#theduchessapproach

[pollyssecretlibrary]

theduchessapproach replied to your photo: I just finished this book… and Amazon won’t...

did you enjoy it???? I know it’s a very divisive book for a lot of people but I take it you liked it???

I loved it. I even dreamt of it the last couple of nights... it is so good. The world building, the texts, the characters, the idea of the blurry division between wrong and right, good and evil, the different perspectives... and above everything, Locke Lamora, he's a cat with so many lives some of them are lies, some of them are pure luck, he's the luckiest cat in the world and he's incredibly non trustworthy, but you can't help loving him all the same. The women in the book are never damsels in distress and they're not always young and beautiful, no. Some are brave, some are wise, some are reckless... women and men in this book are all human, with flaws and all. I'm still trying to process everything I've read.

To get you an idea it's Tolkien meets Dickens meets Renaissance Venice meet ninjas... and much more

[ramblingromance]

On the topic of governess romances, Courtney Milan's short story 'A Right Honourable Gentleman' is absolutely amazing. It's only fault is that it's not a full-length novel, but to be honest I'll take what I can get when it's catnip!

One good thing to come out of that post is that people have been recommending governess romance novels to me, and considering I’m still fairly new to the genre I’ll take all the recs I can get. This one will go on my list as well!

[msfehrwight]

theduchessapproach reblogged your photo and added:

It’s so pretty, UK cover?

Yup! <3

[crown-him-with-many-crowns]

Romance Readers - Help?

@msfehrwight, @respectingromance, @w1tchmom, @theduchessapproach and anyone else who might know

A few months back there was a New York Times review of some romances that was insanely patronising and terrible. I need it as a source in an essay but I can’t find it anywhere, does anyone have a link to it?

[theduchessapproach-blog]

mariaslozak mentioned you on a post “One of the things I constantly struggle with when I plan to write...”

@theduchessapproach​, it's all about learning the rules of one's art/craft so one can break them successfully, isn't it :-) So glad for you!

I am so so glad I’ve reached the point in my writing where I feel comfortable breaking rules! So much of writing advice (and I’m assuming this goes for all kinds of art/craft) is about rules and what you should and shouldn’t do, but it can be so FREEING to just throw it all aside and just do whatever you think is good for your project!

[respectingromance]

Romances set outside the US or England/Scotland

… well, mostly.

Recently I put out a call for romance novels set outside the United States, England, or Scotland – for extra difficulty, you could suggest ones without American or English main characters.

We ended up with a decent list! Because I have not personally read most of these, I can’t guarantee that every one has an HEA. If I suspect or know that a book doesn’t have a happy ending, I’ll note so with an ***. 

The notes below are a mix of comments from the contributor and my own research.

Contributed by @honeybeeshepherd

***The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons. Set in the Soviet Union during WWII. The first book does not have an HEA, but @honeybeeshepherd says the series ultimately ends happily.

Contributed by @lizabethstucker​

Shoma Narayanan (author). Writes Harlequin-style romances set in India. Her top-rated romance, Take One Arranged Marriage…, has a 3.55 rating on Goodreads.

Haveli by Zeenat Mahal. Set in 1970s Pakistan, this one has a funny, snarky heroine.

Hidden Husband by Shikha Kaul. Set in India with Indian main characters.

Contributed by @jamjamque

Juliet by Anne Fortier. Set in Sienna, Italy. @jamjamque says there’s no sex in this one.

Contributed by @sequinedably​

@sequinedably​ says Mary Balogh has a book set in Venice, Italy. I don’t doubt this at all, but after spending a not-insignificant amount of time trying to find the title, I gave up.

As You Desire by Connie Brockway. Set in Cairo, Egypt in 1890.

Contributed by @diehard-fangirl​, @not-your-average-romance​, @lucyreadsromance​, and @customerservicebotdolores

Basically everything by Jeannie Lin, whose books are all set in historical China. Specific recs were for The Lotus Palace and Gunpowder Alchemy.

Contributed by @not-your-average-romance​

Rise of a Queen by Chanta Rand. Set in Ghana in 1071. Fair warning: It’s pretty clear from the book summary that the heroine rapes the hero. Rand has also written other books set in Africa.

Mystic Cove series by Tricia O’Malley. Set in Ireland. First book is Wild Irish Heart.

Contributed by @lobsterhug​

Jillaroo by Rachael Treasure. About a lady farmer in Australia.

Contributed by @raspberriesandbumblebees

Victoria Holt (author). Specific recs were The House of a Thousand Lanterns (Hong Kong), The India Fan (India/France), The Pride of the Peacock (Australia), and The Road to Paradise Island (Indonesia). @rasperberriesandbumblebees says these were written in the 60s/70s and none are steamy.

