Pop Culture Happy Hour: The Romance Novel Special

Summer romance reads!

Ariel Zambelich/NPR

This week is a special one for us at Pop Culture Happy Hour: we invited our pals Barrie Hardymon and Petra Mayer, along with the marvelous and hugely knowledgeable Sarah Wendell, who runs the romance web site Smart Bitches, Trashy Books.

Here's what you're really looking for if you're looking at this post: the list of recommendations, both authors and specific books (and a couple other things) that all of us (mostly Sarah) rattled off over the course of this show. So let's just get on with it.

Next week: regular business resumes.

• Judith Krantz (Princess Daisy)
• Outlander
• Maya Banks, Scottish historicals (Clan McClean, hee)
• Lois McMaster Bujold, The Sharing Knife
• Johanna Lindsey, Warrior's Woman
• Cathy Pegau, Deep Deception/Caught In Amber
• Anne Bishop, Black Jewels
• Courtney Milan
• Tessa Dare
• Nora Roberts, Vision In White
• #weneeddiverseromance (@KwanaWrites)
• Alisha Rai
• Suleikha Snyder
• Sonali Dev (A Bollywood Affair and the upcoming The Bollywood Bride)
• Beverly Jenkins (and the Destiny trilogy)
• Rochelle Alers
• Kwana Jackson (again, @KwanaWrites — we got the wrong last name and said "Bradley"; we're so sorry — this is who Sarah meant to recommend, and it was a super lot of names in a short time)
• Jessica Clare, the Games series (reality TV)
• Theresa Romain
• Kate Noble
• Kristan Higgins
• Penny Reid
• Julie Anne Long
• Lisa Kleypas
• Steampunk Iron Man
• Meljean Brook (The Iron Duke, steampunk romance)
• Lorelai James, Rough Riders ("if you like erotica and cowboys")
• Cupcake Lovers, Beth Ciotta
• Play By Play series (sportsy), Jaci Burton
• Fool's Gold series (and The Bakery Sisters), Susan Mallery
• Animal Magnetism series, Jill Shalvis
• Lori Wilde: Twilight, Texas; Cupid, Texas; Jubilee, Texas; Stardust, Texas
• Cupcake Club, Girls' Night Out, Last Chance, Virgin River (all real series!)
• Tessa Dare, Castles Ever After, Romancing The Duke
• Loretta Chase, The Lion's Daughter
• Eloisa James, Desperate Duchesses series
• Jennifer Crusie, Bet Me