The first story I ever read by Linda Howard was a short story in the anthology "Upon a Midnight Clear". The name of the story is "White Out", and it was my first experience with her particular style. What an initiation! When the heroine first meets the hero, he has come upon her cabin during a blizzard, and is in dire need of shelter. He's so cold, near frozen, and the heroine does what she must to help him survive. Quite memorable.
The next book I read was "Now You See Her", about a gifted artist by the name of Paris Sweeney - who prefers Sweeney - who begins painting disturbing images. During this same time, she engages in an impulsive, intense affair with a millionaire. Oh, to be so lucky.
Next up on my reading list turned out to be what I consider her crowning glory, "Mr. Perfect", by far my favorite of all her novels. Jaine and Sam are incredible together - laugh out loud funny, sexy, blunt, affectionate. This book is all that epitomizes the best of a Howard novel.
I've read several LH books since then - "Dream Man", "Open Season", "All the Queen's Men" are just a few. Most were wonderful, some not so much. But they were all distinctly Linda Howard stories. I haven't read all of her stories. In fact there are quite a few I haven't read. Maybe someday I will.
The last one I read, "Death Angel", stll had a glimpse of wha makes her books wonderful. It wasn't loved by all, but I found it quite enjoyable. There was something about that inevitable connection between the hero and heroine that resonated with me.
Linda Howard is one of the authors I've never met, though I've seen her at RWA. But of course the line was always so long. She is one of the greats.
What's your favorite Howard book?
Most memorable scene?
Labels: Linda Howard, spotlight
posted by Stacy~ at 8/18/2009 06:38:00 AM
LH is one of my all time favorite romance authors. I love her old school stuff, with the autocratic heroes and just a dumptruck load full of sexual tension.
byMy favorite Howard is Dying to Please, followed by Dream Man and Shades of Twilight. Like I said, I like her uber-alpha heroes.
I have to admit, I re-read Mr. Perfect the other day, after I included it in my three romances that typify the genre. It still doesn't really work for me. SIGH. Always different, that's me.
It's so hard to pin down my favourite Howard book. I always first think of After the Night - but then I get thinking no, it has to be To Die For. Then I think - no, wait, what about Mr. Perfect or Cry No More.
byAnd while she has so many memorable scenes, the one that sticks out the most for me is the washroom scene in After the Night.
And if you ever get a chance to hear her talk - DO NOT MISS IT!! I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard as when she spoke during one of the lunches in DC
She's in my top 5 of all time authors. I loved her "White Out" story too and read it before it was in an anthology (I've still got the old original I think it was a Harlequin). My favorite is "All the Queens Men" and "Open Season" and "Dying to Please".
byGreat author and never fails to deliver a great book.
Green horn coming in! I haven't read anything from Linda Howard yet but she sounds good! You broaden my horzon Stacy :D
byI have a copy of "Death Angel" on my TBR from when I got it at RWA, and I'm excited to read it. I've never tried romantic suspense before.
byBut I did get to see Linda Howard - she was a luncheon speaker at Nationals and she is TOO FUNNY. Her stories are hilarious and full of humour, marinated in a thick southern accent. I'm surprised she doesn't write comedy.
I'm going to say this as quietly as I can so that no one throws things at me: I've never read a Linda Howard novel. I know...I keep meaning to but I just haven't. Maybe one day. :)
byI haven't read Linda Howard but I do have a book or two of hers around in the TBR :).
byBut I did watch Anne of Green Gables last night. Well all but the last 15 minutes. Can you believe that I finally passed out that close to the end?? I was so peaved when I woke up this morning, knowing I'd missed the very end. I was fightin it! But I lost. I loved it though. Anne is something else, the way she rambles on. I need to watch the last few minutes and order Anne of Avonlea! And that's Anne with an E :D.
Ooops, I didn't mean Anne of Avonlea, but the sequel :D
byCan't choose.
byJust can't.
Well, okay, favorite first line ever: Mackenzie's Mountain. "He needed a woman. Bad."
*swoon*
Most memorable scene - the court house ladies' room scene in After the Night. LOL And I love the Blair books. :)
byI love paranormal so my favorites are SON OF THE MORNING and DREAM MAN, but I'm a big LH fan in general. :)
byThere's so many LH's books that I enjoy reading -- Dream Man, Mr. Perfect, Now You See Her, Open Season, Duncan's Bride, Loving Evangeline, and her Mackenzie's series. My most favorite re-reads are Dream Man, Mr. Perfect, and Loving Evangeline.
byMost memorable scenes I can think of right now are in:
Now You See Her -- when Richard and Sweeney lock eyes at the Gallery, the day she really looked at him and realize an attraction between them.
Dream Man -- the convo between Trammell and Dane after Marlie came in to give her accounting of the murder vision she had that opened the book. Trammell, Dane's partner, told Dane that he better keep his body parts away from Marlie b/c if Marlie was the murderer she was good with knives. Lol.
Here I was thinking that no one had mentioned Mackenzie's Mountain! (((azteclady)))
byI love all the Mackenzie books, but Mackenzie's Mountain is my favourite. I can really relate to Mary and Wolf is...YUM! And my favourite scene - the first love scene with the storm. *fans self*
And now I want to reread it all over again :)
Oh, I also love Cry No More! I must try and read some more LH books! *ignores ranting of TBR list*
Too many faves to narrow down. LH is always a go-to for a comfort read. In addition to the ones already mentioned, I have to toss in Heart of Fire (waterfall scene *gulp*), Angel Creek, Mackenzie's Mission (hottness in the desert), Heartbreaker, White Lies, Midnight Rainbow and Diamond Bay (Alpha xs 10!), and my fave short story is Overload.
byFunny I think of all of the Howard books, Son of the Morning is probably the one I haven't reread - at least not recently. Its next up on my list!!!
I love a lot of Linda Howard's old school books. I have Death Angel in my TBR pile and looking forward to start on it soon!
by