#it was a loooooong thread

[derpydoteddrake]

An analisis on the symbolism of this shot and what it means for Jayce and Viktor

(this does not contain any le*ks, only material that has been officially released so far.)

But first to understand what this shot means, his connection to the new magic and how this relates to his relationship with Viktor, we need to look at what his bracelet represents.

He got the crystal for his bracelet by a mage who saved him from an impossible situation, this implanted in him a lifelong obsession with the idea that if he could give this tool to people, he could greatly improve the lives of many.

But since he knew they would not allow experiments like this in Piltover in normal circumstances, he needed to do it in secret. This is what at that moment the bracelet represents.

His conviction is so strong, this goal is so important to him that he made the reminder of that fateful encounter something that he can not just carry, but wear it on himself everywhere he goes. However it is hidden, the same way he needs to hide his research.

But then he is found out, his research is going to be destroyed, and he loses all hope in completing his dream. So he takes the bracelet off, as a symbol on how he is given up. But then Viktor comes into the picture.

He gives his bracelet back and with it his hope for his dream, it's no longer something he has to burden himself alone, it's not just Jayces dream anymore, and so he declares: our hextech dream.

And this gesture and this declaration changes the meaning behind this bracelet, it's not just a symbol of his dream anymore, it's now a symbol of their shared dream of helping people and in turn their relationship and partnership.

This thematic connection is later emphasized when he complains about being useless in the face of Viktors illness and his frustration about not being able to develop the technology he wants to and he reflexively tuches it.

And after he no longer needs to hide it and he can fully pursue his dream, he puts it on proud display, he turns the crystal upside down and even has clothing that lets his bracelet show, he is proud of they work and he shows that off.

But in the shot we got for the crystal to embed itself in that way, he needed to turn the bracelet upside down. And why would he do that? Well, he would need to be so disillusioned with their dream, so ashamed of letting Viktor down that he doesn't even want to be reminded of it.

I dont think it's a controversial thing to say that Jayce will have a chance to destroy the core and he won't, which initially Viktor will be mad about, but later allow Viktor to do his shenanigans with it. Thematically that would make sense.

But the bracelet isn't just worn in a different way, that would be reversible, the crystal is literally burned into him with a crack in the middle. It is irreversible. What does that symbolize?

Easy, they didn't just lost they dream,

THEY DREAM IS DEAD

The crystal is no longer a symbol of his hopes and dreams and a wonderful relationship, It is a symbol of his failure to do good with hextech, broken promises, and letting down his closest friend.

it is grotesquely melted into him forever, a reminder how he cannot escape the reality he helped create. Giving hextech to people is no longer a dream, it is real and it's a nightmare, he didn't improve anyone's lives who needed it, he made weapons to oppress.

And the gem is cracked in the middle, mirroring his broken relationship with Viktor, the man he let down over and over again, he wasn't there when he needed him, he went against his will and made weapons, and he failed to fulfill his promise to him.

Since we saw Viktor will gain the ability the transform people, I would teorise that he will be the one who will melt the crystal and metal into him in a heated argument. (tho his powers are distinctly purple)

It is not something he wants to remember, but it is something he will have to carry for the rest of his life.

And now Viktors mind is twisted, he was not strong enough to destroy the core when his mind was still intact and now Viktor commits horrific acts in the name of trying to do ultimately good.

And so the bracelet is not just a reminder of his failure, but also a reminder of the promise he will have to fulfill one way or another.

[floralege]

@sinsoakedsaints sent: ❛ there is something deeply wrong with you. ❜ / buzz and sloane!

“Are you trying to flirt with me, Buzz? I hadn’t realized that was part of the deal.” Not that there’s been any explicit deal made between them just yet, more of an apprehensive agreement that Buzz Barton wouldn’t kill her yet (boo, hiss) and Sloane would assist with his… handiwork as necessary, at least until they made their way into wherever the fuck Valdez is. Frankly, she’s still optimistic that she can drive him insane enough to finish the job before sunrise, keen to suss out his boundaries, press every raw button until one sparks a vicious reaction. That's how she likes to flirt anyway.

