Comments on: The “Country Cousin” Romances

By: Nettie Bellow

Nettie Bellow — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 22:12:40 +0000

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By: Timmy Stormer

Timmy Stormer — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 06:57:05 +0000

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By: Elysa

Elysa — Wed, 09 May 2012 20:34:38 +0000

I love that type of story. I got hooked when I was a kid by Karen Cushman’s heroines . . . I love The Ballad of Lucy Whipple.

As for more adult fare:
Willa Cather’s pioneer stories have the simple straightforward heroines you love to root for along with learning about the American pioneer way of life.

I also like the precious gem inspirational series by Lauraine Snelling that beings with Ruby. That series features both sides of the pioneer experience: arriving in the frontier and attempting to fit in back in “civilization.”

Another good series is the Margaret of Ashbury series by Judith Merkle Riley. Margaret has to learn to fit in with the higher classes while maintaining her own identity. (frankly I love anything by Riley because of her ability to immerse the reader in the time period)

By: Carrie

Carrie — Wed, 09 May 2012 17:58:59 +0000

Have you looked at inspirational romance? I don’t read it much so I can’t vouch for the quality, but this trope seems to be a fairly common one just looking at the titles and descriptions. I have Head in the Clouds by Karen Witemeyer sitting on my shelf. It might fit your criteria.

I just started Run for the Roses by Julie Garwood for a book club, and though it’s early going, it looks like the heroine is the type you are interested in.

By: Elizabeth L.

Elizabeth L. — Wed, 09 May 2012 14:41:48 +0000

Mari, I think the LaVryle Spencer title you’re thinking of is The Endearment. I haven’t read it but, but based on the premise and the reviews, I’m adding it to my TBR list. I love a good mail-order bride story!

I think these days a lot of romance readers read for escape from everyday life thus they don’t want to read about the hardships of someone else’s everyday life. Marrying a duke who is also an international spy or a Navy SEAL undercover as a cattle rancher isn’t something that has happened to many of us, so we enjoy that fantasy element.

I, for one, LOVED historical novels as a teen (Christy remains one of my all time favorite novels) because of those day-to-day type descriptions. I loved (still do!) reading about how things were done in the “olden days”. But I’m not sure how well that would translate into romance. Seduction over a butter churn doesn’t sound particularly appealing.

By: Corinna

Corinna — Wed, 09 May 2012 14:16:38 +0000

I love the Dukes-and-Earls thing, and have spent a good many very pleasurable years pursuing that type of story. But yes, I really do miss the American-set historical about ordinary people with no connection to the aristocracy, with settings varying from Puritans in Massachusetts, to cotton farmers in Louisiana, to heroines riding on wagon trains to Oregon. It seems like those stories have all but disappeared, and I wish they’d come back.

I did recently enjoy Sara Donati’s wilderness series.

By: Mari

Mari — Wed, 09 May 2012 13:59:06 +0000

Would some books by LaVryle Spencer meet the bill? There was a great one I remember (can’t remember the title though!) about an Irish American lass who is a mail order bride to a Swedish-American farmer…she’s a city girl and he’s the “country cousin.” Lots of great stuff about her adjusting to farm life and the Swedish community. Terrific book, can’t for the life of me remember the title. Maybe someone here can help me out. Spencer, I think, wrote alot of farm stories with hard work and honesty and stuff like that. Loved all her books..

By: Leigh

Leigh — Wed, 09 May 2012 12:19:54 +0000

I think the books you are talking about have been replaced with the small town heroine in contemporary books.

I do wish publishers wouldn’t get on one kick or another and provide readers with a variety. I about reached my limit of small town romance and I like small towns and live in a community of about 60,000, which isn’t NYC.

Although to be honest when I was reading historicals I did prefer the Dukes to the country cousin. I read Maggie Osborne books but mainly because they were so funny.