Monday, August 8, 2011

2nd Blogoversary celebration!



This week marks two years here at My Ever Expanding Library! I'm very thrilled to actually be celebrating this year (cause I let it just slide on by last year.) I've cooked up some guest posts, an unveiling of a new blog layout later in the week, and maybe definitely a giveaway to come.... ;) So, stick around this week and see what's in store!

Two years is pretty momentous, considering there is actually a syndrome for those who don't last called "blogger burnout" (it sounds serious but it is not fatal by any means ;). It can be a lot of pressure at times, but I think the fun totally outweighs that. These last two years, though, have made me realize how much I've been missing in the reading world. To that effect, I've asked a few of my favourite book bloggers to share with me some books that they think I should read but just haven't been able to fit in (yet).

Today's guest is Caroline from The Secret HEA Society and one of my co-bloggers at The Book Lovers Inc. Caro has been significantly influential in some of my favourite reads over the last little while, so I totally trust her recommendations now. Here are her picks for the Top 5 HEA's that I really need to get to. Take it away, Caro!:

I feel honored that Jackie asked me to come over today to share with you my Top 5 Happy Ever After romances. I love sharing books I loved  with other book lovers. I'm pretty sure that I was recommended half of these at one time, so now it's time for me to forward the love *wink*.   It was very hard to choose only 5 (I might have pulled a few handful of hair), so I cheated and chose 7 of them. Seven books which made me feel good and tingly, each of them with a fantastic HEA!  I shouldn't be surprised that 6 of them are Historical Romances ;) 


I give you now  my Top 7 HEAs : (in no special order)


-All I Ever Wanted by Kristan Higgins
This book made me feel SO good. It's funny, cute, adorable and it has cute pets and a grumpy Vet. I just loved it to pieces. One of my favorite contemporary romances. After reading this book I ordered many other books by this fantastic author.

- When Beauty Tamed the Beast by Eloisa James:I devoured this book. It has a very very sarcastic, brooding and scarred hero. It's also very funny and sexy. I just can't recommend it enough.

- The Duke and I by Julia Quinn:This is the 1st book in the Bridgerton series. It's one of the first Historical romances I read and loved. A classic!


- The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley:
This is THE book that started my Historical romance addiction. I was blown-away by this book. The hero's madness made him so special. <3 I'm addicted to this series now. It rocked my socks off!

- Secrets of a Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas (alright so actually it's the whole Wallflower Series)
If you've never read this book you don't know what you're missing. I LOVE this series, the best thing is that you can see the characters' HEA in all the following books. You get glimpses of their love and happy life. It was very hard to say goodbye to all of them.

- Wicked Intentions by Elizabeth Hoyt
This was one of my favorite book of 2010. I love heroes that are a bit different. This one doesn't even like to be touched! It has a lot of suspense and adventure. <3

- What I did for a Duke by  Julie-Anne Long 
This book has it all, it's cute, funny, romantic, intelligent, sexy. Talking about it makes me want to reread it asap! I loved both the hero and heroine. I was stuck to the pages from the 1st chapter.

Here you have it! I hope you'll give any of these books a try, they are forever in my heart. (yes see I can do cheesy epilogues too *wink*) 

Thank you again for inviting me Jackie!!


Have you ever read any of these books?
What's your TOP HEA list? Any book you'd recommend me?
If you don't like HEA books, can you tell me what you don't like about them?

Thanks again, Caroline, for agreeing to come over and share these books with us! I can already here my wallet groaning at the thought of more book purchases ;) There are some great titles here that I look forward to reading.

I hope you all enjoyed Day 1 of the celebration! There's more to come tomorrow :) Thanks for stopping by.

11 comments:

Karen said...

I loved When Beauty Tamed the Beast as well. It was different from the typical HR story but sarcastic and witty yet romantic. I've only read Lisa Kleypas's Contmeps but I love her writing and everyone keeps bugging me to read that Wallflower series.

Melissa (My World...in words and pages) said...

Oh the HEA! I love it. You know I don't really get to read many of these as I am stuck in the fantasy and urban fantasy worlds fighting my way around. ;D But I do love the sounds of these and will have to try one out here some day!

Thanks Caroline!

And happy blog birthday to ya Jackie! :) Have a great week! And celebrate to the hilt. ;D

MrsMixx said...

Thanks again Jackie for inviting me over *g*

@Karen It was SOOOOO good. I could just read it again, I loved it so much! Ohh yeah it was the same for me and the Wallflowers series, people kept recommending it and I wasn't sure...I waited a long time but when I started book 1, I had to order them all at once. Loved it to pieces. I on the other hand, haven't read her contemporary romances! But they are on my TBR list!

@Melissa I WAS stuck in fantasy for a long time too (well I still read those), but one day I read The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie and BAM!! I just couldn't stop!
*sigh* I just wish fantasy books had more often HEAs!

JenM said...

I've read 4 of these with two others high on my wishlist and I'd agree that this is a great HEA list. The Eloisa James and Julia Quinn books were both the first ones I'd read from those authors, and both books prompted me to immediately start seeking out their backlists.

MrsMixx said...

@JenM I LOVE when a book makes me want to get all the backlist in a hurry. I haven't read many books by Eloisa James but I know I can't wait for the Duke Is Mine. It sounds really good!

June M. said...

I have read many of these books and loved them. I especially loved WHEN BEAUTY TAMED THE BEAST. Reminded me of the show HOUSE, and I loved the characters in the story. HEA are definite requirements for me to enjoy a book. Otherwise, I feel disappointed.

MrsMixx said...

@June M Ah yes, he's so Gregory-House-like. NOm nom . I used to not mind if books didn't end well but now I need my HEAs. It's a real drug. *g* The best kind of drugs Muahahah

Jackie said...

@Karen - I love "sarcastic and witty"! You're making it harder to resist these books ;)

@Melissa - I have recently devoted more shelf space to HEA's. They are fun and usually less dark than UF or PNR. I like to mix things up, lol. Plus, they give a single woman hope that her Prince/Duke/Marquess is still out there somewhere :D

@JenM - I've heard great things about Eloisa James. Thanks for seconding the rec's!

@June - When Beauty Tamed the Beaast is like House?! Gah! It'll be first up then, lol.

@Caro - "Love is the drug"? Hehe. Thanks so much for doing this post. I'm working my way up the HEA list (currently reading A Midnight Waltz by Lila DiPasqua...which I can't put down!). At one time, I would have been embarassed to have these books out on display but now, hell yeah! I show them off. They have awesome covers and are just so much fun to read :)

Blodeuedd said...

Hi Caro! *waves*
Ohhh I love those HEA books, now I just have to read them too. First up would be a Higgins book.

As for HEAs...eh...*blank*...omg, what is wrong with me?!

Well, ok I will just blame it on there are so many

Midnight Bloom said...

Sorry this is a little late... but happy blogoversary! :)

Mary Preston said...

That's a great list. I have read WHEN BEAUTY TAMED THE BEAST & added the others to my reading list.

marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

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