First of all, happy Saturday! If you’re anything like me, you’re glad to see the weekend!
And now…I have a confession to make.
I’m feeling a bit uninspired as of late, and I’m at the point in the writing process where that’s not a good thing! (actually, that’s never a good thing when you’re trying to write a novel!) I need to have my current book finished in a couple of months, and I’m on the struggle bus right now.
Part of it is because it’s a chaotic time in my life. We’re finally putting our house on the market (target, May 1) and so I’m packing up all the non-essentials (and boy, are there a lot of those!) to go either to storage or to my upcoming yard sale. As I’m packing up each room so that it will be “show ready” come May, I’m reminded of just how much of a pack rat I am! Our impending home sale (which also means we are starting to look at potential houses for us to buy) and move is a little stressful, which seems to take a toll on the writing part of my brain. When I sit down to write, I am suddenly reminded of the twenty million little things I need to do before the house is ready to show! And we’re moving to a completely different town, so I often find myself falling down a rabbit hole and spending way too much time looking at different areas and potential homes!
I think the other part of it is just that I haven’t had any time to read lately. Reading seems to serve as inspiration for me in my own writing life, and I really think that when I make a conscious effort to carve out reading time, my own writing goes better. When I was in bed with the flu back in January, I read a lot and it was so nice to have an excuse to just stay in bed and do nothing but read—but I confess, I didn’t read a single romance the whole time I was sick! I’ve been on a mystery kick as of late, so I’m thinking I need to read a few good, swoon-worthy romances to get me back in the swing of things. My next novel, A Reservation for Romance, needs to have that sweep-her-off-her-feet kind of romance. In my last post here, I mentioned how much I dearly love the character of Brooke Jennings Lockwood, and I really want her love story to be a good one!
So I’m asking you for help! I mean, what better group of people to give me assistance than readers of inspirational romance?!
Please give me a recommendation for a really great romance—and I’ll admit, I always prefer a book with a little humor as well. I’d love to know a book title/author that you think I should check out! What is the last inspirational romance book that really captured you? What’s the last one you read that had a laugh-out-loud moment? I’d love to hear some of your thoughts and add some titles to my “to read” list!
Wemble says
Hi Annalisa, I’m like you- if I have cleaning/tidying up/sorting to do then I struggle to focus on other things until I get the tidying up done.
Hmm…I have just finished “There will be Dancing” by Lyn Ellerbe- that had me laughing out loud a couple times, and wanting to knock some sense into the hero!
Blessings:)
leemcclain1234 says
I’m just going to make a blanket recommendation of Ruth Logan Herne. I’ve mostly read her Love Inspired novels, and while she always includes some poignant moments, there is a lot of great humor in these books as well. I wish you the best with your move… that sounds like a challenge.
Pat says
Hi Annalisa. I would highly recommend the book Fried Chicken and Gravy by Sherri Schoen born Murray. All of her books are really good, but I especially liked Fried Chicken and Gravy. It will having you laughing and smiling all day long. As a teaser, Missy the main character is better at her job at her Dad’s garage than she is at girly things like cooking.
MJSH says
The Saturday Night Supper Club made me laugh. What a great book
Renate says
Hi Annalisa! I empathize with your move and packing. In the last 45 years, I have moved 12 times – lived in 8 different cities in 2 states. Several times I moved twice within a year. After a devastating house fire in 1997, I am amazed at what we have all collected in the last 20 years. Hubby and I tease, maybe we need a move, so we down size and get rid of stuff. In my sandwich years, as pastor’s wife, full time teacher, mom, grandma, and caretaker for my parents; I found making lists, writing down teaching ideas, kept me focused. In my thoughts, as you ponder and write A Reservation for Romance.