“I’m just saying, you could toss me right in and nobody would be the wiser,” she continues her tangent, lithe body perched over the murky bridge, her oceanic gaze sweeping over the rushing waters beneath them. That’s what he was hired to do, right? 

“Mm, let me guess,” she finally turns to properly appraise him, scarlet lips tugging into a faint smirk, “you’ve got performance anxiety? Can’t rise to the occasion when somebody’s watching, that whole deal?”

@sinsoakedsaints

[feraecor]

😳 From Jett to a certain ✨ Spider Queen ✨

@bottleofbabes | send  😳  if your muse thinks mine is pretty. | Accepting

"Oh, puppy, you don't exactly hide those big pleading eyes and the drool gives you away every time~ Keep on dreaming~"

[homosociallyyours]

10&30

THANK YOU FRIEND!!! This got LOOOOOONG so I put it behind a cut. The crime stuff should be better but guess who's not in the right mindset to invent a frame job? It's me, hi.

Framed for a crime they didn't commit/only one bed

OK, it doesn't quite fit but immediately my brain jumped to the Belle & Sebastian song, "White Collar Boy" that describes a guy who stole from his job trying to do his community service until the woman he's chained to decides to escape and drag him along.

In this AU, Harry is the white collar criminal-- he was working at the Gucci store and taking a few goodies for himself when he got caught. But listen, they were damaged, ok?? Like. If you're paying Gucci prices there shouldn't be any loose threads or similar, right? And yeah, sometimes Harry was the one who pulled loose the threads. But in fairness, that sweater looked really good on him!! So did those trousers, I mean-- yes, the squats have done wonders for his arse but those TROUSERS, they took it to the next level!

Unfortunately none of that convinced his manager or the judge, and he considers himself lucky to get assigned to pick up trash at the local pier. At first he gets to do it alone, but after a few weekends he's told he's gonna have a partner. Who he's gonna be cuffed to. The indignity!

But then he SEES said partner.

Louis is all shaggy hair and cigarettes and somehow making the coveralls they have to wear actually look good, and Harry would be smitten with him if not for the fact that he keeps trying to move them further down the pier toward the docks, where they've been told not to go.

It all comes to a head about half an hour before they're supposed to be done for the day. The cop in charge of them comes to herd them back to where they should be and Louis, using the dull end of his plastic trash grabber arm, whacks the cop in the head and bolts, leaving Harry no choice but to follow. When Louis jumps into the trash barge that's headed out, Harry takes the leap too.

Harry freaks out, of course, and they fight about it a little bit before settling down and stewing for a while.

---

"You're not ugly, really," Louis says, chin resting in his hand as he studies Harry in the waning daylight. Harry looks back at him with a withering glare before rolling his eyes and huffing as he tries not to wonder if the trash bag he's lying on just moved, or if it was his imagination.

"Wow, thanks for the compliment," he deadpans.

"I just mean-- you could kiss me if you'd like. Might help the time pass."

Harry scoffs. "My time would be free right now if it wasn't for your shitty little stunt back there, so pardon me for not being entirely thrilled by the idea of snogging you." He squirms into a sitting position, tugging at Louis' arm until he adjusts his position. "Why would I kiss a criminal, anyway?"

"Oh! So you think you're better than me, hm?"

Harry swallows, mentally kicking himself for walking right into that. "Well I'm not the one who-- did whatever you did." Nice one, Harry. Really.

"Mm, that's right. You," Louis studies him for a moment, reaching out with his free hand and picking a bit of trash from Harry's hair, "stole something, didn't you? Nothing much. Bit of petty cash, maybe? Ooh, or a little returns scam at a high end shop." Harry scoffs, looking away from Louis' too blue eyes as he feels his cheeks heat with embarrassment. Before he can deny it, Louis laughs. "I'm right! Aren't I?"

"Yes," Harry says, kicking at the fast food cup that's sticking out of a nearby trash bag and studiously avoiding Louis' gaze.

"And me? What did I do?"

"How am I supposed to know?" Harry asks, picking at a hole in his jeans. "Not a professional criminal who can tell that kind of thing with a look."

