The Books of Love

by Lynne Marshall

I confess, I used to look down my nose at Romance…before I was enlightened.
I used to read a lot of heavy literary books, because it was good for my mind, and when I’d finished and scratched my head over the non-ending, well, I felt heavy, the way everyday life often made me feel. So then I’d follow the rule of word and read what everyone else was reading, the popular books. These books might have a torrid love affair in them though it wasn’t the main focus, but that love would get the life beat out of it as the story moved on. Again, depressing.

I noticed how swept along with the story I got when I read The Valley of the Horses by Jean Auel, and The Thorn Birds by Colleen Mccullough. How I couldn’t wait to pick up those books at night and read on. My heart clutched at the slow and growing off-limits love that formed between the characters.

As I read other mass market books, I realized the part that always drew me into the story was the romance. But often, the love was unrequited, or the couple gave it a go but couldn’t pull it off, and that was the book. I found myself re-writing the ending in my head when I’d finished. In other words, I wanted the characters to work through their problems and find a way to come together instead of giving up and walking away.

Then I discovered (someone recommended) Barbara Delinsky, Tami Hoag, Elizabeth Lowell, and Nora Roberts. They introduced me to romance—books that ended upbeat, where the hero and heroine solved their issues and made it work between them. Uplifting. Hopeful. Enjoyable. This was good. From there I spring boarded to Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Suzanne Brockman and Linda Howard and I was hooked. I’d found romance in my books, or should I say, romance found me! I’ve never looked back. Yes I still read the word of mouth books, the bestselling popular books, and I definitely read outside of the genre, but I often need renewal and when I do, I go back to the well of love, hope, and happily ever after.

Thank you, Romance Genre, for finding me!

Courting His Favorite Nurse by Lynne Marshall
Harlequin Special Edition – March 2012 – in stores now!



Amazon Amazon UK B&N Book Depository

Anne Grady knew better than anyone that love was complicated. When she’d left her hometown, she thought she was leaving her past heartbreak behind for good, as well. But practically the moment she returned to care for her injured parents, she stumbled headlong into their confidant—her first love, Jack Lightfoot.

Jack had been unable to deny his feelings for Annie when he was a teenager dating her best friend, and he certainly couldn’t muffle the spark twisting between them now—even if memories of the past kept threatening to push them apart. This time Jack wasn’t going to let history repeat itself—he was going to show Annie that the two of them were meant to be much more than best friends.

Lynne Marshall writes contemporary and Medical Romance for Harlequin and The Wild Rose Press. The first book in the Grady family trilogy, Courting His Favorite Nurse, is a March 2012 Harlequin Special Edition. Also coming in March in e-book only is, An Indiscretion, a contemporary romance with strong medical elements, from The Wild Rose Press.

You can connect with Lynne Marshall on the Web:

Website Facebook RomanceWiki Author Page