Friday, January 16, 2015

~Cover Reveal~ Honor

It's with great excitement that I bring you the cover reveal for Rachel Rossano's Honor! This book is great and I'm thrilled to be a part of its release!




 Book Blurb –

 The Earl of Dentin excels in his position as Securer of the Realm. But the king’s order to pluck an orphaned child from a loving home unsettles Dentin. When a dark-eyed woman challenges his honor regarding the mission, Dentin finds himself unable to justify his actions or get her out of his mind. Something about her lack of fear intrigues him.

 Lady Elsa Reeve attempts to avoid the marriage of convenience her brother and mother demand of her. She understands the need to pay off her brother’s massive debt. She only wants her family to consider her wishes in the process.

 As Elsa becomes further entangled in a snare of her brother’s creating, only one man defends her. But can she trust Dentin, her unlikely champion, and his motives? With a murderer on the loose, Elsa’s fate in jeopardy, and a traitor plotting against the king, Dentin finds his priorities shifting in an unexpected direction.

– Author Bio –

Rachel Rossano is a happily married mother of three children. She spends her days teaching, mothering, and keeping the chaos at bay. After the little ones are in bed, she immerses herself in the fantasy worlds of her books. Tales of romance, adventure, and virtue set in a medieval fantasy world are her preference, but she also writes speculative fantasy and a bit of science fiction. 

Rachel loves to interact with readers. 
Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ YouTubeGoodReads ~


– Buy Links – 

~ Amazon ~

Sunday, October 19, 2014

~Cover Reveal~ The King of Anavrea

It's with great excitement that I bring you the cover reveal for Rachel Rossano's The King of Anavrea! This book is special to me for three major reasons: 
  • Rachel Rossano happens to be one of my favorite authors.
  • I beta read this story for Rachel. (Fabulous!)
  • I designed the cover. (Makes sense to do a cover reveal, huh?) ;) 

Without further ado...


 Book Blurb –

A reluctant king, a blind queen, and a marriage that sparked a rebellion...  

Ireic Theodoric, King of Anavrea, constantly battles with his council over who will run the country. When the council insists on a treaty with Sardmara, he agrees. However, the treaty quickly becomes an arranged marriage. Ireic offers up himself for the sake of Anavrea. But after he signs, no princess appears.  

Lirth Parnan, only daughter of the King of Sardmara, survives alone in a cold, damp tower room. Baron Tor kidnapped her in an attempt to control her father. No one came to claim her. She suspects her father considers her flawed beyond use in his political games. 

After five years of waiting, her hope of rescue wanes with her health.  After Ireic fights his way into Lirth’s tower, he realizes the depths of her father’s deception. Instead of being an answer to his problems, Lirth creates new ones. The council will not accept her as queen, but Ireic has sworn an oath that he will marry her. His choice could cost him his throne, perhaps his life. 

– Author Bio –

Rachel Rossano is a happily married mother of three children. She spends her days teaching, mothering, and keeping the chaos at bay. After the little ones are in bed, she immerses herself in the fantasy worlds of her books. Tales of romance, adventure, and virture set in a medieval fantasy world are her preference, but she also writes speculative fantasy and a bit of science fiction. 

Rachel loves to interact with readers. 
Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ YouTubeGoodReads ~


– Buy Links – 


– Book Trailer –

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

~Book Review~ Loving Lucianna

Loving Lucianna 
A Hearts in Autumn Romance 

Genre: Medieval romance 

4.3 of 5 pearls 

WARNING: Mild violence, otherwise a totally clean and sweet read. 

 Disclaimer #1: I am friends with the author. The author is also a cover client of mine (yes, I designed this cover). The version I read was the beta version (arc), so there might be some differences now of which I am not aware. 

Summary: Lucianna has accepted the fact that she will never marry. There are things in her past she cannot undo, things that prevent marriage even if the right man comes along. When the right man does come along, it takes everything in her to resist him, and he refuses to take no for an answer.

The thing I love best about Joyce's books is the complete assurance that I will not encounter anything that makes me uncomfortable. I'll discover well-rounded characters, a well-researched corner of medieval history, and a sweet love story. This is certainly true of Loving Lucianna. And I love that this story is about a couple in the Autumn of their years.

I was immediately drawn to these characters and found myself eager to determine what this big secret was that prevented Lucianna from giving in to her desire to marry Sir Balduin. He was a charming man, and I felt the romance between them was believable and well-written. I enjoyed the flashback scenes, where we learned about young Lucianna. Ms. DiPastena did a fabulous job of easing the reader in and out of these scenes without disrupting the story flow. The end was satisfying.

