Books with Strong Romance Elements

Joining up with ThatArtsyReadergirl

I’ve chosen to list some books I read in 2022 with strong romance elements. I usually now leave the outright romance books but I love a good story with a strong romance element.

Looking at these books and you think you could recommend me something equally as good – go for it.

Flirting with the Beast: Jane Porter. Is pretty much outright romance but for older characters. Four stars.

State of Shock Marie Force: An ongoing series with two of the most romantic married characters in a book. Romantic suspense.  4 stars

Snowed in For Christmas. Sarah Morgan. Another pretty much outright romance but has the best grandma and family characters that would make me want to reread this one at some point. And…. set in Scotland. Five stars

Thank You For Listening.   Julia Whelan.  Audiobook narrators who eventually meet! It’s a Rom Com that I really recommend, but its more than that. It has wisdom and growth of character and things to think about. Five stars

The Choice: Nora Roberts. This is a paranormal fantasy set “beside” Ireland. Keegan and Breen are a pair who over three books ( this is the last in the trilogy) defeat evil and celebrate love.  4.5 stars.

Nora Goes Off Script. Annabel Monaghan. Thoroughly enjoyed this romance, loved the characters and especially the down to earth family and friends. Nora and Leo – what a pair. Bernadette and Arthur not far behind. It was cute and made me laugh out loud at times. I never saw what caused the trouble and kept wondering what on earth is going on. Well now I know! Very satisfying. Would definitely read another by this author.  4.5 stars.

Storm Echo.  Nalini Singh. Another very enjoyable addition to the series. Pay/changeling/human unite in a way that brings about a welcome result. Ivan believes he is fated to have to live in a cage, but since Silence has fallen and what was once believed has altered is that actually going to happen? Soliel is a changeling delight and I really loved her story and her strength and love. I love the values of family and hope and the right use of power that underlines this book and all the series.  4.5 stars.

The Bodyguard.  Katherine Center. Read in a day. Just couldn’t put it down. Feel good, warm hearted book with entertainment and sprinkles of life giving wisdom.  4.5 stars

Hana Khan Carries On. Uzma Jalaluddin. Very much enjoyed this book. A rom com, but…. The kind I like, great characters, comedic bits, interspersed with serious issues. Full of family, immigrant issues and most of all love. Highly recommend.

Dance Away With Me Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Five big fat stars. I loved this book, worth every big fat dollar I paid to get a hardback copy. I loved the characters, the serious issues covered and that Wren, she was just baby delicious. And sprinkled through was Susan Elizabeth Phillips smart, funny voice. It’s there, don’t say it’s not. I savoured every morsel of this book,  This was a reread in 2022 via audiobook, every bit as good second time round.  5 stars.

January 2023 Reading Round UP

Total books read this month:  11

Book Ratings

A Wish for Winter.  3.75 stars
Tell Me A Story. Cassandra King Conroy.  5 stars
Picking Up the Pieces 4.5 stars
Birthright 5 stars.
Spare. Prince Harry.  5 stars.
Bookclubbed to Death   3 strs
Sugar and Salt. 4 stars
Lady of Quality 3 stars
Blackberry Summer 3.75 stars
Christmas at Copper Mountain. 3.75 stars

New to me authors:

Cassandra King Conroy
V. C. Burns
Maddie Please

Formats:

Paper: hardback or paperback.   4
Kindle. 4. But two of these were review.
Audio . 2.

Top Book for January

Review of January Reading 2023

I finished two really excellent memoirs.

I only read two of my own from my Kindle, I’d like to read more but there you are.

I am not reading so much in the hot summer weather, I mostly can only read morning, by afternoon and evening I am too tired and can’t concentrate so well.

Linking up with Nicole from FeedYourFiction Addiction.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a place to meet up and share what you have been, and are about to be reading over the week. It’s a great post to organise yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment and er… add to your groaning TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started on J Kaye’s blog and then was hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn here at The Book Date.

Jen Vincent, Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee of Unleashing Readers decided to give It’s Monday! a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels or anything in those genres – join them.

Well I had a mixed week. Some great days visiting and being visited. Fitted in some reading of course and plenty of quilting.

However I have been saddened by all the rain north of where I live and the terrible rain and flooding, loss of homes and life in Auckland and surrounding areas. It is heartbreaking and I know this is happening in so many places. I think of the floods NSW in Australia has had. And many other places. Our weather sure has changed I believe.

What I read last week:

Sugar and Salt was good but did include a rape which would be a trigger for some readers. I did skip a little! Blackberry Summer was a reread and I revised my 2 stars up to 4 stars. Don’t know where my head was the first time I read it about ten years ago.

I just had a little more to listen to with Lady of Quality and Christmas atCopper Mountain was a novella on audio. So it looks a lot read but no – not really!

What I am reading now:

And about to. start  listening to…

I have a couple of slow reads going on as well. The Winners by F Backman and My Reading List by P Conroy.

