What are good romance books?

Question

I love reading romance books.
Can anyone tell me some good ones to read?
<3

Answer 1

Nicholas Sparks

Nicholas Sparks doesn't mind that his readers need a box of tissues to read his books. He is a master of poignant love stories with bittersweet endings. Robert James Waller can be credited with reviving one of the oldest of plots with The Bridges of Madison County, but Nicholas Sparks is the author who has built his writing career on novels dipped in love and pathos and has the solid fan base and numerous New York Times Bestsellers to prove it.

Even though he brings his readers to tears, they keep coming back for more. Sparks writes about love -- the power of love to heal, to forgive, to risk, and to endure. In Sparks' novels there is no great love without some loss and his characters frequently are faced with a difficult challenge before proving they are worthy of true love.

Sparks' characters are recognizable types: usually one, sometimes both, of the protagonists are deeply, secretly wounded from a past tragedy. They are honorable and loyal. Family is very important to Sparks' characters. Religious faith is important as well, and occasionally plays a part in the story, but Sparks' novels never fall in the subgenre of Inspirational or Christian Fiction. However, readers of that subgenre may enjoy Sparks' books.

Small towns in North Carolina provide the setting for these gentle and heartfelt stories. The pace is leisurely, quickening for rapid action and dialogue. Sparks' writing is not dense and he aims for easy-to-read prose with a romantic tone. Although some may find the writing overly sentimental, most readers are so captured by the mood that they simply read along, on their way to the emotionally satisfying endings.

Readers who are new to Sparks should start with The Notebook or Message in a Bottle, his first two titles. The Notebook looks back on a strong and loving relationship as Noah, now a senior citizen, tells this story to his beloved wife, in an attempt to reach her through the dementia of Alzheimer's. It is Noah's story of his great love for Allie, and Noah's notebook ends with Allie's having to make a choice between the two men who love her. Message in a Bottle opens with the discovery of a mysterious love letter set adrift in a bottle. It's picked up by Theresa, recently divorced and convinced she will never love again, but the mournful tone of the message sends her to look for its author, Garrett, a widower. The two begin to help each other heal and fall in love and face a challenge that will test their newfound devotion to each other.


What Kind of Romance Are You in the Mood For?
A Recommended Reading List
by Mary K. Chelton, Cathie Linz, Joyce Saricks, Lynne Welch, and Ann Bouricious
From Booklist September 15, 2001

Recent research by Catherine Sheldrick Ross with adult readers suggests that librarians should start categorizing titles, especially when suggesting fiction, by the mood of the reader -- in other words, what does the reader feel like reading? The research emphasizes that the reader's mood is the bedrock issue on which selections are made, even within preferred genres, themes, settings, or recommending sources.

The list below takes romance, an extremely popular genre, and identifies titles not only by author, theme, and setting but also by the mood invoked. Since one of the most frequent mistakes librarians make in answering readers' questions is assuming that another book by the same author will make a good suggestion, it is important to note that particular authors within a genre should not automatically be associated with only one mood or with only one type of book. A good example of this is Teresa Medeiros. Both of her paranormal books, Breath of Magic and Touch of Enchantment, have an adventurous mood, while her historical, Nobody's Darling, has a humorous mood.

To our collective knowledge, this is the first time this type of list has been attempted in print. We would welcome librarian and reader reactions and hope that Booklist subscribers will use the list not only as a collection-development tool but also directly with readers.

Adventurous

Want an exciting read to perk up your day? Try these suggestions for stories that will keep you on the edge of your seat in suspense, transport you to exotic locales, and give you a taste of international intrigue and adventure.

Adair, Cherry. Kiss and Tell. 2000. Ballantine/Ivy, paper, $6.50 (0-449-00683-2).
Marnie Wright goes up to the mountains to reevaluate her life and stumbles into the middle of a covert operation aimed at erasing her reluctant host, taciturn Jake Dolan. Contemporary.

