Meet Reviewer Lisa Gardineer

About Me Favorite Romance Novels

By day: I work at a health care publishing company producing magazines for the masses. By night: I change into my blue and red leotard and turn into SUPERMOM.

I have two young boys, two pugs, one goldfish, and one husband. They all keep me quite busy but I manage to squeeze 350 pages of pure unadulterated escapism into my day. I picked up my first romance about two years ago and have been hopelessly addicted since. Really. My husband has looked in the phone book for some sort of husband-to-a-romance-lover support group. Hasn’t found any yet.

Absolute Favorites

The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons
Once an Angel by Teresa Medeiros
Wicked by Jill Barnett

Favorite Classic

A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux
Whitney, My Love by Judith McNaught

Personal Reading Tastes Favorites by Sub-Genre

What I’m a sucker for in a book: Anything fated: Star-crossed lovers, couple who know they love each other but are kept apart by something greater. And humorous stories that can also make me cry.

What I don’t particularly care for in a book: Too much internal dialogue and couples who hate each other until the last ten pages (I like to see some happiness).

What drives me absolutely nuts in a book: Prim and proper ladies and Uber Macho men who speak like Tarzan: “Me man, you woman…”

Favorite Romance Authors

All-Time Favorite Romance Authors

Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Teresa Medeiros

Contemporary:

Take a Chance on Me by Susan Donovan
Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie
Match Me If You Can by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

European Historical:

The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons
Almost Heaven by Judith McNaught

Medieval:

Wicked by Jill Barnett
The Last Arrow by Marsha Canham

Favorite Characters Favorites by Plot Type

Favorite Hero

Jamie Fraser, Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Alexander Belov, The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons
Billy Darling, Noboby’s Darling by Teresa Medeiros

Favorite Heroine

Annabelle Granger, Match Me If You Can by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Hyacinth Bridgerton, It’s in His Kiss by Julia Quinn

Most Tortured Hero

Alexander Belov, The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons

Strongest Heroine

Tatiana Metanova, The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons

Favorite Couple

Emily Scarborough and Justin Connor, Once an Angel by Teresa Medeiros
Hyacinth Bridgerton and Gareth St. Clair, It’s in His Kiss by Julia Quinn
Derek Craven and Sara Fielding, Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas

Best Villain

Jack Randall, Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Cabin or Road:

Once an Angel by Teresa Medeiros

Funny:

Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie
Take a Chance on Me by Susan Donovan

Sexy:

Passion by Lisa Valdez

Favorites by Mood

Comfort Reads:

Match Me If You Can by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Most-Hanky Reads:

The Bronze Horsemanby Paullina Simons
A Crack in Forever by Jeannie Brewer

Guilty Pleasure:

Emma Holly

Least-Favorites

Authors I Have Given Up On

Laura Kinsale
Jude Deveraux

Worst Books

The Shadow and the Star by Laura Kinsale
The Lover by Robin Schone

 

Most Disappointing Books

In the Garden series by Nora Roberts

Authors Others Love That I Don’t

Nora Roberts
Stephanie Laurens

Most Annoying Lead Character

Leda Etoile, The Shadow and the Star by Laura Kinsale

Non-Romance Favorites

Favorite Author

Stephen King
John Steinbeck
Audrey Niffenegger)

Favorite Book

The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
The Talisman by Stephen King
East of Eden by John Steinbeck

Favorite Classic Novel

East of Eden by John Steinbeck

Favorite Women’s Fiction

Something Blue by Emily Giffin

Favorite Set of Connected Books

Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon
The Bronze Horseman series by Paullina Simons

Book Most Often Reread

The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons

Favorite Fantasy

Salem’s Lot by Stephen King

Favorite Nonfiction

Geisha: A Life by Mineko Iwasaki