Category: Discussion Post

It’s That Time of Year Again ~ Christmas Romances!

Posted August 27, 2025 by Marsha in Christmas Romance, Discussion Post / 0 Comments

Well, folks (and fellow romance lovers), it’s that time of year again.  The end of August, when the air conditioning in many parts of the world is running on high, thoughts of snow drifts are a future thing, and that Christmas gift-buying list is not quite on our radar.

And… It’s time for the Christmas season ARCs to begin to show up, while many Christmas Romances start hitting the shelves (or the one-click retail sites) right this moment.  Now, for me, I can read a holiday romance at any point in the year.  Between now and the end of the year, I’ll have read enough holiday romances to give the North Pole’s library some fierce competition! 

You, too?  Then get ready for the Christmas Romance reading to begin, and make your own list of the titles that you want to give as gifts… to yourself!

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Well, it’s been a minute, hasn’t it?

Posted July 28, 2025 by Marsha in Discussion Post / 0 Comments

Wow!  It feels so good to be back here again.  How I’ve missed this place, and the reading community I’ve come to love.  I love a good book, but it’s so much better when I can talk about those books with others who also simply love a good romance, in any genre!

There are two good reasons why Happily Ever After Romance and Keeper Bookshelf went missing. I’ll give a brief explanation because, in truth, my absence was not by choice.

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A Very Proud, Rather Personal Post

Posted March 25, 2020 by Marsha in Discussion Post / 2 Comments

I rarely talk about my family’s private life on this blog.  After all, it’s about books, book plots, book reviews, and… well, reading.  So, I don’t often speak about my life outside of those books – sometimes, yes, but it’s not often.

Right now, because I’m so proud of the man my son has become – because of all the challenges he has met every single day of his life I’d like you to meet my kid (who will always be my kiddo but is now a fully grown man of his own).

 

 

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There’s A New Genre In Town! And A Whole Lot of Paranormal Women’s Fiction To Enjoy Starting Today!

Posted February 18, 2020 by Marsha in Discussion Post, Paranormal Women's Fiction / 0 Comments

I’ve been looking forward to today’s releases since I first heard of this project through Eve Langlais’ newsletter.  You can learn more through this group of amazing writers’ Facebook page HERE.  Or on their official website, Paranormal Women’s Fiction.  For the moment, these titles are in Kindle Unlimited, so if you have that subscription service through Amazon (which I thankfully do) then you can grab these books right now.  At some point, I know that, at least, Eve Langlais’ book will be going out of KU and to all markets in around ten days or so – I do not know if that is true for all of the titles in this project, but I’ll be checking out author websites later today and will update what I discover.

The reason I’m excited about these new titles and series is very simple.  Seasoned Paranormal Women’s Fiction.  Think of it as a new genre (which it’s not really since there are a lot of Paranormal Romance stories with women main characters who are over 35, but it is getting a lot more attention and releases recently which is a very good thing).  An exciting new road to travel for Paranormal stories of women who are no longer in the first blush of love but are probably at least over 35 (which is the starting age for “Seasoned Romance”), have lived life with all its beauty and ugliness and are moving on to something new – not always totally willingly.  So, yes, I’m excited to see Paranormal go into the Women’s Fiction genre in such a huge way with such a strong presence as these well-known and loved authors will bring with them.

So.  Let’s get to the books!  If you’ll click on that “Read More” down in the corner, please, you’ll see the covers of all of these titles within this particular project.  To be completely honest with you each title is linked to the Amazon page where you can download or order these titles. So, full disclosure, these cover pictures have my Amazon Affiliate link in them.

