# What's your favorite romance novel of all time?



## amygamet (Aug 26, 2012)

I love that with ebooks, stories can potentially live on forever.  Nothing need go out of print.  What's your favorite romance novel of all time?  Or alternatively, a different genre with a memorable love story?


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

GWTW


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

Hands down, it will always be _Pride and Prejudice_.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Angelique by Anne Golon.


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## Gone 9/21/18 (Dec 11, 2008)

_Morning Glory_ by LaVyrle Spencer.

Technically, _GWTW_ isn't a romance - no happy ending.


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## lvhiggins (Aug 1, 2012)

This question brought to mind something that happened to me this past weekend, while I was wandering around a flea market with my mother.  One of the vendors had a box of old books--romances from the 1980s--and the covers took my breath away.  It made me want to go back and re-read, say, The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen Woodwiss, or any Jennifer Wilde book, and see if the stories still hold up.  THOSE are the books that hooked me into romance.  But I suspect if I go back and re-read them I'll be disappointed!


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## MLPMom (Nov 27, 2009)

Cindy416 said:


> Hands down, it will always be _Pride and Prejudice_.


Agreed!


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## Kristine McKinley (Aug 26, 2012)

It would have to either be Pride and Prejudice or Jane Eyre, but the romance that I go back and reread most often is The Winning Hand by Nora Roberts.


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

I don't read many romance novels.  But the novel that had the most heartbreaking, yet romantic, storyline I have ever read is The Time Traveler's Wife.


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## JumpingShip (Jun 3, 2010)

ellenoc said:


> _Morning Glory_ by LaVyrle Spencer.


ditto. I love that book and re-read it often. I would give away my copy, then pick up one in a used bookstore. Now I have it in ebook form.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

ellenoc said:


> _Morning Glory_ by LaVyrle Spencer.
> 
> Technically, _GWTW_ isn't a romance - no happy ending.


Morning Glory keeps popping up for me in various places. I think I'll have to move it up higher on my to-read mountain.


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## Gone 9/21/18 (Dec 11, 2008)

Atunah said:


> Morning Glory keeps popping up for me in various places. I think I'll have to move it up higher on my to-read mountain.


You'll be glad you did.


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## Gayle Miller (Sep 22, 2012)

It has to be Bram Stoker's Dracula. Though it begins and ends in tragedy it is the ultimate love story.


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## LaRita (Oct 28, 2008)

Atunah said:


> Angelique by Anne Golon.


I love this series. I wish it would come out in e-book form; my paperbacks are pretty tattered.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

LaRita said:


> I love this series. I wish it would come out in e-book form; my paperbacks are pretty tattered.


Yeah, I have the 9 that were translated into english. Took me a few months to find them in decent shape on the various used book sites. They are so old and yellow though I can't read them anymore. The font is really small too. I did manage to read the first and second before I got my Kindle. But my eyes have gotten worse so when I look at them now I need a magnifying glass.

The author just recently won the fight she had with publishers and I think got her rights back. I got all exited when I saw the first book show up in the US Kindle store. Then I realized it was only in german. Of course the irony in that is, I am german, but I don't read in german anymore. 

My mom gave me the first book in the series when I was around 11-13 years old. My world has never been the same since. 

I would buy these in Hardcover and kindle edition to read. The german ones I read back then were very nicely bound hard covers. They are still sitting on my mothers shelf today.


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## CoraBuhlert (Aug 7, 2011)

I inherited my aunt's German _Angelique_ hardcovers, when she moved to a smaller apartment and didn't want to take her books with her. They're a bit smelly and yellowish, cause my aunt was a heavy smoker, but otherwise in very good condition considering they're thirty to forty years old.


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## Julia444 (Feb 24, 2011)

I was really big into romantic suspense in the early 80s, and one of my all-time favorites was Victoria Holt's ON THE NIGHT OF THE SEVENTH MOON.  It just transported me, as a teenager, into a romantic world.

I also loved Mary Stewart's books, and perhaps the most romantic was THE IVY TREE, or maybe NINE COACHES WAITING.

And, if I can sneak in one more, I love Rosamund Pilcher's books--THE SHELL SEEKERS isn't just a romance, but it has some beautiful romantic elements.  

As you may have guessed, I'm a sucker for romance.  

