Thursday News: 10 best romance novels; 10 best romance novel loving cities;
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Which city ‘s romance novels the most??? – uStarNovels, a personalized romance novel service of which I have never heard, claims that Atlanta is the city who has bought the most uStarNovels. The company has compiled the list by mining information made when a buyer purchases one of their books. Based on my Google statistics and the ones that I found in the bottom of my coffee cup, I am declaring Hopeulikit, Georgia, (real town) as the city that loves romance novels the most. h/t Sue Grimshaw HLNtv.com
10 Best Romance Novels, Picked by Bella Andre – Bella Andre put together a list of the 10 best romances. Wild Card by Lora Leigh? This Heart of Mine by Susan Elizabeth Philips where the heroine rapes the hero in the opening scene? Of course, who am I to talk. I love Secret Fire by Johanna Lindsey where the hero drugs the heroine twice with an aphrodisiac. (In the hero’s defense, his manservant did it the first time. I need to read that book and review it for Dear Author.) I am interested in reading Caressa’s Knees by Annabel Joseph. Joseph is a really strong writer but sometimes her captivity romances are a bit too dark for me.
Lists like this make me think Dear Author needs to get its act together and do another top 100 romances ever list. Publishers Weekly
Time Warner In Talks To Sell Time Inc: Report – Time Inc is on the sale block and Meredith Publishing (which owns Better Homes & Gardens among other things) is the current suitor. Properties of Time Inc include Time, Sports Illustrated, and People. Deadline.com
Comcast to buy GE’s stake in NBCUniversal for $16.7 billion – I posted that infographic on consolidation of media a week ago. Yesterday Comcast announced it would be swallowing NBC whole. Reuters
Michael Calderone: Knight Foundation Defends Paying Plagiarist $20,000 – This country has always been about second chances and forgiveness but seeing a serial plagiarist be paid $20,000 by a foundation that is designed to promote journalistic excellence has struck many people as wrong. Jonah Lehrer used the time to promote his book and discuss why and how he came to make the poor decisions he did. Those poor decisions were to make up fake quotes in stories and steal other people’s work. For this, Lehrer gets a book deal and a cushy $20,000 speaking fee.
Lehrer isn’t the only plagiarist to be rewarded despite multiple acts of plagiarism. The Story Siren was caught lifting content from two fashion bloggers. While publishers have publicly stated that they wouldn’t continue to work with a plagiarist, The Story Siren continues to receive every new release (and then some) that is being put out there in the Young Adult market. Her bounty is posted every week in her In My Mailbox feature. Other bloggers are frustrated by publishers’ continued support of The Story Siren and that her actions have left her with little negative effects. Huffington Post
I’ve only read 3 of the books on Bella Andre’s list – the two Jude Deveraux stories and Wild Card but none of them would make my top 10. I have to admit to not being the slightest bit interested in reading the other seven books listed.
My top 10 would include:
Jude Deveraux – The Black Lyon
Jane Austen – Pride and Prejudice
Johanna Lindsay – Secret Fire
Georgette Heyer – These Old Shades
Kathleen E Woodiwiss – The Wolf and the Dove
JL Langley – My Fair Captain
The remaining four books would depend on the mood I was in when asked as I can never select my definite top 10!
Definitely time for another top 100 from DA!
Yes yes, another top 100 please! Or a top 20(? or some other number) in a variety of subgenres?
What’s up with people and A Knight in Shining Armor? It has the worst ending ever, and you all better agree with me or else! My two favorite SEP book is Ain’t She Sweet. And yes, I know lots of humiliation on that one, but all her books are like that, so no need to judge. And, hey, at least I didn’t pick Dream a Little Dream *grins*.
Isn’t This Heart of Mine Molly and Kevin’s story? I don’t remember a rape scene? Maybe I’m just confused.
@Lorenda Christensen: Molly has sex with Kevin while he’s asleep and dreaming. It’s non-consensual.
Why is Comcast being allowed to further their monopoly? It’s their fault there’s no choice in cable providers (and thus, probably the rates). USA Network, which is part of this deal, you can’t even watch their shows online until 30 days later…I assume as a punishment from Comcast for not having cable (we are not allowed satellite dishes where I live).
Now watch…once they have complete control, none of the channels that they control (and I don’t think a cable company should have control over any network except local access) will be pulled from satellite as well.
