If you’re like me, you’re busy busy busy. I love to visit blogs, but it seems I never have time to get by in a timely fashion…and never in time to win anything! Well, no worries about that here. The Historical Reader Salon will be open all month long and you can come by anytime during the month to join the conversation and enter to win! No rush, no hurry…just a nice relaxing visit (or three) at your leisure. Each month, I’ll throw out a topic for discussion as well as ways for you to win. We’ll keep the conversation going in the comments section and just see how our Reader Salon grows. Hopefully it will develop into a thriving community centered around what we all love—historical romance!

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

The Keeper Shelf


For our first month at the Historical Reader Salon, I thought we’d talk about The Keeper Shelf. We all have one… It may evolve and change over the years—I know mine has—but there are those books we just can’t let go of.
 
 

 

On my top shelf? Lisa Kleypas, Julie Garwood, Johanna Lindsay, Sabrina Jefferies and Julia Quinn. (Luckily I have VERY wide bookshelves!) My second shelf is populated with Elizabeth Hoyt, Tracy Anne Warren, Sherry Thomas, Sarah MacLean, Pamela Britton, Stephanie Laurens, Meredith Duran and Tessa Dare. Shelf Three? Jude Devereaux, Janelle Taylor, Sophia Nash and Laura Kinsale. I’m also lucky to have Shelves Four and Five…

 

Not every book I’ve read from my favorite authors makes the Shelf—just the ones that touch me so much I want to read them again and again and again!

 

So this month, let’s share what’s on our Keeper Shelves and why. At the end of the month, FIVE winners will win a book from MY keeper shelves… (Enter through the Rafflecopter form, please! Can enter each day of July)
a Rafflecopter giveaway


I’ll go first in the comments below…

77 comments:

  1. One of the books on my keeper shelf is Devil In Winter by Lisa Kleypas. Why? St. Vincent...he's the first true anti-hero I ever fell in love with.

    Sebastian's first thoughts about himself: "He was debauched, amoral, and perversely proud of it. He excelled at his chosen occupation--that of degenerate seducer--and he had set a standard few rakes could aspire to."

    His first real words to our poor wallflower heroine? "Have a seat, if you like," he said. "Though I shouldn't plan to stay long if I were you. I'm easily bored, and your reputation is hardly that of a scintillating conversationalist."

    What's not to love, right? Seriously though, Kleypas takes a truly flawed man and turns him slowly but surely into a true hero. Just don't tell St. Vincent that--he wouldn't believe you.

    Have you read Devil In Winter? Tell me, what did you think?

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  2. That is one of the reasons I keep my favorite authors. My mind is not as sharp as it use to be. :-0 I started with Kathleen Woodwiess The Wolf and The Dove. Still have all her books. Then I went to Karen Robards, Virginia Henley. I keep all my books really for reference if I forget I will go reread. Plus I adore all my authors old and new. I have a long list over thousands.

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    1. I SO wish I had some of my favorites from my early historical reading life...don't have my Woodweiss or Judith McNaughts anymore :( I was able to go out and find a few Janelle Taylors that I remembered...wonder what happened to all of those books!

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  3. OMG! St.Vicent is so hot *.* I would love to have one just for me. eheh

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    1. Adore him :) Didn't think I would, but Kleypas really brought him around

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  4. Elizabeth SchroedleJuly 3, 2013 at 10:49 AM

    I have 2 bookshelf units of "keeper shelves". I have kept all the books of Stephanie Laurens, Julia Quinn, Amanda Quick, Diana Palmer, Eloisa James,Carolyn Hart and Martha Grimes. I have many more keeper books, mostly series within an author's body of work. My favorites out of the above are "The Reasons for Marriage" and "Mastered By Love" by Stephanie Laurens, "Mischief" by Amanda Quick (I love the characters, Immodest Imogene and Colchester), "Coltrain's Proposal" and "Rawhide Man" by Diana Palmer(both make me cry every time I read them), "When Beauty Tamed the Beast" by Eloisa James(the chicken coop scene gets me every time). Lastly, "The Bride" by Julie Garwood, I believe the first sentence of chapter 11 goes something like this when referring to the heroine Jamie, "She started 6 wars in 2 weeks." I have added your 3 books to my keeper list as I too studied science in college. "Sweet Enemy" is my favorite.

