Five Fall Favorites Day 4

 

 

Welcome to Day 4 of Five Fall Favorites, hosted by Kate Willis! Today I’m sharing my Top 5 Romance Books. Romance as a genre is not my favorite, but I agree that it adds interest to almost any plot. Many of my favorite books revolve around romance, or at least include it as a subplot. If done well, it can make for some deep character studies, which I love in a novel. (Note: This list doesn’t include favorites from other genres, like Jane Eyre or Sense and Sensibility.)

 

 

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

This is the ultimate romance novel in many readers’ minds, and I’m no exception. But it’s much more than a simple romance; it’s got great characters, Jane Austen’s sharp societal commentary, and her intrepid wit. Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy are iconic romantic leads as they battle it out, but they’re also delightful and lovable characters who grow and change. Read my full review HERE.

Persuasion by Jane Austen

I could have included all of Jane Austen’s novels on this list, but I limited myself to the works of hers I think most romantic. Persuasion involves a slow romance between two people, Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth, who think that their love for each other died eight years ago when Anne rejected Wentworth due to her family’s influence.

Christy by Catherine Marshall

This classic in Christian fiction involves more than romance; it’s a thought-provoking story about nineteen-year-old Christy Huddleston, whose faith and ideals are challenged when she pursues God’s call to teach in the Smoky Mountain community of Cutter Gap. Her heart is torn between two drastically different men as she navigates life in this rural world. I love the book for Catherine Marshall’s beautiful writing, well-drawn characters, and keen realism about faith.

Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell

This novel by one of my favorite Victorian authors is long but well worth the read. The book explores many different relationships … primarily between Molly Gibson and her father, stepmother, stepsister, and her friendship with the Hamley family, of whom one of the sons, Roger Hamley, becomes very dear to her. Inner conflict arises when Roger and Molly’s stepsister, Cynthia, form an attachment. I love how Gaskell’s characters are so complex and realistic and how she depicts each one fairly. The BBC miniseries adaptation is also one of my favorite movies.

Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens

Another of my favorite Victorian authors, Dickens of course always writes more than romances. His novels are like TV series, in which romances are often an important part. My favorite romance in his canon is Little Dorrit. Almost twenty years apart, Arthur Clennam and Amy Dorrit are an unlikely pair on the surface, but when you consider their gentleness, their self-sacrificing characters, and their love for family and friends, it’s a beautiful thing to watch. Little Dorrit has about a dozen other plot threads, but this aspect of the book makes it one of my favorites.