Stranger in My Arms is a wonderful historical romance by Lisa Kleypas about a widow whose husband reappears from the dead. Does he have a secret identity? 4.5 stars
romance blog
Historical Romance Review: Desert Hostage by Diane Dunaway
In Diane Dunaway’s sheik romance, Desert Hostage, Karim kidnaps Juliette after he finds out she’s his enemy’s daughter. The swoon-worthy hero makes the book a keeper.
Belated Farewell to Emma Darcy
Emma Darcy passed away four months ago, on December 21, 2020, at the age of 80. Darcy was a pseudonym for Wendy Brennan.
Category Romance Review: Don’t Ask Me Now by Emma Darcy
Harlequin Presents #948 Don’t Ask Me Now by Emma Darcy features a unique love triangle about one woman, her ex-lover, a rich playboy, and her nice best friend. Guess who wins? 5 stars
Link: The Evolution of Romance at Harlequin
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.
Updates #4
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.
Link: The Washington Post Reports How the Romance Genre Found Its Happily Ever After
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:
Category Romance Review: Beware of the Stranger by Janet Dailey
Harlequin Presents #256 Beware of the Stranger Janet Dailey A stranger arrives demanding Samantha see her father immediately, then kidnaps her! 2 1/2 stars
Historical Romance Review: To Touch the Sun by Barbara Leigh
To Touch the Sun is a Harlequin Historical by Barbara Leigh. This unique tale is about a woman in Medieval England raised alongside her brother as a boy and eventually becomes a knight. 4 Stars
Category Romance Review: Palace of the Peacocks by Violet Winspear
Harlequin Romance #1318 Palace of the Peacocks by Violet Winspear A British woman works for a one-eyed Dutchman in Java in order to earn money to travel home. 3 1/2 stars