Guest post: My Top 5 Romantic Books by Fiona Harper

I’m very excited to welcome Fiona Harper to the blog today to share her favourite romantic novels with us on the latest stop of her blog tour for her new novel, The Summer We Danced. Fiona lives in London, but her other favourite places to be are the Highlands of Scotland and the English countryside on a summer’s afternoon.

She loves dancing, cooking and anything cinnamon-flavoured. Of course, she still can’t keep away from a good book or a good movie—especially romances—but only if she’s stocked up with tissues, because she knows she will need them by the ending, no matter if they’re happy or sad. Fiona has written numerous books for Harlequin/Mills & Boon and many of her books have been translated into 24 languages and sold in 30 different countries across the world. Welcome Fiona!

Fiona’s Top 5 Romantic Reads:

1. 1. It has to be Jane Eyre. I fell in love with it after watching the BBC TV series with a pre-James Bond Timothy Dalton in it. I read the book right after watching it, and I’ve read it countless times since. There’s something about Jane’s sense of self that springs up through the words and brings her alive, and for a Victorian governess she has sentiments a twenty-first century woman can understand – the need to be seen for who she is, and loved and accepted for that.

1. 2. Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. Now bear with me here, because the premise sounds a bit unusual – it’s the retelling of the Biblical book of Hosea, but set in gold rush times in America. Basically, God tells Michael Hosea to marry a prostitute, and he is obedient. Angel was sold into prostitution at the age of eight. She only says yes to Michaelbecause she’s desperate, and because she’s so broken and wounded she betrays him again and again, but Michael refuses to give up on her, and finally Angel starts to understand the power of redeeming love.

3. A Convenient Groom A Convenient Groom by Denise Hunter. When radio relationship guru Dr Kate is jilted the morning of her wedding, Luke Wright steps in and helps save her dignity and her career. However, this marriage of convenience ends up being much more than Kate ever bargained for. This is another tale of the love of a strong and steadfast man winning the woman he loves over. I’m a total sucker for an honourable hero. Give me one of those over a playboy any day!

4. Girl from Mars by Julie Cohen. I love all of Julie’s books, but this one particularly stuck me. It’s about a comic book artist, Fil, who’s sworn off romantic relationships, yet suddenly finds herself tempted by Dan, the man who wants to turn her professional world on its head. I loved Fil because she was geeky and insanely-talented, yet she lacked confidence, especially in how she looked and felt as a woman, and this story sees her blossoming, discovering her own sexuality and finding the courage to step out of her rather rigid comfort zone. I loved how Fil’s journey was mirrored by her comic book creation: the Girl from Mars.

5. The Bridesmaid’s Reward by Liz Fielding. This book is Mills & Boon gold. It’s not about the perfect girl with flowing hair and a willowy figure, the kind that every man wants. No, it’s about that girl’s sister – her plump, not very confident, would-much-rather-stay-in-the-shadows sister, Dodie. Unfortunately, Dodie’s famous sister is getting married and she needs to get into shape fast! Cue gorgeous personal trainer Brad. I loved the way Dodie didn’t need to become a stick insect to get her man  – she just had to see the beauty in herself that he saw.

The Summer We Danced by Fiona Harper is out now in paperback and ebook (MIRA)

Find out more about Fiona and her writing at: http://www.fionaharper.com/

After a humiliating divorce and watching her former rock star husband leave her for a model live on reality TV, Pippa is determined to disappear. So she returns to the small Kent village where she grew up to make a fresh start. Little did she know that would mean saving her beloved childhood dance school or falling for her old school crush Tom too!

The Summer We Danced explores lost love and new beginnings with emotional depth and wry humour. This is a novel to curl up with and laugh, cry and enjoy the perfect happy-ever-after.