Contributed by @thecrankyagnes​ and @yuubisensei

Hell Squad series by Anna Hackett. Currently at 12 books, all set in post-alien-invasion Australia. First book is called Marcus.

Contributed by @theduchessapproach​

A Company of Swans by Eva Ibbotson. Set in 1912, a significant portion of the story takes place in Brazil.

Magic Flutes by Eva Ibbotson. Set in Austria in 1922.

Contributed by @mariaslozak​

The Gladiator by Carla Capshaw. An inspy set in ancient Rome. The author has others.

The Gladiator’s Honor by Michelle Styles. Set in ancient Rome.

MacEgan Brothers series by Michelle Willingham. Set in Ireland in 1102. First book is Her Warrior Slave. 

Forbidden Vikings series by Michelle Willingham. Set in Ireland in 875. First book is To Sin with a Viking.

***The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury. Set in Middle East. This is a YA Aladdin retelling.

Heart of Flame by Janine Ashbless. Set in 9th century Arabia.

Storm Winds by Iris Johansen. Set in France during the French Revolution.

Dance by Judy Cuevas. Set in Paris, France during the Belle Epoque.

A Midnight Dance by Lila DiPasqua. Set in France. First in Fiery Tales series, others also set outside US/UK. Fairy tale adaptations, this one is Cinderella.

Maiden of Fire by Deborah Johns. Set in France in 1331.

The Wind Dancer by Iris Johansen. Set in Rome, Italy during the Renaissance. 

The Prince of Cups by Gayle Feyrer (or Yves Fey). Set in Florence, Italy in 1493.

Shadowheart by Laura Kinsale. Set in medieval Italy. Heroine was raised in England.

The Thief of Poompuhar by Nila Iyer. Set in India. 

Mistress to the Yuvraj by Sanyogita Rathore. Set in India.

Ghazal in the Moonlight by Alessandra Shabaz. Set in India.

Sonali Dev (author). The book of hers that most fits our parameters is A Change of Heart, although all three of her books feature Indian characters.

Contributed by @alexbookpages​

Anna and the French Kiss and Isla and the Happily Ever After, both by Stephanie Perkins. Set in France. YA romance.

***Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel. Set in Mexico.

Contributed by @meags09

Natasha Anders (author). According to the contributor, she writes romances set in South Africa. I couldn’t confirm settings for her books, the closest I came is A Ruthless Proposition, which includes a one-night-stand in Tokyo.

Contributed by @elenajohansen​

Escape to New Zealand series by Rosalind James. Obviously, set in New Zealand. First book is called Just This Once.

Contributed by @mariesbookblog​

Bound to Be a Groom by Megan Mulry. Set in Spain in 1808.

Contributed by @maddie-grove​ and @mariaslozak​

A Bed of Spices by Barbara Samuel. Set in Strassburg, Germany in 1348. Hero is Jewish. Apparently has a sexist subplot, according to one contributor.

Contributed by @maddie-grove

The Raven and the Rose by Doreen Owens Malek. Set in ancient Rome.

The Iron Rose by Marsha Canham. Set in the Caribbean with a French pirate heroine.

Truly by Mary Balogh. Set in Wales.

Blood Moon Over Bengal by Morag McKendrick Pippin. Set in 1930s India. Hero is half-Indian.

Contributed by @iartiyochi

***Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak. Set in Russia. If the book is anything like the movie, there’s no HEA. (Great movie though.)

Contributed by @romancetherapy

Rock Hard by Nalini Singh. Set in Auckland, New Zealand.

49th Floor series by Jenny Holiday. Set in Toronto, Canada. First book is Saving the CEO.

Contributed by @lucyreadsromance

Patchwork Paradise by Indra Vaughn. Contemporary m/m set in Antwerp, Belgium. One hero is half-American but raised in Belgium.

Roman Crazy by Alice Clayton. Majority set in Italy. The heroine is American but the hero is Italian.

Chocolate Cake for Breakfast by Danielle Hawkins. Set in New Zealand.

The Raven by Sylvain Reynard. Paranormal set in Florence, Italy. 

Finding It by Cora Carmack. NA romance with backpacking heroine, set mostly in Ukraine, Croatia, and Spain. 

Prince of Deception by Valentina Luellen. Set in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1716.

Contributed by @sonya-heaney

This contribution was a list of authors without specific books mentioned, so I went through their most popular books on Goodreads and picked the first one that fit the rules.

Sarah Mayberry (author). The Other Side of Us is set in Australia, at a beach, if I’m not mistaken.

Karina Bliss (author). What the Librarian Did is set in New Zealand.

Amy Andrews (author). No More Mr. Nice Guy is set in Brisbane, Australia.

