Bitchin' Blog Posts
GS vs. STA: Military Heroes
by SB Sarah | by SB Sarah | February 01, 2012 | Wednesday at 11:28 am | 85 Comments
This "Good Shit vs Shit to Avoid" request comes from Joanne, who is hunting for books to read this winter:
I am looking for suggestions for lovely romance or wonderfully
trashy romance involving a soldier/soldier of fortune, tough guy
in uniform, or one beside a crumpled uniform on the floor. A happily ever
after would be nice. In fact, I require it from my fictional men.
After an incredibly stressful month and searching in vane, I implore you,
please help. The wine is breathing, the phone is turned off (finally) and I
am heroless. It's sad really.
Since Joanne isn't specific about time period, historical, contemporary or even paranormal/UF recommendations are more than welcome. Which books do you recommend that feature soldier/military heroes? This will be one hell of a list, given the scope, to please try to limit your recommendations to your top 2 or 3 favorite books.
And if there's a military or soldier hero romance you don't recommend, feel free to talk about it, but please try to explain why it didn't work for you.
Filed: General Bitching, Good Shit vs. Shit to Avoid
Tagged: romance, military, good shit vs shit to avoid, awesomesauce
Lisa J said on 02.01.12 at 11:36 AM • [link]
I really enjoyed Magnus by Jambrea Jo Jones. The heroine is an undercover agent who is put into place in a Marine unit and purposely screws up. The hero is the commander of the group and he is disgusted and fascinated by her.
R.Savage said on 02.01.12 at 11:48 AM • [link]
I can’t quite get enough of them for some reason, but Maya Banks’ KGI novel series has more hunka hunka former military men gone private army force than a person knows what to do with. I honestly don’t know how Mama Kelly survived all her sons….
Carin said on 02.01.12 at 11:52 AM • [link]
Suzanne Brockmann’s Troubleshooters series is a favorite of mine. It starts with The Unsung Hero.
Nadine said on 02.01.12 at 11:53 AM • [link]
An old one, set in the Civil War: “Love and War” by Patricia Hagan. Kitty is a Southerner, with the skills of a field doctor, Travis is a Union soldier. I think this was the first historical romance I ever read, so it made a big impression on me at the time.
Kim in Hawaii said on 02.01.12 at 12:07 PM • [link]
My favorite man in uniform (except hubby) is Pamela Clare’s BREAKING POINT. Former SEAL turned DEA is “rescued” by a newspaper reporter imprisoned in the same hell hole by the drug cartel. Their escape across the Mexican desert and the adjusting to real life is thrilling, passionate, and satisfying.
JG said on 02.01.12 at 12:07 PM • [link]
_Shattered Rainbows_ by Mary Jo Putney is a Regency between a former military man who was one of many soldiers nursed by an officer’s wife who is now widowed. They meet again in a convoluted plot that requires them to pretend to be married for her to get an inheritance and involves a man hunt on an isolated island and an Evil Villain. Deeper than it sounds, dealing with post-traumatic stress and the after effects of a bad marriage.
Jessica (JB) Hunt said on 02.01.12 at 12:38 PM • [link]
Definitely Brockmann’s Troubleshooters series!
kkw said on 02.01.12 at 12:39 PM • [link]
Suzanne Brockmann.
Also a big fan of Heyer’s, and she’s got some great military and ex-military heroes, but probably insufficiently trashy. I don’t know if the Maya Banks series would be my favorite overall, but hers might be my top pick for trashy (in the best possible way).
As usual, I’ve forgotten the books I didn’t like.
RJ said on 02.01.12 at 12:47 PM • [link]
I second the Suz Brockmann rec. She has three differnt sets of military romance books. The first is her SEAL Team Ten books which are category (Silhouette, I think). These are really good, and starts with Prince Joe. Next is the first 6 of her Troubleshooters books. These take place in the SEAL teams but also have a WWII romance subplot, and as Carin said, the first one is The Unsung Hero. The last ten books in the Troubleshooters series, starting with Flashpoint, involve the SEALS but also involve the private security company that Tom (the hero from The Unsung Hero and the CO of SEAL Team Sixteen) sets up after leaving the teams and these do not have the WWII subplot. What I really like about the TS is how there are multiple POV characters. This creates multiple book story archs and adds much demension to the stories. This builds the relationships up over time instead of just in each book. However, each book is its own story and can be read independently.
