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Saturday, December 11, 2010

Tis the Season... - Anna Campbell

by Anna Campbell

..for great reading!


Hi, everyone! When you read this, I'll be just getting off the cruise ship 'Pacific Dawn' after two weeks steaming around New Zealand. I'm the guest speaker on the White Cloud Wonders cruise and I couldn't be more excited. Here's a link to the cruise: http://www.pocruises.com.au/FindACruise/Pages/CruiseProfile.aspx?CruiseCode=W043N

It's summer in the Southern Hemisphere which coincides with a lot of people down here taking time off work - not to mention all the public holidays like Christmas and New Year.

It's a great chance to dive into a few good books and stay there! What bliss!

So I thought I'd share a couple of great books I've read recently. For some reason, they're all historical although I do tend to read all over the genre.

Anyway, the first of my recommendations is THE DANGEROUS VISCOUNT by Miranda Neville. This is the second in Miranda's wonderful Burgundy Club series and it's gorgeous. Personally I love nerd into hunk stories and this one's a doozy. Our nerd is even a virgin! But when Sebastian Iverley falls madly and immediately in love with Diana Fanshawe, who is pursuing her own agenda, his life turns topsy-turvy. You'll adore Sebastian and I love the way both characters gradually change under the influence of love. It's funny, it's touching and it's really sexy. Honestly, couldn't recommend it more even if I'd written it, LOL!

The second book is three novellas by Lila DiPasqua, her second 'Fiery Tale' volume. I adored her first three erotic takes on classic fairytales, AWAKENED BY A KISS. THE PRINCESS IN HIS BED is equally wonderful. Lila bases her three stories on famous Hans Christian Andersen stories, The Emperor's New Clothes, The Ugly Duckling and The Princess and the Pea. The setting is the decadent, luxurious court of Louis XIV and the stories are hot, smart, emotional and downright addictive. Like Miranda's book, I read this in one sitting!

The last of my recommendations from my recent reading is Emily May's beautiful THE UNMASKING OF A LADY. This was the first book by Emily (who also writes RITA-nominated fantasy as Emily Gee) I'd read and wow, it's fantastic, one of the best historicals I've read this year. It's sweet and emotional and luscious, and yet packs a big sensual punch when it needs to. And I dare you not to fall in love with Adam and Bella! If you have trouble finding this, the Book Depository has it and will send it anywhere in the world post free. Great offer, I think! I've now got all Emily's books at the top of my TBR pile - love it when I discover a brilliant new author.

As it's Christmas, I thought I'd finish up with a seasonal recommendation. I read THE HEART OF CHRISTMAS last Christmas and it's a treat. Three more novellas and every one a gem. Courtney Milan's This Wicked Gift was nominated for a RITA last year which gives you an indication of how lovely that story is. Nicola Cornick's and Mary Balogh's stories are both reprints but new to me and I loved both of them. Even had a little cry! I closed this volume with a blissful sigh and a big happy smile! Just the thing for this time of year!

So happy reading, everyone, and I hope you all have a very happy Festive Season, however you celebrate it.

So what great books have you read lately?

18 comments:

Christina Hollis said...

A great post, and aren't all those covers lovely? At the moment I'm working my way slowly through 'Last Act in Palmyra' by Lindsey Davis as my husband has been buying me the Falco series in order for birthdays, anniversaries etc. so I'm hoping to finish this one on Christmas Eve.

Vanessa Barneveld said...

Ahoy there, Anna! Thanks for all these recommendations. I'm very excited about Emily May's latest.

Sadly, I haven't had a chance to read anything lately! I stepped off the NaNoWriMo ride recently and I'm still decompressing. My TBR pile is teetering.

Helen said...

Welcome back Anna sounds like you had a blast

Great recomendations I have Lila's first book on the TBR pile won't be long and I will be reading that one.

I have just finished Beth Andrew's A Marine For Christmas and what a fantastic story so emotional I loved it. I am reading a Christmas one I bought last year at the moment 3 stories Regency Christmas Weddings the first by Nicola Cornick The Pirates Kiss loved it then Margaret McPhee A Smugglers Tale loved that one and the 3rd is Miranda Jarrett The Sailors Bride and am loving this one as well. I also have The Heart of Christmas here to read as well and Miranda Neville's and I have heard lots of great things about Emily May's book so I need to get that one. Just need more time LOL

Have Fun
Helen

Anna Campbell said...

