MORE THAN MIND CANDY
MORE THAN MIND CANDY
This will not come as a surprise to long time romance readers, but today’s romance novel’s are more than mind candy. Sure, we still have the fluffy romantic comedies, heart stopping thrillers, sweet feel good stories, and those marvelous men in kilts, tight jeans or Brooks Brother’s suits.
Now, keep in mind I don’t read every romance published every month. However, in the last few months I’ve noticed a new trend in the books I’ve been reading. Harlequin seems to be leading the pack with stories that entertain while taking on some of today’s darker subject of life.
In Silhouette Special Edition #1757, DANCING IN THE MOONLIGHT by Raeanne Thayne, deals with the aftermath of a soldier injured in Afghanistan. The twist is our hero is our heroine. She lost part of her leg in an explosion. This is her journey of coming home, resolving old hurts and hatreds, finding her place in the world and of course finding her true love along the way.
In Harlequin Romance # 738, MEANT TO BE MARRIAGE by Rebecca Winters, tells the story of a man who leaves the Priesthood to be with the woman he loves. Ms. Winters does a wonderful job of showing the heroine’s angst at the thought of her being the reason he left the priesthood, and his reasons for leaving were not totally centered on his love for her. His relationship with the Catholic Church and his love for the heroine are resolved in a realistic and emotionally satisfying way.
In Harlequin Super Romance # 1344 THE OTHER WOMAN by Brenda Novak takes on the tough subject of life after bigamy. The heroine had been the second wife. She divorced him and moved her children from California to their father’s home town so they could have a relationship with him. There she opens a chocolate shop like the one in the movie Chocolat. She gets help from the mysterious new man in town. He has to let go of his own ghost as she refuses to be second best again.
Don’t think that Harlequin and Silhouette are the only ones tackling tough subjects. Avon gives us an alcoholic hero in Eloisa James’ THE TAMING OF THE DUKE. We’ve seen this hero in the last few books of hers as the guardian of the Essex sisters. This is a deeply moving story of how a man in Regency England gets clean and sober to win the love of his life. It is a deeply compelling story.
So, the next time someone gives you a hard time about your reading material send them my way. We’ll have a little chat. J
This will not come as a surprise to long time romance readers, but today’s romance novel’s are more than mind candy. Sure, we still have the fluffy romantic comedies, heart stopping thrillers, sweet feel good stories, and those marvelous men in kilts, tight jeans or Brooks Brother’s suits.
Now, keep in mind I don’t read every romance published every month. However, in the last few months I’ve noticed a new trend in the books I’ve been reading. Harlequin seems to be leading the pack with stories that entertain while taking on some of today’s darker subject of life.
In Silhouette Special Edition #1757, DANCING IN THE MOONLIGHT by Raeanne Thayne, deals with the aftermath of a soldier injured in Afghanistan. The twist is our hero is our heroine. She lost part of her leg in an explosion. This is her journey of coming home, resolving old hurts and hatreds, finding her place in the world and of course finding her true love along the way.
In Harlequin Romance # 738, MEANT TO BE MARRIAGE by Rebecca Winters, tells the story of a man who leaves the Priesthood to be with the woman he loves. Ms. Winters does a wonderful job of showing the heroine’s angst at the thought of her being the reason he left the priesthood, and his reasons for leaving were not totally centered on his love for her. His relationship with the Catholic Church and his love for the heroine are resolved in a realistic and emotionally satisfying way.
In Harlequin Super Romance # 1344 THE OTHER WOMAN by Brenda Novak takes on the tough subject of life after bigamy. The heroine had been the second wife. She divorced him and moved her children from California to their father’s home town so they could have a relationship with him. There she opens a chocolate shop like the one in the movie Chocolat. She gets help from the mysterious new man in town. He has to let go of his own ghost as she refuses to be second best again.
Don’t think that Harlequin and Silhouette are the only ones tackling tough subjects. Avon gives us an alcoholic hero in Eloisa James’ THE TAMING OF THE DUKE. We’ve seen this hero in the last few books of hers as the guardian of the Essex sisters. This is a deeply moving story of how a man in Regency England gets clean and sober to win the love of his life. It is a deeply compelling story.
So, the next time someone gives you a hard time about your reading material send them my way. We’ll have a little chat. J
posted by Deborah Brent at 12:33 AM
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