Every Friday, we ask you what YOU think about an issue in romance. The questions are good (we think)–the comments much better! So join us, every Friday at the ask@AAR!
the ask@AAR: What’s the best party you’ve ever been to?
As Covid, more or less, recedes in its every day impact, people are socializing. All over the place. This makes me happy--as an utter extrovert I love get togethers. I've so missed gatherings and parties. [...]
the ask@AAR: What’s the most entertaining work of fiction you’ve read in the last six months?
What's the book you've read in the last six months that you simply couldn't put down? For me, it's Ninth House. Smart, engrossing and entertaining as hell. What about for you?
the ask@AAR: What romances do you feel are brilliantly plotted?
I was struck by a recent article prizing, in mysteries, psychologically complex characters over novels that were essentially puzzles... with tricky plots. In suspense reading, I am the reader who enjoys the latter over the [...]
the ask@AAR: What makes an erotic love story work?
Every few years, I reread Anne Calhoun's Uncommon Passion. I read it for the hero's powerful redemptive arc, for the way Calhoun shows us her characters' interior lives--she is a master of the show don't [...]
the ask@AAR: What do we think about Anne Stuart?
We've reviewed Anne Stuart 36 times. She began writing in 1977--I believe her first published book was Barrett's Hill. We didn't review her until 1996 when we gave Prince of Swords a C-. Laurie Gold wrote: [...]
the ask@AAR: What are your pet peeves in romance?
Weird confession: I struggle with stories where all the children have extremely distinctive names. I attribute this to growing up in a town with an infamous family who had six children and the elder five [...]
the ask@AAR: Does anyone still read short stories?
I'm on my annual large family vacation--there are three generations here, ages 17 to 85. In a conversation about choices with a few of my nephews, I referenced The Gift of the Magi. They looked [...]
the ask@AAR: What do we think about Kristan Higgins?
We've reviewed Ms. Higgins 22 times at AAR. She's received eight DIK grades, twelve B grades, and two C+s. Her last seven books have been women's fiction rather than straight romances, six of which (the [...]
the ask@AAR: What do we think of Susan Elizabeth Phillips?
AAR's reviewed Susan Elizabeth Phillips sixteen times--we've given her ten DIKs. The lowest grade she's gotten here is a single C. (That book, Dance Away with Me, also got a B here.) Given that she's [...]
the ask@ARR: What do we think about Lisa Kleypas?
AAR has reviewed Lisa Kleypas 41 times. We've given her twelve DIKs, the last of which was for Devil in Disguise in 2021. The lowest grade she's ever received here is a sole C in [...]
Looking back at the ask@AAR
WordPress tells me I've written 138 the ask@AAR posts. The first one, published on September 6th, 2019, asked what did you think about cartoon covers? Reading through the comments, it appears that AAR readers were, [...]
the ask@AAR: What’s your favorite easy summer dish (to make)?
It's mid July in the Carolinas and it is sticky and hot. On a good day, I find cooking somewhat onerous. (My excuse? Decades of making meals for four kids and a very busy husband.) [...]
This is good. Now all the arguments are in a single place.
Ha ha ha!