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I am Lover of romance, who indulges in the romantic adventures of literature

My name is Renee, and I am the host of this site. I am a 34 year old woman, on the prowl for her mate, searching out the best of books, exploring the wilds of the imagination and delving into the heart of a beautiful love story.

 

Tea and Biscuits Book Discussion: Favorite Reads of 2016….so far!

by | Jul 25, 2016 | Tea and Biscuits Discussions | 19 comments

Today I wanted to share some of my top favorites I have picked up this year as we are reaching a little over half way through the year. I still can’t believe its the end of July already!!! It blows me away, how fast it has gone by. But yeah it has been a good reading year so far, this summer has been a bit slower than I wanted. Maybe its all this heat hehe

 

Here is a list of my top favorites and what I loved most about them and HIGHLY recommend you picking these up if you haven’t yet!! Now these are books, that aren’t limited to being published this year but are WINNERS in my book.

EidolonIn a bid for more power, the Shadow Queen of Haradis has unleashed a malignant force into the world. Her son Brishen, younger prince of the Kai royal house, suddenly finds himself ruler of a kingdom blighted by a diseased darkness and on the brink of war. His human wife Ildiko must decide if she will give up the man she loves in order to secure his throne.

Three enemy kingdoms must unite to save each other, and a one-eyed, reluctant king must raise an army of the dead to defeat an army of the damned.

A tale of alliance and sacrifice.

I have quite a bit of love for Eidolon. I just love this pair so much, but what I really liked quite a bit about this one was seeing the way this couple really comes together. And even I liked the first book more since we see more of them together. What we see is how much their bond is strengthened. We see quite a bit more depth, as they face unbeatable odds so this book really packs a punch.

 

Their Passion Shaped a Nation Love's Sweet Revenge
Over the years, Jake and Miranda Harkner have endured all the dangers a wild and brutal West could throw at them. Now, settled on their ranch in the beautiful Colorado hill country, they’ve finally found peace. But for a man like Jake Harkner, danger is always lurking, and the world may not be ready for an infamous outlaw-turned-lawman-turned-legend to hang up his guns.

Threatened by cruel men in search of revenge, the Harkner clan must be stronger than ever before. Yet nothing can stop the coming storm. With the Old West dying around them and the rules of this new world ever-changing, Jake vows to end the threat to his family no matter what it takes…

Even if it means sacrificing himself so his beloved Miranda may live.

 

Oh yes another great continuation of Jake and Miranda’s story. These two just give you all the feels!!! Like seriously, they rock when it comes to a couple and man they face just about everything the wild west could throw at them and come out on top!! Neither one of them have had it easy, in this story, we see a mature couple that have been married for thirty years!! We see the growth of their family, and certain trials these two have to face. I am not going to lie….I read 500 pages in one sitting. Stayed up all night reading—-that is the type of book this is. It has quite a few heart wrenching moments and also some fun and charming ones that bring a smile to your face!!

Marrying WinterbourneA ruthless tycoon

Savage ambition has brought common-born Rhys Winterborne vast wealth and success. In business and beyond, Rhys gets exactly what he wants. And from the moment he meets the shy, aristocratic Lady Helen Ravenel, he is determined to possess her. If he must take her virtue to ensure she marries him, so much the better…

A sheltered beauty

Helen has had little contact with the glittering, cynical world of London society. Yet Rhys’s determined seduction awakens an intense mutual passion. Helen’s gentle upbringing belies a stubborn conviction that only she can tame her unruly husband. As Rhys’s enemies conspire against them, Helen must trust him with her darkest secret. The risks are unthinkable… the reward, a lifetime of incomparable bliss. And it all begins with…

 

Marrying Winterborne is the second book of Kleypas most latest series!!! Now this one really packed a punch. I will be honest, the first book Cold Hearted Rake I wasn’t too impressed with, it seemed a bit dull for Kleypas. But Marrying Winterborne made up for it and more!!! This story is simply fantastic and I couldn’t recommend it enough, and the hero is the BEST!! I just love him to pieces and is one of my favorites that this author has written. But the heroine although shy and reserved, is courageous and bold when it matters. I have already done a re read of it since I loved it so much.

At 21, Calla hasn’t done a lot of things. She’s never been kissed, never seen the ocean, never gone to an amusement park. But growing up, she witnessed Stay With Mesome things no child ever should. She still carries the physical and emotional scars of living with a strung-out mother, Monaβ€”secrets she keeps from everyone, including her close circle of college friends.

But the safe cocoon Calla has carefully built is shattered when she discovers her mom has stolen her college money and run up a huge credit card debt in her name. Now, Calla has to go back to the small town she thought she’d left behind and clean up her mom’s mess again. Of course, when she arrives at her mother’s bar, Mona is nowhere to be found. Instead, six feet of hotness named Jackson James is pouring drinks and keeping the place humming.

