Hi, all! This Rec League is for me! During the RT Rewind series we’ve been doing, I mentioned to Sarah that I’ve never read a category romance. I’d love some recommendations that fit along my reading tastes, though we did do a Recommend Category Romance Rec League a few years ago.
In terms of my reading tastes, I prefer sexy contemporaries and historicals, paranormal romances, and anything with fantasy elements (though I don’t think Harlequin has any fantasy romance lines). No romantic suspense or secret babies please!
I don’t often gravitate toward second chance or friends to lovers romances.
I also some authors write a lot, so if it’s easier to give me author suggestions rather than specific titles, I’ll take those too!
Try Sarah Mayberry: HER FAVORITE RIVAL is the book THE HATING GAME wanted to be. And HER BEST WORST MISTAKE is a “best-friend’s ex” that really works. Note: both of these were originally category romances (which is when I read them); they were republished when Mayberry got the rights back, so I’m not sure if she did any significant revisions before the republication.
I also have to put in a plug for one of my all-time favorite angsty Harlequin Presents: Maisey Yates’s CARIDES’S FORGOTTEN WIFE, which features a hero with amnesia and a whole lot of operatic-level emotions. So, so good!
Wholeheartedly seconding Sarah Mayberry. She wrote for both Blaze and Superromance, and the former have the depth of the latter and the latter the heat of the former, if that makes sense. (HBWM was technically a self-published sequel to her last Blaze iirc, but it’s so good. Easily one of my all-time favorites.)
Tiffany Reisz had a trilogy for Blaze as well that was pretty good, Men at Work, and it’s holiday themed (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas/Chanukah). The characters are normal people, and I think the third heroine is a bisexual welder? Meg Maguire (aka Cara McKenna) also wrote some books for Blaze that I remember liking — I think there was a trilogy set in a boxing gym?
I also have very fond memories of BEYOND BREATHLESS by Kathleen O’Reilly, in which a terrifying high-powered female Wall Street executive nicknamed “the Porcupine” seduces an investment broker in a limo while stuck in traffic, and hijinks ensue. It’s been ages since I read it, so I’m not sure how well it would hold up.
RIP, Blaze.
Seconding (Thirding?) Sarah Mayberry! I also recommend checking out Karina Bliss’ categories as well – her Rock Star series started with “What the Librarian Did”
Admittedly, my category reading tended toward very Small Town Family Love, so this may not be up Amanda’s alley, but I did very much enjoy Karen Templeton’s categories for “good people learning how to use their words with relatively low stakes and minimally pushy family and friends.”
One of my favorite category authors, who used to write Harlequins and now does regular publishing, is Sarah Morgan. She had a real gift for taking the ridiculous Harlequin tropes (secret baby, blackmailed into marriage, billionaire tycoons) and turning them into stories with actual human characters instead of archetypes.
I also HAVE to rec one of my favorite batshit categories ever, “Lightning that Lingers” by Sharon and Tom Curtis for Loveswept. He’s a stripper/wildlife biologist. She’s a virgin children’s librarian who drives a Volkswagen Beetle. They meet at one of his performances in their adorable small town that is somehow also large enough to support a full-time male dance revue(?). Despite all that, and although it is 100% a product of the 1980s, the book is surprisingly wholesome, and includes animals being rehabbed who have as much personality as the human characters (which is a lot). Yes, it is available on Kindle.
Definitely seconding the Mayberry and Riesz picks. The second in the Reisz series (Her Naughty Holiday) is my personal favorite, though they’re all fantastic and I re-read them every year.
Therese Beharrie is a favorite author with some contemporary category romances. Also Reese Ryan, Farrah Rochon, and Jeannie Lin. A recent favorite is Lydia San Andres’s slowburn historical, Compromised Into a Scandalous Marriage.
