Romantic Novels

[Igu Soni]

I want to know whether any one knows any good romantic novels. Not the Meg Cabot type, something like the Elmore Leonard of romantic novels. Thanks.

[beelzebubbles]

Well if you want romance and literature try A.S. Byatt's Possession.

As for good romance novels, you could try Mary Jo Putney or Jo Beverly; they write historical romance. I can't completely vouch for their quality as I haven't read any romance novels in quite a few years and my taste has changed since then.

[saliotthomas]

Anna Karenina and War and peace of Tolstoi would qualify too.

But with the Semantic obsessed bunch haunting those green fields(romantic sentencing) i shall ask " ho but what exactly is a romantic novel ?"
Impossible love,passion,hight feeling,wind in the hair on hight cliffs,nurse falling in love with the handsome doctor,...

[beelzebubbles]

Ewww, Nurse novels! I recommend avoiding those plaguey things.

In Nightclub Nurse by Rose Dana, 'Nurse Gwen must choose between a safe and secure marriage to Dr. Jack--or an exciting future with a man-about-town.' Sounds like a fun job though.

In Surf Safari Nurse, 'Laurie would lose her doctor to Waikiki's waves...unless she played his game.'

In Ski-Resort Nurse there is 'adventure and romance in two white worlds' Which begs the question which white worlds are they talking about?

Of course there are the obvious, the Brontes.

[Igu Soni]

What about books with a guy and a girl just talking, kissing, the works, you know, spending time together (which is the comparison to Elmore Leonard)? Say, like, Before Sunrise or any of that whole genre of movie which just come along and charm you with great chemistry... I want to see what that is like in reading.

[beelzebubbles]

Try Jennifer Crusie. I liked Faking It, Crazy for You and Fast Women.

Warning: there is cuteness involving dogs.

Robert Parker is not a very good writer but his Spenser novels feature a loving relationship between the detective and his girl friend who is a psychoanalyst.

Romance novels are action/adventure novels featuring a couple who are in the first throws of courtship. They have a lot of plot to give them something to do while they find out about each other. Any romance novel will have chemistry, conversation, kissing and etc.

[Igu Soni]

Romance novels are action/adventure novels featuring a couple who are in the first throws of courtship. They have a lot of plot to give them something to do while they find out about each other. Any romance novel will have chemistry, conversation, kissing and etc.

It's a pity. Someone should write one someday in which there is absolutely no other plot.

[heidiadonis]

What about books with a guy and a girl just talking, kissing, the works, you know, spending time together (which is the comparison to Elmore Leonard)? Say, like, Before Sunrise or any of that whole genre of movie which just come along and charm you with great chemistry... I want to see what that is like in reading.

That sounds perfectly charming! I loved the moves Before Sunrise and even Before Sunset. How about Cyrano de Bergerac?

[Igu Soni]

That sounds perfectly charming! I loved the moves Before Sunrise and even Before Sunset. How about Cyrano de Bergerac?

I didn't like the movie. Found it rather heavily overdone.
(By the way, I wrote up a few thought on those two movies yesterday. It's here if you're interested.)

[beelzebubbles]

Warning: most of what I have recommended is emotional porn for women. It has about the same relationship to real romance as pornography does to real sex.

[saliotthomas]

Warning: most of what I have recommended is emotional porn for women. It has about the same relationship to real romance as pornography does to real sex.

You mean you are filmed when you read them??!!!!

[Igu Soni]

Warning: most of what I have recommended is emotional porn for women. It has about the same relationship to real romance as pornography does to real sex.

I think I've given up. Hopefully, when I'm old and withered, some young novelist will log in, find this thread, and recommend me a good such book. Till then, I will return to the regular tedium of everyday reading.

[Igu Soni]

I think I've given up. Hopefully, when I'm old and withered, some young novelist will log in, find this thread, and recommend me a good such book. Till then, I will return to the regular tedium of everyday reading.

I wrote that significantly better than I thought I did. Wow.

[Daniel del Real]

Warning: most of what I have recommended is emotional porn for women. It has about the same relationship to real romance as pornography does to real sex.

Oh I see, those with Fabio on the cover right?




Maybe Liam has read them too

[Jayaprakash]

Aren't Jane Austen's novels somewhat the sort of thing?

[matt.todd]

How about The Time Traveler's Wife? Ignore the crappy looking movie, and read the book. It's a little bit brilliant, mashing together quasi-sci-fi, literary style, and a whole load of other stuff. Keeping it together, though, is a truly beautiful love story.

[Liam]

Maybe Liam has read them too

Yes he has: a few dozen, here and there. However, this would be more to Liam's liking, on long lazy afternoons at the beach:

Can't say that I "highly recommend it," but do check it out if you're curious, along with the hilariously/unambiguously titled James Lear porn-chronicles: The Low Road, The Secret Tunnel, The Back Passage--hmm, I wonder what they're talking about... .

Daniel, you're asking for it, this time! Watch out, I might book a flight to Guadalajara the next chance I get--


Cheers,
L

[Jayaprakash]

I thought THE TIME-TRAVELLER'S WIFE was the creepiest book I'd read since LOLITA and not even a tenth as good. Does no one else see that the story could just as easily be about this utter wanker using his mutant powers to manipulate a woman he's fixated on into being his wife? Gave me the creeps, it did. It didn't help that all the characters were self-absorbed wish-fulfillment caricatures.

[beelzebubbles]

all the characters were self-absorbed wish-fulfillment caricatures.

Now this would be a good definition of the characters in much of the romance genre.

But really what is wrong with wish-fulfillment caricatures?

[Jayaprakash]

Well, Niffeneger's wishes are clearly not the same as my own, so they completely failed to work for me. That's the biggest risk with creating that sort of character, isn't it? With more complex characters, and more complex writerly motives behind them, you can like or dislike the characters, but still find them compelling.