Best Romance Novels (I read in the past months)
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Okay, so I'm still feeling lazy to start making a lot of different posts, so I am going to condense it all into one post and write an article on the best romances. The books are not in order of preference.
1. Gypsy Lord by Kat Martin- After reading formulaic romances about dukes, this one's like a breath of fresh hair. The hero is dark and brooding (like romance heroes usually are) and also a gypsy. There are plenty of tension and interesting scenes in the book and it will keep you reading. The heroine is quite strong too, but the book tends to stretch at the end, even though there is no real dispute left to be resolved.
Good if you are looking for something unique or different within the genre.
Rating- 4/5
2. Until You by judith McNaught- Another book by one of my favorite romance writers. However, that will not stop me for saying honestly that this was one of her most disappointing works. Everything was as expected; there were no unexpected twists or plot devices. The romance was standard, it became harder and harder to believe as the pages went by, that there was anything genuine about the love. There seemed to be so special bond between the characters and the predictable protagonists took the fun out of this work, which could have been great, since the idea was good.
rating-2.5/5
3. Paradise by Judith McNaught- This one's a brilliant work. The beginning seemed to be a bit boring, but by the sixtieth page or so, the story was starting to shape up pretty well. The relationship is one of the best and most believable ones. There were misunderstandings, since it is one of Judith McNaught's most favorite plot devices, but everything seemed to hold together. Their romance as youngsters was a particularly nice way of starting the story, without being too sugary.
A classic work by one of the best writers in the genre.
Rating-4.5/5
4. Remember When- It's story was much like paradise, about a high-born,rich girl falling in love with a boy who is not-so rich, but twenty years later becomes a CEO of a huge multinational firm....you know the rest. But this kind of plot works like a charm. It never gets boring. This novel seemed like an attempt to recreate the magic of Paradise, but fell short. Probably because the characters weren't so three-dimensional, and the book didn't have enough tension to keep it going. No misunderstandings, either. But it's a decent read, especially if you don't compare it with Paradise.
Rating-4/5
5. Manhunting by Jennifer Laurens- This is the first book that I've read by Jennifer Laurens. She has a different style than other writers. Her stories are light-hearted and funny, not intense. It falls a little short of my expectations, but neverthless, you could enjoy it if you like romantic comedies. The premise is catchy enough: A woman in her thirties wants to settle down and find the perfect guy who is driven, ambitious and will build a business empire with her. She vacations in a place where rich people seem to gather but ends up falling in love with a guy who's just the opposite of her Mr. Perfect. The guy was really a different sort of romantic interest- he's not insanely rich, powerful or a larger than life alpha male.
Different, but good. Better than Bet Me by the same author. I don't know, it never really sucked me in.
Rating-3.7/5
6. Smooth Talking Stranger by Lisa Kleypas- First contemporary novel by Lisa that I've read and she doesn't disappoint (at least not completely). The premise is a mish-mash of cliched and original- a woman stuck with the newborn child of her sister-has no idea who the father is-based on questionable evidence decides it is multi-millionaire Jack Travis- a hare-brained scheme to make him accept responsibility lands her in the arms of the male lead. If you like these kind of novels, you will enjoy smooth talking stranger, but the heroine is a little insipid and the book lacks the depth and intensity of her historicals.
Rating-4/5
7. The Handmaiden's Necklace by Kat Martin- Five years ago Rafael, Duke of the Sheffield, believed he was betrayed by the woman he loved and the pain haunts him still. When Rafe discovers that he was cruelly tricked, and that Danielle Duval was never unfaithful, he's desperate to win her back. But Dani is already on a steamer bound for America to marry another man. Impulsively, Rafe follows her and, trapping her in a compromising situation, quickly makes her his wife. (Taken from author website)
I think it's easy to get used to Kat Martin's writing style. I find her historicals to be pretty good. This one is part of a trilogy about a necklace that can bring extreme happiness or extreme sorrow. The secondary romance between Danielle's maid (well, she wasn't exactly a maid, but I forgot the correct term) and a guy they meet in America is as well developed as the main storyline. In fact it snatches away the spotlight from the main story, because the characters take too long to decide what they want.
Rating-4/5
8. It Had to be You by Susan Elizabeth Phillips- The Windy City definitely isn't ready for Phoebe Somerville, the outrageous York knockout who’s taking over their home town team. And Phoebe is definitely not prepared for the Stars' head coach Dan Calebow, a sexist jock taskmaster with a one-track mind. The Chicago Stars are about to take the field...and they’re not the only ones playing for keeps. (Taken from author website)
Good book, better than many of its contemporaries out there. I liked Nobody's baby but mine better because it had unique characters and a good secondary romance, too. It was also quite touching. This one's good too, just more of the expected variety.
9. A Season of Eden by JM Warwick- I don't know whether it is alright to be featuring a YA novel on this list, but Season of Eden is an interesting book, even though it didn't develop quite the way I imaxgined it to.
The author could have done wonderful things with a plot like this, but it seemed to fall short. I am just a little bit disappointed.
