Behold, the excitement! I am containing myself to one exclamation point (not including the title) and that was it. Please appreciate my restraint, here.
I have A Pile Of ARCs to give away of my October book, Everything I Know About Love, I Learned from Romance Novels, which so very, very many of you helped create.
From the depths of the box on my dining room table currently being fought over by my cats, I have 10 shiny copies to giveaway.
But that is Not All.
This book is all about the lessons we’ve learned from reading romance novels, and it includes stories from romance readers and authors. My goal with this book was to show that the romance community is filled with incredibly smart and thoughtful readers and writers, and to put to rest the tired idea that romances create unrealistic expectations of love, relationships and sex. Romances, as many of us know, are more often a road map of What To Do and What Not To Do in real life relationships.
So many people contributed, and so very many people went above and beyond to make suggestions and provide stories and lessons learned that this book really isn’t about the genre so much as it is about the women who read and write romance, and how much we have learned from our favorite books. Therefore just giving away the ARC isn’t really enough.
Here’s my plan. Leave a comment and please tell me the one romance novel you want to recommend above all others to someone who hasn’t tried the genre (yes, just one) (yes, I suck) and you are entered to win.
What can you win? Awesome stuff!
Ten winners will be picked at random and each winner will receive an ARC of Everything I Know About Love, I Learned From Romance Novels (Which I refer to as “EIKAL” because there is nothing I love like a REALLY LONG TITLE, BABY, YEAH!).
The winner will also receive one of the following titles from these authors who also appear in the book:
But wait, there is still more. I have 10 copies of a special Jennifer Crusie omnibus edition that contains both Bet Me and Welcome to Temptation in one book – and each winner will receive a copy of that book, too. Each of these authors, plus many many more, appear in the book, providing stories and advice or landing a spot on one of the recommended reading lists in the book.
There will be more chances to win, do not worry. I’m giving away 10 here, and a few on Goodreads and on Twitter. (Any possible giveaways on Facebook will have to be random like a semi-drunk fairy landing on the keyboard and highlighting someone’s comment by chance while I’m half-looking at the screen to stay in line with the Facebook Terms of Service. Then I have to contact the winners by semaphore with hot pink flags while facing the eastern skyline.)
Standard disclaimers apply: I’m not being compensated for this giveaway. Void where prohibited. Do not wear a pelisse in the rain. Stirrups are required, but boots are optional. We’ll sell you the whole seat but you’ll only need the edge. Stripes and plaid are rarely a positive fashion statement.
Comments will be open until noon on Friday, 20 May, and I will announce the winners then. Contest is open to international readers, and since my stats indicate no readers in Greenland, if someone enters from Greenland and wins I’ll send them extra stuff. Come on, Greenland!
Honesty time: I am enormously proud of this book, and humbled by the number of people who shared how much their romances mean to them, and how valuable romances have been in their lives. This book wouldn’t be what it is without the authors and readers who contributed, so I can’t send out the ARC by itself. It has to have company.
Pick Me! Pick Me! Plueeeeeezzzzzz….pick ME!
I’m so excited for you new book! I loved the first one.
As for ONE recommendation, I have to go with “Frederica,” by Georgette Heyer. My favorite romance ever, and also I think a good introduction, though possibly not the best indication of what’s being written now, in romance. But whatever, it’s still my recommendation!
I’m so excited for your new book! I loved the first one.
As for ONE recommendation, I have to go with “Frederica,” by Georgette Heyer. My favorite romance ever, and also I think a good introduction, though possibly not the best indication of what’s being written now. But whatever, it’s still my recommendation!
Comments on this post have led me to buy at least 6 books—wonderful recommendations! Amazon thanks you, PayPal thanks you, Visa thanks you. My bank account is wincing.
Sincere apologies to much loved authors Bourne, Crusie, Phillips, Roberts et al but I would have to go with Outlander by Dianna Gabaldon as most likely to appeal to the broadest range of readers.
Authentication: possible34… it’s possible I will buy 34 books before we’re done here!
I would tell people to read Anne Bishop’s “Sebastian.” If you’re up for a good fantasy read this and the other Belladonna books are super entertaining.
CONGRATS!!! YOU HAVE A NEW BOOK!!! SEE HOW MANY EXCLAMATION POINTS I AM USING BECAUSE YOU WERE SO GOOD ABOUT RESTRAINING YOURSELF!!!!!!!
