The AAR Seventeen in 17 Reading Challenge
The annual Reading Challenge that used to run on the Message Boards has been one of AAR’s most popular features, and a few weeks back, we asked for suggestions and prompts for the 2017 Challenge, which we’re going to run here on the AAR blog.Goal: Clear books that have been on your TBR for a month or more.
Rules: (Totally not enforced so feel free to be freewheeling with them!) Choose a challenge, and then read 17 (or 10 or 12) books that match the criteria listed within the challenge to complete it.
Here’s how it’s going to work: At the beginning of every month, there will be a blog post for you to comment about the books you read throughout the month – this is the post for January. You can just list the titles of the books you read, or you can write a short review, or whatever you like – if you participated in previous challenges at the Boards, then you know how it works, and you can post as much or as little, as often or as infrequently as you like.
We’ve had some fabulous suggestions for this year’s challenge – so without further ado, here they all are!
Happy Reading![/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_accordion divider_line=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_toggle title=”17 Fun Facts (submitted by Karat)” open=”no”]1) The number 17 has wide significance in pure mathematics.
Read a book where one of the main characters is a mathematician, scientist, professor or student. Or read a book with 17 chapters. Or the 17th book in a series, or the 17th book in a “Top Something” list (for instance, the 17th book at AAR 2013 Top 100 list is The Black Hawk by Joanna Bourne).
2) Seventeen is the name of a popular South Korean boy band.
Read a book where one of the main characters is a musician, knows how to sing or play an instrument. Or a book where one of the main characters is Asian (or of Asian descent). Or read a contemporary book.
3) Number Seventeen is a movie directed by Alfred Hitchcock
Read a book where one of the main characters works in the entertainment industry. Or read a mystery or suspense book.
4) In the Harry Potter universe, 17 is the coming of age for wizards. It is equivalent to the usual coming of age at 18.
Read young adult book. Or read a fantasy book.
5) The number of guns in a 17-gun salute to U.S. Army, Air Force and Marine Corps Generals, and Navy and Coast Guard Admirals.
Read a book where one of the main characters is, or used to be, in the military. Or read a book where war is an important factor in the plot. Or read a book where one of the main characters owns a gun.
6) In the Nordic countries, the seventeenth day of the year is considered the heart and/or the back of winter.
Read a book set in winter, or at a cold place, or set in the Nordic countries. Or a book with the words “heart”, “winter”, “day” or “year” in the title.
7) In Italian culture, the number 17 is considered unlucky.
Read a book set in Italy, or where one of the main characters is Italian (or of Italian descent). Or read a book where one of the main characters makes a bet, or is a gambler. Or a book where one of the main characters is “down on luck”.
8) 17 is the number to call Police in France.
Read a book set in France, or where one of the main characters is French (or of French descent). Or read a book where one of the main characters is a police officer, a detective or a private investigator.
9) 17 is the declared percentage alcohol content (by volume) of Baileys Irish Cream – an Irish whiskey and cream based liqueur, made by Gilbeys of Ireland.
Read a book set in Ireland, or where one of the main characters is Irish (or of Irish descent). Or read a book where one of the main characters works in a restaurant or bar.
10) 17 is the atomic number of chlorine. The most common compound of chlorine, sodium chloride (common salt), has been known since ancient times.
Read a book where one of the main characters knows how to cook. Or read a historical romance.
11) “Chicago 17”, is a 1984 album by the band Chicago
Read a book set in Chicago, or at any large city. Or a book set in North America.
Or read a book set in the 80s.
12) The jersey number 17 has been retired by several North American sports teams in honor of past playing greats or other key figures. Curiously, however, no NFL team has retired the number yet.
Read a book where one of the main characters works in sports. Or a book where one of the main characters retires, or makes a career change.
13) “17 Again” is a 2009 American comedy film directed by Burr Steers. In the movie Mike (Matthew Perry) has to relive what it is like to be teenager – almost like time traveling…
Read a time-travel book. Or a funny romance. Or a book where one of the main characters is 37 years-old or 17 years-old.
14) “City 17” is a dystopian metropolitan area in Eastern Europe that forms the primary setting for the game Half-Life 2.
Read a Science Fiction/Dystopian book. Or a book set in Europe.
15) A Haiku is a very short form of Japanese poetry. Traditional haiku consist of 17 syllables, in three phrases of 5, 7, and 5 on respectively.
Read where one of the main characters is a writer, or likes poetry. Or a book that is divided in three parts –for instance, a book that has a prologue, a main part, and an epilogue. Or a read a short-length book.
16) In the US, 17 is the age at which one may watch, rent, or purchase R-rated movies without parental consent.
Read an erotic book, or read a book that was rated as “Hot” or “Burning” at AAR, or a book that you would rate as “Hot” or “Burning”.
17) The fear of the number 17 is called ‘heptadecaphobia’ or ‘heptakaidekaphobia’.
Read a book where one of the main characters gets scared or afraid. Or read a book with a vampire, werewolf, or any character that can be considered “scary”.[/fusion_toggle][fusion_toggle title=”Alphabet Challenge (submitted by Caz and Library Addict)” open=”no”]Read 10, 12 or 17 books where the titles or authors’ names begin with the first 17 letters of the alphabet.[/fusion_toggle][fusion_toggle title=”Letter Q Challenge (submitted by Maggie B)” open=”no”]The 17th Letter of the Alphabet is Q. Read 17 (or 10, or 12) Books that have something to do with the letter Q. Here is a list to get you started:
- Quiz – read a book that involves games or competitions, such as a card playing hero or an h/h that make a wager or gambling in some way.
- Quill – read a book about a writer or someone who makes their living through writing or words such as lawyers or advertising execs or politicians.
- Quartet – Read a book with a strong secondary romance or where two couples fall in love. Or the fourth book in a series or a series made up of four books.
- Quack – We often call a bad doctor a quack. Read a medical romance or a romance with a con artist.
- Queen – Read a romance with royalty or the nobility.
- Quickie – Read an erotic romance, or a romance that starts with a one night stand.
- Quixotic – exceedingly idealistic; unrealistic and impractical. Read a romance a sci-fi/fantasy romance or a romance that has an unrealistic premise like a Duke marrying the governess.
- Quality – Read an award winning romance.
- Quintet – Read five books in a series or the fifth book in a series
- Quirky – Read a book with a quirky hero or heroine, such as a Susan Elizabeth Phillips book.
- Quilter – Read an Amish romance or a book about a heroine who is in fashion or sews. Or a book with quilt in the title.
- Quiet – Read a book with a shy hero or heroine, or a loner. General idea: Read a book about someone who is alone or considered quiet (like a librarian) for some reason.
- Quote – Read a book with a famous quote or song title/song lyrics in the title or a variation on a song lyric/song title (ie Earls Just Wanna Have Fun)
- Quit – Read a book about a h/h who change in career or are forced to move.
- Quest – Read a book that involves a quest or a search of some kind. Can be searching for a child or a criminal etc.
- Qadi – a qadi is an Islamic judge. Read a book that involves a judge or a book about characters in or from the Middle East.
- Quaint- which means attractively unusual or old fashioned. Read an older romance (more than a decade old.)
Historical Romance
Contemporary Romance
Paranormal Romance
Fantasy Romance
Romantic Suspense
Romantic Comedy
Multi-Cultural Romance
LGBT Romance
Inspirational Romance
New Adult/YA Romance
Western Romance
Holiday Romance
Science Fiction Romance
Military Romance
Sports Romance
Time Travel Romance
Gothic Romance[/fusion_toggle][fusion_toggle title=”The Floral Challenge (submitted by Maggie B.)” open=”no”]Read 10, 12 or 17 Books based on the language of flowers
Amaryllis- dramatic. Read a book with high drama, like an Epic romance or a Downton Abbey style romance.
Apple Blossom –promise. Read a reunion book where the promise of love is originally broken and then rediscovered. Or a book that involves a promise or vow in some way.
Azalea- abundance. Read a book where the h/h are wealthy. Or a book with millionaire/billionaire/duke/tycoon in the title.
Baby’s Breath – festivity. Read a book that revolves around a party of some kind or where the h/h meet at a party. Alternately, read a book where the h/h have a child(ren) or where they are together because of a pregnancy.
Bird of Paradise – Read a romance with an exotic location.
Carnation – White carnations suggest pure love, read a “clean” or inspirational romance.
Chrysanthemum- A chrysanthemum is the symbol of the throne of Japan. Read a romance set in Japan or anywhere in Asia.
Crocus- foresight. Read a novel where one of the characters has “the sight” of some kind –dreams, visions, clairvoyance etc. Or read a paranormal romance. Or a romance involving a prophecy.
Daffodil -chivalry. Read a medieval romance.
