GTT: Romance Authors I’m Loving

GTT: Romance Authors I’m Loving

GTT: Romance Authors I’m Loving

 

 

In January I read 10 books.

TEN.

That’s so wild to me!  Granted, 90% of those books were audio books.  I can easily listen to books while I do other things like clean the house, drive or work on my laptop.

Since it’s the middle of winter and we just celebrated Valentine’s Day, I thought it would be fun to bring back Girl Talk Tuesday with a post all about my favorite romance authors.  So let’s dive on in!

 

my favorite romance authors

 

 

The romance genre is easily poo poo’ed on by many because they associate it with cheesy or trashy paperbacks you can pick up for $0.99.

This is simply NOT TRUE.

FYI- when I like an author, I tend to binge read as many of their books as possible.

Let’s talk clean, Christian romance first.  Here are my top three authors…

Francine Rivers.  I’ve talked about “Redeeming Love” about a gazillion times and I #cantstopwontstop.  This will forever be my number one.

Charles Martin.  Last year I was introduced to this author in a local book club and I couldn’t read his books fast enough.  I still have quite a few left and I’m so excited to dig into them all.  My favorite to date is, “Chasing Fireflies“.

Lynn Austin.  Her “Candle in the Darkness” triology is fabulous.  Truly.  This is the book that made me realize how much I enjoy historical romance novels.

The following authors I would categorize into the Grown & Sexy category, LOL.  So you need to be okay with some language and sexy time.

J. Sterling.  Matt is owed the praises for this introduction.  Because of him, she sent me a her books to read and I fell head over heels with her writing in The Game Series.  I can’t believe we don’t have a movie yet…  Who do I need to call to make this happen?!

Colleen Hoover.  This is a name that kept popping up until I finally just downloaded the first book I found of hers on Libby and fell in love.  I’m on my third Colleen Hoover book currently and so far, “November 9” is my favorite.  Currently I’m reading, “It Ends With Us” and I love that I can’t figure out how this story is going to end.

Christina Lauren.  “The Unhoneymooners” was our book club book this month and I couldn’t read it fast enough.  I loved how relatable this characters are and the story was so fun to lose yourself in.

Kristin Hannah.  Boy oh boy I love me some Kristin Hannah.  I almost gave up on her after, “The Nightingale“.  This is not the popular opinion but I seriously disliked that book.  There is no era I love more than WWII, so I think I went into it with insanely high expectations and unfortunately it totally let me down.  The book clubs girls kept talking about, “The Great Alone” so I finally bit the bullet and gave her one more chance.  Man, I’m glad I did!  It was such a great book and made me want to read more stories set in Alaska.  Her most recent book, a Christmas novel named, “Comfort & Joy” was the best Christmas story I’ve ever read.  Unlike most every book set at Christmastime, this one didn’t feel like a sappy Hallmark movie set in a tiny Canadian town.

Emily Giffin.  “Something Borrowed” is one of my favorite chick flicks and where my love for Emily Giffin began.  If you haven’t read the sequel, “Something Blue” please read it!  It was so fun to see the story from a different set of eyeballs.

If you do love books that feel like a Hallmark movie, then check out Debbie Mason and Debbie Macomber.  I really enjoy both of their books near the holidays.

I feel like I need to give honorable mention to Nicholas Sparks…  Except why does someone always have to die in his books?!  Life is sad enough, Nick.  Give us some love without loss every once in a while, MMMKAY?!

If you love Virgin River on Netlifx…  Please, for the love of every book ever written, PLEASE read the book series.  The books are the best you’ll ever read, but they are about a million times better than the show.  The show has taken such a turn from the books that it’s become almost unrecognizable in season two.  I believe there are more than 20 books in the series, so a ton of stories to get lost in.

Same with Sweet Magnolias.  The books are so much better.  SO MUCH.  I’m not sure that I’ll even tune into season two, season one was so disappointing compared to the book.

Comment below and share your favorite romance authors and books.  I love discovering new authors!  I grew up watching my Mawmaw devour every Danielle Steele book she could get her hands on, so my love of a good book was engrained in my DNA. 🙂

 

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49 Comments
  • Can’t wait to read some of these, I’m always looking for new authors. Some of my favorites are Marie Force, Susan Elizabeth Phillips and Barbara Freethy.

