Free and bargain romances in May

[ATDrake]

Originally Posted by Blossom

I remember the Kennedy husband incident. I myself can't blame an author's husband's for wanting to stick up for his wife. The author apologized and was deeply embarrassed.

Most times, I wouldn't either, because other peoples' behaviour up until you find out about is generally out of one's control.

But what one can control is one's own responses to the situation once revealed. And I have to admit, I'm not too impressed with the author's apology, which seemed like a rather dismissive brush-off of the incident which involved her husband, if that's really who it was, stalking and insulting and making allegations about the other author who was the reviewer, as well as leaving a negative review on the reviewer's own book in retaliation.

Frankly, she phrased it more like a vague excuse-making fauxpology "I apologize if this has created any problems", rather than offering regrets, sincere or otherwise, that the incident happened and acknowledging that someone else was in fact negatively affected by her husband's actions.

So, minus points from me because from my perspective it does come across as "I'm sorry you say you were offended by something someone near me did on my behalf" rather than "I'm sorry someone near me did something offensive on my behalf". Comment #15 in the Dear Author post puts it more eloquently, IMHO.

Originally Posted by Blossom

The way I look at it is we read romance stories about heroes who stick up for their heroines all the time. If we can't look past that we shouldn't be reading this genre because it full of men who do things like that.

Well... I'm personally not exactly reading romances for that. Also, there's sticking up, and then there's the "I'm not sure if this is going to be helpful or not, but I'm the kind of person to throw gasoline on a fire. sometimes it puts the fire out, sometimes it just makes it worse." style of husband-championing that Laurell K. Hamilton's spouse also engages in.

Originally Posted by Blossom

I say take a chance on Elves books. I do have them all but haven't read them yet. They do look interesting which is why I grabbed them.

My library doesn't have them in e- (maybe in paper) and they are kind of interesting, which is why I think I'd like to read the others. (BTW, don't read the opening sample chapter for Lord of Illusion because it will spoiler you for what seem to be the important plot resolutions in the first two books.)

But the author's casual rug-sweeping-under behaviour in regards to how her husband's repeatedly harassing behaviour towards a reader who turned out to be another author is sufficiently off-putting that I think I'll go with the Galen after all (unless her husband's been sockpuppeting, in which case I'll probably go spend my credits in June and hope that between the probably-Viking book and the time-travel book, they've got an "entered her like she was a lottery" level of combined entertainment crack if nothing interesting is sneak-peeked for July).

Mind you, it's relatively minor enough that I'm not going to cut Kennedy entirely from consideration and I'd be perfectly willing to buy the others in this particular series and her older Victorian shapeshifter one which was an ex-Dorchester freebie which Sourcebooks is reprinting, which I started on the 1st in series of earlier today and is also interesting enough to continue with (and indeed, does seem somewhat better written than the Elven Lord one at points).

But only if they dropped to the promo sale price of $1.99 less DANL membership discount or Kobo coupons, which is what I've decided the market value of her books are worth to me now, down from the $3.20 I was willing to pay earlier today, due to the value-subtract of Author Behaving Badly.

I vote with my wallet when it comes to these things, and my wallet says that Galen should probably get the bump from my membership selection which if popular enough, may result in greater spotlight and promotion for her books in the future, and if I really want to read them before then, I can check the library for Kennedy's books instead until their adjusted sale price drops below the $1.67 worth of my membership cost that Galen's book is going for now.

And if it turns out that Galen's book is indeed close enough to my kind of slightly spoofy fun historical-ish fun adventure thing and she's got more like it, then bonus!, I've discovered a 2nd romance author whose selected works of interest I can read at a particular price point I'm willing to pay should they be featured/sale-priced again in the future.

This… would probably not be a 15% off coupon-winning comment in the Discover A New Love blog on "Why did you choose your May book?".

[Keslynn]

Originally Posted by ATDrake

This… would probably not be a 15% off coupon-winning comment in the Discover A New Love blog on "Why did you choose your May book?".

But it should be!

[Blossom]

Sweet Release by Pamela Clare is free today. This is a backlist title that was originally published in 2003 by Dorchester. It's a historical romance set in Colonial North America. It is book one of a family saga. Book Two, Carnal Gift is available at $2.99

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by ATDrake

My library doesn't have them in e- (maybe in paper) and they are kind of interesting, which is why I think I'd like to read the others. (BTW, don't read the opening sample chapter for Lord of Illusion because it will spoiler you for what seem to be the important plot resolutions in the first two books.)

IMO I think both parties acting stupidly. The Reviewer and the Husband both needed a good time out. Enjoy the Galen book! I have it as I am collecting her books. I try to help out the small publishers although I still do buy agency books now and then.

