Depending on whose list or what list you're looking at - it would be very difficult to name and choose the top three romantic novels.
How do readers choose which novels to read? Other than the list of must reads given in Lit class, I truly believe that readers choose their reading according to their moods. Sometimes I feel like a feel good story is what I need so I read Barbara Cartland. I love her romantic novels of Dukes and Duchesses, one of whom wasn't a Duke or Duchess (usually Duchess) to begin with but she meets this tall aristocrat with intense eyes and square chin. Despite his cold and callous manner she strived to show him her love, setting aside her pride and the hurt she feels from his callousness and eventually he softens up to her and together they face a tragedy that threatens to tear them apart. It is difficult but they overcome it and both find out that they loved each other even before each knew it was how they felt back then. Ah, feel good novel indeed. I sigh with regret everytime I get to the last page, it's too bad the story had to end but I end up daydreaming about it for a few days after reading the novel. That would be one of my top three romantic novels - the ones written by Barbara Cartland.
Then we have the romance that strives to portray true love with real everyday life, and sometimes the story will not end with a happy ending. I especially like those written by Nicholas Sparks, one of which to me, particularly stood out. The novel turned movie about a young girl, daughter of a preacher with whom one of the popular boys in school fell in love with. She was sick with leukemia and he did his best to build her dreams with his own two hands. Even married her, knowing she would soon be taken away from this earth forever. A Walk To Remember. To me, novels written by this author tend to focus more on how the two people in the story show their love for each other despite the many obstacles, even when the outcome might not be what they both want, like in the story mentioned above, she ends up dying anyway. Nicholas Sparks also has a way of beautifully describing grief and how each of his characters deal with it.
My third top romantic novels would be those that have young adults for characters. Fine they would never portray the sensibilities of romance nor the literary talent but who can deny not missing the way it felt when we were young and falling in love? When the mere presence of your hearts desire, even from across the hall and a river of walking students stand in your path is enough to send your heart pitter-pattering? Who would forget the warm feeling suffusing through your whole being when your crush gives you a smile? Young love. With all its improbability and fireworks, it does happen in real life. In novels, authors have added their own ingredients of improbability like vampires, werewolves and ghosts or spirits, how ever you want to call them. Now there are some wonderful authors who have written fun and entertaining romantic novels of the kind but I would have to say that my favourite would be - you guessed it - Stephanie Meyer with her Twilight Series. I am way past that age of young love and swooning from one or two liners that promise the impossible (impossible because at my early thirties I've already learned that a promise, even a well meaning one from a lover can be broken and he will break your heart) uttered between a man's lips and yet I enjoyed reading all four books about a vampire who professed to love and protect his sweet smelling human love. And how he didn't want to have sex with her until they got married.
Well, those are my top three romantic novels. When it comes to romantic novels though, I find that I'd read almost anything. Just not the too steamy ones where every page I turn they're still doing it. I also tend to put down and never pick up the ones that portray the female character as too much of a martyr, other than that, I am easily pleased.
How do readers choose which novels to read? Other than the list of must reads given in Lit class, I truly believe that readers choose their reading according to their moods. Sometimes I feel like a feel good story is what I need so I read Barbara Cartland. I love her romantic novels of Dukes and Duchesses, one of whom wasn't a Duke or Duchess (usually Duchess) to begin with but she meets this tall aristocrat with intense eyes and square chin. Despite his cold and callous manner she strived to show him her love, setting aside her pride and the hurt she feels from his callousness and eventually he softens up to her and together they face a tragedy that threatens to tear them apart. It is difficult but they overcome it and both find out that they loved each other even before each knew it was how they felt back then. Ah, feel good novel indeed. I sigh with regret everytime I get to the last page, it's too bad the story had to end but I end up daydreaming about it for a few days after reading the novel. That would be one of my top three romantic novels - the ones written by Barbara Cartland.
Then we have the romance that strives to portray true love with real everyday life, and sometimes the story will not end with a happy ending. I especially like those written by Nicholas Sparks, one of which to me, particularly stood out. The novel turned movie about a young girl, daughter of a preacher with whom one of the popular boys in school fell in love with. She was sick with leukemia and he did his best to build her dreams with his own two hands. Even married her, knowing she would soon be taken away from this earth forever. A Walk To Remember. To me, novels written by this author tend to focus more on how the two people in the story show their love for each other despite the many obstacles, even when the outcome might not be what they both want, like in the story mentioned above, she ends up dying anyway. Nicholas Sparks also has a way of beautifully describing grief and how each of his characters deal with it.
My third top romantic novels would be those that have young adults for characters. Fine they would never portray the sensibilities of romance nor the literary talent but who can deny not missing the way it felt when we were young and falling in love? When the mere presence of your hearts desire, even from across the hall and a river of walking students stand in your path is enough to send your heart pitter-pattering? Who would forget the warm feeling suffusing through your whole being when your crush gives you a smile? Young love. With all its improbability and fireworks, it does happen in real life. In novels, authors have added their own ingredients of improbability like vampires, werewolves and ghosts or spirits, how ever you want to call them. Now there are some wonderful authors who have written fun and entertaining romantic novels of the kind but I would have to say that my favourite would be - you guessed it - Stephanie Meyer with her Twilight Series. I am way past that age of young love and swooning from one or two liners that promise the impossible (impossible because at my early thirties I've already learned that a promise, even a well meaning one from a lover can be broken and he will break your heart) uttered between a man's lips and yet I enjoyed reading all four books about a vampire who professed to love and protect his sweet smelling human love. And how he didn't want to have sex with her until they got married.
Well, those are my top three romantic novels. When it comes to romantic novels though, I find that I'd read almost anything. Just not the too steamy ones where every page I turn they're still doing it. I also tend to put down and never pick up the ones that portray the female character as too much of a martyr, other than that, I am easily pleased.
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