Sexy and intense, Jax is in Calla’s business from the moment they meet, giving her a job and helping her search for Mona. And the way he looks at her makes it clear he wants to get horizontal . . . and maybe something more. Before Calla can let him get close, though, she’s got to deal with the pain of the pastβ€”and some very bad guys out to mess her up if she doesn’t give them her mom.

This is the best of the series that I have read so far!!! This was the first book of the series I picked up, and is my favorite. I loved Jax and Calla together. Both characters are just wonderful to read, and once they get together they compliment each other so well. They are so easy to relate with on many levels. Which is probably why I fell in love with them. If you like NA Contemporary or want to get started…..this is a fabulous start.

Through The StormSable, a slave on the run to escape the cruel man she’s been sold to is forced to betray the charming Union officer Raimond LeVeq, who had romanced her and championed her. Brought together again by fate and an arranged marriage, she must try and win the trust of LeVeq–the man she truly loves.

Oh yay for Sable and Raimond. These two are simply fantastic and bring plenty of laughs and giggles to the reader. Beverly Jenkins is a personal favorite of mine, and has been for almost ten years. She is wonderful and she writes the best love stories. But she also is a author that writes diversity themes so well and is the only author I know that writes them so good. This story is set toward the end of the civil war and the beginning of reconstruction. We see how much chemistry these have together. And even though we get to a part, that involves a bit of angst, once these two overcome some hurdles, they become a couple you want to cheer for.

 

 

CaptiveNew York Times bestselling author Heather Graham delivers the thrilling story of a sheltered Virginia belle who loses her heart to a fiercely handsome Seminole half-breed in the wild beauty of the Florida Territory. A raging Indian war threatens to keep Teela Warren and James McKenzie apart–will their love survive the battle?

 

Captive is a book that reminded how much I love Heather Graham and she knows how to write a angst themed love story that you can fall in love with. This story does deal with some difficult issues of the time, and man Heather Graham did so well with her research for this book. Especially in the horrors that occurs with the native americans in Florida. We see how much these people were willing to sacrifice for freedom and to LIVE in peace. This couple are at opposite ends, and there is so much fighting against them to keep them apart. But what I truly loved about Teela and James, is seeing that even though they don’t have much hope of finding a HEA, they make the best of the time they do have together and don’t waste it.

 

Flowers From The STormThe Duke of Jervaulx was brilliant – and dangerous. Considered dissolute, reckless, and extravagant, he was transparently referred to as the “D of J” in scandal sheets. But sometimes the most womanizing rakehell can be irresistible, and even his most causal attentions fascinated the sheltered Maddy Timms.

Then one fateful day she receives the shocking news – the duke is lost to the world. And Maddy knows it is her destiny to help him and her only chance to find the true man behind the wicked facade.

But she never dreamed her gentle, healing touch would alter his life and her own so completely – and bind them together in need, desire…and love.

 

Flowers From The Storm is a book I have long been waiting for to pick up!!! Laura Kinsale is wonderful, and I had read so many great reviews of this book that made me focus on getting this one read. But honestly there are so many hidden depths to this story I wasn’t expecting and one of the best romances I have read!!! Its heart warming, tender and poignant!!

 

The classic tale of passion on the high seas, available in print for the first time in 20 years . . . The Windflower
Merry Wilding is a lady of breeding, of innocence, and of breathtaking beauty. With high hopes for a holiday in England, she sets sail from New York-but the tide of her life is destined to turn. Mistakenly swept aboard an infamous pirate ship, Merry finds herself at the mercy of a wicked crew . . . and one sinfully handsome pirate. Soon she’s spending her days yearning for escape, and her nights learning the pleasures of captivity.
Devon Crandall believes Merry is in league with his greatest enemy. He’s determined to slowly urge her secrets from her. But along the way, he discovers her beautifully unbreakable spirit . . . and a desire unlike any he’s ever known. She is hiding something from him, and yet, each day that passes brings her deeper into his heart. When fierce arguments give way to fiercer passion, can a pirate learn to love a woman? Or will true love be lost at sea?

 

The Windflower is such a passionate romance and I loved the pirate theme here!!! Boy this book really gets to you and I had so much fun and adventure with this one! It reminded me why I fell in love with Pirate romances in the first place. Laura London is fantastic and this is my favorite book that she has written.

 

Declaration of CourtshipA PSY/CHANGELING NOVELLA

New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh returns to her explosive Psy/Changeling world as predatory desire becomes a sensual game of control…

A dominant changeling wolf, SnowDancer lieutenant Cooper is not known for his patience. But when it comes to courting the shy, sexy woman he wants in his life and in his bed, he’ll have to use every ounce of control in his body to keep both man and wolf in check…at least until he convinces Grace he only bites a little.

