This request will make someone swoon. I already did, I freely admit it. Stephanie writes:
Help! I have a friend who is an Air Force MP. Big burly Alpha guy. (pause for visual image to form)
Anyway he is currently deployed overseas and asked me to send him some books. I thought I was going to have to buy out the Tom Clancy section at the bookstore but then he admitted to me that he used to enjoy Jackie Collins’ books but now needs something else (along the same lines) to read. He’s an undercover romance reader! (I found him, get your paws off!)
I was never a huge fan of Ms. Collins’ so I need your and/or the bitchery’s help. For someone who liked that style what would you recommend in current authors?
How awesome is that? I love requests like this. I asked for clarification as to what it was that he liked about the Jackie Collins books- the Hollywood, the smarm, the sex or the intricate wtf plot? Stephanie surmises that “it was the sex (#1) the intricate wtf plot (#2) and then the smarm. Hollywood was probably incidental.”
I’d suggest Maggie Marr’s Hollywood Girl’s Club novels, as they are much better written and casted than Collins’ novels, and feature strong women. But for fun and intelligent super sexy contemporary-set romances, Julie James’ Something About You might also appeal – minus the obvious Hollywood glitz, unless US attorneys in Chicago are extreme glitz and I don’t know it.
What do you recommend?
If he’s good with historical, you can’t go wrong with Kathleen Winsor’s FOREVER AMBER. It’s like Jackie Collins in Restoration England; sex, conspiracies, evil characters, possible father-daughter incest, adultery, witchcraft, illegitimate children, thievery, prostitution, murder… Not to mention the Great Fire of London and a section about the Black Plague that is hands-down one of the most breathtaking things I’ve ever read.
Uhhhh…I don’t really have any recommendations for that type of book. It’s tres not my thing. But can someone please clue me in on finding a man that reads romance? Sounds like a gift from the gods.
My brother really likes Nora Roberts (more than I do, I go for historicals more) but loves Jennifer Crusie- I would think her books with Bob Mackie (?) would be perfect!
But then, my brother’s not nearly so butch as this guy sounds.
capcha- seen83
I haven’t seen 83 male romance readers but I have come to realize they’re out there…would be fascinating to survey likes and dislikes within romance and compare….
LOL! I think you mean Bob Mayer. Bob Mackie is a fashion designer. (I only know that because I have an unnatural love of Project Runway. Tim Gunn is my secret boyfriend. Or he would be if I had any style. And a penis.)
Linda Howard’s MacKenzie’s Mountain series. Don’t miss MacKenzie’s Mission – it’s about an Air Force pilot.
MacKenzie’s Mountain – the first book – is foundational but its the only one without military/special forces overtones.
Its not new, but there’s a reason this is a classic series!!!
Well crap, everybody already stole my suggestions, so I guess I’ll just cast another vote for Lowell, Howard, Cruisie/Mayer and Chase. Julie Garwood has always been one of my favorites too — although I like her historicals better than the contemporaries. I’d also add Jayne Anne Krentz/Amanda Quick. Also, I’d just like to note I think it’s 12 different kinds of awesome that he’s finally copped (at least to Stephanie) to being an undercover romance reader). I love it.
congress28: yes, I’m sure between all these books he’ll discover at least 28 new ways for “congress”
Stephanie – It was not your “bad” in mixing up MP vs SP … it is a mistake easily made, especially if you watch MASH, The Unit, or even Army Wives on TV (who can forget Klinger on night duty in his pink robe?) MASH is the only show that comes close to being accurate … at least in attitude. I think “FP” is Force Protection – Big Burly Alpha is probably deployed to provide just that, Protection to the Forces.
Check out the RomVets, http://www.romvets.com They .are female veterans who write romance (PC Cast, Sylvia Day, Cindy Dees, Larissa Ione, Merline Lovelace, Cathy Maxwell, Lindsey McKenna, Terry Spear, and many others). I would recommend any of their books – they have been there, done that!
Becky – my boys and I enjoy watching Project Runway (they laugh at the fashions). Would be interesting if the designers had to make an outfit from an Army/Navy surplus store.
I’d also recommend anything by Cherry Adair, especially her T-FLAC series books. She’s always got a ton of action, twisted plots and seriously hot sexxoring. My career AF uncle loved one of her books I had him try.
Oh, oh, glancing over at my bookshelf, I came up with another name of the Collinsesque school: Sidney Sheldon. Now, his last few books were just “meh” but get in the Wayback Machine and go pick up copies of Bloodline, Master of the Game, If Tomorrow Comes, The Sands of Time. All strongly romantic potboilers.
Outlander – Gabaldon – it has WTF, with time travel and over the top villains and yet it works. It doesn’t have a modern war (which I would avoid – otherwise go with Brockmann and St. Claire). It does have strong male and female leads, neither character is a push-over and the minor characters are interesting. The series keeps going so you know it will hold him for a while. Plus, there is some sex. Here and there.
If he really wants to go for broke on the sex and on the absurd to outrageous plotting, he may need some Laurell K. Hamilton or Christine Warren or Shelley Laurenston. (Very different authors but if you try to describe them to someone who hasn’t read any of them, the books will sound similar. Like “a house has walls and a roof.”)
Anyway, if he doesn’t mind plot holes at all, there is always JR Ward. Nothing says “this is not reality” like some JR Ward.
Jill Shalvis’s baseball books, DOUBLE PLAY and SLOW HEAT. I’d also recommend her ‘Instant’ trilogy but they’re only out in trade paperback right now. But that’s the only thing wrong with them. 🙂
All Elizabeth Lowell’s books published in the previous century up to and ending with MIDNIGHT IN RUBY BAYOU (2001) are highly recommended, whether historical or contemporary. After MiRB, not so much. *sigh*
Nora Roberts’s NORTHERN LIGHTS is from the hero’s point of view. (One of my faves of hers.)
