Clean Romances discussion

Hi everyone,

I've just joined and wanted to introduce myself.

I'm an author who absolutely loves sweet, clean, warm romance (so glad there is a group for it!).

I love to read about "slow love", where a man and a woman fall for each other's hearts bit by bit.

I've just released my first book, "Mail Order Love". I hope it's OK to mention it here!

I'd be interested to hear what your recommendations are for great clean reads :)

Amy

Amy, that sounds like a lovely book!

Hi Amy, I just downloaded your book and will be sure to leave a review. :) If you like those (clean) western/mail order bride stories, Caroline Fyffe has some nice ones, as well as Debra Holland. Marcia Lynn McClure also has some westerns. Hope that helps. :)

your kind of book is exactly what I love to read. thanks! looking forward to it.

Hi Dorcas, Jessica and Ljb! I'm so pleased so get a message, I'm super new here ;)

Thank you ever so much for your comments, and I do hope you like the book.

*off to check out Caroline Fyffe, Debra Holland, & Marcia Lynn McClure* :)

I read one by Caroline Fyffe, I think it was "where the wind blows". It was very good.I thought the romance was a little strong for the genre but its been a while since I read it and I may have been thinking of "is this suitable to give my 13 year old daughter..." you know what I mean?
I have three of Debrah Hollands on my kindle that I kind of forgot about and never read. eeks! Shame shame shame!
I did read one of Marcia Lyn Mclures but you either love her stuff or hate it and I happen to be in the minority so you probably don't want to read my review of Prairie Prince if youre a diehard fan. But tons simply adore her. The kissing queen.

And I agree, Amy, about the "slow love" stories, I like them too, it allows us to savor the experience.

Welcome Amy! I just added your book to my TBR list and clean romance shelf. I love mail order bride stories as my husband and I lived like 8 states apart but met through having profiles on an online dating site which is the 21rst century version of mail order brides.

Update: I read the sample of your book on my Kindle and couldn't help myself and downloaded it. It is on my reading now shelf. Another suggestion for a "slow love story" that is clean is Edenbrooke. Members of this group swoon over that novel like a bunch of fangirls and it has won a lot of literary honors. It is mostly heart squeezing soul connecting deep friendship love that blossoms into a strong eternal romantic love during the book.

Marcia Lyn Mclure is definitely the kissing queen. I lent a friend (who is 93 years old) one of her books. she laughed and commented that she has never read a book with s-o-o-o much smooching. she isn't my favorite author but at least I can lend her to my friends without a blush or be scared they will have a stroke. I love mail order brides who have grit. a couple that have to work to make a happy marriage (like in real life) is good - but one that makes me LOL will always be my choice.

I'm honored you guys decided to download my book, thanks so much, Jessica, Dorcas, Ljb and Kim!!

I put my heart into it, so it is the best feeling in the world to know that others are actually reading it, wow.

Dorcas - The kissing queen, I love it! Of course I'm going to have to look her up now, how can I not ...

Yes, definitely know what you mean about suitability. Sometimes I wonder when I read - is this suitable for the younger ones, and also ladies (and men) in their 80s/90s and above.

I love the idea of all ages being able to enjoy a romance (both sexes too, it's always nice to come across reviews from men for a sweet romance on amazon.com).

Thank you for the welcome Kim!! Mail order brides (& their modern equivalent) are so romantic, I love that moment when the two people meet for the first time. Especially if they don't fall in love right away, but the feeling develops over time. Much more fun to read about when you can watch it happen.

You have just completely sold me on Edenbrooke, gotta read!!

Ljb, you made me laugh, I agree we cannot have people having strokes from a book you lent. I do love laughs in books, I hope that mine will maybe cause a gentle chuckle, especially if you like comical dogs.

oh and that's the other thing that grabbed me about your book. I am NOT a dog person. BUT. I adore wolfhounds and greyhounds. You NEVER read a story with a wolfhound. That was it. You had me. And the conniving grandma too sounded like a real character...

She is pretty naughty, that is true! I love all animals, of dogs I do love Irish wolfhounds, also greyhounds, dachshunds, papillons ... the list goes on. Funnily enough I was watching Niles on Frasier today with his greyhound who is exactly like his estranged wife, it did make me giggle. In fact here's a link (not sure if goodreads will let me post it): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9hG_3...

Just looking through my library, other really good clean authors that I enjoy are:
- Joyce DiPastena (medieval)
- Sarah M. Eden (historical)
- D. D. Chant (sci-fi, historical, humour)
- Donna Hatch (historical)
- Marie Higgins (historical, contemporary)
- Anya Wylde (historical-comedy)
- Deann Smallwood (historical-western)

Jessica, thank you for those, I'm going to check them out!! :)

yes - thank you for the list of authors Jessica. looking forward to anya wylde. my favorite books are historical romantic comedy. years ago my husband and I read all of Julie garwoods historical books to each other. LOL material - but we had to skip too many pages because of the content. I am NOT recommending her books here - but I would love love love to find more authors like her - just better. PG! if anyone has that kind of bust a gut love story on their shelf - please let me know. amy - I want to read your book - but I get all my books at the library - not through internet :o(

Margaret Brownley and Karen Whittemeyer are both great at romantic comedy. I think theyre classified as "Christian" so I cant add them to the bookshelf. But they have no preachiness in them. Just clean reads.