Seriously, though, congratulations! I’m looking forward to it!
The book I’d recommend is Faking It by Jennifer Crusie. I love the silliness and their antagonism and the BAD SEX. I think if I recommended it to somebody who had never read the genre before they would be entertained by the forgery subplot while also falling for Tilda and Davy’s chemistry. Also, hilarious bad sex, which was surprisingly important for me when I first read it because I was just getting into the genre and I kept thinking, “Oh please. Mind-blowing orgasms EVERY TIME?” It’s also one of the first ones I read and now look at me. I BLAME YOU!
Susan Eliz. Phillips’ Kiss An Angel. It is so hard to pick just one.
Wow, never saw so many comments on a blog before!
So excited for this book. I have to go with the first novel I picked up after reading this site, Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase. Everyone mentioned it so much in their comments, I had to find out what they were talking about.
This is so hard – and if you ask me in two weeks it might change – but I think the one I would recommend above all others is “Bet Me” by Jenny Crusie. I have so many other favorites, but I think that is one that is very accessible to new readers of the genre, in addition to being one of my favorites.
Welcome to Temptation, by Jennifer Crusie. It’s the one that finally sold me on romance novels and got me hooked for good. As soon as I finished it, I started over and read it again. And then a third time. And then found out that my mother had done the same thing. MY mother. The one who told me that I wouldn’t like sex so I shouldn’t try it. Bless her heart.
SEP, Crusie, Chase—they and others are all really good.
But, I’d go back to the original, 20th century romance writer: Georgette Heyer and hand you a copy of “The Unknown Ajax.” This is a well written romantic adventure with an intelligent heroine and real danger for the “thoughtless younger brother.” Oh, and it’s funny, laugh out loud funny; don’t try to read it while your spouse is trying to seep next to you in the bed funny.
I can’t wait to read your book!
The one I would have to recommend is Julie James’ Just the Sexiest Man Alive—even if a romance skeptic might have a hard time getting past the title, it’s my all time favorite and I wouldn’t want to recommend anything else.
Oh wow. 600+ comments!!! Well, since no one will be reading this far down the line, I’ll just toss out my pick. The book that hooked me and kept me coming back for more romance. Outlander.
I’m going to make sure my library orders your new book Sarah – I’m always recommending Heaving Bosoms and SBTB to patrons! Here’s hoping I can has arc! I often recommend Crusie and my own favourite is Faking It. Congrats on the new book! You rock!!
I also think The Duke’s Wager by Edith Layton would be a good intro story. It’s great for those who find sex scenes icky (I know lots of those readers) plus what I really loved was you weren’t quite sure whom the heroine was going to have her HEA with. Sometimes things feeling less inevitable can be more fun. Plus I really wanted to smack both heroes upside the head a few times, I couldn’t imagine either of them ever being redeemed!
I can’t even read all the comments, there are so many. So, here is mine. I want an ARC and all the other goodies.
Ten Things I Love About You by Julia Quinn
Yes, it’s a newer book published in 2010. But loved the romance, the humor and the characters. I would recommend almost anything by Julia Quinn especially any of the early ones from the Bridgerton series.
My favorite is Gentle Rogue by Johanna Lindsey, and I’ve definitely recommended that one to many of my friends. And, while I don’t necessarily know if it fits in straight up romance, I have made many people read The Secret History of the Pink Carnation, too.
Oh dear—I have to go with Ransom by Garwood. It was my first, and it still cracks me up. It’s historical, it’‘s funny, and it’s sweet.
Oh dear—I have to go with Ransom by Garwood. It was my first, and I just keep coming back to it. It’s historical, funny, and sweet.
One book? That’s sooo mean!! I have so many special faves. I can’t leave anyone out so I will go with the first one I read & reread & lent to so many people that it wore out & I had to buy new copies from time to time. It was hot for the time & still is. It can survive a reread today becuase it had a great plot too. I’m going with The Flame & The Flower by Kathleen Woodiwiss. That one got me hooked.
“The Princess Bride” by William Goldman
First off, yes I really do mean the book that the movie was based off. And while it may not be your classic romance novel, it has all of the requirements, separated young lovers, mistaken secret identities, kidnappings, reunions, a farse of a wedding and true loves kiss. So it absolutely counts.
