Romantic Fiction, Reality Shaping and The Work

[NewEngland Seeker]

I think you may be onto something. After all, I have several times carried some of the stories into dream time.

This romantic-energy-affecting-dreams is happening to me too. I have noticed that my emotional & psyche responses to the stories are rational but my dream responses are digging deeper and more challenging. I am sensing changes in my focus towards something I have never experienced before and do not know yet what I am seeing. It feels more like a real home and not the past & current anxiety ridden 'I don't belong here' disposition.

As I said at the beginning, I only turned to light fiction because I was suffering extreme brain fatigue. That was a lot due to the intense work on the new book, but also the world events as well as some personal events that were highly traumatic. You could even say that I came as near to having a nervous breakdown as it is possible to be, and pull up short before going over the cliff (assuming I even did - sometimes, I think I did go over!)

Laura, I am greatly troubled by your near-nervous breakdown! That can not be good and there has to be a better way for you to accomplish your goals without blowing out your core. I have no insights or advice but only heart felt support for all you do. I value your health and well being over any knowledge that you would impart from such overly-exhausting work. I pray you take care of yourself first before you take care of my needs for inspirational insights. I also pray that those personal traumatic events have improved as your health has improved.

Now to thank you for this topic.
This current topic is much needed help for my battles with sleepless nights filled with gloom and doom about all of the potential future tyrannical abuses. It has help shift my focus away from how to battle the tyranny to how to enhance the divine. I had a dream the other night that, us forum members were enjoying a meal with you and having a great time. Plenty of laughs and great conversation with a powerful sense of job well done and now we're home and together again. It felt so real and not one of my wishful and self focused dreams. We were all being honest and forthcoming with our emotions and how we could help the group's goals, just like we're doing here. I felt this dream was fueled by the energy from reading these books and this forum. Thanks for this!

 

[seek10]

I enjoyed reading courting Julia. Though it took a few chapters to get used to her writing, the story is simple life without the distractions of pathological manipulations, fun-filled interactions while making the crucial decision of life. Some simple quotes I felt interesting, though familiar, but tend to be forgotten in this digital age.

Spoiler: quotes

How did one choose? How did one know? It might be easy to choose with the heart if one fell in love. Or with the head if one wanted to sensible. But how could one use good sense in the future? Perhaps years and years of future. People changed. All people changed. Both partners in a marriage would change in the course of years. How could one be sure that one would not change in different ways from one's partners? How could one be sure that even if they suited now they would suit ten years in the future? Or twenty?

he just did not understand women. Men generally don't. Marriage for the sake of security and position is not enough for us, or not enough for me anyway. There has to be love. I could not marry a man I did not love or one who did not love me. and so I will never marry. for men do not know what love is"

"Oh, we do,". "Perhaps we do not recognize it so fast and perhaps we are more hesitant than women to own to it. But, we know what love is, Julia, and it is a desirable ingredient of marriage for us too"

"Love is very similar to hatred" he said, "They are both passionate extremes of feeling, easily confused with each other. I have just been using the wrong word. And you too"

I started Dancing with Clara, So far it looks calm before storm.

 

[Miracle]

Just finished '7 Nights in Rogues Bed' by Anna Campbell this morning! Definitely a page turner! I certainly appreciated the lightness of the read as like many other members I certainly needed some positive dissociation from the current reality of our world and personal issues.

What is coming up for me right now as I reflect on the book is my memory of my suburban neighborhood childhood and my observations of the many parents whose lives I had a fair bit of insight into. From a young age and even with my limited knowledge about the world I was very disturbed by the general nature of the parents in my neighborhood (including my own parents). To me there was always something deeply lacking with most of their relationships that is to say that I could sense and was repulsed by the numbness of what I observed. In retrospect I cannot think of a single relationship out of the maybe 100 parents I knew then that I would describe as healthy or positively inspiring.

With that in mind I strongly related to Jonnas's struggle to trust love when his entire childhood was nearly completely void of reasons to do so. It sure got me thinking a whole heck of a lot about my own sexual nature and how I've likely pushed the possibility of positive romantic connections way to far out of the equation! I don't think I would have ever thought about why I am so distrusting to romance (for more reasons than one!) had I not read this book. So I'm guessing that was a dot that I needed to connect that is that past trauma absolutely colors current sexual energies and by reading these romantic fantasies I'll be able to rid myself of these unnecessary neuroses regarding the topic and imagine (and hopefully create!) a more positive union.

