Romance Across the Ages - 2021 Challenge

[Jan]

Mariana wrote: "I won my copy on Goodreads."

Nice!

[Merry]

I have entered a few drawings on GR. But haven't won. I will keep trying though. I had wondered about trying out some books on net gallery. But how to do so is probably for another part of the site.

[Justin]

Completely going through my list out of order... but still making progress. So far I've been enjoying all the picks:


A Pirate of Her Own by Kinley MacGregor
3.5 stars (Review)


The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
4 stars (Review)


Band Sinister by K.J. Charles
4 stars (Review)

Starting next!

[Jan]

Merry Jewelhound wrote: "I have entered a few drawings on GR. But haven't won. I will keep trying though. I had wondered about trying out some books on net gallery. But how to do so is probably for another part of the site."

I have never entered because every time I've looked at a GR giveaway it's only open to residents of US. (I'm in Australia). Oh well, so be it. I've never joined net galley either, but have considered it. Maybe some time? My tbr is always overflowing anyway though LOL.

[Jan]

Justin wrote: "Completely going through my list out of order... but still making progress. So far I've been enjoying all the picks:


A Pirate of Her Own by Ki..."

I read them out of order sometimes too. Glad you've enjoyed your picks so far, Justin.

[Joanna Loves Reading, Bluestocking of HR novels]

Jan wrote: "Justin wrote: "Completely going through my list out of order... but still making progress. So far I've been enjoying all the picks:


[book:A Pirate of Her Ow..."

I'm all over the place this year too.

Glad they've been good reads, though!

[Joanna Loves Reading, Bluestocking of HR novels]

Merry Jewelhound wrote: "I have entered a few drawings on GR. But haven't won. I will keep trying though. I had wondered about trying out some books on net gallery. But how to do so is probably for another part of the site."

NetGalley is a separate site (https://www.netgalley.com/), but I didn't find it too hard to sign up for it. It is a nice way to try new authors I think, but I often find myself requesting too many. It took a while before I started getting approved for some authors that I had heard before.

[Merry]

I signed up for netgalley yesterday. Thank you all for the link. I have had pretty good results with my library on getting many of the books on the different reading challenges. Plus I have kindle unlimited and audiobooks. That's what happens when you are stuck inside for a year lol.
Now that the weather is nicer I am hoping to get my walks in and listen to my HUGE library of audiobooks. I have never been able to do anything else and listen to a book. Its like seeing a shiny object....I get distracted and loose the thread of the book.

[Merry]

Justin enjoying reading your reviews.

[Padma]

Finished reading
for Edwardian Theme- May.

Did not like it much. Was pretty boring

Have read the author s Guilty series which was quite good. somehow, this did not reach up to that level

[Merry]

Padma wrote: "Finished reading
for Edwardian Theme-

Have read the author s Guilty series which was quite good. somehow, th..."
I liked the cover and thought it looked interesting glad to know the other series was good.

[Mariana]

Padma wrote: "Finished reading
for Edwardian Theme- May.

Did not like it much. Was pretty boring

Have read the author s Guilty series which was quite good. somehow, th..."

I have not read this one, but Laura Lee Guhrke is hit or miss for me.

[Padma]

Mariana wrote: "Padma wrote: "Finished reading
for Edwardian Theme- May.

Did not like it much. Was pretty boring

Have read the author s Guilty series which was quite goo..."

I agree

[Christine]

Ended up reading Snobbery with Violence. It wasn't *amazing* but I loved the British humor in it and the extremes that the characters went to protect their reputations. I'd recommend it for Downton Abbey fans. Admittedly, I kept picturing Lady Rose from DA as one of the the main characters.

[Merry]

Christine L. wrote: "Ended up reading Snobbery with Violence. It wasn't *amazing* but I loved the British humor in it and the extremes that the characters went to protect their reputations. I'd recommend it for Downton..."

I totally agree with your description. I have read the first 2 in the series and they are a fun read.

[Mariana]

I love Downton Abbey, but I have not found too many good Edwardian HR books. Noted as a possibility for next year. Thanks!

[Merry]

I think Edwardian reads are harder to find as its such a short period of time. I think its 9 years and and then you have the WWI and WWII. Snobbery With Violence is free to Audible subscribers that is how I found it.

[🐝 Shaz 🐝]

I have just read The Last Rake In London by Nicola Cornick. For my Edwardian read , it Is set in 1908 .

