43 thoughts on “Giveaway Day!!!”

1. Best romance novel this past year? Wow! Sooo many! One that sticks out in my head is Diana Cosby’s MacGruder series–I’ve read all but her latest (it’s still in my to read pile), I’ll say “His Conquest” which was the last one I read, as a single title.

   For category I have to say Gail Barrett–she writes Romantic Suspense and her book “Meltdown” was a Rita finalist this year. But she has a new series out this month “The Stealth Knights–High-Risk Reunion” which is in my TRP but her continuation book, “Cowboy under Siege” (last month) was phenomenal!

   Just my opinion but great reads!

   1. Hehehehe, Loni Mermaid, you beat me to it! I’m still debating, there’s no way to pick just one!

2. Woo Hoo! This is going to be so much fun! I can’t wait to read everyone’s faves in the last year. Can I pretty please get things started (obviously not for the gift card but just for the fun of it)?

   My favorite romance novel I’ve read in the last year is…oh man, about ten beloved titles and authors just popped into my head all at once! Okay, I’m gonna have to think about it apparently!!!!! I’ll be back!

3. My favorite romance novel (well…love story) is The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. I read it when I was deployed. I have never read anything like it. I have never seen words stung together so beautifully. Being a guy, describing how this book made me feel was odd, in particular to other guys.

   So even though the book is not a romance novel, I and the book were a true life romance story

4. I know – it seems like an easy question but soooo not! Off the top of my head I’ll say Kristan Higgins’ “Too Good to be True.” I totally see why that won a Rita. So well done and made me feel nice and happy at the end. 😉

5. Thank you, Kerri! Please don’t enter me in the contest, but I wanted to say that one of the best romances I’ve read this year is When Beauty Tamed the Beast by Eloisa James. A tour de force!

   1. Argh, Kristan, I was just going to head over to alert you to the discussion! 🙂

   2. Thanks for visiting us Mermaids, Kristan!!!

6. I’m with you, Kerri! I definitely have to say a Kristan Higgins, but I’m not sure which one. Maybe Too Good To Be True or Catch of the Day.

7. Oooh, Kristan Higgans! I’ll have to let her know, maybe she’ll stop by. I love love loved “My One and Only,” her summer release. I also got a kick out of Hope Ramsay’s “Welcome to Last Chance,” and now I’m reading “Home at Last Chance.” Since I’m not a big fan of dark drama, these are the light, escapist stories I crave.

8. “Too Good to be True” definitely tops my list. Callahan O’Shea…swoon.
   I also loved “All Fired Up” by Kristen Painter–awesome if you love a little Viking in your day and night.
   Then there were other favers like “Wild Man Creek” by Robyn Carr and “First Love Cookie Club” by Lori Wilde.

   But if I have to put one on the top of my list for this year, it’s going to be “Acheron” by Sherrilyn Kenyon. This book was released in 2008, I think, but I’ve read it and listened to it a couple times this year!

   Good luck to everyone in today’s giveaway!

9. And Jill Shalvis’ Lucky Harbor series. Book 3 comes out soon – can’t wait!!!

10. Okay, Kristan’s My One and Only is on my list, but since it’s been listed already, I’ll say Jenny Crusie’s Maybe This Time. I devoured that book, and Crusie is an absolute master at dialogue and conflict, as well as peppering side-splitting humor into her stories while still keeping them serious and engaging. I also adored Barbara O’Neal’s How to Bake a Perfect Life.

    Okay. Too many to list! But those are a few 🙂

11. Fun! OK, here are some of my favorites:
    Hit List – Laurell K. Hamilton
    Original Sin – Allison Brennan
    Trace of Fever, When you Dare, Savor the Danger – Lori Foster
    You Dropped a Blonde on Me – Dakota Cassidy

    Ummm … Kerri you’ve seen my bookshelves I could keep going, but will stop there.

12. Oh, toughie. I’d say Trial by Desire by Courtney Milan. It was not only really amazing, it kept me sane in Istanbul when my boyfriend has a run-in with a stray cat that forced us to have to evacuate for rabies treatment. Nothing like an amazing love story (not to mention fabulous writing) to keep the real world tolerable. 🙂

13. My favorite is “Ellis Island” by Kate Kerrigan … I enjoyed it very much. Thank you for this opportunity!
    reducefootprints at gmail dot com

14. Original Sin by Allison Brennan.

    1. I am still heartbroken her publisher pulled the series. Grrrrr. Fingers crossed she’ll release the rest somewhere else.

15. Texas Blue by Jodi Thomas. I’m not usually a warm and fuzzy romance reader–more the suspense type–but I got this at a conference and found it very compelling. Now I’m a Jodi Thomas fan.
    Who says book give-aways don’t help authors?

16. Chesapeake Blue by Nora Roberts – it’s the 4th in the Chesapeake Bay series and it details the youngest brothers quest to find love. Unlike most romance novels it’s told primarily from the man’s perspective – how he battles against his horrible cruel past with the love of his adopted family and a very special woman who is strong enough to support him when he needs it. Most romance novels are about women who find a man who understands them for their idiosyncracies and improves their lives but Cheseapeake Blue allows “us” to play the part of pillar of strength. It shows that true love requires mettle from both participants!

17. I’m just a simple girl so my tastes lean toward short, sweet books that leave you with a grin on your face. I am a fan of Debbie Macomber. She’s not deep with hidden agendas to follow but I can curl up on the sofa, wrapped in a blanket, sipping coffe in front of the fireplace and totally get lost in her feel good romances. My favortie is her Blossom Street Series. Will try some of the books others have listed as their favorites though. See if they keep me warm on a cold winters night.

