Lent, the period of time between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday, is marked by many with acts of penance, fasting, and prayer. Sometimes, the fasting is of a particularly type of food. I know a few people who give up chocolate or wine or alcohol altogether for Lent.
Emily did something different:
Hello ladies of the Bitchery! I need your help. I am desperate for some book
recommendations. I gave up romance novels for lent, can you believe it?!? I
am fast approaching the end of the 40 day period and I need to know what’s
new and what people are reading. I generally like historicals (anytime
period) and I love Julia Quinn, Elosia James, Sabrina Jefferies, and Stephanie
Laurens.I wanted some advice on what should be my first book back in
to my favorite genre and thought to ask you and your readers!I can’t wait to hear from you and what everyone thinks! Thanks in advance!
WOW. My observance of Passover and my deep yearning for leavened bread is NOTHING compared to giving up romance novels for 40 days. What titles do you recommend for Emily, who is days away from the resurrection of her reading habits?
Personally, I recommend Kate Noble and Courtney Milan, Emily, and I hope you have a very Happy Easter.
My favorite book I’ve read this year so far is Winter of Our Disconnect by Susan Maushart. Not a Romance, but an amusing memoir about how the author’s family-life changes when she has the brilliant idea that she and her three teenagers should live without any digital devices. No TV, no cell phones, no ipods, no laptops. LOL funny.
I really admire Emily’s fortitude. That would be harder for me than giving up chocolate.
Here are some of the most enjoyable reads of the last few months—most are light and funny:
Soulless by Gail Carriger
666 Park Avenue by Gabriella Pierce
The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig—or any of the sequels
The Blades of the Rose series by Zoe Archer
Matched by Ally Condie
Any of Sarah MacLean’s historical romances
Wishing everyone who celebrates a happy Easter!
Wow I don’t think I could give up romances for Lent I would be a very grumpy person. I just read Eloise James’ newest “How Beauty Tamed the Beast” and it was funny, heartwarming, and all around a great read.
I don’t read a lot of historicals, but I’ve read a few good ones in the past few months.
I loved Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke’s Heart by Sarah MacLean, which releases this Tuesday http://amzn.to/h5NMOM (if you don’t want to wait, her first book, Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake was also really good)
I also enjoyed What I Did for a Duke by Julie Anne Long http://amzn.to/fgKFMh
And just in case, I always recommend Julie Garwood’s old historicals.
I’d recommend something by Lisa Kleypas. If she wants her newest, I’d say her “Hathaways” series; but I much preferred her “Wallflowers” series.
I recommend these:
Unveiled by Courtney Milan
Sarah MacLean books, starting with Nine Ways…
A Little Bit Wild by Victoria Dahl
I am way spaced-out today. I forgot to say I haven’t read a GOOD romance for at least 40 days (probably not since the last Megan Hart book I read, sometime last year). Perhaps this sad drought can also be ended by people’s recs here.
Barely a Lady by Eileen Dreyer
This is Dreyer’s first historical romance, usually she writes contemporary, and I just finished it. It won the RT award for best historical romance and I loved it.
Anything by Courtney Milan or Lisa Kleypas…And Elizabeth Hoyt Is fast becoming another personal favorite—the The Raven Prince, I think that’s the first in her soldiers series.
I’ve read so many great romances recently. I don’t know if they’ve been published in the last 40 days, but I’d endorse Courtney Milan, Joanna Bourne, and Tessa Dare. Since all of Emily’s favorite’s are also frequent recommendations of mine, I’m hoping they’re a good match. I am pretty sure I also liked Kate Noble, Sarah Maclean, Nicola Cornick, and Sherry Thomas, but (my memory is terrible) they weren’t quite as memorable.
I vote for something by Loretta Chase, Sherry Thomas, or Courtney Milan.
I’m curious: am I the only one who didn’t like The Summer of You? And I don’t mean C-range; I thought it was really awful.
Seconding Julie Anne Long. She’s one of my favorites. Also:
Tessa Dare
Courtney Milan
Meredith Duran
Sherry Thomas
All are autobuys for me.
Totally agreeing with the previous recs, but wanted to throw in Anna Campbell, Delilah Marvelle, Jennifer Haymore, and Christine Wells.
If you like historicals, you might enjoy some steampunk…Meljean Brooks’ “Iron Duke” is wonderful.
I’m curious: am I the only one who didn’t like The Summer of You? And I don’t mean C-range; I thought it was really awful.
If it makes you feel better, I gave it a C- while the friend who lent it to me gave it a solid A. I really didn’t care for the heroine and her brother. But tastes differ.
Wings of the Falcon by Barbara Michaels (historical, romantic, lots of adventure, set in northern Italy there’s a masked freedom fighter, some mysterious Etruscan ruins, and of course the heroine is a long-lost heiress…can’t beat it!)
“When Beauty Tamed the Beast” by Eloisa James—so good! For oldies but goodies, “Mr. Impossible” by Loretta Chase or “The Accidental Duchess” by Jessica Benson.
I’ll second the Sherry Thomas recommendation, but with a caveat: go for NOT QUITE A HUSBAND. It’s out of this world stellar, but when I moved on to a different book of hers (PRIVATE ARRANGEMENTS) it was equally good but really depressing and kind of made me sad.
