RIP: Julie Garwood
Julie Garwood, romance legend, passed away June 8, 2023, at the age of 78.
Debuting in 1985 with Gentle Warrior, Garwood was a prolific author across three decades, with books in sub genres ranging from medieval to Regency to contemporary thrillers. AAR awarded her 15 DIKs, predominantly for her historical romances. Our readers love her, too. Garwood has appeared in every single AAR Top 100 poll, with The Bride, Honor’s Splendour, Ransom, The Secret, and Saving Grace in particular making multiple appearances across the decades. In 2004, she had seven titles listed, and in 2000, she had eight – one of our best showings ever for one author. We reviewed her 34 times , giving her works grades that ranged from As to Fs.
Garwood was interviewed twice at AAR, in 1998 and 2007. In these interviews, she talks about how she began writing historical romance without actually reading it – which may explain why her stories, so refreshingly to many readers, avoided many of the dark tropes of the “bodice ripper” era. While often tackling serious issues, Garwood’s books were intentionally fun escapes, due in no small part to Garwood listening to the fans who told her that was what they loved.
Her voice and style had a lasting effect on the genre, and on the many people who have read and loved her. Julie Garwood will be missed.
Her obituary is HERE.
She was one of those writers many of us read when we started with this genre. I wasn’t very fond of her historical novels, but I enjoyed her romantic suspense novels. I’m sad to read that she has passed away but, at the same time, I see that she lived a very fruitful life, and she made millions of readers happy. That’s something very few people can say.
Garwood was one of many “big name” authors whose 80s/90s/20s backlists I explored when I began reading historical romance regularly in about 2005. I can’t speak to her suspense titles but she is one of the few “established” HR authors I enjoyed enough to want to keep on my shelves. It’s been a while since I’ve reread my Garwood titles, but my memory is that Garwood’s work stood out because her heroines were generally respected by the other characters in those books. Garwood created competent women heroines; and surrounded them with various characters who appreciated and depended on that competence – especially the men who fell in love with them.
Thank you, Ms. Garwood, for many lovely hours of reading.
In the early 1990s, I read many historical romances and Julie Garwood was one of my favorites. I especially liked A Lion’s Lady, Honor’s Splendour, and The Bride. These books had a gentle vein of humor that I really enjoyed. I didn’t follow her when she changed to writing contemporary/romantic suspense but I have fond memories of the historicals. She had an exemplary career and I am sad that she has passed.
Pretty sure the first one of hers I read was The Bride. That was enough to let me know she had a different approach to romances. But the one that cemented that in my head was Gentle Warrior. To say it was different from most of the historical romances before it was an understatement.
On a side note, while looking it up to make sure I was talking about the right book I discovered she had a pen name as Emily Chase and apparently wrote young adult before romances? Why am I just learning this now?
Garwood is my third-most read author. When I did a list of favorites a couple years ago ( http://www.ccrsdodona.org/markmuse/reading/mostread.html ), first was JAK/AQ/JC/SJ with 492 readings of 156 books, second was Heyer with 277 readings of 35 books, and third was Garwood with 185 readings of 34 books.
Garwood’s historicals are the reason I have the term “Mythic history” in my list of levels of accuracy ( http://www.ccrsdodona.org/markmuse/reading/genrelabels.html ).
I envy you your decades of reading data, Mark! I’ve done an ok job of recording what I enjoyed reading since 2005 but I didn’t keep track of many DNFs or rereads until far more recently.
Here is another way to order your list: Heyer is your #1 reread with almost 8 reads for each book – 277/35, Garwood is #2 with 5.5 per book, and JAK et. al with about 3 reads per book. I can’t say that I’ve read Heyer as often as you but I’ll bet my Garwood rereads come close to your average/title.
I started with Gentle Warrior — maybe even the original printing. (I even remember that I bought it from The Book Rack in Cockeysville, Maryland.) After so many bodice rippers, that book was a revelation. I liked it so much that even though I loved it, I brought it back to the used bookstore and trade it in so that someone else would have a chance to read it. Somehow, even then, I sensed that she was going to become popular.
Later, of course, I had to buy it again. And again on Kindle.
Gentle Warrior might still be my favorite of hers, though Saving Grace is up there.
Confession: I still have to read “Saving Grace.” I knew it was going to be a special book, so I set it aside for a special occasion.
*nudges it to the top*
It’s absolutely excellent; very realistic about the aftermath of spousal abuse and how one can blossom in their next relationship away from the pain.
GW was my first Garwood too!
Me three!
When I first started reading romances my two “gateways” were suspense/mysteries and Georgette Heyer! Early on I tended to read mainly RS, and Julie Garwood was one author I enjoyed. I’ve read 9 or 10 of her romantic suspense titles in the Buchanon-Renard series. My star rating has evolved over time when I realized most reviewers thought 3 starts (which meant “good” to me) meant poor. I rated almost all Garwood’s books I read 3 stars, or “good,” and two I rated 4 starts, or “great.” 5 stars was saved for “Amazing!” I guess these days most of her’s would be a B or B- with a couple of A-‘s. I read two of her historicals, Shadow Music (2 stars, just ok) and Prince Charming (4 stars, great).
Julie Garwood was an author I sought out for several years and gave me many good hours of reading.
I am sad; one of my gateway authors, and one of my favorite historical romance writers of all time.