Links of Joy, Fuzzy Feelings, and Really Beautiful Men

Want to grin? Have some happy, thoughtful links.

An Ode to Emilie Loring, romance author. Thanks to Holly G. for that link.

Q: Which romance authors (you can only name one) remain enduring favorites through every single book they wrote? New or older authors, doesn’t matter.

(I predict the top three favorites from the comments will be Heyer, Roberts, and McMaster-Bujold. My choice is Julia Spencer-Fleming, mostly because I’m going through a palate-cleanse of mystery reading and I can’t stop turning back to her books to enjoy and savor her character building and small-world-building skills.

Mills & Boon has a new charity calendar for 2011, featuring the men of the Leander Rowing Club. It appears that the men in the calendar might be without apparel – but the behind the scenes video makes me want one even more than the rumor of nude rowing.

The calendar proceeds support the Leander Trust, which helps children learn about rowing as a sport, and supports athletes at the world and Olympic level.

Q: Which sport should have a nude charity calendar next? Curling? I vote curling.

 

 

Categorized:

The Link-O-Lator

Comments are Closed

  1. Vi says:

    Lisa Kleypas. There’s something about her writing that’ always appeals to me. Her books are like having the perfect bra: comfortable, sexy and supportive of the ta-tas; everything you wear it, you feel awesome. (I have bras on the brain, sorry. I need to go bra shopping desperately.)

  2. Gosh, it’s like potato chips.  If I had to name one it would be… nope.  Can’t do it. 

    My “all time faves” would be Julia Quinn, Johanna Lindsey and Diana Palmer.  When they wrote “straight” romance (which is suspenseful enough for me) I adored Elizabeth Lowell and Linda Howard. 

    For me, one of the “newer” authors coming real close to earning a place on that list is Nicole Jordan.  Without fail, I’ve enjoyed every book of hers that I’ve read.  I haven’t read all of Nicole’s work yet, but I expect to enjoy the rest.

  3. becca says:

    Lois Bujold is the only author I collect in audio, print and e-format. Her stuff always repays re-reading (*love* Aral and Cazaril)

    Heyer never disapppoints.

    Up until recently, I’d have said La Nora too, but I found the Brides Quartet and The Search to be rather meh, and Indulgence in Death was derivative – I may drop down to borrowing the In Deaths when they come out and just buying them in paper.

    Jennifer Crusie and SEP and JAK and Elizabeth Peters are also auto-buys

    Do I have to only pick just one? Can’t do it.

    ready27 – I’m ready to list 27 of my favorite books

  4. edieharris says:

    Since “discovering” her two years ago, Kresley Cole (specifically the IAD series); it’s like baked mac-n-cheese, hot fudge sundaes, and fuzzy blankets all rolled into one for me. But on the more long-term scale, Lisa Kleypas’ historicals, all the way. (…We can’t honestly be expected to pick just one author, can we? I mean, c’mon.)

    Three words: Swiss ski jumpers. Okay, four words: naked Swiss ski jumpers.

  5. Tae says:

    Brockmann, I’ve never been disappointed by anything she’s written.  Sure some of them I don’t love as much as the others, but I continue to read everything she writes.  I’ve given up on Julia Quinn since the last couple of books just don’t grab my interest.

    I might also say Judith McNaught since she’s also not disappointed me at all, of course she doesn’t write very frequently which may contribute to not disappointing me.

    Soccer, I love me some soccer men.  I’d definitely buy a calendar with naked soccer players.

  6. GirlyNerd says:

    Lisa Kleypas is my go to for historicals. I haven’t read a clunker yet. I also love Karen Moning and Kresly Cole! Those three are on auto buy for me.

  7. Vi says:

    Lisa Kleypas. There’s something about her writing that always appeals to me. Love her, love her, lover.

    And Nalini Singh. Heart her as well.

  8. elph says:

    If I can only pick one favorite, I’m jumping on the Crusie bandwagon. Even the few of hers that didn’t make my top picks were still fun reads.