@Dabney:
Oh, wow – I really need to re-read. I don’t remember that part at all.
@Brie: I never agreed with the critics of Ain’t She Sweet either and it’s also my favorite SEP. I always read it as Sugar Beth facing her past and making amends with a good dose of classic SEP wackiness thrown in.
I’m not much for historicals any more but my top romances would have to include Mary Balogh’s Slightly Dangerous which was one of the most satisfying conclusions to a series I’ve ever read. I think Bewcastle and Christine are the perfect modern day Darcy and Elizabeth (please don’t stone me!) and it has my favorite epilogue, too.
I think I’ve read 5 out of the 10 – I’m not completely sure that I read 9 Rules to Break, but I’m pretty sure that I read it (and didn’t get what the fuss was about). Of those, only Bet Me would go on my top 10, but I’d include some of the same authors.
I’m most surprised by the love for The Duchess, because I really hated the hero. That was the book that began my break up with Jude Devereaux (not that she seems to have suffered much from my boycott).
I have to confess that I still like This Heart of Mine, despite the non-consensual sex and WTF set-up. It’s maybe a guilty pleasure favorite. My fave SEP is probably Breathing Room.
I read the article about uStar:
Um, yeah, I’m not sure what to say about this service. I’m kind of curious about the writing quality – but not enough to buy one myself.
Ain’t she sweet is in my top 5 of all time. Love the part when the hero realizes that she’s not the villain, she’s just a little misunderstood. ;)
Nine Rules to Break was just okay. I opened Wild Card once and read a few pages and gagged. I do like this Heart of Mine although not that beginning. I guess I just enjoy SEP’s writing and the wonderful narrations by Anna Fields. Bet Me is the only book on the list I’s consider close to my top 10.
My top 10 would include titles like:
Morning Glory by Spencer
The Iron Duke by Brook
Envy by Sandra Brown
Arabella by Heyer
The Corinthian by Heyer (actually several by her)
Reforming Lord Ragsdale or something else by Carla Kelly
A Civil Campaign by Lois McMaster Bujold
Cry No More by Linda Howard
Fallen From Grace by Laura Leone
But I hate making “Top 10” lists because tomorrow I might write a completely different list after thinking about it for a while.
I always find it fascinating to see lists of favorite books (whatever the genre). It’s pretty rare for me to agree with them though. So far none of the books listed would make my top 10:
Persuasion by Jane Austen (yes, I like it more than P&P *ducks*)
Venetia by Georgette Heyer
Devil’s Cub by Georgette Heyer
The Wicked Lover by Julia Ross
The Edge of Impropriety by Pam Rosenthal
Something Wicked by Jo Beverley
Confessions from an Arranged Marriage by Miranda Neville
Mistress by Amanda Quick (my first modern romance, so it makes the list)
Dragonflight by Anne McCaffery (not tech rom, but it was for me as a kid)
Anne of Green Gables series (again, not rom, but Anne/Gilbert is a great romance)
So far, not a single book listed here would make my Top 10 romances. Tastes vary so much. Though it is pretty hard for me to nail down a top 10 list. I’d love to see a new DA list – like Liz H. said, maybe even broken into sub-genres.
@cleo: I’ve bought a personalized romance for a friend once – though from BookbyYou. While the story isn’t fantastically awesome, it was fun for her and she got a kick out of it. I thought the quality/enjoyment was well worth the money I spent on it for her.
@cleo:
I thought I was the only one! :)
I just started reading lots of romance 3-4 years ago. Having lists like the DA Top 100 gave me a jumping off point, introducing me to authors and titles I might not have considered. At the time, the library and used book stores were my main sources. I admire people who are willing to put their opinion out there by posting a top 10 list. Good or bad, agree or disagree, it always makes for interesting discussion- plus I have more names and titles to add to my ever growing list of TBR.
To Have And To Hold by Patricia Gaffney would have to be on my list.
Oooh! I’ll play!
The Duke’s Wager – Edith Layton
Black Silk – Judith Ivory
Simple Jess – Pamela Morsi
Morning Glory – LaVyrle Spencer
Flowers From the Storm – Laura Kinsale
A Bed of Spices – Barbara Samuel
My Dearest Enemy – Connie Brockway
One Good Reason – Sarah Mayberry
Silver Lining – Maggie Osborne
The Devil You Know – Liz Carlyle (because Bentley.)
