It’s that time of year again. And if it’s anything I’ve learned from all the reading I’ve been doing, it’s what’s good in the romance department. Looking for a good book with a happily ever after? Try one of these.
Romantical:
The ones in this category have swoon-worthy romance, but are PG rated:
- Attachments, by Rainbow Rowell – Lincoln hasn’t got it all figured out. Which is why he moves in with his mom and takes a job reading company emails for suspicious or banned content. But when witty Beth and Jennifer’s correspondence keeps getting flagged, Lincoln finds himself fascinated and then falling for one of the girls (who don’t know they’re being monitored). Hijinks ensue, both heartbreaking and hopeful. I ended up falling as much in love with the book as I did the characters.
- Dear Mr. Knightly, by Katherine Reay – Sam gets a scholarship to her dream college, practically a miracle for a foster kid in and out of shelters her whole life. The only catch? She has to write to the donor, addressing him as Mr. Knightly, and tell him about her life. She befriends a former professor and his wife – both childless and happy to have her around. She also gets close with charming Alex, an alum of the writing program she’s in. And then there’s the identity of Mr. Knightley… which all become an amalgamation of a surprise ending.
- Midnight in Austenland, by Shannon Hale – When Charlotte’s husband leaves her for a woman named Justice, the only thing she wants is to leave her kids with the step-family, her American worries behind, and have a dream vacation in a recreation of Austen’s England. But things aren’t right in Austenland. There are money problems, and people are disappearing. Is it part of the ambiance, a planned story line; or is it real? And what about the cute guy who’s supposed to be her “brother?”
Historical:
Another bunch of PG reads that are set in history, and not today.
- Nine Coaches Waiting by Mary Stewart – 1940s? 1960s? Linda takes a job as a governess in a French Chateau and soon learns that there is a plot to end her small charge’s life. It is impossible to tell who is in it and who is out, and she must put aside her only chance at love amidst a very lonely life to make sure the small boy is safe. Casinos, fast cars, moonlit balls, beautiful forests, and much Peggity all combine to make this book magical.
- Persuasion by Jane Austen – This one gets much less attention than some of Austen’s others. But you have to feel sorry for poor Anne Elliot as she’s attempting to save her crazy family from themselves when she can’t even save herself. She listened to bad advice, and now she has to watch her one true love court another. Until an accident proves that they might still be suited to each other, and still in love. Plus, you know, bonus points for hunky Captain Wentworth.
- A Tangled Web by L. Montgomery – 1920s. When Aunt Becky leaves her coveted jug to an unnamed person – to be revealed a year after her death – it sets off all sorts of crazy happenings amongst her Dark and Penhallow cousins on Prince Edward Island. Love stories of the entire clan entwine, untangle, and mix in ways they never would have if that infamous jug hadn’t been at stake. It’s a little trite, but it’s FULL of hilarious characters, and one of my favorites.
Fantastical:
For books that are full of fantasy, but still have happy endings:
- Carry On, by Rainbow Rowell – Yeah, but she’s my favorite! At a wizard school in England, Simon Snow is trying to find out what happened to his roommate and enemy, Basilton Grimm-Pitch, while also fighting the Insidious Humdrum (who shares Simon’s face) with the help of his friends Penelope Bunce and Agatha Wellbelove. The dead start to appear, the magicless spots start to spread, and the only thing that’s certain is that Simon and Baz are enemies. Whether they want to be or not.
- Stardust, by Neil Gaiman – In the town of Wall, a star falls in the night sky. Tristan tells his true love, Victoria, that he will bring it back for her. But when he journeys through faerie to find it, he realizes that stars there aren’t at all like stars here, and she’s not a lump of metal but a beautiful woman. Tristan isn’t the only one who is interested in finding her, though, and together they must escape a band of murderous brothers and an evil witch (among others) to get back to the town of Wall.