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    1. Wow, Elizabeth! Amazed to be added onto a keeper shelf like that :)

      I need to add some Amanda Quick's...I loved her books, but discovered her during my poor college days, so ended up getting a lot from the library. I need to go back and buy a few of my favs and put them on the shelf!

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  5. I have many of the same keepers including Devil in Winter. Sweet Enemy has joined the shelf also. Just this year I added a small section for autographed books. I find this to be a fun way to collect also. Here's to all of us finding more keepers for our shelf.

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    1. *Blushing* Weird to think I'm on anyone's shelf :)

      I knew one of the dangers of talking about Keeper Shelves would be that I will now have to add more books to mine!!!

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  6. I don't have a keeper shelf but I do have a bin where I keep all true books that I can't seem to get rid of like you I have Julie Garwood she was one of my very first romance author that I read and I love the The Bride, Lisa Kleypas is another keeper and I love Stephanie Laurens' Cinsters series.

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    1. LOVE Julie :) I about passed out when she gave me a quote for my debut!

      Lisa Kleypas and Stephanie Laurens are the two authors that brought me back to historical romance after years reading horror/true crime/thrillers :)

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  7. Mary Balough -- everything she's written
    is on my shelf. Stephanie Laurens' books, yours too!!

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    1. Somehow, I missed Mary Balough until recently. How I managed that, I have no idea! I love her style and look forward to reading more

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  8. Lily Cigar is one of my very favorites and I think one of the very first historical books I read when I was a teenager. I still have my original book and would not get rid of it for anything!

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    1. I've never heard of Lily Cigar...Now I'm going to have to Google!

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  9. My keeper shelf includes Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, Judith McNaught, Danielle Steel, Constance O'Day Flannery, Catherine Coulter, Nora Roberts, Jude Devereaux. I also have many others.

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    1. Oh how I love Jude Devereaux :) I recently bought the new, updated version of Knight in Shining Armor (to join my original version on the shelf). I'm looking forward to some time to read it and see if I can spot the differences...it's been a long time since I read the original!

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  10. The Ideal Wife by Mary Balogh and Prince Charming by Julie Garwood. And I've re-read The Ideal Wife several times! And the Grandmommy of all historical romances; Gone With the Wind!

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    1. I've read Prince Charming, of course :) I've not read The Ideal Wife, though I will pick it up now! And don't shoot me, but I've never read Gone With the Wind...

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  11. Tops: JD Robb/Nora Roberts, Sandra Brown, Linda Lael Miller, Sophia Nash, Julia London. Second: Heather Snow. Third: A little bit of everyone else! I just love to read.

    Sue P.
    suepete12(at)yahoo(dot)com

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    1. Wow...I'm honored to be anywhere NEAR those awesome authors :)

      I love to read, too, Sue!

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  12. I have three bookshelf units all full of keepers. One of them has my old keepers such as the Anne of Green Gable series, Little Women, The Secret Garden, etc. Another one has all my Christian (inspirational)Historical fiction from authors like Gilbert Morris, Julie Klassen, Deanne Gist, Lisa Samson, Lori Wick. My newest shelves hold historical romance books by authors like Grace Burrowes, Mary Balogh, Shana Galen and a lot of the ones you mentioned. Of course there are my keepers on my Nook as well and there are a lot on there.
    I just finished "Memoirs of Scandalous Red Dress" by Elizabeth Boyle and that book is definitely going on my keeper shelf after I get a copy of it. I borrowed mine from the digital library. What a wonderful and emotional book that was. I loved that the main characters were both in their 40's (an age I am much closer to than early 20's) and looking back on their past together and how after 20+ years of being separated they were still so much in love. I read that book with tears in my eyes throughout the whole thing.

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    1. Oh, how I wish I still had my old keepers. Too many moves in my younger years :)

      I'll check out the Elizabeth Boyle...sounds wonderful!

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  13. Lol I started with one keeper shelf, now I have three....I just can't let them go, besides I keep all of the books of my favorites authors for future references. I used to read in french and gave them all to my granddaughter who is 21 and loves reading! For me , my books are are like a treasury! That's why, I prefer hard copies to ebooks. Thank you Heather for sharing your books with us. No, I have not read Devil In Winter!

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    1. Oh, Nicole, you should try it! It's AWESOME :)

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  14. i keep my set of Time Life Books of Indians!

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    1. Oooh...Time Life has so many wonderful series, don't they?

