What are you reading April 18?

[Okie]

Finishing up Death's Ink-Black Shadow bk 6 by John Wiltshire and In Hot Pursuit by Kate McMurray.

[Cheri]

On book 7, Paradise Valley, of the Virgin River series by Robyn Carr. I've had people suggest this series for years but just now started to check it out. Of course I love it and wish I had checked it out sooner :)

[Stacey]

Just finished Defy Not The Heart by Johanna Lindsey and I absolutely loved it.

I'm now reading and loving Bounty by Kristen Ashley. :-) ♥

[Okie]

Stacey is Sassy wrote: "Just finished Defy Not The Heart by Johanna Lindsey and I absolutely loved it.

I love all her old school romance books!! I remember sneaking off to the library durning lunch break to read JL. I have no love for any of her new stuff... but I reread the hell outta all her oldies :D

Happy Reading! ❤

[Manda]

Cheri wrote: "On book 7, Paradise Valley, of the Virgin River series by Robyn Carr. I've had people suggest this series for years but just now started to check it out. Of course I love it and wish I had checked ..."

It's such a fun series, Cheri! Some of the later books are better than others but I always love that world. Even if it seems like the water is laced with fertility hormones ;)

I'm in the middle of The Hooker and the Hermit which I'm enjoying except for the lightening fast leap the hero makes from thinking of the heroine as a potential bedpost notch to thinking of her as someone he can't live without. (Believe me I know how hypocritical that is of me considering how fast some of my couples fall in love.) It's cute though, and funny. And the hero is an Irish rugby player--yay!

[Dls]

I'm reading Midnight Riot after Lois McMaster Bujold recommended a book in the series. Not romance--sort of a combination between a British police procedural and an adult Harry Potter. So far it's great.

[Manda]

I'll be curious to see what you think, Deb. Ive been hearing about that series for a while.

[Stacey]

Manda wrote: "Cheri wrote: "On book 7, Paradise Valley, of the Virgin River series by Robyn Carr. I've had people suggest this series for years but just now started to check it out. Of course I love it and wish ..."

I actually preferred the second one - The Player and the Pixie a lot more. So, if you don't end up liking the first one, don't give up on the series. It's definitely worth going on for :-) ♥

[Irisheyes]

I just finished the Mary Balogh novella, IN ANOTHER DREAM, featuring Eleanor, Christine Bedwyn's sister. I really liked it, but then again I always love entering back into MB's "Slightly" world!

I'm soooo excited for George's story on May 3rd, ONLY BELOVED (the final installment of her Survivor's Club series)!

[Dls]

Stacey what series are you talking about? I think it may be different than the one Manda meant.

[Dls]

I mean than Cheri is talking about.

[Stacey]

Dls wrote: "Stacey what series are you talking about? I think it may be different than the one Manda meant."

I was replying to the second paragraph of Manda's comment about The Hooker and the Hermit :-) ♥

[Janga]

Irisheyes wrote: "I just finished the Mary Balogh novella, IN ANOTHER DREAM, featuring Eleanor, Christine Bedwyn's sister. I really liked it, but then again I always love entering back into MB's "Slightly" world!

I..."

I just finished that one too, Irish, and rally enjoyed it. Balogh is a never-fail for me, and I too am eagerly awaiting Only Beloved. However, I have mixed reactions to her pairing up two formerly contented singles. As a long-time romance reader, I love the blissful HEAs, but I don't think everyone has to be matched up to live a full life.

[Manda]

Stacey is Sassy wrote: "Dls wrote: "Stacey what series are you talking about? I think it may be different than the one Manda meant."

I was replying to the second paragraph of Manda's comment about The Hooker and the Herm..."

Thanks, Stacey! I had the first one in my TBR from before and when I saw how many people were reading it, I decided to dive in. I'm kind of relieved to hear you say that because I was wondering if there was something wrong with me!

[Stacey]

Manda wrote: "Stacey is Sassy wrote: "Dls wrote: "Stacey what series are you talking about? I think it may be different than the one Manda meant."

