Sidney Kay's Desert Island Keepers

Greetings from Sidney Kay of Kay's Blog!! I'm thrilled to be part of Desert Island Keeper land.


I'm going on a journey and I just may end up on a desert island... and since that desert island probably won't be Tahiti, I'd better take something with me that I won't get tired of reading over and over again. You never know how long you're going to be stranded! You need to understand this will take some pondering... I could go to one of my many lists - and I'm sure I'm not the only one who has "many lists." There's my Ten Favorite Romance Books, Ten Favorite Authors, Favorite Movies, and even My Favorite Ugly Sexy Guy list (except that last one list probably won't help me select my six Desert Island Keepers).

My first thought was to go with a little variety: a traditional Regency, a funny romance, a Paranormal, an Erotica, and an Historical. So, I started looking and rereading and right away crossed the paranormal off my list; I really do not want to be scared when I'm on my desert island. Then I thought, unless Gilligan or the Professor show up, I really don't want an Erotica either. Sorry, Robin Schone, Pam Rosenthal, Emma Wildes and Emma Holly.


After rereading a number of books, I have settled on my six. These books are not recent books and there may be books that have come along that are just as good, if not better. However, for me these books are special and have set the standard by which I judge other romance novels.


1. Lord of Scoundrels, 1994, by Loretta Chase. This book is one of my all-time favorite books. Even though Ms. Chase has written other books that are just as good, there's just nothing better than the witty dialog between Sebastian and Jessica. And talk about Erotica. Is there anything more erotic than the scene when Sebastian unbuttons Jessica's gloves? I almost bought a pair of gloves just so someone could unbutton them. Let's also put Sebastian on my Favorite Romance Hero list. http://www.lorettachase.com/index.php

"Then he slid his hand - his big, dark, bare hand, for he had removed his gloves to eat and hadn't put them back on - down the sleeve of her pelisse until he came to the first button of her frivolous pearl grey gloves.

He popped the tiny pearl from the buttonhole..."

Someone turn the air on!


2. The Rake, 1998, by Mary Jo Putney. This tome was originally released in 1989 as The Rake and the Reformer. I just recently reread this for my Memories Schmemories project and was reminded how much I love this book and what a truly gifted writer Ms. Putney is. Reggie Davenport also made my list of favorite romance heroes. For me, Reggie defines what a damaged hero is all about. Together, he and Alys make one of romancelands most fascinating, strong couples (I feel another list coming on.) If you've never read this book, you really should. This is truly an amazing, mature love story. http://www.maryjoputney.com/

"Even in near-total darkness he knew who came. His raw senses were unnaturally receptive, and he recognized not only her step and her scent, but the ineffable feel of her caring."

3. Dreaming of You, 1994, by Lisa Kleypas. You bet Derek Craven is on that list! I reflect: my list of heroes have a commonality... they are all pretty troubled, dark characters and I probably wouldn't want to deal with them in real life, but in novels... yum! Dreaming of You is a very absorbing tale of two people struggling toward that ol' happy ending. http://www.lisakleypas.com/

"Lodged at the bottom of the reticule was an extra pair of spectacles. Derek examined them minutely, the round lenses, the dainty steel frame, the small curved earpieces. He squinted through them at the words she had written. After he folded the spectacles he placed them in his coat pocket and closed the reticule. When Sara discovered the spectacles were missing, she would assume she had left them somewhere, as she often did. It was the first act of outright thievery he had committed in ten years. But he had to have them. He wanted to own a little piece of her."

4. Lady Jane, 1982, by Norma Lee Clark. Packed into 214 pages is what one might call an old-fashioned epic novel; however, in reality it's a Traditional Regency. In this wonderful little book we follow Jane Coombes through seven years of her life, sometimes poignant, sometimes harrowing. This is an amazing love story. Actually it's two love stories because there are two heroes: her first husband, Sebastian, a very damaged hero, both physically and spiritually; and Jasper, the more typical regency hero. This book is a joy to read and as long as I can have a tissue box on my island, I'll be all right.

"Then she emitted a soft scream and stood frozen as the door opened behind her and the mirror showed her the image of Lord Jasper, Lady Sarah's brother.

He stood rooted for a second, a slow smile lifting one corner of his mouth. He turned to close the door behind him and then sauntered across the carpet to her. She watched him advance, unable to move or speak, until he was directly behind her."

5. The Houseparty, 1985, by Anne Stuart. Anne Stuart writes some very dark stories, filled with some of romance's most intense brooding heroes. This story, on the other hand, is a light-hearted, fast-paced romp with people wandering in and out of rooms and a heroine who is always in the wrong place at the wrong time. She is feisty, but never stupid feisty. This is a fun read.
http://www.anne-stuart.com/

"'I have no intention of satisfying that formidable curiosity, Miss Trahern,' he replied calmly, moving across the room with a pantherish grace. 'I believe you wanted your gown undone.'"

6. Beyond Sunrise, 2003, by Candice Proctor aka C.S. Harris. When it comes to choosing just one of Ms. Proctor's books I had a hard time, especially the ones set in the South Pacific. I finally picked this one, because unlike her other, more dark ones, this one is a rollicking adventure through the South Pacific islands with Jack Ryder and his straight-laced nemesis, India McKnight. Funny and poignant at the same time. http://www.csharris.net/

"It was a bloody missionary, all right, Jack decided, frowning at the woman who sat ramrod straight at the prow of the longboat, her gloved hands gripping the plain handle of an austere parasol. the collar of her ugly, drab-colored gown buttoned up so high around her neck he wondered it didn't choke her.

He was standing near the end of the dock, his bare legs straddled wide, his arms crossed at his naked chest, when her boat knocked the rough wooden pier.
'Kaoha nui,' said the woman, mistaking him for a Polynesian.
'G'day,' said Jack, giving her his nastiest smile."

So, after all that, what do I have on my island? I have a mountain, trees, water, maybe Gilligan, maybe the Professor. But best of all I have six books that are filled with adventure, fun, wit, wonderful dialogue and even, at times, eroticism, and they are books that I truly treasure. (And none of them are scary.)

http://sidneykay.blogspot.com/