And a strange fact I found researching one of which I'm about to share with you.
I've heard that many people read books by Nora Roberts. I claimed that I wasn't one. I've had to take that back. My Mom was cleaning her attic and found a box of romance books I had stashed away. One of the old 1989 Silhouette Intimate Moments paperbacks ended back up in my hands.
Gabriel's Angel. Really nice cover. Imagine my surprise when I looked it up at Amazon.com!!!
It's in HARDBACK now!! And with a different cover!! I tried my scanner to see if I can show you Then and Now.....
This is the book I have.
Does the woman look Preggers? Cuz she is...
This is the book now being sold!!Amazing difference yes?
And you know what? The story endures. It is still a good read. It doesn't feel "dated" as some books do.
So, Have you read it?
And, which cover do you prefer?
The Night Before Christmas. This was laying in the bargain stack at my library. I spied Dara Joy and Sandra Hill's names and it was a MUST HAVE!!!
I was not disappointed. Between Dara's story and Sandra's, I was busting a gut laughing ... laughing out load as to embarass myself in the company of my family.
In Naughty or Nice, Sandra Hills portayal of a body guard smitten with a woman who is willing to rob a porno shop to help give orphans a merry Christmas is a riot. The line where he realizes that he wants to marry her cuz it was instant love, I quote his thoughts...."Yep. That's what I'll do. I love you, let's tie the knot, wild sex, wedding. Or maybe I could reverse the order. Oh Yeah! Wild sex, I love you , wild sex, let's tie the knot, wild sex, wedding, wild sex. Whatever. "
ROTFLMAO!!! If you haven't read this ... you are missing out on some great entertainment!
Dara's is called, Santa Reads Romance. Imagine an author who is stuck in a cabin with a hunky guy and the only thing he has to read are hot, spicy romance books. Come on ....what do YOU think is going to happen??? When he practices speaking in a "husky murmer" like in the books....the laughs start. Gosh I love reading Dara's humor.
Mistress by Amanda Quick, AKA Jayne Ann Krentz
You know what? I have quoted myself stating that I do not read regency romance. *sigh*
If I admit to loving Amanda Quick, then I guess I can not say that anymore, right?
I'm such a goof.
This book was fun! Her early works always are.
How can you not like:
"He wanted to please her. He was desperate to please her. He had to please her."
How romantic!!!!
The next one is by another favorite of mine and a really nice lady to blog with to boot! I'm talking about Lucy Monroe and her book 3 Brides for 3 Bad Boys.
Three brothers who couldn't be more different,:Rand, Carter and Colton and the stories of the women who brought love into their lives. The stories are warm, funny, sensitive and, of course, romantic. The last one, Colton, I'd wish was a little bit longer. It seemed that we didn't really get to know him. There wasn't enough time to connect with his character. However, that is my only complaint about this book. Overall, it's worth the eye time.
Lastly is - The Medici Lover by Anne Mather - 1977
When I was reading Harlequin Presents by the dozens...sometimes 3 a day this was one that, for some unknown reason, was kept. Gosh, it is SO typical for the times! Really. Mucho Macho Italian Rich Guy, young working-class girl, he's married, his wife is a two-timing B*@* and his "younger" cousin wants her AND the young woman. Dilemma, Dilemma .... the only saving grace is that the young woman, Suzanne, isn't such a wimp, which was unusual writing at that time. I really enjoyed the guy's name too, Mazzaro. I've never seen that name before or since , Have You????
I found reference to this book, but no pictures were avaliable, so here's my scanner to the rescue!!
The problem I have with the cover is that the bikini in the book is supposed to be WHITE!!!
I think white was too much for the censors. She looks kind of "pouty" doesn't she? Good thing she wasn't like that in the book, I would have thrown it across the room!!
So, that's the update of my books for this year so far.
Hope I didn't bore you too much. But sharing my books are My Favorite Things!!!!
21 comments:
I loved Gabriel's Angel the first time I read it. I have all of Nora's books, and I still love to go back and read her series. I really like the paranormal touches - the Night series, and TIME IS and TIME WAS.
Ditto for Amanda Quick and Krentz.
And Anne Mather. I adored her books when I was younger. I still have a few that I like taking out and reading, but overall, I just can't take the stories much anymore. They were repetitive in plot - very older man and young, barely out of the school room girl (sometimes still in the school room). He's cynical, she's fresh. And her love changes him completely and almost overnight.
THE HIGH VALLEY was the first Harlequin I read. One of her books I do still enjoy is about a woman who is 5 years older than the hero, who is the son of her best friend (a much older woman). It's a very interesting switch.
I actually prefer the 2nd cover of Gabriel's Angel over the first. I read Nora--quite often. I always pick her up after I've read something disappointing because 9/10 I know I'll fall in love with her hero. She truly knows how to write from the Male POV. If you want a great example of that, read the Chesapeake Series, or, more recently, Northern Lights. I LOVED that book.
I'd most likely go for the second cover. All the brown tones in the first one are a little too well brown. I actually haven't read any Nora Roberts books. Sounds like they're good though. Maybe I'll check it out.
Wow, you remember the FIRST book you ever read? Kelli, that 's amazing! I only remember the author..Violet Winspear. There was a big promo and the book was, like- 50 cents. Its what got me hooked. Clever gimmick.
I can "see" the cover in my mind, but not the title. Weird,huh?
Oooh, another Krentz fan? Is it me, or does it seem like we have many of the same tastes?
Neat.
Hi, Mel! Glad to see you.