I look forward to reading the final version of this story, which I'm sure is now a solid 5-pearl read. For the time being, I'll end this review here. :)

Disclaimer #2: I was not paid in any way for this review. The opinions expressed here are my own. The image does link to Amazon, and the link does contain my affiliate ID. I was given a copy of this book as a beta reader, not with the request for a review, but I decided to review it anyway. ;)

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

~Book Review~ Rising

Rising 
by Holly Kelly 
Genre: Fantasy romance

4.6 of 5 pearls 

WARNING: Very mild language but otherwise a totally clean read. 
A Dagonian warrior (don't even THINK of calling him mer!) is sent on a mission by his king and encounters a woman who, according to Dagonian law, should die. Unfortunately for him, he likes her. He really, really likes her. 

Oh my, oh my, oh my!! I started reading this book before bed one night, finally set it aside at 1am, picked it up again when I woke up at 6 and didn't set it down again until I was done. Seriously! I loved this book. L.O.V.E♥ Fun and exciting! But that's just my opinion, so let's get down to brass tacks.

  • Hero: Very nicely done. Sexy, alpha male, ruthless yet merciful, not exactly what I consider a bad boy, but he definitely has a few bad boy qualities. 
  • Heroine: Sweet, but strong, very believable. I think Ms. Kelly did a fantastic job with the inner turmoil of the heroine.
  • Storyline: Not too involved despite the "fantasy" element. Involved enough to be completely fascinating, however. There's some grit (which I appreciate), some heat, and a lot of heart. 
  • Cons: Hmm. As far as the story goes, none that I recall. However, for this being a small-press published book (Clean Teen Publishing) rather than self, there were a lot more typos than I expected. Not quite enough that it ruined my joy in the story, but enough to make me notice. 
  • Other points: My daughter took one look at the cover and asked if she could read the book. She's ten so my automatic reply was that I needed to read it first. After reading it, I informed her that she has to wait until she's at least 13. She's counting down the days now.  
In conclusion, would I read this again? Definitely. Will I buy the sequel and any other in the series from here on out? Um...YEAH! And guess what? You can grab a copy of this book for FREE by clicking on the cover photo above. That's right, the kindle edition of this book is free. Enjoy!!

Disclaimer: This review is for the first release of this book. I was not paid in any way for this review. The statements made here are my honest opinions. I acquired this e-book for free from Amazon at no urging from anyone. Except the cover. The cover made me download this book. Oh yes. LOVE the cover. Oh, last but not least, the link in the image above contains an Amazon affiliate ID. Any purchase made through the link will result in a small commission for me. If you don't want that to happen, simply strip the ID from the link and refresh the page. I think I covered everything.

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

~Author Interview~ Rachel Rossano: Historical Fantasy at Its Best!

Rachel Rossano has been my favorite historical fantasy author every since I first met her on Goodreads years ago. She's one of my favorite authors, hands-down! 

But what, you may wonder, is historical fantasy

The majority of Rachel's books take place in completely made up places but they have a very strong historical feel to them. There is never magic or strange creatures. 

Rachel is joining us today to answer a few questions, some of which may seem strange to some of you. For Rachel and I, this is a normal, everyday conversation. Enjoy! 



I'm so excited to have you here with us, Rachel, to answer a few of the questions I've been dying to ask! And I am so appreciative of the fascinating guest posts you've recently done for this blog. (For those of you who may have missed them, you can find them HERE and HERE.) Let's not keep our readers waiting any longer!

Jaimey/Laura: Let's start by talking about your books. Which of your books is your favorite?

Rachel Rossano: Oh, that is like asking which of my children is my favorite child. Each of them is different and I love them each for different reasons. I am most enthralled with Duty at the moment, which is to be expected since that one is the newest, the shiniest, and my best work so far. But Wren comes in close second, with many others, including my current project (Diaspora), moving up the ranks.

J/L: I'm sure many of our readers can relate to that, especially as so many of them are writers too. Are the names of your characters important?

RR: Some of them are important. Like choosing my heroine’s name when writing Duty became a long and difficult process. She wouldn’t reveal herself to me until she had a name that fit her personality. Brielle means “God is my might.” Her family name, Solarius, is more of a nod to her hair color. The name means “of the sun.” Red hair runs in the family, though I don’t really mention that in the novel. Strong, fiery, wise, and red-headed, Brielle’s name grew to fit her better with each chapter.

Other characters, like my hero Lord Irvaine, burst forth almost completely developed and clear, title and first name included. His title is based on the area he oversees, but I chose his first name, Tomas, because of the sound. Also, it is traditional with a twist of unusualness to fit his world and his character. Although Tomas can give the appearance of all the attributes expected of a nobleman. Upon closer inspection, you discover he is very different than the blue-bloods around him.

J/L: Interesting. I've had the same things happen. A character can sort of burst in, already named and fully formed, and then others are very private, only willing to share once they're sure you're able to portray them accurately. I love that about writing! Continuing on the subject of characters, have you ever replied to a character out loud while you were in a crowded room?

RR: In a crowded room, not usually. Out loud, occasionally. In my head, all the time. Am I nuts, most likely a bit, but aren’t we all?

J/L: I can certainly relate to that and even our non-writer readers can too, I'm sure. ;O) Moving on to a slightly different, though still related, subject, Duty's cover is so beautiful! Who designed it?