Julia


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## Lyndl (Apr 2, 2010)

Cotillion  by Georgette Heyer springs to mind. I'm not much of a romance reader.

I too wish Angelique was available on Kindle, I'd probably buy them all.  I started it when I was 11, and could never get enough of her!  

others that I remember fondly althoughv I sometimes wonder what I'd think of these if I re-read them now

Moonstruck Madness - Laurie McBain
Wolf and the Dove - kathleen  Woodiwiss
Touch not the Cat - Mary Stewart


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## Todd Young (May 2, 2011)

Mansfield Park. Not only my favorite romance, but my favorite novel.


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## Tatiana (Aug 20, 2010)

Nine Coaches Waiting by Mary Stewart


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## LaVerne (Sep 2, 2009)

That's easy Pride and Prejudice. All it took was a look and the touch of a hand to fall in love.


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## Satchya (Sep 5, 2012)

Gosh, I hate to be a "follower", but _another_ vote for both Pride and Prejudice and Morning Glory.

I read my way through all of Jane Austen's novels in High School, and remember loving them _so_ much, but had no idea they were romance novels at the time.


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## Alicia Dean (Jul 11, 2011)

I used to love to read Harlequin Presents books many, many, many years ago. Then, I read Sweet, Savage Love by Rosemary Rogers and Flame and the Flower by Kathleen Woodiwiss. Those are the ones that stick in my mind as my favorite romances. Like another poster said, if I went back and read them again, I might be disappointed. But, I do have an old, tattered paperback of Sweet Savage Love that I treasure!


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## Candee15 (Jan 31, 2010)

Alicia Dean said:


> I used to love to read Harlequin Presents books many, many, many years ago. Then, I read Sweet, Savage Love by Rosemary Rogers and Flame and the Flower by Kathleen Woodiwiss. Those are the ones that stick in my mind as my favorite romances. Like another poster said, if I went back and read them again, I might be disappointed. But, I do have an old, tattered paperback of Sweet Savage Love that I treasure!


I will always remember a day about a million years ago <g> when I went to a booksigning of Sweet Savage Love here in South Florida. Rosemary Rogers was sitting at a table in a department store in downtown Miami, and there were NO readers at the table. I was there to buy her book, of course, but the truly AMAZING part was being able to stand there for a LONG time and talk to her one on one. She was sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo nice and sooooooooooooooooooooooooo beautiful and charming. It was a special moment I'll always treasure. THEN she became so famous. I'm sure every other booksigning had lines of fans, and I probably never would have had that awesome moment again. Sigh!


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## mistyd107 (May 22, 2009)

The Notebook


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## A.A (Mar 30, 2012)

Pride and Prejudice.
I'm not sure if that's due to the age at which I read it (teenage) but it's the romance that I remember most.


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## Low Kay Hwa (Jun 15, 2012)

_The Notebook_ and _The Time Traveler's Wife_


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## LilianaHart (Jun 20, 2011)

Outlander and Romancing Mr. Bridgerton


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## Kwalker (Aug 23, 2012)

I am not sure if it qualifies as a romance, but Outlander by Diana Gabaldon.


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## Kate Argyll (Oct 1, 2012)

Yet another vote for Pride and Prejudice!


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## NancyHerkness (Aug 1, 2012)

I've never been good at narrowing my list down to just one, but I've gotten it down to three:

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (duh!);
Venetia by Georgette Heyer;

Lord Perfect by Loretta Chase.


Those are the books I re-read when I need a "perfect romance" fix so I figure they must be my top three.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

NancyHerkness said:


> I've never been good at narrowing my list down to just one, but I've gotten it down to three:
> 
> Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (duh!);
> Venetia by Georgette Heyer;
> ...


Ah yes, Lord Damerel. One of the most romantic romances I ever read. I think that was my first Heyer and its still my favorite. Just lovely.


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## Brian Dockins (May 22, 2012)

It's tough to say because I haven't read as much romance as I have fantasy. But I really, really liked Beautiful Disaster. What a great book!