It's Louis' turn to scoff. He wrenches his arm away, sending Harry scrambling to keep himself sitting upright. "You're a right prick," he says, crossing his arms over his chest in spite of the fact that it means he's got one of Harry's hands captive there with him, dangling just over his stomach.

"So," Harry says, edging closer. "What did you do, then?"

"Nothing," Louis says simply. Harry shakes his head, gearing up to call him an idiot and a few other names, maybe, when Louis holds a finger up to silence him. "I was framed."

---

So it turns out Louis shared a locker at work with a guy who seemed nice enough, but was actually using the business as a way to build a network of stealing and selling prescription meds and some harder drugs. He'd put a false back into the locker that Louis hadn't even thought to look for, and then when law enforcement figured out where the drugs were coming from, the guy tipped them off.

Louis' escape had actually been planned for a while-- he and his best friend Liam have come up with a way to expose the guy who framed Louis, and he picks them up on a little boat that Louis and Harry have to swim to just as night falls.

They end up having to shower together at Liam's house and share a bed that night, and Louis is actually a very good cuddler, it turns out? Plus he laughs at Harry's dumb puns. And even when Liam's roommate shows up with a saw finally get them (kind of) out the the handcuffs, Harry decides to stick around.

He even takes part in the scheme to catch the guy who framed Louis by pretending to want to buy drugs from him and getting the guy to admit everything on tape. It takes a couple of months, but Louis and Harry do get free and make a nice little life together that's mostly crime free. Unless Harry really needs a little designer shirt, in which case...he might still try to scam it.

[ominous-faechild]

all of your wips sound so cool! i'm really interested in 'soren magic puppet guardian' and 'lynsmouth's 'families',' if you mind sharing some stuff about either of those :)

Sorry for taking so long to get to this! I wanted to be able to give you a good quality answer and have either been busy with other stuff or haven't had the energy to address this yet! (To anyone wondering, this is an ask from this tag!)

Fair warning: this is going to be LOOOOOONG!

"Soren Magic Puppet Guardian"

So! This (as were all of my threads, haha) was a very on-the-nose name. Soren Ula--the dad of Freya, the MC of Sun and Shadow--is a well-renowned merchant. He owns a massive shipping company that spans most of the world, but what few know about him is that he's both an avatar (an agent of a god) and a faerie!

I've yet to explain what exactly faeries are in my writing, so I'll give a quick explanation! Faeries are almost sub-gods--powerful creatures that technically aren't even "creatures" so much as they are sentient clouds of magic. Most create physical bodies for themselves, but few leave the Faewildes and even fewer attempt to live "normal" lives.

Soren is a faerie of the ocean. Meaning, he is lowkey an actual god of oceans. In-story he's mentioned to have powerful ocean magic--that's because he is the ocean in many ways. He's just long-since taken on a human form to the point that he doesn't even feel dysmorphic in the form he lives in today (which is unheard of in faeries! They always have some aspect of "themselves" on their physical body, or they'll feel detached from and/or uncomfortable in it)!

The reason I explain this faerie business? If you haven't been able to tell, faeries are incredibly powerful creatures with both their own magic and minor reality-warping abilities within The Real World. (The Faewildes is also Real, but... not "the Real World". Just accept that for now, haha.)

(Skipping Spoilers!? 👀)

When Soren found Freya, his long-lost daughter, in Drønhals, he immediately set to getting her a home in the area. He had a vast amount of wealth from his work and he was long-since known to be an avatar of Levebol, so he had little to no problems doing so.

Except... he'd built a life in the time since he'd lost his family. He had his company, he had his work with Kieran Caron, and how many questions would be raised if he suddenly stepped down from it all?

No. As much as he wanted to stay with his daughter, it would be dangerous for him to. And as much as he'd tried hiding his involvement with Caron, it was entirely possible that people could find it out, track him down, and then find her. And she was just a little girl! Not even five!

(Yes, you are reading that correctly. Long-lost daughter. Implications of at LEAST decades passing. And yet she's not even five years old yet? 🤔🤔🤔)

No, he couldn't stay with her. He'd do anything to protect her... including practically abandon her.

