I began my romance reading career as one of the Enemy – I saw my mother reading them, and thought (but never said), “Geez mum, your favourite book is Les Misérables, so why are you reading that crap?” One day my curiosity overcame my derision, and I picked up a pink Mills & Boon contemporary that demonstrated all my denigrating beliefs about romance novels. After expressing my opinion to my mother, she handed me another book and said, “This one’s better.” And I shut up forever thereafter.

The book she gave me was One Night for Love by Mary Balogh, who will always be on my Favorite Authors list unless she derails permanently. Ms. Balogh’s book proved amply and aptly that romance novels did not fit into neat pigeonholes, and could be both beautiful and well-written. I have since read many many romance novels; some have been a true waste of time, most have been pleasurable pastimes, and a few have become lifelong keepers. And I never stop reading.

I was born in San Diego, raised in Toronto, studied in upstate New York and France, and currently live in the wops (i.e. in the middle of nowhere) of New Zealand, teaching high school music. I lead a life of semi-bucolic semi-bliss – not wholly bucolic because really random tourists pop up all the time to climb our mountain, and not wholly blissful because you have to PAY to use the local library, and books are incredibly dear (as in, newly released mass market paperback would be minimum $25). Darn good thing the local rubbish dump runs a second-hand shop, where I go rummaging for books as often as a Kiwi says “Sweet as!” Which is very, very often.

Absolute Favorites

Angels Fall by Nora Roberts
The Spymaster's Lady by Joanna Bourne
Almost Heaven by Judith McNaught

Favorite Classic

Frederica by Georgette Heyer
Persuasion by Jane Austen

Favorite Short Stories

Precious Rogue (Dashing and Dangerous) by Mary Balogh

What I'm a sucker for in a book: Governesses, rakes, May-December, new settings (esp. France, Canada, & New Zealand), adventure/cabin/captive/hostage romances, epistolary romances, character-driven plots, marriages of convenience, physical imperfections, mutual healing from tortured pasts, non-aristocratic historical heroes, torch-bearers, thieves, theater & music denizens.

What I don't particularly care for in a book: Americans in European historicals, historical or linguistic inaccuracy, guardian-ward, royalty, magic (which is different from paranormals – it is!) .

What drives me absolutely nuts in a book: Extended family HEAs, extended spy ring HEAs, extended paramilitary group HEAs, extended [community of choice] HEAs, time travel, 24-hour “love” stories, endless miscommunication, Big Misunderstandings, suspense plot ex machina, faux-Bridget Jones dingbat heroines.

Contemporary:

Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie

European Historical:

Almost Heaven by Judith McNaught
Beyond a Wicked Kiss by Jo Goodman

Traditional Regency:

The Reluctant Heiress by Evelyn Richardson
The Lady's Companion by Carla Kelly
The Secret Pearl by Mary Balogh

Medieval:

The Secret Swan by Shana Abe

Alternate Reality:

Nalini Singh's Changeling series
(although I hear her archangel series kicks ass)

Favorite Hero

Roarke. Sebastian St. Vincent. Roarke. St. Vincent. Who cares, they’re both yummy.

Favorite Heroine

Annique Villiers (The Spymaster’s Lady by Joanna Bourne) & Eve Dallas (In Death series by J.D. Robb). They’d probably take each other out then chug a beer afterwards.

Most Tortured Hero

Zsadist, Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward. Brings new meaning to the adjective.

Strongest Heroine

Eve Dallas, In Death series by J.D. Robb

Favorite Couple

Eve Dallas and Roarke, In Death series by J.D. Robb
Ria Ashby and West Marchman, Beyond a Wicked Kiss by Jo Goodman. They crack me up to no end.

Cabin or Road:

Half of Mary Jo Putney’s backlist. This woman is a terrific adventure writer.

Suspense:

In Death series by J.D. Robb

Funny:

Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie
In Death series by J.D. Robb
(I’m serious, they’re hilarious)

Sexy:

The Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas

Least-Favorites

Most Disappointing Books

Authors I Have Given Up On

Jayne Ann Krentz
Elizabeth Lowell
Christina Dodd

Authors Others Love That I Don't

Julie Garwood's historicals

Most Annoying Lead Character

[Insert Julie Garwood historical heroine at random]

Non-Romance Favorites

Favorite Classic Novel

The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas

Favorite Mystery

Sherlock Holmes canon by Arthur Conan Doyle
Mary Russell series by Laurie R. King

Favorite Fantasy

The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley
Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay
Masquerade by Terry Pratchett

Favorite Nonfiction

The Piano Shop on the Left Bank by T.E. Carhart
Anything by Bill Bryson

Favorite Women's Fiction

Second Thyme Around by Katie Fforde

Favorite YA Book

The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley
Beauty by Robin McKinley
The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

Favorite Set of Connected Books

Lymond Chronicles by Dorothy Dunnett
(who wrote THE most delicious hero in the fictional canon, ever)

Book Most Often Reread

The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley
(can y’all tell I love it?)