Romantic Fiction, Reality Shaping and The Work

About buying Regency romance novels
As I decided to buy some paperback copies of Mary Balogh books, I realized the price on the different Amazon platforms was not the same when factoring in shipping. I am located in the EU and looked up amazon.com amazon.co.uk and amazon.de Although I don't live in Germany amazon.de was the cheapest. However, there have been cases with other recommended books where amazon.de was not the cheapest.

Also, it has turned out that Kindle prices are not the same always. We compared prices for the same romance novels on amazon.com logged in from to different countries. With Kindle, some books can be lent out once, and I did lend out what I could, but also discovered that some books do not seem to offer what they promise. In other words, when I wish to lend out, I get redirected to the shopping page.
 
J'ai terminé le Scélérat de la série Les Fils du péché - 4 d'Anna Campbell, très bien je l'ai lu assez vite tant il était prenant...
Je viens de commencer La dame de mes tourments de la série Les archanges du diable - 2 d'Anne Gracie, très prenant j'en suis déjà à la moitié et j'ai eu du mal à le poser...

I finished the Chosen Anna Campbell's The Sons of Sin series - 4, very well I read it quite quickly as it was so addictive ...
I have just started The Lady of My Torments from Anne Gracie's The Archangels of the Devil - 2 series, I'm already halfway through it and I had a hard time putting it down...
 
I finished Marry in Scarlet yesterday so that completes the series. I think Anne Gracie was a better and more descriptive story teller, but with Anna Campbell's Sons of Sins series I seemed to have more emotional processing going on. I have been kind of emotionally flat the past week or two and not remembering much of my dreams, so that may be a factor.

Anyways, I plan to start the Mackenzie or Merridew series next.
 
For any wanting to know the peerage, if not figured out (and not posted earlier and missed), here is 'What’s the Difference Between a Duke, Earl, Count, Viscount, Baron, and Marquess?'

This one has its focus on Marquess land ownership now (with their farm subsidies):

To conclude: England’s Marquesses own only a tenth as much land as the highest tier of aristocracy, the Dukes – though to be fair, much of the 1 million acres of land owned by the Dukes is to be found in Scotland as well as England. It seems likely that the ‘lower orders’ of the peerage have fared less well than the Dukes in keeping their estates intact since the heyday of the aristocracy in the late Victorian and Edwardian periods. Even so, possession of nearly 100,000 acres is hardly to be sniffed at, and our present system of farm subsidies does much to prop up the Marquessates.

And this is barely scratching the surface of aristocratic landownership in England. There are only 24 non-Royal Dukes (22 of whom own land) and 34 Marquesses (14 of whom own land in England). But according to Debrett’s, there are currently 191 Earls, 115 Viscounts, and 435 Barons – some 800 peers in total. Some may own little or no land, but many will be men and women of broad acres, and drawing ample subsidies from the public purse. Mapping them all from existing sources would be a nigh-on impossible task. Unless, that is, the Land Registry opens up its doors – and shows us just how much of a feudal country England remains.
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Going back to these characters of wealth in the stories (and "metaphor" indeed as Laura mentions) - their estates and goings on, the focus was somewhat on what was possible, to achieve harmony in themselves, in their new loved ones and their communities along with their other deeds. This is captured often. And this is a message at the same time, for in reality there were likely not many who could achieve this; the peerage was set up against it (or be stripped of title), and history shows what happened in Scotland, and oh in Ireland as was seen (and other places off island around the world). There were also the merchant class who rose up; the butcher, the blacksmith and dressmakers, the miner...(the grandfather of Samantha in The Escape comes to mind), so the wheels of society grew and moved on. However, going back in time it was hard indeed as a general rule, and some did help lift people up and some put people in further misery. You can see both in the beginnings of the US, then there was France, Spain et cetera. There were people of title who worked against their Kings and Queens for betterment, and those within political court who worked against those titled. Perhaps that is one thing that can stir the heart in the stories, knowing what should be, how people can overcome (rich or poor) - the happy ever afters, as opposed to what was and is. Like Rome, Brutus and greed prevailed, for awhile, and their story ended, and then began again in splintered fashion.

While these stories (read) have focus within the English lands, from time to time would think of other lands and their leaders, such as the Czar Nicholas II and what he was trying to do and could not in the end do; the great sacrifice of all that he loved. Western history has done much to sully his name, though.
 
placematt said:
Maybe others can chime in on this but this blockage is incredibly strong and daunting and i'm unsure if my mind can ever be changed on this idea of marriage is a financial move for two people. that its a transaction. Then again, i have never had a successful relationship so i'm possibly a fish out of water. Not believing in a soul mate means it is a choice who i choose to be with as no one is "destined" to be with me. So if it is a choice then one would way up the pros and con's of someone and thus falling in love would be more of a business decision?
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Hey @placematt - last year I read a little book by J.G. Bennett called 'Sex'. I thought to include a quote from near the end of the book for you to consider. I had some different questions than you pose here, but they were just as troubling for me. This relatively short and very accessible read changed my view of sex and marriage when I read it around a year ago. The reading helped me to get out of my conditioned thoughts about these matters, and opened up my imagination. Instead of simply dealing with 'what is' in terms of sex and relationships (ie. a business deal, social pressure), my eyes were opened to the question and possibility of 'what could be'.

