So, You Read Romance, and...?
Hello my fellow readers, and welcome to Spring!
Father's Day here in Oz is over, but the advertising was astonishing. Both my snail mail letterbox and email in-box were filled with delicious book lists for the Dads in your life. I love these! I could sit and happily read book lists and troll bookshops and booky sites for hours. (Actually, I think I sometimes do.) Naturally these 'Dad' lists had some hearty crime and thriller fiction, and heaps of non-fiction about planes, trains and automobiles. And sport. Don't forget sport. And politician biographies. Everything Dad-worthy, but quite a few of them also appealed to me.
...Which got me thinking. This blog is primarily for romance writers and readers, yay! But we don't only read romance, do we? What else do you read?
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| Picture courtesy: www.amazon.com |
In the last month I've read and reread Anne Gracie's wonderful Chance Sisters quartet, finishing with The Summer Bride, a simple scrumptious end to a fabulous series. So romantic, so addictive. I loved revisiting these magic books, and feel a bit sad there are no more sisters to come. But I'm sure Anne is whipping up something equally divine for next year.
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| Picture courtesy: www.amazom.com |
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| Picture courtesy: www.amazon.com |
Then I read Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson, for a Classics book Group. I've read it before, and it was even better second time around: a mix of Scottish politics, boy's own adventure, and a coming-of-age tale. (No romance in this one, though there was a certain wench in a tavern late in the book...?)
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| Picture courtesy: www.amazon.com |
I loved them all, and read across many genres. But I always come back to romance. It's my go-to genre, my favourite; it takes me to my happy place with life-affirming, happy-ever-after endings, heroes and heroines who are simply amazing, and a romance like no other. Romance is simply The Best, and I will always enjoy it in-between my classics, my chick lit, my bios, my cosy crimes, my best sellers, my thrillers, my 'women's lit', my inspirationals, my non-fiction, my everything.
My next romance is waiting for me on my Kindle: Meet Me At The Teahouse by the wonderful Barbara Hannay. (It's free at the moment; go grab a bargain!) Then I have Barbara's newie The Grazier's Wife ready to roll. Bliss...
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| Picture courtesy: www.amazon.com |
When you're not reading romance, what do you like to read? And do you always come back to romance?
Love, Miranda xxx
Love to love:
Reading a romance, between every! other! book!
Love to laugh:
...at the show Gogglebox on TV. Those people have me in stitches, week after week.
Love to learn:
About books, booky things, book sites, authors, general book stuff. Keeps me entertained for hours!
Hi Miranda
ReplyDeleteWonderful list there I pretty much read romance and woman's fiction I love to be smiling at the end of a book.
I read Anne Gracie's Chance Sisters fabulous weren't they and Barbara Hannay's Meet Me In The Teahouse and The Grazier's Wife are so good (Barbara's The Secret Years will always be one of my most favourite stories ) And I have read Rachael John's newest woman's fiction The Art of Keeping Secrets (release day today) what a great story that one is and for something a bit hot I have just finished Amy Andrew's 2nd Sydney Smoke Rugby story you will need a fan for that one but boy did she make me laugh a curvy heroine and a fabulous sporting hero.
LOL I have gone right of track here haven't I the answer to your question yes it always about the romance for me I need my fix and very regularly :)
Have Fun
Helen
Helen, that sounds like an amazing list! You always impress me with all that you've read, wow. You are a true Romance Ambassador, especially for Aussie romance writers. Good for you! Barbara Hannay's The Secret Years is definitely on my hit list (shameful I haven't read it yet). Rachael Johns and Amy Andrews are always favourites, and La Gracie is a Must Read every year! So glad you always need your romance fix. Same. We are twins. :) P.S. Try Marion Lennox and Michelle Douglas if you haven't already, and...and...and... But I'm thinking you already have?!
DeleteHi Miranda
DeleteI am a huge fan of Michelle's stories love them and as for Marion Lennox I do have a few of hers calling to me from the massive TBR pile :)
Have Fun
Helen
Thank you to Miranda and Helen. I'm thrilled that you enjoy my books and you're both wonderful ambassadors for our genre. Huge thanks!!!!!!
DeleteDelighted you've stopped by, Barbara, how lovely. Your books sell themselves, they are so marvellous. Helen and I dive into them with great pleasure. Love our Aussie authors, including Michelle Douglas and Marion Lennox, some other special favourites of mine.
DeleteHi Miranda. Romance is my number one go-to genre, though I am picky about the sub-genres. I love heaps and heaps of emotion and suspense-filled situations.In romance, I get this in romantic suspense and paranormal romance. My other fave genres, for the same reason as in romance, are thrillers and straight suspense where danger is the main aspect of the story. I love Nora Roberts and on the other end of the spectrum I love Cormac McCarthy's 'The Road' and George Orwell's '1984', both of which really tugged at my emotions.
ReplyDeleteEnisa, you know you have wooed me to Nora Roberts over many years, and I thank you for it from the bottom of my romantic heart. I just love her now, thanks to you, and have gotten to enjoy more romantic suspense as a result! You have me with 'The Road' and '1984' (which, incidentally, I read in 1984...yes, I'm that old...). Both fantastic, both on my shelf. Have you read any Karen Robards? She is a romantic suspense writer I've loved from way back. And our very own Aussie Bronwyn Parry, simply The Best...
DeleteOoh, I read 1984 for my HSC exams and loved it so much I was first in line when the movie came out...in 1984. One of my favourite movies! I have read Karen Robards. I have a few on my keeper shelf. As for Bronwyn Parry, I fell in love with her writing from her first book and have every one of her published works.
