Clean Romances discussion

Hi! I stumbled across this list about a week ago and thought I'd share it here.

http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/36...

I added some and voted on some others. There is more than one page, just FYI. (I think a lot of people miss the tiny link at the bottom.) :o)

Thanks for the link. I am curious about some of the titles and the debate about the definition of clean that follows. The only Nicholas Sparks book that I read had a sex scene in it, and he had a book on the list.

Jeannette wrote: "The only Nicholas Sparks book that I read had a sex scene in it, and he had a book on the list."

I was under the impression that none of his had sex in them but I've only read "Walk to Remember" which had none. (I only voted for the books I've read.) Which book did you read?

:o)

I read "The Notebook". I remember there being one sex scene in it, but it's been a while. The rest of the book made me cry, and I've avoided Sparks cuz everyone says that all of his books are sad. I haven't read many of the books on the list. I just found it interesting that they were debating what clean meant as compared to what you would let your mother read. (depends on the mom, doesn't it?)

Jeannette wrote: "I just found it interesting that they were debating what clean meant as compared to what you would let your mother read. (depends on the mom, doesn't it?)"

I thought the same thing, LOL.

"Walk to Remember" had me sobbing for hours. It has made me reluctant to read more, too. Don't get me wrong, I love a good tear-jerker romance. But when you don't even have the happily-ever-after to look forward to, what's the point?

The Notebook was too much for me. I enjoyed it and the good cry that I had, but I don't want too many repeat doses!

Nicholas Sparks is the king of tragic romance novels. I really like his books, though:-)

I've read all his books. I don't remember a sex scene in The Last Song ??? and there isn't one in A Walk to Remember but I think all his other books have a sex scene in them. Not graphic and usually just a paragraph or two. His books are tear-jerkers so have a kleenex handy and most of them do end up happily ever after.

Yeah, most of his have a little bit of "content", but a really good CLEAN one of his is . It's wonderful!

Hi,
This is my first post. My own novel A Very Merry Chase, is a Regency romance era novel that would fit in this category. http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/96...

I actually wrote it about 35 years ago. I was a young adult when Kathleen Woodiwiss's Flame and the Flower suddenly "mainstream" popularized the more salacious historical romance. I tried to read them, but found that I skipped the sex, just as I had done earlier when reading the Angelique series from 50's France.

Anyway, if I hadn't discovered the wonderful Georgette Heyer and the quick and easy Regency reads of Barbara Cartland (Princess Diana's grandmother) at about that same time, I would probably have stopped reading romance novels altogether. Eventually, I was inspired to write my own Regency romance and so I wrote (and only recently re-edited and published) A Very Merry Chase.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/96...

Smiles,
Teresa

Welcome to the group, Teresa! I suggest you add your book to our shelf as well as this list: http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/36...

Hope you enjoy the group!

Jaimey,
Thanks for the suggestions. I taken them to heart, and acted on them.
Smiles,
Teresa

Congratulations on publishing your Regency, Teresa! I love Regencies. (As Jaimey knows. :-) ) Thank you for adding more clean romances to the world! And a very warm welcome to our group!

Thank you for the welcome. I'll start listing some of my favorites to share. Although, I can quickly say that any by Georgette Heyer and Barbara Cartland (Although her very young, sugary sweet heroines are not exactly to my taste these days.) and especially the Coventry "Second Chance At Love" Regency Romance novels from the 70's and 80's are among my favorite Clean Romances.
Smiles,
Teresa

I just noticed that Sarah M Eden came out with another book " The Kiss of a Stranger" (previous titled " Rameshackled Knight" I believe.) It was a great book, Set in the regency era, it had everthing, happiness, sad, intrigue, clean romance, humor. You can find it through Desseret Book.

Cindy wrote: "I just noticed that Sarah M Eden came out with another book " The Kiss of a Stranger" (previous titled " Rameshackled Knight" I believe.) It was a great book, Set in the regency era, it had everthi..."

Oh, I didn't know it was the same as the Ramshackle Knight! I have that book already. I'm glad I read this comment so I didn't buy a duplicate. ;-)

Thanks for the info, Cindy. I just bought it for my Kindle. Looks good!

