Top Five Young Adult Romances

I was in a used bookstore yesterday looking for some young adult books for someone in my book-trading group. I didn't find the books on the list, but I did run across a couple of books I loved in high school. I couldn't resist buying a couple.

Since I haven't done a top-five list in a while, I thought it would be fun to do a list of top-five young adult romances. I must confess that this is more of a sentimental list than an actual top five. In any case, here they are, in no particular order. Spoilers are ahead.

Romance Is a Wonderful Thing by Ellen Emerson White



I've read this book more than a dozen times. I loved the story of Trish and Colin. Trish is smart, athletic, and popular. Colin is a loner who is in remedial classes. Turns out that he has test anxiety, and he's living down to people's expectations of him. He really reads classic literature and enjoys plays.

I loved the idea of someone reaching out to a loner and seeing past his defenses. Trish helps Colin come out of his shell and helps him realize that he can let others see who he is. Then there's Colin's secret intelligence and the fact that he is a good actor, both of which appealed to me.

I have to admit, though, that I never imagined Colin or Trish looking anything like the couple on the book cover.

An April Love Story by Caroline B. Cooney



This image just begs for cover snark. The clothes are bad enough, but the hair is awful. Ugh. Much worse than any of the others on this list.

In any case, this book is about Lucas and Marnie, two high schoolers whose parents decide to leave the city, go to their roots, and buy a farm. I should mention that Lucas and Marnie are not related. LOL! These are two families who decide to buy a farm together.

While I hated the idea of having to leave a city to provide a positive environment for the children, I liked the classic opposites-attract romance between Marnie and Lucas. She is popular and outgoing; Lucas is a nerd. Having to work together on farm chores brings them together. In the end, Marnie and Lucas commit to each other and head off to the city for college. I was glad to see them make their own decision about where they wanted to live.

Playing Games by Eileen Hehl



Here's another classic opposites-attract story. These were very common in the young adult romances I read. Kerry is the high school class clown; Jon is an intellectual member of the chess club. It's pretty basic stuff, but I liked Kerry's interest in photography and Jon's grand gesture at the end of the book.

Cassie by Vivian Schurfranz



I don't have this one in front of me, so I don't know how well I'll remember this one. Still, I had to include a Sunfire book as one of my favorites. Sarah mentioned the Sunfire series in a recent blog entry. Cassie is like most (all?) the books in the series. The heroine has to choose between two boys. Gotta love the subheading on the cover of the book: "Her love was as wild and untameable as the frontier itself."

As I recall, Cassie lives with a native american tribe and has since childhood. I can't remember how she cames to live with them. One love interest is named Josh (I think). He's a trapper who is friendly with Cassie's tribe. Since Cassie is a blue-eyed blond, Josh knows she must have other parents. He finds them and Cassie goes back to live with them. But Cassie has a difficult time adjusting. Another boy enters her life. He likes her but has negative feelings toward native americans, so he doesn't understand that part of her.

Eventually Cassie leaves and goes with Josh, who understands and accepts all parts of her.

Kiss and Run by M. E. Cooper

Here's what I remember about this story. There are two friends who end up kissing under the mistletoe. The guy freaks out because he doesn't want to ruin their friendship, so he starts avoiding her. There's teenage romance logic for you, huh? I think the heroine is named Elise, but I could be totally wrong.

Anyway, Elise doesn't know what to make of his treatment of her, so she starts following him around, which just makes him retreat more. All is resolved when someone shows the hero (Ben?) sees a picture of him with Elise just before the mistletoe kiss. It's a pretty short book, actually, with a lot of it spent with Elise trying to hunt down Ben.

So, there are my top-five young adult romances. It's been a fun walk down memory lane.

Skip the Sex

Author Jill Shalvis writes about hearing that many romance readers are losing interest in love scenes. I have to admit, this baffles me. I read a variety of romances from sweet to highly explicit, and as long as sex contributes to the romance (and perhaps that's the key), I'm pleased to read it.

This doesn't mean that I think every author writes great love scenes. Some are more compelling than others. I've blogged about my top five love scenes, but the main thing I ask as I read the book is do the love scenes fit the story? If the answer is yes, then terrific. That's what a good love scene should do.

