April 26—Another Super Tuesday in Romancelandia

Almost every Tuesday I have at least one new release on my TBB (To Be Bought) list, but every once in a while there is a Tuesday with a flood of new releases. I call these days Super Tuesdays, and they thrill my reader’s heart and wreck my book budget. 

April 26 is a Super Tuesday.  My TBB list has twelve titles. Four of these gems I’ve already read, but that makes no difference. They were all books I enjoyed, three by autobuy authors and one by a new author who looks to be headed toward autobuy status. As much as I appreciate the free eARCs I receive from publishers via NetGalley, I need permanent copies of the books I love. Why else do we call them “keepers”? 

Here’s what’s on my Super Tuesday shopping list:

1.     Midnight’s Wild Passion by Anna Campbell

This is one of the books I’ve already read; it was a five-star read for me. Antonia is a wonderful heroine, and Ranelaw won my heart against the odds. I know I’ll reread it. You can read my full review at The Romance Dish.

2.     Any Man of Mine by Rachel Gibson

I’ve already read and reviewed this one too. A reunion romance and a terrific addition to Gibson’s Chinooks Hockey series, AMOM is book I recommend to all Gibson fans. To those unfamiliar with the series, I’ll add that you don’t have to be a hockey fan or to have read the other Chinook books to love this one. You can read my full review at The Romance Dish.

3.     Dangerous in Diamonds by Madeline Hunter

DID is the final book in Hunter’s Rarest Blooms quartet. The first three books have made this my favorite Hunter series, and that's saying a lot because I have two other Hunter series on a keeper shelf. I've been eager to discover the truth about Daphne’s past since Book 1. I can’t wait to read this one.

4.     Defiant by Kris Kennedy

I’ve said several times already that Kris Kennedy made me a reader of Medieval romances. I thought The Conqueror was wonderful, and The Irish Warrior was one of my top reads of 2010.  Both combined compelling bits of history, characters I found totally engaging, and lucid, graceful prose. I expect the same from her latest and look forward to spending a few hours in 13^th-century England.

5.     Cloudy With A Chance of Marriage (Impossible Bachelor #3) by Kieran Kramer

One of the things I enjoy most about being a romance reader is that I’m never forced into an either/or choice; I can always choose both/and. Lighthearted historical romance fiction is always part of my reading choices, and, based on the first two books in her Impossible Bachelor series, I think Kieran Kramer is among the best in this subgenre. I also love self-made heroes and see too few of them, and therefore, I’m particularly looking forward to Stephen’s story.           

6.     A Turn in the Road (Blossom Street #8) by Debbie Macomber

This seems to be the season for road books, and Macomber’s contribution to the bounty is definitely a good read. I especially liked the three generations of women and the twist Macomber gave the romance element. You can read my full review in last month’s post here on some of the road books I’ve been reading.

1.    


      Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke's Heart  by Sarah MacLean

MacLean’s Love by Numbers series has been a winner for me. I enjoyed Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake. (I’m still hoping that MacLean will write Benedick’s story.) I thought Ten Ways to Be Adored When Landing a Lord was even better. I eagerly anticipated Juliana’s book, and she is as magnificent a heroine as I expected. I’m not as impressed with Simon, but others have raved about him. And even with reservations about the hero, I recommend the book. You can read my full review at GoodReads.

2.     Heartache Falls (Eternity Springs #3) by Emily March

I was excited about Emily March’s Eternity Springs series from the time I read the earliest promo, and the first two books have been terrific with lots of interesting characters, a strong sense of place, and perfect balance between the heroine’s journey motif of women’s fiction and the H/H relationship of romance. I’m particularly looking forward to this one since the H/H are empty nesters. I love seeing central characters who give lie to the idea that life and love end at 39.

3.     Touch of a Thief by Mia Marlowe

If someone asked if I liked romances in which the hero or the heroine is a thief, I’d say no instantly. But after some thought, I’d remember favorites such as Connie Brockway’s All Through the Night, Anne Gracie’s An Honorable Thief, Julie Anne Long’s To Love a Thief, and Nora Roberts’s Honest Illusions and admit, as I usually am forced to do, that it all depends upon the writer. Touch of a Thief sounds like a book I’ll enjoy. I find the idea of a jewel thief to whom stolen jewels “speak” intriguing.

4.     Nowhere Near Respectable (Lost Lords #3) by Mary Jo Putney

MJP is one of my never-fail authors. I’ve already reread Loving a Lost Lord and Never Less than a Lady so that all the details about Kiri and Mac from the earlier books will be fresh in my mind. I love the idea of pairing a beta hero with a heroine who is strong, confident, and an expert at hand-to-hand combat. I’m also eager to see more of Lady Agnes.

5.     Face of Danger (Guardian Angelinos #3) by Roxanne St. Claire

I am a self-confessed wimp who rarely reads today’s romantic suspense, but I make an exception for Roxanne St. Claire’s books. She always gives me characters that I like and in whom I believe. I’m already interested in this heroine because of what I’ve seen in the first two Angelinos books. I’m really looking forward to reading Vivi’s story.

      When Tempting a Rogue by Kathryn Smith

This one is a don’t-miss for several reasons. It’s the conclusion to a series, it’s a second chance at love story, and it’s the last book Kathryn Smith will be writing under that name. She’ll be writing steampunk and paranormal as Kate Cross and Kate Locke. I wish her well, but I’ll miss the historicals.

Have you read any of these new books? What's on your TBB list for this week?