All the YES for Sarah Mayberry and Jeannie Lin! Some other earlier category writers–Jill Shalvis (mostly Blaze), Suzanne Brockmann (mostly Silhouette Intimate Moments), Merline Lovelace (I especially enjoyed her books for the short-lived NEXT line), Sharon Sala, Rhonda Nelson… Nalini Singh had a couple of Desires way back when…
A couple current favorites–Naima Simone, Reese Ryan, LaQuette, Sophia Sasson Singh…
Way back in the days of proto-paranormal romance, there was Rebecca Flanders’ Heart of the Wolf series for Silhouette Shadows, later rebranded as Silhouette Nocturne and then Silhouette Dreamscapes. They’re available as ebooks with various pub dates of 2008 and 2014, but I believe the original pub date was 1995.
I have vaguely fond memories of Wolf in Waiting at least. It was a long time ago, so I can’t make any guarantees.
*My brain automatically went to old boos because you mentioned the RT rewind.
**books! Sheesh
Oh, go back aways. Try Violet Winspear, quintessential category romance author. After reading two of her books, I couldn’t help but think: this book is all setting and no story.
Sharon Kendricks, Liz Fielding, Caitlin Crews are some category faves.
Carla Kelly has written some category historicals as well.
RIP to my fave Harlequin Desire, sigh. This line of sexy contemporaries featured glamorous pretty people: CEOS and heiresses and such. It was different from Harlequin Presents in being set in America; tending toward heroines with equal power to the hero (rival executives rather than penniless assistants); and in recent years welcoming diverse characters into the pretty, pretty dresses on its shiny covers.
I loved Adriana Herrera’s duet for desire, ONE WEEK TO CLAIM IT ALL and JUST FOR THE HOLIDAYS, with Succession-style shenanigans among children of a Bad Dad who founded a Univision-like Hispanic media company.
Reese Ryan’s HIS UNTIL MIDNIGHT is really fun. The curvy heroine’s best friend bids on her at a glam bachelorette auction for REASONS.
In its last month, Desire published its first mm (SECRET HEIR FOR CHRISTMAS) by LaQuette and its first ff (TEMPTED BY THE BOLLYWOOD STAR by Sophia Singh Sasson, always good). And because they were burning off the rest of their contracts by printing two novels per paperback, there will never be a physical copy of Singh Sasson’s gorgeous lesbian Bollywood cover, harrumph harrumph.
I don’t read that many categories these days, so most of my recs are from before the 2010s. The earlier ones, especially from the 80s and 90s, are going to employ those sexual euphemisms so beloved back then, but they usually make up for that by having really good chemistry between the leads.
Jennifer Crusie wrote some truly great categories in the 80s & 90s, first for Harlequin and then for Loveswept — my favourites probably are The Cinderella Deal, Charlie All Night, and Anyone but You. Anne Stuart has published a ton of category romances. My favourite one of hers is Catspaw, which was published originally by Harlequin’s Intrique line in the mid-80s.
Harlequin actually did have a short lived paranormal line called Harlequin Nocturne, while Silhouette had a gothic/supernatural line called Silhouette Shadows. Nailini Singh published at least one book in the Nocturne series, but I have to say I can’t remember really liking many of the books that I read in either series. Other lines from all the category publishers (e.g., Silhouette, Harlequin, Loveswept, Candlelight) would publish from time to time books with fantasy or paranormal elements. I know that Jayne Ann Krentz, Anne Stuart, and Nora Roberts all published category romances with fantasy, paranormal or supernatural elements. The ones that I remember having fantasy/papanormal elements include Krentz’s Ghost of a Chance, Stuart’s Cinderman and One More Valentine, and Robert’s Night Tales series.
I second the recs for the Sarah Mayberry, Sarah Morgan, and Karina Bliss – they all wrote some great category romances. I especially like Morgan’s Doukakis’s Apprentice, Mayberry’s Her Secret Fling. I’ve also enjoyed categories by Kelly Hunter, Caitlin Crews, Mira Lyn Kelly, and Ruthie Knox.
