I am and always have been a reader. Since the age of four, I don't think I've ever been anywhere without a book and, now that I have a Kindle, I never go anywhere without 600 books! As a child I read everything from Nancy Drew to Anna Karenina. When I was in high school I read a romance novel a day while working my way through the classics. In college, I gave up romance novels and, for the next thirty years, read literature, mysteries and YA novels. Then, three years ago, on my first Kindle, because it was free, I downloaded Karen Marie Moning's Darkfever. I read it in one sitting and remembered why I had so loved romance novels as a teen.

I must confess that it took me a while to come out of the romance closet. (One of the best things about a Kindle is that no one can see what you are reading!) But, as I began to read books like This Heart of Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale and Black Ice by Anne Stuart, I realized not only did I have nothing to hide, but that I, as a someone with a profound passion for sharing good books, needed to be a champion for romance novels. (I firmly believe the prejudice against romance novels has its basis in sexism and in good old American prudery.) Needless to say, I am thrilled to be a part of the AAR team.

When not reading (and I read so much my daughter named my Kindle "the family destroyer"), I am a mom to four teens, a wife to my best friend and husband of 22 years, a jewelry designer, a volunteer in my town and a crazed but happy member of a large extended family. I love puns, Buffy and, sadly, hate to cook. (My family eats a lot of take-out!) I will turn 50 in 2011 and I'm excited about growing older. Each year of my life has brought me more people to love, more books to read and better shoes. As Calvin said to Hobbes, "It's a magical world." I'm lucky to be in it.

Absolute Favorites

This Heart of Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Reckless by Anne Stuart
It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas
The Raven Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt
Black Ice by Anne Stuart
The Price of Desire by Jo Goodman
My Lord and Spymaster by Joanna Bourne
Match Made in Scandal by Melody Thomas
Lord Perfect by Loretta Chase
Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale
Private Arrangements by Sherry Thomas

Favorite Classic

Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

What I'm a sucker for in a book:

Bad boys, believable passion, strong heroines with stronger heroes, humor, great secondary romances.

TSTL characters, poorly written plots, big secrets, series set around unbelievable clubs.

Characters who are perfect in every way, heroines obsessed with lingerie, cheesy dialog.

Contemporary:

Natural Born Charmer Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Not Another Bad Date by Rachel Gibson

European Historical:

It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas
Written on your Skin by Meredith Duran
Three Nights of Sin by Anne Mallory
The Rules of Seduction by Madeline Hunter
Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn
The Raven Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt
The Price of Desire by Jo Goodman
My Lord and Spymaster by Joanna Bourne
Match Made in Scandal by Melody Thomas
Lord Perfect by Loretta Chase
Goddess of the Hunt by Tessa Dare
Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale
Private Arrangements by Sherry Thomas

Romantic Suspense:

Extreme Danger by Shannon McKenna
Death Angel by Linda Howard
Black Ice by Anne Stuart

Alternate Reality:

A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole

Favorite Hero

Sebastian Kennett, My Lord and Spymaster by Joanna Bourne

Favorite Heroine

Mina Masters, Written on Your Skin by Meredith Duran

Most Tortured Hero

Peter Jensen, Cold as Ice by Anne Stuart

Strongest Heroine

Jess Whitby, My Lord and Spymaster by Joanna Bourne
Penelope Featherington, Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn

Favorite Couple

Anna Wren and Edward de Raaf, The Raven Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt
Molly Somerville and Kevin Tucker, This Heart of Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Best Secondary Romance

Dexter O'Connor and Victoria Traveler, Lady Be Good by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Simon Pagett and Lina Whitmore in Reckless by Anne Stuart

Best Villain

Lazarus, My Lord and Spymaster, Joanna Bourne

Cabin or Road:

Lord Perfect by Loretta Chase

Estranged Couple:

Private Arrangements by Sherry Thomas
Tempt Me at Twilight by Lisa Kleypas

Funny:

Natural Born Charmer Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Sexy:

Extreme Danger by Shannon McKenna
True Love and Other Disasters by Rachel Gibson

Least-Favorites

Most Disappointing Books

One Week as Lovers by Victoria Dahl
A Lady of Persuasion by Tessa Dare
What I did for Love by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
When Strangers Marry by Lisa Kleypas

Worst

My Favorite Bride by Christina Dodd
Veil of Night by Linda Howard
Return to Me by Shannon McKenna
My Reckless Surrender by Anna Campbell

Purple Prose-iest Read

Some Like it Wicked by Teresa Medeiros

Authors I Have Given Up On

Alice Hoffman
Anna Campbell

Authors Others Love That I Don't

Anne Mallory
Karen Ranney
Shannon McKenna

Most Annoying Lead Character

Brenda Scott, Confessions of a Lingerie Addict by Jennifer Ashley
Dillon Gaynor, Into the Fire by Anne Stuart

Non-Romance Favorites

Favorite Classic Novel

East of Eden by John Steinbeck

Favorite Author

Phillip Pullman
Michael Malone

Favorite Book

Favorite Mystery

Faithful Place by Tana French

Favorite Classic Mystery

Presumed Innocent by Scott Turow

Favorite Women's Fiction

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

Favorite YA Book

The Dark Materials Trilogy by Phillip Pullman
The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley

Favorite Set of Connected Books

The Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn
The Chinooks Hockey Team series by Rachel Gibson
The Ice Series by Anne Stuart

Book Most Often Reread

The Chicago Stars series by Susan Elizabeth Phillips