Unforgettable Reads
As an author I sometimes analyze what makes a read so compelling. In fact, if I admit it, I wouldn’t mind authoring one of those books. I hope I already have for someone. You know the ones. Absorbing, tantalizing, thoroughly can’t-put-em-down books. The pleasure such reads can give will keep you up half the night, if not all night.
Three books that will remain in my heart as favorites that kept me reading were Connie Brockway’s As You Desire, Barbara Samuels Lucien’s Fall, and Suzanne Forster’s Come Midnight. As far as I know, you can’t get these books unless you find a used copy. But if you can find copies, I highly recommend you pick them up. Few books are layered with characters so vivid you can see every detail about them.
As You Desire was the first Connie Brockway novel I read, and one of the things that struck me was the Egypt setting. I’m a sucker for Egypt in books. Second, the hero had an unusual problem, something that would have been more difficult to deal with in the nineteenth century—dyslexia. The heroine is adventurous and the hero feels a strong sense of responsibility to keep her safe. How he deals with his dyslexia, and with the heroine’s impetuous nature makes for a fun, wonderful, passionate and exciting read.
In Barbara Samuel’s Lucien’s Fall, I was totally enthralled with the lush scenery and the sympathetic characters she created. The worlds Barbara creates are stamped with her unique voice, and you will never forget them.
Suzanne Forster knows how to create a bad boy/dangerous hero like nobody’s business. When I read Come Midnight, I felt overtaken by her incredible alpha hero. And the sexual tension winds so tight throughout the book you can taste in on your tongue like a fine wine.
After reading a book like this, I’m inspired to write my own terrific hero. Often authors will tell you they love all their heroes, but I have to admit some of the ones I’ve written have stood out for me even more than the others. Something about them felt special, their personalities bursting out on the page more. Ronan Kieran, the Irish vampire in my novel HAUNTED SOULS (Ellora’s Cave) captured my heart when he showed up in DARK FIRE, the first book in my vampire trilogy, DARK FIRE. The heroine is drawn to him so fiercely, yet the danger in Ronan is evident enough that she fears him on a primitive level. In PRIMORDIAL (Romantic Times Top Pick from Ellora’s Cave), I used the jungle as a character. The hero, Zane Spinella is also dark and dangerous, like a dark heart beating within a beast. Despite this, the heroine knows he would die for her. In OVER THE LINE, the hero is extremely honorable, yet his love for the heroine conflicts with his duties and the angst within him made for some interesting twists in his character. Plus, he’s got a lovely Scottish accent. Who can resist that?
Do you have some keepers that reign supreme on your shelf that you’ll never forget? Tell us all about them and why these books remain special for you. You could win a copy of my out of print novel FOREVERMORE.
I’ll choose a random winner from the answers.
