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Original poster

recommendations please for romantic books that aren't 'romance'

29 replies

babyignoramus · 15/06/2009 18:55

I really like fantasy and adventure, with a dash of romance thrown in. Any recommendations?

I've really enjoyed the Black Magician Trilogy, Garth Nix books and Phillip Pullman to give you an idea

Ta!

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MayorNaze · 27/08/2009 09:46

anything by Kelley Armstrong - women of the otherworld series v g. supernatural with romance woven in. not exactly gone with the wind or high brow lit but good fun reading

VeryAngryGusset · 27/08/2009 09:40

A Town Like Alice by Neville Shute - sigh! I love that novel (note to self - must re-read it).

MrsEricBanaMT · 27/08/2009 09:03

Never read him myself

MrsEricBanaMT · 27/08/2009 09:02

Sebastian Faulks?

WoTmania · 27/08/2009 09:00

Robin Hobb - Assassins series? and then the following ones?

Scarletibis · 26/08/2009 09:39

The Rose of Sebastopol by Katharine MacMahon - set in the Crimean war.

Also ditto TTW

Maria2007 · 24/08/2009 20:44

OK I came to this thread quite late; but wanted to suggest, in case you're still looking, any book by Susan Isaacs. Not fantasy, but whodunits with loads of wonderful, funny, inspiring, toe-curling romance

DangerousDorothy · 02/07/2009 13:02

Diana Gabaldon books. I am mostly into fantasy/sci-fi but I did enjoy these. Romance and time travel, the first one is called 'Crossstitch'.

LyraSilvertongue · 01/07/2009 22:19

Pickyvic, who is The Gargoyle by? And what's it about? I'm always looking for book recommendations.

LyraSilvertongue · 01/07/2009 22:17

The Mortal Instruments series (City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass) by Cassandra Clare. Lots of action, vampires, werewolves, faeries, demons, but with a love story running through it.
it's 'young adult' fiction in the same way as the Twilight series.

wrongsideof40 · 01/07/2009 19:41

Should of course be Mary Stewart - some titles are Wildfire by Midnight, madam will you talk ?

wrongsideof40 · 01/07/2009 19:40

Should of course be Mary Stewart - some titles are Wildfire by Midnight, madam will you talk ?

wrongsideof40 · 01/07/2009 19:40

What about Mart Stewart ? I read all her books years ago and remember them as good pacy romantic thrillers - though might seem a bit dated now

Mumwhensdinnerready · 30/06/2009 19:54

Just read Cover of Night by Linda Howard. It's a thriller with some romance and I loved it. So much I've been to the library to borrow some more of Linda Howard's books as I hadn't come across her before.

steamedtreaclesponge · 16/06/2009 17:18

David Edding's 'Belgariad' series would probably fit the "fantasy with a dash of romance" bill - there are five in that series and then another seven after that, so would keep you going for a little while if you did like them!

Have you tried Laurell K. Hamilton? Her books (one series about a vampire slayer and one about a private investigator/faerie princess) are more like fantasy adventure/porn rather than romance, and are the trashiest novels I've ever read, but are oddly compelling!

passionberry · 16/06/2009 17:06

Ooh I didn't think anyone else would have heard of Mariana - it is lovely.

As is The Beautiful Visit by Elizabeth Jane Howard but both of these are set during WW1 or WW2 (can't remember which!)

Possession by A S Byatt - seem to remember sniffing a bit at the end.

Babbity · 15/06/2009 23:05

I think Stephen Fry's Making History is one of the most romantic books I've ever read. I snivel every time.

Mariana by Monica Dickens is lovely.

janeite · 15/06/2009 23:02

Yes I was a bit disappointed by the ending too. And also rather shocked by some of the porn star stuff at the beginning. But am a bit of a prude I think.

kaxter · 15/06/2009 23:01

I really enjoyed the gargoyle as well, ordered a copy for my sister as soon as i finished it. Just a bit disappointed about the ending. But only a bit.
Have just started The Stone Gods by Jeanette Winterson, anyone else read it?

janeite · 15/06/2009 22:39

I've read it. I liked it!

pickyvic · 15/06/2009 22:38

am i the only one whos read the gargoyle? cos i could wax lyrical about it for ever and no one else i know has read it - except my DH who loved it too!

pickyvic · 15/06/2009 22:37

the gargoyle. fancbloodytastic!

its by andrew davidson. a fab fab read. i couldnt put it down and my DH loved it too.

and if youve not read time travellers wife then thats brill too!

Pogleswood · 15/06/2009 22:19

The 'Cast in ...'series by Michelle Sagara(though it does depend a bit what your definition of a dash of romance is - they have less rather than more.On the plus side there are 4? and she's still writing them - always helpful if you're a fast reader,I find! The first is Cast in Shadow)

janeite · 15/06/2009 22:17

Yes to The Time Traveller's Wife (although bits of it are rather silly, it is a huge, far-reaching love story).

Jane Austen?

You might like Malory Blackman's Noughts And Crosses series - the first three are great, the fourth is dreadful imho.

Gaiman's 'Starlight' might be up your street too.

Isabel Allende's one set in the Gold Rush might be worth looking at but I am an idiot and have forgotten what it's called.

Original poster
babyignoramus · 15/06/2009 22:11

ellybet, i've read Twilight etc. But you're up the right ally, i really liked them. I can't read anything set in the war, anything war related just makes me cry! I'm welling up now just typing that! No idea why but i suppose it's not a bad thing to get upset about. I'm a really fast reader too so a nice thick book would be good. I read twilight in about 4 hours!

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