Thanks for the heads up on the Elves books. I always read a series in order. Although they are not on my This Year list maybe next year. I have been on a serious contemporary kick and no desire to read anything historical yet. Although I am still buying them like Karen Hawkins' latest that just came out. She's an autobuy for me. Also the next Gina Roberson Ex Agent book, Another auto Buy at least for the spy series.

Today I bought the Lisa Kleypas's Blue-Eye Devil seeing I previously bought book 1 and 3 I needed book 2! I've checked out the audio versions from the library so now I can read along with the narrator. This is lazy reading in it's finest.

I also bought Jennifer Estep's Big Time series at 2.99 piece which are self published but was originally was put out by Dorchester. After finishing Web of Lies last night. I was blown away with the climatic scene. Estep can really make you feel like you are there with the heroine struggling with her to survive. She's now an autobuy although her latest is a YA series I may hold off on that till I've exhausted her other books.

[ATDrake]

Originally Posted by Blossom

I try to help out the small publishers although I still do buy agency books now and then.

Well, if you happen to be in the mood for contemporary and you don't already have them (IIRC you collect westerns?), Sourcebooks have discounted two cowboy romances by Joanne Kennedy & Carolyn Brown to $1.99, and via DANL they're just $1.19 DRM-free for members and will probably stack with the discover15 coupon as well. Site says the price on the Kennedy book will be good until June 4th.

Tall Dark & Cowboy

Red's Hot Cowboy

DANL are also offering a US Memorial Day 10% discount on Military/SEAL books with the coupon HEROES according to their blog, but the earlier 15% off trumps that unless they stack.

ETA: Also, if someone happens to have an unused credit and wanted to get one of last month's books, the April selections are still showing as free when you put them in the cart (no idea whether that'll hold through checkout).

(ETA2: This seems to be an intermittent glitch which comes and goes. But as long as you don't enter any CC/Paypal info it's probably worth a try.)

And it looks like they finally implemented the Add to Wishlist function (or maybe I completely missed it all the time). Off to stuff it with Heyer and Gellis and the plain Historical Fiction selections in the hopes that they use it to measure demand metrics and that stacks the algorithm in favour of recommending they add more plain Historical Fiction books to the catalogue.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by ATDrake

Well, if you happen to be in the mood for contemporary and you don't already have them (IIRC you collect westerns?), Sourcebooks have discounted two cowboy romances by Joanne Kennedy & Carolyn Brown to $1.99, and via DANL they're just $1.19 DRM-free for members and will probably stack with the discover15 coupon as well. Site says the price on the Kennedy book will be good until June 4th.

Tall Dark & Cowboy

Red's Hot Cowboy

DANL are also offering a US Memorial Day 10% discount on Military/SEAL books with the coupon HEROES according to their blog, but the earlier 15% off trumps that unless they stack.

I already own them but this is a great deal! I paid more for them when they came out. Now there is a new one by Joanne Kennedy called Cowboy Crazy coming out in June. I will be using my discount to get it. I love Modern Westerns!

I have all the Sourcebooks from the site I plan to buy unless I missed something. New Releases is what I have my eye out for or maybe more British ChikLit.

[ATDrake]

Originally Posted by Blossom

I have all the Sourcebooks from the site I plan to buy unless I missed something. New Releases is what I have my eye out for or maybe more British ChikLit.

Sometimes they stealth-add older stuff. I haunt the Historical Fiction section in the hopes that they've put in more (and they seem to file Roberta Gellis under Casablanca Classics), and they quietly added a former freebie horseracing drama thing and some more of those Jane Austen derivatives earlier this month.

It would be nice if they put in a category for "newly arrived at DANL" for the freshly-added older stuff which isn't new release.

But I do like how they've put in a Books for International Readers section so that people not in the US don't end up being frustrated by geo-restrictions so much when browsing (Susanna Kearsley is Canadian and I'd be perfectly willing to buy her books through DANL but she's got a different publisher up here/overseas).

ETA: The ability to buy multiple related books as a discount "bundle" without having it be an omnibus edition and instead just be the regular books put on your bookshelf for a lower "buy all at once" price would be also be doubleplus good.

I don't want giant omnibus book files on my reader, especially if the individual titles can be read standalone and I'd rather not try flipping between two books within the omnibus if it comes to that.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by ATDrake

Sometimes they stealth-add older stuff. I haunt the Historical Fiction section in the hopes that they've put in more (and they seem to file Roberta Gellis under Casablanca Classics), and they quietly added a former freebie horseracing drama thing and some more of those Jane Austen derivatives earlier this month.

It would be nice if they put in a category for "newly arrived at DANL" for the freshly-added older stuff which isn't new release.

