Today on Wonkomance, we’d like to give a big ol’ shout-out to all the RITA and GH finalists. So much awesome, so many choices…and at least one big heaping helping of wonk on the list!
The Wonko favorite I spotted among the Best Historical nominees was one of my own favorites: Unveiled, by Courtney Milan. All of the Turner books are pretty wonky (Unraveled, Smite’s book, is probably the wonkiest of them all), and I think that stems from Ms. Milan’s tendency to create complex characters then get right inside their often problematic psyches to deliver a rich, layered, personality. In Unveiled, the hero has his own special set of problems, and I adored the way Milan layered on the information about that until the final reveal. Great, great stuff, and a nice balance of the angsty and the smoking hot.
And now, a confession – despite the fact that I read all the time, I confess I have only read about two of the other finaling books this year! How about you, have you noted any other wonky gems on the Rita list? What are you adding to your TBR?
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*pokes nose in* Actually, that was the 2011 winner! And so deserved. The 2012 list is here: http://www.rwa.org/cs/2012_rita_and_gh_finalists
I’ll admit to not having read so many of these. I’m not sure how that happens, since I’m reading up a storm, although I realize that a lot of stuff I read is not full length, or digital only, or erotic (which, although can technically be entered into any category, is never really represented in finals).
Thank you, I’m such a doofus. Corrected.
I was ashamed to see that I hadn’t read any of them! I’ve got the Joyce Lamb books on my TBR, though, and understand they’re at least a *bit* wonked.
I guess I’ve been too busy reading about cannibal heros and librarian Dominants.
I’ve only read this one, Silk is for Seduction, and A Night to Surrender… I just finished reading Unveiled this past week and absolutely loved it. She rocketed up to my short list of auto-buy authors. Her ability to create complex characters drew me in big time.
I wonder if Silk is for Seduction would qualify? I’m actually only half way through, so I don’t know the whole story yet, but the heroine is not the typical heiress, she’s a feisty dressmaker with some of the infamous DeLucey blood in her and is in love with a Duke who’s a bit wonky too (he’s been reading fashion magazines because of her)
Loretta Chase can certainly bring the wonk, so it wouldn’t surprise me. I mean Lord of Scoundrels, overwhelming popularity notwithstanding, is a deeply wonky book. I haven’t read Silk is for Seduction yet (LC is autobuy for me, but my TBR is a mile long), but I wouldn’t be at all surprised if it was equally as wonktastic – and I always like seeing what the author does with a non-peer hero or heroine in a historical.
Yep, Chase is an auto buy for me too… Yep, LoS is definitely wonky! Besides the hero being wonky, the heroine shoots him, LOL!
Also just finished reading Last Night’s Scandal and of course Olivia is delightfully wonky…
Oh yes, love Olivia.
Actually I think one of my fave scenes in a romance book ever, ever is in LoS, the scene where she lets him take off her glove in the restaurant. Just…I can’t even.