Well what else was it going to be on Valentines Day - purportedly the most romantic day of the year.Apparently I created quite a lot of debate in library workrooms around Auckland on Friday afternoon, when I flicked out a quick email for contributions to today's post. All I did was ask everyone for their favourite romances and why. Maybe it's a Friday afternoon thing, but apparently discussion was extensive and, at times, heated.
So here they are, in no particular order (and without any hints as to which librarians liked which books).
"more history than romance, although romance is one of the key themes..."
I also got votes from the rest of the trilogy (the saga continues with the Wild Rose and finishes with The Winter Rose). Someone else said they were a "combination of epic family saga, adventure and historical romance. Her plots are complex, setting exotic and characters well crafted. Gorgeous covers too."
Favourite romance for teens " love how as the character grows and changes - so do her loves"
Frederica - Georgette Heyer
" Regency dresses, a family of wonderful children, a bemused hero outclassed from the first encounter, balloon ascensions, and Baluchistan hounds... Takes me to my happy place every time I look at it on the bookshelf at home"
" Regency dresses, a family of wonderful children, a bemused hero outclassed from the first encounter, balloon ascensions, and Baluchistan hounds... Takes me to my happy place every time I look at it on the bookshelf at home"
(Georgette Heyer got several mentions for well written romances).
Son of the Shadows - Juliet Marillier
"Not a romance as such, but instead a romantic fantasy novel. Every now and then when I need a romance fix I'll pull this book down from my shelf and just read the parts of the book that are about the love story between the two main characters."
"Not a romance as such, but instead a romantic fantasy novel. Every now and then when I need a romance fix I'll pull this book down from my shelf and just read the parts of the book that are about the love story between the two main characters."
"Although these books are classed as crime, (they) have a element of romance in them. (They are) funny, she has two men in her life, Morelli (the Italian) and Ranger (the hot blooded Latino) and cant decide which man she really wants.
Two people who fall in love but the timing is wrong. This is one of my personal favourites but don't get me started on how I think the movie got it wrong
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon and The Time Travellers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
Neither are "traditional" romance novels yet they have a strong romantic relationship that is in a way the core of the book. The Outlander (Crosstitch) series got several votes and someone else call the story between Jamie and Claire a "gritty sexy romance story".
Neither are "traditional" romance novels yet they have a strong romantic relationship that is in a way the core of the book. The Outlander (Crosstitch) series got several votes and someone else call the story between Jamie and Claire a "gritty sexy romance story".
It appears to me that many librarians don't find their romance in traditional "romance" novels but see the romance in other things that they read (and perhaps in the world around them).
What titles can you think of to add to the list? Thanks to Lisa, Evelyn, Jolene, Seonaid, Sally, Sean, the other Sally and Penny who all responded to my call.
Final word on romance novels " they end up together in the end - ahhhhh I do like a good "Disney" ending"
1 comment:
Oops! I never managed to send in my favs...
But, my Georgette fav is A civil contract - an arrangement marriage, which covers the first year or so of the marriage. More real than most romances.
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