Authors celebrate their favorite romances of 2013, part 4
HEA is sharing romance authors' favorite books of 2013. Be sure to stop in often over the next several days to see more of authors' favorites, and don't miss parts one, two and three.
KRISTAN HIGGINS, author of The Perfect Match
• The Wanderer by Robyn Carr. This book got me everywhere it counts: a blue-collar seaside community, a hero I fell madly in love with, fantastic secondary characters done the way only Robyn Carr can. This is the second in the Thunder Point series, and I had the worst book hangover when I was finished. One of those stories you just didn't want to end.
• The Luckiest Lady in London by Sherry Thomas. Sherry is such a rare and beautiful talent. This book made my heart ache with love and yearning and had me pinning pictures of Sherry all around the house.
• True Spies by Shana Galen. What I loved most in this story was the relationship between the husband and wife. Elinor's feelings of being invisible were so poignant and realistic, and Winn was perfect as the well-meaning but absentee husband and father whose life is consumed with protecting England's interests. This is a story of rediscovery, and I adored it.
BECKY LOWER, author of The Tempestuous Debutante
• Nora Roberts' Dark Witch. It's set in Ireland, and there's trouble a-brewing from hundreds of years ago. My favorite kind of Nora story.
• Julia Quinn's Sum of All Kisses. Just what you'd expect from Julia--a heartwarming, lovely story about two people falling in love.
• Ava Miles' Nora Roberts Land. This book kept me thinking about it long after I'd set the book down.
Honorable mentions: The Lake Effect by Johannah Bryson, Once Upon a Tower by Eloisa James, Any Duchess Will Do by Tessa Dare.
ZOË ARCHER, author of Dangerous Seduction
• Any Duchess Will Do by Tessa Dare. Witty dialogue and a fairy tale premise written with honesty and realism.
• It Happened One Midnight by Julie Anne Long. JAL continues to be one of my very favorite historical romance authors with her deeply intelligent writing.
• The Luckiest Lady in London by Sherry Thomas. A familiar premise is given fresh life with a candid look at two people working their way toward love.
ELIZABETH BOYLE, author of If Wishes Were Earls
• When the Marquess Met His Match by Laura Lee Guhrke. No one writes a rakish devil better than LLG, and this book was no exception. I loved Nicholas Stirling, and learning his back story and heartaches and seeing the heroine prod him (well knock him upside the head) to get him to change his ways, was nothing less than brilliant.
• Kisses, She Wrote by Katharine Ashe. While this is just a novella, it had the heart and soul of a much larger book. Best of all, I cried. Any book that makes me cry, is a winner.
• Edge of Dawn by Lara Adrian. Anything by Lara Adrian makes my best of list--she writes the most awesome things-that-go-bite-in-the-dark books, bar none. And this one has such great suspense and sexy, smexy, that I can't recommend it enough. Be warned: You read one, you'll want to read them all.
AMANDA USEN, author of Into the Fire
• Fifth Grave Past the Light by Darynda Jones. Reyes Farrow is sex in my brain.
• Iced by Karen Marie Moning. I'll never let go of the Fever world, like ever. Bring it, Dani!
• Entwined With You by Sylvia Day. What can I say? I'm on a serious alpha hero kick, and Gideon Cross is smokin' hot.
I didn't just read these books this year; I read each series. Beloved authors, you made my year. Thank you!
GAYLA TWIST, author of Broom With a View
• Man of the Month: Volume 2 (Willowdale Romance Novel) by Lisa Scott. Scott has a delightful sense of humor that really adds to her romances. A fun, lovely, playful read.
• Pickle Queen by Deborah Smith. Great story and you get to learn about pickles.
• A Boy and a Girl by Jamie S. Rich, illustrated by Natalie Nourigat. This is actually a graphic novel, sci-fi romance. There's more to it than you expect and you find yourself caught up in the story.
ELIZABETH OTTO, author of Tempting the Cowboy
• Wallbanger by Alice Clayton. It was the sass, the snark, the sexy and oh my goodness, the humor that drew me into this book. That, and the luscious hero, Simon, plus one very strange feline created a unique tone. I also loved how the heroine didn't give up her independence just to be with the hero — very refreshing!
• Speak Easy by Melanie Harlow. Easily, my favorite book of 2013. Set in the 1920s prohibition era, the heroine is a bootlegger's daughter who gets caught up in sexy, terrifying and very-real-to-life mob drama. She's torn between two hot Italian men — one good, one very bad — and winds up in some very drool-worthy situations with one of them. Everything about the book is amazing.
• Second Chance Pass by Robyn Carr. I'm a huge fan of the Virgin River series by Robyn Carr, and this novel was reissued in 2013, continuing the huge romance of the other Virgin River books. The widow of a Marine must struggle with her attraction to her deceased husband's best friend, and he to her, and their journey to coming together is sweet, hot and tear-jerking. Loved it!
STORMY GLENN, author of Love & Spaghetti on Aisle Eight
• Called to Mate by Lynn Tyler. Good triumphs over evil, handsome hero saves the day, and two shifters fall in love. Loved it enough to read it twice.
• King Merrick and the Mechanic by Lyssa Samuels. I cried, I cheered, I wanted to beat someone over the head. Enough said.
• Brac Pack Halloween Murder Mystery by Lynn Hagen. This story made me laugh, a lot. It was quirky, funny, and downright hilarious.