I'm Late! I'm Late!

I suggested a meme there a couple of days ago and Kristie and Devonna and Mailyn and Kailana and well, every one else except me did it. I even saw some 'tude from Renee and since she hasn't been around - uncool!

Oh, all right, I'll say it.

Bad Cindy.

Okay, I've been avoiding it because well, here are the rules.

List your Top 20-25 Favourite Romance Book by 20-25 DIFFERENT Authors.

Did you catch that?

One Anne Stuart.

One Katherine Sutcliffe.

One Suzanne Brockmann - although in reality this one isn't going to be hard.

Edited two days in: HOLY LORD!!! I'm on number 7 and I'm stuck. Off to read others lists and see if I can jog my horrible memory. No, it's not cheating. I just have a horrible memory. In better news at the rate I'm going in ten years I will be able to re-read all my favourite books because I won't have any idea what they are about. See? Silver lining. And it's tough right now but that's another story.

Edited: I've gone in a bit of a different direction than I probably should have. I know, I'm a trail blazer. I have gone back to some of my favourite reads from years ago. When Kristie was visiting I was telling her how I know that I read a book (I can't even remember the title to and my damn book journal is missing) about two years ago now and I had written in the margin of my journal that it was a keeper. I have no clue what the book is about. That said, there are stories from 10 years ago that still tumble about in my brain. So I decided to reach back and pull a few forward. I know there are some newbies to romance and maybe some of my 'way backs' will lead you to some great reads.

Anyways, enough whining. The list!

1. Lord of Danger by Anne Stuart, wait! Moonrise? NO! Now You See Him? Ohhh the one with the baby and the soldier...

What?

Okay, you caught me.

*grumbles* Made up the meme, think I could cheat a little but no-oh-oh.

Ahem.

1. Lord of Danger by Anne Stuart - tortured hero and plain heroine and favourite scene ever! Actually, there isn't a bad scene in the book the more I think on it. The rooftop storm, the poisoned wine, the bars of her cage. Beautiful.

2. Dream Fever by Katherine Sutcliffe - you want a dark gritty read that comes with a HEA this is it! I don't think there is anything that Sutcliffe shies away from in this story.

3. The Secret by Julie Garwood - I don't think I will ever tire of this one. The others maybe but not this one. I always prefer the romance in a story to be the central theme and it was in this story but I also loved the friendship when that part of a story usually rings false.

4. Morning Glory by Lavyrle Spencer - a pure romance that I think will always stand the test of time. Two social misfits finding each other and acceptability within their community. Proof that it's never too late.

5. Mr. Impossible by Loretta Chase - get to Giza and then keep going - if at half way point your not in love just walk away! Yep, this one beat out Lord of Scoundrels because it made me weepy - "miss you". This is surprising because I love the tortured hero and Dane from LOS is definitely that but the fact that Chase could make me fall in love with a charmer when they usually give me hives makes this one just that much sweeter.

6. Time Enough for Love by Suzanne Brockmann - a TT Loveswept that blew my mind. Hot and sexy and no loose ends. Brilliant. I don't read TT anymore because most authors never address the complexities of what happens when you change something in the past. Sandy Blair had a time travel and yes, I loved it except that the ending so didn't work for me. If there is a change in the past then people who were locked into a fate because of that past would not have the same lives and would not exist in the future. Yeah, if you want spoiler stuff let me know and I'll elaborate on exactly how *I* think TT changes, well, time!

7. Anyone But You by Jennifer Cruisie - probably her best book and everything else tries to be this and isn't.

8. Dream Man by Linda Howard - probably the first ESP book that worked for me. I loved it. Yes, the hero is a walking hormone but I liked how frank and sexual he was. It wouldn't have worked with a weak heroine but I think she gave as good as she got. I haven't re-read this one in a while and it's due. Normally I have this title in the same sentence as Duncan's Bride but I think Dream Man allowed for more tender moments.

9. Ride the Fire by Pamela Clare - this was a western historical that had it all. Even a baby and you all know how I feel about them critters. This is the type of story that would appeal to those who loved the movie Last of the Mohicans. The hero was tortured as was the heroine but seeing as how rough life was in the past I appreciated an author who didn't shrug off the dangers.

10. Texas Glory by Lorraine Heath - I would like to re-read this and see if it stands the test of time. I love stories of fueding families being foiled by marriage. I can't quite remember why they married only that the heroine was of no worth to her family so the basically sold her to the hero. It's a western historical that would probably be hard to come by now but it is well worth the hunt.

Okay!! Which of you nutjobs came up with this meme!?

Oh, right.

Carry on.

11. For My Lady's Heart by Laura Kinsale - I had no idea what I was getting into but OMG what a great story. There are those who never warmed up to the heroine and yeah, she was a piece but I understood her. That said, it was Ruck who had me at hello. I've never encountered such a hero and I doubt to find another. He is the epitome of what a Knight was and if ever there were a knight in shining armour it would be Ruck.