Andersen, Susan. Baby Don't Go. 2000. Avon, paper, $6.50 (0-380-80712-2).
Nick Coltrane wants to hire his former stepsister and onetime lover, security specialist Daisy Parker, to guard him and his possessions, especially the compromising photographs he unwittingly took of a prominent local figure, but misleading information further complicates the situation. Contemporary.

Brockmann, Suzanne. The Unsung Hero. 2000. Ballantine/Ivy, paper, $6.99 (0-8041-1952-X).
Tom Paoletti is recovering from a severe head injury when he spots a terrorist, but he can't convince his navy superiors he's not suffering from hallucinations. He forms his own team of World War II veterans, college kids, and the great unrequited love of his youth, pediatrician Kelly Ashton, to stop a possible terrorist attack. Contemporary.

Carrington, Tori. Never Say Never Again. 2001. Harlequin, paper, $3.99 (0-373-25937-9).
Tough, self-reliant U.S. Marshal Connor McCoy has been framed for the murder of the witness he was assigned to protect, and he must evade capture while he relies on sexy lawyer Bronte O'Brien to help him discover the true culprit. Contemporary.

Foster, Lori. Sex Appeal. 2001. Harlequin, paper, $3.99 (0-373-25929-8).
Sparks fly whenever Shadow Callahan, the outspoken, unconventional proprietor of a novelty shop selling fun, sexy items, and her landlord, wealthy, cynical, attractive Brent Bramwell, meet, but Shadow has a secret admirer-turned-stalker who doesn't approve of their steamy relationship. Contemporary.

Grant, Susan. The Star King. 2000. Leisure/Love Spell, paper, $5.50 (0-505-52413-9).
Jas Hamilton, mother of two, former fighter pilot, now an artist, suddenly feels a craving for adventure but finds more than she expected when she convinces Rom B'kah, disinherited elder son of the preeminent galactic ruling family, to trade her passage on his starship for her skills and contacts. Futuristic.

Howard, Linda. Mr. Perfect. 2000. Pocket, $24.95 (0-671-03406-5); paper, $7.99 (0-671-02757-3).
Jaine's troubles start even before she and her friends laughingly compile a list of requirements for the perfect man and the list is leaked to become an overnight sensation, but her police detective neighbor Sam, far from being the dangerous criminal she took him for, may be her only hope of escaping alive. Contemporary.

Krentz, Jayne Ann. Lost and Found. 2001. Putnam, $23.95 (0-399-14669-5).
Cady Briggs is just starting to believe she can build a relationship with her fantasy man, Mack Easton. Then her eccentric aunt Vesta, the founder of the prestigious Chatelaine Gallery, suddenly dies, and Cady hires Mack to help her deal with the fallout. Contemporary.

Lee, Adrianne. Undercover Baby. 2001. Harlequin, paper, $4.25 (0-373-22609-8).
Shocked by her father's deathbed confession, Joanna Edwards frantically searches for the baby she had been told was stillborn and teams up with Cade Maconahey, an undercover vice cop, who tries to protect them both from further assaults by the baby's father, gubernatorial hopeful Shane Addison. Contemporary.

Lowell, Elizabeth. Tell Me No Lies. 2001. MIRA, $19.95 (1-551-66823-8).
Jacob MacArthur Catlin, renegade ex-CIA agent and former collector of ancient Chinese bronzes, is the only man who can guide Lindsay Danner through a maze of undercover covert operations. She's agreed to help the U.S. and Chinese governments locate priceless artifacts being targeted by smugglers. Contemporary.

Skye, Christina. Going Overboard. 2001. Bantam/Island, paper, $6.99 (0-440-23575-8).
Carly Sullivan has just found the ideal hard body for her latest photographic assignment and hopes to talk him into posing, but Ford Mackay, a navy SEAL commander, isn't interested until he discovers she's being targeted by an international counterfeiting ring. Contemporary.

