Best Romance Novel Reviews

Welcome!

Are you looking for a great romance novel to read? This blog, in association with Best Romance Novels Today, is dedicated to posting the best romance novels we can find.

We scour the web, searching independent review sites for the best romance novels. We consider books from large publishers, and also gems from the small presses. Each book posted has earned a five star review from a respected reviewer. In addition, we check that novel's average star ranking on Amazon. If a book earns 5 stars from both sources (or averages 4 1/2 stars with at least 15+ reviews on Amazon), we post it here. Enjoy!

In Bed with a Highlander
Maya Banks
Ballantine Books, 2011
Best Historical romance

Ewan McCabe, the eldest, is a warrior determined to vanquish his enemy. Now, with the time ripe for battle, his men are ready and Ewan is poised to take back what is his—until a blue-eyed, raven-haired temptress is thrust upon him. Mairin may be the salvation of Ewan’s clan, but for a man who dreams only of revenge, matters of the heart are strange territory to conquer.

Though the illegitimate daughter of the king, Mairin possesses prized property that has made her a pawn—and wary of love. Her worst fears are realized when she is rescued from peril, only to be forced into marriage by her charismatic and commanding savior, Ewan McCabe. More...

“...tender and smoking hot.” – Maura, Coffee Time Romance and More …full book review

Available at Amazon


A Mother's Homecoming
Tanya Michaels
Harlequin, 2011
Best Category romance

Welcome Home, Stranger

For Pamela Jo Wilson, returning to her sleepy Mississippi hometown means coming face-to-face with her past. At seventeen, overwhelmed by the responsibilities of a new marriage and family, she fled Mimosa. But Nick Shepard wasn't the only one Pam left behind. Now, thirteen years later, she just hopes she can make things right with her ex-husband and the child she barely knows.

Nick's first instinct is to protect his daughter, but his little girl is hell-bent on meeting the woman who left her behind. With his own feelings for Pam being as powerful and all-consuming as ever, how can Nick know what he's feeling is real? More...

“...tender and heartwarming.” – Pat Cooper, RT Book Reviews …full book review

Available at Amazon

The Fault in Our Stars

The Fault in Our Stars is the fourth solo novel of John Green, not yet released, that rose to #1 on the the Amazon and Barnes & Noble bestseller lists in June 2011 shortly after its title was announced.

The book's title was revealed in a blog post on Green's tumblr blog on June 28, 2011. In the post Green stated "The title is inspired by a famous line from Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar. The nobleman Cassius says to Brutus, “The fault, dear Brutus is not in our stars, / But in ourselves, that we are underlings.”" This was also stated on his youtube blog.

The book shot to number 1 on the Amazon and Barnes & Noble best sold charts, even though an official release date and cover have not yet been released. John Green has also promised that every copy of the first printing of his new book will be signed by him. He also states in a youtube vlog (video blog) that he will indeed be signing every copy by hand. He has proposed that the general public vote on the color sharpie he will use to sign the book. He has also been allowing fans to submit their book cover designs.

The book focuses on a girl named Hazel who is suffering from terminal cancer and is forced by her parents to attend a support group.

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Catching Fire

Catching Fire
Starred Review. Gr 7 Up--Every year in Panem, the dystopic nation that exists where the U.S. used to be, the Capitol holds a televised tournament in which two teen "tributes" from each of the surrounding districts fight a gruesome battle to the death. In The Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, the tributes from impoverished District Twelve, thwarted the Gamemakers, forcing them to let both teens survive. In this rabidly anticipated sequel, Katniss, again the narrator, returns home to find herself more the center of attention than ever. The sinister President Snow surprises her with a visit, and Katniss’s fear when Snow meets with her alone is both palpable and justified. Catching Fire is divided into three parts: Katniss and Peeta’s mandatory Victory Tour through the districts, preparations for the 75th Annual Hunger Games, and a truncated version of the Games themselves. Slower paced than its predecessor, this sequel explores the nation of Panem: its power structure, rumors of a secret district, and a spreading rebellion, ignited by Katniss and Peeta’s subversive victory. Katniss also deepens as a character. Though initially bewildered by the attention paid to her, she comes almost to embrace her status as the rebels’ symbolic leader. Though more of the story takes place outside the arena than within, this sequel has enough action to please Hunger Games fans and leaves enough questions tantalizingly unanswered for readers to be desperate for the next installment.

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Ghost Story

The eagerly awaited new novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling Dresden Files series.

When we last left the mighty wizard detective Harry Dresden, he wasn't doing well. In fact, he had been murdered by an unknown assassin.

But being dead doesn't stop him when his friends are in danger. Except now he has nobody, and no magic to help him. And there are also several dark spirits roaming the Chicago shadows who owe Harry some payback of their own.

To save his friends-and his own soul-Harry will have to pull off the ultimate trick without any magic...

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Heaven is for Real

Heaven is for Real
A young boy emerges from life-saving surgery with remarkable stories of his visit to heaven.
Heaven Is for Real is the true story of the four-year old son of a small town Nebraska pastor who during emergency surgery slips from consciousness and enters heaven. He survives and begins talking about being able to look down and see the doctor operating and his dad praying in the waiting room. The family didn't know what to believe but soon the evidence was clear.
Colton said he met his miscarried sister, whom no one had told him about, and his great grandfather who died 30 years before Colton was born, then shared impossible-to-know details about each. He describes the horse that only Jesus could ride, about how "reaaally big" God and his chair are, and how the Holy Spirit "shoots down power" from heaven to help us.
Told by the father, but often in Colton's own words, the disarmingly simple message is heaven is a real place, Jesus really loves children, and be ready, there is a coming last battle.

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