    Although, Gary makes a good point that Crusie’s more recent works might not strictly fall under the category of romance. In which case, I would have to nominate Karen Hawkins.

    (Yes, I know I’m cheating.)

  9. Kes says:

    Julia Quinn, first and always.

    I’d add Bujold, with a ‘No Sharing Knife series’ disclaimer. I really had to struggle to finish those, and they’re the only books by Lois I won’t bother to buy.

  10. kkw says:

    Heyer.  If the can be only one, it has to be Heyer.  But as The Highlander so elegantly illustrates, it’s an absurd premise.  The curling calendar, on the other hand…

  11. Annie says:

    I can’t pick one.  Jennifer Crusie and Susan Elizabeth Phillips for contemporary and Georgette Heyer and LIsa Kleypas for historical.  Ilona Andrews and Lilith Saintcrow for PNR.

  12. Mama Nice says:

    Laura Kinsale, something about those tortured heroes of hers does it for me, I suppose.

    Rugby…but I feel like they have something like that already? Those dudes like to be nekkid.

  13. Stefanie says:

    Definitely Susan Elizabeth Phillips because even the ‘meh’ ones (What I Did For Love, Breathing Room) are enjoyable, good reads.  For historicals, I haven’t read a Julia Quinn that I haven’t liked or found adorably amusing.  They are also the only two whose new books are auto-reads for me, because usually I read/buy what catches my eye in the library/UBS.  I tink I’d also put pre-suspense Julie Garwood on my list.  Her Scottish romances are the only ones I’ve really liked of the Scots-genre

  14. Megaera says:

    Bujold, definitely, although I have to second the Sharing Knife disclaimer, and I’m decidedly ambivalent about her latest Miles book (not, I hasten to add because of the ending, but because where the event that ends the book falls in the book).  But I’m going to go with the “she’s SF” cheat, and say Jennifer Greene.  I just like her people.  Consistently.

    Roberts is like the little girl with the curl in the middle of her forehead for me.  There are exceptions, but for any given book or trilogy, I either love it or hate it.  Mostly love the trilogies and the category romances, pretty much hate the romantic suspense and the Robb books.

    As for the nekkid sports guys, hmm…  You’re going to make me choose???

  15. Maggie P. says:

    Susan Elizabeth Phillips and Heyer. Like many others, I have to separate historical and contemporary.

    Hockey (Ice) would be awesome, those guys are so strong… there is something primal about that.

  16. Daisy says:

    Elizabeth Lowell/Ann Maxwell – her books just do it for me.  Always.

    Nekkid men?  Why any ole’ sport will do. =)

  17. Ivana_k says:

    Bujold, definitely

  18. Kaetrin says:

    Picking just one is hard!

    It would be between Mary Balogh, Jenny Crusie, JD Robb (some of Nora Roberts’ categories I don’t love so much, even though I do love her books generally, but I’ve never read a JD Robb I didn’t like).  And then there’s Diana Gabaldon.

    Hmm.  Sorry, I can’t pick one.

  19. Ros says:

    Heyer.  Obviously.

    Loretta Chase and Laura Kinsale as worthy runners-up.

    Also, newcomers on the block India Grey and Sarah Morgan (though not her medical romances for me).

  20. minna says:

    It’s like trying to pick my favorite out of my children.  I second most of the above, and now I need to have a look at some authors I’ve previously missed.
    If it’s got to be only one, JAK.

  21. Lyssa says:

    I thought about this, and though Julia Spencer-Fleming, Nora, Heyer, and Brockmann, Andrews are frequent rereads for me, my heart still belongs to Bujold and her “little git’ Miles.  (and Miles had romance all across space before he found the right woman…and he always appreciated his partners as more than just someone in bed with him, he saw the whole person…)

  22. Pat says:

    One author? Loretta Chase. Can’t think of anyone who even comes close.

  23. MIcheleKS says:

    My always go-to authors would be Nora Roberts and Linda Howard and my newest go-to authors would be Pamela Clare, Nalini Singh, and Roxanne St. Claire.

