I think we can all agree that 2017 needs to be cut up into teeny tiny pieces, burned, buried, and the ground salted so it can NEVER EVER come back. Thankfully, we had some pretty impressive and fantastic books to comfort and offer us an escape from reality. From romance to fantasy to horror…below is my list of some of my favorite reads that helped to keep me reasonably sane this year.
Devil in Spring by Lisa Kleypas
Kleypas writes another swoony worthy winner as she builds a humorous reluctant romance between a man who has everything and a woman who wants nothing from him. Fans of Kleypas’ Wallflower series will cheer with abandon this couple, especially the hero once it’s learned he is the son of Evie and Seb from Devil in Winter.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Thomas’ debut is a powerful and striking portrayal of a teenager’s fight to save herself and her community when she witnesses the shooting of a friend by a police officer. Frank narrative addresses the racism and fear that exists inside law enforcement, our neighborhoods, and ourselves.
A Conspiracy in Belgravia by Sherry Thomas
The 2nd book in Thomas’ exquisite and highly entertaining gender-bending homage to Sherlock Holmes is a delightful concoction of mystery, intrigue, humor, and agency that effortlessly engages as we follow our heroine, Charlotte Holmes, in her bid for independence and security while she puts her analytical mind against some the city’s best. (Review)
Wildfire by Ilona Andrews
Once again the Andrews bring their formidable writing skills to the table and deliver outstanding results as they take readers on a wild ride to the finish line in the third and maybe final book in their epic magical adventure trilogy series-Hidden Legacy. Set in an alternative version of Earth, the Andrews’ use of bold characterization, fantastical world building, and sharply honed wit draws you in and enthralls you from page one. (Review)
Bring the Heat by GA Aiken
G.A. Aiken brings back her irresistibly humorous, snarky, action-packed, violent and outrageously larger than life dragons and their human mates in the 9th book of her epic adventure fantasy series. She wraps up a long ongoing story arc and offers readers a hilarious and comfortable friends to lovers romance. Add in the Black Bear Riders of the Midnight Mountains of Despair in the Far Reaches of the Steppes of the Outerplains (God, I love these names) and you will belly roll till the very last page. (Review)
Act Your Age by Eve Dangerfield
Act Your Age is a sexy, humorous, and bittersweet opposite attraction erotic romance that places its focus more on the characters and their issues rather than the kink the storyline is built around. The erotic sexual components are exquisitely written and blend perfectly with the building romance and main storyline. Dangerfield has a fantastic voice that creates a sense of camaraderie between the reader and her characters. She writes about everyday people, with regular lives and problems who like kink with their sex. (Review)
The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare
Such a fun and sexy marriage of convenience romance. I loved Dare’s take on the classic Beauty and the Beast trope. Looking forward to more from this author and this series. I do hope the series focuses on Emma’s friends each getting their HEA.
Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine
The first in an outstanding psychological thriller series whose twists and turns had me perched on the edge till the very end. I was thoroughly hooked from page one. Caine does an excellent job of keeping the story ripe with anticipation as she brings out the dark side of human nature and the lengths one woman will go to save her child from a predator. The pacing is steady, the narrative dynamic, and the characters bold in their quests.