The Suz Brockmann website has lots of info about each book and samples. http://www.suzannebrockmann.co…
Yulie29 said on 02.01.12 at 12:49 PM • [link]
The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons.
And Shattered Rainbows is good, too, and of course Brockmann’s books.
Maggie said on 02.01.12 at 12:50 PM • [link]
STA: Lora Leigh. The first few of the Seal series aren’t so horrible if you’re ok with super-Alpha heroes and kinda TSTL heroines. The “series” if you can call it that is really two series, but with tons of overlapping characters. So, the Tempting Seals books, which is the earlier of the two, aren’t half bad and very, very sexytimes. The Elite Ops books, on the other hand, are so crazysauce it borders on the absurd. The stories make no sense, the editing is so horrible, and the aforementioned sexytimes are downright creepy.
You have been warned.
leeleerc said on 02.01.12 at 12:59 PM • [link]
Tara Janzen’s Steele Street series, starting with “Crazy Hot.” The Special Defense Force has hot men, hot cars, and great writing. Lots of fun sexytimes too.
Booklight said on 02.01.12 at 01:04 PM • [link]
I second the Troubleshooter series (starting with The Unsung Hero) by Suzanne Brockmann. The first 8 books of this series are among my favorite romances of all time, and I re-read them occasionally.
For historical military men, I highly recommend Love in the Afternoon by Lisa Kleypas. This is the 5th book the the Hathaway series but can be read as a stand alone (although I recommend all of them). The h/h fall in love at the beginning of the book through letters (crazy, beautiful letters) and then must fall in love again after he returns home with PTSD.
cleo said on 02.01.12 at 01:19 PM • [link]
Love in the Afternoon by Lisa Kleypas - it’s the last of the Hathaway series, but it’s pretty stand alone. And it’s one of my all time favorites. The hero is a soldier in the Crimean War - the heroine answers a letter he writes to her flighty friend (pretending to be said friend, of course). They end up corresponding - he writes about the horrors of war and they fall in love. When he returns, as a decorated war hero, he’s very different from the shallow good time guy he was when he left. This is a lovely, intense book - she helps him with his (undiagnosed of course) ptsd and the relationship b/w them is both hot and sweet. I tend to read more for the heroines than the heroes but I love this hero.
Mary Margaret Daughtridge’s SEALed with a Promise and SEALed with a Kiss - these are both great for a quick escape with believable, relate-able characters and hot heroes. There are two more in the series that I haven’t read yet. I love both of them, even though they have some plot things that I found silly - ie the first one takes place over a week and they end up engaged. They are not romantic suspense - the heroes are both active duty SEALs but most of the story arcs are about the developing relationship between the h/h.
jcscot said on 02.01.12 at 01:22 PM • [link]
I second the Love in the Afternoon rec and I also add Mary Balogh’s Slightly Married (Simply Love and A Summer to Remember, also by Balogh, have ex-military heroes). Another Putney historical romance with a soldier hero is The Bargain.
I can’t think of any to avoid although there are loads of military-type tropes that make me grind my teeth - I am somewhat of a connoisseur of military heroes as I am married to my very own man in uniform. :D
The original HABO request mentioning crumpled uniforms on the floor didn’t make me swoon, it just made me think of all the bloody laundry soldiers generate!
delia said on 02.01.12 at 01:52 PM • [link]
I recommend Carla Kelly’s regencies. Some are available in ebook through Harlequin. her older Signet Regencies you can find at the library or (some outrageous priced) on Amazon. Her books are normally set outside of London and usually feature “regular” heroes as opposed to members of the aristocracy. These books aren’t spicy but the love story is very satsifying.
Harlequin:
Coming Home for Christmas (1812 California/Crimean War/1870s American West setting; it’s tree short stories)
The Admiral’s Penniless Bride
Marrying the Captain (my absolute favorite!/Plymouth setting)
The Surgeon’s Lady
Marrying the Royal Marine
Older Regencies:
The Wedding Journey (Spain/Portugal setting)
With This Ring
I also recommend Pamela Clare’s MacKinnon’s Ranger’s series set during the French and Indian War (The Seven Years War to the rest of the world). Surrender and Untamed are out now.