Up next:

 

Last Week’s Posts

New to Me Authors Enjoyed in 2022

Bookclubbed to Death. V.M. Burns

 

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December Reading Wrap Up

Total books read this month:  11

Book Ratings

The Choice.   4 stars
Lessons from the Prairie. 3.75 stars
The Clockmaker’s Daughter. 4 stars.
Miracle Creek Christmas. 4 stars
Flirting with the Beast. 4 stars.
The Sweetness of Forgetting. 4 stars.
State of Shock.  Marie Force. 4 stars.
Christmas at the Edge of the World.  4 stars.

New to me authors:

Kristin Harmel

Top Book for December.

Sadly I can’t name a top book for December. They were all good reads, but no one stands out to me as a top read.

Looking forward to reading in January

Linking up with Nicole from FeedYourFiction Addiction.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a place to meet up and share what you have been, and are about to be reading over the week. It’s a great post to organise yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment and er… add to your groaning TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started on J Kaye’s blog and then was hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn here at The Book Date.

Jen Vincent, Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee of Unleashing Readers decided to give It’s Monday! a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels or anything in those genres – join them.

Sitting here Boxing Day morning feeling a little tired but pleasantly so. Christmas Day was lovely. I think I am off to a family picnic today, for a little while any way.  Hope you are all managing with that cold dump going over USA.   Happy reading for the week with all those new books. I made the mistake of giving Mr. 9 year old a Dad’s Jokes book as a gift. He peppered us with Dad jokes for a lo…………ng time! Bittersweet because a year ago he couldn’t read!

What I read last week:

What I am reading now:

I had planned another book but then well I shelved it and went for this one just published.

And I still have some slow reads going and an audiobook I mentioned last week and haven’t started yet!

Up next:

A library book which needs to be fitted in before it has to go back.

Last Week’s Posts

Bread Over Troubled Waters. Winnie Archer

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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a place to meet up and share what you have been, and are about to be reading over the week. It’s a great post to organise yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment and er… add to your groaning TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started on J Kaye’s blog and then was hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn here at The Book Date.

Jen Vincent, Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee of Unleashing Readers decided to give It’s Monday! a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels or anything in those genres – join them.

Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas to those who celebrate and a peaceful lead up to it. Next Monday you will hopefully be relaxed and resting after the excitement. I’ll spend Christmas dinner at one my sister’s place. Hopefully the weather will be fine, but at this point who knows as we have had so much rainy and humid weather. Fingers crossed!

What I read last week or finished last week:

Enjoyed them all. These Precious Days has essays by Ann Patchett. Very engaging. Fatal Grace pulled me in and I am now a fan! So much want to see what happens for Gamache next. So pleased I am reading from Book 1 and onwards.

What I am reading now:

Listening.

Slow Reading.

These are my slow reading. Both are quite considerable so they will take me into January and be my last and first reads of the year. I only read them for about 15 – 20 minutes. The Winners with coffee in the morning and Tell Me a Story for before I turn the light out. I like Non-fiction I’ve discovered at night. Unfortunately I have it in hardback and a bid heavy to hold in bed!

Up next:

 

Last Week’s Posts

The Boardwalk Bookshop.  Susan Mallery

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September Reading Round Up

Total books read this month:  14

Book Ratings

The Best is Yet to Come. 4 stars
Thank You for Listening. 5  stars
The Book Haters’ Book Club. 3 stars
Snowed in for Christmas. 4.5 stars
Flirting with Fifty.   4 stars
All is Bright.  4 stars
A Brighter Flame. 3 stars
The Italian Daughter 4 stars
Grace Under Fire. 4 stars
Murder on the Poet’s Walk. 4 stars
LowCountry Boil.  4 stars
The Bodyguard 4.5 stars
State of the Union 4 stars
Becoming Beth. Meredith Appleyard. 3.5 stars.

New to me authors:

Gretchen Anthony
Susan M Boyer*
Julia Whelan*

*Would read again

Top Print Book for September

Top Audio Book for September

Top Kindle Book for September

Looking forward to reading in  October

It’s going to be just about all review books. My finger was trigger happy at NetGalley!  There is nothing that stands out, but they all looked good enough for my my finger to go “Read it!”

Review of Reading Goals  for September

• read one or two off my shelf.  I did get one print and one Kindle book from my own shelf.
• keep up to date with library books with my turn. Read three from the library.
• Read the review books on my calendar.  Yes – done
• Choose and start my slow and steady read. I chose Emma by Jane Austen and I am happy to say I am more than half way through it.

Main Reading Goals for October

• Read the review books I have on my calendar
• Continue with my slow and steady read – Emma
• Maybe sneak in one off my shelf or a library book if necessary.

Linking up with Nicole from FeedYourFiction Addiction.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a place to meet up and share what you have been, and are about to be reading over the week. It’s a great post to organise yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment and er… add to your groaning TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started on J Kaye’s blog and then was hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn here at The Book Date.

Jen Vincent, Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee of Unleashing Readers decided to give It’s Monday! a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels or anything in those genres – join them.

