AAR

[Natalie]

Has anyone found promising new authors in 2012?

So far, I've enjoyed Cecilia Grant' A Lady Awakened (and a sequel, A Gentleman Undone).

I also liked M. L. Buchman's The Night is Mine - a military romance (a hero and heroine are helicopter pilots in special forces).

[brwneyedbeauty]

I have found a few Debut authors this year:
Heather Snow- Sweet Enemy, Sweet Deception
Manda Collins-How to Dance with a Duke, How to Romance a Rake
Valerie Bowman- Secrets of a Wedding Night.

These are all Historicals. I'll definitely be keeping them on my to buy list

[Yulie]

I think Something Like Normal was Trish Doller's debut book, at least as a YA/NA author - there are no previous books listed on her website. It's mature YA/NA/whatever you want to call it, and a very good read. US military romances rarely work for me; they tend to be so different from my own military experience that it just doesn't resonate, and at times, even if I know the authors know their stuff, the characters and the stories seem unrealistic. But SLN was an exception, and even though the setting, culture and characters are obviously American, I could see a lot of the soldiers I've known in Travis, and his relationships, thoughts and behavior rang true.

Though she's not a debut author, Tammara Webber wasn't really well known until this year. Can I count her? Easy was one of the best books I read in 2012, and the Between The Lines books are pretty fantastic, too.

I appreciate Cecilia Grant's prose, but I have yet to really like any of her characters, which kind of precludes enjoying her books as romance novels. I'm impressed but unmoved.

[LeeB.]

We wrote up a blog in July with several 2012 debut authors: http://www.likesbooks.com/blog/?p=8452
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My Shelfari Shelf: http://www.shelfari.com/o1518275077

[Eliza]

I definitely second Cecilia Grant, and based on what NoirFemme said and all of the best-of the-year lists it's on, A Lady Never Lies by Juliana Gray probably should be here too.

[Natalie]

Thanks for the rec, Yulie!

I've also added a few more debut books to my list based on the reviews:

The Sea of Tranqulity by Katja Millay (YA)
Duke by Day, Rogue by Night by Katherine Bone (historical)
Ride with Me by Ruthie Knox (contemp)
Ruined by Rumor by Alyssa Everett (historical)
Fever by Joan Swan (contemp/paranormal)
An Affair with Mr. Kennedy by Jillian Stone (historical, mystery)
Sweet Enemy by Heather Snow (historical)
More Than a Stranger by Erin Knightley (historical)
A Secret in Her Kiss by Anna Randol (historical)
Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry (YA)

I only had a chance to read The Sea of Tranquility and I liked it quite a bit! (aside from some minor gripes towards the end).

[Eggletina]

I noted Genevieve Graham's Under the Same Sky and Sound of the Heart earlier this year, but haven't tried them yet because the eBooks are still too high. If the publisher would reduce the pricing from $9.99 for these, I'd try them. (hint, hint)

I normally don't go for Paranormals, but I enjoyed the supernatural/noirish Victorian historical mix in Kristen Callihan's Darkest London series enough to be eager for the third in the series which comes out early next year (February, I think).

[LFL]

Cecilia Grant and Ruthie Knox were big wins for me in the debut category. I liked Knox's About Last Night even better than Ride with Me.

Not a debut author, but a big buried treasure discovery for me in 2012 was Ben Aaronovitch. I gobbled up his urban fantasy series which is just so good.
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I also post elsewhere as Janine or Janine Ballard

[pwm in mi]

My finds also include Tamara Webber, and Ruthie Knox as well as:

Samantha Young- On Dublin Street

Alice Clayton- Wallbanger

Elizabeth Wein- Code Name Verity

[Jill]

I concentrated my reviews this year on debut authors and reviewed nearly 100 debut romances.
Here's my list of notable 2012 debuts.

CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
Best On the Island by Tracey Garvis-Graves
Lessons Learned by Sydney Logan
Ride with Me by Ruthie Knox

FANTASY/PARANORMAL/SCIENCE-FICTION ROMANCE
Best Wicked As They Come by Delilah S. Dawson
Ghost Planet by Sharon Fisher
Kiss of Steel by Bec McMaster
Firelight by Kristen Callihan

HISTORICAL ROMANCE
Best The Duke's Tattoo by Miranda Davis
A Lady's Revenge by Tracey Devlyn
Sweet Enemy by Heather Snow

ROMANTIC HISTORICAL FICTION
Best Keowee Valley by Katherine Scott Crawford
Midnight in Your Arms by Morgan Kelly
Under the Same Sky by Genevieve Graham
The Road Back by Liz Harris

ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
Best A Thin, Dark Line by Emma Elliot