Bodice Ripper Readers Anonymous discussion

This is an ongoing list for authors who have/haven't adapted their old ripper backlist to be seemingly more marketable in today's historical romance world. Some of the more famous authors haven't touched their work, like -- Johanna Lindsey and Jennifer Blake, but some of authors who weren't as successful who've republished and digitized? Can you name them? These list should consist of authors whom we've read their newest release/copies. If uncertain of the genre qualifications:

Books read and discussed by this group may contain overbearing heroes, unruly heroines, drama galore, big misunderstandings, long separation of H/h, bucket loads of sexual tension, kidnapping, possible cheating and/or possible forced seduction and/or rape.

There's no concrete definition or grocery list of elements that make something a bodice ripper. It's all subjective and, like porn, we know it when we see it. ;D It's a genre that broke the rules, so it's only logical that it shouldn't follow any.

Note: The neutering of the BR we're referring to does not include editing, grammatical errors, new endings and the like.


Have been edited from original copies:
Marsha Canham
Katherine Vickery
The Offer by Catherine Coulter

Have not been edited from original copies:
Johanna Lindsey
Jennifer Blake
Joan Dial (AKA Amanda York)
Rosemary Rogers
Cordia Byers
Linda Hilton
Karen Robards
Victor J. Banis
Connie Mason
Mary Daheim

I hope this isn't off topic: in order to avoid "neutered" editions of old rippers, I try to buy copies of the earliest edition.

I don't think that AMZN gives the year of publication for the various editions of used books, but thriftbooks.com does. For example, last week I ordered a Fern Michaels title. There were different publication dates for the title that I wanted but I selected the one from the 80s with the silliest cover.There was a more recent edition than the one that I bought with a more generic looking cover. I was suspicious that it had been altered, so I avoided it and bought the oldest edition available.

Andrea (Catsos Person) wrote: "I hope this isn't off topic: in order to avoid "neutered" editions of old rippers, I try to buy copies of the earliest edition."

That's what I tend to do as well if I'm not positive the ebook is an exact duplication of the original paperback. If I see an admission (of guilt! cuz that's what it is LOL) from the author that they've "cleaned it up" for digital reissue, I go right to the old mmpb version.

Of course the sanitizing could mean better sentence structure, pacing, and technical issues (and in old Pocket Books' case, cleaning up all the typos)...but usually it's "offensive" content that gets the magic disappearing wand, and I simply don't agree that that should be scrubbed from a novel.

It might also be useful to add a list either to this first thread post or create another thread about books/authors that HAVE undergone a makeover (Marsha Canham, Katherine Vickery - to name a couple that immediately come to mind).

Claudy Conn/Claudette Williams has been reissuing her old Regencies, but I'm not sure if they're the same book as originally published in the 70s or if she's sexed them up for modern audiences.

Yeah, those 'I don't know what I was thinking; it's an embarrassment to all of womankind!'(coughCanhamcough) remarks that are a dead-ringer for edited material. I know The Offer by Catherine Coulter was cleaned up substantially because I read it in one of the reviews and put it on a 'neutered version' bookshelf. >:D

Thanks for the help, I made a second list with the neutered variety, too. ;D

P.S. I know this sounds shitty of me, but before Monson's death she was on some type of religious crusade(or researching for her next book?) and her survivors stated she had been ashamed of Stormfire, etc. I wonder if her books would have made the EDITED list..... :o

If the changes are specified, then the buy or not buy can be based on that. But if not, then my personal motto is better be safe with the dead tree than sorry.

The Claudette Williams Regency compare-and-contrast is now on my reading projects stack. Poor thing is starting to topple. :P

Cordia Byers is going to be coming out with her backlist and, to my knowledge from my conversations with her, I don't believe she is going to change them. I did recommend she add a date/place line for the beginning.

I don't think Karen Robards has edited her stuff. I recently read Island Flame in ebook/audible form and it was filled with forced seductions, spankings, etc. Of course it was my first read, so I'm not sure if maybe it was still watered down.

re: Claudette Williams/Claudy Conn. She has sexed up her re-issues. She was asking librarians to please make note of that when combining works here.

RE: Claudy. Oh good, thanks for the update on that!

Does anyone know if Laurie McBain's original Moonstruck Madness was a true bodice ripper? The one currently in print is not.