18. I just read Robyn de Hart’s Legend Hunter Series and they were great! The series were Regency Romances with an adventurous side. I highly recommend them.

    1. Oh regency is my crack, will have to go look these up. Thanks!

19. Hands down my favorite romance novel this past year has to be Stick Figures by Carlene Love Flores. Like the Twilight fans – it’s left me wanting so much more – to find out what happens next to the ensemble of fascinating characters! So many possibilities!

20. I read the Chicagoland Vampires series this year, and Hard Bitten left my heart broken. Even though the series is not specifically a romance, the romance between Merit and Ethan was very suspenseful and juicy.

21. I only read one full book this past year, it has been a very busy year. However, after reading A Pirate Of Her Own, by Kinley MacGregor (thank you Carlene) I realized reading books is so much more engaging than simply watching TV or reading articles on line. It takes your brain to a whole other place, but I’m sure that’s something all the above posters already know!

    1. “It takes your brain to a whole other place.” What a beautiful way of putting it. Well done, Terry!

22. Wow, that is a really hard question to answer. I’ve read some great romances this past year. So here’s my picks- Kristan Higgins – Until There Was You, Anita Clenney’s – Awaken the Highland Warrior, and Frankie Robertson – Lightbringer.

23. One of the best I read this year was by a brand new author, Sara Humphreys and the story’s called Unleashed. What fun for any paranormal romance lover!

24. I have read so many but but my best picks are Catch a Mate, Gena Showalter – Burning Alive, Shannon K Butcher, and Until There Was you, Kristan Higgins. I love then all and will reread then many times.

25. I love the response for the giveaway! Outstanding.

    You ask for romance, but I am a bad one – I read urban fantasy and horror primarily. So far, my favorite book this year is J.R. Ward’s Covet. But then as soon as I type that I go to J.D. Robb’s Death Series – pick one – but also just downloaded Francis Ray’s “Trouble Don’t Last Always”…recently re-leased…

26. I’ve been on a romance novel kick lately and the one that sticks out for me is one titled “Throwaway” by Heather Huffman. Another I really enjoyed was one called “A Very Special Delivery” by Linda Goodnight.

    1. Cannot stop laughing at your avatar.

27. Hmmm, the Mark of the Lion series…the entire series…Its set in the days of the rising of the roman empire. The turmoil they go through in everyday life…no peace, no real love…they have to conquer their own selfish wants to get the peace they seek. It’s heartbreaking. Even when they find their love it’s not a perfect happy ending. I like it because it’s real. Nobody has a perfect happily ever after…at least not perfect in the way we would think it would be. But it’s perfect for them. It’s by Francine Rivers.

28. I don’t read many romance novels but I did like Daughter of Joy.

29. Elegant, Austen-like, not specifically romance but romantic, one of my favorite books of this year was “Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand” By Helen Simonson.

30. I would have said Kristan Higgins–anything she’s ever written. :-)But, apparently everyone and her mom is chiming in with her books, so I’ll go a different route. I’m going to say Darynda Jones’s book First Grave on the Right and Second Grave on the Left. Awesome books! Can’t wait for the third to come out in January. Paranormal, funny, fun and…hot. Steamy. Go get them! I couldn’t even wait for a bookstore coupon. Paid full hardback price, and I NEVER do that. 🙂 LOL

31. Loving the comments today! I’ve been busy with scouting stuff and now I’m exhausted but the talk of books always gets me going!

    fave books this year . . .

    Divide and Conquer by Urban & Roux

    Real Men Wear Plaid by Rhonda Nelson

    Come Unto These Yellow Sands by Josh Lanyon

    Plus Ones by Hank Edwards

    Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkelles

    Blood and Fire by Shannon McKenna

    Oh . . . I shudder to think of how much money I’ve spent on books this year!

    1. Robin, I read those titles and they conjured up the most outrageous images to me! Dividing and conquering real men wear plaid plus fours and urge their sweeties into these yellow sands, with perfect chemistry and blood and fire in the mix! Are they planning on getting lucky or getting even? PS – in my mind, they wore red plaid golf togs.

       Great titles, everyone! I have a loooong list of potential reads to look for now!

32. The Naked King by Sally MacKenzie.

33. Thank you all so much for participating – all of the Mermaids thank you!!! We do have a winner. Drumroll please… Congratulations Stephanie Queen!

    Stephanie’s favorite romance novel this year was “Texas Blue” by Jodi Thomas. She received this novel as a conference giveaway, read it and found a new favorite author. Stephanie said, “Who says book give-aways don’t help authors?”

    The Mermaids say, “Who says book give-aways don’t help you win Amazon gift cards!” Congratulations, Stephanie!!!

    ***Thank you again to everyone for stopping by. Come back every weekday for more Mermaid thoughts, stories and interviews. And our next giveaway will be held on December 9th. Good luck!***

34. I know I am late for the giveaway but here is my reply…Congrats Stephanie!
    This is a hard question and I must say off the top of my head I am going to say the Nora Roberts ‘Born in…’ series. I really enjoyed those books. I also enjoyed reading this ebook series Wicked Lovely but I cannot remember who wrote them. They were a bit more mystical then romantic but there was some great sexual tention in them.

35. My fav is Home at Last Chance!
    Thanks for this splendid giveaway

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