I’d second (or third or whatever we’re up to) the recs for the Jenny Crusie/Bob Mayer collaborations and Tara Janzen’s Crazy series. Also yes for crackalicious Shannon McKenna if he likes the sexxoring and a bit of WTF.
Another vote for SEP
How about Anne Stuart’s Ice series? Lots of plot and supervillians and plenty of sexy business too
Tell your Security Forces Airman (that’s how we say it in the Air Force *G*) to try out Merline Lovelace’s books. She’s a retired AF Colonel, and sets a bunch of her books at Air Force bases she’s been stationed at. It’s kinda cool to know that the scenery is gonna be exactly as described in the book…
there’s an older gentleman that sits across from me on the bus and he has read beatrice small, kathleen woodiwiss (sp) and i think he was on a new book..i don’t know the name of the author but i remember seeing a lot of leg on the cover 🙂
Isn’t PC Cast retired AF? Her books are paranormals, but they have their fair share (at least) of intricate wtf-ness. Not heavy on sex or smarm, though, as I recall.
The 2176 series by Susan Grant et al starts out with 2 female pilots getting accidentally sent to the future. He may find that interesting. The books may be OOP? Not sure. Dorchester released them.
Stephanie,
You can’t go wrong with Linda Howard and Jennifer Crusie 🙂
Also, you might consider sending him a reusable book cover, preferably a macho one (a book store I used to frequent sold these gorgeous tooled leather ones), as he could then read the books without getting snide comments from his buddies or having to tear off the covers. I think more men would read romance novels if they weren’t so embarrassed by the cover art.
Here’s my list:
The Spoils of Time Trilogy by Penny Vincenzi-these are three ginormous books about the secrets and lies of an English family with a publishing house dynasty. Start with No Angel,then continue with Something Dangerous and Into Temptation. All of them are available in paperback in the US.
Adored/Tilly Bagshawe-a great throwback to the Hollywood Wives type of novel,only much better written(in my opinion). She also has another book set in the horse racing world called Showdown which is a fun read as well.
Flavor of the Month/Olivia Goldsmith-I know someone else mentioned OG and for over the top soap opera thrills,you can’t go wrong here.
Lace/Shirley Conran-a little more Judith Krantz than Jackie Collins but that line”Which one of you bitches is my mother?!” is a grabber there,folks.
How about Roxanne St. Clair’s Bullet Catcher books?
Public Secrets by Nora Roberts. He might like that one. Not really smarmy or too sexy, but has some of that soapy feel to it.
My DH is a big fan of the JD Robb books (HIGHLY recommend) and Victoria Dahl’s contemporaries (which he actually re-reads). Other winners: La Nora’s stand-alone titles, Linda Howard. Also Patricia Briggs and Kat Richardson.
Hope that helps.
(ha. spam word is meet27. as in I should meet 27 guys like this…)
Susan Elizabeth Phillips wrote 2 Hollywood glitz and glamour novels in the late 80s and early 90s, before she started writing the Chicago Stars books. These 2 novels are GLITTER BABY and FANCY PANTS. They might appeal to someone who enjoys reading Jackie Collins books.
Also, has anyone mentioned Judith Krantz? Krantz is definitely in the glitzy melodramas. I remember reading MISTRAL’S DAUGHTER and PRINCESS DAISY as a young teenager and watching the TV miniseries.
I can’t believe I forgot the Crusie/Mayer collaberations! Totally recommended!! And I can see a guy digging the BDB books, too.
Absolutely the Cranky Agnes Crusie/Meyer collaboration and Lord of Scoundrels.
I’d add Dark Protector, the first Paladin book by Alexis Morgan – immortal warriors, sword-fighting, and sex in Seattle, and Witchling, first in Yasmine Galenorn’s Otherworld series (more urban fantasy than romance but an intense read with sex, violence and magic – and character development and plot too!). If your AF friend likes the series books, you can send the rest of the set – and there are enough of both to keep him and his buddies reading for a long time! Lots of men read those two series, by the way.
I wouldn’t send more than one of any author though – not a whole bunch of Crusie or Nora Roberts, for instance – in case it doesn’t click. I’ve been deployed, and my reading/attention/book wants were very very different away than they are at home.
Hey, my word is “united57” as in, united SB’s could send 57 books a day to any APO!
I cast a vote for Tara Jantzen’s Steele Street series. It includes hot sex, car chop shop, secret ops and did I mention the hot sex?
Yeah, we’re out there. 😉
Sounds like some good recommendations, I’m going to check out “Kill and Tell”. (Read “Lord of Scoundrels”, that was pretty good.)
I would second Cherry Adair’s books. Full of danger, excitement, explosions, sexy sexiness, and his and her POV’s.
More women, too.
Over the top WTFness with hot sex and smarm is Tara Janzen. I freaking love those books. Nora Roberts has always been my fave, but she has a tendency to recycle, so I’d be leery of sending a bunch of those right away. SEP, Jennifer Crusie are really good, and I have to say, if he can tolerate Historicals, send him Liz Carlyle’s Never trilogy. Very soapy, very hot sex, and very interesting characterizations with that sort of smart assed rapport between them. (Plus, the writer is super nice!) For something different, I would also recommend Carol Berg. There’s usually a romance element, though she writes fantasy.
Another mix of fantasy and romance is Lois McMaster Bujold’s Shards of Honor (and sequels) which mixes in military elements that might be of interest.
I second all of Katherine C’s suggestions, especially Krentz, Garwood and Crusie/Mayer.