Haven't read it, but I've seen it referred to as "bodice ripper lite" from someone whose ripper tastes I know, so I would assume not. If it's anything like Devil's Desire, it's nowhere near a ripper IM(personal)O.

Regan wrote: "Does anyone know if Laurie McBain's original Moonstruck Madness was a true bodice ripper? The one currently in print is not."

I don't think it was. I tried to research that question when I read it fairly recently. I had several friends who had read the old paperback version way-back-when and they said they did not remember it qualifying for the label. At best they remembered it as being sort of 'old skool' with the hero slapping the heroine and lots of sexist attitudes flying around, but not what you'd consider a true BR.

I'd assumed it was a BR because some reviewers had marked it as such, but I think this is another case of some readers considering any romance from the 70's-80's a BR. I even saw a review somewhere that said (paraphrase) "this was a great BR, it had none of that horrible forced seduction stuff" :-/

KatieV wrote: "Regan wrote: "Does anyone know if Laurie McBain's original Moonstruck Madness was a true bodice ripper? The one currently in print is not."

I don't think it was. I tried to research that questio..."

Thanks much, Katie. Good to know. I didn't put it on my Bodice Ripper best list (which I'll be updating in Sept. for my Historical Romance Review blog).

Karla (Mossy Love Grotto) wrote: "Haven't read it, but I've seen it referred to as "bodice ripper lite" from someone whose ripper tastes I know, so I would assume not. If it's anything like Devil's Desire, it's nowhere near a ripp..."

I was thinking perhaps Moonstruck Madness resembled Never Call It Love
by Veronica Jason. A few minor incidents, or even one, that clumped it into the BR category. Nominally or in-name-only but not because of its consistency to produce and reproduce those BR scenes.

Would anyone have any idea on how to go about making a determination if an old BR title now in kindle format is the same as the old orig mmpbk?

I've purchased a couple of titles identified as BR and was initially thrilled that they were now kindle titles. Now I'm wondering if I should have tracked down an original mmpbk copy from an online used book dealer instead of these kindle editions.

Andrea (Catsos Person) wrote: "Would anyone have any idea on how to go about making a determination if an old BR title now in kindle format is the same as the old orig mmpbk?

I've purchased a couple of titles identified as BR a..."

How I'm going to go about the whole process is - if I read the Kindle version and it's WTF packed and brimming, I'll probably take that as an indicator that the author hasn't gutted their the treasure for marketing purposes. If a republished BR gets a great deal of hype and there are basically NO BR qualities, I'll either determine that, (a) the reader was either extremely exaggerating or perhaps the genre isn't their thing, or (b), it's been excessively trimmed for newfangled readers. Also, if I discover an E-copy of a paperback that holds that potential, I'll likely read them simultaneously to verify it. It's a lengthy process, sure, but this list doesn't require immediate completion. :D

KatieV wrote: "Regan wrote: "Does anyone know if Laurie McBain's original Moonstruck Madness was a true bodice ripper? The one currently in print is not."

I don't think it was. I tried to research that questio..."

Katie,
I think you are right. So many people just consider all romances in the 80s as bodice rippers. They are so wrong. And there are bodice rippers being written today, too! I know because the authors send me their books to review.

Iris Gower hasn't put Beloved Captive on her e-conversion list just yet, albeit it is definitely a bodice ripper. We KNOW SEP won't republish The Copeland Bride and if she could, I imagine she'd wipe it off of the face of the earth. Ooo...let is not forget Victor J. Banis; he's highly praised bodice rippers in e-mails we've shared and that his backlist has definitely not undergone any major reworking.

Leigh Greenwood is another that has been seamless in his transition from PB to e-copies. None of his reviews, that I've happened to read, claimed otherwise.

Connie Mason is also being added to the list because I re-read My Lady Vixen a couple years back on Kindle and it was as rippery as it had been in my youth. >:D

I'm gonna delve into my, 'someone sniveled reviewing it' for possible additions. :D

@Regan

Do you have a separate list for recent BR titles on your blog ? Should I say that recent means post 2k BR titles? Or are these newer Rippers mixed in with the older titles?

I would like to try these authors and try to support them.

Andrea (Catsos Person) wrote: "@Regan

Do you have a separate list for recent BR titles on your blog ? Should I say that recent means post 2k BR titles? Or are these newer Rippers mixed in with the older titles?