Thinking back on the books I've read, I can't say that I've skipped over sex scenes. On occasion, I have skimmed them, particularly when they are not well written or they are excessive. But skip them? Not me.

Top Five Humorous Moments

When it comes to romance novels, I prefer drama to comedy. A quick scan of my bookshelves reveals my preference for books that are more dark than light. Still, I enjoy humor as well; here are my five favorite humorous scenes. Spoilers abound, so consider yourself warned.

Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris
Sookie Stackhouse doesn't usually attend orgies, but she accepts an invitation to one so she can use her telepathy to find out who killed a local man. Unfortunately, her boyfriend, Bill, is out of town, so he can't go with her. She turns to Bill's boss, Eric, for help. She wants him to go with her and protect her if need be. Since the man who was killed was gay, Sookie asks Eric if he can "pretend to be gay." He comes to her house wearing an interesting outfit.

Eric had been wearing a long trench coat. Now he threw it off dramatically, and I could only stand and stare. Normally, Eric was a blue-jeans-and-T-shirt kind of guy. Tonight, he wore a pink tank top and lycra leggings. I don't know where he got them; I didn't know any company made Lycra leggings in Men's X-tra Large Tall. They were pink and aqua, like the swirls down the sides of Jason's truck.

"Wow," I said, since it was all I could think of to say. "Wow. That's some outfit." When you've got a big guy wearing Lycra it doesn't leave a whole lot to the imagination. I resisted the temptation to ask Eric to turn around.

I get such a kick out of Eric. And I can't help loving a man who will wear Lycra when you need him to.

Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase
When readers think about funny stories, I bet Lord of Scoundrels isn't often one that comes to mind. It's got drama, passion, and angst, but I don't think it's remembered for its comedy. But I love the subtle humor that threads throughout the book. Dain finds it hard to believe that anyone could find him physically attractive, so here's what he decides about his wife, Jessica.

With the world securely in order, Dain was able to devote the leisurely bath time to editing his mental dictionary. He removed his wife from the general category labeled "Females" and gave her a section of her own. He made a note that she didn't find him revolting, and proposed several explanations: (a) bad eyesight and faulty hearing, (b) a defect in a portion of her otherwise sound intellect, (c) an inherited Trent eccentricity, or (d) an act of God. Since the Almighty had not done him a single act of kindness in at least twenty-five years, Dain thought it was about bloody time, but he thanked his Heavenly Father all the same, and promised to be as good as he was capable of being.

There are many moments like this, moments of understated humor that I love.

Brighter Than the Sun by Julia Quinn
This may be one of my favorite comedies. Charles's propensity to make lists is hilarious. I also loved the scene where Eleanor goes to Charles, wanting to consummate their marriage.

She shrugged off the peignoir.

"Oh, God," he croaked. His eyes rolled heavenward. "I'm being tested. That's it, isn't it? I'm being tested."

"Charles?"

"Put that back on," he said frantically, grabbing the peignoir off the floor. It was still warm from her skin. He dropped it and reached for a woolen blanket. "No, better yet, put this on."

* * * * *

"Don't you want me?" she whispered. "Even a little bit? You did last week, but I wasn't dressed like this, and--"

"Are you mad?" he fairly shouted. "I want you so much I'm liable to perish on the spot. So cover yourself up, because otherwise you're going to kill me."

Ellie planted her hands on her hips, growing just a little irritated with the direction of the conversation.

* * * * *

"Are you sure?"

She nodded.

For a split second he didn't move. Then he came at her with a force that knocked the breath clear out of her. One minute Ellie was standing, and the next she was on her back, on the bed, with Charles on top of her.

Once Charles realizes what Ellie wants, he doesn't waste time. ;)

Boy Meets Girl by Meg Cabot
This is the first of Cabot's books I read, and I laughed all the way through it. There are so many funny scenes, but I love the one during Kate's deposition, when her boss and her boss's fiance try to shift blame onto her.

SH [Mitch's brother and Kate's boss's fiance]: Can't you see what she's doing? This young woman has a grudge against her employer because Ms. Jenkins had to reprimand her yesterday for wearing a skirt of an inappropriate length to the office, and she's just trying to--

JV [Attorney]: Is that true, Ms. Mackenzie?