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## dalton_wolf (Sep 11, 2012)

First, I'm a 'dude'. A 'guy'. I'm the kind of overgrown kid women shake their heads at and look to the sky and say 'men!' about, all the while secretly hatching their scheme to get me over to repair their kitchen sink or move their couch and tv. You know the type; I'll probably die a bachelor. So, being what I am, and unapologetically so, many 'romances' I find to be just soft porn for lonely women, each simply stuffed full of fluff and silliness until the studly man takes the sensitive and long-smitten woman into his arms in some deserted, flowery, sunlit/rainy glade. 
    HOWEVER, you show me any book like Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, and I'm hooked. Give me a smart, slightly-cynical female protag with a mind of her own and a daggerlike sense of humor such as Elizabeth any day and I'm yours til it says The End.


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## LinaG (Jun 18, 2012)

Oh my!  Where do I start?  First ever I read was The Flame and The Flower, but I think I liked The Wolf and the Dove better.

Heyer-- anything she writes, but The Grand Sophy... I'm smiling just thinking about it.  Yikes, I just counted 13 of her books on my shelf! Nothing better for a laugh and relaxing on a cold winter day. She also has these funny, debonair mysteries set in the 1920's that are worth a look.

Jennifer Crusie-- Everything but her stuff with Bob Mayer. Sorry Jen.

Oops. That's 14 Heyers. Missed one.

P&P of course, but I didn't read it until I was older. Emma too for that matter. 

Mary Stewart, Nine Coaches, a no brainer. Victoria Holt too. I recall Pride of the Peacock setting me on fire with the romance of it all. Opals! Australia! A mysterious husband!

Anne Stuart used to write wonderful, funny Harlequin Americans. 

Non Romance, romantic novel?  Shining Through by Susan Isaacs.  She's a secretary, she's a spy! WW2. The movie was crap quite frankly. But the book? "When I was 32 and an old maid, I fell in love with John Barringer..." The first line is emblazoned in my heart apparently.

And Dalton-wolf, my dear. I agree with you about Elizabeth and Jane A. Romance novels are not about the porn. Sociologically speaking I think they are about allowing a minority group with few resources, traditionally speaking --women, to live the idea that through valuing yourself, sticking to your guns, being brave, resourceful, and not giving up, you can win something of value, in this case the seeds of a family.  

And yes, you darling man. I do want you to fix the sink, that dripping is driving me insane. I'll bake you cookies though. 

Lina


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

dalton_wolf said:


> First, I'm a 'dude'. A 'guy'. I'm the kind of overgrown kid women shake their heads at and look to the sky and say 'men!' about, all the while secretly hatching their scheme to get me over to repair their kitchen sink or move their couch and tv. You know the type; I'll probably die a bachelor. So, being what I am, and unapologetically so, many 'romances' I find to be just soft porn for lonely women, each simply stuffed full of fluff and silliness until the studly man takes the sensitive and long-smitten woman into his arms in some deserted, flowery, sunlit/rainy glade.
> HOWEVER, you show me any book like Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, and I'm hooked. Give me a smart, slightly-cynical female protag with a mind of her own and a daggerlike sense of humor such as Elizabeth any day and I'm yours til it says The End.


Any man who likes _Pride and Prejudice_ is OK in my book.


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## NancyHerkness (Aug 1, 2012)

Atunah said:


> Ah yes, Lord Damerel. One of the most romantic romances I ever read. I think that was my first Heyer and its still my favorite. Just lovely.


Absolutely! He makes my heart beat faster every time I read the book! So good to meet a fellow Damerel fan!


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## NancyHerkness (Aug 1, 2012)

LinaG said:


> Mary Stewart, Nine Coaches, a no brainer.


What about Mary Stewart's Madam, Will You Talk? I adored that one too.


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## dbqhoney (Oct 6, 2012)

My favorite romance has to be Knight In Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux.


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## dalton_wolf (Sep 11, 2012)

LinaG said:


> And Dalton-wolf, my dear. I agree with you about Elizabeth and Jane A. Romance novels are not about the porn. Sociologically speaking I think they are about allowing a minority group with few resources, traditionally speaking --women, to live the idea that through valuing yourself, sticking to your guns, being brave, resourceful, and not giving up, you can win something of value, in this case the seeds of a family.
> 
> And yes, you darling man. I do want you to fix the sink, that dripping is driving me insane. I'll bake you cookies though.
> 
> Lina


I do loves me some cookies, Lina 



Cindy416 said:


> Any man who likes _Pride and Prejudice_ is OK in my book.


