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Thursday, May 17, 2012

Family Ties - Romance-style!

   I know that many readers, myself included, simply love to read stories that feature members of a family.  It could be about a number of brothers or sister, fathers and son, it doesn't matter to me. There's just something about finding out what happens to the next family member that keeps me reading and reading. . .and reading. 

   I guess my first exposure to this was in Bertrice Small's Skye O'Malley series. We followed the rather steamy adventures of Skye and her family through several generations and countries and kept reading and reading.

   Each book was steamier than the last and we got to meet and Skye and her brothers and then her daughter and, of course, the two men she would love forever Niall and Adam....sigh... 

    Bertrice wrote a number of unconnected books throughout the same time, but it was the outrageous Skye who held our attention as we breathlessly waited for the next part of the saga.


  From there, I discovered other authors who wrote stories about families -- and now it's quite the craze -- actually I think that very few authors are NOT writing connected family stories (whether those families are bonded by blood or honor or experience or whatever creates that strong connection between them.)  Most authors propose series of three-or-four books when they are in the contracting process because they simply are so popular. 

    Right now, I'm working on the next generation of a family I created for a previous trilogy -- one that has taken off and is selling well around the world in more than 20 languages and 25 countries! Those sexy, dangerous, wonderful Highlanders - gotta love 'em! - are so popular, I'm now writing a 'second generation' trilogy.  Now Connor & Jocelyn, Duncan & Marian and Rurik & Margriet will see their own children falling in love and facing many of the same challenges that they did years before. And just as parents must have a care for offering advice or making demands, these Highlanders must resist the almost-overwhelming urge to interfere with their children's choices! 

    And it's fun -- both creating the tension then standing back to watch what happens. Some of the now-grown children will make the same mistakes as their parents. Some will learn from those mistakes, but still make some of their own.  And love is hatching all over Lairig Dubh! 

   So, what about you? Do you have any favorite series from favorite authors? Are the stories connected by actual families or other bonds? Or any series that you think ended too soon? Post a note and I'll be picking out 3 readers to win a copy of one of my Highlander books!

 Terri is working on the third book of the new MacLerie Clan trilogy that will begin with a digital short story - TAMING THE HIGHLAND ROGUE - in August. THE HIGHLANDER'S STOLEN TOUCH is a September release in print and digital formats from Harlequin Historicals. Visit her website for more info about her upcoming books and events!

13 comments:

Jo's Daughter said...

I love the books from Stephenie Laurens. Read and reread them all. There's a lot about family in them & I became to adore the Cynster's.

Karen H said...

I'm also a big fan of Stephanie Laurens. I think her Cynster's were the first real family based series books I read. Now there are so many great series such as The Bridgerton's from Julia Quinn, The Hellions of Halstead Hall from Sabrina Jeffries (still have a couple books in this series to read), just to name a few. Other series I enjoy are connected by secondary characters without family connection such as most books by Liz Carlyle and Candice Hern. Looking at my huge and ever growing TBR mountain, I have a couple anthologies containing your stories and a copy of The Earl's Secret. Is that book part of a series or a stand alone?

Robin C. Greene said...

I love the family connected books. Jo Beverley and Mary Jo Putney do them really well.

Lory Lee said...

The Bridgerton's by JQ, Desperate Debutantes by Julia London and Courtship Wars by Nicole Jordan. Family connected books are awesome for they give you a glimpse of what happened to your favorite couple after you've read their story.

terryscar said...

I have read so many books by different authors and enjoyed them very much. I am so glad for computers and facebook that allows everyone to find out what is new. I had the pleasure of meeting Terri Brisbin at our book club, it was a great night and we had lots of fun. All authors when you think you don't make a difference and writing gets you down, just remember we keep waiting for your next story to take us away from here.

Leah Weller (leahluvsmedieval) said...

I agree with the others above about the Bridgertons and the Cynsters. There are also the Mallorys by Johanna Lindsey. Jo Beverly and Mary Jo Putney I agree with also. They do family series in a wonderfull way! Heather Graham has a Viking series with a family and her Runaway Series that have always been a favorite of mine. Sue-Ellen Welfonder and Karen Ranney have Scottish Clan series that to me are family and are amazing reads. Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series is extreamly satisfying. Good Gracious! I could go on and on here. :)

Pat Cochran said...

Love Stephanie Laurens' Cynster family
series; Caridad Piniero's vampire series,
connected culturally & sometimes thru
family; Cindy Gerard's and Suz Brockmann's
series connected thru groups like the Seals.
My only problem with a series is that I
prefer to have them all in hand before I
begin reading. Of course, I had to abandon
that plan with the Cynster's! LOL!

*yadkny* said...

There are definitely series that I think ended too soon. One that stands out in my mind is the Mona Lisa series by Sunny. Such a great and unique storyline that seemed to be just picking up speed when it ended. I think I like the family evolved series' the best though.

yadkny@hotmail.com

Fedora said...

I adore series books, and especially ones connected by family--as others have mentioned, the Bridgertons are a favorite. I also love a lot of Nora Roberts' family-connected stories--the Irish Born series, the McGregors, the Stanislaskis, the O'Hurleys, the Quinns, the Gallaghers, the McKades... her list goes on and on :D There's something so lovely about family ties, and then seeing those family members get happy endings...

Nas said...

Right now I'm reading my way through Kate Hewitt's family series, The Emigrants Trilogy, Far Horizons and Another Country

Eli Yanti said...

Malory Series from Johanna Lindsey, Hathaway Series from Lisa Kleypas, Bridgestons Series by Julia Quinn :)

Maureen said...

One of my favorite series is the Wallflower series by Lisa Kleypas. They were linked by being outcasts of sorts and then friends.
mce1011 AT aol DOT com

Karen H said...

Does anyone else wonder when a winner will be drawn for this giveaway?