Romance Across the Ages - 2021 Challenge

[Jan]

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

Yeah, maybe. That is a bit odd.

[Padma]

Glad that you enjoyed Merry. Its in my TBR

[Merry]

I read August Bodice Ripper its KU due my canceling it for the Summer. The book is Lemonade https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
It is dark and definitely has trigger warnings

[Padma]

Read for July Diversity theme. Was a very poignant read. Enjoyed it.
Set during the French revolution with a half Irish half French hero and a French heroine.
4.5 stars

[Merry]

@Padma looks like a good book will keep it in mind for next time

[Christine]

Padma wrote: "Read for July Diversity theme. Was a very poignant read. Enjoyed it.
Set during the French revolution with a half Irish half French hero and a French heroine..."
OOoh yes, I second that. It looks really intriguing.

[Padma]

Hi all

Am not sure if this is the right forum. if not, please excuse.

Request suggestions for a good online library links for HR books which can be accessed from India.

I am unable to find many of the books we discuss in our local library.
Thanks

[Christine]

Padma wrote: "Hi all

Am not sure if this is the right forum. if not, please excuse.

Request suggestions for a good online library links for HR books which can be accessed from India.

I am unable to find many..."

Hi Padma, just to clarify- are you asking us to attach Indian library links of the books we've read? I'm personally not familiar with the Indian library system, but maybe you can ask the staff there if they have access to Libby, Hoopla, or Overdrive? I'm not sure if the library systems work the same as Canada or the U.S, but over here in Canada library loans are restricted to regions, so we'd probably need to to know the area of India you're in to help you out :). Book Depository might be good to check out?

I just read Blackmoore by Julianne Donaldson for July and it made me cry, even though it was so cheesy, but I loved it. It's like Mansfield Park meets Northanger Abbey.

[Padma]

Sorry for not being clear. A book depository or any such online app with a good collection would be helpful. Thanks Christine

[Jan]

I finished my July read, for 'Any Historical Romance on your tbr'. It was Devil in Disguise by Lisa Kleypas, set in the Victorian era. Her latest book in the lovely Ravenels series. A beautiful, romantic read. I gave 4.5 stars.


My August read for 'Regency' is The Earl's Irresistible Challenge by Lara Temple.


What is everyone else going to read for August?

[Merry]

@Jan I enjoyed your review. I posted above about my August review as I dropped my KU as I have had so much going on for Summer. A Diamond for a Duke I have started on my tbr list and is a short book. I don't have a Regency picked yet.

[Lauren]

christine l, Tender Storm by Elizabeth Thornton is the first book in the series and it's fantastic! Velvet in the Night is the 2nd book in the series.

[Padma]

Lauren wrote: "christine l, Tender Storm by Elizabeth Thornton is the first book in the series and it's fantastic! Velvet in the Night is the 2nd book in the series."

Yes. both are fantastic

[Padma]

Finished Fires of winter by Johanna Lindsey for July HR read.

[Lauren]

padma, how did u like Fires Of Winter?
I'm reading Lisa Kleypas old br. Next will be Copeland Bride by Justine Cole. So br in different countries, i don't know if that counts?

[Cath]

Oh boy, The Copeland Bride! I definitely had thoughts about that one when I was reading it a few years back. I think I was kind of hate-reading it and thought it would have been fun to read it with others so I could trash-talk both the h and H. I don't objectively mind the "real" bodice rippers (https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...) and in fact I think the writing in quite a few of them is very good (though they don't really work for me as love stories), but I do want the h to not be a doormat by the end. So that's where I usually end up deducting points in my highly subjective rating system - if the h is too sweet thru it all.

Speaking of which...I've had a copy of Stormfire by Monson on my shelves for a while now and I might read it for Aug bodice ripper.

Meanwhile for Regency I'm reading An Infamous Army by Heyer

[Padma]

Lauren wrote: "padma, how did u like Fires Of Winter?
I'm reading Lisa Kleypas old br. Next will be Copeland Bride by Justine Cole. So br in different countries, i don't know if that counts?"

It was a good one Lauren but with a lot of angst. Though it was quite difficult to accept the dominance and chauvinistic views . But then, its the time period 9th century around ..so I guess we have to accept it.

I am planning to read the whole series.
I think this is the case with most of the HRs we read

[🐝 Shaz 🐝]

I have started to read Loving a Lost Lord This is from my TBR shelf.
Shipwrecked Adam is found by Mariah. Who tells him she is his wife. As she need to stop a suitor, who she doesn't like from bullying her into marriage.

[Merry]

Shaz I read it earlier this year. Will be interested to see what you think of it.

