American Romance #642 One Husband Too Many by Jacqueline Diamond, Jana seeks a divorce from her husband, Drake. Then a magic amulet transports her back in time to meet the right man who turns out to be: Drake!
Mary Gilgannon’s Storm Maiden is a Viking historical romance novel about a captor and his captive set in medieval Ireland & Norway. It features a strong heroine, but the injured hero is too beta for my tastes. A 2 1/2 star read.
Widowed and pregnant Shay returns to the home of her former lover, her dead husband’s brother, Lyon Falconer. Lyon’s still married, though. Will Shay and Lyon reignite their affair?
The Evolution of Harlequin romances. Chris Lambie at saltwire.com addresses “How Harlequin Romances Got Spicier.” A study of 500 books found the covers and books got sexier as time passed. Still, younger readers view them as books grandma would read, despite their changes.
Loveswept #604 Book Review of Suzanne Forster’s Loveswept romance Surrender, Baby. Final analysis: this book is a 5 star read!
Harlequin Historical 5#7 In Kristin James’ (aka Candace Camp)Â The Yankee, Andrew Stone is a former Union soldier now living in Texas.
Miranda Lee’s The Millionaire’s Mistress is a bit of an uneven read. I’m undecided on this one…Still, this Harlequin Presents makes for an enjoyable, quick read. 3 1/2 stars
Silhouette Intimate Moments #365 Nora Roberts Night Shift Cilla is a radio host with a stalker. Boyd is the police officer determined to stop him from hurting the woman he loves. 4 stars
Wicked Loving Lies is “The Queen of Historical Romance” Rosemary Roger’s best book! It’s a bodice ripper classic, not for the faint of heart.
Harlequin Presents #2067 A Convenient Bridegroom Helen Bianchin Boring wedding porn 1 star
What a rarity in the romance genre was Heart of the Falcon, a historical about lovers in ancient Egypt. This is author Suzanne Robinson’s only romance set in Egypt. 3 1/2 stars
In the first episode of my podcast Sweet Savage Flame, the topic is Discussing Bodice Rippers #1, where I talk about the origins of the modern romance genre: the much-maligned bodice ripper. Should we keep those un-politically correct books strictly in the past or take the best of what the genre had to offer to …
Sweet Savage Flame Podcast: Discussing Bodice Rippers #1 Read More »
It’s hard to believe this vintage romance blog is only a month old, as it’s taken up so much of my time trying to put it together. Besides researching authors, publishing houses, and cover artists, I’ve been reviewing books and tweaking the site to make it more user-friendly with plenty of links and additions to the menu.
Harlequin Presents #451 Crescendo by Charlotte Lamb A mysterious man enters a young woman’s life, but does she know him already? 5 stars
Silhouette Special Edition #290 After Erik is left at the altar, Colleen gives him comfort. But when his ex-fiancee returns, then what? 3 stars
Ah, the beauty of Spring! For the week of April 26 to May 2, these are my picks for stunning romance covers to gaze upon!
On April 15, 2021, The Washington Post journalist Angela Haupt spoke with a dozen major players in the romance novel industry to write this engaging article about the evolution of the romance genre:
The setting of Carnival, a Harlequin Intrigue by Jenna Ryan, is the dark, dreary English moors. It’s a well-plotted romantic suspense book that will keep you on your toes. 3 stars
Harlequin Presents #636 Carole Mortimer’s Love Unspoken is one of those infamously controversial Harlequin Presents where readers can’t stop talking about it. 4 1/2 stars
Knight to the Rescue is a cute, enjoyable Miranda Lee romance about a stranger who comes to mousy young Audrey’s aid when her boyfriend cruelly dumps her.