 Aw shucks, Cindy. Thanks. But I really do. And over the past few months I've seen all of the movies as well. I liked the overall experience so much that I'm preparing to read the rest of Jane's books. And for me, that's really saying something. She must have been an extraordinary person and I look forward to exploring her imagination more as I dip my own mind into the murky waters of this romance stuff everyone is always going on about. But, which should I read first, I wonder?


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## CJArcher (Jan 22, 2011)

Another P&P fangirl here. All of Austen's books really, but P&P is head and shoulders above the rest.

Dorothy Dunnett's Lymond Chronicles (6 books) are huge favourites and I defy anyone to say they're not romantic. The romance doesn't kick in until the 4th or 5th book but it is immensely powerful when it does finally appear. Love them.


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

dalton_wolf said:


> I do loves me some cookies, Lina
> Aw shucks, Cindy. Thanks. But I really do. And over the past few months I've seen all of the movies as well. I liked the overall experience so much that I'm preparing to read the rest of Jane's books. And for me, that's really saying something. She must have been an extraordinary person and I look forward to exploring her imagination more as I dip my own mind into the murky waters of this romance stuff everyone is always going on about. But, which should I read first, I wonder?


I love Pride and Prejudice, and find it to be my favorite. Close behind it are Sense and Sensibility and Emma. The other Austen books are very good, too, but the three aforementioned are on a pedestal for me. (I assume you have seen he 1995 A&E miniseries of Pride and Prejudice. If not, watch it.) The movie versions of Emma and Sense and Sensibility are excellent, too.)


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## LinaG (Jun 18, 2012)

DBQ Honey--

You know, I'd forgotten about Knight In Shining Armor.  Heck, that one actually made me cry!  Good choice.

Lina


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## JayeWells (Oct 6, 2012)

Outlander by Gabaldon
Whitney, My Love by Judith McNaught (really any McNaught)
Knight in Shining Armor by Devereaux
Everything by Johanna Lindsey 

It's really tough to narrow it down!


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

lvhiggins said:


> This question brought to mind something that happened to me this past weekend, while I was wandering around a flea market with my mother. One of the vendors had a box of old books--romances from the 1980s--and the covers took my breath away. It made me want to go back and re-read, say, The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen Woodwiss, or any Jennifer Wilde book, and see if the stories still hold up. THOSE are the books that hooked me into romance. But I suspect if I go back and re-read them I'll be disappointed!


I believe *The Flame and the Flower* was the first "romance" I read, back in the 70's - it was definitely a Woodiwiss book, and it started me on a my "trashy romance" journey that lasted a few years. And Jennifer Wilde was my favorite back then (closely followed by Rosemary Rogers). I read *Sweet Savage Love* by Rogers multiple times, and *Love's Tender Fury* by Wilde (who turned out to be a guy, which explained some things when I found out!). I also read *GWTW* multiple times. The Travis NcGee series brought me back to mysteries/thrillers, my first love, but I've read the occasional romance recently. Probably my favorite in recent years was *A Place to Call Home* by Deborah Smith.


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## gina1230 (Nov 29, 2009)

[ Probably my favorite in recent years was *A Place to Call Home* by Deborah Smith. ]

I'm reading this now, and I'm loving it.


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## Alpha72 (May 9, 2012)

The Time Traveler's Wife, methinks.


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## 31842 (Jan 11, 2011)

Does the Scarlet Pimpernel count?



It still makes me swoon.


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## CJArcher (Jan 22, 2011)

KateDanley said:


> Does the Scarlet Pimpernel count?
> 
> 
> 
> It still makes me swoon.


Me too!


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## 31842 (Jan 11, 2011)

CJArcher said:


> Me too!


When he's kissing the steps she's walked upon?!?! *faints*


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## vikiana (Oct 5, 2012)

I don't have a particular favorite romance novel but I like reading on e-book reader and one of the recent books I 've read was "Gone with the wind". I really did love the book but I found it a little heavy for my taste. I also would recomend "Pride and prejudice". I think the movie was a good one,too. The movie from 2005 is one of my best list and the actors staff is amazing! I really do hope that somebody  will do the opposite thing with "Titanic". I love that story but it would be a great pleasure if somebody do it like a romance novel as well.


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## MichelleR (Feb 21, 2009)

JayeWells said:


> Outlander by Gabaldon
> Whitney, My Love by Judith McNaught (really any McNaught)
> Knight in Shining Armor by Devereaux
> Everything by Johanna Lindsey
> ...