RR: I did. Book cover design has become a bit of a third or fourth hobby for me. My frustrated artist side revels in exploring and trying out new things to create a visual taste of the story beneath the cover.

J/L: You are very good! If I didn't do cover design myself I would hire you! Heck, I still might. ;O) In regard to the "darker" side of being a published author, how do you react to a bad review of one of your books?

RR: I look at the source, analyze the reasons the reader gives for not liking it, and then evaluate whether or not I need to change anything I am doing. Sometimes I do. More often I don’t. Then I try to move on because I can’t please everyone.

J/L: I believe that's the hardest lesson an author has to learn, that we can't please everyone. It becomes a bit of a chant, a daily reminder. It still hurts when someone dislikes one of our babies but the reminder does help. On that note, what is the most demeaning thing a reader has said about your work?

RR: A reviewer once accused one of my books of lacking depth, using too many distracting -ly words, and said she just didn’t get it. It took me a few days to shake free of that one. Probably because she was partially right, about the -ly words.

J/L: Ooo, ouch! It hurts so much more when we realize they might have a point. OK, let's drop this serious subject and get to the really important questions. Who is your favorite super hero?

RR: At the moment, Captain America is my favorite, but it is only at the moment. I watch a lot of superhero movies. Mr. Fantastic, Batman, the Phantom, and a couple others come to mind as well.

J/L: I lean more toward the anti-heroes, lol. Wolverine is my all-time favorite and has been since I was a kid. Now, if you had a pet snail that could magically grant wishes, what would you name it?

RR: I would name it Gertrude, just because.

J/L: That is the BEST answer, ever. Thank you so much for joining us today and letting us have a glimpse into the quirky mind that creates such wonderful, romantic stories. It has been great fun!


About the book:
Brielle Solarius struggles to keep her village from starvation. The men rode off to war and never returned. The remaining women and children face a winter of starvation if they do not find a solution soon.

Tomas Dyrease, the newly made Earl of Irvaine and the village of Wisenvale, owes his good fortune to his king. When that same king demands Tomas marry the impoverished daughter of the late Lord Wisten, he obeys. However, no one warned him that she wasn’t a typical noblewoman.

Duty: a novel of Rhynan follows their journey from strangers to friends as they face complications from their pasts and the shaky politics of a changing regime. Then Brielle is implicated in her cousin’s treasonous activities. Can a marriage of duty survive treason?

Get Duty from Amazon HERE or from Smashwords HERE.



About the author:

Author of a growing stack of novels, novellas, and short stories, Rachel Rossano balances her time between the chaos of raising and homeschooling her three children and the world of drama and high adventure in her head. With her faithful husband and chief consulting editor by her side, she dreams of many more adventures to come in both of her double lives.

Rachel's online presence:

*B/W image clipped from Chivalry by Léon Gautier (1891), p. 195. Google eBook HERE.

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

~Guest Post~ The Makings of a Strong Heroine

What does it take to make a strong heroine? Guest blogger Rachel Rossano has a list of characteristics she feels are necessary. Take a look and let us know what you think. 



When writing my latest novel, Duty, I asked the question, what makes a quality heroine? After a bit of brainstorming, I came up with a list. Here are a few of the attributes that jumped out at me.

Strength - By strength, I do not refer to her ability to talk tough, kick someone’s teeth in, or do stupid things to prove she is one of the boys. A woman who recognizes her strengths and weaknesses and acts within them is a strong woman. I would prefer following the story of a heroine who faces moral and physical challenges with perseverance and a willingness to work toward a solution. Choosing to make a stand takes more strength than seeking out trouble.

Wisdom - Just because she is the fairer sex does not mean she should be foolish. I have read so many books where the plot depends on the heroine (or another character) making an obvious mistake. A heroine should demonstrate wisdom, the ability to see things objectively and to act on more than just her emotions. Common sense would be a nice addition as well.

Tenacity - She refuses to give up. Circumstances back her into a corner. The villain holds her in his control. The hero is nowhere to be seen. Does she weep and wait for rescue? No, she looks for a solution on her own. No matter how dire the situation, she holds onto hope and continues to fight. A bit of tenacity in a heroine is a must.

Maturity in handling emotions - Hysterics never accomplished anything except, perhaps, annoying the hero. I am not saying she must be a stoic or a robot. She is an emotional being and her reactions to her environment, other characters, and, especially, the hero drives the story. Letting her grow angry, grieve, and love without losing her common sense will make the story all the more real to the reader.

Brielle Solarius, the heroine of Duty, finds herself in trouble. Not just her, but her whole village, face a long winter and few supplies. She tries to make the best of the situation, but knows that her half measures are not going to save them. A band of warriors rides into their midst. She wonders what they hope to gain raiding a starving village. Then one of them claims to be her husband.

What would the heroine I described above do?




About the book:
Brielle Solarius struggles to keep her village from starvation. The men rode off to war and never returned. The remaining women and children face a winter of starvation if they do not find a solution soon.