Nicki Edwards (author). Intensive Care is set in rural Australia.

Bronwyn Parry (author). As Darkness Falls is set in rural Australia.

Barbara Hannay (author). Zoe’s Muster is set in North Queensland, Australia.

Rachael Johns (author). Jilted is set in rural Australia.

Stefanie London (author). The Rules According to Gracie is set in Australia.

Contributed by @linotte-melodieuse 

***The Oracle Glass by Judith Merkle Riley. Set in France.

Thanks for the contributions, everyone! Happy reading!

[darlingofdots]

reminder that my romance blog is @theduchessapproach so if you're into romance novels, women celebrating women, or both, come hang out!

[pollyssecretlibrary]

My Tumblr Crushes:

romancingthebookworm

msfehrwight

notsomolly

ramblingromance

jmrichards

thebooklrandtheduke

mariaslozak

theduchessapproach

charlotteanneromance

It's been a few weeks since I last posted a 'spread the love' special. For some reason I had the impression that I was being a pain in the... well. But it's about time that I thank these women for sharing all their knowledge, their fun, their creativity...

[pollyssecretlibrary]

My Tumblr Crushes:

romancingthebookworm

diehard-fangirl

mariaslozak

notsomolly

brenda-is-reading

ladysansan

cramzydays

theduchessapproach

mfred

This week I want to send a massive hug to Mariaslozak for always sticking with me, for her support, her kindness and last but not least for sharing her wisdom with me and the rest of the community. Thank you for being you darling.

[pollyssecretlibrary]

My Tumblr Crushes:

romancingthebookworm

notsomolly

all-the-kissing-books

thebooklrandtheduke

diehard-fangirl

rivetedbyromance

theduchessapproach

mariaslozak

msfehrwight

On wednesdays I spread the love...

[pollyssecretlibrary]

My Tumblr Crushes:

diehard-fangirl

romancingthebookworm

mariaslozak

all-the-kissing-books

thebooklrandtheduke

cramzydays

ladysansan

theduchessapproach

helloafflatus

These fantastic tumblrers never fail, they can do nothing wrong and they always cheer me up, even when I'm at my worst. That's why I celebrate them.

[pollyssecretlibrary]

My Tumblr Crushes:

diehard-fangirl

romancingthebookworm

notsomolly

thebooklrandtheduke

brenda-is-reading

mariaslozak

mfred

all-the-kissing-books

theduchessapproach

It's wednesday again and I'm glad to see some new faces on my top crushes... hello! warm hugs to all of you follows, followers and readers. I hope you're having a good week.

[pollyssecretlibrary]

My Tumblr Crushes:

romancingthebookworm

seashells-and-bookshelves

thebooklrandtheduke

diehard-fangirl

all-the-kissing-books

theduchessapproach

bookworminabox

romancypants

msfehrwight

I thought I could make this a regular thing, to show my love and appreciation <3 And to spread the word, of course... go follow all of them!

[pollyssecretlibrary]

My Tumblr Crushes:

romancypants

romancingthebookworm

diehard-fangirl

notsomolly

all-the-kissing-books

jmrichards

theduchessapproach

mariaslozak

rivetedbyromance

I chose not to show the percentages (they're shown in the following page) because for me they all matter in the same degree. These are only 9 of my favourite, I have more, of course. ❤️

[msfehrwight]

theduchessapproach replied to your post “mariaslozak replied to your post “I have narrowed the fridge options...”

I'm very sorry and it's probably not what you are going to talk about at all but the first thing I thought of was 'ah yes outdoor sex' because gosh Balogh does a lot of that doesn't she? At least it feels that way to me...

I MEAN. Outdoor sex could easily be incorporated! I was thinking along the lines of a lot of the heroines enjoying gardening and some of the heroes liking gardening and running a country estate and, as in the case of Hartley, landscaping, and how interesting it is that Balogh’s are basically the only Regencies I know where the characters consistently long for the countryside rather than London, and there’s constantly nature and flower mentions and Romanticism in connection with it etc. But the preference for the countryside and the outdoors definitely can include sex. :D

[ramblingromance]

Hey! Love your blog, I am new to the romance community on tumblr too, do you have any blogs you can recommend?

Aww, thank you, and welcome to the community. I feel like there are probably a lot of blogs out there that I don’t even know about yet, so I’ll name a few of my favorites!

@romancingthebookworm, @respectingromance, @msfehrwight, @pollyssecretlibrary, @mariaslozak, @thebooklrandtheduke, @theduchessapproach, @all-the-kissing-books, @tears-of-peppermint-tea 

I’m sure there’s a bunch I’m forgetting or not mentioning, but these are all lovely!