This one is a mish mash

There has been a bit of a revival in blogland in recent days on buying new or buying used. Keishon has blogged about it, Dear Author has blogged about it and so has Karen and Bev - she even includes drawings :). I’ve offered my opinion on each one so I’m not really going to give it again here – except to say I buy probably 85% new – mostly new and mid list authors.

Then I was at Sybil’s blog and she posted a couple of upcoming books published by Zebra.

Now one of the arguments against buying new is the high cost of books these days. A shout-out to Zebra however who has done something rather different for some of their new and mid list authors. They offer books at a really reduced rate; $3.99 or $4.99 – slightly higher in Canada. I think this is a fabulous idea and I’ve bought quite a few of them in the past. Some have been good, some not so good. But at least I don't fell as ripped off at those prices for the not so good ones. I checked out their website earlier and here are some books coming out with new or almost new authors that to me scream “buy me! I’m cheap”

So – without further ado, here are some upcoming books from Zebra selling at great prices!

Dark Whispers by Samantha Garver
Samantha Garver delivered a wickedly sensual debut in One Night to Be Sinful. Now she weaves an intriguing new tale of unlikely lovers unraveling a mystery shrouded in danger and dark desire...
Uncommonly tall and extraordinarily independent, Harriet Mosley regularly rushes in where other ladies fear to tread. Indulging her taste for adventure, Harriet's friends pay for her to visit a house of spirits, rumored to be haunted by figments of its tragic past.
Bow Street Runner Benedict Bradbourne is reeling from the loss of his business partner, who was murdered. Bradbourne's quest for vengeance has taken him from London's bustling streets and shadowy alleyways to a country estate whose corporeal residents may prove even stranger than the ghosts who supposedly dwell there.
Intrigued by the bespectacled, mysterious Benedict, Harriet begins to feel the first flames of desire course through her blood. But in the dark hallways of the ramshackle manor, something more sinister than ghosts stalks--and will do everything in its power to keep Harriet and Benedict apart forever.


What a Gentleman Needs by Caroline Linden
Marcus Reese, Duke of Essex, has spent most of his life pulling his twin brother out of trouble. An occasional thank you would suffice; instead, his resentful sibling forges his name to a marriage license and presents him with an unwanted wife. She’s a vicar’s widow with a mind of her own who may be the first person in Marcus’s well-ordered life to make him feel…completely out of control.
Hannah can’t help but curse her own idiocy. Dire straits have led her to the altar with a gentleman she hardly knows. Played for a fool, she’s embarrassed, furious, and worse, married to an equally outraged stranger—an exasperating man who unleashes all manner of emotions in Hannah, not to mention unwanted desire. Reluctantly, she agrees to play the wife until he can sort out the mess. But the nearness of the undeniably attractive Duke and the passion in his black eyes unsettles her well-guarded heart—making her want to do so much more than “act” the role of blissful bride…


Good With His Hands by Alexa Darin
Man who uses his mind instead of his hands--someone who can “wow” me and hold a decent conversation. Someone who knows that a dinner date consists of more than a six-pack and a bag of chips. Beer-guzzling, power-tool using jerks need not apply…
Pepper Bartlett has always been a woman who knows exactly what she wants--except when it comes to men. With a body to die for and classic girl-next-door good looks, she’s never had any trouble finding a man, but finding one who doesn’t cheat, lie, or run in the other direction at the thought of commitment is another story. Determined to swear off hot, sweaty, sexy men with blue collars and blue jeans, Pepper places a personal ad with just one requirement--No Blue Collar Guys need apply. What she wants is a man to turn her inside out and make her crazy with desire--but not drive her crazy. What she finds is the answer to her dreams. Jake Hunter is smart, sensitive, hotter than hell, and an architect. With jet black hair and a beautiful body she’d like to get to know a whole lot better, Jake is the one man who wants to wait. Just what is he hiding? And when Pepper finds out what it is, will she swear off all men forever?


His Dark Kiss by Eve Silver
Saint…
Set high atop a hill, Manorbrier Castle is shrouded in darkness and savage rumors: No servant has ever survived for long…Stay away from the Round Tower…There’s death there… And then there is the dark lord of the manor himself…a monster, they say, and a murderer…
Sinner…
Emma Parrish isn’t easily frightened by hearsay. She’s escaped a far worse fate in order to take a position as governess at Manorbrier. Caring for Lord Craven’s young son offers her a last chance to build a life for herself. She will not flee, even when she feels eyes watching her, hears strange, haunting laughter—not even when she is tempted by the alluring pull of Anthony Craven’s seductive, dangerous beauty…
…Or Cold-Blooded Killer?
A whisper of evil crawls through the shadowy halls and locked rooms of the crumbling estate. At night, Emma sees a mysterious light coming from the Round Tower. She has been warned never to set foot inside it—just as she has been warned not to fall for Lord Craven’s wicked charms. But some curiosities—and deepest desires—must be satisfied. And as Emma draws ever closer to a man she cannot resist or deny, she moves nearer to the terrifying truth of his darkest secrets…


Midnight Eyes by Sarah Brophy
During the turbulent, decadent reign of William II, a royal mercenary finds himself caught in the throes of an unexpected passion—and played as a pawn in a treacherous game...
The bastard son of a Norman nobleman, Robert Beaumont has blossomed into one of England’s fiercest killers—and has found himself well paid for his talents. But now the time has come for him to set aside his sword. The king has agreed to reward him for his last service with an estate...on one condition: Robert must marry the sitting tenant—the infamous Lady Deformed.
For years, Imogen Colebrook has lived in the ramshackle Saxon keep, the virtual prisoner of her cruel, sadistic brother, the man responsible for her deformity—and for wedding her to a dangerous man. Yet, on Robert’s arrival, Imogen nearly brings the hardened warrior to his knees. For she is a vision of unparalleled beauty—living in a world without sight. Drawn to her courageous spirit, Robert gently draws Imogen out of her tortured past. But with her brother always lurking in the shadows, Imogen’s newfound sanctuary in Robert’s arms is in danger of being destroyed—unless her salvaged heart can find a way out of the darkness...