I was replying to the second paragraph of Manda's comment about..."

Definitely nothing wrong. Funny thing is that I liked the characters more in the second book from the first book (hope that makes sense).

It will be interesting if you read The Player and the Pixie straight after, if your reactions will be different. It took me awhile to cotton onto who the hero was. I had to stop reading and go back to the blurb to check. My emotions weren't fresh.

[Manda]

Janga wrote: "As a long-time romance reader, I love the blissful HEAs, but I don't think everyone has to be matched up to live a full life."


Janga, thanks for saying this. I was thinking just the other day in terms of my own writing about whether I have a responsibility as a contented singleton to show some happily single characters every now and then. If only because I personally think it's a viable option for a happy life. (Perhaps during the regency I'd have felt differently.) I waffle only because I think of Romancelandia as somewhere that romantic HEAs are possible for everyone--in a way that isn't alway possible in the real world for various reasons. Anyway, I appreciated you speaking up about it.

[Janga]

Manda wrote: "Janga wrote: "Janga, thanks for saying this. I was thinking just the..."

Manda, I admit that I have a special affection for authors like Jodi Thomas who give some of the unlikeliest characters HEAs, but I also have some sympathy for the view of one of my academic friends (happily married for more than two decades herself) who faults romance for what she terms its "Noah's arc mentality," i. e., two by two. I would like to see an occasional secondary character who is more than a caricature of the single life. There are some, but they are rare--and usually eccentric aunts.

[Dls]

Janga I shared that feeling but I also liked the way that the heroine realized that running a school was not for her. There were so few choices for single women and it felt very true to the period that she would take on the school because it was one of her few options and then realize she didn't like it.

[Dls]

Manda, I really recommend Midnight Riot. Great world building, and the voice of the hero rings true and is highly distinctive. So is the plot. The pacing is a little forced but otherwise I liked everything about it.

[Leigh-Ayn]

Mmn I need to try Manda's Hooker and the hermit book! I see it has rugby players in! Whoo hoo! At last a sport that I grew up with haha

And need to look up Deb's book too!

I've started the DB Reynolds Vampires in America series. Im on book 2 and enjoying it. I think it reminds me of Kate Daniels lol just with hot vampires ;)

[Charlene]

I read BECAUSE OF MISS BRIDGERTON in one sitting. I gave it 4 stars; I'll certainly watch for more of these prequels.

[Manda]

Deb, I'll check out Midnight Riot. Sounds like fun.

Leigh-Ayn, if you're interested in Rugby books, you might also try Kat Latham's London Legends series. They're a lot of fun. The first one is Knowing the Score. Though the Hooker and the Hermit is fun too:)

[Nicole]

Cheri wrote: "On book 7, Paradise Valley, of the Virgin River series by Robyn Carr. I've had people suggest this series for years but just now started to check it out. Of course I love it and wish I had checked ..."

Cheri I too am reading the Virgin River series. I'm on book 11, Moonlight Road. I am with Manda that some of the books are better than others. I just love how the story continues for the different couples. I never know who is going to show up in the next book. I am really impressed at how the story grows each time and the characters stay true to their original personalities! I'm sure I will go through VR withdraws when I'm done! LOL

[Rachel]

I'm reading book 10 of Vampires in America Christian; so far it's really good!!!

[Dls]

Manda: To give you a flavor--from the second book.

It was one of those tragic relationships: I'm a junior policeman, she's the goddess of a suburban river in South London--it was never going to work out.

[Manda]

Hah!

[Manda]

Stacey, i finished The Player and the Pixie and OMG you were so right! I loved it--so much more than the first book. I think the authors just really hit their stride with this one. And I'm a sucker for pretty boy heroes, so...

Thanks for the rec!

[Stacey]

Manda wrote: "Stacey, i finished The Player and the Pixie and OMG you were so right! I loved it--so much more than the first book. I think the authors just really hit their stride with this one. ..."

I am so glad you liked it. What a turn around for The Player. I just wanted to hug him :-)