    • Angela Lanter

      I’ll have to check them out! Thanks, Shannon!

  • Omg I can’t believe you haven’t mentioned T.L Swan. I couldn’t go to bed until I finished each book front to back. Highly recommend you start with Dr.Stanton.. ?

  • Victoria

    Danielle Steele is my go too romance novelist and I love the book The Promise it you haven’t read it you should definitely check it out it’s seriously amazing. My mum was reading it so I picked up her book and started to read it as well and immediately got hooked so from then on I would read her book at the same time she was and it kind of came a competition between us of who would finish it first ?? I used to go to bed a few chapters ahead and wake up to see she had over taken me ? One of my favourite memories of when I was young ❤️

  • Love Debbie Macomber books, I think I have read most of them and my bookshelf is full of my favorites. Didn’t like the Nightingale just couldn’t get passed the 3rd chapter. I will try some of the other authors you suggested and see if I like them.

    • Angela Lanter

      Oh man! Bummed that you didn’t like the Nightingale!

  • Nancy Parker

    Love the recommendations! Thanks for the time you put into this❤️

    • Veronica

      My favorite romance author is Danielle Steel, her book’s were the first romance novels I ever read(started in highschool) yikes, a long time ago! My favorite book of hers is “The Promise” have read so many times. Will def try some of your suggestions, already have them in my cart. Starting with “Reedeming Love”.

    • Angela Lanter

      You’re welcome! Thanks for reading, Nancy!

  • Love this list, thanks for sharing!! So many authors I haven’t heard of so will be researching and ordering some books – can never have too many ?

  • Rebekah Harmon

    I love reading books too!!! Me and my sister have read the love come softly book series by Janette Oke. Those books are sooooo good!! We are rereading them again!! You have to read the books!!

  • Christina Coryell is a great, clean romance author. Her Camdyn series is one of my all-time favorite series in any genre. All of her books are wonderful though, so you can’t go wrong. Crystal Walton is another fantastic, clean Christian romance author, with a lot of books to choose from. I love romance books, but I really prefer a clean read so my options are often severely limited. Thanks for your suggestions; I enjoyed this Girl Talk Tuesday topic! I bought Chasing Fireflies, so I’m hoping I love it as much as you did.

    • Angela Lanter

      I’ll have to check some of those out! Thanks, Shammah!

  • Omg I *love* The Nightingale ?

    I love romance books, its the series I tend to write the most and read the most. Some of my favorites are: The Deal by Elle Kennedy, My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan (though you’ll seriously need tissues with this book!!), I’ve Got Your Number, by Sophie Kinsella, and one of most guilty pleasures, The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan.

    Its safe to say that I love romance! ???

  • GraceBaruch

    1] Terri Reed – Christian Suspense Romance
    2] Teresa Slack – Christian Historical Funny Romance
    3] Carolyne Aarsen – Christian Inspirational Romance

  • Love the romance genre ❤️. Sarah Morgan and Jill Shalvis are my favourites to read but so many good authors out there.

    • Angela Lanter

      Agreed! I’ll check those two authors out too. Thanks!

  • Something borrowed is one of my favs I need to read the book but something blue is one of my favs and currently reading the unhoneymooners cause of the book club but loving it so far
    Need to read more audio books they’d helped me get through work hehe
    I do agree there are some beautiful romantic books out there

  • Jessica Dowell

    Rachel Hauck’s Royal Wedding series, Everything by Roseanna M. White (Minus Stray Drop of Blood and Jewel of Persia. Wasn’t a fan of those, but I really liked A Soft Breath of Wind!), And Becky Wade’s Bradford Sisters trilogy.

    • Angela Lanter

      I LOVE Rachel Hauck too! I’ll check out all the other. Thanks, Jessica!

    • Laura D Thomas

      I agree with all your selections! Lately, Rachel Hauck has been my favorite! I have read almost all of hers. My daughters and I also discovered “The Selection Series” by Kiera Cass – truly the best series I have read for a while – think The Bachelor meets Divergent, but clean! 🙂 I highly recommend it!! My daughters also had me read The Red Queen series by Victoria Avyard (good, but the last book is LONG). Another good Christian author is Dee Henderson. I like her older series, the Uncommon Heroes and the O’Malley series. I pick these up and reread when I do not have anything else!

