Outside of a Dog: Brockmann, Suzanne: Heart Throb

mely

mely wrote on May 17, 2004 at 10:56 PM:

I actually kind of like Heart Throb; despite all its improbability, the secret writer making it big is an obvious fantasy kink of mine. It was the first of Brockmann's "single-title" releases; previously she'd done series romances, some interestingly atypical (one is a time-travel romance whose failure to deal properly with time-travel paradoxes drives me nuts), but most successful for the ones about Navy SEALS. After another single-title attempt to break out into a different formula, she reverted back to SEALS for the single-titles as well. They have been tremendously successful, I have a bunch of them piled up to get to, and I haven't read one.

Johansen I read when she was doing straight romance (including some very weird stuff about genetically engineered paranormal kids raised in a Middle Eastern Ruritania), and even tried one or two of her suspense novels. I stopped when I realized that she was kind of good at romance, but sucked at suspense, and, wait, the romance wasn't actually working for me anymore, either.

Occasionally I find and reread one of her books which I liked as a teenager; it's a deeply embarrassing experience.

Kate

Kate wrote on May 17, 2004 at 11:13 PM:

It was in the context of the SEALs books that I heard of Brockmann, but I'd expect those to be angsty too from past experience with military-men-romances, so shall probably skip them unless someone raves at length and in detail.

I read a bunch of Johansen's genre romances back in the day as well, though I seem to have missed or forgotten the "genetically engineered paranormal kids raised in a Middle Eastern Ruritania"!

Kathy

Kathy wrote on May 18, 2004 at 12:14 PM:

[raises hand] guilty of the Brockmann-push, here. But as I also mentioned, I'm a sucker for the early category Brockmanns, and not at all of the post-#3-SEALS and the single titles. The four titles of hers I'd recommend unreservedly, however, are hard-to-find, unless, like me, you live in a town with (wait for it) a romance specialty book store. The four I'd recommend would be from the Bantam Loveswept line. I'm linking to excerpts, so you won't have to plunk down the change to see if they're worth a try.

Kiss and Tell
The Kissing Game
Time Enough For Love
Body Language

Completely agree on the Roberts ObVillains.

Kate

Kate wrote on May 18, 2004 at 11:50 PM:

Well, I'll keep those in mind in case I come across them. Thanks for the links to the excerpts, otherwise the titles would never stick for me.

Kathy

Kathy wrote on May 20, 2004 at 9:37 PM:

Yeah, the genericness of romance titles are a pain. And you never know, you may not have to go used-paperback hunting. They've been reprinting the early Crusies categories, Brockmann SEALS, and Loretta Chase regencies. Publishers are finally getting a clue about reprinting and keeping titles on the shelf for readers to find.

I never cease to wonder at the weird parallels between romances and comic books. (Readers with publisher loyalty, monthly installments, open-ended series, crossovers... I'm waiting for a "Regency of Two Worlds". Oh, no, wait. That's The Grand Tour, isn't it? ;-)