Tomas Dyrease, the newly made Earl of Irvaine and the village of Wisenvale, owes his good fortune to his king. When that same king demands Tomas marry the impoverished daughter of the late Lord Wisten, he obeys. However, no one warned him that she wasn’t a typical noblewoman.

Duty: a novel of Rhynan follows their journey from strangers to friends as they face complications from their pasts and the shaky politics of a changing regime. Then Brielle is implicated in her cousin’s treasonous activities. Can a marriage of duty survive treason?

Get Duty from Amazon HERE or from Smashwords HERE.


About the author:
Author of a growing stack of novels, novellas, and short stories, Rachel Rossano balances her time between the chaos of raising and homeschooling her three children and the world of drama and high adventure in her head. With her faithful husband and chief consulting editor by her side, she dreams of many more adventures to come in both of her double lives.

Rachel's online presence:
Blog ~ http://rachel-rossano.blogspot.com/
Website ~ http://anavrea.webs.com/
Twitter ~ http://twitter.com/RachelRossano
Facebook ~ http://www.facebook.com/RachelRossanoRambles
YouTube ~ http://www.youtube.com/anavrea

*Top image taken from Chivalry by Léon Gautier (1891), p. 374. Google eBook HERE.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

~Guest Post~ Heroic Attributes


What characteristics do you consider essential for the perfect hero? Please welcome guest blogger Rachel Rossano as she discusses the heroic attributes she feels are the most important. 



Fictional heroes come in many shapes, sizes, and personalities. Some are easy to love while others we love to hate. While writing Duty, I spent some time mulling over some of the characteristics I find attractive about my favorite heroes in fiction. Here are a few of them. 

Strength - Not the rippling muscle kind of strength, though that is nice in a hero, I am referring to strength of character. A good hero is a man of morals and steadfastness. Before you start protesting that these attributes might make him a bit boring, consider what he would be without them. A character who doesn’t value ethics and a code of right and wrong cannot be relied upon to be faithful. 

Confidence - Decisiveness and a sense of self-reliance are two great characteristics in a hero. Following the story of a man who has confidence in his own abilities usually converts into a fast paced plot. Such men are not typically prone to waiting for someone else to save them. They also tend to actively participate in the course of their own story. They take control. They act. Whether a cerebral professor or a well-trained man of action, the hero needs to be confident in his ability to make decisions. 

Conscience - To balance the decisive nature of our hero, he needs to have a strong conscience. He considers the repercussions of his actions, both to himself and others. He should be willing to admit he made a mistake when something doesn’t go as he expects. When someone gets hurt, he tries to help. 

Selflessness - In this world of self-centered people, those who live for others stand apart. Genuine caring toward someone other than himself can be a good sign that he will be a good husband for the heroine. Without at least some measure of selflessness, the hero will expect the heroine to cater to his every whim without accounting for her needs. Hardly a happily ever after we dream of for her. 

Tomas Dyrease, the hero of Duty, stands at a turning point. His whole life has been devoted to obedience and loyalty to one man, first his liege lord and now his king. This same man now demands something Tomas is not certain he can give. Torn between his marriage vows and his loyalty oath, Tomas must choose which to honor. 

What would you consider the most important attribute of a hero?




About the book:
Brielle Solarius struggles to keep her village from starvation. The men rode off to war and never returned. The remaining women and children face a winter of starvation if they do not find a solution soon.

Tomas Dyrease, the newly made Earl of Irvaine and the village of Wisenvale, owes his good fortune to his king. When that same king demands Tomas marry the impoverished daughter of the late Lord Wisten, he obeys. However, no one warned him that she wasn’t a typical noblewoman.

Duty: a novel of Rhynan follows their journey from strangers to friends as they face complications from their pasts and the shaky politics of a changing regime. Then Brielle is implicated in her cousin’s treasonous activities. Can a marriage of duty survive treason?

Get Duty from Amazon HERE or from Smashwords HERE.


About the author:
Author of a growing stack of novels, novellas, and short stories, Rachel Rossano balances her time between the chaos of raising and homeschooling her three children and the world of drama and high adventure in her head. With her faithful husband and chief consulting editor by her side, she dreams of many more adventures to come in both of her double lives.

Rachel's online presence:
Blog ~ http://rachel-rossano.blogspot.com/
Website ~ http://anavrea.webs.com/
Twitter ~ http://twitter.com/RachelRossano
Facebook ~ http://www.facebook.com/RachelRossanoRambles
YouTube ~ http://www.youtube.com/anavrea

*Top image "The Knight" clipped from Chivalry by Léon Gautier, 1891. Google eBook HERE

Sunday, February 10, 2013

~Book Review~ A Kiss to Die For


A Kiss to Die For 
4.8 of 5 pearls 

WARNING: This book contains graphic love scenes. 

A bounty hunter chasing a serial killer lands on the doorstep of a sheltered young woman who likes to watch trains. 

