What is the best romance novel ever?

ZeroFlowne · May 12, 2009

I'd like to read it

Thanks!

fairy86 · May 12, 2009

My personal favorite is The Flame and The Flower by Kathleen Woodiwiss. I've read that book so many times that I've had to re-purchase it!

firedrake · May 12, 2009

My favorite is 'Zemindar' by Valerie Fitzgerald.

DeleyanLee · May 12, 2009

Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale

Greenify13 · May 12, 2009

For the Roses- Julie Garwood
or
Any of the: Lords of the Underworld, by Gena Showalter

veinglory · May 12, 2009

My fav is Taming the Forest King by Claudia J. Edwards

LorelieBrown · May 12, 2009

The one I wrote which is yet to be published.

Just teasing!!!

Because I have a problem with being pinned down to just one:

Historical: Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase

Contemporary: Out of Control by Suzanne Brockmann

Paranormal: Dark Lover by J.R. Ward. Maybe. My opinion used to be firm on this one, but it's been tainted by the new direction of the series. Also possibly Spell of the Highlander by Karen Marie Moning. The heroine is a bit of a doofus, but the hero more than makes up for it.

Old Skool: The Secret by Julie Garwood

wannawrite · May 12, 2009

Gone With The Wind *sigh* although, it may not have a traditional HEA, it DOES end on a hopeful note with Scarlett looking to the future, certain she will get her man back, so that counts in my book. Besides, we're talking Rhett Butler, here. When has there EVER been a better romantic lead?

shameless · May 12, 2009

If I found myself stranded on a desert island with only one book to read again, it would be hands down Honor's Splendour by Julie Garwood.

I've read some of the titles you've all mentioned. You all have great taste in literature!!

necia phoenix · May 12, 2009

Personally the 'best romance book' for me changes depending on what I am reading. Right now I'm on a paranormal/fantasy(which is dang hard to find[not to be confused with Urban Fantasy]) kick. My favorite, one I have read the cover off of twice, would have to be Dark Melody by Christine Feehan with Master of Dragons by Angela Knight coming in at a close second.

wannawrite · May 12, 2009

LOVE Christine Feehan and her entire 'dark' series!

necia phoenix · May 12, 2009

Me too.

It was her series that made me decide that yes I love writing romance stories.

Deb Kinnard · May 12, 2009

Contemporary: anything pre-werewolves by Eileen Wilks. Probably Just a Little Bit Pregnant was my favorite. Don't let the lame-o title fool you. It's a terrific story, well-told.
Contemporary inspie: Sharon Gillenwater's Texas Tender. Probably the perfect Christian romance novel.
Historical: Katherine, Anya Seton. Published around 1960 and I doubt it's ever been out of print. Second choice: anything by Blythe Gifford.
Historical inspie: Siri Mitchell's A Constant Heart comes the closest, but the jury's still out for me because I love medievals, and Christian fic just doesn't seem to want to publish them..

And the answer of all answers: my books, of course. Nah, I'm kidding. I wish I could write like these ladies on my best day.

Lainey Bancroft · May 12, 2009

Best Evah?!?! :Shrug:

I'm with wannawrite for Gone With The Wind...or Deb Kinnard, Anya Seton rocks...or Diana Gabaldon or Kathleen Winsor's Forever Amber, or Sydney Sheldon's Rage of Angels, or Jackie Collin's Chances or...or...or...clearly, I lean toward non-traditional romance. Which could explain many things. Hmm :idea:

firedrake · May 12, 2009

I'd forgotten about Anya Seton, she was the first Romantic Novelist I really read...I love 'Avalon' too.

Selah March · May 12, 2009

Welcome To Temptation by Jennifer Crusie.

jodiodi · May 12, 2009

Gotta agree with Wannawrite and Lainey Bancroft: Gone with the Wind is the quinteseential romance novel. And though it's technically not a "romance" per se, The Lord of the Rings trilogy with it's tale of Aragorn and Arwen.

scarletpeaches · May 12, 2009

GwtW isn't a romance at all, if you follow the 'rule' that romances must have a happy ending.