Is saying “anything by Laura Kinsale” cheating?
Ok, fine…er, um…
Midsummer Moon
I love Merlin & Ransom, and who wouldn’t love a hedgehog in a romance novel?
The book I have recommended again and again, is Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie.
I’ve been taking notes and sending my kindle samples from all the comments above.
If I have to choose just one book, the I’m going historical and recommending “Frederica” by Georgette Heyer. I love the building of the relationship and acerbic dialogue between the hero and heroine and laugh out loud at the antics of the minor characters. This is a book that always makes me smile.
Congrat’s on the book!
I would have to go with Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James. Though, anything by Ms. James is awesome!
Heyer’s The Grand Sophy.
An utter favourite. The audiobook (read by an older-sounding chappie) is pitch-perfect too. He gets the humour and conveys it brilliantly.
If I had to recommend only one book…it would have to be….Deborah Smith’s When Venus Fell, my favorite! Congrats on the book, look forward to reading it!
One book that I would recommend to anyone who is new to the historical romance genre would be 9 Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake because it’s mothaflippin’ amazing.
Just one!
I would probably say The Nerd who Loved Me, by Vicki Lewis Thompson. The Nerd books kind of sucked me back into romances after a few years of other genres.
Then again one of the early one word titles by Amanda Quick was the original temptation. Just cannot remember which one
I’m the reader who has your quote post-it’ed at my desk, remember? 🙂 It’s still there.
A romance book I would recommend: Spell of the Highlander by Karen Marie Moning.
🙂 Now I want to find more Highlanders. 🙂
Crazy for You by Crusie. It got me hooked and it has such great characters coming together to be strong and make changes.
It is difficult to just choose one!
It is so hard to choose just one, because I tend to pick books that fit the person and their interests (Humor, historical, suspense, etc).
The last book I recommended to someone was Sizzle and Burn (Jayne Ann Krentz), which ended up being my sister-in-law’s gateway drug into the world of JAK/AQ.
But if I had to pick one book that I would always recommend? Probably Welcome to Temptation. Crusie is always a good gateway drug.
Thing94: There are 94 things I’d recommend if I was allowed to in this post!
Agnes and the Hitman, since it doesn’t have a clinch cover and contains enough action and snappy dialogue to lure in someone resistant to romances. Reading it should convince them that the genre is not the cheap “bodice-ripping” trash so many non-romance readers think it is.
Congratulations on finishing!! Yay, hooray!! 🙂
The book I’m finding myself CONSTANTLY recommending lately is Victoria Dahl’s A Little Bit Wild. I like recommending it because it’s one of my personal favorites, but also because my friends are all pretty sassy; they need sassy romance in their lives like whoa.
Oh man, I cannot wait for this book to be officially out. Congratulations!
As for a romance book I would recommend, that’s a tough one. There are so many subgenres nowadays…But I’m going to have to go with the first Sookie Stackhouse book, Dead Until Dark by Charlainne Harris. I’m not sure if it actually counts, but it was the first book I’d ever read as a teen that focused so heavily on the relationship and feelings of the main character. It also helped foster my love of the paranormal, so props for making another teen into a vampire lover.
okay, I usually try to tailor recommendations to the person but I have a recent specific book so I am going to go with Courtney Milan Unveiled. I just pulled the book out of one of our donation boxes and added it to my to be cataloged pile for my library. It;s not what I would always suggest but I felt that it needed to be added to the collection.
Just recommending one is near impossible, but I guess that I’d pick “After the Night” by Linda Howard. This was when Linda was at the top of her game and the scenes between the hero and heroine are HOT!!
Congrats on the book – I love the cover.
It’s tough, but I usually recommend WELCOME TO TEMPTATION by Jennifer Crusie. The book is so funny, people who sneer at the genre will forget they’re reading one of THOSE books, and then they’re hooked, bwuahahahahaaa!
Just one? Hmm. I have to say Connie Willis’ To Say Nothing Of the Dog. Not shelved with romance, but the romantic story in it is what grabs you. It’s subversive.
Only one book? Quite a request – I will have to agree with others who have recommended a Nora Roberts novel – but my choice is Honest Illusions – my all time favorite novel from a very prolific author.
congrats again on your new book!