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If there was a course to teach the genre of romance offered at college, and you're asked to name a book for consideration as part of the reading list, what title would you suggest?
The book, of course, will have to cover all the aspects of the romance genre itself because the teacher will be pointing out the "rules" that make it a romance. For example, we know the rules that make a mystery, a mystery, the main one being that it always ENDS WITH THE MYSTERY SOLVED AND mostly, the good guys catch the bad ones.
So let's say you get to pick the book and you know there will be a dozen snickering students in the class who have being forced to take this course just for easy credit. The teacher will be talking about alpha heros in romance, the heroine's POV, the relationship being the major focus and the rest being the second, and lastly, the HEA (the main rule of the romance genre, Happily Ever After). So the book you pick obviously has to have these elements.
It can be from any of the lines--historical, suspense, urban fantasy, paranormal, contemporary. In fact, the more diverse your suggestions, the more interesting the course, right? I would narrow your picks to any book published after 1993 because there were definite changes in the genre around those few years, mainly in the inclusion of male POV. Obviously, a more thorough course would be "early romance" vs "modern romance" kind of class but that's too ambitious for this exercise today.
So are you up to the challenge? A course probably would be ten to twelve weeks, so could we, avid readers that we are, come up with 12 books? Someone had mentioned somewhere that we couldn't come up with too many because there aren't that many titles that could be given to a bunch of 18-22 year olds that would NOT end up being reenacted mockingly at 2am in the dorm hallways. Yeah, I can see what this person meant, especially the sex scenes, but I would like to give this task to us for a day and see whether we can come up with a good reading list that would make the course less a snicker routine and more an interpretation of women's lit.
For myself, I would nominate one older book and one newer book. I choose categoricals to start with because they are usually dismissed by both sneerers and even some romance readers themselves. I cut my writing teeth reading categoricals and personally think they are the hardest books to write--very compact, focusing on both relationship AND story, in a very limited ways.
For the older one, I nominate: Debra Dixon's PLAYING WITH FIRE, Loveswept, June 1996.
Back Blurb:
A warrior risen from the ashes to claim her heart...
Haunted by an age-old secret hidden deeper than a dream, Maggie St. John couldn't brush aside the finge rof suspicion Beau Grayson pointed her way. He sensed she knew more about the hospital blaze than she'd told him, but the heat kindled by her gaze was a perilous distraction. Would the arson investigator determined to find the truth in her smoky past fulfill his destiny with the one woman who'd already ignited his desire?
Any of you want to throw in your two titles? ;-)
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Uber Titles For Romance Course
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6 comments:
My 1st choice is Paradise by Judith McNaught:
Ruthless corporate raider Matthew Farrell was poised to move in on the legendary department store empire owned by Chicago's renowned Bancroft family. In the glare of the media spotlight, it was a stunning takeover that overshadowed the electric chemistry between Matt, once a scruffy kid from steel town Indiana, and cool, sophisticated Meredith Bancroft. Their brief, ill-fated marriage sparked with thrilling sensuality -- he was the outsider who dared to rock her country club world -- and ended with a bitter betrayal. Now, locked in a battle that should be all business, dangerous temptations and bittersweet memories are stirring their hearts. Will they risk everything on a passion too bold to be denied?
I will think on my 2nd choice and come back later. :) Btw, I agree w/ you about the category romances.
Hard to pick just two when I have a bunch of faves, but these are my pick for class. I wanted to show that there's more than just a simple "boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy wins girl back" in today's romances.
Over the Edge – Suzanne Brockmann
As one of the best helicopter pilots in the naval reserves, Lieutenant Teri Howe is tough, dedicated, and highly-skilled. Rock steady Senior Chief Stan Wolchonok has made a career of solving problems. When a jet carrying an American senator's daughter is hijacked, Stan's unflinching determination and Teri's steadfast courage are put to the ultimate test. The rescue mission will be daring and dangerous. But somewhere between peril and resolution, the line between friends and lovers begins to blur, pushing both their lives over the edge.
Lover Awakened – JR Ward
A former blood slave, the vampire Zsadist still bears the scars from a past filled with suffering and humiliation. Renowned for his unquenchable fury and sinister deeds, he is a savage feared by humans and vampires alike. Anger is his only companion, and terror is his only passion—until he rescues a beautiful aristocrat from the evil Lessening Society.
Bella is instantly entranced by the seething power Zsadist possesses. But even as their desire for one another begins to overtake them both, Zsadist’s thirst for vengeance against Bella’s tormentors drives him to the brink of madness. Now, Bella must help her lover overcome the wounds of his tortured past, and find a future with her
Agreeing with Leilani, and going for genre stereotype breaking books:) Also agreeing with Jenn on the category(but the suggestion is a bombshell:) *sniff*
1.To Catch An Heiress: Julia Quinn
Comic timing, banter, wonderful plot and the missing link to Jane Austen. The book that brings most lit snobs to reading romance ;)
2.AKA Goddess: Evelyn Vaughn
RITA winning underlooked star of the series. Strong heroine, alpha hero who loves her because of her principles, even as they tear them apart. Mythology, history and wonderful action sequences.
Honorable Mention:
-Cold as Ice, Anne Stuart
-Doctors on the Frontline, Olivia Gates
-A Taste of Crimson, Marjorie M. Liu
-Fantasy Lover, Sherrilyn Kenyon
-Out of Control: Suzanne Brockmann
Casee,
Paradise might read a bit over-the-top to younger readers but I agree that it has a lot of the elements that make a great romance read. I loved this book too!
Leilani,
Brockmann's Over The Edge is a cool choice to illustrate the three storylines she usually like to play with. The WWII stuff can interest students to look at the war from a different angle.
And Tzadist's story--oh yeah, that will definitely be a change of pace after a Brockmann! ;-) And the modern slang talk will get their attention.
Stacey,
Great choices! I love Quinn and Vaughan. Out of your Honorable Mention, I would pick Anne Stuart and Marjorie Liu because of their unique stories.
Great choices, gang!
For good old-fashion romance, I'd pick Judith McNaught's Double Standards. It has a strong but reluctant hero, jealousy, betrayal, redemption and ultimately, a happy ever after. Another would be Kingdom of Dreams. I still recall reading this in one-sitting. I had a lot of explaining to do when my grandma woke up at 5am to find my sitting in the same spot frantically trying to finish the book.
For a more modern selection I'd take Linda Howard's After The Night or even one of Amanda Quick's earlier works. Possibly one of Nora Robert's earlier ones too such as Brazen Virtue.
From this decade? I haven't a clue. But the first name that pops in my head is JR Ward though.
This is one of my favorite category romances.
Somebody's Baby by Marilyn Pappano
Daniel Ryan never even knew he had a daughter - until the day a lawyer presented him with tiny, adorable Katie and a contract for one year's custody. Now his year was almost up, and Katie's mother would be coming to take her back. Daniel remembered Sarah Lawson all too well. She had seemed warm, sensuous, the answer to all his lonely prayers. Yet she had given up her child - his child - so his memories couldn't be right. but when Sara appeared, she was everything she'd seemed - and more. He was stunned to discover that not only wouldn't he give upu Katie, he would rather die than let Sarah leave again!
An awesome love story.
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