Lazy Sundays

Happy Sunday!  When I was growing up my grandfather used to say this to us every time we arrived at his house.  :)

Getting my book-geek on at the British Library!

Sundays have always been a day for lazing around and doing things just because you want to not because you have to.  For me that's reading.  Here are my top five romances of all time.  

1. Heaven, Texas by Susan Elizabeth Phillips.  Bobby Tom Denton is such a sexy bad boy from the very first moment we meet him, but for me it’s the heroine Gracie Snow who I really identified with.  She’s sort of plain, sort of shy and is in charge of “wrangling” this charming, sexy man who has never heard the word no.  I have never laughed so hard reading an opening of a book.

2. Lover Awakened by JR Ward.  Zadist.  The hero of this book is so captivating from the first time we meet him in the earlier novels of the Black Dagger Brotherhood.  He is dark, tortured and his past is incredibly dark.  He keeps to himself, which suits him and because he’s scary everyone leaves him be.  Except Bella.  She sees past the tattoos and the scars to the man underneath and when circumstances force them alone together, they mate and fall in love.  What I love about this book was the way that Zadist fights his own love for Bella because he wants better for her.  I’ve seen that theme written before in romance novels but this books captures it perfectly.  

3. The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy.  I love the dichotomy of a man who is believed to be a bit of fool but is really the a dashing hero.  I love the backdrop of the French Revolution and the fact that Percy wears a mask not only when rescuing the aristocrats from France but also in his marriage.  I’ve loved this book since the first time I read it.  

4. A Bravo’s Honor by Christine Rimmer.  Actually I love this entire series.  I read the first Bravo book back in the early 90s and have been addicted to this series ever since.  What I love about the stories is the complicated emotions that the characters go through to get to their happily-ever-after.  There is a sense of realism to the books.  These are characters I can always relate too.  And I love going back to the series and seeing some of my old favorites show up on the page each time.

5. The Best Man by Kristan Higgins.  The humiliation of being rejected at the altar sets off this story between Faith and Levi.  He knew her fiancé’s secret and didn’t tell her so she sort of blames him for the way things turned out.  There love story is sweet and complicated. I love their entire town and how community plays such a big part in this romance.

Tell me your favorite romance.  I'm giving away a Cheryl's Cookie card and winner's choice of my backlist titles on e-book to one lucky commenter.  I'll announce the winner here next week.

Kathy :)