(pg. 66-67)

"If the regulative and procreative roles of sex could be rightly established, then marriage could be seen for what it truly is. It would be understood by all to be a source of blessing for all mankind. Blessing is an objective action whereby spiritual power reaches into the existing world to renew faith, hope and love. Without this blessing, human life becomes insufferable. True marriage is the very kernel of human unity and any society that even approximates to the spiritual pattern of humankind, needs some, even if only very few, such unions.

The union of man and woman comes about to fulfill a common destiny. The two are one in the secret place, even though they may be separate in time and pace. When this place opens in love towards all, all who are surrendered to love, may enter. It is the communion of saints, an inner society, which brings into the presence of mankind the influence of what, in time, is the far distant future of mankind when all will be in communion.

There is a union even beyond this. In the Sufi terminology we have been using it is called Beit-ul-Ma'mour, or the Abode of the Lord. In this union, God enters the soul. This is the same as saying that the supernatural reality beyond the limits of the solar system is immediately present in the Sacred Marriage. Whereas the first abode Beit-ul-Muharem, is a union on the level of conscious energy, and the second the Beit-ul-Mukades is a union on the level of the creative energy, the third union is on the level of the energy of love. The supernatural reality of the third cosmic or reconciling force can manifest directly. It makes possible a redemptive action, unconstrained by the limitations of space, time, and number. God enters into the marriage as the child and the source of their union. In the Beit-ul-Ma'mour the man and the woman have lost the illusion of their separate existence; they have even lost entirely the illusion of existing at all."
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The main point I take from this book is that marriage has the possibility of being a sacred bond that deepens as the two Souls deepen into a life dedicated to Knowledge and Love and Light. The ideal image that comes to me for marriage is a green oasis, or a well-lit garden at night - I see the careful arrangement of positive and negative terminals in an electric circuit - wrapped together and connected well, clear, channeling an energy that serves to light the lives of all who enter into this sanctuary.
 
J'ai terminé " la Dame de mes tourments d'Anne Gracie de la série Les archanges du Diable -2"
J'ai beaucoup aimé, amour, suspense, parfait malgré quelques larmes mais pourquoi pas bienvenues...
Les personnages de ses romans me hantent avec plaisir tout au long de mes journées...

I finished Anne Gracie's "Lady of My Torments" from the series The Devil's Archangels -2".
I loved a lot, love, suspense, perfect despite a few tears but why not welcome?
The characters of his novels haunt me with pleasure throughout my days ...
 
I've just started book 4 of 'Huxtable Quintet' series. Took a little break for other readings but happy to get back to it. I definitely do rather enjoy it, easy reading. This is my ninth romance novel so I don't think I'm slacking too bad, although I imagine some of you have probably read 30 plus books by now.
 
genero81 said:
I've just started book 4 of 'Huxtable Quintet' series. Took a little break for other readings but happy to get back to it. I definitely do rather enjoy it, easy reading. This is my ninth romance novel so I don't think I'm slacking too bad, although I imagine some of you have probably read 30 plus books by now.
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I'm on my 15th novel now (Tempting Harriet), so probably wayyyy behind some of you here, but I'm going on at a steady pace. In retrospect, after comparing the 3 authors I've read so far (I'm not counting Amalie Howard since I've only read 1 book by her: The Beast of Beswick), I'd say that Ashley's books (the McKenzie series - though I've read only the first 4 books) are sweet and pleasant to me, and the characters are immediately likable. You feel like being part of their big family, and it's heartwarming. Indeed, the word that comes to me when thinking about those books is: warmth. The male heroes (for all their past wounds and mistakes) are paragons of masculinity: protective, virile, strong, loyal, caring, assertive, etc. Of course some of them are a bit original or "particular" (like Ian and Hart) but they're all good men.
Some of Campbell's heroes in the SOS series are maybe a bit more psychologically "flawed"/nuanced and, at first, more morally shady (Jonas and even Richard, and Leath during that controversial scene in the library). It took me a bit longer warming up to some of them. The first book definitely stirred raw emotional/sexual energies. The other books of the series were good, but had less emotional impact on me.
Now Balogh: her stories - and her storytelling - trigger a wider range of emotions in me, but they're more subtle, less "raw" (except for one: anger, an emotion that has been pervasice since starting those books!). She is fantastic in terms of describing the protagonists' internal dialogues, inner conflicts/doubts/fears. Her insights into the psychology of the characters really strike home and strike a chord, making the experience intellectually richer. With Balogh, I reflect more, though I definitely feel, too. She's really a master at describing human emotions, in a very nuanced and realistic way. While I didn't find her main characters particularly likable at first (I found Dan and Julia's behaviour really off-putting for most part of Courting Julia, and I didn't care much for Freddie and Clara at first… until the 2nd part of the book), they started to grow on me as I read and got more and more sucked into their inner landscape and began to "get" them, get a feel of who they are, where they come from etc. And gradually, I found myself relating to them and their inner struggle, because well, as a human being, I've experienced the same feelings, doubts, conflicts, fears of opening up/being forthcoming and being rejected and scorned, etc. in the course of my life.
Anyway, after finishing the Sullivan Series, I think I'll move on to Anne Gracie.
 