    And for hot nekkid sports guys- I’d say soccer, swimmers, surfers. I loved the nekkid French rugby guys and would love to see more (like maybe Australian or British).

  24. Carin says:

    One author:  Sarah Mayberry. (I’ve still got a couple more to read before I can claim to have read EVERYTHING though)  If I can pick more than one, I’d add JD Robb.  Others include Kresley Cole, Julia Quinn, and Loretta Chase, though it’s based on what I’ve read so far by these authors.

    Sport *played* naked:  figure skating for sure.  The physics of it are… interesting.

    Naked calendar sport?  Soccer.

  25. quill says:

    At first I thought it would be hard to pick just one author, but then I realized that while I have many, many favourites, if I had to pick only one forevermore it would be Ruth Wind/Barbara Samuel.  Even though I have not yet forgiven her for not finishing her last historical series.

    And if my vote tipped the scale and The Bitches could then make it happen, my vote for next nekkid calendar would totally be for rugby.

  26. Donna says:

    So, just one?…. No, it’s like picking a favorite child.
    Sports calendar? Divers, no doubt about it. Had a grad asst in bio 101 back in the day. Always sat in the front row. Always found a reason to make him write on the black board.

  27. CT says:

    This is a great thread, and I am looking forward to making a list of recommendations.  McMaster-Bujold is the writer who really wallops me on an every-read basis, but I tend not to think of her as a romance author, like many above.  But she does write romance, and she heads my list.

    Jennifer Crusie is a high-hitter, and this reminds me that I promised SBTN a review of her ghost story!  Egads.  I will do that ASAP.  Always a good read, and were it not for the two below, she would be solidly in my top three.  However, there’s Bujold, and then there is my childhood:

    1. Contemporary: Anne Weale (pseudonym of the late Jay Blakeney).  When I was a wide-eyed kid ravenous for the printed word, sometimes all I could find at Salvation Army stores was romance.  I read a lot, and a lot of it was formulaic or painful in other ways, but I latched onto Anne Weale with a fever.  Her characters are *interesting*, and the things they know that she shares with you are interesting.  I still look for old AWs on travel trips via used bookstores. 

    I had the pleasure of correspondence with her through email while my mother was dying of breast cancer, and she was marvellous and kind. Sharp, and she spared no fools, either.  One of my great regrets is that her autobiography will never be completed—she mentioned it in emails, and I was so looking forward to it.  One of my most enduring fantasies would be to see that in print.

    2. Historical: Clare Darcy.  She was a Regency writer mostly from the 70s, I think, and her books were also readily available in Sallie Ann as hardcovers.  What a hoot! Exquisite descriptions of excruciating politness, pell-mell heroines, interesting, interesting, interesting.  As with AW, I never felt condescended to as a reader, and that was just as important to me at 10 years old as it is at 40.

    Thank you, Lois!  Thank you, (Jay) and Clare!

  28. CT says:

    Forgot I was supposed to limit to one, not 3.

    1. If Bujold counts, then Bujold.
    2. If not #1, then
    2a. Contemporary: Anne Weale
    (2b. a close second is Historical: Clare Darcy)
    3. Should any of the above be unable to satisfy the duties that attend to my readerly demands, heaven knows Crusie is a sure thing for a great read.

    Ha!  That’s the best I can do.

  29. DianeN says:

    Another vote for Suzanne Brockmann here. And I’d enjoy seeing a NASCAR calendar, but only if I get to pick the drivers myself. Some of them definitely need to keep those firesuits on!!

  30. Oh, Nora Roberts most definitely. Even some of her older categories and some of her newer series (Signs of Seven anyone) that aren’t her vest work are still, IMO, far superior to most everything else.

    But if I got to name one more, it would have to be Julia Quinn. Or maybe Lisa Kleypas. Or Diana Gabaldon. Or maybe…no. I should just leave it at Nora.

    My vote would be for a rugby or soccer calendar. Something extra athletic.

    Spam word: order77. As in I’ll order 77 of those calendars please.