Except, Soren didn't have to abandon her, even if he left to pretend everything was exactly as it was before. He still had power, even if it was nowhere as much as he used to. So he created a magic charm with a little bit of his soul in it.

Literally.

This "charm", containing both some of Soren's soul and a good bit of his magic, is capable of creating a "puppet" of sorts that's more of a semi-tangible hologram. Thanks to it having a bit of his soul (something literally only possible thanks to him being a faerie), he's able to "consciousness-switch" with it, letting him, well... be an actual guardian for his daughter.

Or, well, y'know. The closest thing to a guardian you can be when you're essentially puppeteering a robot from thousands of miles away to take care of her.

Long story short! Freya grew up with a "magic puppet guardian" of Soren that he could use to simultaneously always be by her side and, yknow... literally never be there for her. It's caused a LOT of complexes in Freya, and is also the main source of the tension in her relationship with him.

When she was younger, she liked it--it was like having her father with her at all times! And she lovesd her dad! But by her teenaged years it turned into resentment for being a sort of half-measure of his in order to "be there for her". She's actually not aware that he did it to basically minimize the likelihood of Bad People™ noticing her and going after her to hurt Soren, but... tbh it wouldn't change her feelings much on the matter if she did know.

In fairness... it's not like he was never actually there. He'd spend time with her in the form of the puppet whenever he didn't have anything else to do in His Real Body on the Slumbering Serpent (his ship). "He"/the puppet would take care of her in small ways, driven on by the small bits of his consciousness within it to carry out tasks he wished he could do. And, hey! He'd sometimes be able to stop by and spend a few days to a week in his real body whenever the trade routes allowed for it! But, yknow... didn't much make up for the fact that, besides what was essentially a zombie a majority of the time, Freya grew up completely alone (and oh boy there's more to that).

The "puppet" wasn't always active by the way--the charm could be manually disabled/enabled, and the puppet and its magic would withdraw into it as commanded. Whiiiiich is what turned into the case in Freya's mid teens, as she started getting angry with Soren and her whole situation. 😅😭

In case you were wondering! Yes, Soren could see/hear/feel/and everything else through the puppet and charm! When he wasn't "possessing" them, though, it was very faint sensations, like the tiniest of breezes across the cowlicks on your head. Freya personally wondered on more than one occasion if he ever used it to eavesdrop on her (as she ALWAYS kept it with/on her), but he never actually did.

What? He's already basically neglecting her, he didn't need to make her resent him for also invading in her personal business and giving her trust issues!

(Don't worry, though, she got those anyways. 😙👌)

Don't get me wrong--he didn't avoid eavesdropping just because he didn't want to give her trust issues. (Just.)

He also did it as a sign of respect for his daughter! Y'know, because he loves her!

Note: Freya lost the charm at sea during the shipwreck that destroyed the Slumbering Serpent in the first chapter of Sun and Shadow. Who knows where it is now, what will come of it, or if it'll ever appear elsewhere again?

I mean, probably not, right? After all, it got lost at sea! It would be ridiculous for it to end up on land!

... like Freya did. 🤔

Aaaaaand... I think that about does it for "Soren Magic Puppet Guardian"! 😄

This was a LOT, so I think I'm actually going to leave this post here, haha. If you'd also like to hear about Lynsmouth's "Families", please send me another ask! Hope you enjoyed reading and/or that this was as satisfying as you hoped it would be! 😊

Divider from @cafekitsune

[axnewxera]

// I'M BACK BABY

I vanished into the Lifestream for a little bit there. Sorry about that. Summer is always a crazy time for me, and I've been busier than usual this fall. I genuinely miss Rufus, this blog, and this community, so I would like to make a comeback and dive back in!

It's been a LOOOOOONG time since I've posted anything though, so I'm not really sure how to move forward. I'm thinking of wiping the slate clean with the mutuals I've played with before, starting new threads/scenes, but honoring what came before. Doing a time skip of sorts so we don't have to remember every DETAIL of our previous stuff, but we can still honor the history and chemistry we've built in the previous stuff and build upon it.

And, of course, new people are always welcome to RP with me as well! If you're interested in plotting a thing, please reach out to me! I'm looking forward to playing Rufus again and seeing what new heights I can bring this muse to!

