Four books out this week, including a plus novel, two novels and a novella. So at 10% off, lots for your reading pleasure.
- Homeland Michael Amos. Novel. Science Fiction. Satirical.
- Giving Chase Lauren Dane. Novel. Romantic Suspense.
- Emerald Ice Alexis Fleming. Plus Novel. Fantasy romance.
- Pacific Breeze Hotel Josie A. Okuly. Novella. 20th century historical romantic suspense.
This is the second plus novel I’ve seen at Samhain, as well as the first satire. It’s Lauren Dane’s debut Samhain release, although she has plenty of books with Ellora’s Cave. And for those interested in a less common setting, Pacific Breeze Hotel is 1940′s Los Angelos. Traditionally, early 1900′s is the no man’s land of the romance genre.
Reviews
- Jane and Jayne chat about Blood Brothers by Barbara Sheridan and Anne Cain.
- Keishon reviews 72 Hours by Shannon Stacey.
Shannon Stacy’s 72 Hours from Samhain Publishing, LTD was a very quick read and a good one at that. The story is action packed and the pace never really slows down. I was sucked in from the start. We have secret babies, secret identities–two of my least favorite themes but the author made it work.
Nicole broke down and bought four Samhain books, posting their wonderful covers.
Bestsellers at My Bookstore and More:
1. Seducing Simon by Maya Banks
2. Blackmailed by Annmarie McKenna
3. Hunted by Amelia Elias
Same top three as last week with 1 and 2 switched. Last week’s release, 72 Hours made it into the top ten.
Why would the early 1900s be a death zone for romance? You have all those dramatic events to work with?
Historical romances tend to be set before 1900. I’m not sure of all the reasons why.
Not glamorous enough. I think I read that somewhere. No parties, dresses, lord or ladies. which is ironic if you think about it because the traditional heroine hates parties, dresses, and the TON. She loves to hunt, shoot and gamble. You’d the think the Wild West or San Francisco or anywhere but Regency England would be hugely popular. But alas, it is not. This is due in large part, I believe, to the success of a few authors that caused an immense piling on and why we see a downturn in historicals today.
One can only hope that publishers learn from the historical lesson and do not make the same mistake in other genres such as paranormal.
Yes, it’s a shame that historical romance has come to mean Regency romance and I hope that changes. I mean, sure Regency is fun, but not all Regency all the time.
I hope Okuly’s book does well for her.
I’m loving that Samhain is giving a venue for historicals from periods we don’t read about often (Viki Gaia’s as well as Okuly’s).
I just meant that it was strange–think of From Here to Eternity, set in Pearl Harbor. Or all those Bogart and Bacall movies. Why wouldn’t a romance set in Hollywood in the 30s not be glamorous? It’s just sort of surprising to an outsider.
Lauren—it’s great to see that variety, I agree.
Eric—One theory I read was that when historical romances started in the 70s to 80s people didn’t want to read about their parents and grandparents, they wanted to read farther back in time. So nothing was published after 1900 and that hasn’t changed much in the last 30 or so years.
I don’t know if the theory is right, but I found it interesting.
So there’s your niche. There’s a whole generation that can barely remember the 70s, for crying out loud. Set an historical romance in say, the Spanish civil war or the San Francisco earthquake. Set it on the eve of the First WW and make one character a German noble and the other an English or Russian noble…