  31. J says:

    Ok – I’ve liked/loved everything by Julia Quinn…Lorraine Heath…Linda Howard (ok, there were a few stinkers, but overall…!)…Anne Stuart…J. D. Robb…Sherrilyn Kenyon…J.R. Ward (I’ve not read everything by all of these, but of what I’ve read…!)  And I don’t mean to sound poorly read, but at 46 I’ve never heard of Lois McMaster Bujold – what am I missing??

  32. LynnetteH says:

    Hmmm… Just one? I would have to say J. D. Robb, followed closely by Catherine Coulter and Suzanne Brockmann.

    A nekkid calendar – how about tennis? Or even a mixed sports calendar – you know best of the best?

  33. Lyssa says:

    @J LMB is a writer who falls into the science fiction or fantasy genre normally. Her books however are so well written that everyone I know who tries them ends up reading everything the woman has written. I recommend the Vorkosigan novels starting either at Shards of Honor, (the first book chronologically) or with The Warrior’s apprentice (the first book that introduces her most famous character Miles.) Miles, the star of most of these books, is unique in that his physical stature, and physical ability is not his selling point, but rather his wit, his tenacity, and his ‘forward momentum”.

    It takes almost 13 books I believe before he meets his ‘true love’ but that is not because he isn’t a romantic. Miles is perhaps the most romantic character I have ever read…But then again, this was the author, and these are the books I voted for.

  34. Kate Pearce says:

    Heyer I think.
    Howard and Balogh for more modern authors

    And for rugby players calenders?- google Dieux du Stade for a calender full of French rugby players. Too hot to link 🙂

  35. MelB says:

    Ah fave romance author that I always turn to…Amanda Quick, Gaelen Foley and Lisa Kleypas for historical. I’ve purchased every single title they’ve written and reread them when I need comfort. J.D. Robb is on the autobuy because I can’t get enough of Eve, Roarke and the rest of the gang, though I admit Born in Death and Seduction in Death were giant clunkers so I no longer own them.

    Naked sports calendar…Rugby, definitely rugby. Oh my Lawd those men are hot!!!

  36. ghn says:

    Favorite author: Bujold. So I’m predictable when it comes to that! 😉
    Next nude sport: I don’t know – maybe tennis? I was going to suggest skiing, but that would be downright cruel to the participants – it was coooooold where I live today! *shudders*

  37. vic says:

    I loved reading Emilie Loring – they were considered suitable reading for me when I had run through everying in the local and school library before I was a teen in the ‘60s.  They were pure and happy, but not preachy in the way that Grace Livingston Hill was.

    Now my favorite go to for contemporary reading is Susan Elizabeth Phillips even though there are a few books of hers I dislike.  Jayne Ann Krentz, (non Harlequins) Jill Shalvis, Jennifer Cruisie are usualy satisfying as well.

    J R Ward has captured my imagination for her paranormal/urban fantasy bromances.

    Heyer remains the gold standard for historical, but Eloisa James and Loretta Chase are at the top of my list.

  38. JB Hunt says:

    Loretta Chase!

  39. dreadpiraterachel says:

    I add myself to the ranks of the Heyer fans; she’s just so damn wonderful! I’ve only ever disliked one of her books. Cousin Kate was a complete letdown, since I expected a light and frothy, delicious comedy, and instead got… what I got. I was going to be more explicit, but I don’t want to spoil it for anyone who hasn’t yet had the misfortune of reading it.

    I can sit down any time and read a Georgette Heyer and be completely, utterly happy. They draw me in, and when I finish them, I always sigh blissfully and cuddle my darling husband. So yeah. Heyer makes me happy. Happiness makes my marriage better. Ergo, Heyer makes my marriage better! 🙂

  40. Ooh, Lyssa – Baen is offering almost all the Vorkosigan novels (I don’t think Memory is included) for FREE download right now, in a variety of formats. Go here: http://baencd.thefifthimperium.com/24-CryoburnCD/CryoburnCD/.

    I love me some Miles. He can do pushups with his tongue, you know.

Comments are closed.

By posting a comment, you consent to have your personally identifiable information collected and used in accordance with our privacy policy.

↑ Back to Top