Romance

Recs by Tiina

Do you like romance novels? If not, then the first half of this post probably isn’t for you (in that case, scroll down right now for Coll's part). I, on the other hand, am a huge romance fan. I do read other books, but romances tend to be my guilty pleasures (if I believed in such things – never be guilty about what you read!) or tools to get me out of a slump. I started reading romance (Sandra Brown's and Nora Roberts' novels) when I was around 13 and have not been able to stop since.

Now, there are several subgenres to romance. Historical, paranormal, you name it. I believe there is something for everyone. There are books that focus heavily on the romance plot, and there are books where that part is kept in the sidelines. However, the following recommendations tend to be in the first category.

So, what’s your poison? Do you like more chick lit-y and rather chaste romance? Then I’d recommend an under-hyped Monday to Friday Man by Alice Peterson. Or then Dinner at Rose’s by Danielle Hawkins. Of course, there are oodles of books in this subgenre so it’s been very difficult to narrow them down to a few. Then there is The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion. This is definitely not chick lit, per se, but it’s sweet and unique. Another one of my favourites is Hunting and Gathering by Anna Gavalda. It focuses on a group of unlikely friends and I think it’s great. And you get extra points for reading translated literature!

At the opposite end of the romance spectrum is erotica, or then just new adult or romance with a fair amount of sexytimes. This is not for the underage or the faint-hearted. My favourite new adult author (meaning the protagonists are in their 20s and the plot itself deals with some heavier issues) is Samantha Young. I can heartily recommend her On Dublin Street series. It is also set in Edinburgh, so please read at your own risk. It may induce swooning. The audiobooks are great for this series. Just don’t listen to them out loud in a public space as someone will most likely walk in at the exact moment they mention quivering… Anyway.  Less well-known is perhaps Jay Crownover. Her heroes and heroines aren’t always that, but they are tattooed, pierced and hot. That is not to say all characters have to look perfect. One of my favourites, where the main female protagonist was not stick thin, was RL Mathewson’s Perfection. The series can be slightly formulaic, but they are really fast reads! On the more erotic side of things I guess Laurelin Paige’s Fixed trilogy is also good. Only if you like high levels of angst, though! Still, depends on which aspect you read it for. To be blunt, the sex is pretty hot in that trilogy. Too much information? Fine. I aim to please. No pun intended.

Now if you want romance with more mainstream representation of sex (as realistic as they can be in romances) then I’d recommend Jill Shalvis’ Lucky Harbor novels or then Susan Mallory’s Fool’s Gold ones. By mainstream I mean the characters refrain from having sex every five minutes against every imaginable surface. Again, these tend to follow the same patterns, but the dialogue is usually funny and there is always a Happily Ever After.

Are you tired of contemporaries? Well, there’s historical romance from different eras. For medieval romances I’d check out Jude Deveraux’s books. Velvet Song is one of my favourites. There are also Western romances! For that I can recommend Elizabeth Lowell. Yes, the men can be too untrusting, slightly mean and annoyingly alpha, but the ends are happy, which is the way I like it. Topaz is also pretty wonderful (great heroine!) and I look forward to reading more of Beverly Jenkins. If you like Regency Era-ish historical romance then Sarah MacLean is highly lauded. I also recommend Gail Carriger’s Parasol Protectorate series for a paranormal twist. The romance is not exactly in the foreground, but it is heavily discussed. Still, it’s funny, but be wary of bumpy carriage sex. You’ll know what I mean when you read the book. 

If you prefer more YA or tame novels then I can heartily recommend Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl or Becky Albertalli’s Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda (it’s LGBTQ+ and one of the sweetest books I have ever read). Easy by Tamara Webber also contains college-aged students like Fangirl, but it deals with some very heavy and yet important topics (rape on campus). An important read if you’re looking for a fictional representation of the subject.

And this is it. I know the post was full of recommendations with very little explanation of the plot. You can always ask me about it later! I’d say with romance one should always expect alpha males and some formulaic-ness, but I am not exactly trying to convert anyone to reading romance. My main aim really was to talk about my personal favourites and hope to inspire some of you to give these novels a shot. Life doesn’t always have to be sad and depressing. Sometimes you just want to see that awesome and funny lady (or man) find a partner in life. Even though you will forever be expecting to find your very own hot yet sensitive sexy sheriff/barkeeper/local business owner when you move to a small coastal town. 

Thank you for tuning in and happy reading!

Coll’s Two Cents

I am by no means a romance reader nor do I know much about it. But as the saying goes “there is something for everybody” and I feel that is also the case for those of us who gravitate away from romance. I will keep my part short and simple and just give some recommendations for those of us who are not avid romance readers. These books I am mentioning all involve a romantic aspect but it is further down on the subgenre list.

Time and Again by Jack Finney is one of my most loved books. Like, a book I hug when I finish it. Okay maybe part of my love for it is because it is historical fiction involving New York City, but there are plenty more reasons than that. It is a great mix of science fiction, time travel, historical fiction, and romance. It is not “sexytimes” romance, as Tiina would say, but the entire story involves a love story that is very sweet and brings up the question of how far you would go to be with the person you love.

Winter’s Tale by Mark Helprin is a book I try to read every winter. This book seems to be hit or miss with readers and I think what you need to know going into it is that it is highly fantastical. The majority of the story revolves around a beautiful love story between two main characters, as well as a love story between the author and the city. One thing you need to know going into this story though it is quite lengthy with its use of language and takes magical realism to an extreme. Helprin has a certain style of writing that you either love or hate.

And then of course, there is the classic Gone with the Wind. Not only is this one of my favorite movies but it is also one of my favorite books and involves one of the most well-known romances in fiction. It packs in so much history, war, family, and all revolves around such an intense romance. It is constant drama in the best way. I am sure most people have seen the movie but if you have not read the book and are looking for some classic romance that is not overwhelming, then Gone with the Wind is it. 

So there you have it, three books you can check out if you are not a huge romance fan but would not mind a story with a hint of it. All three of the books I mention belong to so many genres that there is something for everyone in each book.