CLASSIC CLINCH

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Morning, all! I'm dead beat from driving for 5 hours last night and not up to my usual rude, battering ways in the romance arena. So today I thought we'd discuss the classics--those oldies but goodies, complete with all their 'taboo' subjects and utter weirdness that for whatever reason hooked us for life.

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Do you remember your first time? The thrill of the "forbidden", the rising tension, the uncontrollable passion... hey! I'm talking BOOKS here, not that other nonsense!

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Seriously, though, my first dive into romantic fiction was a book titled "Liliane" by Annabel Erwin. Late 1700's setting in Colonial America complete with a fox hunt, balls, a slave revolt, long gazes over the wine goblets, several kissing scenes(but not actual sex) and...sibling incest. Even though I knew it, I still shuddered when Lili caught Andrew & Mary in a passionate midnight embrace(ick!).

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The first 'sexy' book I read was "Captive Bride" by Johanna Lindsey. Granted, poor Philip had to basically rape Christina the first few times but, looking back on this particular story--as well as "A Pirates Love" and "Fires of Winter"--she (along with Bettina and Brenna from the other two titles) was a shrewish, uptight bitch living in denial central until they fell in love. I know, it was the way romance worked back then.

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Anyone else besides me read the Rosemary Rogers title above? Poor Steve and Ginny. They had to suffer through 3 books, multiple partners, misunderstanding after misunderstanding... it was almost like a season of "24"! I think I read the whole first one, got about halfway through the second (about to the point where Ginny gets raped by some greasy captain of the guards and still gets aroused in spite of herself--eeuww!) and just skipped around the third, impatient for it to be over with already.

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And how about the trials and pitfalls of Marietta, the governess turned indentured servant turned sex slave turned casino dealer turned renegade turned lady's companion turned... etc, etc, from "Love's Tender Fury" series? I loved Marietta, and I was especially glad when she chose Jeremy in the end of it all rather than that stuck-on-himself plantation owner dude (can't remember his name). Though, to be fair, the pirate captain was pretty cool too.

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Last for this entry, but certainly not least stands "A Rose In Winter" by the late great Kathleen Woodiwiss. People will argue forever about their favorie Woodiwiss title--my sister simply adored "Shanna" but I could not get into it, for example--but this one is mine, hands down. I can remember still the first time I read this great Beauty and Beast takeoff--and being just a teeny bit disappointed that the mysterious masked lord of the manor turned out to be Christopher after all. Oh, I liked him and everything, but I really wanted Erienne to be with mystery dude forever. He was way cooler.

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So today, dig those old titles out of the attic and share! What were your favorites?

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Happy Monday!