Romance Across the Ages - 2021 Challenge

[Joanna Loves Reading, Bluestocking of HR novels]

Jan wrote: "Joanna Loves Reading wrote: "Jo wrote: "Thank you! I did not think it would. I will look for something else."

I haven’t tried it but I have been recommended Transcendence by [autho..."

I remember several members reading it one year, but I seemed to have missed the boat on it.

[Jo]

Jan wrote: "Joanna Loves Reading wrote: "Jo wrote: "Thank you! I did not think it would. I will look for something else."

I haven’t tried it but I have been recommended Transcendence by [autho..."

Thank you for the information. I brought it and am giving it a try. Appreciate it!

[Merry]

I realized that I am just not in the mood for the American Revolution and have decided to read Dawn's Early Light at another time. I have stared at it for a month and haven't gotten past page 27 so its not the book its me.

[Jan]

Merry Jewelhound wrote: "I realized that I am just not in the mood for the American Revolution and have decided to read Dawn's Early Light at another time. I have stared at it for a month and haven't gotten..."

Ha ha. Yep, it happens. Time to move onto to another book, methinks.

[Christine]

Jan wrote: "I finished my September read for American Revolution just in time for the end of the month. The Colonel's Lady by Laura Frantz. It was just OK for me and I give 2.5 stars. At least I..."

My favourite one by Schupe was the Devil of Downtown, and would love to see it as a movie. I didn't like the Prince of Broadway very much, though. Rather excited to start Hearts Aflame :).

[Jan]

Christine L. wrote: "My favourite one by Schupe was the Devil of Downtown, and would love to see it as a movie. I didn't like the Prince of Broadway very much, though. Rather excited to start Hearts Aflame :)."

Thanks for the info, Christine,. Hope you enjoy your read.

[Sandra]

I'm very late on my readings. Lost me in BOTM for September with huge series to read. I finished one of the series and now I'm reading the BOTM 1 for october, I think it's a stand alone, so after that I'm coming back in here to pick some books and see if I can recover

[Padma]

Finished reading Magnolia for Americana Gilded age theme. A wonderful read set in the year 1900

[Sandra]

I caught this book The Highwayman in the list https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1..., read the reviews and can't resist, I'm starting this one for Victorian theme. Sooner than November, but I have the themes all mixed up, so... who cares! ;)

[Merry]

Sandra Great idea. I have that one on my list also and have been wanting to read it. I am still waiting for my Golden Age to arrive from the library. I know what will happen is that all my holds will come in at once as they always do.
Padma if my pick doesn't come in soon I am going to look into
your book

[Jan]

Merry Jewelhound wrote: "I know what will happen is that all my holds will come in at once as they always do."

Ha ha yep. It's happened to me before too. LOL.

[Padma]

Read Enslaved by Virginia Henley for Ancient/ Prehistorical theme, was a time travel between 1761 and 61 AD set during tbe Roman rule. Was a very good one.

[Padma]

Merry Jewelhound wrote: "Sandra Great idea. I have that one on my list also and have been wanting to read it. I am still waiting for my Golden Age to arrive from the library. I know what will happen is that all my holds wi..."

😀 Magnolia was good. You would like it Merry

[Merry]

My library book came in The Devil and the Heiress
Its part of the Gilded Age Heiress series. Its the second. The first was on hold for a month and I am still waiting on it.
Padma I need to make up a "I really mean to read it list" rather than the 100's of it kinda caught my attention and I marked it to read.

[Joanna Loves Reading, Bluestocking of HR novels]

Merry Jewelhound wrote: "My library book came in The Devil and the Heiress
Its part of the Gilded Age Heiress series. Its the second. The first was on hold for a month and I am still waiting on it.
Padma I..."

I have 4 TBRs. One is the general Want to Read, which I use for any non- Romance. Then, I split the romance between TBRs to New Authors, B Authors and Fave Authors. B Authors are ones that I have only read one or two books or they are hit or miss. I think it would be helpful to have a really want to read list, but it is just nice to have it broken out into categories…otherwise it’s so many books.

