"Romance" Novels

[livnlern]

Hi Tundramom,
Here are some books that I love that have romance in them. Some are considered classics so I don’t know whether you’ve already read them:

“Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Bronte, one of the most romantic novels of all time in my opinion!

“The Tenant of Wildfell Hall” by Ann Bronte, very well written and although it came out in the 1800s, seems like it could have been written today.

Any book by Norah Lofts. Her books are full of good plots and plausible characters and lots of history and romance. Some of her books are out of print but you can find them on Amazon or at the library.

“The Far Pavillions” by M.M.Kaye, is kind of a hefty book but is fascinating and very well written. She also wrote “Shadows of the Moon”, also very good. Both of these books take place in India and the author was very knowledgeable about this because she grew up there in the early part of the 20th century.

“North and South” by Elizabeth Gaskell. This is also a very good movie that I loved.
Hope this helps you. I also love to read and look for good books with some romance and characters that aren’t one-dimensional and plots that can’t be figured out at the beginning of the book.****

 

[kage_ar]

You guys are so awesome!

Ok… another dilemma

What do I do with all my novels? Would it be sinful to try to sell them? Give them to GoodWill? Am I participating in another person’s sin if I do that?

Burn them. You do not want to put porn in someone else’s hands.

 

[Huiou_Theou]

Yeah, I know the feeling.

You might want to check with your local recycler if they will take them.
You might need to remove the glossy covers, but I think the paper inside most of those books are not plasitcised – so they are likely recyclable.
That’s one option that won’t burn down the house accidentally…

–Andrew

 

[Cat]

I think that it’s misleading to call romance novels “porn.”

It makes real pornography seem a lot less harmful.

I’m assuming that many of you have never seen hard-core porn. It’s a lot different than a woman’s novel that uses phrases like “hard member” and “panting with desire for him.”

One thing that you might want to consider is donating your old romance novels (the ones that don’t have hard-core pornography) to a hospital or to a home for the mentally-ill or to nursing homes.

I’ve seen older women suffering from terminal cancer reading romance novels to escape from their agony for a few hours. What is the harm? It reminds them of the days when they were young, beautiful, and not suffering and dying of cancer.

My best friend has lived in an “institution” for most of her adult life. She is schizophrenic, and she loves a good romance novel.

And old people in nursing homes read them to be reminded of happy days when they were with their husbands.

Don’t be unnecessarily harsh in your judgements and don’t assume that because you find it sinful, others will too. There is a lot of good healing (especially mentally) in escapism. Everyone, including YOU, has a method of “escapism.”

 

[kage_ar]

Reading about “hard members” and “panting with desire” is soft porn, if you would not read it out loud to your priest, it is not fitting. it is NOT fitting for even little old ladies.

Donate good novels to them.

 

[gardenswithkids]

I think that it’s misleading to call romance novels “porn.”

It makes real pornography seem a lot less harmful.

I like my friend’s term “housewife porn”–that distinguishes it from the hard-core stuff, while addressing the reality that many women find greater stimulation from romance and emotions along with sex rather than from sex alone. Of course, not every romance novel falls into that catagory. Really good romance novels don’t have to stoop to that.

…Everyone, including YOU, has a method of “escapism.”

Of course. I can’t deny that. Why do you think many of us are here on CAF? Some forms of “escapism” are healthier–or at least less harmful–than others.

 

[lil_flower_luv]

I’m assuming that many of you have never seen hard-core porn. It’s a lot different than a woman’s novel that uses phrases like “hard member” and “panting with desire for him.”

There are different levels of porn. However, porn is still porn. A little, a lot. On a screen, in a book. Sin.

One thing that you might want to consider is donating your old romance novels (the ones that don’t have hard-core pornography) to a hospital or to a home for the mentally-ill or to nursing homes.

How bout no porn?

I’ve seen older women suffering from terminal cancer reading romance novels to escape from their agony for a few hours. What is the harm? It reminds them of the days when they were young, beautiful, and not suffering and dying of cancer.

My best friend has lived in an “institution” for most of her adult life. She is schizophrenic, and she loves a good romance novel.

And old people in nursing homes read them to be reminded of happy days when they were with their husbands.

Yes, elderly women do love those romance novels. (And for the very reasons you pointed out.) But I agree with kage_ar and gardenswithkids…don’t give them the stuff you would feel uncomfortable reading in front of your priest.