STA: Any mercenary/soldier of fortune books by Diana Palmer. They are full of cliches and unbelievable plots….then again if you’re the mood for WTFery, this might be for you.
Jill Sorenson said on 02.01.12 at 01:55 PM • [link]
I’ve enjoyed recent books by Maya Banks and Stephanie Tyler. No Place to Run and Hard to Hold were the titles (I think).
Dancing_Angel said on 02.01.12 at 02:30 PM • [link]
Rachel Lee’s “An Officer and a Gentleman” is really nice, with the added twist that the H/h are BOTH in uniform (if you can overlook a command officer dating a subordinate). In general, her earlier novels are very good - Serious Risks involves an FBI agent, and my personal favorite, Defying Gravity features an ex-Vietnam Vet.
Elli said on 02.01.12 at 03:04 PM • [link]
Earlier Brockmann; the PC in her later books is laid on with a very heavy hand.
Much better written books - those by Lois McMaster Bujold, whether fantasy or SF - they usually have a military hero and a strong romantic element.
Melinda said on 02.01.12 at 03:46 PM • [link]
Anne Calhoun’s Under His Hand is one of the few Harlequin Spice Briefs I adored—it’s extremely hot and intense, and altogether wonderful.
Emily said on 02.01.12 at 03:47 PM • [link]
How about Miss Wonderful by Loretta Chase? A returned military hero who is still showing signs of injury and emotional distress. First in the series. It has a more serious approach. Also the Unknown Ajax by Georgette Heyer or The Toll Gate by Georgette Heyer. (The Toll Gate is one of my favorites.) Both are stand alone books.
for something really really silly try Julia Quinn’s Ten Things I Love About You. Its really fun and enjoyable. It is also the third book, but I read it first.
Persuasion by Jane Austen Captain Wentworth is a Naval officer. I have read this book more times than any other Austen. It’s hands down my favorite.
I will try to think of some more books.
Mikaela Lind said on 02.01.12 at 03:52 PM • [link]
I agree with most of the recommendations, but I am surprised that no one have recommended Because of You by Jessica Scott.
Or maybe I just missed it.
Bclotildes said on 02.01.12 at 03:56 PM • [link]
Cherry Adair’s got some good military guys…with a dash of psi as well.
Katy L said on 02.01.12 at 04:14 PM • [link]
Don’t forget Linda Howard’s Mackenzie family: Mackenzie’s Mountain, Mackenzie’s Mission, etc. Silhouette’s from the late 80’s/early 90’s with military and ex-military heroes. I can’t vouch for military accuracy, but they’re good stories.
henofthewoods said on 02.01.12 at 04:20 PM • [link]
Suzanne Enoch “England’s Perfect Hero” - another PTSD in the past. The hero was captured and a POW, there are some characters who think he is less because he didn’t fight his way out. One of my favorites of her novels because it balances fun and actual serious thought.
Linda said on 02.01.12 at 04:22 PM • [link]
Anything by Elizabeth Ashtree. She has several books with military heroes and heroines, all with contemporary themes.
Donna said on 02.01.12 at 04:38 PM • [link]
Oh, let me second the WTF glory that is Tara Janzen’s Steele Street series. Hot, hot, hot. And I’m going to give a plug to “SEAL of My Dreams” a collection of stories featuring, you guessed it, SEALs. Coincidently one of them is by Tara Janzen. The profits go to a good cause, medical research for veterans. They’re all pretty short, not overly sexy, some are better than others - cause that’s how it goes in short story collections - and there are A LOT of them.
Linda C said on 02.01.12 at 04:59 PM • [link]
I’m reading Marliss Melton’s seal team 12 series at the moment. There are 7 books in the series.
Raine said on 02.01.12 at 05:06 PM • [link]
I am also reading “SEAL of my Dreams” and really like it. Usually, I find such short stories unsatisfying, but with my crazy busy life right now, I like being able to read a story in a few chapters and be done and not keep saying “oh just one more chapter” and the next thing I know it is 4am and my alarm is about to go off. And as a bonus it is totally introducing me to new authors to try and the money for military medical research is nice.
I also LOVE LOVE LOVE Tara Janzen’s Steele Street books and Cherry Adair’s T-FLAC books. They are re-reads that I go back to atleast once a year.
Mustanglady2222 said on 02.01.12 at 05:23 PM • [link]
I immediately thought about the TFLAC guys when I saw the post on Facebook.
