These authors' keeper books: 'Jane Eyre,' 'Welcome to Temptation,' 'Edenbrooke'
Today's featured authors: Shannon McKenna, author of In For the Kill; Kimberly Kincaid, author of Fire Me Up; and Jennifer Beckstrand, author of Huckleberry Spring. They're sharing books that are on their keeper shelves.
Shannon McKenna, author of In For the Kill
I cheated on this one — two of my titles are series!
• Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maude Montgomery.
• The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien.
• Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.
I've read these over 20 times.
All three shaped me, as a writer and a person. I'd trust Anne, or Jane, or Frodo Baggins with my life. I'm happy inviting them into my head, my memories, my personality makeup. I can't wait to read those books to my own kids.
It may seem an odd lineup, for a writer of sizzling romantic suspense — except perhaps Jane Eyre, a Gothic romance featuring a hot and problematic hero! But there is a common thread. Anne taught me what I wanted to be, and modeled kindness and positivity. Same with valiant Frodo and his Fellowship, whose hearts never faltered. Jane's moral compass never wavers, even when she's begging for scraps. I love these characters, trust them, want to hang out with them, to BE them. Books like that are true friends, a sure font of strength, comfort and courage.
I need that ray of light, sense of opening, a progression toward love and peace, in any story. If I don't get it, I feel let down. What's the point? I could feel depressed all on my own, with no help from a book. I've been told that's simplistic, banal, unsophisticated. That's OK. I'm a better person for having Anne, Frodo and Jane to trust, and look up to. It's what I aspire to achieve with my own characters.
And that sets the bar very high!
About In For the Kill:
The risks ex-cop Sam Petrie has taken have turned his life into a train wreck. So he has nothing to lose by doubling down as the elusive Svetlana Ardova's unwanted bodyguard on a potentially deadly trip to Italy.
Ever since the McClouds rescued Sveti from certain death, her crusade against modern slavery has blazoned a bulls-eye on her chest, but when one of the threats against her almost hits the mark, Sam's protective instincts go into overdrive. Every lethal obstacle and trap they encounter ups the stakes—and the undeniable heat between them.
Now they're spiraling in on a deadly and explosive secret—one that could either redeem them or destroy them ... and the closer they get, the shorter the fuse ...
Find out more at shannonmckenna.com.
Kimberly Kincaid, author of Fire Me Up
My keeper shelf is a mile wide (book hoarder, guilty as charged! Or maybe that's just book lover). Here are a few of my favorites that I read again and again.
• Welcome to Temptation by Jennifer Crusie. A fast-paced plot, unparalleled humor, a secondary cast that is as unique and memorable as the main characters, and a hero that gives temptation a brand-new, oh-heck-yes name, this book has everything. Finding an author as masterful as Crusie is a task and a half. This contemporary romance is living proof.
• Moonglow by Kristen Callihan. This book is actually the second in the series, and I recommend going in order, starting with Firelight, but mostly because all of the Darkest London books are amazing. The world building in Moonglow is lush and dark all at once — the perfect combination of decadent and edgy. Callihan straddles the line between historical and paranormal romance perfectly, and the adventure is as wonderful as the romance. Also, Ian is a capital-A-Alpha hero who had me swooning from the start.
• Fool Me Twice by Meredith Duran. Duran is, simply put, an absolute master at taking flawed characters and making them flawless. Her attention to detail and writing style is engaging and just simply beautiful. Lovely phrasing combines with gritty plot turns in Fool Me Twice. Smart, outside-the-box historical romance, with evenly matched main characters I adored.
About Fire Me Up:
If you can't stand the heat…
Teagan O'Malley can handle a crisis. She's a paramedic, it's her job. But she never expected to land in the kitchen of her father's pub, with no notice, no cash, and no room for error. The kitchen is not her favorite place. Lucky for her, she just scraped a bad-boy chef off the pavement after a motorcycle accident—and something about him says he can turn up the heat in more ways than one.
Adrian Holt has had a rough few years, and he's not eager to get tangled up in anything more complicated than a good risotto. But with a broken arm and a head full of bad memories, he needs a challenge to keep him sane. Teagan's dare-me attitude and smoldering mess of a bar are just what the doctor ordered. And the two of them together might cook up some even better medicine…
Find out more at www.kimberlykincaid.com.
Jennifer Beckstrand, author of Huckleberry Spring
• Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson. I could read this sweet, simple Regency romance over and over again. The characters are delightful, and the dialogue is compelling and witty. I fell in love with Philip and his unfailing sense of honor and Marianne and her yearning to belong.
• The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. Everything about this book is a treat, from the literary references sprinkled throughout to the odd, eccentric, lovable characters who inhabit the island. It is written as a series of letters, which itself had to be an immense challenge for the authors. The writing sparkles, and the touching story is told with love and humor. I adore this book.
• The Rent Collector by Camron Wright. I recently discovered this book about a family that lives in the largest garbage dump in Cambodia. The rent collector, a harsh and hardened woman, comes once a month to collect payment from the family. Things change when the mother of the family asks the rent collector to teach her how to read. This story holds lessons about love, sacrifice and ultimate redemption. I bawled like a baby.
About Huckleberry Spring:
Nothing gives Anna and Felty Helmuth greater satisfaction than seeing their grandchildren happily married—except for planning their next matchmaking venture. And as springtime comes to Huckleberry Hill, Wisconsin, the air is filled with promise…
Ever since the Helmuths' grandson, Ben, abruptly broke his engagement and moved to Florida, Emma Nelson has kept busy tending her vegetable garden and raising award-winning pumpkins. She can put her heartache aside to help Ben's Mammi with her own pumpkin patch. At least until Ben shows up to lend support to his ailing Dawdi…
Gardening side by side with pretty, nurturing Emma is a sweet kind of torture for Ben. She could have her pick of suitors who can offer what he can't, and he cares too much to burden her with his secret. Leaving once more is the only option. Yet Emma's courage is daring him to accept the grace that flourishes here, and the love that has been calling him back to Huckleberry Hill…
Find out more at www.jenniferbeckstrand.com.