Veryan, Patricia. The Riddle of the Shipwrecked Spinster. 2001. St. Martin's, $24.95 (0-312-26942-0).
Impoverished but fiercely committed to his family, Piers Cranford reluctantly courts the disdainful Cordelia Stansbury for her money, preferring the company of Mary Westerman, who seems to be embroiled with escaped Jacobites, murderers, and other unsavory characters. Historical.

Funny

These romps run the gamut from subtle to riotous, in-your-face humor, employing a lighthearted approach although dealing at times with difficult themes. If you're in the mood for laughter, try these, which offer, variously, humorous situations, witty dialogue, or characters right out of slapstick comedy.

Bond, Stephanie. Seeking Single Male. 2000. Harlequin, paper, $3.99 (0-373-25905-0).
Confusion reigns when a mix-up in the personal ads matches Lana, quirky owner of the town's most popular coffee shop, with Greg, a real estate lawyer whose big break will mean the destruction of her business. Off to a bad start, they mix like oil and water, but love does grow in this gentle romance. Contemporary.

Criswell, Millie. The Trouble with Mary. 2001. Ballantine/Ivy, paper, $6.50 (0-8041-1950-3).
So what's a good Italian girl to do after her boss' suicide leaves her unemployed? Open her own Italian restaurant. It's a great success until it's panned by the new restaurant critic Dan Gallagher. How Mary wins him over makes for a pleasant romp, complete with mouthwatering recipes. Contemporary.

Crusie, Jennifer. Welcome to Temptation. 2000. St. Martin's, $24.95 (0-312-25294-3); paper, $6.99 (0-312-97425-6).
Sophie and Amy Dempsey, wedding photographers looking for their big break, journey to Temptation, Ohio, to film a documentary of an aging porn star's return to her hometown. This slightly twisted comedy is enhanced by snappy dialogue, quirky characters, and amazing sex. Contemporary.

Dawson, Geralyn. The Bad Luck Wedding Night. 2001. Pocket/Sonnet, paper, $6.50 (0-671-03449-9).
Atypically this romance begins with marriage, unconsummated after the hilarious and disaster-filled wedding night. Ten years later, however, Nicholas needs Sara: he has six outspoken sisters to marry off, and he wants to remarry and sire an heir. Sparks fly as he finds himself trying to win the love of this strong-minded beauty. Historical.

Dodd, Christina. Rules of Engagement. 2000. Avon, paper, $6.99 (0-380-81198-7).
When notorious rake Devon Mathewes decides to adopt a foundling to prove his respectability to young Queen Victoria, he goes to the Distinguished Academy of Governesses to find someone to care for the child. With the school on the brink of ruin, Pamela Lockhart disguises her beauty and accepts. Historical.

Duncan, Alice. Cowboy for Hire. 2001. Kensington/Zebra, paper, $5.50 (0-8217-6848-6).
Transplanted from her uncle's health spa to a movie set, complete with a drunken actor bent on seduction, orphan Amy Wilkes finds herself quickly caught up in the excitement of making the very first feature film in the early 1900s with cowboy-turned-actor Charlie Fox. Historical.

Lee, Karen. Meredith's Wish. 2000. Leisure/Love Spell, paper, $4.99 (0-505-52405-8).
When career woman Meredith discovers a genie living in her cell phone, she doesn't waste time. She needs a husband to land a contract that will ensure her promotion, so she asks him to find her true love. Granting such a wish is against all rules in the world of the djinn, but Jim does his best with surprisingly magical and often hilarious results. Paranormal.

Linz, Cathie. Daddy in Dress Blues. 2001. Thorndike, large print, $28.98 (0-7862-3056-8).
When he must suddenly make a home for the daughter he never knew he had, Curt Blackwell, a highly respected marine, discovers he has a lot to learn. Turning to little Blue's preschool teacher Jessie Moore for instruction, he acquires more than just the basics of fatherhood in this romantic comedy propelled by delightful dialogue and humorous confrontations. Contemporary.

