I think it's safe to say that with all the author and book recommendations found on this thread I'll be happily entertained for the next few years at least! LOL.
I began reading romance at 18, my freshman year at college actualy. And it was Ros fanfic that turned me to romance. I have found so many good reads that I enjoy. I enjoy many of the ones that have already been mentioned, but there are many I've never heard of so I'll need to expand my horizons.
I've liked historical romances, but havent' really ventured beyond the Regency (or is it Victorian??) by
Stephanie Laurens, Lisa Kleypas, etc. write. I'd like to look into medieval, highland, civil war era books. I'll look back at the numerous examples listed, but if anyone has some favorite recommendations for beginners please send them my way. I'm a beginner you know. I'm also willing to try some sci-fi/supernatural romance as well. Preferably ala Roswell.
Some of my favorites include ones already previously mentioned, but worth mentioning again.
Anything by
Nora Roberts is a must read. I think I've read almost everything she's done. I love the trilogies that she does because like someone else mentioned, I have a hard time letting go of characters. She can do some angst pretty good and it's sometimes hit or miss with me.
The Bayou for example, hard for me to get through. But the third of the Three Sisters trilogy was also angsty and yet I find myself re-reading that one. I'm such a masochist.
I also love her
In Death series written under her
J.D. Robb name. Those havent' been mentioned before on this thread I don't think, but I just love them! I'm hopelessly addicted. They might not be for everybody. They're darker than her regular books. They're suspense/mystery romance. They're also futuristic, taking place in the mid 21st century. The female lead is Lt. Eve Dallas with the NYC police. She's in the homicide unit so there is a lot of grissly death (hence the titles) and violence plots. She also deals with personal baggage, she was raped as a child and grew up in foster homes. I like the way it's dealt with because it's realistic. It's not Eve wakes up one morning and gets over what happened to her, she copes with it every day and has nightmares she goes through. The male lead is Roarke.
HOTNESS. lol. Seriously. You know the author has major talent when people start to fantasize about made-up characters.
He's a major business tycoon with mountains of money (
I know, I read Killjoy's post lol), but hey it's fiction! We can fantasize. And Eve is no one's idea of a damsel in distress/Cinderella. And like she says "I managed pretty well on my own before you came along" or words to that effect.
Other favorite authors include
Susan Elizabeth Phillips. She can also be angsty sometimes, but in a good way. Like a heart squeeze. And I just love the humor she infuses into her stories. I laugh and cry with every book.
Lisa Kleypas' Wallflower series is pretty good too. Steamy. Stephanie Laurens' Bar Cynster series are also good.
Jennifer Cruise I love too. I've found a couple of
Christina Dodd books I enjoyed, but sometimes she's hit or miss. Lori Foster has been previously mentioned. She's good too.
Catherine Anderson I've grown to love too. There's a little bit of western/cowboy theme is some of her stories (it's hard to explain, it's not too overt in some books). She sets many of her books in Oregon country so there are horses and ranching. But the romance of her stories is what is different about them. They're not your typical stories and none like I've read before. Some of the protagonists have some disability that you don't find in many of romances. Phantom Waltz, a personal fave, has Bethany as the lead and she's in a wheel chair. Many would think, how can there be romance in that? But there is, not just lust, but love. The only bad thing I can say about these books is that it's usually the female with a disability, and it's not in all of her books, so you can argue that it's a Cinderella with her Prince Charming coming to her rescue type of theme, but honestly, they're worth reading.
I've also enjoyed
Jayne Ann Krentz's stories. As well as
Carly Phillips.
That's all I can think of off the top of my head. Not much, lol. But now I'm going back through the pages to add to my to-read list.
Happy reading!
A clever person turns great troubles into little ones and little ones into none at all.
~Chinese Proverb