I'd go for McNaught's Something Wonderful before "Whitney."

Agree on "Knight."

Back in my early internet days I called Outlander a romance. Gabaldon showed up and "yelled on me!"

Silver Lining, by Maggie Osbourne is my go-to read.

Courtney Milan. Victoria Dahl. You, because what girl could resist a forked penis? (Yes, I am starting the rumor that Jaye Wells has a forked wang.)


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## dalton_wolf (Sep 11, 2012)

Cindy416 said:


> I love Pride and Prejudice, and find it to be my favorite. Close behind it are Sense and Sensibility and Emma. The other Austen books are very good, too, but the three aforementioned are on a pedestal for me. (I assume you have seen he 1995 A&E miniseries of Pride and Prejudice. If not, watch it.) The movie versions of Emma and Sense and Sensibility are excellent, too.)


Thanks, Cindy. I think I've now seen all available versions of Pride and Prejudice(those of quality, I mean), including the original B&W. I'm torn between the A&E version, and the latest with Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfeyden. The aforementioned because of it's accuracy, attention to detail and the depth they were able to achieve--oh and the acting, but I expect nothing less from an A&E production, the latter because it was just so damned beautiful, and also well-acted.

I'm adding Sense and Sensability and Emma, but am unsure which others to add. I though about adding some of the others posted out here, but after reading their descriptions, they do seem a little too...um, flowery and fluttery for me.

I have, indeed, seen Emma. In fact, my sister made me watch it again because, after my first viewing, I said Emma was a meddling Beeatch and was far too mean to be a likeable protagonist. Hey, it was just a first impression. Maybe I was distracted the first time, but I got it the second time. She just had a few things to learn about herself, the world and those around her.

Anyway, I'm open for more suggestions from anyone, but only if they're intelligent stories with as little fluttery fainting as possible. I should point out, I haven't read Gone with the Wind, but I didn't not really like the movie. There was only one character with redeeming qualities in that entire movie and she died:/ Not sure if this is a theme in most of the romance books but, if it is, I don't think I'll be reading many. 
Here's a list of semi-romantic movies that didn't make me sick--ok, I liked them(hope I'm not hijacking this post. Should I start another thread asking for suggestions?). They're not in any order:
When Harry Met Sally
Love Actually
The Proposal
Pretty Woman(even though I hate what's-his-face)
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
A Walk to Remember-couldn't help it. I definitely did not want to like that movie
The Wedding Planner
How to lose a Guy in Ten Days
Every romantic comedy with Katherine Heigle or Sandra Bullock
Bridget Jones's diary 
10 Things I hate about You
Pride and Prejudice

I'm sure there were many more, including a bunch from the 80's, but I can't remember them now. I had to use a list to find these. But that gives you an idea. I like wit, sass, and humor. Like a good pancake, the lighter it is on the sappy stuff, the easier it is for me to swallow...no...wait, that's backwards. OK, unlike a good pancake...bah, nevermind. I'm happy to try any recommendations with what you now know, though it will take me some time to read them. Thanks.


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## CoraBuhlert (Aug 7, 2011)

If you like Jane Austen, the next logical step would be Georgette Heyer who wrote Regency and Georgian set historical romances high on the humour and low on the sappiness and the sex. Occasionally, you get a dash of mystery and adventure as well. _Venetia_ and _The Grand Sophy_ have already been recommended (though _The Grand Sophy_ includes a single chapter with the antisemitic caricature of a Jewish moneylender, which can be hard to swallow for modern audiences). Other good Heyers are _Arabella_, _Frederica_, _The Reluctant Widow_, _The Talisman Ring_, etc...

For grittier historicals (i.e. not everybody is titled and wealthy) with not too much graphic sex, try Carla Kelly. Most of hers are set in the regency era, though she also has a few western historicals.

For humorous contemporary romances, try Jennifer Crusie. _Bet Me_ and _Welcome to Temptation_ are perennial favourites, but all of hers are good. Lots of humour and not a whole lot of sappiness. Jennifer Crusie has also written three romances together with Bob Mayer (who's a member here). _Agnes and the Hitman_ is my favourite of those three.

Another writer to try for funny contemporary romances would be Susan Elizabeth Philips. Her books don't work for me, so someone else will have to suggest titles to try.