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  15. My keeper bookcase has your books, Heather. I also have Cheryl Brooks, Monica McCarty, Sarah McCarty, Laura Kinsale, Sarah MacLean, Jennifer Ashley, Karen Raney, Grace Burrowes, Kate Douglas, and a few others. Quite a few of these are autographed. I keep these book because they are all like old friends, I just cannot bare to part with them.

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    1. Awww, thanks Betty :) Somehow I've missed Monica McCarty...I need to check her out!

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  16. I read the Devil in Winter and I absolutely loved it!! It was my first Lisa Kleypas book and I'm currently reading through all of her others at the moment (I've read 6 and have many more to go!). She's a wonderful author and her books are definitely keepers! Your writing reminds me of hers. It's my favorite genre!

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    1. Hi Heather :) Oh, Lisa Kleypas...she's so wonderful! You won't find a bad one among them!

      And I'm SO honored that you think my writing reminds me of hers...she's definitely an author I aspire to be like.

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  17. Definite keepers are,
    Jude Deveraux: Rememberance, Legend & A Knight In Shining Armor.
    Julie Garwood: Guardian Angel & The Gift. Christina Dodd: The Chosen Ones Series & Darkness Chosen Series.
    Sherrilyn Kenyon: Dance With The Devil & Acheron. Johanna Lindsey: Silver Angel.
    Anne Bishop: Ephemera Series.
    Nora Roberts: Dream Series.
    - I've probably missed a few but these are my absolute saves/faves!

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    1. A Knight In Shining Armor, Guardian Angel and Silver Angel are all sitting on my shelves as we speak!

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  18. I have a lot of the same authors as you. Especially, historicals. Add Kathryne Kennedy to my listand Stephen King and Jean Auel and Grace Burrowes and Michenor and, and, and... Actually, I have trouble getting rid of any books but I'm going to have to do something soon lol.

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    1. I adore Stephen King...such a brilliant, albeit strange, mind :) I haven't gotten the chance to read some of his most recent stuff, but I've read every bit of his earlier books

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  19. I am really bad about keeping books. But I reread them all the time. I speed read through many because of all the kiddos running around. So each time I read a book I always read something and realize I missed it the first time. I love going back and rereading. It is always like going back to a good friend.

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    1. What a great way to put it, Tiffany! It is very comforting sometimes to go back and reread

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  20. Every Georgette Heyer romance, updated at least twice and now on my Kindle. Ditto for Dorothy Dunnett. I read Woodwiess, when they first came out, but didn't keep them. I've never read Garwood, or Linley. Fortunately, by the time I discovered Laurens, Burrowes, et al, I had a Kindle. Now I don't have to worry about shelf space.

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    1. Oh, I'm terrified to look at my e-reader... Those "shelves" are packed!

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  21. How could I have missed Devil in Winter? It sounds luscious. I'll look for it. My keeper bookcases include Georgette Heyer, Mary Balogh, Jo Beverly, Mary Jo Putney, Shana Abe, many of Christina Dodd's and Anne Stuart's historicals, Monica McCarty, Grace Burrowes, Mia Marlowe, Shana Galen, Loretta Chase and fairly newcomers Heather Snow (true), Vicky Dreiling, Valerie Bowman, Ashlynn Macnamara. Oh, and C.S. Harris. And several others, as well, but I have to stop somewhere LOL.

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    1. Oh Barbara, you MUST read it when you get the time :)

      So honored to be on your shelf with such fab authors!

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  22. Hi Heather!

    My favorites are all in the bookcases on either side of our fireplace, you know not only favorite author's recent books but also the ones that get re-read over and over! I have them all alphabetically by author and then line them up in the order they were released so the "series" books are all in order!

    I must admit on the top two shelves I have my first "big purchase" - the Great Books of the Western World which my husband and I bought when we first got married 43 years ago!

    I did let him have the two bottom shelves in one of the bookcases for history and historical fiction - I believe in sharing - but the rest are all mine - which he occasionally reads as well! He tells his friends that a "real" man can read romance!

    We also have bookshelves in his office that is in the house as well as upstairs - in all 3 bedrooms! Now that are son's are grown and have families of their own their "old" bookcases are full of books for guests when they come visit.

    I really don't have room to list all the authors I love because it depends on the mood I'm in and while my favorites are historical romance every once in a while depending on my mood I'll pick up a mystery or two and love the series by the wonderful "Ellis Peters" (Edith Pargeter) and her Brother Cadefael series - yes my husband did read them all as well!

