A Year in Review... sort of 1994

Romance Readers Anonymous is a long running mailing list and they have done a best of list since 1994. The list has changed over the years, categories have been added and deleted. Some of the authors I have tbr, some of the books I have never heard of. So lets go through the lists. Cuz I can always use more books to look for ;). So tell me what you think of the books of 1994! Are they good? Bad? Keepers? Do you even remember these books? ***click saint for list*** 1994 RRA-L Romance Awards Nominees and Winners The winner in each category is denoted by an asterisk. 1. Best Short Series Romance: *Cinderman by Anne Stuart Love Potion by Kate Hoffman Anything for Danny by Carla Cassidy Keeper by Patricia Gardner Evans Getting Rid of Bradley by Jennifer Crusie ------------------------------------------ hmmm cindy? What the heck is Cinderman? I know who Anne Stuart is and Jennifer Crusie. Either of these books worth reading? Don't know anything about the other three books. 2. Best Long Series Romance: *A Soldier's Heart by Kathleen Korbel Left at the Alter by Justine Davis Bridge over Time by Brenda Hiatt Point of No Return by Rachel Lee Strange Bedpersons by Jennifer Crusie ------------------------------------------ I read a Korbel, hmmm it is in the car to be mailed to xina. It made me cry. Justine Davis I have her trilogy with Hawk something or other in it. Breana Hiatt I haven't found a book of hers I really enjoyed yet, but have only read two or three. Ship of Dreams and Taming Tessa not sure on the third title. Rachel Lee? not ringing a bell. And Crusie (I am betting we see her name once or twice. I own Faking It, Welcome to Temptation and Bet Me). 3. Best Contemporary Single Title Romance *It Had to Be You by Susan Elizabeth Phillips Again by Kathleen Gilles Seidel One and Only by Barbara Bretton Crazy for Lovin' You by Lisa G. Brown Till the Stars Fall by Kathleen Gilles Seidel ------------------------------------------------ I am really a historical girl and have only started to read contemporary lately. Never read any of these and don't have any tbr. 4. Best Historical Single Title Romance: *Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase Fire and Rain by Kathleen Eagle The Marrying Stone by Pamela Morsi To Love a Dark Lord by Anne Stuart Cheyenne Amber by Catherine Anderson ------------------------------------------------ ok Ro... sit down ;) I recall reading LoS about a year or so ago. But I don't recall it being omg great. In fact I don't own it any more. I had a friend staying with me and she was watching Gilmore Girls so maybe my attention was spilt? Or uh I just didn't think it was that great? I keep meaning to pick it up again because well... Never read Kathleen Eagle. Don't have The Marrying Stone but if I run across it I would buy it because I enjoy Morsi's books. Cheyenne Amber? anyone.... ? 5. Best Regency Romance: *Deirdre and Don Juan by Jo Beverley Mistress by Amanda Quick An Angel for the Earl by Barbara Metzger Mrs. Drew Plays Her Hand by Carla Kelly Tempting Harriet by Mary Balogh ----------------------------------------- never read JB, AQ, BM or CK. Don't have this MB. 6. Best Romantic Suspense/Mystery/Adventure: *Night Smoke by Nora Roberts Deirdre and Don Juan by Jo Beverley Captives of the Night by Loretta Chase Nothing Personal by Eileen Dreyer Point of No Return by Rachel Lee ------------------------------------------- never read NR (Ro your heart maynot be able to take this post ;) ), JB, ED - wait isn't she Korbel? and still don't know who Rachel Lee is. Do plan to get Captives of the Night when the reissue comes out even with the horrid cover. 7. Best Alternative Realities Romance: *Lord of the Storm by Justine Davis When Lightning Strikes by Kristin Hannah Forbidden by Jo Beverley Stardust Dreams by Marilyn Campbell Prince of Wolves by Susan Krinard --------------------------------------------- look paranormal before it was paranormal... Lord of the Storm?... nope I have Skypirate. I want LotS though. HEY! When Lightning Strikes is my first TBR. Don't recall why I bought it, prolly AAR. never read JB, or MC or SK. 8. Best Time Travel Romance: *Voyager by Diana Gabaldon In My Dreams by Susan Sizemore Remembrance by Jude Deveraux Tomorrow and Always by Barbara Bretton Night Orchid by Patricia Simpson ---------------------------------------------- I think this is one of my least favorite types of romance novels. BUT there are some I like and have tbr. Oddly enough IMD is one of them. I think I picked it up at a library sale because I enjoyed a few of her historicals. Any good? never read DG, JD, BB or PS. 9. Best Love and Laughter Romance Award: *It Had to Be You by Susan Elizabeth Phillips Strange Bedpersons by Jennifer Crusie Heartstrings by Rebecca Paisley Rebel in Silk by Sandra Chastain Mail Order Outlaw by