Hiya Ljb, thank you for wanting to read my book! I'm getting it published as a paperback soon. Libraries will be able to order it then (it will be in expanded distribution). I'll let you know when it's out in the paperback ... maybe they'll get one in if you nudge 'em? ;) I must say I really like books made of real paper, old fashioned style.

thanks for the info. I like paper books. and living in a small town in Canada - I really appreciate the library! long cold winters mean unsafe road conditions and lots of reading time. I will look forward to your book.

Amy I am 76% done with your novel. One thing I love about your writing is your imagery and the world you build that one gets lost in. The sensory perceptions and world building is seamless and enchances the plot. People who have been following my progress online outside of Goodreads somewhere else have asked when it will be available outside of e-book and I told them the paperback news and would get back to them when you announced it. I prefer e-book myself as I am busy and at least have my android phone everywhere I go so I can nickel and dime time to read on the go instead of remembering to carry a book.

just finished your book, Amy! (remember what I said about no self control? lol) it was very good. ill probably get the review written today sometime. :)

Kim, your comments made me so happy to hear, thank you!! I'm pleased beyond measure that you are enjoying it - it is fascinating to hear how it comes across :0)
I am going through the proofs today for the paperback. As soon as it's out I will be sure to let you know. I think if it wasn't for kindles I would be navigating around towers of books in my home. It's nice being able to pick any book from the zillions on my kindle when I'm out and suddenly have a spare minute, like yesterday in the post office xmas queue. Very useful!

Hi Dorcas! When it comes to books, I think it is good not to have too much self control ;) *Thank you* for getting my book and I'm so glad you liked it. Means the world to me to have others enjoying it :)

Absolutely! Ive got the review out now. :)

And speaking of kindles, besides the fact that you can have a thousand books at your fingertips to be read at any given time, no one else knows what a hoarder you are!

Amy wrote: "Kim, your comments made me so happy to hear, thank you!!...I think if it wasn't for kindles I would be navigating around towers of books in my home. It's nice being able to pick any book from the zillions on my kindle when I'm out and suddenly have a spare minute, like yesterday in the post office xmas queue. Very useful!"

Dorcas wrote: "And speaking of kindles, besides the fact that you can have a thousand books at your fingertips to be read at any given time, no one else knows what a hoarder you are!"

Amy, I am glad that my honest observation made you happy. I think God has given us all different gifts and I can definitely appreciate those who have gifts I no way have *LOL*. Luck enough proverbially you don't have to be an composer to know a quality music piece.

Amy and Dorcas I so totally agree with your comments about Kindles and hiding what a book hoarder you are. My husband got me a Kindle for my birthday after the "incident" happened. We heard like a loud cracking sound like thunder, but it was inside the house. All the shelves from ceiling to floor had split in the middle and crashed down on one of our really nice strong bookshelves from me putting too many books on the shelves like a game of Jenga or Tetris. Oops!

Kim wrote: "Amy wrote: "Kim, your comments made me so happy to hear, thank you!!...I think if it wasn't for kindles I would be navigating around towers of books in my home. It's nice being able to pick any boo..."

OMGoodness!How histerical!

Ha what a thing to happen, I love it! The shelves spoke, and you got a cool birthday present out of it. I've always felt that readers themselves have a tremendous imagination. The author puts down the words and the reader creates a world in their head from them. Each reader's world is a bit different from the next.

which I suppose is why movies are so disappointing. its never (hardly ever) how we envisioned things.

Just a quick update to say I've been burning the midnight oil getting the paperback proofs ready ... almost done!!

Amy wrote: "Just a quick update to say I've been burning the midnight oil getting the paperback proofs ready ... almost done!!"

That's great Amy! Don't work too hard! Try to take time to enjoy Christmas. A Merry Christmas to you too Dorcas :-).

Thank you Kim :)

Some relatives arrived for Christmas today, so I'll be doing a bit less for sure.

Actually dying to get some reading done, so much I want to read right now.

Anyone know how to grow 10 heads so I can read 10 books at once?

Merry Christmas to all!

Hello. I recently joined this group and wanted you all to know how much I like the term "slow love." It's pretty much a theme in my new contemporary romance/romantic comedy, The Divorced Not Dead Workshop.
Being somewhat taken aback by the amount of darker, hard-edged novels in the romance genre nowadays, I decided to try to tackle what I consider really fearsome: opening your heart to love again ... especially after divorce. And thanks for the rec on Edenbrooke and also Debra Holland's books. Good reading for cold winter days. CeCe

At last, Mail Order Love is finally out as a paperback available at amazon.com now. I thought I would just update this thread with the info, ... available at libraries in about 6-8 weeks fingers crossed.

Hope everyone had a great Christmas, and Happy New Year!

Hi everyone!

I just thought I'd post an update to say that Mail Order Bliss, Book #2 in the series, is finally out:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

Hi, I just joined this group today and though I initiated my own "Hello everyone, really happy to be here! :-)" discussion thread, but felt like greeting everyone individually too! 

Well, looking forward to great recommendations and wonderful friendships :-)

Thanks and Happy Reading! :-)
--Ramla Zareen