I first read this book years ago, in paperback (the one with the BEAUTIFUL train artwork—see below), and I loved it then. A solid 5-pearl read then and a solid 5-pearl read now. It's not often you find a book that's just as good the first time as it is the second... or the fourth. I read it in less than 24 hours. 
  • Hero: LOVE him, just plain love him. He's everything I love in a romance hero. Strong, misunderstood, unafraid of getting his hands dirty, or working hard. 
  • Heroine: Quiet and unassuming, always does what is expected of her, doesn't speak up for herself until the hero urges her to. I love her quirk of watching the trains and even more so when her reason for doing so is revealed. Her gradual strengthening of spirit was real, believable. 
  • Storyline: There were twists that surprise me every time. I cried more than once, happy tears and sad. Such an emotional ride in this story. That's hard to beat. 
  • Cons: The one downside of this book is that if you're a scene skipper, like me, the one set of love scenes in this story aren't the easiest to just skip. There's some info contained within those scenes that's fairly important to the characterization and the story. Still, the story is one of the best I've ever read. 

This time I read the eBook and the cover art is adequate, nothing spectacular. I'm a wee bit biased about cover art, though, so all I'll say is the paperback art was so much better and so much more apropos, one of my all-time favorite book covers, to be honest. Claudia Dain has been a favorite author of mine for some time and she remains in that category.

*Disclaimer: I was not paid in any way for this review. I purchased the book (more than once). I do not know the author—although, if I'm totally honest, I sent her an email once and she was very, very nice. The views expressed here are my own. The cover at the top of this post is linked to Amazon, where you can grab an e-copy for yourself for only $0.99. The link does contain my affiliate code, which would result in a tiny commission for me, should you choose to make a purchase through said link. 

Did I cover everything? 

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

~Bargain Books~ Kindle Freebies for Dec 19

Here are a couple FREE clean romance books from Amazon's Kindle Store. Enjoy! ♥ 

Prices and ratings are accurate as of the time of this post. Double check the price before hitting the 1-click button if you're worried about the cost. 

eBook $0.00 (4.9/5 stars)


12th century England: Two men vie for the throne: King Stephen the usurper and young Duke Henry the rightful heir. Amid civil and private wars, alliances are forged, loyalties are betrayed, families are divided, and marriages are made. 

For four years, Lady Annyn Bretanne has trained at arms with one end in mind—to avenge her brother’s murder as God has not deemed it worthy to do. Disguised as a squire, she sets off to exact revenge on a man known only by his surname, Wulfrith. But when she holds his fate in her hands, her will wavers and her heart whispers that her enemy may not be an enemy after all. 

Baron Wulfrith, renowned trainer of knights, allows no women within his walls for the distraction they breed. What he never expects is that the impetuous young man sent to train under him is a woman who seeks his death—nor that her unveiling will test his faith and distract the warrior from his purpose.

Heartless by Jaimey Grant (Regency romance)
eBook $0.00 (3.8/5 stars)

A dark stranger....
Finding herself abandoned after the death of her father, Leandra Harcourt takes the greatest risk of her life. She accepts the marriage proposal of a complete stranger, the Duke of Derringer—a man the world calls Lord Heartless.

A heartless proposal....
A desperate girl with no prospects seems the perfect solution to Derringer's most recent problem: marry before his 30th birthday to gain his rightful inheritance, though marriage is the last thing he needs. The need to find his missing cousin takes priority over any silly marriage and he quickly abandons his new bride in the wreck of his family estate.

A perfect love....
Two people were never more suited for each other than the duke and his wife, but will they discover it before it's too late? With an assassin dogging his heels and a suitor wooing his wife, love will not have the luxury of time.

Anyone else have a clean romantic freebie out there? Please comment with your link and the dates it's free.

Happy reading!! ♥

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

~Book Bargains~ Bargain Priced Fantasy Romance

Below is a list of clean fantasy, paranormal, supernatural, time travel, and futuristic romance that I think falls under the category of fantasy. These are all $3 or less. Book descriptions are taken from the linked e-Retailer page. Prices and ratings quoted are accurate at the time of this post, but subject to change.

Amazon eBook $2.99 (4.1/5 stars) 


Trained as a mercenary soldier, Darius was a man of decisive action. He was also a man of compassion. Seeing a young slave woman about to become the spoils of war, he claimed her for his own. Marrying her before God and king, he made her a free and respectable soldier's wife.

Brice was born a slave. Abused and beaten, she learned quickly to avoid being noticed and to stay away from men. When her master's walls fell to enemy forces, she ran, but not fast enough. In Darius' offer she found deliverance, but experience had taught her to fear power such as his. Could she trust in his protection, or had she traded one form of slavery for another?

Amazon eBook $2.99 (4.9/5 stars)


In a time when castles were the strongest...in a place where combat was face to face...Labren was on the run. He hid his true name and he admitted it freely. 

In a time when slavery was legal...in a place where kings were all-powerful...Eve, a slave, appeared in the right place at the right time. 