 

[Sierrah]

Hi Tundramom,
Here are some books that I love that have romance in them. Some are considered classics so I don’t know whether you’ve already read them:

“Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Bronte, one of the most romantic novels of all time in my opinion!

“The Tenant of Wildfell Hall” by Ann Bronte, very well written and although it came out in the 1800s, seems like it could have been written today.

Any book by Norah Lofts. Her books are full of good plots and plausible characters and lots of history and romance. Some of her books are out of print but you can find them on Amazon or at the library.

“The Far Pavillions” by M.M.Kaye, is kind of a hefty book but is fascinating and very well written. She also wrote “Shadows of the Moon”, also very good. Both of these books take place in India and the author was very knowledgeable about this because she grew up there in the early part of the 20th century.

“North and South” by Elizabeth Gaskell. This is also a very good movie that I loved.
Hope this helps you. I also love to read and look for good books with some romance and characters that aren’t one-dimensional and plots that can’t be figured out at the beginning of the book.****

We have the same tast in books except Norah Lofts I don’t think think I have read anything of hers. North and South is one of my favorites too. I would recommend staying with the classics for those of want to read Romances. They are written better and dwell more on charactor development. You can’t go wrong with Jane Austen, Elizabeth Gaskell, or Thomas Hardy.

If you need a lot of drama in your Romance try “Far From the Maddening Crowd” by Thomas Hardy or “Return of the Native”.

I don’t go for the modern Romances stuff myself but anything from way back went I find much more superior.

 

[Huiou_Theou]

Of course. I can’t deny that. Why do you think many of us are here on CAF? Some forms of “escapism” are healthier–or at least less harmful–than others.

:hug3:

Exactly, And thanks for calling it healthier, makes me feel better.
Tho – even here, We have to pick and avoid…esp. the fantasy trolls…

Peace.
–Andrew.

 

[twk001]

hi steph- some of my favorite books were found on the shelves of our local Family Christian Store. One series that I LOVE are by a fellow named Lance Wubbles. It’s a four book series- The Gentle Hills. The books are : Far from the Dream, Some things last forever, Whispers in the Breeze, and one other. I know you can get them online. They are from the early 1990’s and the setting of the books is in the 1940’s- WWII. Fabulous series. I read the series once a year and I’m saving them for my daughters. Good romance, good faith teaching, great books. twk

 

[livnlern]

We have the same tast in books except Norah Lofts I don’t think think I have read anything of hers. North and South is one of my favorites too. I would recommend staying with the classics for those of want to read Romances. They are written better and dwell more on charactor development. You can’t go wrong with Jane Austen, Elizabeth Gaskell, or Thomas Hardy.

If you need a lot of drama in your Romance try “Far From the Maddening Crowd” by Thomas Hardy or “Return of the Native”.

I don’t go for the modern Romances stuff myself but anything from way back went I find much more superior.

The classics did dwell more on character development which takes more time to read but is more rewarding. Modern novels are lacking in subtlety in my opinion. We don’t need graphic details to tell what’s going on. Less is more when it comes to this!
People from former times seemed to have a stronger grip on their morals. Some of the things we think of now as common occurances wouldn’t have even been mentioned in polite company a hundred or more years ago.

 

[Cat]

The classics did dwell more on character development which takes more time to read but is more rewarding. Modern novels are lacking in subtlety in my opinion. We don’t need graphic details to tell what’s going on. Less is more when it comes to this!
People from former times seemed to have a stronger grip on their morals. Some of the things we think of now as common occurances wouldn’t have even been mentioned in polite company a hundred or more years ago.

Actually, the nasty stuff is often there in the old novels. It’s just subtle and well-hidden. IMO, a lot of the old-time romances are extremely erotic because of what is NOT said or done out in the open. Is there anyone here who thinks that The Scarlet Letter is not erotic? The novel practically catches on fire as you hold it.

 

[HarmonyServant]

Blah, I couldn’t stand The Scarlet Letter. It was too predictable to me. I called the ending almost immediately.

“hard member” and “panting with desire for him.”

You have no idea how many fanfics I’ve seen with writing like that. A lot of romance/erotica novels are full of the purple prose and “bodice-ripper” cliches. The euphemisms can be downright grimace-worthy. Porn is porn, but some is just laughable. Stick with the emotions please.