Steamy Summer Reading: The Conclusion

Have you been lolling listlessly in your lawn chair, your brain too melted to focus on something as literary as David Mitchell?  Me too.  One of the delights of summer is being baked in the sun (under plenty of sun block, of course) and letting my brain trip off into the steamy world of ripping bodices, resistant hearts, and men in breeches.  Oh, le sigh...

In general, I somewhat hesitatingly admit to being a reader of romances.  But heck--it's summer!  This seems like the best time to give into all my cheesiest reading vices.  Do not fear, gentle readers: I still have standards!  I must therefore take this opportunity to RAVE about the books of Julia Quinn.  Ms. Quinn is a master of my favorite genre, the Regency Romance.  They are always written with a touch of humor, and a touch of class.  Sure, there's plenty of the type of material that causes romance paperbacks across the globe to become wearily creased on certain pages, but it's done well, and isn't...icky.  Some romance novelists make everybody mean to each other or over-the-top in their sultry ways.  (Ahem, did you read this post by Mica?)

Prominent among the works of Ms. Quinn is the series of eight titles featuring the Bridgerton siblings.  Oh, to be so wealthy, so attractive, so intelligent, so attractive, so witty, and, well...so attractive!  They are the cream of the crop of London society, engaging in all of the best soirees and balls the ton has to offer.  Of course, this entitles them to plenty of romance and drama, too.

There are other books beyond the Bridgertons, however.  On my nightstand right now is her latest, Ten Things I Love About You.  (See how tasteful the covers of her books are?  While the cover shot does give a hint of...the girls, at lest there's not some dark and sultry hero-in-the-making trying to manhandle her as well.)

I think one of the reasons I love Ms. Quinn's books so well, is that her characters are flawed, but so obviously in love.  I feel like they're real and these people exist.  (Really, we're meeting for tea later to discuss taboo subjects and twitter coquettishly.)

If you're looking for something racier, may I recommend Stephanie Laurens?  Her writing and plot lines get rather monotonous, but when all you want is some good smut with dashing and dangerous rakes, you can't go wrong with her.  Yes, I also have several copies of her books in my personal library (tucked away in the Pam Cave, behind a cabinet door), and I will confess that they are also well-creased.  I'm sure that's only because they were used copies, right?  Uh...yeah.  If you decide to succumb to her seductive allure, make sure you start with the Cynster Novels.  The first one, Devil's Bride, is particularly lay-my-hand-upon-my-dewey-forehead worthy.  Ms. Laurens likes the racy stuff.  Later in the series, that's really all that's left to enjoy in her writing, as the characters get old.

And I must be getting old, because when I looked at her website, I found the heroes in the trailers for her newest series of books to be rather young and, well...pansy-looking.  I like manly men to star in my trash, but certainly, you can judge for yourself.  Check out Stephanie Laurens' website to see what I mean.  (I'm all about being a Brazen Bride, but please give me a groom who can stand up to it!)

Well, I clearly need to enjoy some cool refreshment and to mop my feverish brow.  Alas!  I may faint dead away if I keep going on this scandalous topic!  So go enjoy some summer trash!  I will be soon.  I guarantee it.

See you at the bookstore.  I'll be the one blushing.

Pamela.