Funny how this list is 90% historical, yet I read almost almost all contemporary now.
@Dabney: I started SEP with Natural Born Charmer and Match Me If You Can, and was completely horrified when I went on to This Heart of Mine and whichever one is Phoebe’s story; didn’t see any of that coming.
OTOH, Jane, I’d love to see DA’s 100 best.
Shanna – Kathleen Woodiwiss
Wolf & the Dove – Kathleen Woodiwiss
Kiss an Angel – Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Beast – Judith Ivory
Butterfly – Kathryn Harvey
Tregaron’s Daughter – Madeleine Brent
The Portrait – Megan Chance
The Serpent Prince – Elizabeth Hoyt
Mistress of Mellyn – Victoria Holt
Countess Trilogy – Alison Richardson
@Moriah Jovan:
I nearly added that to my list too, but I decided it was cheating to include a trilogy as one book. They were great stories.
@Ridley: I read them all in one shot, and so I think of them as one story.
I’d love to see a top 50 list of books from the past 10 years rather than an all time list. :)
@LauraB: I like this idea!
I can’t take a ten best list with Lora Leigh on it seriously, but Caressa’s Knees is definitely the most romantic, least traumatic book by Annabel Joseph.
My top ten:
All Through the Night by Connie Brockway
The Duke’s Wager by Edith Layton
Persuasion by Jane Austen
Devil’s Cub by Georgette Heyer
The Black Hawk by Joanna Bourne
Sex Straight Up by Kathleen O’Reilly
Knave’s Wager by Loretta Chase
A Summer to Remember by Mary Balogh
By Possession by Madeline Hunter
Mistress of the Groom by Susan Napier (because crazy people need love too)
@Isobel Carr: I’ll duck with you and will probably have to run because I like Wentworth more than Darcy >.<
Interesting list by, but I have to second LynnS, 'I can’t take a ten best list with Lora Leigh on it seriously' and I was so traumatized by the one SEP book I read that I shudder every time someone rec's her to me. But I always love to see top 10 lists.
I love all the top 10 lists. So many good books are included. I have to confess that my top 10 would include Secret Fire. What can I say? It’s a guilty pleasure.
I love the idea of doing a genre specific best of as well as a best of by decade, starting with the 80s.
@Lynn S.: I love Sex Straight Up. I never see it on anyone’s list so I’m happy to see it here.
Bet Me is the only book on that list that I’ve read, though I’ve read some of the other authors on that list, just not those specific titles. Bet Me is also the first romance novel I ever read. I didn’t pick up another for another four months. I really don’t get the love for that book.
Some day I’ll try SEP again…
My top ten (and I’m sure I’ll kick myself for forgetting one or two of my faves):
Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase
Wicked Deeds on a Winter’s Night by Kresley Cole
To Die For by Linda Howard
These Old Shades by Georgette Heyer
Trade Wind by M.M. Kaye
Promises by Marie Sexton
The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by Jennifer Ashley
Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward
The Mane Event by Shelly Laurenston
Demon Bound by Meljean Brook
I’d also enjoy seeing some genre specific best of lists on DA
@LJD:
Don’t feel bad. I really don’t get the love for that author.
@Jane: By decade. I love that idea. I’d read that list.
@Jane: Best of by decade is a great idea.
I think top 10 is too restrictive unless you’re counting fingers and toes. I think it’s either got to be the #1 best ever, or top 20 or so because once you move past number one there are so many different reasons to appreciate different books (or whatever you’re counting, although I suppose there is a limited amount to appreciate about toes).
@Isobel Carr: Ditto! Persuasion is actually my favorite romance novel ever.
@cleo: I’ve read every book SEP has ever written and Breathing Room is my absolute favorite.
My top few would be:
Persuasion – Jane Austen
Welcome To Temptation – Jennifer Crusie
Breathing Room – Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Heaven, Texas – Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Private Arrangements – Sherry Thomas
Prisoner Of My Desire – Johanna Lindsey
Branded As Trouble – Lorelei James
I’d love to see a DA list. I’m fascinated by lists even tho (because?) I so rarely agree with them.