Maxwell, Cathy. The Marriage Contract. 2001. Avon, paper, $6.50 (0-380-80833-1).
Married by proxy to a man who neither wants nor expects a bride, Anne Burnett travels to Scotland to inform Aidan Black of their blissful state. When she emerges from the ruins of her coach to find the horses gone, the coachman dead, and her husband covered in blue paint stalking a wildcat, she cannot imagine that they will eventually discover love. Historical.

Metzger, Barbara. Saved by Scandal. 2000. Penguin Putnam/Signet, paper, $4.99 (0-451-20038-1).
Jilted twice by his fiancee, Viscount Woodbridge takes matters into his own hands and decides to wed an actress, creating his own scandal as diversion; in return, Margot Penrose, really a penniless noblewoman, secures his promise to rescue her brother. Love grows quickly in this gentle but madcap adventure involving an eccentric cast of characters. Historical.

Phillips, Susan Elizabeth. This Heart of Mine. 2001. Morrow, $24 (0-380-97572-6).
Take one ex-heiress who supports herself writing children's books; add one handsome but reckless football star; season with the irrepressible storybook heroine, Daphne the Bunny; isolate in a lonely cabin, and you have the perfect recipe for romance, well leavened with humor. Contemporary.

Wells, Robin. Baby, Oh Baby. 2001. Leisure/Love Spell, paper, $5.99 (0-505-52427-9).
Having abandoned her high-powered New York advertising career for her grandparents' Oklahoma farm, Annie Hollister raises alpacas and reads tea leaves. Then Jake Chastaine, whose wife and parents were killed in a car accident, discovers that, through a mix-up at a fertility clinic, he has fathered Annie's child and now wants to be a part of her life. Contemporary.

Heartwarming

These stories draw the reader into the lives of ordinary working-class heroes by using a homespun approach and a small-town feeling. They often also incorporate humor, and many of these nostalgia-inducing tales tug at your heartstrings, producing an emotionally satisfying experience.

Freethy, Barbara. Just the Way You Are. 2000. HarperCollins, paper, $6.50 (0-380-81552-4).
Nine years ago, even though she knew Sam was in love with her sister, Tessa, Allison married him because she was pregnant with his child. They have recently separated; due to a family emergency, Tessa has now returned, causing all three of them to face the decisions they have made. Contemporary.

Holm, Stef Ann. Hearts. 2001. Pocket/Sonnet, paper, $6.50 (0-671-77548-0).
When Truvy Valentine, a teacher with a head for politics and women's suffrage, is put on academic leave for reading to her students from a book on human sexuality, she goes to Harmony, Montana. There she meets Jake Brewster, former world-class strongman, who challenges her to just be herself. Historical.

Kimberlin, Annie. Romeo and Julia. 1999. Leisure, paper, $5.50 (0-505-52341-8).
Librarian Liz Hadley and school bus driver Alex Hogan meet and become friends over a stray kitten, but when their friendship turns to love, Alex learns that Liz cannot give him the one thing he wants in life -- children. Contemporary.

Krahn, Betina M. Sweet Talking Man. 2000. Bantam, paper, $6.50 (0-553-57619-4).
Beatrice Von Furstenberg, a young, wealthy, and widowed businesswoman committed to women's suffrage, is mistakenly kidnapped and held in a brothel. She's rescued by Conner Barrow, a charming Irish rogue of an attorney with political aspirations, and they make a pact to help each other achieve their goals. Historical.

Morsi, Pamela. Here Comes the Bride. 2000. Avon, paper, $6.99 (0-06-101366-8).
To make her reluctant beau propose, Augusta Mudd, owner of the small town's biggest factory, enlists the assistance of Rome Akers to become her new business partner and pretend to develop a personal interest in her, until Gussie and Rome both realize the game they're playing is no game at all. Historical.