KM [Kate]: Well. Yes, about the skirt. I mean, Amy issued me a warning letter about it.

MH [Mitch, the man Kate is dating]: That skirt you had on yesterday? That black suede one you wore to the restaurant?

KM: Um. Yes.

MH: I liked that skirt. What was wrong with that skirt?

Vengeance in Death by J.D. Robb
There are so many humorous moments in the In Death series that I may end up doing a separate list. However, I love seeing how people react to the unusual pairing of the cop (Eve) and former criminal (Roarke).

"I didn't properly introduce you to my wife, Brian. This is Eve. Lieutenant Eve Dallas, New York City Police and Security."

Brian choked on his whiskey, thumped his chest to help the air into his lungs. His eyes watered. "A cop? You married a bloody cop?"

"I married a bloody criminal," Eve muttered, "but nobody ever thinks of that."

"I do, darling." Amused, Roarke kissed her hand. "Constantly."

What are your favorite humorous moments?

Alyssa

Top Five Declarations of Love

It's been a while since my last top-five list. So, without further ado, here are my top-five declarations of love, in no particular order. Spoilers are ahead, so consider yourself warned.

Naked in Death by J.D. Robb
I couldn't help but start with Roarke, who falls in love with the brusque and tough Eve Dallas. He is more open than she to falling in love, and he tells her he loves her while they are working on a case.

Roarke had to force himself not to snatch her up as she swept through the hallowed Senate halls. Members of the media were already leaping toward her, but she cut through them as if they weren't there.

"I like your style, Lieutenant Dallas," he said when they'd fought their way to the car. "I like it a lot. And by the way, I don't think I'm in love with you anymore. I know I am."

Eve tells Roarke she loves him in the next book in the series, Glory in Death.

Over the Edge by Suzanne Brockmann
Sam Starrett and Alyssa Locke have a troubled relationship. When they are together, they often argue, and they haven't been able to express how they really feel. Sam is the first to share what he feels, and I love the way he does it. It's so perfectly Sam.

She looked at him. "Are we actually talking about the weather?"

"Yes," he said. "Yes, we are. I thought I'd start with the fucking weather, maybe touch on what you've been up to the past six months, and, shit, work my way up to the conversation I just had with Jules over lunch. See, I had it all figured out that we'd talk for a while, and then I'd bring up your partner. And I'd tell you that I got a chance to talk to him a little and he's an okay guy, and you'd be like, 'Jules and you? Wow, Roger, there's a friendship I never dreamed would happen in a million years.'"

Alyssa had to laugh at his imitation of her. It was pretty accurate, down to her habit of using his given name.

"And I'd say," he continued, "kind of casually, that Jules and I actually have a whole hell of a lot in common because, you know, we're, um . . ." He took a deep breath. "See, we're both in love with you."

Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas
Many readers say that this story is their favorite of Kleypas's books. I change my mind frequently, but I'd definitely say it's in the top three. Derek loves Sara desperately, but he doesn't tell her so, even after they are married. Then his club burns to the ground and he believes Sara is dead. When he sees that she's alive, everything changes.

"You said you'd never leave me." He held her as if he feared she would be ripped away from him.

"I'm here now," she soothed. "I'm right here."

She brushed her palms over his cold, wet cheeks. He was off-balance, his considerable weight swaying against her. "Have you been drinking?" she murmured, pulling back to look at him. He shook his head, staring at her as if she were a ghost. She wondered how to take away the shattered look in his eyes. . . .

"I love you," he told her, wiping impatiently at the tears that kept trickling down his face. "I couldn't say it before. I couldn't--" He clenched his trembling jaw, trying to control the hot flow of tears. It only made them worse. Giving up, he buried his face in her hair. . . .

"I love you," he repeated hoarsely, burrowing against her. "I would have given my life to have one more day with you, and tell you that."

Till Next We Meet by Karen Ranney
Catherine's husband of one month can't be bothered to write to her while he's at war, so his commanding officer, Moncrief, starts writing letters in her husband's name. When Moncrief marries her after she is widowed, he can't bring himself to admit the deception. Finally, however, he returns her letters along with a new one:

My dearest Catherine,
I give these [letters] back to you under duress, because while they were originated by you, they have come to give me great comfort. When I was alone in North America, I found they were my lifeline to all things I valued most highly in the world. I read and reread them until I memorized them. I fell in love with the woman who wrote them. That, dearest Catherine, was my greatest mistake.