Just in case anybody is wondering where I'll be reading the rest of the series I'll be in the library of my castle on the beach. I'll be the 6'4", long blonde haired and perfectly chiseled man standing in the corner

 

[Mari]

I´ve finished Courting Julia trilogy.
And I´ve enjoyed it very much. It was beautifully written, full of emotions and the characters were very deeply described.
On every page I felt like I´m surrounded with characters emotional bubble and nothing else existed in those hours.
Very easy to get hooked and not boring at all.

Courting Julia was very good, but Dancing with Clara and Tempting Harriet were excellent.
The twists and turns made me go crazy, wanting to cry and I felt my hearth will explode.

When started reading Dancing with Clara, I formed a knot in my throat that didn´t unwrap even after I´ve finished the series.
Something was triggered and I´m in some depression last days, like I´m wrapped in some deep sorrow.
Not like other forum members, my dreams got worse, some weird mixture of my past and present, with all the people I liked in it, in some bizarre situations.
That leaded to lack of energy and concentration to focus on my work, questioning my decisions and reliving my past again.

Spoiler: Trilogy spoilers

Dancing with Clara

Clara thought she knew what was she getting into, but didn´t count her impulsive nature and Freddy being Freddy - charming and seductive.
That doesn´t mean I was on Freddy´s side; Freddy I wanted to strangle. But writer gives us such an inside to the characters minds that I couln´t pity or hate the guy - I felt so sad for him, for the stubbornness and his weaknesses.

In the end, if it wasn´t for Freddy and if it wasn´t the same stubbornness and spike in Clara, Clara wouldn´t walk ever.

I was totally melted when he took her out to ride and later when she sat on the grass:

It was all alive, she thought. That was what was so very different about the outdoors. Everything was alive, even the grass beneath her. She was surrounded by life. And she was alive. She breathed in life and felt it fill her lungs and her body.

Such a small things we take for granted that brought so much joy to her. I was overwhelmed.....

To finish with one more quote from the book:

I wonder if happiness would be worth having if it did not have to be constantly worked on.

########


Tempting Harriet

A roller coaster of emotions.

I couldn´t believe Harriet decisions (for becoming Archies lover, for refusing the marriage from that nice Lord at the ball after Archie got engaged,....) but I couldn´t blame her as well. The same with Archie.... Writer gives us so much inside to character´s minds and the reasons for their behavior, so we are aware of every step they take and why they acted in particular way.
That doesn´t mean I wasn´t pissed and sometimes on the verge of crying.

The character of the book for me was Lady Sophia - aunt of the Duke. She was just brilliant. Old woman who has seen life and wanted nothing but the best for people she cared for.

I´ll pause now to read the ch.23 and then move to different author, probably Jess Michaels "The 1797 Club" or perhaps Scarlett Scott "Sins and Scoundrels" series .

 

[MK Scarlett]

I'm reading the fifth book of The Survivors Club Balogh's Serie, Only a promise, and so far, my favorite is the fourth: Only Enchanting.
The one I'm currently reading, however, seems promising to reach that same level to me because the wedding happens very early in the book.

I have the sense that the series is built crescendo from the story of each of the 7 survivors as the volumes progress, and that the author started with those who are "least injured" and/or have less personal "work" to do, and that it will end in volumes 6 & 7 with the two oldest and perhaps "most injured" survivors, whether these injuries are physical and/or psychological as they both vary in degrees for six of the seven survivors, except certainly for the only female member of this Club - who could not have been physically injured in the war and whose particular story should be found in Volume 6 or 7; I have them, but I'll keep the mystery alive until the next volume.

Those are terrific books and I hope to see more people getting to them. "Ever Yours, Annabelle" was haunting and deeply moving.

Another thought I had this morning that I forgot to mention is this: Obviously, "polar opposites" is an extremely rare phenomenon and, for the most part, that is not what we are seeing in these books. We are seeing people who have some basic compatibility and strong sexual attraction that brings them together and holds them there long enough to work out their issues and then make more lasting ties and commitments. Pay some attention to this factor as you read.

That's what I found the most relevant due to my own story. Married for 19 years, my husband and I were deeply attracted to each other on a physical and sexual level: the moment our eyes met for the first time, Mass was said. A month and a half later we were living together and six months later we were married. Of course things did not gradually evolve into what we are as a couple today, but after eleven years of ups and downs, I discovered Laura's work, the forum and its network. Then three years after, a turning point in our couple came that almost put apart our couple. There is a link.

