If there’s one thing the world needs now, dear readers, it is more love.  Thankfully, the Library Gods are kind and generous, and we have a treasure trove of sweet, sultry, heart-rending, and pulse-pounding romances for your delectation!

Every month, our genre aficionados  bring you our favorite romances that we’ve read in the past month, and this month we have two sensational picks for you, both historical and contemporary.  We’re all looking forward to the summer’s new romance releases, so keep watching this spot for more updates–or drop into the Library, and check out our Free For All display, where we keep our top picks from the Romance Garden: because every mind needs a little dirt in which to grow….

Bridget:

The Wedding Pact by Katee Robert

I’ve been a big fan of Katee Robert for some time now, and now that her series are now coming out in print, as well as e-book, I have the chance to share her with all of you!

The premise of Robert’s books always sound quite racy–and many of them are–but they are also, at their heart, really touching stories about two people finding their way to each other, giving each other strength to overcome their fears, and the courage to be themselves.  And this book, featuring two warring crime families in a very fictionalized Boston, is no different.

Carrigan O’Malley’s family has been at war with the Hallorans for as long as she can remember, and she has always known that her duty is to continue (and win) that battle.  That’s why she’s been engaged to a family ally for years: in order to make her family strong, not because there is any real emotion between her and her fiance.  James Halloran is still reeling from his own family drama, and worried about his wild younger brother.  But when Carrigan meets James Halloran in a bar, both of them know that there is something between them–something that could very easily destroy both of their families.  Yet, try as they might, neither Carrigan or James can seem to ignore the other.

I had some problems with the first book in this series (The Marriage Contract, in case you want to read that first), primarily because the two protagonists couldn’t communicate like grown-ups.  Thankfully, this was not a problem with Carrigan and James. Instead, they each served as a haven for the other, offering trust and security, as well as escape and release, and, as a result, they can be totally honest with each other.  That honesty, and the bond that results, makes for a truly passionate forbidden romance that is achingly sweet and spicy at the same time.  And, much like Kelley’s pick below, I loved that the characters didn’t hem and haw, or lie to themselves and each other about what they wanted.  They took matters into their own hands, and made the ending of this book one that had me cheering out loud.

Though this is the second book in the O’Malley Series, you really don’t have to have read the first book to enjoy this one; the plot details that you need to know are covered, and Carrigan’s romance with James is definitely one that stands on its own beautifully.  I do have to take a bit of umbrage at the use of Boston as a setting though, as I am a stickler for details.  However, if that is the worst I have to say about this book, then it really is quite a winner.

Seriously, there really was no reason to drive all the way up to Maine for That One Scene…..

Kelley:

Marrying Winterborne by Lisa Kleypas

Since beginning my romance reading journey last year, I find that I keep a running mental list of my favorite historical romance heroes, and a new one is vying for a top spot: Rhys Winterborne.

So, you may ask, what makes Mr. Winterborne so special? Unlike most historical romance heroes who carry family titles of duke or earl or marquess, Rhys Winterborne is the Welsh son of a shop owner who earned his fortune and position in society through determination and hard work. The owner of the largest department store in London, despite his financial success, just his being Welsh at the time of this story makes him an underdog and who can resist rooting for the charming guy with an unfair disadvantage? But perhaps the most refreshing thing of all about this unique historical romance hero is that he is a man with the freedom that money and power allow, but without the restrictions that a title would force upon him, a combination that reveals him to be forthright and honest about his feelings and desires even when they are overwhelming to him or potentially unpopular with his peers. That kind of directness is often absent in historical romances, where the characters dance around society’s dictates, and it’s exactly what makes this book something special.

When Mr. Rhys Winterborne and Lady Helen Ravenel first come together in Kleypas’ Cold Hearted Rake, readers had no doubt where the next book in the series would lead. Marrying Winterborne opens with the renewal of the couple’s engagement, but of course things can’t be that simple. First, Helen has to convince her disapproving family that she truly desires a marriage with an untitled man. Along the way, secrets of the past come to light that complicate things, but throughout, Helen manages to be the softening and caring presence Rhys has needed all his life, and Rhys is the supporting force that allows Helen to finally find the courage to step out of her role as the quiet and protected oldest Ravenel daughter. And when she does, get ready, because the choices she makes will entirely change her life as she has always known it.

In addition to a great male protagonist, this romance thoroughly succeeds where many others come up short. All too often, I feel that historical romance authors draw out deceptions between couples and the fall-out of their reveal ad nauseum. In Marrying Winterborne, Kleypas creates enough conflict to keep the pages turning, but leads the characters to their happy ending before readers find themselves completely fed up with the evasions of truth that inevitably come between couples in this genre. The supporting characters are also top notch, well drawn drawn individuals that I look forward to reading about in forthcoming books in this series. And most importantly, Kleypas also transcends the norm in her characterization of the Helen. Quiet and gentle by nature, Lady Helen’s fiery Ravenel family is protective of her, but when they make a major decision about her future without consulting her first, she knows it is time to take control of her own life. Step one in the process: Marrying Winterborne….

Happy reading, romance lovers! You can thank me later.