Happy Mother's Day! Let's bond over books

Melanie Dickerson, author of The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest, joins HEA to share some romance recs for mothers and daughters to enjoy together.

Melanie: With all the entertainment choices at every teen girl and woman's fingertips these days — movies, games and social media sites on our phones, tablets and computers — we have to be intentional about communicating meaningfully with those we love. Time slips by quickly in our fast-paced world. So, this Mother's Day, what can we do to really bond with our daughters — and mothers?

Ladette Kerr, blogger and mom of five, seems to have found a great way to bond. "My daughters and I have bonded over books. It's just the fact that we love the books and can share with one another as we 'fangirl' over whatever book is our new current read."

My fairy tale retellings, such as The Merchant's Daughter, are categorized as Young Adult romance. A lot of moms tell me they share my books with their daughters, and I hear from daughters who share them with their moms. These moms once read the fairy tales to their daughters, and now they can read and discuss these novel-length versions with their grown-up girls.

If you've never shared the experience of reading the same book as your mom — or daughter — and then discussing what you read, you might need to grab the last book you read and loan it to them!

First-grade teacher Emily Neyer said, "My mother and I were both big Grace Livingston Hill fans when I was a teenager. We would take turns reading the books and then talk about them. Our favorite was The Girl from Montana. Now that my mother is gone, it is one of my favorite memories of her."

This works with any age group, actually. Martha Artyomenko, labor doula and mom of four says, "My mom read aloud to me the Love Comes Softly series when I was about seven. Those are some of my best memories. I had several younger siblings, so staying up later with mom while she read to me was really special."

Rachel McMillan, author of The Bachelor Girl's Guide to Murder, releasing in January, mentions classics for younger readers that mothers and daughters have shared through the years. These classic stories feature sweet romances "like Laura and Almonzo in the Little House on the Prairie books, Anne and Gilbert in Anne of Green Gables, and (Jo and Professor Baer — and Teddy!) in Little Women." And of course, "anything by Jane Austen" is great for mother-daughter bonding. My own daughters and I freely discuss our opinions of Jane Austen's heroes — "Knightly seems a bit old for Emma." "Captain Wentworth wrote the best proposal ever!" "Edward is so wimpy." "Mr. Darcy ... less arrogance and he'd be perfect."

If your daughter is a teen or young adult and likes a more contemporary story, you could read teen romances by Stephanie Morrill or Jenny B. Jones, or try Replication by Jill Williamson, which introduces the issue of cloning but is also a sweet romance. For more serious discussions, Nicole O'Dell has several books that deal with difficult, real-life problems, like substance abuse or eating disorders, and Nancy Rue has a great series on bullying.

Mary Hake, former homeschool mom and library director, says, "I think any books read together can be bonding. When homeschooling my teens, we read classics like Uncle Tom's Cabin and Gone With the Wind, and biographies. We discussed relationships and decisions and what we might do in the situation."

For historical romance for teen or adult daughters and mothers, try my fairy-tale retellings set in medieval Europe. My new romance, The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest, remixes Robin Hood and Swan Lake and is a twist on two classic stories both mothers and daughters are familiar with. Also, try Lisa Bergren's romantic River of Time series. Shannon Dittemore has a fantasy series called Angel Eyes, and for fans of speculative fiction, Katie Clark's Enslaved series is a must read.

I have the privilege of being able to discuss the books I write with my two daughters, ages 13 and 16. They even give me editing advice. It's fun to talk about what they liked or didn't like and what they thought of some of the characters. Discussing a novel is a great way to start a dialogue and really bond with your daughters.

Of course, for adult daughters and moms, your options are almost endless. I recommend Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers, A Constant Heart by Siri Mitchell, Swept Away by Mary Connealy, The Unveiling by Tamara Leigh and Love's Reckoning by Laura Frantz.

Wife, mom and blogger Crystal Job says, "As adults (my mom and I) began sharing books with each other. We love to talk about the stories even though we no longer live together!" It can be economical, too, since you can share the books, either on your e-readers or the actual hard copy.

So this Mother's Day, don't let a bonding opportunity pass you by. Find a book you both think is interesting and talk about it with your daughters — or your mom!

Find out more about Melanie and her books at www.melaniedickerson.com.