Since then, we have been able to work on ourselves as individuals and on ourselves as a couple, thanks in part to individual therapy each with a different professional who has been able to move us forward individually, and in our understanding of each other. All the information gained through articles, books and videos also gave us food for thought on a number of aspects related to our personal injuries and on what we wanted/want and did not wanted/want to become as a couple. It also took a lot of trust in each other, much more than we had before, but also sharing, understanding, giving of self, love in short, and we are now engaged in this process every day that is given to us. Today, when it happens (not often) that we raise our voices because of tiny things (and these times are conducive with all the non-sense we are living in), we often end up looking at each other and laughing, whereas before it used to end in tears and resentment.

Speaking of present crazy times, my husband has been working at home since the beginning of March, which means that we are constantly together. We have already remarked to each other that we would not have been able to go through the present moments with relative serenity as a couple if we had not done this work before.

When I will have finish this Balogh's serie, I will start with The Devil Riders Serie by Anne Gracie. My daughter made me a beautiful present for my birthday, that I intend to read after Gracie's books: the complete set of Marcel Proust's In Search of Lost Time. It was in my WishList since I've read the following in the last Damasio's book The Strange order of things, at the end of the Chapter VII:

It is the multidimensional feelings that give birth to the masterpieces of poetry. One man has dedicated his entire work to these feelings, to deliver an unforgettable exploration: the novelist and philosopher Marcel Proust.

 

[nicklebleu]

I finally finished my first book Seven Nights by Anne Campbell - I was surprised how enjoyable this book was, once I overcame my preconceived notions about this literary genre.

What struck me is that it seems that a lot of the issues in a relationship is men not being able to be vulnerable (and I think pride may be another factor). It’s regarded as unmanly. I remember when I was very young, perhaps 6 years old, that I used to sneak away to visit a girl my age that I got along with very well, but that I had to do that surreptitiously, otherwise my (male) buddies would call me a sissy! So already at that age this was already deeply ingrained.

It’s a tough call, I think, because on one side men are expected to be the rock and the provider in the family, but at the right time they also need to be able to show their vulnerable side. Or maybe I could describe this as men being able to show their ‘feminine’ side (I don’t mean that in a feminist sense). Conversely women do well on vulnerability (in the book), but struggle with the ‘male’ side, with assertiveness and demands.

Vulnerability has a lot do with trust, so Jonas, having been betrayed from a very young age, doesn’t trust anyone. And as Laura mentioned in one of her earlier posts, sexual attraction got them together, but then they were able to overcome their wounds and limitations to engage on a more mature level. To be fair, Sidonie saved the day by not relenting and just let Jonas go his way. So she was able to muster the male attributes of determination and not yielding, for Jonas to eventually let his vulnerability resurface.

So in a way both protagonists had to accept the other gendered part of their personality. I am sure that description is a bit reductionistic, maybe that is part of what the Cs called “simple and karmic understandings” - to let all those buried feelings and wounds rise to the surface, where they can be looked at squarely.

And maybe this is the aim of a relationship after all - we all have strengths and weaknesses, and the partner is able to access his or her strength to help the other overcome his weaknesses, and in turn the other reciprocates another time. So a relationship in this vein is more than the sum total, a sort of fellowship of battle where I have your back and you have mine. And sex is the fuse that gets this process rolling.

That’s it for the moment, these thoughts are maybe not very coherent, but I’ll continue with the series. Unfortunately at the moment my reading time is a bit limited, but I am looking forward to further exploration.

 

[Jefferson]

Courting Julia

I have avoided this genre although I remember reading my mother’s historical fiction novels (some of them with a romance theme) when I was a teen. I also remember poo-pooing the romance part, not letting the emotional part touch me. Like others have said, over the years I have come to erroneously regard relationships and romance on our planet as just “STS feeding” and have not given these themes much thought.

Part of the fun is to try and piece together the characters and how they relate to each other, although it can be confusing at first as mkrnhr expressed. I was also touched by the wedding proposal as was whitecoast . I have several thoughts on these readings that I can break down into 4 parts:


1. Beauty of Literature: over the past weeks I have been thinking how can I practically manifest beauty in my life and gardening is the first that came to mind, however it is a bit impractical now that Autumn is approaching; music is another, especially some of the choral music recommended; taking part in the beauty of physical exercise is also an option along with spending time enjoying the nature. However, I forgot my penchant for literature, which I used to love as a young boy and enjoyed immensely through high school and my first year of university. Then this thread came along and I read Courting Julia. Just the story it portrays, the way the words are crafted, and the simple beauty of the dialog and character development was touching. This is a way to access emotions, and during this time of hyperkinetic sensate, this is just the thing that is needed for me right now. 20+ years straight of academic reading can only go so far, and now it is time for something beautiful.

