday evening. :)

[Sarah]

Kat Desi wrote: "I finally got a copy, I will start Friday evening. :)"

I just got mine...will start tonight or tomorrow :)

[Kat, Baroness (in her own right)]

And no doubt finish the same day! Lol

[Sarah]

Kat Desi wrote: "And no doubt finish the same day! Lol"

You know me well. ;)

[Kat, Baroness (in her own right)]

Brenna...



;)

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

I like her as Brenna.

I don't know who she is though. I'm pretty clueless about younger celebrities.

[Kat, Baroness (in her own right)]

I don't know who she is either! I just saw the picture in a blog and thought, hey she'd make a good Brenna!

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

Kat Desi wrote: "I don't know who she is either! I just saw the picture in a blog and thought, hey she'd make a good Brenna!"

She's dressed for battle!

[Historical Romance Lurver]

The perfect Brenna! Thank you for giving me an image to focus on as I am reading :)

I've been watching the series Vikings, so it's been perfect timing to keep me enthused and visualising.
x

[Lisa - (Aussie Girl)]

I watch Vikings too Suzie. Really enjoying it especially the caper Ragnor pulled at the end of last season to ransack Paris. It's interesting how they have incorporated the storyline into history. I'm guessing that his brother Rollo will rule Normandy and become the ancestor of William the Conqueror.

[Kat, Baroness (in her own right)]

I have been meaning to watch Vikings (along with a thousand other TV series). I just can't seem to peel my face away from my Kindle long enough to watch anything!

Rollo is the hot one, right? The one with the scars on his face?

[Lisa - (Aussie Girl)]

I guess the hotness level is in the eye of the beholder but I think he is. He's the brother of the main blonde Viking, Ragnor.

[Kat, Baroness (in her own right)]

Hah. Yep, I remember now. I like the scars on his face. I'm always a sucker for the "beauty and the beast" trope in HR!

[Historical Romance Lurver]

Oh, same here, Lisa!
The ‘loose’ historical accuracy was what appealed to me and I love Nordic history. As much as people have disparaged the inaccuracies all over the internet, who cares! It’s a drama - so what if the History Channel airs it, i have no qualms. I would think you’d be on the money with Rollo at the throne - excited to see how it unveils.

Rollo is hotness plus, those muscles are definitely something to get excited about. I do have a weakness for Ragnar too, there is something I find appealing that I can’t deny. AND, for an Aussie, I think he did a mighty fine job of it.

Yep, the brothers may plunder my village, anytime (separately of course)! lol.

[Historical Romance Lurver]

Kat Desi wrote: "I have been meaning to watch Vikings (along with a thousand other TV series). I just can't seem to peel my face away from my Kindle long enough to watch anything!
Rollo is the hot one, right? The ..."

A good watch! you may have to drag yourself away from the Kindle for a perv-fest!

[Lisa - (Aussie Girl)]

Haha, I've had much the same thought!

[Kat, Baroness (in her own right)]

Ok, I've finished the book. I liked it, except I had one tiny issue.

(view spoiler)[He RAPED her!? Twice? And she didn't remember this when she realized that she loved him?



(hide spoiler)]

[Sarah]

Kat Desi wrote: "Ok, I've finished the book. I liked it, except I had one tiny issue.


Yeah...I was not ok with that either...she seemed so strong (internally) except for that fact.

[Sarah]

I think thats why I couldn't give it 5*
I really like Lindsey's style of writing....but I will read the next book. ;)

[Kat, Baroness (in her own right)]

Ha! Same :)

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

I just finished the book.

It took time for me to warm up to Brenna. I kept forgetting how very young she was. I don't really mind a young heroine.

I'm still disappointed that Joanna Lindsey did not call the H by a kool Nordic name like "Leif." That would have been way hot.

I guess I'll have to read more recently written Viking HR where the authors now can find cool Nordic names on the internet.

[Kat, Baroness (in her own right)]

I read the second book, Hearts Aflame, and the names of the characters there are no doubt Nordic! I think it's just Haardrad family that had non Nordic-sounding names.

[Kat, Baroness (in her own right)]

Also, you are right about Brenna. Come to think of it, Johanna Lindsey's heroines are usually young, most of them are around 18 to 21. They start out as childish then develop over the course of the book.

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

Kat Desi wrote: "I read the second book, Hearts Aflame, and the names of the characters there are no doubt Nordic! I think it's just Haardrad family that had non Nordic-sounding names."

I think I have a copy of Hearts Aflame too.

My GR friends all gave this very high ratings. Did you enjoy it?

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

Kat Desi wrote: "Also, you are right about Brenna. Come to think of it, Johanna Lindsey's heroines are usually young, most of them are around 18 to 21. They start out as childish then develop over the course of the..."

Brenna did develop. It was satisfying to read how she changed. And yes she was childish--but had a formidable integrity.

[Kat, Baroness (in her own right)]

Yeah, yeah! 5 stars! ☺ I'm about to write my review for it. I'm also almost done with book 3, Surrender My Love, Selig's book.

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

Kat Desi wrote: "Yeah, yeah! 5 stars! ☺ I'm about to write my review for it. I'm also almost done with book 3, Surrender My Love, Selig's book."

I don't think that I have book 3, Selig's story.

I have Hearts Aflame to look forward to since everyone loves it.

[Kat, Baroness (in her own right)]

Yeah, I would recommend. ☺

I'm enjoying book 3 but the main couple's romance is pretty weak here for some reason. There is a lot of Brenna & Garrick and Kristen & Royce moments that there isn't much room for Selig & Erika. :/

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

Kat Desi wrote: "Yeah, I would recommend. ☺

I'm enjoying book 3 but the main couple's romance is pretty weak here for some reason. There is a lot of Brenna & Garrick and Kristen & Royce moments that there isn't mu..."

That's too bad It's not as good as the first two. :(

[Kat, Baroness (in her own right)]

Actually, the story is good, but I was hoping that Selig and Erika's love story would somehow be more passionate and stuff like that, considering it's the last book in the series. Oh, well...