[Merry]

@Joanna I like the way you have split the list. I am going to add a couple. Right now it is unmanageable and none get read. Plus I need to prune my list of TBR and freebies. They both have just become junk drawers where everything gets thrown in.

[Jan]

I finished my October RATA read for Americana-Gilded Age. The Rogue of Fifth Avenue by Joanna Shupe. I gave 3 stars.

[Christine]

Padma wrote: "Read Enslaved by Virginia Henley for Ancient/ Prehistorical theme, was a time travel between 1761 and 61 AD set during tbe Roman rule. Was a very good one."

That sounds SO good! Unfortunately, Hearts Aflame isn't working for me (one of the reasons might be due to Seldon's name being so close to Sheldon, and I could only picture Sheldon from the Big Bang Theory lol).

Found three options for the Gilded Age period, though: , , .

[Merry]

I just finished the second in the series The Devil and the Heiress as the first in the series was not available. It was an enjoyable book and I gave it a 3.5*.

[🐝 Shaz 🐝]

I have just started Enslaved by Virginia Henley. This is my read for this month. It’s started off in Georgian England. She has just found herself in Roman England.

[Merry]

@Shaz I think this book may cover all eras of RATA

[🐝 Shaz 🐝]

I thought it covered ancient world/prehistoric with it being in Roman time’s.

I thought it was about Roman times, till I started reading it and found it was a time travel story .😂
Need to read the back page proper in future 🙄

[Christine]

Shaz wrote: "I have just started Enslaved by Virginia Henley. This is my read for this month. It’s started off in Georgian England. She has just found herself in Roman England."

That sounds super fun. I was surprised by The Lady of Bolton Hill; it had the friends-to-lovers trope.

[Sandra]

@Merry, I'm having a similar problem, aside the books from BOTM, that I "have" to read, I'm completely lost in my TBR. It seems I want to read everything :/.
@Joanna I can't picture if the way you've broken your list it will work for me because I don't think I have that perception about the authors, some I know I really like and them I read all there work in a row (like Julia Quinn, Lisa Kleypas, Evie Dunmore) but I really have to organise the "want to read" in a different and more productive way.

Thanks you two for discussing this, it's been on my mind a lot... :)

[Merry]

I think at the beginning of the year I am going to start with a new sort for books that I want to read along the lines of what Joanna described but with a tweak for me as I like both mysteries and romances. I had KU for a long time and added a lot of freebie books so I need to just start to read and dump if they don't hold my interest. I plan to do this in Jan when its cold and I am bored lol. Oh well you know what they say about good intentions.

[Jan]

Shaz wrote: "I have just started Enslaved by Virginia Henley. This is my read for this month. It’s started off in Georgian England. She has just found herself in Roman England."

Intriguing. I haven't read many time travel books, but the ones I did started in contemporary then went back in time. Starting in Georgian times is different. Let's hear how you find it once you've read it, Shaz.

[Padma]

Shaz wrote: "I thought it covered ancient world/prehistoric with it being in Roman time’s.

I thought it was about Roman times, till I started reading it and found it was a time travel story .😂
Need to read the..."

I enjoyed it Shaz. Had read it for Ancient world theme. Hope you Iike it too

[🐝 Shaz 🐝]

I have finished this months read
It was good but as I was getting into the Georgian era, it jumped to Roman. Then back to Georgian which then finished the Georgian story which brought the story together.

[Jan]

Shaz wrote: "I have finished this months read
It was good but as I was getting into the Georgian era, it jumped to Roman. Then back to Georgian which then finished the Georgian story which brought the story to..."

Thanks for the feedback, Shaz. It can be frustrating when books jump back and forth like that.

[Christine]

Jan wrote: "Shaz wrote: "I have finished this months read
It was good but as I was getting into the Georgian era, it jumped to Roman. Then back to Georgian which then finished the Georgian story which brought..."
Totally. I just finished the Night Circus (outside of this challenge), and it jumps either location or year every chapter, so I kept losing the plot until near the end.

[Padma]

Read Silk and Shadows by Mary Jo Putney for November Victorian theme set in 1839. Was good. 3.5 stars.