Forget-Me-Not remember me forever – or don’t. Read a novel with an amnesia plot or conversely, where the h/h are childhood sweethearts and have been together forever. Or a reincarnation plot.
Larkspur – beautiful spirit. Read a novel with a ghost or spirits or where the h/h can talk to spirits (medium)
Lavender – distrust. Read a book with a big misunderstanding.
Lilac – first love. Read a book that is about a first love.
Magnolia- dignity. Read a book that involves a matter of honor or that has honor in the title. Alternately, in America we associate magnolias with the south. Read a book that takes place in the Southern U.S.
Nasturtium- patriotism. Read a book that takes place during a war. Or with a military hero/heroine.
Orchid- sympathy. Read a book revolving around a death, someone being ill or a will.
Passion flower- passion. Read a “hot” romance.
Poinsettia – the Christmas flower. Read a Christmas or winter romance or a book with snow/winter scene on the cover.
Rhododendron- beware. Read a romantic suspense or a book with “fear” or a variation of that theme in the title.
Rose- yellow friendship. Read a friends to lovers romance.
Read a book with a flower in the title such as For the Roses, A Gift of Daisies etc.[/fusion_toggle][fusion_toggle title=”The Location Challenge (submitted by Maggie B.)” open=”no”]Option 1: The United States Challenge
Read a book set in each of the first 17 states in the Union or read 17 books set in 17 different states in the union (can be the first 17 or any of the 50 states). National Geographic breaks the U.S. into five different areas – read a total of 17 books where each of those areas is represented at least once. They are West, Southwest, Midwest, Southeast, and Northeast. Or read 17 books in the U.S. historical period during which the first seventeen states are set up. Or any combination thereof.
Delaware 1 December 7, 1787
Pennsylvania 2 December 12, 1787
New Jersey 3 December 18, 1787
Georgia 4 January 2, 1788
Connecticut 5 January 9, 1788
Massachusetts 6 February 6, 1788
Maryland 7 April 28, 1788
South Carolina 8 May 23, 1788
New Hampshire 9 June 21, 1788
Virginia 10 June 25, 1788
New York 11 July 26, 1788
North Carolina 12 November 21, 1789
Rhode Island 13 May 29, 1790
Vermont 14 March 4, 1791
Kentucky 15 June 1, 1792
Tennessee 16 June 1, 1796
Ohio 17 March 1, 1803
Option 2: Read 17 books set in 17 different locations. Can be fantasy worlds.[/fusion_toggle][fusion_toggle title=”The Whittler ” open=”no”]Whittle away at your TBR by reading any 10, 12 or 17 books in the pile.[/fusion_toggle][fusion_toggle title=”The Serie(ou)s Challenge ” open=”no”]Read any 10, 12 or 17 books that are part of a series. Can be a mix such as the The Huxtable Quintet, The Pennyroyal Green series, The Wallflower series, etc. Different authors, different sagas but they are all series books.[/fusion_toggle][fusion_toggle title=”New to You (submitted by Maggie B.)” open=”no”]Read 5 books from new to you authors.
Read 5 books from a new to you sub-genre or genres.
Read 5 début romance novels.
Read 2 “first” books – first in a series, first by an author, first book in a publishing line, books published in the first year of a century or decade etc.[/fusion_toggle][fusion_toggle title=”The Cocktail Challenge (submitted by Maggie B.) ” open=”no”]This challenge uses famous drinks as our starting point. Read 10, 12 or 17 books from any of the following categories:
Angel Face- Read an angel or demon romance.
Arnold Palmer – Read a book where the h/h is a golfer or works in a profession typically associated with golf, such as lawyer, accountant, real estate agent or read a book set in Scotland or about Scottish characters.
Aviation – Read a novel where the h/h is a pilot or works with planes in some way.
Boilermaker- Read a book about a working class hero/heroine.
Bee’s Knees – Read a book set in the roaring 20s or 30s.
Bloodhound – Read a book where the h/h has a dog or other pet is or a veternarian. Or works with animals in some way.
Blue Lagoon – Read a book where the h/h are stranded for some portion of the story or road trip or cabin romance.
Buttery Nipple – Read a book where the h/h is a baker or cook.
Casino – Read a book that involves a casino, gambler or a bet.
Chicago Cocktail – Read a book set in Chicago or a book about firemen.
Churchill – Read a book set in WWII.
Clover Club Cocktail – Read a book set in Ireland or with Irish characters. Or a book with “lucky” in the title.
French Connection – Read a book set in France, or a book about police officers as in the movie The French Connection.
Four Horsemen – These gents are associated with the apocalypse. Read an apocalyptic or futuristic romance.
Four Score – Read a book set in the Civil War era.
Fuzzy Naval – Read a book where a character has amnesia or mental illness (PTSD, depression etc.) or where the past is a significant factor.
Grasshopper – Read a book where the h/h is a farmer or landscaper or florist or works with the land in some way.
Horse’s Neck – Read a book where the h/h works with horses, is a cowboy/cowgirl or a book set in Kentucky horse country.
Hot Toddy – Read a book about an old maid.
Incredible Hulk – Read a book where the h or h has a dual identity or where they are pretending to be someone they are not or where they are a contradiction (virgin sex therapist, virgin erotica writer, virgin prostitute/mistress etc.)
London Fog – Read a book about a weather person or where the weather plays a significant part of the plot or read a book set wholly or partly in London.
Margarita – Read a book set in Mexico or Spain or with Hispanic or Spanish characters.
Savoy Corpse Reviver – Read a book involving ghosts or zombies.
Salty Dog – Read a book about a sailor, set on the sea or where the h/h are involved with water in a professional capacity (marine biologist, scuba diver, pool company, lifeguard etc.) or live near the water.
Shirley Temple – Read a book about a teacher or someone who works with kids or a book where the h/h is a single parent or where a pregnancy is important to the plot.
Sidecar – Sidecars are used for passengers on motor cycles. Read a book about a biker or someone who works with motorcycles.
Slippery Nipple – Read a book where the h/h is a thief or criminal/mobster or believed to be one.
Stinger – Read a book about a beekeeper or a novel with honey in the title.
Tom and Jerry – Read a book about an artist or cartoonist.
Vesper Martini – This drink was invented and named by Ian Fleming in the 1953 James Bond novel Casino Royale. Read a book about spies, FBI agents, CIA agents or alphabet letter/secret agencies of any kind.[/fusion_toggle][fusion_toggle title=”The Breakfast Cereal Challenge (submitted by Library Addict)” open=”no”]Read 10, 12, or 17 books which fit the following categories:
All-Bran (1916) = This cereal is marketed as an aid to digestive health. Read a romance where the hero or heroine is involved with the health services industry, e.g. doctor, nurse, paramedic, physical therapist, etc.
Alpha Bits (1958) = Read a romance where the hero or heroine is involved with education, e.g. teacher, principal, school counselor, etc. Or a romance where the hero or heroine has an occupation involving writing, e.g. author, reporter, editor, etc.
Cap’n Crunch (1963) = Read a romance where the hero or heroine is in the Coast Guard, Navy, or another branch of the military. Or a police officer, sheriff, deputy, etc.
Cheerios (1941) = Read a humorous romance.
Chex (1937) = Chex mix is a popular holiday treat. Read a romance set during Christmas time or any other holiday.
Cocoa Pebbles/Fruity Pebbles (1969) = these cereals are the oldest brands based on characters from a TV or movie. In honor of The Flintstones, read an historical romance.
Corn Flakes (1907) = Read a romance in which the hero or heroine is a farmer or lives on a farm or ranch.
Count Chocula/Franken Berry (1971) & Boo-Berry (1972) = Read a paranormal romance.
Frosted Flakes (1952) = The mascot for this cereal is Tony the Tiger. Read a paranormal romance where the hero or heroine has the ability to shift into an animal.
Golden Crisp (1947) / Honey Smacks (1953) = These contain the most sugar content of all breakfast cereals. Read a “sweet” romance or one that is “kisses only.”
Golden Grahams (1976) = Read a romance featuring an older hero and/or heroine.
Grape-Nuts (1897) = This a cereal people either love or hate. Read a friends-to-lovers or enemies-to-lovers romance. Or read a romance where the hero or heroine is a dentist.
Honeycomb (1965) = A honeycomb is a structure of adjoining cavities or cells. Read a romance that is part of a series.
Life (1961) = Read a romance where the hero or heroine is at a turning point in their life. Or read a romance featuring multi-generational characters.
Lucky Charms (1964) = This cereal has a leprechaun mascot. Read a romance set in Ireland. Or read a paranormal romance featuring magic or magical creatures (fairies, dragons, etc.)