I would like to..."

I'm not entirely sure 'bout how many BR authors are floating around out there, but they're welcome to our BR author section. I've read a few select 'new era of BR' authors take on the genre and their work was sort of subpar. BRRA bookshelf is located here for the read/approved list the moderators and ladies have provided.

@ Mermarie

What is BRRA?

Andrea (Catsos Person) wrote: "@ Mermarie

What is BRRA?"

This group. :D Sorry I didn't specify; BRRA - Bodice Ripper Reader Anonymous.

Duh, I should have known.

Andrea (Catsos Person) wrote: "Duh, I should have known."

No problem, it's late! There are a few new BR authors on our shelf list that I hadn't noticed too. :D Also, don't forget to vote on the upcoming group read poll! ^~

I've already voted!

Vote baby vote!

Mermarie wrote: "I was thinking perhaps Moonstruck Madness resembled Never Call It Love
by Veronica Jason. A few minor incidents, or even one, that clumped it into the BR category. Nominally or in-name-only but not because of its consistency to produce and reproduce those BR scenes. "

I would still label Never Call it Love a true bodice ripper. There's actual rape (not just romantic forced seduction/rougher hatesex) & the lead couple does a lot of globetrotting with various adventures in different locales. (It's been awhile since I read it, but wasn't voodoo involved at some point? I might be confusing it with something else, sorry.)

But I second the motion that Devil's Desire is NOT a bodice ripper. The initial love scene might be slightly risque when compared to modern HR standards (that pesky first-time hatesex, y'know :P), but the rest is talky-talk banter with a thin plot & very little action. <--My opinion, which would seem to be the minority, since McBain has so many fans. *shrug*

Sarah wrote: "Mermarie wrote: "I was thinking perhaps Moonstruck Madness resembled Never Call It Love
by Veronica Jason. A few minor incidents, or even one, that clumped it into the BR category. Nominally or in-..."

Yeah, Never Call it Love just didn't revel in BR scenarios. Maybe right up there in league with The Demon Lover turret/tower scene. Maybe not as OOT and WTF but it was an isolated event that made it a BR, but not ongoing BRery. Haha, I miss that book--what a crazyfest. Victoria Holt..you ole in-secret freakster. ^.^ There was another Regency themed novel I read recently with a narrow and pinched description of a BR scenario--I'm gonna need to finish it up and review. I think I lost interest or it was around the time work and family duties pulled me away.

I think Catherine Coulter cleaned up more than just The Offer. I'm pretty sure Chandra got cleaned up when it became Warrior's Song, and I've heard the other medieval Song books were cleaned up as well. However, I haven't had a chance to find the older editions to compare yet, though they're all on my PBSwap to-get-when-I-have-credits list. :)

Kit★ wrote: "I think Catherine Coulter cleaned up more than just The Offer. I'm pretty sure Chandra got cleaned up when it became Warrior's Song, and I've heard the other medieval Song books were cleaned up as ..."
I haven't read any of Coulter's books yet, but I do own Chandra. I tend to go after the original print or older editions when I buy books. The only exception I made was the reprint of Dark Prince and that supposedly includes a different ending to the start of the Dark saga. I obviously don't know what to expect from Christine Feehan either because I never her novels before.

JadedlilFecker wrote: "P.S. I know this sounds shitty of me, but before Monson's death she was on some type of religious crusade(or researching for her next book?) and her survivors stated she had been ashamed of Stormfi..."

Nowhere in her obituary did it mention anything about Christine being on any type of 'religious crusade'.

BRNTerri wrote: "JadedlilFecker wrote: "P.S. I know this sounds shitty of me, but before Monson's death she was on some type of religious crusade(or researching for her next book?) and her survivors stated she had ..."

Doesn't mean she wasn't.

All the Tom E. Huff (Jennifer Wilde and his other various pseudonyms) have been republished, but I'm not sure whether I can safely get them or not. Are they neutered, does anyone know?
The same goes for Deborah Hill. I wanted to get This is the House, but the contents text on amazon sounded ominously modern to me o.O

Hello everyone, and Happy (almost) New Year! My name is Gloria and I just joined this group because I'd like some advice: How do I get my hands on the original Whitney, My Love (the one original she wrote, warts and all)?? I don't want the sanitized/toned down version, but the original writing. Any thought? Ideas? Thank you so much!!

