Bodice Ripper Readers Anonymous discussion

I just finished reading The Conqueror by Brenda Joyce and I really liked it. I don't know what bodice ripper to read next. I would prefer to read one of the books that I already have on my bookshelf. I have a bodice ripper bookshelf listed on my profile. Would you all be so kind as to look there and give me some suggestions as to what I should read next? I am very new to this genre and I really don't want to read a bad one right off the bat. Thanks!!

Hi Tonya! I'm also a bit of a newbi here and to bodice rippers. I looked at your list and the only ones that I saw that I have read were 'Shanna' by Kathleen E.Woodiwiss and 'While Passion Sleeps' by Shrilee Busbee. I wouldn't start with 'Shanna' because I didn't like it at all. I just couldn't get into it and I think it's because the H is a servent on the h's fathers plantation and I like my H's in postions of power. Now I never finnished the book and I was told by someone that it does get better but I never made it to any part that would make me call this one a bodice ripper. 'While Passion Sleeps' was a much better book imo.

I have not read many of the books you have on your BR shelf but I think you would really like Whitney, My Love by Judith McNaught. It is fast paced and real emotional roller coaster! You might also enjoy The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen Woodiwiss. Woodiwiss is famous for her leisurely pace in her novels so this one moves a little slower but personally I really enjoy her style and this is a good one of hers :)

BTW I have not read it yet so I didn't want to recommend but I am going to be reading Wicked Loving Lies in a couple weeks and I see you have that one. Maybe you would want to join me and comment in the "buddy reads" thread for that book! :)

Thanks for the suggestions Noelle! I was thinking about While Passion Sleeps because it is in the group bookshelf as a 5 star. I really LOVE the cover!!! I'm just not sure yet what I will pick.

Thanks Jennefer! I may join you for Wicked Loving Lies when you get started. I have the original copy of Whitney, My Love and I have heard so much about it that I'm also considering picking that one to read next. I'm a bit obsessed with the hunting and buying of books at really cheap prices and I can't pass them up when I find them. Shopping at the used book store is my form of crack! And if you find these bodice rippers as the original print they are usually only half of the cover price which comes out to be 1 or 2 bucks! I get soooo excited when I find one!! The downside is having so many readily available (as in right inside my house) that it is hard to pick which one to read next!!!

I can't recommend Skye O'Malley enough. You won't be sorry if you bump that up a little higher on the TBR.

Wicked Loving Lies is a good starter, anything by Kathleen Woodiwiss. I like Julia Quinn's stuff, just be sure that if you get into one of the series that you read the first one first. I'd start with the Duke and I, it is the first in the Bridgerton series. There's not as much bodice ripping but there is some compromising and shotgun weddings... There are so many omg I'd have a hard time choosing.

Check out the covers, I have bought a lot of good bodice rippers based entirely on the cover. I don't know how many writers I have found that way.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I looked at all the suggested books and went with the one that had the highest GR rating. And the winner is ... Skye O'Malley!! Thanks Karla! Just started it today.

Woohoo! Hope you enjoy! :D

I can't wait to hear what you think about it, I just ordered mine from e-bay.

Oh my, O'Malley!!! Karla, I am LOVING this book!!! I don't think I have ever read a book that this much happened in the first 88 pages!

Small's heroines have to deal with a high event to page ratio, and Skye is one of the highest. She really started that series out with a bang. :D

Glad you're enjoying it! It's a great romp.

My recs would be anything by Woodiwiss, Love Only Once by Lindsey or Devil's Desire by McBain

I finished Skye O'Malley. I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! It was so good! I love a book that brings out all the emotions that this book did. My heart soared right along with Skye and broke along with her also. If you haven't read this book, you really need too!!

Rapture by Rosamond Royal. (also known as Valerie Sherwood).

This is one of those "sweeping", bodice ripper romance. The book is witten somewhat like the great Kathleen E. Woodiwiss books, but with more plot, rape, and abuse. And like Kathleen E. Woodiwiss books, there wasn't a cheating hero. I'm not saying the hero/heroine only have sex with each other through out the book, but there are reasons for everything...but as I said, they never cheat. To really understand what I mean, do read the book!


Undoubtedly, one of the best romance-bodice ripper out there that wont piss you off. I literally laughed, AND cried while reading this.

Well Tina, I now have another br to add to my list.lol Thanks =)

Jeanine, I have Rapture, so I'll add it to your shelf.

Jeanine wrote: "Ya know got all these credits burning holes in my pocket!"

LOL. You make me feel like a Scrooge with my 56 credits.

If I could be as good/self-denying with food diets as I am with book credit diets.... LOL

rapture sound good to me too have to look it up read some of her work and liked it.Thanks

O.K. I just ordered my copy of Rapture =) And I just finished 'Never Call It Love' by Veronica Jason and would recomend this book to anyone who likes bodice rippers. It has so many themes,revenge, rape, marriage of convenience, cheatting husband. It takes you from England to Ireland, to the Caribbean and America. I really loved this book. It was written in 1978 and my copy has an addvertisment for Newport cigarettes that says " Alive with pleasure!" that just makes me crack up =)

Oh, I love those old ciggy ads in the books! I can't recall any other product advertised. Just cigarettes and book clubs.

Glad to hear the Jason book was good. I have another one of hers and so I'll approach it with expectations that she'll deliver on the bodice-ripper goods.

And will you be reviewing it? :)

I just looked at your link for 'So Wild A Heart' and will add that to my tbl. Thanks Karla =)

Yes! Noelle you should review it for our No Book Left Behind Campaign!
Pretty please :)

I left a review here at 'my books' is that the same thing??

Noelle wrote: "I left a review here at 'my books' is that the same thing??"

It's just a thread we have going (see link above or its in the "member review folder") to share our review's of book's previously un-reviewed on GoodReads. We would love for you to share :)

Hi Jennefer. When I figure out how to post a link, I will give it a try. lol

Haha Noelle. I was the exact same way! I couldn't figure out how to post a link! But Jeanine and Karla helped me out in the thread that Jennefer is talking about... not saying you have to post there. We can all look at your reviews without a link in that thread, but I just thought I'd mention it incase you want to check out their handy tips for link posting ;)I'm just sayin' I feel for ya on that one! lol

Hi Amanda. I book marked the thread showing how to do it, just working up my nerve. lol I'm sure once I figure it out I'll be doing it all the time and annoying everyone =)