Osborne, Maggie. Silver Lining. 2000. Ballantine/Ivy, paper, $6.50 (0-449-00516-X).
As thanks for saving their lives, a group of scruffy miners promise Low Down, a woman who never had anything good happen to her, anything she wants. She wants a baby, so they draw lots, and it's Max McCord, who is engaged to a girl back home, who has to not only "poke" Low Down but marry her so the baby won't be a bastard. Historical.

Richards, Emilie. Whiskey Island. 2000. MIRA, paper, $6.50 (1-55166-570-0).
Megan Donaghue becomes friends and then falls in love with an ex-priest whom she meets when he saves her two sisters from an act of violence. Then they both work to track down a homeless man and try to keep a little girl safe from her abusive father. Contemporary.

Roberts, Nora. Considering Kate. 2001. Silhouette, paper, $4.50 (0-373-24379-0).
Kate Kimball, world-renowned ballerina, returns to her West Virginia hometown to open a dance studio. She hires contractor Brody O'Connell, a single father who loves the small-town life, to renovate her building, but when she falls for him, she must convince him she's home to stay. Contemporary.

Wiggs, Susan. The You I Never Knew. 2001. Warner, paper, $6.99 (0-446-60872-6).
When her father, from whom she has been estranged for 17 years, falls critically ill, Michelle Turner and her teenage son return to her hometown. There she again sees Sam, whom she left years earlier, before she told him she was pregnant with his child, and now all four of them struggle to find ways to become a family. Contemporary.

Tormented

The common element is a dark and brooding atmosphere reminiscent of early Gothics. The wounded hero, the mysterious man or woman with a past he or she is striving to overcome, the strong-but-silent type, and the elegant but menacing stranger all provide the reader with an opportunity to vicariously enjoy the vulnerabilities of the main characters and the eventual triumph of love over pride and the past.

Carroll, Susan. The Bride Finder. 1998. Ballantine/Fawcett, $17.95 (0-449-14927-7).
When he takes red-haired Madeline Breton as his bride, Anatole St. Leger is torn between his love for her and his fear that she will leave him once she learns of his unusual "powers." Paranormal.

Heath, Lorraine. A Rogue in Texas. 1999. Avon, paper, $6.50 (0-380-80329-1).
Grayson Rhodes, bastard son of a British duke, hires on with a Texas labor broker, hoping to make his fortune, only to find himself drawn to his employer, the widow Abby Westland. He finds he cannot stand to hurt or disappoint her, even if it breaks both their hearts in the trying. Historical.

Kantra, Virginia. Mad Dog and Annie. 2000. Silhouette, paper, $4.50 (0-373-27118-2).
Awaiting trial for embezzling funds and a divorce from an abusive husband, all Annie Cross thinks about is becoming independent and keeping her son, until Madox "Mad Dog" Palmer returns to town chased by demons of his own but determined to love her, no matter what. Contemporary.

Lee, Linda Francis. Dove's Way. 2000. Ballantine/Ivy, paper, $6.50 (0-449-00205-5).
Leaving Africa for a mother she barely remembers, Finnea Winslet becomes the family alien in upper-class Boston until marriage to bitter Matthew Hawthorne and parenthood forces both of them to face the past and open to the possibilities of passion, love, and healing. Historical.

Medeiros, Teresa. The Bride and the Beast. 2000. Bantam, $15.95 (0-553-80125-2).
Not believing in dragons is one thing, but being offered to one as a virgin sacrifice by your fellow villagers is quite another. So Gwendolyn discovers when she becomes the dragon's prisoner and learns about the long-held secret of the betrayal of the laird of Weyrcraig while falling in love with her captor. Historical.

Putney, Mary Jo. Dearly Beloved. 2000. Penguin Putnam/Topaz, paper, $6.99 (0-451-40185-9).
Tricked into a loveless marriage to a visiting lord, Diana hides in the country with their son for years. A new friend gives her the idea to become a London courtesan, leading her to find passion and love with him as his mistress, until her true identity and multiple motives are finally revealed. Historical.

