Today, I celebrate Banned Books Week over at Romancing the Blog. Go; visit.
I’d also like to canvas for recommendations of category romances. A friend is looking to expand her horizons and learn more about the form and the opportunities it provides for story. (Yes, it was one of those “…awful Harlequins…” “What do you mean? There are plenty of good ones…” “Really? Tell me more!” conversations.)
So, dig through your keeper stack, bring out your favorite category romances*, and tell us all about them** in the comments section***.
* Category romance novels: (sometimes called series romance novels) the short paperback romance novels published by Harlequin/Silhouette (and, at other times, Bantam Loveswept, Zebra Bouquet, and others) that are published as part of a specific, clearly delineated line. They are usually shorter and cheaper than “single title” romances. A certain number of books are published in each category every month, and have a limited shelf life before being replaced by next month’s category offerings. Most category lines have specific guidelines as to setting, characterization, type of conflict, level of sensuality, etc.
** Much as I’d love to hear about your fave Danielle Steele novel or the latest offering from Christine Feehan, I’m really looking here for CATEGORY ROMANCE recommendations only. How can you tell if it’s a category romance? The covers are mostly all one color and look a hell of a lot like the covers of at least three other books that month (as well as like the books every month), they have a number on the spine, and they are published under a program with a name like the following: Harlequin Romance, Harlequin Presents, Harlequin Intrigue, Harlequin Superromance, Harlequin American, Harlequin Temptation, Harlequin Blaze, Harlequin Duets, Harlequin Flipside; or Silhouette Special Edition, Silhouette Intimate Moments, Silhouette Yours Truly, Silhouette Romance, Silhouette Desire; or Mills & Boone Modern, Traditional, Sexy, Extra; etc. featured very prominently on the cover — often more prominently than the name of the book.
*** If it’s a BANNED category romance, then it’s especially welcome. 
September 25th, 2006 at 8:21 am
I’m not a huge category fan, but Lucy Monroe recently sent me her Royal Brides trilogy (His Royal Love Child, The Prince’s Virgin Wife and The Scorsolini Marriage Bargain), which is Harlequin Presents, and I enjoyed all three books much, much more than I thought I would.
And I know they’re soon to be defunct, but I do enjoy some Bombshells. Most notably, I enjoyed Evelyn Vaughn’s Grail Keepers books. (starting with A.K.A. Goddess).
Also, I read a Roxanne St. Clair category in the final rounds of an RWA contest I was judging. I enjoy her writing in non-category books and I thought her offering was very good.
I haven’t been overly impressed with any of the Blaze I’ve read recently and wouldn’t recommend any of them.
That’s about the extent of my category reading
And as a non-sequitor, did you know your left sidebar still say “preorder Secret Society Girl”?
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September 25th, 2006 at 8:51 am
Many people think that because of the short format and quick shelf turnover that category romance is nothing but cotton candy fluff. However, I and many other category authors try to incorporate larger themes into the books.
My second Harlequin Blaze, YOURS IN BLACK LACE, addressed spousal abuse and to a smaller extent alcoholism. My third book, 9 1/2 DAYS, features a hero with post-traumatic stress disorder after being at the Pentagon on Sept 11. My most recent Blaze, AFTERNOON DELIGHT, is about a one-year breast cancer survivor who fears her cancer has come back. (You can read exerpts here http://www.miazachary.com )
My creative partner, Melissa James, used to write action-adventure stories for Silhouette Intimate Moments but is currently doing fabulous work for Harlequin Romance. Her October release,LONG LOST FATHER, showcases a couple struggling to come to terms with their daughter who was born blind.
Lis has two more books coming next year, OUTBACK BABY MIRACLE and HER OUTBACK KNIGHT. Don’t let the titles put you off. These are deeply emotional books that touch on difficult topics that any woman can relate to. (http://www.melissajames.net )
On another note, I’m really sorry to see the Bombshell line closing. I really loved a lot of those books- Evelyn Vaugn’s GRAILKEEPERS being the best. I also recommend BAITED by Crystal Green [on shelves now] for a well written book with unexpected twists.
Here’s the thing about category though. If you try -one- and don’t like it, there are literallly hundreds of other books available and you’re bound to find some you like if you give them a chance.
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September 25th, 2006 at 9:05 am
Relentless by Leslie Kelly was the first category I ever read and remains one of my favorites. It was a Harlequin Temptation.