I'd also recommend Julie Cohen, a British writer of humorous contemporary romance. _Girl from Mars_ is particularly good. It's a geek romance with a comic artist heroine. _One Night Stand_ is another Julie Cohen book I like a lot.


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## vikiana (Oct 5, 2012)

MichelleR said:


> I'd go for McNaught's Something Wonderful before "Whitney."
> 
> Agree on "Knight."
> 
> ...


 I agree on "Night",too.


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## Jenni Norris (Oct 10, 2012)

Paullina Simons' Tully.

The relationship between Tully and Jack is electric - and I guess because the book is set in the 70's and 80's, it also has resonance for me.

All Paullina Simons' books have strong romantic themes when I think about it, but Tully for me, is outstanding. 

I may even read it again soon...and I generally don't read books twice (except LOTR of course)


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## anne_holly (Jun 5, 2011)

Aside from the "classics" (specifically _P&P_ and _Jane Eyre_), I'd have to say LaVyrle Spencer's _Years_. I love several of hers, but that one I've re-read dozens of times.


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## B.A. Spangler (Jan 25, 2012)

At the risk of dating myself, and maybe embarrassing myself as well – growing up in a house full of girls, I read Judy Blume's Forever… and I liked it.


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## 4eyesbooks (Jan 9, 2012)

I'd have to say _The Notebook_ for me was my favorite. The characters seem so real. They were always fighting, but they loved each other so much to make it work. Noah was so romantic writing all those letters to Allie. SIGH!


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## Ann Herrick (Sep 24, 2010)

Pride and Prejudice. Such witty dialogue and well-drawn characters.

Katherine, by Anya Seton. Based on real life, and character from 1500s are brought to life.

Gone With The Wind, at least the first 2/3. The last third is so frustrating to me. Rhett, who knew Scarlett so well before he married her doesn't seem to recognize it when she really starts to love him, and Scarlett doesn't either!  Oh, well, I go along with Vivien Leigh's and Olivia deHavilland's theory that 6 weeks after Rhett leaves, Scarlett wins him back at a dinner party in Charlotte.


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## amygamet (Aug 26, 2012)

I just bought Morning Glory because of this thread.  And ironically, I chose to buy a paperback!  Here I am, thinking I'm all about digital books, but if it's going to be a *keeper* I want it on my bookshelf, not my kindle, LOL.

I have to second the vote for The Shell Seekers.  Truly exceptional book.


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

I will place my vote for The Shell Seekers  Love love love the book.  I cannot wait for it to become available for Kindle in the US.  
deb


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## Eliza Baum (Jul 16, 2011)

Atunah said:


> Morning Glory keeps popping up for me in various places. I think I'll have to move it up higher on my to-read mountain.


I just recently added this one to my TBR pile, but after all the glowing recommendations here, I think I'll have to move it higher as well.

P&P for me, too. I've read it a dozen times, at least. I'm not particularly well read in modern romances, but I'm picking up recommendations from threads like this and slowly growing my experience with them! So many good books, so little time....


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

I enjoyed the audio version of Pride and Prejudice.  
deb


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## cagnes (Oct 13, 2009)

The Bronze Horseman (The Bronze Horseman Trilogy) by Paullina Simons
Outlander: with Bonus Content byDiana Gabaldon


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## Psyche27 (Oct 13, 2012)

Pride and Prejudice no contest
Jane Eyre comes a close second


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## Eliza Baum (Jul 16, 2011)

drenee said:



> I enjoyed the audio version of Pride and Prejudice.
> deb


Is there a particular audio version you liked? I wouldn't mind having a decent one.


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

The reader I had was Kate Reading.  She has 230 listings in Audible.  
I also have Confessions of a Jane Austin Addict by her.  Loved it. 
deb


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## Eliza Baum (Jul 16, 2011)

drenee said:


> The reader I had was Kate Reading. She has 230 listings in Audible.
> I also have Confessions of a Jane Austin Addict by her. Loved it.
> deb


Nice, that one's available for $10 from audible, whispersync enabled with the free ebook.  Mental note for next time I pull P&P out for a reread.


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## 31842 (Jan 11, 2011)

Speaking of Pride & Prejudice, I was looking for something set in the same era and picked up Ridiculous a few weeks ago. It was delightful.



