Book help! [Of the same kinds, class, or nature]

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I need recs! I'm going to Florida for a week, in two weeks, and I need books. A few things:

(1) It needs to be in paperback (I get hardcovers from the library and that usually takes a while)
(2) I like historical romance fluff
(3) Thinky things make my brain hurt
(4) Well done contemporary romance is good too

I have read everything by:
Eloisa James
Julia Quinn
Stephanie Laurens
Mary Balogh
Julie Garwood
Judith McNaught
Amanda Quick/Jayne Ann Krentz/Jayne Castle
Linda Howard
Elizabeth Lowell
Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Liz Caryle
Debbie Maccomber
Diana Palmer
Donna Andrews
Julia London
ETA: Georgette Heyer - I've read almost all of them!

I no longer care for:
Nora Roberts
Catherine Coulter
Jude Deveraux
Iris Johansen
Lisa Kleypas

I have tried and didn't really care for:
Sabrina Jeffries
Celeste somebody

Help!

Mood::

cheerful

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There are 27 comments on this entry. (Reply.)

Have we had a Georgette Heyer squee moment? Because if not, The Grand Sophy is one of my favorite romances EVER, even though it's from the 1920s and there's no, erm, getting busy. It is wonderful and hilarious.

Also, what are your thoughts on Jennifer Crusie?

YES. I have read almost all of them! I need to add them to the list.

What does she write? I think I've read one and wasn't impressed.

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Hm, there was one I liked a few years ago called "Welcome to Temptation." They're sort of...very explicit romance/humor.

Have you read the Sookie Stackhouse books? I've liked those as well.

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I will check that out! I have not heard of sookie stackhouse.

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They're the books that True Blood is based on--the author is Charlaine Harris. One big benefit is that the paperbacks tend to be sold in mass market for super cheap (mine were $4.99 each), so you can stock up and plow through a bunch of them. They're quite funny, and very true about the South (despite being about vampires and such), I think.

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Oh cool! I need to watch that show.

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The librarian here recently recommended the Jane Austen Mysteries by Stephanie Barron. In case the title didn't give it away, Jane is an ameteur detective. :-) They're pretty good, not deep, fluffy, and in the style of Jane Austen. And she has an interesting love interest, though nothing really happens (she did die unmarried, after all). There's 9 books so far, though I think the 10th is coming out this fall. Definitely read them in order, because they build on each other.

I second the Jane Austen mysteries.

How about Jo Beverley? And Suzanne Enoch!

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Jo Beverley looks good! I just checked out her list and there are quite a few on there that look good.

I read a Suzanne Enoch a while back and something turned me off - but I will check it out again.

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Ohhh! Those look good. I will put them on the list!

Thanks!

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Have you read Elizabeth Peters? I recommend the hell out of 'Crocodile on the Sandbank' (and the subsequent series, but you can just read that one as a fun historical romance. Victorian English folk in Egypt!

Those sound fun! I'm putting them on my list - even if I don't grab them for FL, I can read them over the summer.

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I don't read much romance, but

poisontaster has been doing a lot of romance book reviews lately, of all shapes and sizes, if you want to check her journal out for ideas!!

I will check that out - thanks!

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Teresa Medeiros writes well does some historical/ fantasy romance. I always enjoy those.

If you don't mind her propensity to make all her heroines' virgins with babies on the brain and druids/time travel then Karen Marie Moning has really hot non hero heroes.

If you like paranormal/vampire the Black Dagger Brotherhood can be good... a little violent at times.

Modern romance/ hot guys adventure Suzanne Brockman (navy seals/FBI/ guys and independent heroines...well written humor too much cussing from the guys)

Those three are the extremes of what I've read that aren't on the list - most of which I've read too and agree with your no longer care for.

I think I will have to skip 2 and 3 as I don't like virgins with babies or vampires.

I will check out 1 and 4!

Thanks!!

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Kristin Hannah wrote some really fun historical/time traveling romances before she went mainstream fiction. "Once in Every Life" is good, as is "When Lightning Strikes" and "A Handful of Heaven." (Hilariously, I always toyed with taking the plot of A Handful of Heaven and rewriting it as a McShep Harlequin!)

I tried her once - wasn't crazy about it. I don't recall why but I didn't like it. Hmmm!

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I can't really help here, but are you familiar with Smart Bitches, Trashy Books. My cousin who I think likes some of the same stuff you do practically lives there.

I will check that out! Thanks!

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GIRL GIRL GIRL

THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE PINK CARNATION SERIES OMGGGGGGGG

(Author: Lauren Willig)

They're those totally awesome books I was devouring like chocolate covered crack when we were at the beach. LOVE LOVE LOVE. Easy, cute, smart, and way too much fun. :) (and, most importantly, HISTORICALLY CORRECT.)

:)

They look awesome! I will definitely check those out!

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Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. First two are excellent, no good reason to read beyond that point unless you get into the characters. But the first two are enthralling.

I have heard of her but I've never read anything. I will see if I can snag them at the library!

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I will second commenters above who suggested the Sookie Stackhouse books (aka Southern Vampire Mysteries) by Charlaine Harris and anything and everything by Jo Beverly (OMFG! Love her)

I read LOADS of romance in this genre (hehehe) so here are a few that I recently really enjoyed:

Madeline Hunter
Ravishing in Red
Provocative in Pearls

New author and I can't emphasise enough how much I loved these - so much so that I've added her to my auto-buy list. The next 2 books are due out later this year.

Candace Camp - Matchmaker series
The Courtship Dance
The Wedding Challenge
The Bridal Quest
The Marriage Wager

Lots of fun series and I liked the characters. This author also has an extensive backlog that I plan on working through as well as a newer series that has 3 books out already.

Loretta Chase - Carsington Brothers
Miss Wonderful
Mr Impossible
Lord Perfect

SQUEE! Book 4 is due out soon. The dialogue in these books is fab! And she is really just a great storyteller as well. She also has some good standalones. Her latest one (Don't Tempt Me) was a bit too cliched for me, but I still finished it.

Jacquie D'Alessandro - Ladies Literary Society series
Sleepless at Midnight
Confessions at Midnight
Seduced at Midnight
Tempted at Midnight

I wasn't sure about this series at first, but later books won me over.

And err loads and loads of really BAD books if you want a good laugh :P

I ended up buying 3 Jo Beverly's, 1 Candace Camp (A Lady Never Tells) (I bought before I saw this), and I thought I would give this author a chance - Sara Lindsey

I will check out Madeline Hunter and these other authors! I have more summer reading and another beach trip in August.

Thank you! These all sound so good!

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Oooh I have that Sara Lindsay book in my to be read pile.

It looks interesting from the blurb, but I still have all of these Suzanne Enoch ones to get through. Who btw has books with a good premise but wallbangingly stupid motivations for the characters. I liked some of her latest books, so I have her back catalogue which so far has been fun, but also very WTF??? in places.

Regency romance is my favourite genre - so if you're looking for a rec I can always give one - and tell you ALL about the hilariously bad ones (which, I confess, I still enjoy if purely for the snarky satisfaction of writing about them)

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December