Mini-Wheats (1978) = Read a novella or short-story.
Muesli (1900) = Created by a Swiss physician. Read a romance set in Europe.
Nutri-Grain (1976) = This cereal was first introduced in Australia. Read a romance set in Australia or New Zealand.
Oatmeal/Porridge (1854) = Read a “hot” or erotic romance.
Product 19 (1967) = Read a Young Adult or New Adult romance (none of the characters need be 19).
Rice Krispies (1929) = The mascots for this cereal are Snap, Crackle and Pop. Read a romance that is part of a trilogy. Or read a ménage romance.
Special K (1955) = This cereal is marketed as a way to lose weight. Read a romance in which the hero or heroine undergoes some sort of makeover. Or read a romance where the hero or heroine’s name begins with the letter K.
Total (1961) = Read any book in your TBR pile if needed to make your goal (or total *wink*).
Trix (1954) = “Silly rabbit, Trix are for kids.” Read a romance in which the hero and/or heroine have children.
Vector = sold only in Canada. Read a romance set in Canada.
Wheaties (1924) = “The Breakfast of Champions.” This cereal features athletes on the box. Read a romance in which the hero or heroine is involved with sports, e.g. athlete, coach, team owner, etc.[/fusion_toggle][fusion_toggle title=”Seventeen Magazine(s)! Challenge (submitted by Sandlynn)” open=”no”]There are a lot more than 17 magazines listed below. Select at least 10 or as many as 17 from those below and follow the requirements laid out.
Bon Appetite – Read a romance in which the setting is a diner, restaurant, bakery or involves any job in the hospitality industry, such as a bed and breakfast. Or read a romance involving at least some French characters.
Cat Fancy/Modern Dog – Read a romance which features a pet or pets as supporting characters.
Cosmopolitan – Read a romance in which the heroine is “an experienced lady,” mistress, or playgirl.
Entertainment Weekly – Read a romance featuring a hero or heroine who works in *any* form of the arts or entertainment, whether it be acting, writing, dancing, singing, visual arts, or sports, etc.
Family Circle – Read a romance from a series of books which features a member from one family, group of friends, or colleagues in each book.
Field and Stream – Read a romance set on a farm, a ranch, or a working estate. Or, read a romance about an outdoorsman/woman.
Fortune/Money – Read a romance in which the hero and/or heroine are the scion or heir/heiress of a wealthy family. Or read a romance in which the hero and/or heroine is a self-made man or woman of wealth. Or read a romance in which the hero or heroine is pursuing someone with a fortune or who will inherit a fortune.
Ladies Home Journal – Read a Regency, a “just kisses” romance, or an inspirational. Or, playing off the word journal, read an epistolary romance, featuring either letter writing or modern day emails, texting, and tweeting.
Men’s Health/Women’s Day – Read a romance featuring a same sex romance, whether as the main romantic pair or supporting characters.
Mother Jones/The Weekly Standard – In homage to journals reflecting two sides of the U.S. political spectrum, read a romance in which the hero and heroine are on two sides of an issue whether political, business, environmental, social, or cultural and butt heads over it. Or, read a romance in which the hero and/or heroine are in politics.
National Geographic – Read a romance in which the hero and/or heroine set off on an adventure or visit/travel to an exotic (to them) land.
Parents – Read a romance where the hero or heroine is dealing with/taking care of an “elderly” parent and/or is a parent themselves.
People – Read a romance featuring multiple couples in the same story, like an ensemble cast. Or, read a book from the chick lit genre in which the heroine has one or more relationships before finding “the one”!
Playboy – Read a romance where the hero is considered a rake or a player. Or read an erotic romance.
Popular Mechanics – Read a romance in which the hero and/or heroine works with their hands, whether with machinery, with flora and fauna, or in the service industry.
Popular Science – Read a romance in which the hero and/or heroine work in the science field, including medicine. Or read a futuristic romance.
Rolling Stone – Read a romance in which the hero and/or heroine are in the music business. Or read a romance in which either of the lead characters are black sheep or rebels. Or read a romance where most of the action takes place “on the road.”
Seventeen Magazine – Read a young adult or new adult romance.
Southern Living – Read a romance set in “the South,” whether the Southern U.S. or the Southern half of the planet, such as Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina, etc.
Sports Illustrated – Read a romance featuring a sports theme and athletes or one involving a hero, heroine, or both who are artists.
The Economist – This is about economy. Read a novella, an anthology, or a category romance less than 200 pages.
The New Yorker – Read a romance set in New York City or set in any major, international city with a large population. Or, read an Urban Fantasy.
Time – Read a romance set at least 100 years in the past, any time in the future, or which involves time travel.
Travel and Leisure – Read a romance set during a vacation or a holiday.
TV Guide – Read a romance in which the hero and/or heroine are actors, producers, screenwriters, or personalities (like celebrity chefs or reality “stars”) in any form of entertainment, including[/fusion_toggle][fusion_toggle title=”At Seventeen (submitted by Sandlynn)” open=”no”]At Seventeen by Janis Ian
Based on the lyrics of the song and the requirements outlined below, read from 10 to 17 books for this challenge.
I learned the truth at seventeen that love was meant for beauty queens
Read a romance in which the heroine is or was a beauty queen, in a pageant, a model, or works in the “beauty industry” in any way, from fashion designing, to photography, to magazine work. Or, read a romance in which our hero works in the fashion/beauty industry in any way.
And high school girls with clear-skinned smiles who married young and then retired.
Read a young adult or new adult romance. Or, read a romance where our lead couple either married or attempted to marry at 21 years or younger, even if they did not stay together. Or, read a romance where the hero and heroine are over 40.
The valentines I never knew, the Friday night charades of youth
Read a romance set during any national holiday or a romance in which a significant part of the action takes place at a house party.
Were spent on one more beautiful. At seventeen I learned the truth.
In homage to learning the truth, read a romantic mystery or suspense novel. Or read a romance where the hero and/or heroine is a private detective, police officer, attorney or judge. Or, read a romance which features a big reveal with huge consequences, e.g., the discovery of an unknown parent, or the “dreaded” secret baby, or an unexpected inheritance.
And those of us with ravaged faces, lacking in the social graces,
Read a romance in which the hero or heroine are thought of (or think of themselves) as plain and/or read a romance where the hero or heroine is socially a duck-out-of-water in the setting of the novel, whether a country bumpkin, city slicker, or foreigner. Or read a Pygmalion type novel, where a character is transformed physically and/or psychologically.
Desperately remained at home, inventing lovers on the phone
Read a romance where the hero or heroine are returning to their home or hometown after living away, or a novel in which the hero or heroine never left the family home despite being an adult. Or a romance in which the hero and heroine *pretend* to be lovers, engaged, married, or romantically involved with each other for any reason.
Who called to say, “Come dance with me, ” and murmured vague obscenities.
Read a romance in which the hero and/or heroine are involved in dance, music, the theater, or any of the performing arts. Or, read an erotic romance.
It isn’t all it seems at seventeen.
Things aren’t what they seem, so read a paranormal romance. Or read a romance where the hero and/or heroine are in disguise or are spies.
A brown-eyed girl in hand-me-downs whose name I never could pronounce
In recognition of people who are “different,” read a romance in which the hero or heroine is from another country from which the story is set and is either a visitor, immigrant, or alien. This could also be a fantasy, time travel, or sci fi romance where one of the lead characters is fantastical or from another world.
Said, “Pity, please, the ones who serve; they only get what they deserve.
Read a romance featuring a hero and/or heroine who is serving or has served in the military. Or, read a romance in which the hero or heroine is or was a servant of some sort, i.e., gardener, chauffeur, maid, chef, governess, landscaper, butler, groom, etc.
The rich-relationed hometown queen marries into what she needs.
Read a romance where the hero and/or heroine seeks or is taking part in a marriage for money or read a romance where the hero or heroine is pursued for their money. Or read a romance where an untitled heiress or a self-made man of wealth is seeking a connection to a titled or aristocratic family.
A guarantee of company and haven for the elderly.
Read a romance where the hero or heroine is “paid for the guarantee of their company” either sexually or simply as an escort. Or, read a romance where the heroine is a paid lady’s companion or governess. Or, alternatively, read a romance where the hero or heroine is taking care of or dealing with a parent as a subplot to the story.
Remember those who win the game lose the love they sought to gain.
In a bow to lost love, read a romance where the lead couple has been separated for a period of time or a romance where the hero or heroine has unrequited feelings for someone. (The object of their unrequited affections doesn’t have to be the hero or heroine.)
In debentures of quality and dubious integrity.
I’ve got nothing! Read any romance you like from your TBR pile. (Quality or integrity is a matter of opinion.)
