1. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (1813) - DNF at 10%. I don't like enemies to lovers, there are approximately eighty characters to keep track of, and this foundational piece of writing made it clear to me why there are so many tropes in romance. Eh. Keep your old-timey romance.
2. The Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (1991)- Solid writing, but I'm not into motherhood as a driving force for my entire life or graphic rape scenes, so I never read any more of the series.
3. Devil in Winter (Wallflowers #3) by Lisa Kleypas (2006) - So close to being a good book. So close.
4. The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang (2018)- Not bad, but probably not for me. I did put Hoang's next novel on hold at the library after I read it, though.
5. Frederica by Georgette Heyer (1965) - DNF this regency romance at 50%. I just could not care about the stodgy Marquis and the snarky Frederica, let alone her quirky siblings. No, thanks. Great scene with the dog in the park, though.
6. Dark Lover by J. R. Ward (2005) - Terrible names. Big, bad alpha saving the weak heroine. I did get the next book in the series, but I'm not hopeful. (Edited to add: I'm actually on tenth book of the series as I'm finishing the list and while the series has some flaws, I do enjoy it greatly.)
7. The Hating Game by Sally Thorne (2016) - Funny. Terrible characters.
8. Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning (2006) - How is this even a romance novel? It's not! There's no romantic story line and if you consider it a slooooow build over several books, the romantic plot is not the central one of this particular novel.
9. The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory (2018) - Completely forgettable.
10. Red, White, & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston (2019) - A good book, but just a bit too optimistic for me to be reading during the summer of 2020. It's like everything that could be in the world if humans acted like humans instead of like monsters. Very sweet and a great representation of gay romance.
11. Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews (2007) - This is an urban fantasy novel, but I'd be hard-pressed to call it a romance. Much like Darkfever, there's no romantic plot and it wasn't until the last chapter that I realized who the "hero" was. Maybe it's the start of a series about that relationship, but no matter what it's definitely not my type of book.
12. Mr. Perfect by Linda Howard (2000) - This did not age well, but it was a fine read if you're into love at first sight.
13. The Duke and I with second epilogue (Bridgertons Book 1) by Julia Quinn (2000) - Non-consensual sex is called rape. I think I really like Quinn's writing, with its bantering dialogue and interesting characters, but in every book I read there's something that makes it not great and it's always a disappointment.
14. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (1847) - DNF for the millionth time in my life. I just don't like Jane and it feels like the point of the novel is torture porn. Life is too short for me to waste time reading something I despise.
15. Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh (2006) - Very good paranormal romance. What you have here is an interracial love story between an emotional robot and a leopard. The hero is an alpha which isn't really my jam, but I liked the world building and put the next book in the series on hold at the library. (Edited to add: I have finished the series and think Singh is brilliant.)
16. Indigo by Beverly Jenkins (1996) - So, so good. I loved this book and am thrilled to learn that Jenkins has written a ton more.
17. Nine Rules to Break While Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean (2010)- Basically the same book as Julia Quinn's The Viscount Who Loved Me (2000).
18. The Magpie Lord by K. J. Charles (2013) - Loved every second of this m/m Victorian gothic romance. I'd never heard of the book before this list, but it's definitely worth a read.
19. An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole (2017) - A consensual interracial relationship that takes place in the South during the Civil War. I wanted to like it, but found it so unbelievable that my limits of credulity were busted wide open.
20. The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai (2019) - Another completely forgettable entry in the list.
21. Lord of Scoundrels (Scoundrels #3) by Loretta Chase (1995) - DNF the first book in the series at 10%. Went ahead and just ordered this one and DNFed it at 18%. I don't think the enemies to lovers trope is my deal. I hate it when people are mean/rude to each other.
22. A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux (1989) - Great time travel book if you're into that sort of thing.
23. The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss (1972) - DNF at 6%. There was an attempted rape scene, an actual rape scene, and another rape scene was in progress as I shut my Kindle with force as I told my husband that I read for escapism and repeated rape is not doing it for me. I understand that this book is a pioneering classic in the genre, but while rape is a reality of real life, I don't need or want it to be the entirety of my fiction reading.
24. Vision in White (Book 1 in the Bride Quartet) by Nora Roberts (2009) - When my husband was interviewing at a small school in southeastern Wisconsin in 2011, I stopped by a local KMart and bought this book. It's delightful. It's maybe the best series Roberts has ever written and this is maybe the best example of a "beta" hero that exists. I love everything about this book.
25. Lord of the Fading Lands by C. L. Wilson (2007) - This was a fine read. I wouldn't rate as one of the top 25 romance novels I read this year, let alone of all time, but if you're into romance and epic fantasy, you'll enjoy this.