These last months in your presence have proven to me how limited your letters truly were. They could not convey your laughter, or the sparkle in your eyes when you are amused. They have no way of demonstrating your kindness, or even revealing your irritation, your habit of expressing your annoyance with a roll of your eyes or a look.

I fell in love with your words until I fell in love with you.

That last line is absolutely beautiful.

Seduce Me by Jill Shalvis
I love this book about Jack and Sam in which traditional gender roles are reversed and Sam is the one afraid to commit. She can't help but be drawn to Jack, though. Their feelings gradually increase until they have this conversation (coincidentally, after a fire burns down Sam's cafe; what is it with me and post-fire scenes?):

"I've never met anyone who's wanted me so much. And I don't mean just sexually. I feel like you really just . . . want me. Me."

"I do," he said. "Very much."

"You never really said, you didn't push--"

Jack shook his head, not sure how to make her understand. "Push? Hell, I could hardly understand the emotions I felt when it came to you. Until last night." He drew in a ragged breath that didn't ease the tightness in his chest. "Last night, I drove up here and had a really bad moment when I saw the flames and not you. Last night, I knew. You're it for me, Sam."

It's interesting that all of my favorites are scenes where the hero declares his love. Do you have a favorite scene?

In case you missed them, here are links to the previous top-five lists:

Top Five Sweetest Moments
Top Five Love Scenes
Top Five First Lines
Top Five Scenes That Make Me Cry
Top Five Books I Want Right Now
Top Five Series Romance Covers

Alyssa

Five Books I Want Right Now

There are several books I'm just dying to get. Some are available now but others are not. Here are five books I want right now, in no particular order:



Not much to say here except that I'm ready for another installment of Eve and Roarke. Origin in Death is not available until July, however.





Once I heard that Till Next We Meet has a plot reminescent of Cyrano de Bergerac, I was ready to buy it. It's available now, but I'm waiting to see if Karen Ranney will be at the RWA signing . . .




This debut by Lydia Joyce is getting a fair amount of good press from online reviewers and readers. I look forward to reading it. Joyce's website indicates that she will be doing another signing at the same time as RWA, so I needn't wait to buy it. I'll pick it up next week.





I know some people don't enjoy MaryJanice Davidson's Undead series, but I've loved both of the previous books. Davidson won't be at RWA, so I'll buy it once it hits the shelves, but I can't figure out whether that will be in May or July; I've heard both dates.





Since I enjoyed Marjorie M. Liu's debut book, Tiger Eye, I'm looking forward to seeing what she'll do with her next book. This book is apparently part of a multi-author series. It will be available in August.

Alyssa

Top Five Series Romance Covers

Yet another in my top-five series. Here are my top five series romance covers in no particular order.

A Prince of a Guy by Jill Shalvis

This cover appeals to the true romantic in me. I love the flow of the heroine's hair along with her backless dress. The hero's facial expression is sweet; it says he is totally in the moment.



Taking Cover by Catherine Mann

I checked this book out of the library based on its cover, which is atmospheric and unique. It was my first book by Mann and remains my favorite of her books.



Wickedly Hot by Leslie Kelly

I love the combination of the black and white picture with the red accents. That's one steamy kiss they've got going there, too.



Prince Joe by Suzanne Brockmann

What can I say? I love a man in uniform. This cover is nice because it allows me to imagine what Joe looks like--it doesn't fill in his face for me. It's a nice change.



Whisper by Nancy Warren

This is an evocative cover. The pose and the scarf figure in the story, and it's great to see them shown on the cover.



Honorable Mention: All Tied Up by Alison Kent

I love the heroine's you'll-do-what-I-want-baby body language, but the hero looks a bit too stupified. Can't say I blame him, though.



Two of these covers are Harlequin Temptations; I still wish Harlequin hadn't decided to stop distributing them in North America after this summer. Not that I'm bitter or anything.

Damn it.