  • Michelle Lunsford

    I prefer to stick with the romance that falls within “clean” or Christian/Inspirational. Here are some of my fav authors…

    Kristi Ann Hunter (regency era – her Hawthorne series is among my favorite and I often re-read them)

    Pepper Basham – written historical and contemporary, she especially writes great stories set in the Appalachian culture – I think she writes THE best kissing scenes

    Bethany Turner – her books have me swooning but also laughing at equal turns

    Karen Witemeyer – her Archer Brothers series is very good and another among my regular re-reads

    Other honorable mentions include Susan May Warren, Melissa Tagg, and Joanne Bischof (Lady and the Lionheart is fabulous!)

    • Angela Lanter

      I’ll have to check all of them out! Thanks, Michelle!

  • ABSOLUTELY LOVE Susannah Kearsley for historical fiction romance. Like, LOVE. The Winter Sea, The Shadowy Horses, and The Firebird are my favorites of hers. FWIW, I’m a former copy editor, and I majored in History and English Literature, so I’m rather picky about grammar, mechanics, developmental editing, and writing ability in general. Kearsley is an author whose works I often reread. They’re that good.

    • Angela Lanter

      I’ll definitely check her out! Thanks for the recommendation!

  • Ellie Saunders

    I cannot understand why everyone is sleeping on Ryanne Anthony! That M Series alone made me feel sooooo many emotions and that last one was so deep and wrenching! I cried hard during all eight books if I wasn’t laughing. Give her a shot. I fought reading her until that When The Bough Breaks popped up on my kindle. That was also an excellent read!

  • Bekah Politano Montgomery

    I love historical novels with romance added in. If you have not read anything by Jennifer Robson then start now!! She is amazing!! And her books are those books you don’t want to ever end. I would also recommend Natasha Lester.. start with the Paris Seamstress…

  • Jamie Barclay

    Thank you for the list above. I love to read and it is always nice to find some good books. I just fell into your book club this month and couldn’t put the book down. I loved it so much that I read it in a day and a half. Thank goodness I had President’s day off. ?? One of my favorite authors is Melissa Foster. I’ve read all of her books an have a new release waiting for me to open.

  • Amy Perkins

    I recently fell in love with Lynn Austin’s writing. The book messages are great, and the way she weaves together the characters’ backstories is so intriguing! After reading Waves of Mercy, I am almost finished with Legacy of Mercy. My mom is a huge fan of Tamera Alexander, a local Nashville author. She has written series about the Belmont Mansion, Belle Meade Plantation, and Carnton, and you can still tour these places!

    • Angela Lanter

      I’ll have to get the Tamera Alexander books! I’m obsessed with Nash!

  • One of my fav authors in Christian/inspirational romance is Karen Kingsbury. The Baxter Series is great and really focused on redemption and getting to know God personally. Thanks for the new suggestions!

  • Stephanie Sedacca

    I love that I can always find similarities and relate to your suggestions! When talking about romance novels, JoJo Moyes deserves a mention (because of EVERY book of hers, ever!) as well as Rebecca Serle and Jill Santopolo! I too love the ones you mentioned above and once I love an author I read as many of their books as possible and the three I mentioned are amazing too. Josie Silver and Rosie Curtis both wrote such CUTE winter romance novels – I couldn’t get through them fast enough. PS. Can’t wait for your next book talk, I’m already a member of your book club too 😉

    • Angela Lanter

      There’s so many good ones I couldn’t mention! I love JoJo Moyes, too!

  • I love Jenny Colgan books. “The Bookshop on the Corner” is my favorite. Most of her books take you to the Scottish Highlands. They’re so cozy and a great read!

  • I wish I had more time to read! I read a lot over the summer with having that time off as a teacher. I love Nicholas Sparks books and I agree, the Sweet Magnolias books were way better! I read them all over the summer!

  • Allison Sands

    I have always been afraid of picking up romance novels, but I accidentally picked up a Christian romance series because I thought it was a mystery. THE GUARDIAN by Dee Henderson. It was book two of the O’MALLEY SERIES. I have wound up reading all of Hendersons books.

    • Angela Lanter

      I’ll have to look into those! Thanks for the suggestion!

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