2. Specific dialog: when reading this, and being in a kind of “suggestive/open” state, for lack of a better word, when wise words are used by the characters, the reader is more open to the positive emotional effect – as was mentioned by Keit , when Malcolm states:

"Love," Malcolm said and then paused to swallow- twice. "Love is wanting to be with someone all the time. It is accepting the other person with all good qualities and bad and not wanting to change any of them. It is wanting to give affection and approval and comfort and everything that is oneself, demanding nothing in return. It is- love is very difficult, Julia. It is an ideal, rarely achieved in reality because we are all selfish and imperfect beings. It is a dream, a goal, something to be aimed for."​

​

"So being in love is not just the good feeling one gets when looking at or thinking of someone special" she said.​

​

"Perhaps being in love is, Julia" Malcolm said. "But loving is something different"​

It seems to me, despite reading quite a bit about love and so forth, the dialog in the story concerning unconditional love actually touched my emotions, when before it was all intellectual.

3. Character development as a reflection of one’s own character: in good literature the author succeeds in developing the characters in such a way, that the reader looks for similar characteristics and puts oneself into the character’s shoes – something we have understood that literature does: develops empathy. I can’t find the thread, but in the past there have been exhortations on the Forum to read good wholesome literature as part of one’s personal growth. In this story, I watched Frederick, the charming rake, and his womanizing behaviour, and my first thought “I wouldn’t want to be like that”, but in that open/suggestive state I realized I have those rake characteristics. There was an emotional effect: yuck, I have done that, I have flirted and succumbed to the predatory exploitative behaviour just like Frederick, and that’s not the man I want to be!

With the characters you can see how some of them talk too much and putting up masks as Mari pointed out and this is a clear depiction of specific areas where the character could work on the self. Then immediately the reader (me) begins to think of personal behaviors that can be worked on.

4. Sexual center: in my own life has been somewhat of an abnormal sexual suppression (as mentioned above with my attitude towards STS feeding relationships) as well as an impulsive sexual expression. To see a fairly decent example of sexuality is one thing this book brings forth, but more profound is the emotional-sexual center opening via the intimate parts of the book. Hard to explain, as the scenes were nothing titillating or anything, but it was like I could tap into some deeper metaphorical meaning. I found that during and after reading this book, I was more sensitive to things, and actually felt tears coming, and could even cry somewhat: this is something that has been missing from my life.

I am looking forward to reading more of these books, as I think they help in not only manifesting beauty during this time of amplified hyperkinetic sensate, but also providing the emotional motivator to keep working through one’s own personal development and character issues.

 

[Laura]

I am extremely pleased to see how many of you are taking this project onboard in the right way and having the same reactions and effects I have experienced myself. And let me reiterate, you have to read quite a few of these books for the centers to begin to balance; it's like exercise. And, like exercise, it strengthens you in many ways, not least of which is to be able to deal with the awful world we are faced with daily, while holding the ideal world in mind and heart. I think that this is oh, so important!

 

[Scottie]

Ark is rather unhappy with Richard and Genevieve (Sons of Sin, volume 2). He thinks that they both gave in too easily to physical attraction, and even did so when it would have been better not to. I think, on the other hand, that the two of them would never have let down their emotional defenses if their physical attraction had not been so strong. And it was in the letting down of internal defenses that they were able to actually see and love each other. I would even suggest that it was the call of the inner self that made each susceptible to the other in a physical way.

Finished SOS Vol 2. I agree with Laura's take on this one.

I thought the story was much better than Seven Nights. More action and adventure, but always directly related to the story. And the Bad Guy's comeuppance was pretty awesome...

The physical attraction / emotional defense thing was quite interesting. The physical stuff usually happened after a new plateau of deeper understanding/love had been reached. Even when it didn't, it served to deepen their bond because of concern about the effects on the other's reputation or whatever. IOW, it was rarely just about lust - except maybe the first kiss.

The crypt scene was kinda funny, tho...

Spoiler: Spoiler Alert!

Not sure how he could be so virile after losing quite a bit of blood.

Well, I'm on to What a Duke Dares!

 

[seek10]

So in a way both protagonists had to accept the other gendered part of their personality. I am sure that description is a bit reductionistic, maybe that is part of what the Cs called “simple and karmic understandings” - to let all those buried feelings and wounds rise to the surface, where they can be looked at squarely.