[Christine]

Yes, I have been wondering why WWI and WWII are separated from the Edwardian Era? Does anyone know? I know they are big events, but so is the Industrial Revolution and no one goes around looking for Industrial Revolution romances, they go looking for Victorian ones. Just curious. Maybe it has to do with the social values that changed?

[Joanna Loves Reading, Bluestocking of HR novels]

Christine L. wrote: "Yes, I have been wondering why WWI and WWII are separated from the Edwardian Era? Does anyone know? I know they are big events, but so is the Industrial Revolution and no one goes around looking fo..."

We can make changes for next year to combine or just make it broadly 20th Century — if we decide to keep going with this challenge that is.

[Merry]

I did read where sometime WWI is included in Edwardian. I think the world wars involved so many countries and had events that brought woman into the work force and many changes in society. Plus I can't think of a monarch that has had an era named after then since Edwardian.

[🐝 Shaz 🐝]

Edwardian time was 1901 after Victoria died to 1910 when her son Edward the VII was on the throne.
From 1910 to 1936. George V was on the throne. World war 1 was 1914 to 1918 while George V was on the throne .
Edwardian was the last time that names were used for periods of English monarchs reigns as far as I know. Hope this helps .

[Padma]

Joanna Loves Reading wrote: "Christine L. wrote: "Yes, I have been wondering why WWI and WWII are separated from the Edwardian Era? Does anyone know? I know they are big events, but so is the Industrial Revolution and no one g..."

Am loving this challenge. we get to read books from different themes which we usually don't bother with. So, I hope we continue this.

[Merry]

I like this challenge for the same reason Padma mentioned. I do try to stop in this thread and check as I don' always get notifications (or I miss them) as often as I do when doing a monthly book read.

[🐝 Shaz 🐝]

I like this challenge, and always read one of the books for the months challenge. It is good at getting me to read and enjoy books, I might not have read.

[Cath]

I enjoy this challenge as well. I've found a few books so far that I really loved, so that was great.

This month, my selections didn't work out as well as I'd hoped, and I was interested to see that both of them had been chosen as selections by others, as above.

1. I read Guhrke's Wedding of the Season for Edwardian and I too was bored:( Gave it 3 stars b/c there were a few things the author was trying to do that I liked and that I thought were a little different from the usual plot choices, but the h especially bored me and I felt no emotional connection to the characters. Disappointing!

2. Tried to get into Bee Ridgway's The River of No Return for Time Travel. I was so excited about the plot. But for some reason the author's writing style just wasn't working for me. Maybe it was my mood. Saw that someone else has chosen this book, and I hope their experience is better. So I'm going to try Susanna Kearsley's The Winter Sea later on, tho' I can't tell if it's time travel or more like remembering a past life...Guess I'll find out!

[Merry]

I have picked my book for June Mesmerized by a Roguish Highlander . Not an area I ever read so it will be fun to change up my reading patterns.

[Christine]

Joanna Loves Reading wrote: "Christine L. wrote: "Yes, I have been wondering why WWI and WWII are separated from the Edwardian Era? Does anyone know? I know they are big events, but so is the Industrial Revolution and no one g..."

I hope it continues! I do like this challenge. From the various challenges I've done, I've just been noticing that Edwardian and ancient time periods tend to be the most difficult to find books for.

Shaz wrote: . . Edwardian was the last time that names were used for periods of English monarchs reigns . . . "
That's a good point!

[Merry]

I got an early start on my June read and just finished it Mesmerized by a Roguish Highlander I gave it a 3*
This was a nice book that had little action and a minor mystery. Its a love story that has a nice hea. Maybe it was just me as others liked the book more that I did since nice was the best word that I could use about the story.

[Jan]

Merry Jewelhound wrote: "I got an early start on my June read and just finished it Mesmerized by a Roguish Highlander I gave it a 3*
This was a nice book that had little action and a minor mystery. Its a l..."

WTG Merry! Nice work to finish already! I didn't end up finishing my May book - I just couldn't get into the writing style. I didn't get hooked or want to read on, so I decided to skip it. (It was The Dance of Love for Edwardian).

For June, I'm reading Never Seduce a Scot by Maya Banks. Fingers crossed it's good. What is everyone else going to read for June?

