Clean Romances discussion

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message 1: by Sophie (new)

Sophie | 209 comments Hello! I have just joined! My name is Sophie and I am 16 :) I am a hopeless romantic so this is my perfect group! My particular favourite era for romances is regency/Georgian. This love of regency romances started with (predictably) Jane Austen - I am a huge Janeite. (I even have a blog about Jane Austen ;) (http://laughingwithlizzie.blogspot.co...) )
Any ideas for regency (/historical) romances I would appreciate. :) I look forward to looking around this group and joining in the discussions and finding some other clean romances to read! (I don't see the point of not having them clean! It detracts from the enjoyment in my opinion!)
:)


message 2: by Joyce, Group Creator (new)

Joyce | 592 comments Mod
Welcome, welcome, Soph! We're so happy to have you join us! I write clean medieval romances myself, but as a reader, I'm a huge Regency romance fan, too. I grew up reading and breathing Georgette Heyer. If you haven't read her books, you definitely need to check them out. Many members of our Clean Romances group write Regencies, as well, so you should have no trouble find lots of romances to entertain you here. :-)


message 3: by Marisa (new)

Marisa Adams (marisa_adams) | 36 comments Welcome Soph! I'm a contemporary clean romance author myself, but I love having this group to enjoy. It has been wonderful to share my love of happy endings and clean romances with others.


message 4: by Jennifer (new)

Jennifer Comeaux | 57 comments Hi Sophie! My publisher Astraea Press specializes in clean fiction and has a number of best-selling regency romances. Always great to meet another fan of clean romance! :)


message 5: by Kathy (new)

Kathy * Bookworm Nation | 62 comments I'm a huge regency reader as well, check out my bookshelf I have a ton of regencies. Off the top of my head I would recommend Donna Hatch and Sarah Eden. Both write clean regencies.


message 6: by Kathy (new)

Kathy * Bookworm Nation | 62 comments Oh, and you should check out Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson. It's awesome.


message 7: by Sophie (new)

Sophie | 209 comments Thank you for all the wonderful welcomes!
I have read a few Heyer's! I need to read more (read Arabella, The Nonesuch and Cotillion) I have The Corinthian, Frederica and Venetia on my shelf waiting. Open to recommendations.

Thanks for all the ideas! I will have a look around from your suggestions and see what I can find!
I have just read Edenbrooke actually! AMAZING! :D

I live in England by the way :)


message 8: by Joyce, Group Creator (new)

Joyce | 592 comments Mod
Some of my favorite Heyer's, along with those you mentioned, are Friday's Child, These Old Shades, Black Sheep, The Talisman Ring, and another who's title is eluding me at the moment. The heroine's name is Horatia (Horry for short) and she has a stutter. The title's on the tip of my tongue, but it's not tripping off. But really, it's hard to go wrong with any Heyer romances.


message 9: by Sophie (new)

Sophie | 209 comments Thank you!! :D


message 10: by Abigail (new)

Abigail (handmaiden) | 72 comments Joyce wrote: "...and another who's title is eluding me at the moment. The heroine's name is Horatia (Horry for short) and she has a stutter. The title's on the tip of my tongue, but it's not tripping off..."


I believe you're thinking of The Convenient Marriage.


message 11: by Sophie (new)

Sophie | 209 comments Thank you for relieving her mind!!


message 12: by Joyce, Group Creator (new)

Joyce | 592 comments Mod
Abigail wrote: "Joyce wrote: "...and another who's title is eluding me at the moment. The heroine's name is Horatia (Horry for short) and she has a stutter. The title's on the tip of my tongue, but it's not trippi..."


Yes! That's the one. :-)


message 13: by Sheri (new)

Sheri South | 22 comments Welcome, Soph! I'm pretty new to the group myself. Since joining, I've downloaded EDENBROOKE to my Kindle to read on the plane home for Christmas. It's apparently very popular with many of the members of this group!

You asked for other recommendations. I hope this is not tacky, but I would love for you to give my Regencies a try! I've written 5 Regency romances (2 stand-alones plus the "Weaver" trilogy, a series beginning with THE WEAVER TAKES A WIFE) and a couple of Regency-set mysteries with a romance thread. Several reviewers (on Goodreads and elsewhere) have said my "voice" is a bit similar to Georgette Heyer's--high praise, in my opinion! My books may be available through your library, if you want to try them out without making a financial commitment.


message 14: by Sophie (new)

Sophie | 209 comments Oh thanks!! Not tacky at all!! I would love to read your ones :D I will look into them right now. Which is your favourite? :) thanks for the recommendations :)
And enjoy Edenbrooke! So good!!


message 15: by Sophie (new)

Sophie | 209 comments Love the look of the trilogy! :D what are the other 2 romances called? :)


message 16: by Sheri (new)

Sheri South | 22 comments THE WEAVER TAKES A WIFE is my favorite. I got so attached to Ethan Brundy (the titular weaver) that I had to write two more books about him.