Ah! Yes they have been busy! I notice the next two months releases are up already. One thing I do not like is all categories the site has. I wish I could just click on say Paranormal Romances and it shows them all instead of having to visit each sub category instead. It would be a much welcome addition.

[ATDrake]

Actually, if you click directly on the main category in the sidebar menu instead of waiting for the pop-up subcategories, you do get an aggregate page with all the main category stuff.

At least, it does that for me using Firefox when I click on Contemporary and it throws in all the Cowboy/SEAL/Christmas/Comedy selections all at once over 2 pages.

I do kind of wonder how far down they're going to fine-tune the subcats. Maybe they'll put in a Viking/Medieval and/or Time-Travel under Historical Romances starting June, when they'll have at least 1 book in either subcat in the catalogue.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by ATDrake

Actually, if you click directly on the main category in the sidebar menu instead of waiting for the pop-up subcategories, you do get an aggregate page with all the main category stuff.

At least, it does that for me using Firefox when I click on Contemporary and it throws in all the Cowboy/SEAL/Christmas/Comedy selections all at once over 2 pages.

I do kind of wonder how far down they're going to fine-tune the subcats. Maybe they'll put in a Viking/Medieval and/or Time-Travel under Historical Romances starting June, when they'll have at least 1 book in either subcat in the catalogue.

That is new! It didn't do that awhile back. Yeah the Cats are a little too detailed. I would use tags instead which is what most online stores do now days. Now we need a wishlist feature.

[ATDrake]

There is a wishlist feature! They finally got it working and it's now right under the Add to Cart button.

I remember they didn't have this earlier and I was all "$#%^! If you won't let me pre-order that Roberta Gellis re-release you could at least let me add it to the Wishlist in the sidebar which I don't see any way of filling" and not finding any even vaguely add-to-wishlist type buttons anywhere.

But they've finally fixed that.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by ATDrake

There is a wishlist feature! They finally got it working and it's now right under the Add to Cart button.

I remember they didn't have this earlier and I was all "$#%^! If you won't let me pre-order that Roberta Gellis re-release you could at least let me add it to the Wishlist in the sidebar which I don't see any way of filling" and not finding any even vaguely add-to-wishlist type buttons anywhere.

But they've finally fixed that.

again! You need to be logged in to see it. I wasn't.

[Joykins]

Of all the Sourcebook contemporaries, I do like the Joanne Kennedy Cowboy books, the SEAL books by Daughtry (Sp?) and the Robin Kaye ones. All of which I first read through some freebie promotion. But now I own all of them...

[Britomart]

Free at Amazon:

Ship of Dreams US DE by Brenda Hiatt (Harlequin author).

Falsely accused of murder, Della Gilliland flees wild, wicked, post-Gold Rush San Francisco aboard an outbound steamer. Stuffy New York businessman Kent Bradford is shocked when a lovely redhead he's never met suddenly introduces herself as his wife to an important business contact. Fearing a scene, he plays along . . . for the moment. But moments turn into weeks and growing attraction becomes something more. Then, only days out from New York, their ship encounters a hurricane that threatens not only their budding love, but their very lives.

This romantic historical novel was originally published by HarperCollins. Often likened to "Titanic," Ship of Dreams is set amid the aftermath of the California Gold Rush and the real events of the final, ill-fated voyage of the SS Central America in 1857. Relive the experiences of her passengers, as told through the eyes of a fictitious couple who find
love and adventure on the high seas.

Dangerous Attractions US DE by Gwyneth Atlee.

*Originally published as Dangerous Attractions by Colleen Easton (pseudonym of Gwyneth Atlee and Colleen Thompson)

After surviving a shipwreck off the coast of the Florida Keys, Genna Whitworth, a Boston heiress fleeing from scandal in her hometown, gets the surprise of her life when she discovers that her childhood friend, Eli Blaylock is alive and well. Eighteen years before, she thought Blaylock had been killed in the same Seminole Indian attack that had, tragically, taken the life of her father. Now a prominent sea captain, Blaylock helps rescue Genna from the sinking ship - and although he is engaged to be married, both find it increasingly difficult to overlook their growing, and dangerous attraction that is blossoming in the intense, tropical heat.

[artifact]

Since $2.99 seems to be acceptable, taking into account BooksonBoard's backlist sale:

A Season for Samantha, Kathryn Kirkwood. Zebra Regency. $2.55 + .34 rewards points back.

A Match for Melissa, Kathryn Kirkwood. Zebra Regency. $2.55 + .34 rewards points back.

Seeking Celeste, Hayley Ann Solomon. Zebra Regency. $2.71 + .32 rewards points back.