Bodice Ripper Readers Anonymous discussion

I’m reading The Notorious Rake by Mary Balogh (for like the 10th time) and while it’s not considered a BR it has one of the BEST obsessed hero’s ever (He’s a total nut job). I’ve decided I like my hero’s obsessed. Creepy IRL but sexy in books.

What are some of the best BR featuring obsessed hero’s?

Bodice Ripper The Silver Devil

Can't go wrong with the grandmama of bodice rippers, The Sheik.

Of course, Teresa Denys' two books, The Flesh and the Devil, and The Silver Devil feature scarily-obsessed heroes, if you can get your hands on them.

Mary Jo Putney's Uncommon Vows isn't really a ripper, but the hero is crazy about the heroine and kidnaps her.

Lovefire by Deana James features a hero who is so devoted to his heroine, he loves her for over thirty years through two of her marriages to other men. First, he is her secret lover (so secret even she doesn't know it's him; she thinks she's making love to her husband). Then he is her captor in her later years. Not a typical alpha hero, but very obsessed.

Wendy, I'm totally screenshotting your suggestions for future reference. 😏👌

Lord Kressley's Stolen Paramour by Kristina saxon , though not a Br. It's a novella

aweeeesome! Thank you!!

I read somewhere that The Sheik has been revised and you cannot find the original anymore....please tell me that's not true because I really want to read that one.

I have no idea, but it's getting really bad. In another historical romance reading group I'm in people were recently complaining about Lisa Kleypas neutering/censoring a majority of her backlist. If a big author like that is doing it, more authors & publishers will follow. I found The Sheik on archive.org at least: https://archive.org/details/sheiknove... Not my favorite format to read, but at least it's there

thank you! Going to do a little investigating.

Gutenberg has an ebook of the Sheik which should be the original.
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/7031

I haven't heard of The Sheik being edited before, other than Barbara Cartland's edition for her "Library of Love" series which just seems like a cash grab.

I'm a bit salty because I brought Hull's The Lion Tamer online not noticing it was the Cartland edit. I'm still looking for the original.

I'll have to give The Sheik a re-read just to see. I read the 2000 Little Brown edition the first time.

Highlander Unchained by Donna Fletcher, The Warlord's Wife by Sandra Lake, Devil's Embrace by Catherine Coulter, Emerald Ecstasy by Lynettt Vinet, A Wicked Proposition by Karolyn Cairns, and Wicked Promise by Kat Martin the villian is obessed

The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by jennifer ashely, Shanna by Kathleen Woodiwiss, The Falcon and the Flower by Virginia Henley, Deception by Amanda Quick, Bonds of Love by Lisa Grogory

Thanks, Lauren!! You came through!

Going to be sniffing out more The Sheik info...

This Other Eden...Talk about an obsessive nut job...still dark & delicious, unfortunately.

Lauren wrote: "The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie by jennifer ashely..."

That's not a bodice ripper.

The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie is definitely not a BR (published in 2009) but I'm okay with occasionally HR books being recommended if they fit the topic/question well and are relevant. Lemonade by Nina Pennacchi is commonly recced in this group and I personally don't consider it a BR (though it may be considered a neo BR). It was published in 2011.

What does it take for a BR to be considered a BR? I always thought it was all about how un-pc it was....

Eliza wrote: "What does it take for a BR to be considered a BR? I always thought it was all about how un-pc it was...."

I consider the decade: If it was published in the 60s-90s.

This is a loaded question and super subjective. Probably worthy of it's own post. There are some 'vintage, old school romance' authors I like, but I don't consider them bodice ripper authors. I guess context is important. There does seem to be a certain flavor to BRs, more unpc, that sets them apart from old school HR.

Sorry some get past me. Any books before 2000, consensual rspe scene , and in a historical settingis a BR. I just tend to list what's on my mind at the time.

Yep- and I'm not super specific, so your recommendations are always welcomed!