I am Cat and I like romance novels. But not Harlaquin-I can't stand Harlaquin Romances. There was a time when that was all I read. But now, I read them from time to time. I LOVE Jude Deveraux. I don't know if I have ALL her books but pretty close to all. She did a series of books about the same family going down through the generations. There were 4 books about 4 brothers (each book was about a different brother). In a lot of her books, there is some reference to characters in other books. I think it is cool.


Anyone else care to admit that like/read romance novels?




Cat

Absolutely ! You would be amazed how many of the highly intelligent Dons at the University write romantic novels as a sideline!!

I used to know someone who had just about every Victoria Holt novel ever written!

She was a Romanian immigrant, who apparently thought that all men should talk like these novels, yet be as subservient as gentle dogs.

I used to know someone who had just about every Victoria Holt novel ever written!

She was a Romanian immigrant, who apparently thought that all men should talk like these novels, yet be as subservient as gentle dogs.



I have read a few of Victoria Holt's novels over the decades.




Cat

One gal I admit I can't hang with is Danielle Steele.

I tried a couple of her books, and I just couldn't do it.
It's not bad enough that I am forced to sit through the films, when they get converted!

The one thing I can say about her novels is that she deals with the human emotion better than most.

On the other hand, if you want a romance story that men will read (without the nasty pictures and phraseology), I suggest something along the lines of Cervantes, or perhaps Nabukov.

On the other hand, if you want a romance story that men will read (without the nasty pictures and phraseology), I suggest something along the lines of Cervantes, or perhaps Nabukov.



When I think of "Nabukov", romance isn't the word that comes to mind.

When I think of "Nabukov", romance isn't the word that comes to mind.


Well, I realize his name appears in a song by The Police...

Hmm? Cervavntes was a romance novelist? Well then, I like Don Quixote, but the other romance novel I read, "Deerslayer," was about one of the worst books I have ever had the displeasure to read.

I like Nora Roberts.  She usually has some kind of mystery with her romance.  Good stuff.

OK, I have to ask this:

Is there anyone here, who thinks Western romance novels are any good?

Myself, no.
I would rather...oops! That's another thread. :-[

...Let's just say that hemorrhoid surgery sounds more appealing to me than a Western romance novel.

OK, I have to ask this:

Is there anyone here, who thinks Western romance novels are any good?

Myself, no.
I would rather...oops! That's another thread. :-[

...Let's just say that hemorrhoid surgery sounds more appealing to me than a Western romance novel.


Western, like Wild West and Cowboys?  I've never even heard of one.


I'm going to go with...No.

I can't remember who the manufacturer was, it might have Glad, but one of those plastics companies had a promo deal with Harlequin.  I would put the date at about 1980.  With each box of garbage bags you got a free Harlequin romance!

I'm not joking, I saw it myself!

Hi, my name is Kim and I'm addicted to Jackie Collins books.  I can't resist them.  I also own all of them and cannot bring myself to donate them to Goodwill along with the rest of the  books I take periodically that have already been read.

Hi, my name is Kim and I'm addicted to Jackie Collins books.  I can't resist them.  I also own all of them and cannot bring myself to donate them to Goodwill along with the rest of the  books I take periodically that have already been read.



wow, you put them up as a few lots on Ebay....you'd probably make some nice cash! ;)

Why is it that women write "romance" and men write "epic sagas" that when dissected are pretty much the same?

Why is it that women write "romance" and men write "epic sagas" that when dissected are pretty much the same?
Well said!  ;D

Why is it that women write "romance" and men write "epic sagas" that when dissected are pretty much the same?


Hmm... It only counts as an epic saga if it's extreeeeemely long. Otherwise, they're incorrectly labelled.

I used to read them on occasion, more so when I worked at the library.  I especially liked the "supernatural" or "time-travel" ones.

One of the strangest "love/romance" stories was written by H.P. Lovecraft, believe it or not.

It concerns a doctor who found how to prolong his aging to an extreme, by living in a perpetually refrigerated house, and using spinal fluid in his transfusions.

He falls in love with a runaway, who has been battered and sexually abused.
They befriend each other, end up in each other's arms, and he gets killed a freak fire, set by his assistant.

The assistant tried to kill her, but she was discovered to be pregnant.
Therefore, she was allowed to live, "to continue the experiment".

Creepy and odd, but yet strangely poignant.

Why is it that women write "romance" and men write "epic sagas" that when dissected are pretty much the same?
They have "size complexes" ;D

They have "size complexes" ;D


I suppose it would depend on the "period".

After all, men generally don't have "periods"...at least not physically, of which I am aware.

After all, men generally don't have "periods"...at least not physically, of which I am aware.


Not as such, but they seem to show menopausal signs somewhere around the age of 25, and they last until, well, the end.  Off topic, but there you have it.