Romance …
That’s a huge category, as romance is the biggest-selling book category in the English-speaking world, and that’s when Christian romance is included in the Religion category. Add the two together, and romance probably outsells all the other genres combined.
I do have some specific favourite subgenres within romance. Actually, within Christian romance:
Regency Romance
Regency Romance is set during the British Regency period, when Parliament decided King George III wasn’t mentally capable of undertaking his duties as king. His son, George, the future King George IV, was appointed Prince Regent to rule in King George III’s place … hence, the Regency.
One of the reasons I like Regency Romance is the setting: it’s almost exclusively set in England.
I lived in London for ten years, and it’s great to take a virtual trip back to England … especially as parts of it have barely changed since the Regency.
My current favourite Regency author is Carolyn Miller, because I love the depth of her characters and the underlying Christian message.
Which reminds me …
International Settings
I also enjoy reading romance with international settings i.e. romance that isn’t set in the USA.
(Between TV, movies, novels, and social media, I think I’m familiar enough with American culture. I’d like to expand my reading horizons.)
Yes, I know I live in New Zealand, which means the USA is technically an international setting for me. But I’ve read so many books read in mainland USA that I do enjoy reading a novel with a non-American setting, where we can also see aspects of the local culture come through.
I’ve recently enjoyed In Want of a Wife by Meredith Resce, the second book in her Luella Linley series. They’re lots of fun!
I’ve also enjoyed Milla Holt’s Colour Blind series, set in contemporary England.
Which brings me to …
Contemporary Romance
I enjoy many genres of contemporary romance, especially rom-com (because everyone needs to laugh, right), and contemporary romance with a less common setting (international, hint hint) or unusual character occupations (these things often run in cycles, and it seems every other Christian romance heroine runs a B&B, cafe, cupcake shop, or bookstore, and the heroes are all billionaires or cowboys. Or billionaire cowboys).
