The Most Battered Books on my
Keeper Shelf: Amber
asked me to choose my all time favorite romance to talk about – wow, not an
easy task! I went to my keeper shelf and stared at the rows of books. LaVyrle
Spencer makes a good showing, as does Nora Roberts. But there were two books
far more battered than the rest with taped spines and loose pages from reading
them over and over again. Both were written years and years ago and are
probably out of print, but maybe you could pick them up in a used book store—that’s
where I found them.
The
first is Don’t Forget To Smile by Kathleen Gilles Seidel. This is the
story of Tory Duncan, a runner-up in the Miss America pageant from South Carolina , who ran
away from a too perfect, plastic life to tend her own bar in Oregon . Joe Brigham is a logger from a long
line of timbermen, trying to break out of his lower middle class life. These
two unlikely characters share a common bond as they quietly struggle against
everything that is expected of them. I love the flavor of this book; the
working class families portrayed so accurately, the family dynamics that have
such a profound hold on these characters. If you enjoy small towns and atypical
heroes, you’ll love this book.
The Rainbow
Season
by Lisa Gregory is another book with an unusual hero. This one is a historical
set on a farm in Texas .
Luke Turner is a bad boy from a tarpaper shack who has spent time in jail. He’s
younger than the heroine, Sarah McGowan, who was raised in a respectable
family. The two are thrown together when Sarah’s parents are killed, but the
whole town is against their union. The largest obstacle to their happiness,
however, is Luke’s own lack of self-worth. Emotions run deep in this story.
My
most recent release is Bittersweet, available now through
Whiskey Creek Press. Of all my heroes, Daniel Moran is my favorite. His
personal struggle between staying true to his values and the woman he loves
makes him an unusual hero in a class with Joe and Luke.
Here’s a closer peek into
Jannine’s latest novel, Bittersweet! Enjoy….
Eight months
after her husband is killed in a train robbery, Tess Moran knows she must pick
up the pieces of her shattered life and build a future for herself and her
infant daughter. Daniel Moran’s love for Tess is bittersweet. Acting on his
feelings for his sister-in-law will betray his dead brother’s memory. Watching
her search for love elsewhere may very well destroy him.
In 1880, life in
rural Colorado is filled with hard work and simple pleasures, but trouble looms
on the horizon. Together Tess and Daniel battle drought and the outlaw who
killed the man they both loved, but the greatest challenge of all is finding
solace for their battered hearts.
Thank
you so much, Amber, for having me on your blog. It was terrific fun, and I hope
I’ve introduced your readers to two great new authors!
Thank you,
Jannine, for taking the time to share your favorite romances with us today! Readers,
you can find out more about Jannine and her books at her website, blog,
Facebook, and Twitter. Bittersweet is available now at Whiskey Creek Press!
(And join both Jannine and I at our group blog, The Roses of Prose!)
7 comments:
Jannine,
Best of luck on the new book! Sounds like a very, very good read.
Nice to learn about your two most favorite books.
Jannine, Great suggestions. I hadn't heard of The Rainbow Season, but think I'll have to check it out. Good luck with your release.
Margo and Jerri,
Thanks for your good wishes! I don't think any of these books will disappoint you.
Is it okay that I kick in my faves? I mean, I'm the original Nora R fans [early mainstream novels] but my all time oldies but goodies are A Rose in Winter and Ashes in the Wind, both by Kathleen Woodiweiss. Sigh for hunky heroes and ballsy heroines who make lemonade out the the bushels of citrus fruits dropped in their laps.
Love the concept of Bittersweet. That's really thinking out of the box!
Best always
Kathy,
I think two of Amber's other guests talked about Ms. Woodiwiss. Her books certainly have lasting appeal. Two of them are on my keeper shelf. My choices are from that same era.
Bittersweet is a definitely outside the box. I tend to be non-traditional when it comes to historicals.
Congrats on the new release, Jannine. Enjoyed your post .
Thanks for stopping by, Tanya!
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