message 17: by Sheri (new)

Sheri South | 22 comments The two stand-alones are OF PAUPERS AND PEERS, an amnesia/mistaken identity story (I'm convinced every romance author has one amnesia story to get out her system!) and MISS DARBY'S DUENNA, a thoroughly silly hero-in-drag story that one reviewer described as "I LOVE LUCY in historical costume." The reviewer didn't entirely mean it as a compliment, but it made such a great sound bite that when I mentioned it once in a radio interview prior to a book signing, the bookstore manager told me people had been coming into the store hours ahead of the signing, asking for "that I LOVE LUCY book!" As you can see by the Goodreads reviews, though, reactions are mixed. If you're reading more for romance, you may be disappointed, but if you like a light romance with more humor, you're more likely to enjoy it.


message 18: by Sophie (new)

Sophie | 209 comments Thanks! I am a hopeless romantic so the romance is what I like the best, but I do love a bit of humour as well! :D


message 19: by Sophie (new)

Sophie | 209 comments Just ordered Of Paupers and Peers :D


message 20: by [deleted user] (new)

Welcome, Soph! It's nice to see a younger member who enjoys clean reading, too.

I'm also a fan of Jane Austen, and am currently reading Sense and Sensibility, and enjoying it. Her books are such great reads.

As far as recommendations, I honestly can't think of any specifics off the bad. But when it comes to historical, my favorite author is Kate Morton, so you may want to see if any of her books may suit you.

Welcome to the group!

Alexandra~


message 21: by Sophie (new)

Sophie | 209 comments Thank you for your lovely welcome! Unfortunately people my age who like the clean romances are rare! I don't see the point of ... Details.

Love Sense and Sensibility :) my favourite of Austen's pride and prejudice :)

Thanks for the recommendation! I will look her up! :)


message 22: by May (new)

May Abbey (maynicoleabbey) | 76 comments HI Soph! I'm pretty new to goodreads, and especially to discussion boards, so I'm getting my feet wet along side you. I agree whole heartedly about being a romance lover AND that when a romance is not clean it detracts from the characters, and the charm of the whole thing. WELCOME WELCOME!


message 23: by May (new)

May Abbey (maynicoleabbey) | 76 comments Joyce wrote: "Welcome, welcome, Soph! We're so happy to have you join us! I write clean medieval romances myself, but as a reader, I'm a huge Regency romance fan, too. I grew up reading and breathing Georgette H..."

Joyce - I too LOVE Georgette Heyer!


message 24: by Sophie (new)

Sophie | 209 comments May! Thanks for the welcome!! It really does detract from the characters!! whats the point!?!


message 25: by Summer (new)

Summer (summerleeauthor) | 52 comments Soph wrote: "Hello! I have just joined! My name is Sophie and I am 16 :) I am a hopeless romantic so this is my perfect group! My particular favourite era for romances is regency/Georgian. This love of regency ..."


message 26: by Summer (new)

Summer (summerleeauthor) | 52 comments Verna wrote: "Hello Sophie! This is my perfect group as well. I just can't fifure out how to get into the inner circle.


message 27: by May (new)

May Abbey (maynicoleabbey) | 76 comments What is the point. Seriously. It is intriguing to my sister and I that as soon as that sort of stuff enters the story character development goes down the drain.

I'm about to make a major confession here -- my sister and I collect the old harlequin books from the 50's and 60's and even 70's. we probably have about 1000 between the two of us. The writing is most of the time really good, the environment and expectations are refreshingly wholesome, and a lot of times the characters complex. In the 80's sex became a component in love stories where before (at least in these books) it wasn't. And the most interesting thing, even with authors we like from the 60's, when they write in the 80's and include crap, their writing goes down the drain in quality and character development. Weird, huh. It would be fun to have a discussion board with people analyzing why that might be. :-)


message 28: by Zoe and the Edge (last edited Dec 17, 2012 10:44PM) (new)

Zoe and the Edge | 19 comments Quite an exciting thread! I've added May's book to my TBR (to-be-read). It looks good!
On another note, I find that few clean romance books are well written or emotionally satisfying - and it has nothing to do with the sexual content or lack thereof! I wish I could read well-written clean romances that don't have that goody-two-shoes feel about it. Of course I've found a few clean ones that fit the bill such as

Divergent (Divergent, #1) by Veronica Roth (YA) and A Girl Like You by Gemma Burgess (Adult)

I just wish clean romance authors weren't so innocent. Rant over. =)


message 29: by Sophie (new)

Sophie | 209 comments Verna wrote: "Verna wrote: "Hello Sophie! This is my perfect group as well. I just can't fifure out how to get into the inner circle."

Thanks for the welcome! :D


message 30: by Sophie (new)

Sophie | 209 comments May wrote: "What is the point. Seriously. It is intriguing to my sister and I that as soon as that sort of stuff enters the story character development goes down the drain.