Hi, all!
Glad to be a part of this group!
I write sweet lighthearted romances. I have two published so far.

and

But I'm always on the lookout for more books to read in this genre!
~Jennifer :)

I wasn't quite sure where which topic to add this comment under. Hopefully this one will work.
In looking at the bookshelf, I didn't see any books listed by Mary Stewart or Phyllis Whitney. Are any of you familiar with them? I always considered them as romantic suspense novels, back in the day, and I loved reading them. I have seen some of their books categorized as Gothic romance but I am not quite sure what the distinctions are. Both of these authors have some novels set in the Regency/Victorian era and both have what was at the time they were written, more contemporary.(70's, 80's-- Pre-cell phone and internet). I would say they are similar to pre-1985 Victoria Holt. If you are looking for authors to try, you may want to check them out.

Just a note: Mary Stewart did write a King Arthur/Camelot trilogy which, although they are very good, might not fit on a romance shelf.

I have really enjoyed two other authors that are similar to Holt,Whitney and Stewart. Joan Aiken and Jane Aiken Hodge. These two are hard to find in my library system but if you can find them, I loved reading them. I wasn't quite sure what the rules are of adding to the bookshelf. How recently should the books have been read in order to add them?

Nanci, There is no time limit on how long ago books were published to add them to our bookshelf. We want clean romances, old and new! So yes, please feel free to add some Mary Stewart and Phyllis Whitney titles to our bookshelf. (Well, except for the Merlin trilogy. You're right, they're not really "romances".)

I've heard of Joan Aiken and Jane Aiken Hodge, but haven't read their books. (Are they one author with two different pen names?) If her/their romances are clean, yes of course, you can add them too!

Here is a list of some clean romances I have read lately, sorry if already listed: Overprotected, Magic Hands(not my favorite cover),Season of Eden, Falling for Romeo all by Jennifer Laurens. Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs ( some language), Waterfall by Lisa Bergren, Angel Star by Jennifer Murgia, Entwined by Heather Dixon, Nevermore by Kelly Creagh, Camille by Tess Oliver. Hope these help someone out there!:)

Cindy wrote: "Here is a list of some clean romances I have read lately, sorry if already listed: Overprotected, Magic Hands(not my favorite cover),Season of Eden, Falling for Romeo all by Jennifer Laurens. Tempe..."

Thanks for all of these, Cindy! Camille by Tess Oliver was already on our shelves, but none of the others were. I've added them. Thanks for sharing them with our group!

I had forgotten about Stuart and Whitney. I liked both of them, but I enjoyed Whitney a little more. Astraea Press is a new publisher that specializes in clean romance if you are interested in checking them out. http://www.astraeapress.com

Elaine wrote: "I had forgotten about Stuart and Whitney. I liked both of them, but I enjoyed Whitney a little more. Astraea Press is a new publisher that specializes in clean romance if you are interested in ch..."

Thanks, Elaine. A couple of people have mentioned Astraea Press. Good for them for publishing clean romances! If anyone wants to add their titles to our group shelf, please do.

You're welcome, Jean. I think Astraea has a good handle on what true romance really is.

Nanci wrote: "I have really enjoyed two other authors that are similar to Holt,Whitney and Stewart. Joan Aiken and Jane Aiken Hodge. These two are hard to find in my library system but if you can find them, I ..."

I've read many of Jane Aiken Hodge's books and enjoyed them. Not as good as Mary Stewart or Georgette Heyer, but still good. Getting old now, hope they can still be found. Don't know about at libraries, but certainly for sale on Abe Books. She also wrote an excellent biography/critique "The Private World of Georgette Heyer."

Haven't read Joan Aiken and have no idea if she's the same person.

Monya (aka Mary)

Unlovable

You could try finding them at Alibris Books. Hope I spelled it right.

Elanie mentioned Astrea Press? I've got my eye on them as they are relatively new--but I love what they stand for.

Danielle

Danielle wrote: "Elanie mentioned Astrea Press? I've got my eye on them as they are relatively new--but I love what they stand for.