[Merry]

Jan I read a few tepid reviews of the Dance of Love so I understand not finishing.
I do like the idea of next year expanding beyond the Edwardian period. I find more mysteries in the era rather than romance. Never Seduce a Scot looks good and will be interested to hear what you think of it. I don't plan on doing any of the monthly reads as I can't get them from my library and am a bit on the fence about reviews on the audio version. Of course I have my 5 library books sitting next to me which I keep renewing.

[Jan]

Merry Jewelhound wrote: "Jan I read a few tepid reviews of the Dance of Love so I understand not finishing.
I do like the idea of next year expanding beyond the Edwardian period. I find more mysteries in the era rather th..."

Thanks Merry. I agree about expanding beyond the Edwardian period. There don't seem to be that many romances to choose from for this era.

[Padma]

Jan wrote: "Merry Jewelhound wrote: "I got an early start on my June read and just finished it Mesmerized by a Roguish Highlander I gave it a 3*
This was a nice book that had little action and..."

Its a good one . Have read the series too.

[Padma]

I am planning to read The Highwayman by Kerrigan Byrne for June- Highlanders/Scottish theme.

[Merry]

Padma wrote: "I am planning to read The Highwayman by Kerrigan Byrne for June- Highlanders/Scottish theme."

Another book I want to hear your thoughts on. I LOVED the first book I read by Byrne, the next was a group read and it was a good read that I enjoyed and the 3rd was nice but nothing special.

[🐝 Shaz 🐝]

I am reading The Magpie Lord for one of this months reads. It has started off as an interesting attempted murder mystery.

[Merry]

Next year I am going to wait and check out what books you all are reading before I pick mine lol. This is a category I don't read much (why this is a fun group) and have trouble with as I haven't found books that I have fallen in love with.

[Joanna Loves Reading, Bluestocking of HR novels]

Thanks for the feedback on the categories and challenge! I like this one too, and it is good to re-look at the “ages” for adjustments from year to year.

We do have a couple ideas for next year that I will post about hopefully at the end of this month.

[Mariana]

I also enjoy this challenge, but I am behind. I have not finished either of my May books.

[Jan]

Sadly I couldn't finish my June Highlanders read Never Seduce a Scot by Maya Banks. A new-to-me author. I know she's very popular, but by the time I got to 50% I realised this book wasn't for me, and decided to abandon it.

I dnf'ed my May Edwardian book too :( Hopefully I'll have better luck in July.

[Mariana]

Awww...Never Seduce a Scot was my introduction to Maya Banks also, but it's actually on my favorites shelf. Lol! It is rather unique though, so I get it wouldn't be for everyone.

I also hope you have better luck in July!

[Merry]

I don't have a diversity book picked out for next month. I have waaaaay to many on my tbr list.
Sorry your book didn't work out Jan.

[Jan]

Thanks ladies. Mariana, I can see how this book hits the buttons for a certain style of read that I'm sure many would love. It's just not for me. Glad you enjoyed though.

[Padma]

Jan wrote: "Sadly I couldn't finish my June Highlanders read Never Seduce a Scot by Maya Banks. A new-to-me author. I know she's very popular, but by the time I got to 50% I realised this book ..."

Oh..that's bad. Hope July is better for you Jan

[Padma]

Mariana wrote: "Awww...Never Seduce a Scot was my introduction to Maya Banks also, but it's actually on my favorites shelf. Lol! It is rather unique though, so I get it wouldn't be for everyone.

I also hope you h..."

Mine too. :)

[Jan]

Padma wrote: "Hope July is better for you Jan "

Thanks Padma.

[Christine]

June snuck up on me, so I ended up reading a time traveling Scottish romance by an author who was new to me:

[Merry]

Diversity 3* Her Night with the Duke I won this book from Goodreads. I enjoyed the story of a Lady who came from merchant and Arab heritage. Leela was brought up completely English with little contact from her mothers Arab side of the family. The romance with the Duke was good and the steam was hot. It was insta hot and then too long of a slooooow burn as it worked up to the HEA. I understood Leela wanting to find out more about her family heritage but it was hard to combine the steamy love story with finding family customs.

[Jan]

Merry Jewelhound wrote: "Diversity 3* Her Night with the Duke I won this book from Goodreads."

Ooh lucky you winning a book! Glad it was a decent read for you.

[Merry]

Jan it was an "odd" win. The book was published last year. I wondered if they were trying to drum up business for it.