AAR

[Ash]

We all got started on romance novels somehow, My question is what book was it that made you actively pursue the romance genre, it doesn't necessarily have to be the first romance novel you read, just the one that made a fan out of you

for me it was Judith McNaughts "Kingdom of Dreams"

[veasleyd1]

It was so long ago -- I can't remember whether it was Elswyth Thane's Dawn's Early Light or Georgette Heyer's Venetia.

[Linda in sw va]

Outlander and then Christine Feehan's early Carpathians! Before them I was reading straight fiction. These two books got me into the romance genre and also into vampires as heroes.

Linda
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"The Bookshop has a thousand books, all colors, hues and tinges, and every cover is a door that turns on magic hinges." ~ Nancy Byrd Turner

[BlackenedVoodoo]

I usually say SHANNA because I don't remember the first one. It was a category (Harlequin) with a hero whose name was Nick. I was about 11. There was a kissing scene that just thrilled my 11-year-old heart to pieces, but was referred in the text as "his lovemaking," and for the life of me I couldn't see how that was lovemaking because all *I* read was kissing and unless parts of the story were missing (and I re-read that section I don't know how many times trying to figure out where they ACTUALLY MADE LOVE). Confused the hell out of me.

I went from that straight to SHANNA. It was 1979 or thereabouts.

[library addict]

I don't remember which book it was that got me reading single title romance as it was a long time ago.

But it was Debbie Macomber's Navy Wife that got me reading category romances. Which led to me discovering the Silhouette Intimate Moments line and a lot of really great authors.

[catgrace]

It was Julie Garwood, The Bride.

I'd read some really bad romances several years before that. They were full of angst and stupid heroines who kept lusting after men who raped them, etc. I'd given up on romance altogether for several years until I picked up The Bride on a whim at a $1 paperback sale. What a treat, finding such a fun, light story. I've been reading romance continually since then. I think Ms. Garwood has sadly lost her magic, but those oldies sure are goodies.

[maggie b.]

For Harlequins it was Lord of La Pampa by Kay Thorpe. For single titles it was The Wolf and the Dove by Woodiwiss . Really, I've been reading it since fourth grade. Books like The Saphire Pendent by Audrey White Byer, Journey for a Princess and all the other wonderful novels of Margaret Leighton. Rosemary Sutcliff often had romance in her historicals I read in Junior High, as did Glady Malvern and others I read at that age. Of course Little Women had three romances in it.

Really it all began with Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty and The Princess and the Pea and my favorite The Twelve Dancing Princesses.

maggie b.
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http://maggiebbooksandteas.blogspot.com
She is too fond of books and it has turned her brain. - Louisa May Alcott

[kim_mac]

I picked up Suzanne Brockmann's Into the Storm on a whim while on vacation (probably my least favorite Troubleshooters book.) I went back and read the whole series from the beginning then read on Suzanne's website that Judith McNaught was one of her favorite authors.

I picked up Whitney, My Love (yes, a controversial choice judging by comments I've read on this site!) and I was hooked from there. Four years and over 1,000 books later, I'm a junkie.

[jaime]

The first romance I ever read was by Laura Kinsale and was called "For My Lady's Heart". I remember reading it when I was home sick with the flu. The odd thing is that I don't recall the main couple very well at all but I still have a vivid recollection of this secondary character in the book, named Allegreto. I thought he was a fascinating character and I kept turning the pages to get to his sections in the novel.

[Lea AAR]

Dream of Me by Josie Litton. I thought I was buying historical fiction. And I was, in part. I couldn't believe how delicious it was! Now 9 years later, it is still my favorite genre and Dream of Me will always have a special place in my heart.

And. yes, there is a wonderful audiobook edition of Dream of Me that I later discovered. I can't leave that out!
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Lea AAR

Audiobooks Bookshelf at Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4403718

[Juliette]

I think it all got rolling for me with Victoria Holt starting with On The Night Of The Seventh Moon. I just inhaled her books, with some Mary Stewart and Phyllis Whitney thrown in between the Holt's.

Then one day I had some babysitting money to spend at a used book store and came across an American historical romance with a lovely cover, Banner Bold And Beautiful which was full of sexual tension and not written in the first person, so it was a nice change. It was the only romance by that author, but decently written. I'm not much of re-reader, but this one I've read several times.

I think Janet Daily's contemps came soon after and then the bodice rippers which I burned out on. I started reading romance again in the early nineties when I picked up Julie Garwood's Honor's Splendor.

[Danielle D]

For me it was Sweet Savage Love by Rosemary Rogers back in the 70's. I think everyone I worked with in my department read it.
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Ciao,

So many books, so little time

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Now a Lady of Leisure

[Tee]

Morning Glory by LaVyrle Spencer 20-some years ago!

[dick]

"Unspeakable" by S. Brown. It was shelved in mysteries, which I though it was until my wife corrected my assumption.

[Eliza]

Outlander, far and away. Followed by Julie Garwood's medieval Scots.