Alyssa

Top Five First Lines

I only worked a half hour past 5:00 PM today, and I'm celebrating with another of my top-five lists. When I pick up a book and start to read, the best first lines draw me in and set the stage for the story to come. Here are my five favorites, in no particular order:

Brighter Than the Sun by Julia Quinn

Eleanor Lyndon was minding her own business when Charles Wycombe, Earl of Billington, fell--quite literally--into her life.

Brighter Than the Sun is a wonderfully funny book, and this line sets up the story perfectly. It conveys Eleanor's practicality while at the same time hints at the big changes Charles will make in her life.

Undead and Unwed by MaryJanice Davidson

The day I died started out bad and got worse in a hurry.

This sentence tells me two things: this is a first-person story with plenty of humor. And that's absolutely true about this book.

His Every Kiss by LauraLee Guhrke

He was going mad.

Talk about a first line that says it all. Dylan Moore is a strong, memorable hero, and this sentence establishes his big problem--a ringing in his ears that plagues him all the time. It's a great sentence and an even better book.

"Fuzzy Logic" (from Bad Boys Over Easy) by Erin McCarthy

Lucas Manning was absolutely certain he hadn't ordered a box of neon pink dildos.

I was grateful that I wasn't eating or drinking anything when I read this line because I couldn't help but laugh. Saying that this sentence draws me into the story is an understatement.

Immortal in Death by J.D. Robb

Getting married was murder.

So much meaning is expressed in four words. This sentence is classic Eve Dallas. Eve has always been a loner, so she finds the idea of marriage disconcerting. When you add the fact that she will have to find a wedding dress, get a makeover, and other strange prewedding rituals, you end up with this assessment.

Do you have a favorite first line from a book? Please share.

Alyssa

Top Five Scenes That Make Me Cry

This is the third in a series of blog entries about top five book moments. The previous two are Top Five Love Scenes and Top Five Sweetest Moments. (I envy those with blogging programs that allow them to categorize their entries--is it Wordpress?--because I have to look up these entries each time.)

These scenes are in no particular order and spoilers abound, so consider yourself warned.

Inner Harbor by Nora Roberts
This is the third book in the Chesapeake Bay series. Sybill, Seth's aunt, has come to find out more about him. Summarizing the story to this point would take too long, but suffice it to say that Sybill's family has led her to become reserved and aloof. When her emotions break through, they do so in a big way. In the scene before the one I excerpt below, she abruptly leaves Seth's birthday party and Phillip comes after her:

"I can't stand it. I can't bear it." Her hands gripped his shoulders, fingers clenching and unclenching. "She took him away. She took him away. It broke my heart."

She was sobbing now, her arms tight around his neck. "I know. I know it did. That's the way," he murmured, and simply picked her up, sat on the grass, and cradled her against him. "It's about damn time."

He rocked her while tears that were hot and desperate flooded out of her and soaked his shirt. Cold? he thought as the firestorm of grief whipped through her. There was nothing cold in her but the fear of emotional pain.

A brief quote doesn't do justice to the moment, but the story builds to it and makes it incredibly powerful.

This Is All I Ask by Lynn Kurland
This Is All I Ask is one of the best books I've ever read. It's about a woman who was subjected to terrible physical abuse by her father and the gruff medieval warrior who wins her heart. I don't cry at the drop of a hat, but my eyes filled with tears several times as I read this book. In this section, Christopher thanks Gillian and she asks why.

"For enduring a foul-tempered old dragon with enough sense to wed you and found himself a treasure in the bargain."

"Treasure? My lord, surely you jest. My dowry--"

Christopher chuckled and lifted his head. "I spoke of you, not your dowry."

She was silent for so long that he feared he'd said the wrong thing. He lifted his hand and searched her features gently. Her cheeks were wet.

"Me?" she whispered.

There are so many wonderful moments in this book when Christopher helps Gillian see how precious she is to him.

Bodyguard by Suzanne Brockmann

Brockmann writes amazing heros; Bodyguard's Harry O'Dell is particularly complex. For the past few years, he has been living to get revenge on the man who killed his ex-wife and son. His vendetta has alienated him from his two remaining children, however. In one heartbreaking scene, he sees his daughter running toward him and thinks that she's calling him Daddy. Then he finds out that he was actually calling to Allie, and she runs past him as if she never knew him. He gets in his car and drives away, leaving Allie to believe that she'll never see him again. Then she comes home after work and sees him waiting for her.

