The Great Gatsby is one of those books I return to repeatedly. The first book that really spoke to me happens to have been an historical romance. A librarian at my middle school handed it to me and said, "Read this." The title was Mrs. Mike. I bawled, in that completely overcome way that preteen girls sometimes do. Sometimes the love stories I enjoy in contemporary novels are the unhappy ones, like Intimacy by Hanif Kureishi.
Interesting about Intimacy -- I'll have to look that one up. Yes, I agree. It's when the romance is part of the story that it really gets you, not the only story. That's funny about Mrs. Mike though. I wonder if it's still on Amazon. I'm going to look!! xo
Thank you for the fun pre-Valentines sub stack! You asked for other romances that are memorable. As time has moved on since COVID, I am more and more struck by romances found in unlikely situations. The dystopian book Handmaid’s Tale brought me to Nick and June and I can’t forget them. They were one another’s strength and mode of survival in such a bizarro environment. There relationship was never straightforward even at the very end. Although, theirs is not a classic love story, there is a truth that feels so contemporary and genuine. I have not seen the televised version. Usually, things are not as they are in the book telling and I haven’t wanted to taint my love of this story for many reasons, especially this these two characters.
That's true about Nick and June. Interesting. I forgot about them. I watched the show and it was so disturbing at times that I kind of lost the love story element along the way. Did you watch the show?
Yes, a total palette cleanser. That's funny that you use that word. That's what I say all of the time. I recently read The No Show by Beth O'Leary and I felt like that was a good one to read in between heavier novels. I also use mystery/suspense novels as great books to read in between others, like a good Lisa Jewell. Remember Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews? I was just talking to friends about that one at a dinner party and we got such a kick out of reminiscing about that one!!
Thank you, Garrett! Yes, the language is incredible. I read the Max Perkins biography -- I'm not sure if you know who he is but he edited Fitzgerald, Hemingway, and some of the other greats of that time. In his biography, he talks about dealing with Fitzgerald and it's so fascinating. What a disaster he was, and yet how much Perkins adored him and his writing. It would be worth getting if you haven't seen it.
The Great Gatsby is one of those books I return to repeatedly. The first book that really spoke to me happens to have been an historical romance. A librarian at my middle school handed it to me and said, "Read this." The title was Mrs. Mike. I bawled, in that completely overcome way that preteen girls sometimes do. Sometimes the love stories I enjoy in contemporary novels are the unhappy ones, like Intimacy by Hanif Kureishi.
Interesting about Intimacy -- I'll have to look that one up. Yes, I agree. It's when the romance is part of the story that it really gets you, not the only story. That's funny about Mrs. Mike though. I wonder if it's still on Amazon. I'm going to look!! xo
Gotta add _Bel Canto_ by Ann Patchett. Glad to have found you, Brooke. --Mary
Ooh. Good one, yes!! :)
Thank you for the fun pre-Valentines sub stack! You asked for other romances that are memorable. As time has moved on since COVID, I am more and more struck by romances found in unlikely situations. The dystopian book Handmaid’s Tale brought me to Nick and June and I can’t forget them. They were one another’s strength and mode of survival in such a bizarro environment. There relationship was never straightforward even at the very end. Although, theirs is not a classic love story, there is a truth that feels so contemporary and genuine. I have not seen the televised version. Usually, things are not as they are in the book telling and I haven’t wanted to taint my love of this story for many reasons, especially this these two characters.
That's true about Nick and June. Interesting. I forgot about them. I watched the show and it was so disturbing at times that I kind of lost the love story element along the way. Did you watch the show?
Thanks for the shoutout! I love fluffy romances as a palette cleanser but your take on them is great... especially The Great Gatsby! Good call.
Yes, a total palette cleanser. That's funny that you use that word. That's what I say all of the time. I recently read The No Show by Beth O'Leary and I felt like that was a good one to read in between heavier novels. I also use mystery/suspense novels as great books to read in between others, like a good Lisa Jewell. Remember Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews? I was just talking to friends about that one at a dinner party and we got such a kick out of reminiscing about that one!!
Thank you, Garrett! Yes, the language is incredible. I read the Max Perkins biography -- I'm not sure if you know who he is but he edited Fitzgerald, Hemingway, and some of the other greats of that time. In his biography, he talks about dealing with Fitzgerald and it's so fascinating. What a disaster he was, and yet how much Perkins adored him and his writing. It would be worth getting if you haven't seen it.