Ivar’s Prize by Amy Penza
Ivar’s Prize is a short but full-bodied erotic romance with a strong suspense-filled sci-fi base. Strong characterization, witty dialogue, and a solid foundation open the door to endless arc possibilities as Pennza builds a world filled with aliens, sentient life forms, kleptocratic governments, and vast conspiracies. (Review)
The Kingpin of Camelot by Cassandra Gannon
Ilona Andrews touted this as the perfect bit of escapism and I agree 100%. A delicious confection of satire and snark, Gannon builds a delightfully entertaining story using her world building to cleverly manipulate our most beloved fairy tales and characters to create an action-packed adventure while addressing evergreen political and social issues with biting wit, engaging intrigue, incorrigible antagonists, and an unrepentant romance. (Review)
Lost Boy by Christina Henry
Fans of Disney’s or Barres’ versions of Peter Pan will be hard pressed to conjure up the usual feeling of nostalgia over their childhood favorite with this version. Though this is a story filled with the magic of childhood fantasies, it is also a story of murder, madness, and violence. Henry keeps the story fresh and energetic with diabolical twists and turns to keep us guessing. Dynamic characterization and narration held me hostage to the end (Review)
The Queen of Swords by R.S. Belcher
Once again Belcher lets loose the reins on his formidable imagination and skill, creating another undeniable winner with his whimsically horrific characters, unparalleled worldbuilding, stimulating narrative and a diabolical storyline teeming with magic, mayhem, and dark humor. Fans will cheer the powerful female protagonists who are indeed the queens of this world. (Review)
Blackwood by Celia Aaron
What would have happened if Little Red Riding Hood had met the Big Bad Wolf and decided being his dinner and dessert might not be such a bad thing? This intense and erotic romantic suspense pushes all your buttons and boundaries when a young woman’s need to know the truth about her family leads her to a man whose own needs will either break her…or set her free. Mystery, intrigue, suspense, and dark sexual desires await you at Blackwood.
Hate to Want You by Alisha Rai
This heart wrenching and emotionally charged erotic romance follows a forbidden relationship between a couple whose families are sworn enemies. This is no Romeo and Juliet part deux though. These individuals, with their strong sense of family, honor, and maturity, fight against incredible odds to give themselves the second chance they deserve. Gripping erotic scenes only serve to further heighten our knowledge of this couple’s love for one another.
GIVEAWAY
Leave a comment letting us know what one of your favorite reads for 2017 was and be entered to win a prize pack of books (books are finished copies that we have collected the past few months. They are newer releases, not the ones shown above). Books will be given away all week so be sure to comment on each reviewer’s favorite books for 2017 post. Winners will be chosen at random on January 2nd, 2018 and books will be mailed out the second week of 2018.
I was able to buy THUG when it was on sale earlier this week. I am looking forward to finally reading it.
Silence Fallen by Patricia Briggs
Hard Hitter by Sarina Bowen
Kristen Ashley’s “Complicated” and Belle Brooks “Always You”!!
I have tons! Loved the New Camelot Series by Sierra Simone, Alisha Rai, loved Devil in Spring by Lisa Kleypas, Dating-ish by Penny Reid, Roomies by Christina Lauren, Sarina Bowen, CD Reiss, and Soooo many more!
I’ve been thinking about reading The New Camelot series but just haven’t done it yet. Three books feels like a huge time commitment.
I read the Hidden Legacy books by Ilona Andrews in one big gulp and loved them so much.
Toni!!! I LOVE your picks. This year was such a great year of releases and great books. I hardly read any TBR books because there were so many great new releases every week.
I was really impressed with Duchess Deal, fantastic. And Alisha Rai writes the best books right? And books are a great way to keep us sane.
My reading mojo was off this year, which sucked, but I did enjoyed Sarah J. Maas’ A Court of Wings and Ruin, and also Amanda Bouchet’s Breath of Fire. A couple of contemporaries really did it for me this year but of course as I write this I’m drawing a blank :( I did a lot of re-reading and audiobooks this year.
I loved Sarina Bowen’s True North series!!!
Great list. Lisa Kleypas’ Devil in Spring may have been my favorite. I just read KA’s latest, The Hookup and LOVED that. There’s been a lot of meh though.
Great list.
Love Love Love G.A. Aiken…glad to see the ‘snark’ has returned !! And of course THE UNYIELDING by Shelly Laurenston (aka G.A. Aiken)
I had a few 5 star reads…and some were not strictly romance but more romantic suspense/thriller
1. The Dollar Series by Pepper Winters-always a writer of dark, controversial romances
2. Faithless Elector / Dark Network (Political Thriller series) by James Crone
3. Vampire Blood Series by Juliette Cross
4. When Life Happened by Jewel E Ann
5.. Unbroken Heroes Series by Dawn Ryder
6. Magnus Blackwell Series by Alexandrea Weis
7. Angie Pallorino (Thriller/mystery series) by Loreth Anne White
Thank you and Happy Holidays !!!
