So this summer I did a check in on my bookish resolutions for 2013 and needed to crack the whip when I saw my progress. One of the areas that I wanted to work on this year was at least TRYING some of the genres I really haven’t read from/was kind of scared of. Thus, Courting Genres was born — I enlist the help of “experts” in the genre (you can still help me with some genres!!), they give a few picks for me and then YOU all vote. Then I get all gussied up and start courting that genre with the 2 books with the highest votes. I started with Courting the Adult Romance Genre and I have now procured the winners and I’m excited to announce them!
The winners are …
(Right now every book in this series is $1.99 for the Kindle!! So you can read with me, yah?)
My Initial Reactions
1. I was SUPER excited that the Lucky Harbor series was picked because so many of my friends have loved it.
2. I love contemporary and I do like adult books so I’m thinking Lucky Harbor is going to be a good one for me.
3. I’m NERVOUS about The Duke & I. Not going to lie. I love historical fiction but historical romance is just not in my realm of things I ever thought I’d read.
4. OMG I AM READING ROMANCE NOVELS! Snobby college Jamie’s nose is UP HIGH.
5. HAHAHA as I’m writing this (I’m at my sister’s helping out with Genevieve and the BRAND NEW NIECE I HAVE!!) and Will is going to pick up my holds at the library — yep these two books. He says he’s going to do self checkout but I said real men hand their romance novels right to the librarian.
6. I actually picked up another novel on my original post to read after I court these because it didn’t get picked by I really was interested in it (Exclusively Yours).
SO TELL ME. Have you read either of these novels? Do you think I will like them? Which one do you think I’ll like more? Or just give me a boost of moral support as I enter into this courtship! ALSO..check out my original “courting” post and see which genres I still need experts for!! Also, feel free to join me in my endeavor!
fishgirl182 @ nite lite says
yes – adult romance! i did not start reading romance until a few years ago but now i can’t stop. both shalvis and quinn are great authors. i am not a huge contemp person so i may favor quinn a bit more. but i love her bridgerton series. the duke & i is great and i love romancing mr. bridgerton. julie james’s fbi series is also awesome if you want contemp romance. if you want more historical, i also love the wallflowers and hathaways series by lisa kleypas and courtney milan. oh and historical/pararnormal romance, go for kristen callihan. sorry, that was really long. hope you like your romance reads!
Jenna W says
I LOVED the Duke and I!! Its a great series and I think you will be surprised at how wonderful it is!
Mari says
Good choice on your first reads. Exclusively Yours by Shannon Stacey? I love The Kowalskis series. But my fave is prolly Yours to Keep and All He ever dreamed. Id say Kristan Higgins books is good start. Similar to Jill Shalvis with heart warming family style stories and fun. 😀 Good luck on your courtship! I hope you enjoy
Cassie says
YES!!! 1.99 PLUS ITS LUCKY HARBOR! I loveeddd book one and I bought two and three in the sale 😉 So get to reading and I’ll read two with ya!
😉
Randi M says
Best line ever: “but I said real men hand their romance novels right to the librarian.” My husband LOVES picking up my YA romance books from the library…*wink.* I haven’t read either of these, but I was pleasantly surprised to fall head over heels for historical romance. (I love Lauren Willig’s Pink Carnation series, though I still need to finish it.) For some reason, though I’m not usually a “seasonal” reader, I always seem to get the itch for historical romance around fall/winter. I’m not big on erotica and/or plot-less romance (read:I avoid them like the plague), but I find that historical romance is more up my alley because it’s a little less *sexscenesexscenesexscene* and more about the courtship/sexual tension (which is my favorite part!). I hope you enjoy both!
