Considering the many romance novels published in the 20th century, it’s surprising how few of them were adapted for film or television. One exception is Barbara Cartland.
retro romance
Historical Romance Review: Ecstasy’s Fire by Rosalyn Alsobrook
When a book begins with a typo, that’s not a good sign, and Ecstasy’s Fire by Rosalyn Alsobrook begins with one. On the back cover of the book, the heroine is identified as Victoria Connors. In the book, she’s named VIRGINIA Connors. Not a good beginning. 3.5 stars
Historical Romance Review: Dakota Flame by Sonya T. Pelton
This review is of Dakota Flame, a standalone novel from July 1989 by Sonya T. Pelton. (Published by Zebra/Kensington). The book begins in Mankato, Minnesota, December 1862. 2.52 stars
Historical Romance Review: Heather by Cordia Byers
In Heather by Cordelia Byers, stuff occurs while characters are like marionettes being pulled by strings to the next scene. 1 star
Happy One Year Birthday to Sweet Savage Flame
It’s March 30, 2022! As always, Sweet Savage Flame is a little late to the party, even our own. We’re night owls so days don’t start until late morning for us. One year ago today, we uploaded our first post to this blog/ website, Welcome to Sweet Savage Flame. We had modest ideas for what we’d be doing, and now we’re branching out to be amateur historical record keepers of the romance genre.
Historical Romance Review: Nebraska Fire by Lauren Wilde
This review is of Nebraska Fire by Lauren Wilde, a Zebra Lovegram romance. Nebraska Fire is not a flawless book, but it is good enough to warrant a 4-star grade.
Happy Vernal Equinox (First Day of Spring) 2022
Happy Spring! (Or if you’re located on the other side of the planet, Happy Autumn!) There’s nothing like the first romance in bloom. In Latin languages, the word for Spring translates into “first-seen” (Italian, Spanish, & Portuguese “primavera”) as in, the first seen sight of life–or love.
8 Irish Romances Set in the Emerald Isle
As it is St. Patrick’s Day, we thought you might be in the mood for something a little bit Irish. These eight old-school historical romances are set on the Emerald Isle. We’ll be reading Irish romances on March 17.
Category Romance Review: Wish on the Moon by Sally Wentworth
Wish on the Moon by Sally Wentworth has gotten mixed to low reviews around the internet, but it’s a romance I fully enjoyed. This is an unusual romance because technically, the heroine is “the other woman.” She comes in and breaks up a seemingly happy engagement–and not just a random stranger’s but her cousin’s. 4 stars
Historical Romance Review: Texas Triumph by Victoria Thompson
This review is of Texas Triumph, #2 in the “The Cowboy and the Lady” series by Victoria Thompson. This is the follow-up to her book, Texas Treasure.