Rating-3.5/5
10. Practice makes Perfect bu Julie James- A lighthearted battle of the sexes kind of novel. The setting is a legal firm, which adds a lot of tension. Both the protagonists are trying to make partner but only one can. Their rivalry is funny to read. Well-written. Enjoyed this book.
Rating-4.5/5
So there you have it. Ten books reviewed in one post.
1. Gypsy Lord by Kat Martin- After reading formulaic romances about dukes, this one's like a breath of fresh hair. The hero is dark and brooding (like romance heroes usually are) and also a gypsy. There are plenty of tension and interesting scenes in the book and it will keep you reading. The heroine is quite strong too, but the book tends to stretch at the end, even though there is no real dispute left to be resolved.
Good if you are looking for something unique or different within the genre.
Rating- 4/5
2. Until You by judith McNaught- Another book by one of my favorite romance writers. However, that will not stop me for saying honestly that this was one of her most disappointing works. Everything was as expected; there were no unexpected twists or plot devices. The romance was standard, it became harder and harder to believe as the pages went by, that there was anything genuine about the love. There seemed to be so special bond between the characters and the predictable protagonists took the fun out of this work, which could have been great, since the idea was good.
rating-2.5/5
3. Paradise by Judith McNaught- This one's a brilliant work. The beginning seemed to be a bit boring, but by the sixtieth page or so, the story was starting to shape up pretty well. The relationship is one of the best and most believable ones. There were misunderstandings, since it is one of Judith McNaught's most favorite plot devices, but everything seemed to hold together. Their romance as youngsters was a particularly nice way of starting the story, without being too sugary.
A classic work by one of the best writers in the genre.
Rating-4.5/5
4. Remember When- It's story was much like paradise, about a high-born,rich girl falling in love with a boy who is not-so rich, but twenty years later becomes a CEO of a huge multinational firm....you know the rest. But this kind of plot works like a charm. It never gets boring. This novel seemed like an attempt to recreate the magic of Paradise, but fell short. Probably because the characters weren't so three-dimensional, and the book didn't have enough tension to keep it going. No misunderstandings, either. But it's a decent read, especially if you don't compare it with Paradise.
Rating-4/5
5. Manhunting by Jennifer Laurens- This is the first book that I've read by Jennifer Laurens. She has a different style than other writers. Her stories are light-hearted and funny, not intense. It falls a little short of my expectations, but neverthless, you could enjoy it if you like romantic comedies. The premise is catchy enough: A woman in her thirties wants to settle down and find the perfect guy who is driven, ambitious and will build a business empire with her. She vacations in a place where rich people seem to gather but ends up falling in love with a guy who's just the opposite of her Mr. Perfect. The guy was really a different sort of romantic interest- he's not insanely rich, powerful or a larger than life alpha male.
Different, but good. Better than Bet Me by the same author. I don't know, it never really sucked me in.
Rating-3.7/5
6. Smooth Talking Stranger by Lisa Kleypas- First contemporary novel by Lisa that I've read and she doesn't disappoint (at least not completely). The premise is a mish-mash of cliched and original- a woman stuck with the newborn child of her sister-has no idea who the father is-based on questionable evidence decides it is multi-millionaire Jack Travis- a hare-brained scheme to make him accept responsibility lands her in the arms of the male lead. If you like these kind of novels, you will enjoy smooth talking stranger, but the heroine is a little insipid and the book lacks the depth and intensity of her historicals.
Rating-4/5
7. The Handmaiden's Necklace by Kat Martin- Five years ago Rafael, Duke of the Sheffield, believed he was betrayed by the woman he loved and the pain haunts him still. When Rafe discovers that he was cruelly tricked, and that Danielle Duval was never unfaithful, he's desperate to win her back. But Dani is already on a steamer bound for America to marry another man. Impulsively, Rafe follows her and, trapping her in a compromising situation, quickly makes her his wife. (Taken from author website)
I think it's easy to get used to Kat Martin's writing style. I find her historicals to be pretty good. This one is part of a trilogy about a necklace that can bring extreme happiness or extreme sorrow. The secondary romance between Danielle's maid (well, she wasn't exactly a maid, but I forgot the correct term) and a guy they meet in America is as well developed as the main storyline. In fact it snatches away the spotlight from the main story, because the characters take too long to decide what they want.
Rating-4/5
8. It Had to be You by Susan Elizabeth Phillips- The Windy City definitely isn't ready for Phoebe Somerville, the outrageous York knockout who’s taking over their home town team. And Phoebe is definitely not prepared for the Stars' head coach Dan Calebow, a sexist jock taskmaster with a one-track mind. The Chicago Stars are about to take the field...and they’re not the only ones playing for keeps. (Taken from author website)
Good book, better than many of its contemporaries out there. I liked Nobody's baby but mine better because it had unique characters and a good secondary romance, too. It was also quite touching. This one's good too, just more of the expected variety.
9. A Season of Eden by JM Warwick- I don't know whether it is alright to be featuring a YA novel on this list, but Season of Eden is an interesting book, even though it didn't develop quite the way I imaxgined it to.
The author could have done wonderful things with a plot like this, but it seemed to fall short. I am just a little bit disappointed.
Rating-3.5/5
Rating-4.5/5
So there you have it. Ten books reviewed in one post.