Fantasy Romance series
Robin D Owen’s The Summoning series is a wonderful blend of fantasy and romance published by Luna Books a division of Harlequin.
This is a story over five novels of six women finding love, saving a world and finding themselves in the process.
In the first book, Guardian of Honor, you are introduced to the world of Llandra. Llandra is a world or magic where the fence that protects good from evil is failing. The people of Llandra pull women form Earth to help defeat the great evil.
Each woman must learn about and master her newly discovered magic skill while they work together to find a way to conquer the evil.
These are strong women in a wonderful fantasy world. I enjoy this world and the romance of it so much that I’ve read the full series three times so far!
I think you’ve got the basic outline right. One thing I’d add, ulsualy in a romance the hero (it’s more usual that it’s the hero, but you can have it be the heroine) is somewhat tormented. There’s something in his/her past that has wounded him emotionally (like his wife cheating on him; his girlfriend dumping him for his best friend). To be together, the heroine has to break through the barriers the hero has put up to keep himself from being hurt again.BTW: When it seems that the protagonists are going to get together, a usual plot device is to have some misunderstanding occur between the two of them. Sometimes it’s caused by a third person perhaps even the man’s wife/girlfriend coming back into the picture and trying to get him back something like that. Or it could be that’s there’s been some hidden agenda on the part of one of the two. For instance, the man knew the woman had possession of a certain artifact that he’s been after but when he met her he never let her know that. Then, after she breaks through the wall he’s built around his heart (and they seem ready to get together), she finds out about the seeming betrayal another obstacle must be vanquished!
You want enough rcanmoe to have the readers wanting the two characters to get together so badly they would do anything! The best thing to do DON’T get them together. Readers love books like that they just dont know it. Longing glances, accidental brushing of the shoulders, almost there kisses those are the kinds of things that will make butterflies go through the reader’s stomach and leave them hoping (and turning pages) for more. Think about it HP, The Office (and a ton of other TV shows) have the characters that are destined to be together clumsily learn over time that they were meant for each other. Sappy rcanmoe like twilight has none of that. They didnt start off as friends, they didn’t slowly and painfully fall in love, and they didnt give the readers anything to be hoping for. Less IS more when it comes to rcanmoe. Don’t give the readers what they want unless you want (until the end) unless you want it to be boring.GL! I hoped I helped you.
Hmm, off the top of my head, here are some books I’ve read in the past few months and raelly enjoyed. They run the gamut from speculative scifi to gritty urban fantasy to escapist fantasy gay mysteries to lighthearted romance. A common thread is that I enjoy strong female characters who don’t play into sterotypes (although not everything I’m reccing is high on female characters), interesting world-building, and humor rather than nonstop angst.I’ve read over 250 new books this year, so when I say I enjoyed these, it means I *really* enjoyed them (Un Lun Dun would be at the top of the list, but I know you already read it).Urban FantasyThe Fever Series by Karen Mae Moning – dark and gritty, takes place in Ireland, doesn’t conform to usual urban fantasy tropes. Be warned though, the third and most recent book ends with a major cliffhanger, and it’s going to be a year until the next one! Young AdultAnything by Shannon Hale (except for her Austenland book). I seriously can’t pick a favorite because I loved them all so much! Reinterpretations of fairy tales.Sci-fiThe Disappeared Series by Kristine Kathryn Rusch – incredibly fascinating world building. I can’t even think of how to describe them and do them justice.Straight-up RomanceJust One Of The Guys by Kristan Higgins – the heroine is in love with sports, is tall and athletic and muscular and proud of it, and has a billion male relatives – all of whom are cops and firefighters. I raelly enjoyed this book, even though I have zero in common with her.Seduce Me At Sunrise by Lisa Kleypas – a totally enjoyable historical romance. Lisa Kleypas rarely does me wrong, and this one was especially good.Romance with a Paranormal/Urban Fantasy twistThe Sensation Series by Nalini Singh – there are five of these out so far and I literally *inhaled* them, I enjoyed them so much! Well, I didn’t like the fourth one, but I adored the rest. She’s come up with such an interesting world! I am so sad it’s a year until the next book! Withdrawal!The Dirk and Steel Series by Marjorie M. Liu – a lot of her characters aren’t white – which is so rare in romance these days. Her characters are also satisfyingly *real* – they say things I would say and think things I would think. Driven by Eve Kenin – Futuristic, dystopic, apocalyptic romance, where most of the world is frozen over. Truck-driver heroine!Escapist FantasyThe Lord of the Fading Lands series by C.L. Wilson – this is the one exception to my strong and realistic female characters requirement. The main character is kind of a Sue, but I had a blast reading these anyway.Gay Mysteries/RompsThe Adrien English Series by Josh Lanyon (available online! Very worth it!)The Gumshoe, The Witch, and the Virtual Corpse (this one is only available used through amazon, but I’m super glad I got it, because it was extremely enjoyable)The Shadow of the Templar series (found online and *free* – wow, did I have a blast with these! Young hotshot FBI agent! Famous master thief! They solve crimes! And have capers! And hot sex! And there’s a team and they all rock too! I think all of the books so far clocked in at about 400,000 words. So, so much fun!If you’re interested in nonfiction, I’d rec Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver, The Billionaires Vinegar by Benjamin Wallace, The Man Who Ate Everything by Jeffery Steingarten, The Audacity of Hope, The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner, and The Know It All by AJ Jacobs (he reads the entire Encyclopedia Brittanica!)Okay, back to reading! Edited at 2008-11-11 05:08 pm (UTC)
Wow Jack, thanks for all the recommendations.
That’s the beauty of it you CAN! You can read as many of the geners as you like, if I read the information correctly. Oh, and I saw the ABNA information and I toyed with it, but I’m not sure romance would fare as well against thrillers and lit fic. Hard to say, since they’re all so different. I’m surprised they don’t have it broken down more, at least, initially.