But I stink at these kinds of lists myself. I have a hard time remembering my favorites when put on the spot, plus my tastes are changeable depending on what’s going on in my life. That said, I think my list would need to include Kleypas’s Love in the Afternoon and Thomas’s Not Quite a Husband and His at Night.
Maybe showing my age, but a top ten without The Windflower just isn’t justifiable. ;)
Like Susan, I am hopeless at making lists, but I love reading other people’s lists, as they are great ways of finding new authors. Thanks for all the comments and list.
I love Deveraux’s The Duchess! It’s on on my keeper shelf and I can re-read it and never find it old.
My top 10 (historical romance) list would have to include:
1. The Duchess by Jude Deveraux
2. To Dream Again by Laura Lee Guhrke
3. The India Fan by Victoria Holt
4. Dance by Judy Cuevas
5. Passion’s Treasure by Betina Krahn
6. Vice by Jane Feather
7. The Devil’s Delilah by Loretta Chase
8. Shadows and Lace by Teresa Medeiros
9. The Valentine Legacy by Catherine Coulter
10. Fair is the Rose by Meagan McKinney
@Jane:
Love that idea too! Perhaps even a top 5 or top 10 by author because there are some authors that deserve lists of their own as they have such extensive backlists e.g. Georgette Heyer; Jude Deveraux; Johanna Lindsey; Mary Balogh etc
I want to play top ten too :-). My top ten romance list changes often enough – I read a new book, think I like it a lot, some time it stays on the list, sometimes it does not.
Anyway, here it is – mostly mm, because this is what I mostly read in romance.
1. Tamara Allen “Whistling in the Dark”
2. Tamara Allen ‘The Only Gold”
3. Ann Somerville “Kei’s Gift’
4. Ann Somerville “Pindone files” and ‘Unsettled Conditions”
5. Steve Kluger ‘Almost like being in love”
6. Jordan Castillo Price – eh so many, but let’s say ‘Magic Mansion”
7. Ginn Hale ‘The Lord of White Hell” (and everything she wrote :-))
8. Rose Christo “Gives Light” (series, but who is counting :-)))
9. Tamara Webber “Easy” – I never expected to love this book as much as I did, will be forever grateful to DA for introducing me to it.
10. Ilona Andrews “Magic” books – I know of course that especially earlier books just have romantic storyline and mostly urban fantasy, but their romance is just so very special to me, because for years it was literally the only het romance couple I swooned over :), yes that special :)
11. Yes, I know it is number eleven, but again who is counting? I tend to get a little eh, uncontrollable when I start doing lists.
“The one that got away” by Kelly Hunter. Again, I just read it because I wanted to participate in book club discussion and I think it will be a reread for me and multiple reread too. Swoon! and Thank you. Shutting up now.
@Moriah Jovan: I’ve read another of her books and sort of figure she’s just never going to work for me, but I’ll give her one more shot. She’s funny, but I feel absolutely zero emotional connection.
I’ve only been reading romance for a bit over 2 years, so I don’t feel qualified to make my own top 10 list, especially since I haven’t read so many of the big authors. But I just don’t like so many of the big names I’ve tried. (Mainly in contemporary; I’ve had more success in historical.) I would say this was a lot of my problem when I first started reading the genre–I kept trying to read authors like Jennifer Crusie, SEP, Rachel Gibson…and I just don’t like them. But I so wish I did.
Love reading everyone’s top ten and a few might not exactly be *strictly* romance:
The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons
Heart of the West by Penelope Williamson
Bliss by Judy Cuevas
Dance by Judy Cuevas
Morning Glory by LaVyrle Spencer
Flowers From the Storm by Laura Kinsale
Prince of Midnight by Laura Kinsale
Shadow and the Star by Laura Kinsale
Heartless by Mary Balogh
The Notorious Rake by Mary Balogh
Delurking to throw my top ten in.
the Shadow and the Star by Laura Kinsale
Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Tapestry by Karen Ranney
No Rest for the Wicked by Kresley Cole
A Precious Jewel by Mary Balogh
Beast by Judith Ivory
Heaven, Texas by SEP
Lover Awakened by JR Ward
Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion (and the movie is good too!)
I love lists, even though I’m bad at them. Not a “hierarchical thinker.”
Taking from others:
Persuasion is my favorite Austen.