Devil in Spring by Kleypas. I think I reread it at least 10 times
Wildfire by Ilona Andrews was one of favorites as well.
Irresistible you by Kate Meader
I always enjoy new In Death books by JD Robb – in 2017 we had ‘Echoes in Death’ and ‘Secrets In Death’
oh – I also enjoyed her Nora Roberts ‘Year One’ book -the start to a different trilogy
The Nightingale by Kristen Hannah was one of my favs this year!
One of my favorite is Feels Like the First Time by Marina Adair :)
Thank you for the great book recommendations and your generosity!
Happy Holidays :)
Most of All You by Mia Sheridan
Yay, a list that actually has several books I’ve read! The Hate U Give was one of my favorites this year as well.
I can’t pick one favorite, but I LOVED Managed by Kristen Callihan. It’s easily in my top ten.
Ooooh… for me it’s a tie between The Duchess Deal and Blackwood :) thanks for the great list! There’s a few I hadn’t run across and I’m definitely going to be checking them out.
My favorite was All I Want For Halloween by Marie Harte.
Thanks for the chance to win!
Act Your Age is definitely a favorite of mine for 2017. I also really enjoyed Retribution by Katie Reus, The Attraction Equation by Kadie Scott and Do You Want To Start a Scandal by Tessa Dare.
Hate to Want You by Alisha Rai
The Love Experiment by Ainslie Paton
Hate to Want You and Devil in Spring too my list for 2017 too!
Sandhya Menon : When Dimple met Rishi
Thanks for the giveaways. I have not read any on the list. I am a contemp romance gal and one of my favorites was the Sinclair Billionaire series by JS Scott, am finishing it up and have to say almost done it will be one of my favorites, it is The Billionaire’s Secrets, touching series.
So many good books. Kristen Ashley had The Time In between, Complicated and Hookup. Also Toni Aleo Assassin’s series Two Man Advantage. Hooking Up by Helena Hunting. Beard in Mind by Penny Reid
Wildfire by Ilona Andrews and Silver Silence by Nalini Singh were two of my favorites that I have reread several times. Thanks for the giveaway and happy New Year.
The Queen of Swords by R.S. Belcher was my favorite read this year… I’m thrilled it made your list. Very talented author.
Hate to Want You by Alisha Rai for sure. I now need to read the rest of the series.
Several of the books on your list made the top of mine also, including White Hot, Wildfire, Devil In Spring and The Kingpin of Camelot. In UF, I also loved Blood of the Earth by Faith Hunter and Edge of Dreams by Diana Pharaoh Francis.
Complicated by Kristen Ashely! Great list
I always love Patricia Briggs’ books, so Silence Fallen was up there for me :)
Love, love, love Devil in Spring! Everything written by Lisa Kleypas is golden to me.
Her hall own treat-Tiffany reiz
I enjoyed reading your favorites, Tori. You mentioned a number of books that I also read with pleasure.
One of my three favorites this year is Lyn Gala’s alien male/male romance series that features Liam and Ondry.
Tessa Dare and Lisa Kleypas always makes it to my favorite list! This year Gina L. Maxwell’s Hot For The Fireman and Robin Bielman’s Lips Close To Mine made it to my favorites list.
One of my favorite reads for 2017 was “The Six-Gun Tarot” by R.S. Belcher.
JS Scott – The Billionaire’s Secrets.
HATE TO WANT YOU – Hands down the best! I’m not much of a rereader, and I’ve reread it twice already!
I loved the Duchess Deal and Act Your Age. I still need to read The Hate U Give and Hate to Want You.
Harper Sloan-the Lost Rider was so good. I discovered her this year and have dived in to the rest of her work!
Even though I don’t read much YA, I also really liked The Hate You Give (and thought about it weeks after finishing it).
Rachel Van Dyken – The Bachelor Auction.
Loved Cale Dietrich’s THE LOVE INTEREST and Christina Lauren’s AUTOBOYOGRAPHY.