Kami: The Shadow and the Star by Kinsale is so romantic.I love the part where Samuel tries the necklace on Leda and then cradles her face in his hands.“He felt carried by tides, blown before a rising storm”.Captain Wentworth’s letter to Anne in Jane Austen’s Persuasion is swoon-worthy.“You pierce my soul…I have loved none but you.”

Captian Wentworth letter is the best ever. I just can read again and again. I don’t get tired

Lydia Joyce’s Veil of Night – I am afraid to add much detail because of spoilers, but this one always rocks me.
He: You will be consigning yourself to a life of darkness.
She: No, she said cupping his still tender cheek in one hand…”Thick curtains can be opened as well as drawn shut. But even if what you said was true, I wouldn’t care. You are all the sun I need”

And this one, from Carol Snow’s Been There, Done That.
Finally, I spoke. “Are you seeing anyone?” Who said that?
A pause. The quickened pulse had morphed into a pounding thud.
“No. You?”
I could lie, I thought. But no……”Yes. But only on Saturdays. And alternate Tuesdays.”……
“Oh” he said. And he was disappointed, I could tell – or maybe I just wanted him to be.
“But today’s Friday”, I said quietly.
I could hear him breathing. Maybe his heart was thudding too. “And tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow’s Friday too.”

Some that I remember that may not have been mentioned

Outlander – When Claire sees The Vaccine Scar – still gives me chills.

Shadow and the Star – When the plucky heroine finally loses it and raises her voice “I don’t WISH to be dangled over a shark!” (or something to that effect)

Black Silk – When the hero stands at the foot of the stairs and finishes dressing while his silk scarf, dropped over the landing rail by his valet, falls in ripples and waves as the heroine watches. It’s so beautifully described you can see every second of the action. When the hero is done pulling on his gloves or buttoning his coat the scarf is just there and he nonchalantly catches it and drapes it around his neck.

When Rachel Morgan in one of Kim Harrison’s “Witch” books goes to the vampires only club with her vamp boyfriend and finds that the vampires have a line dance they do to Rob Zombie’s Living Dead Girl.

Captain Wentworth’s letter to Anne in Jane Austen’s Persuasion is swoon-worthy. “You pierce my soul…I have loved none but you.”

Laura: For the commenters who mentioned “Message from Absalom”, do you recommend it? I’m eying a second-hand copy at the moment. Is there a strong romantic element to it?

Oh, yes! No sex, but heaps of smouldering romantic tension. And Aleksei is a hero to die for.

This is such a poignant and heart-breaking scene that for the first time in my romance-reading experience I was almost crying.

I agree this is a great topic. I am interested in reading some of the books scenes from which were mentioned and definitely Message from Absalom, it sounds very interesting.

I would definitely recommend Message from Absalom. It is a little dated but a truly wonderful read.