2022, best of romance (and others)

it's themes, not a list (it's also a list)

Time moves in one direction, so here we are. I’ve fretted about my year-end wrap a lot of the past two weeks, wanting to divest from blurbs and come up with a neat and tidy, 6000 word essay that captured my 2022. I made myself a chore and then had to realize it was imaginary.

So the format of this newsletter is that I have divided books up into themes, but no blurbs. I did include some non-romance novels (movies and other books), along with a Taylor Swift song for each category. Old habits die hard. 

The list also includes some in-print books from HarperCollins (noted with an *), please keep in mind that the HarperCollins Union is still on strike! I am not reviewing HarperCollins titles right now in solidarity with the strike. Instructions on how to donate to the Strike Fund here and you can sign the letter of support here. 

“You’re so close to God without even having to utter his name.” 

(God and loving someone to death)

Catherine Called Birdy (dir. Lena Dunham, 2022)
For My Lady’s Heart by Laura Kinsale
Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale*
The Lord I Left by Scarlett Peckham
The Gospel According to St. Matthew (dir. Pier Paolo Pasolini)
Sunset Song (dir. Terence Davies)
“Daylight” by Taylor Swift 

“Back when we were card sharks, playing games, I thought you were leading me on” 

(it’s time for some game theory)

A Gentleman Undone by Cecilia Grant
One Night is Never Enough by Anne Mallory*
The Bride Price by Anne Mallory*
Certified Copy (dir. Abbas Kiarostami)
“Cornelia Street” by Taylor Swift 

Sex and Beyond Sex

(breaking and bending the conventional narrative beats of sex)

A Lady Awakened by Cecilia Grant
The Countess Conspiracy by Courtney Milan 
For the Earl’s Pleasure by Anne Mallory*
The Rakess by Scarlett Peckham* 
The Devil’s Web by Mary Balogh
“Dancing with Our Hands Tied” by Taylor Swift 

time moves in one direction!

(no it doesn’t)

Delicious by Sherry Thomas
Private Arrangements by Sherry Thomas
Ravishing the Heiress by Sherry Thomas 
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles 
Deja Vu (dir. Tony Scott)
“That’s When” by Taylor Swift 

“people were always crossing rooms to meet Maxine”

(meetings and transgressions)

Black Silk by Judith Ivory
My Sweet Folly by Laura Kinsale
Lady Gallant by Suzanne Robinson
A Bed of Spices by Barbara Samuel
Slippery Creatures by KJ Charles
Strange Days (dir. Kathryn Bigelow)
“Blank Space” by Taylor Swift

“How do you touch my soul from the outside?

(points of view)

Uncertain Magic by Laura Kinsale
The Proposal by Mary Balogh
In Total Surrender by Anne Mallory*
A Bride for a Prizefighter by Alice Coldbreath 
The Lover by Marguerite Duras 
The Flamethrowers by Rachel Kushner
Outline by Rachel Kusk 
The Deep Blue Sea (dir. Terence Davies)
“dorothea”// “‘tis the damn season”  by Taylor Swift 

Sex as Communication

(and vice versa)

The Luckiest Lady in London by Sherry Thomas
To Have and To Hold by Patricia Gaffney
A Substitute Wife for the Prizefighter by Alice Coldbreath
The Duke I Tempted by Scarlett Peckham
An Apprenticeship, or the Book of Pleasures by Clarice Lispector 
Bull Durham (dir. Ron Shelton)
“Call It What You Want” by Taylor Swift 

“Even if it’s just in your wildest dreams” 

(memory/communication loss + punishment)

Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale 
Only Enchanting by Mary Balogh
A Lady’s Code for Misconduct by Meredith Duran
Tempting the Bride by Sherry Thomas
Annette (dir. Leos Carax) 
“Wildest Dreams” by Taylor Swift 

Emma Woodhouse experiences a Consequence/makes Amends

(bad habits)

The Earl I Ruined by Scarlett Peckham
Bliss by Judy Cuevas 
The Rake by Mary Jo Putney 
Ravishing the Heiress by Sherry Thomas 
The Talented Mr. Ripley (dir. Anthony Minghella)
“Anti-Hero” by Taylor Swift 
“gold rush” by Taylor Swift 

I hope you have a Happy New Year! I will be back in January with the first part of my series on a romance novel history of Newgate Prison.