TaKiesha Smith

Reviewer

About Me

I have read romance novels since I discovered my first one at a garage sale at age12 and became hooked. I am a stay-at-home mom of two with a degree in secondary education. I was supposed to become a high school English teacher but got waylaid by motherhood. So now instead of teaching students about literature I read romance novels and children's books. I am an avid reader, reading at least one romance novel a day, I feel I can not sleep unless I have read a book.

My first true love is African American romance novels. Kayla Perrin, Beverly Jenkins, Brenda Jackson and Rochelle Alers are some of my favorites. This genre is important to me because I am African American and for a long time ethnic romance novels were underrepresented in the book market. Now that the genre is growing I hope to have lots of books to review. I also read more traditional contemporary authors like Nora Roberts and Sandra Brown. I also love historicals like Lisa Kleypas and Jo Beverley. My newest favorite is Christine Feehan Dark Series.

Personal Reading Tastes

What I'm a sucker for in a book:

Give me a pregnant heroine, and I am a sucker every time. Also set a book in Texas on the ranch, and I am there. Who wouldn't love a man in a cowboy hat, boots, jeans...

What drives me absolutely nuts in a book:

Poorly written Indian stories - you know, the ones where the raiding party scalps everyone and takes off with the children.

Favorite Romance Authors

Favorite Romance Author

Christine Feehan

Best Discovery/Buried Treasure Author

Suzanne Enoch

Favorite Characters

Favorite Hero

Tristan Carroway, Viscount Dare, The Rake by Suzanne Enoch

Favorite Heroine

Penelope Featherington, Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn

Most Tortured Hero

Lord Sin, Born in Sin by Kinley MacGregor

Strongest Heroine

Rachel Stone, Dream a Little Dream by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Favorite Couple

Amanda Briars and John "Jack" Devlin, Suddenly YOu by Lisa Kleypas

Best Villain

Dominic of Baminia, The Runaway Princess by Christina Dodd

Least-Favorites

Most Disappointing Book

Pendragon by Catherine Coulter

Authors I Have Given Up On

Catherine Coulter

Authors Others Love That I Don't

Mary Balogh

Favorite Romance Novels

Absolute Favorite

The Viscount Who Loved Me

by Julia Quinn

Favorites by Sub-Genre

Contemporary:

Perfect Fit

by Brenda Jackson

American Historical:

The Heart Breaker

by Nicole Jordan

European Historical:

The Husband List

by Victoria Alexander

Regency:

The Rake and the Reformer

by Mary Jo Putney

Medieval:

Master of Desire

by Kinley MacGregor

Alternate Reality:

Carpathian Series

by Christine Feehan

Favorites by Plot Type

Suspense:

Carnal Innocence

by Nora Roberts

Cabin or Road:

Nobody's Baby but Mine

by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Funny:

The Prize

by Julie Garwood

Sexy:

Tall, Dark and Cajun

by Sandra Hill

Favorites by Mood

Comfort Read:

Castles