Romance

From GRPLpedia

Introduction

They meet. Sparks fly! They fall in love. Obstacles appear and are overcome. They live happily ever after - or, at least, we hope they do. Romance novels have been capturing the attention of avid readers for years and is one of the best-selling genres in the publishing world. Romances have evolved over the years from strict genre-confined plots to thrillers and quirky stories with a romantic emphasis. They come in all shapes and sizes and appeal to a large variety of readers. If you think you're not a romance fan, it might be time to check out the genre again.

Contemporary

Contemporary romances feature modern heroines who are balancing work, life and family. They mimic Chick Lit in style and tone but the romantic relationship takes up more of the plot. These career women are not your typical romantic heroine and their unique voices contribute to quirky, fulfilling love stories.

Sophie Kinsella - Confessions of a Shopaholic

Carly Phillips - Kiss Me If You Can

Susan Mallery - Chasing Perfect

Kristan Higgins - The Next Best Thing

Elin Hilderbrand - Blue Bistro

Brenda Jackson - Wrapped in Pleasure

Robin Wells - Between the Sheets

Julie Ortolon - Almost Perfect

Christie Craig - Shut Up and Kiss Me

Western

Cowboys in spurs fall head over heels in love with country or city girls amid feisty Wyoming cattle or beloved Texas farms. Harsh life on the range means that these romances are filled with tales of financial worry or stubborn, rough and tumble heroes who are often surprised to find themselves in love with the heroine. In the end, love always prevails.

Diana Palmer - Diamond Spur

Lisa Kleypas - Married by Morning

Leigh Greenwood - Pete

Linda Lael Miller - The Bridegroom

Jodi Thomas - Tall, Dark and Texan

Lorraine Heath - Texas Glory

Bobbi Smith - Defiant

Georgina Gentry - To Seduce a Texan

Jo Goodman - Never Love a Lawman

Plus-Sized Heroines

In real life women of all shapes and sizes fall in love. Why should it be any different in the romance world? Plus-size romances feature heroines that may be a size 12 or a size 24. When they meet their very own Rochester, it may take a bit of convincing before they fully embrace the fact that they've found their happily ever after.

Jane Green - Jemima J

Jennifer Crusie - Bet Me

Donna Hill - Big Girls Don't Cry

Rochelle Alers - Living Large

Lori Foster - Too Much Temptation

Jennifer Weiner - Good in Bed

Karen Brichoux - Coffee & Kung Fu

Susan Donovan - Take a Chance on Me

Celeste Bradley - The Pretender

Military/Law Enforcement

Everyone loves a man in uniform - especially the heroines in these novels. Whether he's a police officer, fireman, soldier or CIA agent, these tales of romance between an officer and a lady are filled with action, mystery and adventure that can take the reader from the smallest American town to a world of international espionage. The intrigue only adds another layer to the passionate romance threaded throughout the story.

Suzanne Brockmann - Taylor's Temptation

Julie Garwood - Sizzle

Catherine Mann - Out of Uniform

Lindsay McKenna - Beyond the Limit

Tara Janzen - Loose & Easy

Christina Skye - To Catch a Thief

Amy J. Fetzer - Naked Truth

Dee Henderson - The Rescuer

Jennifer Crusie - Getting Rid of Bradley

Brides and Weddings

Love and marriage. It's every little girl's dream to have a beautiful white wedding. For these heroines, though, the white wedding is often a facade, covering the tracks of a marriage of convenience. However, the distant, unavailable husband soon realizes that he can't live without his new bride...and convincing her of that fact is half the battle.

Nora Roberts - Bed of Roses

Debbie Macomber - Wyoming Brides

Janet Chapman - The Man Must Marry

Lisa Childs - The Best Man's Bride

Stephanie Laurens - The Brazen Bride

Elizabeth English - The Border Bride

Lori Wilde - There Goes the Bride

Elizabeth Boyle - Stealing the Bride

Jane McBride Choate - The Bride Price

Paranormal

Vampires and werewolves...shifters of many kinds. Psychics and warlocks, too. These nontraditional heroes have some genetic anomalies, but still manage to be recognizable as typical Alpha males. They are stubborn, fantastical and full of passion. They catch the heroine unaware, knocking down her walls of logic and reason to reveal entirely new worlds.

Sherrilyn Kenyon - Dream Warrior

Janet Chapman - Moonlight Warrior

Shiloh Walker - The Missing

Lisa Plumley - My Favorite Witch

Amanda Quick - Burning Lamp

Cherry Adair - Night Secrets

Terry Spear - Heart of the Wolf

Cheyenne McCray - Shadow Magic

Susan Sizemore - I Hunger for You

Historicals

Historical romances run the gamut from life on the American frontier to Victorian England and regency settings. Readers get lost in a time long ago when the cultural and social landscape was vastly different. Still, historical heroines manage to chafe at the strictly drawn lines of etiquette and overcome the obstacles of family obligations to find true love.

Anne Stuart - Ruthless

Sabrina Jeffries - Wed Him Before You Bed Him

Johanna Lindsey - That Perfect Someone

Teresa Medeiros - Some Like It Wild

Amanda Quick - Wait Until Midnight

Sue Ellen Welfonder - A Highlander's Temptation

Julia Quinn - Ten Things I Love About You

Julia Ross - The Seduction

Judith McNaught - Whitney, My Love

Plain Janes

The ordinary girl gets the guy - or less than ordinary. It's often a given that a man will fall for a beautiful woman, so when a romance heroine is frumpy and plain, it sets the stage for a heartwarming story of altruistic love. These heroines might not fall into the traditional category of ravishing beauties, but they have have spunk, intelligence and wit - and in the end, they capture the hero's heart.