Well written, a fun twist to the romance, and a fantastic HEA.


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## Rachel Schurig (Apr 9, 2011)

CoraBuhlert said:


> If you like Jane Austen, the next logical step would be Georgette Heyer who wrote Regency and Georgian set historical romances high on the humour and low on the sappiness and the sex. Occasionally, you get a dash of mystery and adventure as well. _Venetia_ and _The Grand Sophy_ have already been recommended (though _The Grand Sophy_ includes a single chapter with the antisemitic caricature of a Jewish moneylender, which can be hard to swallow for modern audiences). Other good Heyers are _Arabella_, _Frederica_, _The Reluctant Widow_, _The Talisman Ring_, etc...


I've always meant to read Georgette Heyer but never seemed to get around to it. Just picked up a few of your recommendations, thanks!

One of the first romance novels I ever read was _Separate Beds_ by LaVyrle Spencer, so that one will always hold a sentimental top spot for me.

My all time favorite would have to be _P&P_. Nothing else really comes close!


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## projectbk (Apr 12, 2012)

The Romance of the Forest is my favorite, without a doubt!  I love Pride and Prejudice not for the romance, but for the social satire.  When it comes to romance, I definitely prefer melodrama to realness.  I'm a Petrarchan lover at heart


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## Maryann Christine (May 18, 2011)

I see a lot of mentions of P&P already, so I wanted to add Persuasion, also by Austen.


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## Lee44 (Sep 9, 2012)

I love Nora Roberts and have read many of her earlier books. I actually prefer the earlier ones and stopped reading her after a point. Yes, I love romantic suspense! I am surprised that few have mentioned her. I also enjoyed Sidney Sheldon _The Other Side of Midnight_. I guess I am in my own world!


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

Lee44 said:


> I love Nora Roberts and have read many of her earlier books. I actually prefer the earlier ones and stopped reading her after a point. Yes, I love romantic suspense! I am surprised that few have mentioned her. I also enjoyed Sidney Sheldon _The Other Side of Midnight_. I guess I am in my own world!


I know this will sound strange, but I've never been a fan of her romances written under her name, yet I love her "In Death" series written under the name of J.D. Robb. Go figure. (I was a bit reluctant to try _Naked in Death_ because I knew I didn't care for other books by Roberts, but I'm glad I gave the series a try. Now, I have to pace myself as I read them because there are so many books in the series that I would need to get a second job in order to buy them all at once.) 

Does the "In Death" series fall into the romance category? The answer can be found in one word/name: Roarke.
(_Pride and Prejudice_ will always be the #1 romance novel for me, though.)


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Cindy416 said:


> I know this will sound strange, but I've never been a fan of her romances written under her name, yet I love her "In Death" series written under the name of J.D. Robb. Go figure. (I was a bit reluctant to try _Naked in Death_ because I knew I didn't care for other books by Roberts, but I'm glad I gave the series a try. Now, I have to pace myself as I read them because there are so many books in the series that I would need to get a second job in order to buy them all at once.)
> 
> Does the "In Death" series fall into the romance category? The answer can be found in one word/name: Roarke.
> (_Pride and Prejudice_ will always be the #1 romance novel for me, though.)


Funny, its the same thing with me. I don't like Nora Roberts as Nora. I read a couple of books and then quit a couple of others. Just couldn't like them enough. They aren't horrible, but I am not eager to read any more. 
But once I started her In Death series, I can't stop. I devour those books. Its like a different person wrote those, even though I know its the same. Its weird.


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

Cindy416 said:


> I know this will sound strange, but I've never been a fan of her romances written under her name, yet I love her "In Death" series written under the name of J.D. Robb. Go figure. (I was a bit reluctant to try _Naked in Death_ because I knew I didn't care for other books by Roberts, but I'm glad I gave the series a try. Now, I have to pace myself as I read them because there are so many books in the series that I would need to get a second job in order to buy them all at once.)
> 
> Does the "In Death" series fall into the romance category? The answer can be found in one word/name: Roarke.
> (_Pride and Prejudice_ will always be the #1 romance novel for me, though.)


You aren't alone in your opinion of Nora Roberts vs JD Robb. I'm right there with you.


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## CoraBuhlert (Aug 7, 2011)

Me too. I like some of her Nora Roberts books, but there are many I don't particularly care for or don't bother with in the first place (e.g. the most recent home improvement series or the wedding planer series before that), but I just love her J.D. Robb books.


