6 Sweet & Sexy Heroes from Old School Historical Romances
We’ve compiled a list of six sweet and sexy heroes from some amazing historical romances. These remarkable men will have you swooning with their devoted adoration for their women.
Month: September 2021
Historical Romance Review: First Love, Wild Love by Janelle Taylor
This review is of First Love, Wild Love by Janelle Taylor. The book begins begins in Texas, where Calinda Braxton, the heroine, has come from England to investigate the disappearance of her father… 4 1/2 stars
Podcast: Defy Not the Heart by Johanna Lindsey
For a while–except for maybe Jude Deveraux–there was no other mass-market romance author in the 1980s to 1990s whose prolific writing achieved such commercial success as Johanna Lindsey. Lindsey reached #1 on the New York Times Best Seller list with Defy Not the Heart. Here we at Sweet Savage Flame, we review Defy Not the …
Covers of the Week #25: Ken Otsuka
For over 40 years Ken Otsuka has worked in commercial and then fine arts. For the week of Monday, September 27, 2021, to Sunday, October 3, let’s take delight in the beauty of Ken Otsuka’s romance covers!
Category Romance Review: Never a Bride by JoAnn Ross
This review is for Never a Bride, book #4 in the “Bachelor Arms” series published in May 1995 by Harlequin Temptation and written by JoAnn Ross. In the first 3 books in the series, Kate Hoffmann wrote about 3 male friends who find love. In the next 3 books in the series, written by JoAnn Ross, three female friends come together for one of the ladies’ weddings. 4 stars
Podcast: 15 Old School Historical Romances That Revolutionized the Genre
This podcast was originally posted as an article, 15 Old School Historical Romances That Revolutionized the Genre. We thought it would make a great subject for a recording. You can listen to this, read it, or both! Just hit play and relax.
Link: The Art of Robert E. McGinnis by Robert McGinnis and Art Scott
For lovers of throwback historical and gothic romances, vintage pulpy reads and spy thrillers, or old movies and magazines, the name Robert McGinnis might be familiar. But if it isn’t, then his works of art surely are.
The Accidental Romance? Books From Other Genres Can Be Romances, Too!
What defines a romance novel? Romance Writer’s of America has stated the definition of romance is essentially a love story which concludes on an optimistic note for the protagonists. Either a “Happily Ever After” or “Happy For Now” ending will suffice. But labels can be limiting or deceptive. A single work of fiction can belong to multiple categories. Literature can be mystery or romance, just as romance can be fantasy, erotica, science fiction, suspense… And just about everything else.
Historical Romance Review: Tender is the Storm by Johanna Lindsey
So… Johanna Lindsey’s Tender Is the Storm. If you’re familiar with your romance history, then you must know of this book, even if you haven’t read it. The cover is the infamous one designed by Robert McGinnis with the naked hero standing tall as the heroine kneels before him, her ample breasts pressed firmly against his–er…dongle. 3 stars
Contemporary Romance Review: Sometimes a Stranger by Angela Alexie
Like big, dramatic contemporary romances set in glamorous, exciting milieus? With dynamic characters and lots of plot? Then I recommend Sometimes a Stranger. 4 1/2 stars
Covers of the Week #24
For the week of September 20 to Monday, September 26, 2021, let’s appreciate these clinch poses on romance covers featuring hot air balloons. From afar, what a magical sight to witness those colorful inverted teardrops float through the air!
Historical Romance Review: Hearts of Fire by Anita Mills
Hearts of Fire is a more satisfying sequel to the first installment of Anita Mills’ medieval romance series, Lady of Fire, than its second outing, Fire and Steel was. The forbidden romance between Richard and Gilliane de Lacey is stellar. 4 stars
A Closer Look At Sharon Spiak
Illustrator and fine-art painter Sharon Spiak has made a name for herself in the romance industry for producing various gorgeous covers for many bestselling authors. She also had the privilege to paint Fabio almost as much as the Duillo ladies did.
Category Romance Review: Whisper to the Waves by Helen Beaumont
Whisper to the Waves is a good contemporary romance that with a little tweaking could’ve been an excellent one. It was published by RCA Marketing in 1982 in its Sapphire Romance series.
4 stars
15 Old School Historical Romances That Revolutionized the Genre
These 15 Historical Romances published before 2000 either caused radical changes in the romance novel industry or they are so pivotal and unforgettable, they are must-reads. Please note, we at Sweet Savage Flame may not have read all books ourselves, but recognize their importance to the genre. Our aim is to review all books on this list if we haven’t already.
Category Romance Review: Tonight and Forever by Brenda Jackson
Brenda Jackson’s Tonight and Forever is her first published book and the first in her long-running series of the Madaris family. It’s a Pinnacle Arabesque romance from 1995, which are category romances but are not numbered, at least not to my knowledge. What propels Tonight and Forever into a “better than good” zone is that it isn’t just a romance about the healing power of love, it’s a book about the power of love itself. 3 1/2 stars
Free Vintage or Old School Romance Books on Amazon #2
There are so many books listed on Amazon for free to read, that we had to post some more freebies! If you have an Amazon Prime account you can borrow up to 10 books for free at a time. If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited, there are many books you can read for a fixed monthly fee. Enjoy more old school and classical romances available on Amazon.
Covers of the Week #23
For Mary Anne Landers’ first Covers of the Week post, she wants to honor the late, great Elaine Duillo (1928 to 2021). Elaine left us on July 30 of this year, and had been retired for some time. But her wonderful illustrations live on.
Category Romance Review: Driving Force by Sally Wentworth
Driving Force, a Sally Wentworth Harlequin Presents, offers few surprises but is a satisfactory read regardless. West Marriot– our hero, not a 3-star hotel but a famous race car driver–was terribly injured in a race several months ago. Madeleine French, a nurse and physiotherapist, had been married to West for four years. 3 1/2 stars
Historical Romance Review: An Offer of Marriage by Jo Ann Ferguson Review
Books like Jo Ann Ferguson’s An Offer of Marriage suffer from being published during a time of change. When Kensington’s Zebra historical romances died, they didn’t go quickly (actually, Zebras are still around, but they’re not the same as they used to be in the 1980s and 1990s). 1 star