Sala, Sharon. Butterfly. 2000. MIRA, paper, $6.50 (1-55166-616-2).
Homeless, abandoned, and pregnant, China Brown is shot while witnessing a high-profile murder but finds that her trust and growing involvement with Ben English, the investigating officer, overrides her grief and enables her to love. Contemporary.

Stuart, Anne. Wild Thing. 2000. Harlequin, paper, $4.25 (0-373-16845-4).
Hired to uncover the mystery of a wild man captured on a remote island by thugs employed by an eccentric billionaire bent on exploiting him, Dr. Elizabeth Holden is unprepared for her reaction to him as a beautiful, potent male who badly needs her help. Contemporary.

Wind, Ruth. In the Midnight Rain. 2000. HarperTorch, paper, $6.99 (0-06-10301-2).
Ellie Connor accepts an invitation from Blue Reynard over the Internet to stay at his guest house in Pine Bend to research her book on Mabel Beauvais, a beautiful blues singer who mysteriously disappeared -- not realizing that her own history is tied up with Mabel's, or that she would fall in love. Contemporary.

All the contributors are serious, unabashed romance fans. Mary K. Chelton, now on the faculty of the Graduate School of Library and Information Studies at Queens College, is the first Romance Writers of America's (RWA) Librarian of the Year. Cathie Linz, RWA's liaison to the librarian community, and Ann Bouricious (who writes under the pen name Annie Kimberlin) of the Columbus (OH) Public Library, are published romance authors. Ann has also published The Romance Reader's Advisory (ALA, 2000). Joyce Saricks is another RWA Librarian of the Year as well as the author of The Reader's Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction (ALA, 2000). Lynne Welch is a readers' advisor in the Herrick Memorial Library (OH).

Answer 2

My favorite authors are:
Danielle Steel
Robyn Carr
Lisa Wingate
Kimberly Cates
Dorothe Benton Frank
Judy Blume...Summer Sisters...best book ever!
Debbie MacComber
Dorothy Garlock
Eillen Goudge

check out: www.romancewriters.com
www.womensfiction.com

Answer 3

Vampire Romance! I love the Twilight Series ♥ I haven't read them, but I hear that Vampire Kisses series by Ellen Schreiber are really good.

Answer 4

P.S. I Love You
Can You Keep a Secret?
Amanda's Wedding (the book that catapulted my romance novel obsession)

Answer 5

Uuhhh, Kamasutra?

Answer 6

go to eharliquin.com


they have all kinds. I like the ones from Red Dress Ink. They are romance/chick lit.

Answer 7

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, its a totally unrealistic teenage vampire love story that is to good to be true, but its amazing, (they're 17-18, but i think its a book adults could easily enjoy, i dont know how old yo are so, yeah...)

Answer 8

More than books, I would recommend authors - some of my favorites include Jennifer Cruise, Jude Deveraux (spelling?), Jayne Ann Krentz - all fun authors to read. When I sit down to one of their books I know I am about to have fun! Happy reading.

Answer 9

http://www.likesbooks.com/

"You're about to enter the number one site on the Web for those who read and love romance novels.

After nearly ten years online, we're the premiere destination of romance readers. We're all about those who love to read, and our longevity, our unabashed love for romance books - not to mention our unbiased, intelligent, and often irreverent writing about romance fiction - makes us unique on the Web.

From the smartest reviews (more than 6,600 of them!) you'll find anywhere to At the Back Fence, our must-read column for everyone who reads – and writes – romance, on to the liveliest forums on the Web, and so much more, All About Romance is your daily destination to find out who's who and what's what in romance fiction today."

I personally love Nora Roberts, Kat Martin, Christine Feehan and Lisa Kleypas. I always use the site above when looking for a new author to read. You can search by type ie. traveling stories, stagecoach, boat, train.... by author, by era, the list goes on and on. All have been reviewed and graded. It's really a great source for romance books.

Have fun reading!