Eve saved his life. In return, he offered her the opportunity of freedom. She did not know what would happen to her if she chose to accept his proposal, but she did know the consequences of rejecting it.

Exchange by Rachel Rossano (Sci-fi short story)
Amazon eBook $0.99 (4.4/5 stars)

Isolated on a distant planet, she is incarcerated for a crime she doesn't recall. She has no name, no idea where she came from, or why she is injected with drugs daily to hold these vital facts from her grasp. Despite small rebellions, she wastes away, worn and losing hope of ever being whole again.

Then he arrives. Claiming to hold the answers burned daily from her brain, he offers her a way out. But at what cost?



Time for a Duke by Ruth J. Hartman (Time travel Regency)
Amazon eBook $0.99 (3.2/5 stars)

Izzy Hodgkin just wants an adventure. Who knew that involved being locked in a closet in 2012, then being transported to 1812 when the door is opened later?

Charles Hamilton Douglas Wade, Duke of Bramblewood Green, thinks he will never find the right woman. When he opens his closet door one day, imagine his surprise to find a woman in there. And she’s from the future!

Will Izzy stick with her plan to return to 2012 America to achieve her goal of financial independence? Or will she and Charles find happiness in 1812?

Dreamspell by Tamara Leigh (Time travel Medieval)
Amazon eBook $2.99 (4.8/5 stars)

A time to live. A time to die. A time to dream.

Sleep disorders specialist Kennedy Plain has been diagnosed with a fatal brain tumor. When her research subject dies after trying to convince her he has achieved dream-induced time travel and her study is shelved, she enlists herself as a subject to complete her research. But when she dreams herself into 14th-century England and falls into the hands of Fulke Wynland, a man history has condemned as a murderer, she must not only stay alive long enough to find a way to return to her own time, but prevent Fulke from murdering his young nephews. And yet, the more time she spends with the medieval warrior, the more difficult it is to believe he is capable of committing the heinous crime for which he has been reviled for 600 years.

Baron Fulke Wynland has been granted guardianship of his brother’s heirs despite suspicions that he seeks to steal their inheritance. When the king sends a mysterious woman to care for the boys, Fulke is surprised by the lady's hostility toward him--and more surprised to learn she is to be his wife. But when his nephews are abducted, the two must overcome their mutual dislike to discover the boys' fate. What Fulke never expects is to feel for this woman whose peculiar speech, behavior, and talk of dream travel could see her burned as a witch.

Kiss Me, I'm Irish (Tennessee Waltz #1) by Bella Street (Time travel Contemporary)
Amazon eBook $2.99 (4.4/5 stars)

Book One in the Tennessee Waltz Series.

Emily Musgrave is heading a direction she never wanted to go in Regency England--namely a convent to turn her from her waywardness. But it's more loneliness than rebellion that motivates her to escape her certain fate.

Liam Jackson is going nowhere fast in modern-day Tennessee. Playing his Dobro in seedy bars and backward dives along with his fiddling sister, Tinker, is doing nothing for his music career--and even less for the dark places in his soul.

Pixie mischief can not only change time-lines, it can change hearts. Because sometimes a girl just needs a little magic in her life.

Mistletoe Everywhere (Christmas) by Linda Banche (Regency with fantasy elements)
Amazon eBook $2.99 (4.0/5 stars - two reviews)

A man who sees mistletoe everywhere is mad--or in love.

Charles sees mistletoe. Not surprising, since he's spending Christmas at Mistletoe Manor. But why does no one else see it? And why does it always appear above Penelope, the despised lady who jilted him after their last meeting?

Penelope wants nothing to do with the faithless Charles, the man who cried off after she accepted his marriage proposal. But he still stirs her heart--and he stares at her all the time. Or rather, he stares at the empty ceiling over her head…What does he see? 

According to folklore, mistletoe is the plant of peace. Can Penelope and Charles, so full of hurt and anger, heed the mistletoe's message and make peace?

I'll list more $3 or less clean fantasy romance as I find them. Happy reading!!

*Most of the links posted here contain my affiliate ID, which means I earn a tiny commission on every sale placed through one of my links. If you are uncomfortable with that, feel free to strip my ID from the link, refresh the book page, and then make your purchase. Thank you!

Monday, December 17, 2012

~Book Bargains~ Bargain Priced Historical Romance

Looking for the perfect historical? Here's a list of great bargain priced historical romances, all $3 or less. Subgenres are indicated where I know them. Descriptions are taken from the linked eBook pages. 

Word and Deed by Rachel Rossano (Historical fantasy)
Amazon eBook $0.99 (4.5/5 stars)

(a short story loosely set in the medieval era)

Death or an arranged marriage, Verity refuses to accept the choices.

Verity Favian's father dies unexpectedly. Her half-brother, Verdon, lays claim to all their father left behind: title, castle, and her. Verdon cannot touch the land set aside for her dowry so he offers her hand for sale to the highest bidder. Lord Silvanticus, a man renowned for his military power and close ties to the king, makes the winning bid. Despite the rumors of Silvanticus' madness and cruelty, Verdon accepts.

