Monday, June 20, 2005

My All-time top ten

One of the good things about having read romance books for so long and so quickly is whenever I can't think of something else to blog about, I can blog about favourite authors recent reads, old read or top reads. Today's offering is my all time top ten favourite books.

1. Dreaming of You ,Lisa Kleypas - The reason? Derek Craven. I also like Sara quite a bit

2. Lord of Scoundrels ,Loretta Chase Dain is really just a big old teddy bear at heart and Jessica knows how to treat him. She's my kind of heroine. There's a reason this one always ends up so high on so many favourite lists.

3. After the Night, Linda Howard – This one I rate so high for the washroom scene alone. Sexy, funny and anyone who’s read it knows what I’m talking about

4. One Summer, Karen Robards – By all rights this one shouldn’t be so high. The mystery was only so so, but I adored the love story between Johnny and Rachel. One test is if I remember the characters names years later and I definitely remember these two.

5. Mr. Perfect, Linda Howard – The banter between Janie Bright and Sam Donavan is sharp, witty and delightful. This is the only book I have both in HC and PB and I plan on keeping both

6. Naked in Death, J.D. Robb - Although it’s hard to narrow down a favourite In Death book, this is the one that launched the series and I always go back to.

7. Whispers in Heaven, Candice Proctor – Jean Mason’s review (linked) at TRR says it beautifully what makes this book so special

8.
Love Alters Not, Patricia Veryan – Anthony Ferrar is such a wonderful, tortured yet noble hero and I adore Mitten, the heroine. This one has it all (including a great cover)

9. Once and Always, Judith McNaught – Another surprising top ten. Jason is a bit of a jerk and Victoria is a bit too perfect, but still this is one I simply loved

10. Ride the Fire, Pamela Clare – I’ve blogged about this one recently. It’s the only book I’ve read in the past couple of years that has broken through to make it in the top ten.

8 comments:

Kristie (J) said...

Love Alters Not is part of a six book series called The Golden Chronicles. They are trad books published by Fawcett Crest though they take place in Georgian times rather than regency. Four of them made my all time top 100. They can be hard to find though, maybe good on a wish list :)
And I loved the scene in O&A when Tory came back and Jason thought she was dead. You're right. sigh.

Tara Marie said...

I've read everything except:

Love Alters Not
Ride the Fire

Do I need to add these to my Wish List??

I'd agree with putting all of them in a top 10 or 20. I'd have to add Linda Howard's Son of the Morning (for the scene on the stairs--LOL ranks up there with the scene in the public bathroom)

lost said...

Oooh, almost all are in my top 100 books. Three books I haven't read:

Judith McN's book -- not touching it. I almost blinded myself trying her two other books.

Patricia Veryan - her writing style is a bit too peculiar for my taste. I can't remember why, though. Funny enough, one of her books MANDARIN OF MAYFAIR is on my wish list. Hm.

Pamela Clare is new to me. Will look up her book some day.

The rest? Fabulous. The public restroom? Amen! :D

re: ONE SUMMER, have you read Ginna Gray's FOR THE LOVE OF GRACE?

Kristie (J) said...

Maili: Oh dear, yes I read it after you gave it a rec. Um, ah, um, it wasn't One Summer.......
Oh WTF, I thought it was dreadful :) But I quickly add, I AM glad I read it. Curiosity would have driven me nuts and it made me appreciate One Summer even more.
Veryan can be descriptive. I didn't care for any of the Jewelled Men series and I found MOM a bit of a letdown after the buildup he got.
McNaught can be hot or cold and FWIW it was the only one of hers that made it into my top 100.

lost said...

I didn't recommend it [if you are referring to that AAR post]. I mentioned it because a lot of readers thought Ginna Gray ripped her story off Robards's ONE SUMMER. I still can't see similiarities, hence me asking if you'd read it. :>

lost said...

P.S. if I did recommend a book and you don't like it, I truly have no problem with it. :>

[Admittedly, that is said with my knife under your eye.]

Kristie (J) said...

When I read it, that's exactly what I thought. That Gray had come pretty damn close to plagurizing.

OS- hero spent time in jail for brutal murder of young woman. He didn't do it although he did admit to having sex with victim
FTLOG - same

OS - hero from wrong side of tracks
FTLOG - same

OS - hero befriends young son of woman he previously slept with
FTLOG - same

OS - hero has had hots for heroine for years
FTLOG - same

OS - hero asks if heroine wants to "jump his bones" I'd never heard this expression before.
FTLOG - identical

OS - insane villian "targets" hero
FTLOG - same

OS - hero works for heroine
FTLOG - same

OS - relative of first victim attacks hero
FTLOG - same

OS - hero is arrested for second murder
FTLOG - same

OS - heroine provides alibi
FTLOG - same
I could go on but I'd take up too much space.
And I'll let you off the hook (grin) Thinking back, you didn't recommend as much as ask if I'd read it. I read "One Summer" and jumped on it.

Anonymous said...

Loved this. Found some old favorites and also a few new ones to try!