- Sorcery and Cecilia or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot, by Caroline Stevermer and Patricia C. Wrede – It’s regency England, and cousins Cecelia and Kate are forced to spend the season alone when Kate goes to London and Cecelia must stay home. But when Kate refuses to take a drink from a chocolate pot at the royal convention of wizards, and the liquid burns through her dress, they’re both suddenly thrust into a scheme in which the life of a powerful magician is at stake. But with their society debuts coming up, and dresses and beaux on the line, deadly magic is just one of their concerns. Bonus: it reads like it was a blast to write.
Hawt:
These are the historical romances with all the naughty stuff in. Most definitely R, and possibly X? Don’t read unless you can stand growling gentlemen and naïve ladies.
- A Kiss at Midnight by Eloisa James – When Kate’s stepsister is too unwed and pregnant to go to the prince’s betrothal ball, her stepmother insists that Kate go and pretend to be her sister instead. 3 small rats of a dog, several technicolor wigs, a fairy godmother, some capsized boats, and a hot prince in a tower later, and Kate might just be able to find happily ever after. If she can get that princess out of the way first.
- Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn – One of the Bridgerton books (4, I think?), but you don’t have to have read the rest for this one to be enjoyable. It’s a silly book with a scathing gossip columnist, a heroine who looks like a lemon tart, a CRAZY secret, a beau who is always hungry, and some steamy romance along the way.
- Much Ado About You by Eloisa James – I know. But just ignore the name for a minute, okay? It’s a book about 4 sisters who, when their father dies, are left as the wards of a man who hardly knew him with nothing but a purebred horse each for a dowry. The best thing to do, of course, is for Tess to marry well so she can take care of the lot of them. She’s the oldest, and the Earl of Mayne is interested. It’s practically her duty to walk down the aisle. But when Mayne is MIA, who will Tess marry instead? The whole series is good, and this is the first of them. Essex sisters for the win!
by Grace Burrowes: This is a collection of 3 Christmas novels that were all collected into one e-book. They’re all full length (!!!) and very well done with plenty of Christmas goodness in with the romance goodness. I LOVED the first one, and am in the middle of the second. Best part is that they’re super-cheap right now. You can’t beat the bargain, and the 3 novels will keep you occupied until Christmas comes at this point.
by Eloisa James: I always love James’ stuff. I don’t quite know why, but as soon as you delve into that first chapter you just know you’re in the hands of a master. That was more evident to me after reading all the bad books before this one – it visibly felt like a relief to read the first paragraph. The beginning of the book and the end are all the Christmas you could desire, but the rest of it takes place outside the season. Still a fun romp and an excellent novel.
by Lisa Kleypas: The story moved quickly and the ending felt too unfinished, but otherwise the book was excellent. Modern, so be warned.
by Lisa Kleypas: I mean, it features the trope where the guy keeps going even after the girl has said no. And it does it repeatedly. But otherwise this book was excellent, with Christmas tree decorating, some Dickens, and a well done story line.
by Mary Balogh: A collection of 5 novellas. They’re all good, but I’m not really sure why they decided to put all of these together. In a lot of cases, the stories are so similar that they sort of blended into one another for me without distinction. I would read The Best Gift and Playing House, and then forget the other 3.
by Jenny Hale: I found myself cringing so often at the writing, and at the main character’s attitude toward things. Like, your life isn’t complete unless you can have children and that’s your only aim in life? Give me a break, kid. Interactions between her and the hero also felt awkward and forced a lot of the time. I did finish it in short order, so that’s saying something about the story arc itself, I think. But I would skip this one in favor of something less maddening. Also a modern tale.
by Laura Ingalls Wilder and Pamela Hill Smith: I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone who isn’t a fan of her novels or of history. It’s basically a rough draft surrounded by a WEALTH of cool information. Needs a bit of determination to get through, but it’s 100% worth it in every way once you do.
by Terry Pratchett: A collection of his non-fiction essays and talks. It’s good. His wry wit shows through clearly, and he has interesting things to say about his Alzheimer’s. Ultimately, it’s mostly fluff and opinion. But it’s good, funny fluff, so…
by Brene Brown: Holy crap. I always feel like her stuff is life changing, but I feel like this one brought me a greater understanding of what’s happening with me. I’ve been a bit depressed for a long time, and it feels like I found the key as to why and how to get out.
