by Beth Cronk, Litchfield head librarian
Since it’s nearly Valentine’s Day, I suppose we should talk
about romances. Not all romance novels
are the stereotypical “trashy Harlequins”; in fact, Harlequin offers so
much variety now that some of theirs get great book reviews. Following are some well-reviewed love stories
you can find at the Litchfield Library.
Many romance readers enjoy stories set in the Regency era -- think Jane Austen. One from this past
year is
The Autumn Bride by Anne Gracie.
It made NPR’s and
Library Journal’s lists of the best romances of
2013. In a desperate act to save her
sister and two friends from a life on the streets, former governess Abigail
breaks into a mansion she believes is abandoned to steal something. She finds the neglected and ill Lady Beatrice
instead. Lady Beatrice takes in the
young women as her “nieces” to save herself as well as them. The deception works well for everyone until
Lady Beatrice’s handsome nephew Max returns from the Orient.
Publishers Weekly calls it a “deep, rich
story” with “deft characterization.”
The Best Man by Kristan Higgins made the same
best-of-the-year lists as the previous book.
Faith returns to her hometown years after being left at the altar. She comes back to help her family with their
winery, but she also needs to confront her past and her former fiancé’s best
man, who broke up her wedding. They find
healing and a second chance in the friendship and chemistry they discover
together. This one is supposed to have
some good humor, as well. And it’s published
by Harlequin!
Steampunk is a relatively new genre, really a type of
science fiction. These books are usually
alternative Victorian history in which the inventions people imagined in that
time are real and the world is steam-powered:
think Jules Verne and H.G. Wells.
Bec McMaster is the author of a series of steampunk romances set in
London. The first is
Kiss of Steel, the
second is
Heart of Iron, and the third is
My Lady Quicksilver; more will be
coming.
Heart of Iron has gotten
especially good reviews. Lena is a
debutante, spy, and secret clockwork toy maker who help to polish a werwulfen
diplomat who has sworn to protect her.
Romance and seduction ensue.
A bit more literary,
Mrs. Poe by Lynn Cullen was grouped
with the love stories in NPR’s best of the year. Is it a romance novel just because there’s a
love affair in it? So many books involve
a love story, but that doesn’t make them romance novels. Really for something to be called a romance novel, it's supposed to have a happy ending and be focused on the romantic relationship. I think that means this one is historical fiction instead of romance, but it is about an imagined passionate love story.
Poet Frances Osgood, a real person who is known to have been friends
with Edgar Allan Poe, struggles to support her children after her husband
abandons them. She meets Poe and finds
that they have a powerful attraction which leads, at least in the novel, to an
affair. Meanwhile Poe’s frail, odd wife
insists on befriending Frances. As the
novel progresses, Mrs. Poe’s friendship becomes more threatening and
concealment of the affair more difficult.
The Typewriter Girl is another novel that is romantic but
not all about the romance. This first
novel from Alison Atlee landed on Publishers Weekly’s lists of this past year’s
best romances, but it is again a historical novel. At the turn of the last century, Betsey
arrives at the English seaside resort of Idensea with barely a thing other than
the hope of finding employment, having been fired from her last job for
resisting a lecherous clerk. She is
hired by John Jones to run tourist excursions. Through this opportunity, Betsey
discovers her business abilities and independent streak, as well as her soul
mate.
Find a novel to sweep you away with a good love story this
Valentine’s weekend. You decide if you
want something fluffy and escapist or literary and complicated. The library is like a box of chocolates, with
something for everyone.