[blackjackkent]

Moving to a new post cos that thread was getting loooooong. XD

I was tagged by @fireheartedpup to do this quiz:

I got this:

IDK about the cottagecore part but other than that, yeah this tracks and I am happy with it. c: Definitely the vibe I'm going for.

Tagging: @writer86 @rhysintherain @acecasinova @thedarkstrategist @the-night-wizard

[clown-demon]

Random shout out / positivity

((I follow some REALLY cool people, and I wanna give some shout outs to people I'd really suggest checking out!

----

@nurturing-starlight - I have been friends with Star for over a year. I think it's now two years? She is such a sweet pea and such a fun person to talk to. I LOVE their OC Nimue so much. You can tell a lot of thought and effort was put into her. One of my all time favorite OCs. She's great at writing and just in general really pleasant to be around.

@yoxngmadnxss / @perspextivexx - Poppy is one of my REALLY long time mutuals. We've been mutuals since I lost my ex bestie. She's been with me when I wasn't a great person-- but STILL stuck with me, and I really appreciate it. It's only more recent we've been chatting more often, and honestly?? She's so sweet. And she has some AMAZING muses and OCs. I would def check out her blogs cuz we've been RPing for years and I just adore her sm.

@pcrplevenom - Me and Moose have been mutuals for.. years.. I WANT to say we've known each other for SEVEN years. We've ALWAYS been mutuals and she is the longest time mutual I have had on this hell site. I LOVE Soldan sm. I am NOT into homestuck at ALL. But I am always enjoying a thread with her, no matter what muse I am RPing. 1000/10 reccomend.

@gonnachasethestars (and his other blogs but I don't wanna tag em all) - GREAT friend, we've been friends for less than a year and I am already really close friends with him. A great writer and just someone to really enjoy on the dash. Bear was one of those people who I became close to super fast. And now we chat really often. He's someone I have no issues with popping and saying hello-- I am comfortable with chatting to him whenever.

@swordduels - I've only known them for a short time, but they are SO nice. Chats with me often and I love the fact they're not scared to just randomly pop into my DMs and just chat with me. It's super nice. Also I love their OC and I really enjoy our threads. They're so much fun. <3

@nulfy - Aku is a sweet bean. I JUST met her and she's already growing on me and I adore any interactions we have, both IC and OOC. I love when she just pops into my DMs with random Sigma and Nikolai stuff. Or just anything she has to share. She's really nice and friendly and someone who I opened up quickly to. Give her a chance.

@land-talon - I LOVE their obscure muses, like I THINK I played Dragon City a loooooong time ago? But I just LOVE RPing with them. I haven't really chatted with them too much, but honestly from what I can tell? They're super nice and chill. Their muses are so much fun and I LOVE when they drop by my inbox to chat. Super fun!

[thetruearchmagos]

Writer Positivity Tag

Thank you kindly for the Tag, @sleepyowlwrites , I decided to take it up!

What motivates you to write?

Well, part of it's the history of it all. It feels nice to think of how many thousands of people across time have been somehow involved in the business of the written word, and I feel that what I do is in some way an homage to that long legacy. One that carries a personal, and so unique, touch.

A line/short snippet of your writing that you are most proud/happy of. If not, maybe share a line of someone else's work you love (just please credit them):

Uhh... haven't actually had the time to write much beyond fanfic these past few days! Here's one odd blurb I've thought over recently though:

The view from L'Orchidee was panoramic. From twenty five storeys up, it cast its gaze across the bay, whose surface glimmered in the last light of a setting sun. Those who passed through its doors would find nothing less than the best Cagnan could offer, serenaded that night by a full string ensemble striking up a tune. As it was, the only thing Captain Castex could hear was the sound of chewing. "Ahh, yes..." Colonel Francois Moreau, sitting opposite him, rose from his steak with a satisfied sigh, dabbing his mouth with a by now quite stained cloth. Of course, the gaze and shark's smile he cast at the Captain shot down any humour Castex might've been tempted to find in the display. "And you, Capitaine? I hope it is the company that is not to your taste, Chef LaCroix's talents are simply beyond reproach!" Castex's soup was long cold, half finished and currently untouched. A single scrap of bread circled on its surface, which Castex thought of as a kindred spirit. "Both are much appreciated, sir. I only wonder why it is me who you've chosen to share both with. Colonel, again I must---" "Enjoy myself, I hope you were about to say. And why shouldn't you? Tell me, how many months has it been since you last took leave, hmm? Six, Castex recalled, but did not say.