One of the most submissive wolves in the SnowDancer pack, Grace knows nothing can come of her sensual fascination with big, bad, beautiful Cooper. He might possess her over and over in erotic dreams that leave her aching for the rough heat of his touch, but she knows that in reality, he is far too dangerous for her to handle. Then Cooper decides to change all the rules…

Declaration of Courtship previously appeared in Wild Invitation

This is one of the best stories I have read from Singh, and the fact that its a novella should say something, since normally I am not a huge fan of novella’s. But Singh is a author to admire in how well she writes a romance. This one is a story I just couldn’t put down and I have re read it multiple times already this year. If you haven’t read this book, but have read this series….this is a must. I love the set up of this pair, because I have been waiting for Singh to write a match like this. What we are dealing with is our hero who is one of the strongest dominant males in the pack. And our heroine is one of the most strongest of submissive’s in the pack. They are at complete ends of the spectrum, so what I liked was seeing these two find a working balance with their wolves and each other. It takes them a while, and Cooper is so patient with Grace, it almost brought me to tears the first time I read it. I love the way he fights for her, but also is understanding when her wolf’s nature takes over. But once they find a balance it is superb!!

Question for my Readers:

What are your favorite reads of 2016 so far? Have you had a good reading year?

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19 Comments

  1. Lexxie

    So funny! I have a fave 2016 reads so far post being published tomorrow, Renee πŸ™‚ Great minds and all that.
    I’ve only read Declaration of Courtship from your list, though, and I really enjoyed that one. I loved how Singh managed to show how a submissive wolf really had choices, and that she wasn’t weak just because she was submissive πŸ™‚
    Have a great week and happy reading.
    Lexxie @ (un)Conventional Bookviews

    Reply
    • Lover Of Romance

      haha that is hilarious Lexxie…I guess great minds do think alike πŸ™‚ Oh I so agree about Declaration of Courtship. I love seeing how she shows in this book, and in the others, how important of a role submissives play in the pack and how vital they are for everyone especially the dominants and how strong they are. That there are various ways to measure strength. Singh is so talented and she has done a superb job with this series.

      Reply
  2. Nick

    Marrying Winterborne is the only one I’ve read from your list and you already know how much love I have for that book! I still re-read some of my favorite passages almost every week!
    I really need to read a Beverly Jenkins and a Nalini Singh book!
    Thanks for all these recs. πŸ™‚

    Reply
    • Lover Of Romance

      oh I hear ya on that one!!! I have already re read it a couple of times. So many awesome moments between these two. Definitely a sign that Kleypas has her HR groove back and can’t wait for Devil In Spring. You definitely need to pick up Beverly Jenkins for sure. She is wonderful to read.

      Reply
  3. Sophia Rose

    I see one that I’ve got on my reading list, but look at that there are four who I really want to read after reading your posts over the last several months. πŸ™‚

    Reply
    • Lover Of Romance

      haha oh goody Sophia!!! I am interested to see what you think of Jake and Miranda’s book *grins*

      Reply
  4. LilyElement

    I need to get around to trying Kleypas!

    Reply
    • Lover Of Romance

      oh you haven’t read her yet ????!!!!! I think I need a midol so I don’t pass out in shock. Man girlie…..you need to pick her up NOW!!! haha

      Reply
      • LilyElement

        lmfao!!! I know I need to get around to her books. She’s been recommended to me quite a few times @_@ Someday soon I promise!!

        Reply
  5. Blodeuedd

    I got one of those πŸ˜€

    Reply
  6. Quinn's Book Nook

    I love Stay with Me! it’s my favorite of the series, although I haven’t read the most recent one. I definitely want to read Through the Storm.

    Reply
    • Lover Of Romance

      Oh you would really love Through The Storm!!! Especially if you loved Indigo. Stay With Me was so well done right? I just loved that couple so very much. They had great chemistry.

      Reply
  7. Ann Lorz

    So many good ones. We are going to do the Kleypas. I really enjoyed the Singh!

    Reply
  8. Michele H

    What a great list! I absolutely loved the Kleypas, Armentrout and Singh stories as well. So. Good. I haven’t read Beverly Jenkins or Heather Graham in a while so I’m excited to get back into their work. πŸ™‚

    Reply
    • Lover Of Romance

      Yay!!! Glad you agree with some of these. I highly recommend Beverly Jenkins for sure. She is fabulous.

      Reply
  9. Jennifer_FairyTales

    I really want to read Through the Storm, Eidolon, and Marrying Winterbourne. I have had a good reading year so far. Some of my favs are Bayou Moon by Ilona Andrews, The Traitor by Grace Burrowes, Vision in Silver by Anne Bishop, and Listen to the Moon by Rose Lerner.

    Reply
    • Lover Of Romance

      oh the Traitor is a very good book, glad you enjoyed that one. I still need to pick up Rose Lerner one of these days!!! You definitely would love Marrying Winterborne!!!! Its so good.

      Reply
  10. Karen

    I still need to read Eidolon. I loved the first book.

    My brain has turned to mush at the moment and I can’t remember what my favorites are lol

    Karen @For What It’s Worth

    Reply
    • Lover Of Romance

      oh you definitely need to….I love Brishen and Ildiko.—they are just awesome.

      Reply

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