Sabbyc72 said on 02.01.12 at 05:36 PM • [link]
If you want something fairly quick but hot, I would recommend The Mammoth book of Special Ops Romance by Trisha Telep.
I totally second Love in the Afternoon by Lisa Kleypas, really lovely book and a sweet love story.
Pria said on 02.01.12 at 05:38 PM • [link]
Elizabeth Hoyt’s Legend of the Four Soldiers series, especially To Beguile a Beast and To Seduce a Sinner. I think the final book is the weakest of the series but I still enjoyed it and loved the series as a whole.
riwally said on 02.01.12 at 05:43 PM • [link]
I also love military men books, so I recommend Mary Margaret Daughtridge’s SEALed series. Loved all of them. Anything by Suzanne Brockmann is definitely read worthy. Linda Howard’s Mackenzie series is to fall in love for. Ok, so I don’t have anything to add here, but wanted to get my one and a half cents worth in. Also, thanks to all the suggestions for my future reads (like I needed more reading material). LOL
cyclops8 said on 02.01.12 at 05:47 PM • [link]
Lisa Marie Rice specializes in military/ex-military heroes. Check out her Protectors trilogy or Midnight series.
Katherine said on 02.01.12 at 05:59 PM • [link]
Also love Linda Howard’s All the Queen’s Men - she loves a military man and pairs them with smart women!
DreadPirateRachel said on 02.01.12 at 06:18 PM • [link]
Good god, I love Heyer’s “A Civil Contract.” You might want to avoid that one if you’re looking for a straight-up HEA, though. It’s a complicated book, and I would describe the ending as Happily-for-now at best.
DONNA said on 02.01.12 at 06:59 PM • [link]
Midnight Man & Midnight Angel by Lisa Marie Rice. Tres hot and steamy.
Laura said on 02.01.12 at 07:03 PM • [link]
It Happened One Season is fun. Mary Balogh, Stephanie Laurens, Jacquie D’Alessandro, and Candice Hern all took the same basic plot—battlescarred veteran must find a bride for the good of the family—and write different short stories. The one by Candice Hern is my favorite; I read it often when I want a quick and satisfying read.
Kay Webb Harrison said on 02.01.12 at 07:26 PM • [link]
Lindsay McKenna’s Silhouette series about the Trayhern family. She also has many other series books with protagonists in the military.
Kay
JenniferB said on 02.01.12 at 07:28 PM • [link]
A very old favorite of mine is a Harlequin Historical by Patricia Potter called DRAGONFIRE. The book is set in China during the Boxer Rebellion. The heroine is an Englishwoman (a widow) who runs an inn (and who has 3 adopted Chinese daughters). The hero is an American marine. The primary climax of the book is the siege of the international legation quarters.
From the “soldier-of-fortune” angle, I love MIDNIGHT RAINBOW by Linda Howard. Grant Sullivan is simply yummy. I re-read this one every couple years.
I’d classify WILD CARD by Lora Leigh as STA. The ending in particular is memorable: the couple is having anal sex—because that’s SOP in a Lora Leigh book—and the hero marvels over how he’d loved the heroine before, but he’d never KNOWN HER SOUL until he boinked her in the butt. The whole book was ridiculous and preposterous but that last part just killed me.
Sally said on 02.01.12 at 07:48 PM • [link]
I’ve enjoyed both Cindy Gerard’s Bodyguard and BOI series.
rcaf wife said on 02.01.12 at 07:56 PM • [link]
Sandra Hill and her time travelling vikings always involve a SEAL somehere along the line.
How about Cornwell’s Sharpe series. Just don’t try and make Sean Bean look like the original, in print Sharpe.
Darlene Marshall said on 02.01.12 at 08:52 PM • [link]
That was going to be my recommendation, Mikaela. I loved Jessica’s novel.
Ducky said on 02.01.12 at 09:04 PM • [link]
Early Linda Howard has some sexy military heroes, I think there are also some sexy military heroes in a few of Anne Stuart’s books.
I would avoid Lora Leigh - her heroes tend to have a bizarre love for anal sex, plus her books are too over the top and badly edited for me.
