Linda Stevens's blog

Romance Roundup 2011

Submitted by Linda Stevens on Fri, 12/30/2011 - 3:38pm

scandalous desiresIt's the time of year when everyone is making their "best of" lists for any given topic.  Why should I be any different?  The books listed below are the romance books I liked the most that were published in 2011.  It looks like it was a good year for historical romances for me, with a smattering of paranormal and suspense.  What about you?  Any favorite romances from this year that you'd like to share?

Scene Stealing Pets in Romance

Submitted by Linda Stevens on Thu, 11/10/2011 - 4:25pm

animal attractionI'll readily admit that I'm the sort of person who carries on conversations with the dogs and finds herself unable to look away from those incredibly sad SPCA commercials, even while sobbing.  So, obviously I am predisposed to like books with animals in them.  While I was reading the latest Jill Shalvis book, Animal Attraction, set in a busy veterinary clinic, I realized just how much the charm of the different animals enhanced my enjoyment of the book.  I loved the kitten who responded to all remarks with "mew" and the parrot who seemed to repeat the most embarrassing part of any conversation he overheard.    As I started thinking about it, there were many other books that joined the list in my head that featured scene stealing pets.

Romance Read-Alikes

Submitted by Linda Stevens on Thu, 10/20/2011 - 2:51pm

in bed with a highlanderYou can probably figure it out without a definition, but a read-alike is a book or series that shares a commonality with another book or series that might appeal to the same reader.  It could be a similar tone, setting, depth of characterization or type of plot.  A good read-alike connects the elements you enjoy through different books and authors.

True Love: A Girl and Her Kindle

Submitted by Linda Stevens on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 2:55pm

enchantedI was overjoyed last week at the announcement that library eBooks would now be compatible with my Kindle.  After many years of believing that I would always be a "paper" reading person, I broke down and got the Kindle last year. I fast became addicted to the instant gratification of being able to quickly download my reading material, no matter the time or place.  With library checkouts here, maybe my entire paycheck won't have to go to Amazon.

So, as soon as I could, I started going through the Digital Media Catalog, ready to snap up some new titles.  Since eBooks are very popular, I need to wait in line for the hottest titles, just like everyone else.  While I am waiting, I discovered that there is a very good selection of classic romance titles available for my entertainment. 

Does the Point of View Matter to You?

Submitted by Linda Stevens on Fri, 09/02/2011 - 3:11pm

rebeccaI recently saw a copy of an old series romance I liked when I was a teenager in a used bookstore, and decided to pick it up to see if we were still compatible when aged by a couple of decades.  There were truly some cringe-worthy moments in the book, but clothing and hairstyles and cultural attitudes weren't the reasons I no longer connected with the material. I realized that most modern romances feature multiple points of view and this book was only giving me the story through the eyes of one character, the heroine.  I am a nosy person.  I like to know what all of the characters are thinking and feeling, even the villains.  When I only had one viewpoint, I felt too distant from all of the other characters.  I think this is a phenomena peculiar to romance readers, but I could be wrong.  Is this only me?

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