This week is a special one for us at Pop Culture Happy Hour: we invited our pals Barrie Hardymon and Petra Mayer, along with the marvelous and hugely knowledgeable Sarah Wendell, who runs the romance web site Smart Bitches, Trashy Books.
Here's what you're really looking for if you're looking at this post: the list of recommendations, both authors and specific books (and a couple other things) that all of us (mostly Sarah) rattled off over the course of this show. So let's just get on with it.
Next week: regular business resumes.
Judith Krantz (Princess Daisy)
Outlander
Maya Banks, Scottish historicals (Clan McClean, hee)
Lois McMaster Bujold, The Sharing Knife
Johanna Lindsey, Warrior's Woman
Cathy Pegau, Deep Deception/Caught In Amber
Anne Bishop, Black Jewels
Courtney Milan
Tessa Dare
Nora Roberts, Vision In White
#weneeddiverseromance (@KwanaWrites)
Alisha Rai
Suleikha Snyder
Sonali Dev (A Bollywood Affair and the upcoming The Bollywood Bride)
Beverly Jenkins (and the Destiny trilogy)
Rochelle Alers
Kwana Jackson (again, @KwanaWrites — we got the wrong last name and said "Bradley"; we're so sorry — this is who Sarah meant to recommend, and it was a super lot of names in a short time)
Jessica Clare, the Games series (reality TV)
Theresa Romain
Kate Noble
Kristan Higgins
Penny Reid
Julie Anne Long
Lisa Kleypas
Steampunk Iron Man
Meljean Brook (The Iron Duke, steampunk romance)
Lorelai James, Rough Riders ("if you like erotica and cowboys")
Cupcake Lovers, Beth Ciotta
Play By Play series (sportsy), Jaci Burton
Fool's Gold series (and The Bakery Sisters), Susan Mallery
Animal Magnetism series, Jill Shalvis
Lori Wilde: Twilight, Texas; Cupid, Texas; Jubilee, Texas; Stardust, Texas
Cupcake Club, Girls' Night Out, Last Chance, Virgin River (all real series!)
Tessa Dare, Castles Ever After, Romancing The Duke
Loretta Chase, The Lion's Daughter
Eloisa James, Desperate Duchesses series
Jennifer Crusie, Bet Me