Romance Novels

[vanillabean]

Thanks to all who made Georgette Heyer recommendations. My local library had a pretty good selection and I borrowed 2 books: These Old Shades and Venetia. I enjoyed both, especially Venetia, so much that I ended up buying a couple of lots of Heyer books on eBay. It felt just like Christmas when I opened the 1st box of books!

But Stephanie Laurens is quickly using up any old goodwill I had, especially with her increasing tendency to write more about sex than plot. Sex is good but the plot is what makes that sex meaningful or hot. So, when you have 14 pages of the repetitively same sex, for every 6 pages of plot, (with the number of plot pages going down from book to book to book), then you're just going to bore me after a while.

This is why I'm enjoying Heyer's books so much. I used to love Laurens but The Truth About Love bored me so much that I returned it to the library after reading a few chapters. Lisa Kleypas has also fallen out of my favor. I loved her earlier stuff but Again The Magic was very disappointing.

[kafka]

VanillaBean, I'm so glad you love the Georgette Heyer. What exactly did you get from eBay? Any favorite(s) thus far?

If/When you run out of Heyers, may I recommend Patricia Veryan next? Not her newest series but her Georgian & Jewelled Men series. She's my favorite romance author after Georgette Heyer, and her books always make me feel happy, comfy cozy, and warm.

[vanillabean]

^^^ I ended up with 18 books (2 duplicates: April Lady and The Quiet Gentleman). I'm currently reading A Civil Contract. Very different sort of romance book but I am really enjoying it. I also have The Talisman Ring and The Grand Sophy which I saw that you have recommended. The 2nd lot of books arrived today and I'm looking forward to reading The Black Moth. The Masqueraders looks interesting as well as The Corinthian.

[lori]

Back in high school, I read a trilogy of historical romances by Celeste de Blasis: Wild Swan, Swan's Chance, and A Season of Swans. They were written in the early 1980s.

The first book begins in England in the early 1800s and follows a family of horsebreeders to Maryland. The last book of the trilogy wraps up just before 1900.

Just fantastic storytelling all around. The characters are realistic and relatable.

I loved these books. In fact, I just ordered them from eBay and I can't wait to reread them!

[kafka]

vanillabean said:

^^^ I ended up with 18 books (2 duplicates: April Lady and The Quiet Gentleman). I'm currently reading A Civil Contract. Very different sort of romance book but I am really enjoying it. I also have The Talisman Ring and The Grand Sophy which I saw that you have recommended. The 2nd lot of books arrived today and I'm looking forward to reading The Black Moth. The Masqueraders looks interesting as well as The Corinthian.

I love the Talisman Ring sooooooooo much, and I really hope you enjoy it. The Masqueraders is also good but it wouldn't be in the Top 5 of my favorite Heyers. Definitely the Top 10 though.

I could never get into the Black Moth for some reason. It's one of the few which didn't have a big impact on me.

If you ever come across Heyer's Simon the Coldhearted, pick it up. I'm not hugely keen on medieval romances but this is a great one. I've had a literary crush on Simon since I was tiny and just thinking about him conjures it back to life. Other good ones: Arabella, Faro's Daughter, Bath Tangle, False Colours, and one of my top 3 favorites, The Reluctant Widow.

Let me know what you think of the various books you've gotten as you go through them. Reliving my memories of those books and seeing them through the eyes of someone reading them for the first time is bringing back so many happy memories.

[jennipoo]

As far as historical romances set in the American West go, Linda Lael Miller is the best I've read. They're super cheesy, but the heroine is usually older and smart.

[gibby]

I hate romance novels. But I do own 2, one is called Captive Desire, by Jane Archer, and the other is the rather disturbing Bittersweet Passion, by Lynne Graham. Captive Desire is about a 19th century dime-novel writer who is kidnapped by an "indian." Bittersweet Passion is all about rape, and quasi-incest/marrying your cousin. I read it when I was 16, I think it may have warped me. I'm not sure.

[piquedninni]

Anyone a fan of African American historical romance fiction, particularly the work of novelists Beverly Jenkins and Patricia Vaughn?
Patricia Vaughn's Murmur of Rain is a real gem.

[Deleted]

I've read Jenkins and I really liked Indigo. I meant to read Murmur of Rain but somehow never got around to it.

Patricia Williams wrote two historical romances, Warrior's Prize, that took place in Africa and then a sequel, Freedom's Song about the daughter of the couple. I preferred the first book and thought it was really good.

[Deleted]

Indiscreet by Jude Morgan (a newish book) is really very good. It's very similar to a Georgette Heyer, but less old-fashioned in the language and humor. No hot and heavy scenes, if anybody's wondering....I really recommend it (I first saw mention of it in People where it was given 4 stars, and I usually do agree with their literary reviews, and have gotten some really good book recommendations from it, there's more to the magazine than photos & gossip!!).