    My husband always tells his friends that if somehow I end up somewhere if I don't have a book with me I'll read the entire label of a can of peas if that's all that's available!

    PS: You already know I love your books!

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    1. Hi Jeanne,

      So lovely to see you :) Real men CAN read romance! Smart husband you have there!

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  23. Ohh I have so many on my keeper shelf! I think it's all the books I have that is on the keeper shelf but yes, there are those that are my all time keepers. For one it's What Priced Love and Devil's Bride by Stephanie Laurens: They were the ones that brought me into the romance genre! And hello~ it's the Cynsters!! Julia Quinn's Ten Things I Love About You: made me laugh and giggle all over. Shana Galen's Lord and Lady Spy: got me interested in spies and romance! And of course Jillian Stone and Heather Snow books did that too with their spy books. Karina Cooper and her Tarnished: Brought me into the world of steampunk and dark places. And much much more! Sarah MacLean, Loretta Chase, Connie Brockman, Julie Anne Long, Sherry Thomas, Jade Lee, Rose Gordon, Beverley Kendall,Anna Campbell... But of course the newbies made the list too! Valerie Bowman, Vicky Dreiling, Manada Collins, Anna Rondol, Ashlynn Macnamara, Jennifer McQuiston, Maire Claremont....wow there are so many!

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    1. Isn't Karina Cooper wonderful!?!? (As are all of the other people on your list!)

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  24. I've got many of those authors on my keeper shelves, but there are a few I'm not familiar with so I'll have to check them out.
    Here's a few more of my keeper authors - Victoria Alexander, Catherine Anderson, Mary Balogh, Julie Beard, Rexanne Becnel, Jo Beverley, Suzanne Brockmann ... and that's just the beginning of the alphabet that continues on to include Heather Snow!

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    1. I have quite a few Victoria Alexanders, myself :)

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  25. Sandra Hill and Susan Elizabeth Philips, sexy and laugh out loud funny. Johanna Lindsay, love those Mallorys.

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    1. Yep! The Mallorys...I have all of them through Jeremy's on my shelf. I've never read a SEP book. I think I need to!

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  26. I believe books are better lost, loved, and shared than sitting on a shelf. Hopefully, it will come back to me though. There are those share and otherwise lost that I wish I still had such as Save the Last Dance for Me; another childhood book (can't remember the title at moment just some of the plot);Conscious Loving: The Journey to Co-Committment.
    Some books on my keeper list include another childhood favorite called Running Out of Time; Thriller:Doll's Eyes; The Dave Pelzer books; The Lord of the Rings Trilogy; my C.S. Lewis books; my Self-Injury books; I Never Promised You a Rose Garden; etc.

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    1. I adored re-reading the Hobbit as an adult, but I couldn't get through TLOTR trilogy again...couldn't get past Tom Bombadill in the forest. My patience is a lot less these days, apparently!

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  27. My daughter might tell you that every book I've ever had, I STILL have! But that's just because she helped me pack about 20 1.5 cu ft boxes full of books - of every sort! I really haven't kept ALL my books. :)
    The books haven't been unpacked yet, so I can't tell you which are the *important* ones -- but I can say CS Lewis's THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA will be right there among them.

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    1. I LOVE Narnia...I have my companion to book but I loaned them to a friend when the movies came out and didn't get them back :( I need to go out and buy them again! The Heir and Spare are about at that age...

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  28. I have so many keepers! They include all my old Georgette Heyer books. Some more modern authors that I have lots of keepers by are: Ilona Andrews, Patricia Briggs, Connie Brockway, Grace Burrowes, Janet Chapman, Kresley Cole, Lydia Dare, Jacquelyn Frank, Jeaniene Frost, Diana Gabaldon, Lorraine Heath, Elizabeth Hoyt, Larissa Ione, Sherrilyn Kenyon/Kinley MacGregor, Lisa Kleypas, Lynn Kurland, Johanna Lindsey, Monica McCarty, Karen Marie Moning, Elisabeth Naughton, Susan Spencer Paul, Nora Roberts, Lynsay Sands, Gena Showalter, Deborah Simmons, and Kerrelyn Sparks.

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  29. my whole house is my keeper shelf, a fact that upsets my family. All of my science fiction and Star Trek books, multiple authors. If it's not a keeper, it isn't here.

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    1. My house used to be that way, too! I moved my books many times...before we moved to this house, I finally donated most to the library (sigh). I was sick of carrying heavy boxes around!!! Of course, my shelves have found a way to refill themselves...

