by Grace Miller
In the spirit of the most romantic holiday of the year, here are some romance novels for the beginner sentimentalist, recommended by Pam Regis, an English professor at McDaniel College and director of McDaniel’s Nora Roberts Center for American Romance.
Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie is a lighthearted read about two people with contrasting personalities, the cranky and slightly uptight Minerva Dobbs, and the handsome and successful Calvin Morrisey. A cute, sugary-sweet tale about opposing characters brought together by fate.
Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase is a good choice for those who enjoy historical fiction. Following in the tradition of angsty, lusty romance, Lord of Scoundrels tells the story of Jessica Trent and Sebastian Ballister, whose sexual tension and amorous affairs will leave even the stoniest hearts beating fast.
The Chesapeake Bay Saga by Nora Roberts tells the stories of the Quinns, three Maryland brothers and their adventures in love. The first book of the series, Sea Swept, deals with brother Cameron and his encounter with a beautiful social worker. The other books, Rising Tides, Inner Harbor and Chesapeake Blue, deal with brothers Ethan and Phillip and their own searches for love along the bay.
Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale moves in the same vein as Lord of the Scoundrels, with a bit more outside influence and societal expectation on the two love interests, tortured hero Christian Langland and innocent heroine Maddy Timms. Their romance is set against a beautiful historic backdrop.
Indigo by Beverly Jenkins has a more recent historical setting, with a romance that will leave its reader with a bittersweet notion of love in one of the most trying times in American history. It tells the story of Hester Wyatt and “Black Daniel,” who are both conductors on the Underground Railroad and fiercely dedicated to their cause.