Welcome in to another week of reading. I’ve been reading review and library books as both are a little ‘brimming over’ at the moment.  I am occasionally getting outside to walk as the weather improves, some days better than others of course. My viewing is piling up as any time I go that way its mainly to see what is going on in England with the death of the Queen and the new King. They do pomp and ceremony so well.

What I read last week:

Both great reads.

What I am reading now:

Another review book for a blog tour.

Up next:

 

Last Week’s Posts

Dewey Decimated.  Allison Brook

 

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2022 Books I want to Read

I like to keep my eye out on what is publishing that I might want to read and of course at this time of the year the publishing world seems to be planning lots of goodies! These are books that are publishing May or have published already.

I am not sure which one I’ll go after first, but I hope to work my way through them via audio, library or a …. buy! I have already been pricing some of them and seeing where it is the cheapest for me to buy! The Book Depository is now quite expensive so if I can get it here it is much the same.

Flirting With Fifty. Jane Porter

A  later in life romance that sounds good. I like Jane Porter’s books and haven’t read one for ages. May read this via audio or print. Not sure yet. However it is already published.

Nightwork Nora Roberts. Her latest which comes out on the 24th of this month in audio format and this is most likely the way I will go. Read by male narrator and will be suspense but haven’t even read the blurb.

The Wedding dress Sewing Circle.  Jennifer Ryan. I have enjoyed her other books and publishes at the end of May. It is set in WW2. I may go for audio or print.

Book Lovers Emily Henry.    This too is on audio or may  read it in print. I’ve requested this one from the library.

 Bloomsbury Girls. Natalie Jenner.   story of post-war London, a century-old bookstore, and three women determined to find their way in a fast-changing world. I know this is on audio but so far isn’t available for my part of world so may have to go for print which I can do. Heard the audio is great though.

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The Good Wife. Jane Porter

The Good Wife
Jane Porter
Publisher: Berkley Trade
Date: 2013
Format: Kindle ebook
Pages: 432
Genre: Contemporary
Source: Own book

Always considered the beauty of the family, the youngest Brennan sister, Sarah, remains deeply in love with her husband of ten years. Boone Walker, a professional baseball player, travels almost year-round while Sarah stays home and cares for their two children. Her love for her husband is bottomless—so much so that her sisters say it will end up hurting her.<

Living apart most of the time makes life difficult, especially since Sarah often wonders whether Boone is sharing his bed with other women on the road, even though he swears he’s been true to her since his infidelity three years ago. While she wants to be happy and move forward in her life, Sarah constantly fears that Boone will break his promise. Now with Boone facing yet another career change, tension rises between the two, adding more stress to an already turbulent marriage. Emotionally exhausted, Sarah can’t cope with yet another storm. Now, she must either break free from the past and forgive Boone completely, or leave him behind and start anew . . .

The third book in the Brennan Sisters – I again loved this last one.  This is Sarah’s story, however we catch up with the rest of the family as well and I liked that.  Even getting to know more of Sarah’s Dad was satisfying.  The book pretty much opens where the second one – The Good Daughter left off.  There is one expected sad event taking place – and very soon after another one takes place.

This second event leaves Sarah remaining on with her family on the West coast, instead of rejoining her husband who is travelling around playing baseball.  They have  true love for each other, except that Sarah finds it very hard to let go and forgive Boone for being unfaithful three years ago.  It is a constant struggle for her to forgive and trust again.  I began to be annoyed with her, but of course as the reader I was given Boone’s side of it as well – so it was easy for me!  Sarah was a young, very confident, competitive young woman when she and Boone first met, yet now she seems to be just the home holder, caring for the children and the home while Boone is away often.  I felt perhaps her final resolution came a little quickly towards the end – but then again it was satisfying and just the first step, and a very important one; I believe lasting one.

Boone was a very likeable man, – not perfect but very loving and strong.  He is near the end of his career, and almost at the end of his tether with coping with Sarah’s constant niggling and lack of trust. I like how he handled it, strong and loving.  He didn’t always get it right – at times he didn’t really ‘hear’ what Sarah was saying, for example her worry about their son Brennan and his hyperactivity. However he got it right where it counted.

Out of the blue another character, Lauren appeared, she had a back story but at first I didn’t see why she was in the book – however there was meaning eventually and an important one, so I was reconciled! 

We were given updates on Meg and Kit, the first was a surprise and the second was delightful.  Brianna still has a story to be told and so does Cass – the sisters sister-in-law.  I was pleased to hear that this just might happen and another book will be written in this series.

This book explored difficult emotions, loss and grief, worry and distrust, fear, love and the difficulty of forgiveness and trusting again.  It made me think of how difficult it is for couples who are separated often because of one partner away often as a professional sportsperson.  Usually the male! Also how important it is for the female, not to lose sight of herself and her dreams in a marriage.  A great read.  I have loved all three books in this ‘trilogy’ and have felt strongly about the characters.  I have liked how they have explored infidelity and the impact on the partner and family.