Caitlin Crews, Darby Baham, Denise Wheatley, Jane Porter, Joanne Rock, Katherine Garbera…
Thirding the recommendations for Tiffany Reisz’s “Men at Work” series–mainly because of Her Naughty Holiday (the Thanksgiving one), which I honestly find myself re-reading annually around this time of year. I don’t really remember the Halloween one; I enjoyed the Christmas one, but I felt like there was a little too much “tell” vs. “show” when it came to the sexy times.
I didn’t know there was a fourth book in that series! Will have to give it a look.
Agreeing with all the series Sarah Mayberry wrote for Harlequin Blaze. Also loved Leslie Kelly’s Harlequin Blaze Santori Family series. Plus books I rated 5 star by Blaze Imprint include Dawn Atkins(Simply Sex and At Her Beck and Call) Jo Leigh has several good steamy Blaze Romances. Also Divas Who Dish Blaze Series by Dixie Browning. Carrie Alexander’s Slow Ride in the Lock and Key Blaze series is an all time favourite with a curvy heroine. Marie Donovan (Bare Necessities and Sex by the Numbers) Karen Kendall’s After Hours Spa 3 book series for Blaze is steaming as I recall. Jade Lee’s the Tao of Sex explores Tantric Sex in a romantic relationship. Isabelle Sharp had some wonderful Blaze stories. For a Paranormal bent try Kelley St. John’s Sexth Sense series where each member of a family of 6 are mediums renovating an antebellum mansion near New Orleans. Elizabeth Bevarly’s My Only Vice was the first book I remember that mentioned anal play. Kimberly Raye did a vampire series for Blaze – Love at First Bite and Dorie Graham’s Blaze Series called Sexual Healing had 3 sisters who had healing gifts. OMG there were some really good quality stories that Blaze published – guess I need to work my way through them again.
Nora Roberts had a trilogy back when she wrote for Silhouette that told the stories of triplets. The Last Honest Woman, Dance to the Piper and Skin Deep. Their parents were vaudeville performers, and the girls grew up on stage, along with their older brother. Eventually, she added a fourth book that was the brother’s story.
Would someone mind clarifying what is meant by “category” romance? Google isn’t really helping me out on this. The comments seem to be implying Harlequin, is that right?
And thanks for all the recs!
I don’t read category romance, generally speaking, but I’ll give a special shout out to Kathleen O’Reilly’s Sex, Straight Up, which I purchased after reading a review on it here, back in 2008.
Thank you @DiscoDollyDeb – her Favourite Rival is in Kindle Unlimited in the UK at the moment and I would never have heard of it if you hadn’t mentioned it – your description of it as being the book The Hating Game wanted to be really spoke to me as someone who has just looked back at her review of that when compiling a post of enemies to Lovers books and been all “oh yeah, it didn’t live up to what I wanted it to”!
@Janine – I’ve only read a couple of the Sarah Morgan categories, but she’s an ex-nurse as well so her medical ones – category or otherwise always feel really authentic to me. Or at least as authentic as a medical romance can…
@Kathryn – I don’t think I realised those Jennifer Crusies were categories when i read them – but now you say that it makes a lot of sense.
I’m now off to see if any of the Shalvises (Shalvii??) that I’ve read were originally categories! Thanks for the prompt @flchen1
Written mostly in the 80s and 90s, Susan Napier is certainly worth a look. Secret Seduction (amnesia), The Mistress Deception (virgin hero), Reckless Conduct, Mistress for a Weekend to name a few. I also remember enjoying Helen Brooks, Lindsay Armstrong, Cathy Williams. And I certainly endorse recommendation of Sarah Mayberry and Sarah Morgan. Of more current authors, I’ve enjoyed Joss wood.
@Ely
The following from the Wikipedia “Romance Novel” article seems to give the general idea (at least from what I understand).
(Begin quote)
Category romances are short, usually no more than 200 pages, or about 55,000 words. The books are published in clearly delineated lines, with a certain number of books published in each line every month. In many cases, the books are numbered sequentially within the line.