12. Annie's Song by Catherine Anderson - an Americana historical that allows for bad things to happen. A misunderstood woman 'idiot girl' who finds a new life with a man not all that sure he wants anything to do with her. Watching Alex fall in love with his wife did bring a few tears to my eyes and since that is rare this book makes the list.

13. Lover Eternal by J. R. Ward - since I'm doing this list before Z's book I have to say that Rhage's book was my favourite of this author. I like the risks that Ward took with Rhage as a character and I came to love him as much as Mary. Still, the Scribe Virgin must die. I'll let you all know if Z's book bumps this from the list but I'm pretty sure it will.

14. A Pocketful of Paradise by Kathleen Kane - historical western with a soul collector as a hero. There were scenes in this book that made me catch my breath. In all honesty, it was a toss up between this one and Still Close to Heaven and I'm still not sure I made the right decision. I have to re-read these two to find out which one has the gun fight. Both of these books had me tearing up and I've already mentioned how that's tough to do.

15. Fairest of Them All by Teresa Medeiros - you know how I like dark romances? Well the first part of this story is simply about two people falling in love until the deceit is uncovered and then all hell breaks loose. Don't think of this as one of those Big Misunderstanding stories because that's not the case. Something as simple as beauty tears the H/H apart. Wonderful twist on the Beauty and the Beast theme.

16. Lost Warriors by Rachel Lee - I have a thing for older men with younger women and yet, this story was so much more. It was the first time I had read about a Vietnam veteran and discovered what post traumatic stress was. Also the sexual tension in this story was amazing. Another story where I wonder if it would stand the test of time. I never liked another of Lee's books but I'm pretty sure I have this one around still.

17. Lions and Lace by Meagan McKinney - this story was painful to read in all honesty and yet I remember so much of it. All the same, does anyone know either the title or author of a story in which the hero believes that he is killing women - like a Jack the Ripper story only it turns out his valet is killing the women and using red wine to knock the hero out? I thought it was by McKinney and if it is then I would put that book before this one for the closet scene alone and all I remember is there was a closet scene so it must have been good ;)

Okay, can I just say this whole keeping it to different authors is killing me!? I'm just saying.

Hey, I'm PMS-ing and have been working on this list without the aid of my memory book for two days and don't get me started on which taps we are going to buy for our bathroom reno because between Bob's tacky taste and my champagne taste we're banging heads AND I'm painting trim in our basement for the reno house. That's right. The reno house. God forbid I actually crack a can of paint for the house I'm living in! Oh, and get this, the people who are purchasing our house have asked for an extension to get their financing arranged which has had Bob pacing around all night saying that the deal is going to fall through and we'll have to start over. Me? I'm waiting until I hear one way or the other. All the same, I'm checking prices on a new pair of Ass Kickers just in case my real estate agent needs a talking to.

Shit, where were we? We were done, right?

Crap.

18. Public Secrets by Nora Roberts - OMG!! How could I have forgotten this book? As someone near and dear would say, this book 'rocked my socks!' This was probably the first book I read that dealt with more than one person and spanned so many years that I couldn't help but cry at certain points. I'm one of those people who find it heart breaking when two people who are perfect for each other wide up apart for years - and this was the secondary story line! Also, reality is something that Roberts does not spare the reader. Excellent book.

19. Perfect by Judith McNaught - one of only two contemporaries that I know of McNaught publishing. I remember very little about this book except that the heroine was adopted and was illiterate. I know I loved this book and I think the separation that McNaught always puts in her stories wasn't as horrible here because it wasn't as long. I think she may have even managed to avoid the Big Misunderstanding which she normally uses in all her stories.

20. A Rogue in a Kilt by Sandy Blair - see what I did there? I just picked a keeper from the air. I was trying to remember all of Kleypas' books and which would be my favourite when the ache in my back became overwhelming and I decided to go in a totally different direction. What can I say. I loved this book. If you hate Scottish set historicals then don't even think of picking up this book. Also, if seeing dialect in a book is jarring run far away. Oh, the heroine is a healer. All the same, this book was a joy and made me remember what it was I loved about Julie Garwood when she was all brand sparkly new. I think I've been waiting forever for the next book by this author - OMG!! According to Amazon this book was released in Dec. 2004 and I think I may have read it in Feb. 2005. Her next book will finally come out this November. Almost 2 years. Yikes. Let's hope it's worth the wait!

Okay, UNCLE!!!

I can't possibly add anymore right now. I have to go and check on that trim I have painted with three coats of white paint. It's for windows so I have to now take an exacto knife and scrape off paint globs on the edges that would cause the trim to bow and thus someone with a caulking gun would have some work to do. Heaven forbid and all that but I'm nothing if not a perfectionist when it comes to my work. *snort* I used work in a sentence with me!

So here is my disclaimer, this list is subject to change at any freakin' moment I chose. That's right, it's fluid and my 'oh yeah!' brain wave pattern is sure to kick in the minute I publish this.

Also, I'm keeping my big mouth shut from now on!