Verdon locks her away in a tower. She is not sure if he seeks to prevent her from fleeing the marriage or spreading the truth only she seems willing to speak: Verdon killed their father. Either way, her time is running out.

The Governess and the Master (The Montmoors #1) by Lisa Greer (Gothic romance)
Amazon eBook $1.99 (5/5 stars - one review)

When penniless Catherine Roth answers a letter for a governess position in the isolated castle of Lord Andrew Montmoor, she has no idea that madness, obsession, and secrets await her.

Andrew Montmoor is ugly and isolated, but Catherine finds herself drawn to him even as she seeks to help with sickly nephew, Cullen. His Gothic horror of an estate and the secrets that call to her make her time there nearly unbearable. What happened to Andrew's sister, and will the family mausoleum or her diary reveal it? Just as Catherine is falling for Andrew, a new danger reveals itself, and Catherine's heart is swept up in the tumult.

The Bastard Returns (The Montmoors #2) by Lisa Greer (Gothic romance)
Amazon eBook $1.99 (5/5 stars - one review)

The mysteries of Montmoor Hall deepen with each passing day...and night. A ghost haunts governess Catherine Roth while the master, Andrew Montmoor, is away.

To make matters worse, Catherine is falling in love with the troubled master of Montmoor Hall even though she knows Andrew is lying to her...but about what? And what will happen when the bastard brother, handsome Benjamin Smitt, returns to claim what is his?


Buried With the Dead (The Montmoors #3) by Lisa Greer (Gothic romance)
Amazon eBook $0.99 (5/5 stars - two reviews)

Someone wants her buried...for good.

While Lord Montmoor falls into further madness and opium usage, governess Catherine Roth struggles to help him and to uncover the secrets of Montmoor Hall. Her acquaintance with Benjamin Smitt grows more intimate, even as she questions whom she can trust.

After a find in her chifferobe that opens doors to the past, Catherine is racked with questions. Did Andrew's sister Alice Montmoor really run away, or was her end more sinister? Catherine believes the family mausoleum holds the answers.

But someone is watching Catherine and will stop at nothing to have his secrets die with her.

Heartless by Jaimey Grant (Regency romance)
Amazon eBook $2.99—FREE December 19, 2012 (3.8/5 stars)

A dark stranger....
Finding herself abandoned after the death of her father, Leandra Harcourt takes the greatest risk of her life. She accepts the marriage proposal of a complete stranger, the Duke of Derringer—a man the world calls Lord Heartless.

A heartless proposal....
A desperate girl with no prospects seems the perfect solution to Derringer's most recent problem: marry before his 30th birthday to gain his rightful inheritance, though marriage is the last thing he needs. The need to find his missing cousin takes priority over any silly marriage and he quickly abandons his new bride in the wreck of his family estate.

A perfect love....
Two people were never more suited for each other than the duke and his wife, but will they discover it before it's too late? With an assassin dogging his heels and a suitor wooing his wife, love will not have the luxury of time.

My Lady Coward: An Episodic Regency Romance by Jaimey Grant
Amazon eBook $0.99 (4.0/5 stars - one review)

"My Lady Coward" debuted as a serial romance, each installment posted somewhere online as it was written. "My Lady Coward: An Episodic Regency Romance" is a compilation of those ten installments. They have not been changed from the original postings, merely formatted into one file for those who desire to have the whole story in one convenient place.

Word count: 14,000

A lady knows her place, no matter what...

With Maria's vows came a title and security. At her wedding she gained a position amongst Society's elite. With her marriage Maria acquired everything a young woman could possibly desire.

Except love.

Going about her day-to-day activities, all Maria wants is Richard's love, the attentions he lavishes upon his mistress. But can she set aside her ladylike training long enough to tell him?

Miss Delacourt Speaks Her Mind by Heidi Ashworth (Regency romance)
Amazon eBook $2.99 (4.1/5 stars)

When the dowager duchess of Marcross insists he accompany her niece, Ginny, into the country for the day to execute a special task, Sir Anthony is appalled, to say the least. Ginny, who thinks little of the fashionable Sir Anthony, is as eager to be done with the chore as he, but before they arrive at their destination they are stranded by highwaymen and launched into adventure. Forced into each other's company, Ginny begins to sense the passionate nature beneath Sir Anthony's mask of ennui, while his exasperation with the forthright Ginny turns into admiration of her wit and charm. Then beautiful Lucinda Barrington and Lord Avery, a poet, come onto the scene, sparking Ginny's imagination and revealing a way to unmask the true man behind Sir Anthony's frivolous facade. Meanwhile, the dowager duchess has plans of her own for this pair, and her special task turns into a battle of words, wills, and wit.