Also will add a checkmark to the running tallies for Meredith Duran, Anna Campbell, and Loretta Chase.
The Bitchery got me hooked on Sherry Thomas and Kate Noble, so I think it’s only fair to keep spreading the love.
I can’t wait to get my hands on the new Anna Campbell out as well – Midnight’s Wild Passion.
Re shorter contemporaries, Kate Hardy and Kelly Hunter always deliver the goods.
I second or third Sarah Maclean. I’m so excited for April 26th when Eleven shows up like Magic on my Nook!!!!
I am autobuy with Kristan Higgins, but the new was less than thrilling for me. I found their relationship issues way too frustrating and threw my book at the wall 3 different times.
I second the recommendation of “Unveiled,” by Courtney Milan. It’s awesome. I also enjoyed Eloisa James’s “When Beauty Tamed the Beast” pretty recently, if you haven’t already read it.
But “Unveiled” is smart and awesome and interesting. Read it!
I was going to say Meredith Duran but two people beat me to it! The Duke of Shadows is probably my favorite.
Kim recommended Dreyer’s Barely a Bride. I’d like to recommend the second book in the series, Never a Gentleman. Just finished it and, in one word?, Wow.
Ditto Zoe Archer’s list and add Sarah MacLean’s historical series; Elizabeth Hoyt. At the momet I’m loving The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley
A co-worker’s Aunt gives up reading entirely for Lent. :::thud:::
spam-a-lot word: consider85
if I were 85 (years old) I might consider giving up reading for Lent too. 😉
Wow! Lucky you if you haven’t read any of these books!
1. Almost Heaven – Judith McNaught (one of the most romantic books ever!)
2. Lisa Kleypas – Wallflower Series (Devil in WInter is the best)
3. Jennifer Ashley – The madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie
4. The Bride, The Secret, Ransom by Julie Garwood
5. Almost anything written by Mary Balogh
Sit back and enjoy!
I’m not a fan of historical romance but I just finished Nora Robert’s Chasing Fire (not historical) and enjoyed it very much, particularly after the disappointment of Happily Ever After from The Brides series.
I recently read MacLean’s “Nine” and “Ten” and am all over the release of “Eleven” next week. If you like Quinn, you will love this series.
Also agree with Dare, have enjoyed every one of her books.
The book I finished in one sitting today (no joke, quiet Easter just sitting on my ass) is a contemporary, but damn, she rocks so I must recommend. Julie James “A Lot Like Love,” another winner from this author.
My parents gave me a $25 B&N gift card for Easter today so I may have to add some of these books y’all recommended to my Nook.
spamword: age82, I hope that I live to be 82! What’s with the spam generator thingy spewing out age related images?
I second, third and fourth Angela James’ recommendations for Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Dukes’ Heart by Sarah MacLean and What I Did for a Duke by Julie Ann Long. When Harper Collins let me read Eleven Scandals early I took back every crabby thing I ever said about their pricing (for a while) because I loved it so much. I bought Nine and Ten at Borders right afterwards but haven’t had time to read them yet and will buy Eleven in paperback when it comes out – I’m devoting precious shelf space to them, so you know I’m crushing on MacLean.
Tessa Dare has a set of Regencies that are very good too – I think the whole set is pretty good, so I can’t really pick out one.
Wow! I bow to you, Emily! I wasn’t able to go to your extent. I meerly gave up buying NEW books.
My wallet was happy. It gave me an opportunity to hunt up tried and true rereads that I loved at the library. (I actually tried to limit myself from library access but that lasted about a week). I would not be able to give up romance genre at all. I enjoy reading sci-fi and mystery but it needs romantic overtones for me to enjoy. That is a hard genre to give up.
During Lent I went back to all my favorites: Julia Quinn, Lindsay Kinsale, Johanna Linsday. I also found a new author Madeline Hunter. “Provocative in Pearls” Good read, immersed in regency details and wordy but very smart and sensual.
Enjoy Easter Monday!
as a fellow catholic i want to commend you on your ability to give up romances at all… i was only able to give up reading them during certain periods of the evening. the kitchen was much cleaner but i got less sleep. i am reading the bounty set in the unsettled west. not quite your genre but i saw it here on the site and tried it.
happy Easter.
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I’m a big Lisa Kleypas fan, so anything of hers is a good start, but for a fun first read out of the Lent box, I’d recommend Insatiable by Meg Cabot.
I recommend any Lisa Kleypas book!
Also take a look at some of Sarah MacLean’s books – I just finished reading her latest, “Eleven Scandals to Start When Winning a Duke’s Heart.” The first of this series is “Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake,” but all of her current books can basically be read by itself, if you prefer that instead.
I also love Monica Burns’ latest historical, “Pleasure Me.” Great book, great romance & love scenes.
All of these recommended books will hopefully captivate you enough that you won’t be able to put it down until the end. 🙂
Well, I decided to read a Sarah Maclean book, since my favorite author is Julia Quinn and several people said that they would be great. (plus the local chain book stores don’t have any of the new ones some of you suggested, like wtfery! What’s a girl to do?! )
Thanks everyone for all your suggestions! I had to wait until this past weekend because I was utterly exhausted from the first week back from April vacation (i’m a teacher) I had a nice time out in my yard with a romance
_you have no idea how hard this was!