Unfortunately since Thanksgiving, I have been reading historical romances and cozy mysteries, except for reading recent releases by Inspy Romance authors. I got hooked on a Mail Order Bride series, which led to Lockets and Lace series, and now the Langley Legacy series. As a word of encouragement, I enjoyed your Arcadia Valley Romances. On Board for Romance made me laugh, especially with the Retro Village antics. Reminded me of when my father was in an assisted living facility and I would bring our Sheltie for a visit and my brother would sneak in his cat for a visit. A Recipe for Romance, your writing approach was refreshing and made me chuckle. Love watching cooking reality shows. Enjoyed the quotes at the beginning of each chapter. Best wishes.
Tracey Hagwood says
Hi Annalisa,
I sympathize with the prep for a move. We are empty nesters who have lived in the same house for 30 years and are about ready to downsize to a smaller house with less upkeep. I try to do a spring and fall cleanout anyway, but there are “pockets of resistance” that have things I just have no idea what to do with, lol.
As for some good funny romances I can recommend three.
1)The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck by Bethany Turner, a steamy romance writer becomes a Christian and then starts writing for the Christian market. This book is so funny I think I laughed on ever page.
2)Just the Way You Are by Pepper Basham, a divorced mom travels to England for book research about a family member and meets an English movie star who is suspicious of her motives. Funny and very romantic.
3)The Cupcake Dilemma by Jennifer Rodewald is a novella about a teacher who is a disaster in the kitchen, “voluntold” to make cupcakes for a school event, who enlists the aid of the local handsome baker. Cute.
Happy reading, hope you find some inspiration!
Becky Smith says
Just the Way You Are by Pepper Basham is an excellent romance, with humor even. How to Catch a Prince by Rachel Hauck is another excellent romance. I love all the books by these 2 authors, as well as author Susan May Warren. Heather Gray’s books always make me laugh, as do Jen Turano’s books. My mother-in-law said that we should move often, because it forces us to clean out all the “unnecessaries” of our lives.
Beth Gillihan says
Jen Turano books are always good and have a dose of laughter. Janice Hanna Thompson is also a good, funny writer. I read Janice’s Bella wedding planner series and laughed out loud many times. Have a great day!
Jackie Smith says
Several I planned to list have already been mentioned! So I will just repeat:
Ruth Logan Herne
Pepper Basham
Carla Laureano
Best wishes for your moving…..been there, done that!
Nancy K. says
Pat, I read that book also and loved it!
Margaret Nelson says
I just finished re-reading Rachel Hauck’s series that starts with Along Came a Prince – so good! I too enjoyed Saturday Night Supper Club by Carla Laureano. One of my all time favorites, which may not even be in print any more, is Elizabeth Goudge’s The Scent of Water.
Diana says
We just downsized and moved. It is definitely a job. But God gives grace! The Lord blessed us and our house sold in a day. We’re still looking for a few things. Our stuff was in two states and a storage unit for a while. We loaded the van in Virginia with our son and sons in law and things were stored in Tennessee and Kentucky ! We’ve got almost everything at our new house now.
Mary Conneally is a hilarious writer of historical romance.
Linda Rainey says
I empathize your move but with God’s help everything will work out.
Laugh out loud romances are fun.
I loved Reason to Run,book 1 of the Camdyn Tavylorm series by Christina Coryell. It is hilarious.
and I also like anything by Angela Ruth Strong.
Rachael Birch says
The White Road Chronicles (series) by Jackie Castle are really good. I started them a couple of months ago and had to space them out so that my Amazon account didn’t reflect my addiction to reading. I would have buzzed right through them if I could. The Chiveis Series by Brian Litfin was a trilogy that I stumbled across about five years ago.
If you are looking for a standalone (contemporary, non-sci-fi/fantasy) then perhaps Staci Stallings book, When I’m Weak. I found that one a little over a year ago, I think. I have read it at least three times since then.
If nothing grabs your attention, then I would suggest going back over something that you wrote, if it doesn’t bother you to do so. I have little tidbits that I’ve jotted down through the years, and that’s what I like to do every once in a while, I will grab for the notebook with *them* in it…
Hope your move goes swiftly and smoothly and that you are able to finish what you’ve started.
Sherri G says
Here’s another vote for The Secret Life of Sarah Hollenbeck by Bethany Turner. I loved that book.