Happy Valentine's Day,
Fellow Book Lovers!!!!!
This blog hop is hosted by Ginger,
at the awesome
Each Friday, a question is posted, and the week's
blog posts are re-capped.
To join in the fun,
just publish your own post,
and then link up to the hosting blog's hop page!
Here's this week's question:
Love Stories:
What are some of your favorite
fictional love stories?
Oh, this is such a great topic! I'm sure most of us romantic females can post long lists of novels that have literally (pun intended) swept us away on a tide of passion and romance!
Well, here are my absolute favorites! All of these books are totally unforgettable to me, and I treasure them dearly! Each of these novels features a couple that struggles with different issues, whether paranormal or more realistic, and they are able to move beyond all apparent obstacles in order to be together. Such is the force of love!
Three of these books are recent reads: Winter's Shadow, Die For Me, and Midnight Embrace. I read all the others years ago. It's definitely time to enjoy them again, I think! Besides, I do want to review them for this blog.
Some readers prefer more recently published books. However, at times one can find a gold mine of really great reads if one is willing to search for older books. One of the ones listed here, Tryst, was first published in 1939. I first came across it in my school library when I was in high school. From the moment I began reading it, I was totally enchanted! This is a beautiful, tender, ghost love story. So it's worth it to take a chance on older books.
Of course, classics are classics because they continue to delight generation after generation. So, Jane Eyre needs no introduction; most readers have at least heard of it, and are familiar with the plot. The love of Edward Rochester and Jane Eyre is one of the most emotional, most beautiful, ever penned. This is truly an enduring story!
Speaking of classics, I haven't listed Pride and Prejudice. I did read it in high school, but don't remember much of the plot. So it's on my TBR list.
Rebecca is another great classic. First published in 1938, this book was made into a famous movie in the 1940's. Although somewhat influenced by Jane Eyre, in the sense that it, too, has a Gothic atmosphere, the plot is really not similar at all. This is another wonderful read!
There's one book on this list that was written by a man: Winter's Shadow. Another book, Sunshine and Shadow, was written by a husband and wife team. Both are just beautiful! This proves that at least some men can write romance! (I haven't included Nicholas Sparks because I haven't read any of his books, but I probably never will, because they all have sad endings; I know -- I've peeked!)
Sunshine and Shadow tells the tale of a worldly Hollywood screenwriter and a shy Amish girl. A great romance is guaranteed! It's very beautiful and tender...sigh...
Die For Me is a wonderfully romantic young adult paranormal read, as is Winter's Shadow. The heroes are mysterious, supernatural, and haunted by their pasts...great romance there, to be sure!
As for The Twilight Saga, I refuse to feel any sort of literary 'shame' for loving it as much as I do. I have read these books twice, and will most likely read them more times. The story of Edward and Bella will never fail to enthrall me, even if I read it a hundred times...
Night Magic is a modern retelling of the story of The Phantom of the Opera, and ends much more happily! Another older book well worth reading!
The last one, Midnight Embrace, is a vampire romance with a lot of angst and passionate romance, although the sensual scenes are very tastefully handled, and are very sweet. Sigh... I definitely prefer this author to J.R. Ward, one of whose books I once skimmed, thus getting the gist of the plot. Along the way, I came across a lot of profanity, not to mention very graphic sex scenes. I have decided to avoid both of these things when reading romance novels.
If any of you do give any of my book recommendations a try, I guarantee you won'e be sorry! Hope you take the plunge. Enjoy!
Charlotte Bronte
Stephenie Meyer
Elswyth Thane
Daphne Du Maurier
Sharon and Tom Curtis
M.J. Hearle
Charlotte Vale Allen
Amy Plum
Amanda Ashley
This week at
A Night's Dream of Books
Great post!!!! I have only read twilight out of your entire list but these are some great recommends and some have been on my tbr list! Yay for love stories :) happy valentines and sorry it took me so long I have had a very busy few weeks with college! I love all your comments and appreciate it! Thank you :)
ReplyDeleteHi, Christie!
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm glad you like my post!! Thanks for the compliment!! Yes, YAY for love stories!!!!! I can NEVER get enough of them!!
Hope you had a WONDERFUL Valentine's Day!! I know all about being busy, so don't worry -- I understand! I have two jobs.... I don't know how I manage to get any blogging done at all...
Thanks for such a lovely comment, and you're welcome, as well!!
Happy Friday!! : )