Happy Valentine's Day

Yes, I have been leading up to today since last week with a few posts about Romance here on RA for All.  Today, I am going to give you some links to a few of my go-to resources for helping romance readers, and at the end I will reveal my final choice of a contemporary romance to be read in March.

So if you want to feel the love today, here are some sources I suggest you check out:

• Your first stop needs to be the website of the Romance Writers of America.  Not only do they give out the prestigious RITA awards, but they also have a lot of information for librarians and booksellers about the genre.
• Romantic Times is the genre's best magazine and their website is full of essays and reviews.
• Prefer your romance with a side of the paranormal? Click here.
• All About Romance is a site where romance fans can congregate.  It has reviews, author interviews, and messages boards.  There are also many lists of readers' favorite books.  When I am at a loss of what to suggest to a romance reader, I reach for these lists.
• I have mentioned it before but, Smart Bitches, Trashy Books is fun and useful. The women behind the Smart Bitches website, Sarah Wendell and Candy Tan, also have a great Romance Reference book: Beyond Heavinf Bosoms: The Smart Bitches’ Guide to Romance Novels (Fireside, 2009).  And you should not miss Sarah's reviews and articles in Kirkus.  Her writing makes me wish I were more of a Romance fan.

Of course, this list is just a small sampling of the information you can find to help romance readers.  These are just some of my favorites.  Feel free to share some of your own.

But wait, before I go, as promised, I did go through everyone's Romance suggestions to me.  For the records, I have read books by many of the authors listed.  Also, I had to tear myself away from the historical suggestions because I have read many historical romances in the past and the point of this exercise is to educate myself.  Although, I did place Lizzy's steampunk romance suggestion on hold (I couldn't resist).

But in the end, it came down to BeretBrenckman who gave me a solid list of the best contemporary romance writers.  From that list, I realized I have always meant to read Lisa Kleypas, but never have gotten around it to.  So today, I checked out Smooth Talking Stranger. 

Stay tuned to see what I think.  And Happy Valentine's Day!