Top Ten Books That Will Make You Swoon

TTT is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

When I saw this topic, I was a bit stumped. Even though I have read a lot of romance novels, the word "swoon" makes me think of those romance novels that are really really special. And for a moment, I really had to think about this list. This, by the way, is not ordered by any means. It's just the order in which these books and authors came to my mind.

I limited my list to one book per author but rest assured, for the authors below, I loved almost all of their books so definitely check out their other novels too.

1. The MacGregor Grooms by Nora Roberts

When it comes to romance, you can't go past Nora Roberts. She has over 200 romance works to her name and is the first author to be inducted into the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame - that is how good she is! There are a lot of books by her that I love but for a quick lighthearted read, I always gravitate towards the MacGregor series. All 11 of them are really good but my personal favourite would have to be The MacGregor Grooms, which is a collection of three novellas. 

2. The Playboy by Carly Phillips

The Playboy is the second book in the Chandler brothers series, which starts with The Bachelor and finishes with The Heartbreaker. All three are really good reads, but I love The Playboy the most if only for the comedic factor. Imagine a town where all the single ladies are throwing themselves at this single cop. Toss in a meddling mother who's faking sick so that her boys will settle down, start a family and give her grandchildren before she dies. Then finish it off with a bride in a wedding dress stuck just outside of town needing police assistance. It's definitely a fun read and I absolutely adore the main characters.

3. The Paid Companion by Amanda Quick

Amanda Quick is my go-to author for historical romance (well, her and Julia Quinn) and The Paid Companion is the novel I regularly refer to when I feel like doing a quick re-read. Elenora Lodge lost her family inheritance when her stepfather squandered the whole lot, forcing her to go into employment as a paid companion for income. Unfortunately, she's a bit too brash and opinionated to be suitable as a demure obedient servant. Arthur Lancaster, the Earl of St. Merryn, is looking for someone to pretend to be his fiance so that he could wander around London's social scene without getting interrupted while he's hunting for a murderer. The two of them are constantly at odds with each other and sparks almost always flies. Amanda Quick, in this novel, I think balanced Elenora well so that she is independent and inquisitive without being too pigheaded. 

4. Dream Man by Linda Howard

Some of Linda Howard's novels always makes me want to fan myself and this one is definitely one of them, which is quite a difficult feat considering this book is about murders. Marlie Keen is content to lead a quiet normal life. She thought her clairvoyance had disappeared after the nightmare in her past so she was shocked when one night, all of a sudden, it came back with a vengeance. Meanwhile, Detective Dane Hollister is busy trying to track down a serial killer and has no patience for the psychic Marlie. But at the same time, he can't help feeling attracted to her. Watching Dane turn between 

5. Remember Me by Sharon Sala

This book doesn't make me swoon as much as it makes me sigh contentedly. I find some of Sharon Sala's works to be a bit too cheesy at times but sometimes, you need some cheese in your life. Life was beautiful for Clay LeGrand until one day, his wife suddenly disappears from their home and he is being grilled like a criminal. Two years later, he returns to work to find his wife, Frankie, sleeping in bed and acting as if the last two years never happened. Where has she been for the last two years? And why can't she remember any of it?

6. Brighter than the Sun by Julia Quinn

This book got me right at the beginning, as Charles Wycombe, the Earl of Billington, crashed out of a tree and landed at the feet of Eleanor Lyndon. Upon learning that she was single, he immediately proposed marriage as he needed to marry before his 30th birthday in order to retain his inheritance. This book had me giggling right from the beginning. Charles and Eleanor are so adorable together, I loved their interactions and the way the story unfolded.

7. Only Mine by Elizabeth Lowell

To be honest, I enjoyed every single book in Elizabeth Lowell's Only series. This one sort of just pipped the other ones to the post. Every single one of Elizabeth Lowell's regency novels are moving in their own right and this one is no exception. It's interesting to follow the journey of how a rugged nature-hardened Wolfe Lonetree slowly and reluctantly falls for the pampered, innocent Lady Jessica. Meanwhile, Jessica has to adapt to a married life in the harsh landscape of America. You can't not feel the emotions written on the pages and when the two of them finally admitted their feelings to each other - it's amazing.

8. September Morning by Diana Palmer

I have a love-hate relationship with Diana Palmer. Her books are very emotional and moving yet almost all of her books depict strong dominant men and submissive women who love those men regardless of how much verbal/psychological abuse they dish out to them. It makes a tumultuous read but sometimes, the happy ending is worth all the emotional turmoil us readers go through. September Morning, I'm happy to report, is one of those books. You feel torn and heartbroken right alongside Kate and then, when everything comes together at the end, you bask in her joy too.

9. Dark Prince by Christine Feehan

There is something very addictive about Christine Feehan's The Carpathians series. Call it guilty pleasure if you want to but I simply adore reading these books and finding out how the couple found each other. Dark Prince is the first one in the series and it's still the one I enjoy the most. The plots of these books might be a bit weaker than those of other paranormal novels but the chemistry between the Life Mates makes it an enjoyable read nonetheless.

10. Vampire, Interrupted by Lynsay Sands

My favourite of the Argeneau Vampires series, a bit surprising since when it comes to a series, I tend to enjoy the younger generations more. But Marguerite and Julius Notte - their history is just so interesting and heartbreaking when you realize exactly what they lost in the years they have been apart. Their chemistry is palpable on the pages and I think I gobbled this book up all in one sitting.

So there you have it, these are my picks. Let me know if the comments below what are yours, or post a link to your list - I'd love to check them out! I'm always on the hunt for more romance! ^_~