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September 25th, 2006 at 9:42 am
I love Barely Mistaken by Jennifer LaBreque, Temptation. Wonderful book! Suzanne McMinn’s series for Silhouette starting with The Beast Within is very good. Lots of old favorite authors in Harleuqin Silhouette, Lucy Munroe’s Presents are terrific, Lass Small’s Desires (not sure if she’s writing for them anymore but she wrote a bazillion of ‘em). There’s a start!
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September 25th, 2006 at 10:55 am
Nora Roberts wrote tons of categories before moving into single title. Some of my favorite books of hers were her Silhouette Editions, especially the linked trilogies about related witches, Entranced was one of them.
Lucy Monroe and Jane Porter are currently writing for Presents and their books are great.
For Blaze, I like Julie Leto
and for Intrigue, Jessica Andersen’s books usually have a medical aspect to them, and this is the line where Tess Gerritsen got her start, I believe.
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September 25th, 2006 at 11:08 am
The best category book I’ve read in ages is Closer… a Blaze by Jo Leigh. I’m biting my nails waiting for the next book to come out. It was sexy and surprising and intelligent…everything I want in a book.
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September 25th, 2006 at 11:36 am
ummm, do they have to be recent? because I personally adore the unbelievabley un-PC early categories of Linda Howard and Elizabeth Lowell. They’ve all been reissued a billion times.
For more modern pics, I like Alison Kent’s Grrl Gear series for Blaze, and Julie Leto’s Blazes are also really good. And if you’re a fan of Suzanne Brockmann’s Troubleshooter Series, read her Silhouette Intimate moments Navy Seal series. They’re like troubleshooters books, but shorter.
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September 25th, 2006 at 12:14 pm
D, you know how much I love Bombshells, so I”ll put in an additional plug for Evelyn Vaughn’s Grailkeeper Bombshell series (AKA Goddess, Her Kind of Trouble, Something Wicked). AT one point, AKAG was selling on eBay for a whopping $138!!! But then Silhouette went back to print and it’s now on sale at Amazon for a mere $1.99. A true bargain! Snap it up now before it goes out of print again!
And my other love is for Kristin Hardy’s Blazes, particularly her “Sex and the Supper Club” series starting with Nothing But the Best.
Karm
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September 25th, 2006 at 3:45 pm
I love reading category! And I agree that Jo Leigh and Julie Leto’s Blazes have been awesome lately. I miss Temptation, but I’ve been reading a lot of the new Mills and Boon Modern Extras, and especially loved Julie Cohen’s Delicious and Kelly Hunter’s Wife for a Week.
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September 25th, 2006 at 3:47 pm
I never read category until I joined my local RWA chapter and so many of my new friends were publishing them.
Some standouts were:
Any of the Blaze novels by Karen Kendall.
Courting Danger by Carol Stephenson
Haunted Echoes by Cindy Dees
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September 25th, 2006 at 8:53 pm
The Harelequin Intrigue line has a very high percentage of awesome books, particularly Debra Webb’s books. (That’s offhand. A ton of authors write great books in this line.)
I third the vote for Evelyn Vaughn’s Grail Keepers books. The first thing I thought when I heard about the Bombshell line shutting down, was, “Oh no! Will I get to read the rest of the Grail Keepers books?”
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September 26th, 2006 at 7:30 am
Jessica Andersen’s Bear Claw Creek Crime Lab Intrigue series was some of her best work. The books are:
Ricochet (January 2006)
At Close Range (April 2006)
Rapid Fire (July 2006)
The second was my fav, but you blow right through them because the thread is through all three books — really well done and hunky heros!
= )
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September 26th, 2006 at 7:38 am
Thanks to everyone who mentioned my Blazes as some of your favorites. I’m very grateful.
Of course, I love the Blaze line and highly recommend Leslie Kelly’s new one–a Gothic called ASKING FOR TROUBLE. I think Blaze is really showing off some great work with all the paranormals, gothics, time travels and then straight fun contemporaries. I love the new diversity in the line. And the line also has so many single title writers in it–Julie Kenner, Kelley St. John, Stephanie Bond, Jacquie d’Allesandro. It’s a great lineup.
And anything by Roxanne St. Claire from Desire. I also love Superromances–my favorite is an oldie–THE WALLFLOWER by Jan Freed. Deb Webb’s Intrigue’s rock, as someone here noted. I like a lot of the Intrigues, though I haven’t had the chance to read one in some time.
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September 26th, 2006 at 7:11 pm
I’m not much of a category reader, prefering longer books, but I have been reading a lot of Harlequin NEXT books lately. Two are big stand-outs for me…Learning to Hula by Lisa Childs and Off Her Rocker by Jennifer Archer. Really loved them both!!
Shannon
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