Danielle"

Hear hear, Danielle!

I don't know exactly why, but I get the feeling that the time is right for the sweeter side of romance to take off.

Elaine wrote: "I don't know exactly why, but I get the feeling that the time is right for the sweeter side of romance to take off."

I hope you're right, Elaine. Here's one group that will be supporting it!

I hope so too! I am going to post my reasons for writing that type on my website one of these days soon. I am not sure that the term "sweet" explains it, though. That it is clean. I prefer "clean" or "polite", which is what I have called mine. I think it better describes that it is clean. Did the term "sweet" originate here? If so, may I suggest that we try to promote the word "polite"? Make it known on the web as meaning clean?

I'm sure this sounds very obnoxious and presumptuous of me, but I just think the word is more self explanatory. :)

You're probably right, Debra. Most of what I write is clean, but some if it isn't sweet.

Debra wrote: "I hope so too! I am going to post my reasons for writing that type on my website one of these days soon. I am not sure that the term "sweet" explains it, though. That it is clean. I prefer "clean" ..."

Debra, the word "sweet" is generally used in the national publishing industry to denote what we call a "clean" romance, i.e., no sex scenes in the book. That's why you'll often find the word used interchangeably with "clean" romances. So when I use that word, I'm using it as a publishing industry term, even though I agree that clean is a clearer description to many of us, especially if you're not familiar with industry terms.

Ok, well, probably everyone but me understood that, then. It's a good thing I'm here to learn these things! Thanks. :) Any other industry standards I'd better learn as an author of sweet romances? lol.

Debra wrote: "Ok, well, probably everyone but me understood that, then. It's a good thing I'm here to learn these things! Thanks. :) Any other industry standards I'd better learn as an author of sweet romances? ..."

Oh, I suspect a lot of people don't understand what "sweet" means in a romance. It just goes to show you how long I've been marketing my romances before I finally found a publisher. I had to learn all this stuff so I'd know how to describe my manuscript in things like query letters. My current publisher (Walnut Springs Press) ONLY publishes clean romances, so terminology isn't an issue. But if I were to try again to find an agent or something, I'd need to know to call my book "a sweet romance" in my query letter.

Learning... learning....

I hope so too because I have 3 sweet cozies out there in my Maine Shore Chronicles series and would love new readers!

I wish there was a better word than "sweet' myself--I prefer "clean" but it is what it is, I guess. I describe my books with other words with the sweet--like sweet romantic adventure and such.

I just finished a book called Double Shot by Erynn Mangum. She is a really good author and never fails to make me laugh. It is clean and christian, so don't worry about that. This is a third in a series. Amazing, if anyone wants to read it!

Joyce wrote: "Cindy wrote: "Here is a list of some clean romances I have read lately, sorry if already listed: Overprotected, Magic Hands(not my favorite cover),Season of Eden, Falling for Romeo all by Jennifer ..."

Just read a gem of a book called Legacy by Cayla Kluver. was soooo good! Clean language and clean romance.

Cindy, I hope you'll add it to our group bookshelf, if it isn't there already. :-)

Hi All. This is my first post in a group on Goodreads, and I hope I'm doing this right!!

My novel, Beach Rental, is 'clean', too. Sweet in heat level, but emotionally intense. I agree that Sweet is often confused with mild in tone, versus mild in heat. When I tell people I write Sweet Romance, my perception is that most think they understand, but don't, so I feel like I have to explain.

Beach Rental is just barely released - eformat is out and print will be out any day - but I'm not sure what to do with it and Goodreads. LOL. Am I the only confused author?

Grace, your book sounds intriguing. I look forward to reading it.:)

Congrats, Grace, and welcome. You are in a great group here. Be sure to put your book on the group bookshelf when it is available.

I agree that Sweet is not so clearly descriptive. :p

I added Beach Rental to the bookshelf. Yea! I think I actually did something right! I have a lot to learn about Goodreads.

You are not alone, Grace. I'm not a newbie, but I think the only thing I've done is put books on my shelf. How do you add to the group shelf?