Miss Delacourt Has Her Day by Heidi Ashworth (Regency romance)
Amazon eBook $2.99 (3.6/5 stars)

Ginny Delacourt felt the course of true love could not have run smoother. After all, it required only a fortnight, a pair of highwaymen, a pox quarantine, a sham betrothal, and a masquerade ball to bring Sir Anthony up to snuff. When her beloved suddenly becomes the heir to his uncle, the Duke of Marcross, protocol dictates that he drop the 'Sir' from his name. It's his uncle who insists Ginny, daughter of a lowly vicar, is not the proper bride for a future duke.

Lucinda and Lord Avery arrive on the scene to stir up trouble, and Ginny's normally manipulative Grandaunt Regina seems helpless to arrange anything, least of all a frowned-upon wedding. It's up to Anthony, with help from his fussy valet, to see to it that Ginny has her day. The road to true love just got a little bumpier.

Lady Crenshaw's Christmas by Heidi Ashworth (Regency romance short story)
Amazon eBook $0.99 (4.5/5 stars - two reviews)

Ginny and her beloved Anthony, Lord Crenshaw, are finally married and have spent the bulk of their first blissful six months of marriage in the country. However, Ginny must now hostess a Christmas ball at Dunsmere, the estate of the dowager Duchess of Marcross. How is a mere vicar's daughter to carry off such an event with no experience and little exposure to the ways of the ton? And how is she to meet the expectations of her Grandaunt Regina, earn the good graces of Anthony's uncle the Duke of Marcross, endure the spite of the duke's new wife, manage the hysterical escapades of Lucinda, Lady Avery, and find the perfect gift for her husband, all while expecting a babe? All these questions and more are answered in Lady Crenshaw's Christmas, a short story follow-up to two full length novels, Miss Delacourt Speaks Her Mind and Miss Delacourt Has Her Day available via Montlake Romance.

A Candlelight Courting by Joyce DiPastena (Medieval romance short story)
Amazon eBook $1.99 (4.8/5 stars)

When Burthred comes courting on Christmas Eve, Meg rejects his advances. She has her heart set on becoming a nun and insists that he call her Christina, the spiritual name she has chosen for herself. She tries to make him swear on her box of holy relics that he will not pursue her, but he carefully words his oath to allow him to stay in her candlelit chamber and try to change her mind.

What Meg does not confess is that her reliquary box holds a secret.

Burthred needs a wife, and no one will satisfy him except Meg. He swore on his father’s deathbed that he would marry her. But Burthred has a secret, too. When they come together before the Yule fire, their shared revelations will either join their hearts together or tear them apart.

Fair Maiden by Cheri Schmidt (Victorian paranormal romance)
Amazon eBook $2.99 (4.5/5 stars)

It's the Victorian era in England, but Tessa is from the medieval past. She awakens within a castle she has never seen before. Knowledge of her name also evades her. However, even worse than not knowing who or where she is, she cannot recall how she died or why she is dressed as a bride.

Along with Christian, the earl of the castle she haunts, Tessa tries to discover who she is and break the spell holding her in a prison of death. They never imagined the curse keeping them apart is the only thing protecting her, until it's too late.

There Your Heart Will Be Also (The Renaissance Heart Series) by Felicia Rogers
Amazon eBook $2.99 (4.5/5 stars)

Only daughter of an English lord, Sarra of Greenbriar, is used to getting her way. So when her father passes and the King begins sending suitors, she feels justified in taking matters into her own hands. Through a series of harmless pranks, Sarra works to keep the potential husbands at bay.

Cedric MacNeil is a Scotsman that has lost it all. Death claimed his parents and jealousy claimed his entitled position as Laird of his clan. Since his mother was a familiar of the English court, he leaves his native land and heads to England to fight on behalf of the English King. Tournaments are won, earning honor and glory for the crown. Cedric’s reward is the opportunity to gain what he wants most in this life, land.

But as he gets to know Sarra, he realizes he might get more than he bargained for.

By God's Grace (The Renaissance Heart Series) by Felicia Rogers
Amazon eBook $2.99 (4.3/5 stars)

Destiny has placed them together, yet “the wolf” threatens to rip them apart…

Duncan Sinclair lives in peace and harmony at Greenbriar until word reaches him of his broth-er’s untimely demise. Answering a summons from the Sinclair elders, he returns home only to be informed of his duties, mainly the duty of producing an heir.

Arbella Kincade has been shuffled between two different families since birth. All alone and running a farm, she is retrieved by her uncle for a special purpose. She is to represent the Kincade clan in a tournament. This event will determine the new wife of the Sinclair laird.

Duncan and Arbella are destined for one another but Lyall has different ideas. Will they discover the plot before it’s too late or will the wolf win her greatest desire?

I will post more $3 or less clean historical romance deals as I find them. Happy reading!!

*Most links contain my affiliate ID, meaning any sales made through these links will result in me earning a tiny commission. If you'd rather not buy a book through my affiliate link, feel free to strip my ID from the link, refresh the page, and make your purchase. Thank you!

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