It'll be a while before I get to work on it, bit passes the bar of 'existing' I suppose.

Which OC makes you smile every time you think/talk about them, and what are they like?

Well, Gustav of course, and Higgs too. Fiercely skilled, passionately for each other [eventually], these two have been with my writing for a loooooong damn time.

What process of writing do you enjoy the most?

Worldbuilding, which is awkward considering one of the questions down below! I've been one to imagine my 'Setting' as having a story, a history, of its own, one made up of the stories of the billions of people who've made their lives in it, writ large and gathered in the long arc of history. When I make writing from it, I pick one thread, and a few more, and just sorta bring them to light.

What part of writing do you think you are the best at? (Yes stroke your own ego it's okay)

Uhh--- Descriptions? Of environments, features, more tangible stuff usually? I mean, I do it a lot, and I suppose more than much else.

What is something in the writeblr community that is most enjoyable?

People, and just existing while knowing they exist too! I feel like I'm a lonely person, but it's indescribably nice to know that someone else, somewhere I couldn't imagine, is typing out words the same as me, if differently. And sometimes, they even talk with you about things you like, and that's the real ticket.

A writing tool/device you use that helps you with writing? (It could be speech to text, a writing program etc)

World Anvil, despite my neglect of it recently, really is a wonderful application for my Worldbuilding stuff! I should get back into it...

A piece of worldbuilding that you like in your own story? (It could be the magic system, a particular place in the story, a law, etc)

AAAAAA---

Okay, really, really hard to pick just one. I really like what I've been doing with my histories, of course. I feel like a lot of them, in fiction at least, are... maddeningly easy to understand? Weird, sprawling, gangly systems of cause and effect charting the evolution of institutions, cultures, and technology across a timeline of about 2.5 centuries is apparently one of my callings, and I intend on hearing it out to the end.

[There's also a certain piece of Worldbuilding I love, and which causes me utter unbridled terror everytime I consider sharing it with people out of a stupid fear that it'll make them hate me. Again, hopefully just stupid.]

Tag some people whose works you love/have been your biggest supporters:

I love every one of you!!!!!!

@lividdreamz @athenswrites @hessdalen-globe @dogmomwrites @theprissythumbelina @caxycreations @marinesocks @thatndginger @moonscribbler

[P.S., consider that my Tagging of you lot for this too!]

[teleportationmagic]

batgirls salt below.

Weird feelings about this book ending. like, especially by the end there were aspects of it I was growing to like (I think the Steph writing now is a lot better, for instance) but at its heart, this book had three relationships it needed to get right, and I don't feel like it got any of them.

Like, where's the dysfunction? where's the struggle? Why do these three understand each other perfectly when they have a loooooong history of doing the exact opposite? I understand that this book was very much marketed at a younger audience, but these things are not irreconcilable. There is still interpersonal conflict in children's stories, trust me.

Also like. Cass. My sweetheart. I've said before that I don't know if a book with this tone can really support her and gosh, I think this has borne it out. Cass needs tough internal conflict, and it feels so often that she's lacking a lot of her interiority. Someone said that, especially by the end, it felt like she was Steph's asian friend and yeah. All of the threads of her conflict have been cut - pretty much the only challenge she ever has to contend with is Shiva? and even that wraps up by the end of that issue. The thing about Cass specifically is that the audience will not believe any physical threat to her, so it needs to be made up for with internal and interpersonal issues, and this book just. doesn't provide any of it.

It might seem like I'm harping on about dysfunction and yeah I kinda am but like. Conflict is a necessary drive for stories. And none of the villains in this connect with the Batgirls in any interesting ways (the closest they get is maybe Babs and Seer's half-respect thing? But that doesn't go anywhere.) so Steph's self esteem issues seem to be the biggest throughline and that's just not enough for even a purely Steph book, nevermind a book with all three of them.

