GBGA -- end of week III

I feel like I'm writing sequels here with these acronymns and roman numerals. But that's shorthand for Great Book Give-Away and, obviously, the last of week three.

As I had trouble getting to my books this week I've been slacking and haven't given you daily updates. Sorry. Next week more of the furniture will be back in the bedroom and out of my office, presumably allowing me to actually get at the books.

In the meantime, the last two books for this week's give-away are Scandal's Daughter, the terrific first novel by yet another fabulous Australian writer, Christine Wells, and the inimitable Stephanie Bond's mystery/comedy/romance/whatever, I Think I Love You.

In Scandal's Daughter, Sebastian Laidley, is your rather typical regency rake, but he's no stereotype. He's complex and layered and in a quandary when he discovers that the girl he's known forever has somehow grown into a very appealing woman -- and her dying grandfather who is his godfather, expects him to find her a husband.

This is not as easy as it might be since Gemma is the daughter of a scandalous woman -- and since Sebastian discovers, to his consternation, that no potential husband measures up and he would prefer to have her to himself.

The relationship between Sebastian and Gemma is great fun. Christine's dialogue is witty and her characters' dilemmas worth reading about. I loved this book and am waiting with bated breath for Christine's next title.

What can I say about Stephanie Bond? She is a writer of so many voices and so much talent. And I never quite know what to expect from her books, so opening on is always a bit like getting a present from a favorite aunt on Christmas morning. I never know what it's going to be, but I'm always pleased.
I Think I Love You is the story of three sisters, Justine, Regina and Mica -- and the chaos that is their life -- or lives. Or something. Add in a local bad boy, a pair of squabbling parents, a lifetime of sisterly battles and resentments, an unsolved murder and you have a story with more twists and turns than a bowl of rotini.

So that's the week's books:

• Odd Mom Out by Jane Porter
• Midnight Bayou by Nora Roberts
• Untouched by Anna Campbell
• Scandal's Daughter by Christine Wells
• I Think I Love You by Stephanie Bond

And a pretty appealing bunch of books they are, if I do say so myself.

If you've commented in the last three weeks, you're in the drawing -- not that I wouldn't like to hear from you again and often -- but once you're in the drawing, you're in the drawing.

Gunnar will choose on Saturday morning (he's sending me out for more treats this afternoon). And I'll post the winner as soon as he and The Prof have done the ritual and Gunnar has made his choice. (postscript to Byron: he has not yet seen any bribes . . .er, treats from across the pond).

If you win, please let me hear from you by Tuesday or Gunnar will have to go through the whole terrible ritual again (unless he picks a backup, which he probably won't because, um, well, there will be treats involved, won't there?).

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Seb and Neely are getting down to business, I'm happy to report. They seem to have been inspired by my jaunt off to see Miss Pettigrew. Neely has been muttering things about "living for a day" too. I wonder if they saw it, too.