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Just finished Balogh's The Escape. I enjoyed it immensely. Like Proposal and Arrangement, the couples' initial meetings are accidental, with physical (Ben's), emotional, financial (in the case of Samantha)
and social challenges to overcome as well.
I particularly enjoyed Samantha's humorous sarcasm and wit, and Ben's retorts, when they were engaging in conversation. Imo, it gave me a real sense of love and affection for them both.
As well, I identified strongly with Ben's finally accepting his physical handicap and, with Samantha's help and encouragement, dealing realistically with it. Although not anywhere as serious as Ben's, when I finally accepted the fact that I had a permanent limp, owing to a botched knee replacement operation and subsequent infection, and again, dealing realistically with the problem, things started to markedly improve.
For whatever reason, I really loved Samantha's character: tough, loyal, persistent, resourceful, direct-especially with Ben. In short a very loving and loveable character. I was at times emotionally moved by her love for Ben and how she was willing to sacrufice her own happiness for his.
 
iamthatis said:
Hey @placematt - last year I read a little book by J.G. Bennett called 'Sex'. I thought to include a quote from near the end of the book for you to consider. I had some different questions than you pose here, but they were just as troubling for me. This relatively short and very accessible read changed my view of sex and marriage when I read it around a year ago. The reading helped me to get out of my conditioned thoughts about these matters, and opened up my imagination. Instead of simply dealing with 'what is' in terms of sex and relationships (ie. a business deal, social pressure), my eyes were opened to the question and possibility of 'what could be'.



The main point I take from this book is that marriage has the possibility of being a sacred bond that deepens as the two Souls deepen into a life dedicated to Knowledge and Love and Light. The ideal image that comes to me for marriage is a green oasis, or a well-lit garden at night - I see the careful arrangement of positive and negative terminals in an electric circuit - wrapped together and connected well, clear, channeling an energy that serves to light the lives of all who enter into this sanctuary.
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I would like to add to your thoughts on this iamthatis by directing you, and anyone interested, to a book called Cupid's Poisoned Arrow by Marnia Robinson, which after reading your excerpt from Bennett almost feels like a layman's version, or a practical manual, for developing relationships based on the emotional/spiritual plane by transforming sexual energy through the heart.
I began reading this book whilst in the midst of reading Balogh's the Survivors Club Series and it added some depth to the characters as I could sense/understand their sexual energy opening their hearts, and it added to my own self understanding of my personal history. Of course the Romance novels are fiction, and things do not happen this way so often in real life, but they are a wonderful metaphor for the creation of internal friction and our centres, and channeling sexual energy to the heart, which Marnia Robinson deals with in more realistic practical ways.
 
And I had been wondering what colours to repaint my room for some time, and the answer came to me while reading this book. I knew the instance I saw the shade - or shades rather as there are 2 colours involved.
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The more I read, the more and more this 'knowing', 'intuitive guidance' and 'trust' has taken place.

And an emotional openness and resonance that has made processing and letting go of the past, as well as being in the present, and being more organised, clear, direct with others and time-efficient has grown as a muscle.

Plus energised, centred and grounded.

I am sure weekly therapy, Qigong, Reiki, yoga, journaling, the group meditation and reading workshops and other weekly, daily and monthly routines - such as singing and spending a lot of time barefoot in nature, or gardening, cooking and working with my hands, are helping too.

I decided to take a break from the romantic reading. It got a little too intense and real. As in, developing feelings for a forumite on the other side of the world real. I became conscious of those 2 months ago. I wanted to leave and observe them tl be absolutely certain I wasn't fantasizing, dissociating or daydreaming. So, I have not read the romantic fiction in the same way since, nor have I read any of the books and material for at least a month.

I have been wanting to share this with the forum for a while and didn't know how, so perhaps an update on the fact that I am finding it hard to read and work through the romantic fiction material without it getting or feeling a little too overwhelming (in a good way). My sister says I am flipped - that's a new term to me.

So, perhaps another area of the forum is better to discuss that development. Any idea where might be appropriate?

I'd like to get to a stage in my business and financially where I can dedicate one whole day to finish 2 or more books in that one day without the start and stop affair. They are hard to put down, and I keep wondering when I'll get to finish them!

Such an interesting exercise.
 
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