"You told me to, um, just to . . ."

His gaze met hers, and for the briefest split second she could see beyond his flip facade, his tough guy, foul-mouthed, don't-care attitude, to the very naked, very lost man inside.

"Just to let you know if I needed you," he finished in a barely audible whisper.

He forced his gaze up again, forced himself to look her directly in the eye despite the fact that now more than just his hands were shaking, despite the fact that tears were brimming in his eyes. "I need you, Al," he whispered. "I really, really need you."

It's so touching that he finally opens up to her and finally decides to do what he needs to do to get back with his family.

When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn

I devoured When He Was Wicked in one sitting. It's such a good story, and Quinn uses one of my favorite plot elements: unrequited love. Michael has loved Francesca for years, even while she was married to his cousin. She has been widowed for some time now, and while she wants Michael, she feels conflicted about marrying him. He finally tells her how he feels and sends her away.

He'd held this inside for six years, scrupulously kept his feelings off his face when he watched her, never told a soul.

Six years he'd loved her, and it had all come to this. He'd laid his heart on the table. He'd practically handed her a knife and asked her to slice it open.

Oh, no, Francesca, you can do better than that. Hold steady there, you can easily make a few more cuts. And while you're at it, why don't you take all these pieces here and dice them up?

Whoever had said it was a good thing to speak the truth was an ass. Michael would have given anything, both his bloody feet, even, to have made this all go away. But that was the thing about words. He laughed miserably. You couldn't take them back.

Spread it on the floor now. There you go, stamp it down. No, harder. Harder than that, Frannie. You can do it.

Six years.

The letter excerpts and the epilogue in this book are also incredibly moving.

Ceremony in Death by J.D. Robb
This installment of the In Death series requires Eve to investigate Feeney and one of his former partners without Feeney's knowledge. When he finds out about it, he tells her "You're good, Dallas, but you're cold. To hell with you." When she gets home, she breaks down and tells Roarke what happened. Later that night, Roarke pays Feeney a visit.

Roarke: "She made herself what she is, and you helped. She'd go to the wall for you; you know that."

"Cops back up cops. That's the job."

"I'm not talking about the job. She loves you, and she doesn't love easily. It's difficult for her to feel it, and to show it. Part of her may always be braced for betrayal, for a blow. You've been her father for ten years, Feeney. She didn't deserve to be broken again."

Roarke stood, and saying nothing more, walked out.

Alone, Feeney raked his hands up over his face, into his wiry red hair, then let them drop on his lap.

Well, this ends another long blog entry. Have you read any of these scenes? If so, let me know what you thought of them. I'd also enjoy hearing about books and scenes that made you cry.

Alyssa

Top Five Love Scenes

In the tradition of my blog entry about my top five sweetest moments in romance, I now present my top five love scenes. Here they are, in no particular order:

Over the Edge by Suzanne Brockmann

If you're a longtime reader of my blog, this scene will come as no surprise to you. It's easily one of the most memorable love scenes I've ever read. It starts when Alyssa goes to Sam's hotel room hours after she's just told him, "I don't even like you." Sam, however, has realized that he's in love with her. Most of the scene is told from Sam's perspective as he wrestles with his conflicting emotions: hurt and anger that Alyssa won't come to him unless she's had a few drinks first; overwhelming desire for her; fear of telling her how he feels; and love. All of Sam's feelings result in a scene that takes my breath away.

What I enjoy most about this scene is Brockmann's ability to get into a character's head and take readers with her. This quote illustrates what I mean. As Sam and Alyssa make love, he struggles to put aside all of his feelings and focus on "pure sex." Eventually, though, the emotions break through:

He couldn't stop himself from thinking anymore. She was what he'd been missing all those months. It wasn't just great sex that he'd been longing for, as much as he'd tried to tell himself otherwise. It was Alyssa. Her voice in his ear. Her smile lighting up his world. Her take no shit, take no prisoners attitude. Her ability to take what he dished out and give it back to him in large quantities. He didn't just want her, he loved her. And he didn't just love her, he liked her. The world was fifty-two thousand times a better, more interesting, more exciting place to be when he was with her. And that was when they weren't having sex.