In historical romance both Loretta Chase and Lisa Kleypas have written lovely military heroes.
library addict said on 02.01.12 at 09:05 PM • [link]
Merline Lovelace has numerous books featuring both heroes and heroines in the Air Force (she’s a retired Lt Col). In addition to her contemporary titles for Silhouette, she’s also had several single title releases as well as historicals for Mira featuring military heroes.
Cindy Gerard has written numerous books features ex-military heroes.
Christine Feehan’s GhostWalkers series features a number of active-duty military.
mel said on 02.01.12 at 09:12 PM • [link]
I second the Elizabeth Hoyt 4 soldiers recommendation, as well as the Mary Balogh titles. I was not a huge fan of the Lora Leigh SEAL books (TSTL heroines, hear hear!) but others might have more tolerance for this than I do. I saw on Goodreads that Debbie Macomber has written a series of Navy romances - haven’t read any, so I’m not qualified to any opinions on them.
Nicole said on 02.01.12 at 09:33 PM • [link]
Lady Hellfire by Suzanne Robinson has a war hero protagonist who’s re-habbing soliders in the aftermath of the Crimean war. His friend is suffering from post-traumatic stress.
http://www.amazon.com/Lady-Hel…
ToppysMom said on 02.01.12 at 09:39 PM • [link]
Yup, me, too R.Savage. And as I said on the watcha reading post last week, the sex scenes could serve as a “how to” manual they are so smokin hot.
PamG said on 02.01.12 at 10:01 PM • [link]
Loved Persuasion so much more than better known Austens. It’s romance for grown ups.
PamG said on 02.01.12 at 10:21 PM • [link]
Have you also read An Infamous Army? It is probably the most military of all Heyer’s romances. It’s set on the eve of Waterloo, continues the sagas begun with These Old Shades (a favorite), Devil’s Cub (another fave) and Regency Buck (not so hot). Understandably, AIA does not have her usual light touch. The characters are much more complex and angsty than her usual style, a quality shared by A Civil Contract. I don’t know that I’d hunker down with either as a comfort read on a cold winter night, but if I was looking for something more emotionally challenging and extremely well written, either book might work very well.
Dancing_Angel said on 02.02.12 at 03:10 AM • [link]
I second Kay Webb Harrison’s recommendations for Lindsay McKenna. I especially liked “No Quarter Given” and “Dawn of Valor.”
Not exactly a romance, more of a YA book, but Ellen Emerson White’s “The Road Home” about a Vietnam nurse broke my heart.
I think Kathleen Korbel also wrote a book about a Vietnam nurse called “A Soldier’s Heart” that I found incredibly moving.
R.Savage said on 02.02.12 at 10:10 AM • [link]
The only problem I have with the KGI books (and I believe I’ve sorta ranted about this before), is every other one has the tiny little woman (because you can’t have any other kind with all the hunka He-Mans running around apparently) slipping her panties down to pool at her feet.
I can’t help but sit and laugh for however long it takes me to calm down because all I can see in my mind when I read that is this petite little thing with her feet buried in a pile of fabric. And it just completely throws me out of the sexy times. I feel like Inigo and want to go “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”
But they’re great books to sit down with a thing of Ben & Jerry’s and a lazy weekend afternoon. I’m so excited that Rio is the hero in the next one due out…I can’t wait!! And I totally want PJ to have her own story at some point.
Christina4703 said on 02.02.12 at 10:31 AM • [link]
Any of the books written by Bob Mayer and Jennifer Crusie together are good but my absolute favorite is Agnes and the Hitman. It was one of the first contemporary romances I ever read (I was a hardcore historical girl before that) and it remains one of my all-time favorite romances in any category.
Here’s the Goodreads summary:
“Agnes Crandall’s life goes awry when a dognapper invades her kitchen one night, seriously hampering her attempts to put on a wedding that she’s staked her entire net worth on. Then a hero climbs through her bedroom window. His name is Shane, no last name, just Shane, and he has his own problems: he’s got a big hit scheduled, a rival trying to take him out, and an ex-mobster uncle asking him to protect some little kid named Agnes. When he finds out that Agnes isn’t so little, his uncle has forgotten to mention a missing five million bucks he might have lost in Agnes’s house, and his last hit was a miss, Shane’s life isn’t looking so good, either. Then a bunch of lowlifes come looking for the money, a string of hit men show up for Agnes, and some wedding guests gather with intent to throw more than rice. Agnes and Shane have their hands full with greed, florists, treachery, flamingos, mayhem, mothers of the bride, and—most dangerous of all—each other. Agnes and the Hitman is the perfect combination of sugar and spice, sweet and salty—a novel of delicious proportions.”