Our reference point of what is good in life has changed over time making what is once simple became twisted and distant. Author of The subtle art of not going f**k in his style of teenage language wrote:

George Orwell said that to see what’s in front of one’s nose requires a constant struggle. Well, the solution to our stress and anxiety is right there in front of our noses, and we’re too busy watching porn and advertisements for ab machines that don’t work, wondering why we’re not banging a hot blonde with a rocking six-pack, to notice.

We joke online about “first-world problems,” but we really have become victims of our own success. Stress-related health issues, anxiety disorders, and cases of depression have skyrocketed over the past thirty years, despite the fact that everyone has a flatscreen TV and can have their groceries delivered. Our crisis is no longer material; it’s existential, it’s spiritual.

We have so much f**king stuff and so many opportunities that we don’t even know what to give a f**K about anymore. Because there’s an infinite amount of things we can now see or know, there are also an infinite number of ways we can discover that we don’t measure up,
that we’re not good enough, that things aren’t as great as they could be. And this rips us apart inside.

Because here’s the thing that’s wrong with all of the “How to Be Happy” shit that’s been shared eight million times on Facebook in the past few years—here’s what nobody realizes about all of this crap:

The desire for more positive experience is itself a negative experience. And, paradoxically, the acceptance of one’s negative experience is
itself a positive experience.

This is a total mind-f**k. So I’ll give you a minute to unpretzel your brain and maybe read that again: Wanting positive experience is a negative experience; accepting negative experience is a positive experience. It’s what the philosopher Alan Watts used to refer to
as “the backwards law”—the idea that the more you pursue feeling better all the time, the less satisfied you become, as pursuing something only reinforces the fact that you lack it in the first place. The more you desperately want to be rich, the more poor and unworthy you feel, regardless of how much money you actually make. The more you desperately want to be sexy and desired, the uglier you come to see yourself, regardless of your actual physical appearance. The more you desperately want to be happy and loved, the lonelier and more afraid you become, regardless of those who surround you. The more you want to be spiritually enlightened, the more self centered and shallow you become in trying to get there.

It’s like this one time I tripped on acid and it felt like the more I walked toward a house, the farther away the house got from me. And yes, I just used my LSD hallucinations to make a philosophical point about happiness. No f**ks given.

 

[987baz]

I recently finished 7 nights as well, about half way through the second book (read the 1.5 in between too).

I have to say it is a welcome respite from the crazy world out there, and I have noticed higher energy levels and dreams like others have reported.

I didn't overly identify with either character in the first book, although I did feel something when Sidonie fought for their relationship (something I have been doing in my own life). And like many others, found Jonas a bit frustrating towards the end when he was letting passed hurts get in the way of something that could be so beneficial for them both.

What struck me is that it seems that a lot of the issues in a relationship is men not being able to be vulnerable (and I think pride may be another factor). It’s regarded as unmanly.

I realized, that in fact I have the opposite problem, I have always been maybe too vulnerable and honest with my feelings to my significant other(s). I've never been one for games, I always like to know where I stand and communicated how I felt so we could be on even ground as it were.

Generally, in my experience, the women I have been with don't quite know what to do with it. (which used to frustrate me to no end) They tell me that they are not used to it, and that they liked it, but, there was something there that wasn't quite right about it.The image that they had of me (I'm kind of a rock'n'roll guy haha) didn't gel for them with my softer, open and communicative side.

And so, like everything I need to find balance. It's not that I cannot or am not "masculine" but finding the right balance between to these two states is something I am now more aware of and working on. As Arwenn pointed out in our discussion the other night, there still needs to be some mystery there! (Thanks Arwenn :))

Maybe, upon reflection, I have hidden my more masculine side because I feel it's somehow "wrong" as I associated it with overt sexual desire (and self gratification) and controlling of another, when in fact that was never my intention.
Maybe that horrible lefty rubbish rubbed off on me and swayed my thinking into believing this, I'm not entirely sure.

The subject of sex is an interesting one, I was purposefully abstinent for around 5 years ,while I was trying to figure out what I wanted and how I was "supposed" to act as well as not wanting to be a slave to my libido. Regaining my vigor has been quite the challenge, I am lucky enough to have an amazing woman in my life who has challenged me to look at this part of myself (as well as many other lessons), and If I am completely honest, she is the first woman who I have truly wanted to be with and see a future with.

Another thing I have learned is that there needs to be giving and receiving, I have been so focused on giving that I never realized that receiving is equally important, for both to feel desired. Certainly some great lessons to be learned from this, many thanks, as always Laura for starting this thread and to everyone who has commented and shared their impressions, I am looking forward to reading more and finding more things that need attention.

