Hey, bookworms. I’m linking up with The Broke and the Bookish girls and sharing my Top 10 Favorite Inspirational Romance novels of all time. This is a tall order, by the way. How can I possibly name only 10??
I narrowed it down to books on my ‘keeper’ shelf, the rare few I’ve read repeatedly, characters who’ve come to mind several times over the years, and books that inspire me to be a better writer.
- Love Comes Softly by Janette Oke. This is the first inspirational romance I ever read as a pre-teen. My piano teacher also carried a small inventory of Christian fiction and I remember begging my mom to buy the next in the series as soon as it was available.
- Julie by Catherine Marshall. An intense read that we inherited in a box of books from a friend, I remember struggling to finish this one as a teenager because it was so devastating. Yet such a compelling read! This is also the novel that inspired my first inkling of wanting to write in this genre.
- Five Days in Skye by Carla Laureano. It’s been three years and I still think about the romantic tension in this novel. For real. An awesome hero and heroine. The romance between James and Andrea is soooo swoon-worthy.
- Married ’til Monday by Denise Hunter. I’m a huge fan of this author and devour everything she writes. If I had to choose just one of her novels as a favorite, I think it would be this one.
- A Love Like Ours by Becky Wade. While she has written many novels, the characterization and second-chance romance plot in this one has stayed with me. I love a flawed wounded hero who desperately needs the heroine’s love to heal him. A fantastic read and one I revisit often.
- You Don’t Know Me by Susan May Warren. The first Deep Haven series book I read (out of order, I know), but I was hooked. The witness protection program, element of suspense, small town setting. Loved it all. I read everything this author wrote after this novel (starting to see a pattern here).
- How to Catch a Prince by Rachel Hauck. What’s not to love about a princess and an eligible bachelor prince? The whole Royal Wedding series is very enjoyable, but this one stands out for me as a favorite.
- The Story Keeper by Lisa Wingate. A masterfully written story. She is a phenomenal author with an amazing gift for pouring beautiful words onto the page. I love the two story lines intertwined in one, the historical aspects, pretty much everything about this novel is wonderful.
- A Noble Groom by Jody Hedlund. Another author who consistently generates captivating stories, this particular historical romance was unputdownable (a word I just made up, by the way). Loved the premise, the romantic tension, as well as the setting.
- Long Way Gone by Charles Martin. This is an upcoming release that I was fortunate to receive an advanced copy of. (Thank you, HarperCollins!) A compelling modern day story of the prodigal son that will stay with you for a long time. I’m still pondering the plot, thinking of the characters, reflecting on the take-home message and how God heals our brokenness. Don’t miss this one!
Your turn: do you have a list of favorite novels of all time? A stack on your keeper shelf you just can’t part with? Leave me a comment below, I’d love to hear about what you love to read.
Happy reading!
Photo credit: Brigitte Tohm via Unsplash