DeleteWe are so like-minded, Enisa! :) I can't remember the movie 1984 - maybe because I was busy with other things. How tragic, I will have to hunt it down. So, so pleased you enjoy Karen Robards and our own Bronwyn Parry. They always deliver tense, taut and terrific books.
DeleteHi Miranda. I'm an eclectic reader. I love both fiction and non-fiction - romance, thrillers, family sagas, biographies, road maps (just tricking). I just love to read, full stop. Looking through my bookshelves though, there is a preponderance of books with a fantasy element. Barbara Erskine's time slip novels, Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series, Jean M Auel's series that began with Clan of the Cave Bear, all of Juliet Marillier's Celtic-myth-based books, Sara Douglass's Axis Trilogy - love them all! The romance in such books might not be front and centre but it's still an essential element for any novel I choose to read.
ReplyDeleteRomance has its way of threading through so many stories, doesn't it Marilyn? The endurance of the human race ('Clan of the Cave Bear' here!), the ongoing search for love and fulfilment in relationships, the list is endless. I love time slip in novels, romance and otherwise. One of my favourite non-romance time slip reads is 'Time and Again' by Jack Finney. You might like it?!
DeleteHi Miranda. I confess I don't stray too far from the romance shelf but I do like Wilbur Smith and to read writing craft books from time to time.
ReplyDeleteI *love* reading writing craft books, Cassandra! They are the books that just keep giving (thankyou all writing craft authors). You can come back fresh to them after a while and spot some little gem you didn't notice before. One of my favourite Wilbur Smith books is so old I can't remember the name... But it also had a romance in it. I think it had a pilot in the book who crashed and burned, but lived. He fell in love with a blind girl, and she with him. He didn't scare her with his terrible scars because she couldn't see him. Crisis time came when she regained part of her sight. Don't suppose you can remember the title?
DeleteHi Miranda, I generally read romance and loved the Chance Sisters series. I'm currently holidaying overseas and have a couple of books from other genres on my "to read" list. They are Inheritance by Nicholas Shakespeare and Run Away Amish Girl by Emma Gingerich.
ReplyDeleteThey sound great, Sharon, just the thing for a holiday. You'll have to report back on your return and let us know what they were like. ...And I bet some romance is waiting for you as well. Enjoy your travels!
DeleteHi Miranda, My tbr list in my Kindle app is so long that I wonder if I'll live long enough to read all the books, lol. I usually read romance, and I'm currently reading Mail Order Surprise by Aussie author Lucy Thompson.
ReplyDeleteNarelle, I confess I'm the same. I recently bought a new Kindle, the old one turned up its toes after many years of faithful service. I was astonished when a large number appeared on my list of titles - ahem, cough, won't tell you how many - but wow, I better read faster, is all I can say...! I have Mail Order Surprise on the Kindle as well - need to find it and start reading. Looking forward to reading your guest post in a couple of weeks!
DeleteHi Miranda— wow, I didn't expect to see my book listed here. Thank you so much.
ReplyDeleteI've just finished reading THE HATING GAME by aussie author Sally Thorne. Fabulous -- a fresh, funny and original take on the office romance.
Pleasure, Anne, your books are so incredibly fabulous I cannot even begin to count the ways... I just looked up The Hating Game and downloaded a sample! I love the way recommendations from other people can lead to a terrific new read. And here's to Aussie authors as well.
DeleteHi, Miranda! I always love your posts and this one is no different. It got me thinking...when not reading romances, I like to read medical (anatomy & physiology) texts. After the mental strain of a heavy med text though I relax into a good romance. Gotta say The Grazier's Wife is looking good after wrestling with a particularly dense tome on the future of genetics!
ReplyDeleteWell, Dana, Dr Miranda prescribes some romance reading in your immediate future! But seriously, I do agree. Nothing better than relaxing into a good romance (what an excellent phrase, I'm copying that) after something heavier. Like genetics! Well done, you. Doctor, heal thyself... :)
DeleteHey Miranda, I read all sorts of genres, from childrens books, mysteries, crime, graphic novels, to young adult, speculative fiction (any sf-fantasy-paranormal) and romance. I like mixing it all up.
ReplyDeleteI've just finished reading Master of Love by Catherine LaRoche (historical romance) and Bound by the Unbound Baby by Bella Bucannon (fellowRWA member).
I am listening to Agatha Raisin and The Quiche of Death by M.C. Beaton (cozy mystery) and to Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (that Stephen Fry is an amazing narrator).
I'm about to start reading Soulless graphic novel vol 2 (based on the Parasol Proctocteriate series by Gail Carriger) and A Dance With Dragons part 2 by George R.R. Martin (epic fantasy).
Not to mention non-fiction that I'm reading on my Kindle app about short story writing.
When I need a pick me up something romantic or containing romantic elements is usually my go-to genre. My next romance will be Bride by Mistake by Anne Gracie.
Wow, Eleni, thanks for stopping by with these *fantastic* recommendations. You're not the first person who's recommended Harry Potter read by Stephen Fry to me. I can see that is something wonderful in my future. I discovered Agatha Raisin a few months ago, that Quiche of Death is hilarious. Who reads it? And yes, like us all, you come back to romance. I think it's our go-to default, our premium choice. No contest there.
ReplyDeleteSorry I'm late with my reply, Miranda. Actress Penelope Keith read the Quiche of Death. She also stars in the BBC Radio Drama versions of the Agatha Raisin series. She is very good. She does the prickliness and the vulnerability of Agatha quite well.
DeleteNo worries, Eleni, marvellous you popped on back to reply! Oh, Agatha... such fun cosy mysteries. I can imagine Penelope Keith would be fantastic reading them. ...*note to self to look into that...*. Enjoy.
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