As a quick side note, the timing for me is very interesting too as I am working on a new song called complimentarity which is about this very subject, how two people compliment each other with their strengths and weaknesses and basically help each other to see themselves and each other as they are and fight together for their greater good.

 

[Jacques]

Finished SOS Vol 2. I agree with Laura's take on this one.

I thought the story was much better than Seven Nights. More action and adventure, but always directly related to the story. And the Bad Guy's comeuppance was pretty awesome...

I also agree with that. I also really liked the SOS Vol 3 and I am reading #4 now.

 

[whitecoast]

I think you may be onto something. After all, I have several times carried some of the stories into dream time.

My big report for today is that I have finished Mary Balogh's "Huxtable Quintet" series and it sure is one heck of a set of books. The themes are assumptions, rushing to judgment of others, masks and removing them, that sort of thing. And it really takes the whole series... it sure does deliver! The first book starts with a scene in a graveyard, a man mourning his young brother, and ends with the same man in the graveyard... no more will I say!!!

The titles are, in order:

"First Comes Marriage"

"Then Comes Seduction"

"At Last Comes Love"

"Seducing an Angel"

"A Secret Affair"

I don't think I can recommend this series too highly. It is excellent and there are quite a few philosophical bits woven in; things about fate/destiny and free will; time as an illusion, all sorts of nifty things. Mary Balogh should get some kind of major award for writing her books.

Thanks! I'm quite on a roll with Mary Balough; I think she's a gifted writer. Dancing with Clara was a very strong emotional journey, more so than Courting Julia at the start. (Although it felt a bit awkward reading the sex scenes, paying close attention to the emotions of each character seemed to help). The characters roused a lot of sympathy and it was heartbreaking to see how much their insecurities and fears sabotaged their ability to be happy and for them to become stronger people in terms of their particular issues. It's interesting seeing how even a small bit of insincerity can backfire in what should be a completely open and intimate relationship. The denouement at the end was wonderful to behold, and every single fear or weakness was brought into the open and accepted unconditionally. It brought tears to my eyes.

I know you've recommended sticking to the books you've recommended but do you have any thoughts on sequencing based on author? Like I said I like Mary but I wonder if I'm not missing out on something if I just move from one series of hers to the next?

And since people have brought up dreams, after finishing Dancing with Clara I did have a dream with vaguely sexual/romantic undertones to it, which seemed involve a border crossing by water.

 

[PERLOU]

J'ai terminé "Le plus précieux des Joyaux" d'Anna Campbell et " Le Cavalier de l'Orage" d'Anne Gracie.
Je me suis régalée, j'aurai tant aimé susciter ces amours vrais, profonds et passionnés mais ce ne fut pas mon cas...
Comme c'est bon de rêvé avec ces personnages émouvants dont je me sens si proche... Un vrai délice... Merci LAURA...
Je viens de commencer " Follement Amoureuse " d'Anna Campbel, il faut suivre deux histoires en même temps...
J'ai reçu " Le Scélérat " d'Anna Campbell, "Des fleurs dans la tourmente" de Laura Kinsale et les tomes 2 " La Dame de mes Tourments ",
3 " Une Lady à épouser ", 4 " Rien que la Passion " de la Série les Archanges du Diable d'Anne Gracie...
Quelques heures de lectures agréables à venir...

I finished "The Most Precious Jewel" by Anna Campbell and "The Knight of Thunderstorm" by Anne Gracie.
I enjoyed myself, I would have liked so much to have aroused these true, deep and passionate loves, but it was not my case...
How good it is to dream with these moving characters that I feel so close to... A real delight... Thank you LAURA...
I have just started Anna Campbel's "Madly in love", you have to follow two stories at the same time...
I received "The Villain" by Anna Campbell, "Flowers in the Turmoil" by Laura Kinsale and volume 2 "The Lady of my Torments",
3 "A Lady to Marry", 4 "Nothing but Passion" from Anne Gracie's Archangels of the Devil Series...
A few hours of pleasant readings to come...

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

 

[genero81]

I know you've recommended sticking to the books you've recommended but do you have any thoughts on sequencing based on author? Like I said I like Mary but I wonder if I'm not missing out on something if I just move from one series of hers to the next?

Well, Laura may have a different answer but I think it would be a shame not to finish the trilogy with 'Tempting Harriot.' I'm about half way through and it provides more interesting angles to the overall dynamic of the two previous.