I've been in sort of a reading slump lately. I'm sure this happens to you guys, you keep picking up new books and they are OK or not so great and you find nothing to get excited about in anything you are reading. Unfortunately, the stuff I've been reading lately has not inspired me to want to get on the blog and rave about it, unless it is to complain. This weekend I finally picked up a book that I enjoyed enough to want to get on here and crow about it and wouldn't you know, it's a Carla Kelly book!
For those who may not be familiar with Kelly, she has been writing truly amazing historical romances for a zillion years. Her specialty is Regencies and she is one of the best when it comes to telling an interesting story and staying true to the historical period. When I am asked to recommend a regency romance, you can bet one of Kelly's will be at the top of the list. Unlike many historical romance writers, Kelly isn't afraid to step outside the rarified world of the nobility and make her heroes working men, often military. Her heroes are strong, steady, smart and witty. Her heroines are also strong and smart and I have yet to apply the TSTL acronym to a Carla Kelly character. There is a down-to-earth realism to Kelly's books that makes the reader feel as if they are getting a true glimpse into the lives of her characters. Even the sexual relationships are presented with an earthy quality that makes them feel very intimate, very realistic and very, very sexy.
One of the things Kelly does well is the always popular Christmas story. Her work has appeared in various anthologies and I suggest that you get a hold of as many of these as you can, because they are all vastly superior to much of the typical stuff that is out there. As a nifty gift this Christmas, Harlequin has published a book with three new Christmas romances by Kelly. The stories span a time period from 1812 through 1877 and once again, we meet up with Kelly's amazing military heroes and their strong, capable heroines. Christmas and all of the best spirit of the season certainly serves as a nice backdrop here, but these stories would hold up without the holiday elements.
So for those of you who haven't experienced the wonder of a Carla Kelly romance, do yourself a favor and get this book. It is an excellent introduction to her style and I am willing to bet, that after reading it, you will spend a lot of time tracking down her backlist and glomming everything you can find. I suggest you start with Marrying the Captain, which remains one of my top 5 favorite regencies of all time! I have re-read that book so many times I practically have it memorized and every time I read it I find something new to love about it. Kelly is one of the few writers left on an ever diminishing auto buy list for me, because, frankly, even her lesser efforts are better than most.
So grab this wonderfully romantic book and settle down with a nice cup of tea and some christmas cookies and enjoy the work of a master!