Neither is another of my favourites, Kathleen Winsor's Forever Amber.

Two books I love and have read multiple times (and will do again) but romances? Definitely not.

wannawrite · May 12, 2009

jodiodi said:
Gotta agree with Wannawrite and Lainey Bancroft: Gone with the Wind is the quinteseential romance novel. And though it's technically not a "romance" per se, The Lord of the Rings trilogy with it's tale of Aragorn and Arwen.

*LOVE LOVE LOVE THE RINGS! AND, AGAIN, IT IS CLOSE ENOUGH TO A ROMANCE, FOR ME*

bethany · May 12, 2009

The Far Pavilions by M M Kaye.
followed closely by Gone With the Wind.

Irysangel · May 13, 2009

Yeah, lots of the stuff on this list isn't really 'genre romance' but it's still good stuff.

My favorites? Gosh. Toss-up between INTO THE WILDERNESS by Sara Donati (but more Women's fic than romance), A KINGDOM OF DREAMS by Judith Mcnaught, THE SECRET by Julie Garwood, LOVER ETERNAL by JR Ward, WISHES by Jude Deveraux...there are too many to pick just one!

Calla Lily · May 13, 2009

The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy

Followed closely by Nothing Venture by Patricia Wentworth (it's also a mystery, so not sure if it counts.

)

Deb Kinnard · May 13, 2009

firedrake said:
I'd forgotten about Anya Seton, she was the first Romantic Novelist I really read...I love 'Avalon' too.

OMW, I love Love LOVE Avalon. I first read it when I was just a kid, in one of those Readers' Digest condensed books, complete with illustrations. It haunted me and still does. Amazing, isn't it, how the best books stay with you for years, if not decades? Seton wrote like that.

Her other titles: Green Darkness, a reincarnation based paranormal. Good, but not on par with the others. It does NOT have a HEA. The Winthrop Woman, about the early settlers of Massachusetts. The Turquoise, which for some reason I've never read. She was a terrific writer who knew how to use simple, spare prose in an amazingly evocative way.

Deb Kinnard · May 13, 2009

Oops, my bad. I forgot to mention the late Fay Robinson. She wrote Harlequin Supers, and her first one for them I believe won a Rita. A Man Like Mac. Her Coming Home to You was absolutely fantastic, and really made me believe in Harlequin once again after some years of not picking them up. It's a shame she was called home to God at such a young age.

firedrake · May 13, 2009

Deb Kinnard said:
OMW, I love Love LOVE Avalon. I first read it when I was just a kid, in one of those Readers' Digest condensed books, complete with illustrations. It haunted me and still does. Amazing, isn't it, how the best books stay with you for years, if not decades? Seton wrote like that.

Her other titles: Green Darkness, a reincarnation based paranormal. Good, but not on par with the others. It does NOT have a HEA. The Winthrop Woman, about the early settlers of Massachusetts. The Turquoise, which for some reason I've never read. She was a terrific writer who knew how to use simple, spare prose in an amazingly evocative way.

Ha! I've never read The Turquoise either! The Mistletoe and the Sword is also very good. She was a fantastic writer.

What is the best romance novel ever?

ZeroFlowne

fairy86

Loose on the internet!

firedrake

practical experience, FTW

DeleyanLee

Writing Anarchist

Greenify13

Fair Maiden of War.

veinglory

volitare nequeo

LorelieBrown

Got the hang of it, here

wannawrite

shameless

Superlative Type A

necia phoenix

wannawrite

necia phoenix

Deb Kinnard

Lainey Bancroft

Cover Me!

firedrake

practical experience, FTW

Selah March

jodiodi

Reflections of Reality

scarletpeaches

wannawrite

bethany

:)

Irysangel

She of Many Names

Calla Lily

On hiatus

Deb Kinnard

Deb Kinnard

firedrake

practical experience, FTW