Agnes is delightfully cranky and Shane (a former SEAL) is the perfect mix of stoic and affectionate. Plus, it’s laugh-out-loud funny and the secondary characters are really well done.
Tamara Hogan said on 02.02.12 at 10:41 AM • [link]
—-> Lindsay McKenna’s Silhouette series about the Trayhern family.
YES. Love this series; it’s on my keeper shelf. One thing I enjoyed about this series is that both male and female Trayherns served in the military, and that they chose different branches of the service, inccluding the Coast Guard. At the time the series was published, a military jet pilot heroine was quite unusual.
Lozza said on 02.02.12 at 10:47 AM • [link]
I also loved Lisa Kleypas’ Love in the Afternoon. I really enjoy most all her historicals, but I think this one might be my all-time favorite. I like the fact that while the hero is a strong, manly character and all, he doesn’t go all testosterone-crazed alpha male on her. And while it does cover the hero’s PTSD, it’s really well-balanced by frequent moments of levity. Like their first discussion of the birds and the bees. Or the squirrels, as it were.
I’ve recently discovered Suzanne Brockmann’s SEAL Team Ten (starting with Prince Joe) books, and LOVE them. I also feel like they are better-written and far less ridiculous than other similarly-themed books I’ve come across. I’ve never cringed while reading them the way I do with so many other books.
If you’re open to cops, I really liked the latest installment of Jill Shalvis’s Lucky Harbor series, Head Over Heels: the hero is the town sheriff. Another well-written book with a very satisfying HEA, and the hero is super hot.
If you want erotic romance, try Lorelei James’ Rough Riders #7 (hero= Cam McKay). Hero is former Army, current cop.
Nadia said on 02.02.12 at 11:36 AM • [link]
Catherine Mann (category and single title) and Cindy Dees (category) also write military books.
RowanS said on 02.02.12 at 11:41 AM • [link]
Suzanne Brockmann, again. Just reread “Prince Joe” for the umpteenth time—her SEAL Team Ten books are comfort reads. I liked her Team Sixteen/Troubleshooters, but for pure romance, I go for the Team Ten guys over and over again.
Taylor Reynolds said on 02.02.12 at 11:53 AM • [link]
Yay! This is my world! :D
Suzanne Brockmann’s Troubleshooters series; Linda Howard’s McKenzie’s Mission and Midnight Rainbow, plus many of her mass market titles include agenty-y/soldier of fortune type guys such as All The Queen’s Men and Kiss Me While I Sleep; just about anything by Merline Lovelace and Lindsay McKenna; Jessica Scott is an active duty officer who just had her first novel published this past summer - Because of You is available on Amazon; Jambrea Jones and Rogenna Brewer both have military characters as well.
There are tons more, but I’m supposed to be working right now…
Betsy Davis said on 02.02.12 at 11:56 AM • [link]
I have two military-themed keepers from Silhouette Special Edition:
Little Darlin’, by Cheryl Reavis (June 98)
Hesitant Hero, by Christina Dair (October 94)
JL said on 02.02.12 at 01:03 PM • [link]
From the tiny bits that I’ve read, I’d probably put Maya Banks and Lori Foster in STA category, but you did ask for trashy… so… maybe not?
I love, love, love Brockmann’s Troubleshooters books. They should be read in order for full effect, but they can definitely be read as standalone. I appreciate that her heroines and heroes are all quite different from one another. It’s not the same alpha-male and TSTL heroine trussed up in different names book after book. I know some folks hate the overt PC-ness, but I personally appreciated it and didn’t find that it interfered with the stories.
I’ll also add Cindy Gerard’s Black Ops series (or whatever it’s called, my memory is failing) to the list. It’s about former a military team that now work as independent contractors. Lots of great international settings, esp. South America, and again great variety of characters. Occasionally a touch of cheese, but it’s very minor.
Electric Landlady said on 02.02.12 at 01:26 PM • [link]
As no-one has mentioned them yet, I recommend the three books Jennifer Crusie wrote with Bob Mayer - particularly Agnes and the Hitman.