A Summer to Remember is my favorite Balogh.
The Shadow and the Star is my favorite Kinsale.
Something by Heyer for sure, although I vacillate over which one.
Scandal by Carolyn Jewel.
Loretta Chase, but I can’t pick a favorite.
Jo Goodman, same problem.
Sarah Mayberry for contemporary.
The rest of my favorites are probably NWSRE, including Susanna Kearsley, Voyager by Diana Gabaldon, a whole lot of SF-F (too many to count, my first, best genre)and Gaudy Night by Dorothy Sayers. That’s more than 10; I suck at this
I’d love some new DA top lists; by genre and decade sounds like a lot of fun AND a lot of work.
@Keishon another fan of Heartless by Mary Balogh here. :)
I don’t think I can restrict my list to just 10. I’d get all funny about missing a beloved book out. But Heartless and Jo Beverley’s Devilish would be on there.
Also No Souvenirs by KA Mitchell, Easy by Tammara Webber. The Search or The Witness by Nora Roberts. One of the Outlander books. Iron Kissed. Bet Me maybe, or Welcome to Temptation. No. I can’t do it! There are too many!
Breathing Room is my favorite SEP too -possibly because it was my first.
I would love to see a new DA list, by decade or any other way. I loved the post you guys did when you went through the AAR top 100 and gave brief thoughts on all of them too.
@CK: Ha! We can form a club for mutual defense.
Okay, I have thought about it and I am going to try for 10 that have really stuck with me.
In no particular order:
Edith Layton, The Duke’s Wager
SEP, Natural Born Charmer
Jennifer Crusie, Welcome To Temptation
Sherry Thomas, Not Quite A Husband
Sharon and Tom Curtis, Lightning That Lingers
Elizabeth Hoyt, The Serpent Prince
Patricia Gaffney, To Have And To Hold
Connie Brockway, All Through the Night
Loretta Chase, Lord Of Scoundrels
Madeline Brent, Tregaron’s Daughter – first romance I ever read when I was 12.
@Ridley and @Isobel Carr — love your lists! And everyone else’s too. Funny how a lot of the same authors keep popping up. ;) And…here’s my top 10 list, just for fun. It was a lot harder to compile than I thought it would be. In no real order:
The French Lieutenant’s Woman by John Fowles
Green Darkness by Anya Seton
The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley
Web of Love by Mary Balogh
The Thief’s Mistress by Gayle Feyrers
The Duke of Shadows by Meredith Duran
Black Silk by Judith Ivory
A Bed of Spices by Barbara Samuel
The Silver Kiss by Annette Curtis Klaus
An Infamous Army by Georgette Heyer
@Diana:
I was so glad to see An Infamous Army on your list! I almost put that one and then wondered if I should stick to Heyer’s romances. I really loved that book, though. I listened to it on audio and it was fantastic!
I also have a special romance section that is for comfort reading when I am stressed or sick. I tend to re-read the same books when I am in need of a “reading cuddle”.
My cuddle books would be Lisa Kleypas’ Wallflower and Hathaway series. Jo Goodman “Season To Be Sinful” (I love the little “scoundrels”) and “Open Season” by Linda Howard.
Those books are better than chocolate or chicken soup for me.
@Moriah Jovan: Where’s Dorothy Eden and Frank Yerby????
I am a self-professed chick-lit, romance novel addict I like to think of myself as a romance connoisseur :) I am always looking for something new in the romance department and I will definitely look into your suggestions.
My most recent find that I must recommend is the book Shanghai Love, by author Layne Wong (http://laynewong.com/). It is an unlikely love story between a Chinese herbalist and a Jewish refugee looking for safety from Nazi Germany. The herbalist, Peilin, was betrothed to a man who was killed before their wedding but tradition and honor forced the marriage along anyways. She is sent to Shanghai to manage his family’s herbal shop. Shanghai is also Henri’s destination as he has graduated from medical school as Hitler is rising to power. He flees to Shanghai where he’s befriended by Ping, Peilin’s brother. Through her kindness, Henri becomes fascinated with Chinese herbs as well as the exotic culture surrounding him. It is such a gripping story and I absolutely adore a romance novel that allows a relationship to slowly blossom and one that takes time before the two can ultimately be together :) I hope you will give it a read!