Today’s Steals and Deals at AAR…..
We really like this series although this is not the best of the bunch. You can read our review here. We said:
Caz: Harper St. George’s The Devil and the Heiress is book two in her series of novels about Gilded Age Heiresses, wealthy – or potentially wealthy – young American women who come to England to search for a titled husband. Laura Lee Guhrke’s An American Heiress in London has a similar premise as does Maya Rodale’s Keeping Up With the Cavendishes; all feature American heiresses and the Transatlantic culture clash as they struggle to adapt to the rigid conventions of English high society in which, despite their enormous wealth, they are looked down upon because their money is “new” and their breeding questionable. I haven’t read the previous book (The Heiress Gets a Duke), which was well received – our reviewer gave it an A – but I read this one easily as a standalone so anyone choosing to jump in here won’t find it difficult to do so. Did you read the first book, Dabney?
Dabney: I did. I enjoyed it. I thought the first half was very strong. The second half faltered–a silly insistence by the heroine and an unnecessary Big Mis–but I was excited to read this one.
It’s on sale today for 1.99 here.
This is one of my favorite Balogh’s. The sex scenes, the way the characters evolve, the clarity with which the HEA is presented–this is a great author on the top of her game. In our DIK review, we wrote:
Elliott and Vanessa’s romance develops slowly and, therefore, realistically. Although neither intend to fall in love (they are truly reasonable characters), there were times I felt their love growing for one another. Elliott remains a contrary and pessimistic man for the most part while Vanessa remains true to her sparkling personality. I am always thankful for such consistencies.
As secondary characters, Margaret, Katherine, and Stephen each make significant impressions but, by far, the strongest secondary character is Constantine Huxtable, the man who missed becoming the Earl of Merton by a mere two days. The first six pages of First Comes Marriage concentrates on Con’s character and I foresee quite a bit of reader anticipation as Con reappears throughout the series before claiming the final book (but not until 2010!).
There is one more observation I dare not forget and that is that this is truly a character driven romance with nary a villain in sight. That is the equivalent of hitting a home run in my world.
It’s on sale for 1.99 here.
This is a very good historical romance too! In our DIK review, our reviewer wrote:
Ethan and Lottie share a terrific attraction; they have CHEMISTRY! And their physical relationship is beautifully penned. Lately it feels like love scenes are all scripted the same way – they kiss, he goes south, she enjoys her first “petit mort”, they make love and we’re done. Ms. Bennett gets a little more creative and her love scenes are steamy and witty – a satisfying combination! She also puts a fresh spin on the typical tropes by quickly turning an enemies-to-lovers romance into a second-chance romance with a dramatic twist.
This is the first book in the series (Misfits of Mayfair) and I am looking forward to book two (due out this spring) featuring Lord Carlyle who is perfectly set up to be an intriguing hero. Everything about this book is well done and I’m delighted to be able to recommend it to you!
It’s on sale for 2.99 here.
We gave this romantic suspense story a B+. We wrote:
What most people know about the Maya begins and ends with the facts that they lived in Central America, they had bloody sacrifices, and the world will end in December. Beautiful Sacrifice takes the apocalyptic paranoia and turns it into a fast paced and interesting mystery surrounding violent human sacrifices, missing artifacts, and the mysterious cult of a Mayan god.
Dr. Lina Taylor is a respected expert on Maya history and artifacts, and also part Maya herself; she is descended from a royal bloodline that pre-dates the Spanish Conquest. When a number of highly valuable and rare artifacts go missing from a government evidence storage facility, Hunter Johnston – the friend of the agent whose job is on the line for the loss – goes to Lina to get advice and help. Hunter is a casual student in one of her classes, with whom she has had coffee and conversation, but both are interested in more.
It’s on sale for 1.99 here.