Neiss said on 02.02.12 at 02:04 PM • [link]
Another vote for Austen’s Pursuason. Such a great romance book.
Jessica Bevan said on 02.02.12 at 02:13 PM • [link]
Lori Foster’s “Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor” series is really fun. The guys are all former special-ops types who do now mercenary work, the girls are not wilty wallflower types.
Kathleen O said on 02.02.12 at 03:25 PM • [link]
I recoommend Cindy Gerards BLack Ops Inc series. Or JoAnn Ross High Risk series.. If you are looking at Parnaormal series I recommend Christine Feehan’s Drake Sister series. the heroes in these books are some fine military guys…And if you are looking for Historical hot military guys look for Monica McCarthy’s Highland Guard series..
Kelly said on 02.02.12 at 04:27 PM • [link]
Sydney Croft’s Storm series. Paranormal soldiers saving the world one hottie at a time and definitely on the *trashy* side of stress free reading!
I adored The Bronze Horseman, but it makes me an emotional wreck. Hubby has come home with me in tears reading my iPad only to find out nothing is wrong, other than the heartbreak I am feeling over the characters. I wouldn’t suggest it if you are super stressed, but Ive read two of the three and they are fantastic, well written and just awesome.
cleo said on 02.02.12 at 05:49 PM • [link]
I was also going to put Lori Foster’s Men who walk the edge of honor series in the STA category. It’s definitely a matter of taste - they are fast, trashy reads, but I found them, um, icky. Can’t describe it better than that. The heroes are all part of this secret (not gov’t sanctioned as far as I could tell) group that fights the illegal sex trade. And the heroines of the two I read were involved in various ways - one was rescued from human traffickers in a previous book and the other was using herself as bait to get revenge on a sex trafficker who raped her mother and may or may have not been her father (iirc - I may have this wrong - I skimmed a lot of it). I didn’t care for the vigilantism and they’re def not for those who are sensitive to violence against women.
jcscot said on 02.02.12 at 05:51 PM • [link]
Random fact - Heyer’s description of the Battle of Waterloo is used at RMAS when officer cadets study that battle. My husband had to read it when he was a cadet and it gave him a new respect for the contents of my bookshelves. His reaction was that if a romance author was good enough to be used as a teaching example for officers, then said author was worthy of respect.
I did have to caution him that a lot of authors fail to live up to Heyer’s standards!
cleo said on 02.02.12 at 05:52 PM • [link]
Julie James has two books with undercover FBI agents - Something About You and A Lot Like Love. They’re good, hot reads.
cleo said on 02.02.12 at 05:59 PM • [link]
I can’t believe I forgot Sweetwater Seduction by Joan Johnston. It’s a western with a hired gunman hero and uptight school marm heroine and I just love it.
JordanMichelle said on 02.02.12 at 06:24 PM • [link]
I absolutely adore Love in the Afternoon by Lisa Kleypas. In fact, I believe I will go reread it after posting this. Another favorite is Ten Things I Love About You by Julia Quinn. Both of these have been mentioned already, but they both deserve another shout out.
One that hasn’t been mentioned yet is Lord of Ice by Gaelen Foley. I borrowed that one off of my roommate during college and it was one of the first books that got me hooked on romance.
Donna said on 02.02.12 at 06:43 PM • [link]
Not to mention, where the hell does their income come from. One short story and three books & not one paying client…. Oh, and murder is murder.
Maliha Aqeel said on 02.02.12 at 09:26 PM • [link]
I guess you could go for any of Diana Palmer’s Soldier of Fortune series: Enamored, Mercenary’s Woman. Except for some books that feature Texan or Montana ranchers, majority of her heros are former soldiers or mercenaries. Sometimes the Ultra Alpha Male vs. Poor Little Orhphan theme gets on my nerve, but the tender conclusions are heartwarming.
Tae said on 02.02.12 at 09:42 PM • [link]
Huge Brockmann groupie here, so definitely recommend her. I adore, love, love, love military romances. Catherine Mann is former military herself and writes military romance. I read through the TFLAC books by Cherry Adair and liked them until the psi elements entered into the series. Susan Andersen has a few books with Navy Seal heroes. Christine Feehan has a paranormal series with military heroes which I enjoyed as well.
