I suppose my promise the other day to blog yesterday about being an idiot came true, since I totally spaced blogging yesterday. But what I really wanted to talk about was that I am in The Complete Idiot’s Guide to The Ultimate Reader List. Have you seen this book yet? It is totally cool and a great way to find new authors.
Written by some wonderful librarians, they’ve compiled their best recommendations into one fun volume. You’ll go through the book, if you are like me, saying to yourself: “Oh, yeah, LOVE that book. And that one. OOOOh and that one!” You’ll find books you’ve been meaning to reread and keep forgetting and series that have fallen off your radar. Like Elizabeth Peters. How could I have forgotten how much I love her Amelia Peabody books? And there she is on page 56 reminding me to get myself to the bookstore and get caught up.
Now where did I get my copy? Here is the very cool part—at a tea in Dallas. Now I know I promised, no more Conference posts, but technically this is NOT a conference post, since I went directly from the airport to the tea at the Adolphus Hotel before I ever set foot in the conference hotel.
But all my favorite people were there, including Jane Porter, Lara Adrian, Sophia Nash, Kathrine Caskie, and the wonderful and witty and always funny, Eileen Dreyer/Kathleen Korbel. Plus, let me completely recommend the tea at the Adolphus Hotel. Wow! Eileen and I were comparing teas, as we are both tea freaks and decided it was one of our Top Five Teas. 
High praise between the two of us. And if someone can tell me how to get a hold of the teas that they serve, I would be indebted. I still think I should have arm wrestled Porter for more of the truffles. Just between you and me, she was ultimately eating more than her fair share.
If you are wondering, (and even if you aren’t, I’m telling/bragging about it anyway) the book of mine that made the Ultimate Reading List is Stealing the Bride, which is actually one of my favorites. You’ll find it on Page 85, just in case you are in a hurry, or if you are my mom or one of my aunts and want to point this out to complete strangers in the bookstore.
So my question is: What historical romances would make your Ultimate Reading list?
Great post!
Mary Balogh, if I could only pick one author. All of her work, but if I could only pick two–no, three books (yikes) More Than a Mistress, A Summer to Remember, and Slightly Dangerous.
And Elizabeth Peters is in my list of top three favorite authors of all time, along with Mary and Laurie R. King, of Sherlock Holmes and Mary Russell fame (a desperately wonderful love story in its own right).
What a coincidence I have just got an email from Rendezvous Books in Melbourne I had ordered Stealing The Bride last month and I still hadn’t recieved it I put this months order in for the new releases and Stealing The Bride has arrived so I will be getting it on Monday I have loved all of the books you have written that I have read so far and I only have a couple more to get Once Tempted and No Marriage of Convenience besides the out of print Brazen series which i am looking for in UBS.As to the question for me that is hard I have loved all of Kathleen Woodiwiss’s Flame and the Flower and Shanna would have to be there Anna Campbell’s Claiming The Courtesian Samantha James books Shirlee Busbee wrote some wonderful Historicals as has Johanna Lindsey I have a lot of auto buy authors I do read a lot and enjoy them all.
Have Fun
Helen
I honestly don’t know how they wheedled down their choices the way they did. Maybe I can get an interview with John Charles and see what he says about it and post it to the blog. I’ll email him tonight.
How very cool!! I doubt the list of historical romances is very large, so a mention is there is WOW!!
La Heyer is likely in the book, right? As is Austen. Among modern writers, Balogh would make my list, as would Lisa Kleypas, Julia Quinn, Candice Hern, Laura Kinsale, Diane Gaston, Amanda McCabe, Teresa Medeiros, Julie Garwood, Sophia Nash, Kathryn Caskie. The new book by Janet Mullany will make the next edition, I’m sure. Most likely, my list will be far, far too long.
I’d love to know how John Charles and his staff made their choices.
I couldn’t possibly pick one.
Once Tempted and No Marriage of Convenience by our very own Elizbo
England’s Perfect Hero and London’s Perfect Scoundrel by Suzanne Enoch
The Merry Widow’s Trilogy by Candice Hern…btw Lady Be Bad is an awesome read!!
In The Prince’s Bed by Sabrina Jeffries
Again The Magic by Lisa Kleypas
Julia Anne Long’s Holt Sisters Trilogy (my all time favorite of the three is Ways To Be Wicked!!!)
Julianne MacLean- To Marry The Duke and An Affair Most Wicked
Teresa Medeiros: One Night Of Scandal
Amanda Quick: Mistress and Don’t Look Back
The Bridgerton Series by Julia Quinn
Kathryn Smith: Be Mine Tonight
By no means is this a complete list but I could go on for a long while.
Hello Elizabeth *waving madly*
Thought to make my way quickly onto your blog *lol* and wow this books sounds like something I should get my hands on, seeing as I’ve got over 1000 books in my collection *grin*
Gosh it is very difficult for me to note down all my favourite titles that make my Ultimate Reading list. Due to space I’ll keep it to my favourite historical romance authors … so here goes: (in alphabetical order ;o)
Cheryl Holt
Christina Dodd
Elizabeth Boyle
Elizabeth Thornton
Jane Feather
Johanna Lindsey
Julia London
Julia Quinn
Julianne MacLean
Karen Hawkins
Kathleen E. Woodiwiss
Kinley MacGregor
Lisa Kleypas
Lorraine Heath
Madeline Hunter
Mary Balogh
Nicole Jordan
Patricia Grasso
Sabrina Jeffries
Sara Bennett
Sari Robins
Stephanie Laurens
Suzanne Enoch
Wow Rita, that’s a lot of books!! I had just over 500 until smoke damage destroyed all my books. I’m now back up to nearly 300!! Yay!