Their small-town eyes will gape at you in dull surprise when payment due exceeds accounts received at seventeen.
Read a romance set in a small town and/or one in which the hero and/or heroine is trying to help rescue a failing or struggling business.
To those of us who know the pain of valentines that never came, and those whose names were never called when choosing sides for basketball.
This is about disappointment. Read a romance in which the hero’s or heroine’s significant other or marital partner broke up or left them, or a romance in which one of the leads has been fired, pushed out of their job, or unexpectedly, not promoted. Or, read a romance in which the hero or heroine has been left out of or has to share an inheritance.
It was long ago and far away; the world was much younger than today
Read an historical romance — the earlier in history, the better.
And dreams were all they gave away for free to ugly duckling girls like me.
Read a book in which any of the words — dream, dreams, or dreaming — is in the title. Or, read a romance in your TBR pile that was given to you for free.
We all play the game and when we dare to cheat ourselves at solitaire.
Read a romance involving a hero and/or heroine involved in a sport, either team sports or individual. (The character doesn’t have to be an athlete. They could be a manager, agent, promoter, etc.) Or, read a romance in which the hero, the heroine, or both are in a competition of any sort, e.g. competing in a cooking competition, for instance.
Inventing lovers on the phone, repenting other lives unknown
Repent! Read a romance in which the hero or heroine is turning their back on or running away from bad choices or a “bad life,” i.e., crime, alcohol, delinquency, an abusive family. Or read a romance in which one of the lead characters is or was a religious figure, such as a minister, priest, nun, etc.
That call and say, “Come dance with me, ” and murmur vague obscenities
This line of lyrics is repeated in Janis Ian’s song. Therefore, read not one, but two books in the same romance series or two romances involving the same characters. They can each, separately, count towards your total read for this challenge.
At ugly girls like me at seventeen
No one here is ugly but sometimes we expect some books might be. Read a romance in your TBR pile that you have been avoiding. Yes, I am doing you a favor![/fusion_toggle][/fusion_accordion][fusion_text]There’s no official “sign up” – just get reading and then post about what you’ve read as and when you choose. There are some great prompts here and we’re looking forward to seeing your choices and your comments.[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]
The Cocktail Challenge
Buttery Nipple – Read a book where the h/h is a baker or cook.
Cupcakes and Crushes by Keri Ford – heroine is a baker: There were a lot of family connections: the heroine had dated the hero’s older brother in high school who cheated on her with one of her half-sisters. Another half-sister wanted to date the hero and wouldn’t take no for an answer. The heroine’s grandparents tricked her into coming back to town to temporarily take over her grandfather’s bakery without telling her one of the wedding cakes she was to make was for her half-sister and her ex who were now getting married. I thought that was a creepy thing for them to do, especially when they continued to be so manipulative. We’re meant to sympathize that the heroine had a crappy childhood and couldn’t wait to leave the small town behind, but of course in the end she decided to move back because her feeling that way for so many years was suddenly a mistake. I liked the hero for the most part, but really wished he’d decided they both needed to leave town. Some likeable parts, but overall a very disappointing read.
Seventeen Magazine(s)! Challenge
Time – Read a romance set at least 100 years in the past, any time in the future, or which involves time travel.
Star Cruise: Marooned by Veronica Scott – set in the future: The hero had been forced to retire from Special Forces. He took a temporary job with a cruise line in an effort to get to know the heroine better. She’d been burned before, so made it a practice not become involved with her co-workers. Their flirtation took a backseat once they were abandoned during a shore excursion. The author’s willingness to kill off so many secondary characters ramped up the suspense. I liked that the h/h had known each other for a while before becoming involved and that they concentrated only on survival until they were free to explore their feelings. I wish there had been an epilogue or more page time when they weren’t in danger. But overall a nice installment of her Sectors series.
~
The Breakfast Cereal Challenge: 2 down, 15 to go…
Seventeen Magazine(s)! Challenge: 5 down, 12 to go…
The Alphabet Challenge Variation: 2 down, 15 to go…
The Cocktail Challenge: 4 down, 13 to go…
Simply Seventeen Challenge (The Whittler) – Novellas: 1 down, 16 to go…
The 20th Century Challenge: completed!
The Alphabet Challenge:
The next book I decided to pick up for this challenge is one that’s gotten a lot of attention lately, The Hating Game by Sally Thorne. I won’t go into summarizing the plot since the book has been reviewed here and has been chosen as a favorite by multiple reviewers. (I will agree with some who commented on the review that I would’ve appreciated knowing where this story was supposed to be set: Generic office, somewhere on the planet?)
AAR Review of the book.
I’ll also say that I liked it as much as many of you. It was funny, witty, unexpected, and the hero was a bit different. There were parts of the story that I wish had been delayed as I would’ve liked the couple’s initial competition to continue a bit longer, or maybe it would have been interesting to start the book at their first meeting. I just felt Lucy’s feelings went too quickly to lust and love, after the characters’ initial introduction to the reader. The hero, of course, was harder to know since we weren’t in his head very much. To me, I wondered if his neatness, intensity, difficulty with socializing, patterns fixation, and almost obsessive behavior were little hints at a psychological issue. The story never states that, but the interactions with his family, especially, made me question whether Josh was dealing with more than just bad parenting.
I’m really glad the book was brought to my attention and look forward to more from Ms. Thorne. I give the book an A-.
******
Alphabet Challenge – 2 down, 8 to go.
P.S. Sure hope I got that html coding right. Might be helpful to have a link to that.
The Cocktail Challenge
French Connection – Read a book set in France, or a book about police officers as in the movie The French Connection.
Falling for the New Guy by Nicole Helm – h/h both police officers: The hero and heroine both seemed to wallow in their problems. Even though they were aware the issues were not their fault, they repeatedly blamed themselves. This was understandable with the hero having met his self-centered, wearisome mother in the previous book. It was understandable for the heroine to a point as well, but I had major issues with her subplot. Her continued denial was frustrating. She would have benefitted from professional counselling and I wish the subject had at least been addressed. They were each used to putting themselves last, so I liked that they became friends in addition to their romance. I adored the hero and enjoyed the romance. So despite the issues, it was an engaging read.
Four Horsemen – These gents are associated with the apocalypse. Read an apocalyptic or futuristic romance.
Mission to Mahjundar by Veronica Scott – futuristic romance: The heroine was resigned to her arranged marriage. She was blind from an incident as a child. The hero rescued her during an assassination attempt on her stepmother and she arranged for him to accompany her on the journey to her betrothed despite the disruption this caused to his real mission on the planet. I liked that the heroine’s religion was treated as a vital aspect to her character. Parts of this book read like a Disney film: a princess who bonded with animals complete with an evil step-mother. But mostly it read as an action-adventure story. The way the characters worked themselves out of one jam after another didn’t seem as contrived as with the previous book, up until the final confrontation. I liked the h/h as a couple, but wanted to like their romance more than I did.
~
The Breakfast Cereal Challenge: 2 down, 15 to go…
Seventeen Magazine(s)! Challenge: 4 down, 13 to go…
The Alphabet Challenge Variation: 2 down, 15 to go…
The Cocktail Challenge: 3 down, 14 to go…
Simply Seventeen Challenge (The Whittler) – Novellas: 1 down, 16 to go…
The 20th Century Challenge: completed!
Seventeen Magazine(s)! Challenge
Bon Appetite – Read a romance in which the setting is a diner, restaurant, and bakery or involves any job in the hospitality industry, such as a bed and breakfast. Or read a romance involving at least some French characters.
Countdown to Zero Hour by Nico Rosso – heroine is a chef who owns a steam cart: The suspense subplot and the romance did not always mesh 100%. There was a steady build up in tension when the h/h were at the Russian mobsters’ hideout, but the detailed descriptions of the various meals the heroine cooked tended to negate the suspense for me. The writing seemed choppy at times. The book improved once the hero let the heroine in on his secret. His internal argument rationalizing why to tell her was one of my favorite parts of the book. The romance felt rushed, but ultimately worked for me. There was some sequel bait, but thankfully it was kept at a minimum. Overall a likeable romance from a new-to-me author.
The Alphabet Challenge Variation
P = Power Game by Christine Feehan: The GhostWalkers remain my favorite series of Feehan’s even though I am not as invested in the later teams as the first two. At times I felt the author had recaptured the magic of the early books, but other times not so much. There were a lot of repetitive phrases and internal monologues. There were also some pacing issues. Thankfully there was finally real forward momentum on the overarching plot, with one subplot reaching its conclusion. I was glad to be right about two certain characters’ motivations (trying not to be spoilery). There was a touch of angst, but it was well-balanced with humor. Even more characters were introduced to what was already a sprawling cast. Not an instant favorite, but a good addition to the series.