My Wicked Pirate by Rona Sharon
First He Gave Her A Wicked Kiss . . .
Azure-eyed Alanis was by far the most exquisite treasure ever claimed by the black pirate known as the Viper, but his motives went deeper than his silken promise to ravish the feisty Yorkshire heiress. Commanding the waters of the Caribbean was his means to an end: reclaiming his birthright—and his blood debt against those who had betrayed him.
Then He Gave Her Nights Of Wicked Pleasure . . .
Comfortably betrothed to a nobleman, Alanis never imagined the heady emotions involved in the true games of seduction—games this blackguard seemed to thoroughly enjoy playing with her. Swept up into an adventure that soon revealed a gentleman and kindred spirit beneath the ruthless veneer of a privateer, Alanis began to soften towards her enigmatic captor, as her pride and her heart fell under his erotic spell...


O'Roarke's Bride by Barbara Dan
A Bride’s Deception
Pampered, beautiful, and clever enough to outsmart her matchmaking father, Kate McGillacutty coyly agrees to marry a man of the lumberjack baron’s standards: a “real” man unafraid of hard work. Daring to call his bluff, Kate picks her candidate from the dregs of Virginia City’s rough-hewn timber men, certain she can convinced the ruggedly suitable, undeniably charming Peter O’Rourke to play along for a price, until she can get her annulment, her freedom, and a one way ticket back to the civilized world.
A Groom’s Desire
A down on his luck Irish actor, Peter is no stranger to hard work, nor the ways of the world, and happens to be more than captivated by the spoiled hellcat who thinks she can beat men at their own games. He’s not above conspiring with Kate’s father to gain steady employment even if it means wedding, bedding, and taming his willful daughter. Soon, Peter has dreams of his own for his beautiful bride, and they don’t include letting her out of his sight. Because he’s never met a woman like Kate, and he’s determined to claim her heart—no matter how elusive it may seem…


Surrend to Sin by Tamara LeJeune
Nothing Tastes Sweeter …
To escape gossip in London due to a broken engagement and a stolen diamond, heiress Abigail Ritchie changes her name to Miss Smith, and leases a house in the country. Along with her chaperone—a hypochondriac accompanied by a full-time nurse—the trio escape to Hertfordshire. But once there they encounter mayhem, mishap, rustic fortune hunters, and a dangerously seductive but deeply indebted lord of the manor, Cary Wayborn.
Than a Night of Sin …
Scandal continues to welcome Abigail with open arms … and so does Cary. When the two find themselves inadvertently surrendering to one night of white-hot passion and desire, Cary, a true gentleman, insists on marriage. Yet Miss Smith refuses his offer. Now, sorting through a gaggle of gossips, mischief, and conspiracy, he remains fearless and determined to claim a love as irresistible as the lady herself …


Veiled Desires by Tracy MacNish
Tracy MacNish’s deeply romantic sequel new novel reveals the untapped power of a woman’s heart—and how fiercely she dares to protect it…
Emeline’s entire life is controlled by men. She’s just been won in a wager by Jeffrey, the Duke of Eton, who keeps her under lock and key. And her cruel stepfather, Simon, wants nothing more than to dominate her entire future. What she wants is a man who’ll set her free . . . and Rogan Mullen, heir to the dukedom, just may be the answer to her dreams …
Rogan is more than eager to have Emeline in his care, but his urge to protect her grows into a yearning to possess her—body and soul. Surrendering completely to love, they cannot foresee that something very sinister threatens to destroy them, for Simon will stop at nothing to control his stepdaughter’s fate . . . and only the most fervent passion can endure against such relentless odds . . .
“A lushly written, richly detailed Georgian historical [that] pushes the boundaries of the genre.”—Booklist


Hero Worship by Dawn Calvert
Fantasy VS. Reality
One moment Andi Lofton-Hale was an English teacher worn out by another bad blind date, tucked in with a Regency romance. The next, she’s face to face with the magnificent hero of Wedgfeld Hall: tall, black-haired, sinfully sexy Nathaniel Chamberlain. Is he real? Does she care? Nathaniel is the man of her wildest dreams.
However, there is a catch. Andi is a minor character, not the heroine destined to win Nathaniel’s heart. He tells her it’s lunacy to come between an author and her plot…anything might happen! But Andi’s determined to rewrite her life, scandalize all of London, and make a brilliant match, before she can seize everything temptation has to offer…between the covers.
“Unique…an imaginative premise. Anyone who has ever wondered where authors get their ideas will get a huge kick out of Dawn Calvert’s Hero Worship.” —USA Today bestselling author Amanda Scott

So - there you have it. Some interesting books by new or nearly new authors at great prices!

And just out of curiosity, all the books have something in common except the last book. Can anyone guess what that is? And nope, it's nothing to do with the cover model although he does seem to pop up in a number of then doesn't he?


'til later