IDK. It seems like Cass has better things in her future, and September solits haven't come out yet for Steph, so we'll see. I'm terribly optimistic about Steph's odds, and I'll be sad to see her relegated into cameos for a while, but she's always been a character who'd occupied that sort of drifting role so I think there's still a nonzero chance some good stories might be told with her. We'll see.

(Didn't mention Babs because I blame that one mostly on editorial - Babsgirl is going to suck. period. no matter what they do - she's been essentially re-branded into the girl one of the Batfamily, and that's not a character you can do anything with.)

EDIT: Just one thing I wanted to add. It boggles my mind that Steph dies in this book, but that carried nothing. No consequences, no shifts in character dynamics - like I'm not saying that they need to write her traumatized, but like. Cass and Babs should have Opinions on this! Steph should have feelings about this! The person this shakes most his Cluemaster himself, and that's stupid!!!

[the-book-queen]

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A duke with no memory washes ashore after a shipwreck. To avoid a bullying suitor, the heroine claims she's his wife.

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$0.99 ✦ Since I Fell For You by Bella Andre

She's a successful digital security specialist, but when she starts having problems with a stalker, her brothers hire a bodyguard for her.

Contemporary Romance (MF) | https://amzn.to/42FfErh 

$0.99 ✦ The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting by KJ Charles

A glib fortune hunter who sets his sights on an heiress ends up falling for her uncle, the grumpy baronet instead.

Historical Romance (MM) | https://amzn.to/3GAQYaK 

$1.99 ✦ The Heiress's Daughter by Anne Gracie

A shy heiress wants to be married but has two firm rules: no rakes and no fortune-hunters. So a dashing rake must prove he has changed his ways if he wants to win her love.

Historical Romance (MF) | https://amzn.to/4iVyYFH 

$1.99 ✦ Someone to Wed by Mary Balogh

Marriage of convenience. He just inherited a title and a failing estate. She's a bit of a recluse but has a large fortune and wishes to buy herself a husband.

Historical Romance (MF) | https://amzn.to/3Saho5E 

$1.99 ✦ Unfinished Business by Nora Roberts

Second chance. She's a concert pianist who returns home. He's a doctor and has returned to work at his father's clinic.

Contemporary Romance (MF) | https://amzn.to/3Gsyqtk 

$1.99 ✦ Never Too Late by Brenda Jackson

Second chance. They're about to file for divorce when they both end up at the same vacation cabin -- right as a storm hits.

KU Title

Contemporary Romance (MF) | https://amzn.to/3RM4FWO 

$1.99 ✦ On Duty by A.R. Barley

Age gap. Troy is a former Marine turned seasoned firefighter. Alex is a paramedic. Temporary roommates while Troy heals.

Contemporary Romance (MM) | https://amzn.to/4m21kRi 

$1.99 ✦ Along Came a Lady by Christi Caldwell

A brooding, illegitimate son of a duke hires a tenacious teacher to transform him into a proper gentleman. A fiery battle of wills and chemistry ensues.

Historical Romance (MF) | https://amzn.to/3Z0wbnb 

$1.99 ✦ Can't Help Faking in Love by Swati Hegde

She comes from a wealthy Bollywood family but is determined to make her own path as a photographer. He's a barista who dreams of being an actor. Fake dating for a wedding.

Contemporary Romance (MF) | https://amzn.to/4iHrSnS 

I’m now an affiliate with Bookshop! So when I can, I’ll post those links as well, for anyone interested in supporting a different company.