~
The Breakfast Cereal Challenge: 2 down, 15 to go…
Seventeen Magazine(s)! Challenge: 4 down, 13 to go…
The Alphabet Challenge Variation: 2 down, 15 to go…
The Cocktail Challenge: 1 down, 16 to go…
Simply Seventeen Challenge (The Whittler) – Novellas: 1 down, 16 to go…
The 20th Century Challenge: completed!
The Breakfast Cereal Challenge
Life (1961) = Read a romance where the hero or heroine is at a turning point in their life. Or read a romance featuring multi-generational characters.
Escape From Zulaire by Veronica Scott – hero is at a turning point in life: This book was entirely from the heroine’s POV, but could have benefitted from the hero’s as well. There were times the resolution to one of the jams the characters found themselves in felt a bit deus ex machina, but that didn’t detract from the enjoyment of the story. Part road romance, part political thriller, the hero, heroine, and a band of assorted characters were on the run from a massacre in route to the planet’s capital to warn the establishment and prevent a civil war. There was more of a focus on the romance than in the first book of the series. It was a case of insta-love, but worked for the story.
The Cocktail Challenge
Salty Dog – Read a book about a sailor, set on the sea or where the h/h are involved with water in a professional capacity (marine biologist, scuba diver, pool company, lifeguard etc.) or live near the water.
Accidentally on Purpose by Jill Shalvis – h/h live in SF: The hero and heroine’s chemistry jumped off the page from the first book of the series so I was very glad to read their story. There was a lot of push-pull with each having made false assumptions about the other’s motives. This set up a lovely dichotomy with them knowing each other very well, yet still discovering new things and surprising each other, all melded together with a lot of humor. The black moment at the end felt forced, but otherwise a very enjoyable read. My favorite in the series so far.
~
The Breakfast Cereal Challenge: 2 down, 15 to go…
Seventeen Magazine(s)! Challenge: 3 down, 14 to go…
The Alphabet Challenge Variation: 1 down, 16 to go…
The Cocktail Challenge: 1 down, 16 to go…
Simply Seventeen Challenge (The Whittler) – Novellas: 1 down, 16 to go…
The 20th Century Challenge: completed!
Seventeen Magazine(s)! Challenge
Travel and Leisure – Read a romance set during a vacation or a holiday.
Wreck of the Nebula Dream by Veronica Scott – hero is on vacation: This book was somewhat unusual in that it was written entirely from the hero’s point of view. The romance wasn’t as developed as it could have been, but as an action adventure story the book worked very well. There was some humor, particularly in the beginning with the hero’s interactions with the ship’s artificial intelligence. The secondary characters were all cleverly introduced. The Special Forces Captain hero was on a forced vacation traveling on the maiden voyage of a new luxury liner. Things went wrong when the ship crashed into an asteroid field and he discovered they were in enemy territory. He was attracted to the heroine, but felt he had nothing to offer her. It was refreshing that the romance took a back seat to their efforts to survive. I just wish their romance had gotten more page time once they’d reached safety. Overall a fun read. I’m looking forward to reading more books in this series.
Popular Mechanics – Read a romance in which the hero and/or heroine works with their hands, whether with machinery, with flora and fauna, or in the service industry.
Too Friendly to Date by Nicole Helm – heroine is an electrician: The hero was such a complete jerk in the first book in this series I was initially reluctant to read his story. I started this book back in 2014, but put it aside and continued to put it off. There were times I was very frustrated with the characters, but I liked them both and rooted for their HEA. The hero agreed to play the heroine’s pretend boyfriend while her estranged family was in town for Christmas. Of course, soon pretend became reality. The heroine had other secrets. She made decisions for the hero about what was best without giving him all the details or allowing him to make up his own mind. I understood her reasons to a point, but I don’t like it when heroes do that to heroines so didn’t like the reverse either. Each of their families treated them poorly at times by making assumptions. At times I wondered why she wanted to reunite with her family when they continued to make her feel like crap. Thankfully the issue was dealt with during the book. There was a good mix of humor and angst. I also liked that the h/h talked things through with each other like adults when they faced issues, even if it took them a while at times to get there. An entertaining read.
~
The Breakfast Cereal Challenge: 1 down, 16 to go…
Seventeen Magazine(s)! Challenge: 3 down, 14 to go…
The Alphabet Challenge Variation: 1 down, 16 to go…
Simply Seventeen Challenge (The Whittler) – Novellas: 1 down, 16 to go…
The 20th Century Challenge: completed!
Finally have a chance to peruse all these challenge options & I’m going to mix things up and go big. I think in this first part of the year, I’m going to stretch myself and read a few genres I generally avoid. January is all about genres (some tick multiple boxes) I already mostly love, February will be reserved for genres in italics, AKA ones I generally avoid.
Historical Romance – Miss Bradshaw’s Bought Betrothal (B), The Lawrence Browne Affair (A-), An Unseen Attraction (B), Murmuration (C+), Wanted, A Gentleman (B+), Compound a Felony, A Queer Affair of Sherlock Holmes (A-)
Contemporary Romance – Wait for It (B+), At Attention (B+), Pretty Face (B), Daily Grind (C+), Watching and Wanting (B+)
Paranormal Romance – TBR – Moonshadow by Thea Harrison
Fantasy Romance – The Star King (C), The Bird and the Sword (next book in my queue)
Romantic Suspense – currently reading The Unsung Hero
Romantic Comedy – what does this mean?</i)
Multi-Cultural Romance – need to dig into my TBR for this one. Looking for a suggestion!
LGBT Romance – (Most of the books I read) – The Lawrence Browne Affair (A-), An Unseen Attraction (B), Murmuration (C+), Wanted, A Gentleman (B+), Compound a Felony, A Queer Affair of Sherlock Holmes (A-), Wait for It (B+), At Attention (B+), Daily Grind (C+), Watching and Wanting (B+)
Inspirational Romance – I’m least excited about this genre. I like some steam in my romance. Thinking I should pick up An Uncommon Courtship based on the stellar review. Thoughts?
New Adult/YA Romance – waiting for Julianna Keye’s next book. Wish it was coming this month!
Western Romance – Jo Goodman is on my Kindle. Somewhere. I think.
Holiday Romance – A Match Made in Mistletoe TBR
Science Fiction Romance – what does this mean? Paranormal? Fantasy?
Military Romance – At Attention (B+)
Sports Romance – TBR something by Mariana Zapata
Time Travel Romance – I don’t know
Gothic Romance – Dark Desires (C)
Emily,
I have lots of recs for multicultural romances, but I’m not sure what you’ve read. Melissa Blue/Dakota Gray, Rebekah Weatherspoon, Alyssa Cole, Tracey Livesay, and Cathy Yardley come to mind immediately.
Romantic comedy — any of the newer books by Lauren Blakely, if you haven’t read those
I don’t read as much science fiction as fantasy, but I’ve received quite a few recommendations for this. I have Radio Silence by Alyssa Cole as my TBR for this.
Time travel — I got some great recs for this on the AAR GR group. I also realized that I had been meaning to read The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley for ages so that’s my TBR for that one.
17 Fun Facts Challenge
7) In Italian culture, the number 17 is considered unlucky.
Read a book set in Italy, or where one of the main characters is Italian (or of Italian descent). Or read a book where one of the main characters makes a bet, or is a gambler.
A Poisoned Season by Tasha Alexander
#2 in the Lady Emilyseries.
Another interesting mystery solved by Lady Emily Ashton. This time she needs to deal with different (and seemly unrelated) crimes: a series of thefts and a murder. She ends up risking her reputation and important friendships while trying to find the culprits behind these crimes. At the same time, Emily’s relationship with Colin Hargreaves evolves a lot. Another very good book in the series.
So… I tried to use bold and italics, but it seems I am doing something wrong :)
Sorry for the misplaced [b]s and [i]s above!
It’s fine – instead of using [ ] you have to use < >. I’ll edit your comment.
Thanks a lot, Caz!
The 20th Century Challenge
1985 = Dual Image by Nora Roberts (published December 1985): The heroine was too perfect, like a Disney princess everyone but the “villain” not just liked, but loved. The hero had been taken in then betrayed by his ex-wife, so of course he now considered all women to be innately dishonest. Regardless of how he felt about his ex-wife, writing a semi-autobiographical screenplay about their marriage was a creepy thing to do. The heroine was cast in the part based on his ex-wife. He was disdainful of the fact she worked on a soap opera, but she remained justifiably proud of her work. There were points where each wondered if he was attracted to her only because of her surface resemblance to his ex-wife, but thankfully that was not the core of the story. The subplot with the heroine seeking custody of her young nephew was the best part of the story to me. The ending felt super rushed. The book held my interest as I was reading it, but the author has written much more memorable ones.