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## Lee44 (Sep 9, 2012)

I think I read two of her JDs.  The principle is kind of a hard boiled detective or police officer.  I liked the one book, but couldn't get past the second one.  I guess not enough emotion from her (I think).  It's been a long time.  But I don't really like her new Nora stuff either.

It is amazing how prolific this woman is.  Can you imagine having hundreds of books under your belt.  Just amazing.  I guess that is true for many of the big writers.  They find their audience, then imagine, create and hit the cash register!


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## Moira Bianchi (Oct 31, 2012)

Pride and Prejudice. I'm such a fan that I started to write about the characters!


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## Lisa Scott (Apr 4, 2011)

Diana Gabaldon's Outlander!  Love the whole series.


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## Dana Page (Nov 5, 2012)

_A Knight in Shining Armor_ by Jude Devereaux is one of my favorites. I see I'm not alone in that.


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## Candee15 (Jan 31, 2010)

Dana Page said:


> _A Knight in Shining Armor_ by Jude Devereaux is one of my favorites. I see I'm not alone in that.


I love that book, too


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## LilianaHart (Jun 20, 2011)

Dana Page said:


> _A Knight in Shining Armor_ by Jude Devereaux is one of my favorites. I see I'm not alone in that.


I cried like crazy at the end of that book.

I've thought of some others that are on my top list (My first two choices were Outlander and Romancing Mr. Bridgerton)

Almost Heaven-Judith McNaught
Ransom-Julie Garwood
I'm also a huge JD Robb fan. I like that series more than her single titles. 
Bet Me-Jennifer Crusie or maybe The Cinderella Deal (It could be a tie between these two)
ALSO...It's not technically labeled a romance because a man wrote it, but Lightning by Dean Koontz is one of the best romances ever. Wonderful story about a love that surpasses all time.


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## SteveScaffardi (Sep 6, 2011)

I have just read Love... From Both Sides by Nick Spalding which was pretty cool. I'm not normally one for chick-lit, but Mike Gayles is an author who I like who writes about relationships. I like these two authors because they write about relationships from a male perspective, and that is obviously easier for me to relate to!


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## PaulLev (Nov 2, 2012)

Pride and Prejudice


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## meghanmalone (Nov 19, 2012)

This thread has convinced me that I need to read the copy of Outlander by Diana Gabaldon that has been languishing on my Kindle for far too long. I always see the book mentioned in these types of discussions (which is exactly why I bought it), but I've yet to find the free time to get to it. It's my before-the-New-Year resolution!


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## carolineluvs2rt (Mar 31, 2011)

Choosing is hard, but Julie Garwood's PRINCE CHARMING is one I reread at least once a year. It has things I love: English heroine, spent time in Scotland, and the story becomes a western. What a combination! I enjoy so many aspects of the story, including the hero's best friend, the heroine's fixation on American mountain men, and the exciting rescue. I have many other favorites, including MORNING GLORY and Loretta Chase's LORD PERFECT. Sigh. I think I'll go read.


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## Grace Elliot (Mar 14, 2011)

My favourite tends to be the book I'm reading at the moment, which happens to be:

I have favourite romance authors, rather than specific books -such is the nature of romance that I like the twists and turns, and love the freshness of a book I havent read before. Hence, having a favourite author -since I can rely on them to provide the depth of plot and emotion that I crave.


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## PaulLev (Nov 2, 2012)

The Time Traveler's Wife


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## Iren (Nov 23, 2012)

For _all the time_ is a little harsh, but Pride and Prejudice is a big favourite of mine (and as I can see not only mine  ).

I would also add Jane Eyre.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

Not that this would ever be confused with any novel normally considered part of the "romance" genre, but since I don't read that genre:

Trouble on Triton: An Ambiguous Heterotopia, by Samuel R. Delany


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## purplepen79 (May 6, 2010)

I can see I'm far from alone in my picks of _Pride and Prejudice _ and _Jane Eyre_ -- depending which day you ask me, I say one or the other of those two titles. Today is more of a _Jane Eyre _ day -- I'm in a bad mood, and so Jane's and Mr. Rochester's struggles and eventual triumph over adversity appeal to me and inspire me "to keep calm and carry on."


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