by Eloisa James: Not as good the second time around. I mean, I still liked it. But the first time I read it I felt like Piers was great and the story was so fresh. This time his demandingness was a bit much, and Linnet is SO naïve.
by Eloisa James: So much better the second time around I think. I liked it the first time, but the second I fell head-over-heels for the prince. Add in rats of dogs, horrible wigs, and an awesomely innapropriate Godmother, and it turns into a very fun romp.
by Julia Quinn: Knowing the surprise ending didn’t ruin it for me at all the second time around, which was nice. I do like the Bridgertons and all the silly they come with. Colin and his perpetually empty stomach being one of them.
by Julia Quinn: You know, I liked the book. I did. But it fell into that uncomfortable territory for me where the main hero was a bit too forceful for comfort. Despite that, Henry really is the best sort of girl and it was fun seeing her get the hero into a pigsty, among other things.
by Julia Quinn: Yeah, it was a cute premise and all but I found it a bit cheesy. I still maintain that the Bridgertons are her best work.
by Julia Quinn: Two childhood friends find out they have a bit more in common when he suffers a deadly injury and has no one to nurse him. There’s a lot of horrible woundiness that I skipped through – the hero gets gangrene and it’s rather descriptive about the treatment. But otherwise great.
by Eloisa James: A bit less salacious than it sounds. I liked this one a billion times more the second time around. The hero is such an ass, but he’s such a handsome, principled ass. Also, the quippy letters he and Xenobia send back and forth are hilarious. Bonus points for neither of the main characters growing up rich.
by Scott Weidensaul: Full of really frightening pioneer stories during the colonial eras, but an interesting read nonetheless. I felt like I got a better idea of some of the fiction books I used to read as a child (Calico Captive being one of them).
by Madeline L’Engle: You know, I like this sort of espionage world she operates in sometimes. She does it fairly well. I think her strength is family relationships, and there’s very little of that in here; but it’s still a compelling thriller, even if it’s a bit predictable.
by Julia Quinn: Again with the names. And I seem to be in an espionage mood. But this one was EXCELLENT. Very fun and unpredictable. Although maybe her loose ends weren’t wrapped quite as nicely as I’d like them to be. Proposal at the end was perfection.
by Stephanie Perkins: a re-read that I’m finding less captivating the second time around. Perhaps because I know what’s coming and I’m not super excited to get to the soul-crushing parts of it. You have to love Lola, though.
by Holly Black: a super-gritty and dangerous delve into Faerie Land in the middle of modern day. Kaye finds out she’s a changeling when she moves back home to New Jersey when her mom’s boyfriend gets murderey. She also becomes the target of a sadistic queen when the queen’s knight Roiben falls for her. There’s weird human neighbors and much intrigue. Amazing book.
by Holly Black: The sequel to Tithe, and just as crazy as the first. Kaye finds herself trapped between faery wars when Roiben gives her an impossible quest, and the Seelie queen tries to use her against him. Where has this series been all my life?
by Robin McKinley: In her fabulously frantic yet real-life voice. It gets a little too much sometimes, especially by the end. But I do love the outcome of the book so much. Once Lois is older it starts to feel like actual life again, and it’s nice to watch and be in. Keep with it!
by Andrea Kihlstedt: A little shorter than I wanted, but ultimately it made me feel like I could make this fundraising thing work for me despite my shyness and lack of teeth. Which I think was the purpose.
by Julia Quinn: I liked this one a LOT. I know I said I go to romance novels to escape, but this one dealt with poverty well. A sweet where the heroine fell for the property manager, who was really a Marquis in disguise. I would recommend, and will probably re-read at some point.
by Julia Quinn: It was the usual thing. And the usual thing when done by Julia Quinn is awfully well done. It’s weird, because there wasn’t anything I can pinpoint exactly that I didn’t like, but it just didn’t stick with me like some of her others. I liked it, but I would recommend others first.
by Brene Brown: I don’t know why Brene Brown is so amazing for me, but she really is. I thought that Rising Strong was helpful, but I feel like after reading this one I have a whole new understanding of how to become a better, more resilient person. I also think I have a better handle on why and how others around me are making the choices that they are. This one felt so do-able. I feel like EVERYONE should read it.