1984 = Rules of the Game/em> by Nora Roberts (published October 1984): The heroine was a director and the hero a major league baseball player who was starring in his first advertising campaign. Their romance was a lot about playing power games and who had the upper hand. They spent much of the book angry at one another. The hero often manhandled the heroine which was off-putting even if it didn’t seem to bother the heroine other than in the moment. I enjoyed the friendship between the heroine and her boss but the rest of the book was frustrating. Selfish and/or unsympathetic main characters can be enjoyable, but here they were just exasperating. A disappointing read.
~
The Breakfast Cereal Challenge: 1 down, 16 to go…
Seventeen Magazine(s)! Challenge: 1 down, 16 to go…
The Alphabet Challenge Variation: 1 down, 16 to go…
Simply Seventeen Challenge (The Whittler) – Novellas: 1 down, 16 to go…
The 20th Century Challenge: completed!
The 20th Century Challenge
1987 = The Main Attraction by Jayne Ann Krentz (published June 1987) : There was a lot of eighties fashion as the heroine owned a clothing design firm. This dated the book, but was fun. Also on the plus side there was plenty of the author’s trademark humor and banter between the h/h. On the negative side, the fact the heroine’s family saw her as a troublesome mischief-maker who needed to be constantly supervised was such a disappointment. The hero’s holier-than-thou attitude also grew very tiresome, though in fairness the silly conclusion he jumped to which caused their temporary breakup seemed completely plot driven. They each had a tendency to react without thinking things through. An uneven read, but I did mostly like the heroine and parts of the romance.
1986 = One Summer by Nora Roberts (published April 1986): The h/h were both photographers on a three-month long assignment to capture the essence of “summer in America.” Release forms were only mentioned once, so it bothered me the way they both just invaded people’s privacy. I fully acknowledge that in today’s world of cell phone cameras the expectation of privacy isn’t what it used to be, but these were professional photo journalists planning to have the photos published in a magazine. The hero treated most everyone poorly because he’d been betrayed once, so didn’t allow anyone close. Thankfully he grew out of his attitude as the story progressed. The heroine had a more laid back approach to life, but took her work just as seriously. The romance was slow to develop without any surprises. There were some nice moments, but ultimately not one of the author’s better category books.
~
The Breakfast Cereal Challenge: 1 down, 16 to go…
Seventeen Magazine(s)! Challenge: 1 down, 16 to go…
The Alphabet Challenge Variation: 1 down, 16 to go…
Simply Seventeen Challenge (The Whittler) – Novellas: 1 down, 16 to go…
The 20th Century Challenge: 15 down, 2 to go…
Starting with the Alphabet challenge — letter “G” to be exact — I decided to read The Great Scot by Donna Kauffman published in 2007.
This book has a good premise, but I didn’t like it as much as I hoped. The story involves an American woman who is a location scout for a reality television show, along the same lines as “The Bachelor.” Erin McGregor has been on her own for most of her life which has left her free to pursue an exciting life traveling the globe for this TV show. The latest season of the show takes her to Scotland where she comes upon a quaint village, a castle in need of a great many repairs, and a man trying to restore his heritage, while making it pay. Dylan Chisholm, having returned to his hometown after his wife’s death, has been keeping to himself. Although the title has little meaning in modern times, Dylan is “clan chief,” and his younger brothers as well as most in the village would like him to remain at home, so they’ve been trying to set him up with a new romantic interest. The arrival of a matchmaking reality show seems a perfect set up to do just that. Little do they all know, though, Dylan is finding himself growing more and more attracted to the globe traveling cute location scout, whose career and ambitions don’t include a quaint Scottish village.
I had hopes that this story would spend more time in the goofy world of reality television and its disruption of the village, as well as the romance between Erin and Dylan. However, after setting up the premise the story narrows down to Erin and Dylan scouting date night locations and lusting after each other. All that is fine, but it gets boring after a while. I just felt the story could’ve had more potential than it realized. I would give this a B-/C.
******
The Alphabet Challenge – 1 down, 9 to go.
The 20th Century Challenge
1989 = The Welcoming by Nora Roberts (published October 1989): In many ways older category romances seem dated, but they’re also often more tightly plotted, have a greater depth of characterization, and better “flow” than the current crop of category romances. In this book, the hero was an undercover FBI agent investigating a counterfeit ring connected to the heroine’s inn. The heroine was rather naïve and the hero very cynical. The start was predictable, but the plot had a few surprises in the middle. Not one of my instant favorites, but a solid read.
1988 = Temptress by Linda Raye (published April 1988): The hero was a college professor. However, I had to question his intelligence because he was convinced the heroine must be as loose as the character she played on a daytime soap opera since “no one was that good an actress” (and this was after seeing only one episode!). The heroine was tired of being treated as if she was the character she played. His brother and her sister were married, but the h/h only met for the first time in this book. To get back at him for his ridiculous assumptions about her, the heroine enrolled in his class. As a revenge plot this wasn’t well thought out which the heroine soon realized. There was a lot of back-and-forth with them each changing their mind just as the other agreed to a relationship, rinse and repeat. Both behaved contradictorily only for the sake of conflict. An uneven read, but I did root for their HEA.
~
The Breakfast Cereal Challenge: 1 down, 16 to go…
Seventeen Magazine(s)! Challenge: 1 down, 16 to go…
The Alphabet Challenge Variation: 1 down, 16 to go…
Simply Seventeen Challenge (The Whittler) – Novellas: 1 down, 16 to go…
The 20th Century Challenge: 13 down, 4 to go…
“17 Fun Facts Challenge”
15) A Haiku is a very short form of Japanese poetry. Traditional haiku consist of 17 syllables, in three phrases of 5, 7, and 5 on respectively.
Read where one of the main characters is a writer, or likes poetry. Or a book that is divided in three parts –for instance, a book that has a prologue, a main part, and an epilogue.
Burn Down the Night by Molly O’Keefe
The author organized the book in Parts 1, 2 and 3.
This is the 3rd book in the Everything I Left Unsaid series.
Molly O’Keefe does a great job of redeeming a bad boy hero and a bad girl heroine. Max and Joan were just perfect for each other. I really enjoyed their story.
This book received a DIK review here at AAR: https://allaboutromance.com/book-review/burn-down-the-night-by-m-okeefe/
The 20th Century Challenge
1992 = Slow Burn by Cindy Gerard (published June 1992): The hero was a cop on mandatory medical leave recovering from a gunshot wound. The heroine was the daughter of a friend of his from AA. They started off at odds when he showed up to ask her to visit the father who’d abandoned her. The hero often referred to the heroine as “kid” or “brat” but as this was in an effort to fight the attraction he felt for her—and the heroine called him on it—it didn’t bother me. His superior attitude did, especially when the heroine did something which she knew was stupid, but the hero compounded the issue by going after her when he was unfamiliar with the lake where she lived. He also sent the heroine a lot of mixed signals. But while the plot was uneven, overall I enjoyed their romance. The heroine really made the story work for me.
1991 = Too Wild to Wed? by Jayne Ann Krentz (published April 1991) : Like most of this author’s heroines, this one marched to the beat of her own drummer. A medieval professor, she was hurt to learn her fiancé had run a background check on her rather than trust her enough to simply ask her about her past. So she called off their engagement and decided to take a walk on the wild side. The hero had been convinced he was happy with the way she deferred to his wishes and though he apologized for the background check, it was more for getting discovered than the fact he’d requested the report in the first place. Later, there were two incidents in which he tricked the heroine. However his arrogance was played mostly for humor, so it wasn’t as bothersome as it otherwise would have been. And he did eventually come to understand why she was so upset. What made the story for me was the heroine and the fact she wasn’t willing to settle for less than his honesty and to be treated as an equal. So despite my issues with the plot at times I enjoyed the book as the story was infused with such a sense of fun.
1990 = The Pirate by Jayne Ann Krentz (published February 1990) : The romance writer heroine was bundled off on a month-long vacation by her two bffs. The hero owned the island resort where she was staying. The book had a slow start. I enjoyed the heroine’s relationship with the hero’s son. There was a mystery-lite subplot which was easy to figure out. The hero was dismissive of the heroine’s concerns. This heroine also stood her ground, but unlike with the above two books the hero never really acknowledged his behavior or lack of communication had been wrong. So while there were parts of the book I enjoyed, overall it didn’t work as well for me.
