Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Hard times call for good romance.

I don’t know about you, but good books make everything better, at least for the time it takes to read a book. I think authors forget this. As an author it’s easy to get caught up in the brilliant plot twists and surprise ending. Trying to tell a story like no other is the goal. But when I want “comfort reading” I don’t pull out something with a chilling ending that leaves me devastated, just like real life. I go for the story where the good guys win, the heroine is adored and the hero sets the world back on course.

Here is a list of my comfort reads. This is in no particular order. I’ve read all these books many times.

MacKenzie’s Mountain – Linda Howard
(Then I must read the rest of the MacKenzie’s series and that makes for hours of feel good reading.)
Midnight Man- Lisa M Rice
(again, I must then read the rest of the Midnight series and enjoy every minute of it)
Dark Prince – Christine Feehan
Dark Fire – Christine Feehan
Kiss of the Highlander – Karen Marie Moning
(Directly, I’m compelled to read every book by Karen Marie Moning, again. This means days of bliss.)
Fur Factor- Christine Warren
Redemption – Shelby Morgen
Tempting the Beast – Lora Leigh
Elizabeth’s Wolf –Lora Leigh

So what do you read for comfort? Or do you?

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

The idea of a comfort read is very appealing to me right now. I am in the middle of combining 2 households and there are a thousand things to do in a short time.

I am going to check out some of your titles in a month when things settle down. Tonight I will spend a little time with "Perfect Partners" by Jayne Ann Krentz

Anonymous said...

Gail I've read most of those books you listed there plus all of the Midnight Man series and several others. I would like to read one of your new books for comfort. I can't wait for that. Guess I will go read one of the ones I have again. LOL! Lucy

Gail said...

Nancy, thanks for the suggestion on a new comfort read.

LOL Lucy, good one. I'll have a publish date on ASK FOR IT within the next two weeks.

Linda said...

I rarely re-read a book but if I do it's usually by Deborah Smith or Susan Elizabeth Phillips.

Anonymous said...

Wow - the Midnight series is one of my very favorites, as is the MacKenzie series. And actually, I have the Ghost Unit series on my "frequent flyers" list, too... hehehe. I'd add to that list anything by Maya Banks, Kill and Tell, After the Night, and Son of the Morning by Linda Howard, and I think Lora Leigh's Bound Hearts series ranks up there, too.

It always amazes me how a good book can shove everything back on track again.

Hugs!!
Georgia

Anonymous said...

*dreamy sigh* SON OF THE MORNING. One of my faves I had forgotten about. Thanks for reminding me. I can now look forward to buying a book! :-)

I just finished Elizabeth Lowell's
ENCHANTED, which used to be a comfort read. I didn't enjoy it as much this time as now I understand just how much she has grown as an author. Even so, I will probably read the other two books in the series, UNTAMED and FORBIDDEN.

MIDNIGHT MAN is one of my all time favorite comfort reads, as is FULL RIDE.

I adore the MCKENZIE series, particularly the one in which the young American woman in the Middle East is kidnapped and then rescued by the SEAL. (Sorry. I'm tired and the title escapes me at the moment.)

Good topic, Gail!

Anonymous said...

Joannie - Yes!! I remember Elizabeth Lowell's old western series, I can't remember the names of all of them but they were very simple names, like Only You and Only this and Only that... great stories. I like Midnight Angel best of all - Doug makes my heart go pitty-pat, and it doesn't hurt that my DH is retired military named Doug. :-) And that one of the young woman in the Middle East is MacKenzie's Pleasure, and is my favorite of the MacKenzie series next to MacKenzie's Mountain... the dad is one sexy man.

Hugs!!
Georgia

P.S. Gail, I just love this topic. I love to hear how readers still fall back on the old romances, those old standards, as comfort reads - no matter how things change, they remain the same.

Gail said...

I love this topic. You guys are giving me some great suggestions to read.

I'm struggling with a ending right now so I've gone back to books that give me a "good ending". Not to copy but to look at the mechanics of it. I NEED to put a feel good ending on this book and it's eluding me. I LIKE books with a feel good ending so I should be able to write them. LOL

Anonymous said...

all good picks. i'm going to chapters to get the ones i've missed onto my shelves. i also love the promise series by sarah mccarty.

Lori said...

I read England's Perfect Hero by Suzanne Enoch and Worth Any Price by Lisa Kleypas. I guess I tend to fall back to historicals for my comfort reads. They are both angsty, heavy books but the HEA is so worth it.

Aizea Mari said...

Anything by Brenda Bryce, Jayne Ann Krentz (especially the paranormals), Judy Mays, and Michelle M. Pillow get re-read when I need a cozy read. Midnight Angel and Romeo definitely go on the list as well.

I'll also read Grimm's Fairy Tales. They make me wonder about what true story they were based on and gets my imagination going. (Some of those stories are just odd.)

And after a seriously bad day, I'll read Chicken Soup with Rice by Maurice Sendak. Not romance but it always makes me smile.

I'm sure I'm missing some from my list but I'd probably go on forever if I didn't stop myself!

gee.ell said...

you forgot Full Ride and Slip Knot :)
I usually start with them, then go on to Midnight Man (and Angel), Elizabeths Wolf (and have you read the rest?)and Sarah McCartys promises.
every one is talking about the Mackenzie, I'll have to check them out.

and I'm SO EXCITED to finally get a story from you!! I can't wait for the other 2! :D Nov. 14th, got it circled on my calendar! :D

Gail said...

I don't read my own work for fun, I write it for fun! By the time you read it I've gone over every word way to many times.

Linda said...

Joanie, Mackenzie's Pleasure is the name of that book. I just happened to finish it yesterday. I picked it up at the library book sale for a quarter.

Anonymous said...

Ooh comforts reads, they are the best.I like series. Sarah McCarty- Promises. Lisa Marie Rice- Midnight. Mary Wine- Alcadians. My all time favourite is Colters Woman by Maya Banks. Bound Hearts- Lora Leigh always great on a rainy day. I'm just about bursting waiting for the next Ghost Unit book. They rock. Have read and re-read them. Thank you so much :)

Anonymous said...

I am not a massive re-reader, but Sarah McCarty's Promise series is something I generally pick up a couple of times, even if it is to read the last couple of chapters..
Same with Full Ride..
I think it is the emotions in those stories, that even if I read just a couple of chapters, suck me out of everyday life..

Anonymous said...

Comfort reads, anything by Gail(more would be better) Nora Roberts, love the Mackenzies!! The old Iris Johansen, she completely lost me with her newer stuff. G.A. Aiken LOVE the Dragons and her alter ego ...drawing a blank LOL! The Mallory series by Johanna Lindsey. All of Christine Feehan especially the sisters. Sherrilyn Kenyon, Jacquelyn Franks, Lara Adrian...the list can go on and on!!

Anonymous said...

Got to edit didn't mean that Nora Roberts wrote the Mackenzies!! Linda Howard did...you can tell I didn't read my blog before I published it, huh?