Friday, October 22, 2010

Comfort Reads

I know a lot of romance readers got hooked on Jayne Ann Krentz and Judith McNaught, but I wasn’t one of them. I’m not sure if they were before my time or if because my mom didn't have them. (Though I will admit to reading Whitney My Love for the first time last year). When I was about 11 or 12 I did get hooked on my mom’s Harlequin category books which she thought she hid, obviously just not well enough. Looking back I’m pretty sure she read a lot of Presents and while that line is great it’s not one I read too much these days. I’m more of a Harlequin Intrigue or Blaze kind of girl. And I like my Blazes to have a touch of suspense or intrigue. I love internal conflict but all that external conflict really gets me going!


Until a few years ago romantic suspense has always been my go-to genre. Linda Howard introduced me to the fabulous genre with All the Queens Men and to this day that remains my all time favorite RS book. I discovered her while in college and since I switched majors a few times (from business to education to psychology) she was basically my only pleasure reading when I wasn’t devouring textbooks. In the past couple years I’ve come to love paranormal romance just as much and it seems paranormal and romantic suspense are more or less a blurred genre now anyways. Maybe that’s why I love it so much too. Don’t get me wrong, I read a lot of genres: historicals, sci-fi romance, straight mysteries/thrillers, chick lit, military history books, fantasy, and so many more! However, my comfort read authors have pretty much remained steady. Once I fall in love with an author, I’m pretty damn loyal.



My comfort read authors are: Sherrilyn Kenyon, Linda Howard, Lisa Marie Rice, Kimberly Dean, Bonnie Vanak, JD Robb and while these two are fairly new, they’re both on my auto buy list now: Cynthia Eden and JR Ward.



What about y’all? Who do you turn to for romance reading comfort?


Btw, if you guys want to check out my alter ego’s new cover for my February Carina release, click here. I just have to show off this goodness because I’m so happy with it! Have a great weekend!

12 comments:

Cara McKenna said...

Loving your shameless illustration of "comfort", Savannah. I think "inserting Hugh Jackman for no good reason" has officially become a NAC running gag. Not that one needs a good reason to insert him. Any reason will do.

My comfort romances are Kresley Cole's historicals, a bit of Suzanne Brockmann, and now Kristan Higgins. I'm all over the place! Unlike you, I like my stories more character-driven, as I tend to skim intensely plotty bits if they're not totally engaging, so I can get to the dialogue and, yes, the hot stuff. I lack discipline that way.

Savannah Stuart said...

Ha! I thought you might like that. A bit of Hugh in the morning is a very good thing ;)

I definitely need character driven books too b/c I love that emotional punch (Ward, Rice, and Eden illustrate that I think) but I still lurve that additional dose of suspense and baddies with guns! I want to have my cake and eat it too :)

Wynter said...

Like Cara, I'm a little all over the place, too. I'm not big into paranormal, but I love Tate Halloway, and of course, Cynthia Eden. I'm really getting into category lately and my newer comfort reads are Maureen Child and Catherine Mann. When I want suspense, I pick up a Jill Shalvis.
Beautiful cover - congrats!

Savannah Stuart said...

Yes, Catherine Mann is awesome! Her military heroes are hawt! I've never read Shalvis but I do have one of her books sitting in my tbr pile and it's a contemporary. You're the second person to mention her in two days so maybe I need to pick that book up faster :)

K.A. Mitchell said...

Cara: My mind immediately wonders exactly how Hugh Jackman is to be "inserted."

Savannah: This is always a good question to ask, and I think my answer has evolved over the years. My two comfort reads in the past few years are Marion Zimmer Bradley's The Catch Trap and Peter Lefcourt's The Dreyfus Affair. Neither of them would be billed as romance, but they are based around a falling in love relationship and while they're not fluffy, the characters persevere in a with a we'll-work-this-out mentality. I love those books.

Savannah Stuart said...

I've never read either of those K.A. but I love stories about characters who persevere :)

Cara Bristol said...

My comfort reads have changed over time as my reading likes changed. Right now my comfort reads are MaryJanice Davidson, Shayla Black/Shelley Bradley, Lora Leigh, abd Mary Kay Andrews.

Sherry said...

Here are some of my comfort reads Lori Foster,Lora Leigh,Linda Howard, MaryJanice Davidson,Jayne Ann Krentz/Amanda Quick/Jayne Castle,JR Ward,Sherrilyn Kenyon,Christine Feehan and Christine Warren. These are my auto buys and authors that I reread often. My favorite to reread is Jayne Ann Krentz I love her books. I have more that I love and buy when they come out with new books.

sstrode@scrtc.com

Savannah Stuart said...

Hi Cara B and Sherry, I can't believe I forgot Lora Leigh. She's definitely a comfort read too. Love her Breeds!

KC Burn said...

I agree - it's a great picture. Very "inspiring"! ;) Anyway, my primary comfort read isn't romance - it's fantasy - the Belgariad series by David Eddings. I adore those books and I've probably read them over a hundred times! A close second is probably Barbara Michaels/Elizabeth Peters, but her stuff isn't really romance, either! However, Johanna Lindsey is the reason I started reading & writing romance, so I definitely consider her books 'comfort' too.

Savannah Stuart said...

I totally didn't expect you to say Johanna Lindsay, KC. I just keep learning more and more about you ;)

Dalton Diaz said...

My comfort reads are all over the place, too. Depends what I'm in the mood for. Sometimes it's Lavyrle Spencer, sometimes it's Joey Hill, and everything in between.

And, um, hello? If you want an emotional punch with seriously hot sex, pick up a KA Mitchell! (Forgive the Fangrrl moment - sorry about the slobbering). I return to "Regularly Scheduled Life" and "Collision Course" time and again.