Fans of Eloisa James & Julia Quinn discussion

Good Monday Morning! I'm starting the week with Chalice Of The Wind by Cate Tiernan

I'm reading again the Psy-Changeling series by Nalini Singh.

I'm still glomming Lauren Willig. Now I'm reading The Masque of the Black Tulip, which is a fun friends-to-lovers story. She does some fun things with the romance genre in these. The first one (Pink Carnation) was a mistaken identity/masked hero--to such a degree that at one point the hero was jealous of himself! The third starts out as an elopement, but turns into a marriage of convenience. Or inconvenience. I'm having a lot of fun with them.

I really like her books. She also makes the most unlikely people into really likeable heroes and heroines.
reading short stories by Lila dipasqua but finding them more erotica than romance and not really enjoying them. Also I was disappointed to learn that sherry Thomas next three books are all out in 2012!

Dls wrote: "I really like her books. She also makes the most unlikely people into really likeable heroes and heroines."

Yes! I am curious to see how she will possibly redeem Mary Alsworthy. Or Lord Vaughn for that matter, though I have a soft spot for him because of his wit.

Oh you will enjoy that!

I read and loved EJ's "Storming the Castle." I'm reading Julie Ann Long's What I Did for a Duke now.

Wasn't "Storming the Castle" wonderful, Wylene? It was the perfect HEA for Wick.

And, I will try to curb my severe jealousy over the fact that you're reading the JAL. ;)

Manda, as much as I adored seeing more of Wick and watching him achieve his HEA, my favorite part was that opening scene. I could hear those romance conventions screaming in protest as they collapsed amid the cheers of every woman who could relate to that scene. LOL!

I loved how EJ turned that particular convention on its head, too, Wylene. Especially given that we've seen about a million opening scenes showing the hero in similar circumstances--though not, perhaps feeling as much disgust and disappointment;)

I just got the EJ's new book so I'll start reading it now... Can't wait!

And here I felt sorry for the fiancé in EJs book---at least he was trying!
But I liked how unusual it was and the recognition that it's ok for the heroine not to love someone just cause he loves her....

Finished Chalice Of The Wind and started on Blade Of Fire by Stuart Hill.

On my new Color Nook, I am reading Elizabeth Rolls, His Lady Mistress. It was a free download. I'm about halfway through; the title is misleading since heroine was never his mistress. They are now unhappily stuck in a Marriage of Convenience. The banter is adorable. Hero is busy trying to deny that he got himself into this situation with an innocent young woman due to his own silly assumptions about her character based on her ugly dress.

Just read Whispering Falls. I liked both hero and heroine but wasn't really convinced by the romance

I'm speed reading through Blade Of Fire o.0 because I desperately want to start on The Iron Duke.

I got hold of What the Librarian Did, and finished that this week. Loved it! You guys were completely right. I saw Ms. Bliss's newest just got a solid A over at Dear Author. I'll keep an eye out for it.

And now I have a random question for you all (do we have a thread for those?): can you help me think of a romance with a heroine named Rita? I've had a request for that through my blog contest, and I am coming up empty-minded. :) Closest I could think of was Lisa Kleypas's Daisy/Marguerite.

I know what you mean, EJFan. I've only got a couple of Willig's left before I'm caught up. Good thing she has a new one coming soon. Glad you're enjoying the Gracie. She's just so good:)

Yay, Theresa! Wasn't What the Librarian did great? Might need to reread that one soon.

Does the Rita heroine need to be from a historical or a contemporary? I can't think of one off the top of my head.

I can think of a Ria (short for Maria) in one of Jo Goodman's Compass Hall books .

I just finished the new Laura Gurhke, Wedding of the Season (I think that's the title.) I liked it a lot, but I didn't find it as compelling as my favorite books by her. I'm looking forward to the next in the series.
I am looking forward to Promise Canyon, and the new Carla Kelly.

Now that retail shopping (and working) hours are finally getting back to normal, I'm looking forward to getting back to reading. I only read *one* book during the past three weeks! That's unheard of for me. It was an e-book called Collateral Damage by J.L. Saint (who also writes as Jennifer St. Giles). It's a military, romantic suspense thriller that kicks off a new series and I loved it. Can't wait for the next book in the series!

Manda wrote: "Does the Rita heroine need to be from a historical or a contemporary? I can't think of one off the top of my head. "

Could be any genre! Searching online is made difficult by the RITA award, which makes up most of the hits I get. Dls, thanks for the Ria hit--I might go with that. I'll keep racking my brain for something more Rita-y, too.

Back to what I'm reading--I finally got BET ME. I know, it's about time! I read lots of Crusie when I worked at a library in the early 00s, but switched mainly to historical since then. But I've been told over and over, this one's a classic!

I read Pleasures of a Notorious Gentleman (London's Greatest Lovers, #2) by Lorraine Heath. Didn't enjoy it as much as I did the 1st book in the series....really excited for the 3rd book though.

Calila wrote: "I read Pleasures of a Notorious Gentleman (London's Greatest Lovers, #2) by Lorraine Heath. Didn't enjoy it as much as I did the 1st book in the series....really excited for the 3rd ..."

I started that one last night, am up to page 72. I'm liking it a lot so far.

I managed to get one last book in 2010. Read Kiss of the Phantom by Julie Leto. Nice way to end the trilogy.

I've put up the new Monday Puzzler schedule. Please let me know if you need to switch weeks or anything. I hope I got everyone who volunteered. If not, I can swap with someone.

Reading-wise, I'm still on the Pink Carnation books. I'm on Blood Lily right now. This is timed perfectly for the release of the new one on the 4th. Didn't plan it that way, but it's cool the way it worked out.