I'm about to make a major confessi..."


completely agree!
and what a cool thing to collect!


message 31: by Sophie (new)

Sophie | 209 comments Zoe wrote: "Quite an exciting thread! I've added May's book to my TBR (to-be-read). It looks good!
On another note, I find that few clean romance books are well written or emotionally satisfying - and it has ..."


haha nice rant. I know what you mean.sometime if they decided no sex, then they seem to decide no emotion.

This isn't always the case. i have read many which I find very romantic and ones which do satify my romantic need, which is high!! ;)


message 32: by May (new)

May Abbey (maynicoleabbey) | 76 comments Zoe wrote: "Quite an exciting thread! I've added May's book to my TBR (to-be-read). It looks good!
On another note, I find that few clean romance books are well written or emotionally satisfying - and it has ..."


Thanks Zoe! Oh, I think I know what you are talking about with a story being clean, but still REAL. If I understand your feelings, it is probably the same reason why I can't stomach a lot of the religious fiction/romance that is out there - it's just too preachy and everyone is too perfect. It's just not real. (And I'm a pretty religious girl myself ;P)

A lot of the books I have found in this group have fulfilled my need for meat in a story - that happens to be clean. Isn't life funny!


message 33: by May (new)

May Abbey (maynicoleabbey) | 76 comments Hey, do you guys think we should start a discussion about why character development goes out the window when sex becomes a component? I think it would be fun to analyze...


message 34: by Abigail (new)

Abigail (handmaiden) | 72 comments May wrote: "Hey, do you guys think we should start a discussion about why character development goes out the window when sex becomes a component? I think it would be fun to analyze..."

I say go for it.


message 35: by Zoe and the Edge (new)

Zoe and the Edge | 19 comments Soph wrote: "Zoe wrote: "Quite an exciting thread! I've added May's book to my TBR (to-be-read). It looks good!
On another note, I find that few clean romance books are well written or emotionally satisfying -..."


I think part of my problem is like some angst. You know, make my characters suffer a bit. I'm not so much into the Regency era, (though I should go back to Ms. Heyer maybe). I'd appreciate any recommendations you have, Soph!


message 36: by May (new)

May Abbey (maynicoleabbey) | 76 comments Zoe wrote: "Soph wrote: "Zoe wrote: "Quite an exciting thread! I've added May's book to my TBR (to-be-read). It looks good!
On another note, I find that few clean romance books are well written or emotionally..."


Zoe, I think it is true that you have to have some bitter to appreciate the sweet.


message 37: by Sophie (new)

Sophie | 209 comments I do know what you mean. And as for recommendations.... Well. If you want some angst then maybe... Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson is my favourite!! Also some by Amanda Grange - I have read all hers and loved them all. There are many I could suggest ;) and you should return to Heyer again :) check out my bookshelf for ideas as well :)


message 38: by May (new)

May Abbey (maynicoleabbey) | 76 comments Abigail wrote: "May wrote: "Hey, do you guys think we should start a discussion about why character development goes out the window when sex becomes a component? I think it would be fun to analyze..."

I say go fo..."


Check it out, Abigail. It is in the gen. discussion forum. I'd love your take on it!


message 39: by Jennifer (last edited Dec 19, 2012 12:54PM) (new)

Jennifer Comeaux | 57 comments Zoe wrote: "I find that few clean romance books are well written or emotionally satisfying - and it has nothing to do with the sexual content or lack thereof! I wish I could read well-written clean romances that don't have that goody-two-shoes feel about it."

As a clean romance author, one of my main goals was to have great chemistry between my characters while keeping it sweet. I love writing that emotional, romantic tension, and it's definitely possible to do so without including sexual content!

Jennifer Comeaux
Author of Life on the Edge and Edge of the Past


message 40: by Zoe and the Edge (new)

Zoe and the Edge | 19 comments Sophie - Thanks! I have read Edenbrooke and it was definitely one of the better clean romances I've read.

Jennifer - I've added your book to my TBR. I'm really looking forward to reading it!

I've also delved into the bookshelves of this group (thanks for pointing that out May!) And I hope to find a few treasures


message 41: by Karey (new)

Karey White My 15 and 18 year old daughters love clean romances. I agree, Edenbrooke is excellent. We loved it. For a contemporary romance that is only mildly romantic but thoroughly enjoyable, I just finished Hello Again by Lisa Mangum. My novel, For What It's Worth, is a contemporary romance and it's getting great reviews (for which I'm thankful) if you'd like to take a look and see if it looks like you'd like it.


message 42: by Sophie (new)

Sophie | 209 comments Thank you for the ideas :) I will be sure to check it out :)


message 43: by [deleted user] (new)

Karey wrote: "My 15 and 18 year old daughters love clean romances. I agree, Edenbrooke is excellent. We loved it. For a contemporary romance that is only mildly romantic but thoroughly enjoyable, I just finished..."

I just looked up your book, and it sounds adorable. Best of luck to you! :)


message 44: by Karey (new)

Karey White Thank you so much!


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