France Month: Tristan et Iseult by Anne Jonas (Auteur) Anna et Elena Balbusso (Illustrateurs)

Tristan et Iseult by Anne Jonas (Auteur) Anna et Elena Balbusso (Illustrateurs). So, no, this is more folklore and legend than fairy tale, but we don't have many Tristan and Iseult picture books in English, so this one in French caught my fancy.

Book description:

Une des plus grandes histoires d’amour de tous les temps portée par les illustrations originales d’Anna et Elena Balbusso et la spécifi cité éditoriale des albums classiques Milan (mise en pages élégante, papier de qualité, etc.). Un texte de la tradition orale qui, retranscrit par différents auteurs dans le courant du XIIe siècle, annonce la naissance du roman moderne. Une très grande aventure, composée d’errance, de guerres, de loyauté, de jalousies, de culpabilité, de tolérance et d’AMOUR FOU!

Princess and the Pea Retelling: The Duke Is Mine by Eloisa James

Eloisa James has released a few fairy tale inspired category romances the last few years and today is the release date for her latest: The Duke Is Mine. It might not sound like it from the title, but this one is inspired by The Princess and the Pea which gets a big hurrah from me since this one so rarely inspires any novel.

Book description from the publisher:

Destiny will be decided between the sheets in this all-new tale of “The Princess and the Pea.”

For Olivia Lytton, betrothal to the Duke of Canterwick—hardly a Prince Charming—feels more like a curse than a happily-ever-after. At least his noble status will help her sister, Georgiana, secure an engagement with the brooding, handsome Tarquin, Duke of Sconce, a perfect match for her in every way . . . every way but one. Tarquin has fallen in love with Olivia.

Quin never puts passion before reason. And reason says that Georgiana is his ideal bride. But the sensual, fiery, strong-willed Olivia ignites an unknown longing in him— a desire they are both powerless to resist. When a scandalous affair begins, they risk losing everything—Olivia’s engagement, her sister’s friendship, and their own fragile love. Only one thing can save them—and it awaits in the bedroom, where a magnificent mattress holds life-changing answers to the greatest romantic riddle of all.

James's previous fairy tale inspired titles include A Kiss at Midnight (Cinderella) and When Beauty Tamed the Beast (Beauty and the Beast).

It’s the Journey: “Beauty and the Beast” vs. “Cinderella” by Joanna Novins

An article comparing two popular fairy tales and their strength as romance plots can be found at It’s the Journey: “Beauty and the Beast” vs. “Cinderella” by Joanna Novins. Here's an excerpt of the article which spends a splendid amount of time praising Robin McKinley's Beauty. Why, yes, that is always a worthy activity...

The first few paragraphs from the article:

Though I’m not a gambler, I’d be willing to bet that “Cinderella” is the fairy tale most commonly retold in modern-day romances. What’s more appealing than the mistreated scullery maid who, with the wave of a wand, is provided a complete makeover, including fabulous shoes, and entrée to a ball, where a handsome prince instantly falls in love with her?

But in my opinion, Cinderella and Prince Charming are the laziest hero and heroine ever. Sure, there’s that whole grain sorting/floor scrubbing/impossible task so she gets magical help thing, but really, all Cinderella has to do win the prince’s heart is get a makeover and show up. As for Prince Charming, all he has to do is be tenacious in his efforts to find the owner of the size 5 glass slipper. Time consuming, yes, but heroic? Meh.

Nothing new for SurLaLune readers but sometimes it's nice to read about Beauty and the Beast and how so many adore the tale...

Free eBook: The Fairy Tale Bride (Once Upon a Wedding) by Kelly McClymer

The Fairy Tale Bride (Once Upon a Wedding) by Kelly McClymer is currently priced at $0 for its Kindle edition. This is a part of a series originally published by Kensington Zebra Ballad in October 2000 and now rereleased in ebook format by the author.

Description from the publisher:

Miranda Fenster was known as the Fairy Tale Miss during the one disastrous London season that convinced her she would never have a happily-ever-after. But when her brother's love match is thwarted by the impossibly proper Duke of Kerstone, Miranda sets off to convince the duke to champion her brother's cause for love. Unfortunately, he is too proper to consider love a suitable reason for marriage, and too proper not to marry Miranda when they find themselves compromised. Now, Miranda has a second chance for happily-ever-after, if she can uncover her new husband's darkest secret.

And here's a snippet from a reader review--not positive--but showing that fairy tales do play a part in the novel:

The one thing that annoyed me to no end was the heroine's "cutesy" way of likening everything around her to various fairy tales. Every time it made her seem like a juvenile, naive idiot, when the rest of the time she was rather level-headed and even cynical at times. It was jarring each time, but I enjoyed the rest of the aspects of the book.

Free is nice if you are interested....

Romance Friday: The Ugly Duckling Debutante by Rachel Van Dyken

The Ugly Duckling Debutante by Rachel Van Dyken was released in late September by Astraea Press which specializes in non-erotic romance. A lot of fairy tale romance is being published these days as new releases from big name publishers, rereleases of old titles to ebook format, and new books independently published for the first time (in other words, self-published). I've decided to highlight at least one of these titles every Friday for a while since they keep collecting on my lists. I'll categorize them with a romance tag.