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  30. HI Heather,

    Oh Devil in Winter is my favorite Lisa Kleypas book. Lord St.Vincent is one of my all time favorite heroes. I think I've read Devil in Winter at least 4 times and each time he makes me giggly like a 16 year old girl. :)

    As I think was thinking about what are my keepers, I realized I have a lot of keepers. Your books, Heather are on there, especially Sweet Enemy.

    Obsession Wears Opals by Renee Bernard

    Forever and a Day by Delilah Marvelle

    Virtuoso by Grace Burrowes

    Breathing Series by Rebecca Donovan

    Anything by Lorraine Heath

    Flowers From the Storm by Laura Kinsale

    My list could go on and on...

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    1. Oh, thank you so much :) I have 4 of these on my shelves now...I'll check out the others!

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  31. Everything by Carly Phillips, Donna Kauffman, Alannah Lynne, Macy Beckett, and Roxanne St. Claire. Most of Sabrina Jeffries, Jill Shalvis, Lori Foster.

    I have four 6 foot bookcases that are filled! I love books!

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  32. I have a bookcase full of keepers. JR Ward, Kresley Cole, Lara Adrian, Chloe Neill, Nalini Singh, and many more.

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  33. I don't have a keep self since I barely have any print books. Most of my books are in my nook and those that are in there are the ones I keep reading over and over. The ones that I have print are Julie Garwood's The Wedding and her Buchanan-Renard series. I have too many to list from my nook though. The books from there are by Julie Garwood, Lisa Kleypas, Stephanie Laurens, Elizabeth Hoyt, and etc

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  34. I have been keeping every one of V C Andrews novels since I was 16. Those are the main ones on my Keeper shelf.
    amyc

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    1. I LOVED VC Andrews...I don't have them anymore...they fell victim to my 2003 book purge :(

      Wouldn't it be great if we had a time turner and we could just pause time for a while to sit and read?

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  35. My first ever keeper book had to be Julie Garwood's Saving Grace. I don't know how many times I've gone back and just read my favorite passages because I've walked by and seen it on my shelf but that one will always been around :)

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  36. Lisa Kleypas books are definitely on my keeper shelf. For me, it's the Hathaway series. Those 5 books are amazing - but then what can you expect with an author like her?

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  37. I love your books and can't wait for the next one! Sweet Madness was my favorite. Please tell me you wrote another series already and we only have to wait another few months for the next one? :) Hugs!

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  38. Hi Heather!

    I keep checking back to see what everyone is reading and my TBR list has doubled! I don't know if there is anymore room to fit more "real" books on my bookshelves but thank goodness I also have a Kindle. Hum, I wonder how many books it will hold because I added three more books to my list tonight!

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  39. Also on my keeper shelf is Julia Quinn's Bridgerton series and tons from Jill Shalvis. I have a few from her Lucky Harbor series and a few from her Animal Magnetism series.

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    1. I have a ton of Johanna Lindsey books as well as Nora Roberts. Those aren't exactly on my keeper shelf (need more shelves!) but I do have them in a special box that I can get to fairly easily.

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  40. One of my very favorite keeper books is YOURS UNTIL DAWN by Teresa Medeiros. Gabriel Fairchild is a war hero who returns home blind and bitter. Samantha Wickersham arrives as his nurse to try to care for this beast of a man. *sigh* Beauty and the Beast at it's best!

    Marcy Shuler
    bmndshuler(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  41. How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire By Kerrelyn Sparks: Hilarious AND sexy isn't easy to find in one book, but Kerrelyn Sparks nails it ever time.

    Spirited Away by Cindy Miles: The second-most romantic novel I've ever read.

    Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: The single- most romantic novel I've ever read.

    Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte: Gosh I love me a tortured, brooding hero...

    The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie: I adore this novel so much. One of my all-time favorite novels and re-reads.

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  42. pride and prejudice for the writing

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  43. I have too many favorite authors to name. As far as keepers shelves go, I have a lot of them in boxes or in my bookshelf. Some of them are you (of course), Shana Galen, Johanna Lindsey, Anna Campbell, Lisa Kleypas, Sabrina Jeffries, Kathleen Woodiwess, Julia Quinn, Nora Roberts, Lorraine Heath, Jill Shalvis, Cathy Maxwell, Heather Graham, Monica McCarty, Catherine Coulter, and many others.

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