The entire scene is simply wonderful--it's packed with emotion, and that's what makes it great.

Undead and Unwed by MaryJanice Davidson

This book is not a conventional romance. It's the story of Betsy Taylor, who is fired from her job one day, then killed the next. Then she wakes up to discover that she is a vampire. She's an unusual vampire, however; she's unaffected by crosses, holy water, and sunlight. This makes her interesting to two other vampires who are vying for power: Nostro and Eric Sinclair.

Undead and Unwed includes lots of humor, fun, and action. It also includes an amazing love scene between Betsy and Eric. Betsy has been resisting Eric all along, and she finally decides to stop resisting. She discovers that she can read Eric's mind, which adds emotion to the scene. A short excerpt doesn't do it justice, but here it is:

Can't stop can't stop can't can't Elizabeth oh Elizabeth you feel alive to me you feel like no one else to me Elizabeth . . .

I started to pull away--float away, actually--but he grabbed me back and held me for a long moment while we drifted toward the surface. I couldn't hear him in my head anymore, which made me sad. Love? I had no idea. But it had sure been something.

Betsy and Eric's story continues in Undead and Unemployed. The third book in the series, Undead and Unappreciated, will be out in July.

Her Secret Thrill by Donna Kauffman

Jake and Natalie meet at a party, and after spending a few hours talking, they decide to go to a hotel and have sex. They have so much chemistry that they end up agreeing to hook up when their travels allow it. At first, the relationship is simply physical, but it deepens as they get to know each other. One day, Natalie takes Jake to a museum to see an exhibit that made her think of him. It leads to another passionate encounter that changes them both.

He didn't even have to look down at her to know just how much trouble he was in. He'd never wanted anyone so desperately as he'd wanted Natalie today. It should scare him how badly he'd needed to make love to her. And it did. Just not enough to make him get up, get dressed and get the hell out of there before he did anything even more stupid. Like tell her he was beginning to get serious about her.

Her Secret Thrill is a Harlequin Blaze title that lives up to the name and avoids use of cliches and contrived situations. It's also hot enough to make smoke come out of my ears. The story is terrific.

Purity in Death by J.D. Robb

With at least 18 books in the In Death series, there's no way to select a favorite Eve and Roarke love scene. However, Purity in Death includes two love scenes that I'll use here to represent the series.

The first one is from chapter 13, after Roarke and Eve have worked on the unregistered computer for a while. Passions ignite. ;) Robb certainly knows her way around a love scene. The second one is a sweet one from chapter 22:

She sighed into him. He heard something wistful in the sound, and as she lay over him, he traced his hands up and down her back, that long, lean line, as much for comfort as seduction. His cop, he thought. So troubled. So torn. But here, they were safe and sure. Here, they were right.

He knew, she realized, and turned her face into his throat. He always knew. And the gift of having someone who did, who could, was overwhelming. "I love you. Roarke. I love you." He mouth met his again, hotter now, with the first taste of urgency. "I love you. For all the times I forget to say it."

There's something beautiful about tender love scenes like this one.

"The Nekkid Truth" by Nicole Camden

Camden writes hot love scenes--there's just no better word for them. The scene where Debbie decides to satisfy one of Marshall's fantasies is wonderful. She waits for him to enter the kitchen.

I hoped he didn't drop the chickens.

He did, but they mostly stayed on the baking sheet that he'd used to carry them. I heard the clatter as the pan hit the floor, and I took a quick peek over my shoulder. "Holy shit," he said, and I turned back to the sink, biting my tongue.

The rest you can read for yourself. :) All I can say is if all of Camden's stories are like this one, someone needs to get her a writing contract.

That's the rundown for now. Feel free to talk about these or your favorite love scenes in the comments.

Alyssa

Top Five Sweetest Moments

Writing my reading year-in-review made me think about some of my favorite moments in romance novels. Here are my top five sweetest moments. They are not limited to books I read in 2004 nor are they in any particular order. Be warned that there are spoilers ahead.

Ceremony in Death by J.D. Robb
At first glance, Eve and Roarke are an odd couple--she's a cop while he's a former criminal; he's suave and sophisticated while she's moody and terse. In the end, though, it's hearts that matter, and Roarke and Eve's hearts are made for each other. This sweet moment comes after Roarke and Eve have argued about the fact that most people think she's not his type.

