Today’s Steals and Deals at AAR…..
We love this book and this series! In our DIK review of Vixen in Velvet, we wrote:
….I’ve loved spending time with the Noirot sisters and their beaux, and becoming immersed in their world. Ms. Chase’s descriptions of the dresses and fabrics are meticulous and quite fascinating, and she so cleverly writes them differently from the womens’ and men’s points of view. There is also a rather sweet secondary romance, and the author does an excellent job in getting under Gladys’ skin and exploring just why she’s so snippy and stand-offish. Leonie’s insight and sensitivity are very impressive; she never sugar coats her words, telling Gladys the truth and helping her to make the best of herself physically, which in turn helps Gladys to make the best of herself as a person. As Leonie tells Simon: “I’ve dressed her … The rest she’s done for herself.”
But above all, it’s the interactions between the hero and heroine that make this book such a delight. I was utterly captivated by the brilliance of the dialogue, which is witty and frequently displays a depth of feeling and insight that is rarely found in the genre.
As one would expect of such an experienced author, the writing is elegant and intelligent and the pacing of the story is perfect. The romance is beautifully developed, proceeding at a natural pace, and the love scenes are sensual and imbued with warmth and tenderness. All the different elements of the story are pulled skilfully together to reach a highly satisfying conclusion, making this one of the most wonderfully entertaining books I’ve read this year.
It’s on sale for 1.99 here.
Our reviewer gave this one an A+! She wrote:
This book’s style is Vince-Vaughn-movie-meets-romance. It’s a little bit crass (almost abrasively so, especially in the first chapters – Maggie’s jocular texts to her best friend about hypothetically motorboating said bestie’s brother took me a moment to process) and it’s heavy on the slapstick. Bright and lively, Bridesmaid for Hire is so packed with energy that everything I read from now on is going to feel lethargic in its shadow. This book is as hard-working as small-business owners like Maggie and earns your attention. I laughed until my eyes watered and had such a good time I was late for appointments.
The dual-first person PoV is killer. It’s got a natural rhythm and is so directly conversational it’s easy to forget it was actually written intentionally by an author.
Though Maggie and Brody split the chapters, it feels slightly more his book than hers. The man is, to play on a Taylor Swift line, an anti-hero in the body of a sexy baby; he’s buff and gorgeous and an absolute lightning rod for calamity.
It’s on sale for 0.99 here.
This deal is for four novels in one! We gave one of them, Miranda, a B+. Our reviewer wrote:
When widower Landry Kildare came to ask Miranda to marry him, she couldn’t believe her good fortune. With an illegitimate infant son and no fortune to offer, she jumped at Landry’s proposal, even though she knew he wanted nothing more than someone to help him with the farm and the raising of his two sons. Before she could blink she was married, packed and on her way to his pig farm with her baby, listening to Landry explain that he loved his first wife (who had died five years ago). His heart was taken, he said, but he would promise to be a good husband.
What makes this book special is not the two lead characters, who are very likable but unremarkable, but its depiction of farm life in continuous motion while Landry and Miranda are learning about each other. Biscuits are being baked, the fire is being tended, the hogs are getting slaughtered (a detail that is actually handled quite tastefully) – and life is going on as it should be. Ms. Miller obviously did her research and is quite comfortable with the time period. The language is simple and has that feel of the early American west.
The set is on sale for 3.99 here.
We gave this historical fiction a DIK. Our reviewer wrote:
The Whispers of War is Julia Kelly’s second novel, a deftly plotted story of female friendship set against the backdrop of the early days of World War II. Its well-drawn characters and strong sense of place make it a book that is sure to appeal to fans of historical fiction everywhere.
Nora, Hazel and Marie have been the best of friends since their boarding school days, and now, years after bidding farewell to the schoolroom, the three women are as close as they ever were. When war breaks out in 1939, they are determined to stand by one another no matter what difficulties they are presented with….
It’s clear the author did quite a bit of research before writing The Whispers of War, and I applaud her ability to bring this dark period in history to life so vividly. This really is the kind of story that transports its readers to another place and time, allowing us to leave our real lives behind for a few hours. I loved every moment I spent in the world Ms. Kelly has created, and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for her next book.
It’s on sale for 2.99 here.