Results and The Barfing on His Brogues Bracket (Round 2)

The Imperiled Poppets Bracket results are in! As ever, I have already formatted the new bracket going forward but these are all the winners from the last round of voting. Stand-outs include Cassandra By Chance, Tabitha in Moonlight, Uncertain Summer and (one of my favorites) The Promise of Happiness.

Also known as
 "Becky and the Baron, the Hot, Hot Baron"

Always and Forever vs.

The Secret Pool

The Little Dragon vs.

The End of the Rainbow

The Hasty Marriage vs.

Stars Through the Mist

Discovering Daisy vs.

The Convenient Wife

Tabitha in Moonlight vs.

Uncertain Summer

Polly vs.

Cassandra By Chance

The Promise of Happiness vs.

Once For All Time

An Ideal Wife vs.

Damsel in Green

Roses Have Thorns vs.

bye--no match this week

There was one very painful tie I had to break and for this I consulted with my fellow Founding Betty, Betty Debbie. We chose The Secret Pool over Waiting for Deborah even though there is so much to love about the latter (the way the carpets change in the part of the house the old lady is kept, the old man who keeps caramels in his pockets and calls the heroine as wholesome as a loaf of bread...). The Secret Pool is quite focused and has an emotional heft that is hard to forget.

Now on to Round Two of The Barfing on His Brogues Bracket! Fewer books to weigh against each other but there is hardly any refuge from heartbreak going forward. I am trying to change out the books that get a bye each round, fyi. So one that got a pass last time I tried to cycle into another match-up even if the numbers were odd.

Here is our Book Reviews Archive for any plot refreshers. Again, I am loving you all for keeping your votes so easy to read.
Love and lardy cakes,
Betty Keira

Results and The Imperiled Poppets Bracket

First the results from The Hocked Locket Bracket. I formatted it for the next contest (which may make some of you start pulling your hair and weeping) but these are all the winners (for the moment):

Darling, I know. It's like they'd never even seen the original cover of Ring in a Teacup.

A Christmas Wish vs.
A Christmas Romance
Henrietta's Own Castle vs.
Dearest Mary Jane
A Kiss for Julie vs.
A Match for Sister Maggy
Not Once But Twice vs.
A Dream Came True
Winter Wedding vs.
Romantic Encounter
Mathilda's Wedding vs.
Never Say Goodbye
Philomena's Miracle vs.
Only By Chance
Midnight Sun's Magic vs.
Fate is Remarkable
Tempestuous April vs.
bye--no contest this week

The only blow-out was Only By Chance crushing Last April Fair and, happily for my constitution, there were no ties to break.

Now onto the final bracket for this round, The Imperiled Poppets Bracket!

In some ways these first round ones are easy brackets because there are a lot more novels that are Fine and Middling to brush aside. But, there is no getting around the fact that there are a TON of books to consider thoughtfully. After this round, the numbers drop but the heartbreak only burns the more.

As ever, if you need a memory-jog, here's our Book Review Archive.

Results and The Hocked Locket Bracket

First things first. I tabulated the results of the first elimination round for A Handful of A Levels Bracket and, given the late Oscar unpleasantness, I can guarantee the results at least as well as Pricewaterhouse Coopers.

The winners from the the A Levels Bracket are as follows:

A Christmas Proposal
Wish With the Candles
Chain of Destiny
Three for a Wedding
A Suitable Match
Tulips for Augusta
Mistletow Kiss
Roses for Christmas
Fifth Day of Christmas
A Moon for Lavinia
A Girl Named Rose
Saturday's Child
The Most Marvelous Summer
A Gentle Awakening
When Two Paths Meet
The Magic of Living
Stormy Springtime (had no competition this week)

I had to break three ties.

• Chain of Destiny over Tangled Autumn mostly because I like the beginning so well. A houseguide named Susannah Lightfoot is a lovely thought.

• Roses for Christmas over A Matter of Chance because I enjoy that beginning so much too--munching apples in a barn and meeting that odious boy from your girlhood. Delicious.

• The Most Marvelous Summer over The Course of True Love because Matilda's last name is ffinch. (There were more reasons, of course, but it is true that I love the double f.)

The most popular books from this bracket were Tulips for Augusta and A Gentle Awakening but there seemed to be a fair amount of uneven votes which suggests that this was an easier bracket than last time.

Now on to The Hocked Locket Bracket!

As always, vote on what you can. If you're just stumbling on our TUJD March Madness, feel free to hop right in. No worries if you can only vote on one or two of the match-ups.

You genius Betties have been marvelous using my preferred voting format (votes at the top and comments on the whys and wherefores afterward.)

And here's the Book Review Archive for any refreshers you need. Let the voting begin!