In romance novels, heat levels can range from as tepid as room temperature to as hot as the sun. Sweet Savage Flame has created a list with what we think are 6 different levels of heat in romances. These range from no heat to closed and open-door love scenes to pornography.
From the 1970s to the 1980s there would be a smattering of romance novels made into movies, some from Harlequin, Pocket Books, and other publishers. Here we look at four books that made it to the big screeen.
The Lion’s Lady by Julie Garwood takes us to Regency Era England where we meet two firm-willed yet evenly matched partners in love. One is a lady of mystery from the former colonies raised among the Native people. The other is an English nobleman turned soldier and spy, now retiring from duty. 4 Stars
Last week Sweet Savage Flame got some good news! We were notified by the founder of Feedspot, Anuj Agarwal, that we were selected as one of the Top 30 Historical Romance Blogs on the web.
This review is of Traitor’s Kiss, a standalone by historical romance Terri Valentine. Traitor’s Kiss is a good book. It simply lacks the passion and juice to be a great book. 3 stars
Dangerous Obsession is the sequel to Natasha Peters’ first book, Savage Surrender, although the relation between the books is not revealed until midway through this 630 page epic. 5 stars
Passion’s Chains was the first romance novel I read after subscribing to the Lovegram line many, many years ago. The plot description on the back of the book sounded like this would be a riot. And it was! 4.5 stars
Liar’s Moon, a Dell Candlelight Ecstasy Supreme by Heather Graham is an overwrought foray into romantic suspense. There’s intrigue, murder, and a long-ago love affair between a teenage girl and a much older, close family friend. Events lead to a dramatic and happy conclusion in this so-so-category romance.
Gordon Merrick created the legendary Peter & Charlie gay romance series. The trilogy portrayed the first mainstream love story between two men that concluded happily ever after. Another milestone in gay fiction occurred when they were reprinted in the 1980s. A young artist named Victor Gadino illustrated the iconic clinch covers. Never before had two men been pictured so intimately on romance novels.
Robert Vaughan may not be a big-name author, but he sold tens of millions of books in the 20th century under many names. His pseudonyms include Paula Fairman, K. C. McKenna, Paula Moore, Fancy DeWitt, Patricia Matthews, Jonathon Scofield, Lee Davis Willoughby, and Kit Dalton. Have you read any Robert Vaughan romances?
