Trashy books that are so much better than they ought to be!

[sadpapercourtesan]

Does anyone else have guilty pleasure books that are utter rubbish, but so lovely to read? The literary equivalent of a Pot Noodle?

Some of mine:

Dark Cathedral by Freda Warrington
The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough
Helen Forrester's books
Stepping by Nancy Thayer

All nonsense, but I've read them all more than once!

Any recommendations?

@IamEarthymama

Oh my! Nora Roberts! The later ones are better than the 1980s, which are very romance!

She also writes as JD Robb, crime novels set in 2060s.

No one has any money worries, the women are feisty,clever, independent.
The men are handsome, often Irish with long dark hair and blue eyes.

I love them for a comfort read.

I apologise now!

I inadvertently bought a Nora Roberts, about a feisty computer nerd in the run from the Russian magic, who hooked up with a small town sheriff. Not my kind of thing at all, but I loved it!

I really enjoyed Dick Francis novels!

Bernard Cornwell is another good escapism writer - the Sharpe series and the Saxon series have got TV to go with them so you can envision Sean Bean/Alexander Dreymon!

@Gatekeeper I absolutely loved The Debutantes as a teenager (June Flaum Singer). She wrote a few others, which I may have read and enjoyed.

I quite like Bernard Cornwell. His Arthurian books were my favourite.

I just remembered Penmarric by Susan Howatch. Not trashy but a family saga that was a cut above imo.

@sherrystrull

Chances by Jackie Collins is probably my favourite ever book. And I've read a lot of books!

God and mine. Love a bit of Jackie.

I'd forgotten about chances going to order one now

"Which one of you bitches is my mother"...class stuff!

And then there's the goldfish...

A vote for Penny Vincenzi

OMG gatekeeper the goldfish! We had a tattered copy which we passed around at school (also the whole Flowers in the Attic series)
Gave me some really unrealistic ideas about sex

Like many others I like a Jilly Cooper.
I comfier read all my K. M. Peyton YA books (Flambards etc) at the start of lockdown, horses and first love a good combination IMO.
I'm surprised nobody's mentioned Diana Gabaldon, I'm embarrassed by how much I enjoy them, in fact even DH reads them!

Thank you peaceanddove

I inadvertently bought a Nora Roberts, about a feisty computer nerd in the run from the Russian magic, who hooked up with a small town sheriff. Not my kind of thing at all, but I loved it! The Witness.
I lke Dick Francis, but the ones written by his son lack character.
The girl that Daisy's brother was making love to was his fiancee, not his wife. We never learned what she told her family that made them cut him.

sceggycaggy

Hello reading twin! You might like Joan Aiken’s regency novels too - Deception is brilliant. She wrote marvellous sequels to Jane Austen as well.

I don't think I've read any of her adult books, so thanks for the tip.

I was a big fan of early Dick Francis. I discovered Mary Stewart a couple of years ago through a recommendation on here, and blitzed through them all - have you read her?

I'll check out the Venetia podcast - one of my favourite Heyers.

Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark Hunter and The League series. They are the McDonalds of the book world. May not be good for you but you know exactly want you are going to get.

So many of these authors are dismissed as ‘trash’ because they are classified as ‘romance’ and therefore female-orientated. Rosamund Pilcher’s novels are extraordinarily well crafted, with multiple story lines zigzagging across generations. Jilly Cooper too is very skilful in weaving together multiple points of view and a huge cast of characters. As others have said, Jean Plaidy and Georgette Heyer are well researched (and the latter so witty and stylish!)
I adore Mary Stewart. And no one’s mentioned Anna Maxted - really classy noughties chick-lit.

Yy to Fiona Walker.
Cockles bay series but I can’t remember the name of the author.

Also Virginia Andrews

Yep ... Helen Forrester definitely not trash. Well before ‘misery lit’ and brilliant and uplifting

But Virginia Andrews, pure unadulterated brilliant trash. Four kids in an attic? All that time? Marvellous

Agree Jackie Collins! Also - not exactly trash but definitely my comfort books - all the Adrian Mole diaries

I have really got into romcom books since lockdown.

As a previous poster mentioned, VI Keeland are good romcom books along with Penelope Ward and Sophie Kinsella

Who is it that writes the Kay Scarpetta books again? Those were some entertaining nonsense for a time, until the characters became completely insufferable - was always touch and go tbh but then tipped way too far over the Author Self Insert.

And yes to the Adrian Mole books! And Bridget Jones as well. The Meg Cabot books used to be a great lazy read when I was younger.

Aww Rosamunde Pilcher isnt trashy. I love The Shell Seekers

Just came on to say Mary Stewart. And for crime how about Jane Casey?