by Katherine Reay: Oh, so good and sweet and awful and heartbreaking all at the same time. I love Sam so much. She feels like a real girl, taking refuge from her bad social skills in books and always on the verge of dropping out. Every small good thing that happens to her feels like such a triumph. And the ending – !!! – wow. That’s all I’ll say. But this might be a new favorite of mine.
by Jenny Lawson: I basically spent the entire time trying not to break out in a belly-laugh when I was reading during my lunch hour or next to Brian as he slept. I love Jenny SO MUCH. This book is messier than her first, but it doesn’t seem to matter much for enjoyment. In fact, it may be funnier than her first, the sometimes (okay always) awkward ramblings serving the subject matter so well.
by Rainbow Rowell: is it bad that this is fanfiction for a series that never existed, and yet I want ALL THE BOOKS RIGHT NOW? It’s perfect, in a way that satisfied all my Harry Potter longings, with much steaminess included as well. Baz is such a shit, and I’m head over heels for him. For all of them. “So Good” doesn’t even begin to explain how I feel about it. Maybe asdfjkl;!!!!! will?
by Julia Quinn: Good, although a little ridiculous at times. I mean, she lives in his bathroom for a week or so… I don’t know. It just didn’t seem likely. But funny and quippy and full of good romance like most of Quinn’s stuff.
by Julie Murphy: Oh, quite good. I felt like Will’s journey didn’t quite come as full circle as I’d like, but overall it was a good book and unlike anything I had read before. It dealt not just with boys and body image, but also what happens when friends grow apart. Worth it.
by Rainbow Rowell: I forget how much this one slays me. She gets that whole “married too young” relationship right, and I see so much of Brian and I between the covers here. I don’t think I’d ever try and convince past Brian not to marry me, though.
by Mary Stewart: I wanted my Nano novel to feel a little like this novel. It’s one of my favorites of all time, and definitely a comfort book. You have to love the animals, and the house just for Gilly, and her romance with Christopher. So great.
by Diana Wynne Jones: Another story I’d like my Nano novel to feel like. It’s totally different than Thornyhold, but also not. There’s witchcraft and a magical house that becomes a home. There’s a little bit more of the fae in this one, though. Another favorite.
by Mary Stewart: I thought this book was a bit like Thornyhold, which it sort of is, but it’s not really a homecoming book so much as it’s a home-leaving book. At least for most of it. It didn’t help much with Nano, but I enjoyed it all the same. Another comfort book of mine, with a very puzzling mystery right until the end.
by Susanna Clarke: I picked this up because Neil Gaiman told me to (through an online article – not in person, sadly.) I’m finding it pretty slow going. It starts off as an older novel would, with much telling and exposition. But I like the characters and it’s an interesting premise. I even like the fact, a bit, that it feels older than it is. I’m going to stick with it and see if I don’t love it later. Because this is the sort that you LOVE or don’t. Nothing in between.
by Jane Austen: I’ve been wanting to tear apart a couple of books and see if I can’t learn something about the structure of them. This one was a 50-cent wrecked paperback that I bought at the local Thanksgiving rummage sale, so it was perfect. The tearing-apart stuff is going well, and is SUPER interesting. Did you know that Jane isn’t even mentioned by name for, like, almost 3 chapters? I’m trying to figure out why Austin would do that…
by Joanna Shupe: Pretty darn good, of the regular romance variety. I picked it up because it was named best of the year, and I think it deserves the crown. The PTSD of the main character was a bit of a twist, as was the total spunkiness of the heroine.
by Lisa Kleypas: Aside from a bit of disbelief that the main character wouldn’t confront her husband with the main problem but instead run to crappy relatives, I would consider this a pretty perfect romance novel.
by Diana Wynne Jones: I usually LOVE a Diana Wynne Jones book. Even “bad” ones are typically great when compared to other authors. But for some reason, I just couldn’t get into this one. Maybe it was because the zaniness was so fragmented among worlds/characters?
Casey E. Hamilton 