Tuesday, September 23, 2014

What Is Your Kind of Romance?

Posted by Susan B James on 3:00:00 AM with 11 comments
I think this is a hard question.
I like them funny, or historical, or funny and historical. I love a pinch of magic or an extranormal power. or funny and suspenseful. I'm seeing a trend here.
But what is funny or delightful to me may not be that way for you.

I went to Smart Birches Trashy Novels for their funny recommendations.
I'd read one of their recommended funny books: Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters. I had no desire to read their other recommendations. They didn't strike a spark.
Commenters on this post mentioned BetMe by Jennifer Crusie. I love her books. Jen's blog, AarghInk is one of my favorite writing sites.
They also mentioned other favorites of mine:  Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Mary Janice Davidson, Jayne Ann Krentz and Georgette Heyer.
Georgette Heyer is no longer well known, but she created the Regency Romance as we know it today. One of my favorite of hers is The Grand Sophy. I love it.
Smart Bitches hated it.
You can judge for yourself. There a free PDF of The Grand Sophy on Goodreads.


Katie McAllister and Lynsay Sands appeared in the comments. They both have huge followings. I have read a couple from each of them. They don't write my kind of book.
We don't all fall in love with the same books.

My top adult authors whose books weren't on the list and which I re-read on a regular basis.

Lani Diane Rich or Lucy March (who are the same person and I love her work. Lucy books have magic in them)
Lyn Kurland  Time Travel Humorous and medieval.
Robyn Carr Contemporary. I can't describe Robyn. She writes about characters and places that grow on me.
Anne McCaffrey Science fiction. My favorites: The Dragons of Pern books and Talents series. 
Roberta Gellis Historical Medieval. My favorites are The Roselynde Books. Strong women heroines in the time of the Plantagenets
Elizabeth Peters Best known for the Amelia Peabody books.

 I have new authors I love and I will get to them in another post.  Who do you read over and over? Some of my top authors I found from other people's lists. Please share some of yours with me.
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11 comments :

  1. Robena GrantSeptember 23, 2014 at 2:33 PM

    You've mentioned a lot of my favorites here, Susan: Jenny Crusie, SEP, Lani. I also love Barbara Samuels books, and today ordered Anne Stuart's new release: Never Marry a Viscount. Some of Anne's books are a bit dark, but this one sounds like a fun and funny romp.

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    1. Susan B JamesSeptember 25, 2014 at 2:40 PM

      Thanks, Robena. I haven't read Barbara Samuels. I've read lots of Anne and I like her. I will add Never Marry a Viscount to my growing pile of must reads.

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  2. Sam BeckSeptember 23, 2014 at 5:20 PM

    LARA's very own Robin Bielman, Robena Grant, Lynne Marshall, Charlene Sands, and Dee J. Adams are some of my favorites!

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    1. Susan B JamesSeptember 25, 2014 at 2:39 PM

      So do I, Samanthe. I've read Robin's, and Lynne's and have Robena's, Charlene's and Dee's on My ipad ready to read. I am ashamed of how far behind I am. I'm getting very little reading time these days and it's my favorite pastime.

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  3. AnonymousSeptember 23, 2014 at 6:47 PM

    My reading tastes are eclectic. After reading The Matchmaker by Elin Hilderbrand, I decided to go back and read her earlier releases. Beautifully written contemporary fiction all based on Nantucket Island. I also enjoyed reading Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty and Bittersweet by Colleen McCullough (two Aussie authors). And my favorite Canadian author, Louise Penny, just released The Long Way Home, a police procedural based in Quebec.

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    1. Susan B JamesSeptember 25, 2014 at 2:35 PM

      I haven't read any of those. We look for different things, but I loved your book, Between Land and Sea.

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  4. AnonymousSeptember 23, 2014 at 9:36 PM

    I read all over the place, too, Susan. But strictly for laughter, nothing has beat the first 10-14 Stephanie Plum novels from Janet Evanovich. Not exactly romance, of course, even with hunky guys like Joe and Ranger around, but as heck. #15 not so much and I haven't read any of the later ones.

    I've also enjoy the Dragon books by McCaffrey and there's a surprising amount of romance and even some humor in those.

    So many funny Regencies, too...Heyer, of course...just so many.

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    1. AnonymousSeptember 23, 2014 at 9:38 PM

      Sorry...left a few words out there! I meant to say "funny as heck" and "I've also enjoyed..." (It's late...must sleep soon!)

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    2. Susan B JamesSeptember 25, 2014 at 2:32 PM

      I just took out Janet Evanovich's Explosive Eighteen from the Library. You're right, Vala. So many good regencies.

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  5. UnknownSeptember 24, 2014 at 5:33 AM

    I like strong female protagonists who make things happen, male characters that make you love them because they're both sweet and strong, and a good dose of humor.

    My two latest favorites are both romance/fantasy crossovers. The Accidental Demon Slayer by Angie Fox is the funniest thing I've read in years. Right now I'm reading Justice Calling by Annie Bellet and it's hitting all the right notes. I expect I'll be reviewing it on my blog soon.

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  6. Susan B JamesSeptember 25, 2014 at 2:29 PM

    Thanks Zen, I want to try The Accidental Demon Slayer. Yay a new book

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