Millie Criswell ------------------------------------------------- this just sounds like a dumb title... don't think they have it anymore Rebecca Paisley... someone recommend her but I haven't found any to get yet. I have RiS and have read something of Criswell but I forget what. 10. Best All-Around 1994 Romance: *It Had to Be You by Susan Elizabeth Phillips Tomorrow and Always by Barbara Bretton Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase Relentless by Patricia Potter Lord of the Storm by Justine Davis ------------------------------------------------- Patricia Potter! Gem of a western author if you have never read her, do! Relentless is very good. 1994 AUTHOR AWARDS 11. Best Contemporary Author: *Nora Roberts Rachel Lee Susan Elizabeth Phillips Deborah Smith Linda Howard ----------------------------------------------------- only one read is Howard and I would agree she is best LOL not even knowing what she published that year. hell I want her new book and don't read much RS and never buy HB. le sigh really need to fix the library card. 12. Best Historical Romance Author: *Jo Beverley Laura Kinsale Jill Marie Landis Loretta Chase Julie Garwood ------------------------------------------------------- hmmm I do really need to read Jo Beverley. LK is awesome and I have all her books, with many tbr. JML? I thought she wrote contemps, did she jump from historicals? Recs? LC - check JG - check (sorry maili) 13. Best Series/Category Author: *Rachel Lee Justine Davis Kathleen Korbel Paula Detmer Riggs Jennifer Crusie --------------------------------------------------------- I read don't read many categories. And most of them I do have or have read are old... like Elizabeth Lowell, Linda Howard and the like. Guess that is why I had no clue who RL is, don't have any Davis or Crusie categories. And have no clue who Riggs is (unless we want to talk lethal weapon). 14. Best All-Around Romance Author: *Elizabeth Lowell Susan Elizabeth Phillips Patricia Potter Julie Garwood Jayne Ann Krentz ---------------------------------------------------------- I adore Elizabeth Lowells older books. So I agree she should have won ;). never read krentz. BEST ROMANCE CLASSICS this is something they didn't do this year not sure if they did last year. hee we will find out later ;) 15. Best Classic Historical Romance: *The Windflower by Sharon and Tom Curtis *Whitney, My Love by Judith McNaught Roselynde Chronicles by Roberta Gellis The Bride by Jude Devereaux Gentle Rogue by Johanna Lindsey ------------------------------------------------------------- I have The Windflower (kristie's rec) and Gentle Rogue (library sale). Still not sure if I will ever read Whitney, but I do have four McNaughts tbr. I skimmed the Gellis in the store and it so didn't look like something I wanted to read. And never read JD. Which one did she copy from roberts? And how is she still writing? 16. Best Classic Contemporary Romance: *Tell Me No Lies by Elizabeth Lowell My Brother Michael by Mary Stewart Texas Trilogy by Sandra Brown Sunshine and Shadow by Sharon and Tom Curtis Lucky's Lady by Tami Hoag --------------------------------------------------------------- Tell Me No Lies! Ro's fave and on my tbr soon list. MS? nope. SB? no texas books, S&S so didn't look like something I wanted to read. Hoag? Her romances worth getting? Never tried her. 17. Best Classic All-Around Favorite Romance: *Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen The Bride by Jude Devereaux Seize the Fire by Laura Kinsale Come Spring by Jill Marie Landis *Tell Me No Lies by Elizabeth Lowell ---------------------------------------------------------------- Not an austen girl myself... sorry Seize the Fire rocks! I want to reread soon! Come Spring? oooohhhh that sounds western... is Jill Marie Landis a western author? Kristie? 18. Best Classic Regency Romance: *Emily and the Dark Angel by Jo Beverley The Sandalwood Princess by Loretta Chase Arabella by Georgette Heyer The Bride by Julie Garwood Summer Campaign by Carla Kelly -------------------------------------------------------- read this The Bride and like... none of the others have been read 19. Best Classic Series/Category Romance: *MacKenzies Mountain by Linda Howard Outlaw by Elizabeth Lowell School for Miss Manners by Marion Chesney Lightning that Lingers by Sharon and Tom Curtis To Marry at Christmas by Kasey Michaels ---------------------------------------------------------- love MacKenzies Mountain and Outlaw... the others any good? 20. Best All-Around Classic Romance Author: *Jo Beverley Julie Garwood Johanna Lindsey Jane Austen Sandra Brown ----------------------------------------------------------- It is a good thing these lists get shorter.... uh nothing to say here except I have about nine of SB old mira like books to read... hee that was fun, older romance novels do amuse me far too much