Conversion Romance!

Miranda's July Musings

I adore curling up in a comfy chair with a drink and a book, summer and winter, and reading the afternoon away. You? Well, yes, gorgeous people, of course you do. Otherwise you wouldn't be reading this. But some people aren't reading romance...! Shockingly sad fact. 

How to convert them to the treasures you love to read?! No-one shares your exact reading taste, but finding the right romance can set your new BFFs along a new and very happy reading path. The trouble is, which ones? 

Here are a few conversion suggestions. Limiting myself is killing me, a truly horrible dilemma, because I'm leaving hundreds and thousands out and it pains me to my soul. However...

Historical

Photo credit: amazon.com

Flowers From the Storm by Laura Kinsale has to be one of the most beloved historicals ever. Christian Langland, Duke of Jerveaux, is a brilliant mathematician, but he's also a bit of a naughty boy (code for 'rake'). Horrifyingly, he's afflicted by a sudden stroke and his family thinks he's gone insane and lock him up in an asylum. Enter beautiful, quiet Quaker Maddy, who will be his saviour. This one will bring you to your knees, people. A beautiful, enduring story. 

Romantic Suspense 

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Open Seaon by Linda Howard is a fun pick. I could have chosen from a zillion others, like favourties Karen Robards or Nora Roberts, but this is an old bestie. It features librarian Daisy and Jack, a cop, two must-read characters. Boring old Daisy (she's not really, but she thinks she is) gives herself a make-over for her 34th birthday and goes out to party her new look at a nightclub. When she suddenly sees something she's not supposed to, and the villains know she saw it, Jack  comes to the rescue. This is a perfect combination of romantic suspense and humour. Tell your friends!

Inspirational 

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None better here than Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers, set in California's Gold Rush territory in the 1850's. Angel was sold into prostitution as a child, so imagine the life she's living. Along comes Michael Hosea, who obeys God's word to marry Angel and love her. This is not an easy road, folks, but it is beautiful. One to cherish.

Something fun

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Manhunting alerted me to relatively new author (back then) Jennifer Crusie. This made me laugh from beginning to end. Business woman Kate goes looking for Mr Right all wrong, to the amusement of Jake, who's sworn off high powered people like Kate forever. A lot of people converted when they read Crusie's Getting Rid of Bradley, but this one is even more fun, IMHO.

Something intense

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Darkling I Listen by Katherine Sutcliffe will grab hold of you and not let you go. Bad boy Hollywood actor Brandon, a flawed hero if there ever was one, is released from gaol, only to discover the dark forces that worked to put him in there are still out there... Alyson, a reporter, stumbles into this dark mess and the two get caught up in very tense things. Very tense. Very. Read it with the doors locked. 

Something supernaturally vampire-y

Photo credit: amazon.com

Dark Lover by JR Ward made a lot of people sit up and discover there's more to supernatural romance than ever before. These are the good guys (vampires, think Angel on steroids +) battling big bad guys (vampire slayers). BIG bad guys. The Black Dagger Brotherhood is intense and compelling. You'll just want to keep reading the series because they're all amazing.

Wild card 

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The Hating Game by Sally Thorne was a wonderful discovery. This is fresh, fun, flirty and inventive, a game changer in romance. It's an office romance (love them) between a geek and a chronic crowd-pleaser, at war with each other. Ridiculous scenarios ensue that somehow work fabulously well.

There's so many I've left off, so heartbreaking not to even mention them in this conversion kit. Happily, if none of these appeal there are lists out there, such as: All About Romance's top 100, and always fun recommendations on Smart Bitches Trashy Books and Book Thingo. So much to choose from.

What would you choose? Have you got a Top 5? What romances would you use to convert to a non-romance reader?

Tell all darlings,

Love from Miranda xx

Love to love: Game changer romances.

Love to laugh: At Marilyn's game name here: 'oodle' fun. My new name according to the rules is Moodleroodlendoodle. I could get used to that! 😊

Love to learn: What you've been reading lately. Any conversion romances? 

Miranda's May Musings

How Do You Choose What To Read Next?

Part Two!

Miranda is currently overseas. She hopes to reply to any comments but may not be able to (internet access being difficult at times). Meanwhile, she sends all her lovely regular readers her very best regards, and hopes you enjoy these suggestions for some great Book Review Blogs. 

Darlings, if browsing bookstores or having romance author friends isn't doing it for you with reading recommendations, where next to turn?

Dear reader friends, look at book blogs! I do recognise the irony of writing this on a blog - but hey, it works for me. I get heaps of book blogs handily funnelled into my email. Sometimes, particularly on the first couple of days of the month, I get severe reader envy... You've read all that? In ONE month? You know about all these others? But I am (usually) fairly adult about this reading jealous-ness and move on to peruse the book lists. Which is how I discovered Sally Thorne's The Hating Game after about five billion people recommended it - and having read it, decided it was going to be 'my' pick on The Breathless List which you can see again here:

Picture Credit: www.amazon.com

Which book blogs, you ask? If I wrote them all down you'd be still reading this next week, so let me give you a few examples and you can surf in and check them out. First, I have to give a big shout out to the Australian Romance Readers blog here. You are one click away from romance book paradise. So many authors, so little time! If you are also a writer, look no further than the Romance Writers of Australia blog. A lot of Aussie romance authors also contribute to blogs with colleagues overseas, and the links are on their websites. Let your fingers do the walking.

Romance blogs that feature highly on my read list:

All About Romance. I think I've been reading this since - er, maybe (whispers) the 90's.
RT (Romantic Times) Book Reviews. I also subscribe to their online magazine, and have since (whispers) the 90's. All the hot goss, all the reviews, every month, and the blog more often. I usually want to read everything they top star, so have to whittle it down to a few hundred or so (heh)...
Booktopia's romance blog. Love the Nine Naughty Questions they ask authors, and love the info and new romance releases they feature.
Amazon romance editors get to pick the Best of the Month, and this link also takes you to romance best sellers for the month. Once you get started you'll discover a very pleasant hour - or two or three - has passed.

Picture Credit: Picjumbo

Last but certainly not least, and these are a blast, I *must* mention the entertaining:

Heroes and Heartbreakers, and
Smart Bitches Trashy Books, which I love and adore and giggle over.

Both lead to endless - I repeat, ENDLESS covetous book thoughts from me, plus much amusement at their fun reviews and hilarious comments. It's so easy to get their newsletters and blogs straight into your inbox, or streamed. I highly recommend them both.

Phew! Enough information for now. Now go, get started.

And do share, what reading blogs are in your Top 5?

Love from Miranda xxx

Love to love:     reading romance book blogs. No brainer, really.

Love to laugh:  at some of the snarky comment on the above, especially when I agree.

Love to learn:   about more book blogs. Share your faves with me. Please?