Ode to the Bodice-Rippers. I miss you. :(

[charlie_bz]

Today I'm talking romance novels. Specifically historical romance novels. Heck, let's just call them bodice rippers - the bestest kind of all!!

Comments

[gilliebeans]

Everyone loves a Lindsey! Thanks to her, I became a schoolteacher confident that I would immediately meet and fall in love with a pirate. Schoolteachers were forever hooking up with pirates in her books. And no, I never got the Fabio thing. Ick! Plus, shame on him for failing to get along with George Clooney!

My personal favorite is Jude Devereaux - she is pretty clever about tweaking the whole genre.

The publicity pictures are GLORIOUS!

[charlie_bz]

Yeah...I had a lot of time on my hands today.

Yes on Jude Devereaux. And LaVyrle Spencer. How could I have forgotten Kathleen Woodiweiss? Shanna - the book that started it all.

I loved the pirate genre. Only those guys could get away with wearing those puffy shirts.

You know, I think the whole reason I posted this entry was so I could use my Antony in Bed icon.

[gilliebeans]

Ah, Antony, how hot you were before moving to Egypt and tinkering with Cleopatra's cosmetic pots...

SHANNA!!!!! Oh my sweet Mother of God! Now I need some bodice rippers!

[charlie_bz]

Old cover:

[biggrstaffbunch]

Oh man, my favorite is Lisa Kleypas. All time favorite. She is amazing, PLEASE read her...she's got too-stupid-to-live, but also the amazing spirited heroines too!

[charlie_bz]

I have read Lisa Kleypas! She is good, isn't she? My favorite of hers was the book about the actress. I can't for the life of me remember the title (they all sound alike!).

[wytchcroft]

hee hee - i loved this post!

and that first cover -man impaled on boobs - my eyes are still smarting!:):):)

it's an amzing genre - should make a comeback..

(over at FFFN, slumming managed some pretty good firefly 'rippers')

[wytchcroft]

and i swapped one typo for another! tyen shuh...

[charlie_bz]

Romance cover parodies:

http://www.worldoflongmire.com/features/romance_novels/

These are naughty:

http://www.worldoflongmire.com/features/romance_novels/readers_naughty_covers.htm

[ncb1]

I read them and was convinced that I would wed an English Duke who was masquerading as a pirate in order to win back his rightful inheritance from the vile cousin who cheated him out of it.

[charlie_bz]

That's the ticket! Pirates must be nobleman. Highwaymen must be nobleman. The best is when the highwayman/pirates are both a nobleman and a spy for the Crown.

piracy!:)

[wytchcroft]

did you know i am a pirate in a children's book? this is me:

http://pics.livejournal.com/wytchcroft/pic/00002bg2/

someone i haven't seen in years got some photos from my sister and drew me as the pirate for a book - i can die happy now!!:):):):)

well, except - ok, i had a LOUSY day today - and your links here really cheered me up, so THANK YOU:)

Re: piracy!:)

[charlie_bz]

You've been immortalized! You wytch pirate you!

Glad the links cheered you. They are good fun, huh?

[dancingotter72]

My first bodice ripper was Kathleen Woodiwiss' The Flame and the Flower. Still read it about once a year. But you are right. I try to still read them, but I don't think I have read a truly good historical romance that was written this decade. Also a fan of Jude Devereau and Julie Garwood. Virginia Henley is good if you like your bodice ripper to be really smutty.

[charlie_bz]

Virgina Henley...Yes. Very smutty. Have you ever read Rosemary Rogers? She frightened me with her Steve & Ginny books. Can't remember why but it was overload for the teenager that I was.

I gave up on the genre almost ten years ago (yikes!). Nothing but Regencies. How many times do we have to read about the impoverished heroine and the Earl/Duke that loves her?