Ooh, good thread, Bethy!
Well, there are a few classics which have been among my very favourite books for years:
Stendhal's
The Red and the Black - the story of a man who always runs after a happiness that eludes him, and learns from his experiences in life, through contact with other men or relationships with the two women in his life.
Zola's
The Ladies' Paradise - a fascinating social picture, as well as a sweet love story between the daughter of a small shop owner and the owner of a big mall.
Balzac's
Pere Goriot - another fascinating social picture, with a hero who learns from the encounters and experiences he makes.
Top of the classic list would be Madame de Lafayette's
The Princess of Cleves - completely enthralling love story focusing on the psychological aspect of an impossible relationship.
More recently, there was a book I couldn't put down:
Racing the Moon, by Terry Prone. It tells us the life story of a fascinating heroine, Darcy King, who is hilarious and moving in turns. The more classical format of the novel is interspersed with entries to Sophia's diary (Darcy's twin sister) and the letter-exchange that Darcy has been entertaining with an American teacher she has never met.
And lately I've been reading lots of regency romances.
I'd recommend anything by Mary Balogh, though I have a few favourites:
The Secret Pearl - heartwrenching story of a man and a woman brought together under dreadful circumstances, and who only find some peace by getting closer.
More Than a Mistress - the relationship between the hero and heroine is antagonistic and hilarious at first, then the novel progressively unveils their haunted past as they're brought together.
Heartless - a tortured hero that you loathe at first, then progressively understand, and in the end I dare you not to love him [g].
Silent Melody - original and fascinating story showing the world through the eyes of a deaf-mute in the regency period, and her sweet love for a man she's convinced will never be hers.
IrresistibleA Certain Magic - both "best friends falling in love" stories.
The Notorious Rake - another tortured hero!! Unpredictable and purely poignant.
Anything by Mary Jo Putney, but most especially:
Thunder and Roses - heroine in the hands on a rake who might be more than met-the-eye, plus social picture of a village living through the exploitation of a dangerous coalmine.
The Rake - the reforming of an alcoholic rake thanks to the help and support he gets from the woman who (amazingly!) manages his estate.
And of course there's
Mrs Drew Plays Her Hand (one of the rare romance stories that convincingly show that one can love twice) and
Reforming Lord Ragsdale (another reforming story, with funny and poignant moments), both by Carla Kelly.
I think it's a lot more than you wanted to know about my reading tastes, so I'll shut up now.
Kaethel
