I’m trying something new for my review today: batch reviews. I’ve decided to put together several books from the same genre and review them all at once. This will help me catch up on my massive back-log of reviews, and will help you uncover several new possible reads at once!
I have read more romance novels recently than I have in a long time. Romance is normally a genre I shy away from, mainly because I find most of them a little condescending and ridiculous. I also find it embarrassing to read sexually explicit content when other people are in the room. In the past, I have avoided this by mainly reading inspirational romance novels.
I typically want to avoid this:
“Hey there Brenda, what are you reading?” ::Looks over shoulder:: “What is wrong with you?! There are children here!”
Yeah…
However, the last Book Riot quarterly box was all about pushing the boundaries of reading and getting outside your reading comfort zone, which made me read the romance novel included in there. I’ve also picked up a few free sort-of romances lately. They are not quite so romance-focused, but I still consider them romances, simply because the romance is one of the main elements of the plot.
First up: A Rogue by Any Other Name
Author: Sarah MacLean
Source: Purchased by me, in my BKR03 box.
Genre: Historical romance
Readability Rating: 4 stars
Morality Rating: R
Buy the Book: Amazon
This book has a true “romance” cover, as it is a full romance novel. Normally, I will not read these for the reasons mentioned above. However, since it was in my box, I decided to give it a try. I was pleasantly surprised by this novel. I have come to expect romances to have little plot that makes no sense and to mainly revolve around the word “ravishing” or “heaving” (anyone else remember the romance novel “Passionate Trousers” from Cassandra Clare’s Harry Potter fan fiction novel? “Where bosoms actually heave!” Good times.) but this book has surprisingly little of that and quite a few genuinely romantic passages.
In fact, I found the story itself to be quite amusing. I’m finding that if a romance novel is devoid of humor and takes itself too seriously, I typically will not like it. I prefer the tongue-in-cheek romance style. Because really. One of my favorite romance novels has to be Ransom My Heart
The romance scenes are rather embarrassing and overdone, but at least there is little in the way of euphemisms. If one more book uses the euphemism “member,” I will hurl it across the room.
What surprised me the most is how well written the book is. I wish she would break away from the romance genre and write something else, because she could succeed in any format, and I would love to be able to read her writing out in public.
Next: The Time Traveler’s Wife
Author: Audry Nifflinger
Source: Borrowed from my sister
Genre: Tearjerker romance
Readability Rating: 5 stars
Morality Rating: R
Buy the book: Amazon
I know I am incredibly late to the party on this one, but I am passionately in love with The Time Traveler’s Wife. I loved everything about this book from first page to last. It captures everything I love about a book in a single location. Probably my favorite thing about The Time Traveler’s Wife was how educated it was. The characters were all incredibly rounded and intelligent about music, literature, science, math, and pretty much everything else. I would have loved to hang out with these people in real life. I would not be up to their level at first, but I would love the chance to become equally educated.
The Time Traveler’s Wife is a perfectly heartbreaking story in which there is no happy ending. It reminds me of life; there are things that will break your heart, and there are things that will make you feel ecstatic, but in the end, you will die and so will everyone else around you, so you might as well embrace the time you have. I felt like I lived an entire lifetime when reading this book.
Last: Winning the Highlander’s Heart
Author: Terry Spear
Source: Borrowed from my dad (yep, but there is an explanation. Terry Spear is a family friend. I was pretty good friends with her son growing up)
Genre: Historical romance
Readability Rating: 3 stars
Morality Rating: R
Buy the Book: Amazon
Winning the Highlander’s Heart embodies everything I have come to expect from the historical romance genre. It has kidnappings, a rocky romance, heiresses, and the inevitable wedded bliss. The dialogue was my favorite part in this story. Fans of fast-paced, action-filled historical romances will really enjoy this series. Ordinarily, Terry Spear mainly writes in the paranormal romance field, so it is fun to see her write in a strict romance capacity. She told me she actually went to Scotland to research this series, and I think you can really feel the country in her writing.
Have you read any good romance books recently?
A Little More Love for You!
10 quotes to inspire your summer romance
My favorite romance novels in 2011
The best modern romance authors
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The Time Traveler’s Wife just about broke my heart. Gorgeous book.
I’m so happy I found this. I ADORE romance novels but I hate buying them and finding that they are poorly written.
My college roommate kept recommending The Time Traveler’s Wife! When I heard that it would make me cry, though, I decided not to read it. I see that you rated it as a tear-jerker, too!