The Best of 2011

Eliza · Joined: 21 Aug 2011 Posts: 713

I've seen two lists, so far: The Library Journal and Amazon. The only book I noticed common to both is Loretta Chase's Silk Is for Seduction. Have you seen any other "best" lists yet?

http://reviews.libraryjournal.com/2011/11/best-of/best-genre/best-books-2011-romance/

http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=br_lf_m_1000744101_grlink_2?ie=UTF8&plgroup=2&docId=1000744101

Kayne · Joined: 31 Mar 2007 Posts: 783

I haven't seen any other lists but was just thinking about which ones my favorites were this year. My favorites so far are Eloisa James' When Beauty Tamed the Beast, Connie Brockway's The Other Guy's Bride, and Jennifer Ashley's The Many Sins of ... What are your favorites so far for the year? Thanks.

Tinabelle · Joined: 22 Mar 2007 Posts: 853 Location: SE Wisconsin

I did a lot of backlist romance reading this year and also read a lot more outside the romance genre, particularly mysteries.

Here is my list of favorite published in 2011 reads in alphabetical order:

One Was a Soldier - Julia Spencer Fleming
Where Shadows Dance - C.S. Harris
What I Did For a Duke - Julie Ann Long
The Taming of the Rake - Kasey Michaels
Trick of the Light - Louise Penny
The Dark Enquiry - Deanna Raybourne
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Natalie · Joined: 25 Mar 2007 Posts: 1566

I still have a few 2011 releases on my TBR pile. But so far, the discovery of the year was Courtney Milan. Read all her books and enjoyed them all.

Also liked:
Meredith Duran's A Lady's Lesson in Scandal
Sandra Brown's Lethal

Eliza · Joined: 21 Aug 2011 Posts: 713

Publisher's Weekly now has five romances listed:

Secret Mistress, Mary Balogh
No Proper Lady, Isobel Cooper
Scandalous Desires, Elizabeth Hoyt
Angel's Rest, Emily March
Fitzwilliam Darcy Rock Star, Heather Lynn Rigaud

I probably should have listed the books for the other sites too instead of just the links, so here they are now:

Library Journal:
Secret Mistress, Mary Balogh
The Black Hawk, Joanna Bourne
Silk Is for Seduction, Loretta Chase
No Proper Lady, Isobel Cooper
A Place Called Home, Jo Goodman
When Beauty Tamed the Beast, Eloisa James
The Dragon and the Pearl, Jeannie Lin
To Seduce an Angel, Kate Moore
Call Me Irresistible, Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Nowhere Near Respectable, Mary Jo Putney

Amazon:
Silk Is for Seduction, Loretta Chase
Archangel's Blade, Nalini Singh
Seduction of a Highland Lass, Maya Banks
Dragon Bound, Thea Harrison
What I Did For a Duke, Julie Anne Long
Breaking Point, Pamela Clare
Dreams of a Dark Warrior, Kresley Cole
The Next Always, Nora Roberts
Heart of Steel, Meljean Brook
Unveiled, Courtney Milan

Eliza · Joined: 21 Aug 2011 Posts: 713

Lynda X · Joined: 05 Apr 2007 Posts: 1249

So far, I have only three A books:
MILAN, COURTNEY Unveiled
LONG, JULIE ANNE What I Did for a Duke
HARRISON, THEA Dragon Bound.

Winnie · Joined: 07 Sep 2009 Posts: 91 Location: Utica NY USA

A Lady's Lesson in Scandal by Meredith Duran was my favorite this year.

I loved Lethal by Sandra Brown & Dangerous in Diamonds by Madeline Hunter.

Eyes of Silver, Eyes of Gold by Ellen O'Connell was not released in 2011 but I read and liked it this year.

MEK · Joined: 09 Dec 2010 Posts: 223

Dancing On Coals by Ellen O'Connell

Breaking Point by Pamela Clare

Natalie · Joined: 25 Mar 2007 Posts: 1566

Goodreads
http://www.goodreads.com/award/choice/2011#56966-Best-Romance

Kristie(J) · Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2011 12:10 am Post subject:

My best this year so far is also Dancing on Coals by Ellen O'Connell.

Rosario · Joined: 22 Mar 2007 Posts: 326 Location: Liverpool, UK

I've read several excellent books this year. My favourite so far is Unveiled, by Courtney Milan. Other excellent reads in the romance genre were:

Demon Marked, by Meljean Brook
Treachery in Death, by JD Robb
The Rose Garden, by Susanna Kearsley
Unlocked, by Courtney Milan
A Lady's Lesson in Scandal, by Meredith Duran
Hotter Than Wildfire, by Lisa Marie Rice
Silk Is for Seduction, by Loretta Chase
Heart of Steel, by Meljean Brook
Attachments, by Rainbow Rowell
The Shop of Shades and Secrets, by Colleen Gleason

I also read some really good non romance titles. Not sure if people here would be interested in them (none of them really have any romance threads in them), but here are the top few:

Pigeon English, by Stephen Kelman
The Last Hundred Days, by Patrick McGuinness
Travels in Blood and Honey: Becoming a Beekeper in Kosovo, by Elizabeth Gowing
The Testament of Jessie Lamb, by Jane Rogers
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My Reading Journal
http://rosario.blogspot.com

tuga · Joined: 09 Feb 2011 Posts: 64 Location: Europe

So far, 2 of my top3 books of this year are 2011 releases.
1. Spellcast - Barbara Ashford
2. Kiss of Snow - Nalini Singh
3. Gentle Rain - Deborah Smith (2007?)

Curiously, all are set in a contemporary time, which is one of my least favourite genres...
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Eliza · Joined: 21 Aug 2011 Posts: 713

mirole · Joined: 06 Aug 2010 Posts: 257 Location: Toronto, Ontario

Ditto, Eliza, on difference of tastes.
Unlike many of the posters here, I did not like Unveiled by Courtney Milan at all (the writing voice sounded strictly modern to me, the plot and situations were too contrived, the actions and behaviour of characters especially of the heroine unbelievable).

For me the best book was hands down My One and Only by Kristan Higgins. The second would be The Reluctant Nude by Meg Maguire.

Although I prefer historical romance and would have read more in that genre, it's hard to find any new historical romance that is not part of the series and as I am a fairly new romance reader, my choice was limited.