As far as I’m aware, each of these titles is the beginning of a new series – which makes me a very happy reader.  I do not know if any or all will be in KU throughout that series, but you are getting in at the beginning of several new series when you check out these titles.  So… Happy Reading your Paranormal Women’s Fiction titles.  🙂

Oh, in no particular order, here are the websites, title, a link to the review done here at Keeper Bookshelf (book title link), and series for these books should you prefer a more direct to the author link:

Magical Midlife Madness by K. F. Breene (Leveling Up series)  Website Link

Midlife Bounty Hunter formerly Grave Magic Bounty by Shannon Mayer – New Cover (The Forty Proof series) Website Link

Betwixt by Darynda Jones (Betwixt & Between series)  Website link

Let It All Burn by Denise Grover Swank (From The Ashes series)  Website Link

Second Chance Magic by Michelle M. Pillow ( Order of Magic series)  Website Link

Cloudy with a Chance of Witchcraft by Mandy M. Roth (Grimm Cove series)  Website Link

Halfway There by Eve Langlais (Midlife Mulligan series)  Website Link

Wrong Side of Forty by Jana DeLeon (Marina at Midlife series)   Website Link

Witching for Grace by Deanna Chase (Premonition Pointe series)  Website Link

Suddenly Psychic by Elizabeth Hunter (Glimmer Lake series)  Website Link

It’s A Wonderful Midlife Crisis by Robyn Peterman (Good to the Last Death series)  Website Link

Writing Wrongs by Christine Gael (aka Christine Bell (CR), aka Chloe Cole (PNR) (Crow’s Feet Coven series)  Website Link

Sucks To Be Me by Kristen Painter (First Fangs Club series)  Website Link

 

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Opinion: Please Don’t Spoil It For Me

Posted January 7, 2020 by Marsha in Discussion Post / 0 Comments

I love a good romance – contemporary, historical, paranormal, mystery, suspense – it doesn’t matter the genre, I simply love a good love story.

I absolutely hate spoilers.  I’m not afraid to admit to that one, at all.

I try very hard in my reviews of books I’ve read and enjoyed (or didn’t enjoy at all) to keep my observations, plot-wise, about what can be found in the Cover Description.  The author or publishing house decided to give those spoilers away all on their own.  The rest of the review contains my reactions to the story, my feelings for the characters, how well the author pulled me into their world, or how their writing flowed, hopefully, holding me in place until the end.

Once my review is published, I’ll look over other readers’/reviewers’ thoughts about the same book out of curiosity.  What I often see makes me cringe.  And I know if I had read some of those reviews first that I never would have picked up the book to begin with – and sometimes I’m told the entire story, including the ending, so actually, why bother buying the book now?

This little post, my small blog, isn’t going to have a huge impact on spoilers in reviews.  I know that.  Every reader, every reviewer is entitled to their own thoughts, their own style, their own opinion.

But for the love of books that have the words “The End” in them, please don’t tell me how it all ends.  Allow me something to discover on my own, some part of this adventure that is a surprise to me, something… please.  To be quite frank, this is the reason that as a reader I never, ever read reviews before I’ve finished the book.  That probably sounds very strange to some people – but the ending has been spoiled for me far too many times to take that risk.

My opinion.  My thoughts.  My plea – Please Don’t Spoil The Book For Me By Telling Me The Ending.  I don’t think that’s too much to ask, really, I don’t.

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Twenty Years with The Bridgertons and Julia Quinn

Posted January 5, 2020 by Marsha in Discussion Post, Regency Romance / 0 Comments

Twenty years.  Two decades.  It’s kind of shocking to realize that it’s been that long since I first met these amazing characters and got caught up in their world.  Or perhaps I should add “worlds” for this original series has branched out a bit since the original series was first published.

And, to make this reader of the Bridgertons very happy is the sweet fact that all of my favorite Bridgertons and their eventual spouses are heading to Netflix – one very happy reader to be able to see what my imagination created years ago.

Over the years, Julia Quinn has become a “go-to” author for Regency/Historical Romance for me.  I’ve enjoyed the lively characters, the vivid worlds, and the intrigue that she brings to every story.  I don’t see that ending any time soon.  If she writes it, I will read it – it’s that simple.  I began this journey long before this blog existed – but perhaps it’s time to revisit this world as a celebration of my own of a group of characters that I love and return to often.

If you haven’t entered the world of The Bridgertons yet then I would highly recommend this particular series and add those that came later and connect in some way to the original series.  If you love Regency/Historical Romance I don’t see how you could be the least bit disappointed with what you’ll find within the pages.

Thank you, Julia Quinn, for the stories, the people who live within the pages, and the adventures they’ve taken me on – here’s hoping there are many more to come.