Christina, I've had some great reads this year and I always love sharing books I've enjoyed. I love the Falcos - Annie West is a HUGE fan and has been gradually lending them to me. Lovely central relationship, isn't it?

Anna Campbell said...

Vanessa, congratulations for winning Nanowrimo!!! Yay, you! I've since read Emily's BEAUTY AND THE SCARRED HERO and it's great too. Got THE EARL'S DILEMMA lurking in the TBR pile - I'll have to dig it out and put it on the top.

Anna Campbell said...

Ha ha, Helen, I hear you on the more time thing. I need a clone who does nothing but read. Mind you, maybe she should handle life and I would do the reading - I think that would be a much better arrangement. I've got Beth's latest. Meant to read it on the cruise but I was so busy, I didn't get nearly as many books under my belt as I'd hoped to.

Emily May said...

Hi Anna -- I hope you had a fabulous time on the cruise (and that NZ wowed you)!

I can foresee more books on my to-buy list -- thanks for the recommendations! The virgin hero has me utterly intrigued, and I love the sound of erotic takes on fairy tales! (And I'm glad you enjoyed The Unmasking of a Lady so much!)

Snap on the Falco books! I've got most of them -- I particularly love the very first one, The Silver Pigs. Brilliant, brilliant book!

Lila DiPasqua said...

How wonderful, Anna! Hope you had a great time on the White Cloud Wonders cruise! I'm so delighted you liked THE PRINCESS IN HIS BED, too. :) Thanks so much for placing me in such fine company!

Hugs,
Lila

Miranda Neville said...

Hi Anna
- welcome back. Can't wait to get the full report on your cruise. Thanks so much for the shout out to TDV and Sebastian. And thanks for the other recs. I always like your taste (natch :))

Nas said...

Hi Anna, Thanks for all these recommendations.

My TBR pile gets smaller and I turn around it's piled up again!

Anna Campbell said...

Emily, I LOVED that first Falco book. And it's a really lovely romance as well as an intriguing mystery and a wonderful historical recreation of Ancient Rome, isn't it? I had a marvellous time in New Zealand. Sorry we didn't get to catch up. Read your wonderful BEAUTY AND THE SCARRED HERO while I was away too. You are a fabulous writer, m'dear!

Anna Campbell said...

Lila, when I decided to do this blog, I'd just had a wonderful run of reading and I love sharing books I really enjoyed with other people. New Zealand was fantastic! I hope to put up some pics next month here when I blog. I took 600 - there's plenty to share around, LOL! And congratulations again on your wonderful Princess in His Bed.

Anna Campbell said...

Miranda, I think I'll be dining out on cruise stories for a while! And you're most welcome - you know how much I adored your Viscount. I keep telling you! And seriously check out the other books - they're all great.

Anna Campbell said...

Nas, I took a stack of books away with me to New Zealand but I only got through a couple. Too busy on cruise things! I hear you on the TBR pile!

Nas said...

Hi Anna, just a question...did your cruising took in the smaller Island countries of the South Pacific or just to NZ? Fiji is also a lovely place to visit and cruise ships calls in Suva and Lautoka ports.

pjpuppymom said...

Welcome back, Anna! Can't wait to hear all about the cruise.

I've been working a lot more hours than expected at my holiday job so my reading has dropped off significantly. I enjoyed The Dangerous Viscount and have the Lila diPasqua book in my tbr. My latest read was Homecoming Day, a Harlequin SuperRomance by Holly Jacobs. I loved it!

Anna Campbell said...

Nas, this particular one was just New Zealand. Basically three days across the Tasman Sea, then stops in Auckland, Rotorua, Napier, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and a day's cruising in fiordland which was amazing. Then three days home again.

Anna Campbell said...

Hey, PJ, great to see you! Isn't it terrible when real life interferes with your reading! I know the feeling. Must keep an eye out for the Holly Jacobs. Glad you're a fan of the Viscount! Thanks for the welcome back!