(End quote) (Footnotes omitted from above paragraph)
My understanding is that there used to be several publishers who had category romance lines but Harlequin (along with its UK imprint) is the only current publisher.
Some category romances that may fit the bill for you. I may have more later after I examine my bookshelves:
The Donavan Legacy by Nora Roberts (contemporary, magic)
Laughter on the Wind by Bay Matthews (contemporary, slight paranormal elements) and Rambler’s Rest is a historical romance prequel to it. Bay Matthews is also Penny Richards, not sure if anything has been republished
The Rainbow Chaser series by Tami Hoag. I don’t know if all of them were category books but at least Heart of Gold started as a Loveswept.
Sarah Mayberry is by far the most recommended contemporary category author of all time, I think! I also love her books…Her Best Worst Mistake is her best, but I also love the widow/husband’s best friend book Within Reach.
Also recommend Tara Pammi (her Bollywood trilogy is great) and Mona Shroff’s wedding series in the Harlequin Special Edition line.
If you can find it Heather MacAllister’s A Man for All Seasons is one of my favorite Blazes and it’s a Christmas one!
I used to read so many categories, but now only a few select authors. At this point I only read Louise Allen in the historical line.
P.S. Also second the rec of Sophia Singh Sasson. She does a fun mix of cowboy books and then also some good Harlequin Desires (all featuring South Asian rep…I think she’s from Texas, too…thus the cowboys!). My favorite series of hers is the Nights at the Mahal which features a family who owns international hotels…very good! I’m so excited to read the ff Bollywood-set Desire mentioned above, also bummed that it didn’t get it’s own single title paperback release, but I did buy the bindup with the LaQuette title which also looks great!
If you really want to read some vintage titles, I have a soft spot for Robyn Donald’s titles from the 90s and early 2000s. She was very prolific but I feel like those years were her best. She’s from New Zealand and the settings were always so well done and part of the escapism for me. A Summer Storm was my fave by her, but the gender politics are so dated, plus she wrote for Harlequin Presents which is usually still regressive. I’ve stopped reading that line (except for Pammi’s titles) because there are too many knocked up virgin assistants/secretaries, super alpha heroes, and occasionally some really problematic othering and “exotic” settings.
I hadn’t realised Jennifer Crusie was category romance until very recently. I have two regular rereads.
Getting Rid of Bradley – a bit dated but genuinely funny and a great set up.
And my all time favourite Strange Bedpersons – opposites attract with the funniest restaurant scene you will ever read.
Lastly I have a weird thing for modern marriage of convenience stories. Jessica Lemmon’s the Billionaire Bachelor is a good one (and I assume a category romance?) – modern, sexy and lots of competence porn. That trope is hard to find outside of mafia romance (not for me) any recommendations welcome!
@Ely @Michael I – the other distinctive thing about category romances (as I understand it) is that you can subscribe to a specific line or series, like Harlequin Presents and receive a certain number of new books per month.
@Cleo, @Ely, @Micheal I — those sound like good descriptions of category romances. The heyday of categories was the 80s and 90s — there were so many publishers and lines: contemporary publishers included Harlequin, Candlelight, Second Chance at Love, Love Swept, Silhouette; there were also historical category lines such Fawcett Coventry, Signet Regency. (Historical categories tended to publish mostly regency romances).
Harlequin/Mill & Boon (which these days is a part of Harper Collins) is the biggest category publisher still around, there are some other smaller category publishers/imprints still around — Tule publishing & Random House’s Love Swept are 2 that come to mind. But I think for both of those lines, releases are ebooks only (similar to Harlequin’s Carina Press imprint).
These days I think most category-like romance books are self-published because the money’s not there for the most publishers (and frankly category romance lines were infamous for how poorly they paid their authors). And of course the subscription programs offered by Kindle & Kobo allow eager readers to read even more books than the old category subscription programs could offer.