Top Ten Tuesday: Romance Books

This week - with Valentine's Day - it's a romance freebie. I'm a HUGE reader of romance books. Mostly I stick to Regency Romances and Contemporary Romances.

I'm sharing some graphics I made for romance books - both adult and teen. 

If you like the Bridgerton series

If you like royals and duke romances part 1

If you like royals and duke romances part 2

If you like royal romances

If you like famous romances - YA

If you like bookish romances - YA

If you like travel romances - YA part 1

If you like travel romances - YA part 2

If you like travel romances - YA part 3

If you like princesses - YA

If you like strong female characters - YA

Book List: What to read after watching Bridgerton

I really did enjoy the Bridgerton adaptation.

I loved the scenery (Bath) and the fashion!

Take a look at this blog post with behind the scenes photos.

It would be amazing to be on this set - perhaps as a guest at a ball?

Eloise is my favorite! I loved her so much. I can't wait to see more of her.

And I'm hoping they make all eight seasons. (And it looks like they are! What great news.)

63 million households can't be wrong.

Or course, romance readers are not surprised by this. We've been here all along. There's a reason romance book publishing is a billion dollar industry. (No, that's not a typo it really is Billion)

If you're new to the romance world, welcome.

I talk about romance books often on this blog - both teen and adult.

I love the friendships in romance.

I love the strong feminist main characters.

And the clever banter.

Here are just a few recommendations:

Secrets of a Summer Night:

This is the first in the Lisa Kleypas series. Four wallflowers become friends and find love. It's delightful. And there's a spin-off series.

Nine Rules to Break While Romancing a Rake:

This is Sarah MacLean's first adult romance - her books are often connected by characters.

You can't go wrong with her books.

I talk about her books often!

Duchess Deal:

Tessa Dare used to be a librarian. Now she makes me laugh with her strong feminist characters.

Reviews here.

Earls Just Want to Have Fun:

This book made me laugh so much. I loved  the banter and the descriptions. 

Such a great read.

A Lady's Guide to Improper Behavior:

The title grabbed me at first. I read this ages ago and never realized it was book 2.

Lady Bridget's Diary:

This is the start of a four book set that happens simultaneously between siblings. 

It's a nod to Pride and Prejudice and also Bridget Jones's Diary. I love all the books in the series and after reading it, the author has since become a favorite of mine. 

 

Top Ten Tuesday: Upcoming Historical Fiction

This week's topic is  Top Ten Historical ... - I changed mine to the top historical reads I'm looking forward to this year. Of course there are others, but for once, I stopped at just 10. I love historical books - probably because my dad is a retired high school history teacher and I grew up in a historical household. 

- meme from The Broke and the Bookish

Ice Age: 

Renaissance:

Age of Enlightenment:

Regency (one of my favorite time periods)

Victorian:

Imperial Russia:

Early 1900s

Throughout history:

Mini Review: No Good Duke Goes Unpunished

* Rules of Scoundrels Series #3 *

Temple used to live a life of luxury as next in line as Duke of Lamont. But twelve years ago, a night he doesn't remember, cast him out of society and earn him the name the Killer Duke. Now the woman he supposedly killed is back, offering him a chance at redemption...for a price. 

The Good: I love Sarah MacLean's books and this one was amazing. I loved Temple - he's so tough but he showed his softer side multiple times. I loved Mara - she's smart, feisty, and doesn't back down from a challenge. I loved the boys at her school and of course, Lavender. I love how Temple and Mara danced and bantered the whole book before falling in love. I laughed, I smiled, I gasped, and my heart was happy. A perfect read for a cold winter's day.

The Bad: That cliffhanger ending with the surprise ending makes me NEED the last book ASAP.

Overall Verdict:  If you haven't read this series and you like Regency romance, get yourself to a library or bookstore immediately. 

Top Ten Tuesday: Spin-off

Tuesday's list dealt with Settings - I picked England. Here's the list of teen books I love set in England.

Courtesy of  www.freeworldmaps.net

Here's my adult list - I have to confess that with adult books, I have a harder time picking favorite books, so I'm dividing the list between authors and books. Most of the books are regency romances with a few contemporary ones. 

Jane Austen

Julia Quinn

Sarah MacLean

Sophie Kinsella

Wallflower series

From Notting Hill with Love Actually

Bridget Jones

I"ve Got Your Number ( Love Sophie Kinsella's book)

Lady's Guide to Improper Behavior 

Lord and Lady Spy

Did I miss your favorite? Let me know!

Mini Adult Review: Happily Ever After

At BEA two years ago, someone told me I should read the Bridgerton series. They were RIGHT, I devoured this series. I loved every book. Here's a new book of short stories sharing what happened after the books ended.

The Good: I love this family for their loyalty to each other, their quick wit, their banter, the strong female characters, and the humor. These stories made me laugh and made me sigh with happiness. If I had to pick, I think the pall mall story made me laugh the most. I love their competitive streak. All in all, it was perfection!

The Bad: There's nothing bad about this book, except it makes me want more!

If you haven't read this series, START THEM! The Duke and I is the first one.

* Even the puppy liked, he licked the book as it smells good! *

Meeting Sarah MacLean (again)

Last Tuesday I had an unexpected free evening, which magically just happen to coincide with the release of A Rogue By Any Other Name.  Isn't the cover beautiful????

 

This is the start of a new quartet.  I can't wait to dive into it. I've only held off reading it because I know I'm going to need to devout an entire day to it.

I first read Sarah's book The Season - her first novel, a YA historical romance. I LOVED it. I had the chance to meet her that year at BEA.

Then she came out with her adult regency romance trilogy, which I loved. She also started me reading regency romances.

So imagine my happiness at being able to meet her again last week.

Plus she gave me a big hug when she saw me.  

Details from the signing from notes I took on my phone.

* Jane Austen is the gateway author to romances

* Georgette Heyer wrote the romances that the world believes as fact, but it's not all true. She however, is still the master.

* Characters intertwined from various books

*Wanted the casino to be more like a character and not a setting. The casino - historically called gaming hells - is still surprising her with it's dark secret passage ways and other aspects.

*Swore she would never writhe a "marriage of convenience novel" but she did because it's the only way the story would have worked with Bourne.

*Bourne named from Jason Bourne (who doesn't love him?) Otherwise when she's in need of a name, she'll look at the streets of London. Sometimes she honors family friends by taking their last names too.


*The second book in the series will be out in December! And it's entitled: One Good Earl Deserves A Lover.

*She wrote The Season on a dare. She will also be returning to YA (after the quartet is complete) but it won't be a sequel to the Season. I can't wait to read more YA books from Sarah.

In all actuality I can't wait to read more books from her full stop.

Sarah and I