My first collecting obsession -- romance novels -- has been supplanted by another love. More books, of course. This time it's manga (Japanese comic books).
As any reader knows, the scarcest real estate in the world isn't ocean front property -- it's bookshelf space. My romance novels already consumed six bookcases, four boxes under my bed, eight boxes in my storage closet, and three drawers in my dresser. But the manga collection was growing like kudzu, and importing two more bookcases to handle my imported comics wasn't making a dent in a storage situation that was reaching crisis proportions. Something had to give. Other romance readers talked about a keeper shelf; I had a keeper library. It was time to prune the collection.
Remarkable Reads
I may have a new love now, but that doesn't mean I've completely abandoned the first. I've kept hundreds of titles. Most of those reflect my interest in a particular historical period, setting, characterization, or plot device. Among so many keepers, some titles stand out as exceptional books by exceptional authors. No, you won't find the titles listed below for sale on my site, but I highly recommend that you pick them up if you see them for sale elsewhere!
Historicals
Connie Brockway, As You Desire
Loretta Chase, Lord of Scoundrels
Jasmine Creswell, Prince of the Night
Karen Jones Delk, The Bride Price
Teresa Denys, The Silver Devil (truly remarkable!)
Jennifer Horsman, Magic Embrace (a guilty pleasure)
Nicole Jordan, Lord of Desire
Laura Kinsale, Flowers from the Storm
Lisa Kleypas, Dreaming of You
Laura London, The Windflower
Judith McNaught, Once and Always
Mary Jo Putney, Uncommon Vows
Suzanne Robinson, Lady Gallant
Libby Sydes, The Lion's Angel
Susan Wiggs, Lord of the Night
Regencies
Mary Balogh, The Double Wager
Joy Freeman, A Suitable Match (truly remarkable!)
Barbara Hazard, Beth
Georgette Heyer, Sylvester, or The Wicked Uncle
Georgette Heyer, These Old Shades (a Georgian romance)
Julia Jeffries, The Chadwick Ring
Michelle Kasey, The Enterprising Lord Edward
Carla Kelly, Miss Whittier Makes a List
Edith Layton, The Duke's Wager (any Layton regency is a jewel!)
Elsie Lee, An Eligible Connection
Laura London, The Bad Baron's Daughter
Nadine Miller, The Duke's Dilemma
Anita Mills, Devil's Match
Mira Stables, The Byram Succession
Sheila Walsh, The Sergeant-Major's Daughter
Series Romances
Lynn Bartlett, Heart and Soul (Silhouette Intimate Moments #376)
Dixie Browning, Reach Out to Cherish (Silhouette Special Edition #110)
Kathleen Creighton, In Defense of Love (Silhouette Intimate Moments #216)
Sharon and Tom Curtis, Lightning that Lingers (Loveswept #25)
Kathleen Eagle, Paintbox Morning (Silhouette Intimate Moments #284)
Kay Hooper, Shades of Gray (Loveswept #286)
Linda Howard, Mackenzie's Mountain (Silhouette Intimate Moments #281) (truly remarkable!)
Rachel Lee, Miss Emmaline and the Archangel (Silhouette Intimate Moments #482)
Elizabeth Lowell, The Danvers Touch (Silhouette Intimate Moments #18)
Debbie Macomber, Some Kind of Wonderful (Silhouette Romance #567)
Diana Palmer, The Australian (Silhouette Special Edition #239)
Fayrene Preston, For the Love of Sami (Loveswept #34)
Nora Roberts, Affaire Royale (Silhouette Intimate Moments #142)
Anne Stuart, Blue Sage (Harlequin American Romance #213)
...and a remarkable career
Many authors have individual titles that I savor re-reading, but Jayne Ann Krentz/Jayne Castle/Jayne Taylor/Amanda Quick/Amanda Glass/Stephanie James has an entire oeuvre!