[🐝 Shaz 🐝]

Merry Jewelhound wrote: "Shaz I read it earlier this year. Will be interested to see what you think of it."
It has started off ok, but I am only on page 62 .

[Lauren]

cath, don't ruin too much for me for Copeland Bride. it has mixed reviews and for some reason I now want to read it

first I have to finish reading 'A Fire in the Heart and then ' My Only Love ' all by Katherine Sutcliffe

[Cath]

Lauren wrote: "cath, don't ruin too much for me for Copeland Bride. it has mixed reviews and for some reason I now want to read it

first I have to finish reading 'A Fire in the Heart and then ' My Only Love ' a..."

oh you should definitely read it! and I'd love to hear your thoughts about the h & H after you finish :)

[Lauren]

Cath, absolutely! I love to hear your POV after I finish them.

[Cath]

^ OK :)

[Christine]

Wow, it's August already!! I'll be trying out

[Jan]

I finished my August Regency read already. It was a pretty quick read. It was OK but nothing too memorable. 3 stars. I think there are many better Regencies out there.
The Earl's Irresistible Challenge by Lara Temple.

[🐝 Shaz 🐝]

I just finished Ravished by Virginia Henley for Bodice Ripper read. Not that much romance in the story 3.5 .

[Padma]

Finished Fires of Winter - Johannah Lindsey for my July TBR.
Planning to follow it up with Hearts Aflame for August-Bodice Ripper

[Sandra]

What a nice challenge!! Looking forward to participate next year. I'm pretty new in Goodreads

[🐝 Shaz 🐝]

I think you can still join in, as books have been read earlier or later at some points. By the group readers. You could catch up with January to July reads over the next few months.

[Sandra]

Thanks Shaz!
I have to choose the books before entering the challenge or I can choose before reading each book?

[Merry]

@Sandra. I do a mix. Some I choose ahead of time and others as they topic comes up. I still haven't picked my Regency as I have soooo many on my list to pick from. Plus I am lingering on my Pirate read since March. I

[🐝 Shaz 🐝]

I have pick a book before . Then changed it to a book I was reading, as the book fit the theme for that month, or one of the other months

[Merry]

Plus its a minimum of 12. I aim for more but don't always make it. I do try to read periods that are out of my "comfort zone" lol. Otherwise I would never budge from Victorian or Regency.

[Sandra]

Great!! I should start with the one I'm reading. It's nice to get out of Regency once in a while ;)

[Jan]

Merry Jewelhound wrote: "Plus its a minimum of 12. I aim for more but don't always make it. I do try to read periods that are out of my "comfort zone" lol. Otherwise I would never budge from Victorian or Regency."

I agree. This challenge has encouraged me to read books I would never normally read, and there have been some winners.

[Sandra]

Thanks! Tomorrow I will sign in the challenge

[Padma]

Finished Hearts Aflame for August theme Bodice Ripper. Was a good one.

[Christine]

Hearts Aflame has been in my tbr for a while. I might add it to my priority list...

[Padma]

Christine L. wrote: "Hearts Aflame has been in my tbr for a while. I might add it to my priority list..."

I am planning to read the last one in the series Surrender my love

[Merry]

I finished my Regency Revealed. I listened to the audio version. I enjoyed the budding romance of an intelligent, although young woman (21) was good. Plus throw in a mystery and I would rate it 3.5 and round up to 4*

[Cath]

One day I'm going to get around to reading Lemonade; I hear so much about it.

I thought the Silver Devil was well-done - for the particular type of BR it was. My only issue with it was that I never felt the author showed why the heroine would come to love the anti-hero.

[Cath]

Okay, I'll look forward to that, Darbella :)

[Merry]

Darbella I totally agree with your review of Lemonade. It is so different from anything written today. The side characters make the story fuller.

[Susan in Perthshire]

I think the author is an excellent writer, but I didn’t enjoy this at all. Just not my cup of tea.

[Merry]

I think part of the reason I enjoyed the writing was it was so different from the cookie cutter style of writing that is happening now. Books that I have a recent fondness for are G. Heyer to Gail Carriger.

[Padma]

Finished Marriage Most Scandalous for August Regency read

[Sandra]

Hi, for the January subgenre reading "Around the world" do you know if there's some book happening in Portugal? In Regency books they talk a lot about the Napoleon's wars, the Peninsula, Portugal and Spain but I've never read one were the plot or part of it happens in Portugal

[Mariana]

I think I've read one book by Mary Jo Putney set in Portugal, but I need to check my shelves to confirm.

[Sandra]

Mariana,
Maybe it's this one Once a Soldier by Mary Jo Putney, I'm found this and this Island Flame by Karen Robards, happening in Portugal. The second one as a lot of bad reviews, so maybe I'm trying the one by Mary Jo Putney