The Bridgertons series includes — The Duke and I – The Viscount Who Loved Me – An Offer From A Gentleman – Romancing Mr. Bridgerton – To Sir Phillip, With Love – When He Was Wicked – It’s In His Kiss – On the Way To The Wedding — and all the #.5 titles are in The Bridgertons: Happy Ever After — Anthologies:  Lady Whistledown Strikes Back – Further Observations of Lady Whistledown

If you want more (in a way) of the Bridgertons and their neighbors, the Rokesbys then you’ll want to check out — The Rokesbys: A Bridgerton Prequel series — Because of Miss Bridgerton – The Girl With The Make-Believe Husband – The Other Miss Bridgerton – First Comes Scandal

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Thank Goodness This Week Is A Wrap! #4

Posted January 5, 2020 by Marsha in Discussion Post, Thank Goodness This Week Is A Wrap / 0 Comments

Wow!  2020.  Let’s hope it’s a year of clearer vision for us all.  I know that it’s been a crazy, busy week it’s been around my house – I’d bet probably yours, too.

This post has been shared on The Sunday Post, a weekly recap from so many amazing blogs hosted by Kimberly over at Caffeinated Reviewer.

Well, we survived the Holiday Season once again.  The tree is down and carted away to become mulch for the boro, the last of the leftovers have been either devoured or *sniff* tossed, and now comes the fun of finding places for all those goodies that were under the tree waiting to be the center of attention once again as putting the gifts away becomes a priority.  We, as a family, had fun – but now it’s time to go back to the everyday world.

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2020 A Fresh Page Turned

Posted January 1, 2020 by Marsha in Discussion Post / 3 Comments

2019 had been… a year.  In so many ways – good, bad, and ugly.  At this moment I “could” dwell on those last two (bad & ugly)… but No, not going to do that because today is a blank page, an exciting brand-new decade beginning, a new year begun anew so why drag last year’s garbage into this pristine, clean place, right?

Two weeks ago I “had” a grand new plan for Keeper Bookshelf — and then some of that bad & ugly hit and that tossed me for a loop even though I wasn’t directly involved.  I started questioning just about everything I do here on the blog(s), places that are in many ways a safe haven for me, places where I can allow my love of really good stories to take flight.  I “could” let events that had nothing to do with me directly try to steal my joy in this place of mine – it would be so very easy to do that… and for about a week I did allow that.  But no more.  My blog might be small with a not very large audience (now) but that does not mean the uglies get to take it from me.  No, not gonna happen.

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A Reader’s View of the RWA Implosion

Posted December 29, 2019 by Marsha in Discussion Post / 0 Comments

Before any other words are typed:  I am a reader above everything else, a reader of many genres but mostly Romance in one form or another.  I’m not “Just” a reader for my thoughts have as much validity as anyone else’s.  And, yes, I am a book review blogger – a small blog where I get enjoyment from sharing my thoughts about the various books that I read.  But, today, I’m writing this post as a reader for, at the heart, that is what I honestly am.

December 23rd/24th is a time that will live on in my memory for it was the beginning of such eye-opening experiences that I’m still grappling to put them into some order.  At that time author, Courtney Milan was handed down a harsh sentence by the RWA (Romance Writers of America) because simply put. she dared to call out the racist mess that was another author’s book written in the 1990s and reissued recently.  Ms. Milan has been a champion of/for marginalized authors as she is bold, brave, and tireless in calling out people on their BS.  You can (if you somehow have missed this implosion) look over the events from the beginning by logging onto Twitter and going to @CourtneyMilan.  An excellent post about The Implosion of the RWA can be found at this text link, the timeline says it all really.  Or do a simple Google search, it will not be difficult to find.

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Still Missing the Most Bad Assed Princess of All – Carrie Fisher

Posted December 27, 2019 by Marsha in Discussion Post / 0 Comments

On the anniversary date of one of the biggest losses in the entertainment industry – to me.  I’m just going to leave this here with the memories of one amazing woman running through my mind.

Carrie, you are sorely missed.

“Stay afraid, but do it anyway. What’s important is the action. You don’t have to wait to be confident. Just do it and eventually, the confidence will follow.” – Carrie Fisher 1956-2016

“No one is ever really gone.”

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