~
The Breakfast Cereal Challenge: 1 down, 16 to go…
Seventeen Magazine(s)! Challenge: 1 down, 16 to go…
The Alphabet Challenge Variation: 1 down, 16 to go…
Simply Seventeen Challenge (The Whittler) – Novellas: 1 down, 16 to go…
The 20th Century Challenge: 11 down, 6 to go…
The 20th Century Challenge
1993 = Dream Lover by Cindy Gerard (originally published as Dream Tide September 1993): The heroine purchased a house with a guest cottage which the hero rented. The hero was an adventure writer who scoffed at the idea of love. So he had a difficult time later convincing the heroine he’d fallen head over heels for her. After a bitter divorce, the heroine was reluctant to have a relationship with another man who always seemed to be in search of the next big thing. There was also a paranormal element with dreams of ghosts and hints at possible reincarnation. I wish the hero had been the one to grovel at the end, but overall a fairly fun if unsurprising read.
The Breakfast Cereal Challenge: 1 down, 16 to go…
Seventeen Magazine(s)! Challenge: 1 down, 16 to go…
The Alphabet Challenge Variation: 1 down, 16 to go…
Simply Seventeen Challenge (The Whittler) – Novellas: 1 down, 16 to go…
The 20th Century Challenge: 8 down, 9 to go…
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Just wanted to see if bold worked too, Also I hope the lack of a closing bracket does not affect additional posts.
The 20th Century Challenge
1995 = CAITLIN’S GUARDIAN ANGEL BY MARIE FERRARELLA (published September 1995):
A reunion romance which morphed into a marriage-of-convenience with a dash of suspense. The h/h had been engaged in high school and each thought the other had left them. They were reunited over a decade later when she witnessed a murder and he was the detective assigned to the case. The heroine’s mother was a walking cliché and why the heroine had never suspected she’d lied to her seemed odd, but thankfully this was later acknowledged in the story. The lack of communication at the beginning was annoying, but once the truth was finally out I mostly enjoyed the romance. The hero’s I’m-not-worthy attitude dragged on for too long. This, along with the fact that in ignoring the heroine meant the hero also ignored his son, derailed the book somewhat at the end. So overall an uneven read.
1994 = CHARADE BY CINDY GERARD (originally published as PERFECT DOUBLE January 1994):
** Warning, there are some spoilers in my review **
The über-rich hero was violently mugged during a walk. The man who rescued him just happened to look almost exactly like him. He was in-and-out of consciousness after his beating and fell in lust with the heroine, who thought he was the man who rescued him. So the hero hatched a plan to have his doppelgänger take his place (with help from his assistant) so he could spend a month seeing what it was like when people were not just after him for his money (as all women apparently were ). It didn’t help that the heroine was a selfless saint. She’d paid off her brother’s loan shark debts, worked as a nurse, volunteered all her free time at a clinic, and was the foster parent for a deaf child who lived at a group home (thus conveniently disappearing when necessary for the plot). She was supposedly half-way in love with the other guy, but didn’t notice he was a different person! I had zero sympathy for the poor little rich boy hero as his plan was to use the heroine for his own ends. Even when he supposedly changed his mind, he continued to lie to her by pretending to be the other man despite multiple opportunities to come clean. The book improved once the secret was finally out (though I wish that had played out with the hero actually confessing and that we’d seen the immediate aftermath on page). But even afterwards he still displayed a sense of entitlement and she a sense of unworthiness. The hero’s father was a clichéd bigot and the heroine’s immature brother was also one-dimensional. My favorite characters were the heroine’s bff and the hero’s assistant, even though they each had very limited page time. I also liked the fact the deception didn’t work on the doppelgänger’s end, though we were only told a tiny bit about it. Overall a very disappointing read.
The Breakfast Cereal Challenge: 1 down, 16 to go…
Seventeen Magazine(s)! Challenge: 1 down, 16 to go…
The Alphabet Challenge Variation: 1 down, 16 to go…
Simply Seventeen Challenge (The Whittler) – Novellas: 1 down, 16 to go…
The 20th Century Challenge: 7 down, 10 to go…
Okay apparently italics do work in comments.
Are mods able to edit? I had a comment in my review above which I put in angle brackets that started with the letter I. That appears to have activated italics, but I had no closing bracket as I didn’t think we could use HTML coding. Sorry!
It should read “(as all women apparently were I miss the board as there needs to be an eye-rolling smilie here).”
My January read(s). I will reply to this comment if I read others in January that fall under the challenge(s). I’m doing both the GENRE CHALLENGE and the LETTER Q CHALLENGE.
GENRE CHALLENGE
Fantasy romance — Breath of Fire by Amanda Bouchet. 3 of 5 stars. I wrote a review on Goodreads here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1848385543 (It’s so long I don’t want to copy/paste here. Sorry.)
LETTER Q CHALLENGE
Quest — I’m also counting Breath of Fire here. Maybe that’s cheating!
(Can we use HTML in comments? I haven’t tried it and there’s still no edit feature.)
QUEST – (so I don’t “double count” a book) A STUDY IN SCARLET WOMEN by Sherry Thomas
Review for this book here (4 of 5 stars): https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1868887669
GENRE CHALLENGE
Romantic Comedy — Full Package by Lauren Blakely. 4 of 5 stars. Review here (another one that’s kinda long to copy/paste here): https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1771492396
2 down, 15 to go in genre challenge
1 down, 16 to go in “q” challenge
Multicultural Romance — Level Up by Cathy Yardley. 4 of 5 stars. Review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1882385917
LETTER Q CHALLENGE
“Quirky” — Neanderthal Seeks Human by Penny Reid. 4 of 5 stars. Review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1802530882
“Quack” — Baron by Joanna Shupe. 3 of 5 stars. (Maybe 3.5ish.) Not a medical romance, but Ava (heroine) is a con artist of sorts.
“Quickie” — Hardcore by Dakota Gray. 4 of 5 stars. Another winner from me in the Filth series.
We have created an AAR Goodreads group which we hope will help supplement the site. It’s All About Romance on Goodreads.
A thought just hit me. If there is going to be a substitute for message boards on Goodreads, why does it need an AAR moderator? I can see a moderator on this site, but why on Goodreads? It’s an entirely separate entity from AAR, AAR has chosen NOT to have a message board. Since the staff is so overworked on this site as we’re told, I think an independent side of former AAR “messengers” should be created either on Goodreads or a separate blog. Mark, could you do it given your computer expertise? Someone else?
If it is to have our name, we will be the moderator. I think what you are asking for is an entity AAR has nothing to do with which you are of course welcome to create.
I’m sorry Eliza but this is too much! ALL GR groups have moderators – ALL Facebook groups have moderators, and the same applies to Twitter lists etc.
No person, site or organisation is going to construct a group, which represents an author, fan group, political view, or blog / website without having some overall control regarding said group. Even Public groups are moderated by its originator.
This is a thread regarding the 17 reading challenge – it went off on a tangent and information was exchanged that is fine I’m sure, however, you have added nothing to this thread but abuse.
You are obviously not happy with AAR and for some reason have siphoned your distaste onto Dabney. This is an entertainment site, as you are not being entertained I can only believe you are here to upset and malign Dabney. That is sailing close to the wind legally.
I am not a sycophant, a troll or any other fantasy figure. I am a normal person from another country to yours having an entertainment ruined by you. I have asked before Why Eliza???
Listen to the tolling of the death-bell; AAR has died.
I don’t think that’s true at all. AAR was one of the only (if not the only) big romance sites to still have a message board, and those other sites also transitioned mostly to blog posts with comments. It’ll take getting used to, but I’ve seen some good discussions under book review posts and blog posts. One thing I look at are the “most recent comments” on the sidebar.
I also liked the idea of the Goodreads group because that is a place where more unrelated topics can be started and you can get notifications. (Like what are you currently reading? Pet peeves? etc.) But I realize a lot of people may not use Goodreads.
Thanks, Amanda. We are making every effort to accommodate those who loved the message boards. And, for what it’s worth, our traffic has gone up 8% since we discontinued them. ;)
I love Goodreads and can’t see why the AAR Goodreads forums there can’t be just as active as they’ve been here in the past if readers want that.
Dick – You can still converse under reviews and on blog items, guest posts, lists, polls etc and of course GR if you are really suffering intellectual stimulation and discussion – Dick.
The thing is the topic is totally controlled by the blog posts and the reviews. We used to talk about anything readers wanted, including TV shows, movies, politics, or some event that’s romance related. That’s totally gone.
Sandlynn – I’ve just joined the GR AAR group and the discussion boards cover everything and some. I hope we see you there too it’s just an extension of the site really :)
I really don’t use Goodreads, although I’m willing to give it a try. However, I’ve not seen any announcement on the front page alerting other former board members of this new place to connect on Goodreads. If it hadn’t been for this thread, I wouldn’t know about it. Unless I missed something, maybe there should be a general announcement.