Thank you so much for all this great information!!! I really appreciate it, and thoroughly agree with you re: changing an original work so it conforms with the whole current PC thing. Thanks again!

Does anyone know what year Judith McNaught edited Whitney my love ? Or the cover ? I do not want to buy the
Edited addition. :)

Does anyone know what year Judith McNaught edited Whitney my love ? Or the cover ? I do not want to buy the
Edited addition. :)

Joannwv - you want the 1985 release, not the 2000 re-issue. Don't remember what the cover looked like.

Thanks Gloria. I had read it years ago.

Caro wrote: "The same goes for Deborah Hill. I wanted to get This is the House, but the contents text on amazon sounded ominously modern to me o.O "

I know this reply is way late, but based on the author's foreword to the reissued Kindle edition, I think she might have only revised historical facts and details that are more readily available in the age of internet. It's been awhile since I read the pb book, but IIRC there wasn't any super un-PC content that would have gotten altered to adhere to modern sensibilities. Not saying Hill didn't change anything in that area, but since it's mainly HF rather than HR, the urge to change things for modern audiences doesn't seem like it would be as strong.

The original edition is available on Openlibrary, so if you're able to borrow it from there (if you're in the US and your state participates), the unedited version is at hand.

FYI,

The eBook edition of the un-pc The Black Lyon by Jude Deveraux has NOT been modified to make more "acceptable" to present day readers.

The "good" parts are still in the eBook edition!

Did Cynthia Wright also re-edited her books or were they never Bodice Ripper to begin with?

Simona wrote: "Did Cynthia Wright also re-edited her books or were they never Bodice Ripper to begin with?"

I'm not sure about the rest of her books, but Caroline was revised.

From CW website:

Authors Note, January 2013 – This new, subtly revised version of Caroline addresses issues raised by some contemporary readers. Caroline was originally written and published in 1977, but times have changed. In this new edition, Alec is a more mature alpha hero and Caro is a stronger heroine. If you have read and loved Caroline in the past, I think you will love it even more now!

Marilyn Harris's This Other Eden was reissued as an ebook. It does not appear to be neutered.

Caro wrote: "Marilyn Harris's This Other Eden was reissued as an ebook. It does not appear to be neutered."

Caro,

Thank you for letting us know.

I prefer eBooks to hard copy in general, but if I don’t for sure that a vintage HR (bodice ripper) is the same in eFormat as it was when originally published, I buy from a used book vendor.

I’m glad to know that this book as not been “modified.”

Some of Jennifer Horseman/JJ Flowers' historical romances are back in print. I've asked her if they've been edited/censored or if they're the same as the originals. She said they're the uncensored originals.

Her books at Amazon

Joannwv wrote: "Does anyone know what year Judith McNaught edited Whitney my love ? Or the cover ? I do not want to buy the
Edited addition. :)"

The re-issued "Whitney..." was released in 1999 in hardcover, ISBN 9780739405499, paperback in 2000 and 2006 and all three versions have the same cover.

The 2000 paperback is still in print and has the exact same cover. pictured below.

Paperback, 2000, ISBN 9780671776091

Paperback, 2006, out of print, ISBN 9781416530718

BRNTerri wrote: "Some of Jennifer Horseman/JJ Flowers' historical romances are back in print. I've asked her if they've been edited/censored or if they're the same as the originals. She said they're the uncensored ..."

They haven't. I have her digitized copies and read them; lots of dubious consent, abuse, etc.

Bride of Thunder by by Jeanne Williams (new cover ) has been digitized by Open Road media (there is also an audio available at Audible.com as well.

I don’t know this author, but after poking around, I think this book is still as published in the 70s. The R* are in the eBook and in the audio.

Further, if your library has Hoopla, you can access the audio via this eContent provider/service.

I think Whiney My love was slightly altered in that there was wiping scene which got cut. Not sure about other things. Original version 01/03/1987 has a different cover and is in paperback.

The scene where Whitney got spanked with a crop was removed and the scene were she was raped was changed a little to make it more clear that she wasn't raped. The author said Whitney wasn't raped in the first place so she altered the scene a little in the rewrite.