Making Recommendations Part V: Ghosts, Goddesses, Fairies, and Devils

Over the past six week, I have been making romance novel recommendations to you, my faithful readers. We have discussed the best books to read to start a romance novel career, my favorite romance novel families, romance novels with a little mystery, and some miscellaneous fun. And the response has been amazing. Friends, family and strangers alike have been reading these books, and discovering how amazing they really are. Many of you are well and truly hooked. And I am proud.

And today, we come to the end of my recommendation series. I promised you a few weeks ago that the end would be somewhat fantastical. And it is. Because today, we discuss the supernatural. A word of caution. These supernatural romances are not for everyone. I love them. And if they are for you, I say read on with your bad self. But if they aren't, I understand. The greatest thing about romance novels is that there really is something for everyone.

My introduction to the supernatural romance started innocently enough. I was 16, and had just devoured the Stanislaski series, my first brush with the wondrous Nora Roberts, and the beginning of my decades-long romance novel obsession. Wanting desperately to see if this author had written anything else, I took myself to Barnes & Noble, and made my very first visit to the romance section. I would, obviously, become a very regular visitor to these shelves over the coming years, but, as with many things, there is something sacred about that first time.

The romance section was crowded. I edged my way through to the "R's" and my 16 year old heart soared with delight. Because the Nora Roberts books covered eight shelves. After an hour of browsing, I went home with The Gallaghers of Ardmore trilogy, and spent the next two days immersed in the story of the Gallagher siblings, and their lives and loves. But this book was different. Because intertwined with the story of the Gallaghers was another story. A story about a ghost called Lady Gwen, Carrick the Fairie, and their doomed romance. And I loved it.

And the more Nora I read, the more I came to embrace the supernatural. Among my favorite Noras are stories about goddesses, haunted Tennessee mansions, civil war ghosts, witches and wizards, and more. These are the books I read over and over. The ones I return to when I crave the comfort of the familiar. The ones that are always in the front of my bookshelves. Nora's characters seem brighter somehow against a backdrop of the inexplicable. This, I believe, is where she is at her best.

Now I don't like all supernatural romances. I put the first Twilight book down after four chapters and never picked it up again. Vampires are just not my speed. But give me a Nora filled with goddesses and fairies, and I'm entertained for hours. What can I say? I'm an enigma.

                                  ******************************************

The Key Trilogy - Nora Roberts*

Key of Light

Key of Knowledge

Key of Valor

In the Garden Trilogy - Nora Roberts

Blue Dahlia

Black Rose

Red Lily

The MacKade Brothers - Nora Roberts

The Return of Rafe MacKade

The Pride of Jared MacKade

The Heart of Devin MacKade

The Fall of Shane Mackade

The Gallaghers of Ardmore - Nora Roberts

Jewels of the Sun

Tears of the Moon

Heart of the Sea

The Three Sisters Island Trilogy - Nora Roberts

Dance Upon the Air

Heaven and Earth 

Face the Fire

Nora Roberts Supernatural Mysteries (stand-alone)

Midnight Bayou

Tribute

*Asterisk denotes my most favorite supernatural trilogy of all time.