Ginger @ GReads! says
OMG YOU’RE GOING TO READ THE LUCKY HARBOR SERIES!!!!!!!!!! ahhhhh I am so freaking excited. I feel like I’ve pushed these books on to EVERYONE (seriously, I think I have lol). Yay! Can’t wait to hear your thoughts on it. Also, SO HAPPY you’re picking up Exclusively Yours, too. Shannon Stacey is a fun contemp adult romance author! Don’t be scared of the historical romance. They are good, too. You just have to keep a light head about it. Read with pleasure.. umm.. not that kinda pleasure, haha.. but you know what I mean!
Sharon @ The Book Barbies says
YESYESYESYES. I absolutely adore both of these series! I totally get being hesitant about historical romance because I was at first – my inner lit snob from high school was FLIPPING. OUT. haha – but then I fell in love. I hope the same happens for you!
Quinn @ Quinn's Book Nook says
Yay for trying adult romance. I’ve raed both of these, and although I liked them both, I strongly favor The Duke and I. I like historical romance and adult romance equally, but for some reason I wasn’t completely connected to the characters in Simply Irresistible. But so many people love it, and I hope you do too.
I love Julia Quinn’s writing. Especially with the first few Bridgerton books. The Duke and I is fantastic, and Daphne is an amazing main character. And Simon is an awesome hero. But you should also check out Romancing Mr. Bridgerton, the fourth Bridgerton book. I think someone else mentioned it. Penelope and Colin are adorable. Also Julia Quinn kicks major ass in the dialogue department. I can’t want to hear what you think.
Betty says
hahaha nice, doyke! … After months of harassment from Cass, she finally convinced me to buy the Jill Shalvis one.
Romi says
This is a really interesting idea- I think it’s great idea that you’re wanting to get into genres you don’t read much/at all! I might do that, too, one day, though right now I’m too happy with the books I have! There are too many for me to expand into more genres!
Wendy says
The lucky harbor piqued my interest mainly because it says it’s set in WA. Haha! I get easily interested in books set in my home state I guess. Maybe I’ll have to check it out! Love that you got your husband to pick up your holds! =)
Brandy says
I love Julia Quinn. She is an auto-buy author for me. I don’t read as much adult romance as I used to, but she is one that I loved from her first novel and still love. Some of her works are better than others though. The Duke and I is in my top 5 of her books. As is the 2nd and 4th (actually my favorite) books in the Bridgerton series. Her dialogue is what makes her books so magnificent. The banter is the best, not only between the hero an heroine but the other characters as well. I LOVE all the interactions between Simon and Daphne’s brothers in The Duke and I.
Molli says
YAY Jill Shalvis! I recently read Simply Irresistible and really really liked it a LOT. The romance was sweet and sexy but not like 50 Shades or anything yucko. (OMG THEY’RE ON SALE FOR NOOK TOO GOING TO GET THEM ALLLLLLL OKAY A FEW.) I haven’t read anything by Quinn but I’ve heard her books are great!
Tahleen says
I think you will love the Lucky Harbor series. When you’re done with those, check out the Fool’s Gold series by Susan Mallery; they have the same kind of feel.
Jennifer aka YA Book Nerd says
Read them both and loved them 🙂 Hope you to do.
Jennifer @ Feminist Fairy Tale Reviews says
I have not read Simply Irresistible, but many of my blogger friends rave about it. The Duke and I is the book that started my obsession with historical romance so I hope it does the same to you. Julia Quinn is on a different level when it comes to character interaction and funny (but not cheesy) moments. I also recommend Exclusively Yours which is fabulous. I loved it and contemporary romance isn’t even my genre of choice. Happy reading!
Angie says
I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE The Duke and I and all of its sequels. Julia Quinn is a historical romance queen, and The Bridgerton series is the best of them all.
Tara says
I’m so excited for you to read Simply Irresistible!!!
Kelly.r says
Yes! I’ve read the whole series by Quinn. I think you will enjoy them. I’m a sucker for historical romance… I become a speed reader every time I decide to start one!
Daisy says
I really enjoyed The Duke and I, but I LOVED the next book in the series The Viscount Who Loved Me! Julia Quinn brings the funny along with the romance and I like that about her historical romances 🙂