[Jan]

I changed my mind about which medieval I was going to read for November, and have ended up reading a Scottish medieval, Highlander Deceived by Jayne Castel. A quick easy read and I give 3 to 3.5 stars. (I was going to read By Possession but will save that for another time).

[🐝 Shaz 🐝]

I am reading The Brat by Lyndsey Sands for this months read for Medieval. Not sure which book I will read for Victorian.

[🐝 Shaz 🐝]

Darbella wrote: "Shaz, it has been awhile but I really loved The Brat. I almost nominated it for the botm humor challenge.
This month I read Dangerous by Amanda Quick. I enjoyed it."

I am enjoying the Brat, It is a nice humorous read.

[Padma]

I enjoyed The maiden by Jude Deveraux for November Medieval theme. 4 stars

[Sandra]

I´m very, very late with this challenge, I think I will have to spend December reading my lacking books in order to finished this challenge in time! :-/

[🐝 Shaz 🐝]

Second read for this month.
Victorian Mr Fairclough’s Inherited Bride by Georgie Lee

[Merry]

I just finished my Victorian read. It was only a 3* for me. The male audible readers Heroines voice just didn't hit the spot for me.

[Christine]

Merry Jewelhound wrote: " I just finished my Victorian read. It was only a 3* for me. The male audible readers Heroines voice just didn't hit the spot for me."
The Highwayman is the only KB book I've been able to get around to, and I gave it 4* earlier this year .I probably did the ebook, though. I've been going through a wave of romantic suspense novels lately, so need to get my head back into HR. I miss it.

[Sandra]

Hi, maybe this is interesting to get ideas for this challenge: "Beyond Regency and Victorian: 15 unusual historical romances - BookPage | Discover your next great book!" https://www.bookpage.com/features/267...

[Jan]

Sandra wrote: "Hi, maybe this is interesting to get ideas for this challenge: "Beyond Regency and Victorian: 15 unusual historical romances - BookPage | Discover your next great book!" https://www.bookpage.com/fe..."

Thanks Sandra. Some interesting suggestions on the link. Also some new to me HR authors I might try :)

[Sandra]

I've started The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I loved the movie . Usually I don't like to read the book after seeing the movie, but I loved the movie so I don't mind reading the book after.

But I have a question the theme is World Wars, this book happens in 1946, months after the II WW, is it valid for our challenge?

[Joanna Loves Reading, Bluestocking of HR novels]

Sandra wrote: "I've started The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I loved the movie . Usually I don't like to read the book after seeing the movie, but I loved the movie so I don't mi..."

Yes, that’s fine. Events from the war shape the story. I believe the society was formed due to German occupation as a way to get together.

[Sandra]

Joanna Loves Reading wrote: "Sandra wrote: "I've started The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I loved the movie . Usually I don't like to read the book after seeing the movie, but I loved the movi..."


Yes, the story, until the point I'm reading, is mainly remembering happenings from the war and the german occupation. Thanks!!

[Sandra]

I'm starting Night in Eden for western theme. As I have my challenge readings really late, after a World War book, I've try some medieval books but I couldn't go on with them... it was a HUGE leap!!

[Christine]

Sandra wrote: "I'm starting Night in Eden for western theme. As I have my challenge readings really late, after a World War book, I've try some medieval books but I couldn't go on with them... it w..."

That one has a cool setting. I'm behind November due to life, and just realized that Castles is actually Regency and not Medieval haha! Woops, going to have to find another choice...

[Merry]

I am reading The Devils Cub for Georgian. I read it 40 years ago and have noticed anything I read that long ago....I have completely forgotten. My book off my TBR is undetermined.

[Sandra]

Finished Night in Eden, good reading!! Now I'm starting The Venetian Mask in a Buddy reading with Lauren. I hope I can add this book in one of the themes of this challenge ;)

[Christine]

Just read The Highlander for Victorian (a little bit behind), but it was a really good read!

[Padma]

Read A Rose in Winter for Georgian theme December. Lots of drama. Enjoyed it