If you're looking for hot stuff, then you misinterpreted the title. I've long been a reader of romances and want to share with you what's between the covers of my favorites. There's something so satisfying when I cozy up with a book and read about two people whose lives become entwined and love evolves despite various obstacles. It amazes me the variations on this theme and the titles below are special to me.
*Tryst by Elswyth Thane - You will find yourself reading this one over and over. The plight of these out-of-sync lovers and the resolution is very touching. It has many moments of light humor, wonderful descriptions of England in that period and well-developed characters. Treat yourself to this wonderful book. Ms Thane's descriptions are perfect of the young girl's fascination with the forbidden room in their rented country house and of Hilary Shenstone return from a premature death. The characters and situations delight the reader. The romance touches my feelings with each rereading.
*Avalanche by Kay Boyle - The story of love in occupied France during WWII seemed the epitome of romance when I first read it as a teenager. The descriptions of the villagers, of the mountainous region and of the desperate effort by the French resistance evoke wartime France quite well. Fenton Ravel, an American, raised in France, returns seeking her first love, Bastineau but finds secrecy and threats.
*The Harvester by Gene Stratton-Porter - I can't count the number of times I've read and re-read this book. Pretty sentimental by today's standards, but the basic story tells of a country man of character who falls deeply in love with a city girl who has issues. That description doesn't do justice to Gene Stratton-Porter's touching romance, but if I had to pare my library down to just 20 books, this one would be in the "keepers." David Langston, collects and raises herbs, but his life changes course when he falls in love with a vision. When he finds the girl who matches it, she is ill and in trouble. He rescues her and nurses her back to health.
*Dark Moon, Lost Lady by Elsie Lee - I've just re-read this for the umpteenth time. Elsie Lee usually has resourceful, witty heroines, romantic settings and headlong action. This book features Katie, who steps in to impersonate her film star sister who turns up missing. The plot gets complicated as she finds herself too attracted to Prince Rupert, who may be behind her sister's disappearance.
It's not a gothic, though much of the action takes place in a German castle. There are neo-Nazis, an attempted coup, romance, and great characters. I love the identity switch, crossed lovers, and well-maintained suspense. Elsie Lee just has a light way with her characters that hooks me. They are fun, talented and always sound like someone you would enjoy meeting.
*Fate Is Remarkable by Betty Neels - Betty Neels' plots usually involve an English nurse and a Dutch doctor's evolving romance. Their gentle predictability might make one think they will be dull, but somehow her character development teamed with loving descriptions of English and Dutch scenery creates devoted fans. I have almost all her books carefully stacked away for a rainy day read. The familiar plots are like comfort food and never fail to invoke a cozy feeling.
*Fate is Remarkable is my very favorite of all Betty Neels' books. It is the touching story of Sarah and Hugo struggling to make their marriage of convenience work. It really is a remarkable book to take a formula romance and turn out such a satisfying love story.
*God's Country and the Woman by James Oliver Curwood - This old-fashioned romance develops in the frozen northland. Scenes of sled dogs, log cabins, and high adventure remind me of Mrs. Mike, another wonderful Canadian romance. There are secrets, desperate treks across the snow covered wilderness, and dramatic encounters. Another book with a similar setting is Song of the Voyageur by Beverly Butler. I read this when I was in 7th or 8th grade. It was the most romantic book, I could imagine and inspired in me a desire to learn French so I could read the few phrases in the book in that language. It's a story of growing up in the northern wilderness and falling in love with a voyageur who was away traveling the rivers.
*Laughing Water by B.M. Bower - Set in Wyoming in the early part of the 20th century, the heroine resists falling for the city slicker who arrives to take over their remote ranch. After all, she's married and he's invading her territory. The love between the two evolves with adventure and humor when she realizes she was wrong about his ranching ability and his character. The slacker, drunken husband provides a major stumbling block to true love in this vintage western romance.
More and more titles beg to be on this list, but some additional authors that come to mind are:
*Margaret Way writing about love in the Australian outback reminds me of my 3 years there
*Emile Loring's 1930s and 40s romances seemed the epitome of sophisticated life when I was a teen
Just thinking about these books makes me want to pull them from the shelf and start re-reading. The stories never fail to satisfy that yen for "true love."