FWIW, I agree with Dick and Sandlynn about the loss of AAR. I have seen more comments on books here on the home page when I check in occasionally, but I assume that’s because there is no where else to go. And the books reviewed are not always ones I choose to read.
The other thing is finding announcements of what will happen on AAR. If you don’t read every post, you may miss a board message, so it has been haphazard as to what I’ve learned is changed. For instance, this thread where a new group is on GRs but buried in the comments, that I happened on by chance.
Wow. I’m deeply sorry that the message boards are not coming back. Those boards were AAR for me because it allowed me to easily talk with other romance readers on a variety of topics. I can see myself not coming here as often.
Sorry to hear the message boards will not be back. I’m not on Goodreads, so I guess the blog will suffice. Though I will greatly miss the more in-depth discussions.
Is there maybe a way to “pin” the monthly challenge post under the connections tab above? I know the purpose of a blog is to always have the most recent content on top. But since the Connections –> Message Board page is there anyway, perhaps you can post the link there so it doesn’t get too lost/new readers can find it (them).
Great suggestion. I’ll work on that today.
Done. It’s pinned. Again, thanks for the suggestion.
Q – Quest. Police desperately hunt for a hit and run driver for over a year before finding the vehicle involved.
I Let You Go Clare Mackintosh
This was an incredibly fast and easy read. It starts with a hit and run: a young boy, mowed over in the street. His mother, unable to take the pain, disappears. For a time, we read about Jenna’s life on the beach and the police department’s desperate search for the perpetrator. Then our two story lines converge in an explosive twist, which careens wildly into a surprise ending.
A quick, easy, compulsive read. I didn’t find it perfect but I did thoroughly enjoy it and would absolutely recommend it to mystery fans.
Seventeen Magazine(s)! Challenge Cat Fancy/Modern Dog – Read a romance which features a pet or pets as supporting characters. ABSOLUTE TRUST BY PIPER J DRAKE – hero trains service dogs and one of his GSDs is a supporting character: A strong ending for the trilogy which left the door open for further adventures of the as-yet-unhired-new-trainers and canines of the hero’s kennel. The h/h had been involved in high school until the hero enlisted and left immediately after graduation. Once he’d returned (prior to the start of the series), the heroine helped to get his new business off the ground, but they were each wary to cross out of the “friends zone.” When the heroine was nearly killed by a car bomb, the hero vowed to keep her safe. I liked that the hero admired the accountant heroine’s intelligence and never treated her as a damsel in distress. I also liked that the heroine followed the hero’s orders when they were in danger, but made him explain his actions afterwards. I also liked that she held him accountable for having made such a huge decision about her life without consulting her when they were younger. I enjoyed that the book was as much about her putting her own life in order as it was about their romance. Too much page time was dedicated to descriptions of food. I liked the h/h both individually and as a couple, but as with the earlier books the dog was my favorite character. Plus this book had a bonus cat, which made for some humorous scenes. Overall, an enjoyable read to start off the new year’s challenge. Simply Seventeen Challenge (The Whittler) – novellas WINTER VALOR BY PIPER J DRAKE A fun, but extremely short novella which involved the first additional hire at the hero of the above book’s kennel. One of three dogs had impregnated the hero’s dog and the search was on when the pregnant dog went missing. I enjoyed the hint of romance between the former USAF dog-trainer heroine and the recently discharged from an unnamed branch of the military hero. I really wish it had been longer. Hopefully the series will continue so we can at least get a glimpse of how their relationship progresses. I made this one up last year based on the 21st century challenge in an effort to get some of my older books out of my TBR and make more headway in clearing the entire backlists of Cindy Gerard, Nora Roberts, and JAK which I’ve been working towards off and on the past *mumble,mumble* years. I didn’t get to it in 2016, so it’s one of main goals this year. The 20th Century Challenge Read 17 books, one per year published in 2000, 1999 back through 1984 2000 = IN HIS LOVING ARMS BY CINDY GERARD (published May 2000): This book has been sitting in my TBR for years and was one of the main reasons I picked this challenge. The hero started at a deficit for me when it was revealed he’d driven drunk to the heroine’s house. Especially since the heroine’s husband – and hero’s foster brother – had recently been killed by a drunk driver. The h/h had kissed the night before her wedding and he then left town for seven years, never contacting his brother or foster parents. The heroine had always felt guilty. The dead husband had felt jealous of his brother’s success, but otherwise was a complete saint. I was left wondering why he’d never apparently tried to contact his brother while he was gone. But he wasn’t presented as a real character, just a road block on the h/h’s road to a HEA. The hero believed himself to be unworthy of the heroine. The book felt like part his journey, part hers, but never theirs. So overall the story never quite gelled for me. 1999 = SHADOW OF THE HAWK BY JULIE MILLER (published July 1999): The hero felt he could not fit in with regular society and the heroine felt she was too unattractive to have a long-term relationship. They both wallowed in their self-pity for much of the story. The heroine wanted an adventure before settling down to a life of spinsterhood so took five of her students on an overseas field trip they’d won. Trouble was the teenagers only appeared when a reason for the h/h not to be able to talk was needed. The hero was a Native American who could communicate with spirits,… Read more »
I do miss being able to use bold and italics.
Also, no biggie, but for the 21 Century Challenge it usually goes 2001 though current year (since 2000 is actually considered part of the last century). But however people want to play is good.
I just finished BREATH OF FIRE and Griffin’s behavior (particularly at the beginning) was my main problem with this book. I couldn’t get past it. And I also guessed the plot twist and hoped I was wrong about it. Argh. I think the next one will be really good, though, so I hope I look back and this is the weakest of the three. I was such a huge fan of the first book.
I hope so too. Bummed we have to wait a whole year for book three.
I had issues with Griffin’s behavior in book one as well, but they were easier to set aside given the circumstances. In this book…not so much,
Yeah, I basically said the same thing in my review for A Promise of Fire…I kind of brushed aside things that otherwise bothered me because I was so enthralled by the story. Not so much in this one.
I REALLY want more of the secondary characters. I already loved Flynn and Jocasta but I also fell madly in love with Kato in this one.
I am happy to see that the 2017 Challenge found a home here at the Blog.
I am starting with the “17 Fun Facts Challenge”.
9) 17 is the declared percentage alcohol content (by volume) of Baileys Irish Cream – an Irish whiskey and cream based liqueur, made by Gilbeys of Ireland.
Read a book set in Ireland, or where one of the main characters is Irish (or of Irish descent).
“Apprentice in Death” by J.D. Robb
Roarke (one of the main characters) is Irish.
Another good book in the ‘In Death’ series. The suspense part of the story was quite well-written, and we continue to see the evolution of Eve’s relationship with Roarke, and their friends. I really enjoyed reading this book.
So happy to see we didn’t lose the opportunity of doing the 2017 challenge because of message board issues (although I hope they can be resolved).
Tooting my own horn here, but the challenges I submitted are the Seventeen Magazine(s) Challenge and the “At Seventeen” Janis Ian challenge. I’m so glad they were posted because I’m not sure I saved them on my computer.
We like to give credit where it’s due – I’ll edit accordingly :) And thanks for some fabulous suggestions.
These are great! I like the 21st century challenge, new to you challenge, and genre challenges, so I’ll think on which one I want to do. Realistically, it’s probably going to be the whittler!
As I run a blog called “Beverages and Books” I’m doing the Cocktail Challenge! I’m off to determine which books from my TBR will qualify for each book and will report back. Excited!
good choice!
I’ve done my first book for the Letter Q challenge: Queen – Read a book about royalty or the nobility: Once Upon a Dream Mary Balogh and Grace Burrows: In the Balogh story, Eleanor, sister to Christine heroine of Slightly Dangerous, marries a handsome Earl, Michael Lord Staunton. In Duke of My Dreams the heroine marries – you guessed it- a Duke. Loved the Balogh, found the Burrowes very predictable.
I’m in for the New to You Challenge! (Not going to lie, this aligns with another blog’s challenge that I’m doing, plus my own reading resolutions). I want to read at least one romance from the YA, Urban Fantasy, and Steampunk genres, as well as tackle some of the print books I have and up my historical romance quotient.. The hardest part of the challenge might be reading 5 debut romance novels as I won’t know about them until they appear on the scene. I guess we’ll see how that plays out!
Technically I’ve already read 5 new to me authors this month – Jo Leigh (Daring in the City – HQN Blaze ); Maggie Cox (The Sheikh’s Secret Son – HP); Andrea Laurence (The Baby Proposal – HQN Desire); Andie Christopher (Stroke of Midnight) and Annabelle Snow (Hotel Hookup: Austin). Andie Christopher’s story is actually her debut romance (and it was pretty good) so I’m going to count that one as a debut instead of a new to me author. I’m on a roll!