True, the second cover is pretty and whimsical. There's nothing about it to hint at the wonderful story within though.
Ah! Looks like you've given a shot in the arm to my TBR pile, Thanks!!
Hi Shoud!! Nice to see you here and welcome!!
Cool, another novice Nora Roberts reader! *grin*
Looks like Nora's going to have a couple of new fans, :-)
And yeah, I agree..there's lots of brown. Not a color best suited for winter. Fall maybe. Not winter.
Anyway,
Have a great day!!!
I actually like the first cover. It's not as dark as the scanned image makes it look. The skin tones are very bright, and her lips are a beautiful velvety pink on my cover. I also don't like the second cover because it might make you think this is a book about real angels, and not just in the sense that she saves him from his guilt.
Michele, yes we do have a lot of similar tastes. And I used to read Violet Winspear. My mom used to get Harlequins, so I'd raid her stack of them.
I am a HUGE Jayne Ann Krentz fan. I don't care for too many other historicals, but hers are great. Nora Roberts is another favorite. Blue Smoke was great! Strong female lead, no pushover. (Nora Roberts as J.D. Robb is good, too.)Have you read any of JAK's books under the pen name Stepahnie James? Ugh! I guess I discovered them too late in life because I found the women to be such wimps!
I still remember the plot of the first romance I read. A fellow classmate in Jr. High let me borrow it, and from then on I was hooked! However I don't read the category much anymore. (sorry so long of comment)
That Sandra Hill book sounds hilarious. I'm gonna pop over to Amazon and check it out. I'm a grinch, but what the heck. :-)
Tanya
Kelli - (If you find this) All 250+ of Nora's books? Isn't that about the number? Wow!
Michele - I went book shopping today. I saw a different Christmas anthology but I think it's the same publisher, different year. As for Nora, I picked up "black and blue" today now that Red Lily is available. I like to get wrapped up in a trilogy after they're all available. I like the older cover too I think. I can't help but wonder how many of her diehard fans bought the new hardback, then realized they read the book after they shelled out $20. It has to happen, and they have to get complaints or the new Nora Robert's books wouldn't have that gold seal that "certifies" they're new books.
By contrast I'm reading Fingerprints of the Gods, a discussion of the possibility of an ancient unknown civilization existing on Earth during the Ice Age. Nothing too goofy (even if the author does buy into the Piri Reis map), but interesting.
You were lucky, Kelli. My Mom only read ...Mary Higgins Clark and others like that. Mystery with very lite romance ...boring. Even the mysteries were based on a naive chickie who shivers at shadows. Ack!
Harlequin opened my mind to a broader genre. However, only in the past 10 years has romance's wings fully unfurled.
LOL, Brandy. Have to say JAK matches whatever genre she writes for.
Even the "Stephanie James" nom de plume. Most of those lines were lame...she brought what she could to them.
They were better for her input.
I love her futuristics though. Very original.
Tanya, YOU a Grinch ..
No! Not you! LOL !!
I'm curious though, have you ever read any Sandra Hill? If not, You might be in for a treat...if you like to laugh along with romance.
She does it in suprising ways sometimes.
Let me know if you really do read them...I'm curioius how another author experiences the "Sandra" element.
I've noticed that there are different anthologies each year.
I'm glad I have the paperback of that story...lots cheaper. I mean, how can you improve on the original story? Seemsed perfectly OK as is. But what do I know..... :-)
I agree with you. Better to start a series when its either finished or when there are many books to delve into. I finally received the second L.A. Banks book and the 4th is on it's way. Better late than never, I suppose.
Anyway, reading them in sequence really creates the world for you that is being written about and for me, it's better than watching those silly soap operas.
The first world, I was entranced with was LKH's Anita Blake. I've mentioned it before, but really, until I started that series, I shyied away from any series books. Now..I love them!
Anyway, Thanks for letting me have the skinny on other good books to read by Nora.!
I'm not surprised that you are enriching your mind with your choice of book, Avindair.
I don't want you to think I'm all fluff...I've also been reading
A Prehistory of Religion: Shamans, Sorcerers and Saints by Brian Hayden.
The artifacts, history and symbolism blow me away. Its been giving me lots to think about.
Blogging about that book here, though...just isn't typical. Nothing to laugh about. Too much ancient violence.
but not boring by any means.
Thanks for dropping by!
No problem, Michele!
I find Hancock's premise fascinating, even if I find his methods to be, well, sloppy is as nice a word as any, I'd guess.
TTYL!
Kismet. I did the same thing in my last post. I often wonder if there isn't some subconscious thread connecting us here in the blogosphere... so may times I find bloggers who are not connected to each other writing about the same topics.
Like yer blog.
Michelle,
I never have read any Sandra Hill but I plan on because of your recommend. That's how I find new authors. When friends turn me on to them.
Thanks,
Tanya
I , IMHO, believe that you will enjoy Sandra. Whether it be Vikings, Navy Seals, or those yummy Cajun boys ...of which turned me onto Zydeco music, there's something to laugh with in every book.
I look forward to your comments.
Although, I must warn you, The Love Potion was a bit misleading...it was the first of the Cajun men's stories and not the hottest. It set the stage for the heat to get turned up in later books about his brothers.
I wished I'd known what to expect. After reading her Vikings which were ...oh wow...I wanted one for myself!!! And I thought TLP was going to be the same level of heat.
Still read it..but don't get mislead by promo blurb. Then you'll enjoy it a Whole LOT more.
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