Description from the publisher:

Since childhood Sara has lived with the reality of being ugly. Something her awful family never ceased to remind her. After her sisters run off to Gretna Green, she's left with one choice—go to London and take their place for a Season. It's up to her to marry well and save her family from financial ruin.

A distant aunt decides it’s in her best interest to sponsor Sara for the season and help her snag a husband by any means possible.

Nicholas Devons, Earl of Renwick, is a retired rake and consequently bored with life. He’s given up beautiful women and carnal pleasures. Desperation makes him decide to give his massive fortune away and marry the first country girl he sees.

Lucky for Sara she's that girl. Unlucky for Nicholas, he's to be her new tutor in the ways of the ton. Two waltzes, one masquerade, a violent carriage ride, and two duckless ponds later.... and all that's left is a fun twist on one of the oldest stories ever told.

Free eBook: Wickedly Charming by Kristin Grayson

Wickedly Charming (Fates) by Kristin Grayson is free as an ebook for a short time, most likely to promote the new release of Utterly Charming. These are not brand new books, but new ebook releases of older books published by a mainstream publisher once upon a time. Grayson has several books inspired by fairy tales and mythology first released about 10 years go.

Either way, the free won't last long so pick this one up if you are at all interested. Always nice to start thinking about filling up a Kindle Fire, yes?

Description for Wickedly Charming (Fates):

Cinderella's Prince Charming is divorced and at a dead-end in his career, so he opens a bookstore and travels the land ordering books and discovering new authors. Still handsome and still charming, he has given up on women, royalty, and anything that smacks of a future.

Mellie is sick and tired of being called the Evil Stepmother. She did her best by her stepdaughter Snow White, but the girl resented her to no end and made all kinds of false accusations.

Neither of them believes in happily ever after anymore, but both of them believe in happily for the moment...

About the Author

Before turning to romance writing, award-winning author Kristine Grayson edited the Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction and ran Pulphouse Publishing (which won her a World Fantasy Award). She has won the Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Award and, under her real name, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, the prestigious Hugo award. She lives with her own Prince Charming, writer Dean Wesley Smith, in Portland, Oregon.

Description for Utterly Charming:

Bestselling author Kristine Grayson's fairy tale romances bring the classic stories into the present day, where fairy tale characters must grapple with the complexities of modern life as well as their own destinies.

This time when Sleeping Beauty wakes up, she wants nothing to do with the man who kissed her. Consoling Alex Blackstone, the rejected suitor who is a brilliant magician but inept when it comes to women, falls to modern career woman and lawyer, Nora Barr. Nora now has to deal with Beauty's evil stepmother, and the discovery that Alex just might be her own personal Prince Charming...

Fairy Tale Weddings by Debbie Macomber

Fairy Tale Weddings by Debbie Macomber is temporarily $1.24 in ebook edition on Amazon and is actually two of Macomber's early books combined in one volume, one inspired by Cinderella and the other by Beauty and the Beast.

True confessions time: I read this last fall when I was deathly ill with high fevers and could barely manage anything but holding up my Kindle and trying desperately to stay well enough to avoid hospitalization. I don't remember the stories very well, but they were perfect books for when I was really sick and needed just enough content to distract me from my woes but couldn't focus on anything with too much weight. I ended up glomming a bunch of Macomber titles during those weeks after reading this one since almost anything else contributed to strange fever-induced nightmares. Macomber helped keep me from going crazy since reading is my best medicine. Strange but true. Consequently, she will always have an affectionate spot in my reading history. So buy this and save it up for your next bout with the flu or other feverish illness. (No, I didn't have the flu, but it was similar, just much, much worse with several weeks of fever and other ailments.)

Description from the publisher:

Fairy Tales Can Come True

Cindy and the Prince

Thorndike Prince--handsome, levelheaded, successful--is a high-ranking New York City executive. Cindy Territo is the janitor who cleans his office after hours. There's no reason they'd ever meet, no reason he'd even notice her--until, on a whim and a dare, Cindy crashes his company's Christmas ball. She dances with her Prince and then, like a proper Cinderella, flees at midnight, leaving her heart behind....

Some Kind of Wonderful

Beautiful inside and out, New York socialite Judy Lovin values family over fortune and fame. So when her father's business collapses and his most powerful enemy offers to help--in exchange for Judy's company--she agrees to join John McFarland on his remote Caribbean island. It isn't long before she discovers that John's far from the beast he seems to be!

About the Author

Debbie Macomber, the author of Hannah’s List, 1022 Evergreen Place, Summer on Blossom Street, 92 Pacific Boulevard, and Twenty Wishes, is a leading voice in women’s fiction. Three of her novels have scored the #1 slot on the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists. Debbie Macomber's Mrs. Miracle was Hallmark Channel's top-watched movie for 2009. Winner of the 2005 Quill Award for Best Romance, the prolific author has more than 140 million copies of her books in print worldwide.

OT: Georgette Heyer Sale Ending

    

The Georgette Heyer ebook sale ends tomorrow. Some of the books have been so popular--the Heyer backlist has been this week's bestsellers on Amazon--that some of the most popular books have dropped to $1.79. Frederica has dropped to $1.59. I thought I would share the most popular books here if you are having a hard time choosing some titles. And, as always, you don't need a Kindle to read these books, you can read them on your PC or other hardware that can load the Kindle software.