Amy Andrews said on 02.03.12 at 06:52 AM • [link]
Fiona Brand a NZ author wrote several Fabulous books with military guys - think they were Seals - for Intimate Moments in the late 90’s early 2000’s. The heroes are to die for and the sexual tension is seat of your pants stuff. The best ones are Cullen’s Bride, Marrying McCabe, Blades Lady and Touching Midnigt. They are on my keeper shelf and form an exclusive club of the very few books I re-read.
Elise Logan said on 02.03.12 at 01:07 PM • [link]
Going more historical, I quite enjoyed Stephanie Laurens’ Bride stories - in no particular order because I don’t remember the order, Reckless Bride, Brazen Bride, Untamed Bride and Elusive Bride.
Lynda Ryba said on 02.03.12 at 01:45 PM • [link]
I’d like to agree with a number of these:
Tara Janzen’s Steele Street series
Linda Howard’s Mackenzies
Lisa Marie Rice’s The Protectors (2 books out now, 3rd book is out next week)
also LMR’s Midnight trilogy. The timing in the Midnight books kind of jumps around, because they all take place roughly at the same time, and some scenes overlap from book to book, but the trilogy is absolutely worth the minor mind-bending. In fact, I started rereading just this morning.
I’m kinda surprised no one has mentioned my absolute favorites. The SAS books by Fiona Brand for Silhouette Intimate Moments. HOT HOT HOT!
Cullen’s Bride
Heart of Midnight—This is the only one not available for Kindle
Blade’s Lady
Marrying McCabe
Gabriel West: Still the One
I also have a vague recollection that her story in the Lover Beware anthology (with Christine Feehan) has a loose connection to her SAS books, but I think it might be that the hero was once a part of the team, not that there was any real interconnection, like there are with the other books.
Piper Noiter said on 02.03.12 at 05:59 PM • [link]
Here is some love for the self published, Encrypted by Lindsay Buroker is quite fabulous. One smart scientist and a whole bunch of enemy soldiers. You can find it on amazon or smashwords.
lacyboot said on 02.03.12 at 09:37 PM • [link]
Lori Foster’s When You Dare, Trace of Fever, and Savor the Danger. The 4th book is coming out in April, I believe.
Fresco said on 02.04.12 at 10:33 AM • [link]
Thank you so much for recommending Tara Janzen. I am reading the third Steele Street book now and loving it. This is the best military series I’ve read, better than Brockmann, Rice and Banks IMO. Thank you.
BeretBrenckman said on 02.04.12 at 04:51 PM • [link]
Also, give JoAnn Ross books a try. She has a series called “High Risk” that are really good.
DreadPirateRachel said on 02.04.12 at 06:05 PM • [link]
I have read An Infamous Army. I didn’t love it, but it was several years ago that I read it, so I might like it if I reread it now. I seem to remember lots of whining and angst.
Susan said on 02.05.12 at 03:51 AM • [link]
Nadine—I hate to disparage a book you have fond memories of, but I’d put Love & War solidly in the STA category. It probably didn’t age as well as you’d hoped.
Susan said on 02.05.12 at 04:12 AM • [link]
I haven’t revisited them in awhile, but Heather Graham wrote a number of Civil War-era men-in-uniform romances before she moved in other directions. The One Rode… series is an example.
I’m officially jumping on the Love in the Afternoon bandwagon. It may very well be my all-time favorite romance. I makes me happy in so many ways. I reread it with great regularity.
rhi said on 02.06.12 at 12:14 AM • [link]
in the pretty trashy category, Rhonda Nelson’s Men Out of Uniform series for Harlequin Blaze - I haven’t read them all, and they all have a similar flavour, but for hot ex-military now-private-security guys, top quality cotton candy reads
Vurdgu said on 02.07.12 at 11:27 PM • [link]
My favorites in this category have to be Pamela Clare’s I-Team series. Breaking Point is the fifth in the series and simply amazing. Unlawful Contact (book 3) is about another former military guy, although he’s serving a life sentence in prison at the beginning of the book. The only hero I’ve ever read who was in jail.
Enough good stuff can’t be said about Maya Bank’s KGI series.
About Lora Leigh—I agree that many of her later books have become predictable and, well, downright bizarre at times. But give her “Nauti” series a try. One and two are good, but it’s book three, Nauti Dreams, with Natches and Shay, that to this day is one of my all-time favorites. (I can’t recommend you go beyond that because the series jumped the shark after that.)
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