For once, he slept first. She lay in the dark, listening to him breathe, stealing a little of his warmth as her own body cooled. Since he was asleep, she stroked his hair.

"I love you," she murmured. "I love you so much, I'm stupid about it."

With a sigh, she settled down, closed her eyes, and willed her mind to empty.

Beside her, Roarke smiled into the dark.

He never slept first.

It Must Be Love by Rachel Gibson
Gabrielle and Joe are another apparent odd couple: she's a mystical new-ager while he's a pragmatic cop. When Gabrielle tells him that he is her "yang," her soulmate, he backs off in a big way. When Joe realizes that he loves her, he has some explaining to do first:

"I know that I really hurt you, but don't you think that maybe we can call a truce? Maybe we're even now?" He slid his palm down her arm and grasped her hand. "Don't you think it's time that you let me make it up to you?" He pulled something from his pocket and pressed a metal disk into her palm. "I am the other half of your soul," he said. "And you are the other half of my soul. Together we make each other whole."

Gabrielle opened her hand and looked down at the flat black-and-white pendant suspended from a silver chain. The yin and yang. He understood.

"The Nekkid Truth" by Nicole Camden
Debbie loves Marshall but she has a unique problem. A car accident resulted in a physical condition that makes her unable to recognize people's faces. She shares her doubts with him about whether the relationship can really work:

"I'm thinking about a question I asked my best friend, the morning after you told me you wanted to be with me."

"What was that?"

"I asked her how it could really be love, when I'll never recognize your face. I'll never be able to look at you across a crowded room and know your thoughts just by the look on your face. You'll never look in my eyes and see that recognition, that joyous connection that says I belong to you."

"You're wrong about that. You might not recognize it, but I want you to know that the look you see on my face right now--that's love." He gave me a squeeze. "And the look on your face, that's love, too. It's there, even if you can't ever see it."

Off Limits by Michele Albert
Bobby Halloran is used to women's attention, but they're often attracted to his looks, his skill in the bedroom, or the work he does. Emma Frey is different--she's attracted to Bobby, the man. One evening, they are together and Bobby tells her that tonight's lovemaking is lady's choice. Her reply:

"Once the newness of me and you wears off and I don't want to jump you right that very second every time I see you, I'll be happy to check out all the special features of the Bobby Halloran show."

He laughed, though a little embarrassed, as she added softly, "But right now, I want you to make love to me. I want you to hold me, and I want to kiss you and watch your face . . . I just want to be with you."

Gone Too Far by Suzanne Brockmann
Sam and Alyssa's relationship has been developing over five books when they finally take center stage in Gone Too Far. As they discuss some of the challenges they face, they talk about Sam's daughter, Haley.

"I'm going to love Haley," Alyssa said. "Because she's not responsible for Mary Lou's mistakes, or your mistakes, or my mistakes. And I'm going to love her twice as much because she's yours. But you need to know, Sam--I'm not going to take care of her for you. When she's with you, she's with you. I'll help, and I'll be her favorite aunt Alyssa. I'm good at that. But if you really want her in your life, you're going to have to be her father for real."

"That's, um, some of the best news I've had all day--the fact that you seem okay with the idea of spending time with me and Haley." He glanced at her again. And then, almost as an afterthought, he matter-of-factly added, "I love you so much, Lys, sometimes it takes my breath away."

Honorable Mention: The Shaughnessey Accord by Alison Kent
After being held hostage for hours, secret agent Tripp Shaughnessey and Glory Brighton make the most of their newfound freedom by spending the next several days together.

Cliche or not, their time together had been the best of her life. He was fun. And funny. Making her laugh about things she'd never taken the time to look at before. . . . Even over the way she liked to spoon backward when they slept, tucking her knees behind his thighs and pulling his back to her chest. He said the whole point of spooning was for her to feel safe in his arms while she slept. At which point she reminded him she'd been sleeping alone for a whole lotta years, and liked the idea of being the one to offer haven to a man taking on too much of the world alone.

He'd cuddled back closer, then. Made sure they were touching everywhere possible.

Well, these are my favorite moments. Do you have favorite sweet moments? Feel free to share them in the comments section.

Alyssa