Or you can find all of these deals, with their GR, NOOK, Bookshop* and Kobo* links as well, up on the blog:

Romance Deals Weekly Recap (05/04): Over 20 romances under $3! 📚

*affiliate links

Putting these lists together takes time. If you appreciate this content, please consider buying me a Ko-Fi. http://ko-fi.com/danielletbq 

[carolinanadeau]

it's so weird to watch a fellow woman try to be soooo hard to be academic and woke that it just circles back into absurd misogyny

like I stumbled onto a fragrance subreddit for women, and someone started a thread asking why gourmand fragrances have become so popular. there was a loooooong comment with quite a few upvotes speculating that it has to do with the rollback of women's rights and "tradwives" and women presenting themselves as a consumable object for men etc etc etc

jesus christ! maybe I just wanna smell like vanilla and marshmallow because I enjoy smelling it on myself all day! maybe a lot of women are excited to discover that there's a whole genre of perfumes that don't give them headaches! and I promise that when I pick out and wear a perfume I am never ever thinking about men, specifically or generally

[kmp78]

CS is back. Alive and well on threads.

Now let's wait and see what kind of loooooong and winding posts she'll make on IG, explaining her absence. 🤔

[gojonanami]

I loved your a for sure but phew! That was loooooong my poor attention span was hanging by a thread😭 no fault of you tho I enjoyed it a lot!

thank you!! I mean I’m glad I can entertain I guess?? lmao — I’m glad you enjoyed 🥹🫶

[thezfc]

An Anon who wants gossip from ten years ago. Go to Lipstick Alley from ten years ago. There you will find so much gossip that you won’t know what to do with it later. By the way, do they still exist? Is Tom's thread still there? Is anyone there now?

I haven’t been on LSA in a loooooong time. Too many Swidiots or at least mentions of her.

[iakes-on-amasakas]

High Education, Low Expectation

@chimaericrealities || Starter from plotting!

The room is way, way bigger than Shinji expected. 

He stands in the doorway with a backpack slung across his shoulders. His right hand grips the handle of a big, beat-up suitcase with wheels. In his left hand, he holds his prized possession: a vintage Crosley record player, once bright red, but faded and dinged up around the edges now. It’s the portable kind that folds up small and nice. It’s a touch of comfort, a touch of home, in a place that Shinji can already tell will smack him across the face with an abundance of new, unfamiliar experiences. 

The place looks empty, so Shinji takes a few steps inside. After about half a second’s consideration, he shrugs out of his backpack and deposits it on one of the extra-long twin beds. It doesn’t look like Shinj’s roommate has so much as swung by yet, so Shinji figures he gets to call dibs on which side of the room is his - not, he reflects idly, that it makes much difference. The room is unadorned and completely symmetrical.

He walks his way over to the window and peers down into the quadrangle below. Two kids toss a frisbee back and forth. A group of friends sprawl together on a picnic blanket. Some folks stroll down the paved pathways that cut through well-manicured grass. One lonely-looking kid reads a book on a wrought-iron bench. 

It’s... so classic. It’s so fucking collegiate. Who knew, eh? 

He didn’t admit it to any of his pals back home, but somewhere in the back of his mind, part of Shinji wonders whether he’ll be able to fit in in a place like this. He knows, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that he’ll be able to sell it - that he’ll be able to charm his way through parties, and smooth-talk his way through difficult questions in the classroom, and pick up quick on the latest trends and fashions alongside the most tapped-in of his peers - but he’s curious about the way it’ll all feel, deep down.

Will he ever feel a sense of ownership over this place?

Hell - will he even make any real, true, honest-to-god friends? 

Shinji turns away from the window. He sets his record player down on the chunky, wooden desk and pops it open. He connects the fraying power cord to the input in the back and punches the power source into a wall outlet. He sidles back over to his suitcase, lays it unceremoniously down on its side, and zips it open. He didn’t bring much in the way of clothes - just the best of the best, and enough to get him through about two weeks without repeating an outfit, if he’s reasonably creative - because the suitcase is crammed with as many carefully protected vinyls as Shinji could manage. He fishes through his stock, fast and businesslike, until he finds what he’s looking for. As he rises and runs his thumbs along the edge of the multicolored album cover, he can feel his skinny shoulders sagging in relief. He slides the record out of its sleeve, lays it on the turntable, and drops the needle. 

With that, Shinji plops into the desk chair, leans his head back, and sticks his hands behind his head, in a concentrated effort to unwind a little. Who knows? he thinks, as he lets the first strains of familiar music wash over him on this first day in an unfamiliar place. Maybe I’ll get lucky. Maybe my roommate’s into music, and we’ll hit it off right away...