A few weeks ago, I saw a list of “new classics” issued by Entertainment Weekly. It’s movies released since 1983 that they consider to be, well, new classics (is that an oxymoron?). You can see the list here.
I love lists like this, mostly because I enjoy arguing with them! This list inevitably includes some movies I don’t like (Pretty Woman); some I just don’t think will be remembered enough to be “classic” (Speed, Gladiator); some I like but am also not sure they’re “classic” (Office Space, Napoleon Dynamite). And then there are some I totally agree with (Room With a View, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Lost in Translation, This is Spinal Tap, Moulin Rouge). And, of course, some glaring omissions (no Shakespeare in Love? No Princess Bride? No Babe??)
Anyway, it made me think–what would a list of the “classics” of romance novels look like? What would be the criteria? I suppose there could be books that sort of defined the genre (Heyer, natch; The Flame and the Flower, Whitney My Love). There could be books readers still remember and talk about, long after they first read them. Ones that help break out new sub-genres in a bigger way (like paranormal, or chick-lit). It could be anything, really, and every reader’s list would be different. Just like lists of “classic” movies.
My own list would be not only the books I keep, but ones I re-read and think about long after my first encounter with them. Some of these would be:
Loretta Chase’s Lord of Scoundrels
Laura Kinsale’s For My Lady’s Heart and Shadowheart
Lisa Kleypas’s Dreaming of You
Mary Balogh’s Thief of Dreams and Christmas Bride
Taylor Chase’s Heart of Deception
Judith Ivory’s Sleeping Beauty and her Judy Cuevas book Dance
Carla Kelly’s Mrs. Drew Plays Her Hand
Mary Jo Putney’s Shattered Rainbows
I do re-visit all of these, despite my TBR mountains. I guess that makes them my own “classics” of the romance genre.
What would your classics be?
Wow, your list is very similar to mine. Off the top of my head, I’d add Laura Kinsale’s FLOWERS FROM THE STORM and Julia Ross’s MY DARK PRINCE.
I’m sure there are more but my brain is addled. But the Greek mythology party preparations are almost done. Among other props, I’ve made an Artemis bow and arrow out of cardboard and foil that you can actually shoot–in an arc of about 3 feet!– a peacock fan and crown for Hera, and a truly rockin’ (at least my kids say so) helmet and spear for Athena. Whew! 🙂
Gosh, I would have to put down:
Katherine – Anya Seton
Dragonwyck – Anya Seton
The Flame and the Flower – Kathleen Woodiwiss
Anything by LaVryle Spencer
Sarah’s Child – Linda Howard
Skye O’Malley – Bertrice Small
It’s noon, but I’m still tired, so the old gray matter ain’t working at the moment. . . but the one I definitely thought of was A ROse in Winter but aforementioned Kathleen Woodiwiss. . . unfortunately, that’s as long as my list can be right now, and I’m sure I’m going to be second-ing plenty of what others will put. 🙂
Lois
Yes, Shakespeare in Love was the big omission I noticed in the EW list!
If we’re talking classic romance novels in general, and not just Regencies, some on my list would include:
Joan Smith — IMPRUDENT LADY, and SWEET AND TWENTY
Sheila Simonson — LADY ELIZABETH’S COMET
Barbara Metzger — MINOR INDISCRETIONS and AN EARLY ENGAGEMENT
Carla Kelly — LIBBY’S LONDON MERCHANT
Alicia Rasley — POETIC JUSTICE
Patricia Veryan — PRACTICE TO DECEIVE, THE TYRANT, NANETTE
Nonnie St George — THE IDEAL BRIDE
Kasey Michaels — THE PLAYFUL LADY PENELOPE
Jennifer Crusie — WELCOME TO TEMPTATION, STRANGE BEDPERSONS, WHAT THE LADY WANTS
Kathleen Gilles Seidel — AGAIN
Cara
I would add the MacGregors by Nora Roberts to the list. Also The Duke and I by Julia Quinn, Joanna Bourne’s The Spymaster’s Lady, The Promise by Danielle Steele, On Blue Falls Pond by Susan Crandall, and anything by Lisa Kleypas (even her grocery list).
I was trying to answer earlier, but then–well, life got in the way (and some margueritas. I am having a good vacation).
The Notorious Rake–Mary Balogh
Reforming Lord Ragsdale–Carla Kelly
As You Desire–Connie Brockway
Lord of Desire–Anne Stuart
Shadowheart–Laura Kinsale
The Proposition–Judith Ivory
Katherine–Anya Seton
I know there are more. I love this topic!
“I know there are more.”
I thought about digging through the plastic crates my “keepers” are packed in, but then I decided I didn’t need to write a 10 page post. 🙂 So I just pulled the ones off the top of my head (and mine happen to all be historicals, just because that’s mostly what I read, but there are tons of contemporary and paranormal “classics,” too!)
My list of classics included many of those mentioned here.
Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase
The Wolf and the Dove by Kathleen Woodiwiss
Skye O’Malley by Beatrice Small
The entire Lymond Chronicles
The Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas
His Secret Duchess by Gayle Wilson
Through a Glass Darkly by Karleen Koen
Dangerous to Love by Rexanne Bechnel
I could go on and on!!
Morning Glory by LaVyrle Spencer
Beast by Judith Ivory
The “Born In” series by Nora Roberts
Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn
Savage Thunder by Johanna Lindsey
Dark Lover by JR Ward
I have diverse tastes, I think! 🙂
What an odd list of movies. I was surprised The English Patient wasn’t on there.
Hmm, romance classics. I think that’s rather an anomoly for mass market fiction where books have a short shelf life and the marketing concept is that authors produce on a fast schedule; so the idea is you buy more of their books, forming an attachment to the author or the line rather than to a particular book. I’ve only read one of yours, Amanda, Sleeping Beauty, and like all books by Judith Ivory I have mixed feelings about it–I love her use of language but I’m bleh about her use of history and her characters. For my own keepers:
The Slightest Provocation by Pam Rosenthal
Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie
The Duke and I by Eloisa James (I think)
There are a lot of books I’ve read, enjoyed, and given away without feeling any pang of a bond broken, but I wouldn’t say there are any more keepers.
Janet